Hidden In The Dark (IN EDITING)

This Is Not Normal

"That sounds wonderful, thank you for showing us around. Such a beautiful place you have on your hands." They're voices fade as they walk back towards the double door entry, my feet however, remain glued to their spot. A burning sensation licking up my spine freaks me out, my heart jumping out of my chest when a ghost like touch rests on my shoulder. My hand shoots around out of reflex and makes contact with a rough large palm.

"You're getting a lot faster." My eyes drink in Vali's appearance, I couldn't keep my vision focused one one detail at a time. His hair had grown out from the first time I met him, the raven locks ruffled up in a mess draped across his forehead. He wasn't dressed in his usual modern-like clothes but in a black cloth draped across his body. A golden snake-like band curls up his arm from the knuckles of his hand to the top of his bicep. If the lights were on the golden band would probably shine like diamonds since it shined in the near dark.

A gold leaf crown wrapped around the back of his head and ended at the edges of his eyebrows right on his temples. His physique seemed more muscle filled than normal, skin glowing in an olive shade. The black mark on his neck now glowing black, it must have been the reason he reeked of energy. A powerful aura overtook his body, he looked almost like a king, which confused me. "So do I need to ask or are you just going to tell me?" Using my finger I point from his waist up to his head that now adorns a beautiful crown that pointed downwards toward his sharp cheekbones.

"This is what I look like?"

"No," Stressing the 'o' in an insinuating way. "No you do not look like this. This is not normal."

I swear if I'm dreaming this is some messed up fantasy my brain has got going on. He looks like he just stepped out of 700 BC or those fantasy story books. I was starting to see exactly what differed Watchers from normal humans, I mean I know they have powers and all but this...this is just the line.

"You mean not normal for humans? It's quite normal for me." I swear I could've melted in a puddle when he smiled, his teeth white and perfect. It was genuine but definitely not normal from what I've gathered on Vali, my face contorts into a skeptical look. "Are you okay? Do you feel alright? First you show up dressed like a Roman king and now you're smiling?"

Somewhere throughout my sentence, the Roman king part I assume, his smile dropped off of his face. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Why are you wearing a crown?"

"That is a specific topic that I wish not to discuss right now. I'd much rather ignore the matter rather than indulge more into it, it did not turn out as tasteful the last time I decided to talk about it." Quirking a eyebrow but dismissing the conversation, I turn back to the room, not even caring that my mother may be waiting for me just outside. Vali's presence grows closer behind me, warm cinnamon and earth flooding my senses in a soft caress. "You're nervous."

"Is it wrong to be?" The air seems to snatch up my whisper and guide it through the room. I barely spoke loud enough for either of us to hear, yet I swear the room echoed it back to me. Just as the room had looked beautiful, it now looked haunting. Like those places in horror movies that look sketchy but the main characters ignore the signs. Something dreadful seemed bound to happen.

"No, but you must not allow fear to fuel your actions, but simply the will to live. The desire to survive must be stronger than anything else, make sure it is before you walk in here on your 18th birthday." With a flick of his wrist a black mist firmed over his outstretched palm. From the empty air materialized a milky white dagger, it's 10 inch blade sharp and milky white. The handle was engraved with a gold snake similar to the one around Vali's arm. The blade peaked my curiosity the most, unlike normal blades, it was not a shiny silver in which you could see the reflection. It appeared to be a blank canvas for the blood of enemies.

I had become good at sword fighting and making my way around with multiple weapons although I was extremely skeptical at first. Now the power to hilt something so beautiful but deadly felt powerful. As soon as Vali grabbed my hand and wrapped my fingers around the hilt, a surge of energy rushed from my palm throughout my body. For a minute my veins glowed bright white like the clouds in the sky. To say it had me in a trance would be an understatement, my jaw was practically on the floor.

"This was the first weapon I ever wielded, the person to kill with it will claim it as their own. At one time it was pitch black, now it returns to the color of purity it once was." My finger found its way gliding up the flat sides of the blade to its pointy tip. Without any force my finger sliced open slightly like butter, my blood pouring down the blade and staining it red. My veins that once shown white were now filled with the blood of normality, it reminded me that through all the darkness and chain of events, I was still just regular old Leaigh.

"Will you be there?" Tucking the dagger away into the confines of my clothes carefully, I tip my head up to face him. "Of course, I want to see what you've learned. Besides, something with you feels extremely different compared to the other humans I've watched over. Not once have I failed, and I will not start now." I can't help the smile on my face, giving him one last glance before walking off to the entrance where my mother disappeared through earlier.

"Don't forget to wear something nice."