"Shattered Memories"
As he put his hands on Caliope's head, she felt the darkness surround them. But this time it was different; she could feel him watching her through the darkness, she wasn't alone anymore. She was feeling him dig inside her head, it was like he was searching for something specific. She felt confused and tried to communicate with him.
'Gusion... what is happening?'
'Relax... I am trying to put order in your mind... it will help you later... just let me do my job... this will be over soon...'
And she could see herself in different scenarios of her past; different memories of her, all flying pass through her. It was clear now that he was looking for something specific and she felt invaded for the first time. She knew he was going to find what he was looking for sooner or later, she didn't know what it was, but she was afraid of what he would do with that information once he found it. His hands moving as if he was passing pages of a book while he dig deeper.
Suddenly she started to see some of her earlier memories, before she met Amra, Elaine and Pronab; she saw Gusion dig to her earlier years and as some of them passed in front of her, suddenly they were gone. She could see something from her past fly by then she forgot what she had seen, or even if she really saw something. She started to feel scared and confused, her head was spinning and she lifted both hands to cover her eyes; she heard Gusion grunt and become upset, he was in a rush and angrier by the second.
'Don't block yourself! You are making it worst! Let me do my job and this will be over soon... I promise...'
She could hear him clearly but she felt he was damaging her more than helping her; she started shaking her head and closing her eyes tighter as thorn ivies started to grow around her like protective walls and she opened her eyes to find Gusion angry trying to reach her. She felt more of her memories started to be erased, causing a sharp pain and she became angrier at him, the more he would erase, the bigger her rage grew and she started to become aware of what she was doing to him; she willed the thorns to grab him and squeeze him, and she watched in awe how they obeyed. He reflected panic at the sight of her powers.
'Bad... bad... very bad... you are making it worst...'
'What are you doing?! Let me go! I am trying to help you!'
She started to grow stronger as her anger grew against him; it became only more intense as he continued to dig in her memories and erased selected ones. The ivy thorns became a prison for him and he grew aware of the limitations of his own powers; she was taking over her own mind again and it was faster than what it took him to do something about it. Then the light surrounded them, Amra appeared and looked in shock the unrealistic scene, Caliope looked at him a little confused but did not react against him.
'Love... what did you do to Gusion...?'
'She has gone crazy! Save me!'
'You... do I know you...?'
'Love?'
Caliope was looking at him and she felt him familiar, but she hadn't recognized him. Gusion had erased memories of him as well. Amra looked at both back and forth and knew there was no much time left for Gusion before she completely trapped him down, the ivies were up to his throat and he was immobilized.
'Leave me alone...!' She cried and the ivies started to squeeze Gusion tighter, he was screaming with desperation and Amra gave a step closer to her, trying cautiously not to make her angrier, seen she was screaming at Gusion and not at him. She dropped to her knees and covered her shaking head.
'You are going to kill him... and if he is dead, we have no way to find out how to make you better...'
'Better? In comparison to what? Who are you?'
'You might not remember me... but I am your husband...'
'I... I have a husband...? I do... I think I do... I don't know... why should I trust you?'
'Look at your hand... look at your finger.... You have three rings to prove it...'
She looked down at her hand and there they were, two metal rings that shined brightly, and a third one that glowed with intensity. She lowered her hands and stared at her rings blankly; she couldn't remember but she 'felt' he was right.
'This is so confusing... I don't know... I don't understand... what is happening to me... what am I...? Why I don't remember anything...?'
'Let me help you... please...' She looked up at him, who was now just a step away from her, hands spread and carefully approaching her. She didn't recognize him by face, but she felt her own body relax with his proximity. His voice was calm and gave her a little confidence.
'Help me? How?'
'Relax... and I will do the rest... just follow my voice... let me get to you...'
At first she looked at him with hesitation, but there was something in her that encouraged her to trust him. She ended up nodding and he kneeled in front of her, taking her hands in his gently.
'Let me wake you up...'
'Is this a dream...?'
'Something like that... but don't panic... when you wake up... you will see me and everyone else around you... all friends... except him... we will take care of him... don't worry...'
She nodded slowly and then closed her eyes; Amra covered her in his arms and an explosion of light covered them.
Elaine rushed to Caliope's side "Falshore, call the Meng Generals... we will need them..."
"Right away Madam..."
Vanessa looked at her friend and tried to reach her "Caly? Baby are you ok?"
"Wait... something went wrong..." Pronab pulled Vanessa before she could reach her.
Caliope started to open her eyes to find herself sitting in a chair and surrounded by people she felt familiar but did not recognize. When she adjusted her sight to the light, she looked around and found her hand held by Amra, who was looking at her with concern. She parted her lips and tried to talk but her mouth felt dry.
Maxwell looked at them in concern "Amra what happened?"
"What I was afraid of... he did something to her... she has forgotten a lot... including all of us."
"I..."
She gasped, surprised even to the sound of her own voice, she covered her mouth with a hand and looked around to see strangers. Amra leaned to her and caressed her hand slowly as his other hand caressed her face. He was kneeling next to her and she saw the worry in his eyes, her heart aching at the sadness and worry in him. She didn't remember him but the sight of him worried made her feel guilty.
Elaine urged Amra to explain more "Please tell us what happened!"
Wiltshire frowned "He... did he tried to erase her memories...? He succeeded to a point, but something trunk his plans..." He was staring at Caliope with a concerned look, he was reading her somehow, and she stared back at him as he spoke.
Amra surrounded Caliope in his arms, she hesitated at first, but then surrendered to him "Before she allowed him to enter her mind, she warned me she didn't trust him... Pronab?"
