Blissful Bite ─ Venti x reader

5. ; THE TRAGIC SAVIOR

TW: slight gore and implications of it, read at your own risk.

Once I departed from Venti who waved to me, he became a shadow on the horizon. I swung my head around and a new sense of determination rose, I was convinced to regain my focus. I tried not to stir hope in my chest to understand how he was able to see through me so well, better than others who've known me for years versus him in a few hours.

All that mattered was about the mission and my objective. It shouldn't be my concern why this boy could see so well through my perceiving act.

When I reached the doorstep I pressed my doorknob down and disappeared into my room. The faint creaking of the stairs awoke a few memories before my family had to abandon this place. I couldn't remember a lot anymore, and neither did I want to, this was no longer able to be repaired, so they abandoned me and I stayed in my childhood home.

There weren't many utensils I needed to pack into my rucksack, other than papers, a pen, and a psychology book. I could get anything else whenever, but there was no need to attract suspicion.

I got my boots and a jacket, took the map, and fled outside. It took me more than half an hour to reach the beginning of the forest. The sore feeling in my tight boots stung.

The huge forest in front of me was surreal. Small goosebumps built on my skin, together with the realization this was real and I shivered at the thought. The first few steps were accompanied by light cracks, I tried my best not to guess what it was. All I knew was that this place was hollow and empty.

The trees, old and sick stumps, stared at me with their eyes engraved in bark and the roots slithered to block my way. They had been more successful than I was at navigating myself through the forest.

The path ahead was filled with gloom and mud. Everything tightened together in my chest as I took step by step. When I raised my head to search for a spark of light in the hope of finding the last lights of dusk that penetrated through holes in the leaf covers, I was disappointed.

The few bushes I walked past narrowed and scratched my legs, ripping the fabric of my trousers at the edge, in the process they left faint marks on my skin.

I kept my head low, only concentrating on the map, tracing the route with my fingertip. I winced time and time again when I heard the horrifying sound of cracks beneath my shoes, I didn't dare to check beneath. I knew what it was, I knew, and I didn't need a reminder or an image to remember.

A warm breath tickled my neck, followed by a huff close to my ears startled me. All I remembered next was that I spun my head to catch the glimpse of a rifthound with its glowering sharp eyes. I stumbled and fell on my butt.

I felt my pulse throbbing in my veins, my hand spasmed in the dirt I reached into, instead of my pockets. Everything in my body went stiff, and I couldn't move, it came closer, and I saw my life flashing in front of me.

What's that liquid? It was crimson red and dark, it reeked of iron and the next thing I saw were bones splattered with it, skulls and broken ribcages, scattered all over the ground.

My fingers wrapped around a hard, dry object-tooth screaming in agony and horror when I saw the rifthounds mouth as blood leaked from the sharp teeth used to tear the person behind it.

After that evening in the forest, I never dared to come to the forest to defy it again up to now.

The rifthound hoovered over my body, mouth wildly open as saliva dripped down from its sharp teeth onto my face, it was about to snap and tear my head apart. The adrenaline rushed, through me, I didn't want to die. All I was able to do, was close my eyes impulsively, clinging to my last hope.

My heartbeat was unsteady again, I would come to regret this job. My ears thundered with blood and the adrenaline kicked in. Thats how vile it turned when a human grew awareness. I was on the bridge to death.

This wasn't a scrawny illusion.

I smelled the rotten breath through its mouth, it reeked of fish and blood. I winced, tightening my eyelids together. This couldn't be it, right?

An audible slash came through, after it a howl of torment echoed through the forest, and a "thump" sounded at last. I opened one eye hesitantly and a dark imposing broad figure among the shadows. They pulled out a crimson claymore with special engraving and wielded it and took another swing.

I recognized a wound on the lower body of the creature. Then the figure tore the monster's claws off, it yelped again. I winced when the high-pitched noise appeared, it screeched in my ears and yet I could not help but feel inclined to symp. My heart wrenched when I saw the creature's gaze of agony before the figure tore its head off, and its head tumbled to the ground like a stone and blood watered-down.

A split flame of pyro enforced through the tip to burn it to ashes before it regenerated.

"What?" I was breathless as he stood there with his back turned to me. I took a deep breath and took it in my lungs. "Who-" I wasn't able to finish, not before he escaped my reach.

I shook my head and stood up. All I could think of when I knocked the dust out of my clothes was; who had been that dark figure? And most importantly; was he an ally or foe?

As I kept wandering through the forest my stomach growled, and I winced. I knew I had to eat, but in the chaos of leaving I forgot it conviently for the act, but this wasn't planned, I was supposed to look like I'd just left, but sadly it didn't work as planned.

A trail of light closed up to me, I raised my gaze to the lantern. "Excuse me, miss," a childish voice said rang through, hair like the shades of sakura blooms, eyes filled with curiosity of nature, and cat ears on top while wrinkling her brows.

"Are you alright?" she asked. I shook my head, and a frown crumpled her face.

"I uh, could you help me with directions?" I smiled scratching my neck awkwardly. I had been good at pretending since I was a child.

I'd tell myself they'd come back, but they never did. Deceiving myself first and foremost, was my element, and I knew it like the back of my hand. I showed her the map and pointed at the location, "I was told they'd provide shelter for outcasts of society." I gave her a sheepish smile, "You see.."

She shook her head, "no need for explanations."

It was hard to recognize the
I redirected my finger to the location. Her eyes lit up when she saw what I pointed at. Her fingers curled around my wrist gently, but I felt the eagerness in her strength. "Miss, I know where that is! That's my home-I can take you to the mansion!"

--✧･ﾟ: ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆
RAINEE's NOTE;
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