Bloodied with her own blood and that of others, the girl stands amidst a storm of clashing steel and splattering crimson. She is no knight, nor a trained warrior, but a monk, or so she should be. Yet, in this chaos, she moves with the despair of a cornered beast, a creature wrought with desperation.

  Her fists collide with metal, flesh against armor, as she lunges and twists, a primal force unleashed. There's no grace, no finesse, only raw, untamed fury propelling her forward. Each strike is fueled by an unfamiliar emotion, a potent mix of longing, loss, and an unyielding determination to set things right. It's a feeling she can't quite name, but it drives her relentlessly, heedless of the consequences, even at the cost of her own life.

  In her frenzy, she pays no mind to the skills, attributes, or even the level of her foes, factors any sane, sentient individual would consider before battle. However, at that moment, she's not even sane enough to do that. They are all the same to her, mere vessels of flesh to be squeezed the life out of. With reckless abandon, she unleashes her skills and abilities, guided only by the primal urge to eradicate them all.

  "Fuck, you're insane!" one knight shouts in disbelief.

  "I'll kill you all!" she roars in response, unleashing a powerful wind skill that sends a knight reeling before she lunges, sinking her teeth into his flesh, tearing away a large chunk in a frenzied display of savagery.

  Engaging with another knight, who had attempted to save his pinned-to-the-ground comrade, the girl fights with unmatched ferocity. She dodges, parries, and strikes with deadly precision, her movements fluid yet fueled by primal instinct. There seems to be nothing that could stop her, but even in her primal frenzy, she is not invincible.

  Lunging toward another knight, about to unleash yet another monk skill of hers, something catches her eye, something lying on the ground. The swirling emotions in her chest flare up once more, threatening to consume her unless she unleashes them. However, before she can fully unleash them, her focus wavers for just a moment.

  Seizing the opportunity, a knight takes advantage of her momentary distraction, closing the distance between them in an instant, swinging his sword downward with a cry of "Heightened Impact! Die, freak!" The blade cuts through the air, aimed for her vulnerable form, as the girl's world narrows to the sharp point of impending doom.

  Pain flares through her body as the metal meets flesh. Cut diagonally, he didn't miss her, but at the very least, he didn’t bisect her. She falls to her knee. She casts a glance at what caught her attention, hoping to get a surge of power from the sight to do what ought to be done. But in that moment, all she feels at the sight is helplessness, especially in front of the sight of the knight's blade descending upon her for the second time.

  Just like the first time, it didn’t miss her, but at the same time, it achieved something he didn’t the first time. She falls to the ground.

  In that moment, she clings to life for only a few more seconds, enough to darkness closes in, bringing with it two realizations: one for her, and one for me. She realizes that death has come whilst I realize that this is a dream, and the darkness is the sign that I am waking from it.

  ***

  Waking abruptly, I gasped, startling the nearby steed into a surprised neigh. As I surveyed my surroundings, the familiar comforts of my room or the library’s book and shelves were nowhere to be seen. Instead, I found myself amidst what could only be described as a green desert, with distant mountains looming and sparse vegetation dotting the landscape.

  "Where am I?"

  I pondered internally, scanning the area for any hint of familiarity, but finding none. Glancing at the worn, musty cloak that had doubled as my bedding and feeling the stiffness from sleeping on rocky terrain, my memory snapped back into focus. "Oh, right, I managed to escape from that place."

  More or less recognizing my location, I attempted to rise, grimacing as soreness protested with every movement. "This is the Grassy Gorge of—ouch, ouch," I muttered, my back and neck protesting from the rough sleep and relentless riding since my escape, determined to put as much distance between myself and the chateau. "Ouch, my ass too?! Damn it!"

  Taking a moment to stretch and alleviate the stiffness in my muscles, a thought crossed my mind immediately followed by a pang of guilt piercing my heart. "What's wrong with me? I've been yearning for this moment all my life, and now I'm complaining about my situation and missing that place?"

  Activating my ice magic skill, I conjured a soothing patch of ice to massage my neck.

  "Free to be me," I murmured, before unleashing a full-throated shout into the wilderness, "So no room for complaints—Kuh!" My voice echoed into the distance, but halfway through my outcry, a sharp pain shot through my neck.

  "Okay, maybe a bit of complaining is permissible, but it's only because this is just the beginning."

  I wouldn't have these aches and pains if there were a city nearby. I could've rented a room, slept in a comfortable bed. It would not be as luxurious as the chateau's, but it would still be cozier.

  I realized that taking such a detour came with its own set of inconveniences, but honestly, I would've managed had there been a city nearby to stop at on my way. There were none.

