Chapter 390: A Dark Arrival
Elián;
I smile at the thought of how frequently she’s been smiling and laughing these days, and her voice suddenly breaks the silence.
"Thank you."
I turn to her in confusion and blink with a berry halfway to my mouth.
"Huh? For what?" I ask confused, but she doesn’t answer.
Instead, she looks at me... And smiles.
I freeze.
Because I have never seen this smile before.
Not once!
It isn’t teasing... or sharp... or mocking...
This smile is soft. Warm... Beautiful enough that it catches me completely off guard.
For a moment, she looks younger somehow. Lighter.
...Like someone removed years of pain from her shoulders.
I blink, completely entranced, and she looks away from me again, and back at the starry night sky.
"Before I met you, I stopped believing in people." She says quietly, and my heart falls immediately.
"I stopped believing in kindness... I stopped believing in goodness... Everything," she adds with a faint laugh woven beneath her breath.
"Everything became survival. Fear... Blood." She continues with her gaze falling.
I stay silent. Watching her as the night’s breeze moves gently through the trees around us, rustling its leaves.
Then Asa looks directly at me again.
"And then you appear." She whispers, and something inside my chest hurts suddenly.
In a good... but still painful way.
"You remind me that people can still be good." She says with yet another smile, and I look down quickly because my eyes are already burning.
"...You remind me that some people can still be pure. And that some people are worth protecting." She continues softly, and I stay still as a tear slides down my cheek.
I wipe it with a shaky hand, and Asa pauses. Then she questions in disbelief.
"...You’re crying??"
"It’s your fault," I croak as I look up at her with a sniffle, and the expression on her face is pure awe.
"That’s embarrassing for you." She mocks even though there are tears in her own eyes, and I laugh shakily despite myself.
Asa leans back slightly against the tree behind us, and I just watch her. Her dark hair, a controlled mess, and her dark rabbit ears flopped easily atop her head.
"I may have lied to you," she admits quietly, and my smile fades slightly.
"And I may hurt you." She adds, and my gaze drops to my fingers, which are now fumbling with each other as I remember Alana.
"But one thing always remains true." She continues, and I look at her slowly.
"I’m grateful I met you." She whispers, and that one hits directly in the centre of my chest.
It hits me so hard, and breathing suddenly feels weird.
"And," Asa adds dryly, and I swallow as fresh tears fall.
"I fully intend to protect you and the little dumpling you eventually give birth to from every horror this world has to offer." She says proudly, and I stare at her.
"...Did you just call my future child a dumpling?" I manage to croak.
"Yes."
"That’s a horrible pet name."
"No, it’s not!"
"My baby deserves better." I rant, and I feel my baby kick, as if in agreement. Asa freezes, and I glare at her as I wince.
"Your baby deserves armour." She corrects, and I burst into laughter through my tears. And before I can stop myself, I throw my arms around her.
Asa stiffens immediately beneath me. Clearly startled, but I don’t care.
I hug her tighter as I think about how far our relationship has come.
"You’re too nice," I mumble emotionally into her shoulder.
"You cry too much." She complains, but it doesn’t stop the silent tears.
"You literally just gave me an emotional speech under the stars," I whine, and she scoffs.
"And you react like a widow in a tragedy." She mocks, and I wheeze out another laugh.
Then slowly... Very carefully... Asa rests a hand against my head and strokes my hair.
"There, there. Don’t cry so hard." She teases softly.
"You’re making fun of me while comforting me."
"Yes."
"You’re evil," I whine, and she laughs heartily.
"Believe it or not, you’re starting to change that." She replies, and I scoff as I settle more comfortably into our embrace.
"You know..." Asa continues thoughtfully, and I pause to listen.
"You seem like the kind of parent who’d cry together with their child in frustration because they lost their favourite toy, and you both couldn’t find it." She completes, and I gasp loudly.
"I would not!"
"You absolutely would."
"I’d stay calm!’
"You’re crying over berries right now."
"That’s NOT TRUE!"
"You and your child would both be sobbing while Koda destroys furniture trying to help." She chuckles, and I burst into laughter again because honestly?
That sounds terrifyingly realistic.
For one small moment... Everything feels warm.
Safe.
Then suddenly... the wind seems to stop.
My laughter fades first, then Asa’s smile disappears.
Every hair on my body rises instantly as something changes around us.
I feel it immediately, and from the way Asa slowly sits up, I know I’m not imagining things.
The garden no longer feels peaceful.
It feels... Wrong.
Cold creeps violently across my skin, dragging goosebumps along with it.
The lanterns hanging from the trees flicker violently, then die, and my grip instinctively tightens on Asa’s gown.
"Asa—?" I call in fear as I start looking about frantically, and I freeze when I feel her hold me.
"It’s okay. I’m here." She whispers, and I try to keep calm, but my heart doesn’t stop thudding.
The sound of the stream nearby fades strangely... and even the air feels heavier.
I slowly scoot closer to Asa.
"...Asa?" I call again, but she doesn’t answer.
That terrifies me instantly.
She looks alert. Deadly.
Every trace of warmth we just shared vanishes from her face, and then I feel it.
Something is here... Watching.
It’s not nearby... not approaching... But here.
My stomach clenches violently, and then I see it.
At the far end of the garden... There’s a figure standing between the trees.
It’s tall, motionless... hidden beneath dark, layered robes, and its face is completely concealed beneath a hood.
And just staring at it, I know immediately... That’s not human... Or beast man.
My heartbeat slams violently against my ribs as I gulp.
The flowers near the figure slowly turn black, wilt, and die.
The sight of this sends bone-chilling horror washing over me.
"...What is that?" I whisper, but instead of an answer, Asa stands instantly.
And for the first time since meeting her—I see genuine alarm in her eyes.
"No," she mutters under her breath, and I watch in confusion.
The figure tilts its head toward me, and everything freezes.
Why... are those golden, beady eyes staring at...me!??
My breathing stops, and every instinct in my body screams at me to run.
But something tells me that would be a mistake.
The pressure of this... thing, in the air, becomes suffocating. Wrong. Poisonous.
I stand up, trembling with fear all over as I suddenly feel like a target.
Asa then shoves me behind her hard enough that I nearly stumble.
"Stay back." She warns as purple light explodes around me instantly.
Symbols ignite beneath my feet, and runes wrap around me in glowing circles.
A... seal?
"Asa?!" I call, as my voice shakes badly in fear.
"Do not leave the barrier." She warns, and my mouth falls open.
What!? What’s going on!??
The hooded figure takes one slow step forward, and the shadows beneath the trees stretch unnaturally toward us.
My heart beats painfully.
Slowly... the figure lifts one gloved hand and points directly at me.
"Asa..." I whisper, and she steps fully in front of me.
"You are not touching him," she says coldly, and the creature turns to her.
The lanterns around explode, and glass shatters across the garden, as the entity suddenly rushes toward us.
"Asa!!!"
