After Timothy exited the room Josh released a heavy sigh and his face instantly paled while his breathing got heavy his pupils dilated and his hair turned ashen, He fell to his knees in agony. Josh's trembling hands began forming intricate hand seals and while he did strange arcane symbols appeared on his person glowing with dark indigo light and the room became darker with shadows enveloping it slowly. If Timothy was around he would have been surprised to see Josh's body reverting to its normal appearance.
"Come out of the shadows Layla I sensed you following us ."Josh's words came out a low whisper but the being in the shadows responded. As if born of the twilight itself, she stepped into the light, her attire a manifestation of the shadows, billowing and cascading with an otherworldly elegance. Looking at her She was a vision of unearthly grace, her eyes pools of starlight and her lips a temptation too sweet to resist. And amidst it all, her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall of moonbeams, bestowing upon her an otherworldly elegance that seemed to draw all eyes upon her with Josh being the exception as he stood in the center of the room his eyes seemingly uninterested in the woman before him.
" Josh." Her voice, was a gentle melody, echoing with the coolness of a winter breeze but it did not seem to faze Josh at all who responded with cold indifference
"What?" Josh moved to sit on the bed under the calm gaze of the woman called Layla.
"I'm here to take your report." She spoke with a strange calmness seemingly unfazed by Josh's indifference.
"On top of the dresser."Josh pointed at the papers arranged neatly on the dresser, Layla nodded and moved to get the papers.
She leaned on the dresser with the papers in hand whilst nodding and frowning there and there. After she was done reading the paper her hand crumbled and she turned to face Josh.
" I see you have been busy this past season?" Layla asked but Josh not too uncaring decided to keep quiet. Layla's calm facade broke and she sat down on the bed sobbing.
"I know you said you do not love me any longer but if I have to ask why is that? I fail to understand what is it that I did to you, Josh. I have been patient enough with you but now I feel like it is time for you to explain why?" Layla asked after calming herself down by now the shadows in the room had grown deeper.
"Calm your rage rose, this is not my residence. " Josh tactfully managed to get her to calm down by calling her with the pet name that he used to call her with.
Layla's rage died down and the shadows retracted "Somethings are just not meant to be Lay and I want you to be happy and I know that with me you will never be happy or at peace. So I did what's best for you 'cause after the r realized that you deserved better I stopped loving you." Josh explained Tears welled up in Layla's eyes, reflecting the pain in her heart as she gazed at Josh's unyielding expression. "I... I don't understand," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I thought we had something real. How can you just... stop loving me?"
Josh sighed and sat up straight making sure to look directly into her eyes "Somethings are just not meant to be." Layla stopped weeping and wiped away her tears, her eyes were now lifeless, and a heavy sigh escaped her lips as she realized the futility of her efforts to change Josh's heart. "I see," she murmured, her voice filled with resignation. "I guess some things just aren't meant to be." Though her heart ached with sadness, she knew she had to accept the reality of their situation and that they were done.
"From now on our relationship will be strictly business, so right here and now I am telling you to return to the sanctum by the end of the next season or else there will be dire consequences. Goodbye Mr belling." Layla spoke her face voice cold and uncaring . Before Josh could even react or answer She slipped away into the darkness, her form seamlessly blending with the shadows, leaving no trace of her departure .Left alone in the dim light, he sat upon his bed, a solitary tear tracing a path down his cheek, mourning the love that he had just left slip through his fingers like sand Josh silently cursed himself. But he willed himself through everything the path he had chosen required no love or ties except the one with boy .
"I hope in the end you will be worth the sacrifice Mr Moirai. " Josh whispered before laying back down and staring at the huge chandelier ...
Timothy approached the chest tentatively, his hand hesitating before finally tracing the intricate lines of the family crest adorning its lid. With a mixture of awe and anticipation, he gently lifted the lid, revealing the treasure nestled within, A faded letter, penned with care that read:
To My Beautiful Grandson
As I write these words, my heart aches with sorrow, knowing that I must bid you farewell so suddenly. Please forgive me for leaving without proper explanation, but my sisters now need me by their side, and duty calls me to their aid.
