The Song of Roland Ch. 16

"Demon." It breathed, its voice issuing forth like the whispering cold of the mountain. "Child of Amphara."

"My..." Kelsea's voice caught in her throat. "M-my mother's name is Svana." It only stared at her, its arm extended in an accusatory gesture as it stood, unmoved by Kelsea's words. A sudden feeling rose up within the Succubus' mind. She felt something... something she'd thought she never feel again: the rising chill of goosebumps up her arm. She looked down in shock, her breath becoming suddenly hoarse as she felt temperature rush back to her. She... it was cold. So cold.

Kelsea dropped to her knees, shaking from the utter frigidity of the air that surrounded her. She began to gasp in breaths, needles biting at her lungs as she felt the complete return of her senses. She stared, dumbstruck in the light of the animal that stood before her as she watched her skin begin to shift and warp, turning from a purplish shade to a pink one and back again, as if she was stepping between screens, or her uncast illusion was fading. "What are you-" She started to say. She screamed as she felt her horns digging against her skull. "Stop!" She lost all control of her tail, the appendage flopping like dead weight to the ground. Kelsea's hands reached around to clutch at her freezing biceps, closing her eyes as she cried out.

Something wormed around inside her mind. She hadn't felt this sensation since her time with Grevich. Flashes of memory rose up within her, like the still-images of her life. She saw with horrible detail the things she'd done- been forced to do. She watched the whole progress of her journey, from Arjal to Rendhold to Grevich's cave and beyond. She felt hot tears run down her face as she endured the lingering torment of those bygone days, flying past them in an instant but dwelling still in the back of her mind like a never-healed wound.

She saw her aimless wandering after she was cut loose, moving from dark place to dark place. She met with Roland, her mind a fog of confusion as she puzzled out this strange man's actions, unable to comprehend who he was or why he'd spared her. She followed the trail of their journey, culminating with that final, penultimate breakdown on the High Road the day before, until at last the burning claw in her brain pulled free, withdrawing its invasive intrusion. Kelsea gasped in air, hyperventilating as she felt her body begin to twist and seize from the feeling of being so utterly taken over. She collapsed to the ground, twitching as drool dripped from the side of her mouth, her eyes rolling up into her head. Her spine arched, and she blacked out, falling into a sudden, blissful sleep for the first time in a year.

She didn't dream. She didn't want. She merely... ceased to function.