“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!” Skyler jolted awake.
Her heart pounding so violently it felt like it might burst through her chest.
“Ugh, ugh, ugh.”
For a moment, she couldn’t breathe.
The terror from the black figure wrapped in a purple-black cloak still had its icy grip on her. She sat there, staring dumbfounded at the ceiling of her room, trying to make sense of where she was.
“Haa… Haa.. Haa…” Skyler gasped for air.
She finally managed to breath, but it was shaky, unsteady. Her pulse raced in her eardrums, a frantic rhythm that matched the fear still coursing through her veins.
The sharp sting on her shoulders brought her back to herself, her breath catching as she realized the disgrace she had done.
“Holy Son of Nature, I did it again…” Skyler thought.
Her nails had dug into her skin, leaving angry red marks that throbbed with each pulse of her heartbeat. She hadn’t even noticed until the pain broke through the haze of her thoughts, leaving her to feel the burning of her wounds.
“Where is it? Where did he put it?” As she struggled with her thoughts, Skyler hastily searched the drawer of her yellowish desk, her hands trembling.
She finally took out a vial containing a bluish liquid.
“Just what I was looking for, thank goodness it was there.” Skyler removed the cap from the vial, stuck the index finger of her right hand inside the vial, and applied the bluish liquid to the wounds on both of her shoulders.
A sense of relief grew inside her, easing the tension in her muscles.
“It seems like it was just a dream…” Reorganizing her thoughts, Skyler frowned as she looked at the window.
“That little girl… who was she? Why did I dream about her? I don’t know why, but it’s as if I knew her… and then that black figure…” Skyler’s mind was clouded by her thoughts as she recalled what she had dreamed.
Although she had had periodic nightmares ever since she moved to Prestwich City, it was the first time she had a dream in which she was shrouded in thick fog.
To her, the reddish-haired girl felt like she was a child she had to protect at all costs. The sin that the middle-aged woman had committed was outrageous, and she felt that she could not forgive her even if she begged on her knees.
Her mind quickly drifted to the black figure. That meeting was also the first time for her. Her body trembled just thinking about it. What were those words it said? What sin had she committed? Why did she dream of that figure?
The words of that figure echoed in her mind, sending a long shiver throughout her body. She could feel the figure’s cold hand touching her face, akin to ice.
It was as though it had deliberately entered her dream to torment her.
“May the Son of Nature bless me.” Skyler drew the leaf emblem, her eyes shining as she half-turned.
“Benson will definitely be waiting for me in the living room for morning training.” Shaking her head like to forget anything related to the dream, Skyler struggled from her chair, opening the closet she rummaged inside until she found the boxing gloves.
While the image of the black figure was still clinging in her skull, Skyler saw the black-haired, gray-eyed man sitting in the corner of her room hugging his knees.
Although the man's facial expression was not much different from the previous evening, she felt that his gaze was sharper than usual.
Skyler bowed her head, “Thank you so much, for making the healing potion again.”
The man just stared at her, narrowing his sharp gray eyes. A pang hit her as she looked at him wistfully.
After thanking the black-haired man, Skyler walked out of her room, closing the door behind her.
Going down the stairs, she reached the living room, seeing Benson moving the single sofa to the corner of the room.
She put her boxing gloves on the floor and helped her uncle move furniture to the corners of the room.
Once they were done moving the furniture, Benson wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel, and closed the red curtains in the living room. “Are you ready for today’s session, Skyler?”
“Yes, hoping you go easy on me today” Skyler chuckled.
“It’s what you would like, but I don’t know if I’ll satisfy you” Benson advocated as he put on his boxing gloves.
Once She gets her gloves on, Skyler strikes—a jab aiming at Benson’s face.
Benson reacted instinctively, snapping his head to the side as the punch whistled past his ear. He countered with a quick hook to her ribs.
Skyler instinctively took a step back, narrowly avoiding Benson’s hook, as she felt a bead of sweat roll down her back “If I had dodged it a second later, things would have been bad for me.”
“Come on Skyler! I know you can do more!” Benson shouted.
Hearing her uncle’s shouts of encouragement, Skyler surged forward, launching a barrage of punches that forced Benson to retreat, blocking and weaving Skyler’s fists.
“Is that all your grit? I know you can give so much more!” Benson looked at Skyler.
Skyler’s knuckles throbbed with every punch, while she felt her heart and lungs burning, but she didn’t slow down. Her forehead was covered in sweat, her vision narrowed to a tunnel, blocking out everything but Benson.
