Chapter 19: Unraveling
"It's not ENOUGH!" Dane roared, slamming his fists on his table rattling various bottles, beakers and vials. Collapsing to his elbows, he gripped his head hard while running his fingers through his hair pulling stands from his scalp.
"What am I missing?!" he growled, staring hard at the vial of Darkness he had just gathered in the previous days. This vial came from the forests that witnessed The Cleansing; fear and confusion ruled it. Dane tried to cleanse this darkness as he had with the graves of the Darlus Crusades and the Ragonian Slaves. But this Darkness was different, creating multiple beings instead of one mass of pain and fear.
Gathering that Darkness was nearly was the end of he and Mars. The healing provided by Rhinne was the only reason they survived. The scars however, would remain for all time. Now that he had his sample, Dane had been trying to convert it into power for Light for weeks. But with each attempt the Light would start powerful only to be quickly corrupted and manifest as dark chain spears. The Mounting pressure of the world's state was beginning to weigh on him. He needed the answer soon so that Rhinne would have the tools to eradicate the Darkness once and for all.
"What's the matter? Got stuck?" Orchid's voice asked, strolling into the lab through the wall with Lotus behind her. The two of them had grown into teenagers, athletic in build and, to a point, mistaken for Dane's children.
"Patronizing speech is not helping me in any way-"
"I'm not patronizing you. I'm asking a legitimate question. Are you stuck?" Orchid asked, walking around behind him and snatching up the vial of Darkness.
"That's from The Cleansing, isn't it?" Lotus asked with a flat tone, walking to the other side of Dane, and looking at the vial in Orchid's hand.
"It is. I don't know why, but I cannot use this Darkness to empower Light, it only corrupts it." Orchid turned it this way and that, putting it up to her ear for a moment listening to the faint cries and screams within.
"Well, for one thing, this Darkness is stronger than anything you've faced. The thing about this stuff is that it has two very synergetic emotions: fear and confusion. Fear can confuse you, and the more confused you are, the more fear you have."
"It is a constant cycle." Lotus continued. "If you're going to use this Darkness, you'll have to overpower its synergetic property at every stage. Once you do that, this stuff will have quite the kick." Dane sat back in his chair, taking the vial from Orchid and reaching for a second vial marked 'hate' across a white label in neat writing.
"If I can isolate this synergetic property, I should be able to empower so much more Darkness and bring me closer to the Ultimate Darkness," Dane answered, his eyes smiling. But there was a slight malice in it.
"Hey now, don't let this Darkness stuff get you. You're better than that." Orchid said, tapping his shoulder. Dane shook his head and set the vials down, rolling his shoulders.
"There is nothing to fear. I feel closer than ever in all my years studying Darkness." He assured them. But Lotus and Orchid both felt something wrong: Dane was beginning to unravel.
Over the past year if his stay, The Order of Aurora included Tahir in more of their outings to suppress the Omens, accepting him as an honorary member. At Tahir's insistence, he and some clerics ventured into Usoria, eliminating Omens that appeared in or near towns and villages. It was all rather strange to him, especially when he found himself giving more and more respect to the members of The Order; he even stopped calling them a sect.
Despite Tahir's respect for the White Mage and the Order, there was a lingering distrust. There was something the majority of the Aurora was either unaware or willfully ignorant of. Tahir noticed Dane emerging from his lab tired and worn, sometimes hearing screams and shouts from the lab. Tahir would sometimes attempt to enter the lab and check on Dane but Mars would always stop him. Even when Tahir was sure Mars was out of earshot of the door, the man seemed to appear from thin air.
"Don't you find it strange? Have you ever wondered what he's up to in there?" Tahir asked one day after having nearly picked the lock.
"It must be an effect of what he faces to find the Ultimate Darkness. Have faith in the Master, as I do, that he will find the answer." Mars insisted. Still, Tahir remained vigilant, taking note of Dane's appearance when he would emerge from the lab. The outtings with The Order's Acolytes kept his mind from dwelling on Dane too much, but as time passed, he couldn't ignore the rise in frequency and number of the Omens.
At first, it was one or two every few days, then it was one every couple of days. It slowly increased to one per day, then two, three, four, and five, eventually becoming so numberous that squadrons were formed and dispatched multiple times daily. Even with the Cleric's extensive training in light magic, and some training from Will and Rhinne to use mana-based magic, it became increasingly difficult to dispel them. During a patrol, the Omen they hunted injured three acolytes, and as the Omen dissipated, it was revealed to be made entirely of Darkness. Usually, a badly decomposed body would be left behind, which the Darkness used as a host.
