Chapter 32: The enemy within

Song recommendation: Do I want to know (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOSxM0rNPM)

Tomas and Veretta were left standing alone in the hallway. Tomas turned to Veretta gravely.

"What should we do?"

Veretta's eyes fluttered in deep thought, "I..don't know," she uttered grievously, "I'm going to go after Errik,"

Just as she attempted to pass, Tomas grabbed her by the arm, "Veretta," he said, glancing at the ice around them, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Veretta inhaled with a frown, "this is all happening because of me, Tomas. I brought him here. I will...deal with it,"

She rushed out into the night without looking back.

Veretta plunged into the forest running and running as fast as she could. The skies cracked overhead with flashes of monstrous lightning. The clear skies were overcome with a shroud clouds. The sky ached with rain drenching the forest below in tears.

Nevertheless, Veretta went further and further into the spiralling darkness. Tripping over the forest's flesh and slick in mud, she ran on breathlessly. Half invigorated by rage and another emotion, a foreign dark emotion, somehow she reached the dark shack. There was only a single light within, barely visible lighting her way. She pounded at the door relentlessly.

Errik finally came to the door submerged in shadows with the same cold, unkind stare. Veretta's dark hair clung to face as she stood there completely drenched through with a wild look in her eyes. Errik inspected her from head to toe without budging from the door as the rain continued to belt the thatch roof above.

"I said I don't want to see you," he said in a low voice.

"Oh yeah?" Veretta let out a derisive laugh, " Well, I really don't want to see you either right now."

"Did they throw you out of the college?" Errik stared at her dark merciless eyes.

A slither of laugh escaped Veretta's lips, "Do you even care?"

Errik was silent.

Veretta gave a weak nod, "That's what I thought."

"You want me to say sorry? Beg for forgiveness?" Errik met her gaze unrepentantly, "I won't."

" No, of course you won't." Veretta's green eyes shimmered with a mixture of tears and pain, "because you, Errik, you are just like the rain. You bring me this life and vitality then you sweep it all away with a flick of your wrist. You lie and kiss me all in the same breath. You pummel everything to the ground with your rain of rage and torment. That's why I called you Errik... I brought you here and now I have to drown with you,"

"Then kill me," Errik answered. "Break our contract. Release us both,"

"How can I?" Veretta uttered through gritted teeth, "You know that I love you,"

"I told you not to," Errik said quietly.

"You did," Veretta nodded with a bereft smile, "but don't you see Errik? If you are wicked, then what does that make me? I'm just as wicked and selfish as you are. I say I hate myself and i'm disgusted by this darkness inside, but here I am, chasing after your shadow as it eats me alive,"

"Even more reason to put an end to this." Errik stared down sombrely. "Kill me before I kill you,"

"I died when my parents did. I was dead from the time I went back to the village to the moment I summoned you," Veretta's cheeks were wet with tears and rain. "Even now I'm not sure whether I'm really alive or only this anger is. I'm angry at you, with Silthus, with everyone. I didn't kill those people in the village because you made me. It was because I wanted to. I wanted them to suffer. If I'm honest, maybe I want the whole world to suffer like I am. My vengeance on Silthus is not justice, I see that now. I can't save you. I can't even save myself. I just want my pain to rain down on them without mercy. That is why I summoned you. Can you give me that?"

"Yes,"

"Then lie if you want. Destroy me if you want. I don't care. Just give me my revenge,"

"That's the only thing I could ever give you," Errik replied. He stepped into the dark rain and kissed her icy blue lips that tasted of tears and pain.

He wrapped his arms around her trembling cold body in a passionate embrace. Veretta returned his kiss feverishly and miserably as they both crashed into the empty shack. The lantern on the table shattered against the floor with a desperate cry of flames. Errik held out his hand without hesitation and the ice swallowed the flame leaving them in darkness.

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It wasn't until the early morning that the dark began to dissipate. A dim morning light cast the dark shack in grey light. Veretta was lying back on the bed with an empty stare. Her green eyes were glazed as she gazed ahead wordlessly. Errik lay on the bed beside her still asleep. She glanced down at his tanned half covered chest rising and falling slowly. Slowly she slipped out of the bed and began to dress. Her own pale skin was marked with red marks all over as she buttoned her shirt. Just as she reached the door, there was a rustle.

"Where are you going?' Errik said quietly.

His golden eyes caught a ray of light casting them an unearthly but serene colour. Veretta turned back slightly.

"I have to return to the college to get my things," she said in a low voice before turning and leaving the room.

In the light of day, the slick and tumultuous path through the forest was quiet and peaceful as if the rain had never come. Veretta walked slowly in the same silent trance till she reached the college gates. For a moment she stopped just staring at the towering pillar before her. Her eyes panned down slowly as she traversed the quiet courtyard. It was still early and no students were up.

