"A century?!" Astel shouted, leaning in closer.
Felix nodded, turning his head away while covering it with his wings.
'Yes, yes. No need to shout.'
Astel leaned away, enough to almost fall on his back.
"Are you sure?" Astel asked, the words drifting out of his mouth softly as he gazed at the sky.
'Do you take me for a liar?'
Astel sighed.
"It's not that, it's just a lot…"
Felix hopped onto his chest, taking care to land softly.
"Was it a person?" He paused. "The last one you had a conversation with, I mean."
'It was a complicated situation.'
Astel frowned.
"Was it a human?"
Felix slowly nodded.
'I think so.'
Astel stayed silent for a moment.
"You know, the collective subconscious… The Land Within was always just a theory."
'A theory?'
"Yes, a theory. Some really smart scientist came up with it as an explanation for the sudden apocalypse."
"…I think that was about 30 years ago," he added.
Felix climbed onto Astel's head, looking down into his eyes.
'Do tell more.'
Astel closed his eyes, thinking.
"We call them world inversions. It happens out of nowhere, without warning."
He shuddered.
"The whole world turns to glass in the blink of an eye. Things… people start disappearing."
He paused, taking a deep breath, tears forming in his eyes.
"…Things don't just disappear."
He sobbed, the tears now streaming down his face.
"We call them inversions because when something disappears, something else replaces it… Those things come out of nowhere… As if from thin air."
Felix stayed silent, listening to the boy's story, only answering after it seemed like Astel was done.
'So, these world inversions, they give and take?'
Astel nodded, wiping the tears from his face.
'And this really smart scientist person thinks it's because of the Land Within.'
Astel nodded again.
For a moment, only the weak passing of the wind could be heard. Silence wasn't anything new to Astel, but this time it seemed odd.
"Have you heard of it before?" His voice still unsteady.
There was a pause before Felix answered.
'I can't say that I have.'
Astel closed his eyes, looking at the ground.
"That's unfortunate."
The two stayed silent for the rest of the day, only making conversation when needed. Even after being here for a while, they still couldn't make fire. Not that they wanted to—Felix was afraid it would attract unnecessary attention.
Over the next few days, Astel continued taking walks around camp, trying his best to memorize the surrounding area. Felix, meanwhile, flew around high up in the air on the lookout for danger.
During one of Astel's walks, Felix suddenly called out to him.
'We might have to move camp tonight.'
Astel stopped in his tracks, lowering his body.
'Why, is there danger?'
'A Deer Bear claimed it. It's currently sleeping,' Felix said.
'Sorry, a what? A Deer Bear?'
Felix flew closer to Astel.
'Have you never seen one?'
Astel shook his head, straightening his body.
'It's a large brown-black bear with antlers.'
Astel sighed.
'Is that it? A bear?'
Although he said that, he still didn't wish to fight one. It wouldn't be the worst he had to fight, but before he had no choice and at least always had a weapon.
'Don't be fooled by its looks. It's one of the apex predators of these lands.'
Felix paused.
'But usually they sleep in the forests or below mountains. I wonder what brought it here.'
Astel was stumped.
'Why our camp of all places…'
Then he remembered the trail of blood he left behind when escaping the large tree. His body shivered.
'Yeah, we should probably move.'
His hands moved over his injuries, confirming they were closed.
'But where do we go? I still can't walk too well.'
Felix thought for a moment.
'There is a pond nearby, the surrounding area should be empty.'
Astel immediately shot back.
'A pond? You're telling me I've been dying of thirst all the while there was a pond right next to us?'
Felix landed on his shoulder, nodding his small head.
'There is, however, one problem.'
Astel turned his head, staring into his tiny red eyes.
"Well, out with it."
Seeing his impatience, Felix scratched his head.
'I'm afraid you won't like it.'
Astel frowned, his face looking as if it said, "Hurry up."
Felix took a deep breath, lowering his body.
'There is already a resident. A sort of lake guardian.'
Astel clenched his teeth with a loud screech.
His hand shot straight toward Felix, closing around his small, feathered figure.
Luckily, Felix prepared for it. He pushed off Astel's shoulder with all his strength, barely dodging his hand by his tail feathers.
"Are you trying to kill me? You know I can't fight like this."
Felix flapped his wings, staying just out of Astel's reach.
'Nothing quite like that, it's just that the pond is the best place to rest.'
Astel raised an eyebrow.
"Is this a joke?"
Felix laughed nervously.
'No such thing. The guardian might not be weak, but other places house greater dangers.'
Astel relaxed his face, wiping it with his hands.
"You mean like the Deer Bear?"
Felix paused.
'We were quite lucky. Not only did we escape the basilisk, we've just missed the bear and somehow had a place to rest for multiple days. This place isn't forgiving…'
Astel let out a deep breath.
"Lucky or not, we survived. How bad can this place be anyway? It's not like we were bothered since escaping that tree."
His body shivered, remembering his first day here.
'Do not disregard our luck. If you weren't half as fortunate, you wouldn't be alive. Even I'm surprised you still live. No offense, as you humans would say.'
"So you're telling me that either we kill the lake guardian or we die?"
Felix's eyes suddenly shone brightly.
'Yes. Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Unfortunately, even if you were healed, I doubt you would survive long.'
His expression dimmed, before lighting up again a moment later.
'Fret not, you have me! I will guide you and keep you safe,' he said with a smug look on his face.
Astel looked him up and down and chuckled.
"Yeah, right."
He gestured with his hand.
"Just lead the way already."