"That man again… Who is he, really?" I asked myself, trying to calm down...
My eyes landed on the clock beside the bed. The digital numbers blinked: 11:59 PM. Just one more minute and I'd officially turn 18.
I was too afraid to close my eyes again, so I reached for a novel on the bedside table and opened the last page I had read, trying to distract my thoughts.
But right when the clock shifted to 12:00, a cold wind blew through the window which I hadn't even noticed was open. The gust hit my face, raising goosebumps all over my body.
And then suddenly...
"Ahh!" I winced. My back burned like it was on fire. The pain quickly spread throughout my body.
Then I heard a soft whisper in my ear. Like a chant, spoken in a language I didn't know, but somehow, I understood every single word.
---
(Ghrel'sel drav'qa vel.
Mor'veth xal sel esvara.
Zha'qel'eth eternix.
Vekh'tar, thur xal throx'ka velkhar.
Sel zha'qel vekh, Zyra'khar.
Nirv'eth vekh rek'ha mori... sel drav'kar vekh.
Tharn'ix velkhar xal zekh krar'thal sel'va.)
"By my blood, the binding is sealed... In shadow, I linger and wait.
This curse shall never fade... My beloved, you are the key to my return.
I cast you down, O Radiant One.
Reborn a thousand times, yet I will always find you.
And this mark shall bear eternal witness to every agony you've ever given me."...
Words like a spell echoed again and again.
And with each repetition, the heat in my back intensified, as if my skin were peeling off. The pain spread to my bones. I couldn't bear it anymore.
"Aaaaargh!" I screamed as loud as I could. My voice echoed through the house surely into my parents' room.
They woke up in panic. I heard rushed footsteps approaching my door.
They tried to open it but it was locked.
"Rya! Open the door, sweetheart!" my mom shouted, her voice trembling with panic and on the verge of tears.
"It hurts! Mom, Dad, help... Aurya...!" I screamed from inside, my body shaking uncontrollably. My voice broke between sobs and the searing pain that clawed at my back.
I collapsed to the floor, unable to stand. The pain felt like hundreds of tiny knives slicing my skin.
Then_BANG!
Dad finally kicked the door open.
He stood at the doorway, panting. Mom rushed inside, her eyes widening at the sight of me lying on the floor.
"Aurya!" she cried in panic, kneeling beside me and wrapping her arms around me tightly. Her face was pale, filled with fear. Dad knelt beside us, tense and confused.
"What's happening, sweetheart?" Mom asked, her voice shaking.
I winced, my body still trembling from the pain that refused to fade. In a weak voice, I whispered, "My back... it hurts so bad, Mom... it's burning..."
Mom stroked my hair with trembling hands. Her touch felt cold maybe from fear. Dad stared at my back, his expression hardening, as if trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
"My back... it hurts," I whispered again, barely audible.
Slowly, Dad reached for the edge of my shirt. Hesitantly, he lifted my pajama top and his eyes widened in shock. His breath caught in his throat.
Seeing his frozen reaction, Mom panicked too.
"What is it, honey? What's wrong with Aurya's back?" she asked, her voice shaking as she stared at his stunned expression.
But Dad didn't respond right away. He simply nodded slightly, then moved aside to let Mom see for herself.
Carefully, Mom turned my body. When her eyes landed on my back, her whole body went limp. Her arms fell to her sides, and her face went pale.
"This can't be..." she whispered. Her hands were trembling.
"I... I tried everything. But why..." Her words trailed off. As if a heavy weight was stopping her from speaking. There was something they weren't telling me. Something they were hiding.
My body trembled harder, the pain in my back unbearable.
Seeing me grimace in agony, Mom gently cupped my face. Her hand was still cold but now her gaze had changed. There was determination there. A kind of fear I didn't understand.
She leaned down, touched her forehead to mine, and began whispering in a strange language. One I had never heard before, but somehow, I understood every word she said.
---
("Sel luthien Elva seriel evara thalen.
Seriel Myra val zha'qel nocthel.
Selya vel ilmena aerya.
Nuiriel, Selya vel ilmena aerya.")
"I call upon the long-forgotten light of protection...
Guard the soul bound by the dark curse...
My child, until the time comes...
Sleep, my child, until the time comes."...
Her voice echoed softly in my ears like a lullaby.
The pain in my back slowly faded.
And in an instant, everything went dark.
I fell asleep, unaware of what was truly happening to me.
---
Sunlight stung my eyes. Slowly, I opened them and found myself lying in a vast meadow. A gentle breeze brushed against my skin, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers. Not far from where I lay, a crystal-clear stream flowed quietly.
There, a man stood with his back to the morning light. He looked calm, as if waiting for someone. His hair was pitch black, and when he slightly turned, I saw his eyes clear blue like the ocean. He was handsome, yes, but what truly drew me in was the peaceful aura that surrounded him.
Moments later, soft footsteps approached from behind me.
A woman walked slowly toward the man.
"I know her."
It was the woman from my previous dream. The one who saved the child on the Misty Mountain.
"You're late," said the man. His voice was calm, but there was a hidden concern in his tone.
"I'm sorry... I had to find a way to escape without being noticed," she replied with a soft, slightly awkward smile.
"It's not easy to avoid them, you know that, right?" she added.
They continued talking, laughing softly now and then, exchanging warm glances like lovers reunited.
And for some reason, tears streamed down my cheeks. It felt warm, yet sorrowful.
"I want to give you something," the man suddenly said, his voice gentle and sincere.
"What is it?" the woman asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
He took out a pendant an oval-shaped locket with a glowing gem in the center called a Lumencryst. The gemstone shimmered softly, shifting between pale blue, gold, and silvery white, depending on the wearer's emotions.
"This is a pendant from our kind," the man said, smiling gently as he gazed at it.
"My father gave it to my mother when he chose her as his mate."
The woman fell silent for a moment, then looked at him.
"But why are you giving it to me? Isn't this precious to you?"
He looked into her eyes, a thousand unspoken words in his gaze.
"I want you to have it as a sign of gratitude for..." His voice grew softer.
He didn't finish his sentence.
As she took the pendant from his hand, she suddenly screamed in pain.
I stood frozen, unable to react.
Before I could process what was happening, the man was suddenly behind me. His body pressed close, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, locking me in place. His breath was hot against my ear, sending chills down my spine.
"I've been waiting for you, sweetheart," he whispered soft, yet threatening.
I swallowed hard, my body trembling.
"Who are you?... Why do you keep haunting me?" I asked, my voice shaking with fear… and curiosity.
He didn't answer.
"Just a few more minutes and then, nothing will be able to stop me. Not even you."
And before I could ask anything else, he lowered his head and bit into my back.
The pain felt real horrifyingly real, as if it cut into the bone.
I screamed and woke up.
My breath came in short gasps, my body drenched in sweat. I was back in my room. But everything was a mess, like it had been ransacked. Mom and Dad were nowhere in sight.
"Where are they?" I wondered in panic.
Then... that sound.
Mom's scream from the living room.
"No!!!... Aaaah!" Her voice echoed followed by a loud crash...