CHRONICLES OF AADYA

Episode Twenty-four

AADYA

A foreign feeling submerged my entire being the instant I had laid my eyes on the nameless fella, he was the exact fella in the hex a few days back. I had felt a sort of vague energy from him yet for some reason rather welcoming or may I say compelling. He wore only a single look which lack any strong emotion as his face stood vacant, still, his eyes owned so much power as they gazed back at me, firmly. His black hair was knotted roughly which left a few falling over his face. I had also noticed the white-haired fella though I was more captivated by the one that held my gaze. So many questions were clasped in my throat but I wasn't certain how to initiate one.

The short span I had consumed with Gunnar was more of inquiring about home, though whenever I endeavoured to raise a question about the nameless fella he fail to offer the response I was hunting for, it was just unlike him, possibly he had altered, or perhaps it was his new age. In the depth of my consciousness, a feeling I know too well arises. Knowing who my father is, I feared Gunnar's presence at the coven regardless I am delighted to once again hold him, and I know I owe him multiple explanations even though none was accomplished willfully.

Master Ambrose, the old sorcerer, had earlier said to me. “You are one with him" I had appealed to him to explain more though he never did, things would have been much more promising if he just passed on what he knew heeding the prophecy. Cian had wished for me to ignore the prophecy which I would have heeded, except to me, it's like fleeing from duty, if truly I possess the strength to prevent what is to arrive, at least I should try.

I walked onto the balcony only to first observe the young one I had left behind bonding with one I am yet to know. With the fella turning to look my way “May I offer my gratitude for watching over Gunnar throughout the journey..." I said calmly except Gunnar also turned before I was done. "... I'd hope you accept my sincere appreciation" The words came out unprocessed yet collected. I wasn't certain of how to instigate a dialogue as I had earlier thanked him.

Once Gunnar’s attention was on me, I solely made an indication to be allowed some moment with the fella. He soon walked past me and vanished behind the shadows of the narrow corridor. Unhurriedly I start to walk toward him, his gaze mysteriously following my every step until I stood near him. My heartbeat abruptly rose to an alarming point as I looked up at him, his gaze was steady on me as though he was trying to read every expression that might escape me, and yet that face remains blank.

"May I begin to apologize... for dragging your brother into this" Deep, compelling, and a bit mournful were the tone that uttered those words.

I broke free of the trance I was in, collecting myself, "I doubt you did wrong in that. Your effort in guiding him has not gone unnoticed, I assure you, I am rather pleased he is here" I told him sincerely stretching to conceal the fact I was a bit worried. It was the fairest I could convey as I was somewhat struggling to be relaxed under his endless gaze.

"I am Alisdair Guadalupe," He said and learned his side against the stone barricade "... a werewolf" He put in.

"I have been told of that by the sorcerer, though he never spoke of your name" I explained "I'm Aadya-"

"I know who you are, Aadya" His unperturbed voice interposed "I have always known, though it's the first time today seeing you, flesh and blood," He declared collectively and I almost cursed myself for looking up at him. Presumably, I wasn't this edgy being with Cian nor any other fella, though might have been before Olaf but that was a distinct sensation compared to this, it is unlikely that the chiselled fella before me had caused these unusual emotions. A soil-like scent with a bit of honey swirled around him and I shifted my gaze to his shoulders which slowly moved with a leopard-like grace.

"You must have thought I'm an illusion, then”

“I'm actually rather relieved you are real” When he speaks, his deep voice becomes magnetic to the core of who I am as if he's able to resonate with all of me when others can hardly attain a fraction of it.

"Alisdair Guadalupe. May I be familiar with how you came to know about me? It's deceitful to cause a maiden much worry" I was oddly pleased that my words had brought an expression to his rigid face, his smile was like a sudden beam of sunlight adorning the darkness. It was sudden and brief and a part of me was more elated that his face did not wholly return to its usual origin.

"My sincere apology, milady" He let out with a slight bow which caused my cheek to warm up a little. "I would say, it's much more complicated to be narrated in one go. Though it started as a dream and then grows into visions" He said and then finally travelled his gaze to the infinity darkness.

