Alexia

Seven Years Ago

I stretch a little as I walk around the corner of one of the hallways in Gramps’ overly large house. But once I make it to Gramps’s office that lies in between my room and the second closest bathroom to my room – the closest one being closed due to an accident that happened earlier in the week – I slow to a halt at the sound of voices coming from the office.

So as the nosy person that I am definitely not, I choose the noble route of stopping to tie the nonexistent shoelaces of my slippers in the middle of the hallway near the door.

“So there’s still no word about Crystal?” I hear gramps’ say through the open doorway. And I can’t help but wonder who Crystal is.

A friend of his maybe?

“Affirmative, Lord Knight,” a voice that I quickly recognize as the head butler of Gramps’ estate responds.

A short silence passes while I take my sweet time tying my nonexistent shoelaces. Then Gramps’ voice returns, saying, “And the girls’ father?”

That almost has me stumbling.

Wait, wait, wait, does he mean me and Astrid?! Our father? Or some random girl’s father?

“He still hasn’t shown his face since the massacre,” the butler answers. “But are you sure you don’t want to tell them? It’s a big secret to keep from the girls.”

I think he is talking about us.

At this point I feel my curiosity rising more and more. Because no one has ever said even so much as a word about our father.

And this means Gramps might know who our father is as well.

Maybe we can meet him?

“I don’t want them to have anything to do with him,” Gramps says, immediately stomping on that idea. “The man is not the same man I used to know.”

Guess that’s a no then.

But he knows mom still? How?

He’s never mentioned her before either.

“In that case, should we continue searching for their father?” the butler asks.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Yes, because I would like to have a few words with him,” Gramps responds. “In the meantime, find her at all costs.”

“Very well,” the butler replies, ever the formality obsessed old man. “We will locate The Devourer as soon as we can find her.”

Wait… The Devourer? Isn’t that a myth?

I thought the great Devourer didn’t exist. That she was just some sort of legend told about a person who goes and devours those who do wrong. A being as powerful as the weakest quantum beings.

But… she’s our mother?

“Now look what we have here, a little birdy fluttering where they shouldn’t be,” I hear a voice that I don’t recognize directly behind me, making me turn around. But before I can even finish turning, I feel someone grabbing my head and raising me up.

They don’t even turn me around to look at them. All I feel is pain from my skull as I whimper, making the two people inside of the office quickly move to the entrance.

Before they can make it though, a black and gray light shines from the fingers grasping my head and then everything grows fuzzy.

The next thing I know I’m lying in bed back in my room, blinking in confusion.

What just happened?

I frown. Then I realize I need to go to the bathroom.

But… didn’t I already get up to go?

Confusion riddles my mind for a little bit before I eventually shrug and get out of bed to go to the bathroom.

Must be tired.

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Alexia

The Present

My eyes shoot open to find that it’s now nighttime. And the first thing I do is look down at Luna who is still peacefully napping on my lap.

What the… what was that dream?

Silence fills the clearing with the only sounds being that of birds chirping and some monster calls deeper into the forest, the construction workers having stopped for the night at some point during my nap.

Our mother… is the Devourer?

And what was with that man who found me? Did he wipe my memories or something, and I’m only remembering now after I got my immunity to spiritual effects? Because that would make sense, if you ignore the fact that it means Gramps knew about all of this and didn’t say anything.

Which I’m not going to ignore and will absolutely be yelling at him for the next time I see him.

I lie still, simply staring at the lake for a while.

The Devourer. Someone who is practically just a fairy tale. Something that most people don’t believe even exists.

Is my mother?

That… can’t be true. Because if it is, then how would a mythical being like that die or become forced to not be able to see me or Astrid?

It just doesn’t make sense.

So… what’s the truth? Is she really my mother?

Does the Devourer actually exist?

But why wouldn’t they be on the leaderboards if they do exist?

No matter how much I try to think about it nothing comes to me.

I eventually raise my arms and cross them in front of my face as I groan in frustration.

Ugh, this is annoying.

I look down as I feel Luna shifting before seeing her let out a light squeak, the little bat stretching slightly in the process. Then she raises her head to look at me, looking ever the adorable one while doing so.

Luna lets out another squeak after she finishes stretching and tilts her head as if asking if I’m okay.

I pat her on the head with a smile before raising my head to look at the lake and muttering, “I’m fine. Just fine.”

A strange emptiness fills me, making me briefly wonder if I really am fine.

But I quickly push down that emptiness as I climb to my feet with Luna in my arms.

Right. Never stop moving.

So with that thought in mind, I begin teleporting over to the city to go find Astrid.

The only person aside from Gramps who can fill that emptiness when I feel it, even if only a little.

I’m fine.