"Thank you..."
The old woman's voice was low, yet carried weight.
Limbo stood quietly as her gaze settled on him.
"...You save her...and even brought her back."
There was no exaggeration in her tone, only calm acknowledgement.
Few breath passed and she called.
"..Linga.."
She stop midword.
"Granny!" Mora quickly interrupted, slightly flustered. "He's name... Limbo. I told you didn't I?"
The old woman blinked as if returning from a distant thought.
"Ah...yes. Limbo."
A faint smile appeared.
"My mistake."
But Limbo didn't miss it.
Linga...?
He said nothing but the World lodged itself in his mind. The voice and images of dream kept colliding with granny's words.
"Let's stop talking for now!" Mora said, trying to lighten the mood. "Dinner is Ready!"
She grabbed Limbo's sleeve lightly and pulled him inside.
The old woman followed, murmuring —
"By the way ...I am Sur..Adri.."
A brief pause.
"...Adri."
Again, a slight inconsistency.
Limbo noticed, he always did.
Soon they head inside, warmth replaced the outside calm. The table was already filled, multiple dishes—far more than expected.
Limbo sat down slowly, for now watching, observing.
Even now, the strange unease from his dream lingered, but he didn't show it.
He picked up the spoon and took a bite of warm food serve on table, soft, rich.
Balanced, I was delicious.
And then the kheer—
Sweet, warm almost nostalgic. It melted instantly.
"What's this...it's too good," he said.
Mora leaned forward immediately.
"Really, how is it?"
Limbo didn't elaborate, but his expression said enough.
Adri caught it.
"Have more," she said gently. "Don't hold back."
He nodded once.
But his guard remained.
After dinner, they stepped outside.
The night was peaceful, unnaturally so.
Mora sat beside him, curiosity overwhelming.
"Where are you from?" Granny asked.
"Naval."
They exchange many questions with each other, everyone had their own words.
Limbo answered selectively.
Avoided what mattered, observed what didn't.
Until, He asked.
"How can you leave a child at home?"
"How is this place under affected by corruption?"
Everything stopped.
Even Mora fell silent.
Adri..inhaled slowly.
"...that is not easy to explain."
Limbo waited,
"...try maybe i can!"
After a pause.
"You may call it... The blessing."
"Blessing?" Limbo's eyes narrowed, "from whom?"
Adri looked towards the trees.
"This land...was once his."
"...he lived here...trained here."
"His presence...his practice...left behind something."
"The mana here remains pure and uneffected because of him."
Since then this place became a home of many creature where they lived with peace.
Until...
Limbo listened.
Carefully.
"But one day..."
Her toned changed, a sadness.
"The forest turned against itself."
"The corruption came, out of nowhere."
"Slowly it began to spread, everything suffered."
"Animals, plants, humans." No one was spread.
Mora lowered her gaze.
Adri continued.
"He was not gentle."
"Proud, difficult, believe in himself."
"But when it mattered."
"He cared."
Her voice trembled faintly.
"And when the corruption came..."
"He fought."
But...
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"He was ambushed."
"... captured."
Silence.
"Since then... nothing."
"No sign. No return."
"The forest continued to fall even now."
"But i stayed."
Her eyes softened.
"I waited."
"...For him."
Limbo spoke quietly.
"Who?"
Adri looked at him.
"My...Ruddi."
The name carried the weight.
"Why didn't he come back?" Limbo asked.
"He was chosen," adri replied.
"To guard this land under the guardian's command, so he was targeted and captured, we lost contact and haven't heard anything."
"In some ways... I was his master."
She glanced at Mora.
"And this child..."
"...is connected to him."
Limbo's gaze sharpened.
"And the corruption?"
"It seeks her..."
"Why?" Limbo asked.
Adri shook her head.
"Unknown."
A pause.
"I went to search for him," she added. "But something blocked me this time."
"So I couldn't return in time."
And everything later, you know what happened.
Limbo processed evrything.
Then—
"You're not curious about me? He asked. Adri smile faintly.
"I am."
"But you carried a familiar will."
Limbo frowned.
"...whoose...?"
"That brat, didn't mention to you.
The one who assigned Ruddi here."
"The same Guardian, who sent you here."
Limbo's expression shifted slightly.
"How's he?" Adri asked.
"He's holding on by himself, " limbo said. "Barely keeping the corruption in check."
Adri scoffed softly.
The. Suddenly.
Her voice sharpened.
"Hey."
She looked into the darkness.
"How long do you plan to hide?"
Silence.
Nothing... happened.
Her irritation surfaced.
"...Not coming out?"
The air distorted.
Like smoke gathering.
And then—
A figure emerged.
Floating.
Shifting.
Eyes glowing.
Limbo's gaze hardened.
"...You."
The same presence.
The guardian spirit.
Adri folded her arms.
"Took you long enough."
The guardian said nothing.
But the atmosphere changed.
Heavy.
Charged.
Limbo looked between them.
The realisation settled.
They know each other.
Not by chance.
Not recently.
This conversation, this connection seems old.
Deep.
And dangerous.
And that word—
Linga.
Still echoed faintly in his mind.
Something felt off...
...something hidden.
Something waiting...