Before I could even react—
React to what? What was I reacting to?
I stood there in my entryway…
My entryway?
Of course, this is my entryway. Whose else’s would it be? But what is with this feeling that I’m forgetting something?
Dingdong
“What the hell are you doing just standing there?” a muffled voice yelled through the door.
They have been knocking on the door for a while. Or have they? What’s with me today? Either way, I don’t want her to wait any longer.
“About time. Why are you looking at me like that, Commander?” Artemis asked me.
The Native American woman had her long black hair up in a ponytail which was frizzed up from the wind. She was wearing biker leather pants and a jacket, and it looked to be a few sizes too small for her. She was standing with her arms crossed despite wearing a smile.
“It’s nothing,” I murmured.
“Well, it’s good to see you,” Artemis said while walking in and giving me a pat on the back.
“Yeah… you too.”
Artemis whistled while spinning around in the entryway. “This is a nice place they set you up with. Guess being a hero has its perks, huh?”
“I suppose.”
Artemis glared at me. “Something the matter? You’ve been acting weird since I walked in the front door, and you won’t stop staring at me.”
“Am I? I just feel a little off today.”
“Well, that’s not going to work out. We are here to celebrate. Besides, it’s not like you can even get sick, so snap out of it,” Artemis said with a faint smile.
We? Celebration? Who is we, and what is there to celebrate? Unfortunately, I’m not in the mood to celebrate anything right now…
BangBangBang
“You gonna get that, Commander? Or are you just going to continue walking around like a zombie?”
“No, I’ll get it.”
I walked back to the door and opened it to find a handsome man with perfectly kept blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. In typical fashion, he was wearing dress slacks with a simple graphic tee that read, “Sun”. He beamed a blinding smile at me.
“Evening, Commander. I brought gifts,” Apollo said while handing me two parcels.
One was very obviously a glass bottle that had been wrapped up in red wrapping paper, but the other was just a rectangular cardboard box with orange and white polka dots.
“One is for now, and one is for later,” Apollo said with a wide smile.
“How am I supposed to know which is which?”
“I’m sure you will figure it out.” He turned to Artemis and started wagging his finger at her. “Now, now did you really not bring a gift, Art?”
“Don’t call me Art. That’s disgusting. And how am I supposed to know what to bring to one of these things? You act like either of us has been to one of these before,” Artemis grumbled.
“Correct. But you also act as if the net doesn’t exist. What are you some kind of grandma?” Apollo said playfully.
“Bing bong! Open up, Commander. I see you,” a cheerful voice rang out.
I turned around, and a giant figure was blocking the window next to the door. A young Pacific Islander man wearing a green tank top and sweatpant shorts cut above the knee was beaming a smile at me.
“Ayo, Commander, this is a really nice place. Do you think I can rent a room from you? Doubt you would even notice I was here. This place is damn big.”
“Thanks, Hephaestus,” I said quietly.
“Hey, what’s wrong? And what’s with the look? You look like you saw a ghost or something,” Heph said with genuine concern and a pat on the chest.
What is wrong with me… Is there even something wrong with me?
“I’m fine.”
Heph shrugged. “If you say so.”
“Hephaestus, what are you wearing?” Artemis asked.
“Indeed, this isn’t one of your ‘functions’, Hephaestus. And you didn’t even bring a gift…” Apollo chided.
Hephaestus was on the larger side for a second generation, and he was nearly as big as me. The large man narrowed his eyes and chuckled to himself. “Who the hell died and made you two the kings of fashion? Artemis, you are one piece of leather away from being a dom, and Apollo…” Heph had a pensive look, then he just gave an awkward smile and shook his head. “Nevermind…”
“You can wear whatever you want. I don’t mind either way,” I said.
Heph threw his hands up and smiled. “Hahaha, see? Not a big deal. Besides, we are here to have a good time, right? Might as well be comfortable. And for the record, I did bring a gift.” Hephaestus tossed me a thick purple envelope with his name written on it.
“Thank you.”
A good time? What are we doing here? What am I doing here? It’s important, right? Whatever it is, it must be important. But I just can’t seem to remember why today is important?
"Let’s go sit down somewhere. I know we are waiting for those two, but there is no way they are going to be here on time,” Artemis grumbled.
