Nova approached the village, her steps faltering as she moved past bustling stalls and lively chatter. The sight of people going about their daily lives made her heart ache with a mix of longing and trepidation. She hadn’t seen anyone since waking up near the lake, and the normalcy of this place felt like a lifeline.

  She could see people moving—

  Figures in robes, workers carrying baskets, children running along the bridges.

  She clutched her bag tightly, drawing some comfort from its familiar weight, and stepped closer to a group of villagers chatting near a fountain. Her voice was barely above a whisper at first.

  “E-excuse me...”

  The villagers didn’t hear her. They continued talking, their laughter ringing out as if nothing could disturb their peace. She tried again, this time a little louder, though her tone remained gentle and uncertain.

  “U-m... excuse me? C-could someone help me, please?”

  The nearest villager turned toward her, their cheerful expression fading into something more guarded. Others began to notice her presence, their conversations halting as they turned to look.

  Nova felt the weight of their stares, the way their eyes narrowed in suspicion, and she instinctively stepped back, her voice trembling as she added, “I... I don’t know where I am. I just need some help...”

  Her words hung in the air, unanswered. The villagers exchanged uneasy glances, whispers breaking out among them.

  “An outsider?” one man muttered, his voice laced with unease. His fingers twitched against the handle of the basket he carried, knuckles white with tension.

  “Where did it come from?” another whispered, eyes narrowing as he pulled his child behind him.

  A woman near the back tilted her head, studying Nova with open curiosity.

  “It looks like a girl, not a threat,” she murmured.

  A younger boy, perhaps no older than twelve, tugged on his mother’s sleeve. “She looks hurt… shouldn’t we help?”

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  The mother’s lips pressed together in uncertainty.

  But before anyone could act, a man near the front stepped forward, his expression dark.

  His voice was sharp, urgent.

  “What is it? It shouldn’t be here! Someone call Takeshi and Kazuki! Hurry!”

  Nova’s heart sank as the voices around her rose into a tangled mix of whispers and uncertainty. Fear flickered in some eyes, sharp and wary, while others held only hesitation, curiosity, even quiet concern.

  She hadn’t meant to alarm them. She stepped back further, clutching her bag to her chest. “Wait—I don’t mean any harm!” she said, her voice cracking. She just needed someone—anyone—to tell her where she was, what was happening.

  Her words were drowned out by the growing clamor. Two figures pushed their way through the crowd—Takeshi and Kazuki. The pair carried an air of authority, their movements sharp and purposeful. Takeshi, tall and imposing, glared at Nova with a cold, calculating gaze. Beside him, Kazuki’s expression was calmer but no less guarded, his hand resting on the hilt of a blade at his side.

  Kazuki was the first to speak. “Who are you?” he asked, his tone gentle but firm. His gaze flickered to her shivering form, her small figure clearly out of place among the robust villagers. “You don’t look like a threat, but that does not mean we can let our guard down.”

  ““I—I don’t know how I got here,” Nova stammered, clutching her bag. “I was drowning… then I woke up near the lake. Please, I’m not trying to cause trouble.”

  Her throat tightened. “I’m scared,” she whispered. “I just want to go home. I miss my family.”

  Their faces rushed back—her mother’s laugh, her father’s steady voice. And the ache hit hard.

  Takeshi’s expression darkened. “Enough.” His voice was a low growl. “She is an intruder, and intruders do not simply ‘wake up’ near our village. She could very well be a spy—or something far worse.” He stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of a weapon at his side.

  Kazuki frowned, holding up a hand to stop him. “Takeshi, please look at her. She can scarcely stand. Whatever brought her here was surely not of her own will. Let us take her in and question her—properly and gently.”

  “Gently?” Takeshi scoffed. “You are far too soft, Kazuki. She is an unknown, and unknowns represent a threat. I will not take any chances...Not again. Our village’s safety must come first..”

  Nova’s heart pounded as the two argued, her instinct screaming at her to run. But before she could move, Takeshi acted. In one swift motion, he closed the distance and struck her neck with the edge of his hand. Pain flared briefly, and then darkness swallowed her vision

  “Takeshi!” Kazuki shouted, catching Nova’s limp body before she hit the ground. He glared at his companion, his voice low and angry. “That was not necessary.”

  “It was,” Takeshi said flatly, his expression cold. “She is not one of us, Kazuki. We cannot afford to be careless.”

  Kazuki sighed, shifting Nova’s unconscious form in his arms. “Let’s hope you didn’t make things worse.”

  Without another word, the two began making their way toward the grand hall at the center of the village, the villagers parting in silence as they passed.