Chapter 119: I’ve Lost My Mind
Elián;
"Elián."
A voice calls my name, and my eyes snap open.
I stare into the dark, and as I try to process where I am, a splitting headache follows.
I groan and take my hand to my head as the ache in my head is blinding.
"Fuck..." I groan as I push myself into a sitting position, and then I hear it again.
"Elián."
I go rigid as my mind processes the voice. It’s not Elien’s.
This is a feminine voice. Softer... like a whisper.
And I’m not hearing this inside my head. No. It feels like this voice is woven into the air. Wafting all around me...
"Come to me, Elián. I’ve been waiting for you." The voice speaks again, and my hand instantly starts tracing the space behind me in search of Koda.
I turn around when my hand touches Nothing, and I realise that Koda isn’t with me.
He’s not with me!? Where is he??
"Koda?" I call in fear as I pull myself properly into the bed, as if a monster might be hiding under the bed.
I groan again when my headache spikes, and I shut my eyes in pain as I hold my head. The fuck is this hangover??
How strong is that thing I drank?
I should have known better than to fuck with local alcohol like that.
But I needed to confess my feelings to Koda. Did... did I?
I can’t remember any...
"Elián!" The voice in the room snaps again, and I jerk in fright.
Right. There’s still this problem at hand.
"Koda!!" I yell again in panic, but I get no response.
It’s unusual for Koda not to be... around me. Isn’t he... always watching and trying to make sure I’m fine?
How come no one’s here?
Have I slipped into some kind of trance?
"Stop ignoring me, Elián. I won’t hurt you. You know that. We need to talk. It’s urgent. You’re in danger." The voice comes again, and I freeze.
Danger?
"Come to me. At the goddess Thalyra statue. Hurry." The voice speaks, and as if the voice carries an enchantment, my body starts moving against my better judgment.
Without even putting in my sandals, I start walking towards the exit.
My heart starts beating fast as I look about for something to hold on to.
I try to hold on to the door frame, but no matter how hard I try to move my hands, they don’t budge.
I watch in horror as I walk past the door frame, and fear covers me like an ice bath.
Desperate, I decide to scream for Koda one more time.
At this point, I don’t care who hears. Koda, Queen Cassia, the whole village...
Any freaking body can hear, I just need them to help me, because something seriously creepy is going on!!
I try to open my mouth to scream out Koda’s name, but my lips remain sealed.
My throat instantly goes dry in fear as I realise my mouth is refusing to open too.
My eyes become as wide as saucers as I find that the only part of my body working is my legs, which I’m not controlling.
I try to scream again, but it’s futile.
"Stop panicking, Elián. I’m not going to hurt you." I hear the voice say, and instead of relaxing, I start hyperventilating.
I have no control whatsoever over my body, and this voice is telling me not to panic?? Like hell I won’t!
Whose voice even is this!?
Why is the entire village so isolated? Have they all gone to bed??
Won’t anyone see or help me!?
Where is Koda!?? My legs are kidnapping me. I need help!!
I listen to my sole drag along the dirt, and I shut my eyes as stones press into my feet.
What is going on?
What do I do!??
Tingles suddenly take up my body, and that’s when I see it. In the distance. The statue of the goddess Queen Cassia was telling me about earlier.
I narrow my eyes and stare into the darkness surrounding the statue in search of the person who’s doing this, but with only the moonlight, I can barely see.
My legs change course and start walking right towards the statue, and I raise a brow.
I soon spot a little wooden sign, and my heart leaps into my throat when I read the words painted onto the sign.
Danger: Drop your offerings with the others, as going beyond this point will result in instant death. The goddess’s fury still burns hot.
I look down and see a massive circle of different bouquets and garlands that stretches on for miles, but do not dare go beyond this sign.
I feel sweat break out all over my body as I read the words on the sign, and as we get closer to it, Elien’s voice screams in my head.
"Stop walking, Elián! We can’t go beyond the sign!!"
My heart skips a beat as this is the first time in a while I’m hearing him, but now is not the time to celebrate that.
I can’t stop! I’m not the one controlling our legs!!
I scream back in my mind, and his voice follows frantically.
"No. We have to stop. This is THE statue of goddess Thalyra. Even Alphas can not go beyond this point. Many have tried, and none have survived. No one can touch or get close to the statue. We’ll die, Elián! We’ll die!!" He replies frantically, and I feel my bladder swell in fear as I walk past the sign.
Fuck.
I shut my eyes, expecting to be struck dead by lightning, but nothing happens.
"We’re... we’re alive?" Elien whispers in shock, but we don’t have time to process this as goosebumps suddenly rise along my skin.
It suddenly begins to feel like my blood is being replaced by hot water, and I groan in pain.
"What’s... what’s happening??" I question in panic as my skin starts screaming in biting irritation.
My legs suddenly stop walking, and I crumble to the ground as the pain in my system starts intensifying.
"Welcome." The feminine voice whispers, and I open my eyes and look up.
"Elián... something’s happening to us. I... I feel weird." Elien’s voice floods into my mind, and I gulp in fear.
I know something is happening. I can feel it too.
"Who are you!? What are you doing to me!? Why did you bring me here!?" I scream into the night, and I’m met with silence.
"Let’s... let’s leave here while we still can. Hurry!" Elien’s voice urges, and I nod in agreement.
Despite my wobbly legs and throbbing head, I manage to pull us back to our feet, and just as I’m about to take the first step away from the statue, a blinding bright light explodes from it.
I fall to the ground and shield my eyes from the merciless light, and slowly it dies down.
"I knew you were stubborn, but I didn’t expect to have to go this far to get an audience with you?" A now familiar female voice says, and I freeze.
Now it doesn’t sound like it’s all around me.
Now it sounds like someone is right in front of me.
I drop my hand in fright, and a loud gasp escapes me when I see that the once stony, rigid statue of the goddess has come to life.
She looks like she’s made of moon rays and is sitting on the stand that once held up the statue.
She has her chin cradled in one palm as she stares at me, and my eyes widen.
"What. The fuck is going on!?" Elien questions in my head, and my heart starts pounding.
Am I dreaming? Or did this statue really come to life??
"People usually bow or pray to a goddess. Some even curse me. This is the first time I’m having a child, just gawk at me... Aren’t you going to say something?" She questions, and my voice leaves my throat.
She has bright blonde hair and purple eyes that seem to hold so many tales and stars.
She’s draped in strips of fabric that only cover her private parts, but the rest of her is out on display. Her hips, cleavage and even some part of her ass.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Lilith was standing right in front of me.
And I thought she looked gorgeous as that sculpture... The sculpture did not do justice to her features!! Even the air seems to bend around her. Her presence weighs heavily on me, and it’s almost too much for my body to take.
"Okay. You’re still in shock. I understand that. But since we don’t have much time, I’ll do the talking." She speaks, and my eyes flick back up at hers.
"I’m goddess Thalyra. The mother of all Premodials... which means I’m your mother: You and Elien." She says, and I blink at her in stunned silence.
Elien goes dead silent in my head, and that’s when it hits me.
Okay. That’s it. I’ve lost my mind.
I’ve fucking lost it.
I had too much to drink, and now my mind has turned into a crazed author weaving the craziest fucking scenarios and stories.
I’ve lost my mind!!
"Let me show you your truth." She says as she holds out a finger and as she touches my forehead, air escapes my lungs as my head rolls back, and everything fades to white.