THAT ILLUSION || ONC 2021

~•{Chapter #08}•~

"Why on the eight worlds did you keep it under there?" She asked while pinching his arms.

"Ouch! That hurts. Calm down, princess. Usually, you lay on the bed whenever you enter your room. So I thought keeping it there would make it easy for you." He said while rubbing his recently pinched spot to prevent new bruises.

"Don't pick me. Anyways, I found it. But, why does this pendant feel strange and similar at the same time?" Her question made him amazed.

"Take a look again, Eir. What does it make you feel?" he asked.

She validated the pendant in every aspect and then asserted, "This thickly laced rhombus that has creepers with flowers and leaves winding it looks exquisitely beautiful. This vertical eye in the middle with half black and half spectral stone along wide open lids is... scary. Above that, these intertwined serpents that are meandering horizontally are adding a spooky thrill!" She said while gulping down the fear and joy that stung her together.

"Haahaa! It was what I felt when I received it from my master. Eir, this is no game. My growing princess, this is the sermons eye. It can speak the near future to you if you wish to know." He stroked her hair gently.

"Does it? Can I predict the near future?" she asked with overwhelming delight that was concealing her early frights.

"Yes! You can but only if you become a proficient bearer." His words brought back her worries.

"Worry not, Eir. You have the gene to befriend it. I have known that for a while ever since you were born. Wear it always and promise me that you will learn to use it well. Worship it as I do. Promise me that you will learn necromancy to explore this gift of yours and never use it before exploring it right."

His eyes spoke of the concern and worries that his lips failed. She could comprehend that it wasn't a mere gift but a commitment. But she couldn't neglect anything her dad asked her for. She immediately nodded her head and hugged her father tight. It was the last conversation of love and happiness she cherished within her.

She couldn't bear to accept that this very gift that she treasured was the very reason she lost her dear father. With the loss of her father and the truth of his turmoil that he faced due to this so-called sermon eye she chose to wear it always but she failed the promise of knowing to use it as a proficient bearer.

Yet, it had made her see a vision that she didn't ask for, which was enough to bother her. When she was detesting her for being so ludicrous, she could hear a familiar voice calling out for her.

She opened her sealed eyes and cleared the crystal tears with her thumbs. For a moment what she saw before her, seized her constant breaths. A heavy lump of fear and daze clogged her throat. The sweet cinnamon scent faded and the brutal chills took its turn and latched her words.

"Eir, I know you are seeing me now. Won't you listen to my last wish?" A frail woman of her thirties stared at her with the sunken sockets, which were once full of life and compassion.

"What are you speaking about Mrs..."

"You heard me right. I'm not alive now, I couldn't fight anymore. Alas! I'm dead," she said while collecting her tears in the thumb which frosted the moment it landed on her pale, frigid skin.

"Who did this to you? How does it happen?" Eir wailed while she took out her secret trinket only to detect its silver glow. Shit! This shouldn't be true, she prayed behind her sealed lips.

"It is the very same spirit that haunted my daughter's soul moments back," her words perplexed Eir.

"What are you speaking about, Mrs Kayte? Maybe it's a bad nightmare. But, how did you get into this mansion through the latched doors?" Her absurd words proved how lost she was.