"Aria, what happened?" Clarren said worriedly, scanning my body and looking for injuries. "Everybody has been looking for you. Who is that man?" His hands were cold and shaking. His eyes were red as if he had just finished crying.
"I'm okay. Sorry if I make you worry," I sheepishly replied. Guilt feelings are taking over me. Seeing everybody worried makes me feel that my life does matter to them and I just take it all for granted by selling my soul to the Djinn in exchange for a kiss. How foolish I have been thinking that I am doing them a favor by ending my life and yet I just make things worse and more complicated.
"What happened? I saw you with that man and vanished in thin air?" his tremulous voice caused everyone in the canteen to turn their heads on us. "Please, tell me who is that man and where did he take you?"
"It's a long story Clarren," I calmly said.
"You've been gone for thirty minutes! How long could that story be?" he hysterically said. "What did he do to you? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine. Believe me, I feel so much better!" I smiled at him and in return, he just gave me a deadpan stare. "I'm starving. What's for breakfast?" I’m trying my best to change the subject. Clarren did not say anything. Instead, he just followed me around, looking at my every move and trying to decipher my thoughts.
As much as I wanted to tell him what happened, I couldn't. He won't believe me anyway. Ordinary people could never understand what I can see and experience. It's too much for them to comprehend. I just don't want them to think that I'm losing my mind.
I've never seen Clarren this seriously. He never smiled from the time I returned. "I want to check your vitals and run some tests after you finished your meal," he started to sound calm, but his eyes were still locked on me. He wants to ask me more questions at the same time as he doesn’t want to push me too much.
"Aye, Sir!" I teased and saluted him, trying to loosen him up a bit. But he did not waiver, not a bit. He became more furious than before.
"I'm not joking!" he irritably said and glared at me with his serious face. "Aria, please understand, I'm just concerned and worried sick about you. Try not to be too stubborn and listen to me just this once," he softly said, holding my hand tightly.
"I'm sorry Clarren, it won't happen again. I don't mean to make you worry," I replied.
I averted my eyes and turned my head the other way, trying to dodge his piercing eyes at me. He pulled his chair and dragged it close to me, then he slowly sat down. "I'm only concerned. You know that, right?" I simply nodded as a sign of confirmation. "I'm just..." he left his words hanging in the air.
"I know. You're worried. Please don't, I'm perfectly fine." Those were the only words I could think of to comfort him. "Too perfect that I don't feel any sign of pain or sickness," I said to myself.
We went to the testing laboratory to get my vitals scanned. I undergo an electrocardiogram or ECG to look at the electrical activity of my heartbeat. He tested my sugar, blood pressure, and temperature. All seems to be in perfect condition, which makes him more doubtful. It had never happened before, and seeing all my vital signs in normal condition astonished him even more.
"How did it happen?" he confusedly asks. "Did you take anything?
"Just the breakfast that I ate this morning," I simply replied, but I know it has got to do with the kiss. I just couldn't explain it.
"It's highly unusual for you to get normal vital signs. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to see that you're doing well. I'm just amazed at how fast your recovery rate is compared to your previous test results. Ever since you came here, you've never been this good, that even your face has color and is no longer pale." He gave me a doubtful stare while he was double-checking the results of my laboratory test.
"Staring at those papers won't change the test results," I said to him, rolling my eyes. "Since I'm in good condition today, can I go outside?" I tried to convince him using my cute smile and puppy-dog eyes.
Clarren tries to keep his serious look and avoid laughing at my silly face but epically fails. He scratches his head and releases an audible sigh as a sign of his confirmation, so I immediately ran towards the main door to go outside.
I feel like a prisoner that experiences freedom for the very first time. The sun was blazing in the cloudless sky and the morning breeze felt refreshing on my skin. I close my eyes shut, spread my arms wide open, and feel the sunlight crawl all over my skin.
For the first time, I was able to stroll along the sidewalks and sat on the benches where I could only see people doing it by watching from my window pane. Now it's my turn to lie on the grass and feel the warmth of summer. The only thing missing is a person with whom I can share this precious moment.
