Their eyes all gleam upwards, trying to find the closest exits to dash away from the conversation, but none appear. All they see are the eyes from those in the back out of the view of the three in the front, chatting away while glaring at them. They don't know what they are saying, and in their dismay, they can barely make out their face, yet despite that, fear fills each of them, an ever-growing anxiety that weighs down on their hearts and souls as if their lives were only moments away from being ended by a sword.
In their minds, the illogical response brought on only compounded their feelings of worthlessness, as they couldn't even control their own minds in the moment. The more they try to hold back the fear, the anxiety, the anger, the tears, the more their weakness gets embedded into their minds. So they smile, and try to hold onto all of the frustrations and anger that keep crushing them down again and again. But even if it was small, the kindness they had all felt from the 3 who had spoken to them eased the pain a bit, it relieved their heart ever so slightly, and within them it left a spark; could I tell them how I truly feel?
Yet their methods only convinced those who stand in front of them that their suffering wasn't present, and due to that, they said with eyes full of joy words they wouldn't want to hear.
"We know it's hard how they speak to you, but you should just try more. If you do everything will be better."
Despite all of the kindness, despite all of the wars of care they give to them, the three know that at the core of their family in front of them, they see nothing wrong with the ministers methods, those very same methods they brought untold amounts of suffering an anguish onto them, those methods that made them abandon their people and country to live in lands were they would always be different, would always be secomd class citizens.
In the face of those words, all they can do is laugh. "Hahahaha," in the weakest of tones.
This is all they can do to keep their heart protected. To defend themselves from the weight of reality around them, waiting for the days when their prayers of strength will be answered, granting them the ability to be the truthful versions of themselves. Yet until then, a shining star has been sent to protect them. In front of all three of them, snow falls from the sky around them and their family, causing all but Šviesis, Marinescu and Jūlija to look up for a moment as they see the snow only fall onto the small circumference around where their family stands.
"Look and be amazed, comprehend and be amazed, for your lovely snow white warrior of rainbows has appeared to protect and serve the wonderful people in front of him."
Everyone's eyes look down at Orb, who stands in front of them, and with a giant red coat and a suit underneath, Orb says, "Look and stare at my amazing illusions."
Orb quickly grabs a series of flowers, and says, "I will now use my wonderous powers to transmute these violet flowers into a series of blue, silver and gold flowers. Just keep your eyes on them, my wonderful audience."
Jūlija says, "We are trying to have a conversation, leave?"
Marinescu says, "Don't be so rude, but in the end, all of these tricks are just misdirection; it's kind of a waste of time to play them on generals."
Šviesis says, "You're the child who insulted my wife, aren't you?"
The three all glare at Orb with looks that force the three idiots behind him to shake in fury, but with golden hair, Orb stares at the three of them with a smile full of arrogance and says, "Are the grand 2nd seats of Blestemate so weak and pathetic that they want to hide away from getting tricked by a little boy?"
Pride fills all three of their eyes, and in unison they say, "Go ahead."
The pressure they all release sends fear through the body of the three behind Orb, who quickly grab him out of fear. Ivana says, "Orb, stop! They will kill you."
Turning with a smile, Orb says, "That sounds like a great time."
Wadim, grabbing his face, says, "I forgot he is a pervert."
Gheorghe says, "He actually enjoys Elia's stares! We should have never let him walk loose!"
Orb grabs the flowers, freezes them, then brings out a cup in which he throws the fragments inside, causing shock to move across everyone's faces.
Jūlija says, "You're curse is regeneration, and your legacy is the power of ice and snow. What are you playing at?"
Marinescu says, "Maybe he can regenerate anything, even outside his body?"
Šviesis adds, "I doubt his curse would have such abilities; otherwise, during the match earlier, he could've used it for more offensive purposes. It's best to just watch."
Orb quickly freezes the top of the cup, and then shakes it around at high speed, while saying, "Red branch battle arts; Tulip."
He dashes across the room in ever-changing patterns, yet no matter how much he moves, the 2nd seats eyes keep up with him perfectly, right until he lands back in front of everyone.
Staring at them, he says, "You're all rather perspective."
"Of course we are child, don't mock us. But more than that, you didn't do anything other than shake the cup," Jūlija says.
Laughing, Orb says, "Is that really all you got?"
"Then show us its contents," Marinescu utters as his muscles rage in anger.
"Alright, but I expect a series of hugs and kisses when you are all deceived."
Orb quickly opens the cup, and inside, not a single piece of the flowers' frozen dust remains, causing everyone watching to open their up wide, and in their state of shock, Orb snaps his fingers and from the ears of all those behind the 2nd seats, blue, gold, and silver flowers emerge.
The faces of everyone around him break into shock as they try to comprehend what has happened around them, and standing in front of all of them, Orb says, "Oh, what is this? It seems the great and powerful 2nd seats of the Blestemate weren't able to see through the trick of a little child. How embarrassing, how disgraceful, how utterly mind-boggling."
