Chapter 2: Shitty Nightmare

This is the longing of many people. They wish for a powerful being that can relate to their sorrowful experiences and desires.

But life wouldn't be hard if it granted everyone's longing. For something to exist, something must be sacrificed. There can never be a perfect balance. You can't mix oil and water, after all. A dream is just an ideal. You need to resign to your fate, lest you lose everything.

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Tick tock, tick tock. 'What's that annoying ticking sound? I can't see anything.'

"Hahh, hahh, ahh," she hears her rapid breathing through the darkness. Zephyrus can tell her state of mind is not stable. 'What happened?' she asks herself, trying to regain her senses. Zephyrus tries to clench her fists.

CLANK. A noise pops up when she moves her hand. It sounds like metal. 'Where am I?' she asks the void of darkness, but no one answers.

"Urgh," pain erupts from her head, and she feels like her head is splitting as memories rush by. 'Right, I came here with Father to... push my limits.'

Zephyrus's anxiety spikes as she remembers what happened. She doesn't know what time it is, whether the event happened yesterday or just moments ago.

She still hasn't regained most of her senses. 'Deep breaths,' she tells herself, trying to stay calm. It wouldn't do her any good to panic, even if the situation seems bleak. She tries to think rationally.

'Remember, Father simply said we were going to push our limits, so it means he has a goal in mind that he wants me to overcome. It's fine. Once I have done the task, everything will be over and I will be with my siblings.'

Zephyrus finally stops her jitters. With nothing to do, she waits.

And wait.

...

...

'Yet it wouldn't be too bad if I investigated my condition for the moment,' she thinks to herself. 'Better if I have something to distract myself with.'

With finally something to do, Zephyrus set her sights on feeling where she was. She could tell that she wasn't lying down because the pull of gravity felt real, and she could feel the strain in her arms.

Her body felt weightless, likely due to some drug whose effects were slowly waning. She tugged her right arm.

CLANK. She heard the sound of metal once again. Zephyrus tugged her right arm further, but it retracted back, catching her off guard and causing her right arm to hit the wall hard.

'Kuh, that hurts. I guess this means I'm chained to a wall.' She wasn't entirely sure, but it felt like only her wrists were caught in some kind of handcuffs. As she regained more of her senses, she could feel the floor beneath her.

"My legs aren't chained, but my arms are," she concluded. But there was another problem. "The chain is short, making it hard to investigate my surroundings."

Zephyrus cursed in her mind. If only her sight would return. She didn't know if she was blinded by the drug's effects or if her eyes were covered by a cloth.

"I'm a sitting duck," she muttered, frustrated and scared.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching. The sound sent chills down her spine. The door creaked open, and she sensed a presence entering the room.

"Ah, my dear Zephyrus," Father's voice echoed, calm and chilling. He paused, letting the silence and tension build. "How are you feeling?"

Zephyrus's heart pounded in her chest. "I... I don't know. I can't see anything," she stammered, her voice trembling. She could feel the cold sweat on her back now that her father was standing near.

Father chuckled softly, a sound that made her skin crawl. "That's part of the process, my dear. It's important to strip away certain senses to heighten others. You'll understand soon."

He stepped closer, the rustling of his clothes and the click of his shoes against the floor echoing in the confined space. "Do you know why I'm doing this, Zephyrus?" he asked, his tone almost conversational, as if discussing something mundane.

Zephyrus swallowed hard, trying to control her fear. "No, Father. I don't understand." Once again she says those words 'I don't know.' She feels annoyed at herself and at her own helplessness.

He sighed, as if disappointed by her response. "I have great plans for you, my child. You are special, more so than any of your siblings. You have a gift, one that can change the world."

Father reached out and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to face him. Even though she couldn't see, she could feel his intense gaze. "It's time to push your limits further. You'll see, my dear. You'll see."

He let go of her chin and moved back slightly. "The world needs a miracle, Zephyrus. Someone who can bridge the gap between the divine and the mortal. I have devoted my life to this cause, and you, my dear, are the key."

