We were far from the beat up restaurant now, however weird Jorm was, he really helped them by giving such a large sum of money, I knew the old lady and Nunnally were struggling running that place. no matter the amount of times I tried, I couldn't read him, not at all, and his surname, Velvet was it? I felt like I had heard that name before but I just couldn't remember where. But like usual, I didn't like wasting brainpower for something that either would be a waste of time or something that I really can't remember.
"Alright bro, I'll go on my own now." Lucille suddenly spoke while I was lost in thought.
I turned my head towards her "You will?" I asked for some reason, "Yes, it's gotten too late." She replied, I hadn't realized how fast time had passed, so much happened that I wasn't even surprised that I lost track of it.
"You sure? I'd be willing to walk with you until you're home if you want." She shook her head "I'll be fine, besides, I've put you through so much trouble today already, I can't possibly ask for more." My face turned in confusion "Trouble? You were quite the opposite actually." Either she was too polite or perhaps a bit insecure the way she was talking, or maybe both. She chuckled nervously "Well... I better get going." She turned to the right when I was planning to go to the left. "I had a lot of fun to say! Thank you so much bro!" She yelled as she turned around running backwards after distancing herself.
I gently smiled and waved at her as she walked far and further away "Odd girl." I muttered to myself while I still had a smile on my face. Is this what it feels like to send your little sister off to school? I wondered. I certainly didn't have a good experience with a little brother though, perhaps little sisters are better than little brothers in general. But all of that aside, I had to worry about my idiotic older brother. It's a common belief that older brothers are reliable all the time, but mine just piled up more trouble for me to handle. Regardless, I was happy he was still alive, I couldn't imagine losing another person I held dear to me, I didn't want to let it happen again, no. I couldn't afford to let it happen again, too much was at stake here.
Anyways, I was walking to my apartment, and the neighborhood was as lively as ever. "Is that Alan?" I heard a bunch of voices cheering in similar ways but I nervously smiled at them and waved as I slowly walked past them all until I was completely over the bright neighborhood and arrived at the dark and gloomy building I called my apartment.
As I was climbing the steel stairs that led to my apartment, I realized how crampy it had gotten. The noise made by the stairs was bothersome but I was used to it regardless. It didn't take long for me to reach the door to my place and I reached my pockets just to find nothing called a key there, realizing I had messed up when I didn't look hard enough for the keys when they weren't there with my belongings in the hospital, Guess I'm not going to be home today... I thought to myself, kind of frustrated but no point in thinking too much about it.
I climbed back down from the same old stairs I climbed through, and started walking back into the neighborhood which I just went past recently, however, it had gotten dark all of a sudden, not a single trace of anyone, Odd, I was sure I saw a town of people just now, not even 10 minutes ago "Hello!" I shouted but no replies came, the weather was cold, very cold, sending shivers throughout my whole body as I looked around. It was odd because I don't usually feel cold even in winter "Hahahahaha..." I heard a distant sound of someone laughing that faded quickly, I looked around shouting things so that the person hears me, again, I was met with complete silence.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA" the sound got louder, creepier, almost as if someone was shouting their lungs out to my ears, Gah I gasped, breathing heavily due to the severe mental damage I had just received, though my ears were almost deafened, I cautiously focused on strengthening the other senses I had, barely being able to keep my eyes open, in the darkness before my eyes, I noticed an eerie shadow moving around at such a speed that my eyes couldn't follow, it's not like it was the shadow of something, It felt like it was a shadow itself.
Suddenly it stopped moving, having a stance similar to that of a hungry wolf but... It was standing. I was creeped out but I prepared myself for the worst, my ears were fine now so I stood up, I pulled out 2 of my daggers as the strange being started approaching me slowly and steadily, I couldn't make out if it was intimidated or was looking down on me, I could only see its freakishly glowing white eyes on his pitch black body. "Guess talking won't work eh?" I asked even though I didn't expect a reply, it remained silent for a brief moment until it spoke "Oh it will. I can assure you that." A grin shot up his face as he looked at me after changing the form of its head somehow, a human, it had turned into a human, at first I didn't notice but the face he took on started looking more and more familiar to me... Perhaps because of the face he took on... Was mine!
"Freak! Just what are you?" I yelled, "Oh, I am you of course." It started chuckling with his annoyingly creepy voice which started to resemble my own now.
Enough of this, I thought to myself as I rushed the walking being that looked like myself now. I swinged the first time with my right and my blow just... Went through him, as if he was made out of smoke or something, but that wasn't all, just by that simple swing that completely passed him as if he was mere smoke had my blade burning hot like coal in a furnace, and my hand had suffered a burn as well.
