Her Story - Delilah

Now To Acquire...

Chapter 2 – Now to acquire

I kept fading in and out of consciousness with the passing days. The only thing I could gather was that he was keeping me asleep while she was awake. There were bits and pieces I remembered, but they seemed like a dream. I vaguely remember him talking to me, but my voice didn’t respond, then I was out again. She really was trying to take over my body, or so I thought. I remembered feeling cold, colder than normal at one time when I started to come to but that was over as quickly as it began. I honestly don’t even know what he planned to do with me, I mean; he couldn't keep me asleep forever. My mind and body would start to die out, but to be fair, half of my mind was controlling my body. Was he trying to kill out the good side of me? No. He wouldn’t do that...would he? I had began to wonder about what his plans were with me, not her...me. A magic induced sleep for years can start to, well..let’s just say I could stay that way...forever. Maybe that was his plan all along. To kill me out. I can’t lie, there were moments that I wish he would just let me die out. Rid me of this place once and for all. But if I died, so did she.

I started to piece the parts together when I woke. He allowed me to wake. I heard him speaking about the north. But there was nothing up there except snow and death. The north is where the ice dragons live, or the whites. It’s all the same when you break it down. But they lived in the far north, further than any human dare travel for fear that they freeze. Even the humans born of the north wouldn’t dare venture too close to dragon territory. So why were we up there? I mean, if the cold didn’t take you out; the feral whites would. They preferred their meat cooked but cubed was the next best thing. I could feel a blizzard start to form, I shivered in my sleep like state, so fiercely it threatened to pull me from the spell. I think that is when he noticed I was stronger than her. It took me a lot longer to learn that lesson, but that story will come in it’s own time. For now I had to maintain as best I could with the little bits a pieces given to me.

I remember just waking up one day and wondering if he knew I was awake. My eyes just popped open as though I was done with sleeping. Looking back at that now, I was going to wish I was still sleeping. I heard voices coming from the other room where I lay. One I recognized as my Master’s but the other was female. I sat up and looked around, back in the lab again. I tried to focus my eyes, dim light and lots of sleep will do that to you. That wasn’t going as planned, so I couldn’t see who he was talking to; maybe I could listen for small key moments that would strike a memory in my mind. My ears focused on the female voice, it seemed odd. Like I should know it, just couldn’t place where I had heard it before. As I tried to focus more on it, I must have been leaning, because I tumbled off the table and right onto my face. Ouch! That hurt! Stone does not feel good for anyone that was wondering. My abrupt collision with the floor caught attention from the two in the other room. First that walked in was my Master. He laughed. He laughed as I cried. Then the woman came in behind him. Her snarky, shrill laughter brought more tears to my eyes. I mean how could he laugh at me? I was hurt and he didn’t seem to care...at all. As she approached and leaned down to wipe my tears, she spoke to me. “Poor little Delilah, what a weakling.” And then laughed some more. Now I know where I heard that voice from. It was only a moment, but I knew. It was her!

