Sitting by the window, Tomas watched people flock to the [House of Worship] for the Coming to Age Ceremony. Tears cascaded off his face, he too reached the age for the ceremony, yet his quadriplegia has stifled his rite of passage. It is not to say that those born with such conditions could not join. But awakening the soul would affect every individual and in Tomas’ case it could lead to death. And as the first son of the Kingsword, Fernando Angel Rivera, and the Royal Mage, Dolores Mercedes Rivera, Tomas could not be sacrificed. He was aware of the dangers of increasing the resonance and made the decision to stay. But this did not stop him from feeling regret and remorse, if only he was born able-bodied, he thought.
Tomas continued to watch through the window till nightfall when the ceremony would properly commence.
“Elidi, could you roll me over to bed. I have no appetite tonight and would like to rest” Tomas said with his back facing a young woman with umber hair and olive-green eyes. She nodded and rolled him his wheelchair away from the balcony. Although she was younger than Tomas, her body was well trained, and she easily carried him off the wheelchair on unto the bed.
For as long as she served the Rivera family, she has rarely seen Tomas sleep. There was gossip amongst the Rivera servants that Tomas dealt with more than physical ailments. For many years they would hear terrible screams coming from his room at night. He was seen by various doctors and other than his inability to use his limbs, Tomas was fine. However, no one knew that every moment of sleep would trap Tomas into the rings of Hell. This was a curse from the Devils of the Demonic Realm. Not as punishment but to acclimate his soul to demonic energy.
Tomas feared sleep. Since his birth he would close his eyes and awake to a landscape smelling of blood, organs, and death. As a baby he would wander around the outer ring of Hell and could only return until the damage to his soul reached a certain point. He could explore Hell for longer as he aged. However, he developed a phobia and insomnia which weakened his already fragile body. The Gods of the Heavenly Realm blessed Tomas with fortune. It was a shock when they learned he was born with such a disability, and although they tried to heal him the Goddess of Health could not help.
“Elidi, thank you for everything you have done for me. Today was meant to also be my day of Resonance, yet as you can see my body would not withstand such a task. I am grateful for you. You may return to your own tasks and I shall sleep”, Tomas said as she placed a thin blanket over his body.
She watched as Tomas began to fall asleep and only left when she heard him snoring. Her back pressed against the front of his bedroom door, Elidi’s body slid till her butt touched the floor. Placing her head between her knees and her hands on her ears she cried as she began to hear terrible screams from Tomas’ room. Since she became his caretaker, she has grown an emotional bond. It was painful to hear the man she loved going through such pain. And she would not dare to open the door.
Elidi sat and cried until Fernando returned from his duties and dismissed her. “Thank you for your dedication and resolve young Elidi. We value your strength” Fernando said as he opened Tomas’ door. Elidi patted her uniform and dried her tears before walking back to the servant quarters.
Tomas continued to watch through the window till nightfall when the ceremony would properly commence.
“Elidi, could you roll me over to bed. I have no appetite tonight and would like to rest” Tomas said with his back facing a young woman with umber hair and olive-green eyes. She nodded and rolled him his wheelchair away from the balcony. Although she was younger than Tomas, her body was well trained, and she easily carried him off the wheelchair on unto the bed.
For as long as she served the Rivera family, she has rarely seen Tomas sleep. There was gossip amongst the Rivera servants that Tomas dealt with more than physical ailments. For many years they would hear terrible screams coming from his room at night. He was seen by various doctors and other than his inability to use his limbs, Tomas was fine. However, no one knew that every moment of sleep would trap Tomas into the rings of Hell. This was a curse from the Devils of the Demonic Realm. Not as punishment but to acclimate his soul to demonic energy.
Tomas feared sleep. Since his birth he would close his eyes and awake to a landscape smelling of blood, organs, and death. As a baby he would wander around the outer ring of Hell and could only return until the damage to his soul reached a certain point. He could explore Hell for longer as he aged. However, he developed a phobia and insomnia which weakened his already fragile body. The Gods of the Heavenly Realm blessed Tomas with fortune. It was a shock when they learned he was born with such a disability, and although they tried to heal him the Goddess of Health could not help.
“Elidi, thank you for everything you have done for me. Today was meant to also be my day of Resonance, yet as you can see my body would not withstand such a task. I am grateful for you. You may return to your own tasks and I shall sleep”, Tomas said as she placed a thin blanket over his body.
She watched as Tomas began to fall asleep and only left when she heard him snoring. Her back pressed against the front of his bedroom door, Elidi’s body slid till her butt touched the floor. Placing her head between her knees and her hands on her ears she cried as she began to hear terrible screams from Tomas’ room. Since she became his caretaker, she has grown an emotional bond. It was painful to hear the man she loved going through such pain. And she would not dare to open the door.
Elidi sat and cried until Fernando returned from his duties and dismissed her. “Thank you for your dedication and resolve young Elidi. We value your strength” Fernando said as he opened Tomas’ door. Elidi patted her uniform and dried her tears before walking back to the servant quarters.
