Footsteps."Good morning, Baba Razz," Kira greeted from where she stood in the kitchen when she heard him walk into the living room."Good morning, Kira. Hope you had a good rest," he replied as he sat down on his chair."I did, thank you and you?" She asked, while she moved around the kitchen, doing goddess knows what."Same. My night was good; thank you, and what are you doing?" Baba Razz inquired, although he was already aware of what she was doing, but still."Heating up yesterday's leftovers for breakfast," She answered. "That is okay, right? Come and sit; breakfast is served.""You didn't even give me a chance to answer if it's okay or not," Baba Razz muttered as he got up and went to the dining table, taking his seat."Okay... I will just have yours then," Kira said and reached out to take his bowl, but he stopped her, giving her a look that said, "Clearly, I'm just joking."Scoffing, Kira took her seat. "I thought you weren't hungry," she said. "I could have just added that t
Kira stared at Baba Razz dumbfounded. She decided to wait a bit, thinking, "Maybe that's not the end." But when he didn't continue and stared back at her, she sat up straight and asked. "Don't tell me… that's the end?""Yes. The end," Baba Razz answered casually. "Do you mind getting me another glass of water?" He added."I do… very much mind," Kira responded, her eyes still wide from how dumbfounded she was. "You are not getting any water with that ending of yours. Lilith could not have possibly died like that.""Well, she did. She died. Just like that," he said, knowing fully well it didn't sit well with her. "I said I would try to make it a happy ending, but we don't always get what we want now, do we?""I guess we don't," Kira answered after some minutes of letting his words sink in, his words reminding her of her own situation. "But still, if there is a chance for a happy ending, we should take it.""We should," Baba Razz agreed. "Now, do I get that glass of water?" He asked aga
Everything was still except for the soft rustling of leaves settling back to the ground as Kira's chest rose and fell heavily.Her hands trembled, and her brown eyes, which had glowed, returned to normal.She had no idea what had just happened, and she had no time to think.Because—Baba Razz.Quickly, she turned back to him, his body feeling limp in her arms."Baba Razz," Kira whispered, her voice cracking as she pressed harder against his throat, desperate. "Can you hold on? I want to go get some help," she asked him, even though she knew he didn't have much time.Baba Razz's eyelids fluttered open, and he weakly reached up, touching her hands with his."No, no, no," Kira begged, tears already dripping from her eyes and onto his shirt. "I can find help in time. Baba Razz, please, you can't. You still owe me, you—you promised to listen to me, remember? I am not done bullying you." She tried to force a smile, assuring him that he would be fine, but her voice kept breaking.Baba Razz's
Kira didn't move after Baba Razz disappeared. She simply remained there, kneeling on the ground as her legs grew numb beneath her. Her hands were now rested on her lap, stained with Baba Razz's blood, her mind scattered and overloaded. Flashes of everything that had just happened kept replaying in her mind, and for that moment, she knew she needed to stay put, at least just for a little while before she would get up.There was too much to do, too much to understand, and too much to process. She felt that if she tried to figure everything all at once, she might be a danger to her own mind.She lowered her head, staring at her blood stained hands and where Baba Razz had been. He was gone now, completely gone, and she was all alone again.Kira sat there for what felt like an eternity, that even blinking her eyes seemed to have stopped. It was like her brain was trying to arrange everything into their given folders, process it all and then bring out to her what she had to do next, even
Far from where Kira was running, a name was whispered in New Orleans —a tentative whisper filled with sadness. "Bryan…?" Elara called out while standing in front of his bedroom door, her hands clasped together."Bryan?" She whispered again, but no answer. It was just the second day since the bond had been severed, but it felt like a lifetime, and no one had heard a word from him or Aiden since their cries had died down. She had even sent all the workers away when they had broken down, not wanting any other person to witness it, but now that the crying had stopped, the workers had returned.Sighing, Elara's heart clenched painfully, and she exhaled shakily, turning away to pace down the hall until eventually she ended up in front of the study, where Aiden was.Raising her hands, she knocked and called out. "Aiden, honey, are you in there?" But no response. "Are you both not hungry?" She asked gently, her hands on the door as if she could feel him. "I cooked. Very delicious, I tell
Kira had been running for a while, her breaths steady but deep, until she found a quiet clearing deep in the woods and decided to settle there for the time being.All of a sudden, she started feeling hungry, and when she spotted a small animal, instinct took over and well… a fire was made, and the result was a roasted meat.It wasn't perfect, but it was quite edible.Now, Kira was seated on a log she had found in the woods while tearing into the roasted meat. The juices dripped onto her fingers, but she had that under control and wiped her fingers on her pants before sighing and staring into the flames, thinking about her life."I am a mess," she thought, feeling like she was the most complicated, confused and disheveled person in the world.After she was done with her little feast, she reached for the small black bag she had kept beside her and opened it.She was expecting a letter or something handwritten, but instead she found a small glass vial, and it did not look ordinary at all
