"Alright, I'll see you in the mourning!" The blonde receptionist said, smiling.
Looking to the left the team saw 8 rooms downstairs and 5 rooms upstairs.
"I don't know about you guys, but I want a nice view!" Chase said running to the staircase.
Damian followed, they used the last of their energy getting to their respective rooms. Donnie sighed, walking left to the downstairs rooms.
"It's impressive they can even do all this while so tired" Andrew said, following him. once everyone chose their rooms, sleep was sure to follow.
——
once Chase closed the door behind him, he looked around. Not much, a bathroom, some a bed, to the lower left of the bed was an empty drawer next to the door. On top of it was a mirror. Finally taking off his cloak, Chase got a look at himself.
He was about 6'2 in heigh now, and his glowing eyes required a straining effort to hold back. But the biggest thing he had to hold back were the horns that came jutting out from his head. Chase found that if he concentrated, he could make them small enough to hide for a time.
"If I stood out there any longer, I would've been toast he said, his smile would be contagious if anyone were to see.
"You aren't the only good looking guy anymore Donnie." And suddenly thoughts of Andrew clouded his mind. "The whole crew is competing now actually" he sighed.
Chase got off of the drawer and and walked towards his bed, plopping down onto it the moment he got close. As he lay on his back, he looked out of the window. A beautiful evening sky, just beginning to turn dark met his his eyes.
"I hope I can hunt monsters soon enough." he said, turning over, eager for sleep.
——
Chase suddenly opened his eyes, but not to the room he had been familiar with for the night, but rather to his spirit sea.
he was in the middle of a purple sea now, less complex and violent, more smooth and streamlined. looking around, he saw the culprit, his other savior.
The beautiful woman in the all black cloak and robe. "Hello. Sorry for interrupting your dream, but I thought you'd want to see a few things." She said, nervously scratching her head.
"It's fine, I should still be sleeping anyway." if they were in the spirit sea then he wasn't controlling his body. He obviously wasn't conscious.
"How has life up there changed? Anything else happen?" She asked. Hearing this, Chase lifted one eyebrow in confusion."You can't see from my eyes?"
"I would normally be able to, but I had to chain down that guy" she said pointing behind, over her shoulder with her thumb.
taking two steps to the right, he was able to see Vantriel, sitting on his knees in a giant cage, chains wrapping around his arms many times, keeping them spread apart. An expression of pure hatred plastered on his face.
Looking at him put Chase in a worse mood. Immediately flashbacks flooded into his mind about the incident. The faces of warriors, some willing and some not, to fight whatever that thing was. Then came the images of their gruesome ends.
he clenched his hands, they began shaking.
the chains around that demon didn't do much at all to prevent his rage. 'They are still dead and not only does he have the audacity to cling to life, but to live in the back of my very conscious!?'
"It's alright for now" the lady said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "I'll keep him at bay so you don't have to worry about him taking over."
Chase walked forward, towards the cage with a bitter expression. "What?! You think you can judge me now, you useless sack of meat!?"
Vantriel yelled with all his might, pulling against his chains in an effort to rip them off.
It was obviously futile.
"Yes." Chase said. "But I also wanted to tell you that I'll find a way to get rid of you, Finishing what even heroes of old couldn't."
Vantriels expression turned ugly "yeah right, you learn what mana feels like once now you're some demigod?"
Chase ignored his minor insults as a smile crept up his face. "And I'll do it using your power, finally taking it for my own."
vantriel looked like her wanted to say something, but it was block off. He couldn't hear the words coming out of his mouth.
The culprit behind it all put her hands over his eyes. "I'm sorry. I thought seeing him low would give you a short burst of dopamine but I guess I missed the mark by a lot."
"I-it's fine" Chase replied, momentarily shocked. She pulled him closer, hugging him from behind. "I know you're going through a lot. Probably trying to brush it off with jokes and humor to not think about what happened."
Chase wanted to move but her grip grew more firm. She pulled him back and he fell onto his normal sitting position. She had to be on her knees to keep her arms where they were.
"What are you getting at?" Chase said eager to end this meeting. "It's okay to need someone to talk to." she kept going.
"I worry about you, so whatever you need to get off your chest that you can't share with them, you can share with me. I'll always be there when you close your eyes." she said smiling.
a long silence came over them as he leaned into her embrace for a minute or two. Finally she relented. "I'll let you go now, but remember to stay true to yourself, don't let the world hallow you out do you hear me?"
"What is your name?" Chase asked, shaking and Looking back at her. She smiled before the words "Jasmine" left her lips.
"Thank you, jasmine" Chase said, before his consciousness shifted back into his bed, early morning rays hit him through the window.
An uncontrollable smile wouldn't leave his face as he recited the name. "Thank you, Jasmine."