The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 24: Stain of What Had Been Before

"Do not despair," I heard a voice whispered to me, as gentle the morning breeze and as delicate as a blooming flower, "do not cry."

I slowly opened my eyes and saw Deo was beside me, sitting at the space my bed could provide for them to sit on. Deo was wearing Haziel Imbert's guise but their gray silver eyes were not changed into the owner of their guise's dark green ones.

I was still lying on my bed, comfortably tucked in between the sheets that were laid on top of me. There was the low humming of the air conditioner at the distant wall, but I was sweating bullets after bullets and my face was wet. Though even my back was soaked through, I was shivering so badly.

It was so cold.

The coldness that I was feeling now was very similar to what I felt back when I was inside the dream.

Thinking of that dream, I could remember the stickiness of the blood. I could remember how those hands that were all stained with red blood, deep and urging a nausea within the pit of my stomach, were gripping each of my limbs. They were preventing me to move, and now the sheets that were so comfortable earlier seemed to be restricting me.

I pulled myself up, away from them.

I wrested those sheets and blankets away from me.

I wrenched at my clothing, clawing at them as though they were also resticting me.

There were silent tears on my cheeks. It was getting harder to breathe, my lungs seemed to have refused any intake of oxygen and my eyes became a pair of fountain.

"I cannot breathe," I said in a panicked voice.

Even I could not compose that neutral placid expression that I I always wore.

"I cannot feel," I murmured under my breath; my chest was erratically going up and down, trying to heave more air into my lungs. "No... no," I whimpered silently.

Before I knew it, I was lying on the ground. I was curled up to a small ball, attempting to make myself into a smaller version of me. Maybe that way, I could not feel their touch. Maybe that way, I could not feel the violation that those corpses imprinted on my mind.

"I feel... I feel so so cold," I muttered and closed my eyes. I hugged myself tightly and let my whole body shake with horror.

Until I felt Deo spreading the feeble and small hands of Haziel Imbert's body to cradle me. Deo never said anything anymore, they just sat by my side to hug me and pat my back.

When I withdrew from their arms that were only a counterfeir of another, I stared deeply into the silver of their eyes.

"I have a nightmare," I told Deo, my voice coming out as a croak and hoarse from the silent crying. Deo continued on wiping away the tears on my face. "I saw myself in that dream. A dozen of myself, lying on that dream— dying. Deo," I called at them, there was a childish sense on my tone as though I was naught but a child, seeking for the attention of a company. "Deo," I repeated again.

"I am here," Deo said on their sonorous voice, and not Haziel Imbert's voice that was always somehow tinged with enigma. "I am here," Deo reassured me when I only gripped at their arm tighter as though they wiuld suddenly disappear out of my sight.

There was an irrational fear in my mind that said the scene where Deo was shackled down would come true if I do not keep them by my side.

"Deo, how real am I really?" I finally asked them.

It did not took even a second before Deo answered my question. When they did answer me though, it was with the utmost sincerity. Their voice regarded me with some thoughtfulness with those silver eyes.

"You are real as how the sun rises at east and sets at west," Deo answered.

There was a small light butterfly that touched my forehead. It kept me warm and comforted the coldest creeks of my soul; enough to make me drowsy with fatigue.

"Thank you," I muttered to Deo as the lids of both of my eyes grew heavy, unaware if Deo heard it or not.

The next day, I found that Deo was still inside the room. They were sitting on Bianca's bed just beside mine and on the table was a breakfast.

"Good morning," Deo greeted me and motioned at the table full of breakfast. "Still drowsy?"

"Just a bit," I answered and get off of the bed. I went directly to the table and got myself a toast to munch. "Will you join me?" I asked cautiously then I abruptly remembered something. "Or do you not need to?"

Deo stood up from Bianca's bed with a flourish. The standard uniform of the Academia Amitiel looked natural on Deo as though they have been wearing it just like most students here do.

"If I want to, then I would," Deo answered almost cryptically.

Deo pulled a chair and sat on it, looking up to me who was still standing in front of the table and holding a toast with a hand. It was Deo who reached for pancakes and sliced through the thick pieces of it that were mostly soaked with maple syrup with a dinner knife.

