Dreamer

11

My pace increases, while I wipe the remaining tears off my eyes, as I proceed to grandmother's house to pay her farewell.

Even if I don't get to say goodbye to my mother, I have to say goodbye to her.

Dusk already setting in, and I know I have limited time left. My heart races and pounds, as though I can feel the world closing in on me, reminding me of the less amount of time I have to leave before Articus strikes again.

Through his words, I am certain that whatever would happen next which would require his presence or his demons would be deadly, and I do not want to experience either, so this is the safer option.

After my encounter with Orion and Octavius, I haven't gotten a glimpse of any of them anymore. So much for them saying, they are here to help.

But where are they now when Articus has threatened everything around me?

And still yet I can't blame them, I basically told them I can take care of my own skeletons. But even as that, they are still a reason why I'm in such a circular circumstance of running round the same problem.

As I walk it gets even harder, as every cell in my body tells me to turn the other way and just run away for good, but my heart knows that I have to at least see grandmother one last time.

Where am I even gonna go?

How do I even survive?

I barely have enough money to take me up to a month, what the hell a I even thinking?

I run a hand through my hair as I approach grandmother's place while all these thoughts fills my head, yet the main question remains, do I really think I can run away from Articus?

But even if I can't, I could always try.

I reach the little, brow cabin having a spacious corridor by the front as I walk to it, before opening the door.

"Grandmother." I call instantly knowing that she would have to be at home for the door to be unlocked.

"Grandmother," I call again have not hearing a response from her. "Grandmother," I call more loudly, going deeper into the cabin and still yet, no response.

My heart begins to race, as my pace becomes slower, hearing how quiet the house is.

Where could she have gone?

I check her room and mine all together and no sign of her, while the hairs on my arms raises

tremendously. At the sound of me closing the door to my room, my ears pick up inaudible muffling sound, making my attention go wild.

"Atheena run!!!" The next words comes very audible this time, as I stare at the transparent window to the back yard of the cabin, with my two eyes laying on my grandmother on her knees, as a man stands behind her, gripping her hair in his clawed hands, while a smile lays on his lips.

Oh no no no no!

"Grandmother!" My feet move on their own, dashing through the door that exposes the backyard as my eye widens the more at the sight of Deamonium Rex at the middle of it all.

"You sadistic monster!" Anger boils and rush through my legs, racing to meet the monster who has a grip on my grandmother's hair. My intention of freeing my grandmother goes down with my body as with a flick of Articus fingers, I'm fringed back by a force field I do not know how of.

"Agh!" I wince hard as my elbow scrapes the floor painfully, but that doesn't stop me as I march again and he pushes me back down again with just a stupid flick of his finger.

That monster!

At my dismay and struggle, Articus finds it entertaining as he watches me with menacing eyes. "Atheena!" Grandmother's voice comes with worry and pain, as I stare at her with tears falling at her eyes.

"Leave her alone please!" I beg giving up on running knowing I'm getting no where. I pant heavily staring at Articus, with his gaze on me still not saying a word. "Please leave her alone." I beg more sincerely.

"Atheena.. " Grandmother's voice comes wryly, making my breath hang at just staring at her weak demeanor as tears fall out of my own eyes.

"Grandmother... " I call back as the tears fall harder. "I am so sorry." I cry at the sight in front of me knowing I am the cause.

"Please Articus!" I beg again trying to move a bit further when Articus raises a finger and I stop in my tracks. "Please!" I beg again staring at the six inhuman creatures in my presence all waiting for a command from their master, who's sitting by the chair that belonged to my father.

And still yet, what am I to do?

As the black colour he is wearing and has always worn describing his personality of how dark he is, he places a hand on his chin, showcasing the bright red ring located on his index finger.

"I warned you Atheena, I gave you a choice... "

"You gave me nothing Articus! You call that a choice?" My voice dry but loud to express my feelings. "You call wanting to rule the world a choice?" I ask him again.

"Yes, because it is what we are made for!" Articus gets up from his seat as my heart soon start beats faster.

"Maybe to you, but it is never what I was born for and I would never do it, I would never trample over people just to get what I want. And if this is the life you're offering me, if this is how you treat people, then i decline to your request, then I do not want anything to do with you. You can go ahead and kill me, if that pleases you, but leave my family out of this." My eyes on Articus.

"Then where would be the fun in that?" Articus looks at me chuckling menacingly. "You do not understand Atheena what I am trying to give you, and because of that I would have to get you to understand the hard way.

