Extinguished Flame

This story is along the same lines as the one below; Barren Memories. The haunting loss of beloved Linot.

A sharp flicker of the candle's flame drew her gaze from the couch she found herself lounging upon and then slowly toward the balcony door that stood cracked open, though it was mostly concealed by lacy white drapery, so thin that even the faintest breeze stirred the fabric.

Moonlight filtered in through the drapery and with it, she felt again the stirring of the breeze. The candle flickered gently a second time and quite suddenly, went out. Alert now, she nonetheless remained where she was, though covertly slipped her hand down the other side of the couch's arm to wrap her fingers around the hilt of a sheathed blade. She always kept it with her and was always glad that she had.

Nothing moved in the moonlit darkness as her gaze swept the room slowly. That is, nothing but the white drapery, which again drew her sight. She became aware of a gentle, smokey scent as she stared at the balcony door, and knew it as the extinguished flame of the candle. Moments passed and nothing more happened, though it was apparent that the wind was picking up.

She couldn't relax though and feeling a nervous energy inundate her, she slowly stood up with blade in hand and moved toward the candle. The eerie sound of wind whistling softly outside the balcony came to her ears as she took a brief moment to re-light the candle...only to have it wisp out on her again suddenly.

An uncomfortable tingle touched the back of her neck then and, gripping the hilt of her blade harder, she released a slow breath and turned around. What greeted her sight in the balcony doorway, shrouded by the white drapery that rose and fell in a continuous dance, stole her breath and tightened her chest with a horrible sensation.

"Linot?" She whispered hoarsely, unable to wrap her mind around the moment.

As if in answer, the ghostly figure lifted a hand and pointed at her. An inhuman sound followed, one of such sorrow that she felt her heart constrict painfully and then, as suddenly as the candle's flame had gone out, so too did the ghostly being disperse - leaving behind only the echo of its loss.

~

Nymaya's eyes snapped open and she sucked in a sharp breath even as she sat bolt upright upon the couch. It was still night though there was no moonlight and the balcony door was closed. She was, nonetheless, grasping the hilt of her blade and a light smokey scent turned her gaze to see that the candle's flame had gone out.