Alyanna"s POV
"Why are you looking at me like that? Am I that handsome and so you are staring at me as if you really like me?"
"Thick-faced! You are the one who went after me! Why did you enrol here?"
"You"re the thick-faced! I did not follow you. Since high school I"ve been studying in this academy. I"m even thinking you were the one following me."
"Since high school you"ve been here?" So this wizard actually has a social life? He didn"t even mention to me about his study here. "In what year are you?"
"We"re both incoming students in college." The two of us were walking side by side and to be honest, the other enrolees were all looking at us. Probably this moron is famous in this school. "What"s your course?" He asked.
"Culinary Arts. You?"
"Biochem." My nose bled for his course! Is he smart? I don"t wish to believe it, eh. "What kind of look is that? You don"t believe me?" He suddenly shoved his registration form to my face.
"You probably used magic when studying." I mocked.
"I"m just naturally smart, Alyanna Rohan." Okay, let"s not forget to mention that this guy is also windy*. (Someone who loves flaunting)
I did not try anymore to know why Brylle said those things in front of Prince Dustin and Elysse. In reality, I was quite happy because it was like he saved me from embarra.s.sment.
Knight in shining armor - I mean, wizard in shining wand was Brylle"s style. Whenever I needed help, it was like he was always coincidentally there to help me.
...
While walking home, I noticed that we ended up in a familiar road. "Wait, this is not the way home, right?"
"Yeah." We stopped in front of a familiar alley, and then he took out his wand.
"Ow Em Ji, Brylle!" This is not what I think it is! R-right? Oh, merciful heavens! "This p-place. This - "
"We"re going to the Otherworld today."
"So sudden? Don"t wanna!"
"You"re protesting? Are you defying me now?"
"But it"s not that I hate the place we"re going to!" I hate the method of going to that world!
I still want to object but unfortunately I was caught in my most hated blinding light. The portal is opened and...
....
"Hwaaahhh - ugh!" As usual, I"m kneeling down while gasping desperately for breath when we got into the Otherworld. And then after a while, I started vomiting to one side.
Thankfully, Brylle still has some compa.s.sion in his bones when he let me stabilize myself first. When I managed to stand up using my two feet, we started walking again.
"Where are we going? To the Necro Market again?"
"Nope." Ah, so that"s why we"re taking an unfamiliar route. "We"re going to the Atrum Forest."
"Atrum Forest? What"s that? Why go there?"
"I need something that is not being sold at the Necro Market but could be fetched in that forest. Atrum Forest is simply the richest yet darkest and gloomiest forest here in the Otherworld."
I grew nervous due to his description of the place.
But I became more panicky when I saw the forest he was pertaining to.
"Tell me that"s not the Atrum Forest."
"That"s the Atrum Forest. We"re going there." Now, I"m crying in fear and here"s Brylle laughing at me. So s.a.d.i.s.tic! "I suggest you cling to me tightly because once you"re lost inside, you probably won"t be coming out for the Mortal Worlds ever again."
"You"re shameless! Why do you have to bring me here!?"
I don"t want this anymore! His descriptions fell short because it was also the scariest!
My cries merited me nothing. We"re now inside of the Atrum Forest. I can already imagine that in no time, we"ll be attacked by wild animals - I mean, monsters, since we"re in the Otherworld.
"You"re tearing my clothes off!" Brylle hissed in annoyance because I"m not releasing my hold on him.
"This is your fault! Because you"re scaring me off!" Wait, wrong, let me rephrase that! " It"s your fault because you dragged me here." I feel like he was tripping me off. The place looks like an ordinary scary forest but since we"re in the Otherworld, obviously nothing"s ordinary here. "What can even bring you here?"
"I"m looking for a bird called "Yosuzume" or Night Sparrow." I listened carefully to his explanation so I can help in searching for that Yosu-chorva**.
"So, we"re gonna catch a bird?"
"No. We cannot touch a Night Sparrow "cause if we do that, we"ll be cursed to have severe night blindness. We only need a feather from that bird." He was looking up to the tall trees. "That"s why we"ll be searching for its nest."
"How can we know that the nest belongs to the Night Sparrow?"
"The Night Sparrow won"t go far from its nest. That"s why when it sees a man, it will start singing."
"Why? It"s singing a courtship song for that guy?"
"The opposite, Yana. It sings because it"s angry."
"Wow! Only now did I hear of a man-hater bird!" Otherworld really is a different place! It"s also difficult to ride the trip of the creatures here!
"Once it started singing, I want you to quickly climb up to its nest and get a feather. Then wait for my signal on when you should get down."
My brows furrowed as I stared at him. "And why do you want me to standby on top of a tree, hey?"
"Because the Yosuzume"s singing can attract a Warg."
"And what"s a Warg?"
He didn"t reply for a while, and that made my heart more nervous. "A Warg is a giant vicious wolf. And it loves to attack travellers like us. That"s why I need you to be brave and quiet so it won"t notice you. Is that clear?"
I feel like my complexions turned purple due to fear. Brylle looks serious so it seems a Warg is really a dangerous being. It looks like we"re up to something deadly? "H-how about you?"
"I will fight the Warg. Though I wish things won"t reach that point."
Just when I got enrolled in college, we end up in this mess! I don"t want for Brylle to be put in a dangerous situation because that will also spell my doom and entrapment in the Atrum Forest.
I wish to back out but who can guide me out of this place? This is why I had no choice but follow Brylle.
For a few hours, we circled the forest and it became scarier as the skies get dimmer. After some time, we both heard a bird"s cry.
"That"s definitely a Yosuzume. Quick! Find its nest!"
We looked up at the same time and searched for the nest. The Yosuzume"s cries get louder and louder, and my heartbeats as well. "There, Brylle! It"s the nest" It was on top of the tallest tree.
"Quick, climb up! And remember, once a Warg comes out, keep quiet and don"t descend until I say so. Clear?"
I nodded before climbing up the tree, "Promise me you"ll be okay."
We stared at each other for quite a long while and then I was put at ease by his reply. "Don"t worry. I"m a Cla.s.s B+ Wizard, remember?" I hope he really can handle a Warg.
Without looking down, I climbed up with great speed. I"ve pa.s.sed by several branches and then noticed that the Yosuzume was following me but not approaching. When I reached the top and glanced on the nest, "Brylle, I can"t see any feather!"
"What? Search carefully!"
But there"s really none!
The bird keeps on singing and I felt like hitting it with a tree branch just to stop it. I could only messily rummage for it. But the Yosuzume"s seemed to be p.i.s.sing me off on purpose when it landed on its nest which prevented me from nearing it.
I saw that a feather was protruding from its wing so I stretched my hand for it but, "Yana, don"t touch the Night Sparrow!"
I suddenly regained my composure, remembering that if I reach out to it, I"ll become blind at night. "We don"t have a choice! You said you need this!"
"I need it but think of something else!"
Staring at the resting but still singing Yosuzume for a long time, I tried to come up with ways to get a feather without touching it, but my mind is blank.
Then I heard a loud, scary howl.
"Yana, be quick!" I was more pressured.
It was too late because I can no longer think straight. I was shaking all over while covering my mouth just so that I won"t start screaming out of terror. It came. The Warg had came out now from the darkness and attacked Brylle!
....
Windy - an adjective for someone who loves flaunting and is boastful
Yosu-chorva - chorva was originally a gay lingo for whatever or etc.