亚洲综合中美

Sadly, time had not done it justice. A very strong cyclone, who, hidden under the fog and pressure of those wanting life to return to the norm, had left a few homeless and unable to work. The minority were ‘scum’ by all means, and those in charge couldn’t have agreed anymore. A morose way of thinking. Then again, the lake had its fair share of secrets.

On a cold windy morning, a few days after the cyclone passed – a young couple; waiters at the same restaurant, send out on a quest to stay fit. What better way than to run along the forest trail. And so, the duo entered a very glum-looking area. Long was the cheerful forest gone, a veil of threat loomed courtesy of the ever-so cloudy sky. Cries of birds, brislings of the bushes, signs pointing to not enter. Gulping at the entrance, the man took his lover by the hands and waltz inside. The heart boomed, a low casting dimness and a timid frosty mist. Boots against the semi-gravel path, they jogged, and jogged, and jogged, until arriving at the Carter Lake.

Here, the roads were pretty, dark from being used. Forest on one side, a road, and then a very steep slope leading up to the enormous body of water. Granted the name couldn’t have done justice – the lake was a reservoir for the city-folk. One hundred and fifty steps until the top, the trial of the slothful. Locals had it those of lesser stature couldn’t make the climb twice in a row.

Up top, the rising sun though hidden, lightened the stagnant body. Ripples carried to and fro, the fresh wind, fresher than the city, was worth the trip. A square concrete barrier prevented any unfortunate accidents.

Running along felt nice, and so smiled the couple. Sweating and feeling pain as one, a true test of their relation. Alas, nothing was as pretty as described. The lake had once been such a place of beauty, the overflow dirtied the streets, the stairs, and the soft place of respace. None had been here since forever. Regret and disgust filled the air; the couple ran across the muddied roads until two figures sneaked in sight.

“Wait,” said the lady, “-that’s...” A pungent smacked before they were any closer.

.....

“Don’t tell me,” said the man quickening his pace, “-is that?” skin sunk into the skull, dirt, and debris stuck onto the decaying body.

“What is this?” she stopped to glance over the barrier. The body’s hands were tied, the feet missing and the face unrecognizable. The two figures were in a similar state, what frightened the most was the visible skull.

“Call the police,” shouted the man not wanting to step any further. The news came as a big surprise to the police, who soon arrived on the scene.

A melodic guitar ruffled across the vintage amp; a bend ended the passage of notes. ‘-that’s training for today,’ breathed Igna glancing at the computer screen. ‘What’s this about?’ an obnoxious notification riddled the screen via multiple windows.

“éclair,” said he, “-what’s this?”

“Quit it with the angry voice. Check the notifications already.”

“Fine,” reclined onto the office-chair, “-Breaking News, two bodies found at Carter Lake.” Reading further into the article, “-a young couple came across the unrecognizable body of two women left hanging on the lake’s barrier. By what police said on the matter, the heavy weather must have caused the lake to bring up things not meant for the public. For now, they’ve shown adamancy in staying secretive until further information comes to light.”

“Did you hear the news?” wondered Alicia dropping to check, “-they found two bodies.”

“Yeah,” said he leaned on the chair, “-what about you, isn’t it time to pick up Celina?”

“OH YEAH,” she shook, “-what should I do,” staring about.

“Here,” he threw the car-keys, “-make sure not to crash the vehicle.”

“Be a little more careful,” she barely caught it, “-are you sure?”

“Go on, manager, there’s no need to be tactful now. Are we not a close group of friends?”

“Well yeah...”

“Then the matter is settled. Go and maybe drop by the mall. Celina’s feeling a little under the weather lately, see to her.”

“What do you think I am?” her posture tightened as did the lips.

“A trusted friend,” a big thumbs up resulted in a roll of the eye.

“Whatever,” the door shut with attitude.

“Back to this,” fingers to the keyboard, “-I guess Odgar’s on the case.”

The agency broke into two teams. Aki and Tensy returned to Melmark to handle the few job requests by frequent clients. Camilia and Odgar remained in Odgawoan. The mansion proved very much comfortable; the study changed into a place of investigation. File cabinets carried the multiple written reports by Engn Codd. The contents were unknown to even the son. There were so many it’d take a few months to read.

Over the course of a week, the bodies of Carter lake stayed with no face nor name. The coroner was at a loss, the cause of death – drowning. Multiple conclusions were drawn. With no tips nor leads, the case soon went cold. The media was advised to stay off the investigation. Just like that, the populous, indifferent unless affected personally, went on without caring for the deaths.

Wednesday the 3rd of March; Igna’s modeling photo went live on the issue of Nexe Magazine. The focus was on the instruments as opposed to the models. The few avid fans quickly linked his videos to the publication. Then and there, those wanting to know what happened to the Alchemist were shocked to see the branch off into music. Sally connivingly had Ikoen release the duet of Mr. Cartney and Kinless. Classical meets new-age, a combination that oddly fits. The first job gave a little boost in popularity. In the grandeur of the world, the few who read said magazine were interested in the product, not the model.

Days flew by till Friday. An urgent call resounded through the bedside table. ‘What’s the problem?’ caller showed Nona of Vorn, ‘-it’s 02:00 in the morning.’ Pitch darkness merged into a slightly reddish vision, “-hello?”

“HELLO!” came a fatigued tone, “-I NEED HELP, PLEASE!”

“Take it easy, tell me what happened?”

“They’re going to kill me, I know it. I-IGNA HELP ME!” the call ended abruptly.