"We can't ignore this! The Darkness is evolving! The master must be informed immediately!" one of the acolytes announced as the injured squad mates were teleported back to the temple.
"Wait," Tahir commanded, walking to where the creature had been standing a moment before, holding his palm over the star of soot on the ground.
"Careful Commander; we don't know what kind of power created that…that… thing! I don't think we can even call it an Omen anymore."
"Be quiet." Tahir barked, narrowing his eyes in thought.
"Isn't the Darkness supposed to subside from the area after we dispel an Omen?" the remaining Acolytes and Clerics concentrated on the surrounding area.
"Now that you mention it, the Darkness feels as if it has become stronger." The Cleric Xenos remarked, soon confirmed by the others around them.
"Has our light become weaker?" the Acolyte asked.
"I don't think that's the problem," Tahir said, narrowing his eyes while staring into the forest. In the years of being a mercenary, he knew very well when someone or something was watching him. And right now, that feeling was almost physical.
"Commander Tahir, is something the matter?" Xenos asked when he saw him staring hard into the woods.
"It's nothing," Tahir answered slowly, turning around and following them as they returned to the temple. And still, that soul-boring feeling of eyes watching him lingered. After they had gone, a pale man dressed in a black and silver cloak stepped from the woods. Whispers hung in the air around him as he walked to the area where Tahir had been a moment before. Reaching out a bony hand, a glob no bigger than a fist pulled from the ground into his palm. Cupping the glob with a sardonic smile, he watched it wriggle and dance.
"Progress is made. But it's still not enough." He hissed, the glob absorbing into his hand where his veins swelled and wriggled. Clenching his hand to rid it of the stinging, he turned and walked back into the forest, the whispering thunder of his cloak following after him.
"That is impossible! The Omens require a body to maintain their form!" Mars exclaimed. Tahir watched as the Acolytes recounted everything they had seen from their outing and the response of Mars. There was genuine surprise on his face, but most of it seemed practiced; like he was hiding something. When the troupe strongly suggested telling The White Mage directly, he refused to let them enter. Tahir listened more closely, noting that Mars seemed more worried now than just a few moments before.
What was he trying to hide? He was about to try and sneak in while Mars was busy with the troupe, but Dane came out of the lab. He held his head as though he had been sleeping but seemed more in pain. Tahir also noted a bandage on his left hand and arm.
"M-Master! Are you alright?" Mars asked, pointing to his arms but seeming more surprised at his sudden appearance.
"I am Mars. I was careless and an Omen scratched me. I was uninfected." He smiled, the color in his face returning as he straightened his posture.
"Now, what's this about an Omen not having a body?"
The temple was lonely to Rhinne, always quiet with only the sound of the Sand Fountains breaking up the deafening silence. She'd returned to her mother's temple at the insistence of Ariel, the trite reasoning being that too much time in Usoria could result in her overexposure to Darkness and eventually corrupt her. With a heavy sigh, Rhinne decided to venture to the Temple Knight's barracks and find her newly minted friend to talk with. She trotted through the corridors until she came to the Qualm Barracks. It was a long hallway where hundreds of the Knights rested within form-fitting marble cavities on either side of the hall, reaching up ten rows.
As she entered, one of the knights made of dark gray armor came to life. Blue fire plumed on its helmet and torso hole with a dull roar. It hovered out of its cove as gauntlets slid out from its shoulder holes and its eyes came to life within the dark helm, instantly looking at Rhinne.
"Lady Rhinne, what are you doing in the Barracks?" it asked, its voice deep and hollow.
"I came to talk to Clank. Mother always seemed busy as of late, and I won't be able to see Father for a while. I'm feeling a bit lonely and was hoping to find him." She replied with a smile. The knight's eyes fluttered as though he were blinking quickly.
"I'm sorry, we Qualm Knights don't have names. We aim to guard the temple, the Corridor of Regrets, your mother, and you. We have no other purpose beyond such."
"Many apologies Chief. She has dubbed me Clank and given me a ribbon as of yesterday," Another Knight called, approaching from further down the hall. As he neared, he pointed to a small red and white ribbon hanging from his right pauldron.
"My mana was quite low, and I needed to replenish it badly. I didn't have a chance to report this to you." The Chief Knight looked over the ribbon, returning to Rhinne with a breathy grunt.
"I will allow this. But please be sure to inform me of such changes in the future, Rhinne. I do not want-"
"Yes yes…" Rhinne answered as she rolled her eyes and cut off the chief, continuing her disdain with a forced deep voice.
