The Extra's Dimensional Library

"Hmmm, I see, I just don't understand how it works. Even I have some clone techniques up my sleeves, but I am not sure they compare to what you have," Fey said.

"Firstly, you don't really have sleeves, and secondly, you are a Fenrir, a being at the pinnacle of this world," Raze stated. "I'm certain you've seen at least some clone magic or techniques on par with my Reset, but you still seem shocked," Raze said.

"Not at all, and that's the weird part," Fey replied. "Seeing as I've lived for several hundreds of years, you'd think I would've encountered something similar, but everything I've seen works by the same principle I told you about. Your clones go against all of that. If you could create multiple of them, you'd be unstoppable—your strength would basically multiply."

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Raze responded.

After all, he had gotten the book from the library. And anything the library gave wasn't something he expected to originate from this world. Still, he wasn't entirely sure others didn't have something similar, but it didn't matter much right now.

Fey continued running through the forest until they finally reached the depths, where a lone cabin sat. The air around it was thick and heavy, almost pure evil. Raze could see crows perched on the surrounding trees, cawing as they stared down at the cabin.

He jumped down from Fey's back, and Fey shifted back into his human form.

"I guess this is the place," Raze said. His tracking rune had led them straight there. That meant this was where Shadow was.

They began approaching, but before they could get halfway, the cabin door slowly creaked open.

Click… click… click…

The darkness inside the cabin was all that greeted them. No one stood behind the door.

Then—out of the darkness—a dark tendril shot forward like a whip straight for Raze. Fey intercepted it instantly, grabbing hold and ripping it apart with one sharp pull. The tendril trembled in his grip before he tossed it aside. It dissolved into nothing as it hit the ground.

Heavy footsteps followed, the wood of the cabin creaking under them.

Shadow stepped out.

She looked at them with a grim expression. "How did you find me?"

Raze smiled. "Well, I planted a little something on you. I needed to find you. I'm not here to fight. I just want to talk."

Shadow's face twisted in confusion the moment she heard Raze say he just wanted to talk. She pulled out her dagger and gripped it tightly.

"I tried to kill you twice, and you think I want to talk to you?" she said.

"Well, considering the fact that you can't really kill me, and I could easily kill you, it would be better if you calmed down and we talked… wouldn't it?" Raze replied, smiling casually.

"You believe you can kill me?" Shadow hissed.

"Last time, you barely got away," Raze stated.

Her eyes drifted toward Fey standing beside him.

"Because of him," she muttered. "I don't know who you are, but you had better not keep standing in my way. I must complete my mission." She directed the words at Fey, then looked back at Raze.

"Even without Fey you wouldn't be able to kill me," Raze said. "There's nothing you can do that will eliminate me. Despite your strength, that's the sad truth. But I'm not here to fight, and I'm not here for revenge. I just want you to answer some questions. That's all."

She raised her blade and pointed it at him.

"You are either here to die or to kill me. There is no in-between. There is no way I can stand with my prey right in front of me and not attack."

"Something is forcing you, right?" Raze said suddenly.

Confusion flashed across her face. "What?"

"Something or someone is forcing you," Raze continued. "No matter how impossible it seems, you keep coming back. You keep insisting you're going to kill me."

She smirked. "Or maybe I just don't like leaving missions unfinished."

"No… I'm pretty sure that's not it. Sure, part of it might be your ego—after the two times you failed against me. But I know there's something more. Could someone be controlling you? Or are you indebted to someone? Maybe the one who sent you after me?"

Her eyes trembled slightly at his words, but she didn't back down.

"I don't understand what you're saying. Nor do I want to understand," she said coldly.

"Oh, you're deflecting. Or rather, pretending you don't know. That means you do know. That means someone is controlling you. So how about we take him down? How about we make sure he can never control you again? Would that get you off my back?" Raze asked.

She froze for a few seconds, silent… then finally spoke.

"You don't know anything about my life," she said. "Like I told you—you're either here to die, or to kill me. Pick one… or I'll decide for you."

"You're a tough nut to crack, Shadow, but you must understand by now that you are alive because I don't want you dead. It might not have been so before, but now that's the case, and your life is in my hands," Raze said. He took a few steps forward.

"Trust me, if there is someone that could free you from whatever it is, then it's me. Why am I offering? Because I'm curious about what you are. I know you aren't human, so I want to know more," Raze said, and her face immediately twisted into rage.

"So you are like one of them, you want to cut me up and use me," she said in anger.

'Ahhhh, so she has a dark past, hmm, that gives me some leverage.'

"Not at all, I don't plan to hurt you, just talk to you," Raze said.

She stared at him for a few seconds and then dropped her blade, "I'll not attack today, but stay away from me." She said and then walked back into the house.

"Do we go after her?" Fey asked.

"No, not today."