A Friend Or A Foe

-Later in the evening-

-The barn-

Here I am; Waking up, stranded in the middle out of nowhere, guided only with vague recollections of my arrival left inside of my head, met with an unknown boy deep inside of a dark forest at night and decided to help him out of kindness and naivety, fight with a couple of deadly monsters to save our asses, got stabbed in the back by the same twelve years old kid who I helped before and last but not least, I screwed up and ended up stuck on this stupid chair inside of an old, stinky withered looking barn.

Me: "...This place stinks."

I dumbly got startled by my own hoarse voice.

How long they've been gone now? It feels like hours ago.

The blood dripping from my nose and mouth were all dried up as time passes.

God, I'm so thirsty. My throat hurts a lot. I need water.

I sigh again out of frustration as I wince at the pain I felt inside my dried-up throat.

Of course, I'm capable of escaping this place using my power but if it's not because of how obsolete and ancient this building is I would have had able to make some kind of distraction with my technokinesis by bypassing the security system and turning on the fire alarm or something.

It seems that this barn is very empty than I'd expected.

There is nothing more than just piles of hay stacked by the side of perforated and cracked walls around the building.

I believe that they must have had lots of farm animals here long ago.

I wonder what happened to them.

I've never seen a real-life barn in my life let alone being inside of it, you know.

It's like something that came out straight from a movie which is a whole brand new world for me.

-Minutes later-

My hands and butt are starting to get sore, dammit.

I can't believe that boy betrayed me and sold me out to those people. I just helped you, you ungrateful child!

I frowned as I sigh, shaking my head sideways at how pathetic the situation I'm currently in is.

Me: "Grrr, if I see that boy ever again I'm gonna-..."

Suddenly, surprised by the sound of the barn door is unlocking, my entire body stiffens again as my eyes stare dreadfully at the door as it is sliding open creepily at a very slow pace.

Then, I see a small shadow slipping in from the other side of the door.

It's the boy!

Me: "Aight, keep calm, Balthazar. I know that you wanna strangle him to death and feed him to the monsters from the forest yourself but you need to keep your cool, ok?"

Seconds later, I've finally calmed myself down.

The boy peeks his head into the barn accordingly proceeds to walk inside the building slowly almost as if he is sneaking-...wait a sec...

He IS sneaking!

He closes the door behind him carefully trying not to make any sound and tiptoes towards me with a small wooden box in his hand.

The boy: "Hey. I came here to see you."

The boy's smiling, shaking his box for special effect as he loudly whispered calling out to me.

As he is walking about half a meter away from me I budge towards him, grunting wildly as I'm doing so.

Me: "YOU MOTHERFU-!"

Jeez, Bal! Did you really want to swear in front of him? He's still a kid for god's sake! Keep it together, would ya?!

The boy was then audibly startled by the harsh pleasantry I made between my seats against him as his legs expectedly shook in fear to continue frozen in place where he is standing.

Me: "You...you... How dare you! I helped you and this is what I get in return?!"

The boy: "W-what?"

Me: "Oh, don't you "W-what" me! You sold me out, you rat! Right after I saved you!"

The boy looks down at his feet solemnly in silence with the sense of guiltiness emerging like a dark cloud floating ragingly above his shoulder like a child being scolded by his parents.

Me: "Just look at me! My face was all ruined and bruised because of your father's doing when I didn't even do anything to him OR you! I don't even know what happened to him for him to act all that aggressive but he DID lash out about it at me! Why am I being treated like a bad guy when I was just simply trying to help you from being eaten by those monsters back in the forest?! I've never been so humiliated in my whole goddamn life and I've never let 'anyone' throw punches at me on purpose!"

The boy: "I'M SORRY!"

The boy then out of the blue shouted an apology, interrupting my scolding, yelling out my resentment as he shut his teary eyes closed and clenched his hand on the small box he's carrying.

The boy: "I'm...I'm sorry."

He sniffed as his voice was shaking like he was about to cry. Maybe out of fear? Maybe out of guiltiness? Perhaps both?

The boy: "I know that you're a good guy. But I've been taught by my father to not trust anyone who's a stranger. Especially the one from inside of the forest. Plus, I saw you using your vicious power against those Devillings yesterday night. That's when I thought that you're a dangerous person to be with. But at the same time, I know that you mean no harm to me. So I felt conflicted. That's why I bring you here."

Me: "By knocking me out?"

I said sarcastically and the boy slightly winced uncomfortably by the comment.

The boy: "I'm so sorry about that. I don't know what else to do."

I scoffed at the response.

Me: "Yeah? Then why don't you just ask me to go there with you like a 'normal' person?"

The boy: "That's because if I bring you here while you're conscious, my father will kill you on the spot if he sees you and that will cause lots of trouble, not just for you, but including me. So, I decided to knock you out so my father will lower his guard down."

Me: "Huh. How do you think with me fainted would ever let him lower his guard down?"

The boy: "He didn't. But he 'did' try to kill you when the first time he saw you at the village main gate. Luckily, I succeeded in persuading him not to kill you and having you as a captive instead."

A sudden shiver crawls in my spine.

