Mathea hesitated, then glanced at Andrei. "We were just lucky," she said quickly.
Andrei smirked but didn't say anything.
Athena stretched her arms, wincing. "Well, whatever it was, thanks for saving us. That plant was nasty."
"Yeah, thanks," Jea added, though her eyes lingered on Mathea suspiciously.
Juan grinned. "And thanks for not letting me get eaten. I'd prefer not to be lunch."
Mathea laughed, trying to shake off the tension. "Let's just say we make a good team. Now, let's get out of here before anything else tries to eat us."
As they walked away from the clearing, Andrei leaned close to Mathea and whispered, "So, when are you telling them about the necklace and the prophecy?"
Mathea sighed. "When the time is right," she murmured. "Right now, they just need to rest."
Andrei shrugged, but his eyes sparkled with mischief. "You're terrible at keeping secrets, you know."
"Don't start," Mathea warned, though she couldn't help but smile.
The forest clearing glowed softly under the moonlight, the aftermath of the battle with the carnivorous plant still fresh.
Mathea brushed her hands on her tunic, trying to shake off the tension. She glanced at the trio she'd just rescued, realizing she didn't even know their names.
"So… we should probably introduce ourselves," she said, looking at the group.
Juan, the youngest, grinned widely despite the ordeal. "I'm Juan! You know, the one who almost became plant dinner. Thanks for that, by the way." He extended a hand toward Mathea, who shook it with a chuckle.
"Nice to meet you, Juan. I'm Mathea," she replied.
"And I'm the cousin who pulled him out of the tree," Andrei added with a smirk, gesturing toward himself. "Andrei. Official troublemaker and occasional hero."
Jea, still dusting off her clothes, raised an eyebrow. "Occasional? Sounds like someone's giving themselves a little too much credit."
Andrei shrugged with a grin. "I'm a humble guy, what can I say?"
Athena rolled her eyes, stepping forward. "I'm Athena. And before anyone asks, yes, I know how to fight, and no, I don't need saving most of the time."
Jea laughed softly, finally stepping closer. "Jea. I guess you're our savior of the night. And that necklace of yours? Not exactly subtle."
Mathea instinctively tucked the glowing necklace under her shirt. "It's… just a little family heirloom," she said quickly, avoiding Jea's knowing look. "Nothing special."
"Yeah, sure," Jea replied, her tone teasing but curious.
"And what's with the tiny dragon?" Athena asked, gesturing toward Janna, who was now perched on a rock, licking its tail.
"This is Janna," Mathea said proudly, rubbing the dragon's scaly head. "He's my little companion. Not the smartest, but loyal."
Janna let out a chirping sound, as if agreeing.
Juan crouched near the dragon, his eyes wide with wonder. "Can I pet him?"
"Go ahead," Mathea said with a smile.
As Juan gently touched Janna's head, the dragon sniffed his hand and let out a small puff of smoke, making Juan jump back.
"Whoa! He's got fire!" Juan exclaimed, laughing nervously.
"He's harmless," Mathea assured him. "Mostly."
"So, Mathea," Athena said, crossing her arms, "what exactly are you doing out here in the middle of the forest? You don't look like someone who just stumbled in."
Mathea hesitated, glancing at Andrei. "Let's just say I'm on a journey. Looking for… answers."
"Cryptic much?" Jea said, arching a brow.
"Hey, it's not every day you rescue strangers from a killer plant," Mathea shot back, grinning. "What about you guys? How'd you end up trapped like that?"
Athena sighed. "We were just passing through, trying to find some food and rest. Guess we weren't paying attention when that thing grabbed us."
The group sat together in the soft glow of Mathea's necklace, its light flickering like a small flame in the night. The air was heavy with stories and shared pain, yet an odd sense of camaraderie was beginning to grow.
Jea broke the silence, her voice soft. "We're lucky you showed up," she said, her gaze lingering on Mathea and Andrei. There was something about the two of them—a shared magic that danced in unseen threads. Mathea's magic, though raw and untrained, pulsed brighter than Athena's, swirling in an untamed storm around her.
Andrei smirked, breaking the tension. "Well, it looks like fate wanted us to meet," he said lightly. "And now that we're all properly acquainted, what's the plan?"
Athena let out a small laugh, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Plan? Let's start with not dying again. Maybe more practice with my magic—if I can figure out how to use it without needing a life-or-death situation to make it work."
"Solid plan," Jea quipped, smiling faintly as she stroked Yhan Yhan's fur. The lion purred softly, a surprising sound from such a formidable creature.
Andrei tilted his head, studying the lion. "Is that… your pet? It looks like it understands every word we're saying."
Athena grinned. "She is. Her name's Yhan Yhan. I saved her from a curse a while back. Poor thing was enchanted to wander aimlessly, caught between life and death. It took every ounce of my magic to break it."
Jea's eyes lit up. "So, she's not just a lion. She's kind of like… a magical guardian?"
"Something like that," Athena said with a hint of pride.
As the conversation turned to sharing stories, Mathea listened intently as Jea and Athena recounted the horrors of the Old Jasmine Village.
"Lord Anjo? Are you sure it was him?" Andrei asked, his expression darkening.
"Yes," Athena said firmly. "I'm sure. They killed my friends, Juan's family, even Elder Igo. They didn't just attack—they destroyed everything. Burned it to the ground."
Juan's voice wavered as he added, "We were already struggling as a village, but they came like they wanted us wiped off the map. They burned us like we were nothing. Like pigs."
Mathea's brow furrowed. "Why would Lord Anjo attack your village? What reason could he possibly have?"
Juan shook his head. "I don't know. We've watched the Mountain of Magic for as long as I can remember, but we've never been attacked before. It was like they wanted to erase us."
Andrei's expression grew darker. "This doesn't add up," he muttered. "Lord Anjo has no reason to ambush small villages, especially not one near the Mountain of Magic. I would've heard something—my father keeps tabs on all the lords. Something's off."
Jea tilted her head. "Your father? You sound like you're not just any traveler, Andrei."
Andrei hesitated but then sighed. "Fine. My father is Prince Alexander, brother to King Rhyan. Technically, I'm a prince, but I've never cared for titles. I'm more interested in figuring out why a lord like Anjo would commit something so… barbaric."
Athena crossed her arms. "You're suggesting this attack wasn't random?"
"Exactly," Andrei said firmly. "And if we're going to figure out what's really going on, we'll need to head to the mainland. I have contacts there—friends who can give us answers."
Athena frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea? What if it draws attention? Some of us have families we'd rather not cross paths with."
Andrei glanced at her knowingly. "If you're worried about anyone finding out where you've been, we can take a less obvious route. The eastern pass will keep us off the main roads. Besides, if we don't find out why your village was attacked, how will we stop it from happening again?"
Mathea nodded. "He's right. We can't run forever. And if we're going to face whatever this is, we'll need each other."
Andrei smirked, stepping beside her. "Lead the way, cousin. Your glowing necklace seems to have all the answers, doesn't it?"
Mathea groaned. "Don't start, Andrei."
Jea laughed, breaking the tension. "You two are definitely related."
As they set off into the forest, their path uncertain, there was a fragile hope in the air. Despite everything—loss, fear, and unanswered questions—they weren't alone anymore. For now, that was enough.