"Why can you use sister Hygeia's power?"
She asked and there jumped out of my clothes the green-haired fairy-like girl with her mystical aura brimming with life. I looked at her increasing in size both quantitatively and qualitatively.
A bit taken aback, I saw her features changing to that of a 16 years old, compared to the previously 8 years old with her body size almost equal to mine. She smiled at me before smirking at Nyx as she took my hand and stood beside me as she spoke.
"Sister Nyx, he is my contract holder, the one I formed the bond with."
I observed her joyful yet embarrassed face, as if she was introducing her boyfriend to her parents, and Nyx looked deep into my eyes with a glint of murderous intent in them before she recalled something and then looked at me with a different look than before.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she spoke,"but… but… isn't he… a human?" and her gaze kept shifting between me and her. Hygeia then looked at me once again, finally recalling the most crucial piece of information about this whole thing.
Maybe because she is just a child or maybe she is an idiot? She didn't realise this before… I could only sigh at the words of Nyx as I then looked at Hygeia before speaking.
"I am special… I am not just an ordinary human but more than just that… though I don't know how to explain all that… Can you not ask me about it, please? I will tell you everything when the time is right, I promise."
Hygeia looks at me for a few seconds then ponders before asking,"do you have any ulterior motives towards me or spirits?" and then I could only smile at her as I answered,"not one bit. You have helped me more than you can think… in fact so many times that I don't know if I can ever repay you enough… I have only gratitude towards you."
She looks at me with a slightly embarrassed look before looking away as she speaks,"you idiot! Stop with the flattering lines," and I chuckle at her before speaking,"I was only telling the truth."
Though, I then noticed the annoyed gaze of Nyx as she observed me and also… Zuriel? She was looking at me with a little bit of irritation for some reason…
I could only sigh as I then looked at Nyx before asking,"how do you know Hygeia?" and then Nyx finally realises what she has revealed before glancing at Hygeia and then Zuriel and Dion.
Though she sighs before speaking,"I have known Hygeia for a long time… she and I have helped each other a number of times. With my ability, I have defended her and with her ability, she has saved my life many times too" and then looking at Hygeia she inquires,"how are you sister, Hygeia? Everything okay with the forest?"
I was kind of doubtful about this exchange as my senses were tingling, hinting that there was something more about this whole exchange than what it seems, but I kept quiet because I believed that forcing the truth was not the solution here.
"Well… now that we are done with that… let's get back to the main problem…" I spoke as I looked at Nyx with a serious expression and moved one step closer to her after I freed myself from Hygeia's hold.
Nyx, then remembering what she had done with me a few hours before, turned her gaze away with slight embarrassment. Looks like she was a bit sorry for what she did.
'Nice… If she is really feeling guilty about it, I think I can use her,' I thought as I smiled on the inside and kept walking towards her, finally reaching an arm's length away from her.
I looked at her hair falling down from both the sides as she looked at me with those mesmerizing black eyes on her beautiful face. The expression that said that she just wanted to run away from this situation made her look a bit cuter than before.
"Why did you take my brother away from me?" I reprimanded in a loud voice and she shrieks a little before looking at me and speaking," I was trying to save him… I could only carry two people at a time and…and… and… I chose your brother… instead of… you…" her voice was getting quieter as she continued speaking.
"And leaving me behind to die was the right decision?" I ask and she looks at me for a few moments before muttering in a low voice,"but.. I didn't have many options…" and I spoke out loud,
"What?! I cannot hear you! Can't you speak any louder?"
The fact that I thought she was a tough woman actually made me wonder if my sense of judgement was flawed or something? Well.. looks like I need to be careful how I judge people based on the first meeting.
"I… I… I-" she was almost on the verge of crying…
"Leave her alone Zero. I don't sense any anger from you… stop toying with her," butted in Hygeia as she looked at me with a slightly irritated expression and I could only give a mischievous smile at both the sisters making one sigh out loud and the other one dumbfounded as she begins to cry a little.
"Hey, look, you made her cry," Hygeia spoke as she moved towards Nyx to comfort her and Nyx could only ask with confusion,"but… but… I left you to die there… you are not angry… how can you not be angry?"
Her face told me that she couldn't believe that I was not one bit angry at what she did… Hmmmm.. Did she never meet people who have a right sense of judgement before?
"I mean, I was irritated a little, but honestly, I don't think it was much of a big deal. Getting angry will only make things worse when I can just peacefully make another ally," I spoke with a small smile as I thought,'to be honest, I prefer using people rather than getting angry at them… but I am not going to tell that,' and then continue to speak,"it is okay. I am still alive, aren't I?" I spoke before looking at Zuriel and then speaking,
"How far is your base from here?"
Zuriel, who was dumbfoundedly looking at our exchange, just stood there without speaking anything. I looked at her, lost in her own thoughts, as she focused in our direction, trying to process what was going on here.
Well… to watch the guy whom you brought along with you to help, dominating one of your superiors like that… I guess… It can be a little shocking? Well, who knows? Not my problem, really.
"Hey! Zuriel!" I spoke again a bit loud, and she finally snaps out of her daze and looks at me a bit dumbfoundedly as she speaks,
"What?!"
And I ask again with a little bit of patience,"How far is your base from here?" and she, hearing my question, ponders a little as she looks around before looking up and then calculating a little and finally speaking,
"About 3 days at our full speed."
I then nod at her before looking at Hygeia and Nyx, before speaking,"Let's move, I guess. I heard you guys needed some life magic to save someone or something."
Nyx and Hygeia were puzzled but Zuriel spoke out,"Sir Thyle… he is actually extremely sick with the white disease," and that made Nyx worried before she finally looks at Hygeia and sighs in relief.
"All right, let's hurry up," she says before beginning to move towards Dion and Zuriel, but I called her out again as I spoke,"Try to keep everything about me and Hygeia a secret. Can you do that much?" and Nyx, a bit confused about it spoke,
"I was never going to mention sister Hygeia to anyone. People would be crazy to know that a spirit has come outside of her domain… though in return, I must also warn you not to use your spirit powers freely or else you might catch the attention of people you shouldn't mess with."
And then I could only nod at her words before I saw her moving away from us towards Dion and Zuriel. She once again took them and started to run away from here.
I looked at Hygeia for a few moments, mulling over if I should really bring her with me or not… though looking at her curious face, I thought it would be better to take her than leave her here.
This would also save me the trouble of forcing her to go away from here cause she clearly doesn't seem like she wants to be separated from me at this moment. Well… I wonder how things will develop from here… I hope I am strong enough to save her from all the trouble…
'No… I guess I am strong enough to save her from all the troubles… but I hope I don't die here in the process… Damn… I really wonder… How is the future going to be for us…' I thought as I looked at her.
"What are you thinking?" She asks curiously and I smile at her before speaking,"wondering what would I do if a danger comes and I can't save you…" and she chuckles a little before speaking,"I can just go back to spirit world idiot, don't worry about me."
I could only smile at her words as I thought,'what if we are up against someone who blocks your way out of here? It's far-fetched… but I still don't want to leave anything to luck or fate if I can do something about it…'
Then I raised my hand, and she flew over to my shoulder after decreasing her size and I then began running towards the place where Nyx went to, while also planning for the unforeseeable future.
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