The wicked tempest of fear jolted my body to wake, and the dim light of the starry sky brings no rest as I wonder my vision for any eyeing treat. I escaped from him, but darkness wouldn’t prevail just by keeping me on these warm bushes on the sideroad of somewhere. Silhouette of the trees on the façade- supposedly an art not an agita of the night. I held my wooden spear I made along the way and my other hand with the dagger clasped on my chest. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes...no I cannot, I should not. Arrows might be flying in this direction and I need to be keen to survive it.

So on my knees, I kneeled and crawled to peek from the bushes at any signs of hostility on the rocky road. I patted my grumbling chest- telling me to stay off sight. I took another deep breath, maybe the nth time since the sun sets. I silently side-sit and put my spear on the ground which I pick swiftly after the swooshing wind moves the bushes from behind. I hope that vampire slash nomasa have no heightened sense of hearing or else this snitch of a heart won’t let me live. I look up once more to the silhouette of the trees, ‘I should go up there.’ And so I did after several momentary pauses on my way. I attempt to climb the nearest tree, but no branches to help me up, so I spent a few minutes finding the perfect tree sanctuary erected a little further from the unpaved road. The spot is enough to keep me from falling off, and enough to hide me from passersby.

Morning came, and I stretch my limbs while remaining sitting. Tiny droplets fall on my head from the leaves as I move. I sniff through the air, and the breeze is refreshing, cold from the haze, and the golden light peeked from the clouds. I can’t help to yawn and feel the rejuvenation of sleep as I roam my eyes to all distance it could reach. My morning feels safe, but a streak of awareness made it to my head. I stood up from the branch, sprinkles of the morning dew dropping on top of my head. I saw someone making fire four trees away from me- too close.

Deja vu, a man holding an arm's thick of skewed meat of whatever animal they call it in this world. Let’s just say rabbit, but yes it is a miniature hunt, grilled and brown. It must taste good, d*mn. Seeing him from afar is not transpicuous enough to identify his face, but I am sure he was not my captor because of his long raven hair. His all-black attire is uninviting and overall he is uninviting. He looks like a knight, like the giant Kari I encounter in the town. His cape hanging on a log has engraved bloody red sigil of soldiers.

I should go.

I carefully climb down the tree.

*Rustling

I hope he can’t hear me from here.

“YOU THERE!”

Sh*t!

“COME! Join me!”, I heard him shout.

I turn around.

“Goodmorning!”

“AAAAAAAAHHH!”

What is he doing here!?

***FAST FORWARD***

“I see you like it”, Erduas said

“I’m not sure. But I think I can’t get enough, I forgot to eat since this psycho try’na kill me”, I said looking at another Erduas. The psycho Erduas did not say anything and drank his herbal whatever-tea.

“So Erduas right, do you have other names?”, I asked the kind Erduas.

“Yes, but call me Laki ….

I found out that every hybrid is called Erduas for males and Erda for females. But they have other names, their own names. And only those who have noble blood could keep the Erduas as their first names. My captor somehow is also an Erduas, which explains his unique scales which I hardly notice.

The other Erduas who offer me a meal have unique scales as well, his rugged looks are covered in black scales but he can move them to other parts just like how my captor transforms his hidden scales into his hands.

An Erduas is more like a title of duty the more I listen to Laki. Maybe they are in high regard because of their unique capabilities that none of the pureblood Saris can do, but is it a great title to be called an Erduas? I asked Laki more about hybrids and their work but he says nothing more.

“So, obviously I cannot escape you two. But when will I die?”, Laki laughed. He is weird.

“Erduas when will she die hahahaha”, he said looking at my captor.

“If she knows how to hide well, she will not die”, Erduas said reminding me of the fact that I was in actual plain sight when I woke up.

But I thought were lost in that forest. How did he? Well, I found my way, but how did he find me here?

“Tell me, how did you find me here?”, I asked

“Oh, I thought you guys are together?”, Laki said

“What do you mean?”, he was about to answer me when Erduas threw the skew on him as if warning him not to utter a single word.

