Light outside seemed to seep into the room as Sapphire gently wiped Kira's injury with a cloth dipped in water. As the cloth cleaned away the dirt and dried blood, Kira's eyelids grew heavy, and she dozed off, her breathing softening into sleep.
Sapphire and Nirro exchanged a quiet glance before stepping out of the room, closing the door softly behind them. They descended the creaky stairs, the wooden steps groaning under their feet, leading them into the dimly lit living area downstairs. Kealor was lounging on one of the armrests, lazily swinging his legs, a mischievous glint in his eye. He noticed Nirro and Sapphire descending without Kira.
"Where is Kira?" Kealor asked, his brow furrowing slightly as he didn't see Kira coming down with them.
"She's asleep," Sapphire replied, settling onto another armrest across from Kealor. Nirro sat beside Kealor, his expression thoughtful.
Kealor pouted playfully. "So soon?"
"When putting up with you, then yes." Sapphire remarked,
Kealor raised an eyebrow with a hint of amusement. "When putting up with me, huh?"
The conversation lapsed into a brief silence before Kealor spoke once more, his voice drawing Lucian into the exchange. "Lucian, you have been off lately, especially as of recently." Lucian sat apart from them, lost in his thoughts, his gaze drifting into shadows.
Lucian's expression turned guarded as he looked toward them all staring at him. "She shouldn't be here. We shouldn't have saved her," he said, his voice low and tinged with unease.
"Why?" Kealor asked, his playful tone sobering.
Lucian hesitated, his eyes flicking between them. "I don't know if she belongs among us. There's something...something about her being here that feels off to me." He didn't expand further, leaving the others to interpret his words.
Kealor's face lit with disagreement. "Come on, Lucian! It'll be fun with Kira with us."
"I don't want Kira to be part of us," Lucian said firmly, his jaw set.
"But why not?" Sapphire asked gently. "It's not like she has anywhere to go."
Lucian's gaze dropped. "I just don't want her involved. I have...reasons."
Sapphire's expression turned thoughtful. "She can't leave just because you don't like her, you know."
Lucian huffed softly, unable to change their minds, trapped in his own discomfort. "Whatever, have it your way," he muttered, sinking into silence.
An awkwardness settled over the group. The air felt heavy with unspoken thoughts.
"Well...since that's over," Kealor said abruptly, pushing himself up from the armrest, "I will be heading outside to get some firewood, dusk is soon approaching." With that, Kealor slipped out of the house, leaving the others in a lingering discomfort.
________
Darkness enveloped me like a shroud, my eyes fluttering open to an unfamiliar surroundings. The cold seeped into my bones, and I shivered, rubbing my arms to warm myself. As I stumbled forward, the grey patches on the ground seemed to form a path, leading me towards a glimmer of light. The warmth washed over me, and the cold receded, replaced by the soft glow of sparks.
But as I approached the light, an unseen force repulsed me, pushing me back. Despair crept in, and I felt trapped. A cheerful voice echoed through the darkness, and I saw a small figure playing with plants and creatures. I called out, but the figure was too far away to hear me.
Suddenly, the howling and distant chatter began, and my heart raced. I looked down to see a shapeless figure with dark red eyes staring up at me, ghostly hands clawing at something that seemed to separate us. I felt a surge of fear as I realized I was standing on...something. But what?
Before I could comprehend the situation, I was pulled down with a jolt, like I was falling through space. Time seemed to blur, and I felt disoriented. When I finally landed, I found myself standing on a desolate, barren ground, surrounded by darkness and voices.
The creature reappeared, and my skin crawled with unease. I stumbled backward, falling onto a skull that turned to dust beneath me. Discreet laughter echoed, mocking me. Panic set in as dark red eyes emerged from the darkness, their whispers growing louder.
Just as they closed in, I was pulled away, jolting me back to reality. Sapphire's worried face hovered above me, calling out my name. "Lucian, Lucian, wake up!"
I sat up with a start, my heart still racing 'when did I fall asleep'. Kealor stood by the door, a mischievous glint in his eye, while Nirro tended to the fireplace, rekindling the flames. Beads of sweat pooled on my face as I tried to calm myself down.
"Luc, are you okay?" Kealor asked, his voice laced with concern.
Sapphire's worried expression deepened. "You were shaking in your sleep, like you were having a nightmare."
I tried to reassure them, but my voice faltered. "It's nothing."
Meanwhile, Kira had her own dreams. Whispers of her name sounded in the air, with the very voice she longed to hear. She called out for her mother, her voice echoing through the darkness. "Mummy!" She chased after the voice, but it seemed to grow further away. The ground beneath her caved, and she was swallowed up in darkness.
When Kira woke up, she was in a different place. Tears streamed down her face as she realized she wasn't home. She got down from the bed and went downstairs, where she saw the four boys gathering torn rugs and wood to warm themselves by the fireplace.
As she looked around, her eyes unknowingly looked at Lucian's. It didn't take time for him to notice Kira, her eyes red like she had been crying before. Something seemed to have unsettled her as she could barely control her shaken body and was scared, her hand picking on the other. looked like he was the only one that noticed, he turned his head away not sparring another minute acknowledging her presence
Sapphire beckoned her to come closer. "Let's gather together for some warmth. Tonight will be cold."
Kira moved forward, using the spare rugs and rags to keep themselves warm. As they huddled together, they dozed off, the fire crackling in the background.