Why am I missing him? Weirdly, I missed the man who is going to take my soul. I went to the place where I first saw him, hoping that I could meet him again. There's something about him that I can't describe. The feeling of attraction is uncanny. I am magnetized by his aura. He's like a temptation I couldn't resist indulging. He may be the most dangerous creature that ever existed, but for some reason, I don't feel any fear. I don't even feel that he can harm me, even though he threatens me.
"Where are you?"
I looked around and scanned the place. He is nowhere to be found. I can't even feel his aura. For some reason, I can feel his presence every time he is around. I don't understand why he left me after the kiss. He looks so afraid and bewildered about something. Am I a bad kisser or did I disappoint him by any chance? I mean it's my first time, so he should not expect that I'm a good kisser and, to be honest, he doesn't seem to be that good either. But what concerns me the most is how he looked at me, as if he had seen a monster.
It was a very tiring but productive day for me. Even though a lot of things have happened today and I've been very active throughout the day, I still have a lot of strength left in my body. Unlike before, I easily get tired just by walking around the hospital. Not today, not only do I go out to enjoy the outside world, but I also help out the staff and nurses in the hospital. I want to do and experience what I always wanted to do when I was sick in bed. It may be my last time and I won't get the same opportunity again once he collected my soul. I know that he will be back, and it's better to make the best of my remaining time on earth and have no regrets.
I was on my way back to my room when I sensed an eerie feeling. There was a dark presence in the air, and it was so strong that I could feel its aura outside the door.
"He's here," I whispered to myself.
I recognized that distinct aura and I knew it was him. I opened the door, and my instinct was never wrong. He was standing by my window pane looking outside.
"So this is the view from your window. I always saw you standing here looking outside," he said to me.
I was about to ask how he got inside my room, but knowing that he is a Djinn, anything is possible for him. "Are you here to collect my soul?" I casually said to him.
I tried to stay calm and act cool, but my hands and legs wouldn't stop shaking. Pea-size cold sweats started to form on my forehead. Although he doesn't seem to look like he could harm me, the thought of losing my soul is giving me a scare.
"As much as I'd like to do that, the contract says that you are entitled to three wishes." He grinned at me.
"Are you here to ask me for my second wish?" I curiously asked.
"Are you that eager to die, Missy?" His forehead furrowed as he raised his voice at me. "Anyway, do you already have a second wish?"
"Well, I haven't thought about it yet. How about another..."
"Nope, no more kisses for you, Missy. No repetition of wishes," he nervously said while waiving off both of his hands. "But if you wanted another kiss that badly, I can give it to you free of charge!"
"If you're not here to collect my soul and not here for my second wish, then why are you here for?" I inquisitively asked, put my arms above each other, and lifted an eyebrow.
"Whoa, chill, relax Missy. I'm not here to cause you any trouble," he immediately replied.
"Then why are you here?" I inquisitively asked.
"Well, I was thinking about your first wish. It was too simple and weird." He sat on my bed and started to explain.
"So what? Though I can have any wish I desire," I confusedly said and sat beside him on my bed.
"That's true, but as per my thousands of years of experience, never did I encounter such a mindless, selfish wish like yours and I just thought it would be fair to give you an additional bonus to your wish," he sheepishly said while scratching the back of his neck.
"Really?" My eyes widened and sparkled with excitement.
"Well, a lot of my customers wish for a good life for their loved ones, money, and power. Sometimes they ask to change their physical appearance to look attractive in the public eye. Some wish for good health and enjoy the remaining days of their luxurious life, but you, on the other hand, only wished for a kiss. So I decided to give you a freebie," he suggested.
"Sounds like a good idea," I said to him. "What a minute, is this some kind of a trick? Maybe you're trying to trick me into doing something stupid that will cause me to make another wish!" I gave him a doubtful stare.
"Seriously? Here I am doing a good deed and, in return, you are accusing me of being a trickster. You're unbelievable!" he irritably said and stood up from my bed.
"Hey, where are you going?" I held on to his arm and stopped him from taking another step away from me.
