Harm and Harmony

-Chapter 11-

Day: 1

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Corinna was airborne for only a moment before a hand reached out and grabbed her, pulling her down. Crouching low, the monster rooted its other paw into the sand, using its talons to keep them both grounded. Extending her arm outwards, Corinna reached out to the spear and grabbed hold of it. The chimaera pulled Corinna closer, and the young woman collapsed onto the ground in the safety of the monster's embrace. It clung to her with one arm wrapped around her waist, avoiding the spear still lodged in her back.

She looked up at the chimaera and shouted, "we need to get out of here!" hoping it could hear her over the howling wind.

The monster gazed down at her with those toxic green eyes. Its grip on her tightened as it stood up on one quivering leg but immediately collapsed back down under the pressure of the sandstorm. Lowering its head, the monster grunted from the sudden sand flurry.

Corinna clutched onto the chimaera's shoulder with one hand and used the other to hold onto the spear, acting as a walking stick. The monster retrieved a compass attached to its belt and pointed east, guiding Corinna to where she hoped was shelter. Copying the pack of imps from before, Corinna and the monster worked together. They held onto each other tightly and used the spear to fight against the wind.

Whenever Corinna was pushed back by the wind, the monster would tighten its grip around her. Whenever the monster flinched from the pain of its injured leg or its feet slipped on the sand, Corinna spoke words of reassurance and encouragement.

The wind eventually died down into stillness. Regardless, Corinna and the monster continued to support each other as neither could walk independently due to the injuries that they had received.

Darkness spread, suffocating the light into submission. Corinna could only see the vague outline of the chimaera's silhouette, despite being so close to it.

The chimaera slowed as it untied the metal lantern from its belt. Inside was the green wisp, emitting a bright and burning light that illuminated their surroundings in an emerald luminescence, casting darker shadows of their bodies on the white sand.

Corinna lowered her head and saw blotches of blood on her white dress. Trickles of red dripped down her waist where the monster tightly held on with its talons, digging into her skin. Only now, from seeing the wound, did she feel the sting and the warmth of blood.

In the distance, she saw a familiar location- the tall rock spire on the coast of the sea. Having been eroded over time by the waves, it had become a thin and narrow tower of rocks, reaching high towards the black sky, waiting for it to open and bring the light.

The realisation eventually dawned on Corinna of what she had just done. She had saved the monster that had tried to kill her. Perhaps it was now guiding Corinna to her inevitable death. It could be coaxing her to somewhere she could not escape. Neither one of them could fight anymore and easily win with their injuries, so if it was still going to kill her, it would be when she was unguarded, someplace where she was trapped.

Why did I save the monster?

Corinna continued to question herself, wondering what the answer was. 

Because it was in pain? 

Because it could feel emotions? 

Because there was something human about it? 

Because... 

Because I don't want to be alone. 

I don't want to be alone in this world.

Why did I save the monster?

And why did the monster save me?

The chimaera led her up a low hill, and Corinna froze when she reached the top.

There, in this wasteland, in all of this darkness, was a house.

It was a wooden bungalow with windows and shutters, a roof and a chimney, and steps that led up to the porch entrance. 

What's a house doing here in the Eternal Abyss?

The chimaera couldn't have built it, could it?

The monster limped towards the house. Once it reached the front door, it turned around and raised the lantern up, the green light radiating across the chimaera's face, flickering and expanding and waning. 

Gazing at the young woman, the monster waited by the door.

Corinna looked down at the ground, then glanced back up at the monster, then behind her to the rock spire, where she had fallen into this world. 

The young woman stared back at the monster.

Stepping slightly forward, the chimaera raised its other hand out to Corinna and waited.

It waited for a moment before turning back to the door and unlocking it with a key. About to enter, the monster stopped when it heard footsteps and saw Corinna beside it.

She noticed its shaking hands, its deep and quick breath, its loud heartbeat. Corinna gazed into those green eyes, trying to find any sign of malice and malign. 

Finding none, Corinna placed her hand next to the chimaera's paw. 

Together, the young woman and the monster opened the door and stepped inside.