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The Light in Death
Strength Reigns

Strength Reigns

I fell toward a stone floor but slowed my descent and landed on my feet. Torches lined the walls, lighting the chamber. In front of me was a stone altar with a group of people wearing metal collars chained to the floor beyond it. A black glow emanated from the chains and into the captives. I recognized them as the hoard that Al and I had been fighting moments before. They knelt before a short staircase that led to a throne.

Roses were sculpted into the rock and wove around the back of what was essentially a fancy chair made of bone. Atop it, a creature which appeared to be feminine stood and floated down the steps, which in my opinion completely defeated the purpose of having them.

The demonic figure had black eyes; iris, pupil, and sclera. A black crown that seemed to jut from her skull adorned her head with long black hair that writhed around her. A black gown covered the monster’s unnatural, yellowish-gray complexion, the color of dead people. Sunken skin pronounced her cheeks and collarbones. Her bony hands and feet ended in black claws in place of her finger and toenails.

She landed at the base of the throne’s dais and walked quickly around the group as if she were in a hurry. An iron metal collar, chain, and stake coalesced from energy that arose from the ceremonial pedestal. The demon grabbed the binding device and gave an exasperated sigh.

“The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can capture that woman,” she said. I quirked an eyebrow at her suspiciously. She approached dragging the chain behind as she walked. She went to clasp the collar around my neck, but I leaned back and lifted a hand to stop her.

“Whoa lady, I have no interest in joining your merry band of prisoners,” I said. Her eyes went wide.

“What in the—” The monster stammered. “Why haven’t you fallen under my spell?”

I shrugged.

She gestured up and down at me. “How are you even conscious?”

I shrugged again.

She clenched her jaw and tried to hastily snap the iron band around my neck. I grabbed the collar and took a step back. She tried to pull it away and I countered with equal force. We played a little game of tug of war, and as you do, I let go. She fell back onto her butt.

It was plain on her face that she couldn’t abide the audacity of my actions. She left the collar on the floor but floated back to her feet. In frustration, she threw her fists down and stomped a foot like a spoiled child. With teeth bared, she swung an arm out and I went flying through the darkness until I crashed into a bone cage. The door slammed shut, locking me inside.

I stood, dusted off my business pants, and inspected my surroundings. There was a whole lot of darkness in the distance. I quirked my mouth speculatively and watched the demon approach my cell with a smug expression.

“Jascia, I presume?”

“You presume correctly,” she replied.

“Cool, and those people over there?” I asked, pointing over at the gathering.

“My subjects,” she proclaimed.

“And Cara?”

“She’s in a prison of her own,” she said, gesturing at my bone cage. “You know, you ask a lot of questions for someone confined to a cell. Alas, since you are resistant to my charms, you’ll have to stay locked away in my mind.” She sighed with a shrug as if it couldn’t be helped. “Now, we are quite done, I’ll be on my—” Her jaw dropped when I pushed open the cage door and nonchalantly walked out. She tried to muster words to respond, but failed hilariously. “What is—But I—How did you—”

Saving her from her confusion, I answered. “We’re in a mind palace, this is totally my jam. See ya later, sucka.”

I know the slang was a little dated, but it was all I could come up with on short notice. I disappeared and reappeared in front of a hospital bed. Cara lay on her side under the covers. I walked around to see her face. Her eyes were closed and tears wet her pillow.

“Where did you go?” Jascia’s echoing voice sounded from everywhere at once.

Ignoring her, I touched the sleeping teenager’s shoulder and spoke gently. “Cara?”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Her eyes opened sleepily then widened in alarm. “Who are you? What are you doing in my room?”

I sighed. Of course it couldn’t be simple.

Although Jascia was in control, this was still Cara’s mindscape and the rules still applied. I had to get permission and her acceptance of my presence within her reality was what allowed me to make an impact in her world.

Grabbing a doctor’s coat out of thin air, as if it were on a coat rack, I donned my disguise and I replied. “I’m your new doctor.” Her apprehension at my presence abated. Reaching into the nothing, a clipboard appeared in my hand. I flipped through pages as if inspecting her chart. “You’ve made great progress.” I nodded. “I believe it’s time for the next phase of your treatment.”

“Next phase?” she asked.

“Yep.” I held my hand out to her. “Let’s get you up and walking around.”

“No!” Cara replied hastily. The fearful agitation sent a wave of emotion through the mind space. Alerted by the sensation, Jascia popped into existence, floating at the end of the bed.

“I can’t walk! I’m too weak,” Cara said, shying away from my hand. Her voice changed to one of quiet defeat. “I’m dying.”

