The wispy form of the wraith demon crouched out of the darkness. Its red empty eyes were death itself as they penetrated Narvari’s soul. The demon sluggishly pulled its hunched-back body towards Narvari. She sat motionless in the ruins of her room, her hands covering her ears as the demon shrieked.

There was her grandmother, pale and dead, lying by her side.

“Anana.” She sobbed.

“Narvari,” a voice called out to her. Jimbaga crawled towards her from the darkness.

“Jimbaga.” Narvari struggled to get to him but her body remained rooted to the ground, unwilling to move. “Jimbaga.”

The demon shrieked again. Its fluid form melded with the darkness and soared like the wind toward her best friend. The demon climbed atop Jimbaga’s body, pinning him to the ground.

“No. No, stop.” Narvari fought to pull herself free from her position. “Get away from him.”

A hand grasped Narvari’s arm. She shouted, flailing her arms wildly. “Get away. Get away from me. Get away.”

The hand released her immediately. A soothing voice caressed Narvari’s ears. “It’s alright. You are safe now.” The familiar voice was a salve to Narvari’s anguished soul.

She stopped thrashing around as the calmness settled over her body. The cage of darkness around her shattered into a million pieces. Her grandmother and best friend disappeared as light flooded her space.

Narvari’s eyes peeled open. They gazed directly into two dazzling orbs of sapphire. She froze, her body unwilling to move by the sheer proximity of the white-haired girl sitting so close to her. Suddenly Narvari lunged out of bed as though she had suddenly remembered how to use her limbs.

“Whoa, calm down.” The girl chuckled, pulling Narvari back into the bed. Her grip was surprisingly strong for such a gentle touch. “You are still recovering from all those wounds. It’s a miracle you’re even awake.”

Recovering? Narvari raised a brow.

Flashes of memories slowly surged into her mind. Now it all made sense why this girl looked familiar.

Pheera. That was what the others had called her.

Narvari’s gaze fell on the girl’s hand. “Don’t touch me,” she hissed, pulling her hands away. “Ever.”

Pheera put a respectable distance between them, her smile dimming.

Narvari bit her lips, as guilt pricked her skin. She awkwardly rubbed her neck. “Look, no offense to you or anything, but the last time you touched me, you made me fall-”

“In love, huh?” another voice chimed in.

Narvari paled as she turned around. There, in the next bed to her right, was another familiar face. It was the smallish young man with jet-black hair whose name she did not remember. He smirked.

Narvari frowned when the boy wiggled his thick eyebrows.

She glared at him. “She made me fall asleep, genius.” Okay, why did she even clarify that? She didn’t have to explain herself to anyone.

“Oh.” The smirk disappeared from his face. He looked at Pheera with concern. “Are you okay?”

Pheera smiled and nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Right,” said Narvari, taking a quick look at her surroundings. “Who are you and where am I?”

They were in a massive room with several rows of beds with clean white sheets. Was this a hospital? She must be the only patient here then.

“Oh, forgive our manners. My name is Pheera.” She offered a hand to Narvari, but Narvari watched her with suspicion. She didn’t even make any attempt to take Pheera’s hand. As if Pheera understood what this meant, she withdrew her hand and pointed it at the boy. “That’s Yanvirrak.”

“Yanvirrak Hanes.” Yanvirrak gave a short wave.

Although he was smaller in stature, there was something about his thick black mustache that told Narvari that the boy was probably a couple of years older than she was.

“What about you?” asked Yanvirrak.

“What?”

“Your name, genius.” He smirked. “The wraith lord called you Little Shar. Is that your name?”

“It’s Narvari Shar,” she said quickly. “And no, I don’t know how the demon knew my name so don’t ask me.”

“You’re feisty.”

“And you’re annoying.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Did you know I could snap a man’s head with my bare hands?”

“Wow.” Yanvirrak gaped. “You’re also violent.”

Now it was Narvari’s turn to smirk. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

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“You’re in Draghein School.”

Narvari paused, narrowing her eyes. “What?”

Yanvirrak shrugged and laid back in the bed. It seemed he was done talking about this.

Before Narvari could speak some choice words at the boy’s complete indifference, Pheera called Narvari’s name.

For some reason, her name sounded like a melody on Pheera’s lips.

“You asked where you were,” said Pheera when Narvari was too stunned to say another word. “You’re in the infirmary in Draghein School. And as to who we are, we work here in the school.”

Narvari pondered. “Draghein School? I’ve never heard of it. Is it in Dorben?”

“Dorben?” Yanvirrak chuckled. “Yeah, no.”

Oh, so now he speaks. “There was someone else with you,” Narvari said instead.

“Oh yes,” said Pheera. “That’s our team captain. Azmel Ray.”

Narvari massaged her temples. What was it with these names? Hmm, who was she to complain anyway? Though she was Kirriba, her first name was not Kirriba. As if that was not enough, she had a last name. So no, she had no right to judge someone’s name.

She should be more concerned about how these people had come to Sharmandi in the first place. How had they killed those creatures… no, demons?

That was what they called them. Where had those demons even come from? Demons couldn’t possibly exist, could they? But she had seen them with her own eyes. There was something far bigger going on and Narvari wanted to know everything.

“I know you have a lot of questions.” Pheera’s hand froze a few inches away from Narvari’s hand. She kept her hand to herself, avoiding Narvari’s gaze. “But I think it will be best if you rest. You need to recover.”

“Why do you keep telling me to rest? I feel great I just want to get out of this bed already.”

