Rest is not idle, not wasteful. Sometimes rest is the most productive thing you can do for your body and soul.
Erica Lague:
----
---------
--------------
His steps were light on the snow-dusted ground, the landscape behind him fading into a silent memory. He walked toward the distant horizon, unshaken by the bitter cold, his figure shrinking against the vast, empty sky.
Another chapter had closed, and somewhere ahead, a new one waited to begin….
===========
As the story begins anew, we don't find the boy racing across the battlefield or doing anything overtly dramatic this time. No, he was somewhere else entirely.
Remember the cathedral that stood near the open plane? Surprisingly, it was still standing.
Despite all the chaos and destruction that had unfolded, the structure remained completely unscathed. Seems like it's built different. (Yes, that's a pun, and no, it's not changing.)
But this cathedral wasn't like the ones you'd typically imagine—those grand structures with countless rooms and massive halls meant for ceremonies. No, this one was peculiar. It had only one large central room and a much smaller, adjacent one.
That smaller room, perhaps, was where she had once lived.
The boy wandered through the cathedral, not with any particular purpose but simply because he had nothing better to do. His steps echoed faintly in the silence, his presence a stark contrast to the ornate, undisturbed stillness of the place.
When he entered the smaller room, he immediately noticed something striking about it.
It was... girly.
Very girly.
So girly, in fact, that the sheer abundance of pink was almost overwhelming. Stuffed animals were piled high, their soft, pastel colors clashing playfully with the elegant adornments of the bed. Intricate trinkets and baubles were scattered across every available surface, each item meticulously placed as if part of a delicate arrangement.
He stared at the bed for a long moment, taking it all in.
Then he thought, why not?
With a casual leap, he landed squarely on the mattress. The impact sent a small ripple through the bedspread, but what struck him immediately was the sensation that followed from his bum.
Softness.
Softness unlike anything he'd felt in a long time.
"She has good taste," he murmured, sinking into the luxurious comfort. Stretching out lazily, he allowed himself a rare moment of indulgence. The absurdly comfortable bed seemed to cradle him, as if inviting him to let his guard down, just this once.
He noticed a small table near the bed with drawers, its polished surface catching his eye. Curiosity, as always, got the better of him.
"Might as well," he muttered to himself, pulling open the first drawer.
Panties.
He blinked, paused for a beat, then quietly shut the drawer without a word.
Moving on, he opened the second one.
Bras.
"Good taste," he mused, a mischievous grin curling across his lips. His eyes sparkled with humor as an irreverent thought crossed his mind. "But no melons to cover... truly tragic."
If the girl were still alive to hear his commentary—or witness this blatant snooping—she'd likely Choke him while furiously insisting she was perfectly average. But, as fate had it, she wasn't alive to protest.
He chuckled a little, thinking about her before Shutting the second drawer, he turned his attention to the last one and slid it open.
Nightgowns.
"Truly, she had excellent taste," he said, nodding to himself as if approving her wardrobe choices were the most natural thing in the world.
After closing the final drawer, his gaze drifted back to the bed. With a nonchalant shrug, he flopped onto it once more, the soft mattress welcoming him like an old friend. He shifted around, adjusting the pillows beneath his head until he was comfortably sprawled out.
Staring at the ceiling, he let the silence settle over him.
"What should I do now?" he wondered aloud, letting the silence fill the room.
Lying on the bed of someone he'd killed while contemplating everything that had just happened? Yeah, that was weird.
But… eh, who was going to judge him? Not like anyone was watching. And as for this story? Pfft. It wasn't like anyone was reading it, anyway. Honestly, kind of tragic for you, dear author.
So, what to do next? Well, he'd figure it out—after taking a nap. Priorities, right?
Still, before he let himself drift off completely, a thought nagged at the edge of his mind. The forest had been eerily quiet this whole time, but that silence wouldn't last forever. He wasn't the type to take unnecessary risks, no matter how lazy he pretended to be.
With a casual flick of his hand, invisible barrier materialized around the cathedral, strong enough to keep out whatever unwanted surprises might come creeping while he rested. Satisfied, he yawned, stretching out across the bed, letting the softness of the mattress embrace him once more.
The chaos outside? It could wait. For now, all he needed was rest.
And he was right—outside forces chose this moment to strike, hoping to catch him off guard, to eliminate him before he could react.
But this time, he was ready.
The barriers he had set up? Impeccable. The tendrils couldn't pierce through them, no matter how ferociously they struck. This wasn't some flimsy, hastily constructed defense. His barrier was crafted to endure—to withstand whatever the world, or anything beyond it, could throw at him.
The tendrils lashed out with relentless fury, they were lashing out with so much force that they would obliterate upon contact. Yet, the barrier didn't so much as tremble. It stood resolute, an unyielding wall against the storm.
Wave after wave of attacks followed, each more desperate, more vicious than the last. The assault was relentless, like a beast thrashing against a cage it couldn't break.
How long the siege lasted, nobody could say. Minutes? Hours? Time itself seemed to lose meaning amidst the chaos.
But the barrier remained unshaken.
=========
Sorry For The Late Chapter.
----------
We are at Chapter 39 On Patreon! Link: patreon.com/TenaciousJay002