All Hallow's Eve 2: Memories

Chapter 10

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Dispensing with the remaining foes that Niamh and I encountered, it wasn't long before we discovered what was creating the light.

The ground began sloping downwards, torches adorned the walls and lanterns hung from what looked like burned trees.
"Well, at least we can see what's going on here!" Niamh said relieved.
"Good!" I replied and reached over and took the nearest torch.

As soon as I retrieved it from the wall, the rest of the flames extinguished. The only light now was from the one burning in my hand.
"Well, that's just great! In the dark again." I complained.
"Calm down," Niamh interjected, "At least we have one torch."
I looked at her and she smiled.

The dancing flames gave the illusion of movement to everything their light touched. The tree-like objects cast long misshapen shadows that could easily be mistaken for some ominous presence.

"I finally decided on a name for my sword," I said trying to lighten the mood when I saw the frightened look on Niamh's face.
"R-r-rea....," She cleared her throat, "Really, what is it?"
"Bone Breaker!" I grinned.
Her silence told me enough.

Staying close together, we continued walking. Our pace slowed as it became difficult to determine if what we were seeing were actual shadows. I stopped, and I stared at something that looked a bit uncanny valley. One shadow moved in the opposite direction than the others.

The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood on end as if trying to escape their follicles. A shiver ran up and down my spine like ice-cold water trickling between each vertebra. I blocked the torch light with my shield and all went dark.

"What are ya doing?" Asked Niamh.
"Shush! Be quiet." I replied.
When my eyes adjusted to the darkness again I could see two yellow eyes for an instant and then were gone.
"There, did you see that?"
"See what?"
"Ah, for the love of Danu!"

I ran to where I had seen the eyes and sliced diagonally with my sword. Hitting nothing I realised it must have been this place playing tricks with my mind. I turned my torch in all directions just to be sure.
"Come on Red," I held out my hand. "Think I'm losing my mind!"

"Are ya only finding that out now?" Niamh quipped as she took hold of my hand.
"Ha ha ha."
"How is your shoulder now?"
"Still sore, and I think it's still bleeding."
"Shite! Here, let me carry the torch."
I handed it to her.

Holding up the torch she said, "Here, let me see that wound."
I dropped my shield and pulled back my garments.
"Aye, you're right, it's still bleeding. Move your hair out of the...., just turn your head."
When I did so she put her forearm on the side of my face.
"Now thus won't hurt a bit!"
"What?"

Without hesitation, she forced the flames into the open flesh cauterizing it shut.
"Aaaah!" I yelled and pushed her back, "What are ya doing?"
"Just trying to help," Niamh replied.
"Well, don't," I said looking at my shoulder.
"It worked, didn't it!" She grinned.

I fixed my garments and picked up my shield. Niamh led the way and I followed. And the shadows followed also, in fact, they began to close in on me. I quickened my pace. But the faster I went the further away my guide became.
I heard a low voice, like a whisper.
"What was that? D'you say something?"
"No!"

We continued on a little further and I heard the whispers again.
"What d'ya want?"
"I told you already, I'm not talking." She held the torch towards my face, "Are you feeling alright?"
"I suppose. Just hearing things."
Niamh turned and walked on.
"Don't react. You can't trust her!"

"What the?"
"Shusssh, don't talk."
"I-"
I felt a coldness creep around my neck like a shadowy arm embracing me from behind. I tried to talk again and a cold wet hand covered my mouth.
"Shusssh, she's trying to kill you!" The voice whispered once more.

I shook my head and murmured no!
"She will try it again!"
"No!" I tried to disagree and forced my head around to see who was saying these lies. And there, a pair of yellow eyes with cat-like pupils stared back at me. I tried to move but my body was encapsulated by this shadow demon's limbs.

"See how easy it was for her to burn you! She's just waiting for another chance to cause you pain."
I tried to shake it off, I tried to resist but it was of no use. While shaking my head in disagreement I felt its hand penetrate my skull and cold, icey fingers probe my mind. They latched on and I could resist no more. My will was not my own.

"You alright back there?" Came Niamh's voice from the foreground.
I couldn't answer. She looked around.
"How are ya now?" She asked.
Suddenly my head nodded and my voice answered her. But it was not me. The demon had full control now and manipulated my every response.

Niamh could not see my puppeteer. It had now secreted itself within my being. It continued talking in my head and persuaded me to move closer. As I did it told me she would ask for my shield.
"She wants it to take away your protection from the fire. And she will deny it. Don't give it to her!"

I felt my heart beat faster, my anger grow more intense and the adrenaline surge through my body. Was it from fear-induced incompetence or was this cold malevolent entity the catalyst of my predicament? My feet moved faster and I decreased the distance between Niamh and myself.

She looked around when she heard my footsteps.
"There you are. Feeling any better now?"
She smiled. "That must be killing you. Let me carry your shield and you rest your shoulder."
Warning signals went off in my head.
"She wants to burn you!"

"Wait, what did you just say?"
"I can carry your shield. Until your shoulder gets better."
"She's going to hurt you. She wants to burn you. She is trying to kill you!" The voice kept chanting in my head.

"What if she is?" I thought."No!" I yelled.
"It's no trouble. You can let your shoulder heal." Niamh thought I was talking to her.
"Look, you're not getting my shield! And you're not going to burn me!"
"What are you talking about? I would never do that!"

"She denied it, just like I told you!"
"What did you just say?
"I would never do that."
I pushed her to the ground with my shield and quickly straddled her pinning her to the rough surface.
"He was right!" I said pointing my sword at her face.
"Good, good, now kill her!"

"What?"
"Kill her!"
"What are you doing?" Niamh pleaded.
"Kill her! She deserves it!"
"No, I can't!"
"Don't do this!" Niamh struggled. "It's me, what's gotten into you, it's me, Red!"
"Don't listen to her!"

Niamh looked into my eyes, "It's me, Niamh, your Red!" But all she saw was my eyes turned yellow.
"I must kill you now!" The words came out of my mouth, but it was not me that said them.
Even in my possessed state, she could see tears in my yellow eyes.

I grabbed her throat with one hand and drew my sword arm back across my shoulder with the tip still pointing towards Niamh's face.
"Do it!"
My raised arm began to shake.
"Do it now!" My inner demon hissed.
I steadied my weapon.

"She tried to kill you!"
I could bearly hear the voice over my heartbeat. My breathing became erratic. "Now!"
I held my breath and loosened my grip on my woman's throat. Niamh, realising all was not lost, rammed the burning torch into my side.

I roared in pain and so did my unwelcome guest. As I recovered from the deafening mental ear-bashing I realized that my head and my eyes were my own once more. Niamh determined to exercise my demon, tried to burn me again.

"Niamh, Niamh, it's me! I'm back, that thing is gone!"
She wasn't convinced.
"Look into my eyes, Red, it's me!"
Niamh lowered the torch.
"How do I know for sure?"
I grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her passionately.

Niamh instantly recognised my kissing and returned the love. We helped each other up and retrieved our belongings.
"How did you know the fire would work?"
"I didn't!"
"Great, well at least I have another scar for my collection." I laughed and winced at the pain it caused.

"Well, the demon was right, he did say you would burn me again!"
We journeyed on, not knowing what we would encounter next. But at least we had each other's back and that was enough.