He looked at her archly. ‘Where’s your weapon, then? How do you intend to fight them?’ he asked scornfully.
‘Sorry, but I think I left my Chakram in my other bag,’ she replied sarcastically.
‘What are you talking about?’ he asked perplexed, clearly not getting the reference.
Rowanne looked at him steadily, and asked, ‘Shouldn’t you keep your eyes on those two?’ indicating the men who had started to approach them, in no way fazed by Alexander.
He swiftly turned back to them, and replied over his shoulder, ‘I’m more than a match for them.’
‘Okay, Hercules,’ this man was in another world, altogether. The men weren’t backing down because there were two of them; plural. What a moron.
He surprised her then, by saying, ‘Hercules is a myth — I’m the real thing. I wouldn’t be so easily fooled by the gods. Now watch out for the man approaching you on the right, Xena,’ sarcasm dripped from his voice. She missed the smile that unexpectedly crossed his face.
Rowanne didn’t share Alexander’s confidence, but at least she didn’t feel alone; strength in numbers. ‘Watch out!’ she shouted, as both men rushed them at once, their swords aimed at them with deadly precision.
‘Hold on,’ whispered Alexander.
Rowanne missed what he had just said. Suddenly, Alexander grabbed her and spun around so fast that it made her head spin, and momentarily darkness enveloped her. Instinctively, she held onto him; as the only solid thing there was. She didn’t want to faint, that was not going to help them in this situation in any way. She felt nauseous as she found herself on the ground sitting behind him.
What had just happened? Her memory was slightly fragmented. Rowanne looked around for Lillian, wanting to freeze the memory, but she was nowhere to be seen. More bizarrely was the fact that the two men were still in the exact same position, as if they had never moved.
Alexander helped her to her feet, and once more, pushed her behind him.
‘Those men were running straight towards us... I thought we were about to be attacked. What’s going on?’ she asked.
‘They haven’t moved. You fainted and I caught you,’ he stated matter-of-factly.
Rowanne didn’t completely believe that this was the truth, judging by the looks of consternation on the men’s faces. Not to mention they were panting as if they had exerted themselves. She knew that there was more going on than what she was being told.
How was it possible that she had been transported to another place? This was no mere ghostly activity, there was a bigger picture here, and more to the world than she had initially thought possible. Her familiar head splitting migraine came on, causing her knees to buckle, and as she quickly threw up her arms protectively in front of her face, miraculously the scene froze, but she still hit the ground and the pain in her knees felt real enough. How is this possible? This isn’t even real, it’s already in the past. How can a recollection hurt me physically, just by reliving it?
Rowanne clutched her head, and saw the image of Lillian freeze intermittently. She was trying to say something, but it was lost in the haze of pain that engulfed Rowanne’s mind.
Rowanne’s heart hammered as she saw a green flash in the distance. Then chillingly the memory started to unfreeze, or so it appeared, as Alexander began to move, slowly at first, inch by slow inch. Oh my God... he’s turning towards me, thought Rowanne.
‘Lillian!’ screamed Rowanne, as she scooted away from him.
‘Rowanne. I’m sorry...’ she heard Lillian whisper, the second before she felt her presence leave. Oh no. She didn’t know how long it would be before Lillian could gather enough energy to get back to her.
Rowanne tried to freeze the scene but it sped up, and at any moment Alexander would reach her. It was a battle of wills, and she was failing. Alexander had by this time completely turned around. He was saying something, but it was muffled, almost as if she had cotton wool in her ears.
Rowanne closed her eyes and balled her fists in an effort to retain control of her own mind. She shut herself off from her surroundings to the point that she missed the sound of footsteps approaching her...
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ asked an angry male voice.
Rowanne’s heart skipped a beat as she froze. But slowly she opened her eyes to be met with the sight of two blazing sapphire eyes, glaring down at her with deadly intent.
