Chapter Six

I stirred the soup in my bowl absent mindedly, I still couldn't get the hallucinating thing out of my head. It felt so real, in fact, it was real. How then did I walk outside? Everything was complicated and I was too afraid to tell anyone. Elle was sitting opposite me at the breakfast table, typing away on her phone with a giddy smile.

'Elle,' I called unsurely.

'Yap?'

'Can I ask a question?'

'Shoot,'

'Is hallucination common in Twilight Castle?'

'Not at all,' she said, chewing the food in her mouth. She paused her fingers and raised her head, raising her brows at me. 'Why? Did you hallucinate?'

'Yes, a very crazy one and it is scaring me,' I said shakily, looking down at my soup. I felt her gaze burning into my head, a very suspicious intense look. 'Stop looking at me like that, you are making me uncomfortable '

'What did you see?' She asked calmly as she kept her phone aside. I itched my left arm nervously. 'Trust me, Rinette, what did you see?'

'Ace,'

'Ace?' She asked skeptically.

'Not the way you are looking at it,' she leaned back on her chair and folded her arms.

'Okay, explain.' I exhaled and told her everything that happened, including our discussion and how Ace flirted with me...or at least, the imaginary one did. At first she concluded that it was my subconscious showing me a scenario to make me feel better about crushing on Ace. It took a lot to convince her otherwise. She sighed and tapped her middle finger on her lips.

'So? What is it?'

'I can't conclude yet, I don't understand a thing but all I can say is that the next time you feel such thing again, don't run, don't shiver and even if you do shiver, still stand still and encourage whatever it is to come out. My guess is that someone is trying to reach you.'

'By using Ace's image, really?'

'If my guess is right, then Ace's image was used because he was the closest friendly face you know, the one nearby and the one you would have easily followed because he's Ace. We were all far apart in our various classes and if either of the others were to show up, you would have brushed them off and ran to find me because of your fear. If you haven't noticed, Ace have a really jovial and friendly aura; should I say flamboyant, buoyant and comfortable? There is something about him that leaves one smiling like a fool, feeling his energy flowing into you like a contagious disease. Ace is the funniest and most lively person in Twilight Castle, that must be why he was used.'

'Why not use Twyla? She's funny too.'

'Twyla is sweet, she's the happy going girl with an amusing way of twisting English. She's good but she has nothing on Ace.'

'Okay, let us skip that part and actually talk about the part where I must stand and encourage whatever it is to come out and kill me.' I said ironically.

'You haven't died all this time, Marinette. If you are what dad thinks you are, then trust me when I say you can't get killed that easily.' She said nonchalantly.

'What am I?'

'Remember when you were twelve?' She asked with a knowing look. I remember vividly how I changed when I turn twelve; I started seeing shadows, shadows of people, animals and things that weren't there, ones no one else could see. I was so scared, I could hear scary voices in my head, some calling me and some discussing like normal people. I talked to Elle, made her my comforter and it was during that period we bonded completely. It however stopped when I turned fourteen, right after she gave me a black and white rosary. 'Yes, it has something to do with why you could see shadows and hear voices back then, he isn't sure but since the rosary helped stop it somehow, then it might be true.'

'What? Can you tell me?'

'With time, you'll know.' She didn't let me say anything again, she dashed out of the kitchen to only God knows where. I finished my meal and cleared the dishes, thinking all through, even as I washed the dishes. Different questions flooded my head, ones I had no answers to.

Why did I see that? Am I truly a witch?

'Cute,' I jumped with a scream as someone said that from behind me. I instinctively grabbed a bowl and threw it at the unidentified person. 'Stop screaming, woman.' I quickly recognised the voice, that sleek silver like voice enriched with enthusiasm and amusement. I stopped screaming and spun around abruptly with an annoyance I never knew I could possess. With that annoyance coursing through me, I gave him the hardest slap I had ever given anyone – which is no one by the way – but alas, I was the one who ended up howling in pain.

His cheek was so soft, delicate and tender, yet as hard as rock at the same time. It was like slapping a metal wall and ending up in pain. 'Don't hit me, you will either get burnt or broken.'

'How did your cheek get so hard?'

'I dunno,' he said with a shrug. 'Puberty.'

'When did hard cheeks join the maturity process?'

'How would I know, I'm five.'

'You are a nitwit,' I said, massaging my sour palm.

Elle who was now leaning in the door sighed heavily. 'Bestie!' Ace squealed with a clap.

'You will never stop entering my house uninvited, would you?'

'What's yours is mine and mine yours,'

'You live in a van, why would I want that?'

'A luxury camper van,' he corrected. 'Even way more beautiful and expensive than Gomez's personal apartment.' He said proudly.

'Agreed, your camper van is very luxurious, beautiful and expensive but not desirable because you are a pig.'

'I am not a pig!' He yelled with a childish stomp of his foot.

'You always litter it with clothes here and there and shoes everywhere!'

'I'm a dude! Our rooms are usually like that!'

'Have you been to Dermot's room?'

'Don't you dare compare me with your boyfriend,' he hissed, his eyes completely turning lava. Elle recoiled, knowing she hit the wrong button.

