Bab 97: Author’s note no. 2

Dear reader!

I'd love to personally thank you for taking the time to read my novel. I hope you are enjoying this dark love story.

Why am I even interrupting - I decided to add a peek at Bugak's awakening back in his homeland, while you wait for II. Season, which is coming on 18 May 2024.

Bugak's heart raced with confusion, filled with weird pain as he regained consciousness. Warm air filled his lungs and he finally forced his eyes open.

"Is it really him?" A quiet whisper resounded from one corner.

"Bugak came home!"

"Bugak? He was gone for years!"

As he inhaled deeply, his gaze darted around, fixating on the familiar corners of his birthplace. Stone arches and pillars met his eyes, each one a precise match to his memories.

He lifted his arms slowly to brush his loose hair from his face just as first fingers dipped in yellow clay brushed across his chest, leaving a straight line behind.

More and more of his brothers and sisters came to greet him, eager to listen to his stories, but Bugak's mind remained clouded with an unsettling feeling.

"No," His hand gripped around the wrist of some girl he never saw before, stopping her fingers from moving even lower on his abdomen.

Sharp yellow patterns appeared on his skin, following the shape of his body, telling tales of his bravery and strength.

Someone fastened a simple piece of clothes around his hips. Not what he would pick himself, but he couldn't care less.

Many of his peers led him into one of the great halls, where more and more people joined to celebrate his unexceptionally long killing streak.

Loud laughter and joyful voices were heard from all around, but from his lips.

The weird feeling that forced his mind to fumble remained rooted deep in his bones.

He gave up to their wheedle and started to paint his story with blood that was spilled on his journeys.

His voice filled the large space like a flood. All eyes glued to his lips, eager to catch every word he said.

A young boy stepped closer and handed him a long, thin necklace. Bugak ruffled his hair, took it and fastened it around his wide neck without breaking his story.

Some stranger buckled earrings on both his ears and gave him a brief pat on the back, getting only a short glance in return. Yet, it was all he wanted. Acknowledgment of his existence was more than enough.

More and more men approached him with the intention to share their precious pieces, a role that belonged only to other males, regardless of their age.

As others bestowed him with gifts and praise, his story reached back to the moment of his death, leaving a frown upon his face. Despite the festivities and attention, Bugak couldn't escape the unease that lingered within his bones.

What happened next? His head couldn't shake the disorientation of distinguishing between dreams and reality.

"I bled out by the campfire, and then -" He tried to recall what happened.

"You came home!" Some eager listener tried to finish his story, but it didn't seem to be right. It was weeks ago, maybe months.

"No, not yet. I met someone. A woman," He murmured to himself, trying to remember what happened next, when her green eyes flicked in his memories and his mind wrapped itself around that string, pulling out a whole sea of memories that threatened to drown him.

How could he ever think she was a mere fantasy that came to soothe his soul before it could descend back to his body? The desire to continue the celebration and revel in his victories waned. Bugak's heart longed to be with her again, it ached and forced him to act.

He wasted hours already. He jumped up, all startled, ignoring every single one of his friends, surprised by his sudden reaction.

Bugak's friends called after him, confused and concerned, but he paid no heed. He had to find her, the only one who had effortlessly captured his whole heart.

As the vivid memories of her occupied his thoughts, he couldn't help but be propelled by an unexplainable ache in his chest. Determined to reunite with her this instant, he followed the course his mind had laid out, driven by an urgency he couldn't resist.

He sprinted through the familiar halls, all the way outside. Unarmed, with only a few pieces of clothes, not to mention the lack of food stocks. But he couldn't care less. He will surely be able to accumulate enough weapons and equipment on his way.

The world around him blurred as he ran, fueled by his desperate longing. Each of his steps rumbled through the earth like thunder.

Nothing else mattered now except the urge to hold her tightly in his embrace once again. Eager to press her against his own body, until their souls can fuse together as one.