The sun had nearly reached its zenith, but Aelina still hadn't returned. In the kitchen, Kirana kept glancing at the window, anxiety creeping into her heart.
She hoped to see her daughter appear in the yard with her usual bright smile, perhaps carrying stories of what she had discovered in the forest. But that moment never came.
"Lyra," she called, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. "Have you seen Aelina this afternoon?"
Lyra shook her head while wiping the dining table. "No. She hasn't come back since she left this morning."
Kirana exhaled, a shadow of unease darkening her face. She stepped out of the house and approached Zephyr and Draven, who were busy working nearby.
"Zephyr," she said, her voice laced with tension. "Have you seen Aelina? It's nearly midday, but she's still not back."
Zephyr stopped what he was doing, wiping the sweat off his brow. "No. But she said she was heading into the forest."
Kirana's face tightened. She quickly made her way through the small village, asking everyone she met, "Have you seen Aelina?"
But every answer was the same, no one had seen her.
She rushed home, grabbing the spear hanging on the wall. Zephyr, noticing her, immediately approached.
"Kirana, what's going on?"
"Aelina's missing. She's been in the forest too long. I'm going to look for her."
"Then let me come with you."
"No," she interrupted firmly. "Stay here. If she returns, she needs to see a familiar face. I'll find her."
Though clearly hesitant, Zephyr nodded. "Be careful, Kirana."
With spear in hand, Kirana made her way into the forest. Each step was driven by fear, but she kept her mind focused.
"Aelina, where are you…" she murmured, her eyes scanning every corner.
Though beautiful, the Arbora Forest now felt like an endless labyrinth. Sunlight filtered dimly through thick canopies, casting eerie shadows. The whisper of leaves stirred by the wind set her nerves on edge.
She kept walking, calling out, "Aelina! Aelina! Where are you?"
Only her own echo replied. She passed glowing blue roots and towering trees, until finally, by a small stream, she spotted faint footprints in the damp soil, small ones, leading deeper into the woods.
Kirana quickened her pace, hope rising. "Aelina!" she shouted again, her voice wavering.
Then she heard it: the clashing of metal and a deep growl.
Pushing through the underbrush, she emerged into a clearing, and froze.
There stood Aelina, atop the unmoving body of a mechanical tiger. Her small hand gripped a dagger stained with metallic fluid. She moved methodically, as if examining her prey.
"Aelina!" Kirana called out in panic.
But when Aelina turned, Kirana felt a fear she'd never known before. Her daughter's eyes were sharp, cold, and full of rage. She looked nothing like the sweet child she knew.
"Aelina, it's me, Mama," Kirana said gently, inching closer. "What are you doing?"
Aelina said nothing. Slowly, she picked up her bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed it directly at Kirana.
"Stop this, Aelina!" Kirana cried, voice trembling.
The arrow flew. Kirana dodged it just in time, the shaft embedding itself in a tree behind her.
She stared at her daughter in shock. "It's me, your mother! You have to stop!"
Still no response. Aelina drew her dagger and charged with inhuman speed.
Kirana barely deflected the attack with her spear. "You don't know what you're doing!"
Aelina's strikes were relentless and precise. Kirana was forced to draw on every bit of her skill. Each strike aimed with deadly intention.
"What happened to you, Aelina?" she gasped between breaths.
Their battle raged on. Kirana pleaded with her daughter, desperate to bring her back to her senses. But Aelina fought harder, her eyes devoid of emotion.
At last, Kirana saw an opening. In a flash, she knocked the dagger away and grappled her. She wrapped her arms around the thrashing girl.
"Aelina! Wake up! It's Mama! You're safe now!" she cried, tears running down her cheeks.
Aelina went limp and collapsed into Kirana's embrace.
Kirana fell to her knees, clutching her unconscious daughter. "What happened to you, my love…"
Struggling, she carried Aelina home, breathless and filled with dread.
Zephyr, Lyra, and Draven ran to meet her when they saw her returning.
