Penumbrae: The origin

CHAPTER 9: HOPE

“ALEXANDER! ARE YOU OKAY?” We heard another voice scream as the person rushed inside and gasped. The new person took out his sword and pointed at me.

“Stay away from Alex or I swear you will regret being alive.” I raised my hands up to show my surrender incase the madmen try to act first and ask questions later.

“Calm down Ezra. I am okay. They helped me. This is unknown girl and Carter.”

“Unknown girl?” Ezra dude questioned.

“Yeah well she won’t tell me her name.” Alexander told this new person and turned to face me eyeing my face as I wasn’t hiding my unique eyes from him anymore. He walked away probably to clean the remains of war. While he was at it the new person advanced towards me with sword in his hand and he never stumbled once. His stance showed that he was a master at swords and his confidence told me not to mess with him as he would end me without breaking sweat.  

He strikes his sword while I closed my eyes waiting for impact, but it never came. Instead I heard a laughter and gasp. I opened my eyes slowly to see the Ezra person laughing and I saw Carter behind him holding a pan with mouth wide open.

“You thought I will kill the person who saved Alex? Never.” Ezra said laughing then he turned around to acknowledge Carter who still was holding a pan for the purpose to attack Ezra but as soon as Ezra started laughing at the sight of Carter he dropped and started laughing harder if it was possible.

“By the way I am Ezra and hey pretty eyes warlock.” Ezra said after his laughing fit was over. He extended his hand for me to shake and I shook it, not finding him dangerous because of his polite smile and easy-going personality.

“I am not a warlock. I am Isabelle Lysander.” I looked down to see our hands united and it felt wrong, but it felt right at the same time. I looked up at him from my lashes to see Ezra stare at my eyes. It was like he was looking into my soul and he could feel and see whatever I was feeling. I moved back feeling a little uncomfortable.

“I am sorry behalf his actions. Ezra have the power to know everything about a person just with some staring and he can’t stop himself from staring.” Alexander said from kitchen. I heard a lot of noise coming from the kitchen and I also heard sizzling too. I walked towards the kitchen ignoring Ezra and saw Alexander cooking. As soon as I saw him cooking my stomach grumbled. I played with my scarf which was still around my neck, making sure it’s hiding my wound and avoiding any eye contact with Alexander.

“Hungry? Don’t worry I won’t poison your dish. This is like a thanks. I seriously would have died if you weren’t here.” Alexander said laughing and going back to work and I turned around looking for Carter only to find him on couch snoring.

“I know.” I said shuddering at the remembrance of vision.

“He will be out cold for a long time now. I used magic on that fleshy which did heal him, but it also exhausted his repair cells, as because of my magic they were repairing at not a normal speed thus the exhaustion. So, don’t worry about him.” Alexander looked at me looking at Carter and explained the reason behind his exhaustion. I don’t know why he thinks I don’t trust him. Although I now understand the reason why he gave me that weird yellow brownish drink instead of healing me like he did Carter. He wouldn’t want me snoring, he would want me answering his questions. He didn’t sound like a 17-year-old boy anymore. He sounded like someone who was used to all of this.

“Aren’t you exhausted? From fighting a wentiko and then healing someone completely and then cooking?” I asked sitting on the island on the counter.

“It could be adrenaline rush, but I have done more exhausting spells than what I did today, so it won’t knock me out.” Alexander smiled my direction and continued his cooking.

“by the way what was that fainting thing? How did all three of us fainted at the same time? And whose scream did I hear?” I asked playing with my bracelets.

“That was your outburst. You didn’t know that?” Alexander eyes raised and he tilted his head trying to understand me and my powers more. I am as confuse as you buddy.

“My outburst?”

“Yeah. That’s why you have no energy. At least that’s what I think. The energy that pulsated out of your body to push me away from Carter was still pouring out of you. Your powers are to strong. From what I know is that much power always comes with a price or at the end this much power will kill it’s owner.”

“But I couldn’t see yours.” Ezra say from behind me.

“What?” I asked shockingly because he spoke after 10 minutes of just staring here and there and I had barely grasped the information Alexander threw my way.

“I couldn’t learn anything about you. Do you have a block on? You are magical right? Your cat eyes and your surname indicate the magic in your soul.” Ezra said taking a seat next to me.

“What can you do?” Only questions kept flooding out of his mouth that he expected me to answer. What he didn’t know was that I also didn’t know the answer to his questions.

I looked at Alexander for help who just shrugs and ignore us as if we are invisible. Or maybe he wanted Ezra to pester me for answers that he wanted to know but couldn’t ask because he was scared that I would kill him.

Ezra ran his fingers through his long dirty blonde hair making me focus there. They were wet and wavy which could indicate the long run he took to get here as he was panting when he got here. I didn’t get a chance to look at him much, but I could tell that his sword was the reason for the muscles in his arm.

“How are you related to Alexander here? You don’t look anything like this kid.” I said ignoring the question that Ezra asked me instead asked my own.

“Well I am his mentor. At a certain age you get a choice to get a mentor or go to academy but sometimes you aren’t given that option and are forcefully sent to academy because of the dangers lurking in the real world. Alexander chose mentor cause well he isn’t that important between monsters and I was appointed to him. I have been training him quite a lot.” Ezra said sharpening his blade.