"'You do not want to impede your knight's duty to the temple'. Come on, Clank, walk with me for a while," Rhinne called, grabbing Clank's gauntlet and dragging him out of the barracks to her favorite spot in the whole temple. It gave a magnificent view of three giant nebulae and an explosion of stars in the inky blackness of space beyond the temple.
"Clank, why am I here?" Rhinne asked with a hard sigh, slumping onto the railing with her elbows hard enough that it made an audible sound.
"I beg pardon, Lady Rhinne?" Clank asked, having tucked away his hands into his body.
"Why am I here? Mother is always too busy to do anything, and Father is always busy with his work in Usoria. I see more of the Knights and monks here and the Clerics of the Order down there than I do of my parents. The only time they talk to me is to remind me I'm supposed to be an important part in ridding the world of Darkness. Do they even love me?" she asked wistfully. Clank remained silent for a while, his eyes fluttering as he thought.
"I do not think it a matter of loving you or not. Your mother has made it clear that you are both loved and important to the world of Usoria."
"But that's just the thing. If they loved me, wouldn't they spend at least a little time with me?" Clank floated over to Rhinne, sliding out a hand and putting it on her shoulder. He could say nothing. He was but a Knight of the temple, made and explicitly trained to protect it, the goddess, and now her daughter. He had no wisdom or comfort to offer her.
"Have you made any friends in Usoria? They must be eager to see you again." Clank offered.
"There are a few, though mother often tells me not to get attached to any of them. 'Time flows much differently here, and they will be gone in a few short decades'. And the more I say there, 'The higher the chance The Darkness will corrupt me'." Rhinne mocked, trying to sound like her mother.
"Time may flow differently, but since your birth, the time difference seems to have stabilized into a less drastic distortion. Only a few months go by in a day here instead of a random unknown amount of time." Clank explained. Rhinne sighed and let her head drop to her hands.
"It's still different. Mother says within a month, I'll be an adult. But I could still be a young woman for thousands of years, and by then, all the friends I made in Usoria will be long dead." Deep in her heart, she didn't want to live out her days here in the Temple of Time. She wanted to live among the humans where time had meaning and urgency. Every moment was as precious as gold, yet here she treated it as a commodity.
"I know! I'll ask Mother if I can live in Usoria for a while. No, more than a while." Rhinne announced, picking her head up and setting her arms wide on the railing.
"And she might say that is a bad idea," Ariel said behind her as she walked to the railing. Rhinne jumped when she heard her, spinning around with almost fearful surprise in her eyes.
"M-mother I…"
"It's alright, Rhinne; I understand your feelings. I feel the same about your Father. It seems stronger in you as you are half human. But even a demi-deity such as yourself, living among humans can cause problems if they find out who you really are. And yes, even with your power over Light, The Darkness is becoming stronger, and spending too much time there could corrupt you." Rhinne huffed and looked away, staring off into the blackness of space.
"What does she know? She's always here in the temple." Rhinne thought, uninterested in her mother's words of logic that, while right, didn't sway her lonely spirit.
"But your father will be there to protect you, and the friends you made in the Aurora could also help keep you and your secret safe. I'm sure Will especially would help with that," Ariel smiled. Rhinne turned back with wide eyes.
"You mean, I could live in Usoria?"
"I am uncertain about living in Usoria, but I see no harm in staying among its people for a while. The Mirror of Time has nothing to show if you were to stay there for an extended period," Ariel answered. Rhinne ran to her mother and hugged her tightly. The prospect of being among her real friends took her heart to new heights.
"I assume that Lady Rhinne will no longer need me?" Clank asked, pointing to the ribbon on his pauldron.
"Clank, you are special to me. Keep that ribbon on you always so that when I come back, no matter how long it will be, I can always count on you to be here." Clank stiffened and saluted, tucking his arms to his body.
"Will you be leaving immediately?" Clank asked.
"If mother approves," Rhinne replied, looking to Ariel for her answer, to which she smiled and nodded.
"Then allow me to escort you to the Temple's exit." Rhinne bowed her approval as the two of them walked towards the front of the temple while Ariel watched them leave. Behind her, Minerna and a Monk of the Red stood watching from far off.
"This could have a very dire turn, my goddess. One I think should not be ignored," The Monk said, taking her frowning mask from her face and tucking it into a large loose sleeve.
"It is a regret, that much is certain, but it must be left to Oblivion," Minerna answered, turning away and walking further into the temple with the Monk close behind.
"Will it not exponentially increase the strength of the world's Darkness? You said that-"
"I know what I said regarding him. But the Mirror has shown the Darkness will be gone because of Rhinne. She is the world's only hope, will be Ariel's largest regret, and will be remembered as the Ultimate Light of Usoria. We must stay the course."
