Guardian's Obsession (Yandere Naga x Reader)

Chapter Twenty ~ At What Cost?

( Y/N POV )

Licking my lips I tried to push down the unease and fear as I looked at the surrounding tree's and greenery, it was chillingly familiar from my first arrival with my friends... it seemed like a life time ago now; and I was here for a much different reason this time. It had been hell coming here again but I had called in some favours and even though it had taken nearly a month, I was ready to face my demon and get Tora out of here before it was too late; I hadn't even gotten close to Tora and yet I was worried he wasn't in good shape. Feeling my feet move forward almost on auto pilot I tried to reassure myself, Karn had given me just under two months to get here; since he had said moon cycles I assumed that's what he was timing. I had been careful to watch the moon change over time, and it had completed its cycle once and now was midway through its second since Karn set the countdown; so I cutting it fine but still had a few days left allowing me to travel the last stretch by foot. It wasn't that far only an hour or so walk to the old research camp, and only a little more to where we had camped before; I planned to go to the old camp sit in the end and try to figure out where to go from there. Karn had never said where he would be or where to come to, so I was left to guess where to go; looking up I could see the remains of the research camp. I never did look into what happened here but the remains were left to rot, the buildings were either half burnt remains of buildings or broken piles of burnt wood and ash; I couldn't help the frown on my face at the sight. A deep guilt settled in my stomach knowing this was because of me, Karn as the guardian of the area had ignored this place as long as they didn't come into or destroy what was his; but when I ran away and ended up here he came and destroyed it in anger. Moving past the ruin of a familiar building I reached out touching the scorched brick of the remaining outer wall, this was where I was wrapped out and looked after I escaped; they hadn't known what I was running from and even when I told them about the danger they dismissed it. Men of science didn't believe in myths and legends and now they had been punished for my actions, of course they wouldn't believe any warnings I gave them; moving away from the ruined remains I moved on my way a new determination in my step.There was no sense in dwelling on something I couldn't change, all I could do now is get Tora out of here; I knew I couldn't get the man who had helped me though. Whatever Karn had done to him to keep him under his control would have affected him, I knew enough to know when something was put in your system long enough it began to break you; and from what I had heard his mind had already began to unravel long before Tora got involved.

Glancing around as the wind picked up I kept my eyes on the tree line for any sign of movement, I didn't feel like I was being watched like before but I was leaving it to chance; there was a lot at stake this time. Holding the strap to my bag I moved faster, the movement making my H/C hair move from side to side with each step; I had it in a high ponytail so I didn't need to worry about it get in my way but the movement of it along my shoulders and upper back was distracting. Huffing I reached into my pocket pulling out an old hair band, pulling my hair around as I looked around for something familiar to lead me to out old camp site I began twirling it into a messy bun; finally something caught my eye as a old broken tree peaked out of the rest. I remember Zero messing around and climbing on the old wood, Cora had screamed at him to get down worried the tree would give way under him; a sad smile formed remembering how me and Aoi had stood watching laughing at the two. Turning away I headed forward to the camp site now that I knew where I was, it didn't take long to get there and to my surprise our tents were still there; frowning I moved forward with caution. My eyes scanned the two tents taking in the green tent and mine and Cora's blue one, both were large tents with three rooms in each and meeting area in the centre; at the time I had to put both up almost on my own. Aoi and Zero had gone out and bought both tents as soon as they convinced me to go on the trip and Cora had bought beds and accessories she thought we'd need, none of them knew what to do with anything they bought and I had to teach them step by step; it had been fun making them work to put all the tents up and blow up their own beds. Seeing no one or any sign of anyone in the verity I moved to the blue tent moving inside, someone had been in here both tents had been left open and looking around nothing was left of our belongings we'd brought with us; frowning I moved and found it was the same in the boys tent. All the rooms had been left open and other than a few insects that had made their home in the abandoned tents nothing was left other than the air beds base, even the sheets and bedding was gone; turning to leave something caught the sunlight shining slightly and catching my eye. Kneeling down in the door way I pushed the beetle what was sitting on the object, picking it up my fingers moved over the smooth surface as I examined it quickly recognising it; it was a snake scale.