"I'm leaving!" He rolled his eyes and tried to remove my hand away from his arm.
"I'm sorry, okay?" I pouted my lips and batted my eyelashes. "Tell me, what are you trying to suggest earlier?" I smiled widely while pulling his arm.
He turns around and looks at me seriously straight into my eyes and said...
"Go out on a date with me!"
I was startled and couldn't react to his invitation. My jaw almost dropped to the floor. "Is he for real?" I said to myself. For the very first time, I was being asked out on a date, not by a human but by the Djinn. I've been experiencing a lot of first-time and weird supernatural phenomena today. It's too much for me to handle all in one day. I was slack-jawed and still couldn't believe what he said to me when he suddenly snapped his fingers in front of my face.
"Hey Missy, you're spacing out," he worriedly said to me. I never thought that he would be concerned about me. He stared at me for a second and as soon as he confirmed that I was okay, he returned to his normal self. "Are you going out on a date with me or not? I don't have all day," he said in a commanding voice. He was never the gentleman type and now he is acting bossy toward me. What kind of invitation is that?
"Is that an invitation or a command?" I blurted out.
He smiled at me, looking so innocent and sweet. "I will take you to places you've never been and give you the best date of your life. How's that for a freebie? Don't you want to experience all of this before I collect your soul?"
The offer is enticing. He is good at persuading people to submit to his will. I know it was wrong of me to go with a stranger, but I can't explain this feeling of submissiveness. I can't say no to him no matter how hard my mind battled with my heart. My body keeps betraying me.
He reached out his arm and opened the palm of his hand, inviting me to hold on to it while looking straight into my eyes.
"Take my hand if you wish to come with me."
Dylan's POV:In an isolated valley named Mudgrave, there's a crossroad where it is said to be a meeting place for those who wanted to see the one they called "The Crossroad Demon" a cool name for someone who can grant wishes, and in return, he must be rewarded with an equal value of the wishes, an eye for an eye, a soul for a soul, and a payment worth the value of their precious wishes.To summon this so-called Crossroad Demon, you need to bury a box containing some graveyard dirt, the bone from a black cat, and a drop of the wish maker's blood in the middle of a crossroad during the new moon. The demon will appear according to the liking of the wish maker to prevent him from being afraid and make him more comfortable while making his wish. Once the deal has been sealed, the wisher's soul will be traded for a wish.It's been a long time since the crossroad demon has been summoned. As time goes by, the crossroad demon became a myth and his name has changed to Djinn, Genie, or Soul coll
Aria's POV:My mind is saying no but my heart didn't think twice when he asked me to take his hand to go with him to an unknown place. I know it's wrong to go with a stranger but why do I have a feeling that I've known him for so long? He may be dangerous but why do I feel safe when I'm with him? He's not even that charming, I mean he is not that good-looking compared to other men, but why can't I say no to him?Is he using some kind of spell on me to lure me into his lair? It's a bit scary and yet exciting at the same time and almost electric, impossible to ignore. Like that inexplicable feeling of compelling pull between two magnets, we are drawn together in a way neither of us may understand. I am somehow bound to him.I held onto his hands and the next thing I knew is that we were somewhere out far from the medical center where I am admitted."D-Dylan, where are we?" I curiously said to him while looking around and searching for a familiar face. "Are we still in Crescent Hill Vall
Aria’s POV:I tried my best to act normal and ignore the weird things that is happening around us. I don’t want to ruin everything that Dylan worked hard for. He put his best effort to make this date work even if I am just a human and he is a powerful demon. This is my only chance to go out away from the hospital and I want to make the best out of it.We go to the Crescent River where everybody gathers to release hundreds of floating lanterns onto the river. "These floating lanterns are meant to guide the spirits back to their world," Dylan carefully explains.As much as I wanted to continue our date, some things can be ignored, so I decided to be honest with him."D-Dylan, can we skip this part of the tour?" My voice was thick with fear.Dylan noticed that I was starting to feel uncomfortable when he saw that I was freezing in terror. My hands were sweaty and clammy. My eyes were gazing at the floor and were too frightened to lift my head. He cupped my face and lifted a little and sa
