Chapter Eleven - Purgatory of the Soul

"Nonsense! Are you going to listen to this madma--" Dejamir's voice abruptly caught on the sound of the 'n' as all around, everything stood still except for two people... Ashley Riot and Callo Merlose.

"Wha... what have you done Ashley?"

"I paused time here for a short while. I can't be having with his ranting constantly if I am to look after you."

"You? Protect me!" Incredulity rang out clearly in every syllable. Shaking her head, she rested it on her right hand, her brown hair falling around her face in disharmony. This is all just some crazy dream... none of this is happening... When she looked up, she saw a second Ashley Riot, standing about a meter to the originals left, half in and half out of a wall.

"She's fading fast... will she last until the Day of Thun--" Ashley's thoughts stopped instantaneously, both the originals and the doppelgangers chins resting on their chest.

"You're doing it again," she said, the words rising unbidden to her lips. Her focus snapped back as the grey Ashley disappeared and the real ones eyes opened. "The ability of the Heart-Seer I believe Ashley? You did that to me before in Leá Monde..."

A Heart-Seer is a person who can attune their spirit to the heartbeat of another soul, thus enabling the Heart-Seer to see what they see and hear what they hear. It was Ashley's power drawn from the Wellspring of Leá Monde, the gift that had helped him along his path to power and realisation of the true nature of the world he had fought to protect for so long.

A thought struck Merlose as Ashley just looked at her from underneath his eyebrows. How the hell did I know what a Heart-Seer was? I've never even heard of them be-- Her eyes widened as her ears faintly picked up words, each syllable ringing out inner turmoil and despair. And then she looked up at Ashley, their eyes meeting for a split second before she dropped to her knees, clutching her head as she screamed in agony.

Ashley crouched down beside her shaking form; the ear piercing shrieks still being emitted while her lungs contained oxygen. "I can stop the voices if you want Callo... you need not listen to their tortured truths. I can help you but I need you to let me..."

Quickly gulping in air, the screams continued as blood poured from her ears. The pain in Ashley's soul spoke to her, wrapping her up in its never-ending purgatory. STOP! PLEASE STOP! DON'T TELL ME THESE THINGS! I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ANY MORE! STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!

Her last thought came out through the primeval screams she had been howling; the pure pain transmogrifying into a single word of hopelessness. The very air around Ashley and Callo vibrated with the pure force of her voice; paper blowing around the room and chairs flinging themselves against the wall as the window behind Ashley exploding in a cloud of sand.

And then it all stopped.

Slowly Callo lifted her head and met Ashley's eyes. The voice started again but was quickly quietened down as she flicked her glance away. She tried to speak, but pain, this time physical, wouldn't allow her to speak a single syllable. Gently, Ashley's right hand closed around her throat and she felt a pulse of warmth shoot from it to her larynx, spreading quickly throughout her body.

Quickly she rose to her feet, throwing herself through the window. As Ashley stood up, he heard her crazed footsteps smash against the cobblestones of the street outside. With a sigh, he waved his hand, the window reformed itself: Sand rushing through the air, forming shards of glass until they all joined together in the frame as a flat pane of glass. And then he walked through the wall, fading through it as time reasserted itself upon the VKP building.

"--n... wha!" Dejamir realised that both Ashley and Callo had disappeared, leaving his office as an absolute wreck. Fear raced through his mind as the possibilities of what could have transpired there mounted and mounted. His mind made up, Dejamir pulled the door open, striding towards what was to be the biggest mistake in his life...


He had been about to fire yet his finger had been stilled. He had seen all that happened in Inquisitor Kalijan's office and it baffled him, but that should not have stopped him from achieving his mission. Regnak was furious with himself but there had been something about that scream which had chilled him to his very core. There was something very wrong with what was going on but could he afford to find out what that was, or would it jeopardise his quest for justice?


Sondra found her sitting on the doorstep to her apartment, sobbing silently. Holding Callo close to her chest, she led her inside and to the bedroom, constantly whispering soothingly to her. Laying her down on the bed, Sondra wiped the hair gently from Callo's face. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, she slowly removed their clothes. As she pulled the blanket over them both, she held her closer still, offering her all the warmth and love she could. No-one could do this but her... no-one at all.

"So much pain..."

"What pain? Are you hurt Callo?" Throwing back the blanket, Sondra quickly scanned her companion's body but found nothing wrong.

"Not mine... Ashley's. His soul burns with it constantly... how can he live with it? How can he take it all?" Callo asked, her voice imploring for answers from Sondra, but she had none to give.

"Hush darling... no use worrying about it now. Just try and get some sleep..." Sondra frowned when she saw Callo was desperately trying to look anywhere but at her. Grasping her by the chin, the Observer forcibly made eye contact with the Inquisitor, a whimper being issued from the latter, making the former shiver with fear. "What's wrong with you? Why won't you tell me?"

Breaking Sondra's grip on her, Callo rolled over, facing away from her as she gathered up the blanket around her. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you... you'd say I was crazy..."

Grabbing her by the arm, Sondra rolled Callo back, anger setting her jaw rigid. "LOOK AT ME! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

"They're speaking to me... whispering to me constantly. They won't leave me in peace... I can see your pain, your secrets and your hate... the demons won't let me be..." she said as she stroked Sondra's face, tears forming in her eyes. "I know who you are Pretender Felsham and I know why you are here, but I don't care..." Slowly Callo pulled her in, their lips meeting so tenderly.

Breaking away, Sondra stared straight back at Callo. "I love you Callie, but..." She sat up, turning away from Callo. "I can't do this anymore... so much to live with... so much I've lost and left behind. But I found you again and... I don't want to lose you again but they'll kill me..."

Hands slipped around her waist as she felt Callo's warm breath against her neck. "Please... not tonight... I need you so badly... you're the only happiness I have left... please, don't run away from me again..." Slowly turning Sondra in her hands, she pushed her to the bed, lying atop her, their legs intertwined. "Just tonight... we do this... tomorrow is a brand new day..."

And this time the angels sang to Callo...