Naomi

Day 6

Lovely soft tunes sing a background ambiance around the house. It uplifts the weight of everything bearing down upon our necks. I thank the lovely faeries for giving us gifts last night. It's been such a long week. A pleasurable moan escapes from Blathnaid's lips as she enjoys some tea that the faeries have given her. This is the first time I ever heard that from her mouth and probably the last. She closes her eyes and lifts her chin. She is at ease as the hot liquids from the reviving drink soothe any sorrow within her. She is drinking it like it is a magical potion that will cure any sickness inside her body.

"I needed this," she rejoices as she sips again. She looks at me and asks, "Will you like to try some?"

"No thanks," I decline while taking a bite out of the delicious fruit from the bowl, "I got my own fill here." The juices taste sweet and sour raspberry that converts into a tart cherry. It has a cool and light texture, lighter than water. It will float in a bathtub if I dare spit it out.

"I wonder what other gifts they have given us," Blathnaid says curiously.

"W'y isn't Dominique 'ere wit' us?" Ivelisse asks abruptly, "S'e s'ould've been up by now."

"She hasn't been sleeping for the past few nights. Let her sleep," Blathnaid replies.

"You can try to wake her up or check on her if she's alive," I suggest.

Ivelisse nods and heads into the hallway. I look towards Blathnaid and rush to her with a fruit in my hand.

"She's gonna kill her," Blathnaid whispers to me, hinting that what I said was a bad idea.

I choke down my grin. I know all the tension between Dominique and Ivelisse for the past few days now, but it's getting easier. I am not saying that Dominique is no longer mad at Ivelisse, but rather focusing on the task at hand. It will be better if we all are not at each other's throats.

"She won't," I reassure her and wink.

"Uhhhhh, guys, s'e's not 'ere," Ivelisse notifies, bewildered.

"Pardon?" I ask. We are all knocked down into a state of confusion.

"S'e's not 'ere!" She shouts in clarification.

Blathnaid sighs heavily and gets up from her comfy spot. She rushes over to Dominique's room. "Are you sure she is not hiding under the covers?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" She points to the blankets that are all thrown around, but there is no person in there. No person- No Dominique.

"Where the hell is she?!" Blathnaid demands.

"I don't know." Ivelisse shrugs.

Everything has gone downhill. We start searching for Dominique in the house. Where did she go? "Son of a bitch! We shouldn't left her alone once she mentioned about the strange dude throwin' rocks at her window," I fuss.

"This shows no sign of struggle," Blathnaid says as she investigates Dominique's room.

"So you are saying she jumped out the window on her own?" I assume.

"'er window is closed when I've entered," Ivelisse notifies.

I sharply inhale as I press my hands against my forehead, mind-boggled. It would be weird if Dominique jumped out the window and managed to shut it. I scan, feeling the auras around us. Gah! The plants around the house possess stronger auras than at home. I can only feel Dominique's energy as a small residue. She left hours ago. There is something off about her aura. It doesn't feel like human energy as much as it does anymore. A lightbulb shines in my head as I recall what Bracus said about the Lady of All Kind bestowing us with her gifts. Does it have something to do with that?

"Find Ivelisse!" I order while scurrying out of the bedroom, heading to the exit of the house.

"Ummm, I'm 'ere," Ivelisse awkwardly mentions.

"I mean Dominique!" I correct it, "God, I am used to hearing that!"

"Oh dear..."

We went into search and rescue mode. We didn't see Dominique in the clearing. We went out to the faerie villages and politely asked if they'd ever seen a woman with a slight Latina accent. They had never heard human accents before. They didn't. We continued to search the woods with the Morphans and vampires. No hope. I used my powers to trace her. Nothing... I couldn't feel any residue of her energy. Her aura was a courageous one, despite all the pain. The odd thing is that her aura disappeared just right when we left the house. Was something trying to cover her tracks? Did she just evaporate overnight? I hope not. Well, in this dimension, anything is possible. For desperate measures, we looked in the woods cleared of any fairies, werewolves, and vampires. We didn't find her. I didn't sense her. Just terrific. We kept searching until sunset.

