Brian (1)

Neferet, who was being partially blinded by the sun that was beginning to enter fast through the treetops, felt a sharp pain in both of her temples as the sun began to rise.

Neferet slowly opened and closed her eyes as she listened to a voice that at first seemed far away but was gradually drawing closer to her, and her first hazy eyesight started to become clearer.

A strong stitch ran through Neferet's head, making her feel a deep headache that calmed down at times, but a constant stitch in her right temple made her let out a slight sigh as she opened her eyes, meeting the girl with black hair and emerald eyes who looked at her with a big smile.

Quickly the emerald-eyed girl said while smiling, "Brian, she's alive. Her forehead is somewhat hot, but her pupils are normal."

Clearing her throat, Neferet looked around, seeing how the burgundy-eyed boy was hanging from a tree, looking in the direction she had come running from.

Slowly and with some difficulty, Neferet asked with concern, "You… How did you find me?"

The emerald-eyed girl got up and held out a hand to help her up while, with a big smile, she said, "Well, last night, we went into the woods and walked around a bit. After sleeping in some trees about a 20-minute walk from here, we saw you and approached you. It looks like you fell off this hill."

Neferet looked up and saw a small incline of land she didn't remember falling down, but placing the blows on her body, she could imagine her path.

Firmly holding that girl's hand while with the other, she touched the sore parts of her body, feeling the damage.

After taking a deep breath, Neferet said, while the stitch in her hundred continued to persist to the point that it became more comfortable for her to have her right eye closed.

While looking at the two aspirants, Neferet said, "You two went around the forest. Why did you go in?"

The emerald-eyed girl turned to see Brian climbing a tree and then climbing down. While shaking her head, the girl said, "Well, we walked until sunset. But we found nothing, only rocks with strange runes that blocked the way and instead of climbing them. Brian preferred to cross the forest, and he also worried about your group when we saw that there were no animals wandering in the forest."

Neferet, despite being in pain, looked at the young Brian, who looked at her with his intense burgundy eyes, as he climbed down from the tree and picked up his spear from the ground, resting it on his shoulder as he walked towards them.

The words of that girl echoed in Neferet's head, and that was when she noticed it.

No birds sang at any time, and their march through the forest did not scare any wild animal that escaped from humans.

Instinctively biting her lip, forgetting she didn't have the veil, Neferet placed her hand on her temple, trying to remember why it burned so badly.

Brian asked as he stared at her, "What happened to your group?" He then stopped his step and placed his left hand on a tree.

Neferet noticed that instead of the typical armband, he was wearing a gauntlet that covered his hand.

"You should not separate in this place. It is weird," Brian said while he was ripping off a piece of bark with his fingers.

The emerald-eyed girl stared at him and crossed her arms as she looked at him and said, "Yesterday, you said the same thing, but you didn't explain it to me."

The girl closed her eyes and shook her head as she said, "If you want me to help you, you'll have to be clearer."

Brian looked at her, shrugging and throwing the bark on the ground. He looked at her, saying calmly, "I wish I could explain it to you... but I don't know how to put it into words."

Looking at Brian and the girl next to her, Neferet felt a slight sense of relief because she didn't want to be alone in that forest.

But his mind didn't remember why until she saw the tips of his glowing fingers and noticed the imperceptible path of yellowish light that ran through the forest.

Quickly and suddenly, all her memories returned, with the last sigh of the scent of that beast that made Neferet drop into the tree behind her.

After a quick retch, she said, spitting on the ground, "We split up... three groups..."

Feeling her breath growing and ragged with each word, Neferet tried to calm down without much success as she kept saying, "We were attacked... a great beast destroyed our group, and I don't know where the others are."

Quickly and without being able to control herself, Neferet began to collapse when the emerald-eyed girl grabbed her by the arms.

Brian, striding quickly towards Neferet, grabbed her shoulder, carrying part of her weight and pulling on her shirt. He then asked, "Do you remember anything about the beast or where the attack was?"

Brian's gaze was fixed on the girl, but not in her eyes but examining her body, trying to detect any wound or sign of a fight, "If we hurry, we can gather information and be able to take advantage before nightfall."

While holding Neferet's arms, the emerald-eyed girl said, "Wait, wait. You both have to calm down."

The girl looked at Neferet with a delicate smile, saying, "You breathe. Most likely, you are still under the effects of the touch, sit down and breathe."

After gently setting Neferet down, the girl turned and poked Brian in the chest with her finger.

The emerald-eyed girl wiggled her ponytail as she said, "And you, animal. Calm down and let her breathe. You don't do anything by rushing her responses while she's out of condition."

Neferet shook her head, raising her fingers with her illuminated nails, and she said slowly, "No… there is no time."