Rustle... Flutter...
The scent of flowers was heavily. As if she were laying on a ground covered of only soft plants. Beautiful glittery red butterflies flee around, fluttering their wings silently when resting upon a flower.
Aefia cracked open her eyes slowly. Her head banging as if someone was hammering it with a heavy hammer. The brightness was far too much for her to bare. So she rolled over onto her side to shield her view. The butterflies that had settled over her, flew away. Before coming back it land onto the places she was wounded.
Naturally, her field of vision was covered with many white and red flowers surrounding her.
It was completely opposite to what she had expected. Because the last thing she had seen inside that dungoen was the entire space getting crumbled up like biscuit and falling inwards. She had been caught up into it, her eyes were locked onto a large piece of hard rock literally falling toward her.
She slowly sat up, taking in the sight of the endless field of swaying delicate flowers and a calming fragrance. The red flowers that has bloomed around her represented the area she had bled.
She looked down at her arms and shoulders where the beautiful creatures were walking down the line of her wound, and then fluttered away to a nearby flower. One rested on her cheek where she was scratched.
She tilted her head back, staring up at the blue sky.
Honestly... This is so much better then being with those three betrayers. Sasha didn't even bother to look back and see what was going on.
Hah!... I want to stay back here forever like this... But who knows what awaits me.
She watched as the clouds overhead soared past.
"I am not assuming things..." She muttered under her breath. Am I... In a place similar to heaven? Maybe even a percent? Or is this hell disguised as my punishment?... I feel lonely.
She then vigorously shook her head. Nevermind. What a stupid thought. Clearly this is a pocket dimension I have accidentally slipped into.
Aefia slowly started to get up—until her breath caught violently in her throat when she tried to lean on her left hand.
She looked down. The butterflies were clinging to her forearm like pesky little insects, not letting go even as she shook it.
But what caught her attention most—while shaking that arm—was the pain that radiated through it for every small flinch. Though at the same time, it was calming down too. It felt as if the bone was slowly mending itself.
She looked down at her other injuries that were previously there. They were healed.
So... They were working on fixing my body for me. But what is the catch here? Can it be that I fell into a quiet and peaceful pocket dimension?
Regardless, as soon as the last butterfly fluttered away to settle against the nearby flowers, she slowly stood up and dusted her clothes.
The field was endless and there was not a single wall visible. Nor another path, not even a nearby house. She was standing in an endless garden that stretched to nowhere.
Her eyes scanned further for clues. This place... Can't be that barren.
She took a few steps forward, looking around for something out if the ordinary to appear. Yet, moment after moment, there was nothing. She started to lose hope.
Until—
In between a large patch of grass and flowers, was a dip within a perfect surface and from it, was poking out black and silver fur.
She walked over to it, crouching down to touch it. It was a full-sized wolf with a bushy tail and red-orangish flames at the end of its tails and at its soft manes. Its ears flattened against its head with the tips red and gold.
Her hands brushed against the softness, it felt almost unreal. But then suddenly, it reacted with her magic and pulled her form out.
She was confused at first, but then thought it must be because the creature was clearly a magical beast itself.
The wolf's body stiffened the exact second her fingertips made contact with its fur.
A sharp gasp burst from its throat, and in a blur of black and silver, the creature scrambled backward.
Its paws skidded through the crushed flowers, scattering red petals into the air as it slammed itself back as far as it could reach. Before walking right back up towards her.
Its snout twitched as it reached forward to sniff her extended fingers.
Its ears were pinned flat against its skull, the fiery red-and-gold tips twitching nervously. The red-orangish flames along its bushy tail and mane flickered erratically, sputtering like a candle caught in a sudden gust of wind.
Wide, trembling golden eyes locked onto Aefia, filled not with ferocity, but with pure, unadulterated terror.
Aefia froze in her crouched position. Her eyes widening in shock and awe.
The wolf pressed its belly flat against the ground, tucking its tail tightly against its flank. It let out a high-pitched, pathetic whine—a sound so small and delicate it seemed completely wrong coming from a beast of its size.
Every muscle in its body quivered, its breath coming in short, panicked huffs as it watched her every movement, clearly expecting her to strike. Though it immediately shook its head and bared its teeth at her—growling and letting out breaths of smoke out the side of its mouth.
Aefia slowly drew her hand back, blinking in confusion.
It's... afraid of me?
She raised an eyebrow, taking in the sight of the magnificent elemental creature cowering in a bed of glittery blossoms.
After everything she had just been through—the crumbling dungeon, the falling debris, the cold betrayal of those she thought were on her side—she had prepared herself for a deadly Guardian, a trap, or at least a territorial monster.
Instead, she was staring at a giant, fire-maned wolf that was trembling as if she were the dungeon boss.
"Hey..." Aefia began, keeping her voice low and even as she slowly sat back on her heels. "I am not going to hurt you. Since apparently... You seem to remind me of my ownself." She smiled faintly.
At the sound of her voice, the wolf flinched violently, burying its snout into its front paws and letting out a soft growl. As if it were annoyed or embarrased of being compared to her.
Regardless, Aefia reached her hand out a second time, rubbing the wolf's head even as it tried to snap its jaw at her. She then placed both hands under its front arms and lifted it up to her eye-level.
