"Wake up, Rumi."
Groaning as her eyes fluttered open, she yawned and searched her surroundings, all that could be seen was an endless tunnel with an opening that seemed so far to reach.
'No one, was I dreaming? Where is this?' She wondered, scared and confused for the first time in her life.
Making a circular motion of her fingers, she stared in horror as no portal opened–this would only mean she had to rely on navigating herself out of the place.
"Hello?" Rumi called out, and a gust of cold breath escaped.
"Chilly, isn't it?"
Rumi turned around at the sound and took steps back as a precaution.
The once visible cave vanished and was replaced with darkness.
"You did this, who or what are you?!" She screamed, pushing back even further at the sound of the figure's shoe ringing in her head.
Those red eyes that stared at her from the shadows sent a chill down her spine.
Huff!
Huff!
Cough!
Having her tongue touch the hard palate, she had a sudden thirst.
"Water, I need water." She begged, gasping for breath, cupping her hands hoping to be given what she sought.
"It is but in your mind." The voice chastised.
Raising her head in confusion, she wet her tongue with her saliva and pushed back immediately she felt rejuvenated.
"What sort of tricks are you pulling on me?!" She hissed, searching her environment for any solid object that could be used.
Finally stepping out of the shadows was something different from what she had imagined.
"M–me?" She exclaimed in utter shock.
Unlike the usual sweet and slightly edgy demeanor she had trained to switch from when necessary, she was faced with a completely crazy dark version of herself.
Taking a quick look at the near copy was a menacing-looking version of herself with her hair let down and wide eyes with red pupils which had shrunk from her crazy expression and a big grin.
"Why do you bear some sort of resemblance to me?" Rumi got to her feet, still maintaining the distance needed.
"Shocking? I am the better and darker version of yourself." Dark Rumi opened her hands and gave a satisfied sigh of relief.
Doing a body scan, Rumi cringed and shook her head, dreading ever looking like what was in front of her. "This is a trick, why does your voice sound different?"
Switching the pitch to match Rumi's, the dark version smirked, "better now?"
"What did you do to my ability?" Rumi pointed an accusing finger at her.
"Does touching the Artiquem ring a bell?"
Those words were like a strike at what she believed in, this was the second time the book had been referenced in a day, and not for the better.
Her lips drew into a thin line, refusing to respond to the question, instead would wait out for the rest of the story.
"I am your true self that was released the moment you touched the Artiquem, a perfect split personality of who you really are, don't you miss the thrill of the kill? Remember what we did to the majority of our clan?"
Holding her head, Rumi shook her head as new thoughts flooded her head and as she lived through them in a flash she was mortified by the scenes that repeated.
"Make it stop! Make it stop!" Rumi screamed in pain.
"As you wish."
Huff!
Huff!
Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead and her eyes wide in shock, "I–I wasn't just abandoned to advance in my ability, but to tame my blood-lustful tendencies?"
"We killed those weaklings, yet they tried to seal me and sent you to some pathetic academy!" The cackled voice of dark Rumi boomed with rage and disappointment.
"I didn't kill anyone, my clan just abandoned me, they would be back. Yes, that's what happened!" Rumi muttered, shaking and holding the side of her head.
"Would you like to ask that handsome professor you dote on? He has the answers." Dark Rumi grinned from ear to ear.
Rumi's hand dropped at the revelation, 'he knows?'
Using the moment of shock to close the gap between them, dark Rumi placed a hand on Rumi's shoulder and went behind her to whisper in her ear. "Until you accept your true self–me, your ability will be cut off."
"Get the hell away from me!" Rumi pushed her away, "you're merely a figment of my imagination."
Tears she had held back came rushing in at the thought of what she might have done if dark Rumi was right.
"Stay away from me!" Rumi glared at dark Rumi.
Dark Rumi smiled and made a circular motion of her fingers, "you're free to go."
Skeptical about what her split personality was playing at, she narrowed her eyes at the portal.
"Where does that take me?"
"If you want to know, how about stepping in? You would get your abilities returned and I would be a part of you watching from the sidelines till you accept me for who I am." Dark Rumi shrugged.
"What if I don't?!" Rumi dared.
"One or both of us has to perish! We both know who would be victorious." Dark Rumi winked and nodded toward the portal.
Left with no choice, Rumi took on the challenge and stepped in.
Zchwp!
*****
Stepping out of the portal, Rumi's jaw dropped, 'what sort of trick is this?!'
In front of her was Tenji's door and she was on the front porch.
Click!
Before she could flee from the scene, she was frozen in place as she locked eyes with Izumi.
"This is a bit weird," Izumi muttered under her breath.
'I could say the same.' Rumi had wanted to reply, instead, she responded by masking her nervousness with a chuckle.
"What are you doing on my front porch, young lady?" Izumi tilted her head with a worried look.
*****
A/N
¶ Would you want Rumi to accept her darker version?
∆ New goal
100 Powerstones or 500 summoning pens or 5 gifts= 1 bonus chapter.
I would really appreciate your comments and support of this novel with your power stones on Webnovel. Your active comments would motivate me to write more chapters.
Discord server link which has the character reference of all main descriptions of my characters ┐
https://discord.gg/NhMzNqgzwn