23 23. Who are you?

Clearly I didnt used my limbs and workout that much while I was running away, i was using magic for God sake! but my body felt as if I had been running for hours using my two feets. The energy drain is no joke and I felt my head throbbing painfully to the point that I want to bash my head on the tree and make a permanent hat out of it.

Weak. I never felt this weak before. My energy constantly depleating where I couldnt even muster a strength to move my fingers.

"Shit. Laura wasnt kidding when she said it'll come back to bite my ass" the thing is, I was fairly confident that I have a large resevoir of mana. Why did it deplete so quickly.

It drain super fast...

"Why did my mana deplete so fast" I said out loud and thump my head on the bark tree. Hanging loosely on the big branch that could be my makeshift bed for the night.

A chuckled shocked me out from my self monologue. I look around with full alert, but sadly I couldn't even move myself.. much less in defensive stance.

"You're not suited with the pentagram."

Said the stranger voice. Though it sharp and low, it held a hint of corquette mannerism.

"Your mana while burning to fuel the pentagram, it split and the other half constantly barricade the lashback of the pentagram to you. It's not an effective for you to use and you my dear just won the award of the best ignorant mage this world ever seen"

I harrumped. The man chuckled again, echoed around me.

"Well, pardon me for not living in this world for a long, long time." I laid my head on the tree branch again, too tired to lift it up. This is my first time not caring about my own survival. It was as if it burns away my will together with my mana.

Then I felt someone was behind me. I wanted to turn around but a hand hold my temple in place.

"Its so easy to twist your head and kill you right here, you know. Maybe i'll dig through and take out your heart, wont that be a sight?" said the man, i can detect a slight wishfulness laced within his tone. My heart trembled..

"And i'll come back haunting you, making your life miserables" Though it was meant to sound hard and threatening but who am I kidding? We both know that I am in no position to make a threat here.

"Eh. Whats the difference adding another voice. It wont matter" he said lazily. Though my body wont react but deep within me, my mind keep screaming danger! Cold chill sweep across my backbones. How is this saving myself? I ran from people who wont kill me to a hand of a man who want to kill me?

"Did Dark Queen sent you to kill me?" I asked while silently screaming inwardly. I wanted my body to move, dang it!

The man seems hesitate for a second there.

"Dark Queen? That insipid woman is no by mean can command me."

"Then why do you want to kill me?"

The man lean forward and whispered. "Just because I can"

"Oh Great. Fabulous answer. Then I should be thankful huh? To be killed by you?"

"You talk alot"

I fake my gasp and rolled my eyes."my God. I just realised it. It seems I developed this trait when I'm close to dying"

"You think I'm joking?"

"No. I know youre dead serious that you have some loose screw in that head of yours. But meh, who the hell cares?" It was then I took another gamble.

Just then, I force last drop of mana to burst out in explosion to get away from him and to see the face of soon to be my murderer. At least I get to see the face of my killer. Yet the moment I turn around, I saw he was wearing a mask. More specifically, a japanese cat mask. He was wearing a white lose kimono?

"A japanese?" I said in surprised. One of country which had captivated me with their cultures and all. I dont know whether to cry or laugh, as ill be killed by one of the people of a country that I had fell in love with.

It was then I lose my balance, and fall from the tree, quickly latching on the guy's dangling leg. It seems i caught him surprise. He lose his footing too and fall together with me.

Logically, I should fall first and squeezed by the guy. Miraculously, It was the other way around.

"It seems youre bottom and im up" I said languidly with a curved of my lips. I was straddling him with him below me. I was super tired and sleepy now, and his broad chest look super inviting. Letting my head rest on his chest, I yawned.

"If you want to kill me, why not wait until im capable to defend myself. You owe me that much"

"Ridiculous. I owe you nothing"

I patted his chest. "Hai. Hai. Gomen-gomen." Hmm.. what a warm chest he had. Soon darkness claimed me to oblivion.