“His chin is exposed, this is my chance!” Skyler was driving a powerful uppercut into Benson’s chin–
“Daughter of the devil!” She heard the same childish female voice that was in her dream.
She felt the same cold tendrils of panic curling around her mind, squeezing tighter, while her body froze just like in her dream.
Benson took a step back, got into guard position, “Sorry Skyler, but I don’t think I’ll go easy on this,”
“Huh?” Skyler felt a pain that exploded in her gut, sharp and radiating outward like wildfire.
Her knees buckled, her butt hit the ground, she wrapped her arms around her gut as she gasped for breath that wouldn’t come. At that moment she realized she had been punched in the stomach by her uncle.
“It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts.”
Benson took off his boxing gloves and walked to the kitchen without a word.
Skyler lay there for a moment, overwhelmed by the echoes of her nightmare. Her mind wandered in a blizzard as her body fought hard to resist the excruciating pain.
“Why does every single thing always have to go wrong for me?...”
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Skyler was lying on the double sofa.
Her body burned from the intense session, while pain twisted her stomach.
Benson arrived in the living room with a glass in his hand. He sat down on the double sofa where Skyler was lying, and said, “I brought you a remedy for your problems.”
With her right hand holding her stomach, Skyler sat next to Benson, took the glass from his hand with her left hand, and said, “Didn’t they teach you to go easy on amateurs?” she quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
Benson leaned back, crossing his arms. “Skyler, in training I might take it easy, but in life however, you have to prepare for everything, even in the worst scenarios.”
Skyler’s smile faded as his words sunk in. She took a sip of the water and stared at the ceiling, her mind heavy with thoughts.
“Tell me,” Benson said, his voice was softer, “Why did you stop when you were about to throw that uppercut? Did you happen to have one of your usual nightmares?”
“He knows…What do I say? Should I tell him the truth?” Skyler felt the weight of his gaze oppressing her as her mind was in turmoil with excuses.
Benson sighed, “You won’t be able to deceive a person who raised you for 10 years. I heard you screaming this morning, is everything alright?”
Skyler’s chest tightened. She had been so sure she could hide it. But now, sitting next to Benson, she realized how futile that was. He had raised her for ten years; he knew her better than she knew herself.
“Forget it, Uncle, I’m not suited to live a normal life anyway.” She muttered, more to herself than to him.
Benson sighed deeply, his blue eyes reflecting a mix of concern and determination. “The problem is not you, but your way of acting in general. You interact with people, but you avoid them knowing you for fear of rejection. You let the past influence your present, and by doing so, you will never be able to stay at peace with yourself.”
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Benson stood up from the double sofa, and turned to Skyler. “Let’s use this example. You’re able to throw a fist at your opponent, however, you’re also able to stop the punch before it lands.” Benson paused, looking directly into Skyler’s eyes. “Relating to others works the same way, Skyler. You have to interact with people, hurt them, get hurt by them, learn about people, and learn about yourself too.”
Benson knelt down beside Skyler, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You’ll never be able to understand others if you don’t understand yourself first. You must keep fighting, without running away, and who knows, one day, you might even find a person who loves you for who you really are.”
“Such a thing could never happen!” Skyler exclaimed, her voice tinged with bitterness.
How could she live a normal life? How could anyone love a woman like her? It didn't make any sense. Skyler felt that she didn't deserve all of this, and that she had to live with mere loneliness and that she was an awkward woman.
Seeing Skyler’s expression, Benson closed his eyes for a moment, then placed his hand on Skyler’s head, his touch gentle and reassuring. “Just as something like this could happen… the future is uncertain, and offers endless opportunities.”
Benson stood up, giving Skyler one last reassuring look. “I’m going to work. You look after the house while I’m gone, and think about what I just told you.”
Skyler didn't answer, didn't make a single sound. She wanted to believe him, but doubts and fears tormented her relentlessly. She was sitting on the couch thinking about her speech.
“Take care, Skyler.” Benson smiled gently as he placed softly a hand on her shoulder for a brief moment.
As Benson left the house, Skyler ran up the wooden stairs as if she had something urgent to do upstairs. Her mind was reeling with thoughts and emotions as she pressed her soft lips together.
Arriving in her room, she sat down on the messy white bed, hugging her knees tightly.
Her mind drifted to Benson's speech. “You’ll never be at peace with yourself.” The statement echoed in her head like a symphony, intertwining with painful memories of her nightmare.
“Her mother took her own life after she was born.” The thought was a constant shadow, always lurking in the corners of her mind. Skyler clenched her fists, trying to push the memories away, but they surged forward, relentless.
