Lugo swung Tsugi’s pack over his shoulder and held out a hand to her. “Come on.”
Rolling her eyes, she let out an irritated sigh before taking his hand. “Are you always going to be this clingy?”
“If you keep acting like a stubborn kid and keep hurting yourself, then yes. I’ll annoy you to death ‘till you learn to be more careful.”
“Jeez.” She rolled her eyes again and shook her head, wincing with every step.
“You need to eat more.” He said as he put his arm around her waist to help her walk. “You’ve lost a lot of weight.” He muttered as if it hurt him physically.
“Well, it has been several days since I’ve been unconscious.” She snorted. “I can’t eat if I’m unconscious.
He flushed like he believed she could still have a whole course meal in her sleep.
“After I do this, you’ll stop getting on my nerves about going to the bathhouse right?”
“Depends. If you get yourself hurt like this again, I’ll drag you there myself. And that’s if I don’t kill you first.”
“Will you stop?!” She glared up at him. “It’s not my fault that I got hurt okay?! Things happen! Life happens! Shouldn’t you be glad that I’m alive at all?!”
His expression softened and his anger seemingly melted away. “Yes. I am very glad that you are alive.” He muttered, continuing down the road.
When they finally stopped in front of the bathhouse, he pulled out a key from his cloak and handed it to her. “Here. Make sure to lock up after you go in. I’ll meet you outside when you are done.” He took off the pack and handed it to her.
“Thank you.” She said taking the pack and the key.
“You need help?” He said as he watched her limp toward the wooden doors.
“Nope. I’ve got it.” She waved a hand in the air without looking back. She entered the bathhouse and locked the doors behind her, tugging on them to make sure they were locked before proceeding inside.
She exhaled in relief, feeling the restriction of the binding disappear, dropping it to the floor. Her breasts were marked with a deep imprint of the binding, turning redder with each passing moment as blood returned to the surface of her skin.
The relief felt good and itched with the firing of the synapses causing her to rub and scratch at the marks, pulling and stretching the taught skin. She would need to burn her clothes that were stained with blood and ripped beyond repair.
She followed the signs in the bathhouse instructing her to first shower and scrub herself before entering the bath. As she sat on the stool pouring water over herself, she watched the murky water swirl down the drain. The swirling of mud and blood brought back a flash of the amount of blood strewn across that forest when she rained hell upon those creatures, those faces – the guardians face.
She walked into the giant hot spring that was outdoors, lined with wood to block out the outside world, except for the sky above her. The hot steam rose from the spring caressing her skin as though they had a mind of their own, pulling her in.
She tested the water by first dipping a toe into it, feeling the burning sensation of the soothing spring before slowly stepping in and lowering herself into it. She hissed when the water touched her scars, touched those very sensitive aching pains, but – oh how very welcoming it was.
Under the sunlight, she examined all her scars. The bite marks that looked like giant, poisoned, bruised blotches on her shoulder and breast that had turned into thick red risen scars. Even the web-like designs left scars as though it had burned her from underneath her skin.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Raising her leg out of the water, she examined the huge scar on her calf, and thigh. Ellie had managed to grow the muscles back in place, but the top layer of skin was missing, leaving a thin colorless layer to cover the exposed striated muscle tissues underneath. She would have to train and slowly work the muscles back to its previous strength. She flexed the muscles underneath, watching it twitch and ripple like worms coming to life.
She was already covered in scars, what’s another few hideous ones?
She groaned and stood up, the water lapped against her navel. Her dark midnight hair was long, reaching the top of her buttocks. She glanced over toward the hallway, she was sure she heard a noise.
Shadows kissed at her hands, forming into the daggers as her fingers closed in on the hilts. Her eyes stayed locked toward where the sound came from as she slowly approached the hallway. Perhaps something had followed her within that dark forest. She looked around, but there was no one in sight, not a single soul.
Thinking that maybe she was just paranoid, she released her daggers and returned to the spring. She sunk deep into the scorching water, relishing in the way the pain in her body was easing away. Her tense muscles relaxed and she could feel her energy returning, feeling more at ease.
