The Whispers from Beyond

Everyone Lies for Themselves

"I can't go on anymore!!" She groaned. "How long will we be here!?" She kicked a rock.

It's been about a week after Lianhua knew that she was going to be returning to the palace. To get her mind off of things, she decided to follow Natsuo to one of his hangout spots — an abandoned building.

She doesn't know why he chose this place out of every place there is in Caldaria. It's so gloomy and there's leaking water everywhere. And it smells, too.

"Relaaax. You're overreacting," he rolled his eyes. "I wanna show you something cool I found. C'mere!" He beckoned her over to a room full of books and shattered glass everywhere. "Careful, sis."

Lianhua looked around and thought that there was nothing interesting here. "This is the cool thing you wanted to show me? It doesn't look very cool. Creepy more like," she shuddered.

"Not the room idiot, this!" He pulled a fallen shelf up and there was a glowing purple book under it. He kicks it to her and she takes it.

"What's this?" She asked as she flipped through the pages. It's written in Ancient Caldaria, something she's trying to learn how to read.

"I dunno but check it out," he said enthusiastically, "you don't come across glowing books these days, do ya?" He chuckled to which Lianhua rolled her eyes. Seeing that Lianhua was focused on the book, Natsuo went to the other rooms after notifying her.

Sensing that Natsuo's gone, Lianhua takes out her pendant from under her sweater. "Eli, are you there?" She whispers to the stone.

A shadow loomed over Lianhua in the form of a spider lily before turning into the shadow of a woman and appearing as a woman's figure made up with dark green smoke. It smiles. "All the time! When you are awake and when you are asleep!" The creature said joyfully as she flew around the room.

Lianhua opened the book and showed it to the creature. "Can you read this Eli? You can read Ancient Caldarian, can't you?" She whispers so that Natsuo won't hear. He doesn't know about Eli or full name Elixtris.

Elixtris hummed and looked at the book. Her glitched and layered voice sounded, "To find the truth you must locate the lie. To find a lie you must know the truth."

Lianhua gave it some thought and flipped to a random page. "What's this then?" Elixtris looked again, her face now contorted into a frown.

"There are no faults in this world for there will always be two sides to everything no matter good or evil. Just like how fire detests water and vice versa, everything has its own pros and cons," she read, "However be mindful of who you surround yourself with and keep your true beliefs close, for you never know when Saikh is lurking." She ended. She crossed her arms.

"Hmph! What in the 10 Saints is this book? Poetry? If so then the writer has no talent at all." She huffed in annoyance. Lianhua snorts.

"It does have a bit of truth in it, though. But..Who's Saikh?" Asked Lianhua to Elixtris. Elixtris tsked.

"You really should focus on your history lesson, Flower," said Elixtris before dissapearing. "Hey you didn't answer my question..!"

"Who you talking to?" sounded Natsuo behind Lianhua at the entrance of the room. She turned to him quickly. "Nobody. Just some monologue," she lied.

"Oookay then.." he said with suspicion. "Anyway it's near lunch time. I promised to bring you back home before lunch and I need to meet up with someone for a daaaa- I mean a project! Yeah, sooo let's go home!" He said before rushing to the door. Lianhua blinked thrice before looking at the book and throwing it back on the ground.

She followed Natsuo's steps and went out of the building after hiding her pendant. She took one last look at the building and got into Natsuo's car.

She looked out from the window and saw the newly built city called Arcaea Valley. He glanced outside for a second too and clicked his tongue. "Don't even think about going there, sis. It's a dirty city full of drunkards and addicts. It's practically a wasteland," he scowls.

"I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about the founder," replied Lianhua.

"Othera? Seriously? That unknown woman that came outta nowhere and declared herself Queen of Entertainment? Pfft, don't get me started, sis," mocked Natsuo. Lianhua paid it no mind. Out of all four brothers, Natsuo has the laser tongue. Once he starts mocking and gossiping, it feels like your veins are being pricked with needles over and over again.

"She's just interesting, that's all," she says before lazily yawning. "Don't you fuckin dare sleep in my car, Lianhua," warned Natsuo. Lianhua cared none and laid down in the backseat. "Motherfucker..." he cursed.

"I swear if you weren't His Majesty's beloved daughter, I'll strangle you right here," he says through gritted teeth. "Try to and I'll tell Dad that you sneaked out last night to drink," she says and he groans.

He pulls a strand of her hair but not strong enough to pull it out of her head. "You really know how to get things your way don't ya?" He says with a forced smile. She just shrugged.

...

Her fingertips brushed over the hard cover, dusting off the dirt on it. She blew to get the dust off. She then opened the pages and read them one by one. Every page makes her sick to her stomach.

"Ugh, so corny," she mutters as she rips the book in half. Her hands hovered over the book and it ripped itself into a million pieces so tiny you'd think it's dust. "Well that's that," she patted her dress.

"Nobody will find you ever again. At least, not without gruesome dedication," she says lazily. She stretches her arms.

"I really should start looking for these kind of books before the Commanders do," she sighs, "How many more?" She asks to the air.

"Six more," answered the air. She rolls her eyes. "Alright let's get this done with tonight. I need to open Arcaea tomorrow for these pleasure addicted fuckers." She sighs.

"Haa....It's hard being the Queen of Entertainment," she said before flames burned the room after she stepped out of it.