Feyra didn't dare turn around, but after a while she peered out from behind the house and saw something weird happening.
Another figure had appeared, wearing another black cloak, that was longer than the other person's cloak.
"Have I been found?", the person, wearing the shorter black cloak, asked.
"The power of Death has a distinct feeling to it. It's like a needle in a haystack, but the needle is enchanted by an aura that makes it visible even when it lies at the bottom of the haystack.", the person with the longer black cloak answered.
Black cloak versus black cloak? This is truly... Confusing.
The person with the shorter black cloak finally took off their cape and revealed their full face. One half was fully that of a skull. However, it only affected the face and left everything like hair and ear in natural order.
The woman looked around. Her eye was completely black. She didn't find anything that was off.
"So... Where is this supposed to go? What do you know?", the woman asked.
"The attempt of blowing up the government building was your doing. Or should I say... The terrorist group's doing that you belong to. All I need is information.", the figure said, answering, without flinching even a tiny bit.
This is... Truly a little scary. Though from what I noticed is that this woman is unable to feel my presence at all. She isn't strong enough to do so. As for that other figure though... I have no idea.
Feyra looked at them like a child who was watching something interesting happening, being unable to peel their eyes off.
"You got quite a lot of information. What do you want? Money?"
"That I have enough.", the figure said, not even letting the woman continue on.
"What then? Power?"
"No need for that."
The woman was stunned and became silent for a moment. Someone who wasn't after power was a rare sight. She was wondering just who this figure was.
"Let me think... Then what is it you want? Tell me then!"
"Your lives."
"Seriously? Do you know how many people say that and they are the ones who end up dead?", the woman said, walking up to the figure and trying to peek under the cloak.
"I'm not joking or fooling around. I'm serious. You could also lead me to your group's hideout first."
"As if I would do this. Do you think I would sell out my people so easily?"
"Then how about I reveal your secret? The fact that 125 years ago you erased this whole village, awakening your powers. The crops still grow in a neverending cycle...", the figure said, not moving a single bit or even showing an arm.
Feyra was stunned, learning about the fact this village had been gone for over 100 years and the crops only grew because of a neverending cycle.
Was I meant to hear this? Is this black figure aware I'm here? If so then they would be even stronger than me...
Feyra was thinking too much. If it was true the figure was stronger, then even she should be more careful.
"You! What is there that could be interesting about this village!? Huh!? Answer me! Even if you told anyone about it, no one would care!"
"That's not right. Some people from this village had went to the Capital in that time. They have survived. Even though all the ones that directly survived it are dead, their descendants are still alive. What if they learn about this?", the figure said.
The woman backed up a few steps, clearly a little scared and stunned. She hadn't expected someone had survived, and she clearly hadn't expected someone to know about this.
"Little Lina! Hit this person!" Nothing happened. "Little Lina?"
The woman turned around to only see a disappearing carcass of a horse. "What have you done to Little Lina!?"
"I only granted them rest. That's all I did.", the figure said.
The woman was full of rage at this point, pulling out her weapon. It was a staff adorned with twigs and small bones she had likely found in the woods.
"Death beam!"
The figure still didn't move a single bit and only looked at the person standing opposite of them.
"Useless."
A beam of matter was sent out from the staff towards the figure. Upon impact it exploded, leaving dust clouds behind.
Feyra was coughing as quietly as she could and tried to wave away the dust, before she could see that the figure was still standing there unmoving.
How is that possible? Shouldn't this have killed them?
The figure called forth a sword to their side and unsheathed it without moving or touching it at all. "Sloth"
A pillow appeared beside them and the figure started to slightly fly over the ground. They moved the sword a few times around, still not touching or moving it.
Are they doing this with their mind!? They would have to be insanely strong to do so.
Feyra was stunned seeing such a scene play out in front of her eyes. She had thought this day would be a bit quieter, but now she had to hide to not be involved in a fight.
"Impossible! How are you still standing!?", the woman called out after the dust had settled a bit. Not only that, but she also saw that this figure hadn't moved a single millimetre. They hadn't been pushed back, nor had they tried to evade the beam the woman had sent out.
Only now did they move, walking slowly forward with the sword at their side. The sword was a katana with only a one sided blade. Feyra only knew this thanks to Princess Loreen who had always talked about the various weapons that existed.
She wasn't an ordinary princess... Which princess would have interest in weapons and mundane stuff?
