Content warning: Towards the end of this chapter when the villains are revealed, there will be a potentially upsetting scene involving the young victims but nothing sexually explicit although it's implied and behind-the-scenes. Dubious and non-con heavily implied. If you're triggered by this then you can stop reading that part and scroll down to the very end where the story goes back to Lucky's past. That part is crucial for the next chapters.
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Energy. Energy is vital for living. Without it, we couldn't survive. Where does one obtain it? Our bodies are a vessel for this energy. We need food, water, movement and rest. That is the bare minimum for survival. However, we need more than that to be satisfied but it's not only a matter of satisfaction that we need to worry about. How can we become satiated with the bare minimum? How does one discover and handle their lustful appetites? How does one nourish and accept all aspects of themselves when they have, through exploration, been made aware of their most taboo aspects? Most people are well balanced. They have plenty of energy for themselves and plenty to give to others. I envy their state of balance. I am not going to focus on these ordinary people. I am going to focus on those who often get a bad rep. There are some people out there who have an ongoing intense craving for energy. They are energised by feeding off of the world. Other than the 4 sources of energy that I've mentioned before, these people have the profound ability to absorb it from the unlikeliest of places. Because they are lacking by nature, their lustful appetites are unbelievably powerful! I could write pages upon pages, listing all of the energy sources that these people could feed off on but brevity is the soul of wit as they say and that's why I will keep this brief.
Actually, I lied.
I lied about keeping this brief because something has triggered me, causing me to want to hold back and censor myself. Like the young bride covers herself during the first night, I have covered my face because I can no longer undo all that I have thought and said. Thoughts are powerful. The thought is the initial seed, the words that are birthed are the seedling, the plan of action is growth, the action the flowering and the outcome the sweet fruit.
Those who are energised by feeding off of the world; I'll call them 'harvesters' because they are the harvester's of energy. They become more powerful with each feeding. If you aren't careful, they can easily drain you of your life force or spirit (whatever you may call it). You must not demonise these people. As long as they aren't harming others, it is very good for society that they have their outlets. What are the possible sources for the harvesters? Their sexual appetites are numerous and they are likely to see the eroticism in everything. They delight in the emotions that other people express, particularly those of fear and shame. To the eyes of a harvester it is an incredibly erotic sight to have people at their mercy, looking up at them with eyes full of fear mixed with desire, begging and pleading for mercy. The harvester basks in their own perversity, so lustfully eager to hold their fate into their own hands. However, it's not only that. Any emotion is a delicious one to a harvester as long as they were responsible for causing them. You would be foolish to think that they only derive energy from their rather perverse sexual appetites. If that were the case, the harvester would be no different from the regular degenerate of society.
Music is another beautiful source to feed from. Music has a profound effect on the soul and on one's mental wellbeing. The type of music you listen to may give insights into the things that you desire, where you are now and where you hope to be. Music influences your mood, nourishing your thoughts so that ideas can be generated from them.
Now, when you've explored about half as much as I have, you will realise that there is a wicked desire that lies deep within you that you may deny as soon as it comes up. Some people have higher levels of this desire than others and that is not their fault. This desire is completely natural but due to systems that ensure and condition us to stay ethical, this wicked desire has been vilified and suppressed. Now, when I reveal this desire, you will immediately deny this and accuse me of falsehood. Before I say it, I will ask you to think about and answer the following question, "If you've ever punched up a punching bag or smashed a teacup on purpose, how did you feel immediately after you did this?"
You felt good didn't you? Like the feeling of finally untying that extra knot in your shoelaces. Don't lie to yourself. You're smiling now, aren't you?
Destructive impulses. It feels good to destroy things. Squeezing, crushing, biting and whipping and the thought of channelling those impulses into anyone and anything willing to receive it. May I recommend exercising whenever these destructive impulses build up but for some people, it won't be enough. Strangely enough, this is where I draw the line in my exploration because these urges are far too primal to be managed appropriately. Fortunately, my strong moral compass and spirit makes it near impossible for me to venture further into my own destructive impulses. Unfortunately, some people aren't so lucky. For those without or with a lack of a moral compass, where do they draw the line?
The greatest height of pleasure derived from the exploration of one's destructive impulses is the role of executioner. An executioner holds the maximum amount of power possible over their person. This is because they hold their person's life in their hands. What can be more erotic than this? This person is at your complete mercy and it is up to you to execute them or let them live! See! Just the thought of it makes me tingle! Their begging and pleading only adds to the pleasure as the executioner drinks from their pain and misery. However, this pleasure is short-lived because you can only kill a person once. What can a lustful harvester do once their person has died? Move on to find someone else to feed off on? Perhaps. Or could there be a way to relive the pleasure of executing someone over and over again?
