The Other-Worlder Who Just Doesn't Care

Free at Last

Reyers stared down at the new marking on her hand. It depicted an intricate tree of life, with a half circle creating a dome over it; exactly the same marking that Hercules' eyes shown, and the same marking now on his right paw.

Hercules, noticing her interest, hurried to explain, "That's proof of our contract! Now, our souls are connected. Wherever you go, even after death, we can be together!"

The young woman hummed in response. She wasn't bothered at all- two years without her partner was terrible. Now she didn't have to worry about separating from him again. It was a win in her book.

Hercules happily began nudging her with his massive head, ecstatic about the contract. He never has to separate from master again! Happiness is guaranteed as long as he is by her side. The time without her... well, at least they are together now.

Reyers patted the fox demon's head. "So, what now? Are we trapped here?"

Hercules shook his head. "No, since I'm contracted now, I can take us into the mortal realm. Would you like to see it?"

A spark of curiosity lit in Reyer's eyes. Its been seven years since she saw any other scenery besides that wasteland. "Let's go!"

"Alright! Get on my back. Ill transport us now!"

Needing no further encouragement, Reyers hopped on the massive fox demon's back. A portal, made of the same red light used on the contract forming, formed in front of them. Without hesitation, the duo jumped right in. 

__________________________________________________________________________

The man stared down at his officials, a mix of emotions tearing through him. She's here. She exists. I'm not alone anymore.

For the first time in centuries, the man felt joy. It felt foreign, but the man loved it. He had given up all hope- most soulmates find each other within twenty years of the youngest partner turning 21. It's been over 800 for him... he simply didn't believe she existed. A glint of wild, uncontrollable obsession lit in his dark eyes. She's here. She's mine.

Without saying anything more to his petrified officials, the man summoned his partner spirit, the God ranked azure dragon. Stretching to half a football's field in length, its dark blue scales glistened in the room, terrifying the frozen officials to the point of fainting. "Ryo, its time to go collect what's mine."

The dragon slightly bowed its head in acceptance. It, too, felt the disturbance- his master's soulmate indeed has shown at last. He felt pity for the poor girl- why has she chosen to show so late? His master's personality has... become warped after all these years. He slowly lit a candle for her in his mind.

The man hopped onto the back of his partner, directing him to fly out of the palace. A warped smile could be seen on his face as the duo soared into the sky.

I'm coming for you, mate.

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Reyers couldn't breathe. Hercules dropped them straight onto a cliff at the summit of a mountain, excited to give his master a view of a lush world. Sprawled out in front of them was life- the cascading peaks of the mountain range was covered in greenery and blooming fields of wildflowers as far as the eye could see. A large lake covered much of the expanse of the valley below, sunlight glistening off of the tranquil surface. Silent tears began falling from red orbs. "...Herc...There's trees..."

The fox hummed in response.

"...Water..."

"Mn."

"No dust...."

"Mn."

"The sky....is clear."

"Mn."

Reyers stood still. It's been seven years. Seven years of a dust filled wasteland, no green, no life, just the ever-present stench of rotting corpses. Even her dreams dulled after the years, no longer remembering the smell of fresh air, or the touch of rain falling from the sky. The only thing that accompanied her from day to night was the feeling of powerlessness, isolation, and the foreboding onset of the end.

Now in front of her was the world that she yearned for, the world her dreams could no longer detail. As the smell of the lavenders invaded her nostrils, the young woman's body began to shake. "Herc... I'm really free of that place?"

Hercules nudged her with is head. "See for yourself. I'll be right here."

Reyers turned to face him. As both pairs of red eyes met, a smile blossomed on her face. "En."

Stepping away from her partner, Reyers took a deep breath. Focusing on her muscles, two dark grey wings began to protrude from her back. Once fully unleashed, her wingspan reached a full two meters in length, reaching her ankles when tucked behind her. Without another word, Reyers stepped off the edge of the cliff. After a few seconds, the figure of what one would describe as an angel flew past the cliff and high into the sky.

Reyers flew over the valley, letting the exhilaration of flight root in her being. Looking at the expanse of life below her, she felt peace for the first time since the apocalypse began- since her family was broken. Hercules watched on from the edge of the cliff, happiness lighting up his expression. His master deserves this and so much more. He then made it his goal right then and there to show his master all the rich scenery and cultures this world had to offer; he planned to make her feel all the happiness and fulfillment that was forcibly taken from her all those years ago.

Reyers, distracted by the lush wonderland below her, didn't notice the approaching figure of the azure dragon until it was right next to her. Shocked out of her reprieve, Reyers turned to face the dragon. Red eyes met the shocked black reptilian pair.

This is master's mate?! She... she has wings!

Reyers' brows furrowed. A dragon?

The two curiosities stared at one another, both thinking that the other was out of place. Hercules, at the cliff, saw the exchange and went on red alert. Ryo... that means that man is...Hercules urgently began calling for his master in their soul link.

"Master! Get away from that dragon!"

Suddenly hearing her partner's voice in her head, the young woman was slightly shocked. "Hercules?"

"Yes! We can communicate telepathically through our soul link. Anyway, get away from him! His master is bad news!"

"Okay, coming back then." Trusting her partner's call, Reyers shifted her wings downward so that her form suddenly dropped off her original plane of flight. Ryo was bewildered. What daring flight! Not wanting to be out flown in his territory, the dragon mimicked her move and began the chase.

Reyers was getting frustrated. After trying repeatedly for 20 minutes to lose the pestering reptile, he was still sticking close behind her. Trying out another maneuver, she groaned in annoyance as the dragon once again copied her movements perfectly, not slowing down in the slightest. She called out in exasperation, "Why are you following me?"

Ryo, knowing he could not answer her, simply sped up to close in on her. Reyers, seeing this, decided to end this chase. Pulling her wings to spread out vertically at her sides, her flight came to an abrupt stop, shocking the dragon. Not being able to stop, the dragon dodged at the last second in order to avoid crashing into her. As the large reptilian body whipped close by her, Reyers came face to face with the man riding on its back. As her red eyes met his passing black ones, Reyers felt a cold shiver go down her spine. The man, the way he was looking at her, was not quite... right. It was as if he wanted to swallow her whole...