"Who are you?" he asked, his voice surprisingly human. The woman didn't reply, instead turning to start their descent from the volcano.
'Not answering? Rude as hell.'
The path wound through a surreal landscape, where rivers of molten lava flowed with an iridescent glow, lighting up the darkening skies. The air was heavy with the scent of sulfur and the heat from the lava created shimmers in the atmosphere.
The cat's gaze darted around, taking in the strange environment. "Where are we?" he asked, his tone filled with suspicion. The woman remained silent, her focus on the path that lay ahead.
'Still ignoring me? What's with her..'
They passed colossal obsidian formations, their surfaces smooth and reflective, swallowing the light from the lava rivers. Alien creatures scattered at their approach, their bodies glowing with a strange luminescence.
"What are those creatures?" the cat asked, his eyes wide. The woman didn't answer, her demeanor calm and composed.
'She was just talking, right? Hana would never ignore me.'
The path eventually led them into a dense forest, where towering trees with bark as black as the night stood sentinel. Their leaves shimmered with an ethereal glow, the cool air here a stark contrast to the fiery landscape they'd left behind. The sounds of unseen creatures filled the air, and the scent of unknown flowers lingered.
"Is this your home?" the cat asked as they approached a small medieval house nestled amidst the trees. Once again, his question was met with silence.
"Yes. It is."
In the quiet, cobblestone streets of a small medieval town, a quaint house stood apart from the rest. The dwelling was home to Elara, a woman whose pale, gaunt face was as chilling as her past. Once married to seven different men, Elara was perpetually alone; her husbands each mysteriously disappearing after leaving her alone for a mere ten minutes. The townsfolk whispered about her misfortune, but Elara didn't care. She had now found a new companion to fill her lonely hours — a Kaede.
"Elara, where is my dinner?" Kaede demanded, his tail flicking irritably. Elara, who was sitting by the fireplace knitting, looked up at him, her eyes gleaming with a strange fondness.
"It's coming, my dear Kaede. Patience is a virtue," she cooed.
Kaede huffed, "And lying is a sin, Elara. You told me you know my owner, Hana."
Elara's face tightened, "I do know her, Kaede."
Kaede's green eyes narrowed, "Then tell me, what does Hana like to bake on Sundays?"
Elara stuttered, "Um, apple pies?"
Kaede smirked, "Wrong. It's blueberry muffins. Now, what's her favorite color?"
"Purple?" Elara ventured.
"Wrong again," Kaede hissed. "It's yellow, like my eyes."
"But your eyes are red."
"HUH?!"
Kaede leaped out of the high chair, and he ran to a window, seeing his reflection. "AGHHH! AGHH! Why do I look so..badass?! Am I the same cat?!"
Elara responded, "Hm? What are you talking about?"
"EARTH. Where I'M FROM. Why do I look different? Hana might know! Me and her were in the street and she was holding and petting me until a loud crash went off and I was on the ground in a second, and she was laying on the ground still."
"She's dead."
"..What's that?"
"When someone dies, you'll never see them again. Someone dangerous that harms them can kill them, or sickness."
"Is this another one of your lies?"
"No. That's what it is."
Kaede gasped silently, thinking about all the good times he and Hana had, smiling and laughing.
Kaede thought, 'No way…I won't be able to see her again? No..this is a dream. It's gotta be. I'll treat it as one. Nope.'
Elara said, "Hana was a good woman. She was so bright and beautiful-."
"Shut the fuck up." Kaede turned around to Elara, saying, "Don't mention her name. You're a liar."
Elara's face turned ashen. She knew she had been caught in her lies, but she couldn't let Kaede leave. He was her only companion, her only solace in the loneliness that always befell her.
"Kaede, please. I need you," she pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation. But Kaede was already striding towards the door, his mind set on finding his way back to his real owner, Hana.
Elara's pale face, as if reflecting the glow from the dimly lit fireplace, took on an ethereal quality. Her thin lips parted, and with a voice that resonated with an eerie calm, she began to speak.
