Fairies of The Black Circle

4

It was dark. 

Even enveloped by waves of glossy, deep purple that flowed lazily around her, she could still hear a faint, muffled ringing. Musa was suspended within the walls of waves, her mind completely entranced by the placid movements of the liquid. 

Then, as if he had just stepped out from the shadows, a blonde man was standing before her. 

The signature wide-brimmed, black hat adorned his head, however this man was very different to the one she had seen before: his face was relaxed and sported an innocent curiosity, much unlike the cold, stony-faced wizard she had been fighting. 

Although the biggest difference was in his intense eyes. The tired look of resignation had vanished- instead she saw a spark, a bolt of electricity course through them. They looked alive.

Musa opened her mouth to speak but found she had nothing to say, her mind still blank besides the muted high pitched ringing. 

Gantlos, however, took a step towards her, like her, suspended above the rolling purple waves, so he was stood directly in front of her.

"You feel it too."

 It wasn't a question. 

Musa hesitated, knowing exactly what he meant. But she couldn't trust him; he was her enemy and so she consequently kept her lips tightly shut and shook her head. 

His eyes darkened. 

"I see." He said, his voice barely above a whisper, his lips falling into a frown. "You can't lie to me, Musa." 

The water around them began to swirl faster, slowly becoming a murky black colour. 

"I am you. I know everything you know."

Musa's breath quickened as he stepped towards her but she was frozen in place. 

"And I know you feel it too." He finished, the light vanished from his eyes. 

"I know you feel it too, Musa!" Gantlos spoke in a singsong voice, his words elongated and producing multiple clashing tones that made her blood run cold. 

His eyes were now as black as the water that circled them. 

It foamed and crashed aggressively as if reaching towards her, beckoning her into their depths.

"Stop." She whispered to him breathlessly, her eyes pleading. 

The walls of water began to close in on them and Musa gasped for air, stretching her hands out as if she could stop them from reaching her. 

"You feel it, Musa!" He chanted over and over and she clasped her hands to her ears, trying to block out his demonic voice. 

"Musa! Musa! Musa!" He grinned at her wickedly. His teeth were razor sharp and pointed like fangs, dark red blood trickling through the gaps. 

Musa's stomach twisted, bile rising in her throat at the horrific sight before her.

"You can't lie to me! You can't hide from me!" his voice echoed around her and she screwed her eyes shut in terror, clamping her down harder. But his cursed voice still pierced into her mind. 

"Musa! Musa! Musa!" the voice grew louder and louder, the walls enclosed closer and closer around her.

"Musa! Musa! Musa!"

"NO!" Musa exclaimed and sat bolt upright, gasping for breath, her eyes wide open.

"Musa?" 

Flora was perched on the edge of the bed next to her, worry painted across her face.