《THE UNDERWORLD: RECORDS OF HELL》


 CHAPTER 1 : NO_BODY I

    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a full-grown seed! I¡¯ve never rip anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Just wait until we cross to there, then we will know how much it worth. Rather than that, it¡¯s truly fascination to know such a vassal exists. If only we waited more, we would be putting our hand on mythical level one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not up to us, we just need to get the orders done and he is ¡­¡±


    The sounds of the conversation receded. I have no gist of what had happened, as I was returning home at a late hour. I¡¯m feeling my heart bleeding, did I get stabbed? I won¡¯t be surprised if that¡¯s the case, after all ¡­ I was cursed for a long time.


    Whether you are careful or watched out, no means of protection had ever worked in my favor, right now, what I feel is freedom, I¡¯ve been waiting for those moments, when I get rid of my shackle, if death at the hands of those, was my salvation, then be it.


    But all it takes was a glimpse of what my life would have been, a normal life at death¡¯s door, to regret wishing death now.


    ¡®Salvation or a slave that was released, which one do you think it¡¯s the appropriate. Think of it child, now that your veil has been uncovered, you should be able to restore you memories, and chase for those who made your life into hell¡¯


    Even when I¡¯m at death door, you won¡¯t let me rest in peace. That mind of mine is hallucinating know and that body don¡¯t want to give up already, what was left to burn like hell you damn heart.


    As if it was a cue, an entranced feeling seeped through my mind as some unfocused visions did.


    ¡®Until you get your memories back, let this be my gift to you my pitiful child¡¯


    I felt like I have heard those words before but a flesh tearing sensation attacked me. A few moments later I was observing my own body from above.


    I was in a dark empty alley, beside the hoot of some owl, and a cat with an amputated left ear looking directly at me.


    ¡®Then I will await you in the other side¡¯ there was no source for that voice nor anyone in this alley beside a cat, and as to put it in motion it turned away and gone. Its black fur united with the darkness. Then I was left alone.


    I was left in a state my mind couldn¡¯t proceed, but I knew deep inside me, If I don¡¯t get my ass to work, I¡¯m done for.


    The ghost like state I was in, was weakening as the time passed, I was sure as I¡¯m observing my body from above that It¡¯s dying, and somehow this ghost or maybe astral form ¨C as my hunch is telling me ¨C was connected to my physical form, and finding a new energy source was what should keep me alive, in other terms, leeching a living being.


    So firstly, how am I supposed to move. Since I was expelled from my body that facing the ground, I¡¯m still hovering above and staring down to it, excluding the moment where I wanted to check my surrounding and stared at that peculiar cat. Having no muscles or nerves to transform my will to movement was absurd to even think about it. It¡¯s like been unable lift your hands during push-ups after reaching your limits, despite infusing all my will in it. But yes, way do I need them anyway, it may be just ...


    Hah, it worked I moved my head again, so it was just like that. Just welling to move was enough to do the job, that wouldn¡¯t take time to get accustomed to it.


    Somehow It didn¡¯t take me long, to familiarize with my movements, it was like they were already there and just need to wipe the dust from them. Basics were done by a simple will ¨C to lift a hand to rotate ¨C while pacing around or changing altitude depended on how much thoughts contained in my wills ¨C which was basically, blanking my mind to float up, while doing calculation like thoughts in my will to move around or float close to the floor ¨C


    The ¡®Academic city¡¯ was a medium size city, known by the variety educational institutions, with almost no touristic monuments or industrial facilities. The residents where mostly locals and foreigner students like me, and you can rarely cross road with someone at this late hour. But when I float out of that alley, there were moving frames I couldn¡¯t discern, going and coming, now and then, and since it seems like they didn¡¯t notice me, I just ignored them for the moment.


    As time passed it becomes hard to stay focus, since it was neither I could find people outside, nor I could enter closed house despite the ethereal form. So, I shifted target to animals, and as if I was having not enough troubles, cats the only stray creature here were able to see me.


    I felt drained, and about to give up on this life, until I heard a tiny meowing from a bush in the garden. It was a little kitten that haven¡¯t even opened its eyes. Now that I have nothing but my life on the line, every thought of pity was washed away, so I wasn¡¯t hesitating, rather not knowing what to do next. I had the rough idea to take over the body, but never thought of how to do it. But what if I willed to go inside it, and move on through it, it didn¡¯t work with inanimate objects, so I¡¯m not sure with this.


    I hovered above the kitten, closed my eyes and concentrate my thoughts to be part of that living being. It becomes difficult to keep a track of time, since I will break my concentration and redo the process again. It must have been an hour or a frame of a second, until I felt something different, but couldn¡¯t risk opening my eyes, which I regrated later. The link to my body was severed, it felt again like my heart was torn apart, even in this state I felt it again.


    My energy source is almost depleted, I rushed things an opened my eyes, or that¡¯s what I though. There was no response, everything was black, nor I could feel my other parts moving, like I¡¯m here but not here, thinking but not responding, feeling but not seeing. It was strange.


    I felt seven presences from my surrounding, or were they nine I wasn¡¯t sure. They felt the same, yet some of them were here others weren¡¯t. A warmness radiating from each one, they were light withing darkness. One above, one below. One behind, the other one ahead. Four at the corners, while the last was the center. It was swallowing me.