Some time during the bought of keeping me under he had found a way to split my mind and made her a body, just like mine. There were a few subtle differences, but it was me. But how? He must have heard my thoughts because he was really quick to answer. “About 70 years ago, we were walking through the frozen north, you kept coming to and it was rather discouraging since I didn’t want you...” That stung, worse than falling on my face on the cave floor. “..I wanted her to stay with me always. So I started to think. ‘How can I make my dream a reality?’ Then it dawned on me. I had everything I needed right before me. Your DNA..” He pulled a strand of my hair from my already aching head which did not make it any better. “..and I already knew how to split my soul into many fragments. So why can’t I do it with your mind.” I wish I could have smacked the smugness off her face when he was talking about splitting into many pieces. He pulled out a stone, it seemed off to me. It was glowing, but that didn’t seem weird to me, it was the fact that he had something that was glowing white. It was so pure of a light, I didn’t even know how he could be touching something like that. “This is what I used to animate your body I grew in the life size beakers..” As he spoke, my attention was drawn to what he was talking about and my mouth dropped. There were hundreds of them. Each one held a mini version of himself, and the empty one. “This is what is called a soul stone, it has immense magical ability.” My head was spinning, did he just say that he trapped my soul in a stone? No, that can’t be what he said. I’m still here. “Awww...Master, she doesn’t understand.” She was patronizing me. I know because of the hearty laughter that ensued after wards. “You may have to use little words so that Delilah can keep up.” I sighed and just shook my head trying to regain the little ounce of sanity I had left. He didn’t care what she had to say because he just continued. He tucked the stone away. “I don’t expect you to understand, after-all; it wasn’t something you were interested in to begin with. But I digress. All I had to do was teach Daliah how to split her..” That was when he grinned. The most evil grin I had ever seen on a person and I wished to be back asleep now. “..your soul in half.” She pranced around like she won the best prize ever at the fair and then uttered the words I never wanted to hear. “It was easy, all I had to do was kill someone. Which I did, ever so gladly to be rid of you.”

I shrunk on the floor. Disbelief etched across my features. I killed someone. It was all I could think about. I killed someone and shattered my soul in two. I was devastated. I had never taken a life before. But the horrid story was far from over. “The only problem I am having is keeping the two of you apart out side of these walls. Should she leave without you, she is trapped in between.” I knew I was going to regret this question, but I was just trying to wrap my mind around everything. “The in-between?” The question was out before I even knew I had spoken. “Yes you little s**t. The in-between. Not of this world and not of the after world. Some call it purgatory. I call it a wretch on my existence. And should you leave, I am stuck within these walls until you return. The longer you take to return, the weaker I grow. Which is why we acquired the soul stone. Master is hoping he can devise a way to give me utter freedom...” Her hands were on my face before I could move, her face deathly close to my own. She whispered the last of her sentence. Almost hissed it really. “..from you.” Then she threw my head back against the stone table. That caused a dizzy spell that quickly took me back into slumber.

My head was pounding when I woke again, it was the sounds of faint cries that rose me this time. My eyes slowly crept open. I wasn’t sure where they were or even where I was. Feeling the cold, hard, wet floor of the cave told me I was on the floor, but where? Was I still in the lab? I was leaning against something stone like in structure. Last I knew my face had met with the floor and I was leaning against the table. My fingers trembled as they sought to find answers for my questions. A sigh of relief and the sudden realization that I was right where I had slipped back into my slumber. I tried to stand, testing my legs and my head. Both were touch and go there for a moment. My legs wobbled, my head fuzzed over; it was a bad combination. I eventually got my bearings, a few trips and tumbles; but none as bad as the face plant. I braced myself as I walked towards the looking glass. I had to see what damage was done. I tried to prepare myself for the worst, took a deep breath and stepped in front of the looking glass. My mouth fell open. I was not prepared for what I saw. There was nothing. Not in the looking glass, but wrong with my face or my head. Trembling fingers rose to touch where I had struck the floor. It was bruised a little but that was it. I stood there for a minute trying to find a scar, a wound, something! But there were only bruises, minor at that. Now I had something else to worry about. Who would have cared enough to heal my face?

