Read House of Khepru ~ Episode One Page 5


  Chapter Five

  I come to in my dorm, desperately gasping for air while clutching my shirt. What in the actual hell just happened?

  Angela lured me into her dorm, then stabbed me! Not just that, but the knife glowed! My hands glowed, and released some kind of black and red energy! Did I dream all of that?

  I immediately lift up my shirt. There's no wound… not even a scar. I sigh in relief as I pull my shirt down. I guess all of that was just a dream. I must have dozed off sometime earlier. It felt so real though.

  I look at the time on my phone, seeing it's only a quarter after two o' clock. I don't have any more classes today, so I might as well go out and get some air. After checking my pockets for my wallet and key, I head out the door to make my way to the courtyard.

  I take a seat on one of the benches, watching the other students enjoy themselves. I inhale fresh air through my nose, letting my breathe relax me. I wonder where Angela went off to.

  A young male student sitting on the next bench to my right suddenly starts gasping for air. He falls to his knees as a crowd starts to gather around him. Another student yells for someone to call an ambulance as the gasping begins to slow down, their face starting turn blue.

  I notice something on the suffocating student's back slowly fade into my vision, a cloud of black mist. It soon takes on a more solid form, forming into a black human-like figure with its charcoal black hands crushing its victim's throat from behind.

  What the hell is that thing? Wait, does no one else see it?

  I slowly step back from the scene as the figure looks up at me. Its eyes glow a piercing scarlet red as it snarls at me, revealing a mouth lined with sharp, jagged teeth. Seriously, how does no one else see that thing? Oh shit, it's getting up!

  The figure stands upright, towering at least half a foot over everyone in the crowd. Seriously, how is no one seeing this?

  Shit, it's coming towards me! I need to get out of here!

  I immediately start running from the scene, hoping to lose whatever the hell that thing is. I look over my shoulder… how the hell did it catch up to me so fast?

  I run faster, weaving through passages and walkways. The thing isn't even moving that fast! How is it right behind me?

  I increase my speed even more, faster than I knew I could run, only to find myself cornered behind one of the department office buildings. Shit!

  I slowly turn around as I hear the figure behind me release a low, guttural growl. I back away, tripping over a trash can lid to fall on my back. It stretches its hands out as it stands itself over me, showing long black claws coming from its fingers. This thing has claws to! What the hell is this thing?

  The figure kneels down to my face, staring intently at my features.

  “You have awakened. All more the reason to end you.” it says in a deep, demonic growl.

  Awakened? What the hell does that mean? Am I seriously going to die like this, at the hands of some monster?

  I close my eyes as the figure raises its claw to strike me. I guess this is the end for me. Wait, nothing's happening. Did it stop?

  I slowly open my eyes, seeing the figure hunched over with a glowing rod of amber light piercing through its chest. It roars in pain as someone drops in front me, facing my attacker. Dressed completely in white with a hood covering their head, they extend their hand to the side, another glowing rod appearing instantly in their palm.

  The white hood walks over to my attacker, still groaning in pain before looking up at them.

  “Why would you do this? We're on the same side!” it growled, baring its jagged teeth.

  My savior in white brings the rod above their head, bringing it down onto my attacker's skull. A roar of pain echos through the air as it disintegrates into little specks of black dust.

  I saw some kind of monster that, apparently, no one else can. It mentioned something about me being “awakened.” I've just been saved by some kind of magical-warrior type person. Am I still dreaming? What is going on here?

  The person in white turns to face me, a light blue garb covering their face. They stare at me with pure white eyes before turning away, clenching their fists at their sides. I slowly pick myself up from the ground, stumbling a little as I get to my feet.

  Before I can say anything, an explosion of golden-white blinds me. When I regain my vision, the white figure slowly floats into the air, flaming white wings protruding from their back. What am I looking at? An angel?

  A blast of air knocks me back to the wall as the figure extends their wings, taking off into the sky at inhuman speeds.

  I feel myself start to loose consciousness as my eyelids begin to slowly close themselves. The sound of footsteps approaching nearly shocks me back to me senses. Someone else is here. Maybe this is where I die.

  My blurry vision picks up the outline of a person, a fuzzy mass of black trailing behind them. They slowly walk towards me as my senses begin to fade, their only spoken words ringing through my ears as I fall unconscious again.

  “Maybe she was right about you. Welcome… Cayne.”