There was a dripping sound of water, one after another, with echoes making it indistinguishable where it came from.
The dark cave was a little cold and moist, with a smooth floor.
"This isn't a dream, little girl," the boy spoke with his face close to Violet's face. His scarlet eyes shone brightly like rubies.
Violet's eyes were open wide, glaring back into his eyes. The boy didn't blink, like he was looking into her mind.
"Can you read my mind?" Violet spoke.
"If he could, he wouldn't be here..." the bird spoke, and Violet ignored it. She was convinced that it wasn't real.
"I can't, but I can read your face," the boy spoke. He then straightened his back and clicked his tongue.
"You are not even good as food." The boy slowly walked away and then lay on the bed of leaves and flowers.
Looking at Violet, her face flushed with excitement.
"Are you a princess?" Violet's imagination for a princess was exactly like this—beautiful and sleeping on a flower bed.
The bird broke into laughter and flapped its wings like someone slapping their thighs.
"Who are you calling a princess! I am d—" He stood up in lightning and cried out,
"LORD LUCIEL!" the bird yelled out, and silence swallowed that little chaos.
The boy, Luciel, clicked his tongue, turned his back against Violet, and closed his eyes.
Suddenly the mood grew tense, and Violet understood the air. She slowly walked to the corner and sat there silently, with her head resting on her hands.
"You still haven't told us your name, little girl," this time the bird said.
"My name?" Violet questioned the bird. Her face was as blank as the color of water. Then suddenly she grabbed her head.
"What—what's my name?
Who am I? Where am I? What happened? I—I remember falling... but—but—" Violet spoke incoherently while shaking her head uncontrollably, like something would come off and her memory would start pouring back into her head.
"Calm down." The bird slowly flew close to her and sat on her head. It covered her face as gentle scarves.
"It's okay if you don't remember anything. It's okay..." the bird spoke. His voice became apparent as that of a grown man.
She didn't cry. She didn't even remember any reason to. It was just pure panic and anxiety. The bird flew from her head and then landed in front of her.
Now his appearance was clear. He was a raven with white feathers as clear as snow, with red markings on his body.
He slowly trod to her and then raised his wing. "Sometimes memories cocoon themselves to protect one from pain and guilt enough to kill the strongest.
If you don't remember your name, then maybe it's not the time for you to remember it.
For now, the Goddess of Two Worlds has given you a chance to change—to start anew!
And bless your luck, you have found yourself in front of the great devourer of bugs—Lord Luciel!"
The raven announced in a loud voice, and Luciel yelled at him angrily.
"That's not my name! If you say it again, I'll cook you!" Luciel yelled out.
Then suddenly Violet broke into a gentle chuckle. She laughed, holding her stomach, and slowly that chuckle turned into laughter. She covered her mouth, with small drops of tears coming from her eyes.
---
Luciel's PoV
She slowly burst into laughter—the strange girl who somehow drifted to this cave through the Nyx River, the same river that is said to carry the dead through worlds.
The River Nyx was feared and scorned, that even the famished avoided it. Thus, Nyx descended herself deep within the realms, flowing only underground. Never, in the strangest of legends, have I heard of any being traveling through it.
When I first saw her, I never thought anyone like her could survive in this world.
Then Luciel remembered the moment he rescued her out of the fast currents.
I was bathing in the river. For me, this river wasn't cursed. When they called it cursed, I felt it was meant for me.
After hunting, I was covered in dust and mud. I don't like being dirty; it taints my status and self-respect.
I took a deep dive into the river. The cold water felt gentle and better than the cold stares in the high halls.
I opened my eyes, and in the darkness, I saw something shining.
I swam close to the light, and there I saw a girl with bright silver hair in rags. I grabbed her and took her to the surface.
I laid her on the cave floor, and she lay there lifeless.
I put my hands on her chest and used a spell.
(CRIMSON GRACE)
My blood bled out of my palm, then my blood bloomed on her body. The thorns pierced her skin and started absorbing the water.
Crimson Grace was a low-level spell that could eject any foreign things out of the body.
The petals slowly grew with the water. Then suddenly, black taint appeared on the petals, and then my blooms slowly withered, and my spell was broken.
She was out of danger and might not die because of drowning, but there was something else.
My spell would've healed any minor impurity, but she was suffering from something worse.
She lay there and slowly started breathing thanks to the bloom. Then I looked at her.
Her body was like a porcelain doll, with silver-white hair like rays of moonlight weaved into silk. Then she slowly opened her eyes—those eyes similar to amethysts shone brightly even in the darkness of the cave.
I took a deep breath and stood still. Every part of her felt like heaven had torn a piece, but those rags told a different story. Maybe she was like me, maybe not. For now, my wilted blossom tells that getting involved with her only increases problems for me.
Returning to the present...
I lay there ignoring everything, thinking of every possible reason for those black petals.
Then I ended up with one conclusion: it was a curse.
She has a curse that affects body and soul at the same time. It seems like it is a little weak, but it's there and will affect her.
---
The raven and Violet talked about things here and there. The raven slowly flew up.
"Well then, since you don't remember your name, let's give you a new name instead!" The raven landed in the arms of Luciel.
"What do you think, M'lord? Any suggestions?"
"Isn't 'little girl' enough?" Luciel spoke nonchalantly.
"Come on! This is a grand moment! You don't get to give a name to someone every day!" The raven pecked Luciel's head, and Luciel tried to grab him, but he flew away.
"One day I'll cook you like chicken!" Luciel's veins swelled on his forehead.
"Good luck finding another speaking chicken then!" the raven spoke.
Violet again broke into a giggle. She was happy at the moment.
Luciel had pity for her, but then again, he didn't have any room to carry sympathy for anyone.
"I must walk alone." That's what he told himself every day.
Violet slowly lowered her head while losing herself in unnamed misery.
"It's okay, I don't mind—" Violet had a fake smile, but then Luciel clicked his tongue again.
"Princess," Luciel whispered, but the raven heard it.
"Princess! Lord Luciel bestows the name 'Princess' upon this stranded girl! Oh, I wonder what made you do it? Why give her a name that is already yours to claim?"
The raven cried out, and Luciel then suddenly started chanting his most powerful spell. "This is it! I've had enough of you!"
Soon the chaos was brought to silence in the cave again, with Violet laughing and Luciel chasing after the raven.
"Princess? Me, a princess? What is this? I don't think I deserve such a title, but if he is the one who saved me, I can't reject it... It's a little tacky, but once I remember my name, I'll tell him." Violet smiled.
---
Far away in the capital of Isvalar, the news of the death of another royal child was spreading fast.
David returned to the village to see his savior and friend again, but before he could reach the village, a foul stench made him hurl.
"What is this? What happened? What is this cold stench?" David entered the village in desperation. He looked around and found no one. There were flies and dogs entering homes, carrying out flesh and bones.
David trembled at the sight and rushed inside, one by one, into every cottage he loomed inside.
The only thing he found inside was either bones or rotting flesh. The color drained from his face, and it turned into pure horror.
He ran towards the home of his friend, only to find it unlocked, with tracks of a sleigh.
"Garrett! Garrett!" he yelled, but no one answered. Then he saw a figure coming out of the forest...
His face immediately turned into a shade of purple.
"You!"