I braced myself, the dagger barely holding against the creature's claw. My muscles screamed in protest as they grew weak from both the pain in my veins and my lack of stamina. However, I can't let go, I can't die here... not without-
Before I could finish that thought, a sharp whistle cut through the air.
"Grahh!", The creature growled before looking up and leaping away from me.
"What!?", Surprised, I back away.
I lay there on the cold ground, panting and wheezing, watching the creature as it snarled at something in the dark.
I took this moment to clutch my side with my unoccupied hand. I could feel the wound sealing on itself like it was stitching itself together. Though it still burns like hell.
But suddenly whatever the creature was looking at decided to approach as I witnessed a humanoid figure enter from the brush. I could them with the lantern they held. The flame was a bright blue one that I'd never thought was a thing till now.
"Grrraaaawww.....", The creature growled as it backed up and faced the human, well, humanoid figure.
I watched as they approached the creature, not fearing it.
They stopped and stared at the creature for a moment.
"..." They didn't say a word.
However, it was not long before the creature snarled and began running towards the person.
Their face, illuminated by the lantern, stayed unchanging as they unsheathed a sword from their side. While the creature leaped toward the humanoid, the person through their lantern up and crashed their sword into it. The glass shattered on the ground, but the person still didn't bother.
What's weirder is that the flame didn't go out. It had remained covering the sword. Swiftly the person took the flaming sword and swung it down at the creature. The creature ends up missing their attack as the person dodges but the person ends up only damaging one of the creature's wings.
"Shit... I gotta help...", I thought to myself as the cuff beeped, "Caution... The subject is under extreme fatigue."
"Yeah... Yeah...", I sighed before sitting up, "Whatever..."
I took a deep breath and ran forward with my dagger, my breathing still heavy and the pain in my side still slowly (VERY SLOWLY) fading.
"Aug-!", I yelled.
Though, the creature quickly turns to me and slashes a claw at me, knocking the wind out of me.
"Aug...!", I gasped.
The person, however, takes this advantage when the isn't looking slashing down one more, cutting the head of the creature clean off. With the flames it cauterizes the wound, only leaving the burned green blood of the creature.
The moment I witnessed the head rolling, I could feel my head getting dizzy and my muscles growing weaker.
"Ah....", I wheeze.
With one last step forward, my knees gave in and I collapsed onto the ground.
"Huff.... H-huh...?", I mumbled.
Though before I know it the world slowly turns to black.
.
.
.
"Ugh...", I sit up, putting my hand on my head. It feels as if I have a hangover... With that though, I noticed it's not cold anymore. I quickly look around and it is bright with candles around all with that blue flame. I am on a comfortable bed. I look to my side and there is the dagger, that seems to have been cleaned, and that backpack.
I look down at myself noticing I have different clothes on. The clothes I have on are a simple white shirt, brown medium pants, and bandages. The bandages are tight around my wound and I can see the blood soaked into the shirt and bandages. My face starts to flush red.
"Did they...? No way!" I shake my head.
With a deep breath, I looked up and noticed that I was not in a tent anymore. Now, I'm in what seems to be a small house. However, this place does not like the home I'm familiar with. This is more, old-fashioned or what you'd see in one of those pilgrim or 'Little House on the Prairie' movies.
"W-Where am I?", I ask.
However, that's when I heard the sound of a door opening and closing. Quickly, I tried to pick up the dagger but I stopped as I saw who entered.
It's not that I recognized them from their face but rather their sword. However, it's not flaming anymore and it's in its shape. I think the person who saved me. They must've taken me in seeing I was hurt.
I look up to see the face of who saved me. Their eyes are enchanting with a deep violet shade of purple, and though defined, the face is soft. Their hair is a long, light silver, and seems to fade to the same purple of their eyes.
However, what made me stop was the two horns growing from their forehead. They are long and spiral up. The horns are the same color as their skin, a tan peach, though the tips of the horns are faded into black.
