Chapter 429: A Darkness (2/2)
Well, there was one time where it did, and that was when he came across a corrupted human, but it disappeared as soon as he was killed. As for Veran, he was never found out.
After walking a few meters into the forest, Veran could tell he was going in the right direction. Unfortunately, it was the direction of the lake, and it was dangerous to proceed. However, they needed something to appease the Seika.
The forest grew darker as if no light came through. As he walked further, Veran suddenly realized that there was water beneath his boots. However, the lake should still be a distance away.
Veran frowned, and he looked ahead. That water seemed to be rising, but it suddenly stopped. A presence appeared from the direction of the lake, and there was a feeling that asked him to run away.
After the water returned to normal, Veran resumed walking. Then, he found the source of the smell. There was a circle on the ground that was entirely black as if it was a hole that led to hell.
'Power, more, take it,' Void asked him, and Veran knew he wasn't lying. As he took slow steps toward the hole, he could see that the black material was moving, calling for him.
Veran wanted power to live without being pushed around, without having to suffer, and without meeting the fate of that corrupted human.
As the black and tar-like tongue protruded from the ground to reach out to him, Veran did the same. He was but inches away from power when a hand grabbed his arm.
”You will grow powerful if you touch this,” the Seika's voice appeared beside him, and Veran turned to look at the man with golden eyes. ”However, I will kill you because you will be nothing but a monster.”
”I won't lose myself,” Veran said as he tried to shake his hand, but the Seika's grip was firm. ”I think this is the clue you wanted us to find.”
”Not the clue that I want you to pursue.”
”I can handle the darkness. I always managed to do so,” Veran said a bit too desperately, a bit too weakly. ”Let me touch it, and I will tell you what I see.”
The Seika's face slightly eased as if he was tempted. Veran had no idea what the Seika wanted from him, but what was he beside his darkness?
”I can tell you what I see. You need me to be your eyes in the darkness,” Veran urged the Seika, and the man's grip of his arm grew weaker.
”I know that power is tempting, but you will lose Kaza,” he said, and Veran wished that he did not.
The name of his friend rang through his body like a summoning call that sought to bring him back into the light. Veran calmed down, and he nodded at the Seika.
Kaza had many sleepless nights just to calm the voices, and those were the only nights where Veran could sleep easily. But, if he indeed allowed more darkness into his body, then what would happen to his dearest friend?
”I understand,” Veran nodded his head and pulled his hand away from the darkness. However, in that second, something took hold of his body. In a moment of weakness, Void took the reins of the carriage and jumped toward the darkness. ”No!”
His hand touched the darkness, and it engulfed his body like a hungry monster. Veran was being devoured alive as power filled his body, but the cost was too great. A warm feeling spread from his back as he was taken over by the mindless desire to destroy everything.
A gentle wave of light washed over the darkness, pushing it away from Veran's body. The darkness trying to eat him alive was now fleeing, and Seika's hand appeared on his back.
As Veran looked back, he saw Seika's face looking at him with sympathy. Something was gravitating about the Seika that made everything want to return to its root, Veran included.
The darkness that was added into his heart stayed, but Veran wasn't devoured in the process. Instead, his mind grew at ease, and it was then that he saw it. It was beside the lake when it happened, many days ago.
His eyes were no longer his. They belonged to the Seika. Veran saw what happened that night clearly, and how the darkness stole something from the water. A cry for help and summoning of a disaster.