I led the group to my living room, and we all got settled in. I practically sank into the blissful comfiness of this leather recliner. They really don’t make them like they used to. I almost forgot how comfortable a chair can be compared to the ones back home.
Back home? Back… home… but this is my home?
“It appears that your mind is elsewhere, Commander. To be expected, considering the circumstances. Perhaps opening our gifts while we wait would be a good idea?” Apollo suggested.
“Now we are talking! Open mine first!” Heph chuckled.
I nodded slowly and took out the purple envelope. Hephaestus had hand-written his name on it, and if I was being honest, it was barely legible. Then again, writing with pen and paper wasn’t a skill many people had anymore.
I held the envelope in my massive hand and stared at it with an empty mind. I wasn’t sure what this cloudy feeling over my head was, so I just shrugged and opened the envelope slowly. I was surprised to see it jam-packed full of money.
“Hephaestus, this is a lot of money. This must be worth hundreds of gold coins.”
“Gold coins? What are you, a pirate?” Artemis chuckled.
I rubbed my face slowly and felt a slight headache coming along. Maybe I am getting sick? A headache? That’s… new, right?
“Pirate Captain Kronos? Not sure if that sounds really good or bad…” Heph said quietly to himself. Then the big man started waving his hands around and chuckling, “And don’t worry about it! That’s nothing, all things considered. I make more restoring old Earth muscle cars than what the government pays me. So just take it and put it to good use.”
“Okay, I will. Thank you, Heph.”
“Don’t mention it,” Hephaestus smiled.
Apollo clapped his hands together and smiled brightly. “Now it’s my turn.”
“Which one should I open first?” I asked.
“The bigger one.”
“The bottle?” I asked, double-checking.
“Who said it was a bottle?” Apollo said with a smile.
Artemis groaned and Heph just chuckled. Then, I carefully unwrapped the bottle, deciding that there was no point in understanding this man’s intentions. It was a simple unmarked glass bottle with a yellow liquid in it.
“Thank you, Apollo, but what is this?” I asked
“Mead!” Apollo said excitedly.
His sudden burst of excitement was enough to make Artemis’s eyes go wide and for Heph to sink a few inches deeper into the sofa.
“It’s a traditional style mead that I made myself! You see the ingredients are rather basic, but I assure you the taste is like nothing you have ever had before! It uses snowberry honey. I’m confident in this batch and that anybody who takes a sip will find it to their liking regardless of their preconceptions or experiences with alcohol!” Apollo said rather quickly.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the man talk so fast before, let alone so passionately.
“I appreciate the thought, Apollo. However, I don’t drink?”
“No time like the present, Commander!” Apollo yelled.
I don’t think that’s how things work. Besides, we can't even get drunk since we purge toxins with our implants…
“Besides,” Apollo said with a slight grin. “I’m sure there will come a time in the near future when you will be stressed under your new job. I read that having a few moments to yourself is crucial in maintaining your sanity.”
New job? Is that… is that why we are here?
“Come now, open the second one. I am proud of my first gift, but I am even more excited for the second. I saw it at the terminal yesterday and knew I had to get it,” Apollo urged.
I nodded and was about to start opening Apollo’s second gift when the doorbell rang loudly. Everybody sighed and just looked at me, so I took the cue and stood up to go open the door.
However, the middle-aged man with gray hair and goatee wearing a business casual suit had already helped themselves in as they turned to me with an apologetic look.
“Haha… sorry we are late. Bad traffic?”
“Why are you phrasing it as a question, Heimdall? And we?” I asked.
“Sorry, I told him to wait, Kronos… What is the point of ringing the doorbell and just walking in?” a Hispanic woman with short brown hair wearing a tight blue and white cocktail dress that hugged her petite build chided Heimdall as she walked in the door.
“Sorry, I thought they might have already started without us…” Heimdall complained.
“We have already started opening gifts,” I said simply.
While still smiling, Dr. Suárez stepped into the door and casually smacked Heimdall in the back of the head with her small purse. Her smack had some force behind it but Heimdall was rubbing his head before the bag even touched him.
He wore his same apologetic look but the smile creeping on his face was plain to anyone. Suárez started walking towards the sounds of everyone's chatter when Heimdall called out to her.
“Hey? Aren’t you supposed to give him the gift?”
