Vanishing Tides 5 (A Telepathic Encounter)

A TELEPATHIC ENCOUNTER:

Since the time Red had opened the door to let in Cleo and Sherry, she had felt the presence of someone unwanted, unwelcome at the Flame mansion. When she sensed a death warrior her doubt became a confirmation that someone had taken advantage of the entry of Sherry and Cleo to come inside. She knew that the barrier which held warriors from coming inside did not prevent death warriors it prevented any type of warrior. So, the barrier would lower its guard every time a warrior belonging to the Flame mansion entered for the first time. Someone had known about their arrival. Someone had entered the Flame mansion, someone smart enough to maintain a suitable disguise. One who would be strong enough to hide themselves if they entered a life warrior’s soul? Red had the brain to think about all that probably because she had been in an encounter before. And that was the most probable reason as to why that particular someone chose her to possess. She was strong enough to hide a death warrior. She was strong enough to fight a death warrior. And she could do it without trying to bring him out. She could then cage him in herself and then her dad could banish the death warrior forever. That’s just what she planned to do. First find out if she was really possessed by a death warrior. Next encounter it in a telepathic conversation. Then win and cage him so that Takshak could do further questioning or lest he may harm some other team member.

Red saw the soup boiling. She had to switch of the gas. She saw the whole kitchen turning about her. Hang on! That was her head spinning not the kitchen. She wanted to call for help, she couldn’t. It was as if her voice was coming from a very far place and nobody could hear her. She felt herself shiver when she heard Sherry call her name. She turned and was glad to have some company. She made pasta in a daze. She did not remember the ingredients or how she had made it. Someone else was controlling her body. Her soul was losing control of the body. Red would wake up in her body, as herself in places where she did not know how she reached. Like the dining table, the kitchen. It was then that she decided to fight and not give up. What followed was an exhausting game of cat and mouse. And all this while Red acted as if everything was normal with her. She walked and at the same time she argued with the death warrior to let go off her body. And then when he did not give up she summoned the fire sword. It was the only one that could be used in a mind to mind combat as it was forged from her soul. Pure as it was the fire sword required a lot of power to be yielded. Red continued fighting the death warrior who would not tell her anything about himself. He wanted her to get exhausted, so much so that he could invade her completely. Little did he know of her plans of caging him. Any sane warrior would step back from caging an enemy within oneself. It was awfully dangerous. Red had almost defeated him when the man shouted in a shrill voice, "I accept defeat but there is no way I’ll let you win either. Let me show you what hell’s fire is like!" A piercing laugh and he was inside a small black tunnel, the cage Red thought would hold him for a while. Her breath started stinging her. Her legs ached as she climbed upstairs towards the balcony with her ice cream. Her eyes were barely open as she caught the side rails to drag herself upwards. She could hear Almond saying something downstairs. Her fire sword vanished from sight as she flopped down on the sun-bed. It felt like her insides were on fire. Her body felt oddly cold on the mattress. It was as if traveling through a small tunnel. The tunnel had light at its end. Then she heard it again, that voice threatening her to show hell’s fire. A comforting hand pressed on her shoulder, the inability to respond and finally the tunnel closing in on her, suffocating her till she could breathe no more, till she could hold her ice cream bowl no more. Everything went pitch black as she felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into what felt like hell. There was blood everywhere. She saw people with heads without eyes and the fluid from their eyes had melted down their cheeks. Blood dripped from their mouth as if they were all blood drinking beasts. She had to keep running as far as her legs could carry her.

