Astra stirred, her lashes fluttering weakly as warmth pressed against her aching limbs. She lay atop a bed of soft petals and moss—the scent of chamomile, wild jasmine, and crushed mint lingering faintly in the air. The delicate cushion beneath her was carefully arranged, as if someone had placed each flower by hand.
A dull throb rippled through her body the moment she tried to shift. Her muscles screamed, her ribs ached with every breath. Still, she managed to sit up, her hand pressing lightly to her side as her eyes adjusted to the dim, golden light filtering through slats of wooden walls.
The small space felt quiet, sacred almost—woven thatch above, the faint crackle of a distant fire pit, herbs hanging in bundles from the ceiling. A hut, perhaps, tucked away in some hidden place.
"Where… am I?" she murmured hoarsely.
Holding her side, she slowly rose to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her. Each step toward the doorway was a struggle, her balance wavering as she leaned against the frame for support.
The moment she stepped outside, sunlight crashed over her like a wave—far too bright, far too sudden. Her knees buckled.
But strong arms caught her before she could fall.
Astra's breath hitched, her vision narrowing as she blinked against the glare. Her gaze met a familiar face, silhouetted in the light.
"…Kriya?" she managed, frowning in disbelief.
"You shouldn't be out here," he said quietly, adjusting his grip. Without giving her a chance to argue, he lifted her with practiced ease.
"W-Wait—put me down!" she stammered, stunned.
But he carried her back inside and laid her gently onto the bed of flowers again, careful not to jostle her wounds.
Astra stared at him, words caught in her throat.
Kriya noticed. He offered the faintest smile. "Thought you couldn't walk," he said, kneeling beside her. "Your injuries say the same."
From within his sleeve, he pulled a small cloth bundle. He opened it to reveal crushed herbs and colorful petals, spreading their scent into the room.
But Astra wasn't listening. Something stirred at the edge of her mind images flickering through the fog. Smoke. Screams.
Her eyes widened.
She abruptly sat up, pain tearing through her side. A sharp gasp escaped her lips.
Kriya dropped the herbs, instantly reaching for her. "Astra—"
She shoved his hand away and pushed herself toward the doorway.
"Where are you going?" he said, catching her arm. "You need to rest—"
"Kaen… Ryoma… My family… the fire… the demon!" she cried, her voice breaking into shudders. "They were still there—I couldn't get to them—I don't know if—"
Her words collapsed. Her knees hit the ground, shoulders trembling, the memories crashing over her like a flood. She saw flames again. Heard the roar. Felt the helplessness.
Kriya knelt with her, his arms hovering close as if unsure whether to hold her or give her space.
"Astra," he said softly, steady but gentle. "They'll be alright. You're safe now. Just breathe."
But Astra couldn't speak. She curled forward, her breath ragged, the weight of everything sinking into her bones.
Kriya hesitated as he watched her tremble, her breath ragged, fingers clenched into her sleeves. His hands hovered in the space between them, uncertain. Then, with a quiet inhale, he moved forward and pulled her into a careful hug.
To his surprise, Astra didn't resist.
She gripped him tightly, clutching the fabric of his robe like a lifeline. Her body still shook faintly, the terror not fully gone, but in that moment, she allowed herself to lean into him—raw, vulnerable, and afraid.
They stayed like that for a while, until her breathing finally began to steady. When she came to her senses, she suddenly pulled away, with realization. She leaned back against the wooden wall, avoiding his eyes. Kriya turned away as well, lips pressed in a tight line, the silence between them growing deep.
"…It's because of me," Astra whispered, pressing a hand to her face.
Kriya glanced over his shoulder.
"I shouldn't have followed that tune. I stepped out when I shouldn't have. If I hadn't… none of this would've happened." Her voice cracked. "That demon… it might've killed them by now."
Kriya's fingers twitched at his side. Seeing her like this stirred something painful in him. He stepped closer, voice low and steady.
"Don't think about that now. Everything will be fine. We'll find them."
But Astra only shook her head, eyes dark with guilt.
"No. Nothing will be fine," she said quietly. "Because I'm the problem. Wherever I go… chaos follows. I must've been born under a cursed star."
Kriya opened his mouth to speak—there were so many things he wanted to say, to deny, to comfort—but he swallowed them down and lowered his gaze. The words felt too heavy, too tangled with everything he didn't say yet.
Astra curled her knees up to her chest, resting her forehead against them. Silence returned, save for the soft rustle of leaves outside.
After a long pause, her voice broke through again, softer this time.
"…Kriya?"
He turned toward her.
"You're alive," she said, slowly lifting her head. There was a strange look in her eyes surprise, relief, disbelief all at once.
Kriya frowned faintly.
She leaned in a little, squinting at him as if making sure.
"They said… you might've been killed by that fox demon in the cave. I was sad when I heard that."
He blinked, startled by the sincerity in her tone.
"You were… sad?"
"Of course I was!" she huffed, as if it were obvious, though her voice still carried the weight of exhaustion. "I thought you were dead…"
Kriya stared at her, and for a moment, the air between them held something unspoken, something gentle.
"…Well," he said quietly, "I was almost killed."
"Oh…" Astra murmured, her voice small.
She looked at him, watching as he continued.
"Lucky for me, that demon must not have been too hungry at the time," he said with a half-smile. "Seemed like it wanted to save me for later. By the time I came to, the cave was empty. So I took my chance and got out of there as fast as I could."
Astra blinked at him in surprise.
Kriya met her gaze and smiled faintly. "Guess I'm also lucky I found you again."
She paused at that, his words lingering in the air for a moment before curiosity nudged her forward.
"…Wait, how did you find me there?"
Kriya rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you know how the imperial capital opened its gates to commoners this time, right? I've always wanted to see it, and I thought… maybe this was my chance to explore a bit." His smile turned sheepish. "But the moment I arrived, everything was already being shut down. So I ended up wandering around, looking for a place to stay. Then I passed through that area and saw smoke—flames everywhere. That's when I found you."
He exhaled after finishing, having said it all in one breath. Astra blinked at him again, a little stunned by how fast he'd managed to speak.
"…You just spoke more now than you did in those entire two days we were lost in the forest—combined. Are you even the same Kriya?" she muttered, earning a quiet laugh from him. Her eyes then wandered around—the wooden beams, the woven walls, the soft sunlight spilling gently through the gaps.
"This place… it looks new," she said softly. "Did you build it?"
Kriya nodded.
"You built all this? In one night?" she asked, raising a brow.
He scratched the back of his neck again, modestly. "Well… when I was a kid, I used to help out a carpenter in our village. Learned a few things from him."
His voice trailed off when he noticed her falling quiet again, her gaze distant.
"…Are you thinking about it again?" he asked gently.
Astra nodded, exhaling a soft sigh as she leaned back against the wooden wall. "I'm just praying to all the divine… hoping they're safe."