CHAPTER 2
**
The Basilica of Lord Levi, where Hustasians give their praises and worship, has been our family's home for as long as I can remember. Our holy bloodline gave us the privilege of inhabiting such a massive place. Despite the vast empty spaces of the temple, that creates echoes from a pin drop, I still feel as though I am home with my family. The black, silver, and gold, that wrap around the entire temple which conjure a sense of pureness and elegance on the white concrete background, have been with me through serenity and distress. They're the colors I associate with home.
Now, riding on my brother's back as he ran on the open area in front of the temple while clutching on the hem of my pants, I have never felt relieved coming back home. Ascending the short steps of the temple felt as if we're striding up a hill; I can only imagine the fatigue running through Alexander's body right now. Through the portals of the temple, we saw mother on the altar at the end of the nave where a crowd was already gathered for the weekly worship.
"Excuse me, sorry." My brother combed through the people to the altar. I could feel his lungs rising and falling from his back; the run from the walls to the temple must have been exhausting. Although my ankle is feeling a little numb, I tried my best to remain calm.
"Yes, Alexander? What is it, darling?" My mother, Aurelia, said when he noticed us. My brother didn't muster a word, his eyes went back and forth meaningfully to me and my mother. My mother immediately got the message and raised her eyebrow in a shocked expression for a split second and quickly turned stern again.
A small crowd of people were huddled around us. I gripped the hem of my pants tighter to hide the scales. Carefully, I looked around to see if anyone is observing us; I'm relieved that no one is.
"Arlette," my mother turned to her apprentice, the curly haired woman beside her, and shot her a serious look. "Assist my sons to the chambers, please. I'll be following shortly." My mother calmly said.
"Yes, Priestess Aurelia." Arlette said as she grabbed me by my ankles and Alexander grabs me by the shoulders.
"I'm sorry to everyone but there seems to be quite an emergency. The worship will be moved a little bit later before bed time." I heard my mother said before they disappeared when the door to the chambers closed behind us.
When we reached the chambers, they placed me down gently on the soft white dusty bed that was only used when there are guests. Arlette searched the medicine cabinet for some patches and my brother sat beside me with a concerned look.
"Am I gonna die?" I asked my brother. Concern and worry was wiped from his face and I saw nothing but guilt.
"You're not going to die." He assures. "You're strong. Fight this one, alright?" He tried to lift up my spirits.
My father always said that I was a strong one for I managed to survive an abyssal scale when I was touched by an abyssian when I was a kid. Usually, when you get the abyssal scale, you get thrown into the abyss because the scales spread throughout the body and it becomes infectious which is why we keep it a secret. I don't want to become an abyssian and praise Lord Vathos in the abyss for the rest of my life.
"What happened?" My older sister, Arla comes barging through the door. "Did Alexander hurt you again?"
"Hey! We were only playing arrow tag and it bled when we got to the gates." Alexander defended himself.
Arla turned to Alexander. "Alexander, how many times must mother and I warn you about playing arrow tag and outside the gates?"
"It's not like we were dead or anything." Alexander said with a little bit of defeat in his voice.
"What if the abyssians come out from the abyss again? What if they come for Nicolous again? Or worse what if they touch you both? What would you do then?" Arla asks calmly yet in a parent-like manner.
"I'll fend them off!" He asserts.
"Will you?" Arla raised an eyebrow. "Did you do that when he was attacked and touched by an abyssian when he was a baby?" She replied coldly.
Silence filled the room. Arla has always been the parent-like among all my siblings while Alexander is the playful yet serious in times of need brother to me.
"Thought so." Arla said with a sarcastic tone.
"Where is it?" My mother comes barging in with a distressed look on her face, one she could not show in public earlier. She came with Magister Ammut, the person in-charge of the overall health and education of the empire.
My mother sits beside me while Magister Ammut checks my ankle. "How did this happen?" My mother turns to my brother.
"We were playing arrow tag outside the gates and..."
"What have I told you about going beyond the gates?" My mother cuts him off.
My brother hung his head in shame. "You know how your brother got this right? When you played beyond the gates. You never know when the abyssians will strike." Mother points out calmly.
Arla crossed her arms and smirked at Alexander. Alexander looked like a puppy who just got scolded.
"It looks as if the scales are resurfacing." Magister Ammut butts in. He looks dumbfounded as to what is happening to my foot. "And it might indicate that we need to patch this up immediately. I'm afraid if we don't.." he trails off.
He looks at my mother worryingly and I turned to look at my mother whose face looks distraught. I immediately knew what he meant.
"Isn't there.. a cure? I mean, they managed to patch me up before, why can't that happen now?" My voice cracked making it obvious that I'm about to cry. I received no response from the Magister.
"Sweetie.." my mother cupped my cheeks and tilted my face to look at her. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you okay? We'll find a way." With her thumb, she wiped the tear that rolled down my cheek.
She stood up and faced Magister Ammut. "Magister, I would like to have a word with you outside the chambers please." She said with a monotonous voice. The magister gave her a nod. "Wait here honey. Your father and Ahry are coming too." My mother said before she left with the Magister.
Arla grabs my hand and tightly holds it. I turned to look at her and she gave me a reassuring look. "Don't worry," she smiled "we'll cure you, brother."
I smiled back to her and turned to look at Alexander. "Brother, you didn't do this okay? Please don't beat yourself up over it." I looked into his steel gray eyes to show that I really mean it. Guilt was evident in his eyes.
"Okay brother. Just... rest okay? Maybe you just got tired from our game." He smiled and I smiled back.
"I totally kicked your ass in arrow tag!" I chuckled.
"You only did that because you're great at hiding!" He asserts.
"Maybe if you're great at finding, Nicolous wouldn't have beaten you." Arla butts in and I stick my tongue out at Alexander and we all laughed together.
—
The day went by in a blur. The skies were filled with darkness as the moon takes over and dethrones the sun.
Arla went back to her room in the temple and I finally convinced Alexander to eat his dinner because he refuse to leave my side. Arlette was summoned by mother at the altar and here I am all alone in the guest room wide awake.
I couldn't sleep because all I can think about was how my scales resurfaced. Theories were starting to form in my head and anxiety swept in.
Maybe it's because of the forest and that creature? Maybe it was because I grew tired? Or maybe it's because the abyssians are literally resurfacing and are about to crawl out of the abyss at any moment.
My overthinking was interrupted when a bright light shone through the cracks and gaps of my thick wooden door. I jolted from the dusty sheets of the bed when the heavy wooden doors swung open.
The room was engulfed with overwhelming light from the creature that barged in and blinded me. I raised my hands to cover my eyes and the light dissipates.
My eyes adjusted to the change of light and tried to distinguish who entered my room so suddenly. I squinted my eyes and the familiar face of the person washed me from my thoughts.
I jumped out of bed and kneeled before the god in front of me.
"It is an honor," I said "Lord Levi."
