"Finally! We've arrived! Welcome to Mondlicht, the city of the night," I exclaimed with excitement, my eyes filled with wonder.
Marlowlia stood at the city's entrance, her dress billowing in the gentle breeze. Emovi clung to her, her tired eyes barely open. Sensing her exhaustion, I suggested finding a hotel quickly. With care, I chucked Emovi onto my back, her small form nestled against me.
Marlowlia and I embarked on our search for an inn, navigating the bustling streets adorned with beautiful streetlights. Colorful paper lanterns lined the pathways, casting vibrant hues across the cityscape.
After what felt like an eternity, Marlowlia's voice rang out, announcing she had discovered a place to stay. I hurried over, Emovi still sounds asleep on my back and followed Marlowlia into the building. She had already taken care of the arrangements and instructed me to settle Emovi before joining her downstairs for a conversation.
"47, 47, 47, ah, I found it." I put it in the key and opened the door. Holy smokes, this is where we are sleeping? I haven't slept in a bed for ages. Thank you Marlowlia-sama. I slowly sit down on the bed and gently drop Emovi down. Correcting her posture, pulling up the blanket, and closing the door.
Walking down the hallway I heard some weird noises coming from one of the rooms ahead. It sounded like human moans and weird creaking noises. The door was a little open. As I went up to close the door I caught a glimpse of what was happening inside the room.
There were two people in the room, both naked and making out. Looks like they forgot to lock the door. Uhmm… wait isn't that the pink-haired girl with red stripes? Well, I can't talk with her right now because it seems she is kinda busy taking care of some business. It seems like she was pretty good at that. She was not a beginner. But in any case.
"Imma just slowly close the door. Be at least a little quieter when doing such things. Emovi is sleeping next to your room." I said shaking my head.
Rejoining Marlowlia at the table, I took a seat beside her, curious about the discussion she wished to initiate. Her questions probed the depths of my aspirations beyond assisting her. Uncertainty filled my heart as I realized that, up until now, my life had been defined by survival rather than purpose. The prospect of envisioning a future seemed foreign, leaving me at a loss for words.
I couldn't answer her question, what purpose did I have right now? What am I supposed to do with my life as of right now? There weren't any big goals I had. The minor goals were; getting a hot plate of food or getting a long warm sleep. But I didn't have anything big to do because there was never something significant I had to accomplish. I always lived "freely" so I didn't know my purpose.
"Sorry, Marlowlia. I can't answer that question at the moment," I replied honestly, a tinge of disappointment etched on my face.
Marlowlia looked at me with a disappointed face. Then a plate slid right in front of me. A hot plate of fried noodles with eggs on top, garnished with green spring onions.
"Allow me to grant you one of your smaller desires, Vivshi," she said kindly, her eyes reflecting her genuine care.
I started to eat, the harmonious blend of flavors and textures. As I started to chew, the savory and smoky notes that come out of the noodles being stir-fried to perfection. The rich taste of umami ingredients. The slightly sweet flavors are complimented by the texture.
"Thank you for the meal." As I gulped down the food with gratitude.
"We should head to bed now," Marlowlia said after I finished my meal.
As we finished our meal, Marlowlia suggested it was time to retire for the night. Making our way to the room she had arranged, we passed by the room I had inadvertently stumbled upon earlier. Seizing a mischievous opportunity, I whispered to Marlowlia, urging her to peek inside. However, she promptly dismissed my suggestion, lecturing me on the importance of respecting others' privacy. Her stern yet caring words resonated, and I obediently excused myself to attend to my nighttime routine.
Standing alone in front of the bathroom mirror, I peered into my own eyes, captivated by the marvels of science. Fascinated by the dilation and contraction of my pupils, I pondered the natural wonders I had discovered during my encounters with books at the library. However, reminiscing served as a reminder of the limitations I faced due to my circumstances.
I always loved science. Bunch of cool things in science I want to learn. I never got the chance to get educated, but there was a library that had a benevolent librarian that let wanderers and homeless people read. But that librarian retired a few years ago and the library got a new owner who is stingy.
Walking out of the bathroom and then jumping on the same bed as Emovi. Marlowlia had bought a separate room to sleep in, she is a rich girl after all.
I gave Emovi a pat on the head and turned to the other side. Closing my eyes to see the pitch black, opening my eyes to see the darkness that was illuminated by a few lights on the streets.
I lay there with Emovi beside me, staring at the wooden ceiling. I closed my eyes to try to fall asleep but I couldn't sleep.
"Go out Vivshi. Go out."
Hearing the weird voice echo throughout my head, a mild headache followed. My head started to throb. Deciding that it was best to get some fresh air, I jumped outside through the window. I walked around the desolate streets. I continued down the empty path and found a bench that I sat on. Just relaxing, suddenly my head started to hurt a lot like something was drilling against my skull. The flower of freedom started to grow, its burning sensation sent shockwaves of pain throughout my body.