"Don't worry about being irritated by me... I am adopting you. And I think we will both get along just fine..."
Its jaw hung open as it started to wringle in her grasps and pounced backward, turnings its head violently to the side.
The little red butterflies that had been resting on the nearby flowers fluttered up into the air once more, disturbed by the sudden tension, before gently descending to circle above the frightened beast.
Aefia sighed, looking down at her fully healed hands, then back at the prideful creature. "Whatever you say... But I am still bringing you along with me when I get back."
It turned back towards her and growled.
"Don't think I will reconsider. My plans are final. Besides... What are you going to do in this place anyways? I would love some company too, you know?"
It extended its front paws and leaned onto them, unimpressed.
Slowly, she got up again, took the wolf by its arms and placed it over her shoulder—patting its back, as if asking for it to settle down.
Aefia had a habit of stealing stray cats like this too. But right now, she knew she was kidnapping a valuable asset—though those tiny, cute feral beasts were also of good value.
The wolf let out a muffled, indignant scoff against the fabric of her shoulder, its back paws dangling helplessly in the air as it realized she had no intention of putting it down.
It huffed another tiny wispy cloud of warm smoke against her neck, but the sheer absurdity of being scooped up like a common alley cat seemed to drain the last bit of its defensive terror, replacing it with sheer, exasperated begrudgement.
With a low, defeated whine, the creature stopped wriggling.
The vibrant, elemental flames flickering along its mane and the tip of its tail began to dim, crackling down to small, soft embers before extinguishing completely.
In a matter of seconds, the radiant fire-maned beast had compressed its form, seamlessly disguising itself as nothing more than an unusually cute, ash-grey wolf cub with deep amber eyes.
Aefia felt the heavy weight shift in her arms, a proud smirk tugging at the edge of her lips. "See? I knew you'd be reasonable."
As her form too collapsed, the lingering strain of her physical trauma rushed back to claim its toll. She dropped down onto her knees into the bed of soft, crushed petals, clutching the newly-disguised wolf tightly against her chest to keep it from falling.
The little grey wolf let out a sharp yip of surprise at the sudden descent, its amber eyes widening as it looked up at her.
The prideful annoyance in its expression vanished, replaced once more by a flick of wary concern as it felt her breathing turn rapid and shallow.
Aefia pressed her forehead against the cool, soft fur of the wolf's neck, her body trembling as her magic slowly began to collect.
"Guess... my body isn't as fully fixed as those butterflies led me to believe," she rasped out with a dry, breathless chuckle, squeezing her eyes shut for a while. Then immediately sat up. "But I can't stay here forever."
She stood up again. One if the butterflies flew towards the wolf and sat on its snout as she turned around and walked towards where she was first dropped.
The wolf cub played with the butterfly which was relentless in following them. Its tiny paws extending our to snap around the wings of the red butterfly, which flew around Aefia's neck to settle against the back of its head.
"You took your sweet time, Candidate Fifteen," a sophisticated and familiar voice rang out. Aefia came to a halt—her easy-going expression dropping for guarded one.
"They are saying you chose to stay back by yourself. Is it true?"
"Avry... You know that no one who wants to live will ever willingly stay back after a dungeon which doesn't even require a sacrifice to get, nor a limit." Aefia asked, tilting her head slightly.
The woman raised an eyebrow. "So you are saying your own Squad member is a liar? The last time I checked, you loved your cousin to even defend her in court if she were ever to be charged and proven guilty. And I bet you would have also found out a way through desperation."
Aefia turned silent, letting out a soft sigh through her nose. Beside her, the wolf cub went silent, pinning the butterfly by its wings and kept it from fluttering away.
She dragged her feet and walked towards the open portal that was open right behind Avry.
"Listen kid... You were only saved because it was proved you were a huge contributor in this dungoen too. And you are a treasured experiment of ours." She called out, as soon as Aefia stepped out of the portal.
The air of the futile facility hit her senses in a blast. It was different and filled with people happily chatting away with their close people.
She slowly crouched down and let the wolf and the butterfly on the ground.
"Don't run off. Stay hidden but follow me around, alright?" Aefia whispered. The wolf cub let the butterfly go, which immediately set upon its head like a jewelry.
She began dragging her tired body towards her own room two buildings down and two floors up. She let out a bored yawn while stretching her arms above her head. The sun was already starting to set.
If she wanted, she could go and grab dinner right now, then fall asleep and wake up the next morning. Though her mind screamed at her to just go and flop onto her bed again.
And naturally, problem would follow wherever she went.
"Fia~!" That sweet tone of voice was unmistakably Nada.
She turned her head slightly. Her cousin stood with a smile and her hands extended outward at her. Aefia didn't move, standing there in awkward silence.
"I am so sorry for judging you so fast. But now I finally understand you weren't entirely at fault. Afterall, the novel has the plots and the auctioneer said the plot. Could have eavesdropped, right?" She explained, when seeing her younger cousin wasn't moving even a flinch.
Aefia's face finally contorted into a smile as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Nada.
"Sure. I am just glad you finally understand."
From just a small distance away, the wolf cub watched with furious eyes.
***********************
First draft: 21.11.2025
Rewritten: 30.10.2026