Page 15

Story: A Soul to Protect

He would have laughed harder.

Still, he was rather perplexed about her.

She doesn’t appear to be afraid of me.Wary, maybe; she did eye him cautiously whenever their gazes briefly met.

Since he was using his gills to breathe, he couldn’t scent the air around him. It was partly the reason he refused to leave the pond – if she smelt of fear, he’d give her a real reason to fucking scream.

When the subtle vibrations of thumping movement brushed against his sensitive scales, he knew she was on the move again.

His tail swivelled beneath him as he rose to watch her, using it to keep himself afloat. She dumped her sticks near the boulders on one side, without glancing at him, as if she knew he would retreat if she did. Then she started searching for more.

Nathair followed her with his gaze, observing her everywhere she went.

He tilted his head as he took in her features.She is very striking.From what the memory fragments told him, this female would be considered quite beautiful to humans.

Her fawny-brown skin didn’t appear to have a single flaw upon it. Her hair was such a dark colour of brown that in the shade it appeared black, yet in the sun, it shone with a deep chestnut hue. Her brown eyes followed the same pattern, darker in dimness but sparkling with molten hazel in the light.

Her gentle, heart-shaped face featured prominent cheekbones and a pointed chin. With a subtle plumpness of her cheeks, her countenance radiated a benevolence she couldn’t lose, even when she glared sharp eyes at him. Then there was her expressive mouth. Full and pale pink, her lips pulled to the side, twisted, or curled back as she did whatever task she had decided to take on.

The arch of her nose, her brows, and her small ears made her appear even lovelier. Little red gems dangled from her lobes, and often glittered when she turned her head.

He didn’t know if she was short, as his perception of everything could often change depending on where he rested his weight on the long length of his tail.

Her body had curves. Her purple dress garment was tight enough to highlight that her breasts were rather substantial for her thin frame, and her backside rounded, making the back of her garment dangle off it. With each kick of her legs, the side vees in the lavender garment revealed grey pants and black shoes that had straps crossing over the tops of them.

If it wasn’t for his fragments, he wondered if he would have noted her attractiveness at all. It did little to change how he felt about her invading his space, but it did mean she was pretty to look upon from afar.

It left him wondering why she was... alone.Humans tend to guard pretty females like this.

He tipped his gaze into the forest.Is that why those bandits attacked her?He shuddered at the thought of what may have happened to her had he not intervened.

His attention was stolen when she started building some kind of fire. He internally groaned.She plans to stay throughout the night?

Then he would have to decide on whether he would assist her should a Demon come. If so, then she was just purposefully being bothersome. A fire may attract Demons, which would then be her own fault that she was eaten. She’d have no one to blame but herself.

If the Demon then went to the Veil and into Weldir’s black mist, then her soul could feed him.He considered letting her die for such a noble reason. Sure, Weldir would have to waste energy first in cleaning it of the green Demon sickness that cracked their souls, then heal it, but he’d still gain a tiny amount of energy and strength.

Nathair pensively looked her over.

I have decided.

He would let her be eaten.

Linh let out a scream when a Demon slid into the open clearing. Shuffling back near the icy water’s edge, she held up the short sword she’d found throughout the day. The fire reflected in the length of the blade, and she trembled as she pointed the tip towards it.

Its breaths came out as white condensation, but it didn’t charge straight away. Instead, it stepped to the side, its red eyes zeroed in on Linh cowering upon the ground.

It seemed wary of coming closer to her, and she braved peeking behind her at the pond. The Duskwalker wasn’t there; he’d disappeared long before night fell.

She was frightfully alone, and didn’t actually know how to use the weapon in her shaking hands.

I thought Demons were uglier.This one looked remarkably human, even with its shark-like fangs, horns, claws, and tail. Its skin was a mixture of patchy pale flesh and the common void-like appearance of all Demons.

Crouching on its hands and feet, it snarled at her, baring its fangs as it inched closer.

“S-stay back!” she exclaimed, jabbing her sword forward.

Blonde brows narrowed in displeasure at Linh’s threat.

Table of Contents