𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝙶𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚆𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐: 𝙾𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚅𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜

Chapter 22 {Each Tale Has A Beginning}

"Ah...okay. Thanks" I nodded at her with a grateful grin.

"So what do we got here?" Yumi, who had finished her tea, check out the mysterious book Kathryn had claimed as magical. She traced the leather cover with the tip of her finger with caution.

Kathryn sighed as she recalled back what had happened to her, "Last night, I was staying up late to read when I suddenly heard some bell-like sound or something" she frowned. "...I'm not really sure"

A chill went down my spine and I gulped, "shit, this is starting to sound like a scary story". Yeah, not a fan of one especially in this magic infested world.

"Might as well be" she snorted though we could see the haunting in her golden eyes as she told her tales. Yeah, bet she wouldn't wanna go through that again.

"Anyway, as I was saying. I heard that sound when I was trying to find a new book to read" she shrugged her shoulders.

"And? What happened next?" I pushed her to tell more.

"So I checked it out"

"Really?!" My eyes widen in anticipation. What did she find?!

"Of course not! I bolted right out of there! Hell like I'm staying put with some creepy-ass sound. That's just asking for it" Kathryn looked at me like I was an idiot. I pouted at her, crossing my arms as I turned away from her. So mean!

Erina, being the lovely pacifist she is, had said, "it's alright. Maybe some would react differently in that situation" she patted my shoulder. "So what happened next, Kath?"

"Well, I went back to my reading spot and this appeared" she had gestured to the same book she had shown us.

"So maybe you left it there and forgotten?" Yumi suggested, trying to be logical...if only we weren't living in a world where magic and fantasy exist.

"I would accept that possibility If I had that bad of a memory but I was so sure it wasn't there before" she griped tight onto her arms. "But to be honest, that's not the weirdest thing that happens..." There was even a trace of dread in her tone.

I bit my tongue back to avoid from commenting on it seeing the usually stubborn and smart-ass girl so...frighten? Uncertain? Yeah, whatever it is, I don't like it and where this is gonna lead to.

"It had burned my hand when I tried to pick it up," Kathryn said, showing her a small bandage on what we could guess as to her burn received from the book. "And it then just flipped open by itself..." And that's it.

"Yeah, I'm outta here" I immediately turned around and wanna get the hell out of here. Though I didn't make it far.

"Huh? Where the hell are you going?" A dark smiled curved upon Kathryn's bloody face! "You're also involved with this. Like shit, you can just run and hide like some fucking scaredy-cat!" She pulled on my collar, practically choking me.

I even looked pleadingly at Erina, my only saviour! But she only shook her head, "you dug your own grave..." She sighed. "....now you gotta lie in it"

"There goes my only saviour..." I cried internally. Shit, this is digging into my neck! Just as Kathryn pushed me to a seat, looming over me threateningly.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!" I admit defeat. "I was just joking!" I awkwardly laughed though it doesn't ease my green-haired friend's anger.

"Oh you wish you were joking" she cracked her knuckles with loud cracks. "Doesn't seem like you were-" she didn't get to her threats as a bright light blind us.

"W-what the hell?" I could only gape in complete belief. "Damn...you're seeing the same thing, right?" I weakly at the strange phenomenon that's happening right in front of us.