Inside an abandoned building, in a bathroom, a strange noise began to emanate from a toilet.
The sound, persistent, lasted for a few minutes until something emerged from it. With some difficulty, a small rodent leaped from the edge of the toilet.
As soon as it landed on the floor, it walked through the abandoned room toward the door. Exiting the bathroom, it entered a long corridor.
On one side, shining brightly, the sunlight indicated the building's exit. On the other, the corridor led deeper into the structure, shrouded in darkness.
Choosing a path, it turned toward the interior of the building when a faint odor enveloped it.
Intrigued, it changed its route, traversing the wide corridor in search of the source.
The odor seemed to come from outside the building, as it grew stronger the closer it got to the exit, but upon nearing a door, it realized the trail led into a room.
Though it was close to the building's entrance, where the sun shone brightly, the room, without any windows, was plunged into absolute darkness.
The rat, noticing the sound of heavy, slow breathing coming from inside, stopped.
For a moment, it considered turning back, but, drawn by the sweet aroma emanating from there, it continued.
Silently, it moved toward the darkest part of the place, dodging some obstacles. As it got closer, the smell that guided it began to confuse it.
While navigating the room, it stepped on something wet. Upon licking it, a wonderful taste flooded its palate; this was the source of the smell.
But even though it was spread over a large area, the rat, ignoring this, began searching for its origin.
Walking over that puddle, upon reaching a wound, it bit into it.
The creature, awakening, tried to crush it.
When it struck where the rat was, the floor, unable to withstand the force, shattered into several pieces, followed by a loud crash.
With quicker, though still heavy, breathing, it kept its hand pressed into the ground for a few moments.
With difficulty, lifting its hand, the creature checked if it had killed it.
Taking advantage of this, the rat fled.
***
Near the heart of a large abandoned city, there was a vast clearing. It was surrounded by tall buildings that, despite the advance of nature, remained standing as memories of a bygone era.
There were places where destruction had taken hold, but looking at the city as a whole, it was surprising that so many buildings still stood for a place so forgotten.
In the center of that plain, at a lower point than the surroundings, was a large pond. Though the vegetation in the area didn't exceed the height of an adult's knee, it was different there.
At its edges, vegetation over two meters tall, composed of thin, tall plants, grew in such abundance that it prevented anyone from seeing through it.
Besides these plants, also near the pond, there was another that stood out from everything around it.
I wonder how this came to be…
Right in front of Seven was a strange tree.
Though it might seem young due to its size, the marks on its gnarled trunk suggested otherwise. Like the skin of an elderly person who had endured years of hard labor under harsh conditions, it was deeply wrinkled and had a rough appearance.
Moreover, there was a large formation of roots that, in contrast to its small canopy, had grown above the ground, forming a wide structure around the tree.
The roots weren't much different from the trunk, also showing a worn appearance, though it was possible to see some newer ones beneath the older ones, indicating that the plant still had vitality and was growing.
Climbing onto it, he began to walk.
Even though he had seen that tree before, he had never paid much attention to it, as he was more interested in the lake, treating it as just another plant. But looking more closely, he realized how unique it was.
It looks old, very old. I wonder if it was here when the city was still inhabited…
Seven had always lived in that city with his family, at least as far back as he could remember, so he knew the place had been abandoned for a long time. From what he knew, even when his parents arrived in the city, it was already like this.
While thinking, as he stepped on one of the roots, he felt it give way under his weight.
Stopping, with a troubled expression, he looked around.
That tangle of roots made him uneasy: if he stepped in the wrong place or slipped, he could end up jamming his leg into the mess and getting hurt. Since the roots weren't tightly packed together, there were several gaps between them.
Some of those spaces, being quite large, looked like small tunnels that led deeper into the tangle.
Though they weren't large passages, they could easily shelter a small animal seeking refuge.
He didn't want to climb onto it, but there was nowhere else to go besides there. Carefully choosing the roots he stepped on, he approached the trunk.
The tree's canopy was low, with Seven having to dodge some branches while passing beneath it. It was also small, with everything clustered close together, but since many of the leaves were already yellowed and some branches were completely bare, it didn't feel suffocating.
This should do…
Using one of the branches as an improvised clothesline, he hung some pieces of clothing.
Once finished, he began heading back to his sister.
