"Now that you have reached the right age, it's time for you to face a much bigger challenge that we, the Baris clan, have faced for centuries..." he, my father, paused before opening the door. "... we have faced supernaturals for thousands of times, but this... this is the biggest challenge that we're currently facing." I nodded at him. Though still uncertain, I know that I still have to comply with my duties.
We stood in front of a door as father continued speaking, I blankly stared at it.
Finally! All of the sacrifices and suffering that I experienced is now worth it. The strength and knowledge that I worked for will be put to good use. The moment that I have been waiting for so long. Now I will finally know the secret behind this door...
As my father opened the door, a well lit room with a gloomy presence welcomed me.
"This... This is the demon that will be put under your watch..." I was taken aback by what my father showed me... but I thought I'm going to face a powerful demon...
"A-a child? T-this is impossible, father..." his forehead furrowed by my question and shot a glare at me.
"A child? Aaron, please look at that demon once again and tell me if she looks like a child to you." his voice suddenly raised which made my heart beat faster.
As I stare at her, all I see is innocence and purity. Where is the demon that chained humans with fear?
She smiled and placed her hand on the barrier between us.
"Do not let your emotions control you, Aaron. Do no let your mind trick you. Do not forget that this demon killed one of our ancestors."
"I shouldn't be blamed for your ancestor's death. He is the reason why I'm stuck in this place. He deserved his death." the girl innocently replied but with a petrifying smile on her face, as if killing is just a common thing for her.
I saw my father clenched his fist but still kept his composure. In an instant, his expression changed, he smiled and once again looked at the child.
"Come on, Jennifer. You're imprisoned for almost a century... maybe it's time for you to give up and be cooperative before... your time runs out." the child didn't reply and just looked at him.
"Cooperative for what? As if I have any more information to give you." she mumbled.
"Anyway, I would like you to meet my son, Aaron. Starting today, he will be your new companion..." then the child's eyes became fixated at me, she tilted her head and frowned.
"I don't like you." she simply said.
"Well, it's not like you have a choice." father replied and walked towards the barrier. He pulled out a knife in his pocket and slowly sliced it in his palm. As his blood gushed out he placed his hand in the barrier and slowly walked through it.
I was stunned for a while. I didn't know that there's a way for a human to enter a barrier made for supernaturals. I thought I already know everything about our family...
"It's a pity for you to be confined in here..." father said as he looked at the child then he turned to me "... it's your turn, Aaron." I nodded and quickly pulled out a small knife, the same as my father's, in my pocket. I quietly winced as I sliced the knife in my palm. I guess I have to get used to it...
As I place my bloodied palm on the barrier, slowly, I was able to walk through it.
"Only the Barises are able to walk through a barrier that was made by a Baris." father said as I entered the barrier.
"Well then, welcome to my humble home." when I turned to that voice, I was astonished. Unknowingly, my mouth hanged open.
She is definitely not a child, but a teen that looks like the same age as mine with a long, black hair stood before me. Her dazzling, black eyes stared at me as if she's trying to allure me. I was expecting something more... actually... I thought that I'm going to face someone much more scarier or something... since she was named as one of the biggest challenges that we're facing... I feel like I'm being torn between what I feel and what I know...
My father's loud sigh brought me back to reality. I scratched the back of my head and smiled sheepishly. What a dumb human, falling in a demon's trap...
"Maybe you should expose your son to girls, Jared. He seems to be unaccustomed to girls." she giggled and walked back to her bed. She sat in it and grabbed a book and started reading. In the first glance, all I see is a... normal teenager living her life. She seems calm and cool about everything. Maybe because she's been here for too long? Maybe because she doesn't see me as a threat? Is she planning to kill me because I look vulnerable?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
"Aaron." then I felt father's grip on my shoulder as we left Jennifer's room.
I turned to him, waiting for an answer as he closed the door. But instead of replying, he lead me to his office. There he showed me a scythe, that seems to glow, hanging on the wall.
"This is where Jennifer's life source and power is transferred. Soon enough, this will be yours," he said and looked at the scythe, "Once it's finally completed, Jennifer will die."
The room went silent and a couple of minutes later, just before I leave his office, he gave me a notebook.
Looking at the notebook, all I can say is that it looks vintage and I think the most important feature that it has is the name labeled in the cover, Maximus Baris.
I turned the page and there I saw a familiar name, Jennifer of the 1940's, monthly recording of evaluation. I decided to ignore that section... Maybe some other time... I'm curious to know other stuffs that are written here... but nothing seems to caught my attention.
As I was about to close the notebook, my eyes caught something... A sketch of Jennifer, wearing a school uniform. Smiling... happily surrounded by her classmates...
After seeing that sketch, I became confused. It seems that she used to live like a normal human being in the past... but... why? She's supposed to hide and protect herself, right? Even though I feel like I'm already prepared, it kinda feels like I'm really missing a lot of things about the supernatural realm... I know that it's wrong to doubt my own family, but when I saw her, it feels like I betrayed someone who's close to me...