‘This isn’t supposed to happen like this... You should not have been able to do that...’ mumbled Rowanne, sounding crazy to her own ears.
Alexander looked at her steadily, and, stifling a yawn, offered her his hand. ‘Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but we should really get back over there,’ pointing his sword in the direction of the two frozen men, as if the memory would only continue once she got back into her original position.
Rowanne knocked his hand back and quickly got up and pointed at him accusingly. ‘Who, or what the hell are you?’ she asked angrily, petrified at the same time.
Alexander looked towards the men, and then slowly back at her, smiling, as he replied, ‘Well, for one thing, I’m animate... What did you do to them?’ he asked, looking at her admiringly as he took one step towards her.
‘Just wait right there! Don’t you dare come any closer, I’m warning you.’ Rowanne took an involuntary step back to maintain a distance between them.
Alexander looked perplexed, and shrugging his shoulders, put his sword away in the scabbard on his back. He took another step closer, completely ignoring her warning, and shook her hand. ‘Nice to meet you. Alexander Black at your service, and you are?’
Rowanne looked at him dumbfounded; this fake Alexander of her memory was just as annoying as the real one. For now, at least, it appeared as if he didn’t mean her any harm.
‘Do I look like some kind of crazy man to you?’ asked Alexander, aggravated.
I don’t know, you tell me, she thought. Maybe he really was unhinged; he had gone from polite to peculiar in less than a minute.
‘Look here, Rowanne. I am not the sort of man to harm a woman. And I take great offence to the fact that you briefly entertained the idea.’
Rowanne was shocked, ‘How did you know that, and how do you know my name?’
She took another step back while keeping her eyes firmly on him, waiting to see what his next move would be.
‘You are broadcasting your thoughts loud enough. And in answer to your original question: this is your mind, you can do whatever you like here. I suspect you didn’t want me to be like them... What is it that you want to know?’ he asked, appearing earnest. He began to walk around her, his eyes never leaving her.
Rowanne was forced to move; she didn’t want him where she could not see him, but managed to back up to the fountain, where she had a perfectly good view of him.
He approached slowly and stood a little away, sensing that she didn’t want him too close. ‘Look, your subconscious is trying to tell you something... You’ve just got to ask the right questions,’ said Alexander, his eyes blazing with an emerald fire.
Weirdly, Rowanne noticed that his clothing had changed from a soldier’s outfit to a more casual look: jeans and a jumper — it’s crazy what the mind can conceive of at the most random moments, she thought.
Looking down, he smiled, ‘I don’t mind the clothes, are they more to your liking?’
‘That wasn’t me,’ she replied weakly, not knowing what was real. But it had not escaped her notice that he still wore the sword at his back; why would her mind not change that tiny detail? It was her mind after all, right...?
‘Rowanne, you’re fighting your own mind, not me. Why are you making it so difficult for yourself?’ asked Alexander.
‘I don’t know,’ she admitted resignedly. ‘But I’m not doing this on purpose, and I’m only being shown half of the truth, not the entirety.’ Rowanne watched Alexander’s expression carefully. Something felt off with him, as well, for no matter how much she tried to freeze him int
o place, it didn’t work. He seemed to be the only thing in her mind that she could not control, which made her suspicious. How was it possible that he was here right now…? Her world as she knew it was carefully dismantling piece by piece.
Alexander smiled broadly and looked at her with a strange expression that made her nervous.
‘There’s nothing funny about this situation,’ said Rowanne.
‘I was just thinking, you’ve come a long way since I first met you,’ he mocked her by encompassing the immediate area.
‘How do you know that — wait, don’t answer. You’ll just say something like: “I am a part of your memory, of course I’d know”, am I right?’ she asked wearily.
‘Well done, you’re finally getting it. When do you want to continue?’ he asked light heartedly. But there was an intensity to his eyes that didn’t quite match the tone of his voice.
‘I want to continue, but I’m afraid that my mind will block certain parts of this memory, even if I get to the end, which is looking further away each time.’
