Imminent Danger (part 2)

The scent of death was heavy around the owl.

Like a stench, the aroma of dread and hopelessness hung around her body like a thick ooze.

Pinned lifelessly, a spiral of jagged jet-black material had pierced through her wing. Like a thumb tack, it hung her by her limb to the tree's bark as a thick red liquid seeped from her wound, staining the beautiful canvas of stars drawn upon her body.

[E-Elias… please, p-please answer me…] she cried out telepathically.

Even with the reaper holding his scythe under her neck, Eset only thought of her brother. Tiny tears crawled out of Eset's ebony orbs as her pained screeches scratched the whistling winds.

Suddenly, From behind the tree a sensual voice wafted into Eset's ears, jolting her exhausted mind awake.

"Hmm?~ still alive little birdie?~"

In panic, Eset looked around, stretching all her senses to their limits, even going as far as augmenting them to the best of her abilities.

She could hear the borrowing of ants under the soil, and the gentle sway of the leaves above her head. She could see the small chips of wood and debris fall on top of the wrecked cabin structure. Even the small drops of water formed by humidity tugging at the ends of the blades of grass did not escape her sight.

Almost every minute detail in that area was within the grasp of Eset's senses, yet despite that, she could not find the owners voice on her own.

Not much later, quelling Eset's curiosity, a strange creature came into view.

They say that identifying your enemy discards half the fear they instill in you, yet seeing her enemy, Eset did not feel an ounce of the fear she felt lessen.

Looking up, eyes towards the sky, Eset could see a fair skinned woman, white of hair and garbed in a tight black exoskeleton that hugged her figure tightly. The material covered every inch of her skin, from the atlas of her neck and wrapping around the front of her neck and under chin, to the very tips of her finger nails.

As menacing as she appeared, that was not all.

Trailing her sight downwards, Eset spotted the woman's lower body, a spider's.

Black was the abdomen and Cephalothorax, long grey hairs growing on its arachnid body. Eight beady grey eyes hungrily looked at Eset's feathery figure, saliva dripping from the sharp mandibles just below.

"Oh no-no-no, we can't have that can we. Master specifically told me to get rid of the nuisances."

Sighing gently, the woman's chest deflated as she hugged her body tightly with her own arms while looking at the night sky with a lust ridden eyes. "Oh master, how cruel you are to entrust a gentle lady like myself to dirty her hands with blood."

Snapping her head back towards Eset, the half woman's demeanor changed completely as she looked down at Eset with her swirling crimson eyes, twirled her hand in the air. Upon her action, the lance penetrating Eset's wing twisted, crushing her fragile bones and letting the blood flow freely from the wound.

Eset's frightened face scrunched up in agony as she raised her head to the sky and screeched once more.

Again, the woman's attitude changed, a delighted smile stretching her lips abnormally as a flush found its way to her cheeks and a humid breath escaped her mouth.

"Scream more for me my lovely, oh how wonderful you sound!"

The demon's finger nail extended, reaching the length of a thin blade, a stiletto. Using her nail, she scooped up some of the blood dripping from the wound and brought it close to her face, sniffing the red liquid sensually.

Under the silver moonlight, the crimson liquid glinted as it snaked its way down the demon's blade-like finger and reaching her palm where it branched out into web sinking under the folds of her exoskeleton.

"I wonder how you taste… I'm just 𝙙𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 to know ufufuf." The demon said, laughing softly as she gingerly brought out her long tongue and dabbed the blood on her finger.

###

'W-Where am I?'

I was swimming? … Floating?

I was drowning…

Surrounded by absolute darkness, I peeled my eyes open beyond human limits. This is how humans react to the darkness, one I am not much different in regard.

Slowly, after gods know how much time, small details made themselves known to my eyes. Small sparks of gold and violet light began glowing softly all around me. One by one, small threads were birthed out of these sparks, entrapping me in a network on extreme complexity. One I was suddenly reminded of…

Memories rushed to my mind as my head was snapped backwards forcefully.

The cave… the demon… my past. I remembered everything it showed me that time, everything I experienced.

Suspended within the network of intertwine Aeter, the frameless screens rotated around me with extreme speed, emitting light so bright that I had to shield my eyes from its brilliance.

A few moments later, when I could not feel the strands of light seeping through my raised arms, I opened my eyes and looked around me.

I was no longer in that expanse of void, but in a bustling street…

In shock I spun around, finding myself in the heart of the rushing of faceless men and women. I could hear their conversing voices create a static echo over my ears, yet they had no mouths, eyes or any features for that matter. Just skin, a mask of skin.

Suddenly, amidst my fright and confusion a gentle voice made its way to my ears.

"Hurry up Eli, we're late for lunch~"

That voice… It had been such a long time since I last heard it. The warmth it carried, the love… It could only be, mother.

Tears formed at the corners of my eyes as my chest tightened, my heart being squeezed by the feelings of longing. Choking on my own voice and saliva, I forced a croak out my mouth calling for her.

"Mo-

-WHOOSH

Despite my desperate attempt to call out to her, I was interrupted as my smoky body was scattered into the surroundings and a voice similar to mine reached her first.

"I'm coming mom! Stop nagging"

Running through my body, a figure sprinted straight into my mother's arms, receiving a warm hug and a pat on the head.

Shock was written on my face as my body gathered, wisps of smoke missing from my face and torso; an incomplete puzzle.

Like a broken record, my mouth hung open as I struggled to form both words and thoughts. I was watching the only thing I crave for escape my grasp after thirsting after it for so long.

A lump formed in my throat as I fought with my body to force the words out of my mouth. I clawed at my neck as my head strained upwards, the veins on my face pushing strongly against my skin.

"S-Stop!"I finally said, a tinge of relief showing on my visage.

"DON'T GO! MOM!"

Yet, all my effort was for naught for it seems my struggle was set in stone.

No matter how much I screamed and yelled, mother did not turn her head. She did not even react in the slightest. Her eyes only had that imposter.

Falling to the ground, I kneeled as I struck the earth countless times letting loose to my frustration. Tears dripped from my eyes evaporating the moment they touched the ground.

It took me a while before I snapped out of my delusion and remembered how this all started.

'It's all just an illusion…

Coming to that realization after regaining my bearing, I watched with red trails under my eyes as the scene evaporated like smoke and was replaced with countless other.

I went to an academy.

I graduated.

I married a faceless woman and fathered faceless children.

I lived a long life and died of old age peacefully.

All of that sounded wonderful, ideal even.

I was not a complicated man, I valued not fame nor riches. Even adventure was disposable if I were to be reunited with my parents again.

But there was something wrong. Where was Eset?

Where was my bond, my companion?… my sister.

My sister, she was, she is, fighting that thing.

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞!

-SHATTER

That was all it took for the dream to shatter like broken glass and to find myself laying in a mass of rubble.