Through Unknowns

They got home dejectedly and Flora greeted them at the entrance. However, as her eyes scanned the group, her gaze became colder and colder.

"I thought you all should come back with Master. Why are you here?"

Diamond, a man in his early twenties, who had a youthful appearance and vigor, spoke, "Flora… Master went to the other side of the Gate and we couldn't even follow her there."

"Nonsense!"

"It's the truth! We tried multiple times but it was all in vain! If you don't believe us, go there yourself!"

"Big brother Diamond!" Free, a youth in his late teens, warned Diamond from his sudden outburst. "I'm sorry, Miss Flora. But it was all the truth. We can accompany you to the Gate."

Flora sighed. "No. I'll just go."

"What's the commotion about?" Alaric suddenly joined the fray as he tilted his head. His once feeble body became strong as he gained strength day by day by fighting monsters that were stronger than him. However, ever since there weren't any more stronger monsters now in Avira, his hunt became like a routine. Moreover, when he joined the guild, he quickly climbed the ranks and was now an A-Rank adventurer.

"What are you doing here?" Flora asked as she waved the others off.

"I was going to eat here after a long hunt. So, what's wrong?"

"Haa… it seems that Master entered the Gate."

Alaric's eyes shone in mirth as he stepped closer to Flora. "Gate? Her? If you're going, I will go too!"

"Why are you so excited?"

"It's a new world! Of course I will be excited! Aaaahh… I envy Xiuying… I also hope that I entered with her too! Ugh..."

"Alright. Go and prepare, we will leave after dinner."

"Aye, aye!" Then he went to his home that he purchased with the money he earned through hunting. He ran around his house as he collected things and shoving them into his high-grade spatial backpack. Once he was done, he locked his home then went to the Ying Resto.

Since it was dinner time, a lot of people were inside and there weren't any people outside. Since most of them decided to just spend their dinner at their home with their home cooked food. With that, he waited at the entrance and then saw a vacant seat by the bar. He quickly sat and settled his backpack between his feet.

"Rice Omelette please," he ordered.

"What about the drinks?" Adiel, the waitress under Chang Xiuying's command, asked.

"I'll settle with Morning Tears."

"That'll be 140 coppers. Do you wish to pay before or after your meal?"

"Before, please," then he handed two silvers. Adiel went and then came back in front of Alaric.

"Yeah, I am. Flora will go with me."

"Ah yes… Miss Flora is kind of busy earlier. I heard that Master entered the Gate and was never back."

"Yeah… so, we wished to find her and, if it's possible, bring her back."

"Oh, wait. Here comes your order," Adiel said as she heard the number of Alaric's order was called. She went to the main counter and got his omelet settled in front of him.

"Please enjoy," Adiel smiled then left.

Alaric enjoyed his food until he smoothly finished it all. Flora then went next to him and said, "Finally… I'm done. We should go now."

"Wait… you're the one cooked? I see now why it is much more delicious than the previous ones..."

"This might be the last time, that's why I volunteered to cook."

"Lucky me then."

"Get your ass off the chair and let's go."

"Should we inform the other of Xiuying's disappearance?"

"They'll know eventually," Flora said as she pulled Alaric from his seat along with his backpack.

Then, after brisking for a few moments, they arrived in front of the Gate of Lasirion. It stood for about 100 meters and 50 meters wide. There were swirling different lights on the liquified surface as it slowly hypnotized them. They shook their heads and tried to reach out to the surface of the Gate. Once they confirmed that they could enter, they pushed their way through the Gate. The transfer wasn't that comfortable… and they feel woozy.

Just as they entered, Flora immediately scanned her surroundings with Qi to find Chang Xiuying. While Alaric looked around with amazement at the ruins of this once lively city. He stepped on a huge rubble and looked around excitedly.

"I found Master," Flora suddenly said behind him.

He hummed and then turned his body around, still looking at the ruins.

"Face here properly!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Then they suddenly encountered a group of men and one woman who was behind.

"Oh? A busty woman..." one of them mumbled as he looked at Flora's seductive figure.

"Much better than the one we have."

"We should play around with her."

"Hey, woman, come with us," the one that seemed to be the leader demanded as he glared menacingly at Flora.

