The Knights of Aragon

Chapter 16

I gasp awake, gulping in as much air as I can. Those memories were incredibly intense. They locked me in that disgusting basement? The Elders isolated me for seven years. Bile rushes up my throat as it all begins to sink in. How could they do that to me? To any child for that matter? The nausea I feel makes my skin crawl. Images of my time in the dungeon flashes behind my eyelids. Over and over.

The desk, the cot, the blankets. Yore teaching me to write, to read, to do math. I can't handle it. I bend over and begin to dry heave. Silent tears stream down my face at the bundles of horrible memories that I can now remember. I plant my face on the ground, taking deep breaths.

You look awful.

My head snaps up in surprise. But I suppose that's exactly what I wanted, isn't it? A grey form stands before me. I quickly stand up from my place on the ground and face Quikas. "What are you doing here?" my voice cracks. "What do you want?" Quikas circles me, surveying me from head to toe. I had thought you dead for days now. Until your mind broke and mended itself. I take my eyes off its form.

I see you've encountered the wizard. I raise my eyebrows, clearly not understanding. It takes a very powerful sorcerer to break a spell. Specifically, a curse. My mind flashes to the abandoned village the boys and I stayed at. The disembodied voice! I remember hearing him now. "I don't know what you're talking about," I lie.

Quikas bursts out laughing. You can't expect me to believe that! I look away from it and take in the scenery. I'm on an open field with dry grass that barely reaches my ankles. The humidity makes my hair stick to my neck. I walk forward to the overlooking cliff. My eyes widen at the thousands of statues that I've seen before. Aren't they gorgeous? My breath hitches in my throat. I love all my trophies. They keep me company.

I'm not surprised by the revelation. I already knew Quikas' curse that it inflicts on its victims. "Why are you here, Quikas?" I grit my teeth in anger. It doesn't say anything for a while, so I take advantage of the time and steady my anger, the fury I feel crawling up my neck. I want the sorcerer that helped you get this far, mortal. I turn to Quikas. "Why do you want this sorcerer?" I take a step towards it. "What will you do when you find him?" A light breeze flows over me, almost refreshing.

Let's just say that I have a few scores to settle with the man. This sorcerer helped me break the spell in my mind, why? I wonder what my memories hold that seems important enough to risk being found by Quikas. "Truth be told, Quikas, I never saw the man's face, nor did I confirm if he was actually there," I say. "Therefore, I cannot help you."

Quikas snarls and lunges at me in vain. It hits an invisible barrier that I built with my mind. "You forget, Quikas," I smirk, "you are in my mind. I control what happens in here, not you." It laughs manically. We will see how tough you truly are once we battle face to face, vermin! It spits at me in response. I walk closer to Quikas, almost touching it. "I look forward to it," I whisper. After a couple beats of my roaring heart, I forcefully push it out of my dream.

* * * * *

My eyes flutter open to reveal the bright stars in the sky. The night is so beautiful, no clouds crowd the open air. If I died right now, I would be content with my ending. I sigh in relief, my whole body relaxing. I never got to appreciate the night sky at home. I don't think I even stopped to look. Shame on me, then.

My younger self would've taken time to look, if she had remembered how badly she wanted to see the open sky. Even then, however, she would've felt just as trapped. Quikas was keeping us prisoner back then too. Maybe it was a blessing that I was forced to forget. I think I would've lost my mind if I was left with my memories. I guess the 'what ifs' don't matter anymore. I'm still here, aren't I?