A stranger

You allowed her leave?

If she feels suffocated, I can't  let her choke, he said watching her as she left.

She could be attacked while she's outside, Esme won't take it lightly with you.

If we keep belittling her then she will feel more resentment towards her mother, just like she just she just noticed that we're watching her.

Oh, Arioch laughed as he realized she had sensed them.

They watched her walked to the gate and it opened widely for her.

I think I'll decide on getting a decendant, at least I can get something to worry about, Arioch said with a smile but it suddenly stiffened.

Where did my tea go, Charon give it back!

At least you've got a tea you can worry for.

........

Dracel had walked a long distance and she could see no one, she was about to walk back when sighted a tree at a distance, at first she hesitated, but she took to her heels wanting to feel covered under the tree shade.

She dropped to the floor and gave a smile as the tree shade gave her cover.

This feels like home, she said spreading her arms and closing her eyes letting her guard down.

A pair of eyes were peering at her from the top of the tree and she noticed it.

Stop looking at me and come out if you want to talk, she said with eyes still closed.

The eyes kept staring at her as it made no move to come talk to her.

Alright she said opening her eyes, since you're so shy, I hope you enjoy the shade under this tree.

Slowly her thoughts drifted to home, like disturbed water her mood swinged immediately, home was torture, if the training itself was torture then the silence was more than torment.

She couldn't imagine why her parents never wanted to tell her the story behind her past.

You think you're safe here? Sorry... you should beware of your so called parents, it said.

Who do you think you are! And why would you batch into my room to spit rubbish

Dracel, it called Slowly with an hypnotizing voice, ask them about your past, if they fail to tell you I'll show you the reason we're both connected.

I know you're curious, it continued, but why would they keep hiding you from the world....cross breed or maybe they call you the rejected one, she said with a smile on her lip.

Then you must be a twin, one my parents must be hiding, she said with furrowed brows.

It laughed and walked closer to her, im you dracel.

Immediately she clutched it's neck and started strangling it.

You're nothing but an illusion brought to disturb my peace of mind.

You think so, it said smiling and slowly it faded.

It.....it wasn't an illusion, she said in realization, what...could it be?

........

She sighed as she drifted from her thoughts

What's the definition of family she thought within herself again and sighed.

Back to her worst training, she couldn't remember well what she saw, but she saw herself running away from shadows, they came like they wanted to tear her apart.

She saw dreadful faces of men that held nothing but resentment in their hearts, they were rushing towards her to harm her and she fought for her life till she broke the illusion. But then again when it seems like all was over, she saw crowds of people cheering at a burning figure hung on a huge log of wood.

She looked closely at the burning figure as it cried in pain, she felt immense pain within her just like the person was feeling the same pain, she wanted it all to end but she saw the figures eyes, they were red and glowing, it looked her in the eyes and smiled, admist the already burnt body she had, but her hair seemed untouched.

You haven't seen it all, a voice said from behind.

She sprang up from the ground, she clearly heard the voice and she knew who it was.

Your ways are not pure, don't even think of convincing me, she said standing her guard.

Haha, how long do we need to struggle Dracel, why do you cling to a family who doesn't want you for who you are, can't you  see they want you to be what they want.

She looked around and saw the whole atmosphere was dark and foggy.

Are you so scared that you have to cage me in your illusions, she scoffed.

Scared? It laughed, don't you think you're the one who's been scared, can you stand me....Dracel, you've always been on the run from the beginning, why do you feel now will be so different?

Look im done with your talking, since what you want is my body why don't you come for it? Stop pestering me and my thoughts! You're been no different from them.

I wanted to wait till I see a stronger side of you, but since you asked for it....who am I to resist, it laughed wickedly and started suffocating her in its dark aura.

She held her throat to avoid its entrance from her body and at the same time she was suffocating real bad.

Open up, Now is the time!

Immediately her past life flash before her eyes, she remembered the last statement it made and realized it had been said to her on two occasions. First was the breaking of the barrier from the wizard's protection, second was her last fight with both vampires and human before her death and she recognized the illusion she saw during her training, the burning figure was nobody but herself.

