The sun crept toward its peak, but Aelina still hadn't returned.
Inside the kitchen, Kirana kept glancing at the window, her worry slowly tightening its grip. At this hour, Aelina should have already burst through the door with dirt on her boots and some wild story from the forest. But the yard remained empty.
"Lyra," Kirana called, trying to steady her voice. "Have you seen Aelina this afternoon?"
Lyra shook her head while wiping the table. "No. She hasn't come back since morning."
A cold knot formed in Kirana's chest. She stepped outside and hurried toward Zephyr and Draven, who were working by the shed.
"Zephyr," she said, breath uneasy, "have you seen Aelina? It's almost midday, and she's still not home."
Zephyr stopped hammering, worry flashing across his face. "No. She mentioned going into the forest, but she should've returned by now."
Kirana didn't waste another second. She rushed through the village, stopping at every house and stall. "Have you seen Aelina? Did she pass through here?"
Every answer was the same. No one had seen her.
Her unease hardened into fear.
She ran home, grabbed the spear hanging on the wall, and headed toward the door. Zephyr intercepted her immediately.
"Kirana, what's wrong?"
"Aelina's missing," she said, voice trembling despite her effort to stay composed. "She's been gone too long. I'm going after her."
"Then I'm coming with you."
She shook her head firmly. "No. Stay here. If she comes back, she needs to see you first. I'll find her."
Zephyr clearly hated the decision, but he gave a reluctant nod. "Be careful."
Kirana entered the forest with her spear in hand and fear pounding in her chest. The Arbora Forest, once comforting, now felt like a labyrinth of shadows and glowing blue roots. Sunlight barely pierced the dense canopy, leaving patches of eerie bioluminescence drifting across the ground.
"Aelina!" she called, scanning every tree. "Aelina, answer me!"
Only her own echoes replied.
Deeper in, she found footprints by a small stream—small ones, still fresh, heading further into the woods.
Kirana broke into a run. "Aelina!"
A sudden metallic clash ripped through the quiet.
Kirana pushed through the underbrush and stumbled into a clearing. Her breath hitched.
Aelina stood atop the lifeless body of a mechanical tiger, dagger in hand, its metal carcass still sparking beneath her feet. She examined it with an eerie calm, like she was cataloging her kill rather than reacting to it.
"Aelina!" Kirana cried.
Aelina turned.
And Kirana felt her heart crack.
Her daughter's eyes were sharp and cold, filled with a rage that did not belong to her. It was like looking at a stranger wearing her child's face.
"Aelina, sweetheart, it's me," Kirana said softly as she approached. "Mama's here. Put the weapon down."
Aelina didn't speak. She reached for her bow, pulled an arrow, and aimed straight at Kirana's chest.
"Aelina, stop!" Kirana shouted.
The arrow flew.
Kirana barely dodged. It embedded into a tree with a violent thud.
"Aelina, please! It's me! You're not thinking clearly!"
Her daughter didn't hesitate. She rushed forward with inhuman speed, dagger flashing.
Kirana raised her spear just in time. Metal clashed against wood as the two exchanged blows. Aelina attacked with precision and ferocity far beyond her age, every strike intended to kill.
"What happened to you, Aelina?" Kirana cried, parrying another attack.
There was no answer. Only cold, empty eyes.
The fight raged across the clearing. Kirana defended desperately while pleading for her daughter to wake up. But Aelina pushed harder, her movements efficient and deadly.
Finally, Kirana saw an opening. With a swift sweep of her spear, she knocked the dagger from Aelina's grasp and lunged forward. She wrapped her arms around the thrashing girl, holding tight even as Aelina struggled violently.
"Aelina!" Kirana sobbed. "Wake up! It's Mama! You're safe, you're safe!"
Aelina's body suddenly went limp.
Kirana fell to her knees, cradling her unconscious daughter in her arms. Her tears fell onto Aelina's hair as fear tightened like a vice around her heart.
"What happened to you, my love…" she whispered.
The forest gave no answer.
Kirana struggled under Aelina's weight as she pushed through the village, breath ragged and heart pounding. When Zephyr, Lyra, and Draven spotted her from a distance, they immediately rushed over.
"What happened?" Zephyr called out, already moving to support her.
"Help me get her inside," Kirana said, her voice rough with exhaustion.
Zephyr opened the door and cleared the way. Kirana laid Aelina gently on the sofa, her hands shaking. Sweat clung to her skin, fear carved deep into her face.
Draven stepped forward in alarm. "Kirana, what is going on?"
"Zephyr, pillows and a blanket. Now," she said sharply, refusing to look away from her daughter.
Lyra hurried over from the kitchen. "Why is Aelina unconscious? What happened?"
"Later, Lyra. I need to check her first," Kirana replied, slipping a pillow beneath Aelina's head.
She cupped Aelina's cheek, her voice barely a whisper. "Please wake up, sweetheart. Please…"
But Aelina didn't move. Her breathing was steady but frighteningly shallow.
Lyra came back with warm water and cloths. "Let me clean her wounds."
Kirana shifted aside. "Thank you."
The cuts were minor, but Lyra's hands trembled as she tended to them. She had seen Aelina scraped or bruised before, but never like this—never limp, never expressionless.
Zephyr returned with the blanket, covering their daughter with gentle hands before looking at Kirana, his expression tight with worry. "Tell us."
Kirana drew a long, shaky breath. "She went into the forest this morning. I followed her trail and found her standing over a dead mechanical tiger. And then she attacked me."
The room froze.
Zephyr stared at her. "Aelina attacked you?"
"Her eyes weren't hers," Kirana whispered. "She aimed an arrow at me. Then she charged. Her movements were too precise, too controlled. It felt like… like she was being directed."