The woman was starting to fly up in the air and aimed with her staff again at the figure. "Spikes of Death", she said in a quiet tone. The woman sadly didn't know her enemy, as well as a watcher, that was around, had better ears and they both weren't surprised.
The figure didn't evade the spikes flying towards them but instead they moved the sword, with their mind presumably, and deflected them all.
Damn it! If this continues I can say my life goodbye, the woman thought while flying a little further away, but also not too far.
Feyra was still able to see everything clearly, glued to the scene.
The figure stopped in their tracks suddenly and moved the sword once again to let it clash with the staff of the woman.
The woman was trying to hold it back, but was shoved through the air by the sheer force of this sword that no one held. After a while she was with her back to the ground and was shoved towards it further until she slammed into the ground.
The woman coughed a few times before she stood up again, revealing even more of her body, which was littered with bandages that were now falling off. Underneath was bone and rotten flesh bringing a bad stench with it.
The figure didn't seem bothered by this and continued to press on the staff of the woman.
How strong are they!?, she thought, holding the sword before running to the back of the figure and aiming another Death beam at their back.
"Useless... All useless.", the figure said, turning around and directing the sword to split the beam in two, sending the remaining energy only slightly past their cloak.
"This can't be...", the woman said, half exhausted already. The bandages on her body were falling off more and more and she held onto her arm until it was sent flying through the air.
"What?", she asked in disbelief, trying to grab for it with her hand.
Next to her was a sword that had cut upwards to cut her arm off. The figure came nearer until it directed the sword to also stab into the woman's leg.
She fell to the ground from the pain but tried to stand up immediately again. She ran to her staff and took it, directing multiple spikes in the direction of this figure once again, but not long after, she also saw her staff flying with her remaining arm through the air.
What?, she was in disbelief as she fell to the ground, noticing that her achilles tendons had been cut through too. Now she was merely lying on the ground, unable to walk or stand up, with no arms and no way to use her powers.
"Game over.", the figure walked over, squatting down and looking at the woman. Only now did they hold out their left arm. This arm was looking like a shriveled up corpse with grey skin. It was a just as ugly sight as the woman's arm that had already been rotting.
"Black cloak versus black cloak... The power of Death against the power of Death. Isn't that ridiculous? And yet the stronger one has won.", the figure grabbed the woman by the hair with this arm and dragged her up before turning towards the forest.
"The fields will turn to normal. Their eternal cycle broken. Remember this tale and remember these information. Nothing lasts forever.", with that the figure disappeared once again just as fast as they had come.
Feyra was finally able to get out of her hiding spot, looking around before running over to the fields. No crops were growing there anymore but what was left was pure wilderness.
This... They must've known I was there!
Feyra held a hand over her mouth in disbelief. What this person had said was not only about this village, but also about this terrorist group that had tried to blow up the government building.
Am I supposed to remember that it is a terrorist group? What did they mean?
She went further and left the village, not wanting to stay too long. This place was too ominous for her and she also didn't want to get in trouble should anyone see her at this place.
As Feyra went further, she found the small river again and washed her face to clear her mind. She still couldn't fathom what she had seen just now. It was too absurd to think about it.
This figure hadn't moved a lot at all, yet they had won. Their sword just hovering around, bending to their will.
Ugh... So much to think about... Let me just... Rest a bit...
Feyra fell to the side and her vision went black. Was it because the shock was finally gone or was she just too exhausted?
As she woke up again, she heard the water next to her and looked around. The sky had already darkened and the moon was shining, although only a part of it was remaining in the sky.
Soon there will be new moon. Should I continue on or just sleep?
Feyra was wondering what the next best move was, but she decided to walk a bit further to gain some distance between her and this village.
At night the world seemed strangely peaceful to her. Barely any people were around, and only some animals were scurrying around.
A fox ran past Feyra and scared her a little, but she didn't get as scared as with these letter pigeons, who didn't seem to know how to deliver letters without scaring the recipient.
On a tree stump a cat was sitting, looking at Feyra with its big eyes.
Meow!
Feyra went over to pet the cat twice before it disappeared into a black fog.
What was that!? Why are all these strange phenomena happening to me now!?
She shook her head and squeezed her face for a bit, telling herself that everything would be fine when she reached the next village.
With this in mind, she continued through the forest seeing owls and bats around. After a while, she decided to sit down and just enjoy the nature and the various animals that were awake at night, listening to the sounds of the forest, and enjoying the peace of night.