Alexander became solemn, and sat down and moved closer to her, encouraged by her not moving away. Building up his courage, he asked, ‘Do you really want to know the truth? I promise that if you do, I’ll support you, and... you will no longer suffer any pain, you have my word on that. And I’m a man who will never break his word,’ he appeared tense as he awaited her answer.
Rowanne really looked at him, and took her time to observe him. I think this really is Alexander! As crazy as it sounded to her. He felt different from the other two, who behaved as if they were on a loop, like a film that continually plays the same scene, whereas Alexander was actually interacting with her, saying things that she was fairly certain her mind had not made up. She decided to keep this nugget to herself.
After all, Lillian had said that Alexander was keeping something from her... How had he known about her headaches? It was like he was apologizing for them. What could be so bad that he doesn’t want me to know? And more to the point, how has he been blocking my memories? That was one thing she could not forgive him for, if her theory proved correct.
Squaring her shoulders and crossing her arms, she turned to Alexander and asked the monumental question, ‘Was it you all along that stopped me from remembering the events of last Thursday?’ She looked at him solemnly.
Green flames flickered dangerously in Alexander’s eyes as he looked at her intensely. His mouth was set in a grim line, as he replied, ‘Yes... Only because I believed that it was for your highest good.’
Rowanne was furious, and gripped him by the arms. ‘Who are you to decide what I should or should not remember? How dare you interfere with my mind like this!’ she said, as she shook him by the shoulders.
Alexander gabbed her hands and carefully held them in his own. ‘Calm down, Rowanne. I’ll explain everything.’ She took a deep breath. Strangely, she did not move her hands away; maybe she needed the comfort as much as he did. ‘All your questions will be answered, but you will have to relive the whole of the memory without stopping. And this time, you will remember everything...’ he made it sound like a promise and a threat. ‘If you are sure, I’ll start the memory. Do not fear, you will be aware at every stage. I’m warning you that you will find it uncomfortable and there will not be a thing you can do about it. You will feel the pain, but the migraine will not save you, this time. Yes, you heard correctly,’ he said, at the dawning comprehension in her eyes. ‘I thought that I was helping you when I placed the blocks in your mind,’ he waited for her reply.
‘What are you, a hypnotist?’
‘If I replied in the affirmative, then that would be a lie. You have to be willing to see the truth for yourself. And are you sure you want to know what I really am? Presently, you have a comfortable world view, do you really want to venture into the unknown?’ asked Alexander. There was a finality to the question.
Rowanne knew what he was asking of her, but she no longer cared to live in ignorance, no matter how peaceful a state it appeared to be - it was an illusion, after all. And why had she become a journalist if not to venture into the unknown and find the truth?
‘I too shall go into the abyss and wade through chaos under eternal night, the space between heaven and hell,’ said Rowanne cryptically. Her necklace glowed warmly beneath her clothes in response to this truth which it upheld. Something stirred within her, as if similar words had been uttered before... Was she remembering something? Maybe - this felt like an echo of the past, but not her past.
Alexander studied Rowanne coolly. Her eyes had changed to a combination of green and a strange silvery metallic violet which he had never before seen in a demon’s eyes. Rowanne was changing in ways he could never have imagined; it frightened him, and he was a man who didn’t frighten easily. What had he done to her... Her eyes returned to their normal green and the strange aura around her dissipated as quickly as it had come.
Rowanne looked at him questioningly, ‘What are you so worried about? I’m the one who’s about to step into the unknown.’
‘Paradise Lost?’ he asked wryly, a smile tugging at his mouth.
‘Yes. I like Milton,’ replied Rowanne awkwardly, thinking that she must have said something stupid; her mind had been in a daze.
‘Good book,’ he mused.
‘I’m ready,’ said Rowanne. I have probably just signed my sanity away, she thought unrepentantly, but she was determined now. And the fact that she would not suffer any more painful headaches fortified her. It was time; there was no turning back.
