Episode 7: Frankenstein’s Legacy (1): Hunter and hunted (1)

The night was growing and the silent yet static noise pierced my ears. I couldn't tell what I was hearing but I could faintly hear someone talking. A subtle but urgent voice started to ring in my ears.

"Ray…! Shit! What happened!!!"

I felt something sucking my blood away. What is it? The soft feeling, almost like water… I could feel the suction from my wound.

"What the hell is this!?"

A hand brushed my wound and the watery feeling faded. The echoing stopped and I could hear Sam's voice.

"Hey! Ray! Get it together!" he said, pushing his hand against my wound.

Moments later, the other arrived with a group of native inhabitants. They were armed with shiny weaponry that reflected the moonlight. My eyes were staring up at the sky as a silhouette blocked the moonlight. Water droplets fell from it.

"Ray!" I heard Rose cry.

"Ray!" I heard Freya cry as she constantly shook my hand.

"What's going on?!" Antonio stated. He was holding his rifle beside him.

Sam looked directly at the rifle and back at the wound.

Antonio knew what they were thinking but insisted he didn't do it. "Hey! It wasn't me!"

"Then come here and help carry him back to the house!" Sam screamed.

Antonio waved at the natives and they carried me away as I fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"Waah~" Rose said lying on the bed. "It feels like such a long time, a long time since I had a proper sleep."

"Best to be alerted," Sam said. "Don't let your guard down."

"Yeah, you're right," I answered. I turned my back and began to unpack. "Hey, Sam! Did you take my-" I uttered but when I turned back around, the lights faded and all I could see was the dark sky. Lightning flashed and illuminated a black figure in front of me with a smirk on their face. They approached slowly and the features of their face began to appear; it was Claire. She smiled and softly said, "Now die," and triggered the gun.

*BANG*

I shot up from the dream and the abrupt pain from my wound pierced me. "Ah! What the…!"

"Hey, don't move," Rose said sitting beside me.

"Ah… yeah," I muttered as I slowly lied down.

The sunlight shone through the window as daylight illuminated the darkness outside.

"We're back… at the house," she continued. She slowly brushed the bandage and patted it. "They also helped you bandage this, the villagers."

I moved my hand while Freya was sleeping on top of it. She moved slightly and rubbed her eyes. "Hmm…? Ray! You're awake!"

"Yes," I said slowly patting her head.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I feel fine…?"

"Wait," I thought. "Why am I feeling fine? It was painful when I suddenly got up but now the pain has subdued."

Freya placed her hand on top of mine and smiled. I felt a slight tingling feeling from my hand.

"Freya…" Rose smiled. She stood up and walked to the other side of the bed where Freya was and hugged her tightly. "Thank you." Slight tears spawned near the corner of her eyes.

"What's… the situation…?" I questioned.

"It's…"

"Magic!" Freya shouted.

"Ma...gic???" I muttered. "What…?"

Freya continued to smile cheerfully while Andrea stepped forward. She took a deep breath and spoke up. "Since long ago, the world was ravaged by creatures that threatened the world. The struggle between mankind and them collapsed and mankind was on the verge of extinction. But suddenly, divine beings descended and brought the saviors of the world, digits. They travelled the plains and bravely fought back the creatures. Eventually, all the deadly creatures went extinct and the world was brought to peace. While searching for their owners, the digits roamed the world but inevitably, the divine beings disappeared. The digits gave up and settled down. Centuries passed and the world lived in peace and harmony."

I listened carefully along with Rose and Sam but suddenly Freya jumped up and dashed in front of Andrea.

"And that is the story that's been passed down here!"

"Divine beings, digits…" Sam wondered as his eye shifted left and right.

"A myth?" Rose suggested.

"Myth…"

"So then, what exactly are digits?" I asked.

Andrea stepped forward besides Freya. "I'm Andrea Sei."

"And I am Freya Ekz!"

"Sei? Ekz?" I questioned.

"Yes," Freya nodded.

The door opened and Freya's mother walked in. "I brought you all some breakfast," she smiled.

Freya jumped at her. "Mum!"

"Ah…! Freya… be careful."

"Hehehe," she giggled.

"If you don't mind," Sam suddenly asked, "what's your name, ma'am?"

"Ah…" She placed the tray on the table and placed her hand on her chest. "I am Ulene, Ulene Sei."

"...Sei…?" Rose muttered confusingly.

"That's right, Ulene Sei," she repeated.

"But that's different from Freya?" I asked.

"Yes…" she replied, patting Freya on the head. "Everyone in this area is known as Sei." She lightly stroked Freya's cheeks. "But she's a little different," she continued as Andrea handed out the bowls of cereal. "She's grown up," she smiled as small tear droplets formed near the corner of her eyes.

Sam munched on the cereal. "But that doesn't explain-"

*Bang*

The door suddenly flew open as one of the guards entered the room.

"We," he huffed heavily, "I think we found some traces."

Sam jumped up. "That's!"

"Yeah, we found this near the forest."

Rose approached slowly. Her complexion changed and she looked fearful. She extended her arm and reached out a finger to touch the round, red blob. "That's…" her shaking voice said. "That's…" She touched it and instantly, she froze and dropped to her knees.

"Hey!" I said getting up but the pain coursed through my body. "Ow…" I slowly approached while Sam gave me a helping arm.

"Are you alright? Rose?"

"Y-yes… I-I'm fine…" She looked up at the red blob. "This… it's that thing I saw before," she stuttered. "The sensations… the feelings are the same."

"You've seen this…?" Sam asked.

"Y-yes, I erm… I woke up in a room with Claire and this," she pointed, "was there."

"It's a slime!" Freya said, poking it. "But why is it red…?"

"That's…" the guard continued to say, still breathing heavily. "That's because there was blood."

"Blood?" Sam said.

"Yes, we found a trail left behind by this slime. It was consuming the blood."

Another guard stepped into the room. "We believe it's a blood trail."

"We'll continue the investigation but…" he looked at us, glanced at Freya and then her mother. "Could we borrow Miss Freya for a moment?"

"Borrow…?" I muttered.

The slime acted strangely. It swirled around the guard's hand and moved towards his lower arm where some scratches were located.

"We have some injuries…" the other guard said, scratching his head.

Ulene lowered herself a bit and looked at Freya. "Shall we go, Freya?"

"Yes!"

"Andrea, come with us as well."

"Yes," she bowed slightly.

"This way," the guards guided.

Sam helped Rose up and we sat on the bed while Sam sat at the table. He munched in the cereal again. "So, Ray…"

"It was Claire."

"We know."

"Then…?"

"I wanted to ask, do you have any idea why?"

"Hmm… not really… but she was desperate. It was as if she experienced something really harmful, enough to mentally strain her."

Rose tucked her feet on to the bed and placed her arms wrapping her knees. "Claire… she's been through a lot."

"Been through… a lot?" Sam questioned.

A few moments passed and silence filled the air.

Rose tucked her head downwards. "Umm," she said quietly.

I lightly tapped my wound but the pain lifted. "Ah… let's get some rest and continue later."