Darkness Falls

The end of life. Because with out your own choices and your own will, even if your body lives the soul does not.

Darkness opened his eyes. It was as if his eyes were open for the first time. He was seeing through this vessel for the first time. He became aware of the senses that make a body. The feeling ground beneath one's feet, the caress of the cold night air against his skin the smell of an early Autumn forest, and the sight of himself. He was manifesting through many vessels now. Several were here, the conclusion of their experiment and efforts to improve if not perfect the Anti-life equation.

The Equation had been a success most of the party succumbed to the equation after the influence of Veritas but two did not. Dessaad was already trying to neutralize one of the paladins but to no avail. Darkness glared at the one called Jillian in an attempt to charm her will into submission. With immeasurable frustration he found again that channeling his abilities through his vessels was less than perfect.

She grabbed a book from Darkness's hand. It was a book meant to communicate with one they called Dante the one of his vessels use to answer to him. No matter who or what that king maybe he could not dare stop Darkness. "Take it, it will do you no good." Especially since she was about to die. Her and Morgan both would be murdered by the bodies of people she once called friends.

It would be wonderful. Morgan and Jillian would struggle to find a way to save themselves and their friends with out hurting them. They would struggle desperate and frantic and never find a way. He wondered if their compassion or survival instinct would win. Would the paladins start killing there companions or allow themselves to die once they found no other way? His amusement was so heavy that he heard himself chuckling through the other vessels.

It was then the unexpected happened. A unicorn just appeared, teleported, into their midst. As Darkness rushed to react charging them the creature caused a bright illumination to radiate from its horn. It caused no more than a split seconds delay to the rush but it must have been enough for the foul creature and the two paladins were gone. They were now more than a play thing or an amusement they had become an annoyance.

Three of Darkness's heads, those which use to belong to Keshala, Rowenna, and Ara Isar turned to see who was screaming. They saw Dessad looming over Katsumi. Katsumi had been very helpful in tracking the group after Darkness changed her mission from that of killing Owen to finding and spying on this group. She was so helpful in large part because Dessad knew how to get results.

"Where did they go worm?" He said as his pain poured over her. It was exciting to watch. Someone to hurt so deeply and fully. It was pure pain. It could strip back all the layers of a person and leave them with just the ability to feel and of all the things mortals felt the thing they could feel most deeply was pain. "I don't know." She finally whispered her body exhausted by the pain. Her body may have been exhausted but her soul was a long way from breaking. She had an iron core, if it were not so Darkness would have simply possessed her body too.

Dessad applied the pain again. Katsumi fell to the ground and thrashed about as a wild animal being drug into a trap. Desaad stopped the pain to ask her again and Darkness held up the hand that once belonged to Nial and said simply, "again." She may have told them what they wanted to hear after the second round of pain but Darkness enjoyed watching it so he allowed himself the this one tiny pleasure, he had so few of those lately.

When it was done she groaned, "The unicorn is from part of the forest south of here. I don't know exactly but I will go and find them." Her eyes were dried of tears and only blood was left to leak from her tired ducts. "It is a pity Owen and the pack have been sent north after the other staff piece the wolves would make better hunters than even you girl." Desaad said in a almost a giggle. "You will have to do."

The Darkness that was once Soskai said, "The pixies know where the unicorn is. We'll go there an make them talk. We must make haste. This is not the time to have these two heroes report what we are doing. Far too much depends on it. Desaad, the staff is also important. I will accompany you north to meet owen and reclaim the second piece. I will also go with Katsumi to the unicorn. Mirishka will join us there as well. I'll dream her to us when it is day. Prepare a coffin to shield her from the light."

"Yes my Lord," was all he said then it was done.

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It just stood there almost staring at them. Then Jillian realized she must be doing the same -- Just staring. She bowed her head and said, "I am Jillian faithful Knight to the Lord of Bravery Hajama. Thank you.. thanks for your help." The unicorn stomped and shifted its weight then it spoke, "I could tell your hearts were pure. The blight on my forest blocked many things. When I saw you be drawn into it I tried to get in and rescue you but could not. It is a fierce storm that i can not fight the rest of your companions seem lost to me."

Morgan responded, "They have been subjected to the Antilife equation. Lord Darkness a very old and powerful vampire has taken control of and possibly replaced their souls," not at all surprised the Unicorn could speak or really by anything that had happened. What have you seen that makes you so dull to these fascinating events. Jullian thought to herself. Jillian almost stammerred, "Replaced their souls?"

"Yes I think so. In others I have studied that fell to the Antilife equation even after death it was Darkness that i spoke to in communing with their spirit."

"No, Rowenna was taken by the equation before and came out of it herself?"

"Did she? of has Darkness been using her like a puppet this whole time?"

"No she was on the isle.." Jillian suddenly felt a realization that she did not know for certain that Rowenna was ever freed.

"It does not matter anyway. From here are decision is the same, we survive..." He words stopped in her throat then started again like it was a new person talking. "If its possible they are still in there we have to save them. Perhaps Nathan will know what to do."

"Duncan found him through Dante and this book before, maybe we can use that again."