“Oh shit,” wide awake, “-éclair, track the location,” he burst out the apartment.

“Carter lake,” said he.

Footsteps crinkled sticks and leaves. The forest loomed ever-so fearsomely. ‘-W-why me,’ biting her tongue inside a bush, ‘-why did it have to be me?’ blood rolled down the forehead. ‘-I only wanted to retain my chastity, why a-are they a-after me?’

“Hey, did you find her?” echoed about.

“No, how the fuck you did let her escape?”

“Come on, don’t blame this on me. I only wanted to piss a little.”

“Well, the boss is going to piss on our corpse if we don’t do something.”

“Fuck sake, we’ve botched this job. The forest’s too big,” the voice grew closer, “-we’ve been at it for more than an hour now.”

“You think she escaped?”

“No, we’ve got guards at the entrance. She’s in the forest, I can promise that much.”

“Coming from the mouth who let her escape, doesn’t seem so viable now, does it?”

Staying quiet grew harder. The more time passed, the closer the attackers moved until “-I’ve got an idea.”

*DRING, DRING,* the phone resonated mere steps away.

“Here you are,” said the walking murderously.

“Wait...” turning the corner showed the phone and nothing else.

‘Don’t underestimate a girl,’ to which she snuck her way into the forest, ‘-wait,’ *thud,* ‘-why’s my heart...’ dropped to the knees, ‘-what’s this?’ memories of a drink and a gentleman jumped to mind. ‘-Have I been drugged?’ the world spun and soon she fell.

Tied by rope, the vision returned into more of a drunken stupor, the voices were long and echoey. “She caused quite a ruckus,” said one of the men carry her to the lake.

“Very lively one, unlike the others we had to chase.”

“Good, excellent,” another stronger figure walked into her elated state, “-you ran farther than I’d imagine. The thrill of the chase, if only the drug didn’t kick, you might have escaped. God forbid,” palm to the forehead, “-I wish not to deprive the world of another beautiful lady like you,” moved close to lick her cheeks, “-alas, tis as the law of survival dictates. The strong life and the weak dies.” A chain tied around her feet; “-they’ve found the prey of our prior hunts. Still, the lake is the rightful heir of those who dared oppose our master.” A signal had them throw her into the lake. “-Good-bye,” waved the man.

‘I c-can’t breathe,’ the starry night blurred under the water surface, ‘-am I going to die?’ bubbles of water escaped, ‘-save me, somebody, save me...’ Suffocation, water filled the lungs, ‘-I wanted to live.’ Her long hair swayed, the pulling force of the metal chain bound her to the bottom. Breathing stopped, the airway shut, unconsciousness set in, the darkness grew darker.

“Not on my watch,” a figure dove without concern, ‘-where’s she,’ looking about, ‘-I don’t have my lenses. Damn it, I can’t see her in this darkness.’ *thud,* ‘-I can sense her,’ a fading thread rose beyond the surface, ‘-it’s her,’ he dove further inside, *Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads.*

“wake up... wake up... WAKE UP!” consciousness returned to a drenched Igna giving mouth to mouth under the moon-lit sky. “Don’t be an idiot, you were there for less than two minutes.”

*Cough, cough,* her face flickered into life.

“Good,” exhaling deeply, “-let’s hope this works.” *Blood-Arts: Enlian,* canines sharpened, the hair whitened, the eyes bright red and the wings of an angel sprouting out the back, “-let’s get you to a hospital.”

Emergency hastily took her for further treatment.

‘I can’t,’ back on the roof, ‘-using my vampiric form was a bad idea,’ crumbled onto his feet, ‘-no way my body can handle the backlash,’ blood spewed out the nose and mouth. Nausea and a throbbing pain forced him onto the barricade. ‘-I’m weak,’ the pain intensified so much so the heart raced. ‘-Am I going to die?’ hands clutching the chest, ‘-I feel it... d-death.’ The pupils dilated on the last breath.

‘Where am I?’ the spirit floated across Hidros, ‘-am I at the motherland?’ the weather and scenery didn’t match reality. The streets were lesser populated and the multiple villages were absent. It wandered until Rosespire where the few people residing did so in bliss. Kronos’s sickle shone vaguely through the ground, ‘-I can see the heart of the world. T-this is the realm of Shadows.’

“Wake up,” a calm voiced pull the consciousness into reality, “-dude, are you ok?”

“Who are you?”

“A nurse. The girl’s awake, are you not going to see her?”

“Nona,” he stood, “-is she ok?”

“Don’t worry,” said the nurse, “-she’s fine. Quite lucky you brought her here so fast.”

“Thank god,” the body relaxed, ‘-my body feels lighter.’ The nurse kept on staring.

“Is something the matter?” frowned Igna.

“Did you always have white and black hair or is it a dye job?”

“What do you mean?” checking the reflection, “-wait,” silvery-white accompanied by meshes of black. The skin grew paler, the left eye remained crimson. ‘My transformation’s incomplete... WAIT,” looking back, ‘-ok, the wings are gone.’

“Sir, are you alright?”

“Sorry about that. A little dazed from what happened. And yes, it’s a dye job. I couldn’t decide between black and white, figured why not go for both.

“To each, their own I suppose,” the silhouette disappeared into the distance.

‘I saw the realm of Shadow. Intherna, Gophy, are you guys still alive?’ stopped before a reflective surface, ‘-my transformation’s stuck between human and vampire. I can’t use Enlian; it’s not responding. I’m such an idiot – breaking the seal before preparation.’