"Why would I?"

"Huh?" They looked at each other sith bewilderment.

"How dare a woman talk back to us!"

"Place your head on the ground and beg for forgiveness!"

"No. We have much better things to do. Alaric, let's go."

"Yes, ma'am!" Then they went deeper into the forest.

"Huh?" They once again looked so confused.

"Why would a man follow a woman around? Is he a woman, perhaps? Or is his soul a woman?"

"Interesting..."

"Let's follow them."

The woman behind sighed in resignation as she followed closely behind. Her hands were on her abdomen and was squeezing it so tight. She bit her lower lip, her anger at the men reaching new heights.

Meanwhile, Alaric sighed then whispered at Flora, "They're following us. Should we kill them?"

"We still don't know the laws here."

"What if we made the situation like they were killed by those monsters?"

"Can you do it?"

"My nature is too human. I can't possibly kill them like an animal."

When Flora felt that Chang Xiuying's presence became clearer, she was met with her carrying a babbling baby in her arms.

"Master…?"

"Oh… I knew it was you guys. So, I took the risk and came to meet you."

"Is that baby your child?" Flora and Alaric asked at the same time. That made Chang Xiuying laugh.

"No. That's crazy. Why would I have a child?"

"Well… I thought time passed by quickly here..." Alaric slowly said as he approached and played with the baby. The infant smiled at him and grabbed his finger then sucked on it. Alaric laughed and cooed.

Suddenly, Chang Xiuying's gaze hardened as she stared behind Flora. She could feel strong energy fluctuations and she immediately handed Nathaniel to Alaric.

"Stay here."

"Master, what happened?"

"There's a massacre," she said as she looked at Alaric, "Keep Nathaniel safe."

"Aye, aye!"

"I'm coming with you!" However, the very instance Flora looked around, she could see a woman killing the men around her. Her nails were sharp and her eyes were red as it changed back to black then to red. Flora trembled from the mere sight of that woman. Its presence was so strong that it made her back cold and her hair stood. Besides, there were corpses of men all around her. It seemed that she killed all of her companions.

Parts of their bodies were littered and their decapitated head laid on the bloody ground.

A real demon…

Chang Xiuying stood in front of the woman with her red eyes and the woman quickly submitted from her gaze.

"Kii… Kill me..." her words got translated through Chang Xiuying's bracelet.

"Master…"

"She said I have to kill her..."

"I know," Flora said.

"Wait… you can understand them?"

"Yeah."

Chang Xiuying momentarily got dumbfounded before focusing on the woman through her glowing red eyes. The woman trembled once again as her eyes changed to black.

"Kill me… please… but not the baby..."

"How can we even kill you?" Chang Xiuying said as she examined the woman's body. The black aura that covered her were concentrated on one point. The baby.

"The baby is the one who is controlling you."

"No… no, please… let him live… he haven't done anything wrong..."

Chang Xiuying focused her eyes on the pitch black energy on the woman's abdomen. It didn't contain a single malice towards her and it seemed to calm down in her presence.

'You… you can talk? How?'

'...'

"Master?" Flora called the blank Chang Xiuying. Suddenly, she sighed greatly.

"Let the woman live and her baby. Come, whoever you are, in the house."

"Ex… excuse me?" The woman mumbled.

"Just follow me..."

Then they arrived in front of the house with a lot of wires installed around the vicinity. Alaric didn't pay any attention and just played with the baby in his arms. The woman enviously looked at them and placed her hand on her abdomen. She also wished that her chid would have a good father.

They dodged each wire and entered the house. It was wide and enough for five people to live. However, there was only one bed and one crib.

Suddenly, a bell was rung and then footsteps came.

"Xiuying? Nathaniel?" The voice called then entered her own home. "Oh… we have guests… who are they---a man..." she said as she glared at Alaric. Fortunately, he was playing with her child as he laughed and cooed. This made Noella's guard loosen up.

"These are my friends from the other side of the portal. This is Flora and the man is Alaric," she gestured at them and then looked at the woman with them. "I forgot to ask you for your name."

"I don't have a name..."

"What do you want to be called?"

"Pardon?"

"What name do you want?"

"Freedom… I want freedom..."

"..." Chang Xiuying became silent.