The Devil's Blade

𝟷𝟹 || 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙽𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝: 𝙻𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜

After opening up to each other, the air fills with an awkardness. I look down at my feet, uncomfortable, and unknowing of what to say next.

"I understand if you feel uneasy about going to the North, but I still hope you'll come with me." she finally says, breaking the silence.

I nod silently.

"And also, there's no need to apologise to me, Alex. You never asked me to save you."

I look up at her, studying her for a moment before I divert my eyes back to the ground. I nod again as I feel her eyes on me.

We sit in comfortable silence for a while longer, the crackling of the fire serving as a soothing backdrop to our thoughts.

As the evening wears on and darkness begins to settle over the forest, Zhena rises to her feet. "We should get some rest," she suggests.

I nod in agreement, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling over me. We prepare our makeshift beds near the fire, arranging blankets and cushions for a comfortable night's sleep.

Zhena lays next to me on her side and almost immediately falls asleep, her chest rising and falling in a constant rythm. I'm positioned on my back with my head resting on my arm and my gaze fixated on the the starry night. Unlike Zhena I need a lot more time to fall asleep. My mind stays focused my surroundings for way too long and it usually follows with a whole lot of overthinking. The night is alive, the crackling flames casting flickering shadows across the trees surrounding us, along with the sounds of chirping crickets and rustling leaves, but a different kind of silence hung in the air. Not the type that relaxing more of the type that's uneasy. But, I find a way to ignore it and eventually drift away into a deep sleep.

I was pulled out of the depths of my slumber, my eyes snapping open in the pitch-black night. I slowly rise into sitting position, the small fire had dwindled to embers, casting eerie shadows dancing in the whispers of the night. I glance over to Zhena, who is still sound asleep. The urge to move crept over me like an unshakable complusion. I silently rose from my makeshift bed, leaving her behind in blissful ignorance.

The forest, shrouded in darkness felt unsettling, yet strangely comfortable. The night air was cool on my skin as I wandered deeper into the woods. The moonlight being the only light guiding me through the blackness of the trees around me. Then, a soft sound in the trees broke the silence, a raven rustling its feathers.

I gazed upwards, captivated by omnious energy from the creature. The moonlight shone brightly, casting a perfect silhoute of the bird in the trees. I slowly inched closer, its presence pulling me by an unseen force. The raven cocked its head to the side, its eyes pitch black, holding an infinite universe of secrets behind them. Our gazes act like some kind of connection, as the bird flies onto the ground, my movement following its direction. Kneeled in front of the bird, I carefully carress its feathers, studying its beauty through the soft light of the night sky. A faint smile slowly appears on my face, the encounter filling my body with an unknown emotion. A feeling that is strangely close to joy but in a way even closer to madness.

The next morning arrived with a gentle touch of the sun's first rays. I rise to the light shining into my eyes, not remembering how I ended up back here in the night. Zhena was already up, standing besides our packed up bags.

She turns, "You must had a rough night." She says.

I squint my eyes as I look at her, "What?"

"It seems like you fought with yourself in your sleep." She says gesturing to my arms.

I stretch out my arms in front of me and finally notice what she was talking about. Their are faint scratches all over my under arms, some of them still fresh and red. Suddenly, I have a headache as I try to think about what I dreamed off last night. 

"Must've been a nightmare." I say, plastering a smile on my face.

She turns to grab our bags, "Remind me not to sleep next to you if you ever have a nightmare." She tosses my bag to me and I catch it. "I'd prefer to wake up unscratched."

I force a smile. At least one of us can see the joy in this situation.

As the morning sun filtered through the leaves above, we stopped somewhere in an open space to practiced our combat techniques. My movements were slowly becoming more fluid and precise, comitting every strike and block in my mind. After a few minutes, we took a break catching our breaks and hydrating our bodies. Ten minutes later, we continue our lesson with a sparing session. I could feel the dynamic between us changing. We had learn to trust each other, and to rely on our strengths. Our sparring sessions had become a dance of the sorts, a complex play of offense and defense, each of our movements done with grace. There was a moment where our eyes met, our unspoken words speaking volumes in our gaze.

In the late afternoon, we continued our northward journey, finally engaging in a casual conversation for the first time since morning.

"You did incredibly well just now. You really are a fast learner" Zhena compliments.

"Thank you, I try my best," I replied with a slight smile.

As we walked, Zhena passed me, turning to face me as she walked backward. "Have you ever thought of using your inhuman abilities to fight?" she asks.

I mockingly scoff at her ridiculous question. "I don't even know if I possess such abilities." I admitted, my knowledge uncertain.

"But considering you do have them, would you?" She persisted, her curiosity piqued.

I paused to contemplate her question. "Maybe, if I can save people with it, then I don't see why not." I finally respond.

She nods to herself, then smiles and turns around to continue forward.

On our way, we stumbled upon a small lake hidden deep within the forest. The water glistened like a sapphire gem, inviting us to wash off our sweat from the training. We exchanged a knowing glance and, without a word, ran towards the water.

Zhena started to take off her jacket, surprised, I turn my back towards her. "Wait, whose going first?" I ask her.

Zhena grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. "Relax, I'm not stripping down completely. I'll go like this," she assured me, wearing her tank top and shorts.

I visibly relax and remove my shoes before joining her in the water.

The refreshing lake offered relief to our weary bodies. We swam through the comforting water for a while, playfully splashing each other, the cares of the world momentarily forgotten. For a moment, I glimpse a different side of Zhena. Her genuine smile radiated happiness and vitality, as if she were carefree for the first time.

After finishing our swim, we changed into dry clothes and resumed our journey. As evening descended, we began searching for a suitable place to spend the night. Despite having a safe day, we didn't take our safety for granted, given our unfamiliarity with the area. Eventually, Zhena pointed out what appeared to be a cave in the distance, so we made our way toward it.

As we approached the cave, its shape became clearer. It was a hollow beneath a massive tree, with a path of small stones leading to its entrance.

"It's perfect!" Zhena exclaimed, immediately putting down her bag.

I surveyed the area, still skeptical about this very convenient hideout place. "Hey, I think someone has been here recently, like, within the past few days," I pointed out, noticing the stone pathway and remnants of a fire.

"That could be true, but that person is no longer here, so we can stay here for just the night." Zhena assures me.

I was about to nod in agreement when a particular spot caught my eye. I focused on it, up and down. This tree seemed oddly familiar. As I approached it, the lifeless body of a raven surrounded by flies appeared from behind it. My eyes widened at the sight.

"Hey, are you coming? We still have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," Zhena called from a distance.

I glanced back at the raven one more time, an unsettling feeling churning in my stomach. "I'm coming!" I replied, running back to the cave.