Suárez raised her eyebrow then looked over at me. “I was under the impression you were supposed to give the gifts to the…, ah, but I guess you have already started. Wait, why did you guys start?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Well, she isn’t here yet? Right?” Suárez asked, confused.
Huh?
Suárez checked the digital watch on her wrist implant and shrugged. “Well, it’s almost time anyway. So I’ll hold on to this just a little longer,” Suárez said while walking ahead.
Heimdall strode over and put a hand on my shoulder while shaking his head. “Women… can’t live with them, can't live without them, am I right?”
“Sure?”
What does that even mean? I’ve lived with girls before and it was never a problem. But, in all honesty, I miss Mom.
Mom?
Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.
Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.
The weird buzzing in my head stopped as a slight poking sensation on my side snapped me to my senses.
“What’s your deal, kid? Wake up and smell the coffee. Or do you need some coffee? Do you even know what coffee tastes like?” Heimdall half asked me, half asked himself.
“No, I’ve never had it before,” I said quietly.
“Mmm. Maybe I’ll get you some on our next rendezvous,” he said thoughtfully while pinching the gray hairs on his goatee. “Well, your old man is here now so the party can start for real,” he chuckled.
We walked back to the living room together, making small talk. Heimdall greeted everyone, and we all took our seats.
“Seems we overdressed…” Suárez pouted.
“Don’t compare yourself to these freaks,” Heimdall tried to whisper.
Artemis glared at him, and Heimdall made a mock look of fear, but he said nothing more. I could feel a gaze boring into my head as I turned my head slightly. Apollo was wearing a faint smile, but he was practically burning a hole through me in his anticipation. I slowly reached my hand out, watching as his smile grew. Then I quickly retracted it and watched it fade back.
“Stop teasing him, kid,” Heimdall chuckled.
Sorry…
I slid open the cardboard box and rummaged around the white tissue paper until I found something. I pulled out a pink shirt that was more of a crop top for me, judging by the amount of material. I doubt I could even pull this shirt over my shoulders. I unfolded the shirt and turned the front so I could see it and my head went numb. The shirt had some text on it in a similar style to the ones that Apollo wears.
Galaxy’s #2 dad.
…
…
What?
“Apollo… what is wrong with you? Why did you get one that said number two? And why isn’t the dad capitalized?” Heimdall asked in exasperation.
“What do you mean? There is nothing wrong with it. And surely the Commander is going to have a lot to learn so there is no way he can be the number one father saying otherwise would be a lie,” Apollo said matter of factly.
Father? I am… going to be a father? But that’s impossible… I can’t have children?
“That’s not the point, Apollo…” Artemis groaned.
“I always knew you were dumb as hell, bro,” Heph chuckled awkwardly.
“I think you broke him,” Suárez said with a worried voice.
All eyes were on me.
The buzzing in my head seemed to grow louder and louder as their voices seemed to get drowned out. My vision swam, and I felt heavy fog assault my mind. The fog turned violent, and it was trying to strangle me. Then something soft rubbed my face and guided my head up.
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“What’s wrong?” a soft voice whispered.
I looked up into the pair of dark brown eyes that almost seemed completely black. Her black hair was cut short and framed her beautiful face. Her skin was as white as snow and free of blemishes. And she was looking deep into my eyes as she stroked my face slowly.
“What’s the matter, Commander? Are you tired?” Nyx asked me.
We were so close now I could feel her breath. I continued to stare into her eyes silently and I could see a reflection in those eyes.
A reflection of a ghost.
I put my hand on her face and smiled. My hand was larger than her entire face.
“No, not anymore,” I said.
Nyx smiled softly. “Good, I was worried.”
She nuzzled her face into my hands as I said, “You know. You almost had me.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?” she asked me.
I moved my hand slowly across her face and placed it on her shoulder near her neck. “But thank you. I realized my memories must have been incomplete. I thought I remembered everyone, but it seems I was misremembering things. Perhaps a byproduct of the brain being imperfect at times. Or maybe there are other reasons behind it…” I mused.
“Dear? What are you saying?”
Nyx tried to back away from me, but I was faster. My hand gripped her throat as I applied the pressure slowly.
“Dear? Nyx would have never called me that, you know? Your ability to create such a realistic construct is amazing, but you already showed me your hand. You built this place using my head, not yours. You got almost everything right. But you made one mistake.”
