I heard someone softly snooring beside me. I slowly opened my eyes and the shrine's ceiling welcomed me. I flinched when I moved my head. Pain erupted from my neck, causing me to groan. Events from yesterday flashed in my eyes. I can't believe I can't exorcise the miasma. How pathetic of a god I am. I groaned when I tried to lift myself up from bed.
"Nina?" I heard someone faintly asked.
"What are you doing? You need to lie down a bit," Michaelis voice boomed beside me.
Oh. It was him that I heard snooring. Pictures of our fight flashed through my eyes like a slideshow. I remember. He doesn't really care about me. He just sees me as a god that he needs to guard. How foolish of m to think that he would actually care. Ignoring his words, I exerted force on my hands to sit up.
He sighed and his hands came to my back, supporting me.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"I felt like I'm a part of someone's puke," I blurt out.
"Well, that's some interesting way to describe it," he laughed.
"Stay here and don't move. I'm gonna get you something."
I watched as he exited my room. After what happened, I can't seem to face him straight. I know it was wrong of me to act that way, when he actually didn't do anything wrong. But when I saw him with how he interact with that girl, it stirred something inside me and I can't helped being irritated. I don't know if 'irritated' is the right word though. I, myself, could not describe what I felt that day.
"Lady Nina!" The will-o-wisp exclaimed.
"Hello Aka and Ao." I smiled.
They remained silent as they look at me before flying down straight into my stomach, embracing me. Surprised, I laugh.
"What's wrong with you guys?" I asked as I laughed.
They looked up and I was startled to see their teary eyes.
"We were so worried. Master Michaelis came home with you unconscious, filled with a miasma's skin. We thought you could be poisoned." Ao said as she sniffs her snout.
"And Master Michaelis stayed with you the whole time." Aka said between his hiccups.
My eyes widened at their statement. My heart somewhat felt warm. I don't think I'll be able to forget these two. I smiled and embraced them.
"I'm sorry I made you worry. I promise it won't happen again," I cooed, caressing them both.
"We're so glad you're okay." They beamed.
I laughed and assured them. How sweet of them. Well, at least Aka and Ao looks like they genuinely care about me. Michaelis entered with a tray.
"Hey, you two. Get your asses out there," he barked.
"Get well soon, Lady Nina." They both said as they wiped their tears away.
I watched as they disappeared through thin air.
"Here, a hot porridge for you," Michaelis handed it over.
My left hand reached it over and dropped it on my thighs. The heat from the bowl touched my skin. I raised my right hand to grabbed the unmoving spoon when I noticed that it was limping. There are bandages around it. It's limping like it has no energy to move. It doesn't look broken though. So why is it limping? My brows furrowed and I forcibly tried to move it. But everytime I did, it goes limped back into my sides. Michaelis watched me with determining eyes. I sighed. I guess I'll have to use my left hand instead. Before I could reach for the spoon, Michaelis gently took it away from my thighs. I looked up. He pulled a chair and sat in front of me.
"Behave, I'll feed you," he said.
He scooped the porridge and started blowing on the spoon.
"You really don't have to." I said.
"Now, open your mouth," he demanded as he held the spoon close to my face.
I hesitated for a while before slowly opening my mouth. The bland taste of the porridge exploded into my mouth. I watched as he retracted back the spoon and scooped another one. Did he really watched over me when I'm unconscious? Pictures of Michaelis thrashing around the miasma played in my head. I don't know what to feel and what to say. He was there even after I told him that he doesn't care about me. I observed him as he continuously feed me. His pale skin seems to be unscratched. His long hair is a bit messy, with all the tangled strands around since he didn't bother tying it up. Relief washed over me. He seems to be fine.
After eating, Michaelis let me rest alone. He went out and proceeded on his daily task. I could hear him barking orders on the will-o-wisps. I smiled. I grabbed my phone and absentmindedly scrolled through my messages. I almost frowned when I only saw two message box. One is from my grandfather and the other is from Lucas. I don't know how he got my number, but he's been spamming me since then. And of course, being the poor god I am, my phone was never loaded so I never got the chance to reply on any of his messages. Well, I'm not planning to anyway. I stared at the last message of my grandfather.
"Be who you really want to be, child."
I read it out aloud. He left this message the day when he was missing. I was at school at that time when my phone buzzed. I have never thought that it was going to be his last message. And up until now, I have never really understand what he meant. I mean, why would he say that when I am who I am. My eyes stopped when I saw the date. It was my grandfather's birthday. I jolted up from my bed.
"Ouch!" I mumbled.
I need to greet him.
I carefully creep out of bed and went straight into my closet. Although, my body still feel a bit weak, I think I can manage to at least walk. I grabbed a white dress, designed with laces on the front. I nodded in satisfaction before wearing it on. I checked myself on the mirror before heading at the door. I pulled it open and found Michaelis standing in front of me. He looked at me from head to toe before his brows knotted together.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"To the cemetery." I said.
