Fantasy World 3

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After recovering a bit of energy, I brought Liam home with me. It was a small living space, provided for me by the village to live in. Like many main and side characters of fantasy stories, the priestess was an orphan. Her father had passed prior to her birth and her mother during childbirth. In the story this had only increased her dependence on K'llean, as they bonded over becoming a new "family," leaving her all the more alone when he betrayed and left her.

I wonder if her parents had still been alive if the story might have turned out differently.

I rested in bed, feeling exhausted still from using my life energy up so recklessly. I promised myself silently that i would take less next time. The shadow wolf sat on the floor next to the bed, staring at me, his dark eyes filled with concern. I forced a smile and petted his head, enjoying the soft feel of his fur.

"Don't worry, buddy. I'm just tired out." I paused as my stomach grumbled, loudly. "And hungry, I guess."

I stared over at the cooking utensils, too tired to get up and make something.

Well, let's try sleeping first, and then making food. My eyes fluttered shut and my exhaustion swept over me, but it felt like only a few moments had passed before I woke up to a warm wet feeling on my cheek. The first sight upon opening my eyes was of a happy dog licking my face.

"Eww, Liam, gross!" I gently pushed him away, immediately feeling guilty as his ears drooped, and his eyes looked at me with an injured expression. Giving up immediately, I crawled out of bed, reaching out and hugging his head. "I'm sorry. You're not gross. Just don't wake me up by licking, okay?" Despite him being a dog, I felt like he could understand me. He backed away slowly, pushing something on the floor toward my lap with his nose.

"This is... fruit?"

I was shocked. Had he figured out I was hungry and brought me something to eat? I recognized the pinkish fruit as something sweet and edible from the priestess' memories, and picked it up, biting into it with relish. I stroked Liam's furry back with my free hand as I ate, speaking in between bites. "Who's a smart boy?" He seemed both happy and embarrassed by my words of praise, leaning his head against my side with a sigh.

After I had eaten and cleaned up, I climbed back into bed, patting the empty space beside me. "Come on, Liam, you can sleep with me tonight."

The wolf creature's eyes went wide with shock as it froze in place. I laughed at its bashful appearance. "It's okay, it's just me here, you won't get in trouble for sleeping on the bed!" He was so fluffy and soft; I really wanted to hug him while I slept.

After a long pause, Liam slowly hopped onto the bed beside me, laying down and covering his face with both paws. I smiled, reaching out and hugging him, feeling relieved.

I had felt so alone.

The years of bitter battles and desperate fighting in the zombie world had numbed me to the sense of isolation and loneliness that had grown within me since starting this pattern of story world hopping. But when I left that world behind for this magical forest, I realized just how much I had hoped to find that foolish man in this world as well. My hopes had been raised after meeting that silent, dark haired boy, but that had resulted only in disappointment. Fusing with the memories of the betrayed and broken priestess and only made things worse. I hadn't realized until meeting a creature that seemed attached to me how truly desperate and alone I had started to feel.

Even naming this poor cute dog after him, I must be a little twisted. In a strange way, however, it made me feel better, as if part of that crazy guy whose goal had been to stay by my side was still with me.

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