It was dark. Only his footsteps echoed in the night. When he woke up, he had no idea where he was. Something had attacked him out of nowhere. It looked human but wasn't. It did not sound like one either. It groaned and howled. Every sound made in the night grabbed its attention. It behaved like a little child but had the strength of a thousand men.
He tried recollecting his memories. Nothing. He tried again, but… nothing. He could not remember anything. Not his name. Not his age. Not what he looked like. Did he have a family? Were they looking for him? Was he even human? What Was this place? What was that? What is… a human?
Questions kept racing through his mind. Each more complex than the last. His right hand was suppressing the blood from his left from spilling. He did not know how long he had been holding it. And he also did not know how he got injured. His hand was broken and the damage to the flesh would leave more than a scar. As he ran, he looked around, searching for a way out. He was in the forest, he could tell that much but that was it.
All his mind told him to do then was survive. He scanned his surroundings, trying to figure a way out. The trees seemed to be laughing at him. They also looked like they were ganging up on him. Whether it was a hallucination from the loss of blood or a dream, he could not tell. All he did was run and run. Not long after, he tripped. The strange footsteps rang in the night again. They sounded close.
His heart picked up pace and adrenaline rushed through his body. With new found strength, he sprinted to wherever the path before him led. He did not care, he just had to get away. He had to. The muscles in his legs ached from running too long but he still ran.
After a while, fatigue set in and he collapsed on the ground. He could no longer move. He wanted to cry but his tears were trapped in his eyes. He was too tired to do anything. He tried crawling but he did not get far. The bush behind him rustled. That thing must be close.
He could only breath. He mentally screamed to anyone out there who could hear him. He did not care who it was so long as the person could protect him. Still crawling away, he felt something warm on his chest. He reached for it. There was something around his neck, a necklace.
Too tired to go on, he brought the necklace up to his face while lying on his side. It glowed in the night. The color was one he was familiar with but he could not recall why it was so. He called out again to whoever was making it glow. Hoping and praying they would spare him just a second.
He did this for a while, tears finally streaming down his face and soaking the dirt. His strength was draining fast. He could no longer keep his eyes open. The footsteps were closing in on him. He was about to give into despair when he felt the wind blow furiously.
"Ralph?"
Was that his name?
`Ralph, ʼ he repeated it like a mantra. Perhaps he was trying to register his name by doing this. Ralph was picked up. His world spinned. Whoever it was cared about him and that's what mattered. Relief washed over him though it was short lived. The ruling of leaves continued as heavy footsteps echoed around them accompanied by a strange groan.
Without realizing, he held onto whoever came to rescue him in panic. A dark figure emerged from the shadows. It did look human. It was a male figure, his flesh green and his clothes were in tatters. As he approached them, one could only make out a few facial features. He had no eyes but everything else on his face was intact.
The canopy around them did not provide enough chances to allow them look at the strange man. He appeared to in no haste at all. His walk was slow and loud. As each foot stepped on the ground, his body swayed left and right. His hands hang on his sides. He leaned forward while walking but when the wind blew or he picked up sounds in the area, he would stop. His upper body would lean back while making sickening sounds.
The man's head would hit the ground then he would listen. After a short while he would lift himself up and continue his walk like he was in a trance. Audrey who had been brought here by the amulet she had once given to Ralph, realized where they were. It was the death realm.
A realm where dead souls who did not get to attain their wishes while they were alive were trapped. The souls were condemned to walk the realm until someone fulfilled their wish for them.
Some of the souls trapped there were of wicked people, so it was hard to tell which soul was trapped and which one belonged. Audrey's head could not get around why Ralph had been here and why he did not protect himself. Ralph being a demon could survive the death realm for a month or so because of the dark energy. Even though too much dark energy could be fatal, Audrey knew that Ralph could still do it.
So why didn't he? Why call her instead? She ignored the condemned soul and gestured him to be silent. He understood and the condemned soul walked by them. Taking all the time he had. His bones creaked and cracked and when he got close to them, he did not mind them but passed. Completely avoiding them.
After he had passed, they both sighed. Audrey helped Ralph sit and looked at his injuries. Most of them were almost healed and this startled him. Audrey was shocked. She knew Ralph had been oblivious sometimes. But it was common knowledge to any demon that bathing in dark energy would heal any physical injuries they had.
Question was, did he come here to heal? Or to get away from something or someone?
She hesitated a bit thinking. Ralph on the other hand folded his legs and looked at her. Expecting her to say something. He looked like a little child. She looked at him and noticed the color of his eyes had changed. They were no longer brown eyes she looked up to but they had a golden glow in them now. This meant that he had also successfully passed his proclamation ceremony.
However, one thing bothered her. What had happed to him during the ceremony and after. He looked at her and smiled. Still waiting for her to speak.
" Is my name really Ralph!? Do you know who I am?" Ralph asked excitedly leaning toward her.
Audrey paused and stared at him. A lump grew in her throat immediately. Her heart pounded in her head. Her body froze while his questions re-ran themselves in her mind over and over. She wanted to speak but tears fell from her eyes instead. He forgot? Had the proclamation ceremony changed her features that much that her own brother did 'it recognize her.
Ralph reached out and wiped the tears for her. His hands were dirty from what had happened so as he wiped her face, he unintentionally smeared dirt on her face. Audrey could not believe what was happening. Didn't she look like her old self? And if that was the case why didn't Shawn tell her. She gripped her clothes in frustration.
Audrey lowered her gaze afraid of what Ralph might see or hear him say. She was happy, he was alive. Happy that he made it out of that dungeon safely. Nevertheless, he could not recognize her. Just thinking about made her heart break into a million pieces. The main question in her mind was whether she looked like Miliim of herself.
"Miss, who are you? "