Into the Nothing

CH.1 of Return

Arusenna stood silently amongst the trees, the whistling of her portal collapsing disturbing the serene, gray peace for only a moment. The forests surrounding Castle Brennenburg were thick, and it was evident that even with all the chaos around it, this hidden place was kept in peaceful splendor. Yet…something within it stirred…a darkness so malicious, it made Arusenna's skin crawl, and she felt a swelling in her heart as she realized she would have to put an end to it.

With a deep exhale, and sheathing her blade, she began the trek into the vast Castle. Little did she know, what awaited her…

( Elsewhere…)

Darkness began to take hold once more, as a man stumbled through the vast hallways of Brennenburg. He tried desperately, to remember something…what was it?

"Don't forget…some things mustn't be forgotten! The..Shadow hunting me. I must hurry." He mumbled, every step forward feeling heavier, as if someone had tied lead weights to his legs.

"My name is Daniel. I live in London at…at…Mayfair! What have I done? This is crazy! Don't forget. Don't forget! I must stop him…Focus!" he forced out, gritting his teeth and he forced himself forward. He could not even remember why he felt like this…why his mind was so weak.

He trudged into a vast room, red rose petals falling in between holes in the wall. He could feel his legs getting ready to give out, staring blankly up at the silver light shone through the glass windows.

"My name is….is…I am…Daniel." The words rolled off his tongue as if there was a thick paste in his mouth, then finally, his mind was lost, wrapped in shadow, as he fell to the floor.

(Present Day)

Arusenna had managed to find her way into the castle through a side entrance. Or rather…a hole she had blown through the side. The castle was so old, a mere gust of wind was powerful enough to knock old stone loose. She wandered through dark hallways, paying no mind to the groans and echoes of the castle. Then…she heard the rustling sound of footsteps. Listening harder, she could hear the lull of a heartbeat…heavy breathing…

She rushed towards the sound, dashing through corridors, and flying through doors, until she was met with a door that was locked. She jerked the brass knob several times, frustrated by the device. She could hear the steps coming closer..

Finally, she stepped back, gathered her energy, and pointed at the door. "Open!" she cried, icy wind from behind her rushing forward, and sending the door nearly off its hinges. She heard a startled cry, and as she emerged from the doorway, only saw the hint of a leg, before the sound of fearful fleeing became apparent.

"Stop!" she yelled, pursuing the mysterious figure, easily getting in front of it. He did not seem to see her, as she brought her palm up, striking him across the face hard. The man fell like a dead weight towards the ground and she grimaced.

"Hmm…I suppose that wasn't the –best- course of action." She muttered, hefting the man up and leaning him against a wall, waiting for him to wake.

She glanced around pondering the idea of simply leaving him there, but something about him…what was it? She stared at his face, and jumped as a black skull appeared over it, hissing at her before vanishing.

"Well that explains where the damned darkness was coming from…" she said, taking in deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She held a hand in front of the man's chest, muttering a power word and spreading her fingers wide. The black skull appeared again, this time hovering above the man's head.

"What are you?" she asked it, her ward putting a barrier between her, and it. It growled menacingly at her, chattering in a tongue she could not understand. She probed the entity's energies, trying to pick apart what it was saying by the emotions floating off its words. She could not understand much, but she could glean enough that this man had obviously done something to wrong the spirit in some way.

The man awoke suddenly, and she pulled her hand back quickly. She looked up to find the skull had vanished, and settled her gaze on the man. He stared back at her, frozen. His eyes were lost, and as she attempted to delve into his mind for answers, she only found a black mess of fragmented memories.

"Who are you?" she asked, her tone gentle, as not to startle him further. He looked down at his hands, his mouth moving to try and form words.

"I-I…don't know. I can't remember my name…I don't know where I am." He said, his tone soon becoming flustered. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Try to stay calm, please. I heard you wandering around here before you blacked out. Do you remember what you were doing?" she inquired, personally thinking it better to let the man think it was his own fault that he passed out.

He stood shakily, seeming to forget she was there entirely, as he began walking. She followed him silently. Nearly an hour of silence passed between them, as Arusenna followed the deranged man, who seemed to be petrified by everything going on around him. He had collapsed twice, since they had begun, and Arusenna had to force herself to merely observe, and not help the man to walk.

Soon, they came upon a room, filled with various vials of unrecognizable liquids. Upon a single shelf, there were several flasks of a pinkish liquid, that seemed to produce a glow all its own. She had noticed droplets of it on the ground as they had proceeded through the castle, making her way to examine it as the man was left to his own devices.

He sat at the single desk in the room, picking up a small, torn piece of paper, reading it aloud. His voice was rich, and slightly labored. He obviously had not spoken for a long time…

"19th of August, 1839

I wish I could ask you how much you remember. I don't know if there will be anything left after I consume this drink.

Don't be afraid Daniel. I can't tell you why, but know this, I choose to forget. Try to find comfort and strength in that fact. There is a purpose. You are my final effort to put things right.

God willing, the name Alexander of Brennenburg still invokes bitter anger in you. If not, this will sound horrible. Go to the Inner Sanctum, find Alexander and kill him. His body is old and weak, and yours is young and strong. He will be no match for you.

One last thing. A shadow is following you. It's a living nightmare-breaking down reality. I have tried everything, and there is no way to fight back. You need to escape it as long as you can.

Redeem us both Daniel. Descend into the Darkness where Alexander waits, and murder him.

Your Former Self,

Daniel."

As Daniel finished reading, he felt the cold bite of metal at his throat, and he froze. Arusenna had been listening intently.

"Well, sir Daniel. It would seem the end of your journey has already come, unless you would be willing to strike a deal." She whispered, gripping the hilt of her sword tight.

Of all the things that could happen to her in this alien world, this had to be it. Only hours after arriving, her goal was already jeopardized.

Daniel remained still, chuckling darkly as his mind began to remember.

"And you, nameless woman, have a lethal weapon aimed at my throat. Do you think I'm going to object to whatever you propose?" he echoed back, feeling a slight twinge of anger. Yes..the name Alexander did indeed bring back hints of bitter anger.

Arusenna swallowed the urge to slice his head off then and there, nodding.

"I know not, the wrongs Alexander may have committed against you, but I have spent a great deal of effort to find this place, and bring him back to me. He is…important. So, I propose to you this. In exchange for Alexander's life, I will protect you from this…Shadow you spoke of in that letter, and we will both find the answers we seek. We will descend through this darkness together. Agreed?" she spoke firmly, her blade following his neck as Daniel moved to stand up.

Daniel did not hesitate, holding his hand out to her and nodding. He did not want to trust this woman, but it would be foolish to turn down an offer for help. After all…even he could sense the wrongness of this place, and the Shadow that constantly lingered in his mind.

"Agreed. Might I have your name?" he asked, his dark eyes meeting her alien golden optics.

Arusenna withdrew her sword, sheathing it and bowing her head to him. "My name is Arusenna." She nodded towards a misshapen book on the shelf, moving it and revealing a very predictable entrance to another room.

"We should be going." She ordered, stepping through the dusty doorway, and unto the cold, moaning Brennenburg.

It is here, that their Descent unto madness, begins…