“I know very well!” Skyler screamed with all her might, her voice trembling with melancholy and resignation.
“But… it’s difficult…” Skyler's voice softened as if she had reached the brink of a breakdown.
“Why can’t I just move on? Why does the past have such a hold on me?” Chaotic thoughts raced through Skyler's mind.
She wanted to be strong, to prove Benson wrong, but the weight of her past was a heavy burden.
“Staying at home thinking about negative emotions will only make me feel bad,” Skyler muttered to herself, looking for any solution to escape from these thoughts that plagued her. “I’d better go to the library, just to clear my head.”
She stood up from the bed, her feet touching the cold woody floor as she smiled at the man next to her. She opened the closet and took off her pajamas, taking care to cover the window curtains as she put on the long bluish dress she had worn the previous day.
Skyler took the pocket watch that was on her desk, and with a deep breath, she left the house, locking the door behind her with a soft click.
Taking a few steps, she glanced at a black carriage parked next to the road intersection. She got into the carriage, paying two pounds in gold coins, and got into a public carriage to Center Mennork.
Looking out of the carriage window, the bustling streets of North Mennork bathed in the light entered her field of vision. The cobblestone roads were busy with people, their footsteps echoing against the gray cobblestone as the sun's rays illuminated her.
Even though it was around the middle of May, it was considered the beginning of summer. Prestwich City was located northeast of the Republic of Steatha, and the city's climate was unique among the citizens of the Republic. The highest temperature that reached annually was 40°C in the Northern Continent with frequent rains and fog throughout the year.
As the gas lamps lined up, Skyler watched people pass back and forth, the various street markets and hawkers around the North Mennork district as the sweet, mixed aroma of food entered her nostrils.
“Come and taste our smoked fish!”
“Vegetables, fresh vegetables. Buy our vegetables for only five shalin!”
"Taste our low cost mushroom and vegetable soup!”
The mobile hawkers who sold vegetables, fruits, and hot food shouted along the streets as they beckoned the rushing pedestrians. Some of them would stop and carefully compare before purchasing. Others would impatiently wave their hands as they had yet to find work for the day.
“Maybe the library will have more information about the murders,” A thought swirled in Skyler’s mind.
Serial murders were the only thing that could distract her from her negativity-clouded mind.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Center Mennork.
Skyler got out of the public carriage and walked towards Storm Street. She entered the Crescent Moon Library, the heavy wooden door creaking as it closed behind her. In front of
She saw an older woman with ginger hair and a pair of glasses at the front desk. The woman looked up from her book, her eyes warm and welcoming.
Skyler coughed twice, the sound echoing softly in the quiet library, and took a few hesitant steps forward.
“Sorry to bother you, but where is the crime reporting area?” Skyler asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and nervousness.
“Of course, miss, you’re not bothering me at all,” the older woman replied with a kind smile. “Take the stairs behind me, go to the second floor, and there you will find the area dedicated to crime news”
Skyler nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. She glanced around the library, taking in the rows of bookshelves and soft glow of gas lamps, before heading towards the stairs.
Upon reaching the second floor, Skyler saw many shelves filled with newspapers and articles. The faint smell of aged paper and ink filled the air, mingling with the quiet rustle of pages being turned. She walked to the section where this month’s articles are displayed, her footsteps echoing softly on the wooden floor.
Bowing slightly, she took a couple of newspapers from the shelf. She found a free table, took a few steps, pulled out a chair, and sat down, placing the newspapers on the table.
As she unfolded the first newspaper, her eyes were immediately drawn to the bold headline on the front page: “Woman Mutilated in Ravenport Alley.” A chill ran down her spine, and she felt a knot form in her stomach.
Skyler took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, and began to read the article.
“Ona Miller, 24 years old, she worked as a waitress in a restaurant. She was found dead in a narrow alley behind the DanceEarth bar in Ravenport. Her body lay on the ground, dressed completely in white, and her throat and stomach savagely slashed. Part of her intestines protruded from the gaping wound in her abdomen. The police are currently on the case, working to uncover the identity of the serial killer responsible for this and other recent murders. The gruesome nature of the crime has left the community in shock and fear.”
Skyler read the newspaper in disbelief. Her stomach churned as she read the gruesome details. The accurate description of the murder made her feel awkward.
“Let’s see, this newspaper was written on May 2, which is last week.” Skyler's fingers trembled slightly as she opened the other article dedicated to the murder in Blackley.
