-Lumine's POV-

Lumine's brain shut down on itself, not bothering to help her in the slightest.

Before her was a sight she wasn't quite sure how to comprehend. A small child, perhaps a toddler judging by her height; clearly being fished out of the lake.

The hook had snagged on the child's scarf piece and she was still too mortified to actually do anything. She knocks her knee into the back of her brother's shoulder with more force than she probably needed to. But can't you blame her? There seems to be a drowning victim in front of them. "Check her pulse," she hissed.

Aether appears to have snapped out of his trance and shakes his head, perhaps to get his brain cells working. He gets on his knees and takes the child's hand in his, the size difference appearing off and seemingly disproportionate to Lumine.

But she opts to ignore that detail and focus on the more precedent matter.

"It's faint, but there's one."

"That's good, but I can't see her breathing or it's incredibly shallow. I think you need to perform CPR."

"What! Why me!?"

Lumine pauses for a moment in surprise. She gives him an incredulous look. "Because you're already on the ground, Brother! Stop wasting precious time!" She stomps her foot, this time not even really thinking about it.

Aether whines but starts on it anyway. He tilts the child's chin up, opens her airway, and performs two rescue breaths.

Nothing.

Lumine grips her dress in tightly curled fists.

Aether starts on chest compressions, using two digits from each hand instead of his full palms as that would probably break all of her ribs.

It's quiet out, besides them. Lumine wishes that the forest would find a better time to shut up.

Now that she thinks about it, these woods never seem to be buzzing with much life. There is a severe lack of anything but small foxes and the occasional squirrel.

Aether repeats his rescue breaths when he gets a response from the child.

The little girl coughs and hacks out water, expelling all of that out of her lungs. Lumine is quick to drop to her knees and rub light circles into her back. "Shh shhh shh, you're okay. It's gonna be okay."

Aether sighs with relief and wipes his mouth with his sleeve. The two of them made eye-contact, and she understood it to mean two things.

Oh thanks gods this little girl is okay—

And

—what is happening?

The little girl spits, trying to clean her mouth and gasping for air. She turns her over to lie on her stomach. No one says anything for a minute.

Another minute passes and the girl's breathing begins to even out. She wipes her eyes of water with a shaky arm and a wet sleeve. (Which is kinda counterproductive if you think about it.) "What…?"

Her voice is rough and coarse sounding, and Lumine whispers to her not to talk just yet. Just focus on letting her breathing even out. She hears shuffling besides her and turns to look at her brother. He's standing up and scouting out the treeline. "Are you looking for her family?"

He nods with his brows scrunching up. "But...I don't see anything upriver. And we came from upriver."

Hmmm. Odd. Where did she come from? The girl shifts from under her hand, so Lumine retracts it to let the little girl sit up.

Now that the immediate threat of a kid drowning has passed, she can get a better look at her. White clothes, probably once puffy by how much the cloth sags on her, a scarf that reminded her of the universe; and a rose gold…

A halo?! Her jaw drops as her eyes study the metal looking halo floating above the child's head. So it's one of those worlds, huh?

"Where…?" The child's dark purple eyes or blue(?) (Maybe they were black. It was hard to tell.) looked up at her. She blinks. "Uh…did you save Paimon from drowning?"

"Uh, no?" She looks at Aether. "He did."

"Oh!" The girl seems to have recuperated by how loud she talked.

Lumine recoils when the toddler hovers upwards. What!? She watches the child float eyelevel with her brother. Well, I suppose it's not too surprising she can fly. She does have a halo after all. It would only be logical to assume she can fly as well even without visible wings.

"Hi!" The kid waves her arm leading to Lumine getting splash damage.

The blonde decides it's time to stand up after that.

"Paimon is grateful for you saving her! Paimon can't really swim, so…" She seems to chuckle sheepishly. "Paimon probably would've ended up drowning if not for you!"

"Uh… well, you're welcome I guess?" Aether shot Lumine a confused look, his face instantly reading help . "A-are you okay? Do you need help with anything?"

"Paimon is a little soaked, but otherwise feeling a-ok!"

