The Divinity's Curse

"Hama was?"

Whenever that particular name was mentioned, it was as if his muscle memory kicked in. A pulse bolted through him. He felt the need to jump up and stand by that boy.

The one named Hama.

The strings started to connect in his mind, 'Hama would be the one to ignite my memories,' he was the last piece Abiral would need to understand the 'game.'

It was apparent that they had some type of strong bond.

Hama was the one to find that 'lowly' boy and take him in.

Hama must've had a kind heart while the Abiral before Ely came in the picture—when he was healthy, had more of a rebellious personality.

If it was as the elder made it out to be he was hard to keep under control, reckless and relentless.

But Abiral was unsure if it was because he used to be a middle-aged man in his thirties but it felt out of place for him to act like an active and spirited young boy.

He couldn't imagine himself making a mess for no reason and running from the maids solely for them to try and catch him.

It didn't feel right. 

Because at the end of the day, he'd still feel like that old man he once was. One who now, wore the skin of a young boy.

'You can't put lipstick on a pig,' so he'd justify it with the saying, "Opposites attract."

He could make a solution to that.

Yet there was another problem—actually meeting Hama. He was starting to have an underlying fear that moment would never come.

Abiral contemplated on it and came back to the fact, not even Hama could come face-to-face with him. 

Hama was a secret after all. 

But then again, why would the royal family want to hide the real eldest son?

Even if he constructed a plan to meet him, where would they go? And how would he be able to differentiate who knew of Hama's existence and who didn't?

It wasn't like he could get far from the kingdom, he didn't even know much about it. 

Who was the foe and who was a friend? 

Here he had no clue the rights and will [Divinities] had, their capabilities, and their norms. 

In his other world, it was more modernized, rarely did they act out or had death counts against mortals.

Nevertheless, this was the past. 

And if it was like anything Abiral knew of, it was far more gruesome and closemouthed. He decided to stand a bit longer outside the door with an empty head in case Ludus would intervene to answer any of his ideas.

'...'

Silence.

He took another breath to give her a minute to get to him, perhaps it required mental strength to reach his mind.

'...'

Abrial was met with nothing but the sound of his heavy breathing.

'Do I have to slap my forehead or something?' He believed this was equivalent to knocking on a door to get Ludus's attention to answer to him.

He slapped his forehead with the deadened strength a seventeen-year-old boy should've had.

It humbled him how light his blow fell on himself.

His hand came quicker to his side than to his forehead. Abiral stood speechlessly in place, 'It should be criminal to be this weak.'

Whenever he had to take more than five steps—it reminded Abiral how little exercise the boy before him had.

It would explain why he was still facing the symptoms of the sickness a boy had been facing for years. The boy was bedridden for what seemed like a few weeks. When truly it felt like years, given the poison he was being induced with.

And his efforts were still in vain since Ludus's voice didn't fill his senses or vibrate the walls of his mind.

Her empty promise of being there when he demanded her fell lowly before Abiral.

Though what was done had been longed sealed. It wasn't like he could turn a new leaf and return to a flame he ran from.

Abiral had already accepted a [Divinity]'s deal. The markings he saw that time were living proof of signing away his life.

That he had given an oath to her. There was no cowardly backing out when it came to doing dealings with an entity.

When Ludus did decide to answer to his amends he'd ask her why her 'healing' hadn't taken its full effect on his new body.

Abiral remembered how he had arrived here, 'The elder!'

He turned around and immediately pivoted, to the back of the old man who had already taken his leave.

'Unhelpful hag!' His confusion turned into frustration as he adverted his eyes. Strands of hair started to stick to his face.

Abiral placed his palm to his putridly warm forehead, 'Had I been running a fever this whole time?'

Sounds from inside the room started to pour out, "Can you believe it! That boy woke up!"

Despite the blur in his vision, the light that came from the crack in the door, was Sophia's voice speaking. It was apparent that she wasn't alone in the room and that there was someone else.

'She isn't like me, Sophia wouldn't be in there talking to herself,' He slowly pushed the door open a bit more to peek at who could be the other party, 'Would she?'

Curiosity overruled his sickness, and he peered through the door. If Sophia had minded the scrawny fingers—the chatter would have ceased immediately.

Or did she not care that the person she spoke of had appeared? 

It didn't matter to him; his eyes were as wide as a deer in front of a bear. When the fog settles, and the wind speaks too late.

That the deer is not alone.

Past the shoulders of Sophia, was a maid. One who was stout, she possessed long black untamed hair the same as dead coffee beans.

Not meant for consumption unless you were someone with no care and that kind of drink was your only way to feel 'alive'.

It was instinctual for him to feel anger and fear at the same time. His heart and mind had a different owner once. 

The tips of Abiral's fingers began to push into the door. His rage was beginning to feel like a migraine with no end.

His teeth felt sore from its grinding. Though Abiral could only look farther into the room, 'It's her.'

He was unsure if it was the boy before him seeking an act of bloody revenge, but he couldn't stop himself from inching further into the room. 

'She deserves it!'

The door slowly budges at the force in his hand.

'She deserves it!

Blood had rushed to his head and cleared out any thoughts of possible consequences. Abiral wished to hear that woman scream to match the sound of his pain.

In any way, he was in the right. What good reason would a wicked woman have to poison a young boy?

His left foot wedged inside and then his hands slowly pushed the door forward. Before his presence could be recognized a jolt was struck within him.

The fog in his mind alongside a blurry vision returned and to another, it would appear Abiral to have lavender colored-like eyes. 

Similar to the change in his eyes—Abiral was unbeknownst to the fact Sophia had already taken note of the figure just outside the door. It was what she trained for after all.

Before he could conjure a thought of his own, his hands involuntarily pushed the door closed and he drew back by a few steps from the progress he had made. 

He pulled himself near a curtain-drawn shadow, there was no hiding his bitter eyes and closely sewn-together eyebrows.

'Abiral,' a tone spoke throughout his mind, one that wasn't of his own.

He scowled, 'Ludus.'

Abiral glanced around before feeling coldness on his shoulder which was soon replaced with a defying weight.

He didn't have anything left in him to shake off the weight that was unbalancing himself. He kept his head lowered.

Allowing his hair to cover the back of his neck giving warmth to his hands. 

He could see a pair of feet standing before him and then a hand stroked at his chin, lifting the weight off of his shoulder. 

Abiral shot his glower at Ludus, "Now you choose to show up?"

She did not react to his defying tone, rather she looked delighted at his outburst.

This silenced him and he decided to look at Ludus once more. It was like she was wearing a body suit that matched her skin it revealed nothing of her but gave off the fallacy that it was.

Her hair reflected their surroundings—symbolically speaking it visualized to Abiral that he was trapped. 

He reminded himself how lowly submitted he was under a [Divinity]. Abiral took a deep breath and softened his gaze. Synchronously his blood flow regulated as well, he spoke lightly this time, "Why did you stop me?"