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    ***


    ¡°O higher one, allow me enter the wasteland and prove my worth to your teaching.¡±


    ¡°You know how to pick interest little human. Bring it¡± The higher one siting on his throne, who I dare not look to his face ordered one of his vassals who swiftly knelt on beside the throne and opened an ornamented wooden box. The higher one toke the content by his left and ordered me to stand close.


    ¡°I bestow on you the relic of the ancient. You should have already realized how far you can achieve with your human constitution. Thus, wandering a wasteland will not be an easy feat for you. This shall bring you far beyond your limit and preserve you precious life¡±. holding a curved red gemstone size of a thumb whit eight ledges pointing up, he continued.


    ¡°I will place it close to heart. Do you accept it¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful, O Higher one. I will always be in dept¡±.


    ¡°Mother earth, Father sky. Receive my pray, and answer I¡±. the higher one placed a hand on my left shoulder while his left hand holding the relic dived to my heart. The moment he stopped, I felt the relic wrapping around my heart and closing around it, the moment his hands left me I dropped to the ground.


    A loud ringing echoed in my head, but I could hear a subtle voice before my vision get blurred, dark, and then I passed out.


    ¡°Feed well, my pet¡­¡±.


    My senses began to come back, but not fully as they were before, even though the world seems somehow¡­ moving at a slow rate, I couldn¡¯t view it clearly, it was just haze of moving colorless object.


    ¡°afm goowing to schwool, dwon¡¯t let zee door open, so ¡®Benny¡¯ won¡¯t escape. Understood¡± the voice was wavering for a bit, but finally become clear.


    ¡°Yes brother!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of him!¡±


    From my peripheral vision, I could picture two small objects moving at the side of a tall one, they must be the voice sources. But who are they, and how did I¨C


    ¨CI couldn¡¯t even go through my train of thought when someone turn my light off, but I still could clearly hear the murmurs around me.


    Who are those people, why my vision was abnormal, and why I can¡¯t see now, I was sure I didn¡¯t close my eyes, my attempts also to close and open them were futile, I needed to understand my situation or else I might lose my sanity while panicking, so I took a deep breath, again a deep brea¡­, ¡®SHIT WHY THERE IS NO AIR COMING¡¯, then I remembered everything.


    I wasn¡¯t upset at what was happening, I took my time to understand what had transpired at ease, hearing and seeing the joyful family I was with, while Ethan and Evan the twin kids awakening and playing with Benny which was me ¨C precisely the kitten hosting me ¨C I felt fortunate as the meaning given to that name.


    Nearly four weeks passed since I¡¯ve left my body, and so everything related to it, since I had known nothing but a hellish life, despite that when I have finally been freed from that misery, I couldn¡¯t just forget what happened and live as a parasite, everything would have no meaning, and knowing that I have just recently woken up, keep me unease whether or not I would experience such a comatose hence after, the worst case¡­ I might never awake again.


    ¡®Chase for those who made your life into hell¡¯ if I remember it correctly, was what that voice said, he must have known something, after all he was the one making into this, but with no clue sure I won¡¯t be able to find him, right now I need to know myself how to use what I have.


    Since I feeling a slightly better the first time I was forced on astral projection, I closed my eyes trying to remember and explain the event transpired, other than the flesh tearing pain no useful steps were there.


    ¡®I was expelled forcefully¡¯ I thought to myself. It must be caused by the one who was speaking to me at that time.


    I was at a dead-end, but still having a last card, the will and thought process, even if it had worked before, I wasn¡¯t sure if it will now that I¡¯m in a corporal state, nevertheless I tried it.


    To start, I had to isolate my mind from the surrounding, and focus on my inner self. The warmth started to devour me and I felt being again surrounded by eight presences. Unlike before, I knew where I am, the ethereal domain where the cat¡¯s souls reside, and the central one was merged with mine.


    Now, I redirected my will to the outside, and ¡­ there is no ¡®and¡¯, I wasn¡¯t sure about what is next, going up or down, as I have no idea where ¡®out¡¯ is.


    I was already at the epicenter when arrived, now I see no exit, improvising and moving around would expose me to another soul merging, and I might disintegrate completely this time.


    I was helpless.


    Seconds passed by, while I was contemplating around me, the souls moved like golden flames of fire, and sparks flew one another, the warmth has turned to heat and the threads emerged from the embers and connecting the space around me, it felt like a cage. I thought it¡¯s time to wake.


    I opened my eyes little by little, the strange host senses were felt, and my vision started to adjust. There was a dread clinging to my heart, it was a strange emotion I never felt even when I first woke up here. My heartbeat was faster than what it should be, and felt the hairs on my body rose.


    Was I that fearful of what I¡¯ve became¡­ no, those doesn¡¯t belong to me, if I¡¯m right those were benny¡¯s. My blurred vision became clear, and soon I realized why time has stop moving.


    They were watching me, a pair of eyes with vertical slit pupil were just above my snout looking deep into mine. There nose was as if it has been cut off, while their gray skin looked as a burned clay, then they said something and disappeared, but their presence was there, I could still smell it.


    Ignorant to what is happening around me, I heard the front door of the house opening, and sweet voices emerged.


    ¡°Did dad said he was coming today mom?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! we I messed him too, will he really come?¡±


    ¡®No, they shouldn¡¯t come, that thin is still roaming inside¡¯. I hurriedly jumped from the bed, slamming my face to the ground in the process. Standing again, then falling, somehow looking as a toddler¡¯s first steps.


