"Lumino…"
A voice called gently into the void.
"Yes…?" Lumino turned.
But there was no one there.
Again, the sorrowful voice echoed through the silence.
"Lumino…"
They turned once more—and this time saw her.
A middle-aged woman, arms filled with fresh tomatoes from the harvest, smiled warmly beneath the golden dusk.
"Mrs. Narumi… you just finished harvesting, ma'am?" Lumino asked instinctively.
Her smile stretched wider… then began to melt.
Her face—her entire body—dissolved like warm wax, falling in glistening red streaks to the soil below.
A twisted mouth, now liquid and creeping toward Lumino's feet, spoke through gurgling drips.
"Why didn't you save us, Lumino? Why?"
Lumino stumbled backward in horror, breath caught in their throat.
When they turned, behind them stood dozens—no, hundreds—of their villagers.
Burned. Broken.
Eyes hollow with betrayal. Flesh charred beyond recognition.
They stepped forward as one, and Lumino ran, Through smoke and cinders, they ran.
Until their legs gave way and they collapsed in the ashes of a life they once knew.
Then a voice again—familiar this time.
"Lumino… come here. Don't be afraid. None of this is real."
"Grandfather! Is that you?" Lumino cried. "I'm sorry—I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… I couldn't save anyone. What about Mrs. Narumi, Kali, Mr. Toris? Are they—?"
As they turned toward the voice, a hand rested on their back. Comforting. Familiar.
They looked up with trembling hope.
But what they saw… was not the kind, weathered face of their grandfather.
His skin was blackened and torn. His jaw half-melted. Maggots writhed where his eyes once were.
And yet—his voice remained gentle.
"This is all your fault, Lumino."
"No…"
They fell to their knees.
"No! Please! I didn't mean to— I didn't know—"
The ruined villagers began to chant.
Their voices layered—distorted—like broken radios and mourning choirs.
"You let us die."
"You ran."
"You watched."
Blood ran down from the trees.
The sun above bled red.
And Lumino screamed.
Screamed until their voice cracked—until no sound came out.
They clutched their head, body trembling violently. They whispered words of comfort, mantras of protection, anything to survive the madness. Anything to wake up.
Then silence.
The chanting stopped.
And then—a single red eye opened in front of them.
Cold. Watching.
"Interesting."
They were falling again. Drowning in the abyss. Until—
Lumino jolted awake, gasping.
Their body drenched in sweat. Chest heaving.
They looked around wildly. Kael was nearby, sleeping upright against a stone, arms crossed over his sword.
It was… just a dream.
Just a dream.
Thank the Creator.
Wiping their forehead, Lumino adjusted their hair, smoothed their shirt, and stood. The sky above had begun to lighten—false dawn.
They approached Kael, still half-shaken.
Kneeling beside him, they gently called out,
"Kael… wake up." No response. Again.
"Kael, we have to go…"
Still nothing.
They reached out and shook his shoulder—and froze. Their hands… Suddenly coated in blood.
"No… no, no—Kael?!"
"Kael!!" No,… this can't be dream…I woke up
They shook him harder. His body slumped forward—and was swallowed by the darkness.
"Lumino!"
"Lumino!"
A voice pierced the storm.
Their eyes snapped open—truly awake this time.
Kael stood above them, scowling.
"You sleep like the dead. We should've left already—sun's about to rise. And I regret giving you that mat now."
Lumino sat up in a daze. They looked around, still unsure of what was real. That just a dream. Or is this also be—dream
They slapped both cheeks softly. 'Wake up, Lumino.' They told themself.
Kael blinked, puzzled.
"Hey—what the hell was that?"
Lumino turned to him, forcing a smile despite the redness on their cheeks.
"Let's get moving." They stand up.
Kael stared for a moment, stunned by the odd shift in expression.
"What a strange behaviour," he muttered under his breath.
"Should've hit you to wake you up, but… that face—ugh. What a pain."
