"N... N-n-no... D-don't hurt him..." I turned over, gripping the covers tightly. "S... S-Seto..."
"Hey, hey wake up Aurora." I felt someone gently shake my shoulder, and I flinched back, still half asleep.
"N-no don't!" I cried out, writhing. My shoulder was shaken with more force.
"Aurora, it's just a dream, c'mon!" I finally jerked awake, gasping in air, with tears stained on my cheeks as Shadow stepped back. "You alright?" He asked quietly. I whimpered in response, feeling my tears resurface again. He came over to me and sat down next to me, patting my shoulder. "You wanna tell me what happened, in your dream?" By instinct, I shook my head, and he gave me a doubting look.
"I-it's just re-really personal." I stuttered. He gave me a sympathetic glance.
"Was it about this guy you called in your sleep... uh... Shoot what was it... Seto?" I bit my lower lip and averted my gaze, not answering. Shadow rested his hand on my knee in reassurance. "It's ok, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone." He promised. Slowly, I nodded in response to his inquiry. "Who is he, might I ask?" I sniffled, wrapping my blanket around me and shivering.
"... H-he was my friend," I started slowly. "My best friend. M-my only friend. He-he saved my life a-and cared for me, e-even better than Icicle does." Shadow didn't reply about me mentioning his friend as I continued. "H-he..." I trailed off and buried my head in my hands. Shadow scooted closer to me and threw his arm over my shoulders in a partial hug.
"I'm sorry for your loss." He murmured. I nodded, stifling a hiccupping sob and trying to stop crying. We both stayed still as my sobs gradually faded, and I finally glanced gratefully at Shadow. "..." Then he sighed and got up. "I best get back to sleep before I'm missed." He murmured. "I hope no more dreams disturb your sleep."
"Th-thank you, Shadow." I mumbled as he hopped off the edge of the desk. I sighed and laid down, staring up at the ceiling.
"... When I get back to normal sized Eric," I whispered in the dark. "I swear to God that you will pay for hurting him."
"Rise and shine, Seto." The Sorcerer flinched at the sudden change in light as the door opened, and Eric walked in with a smug yet frustrated look. "You ready to comply?" He growled. He struggled up into a sitting position to glare at his torturer.
"Over my dead body." He hissed. Eric raised his eyebrow.
"That can be arranged." He replied, smirking. Seto scoffed and looked away from him when he added, "Why do you even protect her? You didn't know each other for naught a day before you were practically inseparable." He looked back at Eric with surprise. "Oh yes." He purred. "We've been watching you interact with her. We've been watching very closely." He shifted a little uncomfortably. "I've seen how you look at Project Micro -"
"Idiot, her name is Aurora!" The Sorcerer snapped. Eric paused, anger briefly flaring in his eyes before he dipped his head in submission.
"I've seen how you look at Aurora," he started again, "And I've seen the look you get in your eyes." When he didn't reply, Eric flashed a cold smile at her. "You care about her." He continued. "Not just as a friend, but like a parent almost. Perhaps it is so because of what happened in your past?" Seto immediately strained at his chains.
"... Do not bring that into this." He snarled. "The past is behind us, where we gain our wisdom. The future is what we look forward to. And I look forward to righting my wrongs." Eric threw his head back and laughed mockingly.
"You fool, you may be wise for your young age but you're still so naïve." He jeered, turning back to the door. Before he closed the door, he paused. "Also, we will find Project Micro, whether you like it or not, whether you confess where she is, or not." Then he closed it with an ominous slam, leaving the Sorcerer huddled in the dark once more. He sighed tiredly, and leaned back against the stone brick wall with exhaustion, closing his eyes. He focused for a moment, straining his mental state before he snapped his eyes open, which seemed to be burning a deep purple color. He focused his gaze at the chain bonds around his hands, and in a mere second they snapped, hitting the floor with a silent thud. He clambered to his feet and threw his hands at the wall, murmuring something under his breath before everything shook, and something suddenly exploded.
Meanwhile, Eric was in his quarters, splashing water on his face with a small sigh, before leaning over the sink and staring into his reflection. Only he didn't exactly have one.
In place of his reflection was a creature with horns growing out of its head, piercing yellow cat-like eyes and sharp teeth, as well as some patches of iridescent scales.
He stared at himself, gently reaching up and lightly touching his cheek. The scales appeared to be there, yet they weren't.
There was a sudden frantic knock on the large oak doors, and he snapped his gaze from the mirror.
"What is it?" He demanded. "Is it the Sorcerer?"
"Uh, yes sir!" The young man panted. "He... He escaped, sir!" Eric widened his eyes and stared hard at him.
"Impossible!" He snapped, looking out his window. Sure enough, a figure was fleeing into the nearby forest. He gazed out at the view before a small cold smile formed on his lips. "... We still have the tracker in him, yes?" He murmured.
"Y-yes sir." The young man replied. Eric chuckled softly, resting his arm on the window sill.
"Gather the Searchers."
"S-sir?" He questioned. Eric turned around, smiling sinisterly.
"He truly cares for the Project Micro, Aurora Darwington. With our luck, he'll lead us right to her."
YOU ARE READING
Project Micro
Fantasy(collaboration of It's Not the Exterior that Makes the Beast by @Wildstar_Wildheart ) Wildstar and her friends were having enough trouble with the D. I. E., a lab group that experiments with projects like Project Macro and Project Micro, but one you...
