The Fall of the Society

Chapter 77: Beyond Darkness

     Rose looked on in horror as the shape of her new friend burst into smoke, before disappearing completely. "Why did you do that?!" she shouted at Ahribus, who was still staring blankly at the place the woman had disappeared from.

     The smoky, hollow eyed entity swooped in front of her, staring into what she imagined her eyes would be. Drawing back, Ahribus waved his hand, with a low growl the massive creature disappeared into the darkness, a swirl of smoke announcing its departure.

     "I did what was needed, nothing more," Ahribus told her flatly. "We were discussing my last incursion into the other world."

     She could not believe the nonchalant tone in which Ahribus was talking and how quickly they had gone back to their conversation, as if nothing had happened. Even though she had no face, she glared at the form in front of her, and she knew Ahribus must be able to feel her emotions. "You did not have to do that to her!"

     "Should I have let her stab me?" Ahribus asked flatly. "Not that it would have made any difference." Watching Rose intently, Ahribus continued. "You need not worry, I merely cast her back into the world she belongs, I have also closed my world to her. She will no longer be able to flit in and out of our dimension."

     Did Ahribus show compassion on purpose, or did he simply not see Phaze as a threat that needed to be dealt with in a more severe way?

     "I only destroy that which threatens the balance of worlds," Ahribus told her, reading the emotions she had been feeling.

     "Weren there more of you within this realm? Or was it just Osepri, Kadol, and you here?" Rose asked, the thought had suddenly occurred to her.

      Ahribus did not respond immediately, but his large dark eyes bored into Rose, analyzing her more deeply than he had done thus far. Then the eyes that had been fixed on her, turned away, gazing upward into the immense darkness that was all around them.

      "There were originally hundreds of us, but everything changed when Kadol stole Osepri away from us. All light disappeared from this world, casting everyone else into darkness," Ahribus broke off, lowering his gaze back down to Rose. "They turned on each other, war broke out all over the realm."

     "Why are you the only one left then?" Rose asked tentatively.

     Ahribus turned away and glided a short distance away from her. "I had to restore balance; I could not allow the chaos to ensue."

     A sudden truth burst into her mind. "You destroyed them all," she stated quietly.

     "If you remove light, or darkness, from a world completely, it will crumble. The two must be balanced, or nothing can flourish," Ahribus told her. "I had lost Osepri, but I still had purpose. I still have purpose."

     "Why didn't you just use the ability you used on me to get her back here?" Rose asked, almost desperate for an answer.

     "That was not an ability I possessed at the time," Ahribus said solemnly. "I did not learn to develop new skills until this world was completely consumed in darkness, until all was quiet. Only then did I grow to the level of power I needed to move beyond this realm. The longer that I remain here alone, with nothing but myself, the more powerful I become."

     Rose moved forward slightly. The feeling of moving in this state was very odd, like being blown along on a breeze, she might float away at any moment. "That sounds really lonely."

     Ahribus turned back to her, "I have grown beyond emotions that are felt by one such as you, but companionship is missed at times."

     "I bet you would be able to talk Phaze into coming here to learn from you," Rose said suddenly, thinking that helping Ahribus may improve her situation.

     "Why would she wish to do that?" Ahribus asked inquisitively. "She has been unceremoniously dismissed from my realm for believing she may be able to harm me."

     "Apologize to her, she is a respectful person. You showed her compassion by not destroying her, and if you give her your permission to enter our realm, I am sure she will do so," Rose thought quickly. "If you send me back, I can talk to her for you. I could even come back with her sometime if you would like."

     Ahribus scanned her, contemplating what her words meant. "That would be acceptable, but you have to figure out how to return to your own form, otherwise you are not strong enough to wield Osepri's power."

     "Wait... What?" Rose thought suddenly. "How am I supposed to return to my original form?"

     "You will have to figure it out, I will not assist you," Ahribus told her flatly. "If you cannot control the power that has been granted to you, I cannot allow you to leave. I would be able to negate the chaos you may impose without destroying you completely in that way, it is the least I could do for a descendant of Osepri."

     Rose felt panic, she had absolutely no idea how to accomplish what he was telling her to do, and she had no desire to remain in this world in her current form. She could not even feel her powers within herself, let alone use them. Rose concentrated as hard as she could, but in her shadowy form, she felt empty. Ahribus was staring at her and she once again felt like the darkness around her was closing in tightly, making it hard to focus.

     The silence around her was absolute, her anxiety was welling up inside of her. She had to control her emotions, this had to be a test. Ahribus knew she would be able to do what is being asked of her, all she had to do was figure out how. Rose stopped trying to concentrate so hard and began trying to relax. It was at this moment that she realized what she would have to do. Ahribus knew she would be unable to return to her body at command, knew that it may take her a very long time to figure out how to further her control, but the concept of time passing in her world would not pose an issue to such a being. Her only option was to remain here as long as it took, but she would have to ensure something first.

     "I accept the terms you have set on me, but I must ask for a favor first," Rose said tentatively. If she was misreading the situation her request may be a step in the wrong direction. "Are you able to correct the fracture in Tripp to allow him to return to normal?" Ahribus moved forward out of the shadows around them, his eyes fixed on Rose. "Will you please help him?"

     At first Ahribus said nothing, contemplating what Rose had asked. "You are a lot like Osepri, noble and selfless. These traits are foolish, but also what was so different about her compared to the other beings on this plane of existance. I suppose your interactions with humanity have only furthered these attributes." Ahribus did not seem to be complementing her but was also not chastising her. It was more of an assessment than anything. "Would you like to see her?"

     "Yes," Rose said quickly, almost before completely understanding what she had agreed to do. Ahribus moved forward and his large, dark eyes disappeared into his smoky form. She felt as though a vacuum had formed behind her eyes and she was pulled into a much different scene. The area around her that had been doused in shadows and darkness was now brightly lit, with low covering foliage along the ground. A breeze of wind blew through the area, rustling the plants and what appeared to be hair on a brightly lit being beside her. Rose attempted to look around but was unable to control her movements. Her gaze was locked on what appeared to be some sort of fiery shape, made completely of light, a beautiful aura glistening around the central core. Long, wiry tendrils protruded from what appeared to be the beings head, accounting for what she had originally taken for hair. The face was elongated, almost beaklike and she had massive flowing wings made of the same fiery light as the aura. Osepri was the first phoenix, and here she was, floating just before her, radiant and amazing.