Dreamer

26.

"What is the blood moon?" I ask Articus as we sit by the field, filled with colourful flowers creating a beautiful scenery. You would think, lack of sunlight would make them wither or die, but amazingly, they have found ways to survive and even bloom at a condition as this.

"You've always spoken about it and I never knew what it is actually." I continue speaking to Articus, while he let's me take a break from my training.

A break he thinks I need, yet, little does he know.

"Don't you still crave revenge on those who did you wrong?" Articus asks me, as his brown orbs stares at me wanting to reveal just how my facial expression would be.

And of course, I do want to get my revenge, it is what drives me, yet, it doesn't mean It clouds my judgement, like Articus thinks.

"Of course, I want to. You know that's the only thing I want." I tell him honestly.

"Then the blood moon would fufil that. That's the essence of you being here on the blood moon." Articus tells me.

"But, wasn't that the need for killing my grandmother, so I can be awakened?" I ask Articus, while I try to hide the distaste and hate that I have been silencing all these weeks, hoping he won't get any hint of what I'm scheming.

I won't deny, it hasn't been an easy task masking my true intentions and having to go through all these, just for what I  have planned from the very beginning, as along the way, it remained hard not to actually fall for the care Articus has showed towards me, and it almost took it all in me not to succumb to Articus, as I began to have mixed thoughts of feeling guilty that, he may be true to me, when I'm not.

Still yet, I remain steadfast knowing i shouldn't be deceived by that, as all his care is just because I look like his daughter, the power  i hold, and for the revenge he wants to get, as if I was to be any other person, Articus wouldn't even look twice at me, which is exactly what I'm using to my advantage.

And because of my mixed emotions, it seemed it made it all fall in place perfectly, because as they say, once bitten, twice shy. 

After my words, Articus remains silent, while his gaze locks heavily on me, trying to read more than I'm letting, but, what he doesn't know is, being stuck with a monster like him for weeks, has taught me many things and has only given depth to my initial plan, that neither one knows of.

I mask my judgement, with a little intend escape of letting my emotions skip through, to make it believable that I am indeed feeling angry, but not hate towards him.

"Tell me something Atheena," Articus begins. "Why do you channel your hate and revenge towards the warlock, and not me?" Articus asks me while my face goes pale at his question.

He shouldn't ask me this. At least not now, not until I'm able to succeed in my plan.

"You may have been the one to have killed the only family that cared about me, but octavius was the one who let it happen. He stood there having able to help, but he didn't, rather he watched as I wailed and pleaded with him to save her, but he never moved an inch. So tell me, even if I do not hate anyone in this world, I should hate him, because I did trust him, but he betrayed me." I reply Articus with my voice bold and convincing.

"And I haven't betrayed you or harmed you? Articus asks again, while what I notice with his question is, he is trying to read me and know my deep thoughts, but as my plan goes, I guess he still haven't figured out that I have been in total control of my powers from the very day I woke.

From the first day I woke up on that bed, the very first time my body felt alive, as every cell in my body streamed with power and control, little do they all know, everything is fallen into the plan I set in pace.

Well, except for the blood moon, which I know nothing of, yet.

"You haven't, because I never trusted you at the beginning, up until the time you saved me from the Bellator luminis hands. I may have had the same hate towards you, but when I was in need, you came for me, so your place and the warlock are two different sets." I lie smoothly, almost convincing myself.

Articus gaze on me doesn't leave, while I muster all the power I can, putting it into defending myself internally from Articus invasion. He may presume I do not know what he is doing, all because he believes he hasn't trained me properly on telekinesis.

Surprisingly, Articus smiles at me, before taking his gaze off me, making me know he hasn't found anything suspicious, yet about me.

"It is quite questioning as of how with the death of your grandmother, you aren't fully awakened yet, but, I guess your attachment and emotions for the humans are stronger than I thought, which still holds you back, but, that's what the blood moon has a purpose for." Articus speaks.

"I don't understand." I say.

"The blood moon only happens  every decade, and its going to happen soon. Before the blood moon, I mean, days before the blood moon, its effects begin to come into place, signalling its presence around the corner." Articus explains.

"It's effects?" I inquire, wanting to know more while Articus gaze at me briefly.

"I begin to feel the effects, such as the weakening of my powers and decrease in my strength." Articus says, while I become even more perplexed and intrigued.

"Decrease in your powers? How is that possible?" I ask perplexed.

"Yes. In case you may have noticed, that your recent training has been somewhat softer?" Articus asks.

"Well I may have, but I thought that's just because of you wanting to let me take a break." I tell him upon hearing his words that may change my plan.

"That is what I told you, but the truth is, I am getting weaker due to the blood moon effects. Every decade, days before the moon, the same event happens, where my powers weaken until the blood moon arrives and I become stronger than ever before,  stronger in ways that I become like a God." Articus says, as I find myself gulping at the intensity of his words and dumbness of me thinking I could actually match with him, as the only reason he may not have been able to penetrate my mind further, is because of the blood moon.

"So you are weak now till the blood moon comes?" I ask him again, whereas he chuckles menacingly.

