Lena scoffed.
The sound was sharp, humorless, and heavy with exhaustion.
She pushed herself up from the grass, brushing dirt from her palms, her eyes locking onto Esmeralda with unmasked disdain.
"I'm tired," she said flatly. "I don't want problems. Leave."
Esmeralda's lips curved into a slow, venomous smile.
She stepped sideways, deliberately blocking Lena's path. "I didn't come to leave," she replied softly. "I came to be the problem."
Ashikai's ears flattened. "Lena—"
Lena turned, intending to walk around her. She had muck to clean, animals to tend, and exactly zero patience left for nobles with fragile egos.
She took two steps.
Then Esmeralda lifted her hand.
The air snapped.
Lena was yanked backward by an invisible force, her feet leaving the ground as she slammed into the bucket of muddy water behind her.
The container tipped, its contents spilling violently.
Cold, filthy water drenched her from head to toe.
Mud clung to her hair, soaked into her uniform, ran down her face and into her eyes.
Ashikai gasped. "HEY—!"
Silence followed.
Then Lena slowly stood.
Water dripped from her lashes. Her fists trembled. Her chest rose and fell sharply as something dangerous ignited behind her eyes.
She didn't speak.
She lunged.
Esmeralda barely had time to scream before Lena tackled her, both of them crashing into the dirt. Nails scratched skin. Hair was grabbed.
Lena's muddy fists swung wildly as Esmeralda shrieked in fury, slapping and clawing back.
"You filthy—!" Esmeralda hissed.
They rolled, grunting, snarling like feral creatures, skirts torn, dignity abandoned.
Ashikai paced frantically. "Lena! Lena, stop—!"
Suddenly
A violent force hurled Lena backward.
She slammed into the ground hard, the breath punched clean out of her lungs.
Dazed, she lifted her head.
Black boots stood before her.
Her lips curled. "Of course."
Kairos.
He stood there, expression unreadable, eyes cold as obsidian. Power radiated from him like a pressure on her lungs.
She laughed weakly and pointed at Esmeralda. "She started it."
Esmeralda staggered upright and immediately burst into tears, clutching her arm. "She attacked me! I only came to speak to her and she—she went mad!"
Her sobs echoed theatrically
Lena surged forward. "You lying—!"
Invisible restraints slammed into place.
She froze mid-step, limbs locked, muscles screaming against an unseen force.
Ashikai darted behind her legs, trembling when his eyes met Kairos's. "I don't like this," he whispered
Lena glared straight at Kairos, refusing to look away even as pain crept through her bones. "You believe her?" she spat.
A slow smirk tugged at Kairos's lips.
He stepped closer.
Too close.
Then without warning, he kicked the back of her leg.
Lena collapsed to her knees with a sharp cry.
The force intensified.
Something slammed into her chest from the inside.
She choked.
Hot, metallic liquid flooded her mouth.
She spat blood onto the dirt.
Esmeralda smiled.
The world tilted. Lena gagged, bile and blood burning her throat, her vision swimming. She was seconds from collapsing entirely—
Then—
Everything stopped.
The pain vanished.
The pressure released.
Lena blinked.
The blood hung frozen midair where it had spilled.
Esmeralda's triumphant smile was locked in place.
Kairos stood unmoving, one foot still lifted.
The wind ceased.
Birds froze in the sky.
Water droplets suspended like glass.
Ashikai didn't move.
Nothing did.
Lena staggered back, suddenly free, her heart hammering violently. She wiped her mouth, staring around in horror.
"What…?" Her voice echoed strangely.
Then—
A voice.
Not loud. Not soft.
Ancient.
Come, child… come to me.
Lena spun. "Who's there?!"
The air shimmered, bending inward like a breath being drawn.
I brought you here.
Her breath caught.
Her hands trembled.
"You… brought me here?" she whispered.
Something deep in her chest clicked into place.
Her eyes widened.
"…Fate?"
The silence answered.
And somewhere beyond frozen time, something waited for her to choose.