"Why? What is happening to me?" I cried out amidst the pain.
A dark silhouette stepped forth. Emerging under the moonlight and city lights was a man in his 40s. Thick, magnificent beard, and his eyes were serious and void of emotion. Long black hair that reached his shoulders. He wore small bits of black metallic armor that covered his vitals, arms, and legs.
At that moment, Oslovi followed in pursuit, jumping out the window and walking up to me. But as soon as Oslovi saw the man, its tail puffed up straight. Its eyes were scared, fearing what stood in front of it. Oslovi hissed at the man. It started to nudge me to get away.
But at that moment I hear the words:
"You are an impurity to this world, your distortion will not continue." The man proclaimed.
I felt as if something was missing, I looked down and saw a horrific scene. My entire stomach was gone, it was just a giant hole. I collapsed as the blood seeped out of my dead body.
"Oslovi, run…" I hushed, trying to get Oslovi to get away.
As soon as I blinked I was back. I was back at the moment Oslovi nudged my feet. Instinctively I jumped to the side, holding Oslovi in my arms.
His spear flew straight into the ground, demolishing everything in its way. He reached out his hand and the spear returned back to him.
Shit, shit, SHIT, we can't fight this guy, he will fucking kill me. I ran desperately to escape. But as I was turning into a street, I saw the air. The giant moon, the endless stars that covered the sky. Then I hear a thud and see my body falling like a ragdoll.
I blink and see that my head was still intact, I haven't been decapitated. As I was about to turn the corner, I stopped and a spear flies right past my face, scraping my nose.
"Holy fucking shit. How am I supposed to run away?" I screamed out.
"Your existence will continue to cause misery, you must be vanished." The man said in a cold voice.
Pissed offed by his stupid speech, I put down Oslovi and rushed towards him, ditching the fleeing option. As I ran straight at him, the man stood completely still with his stoic expression. He taps his spear on the ground and the next moment, I was filled with holes. Brain matter sprayed all over the streets and bits and pieces of my body were scattered throughout the street.
I blinked, I was holding Oslovi in my arms.
"What the hell is happening?" I cried out.
I kept dying and dying but when I blink I wake up at the moment right before my death. I remember the pain, the pain of having a bunch of holes. The excruciating pain of being decapitated. All of it. It felt too real to not be real.
Am I going to die again? When is he going to kill me again? My consciousness started to fade as insanity took over. A grin of hopelessness etched over my face. I can't beat this man, I can't escape him. I started to laugh like a maniac. As I was about to become insane, I felt a slight pain on my face, Oslovi scratched my face.
"We can't escape Oslovi, what is the point? We can't fight him either." I said in a dead tone.
Oslovi turned snow white and it's aeon of rejuvenation sprouted. Oslovi rooted the man allowing me to get some more distance. The man looks fiercely at us, he positioned himself into a throwing position and threw his spear with full force at us. Reacting in milliseconds Oslovi's survival instincts created a stump in front of me that made me trip. I saw as the spear flew straight ahead, blasting everything in its path. It destroyed the city walls and flew further, destroying terrain and everything that was caught in between.
The spear flew straight back to the man, which he readied another throw.
At that moment, the air around us became hazy and a pink haze surrounded us. A woman stepped out from the alley, It was the same woman from the carriage. The air became so thick in the pink haze that the man in black couldn't see where we were. The woman waved her hand, inviting me to follow her. Still with Oslovi in my hands, I ran after the woman.
We had lost the man. The woman that saved us led us to an inn, the same inn Emovi and Marlowlia were sleeping at.
She invited us into her room and closed the door, locking it. I don't know who this woman is, but I was extremely grateful for her saving us. I thank our savior with gratitude. She said to just sit on her bed.
"Why did you save us?" I question the woman.
I woman sat down beside me, responding in a flirtatious tone.
"Two reasons, look at this beautiful flower on your cheek. Does it hurt?" She slowly erotically caressed my cheek.
"Second reason is that you are cute, and who doesn't want to have gratitude from a cutie like you?" She said smiling.
It was obvious that she concealed her true intentions for saving us. She is a really good smooth talker. With perfect looks and a warm personality, there is no telling how many men she has seduced with this figure.
"So who are you? And who was that man in black?"
"Me? I am just your typical girl, you can call me Aylin." She winked.
She told me that she was an aeon wielder just like me and Oslovi. She was the aeon of desire. An aeon that will do anything to obtain happiness. An aeon that chooses happiness in any form even if it affects her negatively.
"So, who was that man?" I asked nervously.
She switched her personality, from a happy and cheerful one to a serious and cold one. She was hesitant to tell me about that man as if she was scared. But eventually, she speaks.
"That was fear incarnate. He is what every human has. The strongest of all the aeons. The aeon of fear."