The Land of the Dead

"You don't trust me?" Ace inhaled deeply, "I don't blame you, but you can trust that I don't want Michael to die,"

"That's not enough," Veretta said unwaveringly, "you played games with him just like you did with us. You say you care about him, but it also seems like you hated him. How do we know this isn't a trap just to get your hands on whatever Silthus is holding over you?"

"I would be lying if I said Silthus doesn't have something I want," Ace replied unflinchingly, "but I don't want to get it at the expense of Michael's death. Not again,"

"Not again?" Veretta questioned, "what does that mean exactly?"

Ace tapped the table lightly as if still considering whether to say anymore, but finally, he conceded with a sigh, "Michael...died because of something that I did. Or more accurately, something that I didn't do,"

"What does that mean?" Tomas' eyes widened in disbelief.

"Do you remember the boy I told you about?" Ace said with a melancholy gaze.

"You said he was Michael's apprentice and your best friend," Tomas answered apprehensively.

"Bird...He died because I was...distracted," Ace faltered

"Distracted?" Tomas stared at him incredulously.

"This is what I'm trying to tell you about the darkness. It's like an addiction and it is hard to break from. My friends died and I wasn't even there. It's the biggest regret of my life," Ace replied soberly, "you must have sensed it as well when you used dark magic. The feeling it gives you?"

"Yes," Veretta said quietly, "But how does this relate to how Michael died?"

"Well Michael went after his killer, but they killed him instead," Ace's jaw clenched, "All because I...wasn't there to prevent Bird's murder in the first place. Everything just went wrong after that...that's why I won't let it happen again - I want to save Michael this time, get there first, but we need to know what we're going to be up against,"

For a long while after this statement, there was a tentative silence.

"I believe you," Veretta said cautiously, "but if the darkness is as addictive as you say, I don't know whether I will be able to control it either...isn't there some way to stay grounded. All magic must have a balance. How did you manage to come back from the darkness?"

"You can use this," Ace slid his hand into his pocket and pulled a chain with a small ornament on the end.

"What is that?" Tomas stared at the necklace uncomprehendingly.

"It's a powerful talisman," Ace answered, "Michael wanted it, but he was taken before I could give it to him,"

"What does it do?" Veretta questioned.

"It can disrupt the flow of magic. If the darkness starts to overwhelm you, you just need to put this necklace on and it will cut off the connection," Ace replied.

"Why would Michael have wanted something like that?" Tomas asked curiously.

"I imagine he had thought of a way to break our connection with it," Ace answered thoughtfully.

"So it is possible? To break the connection without Michael dying?" Veretta questioned.

"I don't know," Ace replied, "but if anyone could do it, it's him,"

He took the necklace and placed it in Veretta's hand

"Listen. You don't have to trust me," Ace sighed, "but right now, our goals align. Michael is my friend. My only friend and I won't let him die,"

Veretta was quiet for a moment, "Okay, tell me what I need to do,"

"All you have to do is follow that feeling that you get when you cast your dark magic," Ace explained, "It will lead you to where you need to go,"

"And where is that?" Tomas demanded, "You don't hear how crazy this sounds?"

"I've researched the gods many times over the decades," Ace exhaled, "from what I can tell, different gods were said to provide us with different sources of magic. Demonic magic was given by the god of the moon, Rhiannon - he's the one who spoke to me in the darkness. Human magic is a bit more tricky. The goddess of love - Lome gave humans holy magic to kill demons. Petal, the god of winter gave fire magic. Rahul, gave thunder and Vestella, water... And dark magic, that was given by Shallow, the god of death and the underworld. He was the one you met before. Perhaps, if you prayed to him, he might answer,"

"I can't believe this," Tomas scoffed, "this is crazy. I won't be part of this,"

Veretta stared up sadly, "Tomas..."

"No," he shook his head, "I'm telling you, this is a bad idea!"

He stormed off outside the garden. Yona followed after him, leaving Ace and Veretta sitting in silence.

"I wouldn't blame you if you said you couldn't do it," Ace said quietly, "It's a lot to ask anyone,"

"I can do it," Veretta replied flatly, "but if anything goes wrong, I need you to promise me no one will get hurt. You said a god can be killed once before. Did you mean it?"

Ace's eyes were an impregnable dark, "Yes, I did."

Veretta rose quietly, "then keep Tomas occupied. I need to go and prepare,"

****************************************

That night, Veretta went out to the woods alone under the glare of the pale moon. It was a warm night, cloudless and burgeoning with stars. She had slipped out at the end of their meal as Ace had agreed to occupy Tomas. She followed the dark trail down the slope and emerged deep within the thick of the woods.

