Inner Demon: The Dark Bloods - Book I ✓

Chapter 20 - Shared Vision

20.

Shared Vision

 

Amon was calmly watching Reyna. She was sitting on his bed, her face chipper and her mouth eagerly shooting words out so fast, she skipped over a few. Mundus stood in the back of the room. Arms crossed, he peered at the excited Reyna was a small smile playing on his lips. She had earlier burst into her uncle’s room, eyes wide with exhilaration at telling him their newfound discovery.  

“The necklace didn’t react! We touched but there was no shield! Mundus and I,” –here she paused and blushed– “hugged, and the necklace was between us both, but there was no shield as I hugged him! Even though it was squished there!” She paused to breathe and gazed upon her uncle with enthusiasm.

Amon took this opportunity to speak, “You and Mundus embraced close enough for the necklace to press against him?” It seemed along with this new unearthing on the necklace, he also received an understanding of the set bond the two individuals in his room now shared.

“Um.” Again Reyna’s face flushed. “Yeah. We hugged and um, the necklace didn’t put up that shield thing.”

Amon’s gaze shifted towards Mundus. “Do you mind showing me?”

Mundus grinned. “Of that there shall be no complaints.”

“Just a simple hug, Mundus,” Amon spoke in a tone similar to the one Mr. Felix took when talking about Dante. As the demon walked towards Reyna, Amon briefly eyed Mundus’ sword leaning by the bedpost. It had been wiped clean.

Taking Reyna in his arms, Mundus pulled her to her feet. She was once again blissfully wrapped in his embrace, and once again the shield did not activate.

Amon did not speak, his milky eye now open and slightly glowing. He placed his hands in front of him, as if holding an invisible baseball between the tips of his fingers. The necklace clasped between Mundus and Reyna stirred and slowly began to slip out of its fleshy cove. The two slightly parted, curious to see what would happen next. The necklace rose until it slid over Reyna’s head and hovered above the couple. The charm twirled once before it shattered, sprinkling shards so fine they fell like powder.

Reyna’s throat suddenly turned dry, barricading the scream she wanted to utter. Ice clipped at her chest only to quickly melt by the forge that smoldered against her ribcage. Then, everything clicked into place and the hotness simmered down to a warmth that eased and settled her entire being.

“Reyna?” Mundus’ voice had an acquainted, encased sound to it.

They were one once more.

Reyna lowered the arms that were hugging the air, the movement occasionally triggering faint sparkles from the pebble’s powder to shine on her skin. The little lights suddenly turned dull as a thin layer of fog began to pick up and swirl around her. Reyna exhaled, literally blowing away the mist that seemed to be thickening with every second. It was as if she had stepped into a grey cloud. Her uncle’s room had completely, and oddly, disappeared.

“Where am I?” Her voice was soft as if the air could not carry it.  

“My realm,” Mundus’ own sharp voice cut through the fog along with his welcomed figure.

“Mundus!” Reyna circled to face him. He was standing next to her. “Where did you say we are?”

Mundus surveyed his surroundings instead of answering her question. The thick vapor started clearing as if his gaze scared it away. At first, all that could be seen were hazy blobs of red, like someone released garnet ink into puddles of dirty water. The red began to draw into itself, struggling to shape into something. It rounded and sharpened until finally the red stopped, holding its now chosen form: leaves.