Zephyrus's mind raced, trying to process his words. The only resounding thought she had right now was that she wished to wake up from this nightmare. "Father, please," she whispered, desperation creeping into her voice. "I don't understand what you want from me." She felt like a broken record, repeating the same words over and over again.

Father's expression softened, but there was a glint of madness in his eyes. "You will, in time. For now, you must trust me. The pain you feel is temporary, but the results will be extraordinary."

He produced a syringe filled with a strange liquid, holding it up for her to see. "This will help you transcend your human limits. Embrace the pain, Zephyrus. It is the path to your transformation."

Zephyrus's heart sank as she realized the extent of his plans. Her body tensed as she felt his presence approaching her with the syringe. She tried to move, her legs edging closer and closer to the wall, and she wrenched her hands away from the cuffs again and again.

CLANK.

CLANK.

CLANK.

Her hands kept hitting the wall as every attempt was met with the chain retracting back. She felt a liquid dripping down her arm. Zephyrus tried to move further away, but she soon resigned to the fact she was merely a cornered rat right now. Zephyrus felt a harsh tug.

"UGH." Her arm was being gripped tightly. "Zephyrus, would you stop this? I only want what is best for you," Father chided.

Then she felt the cold needle pierce her skin. Suddenly, a burning sensation spread through her veins, and she gritted her teeth, trying to endure the pain.

Father watched with a manic gleam in his eyes. "Yes, that's it. Push through the pain. Become the miracle I have always envisioned."

As the drug took effect, Zephyrus's vision blurred, and she felt a surge that consists of a mix filled with pain and power coursing through her. Her wings, a symbol that she was special and different from her siblings, now felt like they were on fire. What once seemed like a gift now felt nothing but a curse.

"AHHHHHHHH." She screamed as pain erupted through multiple parts of her body and her body began convulsing. She realized that this was what Father meant by pushing her limits. She was being forced to endure unimaginable pain to achieve his twisted dream.

Her body and insides felt as if they were twisting. Black blood started to come out of Zephyrus's mouth. Extreme pain filled her body. This pain was so bad that it made it difficult for her to breathe. She had never felt such pain in her life.

Zephyrus's body started to tilt, yet life wouldn't even give her a stable ground to writhe upon as the cuffs retracted once more.

SLAM. Hitting her back hard. 'Just let me at least lie down if I'm gonna suffer this pain,' she painfully thought. "Huff, huff," Zephyrus wasn't able to breathe properly. She was trying very hard to take every breath. She was coughing up black blood and her limbs were shaking. Her body was twisting as if she could not handle it.

'Someone knock me unconscious, please.'

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Two days later.

Zelda sat in her room, unable to shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in her stomach. It had been two days since she last saw Zephyrus, and while their sibling often had special sessions with Father, this time felt different. Something was wrong.

She tried to focus on her book, but the words blurred together as her mind wandered. The house felt quieter than usual, the absence of Zephyrus's laughter and presence glaringly obvious.

Sandra sighed and closed the book, staring out the window. The sunlight seemed harsh, almost mocking her worry. She couldn't explain it, but her gut told her that something terrible had happened.

Pushing herself to her feet, Zelda decided to look for answers. She made her way to the common area where some of her siblings were gathered.

"Has anyone seen Zephyrus?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Thermis glanced up from his game, his eyes narrowing. "No, but you know how it is. Father probably has her doing some special training again."

"I don't know," Zelda muttered, more to herself than anyone else. "It just feels... different this time."

Eris looked up from her potions, her blue eyes curious. "What do you mean?"

Zelda hesitated. How could she explain the gnawing feeling in her gut? "I just have a bad feeling, that's all."

Kyle snorted from the corner. "You're always worrying about something. Relax, Zelda. Zephyrus will be fine."

Sandra nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Stop being a worrywart"

But Zelda couldn't relax. She knew she wouldn't find peace until she saw her sister again. She had always been this way, a worrier her siblings called her, but she trusted her gut. It was always like some kind of superpower. Her worries would mostly turn out to be right, which led to her current predicament.

