Jane's Story

Prologue part 1.

A red line in the dark of the night. A young lady suddenly appearing in front of a village, a backpack slung over her shoulder.

Who is this young lady? Her name is Jane Denki, with her striking red hair and a smile hanging on her lips. She turned to look at the village she had just left behind. The flickering light of candles could still be seen from where she stood, probably coming from the few houses still awake. But not for long-after all, it was quite late, almost midnight.

So why would a young redhead be outside the village at this hour? She could be, and should be, in her warm bed, sleeping peacefully with her parents just next door. The reason was simple: she was running away.

She had prepared for this moment for weeks, and now it was finally happening. Her smile grew wider as she turned away from the village, staring into the inky black night.

Jane had spent her entire life in that village, never venturing beyond the woods that loomed in the distance. Even then, she had only seen a small part of the forest. Her father had forbidden her from going beyond its borders, claiming the world was too dangerous for someone like her. She never fully understood what he meant. She had been trained to defend herself since she was a child, and could now best nearly everyone in the village who sparred with her. After all, she had begun her training at the tender age of six.

Her training was brutal-both physically and mentally. She had been pushed to the brink of collapse more times than she could count, yet each session left her feeling refreshed, exhausted, but fulfilled.

Shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts, Jane focused on the path ahead. It was time to go. Without a sound, she vanished from her spot, leaving behind only a faintly deeper footprint in the soft earth.

A mere moment later, she reappeared in a clearing more than three kilometers from the village. This place was her sanctuary, where she could be alone with her thoughts. Smiling to herself, Jane sat cross-legged on the ground and placed her bag in front of her.

Despite her plan to leave for good, her bag was surprisingly light. The truth was, she hadn't packed it herself. It had just appeared on her bed before she left. She had a strong suspicion of who might have prepared it. Opening the bag, she found blankets, two sets of clothes, and some food. After rummaging for a few moments, she discovered one last item-a small, simple black box.

Curious, she opened it and found a letter and a necklace. Setting aside the necklace, she unfolded the letter. Even with the dim moonlight, she could easily read the words written inside:

"My dearest Jane, I knew long ago that our little village could never contain you. From the moment I began telling you stories of the outside world, your eyes sparkled with wonder. You definitely inherited your father's nature-always seeking thrills, always curious. He knew it too, and that's why he's been so anxious about you. Because your leaving was inevitable, written in the stars, even if we didn't know when.
If you're reading this, then you're in that clearing you love so much. We knew about it, even though you thought it was your secret hideaway.
You should know that you have my blessing-and your father's, although he'd never admit it willingly.
Go, my daughter. Explore the world to your heart's content. And when you've had your fill of adventure, when you're tired, remember that you'll always have a home to return to.
We love you. Take care, and never lose that beautiful smile of yours."

Unknowingly, tears had started to slip down Jane's cheeks. She wiped them away, her smile faltering briefly before returning in full force. She clutched the letter to her chest for a moment before setting it aside. She then turned her attention to the necklace.

The crystal pendant looked dull at first glance, but under the faint moonlight, Jane noticed a soft red glow within it. Intrigued, she examined it more closely but found nothing particularly unusual. Shrugging, she placed her hands on the ground to push herself up, accidentally pressing the sharp edge of the crystal into her palm. A small drop of blood formed where the crystal had pricked her.