The Creatures Series

Eighth Mist

Eighth MistCreatures of the Mist

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##### Eighth Mist #####

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Where veil of cloud appears to savor you with the hands of ghosts that stroke every inch of your skin.

Where tongues of fire lick the air that surrounds you, trap you with no other way than come and burn with the dancing eves.

When traces of blood stains red over the pure white wedding, inviting rose thorns and the very red of the petals, floating in the gust of chilling wind.

When there's only one call for you to the edge of the end, the sky's red and the lava looks so delicious, it's drinkable.

Haunted house, in the midst of an abandoned forest, screaming mist and mysteries. Scaring away while secretly wanting you to enter.

Gate of hell, standing succubus, beautiful and deadly, waving your way in. Destruction is tempting you to join.

It is her. The girl with shining black hair, which is long enough to kiss the ground. The one with the skin so pale, it reaches the shade of little, dull gray. The skinny-sexy one, a body you'll kill for or trade your soul to the devil. She's that's voice so smooth, you never wonder why you just gave your life away.

Enthralled me.

If that’s what it takes to lure me. I don’t care, if that’s how my own grandfather wants me to take over his position.

But it doesn’t seem like he wants to sweet-talk me when he opens his mouth again once the two of us are finally alone.

“Arsene, it’s been a while since the last time we chat. So, how are things going. I heard you brought a boy along with you today,” he starts, taking a sit (not on his throne, but on one of the chairs near a small table). I follow him and sit on the unoccupied one.

“Yes, he’s my apprentice, Trace Greymist.”

Grandfather pulls one of the thick old books from his short row of collection. “The only Greymist on earth.” There’s no surprise in his tone.

“Yes,” I say, nodding.

“Where did you find him?” He asks, a little bit curious but never lift his gaze from the book he’s start to read.

“I found him in Abandon City, an area where even humans and monsters ignore.” When grandfather tells me to go on, I continue. “I didn’t think he was who I know now back then. He wasn’t in a proper condition when I found him, but I took him in anyway. When I discovered that he also possessed magic in him, and the fact that it’s no ordinary magic, I just decided to make him my apprentice instead of giving him up for adoption. It might sound a little bit selfish at first, but he’s much safer with me, for everyone’s beneficial.”

“I see. How about you? Doing good with everything? Where do you live now?”

If he heard the news, then he probably already know that I’m no longer joined in Sorcier. I’d spent almost my entire life in Sorcier, having friends and gain experiences. It was the happiest days of my life. I met Minny there, our late group member. It was my fault to take her out and away from the world of magic. I thought I was doing something good, until my own powers failed me at my most important moment. I went back after my late friend, Shara, encouraged me (even though she was half-hearted to do that) to get back to the team. I was thrilled. We reunite back and have another journey of our lives. I thought days like those would never end. But nothing lasts forever....

I was captured, almost killed for doing my job as a Court ─ a wizard who brings justice to creatures that do a rule breaker ─ and being trapped inside a doll host and used. As worse as time can be, I also found a way to climb back to my normal state. It ’ s just that not everything can be overcome with only strong will power. Not after Arch ’ s, Shara ’ s and Nono ’ s deaths.

“Still a little grieving, but I’m working on it.”

My grandfather knows about their deaths. He has been checking on me once in a while through his spies. He also helped me made sure that Arch’s, Shara’s and Nono’s graves are being taken care of properly, even though I didn’t ask him. But even as years go by, I still can’t erase the sadness in my heart. I believe even Banri, Crease and Shrade are all still upset about their deaths.

It was a good thing that grandfather helped them get some suitable jobs. They’re not in Sorcier anymore as well. Their presences of being there built up memories just made them become more upset. That was why they were transferred to other cities, but still got proper jobs and livings. We both made sure of that.

“ Trace and I live in this one deserted manor inside a meadow area. It ’ s super convenient, really. Humans never come visit and we can do our training freely around the house ─ even when we ’ re outside. ”

He turns a page of his book before commenting. “You and your apprentice seem really close.”

I think about it for a moment before answering.

“I guess you can say it like that. Will that be all?”

Grandfather raises his head from the book he’s reading and look at me. “Leaving so soon already?”

“No. I’ll stay in the castle for an entire week starting from now, if that’s what you mean. Trace wants to get to know this family more, so I brought him here. But I do have to show him where he can stay for the night.”

I head back to my room to check on Raion. He's still busy reading a book, sitting on my used to be favorite chair, with piles and piles of read books surrounding him like a fort.

"That's a lot of reading," I comment him. "But you don’t seem to be the type of avid reader."

He lifts his head from the hard concentration he has been putting on for the opened book on his laps, pouting. "A lot of wizards said that to me." Then he pouts back to the dark book he's currently reading. He seems to be struggling a lot in reading it, though.

"Can I help?" I offer.

He nods gratefully. "Yes, please," he answers sweetly, and then hands me the book.

It's in Latin, so there's no wonder why he was struggling to keep up. Knowing a few words is great enough.

"A Secret

By Anonymous," I begin translating the title and author's name out loud.

"Let me tell you a secret,

When there's so much pain,

Your soul has long dead,

Yet your body is still forced to crawl down under it,

No mercy for the weak ones,

Cry of desperation hanging in the cold night's wind,

You’re bleeding yet still feeling tormented,

Guess what?

You are not allowed to die,

This curse of life is eternal

Death will be your bliss,

But breaking the pain is forbidden forever...."

Raion 'hmmphs' after I finish translating.

"Why did Anonymous say that we can't die?"

"He believed that life is a curse, not a gift by God."

"Why not? Didn't God create us?"

"Only in human's unrealistic fairy tale. More that centuries have passed, yet no one can prove that he exists. Creatures have given up on human's fantasy, while most never believes their bibles. Every prayer and stories are their delusional dreams. Don't believe too much on humans and their illogically made up religions."

"What else did Anonymous say?"

"That we can't escape life. This is a punishment we all must receive, not to enjoy. That's why everyone is so miserable."

"But it's not like everyone will suffer forever, right?"

"There's no amount of torment that can be calculated for its dosage, but I can assure you that everyone have their own share of suffering. Human or creature, we all live and being punished."

"But, why? Why are we being punished? What did we do wrong?"

"It happened a really long time ago, way before something called 'living' is in our dictionary. Our ancestors were like the stars that we look in the sky at night—bright and untouchable. It was the time when we were what humans called 'God', powerful and almighty. We made the sea that run across different universes. We created stars in many colorful shades. The planets and beings were all pets to us—living, breathing toys.

"But like any other case, when powers are too strong, the sins will follow soon. We—the creatures that were worshipped as 'Gods' began to become corrupted by desires and needs. The progress kept on going until we lost the bright shape of our bodies, reducing smaller and smaller until we were as small as our toys. Our powers were still strong, but not as strong as we used to. And that was how tragic our history was."