Reborn As An Evolving Monster

406  Laylah

About fifteen minutes later,

"Tricky."

"I know."

Mark scratched his head.

'After getting about... Eight hundred meters off the ground? Tough to tell in the dark. But it seemed like the distance separating us from the darkness had stopped increasing. It felt like I was flying upwards, but I actually... No, I was flying upwards, but I wasn't moving upwards. Incredibly disorienting... And interesting. Going as fast as I could didn't change anything either. Still, if there's a manipulation of space going on... But how would that be possible? Tsk... That Undead Lich did use Spatial Magic to teleport. This one... Did too? I'm not sure. In any case, since Spatial Magic exists then something like Space Manipulation can't be ruled out. Still, if fast enough, one should be able to break through. I'm just... Incapable of going that fast. Then what-'

"I lied to you." She said, seated with her back towards him. "Before."

"I know. We talked about it."

"No, there's... Something else."

"Listening."

"You... Aren't trapped by the Barrier. I'm the one it keeps inside. No matter where I go, I'll remain here. And if you're with me, finding the Barrier will be impossible."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Because you can feel it?"

"Yes."

Mark couldn't help but look away as he scratched his neck.

He had kept entertaining the thought and possibility that the difficulty to leave was her doing but now... Trusting another's words and intentions isn't easy in a World of Monsters.

"You don't seem surprised... Or mad."

"The thought did cross my mind."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But it doesn't change anything. Earlier those... Things made my knee hit the ground. I need you to get out of here."

"No, you don't." She said as she turned around.

Mark let out a heavy sigh before taking a seat on the cabin's elevated floor. He sat away from her, but not too far.

"And you will."

"I will."

"So why didn't you?" She asked before looking away.

"Because I came here... I ran away... Because I needed time to think."

"What's there to think about?"

"I ran away from them... And now, I need to..."

She chuckled.

"Now that the opportunity to leave is there you don't mind talking?"

"Yeah." He chuckled too. "I guess that's part of it."

"No one... Ever crossed that Barrier. It's just me and... Them. Even they don't want to keep me company."

"So?"

"So your secrets are safe with me, I suppose."

"It's not about secrets."

"You seemed to want to keep it secret earlier though."

"Yeah, that's true..."

"Stay with me." She said suddenly. "At least for a bit."

"I can't."

"You can't... Or you won't?"

"I won't. Some... Someone is waiting for me. Just outside the Barrier."

"Then what are you waiting for? If I had someone waiting for me, I'd be running."

Mark scratched his cheek.

"Don't tell me you feel bad about leaving me here?"

"I don't. As I said, I need time to think."

"Mm..." She lay on her back while keeping her feet on the ground. "Would've been nice if you felt a bit bad about it."

"I guess I do. If... They were still together, I might have stayed. At least for a bit."

"You don't have to do that."

"Do what?"

"You're leaving. It's fine." She stared at the ceiling. "I've never had a visitor but... I'm sure that I'll forget about you soon. Just like I forgot about digging that hole. Do you know what it's like living the same day over and over again?"

"I do."

"So it's something that happens on the outside too? Guess I won't feel as bad now."

"The days turn into a blur. What was yesterday? What was the day before? What about a week before? A Month? It's all the same."

"And I forget. Because otherwise..." She sighed. "Well, you know what it's like."

"Yeah."

"Well," She swung her arms to sit upright. "I won't keep you. Let's get going."

"I can't. Not yet."

"You have someone waiting for you."

"It's not so simple."

"Sounds like it is to me." "You don't know enough to-"

"They're waiting for you. So you go to them. That's all there is to it."

Mark sighed.

"I'm not ready to-"

"Then get ready on the way." She interrupted. "Let's go."

"Don't talk to me like that."

"Why not? You're leaving this place while I'm still stuck here. You spent way less time here... Yet you get to leave first." Her words made Mark's eyebrow twitch. "It's unfair, don't you think?"

Mark raised his gaze towards the dark sky as he let out a heavy sigh.

"It is."

"So I think I have the right to be upset. And the right to not mince my words."

"Ha." Mark chuckled as he stood up. "Yeah, you do." She stared as he started walking. "I know what that's like too." He added without turning around.

The two walked away from the wooden cabin.

Eventually, it appeared in front of them, in the distance.

"There it is. Now you turn around and ago. Run as fast as you can. They won't approach as long as you're not too far from me, so you have a headstart on them. I'll keep looking at my home. If I turn around, you won't be able to find the Barrier. I'll hold on for as long as I can, but I will turn around at one point. Make sure you've exited this place by then, okay?"

"You got here before me... But I'm still leaving first."

"No use rubbing it in."

"I'm not."

"This is my Curse. Mine to bear."

"If you could pass it on, would you? If it would free you?"

"I... Don't know."

"I had... Something like a Curse of my own in the past."

"You got rid of it?"

"Then what's your point?"

"I would have passed it on in a heartbeat. To anyone. I know that I would have."

"It's not like I have the choice of passing it on now. Hypotheticals don't mean anything."

"Yeah..." Mark rubbed his eye. "I would usually agree."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Turn around."

"Huh? The whole point is me not-"

"Just turn around. We can always cross again."

"You're making this more difficult than it needs to be..."

He walked to position himself in front of her.

"My Name is Mark." The white-scaled Monster extended its right hand.

She took it.

"Nice to meet you, Mark. Now, go."

He took a seat on the ground.

"Not yet."

She puffed her cheeks out.

Staying here was hard. It hurt, being alone. Finding someone only made that pain clearer. For a short while, a break from the pain of loneliness.

Soon, that pain would be back. Soon, she would be alone.

None knew of her. None had ever seen her until now. She didn't exist. Only he knew of her. Only he knew of her.

"Lay..." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Lay?"

What's the use? He's leaving. People waiting for him. He isn't alone. Still...

If only he is to know of her, if no one else is to step foot in this place, then she at least...

"Laylah." She extended a hand. "My Name is Laylah."

She wanted to be his secret.