"Kaede, my dear," she started, her words echoing ominously within the small medieval house, "You see, I have always had a fear... a fear of loneliness. It's a dread so profound, so all-consuming, it gnaws at my soul. And every man I ever loved, every husband I had, they left me alone, even if it was for a mere ten minutes."
Kaede, his paw still hovering over the doorknob, turned his emerald eyes towards her, his gaze filled with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. Elara continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "I couldn't bear it, Kaede. The silence, the emptiness... it was devouring me. So, I took their lives, one after the other. I hoped that in death, they would stay. But all it did was leave me even more alone."
A shiver ran down Kaede's spine, but he remained silent, allowing Elara to continue her chilling confession. Her eyes, glinting with an unsettling intensity, moved away from Kaede and stared into the dancing flames of the fireplace.
Elara continued, "This is a realm of magic and wonders. Beyond here lies the magnificent kingdoms of Arathorn and Elderglen, each teeming with enchanting creatures of all kinds. Dragons that rule the skies, and elves whose songs can make the flowers bloom. Rivers that flow with liquid silver under the moonlight, and mountains crowned with crystalline citadels."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, "It's a world where time stands still, where moments stretch into eternity. It's a world where I thought I could escape my loneliness. And when I found you, Kaede, I thought I had found my companion, my solace from the echoing silence."
Elara turned her gaze back to Kaede, her eyes pleading, "I lied about knowing Hana, Kaede, because I wanted to keep you. I wanted to keep you so that I would no longer be alone. I wanted us to live in this world of endless magic and wonder, together, forever."
"So I won't be able to see Hana again..because of you? And you killed people?"
"Kaede wait.."
"I don't care what some old hag has to say, I'm making it back to Hana somehow."
His eyes began to glow, and the floor vibrated hard once.
Elara staggered back, "He has abilities?!"
"I'm leaving, like I said. Buzz off."
"No..no! You're staying here! We need to be together foreverBl
Elara, her eyes glinting with madness, laughed maniacally. She raised her hands, conjuring a barrage of sharp, dark crystals. "Let's see if you can handle this, Kitty!"
Kaede chanted: "Crimson Obsidian Inferno.."
Crimson and Obsidian Inferno Transformation**: This is the ability to cover himself in red and black flames and transform into a giant lion once. Upon transformation, his strength, speed, and resilience significantly increase, and he can unleash powerful fiery attacks.
The house blew into pieces due to the energy of the magic, and nearby bystanders ran away, screaming:
"It's that witch Elara again?!"
"Run!"
Elara saw Kaede's form, saying to herself, "He seemed new here…how is he able to do this so easily?! Makes me want to keep you here even more!"
The crystals shot towards Kaede. But with a nonchalant flick of his tail, Kaede activated his Crimson and Obsidian Inferno Transformation. His body was enveloped in red and black flames, transforming him into a gigantic lion. Elara watched in horror as Kaede, now a towering figure engulfed in flames, stood unscathed by her attack. "Impossible!" she cried.
"Is that all you've got?" Kaede scoffed, his voice reverberating with a newfound power. He lunged forward, his every movement a blur of fire and speed. Elara quickly erected a barrier of dark crystals, her eyes wide with terror. "You won't get me that easily!" she screeched.
Kaede, now at the barrier, unleashed a powerful fiery attack. His flames, red and black, tore through the barrier like it was made of paper. "No!" Elara screamed, hastily backing away. She conjured another wave of crystals, sending them hurtling towards Kaede.
Kaede simply swatted them away with a flick of his flaming tail. "You'll have to do better than that, Elara," he taunted. Enraged, Elara summoned a crystal golem, a hulking figure radiating dark energy. "Crush him!" she commanded. Kaede, unfazed, charged at the golem.
His flaming body collided with the crystal figure, shattering it into a thousand shards. "You...you beast!" Elara shrieked, her face contorted with rage. She channeled her energy, summoning a storm of dark crystals.
Kaede stood his ground as the storm raged around him. His flames, undeterred by the onslaught, burned brighter. "Is this your idea of a storm, Elara?" Kaede mocked, his laughter echoing amidst the chaos.
