Forest Dreams (6)

'.. It's the second day.'

I rested myself on the shadow of a tree while gasping for air after the tiring night of me being chased away by a scary creature.

I carefully stretched out my unwounded arm towards wounded my shoulder.

'It hurts. A lot.'

I hissed from the pain before gazing my eyes fully towards my wound.

The warm and fresh blood kept coming out from my wounded shoulder

It was exactly where the creature sliced.

'But... It's quite unusual.'

What confused me was that the strange creature suddenly disappeared out of nowhere.

I remembered what Selena was telling me that someone here would answer my unresolved question.

'.. I don't think that's what 'someone' Selena talked about. I see, so this is what she meant by coming back alive.'

I sighed tiredly while gazing downwards.

I lost so much blood.

My lungs were also failing me. It was already hard to breathe.

'It's either that I would die of hunger or be killed by that creature. Well, both ways will work sooner or later.'

I sighed tiredly.

'No... I shouldn't have thought about such things.'

I shook my head lightly as I noticed that contemplating my death won't help me resolve this matter.

With that, I started to think of a way to find him.

'There's must be something that I have missed.'

Maybe there was some clue that Selene left for me.

I saw something before Selene-- Oh!

My eyes grew wider in realization after noticing the star on the magic circle and the creature right when I woke up.

'Could it be... It's insane but perhaps--'

I started gaining an assumption about this place and the possibility that I could have to meet him.

I thought with the hope that my assumption was right.

Suddenly, I heard soft footsteps rustling in the grass as my eyes went wide.

'What was that?'

I slightly tremble because of foreigners' actions.

However, I don't have the strength to move from my position.

I could hear footsteps slowly approaching me from behind.

Feeling desperate, I just closed my eyes while waiting for anyone to find me.

".. Dorothy?"

I was stunned.

It made me relaxed at ease when I heard the sound of a familiar voice as I slowly opened my eyes.

My eyes were greeted by the same dark eyes that look slightly crimson when the light of the sun touches them.

".. Azrael.."

I exclaimed slowly, feeling numb.

He hurriedly walks towards my side with a slight shock written all over his face.

"What happened to your shoulder!?"

He slowly raised his voice while concerned about my wounded shoulder.

I was a bit out of breath but I still tried to clarify the situation.

".. A strange creature attacked me last night. But I think it'll be fine. I have already covered the wound with a piece of fabric in my dress..."

I explained it thoroughly.

After hearing my story, he looked at my shoulder worriedly.

He sat beside me and sighed deeply as he thought that many things had happened in such a short time.

"I just arrived and had nowhere to go. Then, I found you here."

I looked at him with a genuine smile.

I was entirely grateful that Azrael came to search for me.

"Thank you for that."

Azrael nodded as he asked what I had expected.

"Any clues for finding him?"

I looked at him for a bit as I opened my mouth to say,

".. Yes. It's just a crazy assumption, but-- the place itself is crazy. So I think it'll be fine."

Azrael's eyes widened when he heard my exclamation.

"Really!?"

I nodded with a soft smile.

".. Remember the star in the magic circle that Selena used to send us here?"

I asked him.

He nodded at my question, which is a sign that there's no need for more explanation.

".. It's just my assumption but-- whoever that will answer my question will appear at night when the stars are out-- I think. It's the only clue I got for now."

Azrael looked at me with a confused expression.

"Why did you think so if you had already passed 'last night'? There must be stars last night when you were attacked."

I just shook my head and explained my reasons for making such an assumption.

"First, it's because of the star in the magic circle. Second, I get the feeling of how much the stars twinkle when things are settled. But I guess the second assumption is wrong."

Azrael tilted his head as he was not entirely convinced in the last part.

"Why?"

I gaze upwards at the sky where Azrael focuses his attention on my explanation.

"The stars matter every day, ever past night. Not when they were just settled."

I exclaimed before I continue,

"Do you know why this place is called Forest Dreams? Because we will fall asleep when the night comes and miss out on the stars in the sky. It's connected to dreams. From all of this, I think the creature that attacks me is the nightmare of our dreams."

Azrael looked at me with a mix of stunned and admirable expressions for my quick grasp of the situation.

"How did you figure this out?"

He asked as I formed a confident smile.

