Shadow Beings

56. Dharm

The sonorous sound of the bells filled my room as I opened my eyes, my ears alert to the peaceful silence being broken.

I lay in my bed for a minute, unsure of how I felt. My mind felt heavy and my energy heavily coursed through my body, its deep drumming overwhelming all other sounds. My eyes shut and I closed my mind from the outside world; what was inside was all my senses received.

Slowly, I turned onto my side, sitting up gently. The ticking of my room's clock suddenly sounded abnormally loud and I looked towards it, confirming today's date.

17th May.

Tonight...

Tonight, the time would come when war would end before it even started. The time when I would hopefully receive more answers and not lose anyone.

Combining energy in so many forms, whether that would be to create a physical shield against the demons, a mental one against Vlad or even attack him... I would need more energy than I had ever used in the past. Sunlight was the greatest source of power I'd known and being close to Paliv Verasel would amplify it. The kindest and safest too but there was no sun at night. How would I possibly do anything?

The last minute to midnight is when we would give him the stone. A moment fixed millenia ago... perhaps a moment that was repeating in some ways.

Are things just repeating? Will they come again? The exact same issues, the exact same determination, solution, despair, and everything? Does it matter? Is the only way for things to end death? Time's end...

I became aware that I now stood in front of the mirror, the tap of the sink slightly open. Cool water was collected in my hand and I splashed it on my face with a sigh.

There was no point in withholding the stone, now. It was essential for him to wake up so that we could... send him off. It was all obscure. For so long he formed my duty, my purpose, my future... our primary work as shadow-trappers. I thought this only started a year ago, or the night of the fire but really, as I saw the minds of the demons and few truths of the demonic creatures and myself, I realised that this all had been going on for a long time. Vlad was... I didn't know. But seeing the changed Shadow Beings, the variation from our ancestors, perhaps, it felt like Vlad wasn't the cause, he was only a consequence.

He.

I sighed. I would get my answers soon, hopefully. Was it even right to hope? I couldn't let go of it. though. Not yet.

I began humming a tune aimlessly, oblivious to my other actions. All I felt was cold water mollifying my burning thoughts and a soft melody aided that sensation. Everything else left me for those few moments and all I knew was that I existed, I was present. Present in this physical world, affected by stimuli. Abstract things translated into reality. Things were interconnected beyond my understanding. Complicated, yet ordinary.

I was like the living, and that did not feel right.

Odd. Bewildered. Unaware, yet mindful about everything. Numb arms though the thoughts ran. My mind was wandering in lost times. I had to bring it back to the present.

Hmm, I thought. My hair sure has grown long.

I observed the wet and dark brown strands hitting my neck. Opening one of the drawers I picked up the black scissor carefully, examining its short blade.

Oh, who am I kidding? If I cut my hair, I'd craft the greatest staircase.

Putting the scissor back in I walked out of my room, headed towards a where a certain shadow would be.