“And what about his parents?”

“I can answer that. My parents are monster hunters. Basically, they hunt monsters like wentiko and end their life. Dad is still on hunt to confirm this mysterious big foot theory and mom died.” Alexander said without any sadness in his eyes.

“your turn cat. What do you do?” Ezra asked me again looking at me with a serious expression. His smile vanished and so did his polite personality. He looked different right now. He felt threatened maybe. I couldn’t pinpoint the emotion in his eyes.  

“Well till day before yesterday I was majoring in computer science but now, I don’t even know.”

“How did you know that you should help Alexander?” Ezra was throwing question here and there expecting me to answer but I didn’t know the answers to. I was getting frustrated now.

“hush darling. Say more and they will ask more questions. First you didn’t listen to me when I didn’t want you to come here but please listen now girl.”

Oh so you are back now? Where were you Ophelia?

“darling I was there the whole time. Who do you think fought that wentiko for you? Now hush.”

“Hello! Do you often get zoned out?”

“Yeah. Sorry what were you asking?”

“How did you know Alex needed your help?”

“I saw him die.” I said then suddenly remembered what Ophelia asked me not to do. I mentally face palm myself and wait for more questions, but they don’t come.

“Can I get freshen up now? The blood is all dried and it’s restraining my movements.” I asked the boys who pointed the bathroom for me. I wanted to get away from there before they start asking me more questions that I couldn’t answer. I had to cool off too. I used the bathroom that was on the opposite side of the room to wash off the blood that was all around my body and disinfect the wounds. I did all I could do with the materials I had and then proceed to splash my face with water.

I kept saying I don’t remember what I said during my attack, but now those fuzzy memories were clearer. Ophelia herself said it that I was bearing a curse. I was thinking about chaos and earth when I saw something stir in the background. I saw in the mirror that the shadows were manifesting by the window behind me. I turned to see that they had empty places in the places of eyes. I dashed out of the bathroom before they could suffocate me. I walked away from the bathroom and went near one of the windows to look what is happening outside.

The window I was staring out of was showing the side of other house but the only thing I could see was the streetlights. The night was too foggy for a June. This time of the month it’s supposed to be scorching hot, yet I had chills all over my body. After spending some time looking outside my eyes focused on the shadows. They were all looking at me as if I did something wrong. The more I looked the more it was harder to breath for me, so I stepped back stumbling a little bit from being light head. I turned around and saw that the Ezra was intently listening to Alexander. They were whispering so I couldn’t hear what they were saying but I had a feeling Alex was telling his mentor everything he observed about me.

I walked towards them making loud noise with my sneakers so that they know about my arrival and I make nothing uncomfortable. I turned back to see the shadows still there.

“Question. What creatures can’t pass from that purple streaks of yours?” I directed my question to Alex warily.

“Every creature in that book of yours.” Instead of Alexander Ezra replied eyeing my books that were placed on the desk. looking around I realized that the place didn’t look like a battlefield.

“Why do you ask?” Alexander asked me serving food on the plates.

“No reason. Just for, you know, my safety. By the way how did you made this place look better? At least you should have let me help.” I said looking how the place looked spotless.

“We used magic so we didn’t need your help anyway and it’s not like we will let our guest work. Dad would go mad if he heard about that. It’s okay.” Alexander said.

“Can you see the future? How were you cursed?” Ezra's eyes sparkled as he asked me that question. It seemed as if he was excited for my answer.

“Look, let me clear one thing. I have no idea about anything. Whatever is happening with me right now, I don’t want it, I never did. I was okay the way I was. All I want is to get a degree in computer science and do a job. I don’t know anything about your world. I just saw one vision okay, nothing else. Hell, I don’t even know how to control anything.” I told them this keeping in mind what Ophelia said. It can be dangerous. I don’t know anything about this magical world, and anything could happen right now if I told them about everything in detail. They could kill me because I don’t think anyone will like the child that is blessed by chaos. On the other hand, there is snoring Carter on the couch and there are those shadows outside. I must stay here without having any fear thus I shouldn’t be telling them anything which could danger me.

It’s not like I don’t want these powers, it’s not like if I ask them, they will take away whatever Ophelia did to me. Even if they could I have a feeling that it won’t just take away my power but also kill me and as I have already been exposed to so much, they won’t let me be a normal human. It will like those books where the gangsters can’t leave the g**g and even if they want to the only way out is by getting killed and I don’t want that.  Now that I have been bestowed upon this power or curse or whatever this is, I must deal with it and move on. I don’t want to get dragged into this world and start fighting these monsters. I just want to know why I was the ‘chosen’ one and for that I must find one of the 5 people: Ophelia, Eris, Gaia or my biological parents.

“You can spend the night here. I won’t let strangers wonder in my house so I will give you sleeping bag to sleep in which you can put next to your friend. He will wake up tomorrow I guess but I still will serve his food and put it in refrigerator. Here get some energy.” Alexander handed me my food and made two more plates for himself and Ezra.

