Dim's unforgettable face
That was what the mana coalesced into forming a dotted image in Xavier's face.
'Did I cast the spell wrong?'
Xavier thought incredulously squinting his blood red eyes in what was an attempt of a double take with his senses.
To his expected disappointment, it was the same image of a defined jaw, sharp black eyes and small lips squinted and serious.
It was still Dim's face indeed.
Xavier wouldn't forget. He sees this guy everyday.
Is he behind all of this?
Was Dim someone placed to watch him, by his dad, the Royal family, anyone?
Did he realize I was trying to dig deeper?
'If it is truly Dim…'
Xavier thought, then paused not knowing what to think.
Dim was Xavier's best friend and servant, the only thing he was allowed to bring from the past.
An unmistakeable flame of mixed emotions welled in Xavier's heart.
'No'
He thought dismissively
He had to push all his concerns aside and squash all thoughts.
What was more important right now.
What Xavier planned this for, he had to finish it.
The truth would reveal itself eventually.
—-A month ago
It was a plan, a reckless, stupid, absurdly dangerous plan.
Flip Flip—
Xavier had been searching through his research papers, his fingers gliding through the papers. The gentle edges of the paper bent, making way for his finger to part through.
Although he looked busy with his papers and research, his biggest concerns was sitting on the desk just to the left of him.
As he wrote on a blank piece of paper, half scribbling in notes, his eyes would unconsciously drift left. Lingering on the white paper rectangle, a V gate preventing its contents from spilling, he stared at it a little too long as if he was trying read the contents without opening it.
'Dim said he got it through the mail.'
Who would want to send letters to me?
"Damn it"
Catching himself in the act of being curious, he slapped his cheeks with both hands.
He then proceeded to get up from his chair and do a little stretch, immediately feeling the satisfying pull of his muscles
'Time for a break.'
He held it for too long, soon enough his fibers pulled a little too much followed by a straining pain.
And in pain he fell onto the floor, clutching his arm. He stayed on the floor squirming for a while before crawling his way back up gripping the arm rest of the chair and pulling his bum snugly on the seat.
His eyes landed on the envelope again. With an exacerbated sigh
'Who am I kidding, the moment I put this here I was bound to open it.'
He swiped the mail off the table and held it with two hands, bringing it to his face.
It was a high quality letter, its white paper was shining and thick, the edge corners were smooth and circular. Embellishing the golden wax stamped at the dead center of the envelop.
The golden wax stamp was shaped into a distasteful insignia:
A jagged dagger, the handle wraps tattered, the blade dull and chipped.
It wasn't deadly or overbearing, the blade looked like it'd give you death by tetanus, rather than a slash or stab.
'It truly is sent by him… I can't believe it.'
He actually thought it was scam mail.
The dagger was of Xavier's former noble house.Or rather, the symbol of his father:
The Flores
'I feel like I'd get tetanus even looking at that.'
'Come to think of it this letter does kinda smell like fat old men.'
He suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to spit on the fancy letter.
His father was a psychopath, he never showed care or attachment to earthly things.
Well… Only one thing, but that was lost long ago.
The only thing he valued was social status and sucking up to fat old men in the expense of literally everything else.
Anything to climb the ladder.
Back when Xavier was still around, he would host parties at his big pristine mansion, with huge gardens packed full of servants.
Fancily dressed guest with jewelry and eye's full of arrogance would fill the corridors and Xavier's father always greeted every single one of them, carefully sorting important ones to talk and "make friends" with.
Xavier would be absent from these parties, leading guests to query about Damien's son. Who he adamantly dined existed.
He kept this facade up going as far as to disown him, and giving Xavier money to shut up.
Xavier never made an attempt to object he just packed and left, he wasn't too fond of his old man either, it was a two way street.
After all seeing his face reminded him of his mother.
Xavier sighed, he knew this letter was important, hence the golden wax. Even though he wanted to throw it in his trash and burn it, he knows his father wouldn't send him letters without reason.
'That man hates contacting me. Hell he just hates me.'
He put his fingers onto the seams connecting the V and the mail, pulling the gates open with a rough tear.
The opened envelope contained a wrinkly plastic bag, along with a small folded note.
'A gift? Is he gonna die?'
He pulled out the note first, carefully unfolding the paper.
He started at the bottom.
"Written by Damien Vincent Flores."
'So he did sign it'
Xavier eyes darted back to the top of the paper. He read the first sentence out-loud.
"Hello Xavier"
"If you are reading this letter you should kill yourself before it's too late."