Shackles Of The Past

Chapter 9

The heart was made

to be broken.

~Oscar Wilde.

***

Medyse swallowed. Her heart didn't seem to ease the discomfort she was feeling currently. She didn't know how long she stood in daze until Aelin gave her a cup of water.

With trembling hands, she collected the cup and drank what was in it to the last drop.

“You will be fine,” Aelin comforted her but her words didn't get through the shattered soul.

'I don't think I can ever be.' Medusa whispered. 'They will die if i…'

'If you don't do what is a must of you, Medusa. These people will only suffer if you continue being adamant. Not just their lives, but yours as well. Imagine the future when all this is over. What do you see?'

'Pain.' Medusa answered in daze. 'I see pain, Aelin. Lots of it.'

'Medusa-'

'No, Aelin,' Medusa cut her off. 'I will find another way. I will prevent this. I just can't do it.'

Aelin sighed, masking her anger with frustration. All she had to do was convince the girl but this was merely turning worse for her. If minds could kill, she would have burnt her with her dark thoughts.

'I have tried to make you see things the way it should be seen but you choose a different path. I don't see why I have to be with you anymore. At this point, you are risking my life as well.'

Time seem to stay still when she made those words.

Medyse was struck. She couldn't find the right words. 'I-' she paused. 'I thought we were friends?' Her voice lowered in different emotions as she stared at Aelin.

'Listen, Medusa. This isn't the matter of friends or not. I am trying to help here and of course, you will always be my friend and I will help you in any way I can. I have tried, and I can't keep trying to make you understand when you don't give me listening ears. Time is not on your side, because the sheds of blood is near. What you will cause if you don't do your part of the game.'

Medusa's fingers jammed Aelin's arm in a desperate grip. ‘Help me…’

“Do what is a must of you, Medyse. Or things would get even worse.”

“I think I know what to do.” She said, and Aelin gave her spill-the-bean look.

“You have finally decided to bed the Devil?”

At her words, the little hope in Medyse's eyes vanished into thin air, replaced in fear. “No.”

With a swift kick of frustration, Aelin gritted her teeth at her disapproval and stilled her rage from bursting. 'What do you mean by no?'

“No means no.” Medyse replied. “I refuse to share my body with a creature from hell that appear on earth to lure humans in his sinful world. Heaven bear me witness; shield me from the spikes of the wicked.” She made a short prayer, as her irritation spiked.

“You bring your faith to this?”

“My faith is my life. A believer in Christ is what I am. I hope on the lord-”

“This same faith that ended you in a situation you are tied in. And soon, will end with you. Medusa, time is not on your side and the cries of these innocent people with haunt you if you don't save them. Not your faith.”

Medusa broke in confusion. The words Aelin said was beginning to make sense to her. But her ego was strong.

Then a thought blended, coming out grave and frightening. “What I am about to do will be between us, so I can protect them.” Medusa pleaded.

“What is it?”

“Promise me,”

Aelin looked at her. “I promise.”

.

"Help me, please…!" A frantic cry filled the cold silence as Medusa was brought to another memory. Chained up brutally and attached to the pillars of both sides that reached her body and held her arms, her face squeezed in pain while she drew long breaths.

Medusa drew closer at the strong push of the wind that brought her to this memory. With the breeze swaying her garment and her hair dancing to the pressure of the wind as she took steady steps.

Her blue eyes surveyed her surroundings. The place was built in a kind of darkness that was poisonous.

Medusa could feel that burning anger smeared in her dark soul. The emotion that caused her head spinning and she knew it was the effect of viewing her master's past. The raging soul wasn't helping matters at all.

"I beg you, let me out!" came another plead; and when Medusa's head finally settled she was swept into another memory.

“She will cause danger if she does exist.” the voice sounded familiar. Medusa had to think where she heard the voice from. After much thought, the recognition finally washed her.

The keeper. The keeper?

“Worry not. It has been planned.” Another hypnotizing dark and familiar voice replied with a greatest reassurance. It didn't take Medusa long to realize its owner.

The Devil.

Medusa was certain these visions were strings to her death and the keeper had a hand in it, one way or the other. But the question was how?

Aelin sighed. “My lord, you forget that time is not on our side. The more it ticks, the closer it gets.” Her head remained rooted to the floor as she worshiped the person seated on the throne.

He raised his head up from his knuckles that rested his chin and looked down at his servant with a frown. “You forget too soon who I am,” he reminded, his cold voice brushing her skin in fear. “Time is always on my side and it will take a snap of my finger to put things in place. And I will have my queen.” His eyes blazed like the fire that blazed at the top and end of the pillar.

The walls of the tower were wide and though there was fire burning in some part of Hell, smoke couldn't be seen. Instead, the darkness that surrounded them was thick; so thick that it could suffocate a soul.

Kneeling before him, Aelin's breath hitched at those promising words, and her heart could only squeeze in jealousy.

“But my Lord, what if she's not your fate. There must have been a mix up in the prophecy somewhere,” she said, gaining his attention. “I mean, what if the demon has this planned to lure your doom closer.” Then she lifted her head, “We don't know the ways of demons. They are very sly.”

“He wouldn't be that foolish to sacrifice something precious to him as a way to lock me here forever,” He said emotionless as ever. “I have known him more than you can imagine. His bravery did not increase after all this years. He’s only been blinded. And the blindness is all in my favor.”

Aelin wasn't happy with the news. “I have served you very well, my Lord. Don't you think it's… high time you acknowledge my presence?”

“You are my most loyal servant. Anything other than that is nothing to be acknowledged. Hold that as lust.”

“But I'm certain I don't lust you.”

His face darkened at her words. “Do you weaver love over lust?”

Aelin struggled to find her words but she could hardly form any. So she kept silent.

“Don't forget your heart should never crave for love. And I should praise you for your loyalty all these years of your existence.”

Aelin forced a warm smile on her lips, “I should be much more than just a loyal servant, my lord. I can be… your mistress then,” she spoke, trying to sound convincing. “I wouldn't mind sharing a place with her.” At the mention of her stroked the jealousy in her and she gave a sheepish smile. “After all, our kingdom doesn't forbid the abominable.” She said. Not getting the reaction she wanted, she gritted her teeth in annoyance.

“We sin,” he began. “But it always goes with a price.” He added. “Hell accepts selfishness too,”

“I will do whatever it takes, my Lord. I will do anything to stay right beside you forever, as either your queen or mistress.” She spoke in firm determination and he smirked.

“I shall send you back to earth, and your mission would be assigned on your arrival,” He said. “You shall lure my queen astray, while I plan my reformation.”

***