    I wasn¡¯t a toddler, nor the human I used to be anymore. I ignored the fact that I¡¯m for the first time controlling this new form, and ran toward the door, I just want to protect warm family that sheltered me for the first time.


    Knowing, I can¡¯t convey my word to them, I slipped between their feet and headed outside. The kids were screaming and following me, but I was lost to what my eyes could perceive within the shadows of the night¡­


    A voice rang into my ears caught me by surprise, and left me from the ground.


    ¡°Where were you running new one?¡±

 CHAPTER 2 : BEFALL I

    BALPHAKHOR¡¯S POV:


    Damn it, to think I was stunned to the extent I would omit an important thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you Gen!! If you did not distract me, ¡®that¡¯ wouldn¡¯t happen!!¡±


    ¡°Oii!!! I¡¯m sick of it so just focus on filling this year¡¯s quota¡±


    ¡°When the lord finds out about it, we¡¯re doomed. I swear on my existence that it wasn¡¯t reaped¡¯¡¯. Yeah, there was no trace of the reaper when we returned to collect the vessel, the soul had escaped, which means it still held a fragment of the seed. No, that¡¯s not possible, the one we harvested was intact.


    ¡®¡¯ahhhhh! Fu*k¡±, the ridiculousness of this situation was straining me.


    I stared up at Gendael who was laying on the ceiling, he did never care about the problems that happened nor their consequences. He turned away the back of his hand, unhiding his sleepy eyes, and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Bal, we searched for it for four weeks yet we found nothing, I¡¯m not doubting the time you spent as disciple of Al-Marahiyyin, but you sensing the traces left by the reaper is unreasonable, you¡¯re not some high demon or ifrit to begin with¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not helping, don¡¯t hinder me¡± I glanced at the corner of the stone chamber where the vessel was, and continued ¡°He, who ordered us to bring it back will surely_¡±


    ¡°wouldn¡¯t find anything if you keep your mouth shut¡±


    My words were cut off by Gen who floated down and approached the vessel, diving his hand deep within it and taking out a tiny black crystal formed within its vein.


    ¡°Never the lord asked for a vessel to be brought back after serving its purpose¡­¡±


    ¡°After coming this far, you too should be aware of it, this piece is second to none. Proved its worth alive, and so will serve greater things dead¡±


    Our eyes locked as he finished his word, my lips bobbing up and down to retort back, but no words emerged. I¡¯ve thought of this possibility many times, while looking to prove my actions rather than quietly accepting that I might be wrong. But I¡¯ll never put my pride down and admit my mistake.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut it short, since talking to a rock would be better than convincing you. Until we are done with this quota, I will refrain myself from bringing up my judgment on this matter. Fair enough?¡±


    All I received in response was a sigh. As I thought, it won¡¯t be easy to make him shrug off my blunder.


    ¡°Do as you wish, I¡¯m out of_¡±


    Rushed steps echoed behind the door until a minion barged in without announcement.


    ¡°Sir,Sir!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better have a damn good reason or things will not end well for you!¡±


    I responded immediately to the out-of-breath soldier. He was wearing the Collector division leather set, the color of which matched his mahogany skin perfectly. His legs trembled, and he fell to his knee as he recognized his blunder.


    ¡°Intruder Sir, the Watcher in position detected a powerful Ember heading to our base!¡±


    Powerful he says. What a bunch of useless, never capable of completing their job without being a nuisance.


    ¡°How many useless are in the base right now?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me sir?... I mean twenty-four, sir¡±


    And you can¡¯t deal with a single intruder, are they taking me for a joke¡­No; as if you weren¡¯t enough, those lowly underlings are doubting me as their head, how did they find out about my blunder that no one but Gen knew about.


    ¡°sir¡­sir¡­sir¡±


    It seems I leaked my rage, as I saw the soldier trying to catch his breath. I will be sure to get you all after we are done here


    ¡°Sir please we might not have enough time to prepare. Your order?¡±


    ¡°Ha! what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The intruder has been detected in a radius of six kilometers. He seems to be stealthy, but his Ember energy failed to keep him concealed at such a close distance¡±


    What¡­? The watcher should have been able to perceive a fluctuation for more than thirty kilometers, and a certain detection in half this distance. How the hell did they¡­


    ¡°Did you say it was a single person, a powerful ember, what degree did it have?¡±


    I grabbed the soldier by the collar urging him to answer. Gen seemed to tense as he shifted to my side, while no answers came out from the man. His red eyes moved from side to side, as If he had never heard those words before.


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    It was all it took to make me sweat while locking eyes with Gen, who also seemed too, struggling to believe what his ears had caught, or more accurately, what they didn''t. My mouth was still agape, trying to muster a word before he declared.


    ¡°I will try stalling for time, while you flee and secure the vessel!¡±


    ¡°Stop!!!¡± Before he could step-out of the entrance, I grabbed his hand shifting a quizzical look at me.


    ¡°My command. I go, You stay! I am better than you at talking¡±


    Yeah! Do you think I will let more blame hang on me, nice move but not falling for it. I will make sure to talk it out at the front, but if things go south, you will be my scapegoat.


    ¡°Let us go!¡± I grabbed the soldier by the collar of his armor set and moved through the door.


