"Lucifer?"
Huff Huff
My breathing is still raggedy, but then I hear an audible gasp as I utter the name 'Lucifer'.
I turn my head left to the direction of the gasp and I see that it's Jennette– sitting on her bed, momentarily frozen in shock as she holds the polish brush she's using to polish her toenails.
Her reaction says it all, I see her visibly quiver, her eyes wide and her hands trembling as she slowly hides her mouth with them.
I narrow my eyes, and for a brief second, I see the two green rings revolving around her... glitch, they turned black, just for a blink. And then they turned back.
What the hell is that? Wait a minute... No one else can see these rings. I've never told anyone, and I have never even questioned it much until now, I just accepted it as another gift in this world, but this... This isn't normal. Rings don't change color, they... They never do.
"Wh– where did you hear that name?"
She asks, her voice low, shaky and filled with seeping fear that she tries hard to mask.
I furrow my brows into a suspicious glare.
Why is she asking me that? Does she know it? Why's she reacting this way? Is she reacting to the name or my sudden action? Should... Should I trust her?
I shake my head, erasing the suspicion from my mind. Jennette can't betray me, I'm being too cynical. She's just shocked at the sight of me waking up drenched in sweat... Right.
I'd just ignore her for now.
I regulate my breathing and decide to hold off my thoughts for now.
I'll think about all this later.
As I make up my mind, I stand up from my bed, about to make my way to the bathroom, then...
Grrr!
My belly rumbles, I think even Jennette heard it and at that moment– my eyes catch the figure of a tray of food resting on the wooden table next to my bed.
I take another glance at Jennette who's regained her composure and is polishing her nails, acting like her jaws weren't dropped and she wasn't shaking like she saw a ghost seconds ago.
It won't hurt to eat before I take my bath.
I think to myself as I pick up the plate of beans and plop my butt back on my bed to eat.
As I put a spoon into my mouth, I realized something.
"Urgh, it's cold."
I say, my nose scrunched but I still keep eating.
"Of course it's cold, you slept for 5 hours; It's night already."
Jennette says sternly, her tone is curt, like that of an angry mother hiding her worry.
I simply ignore her and continue eating.
She's right.
I turn my head in the direction of the window, my mouth still chewing the beans in my mouth.
It's night already. But I'm not gonna sleep anymore, how can I? I think I'd avoid sleeping for a while. That thing was too...
My hand holding the wooden spoon shakes slightly and the spoon almost falls out from my hand as I grip it tightly and compose myself.
Forget about it, Edward. You have to focus on reality and stop thinking about nonsensical dreams. But...
I cough, nearly choking from the beans in my throat, but I melt it down with hot saliva.
In this world, are dreams like that meaningless? No... Even on earth, some dreams are significant.
And that thing, Lucifer, it knew about the 'THEY' that the Phoenix mentioned and it knew about the Flame of eternity in me. What sort of world did I find myself in?
"You know, you really need to go take a bath, I don't know how you manage to eat so well with your body sticky with sweat."
Jennette says, her tone evident that she's trying to feign indifference. If she doesn't care she won't talk about it at all.
I smirk.
That's right. I should just bury it for now. What's the use of thinking about something that I have no solution to? I'll just cause myself headaches. But one thing is for sure though... I need to speak with that Phoenix again.
I finish my food and head to the bathroom to go bathe.
***
I'm done taking my bath now.
I'm on my bed, lying down and looking at the ceiling.
I turn to look at Jennette, she's already slept off.
Must be nice not to have haunting dreams of an indescribable creature.
I smile bitterly, not because it's funny, but because there's nothing I can do, and then I turn my head to continue staring at the ceiling.
Yeah, I'm never going to sleep again.
***
I slowly open my eyes to the bright light of the morning sun seeping out from the window.
Ah, I slept off. I swear I didn't plan to sleep, it's that type of thing that happens when you decide not to sleep and when you wake up in the morning you realize you slept.
I was prepared to stay up all night, even if I was flinching at shadows or dreaded by paranoia.
"Finally woke up?"
I hear Jennette's voice, she's chuckling as she's asking me. She's standing next to the door, dressed in a casual outfit, a sharp contrast from the maid outfit she's been wearing all this while.
"You look good."
I say dryly as I stand up from my bed.
She lets out a small nose 'huff'. "Thanks. Now get up and go dress up, we have a lot to do today Ed."
I nod, and I ask her; "Do you know any place I can get a mask?"
Her eyes widen slightly, then go back to normal and she furrows her brows, "What do you need a mask for?"
I shrug, "Isn't it obvious? What are masks used for? Aren't they used to hide identities?"
"You want to hide your identity?"
I nod sternly, "Yes, I think it'll be for the better."
The top corners of her lips curve down and she raises her eyebrows, making a 'not bad' sign as she nods.
"Alright. I'll handle that. Now... Chop chop. Get ready, we're heading to the mercenary guild."
I jump up from my bed, feeling refreshed.
Right. This is what I came here for... To begin my journey.