Shackles Of The Past

Chapter 5

The dead do not suffer,

but the living do.

~Ancient Greek proverb

***

[Music recommendation: It Hears You by Marco Beltrami]

Devin returned to his horse with great difficulty his veins throbbing and pulsing with rage. The atmosphere was as heavy and tensed as never before. The earlier scene caused a change and the walk down their destination was thick and silent and everyone with thoughts of their own

Soon the journey continued.

Medusa wanted her inner soul to make him suffer in an endless pain, but when she realized her true intentions, she had no choice but to take control of her body. She wanted death. She wanted blood. She tried to kill him, everyone. And when Medusa tried to stop her, rage overpowered its mind and she were forced to regain her body's control.

With two souls, one with the poise of vengeance, like the master, and the other void of emotions as the servant, the master didn't have full control of the servant's body.

Although, the servant takes orders and carries out instructions, the master decides whether or not to increase or decrease the servant’s life count.

But as punishment for disobedience, she would be sent to the inferno of anguish. A place where her skin couldn't handle her soul leaving her body to suffer the pain of the curse. Where she would die and die over and over again. Where she would turn ugly and bald, with scales of her true form.

'Why did you let him escape? He was my prey!' Medyse hissed.

'You went too far. I let you, not to kill him.' She spoke back.

'He deserved death. Have you forgotten what these people made me go through?'

Medusa wasn't surprised, maybe because she expected this answer. She realized the moment she let her master out, she could do irrational things. 'Punishments get to the offenders. It seems it is you who have forgotten. Our plan was to get to Dragsholm, get the stone and kill the Lord. Have you forgotten so soon?'

'You are weak, Medusa. Power lies in destruction!' Medyse spat.

'It lies in control. And we don't have to murder now,' She countered, blatantly. 'If I wanted to get the stone, I wouldn't do it when he's dead. I need him alive to die,'

She became silent.

'As long as you are in my body, you go with my plan. Remember, a watched pot never boils. One step at a time.'

The sun was already setting and they had yet to cross the border. Sunset had drained out of the sky ahead, sheathing the woods in shadow. The patchy sky could be seen in the glimpses through the tree break.

Ariel dismounted his horse, carrying a skin filled with water. It was what their captors used to pour water to the mouths of the captives.

The process was torturous. He poured the water on body of the captives, not giving them an opportunity to drink from, like he was trying to set piles of worn out clothes on fire; if you are fortunate to get one or two mouthful of drops to survive.

As they neared and the sun gone, just the orange tinge in the sky that guided their way and the noises from night insects, "Dragsholm is one of the most powerful and ranked kingdom among the six lands. The strangest place of all. Haven’t you wondered why?"

Medusa peered through her lashes at her side to catch the glimpse of a small figure. It was the girl from last night. She could tell through the voice. And she ignored her.

They kept moving.

"The border is a risky part of Dragsholm, consisting of mythical creatures of the night. Some which protects the kingdom itself…" Esther stops talking when she felt the gaze of one of the soldiers on her. In pretense, she kept mute. When his attention was elsewhere, she continued, "It's one of the reason we cross the border at broad daylight, if not, these creatures craves for meal twice their intake. Their hunger increases at the peak of the moonlight on them. They feed on blood. During the Lord's reign, it was created. But now his brother ascended the throne, this practice doubled."

Medusa’s eyes narrowed as she absorbed the information. She did not know this.

The battle between the Demon Lord, once the Bastard of Dragsholm, and the Devil centuries ago, was a common knowledge. The Lord went to slumber while the Devil lost his physical body and was trapped in hell. Once upon a time, the Bastard and the Devil were two different creatures fought till death over a woman.

It was a stormy night. Rage, cries, sorrows, mourning, as swords clashed against each other with war against different creatures. The earth trembled in pain and ire.

The realization hit Medusa. The Lord is awake and the Devil has return. Was that another reason why she should kill him?

‘No.’ Medyse answered.

"So…" Esther stressed. "Try not to burn someone this time."

The ride stopped and the soldiers all dismount their horses. The sounds of these creatures were clearly heard, and it was when the full moon appeared in the sky.

"Take one of the slaves and come with me," Ariel ordered and left. His words were like a death knell to their little fading hope. The thought of a creature feeding on them were horrifying. Terror could be seen wrapping their body and they trembled.

"You." It was one word that made their heart drop. No one dared to look who was the victim. They froze paralyzed at their spot.

Devin pointed towards Medusa. His cold voice was harsh and rough that masked his anger as he approached her.

"Not the girl, Devin." Xavier shook his head in apology, with his left arm blocking him from moving further.