Only then did I realize that there was only one set of utensils around. Deo was not flustered as I was though, and held out the fork with a pierced part of a pancake as though they were inviting me instead of the other way around.

"Was I too courteous?" I asked with a hint of a joke.

Haziel Imbert's round eyes turned into slits with the grace of a smile, lips moving upwards very slightly. It was quite odd to see her face, but be reminded of Deo with every bit of the body's movement and reaction. It was ever odder to see a different shade of color on Haziel Imbert's eyes; the dark green turning into gray silver ones.

"Who am I to give you a refusal when you are only being too kind?" Deo asked me.

We both ate the foods that Deo brought. Like the books that appeared on the garden, it seemed that these too were magically brought up here, conceived out of nowhere by Deo's magical powers.

But I suddenly fell ill.

That was when it all started. The incessant obsession over every details, the unease on every person that I meet, and the relentless of my whole body.

I could not sleep at night.

I could not eat properly.

I was using too much magic, continuously making my foundation stronger. Merging one and two categories of magician, both the warrior and the mage categories, together in my body.

And I was back on watching Zachriel Legrand.

The last dream I've had imprinted a mysterious impression to me that kept persuading me to find out more about everything. About Zachriel Legrand and the reason of his appearance on my very dream.

I still have the same questions as before, but now I at least have an idea, a slight clue, of what the world was and the reality in which his people lived on; people such as those of Hermes Run, Haziel Imbert, and Caspian Cashel. At least now, I have known how to protect myself and maybe even ask the right questions.

Because I know for certain that I have a very particular connection with Zachriel Legrand that was not just a mere feeling. I was now certain of it, otherwise why in the world would he even follow me on that alleyway? Teaching me to seal the mudtrap?

I was not stupid, just pretending.

Thus, that particular dream became a catalyst of yet another chain of events.

I lowered my eyes as I remembered what happened and all of the things I did. Was this still normal at all?

I quietly hid behind the wall. Not far from here, Zachriel and Hermes were located, meeting up with some people. I kept my silence, fearing that even my breath would give my location away. When I peered behind the wall though, a scene that I was not expecting emerged.

"How surprisingly awful that this is a trap," Hermes stated cheekily and draw out from his sleeves half a dozen knives to throw.

It was a rainy day that very afternoon, and the sun was not peeking in the sky. Though I have classes, as soon as I realized that there were certain people not attending their classes, I made one of the golden light butterflies go to find him. The butterfy, efficient as ever, did not disappoint me and it did not took that long to inform me of his whereabouts.

And here we were, or maybe it was best to say there they were. Both Hermes and Zachriel, being pointed with wickedly sharp weapons. A some kind of bargain, both Hermes and Zachriel seemed to be involved. For what, I was not sure though, but I let one of the butterflies flew over to find out what their enormous duffle bag was keeping, and it was money.

Tons of money that one could buy a whole house with it.

I tried to keep my breathing even and steady, my heart ceasing its pounding inaide my ribcage. What good would it be if I get nervous and all? Though I was not expecting to come to their rescue at a situation like this, it was fine. I peered again behind the wall I was hiding behind.

Warriors, I thought. It was a common stereotype of the Warriors to be of possession of bulky muscles as they were always involved with events such as heavy gears and weapons. Not every Warrior was like that though, but all of the Warriors were adept at sneak, sleight of hand, and strength. They often add their magical powers to their physical prowess.

Back in reality, there were at least four people that were facing Zachriel and Hermes. Hermes was carrying an enormous bag that he tossed casually to Zachriel who fumbled with how he would catch it.

I kept on watching them. Out of those four people, only two were distinguishable as warriors, the others I was not certain of. The only alarming on the scene was that all of those four people were holding weapons; either a gun or sword which were an odd combination of contemporary and ancient times.

I do not have any visible weapons myself, but Deo, as both my mentor and teacher, would always say that I do not need to hold such destructive things. The golden light butterflies were enough, he would say, they were beautiful and sturdy, enough to provide the help that I seek from the heavy sword or the rowdy gun that was unreliable most of the times.