In a desperate move, Elara directed the storm towards Kaede, the dark crystals whirling furiously. Kaede retaliated with a fiery roar, the blast of heat disintegrating the incoming crystals.
"How?!" Elara cried out, her confidence waning. She conjured a massive crystal spear and hurled it towards Kaede. With a swift movement, Kaede knocked the spear away, its shattered remnants raining down.
"You're losing, Elara," Kaede taunted, his eyes gleaming with arrogance.
Elara, now desperate, summoned a fleet of crystal soldiers. "Attack!" she commanded, her voice echoed by her army.
Kaede, his form radiant amidst the darkness, released a wave of fire. The crystal soldiers melted away, unable to withstand the heat. "No, no, no!" Elara screamed, her sanity slipping further. She raised a crystal fortress around her, a futile attempt at protection.
Kaede, with a burst of speed, crashed into the fortress. His flames turned the crystal walls to dust.
"Stay back!" Elara cried, her hands glowing with dark energy as she prepared her final attack.
"Too late for that," Kaede smirked. He lunged forward, his blazing form a streak of red and black.
Elara released her attack, a massive crystal dragon, roaring and thrashing towards Kaede.
Kaede met it head-on, his fiery aura clashing with the crystal beast. With a powerful roar, he shattered the dragon.
"This can't be happening!" Elara wailed, her magic fizzling out. Enraged, Elara lunged at him, invoking a crystal shard. "I'll destroy you!" she snarled.
Kaede, enveloping himself in his Crimson and Obsidian Inferno Transformation, caught her wrist. The shard fell, turning to dust, as Elara cried out in pain.
Elara tried to bind Kaede with a tether of dark crystal energy. "You won't escape!" she growled.
Kaede simply held out his paw, the tether turning to smoke upon contact. He then lunged at Elara, swiping her across the chest. "Is that all you've got?" he scoffed.
Elara attempted to slice Kaede with a crystal blade. "Die, you beast!" she screamed.
Kaede caught the blade in his jaw, shattering it, before lunging at Elara and throwing her against the crystal wall with a thud. "You're pathetic," he taunted.
Elara, her body trembling, conjured a crystal shield. "You won't hurt me anymore!" she shrieked.
Kaede easily shattered the shield with a swipe of his fiery paw, the force sending Elara sprawling. "You can't hide, Elara," he sneered.
Elara, her energy waning, tried to crush Kaede with a barrage of crystal boulders. "You will be crushed!" she gasped.
Kaede, with a fiery roar, shattered the incoming boulders, then charged at Elara, his body slamming into hers. "You can't touch me," he mocked.
Elara attempted to trap Kaede in a crystal cage. "You'll rot in there!" she spat.
Kaede easily melted the cage, his flames burning hotter. He then struck Elara with his flaming tail, sending her crashing into a crystal pillar. "Your tricks are tiresome," he scoffed.
Elara tried to pierce Kaede with a crystal lance. "I'll impale you!" she yelled.
Kaede caught the lance in his jaw, turning it to ash, before charging at Elara and pinning her to the ground. "You're a joke, Elara," he smirked.
Elara, desperate, summoned a whirlwind of sharp crystal shards. "I'll shred you to pieces!" she cried.
Kaede, with a fiery vortex, neutralized the threat, then lunged at Elara, his claws leaving scorch marks on her skin. "Your efforts are futile," he taunted.
Elara, her body marked with burns, tried to blast Kaede with a crystal cannon. "You'll be obliterated!" she screamed.
Kaede simply absorbed the blast, his flames growing brighter, before charging at Elara and slamming her against a crystal wall. "You can't harm me," he laughed.
Elara, in a last-ditch effort, invoked a crystal golem. "Kill him!" she commanded weakly.
Kaede easily disintegrated the golem, his flames searing through it, before turning to Elara and striking her with a fiery blast. "I'm invincible, Elara," he smirked.
Elara smiled, "Well..at least I didn't die alone."
Elara had blood leaking out of her, dead.
Kaede was transforming back to his normal cat form, and he said, "Doesn't feel like a dream. There's gotta be a way to see Hana again. But that old hag was probably lying, I need to find out for myself. But didn't I believe it for a second back there?