The Chronicles of Delilah Faylinn: Volume 2

"Not in Kansas Anymore"

    In a land with infinite voids and destinations, the patriarch and Delilah reappeared on what seemed to be a desolate battleground. The bog cleared in some areas revealing the remains of warriors slain in the field. They crept through the scourge curious as to where they were and why they appeared there.

(Patriarch) Where have you brought us, child?

(Delilah) I do not know. It looks familiar somehow. I could not exactly hold on to the vision, it left me suddenly.

(Patriarch) You need more practice is all, for some it can take decades to master that skill. You did not complete the connection or else we would be directly where your shade is. A mere delay, we will find some place to rest until we can strengthen that power. 

    Delilah and the patriarch looked around for shelter until they happened upon a disintegrated flag. Delilah noticed something that caught her eye on the flag and decided to investigate further. She attempted to piece the flag together as best she and when she did the revealed image froze her where she stood.

(Patriarch) What is it child? What have you found?

(Delilah) The flag reads "All Hail the Dark Empress"....

(Patriarch) How can you read that? Those symbols are unknown to me. Does it have something to do with you?

(Delilah) That is the name my shade goes by... you've never seen these symbols before?

(Patriarch) They are not of our world. One thing is for sure though, you may have lost your connection but it is clear we are on the right track.

(Delilah) What do you mean?

(Patriarch) Is it not obvious? This is your shade's memory. You did say this place appeared familiar to you and this is why. Some of its' memories are embedded in you.

(Delilah) Don't be ridiculous! That is impossible!

(Patriarch) Surely it is not! The proof lies before you. You can read this unknown language that I have never seen and I have been around for centuries! I know all the languages of our world both past and present, this one does not exist. 

(Delilah) That can't be right!

(Patriarch) If this battle actually happened we must be on one of the "isles of battles past". We must seek refuge quickly for there are many unfortunate souls and they will not be happy to see us!

    Delilah could hear the fear in his tone and they hastened their pace to find covering. It was not long before they came across a cave like structure. They quickly made their way inside.

(Patriarch) We must be mindful not to wake the souls resting in this place.

(Delilah) Why is that?

(Patriarch) These souls are trapped here as their penance for the lives they have taken. They cannot come and go as you or I can even though I am bound to my isle. I was only able to leave because I am attached to you. These souls are truly tortured and savage. There is nothing else but war for them. They slaughtered the innocent, so in turn they spend eternity being slaughtered again and again in battle.

(Delilah) That is terrible! I am grateful that you decided to come with me. However in all this time between us and I have yet to ask you your name.

(Patriarch) My name is Demetrius, although technically I would be your great grandfather.

(Delilah) I do not think we are there yet, Demetrius it is!

(Patriarch) Fair enough.

(Demetrius) Delilah! Look at your arm!

    Delilah looked at her arm to notice that it too was fading away like her hand. She knew she was running out of time and bade Demetrius to help her strengthen her power of insight. They spent hours cultivating it while hiding in the cave. The exhaustion began to overwhelm Delilah even though she wanted to keep going. Demetrius admired her tenacity but knew she would be useless without getting some much needed rest.

(Demetrius) We shall try again later, for now get some rest. Over extending yourself will do us more harm then good when we use your "insight" again. 

(Delilah) You may be right, I do feel a bit drained.

(Demetrius) I shall take first watch...

    Some time had passed before Delilah was forcefully awakened by Demetrius and immediately silenced as he pressed his fingers against her lips informing her to remain quiet. 

(Demetrius) It is time for us to go...

(Delilah) What is the matter?

(Demetrius) Do you not feel the rumbling beneath the ground? I believe the spirits are awakening and a new battle is about to commence.

(Delilah) What does that mean?!

(Demetrius) Nothing for me, but for you quite possibly a "real death". We should not stay to find out! Take us from this forsaken place now!

    Delilah did as Demetrius commanded. She again focused her mind to make her connection. A lifetime full of memories flooded through her thoughts until she found what she needed. Once again there was a pop and the both of them disappeared and reappeared somewhere else.

(Delilah) I think we are home!

(Demetrius) What happened to my beautiful home?

    Demetrius looked around his old home in disgust. There were faces he did not recognize and blood all over the walls. Bodies were being dragged everywhere by battle scarred brutes.

(Delilah) Look, there's Lovell! Surely he can help us! Lovell!

(Demetrius) He cannot see us, this is a memory remember?!

(Delilah) What has happened here, I do not remember any of this?