But know this, my dear one: though I may be physically distant, I am never far from your thoughts and prayers. In my absence, I have sent you a guardian, a guiding light to help you on your journey of self-discovery. Trust in their wisdom and guidance, for they are there to support you in uncovering the truth about who you are and what I am.
I urge you, my precious grandson, not to waste your youth dwelling on my departure or obsessing over the mysteries of our family's past. Life is too short to be consumed by sorrow and unanswered questions. Instead, embrace each day with joy and laughter, seize every opportunity to experience new adventures, and cherish the bonds of friendship and love that surround you. Respect and love your mentor he is the only one you can truly trust even though sometimes he will seem untrustworthy but believe me when I say he will protect and love you like his own brother.
Remember, my dear one, that I am always with you in spirit, watching over you with love and pride. Until we meet again, may you find peace and fulfillment on your journey, and may your days be filled with light and happiness.
With all my love,
Your Grandmother
Even after he was done with the letter Timothy still stared at it for a long while before a lone tear made its way down his face. Finally placing the paper down Timothy's attention shifted to the chest in his hand and inside he found an old dusty ring. The old, dusty ring appeared to have weathered centuries, its once intricate designs now faded into obscurity, and its surface was marred by time's relentless touch. The metal bore the patina of age as if it had witnessed countless epochs pass by, and its gem, once brilliant, now lay dull and clouded.
Despite its aged appearance, the ring exuded an undeniable aura of power, as if it held within it the traces of ancient magics long forgotten. Its presence seemed to whisper of untold secrets waiting to be awakened by his hands, 'I can feel it, The ring it's calling me.' Timothy thought to himself as he felt drawn to the ring the longer he stared at it. Soon his hand moved to grab the ring and as Timothy's fingertips brushed against the aged ring, a mysterious energy pulsed forth, banishing the dust and revealing the hidden beauty of its craftsmanship, while the gem burst into a dazzling display of light.
With a gentle yet firm pressure, the ring encircled his digit, fitting perfectly as if it had been molded for him alone. As it settled into place, a sensation spread out from his finger to the rest of his body, no one words could describe the sensation but Timothy somehow felt that this was the way it was supposed to be. And on the ring two words appeared carved neatly and elegantly releasing a faint indigo glow "Plague Doctor" Timothy stared at the words on the ring for a short while confusion etched on his face.
"Is that all you can do? So all that light show was for nothing? The strange sensation? Oh shit, well I will keep you anyways since Nana left you behind I will cherish you for as long as I live." Timothy spoke to the ring and just when he was about to move his attention back to the spring a deep lazy voice rang out: "Do not make promises you cannot keep kid."
Timothy was visibly startled, his eyes widened in surprise as a bewildered expression crossed his face, his body tensing involuntarily at the unexpected sound echoing within his mind. His gaze darted around nervously, searching for the source of the disembodied voice, while his hands instinctively reached up to clutch at their temples, as if trying to block out the unsettling sensation. With each word spoken by the unseen speaker, his disbelief and unease grew, manifesting in the trembling of his limbs and the furrowing of his brow, as they struggled to comprehend the inexplicable occurrence unfolding within their mind. 'The ring!' Timothy quickly noticed the source of the voice and tried to take off the ring but tried he may the ring didn't budge
"What the heck? Why won't you come off? !" Timothy snapped as fear was slowly making its way towards his heart. The ring was stuck to his finger, refusing to come off.
"Relax kid there's no need to worry, if only you would come down and let me explain some few things to you....again." The lazy voice spoke once again and this time Timothy managed not to freak our when he heard the voice, keeping his breathing calm and trying not to freak out. But his expression gave away his current feelings, utterly horrified.
"You are relaxed? Good, now first things first you can call me Richard and I am your rune artifact, The Eternal Covenant."