But against those people, I could see, even from just an audience's stand who used to have no prior training, that Zachriel and Hermes does not have a good odds. By now, I know for a fact that Zachriel was a weaver- a manipulator of the mind, thus rendering him useless in the battle. Hermes Run, however, seemed to be confident and his eyes were full of ferocity, but against those heavy equipments, he only got a couple knives to counter them.

"What do you all want?" Zachriel asked calmly, never mind that the people they were up against were pointing various weapons at their body. "We have a deal."

"Just thought that we getting there person wanted by Haefen's a better deal," one of the Warriors said in a thick accent, "you dinna tell me boys and me that there person connected to y'all, eh?"

"We are also not aware that it is the nobility's responsibility to answer to such caprices of a dimwitted commoner," Hermes rebutted, "give us what we ordered and all will be well. I'd even put in some few words to the Queen Tatiana herself. Or maybe we could just..." I saw Hermes' shoulder moved up and down, shrugging nonchalantly. "I don't know, maybe let you all live even after insulting a part of the Thirteen Noble Seats?"

Thirteen Noble Seats.

I drew my brows together and listened further.

"Hermes," I heard Zachriel's cool voice in a slightly aggravated tone, "I thought this is safe. How come they would do this?"

"Don't ask me that, please," Hermes retorted woth a short snort, "you know how powerful Haefen now, can't do anything about these lowly magicians being attracted to that scum of a traitor."

"Where is she, eh?" one of the four people against Zachriel and Hermes asked vehemently. "Where is the girl?!" he roared at them and launched a poorly executed attack.

I heard clangs of metal against metal then a muffled groan. When I looked back to where they were, I saw Hermes stepping on one of the four people. Curious, I thought with a little smile. Maybe I should get a combat lesson with Hermes? Two moves were it all it took

"They knew," Zachriel mumbled lowly. It was just a chance that I happened to hear what he said from in between of the reverberation of the blades of the one of the men from the opposing side and Hermes. "They knew about her being inside the Middle Ground."

"Well, that sounds bad," Hermes snorted, "but we gotta deal with these scums first! Any help?"

I saw Zachriel subtly shaking his head at Hermes.

"I don't like getting my hands dirty," he said to Hermes and turned his back which would mean that he was actually going to my direction.

It was then that I felt as though there was something inside my head that just snapped with those words. Visions started to flood to my head.

Zachriel's hands on my head with those two gigantic sticks that poses as though they were his wands. I consciously put a hand on my forehead and a butterfly immediately perched on my shoulder seemingly comforting me.

But the visions did not stop even with the golden butterfly's presence's warmth.

"Let me go! Let me go!" I cried, but it was futile since my hands stayed roped at my sides.

There were tears streaming at the side of my face. I kept blinking stubbornly to dissolve those tears, but I could not help it and they still flowed at the side of my face, dampening my hair that was strewn all over my face.

"LET ME GO!" I roared when no one listened to me though I could feel their people. "Let. Me. Go!" I repeated in vain. "I do not want to do this, I do not want to go through this again. Listen, hear me! Hear my pleads and my begging! Please, I do not know what I did for all of you to do this! I'm begging!"

I was desperate.

The only thing I could feel was the tightening of the ropes on my arms and legs. There was a cool sensation on my head, making me rather drowsy, and then I saw Zachriel. His face was calm and gentle as though I was not begging him, as though he could not hear me begging me. He was holding those two sticks that were from the last dream that glinted from the light that came from my head.

I was back at the same position inside my dream.

"Please," I mouthed at him, but he paid no heed on my desperate plead, "let me go."

I was only brought back to reality when I felt the golden light butterfly was already dragging me.

I blinked rapidly and paid attention to the fight that was going on not too far from me. Zachriel was already retreating to my direction so I did the only logical thing to do and hid myself. We were outdoors, on a stereotypical empty alleyway where their transaction could be easily obscured.

I jumped silently on a trashcan, springing to the next highest thing and then the next and next. The cracks on the walls were my footholds and where my hands climbed on while the butterflies I was with were carefully guiding me. I did not stop until I was on a roof of one of the buildings there. Hiding in the shadows, I looked down to Zachriel and watched him.

