Kellian slowly opened her eyes.
"Mornin' Sleeping Beauty." A handsome face was in front of her eyes. He was tan and had red eyes and pink lips. But what Kellian noticed first. She noticed that his head was on fire.
"Ahh!!!" She screamed then backed away.
"That's quite rude." He frowned.
"What?" Kellian was confused but cautious.
"Imagine someone looking at you and screaming. It's insulting!" He complained.
"Am I dead?"
"No? Why would you think that?" The guy seemed confused.
"Are you a demon?"
"No! What's with the weird questions!?"
"Your hair is on fire!" Kellian yelled as she hid behind the blanket that was on top of her.
"No my hair IS fire." He corrected.
"Then you can't be normal!"
"That's rude. I'm just not human." He replied.
"Then... what are you?" She asked.
"I'm a relic."
"What is a... relic?"
"Of course you wouldn't know. Let me put it in simpler terms. Remember that ring you put on?"
"... Yeah? How do you even know about that?"
"That was me." He smiled proudly.
"..." Kellian looked at him as if she was looking and someone trying to convince her the earth is flat.
"You look doubtful." He frowned.
"Well duh."
"Your hand, M'lady." He reached out his hand.
"What?" She was confused.
"May I have your hand?"
"Why?"
"You'll find out if you give me your hand." He said with a friendly smile.
She slowly got closer to him then placed her hand in his.
She started floating.
"What's happening!?" She began to panic.
"Calm down. Just let it happen."
"B-but..." She was scared.
"Sigh." He pulled her into his arms then he levitated.
"Those flames of yours were gorgeous. I may be a fire relic but I've never seen anyone conjure blue flames before. It made me want to redecorate with even more fire." He held her with one hand and snapped his fingers with his free hand. The blank white space with only a bed they were in began to change into a living room.
He slowly descended, placed Kellian on the large gorgeous white sofa then sat next to her.
"Where am I???" Kellian had just realized she had no idea where she was.
"You haven't noticed? You're in me." He answered.
"Huh?" She had a dumbfounded expression.
"We're inside the ring you put on which is me. Well, to be precise we're in what the others like to call the headspace. Mine specifically." He explained.
"The others?"
"Wait, we're getting carried away. First, we do introductions, yeah?"
"I'm Kellian Heart and I'm sixteen."
"Please to meet you Lady Kellian. Age is difficult for me but my body stopped ageing at eighteen. Call me Tyson. Lady Lillian gave me that name."
"My mother?" Kellian asked.
"Yes." Tyson nodded.
"You knew her!?" Kellian exclaimed.
"I was hers for a long time. She died but she wanted you to have me and the others. Oh! Do you like my rubies?"
"Rubies?" Kellian didn't see any rubies around.
"The one's in my ring." He excitedly awaited her answer.
"They're very pretty," Kellian answered honestly.
"I fed them with fire energy to make them glow like a real flame. They're magnificent aren't they?"
"They are. How do you know so much about the ring's design?"
"I AM the ring. That's like asking how do you know you have ten fingers."
"You weren't lying about that!?"
"I have no reason to lie. I was the one talking to you then too and you passed my test with flying colours."
"This place was different then too. So, you have complete control over this place because it's inside you?"
"Yes."
"I see... Wait! What happened!?"
"You want to know what happened after you went unconscious?"
She nodded in response.
"Okay. I'll tell you what's been happening while you're sleeping then I'll explain more about relics."
"So after you healed those guys you went unconscious because of your fatigue and pain. I took my chance and brought your consciousness here. You're currently asleep to everyone else."
"Are they okay?"
"You're still worried about them? They're perfectly fine. The guys are currently out in some forest looking for potions ingredients to fix you."
"Then what are you waiting for??? We need to wake me up and stop them from wasting their time!" Kellian sprung up.
"No." He said firmly.
"Why?" Kellian frowned and sat down.
"The moment I send you back an extreme feeling of exhaustion will take you over and you'll actually be asleep for a long time. The potion will help with that. Plus if I send you back now you won't even be able to move from the pain. The guys will be back in three months I'll send you back then."
"How long is a long time?"
"Anywhere from one week to three months."
"So what do we do?"
"Practice. You need to know how to use me and make sure you don't lose control as you did before."
