Standing in an expanse filled entirely with a turquoise ocean and clear blue cloudy skies was a single soul. A silver chain was wound tightly to his left arm and his blue black trench coat exuded an ominous presence as his gaze was fixed on a location right before him.
"Again…", he muttered.
A small portion of the water rose high up into the air and exploded into the large volume, revealing an entity from within it.
"She appeared again", Zanetor's eyes narrowed. "Why did she lead me to this exact spot?"
The entity took the form of a woman. She was donned in the exact same clothes as Zanetor and her eyes glimmered in a strange blue hue. Her long brown hair swayed in the gentle breeze as she lifted her eyes to lock in with Zanetor.
"At last", she began, her voice calm and slow. "Finally, there is no obstruction."
"Who are you?", Zanetor raised an eyebrow, thinking, 'Something about her is really strange. She's not like that disturbing entity I normally encounter while I'm in my awareness.'
She looked up, "The little girl's spirit energy was pure enough to wipe of the stain before you got here."
The shadow soul was losing patience, "Who are you?"
His words were solid and intimidating this time. Zanetor didn't appreciate having to repeat himself.
The lady looked back at him, "You already know that. Though, you may not notice it but…"
*SPLASH!*
An enormous volume of water collected behind her and immediately towered both of them.
"Tch!", Zanetor's instincts flared to life and his heart began to race as he swiftly activated a familiar flow of energy and summoned his torrent blazer.
The water surrounding the woman glowed and particles of water rose around her, bathing her in an ethereal light.
"Water Spell", the Shadow soul muttered as he felt his energy grow turbulent.
He wasn't the only one getting violent however. The large volume of water that rose high up into the air began to spiral out of control, turbulently charging itself as the Shadow soul's spell neared its completion.
SEA SNAKE TORPEDO!
Zanetor fired an energetically charged bullet, gathering a large volume of water around it that took the form of a six-eyed snake. The snake lunged at the lady, baring its horrid fangs.
The large volume of turbulent water responded, changing form into Zanetor's spell. Now towering above the shadow soul and his spell was a six-eyed snake several feet tall.
"What!?", he stepped back.
The lady's expression stayed calm as she parted her lips, "Sea Snake Torpedo"
A thunderous SPLASH boomed in the expanse, sending large waves rippling out from the epicentre of the attack. Zanetor's spell was neutralised and the waves quickly overwhelmed him.
"Did she just replicate my spell!?", Zanetor tried to regain his footing on the waves, but to his horror, the water beneath his ceased to support him.
"This is perhaps the only way you'll remember", the lady walked towards him in the midst of the chaos.
Before Zanetor realised it, he found himself beneath the water's surface. His torrent blazer dissipated into particles of blue light as his vision grew darker.
"This feeling again", his eyes grew heavy. "It… feels just like- Edem's spell."
He saw the silhouette of the lady staring down at him from the surface and could barely make out her words.
"I- ill- ait- fo- ou- Za-tor…"
With that, everything turned pitch black.
.
.
.
(Memory - 10 years ago)
(Zanetor's POV)
A small smile graced my lips
"Done"
I raised my small notebook and felt a tingling sensation in my chest. The lights in my room were out except the lamp at my small desk. Excited, I stood up from my seat and made my way out of the room.
The hallway was dark but the light from the living room guided me to its entrance and just when I was about to walk in...
"Y- Yes, I understand very well what you're trying to say", a tensed soft voice spoke in the silence of the room.
I immediately stepped back and watched from the shadows.
It was happening again. Mom was having one of those stressful business calls again. I couldn't really see the expression on her face since she was largely obscured by the wall that separated the living room from the dining room on the other side.
"I issued a letter about my intention to take some rest from work about a week ago", she left the dining room and walked into the light. "I've not been able to do anything substantial in the past few weeks, that's why..."
"Unfortunately, we can't process your letter anymore", a male voice sounded from the device in her right ear. "Other letters have been processed and sadly, we reached the limit."
My mother rose her brows, "W- What? But this isn't the first time I've received this response."
"Ahh, well that's just how things turned out"
I could see a painful look in my mom's eyes once she heard that. She sat on the couch and began to rub her temples.
"I can't-"
"You surely can't expect to risk losing this job. You are fully aware what your absence from work will cost."
Mother kept silent.
"Afterall, you've missed work twice before and this time, there will be no excuses."
At that point, I saw my mother's lips move as she whispered something to herself. The look in her eyes turned pale and grim.
"And, you do want to give your son a good life, correct?", the man's voice suddenly turned sinister. "You lost your husband under strange circumstances and seeing as he was the son of a really influential person here in the Goldilocks zone, the stigma on you is not even subtle in the least bit."
"I...", mother sighed. "I understand. Expect me at work then..."
"Very good"
The device in my mother's ear turned off and she buried her face in her palms. Perhaps, it wasn't the time to show her the work I had done...
My eyes lowered. She wasn't going to have time for me like she promised...
"Zanetor"
I felt my heart jump the instant I heard her voice. She rose her head and smiled in my direction, as if she could see me in the darkness. The look in her clear hazel eyes seemed to have changed into a more cheerful one, but I could still see struggle in her eyes.
My feet moved, slowly, one after the other. I secretly dropped my notebook behind and entered the living room, stopping after moving for a while.
