The Messenger of Death

Chapter 25: leverage

Alex stopped twirling the spear.

-Crash!!

Everything that had been in the air due to the force from the spear twirling, dropped to the ground. The vases fell and broke.

['Damn, those look expensive.'] Al grieved.

"If it is as you say it is, then wouldn't that mean that you guys can teach me? By learning more about certain things, the memories in my head get clearer." Alex said merrily as he smiled.

['Why would we teach you anything? It is the only thing we have as leverage over you.'] Al said, voicing out his irritation.

"Leverage for What?"

['Leverage to ensure a peaceful co-existence between you and the three of us. You will need us. As long as we remain stronger than you are, then you will need us.'] Xander claimed confidently.

"What!? Peaceful co-existence? Don't you get, if you guys are my alters then you will die when I die. We wouldn't want that to happen now, would we?" He said smugly.

['If we all die then so be it. Just know that we died because you were greedy and arrogant.'] Xander said.

Alex became speechless after hearing Xander's reply.

"Then so be it. The memories will also get clearer as I get stronger." Alex being stubborn still refused to admit that he will need them.

['I can teach you.'] They heard Lex say.

['What!? Why!? Lex this isn't the time to be nice. Why would you choose to teach this arrogant prick anything!?] Al furiously voiced his opinion at Lex.

"F*ck you Al." Alex cursed.

['Go wank yourself Alex.']

['Because at the moment Alex feels conflicted. Teaching him will make him feel better.'] Lex gave his reason.

['The hell, what about us Lex!? You want us to remain as just voices of his alters in his head, till we are triggered? Xander, say something, Lex is being unreasonable.']

['There is nothing I can say that will change your mind. Is there? Lex.'] Xander asked.

['There isn't.'] Lex sounded absolute.

['Alright then, Al. There's nothing we can do for now. We would remain as voices in his head.']

['What!! Xander. You are just going to let it go this easily!? Am I the only sane one here!?'] Al was disappointed.

['Would you go against Lex?'] Xander asked Al.

['I-I didn't mean it like that. I... So be it. But I wouldn't teach this arrogant prick anything.'] Al gave in.

'Wait, are they scared of Lex? Sh*t they can hear my thoughts.' Alex's face palmed himself.

He was expecting to hear an insult from Al, but he heard nothing.

['Why did you do that?'] Al asked.

"You didn't hear my thoughts?" He was confused now.

['As I said previously, we can't hear everything you think of. You have to say it out in your mind for us to hear.'] Xander explained.

['Like this?'] Alex said in his mind.

['Yes.']

['At least I wouldn't be seen talking to myself like a mad man.'] Alex rejoiced.

['Thank you, Lex, for offering to teach me.'] He said sincerely.

['You are welcome Alex. I just hope you would treat us well.']

['You I would treat well. Xander, I doubt it. And for Al, not happening.']

['Like I give a living f*ck.'] Al dismissively said.

Lex chuckled and said;

['With time Alex, you will warm up to us.']

'I doubt it.' Alex thought.

['You should go and take a shower now. We stink at the moment.']

Alex noticed the word 'we' and he felt good hearing it from Lex.

"That's true."

He raised his arm and sniffed his armpit.

'Yuck.'

He was repulsed by the smell of his armpit.

Alex removed his shirt. What caught his eyes was the cloth wrapped around his shoulder and abdomen, to keep ointment in place. They didn't have any bandages on them so they had to improvise.

"I might be getting new scars after these finish healing. Unless I use Lazarus, but that is not an option." He proceeded to untie the cloth.

"Huh? Why don't I feel any sting? What I feel is more like an itch."

He had just finished untying the cloth when he saw that his injury had almost finished healing.

"Wow. Isn't this like my Lazarus, but slower?" He Exclaimed.

Alex removed his shoe then the remaining cloth on his body. He stood in the middle of the room naked. He turned around, searching for the bathroom. He saw a wooden door with a silver-colored doorknob.

Alex strolled to the door. He turned the knob and entered. He was greeted by the fresh fragrance of mint. He welcomed the fragrance and inhaled deeply.

*****

Alex had just finished taking a shower, his injuries had completely healed now and they left no scar on his body.

"Is that ointment this good? Not only did it heal my injury quickly, but it also did so without leaving any evidence that I was injured in the first instance."

