Two days after the fall of Ereve.

Many Explorers came and left. They all tried to investigate the mystery of the island's missing inhabitants, but gave up quickly. Mercedes had returned to her village only to change her clothes. She then hurried back and stood watch at the palace. If only she had reached the island a little earlier that night, she would have gone missing along with Phantom and his ship. She felt that it was her responsibility to solve the mystery. She entered the Empress's bedroom. The room was surprisingly bright. Sunlight entered the opened balcony and reflected off the broken pieces of mirror on the floor. Fascinated by the reflections in the room, Mercedes nudged a broken piece of mirror with her foot. She felt a strange jolt. She nudged it again. There was no reaction. She shrugged it off and left the room. She met Evan in the hallway.

"Hey, I've been looking for you. Lumi has something to tell us." said Evan.

They met up with Luminous and Brighton at The Empress's Garden. They sat around the conference table under the dome shelter. It was where the meeting of the Maple Alliance was held.

"I have noticed some residue of arcane magic." said Luminous.

"Where?" Evan interrupted.

"At this table... I believe everyone on this island had been transported to another dimension. Or rather, a new dimension had been created for them. I have tried to connect to it but failed. But I found out that the time flows strangely in that dimension, which was making it hard for me to connect to it."

"Which is why you called us here?" Brighton asked.

"…" Evan remained clueless.

"If one mage is not enough, then how about three mages?" Luminous suggested.

"Ooh!" Evan got excited.

"But I'm not a mage." The elf looked at them in discontent.

"Err..." Luminous tried to think of an excuse.

Evan was ready to dodge arrows.

"Who knows what enemies might suddenly appear from that dimension. Us mages would be grateful to have The Queen of Elves by our side if that happens." Brighton managed to pleased the grumpy Queen.

"Hah..." Mercedes took her hands off her weapons.

The three mages stood around the table in a triangle. Mercedes stood several steps away from them.

The mages point their wands and staff at the center of the table. Luminous started the ritual by reciting a spell.

"Darkness or light, day or night."

"Here or there, now or then"

At the center of the table, a ball of light appeared.

"Show us the path to the unknown land."

On the concrete floor Mercedes was standing on, cracks started to appear.

"Guys?" The elf felt uncomfortable.

They took no notice of her and continued the ritual. More cracks appeared, only at where Mercedes was standing. She tried to move away but an unknown force was locking her in place.

"Lumi! Hello!?" She raised her voice.

The mages still focused on the ritual. Holes started appearing as the floor broke and fell into an abyss.

Mercedes started to panic, "Guys!? Help!"

"AHHHHHH!" Mercedes fell into the dark unknown as the floor gave way.

The mages finished their ritual and the ball of light at the center of the table disappeared.

"Looks like nothing happened." Luminous sighed.

"Where's Mercedes?" Evan asked.

The three looked around in confusion. There was no hole on the ground. To them, it was as if Mercedes had suddenly disappeared before their eyes.

Phantom entered Neinheart's office. Instead of Neinheart, Mercedes was waiting for him there. She was looking though Neinheart's documents that was scattered on his office table.

"Wow, you're fast."

"Phantom! … I-I-Its not like I hurried here because I was worried about you." Mercedes looked away.

"It's good to see you. I'm glad you got my message."

"Hah … your message … that reminds me …" The elf made a sinister smile as she placed her bowgun against Phantom's head.

"I needed you to come in secret! I swear! Your highness, you're making a scary face …"

"Ehh? … did I change my clothes? Nevermind, forget what I said. I'll let this slide." Mercedes removed her bowgun from the thief's head.

"Clothes? You look pretty as always."

Mercedes was wearing her usual battle outfit.

"Hah? Are you making fun of me?"

"No … We've got a serious situation here." Phantom changed the topic.

"… That's right. I can't make any sense of what is happening here. Take a look at this." Mercedes passed Neinheart's report to Phantom.

28 Aug XXXX

There was a strange incident at the village of Ereve. A woman was found dead with three small holes that pierced her chest. Her house she was in, was sliced vertically in half. There were no witnesses. There were only traces of unknown magic.

"A serial killer?" Mercedes asked.

"More like a sorcerer."

"Lets go there. Maybe we can find some clues." Mercedes suggested.

They walked through the undead town. The townsfolk just sat on the ground, wherever they were, chanting. Mercedes walked closely behind Phantom. They reached the wreckage of the house at the edge of the town. The house was split cleanly in two, the two parts, fell to the side, opened up to the sky. And of course, the dead body was no longer there.

"So...why did we come here?" Phantom asked.

"Use your magic eye thingy and analyse it."

"I already did. Nothing makes any sense."

"Tsk. Useless."

"..."

"Are you even going the right way?" Mihile came from behind.

"Finally, someone who can speak." Mercedes said.

"What is happening here?" Phantom asked.

Mihile bowed at the elf queen. "I'm quite surprised to see you M'lady. I suggest you take a sit while I duel with this thief."

"AHEM." Eckhart stood beside the broken house. "I was here FIRST."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. Phantom is MY PREY."

"Sorry Batsy. But you're a little late in revealing your...presence."

