"SERINA!!" Hina's voice rang through the desolated place, sharp and desperate, shattering the eerie silence around .
"Hina..." I muttered, my heart skipping a beat. Without wasting another second, I dashed forward, the urgency in her cry pushing on.
I followed her voice, weaving through the broken huts and trees, until I found her standing in a clearing. Her wide eyes darted frantically around as she scread, panic etched across her face.
"Hina!" I called, rushing to her side. I grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to focus on . "Are you okay?"
Her head snapped toward , startled. For a mont, she just stared, her expression a mix of confusion and relief. Then, she blinked and looked away, awkwardly biting her lip.
"What?" I asked, frowning.
"Nothing..." she muttered, then sighed. "You're just... very bold sotis."
"Oh, co on!" I groaned, shaking her lightly by the shoulders. "This is no ti to joke around. What's going on? Why are you out here?"
Hina hesitated, her lips pressing together as she glanced away again. "Yeah... I was looking for you," she admitted. "It's just... Serina. She's missing."
"What?" My eyes widened in shock. "Missing? How? When?"
Before she could answer, the sound of footsteps and rustling leaves surrounded us. I instinctively moved closer to Hina, shielding her with my body.
From the shadows of the trees, a group of elves erged. Their faces were stern and hostile, their eyes burning with mistrust. Each one carried either a torch or a weapon, their stances screaming readiness for a fight.
At the front of the group stood a child—the sa child who had seen kill Arthur. His small face was pale, but his eyes burned with accusation as he pointed directly at .
"So this is your true face," one of the elder elves growled, stepping forward. His voice was sharp, filled with anger and betrayal.
"Wait—" I started, lifting my hands in a gesture of peace.
"Don't bother," Lala interrupted, his voice cold. "There's no need for explanations. Either you co with us peacefully, or we kill you right here. Decide quickly."
Hina gasped, clutching my arm. "What's happening?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
I didn't answer her imdiately, my mind racing as I assessed the situation. I could take them out if I needed to—none of them were strong enough to stop . But that wasn't the point. The island was unfamiliar, and I didn't know what else lay in wait. Besides, Hina was here. If things escalated, she could get hurt, and I wasn't willing to take that risk.
I sighed heavily, lowering my hands. "Alright," I said. "We'll go with you."
Hina stared at , her eyes wide with disbelief. "What?"
"It's better this way, for now.." I murmured, glancing at her over my shoulder.
The elder smirked, his satisfaction evident as he gestured for his people to surround us. Hina clutched my arm tighter, fear flickering in her eyes.
As we were led away, Hina whispered urgently, "What's going on? Why are they acting like this? What did you do?"
I didn't answer, keeping my eyes forward as we walked.
"Esther!" she pressed, her voice rising slightly.
"Later," I said firmly. "Let's just get through this first."
The elder overheard her and sneered. "You really don't know, do you, girl?"
Hina stiffened, her gaze snapping toward him. "What are you talking about?"
He chuckled darkly. "Your companion here—this so-called savior—killed Arthur. The guy who was helping us all this ti."
Hina froze, her footsteps faltering as she stared at the elder in disbelief. "What...?" she whispered.
"You heard ," the elder said, his voice dripping with disdain. "He murdered Arthur in cold blood. And now you're both going to answer for it. Even Serina is missing..you better have so explanation ready."
Hina's grip on my arm slackened, and I felt her step back slightly. I could feel her gaze burning into my back.
"Esther..." she said slowly, her voice a mixture of shock and confusion.
I sighed again, the weight of the situation pressing down on . "It's not what you think," I said quietly, not bothering to turn around.
"Then what is it?" she demanded, her voice filled with irritation.
Before I could respond, the elder cut in.
"Save your excuses for the later," he snapped. "We'll decide what to do with you soon enough."
We walked in tense silence after that, the torches casting flickering shadows on the ground as the elves led us back to their village. The air was thick with unspoken accusations, and Hina's presence behind felt heavier with each step.
When we finally arrived, they didn't waste any ti. The elders motioned toward a small, worn-down building near the edge of the village—a makeshift prison, by the looks of it.
"Inside," one of them barked, shoving forward.
I stumbled slightly but caught myself, walking into the dimly lit structure without protest. Behind , Hina followed reluctantly, her steps hesitant.
They led us to a row of cells, shoving into one before locking the door with a heavy clang. Hina was placed in the cell directly opposite mine.
The elves stood outside, watching us with wary eyes before finally retreating, leaving only two guards behind to keep watch.
For a long mont, there was silence. I leaned back against the cold, rough wall of my cell, closing my eyes briefly as I processed the situation.
Across from , Hina stood just outside the bars, her arms crossed and her gaze fixed on .
"And... why did you do that?" she asked finally, her voice low but sharp.
I opened my eyes, eting her irritated glare. I sighhh
"Don't Sighhh ..Answer !!" she repeated incredulously. "You killed soone, Esther! That's not 'complicated.' That's insane!"
I rubbed the back of my neck, unsure of how to explain. "It wasn't... like that," I muttered.
"Then what was it like?" she pressed, stepping closer to the bars. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks pretty straightforward."
I didn't answer imdiately, my mind racing as I tried to figure out how much to tell her. Finally, I sighed again, leaning my head back against the wall.
"Arthur, Serina and their teams are traitors...the very reason for why the plague is happening here." I said quietly.
Hina's eyes widens in shock and terror and her mouth hung open as she looked at .
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