Evening had already assumed its place, and the dusking sun was painting the whole Necron city with orange; it was mesmerising. The beauty of the modern architecture with the evening glow made it even better.
Anna moved through the streets of Necron City, her light yet steady steps planted on the ground and a beautiful smile on her face as she gazed at the beauty of Necron City. Happy cries of children with their families or friends could be heard.
A few moments later, she reached a park that had sculptures made out of trimmed trees, flowers, and a fountain with a statue of a rabbit in its middle. Children ran around the park with smiles on their faces. Elders walked as they chatted.
Anna moved and sat down on a bench placed in the park. She looked at the beauty of the place and the environment created by the presence of these people.
"It’s beautiful." Anna praised with a bright smile.
Then she turned and looked at the scarred man standing behind her bench with his arms behind his back.
"Isn’t it, White?" Anna asked with the same smile.
White stood silent for a few moments and continued to look at everything. After a few moments, he spoke.
"It is, Miss Anieal," White replied with a nod as his lips curved into a smile.
Anna too nodded at his words a few times and turned back to look at the front.
"Why are we here, Miss Anieal?" White questioned, still looking straight.
"I can’t?" Anna replied with a question of her own, her tone laced with amusement.
"You know that’s not what I meant, Miss Anieal," White answered as he turned his head towards Anna.
"Haha! I know, I know." Anna chuckled at his reply.
White just stood there as he looked at her without any change in his expression.
"Hmm... You are no fun." Anna spoke as she began to pout. A few moments later, she shook her head as she continued.
"I just wanted to look at the beauty of Necron City after what I’ve been through this past month," Anna said, her tone serious without any amusement in it.
Hearing that, White nodded and stood there in silence.
Anna also didn’t speak anymore and just turned her head forward.
Time passed. and the bold sun was about to hide behind the darkness, giving way to the shy moon.
Anna stood up from the bench and dusted her clothes. She looked at White.
"Let’s go," Anna said with a light smile.
White nodded and began to follow after her.
Anna, who was walking before him, suddenly stopped in her tracks, and a frown formed on her face.
White, sensing something amiss, walked beside her.
"Is something wrong, Miss Anieal?" White questioned as he looked at Anna with a worried face.
"I don’t know..." Anna replied, her frown getting deeper and deeper.
Just then, the bold sun slipped away, making way for the shy moon to rise without hesitation.
As the limits on Anna were lifted, her senses and cognitive abilities were multiplied by nearly four times.
Anna’s expression hardened as she quickly turned towards the colony beside the garden.
Seeing that, White questioned again.
"Is something wrong, Miss Anieal?"
"A Midnighter..." Anna said with a grim look.
"What?" White, too, turned around in her direction.
Anna stepped forward and began to walk towards the colony. However, she was stopped in her steps by White. As he called out.
Anna turned around and looked at White with a frown.
"What is it, White?" Anna questioned, her tone displaying how annoyed she was.
"We have to return," White answered with a grimace taking place on his face.
Anna blinked at him for a few moments, after which she questioned.
"What are you talking about?"
"It’s unnecessary danger," White answered as he looked in her eyes, his tone heavy but determined.
Anna went silent and continued to stare at him for a few moments.
’He is right, it’s not like I am a hero or something...’ Anna thought.
’I should just leave.’
Anna decided as she shook her head and looked at White with a small smile.
"You are right," Anna said as she walked towards the exit.
White once again followed behind her.
’I am sorry... but you have to extinguish the flame of being a Midnigther, Miss Anieal,’ he thought as he looked at her departing back.
They both soon reached the exit of the park. Anna looked back at White as she was crossing the exit gate.
"We should get some ice cream, what you-" Anna said in a bubbly tone, but she stopped midway as she bumped into someone.
Anna hurriedly turned to look at the person she bumped into. In front of her stood an adult man whose eyes were sunken with no brilliance in them, and a gloomy aura radiated from him. His very presence made one feel uncomfortable.
Anna, however, was too busy with her apology and didn’t notice the wide, creepy grin on his face.
"Another Midnighter, huh..." He said and took out an hourglass made up of dark green wood filled with golden sand. Intricate runes were carved all around the hourglass.
"Miss Anieal-" White shouted as he moved forward, seemingly trying to stop him before he could use the battleglass. However, he was a step late.
The gloomy man dropped the battleglass on the ground, and it began to tremble, and soon a ripple of blue energy shot out of the hourglass and transformed into a dome filled with runes of multiple sizes and colours and an ethereal hourglass of similar shape floated up above. However, it was much bigger.
White’s face turned pale as he was soon moved out of the dome.
Seeing that, Anna snapped her head and looked at the gloomy man with vigilance.
The gloomy man, sensing her predicament, began to laugh loudly.
"Kukukuku!" His eerie tone was unsettling and steeped in dread.