Into the Unknown

CHAPTER 3: INTO THE UNKNOWN

"Please, don't go. I need help." Gift suddenly cried out, Sera felt as if she had heard wrong when she sensed the sadness mixed within his voice.

She began pondering to herself, with his speed, she knew that he could easily catch up to her whenever he wished, his act of running after her could be called an act of courtesy which she knew very well. For a human to show such actions gave her a better outlook of him.

Her figure soon came to a stop, glancing back at him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Why should I help you? You're not one of them, but you're not like me, either." She said, still keeping a vigilant eye on Gift who appeared a meter before her the instant she stopped.

_Speak for yourself, even I don't know what your supposed to be_ Gift eyed her strangely, trying to make sense of what he was seeing, his eyes glued onto her serpentine tail which was covered with intricate scales that glistened underneath the moonlight before moving onto her pale skin that sent a shiver down his spine. Staring at her close hand gave him chills as if he was physically touching her cold skin.

" I promise you that I have no intentions of harming you, I just need your help right now. A-am lost you see and I could really use some help in knowing my surroundings so that I can at least know where to start from if I am to head back to my home..." Gift said, hesitating on whether to explain the last part of his sentence.

" What do you mean?, your words suggest that you aren't from Faeyrn, if so then where could you be from. The northern plains or maybe somewhere farther?" Sera asked, her face clouded with even more suspicion.

Gift however, was unsure of how to respond. He didn't know what she was, or where he was, but he knew he was lost in a world that made no sense to him. "I don't know...., Truthfully I don't know where I am," he admitted, his voice softer now. "I'm lost, and I just... I need to find my way back. Can you please help me?"

For a long moment, she said nothing, her gaze piercing as if she were trying to see into his soul. Then, with a slight nod, she turned and began to move deeper into the forest, her body weaving through the trees. "Follow me, but stay quiet. There are more dangers here than just soldiers."

_Fortunately she didn't ask much questions, otherwise It would be really troublesome for me to answer her if she did_

Gift let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and hurried to follow her, his mind still reeling from the events of the last few minutes.

He kept his distance, wary but grateful for her guidance. As they walked, he noticed the way she moved, like a predator, always alert, always ready to strike.

" Is there a reason you keep staring? " Sera suddenly said, knocking Gift out of his thoughts.

" No no no, it's nothing like that, it's just that I've never seen anyone such as yourself so I was simply curious and-" He frantically waved his hands nervously as if trying to deny something so obvious.

" Disgusted?" Sera suddenly said, her voice turning cold like a chilly winter breeze. Almost every human she had met had always said the same thing yet deep down she knew that they were just trying to hide the visible disgust they were felt towards her serpentine half.

She didn't expect this strange human who had fallen out of the sky to be any different yet Gifts reaction caused her to pause in her movements.

" Huh?, why would I be disgusted?" Gift raised a brow, staring at her strangely as if she'd said something stupid.

" You.." Sera was left confused, not knowing how to reply.

" What's with the glum look?"

" In my opinion your nothing but a living miracle "

" Although I can attest to knowing a multitude of things, not once have I seen such an impressive creature such as yourself. Your very existence is simply a miracle I could only leave to the heavens themselves to solve, so why would I be disgusted?"

" I for one I'm just amazed, and I think that anyone who isn't, is clearly ignorant " Gift shrugged his shoulders as if his words were a fact.

"...." Sera remained silent, She decided to head forward first, Gift who didn't know what to make of her reaction simply followed behind her. Unbeknownst to him, his word's seemed to have had an effect on the female monster that was accompanying him through the forest.

---

"Grrrrrr..." A beastly grow was suddenly heard.

They hadn't gone far before they encountered their first obstacle like sera had warned against earlier.

A pack of wild, wolf-like creatures with glowing eyes and razor-sharp teeth. The monsters snarled as they emerged from the shadows, their intent clear.

Gift's heart pounded in his chest, One would expect him to be frightened but instead he was actually intrigued, seeing such strange creatures further helped in solidifying the notion that this really wasn't his own world.