With a sudden jolt, he looked up to where exactly I was hidden. I took a few more steps back, just in case he could see my silhouette, but he already moved along. Behind Zachriel was Hermes who left the people trying to ambush them on the asphalt ground of where they met.

My eyes squinted at the package they went out of their way to get.

After that, I went straight to my dormitory room and pondered what had happened back there. A couple of teenagers who were walking around casually just like that with a bag full of cash then meeting up with unknown people that have questionable backgrounds. I slept not soundly that night, dreaming about that and this until I felt comfortable with how a white blanket was draped all over me.

"I know what you did," Deo whispered to me.

"Not scolding me?" I asked them back and reached for their white robes, smooth and soft to the touch.

"Would you want me to?"

"Hmm," I only responded, neither an agreement or a refusal.

If I was too drowsy or that if I was aware though I did not process what they said properly, when I woke up the next morning, I was alone with a breakfast on the table.

If the heaviness on my chest was disappointment or only the morning mist, I was not entirely certain.

"Hi!" someone greeted at me.

I was already at the lecture hall of my class and, as though the people around were aware of my peculiarity, they would never sit beside me or even near to me. Now, it was always just me.

Though I was spacing out most of the time, I have already learned to be more alert and sensitive on the environment that surrounds me. Every light butterflies that I scattered on the room would be able to let me know the actions and movements of every person. I looked at that someone who called me and greeted me rather politely.

I was sitting on a classroom, waiting for the professor to get inside when a random girl stood in front of me. She wore her hair in stupid pigtails and there was a vibrant smile on her face. Her small hands were waving at me when I redirected my attention and my eyes at her.

I did not greet her back, but my gaze seemed to be enough for her to know that I wanted her to spit out what ever she was trying to say.

"Have you seen Bianca?" she asked me. "I haven't seen her in a while now, I'm just wondering if she said something to you or something?"

Her eyes were full of anxiety and concern that I felt a little guilty. It was not like Bianca and I were actual friends, or maybe we were and I was not just considering us as such, but I have to admit to myself that I have been more than neglectful.

Even now, after a whole week, Bianca stiil has not made any appearances in the academy. What was more curious was that she has not even messaged me or made contact when I knew that she was always hanging out on her social media accounts.

I tried messaging her, but it remained on inbox, unseen and without any replies, otherwise Bianca might have already answered back to me. She has not though. What I reasoned with myself was that I also have some other struggles to deal with. Deo was getting more demanding as our lessons got harder and more difficult.

My magic training was as stable as before and my progress was also smooth. I could command a small legion of golden light butterflies and Deo has praised me for it, but I lost focus too often.

"No," I answered plainly, "are you not her friend? She has not called you back yet?"

The girl shook her head sadly and forced to form a smile on her face, "No, she hadn't yet, but let me know if she's called you?" the girl asked with anxiety. "If it's not too much of a hassle to you though!" she added hastily while I surveyed her.

I shook my head, saying no, it was not a hassle and I would if she already did so. The girl left promptly after that little conversation.

At the afternoons, I would trek to the place where Deo and I always meet up. They would always be there, waiting for me to open the dilapidated door of the garden. Sometimes, my mind would wonder how the inside was still as fresh as the spring. Not a dried leaf nor a petal of a flower, everything was in immaculate condition. The butterflies would also be waiting, flying and fluttering around the dome of the garden which reflected the sun's light downwards.

"Step back!" Deo growled at me as I sidestepped their attack on me. "The balance of your footing is terrible, keep a strong foothold, Seraphim."

After the basics of being a Warrior and a Mage, Deo was now teaching me the specifics of each. They said I was already good on manipulating magical energy throughout my body, but merging it on my every move while keeping a fast pace footing on a dual would be quite a challenge.

Deo said that battling me with their full power would be beneficial for the both of us. They would be able to concentrate better on teaching me, and I would be able to fight them without any reservations of hurting them.

"You are not focused," Deo pointed out while I tried as I might to hide my distraction. "Is it because of Zachriel Legrand?"

I nodded and looked at Deo with exhaustion of not getting enough slumber. Deo took a step in front of me and, with a swift motion, my hands were already in placed with theirs.

"What are you doing, Deo?" I asked them.

"We'll be dancing," Deo responded with a rather straight face, "good for footwork."