Almost no one noticed Haruna was missing until one of her friends tried to call on her.
"Have you seen Haruna?"
"Not since yesterday."
When she hadn't arrived for their pet project, admittedly Bastion been irked and little concerned, but when her uncle Professor Inukai told him that she never returned home that evening, against his usually cool-headed logic, a wild panic seized him!
The No-maj authorities searched all afternoon. No one has seen her not even her closest friend, Yui.
Countless hours flew by with no sign of her. By late evening, her parents were home and her mother was in tears.
"You mean no one has called or sent some kind of message for ransom or anything?"
"Not a single one."
"Perhaps it was to your company?" Sara G., the Water guardian questioned.
"No, Haruna's father would've been one of the first to know about it." Bastion replied grimly.
Just then, one of their friends had a horrible thought. "What if they don't call at all, because they don't want money…?"
Everyone present visibly paled. That was a frightening theory, even more so because it was an atrocious crime that still happens in this era.
Haruna's mother shook her head. "N-no. Don't even say it."
"I want my daughter found! And I want her found now." Haruna's father declared.
That same evening, the entire neighborhood joined together to form search parties to find her. Bastion soon joined the search party screaming her name—but there was no answer.
Who could've been the scoundrel that took her away?
_
Hours earlier, Haruna had dashed after the flickering light through the trees, intent on caching up to the individual she'd heard singing.
It felt as though the forest was closing in, as if not even the moonlight could reach her. The sort of night to unsettle anyone's nerves.
"Wait, stop! Stop!" she panted stopping to catch her breath. "I hear you but I can't see you entirely. I don't mean to impose but I'm afraid I'm lost."
Whoever it was up ahead of her had stopped. Then seemed to emerge from the darkened trees as the sound of dry leaves and weak twigs crunching underfoot could be heard.
The entire time Haruna stared, her cerulean eyes began to widen in fear and alarm.
It was a humanoid figure, the head had branch-like antlers and cloak-covered body. The eyes were glowing a bright white. The eyes and the lantern it held were only things illuminating the dark environment around both of them, as he now stood a few yards away from her.
He hadn't expected her to be wandering about his forest, but he certainly wasn't going to miss the opportunity to keep her for his own. Of course if she became too fearful, promises of safety and comfort were not beneath him.
"If you are able to hear me, then why not come closer, lost soul?" The tone of his voice; it was deep and spooky.
Oh no. Now Haruna remembered the edelwood wasn't the average tree – they were people that had turned into trees within flowed not sap but oil. Several were poor unfortunate souls that got lost in the unknown before succumbing to despair. All within the territory of a much older, darker spirit one as old the wood itself...
For a moment she could only stare and gasp out, "N-no. Don't come near me!"
"You need not be afraid, I am only attempting to assist you." The Beast soothed, taking several languid strides towards her.
"No, get away! Don't touch me!"
Haruna tried to turn and run, but he'd swiftly seized her wrists!
By this point she thrashed, wailed and just about nearly dislocated her forearms in trying to escape. She slipped out and ended up falling backwards, her head hitting something.
Then down…down…into swirling blackness!
To be continued…