Monster King

Chapter 24 - Curses

Suddenly someone embraced me.

"Just close your eyes and focus on a singular emotion. Something you can relate to. Then dive into it." My father whispered to me. 

Immediately I found resentment. The feeling caressed my skin and I leaned into it. Until an image came to mind. Her short porcelain hair and scarlet eyes with orange hues. This was the vampire girl from before, Aeseria. She hurried down the halls of a cabin, fidgeting with her fingers as anxiety gripped at her throat. The strangelation only grew tighter as she approached a door, until the air was snatched from her lungs. 

She wasn't afraid of being attacked, nor did she have a fear of the unknown. She feared she'd find exactly what she expected. A breath escaped from her lips and she reached her hand out to the door. Hesitation rested in her heart, she didn't want to see it. Not again. Even so, she pushed forward and opened the door.

The sight was numbing for her, a reminder of why she shouldn't hope. The image was dark, completely shaded out. With scattered pink sprinkles across its body. This was normal, just like every other night. The world came back and I desperately gasped for air. When I looked back up, I saw dad, Nick, and Aeseria.

"Easy, Kek." Dad mumbled.

He stood up and held out his hand to me. I hesitated, but decided to take it. He pulled me up and I took another breath, just readjusting myself. Aeseria was concerned about me, however she was also frustrated.

"Fine, I see you weren't lying to me." Aeseria grumbled. 

She stomped past me and our eyes met for a moment. It was like time was frozen. She wants to help her family, she wants to change things. Yet, she has no idea what she's doing. Our souls, were exactly the same.

"You'll figure it out." I said. 

She stopped and turned toward me.

"What did you say?" She asked.

"It may seem hopeless. But there's always an answer for everything. You'll figure it out. It'll be okay."

She blinked a few times, this was what she wanted to hear. What she needed to hear. Yet she didn't want to feel it, how could she after all? When she's still walking in hell. 

"Easy for you to say." She muttered.

…

I followed behind my dad and practiced this new found control. Latching onto every emotion I could relate to. It silenced other thoughts and feelings easily. Eventually we got to the woods and I could just relax.

"Neat trick, any reason you didn't tell me about it sooner?" I asked.

He coughed and chuckled. 

"Well I umm. I was just so excited that I kinda forgot."

He forgot? Is he seriously the Guardian of death?

"You were probably just drunk." I sighed.

"Eanjidu? A lot was happening ya know! Aeseria was trying to be Batman, The Horns weren't happy, everything's a mess..." 

Even if I couldn't feel his soul. I definitely could feel the defeat. Maybe I should dial back a bit.

"I get it, so Aeseria. The vampire girl right? What's her deal exactly?" I asked.

Dad's shoulders sagged and it was like I could see his feet start to drag. 

"She's just, been dealt a very difficult hand in life. And she thinks punching her problems will solve them.."