Amanises's POV
Terror.
That was the only word for what crashed through me when I looked up at 'Him'. Every instinct I possessed - and some I didn't know I had - screamed that I was in the presence of something that shouldn't exist. Something that made the air itself feel heavy with impossible authority.
What is 'He'? This presence... it's like standing before a force of nature that could unmake reality with a thought.
[Image]
The figure in the comfortable chair was looking down at me with what seemed like surprise and... excitement? 'He' had dark hair and kind eyes, appearing completely human, but the shadows around 'Him' moved like living things. And the power - oh, the power radiating from 'Him' made my borrowed body tremble.
"Hey there, little one," 'He' said softly, extending 'His' hand toward me like I was just a normal puppy. "It's okay. You're safe now."
Safe? With 'Him'? But even as my mind recoiled in terror, something deeper recognized the truth in those words. And when 'He' spoke, the very air seemed to wrap around me protectively.
I couldn't move. Fear had frozen me completely, but when 'His' gentle voice called again - "Come here, girl. I won't hurt you" - my body moved before my mind could protest. Step by trembling step, I approached 'His' outstretched hand.
Why am I obeying? I should run. I should hide. But... 'His' voice is so kind.
When 'His' fingers touched my fur, I nearly jumped out of my skin. But instead of the cosmic horror I expected, his appearance shifter to something much more normal, in his touch there was only warmth. Gentle, careful warmth as 'He' stroked behind my ears.
"You're shaking," 'He' murmured, and I could hear genuine concern in 'His' voice. "Poor thing. You must have been through something terrible to end up here."
A/N: Dunno how to explain it honestly so I summon you!:[Image]!
'He' has no idea, I thought, but found myself leaning into 'His' touch despite my fear. When was the last time anyone had been gentle with me? Since awakening in this body, everything had been confusion and terror and fleeing from people who should have been family but felt like strangers.
"You're incredibly smart, aren't you?" 'He' continued, seeming delighted as I responded to 'His' ministrations. "Look at those eyes. You remind me of a Shiba Inu - that same intelligent, almost judgmental expression."
Shiba Inu? My mind reeled. That was a Japanese dog breed - knowledge that belonged to my previous world, my previous life. 'He' just casually referenced something that shouldn't exist in this epoch, this reality.
'He's' like me. 'He's' also been displaced.
But before I could process it fully, something deep in my spirit sent a sharp warning so intense it made me physically shiver: Don't ask. Don't reveal that you understood. Don't let 'Him' know you recognized what 'He' said.
Why? The spiritual warning was overwhelming, forbidding me from pursuing this revelation.
But as 'His' hands continued their gentle work, something remarkable happened. The shadows around us - those living wisps of darkness I'd been too terrified to focus on - began moving differently. They swirled around me in slow, protective circles, and suddenly I felt... safe. Truly, completely safe for the first time since I'd awakened in this wrong body.
The domain itself is protecting me. How is that possible?
With safety came peace, and with peace, the memories hit like a breaking dam.
Hela.
My best friend's face flashed before my eyes - dark hair, mischievous smile, always ready for our next mystical adventure. We'd been young and foolish and absolutely convinced we could unlock the secrets of the supernatural together. Late nights in abandoned buildings, trying to communicate with spirits. Afternoons spent poring over occult texts we'd borrowed from questionable sources.
"Annie, are you sure about this ritual?" Hela had asked during our last attempt. "The text says it's dangerous for people like us."
People like us. We'd both been sensitive to the mystical, able to see and sense things others couldn't. It's what had drawn us together, what had made us think we were special. We'd been so proud of our abilities, so eager to push deeper into mysteries we barely understood.
Then I died.
The memory came back in sharp, painful clarity. The death of who I'd been before. The ritual that went wrong, the entity that noticed our dabbling, the way everything went cold and dark and then...
I woke up in this body.
A demonic wolf pup's body. Tiny, helpless, surrounded by creatures that looked like they should have been family but felt utterly alien. Other wolves, other demons, speaking in languages that somehow made sense but carried no emotional weight. Calling me by a name that wasn't mine, treating me like I belonged when everything inside me screamed that I was wrong, wrong, wrong.