"Well? Are you coming?" Lumino had already packed up and was a few steps ahead.
"Yeah, yeah," Kael sighed, picking up his things and following.
But as they walked away, he felt something lingering.
A chill.
A shadow that didn't belong to either of them.
Far away, deep within a darkened, crumbling castle…
A pair of glowing red eyes narrowed.
A figure cloaked in silhouette smiled before a scrying orb.
Within the glass—Lumino's image shimmered.
"You'll be mine soon enough. Just watch."
Their voice dripped like venom.
"L-u-m-i-n-o."
*****************************************************************************************
After what felt like hours of walking, they finally stepped beyond the sea of yellow Wedelia blossoms.
A river sparkled in the near distance, its gentle gurgling a welcome sound in the stillness.
Kael's eyes lit up at the sight.
"Finally. After all that walking, we found water."
Behind him, Lumino remained quiet, eyes lowered, lost in thought.
"Thank goodness," he replied softly.
They approached the river's edge. The water was clear, cold, and inviting—running fast enough to stay fresh, but calm enough to drink.
Kael crouched and examined it. "Looks clean enough to drink. What do you think, Lumino?"
No answer.
"Hey, you listening?" Kael gave Lumino a slow, friendly punch on the shoulder, testing for a reaction. "Am I the only one enjoying this?"
He cupped his hands, dipped them into the stream, and drank.
"Ahhh… refreshing. Too bad this cursed red thread won't let us separate. If we could split up, one could hunt while the other cooked. That'd be nice, right?"
He turned his head to look at Lumino—only to find him still staring at the river, unmoving.
"…You're right," Lumino finally said. "In that case… I think I'll bathe for a bit. I'm covered in sweat."
Kael blinked.
Then blinked again.
"Wait—what are you—hey—!" he stammered, snapping his head away as Lumino began unbuttoning his shirt. "W-what the hell are you doing? At least give me a warning first!"
Lumino tilted his head in mild confusion. "You don't want to bathe?"
Kael was still facing the other way, hand covering his eyes.
"Idiot! You go first. There's no way I'm bathing with you."
With a light splash, Lumino waded into the water and sat down, letting the current run over his body.
"The temperature's perfect," he murmured with a soft smile.
Then, after a pause:
"Though… I've been wondering. Why are you acting like that? Turning your back, covering your face—what's wrong?"
Kael stiffened. "None of your business! Not like I want to peek or anything."
Lumino watched him. Noticed the sweat at his temple, the arms crossed tightly, the posture of someone uncomfortable for reasons he couldn't quite explain.
"Are you… embarrassed?" he asked.
Kael's voice shot up. "W-what? No!"
Without thinking, he turned—and saw him.
Snow-white skin.
Toned arms.
A well-defined chest and abdomen.
And a face that looked back at him with a teasing smile.
Kael froze.
"Wait—wait a second. You're a GUY?!"
Lumino blinked in surprise. "Of course. Isn't that obvious?"
Obvious where?! Kael screamed internally, nearly choking on his own thoughts.
"Why didn't you say so earlier, damn it?!"
"You thought I was a girl?" Lumino tilted his head. "But I'm tall, and I have muscles. I'm strong too." He flexed his arm with a grin. "You really misunderstood, huh? That's kinda pathetic. There's no way I look like a girl."
Kael was fuming.
He seriously thinks that? Tall girls exist! Yurim's like a gorilla and she's way taller! And what about that face—does he not OWN a mirror?!
Lumino smiled again, oblivious.
"Well, now that the misunderstanding's over… want to bathe together?"
Kael looked at him, horrified.
Even if the gender mystery had been solved, there was no universe where sharing a bath with this guy was a good idea.
"Nope. No thanks," he said quickly.
"Alright, suit yourself." Lumino shrugged.
Kael dropped back onto the grass, back to the river, head in his hands.
This trip's gonna kill me, he thought.