Kissed by a shadow

Chapter Three (The Man in the Portrait)

The wood boards were patterned by the influx of sunlight from the wide windows the following morning. I made the decision to analyse the house more closely in order to get More techniques for my artwork.

At the end of the corridor, I pushed open a hefty door and stepped into a room filled with different art tools and canvases. In the early morning light, the dust particles were seen churning.

In the middle, a blank canvas was lying eagerly on an antique easel.

The attraction of the place sparked my imagination. I put my paints down and started working, lost myself in the colours and brushstrokes. Hours passed before anyone else noticed the picture of a man with blue eyes on the canvas.

As I moved back to admire my creativity, a chill ran down my spine. The man's eyes seemed to be following me, and they were tracking familiar. I couldn't tell the feeling that I had seen him before, whether it was a vision or a temporary memory.

I made a research for the house hint because I was determined to locate the individual that was seen in the artwork. I found an old journal at the shelve, buried under a stack of dusty books. Amazing handwriting adorned the pages, which narrated the tale of Elara, a past resident who leaved there.

A book told of her affair with a man called Solanke, whose silver eyes made me think of the figure in my painting. Tragic events and loss resulted from their love's doom from the beginning.

I was stranded in the dark when a mighty wind rushed across the room, quenching the candles. I hurried for my torch, its light piercing the night, my heart was beating in fear. I could see my breath creating hazy clouds in the atmosphere as the temperature plummeted.

A deep, sorrowful voice murmured my name from across the room.

The voice sounded familiar but far away, and it made me shiver.

A dark, somewhat manly figure stood near the window as I looked in the direction of the source. My artwork's silver eyes met mine, softly gleaming in the shadows.

I stood motionless as the phantom moved slowly and methodically towards me. As the whispering increased in volume and the air cooled, a spooky tune came in.

The phantom reached for me, but the enchantment was broken by a huge explosion from downstairs. When the enigmatic stranger vanished, I was alone in the dimly lit library.

I hurried downstairs to look into the noise, my heart racing. The front door stood open in the foyer, swinging a little in the wind. Mud footprints appeared at the entrance to the steps but disappeared in the middle.

My thoughts were racing with possible consequences as I followed the footprints, grabbing a large candelabra for protection. Did anyone break in, or did the mansion's halls appear to be pursued by restless ghosts?

As I climbed up the stairs, I noticed a fade glow coming from behind the door of the master bedroom. I seized my breath and pushed the door open, the pivot creaking in protest.

The room was empty, but the balcony doors were open and the drapes fluttered in the wind. I stepped outside to check the grounds below for signs of an invader. The lawn stood still in the dim moonlight.

At the property's edge, I saw a surprising movement—a shadow slipping into the woods. I grabbed the lamp and headed downstairs into the dark, determined to find out.

I could hear the sounds of the forest as I approached the tree line, and the cool night air surrounded me. I hesitated, fear weakening my resolve, but I had to have the answers, so I continued.

As I moved more into the trees, where the canopy above obscured out the moonlight, I had the impression that night was approaching.

The garden was calm, quiet, and peaceful.

I noticed a shocking movement at the border of the property—a shadow moving into the woods. Eager to find out, I picked up the lamp and went downstairs into the darkness.

As I moved closer to the tree line, I could hear the wound of the forest and was covered by chilly night air. I paused, my will intimidated, but I continue because I had to get the answers.

I felt as though the darkness was in motion moving closer as I made my way deeper into the woods, where the canopy overhead Spotted out the moonlight. It got difficult for me to stay on path as the track grew dim.

Suddenly, a branch behind me broke, and I whirled around, my heart racing.

"Who's there?" I screamed tremulously. The woodland held its breath when I questioned it.

I cautiously retreated after my foot hooked on a root and hit the ground. The lamp fell from my grip and struck the brush with a boring crash. I tumbled to my feet and felt a cold hand wrap around my ankle, pulling me back down.

I felt a rush of panic as I kicked out of the cold grip.

With my back to a tree and my eyes darting madly in the dark, I scrambled off. The shapes formed by the shifting and moving shadows seemed to disappear as soon as they appeared.