"What do you see of me? For I never had a vision"

"All, I watched you mature, nonetheless, I wasn't aware you were a witch not until two months back"

"That's what I was led to believe" I defended, wasn't certain if that was necessary. He only turned slightly to glimpse my face but never uttered a remark and so we stood in silence, I could feel a certain kind of fear waiting to take over, perhaps it only wants to protect me still there indeed isn't any menace as oddly I somewhat feel protected.

"The night is far gone, I will allow you to retire to your room" He disclosed as he moved away from the stone barrier "I shall see you tomorrow. I would be requesting a favour by then, I hope it won't be much to appeal"

"Let's hope then, for that and more"

Unlikely, his voice kept arising in my mind, deep and compelling. There was this way he portrays himself, his expressions, his gazes, his words. And suddenly my encounter with him during my trance appeared before me, the horror expression he had while searching for me. "You appear pleased," Phiona remarked the moment I stepped into our shared room, and I couldn't help the smile that tugged itself onto my lip.

I moved to sit on my bed "The night is soothing "

"I might agree to that, but no... Tell me Aadya, what makes this distinct from the other night? You never look this gladdened even when Cian upholds your company" She rose to the edge of her bed and I instantly moved away from mine and began gradually taking off my clothing.

"I'm not sure what you're seeking to hear, Phiona. My little brother is here in the coven, that's enough to make me delighted" I told her not looking in her direction as I reached for my nightwear.

"It's only been about a full moon, yet I never presumed the day such expression would surface was near" I hear her say as I put my head through my cloth.

"Would it make any difference if I keep going against your words?" I mumbled returning to my bed before lifting the cover and finally burying part of my body beneath.

In front stood a black stone castle, black as that of the coven though the negative energy I perceive was something I feared, this wasn't the coven. Aloft the castle were abundant ravens hovering and the clouds around the region turned dark centring directly at the top of the castle as though it was being manipulated from within the castle. I was much afraid to walk into the castle and yet my body took the lead shoving me right through the entrance.

It took me longer to eventually arrived at a chamber where a stone sarcophagus adorned with inscriptions was mounted in the centre of the chamber and on it laid Alisdair, shirtless. On the floor around the tomb were symbols drawn with blood, it was as though the light from the windows above was directed down on the one laid on the sarcophagus. My body went cold with dread and instantly I hurried toward him but was propelled by a barrier I couldn't glimpse and suddenly "Just in time, Aadya" I heard coming from a dark corner and gradually a fella emerged and my words were immediately stolen by terror, the same man from my trance and still I am unable to tell his face.

With his staff, he walks in a manner so dead that every single step he took toward Alisdair carved an agonizing fear in my heart. "No!" I yelled as I once again made an effort to go through the barrier.

"You're in my realm, Child. Your powers are inefficient here"

"Alisdair! Alisdair wake up!" I clamoured as I persist in pushing to evade the dam even though his words says otherwise. He picked up a blade by the tomb and I watched him cut through Alisdair’s left wrist and then did the same to the right and the blood surging out began to flow down his arm to the carvings on the sarcophagus. Forcefully and with every energy I could muster I kept pushing myself against the barrier trying so hard to go through it, the pain was hard and unforgiving. Against the barrier, my body bent and snapped like the fragile being it is. I could barely see what was before me, the image of his blood so clear in my mind that my heart beats all the faster.

My feet drag so heavily on the floor that I could feel them digging deep into the hard floor, scarring the ground. I was stronger and I would prove it to save a life, it doesn't matter what had been said, I could alter what has already been foreseen. I'm yet to know my limit, and won't know if I don't move beyond myself and so I did even if it's going to kill me, then I felt the clash of the barrier, and everything was lifted.

The foe was busy enchanting a spell by the time I broke through the barrier, his eyes snapped at me furiously. "Alisdair!" I called out again. His blood almost filled the entire space carved for it. I was instantly pushed roughly against the wall by some force when I attempted to move toward Alisdair. My back was glued to the rough wall, my throat closed, and no air was able to reach my lungs. I tried to speak except my voice could not be found and my movement began to become slower and slower. I looked down to see the foe before me, his hood was off though I couldn't tell his face as my vision was blurry.