I sighed, laying down on the bed while Flower received treatment. He was sitting up, and Bufa was carefully cleaning his wounds. Flower's painful expression made me wonder: if he was a demon, why couldn't he heal himself? My thoughts were interrupted when Flower suddenly glared at me.
"I said sleep, didn't I? Do you want me to make you sleep instead?" he snapped, acting like a strict father. I stiffened and closed my eyes immediately.
"My lord, please refrain from moving. The wound is pretty severe and needs a deep cleaning," Bufa said. I heard Flower hiss and sigh. "But to think you've grown weaker? How could you not even stop the axe from falling?"
He's grown weaker? Then that means...
"I formed a contract with a human," Flower muttered. "A contract? But why? You're much more powerful than humans. How could you succumb to their whims?" Bufa asked.
"No, you're wrong. That human was different from the rest. His Alice was far stronger than I expected. It was a forced contract, and I'm looking for a way to sever it. But not now, I still need my vessel with me."
What is Flower thinking? I can hear everything from here. Vessel—so that means he made me his vessel. And that contract, it's what Lykon was trying to explain before. The mark on my face—that's what it was.
Am I being used here? I don't understand, but one thing is for sure: I was only saved because I am his vessel, isn't it?
I can't believe this. While thinking these things, I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep. It was strange since I felt so drained, all because of a sword.
Then I heard a huge explosion! When I woke up, the store was already wrecked. An invisible force threw me across the room, and I crashed into the wall. "Ugh."
What now? When I looked at the destroyed wall, I saw a huge monster drooling and looking at me.
The creature was grotesque and terrifying. Its skin was a sickly shade of green, covered in patches of slimy scales and oozing sores. Its eyes were large and yellow, glowing with a menacing hunger. A row of sharp, jagged teeth lined its wide, gaping mouth, from which thick, sticky drool dripped onto the floor. The monster had multiple limbs, each ending in long, clawed fingers that scraped the ground as it moved. Its body was massive and hunched, giving it an almost reptilian appearance, and a foul stench emanated from it, filling the air with a putrid odor.
I froze in an instant. "What in the world is that thing?!"
"A weak-looking human. Yum yum yumm!" the monster growled, its voice a disgusting gurgle. I shivered, feeling disgusted and terrified. I tried to stand up, but my legs wobbled. I hadn't recovered from before.
"Ick..." The stench was overwhelming, and I felt like I might faint. Where is Flower? He isn't even around. Tch, I need to get out of here. I looked at the door leading to the staircase to the first floor.
"You want me? Catch me if you can!" I taunted and rushed to the door. My heart pounded in my chest as I dashed towards the stairs. I could hear the monster's heavy footsteps and its grotesque snarl behind me.
I stumbled down the stairs, my legs barely holding me up. Each step was a struggle, and the putrid smell seemed to follow me, making it harder to breathe. As I reached the bottom, I looked around frantically, trying to find a place to hide or a way to escape.
"Where are you, little human? I can smell your fear!" the monster's voice echoed through the building, sending chills down my spine. I spotted a narrow hallway to my left and darted into it, hoping to lose the creature in the maze of corridors.
I pressed myself against the wall, trying to steady my breathing and calm my racing heart. The footsteps grew louder, and I knew the monster was getting closer. I had to think fast. There was a door slightly ajar at the end of the hallway, and I decided to make a run for it.
Just as I reached the door, the monster's clawed hand smashed through the wall beside me, narrowly missing my head. I yelped in fear and pushed the door open, throwing myself inside and slamming it shut behind me.
I found myself in a dimly lit storage room, filled with old furniture and crates. I quickly scanned the room for anything I could use to defend myself. My eyes landed on a rusty metal pipe leaning against the wall. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
I grabbed the pipe and turned to face the door, my heart pounding in my chest. The door shuddered as the monster slammed into it, trying to break through. I knew it wouldn't hold for long.
"Come on, Flower, where are you?" I whispered desperately, gripping the pipe tightly. The door splintered and cracked under the monster's relentless assault. Any moment now, it would burst through, and I would have to fight for my life.
The door finally gave way with a deafening crash, and the monster loomed in the doorway, its yellow eyes gleaming with hunger. I raised the pipe, ready to defend myself, when a sudden flash of light filled the room.
Flower appeared out of nowhere, standing between me and the monster. His eyes burned with determination, and his presence filled me with a renewed sense of hope.
"Stay behind me," Flower commanded, his voice steady and calm. "I'll handle this."
I nodded, stepping back and clutching the pipe tightly. Flower raised his hand, and a brilliant, shimmering barrier formed between us and the monster. The creature snarled in frustration, clawing at the barrier but unable to break through.
"You think you can defeat me, demon?" the monster roared, but Flower's expression remained resolute.
"I won't let you harm him," Flower declared, his voice filled with unwavering determination. "He's myst, and I will protect him."
With a swift motion, Flower unleashed a burst of Alice energy that sent the monster reeling back. The creature roared in pain and fury, but it was clear that Flower's power was far beyond its own.
As the monster struggled to regain its footing, Flower turned to me, his eyes softening. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
I nodded, my fear slowly giving way to relief. "Yeah, thanks to you."
"Good," Flower said, turning back to face the monster. "Now, let's finish this."