'Plip'

'Plip'

The brown blur darted at blinding speeds between jagged stalagmites, flawlessly weaving through a maze of rock, sharp blades of grass, and plump glowing mushrooms. Stopping beside a small stream, the short figure's reflection spread across the water: long dish-shaped ears, a small button nose, four sturdy legs, and multiple streaks of pale fur that glossed glowing blue.

'Plip' 'Plip'

Liquid seeped down an overhead stalactite, feeding the stream. The rabbit greedily drank the cold water, brightening the ghostly light on its fur with each sip.

"Hum~"

Suddenly, every hair on its body bristled.

Soft humming filled the cave, bouncing off the walls and creating a harmony that was inescapable. The voice relaxed the rabbit's tense state like a motherly lullaby, forcibly removing its instinct to flee. Its body, which had heated with anger and fear, quickly chilled to an almost corpse-like temperature. If one were to look at the beast from afar, it could have easily been mistaken for a doll.

A shadow lingered near the open tunnel, and the dotted eyes of the curious rabbit reflected the silhouette of a single... or countless snakes. Pale silver gleamed off the scales of each snake, which writhed and hissed in agitation, while their heads contrastingly gleamed a deep rose. They bared sharp fangs, but were unable to lunge toward the vulnerable rabbit. Moving its attention downwards, the rabbit noticed each snake was adorned atop the head of a young woman with bronze skin. Her expression was gentle, and her mouth was slightly pursed to produce the humming.

The hissing startled the rabbit, but before it could react, it was struck with shock.

It was a gaze.

A gaze so serene, and reflected through deep, rose-coloured eyes. Constructs and shapes spread across her bejewelled irises like a kaleidoscope, putting even the finest polished gemstones to shame. Her eyes, so colourful, so hypnotizing, were kind.

The beady black pupils of the rabbit dilated, causing it to bare its own sharp teeth, but it was too late. Every muscle in its body froze. The strong legs that were capable of lightning-fast movements stiffened like logs. Its torso similarily tightened, putting stress on the rabbit's lungs until it became incapable of breathing. Finally, vision faded to a pure black. Having its thoughts slowed down to an inoperable degree, the rabbit embraced the endless quiet.

As still as stone.

After a moment of silence, the woman left the darkness and approached with a glowing mushroom in hand. Her movement resounded, not with footsteps but with a soft slithering, as she picked up the small statue. Her hands gently caressed it, an indescribable emotion swirling across her vivid eyes.

The stalactites grew silent and cold, no longer dripping. She couldn't linger; her song might have attracted unwanted attention from other creatures in the cavern.

She closed her eyes, revealing a set of long, sharp teeth and a forked tongue that flicked in and out of her mouth. Promptly, she bit down on the neck of the rabbit statue with a sickening sound.

'CRUNCH'

'Plip'

...

Don't sleep.

A young man looked out his window. His eyes full of youth and ambition wandered nervously along the stars, eventually settling in the direction of... something.

"Is something wrong, Sir?"

He looked towards the door. Standing between the frame was an old, dignified man wearing respectable clothes. One of his servants had prepared him water.

"No, it's nothing. Thank you for the water, Alphonse." He shook his head with a slight smile. 

With a nod, Alphonse left the room, allowing Karlos to dwell in his own thoughts. His expression returned to a frown.

Unease... Why am I so... uneasy...?

He quenched his dry throat with a sip of the water. In that brief respite, Karlos attempted to ignore his thoughts and relax.

Don't sleep.

But it screamed out to him.

Don't sleep.

The voice only grew in intensity. Karlos drank more water, but it wasn't as soothing as before.

...This is just a bad feeling. Right, nothing more, nothing less. It'll go away in the morning...

Don't sleep.

Don't sleep.

It was pestering him from all sides: behind his back and from his sides, down above his head, and up below from the floor. That meaningless reminder urging him to stay away from his bed.

But it wasn't enough. He felt for his bed, and soon enough he was already within the warmth of his blanket.

Gently, his thoughts wandered. Until they couldn't be heard anymore. And the voice couldn't be felt.

Gently, he slept.

And gently, the voice left him.

...

Outside, whispers could be heard deep within the bushes.

"Contact Rabbit. Her assignment is to be carried out tommorow. As soon as she leads the target into the village, we will take over the manor."

The woman looked neither elderly nor young, of neither short or tall proportions. She seemed to flawlessly merge with the shadows, able to change shape at a moment's notice.

A masked man, similarily ambiguous, nodded at her commands.

"Yes, Caretaker. I've already surrounded the manor with the barrier. The ritual is ready to commence at any time."

The woman, Caretaker, acknowledged his words and left the bush. Within a blink, she had already climbed to the top of the two story building and stood on the roof. The man, as if another shadow of hers, suddenly appeared beside her.

"Conny. Do you see it?" Caretaker gestured to the man, pointing towards the forest in front of the manor. Just past the trees, one could see little dots of light and pointed structures.

"...Anafang?" Connoisseur commented as he laid three round objects in a triangle around them. The orbs glowed softly, and a shiny layer of mirror-like material emerged from the ground inbetween each orb, sealing the two in a barrier.

"That's right. Starting tomorrow, this manor... that village... and even the very sky shall be under the light of the Allmother. Do you see it, Conny?" Caretaker gradually raised her voice, her arms outstretched wide.

"The Allmother's grace will cleanse this land of filth, and we shall sacrifice these bleating lambs in her honour! Do you see it, Conny? Do you?!"

The barrier shook slightly as it withstood the loud speech Caretaker had erupted into. Unfortunately, Connoisseur was unable to escape it.

"Yes, Caretaker. That certainly is exciting..." He muttered.

Caretaker continued, exclaiming her reverence without a concern, until she finally calmed after several minutes. 

"Indeed. This night is our preparation for the new era. One purified of toxins and basked in the glory of life..." Caretaker sighed and took out an object from her shadowy robe. It was a small hand bell made of crystal etched with the profile of a snarling wolf.

"Tell Harpy we are to commence the ritual."

'RING-RING-RING'

Suddenly, the barrier around them shattered without a sound. The bell, despite being so small, shook the air with the force of a gong as it vibrated the tiles beneath her feet. Shortly after, four large wolves with dark, silver fur and metal jaws appeared from the nothingness. Connoisseur had long disappeared, allowing the wolves to take his place beside the Caretaker.

"Now then..." Her lips curved into a slight smile.

"I wonder where that book is?"