‘Good evening, child’ she began ‘Were you fearing death? It’s OK now, you’re not going to die. In fact, you might as well be immortal at this point’ she chuckled again, she appeared to have fangs as part of her teeth. ‘But do not see this as a blessing, child. I have in fact put a curse on you. You have immortality only under my conditions. If you break these conditions, you will die, simple as that’ she then walked around to the other side of his bed

‘First of all’ she continued ‘You shall not kill or conspire to kill any of my masters. Doing so will be punished by death. Secondly, you shall always give in to your murderous urges to kill anyone other than my masters, regardless of the circumstances. Failing to do so shall be punished by death. Finally, you shall obey everything me or masters instruct you to do. Failure to do so will be punished by death’ she chuckled once more. ‘Are you ready to return to your new world? I hope so. Goodnight’ she started laughing before vanishing behind a smokescreen. The boy then got up from his bed.

‘Was that a dream?’ he asked, looking at himself. The palm of his hand had a mysterious looking red symbol on it ‘I have to kill someone if I have “murderous urges”? What’s that supposed to mean? Well, if I don’t have any to begin with…’  two young girls roughly the same age as him came into his room, one was wearing a long white dress while the other wore a short black leather dress.

‘He’s awake? No way!’ the girl in the black dress announced.

‘Don’t get your hopes up yet’ said the girl in the white dress ‘He might not be cured of his disease’

‘No, don’t worry’ said the boy ‘I’m alive. For now, anyway’

‘What? What do you mean?’ asked the girl in black

‘Oh boy…’ the two walked closer towards him ‘Take a look at this’ the boy showed the palm of his right hand.

‘Oh god… what is that?’ muttered the girl in black

‘I don’t know. Some sort of… stamp, I guess’

‘I shall go and inform her highness that you have awoken’ said the girl in white ‘Now now, stay here. I shall not be long’ she then walked out of the room, in a bit of a rush

‘She’s not going to like what she’s going to hear, I can tell you that’

‘What? What’s going on?’ asked the girl in black, who touched his forehead ‘Oh my god! You’re as cold as ice!’

‘Well, Lili, this will take some explaining to do’

‘Go on’

‘OK’ he took a deep breath ‘Here goes nothing’ he took a while to speak again ‘I was approached by this… creepy looking woman. I couldn’t tell who she was, her hair was covering her face’

‘Oh, gosh’

‘She must have been a witch or something: she cast a spell on me where I could see and hear her, but I wasn’t able to do anything. She said that I’m now immortal, but that only on her terms. Or her masters terms, or something like that’

‘Oh…’ Lili’s face turned pale ‘That’s… really creepy’

‘Anyway, she told me that I… oh god, you’re going to hate this!’

‘I’m sorry, Mattias, I think I’m going to be sick!’

‘Well, be sick then! Not on me, of course!’ she then ran out of his room, leaving Mattias on his bed in silence. A little while later, Lili returned with the girl in the white dress. 

‘I have informed her highness about your state’ she said ‘She wishes to speak to you, when you are ready’

‘But Patty!’ yelled Lili

‘Yes, Liliana?’

‘He’s a…’ Liliana had her finger pressed against her cheek ‘He’s a…’

‘A what? I must say though, he is as pale as ghost’

‘I’m cursed’ said Mattias ‘I’ve been, well, cursed with immortality’ Patty gave him a fierce looking stare

‘How is that a “curse”, my dear Matty?’

‘Well, I only immortality under certain conditions’

‘Hmmmm, interesting. What are these conditions?’

‘I was told by this witch, or maybe she was a vampire, I don’t know, that I must do three things’

‘Go on’

‘I must always give in to my “murderous urges”.’

‘But Mattias’ said Liliana ‘You’re so gentle. How could you be like that in the first place?’

‘I don’t know. Anyway, she also said that I couldn’t kill her “masters”, whoever they’re supposed to be. And that I’m supposed to do everything they tell me. She said if I don’t do these I will die’

‘Oh god, I’m sorry!’ Liliana ran out of the room again.

‘Ah, must you be so lily-livered, Liliana?’ said Patty, with a voice signalling frustration.

‘How come you’re not bothered by any of this?’ asked Mattias.

‘Well, you could say I’m quite acquainted with what goes on with the undead’ Mattias gave her a blank stare.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Men and women becoming zombies, vampires, demons and demonesses is more common than you might realise, Matty. I’ve spoken to people who have been linked to the underworld in the past’

‘Oh, I see’

‘As has her highness, too’

‘OK’ Mattias got out of his bed. ‘Oh god, I can hardly stand!’

‘It’s OK, Matty. Allow me to escort you to her highness immediately’ Mattias was lead out of his room and taken along dark corridors. Awaiting him was a woman wearing a black leather dress with her left leg exposed. The throne she was sitting on was surrounded by two lit torches.

‘Mattias’ she began ‘I’m glad to see you’re alive. Well, sort of, anyway’ she had a smile on her face ‘Patricia has told me everything, so there’s nothing to fear’

‘Not everything, mother’ said Patricia

‘Oh? There’s more to this madness’

‘Yes, allow him to explain’ The woman was glaring at Mattias, with a smile.

‘Oh, ermm…’ Mattias cleared his throat ‘I have a curse, you see’

‘I know. Please continue’

‘Well, I… have a curse that means I have to follow orders from someone’s “masters”. I… don’t know who they are’

‘They would more likely than not be demons from the underworld’ said the woman ‘Please, continue’

‘Well, I was told that… that… oh goodness’

‘Go on, I can guarantee I’m not going to be upset with anything you’ll say’

‘OK, well I was told that I had to give in to murderous urges, that I had to do everything these masters say and that I cannot kill any of them’

‘Right…’ the woman was no longer smiling ‘That is quite a predicament you’re in, I have to say’ Patricia returned with Liliana.

‘The worst part is over, I promise’ said Patricia, to Liliana ‘Oh, mother, she has vomited twice as she learned of Mattias’ fate’

‘And?’ Liliana gasped 

‘Oh, she’s in shock with everything she’s learned! She needs to be looked after’

‘Very well’ she looked back at Mattias.

‘These may sound a bit harsh, but I’m going to put you in the castle dungeon’

‘What?! Are you serious?!’ yelled Liliana.

‘It’s for his sake as well as ours’

‘But-’

‘It’s OK, Lili’ said Mattias ‘I can understand’

‘I’ll have guards watching you night and day, too. We’ll allow those dear to you to visit you without any troubles’ she got out of her throne ‘Guards?!’ two guards walked over to her ‘Take him to the dungeon’

‘What? Why?’

‘Do as I say. He is a threat to himself and others’

‘Uhh, yes, your highness!’ Mattias followed them down more dark corridors. ‘What’s this all about?’

‘Who knows? I don’t understand that woman for the life of me’

‘You’ll find out soon enough’ said Mattias

‘Huh? What do you mean?’

‘It’s too hard to explain, just take me to the dungeon’

‘Well, if you insist’