In shadow and light: waltz of souls

Leticia hadn't yet recovered from her dream when another knock sounded at the door—firm, yet not abrupt, as though the visitors didn't want to intrude but had no intention of leaving. She exchanged a glance with her mother and went to open it.

Standing on the threshold were her friends—Marta, Leon, and Thomas. Their faces shone with genuine concern, and they held a basket filled with fruit. Marta stepped forward with a bright smile.

"Leticia!" she exclaimed happily. "We heard you weren't feeling well, so we brought you some fruit to help you get better."

Leticia returned her smile, feeling the warmth of their friendship for the first time in a long while.

"Thank you," she said, accepting the basket. "Come in—I'm glad to see you."

The friends entered the house and sat around the table. Marta, energetic and always cheerful, immediately started recounting the latest news. Leon, thoughtful and level-headed, surveyed the room as though trying to glean clues about Leticia's condition. Thomas, the quietest of the group, silently examined the fruit, as if making sure it was of good quality.

Before long, the conversation shifted naturally to the latest events in the village. Leon frowned and sighed.

"By the way, I heard something… People have started disappearing. It's been happening more and more often, and no one knows why. Some say it's bandits."

Leticia froze, gripping her cup tighter. A sudden wave of unease washed over her like a cold wind slipping into her deepest thoughts. She tried to recall something—anything—from her former life that might help explain what was happening. She knew she had the advantage of knowing what was supposed to occur in the future, but if things began to diverge from her memories, she'd be forced to fumble her way forward again in search of a peaceful life. Her mind spun frantically for answers, but came up empty. That frightened her.

"People just…vanish? Without a trace?" she asked, her voice quieter, tinged with tension.

Leon nodded, his lips thinning into a grim line.

"Yes. Some disappeared during the night, some in broad daylight. The hearths in their homes were still cold, and the horses left in their stalls, as if no one had willingly left home at all."

Leticia felt her heart clench. Slowly, she turned her gaze to Marta.

"And no one's seen anything?" she asked, trying to steady the tremor in her voice.

Marta shrugged, her usually bright eyes momentarily dimmed by worry.

"My father says it's the work of dark mages. A few people saw strange shadows on the outskirts of the village."

Dark mages… If that was true, the situation was far more serious than she'd thought. Mages were a fearsome force bound by laws and regulations—dark mages, however, ignored such constraints and used magic to harm villagers or even entire towns. Leticia had studied all she could about her village in her past life, but she'd never heard of anyone going missing. She had to find out more.

But before she could say anything further, Marta's face lit up.

"Oh, and I have news! My older sister's getting married!"

Thomas smiled, and Leon nodded in approval.

"Give her my congratulations. That's wonderful," Leon said quietly, smiling.

Leticia blinked, recalling something important.

"Wait… Your sister… She knows about magic and the occult, right?"

Marta nodded, curiosity replacing her happy expression.

"Yes, she's always been interested in that stuff. Why do you ask?"

Leticia carefully chose her words.

"I…need her help with…certain things."

Marta hesitated, then shook her head.

"That might be difficult right now. She's busy preparing for the wedding—she barely has any free time."

Leticia exhaled in disappointment, then remembered something else.

"She has a shop with mystical items, doesn't she?"

Marta nodded again.

"Yes, and if you can't meet with her in person, maybe you'll find something in her shop."

Leticia felt a spark of hope. Maybe there she could find answers about her strange connection to Aya. She looked at her friends—the caring Marta, the calm Thomas, and the thoughtful Leon. They stood by her, no matter what.

When her friends left, Leticia was alone in the quiet house again, her thoughts still drifting between worry and determination.

"Do you truly trust them?" Aya's voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

Leticia blinked.

"Of course," she answered silently. "They're my friends. They care about me."

"They care about you, yes—but do they know who you really are?" Aya persisted gently. "What if they found out you're an aristocrat…would they still accept you?"

Leticia froze. She didn't want to think about that.

"They're my friends," she repeated. "I won't let anything change that."

Aya said nothing, but her silence spoke volumes.

A moment later, Aya's voice sounded again:

"You know…I had friends too, in my past life."

Leticia's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Tell me about them," she said quietly.

Aya sighed, though there was no bitterness in her tone—only a warm nostalgia.

"They were the best people I knew. Honest, kind… They stood by me, even when I thought I was alone. They protected me when I couldn't protect myself. And they never betrayed me."

Leticia felt a gentle warmth in Aya's words.

"You miss them?" she asked cautiously.

"Yes," Aya admitted. "But I know they haven't forgotten me—just as I haven't forgotten them."

Leticia paused, then offered a soft smile.

"That's what matters most."

Aya didn't reply, but Leticia sensed the tension within her ease slightly.

Now Leticia had a new objective.

But before she could move forward, she had a mystery to solve.