Forge of a Pact I

Marcus

As far as I’m concerned, of my, well, sense of reality, I kept on feeling this strange surge of energy filling up every veins of my being. Was the effect of the blood crystal(Self proclaimed) be great after all? That vampire guy- I mean Rox, did say that it increased the health bar. But I didn’t expect for it to be connected with my health.

Eh wait… So when he said I might die if I let the health bar drop, did he really mean it?

Scary.

Vampires are scary.

But he’s not a vampire, probably, and getting scared when I am already obeying his plans and almost finished collectiing the crystal feels like it’s already too late.

“Alright…” I hopped towards my last crystal and a BLING sound echoed through the grim forest just like a notification of a game, unless I’ve heard it for the 546^th time already.

“The path of rejuvenation is perilous…” I mumbled poetically, randomly gazing up to the sky with no stars like some kind of an actor.

“What are you doing talking by yourself over there?” Rox appeared from behind me.

“Oh, you’re here.” I turned around. “Didn’t expect to see you there.”

Rox shot me a narrowing gaze. He seemed like he once again judging his own decision.

“Anyways, I see that you have collected all the crystals without a hitch, and there are still a few seconds left in the timer.” Rox’s gaze slid slightly off focus from my face, probably looking at the timer at the top right of my view which is placed across the health bar. There is still about 37 seconds left and the timer had stopped moving.

“Yeah. The blood crystals are placed quite close to each other so gathering all 500 of them in 12 minutes is not that hard of a task.”

For a moment, Rox gazed at me, an unknown emotion stirred inside his lunar grey eyes.

“…It is strange indeed.” His tone lowered. “I wonder why the monster didn’t attack you?”

“Excuse me, what did you say?”

“Nothing.” Rox’s voice returned to it’s usual volume.

He then raised one of his hand as he speak. “Because you have cleared the first stage perfectly and came back in full health, There is a special reward for you.”

An item suddenly materializes in front of me. It looks like a piece of square shaped plate with paintings on it. Or should I say, like a piece of puzzle?

“Wait…” I accepted the piece that dropped on my hand. “I only get a piece of puzzle?”

Pretty reasonable as it was just a dream. But really, a puzzle?

What do you think I am, a grade schooler?

Eh wait, he did call me a child earlier, so he probably thought of me as such.

“Be grateful that you get that piece.” Rox said, still in that arrogent demanding tone of his. The personality of this quest giver does suit his voice in a way, but it kind irks me off.

I mean, it’s my dream, damn it!

“That piece can only be obtained only if you returned inside this room unscathed and with full health. In under normal condition, achieving this feat is not possible.”

“Not possible?” I slid my eyes off focus for a bit. “But I did it though?”

“Yeah…” Rox’s voice lowered down again. “You are probably lucky, or just plain unattractive for the monsters to attack you.”

What did he say?!

I do admit that if I were to be compared by this devilishly handsome man with his glossy long hair and that leanly muscular body he obviously trying to show beneath that unbuttoned victorian shirt of his, it will be a complete KO for me I bet.

But I am not that ugly!

At least, that’s what I thought.

“You know…” Rox called, gaining my attention.

“Have you ever heard of the quote ‘like an open book?’”

I instantly pursed my lips. Did he found out what I was thinking?

“Yeah, you bet I did.”

Aw shoot.

“I-I didn’t mean anything by what I thought. I-It’s just, you know… like random thoughts of the day?” I stuttered.

“It’s night though.” Rox retorted.

This jerk.

At least let me win this fight. I already lost in terms of everything against you.

“Now then…” Rox continued to  with his speech. “It’s time to present youself in front of the King.”

He floated lower to the ground until at one point, a subtle CLACK sound is produced by his 3 inches heeled booth that hit against the tiled floor.

Wait.

I shot my eyes down.

“Since when?!” My eyes almost bulged out from it’s sockets upon seeing my feet is standing on a dull grey tiled floor. Now that I looked at my surroundings, the scenery of the dark, gloomy, terrorizing and inaudibly suffocating forest had completely perished, replaced with a spacious room that is dimly light with a single light source, which is located above our heads.

Rox scoffed. “I guess that the fact you are quite a slow witted person might be true after all, given you didn’t realize I changed the scenery. I do wonder why the monster didn’t attack you, though.”

I scrunched my lips. Seriously, I am starting to wonder that this Rox guy might also be an oddball like me, seeing as he always talked about a monster this and a monster that. What I saw during my journey of collecting the crystals were a few animatronics that looked like they need a severe repairing. Those springs and nuts protruding out from their exoskeleton might be a hell of a job to get it fixed.

Suddenly I felt my gaze fading. I wobbled on my feet and swayed a bit to pick up my stance.

“You are almost awake, huh?” Rox muttered.

He then stepped closer to me and stared at me preemptively for about a few seconds before he mouthed, eyes pointing down to my clenching fist that I have the golden puzzle stored in it.

“Keep the puzzle safe. And you must make haste. Go and present yourself to the King now before you disappear.”

Somehow the wooziness didn’t go away. I blinked my eyes several time to get that clear view of Rox’s face from the close up, but all I can see is a blur.

“You must present yourself to the King.” Rox stepped backwards and to the side, revealing something in front of my bleary view.

In front of me, instead of sitting on the throne, there is a person with a glowing crown emblem occupying his lower jaw. The golden light from it is distinct, too distinct that it attracts me more to it, despite the person, is being shackled with chains of flesh.

My view cleared for a few moment, giving me a brief idea that the King Rox said is probably him.

“Present yourself to the King.” Rox pointed at the male.

I was hesitant for a moment. It’s a given even for me to hesitate with this hectic view of mine and the male’s condition. Because I mean, is this scene related to that one manga where the protagonist got eaten by his crush and he turned into a monster?

Eh wait, will I get eaten?

Rox didn’t give me the time to hesitate, and the greyish view made it all worse. Despite having multiple quastions accumulating inside my brain, I bravely stepped closer to the King. Strings of red, fresh looking flesh supported his naked and pale body, and the closer I get, the more intrigued I became upon realizing that the flesh looks real.

“This is…” I had to tild my head up to see the King’s face, and paused a bit to properly discern his feature.

Suddenly I heard a snap. Before I even get to register what happened around me, the King’s eye opened, revealing a hazel hue imbued with red glow. At the same time, one of his hands that were detained by the strings broke off from the flesh and coiled behind my back, blocking my escape path.

At that very moment when he pulled me close, I realized how big he was, and how painful it is to be bitten.