The Black Stars of Melanin

The Spectre of His Nightmares

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A tense silence wafted through the air...

Jinto abruptly inhaled deeply, "Welp, that's enough fear-mongering for one day. It's simple, if they mean us any harm, we'll Just kill the Origin before they kill us."

"Hmph, I guess we really are brothers after all, I was just thinking the same thing," Jaleel said with a look of approval. Promptly, he locked eyes with Princess Juri, glaring at her. "This one... is trouble. I've met a few Casians on my travels... perhaps I should..." his words trailed off, as he forged a lightning katana and postured to attack.

Oh my god... you can't be serious!? He's even more frightening than Damar. At least it's clear what she's thinking. As for this Jaleel, one minute he's having a wholesome moment with his brother... COMPLETELY ignoring my existence. And the next, he wants to behead me!? Juri's eyes trembled, her body, frozen with fear.

A spell of hesitation, lulled Jaleel's intentions. What is that? A feint golden glow... in the shape of a shield? Does this Casian possess a Qudra of her own? Even more reason to finish her off now, before she learns how to use it...

Meanwhile, something more... haunting had caught Jinto's attention. W-who is that... staring at me through the window? No wait, it's Juri's reflection! Her reflection is, staring at me!? Even though she herself is looking at Jaleel!? Why does her reflection have black hair... and such... wicked eyes? It's- it's like that woman from my nightmare, but how!? I must be going crazy...

To Jinto, it felt as though the hands of time had been arrested by this ineffable moment. Bit by bit, the phantom like apparition began to slither out of the reflection and strode towards him. The flickering spectre of his nightmares, gained closer and closer to him. Her footsteps echoing, clacking with an empty hollow sound. Her breaths, steamy, reverberating around the room. And her presence, cold... full of hatred.

Jinto's eyes sprung wide open, as the phantom reflection raised her hand, beckoning a golden light, forged into a sword.

"World destroyer Jinto... DIE!" it shrieked in a supernatural tone!

Simultaneously, Jaleel struck at Juri, whose scream shattered the windows.

At once, Jinto caught Jaleel's arm and fired a blast at the phantom. "I-it's gone..?" he uttered, bemused.

Jaleel stared at his younger brother in confusion, "What is gone?"

"N-nothing..." he replied, whilst slowly scanning the room.

"Although you stopped my attack, my blade still made contact with something," Jaleel surmised, as he looked at the broken blade of the lightning katana, before it faded. "This girl is bad news Jinto, I can feel it. Get rid of her. J-Jinto...? You look like you've seen a ghost?" he continued.

"Hmph, don't worry about me, brother. As for the girl... Yeah, she's a Casian. Yeah, she's a little shady. But, I didn't bring her here for a trivial reason. The mistrust, the hatred, the prejudice we all harbour for one another... I want to dispel it, once and for all!" he paused, quickly glancing at Juri. "How trivial is the matter of skin colour and tribe? How many a nation have come and gone, forgotten to time? We are all insignificant in the grand scheme of things. As are the very things we kill each other over. Bloodshed after bloodshed... Whoever created mankind. Whoever created this world, didn't make us different so that we'd fight each other! I believe, it was so that we would get to know and recognise one another! I want to find the truth of this world and the God who created it!" The Tamer of Flames charismatically declared.

"Hmph, very well... the girl lives, for now..." Jaleel conceded. As he walked away, he stopped mid-stride... "Casian girl." he exclaimed.

At once, she attentively propped up like a plank of wood, "Y-yes?"

"You will do well to stay out of my way. Lest you want me to finish what Damar started and cut you in two..." The Prince of Lightning uttered in a freakishly soothing, sonorous tone, before finally leaving.

With the clang of the closing door, the two whom remained, breathed a sigh of relief.

Jinto sat in front of Juri and smiled warmly at her, before saying, "Don't worry about that grouchy half-pint. He tries so hard to act cold and ruthless. But he's more caring than he lets on. Had he really intended to kill you with that strike, he would've. He just wanted to scare you. Tch, that Jaleel, always putting on a show, what a drama-queen! Hahaha!"

Juri stared at him like a stranded kitten in a tree that had just been rescued. And Just like that, we're back to laughs and giggles? These two really are more scary than the Origin! Well... Jaleel is. But Jinto... he's so... esoteric, but has this kindness to him that Jaleel is devoid of. Maybe things will be ok for me, as long as I stick with Jinto... he is kinda tall and handsome after all.

And with that, the princess reclined to sleep.