Aria's POV:"Dylan, no!"That was the last thing I said before I realized that I was back in the hospital room. I was down on my knees on the floor, and my eyes were filled with tears. My heart was uneasy pounding too fast and about to jump out of my chest. I'm certain that Dylan is unconscious almost gone before I returned to my room. Is it because his energy becomes weak and used his last strain of power to transport me back here? Even my clothes were back to normal as if everything was just a dream.I don't understand what's going on and how his power works but I know that he is in pain and badly hurt. I wiped my tears dry, get on my knees and look outside the window hoping to see him, but he is nowhere in sight."Dylan, where are you? Please be safe," I whispered. The tears once again fall from my eyes.I was startled when the door opened then Clarren shows up in a hurry and panting."Aria, I heard you screaming. Are you hurt?" he panicky said to me while scanning every inch of my
Aria's POV: "Clarren..." My lower lip trembled and keeps swallowing excessively as I have no excuse to say about the massive hole in the wall. "Shall I tell him the truth, but what if he can't handle the truth?" I said to myself. I hold my silence while thinking about what to say to him. We both froze staring at each other until he finally breaks the ice. "Tell me Aria, when did you become stronger? I want to know everything," he seriously said to me. Judging from his reaction and the way he glanced at me. He doesn't look surprised at all as if he knew what I was capable of doing. "Does he know who I am?" Questions keep popping into my head. "Clarren, did you know something about the barrier surrounding the center?" I curiously ask him. I wanted to find out whether he has something to do with the barriers and he has information about me that I don't know. He walks closer to the wall and looks in the direction where my finger is pointing to. "You can see the cleansing fire barrier
Dylan's POV: I was crawling my way back to my fortress and used my remaining energy to send Aria back to the medical center. The pain all over my body is excruciating as if my flesh was being ripped off, my limbs are being torn apart and the burning sensation is too agonizing as if my body is being burnt from the inside out. Aside from that, I'm having shortness and difficulty of breathing that never happened before because not only that I am a Supreme Being, but I am also a spirit and should no longer experience this kind of pain. I was lucky that I made it in the nick of time hoping that my spirit vessel would be rejuvenated since I was in my fortress."What is going on with me? First, I experience having sensations and feelings that I never felt before, now my senses are more sensitive and my body is experiencing pain as if I'm turning into a mortal. What is she and how did she do it?"I lay down on my bed and rested. Days had passed and my vessel is not healing. I haven't regaine
Dylan’s POV:I saw people closing their windows and doors as they don't want to get involved. I can tell that they will be happy if those men catch up to me for everybody hates me. I tried my best to run faster, but one of the men was able to catch up and quickly jumped on me. We both fell to the ground with my face down. My head hit hard on the solid rock and I instantly felt light-headed. The blood from my head runs down my face. The rest of the men catch up on us and surround me while I am trying to scan them one by one hoping to recognize their faces. Unfortunately, I was not able to see them clearly with my eyes all covered with blood. They start to beat the hell out of me while I am still down on the ground. They continue beating me up until all of their hands were covered with blood, theirs and mine. I got so weak. My face and body were in total pain that I can barely move.They don't stop even for a minute to take a quick rest. They just keep on beating me without any remorse
Dylan's POV: "Don't send Shithead to the valley he will only bring disaster to the innocent civilians and it's going to be chaotic!" I panicky said to the Demon King."That's the main objective, moron!" I felt a jolt of anger in his tone. He glared at me, and I see the hell of fire burning from his blazing red eyes. "When did you start caring about innocent lives? Don't tell me you're getting soft on them. It's unlikely of you to show compassion to others." His brows drew together and started to doubt me."I'm not, but what you're doing is a declaration of war on heaven," I carefully explain to him."We are at war the moment that the thing inside her awakened, we cannot just sit here and wait," he seriously said to me.He leans over to me and touches my head. I can feel a strong volt of electricity running through my spiritual vessel, giving me unimaginable power. My body is fully charged with a massive thunderbolt of lightning energy roaring in every inch of my being. This power is