2 Born of the Unknown

The mysterious object roamed the village until it came to a halt at the mother's house, fixating its gaze on the lifeless body of her daughter, Veena. Slowly, the object transformed into a living human, bearing an exact resemblance to Veena.

She examined her hands and feet, unaware of her identity and purpose. Her expressionless face showed no emotions as she adapted swiftly to her newfound human form. Walking through the desolate village, she encountered only lifeless corpses.

Oblivious to the meaning of the scene before her, a single teardrop escaped her left eye, surprising her. She wiped away the tear and observed it in her hand, her curiosity and astonishment evident on her face.

A group of villagers from a nearby village approached the devastated area, drawn by the sight of a powerful light emanating from the village. They searched for any signs of survivors, but their efforts proved futile.

A middle-aged man spotted the wandering girl from a distance and rushed toward her, calling out to her frantically.

"Hey...! Hey...! Hey! The girl over there! Are you okay?! Did something happen to you?"

He placed his hand on her shoulder while shaking her gently, trying to get her attention. However, she did not respond and her eyes remained empty, devoid of warmth or soul.

"Can you speak? Say something!" the man wondered aloud, realizing that she might be unable to communicate.

As the other villagers explored the village, they came across the corpses of the soldiers. The village leader recognized them immediately.

"I see. I think I understand what happened here..." he remarked.

Curious, one of the villagers asked, "What do you mean, leader?"

"These soldiers belonged to Arthedria, a country in the southwest. They had been engulfed in a civil war since long time ago."

Surprised, another villager asked, "But how did you know about it, sir? The southwest continent never shared information with outsiders. Nobody knew about anything from the southwest continent."

The leader's gaze turned distant as he replied, "I had been there before. It doesn't matter now. We must leave this place. It's no longer safe."

"No longer safe?"

"Yes..."

The villagers noticed the man returning with the girl.

Excitedly, a woman exclaimed, "Oh my! Arthur, where did you find her?"

"I found her wandering in the central village. She seems traumatized... Could you check on her?"

The other villagers gathered around, observing her closely. Meanwhile, the girl also stared at their faces and observed their expressions and emotions.

The village leader interrupted, "Bring her back to our village immediately. We will have Dr. Apgar examine her."

The villagers nodded in agreement and swiftly escorted her back to their village. As they were entering into the forest, the girl cast one last glance at the devastated village before turning her back and moving forward with those villagers.