Spirit of the Forest
Chapter 11

Cyri walked a fast pace through the forest while making a mental note of the path he took. He was also following the path Ordello had taken. He had something to ask the White deer before he went back to Romelia. Soon enough, the blonde teen could see Ordello’s white fur, sticking out in the dark.

“Ordello!” he called out. “Wait up for a moment!”

The deer paused for a second to look back at him. “What do you want human?”

Cyri stopped for a few feet away from him, slightly out of breath. Cyri stood up straight but made sure not to look at him directly in the eyes. “Sir, I know I haven’t been here long-”

“A few months,” he grumbled angrily.

“-but I’d like to stay here,” he finished, ignoring Ordello’s comment.

The white deer looked at him before scoffing. “Why do you think I’d let you?”

His mouth felt dry. “Because it would be a good experience for Rome-”

Ordello’s head whipped around to fix Cyri in a dark glare, cutting off what the teen was about to say. Out of his mouth came an unnatural growl that sounded like a wolf. “Don’t,” he warned in a dark tone, “bring Romelia into this.”

Cyri nodded, gulping his sudden fear down. “I-I was just trying to say-”

“You don’t think I know what you are?” He took a step closer while looking Cyri in the eyes. The young teen stood, frozen in fear and could not get his brain to take a step back. Ordello continued to speak though. “I looked into your mind, human. I know all your secrets: All your darkest desires; your hopeless dreams; your deepest, darkest, most kept secrets. I know everything. I know how despicable you are, what you did, what you want to do.”

With each sentence, the deer took another step forward, bringing him all that closer to the pyrolyzed teen. “I’ve seen your heart, Cyri. And I’ve seen how black it is.”

By this time, Ordello was right in front of Cyri. The deer was only mere inches from his face. He huffed angrily in his face, tussling his golden hair.

Cyri had enough sense left in him to realize the state of danger he was in. Even if he tried to run, Ordello would certainly run him down within a few moments. So he did the only thing he could do. Cyri closed his eyes and waited for Ordello to end his life. I deserve it...

“However...”

Ordello’s new tone made him open his eyes. The deer’s face had softened to almost a sympathetic expression. He had also backed up a few steps to give him some space.

“I have also seen your past- and how painful it is,” he continued. “I’ve seen the good you’ve done, the lives you’ve saved, and I’ve seen how hard you tried tried to make up for all you’ve done. I have seen how the darkness is starting to recced, being replaced with light. Lately, it has seem to hasten.” With that, he turned around and started to walk away.

Cyri, now able to move, called out after him. “W-wait!” Ordello turned around to face him. “You never answered my question,” he said, “May I stay here, with your permission?”

Ordello tipped his head with a thoughtful expression. It was a few minutes before he spoke again. “I am not the one to answer that. You must know yourself before you know the answer to your question.”

He turned and walked away again. After a few steps, he turned his head back to him. “You should hurry back. These woods are not safe after dark.”

Then he left, leaving Cyri to wonder why the white deer had said that.