Crow's Blessings → Sylus

A Different Perspective

I felt extremely tired. It felt like my entire limbs were stiff. But, I felt oddly at ease—where was that burning feeling all over my body? Did I die?

So, what was this afterlife I'm in? A barren land was all I could see; withering trees were hunched over in the distance, dry patches of grass would sprout from the cracked ground every now and then, and the sky was a murky red color, with no clouds nor sun that blinded my vision. Was I in limbo?

"I wouldn't let you die easily."

The voice echoed through the barren land, sending chills down my spine. I didn't recognize it. It sounded like a woman.

The sky darkened, forming a gradient of murky red as it was quickly consumed by darkness. While frantically turning round, I saw a moon—no, it was a solar eclipse! The shadow only consumed half of the round sun. Shouldn't I be blind? Why am I not blind?

A bright yellow eye manifested from the darkness, followed by a fog that swept away as quickly as it appeared. Hovering in the air was a fully cloaked woman, covering the solar eclipse from my sight. "I'm surprised you survived this far," it felt like I was eye to eye with the Cheshire Cat. Floating about leisurely, on her back, she turned her head to face me, her piercing amber eyes gleamed in the darkness, as she had the rest of her face and body covered.

Realizing it was just another nightmare, I pretended to be nonchalant. "In this economy? Yeah, I'm surprised too."

Her shoulders shook as she laughed. "Oh, I like you. We could've been good friends in another universe," slowly, she hovered closer to my face, hypnotizing me with her eyes. I was sure I could move, but her gaze sedated my brain.

"Huh?"

"Oh, honey. This shouldn't have happened to you, and I pity you, I truly do," her hand extended out of her cloak, fingers touching my chin. "But, I'd choose you any day than that lackluster man."

"What do you mean?" I desperately forced my hands to grip her wrist. "Please, explain."

"What's the fun in that?" she chuckled, purposely brushing our hands against the veil draping over the lower half of her face. It fell down only to reveal—

Me.

It was strange. It was terrifying; those amber eyes I adored so much became intimidating the moment she revealed her identity. The sky was nearly pitch black and everything around me disappeared. It was just me and her, or me?

"Oh, honey, don't be scared," her long nails scratched against my jaw. "Make sure you say farewell before I—"

—

It burned. It felt like I was thrown at a campfire. My eyes widened, sucking in a deep, frantic breath. Despite it being the most vivid, that nightmare was, by far, the worst I've had in the past weeks. Her voice sounded distant, but those amber eyes were stuck in my mind.

"You're awake."

Turning my head, I found Xavier sitting on the dining chair, his sword resting against the table. Behind him was Sylus, leaning against the open window, staring out the apartment's terrace with a blank stare.

Sylus turned his head with an indifferent expression. "Great. Saves us a fortune."

Xavier shot a quick glare at Sylus. "And, a police arrest," turning back, he pulled the chair halfway closer to the sofa. "How do you feel?"

"Like a charred marshmallow," I hissed, resisting the dull pain around my neck area. Raising my hand, I touched the bandage around my neck and left shoulder. The burn wasn't as bad as I had felt earlier, but it was still there.