The Bloodied Phantom [Chapter 5]

Something seems so familiar.

“I love you, Raiya.” he says.

His dazzling ruby red eyes gaze deeply into my chocolate brown. The red streaks in his lustrous black hair shone brilliantly in the glow of the moon.

He’s so beautiful.

As we engage in a passionate kiss, I can’t help but feel like I’ve already said these words. Already experienced the feel and taste of his mouth. Already gazed into his eyes as he gazes into mine.

As he releases the kiss, we begin walking along the shore. When the skies turn pitch black, and the man that I love disappears, it’s as if I knew it was going to happen. The wind begins to pick up drastically, causing the skies to turn into a vicious bluish-gray. A storm is forming right before my eyes. Thunder booms. Lightning flashes. A single ray of light pierces through the billowing clouds, and a man manifests.

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Once again I felt as if all of what’s happening has already happened. At that moment, a little wheel clicks inside my head.

I’m dreaming.

Though I realized that I was dreaming, it didn’t feel like one. It feels too real.

“Who are you?” I call out to the man before the rest of the dream can play out.

“Yes. Who are you?”

The mysterious man chuckles, as he begins making his way toward me. “My name is of no importance to you. You realize, these aren’t just dreams you’ve been having, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“These are not just dreams. I am telepathically communicating with you from a faraway world called The Soul Covenant.”

“No. This is all just a dream. When I wake up, you’ll be nothing more than a figment of my imagination.”

He now stands in front of me, a malicious grin upon his face. “Foolish wench. What I speak is the truth. And even if you wake up, I’ll be back when you fall asleep.”

“He is here.”

“He? What do you mean?”

“He is here. He who must die!”

“Who is here? Who must die?”

“Silence!” he yells in a voice that makes my flesh crawl and my bones to shake. His eyes, like before, are now flaming balls of fire. His expression is no longer bemusing, but is now emaciated and contorted in anger.

“Silence, you wretch! Don’t you understand? He is here. He who must die has now entered the mortal world. And now that I know this to be true, he must die.”

“But why must he die?” I ask cautiously. “And why has this person entered my world?”

“To protect you.”

“Protect me? What do you mean? Like some kind of guardian? If so, then I know that all of what you’ve told me is a lie! There’s no such thing as guardians, spirits, magical realms or any of that jazz. It’s all make believe.”

He chuckles to himself. Obviously, he finds this amusing. “Mortals are so narrow-minded. When something can’t be proven scientifically, you automatically jump to the conclusion that it does not exist. Well, let me tell you something mortal girl. All of the things that are said to be legends, folklore, magical realms and spirits, it all exists. How else can you explain the fact that you are aware of all of this? How else can you explain the fact that you’ve been having the same dream? Night after night.”

He has a point. But even with this being said, how and why should I believe him? I mean, how can one believe something that’s in their dreams?

I look at him. Though he is evil and cruel, he has a dark beauty about him. Glowing pale skin. Long, sleek, silver hair. A chiseled face and a muscular, almost elegant build. He looks at me, calms down, and his fire-filled eyes turn back into their coal black intensity. He walks toward me and rests a hand on my cheek. His cold, black, emotionless eyes peer into mine. They’re almost hypnotizing. It feels like he is peering into my soul. I can’t help but look. My once troubled mind, becomes uncluttered. I feel at ease. Like I can stay here forever, gazing into his eyes. He tilts my chin, leans in, and kisses me passionately. Just like before, I struggle to get free, but soon find myself enjoying the kiss. The taste and feel of his mouth seem so familiar. Like I’ve experienced this pleasure before.

I push away from him. I have experienced this pleasure before. With that man. The dream was running in its regular course again. After the kiss, I’m going to get killed. Panic overcomes me.

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He says in a soothing voice, “Do not worry. Now that I have let myself be known to you, there is no need to be frightened. The dream has been changed. I shall not kill you.” It was almost like he had read my mind.

I didn’t know if I should have been relieved or not. I stand here, trying to analyze everything he has told me.

His words break me from me trance.

“Time is running out. You will be awakening soon. But I first have to tell you some very vital information.” His face is emotionless, so it’s hard to tell if he’s lying or not. “He is here. He who must die is here. Your protector, your guardian. He has entered your world…”

“But why kill him? If he’s my guardian, then why would you kill him?”

He chuckles again. “In due time you will know. In due time you will know everything.”

His skin becomes even paler, and his figure becomes distorted. He is disappearing.

“My name is of no importance to you. But I can tell you the name of your guardian.”

My heart leaps. “What’s his name?”

Right before he disappeared into a white mist he said, “His name is PHANTOM.”

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