Monster's Genie

Orani stood still, her snake looking eyes narrowing as she apprasied the man before her. He didn't look like any creature she had seen. His sharp features were far too perfect, his eyes too intense, and the aura he exuded was nothing short of unnatural. Yet, it wasn't his appearance that unsettled her the most. It was the way he looked at her—as if he was appraising everything around him, peeling back layers to see their very core.

The women of the Lamia tribe, including Orani, had encircled him. His presence was unnerving yet oddly captivating. In a tribe where men were rare, a stranger like him naturally attracted attention. But he seemed indifferent to their stares, his focus fixed elsewhere. She noticed how his gaze was fixed on her chest but she wasn't bothered by it, instead she felt curious what does he even want with her chest.

Without preamble, he spoke, his deep voice cutting through the tense silence. "Can you feed this child?"

His question, blunt and unexpected, made Orani's eyebrows rise in surprise. The other women exchanged startled glances, unsure of how to respond.

Orani hesitated, then inclined her head slightly ignoring his question. "You saved these children, didn't you? For that, we're grateful." Her voice was calm but carried a hint of tension. "We're in no position to give you a warm welcome, but if you wish, you may rest here."

The man's piercing gaze met hers, and she found herself unable to look away. His eyes seemed to bore into her soul, unraveling the walls she had carefully built. A strange wave of emotion surged within her, unexpected and uncontrollable. She blinked rapidly, but the tears came anyway. Before she could stop herself, she was sobbing, her shoulders shaking with each breath.

"They… they're not here," suddenly she choked out, her voice cracking. "Only half of them came back with you. The rest… the rest were taken by humans. My children are gone!"

Gasps rippled through the gathered women. Selis, Orani's younger sister, stepped forward, her face pale with shock. This was the first time she had ever seen Orani break down. Orani had always been their rock, unyielding in the face of adversity. But now, she was crumbling, and Selis felt a lump form in her throat.

"Sister…" Selis whispered, her voice trembling.

Jinnara,, however, seemed unfazed by Orani's outburst. He studied her carefully, his expression unreadable. Then, as if speaking directly to her soul, he asked in a low, almost hypnotic tone, "What is your wish?"

The question hung in the air, heavy and laden with meaning. Orani stared at him, her tears momentarily forgotten. His voice had a strange effect on her, like a devil's whisper slipping into her mind. Memories flooded her vision—memories of the cruelty her tribe had endured at the hands of humans.

She saw the flames consuming their once-peaceful village, the screams of her sisters echoing in the night. She saw the humans, their weapons gleaming with blood of her brethern, cutting down Lamias as if they were nothing more than beasts. She remembered the fear, the pain, and the helplessness as their numbers dwindled with each passing raid. The Lamias were becoming rarer, their very existence threatened.

Her fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. Without fully understanding why, she spoke, her voice steady despite the storm raging within her. "I want to save my tribe. I want the Lamias to survive."

The man's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. He stepped closer, holding the baby out toward her. "Your wish will be granted," he said simply.

Orani hesitated, her gaze shifting between the man and the child in his arms. The baby's tiny face was pale, but its breathing was steady. She reached out instinctively, her arms cradling the child as he placed it in her care. The warmth of the baby's body against hers was grounding, pulling her back from the edge of despair.

"This child," Orani muttered to herself, as she understood what her duty was.

Selis stepped forward, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Wait," she said, her voice laced with suspicion. "What do you mean, her wish will be granted? What are you going to do?"

The man glanced at her, his expression inscrutable. "Is that so hard to understand?" he asked. "Those who dare to wish shall see their desires fulfilled. From this moment forward, this land will bear witness to the boundless power of a wish."

Orani's mind raced with questions, but she found herself unable to voice them. Instead, she looked down at the child in her arms, her heart aching for the children who were still missing. She vowed silently that she would do whatever it took to bring them back, to ensure the survival of her people.

"What should I do?" Orani questioned. She didn't even understand why she was trusting this random stranger. but she felt the fate just by looking at his abyss looking eyes.

