Soulless

The Truth

 Year 749; Day 107

Underneath the Citadel

The memory plays through my head as I recall every event that happened on that fateful day. Many years have passed since then, and my life was forever changed because of that one day. I now know that Kali was that enormous dog-beast that has ultimately ended up saving my soul. In a frantic effort to save me, she had latched her chains onto my soul, and then onto me, creating the unbreakable bond. I am chained to her, and my soul. That is the reason why I can show such strong emotions. As for Alastair, I don’t know. Kali had stopped the demon before it could finish stealing his soul, so maybe he still has a part of his left.

This memory had haunted me for many years; up until now, I had believed Alastair to be dead. When I use Kali’s attack, it twists the memory so it is more painful that it really is. It will never have that effect on me again, because my past acquaintance is alive and standing right in front of me. I had not recognized him when we first met back here at the Citadel, because I had tried to forget the memory, and Kali did me a favor by blocking some of it out. He also has a different appearance in adulthood. He is taller, lankier, and more talkative. But, nonetheless, he is still the boy I knew for a large portion of my life. He would help me with my chores, and I would do the same to him. Sometimes he would help me look after the younger children at the orphanage when Necia was out on business.

I never realized how much I missed him until now, when I sit in his arms, staining his shirt with tears. I can tell this is making him uncomfortable, but he still has his arms around me, trying to calm me down. Who wouldn’t be upset after momentarily transforming into a demon? I didn’t even know I...er…Kali, could do that!

“Alia, crying doesn’t solve anything,” he says kindly, lifting my face and using his hand to wipe the blood and tears off of my face. Now where have I heard him say that before? I can’t help but smile as he says it. He is so different than his eighteen-year-old self.

“You’re right. It’s just, I know why you looked so familiar when we first met here,” I reply softly, allowing him to help me stand up. My legs feel like they are filled with jelly, and I wobble a bit before I can stand firmly on the ground. Most of my crying was to do with the pain which is now spread through my muscles and injuries. A part of it was joyful tears when I finally recognized him, someone from my past.

“Why’s that?” he asks, interested. I think he already knows why; I had noticed the recognition in his eyes when we were sitting down here, trying to find a way out.

“We used to know each other, back in the Circle, didn’t we?” I reply. He silently nods and walks over to where Drago stands back in the cave, analyzing the golden shrine with interest. I want to complain that we should leave, since I’ m sure I need a healer to treat my wounds, but I hold my tongue when I notice that the wound is practically gone. On my stomach, anyway. The other minor ones are still there. Kali’s abilities never fail to amaze me. Thinking of her, I reach to the recesses of my mind, trying to contact her. She’s there, back where she should be, but she refuses to speak with me.

“I’m not angry at you, you know. This whole incident isn’t your fault,” I say quietly, grabbing my bloodstained weapons and sheathing them properly.

I caused you harm, child…

I think she’s taking this too hard; she cares for me a little too much sometimes. She’s like the mother I never had, which is true, because I’ve never known my real mother. I explain to her that Ahriman is to blame; he forced her to take control of me. I didn’t really mind at first, because she was giving him a thorough beating that I kind of enjoyed. He was the one who tried to take my soul.