'Luckily', huh?

Me: "So... Does he know about me? Talking about your father of course."

The boy: "Oh, not too much. I told him everything about the attack from the monsters and the part when you saved me from them. Though I did cut the story out a bit than the original one about where you killed those monsters with your magic."

Me: "....."

I stare at him with a blank expression. The boy flinches.

I sigh.

Damn, I do sigh a lot today.

Me: "What's your name kid?"

The boy: "Huh?"

He was pensively flustered after being called out of his daydreaming.

Me: "Your 'name', kid."

The boy's eyes go wide when the realization hits him.

The boy: "O-ouh! The name's Noah! Noah Selkey"

He then offered his hand towards me for a handshake.

Me: "Umm, you know that I'm tied on a chair...including my hands, right?"

Noah: "Oh, yeah. Hehe."

Noah pulled his hand away from me, blushing from his own silliness.

Me: "Anyway, the name is Balthazar. Balthazar Brook. You can call me Bal. Nice to meet you."

Noah: "L-likewise."

Me: "So, what are you doing here?"

Noah: "Oh, about that. I'm here to treat your wounds. Consider it as a thank you from me for yesterday. The thing you called naproxen really helped me with the pain. And look. The wounds on my leg have already been stitched up by my uncle. The thing you gave me had pretty much numbed my leg almost entirely. Therefore I could barely feel the pain from the whole stitching process."

He showed his healing leg to me and looks like he's going to be just fine.

Me: "I'm happy that I'm able to help."

I gave him a soft smile.

Truly happy that I know that I did the right thing.

Noah: "Besides, if my father knows I'm here he would probably kill me."

Me: "Yikes."

Without me noticing, he idly shows me a leather waterskin in his hand.

Noah: "I know that you're thirsty. Here you go."

He then softly put the orifice of the waterskin on my lips as he pours the water slowly into my mouth as the coolness of the water pleasantly relieves the dryness of my throat.

I moaned in relief.

Noah nods in approval, completely knowing what he's doing.

Next, he came in closer to my face to inspect my injuries.

Is... Is he not afraid of me-..

Noah: "Y-you're not gonna bite me or anything, are you?

Almost in cue, as if he just read my thought he asked me with a hint of fear expressed lies deep in his eyes.

Even though he's trying to be nice to me in a way of him showing his gratitude, considering how he terribly reacted towards me yesterday; calling me by names in addition to screaming, yelling, and crying he did, it is no wonder he is still cautiously being around me.

Me: "If I'm trying to ask for a death wish from your father I would've done it long ago."

I snickered at him playfully, in mind of hoping to soften the mood even though just a little.

Noah: "Heh, you bet."

Noah then quickly clicks his tongue in remembrance.

Noah: "Ah, this also reminds me; If you ever tell anyone what happened to me or how I acted yesterday I'll kill you myself."

Huh?! What's up with the sudden change of personality....and bloodthirst?!

Also, did he just read my mind?!

Noah proceeds by opening the lid of the box he brought earlier, surfing his hands inside of it as he brings out some sort of a small-sized coconut shell container of green herbal cream and applies it to my face gently whilst shifting his fingers through my fur when he was doing so.

I fidget in my seat to hold the tingling pain I felt on my swollen face. Casting out the silence, Noah then starts a conversation.

Noah: You know, I've never seen anything like you before."

Me: "Like what?"

Noah: " Like you. I mean, you're a handsome wolf but you're nothing like us nor the Devillings."

Me: "What do you mean?"

And what's that about me being handsome?

He stops applying the cream, steps back as confusion masking his face.

Noah: "Well it's obvious. You're not a human because you're clearly not one of us. My dad was also suspecting you to be a werewolf, which I also started to suspect you to be one. Other than that, you are too kind and tamed for a Devilling."

Me: "...."

Noah: "Bal?"

I pensive absentmindedly at him after I heard the word 'human'.

Noah snaps his fingers in front of me a couple of times to catch my attention back.

Noah: "Hey, are you alright? You were spacing out just now."

Urk, when I think about it, it's kinda embarrassing for a twelve years old kid to be worried about an adult like me.

He's acting really different today compared when the first time I met him in the forest yesterday.

Anyhow...

Me: "What's that about humans?"

Noah: "Umm, that's a weird question. What do you exactly mean when you said, "about human"? I am a human."

He continued to apply the cream to my face. Wow, the cream must be very effective as I can barely feel anything on my face from the wounds anymore.

I snicker at him.

Me: "Come on. Be real here. Human? Pfft, you're kidding. Humans are not real."

Before he responds to my mocking, he put away the container as he's done treating my wounds and wipe his greased hand from the cream with a clean piece of fabric from his pocket.

Then, he gives me a stern look and speaks.

Noah: "The one you're looking at right now IS a human."

I keep staring at him in silence upon the absurdity

Noah: "God, you're so stupid."

He rolled his eyes.

Me: "No, I don't believe you."

Noah: "Why is it so hard for you to believe in me?!"

He asked in annoyance.

Me: "Well, maybe it's because HUMANS ARE NOT REAL!"

He jumped in surprise from my shouting.

