The Soul Keeper

I felt the presence of souls. There weren't hundreds of them like I first feared, but they were much more powerful than I expected. My heartbeat quickened as I looked behind me.

A soul was hovering right behind me. It wasn't a formless, shapeless shadow like the other souls I'd seen. It had form and shape – she even had a face. Detailed enough to show expression.

"Wait – sister?" I asked in shock. My eyes widened as she passed through me. To my surprise, she didn't melt into my chest like souls usually did. Instead, she stood between me and Delthur. The other souls, nameless, faceless and shapeless, followed her.

I instinctively stepped back as they formed a wall between us. Now that she was standing right before Delthur, I could see the similarity between them. They had the same eyes, the same nose. I could believe that they were siblings… If this woman hadn't died who knows how many centuries ago.

"What the hell?" Asher mumbled. He glanced at me, then at the wall of souls.

"You haven't disappeared!" Delthur whispered, reaching out to her with his shaking hand. I held my breath as his hand passed through her, disrupting the form she had somehow constructed for herself.

"Don't kill him!" I heard her voice echo. My expression darkened. How was I supposed to respond to that?

"Why are you doing this?" She cried out. "I trusted you!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked. 

"Kai…?" Lucius mumbled. I noticed Asher shut him up with a quick motion. 

"You promised!" The soul cried out. "Why are you fighting him? You promised me you'd take him somewhere safe!"

That's when it hit me. She wasn't talking to me – Kai Friseal –, she was talking my predecessor, the previous Keeper of Souls. "I'm not who you think I am." I said, my voice bitter. 

"But you are!" She whispered. Her shadowy form trembled as she reached out and motioned to touch me. I stepped back; I didn't trust her. "Don't you remember me?" She cried out in agony. "Don't you remember this place?" She was clearly hurt by my words.

"No, I don't!" I shouted. Delthur finally pulled himself back together as I spoke. He took his sword in his hands and assumed a battle posture.

"Brother, no!" The soul cried out. At the same time, I also tightly grasped the shaft of my scythe. I couldn't let the dead distract me from the matters of the living. "Sorry," I said with a bitter smile. "This has to happen."

"Indeed." Delthur said with a dry, cracked voice. "I will make sure Lady Vixia gets what she wishes for!" With such a long battle cry, he dashed towards me. I raised my scythe to block his overhead strike. I braced myself for the sheer strength of his hit, but a sudden chill caused me to lose my grip on the shaft of my scythe.

Strength left my body as the woman's ghost grabbed my wrists. "If you don't remember, I will make you!" 

"Kai!" I heard Asher's voice as my consciousness began to fade. I could feel the woman's memories force themselves into my mind. Her face covered my view. 

"Rhia!" Delthur shouted, reaching for me. "Wait!" 

Before he, or anyone else could do anything, I was dragged into a world of memories.

I was sitting on a bench, a young child slept on my lap. We were in a garden, surrounded by stone walls. Soldiers passed by, they seemed in a hurry.

"You shouldn't be out here, Rhia." A familiar voice spoke. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I was sure I knew that voice. I lifted my head to see… myself. 

"Keeper!" I shouted with glee. "I didn't know you'd come!"

The previous Keeper of Souls, my predecessor, showed a faint smile. "I came to meet with your father." He said as his gaze followed the soldiers. "Tell me, Rhia. When is your coming of age ceremony?"

"Just two years left!" I said, my voice filled with excitement. "Will you come? Will you?" 

Rhia was fairly young in this memory. Almost a child. The memory faded, leaving its place for another one. I was Rhia, once again. I was walking down the hall of a castle. Was this the same Forlorn castle that we were exploring? I could barely recognise it.

"Rhia." A young Delthur entered my view. I smiled, "Hey, brother." But my smile was fake, I was sure of it. This feeling of impending doom was in the air, I could almost taste it.

"The Keeper is waiting for you." He seemed somewhat lost in thought as he spoke. "We've almost finished evacuating. When will you and the last of the guards join us?"

I smiled. "We'll be the last to leave. We have to protect her, first and foremost. You know that." The young Delthur nodded. "I know," He said. "I'll be waiting for you in the mountains."

I shook my head. "Don't stay back for me. I'll come find you." I shuffled his hair, then passed by him and headed for the large doors at the end of the hall. I pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

"Well then," There stood the Keeper. "I see you're adamant about this." His voice sounded defeated. "Why don't you leave with the others? Why don't you strive to live?" I could see the pain in his eyes. Did I look like that too?

"You know why," I said. "I can't let her take this place. Not when it's so close to your home." 

The Keeper's eyes widened for only a moment. "Rhia-"

"Shush now. We owe you that much, do we not?" I forced a smile. "Besides, we all know what will happen if she gets her hands on you." I reached out and squeezed the Keeper's hand. "So, let us do this for you."

The Keeper looked away, almost as if he couldn't bear to look at me. At Rhia. "I'm sorry. I'll be here for you when the time comes."

I smiled. "I know. Like you're there for everyone else. I never doubted it." 

Was she preparing to die? Why? What was going on? Who was the person they had talked about? Why was someone after my predecessor?

"You should leave too." I said, looking at the Keeper of Souls. He seemed exhausted. "I'll make sure Delthur gets to the Lord."

I nodded. "Thank you." 

With that, the Keeper left. I stood there for a bit before heading to the outer walls of the castle. There, a couple dozen guards waited. I waved at the young Delthur and the other residents of this place as they left. They flew off, to the far away mountains, led by the Keeper of Souls.

"Now then," I said after taking a deep breath. "We are here to die." 

The memories faded, leaving their place to others. I saw Rhia's fight to protect her home. I felt her incredible resolve, and the sorrow that accompanied her every breath. She fought till the very end until she died by her own magic to curse this place.

Among the Ereth who attacked this castle, one of them I recognised with ease. Even though centuries had clearly passed, I'd recognize Divine Matriarch Aelith anywhere.

I don't know how much time passed, how many years all these memories spanned. I felt the death of a young demon who did all she could to save her home. 

When I finally returned to the present, I was exhausted. My eyelids felt heavy, all I wanted to do was fall asleep. Let my mind rest, yet even that didn't seem possible. I was scared of the dreams I'd see if I fell asleep. The memories of demons that would surface, moments long passed that shouldn't be relived.

"What are we going to do?" I heard a low voice. Was that Mona? I sifted through my memories; I didn't remember her tagging along with us.

"I don't know." Asher's voice sounded. "I've never seen him like this." 

Was he talking about me? I tried to focus my memories were shattered and my mind was a mess. It took some effort to open my eyes. 

"Kai?" Mona immediately shouted. I head footsteps right before her face filled my vision. "Oh my god, he's awake!" She shouted. I heard more footsteps. 

"I-"

"Tell me your name." Asher said as he pushed Mona aside. His dark expression sent a shiver down my spine.

"Kai Friseal." I said after a moment passed. "I haven't lost it yet, Asher."

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm glad to have you back." He said with a weak smile.

"Lucius?" I asked, looking around the room as they helped me sit up. 

"He's keeping watch outside." Asher hesitated. "The demon escaped right after you fell unconscious. We tried to stop him, but I think he got assistance from something else. Maybe the demonic magic you felt, or maybe the souls that attacked you helped him." 

My lips formed a frown. I had hoped to ask Delthur some questions, but there was nothing that could be done about it.

Asher stood up. "I'll go get Lucius." He left the room, hurrying off to find the swordsman.

"Wait," I suddenly said, glancing at Mona. "Why are you here?"

She laughed and wiped her tears. "I might have tailed you."