Princess Tea

A mysterious Ninja

It had been a few weeks since Seraphina had joined the group, and life at the palace was beginning to feel more stable. Though they remained vigilant, watching for any signs of the darkness returning, things had quieted down. The group was hopeful, and even Seraphina had started to earn their trust, little by little. But as fate would have it, peace was only temporary.

One evening, as the sun set behind the palace, casting long shadows across the land, Princess Mimi decided to take a quiet walk through the palace gardens. She loved the peacefulness of the flowers blooming in the cool twilight air, and she often used these moments to reflect. Her friends were back inside, enjoying the evening, and for once, Mimi felt safe and at peace.

That was, until she noticed something strange—a figure moving swiftly through the trees just beyond the garden walls. At first, she thought it was her imagination, but as she turned to walk back to the palace, a shadow darted in front of her. Before she could react, a thick fog of smoke surrounded her, and strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into the darkness.

Mimi struggled, trying to shout, but a hand covered her mouth. She kicked and fought, but her captors were swift and skilled. Within moments, she was whisked away, vanishing into the night without a trace.

Back at the palace, Mai, Yuko, and the others were enjoying their evening when Seraphina suddenly stood up, her eyes narrowing. "Something’s wrong," she said, her voice tense. "I feel… something dark."

Lian, who had also sensed the disturbance, stood beside her. "Where’s Mimi?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

Realizing Mimi hadn’t returned from her walk, the group rushed outside, only to find the garden empty. The faint smell of smoke lingered in the air, and it didn’t take long for them to realize that Mimi had been kidnapped.

"We have to find her!" Yuko said, his face grim. "Whoever took her can’t have gone far."

Seraphina stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly as she reached out with her senses. "The darkness didn’t take her," she said, frowning. "But whoever did is dangerous. They’re skilled and… they’re not alone."

Without wasting any more time, the group set out into the night, searching for any sign of Mimi. They followed faint tracks, the occasional broken branch, and subtle clues left behind in the rush. But no matter how hard they searched, the kidnappers remained elusive, moving through the shadows with an expertise that none of them could match.

Meanwhile, Mimi had been taken deep into the forest, bound and blindfolded. She sat in a small, dimly lit cave surrounded by a group of masked figures. From their silence and precision, it was clear that these weren’t just ordinary bandits—these were highly trained ninjas. But who they worked for, she couldn’t tell.

The leader of the group, a tall, imposing figure in black, stepped forward, removing his mask just enough to speak. "You’re the key to getting what we want," he said coldly. "Your friends will come for you, but by then, it will be too late."

Mimi glared at him through the blindfold, her voice defiant. "You’re making a mistake. My friends won’t stop