There is a way but it is incredibly inhumane and barbaric.
A person cannot die over and over again but they can be terrorized and brought to the brink of death over and over again. That is called torture, my fellow readers and torture is NOT something that I or anyone else condones! This is the end result of the exploration of one's destructive impulses. This is why I don't recommend this type of exploration. The best that we can do is accept and handle our own destructive impulses and not go beyond that. Do you want to kill or harm someone and be put to death for it? I doubt it.
Now, I am going to tell you several tales and so this chapter will be a lengthy one. Now, let us begin by turning back the clock before I talk about the weird phone call I mentioned at the end of the previous chapter. Emperor Flynn de Mayer of Skullaxes! I hope that you're reading this. I will start with you by exposing what you've managed to keep well hidden over the past two decades. I no longer care about what will happen next. I am tired of keeping my mouth shut so therefore, I will deal with you directly!
A long time ago when I was a child, I was often left alone for hours on end with nothing but a laptop, a few books and stationary for entertainment. I didn't have a sister yet. She was adopted by my parents a year later when this happened. I was only 4 years old but already, I was able to use a laptop. I was with a friend (8 years old at the time) who introduced me to a website called Mindscribbles. We had fun pranking and interrupting different groups and one day, we stumbled upon the greatest group there! There were two boys playing a game. I don't remember the name of that game.
I stayed anonymous but they were on camera.
When I entered their space, they confronted me directly and made me speak on the mic.
"Who are you?" The boy spoke
He had blue eyes and straight blonde hair that was parted in two that went down to his neck. For a boy, his haircut was longer than average.
"Might." I replied
"Might? That's such a silly name! Did they think you might be born? You mean, they weren't sure?" He laughed out loud
"That game looks fun. I want to play." I told him
"How did you find us? Oh wait, a-are you a girl?" He asked me
"No! I am a boy!" I replied
"A boy? You're probably just a little kid. Why won't you show yourself?"
"My parents are no fun." I replied
"You mean, they're harsh?" The other boy spoke
He looked younger than the blonde but older than me. The other boy had wavy brunette hair and freckles on his cheeks.
"Yeah." I replied
"I still don't know how the fuck you found us. You wanna play?"
"Yes."
"You can't chicken out! Might! Do you have an imagination?" Blondie asked
"Mind pictures? Yeah I do." I replied
"You sound weird. Are you sure you're not a girl?" Flynn asked me
"Sir Flynn. Why do you want him to be a girl so much?"
"Shut it, Tommy. How dare you accuse me of such? Do you want to get fired and exiled from my world?" He shouted, slamming his desk with his hand
"No no no. Please sir. I was only joking. I believe in your cause. Don't kick me out." Tommy pleaded
"Cause? What do you mean?" I interrupted, not understanding what he meant
"Oh yeah, you're only a child so it's natural to not know. May I?" Tommy asked Flynn for permission
"Proceed." Flynn replied, waving his hand
"Welcome to the future. Welcome to the real rainbow nation! Where others have failed, we'll succeed." Tommy spoke proudly, standing in a dramatic stance
"I want to add something, my brave knight." Flynn spoke
Flynn stood up as if he was going to deliver a very important speech.
"One day, I will build a society of all the people united, regardless of their colour, creed and whereabouts. It will be a beautiful society, as beautiful as a rainbow in the sky. A rainbow society with my own culture of perfection! As long as the people align themselves with the nation, they are welcome regardless!"
"Bravo, bravo! You're going to be the future of Skullaxes!" His friend replied
"You're crazy." I blurted out because it was very difficult for 4-year-old me to have a filter
"I am not crazy! You fool! How dare you speak to a candidate that way?" Flynn responded
"Oh shit! He's one of the candidates. I thought he was just a snobby little rich kid." My friend spoke
"I heard that, whoever that was. One day I will become Emperor of Skullaxes and then you'll treat me well." He spoke confidently
"No I won't. I'll treat you normally like I'd treat everyone else." I told him
"Exactly. We're not gonna kiss your ass like everyone else." My friend added
"We'll see about that." He chuckled
"Can we still play?" I asked him
"Ok then. I'll only give you brief instructions so it's up to you to catch up with us. Do you enjoy role playing?"
"Yeah I do." I replied
My friend didn't want to play so he just watched.
"Show yourself. It's a requirement for our game." Flynn demanded
"Fine but can I wear my mask? It helps me concentrate better."
"Wear whatever you want now hurry up." Flynn spoke, already losing his patience
I positioned the screen in a way that didn't reveal my actual height. I wanted to play with them so they couldn't find out how small I was.
