A Hero in the Dark: 2nd Edition

Chapter 44: An Enchantment to Yield

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asks Ella. I'm not. It's just that... listening to what Five said... somehow, it reminded me what I set out to do in the first place: I left home to change events, not go along with them, to change the bad and embrace the good, and just because things get worse doesn't mean I've failed. I can try again. After all, I know what Setrákus Ra wants; so what if we're lost in space? If there's one thing I learned from Ella's pre-told destiny, it's that there are millions of possible futures. If one fails, another replaces it. If one succeeds, well, that's all I need.

"I'm just trying," I tell her, and knock on the door. It opens wide and inward. I hoped he would still be here, but Five isn't anymore; I don't know where he flew off to. "I'm trying to survive."

"I didn't think you'd be changing your mind so soon," he says, almost gleefully, I think.

"Well, I am," I say while we walk into the room, hand in hand. "Look, I don't know how we're going to make this work; I meant what I said. I don't want to use this Legacy if it means seeing you over and over. I don't know how you're going to train me without me using this power, but I'm willing to try... just... don't try any of that shit you did again. I'm not planning on talking or giving up anything more for you. If you do, then... consider this 'alliance' over."

He nods. "Understood." I'm surprised by the level of agreement in his tone. "I give you my word; I will not imprison either of you here with me. You are both free to traverse the Anubis whenever you desire, but first, I need you to do something for me."

"What's that?"

"A test to your loyalty."

"A test?" Ella wonders.

"Indeed," he says, reaching for his staff leaning against the wall. "If you truly wish to join me, I need proof that you will not betray me."

I stare until I realize what he must be referring to, then shake my head. "I'm not bowing to you. Not yet, I mean."

"No. Of course not," he says and adds, almost exactly as I said it, "Not yet." His eyes shift from me to Ella. "First, you need to be able to resist. You have a habit of interfering, Emily. I believe you and your father both share this trait. You must be able to fight the temptation of your own stubbornness." I hate the way he brings dad into this, or how he knows so much about me.

"Ok..."

He brings his staff forward and I take a voluntary step back. Setrákus closes his eyes and starts speaking in a strange alien tongue. I don't know what language it is just like I have no idea what he's doing; all I can guess is that it's Mogadorian.

As soon as he starts chanting, the eye of his staff starts glowing. I wish I could put it out of sight; I don't want to look at its red glint any longer than I need to. "What—What are you doing?"

He doesn't answer, but the orb begins to concentrate into a ball of red fire. It pulses, gleams, almost like it's alive, pushing and pulling... until it flies!

It flies out of the staff's eye, through the crystal, and a ball of light speeds at us faster than a comet, zipping left and right, up, down, anywhere but backwards. It's hard to keep track of. It's a blur. It's like it has a mind of its own. "What's happening?!" Ella cries.

"I don't know," I say, trying to watch it and him. He's still focused on his prayer of sorts though. "What are you doing?!"

The red blur screams as it flies past us—once, twice, thrice—I dart around trying to follow it but quickly lose track. I try to keep Ella behind me, try my best to make sure she stays that way, but this thing's so fast. "Stop!" I shout. "Stop this!"

The weight of a brick pulls me down. Not a brick. Red blur. It catches my ankle, my right ankle; catches it and it stays. My weight comes out from under me, and I fall to the floor, hitting my butt with a yelp. I clutch at my ankle where the thing burns into my skin. "Emily!" Its heat increases every second like a dial on a voltage box, turning up, up, up, until my ankle feels struck by lightning, like it's on fire!!! I check it but it's not. I can't keep quiet. I can't keep still. My screams intensify. As time passes—there's no way to tell how much time specifically—I lose my breath.

"STOP!" I yell as tears blur my vision. "PLEASE...!"

Setrákus Ra open his eyes at the peak of my cries, right when I think I can't handle anymore. He walks forward, kneels, and holds the back of my head. I don't fight his touch; it helps me breathe, if only a little. I just want the scorching pain to stop, somehow, some way, and being forced to keep still in his hand is a relief to the pain. "I knew you couldn't resist," he says, overtly calm. "In truth, this was not to test your loyalty, Emily. This is insurance—for me."

"What? What're you talking about? I thought—We had a deal!"

"We do," he assures. "Now it is confirmed." He stands up again, stands and leaves me, and waits. I drop my head, breathing short and ragged breaths. I know he's waiting for me to meet his gaze, but I just don't. I can't. "Emily, are you familiar with the Eye of Thaloc?" My stomach drains of any strength I have left, and dread and fear replace it. He smiles, and by his smile, I know he sees that I do. "It's an ancient artifact known only to the Loric," he explains, as easy as a teacher would to a student. "It belonged to their kind for centuries. Do you know what it does?"

I gulp, suck in a breath, but it doesn't help. "Please," I mutter, in a sleepy singsong voice. "Don't—Don't do this."

He leaves his staff against the wall, and as if he's just committed some magic spell, the pain in my ankle starts to fade. "Not to worry, child," he says. "You needn't be afraid. By the time you wake up, you shouldn't feel a thing."