I increased my grip as Nyx began to struggle. “What?” she managed to gasp out.
“You decided to wear her face. If you had made me forget her, I might have been trapped here forever. But I watched her die. I know she died. You might be able to cloud my memories, but you can’t seem to be able to suppress my feelings all that well. And I won’t ever forget that day regardless of how many times I die or how many centuries pass.”
I stood up from the chair with Nyx still in my grip. This monster even managed to recreate what I used to be physically capable of. I had forgotten how unnaturally strong I was. I wonder if mana could ever bring me to this kind of strength.
I began crushing the monster’s neck and brought it close to my face, so I could tell it exactly what was about to happen to it.
“First, I’m going to kill you in this dream. Then I’m going to wake up and kill you again. You are going to regret ever wearing these people’s faces. And since you can see my memories, do you know what the best part about all of this is? The fact that you already know you are dead.”
The monster acting as Nyx, let out an unholy screech that no Human could ever make.
Snap.
—
Oh, shit.
My eyes shot open into darkness, and I immediately began choking on whatever was in my mouth. I grabbed my face and tried to put mana into my arm but found my mana pool was practically emptied out. I struggled until I managed to rip whatever was on my face off and tossed it to the side. Unfortunately, something pulled out my nose and ears as well and I screamed from the pain.
Waves upon waves of fatigue slapped my body and mind as a pounding headache assaulted me. My mouth was devoid of water and my stomach was filled only with bile. Finally, I weakly rolled over, got on my knees, and vomited a purple ooze and stomach acid waterfall combo.
Just when I thought it was over, I continued ejecting my empty stomach until I eventually toppled over. My eyes felt like a desert, and they burned as I looked up at the weird sound. Trying to crawl away from me was some kind of purple gelatinous creature. It was barely the size of a children’s toy block as it struggled to inch itself away from me with tiny appendages breaking out from its body.
With a roar, I brought my first down in a hammer blow right on top of the monster. The creature exploded violently with a squishing sound in a mess of purple jelly.
Told you.
I rolled over on my back and tried to breathe in as much air as I could manage. My head hurt. My stomach hurt. My body hurt. Everything hurt, including my heart.
Before I knew it was wiping tears out of my eyes. Thankfully it seemed I didn’t have much water in my body to spare for tears as they stopped short.
I felt utterly empty. But at the same time, I was oddly content. It was an indescribable feeling that I would have to come to terms with at a later date. Because I remembered I had a very important promise to keep.
Sylvia.
I forced myself up and my body protested with every move. I dragged my vision over to where the dead Drone was and a small gasp left my mouth.
The monster had decomposed a considerable amount. Most of its body was falling apart from decay, and the smell was an affront to the senses. It must have been days since we killed that thing.
I didn’t have to go far to find Sylvia. She was lying face down in the dirt, so I got back down on my knees and rolled her over onto her back. I was relieved to hear her faint shallow breathing and the warmth of her body when I flipped her over.
Covering the entirety of her face was a purple ooze. Purple tendrils spilled out from the center and went into her ears.
So it managed to split, huh?
Slimes. Elusive creatures that possess a multitude of abilities depending on the type. I knew very little about them, and so did others. These monsters were extremely dangerous and only found in the depths of the most challenging dungeons. This thing must be like a parasite.
I tried ripping the monster off Sylvia, but the second my hand touched the goop, the sound of flesh being torn met my ears. Blood trickled out from Sylvia’s ear as the tendril wormed itself deeper.
It’s keeping her hostage. It doesn’t have control over her yet, which means she is still okay. If I try to kill the Slime, it will kill her. There is a good chance that those tendrils can just pierce her brain, and no amount of Blood Sorcery can save her from that. But I can’t sit here and do nothing.
I put my finger on a part of Sylvia’s exposed forehead and trickled what measly amount of mana I could spare. I wasn’t even sure if this was going to do anything but it’s the only thing I can come up with right now. I’m too damn tired for this…
“Wake up.”
—
Sylvia’s POV
“Wake up, child,” said a soft voice.
“Noooo, please just a little longer, Salihn…”
A warm hand moved the hair out of my face and poked my eyelid up just enough to where I could see. Sitting on the side of my bed was a beautiful woman with long gleaming black hair that fell past her hips. She had a pair of Wood Elf ears sticking out from the side of her head, and her crimson eyes sparkled in the morning light. Salihn’s fangs slipped out from her kind smile.
