Hi. Sidonia posting for the second time.
It seems my story does not end, as it does end for dear cousin (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 ) and aunty (Part 4). I have received so many heartwarming messages since I posted my experience (Part 5), I thank you all who sent positive messages in private, it means so much to me.
Am I happy? I surely am. I am a new girl, with a new life. I know there were only a few days since it all started, but all my old life seems like another life. Perhaps it seems funny, especially since I missed school, mostly due to the stress of it all. I stayed up at night, on watch for those things coming after me. Indeed, I have seen Candles at my window, I even got into an argument with mom who wanted to bring fresh air inside in the evening, after cooking, due to the fear of them coming in. But, mostly, my mom and dad seem glad that I embrace normality (or a part of it, anyway). It is pretty ironic that I rejected so fiercely when I thought myself to be Human and now, when I know I am a Mermaid (Caterpillar Mermaid, but still a Mermaid) I want to embrace it. But it makes a lot of sense, since my real self is out of prison, it comes out fully, right?
They still wanted to get more information from me regarding what happened, they saw the marks on my body, and I, virtually, turned into another person overnight. I am not ready to talk to them too much yet, after hiding much of the real me from them as well. But they followed my wishes to buy me new clothes and stuff.
I have been back to my relatives’ home, on Vasile Lascăr, aunt Odette brought me to Helena„s house. I can say it my mortal side felt a little odd entering there but, after what I have been through, and since I have been in Helena„s arms during those moments, I got used to it pretty fast. But I am telling you, the layer of a full fledged Vampire is not a place for the faint of heart, at all.
Helena was kind enough to give at least one hour of her time to talk to me in private, I can say I was amazed. I honestly do not know how to tell my confessor what happened to me, she behaved pretty much like a guide. She was like a balm to my soul, precisely showing me what I need: that I can be with my Lord being me, and how wrong I was before. I think the best thing she did was that she showed me how she can be herself. Anyway, since much of it will be my intimate experience. I shall not get into too much detail.
I went for a walk yesterday afternoon. A cold early winter afternoon, but I really enjoyed it, since I loved showing myself, something I do not know if I ever did truly before. I decided to visit the Tei sports park, which is on the banks of the Tei lake, like the main Tei park, where Sophie and Michael first encountered the Candles. I thought I had nothing to lose, since they seem to know where I live already and during the daytime they seem inactive and, besides, if all ends well, I want to start professional swimming lessons, in order to become a performer. Due to my folly, I have not been in any large body of water since I was ten, I think, and that is something terrible for a Mermaid.
I looked at the time, since I needed to get back home before sunset. As I entered the gate, I felt a bit of a feeling of not being very welcome there, hard to identify. The place hardly had any people into its alleys, being early winter. The pavement was covered in leaves, a little muddy, since it rained very much in the previous days, but it was ok. I walked around, re-exploring the place, since I have not been there for so many years, despite being very close to home. The place seemed a bit unmaintained.
I remembered male gazes on me, I felt mixed, since I was not used to being seen like this. I have it on other females so many times, but never on myself. Did I enjoy it? For sure, although I still feel a little embarrassed.
I felt like going on the water„s edge, where a wharf was. I have a feeling it is not used very much or at all, it looked kinda bad. But it all seemed pretty tranquil and I thought I could enjoy several minutes of peace. I sat down on the leaves and listened to the waves. Some not very distant sounds from the people on the base did disturbed me a bit. I looked at the lake surface, hoping to see something underneath, perhaps a sign of the Candles sleeping or something? Yeah, after all I have been through, playing with fire? Eh, do not underestimate a Mermaid’s call for the waves…
I looked at the sky and it did not seem dead any more. I listened to it for a few minutes. I do not remember it starting, it was that faint. I think aunt Odette said something about experiencing something similar at some point, I do not remember too well. It was like some kind of rhythm on my thoughts. I think I played along with it for a while, before becoming conscious of it. My mind felt odd, since it became stronger, it started to unnerve me. Then I realized it was some kind of pulse, coming from somewhere. Like a beam of sorts. I took out my prayer rope (I admit I haven’t used it too much before all this, but it was a good start for a good habit.) and started saying the Jesus Prayer in my mind: ”Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” discreetly. That thing became clearer and stronger, and it was like trying to get to my mind, but it could not. Was it a sound? As I stood there and listened to it, it felt like the air around the lake was filled with it.
