Forest Dreams (4)

"... What is this place-- Forest Dreams...?"

I continued to look around the forest while ignoring the sickening smell that lingers in the air as well as the disturbing sight I saw.

'... The warning from her wasn't a bluff... I might actually die here...'

I wondered, concerning it as I walked away from it.

I already took so much time walking as I was trying to find the person who would have all the answers I needed.

'But... Where exactly am I?'

I stopped at my track from walking around aimlessly.

I looked at my surroundings and was utterly disappointed when I could only see green sight with many specks of many colors appearing at the edge of each branch.

'.. There's nothing here besides trees. What is the meaning of this? Where is the person I'm supposed to ask?'

I was confused as I felt completely clueless about the place.

I closed my eyes for a moment as I heard nothing more than my own thoughts.

'It's too quiet.'

I sighed and started retracing my memories of my pathway towards here.

I compare them to my current sight.

'... Perhaps there is no one here in this area.'

There are no people here nor buildings around.

It is just like a normal forest with a clear blue sky towering above.

It was nothing more.

'.. Where am I supposed to find him if the situation is like this?'

I was focusing on my way until I stumbled on something heavy on the grass.

I easily regain my balance then gaze downwards at the object.

'.. A sword?'

I caught interest in the sword as I squat down to get a better look at it.

It seems quite old and was losing its color.

Above all else, it seems rusty.

I bravely touch the sword and grip on the handle.

Nothing particular happened afterward.

'.. Maybe this sword belongs to someone who's been here before.'

I observe the sword and in the end, find no clues about it.

All I could do now is wander around the forest that seems to have limitless space to explore.

'This forest might be larger than it looks.'

I took a different direction than I previously went.

Perhaps it was because I am further away from where my original position is, I could feel the disturbing smell fading away.

'It's actually quite strange that the smell is familiar to when I was in Center Directive.'

I thought curiously but decided to forget about it.

Later on, I could finally breathe fresh air again as I felt the suffocation left my body.

I looked around once again and was still expecting someone living nearby.

"Hello?"

I try to call out in hopes someone will hear me.

"Is there anyone here?"

No matter how many times I tried to find someone's existence, there were no answers from any direction I spoke to.

Forget about finding someone, I can't even spot one single bird or any living beings alike that are supposed to live in the forest.

It was all trees, grass, and sky.

I sighed longingly and tiredly from the blind walk.

'.. How can I find that person? There is clearly no lead to his domain. Well, I didn't ask Selene before, so it's my fault for that. But... When I think about it, it's not like she will answer me anyway.'

Realizing that I have nowhere to go, I just sat near a tree while laying against it and resting below its shadow.

'If I can't find him nor can't get myself out of this place, I will definitely die from starvation and dehydration.'

I let out a long, heavy sigh and turned my head slightly towards my dress.

".. I should have worn a more suitable outfit for this occasion."

I always remember so suddenly that I actually got reincarnated into another world when I'm alone like this, clearing my thoughts.

'... There is no difference anyway.'

I thought as I could feel the wind softly blowing towards my face and later hair.

Above all else, it's not surprising for me.

Maybe I was quite impressed that this kind of thing existed.

'.. Ah... I'm sleepy... Is it alright to sleep here a bit?'

I yawned while looking at the endless clear sky that is also getting darker.

My heavy eyelids slowly covered my sight and slowly but surely, I fell into a deep slumber of peace.

-

--Meanwhile

Azrael finally succeeded in separating himself from Althea because of Cristo.

'Where is Dorothy?'

He asked to himself as he searched around the town.

He took the path that he assumed Dorothy would walk into considering they were in the same situation.

And it was just like Dorothy, he also found a house located a bit far from the other houses in the neighborhood.

He hurriedly walked towards the house and knocked on the door quite rapidly.

'... I think this is the house. With playing hide & seek like this, I wouldn't even care anymore if I made a mistake of suspecting another civilian's house.'

He thought and let out a heavy sigh.

Selene, who just sent Dorothy, heard the knock on the door and raised her brow as she reached the door and open it.

Not long after, the door slightly creaked open to reveal someone.

Selene gazed at Azrael with her unnatural gentle smile on her face as she greeted him cheerfully.

"Oh my~ another guest, may I help you?"

She asked excitedly while looking at him with a slight interest.

"Yes. And by you mean another guest, was that person a female?"

Azrael asked as he stared down at her.

With a hint of the word 'another', he could guess that the woman in front of him is the witch and Dorothy already found her.

"... Yes~ If I may ask, are you perhaps her acquaintance?"

Azrael nodded without hesitation.

"You must be Selene Cairo."

Azrael immediately assume.

Selene looks at him and nodded at him as she opens the door wider and welcome him inside her house.

"She's here."

She exclaimed with her hands gesturing up to the room as Azrael let himself inside the house.

However, he only found an empty room with nobody else inside.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Azrael asked furiously.

Selena just chuckled lightly at his exclamation.

"Well, Her Highness is inside Forest Dreams."

"What is that place?"

Azrael grew impatient as he walked towards Selene with an angry expression.

His eyes darkened as he stared deeply into Selene's violet eyes.

"Where is she?"

Selena sighed as she explained thoroughly to him.

"She's inside Forest Dreams. A place where you can found a special someone and ask him a question. However, it's not easy just to meet him. That's why she must be in trouble right now. I just sent her before you came."

Azrael's eyebrow twitches at Selene's light statement towards that matter.

"Send me there."

Selene blinked as he looks at Azrael, surprised but the smile never leaves her lips.

"As you wish. I will send you to her and equalize the time so you could meet her right away. But be careful. Her Highness will explain to you everything once you get there."

Selena gestures her hand as she activates her witchcraft.

A circle later appears below Azrael that is quite similar to the magic circle after Selene snapped her fingers.

'... Mana? No, this is different.'

He thought as he looks at the magic circle.

"Do you have any warnings for me? About that place."

Selene shook her head before she looked at Azrael backed.

"I don't. I have never been there."

Selene raised her hand in a praying position.

"That's why, may you two come back alive."

Azrael's eyes slightly widen as a bright white light enfolded him and disappear from Selene's sight.

Selene only smiled.

In the beginning, she has no intention of waiting for their return.

She already thought that they might be dead.

'... Thou pray your resort are not in vain.'

However, she also wishes their luck to survive the foreign place.

-

-- It was a young girl.

While I was sleeping, I saw a young pleasant girl.

I glance at her as she was walking further away from me.

She has beautiful pale blonde hair and a plain white dress.

'.. It's so warm.'

However, when she walked away even further from when I stand, it gets dark.

--Slowly, I open my eyes because of the uneasiness I felt, waking up from a long slumber.

But when my eyes opened, my heart raced at tremendous speed, and my lungs shallowly rose and fell in time.

'Who... !?'

I was greeted by a creature that is not human right after I open my eyes.

It has two sets of wings like those of a bat and a secondary set of wings much like those found on a beetle. 

The two sets of wings included an upper set of larger wings and the facial features of the creature looked like that of a person except the ears were higher in the head and the mouth had sharp teeth.

A bead of cool sweat dripped down my back and my skin became pale.

'... Its appearance is just like an enormous bat but demon-like.'

Everything was dark but the moon finds its way to shine through the night forest.

I can't move because of the intense look that the creature gave me.

As if I was paralyzed because of fear.

'.. What is this... creature... !?'

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