Episode 4

..."Painted White"...

Serina's POV

I held my cheek in pain and looked away from her face.

She put her mask back on.

"I should just end your life."

"You're unapproachable and your ears are clogged."

I looked at her, feeling tense.

"W-wait! I-I will help you." I stuttered.

"Too late."

"You're just like the other people I've trusted."

She said in a cold manner, her golden claws turned into black as it emitted black smoke.

"I shall make your execution, slow and painful."

She disappeared into thin air, my surroundings turned dark.

"Shit!"

I got into a defensive stance but it turned out to be useless.

She zipped like the wind forming huge claw marks throughout my body until I fell on my knees.

Unbearable pain coursed through my body. I didn't even had the energy to scream.

I breathed heavily on the ground.

"I'm surprised you still survived." She said with her monotonous voice and approached me.

Unable to speak, my body felt weaker. My arms and legs trembled until I cannot feel anything.

My eyelids got heavy, until I lost consciousness.

...

...

...

A bright light flashed in my mind.

"Am I in heaven ?"

I woke up in a normal-looking room made out of wood. I noticed a window beside me and decided to look.

We were high up in the mountains, the morning sun was shining bright. Trees covered the horizon.

I looked at my body which is covered in bandages.

"I look like a mummy !"

"Importantly, am I still alive ?"

I decided to poke my arm deeply.

"Gaahh! It stings!"

I heard someone rushed inside the room I was in.

I saw her, she wore a mask that only covered her nose and mouth.

"You're awake."

"I-it's you!" I got startled and moved further. I grabbed a pillow and used it to cover body.

"Enough of your torture please!" I said closing my eyes in terror.

"Kindly, tell me your name." She said, her cold attitude intimidates me.

"Sh-she did all that just to know my name?"

"Serina Alon!" I peeked at her and closed back my eyes.

"Alon? Familiar..." She said to herself quietly.

"Y-You know about my family..?" I opened my eyes but avoided eye contact with her.

"Indeed, but that's not my priority right now."

"Serina, what are you? You have unnatural strength and have that unusual hair color."

She approached me and sat on the bed I am sitting on.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about! I was born this way." I moved further from her until I found myself cornered.

She turned silent and stared on to the wall.

"S-sorry, I cannot understand your point. Maybe if you could... be more direct?" I suggested.

"Yeah I know that! Sheesh!" She said looking down, holding her forehead.

"I don't know why, but I can kind of mirror myself onto her. She uses the same expressions I use."

Suddenly, she looked up and approached me. Our body almost touching each other.

She stared at my eyes.

"Serina, can I trust you?"

I didn't look at her, then she grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her.

"SERINA, CAN I TRUST YOU?"

I cannot even choose my answer!

"Y-yes!"

She let go of my face and moved away.

I catched my breath from that moment.

"I cannot promise anything, but I will do what I can."

She looked at me menacingly.

"And once you betrayed me, my claws will silence you forever." She showed me her golden claws.

I stared at it feeling threatened and gulped in nervousness.

"S-so! Wh-why did you take me here? What can I do for you?" I laughed nervously changing the subject.

"Seriously! She could kill me at any moment!"

"I'm thankful that she spared my life multiple times, but still!"

"I feel lonely." I can feel her sadness through her monotonous voice.

I decided to sit beside her and tried to pat her back.

She immediately grabbed my arm and twisted it.

"O-ow!"

Her eyes widened and let go of my arm.

"Why did you do that!?" I frowned at her.

"S-sorry. My instincts probably recognized it as a threat." She looked down.

"Sheesh, I cannot understand you." I said looking away from her.

"Y-You should probably take me home, mama could be looking for me. We were supposed to go to the herb doctor and get my wounds treated."

She turned her heads towards me and raised an eyebrow.

My eyebrows met together in confusion, then realized it before looking at my body.

"Oh."

"I know some herbs that would speed up your wound healing, so that I could take you home lessening the suspicion of your family." She said.

I nodded at her before she left outside.

She came back after a few minutes as I am keeping myself occupied by looking at the window.

"Alright." She stated and placed crushed herbs, and a clean cloth.

I sat still, as she removed the bandages on my upper body.

"This is going to sting a little." She first cleaned my wounds before applying the crushed herbs.

"AAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" I yelled in pain.

"Be quiet! Or you will disturb the engkanto in the forest." She said glaring at me.

My eyes got teary.

"You love to hurt me don't you, sadist!" I complained.

After a few minutes of unbearable pain and screaming, she wrapped my deep wounds in bandages and gave me a spare black tank top to wear.

Her eyes enlarged upon seeing me wear that piece of clothing.

Noticing it, I looked up at her.

"What's the problem?"

"It's nothing." She said glancing away, adjusting her mask.

"She probably can see or remember something when I wore this."

"Once, I process all these events in my mind. I can focus on her."

"What's... your name?" I asked her.

She flinched.

"I... don't have a name, I lost it decades ago."

"Decades? How really old is she? She looks like I'm at her same age!"

"I wonder what really happened to her."

"Can I call you.. Zei?" I suggested at her, while I smile brightly.

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