Draven's jaw clenched. "Could she have panicked? Maybe she didn't recognize you?"
Kirana shook her head. "No. She wasn't acting out of fear. She was calculating. Every strike was intentional."
Lyra looked up, worry etched in her eyes. "If this is tied to her origins, then we may be dealing with more than we understand."
Zephyr leaned back against the wall, exhaling slowly. "The Edena left behind technology we barely grasp. Terraforming engines, biomechanical constructs… things no one outside their ranks could ever fully comprehend. If Aelina is connected to any of that, this might only be the start."
Silence settled over the room, heavy and suffocating. The faint crackle of the fireplace was the only sound.
Kirana held Aelina's hand as if afraid to let go. "I'm scared, Zephyr. I don't know what's happening to her. And I don't know if we can undo it."
Zephyr moved to kneel beside her. "We'll find out what caused this. No matter how deep it goes, we'll protect her."
Draven crossed his arms, eyes thoughtful. "If she's linked to Edenan tech, then we need to prepare for anything. Her condition might escalate."
Lyra glanced between them. "Something must have triggered the shift. But we need more clues."
Kirana looked at her sharply. "You were once part of the Edena. You understand their systems. Can you help us?"
Lyra hesitated, then nodded. "I'll try. But we need to start digging. Fast."
Zephyr rested a hand on Aelina's shoulder, steady and warm. "Whatever this is, she's still our daughter. And we'll face it together."
Kirana squeezed his hand, her tears finally spilling. "I won't lose her. Not like this."
*****
The morning sun crept over the village of Ravara, but its warmth couldn't quite reach the cold tension inside Kirana's home. The place that usually felt lively now carried a heavy stillness. Kirana stood in the kitchen, preparing a simple breakfast, though her mind was clearly far away. Her usually steady expression was tight, and her eyes were faintly swollen from a sleepless night.
In the main room, Lyra sat beside the sofa where Aelina lay wrapped in a blanket. The girl's small figure looked fragile despite her breathing having returned to normal.
Lyra carefully cleaned the tiny wounds on Aelina's hands and face. Each scratch felt like a whisper from yesterday's nightmare.
Zephyr and Draven sat at the dining table in silence. No one spoke. It felt as if they were all waiting for something they couldn't name.
As Lyra wiped Aelina's fingers, something caught her eye.
"…What is this?" she muttered, frowning.
She leaned closer, then gently slid a ring off Aelina's finger.
A small silver device rested in her palm, faint blue lines glowing along its surface. Recognition flashed across Lyra's face.
"This…" Her voice trembled slightly.
Zephyr stood instantly. "What is it?"
Lyra brought the device to Kirana, who had already turned to watch her. "Kirana, look at this. I've seen it before."
Kirana examined it closely. "You know where it came from?"
Lyra nodded, tension tightening her jaw. "It's a communication device. We used these in Edena for long-distance contact. But this… isn't the standard model. It's an advanced variant. Built for something very specific."
Zephyr crossed his arms. "Specific how?"
Lyra took a steadying breath. "There were rumors about a neural-linked communication project. If this device is one of those… it doesn't just transmit data. It can influence thoughts and actions."
Silence crashed over the room.
Kirana's voice was low, steady. "You're telling me something could control her mind? Is this why Aelina changed?"
"Possibly," Lyra replied. "I need time to analyze it, but one thing is clear. This device isn't from Earth. I have no idea how it ended up here or how Aelina found it."
Kirana closed her fingers around the device, her expression tightening. "Then we find out. Lyra, study it. Figure out what it does and how to stop it."
Lyra nodded firmly. "I will."
A soft sound came from the sofa. Aelina stirred, her eyes fluttering open.
"Mom…" she whispered.
Kirana rushed to her side, grabbing her hand. "Aelina! Thank the stars…" Tears streamed down her face as she pulled the girl into a trembling embrace.
Aelina blinked, confused. "What happened? Why am I here?"
"You don't remember?" Kirana asked softly. "What's the last thing before you collapsed?"
Aelina shut her eyes, thinking through the pain in her head. "I… was in the forest. I saw a tiger. Its body was metal. I tried to fight it, but… I remember a white light. Really bright. My head hurt and then… nothing."
"You're safe now," Kirana whispered. "We're all here."
Lyra listened carefully. The device felt heavier in her hand.
"White light… headaches… shifts in behavior," she murmured. "It fits."
Zephyr narrowed his eyes. "Fits what, exactly?"
Lyra lifted the device. "This isn't just a comm tool. It's designed to interface with subjects who have Edena-linked traits. If Aelina felt those symptoms, the device was active."
Kirana stared at her. "Active? By who? And how?"
"I don't know," Lyra admitted. "But something is connected to this. Maybe an Edena system still online. Maybe part of the classified project."
Zephyr clenched his fists. "You're saying the Edena might be watching her. Or worse… manipulating her."
"Not maybe," Lyra said quietly. "I think they already did."
Kirana looked down at her daughter's weakened body, her worry sharpening into a fierce resolve.
"I don't care how far they reach," she said. "I will protect Aelina. No matter what."
Lyra met her gaze with respect. "Then I'll help you. We'll break whatever connection this device has."
Zephyr straightened. "Agreed. But first, we make sure Aelina stays safe. No one touches her again."
Draven finally spoke, voice low but steady. "If this is tied to a classified Edena project, we're walking into something huge. But we'll face it together."
Kirana squeezed Aelina's hand and watched her daughter sleep, breath soft but steady. Hope flickered in her chest… though she knew this was only the beginning of a long and dangerous path.