The way to become the Great Sorcerer

Chapter 18: Forgotten Nightmare

“Hello? My name is Larcade.” Thinking that it was just some creature, he took his courage to greet it.

At the same time, the Dewin couple was sitting in their living room, worry evident on their faces. They have been wondering for the past hour where could their older son be. At first, they’ve been thinking that he took some shelter waiting for the rain to pass with his friends but they felt something was wrong.

Noah Dewin paced back and forth, can’t control himself, waiting anxiously. His wife sat in their living room, clasping her hands, praying for her son to be safe. Noah Dewin rubbed his hair frustrated, “Honey, I’m going out.” He informed his wife.

She reacted swiftly, dashed to find her husband some umbrella. “You can ask the neighboring Family if they see Larcade.” Athena Dewin kissed his husband’s cheek, telling him to go find their son. Noah cupped his wife’s cheek comforting him.

Noah steps out of their house and tries to look for Larcade. He went to the playground where he and his friends usually play and some other places that are appropriate for kids to have fun but to no avail, he didn’t find his son. Deciding to ask the neighborhood, he knocked on some houses asking if they see his son but to Noah’s disappointment all of their answers were no. Almost giving up, he went to his wife’s brother’s house. Knocking on it, the door swung open revealing his brother-in-law. Henry Collins was shocked to see him, he can sense panic in him.

“Noah, what brings you here?” He asked inviting Noah inside but he refused it. “I was about to ask if you have seen Larcade?” Noah asked, hoping that his brother-in-law did see him. “No, I haven’t seen Larcade,” Henry answered confused, and also worried for his nephew. “Why? What happened?” He asked curiously.

“He is not coming home. Usually, by this time he would be in our house.” He informed Henry. “By the way is Neveah home? Athena said that they were hanging out.” Henry tilt his head confused.

“Neveah already arrived here an hour ago, she’s in her room.” Noah stopped, ‘If Neveah is home then where is my son?’ He panicked not knowing what to do. Henry called on Neveah wanting to help his brother-in-law. Neveah came downstairs and was surprised to see her Uncle. Neveah dashed to his uncle greeting him in which Noah returned it with a hug. Noah crouched down to Neveah’s level, grabbing his arms.

“Neveah, have you seen Larcade anywhere?” Noah asked the little girl. Neveah paused for a second, ‘wait he hasn’t come home?’ She thought realizing that it’s been an hour since she and her friends left him. ‘Then that means he was still in the mansion?’

"Neveah?” Noah asked again. Neveah slightly jumped. She was hesitant to say the truth, she fiddled with her fingers, not wanting her uncle to get mad at her, Noah asked again, feeling that she knows something. “Neveah, did you see Larcade?” Her father, Henry, touches Neveah’s shoulder, getting her attention. Neveah who felt guilty start crying. Both two men widened their eyes not expecting her reaction.

Little Larcade went up to the stairs and saw a black apparition standing there holding the purple light that he played a while ago. The apparition standing still as if waiting for him. Larcade paused for a second. He took his courage and approach the apparition. “Hello.” He stopped meters away.

“My name’s Larcade." offering his palms, he smiled. The apparition moved, it made him slightly flinched. The apparition morphed into a beautiful woman. The woman was the same age as her mother. The woman’s eyes are tinted with a vibrant violet. Her face, emotionless as she stares at Larcade.

Suddenly the woman gave out a wide grin that made Larcade feel goosebumps all over his body. “Well, well, well,” The woman leaned closer to Larcade. He freezes in his spot, widening his eyes. “Aren;t you pretty young boy?” She laughed maniacally, Larcade’s tears welled up in his eyes, he tries not to cry. The woman gripped both of his shoulders that made him wince.

He finally can’t hold back his tears. The sharp nails of the woman pierced his shoulders. Larcade grabbed the woman’s hands trying to remove them. The woman shook him violently, he sobbed because of it. “It’s because of you!” She shouted near his face. The woman repeated it so many times. “Ma!” Larcade shouted, feeling helpless in front of the woman. “Dad!” He sobbed. “It’s because of you.” The woman leaned her face to Larcade, her vibrant eyes staring into Larcade’s wide eyes.

At the same time, Noah and Neveah were sitting in the living room of Collin’s house. Noah who sits Infront of Neveah waited patiently for the child to tell him something that she knows. Henry arrived at the living room later getting water for the two. Henry sits down beside her daughter. “Neveah, if you know something, you can tell us,” Henry said to her daughter with a gentle voice. “I and your Uncle won’t be mad.” Neveah looks down feeling guilty. Many thoughts came to her mind. ‘If only I didn’t hesitate’ Neveah’s tears slowly dropped from her eyes to her cheeks but he quickly wiped it away.

“Neveah?” Noah called out her name in a gentle voice. Neveah sobbed, feeling guilty. “I’m sorry, Uncle!” Neveah shouted causing both adult men to slightly flinch. “I’m sorry! I left Larcade in the old mansion!” Henry hugged her daughter to comfort her. “What old mansion?” Noah said confused. “The mansion that was abandoned in the woods,” Neveah said between sobs. Noah stands up quickly.

