EP : Weiss

  - Blood in Pale White

  “Who am I to judge, if this is a blessing or a curse?”

  Part I : The Pale Blood

  "You're God's gift to this world."

  That's what the man said to her. He knelt beside her. His reassurance brings a wave of emotions in her small heart. The big and rough hand ran through her messy maroon hair. It's not exactly the most comfortable but she didn't mind it.

  "What do you mean..?" She could only manage a small voice.

  The man stood up with an air of authority, he spoke proudly turning around his arms opening to show the sanctuary they are currently in. His white long robe moves and twists with his body.

  "Do you see this marvelous place?"

  The child nodded. The place is pristine, clean, sacred and beautiful.

  "This is The Pale Church, a place for us to worship our Arbiter."

  "The Arbiter..?"

  His hands stop in front of her, sensing it she raises her head to face it.

  "Follow me, child."

  The girl takes his hand, her small hand a contrast to his. Her hands are calloused and full of cuts. He guides her through the middle of the church, their footsteps echoing loudly.

  In the middle, a statue of a being. Its form is unlike anything in this world. Its slender mechanical divine body, with six arms spread forming a symbol. The head is a mask akin to a knight.

  The First Singularity, The Pale Arbiter.

  "Arvad. He saved us from the world from its fate. Slaying The Primordial Beasts and bringing order to this world."

  The man turned around with a warm smile to her.

  "Your blood is special. It can heal people. Arvad has given the world, you. With this we can save people and spread The Pale Church influence and save even more people!"

  Her eyes lit up, all her life she thought that her blood will always bring misfortune to herself or others. But this time.. He believes in her. He believes that she can bring good to the world.

  Her voice cracks as tears begin to fill her eyes. She wanted to say something but she couldn't, the words stuck in her throat. The man's hand ran through her silky and tangled maroon hair, smoothing it out and caressing it.

  "Everything's going to be alright. You're welcome here."

  "I am..?" The meek voice spoke, shaky yet filled with hope.

  He nodded as if it didn't even matter. With a warm smile he asked "What's your name, child?"

  Caught off guard she flinched slightly, the words died in her tongue. Her mind scrambled for something, nothing. After all, no one had ever given her a name. Not that she needed one.

  No words were needed for the man, he understood.

  "I see.. Then, how about Weiss?"

  Weiss?

  A puzzled expression filled her face. Confused and curious.

  "Okay.. But, my hair isn't white.."

  At her response, the man let out a loud chuckle at how ridiculous it was. The word certainly referred to the colour, but he finds it humorous that she immediately thought of that.

  He knelt down, his tone changing to a more lighthearted tone, akin to a parent scolding a child softly.

  "No, that's not what I meant. Perhaps I will tell you one day, for now try to guess it yourself."

  It caused a sense of frustration and curiosity to bubble up within her, she wanted to know. She needed to know. But, in the end she held back.

  "Okay.."

  "Good girl."

  He stood up once more and took a deep breath. His figure casting a large shadow across her, as the light from behind was covered by him.

  "Will you join us, Weiss?"

  °

  "This is where you'll be staying." The door creaked slowly to reveal a decently sized room with a bunch of wooden furniture. It's definitely not what people would call a luxury, but it's bearable. Her eyes immediately gaze towards the bed, its soft and comfy sheets made her heart race with excitement like a kid who's given a candy for the first time.

  She wanted to just jump and buried her face down that soft silky smooth sheet and pillow. And just stay there until the ends of time.

  But out of shame or perhaps politeness, she resisted. Her eyes squinted shut as if to avoid her desires, her fists clenched tightly.

  The man noticing her reaction chuckled slightly before clearing his throat to get her attention.

  "Go ahead."

  Her eyes light up like the morning sun, it's blood red color shining almost too brightly. The man instinctively covered his eyes with the back of his hand.

  He blinks and it took barely a second for her to jump to the bed, snuggling and letting out a sound similar to a cat purring. She rubs and nuzzles the pillow like someone who had just seen a river in the vast dessert.

  "You should get some rest."

  She kept her face buried in the pillow. Then a moment later the door closed.

  Thump

  Leaving the room in comfortable silence. The ticking clock provides a calm ambience. She felt herself feeling more tired than ever. She flipped around gazing upon the ceiling sky as if it was filled with the twinkling stars.

  A comfortable sigh escapes her lips. She finds herself unable to contain the smile of content that's appearing on her face.

  "This is nice.."

  Her eyelids closed, her body relaxing in response. As much as she would like to just sleep her thoughts away. One single thought always echoed in the small space in her head.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  What am I...?

  The small girl had wondered that question all of her life. She didn't know why or how she was swept in all of this. The only thing left to do is follow wherever it takes her.

  The church had provided the essentials and even more than she had expected. A place to live, delicious food, a community of people who accepted her. Yet—there's something missing. A lingering feeling that could not be removed from her thought of mind.

  But for now, this is all she could ask for. She doesn't dare to demand anything more. If she can live like this.. Maybe she'd do anything they ask her.

  She observed her appearance, her hair now shorter than before, the length now barely reaching her shoulders. The man had cut her hair precisely the shapes of her hair defined with intent.

  A satisfied huff escapes her.

  Suddenly—a knock can be heard from outside her room. The sound almost made her jump.

  "Y-yes?"

  Their footsteps echoed against the empty halls, the noise filling the silent atmosphere. Side by side Weiss and the man who had taken her in walked. She gazes up at him, his height towering over her, he must've been more than two times her height.

  "Mister... Uh.."

  The man noticed her voice, and looked at her.

  "You can call me father. That's what the kids here call me."

  "Okay.. Where are we going, father?"

  "Remember when I told you about your gift?"

  The reminder weighs heavily on her mind.

