Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)

Third Person's POV

His nose was filled with a pungent and metallic scent that was thick with rust and iron while being undercut by a salty bitterness that clung to his tongue and throat.

He tried to move and to swim upward toward the faint shimmer of light above, but his limbs refused to respond.

His arms hung heavy at his sides, and he found his whole body to be numb and limp while his legs dragged beneath him like they were forged from solid lead.

But the worst thing was that he could feel a downward pull.

A grim reality struck him that he was sinking slowly and steadily down into the crimson abyss.

His body gulped down water involuntarily, and a creeping horror welled up in his chest as he realized that he was drowning.

His every instinct screamed for air, but none came while the pressure only intensified, and just as the crushing silence of death seemed moments away, his eyes snapped open.

Gasping softly, he found himself lying atop the carriage once more.

Above him, the Sun was just beginning to rise from the eastern horizon while casting long, golden shafts across the cold earth.

The air held a crisp bite and brushed against his skin like needles of chilled silk and he was never more glad to breathe this air again.

That sensation of death by drowning had taught him something more.

Looking down, he found his bruised and torn arm still aching with a stinging pulse.

Without lifting himself, he let his gaze drift to the slowly brightening sky where a few stubborn, dark clouds still lingered and drifted lazily overhead.

He lowered his eyes and found the little black chick nestled by his arm and rubbing its soft beak gently against his wound.

It sucked at the crackling streaks of dark lightning that flickered faintly over his skin and fed on it with silent enthusiasm.

Ethan sighed while his chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm.

He patted the chick and felt its soft, downy feathers brushing against his fingertips.

But the dream… that dream still lingered and became coiled tight in his mind like a snake refusing to let go.

He sat up slowly while remembering the sensations from that blood-hued ocean that were still so hauntingly vivid.

That drowning… that helplessness… it had felt too real and too raw to be a mere dream.

Just as he was lost in thought, his brows furrowed as he noticed that the scenery around him had changed.

Gone were the savannah-like grasslands, and in their place stretched a stark, alien landscape dyed in shades of red.

The ground was rocky, the terrain jagged, and the earth itself looked as though it had been soaked in blood.

Rugged mountains pierced the sky in the distance with their faces naked and weather-worn. No life seemed to exist within them, and the world was silent.

He was a little alarmed and vanished from the roof in a blink and appeared inside the carriage.

The girls were still asleep and were untouched by the strangeness outside, but something in the resting area caught his eye.

It was a small yellow cat sitting upright on the table with its tail curled neatly and its gaze watching the sleeping girls.

Barely larger than his palm, its body was delicate but graceful and more spirit-like than feline.

Ethan's instincts immediately told him it was no kitten but a fully grown creature in a compact form.

The moment it sensed his sudden presence, it snapped its head toward him.

Its fur bristled instantly, and its back arched high like a cornered beast while its eyes became wide with tension, with a sharp gleam flashing in them.

But Ethan didn't flinch.

Instead, he gave a faint smile and walked slowly toward it with each of his steps being calm and deliberate.

Panic took over the cat, and it darted up the wall in a blur while leaping and twisting in a dire effort to escape.

In the process, a soft cloud of sandy dust exploded from its body as it tried to obscure and vanish itself, but Ethan's senses weren't fooled.

With a fluid, almost casual motion, he reached behind his head and caught the little creature by the scruff of its neck mid-leap.

It was still in his grip as its body became limp and started trembling slightly.

Ethan raised it before his eyes with a lingering smile on his face as he gazed at it.

The cat's green eyes were no longer sharp with fear, but they now shimmered with silent pleading and submission.

The soft commotion stirred the girls awake as they blinked in confusion.

But they immediately sat up when they noticed the strange furred creature in Ethan's hand.

"What is that?" they asked in unison, though they already knew it was a cat.

Velcy was wide-eyed with excitement and instantly rushed to his side and outstretched her arms to hold it, but Ethan held it just out of reach.

Her ears and tail popped out and started swishing and flipping as they mirrored her excitement.

She started pouting on seeing Ethan's action. But soon she calmed down and waited when she sensed his calm seriousness.

Ethan patted Velcy's head to ease her impatience and then turned toward Virelle with a questioning glance.

Virelle's eyes flicked to the cat, and she gave an awkward smile, then slowly shook her head, showing that she was clearly unfamiliar with the creature's nature.

Acknowledging her with a nod, Ethan looked back at the cat.

With a breath, he placed a finger on its forehead and sent a gentle stream of soul energy into its soul space.

Knowing its intelligence was rudimentary, he didn't try to speak, but instead conveyed his thoughts and intentions through feelings and impressions, that is, through the universal soul language his Master Nyx had taught him.

This method allowed communication with any sentient or semi-sentient being, no matter its form or voice.