His hands weren't warm at all. The first thing I felt when he handed me his palm.
He had the aura of a noble, but the way he speak and act, felt like an ordinary person. Someone I couldn't help imagine that, if I would have known him, would he be the person I'm thinking now?
It's quite peculiar to think he is despite not being able to pinpoint where and when did I think of him as that person.
Whenever I look at his back, the white leathery cape he wore, mingled with the air, just as the night's breeze continued to dance, his hands felt the same through my cheeks.
Until his footsteps and the echoes we're making came to a halt.
"Shh..." He ushered with his right hand making a sudden cross of his pointing finger to his masked lips.
Keeping both of his hands above my shoulders, he gently pushed me to the other vine wall.
"Why?" I asked
He never answered.
We kept silent for a whole minute until he let go of my shoulders and breathed some air out.
Then he speaks to me as if he didn't do anything weird.
"Finally, I guess we just escaped some danger. Oh well, now we'll head to that place," he pointed at my back's direction.
Now, he's becoming even weirder. There's no way through to the place he's pointing at because the vine that creates as a wall in this mazed place, don't let people to come through them.
It's built through magic as if no one can defy and what this person spoke is hard to believe.
I sighed at the running thoughts and took a gap between the small space on our bodies.
"Les, as you've said as your name earlier, right?" I paused to see his reaction.
He nodded. Though I couldn't see if he has his eyebrows raised or creased, I'm certain his eyes were close to narrowing.
"Yes, Bell, right?"
I swear that I'm not here to tease anyone or make fun of, but this person keeps on doing those things to me as if he had been interested by tormenting me.
Calming my already boiling nerves, I breathed out long air that might have been stuck from my lungs the moment he ushered me to keep quiet.
"I think you're mistaken, Les and why is that? Because first, the place you're pointing out is non-existent, second, the way you ushered me to keep quiet is weird, as if you can sense something invisible and third, why don't you give me a chance to lead you to the right place because right now, hell do I even know where we are!"
That's the first time I breathed out air this long, and no one knows if my ears are red or not but I already feel like my throat is burning.
Perhaps, he can see me heaving that's why he puts his hands on my shoulders again and this time their light as a feather.
"Okay, I do apologize for misleading you but I also don't ask you to trust me, I just ask you to believe that I'm not like the rest here..." He spoke in a slow motion.
Leveling my eyes through mine, he bent a little, and tightens the grip on my shoulders.
"Do you know why?" He asked
I didn't answer him because it's obvious that I want to know his answer but I just don't want to look that desperate.
Rolling my eyes is enough to keep him sigh as if he saw through my mask.
"First, the place I pointed earlier is existent, second, the way I ushered you to keep quiet is because we might have met a few bandits in our way if I didn't, third, I know that you leading me to the right place is something I could have done if I wanted to be the last one to win in this game."
Wait, did he just insulted me? He just did, right? What's the problem if I led us to the right place? Would we win as the last participants in this game?
Did he just say that right in my face?
"And for the record, if you're asking me if I just say it in your face and I just did"
"What?---"
"Look at your back," he gently move my face to the side until I'm facing the back he's pointing at and there, I could feel my eyes move and doubled their size just like the shape of my mouth whenever I get the surprise.
"So do you believe what I'm saying earlier? Oh, let me rephrase that, now do you think I'm lying when I'm pointing at that place?"
I could feel the tease he had from his tone but I didn't respond to him.
Instead, I kept my cool, but my eyes remained as wide as now.
The place he's pointing out, is like a carved place out from a canvas of painting. The meadow in the place, with the corinthian columns and seats, as if it's a place where the gods and goddesses resided before it vanished through ashes.
I remember reading a book about this place. It's described as the haven for the heavenly beings, as they're described as gods and goddesses, the ones who had powers and created humans.
But now, I'm confuse.
Why would a place that vanished thousands of years ago, that is now like a myth, or legend, suddenly appeared in a game like this that doesn't even have a basis for being well-known.
This game is mysterious.
It's quite life-changing because right now I'm betting all I have to win this, for me to get that wish and change my fate for the better.
I may not have known about this game in my previous life, but now that I have known this, I'll not waste any opportunity that comes my way.
Driven by my will to win, I didn't know I was already running ahead of that place holding Les' hand who now stayed running behind.