"Who are you?", I asked, a bit confused.
The person didn't reply, "Are you okay?", they asked, their voice a deep monotone but soft and angelic voice.
"Oh... Um, yeah... Just a morning headache...", I sit up more properly and comfortably.
They nodded before walking over and sitting at the foot of the bed, "So, can you tell me your name? And where you came from? If you know...", they asked.
"Oh...uh...right...Um...", my voice stutters, "I... Um..." Thinking back, do I know my name? Or is it this place messing with my head...
I sat in silence for a moment but then I got a flash of a memory in my mind. "My name... My name is Winston... Winston Caldwell...", I say confidently, though still a bit confused.
They nod before asking, "And... Where are you from?"
"Where I am from?", I asked.
They nodded, and in response, I look down, my face saddened, "Heh... A small town called Clovecast...", I sigh, "It was a shitty place. Full of assholes... But still, I wish I could go back... even if for a moment...", My voice grows weak.
They nodded, "Well, I can't take you back to your home, but, maybe we-"
I interrupt, "We? There are more people here?"
They paused, "is that odd to you?"
"Ah- no! I just didn't realize...." I stammered.
They giggle, "We're in a village called T'sgitshi. We are a village of Hautu", they walk over to me and sit beside me on the bed, "So, when I found you getting mauled by the Winged Bear, I thought you were one of our young."
I choked on my breath, "Do I look that young?", I thought.
They looked back at me and placed a hand on my head. I didn't realize till now the height difference. "That was since you didn't have horns but then after I brought you in I couldn't help but be curious if you were an alien. You do look like one of the aliens that we've seen head to the guardian's tomb."
"Aliens?", I ask, a bit confused.
"Yeah, the ones that are trying to bring the Angel back."
"Wait... Wait.... Angel?", I asked, though I remember the note I couldn't help but want more answers.
"You don't know about the Angel?"
"Uh... No... not really..."
"Hmm... Well, I can tell you, but I have some questions for you first."
"Okay?", I ask.
They smile and stand up, "Let's have a proper introduction, alright? My name is S'uuchoonva Dilvuun, though everyone calls me S'uu."
I smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Again, I'm Winston Caldwell"
S'uu nodded, "Alright, so, how did you get here, Winston?"
"Hmm...", I think back, "Honestly... I don't know..."
"You don't remember?"
"I just... woke up...", My voice trails, "I was in this room and-"
S'uu interrupted, "A room? Describe it."
"I... Um... Okay, there was... Stone walls, more walls, moss... And uh... More moss." I trail off, "anyway- why don't you tell me more about this 'Angel'?", I ask, changing the subject.
"Hm... Well... Let's see," I could tell in their voice they knew I was hiding something but didn't pry, "The Angel is someone who prophecy said will bring great blessings or great destruction and chaos. We Hautu believe when the Angel arrives in our world they will bring prosperity to those of good hearts and rain acid on those of sickened evil."
"Oh...", I mumble.
"Yeah... That's not much to go on, is it?", they sighed, "There's more, but... That's not important right now."
"I guess...", I sighed.
"Yeah... So, anyway, I have a question for you."
"Yes?"
"I saw the band on your wrist..."
"The cuff?"
"Yes," they poke the screen of the cuff, "I've never seen such a thing... Do you mind if I look at it closer?"
"Um... Sure?", I hold out my hand and they examine the cuff, "I don't understand it. I mean, I've had it for a while now, and, honestly, the only thing I know is that it's some kind of computer."
"Huh.... I don't know what a computer is but," they look up to me, "Maybe Z'zatira knows, she is a friend of mine who specializes in magic items.", they pat the sheaf of their sword.
"Magic!?", I asked, a bit surprised, "Like spells and wizardry?"
"Heh, yes, and I've had this sword for years. She is the one who made it."
I gasp in awe, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by magic since I'm in a whole new world it seems. This whole place is alien to me and I couldn't take it all in till now...