Currently, she was at her father's office/bedroom, hiding inside one of his wardrobes. She decided to check Father's study, hoping to find some clue about Zephyrus's whereabouts. Now, though, looking through the slit of the wardrobe door and seeing Father in bloodied clothes and, more specifically, without his bird mask, her heart kept pounding. She watched as her father opened what seemed to be his drawer. With her heart pounding in her chest, she couldn't shake the feeling that whatever she found might change everything.

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Ten minutes ago, Zelda stood outside her father's office, a gnawing unease churning in her stomach. She knew she had to act swiftly; Father's study was strictly off-limits to all the children, but her concern for Zephyrus overrode her fear of consequences. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for what lay ahead.

The hallways were hushed, dimly lit, empty, which led to her presence casting shadows on the walls as she approached Father's study door, her heart hammering in her chest. Zelda knocked softly and called out in a hushed voice, "Father? Are you there?"

Silence greeted her call. Zelda glanced cautiously up and down the hallway, ensuring no one was around. She took another deep breath, then carefully opened the door. The room appeared deserted, but an unsettling feeling lingered. Stepping inside, she scanned the space, her eyes darting around for any sign of Zephyrus.

Her gaze fell upon a vivid painting of an angel on one wall, its haunting eyes seeming to follow her every move in the dimness. Across from it, a large display cabinet held an array of antique muskets and weaponry, hinting at a tumultuous past that contradicted her father's public piety.

Bookshelves lined another wall, stacked with religious texts and obscure volumes, their arcane symbols unfamiliar to Zelda. Dominating the room's center was a cluttered wooden desk, strewn with papers, contraptions, and ink bottles. The ornate desk chair, almost throne-like, added to the room's unsettling ambiance and atmosphere.

Zelda continued her search, her eyes stopping on a grand wardrobe tucked in a shadowy corner. She hesitated momentarily, then cautiously approached it, her footsteps silenced by the thick carpet. Just as she reached for the handle, a noise from outside the door startled her. Heart racing, she swiftly slipped inside the wardrobe, leaving the door slightly open to peek out.

Shortly after, the sound of the study door opening caught her attention. Peeking through the narrow gap, she observed her father making his way in, his steps unhurried, still wearing his unique bird mask. The air felt heavier as he walked with elegance. With a slow, deliberate motion, CLICK CLICK.

He lifted off the mask. 'what' Zelda's eyes widened as he carefully set the mask on the desk, revealing a regular, unblemished face underneath.

For a moment, she found herself captivated, memories flooding her mind of whispered speculations among her siblings about scars, deformities, or even darker secrets hidden behind the mask.

Eris poured a swirling potion into a vial, her brow furrowed in concentration as she glanced around the dimly lit room. "Have any of you noticed how Father never takes off that bird mask?"

Thermis looked up from his game console, eyebrows raised. "Yeah, it's weird. Maybe he's hiding scars or something."

Sandra, flipping through a book nearby, nodded thoughtfully. "Or maybe it's not just scars. He could be disfigured under there, or worse."

Kyle snorted from his corner. "Come on, it's probably just for dramatic effect. Like those old movie villains who wear masks for no reason."

Zelda, listening quietly from the window seat, spoke up hesitantly. "I don't know... Remember that time I accidentally walked in on him in his study? He seemed really upset, like he didn't want me to see something."

Eris capped the vial and set it aside, her expression troubled. "Yeah, and he's always so secretive about what he does in there. Sometimes I wonder if he's hiding some kind of dark secret."

Zephyrus, who had been silently reading by the fireplace, looked up with a frown. "Maybe it's something he's ashamed of. Like, he could have done something really bad in the past."

Kyle chuckled, tossing a ball against the wall. "Like what? Robbed a bank? Stolen a spaceship?"

Zephyrus rolled her eyes. "No, I mean something serious. Like a crime or... experimenting on people."

The room grew quiet at her words.

Sandra glanced at Zephyrus, concern and annoyance etched on her face. "Do you really think he's capable of that?"

Zephyrus shrugged, staring into the flickering flames. "I don't know. But why else would he hide his face like that?"

Thermis shook his head, leaning forward. "It's creepy, that's for sure. But until we know for sure, it's all just speculation."