Lugo was right. He’s been nothing but nice to her. Perhaps she should tell him who she really is. But would he get mad? Would he treat her differently? Ellie found out and she didn’t take it too hard, so perhaps he will be understanding too.
She sighed and sunk head deep under the water, feeling the heat sting her face to the crown of her head.
The spine-chilling face of the guardian flashed before her eyes, its hands around her neck.
She choked and resurfaced, gasping for air, coughing and choking on water. She quickly glanced around but she was still in the bath – the bath, not the dark forest. Her skin was red and pruney from being underwater for too long.
She had fallen asleep again.
She groaned and splashed water on her face before getting out of the bath. She was still slightly limping a little, but walking much better than before, and her body didn’t ache as much. After binding herself and dressed in fresh clean clothes, she gathered her dirty clothes and walked out of the bathhouse.
The cold chilly wind bit at her face as she turned around to lock the doors behind her.
“Where’s your cloak?!” Lugo ran up to her, untying his cloak and throwing it around her.
“It’s stained with blood.” She shivered. “I’m fine.” She shrugged off his cloak.
“Uh, huh. Sure.” He said nonchalantly and tied his cloak around her anyway.
Upon reaching the inn, she handed her cloak to the maid to wash before heading to their room. She immediately went over to the fireplace and threw another log in along with her old clothes, setting them up in flames.
Lugo pulled the blanket off the bed and walked over to her, tossing it over her shoulders. “You alright?”
“Mm-hmm.” She nodded, but she was shivering.
“You need to wear thicker clothes. It’s nearly winter.”
“You think?” She scoffs, rolling her eyes.
“I’m glad you have enough energy to be sarcastic and continuously roll your eyes at me.” He chuckled.
When dinner had arrived, he handed her a plate full of mouthwatering food. “Go on. You need to eat.”
“Thanks.” Her cheeks stung with the pool of saliva building in her mouth and oh she didn’t realize how hungry she was. When was the last time she had anything to eat?
“I know you’re hungry but slow down.” Lugo gaped at her. He had only taken one bit out of his steak and she was already halfway done with everything on hers. She might as well eat the plate at this point. He laughed and emptied his plate into hers. “I’ll have the maid bring some more.” He filled a goblet with water from the kettle and handed it to her. “Don’t choke.” He muttered and left with his empty plate.
She finished all the food on her plate in the blink of an eye. She even licked it clean. Catching herself in mid-lick, she paused and looked down at the necklace.
“Ruzo. Did you just possess me?” Ruzo appeared before her like a fog rolling in. He was so big, he took up the whole room and more. He let out a high pitched whine and tilted his head at her. He licked his lip and ended up closing his mouth on it, making him look like a complete doofus with his bottom canine overlapping one side of his lip. She broke into laughter and rubbed her hand through his aura. “I’m just kidding bud.” She laughed and snuggled into the blanket.
She was full, happy and warm snuggled on the couch. She leaned back onto the couch with her heavy drooping eyelids. Ruzo let out a deep sigh and laid his head down next to hers. Sleep tugged on her, pulling her into its depths.
She blinked, watching the flickering flames in the fireplace, listening to the crackle and pop. With every blink her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. She blinked once more and there she was, on top of the dead hill, tied to the post again.
The wind was slapping her hair into her face and the rain was falling up instead of down. The world around her was bent into a twirling, never ending loop around her. The ground looped around, trapping her in as the sky floated in between like an orb that she was forever stuck in.
The world warped around her and lightning emerged from the center of it all, striking at the tip of the rod. That light wrapped around it like a snake searching for its prey and bit into her neck, radiating pain down her spine as she writhed and screamed.
Yet, no sound escaped her mouth.
No – she can’t be back here. She’s not here – it’s not real, it can’t be.
She screamed as loud as she could but – nothing. She screamed for help but no one could hear her, she could only clench her teeth and tighten her muscles at the scorching pain ‘till there was nothing but darkness – total darkness.