It suddenly grabbed the arm I had just swung at it with and kicked me by the side of my waist. It felt painful, even worse than being squeezed by that giant. I was sure if it hadn't been holding my hand, I would've been sent flying to God knows where.
I had just come up with a theory that I wanted to test out, perhaps imbuing body with my Rukh would affect this being made out of... smokeless fire from how each and every contact felt like, immediately I started the process and imbued my dagger with a bare amount of Rukh thinking about not wasting any in case this was unsuccessful, my body was nimble as it felt, I mustered up the energy to grab him in a lock, I moved as fast as I could, still hanging from the tall creature's grip, I wrapped my legs around his waist and stabbed him right between his chest, the sound of it shrieking was unbearable.
After suffering in agony for a few seconds, the flaming being got pissed and let go of my hand and prepared his own to punch my head into the ground, and it was successful... I was on the ground but not entirely how the creature must have planned. I had moved my head slightly so I could avoid the critical hit that was about to possibly smash my head like a watermelon, the being got even more pissed at me for evading its attack and was about to get its hand out of the ground and try to punch me again probably, but this time, I grabbed hold of its hand instead, I smirked right before I picked him up barely by his hand, he was heavy, way heavier than I would have liked but oh well.
I slammed it on the ground but it took no time for it to get back up and attempt to run away, I quickly kicked it's leg from behind, getting him off balance, giving me another chance to hold him on the ground, and it was successful this time, I reached its shoulders, slamming him on the ground, I moved quickly to pin it on the ground, I was panting as I completely had him on a lock, I looked at its eyes after recovering some breath, that would turn out to be a grave mistake, just by a small eye contact, I was starting to feel dizzy, and the smokey thing's face started changing again... Resembling Arza out of everyone.
"Bastard...!" I muttered, barely keeping myself awake, until I heard it shouting "Alan!" Continuously until a heavy slap imbued with flames hit my face, at the same time as the thing started turning into smoke and approaching my face, the slap got all the dizziness out of me, I put my hand on my swollen right cheek "Arza..." I was shocked, embarrassed and confused all together. "Yes, you moron!" Arza was blushing despite the immense anger she had on her face, "Have you always been this-" I was interrupted by my embarrassed friend. Who was even more embarrassed now, Arza pushed me as hard as she probably could, "You have to be nervous..." She stood up and started cleaning the dust off her clothes "What got into you anyway? You were lying on the ground and when I got close, you just pulled me to the ground and jumped on top of me." I felt some kind of relief to hear that that was the only thing I did and that I hadn't done what I did earlier to the being to Arza "You okay?" As nervous as I was earlier, I was dead calm now for some reason, perhaps seeing someone you know closely after an odd day could be a refreshment.
"I am more than okay! Don't think some amateur Judo like yours is enough to do anything to me you fool." A smirk shot up her face, as she nodded, crossing her arms with her eyes closed.
Same as always, I thought to myself with a relieved smile on my face.
"Anyways, what are you doing here of all people?" I asked Arza back into question, "Oh." She said as she reached the inside pocket of her coat and brought out a shining key like object "your keys." She threw it at me while signaling for me to catch it, I caught it "Thank you! I was just locked out of my own house earlier, and was planning to sleep outside, sheesh." She looked at with awe, "That's... Sad..." She said, "Oh well, I've left some homemade food in the fridge if you feel hungry. I've been taking care of the place ever since you shut down." I was too much in her debt, taking care of me and my place, I had to repay her somehow.
"You're too kind Arza, let me give you a hug for compensation!" I said sarcastically while closing in on her, she placed her hand on my face holding me off from getting any closer, I could see her red face through her fingers, "I think that's enough." She muttered gritting her teeth, I stopped and lowered her hand and laughed a bit "Don't worry, I was joking. I'll repay you one way or another though." She smiled "Let's leave it at that then." She turned around and started leaving, "See ya tomorrow!" I yelled at her from behind, "See ya." She said without turning back.
-
I was back at my apartment, this time I could actually go inside because of the key Arza brought back for me, and as I expected, the place was clean like a glass, no sign of dust is spiderwebs, took care of the fear I thought I'd come to. I was tired so I didn't bother looking around too much. I went to the kitchen and got a cup from the shelf and filled it up with water from the sink. My throat was dry, and I also needed Sol replenishment, which water helps, even if it's a bit. I drank the water and went straight to bed, laying there looking at the sky, wondering what was them that Jorm talked about, and Lucille's eyes and especially that smokey being that I fought which had the ability to change its presence, I tried convincing myself that it was a dream or something but that wasn't the case, the burn I got from it on my hand was still there, I decided to do some research on it as well alongside the case with Elijah, but for now...
I yawned, it's time to go to sleep, I thought to myself right before my eye bags started feeling heavy and I fell asleep…