The Emissary of the Flame

The Seventh Chapter: Unknown Romance

"Julia? Are you feeling better?" She nodded. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am." The young lady assured her aunt.

The day passed by easily without her not noticing it. The cafeteria was not open for service, yet she indulged herself by finishing all the chores that were supposed to be done for tomorrow. One would think how hardworking she was, but this was the best way to forget what happened yesterday.

Though it is very hard to forget about that lovely memory.

"Well, the servants and I will visit Mr. Thompson's residence to mourn for him." Her aunt informed her. "Are you in the condition to join us?"

She reluctantly nodded without even understanding what her aunt had asked her. "Alright then, fix yourself and we will go to Mr. Thompson's funeral."

Wait, are they going to leave? "Ahm, right now?"

Clara shook her head. Her niece was not in her mind again. "Yes Julia, I have been telling you about this since we started eating our dinner."

Are they going to leave tonight? But how? Who would guide the horses? "Have you hired a new coachman?"

Her aunt disapproved. "Ah, I am not yet hiring anyone, but Mr. Bradford could give us a ride in the meantime." She sighed. "It would be an act of disrespect to hire another coachman while Mr. Thompson's funeral is being held."

I was not informed that Mr. Bradford could also ride the horses. I thought he was just a simple kitchen servant.

The younger lady did not say what was on her mind. Clara wanted to say more but she could feel that her niece was not in the condition to talk to her. Well, Mr. Thompson's death was a surprise to everyone. According to the doctor who examined her niece the other day, Julia had a panic attack which was normal to be experienced by an adolescent like her.

She was triggered because the coachman was a close companion. Not to mention, she has a good relationship with the man's wife. Clara badly wanted to help her niece. She followed what the doctor had told her to bring her to the funeral so the young lady would easily get over what had happened to the said coachman.

Later that evening, with Zen being the temporary coachman, Julia with her Aunt Clara went to the said funeral. Once the young lady had entered the residence, she felt a familiar sense of an eerie atmosphere inside.

What was this? Was she daydreaming? But she knew something was uncanny about this place. The last time she visited this house, she did not feel anything odd. Right now, she was sure there was this thrilling sensation that was overcoming her system.

"My dear Julia, are you alright?" She heard her aunt ask her, "Have you felt something?"

Well, she did, but it would be weirder if she would confirm what her aunt had asked her.

She shook her head in refusal. "Ah, no Aunt Clara. I am fine."

Her aunt just blinked her eyes in doubt. "Oh, alright?"

"Mrs. Ainsworth, I have to park the carriage first." Mr. Bradford approached her. "You can go inside without me, first."

"Are you sure?" The older woman asked.

He nodded. "I still have business to attend besides this funeral." He added, "I will visit the funeral later once I am done with my task."

Clara's brows furrowed. What was this man talking about?

She saw how the younger man looked at Julia, who was obviously distracted for a reason she did not know. "Ms. Julia Ainsworth, please be careful." He then left.

Though the younger lady was not sure, Julia felt a strange feeling from what Mr. Bradford had told her. What did he mean? Did he have any idea what was happening to her right now?

But it's not possible. Humans do not have the capacity to read minds.

The two women walked along the hall of the said residence. The moment Julia had entered the said funeral room, she felt a very tense atmosphere inside it. Her eyes abruptly explored the place. Everything seemed to be normal, but then her thoughts were distracted again.

Her heartbeat went into a high-speed phase that she could almost forget how to breathe. What was this? Why was the atmosphere becoming heavier than a while ago?

"Hey, Julia?" She heard her aunt ask her. "Are you feeling sick again?"

She could not explain to her aunt what was happening to her, but the moment her eyes lifted to observe her surroundings again, she immediately regretted her decision; for right now she could see endless images of people who have these flames on their chests, covered with those uncanny codes which encircled around them.

Her eyes widened, why was she seeing all of these, again?! Her first encounter with these peculiar images was with the old lady from the market, and next was Mr. Thompson, and last was Bradley. But right now, it was a lot more complicated; she could see all these flames from all the people inside the funeral hall.

"Julia, my dear, what is happening?" Aunt Clara asked her again. She wanted to look away, but the moment she gazed at her aunt, she immediately saw a bright flame on her chest.

She was now absent-minded. Questions started hovering over her mind. Why was she seeing these things?!