'You are such a pathetic prince, what sort of prince lives in a van.' She scoffed. Ace pouted. She was smart to cover up.

'I hate my dad and his rules and commands. Ace do this, Ace do that, Ace you are the future king so start acting like one, Ace yadi yadi yada. He wants me to be responsible, I hate responsibilities.'

'Wait, Ace is a prince?'

'Prince Aceson Blaze Acheson, son of King Aceson Ray Acheson, the son of late King Aceson Acheron Acheson, the son of late Aceson Blase Acheson IX,' he said with a humorous bow.

'Why are you all Aceson?'

'If you calculate well, I'm Aceson the twelfth. See the reason why I hate them? All royals must bear the same first name but different middle names, weird and good ones.'

'So you are Dermot's brother?'

'May the gods kill me if I ever have any blood related connection to that swine,'

'Ace,' Elle sighed.

'Why do you hate him so much?'

'Why do you like him so much?'

'Stop with the question slash question thing,'

'Then don't ask me questions,' he snapped. The very mention of Dermot's name made him snappy, what does he hold against Dermot? 'Anyways, that prick is vampire related, I'm not. At least I wouldn't have been if my mother wasn't bitten by a very powerful one during a battle at the early stage of her pregnancy, before she even knew I was there. She didn't get turned, her fire DNA burnt off the venom but somehow, I still ended up getting turned. It didn't show until I turned three, I grew fangs...' He showed me his fangs with sharp lava coloured tips and licked it.

'But that doesn't make any sense,' I said as I walked to him, I love stories.

'Precisely, it made and still makes no sense because my fire DNA should have burnt it, but I still ended up as one. Mom's DNA rejected it, even killed the vampire who bit her but I still accepted it. It was either mom cheated or I am just extraordinary.'

'Did she cheat?'

'Have you met his dad!' Elle exclaimed. 'Except for Ace's pale skin which comes from his vampire side, there is no difference between them. Same eyes, hair color and style, body statue, voice and personalities, except that his father is more responsible and well mannered.'

'And, I have the royal crest to prove my mother's fidelity or she would have been in serious trouble.' Ace added, checking the pot for leftovers.

'Crest?'

'The crest of my people, all royals must have it...heirs only that is.'

'Can I see it, please?' I asked pleadingly. He dropped the lid of the pot gingerly before easily tugging his shirt off. I wasn't going to ask why he was wearing a shirt with "my dick is big" written boldly on it. He tapped the right side of his neck. I walked closer and scrutinize the mark, a red flame burning fiercely and dancing on his neck. He turned and showed my his back where a glowing lava flowing tattoo of a sword in the heart of a flame laid.

My fingers itched to reach up and touch that tattoo of his, to feel the hotness of the lava flowing down like a fountain of fire. Suddenly, it was like my mind was dragged in, like it was sucked into another realm, a realm revolving around his fire world. I found myself in a deserted field with an altar of brimstone and gold at the middle of the field and two burning trees at each sides of the altar. There were four pillars marking the beginning and ending of the field, each pillar with it own stone creature on top. Blazing blue fire surrounded the altar and trees, sparking with yellow flashes sometimes. On the altar was a large bowl, one with the hottest fire I had ever seen in my entire life. I didn't need to get close to know it was the hottest, I could feel the heat burning into my akin and causing pains that I was too numb to react to.

I heard heavy flapping of wings, thunderous flapping coming from behind me. I turned around, quick enough to see the large four winged golden dragon flying to me, but too slow to dodge the fire it blew on me. I screamed as the fire headed to me, it completely consumed me. The pain was unbearable as I screamed and cried in pain, calling for Elle but no one came. After what seemed like hours, the flame whirled around me, forming a thin fire vine. The vines snaked itself around my hands and slashed down to my back. I raised my wet face to the dragon who had been watching me. He spread his wings, showing me his large wingspans and flapped it. The wind pushed me, sending me flying out of the realm in a whirling fire portal.

I gasped as I woke up, tight in Ace's arms. Elle was crying as she sprayed water on my face. 'Rinette, what have you done to my sister!'

'I didn't do anything, I swear on my life!'

'Her body is badly burnt, what happened?'

'I don't know, this has never happened before.' Ace said in great confusion. I wasn't crying again, I was just staring into space.

'Any ideas?'

'Rinette, what happened? What did you see?'

'Altar, bowl of fire, burning trees...'

'She saw the eternal flame, that is impossible!'

'What's the eternal flame?' Elle asked.

'Just go to my house...'

'Van,' she corrected.

'Does it matter! Just go there, check my special box for a vile with glowing blue thick liquid. Hurry up.' She nodded and dashed off, her speed channelling wind into my face. 'I'm so sorry Marinette, I didn't mean for this to happen...' He apologized, running his fingers through his burning hair. I still wasn't crying, I just stared at him with mouth open even though I was in exquisite pain. 'Stand up.'

He carried me up and ran to I think Elle's bathroom. He dropped me on my feet and stared at me apologetically before ripping my clothes off. It was a good thing I was wearing shorts and a sport bra. He turned on the faucet of the bathtub and grinned at me.

