#a3 ficlets

“The beings here are attracted to the souls of the lost, especially voiceless ones like you.” His tone was oddly serious, a direct contrast to the playfulness lilt it usually held. “If you’re not careful, your soul will be devoured.”

While you weren’t stupid enough to ignore a warning, the thing that drew you deeper into the mysterious forest and caused you to follow it without much convincing was a voice that called out to you. Its tone was strangely familiar and the moment you set your sights upon the distant tree line and discovered someone standing at its edge, you couldn’t control your curiosity and followed them deeper into the foliage.

You knew that person, you were sure of it, yet your memories failed to provide the answer you so desperately sought.

Throughout your seemingly endless wandering, you never once again saw that strange figure nor could you find your way back to the main path where you separated from Misumi at. You were utterly alone with nothing but the moon to light your way and the sounds of wildlife to accompany you. The gentle breeze that picks up, swaying both the surrounding trees and your loose clothing, you could distantly hear the sound of creeping footsteps. The snapping of twigs was the first dead giveaway of an unexpected stranger and when you whip around towards the source of the disturbance, you’re greeted with the ghastly sight of a being far bigger than yourself.

You staggered back, feet clumsily tripping over one another as your hands collapsed behind you to take the brunt force of your fall, though you never once broke contact with the monster before you. It looked nothing close to human. Its eyes were so far sunken into its skull that they appeared to be nothing more than abyssal black holes and the mouth that stretched across its large face was lined with rotted teeth; forming an eerie smile you wished nothing more than to look away from. Its gangly long arms loomed at its sides and bony fingers were poised to grab at you the moment you’d decide to flee.

Your body froze, eyes widening and lips trembling as silent pleas for help were lost among the moonlit breeze. At its rapid approach, your arms shook as you shielded yourself and along with the haze of your fear your eyes tightened to a close.

In the next several seconds, you expected to feel a lot of things; one of them mainly being the pain of a gruesome death followed by the regret of not doing more to spare yourself such a pathetic end. Yet, nothing of the sort fell upon you.

The sensation of something warm splattering across your skin prompted you into slowly cracking open your eyes. Thick, dark red liquid coated the surface of your arms and a bit of your cheeks with a sheen that glinted ominously in the moonlight. Your face contorted with a look of horror as you peered down at the blood running down the length of your arms. The scent it emitted was incredibly rancid and the strength of its stench burned the inside of your nose and irritated your eyes to the point of tears.

Through the haze of your blurry sight, you lowered your arms to behold the appearance of your supposed savior. With his back turned towards you, he looked human enough in comparison to the now decapitated monster he slayed right before you. Your gaze trailed towards the long silver edged katana he wielded, watching as the strange dark colored blood dipped from its tip before being absorbed by the earth below. Several moments passed, bringing along a silence that felt just as tense and suffocating as the encounter the monster wrought.

“Are you okay?” His voice was silky smooth and as deep as the eternal night sky above your head. It instilled a sense of ease within you, a comfort most welcomed after a terrifying experience.

Your gaze trailed up from the bloodied sword as your savior slid it back into its scabbard with a resounding click. The moment your widened gaze met his, you were once again reminded that not everything in this world was as it seemed.

Black horns protruded from his forehead, curling inwards with sharp ends that would undoubtedly prove dangerous should you ever touch them. His violet colored hair, although neatly combed back, still possessed a stray strand that nestled between his horns and against his forehead. His eyes were what held a semblance of familiarity to you. Their color almost mirrored the same bright hue as Misumi’s, though where his was bright with a tinge of mischief; the stranger’s was a deep golden that held an odd warmth.

While his gaze was undeniably sharp and paired with the natural frown he bore, you would have mistaken him as another being out for your life if it weren’t for the fact that he saved from a fate worse than death. With a meek nod of your head, you pressed your hands closer to your chest if only to stop their uncontrollable shaking. The terrifying encounter replayed repeatedly within your mind and each blink was accompanied by the frightful image of that monster reaching out towards you with an eerie lipless smile.

“You’re one of the lost, aren’t you?”

Despite the recollection of similar words being spoken by Misumi, you were somewhat surprised to see the golden eyed stranger crouched before you. His sword was now strapped around his chest and you could see it’s black and white woven handle peeking out from over his shoulder. His lips were steadied into a firm line and when he took notice of your anxious disposition, his intense gaze softened.

After realizing his subtle change in demeanor, you could feel yourself relaxing now that he wasn't staring at you like you were his enemy. Your hands dropped to your lap, brows furrowing as your eyes fell from his. You offered another nod to his pressing question.

