Sin, for all she’d read about how life worked in different regions across Zenith, knew very little about the lives that people led outside of her own little bubble. Sindyl Raven, the Princess of the Underworld, knew only of her own life and her own circumstances.

But that began to change.

Here she sat, after an eventful weekend, on a horse with Rai. Travelling through the countryside of Mount Udra. A region that she had very little understanding of, other than the region’s border town known as Acies.

Turner galloped along the stony dirt roads that led from Acies to Rai’s family’s farm.

Rai and Sin didn’t talk much on the journey, apart from a few questions and answers from both of them here or there. Along the way, she’d taken out some of the sandwiches that she packed. Of course, they weren’t grilled cheese sandwiched. Sin couldn’t make those yet, but she knew how to put other simple things in between two slices of bread.

Rai gladly ate her sandwiches, which made Sin feel a lot happier than she’d expected.

Sin also had to get used to riding on a horse, but that had only taken her a little while to figure out.

“I’m glad you slowed down a little. I wouldn’t be able to hear you otherwise...”

“Well, I figured that you hadn’t ridden horses before, what with the whole ‘living in the Underworld your whole life’ thing, so I had Turner go a bit faster than normal to hit you with the thrill of horse riding!”

“You know... I appreciate it. I actually like this feeling, it’s like riding on a boat... kinda...”

“You know what it’s like to ride on a boat? Since when?!”

“Well... sort of? It was a cool little thing that dad made for me just outside the Castle. There was a small outcropping near us that didn’t have anybody living near it. So dad had a really nice canal constructed that circled the Castle. I always liked going on the boat rides, and watching the gardens as we sailed through the canals.”

“Wow... sounds scenic. I would probably enjoy something like that.”

“I think you would too, since you love stuff like flowers and cosy snuggles and all of that.”

“Okay, I do love snuggles, but I don’t know how that would translate to enjoying a boat ride around a pretty canal.”

“Because we’d obviously snuggle in the boat together, duh.”

“Ah.”

“And then... maybe... a bit more after that.”

“Oh? Oh... OH!”

“Yeah, uh-huh. That kinda thing, y’know?”

“Oh I know. You seemed to really like it the first time, what with all of the noises and sounds coming out of you.”

Sin’s face heated up.

“... H-hey... don’t t-tell anyone about that, okay?”

Rai felt her heated up face flat against his back.

“Of course not!” He said. “Our relationship is for us. You should know by now that I wouldn’t just talk about it with anyone else.”

Sin already knew all of that. It was already internalised, but for some reason she felt anxious about it.

“... You’re right. I-... I don’t know what made me say that, but I’m sorry.”

“Whew... It’s fine, just have a bit more faith in me, please.”

Sin pulled herself a bit closer to Rai, and rested her cheek on his back.

“Thank you. I will.” She whispered.

“Now... keep an eye out for houses. We’re going through the village near the farm here. It’s been around 4 hours now, so I think Turner is even faster than Bort said. The village is only an hour’s ride away from the farm too, so we’re moving really quick.”

“Wow... we’re almost there? I didn’t even realise time going by that quickly...”

“Yeah, look at the suns. They’re pretty low in the sky now. Wow... that horizon is so pretty.”

Rai stared out to his side, across the massive fields between him and the horizon. The sky had turned pinkish near where the twin suns were setting. Their glow bounced off wheat plants and trees, shining ever brighter the longer Rai stared into the distance.

Sin followed Rai’s lead, and looked out in to the distance as well. She loved this so much. The picturesque scenery surrounding them caused Sin’s heart to flutter in a way that she didn’t quite understand.

She gently pulled Rai back a touch, and kissed his cheek.

“Mmm. That felt amazing.” Rai said.

“It better have, because I put a lot of my heart into it!”

“A little cheesy, but I get you.” Rai teased.

“... Fuck you.”

“I might just have you do that.”

Sin’s face turned red hot.

Rai enjoyed teasing her like this, but there wouldn’t be much more time to do so. They were coming up on the village soon.

Rai came to this village every now and then when he was younger, just to get to know some of the people that lived around him. Though, it wasn’t as much his own choice as it was his mother’s.

Still, Rai felt a fondness for the village without a name. He was grateful for his mother practically forcing him to come here and mingle with the community.

“I wonder if Aunt Petunia is still growing her strawberry farm out here.”

“Huh? Who’s Aunt Petunia? I didn’t know you had more aunts than just Elira...”

“Nonono she’s not that kinda aunt. She’s more like... a... non-blood relative? A family friend? A friend? Something like that. I just call her Aunt Petunia because it made sense to little 10 year old me.”

