Arush sat quietly on the wooden chair, his fingers tracing the edge of the old table.
The inside of the hut was dim, lit only by the soft orange glow of a fire gently cracking in the corner. The walls were crowded with jars, herbs, and tiny bells that jingled softly whenever the wind touched them.
Grandma Shina moved slowly across the room, humming a tune as she sorted dried leaves into a clay bowl.
Her silver hair was tied up messily, and her sleeves were rolled to the elbows. There was peace in her movements-as if time passed differently inside these walls.
She glanced at Arush with a kind smile.
"It's been a long time," she said, voice low and steady, "since there were all those troubles between Riyana's side and the Lorenas region."
She chuckled softly, stirring something in a steaming pot.
"So nice to see you two getting along like that. Like the old times never happened."
Arush looked at her, lips slightly parted.
He had no words.
How could he say anything? He didn't even know what world he was in.
What was Riyana, really? And....wait! Did she just said 'Lorenas '?!
What happened between the two sides?
Why did everything feel familiar-but also completely strange?
After a long pause, he finally asked, voice soft, almost cautious:
"...What happened between those two areas?"
Grandma Shina stopped stirring for a moment. The steam from the pot rose slowly into the air, wrapping around the silence.
She didn't look at Arush. Instead, she spoke while staring into the fire.
"Since the Aurelians came to this Earth... humans started to change," she said quietly. "They began to treat us badly. Cruel, selfish. They were scared of what they didn't understand."
She picked up a wooden spoon and stirred the pot again, slower this time.
"They called us names. Hunted us. Killed so many of our kind."
Her voice didn't shake, but there was something deep in it-something old and heavy.
"We, the people of Riyana... we are the last generation left."
She finally looked at Arush. Her eyes were soft but filled with something he couldn't explain-pain, maybe. Or memory.
"Now you sit here... a Lorenas boy... and still, Riyana's child held your hand like you were her own."
Grandma Shina let out a small sigh as she placed the spoon down and walked over to a window covered with vines.
"But still," she said softly, "the people of Lorenas know we are alive. And they still want to destroy us."
She turned back to Arush, her eyes calm but sad.
"So we hide... deep inside this forest. The tree door protects us from the outside world. Only a few can pass through it. Only those the forest chooses."
Arush leaned forward, eyebrows drawn in confusion.
"But why is that?" he asked. "Why would we want to destroy your people?"
Grandma Shina gave a warm, almost motherly smile. She sat down across from him and shook her head gently.
"I wish everyone could be like you, little boy," she said. "But you know... humans are selfish. They fear what they cannot control. And somehow, they found out about our powers. Now, they want to steal everything we have."
She paused, her fingers gently touching the wooden table.
"But the royal blood... through all generations... has always tried to protect us."
Arush nodded slowly, understanding just a little more now.
"Oh, I see," he said.
"And in the future... Honami will carry that noble work."
Grandma Shina's eyes sparkled gently at the name.
"Yes," she whispered. "If fate allows."
Before Arush could ask anything more, the door creaked open gently.
There she was.
Honami stepped in with a bright smile on her face, her long black hair glowing softly in the warm light. The moment she entered, something in the air changed. The shadows in the room seemed to melt away. Everything felt... sunny.
Arush blinked. The warmth touched his skin, but it wasn't from the fire. It was from her.
He didn't understand it.
But he felt it.
Joy.
Peace.
A strange fluttering inside him.
He had never felt anything like this before.
Without saying a word, Honami walked over to him and gently took his hand.
"Okay, Grandma," she said, smiling. "We're going on a little journey across my kingdom. See you soon."
Grandma Shina smiled back, her eyes full of light. "Okay, my love. Take care of you two."
Their laughter echoed as they stepped out into the forest. Leaves rustled under their feet. Their voices grew softer and softer as they walked away-like the wind was carrying them somewhere far, far beyond the trees.
Grandma Shina stood at the doorway, watching them go. She could still hear Honami's cheerful voice, floating through the leaves:
"Come, Arush! I'll show you everything!"
She chuckled softly to herself, shaking her head with love.
"My girl Honami... will never change."
______
Just as Honami's laughter faded into the golden light of the forest, a sharp chirping sound cut through the peace-high and mechanical, like a tiny alarm.
Eash's eyes snapped open.
The soft glow of morning surrounded him now, not the dream. The warmth of the forest was gone. He was back inside the ship.
He blinked a few times, adjusting to the cold, sleek light above him. The walls were metallic, blue, Smooth, Silent.
His eyes showed on screen :
6:00 AM
He sat up slowly, the echo of the dream still whispering in his heart. For a moment, he stayed still, trying to hold on to that warmth, that strange joy he had felt. Honami's voice still rang softly in his ears.
He just saw Ena by his side.
- ''Ohh Ena, Weren't you supposed to sleep with Riyushi? Huhh¿?''
- "Meow... '
Soon Riyushi & Spark also woke up.
The boys moved around the room, getting ready-
In PSTU, everything was different.Even from the present world.
Riyushi stepped into a slim glass booth near the wall. A soft blue light scanned him from head to toe. In just five seconds, his clothes were clean, his face fresh, and even his hair neatly combed. No water. No towels. Just pure tech.
Spark followed next, stepping into the other booth with a lazy grin. As the light passed over him, his messy blond hair puffed up for a second, then settled into perfect waves.
"Boom," he said, stepping out. "Like magic."
Then Eash stepped into his booth.
The moment the light touched his skin, he felt a gentle warmth wash over him. The air was scented faintly with mint. His old clothes vanished with new one. His dark hair was quickly dried and styled back with a slight shine. The whole thing took just a few seconds, but somehow, it still felt quiet and calming... like stepping into a memory.
As he stepped out, Spark nudged him playfully.
"Okay, Mister Detective," Spark said with a teasing grin. "It's your day now!"
Eash gave him a sharp, confident smile.
He said nothing.
But his eyes said everything.
Be continued...