Chapter 1
Her cold gaze, fixed on me, made it feel as if I had locked eyes with Medusa. I was completely paralyzed, staring into the light blue orbs she possessed. As if time itself had stopped, she approached me. My feet were glued to the ground, completely still, whilst fear took over my mind. As she reached for my chest, all I could do was wonder who she was, and what she would do to me. Until she reached inside and touched my heart, with a tenderness that seemed uncharacteristic for her. And it started beating again. I hadn't noticed it ever stopped, but I could finally breathe.
My heart raced, and my chest heaved rapid breaths. She retreated slowly, staring at me with an expressionless face. Her oculi ran through my body, inspecting every inch of my small, delicate figure: from my boots, darting quick glances all the way to my neck, not giving much thought to anything. But she stopped as her eyes reached mine, slowly opening in an expression similar to astonishment, her mouth opening slightly.
She grabbed my chin between her thumb and index fingers, lifting my face as she straightened her back. She towered over me, making me feel like a mouse trapped in the claws of a cat, defenseless, succumbing to fate, and hoping for a swift end in her grasp.
Her frigid stare evoked respect in my conscious mind, which was rapidly slipping away as I, once again, had stopped breathing at the sight of such a stunning woman.
Examining her closely, one could tell she didn't quite fit the standard. Her face was small, her forehead covered by thick, long bangs that, along with her thin eyebrows, were a dark, cool blue hue. A minuscule nose right above her mouth, still open, resembling a cat smiling, with tiny fangs peeking through the corners of her maws. And of course, her eyes; like glaciers, contained small sparkles, like stars in a nebula, captivating anyone lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them. Long, delicate eyelashes adorned these gateways into the universe's deepest, most beautiful corners. Her hair seemed to hover around her, almost as if trying to avoid covering such a divine silhouette. Miniature blue ribbon earrings hung from both ears, similar to the one on her chest, although darker and lacking the heart shaped diamond the latter had. A chain on top of her head separated her stray bangs, pushing them further apart, away from her visage, at the same time forming two arches that resembled cat ears. But the strangest thing about this seemingly human individual had to be the device floating above her head: a silver ring, big enough for her slim, but athletic physique to fit through. In the center of this ring, slightly over it, there was a small silver disc, from which three pointers protruded, extending beyond the ring. Two pointers were made of silver, one wide and composed of multiple rods of varying lengths; while the second was made of fewer rods, all longer than the former ones. Ultimately, a single golden rod, longer than the rest, brought the group to its full realization. All three of them moved clockwise. The golden rod hastily glided across the disc, perhaps due to being lighter. It was quickly followed by the long silver pointer. Lastly, the wide array of rods was sluggish, as if burdened by its own weight.
Her grip tightened, her knuckles turning white as she pulled my face closer to hers, forcing me to tiptoe to avoid being lifted off the ground. Her eyes, focused on mine, made me light-headed. A whisper was the only sound that managed to escape past my lips, and if it hadn't been for the unusual silence that reigned at that moment, it would have been my last:
“I remember you.”
Her delicate fingers let go as soon as she heard me, and she took a step back, but she didn't stop staring at me, unable to release the image of me from her mind, which was burnt onto her retinas.
I looked down, watery eyes blurred my vision as I took deep breaths. Heart racing, thinking of a way to escape whilst I could, and realizing I was once again able to move.
But as my head shot back up, I came face to face with her. I could feel her warm breath on my lips as she spoke:
“Who are you?”
“ Seems you got a bit overwhelmed by my perfection, huh?” I looked down at the young woman I held in my arms, light as a feather, who passed out as soon as she heard my voice.
Her face had a soft red tinge, but the colour gently faded as her senses slowly ebbed from her body.
My right arm held her back. My hand could feel the muscles on the back of her shoulders, and the way they tapered down, forming a subtle dip along her spine. My fingers sank into her soft skin. Her spine, in the middle of this valley, bent from its own weight.
The only things that had stopped her from hitting the ground were my quick reflexes, and extraordinary strength. Stopping time was simply a precaution, in case anyone decided to pop up and cause a scene.
I didn't exactly know why, but my journey had taken me all the way to this specific location, at this exact moment. Perhaps it was a simple coincidence to run into her; fate, perchance. Or something else, maybe even someone, was guiding me. After all, having lived for so long, or rather, since forever, my mind was bound to start seeing similarities in different places and times. Yet, it felt different—like déjà vu, but at the same time, completely new; refreshed although weary, scorching but freezing, satisfied and still uncertain, all around and out of reach.
All of that I felt, when our eyes met.
I woke up on the sofa. Everything was dark, so I got up groggily to turn on the lights, but I bumped against the tea table in the middle of the room. I tried to find the wall, but the room felt—bigger. The carpet in the room also appeared way plushier than usual, and it covered a lot more ground, almost as if the floor itself was carpeted. I finally found the wall after fumbling around in the dark for a while, but the light switch wasn't where it usually was. I assumed that I had napped for way too long, and was just disoriented. And the weird dream definitely contributed to my current state.