The way this kid seemed to have bounced back after nearly drowning is rather startling to Lumine. "Are you sure?" she questions this time. "You didn't seem to be breathing a few minutes ago."

"Yeah, Paimon's fine. Paimon is a lot more resilient than she looks."

The twins share a look. She raises an eyebrow. He shrugs.

"Okay well, Paimon, where are your parents?"

The little one hums. "Hmmmm, well Paimon doesn't have any!"

"You don't have parents!?" Aether shouts in alarm.

Lumine pinches him and whispers in his ear that perhaps the little one was looked after by an older sibling or grandparent. "...And let's not shout too much, we don't want more hostiles finding us."

He seems to mull it over for a few seconds and nods. "Right, Paimon where is the person you came here with?"

The girl looks confused. "Uh, Paimon didn't come here with anyone. Paimon's here all on her own."

Another look shared between the twins.

"Paimon, please excuse us for a second." Lumine tugs on her brother's hand and pulls him a short distance away to talk privately. She turns her back to the new arrival. He does the same.

"You think she's an orphan?"

"I think perhaps we got this wrong by assuming she's a kid." She shoots a look over her shoulder to check if the girl was still there. She was. In fact, the floating girl had a butterfly landing on her nose. Paimon swats the bug away and grabs her nose like the little thing had stolen it. "Perhaps her kind are just of the small variety."

"Hmmm, you saying she's an adult?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. Maybe. I just think that she might be like fae folk, in that they're just naturally tiny."

He nods. "Yeah, that makes sense." He taps a pondering finger on his chin. "So… I'm not the only one who noticed the halo, right?"

She has an easy smile on her. "Not at all, it looks rather pretty."

Aether snaps his fingers, a lightbulb has gone off. "Oh, maybe she's a cherub!"

Lumine frowns. "Aren't cherubs wheels on fire with many eyes?"

"No, they're the little plump babies with wings."

She crosses her arms. "Maybe we are thinking of different ones from different worlds."

"Yeah, probably."

"Is everything okay there!?" Paimon shouts with cupped hands. "Paimon's getting worried!"

Aether looks back and tilts his head and the girl's direction. "We'll talk about this later. Let's just deal with this first."

"Of course."

Lumine's eyes widen in surprise as the two sticks she rubbed together actually manage to create a spark. She holds her breath in anticipation as the spark hits the pinecones she was using as kindle. A fire is produced and she sighs in relief. Hopefully the flame will stay and travel to the sticks she had gathered.

Wow...that actually worked without my powers… Or using flint and steel.

Looking back at the lake shows her brother performing the arduous task of fishing. Along with the added bonus of a small fairy person chatting his ears off.

It's almost amusing to her.

As it turned out, she seemed to be right in that Paimon was not a kid, but just a tiny person by default. When asked about what she is or her origins, Paimon either didn't seem to know or dodged the question.

In the end they had gathered that she was just wandering by herself and attempted to catch fish, leading her to fall into the lake in spite of her ability to float.

She didn't seem hostile nor a threat, in fact she seemed rather...child-like? Regardless, the twins had invited her to stay with them for the night as the sun was starting to set. This world did, in fact, have a single moon.

The plan was easy, Aether catches fish, she makes the fire, and while the three of them are eating their cooked food and being as snug as they can be by the fire…

An interrogation would commence.

Well not really, but it wasn't unreasonable to assume that with Paimon fed and warm by the fire she would be more open to answer their inquiries about this world.

It's not like they had anyone else to talk to.

The fish was bland but at least it was something. She had to skin them with her horrible new blade. Aether had to endure being the target of the newcomer's rambles.

He seemed a little helpless and it's funny, she won't lie.

She picks a bone out of her teeth and watches as Paimon eats her third fish. That's a lot of food for someone so small. Does she need the extra energy to float?

"...And then Paimon realized Sweet Flowers can't be eaten raw."

"So you didn't try to cook them?" inquired Aether, his face scrunched up in horror. "Or prepare them in any way?"

Paimon raises a finger to her chin. "Paimon thinks you have to squeeze the nectar out of the yellow part and boil that, let it dry…." She puffs her cheeks. "It takes too long! But sugar is really yummy…"

Aether lets out an exasperated sigh.

