[14] A Walk to the Portal

The meeting or whatever that was, ended without any arguments. The dwarves still look wary around me but I can't do anything about that. I can't change the way they view me as a demon.

I also found out that the dwarf I was within the forest or whom they call 'Ducis' is their leader. It makes sense as the other dwarves pay respect to him.

I'm beside Traiser who's still sleeping peacefully. They told me that he already ate but as he is a human, the food they had, have side effects on him, which made him fell into a deep sleep.

I stared at him intently, memorizing every corner and side of his face. When I first saw him, I found him really beautiful, that I can't take my eyes off of him. Like he's a magnet and I'm the metal, he attracts me.

Looking at him, makes me think about what he said earlier. How can he trust me this much? I only showed him a bit of kindness, yet he already trusts me with his whole life. How can he be so gullible? I'm feeling some sense of conscience yet I don't have any choice.

I closed my eyes tight, breathing deeply.

I stand up and went outside. There's not even one dwarf to be seen. I've heard that they can't go out once dark ensues. Well, this is nice tho, I got to explore the place without any intervention or judging eyes.

Perditus City or Lost City is like the world of dwarves. It's really beautiful, just the various flowers are enough to amaze me. If the place of humans is surprisingly great, Perditus City is on another level. Humans use technology while dwarves use magic.

Back at Zonax, I have heard that this place is protected by unknown energy, which only dwarves know. This is why other creatures can't disturb them as they can't enter the place without permission. Humans who get lost in the forest are brought here to rest then afterward, they bring them back safely.

I heard rushing water from my left, and I followed where my feet lead me. I arrived at the river. The water glistens as the moon reflects on it. Did I mention that the moon here is bigger than the normal one that humans see?

I sat down on the ground, hugging my knees, I watch the flowing river. It's perplexing how the water looks so free yet confined. It can do anything, change its shape and go with the flow, but I wonder if water does these things because it wanted to, or because it has no choice?

I was pulled out of my own world when someone taps my shoulder. I bring out my dagger as a reflex.

"Woah, woah. It's me" Traiser steps back. I sigh in relief.

"Stop appearing out of nowhere. You're not a mushroom," he chuckles at my words, sitting down beside me while looking at the river.

"You're awake" I stated, he nods.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, maybe just to lessen the silence although the silence between us right now is kinda calming, just peaceful. Maybe the sight and the moon above us helps.

"Just wondering" I looked up at the moon

"About?" he looks at me, curious

"How the moon still looks beautiful even in its incomplete form," I said out of nowhere, appreciating the beauty of the moon. With my peripheral view, I saw him looking up to check.

"Maybe because the moon is just naturally beautiful," he answered.

I picked up a stone and threw it on the river. The reflection of the moon got disrupted as the water ripples.

"It's late. You should take a rest" Traiser suggested.

"I'm not sleepy yet"

He stands up, I thought he's going to leave but he reaches his hand to me.

"I'll bring you somewhere" he smiles as I hold his hand, helping me to get up. He didn't give me time to ask because he started running, pulling me from behind, our hands intertwined.

We halted at a place that looks like a garden. There are various colors of flowers. I barely see their colors because it's dark already, but the light from the moon helps.

"What's this?" I ask, looking fondly at the flowers.

"I just thought that you like flowers"

"I never even said I like them, what made you think that?" I asked, my eyes not leaving the red flowers.

"Well, you're beautiful like the flowers, so I came up with the hypothesis that you like them"

I turned around to face him, he wears his goofy smile that makes me curl my lips up.

He pulls me until we arrive at the right area of the garden with lights designed on the bushes. He picks one flower and hands it to me.

"What's this for?" I accepted it, sniffing its scent

"That's a rose, it has thorns, making it different from the others, but it adds up to its beauty. Like how you are different from me, but that makes you unique" he looks at my eyes genuinely.

My heart hammers in my chest, wanting to burst out. My breathing becomes unstable and heavier as I feel heat creeps into my face.

