1 Demons will be out

 [Some promises are meant to be broken]

Lauren continued down the road, her footsteps echoing in the quietude. The beauty of the snow-covered scenery was undeniable, but her focus was drawn to a solitary figure at the far end of the sidewalk.

A woman stood there, her back turned to Lauren, her gaze lost in the expanse of the sky. It struck Lauren as an odd sight, considering there was no one else around.

The woman remained motionless, an enigma against the backdrop of the winter landscape. Lauren couldn't help but wonder about her presence in this desolate place, her isolation palpable even from a distance.

As if sensing Lauren's gaze, the woman turned, her eyes locking onto Lauren's with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

The woman's face held a weariness that tugged at Lauren's empathy, but that weariness was suddenly replaced by an unwavering determination.

The woman leaned forward, her breath carrying a weight of desperation as she whispered, "Demons will be out." The words cut through the air, chilling Lauren to the bone. She struggled to make sense of the cryptic message, her mind racing to grasp its meaning.

Lauren's voice trembled as she offered assistance, her concern overriding her confusion. "Is there anything I can do to help you? Do you need a place to stay or someone to call?" But the woman's gaze remained fixed, her eyes unblinking as she continued to speak of impending danger.

"Demons will emerge like a swarm of locusts, devouring everything in their path," the woman's voice quivered, carrying a mixture of urgency and dread. "They will come for us all. No one will be safe."

Lauren's heart pounded, her anxiety escalating. She took a cautious step back, her instincts urging her to maintain a distance from the woman, who seemed to be in a state of distress.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I hope you can find the help you need," Lauren offered, her voice gentle but the woman's demeanour shifted abruptly.

With a forceful shove, she pushed Lauren away, her words growing more frantic. "Move quickly! To save your life, flee! Run!"

The world seemed to spin as Lauren stumbled backward, her heart racing as confusion and alarm clouded her thoughts. The snow swirled around her, a whirlwind of emotions mirroring her internal turmoil.

She blinked, trying to process the sequence of events, and in the span of a moment, the woman vanished from her sight, leaving only an eerie emptiness in her wake.

Lauren's lungs burned as she caught her breath, the reality of the situation slowly sinking in. She scanned her surroundings, her senses heightened by the bizarre encounter.

The wind carried a chilling reminder of the woman's warnings, and as Lauren resumed her journey, a sense of unease settled deep within her.

The encounter with the mysterious woman had set a surreal tone to her day, and as she walked on, Lauren couldn't shake the feeling that she had stepped into a story far stranger than she could have ever imagined.

Lauren was frozen in place, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. She tried to tell herself that maybe the woman had simply walked away, but somehow that didn't feel right.

There had been no sound or indication that anyone had left the area. It was as if the woman had simply disappeared into the ether.

Lauren's breath caught in her throat as a chill ran down her spine. Suddenly, she was acutely aware of how alone she was in this strange place. The white, snowy mountains and trees seemed to press in on her from all sides, and she felt like she was suffocating in their embrace.

Panic seized her chest as she realised that anything could happen to her. She was completely vulnerable, completely exposed to whatever danger lurked in the shadows. She felt like a mouse trapped in a cage with no way out.

Just then, she caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. She spun around, her heart skipping a beat, but it was only a crow darting across the tree. Nonetheless, she felt like she had narrowly avoided disaster.

Lauren took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She knew she needed to get out of this place fast. With one last look around, she turned and started to run, her legs carrying her as fast as they could go.

She looked back over her shoulder, half expecting to see the woman who had disappeared, but there was no one. It was as if she had never existed in the first place.

Lauren shuddered, still feeling the remnants of fear clinging to her skin. She knew that she would never forget this strange encounter and would always wonder what had really happened on that road.

This place was creepier than she had expected it to be. She didn't know what was more to it; she had to witness in this place.

Lauren's journey up the mountain to her uncle's university necessitated a taxi ride. The snow-cloaked castles that stood atop the hills, far removed from the mainland, were their isolated abode.

Amidst this internal debate, a pang of discomfort gripped Lauren's abdomen, causing her to groan and clutch her stomach.

