I stretched my sore limbs, popped some dead joints, and had no other thought than: "What a great nap!"
"Are you awake now?"
As soon as someone talked in English, I was hauled up in surprise, quickly shattering the peaceful awakening that only lasted for three seconds.
"Who the hell speaks English in this world?" I asked out loud, only regretting my words right after I blurted them.
"I owe you my life," he replied kindly, despite my rude response.
He was tall and broad. His brown hair was rich, long, and lustrous. His green eyes symbolized the forest. The armor that bulked him was smithed by viridescent woodland that was textured like flowy vines. The waist cape was shaped like a flower with a dark vermillion shade inside and tinted with pine on the outside. Sleep crust wasn't strong enough to keep my eyes shut. I was trying to process who he was but no name was coming up.
"Who are you again?"
Smoyashi and Aki were sleeping soundly beside me. The cat was curled around the sprout while the vegetable was using him as a pillow.
He stood from the mossy log, carrying himself like a mighty general that won several wars without torturing a few hostages for information.
"I am the bear that—"
My hands fluttered up and down like fishes thrown on land. "Oh! Burger meal!"
He became slightly stern after a momentary shock when I said his name.
"Close enough. You will get it in due time."
"That's if you don't kill us...hehe."
There was an awkward silence. Burger meal had a crestfallen expression while I grew more nervous the more time spent talking to him.
What was I doing? I need to get us all out of here before this bear runs amok again.
"It was nice chatting with you Burg, we uh, have to go."
I shook the two Chemical X exposed animal and crop that still weren't aware of the danger we were all in.
"Wait, please stay. I know I cannot make up for the trouble that I had caused, but allow me to provide you a safe place to stay."
"It's not in your stomach is it?"
He seemed sincere and desperate to show that he wasn't a bad guy but he was also serious and desperate about turning us into vegetable pancakes not too long ago.
Aki groaned and huffed, which was rendered as an alarm clock for the sprout. It sat up, rubbing its eyes before stretching.
"Smoy smoy!" It waved at everyone while blinking off the leftover sleepiness it had.
"Good morning, my apologies for causing so much trouble."
Smoy snorted, waving its hand to brush his words off as if it was saying: "Don't mention it, I strangely can't die anyway."
Speaking of dying...
I lifted my tattered shirt, noticing the visible scars that were already healed.
"I hope you don't mind. I treated your wounds while you were resting."
I pulled my shirt down and crossed my arms. "I still don't trust you, you know?"
He smiled a bit and nodded. "I will try my hardest to earn it. His Lord Metis will punish me for my wrongdoings soon."
Aki yawned. His scarlet eyes glistened from a well-rested night.
With Smoyahi's quick acceptance of things and with Aki's nonchalant behavior of the situation, Burg appeared to be more confident.
"If you follow me, I shall show you how Rimeburgh hospitality is served."
I scoffed. "With our heads on a silver platter."
"Smoyfu!" Smoyashi scolded.
I glared at them in disbelief. "Did you guys forget how he just tried to murder us with those flies?!"
Aki shoved me forward and Smoyashi followed the bear man like a responsible boy scout.
The forest had a different vibe. There were more animals and insects displayed outside. Gray bunnies with a green crystal on their foreheads hopped and bowed in the presence of Burg. It was livelier now—a lively day to get killed.
"My Lord–"
"AHHHH!"
I jumped and hid behind Smoyashi when the beautiful man-eating sprites came into view.
Aki whacked me by my head while the sprites were taken aback and grew worried about my hostility.
"Are you okay? What seems to be the problem?" She queried. She was going to reach out to me but Burg raised his hand and swayed his head.
I pointed them with an accusatory finger. "You monsters skewered me like a freaking kebab! I have the right to act this way!"
Aki rolled his eyes, punching my side. Smoyashi yanked my ear while smiling. It held a hand up in apology as if it was a mother displeased and embarrassed by her child throwing tantrums in public. The sprites reported the results of their scouting to Burg. With the guardian back to normal, the entire forest was too yet they still seemed to be unsettled.
"The hunter isn't here?"
"There are no traces of him, my lord."
Burg was in deep thought. "If Duvessa finds out that I'm back, she'll send him again to take me down. Keep an eye out."
The sprites curtsied and dispersed into purple glitters. Burg proceeded to show us the way to a well situated far away from people who actually needed water. He gestured for us to walk closer. Everything after that became an explosive argument.
"You can't fool me! I can see right through you!"
I wasn't sure which was worse: get killed or get myself killed. Fate continued to show its merciless options for me to choose from even if I did not want to choose anymore.
"Say that again, I dare you!"
"Jump inside the well and it will take you to my shrine," Burg instructed, determined to prove me wrong just to prove me right in the end after I followed his instructions.
"I heard that the first time and you sound like I'm asking which way is to the nearest McDonald's."
The sprites who had their hands clasped like they were the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary stared with confusion.
"Who is McDonald?"
