Nowhere To Go

"Malaya, cease thy behavior." A new voice broke through the empty space.

The tone wasn't a command, but a suggestion for the best course of action. His voice—old but, steady and firm.

The darkness receded like a shadow returning to its host and the blinding light that followed after strained my eyes. It made me blink a couple of times before my vision returned to normal.

How did they do that? It just disappeared! Is that new technology? Some sort of graphics illusion they use in movies?

The woman was clearly pissed. But, wait…

I stared at her gobsmacked, jaws on the floor, eyes wide like dishes. I blinked a couple of times and rubbed them just to make sure. Shock then turned to wonder then to fear. My legs were glued to the floor as my breaths turned uneven.

"Oh?" She snickered. Her smile grew even more demonic than I remember. "Lavaworms burnt your tongue?"

The woman… She has horns! A pair of great wings made of scaly leather and bones accompanied her back. The fold on top of each had some sort of sharpened curved horn on it as if the bone ripped through the skin. Her hair was bright as the morning sun.

Not that she was a foreigner, she's not even human at all!

Am I hallucinating?!

"Malaya," the man called her with a warning.

I whipped my head towards him and my eyes bulged further than it could. I could have popped them out right now if it wouldn't hurt.

It's him! That's him! That's the man I met in the alley! But now he had horns standing proudly on top of his head and large folded wings on his back, the same as her. Although his horns were much more fuller… and mature?

The woman's right horn was half the size while her left curved on her cheeks.

"Oy, you still have that stupid hair, old man?"

"Hush, child. Human things are incredibly fascinating and unique," he said with a smile. He looked calm and reliable. "These things are worth the gold."

"You say that because you just wanted to hide that bald—"

"Ah, and what art thou is thy name?" The man had his attention on me with a patient smile.

"Hey! I wasn't done talking!"

"Respect, Malaya."

"What are you, raised by belvamys?" She sarcastically remarked with a roll of her eyes.

What are they even talking about?!

I screamed, "Let me go!" I thrashed around, squirmed, and grunted, resembling that of a worm freshly unearthed from the soil. And it seems that I annoyed the woman even more.

"Shut up, human!" She roared, pressing my head on the floor with her foot. The sole of her shoes felt grating.

However, the man gestured kindly to me as he told her. "There's none to be at lost if one spared her respect as well."

As I was trying to get myself out of my 'binding' situation, the shadow that loomed over me made me stop. I looked up and saw the dark murderous shadow over her face as the woman looked down on me, as if I was some sort of worthless worm.

Look, I may look like a worm right now, but I am not worthless!

"You must be out of your mind," she hissed, "To a puny human?!"

"Give respect and respect shall be given. You ought to learn that thy actions cause reason unto why people give you none."

She clicked her tongue, her sharp eyes boring lasers at the back of my head as she applied more pressure on her foot. "Why should I care?"

"Let me go! You monsters!" I squirmed around, trying to find a loose end in the binds.

"Why would I give her respect when she can't even give it to me?!" She pointed at me accusingly while complaining at the older one.

The man shook his head and sighed. "Malaya, don't step on the poor child. She's hurting."

But the woman crossed her arms and wiggled her foot, digging my face down further into the carpet.

"Hmph, it's not my fault they're such weak beings."

I gritted my teeth. Once I get out of this situation, I will slam this woman's face into the dirt!

"Malaya," he warned.

She clicked her tongue again but held back her contempt. But I could see how her nails dug down on her skin that it drew blood. It showed how much she has too much pride to comply, but it seems like she can't disobey whoever the man was.

She removed her foot, albeit reluctant and sulking. "Hmph." She sharply threw us both a look.

What? I didn't do anything to her. I just simply existed.

"My niece, you forgot something."

"What?" she snapped.

"The ropes."

She whipped towards him in rage. "What?! Why would I be the one to untie her?!"

"Hush, you don't want to disturb the meeting." He pointed at the humongous door at the end of the hallway.

"But they're too far away! How can they even hear me?!"

"Calm down, my niece. Control your anger. That is unbefitting for a lahar."

Her fists balled and an indescribable dark aura surrounded her, her face overshadowed. She was quiet at first. But she broke the pillar near her when she exploded. Her fists were embedded in the wall and small debris fell as she withdrew.

I flinched.

Still, that didn't quell the boiling anger forced to keep within her.

Just what the hell are they? And where the hell am I?

I looked up. Tall dome ceilings in each block held up golden plated chandeliers before they arched on the next pillar, a long grandiose hallway, intricately-decorated windows that covered the whole height of the wall, and heavy wooden furnishes aligned the sides. The floor was made out of marble and a long velvet-feel carpet in crimson and golden linings was its walkway. Everything screamed sophisticated and rich.

As much as I was held in awe at how spacious and grand everything looked, it felt odd. Like it made me feel a whole lot out of place.

There's too much unused room.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the room, old man? Why? Did they throw you out?" the woman huffed. Unable to run an outlet for her anger, she's targeting him.

"The meeting is finished."