Lumine casts away the fish bones and clears her throat. "So Paimon, would you mind telling us where we are? We're a bit lost on where we seem to be."

"Huh? Really? We're in Wolvendom."

"Well that name's not worrisome at all." Aether quips.

"We could be in a place named Death Valley." Lumine reminds him. "Remember Dead Men's Respite?

Ather's eyes narrowed as he attempted to recall distant memories. "Kind of? I remember lots of…undead? And puzzles?"

"Well, don't worry, the worst things around here are wolves!" Paimon declared in an all too confident voice. She finishes her last fish and tosses her stick behind her without any regard. "Oh, and Paimon heard the monsters here are much more vicious!"

At the word monster, the twin's attention is caught. "Monsters you say?" Aether looks interested for the first time since Paimon started blahing on while he fished. "This world-uh, place has monsters?"

Paimon looks at him like he's not the smartest potato in the strawberry patch. "Uh...duh? Monsters are everywhere! In the wild at least." She shakes her head. "Wait, Paimon was under the impression you two were adventurers! How do you not know this?" She looks them up and down. "You both have exotic clothes… Where are you from?"

You won't tell us where you're from but you want us to tell you where we're from? Hmmm...

"A far away land." Aether vaguely answers. "We're completely out of our depth here."

"Ohhhhhhhh.~" she carols. Her eyes light up in a way Lumine assumes a lightbulb has gone off over her head.

Lightbulb, she thinks, that's an artificial light source. Much like a gas lamp, although it runs via an electrical current. It's a glass container containing thin metal wires and a concoction of chemicals to science out...light?

Her brows furrow as she tries to remember the science behind it. Her mind draws up blanks when she ponders it more.

She can clearly recall the idea of it, vaguely imagine the shape of it, but can't think of the finer details.

Frustrating.

"...and slimes can be of any of the seven elements. There's small and big ones of each!"

The tail end of Paimon's explanation draws back in her attention. She realizes she wasn't listening.

She glances over to her brother, widening her eyes to say 'what's going on?'

Aether notices and holds out a finger. "Ah, Paimon, could you pause for a second?"

"Uh, okay!"

He leans in to recap what the small girl told him. "Apparently what we came across earlier was a mitachurl. They're the bigger version of hilichurls? Some type of a…humanoid goblin things."

"Goblins?" Her eyes widened in surprise. Worlds like those are quite troublesome to venture across.

"My words."

"Ah."

"And good ol' slimes are a thing here."

Lumine nods. Those were a familiar creature to them. "She said something about elements?"

He shrugs. "I don't know about that yet." He scoots back to Paimon. "So, Paimon. You said the slimes can be any of the elements? What does that mean?"

Lumine volunteered for the first watch.

In her sullen boredom, she pokes the fire with a stick, the end lighting aflame. She waves the things as if it was a wand to extinguish it and slouches down. Nighttime has rolled about and while her brother and the little fae-person sleeps, she watches over their pitiful excuse for a campsite.

Of course her and Aether were going to take turns being the lookout. Paimon was out of the question there. Not only did she not seem able to physically defend herself, but the two of them wouldn't trust her to that extent.

Which is why she doesn't understand the reason behind Paimon cuddling with her brother.

On one hand, sharing body heat would ensure they both wouldn't freeze to death. The siblings had done it before in far colder climates. On the other, why let this stranger do so? Even if they don't seem to be much of a threat, one must never judge a book by its cover. A bit risky, ain't it?

With that said. She was also jealous. Plain and simple.

Come on! Such a little cute fairy cuddles with her brother instead of her!? Sure, he's the one who saved her from drowning and also did most of the talking to her, but...but...he doesn't appreciate cute things the same way she does! And they're both girls, why doesn't Paimon cuddle up to her instead? She could just sleep on her lap... And she's right by the fire so Paimon wouldn't have to worry about being cold or anything! Not to mention if Lumine spots danger, Paimon would be the first to know to hide.

