Trash: Chapter 162 Unexpected Benefits (Luna Paraisthisi) (Patreon)

Chapter 162

Unexpected Benefits

(Luna Paraisthisi)

There is truth to the saying that darkness and goodness are equally important to one another and have a balancing effect between the two opposing forces. For at the heart of everything good, you can find rot. A fact that Luna herself had to come to understand deeply over the past few weeks. Especially now that she knew that her savior, a person she once referred to as her dear uncle Sal, the person she trusted above all others, was ultimately the person who led to the destruction of not just her family but of Lucia Brack’s family as well.

Originally, the good of this was that Luna and Lucia were bonded sisters through and through. Their two houses originally had issues with one another and were only trying to foster relationships with the newer generations to end the years-long animosity that both families had. In a way, Luna’s birthday had been a rousing success in that matter, for both the Bracks and Paraisthisis were inseparable. The good that came from that terrible night where they had to rely on one another to live. Even Sal, one of the heralds of the fall of their great houses, had some good in him, in that he made it his life’s goal to atone for his mistake in his raising of Luna and Lucia.

Letting Sal, or Salvatore Malocchio as he was originally known, live might be seen as a blessing to some, but Luna and Lucia saw it as an even greater punishment. Had Sal not shown signs of compassion, or empathy, they a death for Sal would have been fitting. Yet, it was the fact that he had shown such compassion and care in the upbringing and protection of Luna and Lucia that ultimately led to his stay of execution. Had either wanted to, it would have only taken a word to Catarine, and she would have let Sal die on the executioner’s block. Yet, the thought of Sal being executed for his past crimes never even came up as an option, for in his case, he was truly repentant for what he had done. This was why letting him live with his guilt and shame was far worse of a punishment than merely letting him die on the spot could offer. Now he would have to go through life, with his sins laid bare on his skin for all to see, knowing that Luna and Lucia, two people who had been his daughters in all but blood, were forever to abandon him.

While Luna and Lucia both had spoken everything that had happened and their own emotional states from how quickly life was changing to each other, they had not spoken about their feelings at all to the one that mattered most. Or at least, not to the one who mattered most to Luna. Then again, just speaking to her was intimidating enough, for she was an unstoppable force of nature. A true healer through and through. Someone who would save the worst of humanity, like Sal, not to make him face his demons, but because not saving him and those like him, would eventually make her a demon like Sal.

Luna had heard the phrase of a True Healer before, and while General Bloom was known to be one, her time was over. General Bloom’s battles had been fought and won long ago, mere footnotes in the annals of history. That is why seeing her protégé now, someone whose eyes all but burned with the same unyielding intensity as her master’s, was something to behold.

To say that Catarine was a miracle worker would be an understatement. Either the General had learned from her time in service, or as she humbly claimed that Catarine was her own unrelenting force of nature. In either case, the end result was the same, in that Catarine was able to do things most healers thought of as impossible. After living the life that Luna had to this point, it was common to hear of charlatan healers who promised the world and offered nothing. If Luna had a copper for every time someone promised they knew someone who could remove the necromantic scars that covered her body, she would be rich enough to buy her own empire twice over.

That is why Luna now found herself inexplicably drawn to Cat, for she promised nothing, only a sincere want to try. Then unlike all the others, she succeeded where others knew they would fail and took her money anyways. Whereas Cat asked for nothing, which is why Luna and Lucia both were willing to give everything to her. This willingness to give everything to someone who asks for nothing in return could also be part of the greater balance. If one asked, Luna would say she was not a believer in the old ways. But the more she lived, the harder it was for her to deny that there was at least some truth to the old claims of there being a balance. Seeing Cat grow and flourish as she was, Luna and Lucia knew it was only a matter of time before another Sal tried to ruin Cat. This was why Luna and Lucia both formed a pact that they would be her swords and shields needed to protect her at all costs. Perhaps sensing this pact or overhearing the pact from other servants around the Bloom estate, General Bloom did everything in her power to make it so Catarine would fight to keep Luna and Lucia both in her group. This was not done out of a sense of maliciousness but rather let Luna and Lucia both know that while they chose to follow Cat, Cat also chose them to be in her group as well. Even the incident at lunch that led to a personal duel was further proof that Cat had chosen them both. Not only had she chosen them, but she was violently protective of the two of them as well.

While all of that is a way to explain how Luna and Lucia both found themselves outside of the clearly haunted house that Catarine intended to call their own. The reason that Luna and Lucia both found themselves entering said haunted house was meant to be a secret, one that the two would have taken to their graves if they could have. But the fact that Cat, their Cat was in that house alone fighting off ghosts by herself was something the two ultimately could not stomach. Especially as both knew that they could help. For there was a side effect of being inflicted with necromantic scar tissue. Part of the whole balance that Luna tried to avoid seeing, but the more she tried to turn a blind eye to the facts around her, the more she felt her face drawn and held in place until she was made to realize that the balance existed.