They had taken us to a well that was aged with moist moss and creeping plants. There were two red wooden posts roofed by another crimson wood. It was layered above by sable timber that was sort of arched. The structure acted as a gate encompassing the waterhole. No one would bother coming here just to get water and if they did, it might be just because they needed to dump the people they slaughtered.
Smoyashi approved of the guardian's instructions. Its resolve may be rooted from being credulous, overconfident, or plainly ignorant.
"I'll stay here!" I snapped.
And that's final.
"I cannot blame you for your cynicism. I did try to ingest you not long ago."
Aki sniffed around the well. Smoyashi scurried towards the passageway. It avidly peeked inside, looked at me, and urged me to come.
"Smoy smoy!"
"No," I rejected.
The vegetable appeared to be a dejected puppy but its act won't work on me. It turned around, hoisted itself up, and then yelped when it fell forward.
My heart skipped a beat. I quickly ran to its aid but once I stood two steps nearer, the bean sprout rolled to the side and I was pushed by the cunning feline into the well.
"I hate you two!" I screamed. My voice was mocked and echoed by the ancient bricked walls.
Falling felt forever and a whole new kind of torture.
My body collided against cold water accompanied by a loud splash. I paddled in panic like a dog. My panicking stopped once I felt the floor beneath my feet. I raised my head, finding a ceiling of leaves and branches. I melted and sighed into an unmoving bag of flesh.
I was in an open and elevated area. The ground was a polished brown wood. Thick and wide branches partially palisaded the place. Gold jars gleamed and overflowed with sweet honey; they were scattered all over the spacious place. A throne crafted from tree barks was empty and abandoned just like my withering feelings of friendship for those two.
Smoyashi and Aki emerged seconds later and I had to grant them a glare. Burg materialized in the throne, pleased with the outcome.
"Welcome to my shrine."
I could only let myself float in the water for the loss of words. I was tired again.
Aki hauled me out of the pool. Golden chalices filled with honey along with a platter of biscuits were offered. Roots intertwined into chairs and a long table. Sprites assisted us into seating like toddlers getting readied for a bowl of goodies.
"Tell me where are you from. You don't seem to fly so it's impossible for you to be born in Homra city. You do not give the slightest sanctity so it is not likely for you to be created from Eminence city. You don't have fins so I doubt you're produced in Atlarei. Are you perhaps from the tribe of Witpass or are you a servant of Odyssey?" Bergelmir queried, his eyes pinning at me.
I guess being normal was a criteria for being an alien in Area 51.
"I woke up in your forest and I have no memory. I think I have a brother. I'm not sure. But the monsters said that they saw someone who seemed like my relative."
"Those are the nymphs of the forest. They got corrupted when Goddess Duvessa severed the bijou that Lord Metis bestowed me."
"Your tongue?"
He nodded. "My tongue has generated many precious memories as I lived as one of the stewards of this world. Honey is the tonic that would revive it but my bijou is a secret. How did you know about it?"
I quickly pointed at the sprite. Smoyashi and Aki were preoccupied with eating the snacks that Burg prepared.
The guardian rose from his throne and knelt in front of the sprout; staring at it, observing it closely. Smoyashi stopped eating, glancing at him back with a tilted head.
"Smoy?"
"Sproutlings have always been fragile yet they are intelligent. Did the princess send you?"
He didn't give Smoyashi a chance to reply when hopelessness consumed him.
"No, she would have come herself and I could no longer feel her presence in this world. Duvessa must have...."
He shook his head and chuckled, hope reclaimed him again.
"The princess must still be alive. I would like to ask for your aid in that matter."
"Smoy!" The sprout replied with its arm raised.
"Meow."
"Don't accept it so easily!"
"I cannot leave my shrine. Once Duvessa discovers that I am purified, she will come back and I am not confident that I could fight her alone. I must reunite with the other guardians. I cannot reach them so perhaps our fates ended the same. We can wake Metis together."
I slammed my hands on the table.
"I am a child. I am with a cat and an ingredient for stir fry. We've gone through enough!"
Burg did not hide his guilt but he was not going to give up just yet.
"If you help us, the guardians will grant you one wish. You have my word that anything you desire, as long as it is not destructive, will come true."
If the other guardians became bloodthirsty monsters like him, what assurance do we have that we would be able to make it out alive for me to get my wish?
Smoyashi nudged me, encouraging me to agree. Aki was already gone from his chair and chased the four-winged birds that happened to pass through. Prismatic feathers swayed left and right in a wispy descent and landed right on top of the thick honey that kept the feather from sinking.
Gradually, the feather curled inwards in the shape of an egg. Light hardened and saturated it before transforming into a legitimate shell that protected an embryo.
The cycle it went through was quick yet precious. It was innocent and so different from the blood and killings I was welcomed with. If I helped them, what difference would I make?
A scream of a young man shook the peaceful serenity that the shrine held. Smoyashi was quick to attach on my back like a leech while continuously chewing the biscuit.
We all glanced at Aki who was pursuing a figure that caused me to rub my eyes to see if I was perceiving it right.
"Is that a flying fish?"
"We have a flying fish?" The forest steward queried with squinted eyes.
This world must have mutated too much beyond the recognition of one of the stewards.