Chapter 25- Crawl in darkness

The night is the darkest,

just before the dawn.

~ Unknown.

***

 Shaking off the overflowing thoughts that rushed her mind at once, Esther slowly made her way through by muttering a spell that created a small bright light on her palm. But the next second, it exhausted. It was as a result of the amount of darkness the room weighed.

 That power was greater than her handy spells. And when she tried creating another, it faded into fragments of dust. Her hand fell in reflex to her side. With a sigh, Esther concentrated harder, adding much energy to brazen the flickering light. After few more attempts, she finally was able to control it.

 She wiped her sweat with her other hand, feeling her head heavy. In addition to all those sentiments, she felt overworked.

 With what she had done so far, Esther took light steps with the help of the light that led her path. She only got closer to the spot to find the spot empty. Where did she go?

 Her head snapped behind when she heard strange noises. Esther's heart skipped at it. "M-medusa?" With her heart racing wildly, it took her few seconds to be able to tame it. She was getting nervous.

 Where has she gone to?

 Esther returned her head to face the empty spot; her heart almost flew off her chest at the presence of Medusa standing right in front of her.

 Her eyes were closed, and the black fogs evaporated around her body. It looked as if Medusa was sleeping, with her eyes shut, but what would one say about her standing?! Perhaps, could it be sleep walking?

 Esther clutched her chest and felt her heartbeat within her palm. "Y-you scared me…" she managed to mutter as she gulped the lump on her throat. The next minute, she muttered her name. She never answered. She was never heard.

 What happened to her?!

 "Medusa… a-are you alright? Can you hea-" Her hand reached out to touch her, but suddenly, the girl caught hold of her neck.

 Startled, Esther looked up at Medusa's face that was still unconscious. Her expression was void of any emotion as she behaved she could see through her. The vapor behind her, crept through the wall, suffocating the figures in the shadow. It moved menacingly but not as the girl with silver hair.

 "AH!" Esther cried when Medusa added much pressure to the grip on her neck. She was suffocating. Blood rushed up to Esther's face due to the suffocation. Esther gasped out loud, trying to catch her breath. Her hands flayed, in an attempt to push her off.

 The poor girl had no clue of what was going on. One moment, Medusa was at the verge of death and the next, here she was, with strength of no less. "Ah!" she whimpered again, as the words fell off her lips with difficulty. She was in her misery.

 But Medusa did not let go of Esther's neck. She looked as if she was in controlled state. Her mind in trance and not her consciousness.

 "L-let… go-" Esther was scared at the sight. She fought on. Her sight was becoming blurry. She wasn't sure if she could hold on any longer. Her strength had left her, and even if restored, could not match to that of Medusa. She was strong. Her powers were dangerous!

 The room turned darker than before and a sudden gust of wind swirl around the cell, causing both to float midair. It started off slowly. Medusa stood there, emotionless. The sight of it was so dreadful, so shocking, so gothic that could make a blind man squeeze in terror.

 Esther floated along with Medusa. She was suffocating at the pain and the lack of air that hardly passed her burning nostrils. Would she survive this?

 "S-sto-" She cried for the nth time and was interrupted when Medusa squeezed harder. Esther didn't know why, but tears fell from the corner of her eyes. She didn't bother trying anymore.

 Suddenly, a bright overpowering light hit Medusa hard on her chest, breaking the darkness and endearing contact, sending them flying apart and landing to the ground with a loud thud.

 Instantly, the whole place felt quiet once again, and the light in the cell returned back to normal. The darkness that crept the room slowly withdrew back into its master's body, like some kind of strong wield power pushing it back to where it came from.

 Medusa's consciousness was returning, and her lids fluttered to adjust to her surroundings. Medusa gasped, trying to breathe, breathe against the power that invoked and overpowered her. She could feel pain rushing up from her chest, and she hissed.

 Her face was as pale as snow and her blue eyes glistened under the dark. Her silver hair scattered on the ground, moving in accordance to the cold breeze. She could hear the pitter-patter of the rain drops. Slowly, her eyes surrendered.

 Esther coughed and coughed as she gasped for air, panting as hard as she could with her hand holding her neck. Tears gathered up in her eyes, threatening to fall and spill to her smooth face.

 Wiping the lone tear that fell through the corner of her eyes, she could see Medusa unconscious. Finally it is over.

 Her gaze didn't linger long as a result of her tiredness. Her body gave up its will, and her energy drained the more she kept fighting the urge to succumb to darkness.

 And in no time, she fainted.

***