Upon reaching the dorms, she found Tomas sitting outside his room surrounded by his things. He had fallen asleep cradling his arms and only roused when she nudged him gently.

"Where have you been?" He looked up sleepily.

"I'm just going to get my things," she answered without returning his gaze.

It didn't take long to assemble the little they brought from the North. Only the books remained piled high on her desk. Veretta looked down at the book on the black wizard numbly. She left it sitting there amongst the rest as she emerged back in the hallway. Tomas stood to meet her with a worried frown.

"Tomas," she said apprehending him, "I want you to listen to what I have to say and don't say anything until I finished,"

Tomas nodded apprehensively.

"The plan was to wait here until Silthus came and try to assimilate into his army quietly so we could get close enough to kill him. I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm going to wait until he comes here with Errik. Then I'm going to kill him."

"Veretta!" Tomas protested aghast but quickly lowered his voice, "we talked about this. Silthus is protected by the red general and who knows who else. When he comes here he'll be under the eye of every person in the college. There'll be no escape! It's a suicide mission,"

"I know," Veretta answered with a blank stare, "but I have to kill him, Tomas. No matter what it costs,"

"But the students, the masters, they're innocent in this..." Tomas's words trailed as he stared into her dark eyes.

"I know," Veretta said again in the same flat tone, " but I have to kill him,"

"Veretta, this is not what your parents or Charlotte or any one would have wanted!"

"I'm sorry Tomas," Veretta uttered lifelessly, "but they made their choice,"

"No, you are making the choice! This is wrong Veretta," Tomas stared at her in disbelief, "you can't do this. I won't let you!"

Veretta gave a weak smile. "I love you Tomas. You and Charlotte, I love you both,"

"You know, we love you too," Tomas shook his head dolefully, "but this is not like summoning the wizard. You're talking about murdering innocent people and I can't allow you to do that. If not for them but for you. This is not who you are,"

"I know," Veretta laughed painfully, "I know it well. That's why I you can't come with me,"

Tomas' eyes fell to the ground as he shook his head disconcerted.

"But I also can't let you get in my way either," Veretta added quietly.

With a crackle of blue lightning magic, Tomas hit the ground. Veretta stood above him looking down with tears in her eyes. She pulled his passed out body back into his room along with his things and locked the door behind him.

Veretta rapidly took off down the hall till she reached the teacher's dormitories. She stopped outside the general's door and knocked quietly. Ace came to the door with his usual languid manner resting against the frame half disrobed.

"That was quick," he smiled. "Made up your mind already?"

"You wanted me gone, i'm gone," Veretta answered, "but Tomas has to stay with you,"

"What am I? A demon baby sitter?" Ace scoffed. "Why should I take in that loudmouthed runt?"

"Because if you don't, I'm going to take Errik so far from here that you never see him again," Veretta replied categorically.

"Threats?" Ace snorted derisively, "You know that only works if you have something to leverage? What do I care if you take Errik?"

"That person you were looking for," Veretta met his gaze unabashedly, "Errik, or should I say the black wizard, he knows where they are, doesn't he?"

The general's eyes twitched and he gave a begrudging smile. "He might. He might not,"

"Well let's say there's a chance he does. Without Errik, you'll never know," Veretta replied unflinchingly.

"I could just kill you," Ace shrugged, "then i'll force Errik to remember myself,"

"You know that's not how necromancy works," Veretta shook her head with a smile, " You kill me and Errik will die, but you knew that. That's the reason you saved my life,"

"Hmm," Ace titled his head back thoughtfully, "maybe I did. Ah, but what a conundrum. How do I know you won't just disappear with Errik anyway?"

"Because Silthus is coming here," Veretta smiled coldly, "and when he arrives, i'm going to be here to kill him,"

"Are you sure you should be announcing that to me?" Ace said unsmilingly.

"It's nothing you didn't know already. That's why you provoked Errik into getting us kicked out of the college," Veretta said with a mirthless chuckle. "I can't believe it took me so long to realise, you made it so obvious,"

"If you're so smart, miss witch, then you would know that my loyalty to Silthus surpasses my desire to help the angry wizard with his memory problem," Ace asserted.

"Then tell me no," Veretta countered. "I'll just go and take Errik with me,"

"Aha!" Ace let out a laugh, " you got me. Fine. I'll take your little mage friend, but for a price. Your going to help me with another spell,"

"What spell?" Veretta demanded.

"You already bartered the last of your bargaining chips, miss witch. The answer is either yes or no,"

"I'll do it," Verett said at length, "but then you and I are finished,"

"You may be finished with me but i'm not finished with Errik," Ace returned icily.

"Try your best. I hope you get yourself killed," Veretta sneered.

"Ouch," Ace replied mockingly, "but I guess we have a deal,"

"For now," Veretta turned, "but once we're done, you and I, we're enemies,"

"We never stopped being enemies, miss witch,"