Part 4

Playing random games like finding the biggest and coolest tick, throwing the rock the farthest, which Izeurik lost, and juggling contests. Eventually they made their way to the big hill in the far back of the farm with a big tree. The steep hill took more energy then he initially thought, or rather that he didn't factor it. With a little huff pointing at the tree.

"Think we can climb it?-"

"-No."

Alice responded with no hesitation with a soft yet stern serious tone. 

"You are too weak and it's too big. and no more getting hurt!"

Her soft spoken voice rose to a normal tone as her version of a yell.

There was no malice in her tone, only concern. 

"Yeah, yeah. Maybe later. I was exhausted just walking up a hill."

Huffing out of frustration of reluctant acceptance. Turning his gaze and looking out to the horizon over the fence, their home and the village they so often visit. Even from here still didn't look all that grand, almost like it's abandoned and left half destroyed. 

To the left was a place Izeurik had never been to, tall buildings that reached the sky. Remembering what Sister Mary said, that's where the main residents live, within the first circle of the sanctuary with them living in a second outer ring. Lost in his thoughts up until the moment the sky slowly darkens, light only peering between the trees on the horizon. The moon slowly shining more brightly down, his thoughts slowly fade while gazing up at it. With a clear mind he gently picked up the bunny, held her near his face, and gave a soft humming grunt.

"Hmmm... Mother Mary says I should probably get rid of you if I don't like you... I never thought about having a pet... Hmm, Mother said you chose me… is it wrong to say no?..."

Izeurik questioned the bunny but also to himself with a sense of confusion. Only a short slightly squeak was a response that he couldn't quite make sense of. Izeurik glanced back up at the moon as if seeking guidance. Without him realizing at first, the bunny as well looked up to the moon. Stretching her ears that cover that blocked the light from him.

"Hmm... Mother told me there was a bunny always hiding, sneaking our food at night. Is why I never saw you... I remember a word from the book... I'll call you, Nyx. 'Goddess of Night'."

He declared with a warm smile that was immediately replied with an excited squeak and chip with approval from Nyx. Alice mumbled how it's a pretty name. Nyx turned her gaze towards his own, in the next moment Izeurik's mana energy started to flow from him to her. Sparkles of red, green, and white. Nyx's own blue energy transferred over to him. This process lasted a few minutes as all three of them looked in awe. Izeurik didn't feel anything different at first, but slowly a second awareness formed in his mind. After focusing on it he came to realize its Nyx presence. He could tell exactly where she was beyond by simply looking. As if he was always looking at her. Izeurik could even tell that she was getting a bit hungry.

Meanwhile Nyx's energy was gradually turning from blue to green and green with little specks white. As the energies continue to flow back and forth between them both, Izeurik's own energy begins to lessen. More of his green energy and red was prioritized. Nyx's eyes slowly changed, her left eyes to emerald green and her right turned a deep blood red just like his second pair of eyes. Both identical to his own. Eventually the energy transferring between them became identical as well intertwining with each other before their energies combined to form a line that connected them till it faded.

"Sooo pretty, What happened?" 

Alice softly spoke her excitement that was flowing off of her. Despite already being close, she leaned even closer with her shoulder bumping up against his.

"This is a strange feeling. I think she's in my head now. Like that superpower we read about. Are you hungry Nyx?" 

Izeurik replied to Alice while speaking to Nyx with certainty and a tone of curiosity. Nyx's eyes widened before she squirmed excitedly with more chirps. Izeurik's eyes immediately widened as well. He could now understand that intent behind her noises. He could tell what she meant but there weren't really any words to connect the feeling. Looking at her with a growing fascination while beginning to stand up. 

"Let's go get you some food. It is getting a bit late, Mother Mary should be done with the church any moment." 

Izeurik declared. He began to place her onto his shoulder. Even while Nyx wasn't making any noise he still could feel some level of intent. It was much less as if not fully directed towards him. Instead, Izeurik followed the intent and lowered Nyx to the ground. Without hesitation she began to hop towards the house. 

"So strange... It's like I can tell she wanted to run... I can still feel her in my head as she gets farther away, so strange."

"Maybe our Mother Mary knows more."

Alice quietly reassured him quietly to himself. Walking back down the hill and towards his home. He eventually started to run when hearing Sister Mary call out for him. After responding to confirm that they were coming it took no time at all before arriving right at the porch. Even though he ran only for a little he felt exhausted again. Hands to his knees as he catches his breath for a moment. Alice frowned with a look of concern rubbing his back gently. Just another reminder how skinny and weak he is now. 