I decided not to dwell on it. I mean, I know who didn’t. After gaining the rest of my composure, i ventured around. Looking at this and that, wondering where the long corridor leads, curiosity always got the best of me. So I followed it. Along the twists and turns, the ups and downs; more ups than downs. It was on this walk that I ran into my first real life dragon. I mean, I didn’t think she was one when I first met her. Her hair was fire red, long and curly. She had the most beautiful Amber eyes I had ever seen. I could never forget those eyes for as long as I live. Perfectly spaced apart, almond shaped with thick lashes. Her nose was perfect, not too big or too small, fit her face, not too far up nor too far down. Resting under it was plump, pouty red lips and when she smiled, bright white teeth. Her shoulders were slim, she wore a red sheer robe that was completely open and went to the floor behind her. Ample, round breasts leading down to a slender waist and curvy hips. She wore only a chain to cover her bottom half that draped all the way between her ankles. When she walked, it was Lilith and graceful. Her legs held no fat, come to think of it, I don’t think she carried any ounce of fat on her at all. The heat around her was excruciating. Ever heard the phrase a snow ball chance in hell? Well, I was the snow ball and she was the hell. I don’t even know how she could handle such a heat. At first, I thought her to be a demon of sorts. I had never seen one, but knew they existed. You can’t live the life I have and seen what I have seen and not believe. She must have synced my inability to adapt to the heat, and calmed it back...a lot. She began to walk over towards me, I shied back into the corridor. It wasn’t that I was afraid of her, who am I kidding. I was deathly afraid of her. “I can hear your heart pumping little one.” Her voice was smooth as silk and I was caught. I slinked around the corner, hoping that she wouldn’t hurt me but expecting the worst. “Ahh, there you are my sweet. How is your head? From the looks of those wounds, you took a nasty fall.” How did she know about my wounds? “Are you the one who healed me?” Crap, if a demon healed me, I would be forever in her debt. I would have to grant her a favor that she could claim at any time. My life was not my own to give favors. How would I even repay a debt? “Delilah? Is that the name the man calls you? Or is it Daliah?” My face burned with anger. She already stole my face, now she is taking my name. “Delilah.” I spoke with a bit more aggression than anticipated. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Delilah. I’m Claire.”

From that moment on I spent my days and nights in the company of Claire. But I never actually knew what she was, I had just assumed she was a demon. I never asked, she never told. We were blissful in our ignorance. Well, at least I was. She knew what I was and we both shared a distaste for Daliah. Hers was a bit more verbal than mine. Claire openly spoke of her without any hesitation. But I giggled and that was enough to get me in trouble. No one dare touch me around Claire, but she couldn’t be there all the time. I remember something she said one night at meal time, and that is when I stopped thinking she was a demon. “Usually I would prefer the evil pixie, but that one just rubs me the wrong way.” I felt sad, I was being cast out all over again. But this time it really stung. “Why would you prefer, not wait. I know the answer to that. You are evil yourself.” I felt the weight of the world return to my shoulders as I excused myself and walked out. As I walked around the corner, I ran right into the evil version of me. She had a smug look and an evil twinkle in her eyes. I just sighed and readied myself for my punishment. But Daliah didn’t touch me. “I heard everything. There is nothing I could do to you that would be worse than what she just did. You will never be worth anything to anyone. That is very sad, dragons do love their faes.” And she walked right past me.

That conversation echoed in my brain over and over again. “Dragons do love their faes.” I didn’t know how to take that statement. I’m not dumb by any means, but that really stumped me. I repeated that statement over and over again in my head. ‘What does dragons loving faes have anything to do with Claire?’ That was when it dawned on me. Claire wasn’t a demon. She was a dragon. I ran all the way back down, well up, the corridor; following the heat until I found her. When I got there I was completely out of breath that the words just tumbled from my mouth with no reason. “Dragons love their faes.” I must have caught her off guard, one: that is the only time anyone has ever caught her of guard. It wasn’t my presence because she could sense me at all times. It was my words. “Yes?” Was her only response. “You’re....a...” I was stumbling in disbelief. “I’m a?” She was trying to coax the words from my mouth. “You’re...a...drag...” The look she gave me could have melted me where I stood. “No, my sweet I’m not a dragon. I am a hellfire wyrm, a great hell fire wyrm. The only of my kind.” I was at a loss for words. There I stood in the presence of a great and only one of her kind. I bowed at her feet. I could feel the fire in the room getting hotter. “Normally I would ecstatic about one bowing at my feet and groveling for forgiveness.” She walked right up to me and stood over me, looming. “But if you don't get up right now I will be forced to set you ablaze.” I didn’t know if I should have taken that threat. With the way I was treated before she came, any one else would have welcomed the hell fire, but her next words were what brought me up right. “You will not die, but be sent to my Mistress, and that is a fate worse than death. Now get up!”

