Further into the night, after dark…

I’m back in Arcadia… in the sacred heart of the World Tree. Again. Oh, fuck me.

The darkness here is thicker than ever, shrouding the place in deathly palls of black. Trails of deep purple smoke slither past like shadowy serpents, brushing against my skin and making it crawl. The shattered clock remains silent and utterly dark.

Good grief. Grim doesn’t begin to cover it. It’s not a good feeling, I’ll say. In fact… it’s pissing me off! Damn it! I…

But then, I stop myself, collect my thoughts… and think of Anna. Her suggestion, her promise: that she’d be by my side to kill every Demon Lord in every corner of existence. Even here. Just imagining her beside me, standing shoulder to shoulder – it’s… calming.

“Love what you’ve done with the place,” I say, forcing a smile through gritted teeth as the Demon Lord appears, a dark parody of myself cloaked in deathly shadows. “Think you could make it any darker if you tried?”

“It wasn’t all me! This place is our shared space, remember?” the Demon Lord replies, grinning sharply. “It is what it is… isn’t it? But it does get rather boring, sometimes…”

“Feel free to fuck off anytime.”

“If only it were that simple, eh?”

“Maybe you’re just not trying hard enough.”

“Or perhaps…” the Demon Lord says, its grin widening, “You want to be here, ‘Hero’. Subconsciously, you do! After all, you’re the one who sought me out this time.”

“Bullshit.”

“You think so? Only you know where I wait in this house of ours, dreaming…” the Demon Lord continues, sneering. “It’s a real shame you’ve yet to remember – talking to you in your current state of mind can be rather… vexing, if you will.”

“Remember what?”

“The truth, of course. What else?”

“Oh, fuck off with your riddles.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“In time, you’ll remember everything. But for now… you’ve got questions for me, don’t you?” the Demon Lord adds, voice cold and cutting. “You’ve been doing a lot of thinking… as mortals are wont to do. Why else would you have returned to me?”

I cross my arms, frowning as it watches me intently. Fine. I admit it – I do have questions. Since Anna and I left the Vineyard… things have been gnawing at me. Y’know, stuff like the Shadow Fiend and the look it gave me as Anna slew it. And then there was the orb of darkness it left behind – that vanished, leaving nothing but a dark whisper in my mind promising the power of… Mind Control.

“To your first question,” the Demon Lord begins with a sly sneer. “Our presence serves as a beacon for our lesser brethren. That Shadow Fiend was but a mere scout attuned to the fractures between worlds, drawn irresistibly to the presence of its Lord.”

“How the fuck did you…”

“As I’ve said, we are as one. I am you, and you are me. Here, nothing is hidden… and in the dark, everything is laid bare. I can’t lie to you, just as you can’t lie to me.”

“The hell you are!” I snap. “Let’s get one thing straight – you aren’t me, and I sure as hell ain’t you! Bastard.”

The Demon Lord throws back its head and laughs – a manic, grating sound that echoes through the darkness. I cross my arms tighter, rolling my eyes and forcing myself to wait it out. I gotta say, that bastard knows exactly how to get under my skin. Worse, the laughter… it sounds just like mine. Kind of. Not that I could ever laugh like that. It’s too... evil!

Hmph. Credit where it’s due, I suppose.

“Oh my. You swear a lot, don’t you?” the Demon Lord says finally, wiping an imaginary tear. “You do that when you’re nervous… when you’re afraid? Is that right?”

“Fuck you.”

“Hmph. My point exactly. Oh, but where were we? Ah, yes… your second question.”

“Yeah, if you’d be so kind to humour me.”

The Demon Lord smirks as a familiar orb of black energy materialises in its hand. “You’re curious about that too, aren’t you? Mind Control.”

“How the fuck did you…”

“You thought it vanished, didn’t you? But no – it’s a part of you now. Part of us.”

“Explain.”

“It’s a perk of having me around. Tap into your Mana, will it… and it shall be so. Whoever you choose must bend to your command.”

“I don’t need or want that greasy Demon shit,” I snap. “It’ll damn my soul.”

“Oh, I understand your aversion,” it sneers. “But when the time comes – when you truly need it – you’ll change your tune. As did I, once.”

“Don’t count on it.”

“We’ll see about that,” the Demon Lord replies smugly. “You never know when bending someone’s will might prove… useful.”

“Not my style.”

“For now,” the Demon Lord answers, chuckling. “But remember this – in your time of need… the darkness offers salvation. In time, you’ll remember this as well.”

“Good to know, asshole.”

And just like that… I’m awake. Back in my room at the Chantry of Eternal Light, staring at the ceiling. The familiar shadows of the night linger, but my heart isn’t racing this time. I feel… fine.

Good grief. Maybe I’m getting used to these encounters. I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing. Probably bad.

Outside the window, the world is still dark. There’s time yet before dawn and morning prayers. For now, I can sink back into the comfort of my bed. It’s not much… but it’ll do.