CRYSTALLUM LOST DREAMS | Fantasy Novel |

Chapter 11 - Part 1

His head was throbbing, a heaviness that showed no sign of subsiding, his hearing muffled. He reached out to find the alarm clock, fumbling around until his fingers touched the hard metal. He grasped the object, yanked it towards him, and turned it off.

"It's four in the afternoon. Oh...I have to stop this!" he exclaimed, slapping himself. "I really have to stop..."

Xanter jumped out of bed and let the sheet slip onto the floor, wearing only black shorts. The darkened windows of the room became transparent glass and allowed him to observe the panorama of the central district of Edel. The statues of Orghein and Croden were there, staring at him.

"Good morning, sirs!" he made a quick military salute.

He took his uniform from the wardrobe and put on his pants. He grabbed the pill case from the nightstand, took out a handful, swallowed them, and grimaced in disgust. He looked at the shelf and crossed his arms. "I need to make some space," he said. He moved one of the many trophies, but immediately put it back in place and shook his head.

He grabbed his shirt and jacket. He still had the aftertaste of a night of celebrations in his mouth; the end of the hangover had never been as pleasant as that day. In the hallway, a sweet melody played on the piano reached him. "Who's in the house?" he asked loudly.

The music stopped and a girl came towards him. "Finally, you woke up! The High Command will be thrilled to welcome you late." She approached Xanter and gracefully adjusted his clothing uncertainties. "Dad would be very proud of you, but you have to cut back on these parties."

He stopped in the bright hallway, in front of the mirror, for a final touch-up of his uniform folds. She was wearing a t-shirt with the Edel Wings emblem, much larger than her slender form. "Why do you use my shirts?"

"They're comfortable..." she replied.

"Anya, what do you want? You shouldn't come into my house without permission," he grumbled.

"I had security call you, but you didn't answer, so I used Mom's keys," she replied. "Now come with me. Have something to eat." She took him by the hand and dragged him into the kitchen.

"You're not authorized to do things your way," said Xanter, pretending to look upset.

Anya stuck her tongue out at him and pushed him towards the table. She opened a gift-wrapped box and took out a cream-filled cake. She ran her finger over the decoration and popped it into her mouth with a groan of pleasure. "I've decided to move in with you for a few days. Someone has to finish these cakes before they go bad, right?"

Xanter took a slice. "Get that idea out of your head! You should be at the Academy of Sciences, studying!" he exclaimed. He took a generous bite, leaning forward to avoid staining his uniform.

"Yes," replied Anya, "but I had to take a forced vacation. Since you won the Grand Prize, it's become an unlivable place for me." She winked at him. "I'm still the champion's sister, after all!"

"The classes, the exams... what do you plan to do this year?" Xanter pointed to a spot behind her. "There, in the back, I saw some mint cookies. Pass them over, please."

Anya grabbed a basket adorned with garlands and filled with sweets. Xanter had filled the entire apartment with gifts sent by fans; in every corner of the house, there were bottles of wine, bunches of flowers, and food from different provinces of Kharzan.

She sat down and shook her head. "I'll study here," she said with a long smile. "Rather, you're the man of the moment! What are your intentions? The papers are talking about nothing else."

He straightened his shoulders. "I'm a military man, don't forget. I have to serve the nation."

"Yes, but now it's different. You're a hero of the country, and you'll have the chance to shake many hands," replied Anya. "Important hands!"