Two Worlds: Clash of the Guardians (Completed)

IV - The Weapon Cellar - Part II

Vadiraj

October 2, in the year of 8845, Reminis Calendar (RC)

Down in the Underworld, Vadiraj sat with his feet on his desk. 

A blood-filled goblet and a plate of juniper berries lay untouched. He enjoyed the expedition he saw through Elli's eyes. They were walking the same path he had walked through twenty years ago. The only things he didn't do was seeking the prophecy. He believed in himself but he couldn't deny the oracle had helped him succeed. He sniggered. How could the Black-Borns' weak magic defeats me? And they're coming after me? He laughed. 

He couldn't wait for daylight to come. He could sit at his study all day and enjoy their adventure.

Scratching his goatee, he reminisced about the days he spent with Elli in the cave. He missed her voice and the way she moved. He knew Elli was his destined love; the way she stood up to him; the way she looked at him with fiery keenness in her eyes. He was glad she hated him. 

Love is based on the foundation of hate. She must be the one in his prophecy.

She was different than the female Vampists. Those bitches only knew showing their infatuation towards him by leaning near to him, revealing their cleavages. Bitches, he had never heard of this word before, not until Elli uttered them. It rings. It sounds nice. Whatever she says, it'll always sound like music. He paused. Elli was coming after him, not because she missed him, but because she wanted to kill him. The thought thrilled him, and he couldn't wait to see her again. 

He had it all planned.

Closing his eyes, Vadiraj concentrated on the world played in Elli's mind. The feeling was like watching moving objects from a jukebox's screen. He was now witnessing Elli's nightmare when a man raided her house years ago. He saw fear in her eyes, mixed with eagerness. She's already a devil when she's young. A grin tugged at his lips. He explored the remnants of her dream, and that was when he saw a woman lying on the floor. She looks familiar. Who is she? 

He'd never find out when someone showed up in Elli's dream, disturbing the aura.

He sighed and opened his eyes. Though he could retain his youth, he felt himself getting weary easily lately. Is it because of love? He shouldn't fall in love with anyone but he couldn't help himself. A soft woof came from his left, bringing him out of his reverie. Vadiraj turned to look at his hellhound that had a third green eye on its forehead. Scratching its ears, he said, "Netto, what's wrong with me? I feel young at the thought of love, yet I feel old as I shouldn't think of it."

Netto cocked its big head, rested it on Vadiraj's lap, before staring at him with glassy eyes. Its head was as big as a truck tyre, and its body consumed half the size of the study room. Vadiraj smiled and picked up a woolly ball he hid underneath his writing table. He threw it out of the sole window in the room and said, "Go have fun." Netto woofed again and its body transformed into a wisp of smoke. Vadiraj had only blinked once, and his pet was already out of sight. 

"I envy you. At least you get to play and enjoy."

Pulling the lid of his drawer open, he took out a sketchbook, and began drawing the image of Elli. He detailed out the terror in her eyes perfectly, especially the eyes. Those big brown eyes. He used to despise people with brown eyes, but now... 

Picking up a brown crayon, he coloured her eyes. He had drawn ten portraits of Elli. Some were drawn when she was asleep after being tormented by his goons; some were drawn when she stealthily crept up behind his hellhounds, wanting to escape. 

He grinned. He admired Elli's blind courage. She knew she wouldn't be able to escape but she tried. She was brave and was willing to face the tests before her, alone. That's something I can learn from her. Nodding contentedly, Vadiraj continued his painting when a familiar voice came from the door of his study. Quickly, he threw the sketchbook into the drawer and locked it, knocking down the goblet with blood simultaneously. 

A frowning hunchback figure walked towards him when he was just able to breathe.

"My Lord, look at what you've done!" The hunchback man rued over the spilled liquid. "You do know fresh blood is hard to come by nowadays, don't you? I need to cook up reasons to hold an assembly every night and deceive my students into providing the blood." 

Vadiraj didn't reply. 

The hunchback man sighed, tapped his grey wand on the goblet, and refilled it. 

"Do you want me to warm it up for you?"

Vadiraj shook his head and looked up at a grey painting on the grey ceramic wall. Grey... He used to love that colour. He considered himself to have the most gorgeous study room in the Underworld, but the thought didn't cheer him up. Grey... Would a human girl love such colour?

"What's wrong with you, My Lord? Don't tell me you're thinking of that wo—"

"I am fine, Dominic."

"No, you are not! They barged into my school but you forbade my guards to capture them. My guards had to instead put up a monkey show to fool them."

"Are you questioning the way I handle things, Dominic? Should I not say you've been getting bolder with your words?" Vadiraj's eyes sparkled with sudden fury.

"Don't get me wrong, My Lord. I meant to say, do not let a woman crash the empire you've built."

"I know what I am doing!" Vadiraj grabbed a juniper berry and chewed it.

Dominic sighed. "We'll talk about this later. My Lord, I came here to bring you great news." He schooled his face into a malicious grin. "Now that the unity of the realm is shattered and each kin is afraid to join forces to stand against you, it's time to carry out our plan. Remember the Demon ally I told you? Now the Demon Lord from Realm of Kalkaris, Illidad, has agreed to lend us a hand on this war of you, to conquer Reminis. With their help, we can—"

"Are you out of your mind! Demons can never be controlled and trusted. Though I want to be the ruler of Reminis badly, I am not stupid. Illidad is very cunning, Dominic. Burn whatever scrolls he sent you; I won't sign on any treaties. I won't share my land with Demons."

Dominic opened his mouth to say more but Vadiraj shut him up. "Go away. I want to rest."

Dominic bowed and vanished behind the door. 

He walked past a black mirror hanging on the grey corridor's wall and saw the bubbling ripples in it. Stretching his claws, he scuffed through the ripples. "Enough peeking, girl. You are the reason of his weakness. If he can't kill you, I will do the favour."