I'm technically not allowed to be awake right now.
But when your family's cursed, your house is haunted, and you're the only person standing between monsters and the world, bedtime gets... flexible.
It's 11:57 p.m.
I'm sitting in the East Wing of Valemont Manor, which smells like dust, secrets, as well as all my nightmare and trauma. The mirrors are covered- I've kept them like that, since I first met those strange things, the candles are flickering like they're scared, and I'm wearing my favorite velvet cloak—not for fashion, but because I'll need it when I go under tonight.
Three minutes to midnight. That's when the veil between worlds gets thin. Like, dangerously thin. Like, "oops, a demon just fell through" thin.
I check my watch, yawning slightly.
Exhaustion's catching up with me, but I guess that's bound to happen when you're battling relentlessly thoughout the night,
Two minutes.
I poke the scar on my collarbone. It's shaped like a diamond, with black vines weaving through it. It always feels like it's slithering alive- a phenomena that only occurs when we're nearing midnight..as if it can somehow sense what's going to happen.
I also have one on my cheekbone, right beneath my left eye, and it looks awesome as hell.
Suddenly, a shudder passes through me, like cold ice being poured on my body, an occurence I've had no choice but to get used to.
Elaris—the ancient entity living in my bloodstream—is raging again. She's basically my magical parasite. We have a complicated relationship. She wants to devour the world. I want snacks and a nap.
It's ironic how I'm using the monster inside me to fight the monsters that come out at night.
One minute.
I tiptoe past the creepy portraits and bookshelves I've known by heart, down the spiral staircase that only exists at night, and into the forbidden chamber beneath the manor. It's got skulls, runes, and a faint smell of pain- my pain.
I know this place like the back of my hand.
It used to be- no, it still is, the place of my nightmares. A doorway between that world and ours, filled with monsters who others can't see, but I, and some others can. I used to be quite scared of the curse, but now I've learned, and I wield it like a power.
I groan, rubbing my eyes tiredly as I sharpen my dagger and recheck my bag of dimanium. The bags under my eyes have gotten larger, and quite frankly, I sometimes contemplate of what would happen if I just...let everything go,
I'm too exhausted of this now.
It's taking a toll on my sanity. I think I'll go insane soon- not that anyone would care..they already think I'm bound to be senile.
Oh well, I've got past the point where I care.
I gave them everything I could once- my happiness, my care, my heart. And they betrayed me, breaking me to pieces everytime. That was until I was finally slapped back to my senses, and I decided to rule my own world.
After all, if I wanted, I could easily become the Head Authority of Esteria, reigning complete power over high societal bastards. But why waste your time destroying people the legal way, when you can just secretly go 'stab-stab' and 'torture-torture'?
I mean, fighting monsters and saving the world- even if it tires you to hell, gives me a sense of satisfaction greater than flirting with princes. And besides, it's not like I have a choice. I need to prepare for later, for when I become one of them-
Midnight.
Boom.
The veil rips open like a badly wrapped present. Shadows pour in. The sky outside turns purple and the darkness takes over the light.
I sigh.
Here we go again. Another sleepless night.