5 Strange

"Where will I be going next, Snow? should I look for a job? Nessa mumbled.

"If you want, you can get a job, but I'm curious: do you notice anything strange going on inside your body?" Snow asked.

"Strange? I don't think so, why?" Nessa asked as they entered the lounge.

"Perhaps I could have given you a better answer as to how you should proceed by living here," it responded.

"Don't worry, I'll figure it out," Nessa said as she walked to the dining room, where breakfast was being served, and sat down to eat.

As the girl was about to eat, they heard an explosion, and Nessa jumped up as the children in the inn screamed.

"Nessa, run," the snake said, but as the girl got up, the building caved in, trapping her beneath a pile of wood, luckily no one else was hurt because Snow protected them without them knowing. 

"Nessa," the snake called out and the girl opened her eyes and began coughing due to her allergy to dust.

"Are you all right?" Snow inquired.

"Yeah.. I'm fine, but I'm having trouble catching my breath," she responded and Snow's eyes began to glow blue as she grew larger and removed the woods that were on her but due to the weight, the girl was injured.

"You... grew bigger," Nessa said, smiling, as the snake assisted her in getting up. Nessa then looked at the injured people around her and then back at the snake.

"W- what happened?" Nessa questioned.

"I don't know, come on," Snow said as they exited the building and her eyes widened as she saw the black smoke in the sky.

"What in the world is going on?" Nessa asked as the snake shrank back to its smaller size and wrapped itself around the girl's neck.

"I'm not sure, it appears as if there was an attack, anything can happen at any time in this place, you'll have to get used to it," Snow responded.

"How am I supposed to defend myself against people with powers?" Nessa questioned.

"I am here to protect you; you should not worry so much; you will be fine, I promise." Snow responded, and Nessa smiled feeling a bit relieved but just then she looked up in the sky only to see a man with a black hood and a purple glowing ball in his hand flying through the air.

"Who is he?" Nessa asked.

"They are defenders, they protect people and get paid by the royals, and they fight against evil forces," Snow said as the person looked down at Nessa and she lowered her head.

"There must have been an attack or a fight between two people with powers, that explains the smoke," Snow explained as the man approached them.

"Who are you?" he questioned, and Nessa took a deep breath.

"Why should I tell you that?" she asked, to which the man scoffed.

"You are definitely new around here," he said as someone collided with Nessa, causing her to fall on her butt.

"What's the deal with this place?" Nessa asked, rubbing her buttocks, and her eyes widened when she saw Dalia bleeding in front of her.

"Dalia," she said, and the girl smiled when she saw Nessa.

"It's good to see you again, I see you made it here," she said, and Nessa grabbed the girl's arm.

"Are you all right?" Nessa questioned.

"Don't worry, I'm fine; I just had a little fight earlier," she replied, and Nessa looked at her worriedly.

"Did you cause the explosion just now?" the defender inquired, and she lowered her head.

"I did," she responded.

"I can't let this go like that, people could have been seriously injured, why did you do it?" he asked.

"Like I said, I got into a fight with someone," she replied, and Nessa gave her a stern look, refusing to believe the girl got into a fight at random.

"I have a feeling there is more to this than you are letting on, Dalia, what's the real issue?" Nessa questioned, and the girl looked at her and smiled.

"I am telling you, it's fine," she said when Nessa remembered of the first time she met Dalia, when they were being pursued by hunters.

"I am still not used to being around here, but she was running away from hunters the other day, so it must be them," Nessa said and the defender sighed.

"That makes perfect sense, I heard about the hunters a few days ago, so I can't arrest you if you were just defending yourself besides no one was hurt, but be careful, next time I won't let this slide, am I clear?" he asked.

"Yes, crystal," Dalia said.

"Is there nothing you can do?'" Nessa inquired.

"I am sorry, but no, we might catch the person who is currently hunting her, but she will tell you the rest, I have work to do, you ladies be careful," he responded, then left and Dalia stood up with Nessa's help.

"My entire village has been slaughtered, they are also aiming at other monsters, no one knows who they are working with or what they want," Dalia said and Nessa's eyes widened as they shook.

"How can they do such a thing?" the girl asked.

"This is the world we live in; it may be beautiful, but it becomes very dark as you go deeper into it; you should not be with me; if they see you with me, they will kill you as well," Dalia panted, and Nessa frowned.

"That may be true," Nessa said, "but I can't leave you like this,".

"You don't even know me that well, and yet you want to help?" Dalia questioned as Nessa looked around, then went to the side of a building, sat Dalia on the ground, and examined her wounds.

"I don't have a bandage," Nessa said as Dalia fell asleep, and Nessa's eyes began to glow blue while the snake stared at her in surprise.

"Don't- tell me she's the one," the snake thought as Dalia's body began to glow blue and heal on its own, Nessa gasped, unaware that she was the one causing the injured girl to heal.