Ch8 [Magnus Institute- “Benefits of a Member.”

It was just an another peaceful day. Luwen sat peacefully on a chair as he hold an open book and reading them. Beside him, was his brother, sister and father who was also reading their own preferential taste of book.

" It's now time to eat. "

His mother walk towards them holding a tray of food with her. Luwen can feel his stomach rumbling as he smelled the delicious aroma of the food. He close the book and look at the food on the table.

" Delicious isn't it? "

Red. So much crimson. Dripping and smell like iron. Meat– Infested with bugs and maggots. Luwen instantly felt his stomach churned in disgust.

He look at his mother– who have instantly turned into the recently familiar figure of someone.

" I have specially prepared it for you? Won't you it eat? "

Widely grinning mouth and crazed red eyes asked him. Disheveled wavy black hair of a man in his 30s. The man– Faust Tepes, the avatar of the flesh steps closer offering him, the man's so called gourmet meal to him.

" Eat. "

............................

Luwen woke up from his dream– no, it's not a dream, but a nightmare with a gasp. Breathing hard and trembling, he placed his left hand on his mouth. He get up from the bed and immediately walk towards the bathroom.

Later he returned on the bedroom and watched his reflection on the mirror. Pale, haggard and tired– as if didn't sleep or rest for many days. Dark circles are under his dull blue eyes. Crumpled clothes, underneath them was a skinny and malnourished body. Luwen Gardner was a perfect definition of an unhealthy young man.

After looking at his reflection on the mirror, Luwen glance at the wall of the bedroom and immediately saw the object called calendar.

Today was June 5th of 1349. It's been weeks since his 17th birthday and after his simple everything was destroyed by them. He has been introduced to the world of supernatural and beyonders in the worst imaginable way. Having your family and the innocent passengers on the train killed are in another level of introducing someone to the world of beyonders aren't they?

Having your family turned into life sized wooden marionettes by someone who was called a stranger. Then his other counterparts appearing, Corruption, End, Lonely, Buried, Flesh and Web. All of them have killed the passengers on the train. Luwen watched and felt so hopeless as they proceed to their killings.

One by one the people were killed. Compliant and obedient to the whims of the monsters. Luwen watched as they have left an another 'him' covered in spider's thread– cold, lifeless and wearing a blank smiling mask.

After that, he struggled as they decided to bring him in this accursed Magnus Institute. Welcomed by the Head Archivist who was also known as the Eye and controlled to give his statement. The next thing that happened after the statement was, he was given a room of his own by the Head Archivist. Force to sign a contract saying he was now an employee or a member of this organization.

For the next days and weeks, he spent his time inside the room. He refuse to go out and deny any offer to leave in the room from those monsters. He didn't trust them. He was angry, wary, cautious and scared of them. Sometimes he spent his days inside the room having an urge to just die and cry for the loss of his family. There are times when he wanted to kill those monsters and wanted them to disappear and begone. Most of the times, he spent his time fearing for his own life and the horrible future that was waiting for him. His night are now always riddled with nightmares who he can clearly remembered when he woke up.

What do they want from him?

He was just an ordinary person. There was nothing special on him. Why did they decided to destroy his normal life?

Luwen decided to go to the bathroom and take a bath. Later, after going to the dresser and wearing new clothes, the door opened. The person immediately entered the room and didn't bother knocking.

Luwen immediately become wary and cautious, but his face was calm and expressionless outside as the head archivist Hayden Miller entered his room while he was holding a stack of book on his arms.

" It looks like your condition is much more better now, Mr. Gardner. " Hayden smiled slightly. " I hope you are now in condition to leave on your room? "

Luwen was silent. But he just stared at the head archivist frowning. Over the time that he spend his time in this room and decided to lock himself, the most frequent visitor was the head archivist himself. He would always enter the room unannounced and always have a book in his hands. Hayden Miller would come with the books and talk about the supernatural and beyonders. Luwen didn't know why but Hayden Miller wanted him to learn about the world of Beyonder and supernatural.

" If you aren't still prepared to leave in your room, it's fine. "

Hayden Miller sat on one of the chair and placed the books in the round table. Opposite to him, he gestured Luwen to sat. Luwen glance at the archivist expressionless. But inside his mind, he always felt uneasy. Everytime, even if the head archivist isn't here, he would always have the feeling that he was always being watched.

" You can stay here in your room, for how long whenever you want, I would allow it even you wanted to say forever, but none of us wanted to trigger the silence don't we? Yet Lonely would be happy if it happened. "

Over the days that the Head Archivist visited, he would sometimes talk about things that he vaguely understand. Many confusing and unknown things, he always like to casually told about this things to Luwen.

" It's not healthy for you to always stay inside the your room. I hope that you would be prepared to go out of your room soon. "

As the Archivist said those words, he opened one of the books and told
Luwen.

" I have remembered that I have already taught you some basics about the world of beyonders, the sequences, pathways and the Orthodox Churches. In the world of beyonders, learning the Hermes language is a must. I have brought a book about the Hermes language and other book about ancient languages. "

Luwen gaze become complicated.

" Why do you took so much effort in teaching me? "

Hayden Miller fixed his rectangular glasses. It made Luwen stare and pay attention more to the archivist, reminding him of his familiar someone.

" As a member of the organization, it was one of the benefits to become well taught and learned. In return, I hope that in the future, Mr.Gardner would feel that he belongs to the institute. " Hayden Miller smiled. His smile look so sincere and warm, as if his words that he just said was full of concern and kindness.

Inside his mind, Luwen scoffed. There would never be a day that thing would happened.