Chapter 51: Chapter 51

Stone turned to dust beneath Damien’s fingers as his magic made short work of the walls. Whenever the orbs started to weaken, he drew more Ether and summoned new ones. Damien gritted his teeth, ignoring the thin layer of dust forming over his body as he worked.

He felt hollow. A part of that was because Henry had left, but that wasn’t everything. The magic churning at his fingertips energized Damien’s body, but there was no smile on his face. Hours passed and the room grew drastically in size as the boy vented his frustrations on the rock, burrowing deeper into the mountain.

As time went on, the Ether came to him slower. What had once been a simple task grew arduous as a dull headache came over Damien and exhaustion started to set in. He didn’t stop working.

Finally, his reserves ran out. He reached for a strand of Ether, but he couldn’t gather the mental energy to coat his hand. Damien slumped against the wall heavily, a thin trail of tears streaming down his face.

“It isn’t fair,” he whispered to himself. “I shouldn’t have to worry about stopping the apocalypse or figure out if my companion is lying to me. I just wanted to learn magic. I’ve been working towards this for years. Why can’t I be happy?”

Unbeknownst to Damien, about a thousand miles away, Henry was thinking those exact same thoughts.

The eldritch creature sat at the top of a large grassy hill overlooking a quaint village. His head was in his hands, and he was rather miserable.

A mote of white light shone in the center of his chest. White, spiderwebbing lines reached out across his torso, stopping just before his legs and arms. Henry had long since given up on trying to remove it – any attempts to touch the light were futile.

It was rather ironic, Henry mused. The destroyer of light, unable to quench the miniscule spark within himself. He drew in a deep breath – not that he needed to, of course. He didn’t breathe, but the thought was still there.

The air was cool, with a hint of sweetness from last night’s rain. Below him, villagers moved to and fro, completely unaware of what was observing them.

“You’d think I’d be happier on the Mortal Plane,” Henry muttered aloud. “Millenia of dreaming, and here I am. So why do I feel so unsatisfied? The end is nigh. Less than one mortal lifespan, really.”

Nobody responded. Henry’s many mouths frowned. Being alone was… strange. Henry rose to his feet, his senses sweeping across the town below him. They were subtle, but the traces of void magic were unmistakable.

Henry flickered and vanished, traveling through the dusk shadows and flitting through the village. Not a soul noticed him as he followed the traces of energy through the crack below a house’s door and into a small cellar below it.

The traces of energy were stronger now, but nowhere near enough to signify another void creature. Several eyes made of dark energy blinked open around him, scanning every trace of the room.

It only took him moments to locate a thin, well hidden magical seal covering a plank of wood. The energy was made to only seal in a single direction, so it was easy enough for the companion to place his hand against the wood and summon an eye on the other side of it.

A woman hung taut in the air, suspended by heavy black chains that connected to each of her limbs. Her clothes were little more than molded rags and her hair was ratty and unwashed. Her head twitched and she glanced up, stark silver eyes locking with Henry’s magic.

“Ah,” the woman wheezed, voice raspy from years of disuse. “I sensed you recently, It Who Heralds the End of all Light – if I can even call you that. I see you’ve also found your way into the Mortal Plane.”

“I have. And I go by Henry,” Henry’s voice projected through the eye. “In a way. I didn’t expect to find you locked in a basement, It Who Consumes.”

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“Harriot, if you insist on it,” the woman replied, licking her lips to wet them. “You seem… different. It took me longer to notice you than it should have.”

“It is of no matter,” Henry said dismissively.

“Very well. In that case, are you going to free me?” She asked. “It seems you were the only one of our kind to make the journey safely. The moment I arrived, I was bound to this body and sealed away. I’ve tried to call out to the others, but none have responded. Someone knew we were coming.”

“Something knew?” Henry asked, frowning. “You mean all of the others are similarly sealed?”

“I have to assume so,” Harriot said, doing her best to shrug. “They would have already found and freed me if not. Luckily, it seems you managed to escape. I’d be interested to learn how later, but the sooner I’m out of these chains, the better.”

“Yes,” Henry mused. “I suppose so. I must ask – why did you take on a human personality when you’re alone? It serves no purpose.”

“The meager remains of this mortal’s soul,” Harriot replied, pursing her lips. “I crushed it as soon as I arrived, of course. Unfortunately, the bindings were such that I had to merge partially with her soul. It was enough to bring about, well, Harriot. I have found it somewhat amusing, and it has been a good way to pass the time while I waited for your arrival. Once I am free, I shall dispose of it.”

“And you didn’t get sight of your captors?” Henry pried. “Your host was already locked up by the time you arrived?”

“Yes,” Harriot said irritably. “I honestly find myself regretting squashing that girl’s soul so quickly, which shocks me. But, even in the void, we had eachother to speak to. True darkness is surprisingly lonely. Now, enough of the games, It Who Heralds the End of all Light. Let me free. We have a job to do.”

There was no response from Henry. The eye floated in the air, watching her silently.

Harriot’s gaze narrowed and energy twisted around her. It sputtered, fading away as the chains holding her lit up with a dull glow. Then she blinked, a frown crossing her face.

“It Who Heralds the End of all Light?”

“That isn’t my name,” Henry said.

“What? Yes it is. I recognize your energy. It’s a little different, but not enough to throw me off.”

“I am afraid you are incorrect,” Henry said, his voice a low whisper. “I am not It Who Heralds the End of all Light. Unfortunately, your information is not entirely correct. You were captured, but the other four of our companions are roaming the world. They are still sealed, but I suspect several are close to escaping.”

“Just let me go!” Harriot snarled. “If you don’t one of them will!”

“They will not,” Henry said. “Because they will not find you. I had to confirm, but it appears nobody other than me has managed to escape their mortal confines. That means I’m the only one who knows of your presence here. It is going to stay that way. I have changed my plans, Harriot. I’m afraid you are no longer part of them.”

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