"Here we are," Audrey announced, a triumphant gleam in her emerald eyes. She placed her hand on the cold, polished wood. "The place Adrian swore was 'off-limits to witches.'" A challenging smirk played on her lips. "Let's see what secrets this one holds."
The door swung open with a creak, as the light poured in through the windows, a small golden statue stood atop a shelf, with flowers in pots around the small figure.
"Hmm". Audrey scratched her head, confused. "Why would he hide a shrine"?
"That's a shrine to Rouge, of the Primordial witches, the witch of wrath, Satanas". Hoshimi's eyes narrowed. "The one that purged all of the witches two thousand years ago during the middle ages, or so it was told in myth".
"I thought he despised witches, why would he be doing such a thing".
"All of the witches during the middle ages collaborating together was the only way they could seal Satanas, I believe that it may not be a direct cause but another reason for Adrian to have hated witches". Hoshimi stared up at the golden statue, the sunlight bending and reflecting into his eyes.
Audrey stepped further into the room, her high heels clicking softly on the polished wooden floor. The air inside was strangely still, almost reverent, contrasting with the chaotic scene outside. The small golden statue, gleaming in the shaft of light, was undeniably beautiful, yet Hoshimi's words painted a darker picture.
"Satanas… that's one of the Primordial Witches, how come I've never heard of anyone else praying to someone other than Bleu"? Audrey's voice was a low murmur, a flicker of genuine intrigue replacing her earlier confusion. "The witch of wrath, I want to know more about her."
"Sure". Hoshimi affirmed, his gaze still fixed on the statue. "The Witch of Wrath. It was told in stories of legend that she supposedly took on thousands of top tier witches for forty days and forty nights." He took a step closer to a small wooden table laden with fresh flowers and polished stones. "Bleu, the Witch of Sloth, Bel, she's your goddess isn't she? You must know of her good deeds then."
Audrey crossed her arms, a thoughtful frown on her face. "I can't believe that he prayed to someone like Rouge". She ran a finger along the dust-free surface of a nearby shelf. "Lady Bleu is not just my goddess, Hoshimi, she's my way of life, she was the only one that kept me sane".
"Worship and fear are often two sides of the same coin when dealing with overwhelming power," Hoshimi mused, picking up a small, intricately carved wooden bird from the table. It felt cold, despite the warmth of the sun. "I'm not going to say anything bad about people's beliefs but there was maybe something wrong with him in his head".
Audrey's eyes widened slightly, a sudden realization dawning on her. "He wanted to be like Rouge. He wanted that kind of power, didn't he? Even if he thought it was 'impure'."
"Perhaps," Hoshimi said, turning the bird over in his palm. "How often does he visit this place"?
"Usually three times a day, after breakfast, lunch and dinner".
He lowered his voice, his violet eyes locking onto hers. "Adrian hated witches, but he was always looking for ways to strengthen himself against them, to rise above them. But who knew that he was praying to a witch, I don't think anyone could've guessed that".
Audrey shivered, despite the lack of cold. "This place… it's fucking unsettling, geez, I feel like bugs are crawling down my arms". She looked around the small, meticulously kept room, the scent of fresh flowers clashing with the underlying tension. "You know a lot about the Primordials, Hoshimi, I thought you were an atheist."
"I never said that". Hoshimi gave a slight, almost imperceptible smirk. "I like to keep my mind open to new ideas, it's not that I'm refusing the idea of the Primordials existing, I just haven't found enough reason to believe in them yet". He placed the wooden bird back on the table, his hand brushing against a small, ornate box hidden beneath the flowers. He subtly nudged it with his finger.
"So you're just Agnostic huh? It's really rare to see someone who doesn't believe in either Lady Bleu or Lady Jaune". Audrey, noticing his subtle movement, leaned in. "Anyways, let's get out of here, I don't want to stay here any longer". She slapped his back, as he sighed.
Her heels clicked loudly in the vast hallway, the seemingly endless windows looked like it stretched out towards eternity.
The sunlight peered through the glass, it was the same annoyingly bright and hot light that always stung Hoshimi's skin.
"Where are we going now"?
"We're watching a movie, there's a private cinema here".
