Page 76 of I Ran Away to Evil #3

Fighting Before Breakfast Was the Worst

Gerda

True to my word, I abandoned Julian at the Northern Fortress after crossing his drawbridge.

As it was well after dark, there were promises of a celebratory welcome tomorrow before everyone disbanded for the evening. Julian slipped me a note before I portaled back home, and I wondered when he’d had the time to write it.

It simply read, I hope you sleep well. Goodnight, beautiful.

I did sleep well, and woke up early enough to enjoy a solid three-hour salt bath, which washed away the stress on my body.

We weren’t scheduled to go into the Ice Fields today. Instead, I was set to explore the fortress and meet the members of the border patrol. As such, I dressed in leather pants and a long-sleeved blouse; light enough to survive the summer sun, yet sturdy enough to cut the icy northern wind.

Usually, at this point, I would wander into my kitchen, make breakfast and a cup of tea, then enjoy checking in on my notifications for the day.

But my notifications went off just before I tried to connect my door to the living area, and the connection failed.

[Sense Danger] was practically screaming at me, and my [Domain] skill tab was overwhelmed with updates.

One glance at the log revealed all.

[Your Domain has taken 130 points of Void damage …]

[Your Domain has taken 97 points of Void damage …]

[Your Domain has fallen to an enemy skill …]

I didn’t bother reading the full reports but got straight to work while considering my options. I was safe in this subspace, since my attacker had already destroyed the only door in.

[You have activated Bridge Repair . Cost to repair adjusted for Pocket Dimension status, 410 Mana. Time until completion 00:27:85]

I popped a potion to recover my mana, then activated [Oracle]. Sure enough, a certain Keeper of Fate was an available option, and I was immediately treated to a future view of the two of us doing battle in my kitchen. I winced as she launched a Void spell that shattered some of my favorite teacups.

Rude.

When I came out of it, I quickened my recovery by climbing off the bathroom floor and sticking my head under the bathtub faucet, running cold water on my face to help me center myself.

It was strange and unnerving, watching our battle from her perspective.

I hated being a part of Fate’s plan. Hypocritical, but seeing Fate include me in her oracles made me feel like I was being watched, and it was an unpleasant twist in my gut.

I rubbed the shoulder I’d seen take a Void attack, thankful it was still there.

For a second, I thought about going and grabbing Julian to help me deal with the problem … but the oracle predicted my successful escape for a simple cost. And it was high time I had a cup of tea with my new archenemy.

I prepared a few items then appeared beside my kitchen table.

“You could’ve just knocked,” I said nonchalantly, dodging a ball of pitch-black Void energy that sailed past my shoulder. I heard it hit my kitchen window and rip a hole into the Void. That was going to cost more mana to repair.

I summoned two teacups and placed them on the table before bringing out a teapot full of hot tea. Personally, I preferred fresh tea in the morning; something about the time-stop placebo taste that was all in my mind but also very real.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

Guild Mistress Alice readied another spell; pink magic threads dangled from her fingers, and her aura covered her entire body, playing with her shoulder-length blonde hair and reflecting in her eyes.

She looked ready to kill.

My front door had been blown off its hinges; it lay crumpled at the celestial’s feet, a portion of my dining room table voided from existence as well. I was impressed it was still standing in its current U shape.

“I would like you dead,” she snapped. “By the Will of the Eternal Rest, [Void Arrow].”

“[World Bridge],” I said at the same time, portaling to my tea cabinet and storing the entire area in my storage ring. My cast was shorter than hers, and so made it easier to dodge.

Her attack hit the already gapping dimensional space that had been my window. I had no idea where the damage went from there, but I hoped it wasn’t being flung willy-nilly into the meadow outside.

I liked that meadow.

She threw a knife at my head, but I just moved my head out of the way. I waved at the table. “Why don’t we sit and chat?”

“I hate you.” She lunged at me, a short sword appearing in her grip. I didn’t need [Appraise] to tell me that the blade was poisoned. It was Alice’s blade—of course it was poisoned.

“I don’t see why .” My perception tracked the trajectory of her assault perfectly, and I dodged again as the celestial let out a frustrated scream.

Someone so beautiful and lovely suffering right in front of me made my heart hurt.

But that was probably the charisma modifier at work. I brushed it off.

[Mental Resistance] for the win.

