Argent Eye IV

57

I landed hard on my knees with a thump, not seeing anything at first. My eyes were filled with black, and for a moment, I was worried I'd gone blind. What if the darkness had somehow damaged my eyes? I wasn't sure if fusion could go as far as to heal something so complex.

But, after I blinked a few times, my surroundings started to come into focus, if not very slowly.

The first thing I noticed was that I was kneeling on grass. I looked up, and of course, I was in Greenwich Park. We were in a clearing, and it was beginning to get dark. Given that nobody was about, I assumed that it was past closing time.

Well, except for one person. Haydn was sat leaning against a tree, and looked exactly how I felt.

Exhausted.

Whatever stunt he'd just pulled to get me here probably took a lot of energy, and me trying to resist it had completely drained me, too.

However, my exhaustion was just tiredness. I could sleep it off. Haydn's, on the other hand, was as a result of him dying. The Realm was probably nearing its tether when it came to supporting Haydn, and until Haydn got the darkness, he was going to continue dying.

"Finally." He sighed, looking up and seeing me kneeling there. He was pale, his skin sticky with sweat. The darkness was pooled around his hands, as it was around mine, and there was no dismissing it this time. I couldn't make it go away. "You never make things easy for me, Millie." He started to get up, and as much as I wanted to batter him, I couldn't find the strength. I mean, what was I gonna do? Slap him?

It was tempting, I'll admit, but it would be a waste of my energy.

Haydn then walked towards me, until I was sat there looking at his knees.

"I'm glad you saw sense, though." He continued. "I'd hate to think what killing your friends would do to your mental health, especially if they died at your hands."

I looked up at him then, only to see him smiling. He was enjoying this. Seeing me at my knees. Knowing that I'd given in, and let him take me. But I had no words for him.

"Nothing to say to that?" He asked, and then shrugged. "You really have changed."

"What do you want?" I finally asked.

"Ah, well, funny you should ask that." He said. "I've been thinking about what it takes to find the darkness, and came to realise that the only way to find the darkness is by using the darkness. But my darkness alone is not enough. I need you to help me draw it from wherever it's lurking."

I scoffed. "If you think I'm gonna help you, then you're wrong." I said.

"I don't need your willingness, Millie." He tutted. "Only your darkness. And, unfortunately, you're not gonna get a choice. The darkness inside you wants to be united with the rest of it just as much as I do. There's no light to keep you grounded this time."

And with that, he held a hand down to me. I pulled a face, and obviously didn't take it, but another force was working against me. I felt my arm being controlled and pulled upwards by the darkness, and gasped as a short but intense wave of pain shot through it.

"You might as well just work with me." Haydn said. "It'll be a lot less painful, and easier."

Once again, I kept my mouth shut, but took Haydn's hand and let him pull me to my feet.

"Come, take a walk with me." He said, and so I did.

We walked in silence for a couple of moments, just through Greenwich Park. I was trying to think of something I could do, but nothing came to mind. The darkness was so prevalent that there was no way I could access any of my other elements, and it wasn't even like I could use the darkness against him anymore.