"I was still here FIRST, Shiny."

"How about we settle our differences first."

"You want a FIGHT, Shiny?"

"That's what I said. Finally something we can agree on."

The knights distanced themselves from Phantom and Mercedes and began their duel. Eckhart threw some shurikens. Mihile deflected them with his shield and closed the gap. He swung his sword several times. Eckhart parried the attacks with a knife before distancing himself for another ranged attack.

"Wai.." Mercedes wanted to stop the two but Phantom blocked her by gesturing his hand out in front of her.

"They seem to be after me. You go look for Hilla. I'll handle this." Phantom said to Mercedes.

Before the elf could reply the thief dashed away.

"Hilla?" Mercedes was confused.

Phantom stood on a tree, overseeing the knights' duel.

"Ooooi!" Phantom shouted to get their attention.

The two knights halted their fight.

"As if I would wait for you fools to finish your childish quarrel. I'm out of here." Phantom stick out his tongue and made a silly face.

Phantom leapt away from tree to tree, into the forest.

"That bastard." Mihile spat on the ground.

The two knights went after the thief.

Mercedes wandered the town aimlessly. Stopping once in a while, to try shake some sense into the mindless citizens. The ground shook.

"What's happening now!?" Mercedes shouted out in frustration.

"What are you doing here..." Irena called out to the elf from across the street.

"Rina!" Mercedes ran up to her. "Can you tell me what's going on here?"

"Tell you?...err...am I allowed to do that?..." Sleepy faced Irena looked at the moon.

"Why..." Mercedes was interrupted by the sudden shock of the island crashing on the ocean's surface.

"Why don't you ask the witch later. She might answer you."

"Witch?"

There were cries of the mystical bird from the distance.

Phantom and Mercedes appeared at the witch's garden, standing some distance from the table.

"Oh? Looks like we have an uninvited guest." the witch said.

"W-What is this place?" Mercedes asked.

"Hilla's garden." Phantom answered.

"Hilla? Hilla is here?"

"Yes, she is right in front of you." Phantom replied.

"What are you talking about? That's not Hilla."

"What?"

"That looks a lot like … Cygnus."

"Cygnus?" The name echoed in Phantom's mind.

"She looks nothing like Hilla."

"That's right. Your name is Cygnus. Why? Why did you say you are Hilla?" Phantom asked the witch.

Cygnus just smiled back. Mercedes looked around the area in confusion.

"Answer me! Are you Hilla in disguise?" Phantom shouted.

Cygnus laughed.

"You are just playing with me aren't you?"

"Maybe this will persuade you to answer." The elf grew impatient.

"No! Wait!" Before Phantom could stop her, Mercedes fired a few arrows at Cygnus. They were only meant as a warning. If Cygnus had not move, it would pass by her safely. But she did not even needed to move if it was a real attack.

"That's right. Your name is Cygnus. Why? Why did you say you are Hilla?" Phantom asked the witch.

Cygnus just smiled back. Mercedes was stunned by the déjà vu moment.

"Answer me! Are you Hilla in disguise?"

Cygnus laughed.

"You are just playing with me aren't you?"

Mercedes fired more arrows at Cygnus.

"No! Wait!"

"That's right. Your name is Cygnus. Why? Why did you say you are Hilla?"

Cygnus just smiled back.

"What the hell is this!?" Mercedes asked.

"Answer me! Are you Hilla in disguise?"

Cygnus laughed.

Mercedes fired more arrows at Cygnus.

"No! Wait!"

"That's right. Your name is Cygnus..."

"ARGHHHH!" Mercedes charged at Cygnus, wanting to punch her.

"No! Wait!"

This continued for many more times. The crazy elf tried many ways to attack the witch. But eventually, she gave up.

"That's right. Your name is Cygnus. Why? Why did you say you are Hilla?"

"WHHHHYYYY!? WHY CAN'T I EVEN REACH HER!?" Mercedes collapsed on the ground, banging her fist on the floor.

"Mercedes…did you…attack her?" Phantom asked.

"T-t-that's impossible! How can…I even attack her?" Mercedes started crying.

Cygnus laughed like a lunatic. Phantom walked over to Mercedes, trying to console her.

"It's alright. It's alright. I'm sorry. I should have told you earlier." Phantom hugged her.

"...w-w-what is...g-g-going on..." Mercedes stuttered.

"It's pointless to attack her. It's her power. She makes your attack like it never happened."

Phantom made the elf sit on his chair, facing away from the table, as she calmed down. Mercedes told him about what happened in the past two days. He stood beside her, staring at the witch across the table, who had stopped laughing.

"You had your fun. Are you going to answer my questions now?"

"Sure. Ask away."

"Why did you say your name was Hilla?"

"Did you know? If you keep saying her name, she will appear."

There was a sound of glass cracking. In the space beside Cygnus, there was a crack in the dimension. The crack grew larger, creating a black portal. As it grew big enough, another witch appeared from the portal.

"Already feasting on tears without me?"

Author's notes:

Initially, I wanted to release a chapter every week.

But I seem to be taking 1-2 weeks.

I guess that's still okay if I can keep up this pace...

To be continued-

(16 DEC 2014)