"It has been two weeks since they have arrive"

I heard someone talking while I was cleaning the hallway. I feel the presence of several people in the area on my right.

"Yes, I know. What are their progress already?"

The second voice I heard was my mother's master. He must be talking about the newly summoned heroes. They have recently arrive at the city far away from here. Eh? I can't seem to hear them anymore. I heard the sound of a door closing. Maybe they have saw me listening to them.

'I wanted to know more about them' I said to myself as I felt my way in the hallway. I was using the mop as to know if there's a wall or something is in front of me.

*tap swish tap tap swish* Those sounds were made as I both use the mop to tap and clean. Several times I hit the walls with the mop. Wait was it a wall? I might get in trouble if I break something.

"Yri" I felt a familiar presence going near me. It was warm and I feel like I would fly cause of happiness. There's only one person who has that feeling.

"Mother" I said as I left the mop on the floor and went near her. I tackled her into a hug. She return the hug back to me also. But I felt something else, something I don't like. Oh no. Did I make her angry?

"Yri, what are you doing using the mop like that? What did I told you?" Her voice is stern

"I wanted to help you with your work" I said back to her.

"I told you not to right? You're still young to do house work. You might break something. Our master is already kind giving us a place to stay and something to eat."

"But..but"

"I know you just want to help..it just that I don't want you to get hurt." Her voice now is warm again "Come on. I'll give you a treat. Don't be sad now. Let's pick this mop up and return it also"

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

I felt her hand touch mine. I hold on to it as she guides me towards somewhere. But then I stop. I feel suddenly cold. My mother must have felt it also cause she also stop. Screams and shouts were resounding outside.

"Mother, what's happening?" There was a pause of silence before my mother replied.

"It's...nothing dear. Do you want to be carried by mommy?" Her voice was different than usual.

"Yes please" I said as she carried me. I felt her walk really fast as if she was...running. The sound of screaming and shouts were getting fainter then getting louder again. Soon I felt that we were outside cause of the winds.

But the smell of the air was different. The smell was like wood burning and there was something else that I can't identify. *cough cough* I don't like the smell.

My mother buried my face into her chest. I don't know why but the smell became fainter. Though I can hear my mother coughing.

But I don't like this feeling. All around me, I can feel the people. Their hearts were not at ease. Some of them have no warmth. More and more I can feel their bodies becoming cold.

All of a sudden, I was in the air. I fall down to the ground. I quickly tried to find the warmth of my mother.

"Run!" I heard her shout before I felt her warmth leave her. I followed my mother's orders and run. I feel in my eyes something watery.

This feeling I can't explained. Such coldness. I kept running and running not knowing where I was going. Then I was suddenly falling.

***

It has been long since I fall down. The place I was now in was full of monsters. I can't see them but I can feel them. They all have coldness surrounding them and every time I am near one of them they try to take my warmth.

How am I surviving?

Why do I keep walking? why do I keep continuing? Why am I running?

I can't do this anymore. My body is cold. My warmth is little already. Maybe I should just rest.

I slump to the ground. I cuddle myself as my consciousness is fading away.

I felt something going near me. It's one of those cold monster. It seems fairly humanoid.

Is it gonna take my warmth? Huh? It's ignoring me, it's walking away. Wait it's getting near me again.

I felt something being wrap to me. It suddenly felt warm again...just like my mother's warmth. I realize it was some kind of cloak. I further wrap it around my body, feeling the warmth

I felt strong magic gathering and entering my body. It's both cold and warm. It looks like he monster is surprise of that magic too.

And then I could see the face of the one who gave me warmth. It was a face of a boy. His eyes were cold. Why did he gave me a cloak? Why did he gave me warmth?

Aren't you a monster?