"What happened?" Zephyr asked urgently.
"Help me get her inside," Kirana said, her voice hoarse.
Zephyr hurried to open the door. Kirana laid Aelina down on the sofa, sweat dripping from her brow, eyes brimming with fear.
Draven jumped up. "Kirana! What happened?"
"Zephyr, get me pillows and a blanket, now!" she barked, not answering.
Lyra emerged from the kitchen. "What's going on? Why is Aelina like this?"
"Not now, Lyra. I need to make sure she's okay," Kirana replied, placing a pillow beneath Aelina's head.
She stroked her daughter's face. "Wake up, sweetheart. Please... wake up."
But Aelina remained still, her breathing steady but shallow.
Lyra rushed off and returned with warm water and clean cloths. "Let me tend to her wounds."
Kirana nodded, shifting aside. "Thank you, Lyra."
Though the wounds were minor, Lyra's hands trembled. She'd never seen Aelina like this.
Zephyr brought the blanket and covered Aelina, then stood beside Kirana, his expression dark with worry.
"Kirana," he said softly. "You need to tell us what happened."
Kirana took a shaky breath. "She went into the forest like always. But when I found her... she was standing over a dead mechanical tiger. And then, she attacked me."
"What?" Zephyr was stunned. "You mean Aelina attacked you?"
She nodded slowly. "Her eyes… they weren't hers. She aimed an arrow at me, then charged with a blade."
Draven stepped forward. "Could she have been in shock? Acting out of fear?"
"No," Kirana said. "Her movements were too precise. Controlled. It was like something else was guiding her."
Lyra, still tending to Aelina, looked up. "Could this be linked to her origins? We know she's different, but we've never seen anything like this."
Zephyr leaned against the wall, his expression grim. "The Edena left things behind. Terraforming tech… other things. If Aelina's tied to that legacy, then this may be more than we ever imagined."
The night grew heavy with tension. Everyone remained in the room, watching over Aelina as she lay unconscious.
Kirana held her daughter's hand tightly. "I'm scared, Zephyr. I'm scared something's happened to her that we can't undo."
Zephyr sat near the fire, watching Kirana with sympathy. "We'll find the truth. Whatever it is, we'll protect her."
Draven, seated against the wall, added, "If she's connected to Edenan tech, then we must be ready for anything. This might just be the beginning."
"We don't even know what triggered this," Lyra murmured. "But something did."
Kirana turned to her. "You were once part of the Edena. You understand their systems. Can you help us?"
Lyra nodded slowly. "I'll try. But we'll need more information."
Zephyr knelt beside Aelina, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever's going on, she's still our daughter. And we'll protect her. Together."
Kirana nodded, tears falling again. "Thank you, Zephyr."
------------------
The morning sun slowly bathed the small village of Ravara, but its warmth could not chase away the cold that lingered in Kirana's home. The once cheerful atmosphere had shifted into a cloud of unease. Kirana stood in the kitchen, her hands busy preparing a simple breakfast, yet her mind was far away. Her usually calm face was tense, her eyes slightly swollen from a sleepless night.
In the main room, Lyra sat beside the sofa where Aelina lay. The small figure of the girl, wrapped in a blanket, looked fragile, even though her breathing had stabilized.
Carefully, Lyra cleaned the small wounds on Aelina's hands and face. Each scratch on the child's skin was a silent witness to the harrowing events of the day before.
Zephyr and Draven sat quietly at the dining table, each lost in their own thoughts. No one spoke, as if they were all waiting for something uncertain.
As Lyra cleaned Aelina's fingers, she noticed something odd.
"What is this?" she murmured, frowning.
She tilted her head to get a clearer look, then gently removed a ring from Aelina's finger.
It was a small silver device shaped like a ring, etched with faint glowing blue lines. Lyra's eyes widened as recognition struck. "This...," she whispered, her voice slightly trembling.
