A Desperate Plea

"Gah!"

I woke up.

I had died again.

"..."

Once more, the same scenery unfolded before me. The forest. Back to square one. Alice’s and Karen’s panicked cries echoed faintly through the trees as my senses slowly returned.

What am I supposed to do…?

"!"

Then it clicked.

"Weir—"

Before the elf girl could dismiss me like last time, I shouted, "Wait!"

She stopped, tilting her head, her sharp eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"What is it, human? Speak quickly, dawn is close."

I swallowed hard. I needed her help. She would almost certainly refuse, but I had to try. The memory of that monstrosity still burned in my mind. Even after all these deaths, even after becoming somewhat numb to my own dying, watching Alice and Karen die was different. Their decapitated bodies etched my mind. Painful. Scarring.

"I need your help!" I cried, desperate.

Her ears twitched, and her eyes hardened. "Fool. I do not help humans."

"Bu, you saved us from that bear-like beast!"

Her lips curved in disdain. "That was not for you. It was to keep it from attacking potentially other elves."

She turned as if to leave. Panic surged inside me.

"I saw a blue creature!" I blurted.

That made her pause. Slowly, her head turned, eyes widening in something I hadn’t seen before. 

Fear.

"..."

"Foolish human," she hissed, "tell me more."

I now had her attention.

I nodded rapidly. "It had glowing red eyes, pale white-blue skin, a mouth so wide it was all teeth—"

"Was it tall? Six arms?" she interrupted, her voice breaking.

"Yes. And yes!"

Her face twisted into horror. She bit her thumbnail, pacing on the branch. "This is… not good. Not good at all. When did you see it last?"

“I saw it…” I froze, the words snagging in my throat. After all, nobody here knew I had been slipping back in time; to them, none of this had ever happened. Instead, I have been concealing my time leaps as 'premonitions.' If I told the truth, if I said I had actually died and come back, would she even believe me, or would she only laugh and walk away?

"..."

"Answer me, human!" she demanded.

I clenched my fists. I had to gamble.

"I saw it… in my 'premonitions'," I admitted, looking away in embarrassment.

"...Haaaaah!?" Her jaw dropped. "Premonitions? What are you, a child? Honestly… I should never have wasted my time!" She turned away, scoffing.

"Please!" I dropped to my knees, bowing until my forehead pressed against the dirt. "Please, Madam Elf! It may sound like fantasy, but I beg you, believe me, just this once! I’ll do anything you ask!"

She flinched, colour rising in her cheeks. "W-what are you doing!? Get up, you look ridiculous!"

"Elias, are you insane!?" Karen shouted, aghast. "Don’t go pledging yourself to strange girls! They’ll take advantage of you!"

Alice, however, stepped forward, her expression calm. "No, Karen. It’s as Elias says. Please, Miss Elf. At least listen."

"Even you, Alice?!" Karen looked betrayed.

Alice ignored her, her voice steady. "At first, I thought Elias’s words were just childish nightmares too…" She paused, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, Elias."

"Ouch," I muttered, though I expected that much.

Alice stuck her tongue out playfully. "But he’s predicted things before. Things no one could’ve known. Life-and-death things. Even secrets. So please, Miss Elf, trust him, just this once."

Alice’s pleading eyes met the elf’s. I looked up too, desperately. Even Karen, though reluctant, gave the elf a sidelong glance, lips pressed tight.

The elf hesitated, stepping back on the branch, arms crossed. She groaned, exasperated. "Fine. Fine! I’ll hear you out."

Relief washed over me. I looked over to Alice and Karen, and they both smiled, having been successful.

"Thank you… Both of you," I said softly.

Karen pouted, crossing her arms. "Anything for you, Elias. Even if I have to deal with her."

Alice chuckled. "It's my pleasure, Elias. Let’s hope this helps."

"..."

The elf girl leapt down with effortless grace, springing from tree to tree before landing lightly a few paces away. She walked toward us, quick, sure, and graceful, every movement radiating discipline. Taller than me, shorter than my sisters, she still carried herself like a predator among prey. No wonder she could take a beast down with one arrow.

"So then, human," she said coldly, "tell me. What exactly did you see?"

This was my chance. If I failed to convince her now, we would all be doomed.

"..."

I had told the whole story, how my so-called 'premonitions' had played out, describing everything in full detail. The elf girl listened quietly, without refuting a single word, looking genuinely intrigued. Of course, Alice and Karen stood close, tugged along with me. Karen seemed more possessive than usual, likely due to the elf girl’s presence. Both of them were a bit speechless, processing everything that had happened to us.

It wasn't an easy thing to process, after all.

When I finally finished, the room fell into a heavy, dead silence. The elf girl simply stood there, quiet, probably analysing every word of my story.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Still no response. I had to break the silence.

"So, uh—"

"Fine, I’ll believe you for now!" the elf girl interrupted. "I still don’t believe you completely, but the large creature you described… that is very real. There’s no doubt about it."

Alice leaned forward, curiosity shining in her eyes. "So… can you tell us what it is, Miss Elf?"

The elf girl’s gaze hardened. "Yes. Listen carefully. This is very important. Fail to understand, and you will face consequences, just like the so-called 'premonitions' he has told us."

I swallowed hard, bracing myself for what she was about to reveal.