"Darkness ruled over his subconscious as Will struggled to come to. Within the darkness he saw a pair of familiar eyes lurking within the shadows. A pale form of Maya, sword in hand and wound to her abdomen bleeding freely. Her lifeless eyes bore into his very soul. Lifting a blade as dark as his vision, Will could do nothing but scream as she stabbed him in the same place as her b.l.o.o.d.y wound.Looking down, all he could do is watch as his own blood flowed as a light stream down his white shirt. Maya just stood and watched, a haunting smile played on her lips as she saw him slowly join her within her agony. As he tried to cover the wound, it felt like the blood only flowed faster. The more he tried to save himself, the more he lost.
Thinking back to the day she lost her life, Will witnessed Maya"s final expression replay itself over and over. The smile seemed like it was a final gesture of kindness, she fought so hard to stay with him, but no matter how hard she struggled the wraiths wouldn"t release her chains. He would have done anything possible to change the fate that had been dealt to her, to have her smile back. Instead he was staring at a pale reflection of the smile as he was bleeding to death, fear consumed him. Would Bianca and Leo be able to carry out the fight without him? Would the Advisers send more wraiths to demolish them?
Will thought back to the moment he had saved Maya from the guards, the cruelty they had shown her. If not for him, she would be a slave within the guards quarters or had already succ.u.mbed to their ill treatment. He thought of what their injustice had awakened within him, the flames of vengeance that had been born. Only just awakening, he was able to fend off the guards to save her. They had spent months together, growing more and more within such a short time. She had been there as he was only just experimenting with his flames. She had watched him for hours as he struggled to get a hold of his power.
He had only learned her true feelings the night before he lost her. Will had turned down those feelings for Bianca. Knowing that she had died thinking she wasn"t good enough for him was enough to allow him to feel the wound for what it was. It was a stab of betrayal. As the wraiths brought the sword down, it was truly his own feelings that caused her the pain.
As he stared into the shadow figure of Maya, he welcomed her smile as the blood from his wound slowly receded. Standing in a pool of his own blood, Will smiled. If this was the end, at least he could spend his last moments with the one person he wished was with him. Before his legs gave out, Will felt a presence behind him. A heat had erupted into the cold darkness. A ruby red flame had appeared to his side, warming his chilled heart.
When the flame appeared, Maya"s smile vanished. Will looked deep within the flame and saw Bianca. He remembered the moment he summoned the sword for the first time, what it meant. The blade was there to protect his friends, to be the beacon of strength within the world of darkness. To cast out the shadows and restore hope to a fallen kingdom.
Will raised his pale hand to his face. He felt cold, as if awaiting deaths embrace as he stood in the small pond of his own blood. Looking at the flame, he couldn"t succ.u.mb to the gentle calling of rest. Without him, all hope would be gone. Slowly, Will casted away the weakness of his failures. "If I truly wish to make amends, it won"t be the easy way," he thought as he glanced at the pale figure of Maya, her hand stretched out as if desperately pleading for him to follow her.
With the injustices that had befallen his friend clear in his mind, Will"s expression turned from lost to determined. He wouldn"t give up, he wouldn"t allow darkness to rule the kingdom of his birth. She was the last to fall to the Advisers.
As his resolve grew, the pool of blood began to steam. Will brought his hand to his chest and released the cross from the chain. The moment it came undone, the flames erupted from his hand. Instead of his usual sword coming forth, The flames instead swirled in a vortex around him. the blood around him began to glow crimson and gold as the flames lit the area. He was no longer standing in a world of darkness. He was instead standing at Maya"s cottage. Instead of the pale figure standing before him, Will saw his true friend smiling back at him. "Don"t give up." She said before going back in her home."
Will finally had enough strength to open his eyes, he was back in his room once more. Thinking back on what made him pa.s.s out, he looked around. Sleeping at his desk, Will found Bianca. She wore the same pink top and jeans as she had earlier, the only thing that was different was the ring in which had a ruby at the center.
Getting up from his bed, Will took off his jacket and put it around Bianca. His heart was warmed as he watched her sleep. She could have gone back to her room, yet he couldn"t help but be grateful. It felt as if her presence within the room was what renewed his resolve in his dream. He remembered the red flame which stood with him as he confronted his demons.
"Thank you." Will whispered quietly as he kissed the top of his girlfriends head before leaving the room.
Taking the steps to the lounging area, Will had a seat on a black leather couch facing the fire place. As he stared at the black stone box in which was devoid of flame, he heard footsteps behind him.
"It seems to be another night that I can"t be alone." Michael sighed as he took a leather recliner next to Will. "Your dreams are getting worse aren"t they." He said, not taking the effort to question.
