PAST VISION : ICY PAST

Chapter 21 : Cursed

I cast my stare against the monstrous obstacles waiting for me across the pool. Suddenly, dark waters crawled into me, causing me to scream endlessly in pain.

"Lydia. . ."

"Who is that? What do you want?" I asked as I turned around to find the source of the dark voice.

"You know who I am, and you obviously know what I want!" the shadow screeched as he slapped me. I anxiously turned and clenched my fist, in hopes of finding the shadow.

"Dad? Is that you?" I shot back.

"How was it living as a gladiator?" he answered.

"Pleasant. I finally understood why you hid yourself amongst those whores." I glared as the red eyed shadow crept closer to me.

"Very well, you finally found out the identity of our clan. Why? Does it make you feel disgusted on yourself? You are a Shadow Martian after all."

"Being from the Dark Universe won't change a thing. You and your army will never be able to control the Sacred Universe!" I growled as I shot my blade right into him. The shadow went through the blade and disappeared. The room started melting and all my surroundings started fading. I stood there, panting as I held my sword steady.

"This isn't over. I will find you little girl, you will be mine."

"I won't make the same mistake as Gianna who trusted you. I'm not a little girl anymore Dad!" I shouted as he strangled me onto the floor.

"Let's see who shall be the victor in the end." he snickered as he faded into the shadows.

***

"Lydia! Can you hear me?" a familiar voice rang loudly on my ears as my eyelids slowly ascended. My chest shook wildly as I started choking immensely due to the amount of water I've accidentally drunk.

"I'm fine..." I gasped as I calmed myself down. I came to realize I was soaking wet, my clothes were drenched in pool water. A needle sticking out on my arms finally alarmed me of the situation. My puncture points were all covered in bandages, and I came to realize beneath me was a pool of blood. I hoisted myself upwards slowly as my chest started to sting. The crowd started murmuring as I walked towards them. The group of sergeants avoided me as I walked closer to them. I stared at myself in curiosity as I found nothing strange about me.

"Sergeant Lydia Spencer, please follow me to the clinic." a tight grip pulled me through the crowd. His grip tightened as we entered the hallway. I followed him quietly as I gaped through the distance. The hallway was ghostly-quite to my surprise. We entered a blue room, covered in the scent of alcohol. Machines dressed in white capes surrounded me as the man slowly lifted me and placed me on the bed. The men ran to a small circuit nearby and pulled down the lever. All of the machines instantly froze and wilted.

"Lydia, are you Dwayne's daughter?" he whispered as he anxiously wiped his forehead.

"No," I replied as I stared into his eyes, "I am Lydia Spencer from the Kingdom of Parelthoners."

"Don't lie to me, I know who you are. The Council may hunt you down for using Dark Magic. So, you too are a Ryugonian, huh?"

"How are you so sure about that?" I shrugged as I snuck my hands to grab a knife behind me. His posture and the tattoos made it clear, he was a Ryugonian. However his jade eyes suggested that he wasn't a regular citizen, every eye color suggested a certain rank in the government pyramid. The Royals had gold, while the government rulers had silver, bronze, and jade.

"You've been a wanted target for almost a decade. The King is looking for you." he said as he bowed down to me.

"Which King are you referring to?" I asked as I waited for his response, aiming for the back of his head.

"The King of... Darkness!" he exclaimed as he strangled me on the bed. I quickly stabbed him as he tried choking me. His mouth was still wide open, his expressions filled in shock and betrayed. He mumbled a few words before he finally passed out. I dropped the blade as I gasped for air. My legs wobbled into noodles, I snuck over the edge of the room as I gaped over the distance across. I knew that Dwayne wouldn't give up without killing me. Suddenly, the doctor's body twitched as he hailed loudly.

"King Dwayne! Ruler of Ryugonia! Queen Elnicjansamemli! Keeper of the Witches" he repeated the chants a few times before his strength finally wilted. I stood up and gathered enough courage as I took the knife and washed it clean. I gulped as I slowly peered through the door. The hallway was empty to my relief. I ran out as fast as I could, dashing through the doors of the Zone in incredible speed.

"I saw that. . ." the voice brought a shudder through my spines. I frantically searched around the room for the presence whispering the booming sound. However, the ghost-quiet halls denied the existence of any other alien except for me.

"Who are you?"

"What happened to you? Why are you such a crybaby these days?" a young looking woman entered the room, her over-length dress swiping against the floor as she marched towards me. Scoffing as she crossed her slender hands into one another.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to stay away from Rendevel. A Dark Martian shouldn't cuddle her hands into those of a warrior of light."

"Let me guess, you're sent by the King of Parelthoners?"

"Well yes, he told me to keep an eye on his treacherous daughter in case if she wanted to do anything that could've brought shame into the Royal Family."

"Tell him to stop caring for others when he couldn't even take care of his annoying wife."

"He sent me to offer you a deal. Join the Inter-Galactic Soldier Games, if you win, he'll set you free. But if you lose, hand over the key you stole from our Kingdom."

"Well, technically the key found its way to my trusty hands. I never stole a thing from anyone, except for their life. But why should I join the Games when he obviously knew that my magical powers could finish the other light warriors in an instant?"

"All the more reason, you shouldn't have any problem in joining it." the girl finished as she opened the portal and escaped without the least of saying goodbye. Despite the fact that I was a Royal, none of the escorts or officials had treated me like one. I couldn't understand why they would be so mean to me. The day I turned ten years old, I finally understood why. They wouldn't want to dirty their filthy hands in my dark magic.

'A gift in disguise', one tainted in a dark curse. 

A curse that no one was able to break, by all means.

-End of Chapter 21 : Cursed-