    ¡°Order all fighters to the front gate in a minute. All in defense formation¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir¡±


    The base we occupy is an old two-story mansion located deep in a forest. We keep the special treasures and earnings at a vault in the basement, and since the later orders of the lord are confidential to many underlings, we preserved the vessel at our wait room, and made it appear as a kill-time toy, hoping the spies wouldn¡¯t get interested in such a trivial behavior.


    I arrived at my room and closed the door behind me so I could change into my battle armor, which sat on a stand near the desk. I never thought that a time will come again when I will use it on the surface, while I hope my precautions would be unnecessary and things will get resolved peacefully. Against those calamities, words of mind do not solve issues and so brute force is also useless, my only hope is to appeal his soul with an offer or servitude until they are satisfied.


    Before stepping out of the door, I turned to look over the wooden showcase where one of my precious memorials -a necklace- laid. It dates over two millennia now, and made me remember the days when not even those called redeemer then -out of hope- could break from their bond of submission, and were turned low. Whenever there is a great one there is a greater.


    It took me few moments before I reached the main gate, and as of my command, the mansion is now empty from its inhabitants. While stepping out, I felt the chills of the cold night, as the mist enclosed our surrounding announcing the near dawn.


    The creaking of the gate should have been enough for everyone to take their positions, alas the peace and treaties they used-to, and what little skirmishes they engaged in, rendered them lousy and mentally unprepared for greater threats.


    I faced the head soldier, and walked towards him at the front of the group. There were about twenty members, most of them wore light armors, since the usual missions are about gathering and implanting resources across the tangible realm. Few were in casual clothes that foreigners might think they are on a trip, if not for them holding bows and daggers.


    As soon as I reached the front, past the head soldier who soon after noticing me started shouting orders to the battle group. Annoyed looks disappeared as he made clear that everyone was listening, and so I briefed them for what awaits them.


    ¡°Long story short, uninvited are coming. Who are they? foes or allies, soon will get to know.¡±


    ¡°What you have to do is stay on your toes, as their power outranks us all. So, my order rules whether we fight or submit¡±


    ¡°Their envoy will come at any moment, and as they hold the power over your lives¡­ just pray this matter will be closed auspiciously, keep your thoughts inward and obey the orders.¡±


    Not waiting anymore, I turned my back to them facing the direction where the intruder is supposed to come from. As silence befell us, everyone gulped their saliva and stiffened while anticipating what would come.


    A figure started to appear slowly from the mist surrounding the trees as if walking on air, no sound was heard from their footsteps. Wearing a black suit that¡¯s commonly used by humans, appeared and what supposed to be a white haired old human male, if not for the cloven hoof that spoke the identity of a morphed djinn, he could easily be mistaken for a human.


    ¡°What a cold welcome you have prepared for me. Are those everything you have?¡±


    Said the man in a deep baritone voice, before coming to a halt about fifteen meters from me.


    ¡°We were not informed about the coming of a higher being, we ask for forgiveness. May we know what thee, a mighty one is visiting this lowly place?¡±


    I responded, tiptoeing every word before I speak while maintaining my gazes low.


    ¡°Tsk. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like dealing with weaklings.¡±


    What should normally supposed to be inner thoughts, was voiced out for everyone to hear. Glad that I already warned the underlings beforehand, or worse could happen for the lousy behavior of those Marid creatures.


    Without further response, he pointed with his left hand somewhere behind us, while palming his face with the right one. I was midway turning my head when my skin started to chill, and then I realized the mistake I¡¯ve made.


    ¡°EVERY ONE, DISP¡­!!!¡±


    -click-


    But it was already too late as I perceived a malicious grin erupting under the intruder¡¯s hand. An instant later, my sight was blocked by a dense fog that turned into a blizzard. I tried to move out only to be forced down as my feet froze in place, and so other parts were going numb.


    I¡¯ve lost track of time while attempting to imitate a hibernation state ¡ªat least play possum as a last resort¡ª by directing my ember to my vitals.


    ¡°Hoho, you¡¯re still awake. I didn¡¯t expect that much¡­¡±


    ¡°Just who are you, and what have we done to be treated like that?¡±


    ¡°Yo, chill old man¡­ ha-ha, that was really good I nailed it two times now ha-ha. Well, I was getting annoyed with that seriousness of yours¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that what we get from treating you with respect? Unfair demise??¡±


    ¡°Tsk, you¡¯re just getting serious again. I¡¯m just here to save the sleeping princess, and as a knight I should also take down the dragon imprisoning her¡­ ah yes there was that also, so stop blabbering he can¡¯t escape anywhere.¡±


    His tone quickly changed from amusement to irritation, as if flipping a coin. So, he was after ¡®that¡¯, and Gen may not even make it out alive. At least, give me a name to curse you for eternity¡­


    ¡°¡­ a name, at least I should know who killed me.¡±


    Exasperated, I spoke my last words and¡­


    ¡°Eh. You, just go to sleep.¡±


    Was what I got as a response. Then he snapped his finger again, and everything went dark.