“You don’t give the orders,”

“What was it? To kill the girl?”

Devin's anger boiled at his words. He used his left hand to support the burnt arm as he marched out in rage. "Hmph!" was all he said. He didn't forget to send cold glare at the girl that made things difficult for him. No sign his hatred for her will satiate anytime soon… or ever.

Behind, he grabbed one of the captive's hairs closer to him, but his eyes were still fixed on Xavier. While the girl who was been held by Devin cried, whimpered, trying to jerk free from his tight grip, it was almost impossible to match her strength with his.

He released her from the manacle, dragging her along with him. She screamed and begged, wailing like a lost soul. Indeed, what became of her was a broken spirit.

"N-No,no…" She chanted in tears. But her pleas remained deafen to his ears. He kept on dragging her unwilling body, until she bit him.

"AH! FUCK!" He groaned in pain, that he was forced to slap her, so hard that she was knocked out. "Measly pig!" he spat on her body. With a sniff of disdain, he dropped her body like sack to the ground, and held her by the leg, dragging her into the dark woods.

It was quiet again.

The rest shivered uncontrollably like frosty rabbits. Then a painful scream echoed next in the direction the girl was lead into. The atmosphere was ominous and the weather was hollow, such that the clouds began to thicken.

Tiny drops of rain fell off the sky. Little by little, the screams became less toned and eventually faded off to the silence of the night. Just the whimpering of the captives resounded in the forest. Then it started to rain heavily.

Harsh thunderstorm broke off that struck the dark, chilly sky as crisp wind weaved the leaves from right to left in a distraught manner. Those growling noises intensified, and Devin emerged from the woods, his body stained and clamored in blood. His face was no exemption.

He rushed to the captives and released two others. "L-LET ME-E GO! I b-beg of y-you…" One of them pleaded with a tear stricken face. Her face was pale and her body trembled at the pressure she was pulled with.

From the distance Medusa stood, she could hear her heartbeat becoming faint with each breath and in no time, the girl will die of heart attack.

And she did. The girl laid still. With her face as white as snow and her chapped lips giving a mixture of purple and blue, Devin hissed in frustration and checked her pulse.

When he confirmed there wasn't any signal, he dragged her body, disposing it at the corner of the woods. While stomping his feet as he went cold in resentment, he approached another captive and jerked him by the hair.

"NO! P-pl-please…!" He yelled, frightened, with tears escaping his eyes like molten lava. He couldn't embrace this fate. But Devin being adamant, remained deaf to his pleadings. He unchained him and dragged his unwilling body away.

The rain increased its pace, the thunder striking with intensity, the wind so strong that each time it kissed the captives skin, they shivered. Not in cold, but in fear. They were ushers in fright as the storming breezes were not in peace but violence.

Another scream evoked the forest. Those were the screams of the captives and the sound of the growling monster as its scratching noises intensified. Each time the screams doubled, the feeling of dread and horror of the captives overflowed. A river of sweat flooded each spine.

With no sign the rain would stop, their senses remained paralyzed and their fears seemingly heightened. Again, Devin emerged from the forest with far worse expression.

It was the fifth time he took another. "We need the girl, Xavier!" he shouted under the rain, his eyes fixed on Medusa.

"The girl is off limit. Those buyers will favor are rare creature and you know the king would have our head when he realizes the witch is gone. We owe them, and we promised to repay our debt by the rare one. You and I know what is to risk if we give this girl out,”

Devin sighed. He blinked the rain drops off his lashes, his hair dripping wet with blood and water. "There is no guarantee we will successfully cross the border if nothing is being done." He hissed in agitation. The explosion of rage, frustration and anxiety overwhelmed him. Powerless, he sighed. "What are we going to do?"

"What about Ariel?" Rheon asked, and both Xavier and Devin turned to look at him.

Devin scratched his head. "He's stuck there trying to tame the creature." He responded, but from the way he sounded, there was doubt in his voice.

It was Xavier's turn to sigh. The coachman, who had been seated in his own horse all along, approached them. "Sire," The coachman named Dorian started, his expression giving the clue of greater anxiety. "I think we have a bigger problem." He revealed causing all eyes to turn to him.

Dorian swallowed. "The portal will close once the full moon appears. We don't have enough time and if we don't make it out of here, I'm afraid there's no way we would reach Dragsholm at the safest."

Both Xavier and Devin breathed. The moon was half. Few minutes from now, the full moon will appear. And without satiating the creature, it would be impossible to reach the kingdom. It was a huge headache.

Xavier's lips stretched it a thin line. "What about Ariel? What about the creature? There's no way we could cross it without taming it first."