Once I've reached the place, it's like a portal, that when I touched it I felt like my hands made the edges ripple and there we jumped to the place thinking it's an illusion at first but it wasn't that at all.
"Owwww!" I whimpered caressing my head in a circular motion as my elbow became my stand when my back hit the floor.
Now that I felt it, my tummy became heavy. After looking at it, I saw Les' head resting on mine with both of his hands palmed on the floor.
"Ehem, would you now mind standing? It feels like you're harassing a girl," I rolled my eyes trying to shake this person's shoulders
I felt the vibration this person has from his shoulders and chuckled a few more seconds later.
"Okay, okay! Geez, and I'm not harassing anyone, okay?" He stood in a second before putting both of his hands in the air
"Besides you're the first one who took my hand without permission," he laughed
I clenched my hands trying to control my breathing.
I don't want to shout a second time because if I did, I might have a sore throat later.
"Anyways, now do you believe me?"
I didn't answer as I tour around. But if he wanted to hear it from me, I would have said that I do if he only explained it further than what I have anticipated.
Again, with this messy thoughts.
I touch the corinthian seats and vines from it to divert my mind from any unnecessary thoughts.
The surface felt rough, cold and much dirt have piled up, but I can see everywhere that it's the same.
"Les, come here," I ushered, as he sighed. But decided to come along and because his movements were slow, I grabbed his hand and pulled him closer.
Then I laid his hand on the seat as he almost shriek.
"What? Haven't you known this place since you're pointing at it earlier? Besides, you look like you came here for the first time as mine," I narrowly looked at him as he dust off his hands.
I felt as if he just touched something he didn't like.
"Now you're talking..." He mumbled but I heard him clear
"You're just coward, Les. You know----"
I know I wasn't kidding when I said he's a coward but when he suddenly leaned his forehead to mine with eyes that narrows, made me realize the words I just said.
"Just because I touched something I didn't like doesn't mean I'm a coward and second, just as I pointed this place I already know it's name. Try guessing if you knew," his breath came in handy when it collided to the side of my ear, giving me a sense of creepy tingles.
"So if you still believe me, then I have no choice but to believe in you that you knew this place well," he kept twirling the locks of my hair until his masked lips touched them.
With a following sniffing sounds, I knew he's teasing me. I unclenched my hands and tried to breath out some heated air until I finally pushed his hand away, letting my hair got swayed by the breeze.
"If that's what you want then be it. Besides, I'm not the one who pointed at this place."
"So you thought I knew?"
"Of course, who wouldn't be?"
He shook his head until I heard him chuckle.
"Silly. Didn't I say I believe in you more?"
"What?"
"I asked you what's the name of the place since you're excited to walk around."
I sighed after hearing him say some words that felt like a fact. But I guess it is.
"It's called Eve."
"Eve? Why? And where did you read it from?"
"Eve, the meaning of a new dawn, an era of the gods and goddesses. I read some books about ancient gods and goddesses. It's a hobby so you should too if you have a time."
Les listened to my words well, seeing him nod his head with his right hand touching his chin.
"Guess I'll heave you're advise then. Now, let's hurry before dawn breaks down..."
"Wait, isn't it night now?"
"Didn't you see the sky's not dark yet?"
"So this has a different time than the place earlier?"
"More likely that this is a different world."
"Then why did we go in here? Why did you even point this place at?"
"I'll tell you later," he put his pointing finger he used to point this place between my lips and chuckled.
The tip of his fingers felt cold, brushing against mine while the wind replaced it after a few seconds.
"Now, take my hand and I'll lead you to the way, I knew well," he opened his palm again, like last few hours and I looked at it again before claiming it
"But before you lead me on, didn't you say you don't know the name of this place?"
He chuckled at my question
"Silly..." He paused turning to look at me, bending to level to my eyes.
"There are just some things, or names I've forgotten to call because they just look similar..."
With that, he pulled me closer to him, colliding my body to his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat beating.
At first it was calm, until it raced.
Then the coldness surrounding him disappear into warmth.
"Just be thankful, that after this, I'll give you what you ask for..."
"Pardon?"
"I'm saying if we don't hurry we will never be able to find that item..."
"What item are we looking for right now?"
"Don't you know the Red Dragon's Eyes? Yeah, we will look it up in here.
"Are you kidding me?!"