Each step up the winding road seemed to amplify the pressure on her body, hinting at a possible abdominal strain. Unaccustomed to the mountainous terrain and the bustling atmosphere, Lauren struggled to hide her unease.

Despite her warm jacket and snug gloves, the environment seemed to permeate her defenses, leaving her uncertain and apprehensive about her impending arrival

Lauren's mind was filled with apprehension as she thought about how her relationship with her uncle and her cousin would develop and how her new life would be there.

She was considering various possibilities for what could happen. But she was all too aware that her life had changed drastically. She couldn't help but feel a sense of disquietude about it.

She tried to focus on something else but felt nauseous as she watched the tiny houses, which seemed far away. She hadn't entered the Máville region yet. 

Máville—an enigmatic place that had garnered its fair share of rumours Whispers suggested that it possessed a gathering of natural powers intent on eradicating human society. 

Tales of murders and historical references painted the mountainous region as "The Land of Flesh and Fire," a moniker derived from the fiery inferno that had engulfed the land and claimed lives. These grim tales, Lauren thought, were nothing but superstitious exaggerations.

The thought occurred to her that maybe it would be better if she didn't know what was going on around her; maybe then everything would be as she wanted it to be, even if things wouldn't necessarily turn out as desired.

A bitter smile curled her lips at the idea. She knew better than to hope for that. There would never be a place where she could belong completely, where she could truly be herself. Unless she chose to belong to the shadows…

I just don't know if it's right for me, she thought to herself, to live with my uncle.

Lauren felt bad because she didn't want to go there and stay with them, but at the same time, she wanted to experience more independence than she had.

It was all so completely ridiculous.

Since when has Laurence Anna Warner been scared of meeting people? Since when has she been scared of anything?

The University of Máville was a mysterious place. She never heard about the university from anyone except her uncle, aunt, and cousin. She even googled the location a thousand times, but there was no website, no article, or even a sign of such an institute.

That's why she was here—to get the answers she was looking for. Not minding the consequences of what she had done, what was waiting for her, and what she would do. It's all about the next—future. What is important right now was for her to get her answers.

There was something about the mystery of it all that drew her in, and made her want to unravel the secrets that lay hidden beneath the surface.

She looked ahead of her, as a huge, mysterious place called Máville was looking over at her. Either welcoming her or warning her to go back.

...

Lauren walked past the Máville board, where an invisible force shook, and after she walked past it, It looked exactly the same as before.

She had entered the forest of Maville without superior knowledge. The path looked long, and she could also feel weird. She walked further into the forest, not because of her nausea.

But the sky has turned grey, and there isn't as much light as before. However, she was still able to see everything around her, which was none other than trees covered in dubbed snow.

As Lauren walked through the mountain's winding streets, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The coldness that permeated everything here seemed to seep into her bones, leaving her feeling numb and disconnected from the world around her.

Lauren became nauseated again. The sensation of her stomach rumbling was felt as she put her hands both on her stomach and on her mouth.

The atmosphere nauseated her. The zipping curves of the road; the breakfast she ate. It all ramped down her throat in a splashing brown liquid on the ground.

There was movement along the fringe of Lauren's vision, and she snapped her head to the left but saw no one.

"Hey! Are you alright?"

She heard an unfamiliar voice and was startled. Lauren looked around, but no one was there. She moved her hand away from her chest, which was being seized by the sudden pain in her chest.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned hurriedly to see a young man. 

"Yes, thank you. I just wasn't expecting anyone to be here," she took a deep breath and responded with a shaky voice, trying to calm her nerves.

"Who are you?" Lauren's voice was stern, and her gaze was focused as she demanded. The boy's mouth hinted at a smile.

She was taken aback by the way he looked at her from head to toe and rubbed his chin in amusement. The fear that was coursing through her was palpable, but she stood still and was wary; she showed no reaction.

She had so many questions running through her mind, and, for her safety, she began to step back. It was clear that she did not like his behaviour.

"Don't be scared of me, kitten. I do no harm." He noticed a scared look for a brief moment, but she was quick to act cool.

I like her, and I am sure my brother would like her even more than I do.

"Take this." He passed the water bottle with the respect now for his sister-in-law. "Mr. William sent me for you." His voice was polite and reassuring, and the wild nickname he mentioned made her eyebrows zero at him.