"But what about Rhinne? The chances of her corruption increase with every day she remains."
"The Light she and Will have created is strong, much stronger even than the White Mage and Ariel."
"I understand, my goddess. I will light another lamp in the Chamber of Oblivion." The monk said, putting on her mask and turning to leave.
"No, good monk. I will do it. I must be the one to bear the brunt of her agony when it comes." The monk bowed, turning away to tend to some other duty as Minerna made her way to the Chamber of Oblivion.
Tahir could feel the warmth that Rhinne was greeted with and smiled to himself when he overheard that she would be staying with them for some time. Her two closest friends, Will and Eleanor, responded happily to the news.
Tahir remembered the days with his friends when they were children and how they would become excited over something one of them had found. Turning his attention to the main hall around him, Tahir shook his head and sighed. With the help of Dane and some of the specialized Clerics of the Order, they expanded the once grand chapel into a majestic temple.
Despite its white and gold walls, a lingering cloud still hung over the Order. Tahir would feel chills running down his spine every time he was near Dane's laboratory, a chill that reached his soul. He brought it up with some of his other Troupe Mates, and they, too, noted there was a chill near the lab. Despite this, Mars remained unwilling to admit or notice that something was wrong.
And then there was the feeling that Tahir would get after the defeat of some of the Omens; someone was watching them. He couldn't explain it, but perhaps with the help of one of the other Clerics, he could remain behind long enough to see who was haunting them with their presence.
Strangely, the Omens seem to appear in Usoria less and less, contained instead within the Forest of Peace. But the world at large was still in turmoil. The biggest concern was that King Hekaton of Kritas was readying to mount a massive attack against Pantheon. The Emperor of Usoria had mobilized nearly all of Orion's military forces to counter and stop Hekaton's thirst for power.
Tensions between Usoria's eastern countries had begun to build; Al Neth and Moon Terra, a place known for its fertile lands of medical herbs, had been disputing over trade agreements. Adding stress to the already tense famine, trade agreements between the Edeal States and Usoria strained after a scuffle between Edealian soldiers and overconfident Usorian Merchants, resulting in nearly 100 deaths.
Additional skirmishes, uprisings, battles, and feuds also sprang up all over the main continent. Tahir couldn't help but wonder if it all was due to the world's Darkness influencing these events
For a week, Rhinnes time at the temple was filled with activity, diving into the Ultimate Light and its properties while helping Will and his control over mana. His mana reserves grew daily, as did his understanding of how Usorian magic and Rhinne's power differed. Through hours of study, Will found that Usorian magic, even from its discovery in the 7th epoch during the Elfin Hunts, was a massive deviation from its original form.
Elfin magic relied on mana, like Rhinne, to connect oneself with and channel natural energies through one's body. Mana was also used as a containment medium, so the resulting spell wouldn't spread in every direction after releasing these energies. The more mana a given mage had allowed for using far more power more often and for more extended periods. Mana also allowed a given mage to access these energies almost instantaneously, regardless of the spell's strength.
The only limiting factor for mages of this kind of magic was the size of their mana reserves. Without a protector or other means of offensive or defensive skills, anyone could quickly capture or kill a mage once their mana reserves had run out.
Usorian magic, by contrast, required sentences written with runes to contain natural energies and then expel them with the desired effect. Compared to Elfin magic, Usorian magic could be highly limiting due to more powerful versions of the same spell requiring more of a runic recitation. In contrast to Mana-based magic, anyone could cast a spell without years of practice using sigils carved into wooden or metal medallions. However, this method could become cumbersome and expensive, as each spell, or a more powerful version of a spell, required a different sigil and only allowed the use of a relatively small amount of power.
Time and mental and physical stamina became limiting factors for well-studied mages of this magic. The quickest casting times for a spell required only a hand gesture or a word, but the spell became pathetically weak. Some mages learned how to cast more powerful spells with the same speed, focusing on envisioning the result of the magic instead of reciting the runic sentence. But it was still magnitudes weaker and slower than mana-based magic. Will theorized that ancient humanity may have at one time tried to use magic like the elves, but the inherent impatience of humanity led to the development of the current system of sigils and runic sentences.
"So that's why it always felt wrong: I'm only using tiny amounts of power," Rhinne sighed. "It's like taking a cup of water out of a lake versus swimming in it."
"And Mana-based magic can also be much more powerful in less time. Amazing."
"But then, how does that relate to Light magic? Isn't it based on the Ultimate Light?"