"Curly hair? I haven't seen hair like that in a while! How interesting. Might. You'll be my advisor for this quest. Let's close our eyes and go back to the castle. There is a fearsome creature that we must defeat! It has devoured and claimed the lives of so many. Our rainbow nation is at stake! Hurry! We must meet the wizard from our allied kingdom, Wafflemellow and…" Flynn narrated
And so, our weird game continued and we built up a story using nothing but our imaginations. Flynn liked to record our games and rewatch it later. I used to do the same. I didn't need to but I did. I didn't need to because I had a perfect memory at the time and it was extremely rare for me to forget about things. Ah, those were the good days before my accident.
Over time, the teenager trusted me more and more and would often call me for advice until that one day where he was preparing for his speech. He revealed to me a side of him that I had no idea existed. Then I knew that only he could be our Emperor and I would be very proud!
However, things didn't go as I expected.
When we met for the first time, he was very upset with me.
"This has to be a joke." He stammered, making a facepalm
"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling confused
"I trusted you! All this time, I didn't know that I was speaking to a little baby! I was a fool to ever ask you for advice!" He yelled, balling his hands into fists
"But I am still the same person with the same mind. I'm not like other little kids. I am a prodigy! Did our friendship mean nothing to you?" I asked him
"You shouldn't have lied to me, Might. How dare you! And how are you so well spoken? It's weird." He huffed
"I just thought you were interesting. If you knew I was just a little baby then you wouldn't have included me in your games. I'm sorry, ok. Can we still be friends? I can grow up so then we'll both be grown ups one day. Actually, I'll go. I've done enough damage already-." I replied, starting to walk away from him
"Wait! Don't go." He demanded
I gulped. That was unexpected.
"What do you want?" I asked him
"Let's go inside. I want to show you something." He replied
"What's in it for me?" I asked him
"I'll show you my treasure. Anyway, you don't have a choice after lying to me." He spoke
I didn't say anything and followed him into his parent's house.
I got an uneasy feeling when walking through the house but I ignored that feeling. There was something more important to focus on. I was looking around for ways to escape if need be but so far, everything looked escape-proof.
"So, how are things going for you as a candidate? How's your speech?" I asked him
That's what he stopped and stood still.
"You're my sage aren't you? I want you to help me out. There is a new challenge that stands in my way but it's not a person or an animal or anything that can be seen. I don't know what to do or how to face it. It's just that every time I think about standing in front of everyone and performing my speech, I feel sick to my stomach just thinking about it. The entire world spins faster and faster and I get the urge to throw up! I want this to end. Please tell me, my dear sage. What is happening to me?" He confessed with shaky breaths
I felt awkward so I just stared back at him, scratching my curls.
"Say something!" He snapped, his face going red
"When you close your eyes and imagine your future, what do you see?"
Flynn took a moment to think about it.
"It's obvious isn't it?" He huffed, feeling embarrassed
"It's your dream isn't it? Never feel bad about your dream!" I yelled
"I-I wasn't-" He stuttered, scratching his neck
"Then tell me now. Tell me what you want! Go ahead! Shout it out to me at the top of your lungs!"
Flynn gasped quietly in response.
"I FLYNN DE MAYER WILL BECOME THE EMPEROR OF SKULLAXES!" He shouted as loudly as he could, standing up in a proud stance
"MY VISIONS AND DREAMS WILL SURELY BECOME REALITY! A RAINBOW NATION OF JOY AND PROSPERITY! IT IS MY DESTINY! THE SOLE PURPOSE OF MY EXISTENCE! I LIVE AND DIE FOR THE CAUSE!"
I was in awe of his sudden bravado, conviction and strong beliefs. It was clear to me at the time that this was a boy who was meant for something great someday. Even if he wasn't elected, he would still be a powerful and influential figure in his lifetime. That I was sure of.
"Might. I want to show you somewhere special." He told me
He held out his hand to me to hold and then we went downstairs. I began to feel nervous because it was getting darker and darker the more that we climbed down the steps.
His other hand fumbled 'round for the light switch' and then the lights came on. Oddly enough, the lights were light pink instead of the standard yellow colour. The teenager released my hand and I was amazed whilst looking around the room.
"Woah." I gasped in awe
That was all that I could say at the time.
He looked at me and smiled.
"This is my treasure. Not the room itself but the things inside it. Here my family and I have collected various different books, artworks, sculptures and anything in particular which nourishes and stimulates one's soul. I even have some comics and picture books if you want to take a look at them."
"Sure. I want something full of action or something practical." I told him
"Practical huh? Can you read as well as you can talk?" He asked me
"It's fine. For anything I don't know, I'll just google it. Hey, what's that book over there?" I asked him, pointing towards a book with a red cover with a funny looking illustration on it
"Oh this one?" He asked me, taking the book off one of the bookshelves.
As soon as he saw the book, he gulped nervously.