Why did I mad at him? He didn't do anything.

Me: "I'm...I'm sorry."

I look at him, standing in front of me who's probably concerned about my mental health.

I fix my eyes on every inch of his body parts.

Eye colors are normal neither like vampires nor faes(dark chocolate), his height is about 5'3, his ears are not pointy like elves, doesn't have any animal traits like beastman either.

Perhaps, he's indeed a human after all.

Me: "I'm sorry if what I'm about to ask and I didn't mean to offend you or anything but shouldn't all human beings be supposed to be....extinct?"

Noah furrowed his eyebrows, clearly is taking offense by that.

Noah: "Alright, now you're confusing me. What are you implying?"

So he doesn't know about that, huh? Humans were supposed to be extinct millennials ago. All of the scientists and archaeologists around the world never find out the real reason for their extinction in the first place but right now, you're telling me that I'm talking to a living fossil? Like dinosaurs? What the fuck is going on here?

Me: "Ok, hear me out first and let me ask you one last thing."

Noah: "Fine. I don't know what kind of game you're playing but sure."

He replied with an irritated voice, surely doesn't like being interrogated.

I definitely know how that feels, pal. But your interrogation protocol is better than mine with your father as you're

enjoying the punch-free package.

Me: "Have you ever met with any other creatures like vampires, fairies, elves, or something alike? Or have you ever heard about Agrian before?"

Noah: "You're asking two questions at once, you know that?"

He smirked.

Me: "Stop being a smartass and answer these questions."

He sighs, rolling his eyes as he's thinking about the answers and surprisingly he's not taking that long to find the answers as I expected.

Noah: "No I don't. Who do you think I am? I'm not stupid. Vampires? Fairies? Elves? Those creatures are nothing but some useless myths or horror stories made up by someone to tell the kids not to go out into the forest at night or something."

He scoffed at me, shaking his head. Then he continued.

Noah: "For your second question. Also a no for me. I mean, Agrian...is that some kind of ore or what?"

Hmmm, so my final hypothesis is here.

From the information I got from the kid mixes with his father's, looks like I've discovered the truth to one after another.

First, this guy and the other people out there are living humans.

Second, as I've already assumed myself to be transferred here by someone, there are only two possibilities for me which are I probably have traveled to another dimension or this place is just too secluded to be discovered by the world.

Oh my gosh, this is too much for me. I can feel my blood pressure is rising like crazy.

My heart is beating like crazy as all of these things are kinda overwhelming for me.

I'm sure that I'm pretty overly overwhelmed right now!

Noah: "Uh, Bal? Are you alright? I don't know if this is just my imagination or anything but I think you're getting paler."

Me: "W-what? Uhh, y-yeah I'm okay. No need to worry. I just need some fresh air. I...I feel like I'm gonna puke."

Noah: "Oh shit, ouh...uhmm...uhh deep breath, deep breath, Bal."

He rubs my back in comfort and thankfully, it did the trick.

Me: "Haaaaahhh, thanks. I think I'm fine now."

Noah: "What happened to you? I hope you're not allergic to the cream."

Me: "No no no, it's not that. It's just...everything. I can't believe everything that's happening to me right now is actually happening."

Noah: "I...I see."

He said in a sympathetic tone, looking at the rope that's tightly tied me on the chair.

Noah: "I think you need a breather."

Me: "You think?"

Noah: "..."

Me: "Sorry, didn't mean to snap at you."

Noah: "No, I understand."

He patted me on the head.

Noah: "So, I guess we're friends now?"

Me: "I don't know about your father but I guess we are."

I can't believe I'm being comforted by a kid. Not complaining tho.

Noah: "Aight, I've decided!"

Me: "Huh? Decided on what exactly?"

Ignoring my question, he then looks at his surroundings, searching for something. But what is it?

Noah: "Aha!"

He made a comical sound as he found whatever he's searching for.

Between those piles of hay, he put his hand inside of it and then come out with a rusty sickle in his hand and rushes towards me.

Me: "Yo yo yo yo! I thought we were friends?! Now you're going to kill me? That's messed up!"

Still ignoring my panicked behavior, he swings the rusty sickle at me as I close my eyes tightly, trying not to think what's going to happen next.

The rope then cut loose.

Me: "Huh?"

Noah: "Now you're free!"

After he cut all of the knots of the rope on the chair, all of my limbs are being freed like a bird spreading its wings out of the cage.

I stand up from the chair where I thought I've been sitting there for ages.

I look at my gauntlet.

Me: "Thanks, kid. But why? What about your father? You'll definitely get in trouble for this."

Noah: "You are very welcome, my friend. And as for that matter, I'll think about that later but for now, you need to leave! Let's go!"

He then grabbed me by the wrist, wincing a bit by the pain from the bruises because of the rope and whatnot.

We run quickly straight to the exit but before we could even reach it, we felt a sudden vibration from the ground, making us into a halt.

Me: "What was that?"

Soon, surprising noises came from a bell at the village watchtower was ringing.

The watchtower: "Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!"

Then, an unfamiliar voice echoes through the whole village from a shouting nearby.

????: "Run! The Devillings are coming!!!"