  It wasn't like the Wei? family’s chateau was situated in the absolute middle of nowhere. For instance, in the direction my father and Justaff had gone towards the imperial capital, there was a city, about a twelve-hour ride from the castle. It was from one of these towns that the chateau sourced its supplies. Well, looking back, while I referred to it as a city, it didn't quite meet the criteria. It was more of a town, dubbed as a city by the Wei? family, though in reality, it was just the largest settlement in the duchy. Yes, in this so-called duchy, entrusted to the Wei? family for governance after their fall from grace, there simply weren't any cities. Just small towns and villages scattered here and there. But that's all.

  I could have stopped in one of those towns, but considering the risk involved, I opted to leave the duchy's 'territory' first before considering any stop anywhere. That's what led me here, to the green desert east of the Duchy of Thaloria in the neighboring kingdom adjacent to the Kingdom of Graysteel.

  Traveling one day and half without rest, not only led me beyond the modest expanse of the Wei? family's duchy, sandwiched as it was between larger duchies and the neighboring kingdom, but it also carried me across the very borders of the kingdom, into the territory of the neighboring Kingdom of Wiedenfeld."

  Upon attaining the title of monarch, Emperor Cleon proclaimed the entire continent known as the "Land of Man" as his dominion, which he divided among seven appointed kings to govern. For the most part, these kings led lives quite similar to the ancestors of the Wei? family, a carefree life of adventure and quest for strength and immortality, which was why the kingdoms while bearing their name weren't something they personally established.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  My personal theory is that most of the original kings did not actually build their kingdoms themselves. They probably thought all that work was beneath them. Their descendants ended up doing the real building, while the kings acted as sponsors who gave their names and support.

  That is how the royal families came into being, and over time, how the ducal families appeared as well. The ducal lines did not form as neatly. They grew slowly through marriages, secret deals, and ambitious promises.

  There have always been seven kings and seven royal families, one for each kingdom. Four of those kingdoms are on this side of the sea: Graysteel, which was once the Wei? Kingdom, Wiedenfeld, Waldow, and Eldoria. The other three lie on the far side of the sea: Evermere, Radiance, and Dawnrealm.

  My destination was the city of Miriandelle, a bustling hub in the Eldoria Kingdom, sitting right at the edge of the sea that split Cleon’s empire into two halves. One half lay on this side of the sea, the other on the far side. To get to Miriandelle from where I started, in the far eastern reaches of the western kingdom, I would have to cross three kingdoms. I had already passed through one with ease, but two more—or maybe even three—still lay ahead. Unlike the first stretch, which had gone quickly, the journey ahead would take much longer. It would not be a matter of days, but months.

  Fortunately, I had time on my side. I had roughly 300 earthly days to reach my destination, more than enough if I traveled carefully. I planned to use the time to improve my skills as I went. Despite the ironic name of the “Land of Men,” the continent was still crawling with monsters, which was exactly what I needed to level up.

  In this world, encountering these creatures was such a common occurrence that not encountering one on the road would either be considered a miracle or an indication that one’s journey had been a very short one. While my journey thus far had been relatively brief compared to what lay ahead, it certainly didn't fall into the latter category.

  Mentally prepared for potential encounters with monsters, I had yet to face any true threats during my one and a half-day journey. I did meet some on the way but they were mainly low-level and weak candid creatures. But even then I didn’t look down on them, being on my own, I knew that the chance of being ambushed by a monster was never zero, so unless I reached a safe area I decided to not rest. It was only upon reaching this seemingly monster-free haven, an impression that thankfully proved accurate, that I decided to finally afford myself and my horse some much-needed rest.

  Surveying my surroundings, I couldn't help but reflect on the discomfort of my previous night's sleep. Setting aside the pervasive sense of isolation that permeated the desolate landscape, the expanse of green desert before me wasn't entirely unwelcoming, especially considering the absence of nocturnal monster attacks.

  "It could’ve been such a good night’s sleep if only the ground were a bit softer," I sighed, before lamenting, "And if only I could rid myself of that recurring nightmare."

  Somehow, I had harbored the belief that departing from the castle would banish those nightmares for good. How wrong I was. These unwelcome visions were stubborn remnants of my past, a past I wasn't particularly proud of.

  For someone like me, with the ability to reincarnate time and again, two things stand paramount: my mission to recover the authorities and the imperative of never losing sight of who I am and what I am here for. It's for the sake of both that I adhere to a strict pattern with each new incarnation.

  In the initial phase, particularly during my most vulnerable days, I fully immerse myself in the persona of the new life I'm entering, crafting a false identity through which others will perceive me, all in the interest of avoiding suspicion and, ultimately, harm. Each persona is distinct, tailored to my needs, whether social or otherwise.

  The second phase, the one I currently find myself in, involves shedding that protective shell, that persona, the facade I've constructed, and embracing the true essence of who I am.