"Light magic's energy comes from the Ultimate Light, yes. Usorian magic captures a small portion of that energy within a given spell sigil, but the Rune's strength and the medallion's material limit its power. Mana-based magic connects you directly to the light, cutting out the limitations."
"And now that I have my own Ultimate Light, the Darkness is as good as gone," Rhinne smiled, leaning over the table where they sat and kissing him on the cheek.
"Almost," Will smirked, adjusting his glasses. "You still need to understand how to use it. Remember when you said that your father's Ultimate Light lacked something?" Rhinne tilted her head, remembering how her father's Light was white compared to her and Will's gold.
"Yes, but what does that have to do with it?" Will held his chin as he began pacing the room.
"Master Dane's Light is powerful, but its purpose is aimed at protection, eliminating the threat. Your light, in contrast, is focused on care and healing. I read somewhere in Master Dane's writing that Deity Haim compared the Darkness to a wound or a poison. Master Dane's Light would be like cauterizing a severe wound; it's a good emergency measure but isn't favorable for long-term healing. Our Light is like treating the wound with care, medicines, and bandages. It takes longer, but the overall healing effect will be greater."
"But then, what is it missing?"
"I think the color of the light gives it away: his Light lacks an emotional core. His focus is on the action, not the reason."
"I don't think that's it either." Rhinne countered, holding her chin in thought.
"How so?" Will asked, readying his pen to take notes.
"Light's power comes from emotion, so no emotions means no power. The only thing my father does differently is use the Darkness to enhance his Light."
"What if using the Darkness is the key?"
"What does that have to do with it?" Will grabbed his notebook, speaking slower as he flipped through pages to find the passage he needed.
"There was a note I saw in Master Dane's research when he made the twins saying that, ah, here it is: 'to use Darkness as a power source for the Ultimate Light, I would need to focus it through a singular emotion. The resulting power is great, but it is still preliminary. Further study is required."
"So, is using only a single emotion the cause?"
"I don't think that's all of it," a third voice said, startling them Orchid and Lotus entered the classroom.
"What do you mean?" Will asked.
"I overheard you, and I think you're on the right track of the Darkness being the cause for Human Dane's Light. But I think after he absorbs it, the combination of both Light and Dark gives it the color. You're seeing silver, but its brightness is making it look white." Lotus explained, holding out his hand where a silver flame danced in his palm.
"Wait; my father is absorbing the Darkness? I thought he was just using it like any other energy for magic." Rhinne exclaimed.
"That's the only way Human Dane's been able to make his Light as powerful as it is. It doesn't do much for his sanity, though." Will and Rhinne looked at each other with panic in their eyes.
"What's wrong with Master Dane?" Will prodded. Lotus sighed, lifting his brow and shaking his head as Orchid continued.
"Dane's been around the stuff too long. He's getting obsessed with it. And with all the times he's absorbed Darkness, some of it has to be staying behind. I can only hope it hasn't been slowly poisoning him," she said worriedly.
"So then, why must it be channeled through a single emotion? What's that got to do with absorbing Darkness?" Rhinne asked. Lotus sighed long, appearing to prepare a lecture.
"Darkness, in its purest form, is a chaotic mass of synergetic emotions. Focusing the Darkness through a single emotion gives them a point of focus, realigning and changing them so that only one emotion is present, allowing Human Dane to make his Light more powerful and resulting in its silver color. Absorbing it makes it easier to bring the Darkness closer to his emotional "heart," so to speak, making it easier to channel. Without that step, channeling the Darkness would only be surface level, resulting in much less power."
"So that's why he needs the Ultimate Darkness. Using the most powerful form will make the most powerful Light. We'll need to ensure that you… I mean, our Light, is the strongest it can be so that you can erase the Darkness easily when your father completes it." Will smiled, taking Rhinne's hand.
Armed with this new knowledge, Rhinne and Will forged ahead, practicing every day until their Light began to radiate from them like a beacon, even without a spell. As they worked, Rhinne would often overhear Clerics and Acolytes talking about a cloud hanging over all of the Aurora Temple, as well as a chill coming from her father's laboratory. She was well aware of it from the first time she ever set foot in the temple, being a place that scared her more than any other in the world. It didn't bother her as much anymore. But for the rest of the Aurora members, who were normal humans, to notice, it must mean that whatever she felt was getting worse.
She saw a thick black mist coming through the door whenever she passed it, and her curiosity began to mount daily. Was this cloud stalling her father and making it harder for him to make discoveries? With her newly minted knowledge of Light and magic, she could go in there and cleanse the Darkness, allowing her father to make new and more significant strides.
