Alijah narrowed his eyes once I was in his sight.
"Rem, try to meditate without falling asleep," He suddenly announced, leaving me dumbfounded.
Eh?! How is that going to help me after tiring me out like that?! I mean...
I wasn't too tired, but I still felt worn out.
"What? Why?" I asked.
I had no reason to do that, especially with my unstable magic.
That's something for elves or humans. Not me. I'm not a magic user!
"Well, you must figure out how to use your magic without imploding. Magic users utilize meditation and relaxation techniques to aid in this process. Vera was supposed to help you, but she isn't here." He sighed, shifting his gaze towards the door before looking back at me.
Luckily, I quickly understood what he was trying to say, though it left me a bit heated.
"But... why did you say I would fall asleep?" I asked out loud, not realizing I had voiced my thoughts.
He rolled his eyes, shrugging. "Oh, love, I know you will."
I growled in return
I'll show you I can do anything I place my mind to!
Mom tried to get me to meditate when I was a kid, but I never really found a footing for it.
"You're too easily distracted." Mom called it.
I always excelled better at physical fighting than in mental battles, though that wouldn't stop me from trying. Closing my eyes, I tried to concentrate on clearing my mind, but it was useless. Not only did the battle my brothers were enduring against Alijah distract me, but random stuff just bombarded my mind.
Of course… this will only prove you right! Argh! Concentrate!
Getting frustrated, I scuffled my hair while Aiden was sent flying across the stadium. Caden had almost gotten a hit on Alijah, who got serious as he had with me. Aura radiated from him while he used my poor brother as a bat to hit his twin, who had recovered and gone after him.
The blow sent him crashing onto the floor with no recovery in sight. Curses came from both victims as Alijah incited them both, just like he had done with me. It was unfair how strong my wolf was. He was untouchable when he was serious, and it was annoying how he toyed with us, yet he was right.
If Edna ever managed to control a mythic-level shadow demon, it would probably mean death for all of us. Alijah had struggled against the one in Azear, a Sage rank, because of the bond restraints. In comparison, Midnight was at high ancient levels, similar to those of Shade and Ruzgard.
He was the one who stopped her then, too. Dad only beat Shade or Ruzgard by cutting off the magic they channeled from their summoners. Truthfully, we were doomed if Edna ever had a myth under her.
At our point, only Alijah could fight them while everyone else would be a burden, including me. However, if it were to awaken, the book itself would probably be worse than any mythical god from the soul cairn.
Edna didn't know what she was dealing with, or at least to our knowledge.
Come to think about it, the book needs its ranking, as it's more potent than the original gods themselves. Maybe I can pitch a name to Mom later. Celestial... Legendary... No Ascended? Hm...
I went off in my train of thought, ignoring the world around me, which would cost me. It wouldn't be long before Alijah suddenly grabbed me by my hair. I felt like a deer caught in headlights for a moment before he tugged it back and crashed his lips onto mine.
In that instant, I forgot how to breathe. It had all been so sudden that I froze when his tongue invaded my mouth as my body went limp in his grip. However, how he caressed me with his kiss bothered me differently from before.
Separating from me, my wolf smirked before licking his lips. Unlike last time, there were signs of sweat on him from sparring with my brothers, while the duo was lying on the floor again. I could almost see their souls wanting to come out from them after the beating they endured.
Luckily, there were no traces of blood on the floor or them.
"You never stop surprising me. Instead of meditating, you're pondering?" Alijah growled, narrowing his eyes.
Oh... crap, you're angry. Can I even defend this?
"At least I'm not sleeping!" I countered
Alijah sat before me with his arms crossed.
Cute... Wait, is there anything you do that isn't adorable to me?!? Oi... if a god takes his shape, I'm doomed.
"It's the same," he pointed out, much to my distress.
Ah... I'm screwed. Will I have to fight you again? Eh... my hands still feel sluggish… my legs are worse because of what we…
"Well, I was thinking about something important!" I tried to convince him to reconsider.
He raised one of his eyebrows. "Like?" he urged me to continue.
Improvement…
I quickly frowned soon after, "That we're doomed," I answered honestly, nodding.
His expression shifted faster than I thought, eyes shimmering like something had ticked him off.
"Hah... Yeah, doomed. Okay, I won't play nice anymore." Alijah suddenly declared as I found myself surrounded by souls.
He usually made them barely visible and audible with his aura, but with it gone, they were back—something I hadn't experienced since my powers went haywire when I woke up.
"Alijah-tan, what are you doing?" I mumbled, cocking my head.
However, shivers ran down my spine when his eyes turned cold.
Crap… You're…
"If you want to block them out, do it on your own, " he announced in a voice devoid of emotion.
"Wait, I don't have my headphones here!" I huffed.
He shrugged, "On your own, love."
The souls only took a moment to notice that I could see and hear them. I could barely take my eyes off them since they were even clearer than the day I woke up.
Are these two silver Lycans okay? I think that black wolf might have beaten them to oblivion. One soul stood by my brothers' defeated bodies.
Maybe, but oh wait, look. She can see us, can't she? A female soul pointed out to the other male one.
Oh, she's getting scolded again. The male soul snickered.
Others appeared beside them.