  "In order to use your blood, we must extract it first."

  A pit grew in her stomach, a sense of uneasiness filling her body.

  "It won't hurt much. Don't worry."

  They arrived at a room, its walls white and cold. The room is filled with surgical equipment and supplies. A slight stench of iron lingered in the room. In the middle there's a bed and a large light on top.

  The man's hand rested on her shoulders trying to ease her but it did little to help. She noticed a few people standing among the bed. Their presence caused her palms and neck to sweat. Her lips dry with unspoken words.

  "Shall we?"

  She was laid on the bed, the lights blinding her vision causing her to squint. A large hand held her left arm down its force strong enough to leave a bruise. Tears prickled in her eyes at the pain, she held herself to not make any noise as if a single breath to loud will make it worse.

  A needle pierced through her inner elbow causing her left arm to move trying to break free from their gasps. Her eyes jolted widely, the light reflecting on her blood red eyes.

  It almost feels like the needle is going to go through her arm.

  It hurts.. It hurts..

  The thought repeated in her mind over and over getting louder and louder—

  Until it all goes quiet.

  A deafening silence.

  Her body felt numb, unable to resist... Slowly getting weaker... And weaker...

  She felt like it's slipping away, her body unable to resist eventually succumbing to slumber.

  "Weiss...!"

  Her eyelids flutter opened. The same blinding light now dimmed. Her head turned towards the voice.

  "Father..."

  The man looked at her with worry and pity.

  "I'm sorry, It seems that lamias are particularly receptive to pain. Even more when their blood is taken." Despite his apologies, it sounds more like an observation.

  His hand goes through her scalp, massaging it and soothing her beating heart. She could not even muster the strength to cry.

  "Let's get you some food, okay?"

  She sat in one of the long benches of the cafeteria. The place is empty at this hour for some reason, she waited for father as he went to prepare her meals. She felt slightly dizzy and weak after the procedure, she disliked it. But the fact that it can be used for medicine makes her feel slightly better about it.

  "Here you go."

  Her thoughts are interrupted by father appearing without warning in front of her, he had served the meal upon a tray.

  "Tomato juice...?" She asked after seeing the red liquid on the glass.

  "Blood." He quickly corrected her.

  Her eyes widened with worry. What blood is it from..?

  "It's pig blood, don't worry."

  Her eyebrows frowned followed by the twitch of her eye.

  Ew...

  He chuckled at her expression.

  "Sorry, it's necessary for you to get better."

  She gulped, not feeling appetized by the drink in front of her.

  "How about we make a deal?" The man smugly offered.

  "Offer..?" Her interest piqued.

  "Everytime you finish a glass. I'll give you steak."

  The man couldn't contain his laughter. The sounds echoing against the cafeteria for a few moments until he calmed down.

  "Calm down. But yes, I'm serious—"

  Before he could even finish the last sentence, Weiss is already in the process of chugging the whole glass down.

  Impossible...

  His eyes widened, he could barely keep his jaws from dropping. He had never seen this feat achieved by a mortal before.

  "That's all for today. You can go back to your room."

  Following father's command she quickly returned to the same hallway where the rooms reside.

  She hummed a melody that stuck on her mind for a while now, her footsteps light and bouncy its sound decorating the empty hallway. It's clear that Weiss' mood had significantly gotten better due to the steak that quenched her hunger.

  Finally she stopped in front of a door.

  Room 572

  The room father had given her to stay in. She let out a small giggle before getting on her tiptoes and putting her hands on the knob—

  "Oy, you!"

  Their gazes met before Weiss could open the door.

  "Me?"

  The girl before her looked at her with scrutiny and a hint of arrogance. Her hair tied in a short ponytail, the silks dark and sharp like her eyes.

  She scoffs, her tongue clicked. "Who else?"

  The girl's finger quickly shut Weiss' lips from moving.

  "Why is father treating you more specially!?" The question was full of demand and irritation, her fingers letting the lips move.

  "Well.. He said my blood is special.."

  "And he gave you a steak for that!?" She interjected.

  "W-well that's for—"

  "Hmph." She was pouting, her face almost red. Tears prickled in her eyes.

  Weiss panicked, trying to calm her down by patting her head causing her to stumble backwards, her face reddening more. Her mouth opened to say a sarcastic remark but the odd feeling arose from the pats made her reconsider it.

  "Ugh.. So unfair.." She mumbled.

  Weiss giggled softly at her, before quickly closing her mouth with her hand as the girl glared at her.

  She pointed at Weiss accusingly. "What's your name?" It's more of a command rather than a question.

  She contemplated for a few moments. Her name.. The only name she was ever given was—

  "Weiss.." A statement that came off more like a child repeating something her parents taught her.

  "Weiss.. That's a weird name." Shots fired without holding anything back.

  Weiss was caught off guard by it, her eyes widening for a mere moment, but instead she only smiled.

  "I like it.. Father gave it to me." For once that name is something she could call her own, no one can take it from her. A sense of reassurance filled her heart.

  "That so.."

  Weiss looks back up at the girl, she wanted to ask about her name, but she couldn't bring herself to say it not wanting to be seen as pushy. Instead she just fidgets nervously with her small fingers.

  The girl definitely noticed this and sighed. A hint of frustration but also endearment. She glanced away for a second and back waiting for her to say something before she got tired of waiting for an impossible task.

  "Aren't you going to ask my name?"

  Taken completely off guard, a hint of red appeared on Weiss' sharp ears.

  H-how did she know? Was I being too obvious?

  The girl tapped her foot and locked at a nearby clock on the wall for her response, noticing that Weiss quickly cleared her throat and succumbed to the inevitable.

  "What's your name..?"

  Her face contorts into an arrogant smug like her name holds a special meaning or something.

  "Yui."