Omnis Bestia

Chapter Ten: Vale Dicens

As soon as I hear the voice I don't react the way most people would. Some people would act brave or tough, as questions on who had spoken. Others would freeze in fear, trying not to move a muscle. I, on the other hand, used my head and thought up the most logical scenario: to run.

"Silly thing, where do you think you're going? You know you can't run forever, and in this realm, I will always find you." the voice says, the farther I run through the barren trees the closer the voice seems to be, no matter what direction I go in.

I don't respond to its questions, focused still on running as far as my legs will carry me. I run until I reach a clearing, convinced I've run miles and for hours. Until I hear a dark chuckling and realize that I had made a complete circle.

"I told you there was nowhere to run, το μικρό θηρίο μου," it says, and my scar begins to throb. I recognize the words, their Greek for my little beast, which could be taken for endearment or possession. I'm now in the middle of the open space, and at the edge of it, I spotted a shadow beginning to take a more... physical shape. The shadow was still as dark as night, but it was no longer on the ground and stood taller than me. The only feature I could make out was a wide smile, which if the shadow had a mouth would have been filled with teeth.

"Come here, let me look at you." My feet wouldn't listen to my mind, and they slowly dragged the rest of my body to the darkness, until they stopped directly in front of it. "Ομορφιά μου, I'm so glad I found you. I've been searching for such a long time, and I've finally found you here. Soon, I will have you not just here, but in the Noctis as well, The whole world will know who you are, and that would be mine."

From the darkness an arm is procured, the hand attached getting closer and closer to me until it was just an inch away from my cheek. I close my eyes, the hand turning the air around me unbearably cold as if absorbing all the warmth around it. Right before I'm touched, the ring still hanging from my neck begins to feel warm.

"What?! Damn that βλασφημία ότι Hazeblight, I knew I should've acted sooner. Ah well, this only elongs the chase, continues the game. One way or another, I'll win. It's only a matter of time." And then it laughed again, that cold, maniacal laugh. I opened my eyes, getting one last look at the shadow, that I know will haunt me for at least a few nights.

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I close my eyes one last time, and when I opened them again, I'm back in the living room. I attempt to shoot up from the couch, but don't get very far thanks to the weight on my chest. I look around, and Nik and Luca have their backs to the door, someone pounding on it from outside while Hornwell and my mother are sitting on the hardwood in front of me. Their hands are together and they're muttering some mantra, swirls of energy surrounding them.

I then try to figure out what's stopping me from sitting up to be met with large amber eyes. I stifle the urge to gasp and instead try to figure out what's going on. It appears that on top of me is a lion, although an unusually large one. Most of his fur was the color of honey, although his main was a beautiful medallion. At first, I was afraid, I mean it is a lion, but then I looked at his eyes, a combination of xanthous and gold that I recognized. I guess this is Malik's lion form, like how Nik has his dragon form. Impressive.

"Hey! What's going on here??" I ask, attempting to get Malik off of me. I end up only turning over, Malik now on my back instead of my stomach.

"We're under attack, although I've got no idea by who," Nik answers, scales starting to form under his eyes.

"You mean by whom, not 'who'."

"Oh, can it Haze. Anyway, your mom and Hornwell are trying to put up a protection spell, but I don't think it'll do much. We called the Abbas couple and my parents but no one responded. I think we've been had" I hear scraping, and look down at Nik's feet, and see more scales along with claws digging into the floor, trying to keep their footing. "We've just been trying to hold down the fort until you woke up. Is there a back door we can use to escape? Haz tried asking Aliana but she can't seem to hear us in that state."