The Hidden World of Pazvu

Chapter 2

The First One Who Saw

An Original Story by: Sylvia Almenario

Via had always believed humans would never notice her.

They passed by her world every day—laughing, arguing, living lives that felt both distant and strangely close. She had watched them for as long as she could remember.

But that day... something felt different.

She was standing near the boundary again, where the air shimmered faintly between worlds. The sky below was painted in soft orange hues as the sun began to set.

That's when she saw him.

A man, sitting alone on a bench.

He wasn't doing anything special—just staring ahead, lost in thought. But something about him felt... quiet. Different from the others.

Via tilted her head.

"Why is he alone?" she whispered.

She took a small step closer.

Then another.

And another.

Until she was standing right in front of him.

Of course, he wouldn't see her.

No one ever did.

But just as she turned away—

"...Hello?"

Via froze.

Slowly, she looked back.

The man was staring directly at her.

Her heart raced.

"Y-you can see me?" she asked, her voice barely above a breath.

He blinked, confused. "Shouldn't I?"

Via had no answer.

This had never happened before.

Not once.

"What are you?" he asked, not in fear—but in curiosity.

Via hesitated.

"I... I don't know how to explain it," she admitted.

The man smiled faintly.

"That's okay. I don't understand most things either."

Something about that made Via feel at ease.

"My name is Via," she said.

"Eli," he replied.

For the first time, Via wasn't just watching a human.

She was talking to one.

Days passed, and Eli kept coming back to the same place.

And Via... kept returning too.

They talked about simple things—the sky, the way time felt different, the strange habits of people.

Eli never questioned her existence too much.

And Via never told him everything.

But something was growing between them.

Trust.

Curiosity.

Friendship.

Until one day—

Eli didn't come alone.

Via sensed it before she saw her.

A presence.

Calm. Fluid.

Zhen.

Via turned.

Her sister stood quietly behind her, eyes fixed on the human.

Eli looked up—

and froze.

Not in fear.

But in awe.

"Who... is that?" he whispered.

Via felt something shift.

Something she didn't understand yet.

Zhen stepped forward, her presence gentle like flowing water.

"I'm Zhen," she said softly.

Eli couldn't look away.

Via watched the way Eli's eyes followed Zhen.

The way his voice softened.

The way everything seemed to slow down.

Something inside her shifted quietly.

A feeling she had never known before.

She didn't have a name for it yet.

And for the first time...

Via looked away first.