He had made some spaghetti and meatballs and just by glancing at them my mouth watered. It was aromatic and had filled the whole place with its aroma.

“did you use magic for this too?” I asked taking one bite and instantly falling in love with it. A 17-year-old boy can’t make this. All I can make are noodles and half fry egg. It’s not fair.

“No. When you don’t have a mother you have to learn all this a little quicker.” Alexander said chuckling. When Ezra looked at me, he started laughing.

“What? Don’t laugh at me!” I exclaimed after swallowing the bite and making sure there wasn’t any food around my mouth.

“when was the last time you ate?” Ezra asked laughing and eventually he started choking.

“HA that’s karma for you. Now laugh more. Go on. For your kind Information I didn’t even had breakfast so let me enjoy my spaghetti.” I said while Alexander helped Ezra and burst into laughter. After this we eat food in peace without talking and head to bed. I got my sleeping bag and slept on floor but beside Carter.

While I was on the floor and ready to sleep, I kept thinking about leaving Carter. I felt horrible thinking about leaving Carter here, but he wouldn’t let me go alone. He will always keep up this battle against me and never let me do anything. Maybe I will wait for him to wake up and try to explain how dangerous it is. I mean I can’t heal him with magic yet, so I am not bringing him with me.

I turned side many times, but I couldn’t sleep. A lot was going through my mind and those claw marks were really hurting me now. I couldn’t stop my mind from thinking about what Ophelia said. She didn’t want me here. Why? What is in this place? And why did she only show up when Carter got injured? I just had more questions piled up on the older ones. I just couldn’t handle this much brain activity. I got up and looked around. I saw a desk with lamp and on the desk were both of my books.  

I went near the desk to see the books just to find my backpack on the chair. Figuring that the boys did some magic and got my stuff inside. Not creepy at all.

I kept my bag on the floor and sat on the chair and started going through the books Walter threw in my pile. I first went through the creatures one just briefly looking at the creatures in the book. I was going through the book when my eyes stopped scanning. My eyes were stuck on one page and just by reading the description of the creature, there were goosebumps all around my skin.

Dark watchers. Even their name was creepy.

The book read: They are believed to be evil and aggressive in nature, there are people in the world who admit that such entities are an angel or guardian angel sent to earth and are in form of dark watchers to judge the people’s deed. (P.S we have never met a dark watcher whose behavior was nice towards people and didn’t cause any harm.) Dark watcher’s behavior tends to vary, suggesting they may be as varied as regular people. It has been reported that when looked at in the chest or eyes of dark watcher they emit a loud scream that sounds like screechy static, loud winds, and/or creaking wood. They often cause their victims unable to move, breath and their victim often stare at them in silence, rarely ever speaking. Sometimes they will even sit on their chests paralyzing their victim.

I finished reading and realized that there was nothing important written about them in the book. I didn’t find their weakness or why they are after me. Before I can think more about it, I noticed that There was a note underneath the paragraph which read:

‘We have rarely encountered any Dark watcher; hence we don’t know its weakness as we have never killed them. They are often seen by one person only and commonly that person is either found dead or goes mad and never speaks again. It is said that dark watchers only appear to person for a purpose and we don’t know the purpose. If any person with this book finds themselves seeing such creature my suggestion would be to run and not to stop.’

As I was reading the last sentence the wind started howling and the windows started shaking scaring me to death. I walked towards one of the windows to only end up seeing complete darkness and then I immediately saw two blank spaces in the dark. Thinking that I was probably looking directly at one of the dark watchers face I jerked away from the window and turned around to see that the purple streak were still shooting out of the book and they were continuously placing themselves around all the exists.

I sighed as the wind slowed down and sat back on the desk thinking that for now, I was safe. As I sat down, I closed the book of the chaos not wanting it to give me another set of nightmares. I opened the other book which was named ‘the book of light’ I opened the book liking its name only to find empty pages. I flipped the whole book, pages by pages but it had not even a single word. I closed the book with frustration.

The book that was the light of this world was blank. Well that’s ironic. Chaos scares you to death and the light isn’t even there to calm you down. This world isn’t good for me. I was opening and closing the cover of the book of light to finally see a sentence. A sentence that I missed. “Please drop your blood here.” It read and I was shocked. The book wanted my blood? Even the light here is seen only by sacrificing something. Did I tell you how much I hate this world?

Too curious to let it go I went to the kitchen slowly and took a knife and cut my finger a little. When it started bleeding, I placed that finger on the page and went back to kitchen to wash the blood off. I wrapped my finger with a napkin and went back to the book only to find that the ink on the book was slowly appearing in front of my eyes. A message appeared on the first page and it said my name.

‘Isabelle Lysander. This book is now yours and only you can see its content. This book is especially for you so keep it safe sweetheart.’ Being called sweetheart by a book was beyond shocking but it didn’t stop me from exploring the book. The book was filled with spells and enchantments that could help me in the journey. Even though many things were written in Latin I somehow could understand them and pronounce. I started looking through the book with utmost focus and interest. The book had all of my attention as I ignored all the howling of winds and any sound around me that I didn’t even realize when my eyes became heavy and I dozed off.

At least there was some hope for me in this world.