Ari

Chapter 43: I Want to Go Home

I didn't know how to answer him so I looked at the snake beastman observantly despite my anxiety as I raised my trembling hand. He was confused while looking at my eyes and my hand simultaneously. I already felt my blood draining due to the fright.

"T-Try... Holding my... Hand slowly, you'll see why." I said nervously.

He transformed to his passive form as he approached me carefully. I looked away because he was naked and it felt like my anxiety worsened due to the sight of his bare skin.

He slowly reached my trembling hand but all I felt was my anxiety getting worse. My heart was pounding so fast that my breath grew heavy and the moment his skin touched my hand I started to feel nauseated then eventually threw up instantly. I fell unconscious due to hyperventilation and shock and within that moment, I just confirmed that touching a beastman in his beast form will be easier than touching them in their humanlike form.

When I woke up, he just stood there looking at me in confusion.

"I clearly touched your body with my tail. Why did you react negatively when I held your hand?" He asked curiously as soon as I opened my eyes.

His eyes didn't even have an ounce of worry. I sighed, thinking how insensitive this juvenile snake was. I just woke up from fainting and here he was already asking me a bunch of questions that even I don't know the answer to. Not to mention I was feeling thirsty at that moment. I suddenly miss how Dillon, my brother, Lowell and my father would warmly greet me every time I wake up with a worried look in their eyes then offer me drink and food to eat.

"Can you give me some water please?" I whispered without answering any of his questions.

He went away for a little bit, then came back with a cup of water. I took the cup and drank the water slowly. I didn't thank him because my head was still heavy and I still felt sleepy.

"How did you have two guardians if you can't even have contact with males?" He asked curiously.

I looked at him intently while thinking how to negotiate with my freedom. I can't guarantee my own safety as long as I am in this cave. I can tell already that he has the advantage with regards to strength and size so struggling will be a waste of energy. I need more rest but I need to get out of here as soon as possible.

"As you can see... I am terrible with males beside the two guardians I have (though I need to clear things up with Lowell as soon as possible). Will you be kind enough to send me back?" I asked carefully.

"No!!!! I won't let you go!!!!" He insisted firmly.

"What are you planning to do to me now?" I asked while raising my alertness.

"You can choose either to die or stay with me." He answered with irritation as he transformed his lower body into a snake and wrapped his tail around my waist up to my neck.

I stayed quiet for a moment, trying to calm down while observing the area. I couldn't sense the location of the others.

"If I stay... Will you allow my other guardians to stay here too?" I subconsciously asked, trying to keep him distracted while I was thinking of a way out.

"Don't play me for a fool... I know you're planning to escape from here." He answered sternly while looking sharply at me in agitation as he tightened his grip trying to suffocate me.

"*cough* Please... All my things are with them. I need my... Medications... (Though it's a lie)." I lied, trying to calm him down

"What kind of medicine are you taking and what is it for?" He asked in confusion as he loosened up his grip.

"It's Dimethylamidophenyldimethylpyrazolone... I just need it (lie again)." I answered, trying to confuse him more.

"Dimet... What?! Are you messing with me?!" He shouted.

"It's medicine! If you don't know what it is then let me get it myself" I screamed, trying to be firm with my lie.

"Hah! Dream on!" He shouted back.

Fooling him was too hard.

"Okay then... Are you planning to stay here forever?! You said you were abandoned. I get it! Not everyone is lucky to have a loving parent that takes care of them since young (such as myself). But... It DOESN'T mean you can never find another place to belong to. A place you can call home. A place that would welcome you when you return. A place where your loved ones reside...." I cried while remembering my father and the parents I had in my previous life.

I felt pity on him for being abandoned by his parents, but I need to survive and continue with my journey to save my father. My tears kept falling from my eyes as my chest tightened due to grief and frustration.

He showed a slight remorseful look on his face upon seeing me cry. He let go of me without a word as if he didn't know what to say.

"Please let me go... I need to save my father... I need to find my family..." I mumbled as I begged for him to let me go.

"Family? We can just make our own... Why bother with such trivial things?" He responded in agitation.

A sudden surge of grief overwhelmed me after hearing the words 'why bother with such trivial things'. My father will never be a trivial thing for me.

I felt irritated with his words. My tears fell from my eyes as I drooped down, drowning in sadness.

A few moments later, I suddenly felt a warm flow of energy which reminded me of my father's warmth coming from the ray of light seeping through the hole in the ceiling of the cave.

"Father..." I mumbled as my body moved perfunctorily.

My wings spread shedding crystal glow around as it flaps rapidly creating a forceful wind that prevented the snake beastman from coming near as my feet started to back off hurriedly.

The snake beastman was so surprised, but he did his best not to back off and tried to catch up to me before I could get away.