The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 62: Conversations and Possible Deaths

Cocytus almost drag me, again, to get back to the inside of the house.

"Where were you? Honestly speaking," I demanded to Cocytus while his hand was dragging my arm along to his path. "I thought you were inside the house, that is why Leigh was the one who was supposed to go on patrol with me."

It took a while for Cocytus to answer me and that only made my eyes turned into little slits in suspicion.

"She told me that you were taking care of a girl, your girl?"

"I happen to met up with my father along the way, but I was supposed to be going back to the house," he finally explained with a sigh. We both stopped from walking in the middle of the hallway. "He told me that Eris' Sight disappeared. I immediately know what's up then, but I wanted to see who might be killing Eris so I went with my father."

I pursed my lips, straightened into a thin line.

"I still feel bother you are calling Leigh as father," I said, putting more emphasis on that last word that I felt odd about. "Where is Eris?" I abruptly asked, veering away from any thoughts in the conversation about filial piety and anything of the sorts so Cocytus would not be talking about that.

I saw him frown at me though despite not delving right into the topic just like what I wanted.

"In here—" Cocytus pointed at the familiar double-sided door "—with Anasthasia."

I was the one who opened the door. There was a steeping tea, still smoking and hot, while Eris and Anasthasia were both sitting on the comfortable couch. Eris was holding Anasthasia's hands who has a very anxious expression.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the barrier that I erected. Feeling that nothing was amiss, I took a deep breath and truly entered the drawing room.

"You should go back to your room, Anasthasia," Eris told the other girl with a faint smile on her pale lips, "I'm so sorry that we woke you up. There's nothing amiss, just a little disturbance in the grounds."

I took notice of Eris' terrible state. I guess there would be a time that even the bravest was only just putting on a bravado. There was a noticeable difference on her appearance compared to how she was earlier, a mere four hours ago. Lines deeply etched on the side of her mouth, dark circles on under her eyes, and a very haunted glint on those blue pair.

I cannot believe that I saw her earlier when she looked as stressed as this.

We were all inside of the drawing room of the house were we always have our tea and snacks. Unlike before though, the room was full with tension that the pressure of just sitting across from Eris was making me feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Cocytus was just beside me with the same ashen expression on his eyes. I do know that I have never seen him with such an ashen expression.

I probably did not notice that ashen face earlier since it was dark and the golden light butterflies were the only ones that provided us any chance of light since the moon has already sunk from the horizon.

"But I heard Leigh telling you might die, Eris," she said, I remarked the shakiness on both of her hands and the slight shiver on her pale lips. "The maids are talking about it. Are you sure you're okay? You'll be fine?"

"She will be," Cocytus announced. He immediately went by Eris' side, almost oushing Anasthasia away from the seat on the couch she was occupying. "I'm sorry that we aren't here, Eris. Did the bastard tried to break into the house?"

That was also my first thought earlier.

That with the absence of the Seer's Sight then it would be easy to get inside the house without being noticed. But the attacker did not even attempt on it. If Leigh would go back here then that meant that my conclusion was right. My attacker just walked away, not doing anything except on just wanting to achieve his goal of getting me out of the Middle Ground with him.

"Yto," Eris said and smiled again before turning to me, "Seraphin. You two are here now. How is everything outside?"

"No activity," I answered her placidly. My head turned towards Anasthasia's direction which made her jump. I must have looked a frighr right now with my disheleved appearance and unruly hair. "If you mind going back to your room, Anasthasia. We must discuss some things with Eris."

She hesitated and I advised her against it.

"Eris will be fine with us," I assured her, "you won't be able to do any thing for Eris anyway, Anasthasia. It is better to go as to not get in our way. No one has any interest in you anyway so please do not be reluctant on letting Eris be with us."

Eris shook her head subtly to me with a pointed look. My shoulders hunched up, mot understanding what she wanted me to do. Since Anasthasia was already standing, Eris also stood up, leaving Cocytus on the couch.

"I will be fine, Anasthasia. Go on and sleep soundly. Tomorrow will come and you will that everything is fine."

Anasthasia just nodded her head, not saying a word any longer. With a single glance from Eris, she turned on her back and just walked out of the drawing room.

"You're harsh, Seraphin!" Cocytus howled then laughed so loud. My eyes glared at him but it does not seem to do the job of shutting him up.

"Are you tired of being alive?" I asked him. The golden light butterflies prepared to flutter around him. Before that even happened and come into life, Eris' hands were outstretched to the of us.

A moment later, I found myself being hugged fiercely by the thin arms of Eris.

"Enough, you two," she said softly that my frown only just got deepened. "Aren't you two glad to see me alive and well?" she even asked before letting Cocytus and me.

"Did you really lose your Sight?"

Eris looked at me after being asked sich a question and nodded.

"Leigh overreacted," she said. Again, she sounded like she was reassuring Cocytus and me that it was fine, the situation was under our control and it was only a small hurdle. "He might have been startled when I told him about the lost of the Sight. After all, a Seer losing the Sight could be a bad omen or just that it was a sign that a Seer is unfit for their powers. But, as you two know, someone has been evading my visions for a while now."

