Shadow Beings

24. Passing By

Pain. Darkness. Suffocation. 

It was all that surrounded me.

"Hello, light's child," came a deep, raspy voice, freezing my senses. "How do you feel?"

I fought to keep my mind open, opposing the crushing force. Darkness was all that greeted my vision, accompanied by a brittle voice. I felt my head being shattered into bits as if it were a piece of glass, a toy for his amusement. I took steady breaths, keeping control of my mind. Panic would get me nowhere, but I disliked this feeling of weakness. Despite all these years of learning, my power was minute against this, whatever it was. I didn't even know who I opposed. What I opposed.

"You are nothing," the voice announced as a matter of fact, uninterested as it sent a wave of despair cut through my thoughts.

"Why are you here? Why do you fight?"

The question took me by surprise and I shook my head, adamant on one fact. I was there to know the truth.

"About what?"

"Leave," I croaked. His questions instilled a deep conflict within me, something seemingly familiar but unsettling. Conflict wasn't something I wished to handle at that moment.

"You are-"

"Leave!" I took deep breaths, thrusting my energy into that single word. Then came another voice. Calm and gentle, like the soughing of a soft breeze.

"Audrey?" It carefully pronounced my name, as if it were something so fragile that it could break if held in any manner but one. I felt something... a hand clasping mine? The hold gently gave life to my insensate hand.

"Audrey, you're alright," the voice assured me, speaking as strongly as it could. I blinked quickly. A figure in black crouched next to me. His grey eyes was all I saw, before focusing at my fiendish surroundings. I fought the drowsiness and blinked again, regaining my control.

"Help me... stand up," I managed to say between breaths. The hand gently helped me on my feet and I awoke to my senses. As I opened my eyes, the place slowly began unfolding. I found myself slowly getting from the cold floor of the Fey tower with a group of people around me.

My friends. Jack, Conrad and Evelyn were not there anymore, though judging by the tension in Holly's aura, she forced my brother to leave with great effort.

Galen held my hand in his, his face an expression of controlled worry. The stone shone in Holly's small hands who protected the artefact carefully, but her gaze was focused on me. Everyone's eyes were on me. The energy within me gradually slowed its pacing and I regained myself, overcoming the previous weakness.

"I'm fine," I said, my voice faltering. "or at least I will be."

Galen nodded. "We need to get back as soon as possible."

The nine of us made our way down the stairs, remaining vigilant at all times. The pressure during ascendance was no more, perhaps nullified by gravity's ease. Aside from our nearly silent footsteps, everything was still, choked, quiet.

No one asked a single question as if understanding what had happened back there. I was grateful to them all; Vlad's whispers were quiet, yet the thoughts were loud and pounding and bizarre and... a never-ending description could follow as it confused me to no end and I could barely remember it anymore. Silence was what I needed. Everyone remained in deep contemplation, though Elek was particularly worried.

That was a glimpse of Vlad. A shiver went through my spine as I recalled the sound. Haunting, as if a million sirens were blaring at the same time but were muted, and a gruff, mocking voice bellowed.