Far from the lake, Isis was sitting on a large rock, drying off in the sun. Distracted, she watched her younger siblings work when a strong gust of wind blew across the plain.
Quickly wrapping her arms around herself, she tried to stay warm as it passed.
What a cold wind!
Besides still being wet, the clothes she was wearing were light, making any slight breeze feel like a freezing gust.
Finally, after a few minutes, it stopped.
—Achoo!!—
I don't want to get sick…
Noticing something approaching, she heard Seven's voice.
"I've already hung up your things; I think they'll dry soon."
"… I hope so…"
Feeling cold, Isis began rubbing her hands on her forearms to warm up before the next gust came.
While doing so, turning her attention to the lake, she saw Mia going in and out of the vegetation, carrying the herbs and storing them in the backpacks.
Isn't Seven going to help her?
Quickly glancing to the side, she saw Seven standing there.
Since she fell into the lake, he had helped her by hanging up her clothes and checking if anything she carried in her pockets had fallen out, but now, even though he was done, he remained by her side.
Since only her sister was carrying while Leon and Victor gathered, she seemed overwhelmed.
"You—"
As she turned to him, a piece of clothing flew into her face.
Startled, she exclaimed:
"What?!!"
"You're cold, aren't you? Put it on, or you'll end up catching a cold."
As Isis held the shirt, Seven noticed her hands were trembling quite a bit, even though she had tried to warm them.
"But what about you?"
The clothes he was wearing weren't much different from Isis's; though they weren't wet, they were still light.
"It's fine, I've never caught a cold."
With a proud smile, he flexed an arm.
"…"
With a faint smile, Isis accepted.
"Thank you."
After she finished putting it on, Seven asked:
"How did you fall into the lake? Did Leon scare you?"
Seven wasn't entirely sure what had happened; as soon as he got there and saw his sister in the water, he prioritized getting her out, as it would be dangerous if she ended up getting sick.
"What?"
"If that's the case, even if it was an innocent prank, I need to reprimand him, because it wasn't the time for that. Even if you didn't get hurt, pranks at the wrong time can cause a lot of trouble."
"No, that's not what happened; that wasn't his intention. When I saw him, I was startled at first, but I didn't get scared. I quickly realized it was him and that he wanted to show me something…"
As she spoke, Isis gradually lowered her voice.
"…I thought it was the helmet, but then he suddenly opened his coat…"
It was a very strange helmet.
It was some piece of junk he found amidst the vegetation, already quite deteriorated. When Seven saw it, right after pushing through the vegetation, he was startled by its appearance to the point of preparing his bow.
Though it was an interesting piece, Seven wondered if he should reprimand Leon for putting something in that condition on his head.
But as he got lost in his thoughts, he noticed something odd.
Wait, why would opening his coat make her fall into the water?
"But how did you fall into the lake?"
Isis, slightly red, took a moment before continuing.
"…the frog jumped out of it toward me, and to avoid letting it touch me…"
Hiding her face between her legs and chest, she fell silent.
—Oh.
She had thrown herself into the water.
Being at the edge of the lake, there weren't many places to dodge, so she preferred jumping into the water over letting the frog touch her.
Though that didn't help much in the end.
"Pfft!"
"Are you laughing?!"
"It's just funny to think you'd rather jump into the freezing water than let a frog touch you…"
Flustered, Isis tried to justify herself.
"I thought it was gross! It might have been slimy even with scales, like a real frog!"
"No problem, if that's what you preferred!"
Picking up some twigs and small stones, she threw them at Seven.
"Why do you keep laughing?!"
Upset, Isis fell silent.
"Sorry, sorry, I'll stop…"
Noticing she would remain sulky, Seven tried to apologize, though he still had a faint smile on his face.
During this time, surprising both of them, another gust of wind blew through, much stronger than the first.
Seven, feeling the colder wind, shrank a little.
"Wow! It looks like winter will come early this year."
Isis, quickly wrapping her arms around herself, braced for it, but unlike before, she didn't feel cold at all.
"Warm…" —Isis murmured—
"Hm? Did you say something?"
"…"
"Oh, aren't you going to help them?!"
"…I can't, I have to keep watch."
"Couldn't I… keep watch in your place?"
