The Creature of the Woods (BxB)

Chapter 20: The vial

*Hansel*

It was a feast. To the remaining citizens of the country, at least. The artificial sun has been raised to the mountains, and the remaining men made this day a feast day. King Dimito invited monarchs from other underworld countries and they happily attended together with their gifts to the country. It's so funny to think how countries here are more diplomatic and peaceful than the countries above.

Dimito's cottage is a high rise, standing in the middle of a mountain where we could see the mechanical rising of the artificial sun, led by the remaining engineers of Ilalim country. We could see sparks fly and dancing fireflies that are oddly ten times brighter than the fireflies above. The blue and red roses are shinier, giving off a random mosaic of red and blue from the cottage. It was a good sight. This country, finally, seem to be alive.

"And it was all thanks to you." Araki whispered to my ear as his human hands envelope me to his side. It has been weeks, and with time, he has grown more comfortable with me.

I called my father weeks prior and asked him to interrogate the suspects about the location of the remaining artificial sun. He did, and brought it over to the Eastern Forest where the other chunk from the Church was brought. With this, King Dimito agreed to a diplomatic contract with Sta. Magdalena Parish Church. Father Quincy Esperanza was very pleased.

But his words still linger in my head.

I still haven't drunk on the vial yet, because I was so scared to banish this warm feeling. If Araki was only using me, he would have thrown me away by now, now that his said 'mission' is accomplished. Right? Then that means, this accident remains an accident, and I won't have to mind about it. Araki will never throw me away.

"Take this." He reached for a box from the table and handed it to me. I opened it and saw an emblem of Blue evening rose.

"What's this?" I asked.

"It's the Emblem of this country. That means you have been granted a citizenship here. You can visit anytime without any local opening portals for you. Isn't that a glad news? You can visit here anytime."

"Indeed." I said sadly. Not because of the citizenship, obviously. Anyone would be happy with a foreign citizenship grant, much less an underworld grant. But these past few days, I have become melancholic, thinking, Is this real? Is he really sweet? Is he meaning all of this?

"What's wrong? Are you not happy here anymore? Hey, I have a good news." He said cheerily. "When King Dimito asked what I want as reward, I said I want a house in Switzerland."

I looked up at him in surprise.

"He said he already contacted the King of Switzerland who knows someone that owns a villa there. We can own one of the houses there. Isn't that great? If you're tired here, we can go there and settle down. Just like what you said." He smiled again.

Switzerland, huh.

Settling down, huh.

Is he meaning all of this? He probably does. But if he's really using me, then what is this? Does he need me for his further 'missions'. Urgh. I can't just ask questions in my head that I know I can't answer myself. I have to ask him. I took the vial from my pocket and clutched it to my chest. I have to ask him.

But he continued. "Hey. What's wrong? Have you changed my mind? We can live anywhere you want. Hansel..." He put both his hands to my shoulders. "I'm determined to have a life with you. I realized that I..."

He failed to continue his words when my voice let out a little sniffle. My eyes made waterworks and my hand tightly clutched the small vial.

"W-what's wrong?" He asked. He looked at my hands, and there, his eyes went to the floor. "Did the Priest gave you something?"

"A what?" I said in angered voice. "Tell me. A what?!"

He bore melancholic stare into my eyes. "What else did he tell you?"

"Just say it, Araki. What could the Priest have given me? Tell me!" Now my voice is slightly quivering.

"An antidote." He whispered.

"So you know there's an antidote around the area." I shouted. "Why did you have to keep it from me? Because I was not insisting? Because I'm in-love anyway? Why, Araki? Or maybe, is it because you still have to use me to find that Artificial Sun of yours?"

He looked to the floor, tears gradually accumulating from his eyes. "I had to."

I have a hunch already, but hearing it straight from Araki hurts more. My cries became louder. I don't want to believe it.

"Most of the humans I get in contact with do not fulfill their promise to help me, so I thought if I could get them to fall in-love, they would conspire unconditionally. And one day, you were there. I just had to. My country is dying, and I'm just a doctor. Do you understand my position?"

"You used me." I just said.

"Hansel..." He attempted to reach me, but I moved away.

"Why did you have to erase my memory in those days? As if you were helping me forget you or something. What drama was that?" I moved further back, clutching the vial to my chest.

Hesitantly, he said, "To make the spell stronger."

Asshole.

First thing in mind is to throw something at him, and beside me is a tea cup with my favorite Chamomile tea. Tea spilled on the floor, some at me, but the cup itself flew to Araki. He was hurt, my instincts said. I should go to him and make him feel better, the spell is saying.

I can't take this anymore. These feelings are not real. The warmth is not real. His feelings are not real. Nothing, nothing with him, is ever real. He did not bother tending on his wound, his eyes are hollowly fixed to the floor. His voice is groggy laced with sadness. "Don't leave, please."

It's not real.

I opened the vial and drunk the contents till the last drop. After finishing it, I threw the vial to the floor and took the emblem out of its chest. I raised the emblem in front of his personal portal and it glowed, signalling its reaction and then it opened. As the portal opened, I ran away, declining to listen from Araki's voice begging me to come back.

I ran as fast as I can, avoiding the trees with moving branches as I know he controls them. I shoved the little vines that comes in the way that seem to want to slither their way around my arms. I went out of the forest with empty gun for I have used all of them shooting the trees that would stop me.

I went to the police car immediately and drove as fast as I could to my house. Geddy's former house. When I entered the premises, I took a bunch of ginger powder from the basement and poured them around the perimeter of the house. Even the walls, because he might make his own entrance on it. I poured water with salt around the grass and the garden; his stupid bunnies wouldn't be able to clean that for him. I ran to my room and face planted myself to my pillow.

Geddy.

Geddy would know how to calm me down. He would know the right things to say. Where is Geddy? Oh right, he's dead. Forever.

And I'm all alone.

I took my cellphone, dialed my dad, and at the first ring he answered.

"Dad, I want to leave now."