Bond of the mind - Special - the story of Yin

Bond of the Mind - The Story of Yin

Once upon a time, in one of the worlds, there lived a people whose community was still developing. They began to gather into tribes, which were then ruled by the leader of the strongest tribe. Many such groups gradually formed as people began to realize the importance of community for their survival. In one of these tribes lived two people - Kai and Mira.

Kai was tall, with black hair and green eyes. Mira, on the other hand, was smaller in stature, but this made her more agile. She had long, light hair, but her eyes were different from most of the tribe. They were yellow and looked like sunflowers. Both were highly respected in their tribe for their fighting skills. They had known each other since childhood, but many years passed before they began to live together. The fateful moment came during one of the many bloody battles between tribes. It was then, in the midst of the turmoil, that their eyes met. Fortunately, they both survived the battle and were able to begin their life together. Not long after, they had a baby girl, whom they named Yin.

From the moment she was born, Yin smiled even as a small baby. She rarely cried. She had her father's black hair, but it was her eyes that really caught the eye. They were an even more unusual color than her mother's. They shone a golden color. Kai and Mira cared for her as best they could. Mira gave up fighting so she could give her daughter the care she needed as a small child. At first glance, the three of them led the life of a happy family. However, in this world, battles and wars never ended. Kai continued to fulfill his duty to the tribe as a warrior. It was necessary not only to support his family, but also to ensure their safety.

Time passed, and soon Yin was about to turn three. When the day came, Mira waited for Kai so they could celebrate together as a family. She heard a knock on the door of their hut and ran to the entrance to welcome Kai. But he wasn't there. Instead, two men stood in the doorway. She knew them both well; they were warriors from her tribe who had fought alongside her husband. The two men had blank expressions on their faces and stared at the ground. Suddenly, one of them decided to raise his head and look Mira in the eyes.

"We're sorry," he said. She didn't need to hear anything else. She took a deep breath.

"How did this happen?" she asked in a quiet voice. She had to control herself. Until recently, she too had been a warrior of their tribe. 

"He fought against overwhelming odds. He held them off all by himself. But by the time we got to him, it was too late..." continued one of the men. After that, Mira thanked them and said goodbye. The men turned to leave and walked away with their heads bowed. They too had known Kai all their lives. 

Mira closed the door. She couldn't control herself anymore. She covered her mouth with her hands so Yin wouldn't hear her. Leaning against the door, she slid down to the floor. She sat there quietly, sobbing. She didn't know how much time had passed, but after a while she lifted her head and rubbed her eyes. However, thoughts of what might have happened if she had gone with him were still racing through her head. If she had never stopped fighting for their tribe. If...

What had happened tore at her heart, but at the same time she knew it couldn't be changed. She slowly got up from the ground and stood on her feet. She didn't want Yin to see her like this, but she had to go back to her. Yin was still where she had been before, staring intently, waiting for her mother to return. 

As soon as she appeared in front of her, a sincere smile spread across her face and she reached out her tiny child's hands to her mother. Mira came up to her and hugged her tightly. Kai was no longer there, but her little girl, , was now hugging her joyfully. Mira felt her warmth and held her tightly in her motherly embrace with tenderness and love.

"So it's just the two of us now," she thought. 

Then she had to pull herself together again. She celebrated Yin's birthday properly and then put her to bed next to her. Yin soon fell asleep, and Mira watched her little girl sleeping peacefully for a while.

It was time for her to close her eyes too. But the emotions inside her stirred again. Tears began to roll down her face.

Suddenly, she felt a touch on her face and opened her eyes. Yin was looking straight into her eyes and then stroked her mother's cheek with her little hand. Tears also began to roll down her little face, although she probably didn't realize why. She watched her mother for a moment, then smiled slightly and fell asleep again. This calmed Mira down. It was as if her daughter was able to sense what she was going through without saying a word. It wasn't long before Mira fell asleep too.

And so Mira and Yin began their life together. They didn't have to worry about being taken care of. Fortunately, their friends and other members of the tribe helped them a lot. And thanks to their help, Mira was able to stay at home with her little girl. If she ever left their hut, it was only for minor tasks, such as training young warriors to defend their tribe and their loved ones. However, this only took a few hours a day at most, so she still had plenty of time to devote to Yin. She took her with her while she worked, and Yin always watched her intently during training. She loved watching Mira train others. In all other cases, however, she was very lively and restless, so it was basically impossible to keep her in one place. All it took was a moment to take your eyes off her and she was gone. Only during training did Mira not have to worry about her daughter, because she knew that as long as the training was going on, Yin would watch motionless. It was one of the few things that could really entertain her.