“Why did I even dream of such a thing? I have never seen someone like that woman in my life.”
As soon as I finished the sentence, I felt a small switch.
I turned on the lights.
I was inside a circular room with a dome. The walls were painted a faint blue. The floor was carpeted in white. The sofa I was sleeping in was a royal blue, with six small, golden tapered legs. Its cushions had small buttons in the center, and two cylindrical ones on the sides gave it a velvety appearance. In front of it was a small, rectangular tea table, made of white wood, with books on the lower shelf, and a flower arrangement inside a tall, transparent vase on the top shelf. A fireplace made the room feel cozy and warm, despite there being no fire lit. On the walls, multiple paintings were displayed, from different movements and eras; delicate Rococo works were exhibited alongside bold Cubism creations. Baroque opuses facing abstract pieces. The ceiling’s dome featured a magnificent romanesque oeuvre, depicting “L'Ultima Cena” . Right next to the light switch, huge glass block style windows, their blinds drawn so that no light could pass through. On the opposite side of the room, a big, dark wooden hutch showcased various antiques.
I approached it. There were some watches and jewelry clearly from the middle ages, gold coins (florin), a Saint Benedict medal, an astrolabe and the statuette of a qilin. But also, iron arrowheads, a marble bust, stone tools and a few more things that I couldn't identify. Some objects looked like they belonged in a museum, but were, instead, in this private collection.
But whose collection was it?
I heard a door open behind me.
I made myself a cup of blue tea, a special tea for a somewhat special occasion, to avoid calling it an unexpected incident. Whilst I mixed the sugar in the tea, I wandered around the dining room. It was a small, white room, which contained a light wooden table against the kitchen countertop, and four chairs with black backrests and frames, and a white cushion on each. A TV was mounted on the wall across from it. On one side of the room, a small, tall table carried a big, round, white flower pot; inside it, a string of pearls drooped, almost reaching the marble floor. Behind it, an open window let the moonlight in, along with the soft sound of crickets and cicadas, and a soft but cool breeze chased the heat out of the room. The kitchen itself was part of the room, separated by ceiling-mounted cabinets. The countertop followed beneath them, continuing along the walls, creating a small corridor, with a gas cooker, a grey microwave, a large fridge, and a window beside a small arch, which separated both areas.
On the other side, a door led to the living room.
As I sipped calmly, my mind wandered alongside me, but it wasn't in this room. Rather, my gaze was fixed on the door. All I could think about was what I currently kept in it. I had dragged her all the way to my tower, and it had been a couple of hours since the last time I checked on her.
“I don't even know her name. Why did I take her to my house?”— I said, thinking out loud.
But I knew she wasn't a threat. No human would ever be, not to the warden of time herself. I kept my swords on me at all times, but with her here, I could feel their weight dragging me down, as if her presence alone made me weaker. I wanted to take them off, but I knew I couldn't do that. No matter how harmless she was, or how safe the location happened to be, something inside of me, in the depths of my mind and the tips of my fingers prevented me from taking them off, as if I would need them at some point. But that moment never came, for as long as I had existed, they had never been used.
I finished the tea, and left the cup on the table. Before I even turned around, I heard footsteps in the adjacent room.
“She must have woken up,” I thought, walking over to the door to check on her.
I gently opened the door.
My mind raced, filled with a thousand questions. Fear took over me. I didn't know where I was or who would come through the door that had just opened. Yet, as they stepped into the room, I felt a strange sense of relief. The way she slowly walked in, aware that I would be startled and lost, intrigued me.
A woman peeked her head past the open door, with the curious gaze of a puppy, excited yet anxious. Her hand rested on the door lock, and her fingers played with the latch bolt, but her eyes were fixated on mine, pulling me in, as if digging into my soul to get answers to questions I had never even heard. And I wanted to hear them, I craved her voice, to see how her lips would move with each word that could come out of her mouth, to feel her breath on my face. Even though I had no recollection of ever hearing her voice or of seeing her face, there was something achingly familiar about it.
I had to anchor myself. I woke up in an unfamiliar place, I didn't know how I got there, and the first person I saw was a complete stranger. I had nothing to defend myself with, and judging by the weapons on each side of her hips, fighting would only happen as a last resort, as it seemed risky. Her slim, muscular build suggested consistent training, something I lacked. I decided that cooperating was the best option: if she planned to keep me captive, acting friendly and trustworthy could lower her guard.
“How are you feeling?”
Maybe I could steal her swords, if she left them around at some point, or other weapons that could be around the house.
“Are you okay? Do you remember how you got here?”
Albeit, they appeared ornamental, perhaps they weren't real? She could simply be wearing them to intimidate me.
“Can you talk to me, please? I would like to hear your voice again.”
But then again, it wasn't a very bright idea to go into the offensive and find ou—
“Huh?”
I felt her hand on mine, gently squeezing it, grounding me back into the situation. The softness of her skin, something I had been yearning for, was so warm and tender.
