Chương 16: Twisted Laughter

A glowing box made of some strange material stood in the corner of an unfamiliar living room. Its surface shimmered like a starry night as bizarre, shadowy mirages rippled across it, and a droning voice spilled out, rambling about some prominent leader winning. However, the noise went in one ear and out the other because Anadis was utterly engrossed in a small, flashing slate that shuddered whenever he touched it.

"Hey, champ," came a voice beside him.

"You like your gift?" Anadis looked up from the addictive slate to see a stranger. The stranger swept back his chestnut-brown hair, slick and shiny under the chandelier light.

"Yes! Thanks, Dad!" Anadis would have jumped if he could when he heard the sound of his own voice. The words had come out of their own volition, the childish cadence unfamiliar to his ears." Icarus," a woman's voice came from his right, soft as a murmur.

"You'd better have him on a schedule. I don't want him to get addicted to that thing." Her ginger-colored hair rested on her shoulder in two neat braids. She leaned in, kissed Anadis's messy hair, pulled out a chair, and sat next to him. He didn't know the woman, yet he felt a strange, deep adoration for her. He also liked how her braids tickled his cheek when she leaned close.

"I will, Isole," the man, Icarus, responded.

"But let the boy enjoy it today." His neck relaxed as he loosened a shirt button. Anadis reluctantly looked up.

"Yes, Mom! I'm five today," he said, raising his hand with all five fingers spread wide.

"I'm big now!" Again, he had no control over his own words.

"Then prove it. Put your game away and eat your veggies," Isole said, grabbing his fork and knife to cut a piece of steamed carrot along with some steak.

"Here, open up." He winced, shaking his head.

"I don't like carrots." But Anadis did like carrots. It was one of his favorite vegetables. What is happening here? Who are these people?

"Well, Leander," Icarus said, who apparently was Anadis's father in this nightmare or memory. Wait… that name, Leander, isn't that the same one from my nightmares?

"If you won't eat, then you won't play," the man continued, resting both hands under his chin and giving Anadis a deadpan stare, one brow raised. He lingered with his mouth open for a moment before reluctantly taking a tiny bite.

"It's good, right?" Isole asked, a grin spreading across her face as she watched him chew. Forcing a crooked smile, he gave her a not-so-convincing thumbs-up. They both laughed mildly, and at first, unbidden, Anadis laughed along with them. But… their laughter began to twist. It grew sharper, louder, echoing throughout the room and clashing with the droning voice emitting from the glowing box. Anadis tilted his head. They wouldn't stop laughing.

The sound stretched on, awkward and unbearable, so loud it hurt his ears.

"Mom… Dad… why are you laughing so much?" he asked, but they ignored him. He stood and tugged desperately at their arms.

"Are you okay? Don't laugh! Stop! Please, stop!" He stumbled back, heart racing, cold sweat breaking out across his back.

"STOP!" he shouted. The glowing box's chatter grew louder, its surface distorting into crackling static. Anadis trembled as their maniacal laughter rang in his ears. Then, in a blink, silence fell. He looked up to see them frozen, mouths agape. Suddenly the walls pulsed and bent. The chandelier's light flickered wildly. Then, in a grotesque, macabre motion, their heads slowly twisted until their faces were upside down.

A flood of morbid murmurs poured from their mouths, from the glowing box, and from everywhere and nowhere at once. A hundred voices whispered as one.

"It's your fault… If you hadn't been born, we would have lived good lives! Leander! You're to blame for everything that happened—and everything that will follow." Anadis's eyes widened in pure terror. His chest heaved, and a shriek tore from his throat." AH—!" Anadis's eyes snapped open, his breath caught in his throat. His head throbbed as if he had slammed into a wall, and his whole body felt stiff as a rock. Glimpsing through the gap in his shutters, the one he always kept open, he watched the morning light.

Birdsong filtered in, and his heartbeat slowed just a little. What the hell was that nightmare? Where was that place? And who were those people? Then he squinted as a glowing light flashed in front of him. Hel appeared, her gaze scrutinizing as she looked at him. A small, satisfied smile curled her lips.

"So do you believe me now?"

"I suppose I do," he said without any resistance.

"That was way more vivid than the other nightmares. It was like I was actually there, living it. I saw a man and a woman—my parents, or the parents of whoever Leander—""Spare me the details, Vessel," Hel cut in with cold indifference.

"For all your visible distress, your mind and soul are slowly stabilizing. If marginally." She exhaled softly, a faint crease forming at her brow.

"A clarity draught elixir would have been preferable. But I guess in this era, few possess the skill to produce one… and you lack the coin regardless." He looked at her flatly, thoroughly unimpressed by her disinterest act.

"Now, your Blessing still requires refinement," she said.

"Once we address that, we will proceed to obtain the first Key." Then the door swung open suddenly.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" shouted an overly eager big sister who clearly hadn't heard of knocking.

"Nora… it's too early for this," Anadis groaned, rubbing at his temples. She grabbed a pillow from Albus's bed on the other side of the room and hurled it at him. He easily deflected it with one hand.