    Delilah did not recognize any of the c*****e that played before their eyes. Come to think of it she could not understand why Lovell was walking around the dungeons carrying food or why he was being pushed around by what looked like hooded guards. She followed the memory as Lovell was led into a large hall and stood before a face that she knew all to well. It was the Dark Empress commanding Lovell like a slave. She demanded he kneel in her presence, feed her food and kick him out when she couldn't stand the sight of him anymore. She overheard the Empress fighting with herself as to why she kept him around. Some days she loved seeing him, other days it made her sick to her stomach but she had to know what he was doing at all times. How could she treat him this way? The guards seemed to be kinder to him and after listening further still she understood why. They had been working together this whole time right under the Empress' nose and she was none the wiser.

(Demetrius) So that was her? I remember the face vividly now. I guess it really wasn't you. Where were you the whole time she was destroying my ancestral home?

(Delilah) She had me hidden away, draining me of my powers. Trying to force me into giving up.

(Demetrius) Why is it that she looked so much like you but distorted? Where did she come from?

(Delilah) I couldn't tell you to be honest. All I know is that she has been with me my entire life waiting in the shadows for her opportunity to rise again. 

(Demetrius) I have never encountered a shade that powerful, she is unlike any I have ever seen.

    Before Delilah could respond the memory shifted forward to the moment before the shade was felled by Delilah in the realm of the living. The were able to hear its last words which was a promise to Lovell that "it" would be seeing him again soon. She looked on and took note of the expression on Lovell's face after she said it and he looked ghastly. He shook it off and immediately ran to Delilah's aid only to find her once again unconscious.

(Lovell) Poor thing must be exhausted after everything she has been through. I shall take her to the spirits so they can keep an eye on her while I get this place cleaned up.

    Lovell checked in on Delilah the next day after concern had spread from the spirits that she would not wake. No matter how much they shook her she would not stir. With worry in his eyes he sent for a second opinion on the matter. He requested a third and fourth, but all told him the same thing. She seemed perfectly healthy and should be awake but for all intensive purposes appeared to be in a coma. They could recommend no treatment or cure but to allow her to rest hoping that she would wake on her own.

     Delilah hung on to the vision perplexed that the shade knew more than it was letting on. It was becoming painfully obvious to Delilah now that she and the shade were not done with each other just yet. The memory had now shifted again to the moment the shade stood before the gateway were Delilah once stood for judgement. They overheard its judgment to be sent to the "Prisons of Despair" where it would spend eternity beaten and tortured for having illegally escaping its past sentence. Finally Delilah and Demetrius popped back into their present realm to find themselves standing in front of what they understood had to be the "Prisons of Despair". 

(Demetrius) We have arrived.

(Delilah) How do we get in there?

(Demetrius) Look, Delilah! Nearly half of you has gone! That last spell took a lot of energy.

(Delilah) We need a plan! We are running out of time!

(Demetrius) Listen, I will distract the guards while you find a way inside. Do not wait for me, I will find you! 

    Demetrius took off bellowing at the guards that he was an escaped prisoner while Delilah hid out of sight waiting for her chance to make a run for the gate. Once the guards were out of her line of sight, Demetrius signaled for her to make a run for it. As soon as Delilah entered the prison she had lost sight of Demetrius who had now been surrounded by the guards in the far distance. She moved quickly and quietly through the halls until she stood in front of a large wooden door with a massive brick archway. It had to lead to the inner chasms of the prisons. Leery of what could be waiting for her on the other side of the door, she tried to find some sort of opening or maybe even a c***k that would allow her to see inside. The only opening she could find was at the bottom of the large door. Much to her surprise she heard a racket going on behind her and when she turned around to look she saw Demetrius running towards her with a hoard of guards trailing not too far behind. The door in front of her had begun to open, no doubt as a result of hearing the same ruckus as she did. She decided that this was her only chance to get in and she was going to have to take it.

(Delilah) Come on Demetrius! The doors are opening!

(Demetrius) I am moving as fast as I can! Look out!

    The guards came out running from the door and Delilah focused a beam of light at the guards which blinded them and caused them to stumble over each other. Delilah and Demetrius escaped into the door running and hurdling through all the confusion. She turned and placed her hand to the ground sending a shockwave that blasted the guards outside the door and on impact forced it to cave in on itself. Now no one could get in or out. They could hear the guards banging on the other side of the door for entry, but it was of no use. They couldn't open it no matter how hard they tried. 

(Delilah) I guess they have no magic.

(Demetrius) No one in this realm does, except for you apparently. It is how they prevent escape. It does have a cost for you though. You are beginning to look more and more like me every time you use it. 

(Delilah) How do I have magic then?

(Demetrius) You are not dead, and you were not sentenced. Well not yet anyway, at least for now you are not bound by the laws of this realm.

(Delilah) How did my shade escape then?

(Demetrius) Obviously it had outside help.

(Delilah) But from whom?...

    Delilah and Demetrius tossed all discretion aside and charged down the stone, spiral staircase setting off every alarm as they went. Time was of the essence now and Delilah was becoming desperate. The prisoners locked away in the chambers of every floor became agitated and rowdy wanting to get out. The interior guards that remained came barreling down the stairs after them until they reached the lower dungeons. Delilah and Demetrius turned around to find that the guards had stopped chasing them and stood at the last flight of stairs as if they were waiting on something.

(Delilah) Why have the guards stopped?

(Demetrius) I do not know, and that cannot be good.

(Delilah) I do not like this...

(Echoing Voice) There is a reason for that...

(Delilah) Who is there?! Show yourself!

(Echoing Voice) I am afraid I cannot do that unless you wish to die an instant death.

(Demetrius) Stop toying with us and come out!

(Echoing Voice) The guards do not come down here because there is no need, for as long as I am here the prisoners are docile. They do as I say or they will be driven mad.

(Delilah) I thought there was no magic here.

(Echoing Voice) I am not exactly bound by the laws of this prison. I am on contract, an enforcer of sorts. Few know of the dungeons here and even fewer know of my existence.

(Demetrius) What are you?

(Echoing Voice) Something very old and right now extremely bored. I think I am ready to play a game... Are you up for one? I do enjoy a good game.

(Delilah) What kind of game?

(Echoing Voice) Ever heard of a game called "Who Am I"?

(Demetrius) We do not have time for this!

(Echoing Voice) Play or die! Your choice...

(Delilah) If this is a game, then there must be rules.

(Demetrius) Delilah don't!

(Echoing Voice) Hush! I can see that she may be the smartest of the pair of you.

(Demetrius) Time is not on our side child, you are disappearing!

    In her frustration, Delilah lit up the room with light trying to find whatever was speaking to them but to no avail.

(Echoing Voice) Nice try! I cannot be seen until I am ready, and if you attempt to do that again I will do as I have promised and destroy you!

(Delilah) Why haven't you done so already?

(Echoing Voice) You being here has presented an opportunity that would be rather foolish of me to pass up. Besides I do not get very many uninvited guests as you can imagine.

(Delilah) But you "do" intend to kill us. 

(Echoing Voice) Only if you do not play. In finding out who I am you can escape this place and I can gain my freedom as a result. 

(Delilah) You are a prisoner here?

(Echoing Voice) As I told you before, on contract. No one comes here by choice. Even the guards are prisoners.

(Demetrius) The guards?

(Echoing Voice) Oh yes! They are to spend eternity guarding these halls, nothing more and nothing less.

(Delilah) How is that a sentence?

(Echoing Voice) Would you want to be stuck in this place for all eternity guarding prisoners?!

(Delilah) I see your point.

(Echoing Voice) They are free to roam but can never leave the grounds. It's worse than being locked behind a door. It gives the illusion of freedom and none of its rewards. 

(Demetrius) Enough small talk. What are your terms?!

(Echoing Voice) It's quite simple. If you can figure out who I am, I will allow you to pass unharmed to find what you seek. In return you will free me. 

(Delilah) Wouldn't that be a problem for the guards?

(Echoing Voice) Oh they cannot hear me, I am in your head. Right now they think you are being driven mad talking to yourselves. They will leave soon.

(Delilah) What if we can't figure it out?

(Echoing Voice) I really hope that you do, or I will have to kill you!

(Demetrius) Well isn't he a ray of sunshine!

(Echoing Voice) I would like to test how smart you are first, you know sample the goods so to speak. Just to make sure that I am not wasting my time. 

(Delilah) Shoot your shot. 

(Echoing Voice) What has a mouth but never talks, has a bed but never sleeps, has a head but never weeps?

(Demetrius) That is quite simple... a river.

(Echoing Voice) Very good, old one. You are wise beyond your years.

(Demetrius) Why does that sound like sarcasm?

(Echoing Voice) I guess you are smart. Here's another...

(Delilah) I thought there would only be one.

(Echoing Voice) There will be as many as I deem necessary. Ready?

(Delilah) Sure, why not?! I have nothing but time.

(Demetrius) Ooooh, I see the sarcasm is catching.

(Echoing Voice) I can bring tears to your eyes; resurrect the dead, make you smile, and reverse time. I form in an instant but I last a life time. What am I?

(Demetrius) I believe I know the answer to this one as well, however I would like you to take a stab at it Delilah. 

(Delilah) I think I know it as well... Is it a memory?

(Echoing Voice) Quite right you are! Ok, I think I am ready for the grand finale are you?

(Demetrius) Please tell me this will be the final question, we do not have time to play games with you all day. 

(Echoing Voice) What is the rush? You have to get past me to get want you want and I am not done having my fun.

(Demetrius) Can't you see the child is disappearing?

(Echoing Voice) Oh, I can see much more than that old man and unless you want me to tell "her" what exactly it is that I can see you will indulge me. 

(Delilah) What are you talking about?

(Demetrius) Never mind that. Continue please. 

(Echoing Voice) Good, now let's play...