NEZHA

Ao Bing did not speak as he moved inside the room, closing the door tight. I could not see anything. There was no light, there was nothing. But I could listen to AO Bing..crying?

‘’What have I done?’’He said.

I took a step closer to him and tried to speak.

‘’We can find another way.’’

‘’Can we?’’He replied with a question.’’Tell me something Nezha’’He kept walking.’’Do you believe if we are out, you can be free?’’

I was ready to speak but he stopped me.

‘’When I was like you, I managed to go out, to feel the sun on my skin, feel the cold wind’’There was a scoff. ‘’And the only thing I could think about was this place. How much I longed to return. To return to him’’He gasped.

‘’We can find a way to take them out’’I said once again. ‘’Take everyone out and…’’

‘’And then what?’’Ao Bing shouted’’You really think you can be free? Free from the nightmares?’’

I wanted to speak, to tell him yes, but...I just couldn’t. Because it will be a lie.

‘’No’’Ao Bing rasped and I heard the sound of a pistol coming from him. Choose who.’’You are all so…innocent’’ He wouldn’t. He would guess who would stay alive or not. Me or Arsu.

‘’But do not worry’’His voice cracked. ‘’With this, I might let someone fr-’’

‘’Stop it’’ I screamed but it was too late with the door opening once more. There was a man dressed as an owl and turned to Ao Bing as he was aiming the pistol at me. Was it a guess or did he want me dead? Now with a door opened, I could listen to a commotion from above. A commotion.

‘’There is a girl here’’The owl whispered.’’Wanting to speak to…’’

‘’Mara’’I gasped with a smile. But it instantly faded when Ao Bing laughed.

‘’Perfect she …’’ His grin grew wider and wider now.

‘’What’’I panted with Arsu now holding me. There was an image of her now. Her body, was shed with blood from the top of her hair until her dripping crimson legs as snakes were conquering her limbs, forcing her to stay still. Fabrics fell to her as snakes were forming from the bright colors. And her eyes vanished at every sign of her existence.

‘’She will do’’He pulled the pistol away from me and put it back into the pocket and moved once again away.

‘’She is a kid’’I tried to rush out but it was too late as he locked the door.

‘’Oh, she is far more than a child’’He said with a sigh leaving his entertaining voice and then, there was a sound of footsteps leaving.

Far more than a child?

‘’Ao Bing’’I screamed.’’ Please’’The smoke inhaled even deeper into my lungs, making my head worse.

‘’Nezha stop’’Arsu moved once again on my side, wrapping me tight.

‘’No, he will kill her.’’Tears fled from my eyes.’’He will kill us all.’’

‘’Nezha?’’ A familiar voice cried now in front of the door. As it opened slowly, I could see her tall figure with her platinum hair and her round eyes staring at me.

‘’Arsu’’She sighed with relief and covered her nose while she had her crooked smile. ‘’We must’’

I jumped to her hugging her tight. Was she real? Is she here? It did not matter. She was here.

‘’Min’’I tried to speak but she replied with a hug as Arsu stood still, mumbling how sorry he was over and over again. But then, I could listen to her crying as she kept hugging me tight. Tight as if I couldn’t even breathe.

‘’You are all alive.’’She cried over and over again as she moved away and saw her smiling.

‘’You are all alive’’She then hugged Arsu and he cried back.

I finally managed to smile and looked from above.

‘’What is Mara doing up there?’’

Then, Minerva looked shocked as she took her broken glasses. Then, she looked behind her as if someone had once been there.

‘’Mara is here?’’Minerva asked breathlessly.

She told us what happened to the Garden. About the drug that is possibly what was making us all weak And she told us that Mara and her drifted apart and that Ghost sent her here. But the thing was…She could not remember how she came here. As if she never saw the entrance. But we could see the door from the stirs. The one that was all so slightly open.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

What we saw was the Ars Goetia, the main lounge of it, the one we saw when we first got there. People were now in a rush as a short girl was running from any owl guard that was trying to reach her. She was jumping from a table of card games to a table where people were drinking. None tried to shoot her with people all around as the owls were now trying to push the running people away from the commotion.

But the short girl did not seem to care about it as she had a pocket knife in her left hand and a heavy dripping bag on the other, attacking every owl with it who was daring to reach at her too close. She was panting and kept jumping from every free place.

‘’Get her’’Ao Bing’s voice commanded as he was standing not even a few steps away from another door close to a wall. A wall painted in the color of the walls…as if…

‘’Someone is hiding’’Minerva whispered as she saw the door too.

