If I died right now, what would I feel?
It's one of those questions that people ask themselves every once in a while, though not often enough in my opinion. The idea is that if your life has been worthwhile, you'll feel satisfied even if death comes at this very moment.
For me, I've already accepted my fate. If I died right now, if I died next year, if I died one hundred years into the future, no matter what, I likely wouldn't be satisfied with the way I lived.
Well, that's how I felt before at least. At this very instant-
As I lay on the cold living room floor, the warmth of my pounding heart provides me with both solace and reverence. So this is how people feel after a great victory? I'd never felt this feeling before. If I reached my hand up right now, I'd touch the sky.
Lethargically, I raised my head from the floor. After successfully saving Fang's life, I basically collapsed onto the floor. My eyes had been closed for a moment to take in the tensionless air.
When I finally reopened my eyes, I was met with an odd sight. Fang had vanished from not only his bindings but from his chair as well. As I got up, I noticed everything around me had changed.
The light that had been peeking through the blinds had disappeared. Was it night already? Just a moment ago it was afternoon...
Had I... no way... As I was thinking to myself, I fell asleep midthought, then I continued that thought when I woke up without ever realizing I'd fallen asleep midway through...
Something similar happened to me when I was younger, geez, I haven't thought about that in ages.
Looking down, I wasn't laying on the floor anymore, I'd been moved to the couch.
"Sweet dreams?"
"Naw, no dreams like usual, they don't happen for someone like me."
Something weird is happening to me. Again, I told the truth without thinking. My defenses have been far too lax lately. That's not quite it, it's more accurate to say that when I'm around certain people, my defenses get weaker. This was one such person, Cacophony. She's sitting on the other end of the couch watching a movie. Now that I think about it, she's one of two people that enjoy my little act. That might be one of the reasons I'm drawn to her, and ironically, one of the reasons I'm more likely to let it slip around her.
Picking up the remote, Cacophony paused the movie.
"You know, I still can't read the titles of these movies. I just scroll and pick the one with the most interesting cover. Sometimes it works out and I get an interesting watch, sometimes it doesn't."
"Is that so... What happened to Charlotte and Fang? They went home?"
"This movie is looking to be a lackluster watch. These people are completely and utterly soulless."
She dodged the question.
For some reason, something felt off about Cacophony's demeanor. Maybe she was just sour because of the crappy movie. It was some no-name action flick meant for brainless enjoyment, but she seemed to be taking it more seriously than intended.
"With movies like these, you're not meant to take anything away from the story or characters. It's written in a way that makes nice-looking stuff pop up on screen as often as possible. I get where you're coming from though, it's only natural that I have some high-class taste and this junk movie doesn't cut it."
"So people watch movies like this, junk movies... Hey-"
Grabbing the remote, she quickly paused the movie at an odd scene. Nothing was really happening, but the camera was zoomed into the faces of the two female leads. Despite the movie's tone, they were dressed in light, skimpy clothing. Truly, this movie checked all the boxes to be called a junk movie.
Cacophony turned her head to me, "Veri, which of these two girls do you think looks prettier?"
"Huh", my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. Her question took me aback, and her expression was stone-cold, devoid of humor.
"Well, if I had to pick... the girl on the left is prettier..."
"And why do you think that?"
"Her, uh, visually she kind of-"
Both of the women on screen were definitely beautiful. I'd respect someone no matter which one they picked, but for me, a certain factor gave the girl on the left the edge.
Her chest was bigger!
I can't say something that stupid was the reason.
"Yes, visually, her aura is something quite special. She must be a class A mage at the very least!"
"Wrong answer."
"There was a correct answer?"
"Of course. As a servant, you should do your best to please your master. You should've said something like, 'Oh, my great and honorable mistress, throughout the land, there's no woman who could ever rival your perfect beauty!', instead you actually picked one of these bimbos."
I stared at Cacophony with a wide-eyed stare. Isn't that reaction super petty?
"Can't be helped then, I'll have to punish you properly."
My mushy brain couldn't fully process her words, "Punish? It's late right now, can we do it tomorrow?"
Exhausted. How many times have I used that word to describe myself today? More than a few times I bet, and somehow, even after I'd gotten some rest, the word couldn't be more appropriate.
"We're both agents of the night, are we not? And you've no right to complain when you're the one about to be punished. Time? Place? Like you'd have any say in the matter!"
Shooting up, Cacophony grabbed me by the hand and pulled me forth.
