"Who are you? And where is it" I asked; my lips trembled in panic.
Sensing fear in my eyes, that man who was still in his squatting position took some steps back from me to give me comfort. His tone of voice lowered as he spoke to me.
"You are stranded in Celestara Kingdom. My name's Kane. They are my bodyguards, Drax, Emmet, and Arthur." He introduced himself and his friends to me, then paused before he continued with questions. "Judging from your clothes, you might be a stranger. What's your name? Where are you from? And what brought you here?"
I swallowed my saliva in the confusion of how I could explain to them my situation. Would they believe it if I told them that the white light sucked me and threw me into this kingdom whose name was not even familiar to me?
I shifted my gaze to my lap, letting that man wait for my response to his questions. After formulating the sentences in my head, I could only say short words.
"My name's Maxima; just call me Xima."
My face cringed as I was enduring the pain which gnawed all over my body now. I could feel the man's worries when he immediately moved toward me.
"We have to leave this dangerous place. We'll take you with us."
He lifted my body and carried it in his arms in an abrupt movement; I was too late to refuse his initiative. I could only curl in silence in his fragrant warm body with my eyes awake, observing where they were taking me.
We went through the narrow street with no end in the middle of the forest. I witnessed only huge towering trees shadowed by the darkness.
I had the urge to ask where we were heading to but I kept that desire in my heart. It was too awkward to have much interaction with the strangers even though I was now in his arms.
"Young master, come this way!" One of the bodyguards, Drax, announced and guided us to take the right path. There were two roads ahead of us.
Kane followed his bodyguards' steps, tracking out of the forest. His walk quickened as we passed the next turn as if avoiding the perils that might lurk around.
Roars of the animal stopped us which I was sure was the sound of a tiger. Goosebumps coursed through my spine; my heart fluttered in dread. My grip on Kane's sleeve tightened as a reaction to my apprehension.
I could read panic in the faces of Kane's bodyguards. But, Kane remained calm while striding through the street in front of them carefully.
Our journey suddenly paused as from afar I watched a huge tall dark creature in horror. I forced my eyes close, but I could hear the whisper among the bodyguards.
"He is coming."
Who was he? I wondered in my heart for they sounded worried with the creature's appearance. My heart beat faster in discomfort when Kane stepped forward.
"We have to shapeshift," another bodyguard said.
"We can't," another one rejected. "Young master is carrying that girl."
"I can't leave this girl here." Kane's words comforted me. "Drax…take this girl with you to the palace and ensure her safety. I and the others will fight against that alien."
"But, Young Master….."
"No time for debate, Drax. Save her." Kane cut Drax's words off.
Kane laid my body on Drax's arms who then took me away from the scene. He ran as quickly as the wind, as if we were flying I had to hold my breath in worry.
Only in a minute, we arrived at the wide front yard of the huge magnificent palace guarded by men in dark soldier uniforms. Those guards bowed in front of Drax who rushed passing them toward the entrance of the castle area and wandered through the corridor.
His feet halted before the big door of the chamber and kicked it open with his foot. My eyes widened to see how big and luxurious it was inside, almost ten times bigger than my hut.
There was a hole of sadness in my heart as I left the hut and my mother. Would she realize that I vanished? I was trapped here and clueless about how to get back.
I pulled myself out of my reverie as Drax placed me on a grand bed situated in the center of the room. A vanity table stood next to it while the wardrobe leaned against the wall on the other side.
I could only peek at the furniture through the corner of my eyes. My body was too weak to even move my hands. That incident of being sucked by the mysterious glow had not only drained my energy but also wrecked my torso in so much pain.
"The physician will come to treat you in a minute," Drax informed me as though he could hear my heart.
I just nodded my chin in reaction to his announcement. That man then left me alone after bidding goodbye.
The knock on the door startled me to see who was coming; the woman in her forties stood on the doorstep with someone behind her, a man in his sixties.
"Hi, I am Amber and this is Doctor Call. He will check on and treat you." that woman announced. She looked friendly with a smile on her small lips; she wore the same dress as most of the women I came across in the hallways did.
"Thank you," I muttered in a soft tone of voice.
She nodded with a smile that didn't leave her face and then took some space aside to let the doctor in.
That old doctor approached me and checked on my body and back. His forehead creased, indicating that there was something wrong that bothered him.
"How could you have this serious injury? Your backbone is in a fatal condition. This is a rare case. I doubt I might able to cure it."
His regretful eyes raised at me, showing his helplessness. This hit me more; my heart shattered, accepting the reality that I might not be able to stand or even walk again.
I could no longer hold back my tears; I cried in front of him and the woman who stayed in the room with a woeful expression, standing two meters away from the doctor.
"Please…do everything to heal me. I don't want to end up crimpled."
"If only you were a werewolf or at least you had a she-wolf inside you, I could help you. But, …."
"Turn me into a she-wolf, then," I begged impatiently.
I didn't want to lie on this bed forever. I had to go back to my world as my mother might be waiting for me now.
However, the shaking head of that old man ruined all my hopes. I gritted my teeth in frustration, listening to his words.
"You are a human being, there is nothing I can do to turn you into a werewolf or make you walk."