Kira blinked, her eyes still on the woman before her as the word echoed in her mind. Elves.It wasn't shock she felt or surprise; it was something else entirely. Something like a sense of awe, as if she was now inside one of those many stories she had heard as a child. It was a reality she had never thought would exist, and she had never thought she would ever witness."Elves?" Kira repeated, her eyes running over the woman's features, as if she had not gotten enough of that earlier."Yes, Elves," Lythari answered with a small, knowing smile and then lifted her hand to tuck a strand of her long silver hair behind her ear. It was at that moment that Kira saw them—the pointed ears, sharp and elegant. They were longer than human ears and curved gracefully, just like how she had seen in storybooks. It was…"Wow," Kira muttered, her lips parting slightly before she cleared her throat and pulled herself back. "I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised that elves exist, considering that my ki
As soon as the guards opened the immense double doors, Kira and Lythari stepped inside and afterward, the doors closed behind them with a slow, resonant boom. Instinctively, Kira turned to glance back, exhaling softly before she then turned forward again, following Lythari deeper into the castle. The inside of the castle was just as breathtaking as its exterior. The halls were stretched high and vast, with towering golden arches that curved so beautifully and elegantly towards the ceiling. It was expected for the inside to be just as magical as everywhere she had seen, especially with the soft golden light that now filtered in through a massive stained-glass window, casting patterns onto the polished marble floors. The interior design was magnificent. It wasn't too much or too little; it was just the right amount of perfect. As they walked, Kira could not help but admire the beauty around her. Every step they took showed her how grand and ancient the place was, but despite
Once again, the silence fell heavily on them after Lucinda was done talking, and Kira closed her eyes for a little moment, taking in a deep breath and letting it all out.Her chest rose and fell slowly as she absorbed everything, right from the pain she saw in Lucinda's eyes, the loss, her bloodline, and everything else. She didn't rush to speak. Instead, she let the silence stretch a few more seconds as she grounded herself and also wanted to find a way to reason with Lucinda.After the few seconds passed, she opened her eyes, her gaze locked onto Lucinda's, who was currently watching her with a blank expression. As for Kira, her eyes had no anger, just calm, and a deep, aching empathy.She couldn't lie, she understood why Lucinda was doing what she was doing, but for Bryan and Aiden to suffer for it also didn't seem fair to them."I am truly sorry that you both had to go through all this," she started, her voice warm and gentle. "I know my words aren't enough to heal you from that
Kira's face, which initially had the expression that she had guessed right, twisted to shock and from shock to visible confusion, her brows drawing together and her eyes darting over Lucinda's form as though she was trying to put the pieces together.There was a long stretch of silence between them, which Kira broke as she asked a question slowly and unsure. "I don't understand. Her twin sister?""Yes," Lucinda answered simply, watching Kira's confused state.Kira gave a short, humorless smile, not one out of amusement, but the one that was more like one of those reactions when something becomes too complicated to make sense."Even though you are her twin sister," she said. "I still do not understand how you are here. What exactly is going on? And why are you here?""I know that you know the answer to that question, and what you are thinking is right," Lucinda confirmed. "This is my revenge for my sister."For a good three minutes, Kira didn't say anything and just stared. Then she
At the first light of dawn, Kira's eyes opened, and she got up from her bed.The night before, after leaving the living room, she had headed upstairs, but then remembered she had to go get her weapons, and so, she made a quiet detour and went out to go see her horse."Hey," she whispered as she brushed her hand along his mane, smiling gently while looking at him.Kai responded with a low grunt and nudged her shoulder, happy to see his rider.Tied to his saddle, was a dark leather roll—her weapons pack.A warhorse like Kai didn't just carry a rider; he was also trained to carry a small arsenal for her, and Kira was genuinely grateful that no one had touched her stuff, as she rubbed Kai's mane for a little longer before taking what she needed.The leather roll was fastened to the side of his saddle, just behind the stirrup. It contained her bag of knives, her quiver of arrows, and her sword.Kira unhooked them carefully, one by one, checking each with her hands in the dim, stable light.
