Star By Star

eight

I slowly open my eyes and find myself surrounded by a tall gloomy trees.
I see an old building afar.

Am I dreaming or am I actually in a forest?

I feel weak as if my whole energy was drained out. The core of my bones are very sore and my head feels fuzzy, sending me flashbacks almost as if I had scarlet fever when I was young.

Damian comes to mind ,I decide to call him and to my surprise I see him already running towards me away from the building full of fire and...
a shining blue orb follows him quickly keeping up at his pace.

I squint my eyes trying to figure out what that could be when suddenly I remember the Eclux, Elisora, Damian and the missing girl, this building and...the glowing red eyes.

My eyes grow wide at the sudden revelations clicking in and out of my mind.

" I... need ...to get back" I try to stand but feel sudden weakness taking over tumbling me back to the floor.

"Hey you feel all right?" Damian comes running quickly to me and checks my forehead shifting his gaze at me worriedly.

I nod smiling feeling a sudden fever rush.

"I just feel weak. Very weak..." I close my eyes and rest my head on his shoulder not realizing one bit that we were both very touchy.

My mind was filled with chaos and vertigo.

I feel his strong hands wrap my arms around his neck behind his back and starts walking in a piggy back ride.

I slowly raise my head to see I have been lifted of the ground.

"I ..can walk..on my own.." I weakly try to get off but he fixes me up on his back not letting me go.

"What happened there?" I ask him trying to collect pieces of my memory admist what feels like a crude hangover.

Damian looks around and softly replies "It's going to be dark soon. Let's get you to a safe place ...then I'll explain."

He walks for almost an hour until we reach a Pavillon from a quick restaurant.

He places me on a chair and runs back to the restaurant for drinks

I fix myself in the sofa and lay my head back with my eyes closed trying to calm my nerves down. For some reason my body has been shaking.

"Here" Damian gives me water and small cheesecake plate.

I frown patting on the seat next to me for him to sit showing how I'm not willing to let him past me without a proper explanation.

"I'm fine now tell me what happened. Was that a demonic spirit or some Elisorian thing?"

"Take it slow and easy .." Damian starts patting my back but quickly takes it back noticing my frowns and grumbles.

He sighs.

"That is a beast from Elisora that eats Elisorian people and creatures. He saw that you were Elisorian and drained most of your ...Qi energy.." He pauses.

I cock my head to the side.
Seeing how I confused I am he proceeds to explaining.

"Qi embraces all manifestations of energy, from the most material aspects of energy such as the earth, flesh and blood, to the most immaterial aspects like movement, heat, nerve impulses, thoughts and emotions.
The thing you saw with red glowing eyes likes to feed himself off Elisorian souls and takes their Qi gaining more power and becomes bigger and powerful. He is nothing good." He sips tea and clucks his tongue.
.
I gasp.