Chương 28: Relapse {27}

Aloysia growled to her self, regaining her senses became incredibly painful and downright exhausting. Like a constant drag at the back of your mind.

Void of her brother's strength to keep her elevated, Aloysia's no longer limp body was slumped lazily by the rivers edged, snuggled in her sisters cloak.

She was tracing the flowing water with her fingertips, sighing at the exhaustion and hunger pulling at her eyes.

Her mind was focused on the light breeze brushing her face. With no hood obscuring her beauty, she could feel every inch of her face being caressed by the warming sun of midday.

It was a strange sensation.

The sound of twigs crunching under a crackling fire snapped Aloysia out of her haze.

Above the crackling fire, her brother, stood.

His mind was humming loud, full of pain and concern for both of his siblings, yet his face was a mask to the questions eating away at him.

Zillah should be here already.

Aloysia broke the silence.

"I never really got a chance to thank you for carrying me- and then walking with me like a toddler" Aloysia laughed sincerely. "I'm grateful, thank you brother"

A smile graced his face just for a moment, but it faded as quick as it came.

"I'm your brother, even if I'm younger, I will always protect you"'he crouched to the fire, adding extra kindle. "You know that right?"

The fire roared at the extra fuel, puffing an endless stream of smoke into the air.

Aloysia swerved from her position, her body no longer facing the serene river running wild behind her. Instead, her crimson eyes followed her brothers gentle movements, as he went back to standing.

"How did you find me?"

No answer. A beat later. "Let's just say it was coincidental, but being brought together... that was not in our hands"

Her heart had never felt so heavy yet so light at the same time. So much stress on the weight of one man...

"In case you are wondering," Zelek started while looking around aimlessly, no longer crouched, "the fire is a signal."

Zelek continued to observe the bushy wood, eyeing nothing but birds flapping from their trees. Damm it.

"For Zillah to find us."

Aloysia's face grew concerning, "will that not also attract unwanted attention?" her heart beat increased slightly, she did not want to loose control so soon after her last relapse.

Shaking her head she peered through the dense trees, "We don't know who or what is out there"

Her body shivered at the thought, her scar through her chest quivering. As a makeshift shirt, part of Zeleks cloak to much his displeasure had to be torn off, and wrapped around her front. Her clothes were in tatters.

"I know, but we have you, they don't stand a chance"

Aloysia's voice hitched, a little stung by that, but the realisation was sinking in, truth, she was more powerful than any being to graze this world.

This cruel, despicable world.

"You know, I've never told anyone this, but every time I feel a strong emotion, anger, fear, sadness; It just takes control of me, like it's its own entity that feels my feelings and acts upon them. As if- As if- it fears something- feels threatened. Snatching the reins and shoving me so far down I can't even recognise myself if I stood in front of a mirror! The person who stares back is not the same person looking in-" she sighed, hanging her head low in defeat.

"It never happened when I was a child, only mild headaches, mild pains, but now, it completely controls me, head splitting pain included"

She clutched her forehead, wincing at the remaining ache.

"It's like the two things that erupt are vicious winds and fire."

Her words drawled.

Wind blew gracefully through her hair. She slowly pulled the cloak closer to her, as if it would slip from her grasp any second.

"What-" she bit her lip, stuttering slightly, "wh- what if- I can't come back to my senses? What if i am forever overrun and never to return back to consciousness?"

He gulped painfully hard, ignoring the silent trees around him and crouching to rest his hands on her shoulders, "I promise -with every ounce of my very being- we will not let that happen-"

"-Ever". He reassured her. His face turned stiff, slightly retracting. He wasn't afraid, just fearful on what she was becoming, and for her fate ahead.

"Besides It was never designed to merge with one of us, meant to stay well away from us, it was strange how your body reacted and coped with it"

She looked up at him, a single tear staining her flush cheeks. She only wore what was left of her usual attire, without her bow, or her twin blades.

Without them she felt empty, they had been part of her for a long time, and for suddenly that crutch to be torn away from her was gut wrenching.

Her mind was distracted with so many things that the world around her collapsed.

She had to master it.

Force it into submission as it has her.

She will not yield any longer.

Gaining slight confidence from her thoughts, she sealed her eyes, cutting off any emotion, calling the power gurgling in her depths, to flow through her veins.

But this time, willingly...

—————————

Zelek was worried sick, Zillah should have been back by now.

He was shuffling in anticipation while staring at his sister close her eyes. He thought nothing of it.

He couldn't think straight one bit, having your other half be missing shook him to his very core. But he masked it, for Aloysia's sake, the endless flow of never ending questions had to be hidden.

Zelek felt so separated from his twin that it physically hurt.

His train of thought was quickly interrupted by a cold bitterness arising around him. His eyes focused on the direction of its source.

Not to his surprise it was Aloysia. He hesitated.

Exhaling his breath turned icy.

Shivering slightly, he eyed the sun, wondering where the rays of heat had cowered too. His attention was brought back as he spied, on the wild green leaves, the midday dew crystallise...

Alerts sounded immediately in his head yet he was dazed. His only focus being his sister sitting on the frigid strands of grass, palms clenching around... something. For that was dark power starting to curl around Aloysia's fingers, around the hilt of where her dagger should be.

Aloysia was completely removed from reality, and her grip on Zillah's cloak loosened as she scrunched her face in concentration.

Strange, he thought. What is she doing that is causing this?

Zelek raised an eyebrow, stepping closer to her meditative state, cautious of any jump scares.

Behind him, the roaring fire immediately blew out, sending burnt wood and ash into the sky in the place of smoke.

Zelek spun, startled by the sound of intense, bitter wind cooling the now frozen logs. The frost was spreading...

Aloysia's eyes flung open, a gasp of breath was desperately needed so bad she began panting.

The cold evaporated.

Heat invaded both their bodies once again, filling in any gaps left, as if the cold was never there.

The sun filtered through the ice shards on the now wet logs, warming up the surroundings once again. Removing any trace.

He was bewildered, and slightly frightened as he outstretched a supportive hand to Aloysia who was breathing heavily.

Her mind relived it's moments, the feeling of it answering her call, then a bitter chill crawling through her, and a force slamming her control out of her hands. That's when she immediately new she had to stop and impel her eyes to open.

It drew a long needed breath away from her, like a punishment inflicted on herself for doing something wrong, for using it against its will.

She swallowed hard, regaining her ragged breath as she clutched her brothers arms, "I was right-", she breathed, "even when I try to control it... it reacts"

His eyes widened as he cradled her in his arms. The fabric bonding them together, a security like no other.

"I could sense it too. You need to learn to control it Aloysia, or it will forever control you"

She sighed heavily, holding on to her brother, finding her chest lifting at his presence.

"I'm not saying it's going to be easy- because it's not"

She huffed.

"But you will get there, and we will be by your side every step of the way"

Aloysia took a moment to think. To think over everything, everything she knew about it, which -although wasn't much- was still enough to gain some idea.

'The creation stone... It can cure you'....

Those dam words Celimine.

The crimson eyes sparkled, loosening a breath,

"I think I might know how"...