  Those nightmares are remnants of a time when I clung to a specific persona, one I couldn't shed due to my untimely demise before I could break free from it. This explains the recurring nightmares. While I've experienced them in past incarnations, their frequency in this particular incarnation really troubles me, raising concerns about my mental state.

  I'm not suggesting I'm descending into insanity, though it's a direction I fear I might be heading toward.

  Insanity, someone from my old world once said that insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. Never before have I encountered a definition that resonated so deeply.

  I witnessed firsthand what insanity looks like, embodied in the previous wielder of the authority which granted us the ability to reincarnate again and again. Instead of fulfilling the purpose for which he was granted that authority, he spiraled into madness, recklessly throwing himself at insurmountable odds time and again. He could have lived a fulfilling life or, even better, work toward what he was granted the authority for, but instead, with each incarnation, he courted death, only to be revived by the authority, grow stronger, and then, in the twilight of his existence, confront his inevitable demise head-on. This cycle repeated not once or twice, but numerous times.

  It's a fortunate thing that we managed to put an end to this madness; otherwise, he might have repeated this futile cycle dozens, if not hundreds, of times, for he was truly lost to madness.

  "I refuse to ever let that fate be mine!" I muttered, my hand reaching for my staff, which I deftly wrapped around my hood.

  And while admittedly my situation wasn't looking great, I was at least sane enough to remember the purpose for which I was and why I was here;

  Usually, after waking from those nightmares, to ground myself and dispel any lingering unease, something I would usually do is reaffirm my identity. In this incarnation, where I had been most plagued by these nightmares, I did by reminding myself each time I woke up that I was no one else but Faye, daughter of the Heir of the Wei? family and one of his once many concubines. But the thing is that, by leaving the chateau, I had left that life behind, and I had no intention of returning to it.

  "That's right, I've left that persona behind."

  Which meant I needed a new one, one closer to my true self. While I relished the newfound freedom, I couldn't simply be just "myself"; that would raise suspicion. I had to embody something close to it but far away for people to not figure there’s something actively wrong with me, and the first step was finding a new name.

  I pondered for a moment, seeking a name that resonated with me and encapsulated who I was and who I wanted to be. Eventually, I settled on one that both appealed to my ears and evoked memories I'd rather forget: Arianna.

  "Arianna," I murmured, savoring the syllables. "Arian... Arianna, the wandering Magician."

  Considering the name's origins, I felt it flirted with bad taste, almost as if I were inviting additional nightmares. However, since I personally favored it and wasn't daunted by the prospect of more nightmares, I decided to embrace it.

  "I suppose that's settled; I shall be Arianna. Not a wandering magician, but a wandering Hexcaster."

  Though merely changing a name, it lifted my spirits.

  In a newfound optimism, I glanced down at the object in my grasp, the staff enveloped by my hood. That man had insisted on calling it Elspeth, a name unworthy of its grandeur. For three years, I had yearned to rename it but never did to avoid being found out as a bad daughter. Now, with nothing and no one holding me back, I decided it was time for it to receive the name it deserved.

  For this name, I knew one thing for certain: I didn't want a name that could belong to a person. After the trauma of having my staff named Elspeth and my wand Wanda, I sought something powerful yet unique to both the staff and myself as its wielder. As I pondered, a plethora of names flooded my mind, many of them linked to ice, reflecting both the staff's nature and my affinity for that elemental magic. However, despite that, I am ultimately a Hexcaster not a cryomancer. I am a sorcerer that focuses on heavily weakening foes through curses, jinx and hexes before delivering the final blow.

  After some contemplation, a name emerged, causing me to burst into laughter. "Impotence."

  "Hahaha. Such a cursed name, yet so fitting. Haha, I like it." Holding my wrapped staff aloft, I proclaimed, "From now on, you are no longer Elspeth; you are Arianna's Staff of Impotence."

  Perhaps sensing my elation or reacting to my words, the horse let out a neigh. I glanced at it. "What? Do you approve of my choice?" Drawing closer, I stroked the horse's mane. "Do you want a name as well? Very well, let's find you one." After a brief moment of consideration, I suggested, "Since you kept watch over me while I slept, how about Veilleuse? What do you think?" In response, the horse neighed once more. I smiled, continuing to caress it. "I'm pleased you agree," I murmured before securing my staff to the saddle scabbard.

  "Now then, Veilleuse, I hope you rested and ate well last night, for I aim to find proper lodgings tonight. That means we must push ourselves today," I addressed the horse before grimacing as I forced myself to mount its back.

  With a firm grip on the horse's reins, I scanned the sky, searching for a peculiar celestial body. And there it was, a silvery sphere hanging low on the horizon, pointing us the direction we are to head to. Satisfied, I whispered a soft command to Veilleuse, urging her forward. With a gentle nudge and a quiet but firm "hya," we set off, our journey just beginning.