Chapter three

The house was drowned in silence…

The night was still, and the rain tapped softly against the windows.

Emily, who had just finished crying over her brother’s photo, stood wiping her tears… but suddenly—

Tok… tok…

A faint sound came from the kitchen.

She lifted her head nervously and walked forward slowly. Her steps trembled, and her heart pounded violently inside her chest.

She pushed the kitchen door lightly… and froze.

There was a letter suspended in the air, glowing with a bright golden light, as if a piece of the sun had fallen to the ground.

Emily approached with fear; the light reflected on her pale face. She extended her hand slowly… and the moment she touched the letter, it opened by itself.

Golden words appeared before her:

“Your brother is not dead.

If you want to see him… you must fulfill three demands.”

Emily felt the ground shake beneath her feet.

After a moment of silence, she read the content of the letter.

The first demand: Bring a picture of him.

That was easy… something she had wished for years.

But then… the next words appeared, and her whole body trembled:

The second demand: Bring the Curse of Grave’s Blackness from the village sage.

Her heartbeat quickened until she felt it might burst from her chest.

Then the final line appeared… the line that stole her breath and widened her eyes:

The third demand: Bring the corpses of three children.

Emily stepped back, her hand over her mouth, the air vanishing from her lungs.

She whispered, shaking:

“N– no… this is impossible… this is madness…”

The letter fell to the ground, but its light did not fade.

She lifted her hands to her head, her voice breaking:

“This isn’t me… this isn’t me… No, Emily… don’t do this…”

But amidst her overwhelming fear… amidst her collapse…

Another voice inside her—shattered by longing—whispered:

“I’m sorry, Emily… but… I want my brother… I want to see him, even once…”

She dashed out of the house…

The sky was crying with her.

The rain poured down heavily, mixing with her tears as she ran through the dark street.

She screamed, her voice lost and desperate:

“Who am I?! I’m not like this… please… someone help me…!”

She ran… her legs barely carrying her… until—

She collided with something. Someone. Hard.

She fell back, and the person quickly reached out to catch her before she hit the ground.

She looked up at him, her chest rising and falling from fear…

And that person… was the one who would change the path she was about to walk.

The person who would pull her from the darkness… before she lost herself.

The rain still slid down Emily’s hair when she crashed into him. She raised her head in fear… to see a young man with calm features and worried eyes leaning toward her.

Luca: “Are you okay? Why are you running like this? Is something dangerous happening?”

Emily hesitated, her voice trembling:

“N– no… nothing…”

Lia looked at her with eyes full of kindness and concern, then said:

“You’re freezing… come with us. Our house is warm.”

Emily shook her head quickly:

“No… no thank you… I don’t want to bother you.”

But Lia stepped forward and held her hand firmly:

Lia (firmly): “No. You’re coming. We’re not leaving you like this.”

Emily had no strength left to resist… so she followed them quietly.

They entered the house, warmth filling the place in contrast to the violent rain outside.

Luca: “I’ll turn on the heater… you’re shaking.”

Lia smiled gently:

“And I’ll prepare warm soup for you… it’s my mother’s recipe. It’ll warm you right away.”

Luca froze slightly at the mention of their mother…

His fire-lit eyes fixed on the flame in the heater, as if he was seeing something else inside it.

Lia: “Luca? What’s wrong?”

Luca (forced tone): “Nothing… I’ll step outside for a minute.”

Lia: “But it’s cold!”

Luca gave a small sly smile:

“I have a solution. Come.”

She approached him, and he opened his arms. She hugged him.

Luca: “There. Now you’re warm… simple.”

Lia: “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”

Luca: “Honestly… yes.”

Then he stepped out.

Lia prepared the soup and served it to Emily.

They sat in warm silence… but Emily’s expression showed she wasn’t okay.

Lia looked at her with deep compassion:

“Emily… what’s wrong? I feel like something’s weighing on you.”

Emily shook her head:

“No… nothing.”

Lia: “Talk to me… maybe you’ll feel better.”

Emily (voice cracking):

“Nothing… really…”

But the tears gathering at the edges of her eyes betrayed her.

While serving her the spoon, Lia noticed a small cut on Emily’s hand.

Lia (worried):

“No, this cut needs to be cleaned immediately. Wait, I’ll get cotton and disinfectant.”

She hurried off and returned. She sat beside her and gently held Emily’s hand…

Suddenly—

Lia froze.

She stared at her hand as if an electric shock had passed through her mind.

Her eyes widened… her face turned pale.

She had seen everything Emily went through.

The golden letter… the terrifying demands… the running in the rain… the fear… the breakdown.

She quickly let go of her hand, as if frightened by what she discovered.

Emily (worried):

“Is… is something wrong?”

Lia tried to hide her panic:

“No… nothing… I just remembered something… I need to get something from inside. One minute.”

She rushed into the room, her heart pounding like war drums.

She pressed her hand to her chest, breath trembling:

“How… how did I see that? I only touched her for a second…!”

Then suddenly… she remembered.

The wish.

The wish she once made: “I wish I could have something that would help me in the future… benefit me… something useful later.”

Now she understood.

This was her ability.

And this moment… was the first time it awakened.

She smiled faintly despite her fear, then stepped back out.

Lia (soft, warmer tone):

“I’m back… let’s talk about anything. Anything you want… just don’t be alone with this.”

Emily lifted her head slowly… her eyes filled with something she hadn’t felt in a long time:

Safety.

Elsewhere, Luca stood under the roof outside the house, watching the raindrops slowly fall. With the cold air around him… his mind drifted into memories.

He returned to a bright day when the village was filled with laughter.

Children ran everywhere, joy filling the alleys.

Luca was a child then… life was simpler, gentler.

That day, a boy pushed Lia roughly during a fight.