"Well..this one is quite the read. T-The Complete I-Illustrated Kama Sutra. I-I don't think you'll understand it yet." He stammered, his face was going red again
"Does it have lots of pictures? I want it!" I told him
"A-Are you sure?" He squeaked
"Yeah! Just hurry up! I wanna hold the book now! Give it! I want it!" I said, getting impatient.
Flynn handed the book over to me to which I opened and flicked through the pages immediately, making him chuckle.
"No way! Look at this one!" I giggled, showing him the page
Flynn let out another chuckle.
"I'll show you an even better page. Read what it says, the crafty bastards." He laughed
"Woah, that's really weird. Can I take it home please?" I asked him
"If you really want to. Besides, I have four other copies. Actually, before you go I want you to do something simple. My father gave me this test too when I was around your age. Wait, how old are you again?"
"I am 5 years old." I replied
"Oh." He replied
"Wait. Is that bad?" I asked him
"Never mind. Oh but actually.. I sense that you're different somehow."
The first thing he did was sign my book for me.
The second thing he did was tell me to sit still and close my eyes which I did.
Then, he played out three different sounds coming from three different directions to which I remember sounded like a bell of some kind.
Then, with my eyes closed, he told me to choose a sound to follow.
I took a few seconds to decide and went with the one that felt right to me.
I walked slowly towards the type of bell sound I was drawn to and I was told to keep going in my mind until I was told to stop by Flynn.
Flynn let out a sigh.
"Yes. This is it. This is the path that found you. Open your eyes." He spoke dramatically as if we were in a play
I opened my eyes and saw that he was holding up a medium sized card.
"The Soul Path Of The Dragon.." I read slowly
"The Soul Path Of The Dragon: one of the chosen ones of intellect, dignity and contagious passion arrives to bring forth a great change, a shaking calamity for the Way. That Way is accessible to the chosen one, provided that He is worthy." Flynn spoke, reading the rest of the card
He later made a copy of that card for me to keep along with the book from earlier which I put in my safe at home.
"I don't understand all that but I think that dragons are really cool! So what other paths were there? Which one found you?" I asked him enthusiastically
"The other paths would've been, 'The Soul Path of The Butterfly' and 'The Soul Path of The Mole.' My Mother chose the Mole but I chose the Butterfly. Actually, my father told me that I stopped halfway on my way towards the Dragon and then changed directions towards the Butterfly. You really are an extraordinary child! Maybe someday, we will cross paths again." Flynn replied
"Cool! Thanks for everything. Good luck with your speech, butterfly. Time for me to sneak back into my house."
"D-Don't call me that! Anyway, you must come to see me in person again when I am giving my speech next month. You'll be sitting next to my parents. I'd sit next to my dad if I were you. My mum is allergic to poor people."
"Huh? Since when was I invited?" I crossed my arms
"You are now. Little Dragon." He smirked
I blew a raspberry at him and pulled a face at him, making him laugh again.
Needless to say that my parents were too busy paying attention to the little girl that they adopted to even notice that I was out of the house for that long.
***
Remember that Gardening Society that I mentioned that Sir Cloud was in charge of? If you don't remember then here is a quick refresher.
Cloud burped and licked the ice cream that was on his lips before he began speaking.
"I am glad you asked. Well you see, I was out somewhere doing a bit of gardening and I was missing a few things so I-I went to the store disguised as a little old lady and met a very lovely brunette. I talked to her and it turns out that the girl was interested in gardening too. Unbeknownst to her, she was going to join my new gardening club. Sure she's the first member for now, but I hope that more numbers join. I told her that I was a friend of the man who runs the gardening society and she believed me." Cloud spoke
"Gardening society? You mean-" Lucky asked
"Oh yes. You're correct. She's a student." He spoke with a sudden excitement to his voice
That student that Sir Cloud was referring to was none other than Penelope, Light's girlfriend. However, Sir Cloud didn't know that yet.
"It's a splendid garden isn't it, sweetheart?" He spoke, putting an arm around her shoulder
"Don't call me sweetheart." Penelope replied
"Apologies, Penelope. Now let's tend to the lovely hortensia. It's quite delicate, pretty and choosy. Much like me." Sir Cloud grinned
Penelope giggled in response, making him smile wider, his eyebrows raised in an exaggerated manner. It was one of Sir Cloud's eccentricities.
They were talking and he was teaching her about all the different plants they had and how to grow them properly.
They also ate snacks. The man took this opportunity to offer something to her.
"Oh, Penelope. I've got a wonderful surprise for you. It's in my coat pocket."
"What surprise? What is it?" Penelope asked, feeling uneasy
"What? You don't like surprises? Come on. I don't bite." He insisted, putting both hands up as if he was surrendering
She went closer to him and reached out, going into his pockets. She felt something in his left pocket. Then she took it out.
