Soul Bonded [Claude De Alger Obelia x reader ]

5. A Curious Calling

"A butterfly with a horn?"

The butterfly with a horn was the size of a dinner plate. It was so huge.

"Hmm?" You looked at the fading glitter before looking at the carefree butterfly. "A mana beast?"

You never saw a horned butterfly glow and pulse in such a beautiful rhythm before.

It looked so... mesmerizing.

Your eyes clouded over.

You stood up following the horned butterfly. You wanted to see it up close. Touch it to confirm its existence.

With stiff, drunken like steps, you followed it.

The butterfly would settle on random flowers. As soon as you got close, it would fly away, distancing itself from you.

It made sense for it to be cautious.

The behaviour of the little glowing creature was suspicious.

It never far from your sight. Almost like it was taunting you to follow it.

You narrowed your eyes and shrugged off the alarm bells ringing in your head.

The glazed look in your eyes deepened.

You need to follow it.

You must follow it.

As if accepting the undeclared longing to touch it, the butterfly flapped its wings harder.

The peculiar horned butterfly flew like it had a destination and purpose in mind. It left behind an alluring trail to guide you into following it.

You didn't hesitate to chase after it.

Your surrounding started to change. The trees became denser and the path untravelled. Sunrays couldn't reach the ground and it made the shadows more prominent and eerie.

For a moment, doubt flashed in your mind before fading just as fast.

You kept chasing it, going deeper and deeper into the forest.

You didn't know how much time passed. Or for how long you were chasing after the butterfly. Since you weren't exhausted or tired, you took it as a sign to keep going.

After chasing after it what seem like eternity, the butterfly stopped.

You found yourself in a clearing where an intimidating tree stood dominating the place.

You looked at the huge tree with wide eyes. Observing closely, you determined it was some ancient tree.

You were amazed at the sheer size of the tree. Its branches were spread wild and distant which created a dome-like structure. Its leaves made a warm cocoon and shadow, under which you looked like an tiny insect.

Roots travelled down from the tree and continued within the ground. You had to dodge a few in order not to trip on one.

Except for strangely alive tree, everything around it was lifeless and dying; the ground, the trees and even the sky you caught glimpses from the space of the leaves.

A shiver ran down your spine. The glazed look in your eyes disappeared. Suddenly alert, you looked around anxiously as another chill ran down your spine.

Without realizing you had ventured deep inside the Mist Forest.

You couldn't stop shivering once the thought crossed your mind.

The strangely encased place felt melancholic.

The kind of sensation you would get from stepping into a graveyard.

You spun in circles and the eerie place resembling a graveyard felt more fitting.

Goosebumps covered your body as you stared at the distortion in the space beyond the edge of the trees.

The space midair was fluctuating like ripples on the surface of still water. It was almost as if you stepped into separate pocket of space that was disconnected from the rest of the world.

Tearing away your gaze from the intimidating tree and the odd phenomena, you searched for the horned butterfly.

The butterfly fluttered in circles around you once you caught sight of it before it flew under the shade of the ancient looking tree. It finally settled on one of the root jutting out from the ground.

Its tiny head tilted towards you, almost human like.

You shuddered and took a step back in shock.

The little creature's eyes were flashing in streaks of green and blue, resembling the eyes of a feline in dark. The single horn on its head was glowing.

For some eerie reason, you could feel a heavy gaze on you through the flashing eyes.

Again it flapped its wings and floated towards you when you continued to inch away from it.

You wanted to run away but your were frozen in place.

The butterfly circled you with gentle flap of its wings. You followed its movements closely with your eyes.

"Hmm?"

Like a curious cat, it stubbornly refused to back away, no matter how many times you cringed away from it.

Hesitatingly, you stretched your hand and the butterfly landed on your raised finger.   

As soon as you made contact, there was a bright flash of light. Strong enough to make you shield your eyes. But when your opened your eyes, the ground beneath was pulled away. Literally.

A black void formed under you and you fell into it with a shriek of surprise.