Fragment of Reality

Vince hadn't practiced martial arts yet, and he didn't even know basic self-defense!

How was he supposed to protect himself?

When he fell from the rock earlier, his body felt the pain of the impact. He was sure he would feel pain when the axe sliced through his body, too.

"Hey, man, can we talk about this calmly? I'm not a trespasser, I swear! Someone brought me here!"

"Don't fool me."

Before Vince could run for his life, the man leaped, and in the next second, he was right in front of him.

He swung his axe to cut off Vince's head, but Vince threw himself backward in a moment of desperation.

Afterward, Vince realized that he had leaped backward by pushing one foot on the ground and the other kicking in the air. He had never done it before, nor did he think he could, but it was as if his body moved on its own, like a reflex action.

'Woah, that was quick. This body is more agile than I thought, huh.'

But Vince didn't have much time to feel happy about dodging a sure death, because the man was fast, and in the next moment, he was already in front of him again.

Vince moved, this time with a better grasp of his agility because he now knew what his body was capable of. He moved fast, dodging the man's attacks just in time.

The skies may have been grey, and although the sun wasn't showing, the place remained bright, so his eyesight was still sharp.

Also, without the unnecessary noise from the surroundings (like crickets and other nature sounds), he could clearly hear every move the man made, every swing of his axe, even his breathing. It was part of being a demon – having good senses. And he was sure his training earlier today had contributed to his improved agility.

The man continuously attacked him, but Vince noticed he was just a little faster than him, which was why he always managed to dodge the attacks in time.

The man wasn't a highly skilled fighter, Vince could see that. Because if he were, he would have managed to hit him even if Vince was faster. After all, he hadn't undergone combat training. He wouldn't stand a chance against a skilled fighter.

But this man just kept aiming at him like a butcher trying to kill a running pig.

That was when Vince knew.

His lips curled into a smirk.

"Stop."

Vince leaped onto a rock about the size of a half grown human.

Before the man could attack him again, Vince said with a cool expression on his face, "You cannot kill me."

The man rested his axe on his shoulder and looked up at Vince.

"Why not?"

"You simply can't."

"That's where you're wrong. I kill anyone who trespasses on my property."

"This is your property?" Vince laughed. "There's nothing in this place but gigantic rocks. This place looks so dull, why bother protecting it?"

The man didn't look entertained by anything Vince said, nor did he want to spare another second listening to his words. He was about to leap and swing his axe forward.

But he stopped mid-air when Vince mentioned one word.

A name.

"Lily."

Vince smiled deviously, his blue eyes gleaming, and his hair swaying on his forehead with the light brush of the wind. He saw the man's eyes widen, and he knew he had hit the mark this time.

"Lily. That's the name of the girl you cherish."

"How… did you know?"

"Hmm," Vince hummed and looked around. After a few seconds, he returned his gaze to the man and replied, "This place has nothing but towering rocks. The ground has no life—no people, no houses, no living things. But there's one thing I noticed."

Vince pointed at the rock where he had fallen.

"There are lilies, blooming and very beautiful. You must be protecting this place because of those flowers, aren't you? Also, you have that bangle," he pointed at the man's wrist where there was letter L carved on the metal.

The man didn't speak, but the answer was clear in his eyes.

"The girl named Lily, she has raven hair and grey eyes, doesn't she?"

The man shook his head. "No, no…"

"What do you mean?" Vince asked, intrigued and confused.

"I don't remember Lily's face. It's been so long… I've forgotten what she looks like."

Vince's smile faded.

Before he could talk to the man any longer, his reality changed.

In a split second, he was back standing in the garden of Raine's residence.

The raven-haired girl stood in front of him, holding her compact mirror. Her eyes were almost emotionless, but Vince caught a glimpse of the emotion she couldn't completely hide. Melancholy.

He didn't manage to escape, she freed him. She knew what was happening. 

"Aren't you just torturing yourself?" Vince asked in a serious tone. "You created an illusion of your loved one from a fragment of your memory in your pocket dimension."

"You…!"

"Don't get upset," he said calmly, smiling. "I was really scared at first, you know."

"How did you know all of that?!"

The little miss, who had looked so calm earlier, was gone. She appeared shaken and taken aback that her little secret had been discovered by a stranger. Vince knew it was a weakness, which was why he had expected this reaction.

"I thought I was trapped in an illusion you made for me. But I realized it wasn't a simple illusion," he said, looking down at his trousers and boots, now filled with mud. Then he pulled something from his pocket.

A lily.