Shackles Of The Past

Chapter 4

The healthy man does not torture others-

generally it is the tortured who turns into tortures.

~Carl Jung

***

Earlier, Medusa watched the scene displayed before her eyes. It was of no difference how she was treated in the past. Humans pursued the traits of varlet nature. Their heart filled with scorn and deceit. Without any doubt, the heart of man is desperately wicked.

‘You cannot protect this people,’ Medyse voiced, reminding Medusa of an agonizing past. A past filled with thorns and needles. 'Are these the people you seek redeem, a race that murdered me, murdered us? They killed our father. They killed our mother, and an innocent soul. A race worth death.'

Medusa's eyes remained transfixed on the brutal captor's torturing to the young girl. ‘I suffered what you had seen, more worse, and I paid the price for a good deed. It was death. Do you consider that fair, Medusa? Do you consider redeeming this people who killed you? Who still ridicules your name and calls you ugly?’

Medusa said nothing.

‘You are only ugly when you let them breathe the air that belongs to us or they would kill you again. And again. And those scales will come up, and no hair on your head, then you’ll be locked in the grave under flames. Do you want to go back?’

‘No.’ Medusa finally answered, like she was forced to.

‘I don’t want to go back too.’ Medyse responded, her voice dark and terrifying. Medusa watched him pull his pants down, and thereafter. But it was when he asked who was thirsty, the anger in her raged. The only feeling she was born with.

'Every action has its consequences. They must pay for their deeds but I cannot do that. What is left of me is a soul. You have to fight for me, fight for us. Let them reap what they sow.'

It was at that moment Medusa's eyes altered from blue to black. She had allowed her inner soul take control of her body, allowed her do whatever she wanted to do. Pain and torture was their advancement in return.

At that moment her eyes morphed in resemblance to her inner soul, her note to him was full of rage. She was seized by a murderous ire when she made those words, 'I'm thirsty,'

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As those words rang into Devin's ear, those words that sounded venturous and challenging, he slowly turned back, eyes holding a thousand more disoriented than ever before. Confused, he asked, "Who said that?" His eyes searched every corner, his hands grabbing his sword on its scabbard reflexively.

"Said what?" Ariel, the bulky soldier with black hair returned.

He went quiet.

After a while, “Nothing.” He said, shaking his head from the overflowing thoughts. Maybe it was only but a dark imagination that wished to bid him farewell into its calling. He faced forward, and raised his hand to slap the reigns, his mind still reeling in turmoil of those words that didn't just seem like an imagination. It felt like a malevolent choir.

‘I’m thirsty…’

Again it sang and he stopped, his mind replaying those daunting words prompting him into a willful sinner. It was much clearer, much expanded. This time, he jumped down from this horse, certain he heard what he heard.

“What is it?” Ariel asked again, watching him walk towards the captives.

"Someone said something. I heard a voice," He responded just as his face instantly darkened, like he felt stupid for saying whimsical words that didn't only make him sound like a joker, but a much confusing cryptic. His earlier words made the other soldiers exchange looks and burst out in laughter.

The laughter continued for quite some time before it lessened, a voice interrupting it. "Get on your horse and let's keep moving. We should cross the border by now." It was Xavier, the man with the scarred face, who spoke next, less interested in his complaints.

Adamant, Devin walked to the captives with looks one couldn't decipher. "Who amongst you said you were thirsty?" He demanded, his voice as cold as ice, as he peered amongst them, sending shivers through their spine that caused them to lower their heads in fear of what might happen next.

"We heard nothing, Devin. Did you, Xavier?" Ariel asked, and Xavier just laughed, shaking his head in response.

"Except the horses neighing, the leaves rustling, the birds chirping-"

"Not that kind of sound, idiot," he cut off with a visible frown. "It was a voice. And it sounded from here, right where they are," There was confusion and doubt in his voice gain when he spoke.

Xavier scoffed in disbelief, "So what now? One of them got free and voiced out to you in a blink of an eye?"

Devin ignored him, "Which one of you said you were thirsty?" He asked again, and the captives gave the same response as before. His voice was so commanding with fury radiating his temper. "I hate repeating myself. Which of you… said you were thirsty," He threatened.

"Enough of this, Devin. One miss, a gold lost. How much left?" Xavier said, and the edge of Devin's irritation returned.

“Who said you were thirsty?” he asked again, watching their faces. But he came to stop on a particular face, all daring and challenging.

Devin walked towards the girl with silver hair. She looked at him with an expression he couldn't decipher. Even as he walked menacingly, the girl didn't shake nor flinch. Instead, she stared at him, a look darker than his thoughts.

