Crow's Blessings → Sylus

One Step Closer

"You came back early."

Standing in the barren field, I was, yet again, faced with my ominous doppelgänger. The woman was standing a good distance away, an everlasting grin painted on her face. "Miss me?" leisurely walking over, she stopped a few centimeters away, her eyes evidently scrutinizing my face.

I knew I'll be meeting her when I fall unconscious. It gave me a sense of reassurance, in a way. "What are you?"

"I am you," raising her hand, her crudely shaped long nails trailed along my cheek down to my neck. "And, you will be mine."

Carefully, I brushed her nails off with a gentle flick of my hand, scanning her face for any signs of hostility—to which she just raised her eyebrow. "Cut the bullshit. I want a real answer."

That grin faltered ever so slowly. Staring at me with a solemn expression, she sighed. "Oh hon, you're no fun," slowly, she ascended, floating in the air, eyes on me as she started circling around. "Let's play a game. Ask me whatever you want, no limits whatsoever, and I'll answer with a yes or no."

I pondered, making a list of general questions. "Are you a dream-eating wanderer?"

"No," her body was facing the sky in a laying position as she floated about, almost as if she's swimming.

"Are you human?"

She hummed for a minute. "Yes and no."

It piqued my interest. Turning round, I saw her perched on the branch of a dead tree. "How so?"

Her lips curved to an amused smile. "No."

Right, she wanted me to guess. At least, I knew she's somewhat of a human and not some spirit on a mission for revenge. "Are you here to kill me?" I watched as the woman lifted her brows, making gesture with her hand as if she's urging me to guess on. "To... Fight me? Defeat me?" she was shaking her head with a disapproving look.

What else? Something similar, but not quite. Maybe, it's a little absurd?

"To eat me?"

A bright grin lit her face up as she clapped her hands. "Yes!"

What a strange expression to tell someone that they're getting eaten. "Does it have something to do with the pendant? With my Evol?"

"Yes, yes!" she clapped her hands with a giggle.

In contrast to her giddy face, I was starting to feel anxious—especially with that shit-eating grin on her face, my face. "If I return or throw away the pendant, would you still eat me?"

Floating closer, she slowly descended to stand in front of me. "Yes."

It wasn't the answer I had hoped for. "Is there a way to... lift the curse?"

"Yes," her eyes stared straight into my eyes. The scene around us became darker, yet her eyes gleamed a soft amber glow, becoming the only light source amidst the darkness.

"Do you know how to lift the curse?"

"No."

The world drowned in darkness and I could barely see her face. It was just her eyes. "But—" her response made me confused, but I thought for a different explanation to her short answers. "I assume you're not the owner of the pendant. Does the owner know how to lift the curse?"

I didn't know if her eyes were glowing brighter, or whether the scene around us became darker, but everything pitch black. I wished she hadn't blinked, but the moment she did, there was nothing. Everything disappeared into the darkness, even she and I.

"Maybe."

—

It burned. Jolting up, I breathed large gulps of air. My entire body felt heavy, like I was sinking into the bottom of a deep pool.