"I think they're gaining!" Gusion exclaimed. He turned gracefully in the air, throwing several daggers at the demons that pursued us. A jet of flame flashed towards us, and Aamon leapt up to avoid it, his arms still tight around me.

"Well spotted," Aamon commented drily. I looked up at him. We'd been on the run for a good while, but he and Gusion didn't appear the least bit fatigued, their magic staving off most the wear from the run. The demons following behind us were large, and bulky compared to the agile Paxley brothers.

"We need to fight them!" Gusion said, throwing more daggers behind him.

"We're outnumbered," Aamon said, his voice calm. "Keep up, we're nearly there."

"Nearly where?!" Gusion exclaimed as Aamon sped up.

I glanced around us, trying to recall the in-game map of the Land of Dawn. We had been near the border of the Stormeye Wasteland, which was Balmond's home. Near it would be…

Ahead of us, the trees seemed to thin out, and three of us burst out of the forest. A deep ravine greeted us, it's black maw deep and dark.

"Nearly there?" Gusion asked sarcastically as the thunder of the demons grew louder behind us.

"We jump," Aamon said, his grip tightening around me.

"W-wait, what do you mean jump?!" Gusion and I yelped.

Aamon ignored us as he rushed towards the ravine. I gasped as he leapt into the darkness ahead of us. I screamed, my arms tightening around his neck. "Do you even know what's at the bottom?!" I cried as the cold night wind blew past us.

Something warm passed over me, and I gasped, surprised, as a soft blue light flashed around us. My body had vanished. It was as if I had become partially invisible. I could see the soft outline of my feet, my legs, but I was…transparent.

This, I realized, was Aamon's power in the game. His Camouflage.

Just as this thought occurred to me, I felt my body hit the water below the ravine. I gasped as ice cold water hit us. I felt myself slipping from Aamon's arms and into the cold, dark water. I mentally swore.

I didn't know how to swim.

Panic started to sink in as the cold bit into my skin, as the water enveloped me in a suffocating embrace. It was so dark, so cold.

Which way was up?

I tried to swim, but I felt so disoriented. I glanced around the dark water, trying to find even a hint of moonlight to guide my sense of direction. But no, I was surrounded by cold dark water. I kicked, flailed my arms. My lungs were burning.

A strong hand enclosed around my wrist, pulling me in one direction. I gasped as I felt my head break through the surface of the water. I gulped lungfuls of air, sputtering water as I did so.

"You can't swim?" Aamon's voice was equally annoyed, and equally impatient. He wound an arm around my waist, and began swimming towards the shore with his other arm, his strokes swift and strong.

"Y-you sh-should have asked!" I coughed, holding on to him. I glanced at him. He was still Camouflaged, only his distorted outline visible. Ahead of us, Gusion had already reached the shore, and was waiting, several daggers held out. His eyes scanned the cliff we had leapt off. High above, the demons burst onto the cliff, hissing and shrieking in rage. I take it, they couldn't see through Aamon's Camouflage.

Wow, it was really in-game accurate.

"Come on," Gusion said impatiently as Aamon and I stumbled out of the water.

"Go," Aamon said, and we disappeared into the trees.


"I think we lost them," Gusion said, staring out of the cave entrance we had stumbled across earlier.

Aamon was standing, leaning against the damp cave wall, still dripping wet after our dunk in the river. Gusion shivered, his hair dripping water into his eyes. I think I would have been freezing had it not been for Aamon's cloak. The thing was magic, and it was warm. It also smelt slightly of peppermint and books. Huh. Surprising.

Gusion left the cave entrance and wandered over to us. I leaned against the cave wall opposite Aamon, still in denial about my current predicament. In all honesty, I was having a hard time believing that any of this was real and not some figment of a dream, but…I glanced at Aamon and Gusion.

It felt so…real.

"Thank you," I said quietly, staring at the both of them.

"We need a fire," Gusion said.

"No," Aamon said. "We aren't out of danger just yet." He held out a hand, and a single shard appeared, glowing with a faint blue light. He threw it out the cave entrance, and I watched as it zoomed off into the dark.

"What are you doing?" Gusion asked.

"Issuing an order," was the curt reply.

"What about her?" Gusion asked, tilting his head at me.

Aamon's cold eyes found mine. "She's coming with us," he said, making his way past Gusion. He stood in front of me, blue gray eyes scrutinizing me in the same way I had scrutinized him earlier. "Who are you, and what have you done with the Heart of Anima?"

