“ Now then, let me tell you the story about the internal conflict between monsters and humans.”

" Hundreds of years ago the humankind was on the brink of extinction. The other races that lived in this world along with the humans, were always feeding upon them, killing them for fun. You see, humans at the beginning didn't know this thing called magic. So they only had their bodies to defend themselves with. But they were no match for these monsters. That they had a strong connection to magic, along with far superior natural characteristics. However, they had something the other races didn't. The sense of we. Humans gathered together and created villages. Up until then, only small groups existed, like packs. This protected them from the monsters attacks. Even though they were far inferior to them, they overpowered them with their numbers. With that humanity managed to escape extinction. More and more people started to come together, creating bigger villages every time. Eventually, these villages turned to cities. Years passed and the cities created small countries. In the meantime, humans managed to learn how to use magic. That's when they decided that it was enough. Using their new powers, they would step up to the monsters for all those years of hunting. They united and they attacked the unorganised monsters. In a couple of months, the entire world had fallen to their hands. They finally had peace. They had finally escaped the fear of being hunted. That, however, didn't last for long. The monsters had been hiding, gathering. Copying the humans they created societies of their own, based on their species. These became known as hidden villages and cities."

“ So, that guy back then and that woman were these kinds of monsters?” Andrew asks.

“ Yes. The monsters that you fought first, the fire-goblins, are stray monsters. They don't belong in a monster region. These guys however do. Greyo probably belongs to the Demon region, while the woman was a succubus. So she was from the succubus region. Monsters coming from a region are intelligent, unlike the rest of them. But don't be tricked. They may be intelligent, but they are far more dangerous than the others. They want to kill humans. And they have the means to do it.” Anna was the one who talked this time. Giving Mira a break for a moment.

" The humans had concurred the whole world. That, however, gave birth to greed. The ones that had led the attack, each wanted a part of the new world. They broke the United Human Empire into nine smaller empires. Each one taking the name of their founder. Our empire, for example, was named the Red Empire from its founder Red. The greed also brought hate between the empires. Each wanting to expand their territories, to get more wealth. Wars started between them. A monster from the Demon city saw the wars as a chance to attack the humans. He rose to power, became their leader and lead them to war against the humans in the north. Following his example, all the other hidden villages, that were scattered all over the world, also went to war with the empires closer to them. What started as a conflict in the north, soon became an all-out war. Their leader? The same monster that started everything. He named himself the Monster Lord, leader of the monsters. The humans were weakened by their conflicts and now, that they needed to come together, they didn't. Each was too busy battling the monsters on their own borders. Everything seemed lost, the monsters on the north had almost broken the human's defenses. If that had happened they could then help their own at another empire. And like that concur the entire world. That's when a Hero rose and went to defeat the Monster Lord. He thought that if their leader was gone, the monsters would stop their attacks. He was humanities last hope. And he did it. He managed to defeat him. And as he had predicted the other monsters backed off. The ones who didn't, were soon defeated by the other empires. That was the first battle between a Hero and a Monster Lord. Because since then, there had been many Monster Lords that tried to take over the world, and many Heroes that stopped them. An endless war between us and them, that has been going for hundreds of years." and with that, she finished her story.

Andrew and the rest were hearing her in anticipation. When she finishes Ivan is the one who talks first.

“ And the same thing has been going on for centuries?”

" Yes. Sometimes one side is victorious, but every time it goes back to how it used to be."

“ Why do you continue then? Why don't you make peace with them? Since they are intelligent, they will surely want to stop the war.” Alex suggests.

“ This will not work, Alex. They are monsters. I told you before. Even if they have intelligence, that only makes them a bigger threat. This isn't some normal conflict. We are talking about an entire race's survival. It is us or them. There is no midpoint.” Anna once again answers him.

“ Well then, now you know our world's backstory. But don't think about it too much. The monsters are evil, and they will always be. If you ever meet one, you better kill it. You will be doing the rest of the world a favor.” Mira says.

“ That's cold.” Andrew points out.

“ You people are from another world. You don't know how these monsters act. How much pain and suffering they have caused us. You haven't seen their true colours yet. The evil they can do.” she says gripping her fist.

“ We are trying to protect you. So that you don't have to experience this world's cruelty by yourself.” Mira adds.

Everyone is quiet now. The mood had dropped heavily. Andrew is trying to find something to talk about to light it up a bit.

" Say, Ivan. You were pretty good with that weapon before."

“ You mean the stick?” he asks giving him a sarcastic look.

" It might have been a stick, but you wielded it quite nifty. You were in the army before, right?"

“ Yes. I was a commando in the Russian army. Is it so easy to tell?”

" Yes, it is."

“ You were quite good yourself. For a street brawl that is.”

“ And I no longer want to talk to you. So how about you Alex.”

“ Ehm? Did you say something?”

“ Yes. I asked you about you.”

“ What about me?”

“ What were you doing before you were brought here. School, army, prison?”

“ I was studying at university.”

“ Ohh really? What?”

“ Financial studies.”

“ Financial, eh? Were you good?”

“ I suppose. I never had the opportunity to put anything I learned to the test. But how about you?”

“ Who me? I was just working at a gas station. Nothing interesting in particular.”

“ What's a gas station?” Mira asks them.

“ Never mind, it will take me ages to explain it to you. It is basically were oil is stored.”

“ Why don't you try to describe it to them? They might have something similar.” Ivan steps in.