“Thanks for the meat…. Let’s go now”, He said looking at me. I ignored him.

“So Laki, don’t you want me?”,

“Oh… I… you’re a good catch but *looks up to Erduas. Of course, I want you. Erduas why don’t you leave her here?”, Laki said smiling at Erduas.

“A rogue is a good catch as well, why don’t I have you both?”, Erduas said.

A rogue? Who? Me? Laki?

I turn to Laki who is silently looking at him.

He laugh nervously and said, “Fine fine… she’s all yours”

“Wait! That’s it? Are you afraid of him? Believe me, a Kari hybrid like you, come on you are-

“A Kari hybrid like me is nothing compared to a nomasa, or his kind. I am sorry young lady, I value my life more than yours”

I value my life more than yours

That’s… wow, rejection hurts yeah.

“I don’t even know you, so… go with him he-he”

Oh f*ck that's a double blade in my heart. This is embarrassing… Am I not enough to be a damsel in distress? AAAAHHH!

“Besides you are weird looking”

WHAT!

*Scoff

“Weird looking? “

And he waves his hands on his face.

Does he mean I’m ugly? Well fine… whatever. It’s not like I'm too indifferent to Saris women?

“Let’s go Erduas, I think I like you now. Thanks to him!”, I said hoping I sound cool with my pretentious unfazed reaction.

I stood up immediately and grab Erduas han- wrist. I look up to him if he won’t mind?

I remove my hand and

“What, are you staying? We have long miles, remember”, I said.

“Do not touch me”, He said.

Sorry

*cough

“Laki, thanks for the food. I have my fill, but let’s hope not to meet, okay”

“I’m sure we will meet again”, He said…

Oh my ghad… Why is he so freaking insensitive? He is STUPID!

“Hmm”

As we walk away, I could feel my companion so tense. I have a good peripheral but I prefer not to ignore it at this moment.

“So… I…Uhm… *cough … I thought you wanted to kill me?”

“Uhm. Sorry? … wait, I take that back. I’m not sorry to you! You tried to kill me yesterday. You planning today as well?”

“....”

“At least speak, please. I need to know what is happening before I die, Er-duas”

I turn a bit, hoping to see a reaction.

“Erduas… well, do you have other names?”, I don’t know what I am trying to do here. Why am I even trying to communicate with this heartless vampire?

I barely escape yesterday, and now? What the hell.

“Do not speak”,

*scoff

Unbelievable. But I did do, I did not speak but… am I the only one feeling tensed?

Argh.

Walk

Walk

Walk

Wait! Waaah…

A Lake?

D*mn.

“Can we stop here, I’d like to swim”, I said

“Go and I’ll shoot you”

“What? What is going on in your head?!”

I step close to him and sniff his cloth, from his armpit to his pants…

“Ewww, you don’t smell good. Yikes”, I commented altho I can’t smell, but who knows what he actually smells like.

Yikes.

But he looks neat tho but who knows. Hahaha

“If you escape… again, I will have to kill you”, he said straightly to my face. I step backward when I met his eyes, the same eyes- as if his cognac brown eyes were burning the more I laid my eyes into them. I nod immediately and turn back.

*breath in

I turn back again, “Join me”, I suggested and remove my clothes in front of him. His eyes travel on the clothes I careless drop. “Let me”, I said and remove his bow and arrows.

I untie his cloak, he let me.

My heart is throbbing so hard that if I continue this I might collapse. I took a deep breath before I –

“I want to kill you right now, you know that?”, he said and push my shoulder. It fucking hurts but I watched him walk towards the bank after grabbing his quiver and arrow I put on the ground.

0_0

I clench my fist as I watch him undress, I could see his grey scales lined on his spine. He is… Good for him… his really fit he-he…

I look down at my body, unshaved down there, but who cares, pinch my underlying belly fat on the seeming flat stomach I have.

Whatever.

Hygiene is what matters. Let’s go… whew, I felt like he won’t hurt me if I stick to him close.