Lyla listened intently as Damian spoke. The whole thing seemed like a wild story from a book, and she couldn't help but wonder why they were telling her all this. It was certainly not how she had pictured this going
"You see, Lyla, if this being were to emerge, then it means that a war is about to break out soon in our world, and we need this being or else the peace we have managed to have will be shattered, and we might end up losing everything we know," Anson added
She looked between the two as they waited for her to say something
"That sounds unbelievable," she simply said
"Well, it's true."
"So, is that why you're back here? Is that person in my world? Is that your new mission to find this person?"
Damian appreciated how quickly she came to the conclusion and responded on their behalf, "Yes."
"Oh, well, that sounds hard. How will you even start? Do you have any clues?"
"There's someone we suspect."
"Really, so fast? Okay, who is it?"
She watched as the two looked at each other, noting the nod from Damian to his brother before they both looked back at her
"It's you, Lyla."
Anson watched her as she took in what he had said, and she gave no visible response, bringing back his nerves. The two watched her, and Lyla stared back at them before bursting out in laughter
She laughed and laughed, making Max neigh in amusement. This was the most bizarre thing she had ever heard.
It was one thing to be able to see their kind but to say she was their savior was just crazy and for a split second she wondered if anything they had ever told her was true who knows perhaps the Wendigo was just some lab test gone wrong and they were dispatched by the government to destroy it heaven knows how wild some scientists can be
When she had finally calmed down, she looked back at them
"I don't know if I should be offended that you think I would believe that, or I should applaud you on how believable you sound."
"It's the truth, Lyla, the keeper really thinks you are," Anson said voice almost pleading
"The keeper, and who is that?" she couldn't help the amusement in her voice
"She's a powerful being from our world, wise and smart, she knows everything about our realm and more."
"So this keeper is the one who sent you."
"Yes, you've met her. The woman from your dreams, the one with silver hair"
All amusement washed from her face, "How did you know about that?"
"She told us"
"Told you? How? Those were just dreams. What are you trying to say? That they are real, and I actually met her?"
"Yes, it's called…"
"Ans!" Damian warned
"What? It's called what?"
"Astral projection, it's the power to separate one's spirit from the physical body, enabling it to travel across different places and realms."
"Wait, so you're telling me that my spirit separated from my body and went to that woman?"
"Yes"
Lyla was about to retort about how absurd that was, but then she remembered the Keeper's words the second time they met
'Well, let me tell you this isn't a dream.. You came to me.
Was it possible? Could she have done that? Did she have such power? If she did, that would explain why they suspected she was their so-called savior after all, which human could boast of such power, but still, everything sounded so wild
"How can you be sure that I'm the person you're looking for?"
"The only way to find out is through our Paisios, he's a powerful servant of the heavens."
"And where is this Pai…Pa… powerful servant?"
"In our realm, of course"
"Wait, so you mean if you want to find out if I truly am this person, I have to go back to your realm, are you kidding me?"
"Lyla, we wouldn't be here if this wasn't serious"
"How can I be sure you're being serious? For all I know, you could be luring me back to your realm to get rid of me, it would be safer that way, wouldn't it, since you apparently can't erase my memories."
"Lyla," a look of hurt flashed on Anson's features, and she almost pitied him, but the possibility of this being a trap restrained her from feeling sorry for lashing out
"Look, I don't know if you're being serious or not, but I'm not going anywhere with you, at least never willingly," she said, the last sentence laced with spite
It was clear that she knew they could easily take her if they wanted to, and the last bit was said to let them know that even if they did, she would forever despise them for it, and somehow she stupidly hoped that would be enough to haunt them if they made that move
With that, she ushered Max to move, and the horse swiftly obliged, sensing the tension flowing between the three
The two watched as she left, not bothering to follow. They knew this might happen, and they both dreaded the next step they had to take. And Anson gave a little prayer to the heavens that she would forgive them for what they would do
*
*
Lyla hated the part of her that wanted to believe the story the two gave her; she hated that little part of her that was asking her to trust them. How could she? The whole thing was beyond bizarre, and she'd be a fool to believe them.
She was nothing special; she didn't want to be, especially if it meant that she was the savior of a world that was still very much foreign to her
She paced back and forth in her room in frustration. Suppose they were right and she was indeed who they thought she was, that would turn her whole life upside down, her world as she knew it would cease to exist.
How would she even begin to help them? She was sure she had no power, at least none that she felt. She was ordinary except for the fact that she could somehow see a world no one knew of, but other than that, nothing about her was so exceptional
What about her family? Everyone would deem her crazy if she dared mention it to them. Even if she were to somehow leave to ascertain if she really was who they claimed, how would she explain her absence, especially if she did turn out to be their chosen? That seemed like a trip of no return, and she definitely wasn't ready to give up on her family and life as she knew it
She cursed aloud for allowing herself to consider such things. No, she was an ordinary human girl, and she shouldn't trust strangers who come up with wild stories to try and trick her
That's what they were doing, right? Right
She remembered very clearly when Anson told her about the humans who had the ability to see into their world and how in the end they were all gotten rid off albeit they did bring it upon themselves but wouldn't his kind want to get rid of any human with a similar gift if only to avoid history repeating itself
So that stupid prophecy could just be their way of luring her, but if they wanted to, they needn't have to go through so much with the skill they displayed with the wendigo; she knew they could easily cease her, so why come up with this scheme?