He wrapped a white towel around the lower part of his body and stepped out of the bathroom. He saw a maid in the room. She was looking at the broken vases on the ground. She didn't seem to notice that Alex was out of the bathroom now.

"I will pay for the damages." He stated.

"Ahh!"

The maid jumped a bit, startled by Alex's voice. She turned around and what she saw got her mind going places.

She glanced at his abdomen, sweeping her attention from one scar to another. Strangely, she didn't feel repulsed by the scars, she felt like she wanted to touch them.

The maid raised her eyes to look at Alex's face. She averted her gaze from Alex when it hit her that he was looking at her checking him out.

"I thought they said that he was a shy one." She whispered.

"I'm sorry for my rudeness Sir Alexander." The maid said with a bow.

['A straight forward one. Me like. Dirty brown hair bob styled fair skin, round protruding eyes. Ample amount of fat. Petite frame, she is above average. Rrrrr.'] Al said.

['Shut up pervert.'] Alex scolded.

['You can say that again.']

"No need to apologize. I was practicing a bit and then I mistakenly broke all of them, so I'll pay for the damages."

"Ahh, I don't think that would be necessary Sir Alexander. Even if the vases are expensive, it's not something of value to the Avanti family."

"Oh. Alright then." He said, not sure if he should be surprised or not. He already knows that the Avanti family is rich.

"I only came to deliver the clothes that master Camron asked me to. I will have to leave and come back with cleaning equipment to clean this mess up."

Alex turned his attention to the bed in the middle of the room. There were clothes neatly folded on top of the bed.

"I will be right back Sir Alexander. You can take your time, and get dressed."

The maid ushered as she headed towards the door. Right before she closed the door, she glanced at his attractive body once more.

-Click!

The door closed.

['She was definitely checking us out, if only.'] Al sighed.

Alex sneered at Al, knowing what he was thinking of. He raised the cloth on the bed.

What he has in his hands, is a black and red double-breasted peak lapel blazer. Its helm and collar had a bit of gold thread sewn into it. Under it was a soft white cotton shirt. And then a black trouser and a gold-colored belt.

"Not what I usually wear, but it will do for now."

['What you usually wear is crap. So bland and tasteless. No fashion sense.'] Al mocked.

"And you think you can do better?"

['When I get the chance, I'll show you that I can do better.']

Alex ignored Al and proceeded to put the cloth on. The cloth looked like it was tailor-made for him, with the trousers stopping and a few inches away from his ankles, the shirt and blazer hugging his upper body. Even as the cloth was fitted, it didn't restrict his movements.

Alex's hair has always been a wavy permed type of hair. It always has a shine to it, he walked towards a mirror.

"I do look different." He observed as he raised his hand, trying to comb his hair with his fingers.

-Rat a tat!

A soft knock came from the door.

"Come in."

The maid that he met earlier, came in with a broom, parker, and a waste bin. She looked at Alex back, watching as he roughly used his fingers to comb through his hair.

"Sir Alexander if you d.."

"Just call me Alex, the sir, and my full name sounds irritating in the same sentence." Alex interrupted.

"But Sir that would be unethical."

"Then just call me Sir, period."

"Ahh, okay. I wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind if I helped you comb your hair."

Alex turned his head, wondering if that was part of a maid's duty.

"Sure, why not." He said after deciding not to care.

She made her way to a small wooden bedside table with a drawer and pulled it open. There were a few necessities there. She picked up a navy colored comb and walked towards Alex then stopped a few centimeters away. Knowing why she did, Alex pulled a stool that was close by and sat down.

The maid was feeling ecstatic that she would be able to touch Alex. She slowly put her shaking hands on his head and held a part of his hair.

"It's very soft." She whispered.

She raised the comb. The maid started to slowly and gently rake it through his hair. Enjoying every stroke she made on his hair with it.

Alex closed his eyes. He started to recall when Sheila did this for him. It always felt good.

'Sheila always said that my hair was soft.' He thought, feeling all bitter-sweet now.

"That's enough now." The maid heard Alex say after a few minutes.

Alex was feeling dejected. At the moment it felt Alien to let her continue. It reminded him of Sheila way too much.

He took a glance at his reflection in the mirror, his hair was neatly combed now; with a split in the middle separating his hair. Allowing his hair to fall on both the left and right side of his face, at equal lengths.

"Thank you."

He sincerely said, as he turned and walked to the door. He stepped out of the room, choosing a random direction and he walked away.