Anxiety once again overcame her as she felt how terribly her hands were both shaking. She began to pant for breath and she was almost holding her chest. It was too difficult for her to inspire air.

"Julia?! Hey! Julia!"

Suddenly, strange images started to flood her mind. A number of scenarios she was not able to understand. If she saw Mr. Thompson's death yesterday. Right now, she can see different scenarios that depict different situations. And what triggered her the most was the visions she was having right now were showing how the people inside this place would expire.

She fell to her knees and a swift strike of a very painful headache affected her so that she could feel her eyes wanted to pop out. She was already touching her head because of the painful sensation the visions were giving her. The scenarios she was witnessing right now were not even stopping. Ugh, why was she seeing these things!?

"Please stop!" She cried when another episode of vision entered her mind. "Please help me! I cannot bear this anymore!"

"Julia?! My dear, what is happening to you?!" She heard her aunt ask to but to no help, she was not able to speak anymore because of the painful headache she was experiencing right now. "Julia! Please tell me what's going on!"

She did not want to see one again, because the last time she had a vision like this, someone died exactly the same death she had with her vision. Now she wished that vision she had with Bradley was only a dream because, if not, she could not understand why, but she knew something not good was going to happen.

Because her visions were to occur in real life, all of the people inside this place would die.

What was this all about?! Ugh, she could not understand anything.

What is happening?!

Why am I even seeing these images?! What is wrong with my eyes?!

Ugggh! I cannot understand anything anymore!

"Julia, please tell me what is happening---" Her aunt's words were cut for reasons she did not know and she was not planning to know because all she was wishing at that moment was for this situation to stop.

She felt her consciousness was about to give up because of the lot of pressure she was experiencing. She was about to faint when she felt she was caught by this cold pair of arms and hands. "Hey, Julia, are you alright?"

Her thoughts should be comforted because she had heard a very familiar voice. But it was the very voice of the person whom she did not know if she was pleased to see or not. "Bradley..."

"Ah yes, are you alright?" She wanted to respond but the moment she lifted her eyes to see him, a different one had greeted her.

Bradley was wearing a smile that was not sincere. It was a poker smile, a fake one. He was smiling but she could feel how sinister it was, and she could not stop herself from discerning that this man in front of him was not the same as the Bradley she knew.

"Bradley..." She repeated.

"Hmmm?" He hummed again.

She wanted to confirm that this man was indeed the Bradley whom she had liked ever since she was a child, yet the moment her orbs saw what was on the young man's chest, she knew he was not the same man whom she fell in love with.

Her eyes were glued to the image on his chest. The flame was there like the others, yet the color was violet and it was chained. There were also uncanny symbols that were encircling around it. It was different from the flame she saw last night, which had a faint color that seemed like anytime it would be extinguished.

At this moment, it had this powerful flame emitting from his chest, but she could feel sadness and despair from the view she was looking at. It was almost shouting death that she could not even stop herself from worrying about what was happening.

"Oh, you can see it." She was surprised by what Bradley had told her. "I did not expect the stories of the Unknown about you to be correct."

She saw Bradley had painted another smile on his lips again. "The Emissary of the Flame can indeed see the trapped Flame of Soul of a human."

The young man shrugged his shoulders, "I am just a day old Unknown, yet I am lucky enough to capture one of the greatest legends of history."

"Huh?" What was he saying?!

"Well, you are too late now to ask what is happening." He giggled. "You are too naive Julia to npot realize what is going on around you right now."

"What are you saying?" She asked. She could not understand a word he was saying right now.

"Oh well, you do not know what great power you possess."

Just then she realized the time inside the funeral room had stopped and that they were the only living things who were moving. All of the people were frozen in their position. The law of physics was obviously violated for reasons she did not know.

The place was covered with darkness, and the only light that was emitting was from this hue of violet flame from Bradley's chest. Her sight was trapped in her aunt, who was now stuck in her position, immobile. She could feel this weird power coming from the man in front of her, but she could not explain what it was.

Did he have this power all the time?

No! She knew Bradley was not like this before. Now, she was sure, this man was not her first love anymore.

"Oh well, I am planning to please the Vizier Millenia by giving your eyes to him, but I guess I can play with you for a little while."

Who the hell is Vizier Millenia?!

Heck, as if she cared about that name, but all she knew about her whole being was telling her she had to escape from the hands of this man.

"At least we can re-make the memory you keep on reminding me," Then he smiled. "but this time, at my own pleasure."