The Dark Before The Light

Acacia offered no reply, her attention caught by a figure approaching from the edge of her vision. Edwin was walking towards them, a thoughtful, perhaps even troubled, expression on his face.

"Acacia, there you are. I've been looking for you. I just spoke with Vincent," Edwin said, slightly breathless, pushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

"And his full name is Vincent Arlo?" Acacia pressed, her eyes narrowed.

"Yes, that's what he…" Edwin began, his voice trailing off as the implication of his own words seemed to dawn on him.

Acacia's frown deepened. "And?"

"He…claims he doesn't work for Flow. Said he was just a simple traveller before all this," Edwin continued, his tone uncertain.

"Did you ask his age?" Acacia inquired, her gaze unwavering.

"...He said he's twenty-nine," Edwin replied, his eyes widening slightly as he connected the information. Acacia turned her head away, her expression unreadable. "So… I guess that confirms it. He is the same person Elric described."

"This is all so incredibly draining," Kel sighed.

"So, what's our next move?" Jahir asked, his gaze shifting between Acacia and Edwin.

"Honestly, I'm at a loss," Acacia admitted, her thumb gently stroking the smooth scales of Behemoth resting on her palm.

"Why don't we just cut to the chase and kick them out?" Kel suggested, his tone impatient. "Why all this tiptoeing around?"

"Because perception is everything right now," Edwin explained, his voice weary but firm. "To those who haven't noticed anything amiss, if we suddenly become forceful, we'll just look like power-hungry bullies. And considering we're practically the last significant group left, people already subconsciously treat us with a certain deference, assuming we're in charge. That means we have to be extra cautious with our decisions, especially when it comes to appearing fair and just."

"Edwin is right," Acacia affirmed, nodding in agreement. "We need to be careful about how we proceed."

"Though that doesn't mean I have to like it," Edwin grumbled, running a frustrated hand through his already dishevelled hair. "Dealing with this blasted apocalypse and untrustworthy strangers is bad enough, but you know what the absolute worst part is? Smelling faintly of dog urine for days on end! My hair feels greasy, I can't even recall the last time I wore clean clothes, and my sanity is slowly unravelling with each passing second." He punctuated his complaints with a frustrated grit of his teeth.

'He has a point,' Acacia conceded internally, a faint longing for a proper shower surfacing in her thoughts. 'I miss the simple luxury of basic hygiene. Even though it was short-lived at Encer.'

"It's not as if we have readily available running water, Edwin," Jahir pointed out pragmatically. "At this point, we're largely at the mercy of the weather. We wait for the rain, like everyone else."

"Blast this forsaken world and its equally forsaken weather! It had better rain soon, or I swear I'll lose what little sanity I have left. And don't even get me started on the dire state of my wardrobe," Edwin declared dramatically.

"Why not just… cut your hair?" Kel offered with a shrug, a suggestion that was immediately met with a look of utter disdain from Edwin.

"Cut my hair?" Edwin sputtered, his voice rising in disbelief. "My hair? Do you have the faintest notion of the dedication, the sheer effort that has gone into cultivating this glorious mane? It's a fundamental aspect of my culture! Everyone in Lalan wears their hair long, styled in intricate braids and other elaborate fashions, it's what distinguishes us! And you… you flippantly suggest I just chop it off? Absolutely not!" He punctuated his outrage with a vehement scoff.

A beat of stunned silence hung in the air as they all stared at Edwin's impassioned defence of his hair. Finally, Jahir sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Alright, alright. Let's just… split up for now. See if we can scavenge anything useful and meet back here for dinner tonight."

"Sounds like a solid plan," Kel agreed, playfully nudging Jahir's shoulder, only to receive a pointed glare in return.

"Right, I'll get going then," Acacia said, offering a small wave before turning and walking away, absently wiping the lingering blood from her nose with her sleeve.

"Come on, let's go. I'll keep you safe," Kel announced, grabbing Jahir's arm and enthusiastically dragging him in the opposite direction.

"I do not need your protection," Jahir groaned, his feet skidding slightly as he was unwillingly pulled along.

Acacia wandered for a while, her footsteps echoing softly through the narrow alleyways. Behemoth, now comfortable on his perch, had coiled himself around her forearm. As she walked, she observed the small details of their makeshift community: resilient trees pushing through the cracked pavement, a family laboriously hauling worn couches into their salvaged home. Deeper in, she spotted Henry standing alone, his expression tight with annoyance.

