The Blade Keeper

Alex's worn out mind promptly gave out at that moment. His voice trembled as he called out to his mother.

"M-mom?"

His mother let out a sad grin and opened her arms. Her raven black hair danced in the wind while her scarlet eyes gave off a warm glow. It was as if his mother had stepped out of his memory and materialized into the real world.

"Who else would it be? Welcome back Alexander."

She gracefully got up from her chair and gave Alex a big warm hug. Alex could stand still as his mind whirled in a mixture of confusion and happiness.

"But I was at the Trial of D.e.s.i.r.es-"

His mother nodded her head, "When they went into the cave to check whether or not you were alive, you were left on the floor unconscious. So they picked you up and decided to hold you for a ransom."

"And. . . . Father paid the random?"

His mother let out a wry grin. "Of course he did, he is your father. What kind of father would abandon his own son?"

A warm feeling erupted in his c.h.e.s.t, however, Alex still felt as if something was off. A confused look formed on his face and he asked another question.

"What about the other children stuck in the laboratory-"

This time, his father answered him.

"We couldn't save them."

"Why not?"

"Firstly, we do not have the money to afford their price. Secondly, even if we did the laboratory is in a hidden location, leaving us unable to contact them."

"I-I see."

Alex had unconsciously blurted out that there were more children suffering in the laboratory, but he had never expected for his father to provide an answer. The Duchess let out a warm smile.

"Alex, everything going to be alright now. Go talk to Iris. She missed you a lot."

Alex tore his gaze from his mother and father and turned his head towards Iris. Her golden hair resembled the sun and her eyes gleamed an electric blue, just like his father. She had a gentle look on her face when she called out to him.

"Hello Al. Thank you for saving me back when I was younger. I thank you very much for it and I love you a lot."

Alex watched on with a wary look etched onto his face. Every time he was about to lower his guard towards his family, something in his gut stopped him from letting go. It warned him that something was wrong.

Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could feel the warm touch of his mom on his skin. He felt her c.h.e.s.t rise and fall in beat with her breath. The soft thump of her beating heart told him that she was alive. So what did he find weird?

"What's wrong, my son?"

"Alexander, hurry up and greet Iris before you hurt her feelings."

"Alex, my dear, I know you are under stress from the experiments, but you should understand that everything is alright now."

"Let me tell you my thanks Al."

Alex opened his eyes with a start before giving a sad smile. It was the smell. There was a foul odor hidden beneath the alluring scent of flowers and happiness. It warned him of death.

"What is this smell?"

"What smell?" Said his mother with a concerned look.

Alex finally figured out what was going on.

"How did you know that I was captured and placed in a laboratory?" Asked Alex after a moment of silence.

"The men who ransomed you told us-"

"They would never do that," said Alex shaking his head, side to side. "No one with half a mind would do something so idiotic. Even if that were to be true, why would they tell you that there were more children there?"

"A bunch of other children were also ransomed-"

"Doctor Kade would never do that. He would erase my memories and implant false ones to reduce any risks of his experiment being found out. Then he would privately contact each household and ransom the child secretly before taking off. He would never risk his experiment being found out or disturbed. That is just the kind of person he is."

Alex could feel that his family was giving him a strange look. But they weren't gazes of concern, but surprise. But it was only for a moment before they morphed quickly back into the act. However, Alex saw it.

"Alex! Listen to your mother right now and-"

"My mother would never yell at me," said Alex with a sad smile. "Not for something like this. My father would never ask me what was wrong. He would leave me alone and wait to see if I could solve it on my own. The Duchess is too polite and distant while Iris would never talk to me in a polite way. Lastly, you all sound lifeless."

"Alex, you are being paranoid! We are your real family-"

Alex shook his head.

"You are all illusions."

(A/N: I feel like some of you readers will get confused by how choppy the dialogue sounds, well I was trying to make them sound robotic. Hope it worked)

Someone started to clap and the images of his family slowly turned to dust. Alex whispered to them as the entire illusion crumbled.

"Wait for me, I will find my way back to you."

Alex was once again back into his plain robes and there were ropes that dangled from his ankles and wrists. Alex glanced around and immediately knew that what he was seeing was real. But what came into his sight was horrible.

There were bones littering the stone floor giving the atmosphere a unsettling feeling. Dark blotches of red dyed the floor and bugs were crawling in and out from the rocks and holes that were placed irregularly throughout the entire cave.

The odor of death was thick in the air.

A boy about ten steps in front of him giving him a smile.