Alexander took her hands in his. ‘Close your eyes,’ he said softly, and as soon as she complied, his eyes bled to green, and the aura around him encompassed Rowanne. The green mist enveloped them both, and they disappeared from view.
Rowanne’s heart hammered in her chest; she was aware of everything. The darkness receded and she found herself once more behind Alexander. His broad shoulders blocked her view. She felt the cold sensation of the rain that had started to fall. It was dark and only the streetlamps offered a measly light. Taking a deep breath, she faced what her mind had refused to accept the first time around.
Stepping around Alexander, Rowanne tensed and clamped her mouth shut as she stifled a scream. Before her were not men - the light revealed them to be monsters born of shadow; they were a macabre imitation of men.
Rowanne shuddered, her heart beating fast. No wonder Alexander had wanted to block this image from her mind. And it was only going to get worse... If they were shadows, then how were they able to hold the spears that they so expertly wielded? Surely they should drop through? Her mind tried to distract her from the horror show.
No, what I need now is not to be shielded. And why was it that Alexander did not seem in the least bit frightened? I bet he really didn’t come from a medieval fair. Her doubts from before were amplified, and not to mention the fact that he carried a sword. She had been right to be suspicious of him.
What in the world was going on? She kept a wary eye on the two ‘Shadow men’ as she now referred to them. She felt her necklace glow beneath her clothes; it felt hot to the touch, and seemed to heat up when she got too close to them - it was like a warning device. I have to ask Grandmother Angelique about this, and when and if I get back, we are going to have a very long chat; excluding all talk of men!
She watched Alexander engage with the nearest Shadow man. He seemed unfazed by their situation, as he remarkably wielded the sword as if he actually knew what he was doing. Dare she say, he even appeared to be enjoying it. What a complete and utter lunatic. If I had my way, I’d be in my car by now and speeding away. As it was, she was stuck with this oaf who fancied himself a warrior.
Alexander briefly turned to her in mid battle and winked before turning back, and raising his sword in a block, just as the Shadow man’s spear came down hard; they were much stronger than their wispy appearance would initially suggest.
Suddenly, Rowanne spied the second Shadow man sneaking up on Alexander. She want
ed to shout: ‘watch out’ but it was too late - he had already hurled the spear straight for the back of an unsuspecting Alexander.
Rowanne didn’t even take a second to decide as she hurled herself in front of the spear’s trajectory. She gasped as she felt the momentary sensation of pain all over again. And as she fell, the darkness claimed her long before she hit the icy water of the fountain.
Rowanne screamed in her mind. Despite being able to see everything, she was powerless to do anything, firmly entrenched in the memory. She was numb. So, that’s what happened... I died.
Why would Alexander stop me from remembering? A million thoughts fluttered in her mind, but she could not hold onto a single one.
Rowanne fully expected to wake from the memory; it was the end, after all. But she was proven wrong as it continued.
In her mind’s eye, she saw Alexander’s shock at seeing her floating dead in the fountain. She watched the rain pound down on them both, washing away the tears that fell down his face. A lump formed in her throat; she didn’t know whether she was crying for him, or for her passing.
Very gently, Alexander bent down and lifted her body from the fountain, taking incredible care as he carried her. How did he know where I worked? she wondered, as he strode through her office. She was still in awe of the doors opening remarkably of their own volition before him. There was definitely more to Alexander than she could have imagined, and she had a feeling that she was going to find out a great deal more before the night was out.
She felt herself being laid gently onto the couch. But in the next instant it became really strange, as Alexander pulled out a knife with unusual writing inscribed along the length of its side. She silently screamed, as he cut his palm, and then did the same with her right palm. He joined their bleeding hands, and whispered words she could not fully make out.
All that she could essentially understand from it was of Alexander losing something very important because he had saved her. She had looked away when he had pulled the spear out of her; some things were better not witnessed, the pain was real enough.
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