Void.
Endless Void.
Here again…
Kai thought to himself as he found himself floating in a cloudy world. A world he was much too familiar with. I can’t even celebrate in peace… He sighed, his eyes scanning the environment that he grew accustomed to. His long hair danced in the wind, the warm breeze sending a warm shiver down his spine as he began walking forward. He didn’t run or hurry, he remained calm, or, as calm as he could be.
Dragging his trembling legs and leaving a trail behind, he breathed rhythmically, trying to calm down his racing pulse. Despite that, a feeling of dread rose inside him. Blood trickled down his fists as his nails dug into his flesh, the sound of the droplets smashing against the phantom ground echoing inside the quiet void. Suddenly, the floor beneath him began moving, making Kai advance faster and faster.
His heart threatened to jump out of his chest as the landscape around him changed rapidly, so fast that he couldn’t even make out where or when he was. Oxygen escaped his lungs, and the following weakness made him fall to his knees. Holding his crimson-colored hands to his throat, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, the stain on the ground following him as he glided through a flashing world of images.
He gasped as his lips parted, unable to utter a single word or scream. All he could do was wait. Wait and see where his dream would lead him this time.
Eventually, he started slowing down, until he stopped. The world around, whilst still a void, turned blue, like the sky on a clear day. Looking down, he saw an endless, beautiful dark blue ocean as far as the eyes could see. Devoid of life, devoid of land or creatures. It was empty.
His heart jumped as a faint roar echoed in the distance, the blood flowing through his veins boiling as a wave of warmth washed over him. It was a sudden, familiar feeling. His heart jumped to the source of the roar, however he couldn’t quite make out what it was, or who it was. The flapping of wings echoed in his mind, followed by the splitting of air and another, excited roar. Below him, a large, dark figure slowly descended, raised, and flew through the air. However, the moment didn’t last, as, as sudden as it came into being, the creature let out a breathless shriek before plummeting to the ocean.
Its unclear, blurred, gigantic figure became smaller and smaller as it met with the water. A sudden, sharp pain spread from Kai’s heart throughout his body, and he too, fell to the ground. Writhing in pain unlike anything he ever felt before, Kai scratched his chest, tearing the clothes off his body and digging into his flesh. However, no matter what he did, the pain didn’t stop, even as blood pooled around him, the pain didn’t stop, and even as his voiceless scream of agony echoed in the world… the pain didn’t stop.
It continued. It burned him, burned his soul, and threatened the existence of his very being. His body spasmed violently on the translucent ground, the puddle of blood beneath him dying his clothes and flesh a dark crimson color. In his suffering, he didn’t notice the arrival of an ethereal figure or rather a shape. A single large eye manifested before him, watching like an eagle stalking its prey. Its large, vertical pupil widened upon scanning the boy, and a weird, crackling laughter echoed in the empty void.
…
In the living room, Aina and Elizabeth sat on their respective couches, quietly enjoying a cup of tea. Aina’s eyes were focused on a book, like usual, whilst Elizabeth nervously scanned the room. Her breathing, although steady, faltered every so often as she fidgeted with her fingers.
Aina let out a light sigh, removing her gaze from the pages, and glancing at her daughter. “You don’t need to worry anymore, he did it. Kai is now a first star… fully fledged Mage.”
“I know… it… it just feels, surreal.” Elizabeth bit her lower lip, leaning back on the couch. “Less than one year ago he couldn’t even absorb mana and now… I’m worried, maybe he advanced too fast.”
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“Unfounded. He achieved much more when he was younger, what makes you think he can’t handle it now?”
“He wasn’t wounded before. Besides, have you not noticed? He’s paler than usual…” Elly’s voice lingered in the air as she looked toward Kai’s room.
Inhaling sharply, Aina placed her book aside and brought the cup to her lips before letting out a sigh. “I did. He isn’t sleeping well. Nightmares…”
“He’s also overworking himself and… he’s gotten skinnier. Mom, what if…?” Elizabeth didn’t finish her sentence, however, it wasn’t necessary, as Aina knew all too well what her daughter referred to.
“The Blood Rotting…”
“Is it possible?”
“...Very.”
Silence. Complete silence covered the two, and only the sound of their thumping hearts could be heard as they finally began to come to face with the facts.
“Mom… could we?”
“No, absolutely not!”
“What other choice do we have?! Even if our blood isn’t any good to him, it should still help, if even a bit.”
“It will make it worse, you know that well. Once a vampire that's feeding, there’s very little that can satiate their thirst. I saw it happen… and the fate of those reluctant wasn’t pretty.”
“Then we could ask Arthur or someone from Aravia! I… I can’t watch Kai succumb to that wretched disease!” Elizabeth’s voice bounced off against the wall, ringing loud inside Aina’s mind. However, she sighed and turned away, dismissive of the idea.
“Arthur knows that this was inevitable, however, he didn’t offer anything. Why do you think that is? Once Kai feeds once… he’ll need to do so again, and again, lest the Blood Rotting advances even quicker. It’s a vicious cycle. A curse brought upon by his ancestors.”
Elizabeth stared at Aina, her lips parting without a sound. She sighed, defeated, and sunk into the couch and nibbled on her nails. “Then we can only hope he is resistant enough. He may not feel it now but sooner or later…”
“Let’s hope it won’t come to that.”
They both suddenly jumped at the same time, startled by a loud bang coming from above. Exchanging a quick, worried glance, Elizabeth stood up and headed toward the exit. “I’ll go check up on him.”
…
Cold sweat drenched Kai’s body. The place where he once slept again became a puddle of tears and sweat. He found himself lying on the hard floor, and his eyes snapped open before touching the ground. Groaning in pain, he caught his breath and calmed down. He’d grown accustomed to the process, as the repeat nightmare didn’t allow him a peaceful sleep, or peaceful awakening. Sighing, he tried piecing together whatever memories he had left of the dream, however, little more than blurs and the general feeling of excruciating pain remained.
Onyx wasn’t in the room this time, so Kai had no one left to lean on to calm down and lay back on the drenched bed. Laying on the floor, he questioned the significance of his nightmare and when it would end. Why was it so specific, so similar, and so repetitive? No one so far has managed to answer his questions, not even the books his parents gave him or the ones in the library.
Despite that, he knew that there was no use questioning it, and he resigned himself to his fate, albeit reluctantly. His hand flew to his chest, moving up and down along with his thumping heart. Up and down… up and down… blood raced through his veins, flaring up every so often as his eye snapped shut, recalling the blurry figure he saw below. What even was that…?
He raised his head, awoken from his thoughts by the sudden opening of the door, inviting Elizabeth in. She looked around and gasped upon seeing Kai lying on the floor. Rushing to his side and quickly picking him up, her lips parted as she placed him on the bed. “That nightmare again?”
Kai nodded, staring into Elizabeth’s emerald green eyes, which calmed down his racing heart. “It’s gotten worse, my body feels hot, very hot…” His raspy voice escaped his body, weakened by the terrors of his dream. “I don’t think sleeping is much of an option anymore…”
Elly placed her hand over the boy’s forehead, her pupils constricting slightly as a chilly feeling rose on her arm. “You’re freezing,” Her voice echoed a hint of worry and fear hidden beneath the calm exterior. She quickly changed his drenched clothing and shoved him on the opposite side of the bed, where it was dry. Turning the blanket over and covering Kai, she rushed out the door. A fragrant smell filled the room as Elizabeth returned with a hot cup of tea. “Here, drink this. It will hopefully help you feel better.”
Kai sat up, flinching lightly as he picked up the cup, and took in its aroma before drinking a light sip. “It’s bitter…” He said, a tear streaming down his cheek.