"What is it?" She asked him
"It's the most expensive chocolate bar in the world. It's got edible gold and it tastes so good it'll make you melt. Not literally of course. Starlight chocolate."
"No way! That's t-too much! How are you able to get something like this?"
He chuckled then he put on an act again. He pressed his index finger against his lips and leaned in closer to her. She looked back at him awkwardly.
"Oh you mustn't tell a soul! I stole it off a scrawny little rich boy who happened to be carrying a bar of Starlight. Ask my friend over there. This daisy over there."
"Daisy. Did Dan over here really steal that chocolate?" She asked the plants jokingly
"What? Speak up my dear. What? I am a big fat liar who didn't steal that Starlight? Huh? I can't even steal from my own house? What? Who said that?" He spoke, arguing with himself and each time he responded to himself, he moved in the opposite direction every time like one does when they're filming a skit.
Penelope laughed again.
"Dan. You're really strange but funny." Penelope replied
Things were going pleasant for them and had gotten to know each other better by the 3rd meeting. To Penelope, Dan (who is actually Sir Cloud) was still the weirdest person she'd ever met but she really liked his eccentric personality.
***
Now it's time for me to address the phone call and take into consideration that my rather amateur investigation is still ongoing for me even whilst I write this.
I got a very disturbing call from a very frightened little boy (from Light's other phone) and from what I could gather from this call, the next villain that I expose will be my most disturbing one yet. I am not even sure that I can handle this alone because if I make one wrong move-
"Help me! He already took my friend and now I am next. Light, please save me! The harvester is gonna get me! He's already made his mark. He will strike soon. I am scared! I am scared!"
"Hello? Who is this harvester?" I answered
"The..devil..of the night..harvests-" The sound was all crackly and it was near impossible to make out the words that the boy was saying
I heard a loud noise and a terrible howling, like that of a wild beast and this great evil creeped up from within me, causing me to shiver as I heard a terrific scream and then it seemed like the boy hung up.
What did I do about it, you may be wondering.
What would you do, my fellow readers?
Call the police?
You are much too naïve!
There is no guarantee that anyone out there will help you.
If you do not take action in this world, you are doomed!
If you are not prepared to involve yourself in the right cause,
If you are not prepared to die doing what you love,
If you are not prepared to die for what you love..then?
But what can I do and how do I take action?
Why did the boy call Light's phone?
Could it be a trap? A prank call? A false lead?
The first thing I did was try to trace the call and find out where it was coming from. However, the location kept on changing leading me to a dead end. Either this person was using software to confuse me or something weird was going on. I also tried other ways to identify this person but to no avail.
I'll spare you from all the back and forth and boring details.
I decided that this was too big of an issue to solve by myself so I called Light over. After his lectures, we met up at a restaurant, making a last minute reservation the day before. This restaurant was fairly busy which I took as a good sign.
We sat down somewhere which was near the windows, looked at the menu and were choosing what to eat and drink.
"So, I wanted to talk about the phone call with you. I told you about it before, didn't I? Do you know who this boy is?" I asked him
"The boy? I-I don't know him but remind me again, what you heard." Light asked me
I got out the notes I took immediately after the call on a sheet of paper and read it to him.
"He took my friend, Light. The harvester has already made his mark and will strike soon. The devil of the night harvests." I read out loud
"That's impossible! How does he know me when I don't know him? Those words. How strange. They remind me of something. An old tale." Light replied
"Please tell me." I said
"The mark of condemnation. Those who have been marked will receive judgement. The harvester, the devil. These must be titles. The devil of the night harvests. Could this be some kind of riddle?" Light replied
As soon as he said that, we were interrupted by a waitress who was going to take our order. We ordered our food and as soon as she left, we continued our conversation.
"But this boy knows you! He knows you enough to reach out to you through your other phone." I said
"The devil of the night. What do you think that means, Might?"
Suddenly, my mind lit up and I snatched the paper to read it again as if it were a code. I had to hope that it was a code. Any clue was going to make our work much easier.
"Devil of night the..don't. Don't harvests? What does that even mean? Don't harvests strike soon?"
"What? I don't understand what you're saying."
"I am rearranging the words he used and manipulating the letters as I see fit in the hopes that I find a clue. The words that the boy used are strange but I feel like I've heard something like this before. Oh wait!" I nearly jumped out of my seat
"W-What?" Light asked
"He's referring to vampires. Vampires! Think about it. Vampires are also known as the creatures of the night. Vampires and demons, the two beings are often used interchangeably and have many parallels and similarities! And Harvester? What does this dark being harvest?"
"I don't know but maybe it has something to do with why the kid is in danger."
