THE PRICE OF WAR [Taka x Reader]

XVII. Old Friend

The dim moonlight illuminated its back and made its horns gleam like silver strands.

"What's wrong?" Kyria asked you again as she got up and approached you from behind.

She touched your shoulder and you took a step forward.

"Wow, I didn't know you were a sleepwalker" she murmured sarcastically "Anyway, you should go back to..."

Your gaze interrupted her. The size of your pupils wasn't normal. They occupied almost all of your eyeballs like two black holes in the middle of your face staring at something invisible to Kyria.

"Hey..." she muttered, visibly concerned "You're worrying me, let's go to bed"

No response from you.

"Hey!" she yelled "Wake up!"

She shook you hard, but without success. You couldn't hear her nor see her or feel her.

"What's going on?"

Two Hayltelian soldiers on duty approached.

"I don't know, but I can't wake her up!" Kyria yelled.

They ran to her and tried to yell at you and shake you in a thousand ways, but even that wasn't enough. Kyria went to find Yrion with the intention of getting his help and soon after they returned to your tent you had taken a few steps forward.

"It's impossible!" said one of the soldiers "She can't hear us!"

Yrion caressed your cheeks and looked into your eyes. He swallowed and stepped back.

"She's under a spell" he uttered.

Everyone held their breath.

"We have to warn someone" said another soldier.

Yrion ran to warn everyone he could, but the screaming had already woken up most of the camp and soon after they were all around you. Taka tried to wake you up, also without success. Kyria tried to explain what had happened, but nobody managed to understand nothing.

"It has to be her power!" Yrion said "It has to be that!"

"What do you mean, son?" Yusuke-senzo asked.

"I don't know, but I've never seen anyone like that!"

"We have to help her!" Taka yelled.

"She must be dreaming" someone said "Leave her alone"

"No ... No one has those eyes when they dream"

"Is this what you wake us up for?"

Suddenly, and to everyone's surprise, you squatted down and reached out to pet the deer. It was soft and docile, which made you smile slightly. They were all static as they watched you stroke nothing.

"Let no one touch her!" Yusuke-senzo ordered.

"Let's leave..."

Half the camp returned to their tent. Only Kyria and Yrion, Taka and the boys, Yusuke-senzo and several other soldiers stayed with you. Suddenly, something alerted the deer that made him raise his head and scamper towards the outskirts of the camp. You followed him, totally hypnotized.

"Run!" the boys shouted "We have to follow her!"

The deer kept jumping up the hill, stopping and checking that you were behind. You felt that somehow he wanted you to follow him. You smiled again and walked towards it.

"Yumiko, stop!" Tomoya yelled as he scrambled up the hill.

Once up the hill, the deer stopped and looked at the landscape under the moon.

"What do you want?" you asked him, which made your friends shudder. The deer looked at you:

"Trust me"