Then I remember to look at the time, it was quite late, but I could get home in time. I stood up and started walking towards the exit. That pulse became harder to feel, since it was no longer quiet, easy to dismiss, if not careful, but still there. I forgot about it much of the way home, but never really went away.
The evening was a normal one, I barricaded the windows and doors. Testimonies on Bucharest and Ilfov regarding the Candles diminished on social media in the last few days, especially since the accident happened in Vâlcea county took up much more attention. It hasn’t got too much mainstream media attention, but some alternative news websites and social media have discussed it a lot. Eventually, I discovered an incident that caught my attention.
In Sinaia, near the banks of Prahova river and the railway, a heating system maintenance technician experienced something, while working on an emergency repair in a hotel. I shall translate the Facebook post next. Sinaia is a resort in the Carpathian mountains, not very high.
—
Last night, I was called at the (Redacted name) hotel, their system failed during the afternoon. Nothing too unusual at first, just the annoyance of working late, nothing more. It seemed very much like a lot of work and it was. The whole hotel was already pretty cold when I arrived and, indeed, I had to work both on the inside and the outside. And I did. It got dark, but I still have not finished. It took some hours after sunset and I wasn’t finished yet.
One nasty piece of pipe was on the back. The dark forest behind the hotel was mostly silent at first, just the usual noises, from time to time, as the wind blew through the trees. I started hearing a strange humming behind me, in the woods. I thought it was the wind, as I paid attention to the pipe.
As time passed, it got closer. That got me thinking: ”Well, if it gets closer this is, probably, not the wind. What could this be?” I looked back on the forest, I could see nothing in the dark, but the sound was clearly coming from there. I felt a bit odd. I returned to work, but was still paying attention to the humming behind me. As it got close, it started to sound rhythmic, like some sort of song, perhaps, sung by muffled voices. I turned back again and noticed some dark silhouettes in the trees, coming closer and the humming came from them. There were about four of them, moving into a formation, making no noise while going down the slope, except for the humming itself.
I came close to look at them, they were tall and looked like they were covered into a grey cloth. I first thought of some pranksters, but they did not seem to use their hands for balance and they walked eerily fine on the slope. It was not not a steep one, yet, I would have expected for a person to need to balance themselves against the trees or something, at least not walk so easily.. The humming was clearer now, it could make out if those were voices or not. Anyway, it sounded eerily attractive, I can not explain why. For a few seconds I looked abashed, not knowing what to do.
When one of them got about 20 meters away from me, I could see two small grey lights where the eyes were supposed to be, under the cloth. Inside of me something stirred then, like a voice in my head telling me to run. I tried to fight it, but the man or whatever that was turned in my direction, those grey lights that seemed to be his eyes stared at me, then I felt they were, actual, eyes. I ran away towards the pipe, grabbed as much as I could from my tools and ran towards my van. They entered the backyard of the hotel, while I turned around the hotel, to get to the van. As I entered the van, I saw the manager at the entrance, probably preparing to ask me while I was running. I shouted at him: ”Run for your life or get in and lock the door immediately! Don„t ask me why!” All the lights I could see at the hotel went off, as I drove off.
I was called to the police today, it seems all people from the hotel are missing, every single one of them. I shall tell them the truth. Anyway, I can not make any lie to sound convincing enough.
—
This means they started to move out of the Bucharest/Ilfov area, into other parts of the country. How many were they? Were they growing in numbers? I tried to look out for recent testimonies from Bucharest, from the last few days, to see if this happened at the same time with the Sinaia incident, but I could not find any. I send the testimony to Sophie with my thoughts. She replied in a few minutes with a link on a Romanian language subreddit, saying: ”You really need to see this!”
It was something regarding the Vâlcea accident that happened a few days before, it seemed to be a testimony of a policeman who reached the location first after a call of a large vehicle exiting the main road. I read it and Sophie asked me to translate it and post it.
