There is some weird error going on with my account so please let me know in the reviews if you received an email updated for this chapter!
Here is the next chapter!
Chapter 5: Heart Breaker
11 Years Ago
Yunan held the hand of twelve year old Dahlia, whom tightened her slender fingers around his when witnessing how he turned the enormous pit of nothing he brought them to and with some magio and a wave of his wand, conjured a massive structure. A Dungeon. Coloured by black and grey and decorated with gargoyles throughout its spirals.
The urge to run straight back to their little hide-away made of earth and forest. Unknown of what the space Yunan summoned frightened the girl. Delmar, who grew nearly twice in size and was close to maturity, noticed this fear in his young master and gently rubbed his head against her side in a form of encouragement.
She blinked at the serpent, wondering how he isn't scared of something so... so...
The Magi knelt down on one knee, eyes leveled with the little girl he had cared for the last few years. Larger hands gently held onto her smaller ones "There is nothing to be afraid of Dahlia, never will I do something that would hurt you. But there are some things you need to accomplish on your own."
Dahlia bit her lip, body quivered in fear of the unknown "I understand Yunan... but wonder if I can't do it..." she looked down "wonder if I'm not strong enough to earn the dungeon..."
The girl's breath paused in her throat at an electric sensation of Yunan ever so softly placing a finger under her chin, calling for yellow orbs to once again rest on him "Indeed strength is good to have but it is not everything Dahlia. You already are strong, very strong. What you lack is confidence and courage, this Dungeon will give that to you"
Still, even with the ever so kind and gentle voice, doubt remained in her heart "But Yunan-"
"Trust me Dahlia"
The girl bit down on her lower bit, body battling against those primal instincts of flight and trying hard to switch into fight. Delmar gave his master a rub again in agreement with the magi.
Bright amber eyes looked at the animal companion, she sighed "Okay..."
Yunan smiles, they are stronger together than alone. He stood up with grace in his movements "I will be waiting for you, right here, no matter how long it may take".
"Promise?" she asked in her scared little voice.
He nodded, smile unmoving "Promise".
Dahlia tightened fingers into balls a moment of determination, ready or not "Let's go Delmar".
Yunan couldn't help but feel some ounce of worry as the pair carefully made their way through the rough terrain surrounding the dungeon. He sighed and the smile faded with his exhaled breath "Be safe".
Dahlia and her faithful serpent half confidently entered through the only passage way into the Dungoen. The girl gulped down the still heavy fears and anxieties as darkness consumed them. Her surroundings were so immersed with the pitch black of nothing that even though eyes were wide open, she still couldn't see anything. It frightened her.
She began to instantly panic. The girl shrieked in fear, crouching down and covered her head. To Dahlia's rescue, Delmar coiled his black platinum body around his young master. She feels a gentle rub of smooth skin against her knee. Attempting to calm the bothered nerves, hesitantly opened eyes to focus on scales and allowed them to adjust.
The girl let out a ridge sigh and smiled gently at the serpent "Thanks Del".
Yellow eyes that mirror her own glowed nodded in understanding of her gratitude. Dahlia placed a hand on his head and they started forward. Cautiously taking steps through pitch darkness, the girl couldn't shake off a sickly feeling of being watched. Like something unseen to her watching from the abyss of black. Heart thumped painfully hard in her chest, a trembling hand quick to touch onto Delmar for protection and comfort.
The juvenile basilisk began to hiss, sensing a malicious presents. It was more than enough for Dahlia to not only confirm her fears but drive panic as well.
Something, she believed to be fingers, grabbed hold of her ankle. Dahlia instinctively turned to get a look at her attacker to only greet a pair of demonic crimson eyes. She screamed "No! No no no! Get off me!" alerted Delmar to scan what it could be with heat vision but nothing was seen.
Dahila swung the wooden staff in hopes to harm whatever captured her and luckily, it vanished like fog the moment she attacked. Quickly, she hopped onto Delmar's back "Go! Go! Go! Go!".
With lighting speed, Delmar obeyed and slithered away in the aimless dark. Trying to heat-seek some way out of the blinding place. Dahlia, out of curiosity to see if the thing was following them, peaked behind to see there was more than one pair of those frightening eyes. Just as quickly the dark path ended, causing them to be confused "What was all that about Del?" she asked her pet aloud.
The snake tilted his head in responses to her question, showing Dahlia he mirrored the same disorientation as her. However, they were given no time to decode their bizzard encounter as two enormous double doors stood before them; a white, so bright it seemed to strain her eyes and a black, so dark it seemed like a hole to hell.
They exchanged looks in wondering the same question "Now what?" she groaned, ambers scanning them to see each set had a circular-flattened slot purposely meant for something to fit inside them.
Dahlia hummed in thought as she then began to analyze their surroundings. No more dense blackness could be seen but instead two pillars of average human height were positioned on either side.
What called her attention was the items these pillars had on the top, black and white stones. The girl paused breath in realization to what she must do.
"Choose" thundered a deep male voice that bounced off dark walls "Choose a door and decide your fate, young one".
Dahlia couldn't help but tremble in her boots, chest tightened and pounded. She wanted to run out of this scary placed called a Dungeon and its horrors. Yunan and his gentle voice repeated the same words of encouragement he spoke not too long ago.
The little princess closed her eyes and just breathed. In and out, deeply. Delmar watched his master through big yellow snake eyes. Eventually calming her troubled nerves and fears down.