Yin was a real live wire. She constantly wanted to play or do anything that would keep her moving, and playing with her never ended.

The children of the tribe played with her at first, but her indomitable nature began to discourage them after a while, and they started to avoid her. Yin noticed this, of course, but it didn't seem to bother her at all. She continued to visit the other children every day, even though she was increasingly rejected. Even so, she continued to smile as if nothing could spoil her mood. Yin was generally kind, sweet, and polite to everyone. There was not a single person in the tribe who did not know her. Some even greeted her with joy because her smile was so uplifting that it lifted the spirits of even the gloomiest person.

One day, Yin was walking through the village looking for someone to play with. However, as usual, the children rejected her. She reached the orchard, where apples were being picked. She walked around the apple trees and watched everyone busy at work. At one point, she saw an apple on the ground in front of her. It was a beautiful red color, so she couldn't resist picking it up. She took a big bite. She hadn't eaten anything so sweet in a long time.

"Just wandering around again, Yin?" said a familiar voice. Yin looked around but couldn't find the person who had spoken to her.

"Up here," the voice rang out again, this time accompanied by laughter. The little girl looked up and saw her. High up in the treetops sat a woman named Tia. Yin knew her well because she often visited her. She had also heard from her mother that the two had known each other since childhood and had fought together for their tribe. However, as soon as Mira stopped fighting, Tia stopped too. Fortunately for women, participating in battles for the tribe was not a duty. There were plenty of other things women could do without risking their lives. 

Tia climbed down from the tree in an instant. When she was on the last branch, she jumped down. Now she was standing in front of little Yin.

"So? Don't the others want to play with you again?" she asked in a kind voice. 

Yin never answered such questions. She just smiled as usual. Tia didn't really need to hear her answer because she knew very well how things stood.

"Look what I managed to pick today," Tia changed the subject and pulled a beautiful red apple from the pouch on her belt. It was bigger than the others and also had a much richer color. It completely outshone the apple Yin had eaten a moment ago. As it glistened in the sunlight, Yin couldn't help but stare at it longingly. Tia noticed the sparkle in her golden eyes.

"Let's share it? It'll be our secret," Tia offered, winking at her. Yin, of course, nodded enthusiastically. She couldn't wait to share the apple.

Tia cut the apple into two equal halves and handed one to the little girl. She immediately dug into her share. 

"T-Thank you," Yin said with her eyes downcast. The woman's shy reaction made her laugh. They both eagerly dug into their halves of the apple. As soon as they took a bite, they exchanged satisfied glances. The apple was so sweet and juicy that they ate it in an instant.

"So, how was it?" asked Tia.

"It's the best I've ever had in my life," Yin replied with satisfaction, still smiling.

"Yes, it was," agreed Tia, then continued, "I go apple picking every time, but I don't think I've ever found one this good."

They sat together for a while, leaning against the apple tree and enjoying the shade that protected them from the heat of the sun. 

Then Tia stood up. "I still have to finish here. You can help me if you want," Yin offered. She nodded with a smile. She had no plans for the rest of the day and knew she would enjoy the time spent here. Tia nimbly climbed into the tree and continued picking apples, while the little girl picked up the apples that had fallen to the ground. After all, she was still too small to climb high up into the trees. Time passed quickly and the sun soon sank below the horizon. People gradually left the orchards and returned to the village, as they all knew it was not safe to wander around in the evenings. 

"It's time to go home," said Tia, looking at Yin. Yin just nodded with a smile. However, she looked sleepy. It had been a long day for such a little girl.

"I'll walk you home. We're going the same way anyway," Tia smiled at her and took Yin by the hand.
On the way, she asked her how she was doing in general, if anyone was being mean to her, and she also asked how Mira was doing. Soon they were approaching their homes. Mira was already waiting outside, and as soon as they saw her, they waved to her from a distance. 

"I thought you got lost somewhere today," Mira said in a serious voice, her hands on her hips, staring sternly at Yin. Yin lowered her eyes to the ground. 

"She helped me with the harvest in the orchard today," Tia said, trying to sound conciliatory.

"Did she really help, or was she just causing trouble again?" Mira continued.

"No, no, really. Without her, I'd still be there," replied Tia, now laughing. She exchanged a few more words with Mira, then said goodbye to both of them. She headed for her dwelling a few huts away. Yin's eyelids were drooping with sleep, so Mira picked her up in her arms. 