"But the guys..."
"They'll be fine."
"What about me? I can't survive 3 months without eating."
"I'll figure that out," Tyson answered.
"What if I die?" Kellian was worried.
"You will not die!" He yelled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I just... can't lose you too."
"That's right. Mom must have died when I was really young. You were probably really close to her."
"You were extremely young and I was extremely close to Lady Lily."
"Did you meet me?" Kellian asked.
"No. She never introduced us." Tyson smiled bitterly.
"Oh right! Continue." Kellian remembered he never finished telling her what he wanted to.
"I am a relic. Relics are basically pieces of jewellery or accessories with magical properties that can grant their wearer special powers or abilities. All relics have a mind of their own but only powerful relics have the ability to manifest in another form. Manifest refers to the physical body of the relic although we can appear as a spirit if we do not wish to be seen. The physical body could be any creature that is capable of movement and speech. Those relics can also transform themselves as they please. I am one of those relics if you haven't guessed already and this is my true form which means this tan skin, red eyes and fire hair was what I looked like when I first manifested. Lillian had seven of us and we rightfully belong to you. We each have our own headspace in which we have full control. They call it headspace since the relic itself is us so inside of it is like inside our mind. Since our physical bodies are an extension of our relic we can't go far away from it but our owner can give us permission to do so. In that time the relic is left vulnerable and has to be protected by the owner." Tyson explained.
"So it's not like a genie's lamp where the lamp is their home?"
"No. It's not. A genie still lives if their lamp is broken. They may lose their powers but at least they're alive. If a relic breaks we die."
"But to most people, you'll just be jewellery and accessories!"
"That's exactly why according to relic code we keep one person as our owner. We trust them wholeheartedly and protect them. In exchange for our powers they give us protection."
"I see."
"Hold on. Someone is disturbing your body." Tyson frowned.
"What!?"
"Sit tight. I'll be back." He said then disappeared.
Kellian wandered around Tyson's headspace. She discovered that it was like a house with multiple rooms. It was 4 stories high. She also discovered that Tyson liked the colour red and had an obsession with fireplaces and candles since at least one was in every room. Even the bathrooms had a fireplace and at least 20 candles.
An hour and thirty minutes later Tyson returned.
"Sorry I was gone so long." He apologized as he pushed his hair back.
"It wasn't that long, was it?" Kellian asked turning around. "Your hair isn't fire anymore?"
"I got rid of the fire because it's not necessary...and I thought you might be hot with all this fire around. So now I have basic human hair. The only thing cool about it is that it's red."
"It's not basic. It's pretty." Kellian smiled.
"Thanks." He noticed her holding two jars. "How are you holding those?"
"What do you mean?" Kellian tilted her head.
"They're really hot."
"Hot? What are they?" Kellian asked.
"Lava Lily vases."
"Lava Lily?"
"You know how you have water lilies?"
"Yeah?"
"This one grows in lava lakes and ponds."
"Lava what!?"
"They're only found in the underworld though." He sighed. "Lady Lily made me these vases because she planned to go to the underworld and get me two. Then she went into labour." He smiled bitterly.
"Oh, I'm sorry I ruined that for you." She apologised.
"Don't worry about it. I didn't need them anyway. I just like hot things."
"I can tell. You have so many fireplaces and candles. and in your bedroom your you have glass floors with lava underneath."
"These vases are made like glass jars but the glass was made by dragon flames and magic same with the floor in my room. She also made it like a lava lamp by placing Lava in between two layers of glass and using magic. That's also what makes it hot. She said it would make the lava lilies happy."
"It's not that hot. Only a little heat if I really focus."
"Maybe she added a safety feature for those who can't handle the heat? Anyway, I don't know that much about Lava Lillies so if you want more info ask the demon boy. Oh, and you don't have to worry about starving anymore."
"Huh? Why?"
"A little werewolf boy with a dog seemed to make it his mission to take care of you," Tyson informed.
"The only "little werewolf boy with a dog" I know is Ryder's little brother."
"You mean Ultima boy jr?"
"Huh?"
"He's one of the boys you saved."
"And so is "demon boy"?"
"Yeah. Demon boy has red hair too although it's not as red as mine."
"Leo's a demon?"
"Probably. The Ultima has black hair."
