As Liam progressively sleeps, a silent emptiness fills his surroundings until it is filled with light and brilliance, which appears to represent his journey to a dream. He awoke to find himself in a brightly lit area with no sun but an abundance of rays coming from all directions. At first, he believed this to be his inner core, but it wasn't. A big tree with purple leaves caught his attention, but it was hard for him to understand because it was remarkably far from him. He could also see a rocking chair and a person with violet hair was sitting on it. A voice echoed in Liam's mind, his words laced with urgency and warning.
"Listen carefully."
The voice resonates as if wanted to contact Liam. His speech sounded clear yet blurry, like an echoing ball. It was deep and unfathomably unsettling. He communicates in a way that is nearly impossible to describe, this otherworldly phenomenon gave Liam almost a migraine.
Liam witnessed all this, he grabbed his head and closely walked towards that chair. His legs were working on their own. The gap appeared to go on forever, becoming farther away with each step he made as if mocking his efforts. Yet, he couldn't shake off the feeling that this encounter gave him, this boundless void made him energetic yet vulnerable.
Liam's heart pounds rapidly in his chest as he listens intently, his mind trying to grasp the grandeur before him. The voice continues, still blurry and unsettling, trying to barge directly inside Liam's mind.
"To protect 'her', you must search the lands far beyond; Ahornbaum isn't your final destination, seek the crucifix. It is there that you will find the key to dispelling the enigma and catch your possession."
The person continues the story with a poem.
"In shadows cast upon the moonless night,
A girl once pure, consumed by fright,
Chased relentlessly by darkness untamed,
A haunting pursuit, a dance defamed.
In muffled gasps, she begged for light.
Clasping her scriptures, seeking respite,
But silence befell her desperate prayer,
No divine intervention, no saviour dare.
An enigma unveiled, a mystery concealed,
How could this darkness be fully sealed?
To solve the puzzle, the secrets told,
A web of darkness, a tale to unfold
In the realm where shadows reside,
A melancholy hug, where spirits confide.
Death's whisper beckons, a timeless call,
Into the abyss, where souls befall."
Liam is left with perplexity. His expression bore confusion and agitation. He moved his head upwards and shouted to ask him.
"What do you want to say?"
There was no response to his question, he moved his head downwards, and what he witnessed was that the place was changed—it was like a surface covered with violet roses. He notices a naked lady lying on a bed, which is also covered with roses. A strange crucifix was made on her belly. Liam was first hesitant, believing it to be simply another perverse dream. He slapped himself but eventually accepted the fact that this wasn't a simple dream.
Ultimately, everything was more complicated than it appeared, and he had the impression that this was actually happening rather than just a dream. So he attempts to reach her.
Cruch!
As soon as he took the first step, he checked below as he had crushed a flower and it sounded akin to crushing a paper. However, as he checked above, that lady was now standing in front of him and her entire face was altered and melted as if it had been charred and reaction with acid.
Liam's heart skipped a beat as he stood impaled in disbelief, he gulped down the saliva, and his eyelids shivered with fear. His face turned paler as he struggled to fathom the disturbing form before him. The sudden alteration of the lady's face, disfigured and marred by what seemed like a horrific accident. He trembled down his spine. His mind struggled to process the imagery in front of him, he took a step back and his lips went whiter.
Trembling with fear, Liam tried to make sense of his surroundings. The violet roses which covered the surface, along with the crucifix sign on the lady's belly, began to light up much brighter. It was clear that he had stumbled upon something otherworldly and deeply unsettling.
His closed his eyelids, tears rolled down and reached his cheeks. Liam's instinct was to distance himself from the terrifying presence in front of him. He took a step back again, his eyes closed in fear of that woman. He wanted to question how myself but he couldn't, countless thoughts swirled in his mind.
"I..."
His voiced seemed to be prisoned by fear, preventing him from speaking or attempting to understand what had came to witness.
