A knock on the door woke the boy up.

"Zutenko-Niichan!" the voice of Kaybol called from outside the room. "you'll be late for breakfast if you won't get up!"

Inside the room, the boy muttered something. Slowly getting up from under his multiple big blankets, he rubbed his eyes. He reached to a shelf nearby and fumbled after something, before reaching his beanie and putting it on his head. He then stretched and rubbed his face again, messing even more his dark brown hair.

When Zutenko finally left the room, he was not surprised to see Hilliya waiting for him. She leaned back at the wall, the slightest of grins on her face.

"Mornin' sleepy head~" She greeted him casually.

Zutenko was almost sure she wanted to tease him, but couldn't tell. Hilliya were The Soft Assassin. She may have looked like a 12-year-old Vastoari girl, but she had full knowledge and experience of over eight thousand years. It included perfect acting, and the boy was fully aware of it. he felt the weight of the wooden mask in his hand. He didn't remember taking it with him from the room.

"Hello Hilliya-Neesan." He replied quietly but respectfully. Zutenko was only 16, that is if the estimations of his mistress were correct. In actuality though, he looked barely 14 - since the Magyo of Nyxians slowed down aging significantly. So even though he was not contracted to Auraiiya-Sama like Kaybol and Hilliya, Zutenko was not that much older than them physically.

Hilliya's eyes darted towards his mask, as if it wasn't there before. It was a white mask -one reminiscent of a fox, with red markings as decorations. Zutenko had this mask for as long as he could remember. Out of instinct, Zutenko put the mask on. Hilliya's grin faded, replaced by an expression of visible guilt. without another word, she continued her way to the dining room.

The boy silently followed, entering inside. That was not actually the dining room. Rather, it was a smaller chamber used by Auraiiya for dining with her 3 cubs. The real dining room was only for fancy guests of high ranking. Zu was never allowed in that room - especially when there were guests. He knew it was due to his lack of contract, practically not being officially Auraiiya-Sama's like Kaybol and Hilliya are.

Sitting down, Kaybol passed him a plate. Zutenko only glanced at him before silently nodding in gratitude. Kaybol was wearing that big blue scarf again, with the rest of his colorful red and yellow fashion combo.
How does he never trip from that huge thing? He wondered to himself once more.

By this point he had already filled his plate, and was about to start eating. Kaybol nudged his shoulder.

"Zu-Nii," the boy said as Zu turned to look at him. He tapped his lip with his thumb, then slid his finger up like he's removing something.

the mask- Zu realized.

"Oh.."

Zu let out a nervous laugh, as he lifted his mask up to eat.

Hilliya too chuckled, but got quiet again as Zu glanced at her. She immediately shifted back to that guilty face.

Only a few moments later, Auraiiya entered the room. "Good morning, my sweet little cubs~" She greeted them, with her gentle yet affectionate voice.

“Auraiiya-Sama, good morning!” Hilliya responded with a big smile.

Kaybol too, gave their mistress a smile, but in a little shyer fashion.

Zu himself just bowed his head in respect, while still chewing.

The tall, red-haired woman passed by each of them, ruffling their hair. She gave Kaybol a kiss on his forehead, and stroke Hilliya’s cheek. Zu got few pats on his head. He wasn’t a person of touching, but Auraiiya was his Namegiver and his mistress – he couldn't really complain.

Auraiiya sat down to eat her own breakfast, handed to her in a plate already prepared by Hilliya.

For a while it was quiet, with everyone simply eating their meals. Eventually Auraiiya spoke, her green raiment and its bits of golden jewelry glimmered in the morning sun.

"Unfortunately," She started, "I have some business I must attend today."

 Auraiiya turned to the girl besides her.

"Hilliya, you're in charge while I'm away."

All three kids nodded silently. Kaybol swallowed a piece of his sandwich. Zu finished his food quickly and put his mask on again, before approaching his Nyxian mistress.

"If I am allowed, Auraiiya-Sama," He began. "I was hoping to be in the spring garden today..."

The woman smiled and nodded.

"Of course, dear." she said.

Zu nodded respectfully and turned to leave, before Auraiiya spoke again. "Oh, and Zutenko?"

Zu turned back, to meet the gaze of Auraiiya's golden eyes. She knelt down to meet his eyes.

“… May I?" She asked softly, almost whispering. Zu nodded, after a second of contemplation. Auraiiya gently lifted the boy’s mask, to make eye contact – golden eyes meeting brown.

"That project," she said with a playful smile, "Show me when I come back, will you? ~"

Zu nodded with a slight blush. and Auraiiya put his mask back on, with a little smile.

Zu headed to the spring garden, taking in the sunny atmosphere and enjoying the breeze. he settled under a tree and opened the pouch from his belt. From it, he pulled up a few papers and a crudely carved pencil. Sitting down, he scattered his previous drawing notes around him. crude sketches of weapons, clothing, and mountains were now resting on the soft grass. He started to sketch, the sheet of paper stabled on his knees.

After a while, he heard a sound. Assuming it was the wind, he decided to ignore it.

Just then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed someone getting closer.

“Hilliya, y’know I don’t like when you look at me drawing…”

He muttered, as he finally noticed it was not Hilliya. With the figure getting closer, Zu had decided it must be his imagination. He dedicated himself to ignoring it. Despite truly trying, he had no choice – when the figure took his mask off. A pair of pinkish eyes met his with glee.

