Chapter 5: April's POV
As I gazed at the familiar silhouette, my mind reeled with questions. Mom? But how? The last encounter still lingered in my thoughts, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The words she spoke before I lost consciousness echoed in my mind: "I won't be able to associate with humans anymore." So, why was she here? How could I communicate with the dead? The more I thought about it, the more my mind spiralled with confusion.
The figure drew closer, and I could see her features more clearly. But something was wrong. Her eyes seemed haughty, and her smile was more like a smirk than my mom's signature kind smile. "My daughter!" she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, which sent shivers down my spine.
The emerald green in her eyes seemed fake, and I could swear I saw a pearl-shaped birthmark that my mom didn't have. Was this some kind of doppelganger from the dead world? The thought sounded ridiculous, but it was the only explanation I could think of. One thing was certain: this wasn't my mom.
I took two steps back, my mind racing with thoughts of escape. "Mia!! Can't keep up the act anymore!" the woman said, her voice laced with desperation. Suddenly, a replica of her appeared out of thin air.
"This daughter of yours is sure smart," the woman muttered, pulling her replica towards me. I was rooted to the spot, unsure of what was happening.
As they approached, I noticed the differences between them. "Hey, I'm Sia, your aunt you never knew," the woman said, surveying me thoroughly. "And this is Mia, your mom."
My mind reeled as I tried to process this information. My mom and her twin sister, who might also be dead? It sounded like a crazy dream. I thought about all the times my mom had mentioned her family, but never a twin sister.
"Mom, what's going on?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
She sighed and said, "Come with me." The two women turned away, and I followed them through a gate that seemed to appear out of nowhere. The gate was old and rusty, with strange symbols etched into the metal.
As we walked through the gate, I saw three gigantic buildings standing alongside each other. The first building had the words "Le Manoir de l'Ombre" etched into the wall, the second had "Khaos," and the third had "La Mansión de Los Sueños." The buildings seemed to stretch on forever, and I felt tiny in comparison.
The interior of the last building was breathtaking. There were lavish decorations and furnishings, and it felt like I had stepped into a different world. I was in awe, my eyes scanning the room in wonder. The chandeliers sparkled, and the walls were adorned with intricate tapestries.
But my mom's warning echoed in my mind: "Don't be deceived, this is the Castle of Dreams." Her voice was low and serious, and it brought me back to reality.
As if to prove her point, the room began to shift and change around me. The walls dissolved, and I found myself standing on a shaky bridge over lava. It felt like it was going to break at any moment. I looked down and felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.
"See?" my mom's twin said, laughing. "Jinks, you owe me a free spell!"
The bridge seemed to stretch on forever, and I felt like I was going to fall off at any moment. My mom's hand grasped mine, and I felt a surge of reassurance.
Mom chanted some words, and we appeared back in the mansion. I was still trying to wrap my head around what was happening.
Mom pulled me to the wall and said, "Let's go in." I was surprised to find that I was supposed to walk through the wall. Mom reassured me, "You can do this, just walk in naturally."
I tried, but I ended up hitting myself on the wall. I turned to Mom's twin, who was holding back laughter.
Mom looked at me calmly and said, "Do it again. Think of what you want. Be desperate for answers."
I thought about all my experiences that day, and I stepped towards the wall again. This time, it parted into a two-sided door and opened.
As we walked through the door, a voice rang out from nowhere, "Who are you?" Mom commanded me to kneel and chanted some strange words repeatedly.
"Lord Astaroth, we've come to seek answers to questions that we are naive about," she said.
The air was thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of the unknown pressing down on me. What would happen next?
Arise, Ophelia, a voice rang from behind. I and Mom turned around to meet a tall, stunning man with grey hair. He was a sight to behold, the air around him was aristocratic, and the white robe was a stark contrast to the background.
What brings you here? he asked as he surveyed me. I felt uncomfortable and turned my face away in unease.
You brought with you a human? he asked, his voice laced with curiosity. Oh, Mom said, she's my daughter, and she's the reason we're here. She's almost dead in the human world, and I'd like to revive her, but her soul is too strong-willed and seeks answers.
At that moment, I was so confused. Human? Weren't we all human? And almost dead? Human world? All I knew was that Damian had strangled me into this place, and I just had to take this place as the afterlife.
The man's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. I didn't understand what was going on, and the more I thought about it, the more confused I became.
Mom's explanation seemed to satisfy the man, but I could sense a hint of curiosity in his voice. Very well, he said, I'll grant you an audience with the Council, but be warned, they will not be easy to convince.
As he spoke, the air around us seemed to shift and change. The walls of the room began to fade away, revealing a grand hall with a long, winding staircase. The man's eyes seemed to gleam with anticipation, and I felt a sense of trepidation wash over me.
What did it mean to be almost dead in the human world? And what was this Council that Mom was talking about? I felt like I was walking into a world that was completely foreign to me, and I wasn't sure if I was ready.
The man's voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned to face him. Follow me, he said, the Council awaits. And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Mom and me to follow him into the unknown
The man's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. He reached out and took my hands in his, his touch sending a surge of energy through my body.
Mom nodded, and the man began to chant in a language I didn't understand. The air around us seemed to vibrate with energy, and I felt myself being pulled into a different realm.
The man's eyes locked onto mine, and I saw a deep intensity there. He was summoning something, and I could feel the power building up inside him.
Suddenly, the room was filled with a bright light, and I felt myself being lifted off the ground. The man's hands were still holding mine, and I felt a sense of connection to him that I couldn't explain.
As the light faded, I saw that we were standing in a circle of witches. They were all dressed in white robes, and their eyes were closed as if in meditation.
The man who had held my hands began to speak, his voice low and hypnotic. He was explaining something to the other witches, but I didn't understand what he was saying.
The witches began to chant, their voices rising and falling in a rhythmic pattern. The air around us seemed to vibrate with energy, and I felt myself being pulled into a different realm.
The man's hands were still holding mine, and I felt a sense of connection to him that I couldn't explain. I looked up at him, and our eyes met.
He smiled, and I felt a sense of calm wash over me. The witches continued to chant, and the energy around us built up to a crescendo.
Suddenly, the man's hands released mine, and I felt a surge of energy flow through my body. The witches stopped chanting, and the room fell silent.
The man spoke again, his voice low and hypnotic. He was telling me a story, a story that seemed to stretch back to centuries.....
Sorry for cutting the story always but, typing with my phone can be very exhausting so I'll continue later, sorry for putting my interest before yours, love y'all ❤️❤️