She sighed with a saddened expression. Dahlia knew exactly which stone to pick and walked towards the black one. Memories of the day Yunan found them haunted her dreams and even days. She didn't mean for it to happen, for Delmar to murder her own people. The girl felt responsible, giving herself no time to play as the victim, only a villain.
Coloured fingers took hold of the stone, it wasn't as heavy as she thought. Dahlia dragged her feet with Delmar faithfully slithering behind.
Pausing inches before the black doors, her chest stung in an ache. She carried so much sins, the girl didn't believe she could ever become someone of the light.
Delmar watched as she carefully fixed the stone into its perfectly fitted slot. A rocky click was heard and it caused her to jump back in fright. The large doors opened, dark light shinned through and immersed them into blackness again.
Dahlia instantly wrapped her arms around Delmar's neck area, he too in reflex, coiled his body protectively.
"I am Nyx, Djin of the Hidden".
"What number would you be then?"
"I have none. I was created by Ugo for the means of awaiting a King I deem worthy to wield my powers" His dark eyes narrowed on Dahila "Or Queen".
She blushed and averted his heavy stare, unsure if it was nerves or fear that made her body tremble. In a ridged breath, the girl attempted to swallow her anxiety. Yellow orbs gingerly rose from the Dijn's naked abyss black torso and settle on silver eyes that struck a mysterious surge of confidence.
"I am Princess Dahlia Hydrus, Soul ruler of the Tanith Clan and Tamer of Serpents. I have come to... to" Although she began strong, Nyx quickly discovered what is the cause to her lack of confidence.
Purpose. Desire. Reason.
His expression remained unchanged and stoic by her fumble "You do not know what is it you seek child of the Tanith?" asked Nyx in a powerful voice.
It was written all over her face, like an open book, Dahlia showed all she was thinking to the djin, "I thought I did". She gulped, fingers curled into tight balls, Delmar watched her curiously as did Nyx.
"Go on"
"I thought I knew what I wanted, I wanted to become strong and confidence, Like Yunan. But... how is it that when I'm about to answer your question, my mouth doesn't want to say that is my reason"
Intelligent is what Nyx thought her explanation was but she had not realized it as yet. Emotion ran strongly with her, perhaps which is what he should push.
"Dahlia, mortal life is very short and can quickly pass you by if you are not careful. You must think deeply about what is it you hope to achieve before that time it up. What you want and desire. Anyone can wish for power and strength but is it what you fight for that gives those traits its impact. You understand?"
The girl blinked with realization in her bright yellow eyes, it was just like Yunan said before she entered this dungeon "I understand now".
"Now! I shall ask you again! Child of the Tanith, Dahlia Hydrus, what is it do you seek!"
She took a deep breath, eyes light with immense determination "I want to marry Yunan!"
He stared in confusion, bewildered at how anyone can say to a supreme being such as himself an extremely childish response and with confidence "I beg your pardon young one?"
Delmar shook his head at her silly answer, that's his master for you!
"I want to marry Yunan! My magi!" she elaborated with hands on hips. A child like glitter in those sharp yellow orbs of hers earned an amused chuckle from the Djin.
"that cannot be all you desire, child" asked Nyx in his deep voice, muscular satin black arms crossed over his chest "Do you not wish for world domination? Treasures? War? Greatest?"
Dahlia tilted her head slightly, expression blank but not confused "Isn't that obvious? I wouldn't be here if I didn't want those things"
"Then why such a desire?"
"Because destruction is easy" she confessed so innocently.
Nyx rose a brow at her statement "World domination easy?"
The girl nodded confidently, locks of black hair bounced "Yeah"
Oh, he wants to hear this one "How so?"
She began with a childish know-it-all voice and a finger pointing upwards "Well~ People are easy to fool and kill but"
"But?" prompted the Nyx with a demanding voice.
Dahlia's cheeks lit in a feverish tint against her exotic skin, amber eyes glanced at the shiny marble-like floor in embarrassment "B-but... love is the most difficult thing to conquer. Especially for someone like me... who is a murderer that doesn't deserve it"
Here, is the moment when Nyx's supernatural heart captured by this human. The way those piercing yellow eyes shifted from bashful to despair tugged at an emotion he long forgot. "Is that your reason for choosing the Dark Stone?"
"Yes" asked the girl with her head down and defeated voice. Delmar, her serpent, gave a nod in confirmation.
Nyx hummed aloud, she is the one. Dahlia is the person he has been awaiting for in this prison. Although she may seem full of innocence, she has tasted and experienced the world and its terror. Left completely alone with only her pet as a companion. His heart that was believed to be non-existed ached for her. The desire to witness her greatest became overwhelming as did the chance of freedom.
"Do you carry an item of metal with you, Child?"
Dahlia blinked out of self-pity, bewildered by the question before amber eyes glanced at her body "Metal? Oh um... I do".
The djin watched as she slipped her white dress off a shoulder to reveal a gold arm bracelet. It curved in waves around her width, the ends designed with a snake head and tail "these are only forged for Tanith woman who form a bond with a stone serpent like Delmar and I" she explained.
It is perfect.
Nyx stretched out his toned black arms in preparation to immerse himself into the precious metal and be forever connected to Dahlia, "Do not waver, not once. For you, my Queen, will be great".
Thank you for reading! More will be on its way.