Visionless

"Ugh, this is the worst! What am I supposed to do now that I've been fired?" Varin groaned, clutching a pillow in frustration as she lay sprawled on her bed. "Maybe I should just move somewhere else, join a new guild… but I don't want to leave my hometown that easily." She sighed, shifting around as if the answer might magically appear on her pillow. (Forget it, I'll figure it out tomorrow. It's too late to worry about it now,) she thought, letting herself drift off into sleep.

When Varin opened her eyes again, she found herself surrounded by pitch-black darkness. She sat up, noticing a strange energy filling her—she felt wide awake, as if she hadn't just been lying in bed. "Huh..." she muttered, watching as the darkness around her slowly transformed into a forest, each tree with branches that looked eerily like arms. "Am I dreaming? A lucid dream, maybe?" she wondered aloud, deciding to explore. "What kind of place is this? I've never seen anything like it."

Suddenly, she heard the faint sound of a young girl crying. "Hello? Is someone there? Do you need help?" she called out, taking a few cautious steps forward. The crying paused briefly, then returned, louder and more distressed. "No! Go away!" the voice wailed.

Varin followed the sound until she reached a small clearing. There, a young girl with short black hair, dressed in old-fashioned clothes and wearing a witch's hat, sat on the ground, her face wet with tears. "Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Varin asked, lowering her voice gently. The girl looked up, wiping her face as she stared at Varin with confusion.

"Who… who are you? I've never seen you before," the girl sniffled.

"Oh, I think I'm lost. Would you mind helping me out?" Varin offered, kneeling down and extending a hand toward the girl.

The girl hesitated but finally took Varin's hand. "Okay… I'll take you to my sister. She'll know what to do," she said softly, getting to her feet. She led Varin out of the forest, wiping her face one last time.

"Where are we going?" Varin asked.

"To the witches' coven," the girl replied, her voice still hoarse from crying.

Varin blinked, glancing at the girl's witch hat. "Oh! Are you a witch too?"

The girl froze, gripping the hem of her dress as tears welled up in her eyes again. "N-no… I'll never be a witch. I'll never be like her!" Her voice trembled with frustration.

Varin placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "Hey, hey, it's okay… You'll make a great witch one day. You just have to keep trying!"

The girl sighed, shoulders slumping. "That's what everyone says… but it's been years, and I still don't know what my aspect is." She continued walking, leading Varin to a peculiar town with no walls and buildings that looked unlike anything Varin had ever seen—each one unique in its design.

"Whoa… where is this place?" Varin asked, looking around in awe.

The girl didn't respond, focused on their destination. "We need to see my sister. She'll know how to help you."

Varin followed, glancing at the shadowy figures watching them from the windows, their forms blurred as if seen through smoke. She looked up, spotting a strange, glowing sphere floating high above the town, illuminating everything with a soft, warm light.

Noticing her curiosity, the girl said, "This town… it's all my eldest sister's work. She made this place to keep us safe from the outside. She even created the dome that protects us, though it blocks out most of the sunlight. My second sister made that sphere up there so we'd have light to grow food. Each one of them contributed something… something I wish I could do." 

Varin listened, feeling a surge of admiration—and perhaps a bit of unease—as they neared the heart of the witches' hidden world.

"So… what's your name?" Varin asked, glancing down at the little girl—only to realize she was gone. "Huh? Where did you go? Hey! Little girl, are you there?" she called out, her voice echoing into the unsettling quiet.

She spun around, eyes searching the strange village. Doors began creaking open around her, and shadowy figures, draped in garments similar to the little girl's, emerged from the houses. They moved closer, whispering things Varin couldn't understand. The words twisted around her, filling her mind with a dizzying hum that throbbed painfully, as if scraping the inside of her skull.

Then, just as suddenly, the figures withdrew, parting to clear a path. Varin felt a small hand on her shoulder and nearly jumped. The little girl stood there, looking up at her with a calm but curious gaze.

"Why didn't you follow me?" the girl asked, tilting her head. "I thought you wanted help."

"Right, sorry," Varin stammered, her voice shaky as the headache faded. She followed the girl closely, making sure not to lose sight of her this time. They wound through the town until they reached a serene clearing that looked like a garden, filled with strange, exotic plants Varin had never seen before—some glowing faintly, others with leaves that curled toward her as if alive.

At the heart of the garden sat a familiar figure. "Ms. Eldez?!" Varin gasped, blinking in disbelief.

The little girl dashed forward and hugged Ms. Eldez, who smiled softly and wrapped an arm around her. Eldez looked up, meeting Varin's gaze with eyes that seemed brighter, more vibrant than Varin remembered.

"Ms. Eldez… what are you doing here? Are you lost too?" Varin asked, feeling a mixture of confusion and relief.

Eldez didn't answer; instead, she leaned close to Varin, whispering something too faint to catch, yet it sent a chill down Varin's spine. Her vision blurred, darkness creeping in from the edges until it swallowed everything whole.

Varin jolted awake, her heart pounding as sunlight trickled into her room. She'd slept through the night, yet she felt exhausted, as if she'd just returned from a long journey. Sitting up, she rubbed her temples, trying to shake off the weight of the strange dream and the lingering feeling that it had been more than just a dream.

As Varin tried to hold onto the details of the dream, they seemed to slip through her fingers like sand. The more she focused, the hazier it became—the village with its strange, shadowy figures, the garden filled with otherworldly plants, and Ms. Eldez's knowing, mysterious gaze. Even the little girl's face began to blur in her mind.

She sat up, frustrated, pressing her fingers to her temples as if she could physically stop the memories from fading. "What was it…? There was something important…," she muttered to herself. But even as she spoke, the specifics were vanishing, replaced with only an uneasy feeling that lingered in her chest like a stone.

The only thing she could remember clearly was the little girl's voice and the echo of Ms. Eldez's whisper, too soft to hear yet resonant, like an unfinished thought.

With a sigh, Varin swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Guess I'll just… figure it out later," she murmured.

---------

"Hey, Ren, I'm curious," Adam started, eyeing Ren's sharp teeth with a mix of curiosity and caution. "Can you, like... eat raw meat? Or does it make you sick?"

Ren turned his head, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Wanna find out?" he replied, baring his teeth in a grin that was just this side of intimidating.

Adam took a cautious step back, laughing nervously. "You know, on second thought, I'm good. I just figured—well, you know, with the whole tiger thing…" He trailed off, wondering if he'd accidentally wandered into dangerous territory.

Ren chuckled, clearly enjoying the effect he was having. "Don't worry, kid. I can eat raw meat just fine, though I don't usually unless I have to. Makes hunting more… interesting." He stretched his claws idly, flashing a quick, amused look at Adam. "But if you're that interested, I could always give a demonstration."

Adam swallowed, glancing down at his own hands, suddenly grateful they weren't tipped with claws. "Maybe… maybe we'll save that for another time."

"..."

"...?"

"Is your name just Ren? No last name?" Adam asked, hoping to keep the conversation going just to pass the time.

Ren shrugged, glancing over at him. "Pretty much. Most beastfolk have a clan name for a last name, but I'm not part of any clan, so it's just 'Ren.'" He tilted his head, curious. "What about you? Got one?"

"Adam Terra," Adam replied with a casual grin. "Technically, I've got a few more, but… that's a secret." He winked, leaving just a hint of mystery.

Ren raised an eyebrow, intrigued but not pressing further. "Alright, Terra," he said, testing the sound of the name. "Guess we both keep a few secrets, huh?"

Adam chuckled, feeling a little more comfortable around the tiger-man as they continued on their path.