The Light in the Dark ✓

Chapter 16.1 The Past

Eight years ago

It was a disaster. Cassius was watching helplessly as the Ritual transformed into something that he had no words to describe. The Mages were screaming in agony, unable to do anything to stop the inevitable. The light accumulated in the very centre of the square was blinding. But all around them, the reality was wavering. Dark shadowy creatures were lurking there and shrieking. The air itself was glimmering, showing glimpses of some other place. Dark, cold, and unfamiliar. It felt like the whole world was coming apart around him.

'Inquisitors! Protect the Mages!' he barked the order. At the exact moment, one of the Shadows separated from the coiling darkness and jumped at the immobilised Mage with an otherworldly shriek that sent creeps down Cassius' spine. The Mage became limp, and his skin instantly turned ashen while the creature devoured his Light and grew bigger and darker. The knight rushed at it, but their swords made the beast no harm.

Cassius watched, terrified as more and more creatures were slipping into his world and latching into the Mages like leeches, feeding on their inner Light. And they could do nothing to stop it. Cassius growled and unsheathed his sword. He'd be damned if he goes down without a fight. But how can you beat the monster immune to steel?

One of the Shadows jumped at him, but before it could reach him, he was pierced by the arrow made of light. The creature shrieked and turned to dust. Cassius looked surprised at a young Mage who stood nearby. Not all of them took part in this cursed Ritual.

'Seneschal!' the Mage shouted over the screams of dying and ungodly howls of monsters. 'Use the fire! Only light and fire might hurt them!'

Cassius nodded. 'Gather all remaining Mages and keep the monsters away as long as you can! Inquisitors! Form the wall and grab the torches! Make sure none of those things leaves the perimeter!'

The fight was tedious and brutal. Before they managed to get the situation under control, most of the Mages taking part in the ritual were dead already. They set nearby buildings on fire to keep the Shadows from spreading towards the rest of the city.

Cassius was bone tired. All his muscles shook from exhaustion and fighting all day long. He ventured to one of the alleyways leading toward the rest of the city to make sure no Shadows were lurking there. But instead of the otherworldly creatures, he found the Grand Inquisitor sitting on the street and leaning heavily on the wall of the building. His breath was rasped, and half of his body was blue and covered with frost. That's what happened when the Shadow touched you but haven't managed to suck out your soul completely.

Cassius kneeled beside his superior. 'Grand Inquisitor.'

The man opened his eyes with visible effort. 'Seneschal. Good to see you. I thought it was my end for sure. I need a medic, swiftly.'

Cassius has not moved. He was only looking at the other man, his grey eyes cold and calculating. 'This is all your fault, you know.'

'What?' the Grand Inquisitor's brows shot up. 'What are you babbling about, boy? I need a medic, right now!'

Cassius gestured to the burning ruins all around them. 'This. The Ritual, the massacre that followed. The burned city. All of it.'

'Cassius...' the older man rasped, fear showing for the first time in his bloodshot eyes.

'You are weak. You should have stood your ground on that council. You should have never let this damn thing happen!'

'I told you, there was nothing we could do....'

'No, you're wrong. It's because of the weak people like you, we are in this mess now. And if you keep leading the Inquisition, we will never survive what's coming.' Cassius unsheathed the dagger from his belt.