"Now don't push yourself too hard. Don't forget what that curiosity did to you, Little Scholar."

"He's reckless…"

Sister Mary teased with a smile that reached her eyes followed by Alice's grumpy remark. Giggling, Izeurik ran and jumped right into Sister Mary's arms. 

"We're hungry! And we have questions."

He announced, hugging her tight. Meanwhile Nyx comes down from the sky after roaming around. Landing right on his head. Sister Mary glanced at her for a moment. 

"We? Ah yes I see now. Yes yes, We got a lot to talk about. First let's eat." 

She spoke softly while she carried them inside with Nyx following behind. Sitting them right on the counter before she starting to cook. Sister Mary even allowed Izeurik and Alice to ask questions while she's cooking. Nyx hopped on a stool before getting on the counter next and climbing onto Izeurik lap. They talked about what they did that day and what happened when naming Nyx. Izeurik learned it was a familiar bonding that can share thoughts and senses. 

When the food was done they sat down in the living room at the coffee table. All four of them enjoyed their big meals. After Sister Mary was done eating she laid back on the couch as usual. Once everybody was done eating Izeurik, Alice and Nyx continued watching TV a little longer before Sister Mary got up and started cleaning the dishes. Once that was done she brought them back to the library with Nyx perched on his shoulder looking round and they started picking out books to read in his room later. Afterwards Sister Mary brought them to his room. They sat on a soft rug in the middle. 

"Alright, Ize, Alice… we're going to do some quick magic training and test your affinities. Alice, I'll help you get a Mana Core later… the proper way. That way I can do a bit of teaching to you both now. That way you're not left behind him by waiting years until you go to school. First thing we're going to do is use this Fate Stone to test your affinities. That way you know what kind of magic you can do."

While talking Sister Mary pulled out a large cylinder like Crystal that barely fit in the palm of her hand. Swirling with all types of colors within it. Alice and Izeurik were both excited about learning magic. But at the slightest moment either of them was going to speak Sister Mary quickly hush them as she continued.

"Wait until I'm all done before your questions. It's much easier to do it than just asking questions all night. Let's start with you, Alice. Put your hand on the crystal and I'll help you pour mana into it. Just remember to stay seated. The whole room is going to change."

As they said in a circle with a crystal in the middle and Nyx on Izeurik's lap, Alice placed her hand on the crystal with Sister Mary's hand on top. And she guided Alice's Mana into the crystal, moments later an expanding orb barrier began pushing out and enveloping the run room. Within a blink of an eye suddenly it was like they were outside. 

The sun appeared along with the sky densely covered in clouds. Several spots spread out allowing equally dense beams of light down. It was bright yet shady all at the same time. They all sat on top of a small hill, grass and flowers stretching through the horizon. For every thick beam of light That made it through the clouds there was a tall wood pillar right in front of it to help cash shadows. The shadows on each pillar were noticeably darker than normal shadows and they were slightly squirming.

Alice and Izeurik gasped in awe when looking at the surroundings. Brushing their fingers through the grass and flowers all around them. Sister Mary was glance ground taking note of everything before speaking up.

"Isn't this a beautiful place? Look like you have two strong elements, Alice. Strong light and shadow affinity. Interesting combination. "

While she was explaining Nyx hopped off Izeurik lop and started dashing around only to hit an invisible wall head-on with a loud dong. Sister Mary removes Alice's hand as it all begins to fade away. Revealing Nyx smashed her head on the metal leg of the bed. 

"Tsk tsk, That's why I know moving around" 

Sister Mary muttered. Nyx squeals and pain but mainly from the sudden shock of it. Izeurik calls her over and she slowly returns. He could sense she's not in any real pain, Only disappointment that it wasn't real. 

"It's okay. Good thing you got a nice hard head" 

Gently rubbing her head to comfort her before turning his attention back towards the crystal with excitement. 

"Me next!"

Placing his hand on a crystal and Sister Mary repeated the process. Just as everything began to change she received a notification instantly popped up in front of her face. Something that should only happen for emergencies or special reasons according to her settings. 

[Direct Message: From Neriah

Warning: Do not engage. Anomaly has been detected. Unknown ally entity has been detected. As my faithful daughter and his trusted guardian, The dark affinity and veil concealing the truth shall be revealed. Warning, do not engage. All is still safe, My Child. We both are here.

End of message…]

"My… Goddess…"

Sister Mary muttered at the notification. Her heart fluttered when she saw the name before it dropped after reading it. The room changed outdoors once again. The first to appear was the blue sun Sirous. Before the rest could appear darkness took over the sky completely. Izeurik began hearing whispers in the back of his mind. The sun morphed into a blue moon shining down on everyone and they sat on cold white sand. Blue moonlight particles floating around everyone to further illuminate the immediate area.

