"How much longer do we need to continue on this wild goose chase?" the young man muttered. He looked to be in his late teens or early twenties, arms crossed as he stared down the slope toward the distant town.
"Stop your complaining, brother," the young woman snapped. Her arms were also crossed, but the tension in her shoulders betrayed more than just irritation. "You know very well we can't return without him. Ugh. If only he hadn't met that fox girl."
Her brother scowled. "Are you absolutely sure he's the one we're looking for? He looked pretty pathetic to me."
"What do you know?" she said, turning to face him. "He's definitely the right one. I know you can feel it, that strange power coming from him. We need him if we're going to fulfill our plans."
He looked away, scowling. He had felt it. That pressure clinging to the man like a shadow. Unnatural. Unmistakable.
"Remember why we came here," she continued, her voice firm now. "Without him, the future of the Beastkin could vanish completely."
That shut him up. He looked away, jaw tight.
"Even if he is the one," he muttered, "he's in a human town now. What do you expect us to do, knock on the gate and ask for a meeting?"
Neither of them could afford to be seen inside a human settlement, not looking the way they did. They had been careful to avoid attention so far.
The young woman turned her gaze back to the town below. Her crimson eyes held a quiet intensity.
"We wait," she replied. "I'll speak with him again tonight."
She had already reached out to him three times now, slipping into his dreams with relative ease due to her own abilities. And each time, she had been surprised.
Peter had been nothing like she expected. The man in the dreams was clumsy, impulsive, and infuriatingly slow to grasp even the simplest ideas… but he had also surprised her. There was a softness under his confusion. A flicker of something honest. And despite everything she'd been told about humans, she hadn't felt afraid of him.
Cautious, yes. But not afraid. It even frustrated her.
She folded her arms tightly across her chest, as if trying to shield herself from her own thoughts.
"I don't like this," her brother said. "He's human. You shouldn't trust him."
The breeze stirred the grass between them as silence settled in again. The shadows of the hills stretched long in the afternoon sun.
"I don't," she finally said flatly. "But I'll figure him out. If he really is the one we need, we don't have a choice."
Her brother didn't argue. But the doubt in his expression lingered.
She turned back to the horizon. The town sat nestled between the hills, the gate just barely visible from where they watched. Somewhere inside, the human with the void in his blood was still unaware of how much depended on him.
She wasn't sure what would happen next. But she would be ready.
"Tonight will tell me more," she murmured, barely audible over the wind.
Then they turned away from the town and vanished into the trees.
___________________________________________
Peter blinked.
The soft haze of sleep still clung to his mind, but he knew this wasn't just a dream. The air here felt too still, too aware. He recognized this place, this strange world his dreams kept returning to.
The sky was a shifting tapestry of colors that didn't exist in the waking world. Deep purples bleeding into silver, drifting like smoke across a starless void. In front of him stood a massive black throne carved from obsidian-like stone. Its presence was impossible to ignore.
And there she was, exactly where he expected her to be.
Allein sat on the throne like she belonged there, elegant and poised, her crimson eyes already fixed on him. She wasn't surprised to see him. If anything, she looked mildly amused.
"You again," Peter said, giving her a lazy wave. "Thanks for disturbing my dreams. Really appreciate it."
Allein's lips curled slightly. "Is it so unpleasant to see me?"
"Depends," he said, crossing his arms. "Are you here to actually say something useful this time, or just pose dramatically and insult me?"
Her expression tightened, but only for a moment. "You do enjoy provoking me."
Peter shrugged. "Well, you keep barging into my subconscious uninvited. A guy's gotta cope somehow."
Allein rose slowly from the throne and approached, each step deliberate. "Maybe I keep coming because I think you're worth speaking to."
"That's one theory," Peter said. "Another is that you're just really bored."
She ignored that. "You're adjusting to your power faster than I expected."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Is that what this is about? The black flames?"
"You've felt it, haven't you?" she said. "The shift in your body. The changes."
"I've felt something," he admitted. "Though I still don't know what any of it means. Or why I'm the only one who seems to see that weird mist."
Her expression flickered for the briefest moment. She knew something, he could tell, but she wasn't going to give it away easily.
"You'll understand in time," she said. "For now, I wanted to see for myself how much you've changed."
"Changed?" Peter snorted. "I'm still me. Just more tired. And more confused."
"Still hiding behind sarcasm," she muttered, more to herself than to him.
Peter's eyes narrowed. "Look, I've been thrown into a world I don't understand, nearly eaten by monsters, and now I've got some strange fire magic that no one can explain. You'll have to forgive me if I'm not all sunshine and gratitude."
Allein paused, as if weighing how much to say.
"There's more at stake than you realize," she said finally. "You're not just a wanderer who happened to stumble across some forgotten power. You're important."
