Tasteful Darkness

Chapter 40

Balendin - Now

When I reach the alleyway, the mark I'm looking for is barely visible. It's a small marking, no larger than a coin, but its importance is immeasurable. This is the point where the Underworld leaked in and stole Adrian back into its depths. Even such a small breach is enough for me to slip into.

But once I return to such a place, I cannot come back. Not only will my creator make sure of it, but my human form will be reduced to nothing but a memory. I will have nothing to return to.

I swallow my fear and crouch down, reaching my finger towards the marking. The darkness inside of me is already reacting, hungry to return to the Underworld. The moment my finger brushes the mark, the skin around my fingertip dissipates to reveal the dark shadows of my form.

Curse the Night.

The darkness doesn't stop. It spreads up my entire arm as my human form begins cracking and disintegrating in front of my eyes. As it does, the mark on the ground turns into a sizable hole and my entire hand slips into it, throwing me off balance. I fall forward into the darkness before I can fight back.

✧ ✧ ✧

It's like I never left. In a moment, my Guard body is recharged as it is welcomed back to its home. The endless hunger I am so used to feeling is gone.

I open my eyes and see nothing but an endless dark sky above me. I go to stand, only to stop when I register my body. My true body. It's covered in a veil of darkness, from my strong legs to the tips of my clawed fingers.

I manage to find my footing, looking out at the Underworld in front of me. I woke up on a cliff's edge, which allows me to look down at the thousands of souls wandering below me. All of them walk so slowly, as if they have to drag themselves through thick mud.

Despite the sight of souls, my eyes are drawn to the River cutting through the crowds. I can see the souls floating in it, even from here. I can only imagine how long some of them have been stuck in the place of no memories.

The moment I go to leave the cliff, I feel a darkness beside me. Instinctively, I straighten my posture and turn to face them.

"Creator," I say, reminded of what my voice sounds like. Even after all these centuries, I never thought I would forget the sound of my own voice.

"Balendin," they say, surprise coating their words. "Why are you here?"

I turn to look at them. "I cannot apologize enough, my creator," I say, trying my best to sound genuine. "I should have never argued. I should have returned when you said."

I expect them to ridicule me for failing and shout at me for returning without a soul clutched in my palms, but they remain silent, the gold of their eyes calculating. If anything, the silence is worse than if they were berating me.

"There is nothing for me to say," they finally tell me. "I am only happy that you finally realized your place."

I lower my head in submission. "I am so sorry."

"There is no room for that here," they say, and I raise my head. "Apologize by doing what I created you to do."

I nod once.

They stay in front of me for a moment longer, their gaze lingering on mine. Their emotions remain, as always, unreadable. I don't know what they're going to do until they straighten themselves and nod once.

"Good."

Then they leave, dissipated into dark mist. The moment they're gone, I turn my attention back towards the cliff and leap off without hesitation. My Guard form slides down the side with ease, my claws digging into the black rock and aiding me down to the ground. My gaze stalks the horizon, looking for any sign of Peter.

The sight of wandering souls is so familiar yet so strange and new. As a human's time in the Underworld goes on, they begin to look less and less like a human. When they first arrive, they glow brighter than anything else, and look nearly identical to their human form in the Overworld. Overtime, their skin grows gray, their body losing its life and turning into a husk of what used to be.

It appears this faction is brimming with the recently deceased. I mutter a curse and begin making my way through the crowds, sliding in between bodies while keeping my eyes vigilant.

Before I can get out of the way, a wandering soul bumps into me. The moment their form brushes against mine, they shudder and stare at me with their eyeless gaze. I have to look away, the sight unnerving, and continue forward.

Even after existing in the Underworld for so long, I never got used to the gaze of souls. They look so human except for their missing eyes—one of the things that creates human connection.

Time fades away as I search for Peter. What he looks like doesn't matter, I know I will recognize him the moment I see him.

I finally stop after wandering for ages. Souls continue to aimlessly walk past, deadly silent and never daring to get close to me. At least they're conscious enough to leave me alone.

Peter is nowhere to be found. I would curse the Night if I weren't in her domain once again.

A chill runs up my spine as my gaze falls upon the River. I didn't realize I had strayed so close to it. Even from here I can see its crowded depths, thousands of souls stuck in an endless loop of forgotten memories.

I step closer, peering over the edge. The water is calm, strikingly different from the chaos that awaits me as soon as I touch the surface.

Then I spot it. A singular light in the blending darkness. A soul that couldn't have been here for longer than a few Overworld hours.

I stand utterly still, running through the options in my mind. It will be like pain I've never known, but I will still be coherent. I will remember what I'm meant to do.

Something inside me pounds as I lower myself towards the River's edge.

Peter, Peter, Peter. I repeat his name over and over in my mind to not even risk forgetting.

I close my eyes, listening to the silence of the Underworld for a moment longer. Then, my form nearly trembling with trepidation, I leap forward and plunge into the River's depths.