What Hides In The Darkess

I know I shouldn’t have. The temptation, the need, it overwhelmed every lesson I had been taught.

“Young One, dark power flows through your veins. One day you shall be its master, like me, but for now you must show caution.”

Mother had warned me.

“You must be careful what you say.”

She had been so clear.

“You must be careful what you do.”

She had spelled it out, and at the time, I had paid attention, as much as any young girl did.

“And you must NEVER-”

So why didn’t-

“-EVER-”

-I just-

“-speak to the darkness.”

-LISTEN?!

Fear gripped my heart.

I had left the tower.

I had left the coven.

It wasn’t the first time.

I had watched the villages.

I had watched the people.

I had watched the wagons.

But bandits watched the wagons too.

Mother had taught me how to control the weather.

Taught how to listen to the trees.

Taught how to bend the will of wolves to my desires.

But the trees were slow.

The weather was already stormy.

And the wolves had fled from the thunder.

Branches tore at my face and clothes as I ran through the dark. The rain pelted me, soaking me to the bone. Behind me I heard them coming, laughing. Their hounds were as twisted as their hearts and were deaf to my cries. Their teeth, twisted. Their hands, lustful. Their blades, rusted and bloody.

So I had screamed into the darkness for someone. Anyone.

Anything.

At first, I thought it was over, it was so quiet. The wind ceased and the rain dried, and I thought that nature had listened to me.

When their screams started, I thought I was the master.

Then I saw it.

It was a shadow, more gone than there.

It was malice, dark and cruel.

It was fear, terrifying and overwhelming.

It was demonic.

It was-

“NEVER EVER speak to the darkness.”

-death.

It had its gaze squarely on me.

The stones were sharp on my hands.

The brambles tore at my back.

The roots tried to stop my mad scramble backwards.

I couldn’t stand. I couldn’t scream. My lungs were empty, my mouth dry, my gaze blank. My body wouldn’t obey me telling it to stand. My magic fled from my grasp. My wit was as empty as my mind.

It was death.

A scream I could only describe as my soul’s terror pulled itself from this…thing’s throat as its arm reared back, bloody black talons descending in a blur.

My eyes wouldn’t close.

My lips wouldn’t move.

So this is what dying is like.

WHAM!

I blinked as the breeze tickled my hair.

Boots that were covered in mud.

Calves and thighs covered in waterlogged mail.

No tabard, no heraldry, no emblem of king or country, only a cuirass that was dented and worn.

Arms with similar mail as the legs.

Leather gloves with holes, more patch than solid piece.

A helm, simple and battered, shielding the head.

A bastard sword held low, down and across, between me and Death.

And finally a shield, black claws leaving grooves that I could not see, but the whole holding strong.

More footsteps were behind me. I thought they were more flesh and blood, limbs covered in mail that shielded veins and sinew.

I looked.

They weren't,

I screamed.

I couldn’t help the sound that tore itself from my throat.

Hundreds. Thousands.

Numbers beyond counting.

And they were staring at me.

They were all around.

A laugh, loud and clear, sounded in my ears.

The wind picked up again, the leaves rustling across the ground, their crisp death the gift of autumn. Moisture gently blew across me as I turned towards the sound, my breath returning.

It wasn’t the monsters in the darkness that were laughing.

It was the one in worn metal that began to circle me, sword held up in a challenge.

Every fair maiden dreams of a knight in shining armor to rescue her, but I wasn’t one. I was a witch that had screamed into the darkness, and no gleaming shield had greeted me.

Armor that shines brightly is metal that is untested. A breastplate that bears dents and grooves is one that has seen combat, and this one had scars identical to the new ones on his shield.

He had faced these monsters before.

And they knew him.

My breath caught in my throat.

It wasn’t fear that stopped it.

I knew it then.

Demons. They fear what is in the dark.

It doesn’t belong to them.

They pressed in, but they didn’t come to meet his sword’s kiss.

They pressed in, but they didn’t strike his shield.

They pressed in, but they couldn’t meet his gaze.

They pressed in, but he was between them and me.

They couldn’t press in further than he allowed.

Than I allowed.

I shouldn’t have spoken to the dark.

But…I don’t think I had been the only one to do so.

And the dark has no power over you if you don’t let it.

He paused when my hands fell on his shoulders.

He hesitated when I drew close behind him.

He stopped when my chin rested on his shoulder.

I met the demons’ eyes.

And I didn’t blink.

The gentle moisture gave away to rain. The breeze gave way to the storm.

But it was okay.

The darkness faded.

It wasn’t gone. It will never be gone.

But it’s okay.

I’ll always remember what he told me as the storm raged, words barely audible above the thunder.

I’m sorry I was late, but I’m here now. Stay behind me, and hide your eyes if you are afraid. It will be okay.

I don’t hide my eyes much anymore. I don’t need to. I see their gazes still, but it’s okay.

Because I found out the truth.

Demons. They fear what is in the dark.

It doesn’t belong to them.

It belongs to us.

He and I.

Forever.