The rustling leaves underfoot whispered secrets of the past. Each leaf cradled memories, etched by time and wind. The night sky stretched above, a vast canvas painted with stardust. Rauden imagined constellations as characters in a celestial story. Orion, the hunter, chasing elusive truths. Cassiopeia, the queen, balancing fate on her throne. And Vega, the lonely star, yearning for companionship.

Rauden, the eldest of the three siblings, led the way with a relaxed stride. His sharp green eyes scanned the surroundings, not out of caution, but out of curiosity. His dark hair, tousled by the evening breeze, framed a face that was both handsome and approachable. His jawline was strong, and his smile, when it appeared, was warm and inviting. He had a natural charm that made people feel at ease.

Lily, the middle child, walked beside him, her eyes wide with wonder as she adored the stars. Her golden curls bounced with each step, and her laughter was a melody that lightened the darkest nights. Her blue eyes sparkled with an inner light, and her heart-shaped face was often lit up with a smile. She was the dreamer, the one who saw beauty in everything, even in their dire circumstances.

Anna, the youngest, trailed behind, her steps quiet and measured. She was the thinker, the one who observed and analyzed. Her dark eyes, so much like Rauden's, held a depth of understanding beyond her years. Her straight, dark hair framed a delicate, oval face, and her expressions were often thoughtful and serene.

As they turned the corner, the narrow alleyway enveloped them. Shadows clung to the walls, stretching long and menacing. The old, crumbling brick walls on either side loomed, and the faint smell of dampness lingered in the air. The dim light from a distant streetlamp barely reached the entrance, casting flickering, eerie shapes that made the alley feel even more confined and threatening.

Ahead of them, movement. Figures—hooded—emerged from the darkness, their faces hidden beneath layers of cloth. Rauden’s heart skipped a beat. His first instinct was to keep his sisters calm, but when he saw the scarred leader, a chill ran down his spine. The man’s sneer echoed off the cobblestones, his eyes filled with malicious intent.

Rauden stopped abruptly, throwing his arm out to signal his sisters to halt. His pulse quickened, adrenaline kicking in. “Stay close,” he whispered, his voice barely above a breath. “Where do you think you’re going?” The leader’s voice dripped with venom. His scar twisted grotesquely as he spoke, adding to his already menacing aura. Rauden swallowed hard, weighing their options. Fight or flee? His mind raced, but his body instinctively stepped forward, shielding Lily and Anna.

“What do you want?” Rauden managed, his voice firm, though his heart pounded in his chest. The leader chuckled darkly. "What do we want?" he mocked, taking a slow, deliberate step forward. His companions moved in sync, closing the circle around them. "We just want to have a little chat... about something special you possess."

Rauden’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t have anything special,” he retorted. His eyes darted to the figures, noting how fluid and synchronized their movements were. These weren’t just random thugs. There was something far more dangerous about them.

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“Oh, I think you do,” the leader said with a sly grin. His eyes gleamed under the hood, reflecting the faint light. “But let’s not play games, boy. Hand it over, and we’ll let you walk away with your precious sisters. Maybe.”

Rauden clenched his fists. "You're wrong. We have nothing for you." Lily, sensing the danger, clutched Rauden’s arm. "Please," she pleaded, her voice shaking. "We’re just trying to get home."

The leader ignored her, his focus locked on Rauden. "You want to do this the hard way, then?" he growled. Before Rauden could respond, the leader lunged. His movements were swift, almost unnatural. Rauden barely had time to raise his arms before the man was on him, delivering a crushing blow to his side. Pain shot through his ribs, but he gritted his teeth and pushed back, his mind screaming one thought: protect them.

Rauden swung a wild punch, hoping to create distance. The leader sidestepped effortlessly, deflecting the blow as if Rauden’s strength was nothing. “You’re quite impulsive,” the leader sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

Lily’s scream cut through the night. One of the hooded figures grabbed her, twisting her arm painfully behind her back. "Rauden!" she cried, tears streaming down her face as she struggled against her captor.

“Let her go!” Rauden bellowed, his voice cracking with desperation. He spun toward Lily, but his path was blocked by another of the hooded figures. This one was silent, but his movements were swift and precise, striking Rauden in the chest with enough force to knock the wind out of him. Anna tried to intervene, stepping toward Lily with her fists raised, but she was swiftly intercepted. A sharp backhand sent her sprawling against the alley wall, her body hitting the bricks with a sickening thud.

Rauden's eyes widened in horror as he saw Anna’s body slump to the ground. Rage surged within him, overtaking the pain. With a roar, Rauden launched himself at the scarred leader, tackling him to the ground. "Run!" he shouted to his sisters, his voice hoarse. "Get out of here!" Lily, frozen with fear, hesitated. But Anna, groaning as she staggered to her feet, grabbed her hand and tugged. “Come on, Lily!” she urged, pulling her sister away from the fight.

The hooded figures immediately gave chase, but Rauden wasn’t done yet. He fought like a man possessed, wrestling the scarred leader to the ground, his fists pounding against the man’s hooded face. “You won’t touch them!” Rauden shouted, blood spattering his knuckles with each punch. But the leader was stronger than he looked. With a grunt, he threw Rauden off him, sending him sprawling across the cobblestones. The cold, hard surface scraped Rauden’s skin, but he pushed himself up, panting, refusing to stay down. He had to hold them off. Just a little longer.

The leader wiped blood from his split lip and glared at Rauden with cold fury. “You’ll regret that,” he hissed. With a single gesture, the other figures descended on Rauden, overwhelming him with punches and kicks. Every blow sent shockwaves of pain through his body, but he refused to cry out. He couldn’t afford to show weakness. Not now.

Through the haze of pain, Rauden caught a glimpse of his sisters disappearing into the distance, their footsteps echoing faintly in the night. They’re safe, he told himself. I did it.

The leader, furious now, grabbed Rauden by the collar and yanked him close. “You think you’ve won?” he spat. “Your sisters will suffer for this. You all will.” Rauden’s vision blurred as a final, crushing blow landed on his temple. His body crumpled to the ground, darkness closing in around him. His last thought before the world faded was of Lily and Anna, running free, away from the nightmare that had consumed him.