Asta Silva - Childhood and travel

Chapter 24

<Asta>

We were fucked. Well, I was. I'm really starting to wonder whether I'm cursed or something. In the evening Alex found a cave near our destination, where we decided to rest. But before we could set up camp, it turned out that the cave was bigger than we could've thought. At the end of the cave I noticed a weird statue.

I, as an utter idiot, went ahead to look at it closely. Alex warned me, but wasn't actively stopping me, because what could happen? Well, at the halfway point, the ground slipped under my feet.

I started screaming, deafening Alex's calls for me. I fell for a while. When I reached the ground, it hurt. I think I broke a few ribs. I whined from the pain and my vision blacked out for a moment. I sighed quietly, still dazed.

"Asta? Asta! Are you okay?!" I heard a shout above me.

I opened my mouth to answer, but the only thing that came out was a weird noise. I curled up from the pain and tried to think about anything else. My pain tolerance, where are you when I need you? Do you exist only so that we can make fun of others togehter? I'm not complaining, I like it too, but I really need you right now. 

"Asta! I'm coming down!" He shouted.

I closed my eyes and sighed, feeling my breathing catch. Suddenly my body shook when something landed near me. That was Alex, right? I opened my eyes but it was so dark I couldn't see anything.

"A-Alex?" I whispered, my voice hoarse. I swallowed and felt pain in my throat.

I heard hissing. What the hell? I trembled from fear. Yes, I know I almost died many times before, but I expected it then. I knew what was coming. But now? What's happening?

Something wrapped up my leg. I felt a sharp tug and was being dragged... well, I don't know which way.

"Alex!!" I screamed as loud as I could, and then everything went dark.

***

When I woke up, the only thing I felt was pain. I kept my eyes closed, trying to understand the situation. I heard lound hissing beside me. I flinched involuntarily, when something slimy crept down my leg. I was fighting with myself not to move, when I felt that things breath right in my ear.

I relaxed a little bit when it disappeared. I heard that thing go away. I hope it didn't realize I was awake.

After a few minutes of feigning unconsciousness, I decided to open my eyes.

Everywhere was... gold. I was laying near a shimmering pile of gold. Alex would be in heaven seeing this. By the way, where was he? Did the thing that kidnapped me escape him?

I lifted my head a little, wanting to look around, but I quickly regretted that decision. I felt pain stab my whole body, and my head fell back down on the ground. I winced and had to restrain myself from screaming in pain. I clenched my teeth and waited for it to pass.

It took a good few minutes, during which I felt like I was dying. When it passed, I looked around again, this time without lifting my head. I was surrounded by piles of gold. Meanwhile I was laying on hard uneven ground.

I screamed when above me, instead of the cave ceiling, there appeared the sky. Really?! Again?!

Luckily this time I fell on grass and could move, even weirder I didn't feel pain when hitting the ground.

"Ugh" I sat up. I felt my heart beat faster and my body start to sweat, when I realized before me was that wolf. But I felt a surge of stupid bravery, the one that appears when I do stupid and dangerous stuff. "What the hell do you want? Here to torment me again?"

The wolf tilted it's head and I shivered. Jeez, he's going to eat me, isn't he? Yes, he will. Why do I have such a loud mouth?! I don't mind it usually, but I wanted a more spectacular death! Yes it's weird, but I just don't want to die alone. Not again.

"You're brave, boy, to talk to me in that tone" The wolf bared his teeth.

"I'm sorry" I squeaked, curling up on myself.

"Hmpf... whatever" The wolf looked at me with disdain "Be careful of the basilisk" he said.

"Huh? What's that?" I asked, but he ignored me.

"Don't look in it's eyes" He warned gravely, after which everything was blending together, and I was on the cave floor once again.

"What the hell was that?" I asked myself. Instinctively I tried to get up. I stiffened up when I did it, waiting for the pain that never came.

I looked at myself in surprise, wiggled my arms around and... I didn't have anything broken anymore! Was that the wolf's doing? I must thank him when I see him again. What did he say again? Basilisk? What could that be? I heard that name in some foreign legends, but could never figure out what it is. My father always ensured that books about such creatures were out of my hands. Well, maybe I'll get to know now.

I can't look it in the eyes, right? Well, that can be a problem, especially with my attention span of a five year old. Hmm... What would Liebe do? Start screaming at me for getting into trouble again. What would Alex do? Probably stand and challenge the Basilisk to a duel... Alex!

I jumped up on my feet and started to look around. I was surrounded by gold, but I didn't care about it. I froze up when I saw Alex standing nearby, turned into stone. I ran up to him and started to tug, but it did nothing.

My armes trembled. I went back a step when I heard a hiss. I quickly closed my eyes, and felt a presence beside me. I clenched my fists. I have to save Alex. I don't care if I survive, but I can't let Alex die!

I turned to the direction of the hiss and slowly opened my eyes, looking at the ground.I took a deep breath. Suddenly I felt my body relax and a power surge through it... It was familiar... It was not anti-magic but something... Something that I felt when I first met the wolf.

I felt myself be pushed into my mind. And then saw myself move, but it wasn't me.What was going on?My body began to glow blue. It lifted a hand towards the basilisk and curled a finger. The creature was shrinking. I didn't understand what was happening, but after a while the basilisk just disappeared. My body put it's hands up together like for a prayer, and the blue light that surrounded it turned into blue butterflies, which scattered around the cave.

After that I came back to my body, very confused. What the hell just happened?

"Oh god, everything hurts" I heard a moan. "Alex!" I called and ran up to him.

"What happened?" he asked.

Good question.

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