As we approached, the countryside unfolded before my eyes like a living painting. The road meandered through the vast green expanse, between hills and scattered trees, until it disappeared into the horizon. It was such a beautiful sight, like something out of a painting.
Watching closely, I noticed the figures of three short individuals coming toward our house in the distance.
Curiosity grew in both me and my father. It was then that I recognized him: it was my cousin! Accompanied by a figure I couldn't identify: a boy or a girl? Or maybe a dwarf? I didn't know; the hood that covered his head made it almost impossible to distinguish him, unlike the black-haired girl next to him.
"Wait... Zirael?" I thought, feeling a mixture of surprise and joy.
"Son, isn't that your cousin coming?" my father asked.
"Yes," I replied, still processing the surprise.
Just then, Zirael waved at me from afar as he approached quickly with the two people beside him.
What's going on? I thought, confused.
Soon, he stood before me. His face showed signs of exhaustion, and his cheeks were reddened from the intense sun.
The individual I had not been able to recognize now stood beside me. Her hair remained hidden under the hood, but her face was partially visible. She had firm but delicate features; I immediately realized that she was a girl!
"Hi, Kaini! Have you been waiting for me for a long time?" he asked with a somewhat tired smile.
The attention I had paid to the girl faded as I turned to Zirael.
-No... But, Zirael, what are you doing here? -I asked, still surprised by her arrival.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday I'd come?" he responded, trying to remind me of our conversation from the day before. ["Yes, Kaini, it's already late. It is very dangerous to stay at night. But don't worry, tomorrow I could teach you, just come to my house, or better, I'll come to yours."]
At that moment, I realized I'd forgotten. As we fell silent, he asked,
"Do you remember?"
"Yes, I remember. I was just teasing you," I replied with a smile, trying to soften the situation.
We both laughed, sharing the same hearty laughter. However, as I tried to enjoy the moment, I couldn't shake off the uncomfortable feeling from the forced laughter we were both sharing.
"Well, son, here's your cousin, and he even brought some lady friends," Elmer said, narrowing his eyes with a mischievous smile. "So, I guess there's no need to take you to my brother's house. I have to go to work; I'll see you at noon. See you later," he added in a carefree tone.
This man didn't seem like a father; his gestures felt a bit odd, to say the least.
"See you later, Uncle Elmer!" said Zirael, waving goodbye. The two girls mimicked his gesture, echoing his farewell.
"See you later!"
"See you later...!"
"See you later," I replied, watching him walk away, still feeling strange about his behavior.
I looked at the two girls. I was full of questions about who they were and why they were here.
"Well, Kaini, let me introduce my friends," my cousin said, turning to the two girls who were with him. He acted naturally with them, as though they'd been friends for a long time.
The two ignored me completely as my cousin extended his hands to introduce them to me. I noticed that right away, perhaps because of their uninterested gestures.
I figured I'd have to face this challenge, set up by both my cousin and my dad, so I decided to introduce myself first.
I approached the girl with a serious look; her face showed a mixture of anger or disgust, which made me a bit fearful. I was about to greet her, but before I could say anything, a strong wind made everyone's hair flutter like leaves in the air. Suddenly, a green hue appeared before my eyes, capturing all my attention.
It was the hair of that girl, who wore a hood that hid both her face and her mane. She was the second person I'd seen with that hair color, sparking a strange fascination in me. I moved closer to her, drawn by the peculiar sense of familiarity I felt.
"Hi, I'm Kaini. What's your name?" I asked, hoping for some words in return.
"…"
No response. She kept her head down, slightly tilted to one side, as if lost in another world, far from my attempt at conversation. I assumed she hadn't noticed me or maybe hadn't heard, so I decided to try again.
"Hi, what's your name?" I repeated, this time in a softer tone.
Again, silence. She didn't respond, staying completely silent, making me wonder if she was scared of me or if there was something else I wasn't grasping. Her posture, along with her stillness, made me doubt whether to insist or leave her alone.
I was about to turn to Zirael to ask what was going on when suddenly, I heard something. It was a very delicate voice, so soft and light that it was barely audible—it was her voice, trying to say something I couldn't understand.
I leaned slightly to hear better; without realizing it, my face ended up right in front of hers. When I saw her up close, I was surprised: she had emerald green eyes that matched her hair perfectly. At that moment, I tried to communicate with her one last time.
"Hello," I said softly, waiting for some sign of response.
It was a simple word, something very light and understandable. A normal response would've been for her to reply with the same word, but her reaction was different. She took a few steps back, moving on her bare legs. Maybe it was her unsteady balance or a rock she didn't see, but she stumbled, losing her balance and falling to the ground. Her face showed surprise and fear. That's when I noticed something: she was truly beautiful, but what surprised me the most were her horns. She had silver-gray horns on the top of her head.
She's a demon. I thought immediately.
I didn't know how to react. I tried to process what I was seeing. Sure, I'd thought something like this could happen, considering I was in a world where magic existed. But even so, I didn't expect it to be so direct or quick, seeing someone with horns right before me.
Until that moment, I'd gotten used to the idea that, despite being in a different world, everything was relatively normal. I hadn't seen anything that broke with what I knew from the world I came from, apart from the use of magic and the rabbit. Perhaps I'd unconsciously dismissed the idea that magical creatures or races truly existed.