ONE

~Akara 

She clasps my forearms, smiling at me through watery eyes. 

I'm leaving. Those two words echo persistently within my mind, such foreign and untouched terms when spoken past my lips. I've never left this village, let alone this Province. I'm leaving for the exact reasons my parents assigned me, but I can still see the regret swimming in my mother's eyes. 

The moment I turned eighteen, the burden fell heavily upon my shoulders. My fingers had slowly peeled away the paper that concealed my present. A jade stone necklace, a tightly carved pattern in the shape of an eye. It was a silent reminder of the role I need to play, that no one ever expressly demands, but it's so painfully expected that the necklace now sits upon my chest, and I'm about to board a carriage to my new life. 

"You're making me proud, Akara," she says, reaching up to tuck a stray curl behind my ear. It's the smallest movements that remind me how little I look like my mother. I got my father's foregin looks over her traditional Jade Province appearance. Dark hair, dark eyes. 

I watch a single tear fall from her eyes, a thin, transparent strip. 

"I'll be back in a few months," I assure her, wiping the tear away with my thumb. A few months. I can handle a few months, right?

The Jade Province is an especially devout place. Here, we believe in our Guardian's, or as they are referred to, our Tani. Tani can be Guardian's or predators, depending on your belief. Here, in the Village of Celeste, we believe in a particularly powerful Tani. One none of us has ever seen...but we know it exists. We feel its presence. 

"Can a mother not be sad that her only daughter is finally grown up?" she breathes, smiling delicately. Her fingers touch the necklace. "And to fulfil exactly what you were born to do."

I'm leaving to preach about our Tani, to bring awareness to the pray needed to satisfy the Beast. I'll be working at an inn in the Crystal Province, being a maid. It will sustain me long enough before I can return. Hopefully in that time, these nerves will diminish. I know nothing about the Crystal Province other than it's drenched in snow and surrounded by mountains. 

And the people there...aren't like me. 

"I should go. I want to get to the inn by nightfall," I say through a loosened breath, motioning to the awaiting carriage behind me, the horses pawing impatiently at the ground. Mother casts a glance over my shoulder, and for a moment, it looks as though she might tell me to stay. But like everything here, our duty to our Tani comes before anything else. 

"I'll send a letter for when your father returns so we can all be together," she promises, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. My eyes squeeze shut, my desperation to keep my tears to myself leaving my eyes burning and my throat closing. 

My father has been gone for months. The war calls, where my province and many others fight for a cause I lost a lot of knowledge of many years ago. When something exists for that long, it loses all its meaning. Even if my father still goes to fight, to protect our province and to fulfil his duty. 

The carriage sways as I slip inside, the door shuddering closed behind me. I'm leaving my life here, my friends, my family, to cross the provincial border into another, where the weather will be cold, and I will know no one. But I am ready.

 I'm ready for a new life. 

+++

A jolt wakes me. 

My neck is bent at an unnatural angle, stiff and aching. Forcing myself up, I blink past the dim light from the carriage, looking outside the window, which is coated in a vinette of fog. Past it, a faceless flurry of snow, whipping tauntingly against the glass. Pulling my coat tighter against my body, I refuse to acknowledge the pressing realisation that this is my home. A cold, mountainous range with no hope of escape, except down one dangerously icy road. 

Pulling the thin fabric of curtain over the window, I lean back. Soon enough, lights bleed through the fabric, announcing our arrival into my new home, in a small town set below the mountain; Whitedale. Fitting. 

We come to a stop a few moments later, the carriage's wooden wheels sinking into the thick snow, undulating over ice. We have arrived. 

Opening the door, I step out, careful of the slick steps before my feet fall ankle-deep into fluffy, perfectly white snow. Brittle air slams again my face, burning my eyes, as I struggle to read the sign hanging of the building in front of me. 

Blue Glass Inn. I made it. 

It's a beautiful sight, after such a long journey. Night has fallen across the town, layering everything from the horizon, to atop the mountains in a glittering set of stars. The inn is magnificent, too. Not too large, made of wooden pillars and stained glass windows engraved with snowflakes and gemstones. Warm, glowing light lures me to the front step, but before I knock, I stop myself short. 

I have to remember these people are different. Not everyone here is one of them, but they are common enough. Summoners, they call themselves. They hold the ability to replicate any of their victims appearances to scare them into submission. However, they are generally peaceful beings, with little even using their powers, instead choosing to withhold them despite its undesirable effects. 

Knocking on the door, I wait. Seconds tick by, and no one comes to answer. When I try the door handle, it's locked. Of course. 

Rounding the building, I opt for a back door tucked neatly behind where firewood is clearly cut. Eyeing the silver glint of the axe lodged in a stump of wood, I tuck my coat closer against my body. The vicious bite of the wind is inescapable, clawing at my skin, freezing me to the bone. Thankfully, the snow-dusted door handle gave, and I stumble gratefully into the warm grasp of a dark hallway. 

It takes me a few blind moments of running my hand along the wall to find the light switch. 