She smiled and stretched out her arms, "Come here, sweetie."
When she said that, it felt like she was offering me every bit of safety in the world. I rushed over to her and accepted her embrace.
"I'm sorry, mommy won't be able to spend time with you tomorrow", her voice was strained as she uttered those words.
I shook my head on her belly, "It's okay."
My eyes gleamed as the light reflected the tears in my eyes.
Mother moved her smooth black hair behind her and carried me in her arms, "Don't worry! We'll go to a place far from here very soon, okay? We'll play the entire day!"
"Okay", I wiped the tears off my face and smiled. "Okay..."
She forgot...
I took a look at the notebook on the floor as she carried me back to my room.
Should I have told her?
The hours after sleep sped by in an instant. School was the same, one-dimensional series of interactions and it all ended so fast.
I was glad of course
I only wanted to see mother again...
I was undeniably stuck to wanting to be by her side.
Walking up the stairs and to my apartment also happened really fast. Everything that felt mundane to me always seemed to occur to me in the shortest time.
Maybe it was because I never really attached any kind of importance to them?
A beep sound emanated from the door as a blue light shot out and scanned my body. There was a click sound and from there, the door opened up.
"Ma's not back", I placed my bag on the nearby couch. "I'll wait."
I sat on the couch with my bag and stared at the door for three more hours. Well, three hours had passed but it felt like three minutes? Eating didn't mean anything to me at that point.
It was kind of mundane?
My eyes trailed to my wrist watch, "It's 9pm."
*click*
The door opened and mother walked in with a stressed out look on her face. She sighed as a small smile appeared on her face.
"Sweetie, you didn't sit there for three hours, did you?"
"I did", I looked away.
"Aren't you hungry?", she placed her purse on the couch and offered her hand. "Come, let's get something to eat."
I held her hand and followed her to the dining room. That moment, the moment where we ate, also passed by in the blink of an eye. Eating wasn't important for me at that point?
No, there was something about Mother that made me feel different that day.
"Wow, you finished your food really fast!", she beamed. "So you really were hungry!"
Was I?
"Guess what, sweetie?", she ruffled my hair. "We'll finally be able to spend time together! We'll be going to the beach! How does that sound??"
My lips curled into a smile, "Yes! Yes! I'd love to go!"
My mother's smile softened, "Right?"
...
Of course, again, everything between that moment and us getting to the resort seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye. Well, it was important to note that it was a weekend and hence, I didn't miss class.
That didn't matter to me though. I'd gladly miss any school day to spend time with mom. We booked a room and began to unpack.
"Sweetie, you should rest up", mother smiled. "It was a long trip. I'm sure you're tired."
I pursed my lips, "N- No, I'm okay."
She stopped moving her stuff and got closer to me, "Don't worry. I'll finish packing and we can sleep together, okay?"
A tingling feeling rippled in my chest once I heard her say that. I enthusiastically nodded and made my way to the room. Of course, sleep wasn't important to me until she was done so I sat there in my pyjamas and waited for her.
She walked in after a while and was slightly shocked, "Oh, you were waiting for me?"
I nodded happily.
A soft giggle escaped her lips as she sat on the bed, "Well, I'm here now. We'll take a walk on the beach tomorrow. How does that sound?"
Again, the time between my sleep and my waking up to my brushing my teeth and leaving the resort building, passed by in the blink of an eye.
Mother held my hand as we walked on the shores of the beach. The ocean sounds made my ears tickle in the serenity of the early morning. I could still see a few brightly shining stars in the sky as we walked in the direction of the rising sun.
"Zanetor"
"Yes, mother?"
She stopped and looked at me lovingly, "I'm sorry I forgot about your little friend I asked you to show me."
My eyes widened slightly.
Did she just remember? My memories traced back to the drawing I made in my notebook. That drawing had three people in there; Me, Mother and My imaginary friend!
I remembered telling her about this friend of mine before and promised to show her. However, after that call she had...
"So, what's your friend's name?", she continued walking.
There was a spring in my steps, "Selene!"
"Selene?", she looked up and laughed a bit. "I wonder how you two met!"
My gaze shifted to the two stars in the sky that stood close to each other. I couldn't quite remember how I met my imaginary friend? No, I didn't understand what my mother said.
Wasn't an imaginary friend... someone that appeared in my mind randomly?
"Sweetie, do you have friends at school?"
I looked down, "N- No... I don't know."
"Hmm?", she looked at me with curiosity in her eyes. "Hmm, what do you think of mommy?"
My head shot up and my line of sight met her cheerful smile. An answer immediately popped up in my head.
"I love you!"
She laughed and ruffled my hair, "Exactly! And I love you too! But one day, you'll want to be able to love others too."
"I don't understand", my brows furrowed.
Mother knelt down, "One day, someone will need you just like how you've always needed me by your side. You'll have to be me when that happens."
She smiled at me, but I struggled to understand. I only needed to love mom. She was the only one who truly cared.
"Right now I need you to live your best life and you need me to be here, okay?", she stood up. "Let's just enjoy the time we have together! You'll not understand right now, but you needed to hear this."
I remember walking down the beach with her as the sun rose. The ocean woke up in a vibrant blue and the sky was clear. That weekend and all the fun memories I had of it was one I would never forget!
That's... what I thought
Until now...