The Prophesy

‘Don't be afraid! I won't hurt you!’ I shivered and tried to flinch away, but I could barely lift myself up from the ground. I came to when someone threw me on this marble floor. I could make out the streaks of color in the polished stone. Red against white. It looked like blood. It was cold here. I couldn't see straight, I only knew something was seriously wrong. I had never done anything to anyone. I was noone. ‘Shhhh!’ that voice continued, somewhere nearby. ‘You are too weak to get up, let me help you!’ I whimpered and tried to get up again. Or crawl away from the voice. Do anything to convince myself I'm not helpless. No use. My hands and feet were as soft as melted wax and I couldn't even focus on something farther from my hands, that were sliding along the floor. The stone was pristine and polished. I could almost see my reflection in it. What had happened to me? I closed my eyes and tried to remember what had happened. Nothing. My mind was a huge bucket of muddy water and I couldn't make anything out of the slime on the surface. I looked at my hands again - they were covered in scratches and dried blood. I must be dreaming. Last time I remembered was I was going to bed at home. ‘There, there!’ that voice intoned and I felt someone lift me off the floor. 'It will be much better soon!' I whimpered again and tears filled my eyes. It hurt so much, as if someone has crushed every bone in my body and dipped me in hot oil. I tried to fight to get away. It didn't hurt that much when I was on the floor. Why were they hurting me? Pain rushed through me. I didn’t want pain. ‘Stop thrashing!’ that voice intoned. ‘It will get better in a few minutes...’ I could do anything just to stop the fire under my skin and the thousand needles that were piercing my head. So, for a few brief moments, I did sit still in the hands of whoever was holding me. I felt a surge of energy flow through me. The pain subsided to something bearable and I felt warm and cozy and... safe. Whoever held me, started rocking me back and forth and I snuggled. I didn’t really know why I did it, just needed someone to hug me now. I felt two arms wrapping a bit tighter around me. ‘There, there!’ that voice said, content. ‘You see? It's getting better already!’ I tried to focus on that and find out where I was, but the only thing I could see was his chest I was snuggling against. It was a man, the voice was male for sure, someone who meant no harm to me and tried to protect me, it crossed my mind. That made me freeze. How did I know that? I couldn't even see straight! A spell, a trick! That was surely a demon! that's where the magic came from! The instant I thought about this, the pain returned. Daggers dug into my stomach and my head started pounding. I groaned and tried to get away from him. ‘Don't fight me!’ that same voice said sternly, this time it rang inside my head. ‘What are you?’ I thought but kept fighting anyway. The pain was so intense I felt sick. I would have parted with the scarce dinner I had had the night before, but then the grip around me tightened andI heard the voice again: ‘I am trying to help you! Don't push against my energy or the pain will return!’ ‘It is here already! And it hurts so much!’ I whimpered and tears started rolling down my cheeks. ‘Why don't you just kill me and get it over with? I don't want to be in pain anymore! Why are you hurting me?’ He stopped rocking me and loosened his grip a bit. A voice, that same one, rang in my head. This time, though, it sounded a bit insecure. ‘Did I hurt her? Can't be, I am just channeling energy through her. What if it's too much? Maybe she can't take it?’ ‘What?’ ‘Nothing...’ ‘Why are you in my head?’ ‘I shouldn't be able to get into the mind of another sorcerer, yet somehow it happens with you. Stop fighting me, really! There's nothing more that I can do than lend you energy!’ I shook my head. The pain was there indeed but not as strong now. I couldn't think but that voice in my head was definitely not mine. ‘Please’ that voice whispered, this time aloud, ‘take what I have to give!’ I felt a surge of sympathy flow through me, ‘Please or I wouldn't be able to save you!’ I heard in my head. ‘You are too weak without this and you won't last long!’ He pulled me closer and I sighed. The whole thing was making me dizzy but the moment I rested my forehead against his chest, I felt the same warmth and feeling of safety engulf me. It was so good to have someone care and protect you. I relaxed and he shifted to hold me tighter. ‘Good girl!’ he said in my head. ‘I know this is not the best way to meet someone and apologize for intruding in your mind. I have never done something like that before.’ I snuggled and rested my hand on his chest. It was warm and pleasant being this close to him. Safe. At home. ‘It is so good to feel warm and safe. Plus, I heard your thoughts too.’ ‘What thoughts?’ I could swear he was baffled. So was I, but now that the pain was under control, it was amusing as well. I didn't know if I could speak aloud, so I decided to ask the questions in my mind, hoping that he would hear me. ‘Your thoughts, I heard you wondering if you didn't hurt me. You... sounded concerned. As if you care.’ I thought, pushing away the stray thoughts of ‘as of you love me’ and ‘this is insane’ He chuckled. ‘I feel attracted to you, yes’ I heard his thoughts. ‘And thoughts can't lie. The same way you heard something that was not meant for you, I heard this.’ ‘But...’ ‘I don't know how it functions either. Somehow our minds got connected. It's probably the energy I'm lending you...’ I tried to pull away but he didn't let go. I tried again and felt his grip on me get tighter. ‘Shhhh, stay here!’ he whispered. ‘If I let you go, it will hurt again and a lot.’ I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again, no use. ‘Don’t push yourself’ I heard his thoughts ‘you are too weak!’ ‘You scare me! That’s why I am like this.’ The thought was ringing in my head. He stroked my back. I expected pain to come again and wanted to flinch away, but there was no room for that. I could barely move anyway. ‘I know, I felt your fear even before I held you. There is nothing to be scared of. I am no threat to you and will never be.’ I felt as if something is going round my mind, trying to soothe me. I somehow heard some phrases, that he meant no harm; all was to be well and such. It didn’t work entirely as some part of my mind kept screaming this is insane and that I am in danger. He sighed and pulled me closer. I could hear how his heartbeat now. Thud-thud-thud. it was quick, just as my own heart was racing. I kept listening to it. Nothing else existed for some time and I felt both mine and his hearts slowed down the beating pace. It felt warm and that was good as I started feeling the tips of my fingers. I shivered and he covered me with something. I didn’t know how freezing it had felt before. ‘Forgive me, this is none of my making. I wish I could take the pain away from you, but crossing the barrier nearly killed you, you know. I don’t even understand how they managed to bring you here alive.’ It took me a few seconds to realise what he was thinking. Who were those ‘they’? What had happened to me? Thoughts surged through me and I felt panic rising. It took me some time to remember that someone else was also hearing this and if I wanted answers, I needed to have only a few thoughts at a time, not a storm of them. ‘What barrier? How do you feel this? Why don’t I feel what you feel? Where am I?’ He chuckled again and rocked me back and forth. I tried to pull away from him and realised I finally had the strength to move. Still, I was too weak to make him let go. So, I tapped my hand on his chest, to draw his attention. ‘It’s not funny! I’m losing my mind here! What are you?’ I was not strong enough to lift my head and meet his gaze but I saw him putting his hand over mine. It was soothing. ‘Take it easy! I am not laughing at you!’ his thoughts rang in my head. ’It is just new to me as well. It’s probably the energy we share that makes me feel everything you feel. Rest now, you need it and it will be easier for me to heal you!’ ‘Heal me?’ Another chuckle followed. ‘Where did you think the pain came from? You are weak and hurt. Just let me help you. I’ll be here, you can just lean on me and sleep.’ ‘I’m too scared to sleep’ it slipped my mind. ‘I can’t do anything! I…’ ‘You need to trust me for a while, I know it’s hard and you are going crazy. It is too much to ask from a total stranger. I feel it. I wish I could make you see what I do, but you are too weak for this now.’ I had no idea that thoughts could sound patient or stern but there he was, his thoughts giving the exact same impression to me. ‘I am not doing anything.’ I thought angrily. ‘I wish I could do something, but all I can do is be scared and feel this weird conversation in my head.’ ‘You are the first woman I am having such a conversation with and this is no less uncomfortable for me.’ he thought back. Uncomfortable? I had been in pain a few moments ago. But I didn't think he was hurting. at least he didn't let it show. I was about to ask something but then I heard a voice saying: ‘What did you do there? Enough of your magical nonsense! What does the spy say?’ It was an old, crackling voice that sent shivers down my spine. He felt that and stroked my back. ‘Don’t worry’ he whispered in my ear ‘you are not alone here.’ ‘Redual, I swear in the sacred stone, I will have your head on a spike!’ that voice said. 'Just give me a reason to!'