The Nephilim

9 | The Voice in the Forest

"I'm helping you, you should be thankful!" Chamuel heard. She quickly turned around to see who it was, only to see nothing but the forest. 'Weird.' She thought, brushing her worries away.

"What's wrong?" Vin asked after seeing Chamuel shaking her head. She opened her mouth to speak, "Relax, woman." She remembered him saying. She just shook her head, she doesn't want Vin to be too annoyed at her for being afraid of every little thing. "It's nothing." She said while shaking her head.

"So," She said, trying to start a conversation. "Does this forest have a background story or something? Why is it called the Forest of the Lost?" She curiously asked as they threaded the paths that the Will-O'-Wisps made.

"I wasn't around when it happened but long ago, they said that this forest was one of the most beautiful and alive forest in Hell." He started which made Chamuel listen intently at him.

"Different creatures lived here and all. But then something happened, something like..." He trailed off, trying to remember how the story goes. "Did you forget?" Chamuel asked with a snicker. "Try living as long as I have, let's see if you don't forget anything." He said with a smile.

"Ah, I remember now. The forest guardian was left by her lover. As a result, she went on a rage, turned everything upside down. To appease her anger the creatures lied to her by saying that her lover didn't leave her, he simply got lost." Chamuel furrowed her brows. 'Is that why the forest is called the forest of the lost? What a boring background story.' She thought with dissatisfaction.

"Now, the guardian would attract anyone that has love in their heart, hoping that it would be her lover. They said she would whisper in their ears and mystify them into walking endlessly into the forest until they are nowhere to be found." Vin finished his story with a shrug. 

"There's a vine, careful." He said as he assisted Chamuel. Chamuel stepped over it and almost stumbled which made Vin look at her amusedly.

"Then isn't it dangerous for me to be here?" She asked nervously. "Why?" He asked in confusion. She looked at him in disbelief. "I have plenty of love, for your information." She said as she flipped her hair in a humorous way. 

"Well, either way, the guardian can only lure those who are weaker than her. I doubt she can lure you." Chamuel looked at her confusedly. "I am a mere human." She said as a matter of factly. Vin looked at her then grinned. 

"I gave you a mark, that'll ward off those who are weaker than me." He said which made her eyes boggle and stop walking. 

"What mark?" She said then looked around her body, letting go of Vin while doing so. She checked her arms legs and even her stomach. It was hard to check it with all the clothes that she's wearing though. She looked and looked but found nothing.

"I won't tell you." He playfully said as he grabbed Chamuel's hand again. 

She'd be lying if she says that move didn't squeeze her heart. 

"Let's go before the Will-O'-Wisps gets tired of showing the way." He said, getting them back on track.

It kept bothering Chamuel though. "Are you perhaps in love with Vin?" The voice asked again which made her flinch. "V-V-Vin!" She said as she pulled him closer. "What?"

"V-Voices. I heard a voice." She said but Vin only raised his eyebrow at him. "Aren't you just a little rattled about the story I told?" He said, not believing Chamuel. She shook her head fervently so Vin just sighed. He couldn't feel or see anything unusual though.

"Don't mind it. I'm here, remember?" He said, trying to calm her down. She took a deep breath and exhaled. She has no choice, does she? If Vin doesn't want to take care of it right now, then she'll have to calm down, she's sure Vin can take whatever that is anyway.

"Are you anxious?" She heard the voice ask again but this time she chose to ignore it. "Watch your step." Vin said while pointing at a rock that seemed slippery. She nodded and stepped on it carefully.

"Are you afraid?"  They walked into a narrow hole and held her head, guiding it so she won't bump her head.

"Do you know why you're here?" 'Don't mind him, Chamuel. For all we know, he's just an attention-seeker who wants you to notice him.' She told herself with a scowl.

"Do you know who I am?"

"You can still hear me, right?"

Chamuel clicked her tongue. At this point, she wasn't afraid of the voice anymore. Rather, she was getting irritated by how loud it is getting. "Argh, can you just shut up?" She shouted which made Vin look at her with confusion. 

"Oh come on, you can't hear him at all?" She said in disbelief. "He's been asking me a lot of questions, it's getting annoying." She said while scratching her ear irritatedly. 

An idea suddenly hit Vin which made him click his tongue. "That bastard." He mumbled. He picked up a stone and closed his eyes. Chamuel looked at him with confusion. 'What is he doing? Meditating?'

"Are you pissed off that he doesn't believe you?" The voice asked again and Chamuel was tempted to raise her middle finger at it even though she can't see it but she's really not that kind of person so she just ignored it.

After a few seconds, Vin opened his eyes and suddenly threw the rock towards a tree. She flinched by how fast and strong he threw the stone. "Wh---" She was about to ask why he did that but it was cut abruptly when a man suddenly appeared.

"Oh my god!" She jolted and held onto Vin's arm as she saw the man falling from the tree with a loud thud.

The man had a cat resting on his shoulder and he was holding a cane that looked like a serpent. Chamuel also noticed horns in his forehead.

"Wh-who?" She asked in a panic while tugging Vin and pointing at the demon.

"Aym. So you're back?" Vin asked and rolled his eyes.

"What a great way to welcome me back, brother." Aym said with a mischievous smile. Chamuel looked at them back and forth, 'They know each other?'