Beyond where the room walls would be, everything slowly faded into a deep darkness where it would reach the bathroom walls. The air was so cold you could see your breath. Distant sounds of water crashing onto shore beyond the darkness where they couldn't see reminded them of a beach. The moonlight casted deep dark shadows that are not affected by light normally, it held a pure darkness.

Before they could get used to the new sight, the veil of darkness that hid everything beyond the invisible walls slowly faded to clarity. A new sound of light rainfall began. As they were looking around and more was revealed, It was clear it wasn't a mere sandy beach but grind up bones made into a beach. Littered with bones of all sizes and shapes. Most of them are in the shape of solid bone hands, antlers or various types of broken skeletons. Random drops of red accumulating across the beach. 

As the sight made it to the waters the sand became more stained red. Looking and watching the sounds of pure blood waves washed onto the bone sand beach that worked with the sprinkling bloody rain to make a soothing symphony. A sky of darkness, not a star in sight before dozens of eyes began opening up looking down at all four of them. Other than the eyes and moonlight, the only lights were from the bone white clouds illuminating its white light and the aurora borealis that connected the clouds. A mixture of red, blue, green, purple, and white flowing like a transparent blanket in the sky with strands of black squirming within it.

 "Who... who is that speaking? I think...there you are... wait..."

Izeurik spoke out of glancing around with a confused look, matched by sister Mary's own. The whispers continued and got slightly more clear. Izeurik realized it was repeating his thoughts, feelings, and describing everything he's doing…

"Do you hear someone speaking, Darlin?" 

"Yeah… so many voices. they're quiet but, One of them is filled with great emotion like it's constantly screaming quietly."

Izeurik replied. More concerned about the voices than a site itself unlike Sister Mary, who was now concerned with the scenery and The voices he can hear. Nyx managed to slip away and started digging into the sand nearby while playing in it. Alice, mixture of confusion and awe at the colors. Brushing her fingers through the sand as well as touching the pure dark shadow she possesses. Spoking with a bit of curiosity. 

"I don't hear anything. Where is it coming from?" 

Izeurik begins glancing around, his eyes quickly narrowing down to over the blood ocean, Trying to focus in on those constant whispers, at the one more clear than the others. As his eyes grew closer, a feeling of surprise and worry started to fill in more 

"Wait... You can hear me? No no no..."

I asked him. Shock, curiosity and concern filled my voice. Yet there was something more...excitement... The familiar scent I craved for so long.

"Are you in my head? Why are you narrating everything? Are you even narrating yourself? Stop- stop repeating my thoughts... Stop this violent craving."

Izeurik spoke to the narrator with curiosity of his own along with a growing frustration. As he stared in the distance, he watched a figure rise from the bloody ocean to stand on top of it just too far away to make out the details. A slender figure wearing a robe dress that concealed her whole body. A mask of some kind Izeurik couldn't tell the details of from his distance.

Although only being in this strange place a few moments, more voices continue to join the whispers along with more figures. Three figures rising from the blood ocean on both sides and behind the narrator. A tall knight in full dark armor with a black fur cape and a black mask stood to the left. He felt no emotion from them. To the right, equally as tall was a beast that was a monstrous angry looking brute who looked to be made with a bone exoskeleton, or is the bone itself. They were the source of all this endless anger in Izeurik's head felt in the back corners of his mind. Rising from behind the narrator was an extremely tall slinky hybrid figure standing on hind legs with the head of a deer skull. 

As the second's passed, each felt like dozens at a time, several animal heads from Deers, elk, moose and Cervidae, humanoid, hybrid creatures, and more. Peering their heads out of the sand, ocean, and clouds. Eyes appearing all over as if nothing is hidden, even the very skies themselves continued gazing down from its darkness.

Izeurik slowly rose to his feet as he stared back at all of them, quickly followed by Sister Mary standing right beside him with one hand on his head. Alice was soon after, standing on the other side of him. For different reasons none of them was afraid. Izeurik, too distracted by all of the rushing emotions and whispers. Something about it all felt familiar, none of which felt hostile. Sister Mary, a sister of faith and with the word of her goddess, fear would have no foothold.

Alice, mesmerized by the colors and mysteries of it all. The feeling of cooling sand on her feet. The strange skeleton creatures rising from the sand, some even falling out of the sky while they all slowly approach yet never getting closer than 50 feet. Left frozen in curiosity with her right eyes trying to suck it all in.