He paused to have a better view of her. Something lured him to the girl at his front. He felt something amiss, especially when she kept staring at him as though his every movement was being monitored by her eyes.

"What is your name?" he asked once he got closer, closer enough to observe those enticing features with ominous gaze that seemed to bore something inside him, causing him to feel intimidated.

The girl stared back. Silence giving an aura of darkness, like a winter breeze, cold and frightening was what gave the response. Those black irises succumbed from the pit of hell, swallowing him to a tragic dilemma.

His lips curled in disdain. He didn't hide his disgust as he faced her. "Are you dumb? Or perhaps deaf or both?" But still the girl didn't spill out a single word, her lips sealed.

"Don't waste your time seeking answers from a girl that lacks the ability to speak." Rheon, the head of the captors, spoke with much authority as he walked towards their direction with his horse. "She's one of those poor folks whose father begged for money in exchange. I heard she's one of the outcasts people fear. A rare one," he tched at the end. "She cannot speak. Hop on and let's move."

Devin clicked his tongue at the revelation. He observed the girl, and all of a sudden, he gripped her by the hair that her chin faced his face.

"Such beauty," He commented while observing her looks. "Pity this… would go to waste, after I suck out this tempting body of yours." His gaze trailed down from her lips, to her neck, and down to her chest.

"Not now, Devin," Ariel said. "We have a long journey ahead of us. You will have the whole time in the world to become a pervert but now is not that time. Get on your horse and let's get going. You know the creatures of the night,"

“I’m sure he would shit on his pants this time around,” Xavier joked, matching away with an obvious taunt.

Devin smirked as he caressed her lips. “Soft,” he commented, playing with it. But him being greedy, his gaze went southwards, scorching himself in the heat of her temptation.

Her garment was big and wide, as he could see those swells from the top, inviting him to come over. Her peaked nipple gazed at him, and he swallowed the lust, his lips curled with a side grin. His eyes could naked her. He played with her loosed garment, and his hand reached out to her chest when the inevitable happened.

The hand which he was about to touch her suddenly caught on flames. It was burning as if someone set it on fire, but Medusa or rather, Medyse, was still standing in the same position, her black eyes reflecting the movement of the flames dancing on his arm, beneath his skin.

The stench of charred flesh filled the air along with his wailing.

Gasps of shock and eyes stretched out in horror resounded as everyone stood paralyzed to the core. With the way the flames rose high, unmerciful and fast, everything happened with the blink of an eye.

His painful screaming where the only source that broke them off their reverie. High blaze of flames traveled upwards to his upper arm with so much intensity as he wailed along with it.

“AH! AH! AHH!!!” He twirled in an awful dance steps, moving his arm to quench the flames that spread every giving space. “AH!” He lamented again, breaking people off their unending daze.

And it was then someone moved and rushed to get water. It splashed unto his arm but the damage was done. It was already too late. Even the armor couldn't be able to avoid such tragedy. His right arm was burnt and bleeding with his charred flesh. His screams and yelling didn't stop the pain he felt. “AH, FUCK!”

His yelling and screams continued for almost eternity as his body shook in sheer anger until he looked at Medusa, who simply stared back. Or watched. What was the most tormenting were her eyes that seemed to hold this mystery he thought to find out.

And the realization she must have been the one who whispered, struck him that time of utter chaos. "You witch!" Devin growled, venom laced his tone and more in his steps. In an attempt to pounce on Medusa, Ariel blocked his way.

"Enough of this, Devin. We can deal with this another time!" Ariel hissed, but that only increased the latter’s anger.

"That witch must die! I must kill her!" Devin persisted in rage, and Ariel was forced to push him backwards.

"What do you call this? If she can burn you, why can't she kill you?!" Ariel yelled and Devin bustled to where he stood. He looked at him in challenge.

“Get out of my way, Ariel,” He snarled, drop dead with dangerous and silent tone, and a flushed face which couldn’t hide the pain in visible in his eyes.

But Ariel didn’t react to his warning. “You aren't using your senses right now, Devin. Think.”

"Stop this madness, both of you!” Rheon ordered, and stomped to where they stood, inches apart from each other. Once he got through them, he separated the two. "To your horses. Now." He commanded with a thick voice, demanding no further talks or argument.

Devin glared at Ariel with ire, his eyes burning with restraint, the pupils constricting into slits. The white turned bloodshot, veins bulging from his forehead with an unholy light when he turned and faced Medusa.

***