“Vernie Heriot, 22 years old, she worked as a street clairvoyant. She was found dead in an alley on Ebon Street in Blackley. The young woman, dressed completely in white, lay in a pool of blood, her throat and stomach brutally slashed. Her intestines protruded from her abdomen, a horrifying testament to the violence she endured. The scene was eerily silent, save for the distant hum of the city. The alley, usually a forgotten corner of Blackley, had become a grim spectacle. The police have yet to release further details, but the community is on edge, haunted by the specter of such a heinous crime.”
“This is creepy,” Skyler muttered to herself disgusted by what she read. “The situation is more serious than expected.”
“The murder in Blackley happened on April 2nd, while the one in Ravenport happened last week. The killer is again maintaining consistency with one murder per month, just like last year. What is its purpose?” Skyler felt a chill run down her spine as her mind was in turmoil.
She thought back to December 1438. She remembered the six brutal murders that the killer committed in the Kingdom of Aetheria, along with six other murders at Talem in 1437, and Creria Empire in 1436.
For three long years, the killer caused havoc in both Northern and Southern Continents, leaving no trace behind.
Skyler was scared, the bitter truth hit her like a punch in the gut: First Creria, Talem, then Aetheria, and now Steatha. The path was clear, and the realization pierced her profoundly.
She was wrapped up in thoughts. Doing the calculations in her mind, and the fact that the killer committed six murders every year within the span of three years, and considering the murders that had occurred this year in the Republic of Steatha, she realized that the killer had committed 20 murders in total.
Skyler wondered how a person could commit mass murder around the world without even leaving a clue. It was as if the killer manipulated his victims like puppets at its command, and it disgusted her.
While deep in thought, she took the pocket watch that was on the table and checked the time.
“It’s after eight. I have to get home before my uncle gets home from work,” Skyler sensed a feeling of urgency.
While she stood up from the chair, she carefully put the newspapers back on the corresponding shelf, the rustle of paper breaking the library silence. Whilst she went down to the ground floor, the soft glow of gas lamps and the faint scent of old books provided a brief comfort. Skyler left the Crescent Moon Library, the heavy wooden door creaking as it closed behind her.
She paid two gold pounds and got into the public carriage for North Mennork, her mind still buzzing with the disturbing details and unanswered questions.
She looked out the window of the carriage and saw the crimson moon in its brilliance, casting an eerie red glow over the streets and buildings. The gas lamps lining the street flickered, their light mingling with the moon’s crimson hue, illuminating the road the carriage was traveling down.
As the carriage approached the Ancient Path Bridge leading to North Mennork, Skyler’s eyes caught sight of a young, black-haired woman dressed all in white who was very familiar to her.
The woman moved slowly, almost mechanically, her dead eyes staring up at the crimson moon with her arms hanging limply at her sides.
“But… that's Ruby... why is she walking like that? More than anything, it seems like an empty shell,” Skyler worriedly watched Ruby walking down the street.
It was as if Ruby had been hypnotized by the crimson moon and subjected to its commands. The moon cast long shadows that danced around her.
The strong wind blew through the air with a whoosh, and the perched crows cawed heartbreakingly, their cries echoing in the dark night.
Skyler couldn’t tear her gaze away from Ruby while the carriage rolled past.
Ruby's lifeless eyes seemed to follow her on her way to an uncertain destination, and a sense of unease grew within Skyler.
Whilst the carriage passed the Ancient Path Bridge and Ruby's image gradually dissipated into the white fog, Skyler could do nothing but watch the fading image of Ruby.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
North Mennork, 15 Angel Lane Street.
Skyler woke up sitting in the chair in her bedroom, she hastily checked her shoulders and saw that there were no scratches.
“Good thing I didn’t fall back into my habit,” Skyler murmured, breathing a sigh of relief.
The memory of the black figure still lingered, but at least she hadn’t hurt herself this time.
She got up from the chair, the wooden floor cool under her feet, and went down the yellowish stairs that creaked with every step she took. Skyler headed for the kitchen, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the scent of wood.
Benson was sitting at the table, reading the newspaper. His expression was worrying, and his fingers trembled with every page he turned. It was as if he were shocked by something.
Skyler took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “Good morning, Benson. Is something wrong?”
Benson looked up, his eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and anxiety. “An unfortunate thing has happened, my dear.”
Skyler’s heart skipped a beat. her look immediately became melancholy, “Unfortunate thing? What happened?”
“A young lady was found dead under the Ancient Path Bridge last night,” Benson replied, his voice heavy with concern as he stared at Skyler.