Lumine glares at Aether in his sleep. It's not fair. And the petty feeling cemented. Maybe she'll 'accidentally' trip him tomorrow. He did nearly choke her today by tripping himself, so it's not too harsh of a trick.

With nothing else to do but scan the treeline and make sure the fire doesn't fizzle out, she turns the info about this world around in her head. Paimon seemed rather content with answering any number of questions they had.

The world was quite whimsical, if anything. Filled with monsters and gods, humans persevered with the help of deities and the innate need to survive. The gods of these lands would sometimes send a benediction to those deemed worthy through an item called a 'vision'. Allowing a person to manipulate energy of an element corresponding to the deity that bestowed said item.

To Lumine, it seems to be this world's version of a magic system. A very straightforward closed off one at that.

Those are rare to come by.

Monsters were abundant. Silmes, these...hilichurls-things (she still wasn't quite sure what they are), diamonds made of pure element energy surrounded by colorful cubes, large elemental energy infused flowers that dewelled with crystalized caves, flying elemental bugs, and so on.

It made her head spin, but she's sure she has met things even more complicated than what she'd heard. Besides, Paimon seemed to have a limited vocabulary when describing these things. Lumine would be lying if she claimed to not be excited about studying these foreign creatures.

Patience. She thinks. I'll have an opportunity to study these specimens for myself later. First and foremost establishing communication with civilization needs to be a priority.

The wind blows another chilly breeze and Lumine rubs her exposed shoulders. She wishes all her stuff didn't magically go 'poof'. It would be lovely if she still had her shawl with her. An overcoat would also be nice. Alas, it seems this world doesn't want them to have nice things.

At least the sounds of the forest were the same. She could find comfort in the sound of the wind brushing through the trees, the calls of night birds on their perches, the growls of a wolf in the distance, the pitter-patter of small rodents, the-

Wait, what?

Her head snaps in the direction she believes the growl came from. What? Her brows furrowed. That doesn't make sense for a wolf to growl like that if hidden. It would give away its location. Wouldn't a wolf only growl to get something off its back or when its prey can see them and the wolf is about to pounce?

So...either wolves here work differently, some unknown monster is mimicking the noise, or...the growl isn't directed at them.

She sits up from her place on the ground. Her legs ache in a way that tells her the blood circulation wasn't the best.

That's another thing. The twins are much more fragile now. They seem to have lost much of their resistance along with the rest of their powers.

She summons her sword.

A quick glance behind shows her brother still sound asleep along with Paimon against his backside.

This could be some ploy to lull her away from her campsite. Let something else take away her brother and the flying girl.

Or...she's overthinking it?

Or the wolf feels threatened by something else?

Step by step, inch by inch, the blonde draws closer to the end of the clearing.

She keeps glancing back and turning her attention forward. She was just at the cusp of going back to wake the others when she saw it.

Fur.

A small furred animal plops out of the visible foliage, head first. It makes a whining noise.

A wolf pup?

Her sword lowers at the prospect of there being no danger, but remembers something did growl so...maybe mama wolf was here? She raises her sword back up.

The pup, wobbly in its gait, puts some distance between them. It lowers its haunches, appearing to size her up.

This is ridiculous. She thinks. I am really about to charge a wolf pup with a sword?

The situation was a bit silly, but if visiting other worlds had taught her anything it is that you should never expect something to be one way. The laws of the land are always different.

"Huh?"

Lumine's shoulders slump when she sees the other creature hop, yes, hop, out of the brush.

A blue ball, no a dollop shaped-thing-

Looks like a slime. Her brain fills in for her.

-plops over to the pup, stopping only to stare at her.

She's just as perplexed as the pup probably was. How did she not hear this thing until now? How come no one woke up? Why are its eyes white?

The pup backed up, making a sound that was almost a growl, but came out as a whine. Makes her wonder how old the pup was.

Lumine kicks the slime. To her surprise, there seems to be a protective layer around it. Thus her shoe does not sink into the goopyness. Instead the blue slime is launched backwards. Ah, well that solves the problem.

The thing flops itself back upright with a hurt expression. The pup scrambles away and Lumine is certain this is the end of the interaction.

