Nicholas

"Is there really no way to change your mind, Henry? If so, then let me go with you." Said Martha. "Lucia might be… a little unique. But she's still my niece. And Owen and George too. We're family, aren't we?"

Henry sighed.

"My sister is currently out there, courting death. And you want me to stay put? Goodness prick! I knew that woman was a little crazy from the start. But I didn't expect her to be THIS crazy. Who in their right mind would actually do everything that fool of a father said?" Henry questioned. And currently, he was dressed into his ruffled white shirt and dark, high waisted trousers for comfort. He decided to find both his sons and his sister.

"But it's dangerous. At least bring me with you." Martha insisted.

Of everyone in the Dickman villa, Henry trusted her the most. More than he trusted his own children. She's reliable. She does whatever she said she would do. But Martha was old. Sure. She was stronger and healthier than most people her age but Henry wouldn't risk it.

So he shook his head and said, "No. They need you here. And I'd be more at peace if you're here, Aunt Martha." Then he paused, furrowed his brows, and clicked his tongue. "If only your older brother just died peacefully. But no. He just had to leave behind more problems on top of the other problems he brought upon this accursed family."

"But must you really leave now? When it's about to go dark? And please don't say that about your father. He was just doing what he thought was best for the family. Look. Isn't our business doing well because of his prophecies?"

Henry shook his head again while forcing a sock into his small luggage. As much as he wanted to bring a lot of clothes, he didn't want to sacrifice his mobility. That was why he was making use of all the space.

"If I leave in the morning, people would see me and would surely ask me questions. Besides, it was supposed to be Owen's job to visit and help around in the shelter as per that fool's instructions in the book my silly sister stole. Can you do that instead, Aunt Martha? Also, let's stop this conversation already. It messes with my head. And speaking of business. Where is Kulas anyway?" He asked. Kulas is what they call Nicholas in the villa. The eldest between Lucia and him.

Martha let out a sigh. She knew how stubborn his nephew could get and nothing good will come from forcing him.

"At his study," she simply told him. "You know your brother. He's probably admiring his collections again."

Henry rolled his eyes. "Ugh! What's so fascinating about bones? Of all hobbies he could have taken interest in. Why bones? And Lucia with her weird concoctions too. Am I the only normal in the family?"

Martha just pursed her lips as she made way for him.

Carrying his luggage in one hand, he rushed out of his room and headed to the third floor. He needed to entrust the business to his older brother while he's gone.

Meanwhile, the person in question, Nicholas, was indeed in his study. It was located just across from his chamber. And what he was doing might surprise anyone who didn't know him better.

A classical music played from a cassette player on his desk as he pressed the play button. He straightened and patted his all white suit before he hopped on his desk. A wide grin plastered on his face.

He was in a good mood. Everything was just right in his opinion. The temperature, the mood, the music, and the butter cookies he had before he entered his study.

Then he pulled out the baton from his inner pocket. The type of baton conductors used in orchestras. And as he held it with his right hand, he spread his arms. Making the face of a young man madly in love anticipating his lover's long awaited embrace from a very long journey.

In fact, Natalie, his wife, was just in their bathroom. She fell asleep in the bathtub. Tired from her full day of work. And for making love with her husband.

So he didn't really have the reason to be making such a face. But for some reason, he wasn't Nicholas at that moment. In his mind, he was Apollo Evans. A young man who went on a journey once upon a time to find a cure for his lover. And he died two centuries ago.

Yes. Two centuries ago. And Apollo Evans was now nothing but a bundle of pinkish white bones. Dancing and twirling around Nicholas' study.

Then the two enormous bookshelves that covered the two walls on either side shook. Instead of books were bones of various animals both extinct and illegally gathered.

With the flick of his wrist, the bones came to life. And one by one, they jumped down from the shelves and joined Apollo Evans.

And yes. Nicholas can control the dead but he preferred bones the most. He might as well be called a necromancer.

Henry couldn't stop rolling his eyes as he listened to the muffled noise coming from his older brother's study.

Then he banged on the door. Strong enough to be heard amidst the loud music. But it didn't open. Nicholas didn't hear him. He was already too deep in his fantasies. And it left Henry no choice.

His eyes turned white and a weird sort of vibration undulated in the air. And not long after that, a brown mama bear and her two cubs came running in his direction. It was the same mama bear who rang the doorbell not long ago. And it has been living rent free in the basement since then.

"It's in the way," Henry told the mama bear as he pointed to the door. And without waiting to be told what to do, the big mama bear slammed on it. So hard the hinges came off from the wall.

Nicholas was doing a tango with a female bone when Henry saw him. It was unknown when the music changed. Only one thing was certain at that moment. It was Henry. And he was questioning his life choices.