I will break you Atheena, then I will build you. I will crush you, make sure that you have nothing and no one else to look after or look towards, then I would rise you, I would show you what you're capable of, because only then can you truly reach your destiny." My heart races with fear at Articus voice sounding true and cruel to every word he speaks.

"My destiny or yours?" I ask him amidst all the fear.  " You are only doing this because of the power you would obtain, and at that you are nothing but a selfish person. Break me all you want, but I would never ever succumb to such a deceitful life you offer." I speak to Articus knowing that my words are not smart.

Articus stares at me before a smile takes over his face. "You can't hide it anymore my heir, I can feel the power in you, just a little push and that's all." He smiles the more.

"I am not your heir and would never be.... "

"Kill the woman!" Articus cuts me off as that sends my whole reaction back to the fear I held in the beginning, and not the courage I was trying to muster.

What?

"No.. No! Please don't, please Articus don't.... Don't do it.... I beg of you," I beg seeing the one holding grandmother's hair retracts to grip her by her neck.  "Please! Fine....  Fine I'll do whatever you want... Please leave her out of this." I beg with tears cascading my eyes while the same goes for grandmother who is beginning to struggle for breath.

"It is the only way, my child. It is the only way." Articus spares me one last glance before giving the creature another go ahead, while my eye widens in horror.

"No!" I couldn't let it....i can't. My pace moving on their own to try stop what is about to happen, rather I find myself back on the floor as the force field Articus created before remains.

"Articus!!!" I begin banging on the field not caring on the amount of energy I'm putting in, or the pain I'm feeling in my hand as the creature raises grandmother by her neck while she gasps for breath.

As my banging continues, it doesn't miss my eye as a red arrow pierces through the force field, going directly to the creature's head holding grandmother, as at the instant grandmother is left to fall on the floor gasping and holding her neck.

My gaze turning back to see where such arrow came from, when my sight meets a pair of eyes and four appearance.

My gaze meeting that of Orion first, seeing him with an bow and arrow answering my earlier question, before they move down to Aurelia, the other boy from my first dream of Orion, Octavius, and another female I do not recognize.

They're presence not being my major attention, not that I am not grateful, but grandmother is my first priority. 

It seems as though the arrow paved way by breaking whatever field was there initially, as I am able to get through, but not before I am thrown back down by another force not other than Articus, who has a demeanor more than rage.

And as the creature he brought with him begin running towards my direction, I try to move back with my ass still on the floor.

As one almost gets closer, I feel a rush of wind by a presence fleeing the air, and coming straight for the monster by cutting off his head.

Orion.

Second time he's saving me.

His gaze meets mine as the creature, meets the earth, as that blue close orbs of his jams mine once again. "Are you okay?" His voice which I clearly do not think I can forget come through.

As much as his voice comes striking with his appearance, with the black body fitting pants and buttoned up jacket he's wearing, grandmother's safety is still my top priority.

I don't answer a word, but get up and begin my race to reach grandmother, after seeing that Octavius and rest have their hands busy by fighting off these creatures.

My reaction comes to a stop in an instant seeing my worst nightmare come through, with Articus hands now transformed to claws around grandmother's neck.

"Please don't!  You won't get me by doing this. Save are her life and I promise to come with you." I tell Articus not even sure if my words are of deciet.

"No. The only way for you to see yourself for who you truly are is by doing this." Articus says, as at the end of his words I see his mouth begin to wide open, and fangs grow out of his teeth, before he buries them deep into grandmother's neck.

"No!" My whole world shutting down and my ears blocked out from any exterior sound, while my legs take pace on their own running to free my grandmother, but no avail as Articus do what he does best by flinging me with a raise of his finger, yet that doesn't stop me, as I get up again but this time my legs stays glued,  no mater the amount of pressure I put in them to raise them and run.

No!  No!  What's happening?  What can't I move my legs?

I raise my head up to see Articus with a smile, as his fangs come out of grandmother's neck, and blood gushes out with him smiling, proving that he is responsible for every action taking place.

"Do something Octavius!" I yell not taking my gaze off my grandmother as her voice comes inaudible. "Do something!" I yell again, this time turning to Octavius with pending eyes.

Octavius stares at me with sad and weak eyes, proving me wrong of how I thought any of them as my savior.

"See you again Atheena." And those are the last words of Articus, before I watch him snap grandmother's neck  and she falls to the ground, before he disappears.

"No!"