"Stop saying weird things" I avert my eyes because my legs get wobbly with his deep stares. He chuckles at my response. What do I do with this man?

Traiser sits down on the grass, and I did the same. He gets himself busy by picking the petals of flowers. I watched him, how his forehead creased, how his lips move as he mumbles something, and how it curves into a smile. He, then, turns his head on me and I quickly look away. I can feel the heat creeping into my face, but I divert my attention to the ground.

"Limdi" I immediately turn to him, his face is close to mine, making me stiff. And then he smiles.

"Shall we sleep? It's getting really late"

We walk our way back to the house we were in before.

"You should sleep on the bed, I'll sleep here on the couch" he speaks, smiling.

I just nodded. I opened the door of the room, but before I walk inside, he calls my name again.

"Limdi" I turn to look at him, but I was caught off guard when I felt his soft lips on my forehead. Then he smiles at me. I stand there for a second before I quickly shut the door, hoping he didn't see my flushed face.

My heart is uncontrollable, it's pounding so fast that my breathing becomes unstable. I feel my horns tingle and heat up. My eyes widen with the sudden feeling.

Right there, I realized everything—my feelings for Traiser.

We wake up after the sun rises, getting ready to continue our journey in finding the portal. The dwarves have prepared breakfast for us, fruits and vegetables on the table instead of their usual foods which are not suitable for Traiser and me.

"Let me have a word with you, little diablae" Ducis walks towards me, just before we leave. I look at Traiser, and he nods, telling me it's alright so I followed Ducis on one corner, separating ourselves from others.

"The portal is just hours away, I believe you can reach it before noon. I'll let a group of dwarves tag along with you until you reach the portal. They will guide you along the way" he tells me, face still stoic as before.

"Thank you for letting us stay and for helping, I will remember your kindness" I give him a half-smile, acknowledging what they've done to help us.

"This doesn't mean I side with you. I just believe that you are far from what demons seem to be." my forehead creased with his words, confused by what he really means.

"I don't understand what you're implying"

"Have faith in yourself and on him" he gestures his head towards Traiser.

"Ducis, your words are confusing me," I said, as a way of asking for any explanation

"Sorry for interrupting. The sun is at its peak, we must hurry or else we might never find the portal before the sun sets." a dwarf suddenly came out of nowhere.

"You must go, hurry before it dims. There are likely wild beasts around at night" Ducis gestures me to go with the dwarf

"But you haven't given me any answer" I protested.

"You are the answer, little diablae. Have faith in this" he points at my chest where my heart is. "And soon, everything will be answered"

Before I say any word, Traiser has also walked towards us.

"We'll go on our way now. Thank you for keeping us" Traiser bowed, as a sign of respect and gratitude. Defeated to get any answer, I also did the same.

Traiser tried to hold my hand but I swiftly refuse by pretending to scratch my arm. He did not question me nor bother trying to hold it again. Somehow, I regret not accepting his hand, but I push the thoughts away.

Since I've realized what I felt for him last night, I carved it in my mind that I shouldn't let it bloom to something else.

I'm trying to keep a distance from him, without being obvious. I can't let him know that something is up with me, it'll only make things complicated.

The walk to the portal is long but it is not boring at all. The dwarves are pretty upbeat and jolly. They keep on telling stories about humans getting lost in the forest and how they take care of them. They also talk about encountering wild animals but it became rare as humans tend to visit the forest more to hunt those.

"Humans tend to freak out whenever they see us! But as good stories about us, started circulating in the human world, they became more open in their views on dwarves" the female one tells, with a wide smile on her face. Her voice is tiny like her size. As we are outside Perditus, Traiser and I came back to our original sizes, thus making the dwarves smaller than us. Their height reaches my knees.

There are three dwarves in front of us, leading the way, while there are four behind us, watching our backs from any possible danger. I feel really grateful. As a demon, I've never interacted with any creatures other than our kind because this is my first time leaving Zonax. I've heard stories about different creatures and most of them are servants of deities. I never really expected there are those who are willing to help a demon like me. Although I heard they are very rare. I've been told to not trust anyone outside Zonax, but it's just heart-warming how they helped us even if they shouldn't.