"Are you going to eat anything else?" she asked her. The little girl just shook her head sleepily.

"Okay. In that case, let's go to bed," Mira decided and carried Yin inside. There she laid her down in her bed and covered her with a fur blanket. She kissed her on the forehead, smiled, and wished her good night. But before Mira lay down next to her, she went to wash up. The demanding training had taken its toll, and she desperately needed it. Then she finally lay down next to Yin, hugged her, and fell asleep.

It wasn't long before Yin was about to celebrate her seventh birthday. Mira, being a good mother, took care of everything in advance so that her little girl could enjoy her day. After all, Yin was all Mira had left in this world, so her birthday was all the more important to her. Of course, she also invited Tia to join them. Yin got up early that day. After breakfast, she headed toward the center of the village. She greeted everyone around her with a smile, as was her custom. Today, however, she didn't go to the other children to ask them if they would play with her. Mira had told her in the morning to come back early because she had a surprise for her. So Yin headed straight for the orchard. She hoped to find Tia there, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see her anywhere. She tried asking the others who were in the orchard, but none of them had seen her either. So she decided to hide in the shade of an apple tree for a while. She wasn't tired, but she fell asleep anyway. When she woke up, the sun was high in the sky. Yin rubbed her eyes and hurried home.

As she approached, she expected Mira to be looking for her outside. But she was nowhere to be seen. She was now at their hut and went inside.

"We're here, Yin!" she heard her mother's voice as soon as she entered. Yin found Mira and Tia at the table. They were both sitting and looking happily at Yin. In the middle of the table was a bowl full of various fruits. Mira got up from the table and walked over to her daughter. 

"Happy seventh birthday, Yin," she said with a smile on her face and gave her a big hug. Tia was standing behind her and did the same.

Then all three sat down at the table together and dug into the fruit bowl. These were the best and sweetest pieces of fruit that Mira and Tia had managed to gather. To some, it might have seemed like a small thing, but at that moment, Yin felt like the happiest person in the world. During the meal, they talked at length about everything that came to mind.

Soon, shadows began to fall and the sun set behind the horizon. At that moment, the sound of drums echoed through the village. Suddenly, someone banged on the door of their hut. Mira ran to see who it was. When she opened the door, one of the warriors of their tribe stood before her. What startled her, however, was that he was covered in blood.

"Quick, everyone run! Enemy tribes are approaching, and we can't stop them," the man gasped, then turned and ran off to warn the others.

Mira stood there frozen.

"What happened?" asked Tia, who appeared in the doorway behind her. But she got no answer. "Mira, what's going on?" asked Tia again. Finally, Mira moved and slowly turned toward her. The look on her face showed that something serious was happening.

"We have to get out of here quickly. The village will be attacked soon," she said.

"What are you talking about? I don't remember anything like that ever happening..." Tia responded incredulously. But one look at Mira was enough to make it clear that this was no joke. 

"I'll be right back," Tia blurted out and ran to her hut. Meanwhile, Mira returned to Yin.

First, she bent down and hugged her. Then she looked long and hard into her eyes.

"We have to go," she said. Her daughter didn't need to hear any more. Without asking any questions, she packed the essentials and got ready to leave. She trusted her mother completely.

Mira was also ready soon. She took her spear with her, which she hadn't used in actual combat for a very long time. Now they left the hut together. After a while, they saw Tia approaching them. She was also carrying only the bare necessities and her spear. 

Together, they headed to the center of the village to first make sure where the enemy was coming from. 

"They're coming from the east. The only way to escape is to the west," one of the clan warriors informed them. They had to stay behind and make sure that the women, children, and elderly were the first to leave the village.
The three headed west, away from the village. The evening sky was overcast, and after a while they felt the first drops of rain on their skin. They chose a different route than the others. The larger the group, the more attention they would attract and the greater the risk that the enemies would catch up with them. Mira, Tia, and Yin fled together through the deep forest. Tia kept stopping to make sure no one was following them. They walked through the forest for so long that little Yin felt the journey was endless. She was tired and wanted to rest, but they had to keep going.

Suddenly, they heard wolves howling behind them. Tia caught up with Mira and Yin.

"They're on our trail. There are about twenty of them," she said. This was really bad news. They might have been able to escape the humans on their own, but if they were being led by hunting wolves, it was clear that they would catch up with them sooner or later. Mira crouched down in front of Yin. She smiled, but her face was sad. Tia knew very well what she was going to say. She had already prepared herself for it. 

