Chapter 3 : It begins

I was engulfed in absolute darkness, unable to even see my hand in front of my face. As I stood, the grassy ground beneath my feet was my only clue; was I in a field? Without any sense of direction, I was left vulnerable. It felt suffocating. Where the hell was I?

The only thing that came to me was the touch of Reiki's golden light. Lucien had sidestepped it, and then abandoned me. Was there a connection between the light and this strange place I found myself in?

Suddenly, the darkness gave way to swirling greens and then a kaleidoscope of colors. I stumbled, disoriented, and found myself not in the alley but surrounded by the unfamiliar brightness of a forest.

The forest was a marvel of nature, overflowing with an astonishing variety of plants, flowers, and weeds. Yet, amidst the abundance, there was a magical sense of organization, as if each species had been lovingly placed in its own special area. No two plants were the same, and a clear central path wound its way through the landscape, splitting off into smaller trails.

The air was thick with the scent of blooming flora and the soft chirping of unseen birds filled my ears. It was truly a beautiful but strange sight. The forest pulsed with a life and energy that was captivating.

Somehow, this all felt familiar.

"You look lost."

A sudden voice made me jump, and I spun to see two figures standing close by. One had long blonde hair pulled back in a neat ponytail and shared Reiki's build, but his attire was far more elegant and formal. He wore a flowing white robe, intricately embroidered with shimmering gold thread.

The second figure was shorter, his long black hair streaked with white and pulled back, though it still cascaded down his back. His robe fell behind him, trailing across the grass as he moved. Since he faced away, I couldn't get a good look at him. 

"Hey, I know my way! This is just a path you've never taken before."

The blonde crossed his arms, and the shorter one let out a gentle laugh.

As the scene played before me, I realized that neither were talking to me as they continued their walk.

Maybe they knew what this place was and how to get back.

"Hey!"

I waved my hand, trying to get their attention, but neither so much as glanced in my direction. They simply ignored me, continuing on their way. How rude could you get?

As I approached closer, they didn't even so much as acknowledge my presence.

"I'm talking to you!" I said, reaching out to grab the taller man's arm. But my hand passed through his flesh as if he were a ghost. What the...?!

"What..."

It wasn't until I was closer that I saw the white wings tucked against the blonde man's back. My intended words died on my lips as I stared at the angel before me. My only consolation was that he seemed oblivious to my presence.

As I slowly turned to face the other person, my fear turned to horror. Instead of a face, an empty black void stared back at me.

I stumbled back as the plants around me suddenly rotted and withered. The grass lost its green color, turning brown. Before I could react, the earth gave way, and I plummeted into the dark emptiness below, a void mirroring the faceless man.

I jolted upright, my eyes flying open. A gasp tore from my throat as I struggled to breathe. My chest was on fire as I clutched at my shirt and forced myself to take slow, deep breaths until my frantic heartbeat calmed down.

As my breathing steadied, I looked around. None of the walls looked familiar, and even the shirt I wore was new.

I slowly looked around, trying to assess the new location. Was this also a dream, or did I wake up? 

The room was filled with talismans, wards, and items that seemed designed to repel spirits. Given the exorcist-like decor and the fact that Rei was the last person I remembered being with, I concluded that this must be his room.

The shirt I wore must be his too.

Slowly, I got out of bed and walked to the door. I pulled it open to peek out. It was quiet. The room was dark, yet somehow brighter than it should be. It looked to be around noon the next day; the weather was dreary.

As I stepped into the open, a thought pierced my mind. I was a demon, Reiki an exorcist. He should have killed me, but he hadn't. Suspicion began to take root. What were his intentions?

Glancing down at the couch, I spotted a calico cat, and my heart skipped a beat. I crouched to pet it, unable to resist the feline. Just a quick pet, then I'd go.

The cat let me pick it up, so I hugged it tight. I must have died and gone to heaven. Okay, now it was time to leave, or so I thought—

The door clicked open, and Reiki entered. I froze, thinking I could avoid detection by being still. I was very wrong.

"Han, I'm ho—"

As Rei walked in and took off his shoes, he called out but stopped once he saw me.

"You—!"

That startled me and put me on alert. If he's asking why I'm here, doesn't he know the answer? Did he really not expect me to wake up before he got home?

"Han Riu, I told you to watch him!" He yelled from the entrance.

Han Riu? I looked down at the cat in my hands. Was that his name? How cute, but now wasn't the time.

I gently let the cat down and looked around for an exit. The front door was blocked by the exorcist, so the only option was the balcony. I'll just be taking my leave!

I opened the glass door, grabbed the railing, and was about to jump when I smacked into something solid. I fell back, but instead of the floor, a pair of hands caught me. I looked up to see Rei smiling.

I stared, confused, then pushed him away. What was that? A barrier?

A chuckle echoed behind me. It wasn't Rei's voice. I turned to see the cat I had been holding staring at me from the couch. "See? I'm watching him; he's still here, isn't he?"

Eh? Huh? Did that cat just talk?

"Huh?!" I jumped back in surprise, my back hitting the wall. How hard had I hit my head?

"What? Never seen a talking cat before?" The so-called Han Riu spoke in a mocking tone.

No, I haven't, but there was no use in expressing that.

"What is this?" I growled in the cat's direction, but Rei stepped forward defensively.

I was about to pick a fight with a feline.

"Eve," Rei held his hand up, as if trying to calm a beast, before continuing, "Calm down and I'll explain."

"You think I'm just going to sit down and have a chat with you? You exorcist and... you cat. "

"Actually, I'm a dragon." The cat chimed in.

Rei gave Han Riu a look that said 'shut up', and I seized the opportunity. I dove at Rei, knocking him down, and we ended up wrestling on the floor.

The exorcist was already on high alert, so it didn't take much effort for him to overpower me as I attempted to lunge at him. Rei swiftly pinned me down, securing one of my arms. His other hand began to radiate a golden glow once more, and he raised it to strike. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact. 

Nothing happened... I opened my eyes to find Rei's hand hovering above my chest, frozen in place. His face contorted in a struggle with indecision. Was he conscious of the consequences his actions had before? Had he shared in the experience that had left me so shaken?

"Hey..." I started to say, only to have Han Riu plop himself down on my face, his paws instantly blocking my line of sight.

"Enough."

He'd aimed to stop the fight and succeeded. If Rei decided to use his power again, I was defenseless. My energy was depleted... I wanted to leave, but the human realm might have weakened me. Regardless, escape would have to wait until I could regain some strength.

I gave in and relaxed for now, laying on the floor with a sigh.

"Fine..." Rei held his position, neither freeing me nor making any aggressive moves, locked in a state of cautiousness.

"Can you at least get off me?"

I shot Rei a deadpan stare, waiting for him to back off. I could sense his lingering doubts as his gaze shifted to the cat.

"I don't think he's going to try anything."

I shot the cat a glare, but his words had the desired effect. Reiki rose, offering me his hand, but I stood without his assistance. Brushing myself off, I put distance between us.

"You better not."

I crossed my arms again and scoffed at his remarks. There wasn't anything for me to try.

Han hopped onto the couch' back, leveling himself with us, and his face fell into a serious expression. "We have some things we need to ask you."