"I told you my name," I snapped, backing away. Admittedly, being this close to him was…intimidating. "And I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know what Balmond meant!"

"You knew our names the moment you saw us, even Balmond's." Aamon reached out, his long fingers grasping my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "And I can feel it—the aura of the Heart. Inside you. What have you done with it?"

I stared at him. In all honesty, the in-game artwork they did on Aamon didn't do him enough justice. It didn't quite capture the way his blue gray eyes could be so cold, so cunning. Nor the way his expression could remain calm and deadly.

But he was being a jerk at the moment.

I slapped his hand away, and narrowed my eyes at him. "Thank you for your help, but I'd appreciate it if you stopped manhandling me," I snapped.

He glared at me, waiting for a response. And I glared back.

"Look, look, can we all just calm down?" Gusion said loudly, raising his hands placatingly. "Maybe start over? Introduce ourselves?" He turned to me. "Gusion Paxley. And that's my brother Aamon Paxley, Duke of House Paxley, revered Head of the Paxley family, et cetera…though you know that already."

"More than you think," I muttered, remembering all the times I had controlled both Aamon and Gusion in the game. This was so freaky. But Gusion was right. If this whole thing wasn't a dream, I might as well be amiable.

I sighed. "Diana Parker," I said holding out a hand towards Aamon. "Surgical resident. Doctor at Paxton General. Thank you for saving my life, Duke Paxley." I was an MLBB Aamon simp, but that was evaporating quite fast.

Aamon stared at my hand, before taking it in his own. Before I could say anything else, he bent down, his lips lightly brushing my knuckles.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?!" I yelped, withdrawing my hand. "You're supposed to shake it, not kiss it!"

Gusion threw his hands up. "I give up," he said.

I wrapped Aamon's cloak tightly around me. "I'm sorry," I said, my voice small, remembering that was exactly the way nobles greeted some women. "It's just…been a very long, very strange day for me. Thank you for saving me." I offered a conciliatory smile at them both. At that moment, all the fatigue slowly crept up on me.

I was stuck in a strange world based off a mobile game. A villain in said game claimed I was hoarding a mysterious, powerful artifact, and I was dripping wet, wrapped up in the cloak of an in-game hero I had played with alongside Carter and Julius just hours ago.

Aamon turned his back to me and headed towards the cave entrance. I sat on the ground, sighing in defeat. What on earth had I gotten myself into? How would I go back to my world? Why me?

Somehow, was this all just a dream?

I glanced at my hand. The warmth lingering from Aamon's touch made it hard to believe that this whole thing was a dream. If so, what on God' s green earth was going on here?

I stared at my hand, frowning. Was I even still on Earth? In fact, was I even in my own universe? The Marvel Cinematic Universe had introduced the concept of a multiverse to the masses in entertainment. Was it possible that, for some strange reason, I was stuck in one such multiverse, where characters of fiction and fantasy inexplicably came to life?

Or…was this all just a dream I would wake up from?


"So, uuuuh."

Diana looked up. Gusion had made his way over to her. He crouched down beside her, water from his hair dripping onto Aamon's cloak. "Mind sharing what you know so far?" He hoped he sounded polite. Aamon could be intimidating most of the time.

"That's the thing," Diana said slowly. "I don't know anything."

"You lost your memory?"

"No! It's just that…Believe me when I say, I'm not really from around here." She ran a hand through her slopping hair, and let out a long sigh. "I'm not even sure you'd believe me, anyway."

"I've seen a lot of crazy stuff," Gusion offered. "Trust me on that."

"Yeah, you have a trickster god stuck inside you, that in itself is pretty crazy," Diana said, without thinking.

Aamon turned to her, scowling. Gusion gaped, and Diana flushed. "That is a carefully guarded secret of the Paxley family," Aamon said slowly, stalking towards them again. "You say we wouldn't believe you. Try me." He challenged.

Diana looked up at him and gulped. "Maybe give her time, big brother?" Gusion said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Time is not a luxury we can afford," Aamon snapped. He glanced briefly towards the entrance, before turning back to me. "Well?"

Diana fiddled with the hem of Aamon's cloak. "Well, you might wanna sit down," she said. Though only the light of the moon filled the entrance of the cave, she was certain she didn't imagine the way Aamon's jaw clenched as he complied, sitting across from her and Gusion on the rocky cave floor.

"I…I come from a world without magic," Diana said slowly, eyeing the two Paxleys.

"No magic?" Gusion said, gaping. Even Aamon raised an eyebrow. Diana couldn't blame them for their disbelief. The Paxley family had been hailed as one of the strongest magic users in the Empire, and their entire lives had been devoted to honing their magic.

