"Hmm... Nyx, Akane, let's go! I know where it is," Fatheema said as she stood up and walked toward the riverbank. After drying themselves off, they followed the small stream according to Fatheema's directions. The stream gradually descended and turned into a rushing cascade.
After walking for some time, they arrived at a spacious chamber where the river widened into a large pool. At the far end of the pool stood a waterfall nearly thirty feet high. Beside the waterfall, however, was a sloping path leading downward.
The three of them followed another passage for quite a while until they reached a hidden area that branched off from the river.
After wandering through the labyrinth-like cave for some time, they finally arrived at the chamber Fatheema had been talking about—the very place where she had encountered the mythical creature Medusa.
Using the method she had learned before, she guided them back into the secret chamber. They entered a place that resembled a garden hidden inside the cave.
"Look, this secret place is perfect for resting. If we have enough time, we can recover here. And Akane, look! Is that glowing sphere up there the one you were talking about?" Fatheema asked, pointing toward a golden orb shining like a miniature yellow sun suspended near the cave wall.
"My God, that's the Power Orb I was talking about. The golden-yellow type is one of the rarest and most useful kinds. Not only is it an energy source, but it also has special abilities. It seems capable of helping plants grow and accelerating regeneration or healing," Akane said excitedly. She practically jumped with joy without realizing it.
The three of them cleaned themselves up and rested for a while to recover their strength. Each shared stories about their past and the events that had led them to that place. Fatheema found herself genuinely entertained by her new friends' stories. It comforted her to know that there were others whose lives had been just as tragic as hers.
Once they felt rested enough, they prepared to leave the dark cave. Following the river's course, they encountered little resistance and eventually reached the cave entrance—the same route Akane had used when she first entered the place.
"Look, Fatty! That's the way I got in here. Last time I tricked those stupid gorilla monsters and managed to sneak inside. But now there's nobody guarding the place. Has everything calmed down?" Akane asked, puzzled by the absence of guards.
"Forget it. Don't overthink it. Let's get out of here. I need to find my friends and figure out a way to get home." Fatheema didn't wait for a response and immediately headed for the exit.
The three girls emerged from the cave and stepped into a vast open area.
The moment she left the cave, Fatheema sensed something strange about the environment. She gazed across the landscape before her—the earth, the air, the trees, and the sky. Taking a deep breath, she filled her lungs with the fresh air. Slowly, she raised one hand with her palm facing upward, then turned it over and lowered it again as if trying to feel the atmosphere around her.
"Hmm. Something feels off. The vitality in the air is limited. The sky is pale with streaks of orange even though the sun is still high. The sunlight itself has an orange tint, and I can even see stars during the day. Hey, that one star is huge and incredibly bright for a star—it's almost the size of a ping-pong ball from here."
"And... the trees. Their leaves are red instead of green, some even brownish. What kind of place is this? Hanako! Where exactly did you bring me?!" Fatheema muttered to herself.
"Hey, Fatty! What's wrong? Why are you spacing out?" Akane asked, tapping her shoulder and pulling her out of her thoughts.
"I... hmm... I'm confused. What kind of place is this? Why does everything look like this? It feels unfamiliar, like it isn't Earth. I've never heard of a place like this before." Fatheema still couldn't understand where she truly was.
"If this is another world, is it merely a different dimension? A dimension overlapping with the human world while still existing on Earth? Or is it an entirely different world, a different planet in a completely different solar system? How exactly did that demon Hanako bring me here?" Fatheema clenched her teeth in frustration, her mind racing with questions.
"Fatty, if we want to leave this giant dome cave, we'll have to pass through the haunted Roban Forest. If we leave now, it'll be nightfall before we're through it. That's dangerous. There are evil creatures in there that will attack us. Shouldn't we wait until tomorrow?" Akane warned. She was clearly worried about crossing the forest ahead.
"Ah, we can't. I need to find my friends as soon as possible. I can't afford to wait another day. I'm going through that forest right now." Fatheema remained stubborn and marched toward Roban Forest.
She had only taken a few steps away from the cave entrance when—
A sharp whistling sound suddenly came from behind.
A dark figure moved at incredible speed, striking at the three girls with a gleaming silver blade.
Hearing the suspicious sound, Fatheema spun around and swept both of her kusarigama blades outward.
CLANG!
The sound of metal crashing against metal echoed through the area. Fatheema followed with a wide horizontal slash before leaping backward to create distance.
Standing before them was a humanoid figure over six feet tall dressed entirely in black. It wielded a straight sword and wore a terrifying white oni mask.
"Fatty! Be careful! That's one of Hanako's servants—a Shadow Warrior! They're evil, cunning assassins!" Akane shouted in alarm.
Fatheema lowered herself into a fighting stance. Holding the chain of the kusarigama about two hand spans above the handle, she spun the blade in her right hand like a propeller, occasionally crossing it from side to side.
Meanwhile, the black-clad creature growled and suddenly charged toward her. Its sword was held at its side with the tip aimed directly at its target.
When the Shadow Warrior was about sixteen feet away, Fatheema hurled the blade in her right hand at it.
The creature dodged in a bizarre manner, its body shifting like black smoke as it moved. The blade struck empty air.
Seeing this, Fatheema pivoted left and yanked the thrown blade back in a long arc, sending it slicing toward the warrior from the outside.
The Shadow Warrior leaped high into the air with astonishing agility, raising its sword overhead in preparation for a downward strike.
CLANG!
The collision of their weapons rang out once more.
After unleashing a series of counterattacks with her remaining kusarigama, Fatheema jumped far backward to maintain distance. Fighting with twin chained blades felt much easier when she could keep her opponents at range rather than engage in close combat.
Suddenly, the Shadow Warrior's body trembled and distorted. A moment later, a dark silhouette emerged from it.
Now there were two Shadow Warriors.
And it didn't stop there.
More shadows emerged from both figures until there were five Shadow Warriors standing before them.
"Great... this thing can duplicate itself. Fighting it is going to be a real nightmare," Fatheema muttered under her breath.
***