"Yin. Now listen to me very carefully. You have to keep going on your own. We'll catch up with you soon, okay?" Mira said, waiting for her daughter's response.

"I want to stay with you, Mom..." Yin replied, her voice betraying her fear. Fear for her mother and for Tia. Fear of being left alone. This time, even the last hint of joy disappeared from her face. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Yin. You have to go. You are the most precious thing I have left in this world," Mira said firmly. She hugged her daughter tightly one last time. Then she kissed her on the forehead. The howling of wolves and the voices of approaching people could now be heard just behind them. "Hurry. Run and don't let them catch you. We'll find you," Mira finished, then turned her daughter around and pushed her forward. Yin was now crying uncontrollably, but she believed her mother would find her. She ran forward into the forest. Mira stood with her weapon next to Tia. No further words were needed. Tia knew that this was extremely difficult for Mira. She couldn't hold back her tears, which streamed down her cheeks, as she sensed that this was the last time they would see Yin. Mira was even worse off. Yet she didn't make a sound.

After a while, the enemies appeared in sight and headed straight for them. That evening, they fought for their lives for the first time in a long time, but above all for the life of little Yin. It didn't take long before a group of twenty warriors surrounded them. However, they sent the wolves forward. They sensed someone else's scent. 

Yin tried to run, but she heard howling behind her and the sounds of wolves getting closer. The end of the forest was already in sight. She ran between the last trees and managed to get out. However, she did not expect what lay beyond the forest. The path was blocked by a wide river, which ended in a waterfall a short distance away. Yin ran to the edge of the waterfall. She looked down but could not see anything. She could not see the bottom.

The wolves were already running out of the forest towards her. They were getting closer fast. Yin realized that this was probably the end. Her breathing quickened and a feeling of fear spread through her whole body. A fear of death. At the last moment, she thought of only one thing—she wanted to live.

"Do you want to live, little girl?" a voice suddenly sounded, as if in her head. The ominous tone of the voice suggested that it was not good news.

"Would you like to live, little girl?" the voice repeated. Now the wolves were right next to her, and the closest one lunged at her. Yin tried to dodge it, but suddenly she realized that she was no longer standing on solid ground. She fell at full speed.

"Do you want to live, little girl?" the voice asked for the third time.

"I want to live," Yin replied. She closed her eyes tightly.

A few moments later, she was struck by terrible pain. That was the last thing she felt in this world. Yin disappeared from this world.

Suddenly, she regained consciousness. Her eyes were closed, but she could clearly feel that she still had no solid ground beneath her feet. She was breathing heavily, as if it were almost impossible. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked ahead. All around her was darkness and stars. She was confused. She tried to remember what had happened. But she couldn't remember anything. That was really the case. No matter how hard she tried, she could only remember her name—Yin. That was all she knew. She tried to move, but nothing happened. Her body didn't respond. She closed her eyes again. She had no idea how long she had been floating there, but it felt like years had passed and at the same time, as if time had completely stopped.

"Are you happy?" said the mysterious voice. Yin looked around but saw nothing at all.

"Are you glad you're still here?" the voice asked again. 

"Where am I?" she managed to say. The mysterious voice laughed loudly. 

"Right now, you are and you are not," came the reply after a moment. Yin was confused. She didn't know what it meant. 

"I saved you, and I am the one offering you life. Now, in return, you will serve darkness until the end of your days," the voice continued.

"I don't want this!" Yin cried out. But it was no use. She had no power in this place. Suddenly, two fiery eyes appeared before her. Yin immediately looked away, but in that split second when she saw them, she saw in their gaze the darkness of all worlds—every possible crime against all living things.

Darkness slowly began to form around her. She could literally see it engulfing her body from below. She wanted to fight it, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move. Little Yin began to cry. But even that was useless.

The darkness gradually enveloped her entire body. She felt like she was suffocating. With every inch of her body, through her eyelids, ears, and even the pores in her skin, darkness and evil slowly penetrated her inner being. She couldn't even breathe anymore. 

"I just wanted to play with everyone," was the last thought in her head. 

After a long time, Yin opened her eyes again. They shone their usual golden color. And a broad smile reappeared on her face. The fiery eyes were still in front of her.

"Do you want to play with me?" Yin asked and laughed.

"Perfect," said the dark voice. It was clear that the work was done. Yin had become a child of darkness. A child for whom darkness had great plans.