"Well…"
Within the group, Isis was second in command after Seven. She had also been taught to use a bow and lead if necessary, but she wasn't very used to doing so, as whenever they left home, Seven was the one who led, even though she was older than him.
"You can't."
With a disappointed tone, she asked:
"…Why not?"
"You're still drying off, and since you don't have most of your clothes or boots, if something happens, you wouldn't be prepared to face a threat."
The clothes they wore weren't just for warmth; they were thicker to protect them in case they were attacked by something. Being on watch wasn't just about observing; it also meant being the first to confront a threat to protect the others if one was spotted.
"But leaving it to them won't take too long?"
Even though leaving it to the younger ones could be problematic, Seven knew they were responsible and wouldn't get distracted easily.
Though they were young, they were all more responsible—they had to be; the world wasn't like the one in the books they read at home anymore.
"I think—"
"Come back here!"
Leon, emerging from the vegetation, began chasing the frog. Right behind him, Victor came out to help.
With a smile, Isis looked at the scene.
Placing a hand on his head and letting out a sigh, Seven finished:
"—Maybe it'll take a little while…"
Encircling the animal, Victor tried to catch it by leaping at it, but it managed to escape.
The frog, with a head resembling a snake's and covered in small, somewhat striking red scales, kept fleeing from the two while Mia watched them.
"That's a beast, isn't it?"
"Yes, a small one, but still a beast."
"Isn't it dangerous to let them play with one? It looks pretty colorful; since it seems like a mix of a frog and a snake, isn't there a risk it might be venomous?"
"No, given its size, it's harmless… it might bite, but there's no risk of it being venomous or even poisonous."
From what he knew, beasts didn't have venom, though some had snake-like characteristics like that one.
If there were a classification to indicate the threat they posed, it would be based almost exclusively on their size and diet.
Something so small, even if strange, posed no threat at all.
"I got it!"
Leaping at it, Leon finally caught it.
"Why does it keep trying to escape?"
"I don't know, maybe it's cold?"
Nearby, Leon and Victor were talking, but they were interrupted.
"Don't dawdle like that, we need to finish soon!"
"Yes!"
Hearing Seven, both returned to work. While heading back, Leon quickly tucked the animal inside his clothes and closed them.
Seeing this, Isis froze for a moment before asking:
"He… isn't planning to take it home, is he?"
Besides the beast, it seemed he also wanted to take the helmet he had found, which was next to his backpack.
"I hope—"
Stopping mid-sentence, Seven quickly turned toward the buildings.
What was that sound?
Though faint, something like a snap or a crash had echoed from the city.
Isis, noticing her brother's sudden interruption, turned to him, seeing his serious expression as he observed the wall of buildings surrounding the plain.
Seeing that expression on her brother made her heart skip a beat for a moment.
"Did something happen?"
Still focused on the direction the sound came from, he waited a while before responding.
"…It's nothing, no need to worry…"
It must have been a piece of a building falling…
...
With the group gathered again, Mia, Leon, and Victor stood in a line, with their backpacks in front of them.
One by one, Seven was inspecting them.
They filled them all.
They were all stuffed with so many plants they had gathered that he had trouble closing some of them.
But even though it was a large mass of vegetation, Seven knew it wasn't much; it would still go through a long processing that would reduce most of it until it became the final product. Still, it would be enough to last until the next autumn.
With this, I think we've gathered all the medicinal supplies…
During autumn, most medicinal plants were ready for harvest, making it the time when they had to travel the farthest from home to gather them.
"Brother…"
Hearing Leon call him, he snapped out of his thoughts. Closing the last backpack, he looked ahead.
Seeing that scene, he let a small smile escape.
His siblings, visibly anxious, couldn't stand still as they watched him.
It wasn't hard to decipher that look.
Checking the position of the sun, he calculated how much time they still had.
As he observed, he expressed slight dissatisfaction.
It took a bit longer than I expected…
Though he had thought he could give them a little over thirty minutes, the fact that Isis couldn't help had delayed the harvest.
Even though it bothered him, he knew there wasn't much to be done. Since Isis falling into the lake had been an accid—
"…"
—…it wasn't Leon's fault; they had to deal with it the best they could.
Anxiously, his younger siblings awaited a response.
"You have twenty minutes."
"Woo-hoo!"
The three shouted in unison, already running off while laughing.
