The carriage came to a stop just before sunset.
The guards didn't even bother to help her down. One of them tossed a small bag onto the ground—it jingled with a few copper coins and dry bread.
> "That's your exile allowance. Try not to eat it all at once, Princess."
Snicker.
Ayra hopped off the carriage without a word, brushing dust off her dress. The old path led into a dark forest known as the Mirewood, infamous for wild beasts and bandits.
The guards expected her to cry. To panic. Maybe even beg.
Instead, she turned around and gave them a polite smile.
> "You might want to leave quickly."
"Why?"
"Just a hunch."
As the carriage rolled away, one of them noticed a large shadow move between the trees.
> "Wait… was that a—"
The forest swallowed their screams.
Ayra didn't even look back.
---
Campfire of the Omniverse
She found a quiet clearing, surrounded by trees and lit by the setting sun.
With a single finger, she traced a sigil in the air. Light bent around her like liquid.
> "Sanctuary Mode: Level ∞ activated."
In an instant:
A full campsite materialized.
A cozy wooden cabin formed with perfect furniture.
A campfire lit itself.
A warm breeze began flowing like gentle magic.
She walked inside, sat on a floating pillow, and took a bite of her hard bread.
> "Ew. Nope."
Snap.
The bread transformed into fluffy garlic butter naan with spicy paneer curry. She giggled.
> "Let's not forget I earned a culinary award in my last life."
---
Uninvited Guest
Suddenly, she sensed movement.
A young boy—scruffy, barefoot, no older than 10—stumbled into the clearing. He froze when he saw the glowing camp and the mysterious girl sipping tea.
> "I-I didn't mean to steal! I just wanted to sleep somewhere safe!"
Ayra blinked.
> "Sleep where? The antimatter defense field or the gravity trap?"
The boy looked like he was going to faint.
Ayra sighed and waved a hand. The barriers shimmered and lowered.
> "Relax. Come in. I won't vaporize you. Not tonight."
The boy hesitated, then rushed toward the fire, amazed by the cozy setup.
> "Are you a witch?"
Ayra smirked.
> "Sure. Let's go with that."
---
Midnight Sky
Later, as the boy snored beside the fire, Ayra sat alone, looking up at the stars.
> "So this is my kingdom now, huh?" she whispered.
"That's fine. I like it better than the palace."
She held up her hand, watching tiny galaxies swirl in her palm like fireflies.
> "They think they threw me away…"
She smiled.
> "But really, they just let a god out of her cage."
---