True Villain (The Life Beyond: Book One)

two

Dmitri sighed as he followed after Rose who half ran through the forest. After a while of jogging behind her they stopped near a clearing, he listened closely for heartbeats and Rose paused using her own abilities to sense whether or not humans were around. She looked back at him and he nodded, reaffirming that nobody was there. 

Rose then reached out to a tree at the edge of the clearing. Touching its bark lightly she whispered softly into the wind. Despite having seen this thousands of times Dmitri still loved seeing how Rose's eyes would glow softly and how she would suddenly gain the ability to walk through the tree, Dmitri followed as she stepped through and he looked back to see that the tree on the elf side was currently in bloom. "I didn't realize it was spring here." Dmitri commented inspecting the light pink petals that fell from the tree.

"You haven't been here in months Dmitri, you couldn't expect our world to stop." Rose smiled grimly, the news he shared with her probably still on her mind. 

Dmitri sighed. Rose has been on him for not coming back into the elf village, but he felt embarrassed every time he had to go through a transformation in this sacred location. He could hear children laughing at the distance and it made him feel guilty for leaving, walking towards the village Rose picked up her pace smiling warmly in order to keep the festive atmosphere. Two children ran up to Dmitri smiling.

"Dmitri!! Where have you been?" a small boy asked, he looked about the age of 10. "I missed you! Look I named my cat Miitri!!" the boy lifted up a small golden kitten. It's green eyes narrowed at Dmitri and he smirked, the kitten like most house cats didn't show particular fear of him. Despite sensing that he was a lion. Other animals tended to be more wary of him, but reasons like their attitude is why Dmitri loved cats. 

Dmitri paused to talk to the small children who started vying for his attention. They loved having a legendary lion around, though the adults knew of Dmitri's struggles the children were ignorant of them and treated him without caution. But he could feel their parents watching him patiently, ready to step in if something causes him to snap. Last time he was in the village he has awoken during a solar eclipse and couldn't control himself, Rose had luckily reacted quickly and contained him within his house here but nonetheless he felt embarrassed for still relying on her help after all these years. 

Thinking of Rose, Dmitri looked around noticing she was gone. "Jade have you seen Rose?" Dmitri asked the small boy who initially ran up to him. Jade looked around narrowing his blue eyes. 

"Yes I think I saw her go visit the elders. Are you going to stay for the festival Dmitri?" Jade asked hopefully. The kids were all wearing colorful assortments of clothes and Dmitri smiled trying his best to hide his guilt.

"Maybe, it depends on if I have work." 

The kids groaned, all of them vocalizing their displeasure. Dmitri started walking towards the House of Elders when Rose stepped out talking to a young blonde elf, he was listening intently to everything she said. Rose then looked up at Dmitri and tilted her head, beckoning him to come over. 

"If you will excuse me Jade, Miss Rose needs my assistance." Dmitri told the small child who had already lost interest in his old friend and was instead chasing his kitten who had squirmed out of his arms. 

"We don't want to worry the villagers, but I think we should lock down all portals and call all elves home for the time being. Institute a curfew until we find the dog." Rose said to the blonde quietly. 

"Will you be going out in search of him?" the blonde asked worry crossing his face.

"You know I am the only one who can stop him."

The blonde opened his mouth to protest but then paused, as if remembering that Rose was their princess and couldn't be changed course. "Will you at least allow company?"

Rose paused, her eyes looked sad and she gently squeezed his shoulder. "Not elven company, I would not bear it if I lost one of my own. Dmitri will assist me, we have worked together on cases like these before." She looked up at Dmitri who started zoning out as he watched adults prepare the festivities. His mind wandering to the whereabouts of Jason, Jason would have loved the elven festival, he always enjoyed events like these. 

"Dmitri?" Rose said gently watching closely for a change. 

"Hmm? Yes. Yes I will be with her. Don't worry I'll keep her Highness safe." Dmitri told the blonde. The male elf eyed him weerily but nodded handing Dmitri a small stone. 

"Please do not hesitate to summon Yazel if things go poorly." Dmitri looked at the small stone. Knowingly he tucked it in his pocket making careful note to return the summoning stone once the black dog is caught. The blonde elf then turned to Rose "Will you at least wait until after the festival before leaving on your hunt?"

Rose smiled at him. "Of course, I will leave at dusk though."

The blonde nodded then scurried off as if to tell everyone to hurry preparations so that the princess may enjoy the festival before she leaves. "How has Yazel been?" Dmitri asked Rose looking up at the sky in search of the griffin. 

"Good, Claudius has been training him very well. The stone is a temporary summon until Claudius finishes creating the flute he wishes to use."

"I can't believe Yazel has actually followed you around all these years."

Rose smiled. "There is no rhyme or reason to how the universe works, but I suppose Yazel knew I would somehow get him to Claudius."

"You never explained why Yazel loves Claudius so much." Dmitri said as they walked towards another building. Rose looked up at the sky and scanned the treetops evaluating for a breech in the defenses of her village. 

"They are twin flames, their souls are similar and without the boundaries of their bodies their souls would be considered twins. Do your kind believe in twin flames and soul mates?" Rose asked him, her brown eyes finally looking back at Dmitri. 

"I wouldn't really know, I don't believe I've met another lion like myself."

"Are you the only Nemean Lion in this world then?"

"I think in this world at least I am. I am not entirely sure though what kind of creature I am. I mean I am reborn among either lions or human orphans so really I have no knowledge of what species I even am." Dmitri shrugged, this news never bothered him. Though he used to feel lonely for being the only lion monster, he met a lot of other shifters and weird mythical creatures. He even met a Chimera from Greek mythology once, it seemed to Dmitri that Greek monsters must have been one of the first creatures to fall through the ripples of portals that occasionally open up on Earth. Not that he had any memory of another world, some Greek monsters retained their memories after rebirth and told him stories of their world, a world where animals with strange abilities were common, and where no human forced them to hide in secrecy. 

"Would you ever leave our world if given the chance?" Rose asked curiously at the door of the building they were going to walk into.

Dmitri thought for a moment. "Yes I think so, I am not royalty here, I don't have family here. Really I have no reason to stay here, if I could met others of my kind I think I would feel happier, I could actually have a family and a home."

Rose nodded opening the door as she spoke "I suppose you are mostly alone."

Dmitri paused at the entrance as Rose walked in, her words making a soft pang pain his heart. He did feel alone, despite having friends and the hope to see Jason again, nobody quite understood him, not even Rose or Jason, and ultimately no matter how happy he felt he couldn't get rid of the homeless feeling he always carried with him. 

"I suppose so you are right Rose." he sighed walking into the building behind her to help with preparations.