The same dark depth entered so many times before; for the first time fully consciously. Here retreated there would be none to harm him. The infinite black, the endless expanse, a prison he had built time and time again the seat to his throne relinquished. He was unbothered and untethered floating freely within the vault. Out there was the thing that existed within, the one that had for so many years now; a devil trusted. Kordaminak had warned Carl of the consequences. This spell was extremely powerful and all spells came with a cost even if not immediately obvious. Weaker spells required that which could easily be replenished, Carl gazed down. His feet caused ripples wherever they stepped and in that ripple a reflection formed. That of a weathered beaten down old man.

“Was it worth it?” The words were strange, unnatural even though there had only ever been one to talk to him within the annals of his own mind but this was not that voice. These words were spoken to him by the same person who had made that deal all those years ago. Thinking back it became more obvious what bargaining power he held. Kordaminak was a devil dying one who’d been sent along with the very things threatening to destroy Carl’s village and his wife. Carl only had one thought and it was a simple one ‘I have to save my wife’ all else failed him. He had not understood at that moment that the devil would’ve done anything not to die that day, anything that would give it a chance at living. Carl was blinded but down here in the deep it was all so clear.

“Was it worth it?” The same question, the same voice and yet subtly different. As if to say that his thought was wrong. The battle that had decided everything was so long ago. There was so much of it that had become blurred. Forgotten by time or on purpose? The waters trembled, evidence of the battle that waged outside. There was the deal that could have given him freedom, a new chance at life. He had squandered that when he banished Orcus. Kordaminak would’ve risen to heights beyond Carl’s imagination. He would’ve been able to spend time with his wife, he still had so much life to live back then. The waters trembled heavily forcing Carl to see once more the old man that stares back.

“Was it worth it?” The question was more gentle, more leading trying to get him to see. Carl gazed for a long moment, within the trembling waters was more than the old man. There were the sights of the battle unfolding. A tug of war fought on three different fronts. Lixiss fighting Demise&Devotion, Agazuul dashing across the battlefield taking out threats before they become too much and Kordaminak holding back wrath made flesh a demon whose raw power seemed endless each taken blow adding to his strength. The waters trembled and fingers reached out towards him breaking the water tension.

“Was it worth it?” The old man asked, pushing himself out of the water. Carl gazed upon the man standing in front of him slack jawed.

“Tell me the truth.” The old man pleaded. Carl kicked the water the ripples showed a sight Carl had taken comfort in many times before. Natalie, his wife holding in arms a swaddling babe.

“It could be.” Carl answered. He looked at the old man again and recognised his features, the man looked as if he could be his grandfather. Carl understood it was himself, he had always understood it was the cost but part of him didn’t want to accept that truth that fought it even if it was inevitable.

“It will be.” Carl said with conviction looking up to see the one winged devil floating between two red orbs. The battle was being fought with his sacrifice. The old man looked at Carl scratching his head as hair came loose, his laughs sent teeth clattering out of their gums and skin turned a pasty white soon the old man was no more than skin stretched over bone.

“I know the price…” Carl said less convinced. The bundle of flesh and bones regrew, a younger Carl one in the prime of his life. Shirtless, endless lashings across his back.

“Do you?” The young Carl asked his words filled with pain and accusation.

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“Years lost, years given; power taken.” Carl answered. He was unsure if he’d be able to hold onto the prize he’d won but now he knew that his deal was the right call. In the utter and complete calmness of this temporary haven inside his mind all seemed so clear. He would not live long even if he made it through this battle, but it would all be worth it to see her again, to hold Natalie within his arms even just one last time. Kordaminak looked down at him with a smile and as Carl looked back to his younger counterpart he noticed it had disappeared.

“Get up here!” Kordaminak shouted as he focused through the red orbs again. Carl reached out his hands towards Kordaminak and a pillar rose beneath his feet lifting him towards the devil inside his mind.

“What is it?” Carl asked, not unkindly.

“The rest is up to you.” Kordaminak said and gestured to Carl to look through the red orbs. Carl saw wrath made flesh cloven in twain the burning sword of Kordaminak resting in the head of the demon.

“Will you not help me fight, Scortas?” Carl asked.

“I told you, you weren’t ready. Your candle burned hot and bright. Too bright and too hot. There is little that remains of you…” Kordaminak said as he raised a pillar with his right hand, the old man looked even more feeble than when he first broke the water.

“You were too weak!” Kordaminak said his words almost sounded regretful.

“We both know I’m a coward. Fear would’ve paralyzed me. Cost me my life…both our lives.” Carl said, the expression on Kordaminak’s face told Carl he understood.

“You think bravery is the absence of fear? Don’t you? You absolute fool! Why do you think I entered your mind? Do you think there was no one else in that entire village that I could have swayed to my cause for even less of a reward? Is that what you think?” Any semblance of kindness had fled his words.

“You showed courage, you showed promise. You knew the cost, realized all that it implied and you still took the deal. You had it that day. You hide that fact away, underneath the dirty sop. You were afraid, terrified and you pushed beyond that because you valued the life of your wife beyond the cost of your life. Bravery isn’t the absence of fear.” He continued some kindness seeping into those last words.

“Bravery is beyond fear, to be brave is to feel fear and choose to act in spite of that fear and even with that fear.” Carl said, feeling himself steeled by the words.

“I do not feel any less afraid, but I am ready.” Carl continued. Kordaminak nodded his approval, grabbing Carl and shoving him back between the orbs.

His vision swam as the sights, sounds and smell of everything around him overwhelmed him. He had known of nothing for what felt like a delicious eternity and now he was thrust once more into the realm of the dead.

“What’s going on!” He shouted his tongue thick and hard to maneuver to form the words, his words strange to hear.

“Agazuul didn’t come back from the northwest door!” Lixiss shouted back leaving out all the rest. Her giant form had revealed bone and torn muscle and yet she fought on sweat was heavy on her brow and her face had taken a paler shade. He looked upon this all and realized that it didn’t paralyze him or trap him within his thoughts. Fear had come and it had flowed through his muscles, showing its signs and its costs and with a heavy breath he crafted a misty portal from where he stood to the door. Out came Agazuul with a smile.

“Hey friend!” Those words had immediately given him away. Purple flame formed a ball in Carl’s hand and became a geyser which engulfed this pretender. It roared and screamed as it melted revealing its glassy form. Carl rushed into the room and saw the mirror. Many often mistakenly think that warding magic is weak magic. It deflects and sometimes negates powerful spells. Warding magic at its core is about unleashing a well of energy so powerful it unravels the very structure of what keeps a spell together. Warding magic is reserved for the most powerful of casters and they’re more than happy to be underestimated. Carl touched the outside of the mirror, it was an ancient powerful artifact that had served its master for untold millennia and with one warding spell all of its magic became unraveled. Agazuul fell out of the mirror, eyes crazed.

“How long was I in there? Oh gods Carl is here to save me?! Is Lixiss dead? Did we lose?”

“It has just begun.” Agazuul looked flummoxed at those words of Carl but it had relit the fire that burned like the fury of the hells.