dimensions | original

Beach of Nightglass

Fear screamed and turned on Mark, who eyes were wide with horror, and fear danced in them. "You told her." He whispered coldly.

"He told me it was Majick." Luma snarled, glaring at Mark. She was angry, but mostly afraid. Something strange, something sinister and wrong was happening. So, for Mark's sake, not just hers, she would pretend. Fear hesitated, and considered.

"If you were anyone else, you would die here, on the spot." Fear smiled at her, but the smile was cold, cruel, and calculating. "But I see that you are cursed as it is. Doomed, in fact. But I am merciful, Lumara Wish." Luma didn't know how he knew her name, but she felt so raw and exposed that it felt like he could see right through her. And what did he mean by cursed?

"And so I release you- but be warned, you were done for before you began."

With that, he disappeared into nothingness, and the air cleared. A shiver ran down Luma's spine.

Mark remained. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well... I'm still here. He didn't give me another job. Free time, I suppose that he is too angry to speak to me right now. It's actually kinda nice, this brief taste of freedom. You know, cause I failed."

"Failed in what?" asked Luma, though she thought she knew the answer.

"I have to lure people into this trap, then call... him." Mark looked even more uncomfortable. "I did bring you to this beach, you know. I had to Pull you through."

"If he is so dreadful, than why do you work for him?"

"Not by choice. It is only a job."

"How can it be your job to work for someone as evil as he is?"

Mark glared at her. "I have a complicated history. It doesn't matter to you." added the boy.

Luma didn't have a response for that. Now she was the uncomfortable one. The young teenager shifted her feet against the dark sand, looking slightly upset and put-off. Instead of continuing the awkward discussion, she abruptly changed the subject. "Where am I, exactly?"

"The beach of Nightglass, Nevermore. Home of Timorous, Roman god of fear."

"Roman Gods!?" gasped Luma, quite surprised. "I thought they didn't exist!" At least, that was what her school back at home had taught her, but she wasn't quite sure anymore.

Mark laughed humorlessly, no longer quite as angry. "The Roman Gods don't exist, but they were based on truth. The gods take many names from many cultures. Romans were some of Fear's favorites. He quite disliked the Greeks. This is actually one of the reasons that the Romans and Greeks were enemies. Several god's favored one side over another."

Luma was in awe. "How do you know that?" she asked. To ignorant and innocent Luma, such knowledge was rare and wrapped up tight, like a particularly good gift that the giver decided to never give away.

"Cause, in a way, I'mma god. Just a very minor one..."

Mark cocked a grin, eyes glimmering with amusement. Luma was speechless.

"A god?" she gasped.

"Like I said, a really minor one that isn't really a god, just immortal and with powers, which are things associated with gods."

"Really?" Luma gasped.

"Yeah, sort of. I'm a god's helper basically. And that makes me a minor god." Mark wrinkled his nose a little. "A godling." he said with disgust. In the worlds of deities, it was an insult to be anything less than a god. Having a title lower than the highest and most widespread honor was considered insulting and a test of power

"What's wrong with that?" asked Luma carefully.

"It's an insult!" he cried, flinging out his arms. Now that Timorous had left, it seemed that the boy was much less composed.

Luma shrugged, not seeing how it could be an insult. You must understand that Luma is quite naive when it comes to gods and their traditions, so she didn't see the harm in this.

Mark scowled at her minor reaction, then flinched suddenly, his right hand flying to his forehead. . "You might want to be leaving soon." he said, wincing as if someone had just punched him. "My master is not pleased that you continue to dwell on his land. It would be safest if you leave now."

Luma felt insulted by this, and she scowled in frustration. "Why would you care?" Luma shot, not believing that he would care enough to tell her. After all, hadn't Mark tried to trick her? A trick that, if it had succeeded, would have taken her life.

"I'm not evil, you know." Mark growled back. "I have to! It's not my fault he went astray. You saw him. Think what he would do if I slacked off on my job for even a minute." he snarled, eyes trained on the shivering girl.

"Leave me alone!"

Mark's eyes glowed pure scarlet, and the cold presence of Fear had returned, just very slight subdued (Of course, Luma didn't notice. She's not well-enough taught to detect such small happenings.

"Leave..." he hissed, and his voice was older, ancient and powerful. It held an aura of terror and fire that terrified Luma just as much as Fear had.

She saw Mark shudder suddenly, and whip out a piece of cloth. But she couldn't see what happened next, for he was already out of her immediate sight.

Black crawled into Luma's eyes, and she passed out.

A/N I didn't want to add unnecessary filler, sorry it's short.