We all stop, running out of all places to look. "Maybe s'e was taken?" Ivelisse suggests.

"There were no signs of a break-in," Blathnaid tells her, "I think we would've felt it by now."

"Her energy vanished at the door," I mentioned. Ivelisse and Blathnaid glared at me.

"W'y didn't you brin' t'is up earlier?" Ivelisse scoffs.

"Look, I only felt her energy, not someone else's... I don't necessarily believe someone came in and grabbed her..."

"T'ey must've covered 'er tracks! Naomi, w'at t'e 'ell were you t'inkin'?! That could be vital information. T'ese people are far more extraordinary t'an 'umans on Eart'!"

"Her energy felt different, like it was changing!"

"S'e could be possessed! S'e subtly walked out t'e door! T'e Teka- whatever–Bad people are controlling her. Y'know 'ow bad I was w'en I was possessed, right? It puts T'e Exorcist at a 9000 time t'res'old."

"She can't be possessed," Blathnaid abruptly says.

"W'at is t'is, t'en, all-wise-one?"

"Don't take it out on her," I scold Ivelisse.

She shuffles the grass, head hanging down. Frustration and exhaustion are getting to her. I get it, but don't pounce it back onto someone. It won't end well. I nod at Blathnaid to continue.

"We are in the same dimension as them. They possessed Ive because she was from a lower world just like all of us. Now we are here; they can't take control of our bodies."

"'ow do you know t'at, Blat'?" Ivelisse questions.

A blue shine radiates from all around her. Ivelisse curses as she takes a step back from Blathnaid while I calmly watch. I find it beautiful. It's full of wisdom, power, and essence just like Blath. If she goes full force, she will blast all of us into space. I guess the Lady of All Kind blessed her with that kind of power. I only have seen a portion of it during the expulsion of Netedinark and the other entities.

"Do you know w'at 'appened to 'er?" Ivelisse asks apprehensively.

"She's changing," Blathnaid calmly explains. The blue energy around her vanishes.

"Now we need to find where she is," I mumble. I defeatedly suggested, "How about we ask the anthropomorphized Alpha?"

"...I guess we 'ave no options t'en," Ivelisse heavily sighs.

"We should," Blathnaid agrees.

We march our tired arses to the castle. Why does Bracus have a castle all to himself while his people are in the woods? They are treated like chivalry for warriors. He is a giant hound too. Well, I only saw his disfigured form. The guards guide us to where Bracus is located. He is not in the throne room, but rather in the music room. He is practicing on an instrument that reminds me of a viola, yet musical suave throughout the room. He stops once he sees us entering the doorway, reading our faces and expressing concern.

"My liege, these fair ladies wish to speak to you," the guard informs him.

"Alright," he motions calmly. His attention gazes toward us.

"Dominique has gone missing!" I alert him without making myself panic, "We've sent a rescue party. No luck. I've read her energy. No sign of a struggle and it vanished the moment she walked out the front door. She also seems to be changing, sir. Her gift must've been unleashed."

"Ah. I will send the pack to search for her. We can pry the grounds," he tells us, "Go back home, you three, you look exhausted. We don't want to risk you three getting captured; we will take it from here. Thank you for letting me know."

"Fine," I said in reluctance, "Please find her quick- Ohhhh! God!"

My words turn weak as the hellbent pain surges through my body. Oh my goodness! Not again! Please not again! I collapse, screaming is the only thing I can do. Guards, Ivelisse, Blathnaid, and Bracus check me out as I scream my vocal cords out. Acid pouring into my veins with a drill at the ends if that is ever possible. My muscles contract heavily- A painful enhancement to reach high definition. An overdose on pain medications won't calm it either.