'Why are you grinning and why am I naked?'

'Half naked,' he corrected, pushing me down to sit at the edge of the tub. 'You are so cute when you cry.'

'That is not funny, I am in pain,' I suddenly felt my lips quivering.

'Yes, but still you are adorable!' He squealed, pinching my cheeks. I giggled despite myself, momentarily forgetting my pain. 'I love your eyes, they sparkle when wet.'

'Really?' I asked with bulging eyes filled with enthusiasm.

'Really, never seen blue-green eyes as sparkling as yours,' he averted his glowing yellow eyes to my hair and ran his hand through my locks. 'Beautiful hair.'

'People say my hair and eyes are nasty.'

'They are jealous. You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen and I have seen a lot of them. Your hair is glorious Rinette, as glorious as Midnight's coat.' I closed my eyes as his hands ran along my body, soothing the burn on my skin, sending unfamiliar sensation coursing through my entire body. It was nice.

'Thank you,' I said shyly with eyes still closed. I didn't really care if he was lying or not, as long as the cute guy said or lied that I was pretty, then I was fine. 'So, the fire I saw was the what again?'

'The eternal flame, it is what keeps us burning from generation to generations. Without it, my kind won't exist.'

'Do you even know where it is?'

'Should I care?'

'Why won't you care?'

'Why do you care?'

'I just saw it, what do you expect?!'

'What do you expect me to expect?'

'Why are you so cautious?'

'Why do we exist?' A strong sense of déjà vu hit me as I remembered the trance. I rolled my eyes.

'Why are you always answering questions with questions?'

'Do you think I am stupid? Answering that way prevents me from spilling what shouldn't be spilled. I am very loquacious, remember?'

'So, you know where the eternal fire is?' I asked again, trying my luck. He smirked lopsidedly.

'Do I?' He asked back, drawing his head closer to my face. I was trapped by his beautiful sun eyes, as was he. It was like our eyes were magnet to each other, neither of us could look away. The wind around me changed, became keener as my heart shift beating gear to abnormal. With the rate at which it was beating, I feared that it would rip out of my chest. His hand brushed against my forearms, adding to my dazed state.

'Ace! Where are you?!' Marielle's shout snapped us out of it.

'Bathroom!' Ace shouted backs. Elle ran in, sweeping in wind after her. 'Did you see it?'

'Is this the one?' Elle, who was oblivious to what she just interrupted, said. Ace took the cute bottle from her and nodded. He popped the lid open and turned three drops of the glowing blue liquid inside the almost filled water. The water rippled at each drop before turning sea blue.

'Stay in the water for an hour, I will be back once I get something,' he ran off, not giving either of us the opportunity to speak. I stood up and undressed, thinking of what just happened.

Two hours later, I was sitting on my bed with Ace, blowing hot air into my forearm with eyes closed. First he came back and gave Elle an ointment to use on me, I applied it on my skin but then my forearms started burning. He said the ointment was to bring out the main burn point and that was my forearms. He was muttering something to my hands as well, the pain was dying down. He straightened up and stared at me with a smile, talking to me but I paid no attention to anything but his salmon pink lips. I was busy calculating the pleasure it would give if he should kiss me.

I couldn't quite fathom what had gotten into me. It was my first time fantasying about a boy in such a way. I sucked my lip unconsciously, I shook my head and smiled.

'...ask my father more questions about what happened, I really don't have a clue. Why would the eternal flame burn you? Why did you see it in the first place?'

'I wasn't burnt by the eternal flame.'

'You weren't?' Elle asked, she had been standing there worriedly.

'I was burnt by a big golden dragon with majesty four wingspans,'

'What!' Ace exclaimed. 'That's impo...this is not happening... How are you still alive? Why...' He trailed off as his face paled off immediately. He gulped and looked at me with a terrified expression.

'Ace, what does that mean? Is she going to die?'

'Elle,' he called shakily, looking at her with a look only she understood. Elle let out a gasp, cupping her mouth as shock overtook her face.

'What is it? Tell me.' I said anxiously, looking from him to Elle.

'I have to go,' he stood up.

'Not until you tell me what the fuck that means!'

'I need to confirm first, I will tell you once it is confirmed. Bye, Elle, bye, Rinette.' Wind pushed against my face again, he was gone. I blinked as my heart pounded, am I going to die?

Marielle who was still cupping her mouth, dropped it and smiled wryly. 'Don't stress yourself, you'll be fine with time.'

'Who am I Elle? What am I?'

'Something extraordinary,' she cupped my cheeks and puckered my lips for me. 'You'll be fine, I promise. Just hang on a little longer and you will get the answers to all your questions.'

'Am I going to die?'

'I don't know,' she sighed. 'I really don't know but I know that nothing is going to happen to you while I still breathe.'

'Promise?'

'Promise,' she smiled. She wiped off my tears and dried hers as well. She sat on the bed and entwined our fingers.

'Why does Ace hate Dermot so much?'

'The question I am yet to get an answer to.'

'Do you think he is angry because he loves you?'

'No, he isn't. Everyone hate Dermot, most of my friends that is, including you.' I looked away and smiled. She's right, I don't like him.