“Oh I see... were there any other friends you had in the village?”

“None my age, if that’s what you’re wondering. The village is full of middle-aged and old people, and it’s mostly just women. I don’t think they actually care for men all that much, which would mean that the natural course wouldn’t-”

“I get it. You really don’t have to explain that far.”

“Hehe.”

“Well, if she is there and growing strawberries, then I’ll buy some from her. You know how much I love strawberries.”

“Sounds good. Her strawberries are great and I’m sure she’ll be happy to sell them to you!”

“Wait... is that it there?” Sin pointed out in the distance.

“What... the fuck?” Rai whispered under his breath as he looked out in the distance.

The village, or what was left of it, came into view.

Rai pushed Turner to gallop even faster. Sin held on tight.

As they got closer and closer to the village, Rai noticed that most of the buildings seemed to have been destroyed. Debris lay all along the ground between the buildings on the sides.

Given that it was a village, there wasn’t exactly a town square or anything like that, but it was mostly just a bunch of houses all near each other, and a general goods store or two that ran depending on who woke up first.

They came up on the village to find it completely devoid of all life.

“Where... is everyone?”

*Crunch*

Turner’s hooves sounded like they crushed already broken glass under his weight.

“This... this isn’t right...” Rai whispered.

The village was completely empty.

As Turner trudged through the wide roads between the houses, Rai looked into each house through their broken windows and doors. They were stripped clean, both in and outside.

The wood that made up the majority of each of the houses’ construction was also blackened.

“Hello? Is anyone here?!” Rai shouted.

No response.

“HELLO! IS ANYONE HERE?!?!” He screamed.

No response.

Rai was stumped. He couldn’t figure-

“Hello?”

Came a voice.

“H-HELLO!” Rai shouted out, hoping for another reply.

“Wh-... WHO’S THERE?!” Came the voice again.

It sounds like Aunt Petunia...

“Aunt Petunia?! Where are you?!”

“... Little Rai? Why... I’m in my home!”

“Wha...” He whispered. “Why’s she sound so... odd?”

Rai looked at Sin, as if he sought answers. Sin simply shrugged in return. She had even less of an idea of what was going on here than Rai did, since she’d never even seen the village before.

“OKAY I’M COMING!” Rai shouted.

“Don’t take too long!”

Rai urged Turner forward. He thought that Aunt Petunia sounded a little odd in her replies, so Rai told Sin to keep on guard. After a minute, they arrived at Aunt Petunia’s house.

“I’m here Aunt Petunia!”

“Door’s open, little Rai.”

She sounded... wrong.

“Sin, is your Domain saying anything?”

“There’s only 1 person in there... but something isn’t right. I feel like there’s some kind of interference. In fact, I felt it all over the village, but it’s strongest here...”

“... Something’s wrong...”

“It felt that way since we got here...”

“What should we do?”

“You can Stormflow us all out if something goes wrong... right?”

“I can’t just leave Turner though... I mean, maybe I become strong enough with Stormflow to carry her, but it’s still a risk.”

“Then... I’ll just have to use a bunch of mimics to get us out if needs be.”

“Right... okay.” Rai finished whispering.

“I’m opening the door Aunt Petunia!”

“Good, come on in little Rai!”

This was definitely not Aunt Petunia, Rai thought.

*Click*

*Creeeeaaak*

The inside of the house looks normal... but why is Aunt Petunia just sat on a chair like that in the middle of the room?

“Aunt Petunia, are you okay? What happened to the village?”

“Oh, they all left me, little Rai.”

Sin stepped in behind Rai. They’d left Turner just outside, straddled to a wooden post.

“What do you mean by that? How did everyone just leave?”

“Well, you see, I heard the-”

A wind blew past Rai and Sin.

*Thud*

Aunt Petunia’s head was no longer attached to her body by the time they looked back there.

Stood beside the body was a man, with a rusty sword in either hand. They seemed to glow a soft green as he held them. Long black hair in the form of a ponytail drooped down behind him.

Aunt Petunia’s body morphed into a flabby, wrinkly, mess. Her severed head morphed into a deformed mass of muscle, skin, and facial features.

The blood that would’ve once appeared as a red liquid, leaked out of both of the body and head as a translucent dark green juice.

“A vexling. One that you two can’t handle yet.” Said the man beside the fallen body.

He flicked his sword to the side, spraying the green juice off of it. Then he sheathed both blades, and turned to Rai and Sin.

“It’s good to see you again, Rai. Come on, let’s go home.” Jin said.