The Veil of Darkness
Chapter 240: Cold & Warm

Chapter 240: Cold & Warm

The pain didn’t leave Annalise even when she was unconscious. As she found herself being lifted into a pair of muscular arms, her entire body screamed in even more pain. The darkness dug its claws into her skin and made her feel like it was actually going after her soul.

The very thought made her shudder and it only resulted in more pain. Tears were still rolling down her cheeks and she was still sobbing because of the pain, and all of it made her feel like she wasn’t unconscious yet, she was just tired from the pain and hanging somewhere between consciousness and a dark slumber that was very impatiently waiting for her.

She felt the man walking through the similar void he used to bring them to this wretched place, a place she never wanted to return to ever in her remaining life. However, something inside her knew that she would be returning there one day in the future, no matter whether she liked it or not.

The thought was disturbed as the very next moment, she finally felt the warm sunlight and cool fresh air welcoming her but instead of making her feel good, it only made her cry out louder as she felt another wave of immense pain shaking her body as the darkness fought against the brightness.

Despite being pulled away from that wall, it seemed like the evil dark energy still remained clinging to her, and even after her leaving that place, it still hadn’t let go of her and was still wrapped around her body, trying to seep inside her in one way or another.

She felt the man finally lowering her and she immediately cried out loudly all over again when her body came in direct contact with ice-like chilled water. Two muscular and powerful hands stopped her from fighting and made her sink into whatever pool or tub-like thing it was until she was buried to her shoulders.

Annalise could do nothing but remain buried in the bone-chilling water as not only she was no match to the man’s strength but also because she barely had any strength left in her body.

Her entire body was shaking and shivering at the very same time as the cold of the water started seeping into her body, heading straight to her bones as if ready to freeze her to death.

The feeling of numbness took over her body almost immediately and part of her was almost relieved as she no longer had to experience the excruciating pain because of the dark energy latching onto her. If the cold could take away the pain, then she was ready to embrace the cold.

Her body went still and so did her cries, it was only a little part of her brain that was still active somehow. There was silence and stillness around her for a while, or maybe for a very long time before she finally heard some movement.

A couple of seconds later, she felt a very warm hand coming to rest against her cheek, and if not for the fact that she was almost nearly dead at that point, she would have immediately grabbed that hand for the warmth that it carried.

Long slender fingers grazed her cheek tenderly, almost hesitantly and she suddenly whisper to see who the person was but she was too weak to even think about opening her eyes let alone actually doing it.

The hand left her face and she almost missed the warmth, and if she had the energy she would definitely have protested. Thankfully, the hand returned but this time searching for her hand underwater. It took hold of one of her numb hands and pulled it out from the water.

For a while, she felt nothing at all as her hand had almost become a block of ice and it could feel no warmth and no movement. Seconds turned into minutes and it was after a very long time that she finally felt something against the tip of her fingers.

She soon realized that it was that person’s fingers that were touching the tips of her fingers and then, she felt a warm energy entering her fingertips before making its way deeper into her hands.

She immediately shuddered as her body carved for more of that sudden warmth that came out of nowhere. She wanted it to engulf her entire being and take away all the coldness that had seeped inside her bones.

She was so cold and her entire body was numb to a point that made her wonder how she wasn’t already dead yet and how her brain was still half-conscious. But she was more than grateful for it and also for the warmth that had completely surrounded her arm and was now moving over her shoulder.

She felt another hand coming to rest against her forehead as if the person was checking her temperature. The contact of their warm palm against her freezing skin once again made her crave to shift closer to that person.

"If I wanted, I could have saved you from all the pain you just went through." A very familiar voice whispered from somewhere closer to her.

"I could have kept you safe from the dark energy. Wouldn’t have let it come anywhere near you..." That voice continued in a soft tone, something that sounded so weird to her ears.

"But of course, I couldn’t do it. After all, you are my only option for finding out what exactly lies behind that wall. Though I’m slightly pained to see you in this condition, I’m not regretting my decision at all. I would do it again if given the chance." The voice told her, or maybe that person was just talking to themselves.

"But since I promised to keep you safe, I will fulfill it..."

Annalise felt the warmth making its way across her shoulders and down her chest and then it kept going downwards, invading her body and erasing every trace of cold from inside her body.

"... I will save you from the darkness... my darkness..."