The group sprinted toward the source of the screams without hesitation, the misty forest parting before them as they moved. Leaves crunched under their feet, and the faint sound of struggle grew louder with every step.

‘Over there!’ Sheipu pointed through a clearing.

In the distance, they saw a group of bandits surrounding someone. It was a girl, no older than seventeen, her wrists bound in thick rope, her red hair messy and wild, her bright crimson eyes burning with defiance even as she struggled.

‘Help!’ she cried, kicking one of the bandits in the shin.

‘Let her go!’ Ace shouted, his voice booming through the trees.

The bandits turned, momentarily startled by the sheer number of people charging at them. Raiden was the first to act. In the blink of an eye, he zipped forward and landed a solid punch on the closest bandit’s jaw, sending him flying into a tree. The others barely had time to react before the Eight Divine Wonders closed in.

Kōri summoned spears of frozen water that pinned some of the bandits to the ground without harming them. Tera lifted another group into the air with a casual flick of her hand, leaving them flailing helplessly. Riki built a quick mechanical trap out of scraps lying around, snapping it onto another bandit’s ankle.

Within seconds, the fight was over.

Ace walked over to the girl and gently untied her wrists. She looked up at him warily, her red eyes sharp and suspicious.

‘It’s okay. We’re not gonna hurt you.’ Ace said, offering her a small, reassuring smile.

She didn’t say anything, just pulled her hands away quickly and stood up, brushing off the dirt on her torn clothes. Her red hair fell into her face and she tucked it behind her ear awkwardly, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

‘What’s your name?’ Raiden asked, stepping forward, trying, and failing, to act casual. Ace gave him a sidelong glance, barely holding back a grin.

The girl hesitated for a moment, then answered quietly, almost like she regretted saying anything at all.

‘Scarlet.’

Raiden looked like he just got hit by lightning. ‘S-Scarlet… That’s a nice name.’ he stammered.

Ace almost burst out laughing on the spot, but he managed to keep it together, only raising an eyebrow at Raiden. 

‘Where are you from?’ asked Sheipu, stepping forward, trying to make his voice sound as soft and non-threatening as possible.

Scarlet didn’t answer. She just looked at the ground, her hands fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

‘Hey, it’s fine.’ said Tere kindly. ‘You don’t have to talk if you don't want to.’

‘You’re safe now.’ added Tera warmly.

Scarlet nodded slightly but kept her distance from everyone, standing stiffly like a deer ready to bolt at any second.

Ace leaned toward Raiden and whispered, ‘Smooth, Romeo. Real smooth.’

Raiden glared at him but didn’t respond.

The group decided it was best not to pressure her. They started heading back toward the town they had found earlier, a small, quiet village with a few stone houses and narrow cobbled streets. Scarlet followed them hesitantly, keeping a few steps behind at all times.

As they walked, Ace noticed something odd. Every now and then, he could feel a strange aura pulsing from Scarlet. It was faint, but it was there; something different, something not entirely... human...

He didn’t mention it though. Not yet.

When they reached the village, Sheipu and the others arranged a room for Scarlet at a small inn. Raiden, of course, volunteered to show her to her room, earning another look from Ace that said, "you’re hopeless."

Standing awkwardly outside her door, Raiden scratched the back of his neck.

‘So uh… if you ever wanna talk… or like… need anything… I’m around.’ he said, voice cracking slightly at the end.

Scarlet blinked at him, her expression unreadable. Then, very softly, she said, 'Okay. Thanks.'

Raiden’s whole face lit up like a torch.

Ace, watching from around the corner, snickered to himself.

Later that night, after Scarlet had gone to bed, the group gathered around a fire at the edge of the village.

‘She’s hiding something.’ said Ono quietly, tossing a twig into the flames.

‘Yeah. I noticed too.’ said Kōri.

‘Her aura… it’s strange.’ Ōra added. ‘Not bad. Just… different.’

‘It’s kinda like Ace’s' Raiden added.

Ace gazed up into the starry night wondering, what about her what do weird. Almost like he knew her face, or at least another version of her.

‘Do you think she’s dangerous?’ asked Tera, concern flickering across her face.

‘I don’t think so.’ said Ace, staring into the fire. ‘She fought back against the bandits. She’s just scared.’

Sheipu nodded. ‘Whatever she is, whoever she is, she’s not the enemy.’

‘Besides,’ Raiden said, trying to sound casual but failing miserably, ‘it’s not like we don’t have a couple weirdos in our group already.’

Ace gave him a mock-offended look. ‘I feel personally attacked.’

Everyone laughed, and for a moment, the tension melted away. But deep inside, they all knew that Scarlet’s arrival wasn’t just random. Nothing had been random lately.

There was a reason she crossed their path, and whatever it was, they would find out soon enough.

For now, they would let her rest. She deserved that much.

'I feel like I’ve seen her face before....' Ace says.