I feel the unconsciousness set in faster than a traffic light. Knowing the pain will never stop while I am in a helpless coma, I fight against it. My heart is faster than an anemometer in a hurricane. My God! This pain was worse than the last. What is going on with me? I can't catch a break. My first transformation round was at the max on the ten scale. The next one was at a twenty-four. And this one–In another league on its own.

"Gah! Focking kill me!" I plead as my whole body locks up and contracts. The cycle keeps on repeating. I can not move. The periods of relaxation are totally gone by a third of a second as if it ever mattered; I am already paralyzed. I can't fight the oblivion fog creeping upon my vision as I fall under the dew point.

Day 10

This misery is more than a melodrama. It never ends... Gosh, this tearless agony will kill me alone. I am officially tired after the pain finally waned. I don't want to wake up, desperate for sleep. I feel something poking my leg. I keep my eyes closed.

"Wake up," a high voice kindly orders. I ignore it.

"Wake up," they repeat, but louder. Let me sleep!

A spasm in my back jolts me awake. I scream at three individuals that I don't know in front of me. All of them are women. All of them are blurry. One of them is standing on the ceiling. Red energy waves out of me, pushing them straight into the wall. The lady on the ceiling slides down the wall head first. A monitor hooked up to me sounds the alarm.

"Nao, it's us! Blath and Ive!" One of them speaks.

"Naomi, please, it's Ivelisse! Please, relax!" Another one adds in.

I pause, taking heavy gasps. My sight returns, but they also look different. Blathnaid is palisly blue with deer horns coming out of her. Her horns are courteously laced with flowers. She is dressed in a blue wrap dress that is either hiding her shoes or she is floating in midair. It fits her quite well, especially with her curly dark hair dyed at the blue ends. 

Ivelisse also has changed. She is the one that was standing upon the ceiling. She gently swings her head. Thankfully, not in a twisted way. There is a foggy haze following her movements. By focusing on it for a few seconds, it is a hazed version of her face. Her eyes are frosty marbles. A glowing white light radiates from her chest and around her. Her skin has diamond-like jewels barely under her skin. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail that flows magically, despite herself not moving. Ivelisse is dressed in a white warrior robe that reflects light off itself. I think I need sunglasses now.

"Jeez," I mutter, "I didn't recognize you both for a moment."

"Yeah..."

"I see Dominique isn't here," I said, "How many days have gone by?"

"Four."

"Four?!" I blurt, "Where the hell is she?"

"Bracus's men found her in a deep coma. They were convinced that a parasite struck her. The parasite with many ailments. They have to put her in another room with no contact allowed. It's highly contagious and dangerous."

"That doesn't make any sense," I fuss.

"He doesn't put a risk on us. He mentioned a plague that killed people in his villages long ago. It was from that parasite."

"Alrighty-Alrighty. Looks like they have their own viruses. How long?" I ask Blathnaid.

"He said people die within a week. Those who had fallen comatose in the past that woke up in a week and a half are likely to survive. The longer, the fewer chances."

"Hopefully, she will be back with us as soon as possible."

"Nao, Dominique is a strong woman; she will fight," she gives me a thumbs up.

"I know."

"Miss, how about you stand up and walk for a little while?" A turquoise faerie nurse orders. Gosh, she is so quiet; she never budded into our conversation. She probably knows it's sort of personal. She is focused on her job, not someone else's drama. I think she won't bother unless it puts her life at risk or that I am in danger.

I comply. A rush runs straight into my head; I feel lightheaded and imbalanced. "Oh crud," I say as my knees buckle, but I don't collapse to the floor–Too many times recently.

I sturdy myself with the pole that the IVs are on. Blathnaid and Ivelisse follow me out of the room. We go into the courtyard where the staff are eating food. They are eating salads or edgy fruits. There are tons of orange flowers here. As the wind scarves by, the flowers give off golden powder like pixie dust. We both sit at the fountain, oozing purplish liquid. It looks inviting to drink, but temptations can be deadly. This place should've been called Spectrumland because it has so many colours.

"Since when did you guys transform?" I ask.

