Shackles Of The Past

Chapter 24- Darkhouse

Better the bitter truths,

than a sweet lie.

~FINNISH PROVERB.

***

When morning arrived, the rain had slacked up a bit, just the tiny shower drops but though the sky retained its heaviness. The weather had turned colder as the dark clouds came to hinder the dull sun that slowly started to spread, causing a gloomy atmosphere.

The sharp sound of footsteps approaching woke few of the slaves as early as always. And once the footsteps got nearer, they could hear the harsh tone of someone speaking. "-exactly did you say you left it?”

Another person replied saying, "I swear it was with me the whole night. I don't know how it disappeared."

Then two men walked into the quarters. The first man wore a simple uniform consisting of red linen cloth and black trousers with an occasional bronze helmets for elite troops. His shoe was polished with a sword around his belt. The last man was the guard who came to put Medusa and Esther to their cells last night. He wore a black robe with padded linen armor, and black trousers along with a headgear. He walked with his javelin and shield. From their looks, it seemed the one wearing red was the head guard.

The man in red linen cloth scanned each of the slaves in their cells with alerted eyes. In response to the last man's comment, he flared. "Now you tell me the keys developed wings and flee out from only God-knows-where you left it?" he scolded the guard.

Certain all the slaves were complete and everything where in order, he turned and faced the guard on black coat. "God save you nothing went missing," he reprimanded with a frown. "He should also help you that it should be found before midday." He warned and the other guard gulped, dropping his head to face the ground.

"Search the entire place for it. But for the meantime, use the spare keys we have. I want the original key found as soon as possible." He ordered before walking away, leaving the latter behind who also left to get the spare ones.

When he returned, a sharp metallic bar rattled the cell gate. All the cells were unlocked for the slaves to step out and begin the works assigned to them. This day was promised to be far greater.

She looked around. She doubted the keeper would stay in the castle, especially what transpired between them. But it didn’t bother her where she might have left to.

Medusa’s consciousness had returned, although her entire body ached, most especially her chest. She looked at her cell gate that was left open, the encounter of the previous night threatened to wash over. And she stretched before stepping out, where most of the slaves walked past; including the older ones that had been there for months.

They all walked without been told what to do next.

Esther also stepped out of her own cell, and Medusa's eyes met hers for the briefest moment, as though passing a silent conversation.

The memories of yesterday were still fresh in her head and as a result of the sight, she was struck with them. All the past memories, present pain and burning queries all happened within a short period of time. Every detail from the past was stuck in her mind like everything all happened within a snap of the finger. It was vivid and thoroughly gruesome.

Questions with no answers to them. And first, she remembered clearly that abandoned house that was cursed by Dark Witches. One which Medyse had been found in. It was called the Darkhouse.

Pure Witches elude darkness that could trigger their nature and taint it dark. Their mind, body, heart and soul were clean and eschew corruption that could banish them. That could manipulate those delicate pieces. In other words, the heart was one of the most important piece that allows them retain their saint.

These witches shun curses that pollute their heart and cause it to graduate from the stage of red to black. When a pure witch heart begins to transform into a dark nature, it eventually becomes a CursedBorn, which tarnishes its soul to the dark realm, leaving only the witch's pure memory in the sanctuary.

That's when the Darkhouse accepts souls that are tainted as a curse from Dark Witches to turn them into their very specie. No pure soul ever sets foot on the Land of the Abandoned without transforming into a CursedBorn; a Dark Witch.

Dark Witches had weakness. As to how Pure Witches elude darkness, Dark Witches avoid light. It is one thing. One party benefits, after the pure stains itself with things of the dark but the other party could not benefit anything belonging to the dark.

This was what brought Medusa's curiosity. Why was her master there? What was her master doing in the Darkhouse? She was aware her master was a half breed of a Pure Witch with an intention to save mortals but Medusa had begun to have second thoughts. Or did she misuse the wrong door that disguises lies as truth, and truth as lies? But what was the truth? Was her master really a Pure Witch?

Not just that. Medusa was also curious as how she wasn't only able to get into the Darkhouse but how she could touch things when she was only invisible. Plus she was INSIDE a memory. A memory that didn't belong to her.

No soul enters through the Abandoned Gate and trespass into the house without being stuck in the past, leaving her only a Memory Wanderer. This had happened before in history, and Medusa was aware.

Those thoughts left Medusa occupied. And when she tried to reach Medyse, she wasn't responding. That silence again kept her gruesomely perturbed. Medyse absence did correlate to the time she had spent in that memory. Something was wrong, and she could feel it lurking every corner she placed her feet on.

As she walked, following the crowd that passed through the thin corridor to the exit, Medusa could see her small shadow against the wall.

And her thoughts drifted again.

Axar.

Ashley Bowman.

She could clearly remember the look on her master's face. Not all saw it, but she was quick to pick the expression. A rare one.

Again she remembered the man in the shadows. What could have transpired between her master and him? And why was he after her now? Medusa doubted it was a dream. She saw him, even before she went into that memory.

Her brows furrowed. Could it be he had something to do with the memory? Had he manipulated her mind at that time? Medusa had that strong feeling.

