The Cursed Fanalis

Chapter 4

[Astarah's POV]

The sound of the bell rang in my ears in the darkness. I found myself sitting in the middle the black abyss, poking on the endless star floor. Gentle giggles of the boy echoed in the room. I stood up, looking forward to an illusion of the boy. His face wasn't clear. But all that mattered to me was the usual smile he had. 

"Did you get out safe?", the boy asked.

"I did—", before I could fully give him my response, he kept going with this words and asked more questions.

"Did you have fun?"

"Are you having fun right now?"

"How does it feel to be alive?"

"Are you enjoying the life of freedom?"

One after another, he didn't stop. And slowly, the boy crept towards me. He was only a few feet away from me and now that he was right in front of me, he leans his head to my chest. I hugged him, feeling relief. But it wasn't just that. As he looks up to me, I could barely see his face but his head was dripping blood. His grin was scary. 

I tried letting go of him but he latches onto me. 

"You left me there. I shouldn't have saved you. I hate you. You deserved to suffer like I did! That place will always welcome you. So please come back. So that I won't hate you anymore.", the little boy's voice pierced my ears.

"Yes, we will always welcome you to the family.", said a group of hooded people surrounded me and the boy, saying their words in sync. "Always."

"Come back."

"You're always welcome."

I was scared. My body was paralyze and I couldn't do anything. 

[Nobody's POV]

Morgiana peered onto Astarah's face and wipes her forehead with a wet cloth. Astarah was sweating and trembling in her sleep while Aladdin gives her rukh. 

"She was bleeding really badly. But I'm still impressed that she finished it in such a short time.", Muu smiled. He was leaning against the wall together with Masrur. 

Aladdin furrowed his brows as he got a little tired from giving out too much rukh. So Alibaba stopped him. "Hey Aladdin, I think that's enough. You're already worn out."

"Kuh.", Aladdin winced in pain and drops his staff. "Thanks Alibaba-kun. But when you look at it, no matter how much rukh I give her, it seems like it's never enough."

"Nh.", Astarah groans in pain and began digging her fingers on the bed. "Make it... Stop."

Muu and Masrur rushed to her side, looking worried. "What's going on with her?", asked Muu.

Suddenly, Astarah's vessels began glowing and Sitri came out first. "Someone wake her up! Do anything! Anything to wake her up!", she said with a scared expression. "Slap her! Do something!"

Masrur slightly smacked Astarah's cheek but  there was no response.

Alibaba tried pinching her cheeks but no response either.

The Djinn after Sitri that came out was Furcas reading a scroll. "Don't listen to her. Astarah's just having a little nightmare. Let her fight through it.", he chuckles.

"Hell no! Last time we let that happened. And what happened after that? Do you want me to repeat myself?", Sitri retorts and leans her face closer to Furcas'. She was mad.

Furcas grinds his teeth and puts on a smug look, annoying Sitri. "Either way, she won't get rid of those stupid nightmares if she doesn't fight them!"