Jūlija says, "You must have a cursed item on you somewhere?"
"Blaming me for cheating merely shows the limits of your intelligence, doesn't it?"
Marinescu says, "Do it again. I will see through it this time?"
"Ahh, really? Why should I? Maybe you should have just tried harder the first time. But I guess your limits are far too heavy to break free of. I am not paid for entertainment, at least offer something up to me, if you plan on wasting my time!"
"Don't think you can insult us in front of our family and walk away from here boy. So use the trick again, and in return, we will grant you any wish you want each time we fail."
"Oh, really? Well, that sounds like fun."
Orb quickly takes out another flower from his side and repeats the process, completely taking the attention of all those who stand before him, and in that moment, from behind Ivana, a hand presses against her.
She jumps forward and turns around, where she sees Iancu, along with Suzuka and Maple. Looking at his red face, Ivana, with a panic across her face, says, "Is something wrong? You look sick, Iancu."
Suzuka giggles at his side, and his face continues to turn red, but he takes a deep breath in. Holding his hand forward with an embarrassed face, Iancu says, "Would you like to dance with me?"
"Huh? You want to dance with me, Iancu?"
"Yes! Now let's go do it." Grabbing her hand, Iancu starts to walk Ivana away. Suzuka, in the same moment, wraps her tails around her arms, forming giant hands and quickly grabs Gheroghe, as Maple takes Wadim's hand.
All three of the groups move towards the centre of the room, where Nightmares swing partners around as music plays through all of their ears. As they all lay in the centre of the dance floor, Iancu adjusts himself, and in sync with Suzuka and Maple, he starts to swing his partner around as he steps to the music.
ΦUnable to resist Iancu I am swung around, and as I swing to the rhythm, everything quickly dawns on me, causing me to say, "What's going on!"
"I am trying to dance with you and allow you to have a good time. Now stop asking questions!"
"But you don't even know how to dance?"
"I made a contract with a demon to learn a bit."
My eyes quickly gleam over to the side of the room, where I see the pink-haired devil, who greets my eyes with a smile. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT! WHO KNOWS WHAT SHE WOULD HAVE YOU DO AS PAYMENT?"
The panic I feel causes my concentration to slip for a moment, and as I move, I step directly onto my dress, causing me to trip for a moment, yet Iancu quickly catches and redirects me to standing upright.
Holding his head low as we continue to swing, Iancu says, "Because you're my family, dumbass, and today it's my job to make sure you feel special."
Looking at his young face, my mind flashes back to the first moment I saw the adorable cheeks that sit on his face.
-15 Years ago-
Location: Elpída, Our Saviour Asclepius Hospital
Seeing her hold the little child in her hands, I ask, "Is everything okay with it?"
Avram walks into the room with a gaggle of gifts covered in red stars, 12-pointed stars, and places them beside Gloria. Then he stares at her for a moment before saying, "You know the three of you don't have to hide behind that door, right? Iancu isn't going to bite, but with how hungry Gloria is, she might."
"I will drink your blood first, then my hubby. Now come give the newborn blood sucker a hug, guys."
Gheorghe says, "I might fall and crush him if I get too close."
Wadim adds, "I don't want my loser energy to infect him; that boy still has a future!"
Feeling my hands tremble, I say, " No way, all babies hate me. They can sense the intense lack of reliability from me."
Gloria lets out a laugh, before glaring at us and says, "I didn't send 14 hours pushing out this baby for me and it to get as many congratulations as possible. COME OVER HERE AND PAMPER US BOTH YOU THREE IDIOTS!"
The baby in her hands starts to smile and clap as we all rush over to her with fear running through our bodies. Holding the baby in front of us, she says, "Isn't my little Iancu Bogdan cute?"
Seeing its face come over to us, we all grab each other and hold ourselves all prepared to run at a moment's notice. Yet as we do, Iancu's happy expression fades away completely as the little newborn Nightmares stares right at all of us.
"He is going to pounce on us."
Gheorghe says, "He can smell the weakness."
Wadim says, "Maintaining eye contact with him is way too intense!"
We all wait for the tears to spill out of its eyes, yet to our horror, Iancu jumps out of it's mothers hands right towards. In a moment, I can feel my soul, along with the two beside me, completely vanish from our bodies, before we quickly all reach to grab the baby, hitting into one another and tumbling down.
Feeling Iancu lying on my chest, I say, "I've got him." Then, as the pain fades, the three of us quickly sit up and say, "WHY!" As I hold Iancu in my arms.
Yet he just laughs and claps the more he stares at us, and looking at Gloria, I say, "Why is this thing smiling? He almost just died!"
"Isn't it obvious. It's because he knows his three family members will be there to catch him no matter what. It seems he just wanted to get playing with you all started."
As my eyes slowly return to the baby in my arms, I say, "He wanted to play with us?"
I try to gather my thoughts together, but I feel Iancu's little palm reach out and grab my face, and from my eyes, tears start to flow. "He really is happy to see us."