Author's Note – Everybody, please cheer, for it's finally chapter ten! I am going to make a very evil person appear in this very chapter. (She is more powerful than The Psychotic One! Oh no…)
I know I have been updating ultra slowly this year, but it's a very busy year. I have loads of tests, homework and all…but I will try my utmost to write more chapters!
Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!
Valon, a city north of Fort Mirana
"Ha, you can't catch me!"
"Oh, just wait, Jake! I'll catch you!"
"I'm still waiting, Annie!"
Annie laughed and pounced onto Jake. Jake landed onto the floor. Face first.
"Ouch…"
Annie grinned cheekily. "I told you that I would get you."
Jake frowned. "Humph! No fair, you cheated!" He folded his arms and turned his head away.
Annie sighed and said softly, "Sorry. But I was not informed that there was no such thing as pouncing in Catch. You did not tell me!" Jake looked back at her and replied with a warm smile, "Aw, so you are saying that you are an alien from outer space and you don't know how to play Catch?"
Annie pretended to think. Then she replied, "Yup!" Jake laughed.
"Come on, Annie Alien, let's go into your spaceship and zoom off to…"
"Hmm, what about that scary and creepy castle over there…"
"Good idea! But we are not allowed not even go near there. The adults say that there are ghosts in there and they will kill us if we get too close!"
Annie laughed.
"That's just a lie to keep us out of that area! Mom told me that something really evil happened in that castle...and in that castle lives a demon witch! But this happened around sixteen years ago, and nothing has happened in the castle since then. The demon witch had disappeared too. So, I promise you that we'll be safe!"
"Annie, how did your mom know that?"
"Well, my mom was in the investigation team…"
"Wow, that's really cool."
"All right, Jake, let's go to the castle and explore a little bit!"
Jake nodded eagerly and followed Annie as she led him to the castle. They walked through a few meadows, passed by a few abandoned houses and finally…the gigantic castle loomed before them.
Jake was amazed at the size of the castle.
"Wow, it's so big…Annie, what do you-"
Jake had turned to face Annie. But instead of a smile, a look of horror appeared on his face. His face, from a rosy red, turned pale. He could feel his horror blocking out his voice…he couldn't utter a word at all…
"Annie…what are you? You look like…a demon…" Jake thought silently.
"Well, Jake, my little friend…of course I look like a demon. I am a demon." Annie smirked maliciously.
Her appearance had changed completely. The child Annie that Jake knew had hazel brown hair and eyes that radiated happiness and warmth. Her hair was always in pigtails and Jake thought she looked very beautiful and cheerful. He liked her really much.
But the demon Annie…it made his memories of the child Annie shatter. It was all a dream…now he was facing a nightmare…a real nightmare…tears started to trickle down Jake's pale face.
She had bloodshot eyes, with dull black hair. Her small hands had become long, thin and scaly…claws protruded out…Jake could feel nausea…but he could not do anything about it. Dark bat wings had grown out of her body and she now had fangs alike to a vampire…
"Come to me, Herman…my loyal slave…contaminate this boy for me and you will get ample of blood too…" Annie spoke to no one in particular and she cackled evilly.
An old man appeared behind Annie. He reached out for Annie's hand, which was offered willingly, and he pressed his lips to the hand. "Lady Montfort, I shall carry out your orders." He stood up and snatched Jake's hand. He bared his fangs and bit into the flesh of the hand.
A shriek of pain, a groan of agony…the child Jake had been contaminated…he collapsed to the ground, defeated. He let out sharp yells of pain and tears streamed down his eyes. Torture…torture…then suddenly he stopped moving. His eyes flashed crimson red.
Jake's eyes had become bloodshot like the two demons, and he rose up slowly to greet his new mistress.
"Lady Montfort…I am happy to be under your rule."
Annie smirked.
"Now, we must pursue the person of our desire. This person's mother I killed, the good looks the father I took away and the person cursed to be emotionless two weeks after his sixteenth birthday…"
She cackled again and walked out of the castle, Herman and her new slave trailing behind…
Wystern, a city where an idiotic Craftlord lives in. (Well, you know who…)
Pratty had just woken up. She stretched and yawned. It was early in the morning…but the birds had already woken up…the squirrels too…wait, squirrels? A vivid image of the 'thing' underneath Ukresa's patch of hair floated peacefully into Pratty's mind.