Several notes, before the translation: Dealul Negru is the name of a hill that sits between the counties of Vâlcea and Argeș, in Romania, where is a section of a road that connects the east and the west of the country. The road is highly circulated, being used for heavy merchandise transportation, but not only. In Romanian ”Dealul Negru” means ”Black Hill”and the name fits the place, since it is a hotspot for accidents. I have been there myself, it is a mountainous road in the Carpathian mountains that has multiple and consecutive serpentines, mostly forest around it. Also famous for the mititei (mici) barbeque dish, considered to be the best in the country, according to many. There are several motels and tourist shops on it. It would be really nice, even for a holiday, perhaps, if it weren’t for that traffic. Anyway, let’s proceed with the story:
—-
My name is Ionuț Scărlătescu, I am a police officer in the county of Vâlcea. Many of you already know about the tragedy that happened at Dealul Negru, those days, when the bus crashed into the ravine. I realize what I share here would be pretty hard to believe by some, but this is real life, what me and my fellow officer experienced that night.
I think it was 11 pm when we were notified that there was a call reporting what seemed to be a truck crushing over the battlement, on Dealul Negru. It was a cold night, rain was pouring and this was something all at the police station hoped would not happen. Even more than this, it seems there was no way I wasn’t going to this, but this is life and duty. With me came agent Florin Dimache.
Agent Dimache was older and more experienced than me, at the age of 56, myself being only 25. As we went into the car, he said: ”Look at the bright side, lad. At least you shall not consume all your internet credit on your phone tonight, playing Candle Crush Saga.” ”It’s Candy Crush Saga, not Candle Crush Saga, sir. And I do not play such things, only far more serious games.” ”Anyway, we need to get going. It sounds very much like another hoax made by stupid kids. If so, as fast as we finish all this, the better.” We drove off into the night.
I remember that, while I was on the road, I told him: ”You know, next Sunday me and my peers from the Theology department shall sing several carols at the Dumbrava monastery.” Yes, I study Eastern Orthodox Theology at the university of Târgoviște. ”You are really determined to leave the force, it seems. You know, priesthood is no better than police work.” ”You see. things are not as simple, beyond any negative stereotypes. And besides, I do not plan to become a priest, at least for a long time from now. Just being a religion high school teacher would be enough.” ”At least, that will be better than this. You know I admire you for being determined to leave this work, before it gets too deep in your blood. Probably, if I were your age now, I would leave too. But it seems it is too late for me.”
There are large parts of the road that, although circulated, have no street lights on the dangerous mountain serpentines and forest around. This makes them really dangerous during rainy nights. We almost were the victims of another accident ourselves. Coming close to the coordinates given, the car almost slipped into a ditch due to a truck that seemed parked on a side of the road. If we weren’t busy, we would have stopped and told the driver who seemed to be on board to move the truck, if possible.
We managed to park the car nearby and headed towards the location. ”Look”, said agent Dimache, ”the battlement is broken. So it is real. Crap, this will be a long and nasty night…” Indeed, there was a huge gap in it and, behind it, the slope. We grabbed our flashlights and went to it. We knew the curve, behind it there was quite a steep slope, covered in forest. Fortunately, it is not impossible to get down on foot. Agent Dimache shone his flashlight in the dark forest below. ”It seems to me there is something there, lad. To the right.” As I pointed my flashlight I saw it as well. ”There is something large and white. Several trees are bent there, as well. I think… What is that? (I looked better.) Sir, that is not a truck, I think that is a bus.” ”Yes, you are right, that is a bus turned upside down. Crap, this will be a long night…” We reported the information and took another look.
”I think I am going down, sir. There may be people trapped there.” I said. ”I do not think I can stop you, although I would not go myself there, if I were alone.” Rain poured heavily on me. ”Please light the way down.” I said. The soil had turned into mud and, in combination with the autumn leaves, made avoiding slipping pretty difficult. There were some 30 meters, I think, to the bus, downward. I need to calculate every step, any loose root or small hole in the soil could mean a nasty fall.
The bus was silent. While I got really close to it, I almost tripped on what seemed to be a fallen branch. I looked at it, in order to avoid other similar branches, shining my flashlight. It was not a branch, it was an arm dressed in a red jacket, imitation of leather. ”Are you ok, lad?” asked agent Dimache. ”There is someone here.” I replied, as I looked better at the person down. It was a teen boy, with that fashionable hair style, shaved partially on the side and back of the head and the top of the head with curls. I remember he had an earring on this left ear, the only one visible, while he laid on his abdomen. His left eye was staring at a point in terror. But he was not blinking, he was gone. And not just gone, on his back there was a huge gash that went really deep.