"That's Ryder."
"I see. But what's an Ultima?"
"According to werewolf history it's a curse on a specific family of werewolves that cause them to be ferocious beasts but really it's just an emotionally unstable overpowered werewolf," Tyson explained.
"Is there anything I need to know about Dexter?"
"Semi-wolf I think. I get a hint of human from him so he's just an oddly strong mixed breed."
"I see."
"It probably wasn't my place to tell you any of that so let's keep that a secret. So... How's your dad?"
"...Dead." Kellian smiled bitterly.
"What!?" Tyson was surprised.
"We were in a forest and hunters came out of nowhere and shot him," Kellian explained.
"Hunters? How could hunters kill a werewolf king!?" Tyson didn't understand.
"They used around twenty silver bullets."
"Doesn't matter. Why didn't he dodge?"
"I don't know. I don't think he knew it was going to happen he only had his eyes on me."
"Was there a chance that you'd get hit by those bullets?"
"Probably?" There were a lot and there were at least three people shooting from different directions.
"I see. He definitely took them on purpose to save you." Tyson realized what happened.
"No way. He didn't even look at them he stared at me the entire time!"
"If you noticed them I am positive he did too. He probably decided that dying so that you could live was the best option and he wanted your face to be the last one he saw. Because you were the last face your mother saw as well. It makes perfect sense. That fool was always ready to throw his life away to save your mother too even though she would be fine anyway." Tyson explained. "Besides you're Lady Lily's child. You're all that's left of her. He would rather die than lose you."
"So it really was my fault?"
"No. Ultimately it was his choice. He chose to die so you could live... Just like Lady Lily did." He mumbled the last part.
"What?"
"Nothing. Don't worry about it. Would you like to hear about us?" Tyson changed the topic.
"Us?"
"The seven relics." He specified.
"Sure."
"Okay. I'm Tyson. I'm a relic with fire abilities and I can grant some of them to my wearer as long as they are ready and can handle the heat. I'm a 10k white gold ring with three beautiful blood rubies enchanted with fire and diamond accents. There is one large oval-cut ruby in the centre and two pear-cut rubies placed sideways on either side of the oval-cut ruby."
"Umm. I have a question."
"Yes, M'lady."
"So your physical body... What would you consider it?" She asked.
"Mine? Simply the physical body of a relic or a human to people who don't know what relics are." He answered.
"I see. What about me?" She asked.
"Human."
"But those powers—"
"You're not human. You're something much more intelligent and powerful. You should be a combination of every creature on this planet but I'd say you're about 35% human." Tyson explained.
"That's not very high."
"And you're about 40% what your mother is and 20% werewolf."
"And the other 5%?"
"A mixture of everything else."
"I see. So shouldn't I be whatever my mother is?"
"...No. She hid what she was and pretended to be human. Besides you were born on the border of the werewolf and human societies so you can't actually be considered what she is." He explained.
"What does that mean?"
"I can't tell you. I would have to decide with everyone else first. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." She smiled. "Can mom make these headspaces too?"
"Any relic owner can. And they can change anything about the relic's headspace too if the relic trusts them enough."
"I've noticed you switch between wearer and owner, why?"
"Well the wearer is someone who wears a relic but anyone can wear a relic. The owner is the person a relic trusts most and considers themselves as the owner's property. So I am yours to use as you may, M'lady."
"Thank you?" She didn't know how to respond.
"Your welcome. Let's continue now." He smiled. "Then we have Cordelia. She's a relic with ice abilities. She is also a ring. She is a 10k white gold ring with an Oval cut Aquamarine and Diamond and Aquamarine Accent Sunburst Frame ring."
"Alistair is a Necklace. Alistair is a relic of protection. Alistair doesn't have a specific element. Alistair can change the appearance of the wearer which is very useful for disguises but Alistair is mostly used to change everyday outfits. You may have guessed but Alistair gets used the most. Alistair is a round-cut Amethyst with diamond accents pendant necklace in 14k Gold."
"Asa and Aariv are twins. They are both identical gold drop earrings. Asa is a Chrysophase drop earring and he has the power of healing. Aariv is a Chrysocolla drop earring and he has the power of wisdom and knowledge. He's usually used for coming up with strategies and is also quite useful for quick access storage."