Poor thing. It seems she can't control her power.
Are you new here? Hah. Control her power? It might be better to ask her something else. Hybrids are always unstable!
Yeah, now that you say it, she never could control it in the past. The ghosts gathered around me.
Suddenly, we found ourselves surrounded, all while my wolf's eyes never moved from me. Though mine roamed my surroundings, distressed, it caused more ghosts to gather around me. Their voices were so clear that I wondered if headphones would help me.
Unlike before, I could see the souls' exact faces, which were so detailed that it was terrifying. I liked it better when they were orbs and whispers.
"Shut up!" I yelled at them, only to aggravate them more.
Have I ever feared them? Ah... this isn't the first time.
The orbs terrified me when I was a little girl, but seeing their actual expressions was even worse. They didn't seem normal, as their eye sockets lacked anything. While the bodies appeared to represent how they died, leaving a horror show that surrounded me.
Tears ran down my cheeks, triggering Caden to speak out for me.
"She can't handle it!" He warned, even though he couldn't get off the floor without falling back on it.
Instead of listening to him, my wolf continued to stare at me. At that moment, I gave off a purple hue from my body, which made everything worse as more ghosts gathered around me.
How will I ever use them to find Edna?
I couldn't filter one voice.
Alijah's right. I'm not ready for her.
"Shut up! Shut up!" I screeched, covering my ears.
Their voices were merging, becoming indistinguishable.
"Alijah, enough!" Aiden yelled.
This time, my wolf sighed, grabbing my hand and triggering a moment of relief for all the souls bombarding me. Even though he could hear and see them too, there was barely any reaction from him.
"Rem... they can't hurt you. Try again." He tried to convince me of the impossible.
It was true they couldn't harm me, but my sanity was another thing.
"No!" I threw myself at him, shivering.
He held me back like I was something precious to him.
"Alijah, she can't handle it. Please don't torture her like that." Caden pleaded.
All it did was trouble my wolf as his hands trembled like mine. However, he wouldn't allow my brothers to get in the way.
"You two pups need to shut up. What happens if Rem gets separated from me during the fight? Headphones won't keep her safe from attacks! They'll only make her a target. I'll first be hated before I lose her for being incompetent." Alijah growled.
I separated myself from him, still clinging to him, allowing our faces to hover close. He was right. Even if he pointed out all my flaws, I was incompetent in battle. I would never...
"I would never hate you," I mumbled, shaking from what I had experienced.
My words caused Alijah to smile, wiping the tears from my cheeks.
"If anything, I'll make you fall for me again, but I can't bring you back to life, love. So, I can't go easy on you." He smiled bitterly.
His words were like a boulder placed on my shoulders. After all, if I died, he would die soon after, too.
That… can't…
"I won't go easy on any of you." He added, glancing at Caden and Aiden, who also got hit by those words.
Both clicked their tongues before slamming their fists onto the floor. We were children compared to Alijah's experience, and I had to try harder to keep up.
Still, six months is too little time for me. It took me a year to get used to the orbs flying around me. This won't be easy, but I must overcome it and everything else that comes my way.
"I..." I tried to find my will to face this head-on.
Alijah grabbed something from his pocket, removed the hair from my face, and tied it. The warmth of his hand was enough for me to know he was suffering like me. He didn't enjoy seeing me distressed, but I had to get stronger quickly.
There's no choice… I…
When he pulled away from me, I grabbed onto his hands tightly.
"I'll stop being a liability!" I reassured him.
He shook his head, smiling gently at me. "You never were a liability, Rem, but you're my vulnerability. If they try to do anything to you, I'll crumble right where I stand."
"I'll get stronger!" I promised him.
He turned off his aura, beginning the bombardment of ghosts once again.
"Good girl, then again," he breathed.
I hesitantly pulled away and sat back where I was. It was torturous how they chattered about every little thing they had seen, calling me a terrified little girl while calling Alijah a heartless man. This prompted his left eye to shine blue when the ghost targeted him.
At that moment, they noticed he could see them, too.
He's so serious.
Wasn't he the killer the family was trying to stop years ago?
You mean a murderer.
I mean, now he's pounding the Silver Fang girl.
Poor Fenris, must be so disappointed in his daughter.
Well, they never had high expectations for her.
Their chattering was so annoying that Alijah was somewhat bothered, as veins could be seen popping on his forehead and arms..
Well, at least it was good to look at.
I mean, I wish someone would hold me as he does her.
If I were alive, I would probably be a better match, wouldn't I? The dead had no fears as they gossiped among themselves.
I thought witches were mouthy, but Lycans seemed not to stay far behind. Eventually, as the ghosts gathered around Alijah, he ended up snickering.
"You fucking little shits are an annoying bunch." He cursed, narrowing his eyes.
I was struggling even to follow all the conversations directed towards us.
"If it's a show you want. I'll gladly show you every night, making you resent no one will ever hold you that way." He snapped at the souls relentlessly, commenting on us as a couple.
It left me in awe of him once again.
But speak back to them? Or argue... That's...
I only spoke to them when they talked about Lilith, yet he had done it so effortlessly, filling the room with silence, but it would only last for so long until the wave came back in full force.