Chapter 2

...𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎...

...𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝙱𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗...

ᴵᵐᵃᵍᵉ ²• ᴬᴵ ᴳᵉⁿᵉʳᵃᵗᵉᵈ•

꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭

Somehow, as they searched for shelter in the unfamiliar landscape, a small, abandoned hut suddenly appeared before them, as if the rain itself had guided them to it. It was here that Lisn injected Chugar with her antidote, her hands trembling slightly as the cold rain continued to soak them. The three of them were completely drenched, the chill sinking deep into their bones—a feeling that only added to their growing unease.

"Hachoo!" Junaia sneezed, her small frame shivering as she sat beside Chugar, the sound sharp against the steady drum of rain.

"You good?" Lisn asked, her voice filled with concern, but Junaia merely turned away, offering a bitter smirk instead of a reply.

Lisn, her gaze drifting beyond the hut, watched the rain splatter against the ground in a mesmerizing dance. The droplets sparkled like tiny diamonds under the faint light of the moon, and it was then that something—or rather, someone—caught her attention.

A little girl, about their age, stood in the middle of the downpour, dancing joyfully under the moonlit night. She was alone, her movements fluid and carefree, as though she didn’t even notice the storm. The girl wore a simple white silk nightdress that shimmered in the rain, sticking to her skin but not seeming to bother her in the slightest.

“What is she doing?”

“...” The three of them spoke in unison, their words trailing off as they looked at each other, then shared a soft, surprised laugh.

"While we’re hiding from the cold, some people are out here embracing it. Ah, life," Chugar said, her voice tinged with a quiet amusement.

It wasn’t long before the little girl noticed them. The reflection of the moon on the wet ground illuminated her path, and despite their cloaks, it was impossible to remain unnoticed.

She stepped toward them with purpose, her gaze locked firmly on them. Lisn felt a shiver of curiosity run through her as the girl drew closer.

"How bold. Isn’t she afraid of strangers at her age?" Junaia murmured under her breath, her brow furrowing.

"Stop talking like you’re an adult," Chugar replied with a grin. "From my intuition, she’s even younger than us."

"You mean, she’s five years old? Nah... stop bluffing," Junaia scoffed, shaking her head.

"It’s intuition, Miss Third. Alright?" Chugar shot back playfully.

"Right, right. Look, she’s coming closer now," Junaia said, her attention fully on the girl.

When the girl finally stood before them, she said nothing at first. She simply stared, her large eyes wide and unblinking, as though studying them. Lisn couldn’t help but feel a strange unease. ‘What’s with this girl?’ she wondered, an odd feeling stirring in her chest.

"..."

"Good evening," the girl said softly, her voice a gentle melody that blended with the sound of the rain. "Are you tourists? You seem all wet. You might catch a cold." Her words echoed in the air, calm and soothing, like a lullaby in the midst of the storm.

Lisn blinked, momentarily mesmerized by the softness of the girl’s voice. How should she describe it? ‘It was... calm, almost ethereal, and undeniably beautiful.’

As Lisn opened her mouth to respond, the girl cut her off, her voice as clear as ever. "Would you like to come to my place? It’s not that big, but it’s much more comfortable than sitting here."

Lisn felt a chill run down her spine. ‘What is she, some kind of blessing?’ The girl's words left her momentarily speechless, her mind racing.

Lisn spoke to herself in her thoughts, still trying to process the strange encounter. ‘Why would she offer us shelter like this?’

‘How strange...’

𝓣𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓮𝓭...

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