That is until a much larger slime makes its appearance. The brush in front of her parts and just beyond it are a few more. Some big, some small.

The larger monster had small blue-white horns, which looked very out of place for her. A group of slimes? I don't need help with this. I'll just...get rid of them. She adjusts her grip on the hilt and prepares for an easy fight.

One, two, three, four- "Ack!" She stumbles backwards in the middle of her slashes. The small ones were easily turned into goop with a slash of her weapon. Though it would seem a big one smacked into her from behind. She turns around, incredulous.

The blonde tsks her tongue in annoyance and narrows her eyes on it. A few stabs into it...face area(?) had it splashing onto the dirt. She turns to spot the last two, both chunky in nature, facing away from her.

In between them, a black form stood. It's the wolf pup, isn't it? A few steps forward confirms her suspicions. To her alarm, the one on the right sucks the furball in halfway into its body. Seeing as this little animal is being eaten, she rushes forward and reaches out to the pup when the other crashes into her. She stumbles and gets back up, but the slime just hits her again, causing her to lose balance.

She growls, frustrated that her body is utterly weak at the moment. Just how much power were we stripped of that a slime is taking me down?! She attempts to push past the nuisance and reaches out for the little wolf, desperate to save it.

She needed to do something to save the poor thing. Vague memories of other small beings and cute creatures being hurt filled the corners of her mind and the regret she had for not being able to help.

Something tingles in her fingers, a familiar yet alien power; her instincts telling her to thrust her hand out and hold and release .

She thrusts her hand out and something she can only describe as a vacuum is created. The slimes are pulled in, as too the pup who she immediately snacthes up with her free arm, sword clattering to the ground. The two creatures are pulled too close for comfort, and while she tries not to drop the squirming wolf, she yells internally for her hand to quit whatever it's doing.

On its own volition the vacuum stops and releases . She digs her heels in and manages to only get shoved back a few inches. The slimes on the other hand are launched back into the air and crash into trees.

They promptly explode.

"Ah… What in the name of the Progenitor Goddess?"

The wolf pup shakes itself out of her grip and she lets it go. It books it back into the darkness, stopping briefly to glance back at her with thankful eyes, and she can't help but feel dejected. Aw, I didn't even get to pet it.

She stares at her partially covered hand. "What was that? That wasn't my power." Lumine is the twin of light. She remembers that. Wasn't her power related to light? She could bend it or something. That was more like…

Well, she wasn't quite sure and the fact it felt somewhat familiar just made it all the more frustrating to her.

She sighs and turns around to collect the sword she dropped.

It wasn't behind her.

She swears and looks into her pocket space to confirm she lost it.

It's still there.

Finally something is going my way. Tried and confused, she treks back to camp, happy that she didn't wander too far off and the smoke helped her locate it.

When she walks back into the clearing, the two are still asleep. "Wow...they slept through that…" She knew her brother was a heavy sleeper, but apparently Paimon was too. Yay. Came the dry, sarcastic thought.

Not being in the mood to play the 'let's spend 10 minutes trying to wake Aether up!' game, she slaps him awake.

"Ow-!" She covers his mouth and glares at him.

"I am tired. I am cold. Something weird happened, I'll tell you tomorrow." As an afterthought, she goes on. "Wake up, you keep watch now." Before she could let him go, a wet feeling- "Ew!" Her hand shoots up in the air. "Did you just lick me?!"

Aether sticks his tongue and she has to resist the petty urge to pinch it. She wipes her hand in the dirt and pinches his cheeks. "Go get firewood."

Her brother yawns. "Yeah, yeah. I'll go gather some-" He pauses and tries to turn behind him.

Paimon, still sleeping; clutched the end of his scarf in her sleep. Her little fist held a gathering of the fabric.

Lumine's heart clenches. This is so not fair!

Oof. Sorry this took so long. I basically wrote the whole chapter by myself. For reference, I wrote half of last ch bc my bro didn't know what to do.

I would procrastinate on breathing, so I usually take forever to write.

Anyway, this chapter was meant to be longer, but we decided to stop here to just be able to post an update. For sure next chapter will have the playable characters show up as promised.

Here's a hint: Overloaded.