I stand, looking around the now silent courtyard. The only sound is of the fountain water lightly trickling out of the stone Angels. The street lights reflect off of the surface, creating golden flecks of glittering orbs. If it weren't for what just happened, this would be really peaceful and beautiful. Unfortunately, the events still weigh heavily on my mind. School isn't starting for another week so most of the faculty is out at the moment. There isn't anyone I can tell about this which almost seems more terrifying than the man himself. Actually, even if I could, what would I say and would they even believe me? It all sounds ludicrous, but I know it happened. I still see that look when I close my eyes, those glowing red eyes piercing my thoughts. Somehow, I have the feeling that the destructive orb he created isn't even close to the extent of his power. My thoughts drift to the barren landscape that is now just the remnants of the once lush forest that mainly lies in the east, probably about half a mile from my family.
I breathe a heavy sigh of relief and sit on the edge of the fountain, the cool and damp stone causing me to shiver. I shouldn't be thankful for that, but I can't help it. I know he must have ended over a hundred innocent lives in that blast, but I'm selfish enough to be glad that my family is safe for the moment. I should go check on them, but it seems like that isn't an option right now. It's too dark and I'm afraid that if I go wandering in the forest right now, I might run into that man again... Or something worse...
"Is something wrong?" A voice calls out to me. I instinctively flinch and look up at the origin of the voice. It's the stone man. Fear shoots through me, but it's dulled when I see an oddly genuine smile. He offers his hand and I stare at it dumbfounded. I don't realize I'm shaking until I see my trembling hand reaching out in front of me. My bewildered expression causes him to chuckle softly under his breath.
"Relax, human. I'm not going to kill you just yet..." His gaze wanders to the roof of the academy and I realize that he must have seen the same man.
"Do you know who that man was?" I blurt out as the thought crosses my mind. He gives me a dubious look and snickers slightly.
"No, but he seems to have an odd interest in you." My eyes widen and I look back at him.
"What do you mean?" I demand, my expression faltering. He smirks back at me as if the answer should be obvious.
"You're still alive aren't you? That's shows his interest. Otherwise, well..." He runs his finger across his throat, the grin never leaving his face. I roll my eyes in reply, not thinking that being sarcasting with him can end very badly for me.
"I'm pretty sure he didn't want to bother with me." The sinking feeling in my chest says otherwise, but I ignore it. He simply shrugs and takes my hand, pulling me up from the side of the fountain. I end up almost falling on my face when he lets go. He chuckles again and I scowl at him.
"Still that terrified? Shame. Maybe I should kill you then so it doesn't go to waste." His grin begins to show a hint of malice as he stands up tall, completely towering over me. "I'd love to see that Crimson red blood trailing down your lips..."
I gulp nervously and instinctively take a step back, tripping over the side of the fountain and falling into the cold water. It seeps into my clothing, chilling me to the bone. His eyes widen for a moment before he bursts out laughing.
"Well that was... Unexpected..." With that he turns and begins to walk away. I really want to make a retort, but it would be in my best interest not to. He responds for me, looking over his shoulder in my direction even though I am now mostly hidden in the shadows of the fountain.
"I was feeling nice today, but the next time we meet... Well, you know the rest..." I don't move from the fountain, my heart still racing a mile a minute from the small amount of adrenaline coursing through me. Next time we meet... He will try to kill me again... He must have seen my terrified expression because his grin grew, almost stretching from ear to ear. It is rather creepy to see a smile like that on a man solely made of stone. I'm suddenly curious despite my fear. How is it that he moves? How can he speak with no tongue? As he walks away, the raven lands silently on his right shoulder and he shifts his attention to the midnight black bird.
"Well hello there Arma! Where have you been off to?" There is a moment of silence where I almost expect the creature to speak, but it simply analyses him with silent eyes.
"Ah, I see. Did you find out where he is now?" He asks and I look at the two of them in confusion. Is the bird telepathic or something? I mean, I guess it isn't even really a bird since it can shape-shift into pretty much anything. I sigh softly. Those two are certainly an interesting pair that I would rather not meet again. A few minutes later, they have disappeared into the desolate forest, most likely heading towards the barren wasteland that the man created.
I stand up, water dripping off of my soaked clothing and landing back into the fountain with a soft plop, creating otherwise silent ripples. A small breeze picks up, ruffling the shaded leaves of the trees in front of me. The cold air feels like ice against my skin and I shiver madly, running my hands up and down my arms as the goosebumps rise up. I need to get back inside before I get hypothermia or something else not pleasant. I make my way inside, trying to remain quiet as I wander down the white tiled halls. I slip in the old key and the door opens with a soft click. As it closes behind me, I let out a small sigh of relief.
"Well that was nerve-racking..." I mumble under my breath as I move to my mahogany dresser. I pull out a small blue tank top and a pair of shorts to slip on. The blaring red numbers on the clock read 4:45, so I can probably only get a few more hours of sleep max. The thought causes my expression to fall slightly, but it should be manageable since I don't have any classes yet. I strip down from my soaked and icy clothing.
"Why the hell is it so cold in August anyways?" I mutter aloud. Maybe I should take a quick shower to warm up. I walk silently to the white washed room separated from mine by a small doorway, the colours contrasting majorly with the dark brown of my room. I wonder who made this place? It's so interestingly designed, especially with the wide varieties of colour. I can only imagine what the classrooms look like.
The hot water begins to steam up the room as I wash, letting the streams hit and roll down my tense back. It's only the third day and I'm already a nervous wreck. There are little green bottles of sample shampoo and conditioner provided along with a small bar of light blue soap. It's like I'm in a hotel! Unfortunately, this will only last a few days at max so I will have to go to buy more soon. I shiver at the thought. In the forest, we made our own products, but I don't have the time or resources here to do so. This means I will have to go to a human town. It's been almost ten years since I have interacted with a human. Are they different now? Are they still the same violent creatures that the Fae fear? I instantly feel guilty about my worried thoughts. I'm human and yet I feel so distant from the rest of my kind. The memories of the stone man skim through my mind. He hates humans, right? I wonder if I can convince him that I'm different.
"I'd love to see that Crimson red blood trailing down your lips..." That's what he said to me. Despite the warm water, I shiver involuntarily. A few moments later, the water begins to cool down.
"How long have I been in here?" I ask aloud to myself, the heavy streams of water drowning out my soft and weary voice. I twist the large silver knob and the water shuts off, leaving me in a steamed up and silent room. I quickly dry off and put on my clothes. When I open the door, a small bit of steam follows me in whisky white puffs before vanishing. There is no more darkness, but I still feel on edge. I just need to sleep right now. I can worry about things tomorrow. With that, I crawl under the dark purple sheets and midnight black duvet cover, instantly surrounded in an unemotional warmth that eventually coaxes me to sleep.
YOU ARE READING
Identity (Editing)
Fantasy"Hakasen Academy..." I murmured softly, reading the yellow and partially tattered paper that rested in my hands. Andalo grinned and patted my back, causing me to wince slightly. That boy really needed to learn how to control his strength. "Looks li...
