Hush

Chapter Twenty-Eight

In the few minutes that had followed them being basically tossed out they had discovered that the house seemed to be whistling, almost screaming, but so much more quiet.

"Hush, you know what you found, right? The Soulstone," Rune told him.

"What?"

"The Soulstone. You know, the one they've been looking for for Centuries? You found it. That's it," Rune clarified.

"Why would it be in the house?" Hush asked, looking at Rune again. "Do you think someone could've put it there?"

"It's possible," Rune stated and then sighed, looking back at the house. "There's only one way to expell that much darkness."

"An equal amount of light," Hush replied, slowly standing up, handing the stone to Rune. "I'm going to go back in, and whatever happens, don't go in until the light fades completely."

"Hush, no, what are you--"

"Just listen. Don't go in, okay? Please?"

Rune was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. "Okay."

Hush smiled slightly and nodded as well. "Thank you," he said quietly before turning around and striding towards the house, placing one hand on the door. "Here goes nothing."

~~~

Stepping inside, Hush expected to be pulled at, shrouded in darkness. But... nothing. Nothing at all.

The door closed behind him as he got to the middle of the room, looking around. The house wasn't even shifting. Nothing was happening.

Now or never.

Hush reached back into his mind, where the magic was, pulling it to the front. He clasped the pendant around his neck in his hand, closing his eyes, breathing out slowly. I can do this.

He saw the light hit his eyelids, saw it as it grew brighter and brighter. Soon, his feet left the floor, leaving him hanging midair. The light was growing brighter, he could feel it resonating around him, inside him.

It was as alive as the darkness was.

It reached out, fighting the darkness. Hush could hear the darkness screaming, howling, the light searing it. He could feel it pushing back, and as it did he pressed on, determined to rid the house of darkness, bathe it in light.

He spread his arms out, letting the light wash over him. He could feel it against his skin, warm, almost burning. He could feel it tugging at him, pulling at everything he had. He let the light have it.

He felt weightless, utterly and entirely weightless. He felt the light emptying him of the energy he had. He felt it grow, heard the screaming, the howling. He felt the wind shoving against him, moving him ever so slightly.

He clasped his pendant in his hand, driving the magic in it out of it. He felt a pressure in his head and wholly ignored it.

He heard his named being called around him, from everywhere around him. It was just an illusion. Just an illusion. Rune had promised to stay outside. His parents were at home or working. The house had to be trying to play a trick on him. It was a trick.

It was always tricks.

The voices soon went away and Hush was beginning to see spots. They were dark, growing and fading. He felt the pressure grow, becoming a stabbing pain. He gripped the pendant tighter. Just a little more. He knew it. The howls and screams were fading.

And then one burst out above all the others, tearing, piercing. At the same time, Hush felt a sharp, brutal pain go through his head. His whole body tightened, his eyes were screwed shut.

The screaming was coming from him.

His muscles knotted, he twisted as if trying to escape the grasp of the pain that had a hold of him.

Slowly, he crumpled to the ground as he sank into the sea of black.