Kira folded the small paper and slipped it into her trouser pocket before she took one last glance around the marketplace, which was now busy again.Everything and Everyone had returned to normal, and with nothing much to do there, she walked, leaving the place.The boutique door swung open, the chime sounding above as she stepped inside, her eyes looking for Elara, who she finally saw near a display of long coats, holding up a deep burgundy one and checking herself in the mirror."There you are!" Elara called when she turned at the sound of the door and saw that it was Kira. "I almost went looking for you," she said, half laughing and half worried.Kira smiled and walked toward her, leaning in as she gently pecked Elara's cheek, a soft, affectionate gesture."I'm sorry, Mum," she said sweetly, brushing Elara's arm. "I'll explain everything later. Promise.""That's alright," Elara nodded, although she was clearly curious. "As long as you're okay.""I am," Kira assured her. "Now let's
The first boutique Elara and Kira had gone to was a cozy one in a quiet spot tucked between two larger stores. It was the kind that smelled of fresh clothes, freshly printed tags and soft perfumes. It wasn't too big, but it was a lovely place to shop in.Elara was currently admiring a dress she had found, twirling in front of a mirror, while Kira, who had gotten most of what she wanted from the boutique, carefully folded the items into their shopping bags.As they rounded up, they made their way to the door, their hands full of what they had bought. Taking a deep breath, Kira let the outside air clear her head—the gentle breeze needed.She was about to close the boutique door behind her when something, or rather someone, caught her eye.She noticed that it didn't sit right with her and that someone was watching them, but she didn't let it show and pretended to know.She remained calm, not bothered, and was simply observant of the person watching them as she dropped the bags into the
Kira, who was already done with her meal and was taking the last bite, paused, her expression shifting."He's dead," she said, setting her fork down."But how?" Aiden inquired. "He was old but didn't seem like someone who could be easily killed.""Well, he was killed. Easily," Kira chuckled sadly and then went on to tell them everything from when she first met Baba Razz to how he died, how he was nice to her, and his role in her meeting the elves."I felt strangely comfortable around him," she admitted. "I'm not sure how to explain it, but I don't know. His death was painful, and I did blame myself, but I knew he wouldn't want me to do that, so… yeah.""I'm sorry," Aiden muttered as he and Bryan leaned in on each side and pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head."May his soul rest in peace," Elara added quietly. "And I'm sure he will be very proud of who you are today."Blowing Elara a kiss, Kira agreed and decided to change the topic, not wanting their happy moments to be sour.
Stepping out of the room after getting dressed, Kira felt very comfortable in the oversized clothes Bryan had given her.She had also noticed the difference in the clothes—how the shirt smelled like Bryan, while the shorts were definitely Aiden's.She wondered if they had debated over if she would wear Bryan's clothes or Aiden's before coming to the conclusion of mixing them and giving it to her.The thought was so funny that she couldn't help but giggle as she made her way down the stairs, her hair packed in a messy bun."Sorry for keeping you all waiting," she said when she walked into the dining room, everyone already in their seats waiting for her."Oh, nonsense, sweetheart," Elara said, waving for her to join them. "It's completely fine.""Yeah, it's not like we were starving or anything," Aiden added with a smile.Bryan gave him a look and just smiled while shaking his head before turning back to Kira. "Come on, sit. Quit acting like a stranger.""I am not acting like a stranger
Kira, Bryan, and Aiden walked through the pack lands, accessing the pack to ensure that everyone was safe and everything was still intact or not too bad. It had been years since she had set foot around the pack, and as they moved, they could hear the whispers from the pack members. Elders, warriors, and even children stared at her in surprise before approaching."Luna Kira, child, how have you been?" An elderly woman with gray hair that was braided neatly asked, placing a gentle hand on Kira's arm. "It is so good to see you again.""I'm very well, thank you," Kira answered while smiling, her tone soft and warm. "And how about you? How have you been holding up? Are you okay?""Yes. Yes," the woman answered, smiling back at Kira as she patted Kira's arm. "And we thank Goddess for you coming today. Everyone has heard of how you helped. We are truly grateful, Luna.""Oh, please, you don't have to thank me. It is my duty as Luna," Kira said sincerely and rubbed the old woman's hand. "Take
As the elves disappeared into the portal, Kira turned to face Bryan, Aiden, and Ryker, giving them a small smile. She was going to miss El'fiannor, Lythari, the friends she had made, the trees, every single thing, but she was also happy to be back home."So...this is Kai, my horse," she announced as if she was introducing an old friend. "Say hi," she urged them."Oh yes, hi," Bryan said quickly, laughing softly right after. "Hi Kai, very fitting name," Aiden added, laughing as well. "You suit... your rider too."Ryker, however, eyed the horse, thinking about something. "Well, he will need a proper home," he said. "I'll take him to his new place. There's a building we can turn into a stable for him.""That sounds perfect," Kira accepted and extended the reins to Ryker, who took them with ease before leading the horse away.Watching as Ryker left, Aiden turned back to Kira with a warm, eager expression. "Come on," he said, "I'm sure Mum and Dad would be very happy to see you.""As w