"Your Blessen insignias are ready," she said.

"Let's go. Albus and Aelia are ready—we're just waiting for you." Hel exhaled and shook her head.

"Guess training will have to wait." ❧❧ ⫷ ❁ ⫸ ❧❧ The four siblings walked along the bustling cobblestone streets of Aura Cay, feeling the tingle of the chilly wind on their skin despite the bright twin suns overhead. Goldturn had just begun, and it still baffled Anadis how yesterday, the last day of Solwane, had been warm, and today already felt noticeably colder. The Learning Hall was closed today, and he was glad for it.

Classes ran on a staggered schedule, one day on, the next off, then on again, and today was an off day, so they had no reason to rush at all. In any case, he smiled as he was finally on his way to pick up his Blessen insignia. Aelia and Albus accompanied him… and, of course, Nora.

"Why are you coming with us again, Nora?" he asked, swinging his head in her direction.

"Since graduating as an Attuner, I haven't had much to do, so to answer your question—I'm coming with you because I'm bored," Nora said, her lips curling up in amusement.

"And besides, who knows? Maybe today's the day my future husband will find me." Yeah… that's Nora. Hel let out a tired grunt as she stretched her tiny arms atop Nora's head.

"Just how much longer must we walk to get there?"

"You're not even walking. You're using my sister's head as a steed," he countered mentally.

"If she were aware a goddess was sitting on top of her head, she would consider it an honor and ask to be my personal chariot," Hel said, her wings flicked once in a proud motion. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Anadis discreetly shook his head in exasperation, then glanced again at his sister. Can Nora really not feel her sitting atop her head? The tiny goddess's existence truly baffled him.

He could feel her weight when she sat on his head or shoulder—albeit insignificant, yet unmistakable whenever she moved; if he had to compare her weight, it'd probably be the same as a small bird. Maybe I should try something, he thought mischievously, rubbing his hands with a sly grin.

"Nora! There's a big wasp on your head," he suddenly blurted. Nora's eyes widened, and she shrieked frantically, slapping the nonexistent insect out of her head.

"Hey!" Hel shouted.

"Be careful, mortal!" She flew out of his sister's head and landed on Anadis's shoulder, pouting.

"Why would you tell her such a thing?!" He whistled, trying to look as oblivious as possible. That hadn't really told him anything—he had hoped that by Nora patting her head, she might accidentally touch Hel and feel her presence.

"Anadis!" Nora said, also pouting in anger.

"Why did you say that? Are you trying to scare your big sis?"

"Sorry," he said apologetically.

"I genuinely thought I saw one. It must have been one of your thick curls going wild." She let out a weary huff and turned her head away, clearly done with him. Aelia laughed softly, covering her mouth with a delicate hand.

"We're here," Albus said evenly. They climbed the stairs into the Blessen Guild, which was actually inside the cathedral. Aura Cay's Blessen population was sparse, perhaps one of the lowest on the entirety of Continent Igindor, so there had been little reason to build a separate guild. Instead, they had merged it with the cathedral. The interior still looked as grand as it did during the Awakening Ceremony, filled with ornate adornments and stunning frescoes of the gods.

Hel drifted slightly higher, her wings slowing.

"So… I see they still cling to these portrayals," she murmured, her gaze sweeping across the frescoes. After a faint pause, she added, "How quaint." Glancing down at the rows of benches, he saw where he sat that day. The same day he first met Selene, when he sat next to her and close to Zoe, though she wasn't here anymore. The thought stung way more than it ought to.

He didn't even know her that long, and she was the one who froze when the Grull appeared, and yet he couldn't help but think that if he hadn't told her to use that blinding Boon, things could've turned out differently.

"Brother, we can register over there," Albus said, pulling Anadis from his dreary thoughts. He pointed toward a corner almost hidden from view, where a small wooden sign with modest lettering read: Blessen Guild. A young woman around his older brother's age sat behind the desk. Her body shivered beneath her thin wool tunic. Her hair lay unkempt, her nose dripped, and her cheeks glowed red. Anadis touched the desk bell. The sharp chime made the receptionist jump in surprise, a small sneeze escaping her.

She looked at him with distaste as she rubbed her runny nose.

"I'm here! No need to ring it," she said, her voice sounding stuffy.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist," he said apologetically.

"Welcome to the Blessen Guild," she muttered with a click of her tongue, then sniffed her runny nose.

"How can I help you?"

"We're here to register as Blessens," Anadis declared, gesturing toward Aelia and Albus behind him, "and to receive our insignias."

"I just need a bit of information first," she told him, waving a hand.

"Then you can go after the girl and the boy who went in before you. They should be finishing soon." A girl? Could it be Selene?

"In the meantime, tell me each of your names."

"I'm Anadis Kalonis," he answered, then gestured toward his sister.

"This is—"" Wait!" The girl stood up, slamming her palms on the table. The brusque movement somehow didn't feel brusque at all coming from her.

"Are you perhaps the Kalonis siblings?" she asked, her brown eyes widening. Swallowing a sigh, he nodded.

