My name is Elophia.

I will not tell you my last name as I have many.

I am a traveler.

I am not a stranger to the cruel parts of the world that humanity has infected.

I have killed many.

I have healed many.

I've lived longer than time, I've traveled dimensions.

But the one thing I can't do.

The one thing,

Is giving two shits to a kid who wants to change their fate.

Why? Because puberty is not my problem.

So, that being said, you understand the kind of person I am, don't you?

Now let me tell you why I am in a position where I am helping a child try to counter their fate.

Simply because I have to.

Simply because there's no harm in trying.

And simply because I made a promise to an old friend.

Three days earlier

"Things lurk at this hour. Don't stop walking until you are out of this forest. If you hear someone calling your name do not turn your head, instead keep them straight ahead, if you see an old lady pay her your respects and help her pick three flowers. Understood?"

He nodded slowly, hair standing up at the back of his neck.

"The wisps will guide you out. Remember what I said well."

He said his goodbyes and walked away. His body slowly gets smaller as he goes further out of sight.

Before he realizes it, he is once again surrounded by dense forest. Trees looming above him. Almost as if he was being cornered.

Everything was going smoothly until he heard out a loud cry,

"Alec!"

He turned around, surprised by the voice. It was so loud. Like...a cry for help?

Before he called out, Elophia's warning ran through his head.

Creatures? Things to be left alone? What if it's a monster?

Ugh, too many thoughts to think, too many what if's.

I'll think about the consequences later. I need to help this person!

"Hello?-"

"Found you!"

Alec was taken aback when a woman suddenly appeared before him, body covered in scales and eyes mimicking a snake's.

"Oh, when I heard a Ciobanu walked themselves into this forest I thought it must've been fate! It must be destiny that brought us together! You will release me from this forest and I will grant you your wish! You know how it goes, give and take?" The woman said excitedly, body moving in an unnatural way.

'Why is this woman moving that way?' He thought, confusion clouding his eyes.

Slowly, Alec's eyes trailed down to her legs, only to find the lower half of her body, taking after the lower half of a snake. As if she's a chimera experiment.

Alec's breathing went out of control, his chest felt heavy, his mind was weighing on options whether he should fight or run. His mind was running through the possibilities of some miracle he'd survive.

The woman in front of him blinked.

His legs felt so weak and wobbly that he just fell to his knees on the ground, mind too preoccupied with what he was seeing.

"Is it your first time seeing a succubus?"

Hold up, what did she say-

Alec's eyes trailed back up and stared at her, eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"Oh? you've never seen my kind before?"

He stiffly shook his head no.

"You've never heard of us?"

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I have heard." He chokes out.

Why does he feel so .. cramped??

"Oh, so you have different tales of how we look then?"

He nodded.

"Well, that makes it easier then."

She walked- no, actually, slithered closer to him, lowering herself to him, touching his thighs.

He mustered up some courage to run but the moment he got up to do so, his legs once again gave up on him. He fell and tried to crawl away instead but the succubus was persistent.

She turned his body and laid herself on top of him, acting as weight to hold him down.

"We take after whatever animal that makes us easy to move around. For me, since I'm living in the forest, a snake is easier. Less sound."

She rested her chin on his chest, eyes not breaking its stare from him.

"For the ones that live outside, They probably just look like you. Walking on human legs, eating delicious human food."

He started panting, the air around him felt like bricks piling upon his chest.

Is this woman heavy or is he going crazy?

Either way he knows something is wrong, and the only way to get himself out of it is to run.

"Don't you wish to help me? Don't you pity me? I want to go out there too. I want to live free too." she cooed, disgustingly sweetly.

At this point Alec is clawing at his throat for air, just a small gasp is enough.

A gasp would suffice.

A puff would be life saving.

"All you have to do is say 'Yes, Desdemona, I will help you.' So say it. You want to breathe, don't you? All you have to do is agree with me, And I will give you what you need."

Alec started seeing black dots in his vision, his face was turning into a sickening purple, and just when he thought all hope was lost...

"Like hell, he will."

‘Thank god,’ He thinks.

"Stay away from this boy, he's mine!"

‘Elophia.’

"I don't see your name on him, succubus."

Elophia said a few silent words and waved her hand at Desdemona, the succubus went curling back, hissing in pain.

Elophia placed her pointer and middle finger on Alec's forehead. Alec shot back up, air rushing into his lungs, eyes immediately taking in his surroundings.

"I'm surprised you're still alive. Usually, people would've either died or caved in. Thank you for surviving."

Alec nodded, looking at Desdemona.

"Damn you witch! Wait until I get my hands on you-"

"And do what? Kill me? Don't make me laugh. I am older than you, I was alive before the idea of your kind was even created! You want to kill me? I will make your body rot the moment you come at me."

What seemed like a threat made itself known as a promise.

A deadly guarantee of a painful passing.

There was visible anger in Elophia's eyes, one that tells the succubus,

'Run.'

But Desdemona won't let her pride be disrespected, would she?

"You are nothing more than a human who lived far too long, You are nothing! You are not a creation like me, you are just a weak low life!"

Elophia chuckled slowly, Both Desdemona's and Alec's breath hitched. The air changed. Something worse has made itself known.

"Oh Dear Succubus, When will it get through your head? It's this low life that trapped your 'divine being' ass into this place.

This low life is the one that punished you with limbo.

And lastly, Remember this low life carefully, succubus.

This low life is the one that you stupidly showed yourself to back then."

Elophia's veins glowed gold as she read incantations, words written and pronounced in a strange language.

Desdemona's eyes filled with panic, regret, and shame.

Desdemona clenched her teeth. Her face was scowling with nothing but pure contempt.

"Fine! I'll leave! So stop this now!"

Elophia looked like she was paused in time, eyes open and two fingers in front of her lips as if to say 'shh'.

"You'll behave, oh Divine Creation?"

Desdemona stared at her spitefully.

"Yes." It honestly sounded like it killed Desdemona to admit it.

"Good, but the spell I spoke of is not the kind that can easily be stopped. So if you don't mind, move a few steps to the right, Darling."

Desdemona moves and when Elophia blew out a small huff of air in the direction the succubus was in before, immediately there was this ear-deafening high pitch scream.

They both closed their ears and face, after what seemed like forever, They opened their eyes to see acres of the forest in front of them gone.

"Lucky for you this is quite a light spell. It won't kill you but it'll hurt like hell though. There's a possibility where it will paralyze half of your body. It's a shame you suddenly repented. I really wanted to see a Divine Creature eat bugs off of the ground out of hunger." Elophia looked down at the succubus who had a bewildered look on her face.

"Leave now. Before I change my mind."

Just like the way she came, in a blink of an eye, the succubus was gone. His savior turns to him, her face had slight concern written all over it.

"You alright?"

Alec nodded, slowly standing up, his knees buckled under the pressure he felt from earlier but Elophia caught him in time.

"Calm down, When I said I was surprised you were still alive, I meant it. A forceful succubus can be quite troublesome for your health. Not from sexual doings of course but more from the way they drain you."

Elophia offered him chocolate and said it was for his energy.

When really it was from a wizard film she watched when she visited the human places.

What was the name, Hamish? Henry?

Either way, the film was about a kid who was a wizard and went to school. Pretty boring, honestly.

Then, they made their way back to Elophia's home.