Chapter 10: Dreams, House Leaders, And Souls

Aries found himself back in the pitch-black abyss that was probably part of the hell prepared for him. A faint crimson light was covering his body. Not far from where he was standing, he noticed a translucent rectangular box. An axe that was surrounded by a faint purple glow was inside of it. That weapon looked similar to the one the corrupted soul was wielding.

As Aries stepped closer to the box, he felt an awful and strange sensation emanating from the axe. The faint purple glow around it was pulsating in harmony with his heartbeat. A part of his brain was screaming caution, but a bigger and more foolish part of his head wanted to examine the axe at a closer distance.

He ignored the ominous sensation emanating from the axe and put his hand over the translucent box. He froze at the coldness that seeped from the box through his hand and from the familiar voice that thundered from the axe.

LET ME OUT!!!

It was the voice of the axe wielder..

LET ME OUT!!!

Aries pulled his hand away from the box and sneered at the axe, "Why will I help my enemy?"

YOU!!!

The purple glow pulsating around the axe had intensified and Aries held his chest that felt like it was being continuously hammered.

I WILL BREAK OUT OF THIS BOX AND EAT YOUR SOUL!!!

Aries winced as the pounding in his heart further strengthened but he still managed to laugh and tell the corrupted soul, "I will wait for it."

I WILL KILL YOU, ARIES DEL LUNA!!!

Aries fell on his knees as foggy images flashed in his mind and he had to cover his ears as deafening yet incoherent voices thundered from the darkness around him.

"What's… happening?"

Aries…

Pieffer was calling out to him. Repeatedly. It was barely inaudible at first but as her voice grew louder, it punctured the dark walls around him.

"ARIES!!! WAKE UP!!!"

The hole made way for a blinding light to swallow the darkness around him then a hand had pulled him out of the abyss and brought him back to his room at the House of Ram.

"Aries, are you in pain?" worry filled the eyes of Pieffer. "You are writhing in your sleep."

"I'm okay," he sat up and refrained from rubbing his painful chest. He looked away from Pieffer and looked around his room.

Sunrei and Siorre were sleeping on the couches opposite each other and, in the middle of them was a man with auburn hair that looked like a blazing flame. He was wide awake and staring distantly at the fireplace.

"You…"

"He is Leon Panthera," Pieffer said and gathered the attention of the man she had introduced. He glanced at Aries then looked away with shame on his face.

"Pieffer said that you have lost your memories," Leon said as he gazed back at the fireplace. "But you still kept your word. Thank you."

"What happened?" Aries stared at Pieffer with confusion. "I thought we failed."

The princess shook her head and smiled as she answered, "After Leon focused his attention on you, the flame that covered him had weakened and I managed to grab his arm and pulled him back to his senses."

How did she manage to pull that out-of-control man back to his senses? Aries wondered and wished he could have seen Pieffer in action.

The Pieffer he knew was ready to kill if needed but always being robbed of the opportunity.

But she had chosen to give her life just for Aries and Sunrei to survive.

Aries stared at the Pieffer in front of him and wondered if she was the same.

Are you also willing to give your life away just so the people you care about the most will continue to live?

I hope not.

I'd rather see a selfish Pieffer. This is hell anyway.

"Hey, why are you spacing out?" the princess was gazing at him with anxiety. "Is there something wrong? Sunrei told me that the axe wielder had vanished after it attacked your chest. And Leon…"

"When you grabbed my neck, I thought I saw the axe wielder," Leon finished for the princess. "That is the reason I punched your face. Sorry," he truly did look apologetic.

"I don't mind getting punched," Aries could no longer feel the pain in his face. The healer of the house must have had mended his cuts and bruises except for the wounds in his chest. It was still throbbing. "The important thing is that you are here with us. Have you already raised the shield to cover your house?"

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"A ritual is needed for that," Pieffer answered.

"It will take an entire day," Siorre yawned and stretched her arms and legs. "I want to help but Pines only gave me a day. That cheating house leader always wants to be with you for a much longer time!" she glared at Pieffer.

"You should stop gambling with Pines," the princess laughed softly. "You know how good he is at playing cards and luck rarely leaves his side."

