章 19: Chapter 19
Elvira looked around the forest frantically to see if she had gotten some help from her uncle or some fellow witch or probably a spirit, but she could neither see nor sense anyone.
"Don't be so alarmed," a deep, almost beast-like voice echoed. "You are safe now." It was so unexpected that she hit a tree trunk. She looked into the sky and saw birds flying in all directions.
"You can't see me because I am hidden," the same voice came again. The startling thing was that the voice was directionless.
"Who are you? And what did you do to Everard?" Elvira demanded an answer, expecting a humanoid beast to jump out of a tree.
"I saved you from that wizard," the reply came.
"But why? Who are you?" she asked, examining the sky-high forest trees.
"My name is Sebastian. I saved you because you and I are very similar, Elvira. Wronged by the same people, trapped in the same problems..." The voice seemed to be coming from the north now.
"What do you mean? How do you know my name? How do you know me?" Elvira carefully followed the direction of the voice.
"I have been following you for some time now. Although I first saw you when you were only a baby," The beast's voice again changed direction. Whoever it was, he was doing that deliberately.
Elvira halted in the spot where she was. It was pointless to track a deceiving voice. Also, the beast could be doing that to take her farther away from the wizard's castle.
"How could you possibly know me? Are you a friend of my uncle or my family? Why can't I see you? Where are you hiding?"
"I am many things. But more importantly, I am the only one who can give the answers to all your questions. The curse inside you is not a mystery to me," he promptly answered.
The curse?! How did he know that? It was tempting to ask about the curse, but not without learning who she was addressing. "How can I trust someone I can't even see? Reveal yourself, and then we'll talk."
The forest was filled with only birds chirping for a few minutes.
"I think actions speak louder than words or anything else," the beast began again. "I just saved you from that wizard. Don't you think I would have your best interest in mind? Tell me, how many people have saved you from getting killed? I think I deserve some gratitude or trust."
Elvira lowered her gaze to see if that person was hiding behind the thick trunks of the forest trees. During her search, she noticed that Everard's body was missing.
"Where is the wizard? What did you do to him? She asked.
"Don't worry, he is alive and in someplace safe. Trust me, you don't want him to be awake or anywhere near you. For some reason, if you want that, I can have it arranged within a moment," he said in a mockful tone.
"Come before me, or I am leaving!" Elvira touched her neck to get the diamond her uncle had given her, but it wasn't there anymore. She had it when Everard attacked her. Where could it have possibly gone? Did the person she was addressing steal it?
She began a thorough search for it on the ground. That person clearly couldn't be trusted, especially when he was reluctant to reveal himself to her.
"Alright," it spoke again, and she froze. "If it's this important for you to see me, I'll come forward. Just don't be alarmed by my looks."
It was both a thrill and a fear for Elvira to see the man who had saved her and seemed to know so much about her. However, what did he mean by alarmed?
She saw movement behind a tree in the direction she was already looking. It was shocking because she had looked there before. There was no way a full-grown warlock or man was standing there, and it had eluded her eyes. How could he be invisible?
The man came into sight slowly. His appearance was indeed shocking. Every inch of his tall body was covered in a brown cloak. A bandana covered his face, and his hands had gloves on them. However, what made him so strange were his eyes and the skin around them, which looked just like a reptile's!
Elvira took a few steps back. What kind of creature was she looking at? Last time she checked, the beasts that walked the earth didn't talk or have a human-like body.
"What are you?" she asked.
"What am I?" he began and cackled. Even his laughter was animal-like. "I am not sure anymore."
Elvira avoided making direct eye contact with him. "What do you mean?"
"I am a warlock, but my appearance says otherwise. The way I look right now is an example of what strong curses can do to you. I know you have one inside you as well," he replied.
She remembered her hideous, burnt look that terrified humans so much.
"Are you trying to say that my curse wouldn't kill me and would turn me into a humanoid monster instead?"
He cackled again. "I was cursed to turn into an actual beast, not a human one, but I somehow stopped its effects before it could turn me into an animal, both physically and mentally. However, the curse inside you, my friend, is meant to bring you a slow death."
"Who did this to you? And who did this to me?" Curiosity overtook Elvira's fear, and now she wanted to know everything.
Before the man could answer, someone touched Elvira's shoulder. She turned around and saw that it was Wivior.
"Who are you talking to? And what are you doing here?" he asked skeptically.
After turning around, she saw the person she was talking to had already left.
"Didn't you see someone in a brown cloak standing right there?" she asked, pointing at the spot with a finger.
"No. You shouldn't be out here all by yourself. It could be a spirit that you saw. It's not safe here. That's why I told you not to leave the castle," said Wivior.
Why Wivior didn't see the warlock when he came from behind was beyond her! She was talking to him before he touched her shoulder. What was he? And why did he save her from Everard?
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