Chapter 1: The Invitation
Lesley's Point of View
SEVEN YEARS AGO...
"Mom! Dad!" Harley cried as he saw the cold corpse of our mom and dad on the floor. I stood from the floor while staring at nothingness. The puddle of their blood on the floor stained our outfits, I raised my hands infront of me, and it was stained with blood too.
I failed, again.
I glanced at Harley who was still crying, he kneeled on the floor and took off his hat, "Sister, I-I'm a failure," Harley muttered, as he stood up from the floor, running towards me, giving me his warm embrace.
"Don't blame yourself, little brother, it's not your fault." I hugged him back, and tears starting to fall from my eyes... I cried, silently.
I felt like our world turned into darkness, the light that shines above us slowly faded... the darkness, slowly devouring our souls, as we felt the despair that was pierced through our hearts.
"Sister, I can't... I can't live like this anymore," Said Harley, as he buried his face on my jacket.
"Harley... it's my fault for not protecting them, I'm the f-failure here. I'm sorry," I kneeled on the floor and hugged him tightly, I buried my face on his shoulders, while caressing his hair, and Harley did the same.
"Sister, d-don't be... If it weren't for you, I would've been killed by the man holding a pair of knives a while ago," Said Harley, as he continued to cry. Yeah, right... He almost got killed, but luckily, I quickly shot the man holding a pair of knives on his forehead.
I sighed, "Let's go clean up those mess," I sighed, as I stood up from the floor.
Harley sighed, and nodded, "Alright,"
History repeats itself, but this time... it's more painful.
-
I stood in front of the coffin of our mother, her rosy skin turned into pale white, almost like the dress she wore, her lips were chapped, her wrinkly face made her look like an old woman, but still... she looks beautiful.
"Sister, do you think we could get through this?" Harley asked in a monotonous voice, I glanced at him, and he was staring at the coffin of our father, that was beside the coffin of our mother.
I patted his shoulders, "Of course, Harley, our parents made us tough and strong." I flatly smiled at him, he looked up and gazed at me.
He took something from his pocket and gave it to me, "What's this?" I asked, then Harley grimaced and rolled his eyes,
"It's from your boyfriend,"
Oh, it's Gusion.
I opened the letter, and it says: My deepest condolences, my love.
I sighed as I looked down, "Do you wanna go home?" I ask, but he looked down and slowly shook his head, "I'll stay," He muttered, as I ruffled his hair... good thing he's not in a mood for an argument. Because he doen't want me to touch his hair.
"I'm gonna go home, I'll fetch you tomorrow." I said, and he nodded. I walked away from the funeral, and it's a good thing that it was few walks away from our house.
I'm now walking at the sidewalk, from the distance, I saw the fence of our house.
"If only I can do something before just to save them," I mumbled to myself, as tears starting to roll down. My vision gets blurry, as I kept swiping the tears away.
I stopped from my tracks as I heard the sound of the bush, like there's something behind it... or someone.
I furrowed my eyebrows and continued to walk, "Maybe a bird, or something fell on a bush," I mumbled to myself... and finally, I reached my destination, our home.
As I went inside the main entrance of our home, I sighed heavily as I hastily ran upstairs, and to my bedroom. As I reached to my bedroom, I lazily threw myself on the bed, and heaved a sigh.
"Damn, I feel so alone," I muttered as I rolled over on the bed, I sighed again and stood up from the bed and went to my wardrobe to change my outfit.
I took the black, silky nightdress and changed my outfit, as I wore the nightdress, I went back to my bed, "Gord, I feel indisposed," I muttered as I let out a sigh.
I was about to close my eyes as I heard the doorbell ringing. Hmmm, could it be Harley? Or maybe someone?
I lazily stood up from the bed and went downstairs. As I reached the main entrance, I opened the door...
But no one's there.
I narrowed my eyes, and grimace as I stepped outside my house barefoot... are they making fun of me? "Tss, whoever you are, please stop ringing the doorbell like an idiot, I'm still grieving here, ugh!" I said, as I let out a sigh of exasperation.
Gord, I feel like I'm talking to myself...
I was about to go back inside when the door closed, there stood a man in front of me... he's no ordinary.
"Damn," I mumbled, as I looked at him from head to toe. His face was distorted, his fingers were long and he has sharp claws, and his height was approximately eight feet!