My....darkness, she called.

Now we are truly bonded! It cried as it entered into her fully but suddenly it repeled off her body and she came back to reality.

She breathed out heavily and looked around her, nothing changed and she was still in a lying position, only two things changed, first there was a golden bracelet around her wrist, she tried removing or unlocking it but it tightened its grip and glowed brightly.

Secondly the second presence was no longer there, she was the only one left under the shade.

What just happened, did I just fall into an illusion? Why is this on my wrist, she asked herself again. She spread her divine sense along the field and sensed someone walking away many miles from her.

She got up and ran as fast as she could, the more she ran, the more the person spaced itself from her.

She was yet to loose the person then she stopped. She inhaled deeply and looked at the person's direction. Like in the past she always cloned herself so she did the same. The wrist bracelet began hurting her but she endured the pain, it glowed and tightened its grip on her wrist like it would cut off her hand then she cloned herself and fell to the ground.

Her cloned self looked at her weakened self and sighed.

Tsk tsk, you've grown so weak, ill go get him for you, it said and disappeared out of sight.

Wait! She shouted at the figure of a man that was walking few miles from her, gasping for air she shouted again for him to stop.

From the back, one could tell he was a man as he had broad shoulders with a short hair that reached his neck, he was putting on a black cloak, he didn't turn back to see who stopped him.

How do you walk so fast that I even ran to catch up with you, she complained. Tsk, I just wanna know, where you the one who put that on my wrist, it hurts badly back in my body, did you see anything?

For a moment he didn't turn around neither did he reply.

What's wrong with him, is he dumb?

He turned only to reveal a side of his face, from his side features one could tell he was very handsome.

You sip too much energy that can attract wraith and other demons that can harm you, you're sleeping like a lamb without shield, go back and never try to use your powers again.

After his reply, a force pushed her cloned self back into her body with force.

That hurt, she cried, she saw everything and she wondered if it was the bracelet that helped her from joining soul with her darkness.

She got up from her feet and dusted her knees, he must be a very powerful being, she thought.

Ever since she started training with her father, he had banned her from wearing gowns and she dressed with trousers and shirt that were made of royal linen to differentiate her from the servants, in her hair was a sharp tiny mouth comb that illustrated her to be one from a royal family.

Maybe the comb made him to help me, he might be a friend of my dad, she thought.

Then it all came back to her, she remembered everything she saw in the illusion while she was under the tree

That must be a mind illusion she thought, same illusion her dad used while they were training, it brings out everything in your mind down to your greatest fears.

But how did it get into my mind, why..... would it say we're bonded all the time? Suddenly realization hitted her, she remembered all she saw from her past while she was suffocating, it was all filled with fear, sorrow, loneliness and longing.

Where were they? She questioned herself, they never showed up, they left me all alone, my parent's really rejected me she thought and her mood darkened.

A large wave of dark energy surged from her body but the bracelet tightened and she yelled in pain holding unto her wrist.

Darn this thing, won't I be able to use my powers again, she cursed, how do I train with dad!

She paused for a while. NO! I'm not going back, I won't be an instrument of use, she shouted loudly and cried.

Why did they watch me burn, why did they let me run like I had no home, why are they caging me like they did before, why are they still keeping me if I'm so dangerous,  she cried on the spot she stoop holding her wrist.

She then clearly understood why her father took her to the realm of tribulations to face so much pain.

The world have always rejected me in the past, why do I not fit in, she asked in a confused manner.

Slowly the grip on her hand loosened from the Bracelet, it oozed out a very heart warming scent that could calm one down.

At least you're still a little considerate to ease my pain, she said to the bracelet, but its of no use, you too might come hunting for me one day. She said and looked away into the field.

The comb on her hair glowed brightly and her sighted stretched out to the direction of her home, she saw the gate open, like it was summoning her home.

Welcome back Dracel, she said to her self trying to bring a little energy from her other hand but the Bracelet tightened giving her a sharp pain.

Darn it! I can't even use What's mine again she cried.