The black shadowy figure stood still among the lush trees that camouflaged its color. But that wasn't for long. As I began to shift slightly, the red glow that emerged from the creature's nether regions began to narrow, and then it snarled.
"Arlon, is that you?" I shouted. Cold sweat started pouring down my face. The pain in my leg and the tension surrounding it made it increasingly difficult to move. When the creature in front of me didn't answer, I was even more certain that it wasn't Arlon, and that made me feel even more anxious to get out of here. I backed away, preparing to run.
Before I could run, the creature suddenly launched itself at me very quickly, trying to attack me before I could run—I couldn't even see its form clearly because it was moving too fast. I didn't have time to move an inch, so all I could do was screaming as loud as I could.
Just when I thought my fate would end here, there was a deafening roar. I didn't know what animal had such a horrible-sounding roar—or maybe it wasn't even an animal, but the roar I heard made the creature suddenly stand still, not moving an inch even though we were already this close.
I couldn't see the creature clearly. My vision felt a bit blurry, coupled with the tears that started to fall on my eyelids. It didn't have a clear appearance. The mist that shrouded its large body blocked my vision. Only her terrifying eyes and sharp fangs could I see clearly.
I couldn't let that opportunity go to waste. I immediately ran away even though I was staggering, trying to endure the pain in my legs while continuing to run through the darkening forest.
The momentum didn't last long. The black dot behind me grew larger and closer. The creature again moved so fast that it caught up with me. Now it was only a few meters behind me, ready to lunge at me.
My breathing was ragged, and I was starting to get tired. The pain in my ankle was also getting worse. I couldn't keep running anymore. Even so, I kept pushing myself. Please, be strong... be strong!
Unfortunately, I tripped over a snow-covered tree root and fell back down. When I started to stand up, the creature was already right in front of me. It was so close, I could feel the hot smoke coming out of its nose. I couldn't take it anymore. Even my body refused to move. My whole body became stiff, and I felt very weak. I couldn't do anything anymore. All I could do was close my wet eyes tightly....
And maybe... I don't know anymore....
....
"An ugly creature like you should just go back to hell."
I was stunned as I heard the heavy voice that was familiar to me. That deep voice that flowed with an amusing tone had always sounded cold and sadistic. But somehow, that voice now sounded like hope. Now I also knew where the roar had come from.
When I opened my eyes, I was already in Arlon's arms. Arlon? Is this really him? I never thought he would come and save me—not even the slightest hint of his arrival. In fact, he was now locking me in with his left arm, offering me his embrace, while his other hand was holding and squeezing the face of the hideous creature.
The creature grimaced as if begging Arlon for mercy, but Arlon simply ignored it. Instead, he squeezed the creature's face even harder until his sharp claws tore through the creature's outer layer of skin, causing the black blood from inside its flesh to flow out.
The creature's face shattered instantly into tiny shreds with its black blood splattering. Its entire body covered in black mist began to vaporize, and eventually the creature's body disappeared into the air.
Time seemed to freeze as Arlon looked at me with his flaming irises. For some reason, I couldn't escape the clutches of his eyes, until he finally released me from his embrace.
Arlon grabbed both of my shoulders and shook them as he exclaimed in a booming tone. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be wandering around alone in the middle of this forest!"
"I... I don't know! I'm not sure, but it's like something is pulling me," I whispered shakily. At that moment, I started sobbing, releasing the remaining tears that I had been holding back. At the same time, the pain I felt forced me to rush at Arlon's body, but I held back.
But, in the end, it was Arlon himself who pulled me up and buried me in his hug again.
And so we fell and enveloped in silence. I felt the gentle pressure of Arlon's fingers on my back, holding me completely in a sense of comfort that I had only ever gotten once—ironically from a monster like him. My brain kept trying to process what words I might say to Arlon. I didn't know if I should thank him or whine, hiss in annoyance that he wouldn't understand what I was feeling or scream in shock. However, when I finally decided to make a sound, Arlon's forefinger held my lips back from releasing all the words I had worked so hard to form.
Arlon's eyes sharpened again, wandering around casting his surveillance on the forest surroundings. Looking at his contorted face, I was sure it wasn't completely safe yet. Or that there were many eyes watching us—watching me—from the start.
I wanted to make sure. "A... Arlon, what the-"
"I knew it was you," Arlon exclaimed at something I couldn't see. His heavy voice sounded so suppressed, like he was calm, but he was also a little upset.
The color of the forest was getting darker. It wasn't because it was getting late, but I didn't know why either. Suddenly, the warm air slowly held back the cold that made my body shiver. Just then, speck after speck of light appeared. Blue. Red. Yellow. White. All the shimmering lights looked like jewels flying through the air. All the colors were glowing, including the color of the forest that had faded.
I was transfixed, and I was lulled by all this beauty. Like in another world, everything seemed magical. And this was real.
Then the soft sound of laughter whispered across the wind. At first it was one, and then it became several people laughing. Like the little cackles of girls and children, I don't know where it came from.
I think I've heard it before.
"Enough playing around!" Arlon's voice sounded firmer now. He was not at all affected by the surroundings. He also seemed disinterested.
The laughter stopped as a small, glowing green butterfly appeared in front of us. No, it wasn't. It was not a butterfly. The tiny figure had a human body wrapped in cloth that seemed to be made of bird feathers in the same color as its wings. Her hair was like a blazing fire, yet the color of radiant grass. The pointed ears looked cute, and the face with a mischievous smile looked sweet.
No way....
In the midst of my shock, the floating points of light transformed into several figures similar to the creature before me, with different types of wings and different body shapes. There were two, three... no. There were five including the one that appeared before me. The five small creatures surrounded us.
"They're... faerie—fairy?"