After their successful prison escape, Ray, Emma, and the other Grace Field children above the age of five venture out into the new world that they know nothing about.
✦ What will they possibly encounter in this world ruled by demons - and demons alo...
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Suspended from a supple leather strap, the centerpiece is a flat, uniquely shaped rock with a central hole. The stone's surface was weathered by the passage of time.
Curious, Ninelie peered down at the item, "A necklace?"
"Yes, my grandpa helped me make it. I picked out this stone with my friends from a river in our village, and we were planning on giving this to you the next time we'd meet," explained Jian, "The village shaman blessed this specifically for you, I'm confident that this will keep you safe from harm."
As the fog of distant memories slowly lifted, vivid images flooded Ninelie's mind. The ghastly tableau of lifeless demon children sprawled on the ground, their innocent bodies bathed in a pool of crimson, the malevolent expressions etched on Barbara and Cislo's faces post their heinous act, and Jian's palpable terror, narrowly escaping the clutches of death by fleeing with haste.
The recollection of those haunting scenes tightened around Ninelie's heart, threatening to snap it like a tautly wound thread.
"I don't deserve this, not after I had killed your friends." she whispered to herself, her gaze fixed on the necklace on her hands.
"That's not true!" Jian asserted with unwavering certainty, "I owe my life to you, Nina. You warned us, but we were too stubborn, so we naturally... suffered the consequences."
Apology filled Ninelie's eyes as they met Jian's, "I'm sorry, Jian. You had to lose your dearest friends."
A languid smile graced Jian's lips, "I'm fine now. I've come to terms with it, and Nina, you should too. If you're still blaming yourself, you should... stop." The demon child's swaying movements caught Ninelie's attention, signaling an impending collapse.
With a sigh of relief, she managed to catch Jian just in time, cradling him in her arms. Ninelie gently lowered the exhausted boy onto the cool grass, ensuring his comfort. From the depths of her bag, she extracted a scarf, unfurling it to provide Jian with a makeshift blanket, particularly necessary in the chilly night air that enveloped them.
"He must've been quite exhausted." said Mujika, who had been silently listening alongside Sonju.
Ninelie nodded, "Yeah. He's come a long way just to get here..." As she lifted her gaze toward the heavens, she discerned the moon ascending towards its zenith in the southern sky, signaling the approach of midnight.
Mujika, intrigued by the passage of time, inquired, "...Is it time already?"
"Almost." Ninelie rose to her feet, the moonlight casting a silvery glow on her determined expression as she effortlessly swung her bag over her shoulder.
