The Contract Of Souls (2)

The chilling screech reverberated through the forest, filling me with a sense of horror that I might have touched something I shouldn't have. Styx's scream tore through the woods, silencing everything around him. The dimly lit surroundings were soon engulfed by the returning fog, shrouding the entire forest once more.

The destruction in the area added to the horror of the scene, with Styx at the center of this terrifying display, consumed by anger. I didn't know what had triggered him, but it seemed to be somehow related to me. It couldn't have been from our last encounter because it was actually the very first time I had met him. However, I wasn't sure if the same held true for his case. Perhaps he had met me before, or maybe I had forgotten about him when I was an infant. Either way, I was extremely confused about how to handle the situation.

"I don't know what I did wrong, Styx. I only wanted to ask you a question that could help me solve my predicament," I said, hoping for a response from him. And he did respond.

He ceased his wild screech and turned to look at me with eyes filled with hatred, emanating an intense feeling that permeated my senses. A malicious intent began to surge from him, spreading uncontrollably throughout the surroundings.

"Stop it... Engaging in a fight won't do you any good here. However, if you choose to continue with hostile intentions," the old woman's voice darkened, brimming with a threat, "then I have no choice but to fight you again."

That sudden turn of events was something I would never forget. It appeared that she would fight on my behalf, just as Styx had when he didn't become my enemy. Personally, I didn't want to engage in another fight between the two of them. Weren't they tired of fighting? Well, never mind. Over the course of several minutes, I continued to try and reach out to Styx, calming him down, calling his name—doing whatever it took to tame his raging emotions and make this scarecrow docile.

"Styx, I don't know where this burning rage and hatred towards me is coming from, but I'm sorry. I don't understand why I'm sorry, but if I touched upon a delicate topic with my question, I apologize. It's my fault, but please calm down. Fighting each other won't do us any good right now," I sincerely expressed, hoping for his return to reason.

Though it took a long, tedious, and arduous effort to repeatedly call his name, telling him to calm down, it finally subsided when I called his name and assured him that I meant no harm with my questions. I apologized if I had done anything that could have hurt him in any way.

The old woman, acting as my old bodyguard, sat down as if preparing for a fight, casually spreading her threads around the forest and the debris left from their previous battle. She positioned herself in front of me, preventing Styx from approaching. It seemed she was ready for a confrontation.

Fortunately for me, Styx calmed down. His fiery aura disappeared, no longer directed at me. It was exhausting, but I truly meant what I said and said it with sincerity. Sometimes speaking sincerely can be tiring. How do heroes in novels never tire of expressing themselves like that? Well, never mind. All of us eventually sat down, as if we were the best of buddies who hadn't just tried to kill each other moments ago.

With a loud thud, Styx sat down, giving a deep, long sigh. "I'm sorry for that, Enzo... I... I know it's not your fault. It caught me off guard. I must admit, I feel quite jealous of you. Having caring parents, being born into a well-situated family, among many other things. Your father and mother... I wish I had someone like them to care for me too."

Styx looked up at the towering trees that covered the sky, their tops barely visible, hidden by the dense foliage and branches. Even though many trees had been felled during their fight, the remaining ones still obstructed the view more than they should.

"I envy you with my whole being. That's probably why I unintentionally displayed such emotional distress during our first meeting. Your father was like a father to me as well," he continued in a soft voice, looking at me. "William Stele was a man of integrity, known by many as the Boogeyman—ruthless, dangerous, but above all, a good man."

"Do you know the difference between nice guys and good guys, Enzo?" he asked me.

"No, I don't really see any difference between them," I honestly replied, revealing my shallow understanding of such philosophical concepts.

"Nice guys treat everyone well, seeking approval and validation from others. Good guys prioritize morals and responsibility over seeking approval and validation. They know when to enforce punishment and teach lessons, and when to let others be happy. That's all there is to it," he explained. "And your father was a good guy among the many nice men in Shattershire."

I listened carefully to what he had to say, deepening my understanding of the profound difference between these two types of men. It was nice to learn, but it still remained unclear how I fit into his rage and apparent desire for revenge.

