The girl kept her eyes shut and waited a moment ,for what was about to happen, but nothing came. She waited another moment but still nothing, so she slowly opened her eyes and stared at the scene in front of her.
Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the picture that showed itself to her.
Where a massive green hairy twelve legged spider creature with it's hundred red eyes should have been, there now only was a pool of blood. And in front of that blood pool stood the cloaked person.
A gust of wind blew past the street where they were and pulled the hood, which was covering the persons face, back, revealing slightly longer black straight hair that danced in the wind.
The man turned around and his crimson eyes stared deeply into her mismatched heterochromic eyes, sending a shiver down her spine. She had no idea what this guy did to the monster, but nothing was left behind of it and she certainly had no plan of sharing that monsters fate.
Even though she was scared and shaking all over ,while her natural dark skin gradually lost color from fear, she couldn't bring herself to run away. It was as if his gaze froze her to the spot with an unknown power.
The man came closer but he didn't stop in front of her. He just walked past her, not giving her a second glance. He walked down the street and disappeared into a dark alleyway on the left. She only followed him with her different colored eyes, anxiety still building up within her and when he finally was out of sight, she let out a breath of relief. She slumped down to the ground, clenching her fists on her knees, while looking up at the sky.
It was a beautiful grey sky with no cloud in sight. A typical winter sky, but that one normal thing she knew so well gave her peace of mind and helped her calm down.
After a couple minutes she stood up and walks in the direction of the cities church. She wanted to search for protection there and pray. Maybe god would send a guardian angel her way or something, she thought or rather wished deep inside her heart.
Leaving the bloodied scene on the main street behind , she made her way south and soon disappeared behind the destroyed shopping mall buildings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"hahaha, ■■ look!"
"Yeah I can see it Ren. It's beautiful, just like you."
"You think so? I actually made it for you ■■!"
"For me?! Really? Uhh well thank you.. I don't think I'm deserving of that though..."
"Of course you are! You see, I really ■■■■..."
*wlamm*
Reverie shot up from her sleep sweating and...crying? She gently placed her fingers on her cheeks to confirm there were hot tears running down her face.
It was an emotional and weird dream like she never had before. Her chest stung painfully and she grabbed it hard with her right hand.
She had no idea why her heart raced so hard, or what this dream was about, only a feeling that this could be related to her memories.
She was talking to a man but she couldn't make out his face and she wasn't sure what she gave him either. Something self made... but she couldn't see it properly. So much of that dream was blurred out, as if someone or something was purposely censoring it all.
She shook her head in an attempt to clear it.
-No time to overthink, I'm sure I'll find out more with given time. Patience is the key here. I will know about the past sooner or later so I shouldn't rush things, that could only end in a catastrophe...just like 'that' time.
She turned to the still slumbering Michael and placed her left hand on his head, gently stroking through his messy green hair.
She didn't know how, but this boy grew close to her at a rapid speed. She felt like she finally got a little brother, which she wanted to protect at all cost.
Now turning behind her, she faced a silently staring Gilbert.
"Ready to tell me everything now?", he asked in a low and cool voice while crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Ren nodded and took a moment to sort her thoughts before starting to speak.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything obviously."
"Right...go ahead and ask, I'll answer to my best abilities", she said in a monotone voice to him.
"You didn't tell us everything when you told us your story in the cabin, correct?"
Ren was slightly surprised that he figured out as much already, but then only gave a small shrug, as if it wasn't a big deal to leave out details. She really thought so, but telling him openly would only infuriate Gilbert , so she kept quiet.
Gilbert sighed, he should have expected a reply like that from the way she behaved so far.
Sitting up and leaning his arm on his knee, he was looking her deep in the eyes and continued forth.
"Tell me everything from the beginning and don't leave out a single detail this time", he demanded.
Ren stared back at him before lowering her head. For the first time, this prideful girl was lowering her head to someone and her long light lavender hair fell forward, covering her face almost completely.
Her bangs casted a shadow over the rest of her face, giving her a slightly eerie look.
She grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly to her chest, as if she wanted to look as pitiful as possible and then started with her tale.
"Alright, I'll tell you everything but please don't blame me later on, that I dragged you into this. You asked for it so you'll have to bear the consequences of knowing yourself."
After giving that small warning, she continued.
"It happened when the apocalypse began...it was the day I died."
Gilbert took in a sharp breath.
