Chapter 27 Into the woods

He kept walking ahead without looking back. I was trying to be careful with my steps, hoping I won't trip over the unruly vines beneath my feet.

"What's a nightcrawler?" I ask trying to keep up with his long strides.

There wasn't any response. I can barely keep up with him and I'm terrified of dying alone in these woods.

"Azrael" I call out reaching for his cloak.

A sudden wind blew out from his body shoving me back at such a speed that I go flying, my back hitting the nearest tree. I bit my cheek on impact, blood filling my mouth with its coppery taste.

He pauses, half turning his body in my direction glancing at me as if I'm a roach underneath his boot.

"I said keep your distance." He mutters dispassionately before walking away from me again.

I spit out the blood and wipe my mouth. "Asshole," I grumbled under my breath.

"I can hear you." He clips from a good distance away from me. Sure he has superhuman hearing too. An overpowered villain to spend my days with is just what I was missing.

I resigned to follow him making sure there was a good distance between us. Not so far that he would be out of my sight but far enough so that he won't blow me away like a leaf. Or a twig.

This does work in my favor. The last thing I would want is to be close to him. Thinking back on the days when he kept me around him so often made me realize that I've grown accustomed to him despite all the damage he had inflicted on me. I say this is top-tier brainwashing. He's a master at it.

I noticed that his pace was slower than before and I wasn't sure if he was doing it on purpose to accommodate me.

The trees around us were unnaturally large.

The forest seemed endless, gloomy, and young. Its canopy was monopolized by beech, rowan, and elm, and sparkling light dancing between the branches allowed for dispersed saplings to cultivate the moss-covered grounds below.

Thin branches waved from a couple of trees, and a range of flowers, which clung to any space they could find, clashed with the otherwise unchanging view.

A variety of wild noises, predominantly those of birds and vermin, reverberated through the air and were strangely synchronized with the sound of the wind blowing gently through the forest. I finally let my mind calm down from everything that has been happening so far.

This is all his fault. It's established that there was something truly wrong with him. Even the Zakerians would agree and they too are weird space creatures that have probably seen a lot more than we humans have. I'm being thrown into a reality where everything is strange. I ended up in places I never want to be caught dead in. And I've been through so much stress that I'm not even sure what's what anymore. My world has been tilted and now I'm stuck. In the middle of nowhere. following a guy who threatened to torture me and kill me the very moment, he feels like it.

I resisted the urge to curl up into a ball and cry. I'm also resisting the urge to have a much-needed bathroom break somewhere in these woods.

I groan in frustration making Azrael's steps falter. He turns around and gives me a blank stare.

"Make it quick." He says curtly. I'm not sure if I should be mortified or grateful that he knows my body so well. I nodded furiously before darting behind a tree making sure I can do my business peacefully without being seen.

Once I was done I came around to find him sitting on a boulder, healing his injured arm. His movements are stiff as he drags his free arm over the wound, flesh mending itself together.

I watch him with weary eyes. He got that because they tried to kill me. Ragnar mentioned that he knows what I am. And because of whatever that they think I am, they want me dead. There is something wrong with me. I can do things normal humans aren't supposed to. I can understand their language and there is a strange power beneath my fingertips shimmering to be set free and I've never noticed that until my time spent with Azrael. I have so many unanswered questions.

"Did you leave my sister with the resistance?" I ask him nervously while sitting down crossed-legged on the moss below me. He glances my way.

"Who told you that?" A heartbeat passed before I answered him quietly. "A friend,"

I looked away nervously. Will he go after Eden if he finds out he gave me the poison?

"Ah. I'm assuming it was your friend that helped you escape." Eden helped me get rid of the collar. There was no way he could've guessed that.

He speaks as if though such an act is treason in itself. Of course, I'm going to try and escape.

"You didn't answer my question." I snap trying to keep the anger out of my voice.

"So you decide to trust someone you randomly encounter who happens to be on your enemy's premises?"

"He was human. Like me."

"Are you telling me humans can be trusted?" He counters and I snap my mouth shut.

"Yes. It is true. I left your sister in their care. If your people would take care of her is another matter on its own." My eyes widened and for the first time in a while, I smiled in relief. So she was alright. The resistance was our final destination and she made it. He stayed true to his promise of keeping her alive in exchange for me. I didn't expect him to actually leave her under the care of my people. He didn't have to. It was an unnaturally kind act on his behalf.

Azrael plopped his elbow against his knee and rested his chin on his palm, watching me curiously with his dark grey eyes. I'm trying to get used to the sudden change in color.

"You look pleased." He states in a matter-of-fact tone. Well, I am. I'm happy to know she's alright. Although I'd like to see it for myself to confirm.

I watched more of Azreal's silver strands turn black. It was starting to creep me out. what was he turning into? He said he can't be killed regardless. was that a bluff? does he want to destroy the world like he mentioned earlier or was that a figure of speech trying to scare me? I'm not so sure about anything anymore. I opened my mouth to ask him another question but he stands up from his perch and starts walking again.

"Keep up. I won't wait for you."

"Where are we going?"

no response.

Oh, so we're back at it then.

I won't give up. I'll follow him until I'm out of these woods and then make an escape plan. Until then I have to find a way to survive.

The sun is starting to set slowly and a bad feeling started to creep up my spine. I could feel something watching me.

"Azrael there is something here," I whispered under my breath as I jogged up to him, grabbing onto his cloak hoping he won't blow me away again. He stops and glances down at me.

"Don't look."

What? does he mean by that?

"whatever you do, don't look at them." I'm not sure how not looking will help. He pulls away from my grasp and walks further away.

I try catching up to him, hoping whatever that's in the woods can't hear my heart beating so fast.

God Please save me.