“Breakfast is ready, and your parents are waiting for you. You wouldn’t want to make them wait now, would you?”
“No…” I groaned.
“Then get up. I’ll help you get ready, Sylvia.”
Salihn was our family's head maid and wonderful woman. She was an older sister to me, and I missed her a lot…
Was? Missed? What am I talking about?
“Oww!” I yelped.
“Sorry, that knot was quite large, wasn’t it?” Salihn giggled while brushing my hair. “You know if you brushed your hair after you bathed, this wouldn’t be a problem?”
“I know that… ow—OW! Salihn!” I screeched.
“Oh, it seems there was another one,” Salihn said innocently.
“Salihn!” I cried.
I could feel tears threatening to well up, but I managed to push them back down when I saw how brightly Salihn was smiling.
“Then, if you know that you should do it, silly child.”
I just mumbled some things to myself, and Salihn laughed at my pouting. The warmth of her laugh spread through my chest, and I couldn’t stop myself from joining her.
Salihn helped me into a white summer dress, and I quickly made my way towards the dining hall with Salihn running behind me. I passed all the familiar faces of the villa and made sure to give everyone waves: Ochil, the western door guard, and Udor, his partner. Then, I bounced past and bumped into Zulva, one of our older butlers.
He reprimanded me for running in the halls some early morning and smiled down at me with scarlet eyes as he patted my head.
“Walk along now, Sylvia. Your parents are waiting for you,” Zulva said in a deep voice.
While walking, my head suddenly pulsed with pain, but it flickered away as fast it came. Salihn had caught up to me, but she wasn’t even breathing hard. She gave me a quick look that told me I would be getting an earful later, but I didn’t care. For some odd reason, I was just so happy to see everyone. And I wanted to stop and talk to them all if I could.
I burst through the white and black double doors leading to our family dining hall, and I was already in a full sprint. I tried stopping myself and ended up tripping over my feet when a sturdy hand reached out and snatched me by the back of my dress. It lifted me up with ease and turned me around while still dangling in the air until I was eye to eye with it.
A pair of swirling green eyes bored into me, and a raspy voice rumbled my chest. “Late. Running. Falling. Is this daughter of mine really such a clutz?” my father asked no one in particular.
He held me a little further away so I could see his entire face. His rugged features looked more like they belonged on a Human than a High Elf. I felt myself being drawn into his eyes, and I couldn’t bring myself even to utter a single word. I stared into his eyes. My chest hurt, and tears rolled down my eyes, but I wasn’t sure why.
Smack.
My father let out a yelp of pain that didn’t quite match his appearance. I think I even saw a single tear roll down his face.
“You are making her cry. Put her down,” my mother barked.
Mother was wearing one of her usual black morning gowns and had her purple hair tossed up in a bun. She wielded a large serving spoon like a sword and had put enough oomph behind her smack to knock an average person out. She was glaring at Father with red eyes and fangs bared. This is just how she was and it made me smile.
How she was…
Dad obliged and set me down in his lap, so we were face to face once more. His earlier stone facade had melted away into a worried expression that I’m positive most people could have never imagined him wearing.
“Oh, I’m sorry I— I…I didn’t mean to, I uh— Sylvia? Are you okay?” he asked me with genuine concern.
I was just silently looking up at him, letting the tears roll down my face as he thumbed them off of me. Finally, I shot up and ended up butting heads with him, but I didn’t care as I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed tight.
“I love you, Daddy.”
He hugged me back tightly and cleared his voice. “I love you too, Sylvia.”
I held my hug for longer than I should have as I took in everything I could. His scent, the warmth of his arms around me. The way his deep voice made my chest rattle. I wanted to stay like this forever if I could.
I opened my eyes ever so slightly to look at mom, who was just watching us with a faint smile. But the second she saw me looking at her, she crossed her arms and gave me a pouty face. I couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped from me as I released Dad and reached out to Mom. She spared no time plucking me away and holding me tightly against her body in a warm hug.
“I love you too, Mommy.”
“Mmmm. I love you so much, sweetie,” Mom hummed.
