My eyes unfocused, I wanted to react to his remarks, yelling out a 'what the hell?' but I was too tired. Too numb. I croak a 'what?' and he yawned a reply.
"I am always covered in nicks too. There is something about this place. I'm used to it. See," he showed me his arms covered in scars light and dark, healing and bleeding. "Looks like the poltergeist took a interest in you last night."
I look at him dumbly. I've had too little sleep to care or process. I'm just relieved that it wasn't him who did this.
"When exactly does the poltergeist come?"
"Nothing precise, anytime you're vulnerable I guess."
"Aren't you scared of sleeping then?"
He shook his head softly in a no, "You must know and learn to get used to the pain you know you can't stop feeling."
I nodded my head and hoped that whatever freaky ghost was this, it'll soon let me be so that I can sleep. I see him leaving his bed and changing into his clothes after freshening up. I kept my gaze on my arm for most part but did catch a glimpse of his strong muscles set in a huge built. He was a good looking man. Or God? Or Demi-God?
I moved through my day sluggishly, remaining in my room for most part, dozing off every once in a while. Each time waking up with more cuts. It was annoying me. Everywhere I touched, it hurt. My eyes were burning, head was aching, the cuts were stinging and all of my senses were tweaked to become overly sensitive.
I tried to talk to a few women in the castle who would come in occasionally to clean or to fetch some item, in the hopes that they could watch me as I slept, but none comprehended me or even if they did, they pretended not to.
I was fetched for breakfast, lunch and tea by Shuaya himself. He was sweet for most part and I was okay with that. After tea he asked me to go back to the room, but I couldn't go there. I knew that I'll sleep if I go back there, inviting more pain. So I lied to him I'll go back to the room and left.
Through the way, I was searching for some other room to slip away to. There was absolutely no way I was going back to be skinned alive.
A flash of crimson fabric caught the corner of my eyes. I turned around to see a floating ghost of sorts. The poltergeist. I cursed loudly and ran away from it. But wherever I went, I saw the poltergeist ahead of me, waiting for me turn around and then stand ahead of me all the same.
My legs slowed down, I tried catching up with my breath instead, keeping an eye on the ghost. He never moved in any manner that was threatening and simply observed me. A few moments went by and he had not even moved an inch. I was beginning to wonder if he moved at all.
A slow movement of his eyes, and it seemed like he was beckoning me to follow him. I moved towards him cautiously, following him to a room which was pretty much the Yaana equivalent of Odin's vault, but brighter.
Long corridors, special artifacts kept within glass enclosures protected by lasers and probably much advanced technology. Blinding white lights filled the space and the poltergeist with his crimson clothes stood in absolute contrast. But he kept on leading me deeper, till we reached the end of the corridor.
He hovered above a tile and looked at me directly again. I walked to stand on the tile and the tile went down the floor slowly under my weight. It reached another level of artifacts, much bigger and more precious ones. The ghost led me to the opposite end again and again the tile floated down.
This time, it was a completely white room with a big enclosure in its center. Huge network of wires were originating from it. I moved closer to look at what was within it.
A small crystal, no bigger than an infinity stone was suspended in the air. Wisps of white and red smoke were radiating from it, and they were being fed through the wires outside this room.
"Is this what powers Yaana?" I look at the poltergeist for a reply.
He nodded his head in a yes.
Wow. I admired the crystal for what seemed like an eternity. Sitting down on the floor, I just keep looking at it, as if it is alluring me, to stay and to look at it in its glory. However that glory seemed...trapped. It seemed like its powers were damp within the glass enclosure. The crystal was, in some weird manner, communicating to me. I felt warmth under its light. Perhaps I was imagining things, but my current predicament was similar to that of the crystal: trapped and being used solely for powers.
The poltergeist had disappeared and I was close to the encasing. Sleep came to me like a thick blanket and I was just too tired to refuse. I allowed myself to be engulfed, and relaxed onto a wall, sleeping for a while. I slept lightly, jerking up every now and then to ward off the ghost, if it did decide to come for me.
My dreams were scarce but a particular glimpse of Shuaya's cuts nagged my mind. Something was off but I couldn't figure what.
After waking up, I didn't bother checking for new nicks. What's the point anyway? I'll try and avoid sleeping as much as possible but I'll still need a few hours here and there.
I left the vaults and dashed back to Shuaya's chambers. He was sleeping and probably didn't hear me. I snuck in and slipped inside my makeshift bed, careful as to not dose off.
"You really believe I'll let you slip away like that, hmm dear?"