I had never met a real dragon before meeting Claire, but Claire wasn’t a dragon. She was a being all of her own. No one told her what she could or couldn’t do. Except leave. Master had locked the door on that one and threw away the key. She watched me for a time and I her. I could tell that she wanted to ask me of many things but wouldn’t because they were always listening. So she chose her words wisely. But Master was smart. He knew why she was here and why she wouldn’t leave. Not that she couldn’t. But she wouldn’t leave without the book. That book again.

Master came to her one day, he was brave or stupid, I never could figure out which one. Told her of a Fang Dragon he had caught on the floor just above her. “Dragons can breed with other dragons not of their own kind.” He chose his words very carefully, “Even ones such as your self.” Claire did not like being referred to as a dragon. I could feel the heat rising from where I was down the hall. “I will not breed with any dragon you offer, I am not here to breed. I will not be your puppet nor your play thing. I believe you made one for yourself, go play with her. Have her breed with the Fang.” Master did not like that. I could tell by the look on his face as he came around the corner. “You will breed with him...” He walked past me, looked down at me and grinned. “..or you will spend the rest of your days here...ALONE!” With that statement he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me away. I tried to release his grip on my arm but the more I fought him, the harsher he got. I had never seen him this angry. He left bruise marks on my upper arm, by the time we were at my destination, he was fuming. I could see it. His other hand grasped my other arm, shaking with anger, and I with it. I was tossed around like a rag doll, then thrown in a cell. My back slammed against the bars in the back. It wasn’t a big cell. Just small enough for me to fit inside. He slammed the bars closed right behind me. Locked the cell and walked out. Then she was there.

“You must have really done something to make him made this time. I have never seen him so seething with anger.” Her eyes lit up. It was the first time I had ever seen joy etched across her face. She was enjoying this. “Enjoy your cramped cell, weakling.” Were the last words I heard as she walked out. I don’t know how long I was in that room. No light. No sound. Just the constant dripping of water. I think that was the only thing that kept me sane. Hearing the drips as they fell from the roof to the floor. I counted them, as though they were seconds on a clock. 546,469,250,465...I’m sure there were more, but I passed out in between counting and crying. I was cramped in a steel cage. The bars burned me when I got too close, and they were very close. I couldn’t stand, there wasn’t enough space. So I was forced to curl into a ball on my knees as the bars burned my legs. I screamed until I passed out from the pain. Only to wake up and repeat the entire process all over again. You know the worst part, this is childs play compared to what happened afterwards.

I don’t know if Claire ever agreed to breed with the Fang, but one day I was set free from the iron cage. I believe it was her doing. Daliah. As I grow weak, so does she. She must have really been weak, because Master rushed in, dragged me from the cell and covered my burns. This was the first act of kindness he showed me since he began this venture into the dark. But it didn’t last long. He nursed me back to health but only because he was losing her. I wasn’t stupid about it. I knew the motive behind it all. He couldn’t punish Claire, so he punished me. He couldn’t leave me in there because the weaker I got, the weaker Daliah got. Other wise I fully believe I would still be rotting in the iron cell.

I never saw Claire again after that day, but I could feel her heat. I believe everyone could. The angrier she got, the more the heat rose. I’d like to think she was mad because I couldn’t come see her, but I think she was mad because Daliah did. I was cast off the 7th floor from that day on. I couldn’t even find the 6th floor. That was where Claire was. I missed her. Even though she was from hell, she never acted like it. I tried over and over again to reach the 6th floor, but never could find it. It was as if that floor and she never existed. I mourned having a friend, someone to talk to. Someone to learn from. I was shut out of Master’s head, shut out of Claire’s world, Daliah didn’t even speak up when she thought I was being a cry baby. I was all alone. I hated being alone.