"You are ready," said the voice, and Yin appeared somewhere else in an instant.

From above, she could now see a world—the world she had been sent to. She began to fall. She laughed the whole time, but there was no one there to hear her. The closer she got to the ground, the faster she went. Soon she could see tall mountains covered in ice below her.

She crashed into one of the peaks with full force. It shattered and triggered a massive avalanche that rushed down.

Yin climbed out of the huge crater that had formed around her and looked around. However, she saw nothing and no one. So little Yin decided to head down the mountain. But she had no specific destination.

It took her months to make her way down. Yin felt no cold, no need to eat or drink, or anything else. Only one thought remained in her head. She was looking for someone to play with.

However, she found no one down below the mountains. As far as she could see, there was only snow, mountains, and forests. So she headed toward the forest and soon found herself walking among the trees. There were all kinds of creatures there, from animals to trolls, dark elves, grogots, and many others. All these creatures, whether good or evil, immediately avoided her as soon as they saw her. Even creatures who belonged to the forces of the Lord of Darkness did not approach her. It was clear to everyone that this little girl was someone to be wary of.

After several days, she finally saw something that resembled a city. It was one of the cities that belonged to the kingdom of Dookt. Yin set off towards the city. Suddenly, an arrow flew from the city walls and struck her in the shoulder. She fell to the ground and began to bleed. She couldn't remember ever experiencing anything like this before. It wasn't long before some people began approaching her from the city gate. They clutched their weapons tightly in their hands, as if ready to fight. They stopped a few meters away from her. 

"It looks like the darkness has sent us another child of darkness," one of them shouted loudly.

Yin didn't seem to notice. She was still staring at the arrow stuck in her shoulder. 

"We have no interest in creatures like you. Disappear or die," shouted another. Now the little girl raised her head and looked at them. There were at least thirty of them. They were all dressed in furs and armed to the teeth. 

"Will you play with me?" Yin said suddenly, a smile appearing on her face. But no sooner had she spoken than another arrow flew towards her. She caught it in her hand and began to examine it. 

"She's a real monster. We have to get rid of her as soon as possible!" shouted one of the men. The others nodded in agreement and immediately ran towards her. Meanwhile, Yin pulled the arrow out of her shoulder. Two of the fastest men were already close to her and were about to strike with their swords. They missed.

The little girl was no longer there. She had vanished in the blink of an eye. 

"Are you going to play with me?" one of the men who had been using a bow in the group suddenly heard behind him. He looked back. Yin was standing there with her back to him. She stretched out her right hand, and a scythe began to materialize in it. The man tried to jump out of the way as far as he could, but it was too late. All he could manage was a scream. The lower half of his body remained in place, while the upper half fell to the ground. However, he was still alive. As soon as the others saw this, they all rushed towards her with full force.

It was getting dark. Yin sat in the snow and looked at her palms. They were covered in blood. But it wasn't her blood. 

"What's going on?" she asked herself. But there was no one there to answer her question. All those who had attacked her were dead. The little girl began to cry. At that moment, she was herself again. But it didn't last long. After a while, her crying was replaced by laughter and anger. She picked up the scythe again with her small hands and stood up. Her eyes glowed golden in the darkness, and her weapon burst into dark flames. Yin headed straight for the town in front of her. However, she found no one there to resist her. There was literally a deathly silence. All the inhabitants had probably fled quickly after seeing the skirmish outside the town. Yin's anger intensified. With unprecedented strength, she began to chop down walls, dwellings, and anything else that got in her way. Everything immediately burst into dark flames upon contact with her scythe. After a few hours, there was no town left. As far as the eye could see, only ashes and ruins spread around Yin. The grogotis began to approach the devastated place. They probably planned to attack the local inhabitants, but they did not see Yin herself. The area was still shrouded in smoke, which lingered close to the ground in the still air. However, Yin knew that the grogotis were approaching her, as if the thick smoke did not hinder her vision or perception in any way. She moved directly in front of them. 

"Will you play with me?" she asked, her question always the same. The grogot were startled by her sudden appearance and didn't know how to react.

"Too bad. Too late," replied the girl, and immediately her scythe cut through several grogotis. In a moment, it was all over. The grogotis were much stronger than ordinary people, but they had no chance against her. Yin left the bodies behind and continued aimlessly.