Luca couldn’t tolerate it—he rushed in with the fierceness of a child protecting what he loved most, and took back her right.

Lia’s tears turned into laughter instantly.

Later, they returned home to play.

Luca:

“Lia, let’s play hide and seek! It’s fun. Want me to count?”

Lia: “Okay! And I’ll hide… you’ll never find me!”

Luca (smiling): “Alright… hide…

One… two… three…”

“…Ten! Here I come!”

Lia hid behind a tree—terribly obvious—but Luca exaggerated pretending not to see her.

“Where could Lia be? Did she disappear?!”

Lia burst into laughter.

Luca crept behind her: “There you are! Your turn!”

Then suddenly, it began to rain.

Lia: “Come on, Luca! Rain dance!”

They spun and danced happily in the rain, their laughter rising to the sky.

Their mother stepped out:

“Come inside! It’s cold and you’ll get sick!”

Luca: “Okay! But… want to race me home?”

Mother (smiling): “Why not? Let’s go!”

They ran. Luca was about to win… until Lia stumbled and fell.

Lia (softly): “Ah… Luca… I hurt my leg.”

He rushed to her, worried:

“Where? Where does it hurt?”

She pointed to her foot:

“Right here!”

Then she quickly kissed it and said mischievously:

“See? It’s healed!”

And ran ahead of him.

Lia: “Didn’t I tell you? I’ll beat you!”

Luca laughed, chasing after her as their mother called out:

“You’re both soaked! Change your clothes, I made the magic soup!”

Together: “Ugh… soup… no!”

Mother: “Not soup… magic soup!

It will turn Luca into the Black Cat…

and turn Lia into the Ladybug!”

They laughed and created a superhero story that lasted until night.

Back to the present… Luca sighed deeply:

“What memories…”

He entered the house, the weight in his heart a bit lighter.

Luca (playfully):

“My princess… where’s the soup?”

Lia:

“My prince… two minutes and it’ll be ready.”

Emily chuckled softly, liking the warmth of the siblings.

Then stood: “I think I should go now… it’s really late.”

Luca:

“Wait, I’ll walk you home.”

Emily:

“No, no… don’t trouble yourself. It’s close.”

Lia stepped forward with a small pink umbrella:

“Take this… as a gift from us. It’s pouring outside.”

Emily froze for a moment, accepting it:

“You’re… really kind, Lia. Thank you, both of you.”

She left… carrying warmth she hadn’t felt in years.

A gentle silence settled after her departure.

Luca approached Lia, eyes teasing:

Luca:

“Now… where’s the magic soup?”

Lia:

“Oh no, my Black Cat… not before you admit that Ladybug was always faster.”

They laughed… and the warmth of childhood returned to the house.

The next cold morning, Lia and Luca were eating breakfast under soft sunlight.

Lia looked distracted, and Luca noticed.

When she told him about what she saw in Emily’s memories, his eyes widened with shock and worry.

Luca:

“She didn’t give you her address?”

She shook her head.

He stood suddenly, voice tight with fear:

“We need to find her… before she does something that hurts her.”

He rushed to the shoe shop where Emily worked.

The shopkeeper answered coldly:

“I fired her. She was rude and violent with customers.”

Anger flashed in Luca’s eyes, but he didn’t argue.

Luca:

“Do you know her home address?”

The man gave it to him, and he went.

He didn’t find her there.

He asked her grandfather, who said with forced reassurance:

“Don’t worry about her… she’s strong. She knows how to protect herself.”

But Luca’s heart didn’t rest.

He remembered her wish… and what she might do.

As he turned to leave, Kyle—the small child—ran to him with a folded paper:

Kyle:

“Please… when you find Aunt Emily, give her this.”

Luca smiled, ruffled his hair gently:

“I promise.”

He searched everywhere: streets, alleys, stations…

Until noon.

Until exhaustion.

Just when he thought of going back…

He found her.

Sitting on a rock, face buried in her hands, her broken voice echoing in the air:

“I couldn’t… I’m sorry, brother… I couldn’t bring you back…”

Luca froze, then spoke softly from behind:

“Your brother wouldn’t have agreed…

He would never want this.”

She looked up quickly, shocked:

“Luca? Since… when?”

He approached and sat beside her.

He looked into her eyes and said:

“Since your regret began.”

The world was silent around them, cold air sliding past them like heavy breath.

“This isn’t you, Emily.”

He lifted her trembling hand gently.

“This is the voice of pain… not your true voice.

Your wish has a cost… and bringing your brother back would lead to consequences you couldn’t bear.”

She cried softly:

“I know… but I wished… I wished for something like what you and Lia have…

I wanted to love him the way you love her.”

He shook his head gently:

“You would’ve been happy for a moment…

but guilt would haunt you forever.

And your brother… he wouldn’t be happy.

He would wish you never did it.”

She cried harder.

He hesitated, then placed his hand on her shoulder.

After she calmed a little, he handed her the letter from Kyle.

She opened it. The child’s writing read:

“Please Aunt Emily… don’t leave me.

I love you…

You’re my second mom.”

She pressed the letter to her chest:

“Oh… Koki…”

And held it like it was the last thing tying her to the world.

She stood, tired, and whispered:

“Let’s go home.”

And when she stood, Luca suddenly grabbed her hand.

“Wait.”

They both fell silent.

“Open your hand.”

He placed his hand gently over hers.

“Don’t open it yet… repeat after me.”

She smiled nervously:

“I don’t understand…”

“You will.

You’re now… part of the Himalayan Guardians.

This spell will grant you the gift of reading thoughts…

You’ll need it.”

She looked at him—fear and comfort mixed in her gaze—her eyes shining with something new.

Something like a beginning.

“I’m… ready.”

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***