9

Vladimir watched Farrow freak out once Erick blacked out. His pulse had slowed immensely and it was hardly there. He was turning paler by the second and he was getting colder.

Vladimir knew exactly what was happening. He was in Hell, so his soul was out of his body. He had about twenty more minutes before his body died.

Vladimir watched as Farrow and Matrix freaked out, trying to get him back. "He's not breathing!" Farrow exclaimed, rummaging group his bag.

Vladimir watched the body be pushed on, Luke on, tested on, anything. Vladimir sighed. He went invisible, thanks to his ghost traits, and possessed the unconscious body. He freaked out a bit when he felt the blood running through the veins and the heart pounding. He relaxed before he could open his eyes though. He then breathed slightly, just enough to make them stop freaking out.

"He's alive! Thank goodness!"

"Let's take him to his bed, okay?"

"Should Vladimir..."

"No, Vladimir dislikes Erick, you know that."

"He hates me as well."

The two were silent after that. They placed Erick's body in his bed. Then, Vladimir heard the tent be shut with the clasp that locked.

Vladimir sat up. He marveled at he body parts that worked for living. He marveled at the veins that ran up the bottom of his arms. He touched his nose and went dross eyed, feeling first hand what it was like to have a headache.

Vladimir then lay back down on the bed, and pulled himself out of the body. He put his hand on the wall to go through it, but found he could not. He looked at his hand, and he realized it was real. Before he could scream, it turned translucent yet again, and it went through the wall.

Vladimir pulled his body through, shaking. Then, Matrix walked up.

"Vladimir, you look nervous. What happened?"

Vladimir sighed and explained what he did, and what happened once he got out of Erick's body. "He's not dead, he's just...visiting Heltic."

Matrix nodded. "Well, at least you kept Farrow from melting down. I'm sure a death would make him want to drop out."

"Yes. Uh, Matrix?"

"Yes?"

"I'm still trying to think of all the legends I know that could possibly lead to why my hand turned real, even if it was for a split second."

Matrix got a confused look on his face. "Yes, I do wonder what that means. Perhaps you aren't fully ghost?"

Vladimir chuckled. "Matrix, my father is a very important figure. Why would he create a child with some random, living, being?"

"Well, you never-"

Suddenly, they heard a stifled scream and gasping. Erick was alive.

Erick was eating normally. He was just a little quiet, but over all he was fine. He didn't speak much, but he was in normal perimeters.

Erick gulped down the meal Farrow had fixed for him. Farrow was busy checking him up when Matrix motioned Vladimir to walk away for a second,

Vladimir walked a ways away, and Matrix followed. "Will Erick be alright?"

"Hopefully, unless Heltic did something to him."

"What are you guys talking about?"

Matrix and Vladimir each looked over to whoever said that. Farrow stood there, his arms crossed and tapping his foot. He clearly was annoyed. "Well?"

Vladimir cleared his throat. "We were just hoping Erick would be okay."

"Sure, whose Heltic by the way?"

Vladimir heard Matrix swallow. "Heltic is an urban legend, said to possess people in their sleep. A legend, of course, but some think he actually does."

"Right..." Farrow said, pulling up a book. He started flipping through the pages. "Heltic...Heltic...Ah! Heltic! Leader of Hell? Hmm...seems you lied."

Vladimir sighed. "Erick was called on by the leader of Hell, yes. What for, we don't know."

Farrow nodded. "Why would Heltic want Erick though? Best we ask him, I guess."

"Unless Heltic cursed him, he seems cursed, anyway."

Fear came over Farrow. "Cursed? Oh gosh yeah! Damn, he's probably been cursed bad! He hasn't said a thing at all since he's awoken, and plus, he seems more, nervous! Gah! Erick's been cursed by the devil himself!"

Vladimir tuned out of Farrow spouting out random comments about Devils and hell, and try to read Erick. He snuck over to him and imagined opening a book with Erick's face on it. As he attempted to grab the book, Erick turned toward him. His emerald green eyes seemed to pull Vladimir in, and Vladimir felt himself going unconscious, something that had never happened to him before.

As Vladimir fell to the ground, the only thing he saw was the emerald green of Erick's eyes before black and yellow spots closed his vision completely.

Vladimir was falling through empty space, but was caught by someone. The person moved forward, revealing a horrific face. She smiled at him, decaying skin starting to fall off he face. She must have been dead, because you could see bone throughout her face, which must have once been beautiful.

"Vladimir, the ghost." The woman said, he voice hollow and creaking. "You are not dead, however, unlike me."

"Who, were you?" Vladimir asked, curiosity compelling him.

The woman sighed. "I once had the ability to be prophetic, but now, I am nothing more than dead."

The woman placed Vladimir on a black surface, then shrunk down, barely taller than him. "I had a family, and I died to save my son." The woman sighed. "You know him, you know him."

"Who? I don't now anyone who is prophetic or magic. I only know werewolf, fairy, and elf."

"Yes! You do in fact know him. You said exactly what he is, yes!"

"Madam, I am afraid you are mistaken. I did not say magic or prophetic, I said werewolf, fairy, and-"

"Elf! Yes! That's him! My baby boy!"

Vladimir frowned. "Erick? Your son?"

"Yes! I died when my younger sister used a bomb on our house! I was married to Tarven, with a son named Erick! My poor boys..."

Vladimir raised an eyebrow. "Wait, Erick is a hybrid?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, you all are!"

"What?"

"The werewolf is part vampire, and the fairy is part water creature. My son is elf, magic, and prophetic, thanks to my royal roots, might I add."

"Wait, did you say, Royal? Like, Royal Royal?"

"What other Royal is there?"

"So, your related to the queen of the magic kingdom?"

"Related? I was the queen, before I ran off, due to my lack of leadership skills and the wanting of a normal life."

"So, Erick has two leaders in him?"

"Yes, he does. My youngest sister, well, I can't say her name exactly, but she had my other sisters murdered just to get the crown. Having thought I was dead, I survived for about nine years before she found me. She bombed our old house, and I was the only casualty."

Vladimir felt pity for Erick's more. "What is your name, might I ask."

The woman sighed. She drew in a breath, then nodded. "Of course, young hero. My name was Lillian."

"Was? What is it now?"

"No one calls someone who is dead by their name, you know that."

"Everyone calls me Vladimir though. Am I not dead?"

"Nope, you are still living. Your mother was a hell creature."

"Was again, huh?"

"Yes, your mother passed giving birth to you. Giving birth to something partially dead while your alive can kill you. Your father was devastated, of course. This was all planned out by them." Lillian pointed upwards.

"Them? Who's them?"

"The people that have powers beyond our imagination. They basically can change the course of time, for the good or for the worse."

Vladimir stared at Erick's mother. "What did Heltic want with your son?"

Lillian frowned. "Heltic? Well, I can't see Hell, you know. Not since I'm part of the Special Clan."

"Special Clan?"

Lillian's eyes widened. "I can't speak of them, Vladimir. I revealed to much just by saying their name. Now, I must go back before I wither away completely from staying away too long. Please, don't speak of this to anyone Vladimir. Please."

Lillian started to fade. She smiled at him, not opening her mouth. When she vanished, Vladimir was falling again, but he fell into the world, feeling the same feeling of having internal organs.