Alchemist: A Journey of Faith

The Alchemist's Healing Fire

It's been several months since Faith had been freed and escaped the Hypnotist. Several weeks since she went the wrong way, she carved out her heart again, chained it to her ankle again. It already was beginning to transform into iron once more and she no longer could see. Her sight was taken by the shadows shrouding her eyes from a dark one. She crawled through the land, feeling her way on her knees, until her chained heart was snagged. Claws scratched and fingered their way around her body. They gathered her into a cocoon, and the whispers began again.

"You will be mine again, my dear Fearful..." said the voice of the Hypnotist.

She struggled, but was being dragged into the dirt, as the shadows strangled to weaken her resistance. She tried, and tried and tried to break free. But the more she tried the deeper she was dragged down.

Tears slid down her face as her nails scratched the dirt. Her breathing became shallow due to panic. Desperation left her mouth as a loud outcry.

"You're afraid? Pft... coward..." the Hypnotist chuckled, "Why don't you just give in? You know you aren't strong..."

Faith kept clawing the dirt. Half of her torso was already deep inside.

"Forget everything and give it up... You're losing...I'll give you all that you ask for."

Faith's desperation ceased and apathy swarmed her grip slackened. She allowed the rest of her body to enter the dirt. Images and sounds of horror, chains and prisons filled her mind.

Her heart's process was quickening as it swiftly turned to iron, "See, darling... that wasn't so hard, now was it?"

Curling into a pathetic balls, Faith wept, as she claimed herself as Fearful again.

"Faith..." she thought she heard the Alchemist say, "Faith..."

"Now, embrace these chains and shadows of your own doing, Fearful..."

"Faith... Faith!" the Alchemist's voice seemed to grow louder.

"The Alchemist will never let you back in... You're mine!"

"Faith! Faith! FAITH!"

The voices were so enmeshed with each other that the confusion was tearing at her skin, blood seemed to surround her.

"Open your eyes! Faith! Come back to Me!"

But the Alchemist's voice was winning over the Hypnotist's influence. Faith's eyes opened to finally see that narrow and rough road ahead of her, she rose to her feet and walked slowly, painfully and deliberately towards it, through the shadows. Blood continued to spill from her legs and arms, and the iron heart was beginning to become heavier. She fell to her knees as the weight became more than she could bear. That familiar light emanating from the Alchemist on that higher ground and narrow road greeted her as she climbed up the ground, desperately trying to get up there, only to be weighed down by her heart and the shadows clawing her back with them. The Alchemist's hand reached down to her, but she still had trouble reaching out. She reached out her hand out as high as she could. The shadows wrapped themselves around her and up her arm they was outstretched. Tears of terror filled her eyes. Finally, when she thought all was over and that she was to become what she once was, the Alchemist took her hand and pulled her up. Once more he embraced her and whispered, "My dear, give me your burden..."

Backing away, Faith allowed the Alchemist to bend over and snap the shackles off and lifted the heart of iron from the ground. He searched for cracks and tender places. He broke through all the cracks and soothed and cleaned the tenders spots. Pain shot through the heart and Faith could feel it. She cried out, and knelt at His feet, holding her chest. He continued His work, slowly, and the pain became overbearing, but He kissed it and whispered to it, convictions and encouragements. Faith shook hard and hugged His legs, with tears washing His feet. Finally, His hand was laid on her shoulder. She looked up at His face as He poured the pearl-like liquid over the heart and her heart and He whispered to it once more. The hole in her chest burned and was on fire. The golden heart was covered by dross and as He fit it into the hole and the fire began it's mending towards the heart, the dross started to be consumed and the gold to be refined.

"Faith, lay your head on my lap, and rest..." He whispered, as she obeyed. Stroking her hair, and illuminating His light, the Alchemist, stayed by her side to protect her as she slept. And though the shadows endeavoured to pierce through the protective circle of light, they could not prevail...