The Accusation

"SERINA!!" Hina's voice rang through the desolated place, sharp and desperate, shattering the eerie silence around me. 

"Hina…" I muttered, my heart skipping a beat. Without wasting another second, I dashed forward, the urgency in her cry pushing me on. 

I followed her voice, weaving through the broken huts and trees, until I found her standing in a clearing. Her wide eyes darted frantically around as she screamed, panic etched across her face. 

"Hina!" I called, rushing to her side. I grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to focus on me. "Are you okay?" 

Her head snapped toward me, startled. For a moment, she just stared, her expression a mix of confusion and relief. Then, she blinked and looked away, awkwardly biting her lip. 

"What?" I asked, frowning. 

"Nothing…" she muttered, then sighed. "You're just… very bold sometimes." 

"Oh, come on!" I groaned, shaking her lightly by the shoulders. "This is no time to joke around. What's going on? Why are you out here?" 

Hina hesitated, her lips pressing together as she glanced away again. "Yeah… I was looking for you," she admitted. "It's just… Serina. She's missing." 

"What?" My eyes widened in shock. "Missing? How? When?" 

Before she could answer, the sound of footsteps and rustling leaves surrounded us. I instinctively moved closer to Hina, shielding her with my body. 

From the shadows of the trees, a group of elves emerged. Their faces were stern and hostile, their eyes burning with mistrust. Each one carried either a torch or a weapon, their stances screaming readiness for a fight. 

At the front of the group stood a child—the same child who had seen me kill Arthur. His small face was pale, but his eyes burned with accusation as he pointed directly at me. 

"So this is your true face," one of the elder elves growled, stepping forward. His voice was sharp, filled with anger and betrayal. 

"Wait—" I started, lifting my hands in a gesture of peace. 

"Don't bother," Lala interrupted, his voice cold. "There's no need for explanations. Either you come with us peacefully, or we kill you right here. Decide quickly." 

Hina gasped, clutching my arm. "What's happening?" she whispered, her voice trembling. 

I didn't answer her immediately, my mind racing as I assessed the situation. I could take them out if I needed to—none of them were strong enough to stop me. But that wasn't the point. The island was unfamiliar, and I didn't know what else lay in wait. Besides, Hina was here. If things escalated, she could get hurt, and I wasn't willing to take that risk. 

I sighed heavily, lowering my hands. "Alright," I said. "We'll go with you." 

Hina stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What?" 

"It's better this way, for now.." I murmured, glancing at her over my shoulder. 

The elder smirked, his satisfaction evident as he gestured for his people to surround us. Hina clutched my arm tighter, fear flickering in her eyes. 

As we were led away, Hina whispered urgently, "What's going on? Why are they acting like this? What did you do?" 

I didn't answer, keeping my eyes forward as we walked. 

"Esther!" she pressed, her voice rising slightly. 

"Later," I said firmly. "Let's just get through this first." 

The elder overheard her and sneered. "You really don't know, do you, girl?" 

Hina stiffened, her gaze snapping toward him. "What are you talking about?" 

He chuckled darkly. "Your companion here—this so-called savior—killed Arthur. The guy who was helping us all this time." 

Hina froze, her footsteps faltering as she stared at the elder in disbelief. "What…?" she whispered. 

"You heard me," the elder said, his voice dripping with disdain. "He murdered Arthur in cold blood. And now you're both going to answer for it. Even Serina is missing..you better have some explanation ready." 

Hina's grip on my arm slackened, and I felt her step back slightly. I could feel her gaze burning into my back. 

"Esther…" she said slowly, her voice a mixture of shock and confusion.

I sighed again, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. "It's not what you think," I said quietly, not bothering to turn around. 

"Then what is it?" she demanded, her voice filled with irritation. 

Before I could respond, the elder cut in. 

"Save your excuses for the later," he snapped. "We'll decide what to do with you soon enough." 

We walked in tense silence after that, the torches casting flickering shadows on the ground as the elves led us back to their village. The air was thick with unspoken accusations, and Hina's presence behind me felt heavier with each step. 

When we finally arrived, they didn't waste any time. The elders motioned toward a small, worn-down building near the edge of the village—a makeshift prison, by the looks of it. 

"Inside," one of them barked, shoving me forward. 

I stumbled slightly but caught myself, walking into the dimly lit structure without protest. Behind me, Hina followed reluctantly, her steps hesitant. 

They led us to a row of cells, shoving me into one before locking the door with a heavy clang. Hina was placed in the cell directly opposite mine. 

The elves stood outside, watching us with wary eyes before finally retreating, leaving only two guards behind to keep watch. 

For a long moment, there was silence. I leaned back against the cold, rough wall of my cell, closing my eyes briefly as I processed the situation. 

Across from me, Hina stood just outside the bars, her arms crossed and her gaze fixed on me. 

"And… why did you do that?" she asked finally, her voice low but sharp. 

I opened my eyes, meeting her irritated glare. I sighhh 

"Don't Sighhh me..Answer me!!" she repeated incredulously. "You killed someone, Esther! That's not 'complicated.' That's insane!" 

I rubbed the back of my neck, unsure of how to explain. "It wasn't… like that," I muttered. 

"Then what was it like?" she pressed, stepping closer to the bars. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks pretty straightforward." 

I didn't answer immediately, my mind racing as I tried to figure out how much to tell her. Finally, I sighed again, leaning my head back against the wall. 

"Arthur, Serina and their teams are traitors...the very reason for why the plague is happening here." I said quietly. 

Hina's eyes widens in shock and terror and her mouth hung open as she looked at me.