A cold breeze passed over Elisa's skin, a slight shiver following.
Her low voice sounded. "It's getting colder… We're close to November, aren't we?" She wrapped her arms around herself, searching for warmth.
An awakened could withstand more cold than a normal human, but they could still feel the elements of nature just the same.
A clack clack sound echoed, drawing everyone's attention.
When they turned, they saw Mateo's teeth chattering, probably from the cold.
"What? You've never felt cold before? I'm freezing!" he replied to their looks with irony, a smile on his face, earning a few laughs from his companions.
He coughed, clearing his throat. "But honestly, I missed the cold, it reminds me of my childhood…" a nostalgic tone in Mateo's voice.
Luka looked at him with amusement, holding the box firmly.
"Is there some special story behind that?"
The three of them grew excited, only Ingrid remained with a bored expression.
"Oh… Let's see… You're right!" Mateo tried to raise his hands to celebrate, but the box in his hand stopped him.
"I have an aunt who lives somewhere that snows a lot, and I also visited a desert when I was younger. So I guess you can figure out why I like snow so much…"
His words fell over the Rabbit's Foot, childhood memories unearthed by his story.
"Ah… Just talking about childhood already makes me nostalgic!" Elisa gave a little hop, luckily her box was with Luka, who carried it along with his own.
"My grandma's cookies were the best! I miss them…"
Her expression shifted from playful to melancholic for a few moments, before the mask returned.
"Well, in the end… What matters is health, right? Especially the eyes! Hehe…" Mateo's joke didn't land, leaving an uncomfortable mood.
The environment fell silent, the lost grew quiet.
The corridors seemed to grow more oppressive each day. The lamps went out, since no one came to light them.
It had only been two weeks since Mordret had freed himself, and that had been enough to plunge the temple into complete darkness.
The small comforting moments, where the lost could talk about things other than survival, had become rarer. Also more valued, each memory carefully cherished.
'I wish this would end soon…'
Ingrid was a twenty-five-year-old young woman, the youngest in the group. However, she was the most serious and reserved.
On the outside, she was a cold woman who only cared about work.
'Luka seems different today…'
But on the inside, she cared deeply about her relationships, especially her friends.
And because of that, she noticed differences in them easily.
Maybe it was paranoia on her part, or just time and constant stress disturbing her judgment. But Luka seemed strange…
His manner was different than usual, the way he acted, as if he were anxious.
His eyes moved unnaturally, always searching for something.
Searching for every way he could escape… Or others might try.
It hurt her, how could she have such thoughts about such a close friend? Even so, she couldn't stop. After all, anyone could be that thing.
Her intuition had never failed her, and along with the Rabbit's Foot group, all possible luck had accumulated around those people.
The luck that followed them would never abandon them.
Right?
———
Arriving at the gates, it didn't take more than a few minutes for a giant bonfire to be set up.
There, all kinds of broken mirror fragments, brought from the bell tower, were to be burned.
Pile after pile was dumped from the boxes, the hot air clashing against the cold front.
Ingrid calmly watched all the work, keeping an eye on Luka.
The black-haired young man approached Elisa, a smile stamped across his face.
A cold sensation crossed her chest, a bad premonition.
The lamps lit Luka's back, the light reflecting off a small, reflective object behind him.
The light drew her in, increasing her suspicions.
Before she could shout or warn anyone, Luka did something unthinkable.
He… knelt?
Luka was on his knees in front of Elisa, his face glowing with joy.
Elisa froze, not understanding his actions. Until Luka pulled a small half-opened box from behind his back.
The light reflected even more.
"Elisa… I've always been thinking about this… About our relationship…"
He took a deep breath, his chest flexing.
"And during these dark days, I realized I don't want to wait anymore…"
He lifted his head, staring directly into Elisa's eyes, a fire greater than the bonfire burning in his gaze.
"Elisa! Would you marry me?"
His voice almost came out hoarse, but he quickly adjusted it, speaking with confidence.
"Because I want to live with you for the rest of my life!"
Indescribable emotions passed through Elisa's expression.
There was happiness.
Nervousness.
Anxiety.
But a deep, burning love.
She placed her hands over her face, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Of course I accept!"
She jumped onto Luka. He stood up and caught her, hugging her tightly.
"I'm glad you feel the same…"
She blushed, her face red like roses.
"Promise you'll never leave me?"
A warm smile appeared on Luka's face.
"Not even if the world collapses," he said confidently.
A warm kiss formed, their lips touching with deep desire.
Ingrid watched the scene without expression, only feeling disappointment for having doubted her companion.
'I think I should reconsider my intuition…?'
Mateo beside her stood speechless, just watching the reflections formed by the couple in the burning mirror remains.
For some reason, an uncontrollable chill took over Ingrid's body. She began to hyperventilate without realizing when it started.
A sound scraped beside her, Mateo's voice near her ear:
"Human relationships aren't that interesting?" the mocking tone sent a shiver down her spine.
Ingrid tried to turn, but she couldn't avoid the attack.
A sword pierced through her chest.
"It would've been better if you'd chosen a four-leaf clover as your symbol…"
The sound of flesh being cut felt horribly wrong in the previously calm environment.
The strike wasn't fatal, but it wounded her severely.
The blade slid through her body, severing nerves and tendons, taking her movement completely.
'Huh?'
Not understanding what had just happened, Ingrid tried to move her fingers, only to realize she couldn't move a single muscle.
Her vision saw the couple still entwined in a heated kiss, noticing nothing.
The ground vibrated, Ingrid's body falling. Her eyes locked in a state of shock.
'No!' she wanted to scream, but no voice came out.
The effect was too strong.
Nothing could be done.
Mateo, or rather, Mordret advanced toward the couple, his steps leaving grooves and cracks in the ground.
In moments, he was already beside the embracing pair. His face impassive, no disturbance.
Almost as if it were routine.
The blade spun, tearing through skin and flesh, screams bursting from their throats.
"Argh!"
"Ahhh!"
The crimson liquid painted the ground, like a morbid and deeply insane work of art.
In less than seconds, the three were on the ground, completely motionless, only low and painful breathing breaking the silence.
"Desires are dangerous…" Mordret hissed calmly.
"Is this what they call love?"
Tap Tap Tap
The echo of footsteps brought calamity upon the lucky ones. Finally, their luck had run out.
The laughter came out strange, but brief. Seeing the face of a close friend smiling while watching her suffering hurt her.
Ingrid should have realized sooner.
The winter air became even harsher.