"Quick access?" Kellian asked.
"Yeah we all can store things but you can get things quickly from him. Lady Lily used him for making storing potions because she'd be able to grab them easily."
"I see."
"Next is Waneta. She is a relic that has shapeshifting abilities. She is a gorgeous 14k white gold blue zircon with diamond accents bracelet. She has 5 round-cut zircon gems. In my opinion, she's an upgraded version of Alistair."
"Finally we have Pamola. She is a relic with animal abilities. She can grant her wearer the abilities of animals, allows the wearer to speak to animals and allows the wearer to control animals. She is a blue-green lab opal 14k gold bracelet. She has 14 blue-green lab opal oval cut gems."
"Where are the others?"
"Well, you see. A certain mutt sold them off along with most of Lady Lily's things."
"Kaila?"
"Yes! That mutt. I just want to strangle that pathetic little neck of hers."
"Well, she's kinda died," Kellian informed.
"Yes! I mean... That's so sad she's the one who raised you, right?"
"Yeah."
"Anyway let's get you used to my powers."
"Okay."
Meanwhile.
Gentle knocks on a door could be heard.
"Serpent?" Liam asked.
"No, it's Amy."
"Is IT with you?"
"No."
Liam let her in.
"Here. Food and clothes!"
Liam took both. He took the containers of food and placed them on the bedside table. Then threw the clothes she brought into the bin in the room. "You don't need to bring clothes anymore."
"What? And what the hell was that!?" Amy yelled angrily.
"I got all I need when you ran away. You only have to bring food and come to bathe her." Liam notified her of her new tasks.
"You're limiting my visits again!"
"Do I have to repeat again?"
"No, I get it. You don't trust me."
"Where'd you get the mini-fridge and microwave?"
"They were in the closet. I took them out."
Amy sighed, "...Fine let me feed her."
"Who said you're going to feed her?" Liam took the bowl of porridge topped with fruits obviously made for Kellian and began eating it.
"What are you doing!?" Amy shouted.
"Just checking." He then took one spoonful and put it in Kellians mouth.
"You can't do that!" Amy protested.
"Why not?" Liam asked, annoyed.
"Your saliva is all over that spoon!" Amy complained.
"So?"
"That's an indirect kiss!"
"So?"
"Are you telling me you don't care?"
"I don't."
"Well, I do!" Amy groaned.
"Why should you care?" Liam asked with little care for her answer.
"Because I am your fiancée and I can't have you kissing other girls!" Amy whined.
"Then leave. I told you. You. Are. NOTHING. To. Me. If you can't understand that then leave. I can take care of her by myself." Liam explained without hesitation and with little care for how it might make her feel.
Amy went silent.
Liam went back to feeding Kellian.
After a while, she swallowed.
"Ahhh!" Amy screamed.
"What now?" Liam was regretting his decision to let Amy help.
"She swallowed!"
"Yeah. And?"
"That means she's faking it! An unconscious person can't swallow!" Amy yelled.
"Then be thankful she won't starve death. Jeez." Liam rolled his eyes.
Unbeknownst to the two, Tyson was responsible for her swallowing.
Liam kept feeding her. When it was finished Liam grabbed a book and began reading it to her. Amy sat and watched as her hatred for and will to kill Kellian grew.
"My turn now?" Amy asked excitedly after Liam finished reading.
"I guess. but why are you so excited to bathe her?" Liam put Kellian on his back.
"What are you doing?" Amy frowned.
"Carrying her?"
"How about you run the bath and I'll watch her?"
"How about... No?"
"Fine! I'll carry her." Amy tried to take her from Liam.
"No." He pushed her away with his foot.
"Sigh. Then I'll run the bath."
"Okay."
"Are you going to hold her and watch me the entire time?" Amy asked visibly upset he won't trust her.
"Got a problem with it?"
"No... no problem."
"Add this." He pointed to a bottle with his foot.
"Isn't that your bubble bath?"
"It is."
"You can't let her bathe in it!" Amy complained.
"Why not?"
"She's going to... smell like you..." Amy whined.
"So?"
"Nevermind." Amy rolled her eyes. "I'm done," she said after the warm water was all bubbly and could no longer be seen.
"Okay?" Liam asked confused.
