Chapter 3 BENEATH THE BLINDFOLD

Author's pov

" I loved you, Damien, but loving you destroyed me. Now, I'm just a shadow, drowning in the darkness of my own revenge, forever screaming your name ".

Glenira floated aimlessly on the blood moon river for three days, her soulless body washed deeper and deeper away from sight. On the third day of her death, under the full moon, a whisper called out to her – the dead Glenira started crying. But how could that be possible, She was dead?

The winds listened closely, and a faint sob grew into a chorus of cries. Screams and wails filled the air like a choir of crying choristers, yet no one else could be seen crying along with Glenira.

Then, she came up a shore where a multitude of elderly people speaking as one began tugging at her body. Each one wanted to touch her.

" if only she could hear us... Was she silenced forever? Oh, the weight of her grief! Her heart, shattered... loving in vain... Guilt consumes her... What solace can we offer? Tears, only tears... Sorrow, echoing through eternity... Vengeance, a mournful cry... Bring her forth! Let her emerge! But alas, lost to us... Forever gone... Oh, the pain! If only she could hear... Silence, deafening silence. ".

They held her in place, their voices pinning her down, each one wanted to claim Glenira's soul for themselves, until her soul gasped out of the body and was forcefully plunged through the water as she was overwhelmed by thoughts they weren't necessarily her own.

She finally stopped at the other side, a place where souls come to be wieghed. She emerged, floating above the transparent floor, her eyes had lost focus, she couldn't through the many eyes glaring at her through the wall of darkness.

" What is your name, child? . " a husky voice chimed in.

She tried to look at who or what was speaking to her but her eyes hadn't just lost focus as she had initially thought, they were blind, she mustn't see those at the other side, they were too potent to be witnessed by untrained eyes. Her empty eye sockets, dry and cracked. Darkness had eaten away the eyes, leaving hollow shadows.

" Where am I? " she asked, " I should be dead, shouldn't I? ". She spun around, her garment fluttering gracefully.

" Yes darling, but No! Things aren't as they seem down here ".

" Every soul gets a chance of redemption and rebirth when you enter how abode " a voice rang back with a sadistic laugh at the end of its statement, " You've been brought before the elders of old to weigh your heart on the goddess's scale of justice ".

" The moon goddess has chosen you, my love. She's heard your pain and is calling to you. Her hand is outstretched, offering solace in the darkness. Will you follow her? ".

How could it be, " I thought it was all a myth, the goddess, the many histories " She then paused to contemplate, where she was? And who are these elders licking the remains of her thoughts.

" As we had told you, darling, we call ourselves the elders of old...

" Yes... " they replied in unison, how they were able to read her thoughts remained a mystery to Glenira but at the other side, at the side where all dead souls come to be judged, thoughts do not simply. They are blurted out of the soul speaks what they intend to keep in their mind. No secret is kept to one's self, these elders saw all and knew all.

" By the grace of the goddess, we are the seventy-nine elders dedicated to helping souls achieve vengeance by providing them with new bodies or if a soul has outlived their chance of returning to the mortal realm, we give them eternal rest...

"... Or eternal punishment for their transgressions! " One added as they all started laughing.

Glenira withdrew her blind gaze and lowered her head, this was a lot to take in even for her.

Unknowingly a spindle finger lifted her head up, she couldn't see the creature but she could smell the grace and morality that oozed out of her " You had a bright future,Glenira– but you'd do well to accept what has happened to you and simply move on from it– no one plans for misfortunes but it is a necessity, it is what destiny wants ".

Glenira brittled and floated a few steps back as the finger slipped off her chin. Her entire body felt numb.

One of the older voices coughed, Glenira raised her head before the elder began speaking, " Would you, Glenira tames accept the pact of reincarnation as we have given? " .

Glenira swallowed the phlegm in her throat and looked up, staring blindly into nothingness, why would I want to return and properly die again?, " Would he recognize me, when he sees me?." she asked.

They all chuckled, " Sadly not. Though he would only know if you tell him, but the goddess gives one a new flesh, a new aura and a fresh start " the reply came back almost instantly, " The sooner you accept those benefits, the better ".

Glenira took a deep breath, haunted by the cries of fellow dead souls who never got their chance at revenge, but she felt the soothing feeling of those that were at peace with themselves.

Now, the choice of reliving her life was being offered to her on a golden platter and she couldn't simply reject it but, she paused. At that moment she tightened her fingers into a fist and heaved. " I accept your pact ".

They all applauded her but contained their words as one spoke again, " By accepting, you forfeit your previous life, but at a steep cost: you will retain every memory you've once had, forced to witness your murderers live out their days in freedom but in this new life , you are given a new path, Will you accept this fate? " .

She only had one more shot at living, she simply couldn't decline this at any given moment. She paused her lips and smiled, " I accept ".

" Now, leave! Return to the world that has stolen your happiness, show them that love has finally overcame death itself and remember, darling, that you will one day save them, those that have forsaken you, you'd in turn save the world too ". She felt a cold melting sensation as her soul is vacuumed out from the presence of the elders and placed in another body.

Her palm felt warm as she entered the new body. A new body that lay helpless on a sickbed.