In the blink of an eye, we were outside. In my delirium, the purplish night sky seemed to shift and change with every step we took. Not in the normal way, it was like looking at the inside of a kaleidoscope. The small white stars fell and rose in a constant cycle of heavenly transcendence, the only part left unchanged was the majestic centerpiece that was the moon.
The waxing crescent moon hung low and branded the night sky.
"Hold on! Let's-"
Without a second thought, Cacophony shoved her index finger in front of my mouth. Her large ruby eyes were already made up, but I had yet to understand their intent.
I'm certain that if I had been clear-minded, I would've been able to figure out what she was so strung up on, but that's only in hindsight.
With ease, Cacophony lifted me, her grip firm but gentle. As we bounded from building to building, the city below seemed to blur into a mosaic of lights and shadows. The wind roared in my ears, a constant reminder of the heights we scaled with each leap.
I had known that Cacophony was powerful, so powerful that the difference in our abilities was like an ant to a mountain, but even so I was shocked. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat resonating with the thudding impacts of Cacophony's landings. I couldn't help but glance down at the ground, a dizzying expanse of concrete and glass far below. Then I'd look up at the sky, vast and indifferent, filled with stars that seemed to mock my fear.
I was hyperventilating, my breathing was uncontrollable and wild. We were moving fast, covering insane amounts of distance in a short time. I may have blacked out once or twice, but when I blinked, we were jumping from a skyscraper high in the air. It was at this time that Cacophony let me go, not providing me any support as we both went cascading down.
We soared through the air, it felt like we were suspended between the earth and the sky, caught in a timeless void. My stomach lurched as we began to descend, gravity pulling us down with ruthless inevitability.
I looked at the flashing lights below, in no time at all we'll hit the ground. Cacophony... even after a fall from this height, she'll likely survive. What about me?
As I looked down, my entire body was flooded with fear and chaos. Horrible thoughts filled my mind, the reaper's scythe was positioned gracefully around my neck. With a single stroke, he'd have my head.
"Focus on me," Cacophony's voice cut through the chaos, her fingers gripping my chin as she turned my face towards hers. Her eyes, like molten rubies, bore into mine with an intensity that demanded my undivided attention. "Only me."
Her hand moved and nestled into my shoulders, instinctually, I grabbed her arms for support.
"Veri, do you trust me?"
"Wha- I, of course!"
"Today, when it came to that mage boy, we got lucky. Something like this won't happen a second or third time. Do you understand?"
"Excuse me? Why are-"
"Listen to me", as we barrelled downward, I nearly lost my grip on her, but Cacophony held me steady, her gaze never wavering. "As my servant, I trust you to properly inform me about this era."
"I know, if that's what you're worried about then I-I'll do bet-"
"No, listen. Your second job as my servant is to set me straight and make sure I walk the right path. What you did today allowed me to gain a new servant and so I won't say it was the wrong path, but it was reckless of you. You doubted my judgment thoughtlessly."
Is that how it looked from her perspective? No, the more I think about it, that was certainly how it must've looked from her perspective. It's not an entirely unfounded way of looking at the situation. I was grasping at straws when there was a far easier solution. I was grasping at straws purely because I didn't want to watch Fang die. That's true and I won't deny that.
"But, I didn't do it thoughtlessly! I knew he was a good guy! I could tell... I-"
Calmly, Cacophony smiled at me, "Veri, I trust you, but from now on, I need you to trust me too. Believe in me and my judgment. Next time, don't you dare think of getting in front of my attack ever again!"
"Alright! I won't do that! And I-I trust you!"
Unexpectedly, Cacophony pulled me in for an embrace, and all the while we plummeted toward the ground.
---------
There's no need to recount the rest of that night in detail, Cacophony with her amazing physical prowess, managed to land safely with me in her arms. There weren't too many bystanders considering where we were, but I'm not sure if any cameras caught us.
As I suspected, both Charlotte and Fang went home after what happened today. Cacophony noted that Fang didn't seem to want to look anyone in the eye when he left. I get it, honestly, I'm not completely sure how to speak with him after all this. While Cacophony didn't give many details on Charlotte, she's so steadfast that I can't imagine her crumbling even slightly.
For now, it seems that my relationship with Cacophony remains unchanged. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever expected Cacophony to pull a stunt like this, but she's always been extravagant.
Cacophony has always had an overwhelming amount of confidence in herself and her power, even in her current weakened state. If there was some great battle where mages from all over came to attack her, would she even be worried? And if that's the case, what made her react so extremely tonight?
I don't think I'll forget this day, January the fifteenth, for as long as I live. The day I met Fang, saw a new side to Cacophony and unknowingly set in motion one part of this city's destruction.