Aisha and Miya walked deeper into the forest. Strange sounds echoed all around them creaking branches, distant howls, rustling leaves. It felt like something, or someone, was watching.
"This place is creepy," Miya whispered. "I think there might be monsters here. We should move carefully… we don't know what could come out of nowhere."
"You're right," Aisha replied. "We don't know anything about this place. Let's keep going before it gets dark."
They continued forward, cautiously stepping through the dense underbrush. After a few moments, they stopped abruptly.
Before them lay several monstrous dog like creatures dead. Their massive bodies were sprawled across the ground, limbs torn, heads severed cleanly. Blood stained the grass and trees nearby.
Miya gasped, clutching Aisha's arm. "What the hell happened here? These monsters… they were slaughtered. Their heads… their bodies…"
Aisha stepped closer, inspecting the scene. Then she narrowed her eyes.
"This wasn't done by another monster."
"What?" Miya blinked in confusion. "How can you be sure?"
"Look at the cuts," Aisha pointed out. "They're clean. Precise. Like they were made by a sword… not claws or fangs."
"But what if the monster used a weapon?" Miya suggested nervously.
Aisha turned to her, eyes sharp. "Monsters don't use swords. Not like this. This was done by a human… or someone with human skill."
She paused, then added, "And if it was a human… I'm almost certain it was Rio."
Miya glanced at Aisha and said, "Let's keep moving."
They continued walking through the seemingly endless forest. After a while, Miya frowned and looked around.
"Why does this forest feel like it never ends? How long have we even been walking?"
Both of them were exhausted. Their steps had slowed, and their breathing grew heavier. Finally, Miya sighed and stopped.
"I can't walk any further… Let's take a break."
But Aisha shook her head. "We can't rest here. We need to find Rio first."
Miya scowled. "Why are you even looking for that bastard? Just forget about him. I'm not moving."
She dropped to the ground, sitting on the damp earth. Aisha looked at her for a moment, then sighed.
"Fine. We'll rest—but only for a few minutes. We don't have time to waste."
"I really can't walk anymore," Miya murmured. "And I'm so thirsty… I need water. Please, can you help me?"
She slowly laid back on the grass, completely worn out.
Aisha nodded slowly. "Okay… but we don't have any water right now."
She looked at her hands. "Maybe I can try using magic… like I did back in school."
She took a deep breath and raised her hands, trying to summon water through her spell. A faint glow surrounded her fingertips. For a moment, a small drop of water formed—just enough to give hope.
But then it slipped through her fingers and splashed onto the ground, disappearing into the dirt.
She fell to one knee, breathing heavily. Her vision blurred for a second.
"Damn it… I'm too tired. My spell's not working…"
Aisha looked down, frustration on her face. "We don't have any water… and my powers aren't working either."
She turned to Miya. "Can you try? Maybe your spell will work?"
Miya was still lying on the ground, barely able to move. Her voice was weak. "Sorry, Aisha… I can't. My power's almost gone too. I don't think I can cast anything right now…"
A silence fell between them, filled only by the distant sounds of the forest.
Aisha crouched beside her. "Miya, listen carefully," she said firmly. "Do you hear that? It sounds like water. A river must be nearby. I'll go get some water for you. But don't move, okay?"
Miya nodded weakly. "Okay…"
With that, Aisha stood up and moved cautiously toward the sound of running water.
After walking for a few more minutes, Aisha heard the sound of water growing louder. A river... it must be close. She quickened her pace, pushing through the thick branches until the trees opened up and there it was.
"I finally made it," she whispered in relief, stepping toward the riverbank. "I should fill some water and take it back to Miya…"
She looked around. "But… I don't have anything to carry it. And my magic still isn't working…"
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something large and green. A huge leaf lay near the riverbank. Without hesitation, she picked it up and carefully shaped it into a makeshift bowl.
"It'll have to do," she said and scooped water from the river.
But just as she turned to leave crack! A heavy blow struck the back of her head.
"Ugh—!" Aisha collapsed to the ground. The water spilled from her hands, soaking into the dirt.
Everything went black.
Aisha lay unconscious on the ground near the river. Miya was still lying weakly under a tree, barely able to move. And Rio… was nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest near the collapsed bridge panic had broken out.
The wooden bridge had snapped in half, sending three students falling below. The teacher stood frozen for a second, then quickly pulled out his phone with trembling hands and called the school.
The phone rang twice before Principal Takeshi answered.
"Hello?" came the calm but deep voice of the principal.
"Sir! This is urgent! We need help now!" the teacher said breathlessly.
"What happened?" Principal Takeshi asked sharply.
"Sir… it's Aisha, Miya, and Rio. They're missing. And the magic net around the area it's broken."
Principal Takeshi frowned, trying to remain calm. "What are you saying? What exactly broke? And where did they go missing?"
He took a deep breath and added, "Just calm down and explain everything."
The teacher nodded, then began explaining everything that had happened—how the bridge had collapsed, how the students panicked, and how Aisha, Miya, and Rio disappeared after the barrier broke.
A pause.
"…Broken?" Principal Takeshi's voice was quiet but heavy with tension. "How is that possible? That net was designed to block all external threats. You're telling me it just broke?"
"I—I don't know, sir!" the teacher stammered. "It collapsed somehow. And the students they just vanished. Some others even fell when the bridge gave way."
Principal Takeshi's voice dropped lower. "Do you understand the weight of this? Aisha is from a noble family. If they find out she's gone missing under our care…"
The teacher said nothing, sweating.
"This isn't just about them," Takeshi continued. "If this becomes public, the school's reputation will collapse. Stay where you are. I'm coming with the special unit. And inform the search teams every second matters."