I heard a low murmur, and it was the same serious voice that had called my name before. "Lema... help me..." My spine tingled at the request, and I found it difficult to speak.

"Who are you?" I made a demand while attempting to control my fear. "What do you want?"

The murmuring intensified, approaching me from every angle. "Find the truth... free me..."

It came at me from all angles, and the murmuring got louder. "Find the truth... free me..."

To follow the rumours deeper into the forest, I mustered the courage to come down from the tree. The road became smaller as the trees increased in proximity, their branches blocking the moonlight like bony fingers.

A clearing struck my eye, oddly dazzling. In the centre stood an old stone shrine that was covered in vines and moss. The stink of moist, decaying dirt filled the atmosphere.

Strange patterns that had lost all meaning over time were engraved on the stone as I got closer to the altar. Despite my panic, I had to go about my life.

I was about to touch the statues when a chilly wind blew through the room, putting out the light. I sensed a presence above me in the total darkness.

Cold fingers gripped my wrist and dragged me to the altar before I could respond. In order to stop the invisible power, I was powerless. Fear gripped my throat tighter, and my heart thumped.

Just as I was about to be pushed into the void, the hold loosened, and I collapsed backward, having difficulty in breathing. The whisper had stopped, and the silence was intimidating.

As branches pierced at my flesh, I held myself together, fell to my feet, and rushed away from the environment. After continuing until the first rays of morning appeared, I rushed onto the mansion's grounds.

As I turned to face the dark jungle, I was afraid and struggling to breathe. Whatever was haunting this building was still very much alive and well, and I couldn't get rid of the impression that I was only now starting to solve its riddles.

I turned to go back inside and saw the tiny, exquisitely made amulet, its surface gleaming in the early morning light. Though I couldn't remember picking it up, I guess it had something to do with the presence in the woods and the murmur.

I made the decision to learn more about the legacy of the talisman in the hopes that it would hold the answers I was looking for. The journey ahead would be encumbered with threat and innovation that would dramatically change my view on the world, but I had no concept of this.

The door behind me made a loud noise as I re-entered the house, resounding down the deserted corridor. I was constantly under the sense that I was being watched and that others were looking at me all the time.

I went to the library to learn as much as I could about the amulet's meaning now that I had it. The air was thick with dust and I could smell old paper as I rummaged through the shelves for any relevant texts.

My eyes were fatigued after looking through old books and manuscripts for hours on end. I was about to give trying when I found a worn journal buried beneath a pile of books. The cover was worn and the pages yellowed with age.

Upon closer inspection, I found that it was owned by the woman in the portrait, Elara. Her existence at the mansion, her forbidden love for Solanke, and the horrible rites she had carried out to permanently unite their souls were all described in her exquisite script.

In her most recent piece, she described a potent amulet that could break the spell she had set on Solanke, and it made my heart race. I was holding the same amulet now.

The room trembled as the mumbling came again, stronger and louder than before. "Free me... free us..."

I was determined to make things right, and I knew I had to do the things Elara had described in her journal. However, doubt gnawed at the edges of my determination as I gathered the required goods. What if I didn't succeed? What if I let loose something much more evil?

My concerns were set aside as I headed to the large hall of the mansion, the venue for the wedding. The creepy shadows created by the flashing lights on the walls formed a sense of hope.

As I began the sorcery, a mighty wind rushed through the room, blowing out the candles and decreasing the temperature. The murmur became a loud roar as the darkness overwhelmed me.

I was thrown off my feet by a strong force as I reached the top of the ceremony, and a dazzling light filled the chamber. I let out a yell of pain as the amulet blazed hot in my palms.

The amulet was broken next to me as I lay on the cold marble floor and the light finally went out. An alarming quiet has taken the place of the voices.

The shadowy figure at the edge of the room caught my attention as I fall to my feet. The man moved forward into the light, and my breath seized in my throat as I saw Solanke's face.

His face was carved with a mixture of pain and gratitude as he looked into my silver eyes. His voice hardly audible, "Thank you," he said. "But the curse is not yet broken."

His words weighed heavy on my soul, and he left me in the dark before I could reply.

I knew I couldn't give up on solving the mysteries of the estate and freeing Solanke.