“Then can you tell me where is that mansion?” Neveah nod slowly. Henry let her daughter wear a raincoat to protect her and also bought a spare one for his nephew. The three of them step outside, hoping that Larcade would be safe.

Little Larcade cried loudly when the woman’s nails cut his flesh causing it to bleed. “Please, Ma’am, let go of me!” Larcade pleads still trying to remove the grasp of the woman. Larcade is terrified of what will happen if he can’t escape. He can’t help but look into the woman’s violet eyes. He was certain that it was one of the creatures, but this woman was different than the other creatures he met.

“NO!” she screamed.

She looks around in the area and paused, staring at something. Larcade who was curious about what she saw also look. Larcade’s eyes widen when he realized what was she looking for. The woman was looking at the rotten wood that was serving as a railing on the upper floor. Larcade shook her head, knowing what she had in mind he looks for something to hold on to. The woman grabbed Larcade’s collar pulling him, fortunately, Larcade hold onto something. The woman was surprised when she had a hard time pulling Larcade. She began to pull him but due to it, Larcade’s collar ripped that made her let go.

Larcade fell onto the wooden floor with a thud, he reacted quickly and tried to run away by heading down the stairs, suddenly Larcade felt his body become lighter and the ground beneath him slowly getting far away and now he realized that he was levitating.

He glanced at the woman and saw a violet light surrounding her, her hands were in the air. ‘She—magic?’ She motions her hands upwards, it made Larcade float headed towards her. Larcade panics not knowing what to do. She floats outside the railings and he cried when he saw the first floor beneath him. If he falls it would surely end on his behalf.

“Please, save me!” Larcade flails his hands, not knowing what to do. “If only there was someone out there who can save you.” The woman grinned. She slowly put down her hands. Larcade widen his eyes when he felt he was falling. His head was impacted on the cold hard ground; every part of his body was in pain but he can’t scream. His vision slowly fades as blood comes out of its head and into the ground. The last thing he saw was the woman, but she had no longer had violet eyes, her eyes seems to be like a normal person, her face filled with horror as she covers her mouth. However he also saw another figure beside the woman but because his consciousness slipped away, she could not see who it was. ‘Dad…’

“Larcade!” Noah shouted when they were in the woods, Henry and Neveah following behind them. Neveah was praying that Larcade was safe. The last thing that she wanted was her father and her uncle and auntie will be mad at her. She pursed her lips as her grips on her father’s hands tightened. Henry notices her daughter's state, he does something to catch her attention in which he succeeds.

“It’ll be okay.” Henry comforted her daughter and smiled.

Neveah nod also smiling. Neveah didn’t want to make her father worry or find out the truth. For a little girl like her, everything was overwhelming. He did not know what to do or what to say. She was in a dilemma. Her thoughts were an endless cycle of excuses. If she won’t tell the truth then she will be safe from the adults nagging but if she did then she would feel guilty.

Honesty is what his father, Henry wants for her daughter, now that Neveah wanted to commit dishonesty she felt crying. Both her hands and knees trembled on what will come to her. She didn’t want to go to the mansion, she thought that maybe she didn’t tell her uncle but then how can she not tell him when Noah’s face was filled with worry.

The view of the mansion was slowly getting visible. All the three of them run, opening the gate. “Larcade!” Noah tried to open the door but it won’t budge.

“Is Larcade inside, Neveah? It seems impossible since it’s locked.” Henry said but Neveah nod her head aggressively touching the door. “I promise, he went inside here the last time I saw him.” Neveah looked up to the two-man. Noah sighed, irritated.

“Henry, Neveah, can you step back a bit,” Noah said, pushing the two lightly. Henry tilted his head confused about what his tall companion would do. “I’m going to bust this s**t open.” Henry slightly jumped because of the curse word and covered Neveah’s ears.

Noah kicked the door open resulting in it to swung and making a loud noise in the process. ‘What an enormous strength.’ Henry thought looking at his brother-in-law with a slightly awed expression but it quickly changed into horror as the three of them froze on their spot. Noah widened his eyes, not wanting to believe the sight in front of him. His son was currently lying on the cold hard floor, bleeding. Noah quickly dashed to his son calling his name.

Neveah fell to her knees, shocked because of the amount of blood that she saw. A silent ring echoed in her ears as she watched both her father and uncle try to wake her cousin. She heard her heart beating fast in a millisecond.

“Larcade!!”

Suddenly her eyes caught up into something in the corner of a wall. Neveah felt goosebumps as she watch an apparition that was peeking into the wall. Watching the scene unfold. Neveah wanted to shout but to her dismay, her voice won’t come out. She felt terrified as her face painted with horror when the glowing purple eyes panned his direction into her.

Her tears started flowing out from her eyes. She was unable to move as she watch the apparition grin into a sinister smile.

‘ I am not to blame ’

An echoey voice and with a slither ringed into Neveah’s ears. She blinked her eyes trying to erase the thing. When she opened it again, she fell onto her butt when she saw the Apparition was no longer in its former place. Instead, it was behind his father and uncle. The apparition pointed to the bleeding Larcade.

‘ It was you who did it ’.

And because of it, Neveah’s eyes rolled into the back of her head causing her to lose consciousness the last thing she heard was his father screaming her name.