Pronab nodded "She told me the same... she said there was something strange in him... so this is why she volunteered to let him in... to discover his true intentions."
"When I stopped communicating with her I tried to reach her... and that is when I found out what was happening..."
"And what exactly was happening?" said Maxwell as he stood up and looked angry.
"Let's give her a little more time... he erased so many of her memories... she doesn't recognize even me..."
"Oh darling!" Elaine sobbed
Pronab growled angry "I will kill the bastard..."
Maxwell gave him a serious look "It will take a lot to banish him Pronab... and I think we should be careful... we need to find out more about him... why he picked their side... why he erased her memories..."
"You don't remember me baby? Caly?" Vanessa was sad and worried, she tried to get closer but Pronab wouldn't let her. She didn't resist, she knew he was protecting her.
Caliope turned around to see Vanessa. She felt her familiar but couldn't remember who she was.
"I... I don't know... what is happening? Who am I?"
"Relax... I promised you that we would help you... just... be patient..."
She nodded at him and leaned on the chair taking deep breaths, looking at each of them back as they stood and stared at her.
"Where did you took him?"
"Pronab and Falshore took him to my dungeons... Pronab's chains are the only thing that could keep him restrained... then they came back to us."
"As soon as the Meng brothers arrive, bring him back here..."
Caliope closed her eyes and tried to focus on her own breathings. They were talking about erasing memories and special chains, it felt surreal to her. She tried to focus on herself and tried to think what did she remember. She felt ok with being called Caly, so her name probably was that; she wasn't scared of what they were talking about, then it was the fact of her being married to this person next to her, someone who was so concerned about her that he wouldn't let her hand go, caressing her knuckles slowly. He meant something to her, but she didn't remember him, and trying to remember brought a sharp pain into her skull. She winced a little and he turned to look at her. Again the sadness and worry on his face made her heart ache.
"My love... I am so sorry..."
"Its ok... please... change that face?"
Elaine looked at her and smiled, a hand on her chest as she sighed and almost sobbed a little. Amra smiled at her and then back at Elaine. Vanessa pacing back and forth as Pronab looked at her a little worried. Caliope shifted on her seat looking up at them a little uncomfortable.
"Did I do something wrong?"
Maxwell looked down at her in surprise "of course not... why would you think that?"
"Am I some escaped convict?"
Elaine snapped "Don't be ridiculous! You are far from it my dear!"
"Then can you all please sit down? You are making me nervous... as if not remembering who you are is not confusing enough..."
Wiltshire put his hand on Elaine's shoulder and nodded "She is right, let's just calm down and take a seat..."
Elaine smiled and sat down next to Wiltshire, who moved his hand over hers pressing it slowly. Caliope focused on what maybe no one else was watching but she found interesting; the gentle and reassuring touch he gave her, much similar to the one the man who was supposedly her husband did. At the distance, two figures approached them followed by the one she remembered they called Falshore. The sun was on their backs, she could barely distinct their figures but knew they were men dressing in odd attires.
Meng Yi bowed his head and looked around "We had a short version of the events on the way... where is he?"
"In the dungeons, we took him there, we were waiting for you to arrive before bringing him out..." Pronab was still furious as he spoke.
Meng Tian talked softly directly to Caliope "Princess... how are you feeling? Can you hold up a bit longer?"
She stared at him as he was looking back at her kindly, his voice so soft and kind. She was surprised he was referring to her as a 'princess' and it took her too much in surprise. Amra looked at him and shook his head, he nodded back.
Falshore sighed "We might as well bring him here or just go there where he is... if you don't think she is ready..."
Pronab nodded "Probably a good idea... maybe we should let her and Nessa stay safe here and take over the dungeon..."
"I agree." said Amra in resignation
"No! I want to know... I want to understand what is happening..."
Her voice determined but tired. Amra squeezed her hand and sighed. She looked at him with wet eyes and he nodded slowly, his other hand back up caressing her cheek.
"Can't you all do something? Bring her memories back? Amra can you make her remember?" Vanessa asked in frustration.
"It is not as easy as you make it sound... we have powers, but even to them, there are limits... he erased her memories... so many of them... I can't make up her memories, some, a lot even, were from before she met me, us..."
"So that's it? We are now doomed!"
Pronab put his hand on her shoulder "Relax, we will figure it out..."
"Caly baby... please try to remember..." she tried one last time.
"I try... but my head hurts... and is all blank... I... I remember you... I think... Nessa you said?"
Caliope was looking at Pronab and he looked back at her nodding. She look at Vanessa back and she was now hopingly smiling.
"I remember some... melted cake? Birthday melted cake?"
"Oh baby! that was your 15'th birthday cake!"
She tried to rush to her to hug her but Pronab gave a step between them and stopped her. She looked at him angry. He did not gave up his fence.
"I can't even hug my best friend?! Are you out of your mind?!"
"She might not remember all but she is... still someone who can hurt you... I can't have that..."
After a short moment of silent, he released her without moving from between them.
"I am sure you don't want to see her more worried after she sees what she can do to you..."
And that was enough for her to understand, she remembered how her hug, so simple and innocent, made her faint and Caliope damaged; now in her state, it could be worst. She nodded and gave a step back, sitting back on her chair again.
"Did I hurt you?"
"You might not remember, but it will all make sense... I promise... do you trust me?" Amra said a bit worried on how would she take so much information all at once.
Caliope looked at him shockingly without giving a quick reply; she felt it was ok to be near him, she felt many things around him, she felt she could trust him, but did she really trusted him?
"Please try..." he pleaded, and she finally nodded.