As Will stared at the fireplace, he lifted his hand ever so slightly as he accessed his aura. In the raised hand, a small flame appeared, with a nod of his head the flame followed the command and went to the fireplace. Within moments the room was filled with light from the ruby red flame.
Though the fireplace was lit, Will had to keep constant concentration not only to keep the flame going, but also to control the heat it produced. The process would have been impossible for him barely half a year ago, yet now it was not even a thought to him.
"I brought the rings out to Leo and Bianca," he started as the light in his eyes danced with the flames in the fireplace. "Something unexpected happened the moment I took them out, something I hoped maybe you would be able to explain."
Michael"s eyes narrowed as his interest peaked. Though it was true that he was around for the last awakening, there was always more he could learn just by watching over his nephew. "Do tell," he said as his eyebrow went up, giving him an inquisitive appearance.
Will took a deep breath, he was still quite exhausted from the earlier events, it seemed as though just bringing up the memories drained him.
Starting with opening the box, Will explained the alien feeling that took over as he produced each ring. The feeling of being in a trance as he presented both of them to his friends. The way he had made them vow their services to him. The more he told, the more he was convinced that it wasn"t him that had presented the rings. He explained that he had found the proper form of the rings purely by the vows he had heard, as if the forms were destined for the two of them. "This hasn"t been the first time that I had felt that I wasn"t in complete control of my own actions." Will explained as he looked at his uncle. He explained the first time it happened as his flame awakened to save Maya, also both times he had saved Bianca. It had felt like him, yet it felt completely different at the same time.
Michael crossed his legs and straightened his jacket. Looking at Will from the recliner, he couldn"t help but smile at the young man. "Your blood is trying to teach you something William." he said while looking at his nephew. "Ever since your awakening, haven"t you felt a presence within your blood? Something that calls out to you?"
Will could only sit there and reflect on the last few months, the times in which he was himself yet something different all together. It was a familiar feeling, one he had felt every time he opened up his favorite book or watched his favorite movie.
Looking at Will, Michael noticed just a fragment of understanding flow through his nephew"s features. "What you have been experiencing is a blood call." he said as Will looked curiously at him. Seeing that this would be a lengthy explanation, Michael prepared himself. "Think of it as an instructor being pa.s.sed on from generation to generation. The first king Ragnos is pa.s.sed down from father to son at the age of seventeen to teach the future ruler of the kingdom how to truly use the birth right." Michael said as he looked at his nephew.
Will looked curiously at his uncle, he had read a book before about two minds sharing one body. He had never thought he would know the experience, but something about it felt like a breach of privacy. Since when did he agree to share his own body with someone else? Even if he was a direct descendant to the one of whom he was sharing s.p.a.ce.
"Don"t think of it as another person within you, think of it as knowledge you wouldn"t otherwise have." Michael said, obviously picking up on Will"s discomfort. "The more you use your gifts, the more you will learn of the late king. You should try to contact him sometime, all you have to do is focus on the door you unlocked within your mind."
"You"ve given me quite a lot to think about," Will said as he got up from the couch. His brows furrowed in though. If he was to communicate with this other part of himself, he may as well find a place of privacy in order to do it. "I"m heading outside to get a bit of fresh air, since my room has been taken over." Will smirked as he thought of his girlfriend curled up on the chair. If something were to happen while he meditated, he didn"t want her to wake up alarmed.
Waving good bye to his uncle, Will followed the hall back to the entrance to the mansion. Heading out the door, he brought himself to the familiar fountain. It was the same area where he had always trained with his two friends, but also the place in which he had sparred with Jake. Though he hadn"t been at the mansion for long, Will already had plenty of memories focused around the training area.
Ensuring that he was on the other side of the fountain facing the woods instead of the manor, Will a.s.sumed a seating position with his legs crossed. He had become used to meditating since his time in Crystallia. If he was to return there once again in a few days, he may as well know everything he could about the land. If that meant sharing his body with an old spirit, he decided it was well worth the risk.
Closing his eyes, Will searched his consciousness for the door in which he opened so long ago. He allowed himself to dive deep within his mind. The further he dove, the less dark it became. Instead of the darkness underneath his eyelids, he noticed a dark red glow. As he went further, the dark red became light until it turned pure gold.
Finally approaching the door within his mind, Will did the only thing he could think of. Raising a hand within his subconsciousness, he rapped three times on the black onyx door and waited. He didn"t know what to expect or if he knocked loud enough, which later he would think it was unreasonable to knock within his own mind. After a minute of waiting, Will heard a quiet groaning within himself. It was not the same groaning he had heard from himself, but it seemed as though it was still youthful. "Are you just going to wait out there or are you going to come in?" A voice rang out within him. It wasn"t one of an old man, but of a man close to his own age. With the invitation, Will said goodbye to his own sanity as he opened the door and let himself in.