The old woman sat down, seemingly unaffected by the revelations, but her mouth was slightly open, possibly trying to process the information we had just heard. I followed suit and sat down, and we all assumed a relaxed position, as if we were the best of friends who hadn't tried to kill each other just moments ago.

"In the last war, desperate measures were taken to hold off the Oscillating waves. It was decided that ordinary keepers would be insufficient if they wanted to maintain their current pace. You see, we were considered expendable. Many of us, including men, died on the frontlines, whether we liked it or not," Styx explained, recounting the past battlefield.

"I was the first among many to be involved in the operation of placing human souls inside keepers. Although keepers were strong, they had a fundamental flaw—they were dependent on human commands through magic. It may seem insignificant at first, but during the chaos of battle, not many return after fulfilling their duty," he revealed, exposing a harsh truth of the frontline.

"That's why the operations Sheol and Abaddon took place. The people in Shattershire managed to infuse human souls into the bodies of keepers." His voice was loud and resolute as he spoke.

I was frozen, shocked by the information as if time itself had stopped. My spine tingled at the unsettling nature of the operation they had conducted just to win the war. The old woman sat beside me, seemingly unaffected, but her mouth remained open, perhaps still recovering from the revelations we had just heard.

"Your father was against it, of course. However, many chose to follow through with the plan due to the circumstances at the time. Your father had no choice but to remain silent. He neither expressed support nor voiced his disapproval—he had to keep quiet," Styx continued.

"The situation on the frontlines was dire, requiring a significant breakthrough. They achieved what they wanted—turning all of us into trained killers, with a mindset to slay anyone on the battlefield. The keepers infused with human souls proved effective in holding off wave after wave of monsters, and the war abruptly ended, granting years of peace," he concluded joyfully, as if it were the end of a story.

"Unfortunately, for no apparent reason, the waves returned. Everyone was in disbelief, but they had become experienced in dealing with uncertainty. They managed to push the waves back deep into the forest, and it was decided that they would once again venture into the forest for an 'expedition,'" he added, his tone turning somber.

"Your father was a caring man. Whenever he had the chance, he treated me like a father would, discussing my well-being, my traumas, and other personal matters that made us close. Before he left, he told me one thing: 'Look for Enzo. I cannot tell you where he is because of the house. Please help me find him and guide him.' And then they went off, and I began my six-year journey to find you," he looked directly into my eyes, signaling the end of his story.

"But how did you know that I was the one you were looking for? Surely, there were many babies in the country, right? How did you even know where to start looking?" I asked, curious about his answer.

"William told me stories about wanting to have a family with Claudette near the edge of the country, where it is silent and peaceful. That's where I started my search and kept looking. And for some reason, he kept repeating that statement days before his expedition. As for how I knew and found you, it was as if somebody whispered to me when I was lost and asked me to stay with him. Another thing your father said to me was, 'When the time is right, Enzo will call you.' That's how I knew I had found you," he explained, maintaining his emotionless expression.

For the second time during our conversation, I fell silent, stunned, and flabbergasted. I didn't understand what he meant by whispering. I certainly didn't do that during our encounter. It was really strange to think that I could have whispered to him from such a long distance. It felt impossible, almost like a divine intervention.

"And then you proceeded to run away like the kid you are. Your uncle glared at me through the window. I even had to take off my hat to show my apology and communicate my purpose, oh right tell your other friend as well, thank you for letting me calm down from my embarrassing tantrum" he said, sighing briefly before stopping.

I didn't know who this friend that he was talking about but he doesn't seem to be talking to the old lady beside me. I wonder what he meant about that, don't tell somebody is here with us? Can't be right, shouldn't be possible, unless.

I dissociated the thought of being somebody else here as silence enveloped us after his storytelling. It took me quite a while to process everything he had just revealed. It was truly mind-boggling, to say the least.

"That should be enough, right? Let's get back to the main topic. You said you wanted to make a contract, and Enzo doesn't know the details. Allow me to explain everything," Styx returned to his friendly self, although his previous actions of nearly killing me still lingered in my mind, causing some fear.

"Well, I will begin the lecture now. Listen well, Enzo."