11. The Lake

Finally, Antonnie whispered to me, saying that he could use his magic on Erick, but I forbade him. "Don't worry, it will stop on its own. It's an old disease, so don't be surprised," I said.

I tried to calm Erick down because I was in the wrong here, I didn't tell the truth from the beginning and just brought it up now. "Okay, okay, I was wrong, okay?" I said quietly, trying to relent and persuade him. "But, I need her help now, so I have to go to her place and stay there."

Erick furrowed his brows, looking confused and perhaps not agreeing with what I said. "You already have a house, why do you have to go there? Then, how about your job?" he said urgently.

Did I really have to say everything? I hesitated to do it. I was also afraid, to be honest with Erick, there were too many lies and other things that I kept from him, so I didn't know where to start.

I took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself down. "I'm being hunted, Ery, and I can't stay in my old house. I have to hide for a while," I finally said.

"Who's hunting you? What was the reason that you had to be—?" Erick didn't have time to finish his sentence when suddenly Antonie grabbed his head and made him pause for a moment. I didn't know what he did to the hot mouth to make him fall asleep with his head drooping on the table.

I breathed out loud when I saw Antonie acting nonchalant after doing that to Erick. He just motioned me to get out of there immediately. "I don't like that boy," he said, "Always curious and so talkative, it just hurts my ears" He grumbled all the way out of the yard.

"But, you don't have to do that," I said as I followed in his footsteps. "How's his condition now?!" I was about to go back to Erick's, but Antonie stopped me and said he would be fine.

…

What I expected today didn't turn out well. Even so, I had predicted that the outcome would be this dire. I really hoped that Erick might understand a little bit, but what could I do? The hot mouth was also very stubborn and always wanted to know everything.

"You have to be patient with him!" I warned Antonie. "Please, don't do that to Ery again! Even though he is very talkative, he is very kind to me. He was there when I was down, and didn't go away no matter how much we fought." Honestly, I really loved him as my best friend, even though our friendship wasn't as 'normal' as most people had.

I had to go to Azalea's place immediately if it was true that the creature was after me. Even so, I was still reluctant to neglect the one remaining task. Summer, I was still in charge of that spirit. It's hard to do this, leaving your task when it's not really completed. I really wanted to wait—if possible, until Charon took her to the spirit realm later.

Before heading to Alpha Camp, I took Antonie to Summer's place, as well as to see her condition. I told the man everything, telling him that this was the hardest reason for me to leave this place. I felt responsible for that wandering spirit, and I wanted to make sure that she was truly refined. I saw how the spirit was from the beginning and its struggles to this day. Therefore I really wanted to accompany her to the end.

"It is from Summer. I know the creature you talked about, that's why I was not surprised at all when you told me about it" I knew the Manji were on searching for that creature, but they might not know that I was the real target.

"Why didn't he come to see me right away if he was looking for me?" I thought if he really wanted me, he should have come to me at every opportunity he had, but why only put a sign in front of my house?

"Do you want to see the creature now?," said Antonie. Without thinking, I immediately said yes.

We went to the forest on the edge of the village. Mickey came along because he was also curious about the creature. Passing by the cemetery, we went deeper into the forest until the trail began to disappear, walking among the bushes in the dark night and the cold when snow began to fall. This was the second snow this month, and we should be thankful it was not too heavy. If the conditions were really bad, the snow would block our way home and turn the terrain very difficult, because the road sloped almost forty-five degrees.

Antonie asked us to stop by the lake. During my stay here, I had never been aware of a lake in this place. This was a pine forest the locals often visited in search of wood and mushrooms. This forest also served as a barrier to the desert and the more fertile areas outside Euron, like a green oasis that straddled a dry desert boundary.

"I didn't know there was a lake here?" I was confused.

The lake water seemed to be boiling, with a puff of smoke probably caused by the difference in temperature between the surface of the water and the air above it. Right in the middle of the lake, I saw someone standing. He seemed to float on water. I couldn't see him clearly, but I could tell he was just standing there. I checked my watch, and he didn't seem to have moved an inch despite our nearly ten minutes of watching him.

Follow me!" We walked behind Antonie to follow his order.

The few steps we drew closer, the person was silent, as if he didn't care about our arrival. Now, we saw him right by the lake. "Remember what I told you earlier?" I just stared at Antonie, unsure. There were too many things on my mind, and I didn't know which part he was asking.

"A creature that showed up in the mixed-blood settlement would walk from the eastern part of the village, and then it would enter the forest in the west. It went on for almost fourteen days, and every time he passed, anyone who saw him would get sick and die in the afternoon. Not only those who saw it but anyone who was there. '' After hearing Antonie's words, I could conclude that it was a creature that appeared in the past, or maybe he was the one who was currently chasing me.

However, when I recalled the story again, the creature would appear in April, whereas it was still December. I was doubtful if it was the same creature. "But, it's winter, how come he showed up here?"

"Actually he reappeared a long time ago, but we didn't care because he was so passive, and I don't think he's as annoying as he used to be. Sometimes, he's in the forest, just standing by a tree and then disappearing. Or, when he was in the midst of people, he too would just keep quiet. He sometimes even played with the kids, and as time went on, people ignored him," explained Antonie.

He glanced at me for a moment before turning his attention back to the creature. "In the past, the Azalea team was asked to keep an eye on it, but then after almost three months of no problems, the team was finally withdrawn and they chose to ignore the creature."

If people, even Azalea's team, chose to ignore him, that meant he was harmless, right? "Then, now why are you watching him and saying he's after me?" I still didn't understand this, and to be honest, I didn't really trust Antonie yet. He was very ambiguous, I guessed. His words were untrusted as well, with his very odd way of thinking.

Antonie looked frustrated. "I already told you that he was hunting you. It's up to you whether you believe me or not!" he said firmly, but his demeanour seemed nonchalant.

I narrowed my eyes, assessing his words. But really, I still couldn't believe it. Especially when seeing the creature was so calm, that it barely even moved an inch. I didn't understand why he was so scary, and even my grandmother chose to give up on him. What was so dangerous about this creature?

Antonie said it just walked through the village from east to west, every day, for almost two weeks. If indeed the residents were sick and eventually died, it might not be caused by this creature, right? What if there might be other factors that they weren't aware of? Accusing this creature didn't seem right either.

"How about we see first, what he will do and what will happen next? Including, if he really wants to kill me?! I mean, moving to Azalea's place isn't easy. I have a lot to do, not just going away" after hearing my words, Antonnie looked so annoyed.