She stared at him, then at the water bottle, and then back at him. He furrowed a little in confusion.

She rolled her eyes at her uncle's assistance, but Lauren felt more at ease knowing she would have an escort to the university. She was about to take a water bottle, but again, she vomited on the ground.

Lauren felt ashamed after vomiting in front of him.

"What happened to you?" He asked after he had patted her back, which made Lauren freeze on her spot.

"What happened?" He asked again, unsure of her actions; when he noticed his hand on her back, he quickly retracted it.

"I'm sorry, I was just helping," he looked away and said. "Take this. You will feel better."

Lauren looked around, unsure of what to expect after taking a sip of water that was as cold as ice, and she wasn't able to take another sip.

"Are you going to accompany me on my walk?" Lauren turned to face him after wiping her mouth when she noticed him staring at her with a smile. Why was he smiling right now? she thought. "Can you tell me your name?"

The boy leaned against a twisted willow tree. His arms crossed on his chest as he looked at her before breaking into a ridiculous smile.

"Zaiden Rodriguez. Nice to meet you, Laurence Anna Warner."

'He knows my name? Of course, he does. After all, Uncle Harrison had told him to fetch me. She thought.

"You didn't respond to my first question," but this time Lauren insisted on staring at him from all angles.

She noticed that he was donning a white T-shirt with red ripped jeans, which, in her judgement, made him appear more attractive because she liked the outfit. 

On his left wrist, he wore a watch. His emerald green eyes were stunning against his sharp features. Lauren believed she would drown in them.

The boy gave a lazy shake of his head.

"Just come with me," he answered back as he began walking towards the edge of the road.

The boy lost support from the tree and began to walk away in a northerly direction. Although Lauren didn't want to go after him, she couldn't command her legs to hold her weight anymore.

She didn't argue or ask any more questions because carrying a hefty backpack on her back was already exhausting her. She was tired, and he was not helping either.

She didn't have any choice but to follow him until he came to a halt. She noticed a motorbike sparkling with brilliance. Is this his bike? Lauren mumbled softly.

He smirked when he witnessed her reaction, which was exactly what he wanted.

Thick tendrils of mist rolled in the forest around them, enveloping them in the dark woods. The fog now reached up to her thighs.

Her steps slipped a little on the snowy path. Just as she was about to suggest that she could walk to the university by herself, he spoke up.

"You should be careful of your steps." He said with a warning in his voice but a calm expression, "The skies have become too dense. Another blizzard is on its way."

Lauren said nothing but stared at him and then at his bike.

"Get on!" he bellowed.

Obviously, no one has told him how ugly his voice sounds when he shouts. But to make her more angry, he hurled a helmet at her. Which she caught just in time, but it still hurt her fingers.

"Jerk!" She was furious at him and glared hard to make him more amused, like he wanted, because he just laughed at her reaction.

While Lauren was debating whether or not she should ride. She noticed him glancing at her from his seat with a hint of amusement. He had never seen a girl so nervous while offering to sit with him.

Lauren thought he wouldn't do anything to her. He knew she was the headmaster's niece. Of course, she wasn't afraid of these things, but she had never sat on a bike before. She was not sure if he would drop her nearby. She was terrified of him and his odd bike, which was the truth.

"What are you thinking? Don't tell me you're afraid," he mocked her, adding more spice to her nervousness. And Lauren felt compelled to hit him with her helmet, which was still in her hands.

She put on the helmet and double-checked it for looseness, making the boy laugh once more. She took a long breath before grabbing his shoulder and sitting down all at once.

Her heart was racing since she was so close to this stranger whom her uncle had sent. Unbelievable.

"Don't remove your feet from the foot pegs while riding. Are we clear?"

"Foot pegs?" She innocently repeated the words.

Zaiden furrowed his brows but realised that she had never sat on a bike before. It was new for her, so he gestured towards the floorboards, pointing his fingers near her left foot.

She saw the foot pegs he was talking about and nodded from behind like a kid getting his first lesson. He chuckled softly and gave her a pat on the left leg before turning to his front.

"Hold on tight." He said as he turned the bike towards the road, and soon his speed drew faster.