The Power to Control

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

"I should sleep with you?"

"Most certainly." She looked nonchalant in responding, as if it wasn't a big deal.

Am I hearing this right? She had been trying to kill me and just because I defeated her with the power that shouldn't belong to me, she wants to sleep with me? Is she trying to trick me into sleeping with her so that she could control me when I fall for her, or something like that? Or would sleeping with me transfer my power to her? I cleared my throat and gave her a serious look. "I don't think I heard that right. Are you sure that I should sleep with you?"

"Affirmative. Which part of the unambiguous message conveyed to you is not crystal clear, young man?"

"Young man? Wow. I'm not young at all. I'm 26, and I highly think that I'm way much older than you are. I mean, you look 21."

She raised her eyebrows, and moved closer to the primrose headboard, so that she could lean comfortably with her arms crossed. "Multiply that by a ten."

"Huh?! What do you mean?"

"Young man, it pains me to realize how unfortunate the underworld would be, if a make-believe king with comprehension issues must rule it."

My mouth formed a wide 'O,' so I covered it. I stood up with my back on her, then turned to face her with disbelief. "Princess, is your hobby to offend people? Does it give you that much satisfaction to hurt people with your sharp deadly tongue?"

Once again, she raised her eyebrows, and rose from her bed to stand in front of me. She was too close, so I had to step back. She put her hands on her waist. "How preposterous! I was merely pointing out that I could not fathom how my forthright messages could be so inexplicable for you. I stated that you must sleep here tonight, and you dare ask me thrice? And when you proudly articulated your age and made a ridiculous assumption of my life here in the underworld, I asked you to multiply it by ten, and you still couldn't comprehend? I meant what I said as I said them! Why must you always look so baffled?"

I paced around for a few seconds, then faced her again. "If you meant what you said, that means you meant everything literally, right?"

"Yes, indeed! What else could they mean?!"

I covered my mouth once again, shook my head, then uncovered it. "So, you just really want me to sleep here literally." I couldn't help but laugh then let out a heavy sigh of relief. So, that's why she was so nonchalant when she said it. I can't believe I misunderstood that.

"What on Purple Sea are you laughing about, young man?"

"I'm sorry, it's just…never mind." Then I remembered something, and suddenly got perplexed by her consistency in referring to me as a 'young man.' "Oh my God! If I multiply 21 by ten, that's 210?! You're 210 years old?!"

"Yes, and what is so puzzling about that?"

"In my world, you are ancient! If the average death age is around 70, then that means you have outlived three generations of my ancestors!"

She rolled her eyes and went back to her bed to lie down. "I'm afraid my body has not fully recuperated from that agonizing combat, so I must repose soon. You shall lie down in my bed, so I can appraise your so-called accidental power while you sleep."

I carefully sat down by her tail on the bed. "Appraise me? You mean examine my accidental power while I sleep? Why is that?"

"Because when you take a slumber, the power will be visible to me. I will assess the level of blue energy against your green energy in order to see the balance between the two. That is the only way to detect your ability to control it."

"Okay, I'd have to admit that I am quite confused. What is green energy? Is that another one of my powers?"

"Accidental power."

"Yeah, is that another one of my accidental powers?"

"No, you've had it since you were born. All humans have it. Green energy is your will power."

"I see. I see." I nodded as I finally understood. "So, all I have to do is sleep, and you'll be able to figure things out?"

"Indeed."

"You're not going to try to kill me again while I'm asleep, right?" Her eyes showed signs of a scowl coming, so I retracted what I said. "Sorry, I'm just worried, that's all. I just need to make sure you're not tricking me into sleeping so that you can do some hocus pocus, or stab me a thousand times with that trident to kill me and get your power back."

She looked at the trident on the floor. It was still lying in the middle of her room as it fell earlier. "Young man, I might kill you if you don't put yourself to slumber this very moment."

I waved my hands as a display of surrender. "Okay, okay, princess, I'm sleeping. But just one very quick favor."

She looked irritated as she crossed her arms, but didn't say anything.

"Please stop calling me young man. I feel uneasy when you do that. It's more awkward and uncomfortable than when you're calling me those offensive names."

"You have the audacity to ask me favors now, just because you have been hailed a make-believe king?"

"Ouch. That was ouch. What I mean to say is, if I'm feeling uncomfortable over something, I wouldn't be able to sleep. It's just a simple request that I humbly ask of you to consider, princess."

"Alright, request granted. Now, you must sleep."

"Uhm…"

"What is it now?!" Her orange red hair was starting to look brighter as she responded in a ferocious tone.

How can a princess this beautiful be so impatient and unkind? "Nothing, it's all good. I just realized I kept calling you princess and you've called me so many names already. I just wanted to know what your name is."

"Nicolette Ashley Enapignarf."

She said what? "Okay, I'm sure I won't remember your last name, but I can certainly remember Nicolette Ashley. My name is Uriel. Please call me Uriel instead of 'young man' and any offensive adjective."

She breathed through her nose like a bull preparing for a fight. "NOW, YOU MUST SLEEP, URIEL."

It was obvious how she was trying not to lash out on me because I can see that she was breathing heavily through her plump chest. I wonder if she knows that those shells are barely covering her breasts. Should I tell her to cover them up with bigger shells? Nah, she'll probably want to kill me again for suggesting it, and when she finds out I've been looking at her chest, she'll be furious. It's not like I'm doing it on purpose. It just flaunted right in front of me. What should I do? Close my eyes?

"I SAID…"

"Yes, Princess Nicolette. I am going to sleep now."

~

Thursday, 29 April 2021

Despite the situation, I had no idea how I slept so easily. But I did. In fact, I slept so well. I wonder how it was possible for me to have that seemingly endless sleep. As if I were in my own territory when clearly, I was not. It was possibly the longest and most peaceful sleep, considering the fact that I was in a different world. I was expecting that I wouldn't be able to sleep at all, but I guess I adjusted faster than I thought I would.

When I opened my eyes and completely observed my surroundings, I was stupefied to see that I wasn't in Princess Nicolette's chamber anymore. "Where am I?" I quickly stood up from a bed that looked the same as the princess,' except a bit smaller. I studied every corner of the unfamiliar place, and stared at the ceiling. There were crystals everywhere, which I assume, were the ones that brightened the room. "Am I in a cave?" My voice echoed.

"Yes, indeed." Her voice echoed, too.

I got surprised at the sudden presence of the princess. "You scared the shit out of me." I didn't mean to let out a cuss word, so I covered my mouth and apologized, "My apologies, princess. You just suddenly came out of nowhere. Do you have the power to teleport?"

"Absolutely not, I passed through the entrance hall." She answered, pointing at the long and thick vertical grasses or leaves.

"Hmmm. Entrance hall. Okay. What am I doing in this cave? How did I get here?"

"I merely carried you with my bare hands."

"Wow, okay. I guess that's an easy thing to do, given your more than average strength. What are we doing here?" She walked with her back on me, and I instantly panicked at the sight of the trident clutched in her hand. "Uhm, why are you hiding that weapon behind your back?"

"I am not concealing it. I always bring it along when I'm training."

"Training?"

"Yes, and that's what you are here for. This is my training space." She swam around me with her trident, while I couldn't hide my curiosity over it.

"Uhm, why do you need the trident?"

"We shall recreate yesterday's event."

"What?"

"I shall try to kill you, and you must prevent yourself from killing me."

"What?!"