Burning Soul

“I figured so!” Theo’s face saddened yet again.

“And that is why you killed him!” Yvaine asked looking at her,

“He deserved no mercy!

By the time I was in the main square he had drawn the magic circle. For a few minutes, I stood motionless in the darkness and listened to the night. It was unsettling, menacing darkness, full of dancing shadows and was able to hear the occasional creak and rustle from the shack ahead. A tingling sixth sense warned me to be alert every single time. I moved towards the shack and after reaching I saw that he was preparing to perform some Magic, but his language or the chant he used, I couldn’t make any sense of it!

I was ducked as something dark rushed through the air and brushed my head with its icy fingers. The world was completely still. Nothing moved, not a leaf quivered. All was as still as death and dark as the grave, but over the silence brooded a vicious, ghostly calm and the whisper of his smoking breath as it rose in gasps and lingered in the frosty air.

Not that I was in the mood to keep listening, not after I saw what he used as a catalyst, to sum up, the amount of mana in the surrounding!

He killed everyone in the village! And had their bodies piled up in the circle! He was using their life force as the catalyst, a sacrificial ritual that was beyond comprehendible!

Now, not only the kids I knew but the elders and everyone I saw walking around and having fun, were all killed! Their bodies were on the ground, the warmth of life stolen by the cold embrace of death, blood rushing out of their open wounds and tainting the once pristine ground with the humour of one taken too soon. Their chest laid still, no flickers of life or their usual innocence remaining in their bosom, a surefire sign that they were dead. I had never faced such cruelty, not once!” her eyes were wide open and she was on the verge of losing her sanity as she recalled the night!

Hearing such vicious fragments everyone present in the room was astounded with their mouth open and wide-open eyes.

Merida clasped her head with her hands as she trembled in position. Her eyes were deep and wet, her face had a dejected expression. Her posture seemed pale this time.

“Calm down!” Yvaine and Theo both had a confused look on their faces as they saw her almost going berserk!

As she was struggling to hold back, Aeneas tapped her head with the handle of his sword knocking her for good in one sweep!

“Hmm, so, she got to the square, saw him being a jerk, killed him without thinking twice; which I appreciate, and we are here!” Aeneas blew the steam off her head, she was back to normal!

“You didn’t have to hit me in the head!” She stroked hairs behind which trembled over her eyes and fisted her hand after she returned to the former self she glared back at him scaring him for good,

“Next time, I’ll be careful about that!” he, who didn’t want to take any chances, replied with caution.

“Hmm, I’m really curious about the demonized monsters you talked about! Can I have a look at any?” Yvaine asked her while trying to remember something!

“Here?” Merida asked her looking around pointing out the place wasn’t the right one!

“You can all go out and talk with her, I’m all fine! I’ll even get on my feet back in no time!” Vivian nudged her face and gave an endearing expression and was able to read the air correctly and suggested they move to a safer place to discuss the monsters and stuff.

After all, she was a patient and bringing a dead monster in a patient’s room wouldn’t be that appropriate! Yvaine was so eager for some reason but Vivian’s suggestion was on point!

“Hmm, she’s right!

We can take this talk elsewhere, we must not disturb the patient here and it’s better for her to rest even more!

We can’t have one of the dragons staying hurt long enough!” Aeneas gave his hand to help Merida stand up while speaking up for Vivian.

“Such smooth-talking won’t help you!” hearing him Merida pushed his hand away and got up on her own while looking at Vivian and Theo who were laughing at his reaction as she pushed him.

“I want this moment to freeze!” She murmured looking at them, “Yeah! Who wouldn’t want something like that!” Aeneas replied softly.

“Okay then, we can head to my private chamber, where we can take a look at the monsters you caught!” Yvaine showed the way to Merida and others,

“Me too?” Theo asked her as she seemed to be asking him to tag along as well,

“Yeah why not, you might get to learn a thing or two!” Aeneas jumped on his back and pulled him from Vivian’s side making her a bit angry which she showed by a pout!

“Damn he’s something!” He commented as Theo was being dragged out by Merida,

“Thanks to you he was able to grow so much!” She thanked him sincerely making him blush,

“It’s not that it was all because of me! The circumstances and all the people around him contributed to his growth just as much” He replied in a flustered tone making her chuckled.

As she smiled, the soft wind blowing by the window played with her hairs. The scene was way too charming for anyone to not notice!

“You're not going?” Looking at his frozen figure she asked him the obvious,

“Oh!

Yeah! I am going!

Crap! I almost forgot, take these!” His actions were unusually clumsy as he handed something.. It was heavy, not very big and was wrapped in a beautiful, soft pink cloth with elegant lily flowers stitched along the edges of the cloth and in the centre, a beautiful, slender design was made with petals of yellow rose which looked very graceful. A gift!