"He didn't overreated because of you then," Cocytus surmised. He reached for the ready tea that Eris prepared earlier on. After sipping a gulpful of tea did he only paid more attention to us. One index finger was pointed at me, seemingly accusing me of a crime. "He overreacted because of you."

The emphasis, his emphasis, on the last word did not escape my keen ears. And it actually made sense. Although there was still the possibility of Eris' death, Leigh left her still just so he could order me ro get home.

And he was adamant about it, even showing me his intimidating and extraordinary powers.

He did not even sent Cocytus back to the house. I saw how Leigh was when he wanted particular things to go about his way and he could bend even my knees to make me crumple, but he let his foster son to tag along. He feared that it would not only be me who might fall dead this time, but also his foster son.

"If I die," I started and it felt ominous thinking about my death.

But then, even Eris and I talked about her own death at some point. I remember that she essentially risked her life when she told us to catch the griffin, lending her life to Anasthasia. I knew that retribution would eventually come, I just did not expect it to come so soon or so swift that we won't be able to even remember about that.

"If I die," I repeated, lost in my own daze and thoughts, "Phlegethon won't be able to afford it. Out of all the Deities, with the exception of the Seer, he is the one closest to mortals and the royal family."

"Yes, it will take him quite some time before he could show his face again," Cocytus agreed to me with a nod, "but he truly cared for you too, Seraphin. You are the daughter of his godchild after all. The intruder though, how exactly did they get past the Blessing and how did they manage to get under the detection of the Sight?"

Those questions have been my questions earlier. A day ago, it was impossible for anyone with any ill intentions to get pass the Blessing that surrounded the academy and now someone else has done it. Once upon a time, no one could avoid to be seen by the absolute clairvoyance of the Seer and now someone else has also done it.

I would not be surprised if someone will rose up in order to take a sixth place among the Deities and the Seer.

Everything seemed to be possible and within reach now.

"The blood of the Deities," I answered Cocytus after collecting my thoughts around the idea of that attacker. Even now that I was in broad light with people that surrounded me, it was still ather unbelievable. "The one who attacked me somehow got hold of the blood of the Lady of the Death Doors and the Spirit of Viridescent. The Deities have essentially no future to behold since they are eternal. That is also the reason why they cannot be seen by the Sight, is it not?" I asked Eris who nodded in return.

"As a price for the invisibility that Sight provided them with, the Deities are not allowed to meddle in the trifles and fates of the mortals or else..."

Her voice faded, sadness overcoming her beauty.

"Or else what?" Cocytus demanded, leaning closer to Eris who sat beside him again.

"Or else they will cease to exist," she answered very quietly.

"Cease to..." Cocytus said in an askance way. He did not continue the rest, the only word that was left to say.

Cease to exist, I repeated in my head.

Those three words were so very easily uttered.

If they were to cease from the existence of the world, would the same be happening to Deo? Anxiety gripped my chest, crushing and grinding my mind into dust. I walked towards to Cocytus and Eris, both of which were waiting for the rest of what I had to say.

"That person has the blood of the Deities within their veins," I continued when Cocytus fell silent on the last words that Eris uttered. "Aside from that, they are also very skilled in both in combat and in magic usage. I think they were just like me."

"A Hybrid," Eris blurted out.

"Yes, a Hybrid," I agreed and nodded. Eris tipped the teapot to a tea cup, pouring the translucent liquid on the porcelain. She offered it to me and I gratefully accepted. The warmth immediately went from my hands to my face as I lifted it up to my lips for a tiny sip. "They left behind a well-made spear made of a fine steel. I would check if some armory is making weapons like that in Dalcanoraz or even just anywhere."

"Leave that to me," Cocytus said to me. "Leigh, I mean, Father has many people all over the place. We could tell them to ask around."

"I'm worried," Eris suddenly voiced out. "If that intruder who has the blood of the Deities make a move, we won't be able to tell since I won't see them. I'm practically useless now."

The three of us fell into a daze. One was worried deeply by the lost of her Sight, the other was wondering about the intruder, and me who has been thinking about it, all jumbled together in my own head. It was only when a knock resounded from the door that we were all broken out of the daze we were all put under.

From the door emerged Leigh, just like what Wris bas predicted. He was very much unscathed, not even a loose hair could be seen on his head and not even a dust or a wet spot of ice on his shoes or on his pants.

"The two of you did well," Leigh told Cocytus and me, "now, why don't you all retire for the night? I understand that there is a grand occasion tomorrow."

"Yes, you two must go to your rooms and have your beauty rest," Eris agreed.

"We are not children, neither of usshould be sent into our rooms," I contradicted them both, "we both deserve an explanation. Who was that?"

"How did they get a Deity's blood?" Cocytus also asked.

But Leigh only shoved us outside of the room, not giving any explanation.

"He doesn't know anything too," Cocytus muttered to himself before proceeding to his way while I stood in the middle of the hallway.