Radiant World: The Underworld

Chapter 7: Capital

Ildy had dreamt of the same thing for nights now. It made him... Shiver. He doesn't remember the dream, but he knows he's afraid. Afraid of something much worse than he had experienced. Or had he experienced it himself? Was this just a forgotten, cold memory? If it was, why doesn't he remember it? It felt old... but not forgotten. It started soon after entering the Underworld. He had told no one before then, thinking it was just an odd consequence of being there, but now, after learning of his terminal illness, he believes that less and less.

He awoke once again with the same shiver, but it quickly went away. He rubbed his eyes, clearing his tear ducts of grime. The light from the car window blinded him for a moment as he started to look around the car. As his vision returned to normal, he saw that Sophia had left the car, maybe to go to the restroom, maybe for something else, he wasn't sure. With her seat empty, he looked over at Mya. She was slouched over, her head laying on the car wall as she slept. Her dark brown hair streaked over one of her eyes, which Ildy felt like he stared at a little too long. Her shirt, which he had just noticed she hadn't changed since we got to the hotel, said 'Ranch In' he couldn't see the rest, but he thought it probably 'inn' or 'ink.' It made no difference to him, but she thought she looked cute in it... somehow. He blushed thinking about it. And looked away in embarrassment. Then he suddenly got angry. Not at her, but at himself. He felt cold again, but it was from something else this time, something besides from him, something from within.

Sophia opened the car door to Ildy's surprise. His eyes followed her for a moment, but then looked out the window to distract himself from his anger. He also didn't want to show his uncertainty to his friends, or anyone else.

Sophia spoke to him in a cold and maybe angry tone, Ildy could only guess what she was feeling. "Why would you kill him?" She questioned him, her voice slightly quiet so as not to wake the other member of the car.

Ildy thought about it for only moments because he had an answer already conceived. "It wasn't me." He said clenching his fist. While his answer was obviously strange, and outrageous, he had his reasons.

Sophia's face became disgruntled and angry. "What!?" she yelled.

Ildy quickly shut her up. "I'll explain." He quickly pointed to Mya and then sighed.

Sophia, still with a disgruntled and indignant look in her face said "fine..."

He thought she glared at him for a moment but ignored it. Then he spoke. "I am afraid." he said truthfully.

Sophia gave him a strange look, but said nothing, so he continued. "Of what we face of course, but more of what... what I am- no wait... it's more like what is in me." His faced paled as he finished his sentence.

"In... you? What do you mean?" Sophia asked with little anger in her voice.

His eyes moved from looking away from her, to straight into her eyes. His head hurt, but he couldn't control himself. His face was whiter than before, almost snow white. He didn't speak, but someone else did. "Hello... Sophia Velvarus." His voice was cold, void of all emotion.

The room was cold, but then it stopped. The paleness of Ildy face, the voice, the cold... it all dissipated. Then Mya stopped sleeping.

Ildys head throbbed as his body was given back to him by whatever was inside him. He was taken aback, breathing hard, his eyes squinting.

"How... Then..." Sophia now understood why he had done that. While at the beginning, he had wanted to do nothing wrong. Someone... no, something, forced him.

"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Mya woke up. Her dreams soon to be forgotten, replaced with a chill, and fear. While it was only for a short second, she could feel malice. A malice that shook her... she felt scared, as no warmth could be felt from it. She opened her eyes wide. The sun pierced her eyes. Covered her eyes with arm, brushing her hair in the process.