"No magic," Diana repeated. "In my world, science is magic, and technology is the wand we use. One such form of technology is called the mobile phone. It's basically a small computer that gives us access to vast amounts of knowledge and entertainment." She braced herself, not knowing how they would react to the next part of her explanation.

"One such form of entertainment is a game called…Mobile Legends," she said slowly, glancing between them. So far, they were handling it pretty well. Aamon looked almost bored, even. "In this game, we, the players, control specific heroes to fight against other players on our behalf. Two such heroes are…you and Gusion." She looked up at Aamon, who was frowning at her, a furrow between his brows.

"Wait, wait," Gusion said, raising a hand. "You're saying…Aamon and I are characters in this…game of yours? And that you just…control us?"

"Look, that's what I thought, too!" Diana said defensively. "Imagine my shock when I fall asleep on my bed, and wake up in a fictional world, and meet two of my favorite characters." She shook her head. "I thought I'd gone crazy. I thought someone had drugged me, kidnapped me or something. And then seeing all those demons…I don't think I'm dreaming. Am I?"

"You're right, that is crazy," Gusion said, tilting his head. "Aamon is no one's favorite, especially not the Elders."

Aamon glared at him before turning back to Diana. "So you're saying, in your world, Gusion and I are effectively a figment of someone's imagination?" Each word dripped with sarcasm.

Diana held up her hands. "You wanted an explanation, you got it, though…" She trailed off. "I probably wouldn't believe me either if I was in your shoes. It's pretty crazy, isn't it?"

Aamon was silent for a moment. "That doesn't explain why you have the Heart of Anima's aura," he said.

"You've got a one-track mind, haven't you?" Diana said, tilting her head at him. "I mean, I'm not sure how someone is supposed to react to being told they didn't exist, but…" She flinched as Aamon sent a warning glare her way. "Look, I don't know why you and Balmond seem to think I have the Heart of Anima with me. I don't even know how I got here."

Gusion watched as the girl seemed to shrink further into his brother's cloak. She must feel really lost, he thought. He imagined he would be, if he had been stranded in a world full of people he thought didn't exist.

"I don't even know if I'm dreaming," Diana murmured. "How could any of this be real? How could you real?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow at Aamon. "Or maybe I'm just going crazy. Must be all the stress from those sleepless nights in the operating room."

Aamon flicked her forehead with a finger. Hard.

"Ow!" Diana snapped, glaring at the Duke. "What the heck was that for?"

"Did that feel real enough?" Aamon asked sarcastically.

Diana blinked. There was a thoughtful look in her eyes. "As a matter of fact…it did." She fell silent, a contemplative look coming across her face.

Aamon stood and made his way back to the entrance of the cave, eyes scanning the dark trees. "Do you think it's safe to head out now?" Gusion asked.

"I don't feel the demons," Aamon mused. "Let's go."

"I'd have liked to dry up first," Gusion quipped, helping Diana to her feet. "Where are we headed, anyway? You're not thinking of trekking back to Castle Aberleen with that hoard on our tail, were you?"

"Aberleen is a fortnight's travel on horseback," Aamon said. He held out a hand, and several shards of light appeared in them. I watched, fascinated, as one of the shards rushed towards me. Again, I felt that strange warmth from before we leapt into the river. I didn't need to look down to see that he had camouflaged both Gusion and me.

"We're going to the Lunar Temple."

Gusion and Diana stared at him. "Are you crazy?!" Gusion yelped. "You're going to risk leading Balmond's hoard to the Lunar Temple? I mean, I know a lot of people bow down to the Great Aamon Paxley, but do you think the Elf King would even bother to open the gates for us?"

Aamon's eyes slid to Diana. "He will."

Diana glared at him. "I don't know what you're thinking, but I get the feeling it involves using me as bargaining chip."

The Duke smirked at her. "Very perceptive of you."


Unbelievable.

The Mobile Legends description for Aamon Paxley was, "The Aloof Duke of Castle Aberleen." Might wanna swap 'aloof' for 'asshole'. Though every MLBB player knows that Aamon is aloof, deep down, the guy was actually a caring and kind person who'd do anything to protect his little brother Gusion.

Yeah, right.

Did I mention I was an Aamon simp? Was.

I glared at Aamon's back as he led Gusion and me through the dark forest, the moonlight guiding our way. "He's actually an okay guy, once you get to know him," Gusion whispered, sensing my irritation. "I thought he wanted me dead at one point, but I just misunderstood."