He's no human, he's a demon.
"HUMAN BLOOD, HMMM... DELICIOUS," His eerie voice made me terrified, as I felt the chills were crawling up to my skin. I felt my knees tremble, and my hands too.
I nervously hovered my hips, getting my-oh, shoot! Of all the things that I forgot to bring, why does it have to be my rifle?! Argh!
The demon was about to slash me on my stomach as I rolled on the ground and swiftly hid myself under the bush.
I cupped my mouth with my hands, trying my best to keep myself silent. I tried to think a plan to escape, but unluckily, my mind was clouded with strange thoughts that made it hard for me to concentrate.
I can hear the demon's footsteps om the grass, and it's slowly coming near me!
"Wherever you hide, I can still find you," Said the demon, and he evilly chuckled that made me froze on my spot.
"I know what your blood smells like," He added, and it made me terrified even more!
If I attempt to shout, It's impossible that my neighbors will hear me, and I will be dead within seconds. Maybe, I should try to escape the house and call for help... I'll just use my camouflage. But, this'll be never easy.
Or maybe I'll just have to accept that I'll die after the death of my parents. I think it's impossible for me to survive, anyway...
I took a deep breath, I was about to camouflage when someone cupped my face and dragged me backwards. I was about to scream when someone whispered in my ear,
"Stay here,"
Said a man in a deep, husky voice, like he's at my age... I slightly shoved his hand away from my mouth and remained silent.
"I can handle this," He whispered again as he stood up from the ground, "Alright," I whispered back.
I didn't followed him, I remained sitting on the ground, and hiding behind the bush...
As he was standing on the ground, I looked at him... but I can't see his face because it was covered by his black fedora hat, and a large collar of his black jacket.
I noticed that he had a pistol with him, he dashed forwards as he shot the demon through his heart for like six times, effortlessly!
"Wow, he's a precise shooter." I muttered.
The demon fell on the floor and spitted black blood which made me looked away in disgust.
Because of the dark, I can barely see his pale cheeks that was slightly exposed. As he lifted his chin, I peeked through the bush as my first attempt to see his face, but it was vague.
I only saw his eyes glowed, in a shade of alizarin crimson, which made me felt obscure, it's like I've seen this kind of eye color before.
He carried the demon and threw it into the backyard of our neighbor's house which made me snorted.
"What are you trying to do? They'll get mad once they've found out about this." I asked as I kept myself from laughing, he gazed at me as he noticed that I was trying myself to hold back from laughing.
"Trust me with this," He said in a cold, monotonous voice, which made me shivered down to my spine. I nodded and muttered, "Alright,"
He slowly walked to my direction, and stopped in front of me, he lend me his hand and pulled me up from the ground, "Thanks," I mumbled, and he nodded as a reply.
"What's your name?" I asked as I leaned closer to him, tilting my head to the right while looking at him with a hint of curiosity in my eyes. His cold eyes glowed again as he stared at me.
He did not smiled, or whatsoever, "It's confidential," He answered in a cold voice as he took something inside the pocket of his jacket. It's a white envelope.
Oh, Gord. Why confidential? Why does he have to keep his name a secret? Is that even important? All I wanted is to know his name.
"By the way, I assumed that you're Lesley Vance...?" I widened my eyes,. Oh, dear... how come he knows me?
"Yes, why?" I maintained myself calm, and kept myself from trembling nervously.
I was surprised when he took my hand, and gave me the envelope from his pocket, I narrowed my eyes, "What's this?" I asked out of confusion.
He didn't answered, instead, he pulled his collar down and flashed a smile, "I'll wait for your answer, no matter how long it takes, Miss Vance." He said as he disappeared from my sight.
My jaw dropped as he disappeared, "That was... fast," I mumbled to myself, as I gazed at the envelope I had.
I went back inside the house and ran to my bedroom. As I reached to my bedroom, I opened the envelope, and to my surprise, it's an invitation...
What's that for...?
As I opened the invitation letter, it was written in cursive, "Wow, what a good penmanship," I muttered, and it says:
"You're invited to join the Moniyan Army, all we need is your answer.
Yours Truly,
The Princess"
I smiled radiantly, reading the letter over and over again. At last, my dream, came true! I better tell Harley and Gusion... but my parents will be the first one to know about this.
Who am I not to accept this offer?
***