Peter gave her a skeptical look. "Important how? Am I the chosen one? The legendary hero? Do I have to slay a Demon King and collect the seven magic whatsits?"
"Demon King?" Allein blinked. "Tch, what do you know?"
Peter tried not to laugh. "Never mind. It's a joke from back home. Forget it."
She stared at him like he was a puzzle with pieces missing. "Your world must be a strange place."
"It really is," Peter said, smiling despite himself.
They fell into silence. The dreamscape shimmered slightly, the air around them rippling as if reacting to their mood.
Allein turned away, arms loosely folded behind her back. "We'll meet again soon. Face to face."
Peter tilted his head. "You say that like I should be worried."
"Maybe you should be," she said, half-teasing. "Or maybe you should be ready."
"For what?"
But the question never reached her.
The dream began to pull away, colors unraveling like smoke in the wind. Allein faded into that shifting void, her voice the last thing he heard before waking.
"Don't run from what you are, Peter. You can't outrun fate."
__________________________________________
Peter stirred at the sound of a knock. It was soft, almost hesitant, but enough to pull him from the edge of sleep. The room was dark, save for a sliver of light coming in under the door.
"Peter?" Reia's voice was quiet.
He blinked and sat up slowly, still groggy. "Yeah... come in."
The door creaked open and Reia stepped inside, closing it gently behind her. She didn't look quite as sharp as usual, her hair was slightly disheveled and her expression more thoughtful than guarded. She walked over and stopped beside the bed, glancing at him like she wasn't sure where to begin.
"I know it's late," she said. "Sorry to wake you. I just... there's something I've been wanting to ask. And I didn't want to wait anymore."
Peter rubbed his eyes and gave her a tired but amused look. "Well, you've already got me up. Go ahead."
She hesitated, then sat at the edge of the bed. "Back in the forest, when that strange light appeared... I've never seen anything like it. And you, the way you arrived... I knew there was something different about you."
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. I figured this was coming."
"I've waited until now because I didn't think it was fair to press you when we were still in danger. But now that we're here, safe... I want to know. What are you?"
Peter looked at her for a long moment. He'd known this was coming. He'd been preparing for it in the back of his mind since the first time she'd looked at him like she was searching for answers.
"I'm not from this world," he said softly.
Reia didn't speak. She just stared.
"I come from a place called Earth. It's not part of any kingdom or continent you've heard of. It's... a completely different world. No magic. No monsters. Just people and technology."
She continued to watch him, her face unreadable.
"We have cities, machines, electricity. Things that let us live comfortably. But it's not all perfect. There's violence, corruption, fear. Just different kinds."
Reia finally spoke. "You're not joking."
He shook his head. "I wouldn't even know how to make this up."
She folded her hands in her lap. "When I first saw you, I felt something. A presence I couldn't explain. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now... it makes more sense."
Peter smiled faintly. "So... you believe me?"
"I don't understand it. But I believe you."
A long pause followed. Reia looked down, thoughtful. Then she asked, "Why don't you hate me?"
Peter blinked. "What?"
"I'm not human. Most humans would treat someone like me with suspicion. Or worse. But you've never acted that way."
Peter leaned back slightly, letting out a slow breath. "Where I come from, people judge each other over the color of their skin. Their beliefs. Where they're born. And yeah, it sucks. But I was raised to be better than that. Or at least try to be."
She looked at him quietly for a few seconds, then said, "I don't usually trust humans."
"Yeah, I picked up on that."
"But I want to trust you," she added, softer this time.
He nodded. "Then let's start from there."
There was a moment of quiet between them, the tension fading slightly.
Peter sat up straighter. "Reia... I've been thinking. I know I'm asking a lot, and I don't have much to offer, but... maybe we could work together."
She tilted her head. "Work together?"
"I mean... team up. I don't know anything about this world. You've already saved my life, and I clearly need help figuring out how to survive here. I want to find a way home if I can, but until then, maybe we can help each other."
Reia sat quietly for a moment, weighing his words.
"I've never worked with anyone before," she admitted. "And certainly not a human. Are you sure about this?"
"I've never been more sure of anything since I got here. You're the only one who's helped me. Honestly, I'd be lost without you."
She hesitated, then slowly extended her hand.
"Alright. We'll try this... partnership."
Peter grinned and shook her hand. "Deal."
Her fingers lingered for a second before she let go.
"You know," he said, "I think we'll make a pretty good team."
Reia gave him a rare smile. "I hope you're right and that you don't regret this."
"You don't have to worry about that. I couldn't care less what anyone thinks of me," Peter said, then hesitated. "By the way, Reia... why are Beastkin hated so much by Humans in your world?"
She turned her back to him, pausing before answering. He could sense the weight of what she was about to say.
"It's a very old story," she began. "Humans from the Empire claim that the downfall of their civilization was caused by us. A long time ago, the Great Black Dragon King led the Beastkin in a massive war against Humanity. Neither side won. Both were devastated."