”What? A living victim?” ”No, sir, he is dead. But what…” How could this buy be ejected from the bus and hurt like this? The gash looked really weird. ”Sir, a bear might have been here.” I shouted. ”Why?” ”This seems like it was made by something with claws or something…” ”Get back up…” No, there are others, most likely.” I went on down, looking left and right. Soon enough, I found another body, another teen boy, on his back. His eyes were bulged out, his mouth wide open, covered in blood. His abdomen chest was open, over the heart. This one seemed to have had an even more brutal end. ”Another dead one, sir. This one is even worse.” I shouted. ”Perhaps a bear is nearby,” said agent Dimache. ”I do not know. Please be quiet for a bit, I want to hear if there is any sound.”
I took the time to listen for about a minute, in the pouring rain. Nothing at first, then I heard a faint sound coming from some bushes that were, most likely, on the other side of the bus. I managed to get towards there, through the front of the bus. The bus itself smelled like gasoline, an explosion could have been possible yet, although unlikely. Several dead boys and girls were around, some bodies seemed to have been slashed pretty badly. One or two seemed to be in the bus itself, seemed pretty dead, the same as the driver, his body was partially ejected from the cabin. Those kids on the bus and the driver did not present any clear signs of being slashed, like the ones from the outside.
Indeed, there were some bushes behind the bus, and the slope was not very steep. ”Anything?” shouted agent Dimache. But I stayed quiet, to listen. Rain made it all pretty worse to see and take action, I even tripped once and fell to the ground. I arose wet and filled with mud and went towards the bushes. ”Hello, anybody there?” I said. Another rustle. Was this a bear? Perhaps. What I saw behind me, if the work of a bear could, presumably, be the work of a rabid bear and, if that came over me, I was pretty sure I would not be able to withstand, even with my gun. Perhaps if I took out fast enough to shoot the bear in the head?
No answer, but a small rustle was still heard. It could have been a bear, but unlikely, this did not sound too massive. I approached the bus and I saw, behind it, a small thing crawling on the ground, for sure not a bear. Perhaps a survivor? I shone my flashlight towards the thing and indeed, it was a teen girl, in a crawled position. She had no jacket, only jeans and a sweater, all soaking wet. Her brown, a little curled hair, was kept in a ponytail, a few stands being out. She turned her brown eyes on me, opened wide, insanely wide, like those of an animal facing death.
”Miss, are you ok?” She started to shake back and forward, her mouth opened wide, like frozen in terror. I went towards her. She shook pretty fiercely, I do not know what was worse: fear or the mixture of coldness and wetness. ”Miss, I am from the police. I can help you… Please, tell me, are there any other survivors?…” She started mumbling, barely managing to pronounce the words: ”Aaaaaaaaaaa-re they still out there?” ”I do not know if there are any others alive, have you seen others escaping?” ”Noo, ” she continued mumbling, ”those things, are they still out there?” ”What things?” ”The tall things, with shiny eyes…” As I looked puzzled, she went on: ”They either killed everyone on the bus, or they just took them… Most of them were brought down on the spot, but some were taken…”
This did not sound like a bear. Or like any other animal living around these places. I took out my coat and placed it on her. It took her a few seconds to accept it. ”Can you stand up?” ”I think so…” ”Ok, I shall take up the car. Are you sure there aren’t any others?” She nodded her head.
Piercing rain started getting to me, without the jacket, but the distance was not great, only to be able to get to the slope up, that being a very hard thing to achieve, since all was that wet. I knew I was at risk of pneumonia, if this took too much, but I was determined to make it as fast as possible. I smiled at the girl and said: ”I am Ionuț. What is your name?” ”Anca…” she barely managed to speak. ”Pleased to meet you.” and I managed to smile. As we got in the front of the bus, something in the back of my mind bugged me to move faster, not just for the sake of the cold, but to avoid something lurking, something that would come fast for us, if we did not.
”One survivor!” I shouted to agent Dimache, after we went around the bus, ”I think she is in shock, seems hypothermic. An ambulance needs to get here as fast as possible!” Agent Dimache communicated on the station as we went faster. Suddenly, Anca stopped, looking petrified ahead. I looked in the same direction and I saw something that looked like the remnant of a tree, near the slope. It was as tall as a tall Human, with two shiny dots near it„s top, shining with silver light. I first thought agent Dimache threw some lights down, for guidance, but I realized soon enough how stupid the idea was. A blanket of coldness and rising fear came over me, when I realized this was not something out of this world.