They reached another ornate wooden door, this one unadorned by grand carvings, blending seamlessly into the polished wall. As Audrey pushed it open, a wave of heat, an uncomfortable hot air washed over them, a sign that no one had been here in a while. The room beyond was cavernous, dominated by plush, tiered seating upholstered in dark velvet, facing a colossal screen that took up the entire far wall. Ambient, dim blue lights traced the ceiling, casting a soft glow on the rich, dark wood paneling. It smelled faintly of popcorn and old leather.
Audrey's eyes, which had been devoid of true wonder for so long, widened slightly. "I really need to turn on the air conditioning". Her voice was a soft exhalation of surprise. "Really though, I've never been to one of these before, even though it's been in my house for years". She walked down the aisle, her heels sinking slightly into the thick carpet, eventually flopping onto one of the large seats in the center row. She leaned back, her body almost disappearing into the cushions as she grabbed the remote hanging on the wall, as the cold air came rushing in, like the arctic winds. "This is way better than my room".
Hoshimi followed, choosing a seat beside her, but maintaining a slight, almost imperceptible distance. He watched her slowly. [Is this what a cinema is really like? Reina's never brought me to one of these before].
"So, what are we watching, princess?" Hoshimi asked, his voice flat. He picked up a remote from the armrest, its sleek, metallic surface cool beneath his fingers. "Any requests?"
Audrey snatched the remote from him, her fingers brushing his, sending a faint jolt through him. She scrolled through the options with a speed that belied her unfamiliarity. "Hmm, there isn't really a big selection of movies is there"?
Hoshimi raised an eyebrow. Then why don't you just choose a random movie"?
"Fine, don't blame me if it's boring, this was your fault". Audrey leaned into her seat, pressing play. The massive screen flickered to life, filling the room with a brilliant cascade of colors and a thunderous orchestral score. The story began, depicting sweeping landscapes and dazzling displays of magic.
As the movie progressed, Hoshimi stared blankly at the screen, the bright colors muddling together in his eyes, the frames of the animation flying past him.
Hoshimi looked over to her, Audrey's eyes were half closed, bored while staring at the large screen in front of her, the light burning bright at her face.
The hero on screen, battered and broken, chose to sacrifice his own life to seal away the villain, saving the world but leaving behind sorrow. The credits rolled, the triumphant music feeling hollow in the now-silent room.
Audrey didn't move. She just stared at the blank screen, her hands clenched in her lap. Her voice, when it came, she shouted out loud. "The hell is this!? That was straight up nothing but random colors, not a single character that I could relate to and he died way too fast without any buildup"!
Hoshimi leaned back, his own eyes reflecting the lingering emptiness on the screen. "You're being way too critical, don't you think"?
"Hell no." Audrey shook her head quickly, speaking in rushed tones. "No wonder no one watched this movie, there was nothing interesting about it, it was a waste of time". She turned to Hoshimi, her eyes, a stern look on her face. "You didn't like it either did you"? Her eyes flickered a flash on black.
[Her eyes are flickering more and more often, she's taking more and more of Audrey]
Hoshimi reached out, sighing as he placed his hand onto her shoulder. "Calm down, I didn't really like it either, it wasn't just you".
Audrey didn't calm. Instead, her head tilted, the black gleam in her eyes intensifying, holding Hoshimi's gaze with an unsettling intensity. "No, it wasn't just boring. It was... empty. The hero died, Hoshimi. He sacrificed himself for a world that barely seemed to care, the hero was terribly written and this entire fucking movie was terribly written. The writer didn't give a single shit about this fuckass movie"!
[Her eyes. It's happening faster. She's not just talking about the movie, she's talking about herself. Or Domino.] Hoshimi's hand remained on her shoulder, a subtle pressure.
Audrey's lip curled, a faint, bitter smile touching her mouth. She leaned closer, her breath warm against his ear, yet her eyes remained chillingly detached. "The writer was just a slave weren't they? Forced to keep putting their ideas onto the paper just to make a living"!
[This isn't like her, she usually has more control over her emotions] Hoshimi maintained his composure, pulling his hand away from her shoulder and resting it casually on his knee. "Calm down Audrey, I never thought you'd be this emotional about a movie."