"Ah." Pratty muttered, and she fainted. This was the evil work of the…squirrel monster! (Evil music would be good here)
Meanwhile, at Varil's house…
Libody had just woken up, like Pratty. But he was not happy at all. This nightmare…had haunted him for sixteen years…ever since the day Varil was born…and the day that his beautiful wife died.
An image of a suave and handsome man with features alike to Varil's flashed through Libody's mind. His looks…they were all gone…since that day.
"The life of the mother willing taken…the looks of the father unwillingly given…finally, fourteen days after your child's sixteenth birthday…a curse shall take effect! He shall become…emotionless…until fate decrees so."
The evil cackle that followed that very sentence…Libody could remember it oh so vividly…a shiver went down his spine and he trembled. That inhuman demon witch…she made that day the worst day of Libody's life…
But today would be another…for it was the fourteenth day after Varil's sixteenth birthday…
Upstairs, Varil was just beginning to wake up. "Hmm, today is a horrible day. The birds are screeching and the trees are as still as a non-living object and the flowers smell like mould." He walked down the stairs grumpily and saw the cheerful-as-always Nigelle.
"Good morning, Young Master Varil! The birds are chirping so happily, the trees are moving to the beat of the music and the flowers exude a wondrously aromatic smell!"
"The birds sound terrible."
"Aw, having a bad hair day, eh?"
"No. I just think you're an idiot."
"Young Master…what's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong. Everything is horribly right today. Know why? I have no care in the world, I hate Pratty and the best thing is- I think Sanary and Razzy are completely despicable!"
Nigelle's eyebrows flew to the ceiling. (Not literally)
"What? Young Master Varil? Are you having amnesia or something? Are your brain waves repelling each other? Or…have you become over-crazy in love with Pratty that you hate her for making you love her so much?" He asked, concerned.
"Shut up, Nigelle, and bring me breakfast."
Nigelle sighed. "Something is wrong with him today…he's not normal…oh no, he's gone weirdy!" (Okay, so 'weirdy' isn't really a word…)
Libody came down the stairs and walked over to Nigelle. "Nigelle, I'm afraid...that the curse has started to take effect…" Nigelle's eyes widened and muttered, "No wonder he was surprisingly…emotionless and grumpy today."
Nigelle brought Varil's breakfast and served it to him. "Your favorite- pancakes with honey and butter! Oh, and the ingredients were imported from Seijent."
"Oh, from Sei…something…"
Nigelle nodded. "Indeed, Young Master Varil."
Varil ate his breakfast quickly and commanded, "Wash the plates. Go now." And with that, he went out.
On the way, he saw Pratty at the shopping district. She seemed to be looking at some dresses.
(This following section is about Varil's thoughts. There will be a few sections throughout the next few chapters as well.)
Hmm, might as well say hi. Wouldn't hurt, would it?
Well, maybe it would if she accidentally stuck a dagger into you for being so heartless. Ha, she's a moron. What can we do about it?
Shut up. I love-
Too bad…you may love her…but my word counts. I hate her.
I will get out of your control.
Oh no, you won't. You are so weak…you won't even be able to last an ant attack!
I really love her. Okay, not for her idiocy or her silliness, but…
Don't get me started on the romantic stuff. It makes me sick and queasy.
Then I'll say more romantic stuff then!
Oh no…
Pratty shouted into Varil's ear loudly. "What are you doing in the shopping district, Varil? And are you deaf?"
Varil could feel a loud noise vibrating in his eardrums…oh, it was so…
"OUCH! Pratty, you don't need to shout!"
"But-but you were not listening! I had to SHOUT to get your attention!"
"You could have asked!"
"Well, I can't say 'Excuse me, Mister Varil, what are you doing here? And are you deaf?' right?"
Look at her! She's so rude and insolent. How can you like such a-
What? What were you trying to say, buster? Spill it!
You know, that kind of language makes you sound like a punk child whose father is a country bumpkin!
I am not a PUNK child, my father is NOT a country bumpkin and I was trying to threaten you!
Whelp, looks like you can't threaten me with that, punk child! Hmm, but then again…I am part of your mind as well…I should reconsider calling you punk child, since I'm not one…
I think we're getting a bit off topic here…and since when did you enter my mind? I thought I only had one voice in my head!
Oh, you mean the puffy white one with wings? Gee, he looked like a devil to me.