"Morning,” Besides her, Esther greeted with a small smile. Last night incident muddled her thought at that moment. She was washed with the scene. She remembered it clearly.

First, it was the memory, and next, she was possessed. Medusa would have thought of a reasonable thing to justify last night, but did no way close to understand that reason. What had happened to her?

But the most troubling question was her chest. Unconsciously, her hand went towards it, wanting it to be just past of her being possessed. But there it was; the faintest beat of a heart.

This could not be happening!

‘Medyse.’ She called using telepathy, but all she received as response was this silence that bothered her. This one that made itself known, that it was just her. Again, she could feel. Why was she feeling?!

“Is everything alright?” Esther’s voice broke her off her reverie causing her eyes to grow cold, causing the seemingly unending thoughts to be interrupted.

Ignoring her, Medusa walked past a bit faster to avoid any morning talks. She was too drained to think further and start all over again. She wasn't looking forward to it. For the meantime, all she wanted was to be left alone, and not for some kind of stubborn being hovering around her like a fly.

And she hated flies.

Medusa had lived all her life carrying the grudge of her past, with hate for humans. She had killed, destroyed, without any sign of either remorse or pity for their kind and even others. Having another soul that controls her emotions were one thing Medusa had gotten used to all her life when she let the darkness in her consume not just her body but her mind also.

She had seen how people like Aelin could be. They would trick you; make you believe the things you never could have imagined, happen. She had done that in her past, a mistake she would never repeat twice.

With that thought, made her sick. After mixing herself with the crowd, she released a deep sigh, and kept her pace. Medusa hadn't taken few walks, when she heard the voice she least wanted to and get rid of badly.

"About last night-"

Medusa groaned silently, walking past her like she never existed. She mixed herself in the crowd once again, hoping to avoid her trials.

"Look, I didn't mean to hurt you.”

Silence.

"Whatever happened last night I…” she paused. “I just want to know if you're okay. I mean, you are still hurt. Does it still ache that much?”

Silence. Medusa suddenly regretted why she had to let this girl come into her cell last night. She wouldn’t have seen the things she did, and would have rather let her dwindle in her own problems. Like Medyse absence.

"How about we finish our chores together and I'll take a look at them again. Just to make up for the headache I caused.”

Silence.

Esther sighed. "I have been meaning to apologize to you for the other day. If I hadn't dragged up a conversation, you wouldn't have been punished. It should have been me but… you took it upon yourself. Alone." Esther added, as her voice died at the end.

She remembered the day when the guards dragged both of them to the dungeon, but Medusa had manipulated their mind into believing she was guilty. Was it or was it not, she chose not to ponder too much. And since then, she had always wanted to apologize. She hadn’t had the chance to bring up the topic but still the feeling of guilt was stuck in her and of course, wanting to make it up.

Still silence had answered her. But what she failed to realize was that Medusa did it all out of her own motive.

"Medusa… I only want to be of help.”

And this time, Medusa stopped walking and turned to face her. Those dead eyes stared at her, intending to burn her, promising her the very same fate that happens to those who crossed her path.

She had thought it was those black ones which were the most scary and intimidating, but it was a lie. These ones burned like hellfire, and at the same time threatened to freeze her to death. 'I don't need your help.' The voice was so cold and fierce that had Esther held her breath, all out of reflex.

Her eyes stared at the figure that walked away with a fierce aura and much intense charisma. That coldness seemed to indeed freeze her in her spot, causing her to remain standing in disbelieve.

Staring at the half-gone Medusa, Esther hurried to meet up with her steps, oblivious to her warning and adamant to the words. "I know what you want. I can help you find it," she started.

'Stay away from me.'

It was a firm warning but Esther gave deaf ears. At least, she was responding, she thought of it as a small sign. Tiny, perhaps?

The look in her eyes drew the conclusion that she wouldn't back down. Her voice was calm although if one could pick the strings, it sounded desperate. "You are in danger. If I can help you, I think… you can help me.”

Medusa halted.

She wanted to laugh. She couldn't bring herself to scoff instead. Danger? Her eyes were so cold that it could cease almost everyone who passed her. Her aura was dangerous, and could be felt even from the furthest distance, not to talk of being this close. It was like a ticking bomb.

Esther could feel it. She could feel the iciness radiating Medusa to her very bone. Truly, from the start, something intrigued her to the girl. It was as though she found something she thought were lost, and the key to bring back her loss. All those years of searching, she could finally feel it.

She herself could not decipher this feeling; unlike the wary she should be feeling towards Medusa, unlike the wary feeling she was supposed to embrace.

Why? Only she knew.

"I know why-" She was cut off when Medusa's eyes landed on hers. It was as if the world suddenly slowed down. No words, no action, just the battle between gazes. The look on Medusa's face was as usual, expressionless, but only her eyes told the stories. A fierce one.

Then as if someone whispered to her head, ‘Stay away from me.’ and it was the last thing she heard till she saw Medusa's back mix with the crowd once again.

Esther did not realize she had been holding her breath when someone bumped her shoulder and passed without apologizing. "Walk, will you?" and the girl eyed her before she mixed with the crowd with her train of thoughts.

Sighing, Esther shook her head. This was tougher than she thought.

***