I hugged Mom until she let go of me and set me back down on the ground. She bent down and fixed my frazzled hair. She ran a hand across my face and smiled, “Let’s eat with Daddy before the food gets cold.”
With that, the three of us enjoyed what felt like the first breakfast we had enjoyed in years together. We talked and laughed and ate. Then we laughed some more. My heart felt so full. Then I heard something behind me, and I flicked around to see nothing.
“Something the matter?” Mom asked me.
“No… it was nothing, Mom.”
Did nobody hear that? But what did it even say? What was that? Am I hearing things?
Dad cleared his throat and adopted his usual stony demeanor. “Are you ready for your lessons today, Sylvia? I doubt your master will be too keen on you missing a second session within the week.”
“I missed a lesson?” I asked, confused.
“You slept through the last one, and he left claiming there was no point in teaching a brat that couldn’t wake up on time. So you should hurry along and greet him before he leaves again,” Dad said.
Master…
“Okay, I’ll go right now, then!” I proclaimed.
I was already up and out of my chair and running towards the door when Mom called out to me. “Study hard, sweetie!”
Dad started stuttering over his words, “S—stop running, Sylvia!”
I bid both of them farewell with a wave and a giggle and made my way towards the study area. But the second I burst through the door, I went nose-first into what felt like a brick wall and bounced right off onto my butt.
A High Elf man with cyan-colored hair and deep dark blue eyes was staring down at me. But his eyes were much different than everyone else's. The whites of his eyes were black, and his pupils' shapes were vertical. In addition, he was wearing long flowing white and cyan robes that sparkled with an otherworldly beauty. His robes were apparently common in the east.
Despite his cold stare and natural expression, I couldn’t help myself from smiling. “Master Keldrag!”
“Student of mine,” he said in his icy tone. “Or are you even a student of mine anymore? You seem to enjoy sleeping more than even my most slothful kin.”
“Sorry, Master,” I said meekly.
“Don’t be sorry child, be better.” He extended a hand out to me. “Come now. We have much to learn.”
I took his hand and frowned slightly from the cold. His hands were always freezing. Before I could even finish dusting myself off, the Master was already walking away from me. I caught up and followed a few steps behind him, trying to put my feet where his used to be.
Why am I doing this? This is what a… is what… what?
“Wake up.”
That voice again. I looked around but I couldn’t see where it came from. The passing guards and stewards didn’t say anything, and Master Keldrag didn’t even seem to hear it.
Whatever…
I continued playing my game and asking Master what we would be doing today. “Today? We shall continue your work on your body enhancement,” he said flatly.
“More? But—”
“No buts. You are a Vampire, and a powerful one at that. You will far outstrip your mother’s strength one day. All Vampires must learn to enhance their already strengthened bodies. In doing so, you will surpass even the most gifted of Beastmen warriors. It is your most basic yet efficient tool,” Mater Keldrag lectured.
“But I want to learn magic, Master.”
“And you will, when the time is right. You are still merely a little girl. There is no need to rush into these types of things.”
“But I’m nearly fifteen already?” I complained.
Master Keldrag turned on his heels and narrowed his cold eyes at me. “Has sleeping so much dulled your memory as much as your decisions? You haven’t even hit your first decade of life, child.”
I haven’t? But…
I looked down at myself, and a cloudy feeling clogged my mind. “Yeah… you’re right. Sorry Master,” I giggled.
He gave me a disapproving look, but I didn’t miss the fact that his eyes softened just a little: such a softie my Master.
I rushed over to the railing and stood upon the tips of my toes. I could barely peer over the edge, but I wanted to see the garden anyways. I heard a small sigh from behind me and a pillar of ice slowly raised from the ground. It was more or less just a small stepping stone, but it was enough for me to clamber onto and see better.
The warm wind rolled across my face and brought the scent of freshly cut grass and flowers with it. The weather was absolutely perfect here. Never too cold and never too hot.
“It’s nice outside. I could stay here forever…” I said quietly to myself.
“The weather here is most agreeable. I wouldn’t mind it being a bit colder, though,” Keldrag mused.
“That’s just you, Master. I doubt anyone else would say that.”
“Perhaps you are right.”
The two of us just stared aimlessly into the garden for a time. I was watching everyone move about the villa. Even though there were a lot of people here, it was still quiet and peaceful. Basking in all of this… makes me happier than it should. I guess I really am lucky.