For while most would like to think that there is no benefit whatsoever to having been inflicted with necromantic scar tissue, there are a few things that happen over time. The first thing that happens, right around the same time as one can learn the Necromantic Obfuscation Skill, is that if you focus long enough, you can begin to see ghosts. Then there are cases where if one is infected early enough, and their body becomes resistant enough, in the areas where the scar tissue exists, you can interact with ghosts, in the same way that ghosts can seemingly always interact with the living.

The first time that Luna and Lucia both saw a ghost, they were frightened out of their minds, for there was Petros Volman, a wrestler who had died a week ago in the arena, just floating there looking lost and destitute. Worse, Petros saw that the two girls noticed him and began haunting them. Not out of maliciousness, but out of the fact that Petros knew the two girls could see him. While he tried to talk, there was nothing that the two girls could hear, as their scar tissue only seemed to awaken the sight and nothing more in them. Finally, after seeing the two girls running scared for over a week, they finally confided in Sal. Sal then contacted the DiVoratore family, who sent out one of their own family members who both confirmed the haunting and grabbed Petros’ spirit right there. Seeing that he was gone, the two relaxed for a time. Then they made it a pact to inform Sal immediately the next time they witnessed a haunting. While this had brought the two closer together, it did give them a bit of a stigma for some time as they were both referred to as the girls who cried ghost. Yet, another odd balance for while both Luna and Lucia made it a point to never tell others that they could see ghosts, with Cat it was clear that she not only see them, but would do everything in her power to fight off the ghosts she saw. Seeing her resolve and determination again only caused something deep within Luna to burn brightly, as she knew she would follow Cat into and through hell as needed.

At least Luna thought she would follow Cat into hell. However, her determination was quickly tested upon entering the spooky house. A house that felt cold immediately upon entering, but quickly warmed up after Cat removed the first floor of ghosts. Then Luna saw it, the entryway to hell. An open hidden trap door to a dark basement that all but radiated darkness. How darkness could be shown in such a way was beyond her. All she knew was that the doorway felt ominous, and that an impenetrable bubble of darkness seemed to ooze out from the floor and almost cover the entry way if you didn’t stare closely enough.

When Cat declared that she would enter the hole by herself and that Lucia and Luna should stay back, a part of her was more than a little relieved at being ordered to stay back. This time she and Lucia both would listen to the order, as all it took was one look at Lucia to confirm that she too did not want to enter the pit of darkness either.

A choice that Luna almost instantly regretted not taking, for almost immediately there were signs of battle, as flashes of dark purple lights seemed to pulse erratically at first. Then a burst of purple flame seemed to burn in silence, an unnatural silence for the bubble of darkness that oozed up from the floor also seemed to block out all sounds as well. Seeing the burning purple flames, Luna and Lucia were drawn closer to the entrance, as if trying to see if they could either see or somehow hear their way through the thick layer of impenetrable darkness. Yet, that was when they saw the most frightening thing of their lives, as two giant arm sized pulsing tentacles lashed out from the trap door and tried to impale them.

Fortunately, both Luna and Lucia were able to jump back and brandish their weapons in time, but they did let out a little bit of a yelp each. The only saving grace was that they knew that if they couldn’t hear what was creating the burning purple flames below, then hopefully their yelps of fear would not be heard down below either.

As they fought, Luna and Lucia both seemed to realize the same thing at the same time, particularly as their weapons effortlessly sliced through the giant pulsing tentacles, only to clack and cut divots into the floor, namely that they were fighting ghost tentacles.

Realizing that their spears would be all but useless in this case, the two seemed to glance at each other, then in the way that only two people who have been around each other for an extended period could manage, they locked gazes and nodded. That was it, no words, no needless directions given, just a nod and understanding. That was when they went into their secondary objective, of buying time for Cat down below. Knowing that their weapons would be useless, they dropped them immediately letting the spears rattle and clank against the ground. Then came the slap boxing event.

Again, while most people might not be aware, there are cases where people who are exposed to necromantic scar tissue from an early enough age can build up not only a resistance to ghosts, but also be able to directly touch and attack ghosts. While Luna and Lucia were not trained by the renowned Mr. Yi, they had received multiple lessons in self defense throughout the years from some of the best fighters who had retired from the front lines. This was why Luna and Lucia both were able to smack, slap, and punch their respective tentacles long enough to see the second fire start from below.

This second fire was brighter and far more intense than the initial purple fires that were originally seen. Seeing the burning green flames, both Luna and Lucia feared the worst, that a dark necromancer was loose down below. Fearing the worst, the two were almost ready to break to get more help, but then something magical happened.

For at that moment, the last thing they expected to happen, happened. For at that moment, the darkness burst, leaving only a popping sound and a suddenly overbright ominous green light burning and pulsing from room below.Seeing the light, Luna and Lucia looked at each other for a moment, then Lucia asked the only question that seemed to matter at the moment, "what just happened?"