The Aerasak Demon

Chapter 1

Emilia

"We're not here to eat. We're looking for someone."

I peer over from the table I'm clearing at the strong voice. Many people are looking for someone, but far less have such power in their voice. I spy the tall dark elf through the busy restaurant as he speaks with the hostess and his companion, visibly upset.

"But how did your Ethereal know who she was?" the elven man demands of his companion.

In his hand sits a crystal, shimmering with power. A thing like that… it could bring a silly human girl like me out of poverty and into a decent living. Food, clothes, medicine… riches beyond anything I could dream up.

The thought of finally getting to show my little brother and sister, Mark and Lily, a better life than I had is one that makes my gut twist. If only our parents were still here…

But they aren't, I remind myself, clearing more dishes off into my bin.

"They are no longer communicating with me," the elf's companion confesses with disappointment evident in his tone. "I believe I have exhausted my goodwill with my Ethereal."

In a fit of boiling rage, the elven man snatches the crystal from his hand and shatters it on the floor, crunching it with the heel of his boot as it releases a puff of smoke. After that, the hostess stutters out something about a woman who came in but I don't pay her words any mind.

Only a person with power would destroy another source of power, and it sickens me. Before I know what I'm doing, I've wandered over to the shattered crystal to stare at it and the lingering blue smoke slowly dissipating into the air.

"You, girl! Stop gawking and clean this up before that man comes back!" My superior's voice snaps me out of my trance. I drop to my knees, scooping up the shimmering shards of the crystal. The blue smoke has dissipated, leaving only the broken pieces behind.

As I gather the fragments, I can't help but feel a strange pull towards them. It's as if they're whispering to me, urging me to put them back together. I glance around, ensuring no one is watching, and slip the pieces into my apron pocket.

I hurry outside, the cool night air hitting my face as I step into the alley. The trash looms ahead, its rancid smell wafting towards me. I hesitate, my hand hovering over the opening. What would happen if I put the crystal back together? What would this 'Ethereal' do?

My heart races at the thought. I could use the power to provide for Mark and Lily, to give them the life they deserve. But what if it's too dangerous? What if I can't control it?

I shake my head, pushing the doubts aside. I can't just throw this opportunity away. I carefully pull the shards from my apron, examining them in the dim light.

"What could it hurt?" I ask myself, gnawing at the inside of my cheek. Instead of tossing them out into the night, I tuck the shards back into my apron and go back inside to finish the rest of the night out.

Each passing second feels slower and slower as I end my shift at the restaurant and hurry home. The dark streets make every shadow seem menacing, and I jump at every little sound. I clutch my bag tightly, feeling the shards of the crystal digging into my side.

I finally reach home, the small wooden door creaking as I push it open. The familiar scent of home - a mix of fresh bread, herbs, and the faint hint of soot from the fireplace - wraps around me like a comforting blanket. I lock the door behind me, a habit born from years of living in a rough neighborhood.

The house is quiet, save for the soft snores coming from the bedroom I share with my siblings. I tiptoe across the worn-out rug, my heart swelling with love as I gaze at their peaceful faces. Mark's hair sticks up in every direction, a testament to his restless sleep, while Lily's curls frame her angelic features.

I lean down and press a gentle kiss on each of their foreheads, whispering, "Sweet dreams, my loves." I tuck the blankets around them, smoothing out the wrinkles with a tender hand.

With a final glance at their serene faces, I retreat to my own room, the smallest of the three. The moonlight filters through the single window, casting a silvery glow on the worn floorboards. I take a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I reach into my apron pocket and pull out the shimmering shards of the crystal.

They clink softly as they hit the floor, the sound echoing in the stillness of the night. I crouch down, my fingers tracing the jagged edges, the smooth surfaces, the intricate patterns etched into the glass-like material. The strange pull I felt earlier intensifies, urging me to put the pieces back together.

"Time to see if I've lost my mind," I whisper to the crystal, as if it's listening. But the way the elf's companion regarded the crystal makes me feel that it is.

I start to put the crystal back together, fitting shards together like puzzle pieces. It's surprisingly easy, as if they're drawn to each other. Finally, I put the last piece in.

But nothing happens. There is no blinding light, no surge of magic. The crystal is still as broken as it was before.

I let out a sigh of disappointment and lean back against the wall. Maybe it was all just a silly dream, a desperate attempt to find a way out of our current situation.

Disappointed, I dress down for bed and crawl onto my lumpy straw mattress, pulling the threadbare blanket up to my chin. How could I allow myself to dream for anything different. Things don't get handed to people, not people like me. A weak human in a world of powerful creatures.

I stare at the ceiling, the silence of the night pressing down on me. The crystal shards sit on the floor, mocking me with their brokenness. I should have known better than to hope for something more.

I close my eyes, trying to push away the thoughts of what could have been. But sleep doesn't come easy. Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the wind outside, makes me jump. I'm on edge, waiting for something to happen.

But nothing does.

Eventually, I drift off into a restless sleep, filled with dreams of shattered crystals and angry elves.