PHASE 72 - TIARA’S NIGHTMARE: FIRST TOUCH

Everything is going well and fine now.

Our remaining high school days are filled with happiness and joy. Since this is the last year of our stay at Dradecim National High School, we made most of it and lived life to the fullest. Eidolon attacks are now as rare as a four-leafed clover, and there are no more Cursed Guardians looming around.

Rikkun and I lived in my condo unit, together with Jecchan of course. Our lifestyles are not so different from the previous timeline before Necross Ascension, so there’s not much to explain, except that my father and twin brother visits me every weekend. Diadem studies in Myrrh City High School and my father are always a way for his Gate Guardian work, so I’m glad that they are giving attention to me.

About the school, everything is very much the same. I joined the Idol Club and the leader is still Miss Awane, so everything is still as crazy as before. Rikkun also retained his membership in his Friendzone Club since they need his social justice warrior-esque personality. Jecchan also joined the Cosplay Club to gain popularity among the students, and she’s now getting about five confessions a day. Too bad she always rejected all confessions.

About our Gate Guardian work, Jecchan put Rikkun and me in a temporary rest. The Aether Crusade is in charge of hunting down Leon Frembell, who is the one who owns the God Core of Chronos. Jecchan assigned Helena, Francois, Emily, and Eliseo for that work. Since these four people can transform to Zeus, Hephaestus, Hel, and Venus, Jecchan said that it will be more than enough to capture him.

Jecchan is actually worried about Rikkun’s future at this point. If Rikkun and the Cursed God Chronos crossed paths again, Aeternos might be reborn. Rikkun said that it’s all over now, but Jecchan can’t be too lax about it.

As I said before, everything is well and fine now. I got to live a happy high school life with my boyfriend, and it would be wise to end our love story right here.

But no.

The greatest threat is just about to appear.

>>

I’m dreaming.

No.

I’m having a nightmare.

My vision is warped, and I can see the objects at the edges of my vision blurred. It’s like a picture that melts everything at the end of the frame.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

My heartbeats are faster. The cold in my spine continues to grow as I saw a shadow in front of me. The shadow started to grow until it’s now at the same height as humans. The shadow is very much pixelated and I can’t see anything distinguishable to it except its crimson eyes that pierced through my soul.

Slowly, the warped surroundings started to reveal itself. The shadow seemed to be wandering at the center of a garden full of flowers. Fifty meters away from the garden is a tall mansion that has a sigil of a black cross, which means this is the headquarters of the Black Cross Legion. I have visited this place last week so I know that I’m right.

Normally there are Gate Guardians assigned to guard this place. But for some reason, there’s none.

The darkness of the night did not reveal any stars, but the crimson moon is there. It’s like the moon in Yami has pierced to the reality of the Earth Realm.

The shadow floated and moved forward, with blood on its trail. My vision followed the shadow. I soon found out that I’m seeing it in a third-person view, just like MMORPG videogames Rikkun used to play.

The gates of the mansion opened as if acknowledging the entrance of the shadow.

I blinked.

The next time I saw is that the shadow is already at the underground prison in the Black Cross Mansion. This prison used to contain notorious Cursed Guardians, but as the shadow passes through every cell, each and every Cursed Guardian here has been withered to death.

“!!!” A familiar voice echoed, and a muscular figure leaped towards the shadow. However, the caster of the spell did not hit the shadow as if the shadow is just an illusion.

“!!!” Eight chains swam in the air and tried to wrap the shadow, but even those prana-imbued chains did not even touch it.

The shadow’s red eyes looked at the assailants, who appears to be the ones I know.

The giant figure came from my step-sister Bella. Bella is a young adult with bulky biceps, triceps, and thighs that make her on par with Macho Steel, I mean Mister Kent. Everybody who would see her at first glance would mistake her as a wrestler man.

The one who unleashed the chains is my other step-sister Alice. She is a scrawny girl with hairy legs and sharp chin which would make her look like a crescent moon. Some people often mistake her as an old woman.

These beautiful girls are the daughters of my evil step-mother. Even though my sisters treat me like a dog, I still love them.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

The shadow sang a falsetto. Such voice made my step-sisters Alice and Bella tremble to their knees.

“S-So you’re the one responsible for that black light…” Alice muttered.

“That black light…. that devoured everyone…” Bella weakly cried.

Aware that the Gate Guardians have been weakened by her siren-like voice, the shadow materialized two black fox-like tails that she used to strangle the two’s neck.

“Grahk!” Bella cried.

“D-Darn it! Why did this happen when we’re on guard duty!?” Alice protested.

I want to scream. I want to shout their name out loud. I want to move, jump forward, and save my step-sisters, but I can’t. I don’t seem to exist in this reality, and I’m merely just a spectator. It’s like watching a TV where you can’t do anything to help the characters in the show.

“A-Ah…”

My step-sisters exhaled their last breaths as the blacktails drain all their prana and willpower to live. Their heart made a sudden stop, and they were left into withered cadavers.

The shadow’s tentacle tails smashed the bodies on the wall, splattering blood all over the place. Uncaringly, the shadow continued to float as it moved forward.

I blinked.

When I opened my eyes once again, I saw the shadow that is in front of a metal-cased cell. The shadow revealed its black hand and touched the steel plate, and the steel plate vanished out of existence. I can finally see the person behind the cell.

It was Benedict Hamerov. He was still sealed by the special chains that Z gave to us. He looks awake as if he’s waiting for this to happen. There is an evil smile glued on her face.

“So you have come. I did not expect you to visit me sooner.” Benedict laughed.

The shadow did not speak. It floated until it passed through the iron bars and now the shadow can reach Benedict at arm’s length. Its crimson eyes gave a deathly stare at the Cursed Guardian which is enough to deliver him to his personal hell.

“I know. I know that I have done terrible things to you, and I know I won’t get out of this place alive. That trauma I inflicted must be enough to make you furious.” Benedict laughed once again. “If you’re going to kill me, then kill me qui-”

In a blink of an eye, several dark streaks went frenzy. The shadow revealed all its ten tails, and all of it was used to slash Benedict to chunks of meat. Blood oozed on the floor.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

The shadow sang from the depths of its heart as if celebrating for its kill.

>>