Second Meeting

Raising his eyes, the two gazed at each other.

The figure of a teenage girl of about 16 years of age stood in the doorway in front of the man in black.

This young girl possessed long wavy brown hair that matched the color of her eyes; a slender figure that might slightly lean toward malnutrition and a light but long light blue dress covered her.

The man in black was shocked for an instant, but kept his face serene the whole time.

- What are you doing in this place? - asked again with a tone of concern that young woman.

- ...

The man did not answer her questions, he just stared at her.

The girl noticed this and her concern increased to the point of desperation, because her reasoning led her to believe that the man was some kind of degenerate.

But that thought was far from reality, because the young master who was still observing in silence had noticed something strange: the appearance of the young woman was quite worn out as if she was in constant stress and full of pains.

- You ... who ... what thing ...- the young woman began to speak incoherently with an exhausted tone and started to stagger.

Her gaze became blurry and her sweat was quite noticeable on her dress. Within seconds, that young woman fainted.

"Well ... I saw that coming." was what she thought as she watched that young woman faint.

- So ... what do I do now? - expressed the male in black.

It was the afternoon of the next day, inside a room of the castle, a young girl was seen resting on a wide bed that had been properly cleaned for her rest.

The time being, the young woman began to wake up and noticed that she was in a considerably clean room compared to the rest of the place, but what amazed her the most was that the clothes she was wearing were different from the ones she had put on.

"W-what... why my clothes... ?" In a state of confusion and panic the young woman was trying to understand what could have happened to her since she had been unconscious.

At least she had understood that her bags had been found by someone.

A strange headache began to take hold of her; and, even if she tried to think, the previous discomfort was beginning to well up again.

The young woman lay there looking at the walls and ceilings, while noticing that not only were her clothes changed, but she was also cleaned, as there were no traces of sweat or dirt on her body.

The situation was becoming more critical in her mind, for who was that person she had seen in front of the castle door. Perhaps he had been kind enough to treat her and did not abuse her at all, was what the young woman wanted to believe.

In a moment, as her breathing became heavier, she began to wonder where the man was.

Minutes passed, and the young woman's condition slowly began to worsen; it seemed that she was going to faint again at any moment. Despair gripped her heart and hope escaped from her eyes.

Little by little everything was getting darker, until the sound of the creaking of her bedroom door caused her to wake up again.

The young woman's dying gaze regained a little strength and she noticed who was entering the room.

The profile of a tall male in black clothes was what she witnessed as he approached with a towel and a plate of freshly prepared food.

The young man took a chair and sat down next to the bed.

As if he were an older brother, the young man began to wipe the sweat from the young girl's face, then he unbuttoned her blouse and proceeded with her upper body. For the girl it was embarrassing that this was happening, but she had no more strength to resist, besides the state of her body was uncomfortable.

When she finished grooming herself, the man made her sit on the bed so that she could eat. The dish itself was a kind of porridge that was not difficult to digest, and he began to feed her himself.

When she had eaten everything, he laid her down on the bed to rest. He took the plate and towel with him, and left the room.

The girl did not ask or say anything, for she had fallen asleep.

A whole day passed and it was already the second day since that pair had met.

The young woman woke up again at almost the same time as the day before; this time she felt fresher and a little lighter, but she was still in a delicate condition.

As she looked around the room, she was a little surprised to see that the man was sitting by one of the windows watching the scenery. Suddenly, seeing him there, a feeling of tranquility began to fill the weakened girl's heart.

- My name is Alicia ... Enid ... Could you tell me ... your name? - she asked in a low and delicate tone, for she did not wish to waste any more of her strength.

The man who was sitting turned his gaze to the young woman but did not answer her question.

- I know I am not the one to demand ... but I would like to know the name of the person who helped me before I die. - the woman tried again.

- Aren ... Aren Elrod D. Arias- answered for the first time and in a strange language that man.

The woman did not understand what language it was; she knew then that the man was a foreigner, but still he had helped her. But even more, there was a sadness in the young woman in not being able to understand or communicate.

- My name is Aren. - was the next thing the young woman heard.

Surprise filled her heart, for she could understand this time what he said. A small smile was traced on her face and she commented to be glad that they could communicate.

But then sadness and worry absorbed her mind again. Her condition was very unfavorable and, just as she had said, her life was at death's door; but, it seemed, what worried her most was not that.

Her appearance said that it was already too late, she could only wait for her inevitable death. Maybe in a few weeks, days or just a few hours it would happen.

- Rest ... I will come later. - were Aren's words.

The young girl named Alicia tried not to worry anymore about what she was suffering from as it only brought her panic and terror; then, heeding the words of her benefactor, she closed her eyes and slept.

It so happened that that night, a strong pain seized Alicia's belly. Her moans were beginning to intensify and her tearful face was turning reddish.