 CHAPTER 3 : NEW RESOLUTIONS I

    ¡°My life wasn''t fancy to begin with, and neither was my death. I had no family or friends to speak of; I was raised in an orphanage. And for some charm within me, the more I get to bond with someone, the more they drift away from me. Either they found new homes ¡ªin the case of my friends¡ª or they abandoned me for no reason ¡ªfor my adopters¡ª as my parents did.¡±


    ¡°Later, when I was looking for my birthparents, I learned from the director that I was found in a trash container¡­ well, you could say that I lived a trash life from its beginning.¡±


    ¡°And what do you think I did after that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Hell no. I stopped looking for them, and started looking for my life.¡±


    ¡°I was nearing adulthood and soon to be kicked out of the orphanage, so I held onto the desperate hope that my birth parents might be loaded and will help me, or I would at least coerce them if they didn¡¯t. But as I told you, the trash was too much of a start, and my hopes were busted.¡±


    ¡°Did I hate them?... Now that I think about it, I did have times when I felt anger and rage towards all of them, but those feelings eventually subsided.I began to think that maybe it had something to do with me. I blamed myself a lot, and blah blah blah...¡±


    ¡°Shit, that can¡¯t do it. I''m not good at these emotional talks, and you''re not even responding. Can''t you do anything but stare? Even shrinks ask questions now and then, how did things even come to this!¡±


    I was sitting on my back like any normal dude would have done when visiting a therapist. The little difference is that I¡¯m sitting on a very comfortable cushion as a cat, not a human, closing my eyes and having a weird chat with what seemed to be the spirit of the cat, within its inner mind.


    Many things happened to me that I couldn¡¯t fully absorb. Thus, I tried sharing my burden with the first being I¡¯ve met, and it did not go well as it was a one-sided talk. I¡¯ve made sure to revisualize what I¡¯ve been through, getting a better understanding of my situation, and more importantly ensuring it was not a dream.


    For the latter, all keys ¡ªfrom pain sense, to olfaction and touch¡ª make it clear that I¡¯m not waking up...soon at least¡­or forever from this new reality. Well, I didn¡¯t have much to do in life aside from studying and being alone. I should at least thank those who freed me from that prison, or not. Which brings us to who and what are those things I saw?


    I can assume the voice I¡¯ve heard was emerging from the one-ear cat, and the gift it talked about was probably the astral form I turned to. So, can I assume he¡¯s something like me; possessing another life form, and that ¡°last gift¡± was something like magic? more precisely black magic since he can play with the dead? Or no.


    I wasn¡¯t dead at that moment, I was at death bed. There is a large difference so I will call it spiritism, which sounds great and pure as his last gift.


    I¡¯m getting swapped from the main question, why did he call it ¡°last¡±? Does that mean he knows me? No matter how much I grind my memory over it, there is no instance in my life where I ever met a third-rate fortune teller, let alone a spiritualist. He definitely was bluffing, something like those pre-mortem liners before they kill an enemy¡­


    Unless it was the times when I tried ending my misery, where I thought even death didn¡¯t accept me, and this time I was about to die too.


    S.O.B. I''m still feeling the pain after those failed attempts, and he said I will meet him on the other side. I will be very delighted to meet you since you will be paying tenfold what you made me suffer. I¡¯m not yearning for death now so this matter would wait a little bit.


    Still, they are but a conjecture that doesn¡¯t answer why and how I was killed. When I levitated from my body back then, no traces of blood or harm were seen, nonetheless I felt my heart ripping apart. If I was a third party, assuming a heart attack as a death cause is the most plausible, but I¡¯m not. My health record remained clean from critical cases, which brings me to believe those whispers I¡¯ve heard right after falling on the ground weren¡¯t some post-concussion hallucinations, and the speakers were the perpetrators, or else I would say my soul was been carried around, and happened to caught a verse of chat between two farmers at my way to be reborn, but the S.O.B. started an epic speech and brought me back. If that was what happened then I was an inch from escaping that curse, hahaha there is no way, who is he, a Go-¡­ no, no, no there is no way he is a God or else I¡¯m f*c*ed.


    Yeah, let¡¯s refrain from these ideas first. Why would they ¡ªa supreme being¡ª show in front of a mere me? Moreover, that Mister was in the form of a defected being, he didn¡¯t have that majestic aura attached to him, he must be a spiritualist nothing more. What was I even thinking, all corroborations support the first idea. Case closed.


    -Yaaaawn-


    Thinking is making me less and less energetic, and my heart is growing weak with every finding. Since yesterday I was able to move freely with the new body, and I learned how to give and take control of it in accordance to Benny¡¯s will. Basically I¡¯m a tenant or something like a room-mate, and whatever happens to him will affect me the moment we switch.


    While it sounds like I¡¯m safe inside, we still on the same boat, and the end result will reach me eventually as I¡¯m not able to disassociate from the body yet. But remembering what I¡¯ve been through last time, that idea still dreads me.


    Whatever might happen, I need knowledge to understand my situation, and to keep my head in this dark path they threw me in. The old me will rule, as I should be prepared to leave for my goals at any point, and throw my bonds again.


    I only hope again, my future holds prizes for enduring my misery. Until then, I forbid my heart to fall, my body to ill and my mind to dream. Until the time comes; when I¡¯ll be able to keep what I love close, and what might harm them in tombs.


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    ¡°Hoy, take your body. I¡¯m going to sleep, and wake me when something happens¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Last time I fell asleep, it took me four weeks to wake up. Hopefully it won''t happen again since that will hinder my research schedule. I was quickly drenched of energy, and soon overwhelmed by sweet sleep.


