As I walk back to the forest line, I can see a very furious looking demon staring at me. Orochi has reverted to his demon form and is standing in burning anger. I can suddenly feel my nervous getting worse as I walk closer towards him.
"You do realize that you could have got into deep trouble if anyone saw you right?" He walks up and towers over me, making my small human feel so tiny in comparison.
"I just wanted to see her."
"You could have just stayed here."
"Just because I live in the demon world doesn't mean you get to control me. You took me from my home and haven't allowed me to do much of anything! You tell me I can't see my parents when they are suffering from pain. You can screw off, Orochi! You would never understand how humans love other people. I don't care if I get hurt in the process of trying to see my family!" I walk around him, grabbing our bag of things we bought and turn around looking at him angrily.
"I want to go home."
"Fine."
He pulls something wrapped in cloth, as he opens it up the berries we used to get here and sitting in the palm of his hand. I grab one throwing it into my mouth and wait for the world around me to fade. For some reason, I felt so angry at Orochi and I couldn't wait until we got back to the estate to just stay away from him but then a part of me didn't want to go back to the loneliness that I had the last few days. I barely got away from it today with Orochi.
The bright greenery around me begins to fade into white like mist and I'm suddenly standing in the garden of the estate. It immediately feels cooler temperature-wise and much crisper air fills my lungs. "Well, since we're back; I guess I'll-"
"No need. Here are your things," Orochi turns to me and holds out the sack of the things we bought. "I need to go deal with some matters, excuse me."
I take the sack of goods into my hands and watch him walk away. Did I make him that mad? Sighing, I begin to walk towards my room, listening to conversations of people who pass me. I felt so numb and lost in the demon world. What is my purpose here?
I enter my room and sit on my bed opening up the little sack of things we bought. The majority of it was food to share, but since Orochi left; I might as well eat some or share with Tomoko when I see her.
I look through all the colorful treats we got in my home market and sort them into piles. All the delicious bread and sweets were in one, and the other was cloth and other ordainments I bought for a new kimono. I gather a few things and head out to find Tomoko, she has to love these! I listen to the happy chattering of guests until I turn the corner into a hall and all sounds suddenly stop.
I realize the temperature has dropped and it's slightly darker than the other hall. My body shutters and I step back from the darkness but only to feel my body hit something. I turn around and see the way I came was just a wall now. "Didn't I just come this way?"
As I put my hand up against the wall, it just feels cold and like smooth wood should be. I turn around, noticing the end of the hall has a bright entryway. "Is there no other way to go besides forward?"
My feet begin to move and walk towards to bright exit but my stomach feels the opposite. My heart begins to feel like a hummingbird and begins to make my body feel on edge. It feels like forever walking through the halls, beside me the walls don't have any doors.
I suddenly smelled a god awful rise to my nose, "Oh my god, what is that disgusting scent?"
A strange clacking noise is suddenly behind me, as I turn the smell gets stronger. I can feel all the blood drain from my face when I see the demon in front of me. It was a dog made of bones. It was pieced together by not only its bones but of others as hell. Chunks of skin were still attached to some and the smell of rotting flesh burned my nose and eyes. Its eyes were glowing purple with strange orbs of fire. Goat horns grew from the top of its head like a giant crown.
I clutched the bag of things I bought closer to me, shaking with fear. A low growl ripped into the air from its hallow mouth and I felt myself scream. My feet immediately began to move and attempt to run away from it but I tripped on my dress; making the bag of mine fall away from me. The monster pounced on me and I started crying in terror, "Please! Somebody help me! There is a demon attacking me!"
It began growling and barking at me, this is how I am going to die. Death by a demon dog. I clenched my eyes shut and kept screaming but I knew no help would come.
"Miss! Ren!" I felt small hands wrap around my wrists.
"Don't touch me!"
"Sh! Miss, it's me! Tomoko! I'm here, your safe." She pulls up and holds my hands.
I open my eyes to see Tomoko's green and yellow eyes staring at me in worry. "T-Tomoko..." Tears well up in my eyes and I begin to cry.
"Shhhh, you're okay. Everything is okay. It was just an illusion." She pulls me towards her and I cry petrified of what I just saw. I feel her hand rubbing circles into my back, trying to help me calm down.
"We need to get you to a safe place and tell Orochi. This isn't good."
I only nod my head in agreement still agitated from what I saw. "What happened?" I barely croak out.
"You were under an illusion from a demon. Someone or something is here and it isn't friendly." She helps me up and grabs the treats from the floor. We walk to Orochi's quarters and open the door.
"Master, the miss is here." I look to see Orochi at the table with a bunch of scrolls and maps over it. He looks up, "Ren, you look dead! What happened?"
He gets up and walks over to us, "What happened? Why is she so pale?"
"She was attacked. But I didn't see who because she was under an illusion."
His brows crease in confusion, "Are you saying that there is a demon on our grounds? Even with the amount of safety, we have placed here?"
Tomoko's head nods, "She was on the ground screaming in terror, her eyes were stark white and no one was around."
"Get me the outside guards at once. I need to investigate this. Tell everyone that there will not be any events going on tonight and no one is allowed to leave."
Tomoko nods her head and leaves to complete her commands.
"Now tell me what you saw."