CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 33: PARADISE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOREST (7)

At that moment Oliver was opening the tower door carefully, looking outside every few seconds.

The man who had been chasing him had not left. He returned with a group of guards wearing bright silver armor.

They stood in a short line in front of the door, staring and waiting for the moment he stepped out so they could arrest him.

Oliver exhaled deeply, then closed the door and turned toward the girl whose name he now knew was Aria.

She was leaning back on the luxurious chair she had created moments ago, one leg over the other, her arm hanging lazily over the side.

"Why are those people not trying to break in? What exactly did you do to them?"

"They are afraid of trying to enter."

"Afraid? Of what exactly? What did you do when you got here?"

"Nothing important. I only tried to find a way out of this illusion. And when they tried to stop me, I taught them not to bother me again."

"And you did not find any way out?"

"If I had, would you see me sitting here right now?"

"Can you help me make the others realize this is not real?"

"There is no point in what you are trying to do. And if you keep going, the town will turn against you. You have no magic to protect yourself yet."

"Do you expect me to just stand by and watch them turn into part of this place?"

"No. I do not expect that. You are free to do whatever you want, but I am warning you. It is not as if I would help you with this anyway."

"Why not? We are colleagues. Both of us are half mythical creature."

"We are not colleagues, small one. Did you not say a moment ago that you are human? And now you changed your mind? Besides, mythical creatures usually dislike each other. Why would you expect me to help you?"

"Can you not do me one very small favor?"

She tilted her head.

"That depends. What exactly is this favor you want? And what will you give me in return?"

"I want your help finding one of my companions. I searched everywhere in the village and I did not find him."

"Is he human?"

"No. He is a gray creature."

Aria straightened up from her chair.

"A gray creature? Those savage beings?"

"He is not savage. He is calm and polite."

"You surprise me every time. And how did you even meet this little gray one?"

He explained briefly what happened. She remained silent the whole time he was talking, staring at him with half closed eyes.

When he finished, she said,

"He even allowed you to bring him with you all the way outside the forest? I am more convinced now that you are that man’s son than before."

"Let us forget that subject. I just want to find Lemur for now."

"I will help you, but in return you must do something for me."

"And what is that?"

"When I ask for your help in the future, you must make that man help me as well."

"I cannot guarantee I can do that, but I will try."

She smiled and extended her hand toward him.

"To ensure both sides keep their commitment, let us form a spirit pact."

"What exactly is this pact?"

"It is a vow made on the spirit itself. If one of us breaks the agreement, a punishment is applied immediately. And I will be honest with you, with your current level, the punishment will be very close to death."

"And what happens to you if you break it?"

"In my case, I will lose most of my magic."

She extended her hand again, but Oliver did not take it. He stared at her suspended hand as if it were some kind of trap.

He spoke with a dry tone,

"This does not sound like a fair deal to me."

She folded her arms.

"It is very fair. In the end, you are the one who needs my help, not the other way around."

Oliver walked to the door and opened it slightly. He saw the guards still standing there.

They were glaring at the door with intense hostility. He closed it quietly, then looked again at Aria’s extended hand. He stared at it for a moment, then finally sighed and reached out to shake it.

She gripped his hand with unexpected strength, and a sharp flash of light burst around them. It vanished in less than a second, leaving the place quiet again.

"Did we form the pact now?"

"Yes. All I needed was verbal consent from you. Now, do you want to head out immediately to find your little friend?"

Oliver lowered his head while looking at his hand.

A dark mark had appeared there. He raised his hand to look at it.

"What is this exactly?"

She raised her own hand, the same one she used to shake his, showing a similar mark.

"It is the pact mark. I have one just like yours. It will disappear when we both fulfill our part of the agreement. Shall we go?"

He lowered his hand and turned toward the door.

"You go out first."

Without complaining, she grabbed the handle, pushed it, and stepped outside.

The moment the guards saw her, their eyes widened and they screamed.

"It is the witch. Run!"

They ran in every direction. One fell and another ran over him.

Oliver stood at the threshold watching all of this, then turned to Aria, who had returned to the old man’s shape.

She put her hand on her hip and glared at him.

"Why are you staring like that? Move."

He cleared his throat and walked behind her toward the village. With every step they took down the street, the villagers fled the moment they saw her.

Some jumped inside their houses. Some dashed into an alley while shouting.

"It is the witch. Run!"

Oliver watched everything with clear annoyance, then leaned his head slightly toward her.

"What did you do in this village?"

"Nothing important. I only scared them a little."

"I think you overdid it a bit. And did you not say these people are just illusions inside the range of a mythical creature? Why are they acting like this?"

"No. I said the town itself is a reality mixed with a dream, inside the range of a mythical creature. As for the residents, I do not know what they are exactly."

Oliver looked again at the faces of the fleeing people.

The strange thing was that the more time he spent inside this town, the more familiar their faces looked.

He turned to her again.

"Can you locate him?"

She smiled confidently.

"This is the easiest thing I can do."

"And how will you do it?"

"Just stand there, small one, and watch while I do all the work."