Set on a somewhat dusty table was an ancient small chest that was not very ornate, but was somewhat curious.
Made with some wood resistant to moisture and pests, as it looked almost intact despite the years since its manufacture.
Someone took and opened the chest which apparently was no longer locked, there was no key in sight and it was no longer necessary.
Upon opening it there was a small reddish blanket that covered the interior, and when removed it showed itself as a kind of stone, it seemed to be a black jasper, but the shape was irregular.
The color was also surprising because it seemed that inside, in its interior, there was a cloudy concentration like a dense fog that walked in the center of that thing; it was as if it was alive.
The person holding this stone returned it from where he had taken it and closed the chest.
"Dark Desire ... Why was this with me?" thought that person in strange tongues.
After this, he left the place; he walked through the corridors together with that chest until he reached the room where a young lady was resting.
After the event in that room, Alicia slept for days, almost a week, and during that time, the young man who accompanied her in the castle began to wander through all the places inside.
It seemed that he didn't need to eat, because during that week he only ate a couple of days of what he found; the last day before Alicia woke up, he went to see that room where she had been 'sleeping'.
Arriving at the entrance, she entered and began to look more closely at all the things in the place.
"These coffins ... even if I see them again, I don't remember anything about them." pondered the young man "I don't even remember being in this place ... I don't remember ... anything."
He seemed to be suffering from amnesia, but that didn't stop him from continuing to check everything else.
"Certainly, my coffin was not opened until I woke up ... but then ... who brought me here?" the man in black was trying to understand "Besides ... that stone ... didn't I destroy it ... but why has it now appeared in this place?"
The young man shook his head as if to let it be understood that it would do him no good to continue thinking about the matter, for he already had much to think about his arrival at that castle.
The day passed and the girl had awakened.
The agitation, the pain, the sweat and every symptom of her illness had vanished, it was as if everything of those days had been only a bad dream.
Alicia got up suddenly and sat up on the bed. She began to look at her body starting from her hands to her feet. For obvious reasons, the feeling of tranquility, peace and joy flooded her heart.
The girl got up with great joy and excitement. Although she did not know how, the woman was confident of her condition.
- I-It can't be ... I ... really ... - the young woman began to say.
But, contrary to her thought, she began to feel faint and started to fade away.
The sudden despair dulled every beautiful feeling she had, but a light clarified what was happening to her.
- You'd better not make any sudden movements ... even if you have healed from your illness, you are suffering from malnutrition. - said the young man who entered the woman's room.
Aren, who was holding a plate of food and a small backpack that belonged to the young lady, helped Alicia to sit on the bed.
This time she let Alicia eat by herself.
The young woman steadied herself as she ate, not saying a word until she finished eating. It was the same dish as last time, a sort of easily digestible mush.
The young woman noticed that again her clothes were different, meaning that she had received yet another change of clothes and that she was well groomed, but this information no longer mattered much to her.
Then, with some insecurity, she began to speak.
- So ... I am healthy. - the young woman began to tear up a little.
- ...
- How long did I sleep? - asked the girl as she tried to wipe her eyes and get strong.
- Almost a week.
- What! ... And how did I survive without food and water? - exaltedly asked the young woman.
- ... I have ... my methods ... - she answered averting her gaze.
Sighing that lady, she decided not to ask about it - Well ... leaving that aside ... I think it's about time you told me ... What's your name? - therefore, she changed it to a topic that was of more interest to her.
The young man did not answer and the young woman did not ask again, but the look in Alicia's eyes was such that it pressured and instigated her to answer him.
- ... My name is ... - he wanted to answer, but was immediately interrupted.
- In Spanish. - clarified the young woman.
Sighing the young man in black - ... My name is Aren Elrod D. Arias ... - he replied.
- I see ... now explain to me, how come you were already living in this castle? - The young woman's attitude became as if it were that of a mother asking for explanations from her son.
The young man did not answer.