"But still!" Siorre put her hands on her waist in annoyance. "I wanted to win against him! He only let me have the first round! I hate him! I want to be with you for a few more days!"

"What is this ritual? Aries asked then snapped at Siorre, "Why don't you stay if that is what you want?"

"I wish I can do that," Siorre sighed and sat at the window railings. "I miss the feeling of doing whatever I want. I wish we can go back to that time," she looked up reminiscently at the starlit sky. "It felt like it had been so long when only a year had passed since our enemies succeeded in breaking the barriers around Serestral," she glanced away from the window and rested her sight at Pieffer. "Reinstating the barriers will never be enough. We need to put an end to our enemies."

That last sentence made Aries remember something from a long time ago.

Will you help me in killing my enemies?

That was the question asked to him when he was nineteen years old. Before he became an assassin.

"We will," Aries heard Pieffer promised and it pulled him out of his distant memories. "Tauren and Quaria are looking for ways to vanquish the corrupted souls. They will find a way. I believe in them. For now, we need to reinstate the barriers and protect our people from being possessed."

"I know," Siorre sighed then bitterly smiled. "We are all doing our best. We finally succeeded in taking back Leon. After three months of trying. I guess it will take us years to completely reinstate the barriers all throughout Serestral."

"I don't care how long it takes," Pieffer smiled with eyes brimming with determination. "The important thing is that we succeed in protecting our kingdom."

Aries hated the fact that he was starting to like the hell's version of Pieffer. They were similar in many ways yet different. Though as of the moment, Aries could not determine that difference. He can only feel it but cannot put a word for it.

"We will explain the ritual tomorrow," Pieffer lightly tapped his hand. "Take a rest."

"Well, goodbye for now," Siorre pulled a bracelet from the pocket of her overcoat. The pendant looked like a seashell and its colour was gold. "I'll see you soon," she waved a hand before breaking the pendant on the windowsill.

A blinding light erupted from the bracelet and covered Siorre. When it faded, the spear wielder had vanished as well.

"How about the three of you?" Aries asked while getting off the bed. "This ritual you mentioned lasting for an entire day sounds so tiring. You should get a lot of rest," he glanced at the snoozing prince. "Though Sunrei is already sleeping so well on the couch. He can stay there. You and Leon should look for a room to sleep in. This house is big. There is surely enough room for you."

"I will sleep here," Pieffer seemed decided as she sat on the couch.

"Me too," Leon rested his back on the opposite couch. "Where will you go?"

"I want to eat," Aries opened the door. "You can sleep on the bed, Princess. I'll just ask Miko for another room."

"Aries…"

He closed the door before Pieffer can finish her sentence. He felt so exhausted to engage in a long conversation. Eating some delicious food can lighten up his mood. It worked for him all the time when he was still alive. Even if he had to pay a large amount for a delicious meal. But at that place, everything was free. He can enjoy each delightful dish without worrying about money.

But it appeared that he still had to worry about something else.

When he arrived at the dining area, Miko was sitting at the bench with a detached look in his eyes.

"Miko," Aries called but the chef did not answer or glanced his way.

He approached Miko with caution. The distant look in his eyes was nearly similar to the look of the possessed people Aries encountered at the House of Lion.

His weapon hand was ready to call Vermillion while his other hand tapped the chef on the shoulder as he called a little louder, "Miko!"

The chef bolted up from the bench and stared at Aries with confusion.

"Sir Aries…" his confusion turned into anxiety as he quietly blurted, "What am I…" he paused and shook his head then asked his master with a forced smile, "What do you want to eat, Sir Aries?"

"Whatever you can prepare," Aries cautiously replied as he sat on the bench. "I'm sorry about asking for food at this time of the day."

"Don't worry about it, Sir Aries. This is my job. Please wait here. I will be quick," the chef said before entering the kitchen.

After no more than thirty minutes, Miko had served him a warm meal.

Aries loved the aroma and presentation of the dishes in front of him. It was enough to make his mouth water.

"Thank you, Miko," Aries took a spoonful of macaroni soup but before he could taste it, the chef had grabbed his hand and stopped him from eating.

"Sir Aries…" Miko appeared to be in great difficulty as if he was enduring something so painful. "… the food… is poisoned…"

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