"Feed this child with your chest. Take care of her!" 

"Why are you helping us?" Selis pressed, her tone sharp.

Jinnara tilted his head slightly, a shadow of amusement flickering in his eyes. "Perhaps I simply wish to see what will happen," he said cryptically. "Or perhaps… I just want to grant your wish."

His answer only deepened the mystery surrounding him, but Orani's focus had already shifted. The weight of the baby in her arms reminded her of the stakes. Her tribe's survival depended on her strength, her resolve. And now, it seemed, on the strange man named Jinnara.

***

Jinnara sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, leisurely biting into a sweet, juicy fruit. He looked completely at ease, as if he had always belonged there. His legs spread lazily in front of him, his suit glinting faintly in the flickering sunlight which came from the damaged roof.

Orani sat in the corner, her brows furrowed deeply. Beside her, Selis leaned in, whispering urgently.

"What are we going to do?" Selis glanced toward Jinnara, lowering her voice further. "We can't just let him stay here like this."

Orani sighed heavily, running a hand through her tangled hair. "I don't know… But we need to save the children. If we go back to the humans' settlement, could we attack? Take them back? Or would it end in more loss?He can do that for us." Her voice cracked, betraying her despair.

Selis frowned. "You're still thinking about that, sister? We can't rely on him. Just as I said we should ask help from other tribes."

"Of course I am!" Orani snapped, her eyes darting to the small bundle wrapped in cloth beside her. "How can I not? There are more children out there, Selis. They need us. This man he is strong."

Before Selis could respond, a faint cry filled the room. Orani froze, her head whipping toward the source of the sound. The crying grew louder, high-pitched and distressed. Her gaze fell to the bundle in her arms—the baby that Jinnara had been carrying earlier.

"She's hungry," Orani murmured, the realization dawning on her.

Jinnara glanced up from his fruit, his crimson eyes gleaming with mild curiosity as he watched her.

Orani hesitated, looking back at the infant. "But… I can't feed her," she muttered, panic creeping into her voice. "My milk… it might be poisonous to her. It'll hurt her."

At this, Jinnara's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Does it matter?" he said casually, as if he were talking about the weather.

"What?" Orani stared at him, stunned.

"Feed her," Jinnara said simply, taking another bite of his fruit.

Orani shook her head, clutching the baby closer. "I can't! If my milk is poisonous—"

Jinnara cut her off with a calm but firm tone. "It won't harm her."

"But—"

"I am her father, I know what is best." Jinnara said, his voice carrying a quiet authority that made Orani falter. "Feed her."

Orani exchanged a hesitant look with Selis, but something in Jinnara's gaze stopped her from arguing further. Slowly, she adjusted the baby in her arms, guiding her to nipples. The baby latched on, her cries fading into soft, contented sounds.

"She… she's okay?" Orani whispered, disbelief coloring her voice.

Jinnara stood, brushing stray fruit juice from his hands. "Of course she is."

But then Orani noticed him suddenly getting up and leaving.

Orani looked up at him, confused. "Wait, where are you going?"

Jinnara paused at the doorway, his tall frame casting a shadow over the room. "To save the other lamia children."

"What?" Orani's voice rose slightly in alarm. "You… you're going back to the humans' settlement?"

Jinnara turned his head, giving her a faint smile. "I'll make your wish come true, Orani. Consider it the way things are going to be from now on."

Orani blinked, stunned. "You can't do that alone..."

But before she could press him further, Jinnara stepped out into the night.

"Wait—!" Orani called after him, but her words were lost in the cool evening breeze.

Selis stood abruptly, her eyes darting between the doorway and her sister. She gave Orani a quick, meaningful nod before slipping out to follow Jinnara.

"Selis!" Orani shouted, but her sister was already gone.

Left alone in the quiet house, Orani looked down at the now-sleeping baby in her arms. Her thoughts swirled in confusion and worry. What did Jinnara mean by making her wish come true? And why did Selis go with him?

She tightened her hold on the baby, her heart heavy with unease.