"Henry," Acacia called out, and he turned his head sharply towards her before reluctantly shuffling over. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he mumbled, shrugging and shoving his hands deep into his pockets, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"Don't give me that," Acacia said gently, reaching out to ruffle his hair. He huffed a small puff of air but didn't pull away.

"It's just… that Jia girl," Henry finally admitted, his frustration evident. "She's stuck to Poppy like glue, and it's driving me nuts. Can't she give her a little space? But no, she's always right there, hovering. I probably sound ridiculous."

'Normally, I would have teased him mercilessly for being bothered by a little girl,' Acacia thought.

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"But?" she prompted gently, her eyes searching his face. "Did you notice anything else? Or what exactly made this feel… different?"

"Well, we were playing shopkeeper with Tosic," Henry explained, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I was the shopkeeper, and Poppy and Jia were the customers. It was actually pretty fun for a while. But then… Jia started mirroring everything Poppy said, even her silly made-up words. And her expressions! It was like watching a delayed replay, only… off. I figured maybe it was just because she's new, never really had friends before, so I didn't say anything."

"Mirroring her?" Acacia asked, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow.

"Yeah, and it's not just that. Jia doesn't seem to know… well, a lot of things. It's like she's a baby who can talk and understand but without any experience. It's hard to explain," Henry sighed, running a hand through his hair.

'A baby that can talk?' Acacia thought, the memory of Jia's innocent request for a hug suddenly taking on a different, unsettling light.

"Where are Jia and Poppy right now?" Acacia asked, her voice betraying a hint of urgency.

"Uh, they're at our place," Henry replied, looking up at Acacia, his gaze sharp. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

"It's nothing, just—" Acacia began, trying to dismiss his concern.

"Don't treat me like I'm a child!" Henry interrupted, his gaze hardening. "Poppy is my responsibility too. If something's going on, I have a right to know."

"I'll stop treating you like a kid when you sprout up to my shoulder," Acacia retorted, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. Henry crossed his arms and sulked, his lower lip jutting out slightly. "Look, I don't want to say anything definitive yet. I'd rather not cause unnecessary alarm if it turns out to be nothing. But let's go say hello to Poppy."

Henry shot her a quick, assessing glance before sighing and leading the way towards a dilapidated storefront. Acacia followed him, stepping cautiously into the dim interior. She spotted Poppy and Jia sitting together in a quiet corner.

"Senior?" Poppy blinked, her head tilting in innocent curiosity.

"What are you doing here?" Tosic's voice startled Acacia, seemingly materializing from the shadows behind her, causing her to flinch slightly.

That man and his infernal camouflage, Acacia thought with an inward sigh.

"Just came for a visit," Acacia replied, keeping her gaze on Tosic as he slowly moved from behind her until he was in her line of sight. He raised a questioning eyebrow. Acacia shook her head subtly, her attention then shifting to Jia, who was watching them with wide, unblinking eyes. Tosic's gaze flickered towards Henry, then back to Jia, a flicker of something unreadable in his expression.

"Alright, alright, let's leave the ladies to their… important business, you little brat," Tosic declared with a theatrical wave of his hand as he headed towards a back room, disappearing through a creaking door. "I have a sudden and urgent need for my teacups to be rearranged!"

"What? I cleaned those just last week! And why do you even have those teacups? You never drink tea out of them!" Henry grumbled, snatching a dusty cloth hanging on the wall and reluctantly trailing after Tosic through the door, which swung shut behind them with a soft thud.

Acacia waited until they were gone before approaching Poppy and Jia, kneeling in front of them with a warm, gentle smile. "Will you let me in on what you are talking about?"

"We were just imagining what it would be like to be super rich!" Poppy chirped, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We'd have the most beautiful dresses and a huge house where Dad, Henry, and I could all live happily ever after! With Jia, too, of course!"

"Dad?" Acacia blinked, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.

Poppy's face flushed a bright crimson at her slip. "Oh! Uh… it's just… it was a mistake!" She quickly covered her face with her hands, her embarrassment palpable, which earned a soft chuckle from Acacia.

"Hey, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that," Acacia reassured her gently, her smile warm. "It's perfectly normal to see him as someone you care about, someone… fatherly." Poppy slowly lowered her hands, her cheeks still a little pink.

"I don't want to call him that yet though," Poppy confided, leaning forward to talk in a low tone. "I'm waiting for his birthday! I want to surprise him with a super big reveal!" She spread her arms wide, her enthusiasm infectious.