It took several years before she encountered other people. However, time meant nothing to her. It might as well have been only a few days. The people she encountered had actually been on her trail for a long time. Several of them were clad in golden armor. Others wore silver armor. Those in golden armor also carried golden weapons, while those in silver armor had no weapons at all. Instead, they wore hoods over their heads. It wasn't long before they approached her closely enough to confront her. One of them stepped forward.

"Are you the creature that destroyed the city in the kingdom of Dookt?" he asked. His voice was calm. 

He did not exude the fear or hatred that Yin had encountered in the others she had met so far. 

"Are you going to play with me?" Yin asked, without answering his question. 

"You are clearly incapable of meaningful conversation. What a pity," the man replied. The little girl didn't wait any longer. In an instant, she was standing in front of him, ready to strike. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. The hand holding the scythe wouldn't move. Suddenly, she realized that the man was holding her hand.

"We've been tracking you for a long time. We sought you out with a single goal..." said the man, and with tremendous force, he punched Yin in the chest. Yin felt a powerful impact and suddenly flew through the air. Even as she flew, she felt that she couldn't move her right hand. Apparently, she had dislocated it when the man hit her while still holding her hand.

"To neutralize you. Monsters like you have no right to walk this earth," the man continued. He now stood over Yin, who was still lying on the ground. He had his long sword ready in his hands. The girl knew she had to get away immediately, but it was too late. She felt the sword piercing her stomach. 

"Now you're going to stay right there for a while," the man said again. He stood over her as she bled. The others in the group remained motionless, watching. It was the first time Yin had ever felt hopeless. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move the sword. Her clothes were becoming soaked with blood. But the man just stood there, looking down at her.

"I feel sorry for you, children of darkness. You have experienced something terrible, and now you must serve a dark master in this world. Unfortunately, there is no place here for you—for anyone who commits crimes against others," the man continued. Now Yin was herself again. She felt the pain. It was the first time she had cried out, and her eyes filled with tears. She was terribly afraid of dying, but she didn't know why. She was alone in this world.

"Please let me go. It hurts," the little girl squeezed out in a pleading voice, full of suffering and fear. The man raised his eyebrows.

"So you are capable of some communication after all," he replied in surprise. It was the first time he had seen a child of darkness speak meaningfully. But then he laughed: "Unfortunately, that's not possible. The Order of the Sun and Moon serves to destroy the forces of darkness. We protect the defenseless and will not allow creatures of darkness to live and harm others."
He knew she hadn't chosen this, but unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it. One of the men in silver armor now stepped toward them. Fear grew in Yin at a dizzying speed. The silver-clad man walked up to the man in golden armor.

"This is a member of the Order of the Moon. He will be responsible for sending you to eternity," the man introduced him. Now the silver-clad member of the order took off his hood. His entire head was tattooed with various symbols that glowed like the full moon. Then he clasped his hands together. At that moment, Yin noticed that he had similar symbols on his palms. He closed his eyes and stood silently for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, they glowed the same color as the symbols on his palms and head. He slowly began to move his palm over Yin's forehead.

She knew this was the end. She said nothing, just closed her eyes. She sensed that the man's palm was close. But suddenly her eyes flew open, glowing even more golden than before. Dark flames now covered her entire body and began to spread around her. This forced the man to step back for a moment. Still, the girl was unable to pull the golden sword out of her stomach.

"I see you're trying something else. But it won't do you any good. A being struck by this sword cannot pull it out," said the man, a smile forming on his face.

"We have time. Let's see how long you can keep those flames going," he added, standing motionless a short distance away from her. Soon, the flames around Yin began to weaken. At that moment, another member in golden armor ran up to the man.

"We have a problem. Hyenas and other creatures of darkness are gathering here. We must prepare to defend ourselves," he warned his group.

"Everyone get ready. The two of us will be done here soon," replied the man, who continued to stand over the girl and wait. The flames around her were slowly dying out. The man in silver armor was ready.

"I see that the Order of the Sun and Moon is once again bullying little children," a voice suddenly rang out above them. Standing on one of the tree branches was a man dressed entirely in black with a mask covering his face.

"I see the hyenas have arrived too. At least we'll kill two birds with one stone," said the man in golden armor, responding to the situation. Meanwhile, the man in black jumped down and stood next to Yin.

"I am Hronn of the Order of the Sun. Together with the Order of the Moon, we are responsible for your destruction," added the man.

"That's interesting. In that case, I'll introduce myself as well," said the hyena. He touched the golden sword in Yin's hand, and it shattered into a thousand pieces.