It seemed that the moment of her end was just a few minutes away. It was then that the door to her room opened, letting in the man who had helped her before. The young man, who entered suddenly as if he knew what was happening before, approached the young woman and sat down next to her again.

Alicia's breathing was beginning to stabilize a little, but her condition was as if she were hopeless. Therefore, she began to speak through tears in a soft voice.

- Ya ... I can't take it anymore ... before I leave, I would like to know Who are you ... Why have you come to this place? - were the requests of that poor woman.

- ... I can tell you that ... I already lived in this place some years ago.- answered Aren.

The young woman was incredulous and stunned by that statement.

- Now I will ask. - continued the young man- This illness you have ... it has not been recent, it seems that you have been suffering from it for some years now ... you should have passed away by now, shouldn't you? How have you managed to survive all this time?

The woman continued to be amazed even more, almost to the level of horror. She wanted to inquire how that man knew, but she understood that she didn't have much time left.

- Surely you have found my bags ... but ... there is something I hid, a chest ... there was a dark stone inside ... it emanated a power that allowed to heal me for a while ... but now it has no more effect ... although that stone became darker ... just that. - in a sincere way, as if she didn't want to hide anything, Alice explained.

- Black stone? ... Where did you find that chest? - asked the man seriously.

- It was ... inside a room ... a room that was at the top of a tower of this castle ... I ... went there every week to be cured until ... I decided to set out on my journey. - said Alice.

Aren sighed rather heavily.

- What was that room like? - Aren asked.

- It was a strange room ... like a mausoleum ... there were six ... no, seven coffins ... behind that middle coffin was where I found him ...- explained Alicia.

- Where is the coffin now? - asked Aren.

- It's in ...- the young woman hesitated to answer- the room I used before ... it's on the second floor above the main room by the left passage. 

Aren prepared to go in search of that chest; however, he was stopped by a question.

- Wait ... how come you've lived in this castle for years and I've never seen you before? - asked that woman with a certain indifference.

The young man before leaving answered truthfully.

- Certainly, we have not seen each other before ... but I did not lie to you when I said that I was living here ... rather, I was sleeping.

- Sleeping? - asked the dying woman suspiciously.

The young man sighed- It was I who slept in that room you described; in the coffin in their midst, I rested. - replied Aren, firmly.

Alice was stunned and frightened, although there was great disbelief in her heart, she wanted to understand the words of the departing young man.

- Rest ... our conversation is not yet over. - said the male as he withdrew.

The girl was left lying in bed, and as if the disease had also been stunned, the young woman remained pensive, forgetting her pain.

The hours passed and the woman had fallen asleep again, but was awakened by the young man when he came back into her room with the chest in his hands.

During her reflections, Alicia had tried to understand who that man was and how true his statements were; however, she could not come to any sensible conclusion.

Tell me ... For how long did you use this stone? - asked the young man

- I think ... for about five years. - answered Alice.

He tried the man in black to ask her something else, but again the symptoms of the disease began to appear stronger than before.

Aren was a little surprised to see how the young woman began to sweat and pant. The signs of pain and tears of that girl sprang up and did not stop, but increased more and more.

Only a few seconds had passed, but the young girl wished that her suffering would end now.

Some murmurs could be heard coming from the woman, requests for forgiveness directed towards several names as if she was trying to make amends for past mistakes.

She was just waiting for her life to end along with this pain, although her time had not yet come.

The suffering was only getting longer, it was as if death was playing with her and the woman was only asking for everything to end now.

It was then when that young man approached her and asked a question.

- Do you still want to live?

The young woman put her gaze on him and, between crying and pains, she hesitated for a moment, but the pain made her nod her head.

- Do you think you can heal yourself? - asked the man again.

The young girl longed for death did not understand the question, but answered- yes- after a few seconds as if clinging with hope on that young man.

Aren saw his suffering and said- then so be it.

Then, while the pain kept increasing in the young woman's belly to the point of rendering her motionless on the bed, the male next to her raised his right hand and placed it on the woman's forehead and spoke softly.

- Pull yourself out.

Seconds passed, and, unexpectedly, the young woman calmed down and fell asleep.

Everything was dark, but Alice's consciousness was awake; she didn't know where she was. Certainly, everything was creepy, it was like being inside an abyss, nothing could be seen; the woman thought she had died and became depressed in that place.

However, a few moments later, she heard a strange sound; she could not identify what or who it was.

In the distance she saw a small flash of light. She knew that this was where the strange sound came from. The young woman tried to go and reach that light, but in vain, she could not. Alicia became even more depressed because she genuinely believed that she had died.

However, she heard that strange sound again, but this time she did not try to move, but closed her eyes and paid full attention to that noise.

- Alicia.

- Alicia.

- ALICIA!

The young girl opened her eyes and saw how that light in the distance approached with great speed towards her and caught her.