Charmed [✔]

18.1 ▌The Harbinger

Year 3988, 13th Day of the 9th Moon
Continent of Humana

THE INTENSE ache of her head disrupted her slumber. Whirring sounds hummed in her ears, barely comprehensible but the words were drawled out.

Elise rose up, twisting left and right. There was no one yet the incoherent whispers continued.

"Oh my god!" she shrieked as she untangled herself from the covers and escaped in an instant.

'Don't tell me ghosts exists here too!'

Dampness lingered on her face as she fled but the murmurs followed her.

'Dang it!'  Why was this world getting weirder and weirder?

Chill shrouded her whole being. It might be from the cold air or worse, some ghost was madly chasing her. Her feet never ceased their steps as dread gradually consumed her. The hushed rumble never seemed to end.

"Eljsfhkfds haklfsa..."

Her eyes squeezed shut and she shuddered with how close the voice was to her ears. She did not even have the guts to look back and scampered for her life. There were already enough mythical creatures in this world and how she prayed she was wrong that ghosts were not added to the mix. Those creatures frightened the wits out of her. Imaginary or not.

'Holy mother of god why is this hallway so long?!'  Even if she screamed for help, she doubted anyone could hear her.

"Miss Elise?" someone spoke and when she opened her eyes, she could not be more than glad to see her maids.

She stopped in her tracks, trying to catch a breath. The fear instantly diminished upon seeing another person, however, the sound did not come to stop.

"Can't you hear that?"

"Hear what, Miss?" Aya asked.

'God! Am I going crazy?'

"Miss, please return to your chamber. Your body has only reciprocated," Aya continued.

"Wait... I—"

The two maids immediately bowed but before she could turn, a coat draped on her shoulders and she was lifted midair. Coziness enveloped her in an instant and let Aricson have his way as she draped her arms on his nape.

Though there were no extreme changes in his bearing, the tautness of his face was evident as if she had offended him.

"What's wrong?" She reached out to and smoothened the crease between his eyebrows.

"A patient should remain on the bed than recklessly scurry around the hallway," he retorted with apparent annoyance.

She chuckled at his overreacting words. "What patient? I was only dead drunk from last night that I passed out."

Though, in truth, it was the first time she had gotten so intoxicated and blacked out. Nevertheless, the wine was the tastiest she had tried.

"Drunk?" Aricson halted, looking down on her with an almost imperceptible wrinkle in between his brows. "You were poisoned."

"What?" Her expression mirrored his.

"I failed to inform you about Vermeil wine. It is quite poisonous for mundanes who had no elemental flow," he explained.

"How come?" Was she so prone to poison in this world?

"They are soaked in God Stone making it potent with the spirits. It can invigorate Enchanters but those with no elemental flow could not withstand its effects," he said while pulling her closer and turning the knob.