"I did have powers before entering the realm," Blathnaid explains, "The transformation lagged behind it."

"Couple 'ours after you," Ivelisse said, "It was one t'ing after anot'er."

"Does Bracus know?"

"He does. He has been helping us train."

"That's good, I think."

"You should get trained too," Blathnaid says.

"I have been with my powers longer than both of you," I state.

"You lose control sometimes, Nao. You do a lot of damage when you do. Besides, you have more powers than you did before."

I gulp. Oh God.

"Yeah, you're right."

"You also look different."

"I've been looking different since secondary school," I remark.

"Okay t'ere, smartass, 'ave you looked in t'e mirror lately? Per'aps, yourself?" Ivelisse retorts.

I use my energy to craft a small mirror and look at myself. I cover my mouth to let out a fake horrid gasp. "Oh God! Oh no! Oh God! Oh no!" I mutter, making Ivelisse and Blathnaid look at me puzzled.

"Oh dear God," I exaggerate, "My hair is long again."

Ivelisse gives the are you kidding me look. Blath remains settled like she expects this out of my sorry ass by now. Then, out come the scissors and cut my hair short. I spit at my cut hair and it blasts into red lightning before vanishing into nothing.

Well, that was different.

"Is t'at w'at you do?" Ivelisse asks out of spectacle and total confusion.

"Yeah or turn it to cash when we need to go shopping," I shrug, "Maybe toilet paper." Total lie, by the way.

I look back at the mirror in all seriousness. I hide my expressions from Blathnaid and Ivelisse. The humane appearance is fleeting now. My skin is completely white with red skin markings all over me and my face. It reminds me of a mythical creature. My eyes are still green, but the sclera is now pitch black. A black holy crow-crown-mask thing covers my face, along with dragon horns. All of them have blue edges.

What happened to me? I look at all disorder now. Despite all this bad arrangement, I still look beautiful, but I miss the old Naomi look. Look what the hell I've become.

I made the mirror disappear at my own accord. Blath, Ivelisse, and I resume chatting about their abilities. Ivelisse's powers pertain to the dimensions; she can warp them to her own advantage. Blathnaid is the essence and projects out wisdom blue energy that creates a powerful blow. I have no clue about my new abilities yet, but I don't want to know.

It's been an hour since I left my room. We decide to go back to it, but we're halted by a vampiric guard. The ways to tell from one kind to another by who looks like a creepy doll and the one that looks like they came out of a kid's colouring book. He informs us that Bracus wishes to speak with us at once. We follow the guard into another end of the hospital, which is guarded. Bracus is standing there waiting for our arrival with his arms behind his back.

"Hello, everyone," he greets, "Naomi, how are you feeling?"

"Meh," I said honestly and expressively. I still feel sore from the transformation.

"You look lavishing," he compliments.

Yeah, and it was a pain in my ass to get it.

"'as Dominique finally woken up from 'er slumber?" Ivelisse asks.

"No," he replies bluntly, "But someone else wants to see you."

Bracus opens the double doors into a private room. He is right. It is Dominique, just kidding; she is too dangerous to be around. I still breathe out of a relieved smile though. I know who lies awake with many monitors and bandages. The bandages are heavily tied together.

"Aelen!" I cry as I rush to him with a hug.

He jolts back a bit, startled by my reaction. I tell him who I am and he calms down. He hugs me back. I can hear him silently whimper as he moves the slightest inch. The bandages feel sticky to keep things together as I place my hand on his lower chest. Ivelisse comes in and hugs him too.

Bracus comes from behind me alongside Blathnaid. "I've got very bad news," he spitefully says. He gestures to Aelen to tell us.

"I was obliterated at Teta– Netedinark is stronger than I originally thought," Aelen says while he is out of breath. He desperately gasps for air every second, "I've escaped."

"Anyone else you saw, Aelen?" I ask him, dying to know.

"I saw Phil, Ella, Markus, and Rick there. I don't know what they're doing, but they are definitely up to no good."