“ Because look around you. Do you honestly think that these people have this kind of technology?”

" No. I suppose they don't." He says as he looks around at the tent. Their only source of light was coming from a lantern. However, the lantern didn't have a fire inside it. It had concrete light, that Mira had created when they arrived." They might not have our technology, but they sure are amazing. Even if their style is a little too medieval. They even have transmission devices."

" Yes. I agree. Magic sure is cool. Talking about magic. Hey, Mira."

“ Yes?”

“ Could you tell us a bit more about magic. I don't think I quite understand it yet.”

“ Of course. You see this world is full of magic. Every living thing has magic inside it. The question is whether they can use it or not. The amount of magic a person has is decided by many factors. Their gender, age, species. When it comes to humans, though, the main factor is bloodline and training. With training you can increase your magic storage, and then use it with spells, that you will have to learn.”

“ So there is a limit on how much we can use?” Andrew asks.

" For normal spells yes. But with you, that isn't the case. You see, there is a number of people that have what we call, special abilities. These abilities are different than spells, in the sense that they can't be taught. You have to be born with one. That isn't only for us, humans, but the monsters as well."

“ So that guy back then...”

“ Yes. Greyo had a special ability. It just happened to be related to his race. Two more things. First, an ability isn't unique. There might be more people out there with the same ability as you. But the stronger the ability is, the more unluckily for this to happen. And finally, an ability can be hereditary. That means that if you have an ability there is a small chance that your child will have it too.” She finishes.

“ So what about us? Do we have those abilities?” Alex asks.

“ I can't say for sure. It seems like it and at the same time it doesn't.”

“ What do you mean.”

Anna steps in and tries to explain it to them.

" Well, let's start with you. You can summon that sword, which is fine and all, but there is a spell for summoning weapons. Then there is the Magic Equip and Magic Slash. The two moves that you did against Greyo. Which are both one of the, if not the easiest spells to learn for a sword. Your connection to magic is strong. But I don't know whether that is an ability or you have just for some reason learned these spells. The same goes for the rest of you. I don't know whether or not you have abilities.”

“ And how do we learn that?”

“ Well, back at Red Empire there is a test to see if you have abilities and what they are. Every soldier has to take it. But it seems like you can fool the system because Greyo never had that ability.”

" I still can't accept your empire's name. I mean Red Empire sounds too simple and dull."

“ It is the name of our founder! Don't make fun of it!” Mira shouts at him angrily.

“ So what about you guys? Do you have an ability?”

Mira smirks at his words.

“ Of course we do. We are soldiers of the great Red Empire you know!” she says with pride.

“ But you still got your ass handed over to you.”

" That's... a completely different story." she says trying to defend herself.

“ So... what are these abilities.”

Anna stands up. She pulls her sword out of its sheath and holds it in battle position. The sword starts glowing red and is enveloped in a red aura. Then her armor also starts radiating a red aura.

“ This ability is called, Red Drive. It is an ability that allows its user to increase his physical attributes by a great deal.” Anna says, with pride towards her ability.

“ Is this the kind of ability I have?” Andrew asks.

“ No, it isn't. Yours is different. If you only had the increase in physical attributes, then that would be the case. But that energy beam you did, I can't do something like that.”

“ Ohh. I see. And how about you Mira?”

" Ha! Check it out." she says with a laugh as she brings her hand forward. Fire comes out of it. It is a small fireball. She holds it with ease. Like its so natural to her.

They all look at it.

“ So is that all?” Andrew asks.

Mira's eyes darken. And with an aggressive voice, she says.

" If you make fun of me, one more time... I am going to put this fireball deep in your throat." She says with the fire's size increasing.

Andrew's eyes widen and he stumbles back.

“ No. this isn't the only think.” she extinguishes the fire and then waves her finger in a circular rotation, creating a gust of wind. Then she raises her hand upwards, lifting some pebbles from the ground. After that she pulls her hand back, the water from Andrew's cup floats out and to her before she lets it go to fall to the ground.

" My ability is manipulation of the elements." she says.

The guys are surprised.

“ That is so cool!” Alex praises her. Ivan nods while Andrew looks away with a disproving sound.

“ And which are the elements? I mean, I don't know what things you consider elements, and what not.” Alex asks her.

“ An element is everything that nature herself can create. Earth, fire, wind, water, plants, sound, electricity, ice, light, minerals. Everything that Fena has created. I can manipulate each and every one of them.”

They all look at her with shocked expressions.

" Hey, hey! That's too powerful, won't you agree?" Ivan is the one who spoke what was in everyone's minds.

“ Really? I don't think that it is so powerful. Especially when you compare it to some others abilities. My abilities maximum limitation is nature herself. I can only manipulate what nature can create. But when you compare it to some other abilities that defy logic, it becomes overshadowed by them.”

They are shocked.

“ Just how strong, are you people?” Andrew asks her.

“ You have just scratched the tip, my friend.”

“ Now then. I believe that we must rest now. It's late and tomorrow we have a big trip.”

" Ohh yes. You said that aid will come tomorrow right? So let's rest for now."

They all lay on one of the pieces of fabric, used as beds. Mira blows the light off, and they all go to sleep.

' Man... I am so excited. Tomorrow I get to see this Empire Mira told me about. I wonder what kind of place it will be.'. Andrew thinks before he himself goes to sleep.