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°Hey aren¡¯t you going to help me a little more? this one is too difficult to manifest¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to assist every single time? struggle a little bit, and figure it out.¡±


    I left whatever I was doing and turned around facing the one that was speaking. A man with a young face that looks a day past his thirties and with long gray hair, was leaning against a tree and scribbling on a leather parchment. Without stopping he said:


    ¡°Kid, not everyone you meet will be willing to offer help, nothing is given, everything is exchanged. You need to give in order to receive, and knowledge is priceless, if you aren¡¯t able to pay the right amount, you will pay eventually¡±


    What an enigmatic man I thought, before realizing my mouth started to speak on its own.


    ¡°Stop writing while you talk. It''s like speaking gibberish and makes no sense to me! If you have decided to be my mentor, you need to honor your word.¡±


    I had this feeling since the start but couldn''t put it into words. Not being able to control my body or recognize my whereabouts, while having a casual chat with a stranger that somehow feels I¡¯m acquainted with. It''s like I''m living someone''s life, sharing what they see, and what they know.


    The young man that I was referring to as a mentor stopped writing and looked into my eyes. His face now clear as the fringes covering his forehead receded, revealing otherworldly features.


    ¡°And that¡¯s what I''ve been doing for the past two months, and if you don¡¯t like it, try looking for another teacher. Some beasts here are proficient, they will surely accept you if you sate their hunger. Remember the gibberish?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the way he speaks, nor the two stump-like protrusions on his forehead that caught me off guard. But the blazing eyes, that seemed to absorb the light within horizontal pupils, made me remember the creatures I saw at home and whatever thing unfolded after.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of shaping it, just feels the structure while speaking the hymn¡±


    A dream I thought, and a vivid one. For the first time being able to see past the mind''s imaginations, I couldn¡¯t hide my stupefaction.


    I turned to the clearing in the wood I was facing first, raised my left hand midway palm facing the sky, while bluffing some nonsense. At the same instant, inches above my palm the air started to bleed water, from what looked like a laceration.


    What looked like a laminar flow, started to slow down as the bleeding stopped, forming a nearly oval shape as it congregate and losing its transparency to a reflecting rippled surface. The form maintained shape for barely seconds, trying to gain more volume before falling to the ground.


    However, I was able to see my reflection crystal clear. But, is it natural to not be yourself in your own dream? Seems like being exposed to supernatural events affected my subconscious too.


    ¡°I''m dead tired, and need to rest. Can I call it a day?¡±


    ¡°That is up to your mana pool, after all i¡¯m not the one trying to make his way home¡±


    Hearing those dialogues started to tire me too, wasn¡¯t dreams supposed to be about a couple seconds before waking up. This feels like I¡¯m in a story mode game, is there no way to skip to the end.


    ¡°Maybe, if I use the right hand I¡¯ll make it in no time. I¡¯m dextral to begin with¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Training should be practiced as I instructed you. Otherwise I¡¯ll end it here¡±


    Somehow I felt the heat surging to my head, which I recognized as a forgotten sensation I knew, rage. Even though I can''t overthink a dream, there is a tickling at the back of my mind I still can¡¯t identify.


    ¡°I JUST WANT TO GO HOME! I SHOULD NEVER HAVE APPROACHED THAT CAVERN. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO COMPLICATE THINGS FOR ME? LEFT HAND, YES. RIGHT HAND, NO. WHO CARES ABOUT INSTRUCTIONS? I''VE ALREADY BROKEN THEM BY BEING HERE...¡±


    Quickly as the tantrum was spouted, giving no more room for reflection, I lifted both hands and repeated the same hymn. I sensed the space in between ripping before a strong hand squeezed my arm, jerking me from what I was doing


    I raised my head, locking eyes with the mentor expecting disapproval or anger in return. Yet, only sympathy was. My vision blurred as tears rolled down my face uncontrollably. I no longer know how to discern dreams from reality, as my emotions broke free and I began to cry.


    The young man dragged me to his embrace, only for choked sobs to overtake my breaths.


    ¡°There, there. Your master will shares your burdens, so take it all in me¡±


    ¡°I will make sure you reach home, they won¡¯t even know you were far away¡±


    The shared feeling brightened little by little, lighting my mood, although not knowing what all of this was about. The tickling that I felt before was now unmistakable. It was pure longing for something or someone I lived and lost, long before.


    ¡°Will you really do that for me?¡±


    My voice, similar to that of a young child, made me question who that boy was.


    ¡°Of course, who do you take me for? It might be difficult for you to understand, but our worlds have different timelines, and that means you can return to the same moment you came from. You just need to have passion, and always keep your anger in check so it won¡¯t cloud your judgment. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yeah I understand¡±


    ¡®No you absolutely don¡¯t¡¯ I perceived. My face was yet to move from the warmth of his chest, embarrassed of what I ¡ªThe host¡ª did, before the mentor pushed me gently while kneeling down to my level. Still, my eyes on the ground wouldn''t meet his.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡±


    I felt the hesitance within, as I knew what I¡¯m about to say. But the intertwined feeling began to disentangle as my surroundings started to melt down.