Your persistent silence seemed to have given him flash of revelation that noticeably passed across his face. With a gentle sigh and minute shake of his head, he rose back to his full height before offering a hand out to you.

“Voiceless lost like you aren’t supposed to be wandering around this place without a guide.” He said as you shakily placed your hand in his. “How you even got this far without being devoured is a miracle.”

He easily pulled you up from the ground, though his grasp on you never left and instead you felt yourself being suddenly lifted in the air. With a silent yelp you clung to his chest, hands tightly bunching the fabric of his robes as one of his arms adjusted under the crease of your legs and the other supported your back. You gazed up at him with curiosity, the silent question of ‘what are you doing?’ hanging in the air.

You wasted no time in settling yourself down onto the lush grass below, your gaze enraptured by the sight of the glowing moon above you. It shines so prettily along with the twinkling stars and for a brief moment you wish you could join them in the sky. For countless nights, ones you no longer kept count of after a while, you’ve awoken in this very forest with no clue as to who you are or how you ended up in a place as lonely as this. What you do remember, however, is the warmth of the sun that you’ve yet to see but miss so dearly. 

You wonder how long it’s been since you last saw it or felt its blazing kiss against your skin. The cold nights you’ve become so numb to provide no comfort or reprieve and with a withering sigh, you pull your knees up to your chest. Despite your body being as eternally cold as the surrounding night air, you attempt to gather what little heat you possess as a means to recreate the warmth of the sun you distantly recall. 

In the midst of all your accumulating thoughts over your forgotten memories, you’ve never once concerned yourself with why your only memory consisted of the tender glow of the sun.

“What are you looking at?”

With widened eyes and a startled jolt, your head shoots up towards the person now looming above you and effectively blocking the moon’s light. The first thing your gaze is met with is a mask resembling a fox which obscures the identity of the person in front of you. Although his features remain a mystery to you, you could distinctly recognize his voice as one that sounds masculine. It’s tone carries a childish curiosity and overlooking your own initial panic, you almost think it’s somewhat familiar. Clad in darkly colored robes, he stands tall before you and with the added highlight of the moon’s luster, he appears otherworldly. It’s only until your eyes catch a slight flicker of movement behind him that you realize there are a number of tails attached to him, nine to be more specific. He is not human, that is what you've gathered, but for some reason his presence doesn't unsettle you as much as it should.

Your mouth opens, lips forming inaudible words before you stop and place a hand against your throat. Your brows knit tightly together and panic begins to settle deep in your chest in the form of painful twists. With horrifying awareness, you realize that you had no voice to speak with.

The figure above you makes a sound of awe, one that immediately has your attention and when you return your gaze back up to him you’re taken off guard by his blatant lack of personal space. He’s crouched down to your height, his face leaning dangerously close to your own and giving you an unrequested closer look at the mask he wears. It's made of wood, painted white and red, and appears so worn that you’re sure it’s been in his possession for more than a few years. You aren’t given much time to examine it further before the stranger pulls it up and away from his face when he deems it a nuisance in his inspection of you.

Citrine colored eyes that glow ominously in the night beckons your attention and paired with it is a boyish grin that would have otherwise appeared harmless if it weren’t for the overly sharpened set of canines. His tousled hair flutters gently in the wind, it’s periwinkle color barely perceived due to the moonlight that causes it to take on a more silvery hue.

“You’re one of the lost, aren’t you?” 

You open your mouth again in an attempt to speak, though nothing comes out and the hand you rest against the base of your neck slightly tightens. At the lack of a response from you, the male’s excitement only seems to grow. 

“And you’ve had your voice stolen too!” He emits another hum and you watch as his head curiously tilts as his expression changes to reflect his wonder. “I’ve never seen one like you before.”

There are so many things you wish to ask him, mainly all of it pertaining to the reason why he was here. Throughout the many nights you’ve awoken in this forest, you’ve never once come across another being. The thought of finally not being alone anymore was overwhelming as it was, but the fact that he also seemed to have known something about who or what you were was enough to make you curse your inability to speak.

“How long have you been sitting around here?” His sudden question pries you out of your thoughts for a brief moment. “You’re not supposed to be here for too long, you know. Or bad things could happen to you.”

His tone holds a cheery lightness that makes you second guess everything he says as the truth. You were unsure of whether he was toying with you or if his word of warning was meant to be taken seriously. Your expression must have clearly displayed your worry as he was quick to throw in some words of assurance, ones you were apprehensive in trusting.