Crystallized Truth

Chapter 11 - Trailer

"Desperate, eh?" The man remarked with a cruel smile.

The remark gave Ashley the answer he wanted to know about. But it irked him too. Clenching his fist, Ashley glared the man. He hated the way this man was enjoying his anxiety and confusion.

The elusive answers infuriated Ashley.

Controlling his anger wasn't learned by Ashley and he didn't want to learn it either.

Furious by the behaviour and remarks of weird man, Ashley lurched forward, raising his hand to punch the guts out of the old hag.

But his hand was held much faster than he could think.

Ashley was always swift and he never missed his target but he failed this time.

Why?

Shock startled Ashley and he gazed the smirking man with disbelief.

"Ah..." The painful cry escaped from his mouth even before he could come out of the initial shock.

His hand was held in a viselike grip and the man squeezed his hand so hard that he felt like the bones would crack and his hand would break.

A strange weakness engulfed Ashley and spots started to blur his sight.

The man jerked his hand away and Ashley staggered back, hitting the tree behind him.

Feeling his strength regaining and his eyesight clearing, Ashley stared the man in shock. He couldn't understand what was happening to him and he surely didn't understand how the old man had this much strength.

His body was working in weird way and he didn't know how to control himself anymore.

But he had to do something for Amelia.

"Who do we have here, Samay?" Audra asked coming from behind with a satisfied smile on his face. " Abhay." And the name popped up again.

Ashley turned his eyes behind the creepy man, Samay, and noticed the surrounding for first time. Amid the trees, there was a cave seemingly more like a large room and another man in silk robe stood at its passage without his hood.

The man behind Samay looked almost same, pale face and red eyes.

The cold increased in air and the forest seemed drowned in darkness as if night had dawned then and there.

Ashley knew he shouldn't be noticing nature so closely to create such illusions but he was. Just like he shouldn't be feeling terrified but he was. He damn felt terrified standing there alone with no defence and between two creepy people whose mere presence screamed danger and their words showing they planned no good for him.

His hands felt sweaty and he looked at his palm with a lost look. He never felt fear then what was happening to him suddenly?

The weird appearance, the strength of old man and the palpable change in environment were terrifying.

Ashley turned back to those strangers and found them standing side by side.

"What are the orders?" Samay asked staring at Ashley with his unnerving gaze.

"Get him." came the darker reply and Ashley knew it was time for action.

Ashley was glad the strange people were talking in English though. Their weird tone and cold voice were already spectral and if he couldn't understand their words then he would've surely felt more fear than necessary.

At least, he had some idea what they were talking about even if they were talking with certain mysterious way.

As Samay stepped forward, Ashley fisted his hand preparing his mind to fight. He had no help at that moment but he wasn't going to give up. He had to fight for Amelia.