Selina

10

I am floating in the darkness, a demonic laughter ringing in the background. I see a person in a hood, staring at me from far, face hidden yet blood dripping from what I assume is the mouth.

I feel disgusted, nauseous even. It raises its hands to reveal its face but before I can see it, I am pulled down below. This time I lie under the stars, a soft breeze gently caressing me, making me feel relaxed. I almost close my eyes when I hear my name. Someone keeps calling me but I can't see the person.

'Selina, please wake up. Selina!' The person desperately calls out but sleep tempts me. How long has it been since I have slept peacefully like a child? How long has it been since I have not had to worry about trivial matters or lost friends or Giants coming to kill me? This place feels good, this place feels like home.

'No Selina, you can't sleep here. Please fight the demon that sings you to sleep.' A girl says and the word demon catches me off guard. How can a demon sing me to sleep? Aren't demons ugly with rough loud voices?

I try to lose myself in the feeling again, the feeling of tranquility and wholeness but the moment is gone. My mind is on autopilot after hearing the word and now I find myself restless, bracing myself for the attack but it never comes in the way you expect it isn't it?

A small boy steps out from behind a tree, a flute in his hand, his eyes weeping tears of blood, his hands like skeleton. As he moves closer to me I realise that he is not a little boy but a full-grown man.

He places the flute near the lips and before I can hear his music, I feel something wet being poured on me. I scream from being drenched and wake up with a start. When I open my eyes, I find myself in a strange bed. The lights above are dim, and the place smells like homemade food but to my surprise I am completely dry.

My old clothes have been replaced with a dark tunic and my back doesn't ache. Even my shoulder seems completely healed. Where am I and how long have I been here?

'Finally, you are awake.' A voice says, a voice I didn't expect to hear so soon.

I get up from the bed and step out of the room, to land in a dim hall with candles lit near the window. On one side lie some things I don't recognise and on the other stands the person I met so briefly last time, the person who owes me some answers.

Before I can utter a word, Maya asks me to put all my judgments aside and thank the person for taking care of me for three whole days.

With the kind of injuries I had received it's hard to believe that I am better so soon, but it is how it is. I am cured, every part of my body is like new now.

'Stop staring at me and have this soup. It's not as good as your mother's but it will energise you.'

'Aunt Yursulana?' I say my voice trembling like I am speaking after ages, not three days.

'Yes Selina, now stop acting so surprised. It is indeed me.' She says, rubbing her forehead in irritation. How did she find me? What is she doing here in Tooth village? I mean her practice is very apt for this place but how did she come here without creating suspicion?

'I- what are you doing here in Tooth village?' I ask sitting on the chair next to a table, that I suppose is meant for dining but is currently filled with all sorts of plants, vessels, and items I don't recognise, and taking the bowl of soup from my aunt's hands.

'You spend treating someone for three days, repairing their broken bones, cleaning their mess and all they ask you is 'what are you doing' instead of thanking you.' She mutters, glaring at me and I feel like an ungrateful child being scolded for misbehaving.

'Thank you, aunty! Thank you for taking care of me.' I say hurriedly, slightly apologetic for forgetting to say the words earlier.

'Hmm, you are welcome and the question is what are you doing in Tooth village not what am I doing here? I am a witch, I need to come here to collect necessary ingredients for my spells but what brought you here is what you need to tell me before I send you back home to your extremely infuriated mother.' She says with her arms crossed and I cower in the seat.

'You killed another Giant, I am surprised how you did it without training but you need to beware. Running around aimlessly has helped you against the weaker foolish Giants but it will kill you in a real battle.' She continues before I can say anything leaving me shocked.

How does she know that I have killed two Giants? I am starting to realise that my Aunt really has some powers like she keeps saying. She is not all bluff, curing me in three days, knowing my whereabouts, she is definitely aware of more things than she lets on.

'It wasn't my aim to kill them.' I say, my voice heavy with emotions, guilt clawing my heart.

'Well, what is done is done and it's better to kill than get killed so don't be so remorseful now.' My aunt says before adding some more soup to my bowl.

'Eat everything quickly then I will help you escape. You can't be seen here. You already made a grave mistake by going with that boy, now just stay with me.' She says and I am not a bit surprised that she knows.

'Can you please tell me one thing?' I ask once I finish the soup and hand the bowl back to my aunt.

My aunt slowly nods her head, her attention completely focused on me, the bowl shrinking in front of my eyes till it completely disappears, reminding me of the weird lamp from the van.

'Why are my friends not trusting me suddenly?' I ask and this time she is surprised. Out of all the questions, I could have asked her, this one has been the one troubling me the most. I once read that you need people who always have your back to succeed and if the people I have known for so long have turned their backs on me, how will I ever find friends who will fight the Giants with me in such a short time?

The fact that I have encountered two giants in such a short span of time means more are on the way. I can't fight all on my own. I need help.

'Everyone has a different destiny, Selina. Not everyone realises it as fast as you have. You are built differently, you are practical not all your friends are. Besides who says you will need them in your first battle? Now common let's go.' She says ushering me out. Her words are similar to Maya's and for the first time, I understand the hint they have been giving me all along.

I am probably going to be facing the Giant army alone and if I succeed, everyone will live but if I die without completing my task, everyone will be gone.

A shiver runs through my spine. How is all this happening? Where did magic appear from again? Where did the Giants arrive from again?

'Magic was never gone just muted to keep Earth safe from you devil humans. Now after the Great Climatic Revenge, the cycle has started again. Every monster that was defeated thousands of years back is awakening slowly and an enemy is trying to return. The Giants are just the first step and as long as you train properly, you will be victorious.' Maya says quietly, her voice giving me goosebumps.

As I walk into the night with my aunt, for the first time I actually notice that she is not walking, she is floating through the air, just a few centimeters above the ground, invisible to an unobservant eye but somehow my eyes have opened today and my eyesight has improved thanks to her healing, so much so that to my horror, even though she is wearing a long tunic, I see that my aunt doesn't have feet.