Yeah, and you're an angel.
Aw, that's sweet. Now get back to reality!
Oh, why, thank you.
Wait, you're still here?
That's right.
"Varil, you're doing it again!" Pratty exclaimed irritably. Varil snapped out of his thoughts and muttered, "Like you care, dolt." Pratty replied angrily, "What did you say?" Varil shouted at Pratty, "LIKE YOU CARE, YOU STUPID, and IDIOTIC MORON!" Tears were descending down his eyes.
Pratty, I'm…I'm sorry…
See? My words are so much better sounding than yours!
You've hurt her, idiot…you just wait…once I get back the control of speech…
You won't get it back for a very long time. I promise you that!
I'll try. Even if I have to be a sacrifice or anything like that for her…I just want her…to be safe…
Aw, how sad! Well, too bad. I'm the one controlling your speech…thanks to the curse! Ha! You don't even have an ounce of power that can defeat me.
You just wait for your revenge! I know that someone…someone will help me!
How do they help you? Come into your mind? Ha, that will take a fair amount of technology, kid!
Pratty smacked him hard. "Well, since you are saying that I'm a stupid person, might as well disappear from me forever! You are also a stupid person, Varil! I have feelings! I'm not some kind of idiot who thinks every insult is good to the ear!"
She slapped him on the other cheek. "Did you know, Varil…that I actually started to love you! But since you can't treat me nicely…then I guess this is bye-bye! And now, I HATE YOU!"
Pratty…please…don't go…
Hey, I know you can control your tears and all, but you will still look emotionless. Finally, Pratty is gone!
But nothing could help now. Nothing at all…Varil thought as he crumbled down to the ground. How could he let such a horrible monster control his voice? But what could he do?
Can't anybody help?
Well, no.
You monster, don't talk to me!
Hey, I don't go 'rah rah', okay?
That's the cheer of a high school cheerleader. You wouldn't go 'rah rah' since you won't be one anyway. You're a guy.
Well, neither do I go 'roar roar'.
I don't care. Now the only thing on my mind is…Pratty…
Oh no, not that moron again!
SHE'S NOT A MORON!
Varil walked grumpily back to his home. How…how could he rescue himself? And at the right time, June and July appeared. July walked to him slowly. "Varil…"
"What do you want, Miss Know-all?
"I just wanted you to know that I CAN MIND-READ." (Wow, that's awesome!)
Oh, no.
"Oh yes. Varil, the only way to make the curse disappear...is…"
July stopped, hesitant. She looked as though she was going to cry.
Varil looked up at July hopefully.
What is it?
DON'T TELL HIM!
"Varil, the only way to make the curse disappear is…to kill yourself."
Isn't there any other way?
"The other way is too advanced for us. We have to make a soul teleport machine to teleport someone into your soul to undo the curse. We don't have the materials…we have nothing to make the machine."
What are the materials needed?
"An imprint of your soul, which is nearly impossible to get unless you are dead, a fragment of Parista's crystal, diamond ore, which only can be found in Level 101 of the Labyrinth, which is completely non-existent now. And…a blessing from heaven…I do not know how to obtain it though."
June sighed.
"The blessing of heaven…I think it refers to what some believe as…reincarnation. The blessing of life is unlike other blessings of love, luck and fortune. Isn't that what they say, July?"
July nodded.
"Indeed. Varil, now you have an important decision to make. Either way you have to die. The first option will make many grieved, since it is a COMPLETE death. The second is fraught with danger, and it might cause another to die. What if it were Pratty? You would not like that to happen, right?"
June sighed again.
"Anyway, you have to die if you choose the second option. But…of course, if heaven favors you, well, reincarnation will come and you will be revived. But remember, somebody's life would be in danger since the materials are simply difficult to get."
If I choose the first option, I would die completely and leave no one unharmed. If I choose the second option, somebody else might die and well, I would die too. And there's only a small chance I would get revived.
July smiled wryly. "You will have to make a decision, Varil. Which option will you pick?"
I would pick…
Oh no! A cliffhanger. What will Varil pick...it's up to you to vote. Please vote in your reviews, along with some comments for this chapter! Isn't it cool that July can mind-read? Annie and Jake are only minor OCs. Lady Montfort isn't. She's evil.
All right, if you have any suggestions for the future chapters, please tell me! I'd appreciate it!