Murim Recurve

"Where do you want to go, my lady?" The cycle rickshaw driver closest to them spoke after a bow. It was raining nonstop now. Thankfully, there wasn't any wind, so their covers protected them from getting drenched.

"To the nearest hospital," Re'Kha replied, boarding the carriage immediately. The driver had parked the cycle rickshaw under the inn's ceiling that was extended on the front. So, the two ladies were able to board it without getting drenched.

"How much will it cost?" Re'Kha habitually asked when the driver replied with a smile, "The inn owner has already paid the sum, my lady. This rickshaw is contracted to the inn, so we are paid by the day for our services."

"I see," Re'Kha nodded, relaxing as the rickshaw started moving. There was a small plate with holes through which they could communicate with the driver. It was enough considering the proximity. 

The two drivers sat on a cycle with three wheels. It was considerably long. They pedalled in sync, sharing the burden of driving the rickshaw. The carriage was supported by four wheels, so the ride was stable and there wasn't any risk of it toppling over.

"Lady Re'Luk, do you mind if I ask how you were injured?" Ki'Nha began to speak once she was guaranteed the rain wouldn't fall in through the window. They were named windows, but in actuality, they were just a cloth curtain.

There were two curtains per window, attached on the outside and inside, over a board. If they wished to peer outside, all they had to do was move the board. It was a simple mechanism. At present, the curtain on the outside was wet as the rain splattered on it. The curtain on the inside wasn't affected, as the rain fell almost straight.

"Hmm, when I was heading towards Burfuna City…" Her mind spun as Re'Kha coughed up a lie, linking the events she had experienced and wished to convey into it. "I think it was closer to the Bahara Mountain Range when I ran into a certain settlement."

"A settlement? there?" Ki'Nha frowned, confused at her description.

"Yes," Re'Kha nodded, "I was confused at first myself. I mean, there are no settlements that far away. I was planning to make a tent in a cave or something once I had explored the terrain. But when I had climbed up a tree to scout the surroundings, I noticed this settlement."

"It was made from wood," The moment she said, Ki'Nha stood up in alarm, grabbing her shoulders as she asked in a hurry, "Is it still there?"

"What do you mean…" Re'Kha was confused for a moment before she frowned; her voice turned solemn, "Have you seen it before?"

"No," Ki'Nha sighed as she returned to her seat, "I'm sorry for reacting like that."

Hearing the commotion, the driver spoke through the holed plate, "Is everything fine, my ladies?"

"It's fine," Ki'Nha replied, sighing once again as she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "My daughter has been having a weird dream recently…"

Her eyelids trembled as she continued, "She says how she finds herself within an old storeroom when she wakes up. There were all sorts of household tools strewn around her. The sunlight shone in through the gaps in the door, falling on her face. She says it was warm, despite the condition of the room."

"Then," She closed her eyes, controlling her voice from choking as she continued, "When she opened the door, what greeted her wasn't the day but the night. Presented before her eyes was a row of houses made from wood. And, hung at their entrances were cylindrical lanterns."

Her eyes widened as she continued, "You know how we use hexagon-shaped lanterns these days. Long ago, we used oval lanterns, but never the cylindrical ones. Most of the time, when she gazes at the lanterns, she waves up."

"Most of the times?" Re'Kha caught hold of the word choice used, frowning as she asked, "What happened during the rest?"

"It happened three days ago," Ki'Nha said solemnly, "When she exited like usual, she noticed the house opposite to her had collapsed. When she saw it two days ago, the house was back to normal."

"The Withered Courtyard," Re'Kha said as her body faintly trembled. "What else happened? How many times has our daughter seen it?"

"Around 8 times. She first mentioned it a month ago. At first, I thought it was just a normal dream. Even I had weird dreams during my childhood. But the dream was consistent daily, like a loop. It was the same scene that was repeated without any difference." Ki'Nha gazed at Re'Kha, "So, that place is called Withered Courtyard. Please tell me everything you know about it, Lady Re'Luk."

"It is a Sha," Re'Kha said, watching the expression of Ki'Nha collapse into despair. As Re'Kha continued, her face morphed even more, "It is more like a place where many Sha resides, I think. The destroyed house your daughter saw was probably the one I destroyed."

"Dammit, a Sha." Ki'Nha cursed, "How can it make contact without any physical connection?"

"You said her dream began a month ago, right?" Upon her question, Ki'Nha nodded. Re'Kha frowned, "Then, did Ki'Nua buy any item from the market? The shells of all the Sha are usually everyday items we wear. An item related to the Withered Courtyard might have been among them."

"We thought of that too," Ki'Nha shook her head, "But, we checked through everything. She hadn't bought anything new. She has been within the Clan for the past two months."

"It might not have to be within her room," Re'Kha thought of her experience, "It could be anywhere within your Clan. Is anyone else experiencing this?"

"No, at present, it is only my daughter. I have asked for help, but my Clansmen haven't detected anything unusual yet. Only when the Sha materialises can we hope to track it down. I also made her leave the Clan in hopes she wouldn't dream it again." Ki'Nha sighed, "At least, she didn't dream of it yesterday."

"I can only hope to find a clue at this point."

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