"First of all, I missed the stars last night. And, the nightmare will attack, later disappear when we woke up or when the sun is already rising. When it's morning, they will disappear just like we woke up in the morning after having a nightmare. Though, it's just my 'assumptions'."

Azrael nodded, signing me to continue.

"And the matter about surviving is that the nightmare will attack us until the sunrise and right after we woke up. And for us to avoid a nightmare and meeting him is to--"

Azrael's eyes went wide in the realization of what we have to do.

"--Stay awake."

Azrael finally followed what I was explaining.

I smiled gladly as I subconsciously move my chest.

"Exactly! --Ouch."

I got a little excited and hurt my wounded shoulder.

".. Even when we fell asleep and that creature-- nightmare comes, I'm sure we'll have a way to survive until sunrise comes. Well, you're a demon, so I'm sure you have your way."

Azrael quickly shook his head.

"Nope, I'm completely useless of fighting right now."

I look at him open-mouthed.

"What?"

I was surprised and look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well-- You see, I'm a great swordmaster. So, without my proud sword, I'm completely useless."

I mentally facepalmed and let out a heavy sigh.

"Then we'll just have to stay awake."

He only nodded before glancing at my wound.

"I'm fine. By the way, Azrael, is there a big difference between the demon and the human race aside from the energy and live longer than humans?"

I asked since I was curious after all.

Azrael gazes upwards and thinks about my question.

He turned his head back towards me and smile.

"To be honest, there's not much difference between the human and demon race."

I raised my brow, confused.

Well, looking at Azrael, the demon must be hiding their true appearance.

"How about a demon original appearance?"

Azrael sighed and shook his head once again.

"Demon has no original appearance. A demon has the same form as a human but they will have crimson eyes and black hair as symbolism to our kind."

I looked at him confusedly as I didn't get the last part correctly.

"What?"

I imagined everyone being the same as Azrael. Face, features, and everything.

Azrael chuckled after noticing my weird expression,

"Even though we, demons, have the same hair and eye color, we're different in our ways."

I paused for a bit and glance at him,

"You mean like hairstyle?"

I asked with a sheepish smile.

He blinked at my exclamation and smile awkwardly.

"Yes. One of that."

I let out a light, short laugh at his statement.

"Is it that funny?"

Azrael looks at me with a playful smile.

"No, no. In my imagination, I thought the demon race has horns and bat wings. Like, they eat humans or manipulating humans. Or having big energy of power to affect humans. You know, like--scary original form."

I explained thoroughly as he looks at me with a frown written all over his face, looking a bit disgusted.

"Of course we don't eat humans! Demon can only affect the other demon with its energy! Where did you get that idea??? It's absurd!"

He denied it childishly as I form a sheepish smile.

'Well, in the modern world everyone thought so.'

I thought about my first life as Azrael explained more about demons.

"We're just like humans but-- slightly different."

I nodded in understatement.

"I can understand. Demon race can live longer than humans. What else can it do?"

'... Live longer, huh? I think I already wasted 17 years of life inside my room before being reincarnated here. And I only have 3 years to be the Queen of Lucretia.'

I thought in dismay of how different the situation I experience right now.

"Well... demon has overflowing energy that made them a bit scary. Like-- transferring energy to other objects. By that, we can attack humans."

".. Whoa~ and that can only affect the other demon-like you just exclaimed if it's raw energy?"

"Yeah."

I narrowed my eyes.

"So demons just have that overflowing energy? Nothing more, nothing less?"

I asked with a slight smile as his eyes slightly widened.

"... Yeah."

Afterward, I could feel something rumbling inside me.

".. I'm hungry."

I exclaimed while holding on to my stomach.

I'm tired and in pain as well.

The wound isn't helping either.

"Me too."

Azrael exclaimed.

I chuckled at his exclamation that was the same as mine.

"It's kind of boring to wait until night."

He added as I just nodded.

".. Yeah."

-

-- Cristo gulped as he looks at Althea who is pointing his blade towards him.

He strangely feels deja vu and it's quite weird for him.

"Listen, I am aware that you didn't lie, but I'm also aware you didn't tell me the full truth."

Cristo averts his gaze somewhere else, feeling intimidated by Althea's gaze as he quickly gives in to that little staring contest.

"Tell me before I kill you, where are they?"

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