They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

Magnus is staring at me with his unnerving eyes.

"What?" I demanded. He's still staring. It's not the annoying - teasing kind of stare. It's a stare that can make your blood runs cold. That he knew something that can make you feel nervous and doubt everything on yourself.

I did not consider the possibility at first. But the words he said next made me confirm my doubt.

"The names Lance. At first I'm skeptical as hell about it. Because the content is totally ridiculous.. Imagine your grandfather sing songs for your grandmother in front of the public. The romantic midnight dinner dance and the poems stupidly overflowing with love. That's what the journal is all about."

I frown. "I thought you said Rankers can't fall in love?"

He shrug. " We can't. And that's the problem. We don't know if we're supposed to believe what was written on the journal since eighty percent of it's content is about love confession for her. For the half breed girl."

I can't stop the chuckle coming out of my mouth. Jesper produce a long loud whistle like a song bird spreading its wings in the sky. Like it's really happy. Or Jesper just had too much air on his lungs it's beginning to packed his brain... Empty air found on his neurons. Now I'm beginning to understand how he became this stupid.

No information, just empty air.

"Yeah, I also have that reaction. The journal also made unbelievable claims that is too impossible to happen. But it manage to foresee the coming of twelve Eklektos. Even before the time the prophecy has been given to us. Can you believe that? There's a gap of five hundred years between the journal and the prophecy revealed."

Magnus stared at the ceiling. His eyes turn glassy. And I know he's not staring at anything. At all. He's staring at... Nothing.

"Never in my being convince me to believe the contents.... Except now... After what you and Seven said... I convinced myself that everything in there is all real. And we are in fact... In far more deep trouble than we thought."

Magnus looks at my way strangely. And there's that unnerving all knowing eyes again. Making me nervous. Making me fight the impulse of jumping on my seat and strangle him on his neck.

"What did we say Magnus? What words did we tell you to make you change your mind?"

He inhales a shaky breath. Flex his fingers. There's a slight pause. There's a long pause. I'm getting tired of counting the seconds that tick tock through before he spill the beans out.

"The author of that journal's name is Lancelot. And the half breed girl he was madly in love with is Efta."

If someone could actually offer me one million dollars for jumping out of this window, bounce on the cold hard pavements below, conquer the three storey height like a hero, then tell me I will definitely survive without external help of ropes, bungee or trampoline, I would have believe them...

At least I know my blessings won't let me die. I am Death after all.

But Magnus words? I only got two things to say. HELL NO.

I laugh. I laugh loudly. Too loud Jesper is giving me the "you're creeping me dude" look. While Magnus face remains unmoved. Neutral.

I stop. With a crazy grin in my face I stare at Magnus.

"You do realize what you're trying to say here right?"

"What? What? What is he saying Five? I don't understand!" I ignore Jesper.

"Heeeeeeyyyyyy. I'm hereee can't you hear me?" Jesper gets in front of me and waved his hand stupidly. "Let me join the conversation too. I'm the new guy!" He protested.

"Jesper, you do know my blessing is death right?" I flex my fingers, let the shadow dance in my fingertips. It was weak. Subtle. But Jesper widen his eyes and scuttle back to the bed. And sit quietly.

It wasn't my intention to scare him but whatever.

"When we meet Sam, I brought him back to life."

"You what -"

"And the shadow I meet in the afterlife greeted me with a name Lancelot. Not Lance. Saying my past life's identity is Lancelot. And I'm somehow involved romantically with the deity who chose Seven."

Jesper's mouth dropped. "No way."

"It's true. The deity of nature's name is Efta." Magnus confirmed.

"Hey isn't that... the half breed girl? I mean... What?! How?"

The three of us look at each others eyes. I'm thinking. Magnus is thinking. This action may be too much for Jesper to handle.

"This could only mean one thing." I said. Tearing my eyes from them. Gazing at the accumulated snow that's slowly decorating the ground white.

"Efta is chosen. Like us. She could be an ordinary half breed girl that was chosen to wield the blessing of nature. And then smack right into the battle to fight against her own people. Maybe that's what will happen to us too. After we're all gathered, we could take the place of the deities above and be a deity of our own attributes as well."

I couldn't suppress the mock laugh that stubbornly stick in my mouth. I can't believe this nonsense. I never considered this.

Never in my wildest dreams.

You think I'm happy? No. You think this may be so cool and awesome to become a deity someday? HELL NO.

I'm not buying any of this. I'm not doing what they want. I will look for the others. We will gather. We will defeat the Faeries. We will save the souls that's been trapped behind the gates of the netherworld.

And after all of that heroic deeds. I'm coming back here. I'll return this sh*tty death power. I'll return to my old life. I'll convince my comrades to come with me. I know it's impossible to persuade Magnus since he's not from here...

But I'll definitely make Seven agree. And Sam. And Jesper... And the other eight members we never get to find.