Rumpelstiltskin's Heir

Changed

I walked silently behind Auxi, slightly dragging my feet. I'm not sure how long we have been going, but the area we are in a little less darker-allowing me to see a few feet ahead. We hadn't spoken since he saved me, except for the sudden :

"Get down."

Or

"Are you tired?"

Or

"Keep up your pace"

The silence, darkness and occasional random cry of agony coming from the distance did not seem to help the mood. I keep replaying his words in my mind-the resentment in his voice. I feel a cold wind blow down on me  causing me to shiver. Auxi glanced back at me.

"Are you cold?" he asked

"J-just a little"

He shifted out of his leather jacket and without looking at me, handed it to me. 

"Here this should help, although I don't know how much-this place isn't the warmest."

"Thank you." I said quietly slipping into his jacket. The jacket did very little from blocking the cold, but it filled me with Auxi's fresh, warm smell. I missed his-ocean salty scent.

The thought of the past only made me feel worse, everything had changed-nothing will be as it once was.

A strange shadow flashed to my right, causing me to jump into Auxi. He took out his sword, and pushed me behind me protectively.

"Whoever you are come out! I know you are there-if you want her: you have to come through me."

A dark creature stepped sideways where I could see it. It had claws, he seemed to be made of bones-if bones were black and made of shadows. Strange cracking noises erupted from it's body with every move. His feet were non-existent, an endless flowing shadow floating upon the ground. I felt my heart beat quicken. This thing wanted to kill me. Can I even die here? In limbo? Auxi took out a white dagger from his belt and handed it to me. 

"If he ends me-run."

Ends me. Ends me. Ends me.....he can't die....can he?

I took a step back, setting off the vial creature. It roared a horrid cry and threw himself at Auxi, who blocked its huge claws with his sword. Auxi moved with a grace I had never seen, fast, gently, fierce, strong. The creature shrieked as Auxi gave his last strike.  Ending the fight once and for all.  shadow_beast

"Auxi are you alright?"

He nodded and looked around.

"That has never happened...not so close to the portal..."

"What do you mean?"

He didn't face me, instead his eyes roamed around us.

"The path in which I was taking you leads to the portal. It is where there is more light in this world. Naturally some of the souls lost here do not go back often to the world of the living. They loose themselves here-become mad.  But no one-no matter who you are-wants to stay here forever, but because they have lost their humanity they stay here bound. They need a body and...another pure soul."

"M-ee?"

He nodded solemnly. "This is why I warned you to forget me. I was finally going to cross over. But you came and now we have to go the dangerous way to the portal."

"Wait dangerous? Why to the dangerous?"

He sighed impatiently.

"That thing? That thing that wanted to eat your soul? It's not the only one-and if he was aware of your presence-and desperate enough to come this close to the light, you can as sure hell be sure more of them will come."

"B-but you can fight them-can't you?"

"Not all of them. We have to go the other way."

"But if it's dangerous-"

"It's safer than this way. We'll have cover, unlike here."

I didn't want to go that way, but Auxi knows this place much better than I.

"Alright Auxi. I'll do what you say."

He scoffed "That's a first."

"Excuse me?"

He took a step closer "Why couldn't you just forget me? Huh? If you would have forgotten me everything would be fine."

"I promised I would-"

"What save me? Look around Aldara-you aren't saving anyone."

"Why thanks that makes me feel a loooot better." I said sarcastically

He rolled his eyes "I really couldn't care any less if it makes you feel better. Now hurry up we need to get you out of this place."

"Us." I mumbled. Yeah he's being a jerk-but I promised myself I'd bring him back. Jerk or not. Plus once we're back to the land of the living I can slap his head for being so mean to me.