Final Brushstrokes of a Tragic Romance || BxB | MLM

XIX . The Flicker in the Rain

The rain had started not long after i reached my room, the soft patter of droplets against the window a soothing backdrop to my troubled thoughts. I lay sprawled on my bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind replaying the strange events of the day.

Ed nestled on my shoulder, chirping softly as if sensing my unease. The memory of the smoke-like figure from earlier that morning kept resurfacing in my mind. It wasn’t just any ordinary figure; it had been human-like, with fiery sparks flickering around it. It was as if someone was caught on fire, yet it wasn’t intense enough for them to scream out in pain. Smoke billowed around the figure, shrouding it in an eerie, otherworldly aura.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to know more. My curiosity and fear gnawed at me until I couldn’t stay still any longer. I sprang off the bed, nearly tripping over my own feet in my haste.

"I need to see it again," I muttered to Ed, who chirped in response, as if urging me on.

I slipped out of my room and headed toward the hallway where I had seen the figure. The rain continued to pour, creating a rhythmic hum that reverberated through the castle walls. The hallway connected my room to Athena’s, with a balcony-like area in between that offered a stunning view of vidin and the vast expanse beyond.

The morning's sighting had been brief, barely lasting two seconds. I shook my head, wondering if I had imagined it. But I had to be sure.

As I approached the spot, the rain pounded harder, and I stepped onto the balcony. The view was breathtaking. The kingdom of Vidin stretched out below, with the majestic blue star, Velio, gleaming in the sky. Velio was the largest star in the kingdom, and it was said to be a manifestation of the goddess Vihana herself. The rain, too, was considered another form of Vihana, a blessing from the heavens.

I took a deep breath, staring up at Velio. "Goddess Vihana," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the rain. "If you can hear me, I need your guidance. Everything is falling apart. I'm not ready for this responsibility. Please, help me."

The rain seemed to intensify, as if answering my plea. I stood there, feeling the cold droplets soak through my clothes, and for a moment, the weight of my worries lifted. But then, a loud crash shattered the calm.

I looked down from the balcony and saw that the light in Theo's room was still on. The sound had come from there. Glass shattering, voices—Theo had company, and it sounded like something was wrong. My heart raced as I rushed down the stairs, the urgency in my steps echoing through the empty halls.

"Theo!" I called out, my voice cracking with worry. "Theo, are you okay?"

I burst into Theo's room, breathless. The scene that greeted me was a stark contrast to the serene moment I had just experienced on the balcony. Theo was standing in the middle of the room, a look of shock on his face. He was wearing a white silk night robe, loosely hung over his body, and the cold wind from the open window made him shiver.

"What happened?" I demanded, my eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger.

Theo shook his head, still looking bewildered. "I... I don't know. I heard a noise, and then the window shattered. But there's no one here."

I walked over to the shattered window, the rain blowing in and soaking the floor. "Did you see anyone? Anything unusual?"

"No," Theo replied, his voice trembling slightly. "It all happened so fast. One moment everything was quiet, and then..."

I turned back to him, my mind racing. Could this be connected to the figure I saw earlier? "Theo, earlier today, I saw something. A figure, like a person, but on fire. It wasn't painful, but there was smoke and sparks. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared."