The Castle Guard

The Castle cells

Darien felt immensely tiered as he headed back to his room though it wasn’t all that dark he wanted to throw himself on the bed and just pass out. Darien didn’t care he’d lost sense of time being underground for so long, the castle was more quiet at night, walking through rooms and hallways his footsteps seemed to echo throughout the castle. A headache started to rise making his vision shaky as he passed by the prison cells heading towards the dungeons he stopped, a ringing sound barely louder than a whisper came from inside, it was eerie as the cells were unoccupied it seemed far away, whatever it was came from the cells Darien moved closer suddenly attracted ignoring his growing headache. The cells were arranged in a linear order from the door forming seven cells Darien could only see the first cell on entry once inside the rest became visible to his left, the ominous sound Darien discovered came from the last cell in the corner. The whole room reverberated with vibes of fear and desperation Darien could feel it creeping in his skin, the room had an air of coldness that seemed to seep into whoever was unlucky enough to reside in it freezing its inhabitants without killing them. Darien pictured prisoners held there by monarchs in past times justly or unjustly the later being most likely. Their cries and pleas for freedom, some of them courageous in standing for what they believed in willing to hang for it, the prison walls seemed to echo with their suffering. Darien could feel it all, becoming stronger with each step he made towards the last cell yet he couldn’t stop as the more they grew the more he felt compelled to continue.

When he reached the sixth cell he could almost hear their voices see them sitting quietly awaiting their fate, begging for freedom praying to their gods for salvation although knowing deep inside their fate had already been sealed. Darien wanted with all his strength to leave but the compulsion to continue surpassed his will.

The seventh cell was no different from the others; dark , cold and scary being at the corner the moon’s light shone upon it from a small barred window parallel  to it, unlike the others its bars were open as if welcoming Darien into its scary domain. The ringing sound was now clearly audible filling Darien’s ears egging him to enter “Help!” a voice suddenly whispered weakly, Darien reluctantly touched the bars swaying the cell open “Is someone there?” he spoke trying to keep his voice from trembling with fear “Help!” the voice came again weaker it came from the back of the cell where moonlight couldn’t reach letting that part fester in darkness. Darien wanted to help whoever it was despite all his instincts flaring telling him to turn and run as fast as he could away from that place “Are you alright?” he moved closer stepping near the dark shadow where the moon’s light ended his hand on his sword. “Do you need...?”

“HELP!” A multitude of faces appeared everyone who was ever tortured and died in the prison filled with expressions of anguish cringed, fearful, smelling of some vulgar odor, their eyes flowing blood red tears, “HELP US!” their voices resonated filled with desperation, the faces protruded from the wall from the neck up filed again6st each other their arms covered in dirt came out randomly all towards Darien. Both appalled and scared he unsheathed his sword in defense managing to cut off a hand, it fell down limp on the floor, then immediately flipped itself and stood up on its fingers and scampered of back the wall.

At this the faces turned from fear to anger “HELP US!” they demanded clutching Darien’s arms then his legs pulling him towards the wall to join them in anguish and despair. His body reacted instantly igniting a survival instinct within him using the sword to cut off the hands and throwing the amputated appendages away. At that point flailing like a mad man his voice stuck in his throat refusing to utter a single cry for help. By some miracle Darien managed to pull himself back into the moon’s light his heart beating wildly against his chest for a moment it was quiet he thought they were gone.

“HELP US!” A mixture of all the voices boomed loudly a single large arm came from the darkness gripped Darien’s leg and dragged his back scraping the prison’s floor towards the darkness Darien swung his sword trying to cut it off but it was too late half of his body had already been engulfed one of the hands grabbed his sword leaving him defenseless.  Their laughter resounded loudly as they dragged Darien so he could share in their suffering within the wall forever.

Darien’s eyes opened abruptly he was still standing at the edge of the cells’ entrance heavily sweating and shaking his head ached fiercely, he shivered at the sudden drop in temperature and quickened his pace towards the dungeons, they as it seemed were safer.

From a far he could almost hear voices laughing….

The rest of the night was relatively quiet Erska sat by the dungeon doors he passed her while heading to the small door less bedroom he usually slept in, she gave him no heed relenting to stay in perpetual silence. Darien couldn’t careless his bed despite its uncomfortable seemed looked heavenly, he threw his sword aside and dropped unconscious on the rough hewn bed sheets