13 Young Master Shall I... Carry You?
[ Astral Royal Castle - Prince Chronos's Bedroom ]
<< Curse of the Night - WITHIN CHRONOS'S NIGHTMARE >>
The abyss enveloped me, a world of endless darkness, with only a blinding spotlight to pierce the void.
In the glare, two soulless crimson orbs fixated upon me, studying their prey with malevolent intent.
My eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden glare, everything was a blur, and I couldn't make out anything beyond the outlines of my restraints.
I tried yanking myself out from the restraints but to no avail.
As if in answer to my defiance, a monstrous needle plunged into the nape of my neck.
"ARRGGGHHH!!"
My scream of agony pierced the void, as a foreign serum invaded my veins, igniting a volatile surge of power that threatened to tear me apart from the inside out.
My very soul groaned under the weight of this unnatural power, and the Sigil on my forehead pulsed with a baleful light, threatening to consume me whole.
The veins in my body tore apart, as the surge of power ravaged my flesh with an inexplicable agony.
Unseen by my tormented gaze, a hideous contraption emerged, a tube-shaped drill with a hollow core, aimed straight at the Sigil on my forehead.
"NOoo....NOOOO!! LET ME GO!!!"
I yelled, thrashing about in a futile attempt to escape the restraints.
But it was too late—the drill had already begun piercing into my skull, a fiery pain that consumed me whole followed and then...
Darkness.
==========
<< THE OUTSIDE WORLD >>
[ Astral Royal Castle - Prince Chronos's Bedroom ]
"Noo... Nooo... NOOOO!!"
Chronos let out a blood-curdling scream that tore through the silence in his bedroom.
His eyes shot open, and his heart pounded against his chest, as if trying to escape from the grip of some unseen terror.
"Good morning, Young Master Chronos. Are you alright?"
A soft voice asked.
His body was drenched in sweat, and he frantically looked around the room for any signs of danger.
But all he saw was a beautiful lady in a maid's outfit, with curves that could make a man weep.
She approached him with a slow, sensual sway of her hips, her voluptuous curves accentuated by the tight, form-fitting dress that hugged her every curve.
Her skin was a flawless shade of caramel, smooth and supple, and her hair was a wild mane of curls that framed her face in a halo of wild, untamed beauty.
As she approached, Chronos could see that her eyes were bright and full of life, twinkling with a kind of mischief and playfulness that was almost infectious.
Her lips were full and luscious, with a natural pout that seemed almost too perfect to be real.
And as she smiled at him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of enchantment, as if he was caught in the spell of some strange, exotic goddess.
But it wasn't just her physical beauty that captivated Chronos.
It was the way she moved, the way she carried herself with a kind of effortless grace that seemed almost supernatural.
Every step she took was slow and deliberate, her hips swaying with a kind of rhythmic seduction that seemed to call out to him in a voice that was both alluring and irresistible.
And as she drew closer, Chronos could feel a kind of heat radiating from her body, a warmth that seemed to wrap around him like a cloak.
It was as if she was a living, breathing embodiment of desire, a creature that existed solely to tantalize and tempt those around her with her incredible beauty.
Chronos's eyes were drawn to Hathor's every movement, her curves and swaying hips hypnotizing him with an almost supernatural allure.
The heat emanating from her body was intoxicating, enveloping him like a cloak and stirring a primal hunger within him.
But as he tried to shake off the haze of desire, Chronos remembered his confusion and asked,
"Excuse me, but who are you?"
"I am Hathor, Young Master, your personal maid and caretaker... Ask of me aaaanything you wish"
She replied with a flirtatious wink, and greeted him with an Astralian Salute
'Isn't that rather inappropriate to say to a newborn child?'
Chronos pondered.
'Then again... isn't it weird for a newborn to even have these thoughts?'
He shook his head, hoping to freshen himself up, and crawled to the edge of the bed.
Hathor stepped forward, a mischievous glint in her eye as she conjured up a basin of water that glistened as if it had gold glitter in it.
She held it out in front of Chronos with a slight bow.
"Freshen up before joining the other masters for a meal,"
Hathor said, her tone teasing and serious at the same time.
"Thank you!"
Chronos grinned and eagerly grabbed the cloth hanging at the side of the intricately carved basin.
He dipped it into the water and covered his face with it, feeling an instant wave of rejuvenation sweep over him.
He let out a deep breath, feeling completely revitalized.
"This is amazing!" he exclaimed.
"Young Master this is sacred water from Ikaria in the Kingdom of Dadirri, Mistress Athena said that she had plundered... *ahem*.. politely requested the Dadirrian Royalty to ... *ahem* ... share some with her... She requested that I presented it to you when you wake up..."
Hathor stammered through the sentence with a squeamish smile, her eyes glimpsed fear or respect or both at the mention of Athena.
Chronos' eyebrows raised.
"What's so special about this sacred water?"
"Ikaria is home to the fountain of youth...."
Hathor replied, still standing in a 45-degree Astralian Salute.
Before she could complete her sentence Chronos raised his hand to stop her, his warm smile turning a little sour,
"But... I'm a few days old, am I going to turn back into a fetus?"
He asked, his voice tinged with worry.
Hathors eyes widened, still in shock from Chronos's question.
Luckily, she chuckled and said,
"You need not worry Young Master, Ikarian Sacred Water is filled with pure life force,"
Hathor explained, still holding herself in a 45-degree Astralian Salute,
"Its anti-aging properties stems from this purest form of life force, but in Young Masters' case, this life force will give longevity, refine your physical form, improve innate talents to a small degree. And as Mistress Athena says... it's good for the skin.."
Even without Hathor having to say anything, Chronos knew that the value of this basin of water must be astronomical.
He smiled awkwardly, unsure if it's because he felt touched by his sister's love, or how carefree and overbearing she is.
Chronos did not yet know how to process this feeling of actually having family, his experience back on earth left him scarred and broken.
The vivid images of his final moments during the countdown flashed before him…
But he quickly buried them with a quick shake of his head.
Chronos hopped off the bed.
But as soon as he stood up, he slipped and fell on all fours...
"Young Master shall I carry you?"
Hathor asked, covering her mouth with a hand, struggling to hold back her laughter.
'Isn't he the CUTEST !!! I want to pinch his cheeks sooo soooo badly I'm going crazy!'
Hathor thought to herself.
Chronos felt a blush creep up his cheeks, but he refused her offer.
"No, thank you. Just hold my hand, I'll figure it out!"
Chronos pushed both hands on the ground and had them spread out to balance himself.
Soon, he felt Hathor grabbing onto his right hand.
He took his first step fully expecting to fall, back on Earth... no, during the PBS, newborn babies did not have adequate muscles to support their body.
However, as he took his first step, he felt a little foreign to his body but was surprised to find that he was perfectly fine.
"This is strange,"
He thought,
"aside from feeling a little foreign to my body... I feel... strong?"
With each step, he gained more confidence and decided to try jumping.
"AhhHHHhh!!"
He screamed as he found himself twenty feet in the air, his arms flailing about.
Hathor rushed forward and caught him before he fell face-first into the floor.
"Mhhmmm... Bouncy..."
Chronos thought to himself as his head buried into Hathor's ample bosom, cushioning his fall.
He got back up, his face slightly flushed, and thanked Hathor before sauntering off towards the exit of the room.
As he walked, he put both hands behind his back and tried to shake off the embarrassing moment.
Hathor quickly caught up with him, her nimble steps matching his strides as she led him towards the Royal Garden.
