I opened my eyes. It was a new day. The golden glow from the outside shone all around my room.
I got up from bed and walked over to the bathroom.
Even from there, I could hear Arisu's excitement.
"This'll be hard to endure..." I thought.
After a few minutes, I exited the bathroom and began exiting my room.
As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by a beautiful face, adorned by gleaming light-blue hair.
It was Arisu...
The walking disaster...
In front of my room...
Her eyes sparkled with joy, and she smiled brightly at me. I stepped into the corridor, my senses tingling with Arisu's contagious excitement.
I asked with a sigh.
"What are you doing here?"
Arisu beamed, her light-blue hair dancing with every little movement she made.
"Getting you so we can explore the hidden corners of Mythril Haven! Adventure awaits, Lyssa!"
"So we're just going to skip eating?"
"Of course!"
Arisu replied with a wide grin that lit up her face.
I stepped back into my room, eyeing Arisu's infectious excitement as I declared, emphasising practicality.
"Exploring can wait; I need sustenance first."
Arisu pouted.
"Food can wait, Lyssa! Mythril Haven has secrets waiting to be unravelled."
I turned around and faced Arisu, crossing my arms.
"Secrets can wait too. Food is more important."
"Lyyyyysssssaaaaaa..."
Arisu whined, her light-blue hair dimming as if mirroring her mood.
"No." I said with finality.
A pout formed on Arisu's lips.
"But exploring Mythril Haven is fun."
"Eating is also fun."
I countered, maintaining my resolve. The banter continued as Arisu tried to sway me.
"You're no fun."
"And you're impatient."
"Come ooooonnnn, Lyssa. Let's gooooo."
Arisu whined, giving me puppy-dog eyes.
I sighed. "Fine. But only after breakfast."
I relented, and a subtle "Yay!" escaped Arisu's lips. As if in response to her joy, her hair began to regain its radiance, its strands dancing with renewed vibrancy.
"Let's go then."
I said, standing up and stretching my arms.
"After breakfast."
Arisu groaned, letting out a long sigh.
"Ughhhh. Fine."
I smiled, knowing that I had won this round.
"Good."
As we lay there in silence, I turned to Arisu and asked.
"Have you woken up, Kei, yet?"
I gazed at Arisu as she plopped onto my bed.
"Nope."
Arisu bounced off my bed, her hair radiantly dancing.
Arisu's peculiar habit of leaping onto my bed only to promptly bounce back down like a spring-loaded gazelle remained a mystery.
"So you woke me up, but not Kei?"
"Yes. That's exactly what I did."
"... You're really making me not want to do this."
I opened the door and stepped into the hallway with Arisu.
"Why though? You're my minion, and you'll listen to me."
She demanded, crossing her arms.
"Not before eating; I don't. And besides, I'm not your minion."
"Aww."
As we descended the stairs, I spotted Kei sitting in the inn's common room, patiently eating breakfast.
"Oh, so he is awake."
Arisu whispered to herself, her eyes fixed on Kei as he ate his meal.
"So, what's the plan for today's exploration, Arisu?"
I asked, trying to balance curiosity with the urgency of satisfying my hunger. Arisu grinned in response.
"Oh, you'll love this! There's a library in Mythril Haven with ancient scrolls and—"
"Please don't ramble on. I'm trying to eat."
Kei paused Arisu before her rambling became infinite.
After we ate, Arisu instantly jumped up from her chair, startling the other Hybrids.
"I'm done; time to go!"
"But—"
"Time. To. Go."
Arisu persistently pleaded with one of her usual creepy smiles; her light-blue hair mirrored her mood.
Finally giving in, I agreed to explore Mythril Haven.
As we ventured into the hidden corners of Mythril Haven, Arisu's excitement bubbled over.
However, my attention kept drifting back to the green crystal mentioned in the orc memories.
I opened the door, and the bustling sounds of Mythril Haven greeted us. Arisu skipped ahead, her radiant light-blue hair drawing attention.
The town's hybrid inhabitants went about their daily routines, casting curious glances our way.
"Where to first, Arisu?" I inquired, following her lead through the lively streets.
Arisu twirled, her excitement infectious. "Let's check out the market, Lyssa! There might be exotic items."
Kei intervened.
"Arisu, how long do you—"
Arisu silenced him with a glance and an eerie smile.
"Kei, respectfully, shut the fuck up."
I exchanged a glance with Kei, who shrugged in response. Following Arisu's lead, we headed towards the bustling market. Arisu's light-blue hair drew attention as we navigated through the lively streets.
As we approached the market square, Arisu's eyes widened with anticipation. "Oh, Lyssa, you're going to love this! There's a peculiar stall that sells enchanted trinkets."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. "Enchanted trinkets? What kind of items are we talking about?"
Arisu's grin widened, and she pulled me towards the stall. "You'll see! this way!"
I rolled my eyes, wondering why she insisted on keeping everything so hush-hush.
But I followed her anyway—after all, trust was important, right?
Arisu stopped at a small, dingy stall with trinkets piled high. The stall owner, an old-looking hybrid with dragon-like clawed hands, glared at us suspiciously.
"Ah, that one."
Arisu pointed at a pendant hanging in the back, half-hidden behind other baubles.
"How much?"
"Three hundred Lythrium fossils."
The woman replied gruffly.
"One hundred."
Arisu countered, her eyes narrowing. I could tell she wasn't going to budge. Neither would the woman, it seemed.
"Two hundred and fifty."
"One hundred and fifty."
"Fine, two hundred and fifteen. But not a fossil less."
"Deal."