After staying at the Aurora Temple for nearly six months, she could no longer stand it: she needed to know what was in the room that terrified her and made such a potent cloud of Darkness. After ensuring that Mars and her father were nowhere to be seen, she and Will confidently strode to the door only to find it locked.
With a small gesture and some magic, Rhinne played with the tumblers, unlocking the door with a satisfying click. Looking around one final time for Mars, Will squeezed her hand, Light filling her being, the quietly ducked into the room.
What greeted Rhinne as she turned around froze her soul. Countless voices assaulted her, hearing screams and moans of agony, rage, and sorrow. Beings made of black mist wandered aimlessly along the ceiling, babbling about heartaches, grief, and wrongs visited upon them in the past. One of the shadows caught sight of Rhinne as she stood in shock, lunging at her only to stop as if a chain had snapped tight, holding it back as it howled of embarrassment and humiliation, blaming her for its turmoil. The world fell away to a black nothing around Rhinne as the voices around her steadily became louder. The flood of emotion overwhelmed her as tears streamed down her face.
"Stop. Please, stop," she muttered, covering her ears and crumpling to the floor, rubbing her arms and gripping her hair, trying desperately to find peace. But still, the maelstrom of voices grew. Every second crawled by as the feeling of ice clawed at her legs and arms, her pounding chest making her ears ring.
"Stop it! Please stop! Stop it!" This was the Darkness she had to overcome?! And what about her Light? What happened to her Light? How was she supposed to eliminate this? Was it all a lie? A cruel and elaborate joke played for laughs at her expense? Was her father the perpetrator of this joke? Did he even want her to succeed? How did he not sense the mass of hatred and terror permeating this room? How could he think THIS was the way to heal the world?
And where was Will? Why was their Light not protecting her from the assault on her senses? Did he even care? If he cared, he would have come with her! Did he want her so full of fear that she would never leave him? As the questions were mounting, something grabbed her arm and hauled her up, slamming the door as she stumbled into Will's arms. The world burst back into existence for her, feeling the warmth of her and Will's Light spreading through her soul until she heard Mars's thunderous rage.
"What in Minerna's name were you doing in there?!" Rhinne could say nothing as she recentered herself, making herself realize that Will had no ill intent for her. She was the one that wanted to see inside the lab.
"What was all that? Do you know what's been going on in that room?" She demanded, looking at Mars with wide eyes.
"It is precisely why no one but The Master and myself are allowed into the laboratory and why you specifically are forbidden from going in!"
"How is that supposed to help me? It's nothing but a storm of suffering and anguish. How can you say that we will cure the world of Darkness when it feels like my father is making it stronger?" Mars appeared ready to answer but stopped, letting out his breath with an agitated sigh.
"That's what's happening, isn't it?" Rhinne breathed, a chill settling over her chest.
"NO!"
"You're either ignorant or willfully blind, Master Mars. The kind of Darkness coming from that room is beyond erroneous. Evil is too gentle a word for it." Will growled.
"We are preparing for Rhinne to eradicate the Darkness out of the world!" Mars thundered, pointing to Rhinne. "But for that to happen, you must remain far away from the Darkness lest it corrupts you before our research and your power are ready!" Rhinne's eyes darkened, turning to hide her face against Will.
"I'm just a tool to you, aren't I?" she whimpered, great tears spilling from her eyes, her body visibly trembling while gripping Will's shirt. Mars was about to refute her when she pushed past Will and ran out of the Temple, leaning into her strides and bolting into the woods, blocking out Will's calling after her. Trees flew past her, low-hanging branches slapped her face, her skin stinging as her tears flowed over the tiny cuts.
Finally, she stopped near a lake, the water almost glowing from all the crystals around the tree trunks, slumping to the ground, hugging her knees, and letting the silence comfort her. Her last words echoed in her mind repeatedly, thinking about her life: her mother's resistance to her coming to visit Usoria; her father's insistence that she stay within the Aurora temple, or if she did leave, never to wander far without someone with her. Even the Aurora Acolytes and Clerics began treating her with a detached reverence. She was becoming less of a person and more of a tool for her mother and father to eliminate the Darkness. Will seemed to be the only one treating her like a person.
As her thoughts tumbled, she failed to notice a dark wisp slowly approaching her from the shadows around the trees. With a hissing whisper, it caught her attention as it hung in the air, twisting and undulating before her as eyes faded into existence within it.
"What's the matter, little one? What are you doing so deep in the forest?" it asked. Rhinne backed away, lowering her brow and wiping her eyes.