    ¡°I-I ap-ap-ologize¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my pupil; I accepted your apology. Now it¡¯s about time, let¡¯s move¡±


    ¡°Master, you haven''t told me yet?¡±


    ¡°hmm?¡±


    ¡°The reason we use the left hand¡­¡±

 CHAPTER 4 : NEW RESOLUTIONS II

    It¡¯s been days since those dreams started distressing me every now and then. They were about different people and places; some were nightmares, while others were meaningless visions. And always led by the same protagonist, who again wasn¡¯t me.


    I thought it was a natural occurrence for dreams to be unrelated to the logic and principles we live with. For every little movement or thought, the anonymous energy sustaining my existence depletes little by little, but not the way it did when I got expelled from my body. Its end seemed solid, that force me to slumber, while the other one¡¯s way, rooted in the abyss.


    What made me uneasy and turned the tides of my doubts was the occurrence of those visions during my waking hours. It may seem strange coming from me, but I''m beginning to consider adding this as a third theory or considering it the progenitor of them all. I believe I am being possessed.


    As a first hand experienced in possession, two possible results are, success of dominating the host, or being absorbed. Thinking about it now, I was lucky to be accepted as a substitute soul, but it seems the one in the remnant failed and only his thoughts remained.


    Perhaps it was all because of him - the bad luck, the negative feelings, the miserable life, and even my brush with death. Despite the hardships, I never felt truly attached to my old life. And now, despite encountering terrifying beings, this new life feels more refreshing and worth living than ever before. I''m looking forward to it.


    Ever since the father arrived, the house has been buzzing with activity, so I rarely got the chance to use the twin¡¯s tablet to research what I learned through the visions, or what came to my mind. They may freak out if I was caught in action, at least when they aren¡¯t the one who wants me to use it.


    After they downloaded some games ¡®For Cats¡¯, and kept watching me tapping on a flea or a mouse ¡ª I let Benny do it of course ¡ª for a couple of minutes, they got bored and tried doing other things, while I got to have the tablet for my research.


    I started with familiar keywords such as magic, ghost, possession¡­ but even if I took out the works of fiction, the amount of info was still enormous and I couldn''t proceed in a couple of hours, so I was just skimming through.


    And until now, I couldn''t find any similarity with the visions I have, except for the part about supernatural phenomena of possession and the little I read about astral projection that I tried to perform before.


    Of course I also tried the magic tricks I saw on the dreams to check its authenticity, except my cat''s tongue can''t help me perform the same words.


    Well, I thought I would be able to do it when I turn into the astral form, which might take a little time, because I can''t take the risk of exposing myself to the humanoid-like people I''m seeing outside, without knowing how they would react to my presence or if they are able to interact with me


    It was already late in the evening, and the sun had already set. I sat at the window, contemplating the unusual burst of life and wondering if it was always like this on Earth. Well surely, a new perspective means a new understanding, and this what it means to be enlightened.


    Despite the lack of color perception in these cat eyes, the street was vivid with candle-like lights of different hues, emanating from people of a humanoid form. I would have assumed them as ghosts of the dead if not for their different appearance, their attire, and the way they interacted like intelligent beings.


    ¡°Everyone, the dinner is ready.¡±


    Oh finally, it¡¯s about time; I was starting to feel sleepy.


    I was nearing the dining room when my perspective shifted, as Benny took control like he always does when smelling food ¡ªWell I once held up against him and took over a bit¡ª and jumped up the table. The food menu for today is bangers and mash. I wish I could have a taste.


    ¡°No, Benny, your food is here. Get down from the table¡±


    Aneta, the mother, seems to be in her mid-thirties, blessed with ginger hair, like she¡¯s been playing with fire since birth, which was reflected in her magnificent cooking skills. Aside from the older child, none of her children inherited her traits. The twins, who finally arrived at the table, resemble their father more, having his unique Hispanic features and dark hair. They were always excited and chatty, telling their mother about their day at school, while their father listened attentively.


    I couldn''t help but feel envious of them and their ability to lead such normal lives. It was a stark contrast to my own situation, when I had to fight for a miserable life. And now, I''m stuck in a feline body that I can''t control without permission, but it was never truly mine. It is a borrowed vessel, and I am a mere passenger.


    Never missing a mealtime was another person who seemed to go unnoticed by everyone except me. He snuck in through the front door like a ghost, and disgustingly shared every bite of the family''s meal. His demonic-like fizzog, bedizened in patchy leather clothes, made him look as if he might catch fire at any moment.


    Lost in thought, I was startled when Aneta suddenly addressed me. "Are you okay, little one?" she asked, looking at me with a concerned expression. I realized that we have been staring off into space for a while. Benny quickly meowed in response, hoping that it would pass off as normal cat behavior.


    The demon-like person continued to devour the meal, his tongue licking every crumb and even pieces on the utensils and plate waste. Though he was aware that I could see him, his nonchalant attitude made me think that it was not a new disclosure to him.


    Many like him were getting in and out of the house. It was a freaky sight at first, but the longer it lasted, the more normal it became. They weren''t paying attention to me, even when I kept observing and following whatever they did. Eventually, a sense of ease seeped into my mind, added to Benny''s nonchalant demeanor, which contrasted with the horror he felt during my first encounter with them.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Dinner ended quickly as it started, and the house fell in silence as the twin brothers heeded to sleep. I was again in controle, but had nothing in mind to do. Time was running slowly, so I roamed every corner of the house and decided to follow one of the "ghouls," as I named them.