I sighed, leaning against the stall. What was so special about this trinket? Why did Arisu want it? And more importantly, why couldn't she just tell me?
"Here's your trinket."
The woman handed over the pendant, snatching the gold coins from Arisu's hand.
"Thank you."
Arisu smiled sweetly before turning to leave, pulling me along with her. As we walked, she clutched the pendant tightly, as if afraid someone would try to take it from her.
"Alright, Arisu. What's the big secret? Why did we have to come all this way for a stupid little trinket?"
I said finally, frustration boiling over.
She offered me a smile, but her eyes were guarded.
"Lyssa, I promise I'll explain everything soon. Just trust me, okay?"
"Fine," I muttered, crossing my arms. "But you better have a good explanation for all this."
"Trust me, Lyssa. I do."
We continued through the bustling streets of Mythril Haven, and my frustration simmered beneath the surface.
Arisu seemed intent on avoiding my questions, so I focused instead on the creatures and people we encountered.
"Look at that one," Kei whispered, nodding towards a man with the wings of a hawk sprouting from his back. A Hybrid. "I have never seen anything like it."
"Me neither," I admitted, watching as he flashed a predatory grin at another passer-by.
"Over here!"
Arisu called, disappearing down an alleyway. We followed her into a small courtyard filled with more beings than I'd ever imagined.
Creatures with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse; small, shrivelled green humanoid people; even a woman with a fish tail for legs lounging in a large tub of water
"I can't believe all these creatures exist."
I murmured, taking in the scene.
With a twist of the wrist, Arisu was off again, leading us through the convoluted alleys of Mythril Haven.
I couldn't help but marvel at how the city seemed to pulse with life, each corner revealing a new secret.
Kei kept close beside me, his eyes wide with curiosity and apprehension.
"I never thought we'd end up here." He muttered.
"Neither did I."
I agreed, my thoughts wandering to the reason that had brought us here in the first place.
There was something about this place, something hidden beneath its shimmering surface.
"Come on!"
Arisu called from ahead, her feline grace allowing her to navigate the maze-like streets effortlessly.
"You don't want to miss this."
I exchanged glances with Kei, and together we picked up our pace, following our capricious guide deeper into Mythril Haven.
The buildings seemed to lean in closer, their shadows stretching out like fingers trying to snatch us away.
"Here it is!"
Arisu announced with a triumphant flourish as she led us around one final bend.
The ground fell away before us, dropping into a sheer cliffside that revealed a breathtaking panorama of the town below.
"Wow."
I breathed, inching closer to the edge to take in the view.
The labyrinthine streets unfurled beneath me like an intricate tapestry, interwoven with iridescent threads of magic.
The sight was enough to take my breath away.
Arisu preened, her chest puffing out with pride.
"Isn't it amazing?"
"Maybe?" Kei replied.
"I have never seen anything like it."
"Few have. This spot's known only to a select few. Consider yourselves lucky."
Arisu said smugly.
"Thanks for showing us."
I told her.
Despite my growing impatience to continue our search, I couldn't deny the beauty of this hidden gem.
"Of course!"
Arisu beamed, then turned back towards the town.
"Now, let's get back to exploring. There's still so much more to see!"
After a long while of pointless exploring, we stopped for a break.
The sun beat down on us as we leaned against a crumbling stone wall.
My throat felt parched, and I longed to find some answers. All this sightseeing was starting to grate on me.
"Hey, you guys, go ahead. I just remembered I needed to pick up something nearby. I'll catch up later."
"Are you sure?"
Kei asked, concern etched on his face.
"Positive. Don't worry about me."
I waved them off with that lie.
"Alright, see you later."
Arisu shrugged.
As they vanished around the corner, I set off in search of someone who might know more about D.K.
I approached a tall, burly hybrid with the head of a lion.
"Excuse me. Have you ever heard of someone called D.K.?"
The lion-man scowled.
"D.K? Yeah, I've heard of them. Never seen him though. People say they're whatever you believe them to be."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yep, but watch out. He's trouble."
"Thanks for the warning."
I nodded, mentally making a note of his words. As I continued on my search, I spotted a bizarre figure slithering through the crowd.
It was a snake woman, her long, scaly body twisting and turning as she made her way through the throngs of people.
"Hello."
I greeted her, hoping she might have some more information about D.K.
"Do you know anything about D.K?"
"Ah, D.K..."
She hissed, her forked tongue flickering.
"I've heard the name. They say they can take any form. But one thing's for sure: empathy isn't in their dictionary."
"Interesting."
I stored the knowledge away, thanking her before continuing my pursuit.
Each hybrid I encountered had a parallel story. Some claimed they were a giant, others a dwarf. One even insisted they were an imperceptible spirit.
But every single one agreed on two things: D.K. was a problem and lacked empathy.
As I roamed the serpentine streets, I couldn't help but wonder who—or what—D.K. was.
And more importantly, why did everyone seem to know them, yet nobody had ever seen them, and why had they been targeting me for whatever plot they had?
I shook my head, trying to clear away my doubts.
Whatever the truth, I had to find them and find out what they knew about my family.
I decided to turn my attention towards Valkami Kingdom, asking every hybrid I met about the kingdom.
But to my dismay, every single one of them gave me a similar response.
"What is Valkami Kingdom?"
"I've never heard of such a place."
"Valkami Kingdom is just your delusion; it doesn't exist anywhere but your own fantasies."
It was as if they were all reading from the same script.
I was left in utter disbelief. How could it be possible that not even a single hybrid had any knowledge of this place?
Had I been transported to another world just to fulfil my soul's insatiable desire for revenge against someone from a different realm?
Would I ever be able to find peace?