"I'm not a bargaining chip!" I hissed. "Especially not for Estes. What makes him think someone like Estes would even be interested in a stranger like me?"

"I can hear you," Aamon pointed out. In the moonlight, I could make out the faint outline of his body through his Camouflage.

"Good!" I snapped. "Why are you so sure that Estes would even help us?"

"Because the Elf King is fond of mysteries," Aamon said, turning around to face me. "And you, Diana Parker, are a mystery for him."

I rolled my eyes at him. "So, what would he want with me, exactly? Open me up? Hm? Wait…are you going to give me to him?"

"That remains to be seen." Was the curt reply.

If I had not been Camouflaged, Aamon would have seen my cheeks flush with indignation. "I'm not your property, Your Grace. And I can make my own decisions, thank you very much."

Before Aamon could reply, Gusion stepped in between us. "Look, I'm going to walk here," he said, gesturing to the space between us both. "The both of you are far too pig-headed for your own good."

Aamon turned his back to us and continued along the path between the trees. "Who are you calling pig-headed?" I snapped at the younger Paxley.

Gusion pressed a finger to my lips. "The both of you have been pushing each other's buttons since we found you, and it's getting on my nerves. Seriously."

I huffed, wrapping Aamon's cloak tightly around me. "Sorry."

"At least you know how to say 'sorry'," Gusion muttered.

I Glanced at Aamon's retreating back. Gusion had a point. I was essentially a stranger in this land, and they had been kind enough not to abandon me to Balmond and his hoard. I glanced at the cloak I wore. Did I really have a right to refuse whatever it was Aamon had planned out with Estes?

I made my way past Gusion and caught up to Aamon. He ignored me.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Aamon," I said, not entirely sure if he was listening. I continued, anyway. "I'd like to help, however I can with convincing Estes, but…Please tell me how. Don't just use me as a chip Estes might be interested in. How do you even know he'd be interested in our predicament?"

"Because you are an outlander," he said simply. "But unlike other outlanders, you are something entirely different. You don't come from a different planet, or a different galaxy. You come from a different plane of reality altogether. That in itself will be enough to draw Estes's attention."

Outlander…

I tried to recall if such a term existed in the Mobile Legends game lore. I don't think it did.

"Did the order you issue earlier also have something to do with the Lunar Temple?" Gusion asked, catching up to us.

"Yes," Aamon said, as he picked up the pace. "As it so happens, Alucard is at the Lunar Temple."

Gusion and I stared at him. I then remembered how the House of Paxley had a quiet, decisive influence in the affairs of the Empire, manipulating politics and events from the shadows. And at the head of such a household was Aamon himself. Politics were never heavily tackled on in the game lore, and it made me wonder just how deep House Paxley could reach into the Empire. If Aamon could confidently issue an order to one of the Lightborn troops without hesitation, I'd say it was a deep reach.

"That's Duke Paxley for you," Gusion said, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Always planning ah—"

I elbowed Gusion in the ribs. "For someone accusing me of pushing Aamon's buttons, you're doing the same thing yourself," I told him, rolling my eyes.

"He's my brother, pushing his buttons is something I'm obligated to do."

"The point of concealment," Aamon said. He glanced at us from over his shoulder. "Is so no one is alerted to our presence. Be. Quie—!"

There was a dull thud, and Aamon's eyes widened. Gusion and I gasped. "Aamon!" I cried out. An arrow was embedded in his right shoulder, the shaft sticking outwards. Aamon's Camouflage was immediately dispelled, and I could see both he and Gusion clearly again.

A second later, Aamon had wrenched the arrow from his shoulder. Shards of light suddenly flared around him, illuminating the dark forest around us. Gusion's daggers were immediately in one hand. With the other, he grasped my wrist and moved me behind him and Aamon.

"Come out," Aamon said to the trees. He didn't sound in pain at all.

A dark cackle came from the trees ahead of us. "Well, well, if it isn't my lucky day," another familiar voice drawled out.

My eyes widened as a shape emerged from the trees. Two curving horns atop a head of shaggy gray hair, and mismatched eyes…one dark, the other a blazing red.

"I told Thamuz the Heart was around here somewhere," the figure drawled. He slung a spiked bow on one shoulder, which was surprising. This particular MLBB character was a fighter, not a marksman. "But did Thamuz listen? Of course not. Even had the nerve to tell me to be careful of the Paxley brothers. As if a bunch of humans could lay a finger on me!"

"Dyrroth," Aamon said.