Afterlife - A Horror Story

13 - Scarred Nightmares

XYAN

———

I was met with a surprise when I phased through the front door of our home. And not the good kind.

Akhet was curled up on the couch, head on her knees. The black scars that interlaced across her arms had spread, making her entire arms black instead of their usual dark red. Her tail twitched every so often, but other than that she hardly moved.

"Akhet?" I said, worried.

Akhet looked up, and I nearly fell back in surprise.

On of her eyes was pitch black, black streaks running down her cheek. Her normal eye was still wide with fear.

"Akhet... what happened?" I asked.

"Gradient."

"What did he do?" I asked, walking over to Akhet. She scooted away from me as I got close.

"Please. Stay away. I don't want to hurt anyone else."

"What do you mean, anyone else...?" I asked.

"I helped him. I helped him kill Aiko. It was my fault. I'm sorry."

I stood there in shock for a moment, staring at Akhet, who was now looking away with her head back on her knees. Her wings curled around herself, blocking her face from my view.

I had a million questions. But before I could ask them, Praxus put his hand on my shoulder.

"Give her some space," Praxus said, "She'll talk when she feels like it."

I sighed. "Alright."

It was daytime, and under these circumstances I haven't been comfortable sleeping. But the totem should keep Gradient at bay, even when we're not using it.

So we just decided to sleep. I may not be able to physically feel exhaustion - that memory was long gone at this point - but all of this was burning me out.

———

"Foolish, foolish child."

What the hell? Where am I?

"You truly think you can stop me?"

Gradient.

But how...?

"Gradient, what the hell is happening?!" I called into the darkness, panicked, confused, and afraid.

"That is for the future to reveal. Ciao!"

His sweet, singsong tone made me shudder as I was plunged into a heavy dark void.

————

I woke with a start, my heart's memory pounding in my chest. Moonlight flooded the room - the moon had risen long ago.

"Xyan?"

Praxus was already up, standing next to the bed. His eyes were glazed with worry.

I looked at him, equally worried.

"I just had a dream."

He shrugged. "Alright. Was it a bad one?"

I stood up and put my hands on his shoulders. "Praxus, we're not supposed to be able to have dreams!"

"Then how did you have one?"

"I don't know!!"

"Well, what was it about?" Praxus asked.

I sighed. "I was in a big, dark void. I heard someone talking - I think it was Gradient. Saying something about how we couldn't stop him, even with the totem."

"Maybe ritualistics can cause dreams?" Praxus said, a hint of questioning in his tone.

"Maybe," I said, "But if that's the case, then he's stronger than he was before. I don't think he's done that before."

Praxus intertwined his tail with mine comfortingly.

"We need to stop him before he does anything else," Praxus said.

"I know. We need to find him."

————

Finally got motivation to write this :)

and ONO SOMETHING GONE WRONG

540 words