"You're the Darkness, aren't you?" she murmured, holding up her palm as Light hummed to life in it, but it wasn't the gold color she was used to; it had a red tint.
"And you're the weapon born to kill me. Finally, we meet." The cloud hissed. Rhinne focused her hand on the eyes, forcing her tears to stop as she stood and followed it.
"Don't call me that!" she growled, a blast of light howling into the woods.
"Am I lying? Your mother and father conceived you for that purpose. You should feel honored."
"My name is Rhinne; I'm not just a weapon, I'm a human being!"
"Heh, a human who could level an entire nation with the wave of her hand. Not even your father in his prime, even this version of him, could muster that kind of power."
"What do you mean by 'version'."
"Do you think this is the first time we've had this conversation? Doo you think this is the first time your mother, Ariel, or your father, Dane, have battled against me? You all have failed trillions upon trillions of times. But I hope this time can be different."
"Why do you want it to be different? What about all the people you've already killed and the millions in danger in the world because of you? Why would you want to change that?" The cloud swelled, lunging at and around Rhinne.
"Those deaths…" The cloud appeared to breathe and calm itself, moving back before continuing as though collecting itself
"Those deaths, unfortunate as they were, are the results of my growing power. I have tried to keep it contained, but the eons haven't been kind. As more and more die, their Darkness adds to my own, leading to these leaks. I want to stop, but I can only contain so much." The shadow answered smoothly.
"You're just a monster. You don't care about the people of this world! Why talk of remorse when you are nothing but hate, anguish, and rage you unleash on everyone you touch?" Rhinne demanded. The Light in her palm brightened to gold, causing the shadow to shrink away.
"That hate may be the majority of my being, but all of it was once human. Small as it may be, I still have some love for humanity."
"I doubt that." Rhinne sneered, the Light's intensity growing.
"Can you not sympathize? I can feel your frustration, loneliness, and sorrow of being constantly told of your importance to Usoria, treated like a tool and a weapon. Yet you can't express it. Instead, you drive it deep into your soul, and occasionally, a tiny crack in the armor leaks out a tiny bit of all you hold. And from that leak, people sometimes get hurt." Rhinne lowered her brow, dismissed the Light, and lowered her hand.
"Why are you telling me this? Why are you trying to help me?"
"Your emotions are torrential, flowing in all directions due to your holding them back, and it is rotting your soul. Let them flow, and they will align once more. Do that, I can teach you what I've taught the Little Mage and give you the power you need. I know it may seem counter-intuitive, but I want to cease. I've existed long enough; it's time to stop." Rhinne sighed with a long breath, crumbling to the ground again as her tears flowed. The cloud seemed to grin, a portion reaching out to her in the shape of a hand. But as it neared, the shape of its hand began to disintegrate into ash, making the shadow narrow its eyes and growl.
"There needs to be more," it hummed, making Rhinne look up in horror.
"What?"
"RHINNE!" Two voices jolted her out of shock when a blast of light rained around her, shaking the ground with its roar of noise. In her surprised stupor, she felt a hand grab her arm and wrench her to her feet. Rhinne saw a terrified Will standing before her as her eyes focused, gripping her arms while locking eyes with her.'
"Are you hurt? Did it touch you?" he asked in rapid succession.
"I'm alright, nothing happened." She explained, looking around at the wall of fire-like light all around them. It disappeared when a man dressed in gold armor crashed into the ground, standing between them and the shadow, a fierce-looking spear in his hand as an unseen wind tussled his golden hair.
"Uncle 'Zin? What are you doing here? HOW are you here?!" Rhinne asked, stunned that her uncle had made an appearance in Usoria.
"I'll explain later. Right now, you need to get rid of that cloud," Nanahuatzin commanded, not taking his eyes from the Darkness.
"No! I won't be a tool of my parents anymore!" Rhinne snapped, Will gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him.
"This isn't about being a Tool! Everything this cloud told you about wanting to end is a lie! It wanted you to give in to your fear, your depression, your rage. It wanted a foothold to overpower you and use you to destroy this world!" Will explained. The shadow growled and lunged, stopped by Nanahuatzin, though he struggled to keep it at bay. The shadow swelled, pressing onto the deity of light hard enough to sink his feet into the ground, cracking it.
"DO NOT DENY ME MY VENGENCE! GIVE ME THE GIRL!" the shadow roared, its jaws snapping at Nanahuatzin as he held it back, almost glaring at Rhinne from over his shoulder.