Come on... you may not know anything about me, but you've already seen everything, haven't you? - expressed Alicia with a certain smile that hid her annoyance and then added- don't you think you should at least answer me this?
It wasn't the conscience, but the expression of that young woman that pressed Aren, and, being so, he prepared to tell her the only thing he knew.
Alicia's intention was clear, she wanted to know everything she could about the man who had saved her.
Diligently, Aren answered her questions without revealing anything he did not want; besides, the woman was not insensitive and, therefore, she knew how much to ask. After the talk, or rather, interrogation, the young man left the room because it was already late in the afternoon and he wanted to rest.
Alicia was left alone and silent inside the room.
"Amnesia ... those coffins ... that stone ... nothing makes sense, it's as if everything was some kind of fairy tales or rather dark magic." seeing how only more doubts and incoherencies were generated in her mind she left the subject.
- It will be better to understand it little by little ... yes ... I still have time. - spoke aloud the young girl while stretching - Besides I have to recover completely ... meanwhile, I will take the time to know more about him, I feel that he hides many things from me ... but for the time being I would like to eat something. - he exclaimed as he got up from the bed and started to head out of the room.
As he began to walk down the passageway out of his room he was heard to say- How fortunate that he is bilingual ... ... what is that aroma ... it smells delicious.
Aren had been cooking and, that being so, the young girl went looking for him.
That day it began to get dark, while in that dilapidated castle she continued to host the couple for some more time.
Months and years passed, the fortress remained the same, but the animals had already had their young.
It was very early in the morning and in the distance, near the castle, the silhouette of a woman who, having collected some water, was returning to the castle.
Inside the kitchen, the woman, who appeared to be about 20 years old, was preparing a light breakfast. The young woman with light brown hair began humming a song as she finished getting everything ready.
She was wearing jeans that looked fashionable, but with a light purple blouse as if trying to express maturity.
In a nearby room, there was a tall, long-haired young man wearing a sleeveless vest with a dress shirt and pants. That man had in front of him a black stone inside a chest; it was then that, when he tried to take it, a voice was heard through the passages until he reached where he was.
- ¡Aren, come! It's ready!
That young man took that stone in his hands and it mysteriously disappeared leaving traces of a dense dark aura. The traces of that essence remained adhered for a few seconds in the hands of that man.
Going to where the woman who called him was, they met in the kitchen where the couple was finishing breakfast.
So, have you finished getting ready? - Alicia asked.
Aren nodded and they both left the place to grab a few things that might have some value and, then, equipped all their backpacks. They brought them to the main entrance of that castle while the sun was still about to reach its peak.
- Well ... the time has come. - said Alice- How many years and how many adventures we had here, didn't we? - she added.
The young man in the suit, whose appearance had not changed at all, just stared at the panorama in front of him, but still the young woman could recognize that he was sentimental, after all they had been living together for about 5 years.
With a somewhat sad and nostalgic tone, the young woman expressed- Since I met you, I have spent good times with you and I thank you for it, I will never forget all these years ... but now it is time for everyone to go their own way.
Aren turned his gaze towards the young woman observing her with his imperturbable and serene look.
- It's a pity you don't have a phone ... I really wish we could keep in touch. - Alicia mentioned, and then said again. - As I promised, I won't reveal anything that has happened, I hope you won't mention it either.
The man nodded his head but seemed not to attach so much importance to it.
- Well ... this is a farewell, I think. - mentioned with a sad tone that woman- So, let's go! ... I will accompany you to Luesia, from there you can take a train to Madrid. - she added.
The young woman turned towards the castle and in a loud voice exclaimed- Thank you for everything! - then she turned to look at the man next to her and said in a low voice- to you too.
So it was that, as the woman spoke, the two took their suitcases and left the castle that had welcomed them and watched them grow for several years, leaving behind the lands of Loarre.
From a window that next to it was a small chest showed the silhouette of a person who saw how the couple was leaving.