6 Years later

"Mom, Kiyu and I are going to Harios!", Laki's excited call swept across the fields of her family's estate.

"It's okay, my darling. But take care!" Samira replied from within the house.

"Come on Kiki! Whoever is first in Harios wins!", Laki shouted and ran at full speed.

"Hey, that's unfair. Wait for me!", Kiyu called out to her and ran after her foster sister and best friend.

Kiki was the nickname that Laki at some point had given to Kiyu. It combined the 'ki' of Kiyu and the 'ki' of Laki, she had explained once.

Six years had passed since Yorgen, Samira and Laki took in Kiyu, who had lost her family in the massacre at the Spirit Incarnation Rite.

At first it had been difficult for her to adjust to the new family. They were all nice to her and very caring, but in the end it wasn't her genuine family and they couldn't distract her from the fact that her own family was dead.

More than once at night she had cried herself to sleep in the first weeks, but only when she thought everyone was already asleep. And it was not uncommon for Laki snuggling tight to Kiyu, who slept with her in a bed, and warm her.

As the days passed, Kiyu had confessed to her foster family that she had lied about her name. Out of fear, she had explained. She had kept secret who Rika was to her, but neither Yorgen nor Samira asked her about the origin of the name.

Days passed, months went by, and Kiyu thought less and less about the incident. The new life given to her by her new family made her happy, and much had changed in her life since then.

Laki and Kiyu had grown much, with Kiyu towering over her by far. She was even a head taller than the boys her age. Her light brown hair she wire in a short just cut a little over the ears and it would not be uncommon for her to be mistaken for a boy at first because of her height and the length of her hair. But looking at her tender face whipped off that thought.

Laki had grown into a little beauty who could turn people's heads with her long, fiery red hair. Everyone just liked her, and her deep brown eyes cast a spell over people. They were both 17 years old and in the prime of their lives.

But it wasn't just the two who had changed in the six years that had passed.

The small settlement on the strait, which was protected to the right and left of the peninsula, just developed into a small village with its own landing stage in a phased manner.

For the name of the new village, the people decided on Harios. The village consisted foremost of fishing families and a few farmers like Laki's family.

It has been a carefree life.

"Won!", Laki cheered, who was the first to pass the entrance to the village of Harios. She jumped around and cheered about her renewed victory against Kiyu.

"That's unfair!", nagged Kiyu, who also arrived at the entrance, groaning for breath.

"How do you do that? You are shorter than me and you have shorter legs."

In all these years, Kiyu had never won a race against Laki. This phenomenon was a mystery to her, especially after her growth spurt.

"Well, there is no match for the unbelievable Laki!", the young girl shouted and threw her arms in the air in joy. In an instant, two apples fell out of her shirt and rolled over the floor.

"Laki! Did you steal apples from Samira's stash again?", Kiyu muttered. Over the years, Laki had almost perfected her ability to steal small things, and Kiyu never knew if and what she had stolen.

"Psst not so loud!", she hissed back and picked up the apples, which she hid again, in no time.

After hiding the apples, she approached Kiyu and whispered in her ear, "We'll exchange them for cotton candy at old Mert's store!"

Her grin was a mixture of anticipation and the idea of sweet cotton candy in her mouth. Kiyu knew that glance, craving for sweets all too well.

"You're just incorrigible.", Kiyu groaned and hit her forehead with the flat of her hand. "Well, it's too late now anyway, so why not?", she added with a shrug.

Laki just knew her too well. Kiyu was righteous up to a point, but when it was too late, or there was just no other way, she overlooked wrongdoing. Even with her own behavior, she had caught herself doing it often enough.

The two walked with a spring in their step through the tiny village, which had only a few hundred inhabitants, but was still always busy.

After a few minutes they reached the harbor, where there was a large pier with smaller ships. Some of them were fishing boats, others were ships of smaller merchants who traded with Harios. Mert's store was also located here at the harbor.

"Well you two," he greeted them, waving his hand, "did you steal some apples from your mother again?" A grim look from the older man fell on the two girls, who feared that Mert might betray them this time.

Unsure, Kiyu looked into Laki's eyes, but she looked back as if everything was okay.

"Fuahaha. Laki that was without a doubt you again, wasn't it?," he brought out before bursting into laughter. "You are a hand-tame thing, but for sweets, you can give a zangial magpiecat some actual competition!"

The old man disappeared into the house behind the set up counter for a moment and came back with two sticks of cotton candy.

"Here you go," he smiled and accepted the two apples from Laki. "Enjoy the cotton candy."

Happy and with cotton candy in hand, Laki ran off and stretched out both her arms in joy.

"Thank you, Mr. Mert!", shouted Kiyu, who was trying to stay on Laki's heels.

"Leave that Mr. out, I always feel so old!" he shouted after them in a feigned anger, but only Kiyu got it since Laki was too far away.

Where Laki was running, Kiyu knew for sure. Narrow strips of lands surrounded the small bay on the left and right, just a few dozen meters wide. But since these narrow stretches of land were above the sea level, one could look at the clear water of the bay from there and enjoy the reflection of the sun.

As they often did, they ran to the grass of the hills in front of a small section of forest and, lying down at first, looked at the sky while enjoying their cotton candy.

"One day I would like to travel away from here," Laki told. She had done that many times when she and Kiyu lay here and just enjoyed nature.

"Up and away on a merchant ship and explore the world," she continued, extending a hand toward the sky. "Would you come with me, Kiki?" she asked Kiyu, turning to face her.

"You already know the answer." replied Kiyu, who had often answered her question in the affirmative. They embraced and fell asleep in the soft grass of the hill.

"Kiyu. Kiyu!" a familiar, childish voice called out. "Why did you forget about me Kiyu?"

In shock, Kiyu straightened up. Without a warning she was alone on the hill and she saw a person walking on the water of the bay.

"Why did you forget your promise, Kiyu? Weren't you going to look for me when you are older?" The figure came closer and closer, and Kiyu realized who it was.

"Y..you?" she gasped when she realized Rika was standing in front of her. "But I wanted to.... I mean..." she stammered, but she couldn't form a clear thought.

"Rika I...", she started again but again failed to express her thoughts.

"Why did you forget about me and your promise, Kiyu?" she asked again, but with each word she formed, her voice changed.

The gentle, youthful voice of nine-year-old Rika changed into something else, something mischievous. In a flash, Rika's body changed. Surrounded by shadows and speaking in a deep voice, the spirit that had taken over Rika stood before Kiyu.

Before she couldn't even understand what was going on, a glistening light shone out of her body. With each passing second, the light grew stronger and brighter, and it was no longer possible for Kiyu to recognize anything in her surroundings.

"Cheryu?" she whispered as she recognized the warmth of the light. The threatening shadow in front of her dissolved bit by bit, giving way to the spirit that dwelled within her.

"Kiki! KIKI! Please wake up, Kiki!"

Another familiar voice entered her mind, and she could at least place it without difficulty. It was with no doubt Laki's voice!

The light in front of her dissipated and disappeared back inside her body. With a last flash of light, the image that had appeared in front of her vanished and she saw Laki in front of her when she opened her eyes.

"Laki...? What's wrong?", she asked, confused, as if she had awakened from a dream.

Tears streamed down Laki's cheeks. Laki, who had been leaning over Kiyu, moved her body to the side so Kiyu could see the village.

Before it was a beautiful village in front of the empty bay, which she had seen just before her dream..... now, however, flames engulfed it.