“Seriously, Alice,” I said, a hand on my hip. “Why are we fighting? You follow Fate, and I—”

“ Do not speak her name.” Alice stamped her foot and lifted her short sword to prepare for another attack. “You are an abomination who goes against my Fate.”

“Did Fate tell you that?” I asked, confused that Alice was still attached to the idea. I’d assumed she would have confronted Fate as soon as she was free and had a heart-to-heart.

Alice thrust her sword again, and I dodged, again.

“My Lady hasn’t spoken to me since I failed my mission to kill you.” Alice lifted a fist to her lips, opened her palm, and blew, sending sparkling, poisonous dust all over my dining area and the tea service. I reacted with, “[World Bridge].”

But I portaled away too late.

[You have been poisoned by Dandyvine . You have taken 34 points of Bleed damage to all senses. Perk Stronghold negates 50% damage received while defending your Domain . You have taken 17 points of damage.]

“Hey, not at the table!” I chastised, grabbing the towel by my kitchen sink to wipe my face and summoning Menlomin’s Horn with the other. It immediately purified the poison.

“Also, gross.” I threw my towel in the sink.

The celestial had used my momentary distraction to down a mana potion.

“By the Will of the Eternal Rest, [Void Arrow].” Alice hurled another attack, this one actually hitting my left shoulder.

[You have taken 116 points of Void damage. Perk Stronghold negates 50% damage received while defending your Domain . You have taken 58 points of damage.]

[You will not be able to use your left arm until healed.]

“Ugh,” I hissed. Shoot, I’d hoped to avoid that. “Have you considered Fate could be angry at you for another reason? The same reason I’m not running away now when I could’ve just portaled out?” I asked, sidestepping a poisoned dagger as I unsummoned the unicorn horn in place of a health potion.

A second dagger flew, hitting the potion before I could take a drink, shattering the glass in my hand.

[You have taken 1 point of Cutting Damage. Perk Stronghold negates 50% damage received while defending your Domain . You take no damage.]

The potion that landed on my fingers actually did heal me a little. I sighed, concluding, “Because she wants us to talk?”

“You know nothing of her will,” Alice spoke with unadulterated loathing.

“You have ruined my life and my life’s work.

Even if you ran, I would hunt you to the ends of Valaria.

I swear by Fate that I will end you and stop at nothing to right destiny if it takes my whole life to do so .

” The Keeper of Fate glowed pink, her blonde hair lifting from the subtle mana that reacted to her vow.

While she monologued, I popped another potion and poured it directly onto my missing shoulder. It hurt more this way, but [Mental Resistance] didn’t fail me.

With a grimace, I replied, “Well, what if some of us don’t want what was fated for us?”

“Of course you would say that! You weren’t even supposed to be here! You were meant to die in some misbegotten troll village!”

“I did, actually,” I told her. “Well, Gerda did.”

Alice had raised a hand with three more poison daggers sandwiched between her fingers but froze.

“What do you mean?” She didn’t relax her hold on her weapons, but she did pause long enough for me to explain myself.

“I’m not Gerda.” I wasn’t ready for the wave of relief that hit when I finally said it. Aloud. “Listen, Alice.” I waved at the two cups on the table. “I really do think we should talk. About why I’m here. About everything .”

“This is a trick,” she said, her fists clenching around her daggers. Behind her, I noted with satisfaction that my door frame was no longer splintered and had started repairing itself.

“It’s true. I’m not the real Gerda,” I told her, pulling out a chair and sitting down. I waved again, urging her to take a seat across the table to join me, knowing she would.

There was a slight hesitation before Alice lowered her arm. The knives vanished. She didn’t look like she trusted me, but she wasn’t trying to void me from existence anymore, so that was a plus.

While she cautiously moved to take a seat, I brought out new and not- covered-in-poison tea. Despite my better judgement, I summoned us both some homemade biscotti from my inventory. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close. I dunked mine in my tea and took a bite.

Ah. Perfect . Fighting before breakfast was the worst.

“I’ll give you this one chance to speak …” she stated.

“I’m not from this world.” I told her straight up. This wasn’t something I’d told anyone before … but the Keeper of Fate wasn’t just anyone. Alice was, to put it simply, the only person who might actually understand.

“In my life before, I was able to watch Valaria and its fate,” I continued. “I’ve watched this world and every fate it could have taken; I’ve worked my way through every possible ending. Good … and bad.”

“I am the Keeper of Fate; you will gain no sympathy from me,” she snapped.