CHAPTER 27. OCTAVIET

I woke up in a theme park. Screams of joy echoed in the background. Tents were erected everywhere. Their colors were so diverse and bright that they showed positive vibes.

I was behind a roller coaster. 3 shadowy figures were in front of me. One of them was Devastia. Her face was emitting the usual mommy dearest knows best. She said, "Have you understood the command?" One of the figures said in a female voice, "You have sung it enough. It's like you think we are toddlers." The other figure who spoke in a deep scratchy voice said, "Akira is right. Start giving us useful information like What powers does the boy possess?" Devastia said, "He is an illusionist." Akira said, "How I like smart prey, Sebastian! They make the catch quite fun." The male asked, "I agree. Don't you Octaviet?" So what, everyone can see astral projection nowadays.

A reddish-black scythe swung towards my neck. I gasped awake. I touched my neck just to be sure. My eyes darted to sleeping Olivia. The sun was just coming out of the horizon. Had we slept that long? I woke her up. She groaned as she looked at me. She mumbled, "Let me guess. You dreamt about us being attacked?" I guess my dreams these days have become cliché. Can't dream of being bathed in chocolate and honey? Or running in a meadow but no, a scythe to the head is all I get. I said, "We should go but I think some food will do." Olivia said, "I know of a restaurant close by. We're in the city that never sleeps"

That's right. Phil had left us in NYC. The skyline revealed itself as a forest of steel and glass, a testament to human ambition that scrapes the very clouds. At its apex stands the Empire State Building, like a sentinel watching over the dreams of its denizens. Beneath this towering realm, Manhattan unfolded in a tapestry of neighborhoods, each with its character and story. The New York Public Library was at a distance.

I took the time to tell Olivia about the dream and a briefing about the war and my dreams. The lecture extended to when we were eating. I had a salad while Olivia enjoyed her burger and fries.

She asked, "So you're telling me that you are induced to do this due to fear of me being taken and used to kill you all?" She said it as if we were just talking about Wednesday. I replied, "Yeah" She said, "And some fog has been talking to you to find the truth?" She gave me a questioning look. I retorted, "I'm not mad." She said sarcastically, "If you say so, Dr. Dolittle? I could never question your skills." She continued, "But if Phil is real then all you have said is likely real. To think that all this has been happening under our noses." I praised, "The veil is the master of illusionary." She remarked, "Your idol is a thing. Moving on. What do you it wants you to know?" I said, "The origin of the mostri and enigma. The creation of the veil." She said, "Or that the veil won't kill you? If you hybrids were to remain alive even after the doomsday machine is activated, wouldn't most of you lose morale to fight? I would." What if she was right? However, the lack of evidence marks that answer as a dead end. I felt an eerie wave in the air. It was the intention. The intention to kill. I shouted, "Watch out." I dived under the table. Olivia followed with a display of confusion.

The glass window broke behind us. A dirty sandy cloth ribbon, like those mummies, are wrapped in, struck where I was sitting before. It was engraved with some darkish purple glowing ruin symbols. Its edges looked deadly sharp and metallic.

The people looked to see the source but saw nothing. I looked and neither could I. Had he escaped? No, mostri don't show cowardice. Was he playing with us? The same scratchy voice spoke in my mind, "Nice reflexes. Truly remarkable. I think you might just be the spark that my dogs need to get back their mojo. Have fun?" The sky outside turned a dim shade of red. The color of blood dipped in tar. A deadly screech echoed in the air. A screech that could crack glasses.

I didn't wait to find out the source. I gave Olivia a look that told her to follow me. We dashed outside. People looked at us as if we were weird. I guess the veil was hiding the whole sky and the screech. How it is nice to be normal? Focus. We pushed through the crowd. Olivia asked, "Where is it attacking from? Where are we going?" I had no reply. She froze in place, "Are we even going away from it or are we heading towards it?" I wish I could reassure her but I couldn't. All I had were speculations and pure gut feeling.

The world had an answer. A mostri was heading for us. It was tall and slender. Its skin was a mixture of purple and black. Its face was rotten with milk-white eyes. Its canine teeth looked strong and ready to tear any prey apart. It had those cloth ribbons that had attacked me before as its hair. That is what he calls dogs. Someone get for him strong glasses.

It was approaching at a terrifying speed. I could fight from here. Swinging my sword was sure to get me an assault case with the police. We needed to go somewhere more private. I told Olivia, "Turn towards the alley." She stood and tilted her head as her finger stroked her face. I tried to give a reassuring smile like the one Superman gives the people he saves. I hope it worked. I ran into the alley and luckily she compiled. A lattice metallic fence was at the other end of the alley. The only exit if…right on time. The mostri blocked the entrance of the alley.

It stood on 2 legs. A prideful grin spread on its face, "Do you plan to fight me? Quite a brave choice. I am currently blocking the only exit. You must trust your skills…or do you? I can feel your heart beating fast. You reek of fear. I can tell. I'm an insomnium." It turned to Olivia who looked at it as if it were speaking Mandarin. I clarified, "They embody fear." It said, "Don't worry girl. You will be okay but I can't say the same for your friend."

Three ribbons attacked me. I dodged them while observing his intention. I activated my cube. I swung my sword right through one of the ribbons. Oh, no. I felt no contact. The sword had phased through the ribbon. It was like it was a phantom. It rejoiced, "Don't bother. No ordinary sword can hurt us. Now let's make this quick. My owner promised a treat." All it's stretched out. All the ribbons were targeting me. No, my vitals. I could dodge 3 but not 50. Was I nearing my death?

A pink bird passed by me. It was so small that it could fit in my palm. It was purely made of chaos. An origami. But whose. More came at lightning speed. A female voice like those of oracles in Roman movies spoke, "Terrible shot" All the ribbons messed me terribly. Most landed in the walls around them. She spoke again, "Whispers of slumber" I could hear the sound of rain and the ocean waves. The mostri fell to the ground. It looked hypnotized. My opening. I turned to the fence. I slashed a way through it. We ran out of there.

The same voice spoke in my head, "Come to the library." I hesitated. In my dream, there were two mostri sent to hunt me, one male, and one female. It could be her. She said, "Pick your poison. The insomnium or me, a maybe enemy. One will lead to an assured death while the other has a chance of dying. A maybe and a will. Make your choice quick before the rest of them arrive." There are more of them. I asked Olivia, "A maybe or an assured?" She replied, "Are you stupid? The maybe." It was decided.

We dashed to the New York Library. It stood as a sanctuary of knowledge, its iconic marble lions guarding the gateway to endless stories, secrets, and dreams.

We arrived and right there was a bird origami. It looked at us and then flew towards some shelves. We followed it. It entered a shelf. I went in first. The shelf was an illusion. There was a ladder. We climbed down into a secret hallway. The bird led us into one of the stone brick rooms. It was dark inside. There were candles on the walls which dimly lit up the place. There were cobwebs everywhere. I could see a shadowy female figure near the candles. The door closed behind us. She said, "The great Octaviet, tricked so easy. Such a shame." I went for my sword. She said, "Paralysis" I fell numb. My legs and arms felt empty. I fell to the ground. I heard Olivia thudding to the ground too. No backup. No sword. No strength. We were trapped. I guess we chose the deadlier poison.