Unexpectedly, as the time flew by, the soaring pain in my arm was cooling down. Also, confused me as to why my biceps muscles were hurting when it was the back who took the strike. While the pain was easing, my body health was deuterating a bit. I suddenly felt the sudden urge to drink and eat something. And while I had some meat, I was trying to save them up for night.
My plan was to eat just before sleeping which will give me good sleep and also sufficient nutrients for my body to recover fast.
So, to thrust down my hunger, I frequently asked Claire for water apologetically which she always gave me with a silent smile over face. Every time she went the stream to take water in the wineskin of mine, she also gulped down some water herself which was not surprising at all considering she must be hungry herself.
As she passed me water, I get to see her face which looked dull. The more reason was my injury than her lack of food. And it pained me a little. I don't know why is she sad over my injury which was not even her fault.
We both sat on the dried, soft grass with the large tree acting as our back support, our faces faced diagonal directions. Neither of us tried to speak.
We both were silent. Considering what happened to us today, we both were trying to absorb the strange situations down to our minds. As far I feel, I think we both knew something like this will happen- I already knew something had to go wrong and she herself knew what secrets this forest hold which I myself am not aware of. Maybe that's why she wanted to leave the forest as quickly as possible.
This is giving me chills.
I am scared but am relieved.
My breath is calm, but my heart is pounding.
Maybe… maybe… I can get… what I came here for.
Slowly, I closed my eyes, not to sleep just to think more clearly.
Going around the forest is probably the best solution right now, I thought. If the only way to go out, is to meet that demon then going around the bush won't get us anywhere.
As I thought my plan-of-action, Claire interrupted my pondering mind and asked me in a silent, without any emotion, "What are you going to do now?"
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Apparently, I was so invested in my thoughts that I didn't heard what she said clearly so I asked her again to which she repeated her question again.
Quite surprised by her question, I was wondering what chain of thoughts made her ask this question.
But taking this opportunity, I asked a question myself, "Well, It depends on the question that what we know about this forest. All information I have about this forest is that there lives a demon here. No one has ever met him. At least those came have not made it out alive. So now I wish to know what do you know about this forest. Maybe what you know may help us get you out this forest. Hmm? What do you think Claire?"
Taking a moment to breath, she looked me and then turning away and looking at the sky, she said, "This information you have about this forest came from the ones who once witnessed the wrath of this forest."
"Does that mean someone had gone of this forest!! I thought no one was allowed to go into this forest. Then we have a way. How did they got out? What's the story?" I was so intrigued by this piece, it almost made me forgot my pain making me throw at her several question at once."
She again looked at me and said, "I don't know much, I also don't the full story, But I will try to tell you the full scope of what I know. But.. I have a condition."
"And what that condition is?"
"You have to answer my one question- Why and how you came to this forest?"
"…"
"Answer me."
"I will only answer only one question"
"Okay, then answer me the first question-"
"Deal! But only after you told me the story."
I thought my mere words would not be enough to convince her, but to my surprise, she continued her story. Although, she referred to it as story, it sounded more like some mythological story of some demon like the story of the Goddess Lyrastra and the drallman.
"A long time ago, exactly 200 years from today, when the eastern province of Silverpeak Highlands was ruled by Duchess Aelora, and the area beyond this forest was a own separate kingdom. The king, Galen Symthe, was rapidly expanding to all sides, so he decided to attack that kingdom. Everything was going well, but the sorcerer of there royal palace, out of his patriot summoned a demon from the abyss."
"A demon?" Shockingly, I asked her gain. Were demons were that common before?
Demons and Angels are always a topic of awe between the common folks. Depending on the person, reason and the kingdom, what you will be completely different. Apparently, they were a thing of the past. In the Arcane Blessings bible, it was said that demons were there in this world but when god came to this world he created the angel to balance this world and it was actually the angels who created this world. But no one had ever seen one by themselves.
"I don't know how much this story is true. Also, there were no written piece of this incident. Only stories were passed from one generation to the other in form of stories. So,.. after summoning the demon, the demon asked for a price. Depending on the price he pay, the demon will do his work.. So…"