An almost unnoticeable winter zephyr creeped through the walls of the orange-lit cottage.

The snow had piled, causing every step to leave its mark. I merely looked forwards from my position by the ravine.

Behind my back was a silver tree. The tree itself was almost buried in the wave of snow that had settled from last night.

Above my head was a silver-painted sky.

And all around me was the irksome smell of smoke. Causing my nose to twitch and sniver.

I rubbed my rosy cheeks as I succumbed to the comfort of the white haven and my thoughts ran rampant.

He's a psychopath.

The psychopath being Vorgio.

I had long grown tired of the bone-creaking fear that his mere name formed within me.

I often saw his cheery face when I looked into reflections. And it felt like my insides had fallen out each time.

As of now? Well, I was waiting for someone as of now.

Someone who needed to know what I knew.

Aftercarefully checking around at least 7 more times, my darting eyes finally calmed.

I charged a small lightning charge before sending it into the atmosphere.

"Wuuuuuuu."

A high-pitched howling sounded as it travelled up, before its power dispersed and its remnants scorched the snow.

A small figure was visible over the horizon.

Her white hair still remained a shade lighter than the snow. Her purple eyes were still knowledge-wrought and rational. She was still the same girl.

For better or for worse.

"Chlora."

I felt her name usher from my mouth as I gazed at her in worry and pity.

I looked to my left. For a split second, I saw his figure in the snow. My mind stopped.

My heart stopped.

My rationale stopped.

"What... are you doing?"

Chlora's voice came from behind me. Traces of childhood yet maturity had begun to sprout.

I looked at myself. As if the world finally became clear.

Wait. What was I doing?

In my hands, a lightning charge had been ramped up and it now covered my entire body.

I was on the edge of releasing it when Chloras voice emerged through the blistering cold.

My attack slowly fizzled out, my arms ached from being postured for so long and I just wanted to rest.

So that I did.

"Haaugh."

I found my back in the pleasantly,icy cold snow.

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My hair had thrown itself back. My tensed shoulders had settled down. And my mind had become ethereal clear.

My vision felt so defined and real that I almost wanted to visualise it.

Wait? Wasn't I doing that already?

I sighed.

Too many things were going on.

First the ravine creature.

I barely possessed fleeting memories of it, the second I was released from Vorgios grasping gaze, I wrote all I could remember in a notebook.

I don't even know how much was a real memory and how much was a hopeless guess, based on mere feelings.

I checked the small, burnt piece of paper that I had written as much as I could pull back from my depleting memory.

Ravine creature.

Possesed.

Power.

Strong.

Spoke.

Killed.

I tried to infer and fill the gaps, but my memory had essentially hollowed out. From stress,overworking this body or something far beyond my understanding.

I doubt I would ever know.

But I did know something. My body had been possessed. Possessed by a creature that now seemed so complicated.

It had intelligence, power and techniques. Even more things laden onto the pile that was far beyond my understanding.

So, how come it didn't use those in our battle?

So, how come it hadn't emerged for the past 3 years?

My mind plotted theories and blissful dreams. None that I think I actually believed.

Maybe a lack of energy? Maybe a change of mind.

Maybe. A hos-.

No.

I stopped my thoughts there. I didn't want to lose the brief happiness I was currently within.

I enjoyed the fakeness of the joy I was currently inhaling. Along with the pungent odour of smoke, of course.

I then realised who was next to me. I got up despite the pain in my back and inhaled some of the cold morning air as I spoke.

"He's not who you think he is." My tone turned serious and clear.

Chlora merely looked at me in curiosity.

"Vorgio."

My back shook and my voice trembled as that name came from my mouth. And with it memories that I had been constantly pushing back.

Chlora kept her indifferent look as she replied modestly.

"I don't...understand."

I put my hands on my head as my eyes widened loosely. My voice laden with venom and rage.

"What do you MEAN? He's a psychopath. He smiles every goddamn second on top of that he's LYING TO YOU and he tortured me for days."

Chlora looked at me blankly.

"That's right. DAYS."

Chlora just kept on looking at me vacuously. Lightly pondering and calmly thinking as per usual.

And so, a sombre silence descended.

Our features were highlighted in the faintly limpid sunlight. I don't know why, maybe because of the constant talk of Vorgio but I was angry. Mad, rageful.

"What...don't...you... UNDERSTAND???"

A distance formed.

Chlora spoke with a small shiver.

"You're being, violent."

Chlora attempted to put her hands on my shoulders.

A distance widened.

"No. WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND."

My yells and screeching added to my rage and I found myself pushing Chlora away.

The push held power, and the unsuspecting Chlora was around 6 steps back. 6 steps that I don't think would ever be rewalked in this dynamic.

Chlora looked at me fearfully. A light shiver in her body. And more shock than terror and fright.

The distance settled.

I now felt an unseen distance and obscurity, between myself and Chlora.

My thoughts were still tunnelling and questioning how she could not understand such a thing.

She's just a chil-. He's a psychopath.

He's a psychopath.

The darker side of my thoughts blocked off the light side from invading my rational. Or rather in this case, healing it I suppose.

Anyways, in this scene I assume.

I stood standing, and she sat with a look that almost brought my mentality down right there.

I needed to tell her. Warn her.

Help... her.

My voice came out cracked and faltered.

"Just... wait. I'll prove it. Just wait for me."

"Bye."

I looked away as I spoke those last words, in fear that she had already gone, would never believe me or if she already hated me.

I guess I wasn't the boy she thought she knew.

But I had to do this.

For her.

I sprinted through the snow, my throat burned and soon sored yet I kept running. Unminding of the aching and pain in my legs. Each new step overrided the pain of the last with a new level.

My rosy cheeks and flailing hair were lightly affected by the wind, my clothes had become somewhat old and my face was more natural than its previous pale.

My emotions rambled on as my thoughts became so numerous and muddled that I could not even pull them apart anymore.

None of this mattered of course, I just had to expose a certain man.

I stopped just around 30 metres before the house.

My hands were on my knees as my pants sounded.

The pain slowly fizzled out and I looked up gradually.

As my sight and vision steadily raised from the white snow floor, a figure appeared.

With short white hair curved upwards. And a calming peaceful smile.

He stood before the door.

Waiting. My entire system shook. My mind went into a state of crashing.

My plans ceased to exist.

I could only see his figure alone despite the beautiful scenery.

His gargoyle-like figure stood tall and proud.

And mine watched, taken aback and dumbfounded.

He had been waiting. For a long time clearly as his cheeks had been shaded rosy and his hands had gone whiter.

Waiting for me.