"Pardon my intrusiveness, sire…" Dorian excused himself so he could make a point.

Rheon gestured his hand, a sign he should continue.

"I suggest we do what is necessary to be done. There's no time…" Dorian paused, noting the expression on their faces. They knew what he meant by that, and it was the only thing that could be done.

"The blood of a witch." He completed his statement, as they both turned to look at each other, before facing the girl with silver hair.

"How are we sure she's a witch?" Xavier asked, his eyes observing the girl from afar.

Devin scoffed. "Does this…" he raised his burnt arm to his face, "-mean anything to you?"

"But she didn't move nor chant a spell like normal witches do. It could be, who knows, possessed by satanic spirit or something." Xavier tried to prove a point.

"The whole town folks talks about the deeds she has done that no ordinary person could do. She doesn't need to chant a spell when she cannot even speak! Satan possesses souls with limited amount of time phase but that one, even with baptism, she remains unholy."

Xavier drew his brows at his words. "Sometimes, I wonder where you read your bible from. King James or the queen's? Samantha's?"

"Enough, both of you," Rheon interrupted with a frown. "I don't care what it takes, but we cross this border before the peak of the full moonlight. Witch or not, her blood will be tested. Take a limited amount but don't take the girl. I do not need another ruckus. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sire." Both Xavier and Devin responded at the command.

"Good." Then he walked away.

Xavier gestured his head to the side, signaling Devin to go ahead. "With all pleasure." Devin snatched the veil from his hand and approached the girl.

Medusa never broke the eye contact. She monitored his every step, his every move and even his vicious thoughts. She could read his mind. And she smirked internally.

Without a second thought, Devin dragged her hand before taking out his pocket knife. He didn't waste a second and dived it into her flesh.

As blood gushed through the open wound, he placed the veil under, watching it drip inside. It was painfully slow that he plunged further, inflecting more injury to the already-made.

When the blood seemed more than enough, the veil crimson-soaked, he didn't stop. Whole of him wanted he pay back so he continued slicing her flesh like a piece of meat but to his dismay, the girl didn't flinch nor wince even a little. His eyes burned with malevolence.

With a sneer of disdain, he cut deeper, blood flowing like the rain falling, painting the ground red with blood and not water, and mingling with the rainwater. But what blinded him was rage. He wanted to inflict pain.

Unbeknownst known to him, that the girl cannot feel the pain, the aspect of physical sense vanished, only the emotion of anger. And with that anger, Medusa pressed her lips to a thin line and released herself from the manacle.

She grasped his burnt arm and twisted it, in such a way it made a bone cracking sound. All this happened with flash of just a second.

Devin was thrown back by the sudden action, it was then the pain surged through his hand that the bottle fell and dropped to the ground.

"AH!!!" He screamed and scrambled backwards, holding the other arm he couldn't feel any longer.

The explosion of pain, rage, anger and vengeance clouded his expression, seething hatred when he took in harsh breaths and released his sword. His desire for revenge consumed his thoughts and drove him to an uncontrollable fury threatening to unleash his chaos from within.

Just when he lifted the sword midair and attempted to dive into her, a strong hand grabbed him by his hand, stopping him abruptly. It was Rheon.

"That's enough."

Cold sweats broke off Devin's head as he shook in both pain and anger. His eyes were red and clouded with hatred soaring higher each passing seconds, just for the girl.

"I don't care about the rules, Rheon," he gritted his teeth as he looked at him daringly.

"Tell that to the king if you have the guts." Rheon challenged with the same intensity.

He dragged his arm off his. "I will kill her even when I have the slightest opportunity." He brought out his index finger as a sign. "I will forget she's a slave and treat her how cowardice is taught. That I promise." He swore with his words before glaring at Medusa.

With a spat, he retreat his sword back, and bent to pick the veil. The pain was rather still unbearable for him that he was certain nothing good could be made out of his right hand again.

With the veil in his hands, he stomped out of the place, bumping his shoulder with Xavier and walked into the forest.

The thunder struck harder when Rheon watched his retreating figure and then faced Medusa. He didn't try to hide the look of irritation and suppressed anger he also had for the girl as all she did was to cause trouble one moment to another.

Then he walked away.

Medusa remained still as statue, but she took note of everything. Xavier walked towards Medusa. He stopped when he leaned towards her ear to say, "The next time you burn an arm or break any bone again, I would do you the honor of a quick death. Peasants like you are meant to be taught a lesson." He whispered.

But the next thing he saw was the flames dancing in those black irises, like it was him suddenly burning. Him dancing with the melody of the crackles and churns and death. But he wasn't.

'Burn, as I burnt.'

***

A/N: Does it ring a bell?