“But the doctor said you’d need at least a month of bed rest to fully recover.” The concern in Pheera’s voice almost broke through Narvari’s defenses. Narvari, however, hardened her resolve. She would not be fooled by this girl’s fake kindness.

“The doctor said you broke at least fifteen bones,” Pheera continued, “and you’ve only been in bed for a week. You need more rest.”

“Wait a minute.” Narvari gaped. “I’ve been sleeping for a whole week?”

“Yes,” said Yanvirrak. “And you also broke at least fifteen bones.”

Silence.

Narvari sighed. “I have to go. I have things to do.”

Pheera said, “Narvari-”

“Look, I’m fine.” She watched both Pheera and Yanvirrak suspiciously. “How did I even get here?”

“Do you not remember what happened?”

Narvari clenched her fists. Fury coupled with a profound sense of loss and pain overwhelmed her. How could she forget the nightmare of that night? How could she forget the horror of that night?

“I’m sorry,” Pheera whispered.

Narvari was forced to look at those enchanting blue eyes. She shook herself out of her stupor.

“I should get back home.” She jumped out of the bed and headed towards the door.

Before Narvari could blink, Pheera was already in front of the door blocking her path. Narvari halted, gaping at the girl. Had she imagined it? No. Pheera had somehow appeared right in front of the door.

Pheera said, “You can’t leave now.”

“Says who? You? Do you think you can stop me?”

Narvari sauntered towards Pheera flashing her most intimidating glare. But Pheera merely smiled as if she found Narvari’s murderous glare adorable.

Narvari faced Pheera, towering a few inches above her. “What? You think you can make me do whatever you want by using that hoodoo voodoo nonsense that put me to sleep?”

“I-” Pheera fumbled. The obstinacy in her eyes wavered and for a moment Narvari thought the girl would simply get out of her way. But she didn’t move.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” she said instead. “It was the only way.”

“I specifically told you to leave me alone.”

“It wasn’t safe.”

“That was my decision to make. Not yours.” Narvari’s tone hardened. “What you did was a violation.”

Pheera bit her lips, avoiding Narvari’s gaze. She whispered. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I promise.”

“No, it won’t. Because I’m leaving.”

Pheera did not budge.

“Please get out of my way.”

“I’m sorry, Narvari. But you can’t leave yet.”

Narvari tightened her fists. Deep breaths, Narvari. Deep breaths. She needed to put her emotions aside and be logical. She could be logical. Being logical was her thing. Pheera said she couldn’t leave yet. That meant she could leave later. Just not yet.

“Why can’t I leave?”

“You literally can’t leave even if I let you go,” said Pheera. “Trixan is the only one who has the authority to give you a passage out of the school. Plus she has all the answers you need.”

“Who? Trixan?” Narvari furrowed her brows.

“Yes. She’s the Elder of Draghein School.”

The Elder? Oh hell no.

Had she got herself mixed up in some kind of cult? All the more reason for her to get out of here quickly. Who were these people? And why did they know so much about killing demons? Did Draghein School train demon hunters?

Goodness! A week ago she didn’t believe in demons. And now here she was using terms like demons and demon hunters as if she was talking about the latest news in politics. The world must have gone mad. Or maybe she had gone mad.

“Narvari.”

As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Narvari enjoyed hearing the sound of the girl’s voice especially when she called her name. Her voice was so soothing. And just look at that face, and warm kind eyes. They were just so…

Snap out of it.

Narvari jolted her mind back to reality only to see those lovely sapphire eyes staring at her with wonder and concern. Wait, was it possible this girl was manipulating her emotions simply by looking at her? Suddenly Narvari’s shoes were the most interesting thing in the world.

No longer trusting herself to be close to Pheera, Narvari sat on the bed. She tried to distract herself by continuing with the conversation. “What if I refuse to see the Elder? What will happen then?”

Pheera must have sensed Narvari’s need to stay away from her because she kept her distance. “I know you want to go home,” she said. “But I can also see in your eyes that you want answers to…” she paused as if looking for the right word, “…all the horrors you experienced.”

Narvari knew Pheera was right. She did want to know everything. Although she remembered most of what happened that night, she still could not remember how she ended up here.

Did she faint? But why would she faint with several broken bones? Did one of those demons attack her? Narvari studied her body carefully. What broken bones were they talking about though? She felt great.

“I would love to explain things to you, Narvari. But that is not my place. Besides, I’m still a novice too so there is a lot even I don’t know about. Yanvirrak is more experienced.”

Narvari glanced at the young man and he grinned at her. He has been here the whole time? She had completely forgotten Yanvirrak existed.

“Yanvirrak can tell me then and I will be on my way,” Narvari said.

“Nope,” said Yanvirrak. “Aren’t you listening, Shar?”

“It’s Narvari Shar.”

“The Elder has been waiting for you to wake up ever since she returned,” Yanvirrak said. “You sure do sleep a lot. I even told them to bury you because I said you were dead.”

Yanvirrak laughed. Narvari bowed her head, not saying anything. Yanvirrak suddenly stopped laughing.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Narvari shrugged. Maybe they should have buried her. What good was she alive if she could not protect her family and friends? How was everyone back home anyway? Were there survivors? Was Motongo alright? Was the WPU okay? Or was everyone gone just like Jimbaga and Anana?

The tears burned her eyes but she fought them back. She clenched her jaws as the memories of those lifeless bodies haunted her. She couldn’t cry in front of these strangers. She had to be strong. She wasn’t going to mourn until she destroyed the demon who destroyed her life. She wouldn’t be able to do that until she found her way out of this place.

“Where can I find the Elder?”