Chapter 8: A dream? A reality?

As Ray drifted to a night of deep sleep, unbeknownst to him, a small orb that merged with his heart was doing something to his body. The orb was seeping an astronomical amount of blood-red directly to his mana core. Now mind you, in every form of existence mana always has a deep blue colour but in his body, it was crimson coloured. An amount so big that will make a normal person explode like a balloon but in this case, this orb was protecting him from that natural effect. His mana score was absorbing that mana greedily as if it was starving. It was like a black hole for mana.

As for Ray, he found himself dreaming. At least, appears to be dreaming but somehow he can think and move freely. A lucid dream of some sort, inside the dream, he found himself in a dark place, so dark in fact he couldn't even know where he was.

"Where am I? Anybody here?" He spoke while looking left and right. No answer, total silence. So he just stood there waiting for anything to change in his surroundings.

And he didn't wait for long, as a few minutes later a dim crimson-coloured light appeared on the horizon, it was very dim that he would've not noticed it in normal circumstances but because of the dark place, it was as apparent as the sun in the middle of the day. "What's that?" The dim light grew brighter and brighter and until it blinded Ray, so he covered his eyes to protect himself.

After a few seconds, the light disappeared like it never existed, but instead as uncovered his eyes he saw it there. An old book, or to be more exact an old grimoire. The book was as red as blood with an ominous hue around it that made anyone get scared and back away from it. But Ray felt the opposite, he was attracted to it like a magnet.

'It's calling me' he was not aware that he was not thinking straight and he walked like a doll to the grimoire with a dazed look on his face. Step by step, the more he git near it the more it attracted him. Finally, when he made the last step and stood in front of the floating book he extended his hand and touched it.

"UGGHHHHHHHHHH...AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" An inhuman shriek got out of him. Just the moment he touched the book, the book glowed very strongly and started emerging with his hand. He felt like his hand was getting stabbed millions of times at the same time and that pain started spreading throughout his body.

Forget about thinking, Ray couldn't make a single thought and his brain was very close to collapsing. His shrieks continued for minutes or maybe hours until at one point he couldn't even scream anymore and he just rolled on the 'ground' while his body was glowing red as if he became one with the grimoire.

After a long excruciating hours of agony and pain, the pain started subsiding and he could finally stand up again. It was not an exaggeration to say that that pain was something no creature in this world can bear with no matter how strong their will or their endurance.

"Ughh...That was hell! What the fuck is going on? What the fuck is that book? This is so frustrating!! Who the hell did this?!!" Roared Ray in anger and frustration, the pain he felt made him hate the one responsible for it with every fibre of his body. The quickest way to make someone hate you. Not expecting an answer he breathed heavily as he sat down calming down.

"What an ungrateful human. You think I fucking get paid enough to deal with stupid brats like you!" An angry voice came out of nowhere and startled Ray. The voice was very low and deep, it also lacked any emotions except for anger and disdain.

"Who are you?" Screamed Ray. The voice answered "Hey hey listen Snowy white, we will not engage in a pointless conversation about who am I or whatever the fuck. Long story short, I'm the Grimoire of the seven hearts and you are my host. For reasons you will know later, I merged with you and so you should get stronger and all that shit you already know about."