Trick of Light

My scream echoed through the room as the figure in the black cloak emerged and moved with swift and deadly grace, his actions a blur of motion as he dispatched the grotesque creature with ease. I watched in horror as he grabbed the creature by its exposed neck, his grip like a vice as he snapped its fragile wings with a sickening crack.

Blood sprayed across the room as he dealt the final blow, smashing the creature's skull with a single, powerful strike. Its lifeless body crumpled to the ground with a thump.

For a moment, I could only stare in shock at the scene before me, my mind struggling to process the violence that had just unfolded. But as the adrenaline began to fade, I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me.

Trembling, I looked up at the figure in the black cloak, unable to see his face beneath the hood that shrouded him in darkness. He turned to face me, and I could feel the intensity of his gaze. His breathing was heavy and ragged, as though he had just emerged from a decade-long war. I could sense the raw power and determination radiating from him.

"I told you to close the damn door, but you didn't listen," he exclaimed angrily. His words cut through the silence like a knife, sharp and biting. I recoiled at the harshness of his tone, feeling a pang of guilt for my disobedience.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, my voice trembling with fear and regret. "I didn't know... I didn't realize... I…"

But before I could finish my apology, the figure in the black cloak held up a hand, cutting me off with a gesture.

"It doesn't matter now," he said, his voice softer than before but still tinged with frustration. "What's done is done. But you must be more careful in the future. This realm is dangerous, and there are creatures lurking in the shadows that would do you harm."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. I knew that I had been foolish to ignore his warning, and that I was lucky to have escaped unscathed.

"Thank you," I said quietly, meeting his gaze with a mixture of gratitude and apprehension. "For saving me..."

He nodded in acknowledgment, his expression concealed beneath the depths of his hood. He approached me with purposeful strides, drawing nearer until I could discern the subtle hues of blue in his eyes. There was a captivating quality to them, a depth that seemed to shift and shimmer with an otherworldly allure.

"Your eyes," I murmured, unable to tear my gaze away.

He paused, his demeanor guarded yet curious. "What about them?"

"They... they changed," I ventured, struggling to articulate the sudden transformation I had witnessed. "They were blue, but now... they're like golden orbs."

His reaction was imperceptible, a subtle tightening of his jaw before he composed himself with a nonchalant air. "It's nothing," he replied tersely, his tone betraying a hint of unease. "Just a trick of the light."

My hands moved of their own accord, drawn irresistibly toward his face. As they drew closer, I felt a sudden tension in his muscles, a stiffness that mirrored the apprehension building within me.

With each inch of proximity, the air crackled with an electric charge, sending shivers down my spine. Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, his grip tightened around my wrist with a vice-like force, eliciting a cry of pain from my lips.

Startled, he sniffed the air, his gaze flickering to my arms held tightly in his grasp. In that moment of realization, his grip faltered, and he released me abruptly, as if recoiling from an unseen force. The air between us seemed charged with an unspoken tension, a silent acknowledgment of the inexplicable connection that had briefly ignited between us.

And as we stood there, separated by mere inches but worlds apart, I couldn't help but wonder at the strange and mysterious forces that bound us together.

"Fuck…" he growled, his voice laden with frustration. Then, in a swift and seamless motion, he vanished from my sight, leaving behind only a lingering sense of his presence and the unanswered questions that hung in the air.

The door swung open suddenly, flooding the room with blinding light as Alexa swept in on her broomstick, a blazing lamp illuminating her path.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern as she surveyed the scene before her. "I heard a weird noise, that's why I rushed here—oh!" Alexa's voice trailed off as her eyes landed on the scattered blood staining the ground and walls. She paused, inhaling deeply as if trying to discern something from the air around us. "Damn. I forgot to cast the window, he's going to be angry again!"

She hurried over to the window and clapped three times in rapid succession. Instantly, three mops and rags materialized as if summoned by her command. With a mind of their own, they set to work, swiftly and methodically cleaning and wiping away the blood that stained the area surrounding us.

Alexa then sprinkled golden urns on the window, their contents glimmering in the light. With a swift motion, an ancient and hefty book materialized before her, hovering midair. She began to read from its pages in a language I couldn't comprehend, the sound of her voice weaving through the air like a wispy and ethereal prayer.

"That should do it," she said, a sense of relief evident in her voice. "For now." She turned to me, her expression shifting to one of concern. "Are you okay?" she asked, her smile seeming to exacerbate my irritation.

"Well, yes, I'm just fine," I replied sarcastically, my eyes rolling involuntarily. "Just thrilled after you decided to slice my hands. Thanks ever so much." My tone dripped with sarcasm.

Her smile remained unwavering, her eyes sparkling with apparent happiness. "You're most certainly welcome," she said cheerfully. "Anyway, now that I'm finished here, I'll be on my way," Alexa said, preparing to fly off on her broomstick.

But I reached out and grabbed the end of it, my fingers trembling with anger and fear.

"Wait," I said, my voice desperate. "Are you just going to leave me here? Alone? Again? What if another monster shows up?"

"It's dead," Alexa replied, attempting to reassure me, but her eyes betrayed her unease.

"I'm just a human," I argued, my voice quivering with vulnerability. "I can't defend myself against them. I'm powerless." I glanced around the room nervously, as if expecting something to leap out of the shadows at any moment.

"Look, Louise," Alexa replied, her tone softening slightly. "I understand your fear, but you're not as powerless as you think. You survived encounters with other creatures before, right? Besides, I've placed protective spells around this place. You'll be safe here for now. At least that's what they told me."

I looked at the window, but it appeared unchanged. It was still a regular window, and I could still peer through the darkness outside. There was no visible protective barrier or any indication that the area was secure.

"Are you absolutely certain that no one can enter?" I inquired, seeking reassurance.

Alexa nodded confidently while peeling off a banana that seemingly appeared out of thin air. "I'm certain," she replied between bites. "Well… unless, of course, they're the Specters."