Mystical Fantasy : The Analogi

Several days had passed.

The magical mist surrounding their hideout remained thick as ever, denying the outside world any glimpse of its interior. But within, the atmosphere had changed—quieter, calmer, almost serene.

In one of the underground rooms warmed by the soft glow of green stones, Alice lay on a simple bed. A blanket covered her small frame, her hair was neatly combed, and her wounds had fully healed.

Zeo sat beside the bed.

His rough hand occasionally wiped sweat from Alice's forehead. Every movement was gentle, as if he feared hurting her. He had refused Ravyn's help, except when it came to changing Alice's clothes.

"She... looks like she'll wake up soon," said Ravyn, noticing the color returning to Alice's face.

But Zeo only nodded quietly. Every time his eyes met Alice's face, his expression turned complex—a mixture of shock, guilt, and... memory.

Now, as the third dawn shimmered on the magical crystals on the cave ceiling, Alice's eyelids began to twitch.

Zeo leaned closer.

And when those eyes slowly opened—weakly—panic instantly flashed in them. Her body tensed, and her breathing turned ragged.

"W-Where am I? Who are you?!" she asked in a rush.

Zeo flinched. He tried to answer, but his lips didn't move. No words came out. His chest tightened—his eyes trembled.

Ravyn appeared from the corner of the room, holding a cup of warm potion.

"You're safe now," she said softly. "We saved you. You're in a place where no beast or human can reach."

Alice glared at both of them. "Why... did you save me?"

Zeo looked at her. He wanted to speak. But his throat was stiff. He simply stood still. Ravyn glanced at him and took the initiative.

"Ah... Master Zeo doesn't talk much," Ravyn said, glancing at the man who stood like a statue. "But he carried your body... he's the one who watched over and took care of you."

Alice fell silent.

She looked down at her hands. Her skin was clean. Her body intact.

"Ah... Thank you," she said sincerely.

But in her heart...

I'm alive... but why does my heart feel so empty...?

Zeo looked at her for a long moment, as if he wanted to say something. But upon seeing the sadness on her face, he decided otherwise—then turned around and walked away, leaving her in her silence and thoughts.

---

Days passed.

Alice's body recovered. But her smile never returned.

She often sat at the edge of the underground pond, gazing at her own reflection. Sometimes she stared at her tiny hands. Lost in thought.

Zeo watched from afar, never approaching. Only observing, like a shadow. Ravyn also spoke less, sensing the heaviness in the air.

That night, while everything was quiet, Alice stared at the cave ceiling and let her thoughts drift into memory...

Alice's Flashback

"So... you really want to join that party, Alice?" Erik's voice was full of excitement. He sat in front of the guild's bulletin board, pointing at a flyer.

"This is a rare opportunity! They need a defensive mage! You're perfect—your golem power is already known among C and even B-rank adventurers!"

Alice, wearing a shabby long jacket with her hair tied up carelessly, looked uncertain.

"But... their missions are B-level and above. I've never joined anything higher than C... and I don't even have experience with parties of that level."

Erik smiled reassuringly. "That's exactly why this is your chance. Besides, they agreed because of your reputation and... everyone knows you're reliable."

Alice looked at him, her big eyes filled with hope and fear.

"You sure?"

"Of course. We started this party together. This is our first B-level mission. After this, you'll rank up, Alice. We can travel farther, explore major cities. Your dream can come true!"

Alice gave a small smile and finally nodded. "Alright. If you believe in me... I'll go."

Back to the present

Alice closed her eyes. Her hands clenched.

"If you believed in me... why did you leave me that time..."

That memory now felt like a blade.

Zeo stood behind her, watching the small figure that seemed to drown in loneliness.

He didn't know everything that had happened in her past. But he could feel one thing: the wound in her heart... was deeper than it appeared.

Zeo focused his vision. A faint light flickered in his irises as his Dimensional Eyes activated.

His sharp gaze pierced the surface, seeing deep into Alice's core—her energy structure, affinities, even hidden potential.