I knew there are demonic forces at work in this world, as an Orthodox Christian, I even studied about them at the university. The being started coming silently towards us. Anca was petrified for a few seconds, then screamed and turned around running back, towards the dark. I ran after her but, as soon as she reached the other side of the bus, she gave another scream. Soon, I found out why: Another of those creatures caught her and was now holding her in their arms. Yes, it had arms, it looked like a tall man, with a grey veil around it, thin hands sticking out of the veil with shining silver eyes, that shone a cold and fierce light.
I grabbed my gun and started shooting the being. It was pretty hard to hit it without hitting Anca. I think I hit it at least two times, since it gave some weird, numb sounds and a small smoke came out of the creature. Anca became numb at this post already, silent and not moving, in the arms of the creature.
About this time, a small swish sound came from my back. I did pay attention at first, but something piercing my mind made me turn. A few meters away from me, another creature came towards me. It kind of slides above the wet soil. I had to admit it was like floating, but I am not sure. I fired a bullet in it as well. My fingers were already cold due to the cold rain, but I still wanted to save Anca, if possible, so I turned for that creature holding her, that already began to slide on the precipice. A halo of death, numbness and cold, a cold that was colder than the natural cold, outside, if it makes sense. A halo that drove out my strength, my will to like.
I wanted to run for my life, I could still do it, but I did not. I managed to run after the creature holding Anca and hit it using my leg. It barely even flinched. But it turned to me for a second, as I tried to hit more and more, like in combat. I managed to get close enough to punch it in the ribs, it felt like a weird burning sensation, especially since it was close to a bullet hole. I started feeling on the fist a sensation of being burned or frosted. The other one came towards me. Unfortunately, I tripped and fell to the ground. The creature in front moved away, and the one behind came to me.
I stumbled a bit downwards the slope, it was very hard to stop me going to the bottom, I grabbed a branch. I was soaked in freezing rain, got hit in the back by the roots, but I managed to get a branch to stop the fall. It was hard to keep balance, it seems I still had my gun, I did my best to stand up and even rise. One of the creatures, apparently not the one that had Anca, came down towards me, the one having Anca was out of sight, in the bushes, most likely. I shouted: ”Anca!”, but no response. I think it felt to me, at this point, that Anca was lost. The creature came down slowly, this gave a chance to climb the slope from a small distance, avoiding it. It was hard, my hands were dirty and scratched, but I could get up. The creature did not get me, I managed to get back, next to the bus.
In front there were now two new ones. They looked at me and started making rhythmic sounds. I wonder if they could be called voices at this point. It was like a mumbling or like a wind. But it was beautiful, nonetheless. I tried to the back of the bus, it all seemed clear, so I turned towards the slope. Agent Dimache had already gone down, with the flashlight, flashing it around. The halo was still present. I wanted to run towards agent Dimache, but a strong hand, a fierce hand, and a bone-cold hand grabbed my left arm. I turned around and saw the silver lights for the eyes of a creature. It stared at me, speaking to me in the mumbled tongue, something that I understood in the back of my mind, but not consciously. It tried to erode my will, to achieve something out of me. I knew I could not accept whatever this wanted of me.
I could distinguish in the mumble ”Vinoo cu miiiine…” (”Come with meeeee…” in Romanian), trying to pull me. Something was injected in my mind, something sweet and destructive at the same time, as it pulled me close to it. I fought it as much as possible, but it was next to impossible to resist. I tried to grab my free arm to get the gun, but I was grabbed by it as well. It felt like I was moving away from life into the grave. I have seen what happened to Anca, death or a state akin to coma, if they manage to get you too close.
Fortunately, I heard a gunshot. Agent Dimache fired several bullets into it. One hit its skeletal hand, creating a small explosion and releasing my arm. That grey, horrible smoke came out of the wound of the creature. It felt like poison. Then another bullet hit in the other forearm, making another place for the smoke to come out. But I broke away from its grip. I heard agent Dimache shouting: ”Run for your life to the slope, lad! I shall keep them busy!” He took a break, looked in my eyes hastily and said: ”Go on, live your life. Be a teacher, a priest, a family man, if you want. There is still a way out for you, now. Go on, now… I shall keep them busy for now, perhaps even finish them off… Run!”