Liam's body trembled as he considered his life. Should he stay and investigate further or should he flee from this disturbing and otherworldly place? The disturbance he experienced made it difficult for him to think clearly, left him rattling with extreme headache.
He desperately yearned for a way to escape the haunting image burned into his memory, even though he had witnessed much worse scenarios than these, he seemed to no longer get a hold of himself. Devastated by the bizarre and unsettling transformation he had just witnessed, couldn't comprehend his surroundings.
"..."
The voice's words echoed in his mind, further feeling his confusion and distress.
In a frenzy, Liam shut his eyes tightly, a pathetic attempt to escape the horrifying reality that had trapped him. Fear, confusion, and an intense longing to escape gripped his soul. He had killed before, yet never had he committed this act in such unspeakable terror. No amount of pain he inflicted on himself could shatter the illusion that held him captive.
His nails tore his own flesh, drawing streams of blood that mingled with the tears running down his cheeks. At that moment, just as despair and chaos threatened to consume his being, a voice—cold and clear—cut through the turmoil of his mind.
"Liam."
It whispered but it was still unclear. Startled, Liam's frantic actions ceased and fleeted as he listened intently.
The voice continued.
"Waiting for an answer? You have to look for it on your own."
He shifted his attention from his suffering and focused on the lightened surroundings. He woke up in the morning with sweat all over his face. The nightmare he saw could not be defined. He remembered every single action and thing that happened to him in that situation.
Liam was unable to understand the situation but he tried his best to overcome the uneasiness caused by his nightmare as his willpower was strong. He put his hand on his chest, feeling that his shirt was drenched in sweat. He slowly stood up from the couch and witnessed the fresh surroundings.
Right, I was taken in by Hailey...
His gaze met a open door and the inside seemed to resemble a washroom, he slowly walked towards it and shuts the door after entering it. He washes his face and looks in the mirror with this halfway open eyes. He seemed to have mild dark circles.
After freshening up, Liam smelled a fragrance which made his stomach growl, he felt it and slowly moved towards the smell, he came towards a well decorated kitchen where Hailey was cooking.
He glanced at her while she was cooking, he hair swayed from the winds coming from the open windows, the familiar feeling which Liam felt made him smile at her and seemed to forgot everything that had happened previously.
Hailey felt a movement at her rear and looked behind, she noticed that Liam's body was almost frail, submerged in sweat and weakness.
"What happened to you? You are all wet..."
Hailey asked with a worried expression.
Liam sighed, attempting to downplay his experience.
"Yeah... I wasn't feeling very well, but I'm alright now. I just experienced the strangest dream, probably my imagination getting the worst of me."
Hailey nodded with a relieved sigh, understanding and noticing his human features and imagination. However, she couldn't shake off her concern completely. She stretched out her hands to hold Liam's face.
"Well, take care of yourself, okay? If you need to talk about it or if anything is bothering you, remember I'm here for you."
Liam appreciated her support and nodded with a childish bludh before they moved on with their day. Hailey made pancakes for lunch which they both enjoyed together, and as they finished, Hailey received an unexpected call which she picked up.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Hailey? Oh, thank God you picked. There's been a murder site at M-east. I'll send you the address, be sure to reach us quickly."
"Wait!"
The call ended.
Liam's curiosity piqued, but he couldn't help but feel a tinge of anxiety after the unsettling dream he had earlier. However, he pushed those thoughts aside, reminding himself that dreams were just dreams and held no connection to reality.
"Who was he?"
Liam questioned Hailey as he sipped his tea.
"Just an associate of mine, our management work together as detectives."
"Oh, a detective job."
His response was settling because he thought and she is well suited for that kind of job.
"Hey, Liam. There's been a murder, and they want me to come to the crime scene. Do you mind coming with me?"
With the hope that he would be there to support her at this moment, she requested.
