11. Bella

11

BELLA

T he air grows cooler as Jytos leads me deeper into the cave. My heart races, a mix of fear and curiosity pulsing through my veins. The rough stone beneath my feet gives way to smooth, worn rock. Soon, I can hear the faint echo of water in the distance.

"Where are we going?" I ask, my voice low.

He glances back at me, his green eyes gleaming in the dim light. "You'll see."

As we round a corner, my breath catches in my throat. Before us stretches a vast underground lake. Its surface is as smooth as glass. Bioluminescent fungi cling to the cavern walls, casting an ethereal blue glow across the water.

"It's beautiful," I murmur, unable to hide my awe.

He grunts in agreement, settling himself on a flat rock near the water's edge. He pats the space beside him, and I hesitate for a moment before sitting down.

The silence stretches between us broken only by the soft lapping of water against stone. I steal glances at him, studying his alien features. The tentacles on his back twitch slightly, and I wonder if they have a mind of their own.

Gathering my courage, I clear my throat. "Jytos... can I ask you something?"

He turns to me, his expression unreadable. "What?"

"I was wondering... about your past. Could you tell me more about it?"

He is quiet for a long moment, and I fear I've offended him. But then he speaks. His deep voice rumbles through the cavern.

"I am Umbrath," he says. "Once, we were many. Now, I am the last."

My heart aches at the loneliness in his voice. "What happened to the others?"

"War. Disease. Time." He shrugs, his massive shoulders rising and falling. "We were not meant to last forever."

I lean forward, captivated by his words. "How long have you been alone?"

"Longer than I can remember," he admits. "These mountains have been my home for centuries. I hunt, I survive. That is all."

"But surely you must have encountered others? Humans, or... or other creatures?"

A growl escapes him. "Waira. Vicious beasts. I kill them when they come too close."

I shudder, remembering the howls that haunted my village. "And... humans?"

His eyes narrow. "They fear me. Leave offerings. You are the first to speak to me in... a very long time."

My mind reels with this information. How long has he been up here, alone and feared? The village elders spoke of him as some sort of god, but he's just... a survivor.

"It must be lonely," I say softly, surprising myself with the sympathy in my voice.

He turns to me, his gaze intense. "It was. Until now."

I watch as his tentacles curl and uncurl, remembering the strength I've seen in them when he hunts.

"When you hunt," I begin, hesitant, "it's... brutal. Efficient. Have you always been that way?"

A dark chuckle escapes him. "It is the way of the Umbrath. We take what we need to survive."

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. "And... am I something you need to survive?"

His eyes lock onto mine again, and I feel pinned in place by the intensity of his gaze. He doesn't respond, just continues staring at me like he's trying to unravel some kind of mystery.

My heart thunders in my chest. "I'm not just something for the taking, Jytos."

His muscles tense, and for a moment, I fear I've angered him. But then his expression softens, just slightly. "I know that. I think you are special."

I sit there, baffled by what I'm hearing from this creature who is both terrifying and fascinating.

Here, in this underground cavern with a being straight out of legend, I feel like I'm stepping into a world I never knew existed. And despite my fear, despite the strangeness of it all, a part of me is curious to see where this path will lead.

I inhale deeply, the cool cave air filling my lungs. His presence beside me is both intimidating and oddly comforting. His last words echo in my mind: "I think you are special." The weight of his gaze makes my cheeks flush.

"I... I suppose I should tell you a bit about myself," I say softly. "Since we're going to be... living together."

He nods, his green eyes fixed on me. "Go on."

I fidget with the hem of my dress, unsure where to begin. "Well, I've lived in the village my whole life. It's all I've ever known. But I never really felt like I belonged there."

"Why?" he asks.

I shrug, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "I don't have any family. My parents died when I was young, and I never quite fit in with the other villagers. Always felt like an outsider, you know?"

His tentacles twitch, and I wonder if it's a sign of understanding. "Alone among many," he says. "I know this feeling."