"That's right! It has everything to do with why the kid is in danger! That boy has something to be harvested and we need to find out what this harvester is after!" I grinned, slamming the table with my hand
Light looked at me without a word and began pouring out his drink onto his glass. He drank from the glass quicker than most people would, which I found a bit worrying but I didn't say anything.
He offered me a drink but I told him that I didn't want one yet because it would get in the way of my thinking and I would get lazy.
"Wait. Give me the other phone." Light said
I handed the phone to him.
I stared at him blankly when he held the phone in his hands and closed his eyes.
"Light. What are you doing?" I asked him gently but he still jolted in surprise
"I have an idea. A way to reach out to the boy. B-But it's dangerous. We need to be careful otherwise-" Light explained
"What will we do? Let's finish our food quickly and go."
"Ok. This will depend on whether the boy is still safe enough to meet us. I'll make my location known. It's easier to just follow my lead ok."
"If it's that risky, let's call Lucky and get him in on this."
So that's what we did.
Me, Light and Lucky were at a secluded location, each of us alert and on guard.
We heard footsteps and so we stood stronger and were ready for any potential threat. Then, we relaxed after realising that it was only a child.
"Wait." Lucky yelled out firmly
"What's the code?"
"The devil of the night, harvests." The boy replied
We sighed out in relief and approached the boy.
I didn't even waste time waiting and decided to ask the boy some important questions.
"What was that phone call about? Was it you speaking?" I asked him
"Yes. Yes it was. I needed someone good to help me. I-I think I am losing my mind." The boy replied
"I see. Now before we get to doing that, you need a nickname. Let's call you, 'Ace'. How about that?" I told him
"Err..ok." Ace replied, scratching the back of his head
"Might stop it. We need to help him. So Ace. Why did you call me and how do you know me?"
The boy was nervous all of a sudden and froze.
"I-I don't remember. Somehow I just got a hold of your number. He told me to say Light. He made me do it." He said
"He? Who's he?" We asked him at the same time then chuckled after we realised this
"The devil did. He dressed in human form in the middle of the night and made me do his bidding. He likes the night. There he can harvest plenty!" Ace spoke
"Are you in danger right now?" I asked him
"Only at night time. Look. Please don't tell anyone." Ace pleaded
"We won't. Don't worry." Lucky spoke
The boy turned to the side and showed his back which contained various placed scratch marks and inked geometrical engravings; none of which looked remotely like a child's handwriting. Then, we became really worried.
"Hey. Are you sure that we shouldn't go to the police about this? This is serious." Light said
"No!" Ace shouted
"Are you serious? Like the police will do anything. Useless p-" I got interrupted
"And that's why I left the police force. Because of ungrateful people like you." Lucky pouted
"You were a police officer? Wow, I didn't know that. Why did you leave?" Light asked
Lucky smacked his forehead in disbelief at Light's stupidity.
"This has been happening to you for a while hasn't it?" I asked him
"How about we keep watch over you from the evening time?" Lucky suggested
The boy hesitated to respond.
"We'll try our best to keep you out of danger." Light told him, giving him a warm smile
After Light and Lucky talked to him more, they convinced him to approve of our plan.
And so, we waited outside for any signs of danger.
"There's nothing happening. Why?" I whispered to Lucky who shushed me
"Isn't that a good thing?" He hissed back
"Alright. What chewed up your hat?"
"M-Might!" He hissed again
Before I could roll my eyes at him, we heard the sinister sound of a howling beast and the wind appeared to be blowing stronger than before.
"Ok, what the fuck was that?" Me and Light said simultaneously
"Trouble. Look at that. Was that window open before?"
Before we could properly react and do anything, we saw a small black car driving off from the other side of the house.
"Oh shit let's follow them. Get your car, Light."
We ran as fast as he could towards the car and drove after them.
Lucky offered to drive Light's car since he knew a lot of shortcuts and hoped that wherever the alleged kidnappers were going, they would catch them. There were times where I could feel that they were noticing us but I pushed those paranoid feelings aside. We were led into the woods and underneath that was a secluded underground bunker or dwelling place of some kind.
In order to catch the villain responsible, we had to lie patiently in wait. We had to disguise ourselves, do terrible things like lying, manipulating and become spectators to the 'devil of the night'. Or should I say devils because there was more than one villain involved.
We were all tested that night. Even me.
I assume that we were all injected with a powerful substance that manipulated our perceptions of time. Every minute felt like 10 minutes so the night was one where we experienced so many things that the average minded person would refuse to believe. I will not force you to believe me but I am only telling you the truth based on what I have perceived.
Let me introduce our 4 main villains behind all this.
Among them are 3 men of various different ages and a woman who looked to be in her mid to late 30s. To make this less confusing, I'll refer to them by their nicknames only.
