Chapter 12: Her First Successful Guiding (1)
The problem with having them fused was like solving two ridiculously difficult math problems at the same time. They intersect with each other, and one can’t tell where to begin to solve.
But if she wanted to reach him, there was no other way.
Aisha floated down; the ground was solid enough. It was blackened and cracked like the surface of a burning riverbed.
But the moment her foot touched it—the ground rippled.
The scorched earth beneath her began to bulge, flesh-colored veins bursting from beneath her feet.
"Wha—!"
Before she could finish her thought, the ground split open, and a mass of root-like tendrils shot towards her.
Aisha threw herself to the side, barely avoiding the first strike. But more roots erupted from around her, following her. This time, they were faster and more determined, like pack of animals that had finally caught the scent of prey.
A flash of light burst from her collar, faint and weak. Knowing where it was coming from, Aisha grabbed her spiritual beast and pushed it into her pocket.
"You can’t use your ability until I say so!"
There was no way Aisha would allow it to use its ability here. There was no telling if it would only bring more harm in its small form.
Naturally, Aisha knew the spiritual beast was trying its best to help her. It only used its power to protect her.
More roots surged forward. They almost caught her, but Aisha evaded before they could touch her.
At this moment, Aisha wished she had her machete with her. Any type of weapon would’ve been fine to cut these roots. Fighting it bare-handed will only draw in more roots to wrap around her. She only has two hands, after all.
Fighting against them alone was really hard.
But Aisha never despaired. Even in her previous world, she fought through any of her adversaries using any method. She survived, and only died because of her own doing.
She dodged another root. But how long can she dodge? As if receiving an answer to her question, one coiled around her wrist. Pain lanced up her arm, heat, and something vicious started to crawl under her skin.
She could sense pure evil from whatever was coming.
"Get off," she snarled.
Aisha gritted her teeth. If she kept fighting like this, her strength would be the first to give up.
She needed to use her guiding ability.
She’d only used it once—to sign her engagement annulment with the prince. For some reason, it created a huge mess because she couldn’t control it. Although the hospital and the medical staff didn’t show it, it was obvious they suspected her as the source of it.
Since that day, a lot of unfamiliar doctors and nurses have entered her room. They made quite a lot of excuses, reasonable and unreasonable ones, just to get close to her. Even the nurse and doctors who were rude to her on the first day she woke up to this world, they watched her as if trying to open her up and see what was inside of her.
But Aisha wasn’t stupid enough to reveal herself like that again.
When they asked her to use her guiding ability, she came up with an excuse of feeling weak. And when there was no one buying her weakness, she pretended to use it, producing only fading lights.
What they didn’t know was that the light was from her spiritual body, hiding beneath her sleeve.
Thus, most of them gave up.
Still, few people were suspicious of her. They appeared in the hospital’s garden and disappeared when they learned she was really a worthless D-rank guide.
But now, no one was around.
Can she do it?
Aisha wanted to verify if the light from that day really came from her or if it appeared when her spiritual beast manifested.
Either of which was good for her.
But right now, she needed that power to get out of this situation.
Aisha closed her eyes, ignoring the burning pain in her palm. Even the sensation she felt of the roots coming closer no longer mattered to her.
After half a second, the same warm, tranquil sensation she felt before appeared.
She coaxed it forward. This time, though, she felt there was no need to restrain it. No one will see her and know about this, anyway.
"Release," she said, barely above a whisper.
A stuttering light came out of her palms. It was clumsy and done like an amateur, but soon, blazing light erupted from her. It engulfed the roots wrapped around, the red sky retreated, and the fire was extinguished. Even the shadows that lurked were nowhere to be found.
Guiding wasn’t as simple as it looked. It needed a will and resolution to do it.
With nothing blocking her way, Aisha walked toward the man chained at the center of this burning space.
Strangely, even after that light wiped through everything, he was still trapped in that root-like vein. Though they looked thinner and weaker, they were still there.
Her guiding ability should have been enough to end it all.
Aisha came close to him now. Close enough to see his pale skin beneath the black veins of corruption crawling across it, and get a good look at his face. His features held the cold elegance of a jade carved by a master’s hand—sharp cheekbones, pale skin, dark brows, straight nose, and thick lower lip.
His long silver hair spilled over his shoulders like moonlight. His face held that dangerous, magnetic beauty that Aisha wasn’t used to seeing in both worlds.
Resting between his brows, a dark mark contrasted against his skin. It wasn’t just his forehead... he had another tattoo-like mark on his jaw and neck.
Suddenly, Aisha wanted to reach out and touch it.
She knew it wasn’t the time to admire someone’s face and satisfy her curiosity, but he looked too unreal. And physical contact is needed for guiding.
Her fingers were just an inch away from his skin—
That was when his eyes snapped open.