Light illuminates a wooden floor covered with a red carpet stretching all the way to the end. Dark maroon doors pass me by with each step, as I make my way to where it appears the hallway twists in another direction. And it does, leading me to search for more light switches. 

A muffled screech and a few whispers causes me to freeze. My fingers flicking a switch reveal two girls huddled in the corner, eyes wide, skin pale. They both yelp at the sight of me, before their bodes deflate, and one gets to her feet, loosening a stressed breath. 

"You must be Akara," she says breathily, raking her hair back with her hands. She's young, they both are.

The one speaking to me has dark hair that's loose and wild around her shoulders, but does little to conceal prominent features that appear foreign, until I remind myself they are likely native to this area, and I'm the strange one. Her cheekbones, jawline, and even her nose are so jarringly sharp, it makes me swallow uncomfortably. 

"Sorry I'm late. The snow has been falling non-stop since we crossed the border," I say lightly, hoping my accent isn't too thick so they won't understand me. The girls accent is pretty, feminine and light, the faintest unintelligible lilt to it reminding me I'm not from here. 

She smiles sympathetically with full, red lips. "I'm Jessa. This is Fran. Sorry she looks so mortified, we thought you were someone else."

Her comment stops me short. Who could they possibly be expecting that would induce such fear in them?

Fran's face is stark white, painted in relief with skeptical highlights. Her knees are still hiked up to her chest, covered in loose brown pants that match the fawny colour of her hair. Her features are softer than Jessa's, being much less intimidating to look at.

I wonder what they think of me.

"Do you work here? I'm meant to be working as a maid for the next few months," I tell them, although I'm sure they already know.

"Yes, we work here, as maids too. The manager is out right now, so it's just the staff and guests here at the moment. I can show you to where you will be sleeping, if you like," Jessa offers. Already, it's been made clear that she is the voice for the both of them. She motions for me to follow her, my small bag slung over my shoulder. Fran trails at least a few feet behind me.

Turns out, my bed for the next few months is a mat on the floor, squeezed in next to three others. Jessa quickly informs me they belong to the two of them, with the other occupied to the cook, who is also out. Being an only child, I've never had to share anything, but I'm not scared for this. Maybe it will be...fun.

"So who were you so scared of seeing instead of me?" I ask warily. This place makes me more anxious than I would like to admit. With Summoners walking around, I can't shake the uncomfortable feeling that comes with magic.

Even Jessa and Fran could be Summoners. There would be no way of knowing.

I watch the two girls glance between each other, a spark of concern shared between them. Without a word, they kneel on their beds. I join them upon my own, pulling my blanket over my legs. This place, despite the fire crackling in the wall, has an eerie chill to it. The shadows from the blaze lick across Fran's features, casting her already sallow face with an even more fearful expression.

"There is a man. A hunter, who is rumoured to be arriving back in our small village for a few nights. We are one of the only inn's here, so he is bound to reside here," Jessa explains. Her voice may shudder, but I hear the faintest hint of curiosity. It is unlikely anything interesting happens here.

"Why be so frightened? I thought his town would happily offer residence to hunters. There are plenty of them," I say. It's the most common way of sourcing food in a frost covered village.

Fran's soft voice catches my attention. "He's not just any hunter, Akara."

Wrapping my coat closer to my body, I tilt my head in curiosity. I don't know much about this place, or the people here, so I'm curious to hear what gossip is being passed around. From only knowing Jessa and Fran briefly, I can already conclude that they don't get out much past their work hours, and rely on the guests that frequent this place to supply them with their own entertainment.

"He hunts a Tani in the mountain. Apparently he does it out of vengeance, but no one really knows why. He's a Summoner too, but doesn't use his powers, which is even more frightening. People think he is saving it for something big," Jessa says lowly.

"He's scary because we don't know anything about him. He has so many weapons, so much power and an unknown motive," Fran cuts in.

I'm surprised to hear her voice in such a low tone. Her eyes are painted with darkness, the seriousness of her expression shown in her furrowed brow and lips pressed together in a tight line. It makes me shiver, a cold that doesn't belong to air outside creeping under my skin. I've never been much for frightening stories or rumours; it was always forbidden back home, stories about our Tani preferred.

"But in reality, it's mostly just legend. As much as I would like to believe it, I've never seen him in my lifetime," Jessa says, leaning backward on her elbows.

Something tells me she's saying that to keep herself calm. With the shutters banging against the window, the wind howling throughout the inn, I can't blame her.

I don't know anything about this, and I'm frightened too.

"That's because he travels between villages. This is the first time he's come across ours, so we should prepare. He might be here any day now," Fran reminds her. I'm lost. Is he real or not? By the way they described him, I'm not convinced. But Fran appears convinced, even is Jessa remains skeptical, but that could be attributed to her fear.

"The wind blew this rumour in. As frightening as the concept is, we should close our eyes and dream peacefully knowing it's unlikely," Jessa mutters.

I had been too busy concentrating on Fran to realise Jessa was crawling into bed, signally her say in the conversation is over. Fran stares at her friend, a vacant look in her eyes, before she casts her gaze toward me.

"Let's just hope she's right."