The leader referred to himself as Jupiter but allowed the children (including Ace) and the 3 other villains to call him 'Duke' or even 'Jup'. He looked the oldest, was clean shaven and had long white hair that was straight but thin. He was dressed in a dark red leather jacket, a plain black t-shirt and regular black breathable jeans. For his old age, his body looked good and was still toned. He had a natural resting bitch face. Like the other villains, he had a tattoo on the side of his neck. An upside down crescent moon. Like the others, he was a very eccentric person who often let his primal desires and destructive urges lead him.
Next in line was Mars, also known as 'Mark'.
Unlike Jupiter who was a relatively chill guy, Mars was naturally hot-headed and had stronger destructive urges than the rest of the group. He looked to be in his 40s but had the perfect body, toned and fit to make the perfect classical statue. He was also a fan of moisturising, making his physique shimmer with an incredible light that could only inspire awe or envy. He knew that he had an excellent body and made sure to show it off wherever he went by choosing the most ideal and fitting clothing to accentuate his form. He had messy looking black hair that was in strands of various different lengths but looked great all together. This was a man who demanded respect from everyone and any sense of disrespect he detected from anyone would set him off.
The only woman in the group was Venus but she preferred to be called 'Vera'. Vera, like Mars, was far too good looking to be thought of as a villain. In fact, anyone who looked at her would swear up and down that she was innocent. She had dark brown hair that wasn't dyed at all and brown eyes. Her skin colour was just a bit lighter than Lucky's who was a tanned bronze colour. She didn't wear any makeup. In fact, the only makeup she wore was clear lip gloss. Still she was incredibly alluring and had a natural erotic appeal to her. However, she was a bad person who enjoyed giving others emotional distress and being hot and cold. She hated children in general, referring to them as 'the little parasites' and despised babies most of all to the point of where she'd hiss and dramatically look away at the sight of one!
Finally, the fourth villain was known as 'Saturn'. He was the most mysterious villain. He was young and slim, looking to be in his late 20s. He had blonde hair with purple highlights. He wore golden coloured contact lenses. He was extremely drawn to revenge and was an incredibly vengeful person. He mostly kept to himself but secretly wanted to be considered the leader of the group. He was intelligent and had an extremely excellent memory too!
So now that you know about them, I will get to the point of this story.
We hid somewhere and then I saw a group of children, about 6 boys and 6 girls. They appeared to be under the age of 14, the oldest among them being a 13 years old girl who had an eerily similar look in her eyes to Macaron and had the same chronically bored resting face like she had. She was standing next to Jupiter (the old man with the long white hair). There was something very odd about the children because they all looked like their minds were on a different planet.
"Good day-ight! I have a very lovely surprise for you all. Sunshine. I want you to bring out my cake that I've mentally prepared to enjoy to my fullest extent. Do it now." Jupiter said, referring to the girl next to him
In case it wasn't clear, the old man said day-ight to mix the two words day and night and join them together. He was weird like that.
Immediately the girl's limbs began to tremble and then we became more alert. I felt ashamed about having to hide and turn a blind eye to what was going on but there was nothing I could do to prevent these things from happening and even if I were to intervene, I would've endangered the children further. The villains must've been of an incredibly powerful status to the point of where they're untouchable. That would embolden them to do such things.
"Jup- please don't be mad. It wasn't my fault b-but your cake-."
The man dropped his act and revealed a more intimidating vibe as he looked down at her, leaning into her as her knees shook together in fright.
"P-Please sir! T-They were hungry and without thinking th-."
"What?!" His voice shook and echoed across the room
"They just took a teeny-tiny little bite!" She cried out
"Well, you teeny-tiny little thing. Saturn will deal with you. SATURN!!!" He replied, shouting out for Saturn
"Sir. You called?" He bowed politely rushing inside the room
"No. Not him. Not him. Oh please no. Please." She mumbled shakily
"Take her away and punish her for allowing my red velvet cake to get eaten."
She immediately got into a stance and glared at Saturn.
He charged towards her, dragging her and violently tossing her over his shoulder no matter how much she kicked and protested.
I felt horrible chills crawling up my skin after hearing such a high-pitched scream coming from her as she was taken away by the villain. She was terrified so whoever this Saturn guy was, he was dangerous. The other children weren't phased at all as if they've seen this happen countless times.
"Now who ate my red velvet cake? Be honest. It was massive enough to fit half my fridge so I know that someone here couldn't resist."
The children were silent and frozen.
"I won't touch you or be violent with you, I promise. But if you refuse to tell me the truth then I wi-"
A spaced out looking boy approached him and tugged on his jeans. He looked about 6 or 7 years old.