I passed through his side and continue to head towards the living room.
"Go back to rest," he said as he followed me.
"But I need to go," I said without looking back at him.
We passed by a confused looking Aka that sits on the living room. As I reached for the door that may lead outside the shrine, Michaelis grabbed my hand.
"Go back, right now."
"I can't. I must go see him." I complained.
"What on earth are you going to do in there? Wait, him? Who is he?" He asked
I could feel his temper building up.
"My grandfather," I faintly said hoping he wouldn't hear, but thanks to his canine senses, he did hear.
Realization flashed into his face and let my hand go.
"I'll go get our ride," he said and went ahead of me.
Ride? We have a ride? I went outside and found a black limousine being parked. My jaw dropped. All my seriousness seems to fade away. Is this for real?
"Hop on, Nina," Michaelis said as he open the door.
"Wait. How are we supposed to descend the stairs with this?" I pointed out.
"Relax. There's another route from here for vehicles," he said.
Oh. Is that so. Then I don't mind riding a limo. I muttered a simple agreement before entering the car. Michaelis entered and started the engine. I told him the address of the cemetery as he drove, his hands on the steering wheel. Silence filled the air as I silently watched the town scenery. As usual, there are busy crowds. Some peddlers sat on the corner of a shop, waiting for grace from others.
I sighed.
"You okay?" Michaelis asked.
"Yeah. Although, I feel I bit weak, like I'm out of energy," I said.
"It's because of the miasma," he said.
"What?" I asked.
"Remember when he got you? It was actually feeding from you. It's sucking your power out from you. It's a good thing it's just for awhile, because if not, it could have been fatal. And I could have—"
He stopped talking and caught my eyes at rear view mirror.
"You could have what, Michaelis?" I asked.
He looked back at the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel.
"I could have been freed too," he finished.
"Oh." I mumbled.
I heard him sighed deeply as he stopped the car. I guess I wasn't really meant to be a god. After all, my familiar seems to hate me. He really don't have to repeat the words for me to get it. I fully did understood what he said. I got out of the car and started walking my way towards my grandfather's grave. As I got closer, a woman in her early forties stood. Why is she standing in front of my grandfather's grave? I walked closer until she turned and smiled at me. She started walking towards my direction.
"Be careful. They might be deceiving you."
I heard her whisper as she passed by me. I don't know if it was meant for me to hear or not, but it sent chills on my spine. I turned around to call her, but she was nowhere to be found. All I could see is Michaelis who's looking at me with his ears perked on interest. When my eyes met his, I quickly turned around and went straight on my destination. As I stood there, slowly reading the engraved letters on the tomb, my brows started knotting together in confusion. I am reading someone's name, not my grandfather. I frantically moved into another grave to another to look for his name. Where is it? Sweats started forming on my palms.
"What's wrong?"
Panic started sitting on my stomach. My mind went flying about various thoughts. Where could have been my grandfather's tomb. I know he was buried here. It was on his record. Did someone dug his grave and put him away somewhere? Maybe his probably on the other side. I went around to see if it's the grave I want to see but none of it matches what I wanted. I instantly turned around when a hand grabbed my shoulders.
"What?!" I exclaimed.
Michaelis looks taken aback at my reaction. And then I realized. I snapped at him.
"What's the matter?" He gently asked.
I looked at him as tears started forming on the corner of my eyes.
"His grave. It's gone," I said as I started sobbing.
He's the only family I have. And now I can't even see his grave. I won't have any connection at him anymore.
"I'm sure it's just somewhere around here." He started reaching out his hand towards me.
"But you saw. I've searched the whole place, yet not a name of my grandfather was found."
Tears are running down my cheeks. My heart is beating so loudly that I almost here it on my ears. I am angry and sad and hysterical. Michaelis engulfed me in a securing hug, planting my face on his chest.
"Maybe he's on the other cemetery," he said.
"No. That can't be. This is the only cemetery in town." I choked out.
"We need to find it. It's the only connection I have in him."
I almost sound like I'm pleading, but never did I care. His grave is his only connection in this world, to me. It's where his body rest. And that grave is the one that will remind me of him.
I was on hysterics when Michaelis decided to bring me back to the car. I don't care if I look pathetic in front of him. I don't care if I have degraded my entity as god. All I care about is my grandfather. After all, I did came to greet him a happy birthday. I came to tell him all the happenings in my life since he passed away. Of how I miraculously became a god after meeting Michaelis and the will-o-wisps. That I made friends with other gods. And that there are other beings that live among us, unseen from the eye. All of it, I wanted to tell it to him.
"It's gonna be okay. We're going to find it."
Michaelis waved his hand in front of me and I instantly felt tired and my eyes involuntarily closed.