Zephyr, hearing her, stood immediately. "What is it, Lyra?" he asked, walking over.
Lyra turned to Kirana, who was already watching intently. She rose, bringing the device to Kirana. "Kirana, look at this," she said, handing it over. "I recognize it."
Kirana took the device, examining it carefully. "What is this, Lyra? Do you know where it came from?"
Lyra nodded, though her face remained tense. "It's a communication device. We Edena used these for long-distance communication. But... this one is different. It's not the standard model. It's an advanced version, developed for something more specific."
Zephyr crossed his arms, his expression serious. "Something more specific? What do you mean?"
Lyra took a deep breath, piecing together her explanation. "This device... I believe it's part of a classified Edena project. I've heard rumors of a neural-linked communication system. If that's true, this device doesn't just receive data, it can influence thoughts and actions."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Lyra's last words hung in the air like an invisible weight.
"You're saying it could control someone's mind?" Kirana asked in a low, steady voice. "Is that what happened to Aelina? Is this what changed her?"
Lyra nodded slowly. "Possibly. I can't confirm without further analysis, but this device clearly doesn't belong on Earth. I don't know how it ended up here... or how Aelina found it."
Kirana gripped the device tightly, her eyes brimming with emotion. "Then we need answers. Lyra, can you study it? Find out what it does and how we can stop its effects."
Lyra gave a firm nod. "I'll try. Just give me time."
As their conversation unfolded, a faint sound came from the sofa. Aelina stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. "Mom..." she whispered weakly.
Kirana rushed to her side, kneeling beside the sofa and clutching her daughter's hand. "Aelina, you're awake! Thank the stars!" she cried, voice trembling with emotion. She embraced Aelina tightly, tears streaming down her face.
"Mom..." Aelina repeated, her voice slightly stronger. "What happened? Why am I here?"
Kirana released the hug, searching her daughter's face with concern. "You don't remember, sweetheart? What's the last thing you recall before you collapsed?"
Aelina strained to remember, but her head throbbed. "I... I was in the forest. I saw a tiger... its body was made of metal. I tried to fight it, but... I remember a bright white light. So bright. My head hurt so badly, and then... nothing."
Kirana looked at her daughter with deep affection, though her heart churned with worry. "You're safe now, Aelina. I'm here. We're all here for you."
Lyra, listening intently, tried to piece everything together. She glanced at the communication device in her hand, then back at Aelina.
"White light... headaches... behavioral changes," Lyra muttered to herself. "It all fits."
Zephyr's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, Lyra? What did you find?"
Lyra lifted the device, showing it to everyone. "This isn't just any communication tool. It's designed to control or influence subjects integrated with Edena tech. If Aelina showed these symptoms, then the device was active."
Kirana stared at her with a thousand questions in her eyes. "Active? By whom? How?"
Lyra shook her head slowly. "I don't know yet. But one thing is certain, this device is connected to something, possibly an active Edena system. Worse, it might be part of their classified project."
Zephyr clenched his fists, his eyes sharp. "You're saying the Edena might still be watching or even manipulating Aelina?"
"Not just possibly," Lyra said firmly. "I think that's exactly what's happening."
Kirana looked at her sleeping daughter again, her breathing calm but her body still weak. Her heart surged with fear, worry, and a fierce determination.
"I don't care how far they reach for my daughter," she said at last, her voice unwavering. "I will protect Aelina, no matter what."
Lyra gazed at Kirana with deep respect. "I'll help you, Kirana. We'll uncover everything about this device and stop their influence before it's too late."
Zephyr stood tall, his hands on his hips. "I agree. We need answers. But for now, we make sure Aelina stays safe. We won't let anyone harm her."
Draven, silent until now, finally spoke. "If this is part of a secret Edena project, then we're up against something massive. But I believe we can face it, together."
Kirana gripped Aelina's hand again, her gaze resting on her daughter's face, filled with hope. Deep inside, she knew this was just the beginning of a long and perilous journey.