The girl was truly human, only sixteen years old. Her Entra energy was around 6,200—quite high for her age, though still far below Ravyn. Her Vita was much weaker, only around 2,000, and her Arma slightly above average at about 3,400.

But it wasn't the numbers that stunned Zeo.

It was the unique composition of secondary energy in Alice's body.

She had full affinity with three elements: earth, water, and electro. Among them, earth was clearly the strongest. Within her magical network flowed natural energy—a rare type usually found only in fusion magicians or spirit summoners.

Most impressively, Alice had already acquired advanced elemental techniques: wood type magic, along with attacks involving ice, rock, and even lightning—clear indicators of immense potential.

Though her overall level was far below Ravyn's, Zeo nodded slowly. She wasn't strong… yet. But her power was intriguing. Not someone to overlook.

Her frame was small and nearly fragile compared to Ravyn, but the elements she had mastered—especially wood fusion, along with ice and lightning—were rare and notoriously difficult to combine. The combination unlocked many paths... if trained properly.

She's special. Maybe perfect for the party I plan to build—if she's willing to join, Zeo thought.

But that thought pulled him back to the memory of Kaira. Memories of adventures with her... and how Alice resembled her so much—it frustrated him.

Without saying a word, Zeo left Alice to her thoughts. He headed to where Ravyn had been waiting.

---

In the Forbidden Forest

The wind carried damp mist. Magic birds flew low, and from time to time, beastly roars echoed in the distance.

Ravyn leapt from root to root, landing gracefully beside Zeo.

"Master... I'm way faster now, right?"

Zeo gave a slight nod.

Ravyn started a conversation.

"By the way, Master... about our party. Do we really need more members? Aren't we enough already?"

Zeo glanced slightly. "Not sure. But I think it's better to gather a few more. You okay if we leave the forest to search for new members?"

Ravyn crossed her arms. "I don't mind, Master. But... I know a place where we might find humans and demi-humans inside this forest."

"?"

"There's a chance... some Djinn villages in this forest are hiding humans or demi-humans. Either as slaves... or energy sources."

"Djinn? Do they eat humans and demi-humans?" Zeo asked bluntly.

"More like they absorb the energy from humans. This dimension isn't ideal for Djinn compared to Azzaleth. Jin who get thrown into the human realm tend to weaken, so they need a supply of negative energy from creatures of this world—humans and demi-humans."

Zeo paused, then nodded.

"What about you?" Zeo asked.

"You know I'm half-human, Master. So I don't really need it," Ravyn replied. "I know a Djinn village not far from here. Want to check it out?"

"?"

"To the north, there's a Fire Djinn Village... Ifrit tribe," Ravyn continued. "They're usually aggressive and closed off. Likely they're keeping human or demi-human prisoners. We could destroy the village and save those captives."

Zeo narrowed his eyes.

"Are all Djinn cruel and savage?"

Ravyn gave a faint smile. "Ah, not really, Master. A lot of Jin are good, hehe."

Zeo didn't respond immediately. He simply leapt to a high branch and vanished toward the north.

Ravyn followed soon after.

"Master, what should we do with them?"

"For now, we observe. If they're evil... we destroy them."

"Understood, Master."

---

Moments Later: Near the Ifrit Village

The mist turned red. The air grew hot, and even the leaves around them began to wilt from the heat. The ground darkened. Trees bore scorch marks along their trunks.

Ravyn covered her nose. "This is... Ifrit territory. They thrive on heat and flame."

Zeo nodded slightly. In the distance, a faint orange-red glow shimmered from volcanic stone buildings. A hidden village—surrounded by magma formations and living charcoal. The energy from within... was raw and wild.

"What do you think?" Zeo asked.

"There's quite a few of them, Master. I haven't felt any human or demi-human auras yet."

Zeo let out a soft sigh, then leaned against a tree. "In that case... let's watch first."

WHOOSH—

Suddenly, a massive fire wave surged toward them.

Fortunately, Zeo and Ravyn dodged it in time.

A humanoid figure wrapped in flames flew toward them.

"Tchh... I guess their welcome's a bit too warm," Zeo muttered.