They Called Me FIVE

Chapter 23

I really don't get what's going on. Or who this person is. I'm aware he's paying extra attention to me…

Wait, what if he saw what I did in the cornfields? What if he's the other 'kind' of 'Auf' Magnus is talking about earlier? Will he try to hunt me down in here? Kill me?

My mind a big pile of rotten mess. My thoughts keep flowing into distorted space, unable to focus on the lesson the teacher started. Nor my ears want to lend any attention to the talking girl beside me.

Images for unknown possibilities ricocheted in my brain, none of which  make any sense.

I see the old man, which Magnus called the 'Auf'. But he's not alone. He had seven to eight guys with him. All hideous and nasty.. Looking worse than toothless homeless dude who lost their sanity in streets.

Their clothes are tattered and ragged. With chains on their necks. I watch all of them submit on their feet in front of a dark figure in black cloak, face hidden in the shadows. The room is barren dark. Except for the fire crackling at the fireplace, I wouldn't have seen their faces.

The figure is sitting behind a single couch, a circle chain in his hand, connecting the chains on their necks.

"Spread far and wide." he hissed. And I couldn't mistake the chill his voice is sending in my spine. His voice sounds the same with the ghastly humanoid in my dreams. The one who killed my Mom. His pitch are only a bit higher, still…

I clawed on my skin, desperate to strangle his neck but the me right now is not in the scene. It's like I'm watching a 3D movie. Only it felt so real.

"If you could bring me an Eklektos alive, I'm willing to grant you one wish. What is it you want? Freedom? A rank in my army? To leave magical realm and remained in human realm forever? Just say the word and it shall be done."

The chill in my spine shifted down to my legs. I'm shaking vigorously. I don't know the man but my gut is about to burst my breakfast just by how disgusting his green drooling mouth curve. Not to mention the repulsive mock present in his tone. He didn't mean a thing he's saying.

The men kneeling knew it too. Or at least they're half convinced. They cast unsettled glances at each other. The figure chuckled.

"How untrusting. You don't believe the word of your mother?"

I stopped breathing. Mother? This figure is a woman? She folded the sleeves of her oversized cloak and lifted her hood. Letting the firelight shade her gruesome face. I gulped. Two horns stick out just behind her temples, her hair a tangled color of brown, like branches. Black ink etched below her oversized eyeballs, curving towards her cheek, her forehead, and on her chin. Her skin is abnormally green. And the she moves reminds me of anacondas I watch many times in Animal channel shows.

Slithering, especially the little worm with pointy ends on her mouth which occasionally pops out. That..must be her tongue.

I studied the kneeling men, their wild darting eyes. They flinched when she inch nearer to them.

"I have been a good master to you, didn't I? I feed you. I gave you clothes. A place to stay. If it weren't for me you would have that disgusting bubbling head of yours in a steak outside the castle. I. saved. you." She whipped her leg towards the middle guy's chin and he groaned. Scratches made apparent on his mouth, musky green blood drips from his wound. 

If only I'm there I would object, maybe punch some sense to the snake like lady. What kind of 'feed' is she talking about? They look like they haven't eaten for years. Even the ragged clothes. I'm not trying to be rude but those are just the old worn out type Dad will use to sweep the wet floor when he spill water jugs everytime he's wasted.

"Ye - yes. Your excellency. We - were saved. We owe you our life."

She purred under her throat and pat the middle one.

"That's my good pet. I have my eye on one particular Eklektos. A cute adorable boy with the Mark FIVE on his forearm. I already sent my son to lay his trap on the boy. But he's, how should I say it, too loyal to the Dark Elves, especially the first prince. I can't have that. I want the Mark's power to myself. I can't let the deity's blessing fall to a worthless prince or any Dark Elves royalty. It's more befitting on me…The most powerful Tylwyth race in our Faery Kingdom."

I flinched. She's talking about me. The Mark FIVE… I instinctively reached down to my arm. This tattoo…is responsible for the strange notions of power I have? 

The ability to absorb the life force of plants and make it my own adrenaline energy… So this is the curse my Mom talks about… this power is what they want. 

But what trap is she referring to? A spy? A new friend to gain my trust and kill me and my Dad when they get the chance? 

My only new friend is... Magnus. 

He knows about a lot of things. He called me Eklektos. He knows what the old man is. In normal circumstances, that would assure me he's a friend. Hinting he's on the good side with me. 

But that also put me in vulnerable situation. Because I'll trust him. I'll depend my life on him. So if the trap that snake like woman referred to is this... I don't see any reason to doubt it. 

I touched my forehead. Where did the red blood my Mother made go? The price was her soul. She provided me protection. 

Could it be...it disappeared after fifteen years? Because I'm old enough? Or maybe that 'Seeker' will find me now? 

That's why strange power sprang up in uncontrolled glee? Why this Mark of FIVE appeared again. 

It was her spell who shielded me both from my power and these enemies. At the cost of her life...

I grit my teeth. 

I can't let it go to waste. If I'm gonna own this power. I must learn how to protect myself...and trust no one.

Someone slammed something at the top of my table, jolting me awake. 

"So, you must be very smart to sleep in my class eh? Transferee stink." 

I stared at her red butterfly nails. Up towards her scheming smile. 

"Tell me, which - " 

The bell rang again, indicating for the next subject. 

"You're one lucky jerk aren't you?" she scorned. 

"You're one ugly b*tch aren't you?" I scorned back. 

And she left the class, speechless.