She let the words hang in the air.
"The Empire tells its people that we're monsters, not even truly alive. Something to be purged or controlled. They started a crusade, killing and enslaving us, while the Dragonkin and the old tribes fought back to survive. That war was thousands of years ago. But the hatred still lingers. Most of us just want to live peacefully. But there are still many Humans who see us as less than them."
Peter nodded slowly, letting her words settle in. "That's awful. Sounds like a cycle that just kept going."
He paused. "What happened to the Dragonkin?"
Reia turned her head slightly. "The stories say they died out. No one's seen one in generations. They were the only tribe strong enough to unite all the Beastkin under one banner."
"Really," Peter murmured. Allein's face flashed through his mind, but he kept it to himself. He still wasn't sure if she was real or what she even was.
"So the stories say. Or at least that's what my father told me. No one really knows if any of it is true."
Reia finally turned back to face him. There was no sadness in her expression, only a hard-earned resolve.
"What about you?" Peter asked. "Your tribe? I haven't seen any other Beastkin in the town, but you seem to move freely."
"That's thanks to the former king of this land," she said. "Years ago, when my people were exiled from the Plains of Sorrow, they wandered in search of a new home. One day, they found a Human caravan under attack. My father ordered our warriors to intervene. They saved those people, even though many didn't understand why. One of them turned out to be a prince who would later become king of this kingdom."
She gave a faint smile.
"In return, we were granted a place in the forest and asked to keep its monsters in check. I was later allowed to join the Adventurer's Guild. The king even outlawed Beastkin slavery in his lands. Some lords still break that law in secret, but out in the open, we're safe."
Peter raised a brow. "That's pretty generous for a king."
"He was different. But he died recently, and his son is nothing like him. I don't know how long our safety will last."
Peter's heart ached at her words. He didn't say it aloud, but it felt all too familiar. Discrimination. Cruelty. The fear of being used and discarded.
They talked for hours after that, sharing stories of Reia's home, and Earth. For the first time since arriving, Peter found himself smiling freely. He told her about airplanes and the internet, microwave dinners, and cartoons. She listened with a quiet fascination that made him feel, if only for a moment, like his memories still mattered.
She spoke of magic, the different regions of the continent, the noble houses, the monsters that lurked beyond the roads. It was overwhelming, but it felt good. He was learning. Connecting. Living.
Somewhere in the middle of it, the truth began to really sink in.
He wasn't going home anytime soon.
His mind wandered. His daughter's face rose to the surface. It came without warning, sharp and sudden. The way she laughed. Her tiny hands. The sound of her calling him "Daddy" with that wide, excited grin.
Would she grow up thinking he abandoned her? Would she forget his voice?
Peter looked down and clenched his fists, jaw tight. He didn't want Reia to see the pain written across his face.
But she noticed anyway.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice low.
He shook his head. "Just... give me a minute."
She didn't press. She just waited, patient and still.
His thoughts spiraled. Back to Earth. To the divorce. To how helpless he'd felt in the courts. To the cold war between him and his ex. He'd always believed that someday, somehow, he'd fix things. That he'd find a way to be there for his daughter again.
But that hope had vanished with a flash of light and a forest full of monsters.
After a while, the storm in his chest calmed enough for him to speak again.
"You know," he said quietly, "I took a lot for granted. I thought no matter how bad things got, I'd have time to fix them. But now? I don't even know if I'll see her again."
Reia didn't respond right away. When she did, her voice was gentle.
"I can't imagine what that's like. But I think she'd want you to keep going. You're still here. You're still alive."
Peter nodded, grateful for her words.
Eventually, the heaviness between them lifted. Not completely, but enough.
"I was lucky to meet you, Reia," he said. "I don't think I'd still be here if I hadn't."
She blinked, a little taken aback, then looked away.
"You're not so bad yourself," she muttered. "For a Human."
He smiled.
Reia stood after a while and moved toward the door.
"You should rest," she said. "We've got a long day ahead tomorrow."
Peter nodded, watching her go. But just before she stepped out, she turned around, her expression unreadable.
"Peter... why don't you hate me?"
He looked at her, caught off guard by the question. "What?"
"I'm not Human," she said quietly. "I've seen the way others look at me. Like I'm something less. Why don't you?"
Peter thought about it for a moment, then gave her a tired smile.
"Because where I come from, people do the same thing to each other over the smallest differences. Race, culture, religion, politics. I've seen people hate each other just for existing. I always hated that. So no, I don't care if you've got ears or a tail. You're a person. That's all that matters."
Reia stared at him for a long moment. Then, without saying another word, she stepped outside and quietly shut the door behind her.
Peter lay back on the mattress, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.
He still didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but at least he had found a quiet moment of peace.