I looked up, and her blue eyes were staring at mine, unblinking, unwavering, and I could feel her concern wash over me.
“Is everything alright?”
I jumped back, losing balance and falling on my rear, yelping as my back hit the hutch behind me.
I had let her get close to me, and didn't even notice. Yet, she hadn't attacked me, but rather, tried to comfort me.
“Why did you jump like that? Now you've hurt yourself,” she sighed
“Maybe don't get that close to a girl you kidnapped in her sleep?” I answered mockingly
“Kidnap? I brought you here after you fainted because I didn't know where you lived!—”
“What about, I don't know, THE HOSPITAL?” Realizing I had raised my voice, I took a deep breath to calm down. “Who are you?”
“I would love to know who YOU are,” she replied “The name's Kronii, by the way”
“So your name is as pretty as your face”
She grinned.
“I see you have quite a slick tongue, but not only will that not work on me, but you won't need it. I have no intention of harming you.”
“Doesn't kill to be cautious, you know?”
“That doesn't seem to apply to you,” she remarked, finally diverting her gaze.
She extended her arm towards me, lending a hand. I hesitated, but gave in after a not very careful consideration. I stood up before answering her previous question.
“I don't know who I am, where I am, how I got here or even what day it is,” I said, in an oddly cheerful tone.
“And that,” she replied, “might be a problem”
I guided her to the kitchen with me. After inquiring whether she was hungry, I made her a cup of tea and scones. I let her eat in silence, the only sounds in the room being the wind that seeped in from the open window, carrying the noises made by critters.
“Can you stop staring at me?” she asked.
“I have my eyes on you for a good reason,” I replied.
“Creepy,” she muttered.
“I heard that.”
“I would hope so,” she said with a sneer
Her attitude was calm and playful, even when her facial expressions indicated annoyance. Her gaze was on me, observing all I did, every movement I made. But when I went back into the kitchen and turned around, I could see her reflection on the kettle: her shoulders relaxed, her eyes closed slightly, and she allowed herself to quickly scan the room, pausing for a moment whilst looking at the window. Her neck twisted so far, it reminded me of an owl. Once she realized she had been lost in thought for too long, her head shot back at me, fear invading her all over again.
I just wished I could reassure her that my intentions were only to keep her safe, and perhaps find out who she was, as her face carried such a strong sense of familiarity. No matter how long it could take.
“You plan to keep me here indefinitely?” her voice was shaky, despite the frown she gave me.
“Where did that eve—” I realized that my lips had betrayed me, and I had been thinking out loud “No, no, I would never”
She got up from the chair and ran for the window, not knowing the fall would kill her.
Snap.
A quick movement. I walked over to the window. One of her hands was on the frame, and her right foot was in the air, as she leaped. I lifted her up into my arms, and placed her back on her seat.
Snap.
I whispered in her ear, “Don't make me do that again.”
I took a step back.
“I'll be taking you back home.”
“I can get back on my own, and I don't want a stranger knowing where I live,” she protested.
“Then I guess you will be staying here.”
“When will you take me? The sooner the better,” she added quickly, in a desperate tone.
“Right now, if you wish.”
“Please,” she said softly.
“I'll go get some repellent, the mosquitoes in this forest are relentless.”
“Forest?” Her demeanor changed. “There aren't any forests near where I live.”
“I told you, I have to take you back home.”
After a three-hour ride, we arrived in my city. The streets were empty, and there were no sounds except for bats flying around.
It was almost 4 am, and I would have to work tomorrow.
I just needed to get home, close the door, and go back to bed. Maybe all of this was just a dream, and I would wake up tomorrow completely rested.
“Around here?” the woman asked.
“Yes, to the right.”
“I will wait until you get inside before going.”
“No need, I'll be fine.”
“I don't care what you say, I will wait,” she insisted. “Inside the car, of course.”
…
Fine. She can have that, as long as she stays in it, she won't be able to go in with me
I got out, keys in my hands.
“Wait,” she uttered. “Take this.” She handed me a small earring, with a golden ribbon.
I put it in my pocket.
Then I ran to the door, swung it open and shut it behind me. Then I looked back. She was still in the car.
She waved.
I waved.
Surely, this was the end.
I went to bed.
I woke up feeling like I had not rested all night, my body ached, and my throat was dry. I was safe at home after that awful dream.
I had a meeting scheduled at 9. It was 8:50. I rushed to the bathroom, made myself look presentable, and rushed to my office. I immediately turned everything on, hoping there would be no issues today.
I got in as they were calling out our names to check attendance. It was just like elementary school, but more degrading.
“Mori?” asked our boss.
I felt something poking my thigh.
“Watson?” she continued.
I looked down, but there was nothing. Yet, I felt something in my pocket.
“Miss Gawr, I can see you eating pizza, please hold on until after the meeting.”
I put my hand inside of it.
“Miss—”
And took an earring out.
“Fuck.”