He yawned, his eyelids heavy. Liam hesitated a little bit but since he wanted to continue a normal life but with a drowsy tone, he accepted her request.
"Fine, I'll come with you."
Liam was dressed in a brand-new double breasted long jacket and a light blue t-shirt, and Hailey wore a white shirt and pants, a black tie and a her significant red overcoat. While driving in Hailey's car to the crime scene, Liam was only thinking about that strange nightmare he had last night, unable to think of anything other than that, but suddenly his mind changed to his hand; he noticed that his torn-off arm was restored, but he never got a proper answer about it. Since Hailey had assured him that she would respond to his inquiries, he requested her to clear this doubt.
"Umm, Hailey, How was my hand restored?"
"Well, we found it near the snow where you were lying unconscious. We were still able to connect it, thanks to the snow."
Liam was kinda relieved, as he was going to pose another question, Hailey interrupted.
"Do you know why did I take you in?"
"No."
He replied straightforwardly.
"Well, we tried to restore your memories too, but we weren't able to since the memories, or should I say your brain itself, was filled with emptiness. I know it's not possible to perceive someone's consciousness but we are growing at a fast pace now. You looked kind of depressed and lonely and each Node has its own Guardian who guides and supports them, I was given the opportunity to guide you as well."
Liam was sort of motivated by her words and promised her that he would try his best. When they finally arrived at the crime site after a long run, a number of police officers were ready for them to enter to begin an investigation.
The crime scene was illuminated by very dim morning light emanating from the thick winter clouds, evoking the sombre feelings of the police officers waiting patiently. Their quiet conversation was interrupted when Hailey and Liam approached. The senior detective leading the team stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Hailey.
"Good morning. Mademoiselle Hailey."
He puts his hat down to greet her with respect and expectation. Then his gaze shifted to Liam, a hint of curiosity colouring his tone.
"Is he your personal colleague?"
Hailey nodded, acknowledging the fact that she and Liam had joined and formed a bond between them which Liam felt.
"Yes, his name is Liam Blake, and he will be working with me closely, learning the roots of detective charts game."
The senior detective glanced at Liam, his eyes looking through the young generation.
"Very well, then. You both may proceed into the interior of the house. We've secured the area, but be cautious. This is a disturbing crime scene."
With the officer's permission, Hailey and Liam crossed inside the household, their footsteps made a crimping sound by the thick carpet that lined the floor.
As Hailey and Liam entered deeper, an eerie silence hung in the air, creating a dark atmosphere within the house. The slight smell of burnt flesh coated the entire house as if kept for weeks. Their footsteps echoed on the wooden hallway floor as they walked towards the gruesome scene ahead.
The lifeless body of a young girl layed on the floor, her once vibrant featured were almost nil. Her face was unrecognizable, distorted by the intense heat, an acid which destroyed and melted her entire face. The strangest aspect was a broken wooden crucifix lying next to her.
Hailey put her emotions aside and began surveying the scene, her stary eyes scanning for any clues that might shed light on the tragedy before them. She carefully inspected the surroundings, checking on door handles, the lock of the bathroom was broken his gloved hands delicately opening shelfs around and noting each significant sign.
Meanwhile, Liam, felt his weight shifting towards his mind and losing control of his own body, a sense of unease grabbed him to which his body stood frozen, unable to tear his gaze away from the grotesque imagery of that lady before him. He felt his heart skip a beat, a flood of memories surged through him again as if the re-experiencing that nightmare again. He felt as if a bullet has passed through his forehead, his bloodflow increasing rapidly.
As he grabbed his mouth, almost on the verge of vomiting, her distress was noticed by Hailey who, despite her own professional demeanour, immediately saw through him. She approached him, her voice steady but filled with concern.
"Liam, are you alright? You seem shaken."
Liam struggled to find his voice and he gulped down his saliva, his words escaping in a trembling whisper.
"Hailey, it's her. This girl, I saw her like this, burned and uh... I..."