"Yeah," I nod, surprised by his insight. "Exactly. And when the village decided to... offer me up to you, it just confirmed what I'd always suspected. I was expendable to them."

A growl escapes him, making me jump. "They were fools," he says, his voice laced with anger. "To discard something precious."

My cheeks flush even more as I continue on, "I spent my days helping in the village, tending to the wounded, preparing meals. But I always felt like I was just going through the motions, you know? Like I was waiting for something... more."

He shifts closer, his massive form blocking out the dim light. "And now? Do you still wait?"

I look up at him, really look at him. His alien features are no less terrifying, but there's something in his eyes that speaks of a deep loneliness, one that mirrors my own.

"I don't know," I admit. "Everything's changed so quickly. But... I think maybe I've found that 'something more' I was looking for. Even if it's not what I expected."

"You are not afraid?" he asks.

I let out a shaky laugh. "Oh, I'm terrified. But... I'm also curious. And for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. Is that strange?"

A rumble that might be a chuckle escapes him. "Strange is all I know," he says. "But perhaps... we can be strange together."

As I sit there next to him, I realize that we're both outcasts in our own way. Both lonely, both searching for connection. And maybe, just maybe, we've found it in the most unexpected place.

"I'd like that," I say softly, daring to reach out and touch one of his tentacles. It's smooth and cool beneath my fingers, and I feel it twitch at my touch. "To be strange together."

His eyes widen at my boldness, and for a moment, I fear I've overstepped. But then his expression softens, and he nods. "Then it shall be so," he says, his voice a low rumble that sends warmth spreading through my chest.

As we sit there, the soft glow of the bioluminescent fungi casting an otherworldly light over us, I feel a sense of peace settle over me. For the first time in my life, I'm not alone. And neither is Jytos. We've found each other, two lonely souls in a vast, uncaring world.

Soon, I find myself studying him with new eyes. The initial terror that gripped me when I first saw him has slowly faded, replaced by a growing desire to understand him.

He no longer feels threatening. Instead, there's an odd comfort in his presence. I watch as his tentacles move gently, almost hypnotically, and I'm struck by how graceful they are.

"Jytos," I say softly, breaking the comfortable silence between us. "I... I want to thank you."

He turns to me, his green eyes glowing in the dim light. "For what?"

I take a slow, steady breath, gathering my thoughts. "For taking care of me. For being patient with me. I know I was terrified at first, but you've been... kind."

A rumble escapes him. "You are truly different, Bella. You stay with me. You speak kindly to me."

His words touch something deep inside of me. "I guess we're both a little different, aren't we?"

He nods and smiles. "Perhaps that is why we fit."

My heart skips a beat at his words. Do we fit? The thought should terrify me, but instead, it sends a thrill through my body.

"I've been thinking," I continue, emboldened by his openness. "About how you protect this territory. It's... care, in its own way."

His tentacles twitch, and I wonder if I've surprised him. "Yes," he says simply. "I protect what is mine."

The possessiveness in his voice should frighten me, but instead, it makes me feel... safe. Valued. I realize suddenly that no one has ever made me feel that way before.

His eyes lock onto mine, and the intensity in them takes my breath away. Slowly, so slowly, he raises one of his hands. I stay perfectly still as he gently, almost reverently, brushes a strand of hair from my face.

In that moment, something shifts between us. The fear and uncertainty that have clouded our interactions melts away replaced by a tender understanding. I lean into his touch, closing my eyes.

When I open my eyes again, he is looking at me with an expression I've never seen before. It's soft, almost vulnerable. In that moment, I don't see a monster or a beast. I see someone who, like me, has been alone for far too long.

Without thinking, I lean forward and rest my head against his chest. His arm wraps gently around me and pulls me closer. The steady beat of his heart echoes in my ear, a soothing rhythm that speaks of strength and protection.

"We fit," I murmur, echoing his earlier words. And as I feel his arm tighten around me, I know in my heart that it's true.