Author's Note: Hello there!This is my entry on an idea that popped in my head not so long ago. I apologize for my writing, I'm still relatively new at it, also the MC might have some similarities with another character in another story I have written, because I'm trying to practice in writing their way of thinking.
The sound of crickets filled the brown haired man's ears, as he stared at the sketches of sad dead people pasted on the wall, the candle light was the only thing that illuminated the room, from the darkness of the night.
It had been years since Alper started his own personal investigation about the murders of Duren and Katolis. The murders were unique, to say the least, their murder twisted his victims in forms of art that, disturbed a lot of people in the kingdoms, surprisingly from what he had found out, the murder series that the killer did, started way before he was even born.
The longer he looked at the sketches, the more he felt guilty, not because he couldn't save those people, but because he felt like he was the one who killed them. Those murders that spanned backwards and forwards in time.
The killer had a vision and a unique one as he came to discover. They wanted to fix their victims from the imperfections they had, and killing and making his victims into was help for them. But Alper wasn't too sure, he hated the Crimson Artist as he grew to call them with compassion, and that clouded his mind to see and understand them a bit more clearly.
As he dwindled on his thoughts, a knock came to the door behind him, he snapped out.
"Alper, you done with your interpreting?" the voice behind the door said, Alper already knew who it was; his sister, Jenn.
"Yes, you can come in," Alper said.
The door opened and his sister came in with a smile, wearing her gray armour of the Standing Battalion, so long ago he still remember when he was still a member of that branch, to protect and help people that was his goal, but the job wasn't for him as he soon realized, it was too much for a fragile mind like him.
"Are you getting close on that crazy psychopath?" Jenn asked.
He shook his head and leaned against the small table, "If they were a crazy psychopath, Jenn, I would've catched them long ago."
"What are they then?" Jenn crossed her arms, gave him a look that made her look like she was testing him.
"They're an intelligent psychopath, they are not self destructive, their crimes will always have no traces," he answered.
Jenn gave her a light punch on his shoulder, "I'm sure they'll slip up one day, and justice would be served, and no more psychopath for Katolis."
"We all need psychopaths to keep us on our toes," Alper stated, as his sister gave him a raised eyebrow.
"Not much as Xadians, Alper, they have gathered troops near the breach already after they killed our King."
He just rolled his eyes, "King Harrow killed the King of the Dragons, as an act of vengeance and the Dragon Queen wants revenge. As far as I can see, we and the elves are just getting involved in a game."
"Vengeance is a game made by fools as you would say," Jenn said.
Alper nodded. Indeed it is and he learned that lesson hard for being the stranger in his childhood, being the new kid in schools as they moved, always made him the prime target, and getting revenge only got him into more trouble.
"Then, I'll be sure to tell your future nephews about that," Jenn jokes. "I should go, else I'll get an handful from General Amaya."
Alper gave a laugh at what his sister said as they embraced, "Stay safe out there."
Jenn gaved patted his back, "You too, baby brother."
The two let go and went out of the room, making their way to the front porch, his sister's horse stood in front of them, he watched her climb on to the horse and gave a final wave.
"I'll be back next week!" his sister shouted, as she raced away.
Alper watched in the night to where his sister had gone before, going back into the house, he began to lock the doors when suddenly felt the sense of dread on his mind.
"You have been wanting to see me for so long," a female voice said. "So, I have come, Alper Bridger."
Alper gulped at the thought of how this person knew his name, but he still kept a stern face, trying to hide his fear.
"Yes, I know who you are and most importantly, how you understand me."
Alper's eyes widened, it was the Crimson Artist, he turned around, trying to find out where the voice came from, but he couldn't and the sounds of crickets and critters of the night didn't help either.
"You were trying to fix them to your own liking!" Alper shouted.
"They were broken, like this world, I helped them," the voice was much clearer for Alper, he immediately turned around and saw a tall and slim female figure with purple glowing eyes in the darkness of an unlit room. Strangely she looked like an elf due to the number of digits on her hand, but it was more of a smoky silhouette of an elf, but nevertheless he knew she was magical.
Alper quickly grabbed the closest sharpest object in his reach, which was a hunting knife in his pocket and pointed it at the figure, shaking in fear, "You are not self destructive, why are you showing yourself now?
The dark silhouette gave a light laugh, "It's nice when there is someone who sees us or has the ability to see us."
"Every murder you did, made me feel guilty."
The dark figure of the artist made its closest look of amusement, "Because you couldn't save them?"
Alper shook his head, "Because it felt like I was the one who killed them, I tried so hard to know you… see you."
The Artist began to walk around Alper, to which he responded by simply pointing the bow at her if she tried to do something drastic, like attacking him.
"You're the only living thing in this land that understands me," she said before continuing. "You already see this world as broken, why not join me and help me fix it?"
Alper gulped, he knew what her 'fix' meant and I was not the good one. She wanted to fix the world into her twisted vision, whatever that vision she sees is. He shook his head and threw the knife at her, but to his surprise it only passed through her.
The Artist gave him a displeased look, before she summoned a glaive that was made of purple energy. "Disappointing."
Alper immediately tried to run, he knew fighting would be futile, but as he turned, he was met with the Artist on his way, he turned and there was another. Then he realized he was surrounded by copies of her.
"It's sad," she said in a almost broken tone. "You should've taken my offer, we could have each other's back, you and I fixing the world into a better place, no more hate and imperfections.
He spat at her at the one that spoke, "You're just as imperfect as us, perhaps even lower."
Alper looked at her purple glowing eyes, before he felt a stab pierced through him, he shook as he looked down at the purple glowing glaive that pierced his chest. He gave one last look at her, before his vision slowly faded and finally everything went black.
Alper found himself in a dark room, but there was a light that was above him that partially illuminated the place he stood at. Was this the afterlife? He wondered. He turned around to survey the area, but still found nothing.
"Am I in the afterlife?" he announced expecting nothing to reply, but to his surprise there was.
"No," an echo of a female voice came, that seemed to deem authority. "You still live, I helped you after The Shadow left."
Alper turned around and around, trying to find the voice, "Who are you?"
"I'm name is Luna Tenebris, Alper," the voice answered.
Alper's ears perked up, "That name sound from Xadia, I thought Xadians hated humans, why did you help me?"
"Because you managed to find someone I have been looking for the past hundreds of years, and I need your help."
"More like she found me," Alper replied with dismay, but realized what Luna said in the last bit. "Why do you need my help?"
"The Shadow seeks something that holds great power," she answered.
"What's this something?" he asked.
"A key."
"A key?" Alper asked, confused at how a key could hold such great power.
"Yes, a key, it used to be in possession of your king's ancestors."
"Okay," Alper said as crossed his arms, "You want me to get it and protect it?"
"Yes, find it and protect it."
"What makes you think that I could do this task?" he asked, before continuing. "She nearly killed me effortlessly."
"I have that covered," Luna said, "When I helped you, I changed you to be more fit on taking her down, probably also because it was the only way to save you, as for the key's location, it northeast of here, in a lodge.
Alper nodded, but he also gave a seemingly ignorant smile, "Are we talking about big, strong muscle changes?"
"You'll soon find out."
Alper frowned, he was not always keen on surprises, it always made him wonder and it distracted him. And he was doing it. What changes did this Xadian make in his body? He just hoped it would not be too much. Slowly the dream he was having began to blur.
"You're waking up, Alper," the voice of Luna said, "Remember, don't freak out."
"What?"