"I am the Fourth, one of the ten leaders subordinate to the Lord of Darkness," he declared, and immediately his voice turned into an ominous laugh. It was an unpleasant sound to hear. Suddenly, he didn't sound human at all. Then he spread both arms, and in each of them appeared a sword made of dark, flames. Hronn and the man in silver armor jumped away from him, but the Fourth didn't keep them waiting long and lunged at them. The other men nearby were also attacked by hyenas, along with grogots and other dark creatures. However, Yin was unable to pay attention to the commotion around her. She still felt immense pain. She covered the wound with her palm and got to her feet, then turned away. She stumbled a few meters away and looked back. The men had no time to focus on her. Their battle with the Fourth demanded their full attention. Soon, Yin made it out of the forest. The wound was slowly beginning to heal, and her strength was returning. She started running and ran as far away as she could.

She didn't know how long she had been running, but she didn't stop until she was absolutely sure that no one was following her. Finally, she had time to rest. In the distance, she saw several apple trees. She walked over to them and leaned her back against one of them. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so tired. It wasn't long before she fell asleep under the apple tree. She didn't wake up until the sun was high in the sky. For some reason, she had the feeling that she had experienced something like this before. However, she couldn't remember where this familiar feeling came from. She rested there for a while longer. Soon, however, she was overcome by a headache so severe that she had to close her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she immediately jumped to her feet. Darkness took control again. The little girl set off aimlessly once more.

Another few hundred, perhaps even thousands of years passed, during which the same situation repeated itself. She was not welcome anywhere. She wandered until she reached the kingdom of Naarkhu. It was a kingdom that belonged to the elves. Mountains and forests stretched far and wide. However, these forests were not home to ordinary trees. These trees were several times taller than their normal counterparts. In the middle of these monumental forests, one particularly massive tree could be seen. Yin set off towards it. 

As she walked through the endless forest, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, that someone was following her. But when she stopped and looked around, she saw no one. It was as if something had clouded her vision. So she continued on toward the tree. Soon she came across tracks that came from the south and led in the same direction she was heading. There were many footprints, and they looked quite heavy for the local forest, judging by how deep they were. After a while, her ears heard a familiar sound. It was shouting and the clanging of weapons. She continued forward. Finally, she saw the first shelters and dwellings in the trees. They belonged to the elves who inhabited these forests. It must have been one of the villages. In the distance, between the trees, she noticed hyenas and other creatures of darkness fighting. She approached in an arc to get a better view of the situation. One particular fight caught her attention. Four hyenas were fighting a single elf. The elf was tall, with short green hair and green eyes. She was wielding two swords. Several hyenas were already lying on the ground around her, and she seemed exhausted from the fight. Yin also noticed several wounds from which she was bleeding. She must have been reaching her limit. Yin was impressed by her bravery, but she didn't understand why she didn't run away. However, when she looked closely, she noticed something. Near the elven warrior, a smaller elf with long green hair was lying on the ground. She was still a child and seemed to be unconscious. The hyenas now all rushed at the elven warrior. She managed to fend off three of them, but the fourth struck her again. He stabbed her right in the stomach. Yin remembered the man in golden armor and felt the blow again. Now the elf fell to one knee and blood began to flow from her mouth. She was on the verge of death.

The Heyen rushed at her again...

The elf looked at them and awaited her end. Suddenly, however, all four of them fell to pieces in front of her. Now Yin stood in their place. Her scythe was once again shrouded in dark flames. The elf warrior looked into her golden eyes. The little girl prepared to strike. But just before it reached the elf, her scythe stopped. The blade was close, but the elf did not look away and continued to stare directly into the girl's eyes. Yin felt her hand trembling. After a moment, the scythe disappeared and the girl felt tears welling up in her eyes. One by one, they began to roll down her cheeks. The elven warrior smiled kindly at her, but she didn't have much time left. She wiped the blood from her lips with her hand.

"Please... don't let my sister die," she uttered her last request. With these words, she fell to the ground. Other dark creatures began to gather around, intent on finishing off the surviving elves. The elf's last words had a profound effect on Yin. Her eyes lit up again and the scythe reappeared in her hand. 