And I did. I was close to the slope, I stumbled on a root and fell to the ground once again. As I managed to get up, I heard the sound of something big being broken. I looked there and agent Dimache was held from the back in the air, the chest was broken and heart taken out, residing in the dead hand of the creature, still heating. I screamed: ”Nooooooooo!” and I turned towards the slope that I desperately wanted to climb. If I could get to the road, to the car, I was saved.
I started climbing, sobbing. I slipped often and this, although I did not give up, slowed me down a lot. One of the creatures came towards me, starting to mumble to me. The rhythmic mumbling started to sound as words, as it got closer: ”Lasă-măăăă înaăuuuntruu… Lasăăăă-măă înăuntru… Ai milăăăă, lasă-măăă Înăuuuuntruuuu…” (In Romanian: ”Let meeee in, have mercyyyyym let me iiiiin…”).
The voice harted to sound sweet, appealing, like a distant wonderland calling me. It got stronger and stronger, like waves of something messing with my conscious mind. I felt sweet, appealing, and merciful. ”Ai milăăă de mineee… Ai milăăă de mineee…” (Romanian: ”Have mercy on meee…. Have mercy on meeee…”) The mumble, this rhythmic, started to reverberate in the section of the valley, like a wind. I felt more tired as the slope came towards the end and I got closer to the edge. I tripped one final time and fell in the mud. The creature took advantage of all this and came close, spreading it„s poison on me. I mumbled: ”Lord, have mercy on my soul…” As I struggled to rise up, I could see the silver lanterns as they got closer and pierced my soul, trying to get control over it:
”Așa friiig… Așa singurăăătaaate… Tu nu ai cum săăă știiii, Ionuuuț…” (Translated: ”So cooold… Such looooliness… There is no way for you to know, Ionuuuț…”) I had to do something fast, to buy time or to stop it coming closer, it was clear that it would get me before I got up. Something I needed to do. I got my gun, but it was either empty, or one single bullet left. The creature looked at me and started to feel a deep sorrow that tried to create a deep pity. A deep loneliness, a deep abandonment, deep and unbearably hard. And it tried to create a deep compassion for it, as I started to feel a bit how it is to be dead, And I call tell you, those eyes drilled into my soul all this, asking something I did not dare to accept to understand, although I knew it, somehow, already.
I had to try to shoot, before being on my feet and escaping on the road. And I decided to shoot one last bullet in one of the creatures’ eyes. I was not sure I would be able to do it, being exhausted, hypothermic and my mind being poisoned. But I aimed, I fired and the bullet entered the eye socket. A small explosion occurred and the vile eye emanated grey light, some a flow of liquid metal in the air. A low shriek came out, and the communication with me stopped. I took advantage of this moment, before they could regroup and started climbing the slope, using roots and branches.
Below me, I felt angry mumbling, I was sure they want to get me now even more. But I was very determined to escape in the car. At the last moment, a skeletal hand just missed my leg, but I was up. I ended up drenched on the driver’s seat, shaking. I called to backup, barely speaking, that agent Dimache was dead, that there seemed to be no survivors and I was in a bad situation myself. The ambulance came and took me to the hospital quickly.
I developed pneumonia, I still have it, but I am alive, and I am thankful to The Lord for this. I declared the truth, they do not believe me, but that is ok. I shall not lie. I shall even post this. The truth needs to be known. That accident I do not think it was an accident, It made no sense to fall over the battlement like that. Something hunted those kids, most likely. Be careful out there people, I shall update you if I can.”
—
So this is the story from the bus accident. Fortunately, I was able to save the post on a document on my phone, for translation purposes. Both the post and the user account were deleted soon enough.
I came to Sophie the next day, to discuss these issues, if these are the same ones from Bucharest or another group? Are they expanding? Fortunately, Helena was there and was able to answer some of the questions. ”We do not know if they are the same. The lack of testimonies from the Bucharest/Ilfov region suggests that they are the same, but moving. But this is just speculation for now.” she said. ”Why do you think they took only certain passengers, killing the rest?” ”Probably they took the ones they needed and killed the rest. I have a feeling that those caught were Caterpillar Elves, perhaps of certain lineages. Of course, they did not know what they were. Even in Bucharest, we saw a similar thing, they did not take anybody, but certain individuals.