"I somehow survived a train accident, while everyone else in the carriage died. On that day, I made contact with the abyss for the first time, or I thought it was the first time at least. After coming back to my senses and finding myself in the trains carriage ,I climbed out of it and took in the scene around me. A sea of fire wherever you looked, it scared me. You could occasionally see some industrial complexes or hills with farmland in between, but they also stood on fire. The screams from everywhere are vivid to me even now..."
She paused for a moment to let it sink in. The memories of that day burned deep inside her head and her body shivered slightly from it. That was clearly PTSD showing itself, yet she wouldn't acknowledge that she was traumatized, like usual. She had her fair share of traumata but she always brushed them off without a worry in the world.
It was then, that she continued her story.
"Then....I met this guy. He climbed out of a different carriage and approached me with a sword. He asked me for my name and after hearing it he...."
Her voice died down. Gilbert understood even without her saying anything else. He took the shaking girl into his arms and embraced her. Gently stroking her head, he tried to reassure her.
This girl has been through alot and had no-one to rely on. She had no-one she could tell all of this to and ate everything up inside her.
He now understood why she didn't explain any of this before hand. She didn't want to drag them into her personal matters. He also now knew where they were, it was the abyss, the one place he thought they would never be, yet they were.
Continuing to caress her head ,he spoke in a gentle and soft voice in her ear.
"Don't worry, you are not alone anymore. It was probably really hard for you, but we are here for you now, so don't be afraid. I will protect you, I promise!"
He meant it. He really would do anything to protect this girl, as he believed that she has been through more than enough tragedy in her life. He didn't know all too much about the 'Will' of the abyss but he knew, that she used to be an ordinary girl at some point in history, before tragically ending here. The girl in his arms was probably several hundred years old and must have suffered greatly so far. He was angry to hear, that someone would go around killing her for no reason, but he knew too well that, if the people from the tower or specific other people knew of her real identity, she would be a walking target. He wouldn't allow that to happen at any cost so he vowed to her and himself, to protect her. Someone who treated a child so gently couldn't be a bad person after all, he thought.
He now could hear barely audible sobbing and feel her body slightly rocking from it. He held her tighter, till her sobs faded away and she gradually calmed down.
She pulled herself out of the embrace and wiped her tears with her sleeves. Even her teary face was pretty he thought and gently wiped a single rolling tear from under her eye.
"Thank you..." ,she said at last and took a deep breath to collect herself. The man only gave a gentle smile in response.
The two shared a minute of silence, when Gilbert started to speak again.
"So...for the rest of the story...?"
The girl took a deep breath and continued on with her tale, till the moment she lost consciousness in the woods. Gilbert listened intently without Interrupting even once.
After she was finished ,he clasped her hands into his.
"I see, it was certainly tough for you till now... I do have to apologize to you though", he exclaimed and the girl couldn't help but look confused at him.
"If I had known that you are the 'Will' , I would have made a formal introduction sooner. I am sorry for my bad manners so far!"
He lowered his head in a bow and placed a kiss on the back of her hand. This was the traditional way of magicians to introduce themselves in a formal way, to people of higher standings or people of respect. Of course Reverie had no way of knowing this and was even more confused. She shook her head while calmly pulling her hand away. She didn't want to upset him, but she saw no reason for formality between friends. She accepted the kiss as a kind of vow for his earlier promise though. At least promises or vows would be sealed by a kiss on the hand, that is what she was told as a child.
"I don't know what you were told in the tower about me or the abyss, but please don't treat me differently. I want us to be friends if possible...", she then told Gilbert in a low but gentle voice. She really wished to be friends because she didn't have any.
He looked up and his eyes widened in shock at the words but he pulled himself together and nodded in agreement. It was clear, that the two wished to be friends and respect each other mutually.
The two continued on with their conversation for quite awhile, till Michael finally woke up and returned from the realm of dreams.
Without even needing to say anything, they came to the silent agreement, of keeping the earlier conversation between them and greeted Michael as if nothing happened.
The boy grinned brightly like the sun and hugged Ren without a care in the world.
"Big sis... I'm so happy! I had a dream you would leave us...I'm so glad you are here! Please don't ever leave us!" , with teary eyes he said these words and stared up at the girls surprised ones.
Michael had a talent for showing and switching emotions on his face in mere seconds and it clearly showed here.
This time, it was Reverie's time to console someone.
-to be continued-