CHAPTER 4

She saw herself in a dark, moist cave with nobody in it. Selena did not ignore the chilling air around the cave, but she pushed it to the back of her thoughts.

What mattered now was that she was safe from the people of Lycaria and their crazy ruler.

The sounds of water dripping from the stalactites echoed in the dark chamber opposite where she stood. A strange wind whistled past her, and it made her whole frame turn rigid.

"Do not fear..." A smokey voice whispered in her ear while the wind started frolicking her frame. With the little lighting coming from somewhere she did not understand, she could make out the figure of a floating woman.

Her skin color was darker, while her hair was a silhouette to her floating body. Her eyes were a piercing silver, she took note of this as soon as the woman floated to her front.

Her expression was calm, but the air she exuded was quite frightening. Selena managed to gather her confused thoughts into a line.

"What are you?" Her voice came out bold with a tone of challenge in it. She wasn't aware of it.

The floating woman smiled before her figure vanished into dark mists. She materialized behind Selena, while her hands fell on the girl's shoulders in a fluid manner.

'I feel nothing but calm air and her presence. Was she the one who helped me escape those bunch of mindless citizens??' She inquired in her safe zone, her thoughts.

"Little Red Kitten... You should learn to guide the manner in which you release your words."

Selena heard the strange being voice out. It was supposed to sound pissed at the way she inquired her, but it sound rather devoid of any emotions of rage.

She drew in a breath when all she felt was silence after that. Selena was trying her hardest not to snap at the graceful being.

"A guardian of Witches. That's my identity." The being continued dissipating into mists and appearing as she addressed the human.

"So..." Confusion was seen on her light face as she tried to comprehend what she said. "...what does that have to do with bringing me here?" Selena continued, not minding if she sounded so rude and ungrateful.

A smile appeared on the guardian's face as she sensed the fierce attitude Selena had.

'So entertaining yet... rude!' she mused to herself while her smile was quick too disappear. Why does it sound like Selena was disregarding her? She was a guardian! Her guardian!!

Of all people she was sent to look over, it was this impolite redheaded brat! Sigh...

"It seems you didn't get what I meant by guiding your words..." A frown was seen on her dark face, while her dark curls fluttered as she swirled around Selena.

"Aren't you too old to beat around the bush?" Selena didn't stop herself again. A crease was seen in between her brows. Maybe it was because she was used to being frank and expressing her thoughts where she originally came from.

Well, it was a part of her that even this strange body couldn't take away.

"I'll teach you about patience, Kitty." What followed her words was the sudden change in the environment. The guardian's translucent frame became non-existent as she revealed Selena in the market place.

It was already so dark, no one could see her. The place that used to burst with bubbling activities was now silent like a graveyard.

"Y-you... The nerve of you to leave me hanging when I needed you to say more about yourself! Show yourself, you little breeze!" Selena stuttered as she hugged herself.

The silence in this place was giving her the creeps. Besides, of all places to bring her to, why was she back to where she was almost caught.

"Everything that has ever happened to you is not a mistake... Avalyn." The last word made Selena's heart skip a beat. The response she got from the guardian made her yearning for information.

'How does she know my real name? She knows that I'm not Selena...??! That means she knows the reason why I woke up to see this... that means she knows of a way to escape this nightmare of a place!'

She was quick to analyze all these in her thoughts, while her heterochromic eyes kept darting around in her analysis.

"How... W-what do you know about me? Tell me... how am I supposed to return back to Country K!? And how do you know I'm not from here!?!?" Selena's shrill voice was loud as she inquired from the guardian.

What she got as a response was a gentle breeze kissing her face. There was no answer from the being who claimed to know her again. She gritted her teeth as desperation took over her zeal to leave Lycaria and this crazy universe she found herself in.

"Why...? Why can't I return back to where I came from? You said there's a reason this happened! Why can't you share this reason?? Why.... why do I have to be reminded of my past being in this place...

"Tell me... Why!?!? Why did you get me here? I never begged for a second chance to live! I was okay being dead if it meant I found peace after achieving my dreams... tell me, why!"

Her eyes started to water while her breath came out in pants. Selena was not done talking, but the air around her grew heavy.

She dared not move an inch while her thoughts started to wander.

'Damn it! My desperation took over and I ended up screaming... Please don't be Ryker...' She begged in her thoughts because the air was very familiar but tense.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, she did in her head. After passing through almost being dead in his hands, she doubted he would go easy on her.

'This doesn't mean I'll allow him to step on me as he likes. Or his goddamn people.' She steeled herself in her thoughts while her multi-colored irises gleamed with an intensity enough to match that of a maiden going for a war.

"This is more reasons why I need to tighten the security around you. You've fully gone bonkers." His husky voice sent treacherous gooseflesh crawling down the back of her neck and she whipped around to face him.

Her eyes staring at him with full hatred for everything she had to pass through in this world.

"That's right. And it's because of every f**king thing you do in this f**king world." Her brow quirked after she said those words while a smile appeared on her face.

"I told you... Humans aren't as weak as you thought. My escaping only affirms that."