The morning sun shone through the emerald leaves, casting scattered patches of golden light across the forest floor.
A pair of small feet darted between old oaks, chasing butterflies that danced lazily through the wind.
"Robin! Wait!"
A little girl laughed as she stumbled over an exposed root before scrambling back to her feet.
"Quiet down, Marian; you’ll scare them away!" Robin called over her shoulder, trying to sound serious.
The little girl stomped and pouted.
"I’m not scaring them!"
"You’ve already scared three," Robin playfully mocked.
"No... it was your face that scared them." Marian pulled the sides of her cheeks, imitating a ghost face.
Robin sighed dramatically before bursting into laughter.
"Now you just look stupid."
"Hmph! Let’s see who looks stupid after I catch this butterfly."
The younger girl puffed out her chest before sprinting ahead, determined to prove she could catch at least one.
She lunged, clasping her hands together midair before rolling straight into a patch of soft moss.
"Did you get it? Did you get it?" Robin called as she ran toward her, barely holding back her excitement.
"I got the grass..."
Robin couldn’t hold it anymore and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"You were aiming for the butterfly; how’d you end up with a patch of grass?" Robin wiped a happy tear off her face.
"Well, the grass looks easier..."
Robin walked over and offered her hand.
"Don’t worry, you’ll get it next time!"
Robin smiled, brushing bits of moss from Marian’s silver hair.
The two wandered deeper into the woods with no destination in mind.
Robin occasionally picked wild berries from low bushes while Marian enthusiastically collected anything she thought looked interesting.
"Robin! Come here!" Marian enthusiastically called.
Robin turned to find Marian kneeling beside a patch of thin blue grass swaying gently in the wind.
Unlike the surrounding plants, each blade shimmered with a faint sapphire glow as if it were dancing in the sunlight itself.
Marian carefully plucked one and held it up proudly.
"It’s Blue Shimmerleaf!"
Robin glanced at it.
"...It’s just blue grass."
"It isn’t!"
Marian hugged the tiny blade protectively.
"Elder Rowan said that when Blue Shimmerleaf glows gold... it means luck is coming!"
"You still believe Elder’s stories?" Robin raised an eyebrow.
"They’re not stories."
"They are."
"They’re true!"
Marian walked over, carefully took Robin’s hand, and placed the blue leaf into her palm.
"I want you to have it."
Robin blinked and furrowed her brows.
"But you found it."
Marian smiled as though the answer were obvious.
"If it glows... I want it to glow for you."
Robin stared at the delicate blue blade for a long moment before carefully placing it inside the small wooden pendant hanging around her neck.
"Then I’ll take good care of it."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
Marian grinned so brightly it almost rivaled the morning sun. For a brief moment, it felt as though the whole forest belonged to only the two of them.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The earth trembled violently beneath their feet as birds scattered into the sky.
Robin’s smile froze as she slowly turned toward the direction of the village.
"W-What was that?" Marian asked quietly, her small voice trembling with uncertainty.
Without another word, Robin grabbed her little sister’s hand and began running through the forest.
When they neared the village, Robin slowed. A faint scent of smoke drifted through the air. At first it was barely noticeable, but with every passing second it became stronger.
When they finally emerged from the tree line and reached the ridge overlooking their village, Robin stopped so abruptly that Marian nearly crashed into her.
The lively elven settlement she had known since birth was gone.
Villagers fled through the burning streets in every direction, their desperate screams echoing throughout the valley. Some collapsed before they could escape, while others desperately shielded their loved ones with their own bodies.
Marching through the chaos were towering figures clad in black armor. Their faces were hidden behind expressionless masks, revealing nothing but two narrow slits.
One of the armored soldiers raised his sword without hesitation.
A mother stepped in front of her young child, spreading her arms wide in a desperate attempt to protect them.
"No..."
Robin stood frozen at the top of the ridge, her fingers instinctively tightening around Marian’s hand.
The village below continued to burn as more screams echoed through the valley. Every instinct told her to run down the hill and help, yet her legs remained still.
"...Robin?"
A hoarse voice suddenly came from behind her. The two sisters jumped in fright and spun around.
Standing beneath the trees was an elderly elf dressed in faded green robes. His once-neat hair was disheveled, and a deep gash along his forehead sent blood trickling down the side of his face.
"E-Elder Rowan..." Robin breathed.
"There isn’t any time." He stepped forward and grabbed Robin firmly by the shoulders.
"You two need to leave. Right now."
"W-What’s happening? Everyone’s still down there! Mom and Dad..."
The elder’s expression darkened.
"I’m sure they’re doing everything they can to stay safe," the elder answered gently.
"Right now, your parents would want only one thing."
"They’d want both of you somewhere safe."
"Are... are we going to come back?" Marian tightened her grip around Robin’s sleeve.
The elder smiled softly.
"Of course."
"I know a path through the eastern woods. I’ll take you somewhere the soldiers won’t find you."
"Once I know you’re both safe, I’ll return to the village."
Robin looked up, her hands still trembling from the scene she just witnessed.
"...You’ll go back?"
The elder nodded without hesitation.
"There are still people who may need help."
His weathered face softened into the same comforting expression the children had always known.
"So don’t worry."
"I’ll help everyone I can...and when everything settles down, I’ll come find you both."
Robin and Marian hesitated before slowly nodding.
The three of them hurried through the dense forest, following the narrow trail known only to the village hunters. Elder Rowan led the way with surprising speed despite his injury, constantly glancing over his shoulder to make sure the sisters were keeping up.
"We’re almost there," he said, forcing a reassuring smile.
"Once we cross the river, you’ll be safe."
Robin tightened her grip around Marian’s hand.
"Will Mom and Dad know where to find us?"
Elder Rowan hesitated before answering.
"Don’t worry, I’ll let them know."
For the first time since seeing the village burn, Robin felt the slightest sense of relief.
"We’re almost—"
Thwip.
The elder’s words stopped abruptly.
His wooden staff slipped from his hand before he crumpled to the forest floor.
"...Elder?"
Only then did Robin notice the black arrow protruding from the back of his neck.
Robin’s mind went blank.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the trees behind them.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
A group of armored soldiers emerged from the tree line. One of them slowly raised his blade, pointing it toward the two sisters.
Robin’s heart pounded so violently she thought it would burst from her chest.
"Run!"
She grabbed Marian’s hand and sprinted into the forest.
Branches whipped across their faces as they fled blindly through the undergrowth.
Marian struggled to keep pace, her shorter legs stumbling over roots hidden beneath the leaves.
"Robin..."
"I’m trying!"
The river wasn’t far. They just had to reach...
Marian caught her foot on an exposed root. She cried out as she tumbled onto the forest floor.
"Robin..." Marian reached out with her trembling hand.
Robin immediately turned back, kneeling over and grabbing Marian’s arm.
"Get up."
"I... I can’t..."
The little girl’s ankle had twisted beneath her.
Robin turned around and saw that the soldiers had already emerged from the trees.
"Come on!" She grabbed her arm again.
Marian cried as pain shot through her ankle.
Her breathing became erratic.
Please...
Move...
MOVE!!
Marian stretched out her hand.
Robin’s entire body froze.
She could hear nothing except her own heartbeat.
If she stayed... They would both die.
. . .
Robin took one step backward.
Marian’s eyes widened.
"I’m sorry..."
Her voice barely escaped her lips.
"I’m sorry..."
She turned around and ran.
"Robin?"
Tears streamed uncontrollably down Robin’s pale face as the Blue Shimmerleaf bounced against her chest with every step.
She never looked back.