The dawn was crisp.
The frozen dew crunched under our boots as our cautious steps measured the terrain near the border. The fog still clung to the ground, swirling in tiny eddies where our movement disturbed the remnants of the night. At the edge of the horizon, the flickering light of the sun only faintly promised the arrival of morning, but the cold had not yet loosened its grip.
Michael and Elis's argument had accompanied us the entire way. At times hushed, at others sharp, their remarks clashed in the air like shadows wielding blades. Chloé and I exchanged a glance, and with a firm yet subtle remark, we managed to silence them just enough so they wouldn't announce our presence from afar. It wasn't clear whether these two wanted to tolerate each other or considered the other's existence the greatest mistake of the universe.
But we focused on our own task. Chloé and I scanned the terrain, searching for border markers and paths that the watchful eyes might not scrutinize as strictly. The shift change was in half an hour, but we knew the area was under constant surveillance. If we moved wisely, we could avoid unpleasant surprises.
As we neared the clearing, the cold seemed to bite even sharper into the air, and tension settled into our movements. Chloé raised her sensor, a small device capable of detecting entities. But I already knew there was nothing here… or at least, there hadn't been until now. Then, as we stepped into the clearing, a dull whisper of intuition struck me.
"Little tower…" I murmured to myself, already knowing where to look.
"What tower are you talking about?" Elis asked, glancing around. "There's not a single damn tower here."
Michael, in his usual measured tone, remarked,
"You can express your opinion without cursing, Miss."
"I'll decide what tone and vocabulary I use, Sir," Elis replied with her usual sarcasm.
I could see this was about to turn into another long argument, so I stepped forward, the frost-covered grass crunching beneath me, and stopped before a small tower of carefully stacked stones. I almost smiled—until I sensed a familiar presence. And then I saw her.
Medi.
She stood there, her small figure shimmering faintly, and the childlike laughter that echoed from deep within my memories now filled the air once again.
"Look! Look! I did it!" she called out, eyes sparkling. "Now I finally managed to build it all by myself! Just like you said—from the widest to the smallest. And I did it!"
I gestured for the others to stay back, suppressing a smile as I stepped forward.
"You did a wonderful job. This is a beautiful tower," I said softly. "But… if you don't mind, I need to move it just a little. There's something important here that I have to check. I promise we'll rebuild it afterward."
Medi's brows furrowed slightly as her gaze flickered to the weapons strapped to my belt. I was about to reassure her that there was no need to worry when she suddenly smiled.
"I'm not afraid of you," she declared firmly. "You can have it. I know what you're looking for. They always told me this is something very important, and I shouldn't give it to just anyone. Only to someone who knows where it is. And you know where it is."
At that moment, a woman's figure emerged—undoubtedly the same one from before.
For a brief second, my heart skipped a beat.
"Did she tell you?" the woman asked quietly.
I nodded.
I knew she was referring to the one in black. Deep down, I already sensed the answer, but the words barely made it past my lips.
"Yes."
The air between us froze. Medi looked deep into my eyes, then nodded and swept aside the small tower, revealing the hidden place beneath. But before I could reach for it, the woman's voice sliced through the moment like a blade.
"And why should I believe you?" Her tone was sharp, cold as the morning frost. "You brought two angels here. How do we know it's not for them?"
Her ghostly form was slowly solidifying in the mist. A shadow of the past now blocking our path, standing at the border between memory and the present.
"Because…" I started, but I didn't know what answer would satisfy her. I had no time to explain that Elis and Michael were harmless.
"Come, Medi. Gather your stones. We're leaving now."
The woman remained motionless. The tension around us was palpable, stretching the moments longer and heavier. And then, as the silence thickened, I broke it with the only words that came to me—as if they weren't mine at all.
"Sweet ignorance is better, isn't it?" I murmured, my voice barely audible. My eyes glinted as if someone else, through me, was casting sparks onto the figure before me.
The woman hesitated.
I felt it then—somewhere, beyond the unseen planes, someone was watching. Listening. And perhaps, for the first time, truly understanding.
The woman remained still for a long moment. Then, finally, she exhaled in a whisper.
"Fine. Take it. Here."
She handed it to me as if lending a scarf from her own closet.
She placed the key into my palm.
Michael, Elis, and Chloé watched in silence. But Chloé was already moving, sensing the approaching border guards.
"The shift is about to start," she warned. "We need to leave before they start asking questions."
The ghostly woman regarded us coolly before speaking her final words.
"Go."
As we left, Medi's small voice echoed after us.
"Goodbye!"