Audrey gave a slight smirk, withdrawing physically but intensifying verbally. She slapped her face, regaining control over her own body. "I-I".
Hoshimi pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her back and the other resting on her head, he pulled her into a warm hug, his warmth spreading into her body.
Audrey gripped onto his shirt, crinkling the cloth from his chest.
"I-I don't want to go, I don't want to be replaced. I want to be myself but I feel more and more of myself slipping".
Hoshimi stared blankly at the empty white screen, not a single trace of any kind of emotion resting on his face as he slowly stroked the back of her head, running his fingers along her golden hair.
"Don't say anything, nothing will happen to you I promise".
"Is this another empty promise, Hoshimi? Because I can feel myself slowly falling off the ledge, every single day I can feel a single finger slipping from it". She gripped tighter onto his shoulders, her cheeks flushed as tears ran down her face.
"I will keep you on that ledge, I will raise you up and keep you here on this planet, I will not let go".
"I despise everyone! If only.. If only". Her eyes kept flickering between green and black as she bit down onto her lip, drawing blood.
Yet she calmed down once again.
"You're right, I'm getting too worked up, I'll be alive, I could only see myself in a world where I was alive".
He held onto her hand as he backed away from her, a soft warm smile rested on his face, a smile so real that Audrey couldn't tell.
[I can't feel sympathy for this girl even if I wanted to, all I can do is act. The only thing I'm good at, the only thing I was ever good at]
"Audrey you're strong, you can power through this, I trust that you can".
She rubbed her thumb over his cheek soothingly as she slowly closed the distance between them as she leaned in to rest her forehead against his.
Meanwhile, in Elias's opulent room, the broken door lay splintered. Neila stood over Elias, her foot pressing firmly on his shin.
"Scream and I'll kill you," Neila repeated, her smile widening as Elias flinched again. "So, little prince, how about that Witch's Oath?"
Elias's mind raced, his pale face a mask of calculated terror. "You... you want a contract? What could you possibly want from me?" He tried to sound indignant, but a tremor still laced his voice.
"Oh, I'm not interested in your pathetic money, I already have enough of that," Neila scoffed, pressing her heel harder, eliciting a muffled grunt of pain from Elias. "I want your submission." Her eyes, glowing a fierce blue, bore into his. "You will do everything I tell you to, Audrey clearly isn't fit to become the next prime minister, is she? She's a witch, she can't legally become one but you". She dug her finger into his chest.
Elias swallowed, his eyes darting around the room, searching for an escape, a weakness. But Neila was unflinching, her aura radiating cold, predatory confidence. He saw no way out. "What... What do you want from me?" he forced out, his voice a low rasp.
"You haven't awakened as a witch yet, you can become the next prime minister to fill his position and after you do, you'll give me the position of a level 10," Neila purred, bending down until her face was inches from his. "Come on, do it, you don't really lose anything do you"?
She stood, extending a hand to him, not in kindness, but in absolute command. "You sacrifice your obedience to me, the moment you refuse, I'll report you right to the authorities and they'll seal away your little hands with handcuffs and they'll let go of Adrian, you don't want your poor sister to keep getting abused do you"? Her gaze hardened, an unspoken threat hanging in the air.
Elias stared at her hand, then at the shattered door, and finally, at the cold, calculating glint in Neila's eyes. He had underestimated everyone. This was not a game he could win alone.
With a deep, shuddering breath, Elias reached out, his trembling fingers closing around Neila's.
"I accept."
The sunlight came in through the window, pressing its sun-kissed face against the wooden door.
Hoshimi and Audrey walked out of the room together, she was gently grabbing onto the sleeve of his shirt just like Kira did.
"Hey, I want to say something".
"What is it"?
Audrey immediately closed the distance, pressing her lips onto his cheek.
Hoshimi flinched slightly, at the warm sensation on his cheek, the heat spreading out from her slightly dried lips came rushing into him.
Then she started gnawing at his cheek like a feral animal, biting onto his flesh until it bled.
A scorching sensation went through his face, like boiling water being poured directly over where his cheek once was.
Blood dripped down his chin.
She stumbled backwards, his torn flesh still in her mouth as she stared straight at him with pitch black eyes.
"I'm going to kill all of you".