Screams began to erupt as the first shout of pain, the first scream of horror found everyone’s ear.

And then, right above the stairs, there was a prideful old Owl, looking at everything with anger. Pride on his face was slowly getting broken while his assistant was standing cowardly behind him.

‘’What is the meaning of this’’ Stolas growled with his men instantly rushing to her. But then, he halted them fast. And they stopped. They all stopped.

‘’I apologize’’Her dark eyes moved up to him and she bowed with a curtsy as if she was a Royal herself. ‘’I wished I could come sooner but’’She jerked her head back to the entrance. Forcing myself to look I could see two men collapsed to the ground as red blood was dripping to the marble floor.

‘’They couldn’t let me move.’’She pouted disappointedly.

‘’What is she doing here?’’ I panicked and looked at Minerva.

‘’She said she will find us.’’She shrugged and now we watched Stolas’ eyes darting before taking a deep breath.

‘’Everyone out’’He commanded the customers who were now running far from the room screaming.

That was our chance and walked to the painted door and opened it slowly as we got in before the trouble lows.

I still could see Ao Bing as he was moving to Mara’s side, staring at us and trying to return to the door but the crowd had now slowly become less for only the workers and Mara were the ones standing.

I opened the door fast, noticing that it was not locked. And we got inside the darkness once again.

All three of us now started from the slight light of the door and waited for something to happen.

‘’Why are you here girl?’’ Stolas growled.

‘’You know, that is not my name’’Mara narrowed and lifted her hand with the sack up. ‘’I am here offering a gift for you.’’

I could see Stolas’ brow arching as Mara let the bag down for the head to roll to his marble floor, staining it crimson. No eyes, no tongue, and the man’s forehead was scratched as if Mara tried to get his brain out.

I covered my mouth, listening to Minerva trying to hold her puke inside her.

‘’Is this…’’ Stolas gasped.

‘’I thought that this might draw Stolas attention’’Mara tilted her head to the right.’’And make his imposter give up his terrible act.’’

What?

There was a heavy sigh as they walked even closer to Mara. I tried to move, I tried to get out. And then her gaze found me hiding at the door. She kept looking at me and.

Was that a laugh? Did I imagine her giggling?

Looking back to the stairs, Stolas’ Assistant emerged from the shadows and faced Stolas. And then Mara.

‘’How did you figure it out?’’He asked with a brave, clear voice. A voice that could belong to a noble. To a true king even.

‘’He was far too honest’’ Mara replied and looked at the assistant. ‘’As if there was a script. As if he knew nothing and just said everything you had ordered him to.’’

‘’Now don’t lie to me, little girl’’The assistant laughed at her. ‘’Tell me the whole truth.’’

Mara narrowed and looked at the old man.’’For a man who had ordered people killed’’She sighed.’’ Have establishments such as this …kindness shouldn’t exist in someone like him.’’

The ‘assistant’s’ lips quivered a smile and looked at how the shaking ‘Stolas’

‘’You did well’’He said, patting ‘Stolas’ shoulder and then pushing his body down with all of his strength, making his body smash to the table, his screams echoing everything inside the building.

‘’Thank you for that’’ The Real Stolas said, walking closer to the center of the stairs, giving Mara his entire attention. ‘’I always forget that kids like you can be smart.’’

She did not speak.

‘’You must know for a business to rise no weak assets can grow.’’

‘Mara agreed with a nod and looked at her feet.

‘’But you are something interesting aren’t you?’’ There was a thirst of greed in Stolas’ voice.’’I knew the first time I saw you that I needed to have you. I told Mammon so’’

‘

Mara moved her hands behind her back and looked him up with a straight face. ‘’My father burnt your offer.’’

Stolas pouted childishly.’’Pity. You would have been my favorite asset.’’

Stolas wanted to buy Mara once? She would never be free. Maybe that was the reason she was angry back then. Trying to find the truth.

The girl sighed.

‘’Why are you here then Miss Mara? Orders by your father to kill me like you did my people?’’His eyes fell to the corpses.

She moved her hand slowly on her heart.’’ I am not bound to him.’’

Stolas' curiosity grew wider.

‘’What are you saying? My deal for Mammon intrigues you?’’

For a second silence. And Stolas let out a real, honest, hideous laugh. A peal of laughter that was drowned by greed and insanity.

‘’How about we have a real conversation? Miss Mara?’’

And she smiled with agreement.

What the fuck is she planning?