Almond screamed for Takshak. Cleo was the first one to arrive. He traveled with the wind. Takshak rushed upstairs as Sherry made her way up to the top. Cleo took her from there to the balcony. Takshak shook Almond and asked him, "What happened to her?" He feared that what he thought must have been true. Red reckless as usual, must have taken some extreme step. Soon he asked the other three warriors to retreat. They obliged considering that the person who ordered them was their lord. When he looked at Red, he understood immediately that there was some other being in her and that it was smothering her. He used his powers to bring out the being and was shocked beyond limits to discover a death warrior encased in a life warrior. Red did not open her eyes and held the death warrior caged till Takshak did not tell her to release him. He said, "answer – who are you?" Red seemed to say but it was actually the sealed warrior who had to answer, "I am a death warrior. I have no business with you. Release me or I shall call for assistance," Takshak cut him short and said, "You cannot, not with the barrier up again." The death warrior seemed to understand that. Then he started threatening him, "Let me out or I’ll extinguish your daughter’s life source." Takshak knew that death warriors could kill and life warriors couldn’t kill unless they were possessed by a death warrior. Red’s soul could blow up if he was not released fast. It depended on Red’s ability to hold him under her control. Takshak had to banish the warrior so that it would be pushed back to the place from where it had originated. Red had to remain calm. The only problem was that Red’s soul was distancing itself to prevent absolute or 100% possession. She knew that another five minutes or so and she could kiss her body goodbye. Where was Almond? Where was Takshak? Takshak knew Red was telepathic but the two had not yet explored to which level. So he had to try to get to her without the interruption of the death warrior. He concentrated on Red trying to locate her in the emptiness of the night. He found her, withering away and in pain. She was obviously exhausted from her ordeal. It was very dark and the light emanating from her was slowly fading. That was a dimension of souls. Takshak bent down and stroked her forehead and said, "Red, I need you to…" Red said in a low whisper, "I’m tired dad. I want to let go. Please let me…" Takshak felt a clutch at his heart. Was he too late? Had Red left her body? He said to her gently still stroking her forehead, "Red honey, try to concentrate on your happy memories inside the mansion when you were in the presence of a life warrior. That will banish the death warrior without hurting you much." Red nodded and tried to focus on some good times spent with Almond and Takshak. She could feel the death warrior being stifled by the lack of area he found in her mind. She thought of the evening she had seen Almond for the first time. The way she’d been smitten by his gaze, the way he looked at her. Some scenes from her childhood flashed before eyes. Takshak teaching her to swim when she was just eight, the day she forged her most powerful sword – the fire sword, the day she came to know she was a warrior. She recalled Almond’s hair wet and dangling over his shoulder. She knew the death warrior was being pushed out. He would be banished. Takshak in the same dimension pulled her up to standing position and tried to bring her towards light. After a second or two, he felt Red’s weight lighten as he looked at her. He was astounded to see Almond supporting her from the other side, the same way Takshak and Red had helped him in the hospital. Red shuddered and sat upright on the sun bed as she exited the other dimension. Takshak stood near the railing and started sealing the barrier. He had to think of a new barrier to allow entry of life warriors and prevent the death warriors. He saw many flaws in the existing barrier. Red shivered as she was feeling very cold. Almond sat on one knee next to her and said, "Red, how do you feel?" He put a blanket around her. She looked at him teary eyed and head in hands started crying, literally howling. Takshak placed a hand on her head and said, "Red relax." He knew that making her sleep at this moment could have the wrong effect on her. She had to let out the frustration, the disgust she felt at having to cage someone inside her. He could feel her shuddering under his hand, the poor girl. Almond not quite sure as to how he reached the dimension of souls, reached for Red’s hand and pulled it down to see her face all wet with tears. Takshak said, "both of you should get inside, you might catch a cold. I need to seal the barrier up front. Take care of yourself and… my… daughter." Almond looked at him and then immediately turned towards Red. She continued wailing as Almond maneuvered her to the common study. She stopped wailing and said to Almond, "Al! I let that disgusting thing suffocate me. I want to die but I can neither die nor live in this state. I…." Almond said, "Listen up Red, You’ve got to relax. Calm down or you’ll get a panic attack. Red are you listening to me? Red?" Almond shook her, she seemed caught up in her own world. He saw her lips, blood dribbling down her chin. He shook her again and she vomited blood on the floor. He wiped her mouth with a tissue and called for Takshak. Her eyes closed and she toppled of her chair. She was knocked out cold. Exhausted to the core. Takshak came up, worried that Red would be hurt if she lost more blood. He gave her the same injection he had given her the other day. Almond paused and asked Takshak about it. Takshak said in low tones, "She is low on vitamins and using her powers makes her go weak. This helps to get her rejuvenated." Almond felt a tear well up, he remembered the times he used to pass out. Why did this happen to him and the people he loved. He picked her up and with Takshak’s help laid her on her bed. Takshak kissed her good night with Almond switching the air conditioner on. Almond went to his own room and shut the door behind him. He recalled the scene again and again, unable to catch any sleep. Cleo had sent a message to him – hope your partner’s fine. We will be there to see her at breakfast. Go to sleep Almond, it’s two in the night. Almond sent a reply back – thanks for the concern, why did you send a message? And how did you come to know I wasn’t asleep? In a minute or two Almond got a reply – Sherry can see what people are doing even in her absence. We were worried about Red. She was in bad shape at dinner. Anyways, take care and good night pal.

Almond lay awake for another half an hour after tiredness and sleep engulfed him into slumber. Across the corridor, Red slept dreamlessly. Her room was cold and she felt comfortable in her bed covers. She was safe now.