As she stared into the lonely darkness, her heart was pounding. The slick feeling of being coated in that dark ooze was like a ghost around her chest as she breathed out a shaky breath. She knelt down and began to light candles. There was no particular ritual to be cast, only a feeling to follow. A feeling that terrified her. Nevertheless, she leant into the darkness and closed her eyes.

"Shallow," she repeated in a whisper to the hallow woods.

It was silent. Not even birds seemed to sing and the darkness oppressed every shred of light until there was none. It was then, Veretta could feel the presence of others, she was not alone. As she confronted a sea of intangible desolate souls, the atmosphere seemed to thicken and deaden, like a weight pulling her into the earth.

The voices began in low whispers then grew to great keening cries that were instantly consumed by the empty silence.

'You did this!'

'You killed us...'

'Why?! WHY?!'

Veretta withstood the onslaught through terrible strain. Her body shook and her head fell with a sob. The wet and lifeless darkness beckoned at her feet like waves against a shore. She could not bring herself to open her eyes for the feeling of such malevolent and gruesome energy. She let out a shuddering breath as one more voice echoed through the dark:

"I knew you would return,"

Veretta finally forced her eyes open. She was no longer in the moon covered forest, but in a place, she didn't recognise. A mist blinded her sight for a moment, then revealed a decrepit temple submerged in the thickest of fogs. They might have been on a mountain top for the breeze was terribly cold and eerily, but it was impossible to tell through the fog. The only light was a series of lanterns disappearing off to a shrouded level. Still, it faintly revealed the paint of what was once an exuberant red shrine, now peeling from every orifice with long wooden beams overhead drooping pitifully over their wooden pillars.

Sitting a few steps below this towering, layered structure was a figure robed in white. Veretta almost didn't see them at first. They were so silent, breathless and presentless. A white-haired boy, perhaps a few years her junior was sat just in front of the temple leaning on one hand. His amethyst eyes surveyed Veretta with a look of superior indifference.

"Didn't I warn you?" he said flatly, "first you steal from me, now you come intruding on my home?"

"I'm sorry," Veretta answered cautiously.

"No, you're not," the boy replied, "it's pointless to lie to a god, you know,"

"You are shallow then?" Veretta asked with trepidation.

"I suppose," he replied languidly, "I can't really remember anymore. But something tells me that I am. Which means I ought to punish you for coming here,"

"You wouldn't have let me come if you didn't want me here," Veretta faltered.

In the instant, she blinked her eyes, the boy was suddenly gone. He appeared dead in front of her. His cold purple eyes inspected her with a look that sent shivers down Veretta's spine.

"Aren't you bold?" he remarked in a low voice, "but you don't seem to understand how this works,"

Before Veretta could say another world, her legs gave way and her knees hit the ground. It was as if all her strength was gone. She let out a gasp, unable to control herself as her head hit the ground in a bow.

"Everything in this place belongs to me," Shallow's voice came from above, "including those who trespass. You probably shouldn't have come here, human,"

Veretta gave a stifled cry from the pressure forcing her down, "I need your help!" she implored, "I've come to beg you for your help,"

"My help?" Shallow pivoted on his feet and turned back to the steps.

Veretta was suddenly released from his hold and collapsed breathlessly against the stone steps. She pulled herself up with difficulty to find him looking down on her with a blank expression.

"Yes," Veretta answered, "please grant me your aid. I'll do whatever you ask! Just tell me what I need to do,"

Shallow glanced up at the fog covered sky. Suddenly, as his purple eyes bore into them, the fog pulled back at a startling rate revealing a bright starry night above. Only, the stars were somehow brighter and closer than Veretta had ever seen them. And they glowed and twinkled as if in response to Shallow's gaze. There was a long silence as he looked on, then finally his gaze returned to her and the fog began to separate them from the skies once more.

"The elder gods want me to grant you my powers," he replied at length, "how annoying," he sighed.

"Then you will help me?" Veretta stared up with wide eyes.

"I suppose," Shallow remarked indifferently, "but there is a price for my help,"

"What is it?" Veretta asked apprehensively.

"The scroll cannot be opened," Shallow answered, "Any human who opens it must be killed,"

"What scroll?" VEretta's brow furrowed.

"There is a scroll in the human world that has the location to the ethereal plane," Shallow answered, "I care little either way, but the old gods have decreed that it must not be used. You will help me to destroy it"

Veretta nodded slowly, "I understand."

"Good," Shallow held out his hand, "Then come, human. Let us visit the land of the living together,"