The original owner of this body...
More memories surfaced, not mine but belonging to the consciousness that had inhabited this form before me. A young demonic wolf, barely weeks old, who had died of some mystical poisoning. 'His' last memories were of pain and fear and desperate adults trying to save a life that was already lost.
I'm a trespasser in a dead pup's body.
The thought should have horrified me, but 'His' gentle hands stroking my fur kept the panic at bay. And the protective shadows... they were absorbing something. I could sense corruptions and hostile influences trying to reach me, only to disappear into nothingness when they touched the darkness 'He' commanded.
'He' doesn't even know 'He's' doing it. The protection is unconscious, automatic.
"I think my subconscious really wanted a pet," 'He' was murmuring, lifting me carefully onto 'His' lap. "You showed up right when I was feeling lonely. Isn't that something?"
Subconscious. Another term from my old world - psychological concepts that belonged to modern understanding, not this ancient epoch. Combined with the Shiba Inu reference, there was no doubt now.
'He's' definitely displaced too. But 'He' doesn't seem to know it.
Again, that crushing spiritual warning: Stay silent. Do not reveal that you know.
We're both displaced, but why can't I tell 'Him'? What's so dangerous about two people like us finding each other?
"Let's get you some food," 'He' continued, and suddenly there was a small bowl with perfectly cooked steak beside 'His' chair, smelling absolutely delicious. "And maybe a bed. Can't have you sleeping on the hard ground."
As 'He' spoke, a small, perfectly-sized dog bed materialized nearby, complete with the softest-looking blankets I'd ever seen. The casual reality manipulation should have terrified me, but watching 'Him' focus so intently on my comfort was... endearing.
Everything 'He' creates, the way 'He' arranges this space - it's all wrong for this time period. Modern furniture layouts, contemporary comfort concepts. 'He' doesn't even realize 'He's' giving 'Himself' away.
'He' really does care, doesn't 'He'? This isn't some cosmic entity toying with a lesser being. 'He' genuinely wants to take care of me.
I should have been insulted at being treated like a pet, but there was such genuine affection in 'His' voice that I found myself touched instead. When was the last time anyone had wanted me around just for company, aside from Hela?
Maybe I can stay like this, just for a little while. Until I figure out what I'm supposed to do now.
But even as warmth spread through my chest at the thought, darker memories began surfacing. Through the original wolf pup's experiences, I could sense something else. Danger. Something that had been hunting the original owner, something that might still be...
No. I pushed the thought away, focusing instead on the gentle rhythm of 'His' hand stroking my fur. Whatever was out there, I was safe here. The shadows made sure of that.
Looking up at 'His' kind face as 'He' murmured softly about getting me toys and maybe teaching me tricks, I realized I didn't want to break this moment. For the first time since awakening in this nightmare, someone was treating me with unconditional kindness.
I should tell 'Him' the truth. That I can understand 'Him', that I'm not really a puppy. But...
Suddenly, a memory from the original wolf pup's experiences surfaced - how she and her older brother died, losing control of his demonic powers when their perception of reality shattered after learning about... something. The devastation that followed, the terror, the death...
But in 'His' case 'He' has more power than 'He' can control. If 'He' realized the truth - that this isn't a dream, that 'He's' actually been displaced into a world of Ancient Gods and cosmic forces - 'His' entire understanding would collapse. And with that much power...
I could die just from being near 'Him' when 'He' loses control. That's why I can't tell 'Him'. Keep 'Him' stable in 'His' delusion, and maybe we'll both survive.
The shadows continued their protective dance around us, and I let myself relax fully for the first time since my bizarre rebirth. Whatever I was now, whatever I was supposed to become, at least I wasn't alone.
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Author's Note:
Heyyy, so you may have guessed it from the title but its an inspiration based from both LOTM and I'm really not a Evil God's lackey. basically IRNEGL but in LOTM settings, different starts but same clueless modern protagonist. Who can actually enjoy himself with games, food, etc. xd...