"Yes…" Here we go. Another Albus and Aelia fan… She scribbled his name down, then looked at him.

"So I assume you're related to Noe Kalonis?"

"Yes… he's my older brother," Anadis responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Why do you ask?" She beamed.

"Oh my gods, how is he?"

"You still haven't forgotten about him?" Nora spoke, stepping up beside Anadis.

"Nora!" The girl beamed.

"So good to see you. Tell me, how's your brother? It's been so long since we graduated from the Learning Hall." She hesitated.

"Is he… seeing anyone?" Nora sighed and shook her head.

"Yes. Actually, he's getting married to Esmel in a month." The girl's face fell as if she had just received the news that her puppy had died.

"Is this what passes for admiration in this era?" Hel said, drifting lazily sideways past the girl's face.

"What's happening?" Anadis asked, clearly confused by how the conversation had suddenly shifted to be about his older brother.

"She and Noe used to be a thing for a little while," Nora explained.

"Nothing serious." The girl gasped." Nothing serious?!" She clenched her fists.

"We would have gotten married if it weren't for that elf and her—" she gestured vaguely at her own chest.

"—you know. Her… everything."

"Her boobs?" Nora added, one brow raised.

"Wait, hold on," Anadis interrupted, holding up his hands.

"To be fair… those are two big and compelling reasons for him to like her." Both girls stared at him—even Aelia did—their faces scrunched in disbelief. Suddenly, he felt embarrassed and coughed, trying to hide his face behind his fists. Why did he say that? Nora smacked the back of his head. It didn't hurt, but he rubbed the spot anyway. At that moment, a creak of a door and footsteps shifted their attention to behind the receptionist.

"Oh, they're finished. You lot can head in next," the receptionist said. He waited eagerly for the person to step out, and as he had anticipated, it was her.

"Selene." His voice made the girl glance his way." Huh?" She tilted her head, looking at him. Then she startled—not in fear, but as if she'd been caught. Her gaze flicked away, and she quickly smoothed her chiton tunic before glancing back at him.

"Oh… hello, Anadis," she said calmly.

"Did you register as a Blessen?" he asked her. She nodded.

"How was the process?" She shrugged.

"It was normal … I guess." Then, a tall, lanky boy stepped out from behind her, his skin so grey he looked almost lifeless. The boy didn't wait for anyone to move—he simply pushed through the narrow gap between Anadis and Selene like the space was his by right, his shoulder nearly clipping Anadis as he passed." Can you not block the way?" the tall boy groaned without looking back. Anadis turned to watch him go.

The boy looked just a bit older than Anadis, but his grayish hair, strong angular face, stubborn jaw, and the serene confidence in his stride made him seem much older. The hem of his tunic was fraying at the edges, the shoulders torn in a careless, lived-in way that spoke of rough use rather than deliberate style. Their eyes met for a single second as the boy glanced back, clocking Anadis's golden eyes, brows furrowing, then looked away. Who's this delinquent?

Then the boy's gaze shifted, and a smug smile spread across his pale, ashen face. Who's he smiling at? Anadis followed his gaze— Albus stood there, expression blank as always. Nora was already giving him that oh-this-is-going-to-be-fun look—he knew exactly what was coming. But Aelia… her posture shifted awkwardly, her gaze lowered. When she finally looked up, her expression turned sheepish as she met the lanky boy's eyes. No… Aelia? Not a guy like him…

"That one," Hel whispered into his thoughts,"there's a heavy weight inside him." But before he could raise any protests, his sister Nora began her routine.

"Ooo, Anadis, who's she?" she asked, nudging him in the side with her elbow while looking at Selene.

"She's pretty. Is she a friend? Perhaps a girlfrie—" He clamped a hand over her mouth, not letting her finish that sentence. She licked and then bit his hand.

"Ouch!" he cried.

"That's disgusting!"

"Well, what did you expect after doing that so suddenly?" Nora shot back. By the time Anadis's eyes fell back on the boy, he was already stepping out of the cathedral with confident, almost arrogant strides. That was to be expected from someone Anadis had already labeled a delinquent. The real problem was that even after the boy left, Aelia's head stayed turned toward the doorway, her gaze lingering on the empty space he had occupied.

"Are you going in or not?" the receptionist interrupted, looking at them with mild desperation. Anadis's gaze darted toward her.

"Yes, we will," he said quickly, already scurrying forward.

"It was good seeing you," Selene muttered.

"Bye."

"Wait!" He caught her hand. Her eyes widened, so he released it almost immediately.

"Selene, don't leave. Let's talk after I'm done, okay?" She hesitated. Anadis shot Nora a meaningful look and made a small, urgent gesture as if telling her not to let her go. Nora instantly caught on and flashed him a thumbs-up.

"Hey!" she said brightly at Selene, throwing an arm around the girl's shoulders.

"Don't run off just yet."

"H-hi," Selene replied, stiffening.

"I'm Nora. If you want to stay on my little brother's good side, you should definitely listen to what I…" Their voices faded as Anadis stepped into the Blessen registration room.