Earth, Life, Death III

I

Nazeir opened his eyes, took a deep breath in surprise. His shoulders heaved, his eyes watered. He wiped it and saw where it was.

The endless steppe, something he didn't see for ages. The man stood up and realized that he was only wearing cloth clothes. All his belongings were gone, only the soul and body. He started walking around aimlessly. His gaze only focused on the edge of sight, where the earth and the night sky touched closely.

"Steppe?" he whispered. "Is this outside of the southern mountains? Or is this..." he paused and continued on his way.

The sound of grass swaying in the wind could be heard, filling the emptiness of the void. His bare feet dragging on the grass, walking with an exhausted body.

As he walked, he saw a dot in the distance. The dot was not clearly visible, but he knew that it might be something or someone. Nazeir started waving his hand, trying to get an answer. But what he thought was a figure gave no answer to the man.

Running around and waving, still no answer. Nazeir looked down exhausted, sweat could be seen falling from his sharp nose. When he looked up again, a bull appeared in front of him. Five steps away from the man, the beast stared at Nazeir's soul. The man began to feel uncomfortable and fell down with a sense of desolation. Looking at the bull, asking for forgiveness. He crawled over to the bull's body, trying to hug him.

"I have sinned," he trembled. "I tried to go back, but I... I couldn't find my way back."

The bull looked at the approaching man. When Nazeir wanted to grab his leg, the beast turned around and walked away from him. The man wiped away the tears and saw the beast begin to walk down the empty steppe.

"Wait, I'm sorry, please hear me," he begged at the mammal.

Nazeir fell to the ground and hit the ground many times. He clenched his fists in regret. As he prostrated himself in anger, he saw a pair of feet behind him. He immediately jumped up and saw who was behind him.

"Wh-who are you?"

The woman wears a mask made of bull skull. Her pink lips could be seen under the mask. Beneath the woman's lips was a red line that was drawn down to her neck, and her cheeks were seen painted under the mask in the same color. What was clearly visible from her head was the long black hair that touched the shirt on her chest.

She only wore cloth clothes that looked like it had never been changed, full of slits and holes. The shirt covered her chest and up to her upper thighs. Her shoulders, arms, thighs and toes were not covered by the cold steppe night.

Almost her entire body can be seen clearly. But Nazeir did not look at . He recognized this woman. The way she looks, her lips, the way she dresses. He was starting to really fear for his life. He had never been frightened since becoming an inquisitor, but this fear was more dark than he faced daily.

She raised one hand with a forefinger out. She put the index finger slowly in front of her own mouth, telling Nazeir to be quiet.

"Look, to the mountains," the woman pointed at the steppes.

Nazeir looked in the direction she was pointing in fear. He saw nothing, making him puzzled. He turned his gaze back to the woman.

"I saw nothing."

"Walk until your feet bleed. You will find your way out."

"But what is it?"

"Home. Death is not your end, neither is your enemy."