Thirteen-year-old Reinhardt sat silently in the back seat of a black car, his fingers tapping restlessly on the window. The road ahead was dark and wet, the heavy clouds above ready to spill rain at any moment. The trees swayed wildly in the strong wind, and the sound of thunder echoed in the distance.
He wanted to go home.
No, he needed to go home.
His mother was about to give birth. She had gone into labor earlier than expected, and the family's doctor had sent an urgent message.
[Young Master, come home quickly.]
But now, this terrible weather was slowing them down.
"Master Reinhardt," the driver said from the front seat, "The storm is making the roads dangerous. We'll have to reroute."
Reinhardt frowned. "What do you mean?"
"There's been a landslide ahead. The official road to the Imperial Capital is blocked. We'll take the old road through the countryside. It's longer, but it's the only way left."
Reinhardt didn't argue. He just nodded, biting his lip. Every minute that passed made him more anxious. He kept looking at the darkening sky, then at his watch. Time was moving too fast, but the car wasn't. The rain finally began to fall.
Not gently, but in heavy sheets. It hit the car windows with loud taps, making it hard to see anything outside. After another hour, the guards' car in front of them flashed its lights. They had to stop.
The driver rolled down the window, trying to speak to the lead guard.
"It's not safe to keep driving in this storm," the guard said. "There's a small house ahead, probably belongs to a local. We'll ask if we can stay until morning."
Reinhardt didn't like the idea. He hated delays. But looking outside, he knew they didn't have a choice. The roads were flooded and almost invisible.
Minutes later, they reached the small house. It was made of old wood and stone, clearly aged and worn by years of weather. Not far from it stood an even older building, an orphanage, based on the broken sign hanging by the gate.
The storm grew stronger. The group was welcomed inside by an old couple who owned the house. They had no electricity, only candles. The air smelled of damp earth and burning wood.
Reinhardt sat near the fire, drying his clothes, while his guards spread out to keep watch around the area. The old couple brought them soup and blankets. It should've felt safe. But Reinhardt couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.
That night, while the wind howled like wolves outside, chaos struck. An explosion tore through the darkness, followed by the sharp sound of shattering glass and men shouting.
"Assassins!" one of the guards screamed.
Reinhardt jumped to his feet. His heart pounded in his chest. He had been trained for emergencies, but this was worse than anything he'd imagined.
Outside, rain poured so hard that it blurred everything. He saw figures running and weapons clashing under flashes of lightning. Fire began to spread from the guardhouse. The storm made it impossible to know who was winning.
He tried to run, but something exploded nearby. The shock sent him flying backward. His ears rang. His vision blurred. Someone grabbed his arm. Not one of his guards.
It was a girl. She looked about his age, with short hair and fierce eyes. She pulled him behind a collapsed wall and whispered, "Follow me if you want to live."
Reinhardt blinked in confusion. "Who are you?"
"No time!" she said. "Come!"
She pulled him through a narrow back door, down a muddy hill behind the orphanage, and into the dark forest. Rain soaked their clothes, and the cold made Reinhardt's teeth chatter. The place was close to a popular hiking site.
They ducked under trees and crawled through thick brush. He could hear men fighting behind them, shouting into the storm. The girl never let go of his hand. Finally, they reached a small cave hidden by vines.
The girl helped him inside and closed the entrance with broken branches. He was shivering. So was she. They sat in silence for a while, catching their breath.
"You saved me," Reinhardt said finally.
She gave him a tired smile. "You looked like someone important."
"I am," he admitted, his voice barely audible. "But who are you?"
The girl shook her head. "Just an orphan. My name doesn't matter."
Reinhardt frowned. "It matters to me."
She looked away, hugging her knees.
Reinhardt touched the chain around his neck. His grandfather had given him a jade pendant before he passed away. It was a special piece, shaped like a half-moon. There were two halves. The other one was still in his pocket.
He pulled it out and placed it in her hand.
"What's this?" she asked.
"It's a promise," he said. "If we ever meet again, show me this."
Her fingers closed around the jade piece. "But why?"
"Because you saved me. That means something."
Before she could answer, the cave suddenly shook. Another explosion in the distance. And then everything went black.
When Reinhardt opened his eyes again, he was in a warm bed. His mother's worried face hovered above him. His guards stood nearby, some injured, but alive.
"You're back," his mother whispered with relief. "Thank the heavens."
He sat up. "Where is she?"
"Who?"
"The girl… who saved me…"
But no one knew.
She was gone.
He reached into his pocket, but his half of the jade pendant was nowhere to be found. That day never left Reinhardt's memory.
Even as he grew older, he often dreamed of the girl with the fierce eyes, running with him through the storm. He didn't know her name. He didn't even know if she was still alive. But he kept the other half of the pendant close.
It reminded him that even in the darkest times, someone could still show up and save your life without expecting anything in return. It reminded him of the promise he had made. And now, years later, as he looked at the jade pendant around Aeliana's neck…
He couldn't help but wonder.
Was she that girl?
What about Carmela?
Who was she?