Splitting up, they went to explore different places.
Leon, curious, started with the tree and the tangle, checking tunnel by tunnel, even the smallest gaps between the roots. Meanwhile, the other two headed toward the lake, entering the vegetation.
Before they could scatter further, Seven gave them a warning.
"Don't touch Isis's clothes or things, and don't go too far!"
"YES!!!"
Isis, watching her siblings move away, got down from the rock and approached Seven just as he noticed her.
"Are you already dry?"
"Not completely, some of the clothes on my body are still damp."
The still-damp clothes were her pants, made of a thicker fabric, which wouldn't dry easily, and the light shirt she wore under Seven's jacket, which, despite being made of thin fabric, hadn't dried yet either.
But some items were already dry, like the boots she wore, though they were few.
Isis, even as she looked at her siblings having fun, had a worried expression on her face.
"Are you sure we have all this time?"
"Yes, less than before, but we still have some."
For a moment, Isis was about to say something but stopped midway, changing her mind.
"…I understand."
"Could you help me keep an eye on them, since your clothes are drier now?"
After an initial surprise, Isis quickly agreed.
"Yes."
Though subtle, her response carried a hint of joy.
"Keep an eye on Victor and Mia; I can't keep up with them in that thicket."
Seven was worried that one of them might get too close to the lake's edge and accidentally fall into the water.
Heading off, Isis went after them.
As she walked away, Seven murmured:
"Honestly…"
Though he didn't say anything, he noticed she was still apprehensive about being so close to the center. But that didn't bother him.
"There's no need to worry; I didn't set an exact time, I have a safety margin in case something unexpected happens."
At least, that's what he could have said, but he knew it wouldn't help much.
You've been through a lot…
"Brother!"
Near the tangle, Leon was calling him.
"There's an animal among the roots!"
"An animal?"
Isis, who was about to enter the vegetation, upon hearing this, stopped walking and turned to Seven.
Approaching Leon, Seven tried to spot it.
"Where is it hiding?"
"Here."
Pointing through the roots, he indicated the entrance to a tunnel, where, deep inside, something was moving in the darkness.
Isis, who had changed her route, approached him cautiously.
"What is it?"
"I don't know…"
Even though there were gaps between the roots that allowed light to filter in, it wasn't possible to identify what it was. All they could see was a shadow moving.
It wasn't large; it seemed slightly smaller than a small boar.
It doesn't look dangerous…
With his bow in hand, Seven notched an arrow and aimed at the creature. Searching for a good spot to land the arrow, he tried to identify a vital area.
Finding an opportunity, he released the arrow. Flying toward the shadow, it seemed to have hit, with the animal stopping its movements for a moment.
But suddenly, darting out of the burrow, the animal leaped toward Seven.
Startled, he instinctively punched it, sending it flying away while dodging backward.
Falling to the ground, he quickly turned to the animal.
You!
A white rabbit, after being hit, rolled on the ground for a while before starting to run.
As Seven tried to stand, he felt his hand slip on the grass; upon checking it, he was startled.
Blood?!
But he quickly realized it wasn't his. Recalling the moment he shot the arrow, he understood he had grazed it.
"Isis, take the others to the nearest passage!"
"What?!"
Surprised, she didn't understand the reason for that order.
"Leon, you're coming with me!"
Obeying without question, he ran to grab his backpack.
Climbing the tangle of roots, Seven went to the trunk and grabbed his sister's jacket that was hanging there.
It's still damp, but it'll have to do!
Jumping down while putting it on, he started running.
"Wait, Seven!"
Stopping for a moment, he looked at his sister, who was visibly confused.
"I'm sorry, Isis, but I can't let it escape! Not this time!"
"What? Let what escape?!"
Though she was lost in that situation, Seven knew Isis would get them safely to the passage.
"We'll meet there!"
With that, he began chasing the rabbit, alongside his brother, as it ran across the plain toward the buildings.
While pursuing it, his suspicions proved true.
The rabbit was slow; even though it had started running earlier and was naturally faster than them, it was struggling to gain distance.
Not only that, but little by little, the two were catching up to it.
If he had been wrong, he would have quickly given up and returned to his sister, but faced with this opportunity, he wouldn't let it slip away for anything.
"I'll finally catch it, for you, sister!"