Coping. (Post Prophecy)

Shadow eyed the necklace warily.
"You're sure you want to use that thing?" She asked. "It would seem to me that the question stems from something personal, and isn't that a wrong question?"

"I'm going to repeat that I'm not sure," Bart admitted, "But, since you can transfer your memories to other people, it can't be that personal, can it? I mean, if there's a way to share your memories, it can be done, no?" Bart thought a moment.
"Or else, you can give me your memories, and it won't be personal. Not anymore, at least. Unless you find another solution."

Shadow flinched at the thought of transfering her memories.
"You don't want me to do that, trust me..."

"Well, if you want to find out," Bart replied, lifting his eyebrows, "It seems to me that that is the only choice." Bart paused for a moment, thinking, and closed his eyes again. "Do you wish to know, or not?"

"Yes, I wish to know, but the memories that I have are ones that are the things of nightmares..." Shadow said, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I think I should be able to take it, honestly," Bart replied, opening his eyes to look at Shadow, "I mean, aren't you the one who transferred the memory of that horrid battlefield where you were mortally injured? I stood that one."

Shadow tok a deep breath, raising one hand and taking a step closer to Bart.
"Are you sure you can take them?" She murmured, "The battlefield is one of many..."

"I'm willing to try, Shadow," Bart replied quietly, taking one step closer to Shadow, and closing his eyes. He breathed calmly, trying to calm himself, readying himself quickly.

Shadow took a deep breath, placing her hand on the side of Bart's face, closing her eyes. She opened her mind to his, allowing the memories through.
Shadow pushed herself up off a black stone floor, looking up at two silver-haired boys. They lead her through the maze like corridors to a throne room, where Karthragan stood. The demon took one look at the four year old Shadow, and drew a knife, taking her head in his hand, carving the demonic mark around her eye, even when she screamed from the pain.

Meran standing over her as she coughed, struggling to breathe, the burning of the holy water making its way up to her head.
"No one is coming to save you, half breed," He said before moving closer to murmur into her ear, "Because no one ever loved a demon."

Bart closed his eyes shut tightly, trying to not succumb to the memories that Shadow infiltrated from her mind to his. He tried to keep his face normal, and his hands tensed. he breathed in once, deeply, and let it out quickly. He knew this wasn't all.

Shadow's face was tensed in pain at the memories as she tried to filter them.
Shadow was forced to her knees in front of a scowling Arias.
"Swear your obedience to me!" The High Priestess snarled.
"No," The five-year-old Shadow murmured, only to be hit on the head by one of the soldiers holding her.

"Wake up, Arella, please, wake up!" Shadow said, shaking her mother's shoulder as the woman lay crumpled on the ground. The child looked up at the sound of a low laugh, and her eyes separated into four, changing colour to red as she saw her father.

Shadow walked into a school on Earth, looking about seven, her head bowed. Two girls were watching her, and one of them threw a sharp stone, hitting the demoness across the forehead. Shadow gasped, one hand flying to the wound, touching the black blood.

Bart started breathing slightly more rapidly as the memories went into his mind. He could actually feel the pain, physically, as the memories entered his mind. He clenched his hands into fists, trying to stay calm.

Shadow, now looking fifteen, ran through the forest, glancing behind her as Karthragan gave chase. The demoness fell heavily as the demon caught her cloak, and then pinned her down by the throat.
"And now you shall bear the next generation," The demon said harshly.

Shadow struggled to Merlas' side, the field of battle stained heavily with blood. The mare was standing over someone. The demoness pulled herself to her feet, running over despite the pain. The person under her mare was the one person that had ever behaved like a father to the demoness. Shadow pulled the sword from his side, trying to heal him, even though she knew that it was too late.

Shadow scrabbled against the hand pinning her to the wall by her throat as she watched her captor's face in the darkness. Jamie's face.

Shadow gasped, pulling her hand away sharply, breathing heavily.

Bart opened his eyes quickly, taking one step back, his hair flowing as he jerked his head away.
He put up one hand to his head, clenching it around his forehead, breathing heavily. His eyes flashed to red, but immediately turned back to normal. He put a second hand up to his chest, trying to calm himself down. He slowed down, and stood up weakly, and breathed in once.
"Okay", he managed to utter.

"I'm sorry!" Shadow said, shaking her head, starting to walk round in circles, trying to calm herself down, kicking herself for showing Bart those memories.

"No, don't be," Bart replied, his face darkening, "I'm the one who accepted. It's okay." Bart looked at the necklace on the ground, which had been released as he had opened his hands in the middle of the process. He grabbed it, and let it fall from his hand, bein attached to his fingers. The blue gem twinkled.
"Is that all?"

"That's all I'll share with you," Shadow said, turning her back again as she tried to calm herself down. She took a deep breath, turning back to Bart again, running a hand through her hair.

"Fine with me," Bart answered, still slightly troubled by the memories that had recently appeared in his head. He held out the necklace to Shadow, and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. "Take it, and ask it," he muttered, "Now the memories aren't personal anymore."

Shadow reached out, taking the necklace. She looked the chain around her wrist, holding the pendant gently in her hand. She murmured the question quietly, listening out for the answer.

The blue gem shined a bright light for half a second, just to fade down again. It twinkled gleefully, and an echoing voice resonated through the air, breaking the silence that had been a few moments ago. It had two layers inside it. Bart was still not used to the voice.
"Because there is a message within," the necklace answered quietly, "When you shall discover the true meaning of this message, you shall know what obstacles there are on your path."

Shadow looked puzzled.
"I don't understand..." She murmured, closing her eyes. She handed the necklace back to Bart, trying to think of the meaning of the riddle, but so far, no answers came to her.

Bart took the necklace in his hand, and hurriedly stuffed it in his pocket. He looked up at Shadow, and he sighed deeply. "At least, we got a little more precisions," Bart murmured, "Even though not a lot, and I don't know any more than you do."

Shadow nodded slowly before locking gazes with Bart.
"I'm sorry, about al the things you saw there..." She said quietly. "I shouldn't have agreed to show you..."

"You did the right thing," Bart replied, looking back at Shadow, "I mean, if you didn't transfer those memories, how the heck would've we gotten any information on this? It can hlp alot... But I hate it how this thing always answers in riddles..."

"No, it was wrong of me to show you," Shadow said, "Those memories are, as I said, the things of nightmares." The demoness ran a hand through her hair again, shaking her head.