Why do they take those people? They sacrifice them, most likely, to keep necromancy going and being sustained. If I am right, every Caterpillar Elf is in danger.”
There came a long silence. Eventually, I broke it: ”The signal, like a sound pulsating, coming from the north, it seems, do you feel it too?” ”Yes both do, me and mom.” answered Sophie. I think even Artanis does. You hear it. Even Helena hears it, somewhat different. But my dad does not. It seems Elves and other magical beings hear it. It’s like calling us, or announcing something.” Helena said: ”Do you feel like doom is approaching?” ”I do, said Sophie.” Even aunt Odette said: ”I think I do too.” ”Myself as well, I said.”
Helena looked at us, gave a sigh: Something great is cooking. We need to tell people about it. Something needs to be done, and fast.” Odette had a very grim expression on her face, like she would like to cry. ”Are you ok?” I asked. ”No,” she replied sorrowfully.” She looked at Helena and said: ”Is there any idea to know who the Candles were when they were alive? ”
Helena answered: ”They could have been any Real Elf. A High Elf who lived in the Elvenland for millennia, a lower ranking Elf from the woods, a Mermaid, even a humble Caterpillar Elf who lived in the city for their whole life, not knowing they were Elves. But they must have been responsible for a very bad deed, in order to be cursed like this, not to enter the afterlife. And now, someone is bringing them back, with sacrifices of living Elves.
Aunt Odette stopped and gave a tear. We looked towards her. ”You know, Sophie, me and my father, your grandfather, had our own code. When we were playing, or going for a walk, we spoke in our own riddles. I remember them vividly. At the night Sidonia was attacked, one of them came close to me and whispered from the code. I remember I froze then, I knew that was him. You can all say about demonic deceits, that this could be one but this is how it felt to me. It seems that my dear father has become one of these things…” Sophie gave a hug, and both started to cry.
”I do not think it would be a good idea contacting him,” said Helena. ”Who knows who controls him? If this is really him.” Aunt Odette gave a long look, almost angry at Helena.
Sophie asked: ”Does he still love us? Does he still care for us?.. I wonder…” Helena replied: ”I, honestly, do not know how much of his old self remains.” The state of being dead is vastly different from the one of the living.” Then came silence.
After a few minutes, Sophie whispered: ”Somebody really hates or is kind. Are we going to just leave it be? Who knows if and when they shall stop? Is our kind now in jeopardy? The living and hunted and used to rituals, the dead are brought back as a fake substitute for life.” She took a pause and continued: ”As you all know, all Elves are connected to Earth, are bound to it. We can not live, we form the same organism, somehow. A great bitterness is gathering on us, in time, and we became weary of all. Perhaps this is why we see no Full Elves around. They did not bear it. But our race is once again alive, albeit in this form, and we need to fight for it, because they are our people. And, against all, I truly believe there is a great future ahead of us, even greater than in the myths and legends.”
I looked at her and said: ”I am just beginning to understand that I am an Elf, still a numb beginner but I can tell you that I feel it myself too. This connection we all have with the world and with each other. I think I started to feel like you, this love for the Elven kin, for my people. I know we all need to fight. But, honestly, I do not know how.” ”Let„s pay attention to all that happens. And continue our training.
Indeed, I started training with Helena and Sophie and aunt Odette, to explore my own abilities. It was not spectacular at first, but some things were visible, I was so happy when I saw them! It was a beautiful day.
Towards the end, I have had another long discussion with Helena. She became my spiritual guide, letting myself to be guided and treated by her was amazing. She said: ”You hated yourself for so long and so much. Now, you need to first love yourself. Then, to be loved, to accept to be loved. Those first two you experience already. But there will come a time when you need to get to the next level, to have real love for your neighbor and live it truly. If you fail to achieve it, your state may become even worse. You are with your beautiful soul on the outside, living your freedom in Christ. It is good to have a spiritual childhood, to rely upon during the years. But, remember, great fights are ahead, to keep the gift and even make it better. You would need to protect this inner beauty that shines on the outside as well.
Don’t be scared, The Lord is with you for the right path.” I gave her a hug and cried.
Take care of you and your loved ones. Hope to see you soon.
Sidonia.
Update: Part 7