Sometimes It's Even Darker

Chapter 15 - When Hero Cries

The day is sunny and warm, as lazy as many previous ones. „This is the only place on Earth where the time stops and everything remains the same forever”, Tobi thinks while sitting on the porch and making the last emendations in the lyrics to new Edguy album.
Aethernia knows what he is creating but she seems to be so sure about his unability to escape that she doesn't say anything and she lets him do it. „But I will use these lyrics sooner or later. There must be a way out and I will discover it. I just need more time.”
The air is shaking a bit so he raises his head and looks searchingly at the sky. As he narrows his eyes, he cannot prevent himself from screaming:
- Aethie? You must see something!
This phrase always works, so Aethernia appears beside him a few seconds later, her eyes are full of apprehension and mistrust.
- Hm?
- Look at the attic window. Can you see it too?
- Oh shit – she sums up – I knew they are spawning. I knew there's more of them everyday.
Ghostlights are flowing through the air indolently, reaching the opened window and disappearing inside. Both Tobi and Aethernia realise that these aren't hers. These are almost transparent.
- You didn't create them, Aethie. They are coming from the outside.
- I surmised it. There's only one way now. We have to close them inside and shut their entrance.
- Cool. At least something interesting is happening – Tobi laughs – Let me do it. I must entertain somehow.
Aethernia doesn't answer so he climbs the rail and moves on dexterously to the roof. He stands his feet carefully between the tiles as he slowly clambers to the top. For a short while he wonders whether he impresses her but then he realises that she follows him quietly.
„Everything is perfectly normal again”, he thinks.
They reach the attic window without problems and Tobi bends down to shut it when Aethernia suddenly embraces him, cuddling his back and whispering to his ear:
- Please, hurry up. Curl up as much as you can and shut this fuckin'... - suddenly she yelps piercingly.
The awarness of what is going on hits him so strongly that he feels paralyzed for a while.
„She shields my back and lets them take her soul instead of mine. She protects me. Oh God, I cannot accept it!”
But then he realises that if he started to fight with them they'd both fall and leave the window opened. With a strong twing he tries to close the ghostlights' entrance but it jams so Tobi yanks it the hardest he can. He almost falls down when the window crashes suddenly. The dance of ghostlights begins. He can see how these closed inside the attic rampage wildly.
Aethernia howls again, this time the soud is much quieter. Tobi turns towards her, embraces her strongly and slides down the roof. He holds his breath when he has to jump, but they both fall safely on the porch. Furious ghostlights follow them so he grasps her inert body and runs inside the house. He locks the door.
When his heart calms down a little Tobi can hear a silent weep. He hugs Aethernia the hardest he can, feeling extremely remorseful and guilty.
- It's all right, my angel – he whispers – They won't hurt you now. We just have to stay a few days inside. They will go away. I promise.
- How can you be sure they won't permeate the layer of wood at last? They will. We are one step from death... Tobi! - she screams suddenly, clenching her palms on his arms heavily – This void is killing me!
He can feel his heartbeat in his throat right now as he knows it's his fault.
- Breathe calmly. The void will disappear, I'm here with you. I won't leave you now, my angel.
He kisses her forehead and starts to sing.
Aethernia calms down when she hears the first sounds of his lullaby.