"You are not a tool! You are Rhinne, Daughter of the White Mage and the Goddess of Time! Warrior of Light! And Savior of Usoria! Vaporize this Darkness not as a tool of fate; vaporize this Darkness to protect Will and the world he lives in. Vaporize this Darkness and show me the strength of you Ultimate Light! Show me you are more powerful than this Darkness!" Rhinne set her brow in determination, Squaring her shoulders and raising her hand, golden Light thrumming on her palm. Will came and stood beside her, taking her hand and raising his hand as another sphere of Light hummed to life.
"I am no one's tool," Rhinne growled. From the corner of his eye, Will thought he could see a ghostly crown appear on Rhinne's head and an ethereal scarf appear around her shoulders, floating behind her. Rhinne's grip tightened on Will's hand, dragging his attention back to the Shadow before them. Holding their hand forward, Light exploded from their palms as a massive beam, tearing through the trees around them and melting the ground on the shoreline into glass, streaking into the sky like the noon-day sun. The Shadow couldn't be heard over the roar of the Light, obliterated before it even had a chance to scream.
Rhinne and Will stumbled into one another after the blast subsided, looking into each other's eyes for a long while. Will noticed the crown and shawl were gone, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear until Nanahuatzin gently cleared his throat. The noise snapped their attention to him with a surprised chuckle as Will spoke.
"Thank you, deity of light. I owe you."
"No, Will. You owe me nothing," Nanahuatzin smiled, his hair fading to black and his eyes shifting to red.
"So, Uncle 'Zin, I thought you said you couldn't come to Usoria?" Rhinne smirked, putting a hand on her hip as she looked back to her uncle. He seemed hesitant to answer at first as if trying to choose his words carefully.
"My… mother led me to believe that long ago. But I can come for short bursts with some very careful sealing magic. Speaking of which, my time is up for now. As I learn, I should be able to visit more." He smiled, Reaching to Rhinne and kissing her head before disappearing in a streak of light. Will pulled Rhinne close, sighing as he cupped her jaw, still seeing the terror lingering in her eyes and feeling her hands tremble.
"Are you alright?" he asked, lacing his fingers into hers and leading her back to the Aurora Temple.
"Not completely, but I think I will be." Rhinne replied, resting her head on his shoulder, being content with the short walk back and talking with Will about his magic training to help ease her mind.
"He's late," Magnus grunted, swishing his powerful tail through the air behind him, whipping air side to side hard enough that it began to blow Hilda's skirts.
"Oh, come now, it's only a few minutes. I could take your mind off of it for a while." She replied, pushing into Magnus and pulling his hand to her lower back.
"You forget, Hilda; this magus gives us what we need to finish your potion, and there is a time-sensitive component," Magnus replied flatly, pulling his hand from her back and staring blankly forward.
"Relax. The magus will come as he always does," Hilda chuckled, pulling away from Magnus and summoning a seat made of skeletons.
"And I have." Said a smooth, dry voice.
"You're late." Magnus huffed, turning around and crossing his arms over his chest, readjusting his dragon-like wings. Whispers rose around them as Magnus felt a chill gently wrap around his neck.
"I explained that I would come near this time." The man said, pulling the black and silver cloak tighter around his shoulders and revealing from under it a bottle with a thick black material quivering inside.
"Is this all? You promised us many times more. It's only enough for one, possibly two potions." Hilda exclaimed.
"This Darkness is concentrated a hundred-fold. Within are the contents of a thousand bottles, refined and purified into this." The man answered, his voice singeing with agitation. Setting the bottle in Hilda's hand he moved past them to a mountain of corpses. There he held his palm to it as misty shadows pulled from the ground and bodies alike, absorbing into his skin.
"When can we expect to receive the purest form of this you keep promising?" Magnus demanded. The man threw his hand out, slamming him into a nearby wall and holding him off the ground, turning and beginning to walk away.
"As I have said many times before and will only say once more, it is coming. Keep pressing your luck, Dracova, and it will be your last. You will have your share when the time comes. " Magnus began clawing at his throat as the feeling around his neck tightened. Stars popped in his vision and his hands became numb. Just the light faded from his vision, Magnus dropped to the ground. Hilda rose from her chair, facing the man fully so that Magnus would be standing beside her once he fully stood.
"Still, our patience is running thin. Arkarium may be able to produce results with what you have given us but we would still like to see better results." She said, pulling Magnus' hand onto her hip once he stood. The man turned back to her, his smile the only thing she could see from under the hood of his cloak. An almost wintery breeze blew past them all, pulling a few strands of white hair from under the hood.
"Trust me, Hilda. Even Arkarium cannot match the power I am about to find."