"Then why—"

She was cut off when he called for the guards. Like them, they had horns and heavy leather wings on their backs.

Wait, wait, wait, where are they taking me?!

There's no way I'm not dreaming right now. These things are too unreal! Half-dragons?!

"Take her," he ordered.

The woman stomped her foot. "I wasn't done talking!"

"Patience, Malaya." The man smiled.

This guy must have never run out of patience. Just look at him!

The two guards hauled me over like I was some sort of sack and carried me over the shoulder.

Where are they taking me?!

"Let me go! Let me go!" I squirmed like a worm. "This is against human rights!"

The guard groaned at my futile efforts while the woman raged. "Shut up, human! And what in nevulas is human rights?!"

"Quell your anger, my niece. Nothing good comes out of those who wield short temper." The man reminded. "A leader must be composed—"

"Composed my ass," she snarled. Shen then proceeded to me and pulled a cloth out of nowhere.

"Ahmphpuhm!" is what came out of my mouth when she gagged me and tied it up pretty good.

"Don't be too harsh now."

She let out an irritated groan as she threw her head back. "Can you *not*? Do you ever run out of anything to say?" She glared. "If you don't like it then you do it!"

He chuckled heartily and smiled again. "That wasn't my intention."

"Tsk." She gave him a cold side-eye and brushed past him. "What are even going do with it?" she jerked her thumb towards me, not even a glance.

What am I? A dog? Wait until I claw your eyes out, you son of a bi-

I paused. Somehow, Jane made an impact on my conscience that I instantly held my tongue mentally. I sighed.

-son of a beast! You, son of a beast!

The man hummed as he went along with her. The two guards followed behind while I made the life of this one harder by moving wildly around.

"The court's decision concludes. She'll enter the academy."

It made the woman stop in her tracks. "WHAT?!" She turned sharply as her aura flared.

"The court saw this as a golden opportunity so shed those bad impressions," he continued as he walked past her. "Ever since the nevulas managed to hop into a new world, they became more… agitated. But the most bizarre was its inhabitants who couldn't see them."

"Can you stop with the nonsense and get to the point, old man?"

"What I am meaning to say was that, this occurrence was peculiar. In the other worlds, they could see them, yet this world doesn't…except for her."

"This puny human?" her mouth curled back in disgust. "It could see those black things?"

"According to what I saw," he nodded.

Then she burst out laughing, holding her stomach. "Pffft, are you even sure your eyes are working well? With that old age, you need to glasses."

He laughed along with his nephew. His laugh was like an old engine being started. "This old man doesn't need glasses despite his age."

The woman clicked her tongue at how calm the other was.

These people! Don't talk like I'm not here! I can hear you, you know! Let me go, you reptilians!

The guard holding me grunted. "She's moving too much."

"What am I supposed to do? Get her from you?" the other one replied, sarcastically holding up his arms.

"Okay."

Wai- wait!

Without warning, I was tossed into the air. My heart drummed loudly, butterflies in my stomach tickling me in a not-so-good kind of way as air rushed past my cheeks. No! I'll fall! It'll hurt!

The guard, thinking his comrade wouldn't act stupidly in front of higher-ups, was caught off-guard as a heavyweight was thrown into his limp arms. He wasn't able to control his balance and both of us fell over.

Ow! The impact on my butt was felt throughout my body.

My roped body rolled over as the guard remained stunned by what happened. Or maybe he just hit his head too hard. However, the first guard was following after the two half-dragons, whistling a tune to pretend nothing happened.

Wait! This is a golden opportunity!

Having my mobility restricted, I used my weight to keep myself rolling until I reached the wall. I used it as a support to pull myself back to my feet and stopped me from falling over numerous times. It was hard to keep my balance but there's more to lose if I don't move.

"You can do it!" I told myself as my body threateningly bent over to the side and I closed my eyes and hoped that gravity will spare me just this once. Once I got the hang of it, I began hoping away.

In the middle of it, I had a silly thought. I must have looked like a kangaroo right now jumping in the middle of the hallway.

"Stop!" I heard the guard yell after me from behind as he scrambled to stand up so I didn't bother to look back and started hopping faster. "Stop! She's getting away!"

"You dimwits!" the woman growled, finally realizing what happened. "Useless!"

I hopped, my feet tripping over itself and I almost fell. I could feel the heavy thump in my chest and the blood rushing through my veins. I kept my focus in front even if I didn't know where else to go. Just not to them.

I heard the loud sweep of wind as large wings flapped after me.

There's nowhere to hide. It's an open hallway. The window? I can throw myself over the window! But it's too far!

I could hear them behind me. My hair bounced wildly in my view and some of it stuck to my sweat-covered skin. The air felt hot and I'm running out of breaths.

Before I could even get that far, I inevitably tripped. I felt a weight on my back and a snicker on my ear.

In the corner of my eye, I saw the woman with the smuggest smirk, too mocking for me. Her chin raised as she gave me that look again. That gesture where she looks down on you, that superior feeling. "Where do you think you're going?"