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Chapter Fifty Three

"Some voices are ones we want to call home."

My eyes opened suddenly as I heard a voice, and I sat up. Looking around, I found myself sitting in a white void. It was similar to the realm I first met Leo and Julia in, but in a way, it was completely different. The atmosphere was more serene and calm, and off in the distance, the gentle sound of a lyre was heard. A voice followed up with a small lyric.

"They're the ones we look upon and know by heart."

Hesitantly, I got up to my feet, peering in front of me. The smallest figure of a building stood there, resembling somewhat of a Greek temple. I walked towards it, following the sweet and loving voice coming from that direction.

"But sometimes we fall for them and don't even know."

As I slowly approached the temple, the sound of my footsteps drowned away, and I halted in my steps, looking down in awe. I clapped once, trying to see if I was imagining it, but the sound, like my footsteps, was silent.

"We don't even know... where to start."

The voice was the only sound allowed in this void, but I noticed that it was clearer. Looking back up, a figure of a woman was sat down in front of the temple, kneeling at the entrance. I didn't see her earlier, and it was almost like she appeared out of nowhere. She was wearing a creme colored chiton, with clips of flowers holding the cloth together at her shoulders. A belt was wound around her waist, cinching it, and I noticed the weapons hanging from it. In her arms was a beautiful silver lyre, where she stopped playing and peered down at me from across the stairs.

"Meredith Tanner," she said, saying my name. I quickly realized she had been the one singing as she set aside her instrument, settling her hands on her lap. "I've been waiting for you."

"Y-You have..?" I asked stupidly.

She must've noticed how nervous I was, because she smiled lovingly, letting me know she was no one to be paranoid about. "Yes." She moved the slightest bit, sitting on the marble steps before me, and patted the tile beside her. "Sit here. We have much to discuss after your successful plan to defeat the offender, William Kei."

I hesitantly walked towards her, sitting where she gestured for me to sit. Peering at her, I asked quietly, "Do I.. know you?"

"No," she responded quickly, as if expecting my question. Her blonde curls were pulled aside as she glanced at me, not moving. "I believe that you clearly have no idea of who I am. My presence is unfamiliar, is it not?"

I looked back down, hugging my knees to my chest. My gaze lowered, and I mumbled, "W-Well, it is, but something tells me I should know you."

"My name is Aristi Faun," she introduced herself, looking up at the white sky. "I am the one who started the Blood Assassin dynasty, and I am the one who will never, under all circumstances, allow it to end. It will live on." She smiled down at me, adding in, "Many of my descendants recognized me as the goddess of the Blood Assassins, or the origin goddess, though I'm far from such a being."

The origin.. of the Blood Assassin?

My eyes widened when she mentioned the end of the Blood Assassin dynasty, and I interjected, "Wait! What happened to my mother? And my father!— isn't he alone right now?!"

"I can assure you that your mother is fine," Aristi said calmly. She put a hand to her chin, a stern expression washing over her face. "Although, if this conversation doesn't end quickly, your father may not be as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Because I used my power to bring you here, you're currently in a state of paralysis," she explained. "However, it's different letting the living speak to the dead. You're on the bridge of life and death right now, Meredith." My eyes widened at her words, and she continued, "As of right now, you're in a hospital bed, and the doctors have told your father you're dying because of your decreasing heartbeat."

I'm hospitalized?

But Papa—

"Miss Aristi, I have to be sent back to my world!" I exclaimed suddenly to her, making her peer down at me, startled. My eyes began to water, and I held my head in my hands, saying, "Papa won't be able to take enough of all this anymore! Mom was murdered, and I'm dying. If he keeps seeing us in states like these, he'll be driven over the edge!" I looked back up at her, my gaze pleading as I held onto her arm. Tears ran down my face, and I begged as hard as I could, "Please! He needs me right now more than anything!"

"But I haven't even started our conversation yet—"

I quickly interjected, standing up in my spot as I shouted, "I don't care if you need to talk! I've been sent to too many worlds in my lifetime— parallel or spiritual— and I don't have time to chit chat with a dead lady while my own father is probably falling into a pit of insanity!" My jaw clenched as she stood up as well, her eyes glowing intensely as I insulted her. I must've angered her, but I kept my head high and spat, "I know I'm offending you, and as of right now, I don't give a single damn. Send me back to my world— back to my father— so he doesn't have to cope alone. Then, we can talk."

"You do realize that sending you back so quickly would require a great amount of power, right?" Aristi asked, glowering down at me. Her eyes told me everything I needed to know. "That's power I don't have right because I used it to meet with you."

"No one asked for you to meet me," I retorted, glaring up at her. "That's your fault for doing so, and because of you, your own dynasty will fall."

"Don't change the subject. I would have sent you back as quickly as I could, but because of power—"

"Then stop wasting my time, and take mine!" I exclaimed, interrupting her promptly.

Her eyes widened at my words, and she stepped forward once, saying, "If you go back to the mortal world powerless, you'll be in more critical condition—"

"And if I don't go back now, my father's mental state is gonna be in critical condition!" I walked up a step, letting myself becoming just a bit taller than her, and turned to her, asking, "You wanted to keep your dynasty alive, right?! You said you would do anything to let your dynasty live, right?!"

Aristi's eyes hardened suddenly, and she followed suit, moving onto the next step of the stairs. "I did say that, but there's a chance of death if you go back powerless! Are you even listening to me, child?!"

"If you won't send me back, then I'll do it myself!" I exclaimed.

"What?!"