"I have no doubt he'll absolutely love it, Poppy," Acacia said, her smile genuine.

"Can I call him Dad too?" Jia asked, her voice small and hopeful.

"No, silly! He's my Dad," Poppy declared, shaking her head emphatically. "The gods will give you your own dad if you don't have one already."

"Oh," Jia murmured, a hint of disappointment in her tone. Her gaze then drifted to Behemoth, her eyes widening slightly. "What's that? Can I eat it?"

"No, he's my pet," Acacia said, raising her hand so Jia could see Behemoth wriggling gently. "Definitely not food."

"...people eat food or keep food. So many options," Jia mumbled to herself, her brow furrowed in thought.

"Can I pet him?" Poppy asked, reaching out a tentative hand.

"I'm sorry, he's not very fond of strangers," Acacia replied with a soft sigh, and Poppy's lower lip drooped into a pout.

Jia continued to stare intently at Behemoth, and the small creature stilled against Acacia's hand, its tiny eyes fixed on Jia.

"Where did you come from, Jia?" Acacia asked, her tone gentle.

"The South," Jia replied simply.

"And your family? Do you miss them?" Acacia inquired, watching her reaction closely.

"They are here… with me," Jia replied, her gaze unwavering.

"And how old are you, Jia?" Acacia continued, her curiosity growing.

"The same age as Poppy," Jia answered, turning to look at Poppy with a small smile.

"Which is…?" Acacia prompted.

"I don't know," Jia said, her brow furrowing in confusion as she glanced back at Acacia, her green eyes seeming to glint for a fleeting moment. Suddenly, Behemoth lashed out with surprising speed, his tiny jaws clamping down on Jia's hand. Jia gasped, her hand flying to the bite. Acacia reacted instantly, grabbing Behemoth and forcefully prying his mouth open until he released Jia's skin. Poppy stared in wide-eyed horror at the sudden violence, while Jia's face registered a flicker of discomfort. Once free, Behemoth swiftly coiled himself tightly around Acacia's forearm, hissing menacingly at Jia, his tiny claws digging sharply into Acacia's flesh.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Acacia hissed, sending a sharp, pointed glare at Behemoth, who merely wriggled in protest, his reptilian eyes still fixed on Jia. "Let me take a look at that," Acacia said gently, carefully taking Jia's hand and lightly rubbing the small puncture marks where tiny beads of blood were beginning to surface.

"Are you alright, Jia?" Poppy asked, her voice filled with concern as she gently patted Jia's head.

"I'm okay," Jia replied, offering Poppy a reassuring smile.

Acacia's focus narrowed on the bite marks, her gaze then sweeping the immediate area. "Poppy, could you fetch me a cloth and some water, if there's any nearby?"

Poppy nodded immediately, her brow furrowed with worry, and hurried off to find the requested items. Acacia's eyes returned to Jia's hand, her gaze fixed on the welling blood. 'This… this doesn't smell like human blood. Or am I simply being overly suspicious?'

'There's something deeply wrong with this child, and likely the rest of her group,' Daemonis's voice echoed in Acacia's mind, laced with certainty. 'I wasn't consciously focusing on them before, but the mention of Ciflith triggered something. I'm almost certain they aren't human. And Behemoth's violent reaction only confirms that for me.'

Acacia's grip on Jia's hand subtly tightened, her fingers pressing lightly against Jia's skin, her eyes fixed on the faint traces of Jia's blood staining her own. Poppy returned quickly with a slightly damp cloth and a small, chipped cup of water. Acacia took the items, carefully pouring a little water onto the cloth to dab at the wound and then gently wrapping Jia's hand, deliberately avoiding wiping the blood from her own fingers.

"Try not to move it too much, Jia. And Poppy, ask Tosic if he happens to have any disinfectant. I'll be right back." Acacia stood, offering the girls a reassuring smile before turning and stepping back out onto the street.

She took a deep, steadying breath, her gaze fixed on her blood-stained fingers. Slowly, deliberately, she brought them to her mouth, lightly licking away the trace of Jia's blood. A strange, unfamiliar sensation bloomed on her tongue, and she closed her eyes for a fleeting moment. "No…" she whispered, her eyes snapping open, a look of dawning realization and urgency hardening her features. Without another moment's hesitation, Acacia turned and walked away quickly, her pace quickening with each step.