"If I tell you the truth do you pinky promise you'll leave them alone?" He said slowly, fidgeting with his sleeves nervously
"I promise. Tell me the truth and I won't punish them."
"I-It was me. I'm sorry Duke." He confessed sadly
Jupiter took in a sharp breath, making the little child flinch in response.
"No. You're lying." He scowled
"W-What? I'm not lying!" His voice shook, failing to convince him
"You know how much I hate liars! Creating confusion in people because they are weak!" He yelled out suddenly and explosively, making the boy squeak as tears rolled down his cheeks
"I did it." Another boy spoke out
"Well now I can't believe anyone here. I guess you'll all nourish me tonight!" Jupiter cackled out
"No!" The boy yelled out, rushing towards his friend who confessed for him and pulling him into a tight hug
Some of the children froze and most of them whimpered and curled up into a ball, shutting their eyes.
Then he disappeared and came back with a trolley which had his red velvet cake on a large round metal tray on top of the trolley.
Long story short, what this old man did afterwards makes me nauseous whenever I think about it.
He placed the cake and metal tray on the floor and demeaningly forced the children to crawl on their hands and knees towards the cake and eat it like a pig would do. He pushed some of their heads down deeper into the cake, making them cough and then, he went through a box in the corner of the room and got out one of his favourite instruments.
It was a really long riding crop whip! Light was right behind me, trembling slightly and clutching onto my waist as he looked over my shoulder. The old man purred and let out a low and rumbling growl, as if he was no longer human. Light was about to react audibly but he pressed his face against my back to muffle his voice and stay silent.
Suddenly the old man was energised as if he was young again and his eyes had shone with anticipation. What a sick man this was, to enjoy harming the innocent! He barked orders at them to finish the cake and when one of them (a little girl) turned away from the cake and threw up on the floor, he whipped her across the back and shoved her face down into her own puke. Then in a frenzy, he began to whip them at random making them gasp and let out frightened whimpers. Another girl started begging him to stop but little did she know that it only excites him further.
"Where is your God now? Come on, pray, pray, pray!" He cackled
"Hey! That's enough!" Light yelled out stepping out to confront the man
I immediately smacked my forehead. The idiot got all in his emotions again, I thought briefly.
"How rude! Wait your turn, young man!" Jupiter responded
"Why them? For goodness sake! They're only children!" Light hissed out
"Because I can. And I will. Back off or I'll get rid of you!" Jupiter said
Light saw the tent growing in the old man's jeans, making his face crinkle in disgust.
"I'm untouchable too! Ever heard of the Clouds?" Light said
"Ah yes. Oh I see. Then surely you above anyone else should understand, my boy."
"At first I thought that this couldn't be real. As a child and in my early teens I always thought this was all in my mind. This place is familiar to me. The memories are coming back now. I remember another man who took joy in terrorising me for years! His hair as black and evil as his heart!"
The old man grinned and his eyes shone again, his sharp nose and icy blue eyes making him appear even more sinister.
"Mars' little thing? Welcome back." He said referring to Light
Poor Light. Not only was he being abused by his own family but this random guy calling himself Mars was probably abusing him too and for years apparently.
But what I saw Light do surprised me!
He approached the old man slowly and hesitantly.
"Please don't punish the innocent. If you must satisfy your urges, use me instead. Let me become the canvas for you to paint upon. Use me." Light spoke softly, suggestively tracing his fingers across the old man's black shirt.
Light's chest was heaving nervously, looking up at the old man. His lips were twitching ever so slightly. It was clear that he didn't want to sacrifice himself like this but he felt like he had to.
"What a tempting offer but no thank you. You've ruined the mood for me. I need to wash myself off of all this goodness. I feel filthy now. Get out of my sight, Cloud, before I have the urge to elbow you in the spine and piss all over you!" Jupiter replied
Light's eyes widened, his instincts kicking in as he ran off elsewhere. Jupiter got bored and left the children alone, making them sigh out in relief.
***
Back in my village in Luna, I was the oldest of 4 siblings. Most days, we had very little food and I remember how my mother used to heat up water in a pot whenever we were hungry and had no food left. My father.. well he wasn't the most reliable man in the world and my mother was too busy with the kids to get proper work. I remember how hungry I was to find work to make our lives better and when I was 14 years old, I no longer had the patience to wait. I was too young to work but still, I hoped to find someone willing to hire me. I persevered and eventually, I was told to try the temple. It was an hour's walk away. As soon as I looked at the Feya Temple, towering and magnificent, I felt such a sublime yet strong energy the closer I got to the gates. Little did I know that the people who I would meet there would change my life. Those were the good old days. Heaven on earth. Before Emperor Flynn ruined my life. Before the war. — Lucky
TO BE CONTINUED…