— Field Anomaly Encounter —
Clara was waiting outside my apartment just after dawn.
She carried a large bag of provisions and a hiking pack filled with supplies—clearly prepared well in advance.
I noted she was alone.
"Where's Edward?" I asked.
Clara blinked, her gaze shifting slightly.
"Edward, he—"
Before she could finish, a Jeep pulled up abruptly in front of us.
The driver's window rolled down, and Selene leaned out, a faintly triumphant smile on her face.
"Edward had a stomach bug last night," she said brightly. "He can't make it. So I'm driving instead."
Clara nodded quickly. "Right, he's... not feeling well."
"Don't worry about classes," Selene added. "I'm a senior—hardly any lectures left. I've already cleared it. Besides, it's been too quiet lately. Consider this a change of scenery."
I glanced between them.
This was clearly Selene's arrangement.
With her already behind the wheel, further argument was pointless.
"Fine," I said finally. "But one condition. The destination is high-risk. Once we enter the area, you follow my lead. No exceptions."
Selene straightened, her smile fading. She raised her hand in a loose, informal salute.
"Understood."
With that, the three of us set off toward Ashcroft.
---
The journey felt far more remote than the map suggested.
After three hours of driving, we reached a county town—small, barely more than a large village.
We ate a quick meal. Just as we were leaving, the weather shifted.
Rain began without prior indication.
Clear skies and strong sun were replaced abruptly by heavy rainfall.
Such a sudden change was atypical for the season.
"Ah—!"
Selene gasped sharply, stumbling back behind me.
"A snake!"
She pointed toward the hood. "On the engine!"
A serpent lay coiled on the metal, head raised, tongue flicking. Alert, but showing no fear.
I studied it, my mind already working.
Sudden rain.
Now this.
Two anomalies, too close together.
Without hesitating, I took three old coins from my pocket and cast a hexagram.
The six-line oracle is best for swift judgments of fortune.
I rarely let divination dictate action—the clearer the reading, the higher the personal cost.
But today's signs were too pointed to ignore.
The hexagram formed quickly.
There is a mountain in front of the flowing water. This is the hexagram Jian (蹇), which represents obstacles.
The path blocked.
Heaven, Earth, and the Unseen — all barred.
To press forward now would mean moving against every layer of influence.
I gathered the coins.
No further interpretation was needed.
"We're not going any farther today," I said.
"We stop here."
"Not even after the rain passes?" Selene asked softly.
"No movement today," I repeated. "The day itself is against it."
I turned toward the snake still resting on the hood and spoke quietly:
"Message received."
The serpent's tongue flickered once more. Then it slowly slid off the metal, vanishing into the roadside grass.
For a moment, neither Selene nor Clara spoke.
When I turned back, they were both watching me with a mix of confusion and something close to awe.
"Can you... understand animals?" Clara finally asked.
"No."
"Then why did it leave when you spoke? Does it... understand human words?"
I shook my head.
"It's not about language."
I paused, choosing a clearer explanation.
"Some creatures are acutely sensitive to shifts in the environment... and in consciousness. Snakes especially. Their appearance is seldom random."
Selene's expression shifted from fear to focus.
"So it was... warning us?"
"More like triggering confirmation."
She breathed in softly.
"If it were me, I'd have just shooed it away and kept driving."
"People who do that," I said evenly, "don't tend to last long."
We found a nearby inn.
Shortly after checking in, the rain stopped completely.
Soon after, sunlight broke through, as if the downpour had never happened.
But we all knew—
something had already been recorded.
---
— Transit to Ashcroft —
We set out again early the next morning after a quick breakfast.
The road to Ashcroft was worse than expected. Narrow, broken, pitted with holes that kept the Jeep lurching constantly. Selene's knuckles were white on the wheel—her focus absolute.
If I knew how to drive, I would have taken over.
We hadn't gone an hour before a tire was punctured.
A rusted nail, lodged deep.
Selene didn't know how to change it.
We had to call for roadside help and wait for a passing vehicle.
It was nearly sunset before a mechanic came by.
By the time the tire was replaced, it was almost eight in the evening.
Driving again, my assessment of this trip grew more cautious.
These weren't mere coincidences—but they hadn't yet formed a clear pattern, either.
Night had fallen completely.
The mountain road wound ahead under our headlights, no stars or moon in sight. The Jeep crawled forward as if moving through an endless, lightless sea.
"Tired?" I asked quietly from the passenger seat.
Selene shook her head. Her voice was almost relaxed.
"Not really."
"It's kind of exciting, actually. Like one of those old amusement park rides."
I didn't reply, just offered a faint smile.
"I can take over if you need," I said.
"I'm fine."
"Too much smooth road gets dull. This keeps you awake."
She paused, then added, "Besides... night driving, mountain roads, our destination... it's a hard mix not to find thrilling."
She didn't sound like she was forcing it.
I didn't comment.
Sometimes curiosity is a stronger driver than fear.
"Rhan," she said suddenly. "Do you think... once we're in the village, we'll actually... see things?"
Before I could answer, Clara covered her ears reflexively.
"Can we not talk about this right now?" she whispered. "Old people say you shouldn't speak of such things at night. Just thinking about going back there makes me uneasy."
She hesitated.
"That streamer still hasn't been found. And all those old stories... who knows what's true anymore."
"Don't worry," Selene said, her tone still light. "If anything happens, we have Rhan."
It sounded more like she was reassuring herself.
Then she added:
"Besides, your village still has that 'One-Eyed Master,' right? He'll protect us too."
Clara thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes... he's still there."
Their voices softened, settling into a fragile calm.
I didn't join their speculation.
Some conversations are better left unfinished—until you arrive.