Dance of the Damned

Ninety-Two

Blinne orbed all of us back to camp, with Mozzie carrying Andre's lifeless body. In the background, Rorie's screams echoed, but they felt distant, as if everything was happening in a haze. The Bond between Zeddicus and me tugged at me, drawing me towards him. I could sense that he was barely holding on to his life and sanity. I couldn't ignore it; instead, I felt compelled to follow the pull to our shared tent, where Zeddicus lay on the bed, his hands tied to the headboard. Nailah and Dean stood by his side.

"Why the hell is he tied up?" I asked, anger seeping into my words. It pained me to see Zeddicus endure days of torture and confinement. How could they do this to him?

"He was becoming violent," Dean explained, his discomfort evident. "We had no choice. He seems to believe that none of this is real, that it's all in his head. Kalyani must have used an Insight to manipulate his mind and implant false scenarios."

"Insight?" I inquired, taking a seat on the other side of the bed, my gaze fixed on Zeddicus as Nailah attempted to heal him. He was clad in nothing but shorts, his body covered in deep cuts and wounds, some of which appeared infected or poisoned. At least now we were back on Ardor territory, where he couldn't die, but how long would it take for him to recover from such horrific injuries? I had witnessed numerous wounds before, but none as severe as this.

"Insight is a type of Hellion that can infiltrate your mind and manipulate your thoughts," Dean explained. "Some people have become clinically insane because of it. I don't know how we can bring him back to reality."

"Do you think I can use The Bond?" I asked, considering the telepathic connection I shared with Zeddicus.

"You can try. You have a strong telepathic connection with him. Nailah administered some powerful sedatives to keep him unconscious. I would attempt it while he's asleep and not thrashing about," Dean suggested.

"But how do I do it? I don't know how," I admitted, frustration welling up inside me. I despised my lack of knowledge compared to those around me. Instead of indulging in smutty books at Ardor Castle and the Grim Cave, I should have dedicated more time to researching important matters like this.

"I can assist you," Octavia replied, entering the tent with an exhausted demeanor. She wore Ardor fighting scales, and her turquoise eyes were marked with dark circles. Her long, straight white hair was tangled, with knots and traces of blood.

"You should be with Rorie right now," I expressed concern. "She needs you."

"Neo, Verlee, and Blinne are all with her. If we wait too long, Zeddicus could be lost within the illusions of his mind forever," Octavia explained, joining me on the bed. "I can use my magic to strengthen you and guide you through his mind, but you have to be prepared. You will witness things you'd rather not see. Horrific things."

"Like what?" I inquired.

"Zeddicus is over five hundred years old. He has done terrible things, driven by various motivations, some justified and some not. Once you break through the illusions, you may encounter the deepest horrors within his mind," Octavia warned, pushing her hair back into a messy bun. "Once when you find him you must convince him to come back to us. It is crucial that you maintain your concentration and refrain from reacting to what you see. One wrong move, and you could be trapped inside his mind forever, both of you lost to us."

"If that happens—"

"It won't," Octavia interrupted firmly.

"Should it occur, all the creatures imprisoned in the Ardor dungeons need to be unleashed during the final battle. Zeddicus already has binding deals with three of them. Put Blinne in charge of everything. We cannot allow Kalyani to win this war. She would bring destruction upon everything and everyone," I expressed, attempting to control my rising anxiety. What if I failed to help Zeddicus, and we both became trapped within his consciousness indefinitely?

Octavia nodded in understanding, refraining from arguing about the creatures in the basement. "I will ensure that we do everything in our power. Time is of the essence. You must maintain physical contact with him."

Without further ado, I stretched out beside Zeddicus, using his chest as a makeshift pillow. I despised seeing him tied up; it felt inhumane. Octavia took one of my hands in both of hers and closed her eyes. I followed suit.

"Sense The Bond," Octavia instructed, her voice serene. "Allow it to beckon and draw you in. When darkness attempts to engulf you, do not resist. Embrace it. Dive into the darkness without fear or doubt."

I followed her instructions and sensed the strong connection between us. Despite his unconscious state, I could feel his physical and mental anguish. I allowed myself to delve deeper into The Bond, surrendering to the darkness just as Octavia had advised. It was a profound darkness, devoid of any beginning or end, devoid of emotions, only a numbing void. I willingly allowed myself to be drawn further into this abyss until suddenly, I found myself standing in the throne room of Benevol Castle. Zeddicus, bound and restrained like a captive beast, faced a man with black hair and gray skin, who pressed his hands against his temples.

I recognized that this was just an illusion, not the Zeddicus I sought. I knew that I needed to locate his soul, not a mere figment of his memory. However, I also understood that I had to observe this illusion in order to overcome it. The scene shifted before my eyes, and I witnessed the same illusion that Zeddicus had experienced. He saw me racing towards him, intent on freeing him from his chains in the empty throne room.

"What are you doing? Leave this place. They will surely kill you," he cautioned as I supported him against my shoulders, trying to guide us out of there.

"I could never abandon you. You must know that," the illusory version of myself reassured him, as they passed right through me, oblivious to my presence.

Suddenly, the doors of the throne room burst open, and a horde of guards stormed in, forcibly separating us. Zeddicus attempted to resist, but his weakened state prevented him from harnessing his magical abilities or assuming his Grim form. Helplessly, he watched in terror as the monstrous guards tore my body apart before his eyes.

This recurring nightmare unfolded before me, each repetition appearing as a rapid fast-forward in front of my eyes. Every time, it concluded with the guards mercilessly ending my life in Zeddicus' presence. I could feel that this illusion had plagued his mind for years, despite only passing days in our reality.

On several occasions, he attempted to seize any object as a weapon before the guards arrived, but their overwhelming numbers and his weakened state made it impossible to defend us. Regrettably, there were instances where I witnessed him become my executioner, using the very chains I had used to liberate him to strangle me, his face contorted with grief. The torment seemed endless.

I remained motionless and unresponsive, ensuring that I didn't fall into the trap of this illusion. My priority was to rescue Zeddicus from this psychological prison and return him to the real world. Eventually, the illusion shattered, and I navigated through the darkness until I reached a humble wooden hut. Inside, the anguished screams of a man echoed alongside the sounds of a weeping woman and children. Taking a deep breath, I approached the cabin, opened the door, and stepped inside.