"Aren't you going to leave?" Amy asked.
"Trust me. I'd love to leave so that Kellian could have her privacy. But I'm not leaving her alone with you."
"Then how's this any different from bathing her yourself!?"
"You're right. She's a girl after all I should leave." He laid Kellian down then walked out the room and closed the door.
Amy sighed a breath of relief then took out the bottle of poison.
"Just kidding!" Liam smiled bursting back into the room.
"Ah!" She screamed almost dropping the bottle.
"What do you have there?" Liam asked.
"Uhhh it's just scented bath salts. I thought it might be nice to add to the bathwater."
"How cute. Don't let me stop you." Liam smiled cheerfully.
"Do not open it when Liam is nearby. He has a sharp nose and was trained to recognise poison by scent." Amy remembered Sheila's warning.
"Spider!" She threw the bottle at the window.
It broke through the glass and went outside.
"!!! The window!" Liam was shocked he didn't expect her to throw it through the closed glass window.
"I'm sorry. I'm just so scared of spiders. Ha. Ha." Amy lied.
"... You'll be paying for that," Liam notified.
"What?"
"Father is obsessed with the room. He doesn't usually allow anyone to enter. You are going to have to pay him for the damages cause I won't."
"If this room is so special why are we in here?"
"Because father wanted her in here."
"Right. So you're leaving, right?" Amy asked.
"Nope."
"But she'll be naked."
"And your behaviour just now was suspicious. There could have been poison in that bottle, for all I know."
"Whaaat? No... not at all." If Liam wasn't sure there was poison in that bottle he was sure now.
"You're not helping your case." Liam started removing Kellian's clothes.
"What are you doing!?" Amy yelled.
Liam ignored her. When Kellian was in her underwear he put her in the tub.
"You can remove the rest while she's in the tub." Liam went and sat behind Kellian so her back was facing him but he could still see what Amy was doing while not being able to see Kellian.
"You seriously don't plan on sitting there the entire time, do you?"
"I'm already doing it."
"But she's a girl!" Amy whined.
"And you are possibly trying to kill her. I'm sure she'd rather me watch you and she lives over me giving her privacy and you killing her."
"Whatever!" Amy yelled angrily.
Meanwhile.
"Eek!" Amanda screamed.
"What's wrong?" Sheila ran over.
"I don't think our plan worked."
"Why?" sheila asked confused.
"The bottle was thrown out of the bathroom's window and almost hit me."
"Sigh. How could that girl mess up something this easy!?" Sheila complained.
Later.
"Will you at least leave so I can take her out of the tub?" Amy asked.
"Who knows if you have another bottle on you? Of course not." He went over to Kellian wrapped a towel around her while she was still in the water, picked her up and moved her back to the bed.
He used another towel to try her off then he put on one of the T-shirts found in the closet after that he removed the original towel he wrapped around her and finally he put on one of his shorts on her without lifting the oversized shirt.
"...What do you even need me for?" Amy complained.
"Take all the wet things, wash them and bring them back when they're dry. Her previous clothes too." Liam ordered.
"So, you trust me enough to leave me alone with the clothes but not with her?" Amy complained.
"Yes. Simply because there's nothing you can do to them that I wouldn't know about." Liam smirked.
"...What are you talking about?"
"Oh and just so you know you might have spilt some of that poisonous salt you had earlier when transferring bottles because you reek of Sodium Cyanide."
"!" Amy was shocked.
"You look surprised. Did you not know?" Liam asked while pouting to tease her.
"There's no way! If I did have poison you would—"
"I'm immune to poison." He cut off her statement.
"What?" Amy laughed. "You're joking."
"There is no poison in the world that can kill me." That's a lie there are a few he is not immune to.
"... What about her? Wouldn't she be under its effects?" Amy laughed nervously.
"She wasn't exposed to it enough of it for long enough... but you should really worry about yourself, sweetheart. How long have you been wearing those clothes after you got poison on them?" Liam smirked.
"Ugh!" She took the clothes and wet items and stormed out.
"Sigh. She's even more annoying and stupid than I imagined." He locked the door. He then sat beside Kellian, "I told you I'd protect you... I'm sorry that it means I can't give you any of the privacy you deserve when she's around. I really am sorry. I hope you don't mind."