Zelda sighed, her gaze distant as she stared out the window. "I just wish we knew the truth. It feels like we're living with a stranger."

None of those theories seemed to match the ordinary face that now confronted her gaze. 'Why hide such an unremarkable appearance? she asks herself".

Zelda's heart raced as she struggled with the glaring contradiction. Her father's actions had always been shrouded in mystery, and this moment only deepened her confusion. As she observed him carrying on with his tasks, she couldn't shake the sensation that the answers she sought were just out of her grasp, buried in the unsettling silence of the study..

Father moved with precision to his desk, methodically opening a drawer and retrieving several items. Zelda strained to catch any muttered words or clues amidst the rustle of papers and faint clinking of metal, but the room remained eerily quiet.

As Father carried on with his tasks, Zelda's thoughts raced. She was desperate to uncover something—anything—that could provide insight into Zephyrus's whereabouts. From her cramped hiding place, she observed a small latch inside the wardrobe door. Delicately, she released the latch, revealing a concealed compartment. Inside were documents filled with mystical symbols and enigmatic notes in Father's handwriting.

'Bingo". she cheered mentally.

As Zelda continued to sift through the papers, her heart sank deeper with each revelation. The documents painted a chilling picture of Father's experiments, detailing methods that seemed more suited to a mad scientist's lair than a father's study. There were charts filled with cryptic symbols and measurements, descriptions of strange concoctions and their effects on the human body. Zephyrus's name stood out like a sore thumb amidst the chaos, appearing repeatedly in notes that suggested she was at the center of most of Father's experiments.

Research Project Overview

Project Name: Experimental Enhancements and Limitations

Lead Researcher: Bob Perez

Objective: The objective of this research project is to explore and expand the limits of human potential through experimental procedures and drug interventions. The primary focus is on the enhancement of physical and mental capabilities beyond conventional boundaries.

Participants:

Zephyrus [Zephyrus Jourdottir]

Kyle [Kyle Skywalker]

Eris [Eris le Fay]

Thermis [Thermis Avarice]

Experimental Procedures:

Physical Enhancement Protocols: Various drugs and compounds are administered to observe effects on strength, endurance, and sensory perception.

Mental Acuity Trials: Cognitive tests and memory enhancement experiments are conducted to measure improvements in problem-solving abilities and intellectual acumen.

Biochemical Manipulation: Genetic and biochemical modifications are explored to understand the potential for altering inherent traits and abilities.

Key Findings:

Significant improvements in physical endurance observed in Zephyrus following Protocol A-2.

Enhanced sensory perception reported by Kyle after Protocol B-1.

Behavioral modifications noted in Eris under the influence of Compound C-3.

Thermis showed resistance to fatigue and heightened reflexes during stress tests under Compound D-2.

Ethical Considerations: The research is conducted with utmost discretion and care to minimize risks to participants. Ethical boundaries are respected, and consent forms are obtained where applicable.

Future Directions: The next phase of research will focus on refining protocols based on initial findings and exploring new avenues for enhancing human potential.

The implications were staggering. Was Father trying to enhance their abilities? Or was he testing limits that should never be tampered with? Zelda's hands trembled as she absorbed the cold reality of her father's obsession.

Suddenly, a creak from the floorboards made her freeze. She held her breath, her eyes darting towards the crack in the wardrobe door. Father had paused, his gaze now fixed on the wardrobe, his brow furrowed in suspicion.

'Please, please don't look here" Zelda's heart raced as she silently willed him to turn away, her mind racing with fear of discovery.

After what felt like an eternity, Father shook his head slightly and turned back to his desk, resuming his work.

"huhh" Relief flooded through Zelda, but it was short-lived. She knew she couldn't stay hidden forever.

She needs a plan, in order to navigate this maze of secrets and madness without putting herself or her siblings in danger. Zelda found herself confined, trapped in the suffocating space of the wardrobe, clutching the papers tightly in her hands. Escaping was no longer an option. She would have to wait, biding her time for the right moment.

'Wait for me, Zephyrus"

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