“Hi!” the girl said.

#

At first, Neva observed the Vastoari boy from afar. His posture was slightly hunched, almost introverted. as if even in the open field - he still felt trapped. She herself wasn't sure where SHE is. Mere minutes ago, she was with Ta'ala. they were trying to track a "Startail Squirrel demon" for the bounty. But Neva lost her path when chasing it, until finding herself here. she scanned her surroundings. A dome. Magyo-enhanced, it seems. a small forest and a field full of flowers. For a few seconds, she contemplated her options. She could look for a way out of this place and find Ta'ala, but the boy under the tree made her way to curious to just leave. She made her decision, approaching him carefully. As she slowly got closer, she watched the boy, who was with a white canine mask drawing silently. Approaching him, Neva lowered herself a tiny bit. "Hey there," she said softly. the boy remained silent, but froze. Pencil falling off his hand, his face still fixated on the paper before him. His posture felt even more trapped. Neva had to get to the bottom of this. She glanced at the drawing he was doing, the notes around him, and then back at the mask. She studied the boy, now much closer. blue fabrics and a hat that was not meant for the weather of the dome.

Dear Nyx, Neva thought to herself. Why would a boy wear such things here?

the winter hat. the mask. it didn't make sense. her left ear twitched twice.

Neva lost her patience. She placed two of her fingers under the boy's chin, making him look directly at her face. She then slid her finger up, pulled carefully the mask. The lace behind his head untied as Neva removed the mask. Lifting it up, she gave him a smile.

"Hi!"

Almost immediately, her attention shifted to the mask. and she began to rotate it in her hand.

"This is a true high-quality mask, I have to say." she said with awe. "With these eye-sockets, I wonder what kind of Magyo effect it ha--"

Neva turned her head back to the boy, to see his face. Wide and shocked brown eyes, locked on hers.

#

" …. Ah…."

Zu was overwhelmed with series of emotions. The first was confusion. That clearly was not Hilliya. Not even in a disguise. the second was shock. It's a stranger. A stranger that he allowed to take his mask off, so recklessly. Why didn't he resist?

the third was fear.

the left ear of that stranger, twitched twice. she tilted her head.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Zu's flight reaction tried to kick in. He tried to take a crawl back, but his hoody rubbed against the tree. He swallowed and tried to make a plan. He never was as strategic as Hilliya or Kaybol.

the girl's left ear twitched twice again. Looking straight as him, her eyes got wider and her playful expression softened to worry.

"Oh… Oh, dear…"

moving carefully, the girl slowly got back on her feet.

"Hey," she spoke softly, "I'm no harm, see?"

 She put her spear on the ground. raising her hand, she handed Zu his mask back.

The boy snatched the mask back from her hand, and held it tightly to his chest. he still avoided her eyes.

"I don't wanna hurt you..." she continued, "it's just… I can't help but feel like something is wrong, like a wound, in you…"

She reached with her hand slowly towards him. "Please, let me help you..."

Zu stared at her in confusion, as he slowly stood up. Ignoring the girl's hand, and still holding his mask close.

"Who… Who are you?"

The boy finally gathered the courage to speak. I wish Hilliya was here. He thought. She knew how to interact with people.

The girl blinked a few times before breaking into a chuckle. "How silly of me, I even forgot to introduce myself!"

Her smile got bigger again. picking up her spear, she bowed lightly before leaning the spear on her shoulder again. "My name is Neva. I'm a Potionmaster's assistant, buuut mainly hunting down animals for materials and bounty." She continued, her smile still wide, "And you, lil' pal? Do you have a name?"

The boy looked at her, a little hesitant, but decided to take the risk: "M-My name is Zu…Zutenko."

Neva looked at him and whistled. “'A treasure hidden in the snow'.” She recited in vastoan the meaning from the Nyxian language.
"What a unique name." She smiled again, getting more laid back with her movements. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Zutenko."

"I gotta ask'" she immediately continued, "what makes me so scary though?"

"Well..."

He thought carefully about his answer. He still didn't know about her enough, but his gut feeling was to trust her.

"To simply put… I don't meet a lot of people from outside…"

Neva nodded in understanding, her pinkish eyes were locked on him, unblinking. She was deep in thought. Suddenly she smiled, taking the hand of the boy.

"Come with me, Zu."

The girl pulled him with surprising strength, but his mind had a response to something else.  My name is Zutenko. I never allowed you to call me by nickname.

however, he stayed silent. something in him told the boy he can trust her. With a hesitant look, he allowed himself to be pulled.

They didn't have to look for long. Reaching the end of the dome, Neva knelt down and showed Zu the entrance hidden between two bushes. She looked back at Zu. He looked still hesitant.

"It's okay." She spoke softly. "You'll be fine, I ain’t letting go of your hand, promise."
She squeezed his hand a little, to reassure him. She then pulled him close, and Zu noticed her eyes’ faint glow.

Then the glow started emitting from below. Zu looked down to see a pair of glowing Circles forming besides each of her feet. They slowly spun back. 

Like a wind-up toy, he realized, before Neva and him launched forward into the path outside.