"Are you sacred that I won't be able to protect you?" Articus questions looking at me, whereas my own thoughts are far from what he thinks.

"Well, maybe. If the Bellator luminis were to strike any day from now, with you in this state, It is frightening to think about." I lie to him.

"You shouldn't be worried about that, as it is not possible for them to come into my world." Articus replies, whereas I know the reason for that, but to play dumb, I'll decide to ask.

"I don't understand, why can't they come in here?" I ask, clearly knowing such information from a credible source.

"To be able to come into the Demon world, you either have to be a Demon or have demon blood with you." Articus tells me. "Don't worry, you would also be able to go as you please when the blood moon is complete, because my blood flows through you, which means, you are now part Demon." Articus tells me such dreading news which I know, as the only good thing that comes out of the news, is that I would be able to actually succeed my plan, since I now carry Demon blood.

"Once the blood moon comes, you will have to he prepared, because on that day is when I will reveal you to my people, where you will stand by my side and then, we would show the world what powers is, and diminish anyone that comes our way." He speaks to me, as I begin to shiver in my own seat, with the quantity of his words.

"If the blood moon affects only you, how is it going to awaken me?" I ask the burning question in my head of wanting to known how to stop this blood moon from happening, or escape before it does. Because one, if it does happen, my plan is ruined. Two, I become someone who would be driven by thirst for power, which exceeds my main aim.

I would have no proper thinking, which is why, I must not be here when the blood moon holds.

"During the blood moon, a ritual takes place. When the ritual is complete, you become complete and your destiny would be fulfilled." Articus tell me as fear overtakes my body.

"What ritual?" I ask Articus in fear.

"Do not worry or fear Atheena, all would be worth it, and like I promised me, you would never bow down to any man ever again." Articus avoids my question, whereas I also do not ask or want to know anymore.

All I know, I have to get out of here, at any cost. My plan must succeed.

All my silence, all my endurance and stillness must not be in vain. Every pain I have felt, my escape is the beginning of my salvation and revenge, so I have to get out of this hell.

From the very beginning, their biggest mistake is underestimating me, as each and every one of them thought I couldn't do anything on my own, thought of me weak, and pathetic and someone of pity that needed saving.

Yes, I did need saving a time ago, but that time is long gone, as everyone of them thinks I have not awakened, but, what they are not seeing is that, I have awakened, I have awakened a long time ago. Since the death of grandmother, every action that I took and is still taking, is all a part of my devised plan to take my revenge on Articus, octavius and everyone who led me to this journey of pain and misery.

Yes, it is so good to feel the power, strength and authority of being able to see and control into the minds of others, but it is not one bit of good to pass through the journey. A journey I never asked for, and a journey i would do anything to reverse.

Which I will.

"So when is the blood moon taking place?" My tone changing from the fear that once surrounded me, to revenge clouding my eyes, and to Articus, he thinks I am still that stupid naive girl, who would still have a peaceful mind with him after killing my grandmother and taking my life from me.

"Three days Atheena. In the next three days." Articus tells me, while I nod my head fiercely at him.

I'm coming, I'm coming for you all in the next three days.

-----------------

As lightening strikes the clouds, so does the rampage of thunder voice through the sky, as the feeling of it all, anyone could tell something is different.

Or rather something is coming.

The blood moon.

I stand by the dark alleys, where no ounce of light peeps through, as the only way I can sense anything is through the use of my powers, by sensing the minds of anything or anyone that may pass through.

At the instant, I feel the familiar frequency of a certain Demon, whom I'm expecting, approaching me. "My apologies for keeping you waiting, your highness. I had to make sure it is secure first." The Demon speaks, while I turn my front to face him.

I stare at him, amazed with my own thoughts of devising such a plan with this Demon, that no one would ever expect, yet, here he is acting on my every command.

"We're running out of time. I know I said we have only a month, but as of now we have only three days. So, I'll need you to get what I need before tomorrow. You knew once Articus is faced by the blood moon, everything I have planned would be in vain." I speak to him.

"So, why didn't you tell me about the blood moon?" I continue, questioning him and his loyalty.

"Forgive me, I didn't have an idea that he would use that as an opportunity, your highness. The ritual only applies to him, but since you carry his blood directly, it only makes sense that it could be effective on you too." He explains to me.

"Anyways, that not the problem. Just get the flower and all would go accordingly." I tell him, all while being on alert.

"Your highness, three days may not be enough for me to get it, I..." He begins to speak.

"I'm not giving you three days Malcolm, you have a day to bring it to me, or I'm sure you know what's going to happen to you if you don't, and you let me become like Articus." I inform him, as that is enough to shut him. "So what's it going to be Marcel? Die by the hands of your king who won't hesitate kill his most betrayal second in command, plotting against him, or leave with me and continue to do as I say." My tone sly, as even I know I have become different.

Malcolm stares at me, as my own gaze remains hard, showing him who has the power here before he takes his gaze below. "You'll get the flower by tomorrow, your highness." He speaks, earning a smile to cower my lips.

I'm coming for you Articus.