Another mark. I need to run. No, wait. Stop. Calm down. Quietly turn around, and walk away. Don’t let him reach Rumina.

She grabbed her friend’s hand, squeezing tightly to catch her attention as she turned around and started walking in the other direction, making her way through the increasing crowd on the streets.

“What's happening Jen? That tremor and the adventurers and why do you look so pale?” Rumina asked as she walked behind her.

“I can’t explain right now, just, we need to get out of here, and you need to run away,” Jennifer said, scanning the crowd for a way to escape. Her heart thundered as she mentally prepared for a fight against another mark.

“You! Stop there!” she heard the man shout from behind.

“Run!” Jennifer screamed, dashing ahead. She tackled her way out of the crowds as she ran through the main streets. “Who is that guy Jen! What in Sera’s name is happening here?” her friend shouted, running just a few steps behind her.

Jennifer turned, taking a sharp turn onto a narrower street and Rumina followed behind. The presence had vanished from her mind as soon as she had made a run for it but she wasn’t willing to trust the man had stopped chasing her. Turning towards her friend, she tried to reply between her labored breathing.

“I don’t know, and I can’t explain everything. Just - can you run and call for the guards. Just in case. Please Rumina. I will explain later, just go for now,” Jennifer said, mentally preparing an Agile wind burst to launch off at any moment as she sharpened her senses to its limits to detect any moving body of mana around her.

“I don’t like this one bit, Jen, I don’t like leaving you here, I don’t like this earthquake, I don’t like how you’ve been hiding all these things,” her friend said, her voice grave and a concerned expression on her face.

“I-I’m sorry Rumina, I really am. But just please. I swear I will tell you as much as I can. But not now,” Jennifer pleaded, blood pounding in her heart as each moment standing still increased her panic. Flashes of dark green eyes in her mind, made her legs freeze up.

“I swear I will get the end of this from you. You hear that?” Rumina said, her voice trembling a bit and Jennifer nodded. The redhead swiftly ran off through the alley, silently using some skill as she vanished around the corner.

That should be enough to keep her safe, I hope that man doesn’t chase after her or is bold enough to go against the city guards.

Jennifer looked around once more, before she walked out of the side alley, her eyes searching the crowd for the man but she found nothing. People walked about around her, everyone looking for answers as the tremors had let off at last.

I don’t have time for this. Jennifer gathered the wind as she started the spell. With a strong blast of air, she ran ahead.

Master’s shop is the best place I can go to right now. Either that or find some other guards, but if the sand-using man is any indication of their power, then the guards would be far from enough.

Jennifer kicked the ground once more, using another sharp gust of wind that sent her flying as her feet lifted off the ground by a few inches. She moved through the streets, leaving dust clouds as she flew past people.

A woman stumbled and screamed, falling down as Jennifer almost collided into her at an excessive speed.

Shit.

She used a strong gust of air to propel her sideways, avoiding the lady at the very last second.

“I’m sorry,” she exclaimed, but she doubted they heard her as she was already far away.

Her mana dipped fast, and she had to stop using the wind blasts to launch off, and instead rely on the normal wind gust the spell provided. She slowed down slightly, spotting a large crowd ahead. People stood gathered in front of a large pile of rubble that had collapsed on the street blocking the way ahead.

Damn it, I need to find another way out.

She turned to look behind her and noticed no one trailing her. Her heart still thundered, panic and anxiety fighting a tug of war in her mind.

Am I overreacting? The man was chasing me, I'm sure of it. But...did I really lose him? No, no point. I need to get somewhere safe. Me running away is hopefully also enough to distract the man and prevent him from following Rumina.

She let out a long breath, trying to bring her heartbeat down. Walking ahead, she inspected the streets. A large chunk of the area was filled with debris, blocking the relatively narrow path completely. The building that collapsed seemed to have taken a few other buildings down with it, sealing the road on all sides. She’d have to climb through it if she wanted to reach the other side this way.

“Look under there! I see someone there. Get the rocks off, quick! Anyone with strength skills here? Get a digger, hurry! And a healer as well!” a man shouted, directing people as they went about searching for anyone who may be buried under the rubble.

Jennifer walked ahead, watching as people tried to lift the stones. A painful groan was all she heard. “He’s alive! Don’t stop! Lift! Lift it!” The man shouted and more and more people joined in to help, many using their skills to dig through and lift the heavy walls and structures.

I had forgotten just how much chaos the discovery of the new dungeon branch caused.

She walked ahead, part of her wishing she could help while another screamed at her to run. Her shoulder throbbed in pain as she closed her eyes. Images of falling buildings and fire flashing as sand spread everywhere. She frowned, turning away as she tried to walk into a narrow alley nearby to find her way to another street.

“[On Your Honor, You Stand] [Restrict Movement]” the world rippled at the voice, as the presence she had felt blazed again. Jennifer’s legs froze, as her mind began to replay every event where she had stood her ground, fighting back till the end. Of every time she had stood up to someone, even against the odds.