“That’s right. She’s too weak, Doctor…” Jascia said drawing out the word.

“Awesome. I’m Dr. Awesome.”

Jascia gave me a look, then said. “She has to stay in bed.” She frowned sarcastically at me; I frowned in earnest back.

“Those other doctors were idiots,” I said, giving Cara a kind smile.

“It’s not going to work,” Jascia intoned with a sing-songy voice. She smirked at me then said. “She’s trapped here. This is a prison of her own making.”

I glowered at the monster, then gave Cara another smile. “If you’ll excuse me, there’s something I must take care of.” I walked past Jascia, who followed me into an imaginary hallway. I turned to her conspiratorially.

“What’s your problem?” I whispered, drawing her in.

“Me?!” she whispered back.

“You’re making this harder than it needs to be. Just go away.”

“I’m not—What are you talking about?!” Jascia replied. “You’re trying to kick me out of my home.”

“This isn’t your home!” I shouted quietly then pointed at Cara. “It’s hers, you’re just trespassing.”

“No, it’s not and no, I’m not. She’s not using it anymore, it’s mine now,” Jascia said, turning her head away, pouting, and crossing her arms, once again like a child not getting her way.

“You can’t just call ‘dibs’ on someone’s body. You’re not even supposed to be here. Get out and go back to wherever you creatures come from,” I said. She looked at me aghast.

“How dare you? I am not a creature. I just saw an opportunity and took it. I’ll never go back to that place, and you can’t make me,” she said. I furrowed my brow. “Strength reigns; that’s how you survive.”

“Maybe that’s true in your world, but not in ours.”

“It’s true of any world,” she said. I decided then that I wasn’t going to get anywhere by arguing with her, and while time was slowed significantly, no matter how strong Al was, with the number of minions out there, she’d get overwhelmed eventually.

“Strength reigns, huh?” I thought aloud. “Fine.”

I palmed the demon’s face and jetted across the void surrounding the hospital room. I flew at something akin to mach speed, and her arms flailed wildly behind us. From the darkness, the stone chamber appeared in the distance. We rapidly approached with the bone cage as my target. In front of it, I stopped suddenly, and our momentum sent her flying into it. I slammed the door closed, then pressed my palm against the bars. Along its surface, a ripple radiated from my hand. The bone converted into metal and an impenetrable force field surrounded it.

The demon collected herself and rushed to the bars. She grabbed them and shook as if it would make a difference, then stopped and I felt her try to will them to revert to her control, but nothing happened.

“How are you doing this?! Let me out!” she demanded.

I shrugged. “It’s like you said, strength reigns. This is my world now.”

I left her to impotently struggle against her prison. I could still hear her protests that escalated into threats as I took a step through space to reappear next to Cara. With a snap of my fingers, Jascia’s desperate pleas disappeared, and all was quiet.

“Sorry about that,” I said. “Another doctor requested my help for a consult. I’m kind of a big deal.” She just looked at me confused. “Anywho… your other doctors were wrong. You’ve gotten much stronger; you’re going to live, and you can walk again.”

“I don’t feel stronger,” she said, averting her eyes.

“That’s because you need to believe.” I reassured with a smile. She gave me a my-life-isn’t-some-kind-of-fairy-tale look, but I did see a hint of humor in her eyes. I held my palm out to her again. “I’m a doctor. Trust me.”

She sighed and hesitantly reached for my hand. Suddenly, I was torn away from the scene back into reality.

My head swam from the jarring sensation of being ripped out of Cara’s mind. The teenager laid motionless on the floor in front of me. Her leather jacket had a hole burned through it. Shaking away my confusion, my eyebrows shot up in alarm, but I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her chest rise and fall. She wasn’t dead, just unconscious. The scent of smoke accosted my nose. What had Al done now? I surveyed the scene.

Al was lying face down, with most of her attackers scattered in a circle around her. There were only a couple wide-eyed and confused people leaning against walls. They were also looking around. Charred lines that looked like branches of a tree marred the floor, walls, and ceiling. Several small fires slowly expanded from the marks. The damage was widespread but seemed to originate from one direction.

Following the branches, to the trunk, and down to the root, I couldn’t contain my dismay at what I saw in the doorway.

While flames spread and smoke filled the room, the cause of it all stood atop the broken front door with his palm outstretched. Shawn’s chest heaved, gasping to catch his breath. He laughed weakly in disbelief and dropped to his knees.

“I did it,” he said with a victorious smile, then he collapsed forward from exhaustion.