"Shall we take a rest?" the male dwarf in front of us suggested. I look at Traiser who seemed tired from the long walk. It isn't bad to take a quick stop. I nodded at them and we settled down.

"Have you encountered a demon before?" I curiously asked. The dwarves collectively look at each other, signaling if they should tell me and they nodded their heads.

"Once. A demon was also finding his way to the portal."

"He saw dwarves, fighting with wild beasts. It was that time were beasts are still not extinct. They were sent to threaten us. He helped our kind, but he left afterward"

"That's why you welcomed me." I stated out of my realization

"Yes. Dwarves are all grateful to that demon. Ducis thought he might as well repay the kindness"

"Do you perhaps know the name of the demon?" he might be someone I know.

They shake these heads, giving me a sad smile.

We all went silent, taking our time to rest and gather our strength back. Walking for hours straight is no joke, we are fortunate that there are trees that block the sun, and giving us cold wind.

"He's been staring at you since a while ago. I'm afraid you might melt any time soon" the female dwarf whispered to me, subtly gesturing towards my left.

I suddenly turned my head at my left, suspecting that she's pertaining to Traiser, and indeed, Traiser is looking at me. We stared at each other for seconds before I averted my eyes. My heart is thumping loud again.

"Since when?" I ask the dwarf, who's giggling over us.

"Since we stopped. I think he wants to talk to you. I don't know why you're avoiding him but you're not good at pretending not to" she giggles again, making me widen my eyes.

"You're saying non-sense." I glared at her, trying to intimidate her but she laughs louder. I palmed my face, hiding my heated cheeks. This dwarf is lucky that she's cute, or else, I have thrown her already.

"Why are you so afraid?" she asks after she stopped from laughing.

"Why are you so nosy?" I ask back, my voice is low, being cautious to not let others hear our conversation.

"You lack faith" She stated with a frown on her face, catching my attention.

"That's given when I'm tied with my fate" I sighed, she looks confused tho.

"No. I don't think so. Everyone makes their own fate not the other way around"

"That only works for humans. I'm a diablae, in case you forgot"

"Well, if that's your excuse, isn't he a human?" Her question made me stop and think for a while. She smiled at me sweetly.

"He doesn't have anything to do with my fate."

"Does he?" she gave me a meaningful smile, that I ignored. I stand up, letting them know that we should continue our way to the portal.

The dwarves went back to their own position as we walk. Traiser is beside me again.

"What did you talk about with her?" He suddenly speaks, pointing at the female dwarf in front of us.

"Nothing much," I answered, uninterested. My heart is pounding again. I hate how I can't control my heart anymore since I learned my feelings for him. It's quite frustrating.

"Are you mad at me?" he stops and holds my wrist, making me halt from my tracks.

"Why would I? You're weird" I take my wrist back, and start walking again, he did the same.

"Then why can't you look at my eyes?" he insisted. He goes before me, walking backward, which means his facing me. Gosh, this is a lot harder than I thought. Of all the time, he really chose to be like this, when my heart is clearly going crazy.

I bravely meet his eyes, and he firmly holds eye contact. I kept my face with no trace of nervousness. He seems to be observing my reaction. Fortunately, he gives up before I totally combust.

"Okay, you win" he goes back beside me again, walking silently. I noticed how his ears are turning pinkish. I ignored it tho.

After walking for more hours, we finally stopped at ruin placements of large stones. I almost dropped my jaw at the sight. The stones stand tall with green mosses growing on their bodies.

"We're here" I breathe deeply, still processing the view. I'm glad that we finally found the portal but I'm also scared. Traiser pats my shoulder as if sensing that I'm nervous.

I nodded at him, ready to open the portal. When we heard loud growls. I shut my eyes, not believing the situation. This can't be.