Suddenly then the cuff beeps and lights up as S'uu holds my arm. "Caution, Subject is hungry.", the cuff speaks in a robotic voice.
"Ah, right...", S'uu says, a bit surprised.
Also shocked my face flushes red, "That's another thing I can't understand... heh... this cuff.... It says stuff about my health and stuff, but, it's mostly confusing."
"That's odd... I wonder...", they trail off.
"S'uu, I'm back!", a voice shouts from the doorway.
"Hm?", S'uu turns, "Ah, hello, Z'zatira." They drop my arm.
Her face blushes as she struggles to cover it with her hand as she is carrying a lot of stuff for her small body. She is shorter than S'uu but she is still not that shorter than myself. Z'zatira also has horns similar to S'uu but hers have black rings around them.
Z'zatira also has darker skin than S'uu, curly black hair that fades into deep violet that matches her eyes, and white freckles covering her face.
Right now, Z'zatira is holding a large basket of different things that have this aura about them. They're colorful and have a weird feeling to them, but it's not bad.
"Who's this?", Z'zatira asks approaching us, "They have enchanting eyes!"
I blush, "Uh- t-thank you...?"
"Oh, right, this is Winston Caldwell, I found him nearly mauled by a winged bear last night."
"Oh dear!", Z'zatira drops her basket and runs over to me, and starts checking me all over, "ARE YOU OKAY??????", she yells panicked.
"Heh... Thank you but I'm fine...", my voice stutters.
Z'zatira sighs in relief, " Thank the Angel...", she turns to S'uu, "..."
S'uu speaks up as they look over to me, "You know....", their expression changes to a bit of confusion and curiosity, "When I bandaged you up-"
As they say that my face blushes more remembering how I'm in different clothes.
They continue, "-you had a wound on your side but it looked like a scar even though it happened just a few hours ago..."
"That's strange," Z'zatira says, examining me closely. "It's like your body has some kind of accelerated healing."
"Yeah, it still hurts like hell, though," I reply, wincing a little as I touch my side.
Z'zatira's eyes narrow as she gets distracted and focuses on the cuff. "May I?" she asks, already reaching for my wrist.
"Uh, sure..." I say, holding out my arm.
Z'zatira inspects the cuff, her fingers tracing the intricate designs. "This is fascinating. I've never seen anything like this before. It looks like it's part magic, part something else..."
"Thank you?", I couldn't help but take it as a compliment. Though I can't blame her, I too am curious about it.
"Hmm," Z'zatira murmurs, more to herself than to anyone else. "Maybe if I can just..."
She mutters an incantation under her breath, and a soft glow emanates from her hands. The cuff responds, the screen flickering briefly before displaying a series of symbols I've never seen before.
"Z'zatira, what are you doing?" S'uu asks, a note of caution and authority in their voice.
"I need to understand how this works," Z'zatira replies, her tone determined. "It might be the key to understanding Winston's condition."
I feel a sharp, uncomfortable sensation in my wrist as Z'zatira's magic interacts with the cuff. "Uh, Z'zatira, are you sure this is safe?"
Before she can answer, the cuff beeps loudly and tightens around my wrist. It feels as if my wrist is getting stabbed. "Warning: Unauthorized access detected," it announces in its robotic voice.
"Stop, Z'zatira!" I shout in pain, but it's too late. The cuff emits a blinding light, and a powerful force knocks both Z'zatira and me back.
As I struggle to regain my senses, I see Z'zatira lying on the floor, unconscious. The cuff is glowing brightly, and I can feel it pulsing, almost like a heartbeat. As if it was in sync with my own.
"S'uu!" I cry out, panic rising in my chest.
S'uu rushes to Z'zatira's side, checking for a pulse. "She's alive," they say, relief evident in their voice.
The light from the cuff begins to dim and it loosens. I instinctively try and take it off as it loosens, but unfortunately, I'm still unable to...