I was traveling about the 4th and 5th floors one day when I ran right into another dragon. An actual dragon. The Fang. He got that name because he has spikes all over his body, and spike didn’t seem menacing enough. I learned his story. I never really cared to tell anyone mine. But I loved to listen. Ryzor was his name. He was actually very clam and level headed. Unlike the highly temperamental reputation he had. We both agreed that we disdained what others spoke about us. He was actually quickly becoming my friend. Dragons and Faes. One day, Daliah came to the 5th floor, she saw us talking and ran back to tell Master. He put a stop to that as well. I was banished from the 5th floor now as well.

The 4th floor was dark. Almost like a never ending shadow was cast across the area. I mean, yeah...caves are dark. But this one was extra dark. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but even the shadows had shadows. I was scared of too much dark. It reminded me of the iron cage. I refused to go back to the 4th floor after that. Well that and I heard chains rattling. I didn’t want to take a chance that Daliah was trying to play tricks on me. I was done with the games. Honestly, I just wanted a friend to talk to. I was lonely. I guess that is why Master made me guardian of the first floor.

 I was some where around the 2nd and 3rd floors when he called me to him. By the time I arrived my body was shaking in terror. He never summons me unless I have done something wrong. But this time, I have no idea what that could have been. I stuck to myself, didn’t talk with any one, not that there was anyone to talk to, or at least, they didn’t make them selves known to me. “I told you she would think she did something wrong, Master.” Daliah acted like she cared for my well being, but I knew she was just trying to get things started between me and her. I kept my mouth shut and walked right up to him. Bowed my head and awaited my punishment. “Yes Master?” His hand reached out to stroke my hair and I flinched at his touch. “My dear sweet Delilah. Do not fear me. I have good news for you. My plan is complete.” Great. He found a way to allow her to live on without needing me. I drew in a ragged breath and awaited my fate. “My fortress is complete!” Wait...he has somewhere outside these walls? “That’s wonderful Master.” I couldn’t hide the hope in my voice to finally be able to leave this dark hole in the ground. “When do we leave?” I must have said something amusing, because Master and Daliah laughed. “We are not leaving.” He responded with humor in his tone. “But, Daliah...she can’t survive outside these walls with out me.” That is when his smile faded. “Why would you even mention something like that?” His tone no longer held humor, in fact it was quite the opposite. The light in his eyes disappeared but a smile still graced her face. “Just tell her Master, you are going to make her think she is in trouble.” Too late. I always assume I am in trouble. When else have I ever been summoned? He reached out for me again, I shrunk back in fear. I have been on the end of his touches, lately...they have been anything but gentle. ”My dear sweet Delilah, there is no reason to fear the touch of your master. Besides, I have a gift for you.” The light air returned to his tone. “Come and sit beside me.” Daliah moved over and gave me the spot, her spot, right beside him. Crap, crap, crap. What have I done to make him mad now? I had stayed to myself. Not spoken to anyone in months. What could I have done? “Shhhhh Delilah, this is an honor. Master wants to bestow a gift on you.” I whimpered at that phrase. I tried to remain strong but the word ‘gift’ was not in his vocabulary. I moved to sit beside him as I was commanded. See there is a difference between an offer and a command..and I knew the difference. He pulled me into his arms and I froze instantly. He began to stroke my hair. “Shhhh...calm yourself my dear.” Oh by the gods, here it comes. My end. “This fortress I have built is a maze for any that enter...and any that dare to leave. Each floor has a guardian. Anyone that would wish to enter must find these guardians and either kill them, or trick them to get past. Ever floor has its own set of rules. Each different from the last. So that any one that may enter, may never leave. I am bestowing the gift of being the first floor guardian to you.” Wait..what? “You must make sure that no one who enters can ever leave, let them get past your floor...if you so desire, show them the way to the other floors. But never let anyone leave.” His touches were not so pleasant at the end of his words. “Yes Master.” I whispered.