Unlike earlier with the wicked soilders, This time he was ready. His tech fused body reacted to his thoughts.

Instead of relying on his unbelievable physical capabilities, he wanted to test out another feature of pixels.

_Pixel, initiate low voltage current_

[Request Acknowledged: initiating low voltage current]

Sera who was standing by his side, getting ready to attack had her eye's widen in disbelief when she saw his hands begin to crackle with energy as he prepared to defend himself.

_He also knows magic?_ She thought to herself, struggling to digest such incredible news. With his superb physical abilities, she was certain that his was a warrior type fighter but seeing this had broadened her knowledge of this strange human she had encountered.

The wolves who were gearing for a fight all began to shudder in fear as they witnessed the crackling currents of high voltage electricity that slithered around Gifts hands like several lightning serpent's.

Unfortunately Gift who was too eager to test out this feature of his Technology didn't give them anytime to rethink their actions. In the blink of an eye, he flashed into the encirclement of ferocious wolf like creatures, each looking more ferocious than your average wolf.

Even with their staggering sizes, The fight was quick, brutal, and left the creatures lying lifeless on the ground, Their furry bodies charred in several places releasing a sweet barbecue type of aroma that caused even Gift to feel palatable.

The Lamia girl watched him with a mixture of awe and wariness. "You're stronger than you look," sera said, her voice barely above a whisper before she recalled something and shook her head and said." But strength alone won't keep you alive in this world."

Gift turned his head to meet her gaze, his breath calm and his facial features composed. "What's your name?" he asked, wanting to bridge the gap between them. They had been accompanying each other for awhile now so the least he could do was know her name.

The Lamia girl seem to hesitate on whether to speak for awhile before eventually replying, her voice soft but clear. "Sera."

"Sera," he repeated, committing it to memory. "I'm Gift. Thank you for helping me."

She shrugged, her eyes still wary. "Don't thank me yet. We're not out of the woods just yet" she said and took the lead once more.

As they continued walking, Gift began to ask her about the world they were in, about Faeryn and the dangers it held.

Sera answered cautiously, revealing pieces of the world that was both terrifying and fascinating. He learned that it was a world where magic was real, where creatures from nightmares roamed freely, and where beings like her were hunted simply for existing.

With each answer, the reality of his situation sank deeper into his mind. This was no dream nor was it an illusion.

He was truly in another world, one that operated by rules he didn't understand. And as that realization took hold, his thoughts turned to his mother, the one person who mattered most to him. Was she safe? Had she survived the chaos back in his world?.

_I did manage to alert the head of the city's law enforcement agency before I got shot..., I just hope that he was able to get there in time before anything happened to mother....._

His heart ached with worry, but he knew he couldn't dwell on it now. He had to find a way back, and to do that, he needed to survive here first.

"After we leave the forest What's your plan, What do you intend to do afterwards?" Sera suddenly asked as they reached a clearing, the first hint of dawn lightening the sky above them.

He looked at her, seeing the strength in her eyes, the resolve that had kept her alive in a world that wanted her dead. "I don't know yet," he admitted, his voice steady despite the uncertainty gnawing at him. "But I'm not giving up. Not until I find a way back."

Sera nodded, a glimmer of reverence in her eyes. "Then today's your lucky day, I don't have anywhere to go as it is, so I'll help you. But remember, in this world, nothing comes cheap, As per my assistance, I expect to be well taken care of, Which includes my feeding fee, bath fee..." Sera suddenly started going on and on about her needed necessities.

_Why not just ask me to marry you instead_ Gift remarked, smiling sheepishly as she continued to list her demands.

He wasn't expecting sera who seemed so cold and distant to suddenly turn so shameless and more open by the break of dawn.

_Well at least I still get to have a companion by my side, Although she really is just another mouth to feed, I think I can manage this much_ Gift chuckled.

He raised his head to stare into the dawn rays of the sun in the horizon as he began wondering how this new journey of his would turn out.

Would he be able to safely get back home or would something else try to stand in his way?. He wondered.