Or so I thought.
I felt an odd sensation creeping up on me. It was cold, and the way it spread across the back of my spine made me shiver. And then I heard the voice again.
“Wake up, Sylvia.”
This time it wasn’t some disembodied voice. My ears picked up exactly where the sound was coming from, and my head snapped towards the hallway. A cloud of black smoke that nearly touched the ceiling and was as wide as the walkway was rolling towards us. I thought I was imagining things until I looked over at Master, and he was glaring at the smoke.
“Master…” I said weakly.
“Stay where you are, child. Guards! Intruder!”
Upon hearing Master’s shout, a squad of guards reacted immediately and came from behind us. They all took up arms with shields and spears pointed towards the encroaching black smoke. But then the smoke stopped moving, and a figure came walking out of it.
The figure was in the shape of a man, but I had never seen a man so tall before. Even Dragonkin aren’t that tall. Its black form was massive as it seemed to separate itself from the smoke. Its legs were bigger than my entire body, and I could feel the oppressive aura radiating out from it. It was almost enough to make me faint.
Once the figure came entirely out of the smoke, a red light appeared from where its face should have been. Then it started running towards me at frightening speeds. Its footsteps were so heavy that they broke the tile underneath with every step.
The guards let out a mighty roar and charged towards the monster. The first guard to reach it jabbed his spear into the creature's chest, only for the spear to shatter. The entity didn’t even stop running but instead just ran through the poor guard turning him into a black mist.
The next guard was summarily picked up by the head, and with a single squeeze from the creature’s giant hand, that guard too disappeared into a black mist. The next guard was swatted away and disappeared just like the others. The monster was methodical as it picked apart every one of the guards, leaving not even a scrap of them.
I felt myself wanting to run away, but I couldn’t move my body. My heart which had felt so full and happy was now gripped by the icy cold grip of this shadow monster. Master Keldrag strode in front of me as if to protect me. If anybody could stop this thing, it was Master.
“That’s far enough, abomination,” Master said coldly.
However, the monster didn’t even appear to hear Master. Or maybe it didn’t even care.
“Insolence. Freeze and die.”
A raging winter storm left Master’s hand and swallowed the monster whole. I thought he had done it for a fleeting second, but the same icy grip had yet to dissipate from my heart, and neither did the ominous black smoke. Finally, the storm cleared, and the creature was standing tall before us.
The smoke had cleared from its body, revealing a figure clad in pitch-black armor like I’d never seen before. Thick red lines glowed like veins at random parts on the armor, and a crimson red visor that looked to be made of glass reflected Master and me.
At that moment, every part of my body screamed at me. I turned to run and only managed two steps before my body came to a complete stop, frozen from the fear. It was right behind me all of a sudden. I couldn’t hear it, but I knew it was right there, close enough to reach out and grab me. But it never did. Instead, a vaguely familiar emotionless voice spoke directly into my mind.
“Wake up, you stupid bloodsucker. None of this is real. All of them are already dead.”
—
My consciousness returned to me, and I woke up gasping for breath as I violently shot up. I was expecting that monster to be right here, right in front of me, about to kill me, but instead, I found myself wrapped tightly in a sleeping bag.
My head pounded, and my ear was burning in pain along with the rest of my body, but within a few seconds, I had used what little left of my blood reserves to heal myself quickly. I thrashed out of the sleeping bag and turned towards the fire only to find a set of multi-colored eyes silently staring at me.
Voker?
Saying he looked terrible was an understatement. Heavy dark bags hung loosely from his tired eyes. Dried blood and purple goop covered his face and clothing. Voker also had a deep gash running across the side of his head that looked infected with a sickly purple puss. Voker looked gaunt, and he had lost weight he couldn’t spare.
What happened to him? What happened… that… dream? Was it a dream?
“Voker?” I said quietly. I felt that if I yelled, he might drop dead.
“Finally awake?” he asked. His voice was hoarse and the fatigue rolling off of him was enough to instantly make me feel bad, considering I wasn’t all that hurt.
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’ve been poisoned. The Slime did a number on my internals as well,” he grunted.
The second he had said “No” my mind was yelling at me, and I was scrambling up to go to his side before I could even think about it.