Creation: The Primordial Era (Creation Series, Book 2)

Death To Peace Of Mind

Oracion's POV

"Doesn't look like you're doing too good?" He questions as if not able to see my current state.

'It can't be him' I think to myself, reluctant to even try to entertain the voice.

"I could probably help, just like I used to when you were growing up?" He asks, but I ignore it. "You were clumsy as a child, you know that? Bumping into everything, tripping over anything...ha" He laughs as I tighten my grip on Ira's leg.

"You still there bud?" He asks again.

I want to respond, I do. But at this point, I don't think I even can. The snow from outside felt like rocks against my skin and the tomb surrounding me feels like boulders, 'I'm better off freezing to death in here.' I try to reason with myself.

I can barely make out the crunching of snow as something walks around outside, "You're strong, that's something everyone knows for certain. Right?" He continues talking. "But every now and again, I see something in you that nobody else can. Or should I say...you've shown nobody else?"

The footsteps stop just in front of where I'm facing, "You're weak when you have no reason to continue, isn't that right? It's almost as if you want to die in those moments. It's almost like you don't want to even be here in the first place, like you *need* someone else's permission to even exist."

Whether it's him, or it isn't. Using his voice like this...saying those words to me, it hurts. "Look at you, giving up when a little bit of weight is put on top of you." He sighs as if disappointed, circling my mound of snow. "We'll I've got some happy news for you, if you haven't already made sense of your situation." He scoffs.

"You'll die this time, Oracion." He puts bluntly. "Your name carries a lot, both within the Veil and outside of it. As many praises as it'll give you, you'll lose just as much." He explains. "There's things that hate you or even love you for who you are. But then things that envy what you have, whether it be power, recognition or even just your life. They'll kill you for it, and I think only now you're beginning to grasp that."

He pauses, giving me time to think to myself as a lot of sentences and questions string through my mind, almost to where I can't even hear the snow anymore. But none of them are glaring at me as hard as one simple word, "W-h-y?" I barely speak out to the voice.

Just as I finish, an arm bursts through the snow. Extending out to me as if knowing exactly where I am. Even despite my hesitations, I grab it knowing that it was my last chance to do anything. "Because you're my brother" He answers me as me and Ira are pulled out of the mound and back into the beating snow.

I look around, trying to find Aeron. The footprints in the settled snow quickly being reverted as it's filled in. I shuffle myself, trying to find my footing as I look ahead back to where I saw the castle. And whether it be delusions or just wishful thinking, I could of sworn I saw his eyes, ever so slightly guiding me towards that direction.

'He's alive' The other voices return as I not so graciously place Ira along my back.

'Quite the monster' They snicker at me.

I look down, not wanting to know the true distance between me and the castle. Instead focusing on my two bare feet, losing their colour and dyeing to purple. My arm, bruised and following suit as the snow sinks in like a bullet, throwing itself against me with the intention of death.

'Do you think he likes it?' One asks.

"I-do-n't-" I respond.

'Then why keep going, clearly there's something inside you that gets some kind of rush out of this?' Another one asks.