She wanted to run, but her mind refused. Her legs felt heavy and the desire to turn back and stand her ground started to increase. To fight till the end.

No. Run. I need to. Run.

Something cold and sharp touched her neck, and she tilted her head slightly to see a sword pressing against her neck. It hummed with power, giving off a faint glow.

The man slowly walked around in front of her, and she saw the faint layer of magic burning just above his armor. She felt heat emanate from it, as strong mana currents moved through the armor, yet she felt almost none leaking out.

“A kid?” the man uttered, his sword still set next to her neck, and Jennifer found herself unable to speak. His presence restricted her, it kept her bound. Her breath started to turn labored, pain spreading through her chest as the mark’s presence in her mind started to consume everything.

She closed her eyes and saw the sand. It covered her feet, rising as it restricted her movements. Constricting her, like a viper suffocating its prey before it swallowing it whole. She was dying. She knew she was dying. It was over. Again. Death would take her again.

“What is- [Voice of Command]. Stop. Calm down. That is an order.” His words imprinted themselves in her mind and against her will she nodded.

Courage rose inside her, as her heartbeat slowed. The pain in her chest subsided as she took a deep breath. I am alright. There is no sand, I am alive. I am...alright.

The man paused, a conflicted expression on his face, as his presence slowly reduced itself back to a faint whisper in her mind. “I think we've both started off with the wrong foot forward. Three skills. On a child as well... In the midst of an emergency. What a strange day.” He pulled his sword away from her neck.

"I know you're a mark, one who doesn’t even hide its presence. There's no need to pretend. I do not know who you are, but on my honor, I swear. I will not hurt you, so long as you do not hurt me or run.” His words resonated with power and his mark lit itself on his neck, glowing a bright magnificent gold.

Something whispered in her mind, and for an unexplainable reason, Jennifer could swear this man would not go against his word. Ever.

“Wait for me here. I will be back,” he said sheathing his sword as he walked out of the alley. Jennifer was watching him walk out when the world suddenly began to spin around her. She leaned against the walls, standing in the shade of the building as her legs shook.

I...What is wrong with me? That was…

She heard a loud rumble resound through the area and soon after cheering followed.

“They’re free, get a healer. Anyone with healing skills? Good, look at this guy’s wounds. Stop the blood please,” she heard the shouts as footsteps moved about in a hurry. Slowly she walked to the entrance of the alley and looked around the corner.

The man stood, carrying a person on his shoulder. Other people sat, some injured and others unconscious. As people gathered around him, she watched him turn towards her, meeting her eyes for just a second before he carefully put the man on his shoulder down.

“Please get a healer here.” He waved his hand and three red colored vials appeared in them.

A dimensional storage of some sort.

“Use these potions for those who are lightly injured. Anyone with head injuries should avoid the potion and wait for a healer. The guild is moving out soon. Remain calm and don’t block the roads.”

She watched, along with the bystanders, as people worked, taking care of the injured.

“Anyone got any detection skills? [Danger detect]? [Life Detect]? Even [Geomancy] works,” a man standing nearby called out. A few people whispered, eventually one of them walked ahead, raising his hand as he did.

“I’ve got, err. A wind-based detection skill, if it’ll work, I can help,” he said, a bit quietly. She didn’t see many others who were stepping forward.

“I don’t know if it’ll work or not, but we need to check for anyone who might be deeper.” Jennifer let out a tired breath and turned towards the mark, working a bit further ahead. She saw a few adventurers gathering around him, discussing something before they went digging further into the fallen buildings.

“I have [Enhanced Mana Sense], I can use it to try and detect people. It’ll be better than nothing,” she called out, walking further onto the street.

“Alright, can you try to find anything on that side there?” the man said, pointing to a corner section where the lower base of the building had gotten a chunk of broken furniture and rocks covering its entrance.

She went around the area, using her skill but also trying to integrate her senses into it. A few vague shapes of mana were lying around under the rubble, but none of it felt like a human. Just objects with a higher mana saturation than their surroundings.

She continued moving through the area, looking back occasionally to see the adventurers working. They had managed to clear out a section of the street, opening the way across again.

A hand touched her shoulder, and despite herself, she flinched, turning rapidly to face the person.

“Thank you for helping,” the man said, his orange eyes scanning the area. "I need to return to the guild soon. Other adventurers have come, and they should be fine here without me." He turned back to look at her and she felt as if his eyes were trying to pierce through her.

“I have questions, I bet you do as well. I insist you follow me back to the guild,” the man said, tightening his grip on her shoulder, and Jennifer stopped a wince at the strength of his grip.

“Who are you?” Jenn asked. She saw a brief flash of surprise on his face, but it was quickly hidden.

“I never introduced myself, did I? I’m Viel Skywrath. A ranked adventurer, and a member of the Spear of Sun adventuring team.” he said, and paused for a second, making her meet his eyes. “The Mark of Valour.”

"Jennifer Laine," she replied back, pausing to draw herself up to her full height, refusing to show weakness again in front of the towering man, Jenn added, "Mark of Time."