Yin killed everyone who was still in the ravaged village, which were mostly hyenas and other creatures of darkness. Fortunately for the elves, none of their kind remained, except for a small elf who was still lying motionless on the ground. After this bloodbath, Yin returned to her right mind and could once again be herself. She approached the elven warrior first. Only now could she get a good look at her and see her face up close. She found her exceptionally beautiful. She had never met anyone else she could say that about. She didn't usually pay much attention to people's faces, but this time it was different—as if looking at the elf's face partially freed her from the binding darkness. She then went over to the little elf and lifted her off the ground. With the elf in her arms, she continued toward the large tree. After several hours of walking, an army of elves appeared before her. However, none of them fired a single arrow at her because they noticed who she was carrying.

The child of darkness was carrying one of their own. Yin stopped a few meters in front of them and placed the little elf on the ground. Then she simply turned and headed north. The elves reached the little elf and checked to see if she was still alive. When they found that she was alive, several of them set off with her back into the forest, while the others continued on to the plundered village. Yin knew that their hospitality had come to an end. Elves rarely mingled with other species, let alone creatures that radiated darkness. Elves had an innate sense for such things. They could clearly sense whether someone was good or evil, and to what extent. Thanks to this ability, they could predict whether something entering their forest was dangerous or not. Unfortunately, Yin was a person who had come into this world through the Demon King, so darkness literally permeated her. 

The child of darkness thus set out once again on her aimless journey. After many years of wandering aimlessly, the little girl appeared in another kingdom. This time it was Ronos, a relatively peaceful and multicultural kingdom. Its territory also included the independent city of Arn, which was known for its neutrality, thanks to which everyone was welcome there. At the same time, this city also served as a center for merchants, who could buy, sell, or exchange their goods here without being subject to taxes from other kingdoms. However, the center and capital of Ronos was the city of Rhády. Already at the southern border of the kingdom, the little girl was stopped by a group of border guards. Of course, it was not difficult for her to get through them, but it was not without sacrifice. The girl continued north. Fortunately for the inhabitants of the local kingdom, there were no towns in her way at that moment. So she headed further into the center of the country, where the royal city of Rhády was located.

The girl had to stop on the plains outside the city. Dragon knights stood in her way. However, at their head was a figure who differed from the others. It was a man dressed entirely in black. He wore a hood, so his face could not be seen. 

"Will you play with me?" Yin asked with a broad smile across her face. But the man opposite her did not answer. She wasn't enjoying this at all. She was already standing in front of him, looking up at his face. Strangely, he was smiling. Then he flicked her forehead with his finger. She hadn't expected that. She flew across the field and stopped only when she hit a small rock protruding from the ground. Yin had a blissful expression on her face. It was as if she had finally found what she was looking for. Then their battle began, which lasted three long days without interruption. Yin had finally found someone who could match her, if not be stronger than her.

Yin felt that she too needed to rest and regain her strength. She hadn't had a chance to catch her breath once in three days. She had to end this quickly. An even stronger dark flame formed around Yin than was normally around her. Now her eyes were also glowing a bright golden color. She approached the man again. She swung her scythe. Suddenly, she felt something knock the scythe out of her hands... The man was now next to her, hugging her despite her dark flames, which under normal circumstances would have burned anyone to ashes.
"It's time for you to rest," said the man, smiling. At first, she tried to push him away and break free from his grip. She couldn't. He placed his hand on her head and stroked it. Just like your parents stroke your head when you're in pain. Yin burst into tears like the little girl she once was. She wasn't crying out of sadness, but out of a feeling of comfort and peace in her heart that she hadn't felt in a long time. However, the dragon knights sensed an opportunity and were ready to fight. They aimed their weapons at her. Then they finally fired their bows. Yin began to feel afraid again in this world. Not that she was going to die. She just didn't want to lose the feelings she was experiencing. She closed her eyes. The man was still hugging her. Then there was a snap of fingers and they were gone. The arrows missed their target.

Yin opened her eyes. She was still alive, but she had no idea what had happened. 

"I see you're still conscious. You even managed to keep your self," said the unknown man. 

"Who are you?" the girl blurted out.

"Do you really want to know, Yin?" he asked her. She was surprised that he knew her name. She had no idea where he could have learned it. In this world, only she knew it, and she had never told anyone.

"If you're so curious," replied the man, then leaned toward her and whispered something in her ear. He then turned away and smiled at her. Now she was smiling too, tears streaming down her face. What had the stranger actually said to her? That was between them. From then on, they were known as "the child of darkness" and "the stranger" who traveled together. They sowed fear among the warriors of darkness. Ordinary people rarely encountered them. However, exactly ten years after the battle on the plains, a group of hunters crossed their path. It was, of course, the group led by May and the others who had met them at the troll cave.

But that's another story...