The rain subsided as they exited the abandoned structure, leaving only the cool wind to accompany the duo on their journey. 

"Do you have a name?" Elais asked her. He didn't shift her body in his arms, nor did he look at her during the entire trek on the steep path in the somber forest, with the moonlight illuminating most of their journey. 

The girl shook her head, looking up at him with curiosity. His ash-blonde hair had a light golden glow under the radiance of the night sky as the length of its waviness reached just above his eye. 

"‘Yura’. That is the name I will grant you,” he responded, looking down at her. A gentle, familiar name that suited the young girl. 

The two finally arrived at Adrienne's rustic home. It was a rather sizable home, and the researcher left no room left ignored with plush dolls, mannequins and pieces of foreign technology scattered everywhere with bits of wire and thread that were difficult to avoid treading on. The overall warm tones felt particularly inviting, mannequins aside. 

Elais let Yura down from his arms, who was completely enamored by the plush dolls in the home. He couldn’t pick up the scent of anyone else's presence in the home aside from him and Yura. He immediately felt chills waiting around for Adrienne, especially with the amount of mannequins and dolls that seemed to stare into his soul. 

"I got what you wanted, so I guess I'll leave now," Elais announced, his voice echoing and bouncing off the walls. 

"Stop, stop - wait there," Adrienne's voice called from afar, followed by subsequent thumping. 

She graced the two with her presence, wearing her signature blue dress that had been embellished with pink hearts and bows, lined with a stone-grey petticoat and a rose-embroidered lace apron that sat under her chocolate corset. It had given Yura the impression that she was a doll herself, especially with her lace headdress adorned with a matching blue ribbon. She carried a leather notebook and started scribbling into it the moment she laid eyes on Yura, humming to herself.

"So.. what exactly are you doing?" Elais asked. 

Adrienne looked up from her note-taking, with visible excitement in both her expression and tone."I want to investigate her powers - how they work and maximise absolute potential. We could learn further about the streams of magic, maybe even get a breakthrough!" 

She clicked her pen and started drawing intricate diagrams, practically ignoring Elais' presence."Your immortality is likely linked with the new streams of magic," she reminded him.

Elais felt provoked and obliged to respond, uncertain where the conversation was leading. "..And what do you mean by learning further about the streams of magic?" he asked. 

Understanding the streams of magic was considered foundational knowledge for all magic-users, and it was essentially taught at an elementary level. It was a simple topic to dwell in that even children could easily grasp its concept within a day.

"As you know, magic usually works as a stream of elements. I'm suspecting that it can be manipulated to empower its output and execution," Adrienne said, her eyes beaming with eagerness as she circled around Yura. "Hence, it'd be good to figure out how her powers work to further benefit magical advancements."

"Do you intend to use such knowledge to benefit war efforts as well? I don’t think you should involve the girl in something like this," Elais responded. A wave of trauma struck him, close to his heart. To be used for his immortality, something he gained against his will for the benefit of others. He knew it all too well, the thought alone made him feel queasy.

"Well, that’s why you’re the perfect assignee. A lonely immortal like you is the only one who could understand her pain," Adrienne said.

Elais was irked at her response. "Assignee? I was not aware of any other arrangement."

"You’ll be taking care of her, of course. I need you to observe her power's developments. It's too dangerous to have her with me with my current research," Adrienne said. "I’ve been gathering intel over the years, and there've been civil wars regarding the use of some newfound dark magic that can potentially change how life itself works." 

Adrienne pulled down a screen from above, and showcased a wide variety of newspaper clippings alongside lots of calculations and diagrams. "This magic is beyond anyone's comprehension, so I’d like to research her powers to help prevent any upcoming catalysts, since I’m certain she's a direct link to the newfound dark magic. I'd like to hide the girl’s existence before things get worse, and I'm already a target." 

Elais gazed over his shoulder to find Yura playing with some of Adrienne's dolls. A young girl like her, should not have to be a subject of suffering. Yet somehow, she was supposedly linked to his problems, an eternal dilemma that had been tormenting him for centuries. "Adrienne, I mean to ask. How exactly did you come to learn about my immortality?"

Adrienne looked down at her notes, averting her gaze from Elais. "My family had actually researched immortality experiments prior. I found notes of a late ancestor who believed that it was tied to these new magical advancements." 

Elais raised an eyebrow. It felt as if the room temperature had dropped significantly. 

Adrienne paused, and exhaled deeply. "My family was persecuted for trying to stop the use of these new forms of magic, you know. No one wanted to listen to the fact that it could cause irreversible damage. To both mortals and the world itself."

Elais sighed, as he hadn't cared about dwelling in politics in a while. He didn't feel the need to for his age. "I’m only helping Yura as you claimed that it would help undo my immortality. I really don't see how she has anything to do with it though."

Adrienne’s disheartened expression had suddenly become curious. "What was her name?"

"Yura," Elais responded. 

"Fascinating..truly," Adrienne replied, immediately jotting it down in her notes. She flicked through her notes so rapidly that she didn't notice nor hear Elais leaving. 

Yura tugged on the tail of his coat, reminding him to take her with him. As the pair were about to leave through her front door, Adrienne yelled from the back of the room, "Make sure to update me on her progress! I’ll do the same from here!"  

Elais shook his head. It was too early to process her loud commotion. He took Yura by the hand, and headed down the forest path to finally escape into the safety of his abode.