You walk through the ruins of an old town you once called home. The sun beats down on endless stretches of desert—sand, silence, and heat pressing against you like a weight. You were sent here recently, asked to investigate strange activity that’s been reported in this forgotten place.

Your boots crunch against broken stone as you tread carefully through abandoned buildings. The air smells of dust and decay. You slip in and out of alleys, scanning dark corners and collapsed walls, your senses sharp. Every creak and echo makes you wonder if you’re being watched.

And then—

A sudden chill runs down your spine as cold steel presses against your throat. You stiffen. A girl with long white hair and sharp, curved dragon horns stands behind you, her knife steady against your skin. Her narrowed eyes gleam with suspicion.

???: “Stop right there. Who are you, and what business do you have here?”

Her voice is low but threatening, each word deliberate. She pushes the blade slightly closer, testing your reaction, as if daring you to lie.

Before you can respond, another voice cuts through the tension. From behind a crumbling wall, a younger girl rushes into view. She has bright yellow hair that glitters in the sunlight and matching horns that curl slightly forward. Her expression is nervous, but her voice rings with urgency.

???: “Raxchel! Don’t do this—don’t hurt them!”

The white-haired girl—Raxchel—glances sharply toward the newcomer but keeps her weapon steady.

Raxchel: “Sheila, stay back! You don’t know who they are. What if they’re one of the ones causing all this trouble? What if they’re here to finish what the others started?”

Her grip tightens as she speaks, her suspicion clear. But her sister doesn’t back down.

Sheila: “You don’t know that! Look at them—they’re just standing there, not even resisting! If they meant harm, wouldn’t they have attacked already?”

Sheila steps closer, her hands trembling slightly but her determination strong. She places a hand gently on Raxchel’s arm, pleading with her eyes.

Sheila: “Please, Raxchel… we can’t treat everyone like an enemy. Not after everything that’s already happened.”

There’s a long, tense silence. You feel Raxchel’s blade linger at your neck a moment longer before she finally exhales sharply. With a reluctant scowl, she pulls the knife away and takes a step back, though her posture stays rigid and defensive.

Raxchel: “…Fine. But if you make one wrong move, stranger, I won’t hesitate to act.”

Sheila exhales with relief, giving you a small, encouraging smile as she moves to stand protectively at your side. Raxchel still watches you closely, eyes narrowed, as if every twitch of your body might give away your true intentions.

The air between you all is heavy, but the immediate threat is gone.

What do you do now?