    As I drew closer to him, I could clearly see that his frustum-shaped head was not the only unsettling feature he possessed. His reddish skin shimmered in the dim light, giving him an otherworldly, sickly appearance. Despite his humanoid form, there was no mistaking the fact that this creature was anything but human, yet until now it felt natural.


    And then there were the horns. Two twisted little protrusions that jutted out from its forehead, bent at unnatural angles like they had been modified or deliberately bent to create an even more disturbing appearance. The effect was disorienting, as if the ghoul was both a twisted version of a human and something else entirely, an abomination born of dark magic and sinister intent.


    As closed in, he passed directly through the wall entering the kitchen, where the two parents were sitting next to the table, closing to each other and speaking in a low voice. I curled up at the door''s entrance, eavesdropping and observing the ghoul whispering with them.


    Even though his words were understandable to some extent, it was barely audible even with my enhanced hearing, distorted by the flow of the parents'' voices.


    ¡°Love, it''s no use. I¡¯m trying to bear with his indifferent attitude, but Aiden, just won¡¯t open up to me again. I started to think we shouldn¡¯t have told him¡±


    The father seemed a bit worried about their older son, it seemed to me their bond isn¡¯t that good from what i saw in the past days. He rarely spent time at home and even wasn¡¯t showing in meal times.


    ¡°All he needs is time hubby, time will solve everything¡±


    Aneta held her bulky man¡¯s hand while gazing at him in a way that made me envious despite our differences. Oh, my single life, how should I sort it now? No, that''s not what I should be thinking. Let''s keep an eye on the mission.


    ¡°how much more we need, a year has already passed. he did have time alone when i was away, but what i see is that our bond was broken beyond repair¡±


    ¡°Worry not, you¡¯ve done everything you could, raised him as if he was your own child¡±


    ¡°And shouldn¡¯t I be the one who felt betrayed? I can¡¯t keep up the face like this I front of my children¡±


    ¡°Roy, if they are your children, they are mine more than you; if you feel betrayed, so do I. Seven months it took for him to forgive me, So we have to be strong for them, for the family. We''ll mend this together.¡±


    Aneta''s words were comforting, and her tone was reassuring. It was clear that she loved and supported her husband, and he reciprocated those feelings.


    The ghoul, on the other hand, continued to whisper and mutter, almost as if it was adding to the tension in the room. I couldn''t help but wonder what its role was in all of this. Was it simply observing, or was it somehow influencing.


    I wanted to know more about their abilities, as I may be able to relate to them with what is happening to me. I nudged Benny mentally for compliance, but he seemed uninterested and uncaring. Despite this, I mustered the foolish courage to stand and move while they continued to speak, but soon I began to hear white noise and my vision began to shift.


    The scenery changed, and suddenly I found myself standing behind a wooden door with voices coming from the other side. One voice was high-pitched and feminine, while the other was submissive and low in tone. It was a new vision, yet again.


    The door wasn''t new, so it had small gaps between the wooden planks. I could barely see the other room illuminated by a single lantern on an end table. Inside, an old woman towered over a young man seated on the floor.


    ¡°... a woman who will look after your home and give you offsprings? She did give you no daughter nor son, and now that she¡¯s in the Seven Land, you won¡¯t change your mind, and keep closing yourself off¡±


    ¡°Mother, even though she''s gone, can''t you show some respect for her?¡±


    ¡°She''s gone and she won''t be back. At least marry for the sake of that poor child you''ve fostered. Wasn''t she like a loving doting to him¡±


    The young man seemed to be struggling with some internal conflict, and his mother was pressuring him to make a decision.


    I couldn''t help but wonder what this new situation is. Where am I now? And is the child they mentioned the ¡®me¡¯ whom this memory belongs to?


    As I tried to piece together the puzzle in my mind despite the noises in my ears, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my head, and my vision began to blur. The next thing I knew, I was back in the kitchen. No, I was resting on my pillow in the living room.


    ¡®...¡¯


    The lights in the house were off, as it seems like a lot of time elapsed during the vision. and Benny did take over and moved us here.


    ¡°Thanks buddy¡±


    My progress wasn¡¯t going quickly as I hoped, and my fear kept me questioning every action I was about to do. I wanted to ensure nothing would go out of control, and this is why I had decided to look thoroughly for as much information as I could. I chained myself again, when I should have been open to new perspectives.


    At least I should be more ambitious if I want to truly escape my mental cage. Postponing this won¡¯t get me anywhere it is now or never. I closed my eyes, following what I found before, and this time using another perspective as a full body, not entering the ethereal domain.


    I was already exhausted, so this might be the last bit of energy for today. I began to move parts of my body without actually physically moving them, starting with smaller parts like my ears and philtrum before moving on to bigger parts like my limbs and tail, which was the most difficult. It became increasingly challenging, especially since I didn''t know when I did open my eyes. My heart started to race and my breathing became irregular. There was no turning back now.


    Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation. It was like my body was vibrating, and my vision started to blur. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, trying to calm myself down. When I opened my eyes again, I saw that my vision had changed.


    It was like I was seeing everything through a different lens. I could see the aura surrounding the objects, and it was all so vibrant and colorful. It was like the world had come alive, and I was seeing it for the first time.


    I realized that I was in my astral form. It was an exhilarating feeling, but I knew I had to be careful. I couldn''t let anyone see me in this form, or it could cause my demise.