Light: Exploits, Book II.

Part 8. Unimaginable Destinies.

After some time, I awoke to find myself, Priest and Farah all dangling from the ceiling of what looked like a prison chamber.
Where are we? I ask my Ghost.
Silence.
Ghost? I ask frantically.
Ghost! Ghost where are you! I shout.
Silence.
My eyes dart around my head as I take in my surroundings.
Dim stone torches dot the walls, bathing the room in an eerie dark light.
There were chains dangling around us; Farah and Priest were unconscious, I had hoped.
On the floor, Thrall were clawing up.
Gnashing teeth and Light hungry growls.
Fetid creatures... I growl lowly.
What to do, what to do, I say to myself as I look around.
Farah is next to wake. 
She gasps sharply, and asks for her Ghost like I do.
Little Lights are gone, I whisper hollowly.
Motherfucker, she swears.
A door opens; and in walks a Hallowed Knight.
It looks up to us and laughs.
Fuck's so funny? I hear Priest growl.
The Knight continues to laugh and it holds its sword; blade to the floor, guarding us.
Why do we need guards? I ask. You scared of us Titox?! I shout out, trying to get his attention.
Why you so eager to meet your maker? Priest asks me.
Because, I say like I was going to follow up with a plan.
As if I had a plan.
I try to shake my chains, until a shadow cusps around me, and silences me.
Priest and Farah too.
I feel myself be moved, and before I know what direction up is, I'm on my hands and knees before a throne.
So, the Light does still burn, Titox laughs.
I stand up and look around, trying to find him.
Where's my Ghost?! I demand.
Titox appears before us in a cloud of darkness, with three small cages. Our Ghosts, comatose within them.
You'd best not have harmed them!!! Priest roars.
Titox laughs, looking upon us.
It's not the Lights I want, Titox says lowly.
He puts out his hand and we're each taken to our knees by Hallowed Knights.
Before us he births an empty pool.
Above, water falls from what we assume is the tank they drained it all into.
Now, know our power, Titox growls.
He pulls a lever and a hatch opens and water falls through a filter.
What oozes into the pool is pure, untouched Darkness.
Don't worry Guardians, your Ghosts shall not be harmed, Titox says almost genuinely.
They will heal your wounds... But the cannot save you... He growls viscously.
He reaches out his hand and takes Farah.
He pulls her through the air, she screams until she is silenced by his hand around her throat.
How strong are you I wonder, Small One? He growls.
FARAH! Priest and I roar in unison.
I feel a Knight drag its claw over my neck, drawing blood.
Not enough to kill me, but enough to silence me.
We watched as Titox took Farah up and examined her.
He was almost gentle with her.
Hmmmm... Adequate. He says before he throws her back to us.
He threw her hard enough to break her back. We hear her break and she screams in agony.
I wince at the sounds, Priest still growling.
Foolish warriors, Titox gloats.
So unwise to stumble upon your own destruction. He says walking over to us.
And it is you, he says yoking me up by my throat, who shall be the first example.
I squirmed in his grip. Priest was trying to fight off the Knights who held him.
He even made one of the ones holding Farah come over and help restrain him.
Nooooo! Dylan! Priest screams.
What are you doing to him?! He demands.
I hear the pain in his voice.
He was scared.
Terrified.
Fear beyond fear; all for me.
He didn't want to lose me.
As Titox holds me close to the pool, he speaks.
Only so that it will not be a surprise. I doubt you will understand what has happened to you. He says.
You are Guardians! Warriors of Light! He shouts slamming me to the ground.
I yell in pain as he stomps my back, all but Invincible! He shouts as he does.
He grinds his foot into me, I shudder and squirm from the pain.
This, wonderful pool before you, will take you... He pauses.
And it will make you Dark.
I scream in objection. My voice echoes throughout the chamber.
This is the fate that awaits all who oppose Darkness! Titox shouts.
I was still screaming. I was calling to my Traveller.
My Savior.
I begged it.
Don't let me lose my Light.
Don't let me be dark.
Titox swung his hammer at my head, knocking my voice out.
I twitched, still alive, as he lifted me up for what I assumed was the last time.
Farewell, Guardian... He says as he tosses me into the pool.
I felt it envelope around me as I heard the most pained scream from Priest. He sobbed and begged it not to be true.
I felt like I was falling. Infinitely.
No time.
No space.
No sound.
No color.
Dark.
Dark is all there was.
I closed my eyes and felt it all slip away.
When I opened them again, I was no longer a Guardian.
I was something different.
I was that which I despised.
I was that which I had tried so hard to kill.
I was worse than dead.
I felt the Darkness pierce my body, wrapping around me and running through my insides.
My entrails were lined with Darkness, until that is all there was.
I felt it fill me, until there was no more around me.
My entire body had absorbed all of the shadow.
I still heard Priest screaming.
Growling and trying to fight away from them.
Light or not. He was filled with rage and wrath.
He wanted to kill that which deserved to die.
I opened my eyes. But they were only Darkness.
I floated up, head down.
I looked up and saw Titox.
Farah and Priest were staring in absolute bewilderment.
And is now... A Dark Guardian. Titox growls in accomplishment.
I looked back at my Ghost.
It wriggled in its cage.
It woke from its comatose.
It blinked and looked upon me.
No... It said sadly.
No... Guardian... It said in agony.
I heard its voice and felt something inside me.
Deep in my chest. My body.
In my heart of hearts. My soul of souls.
I writhed in pain, still floating in the air, trying to claw at my flesh.
I opened my eyes, now balls of pure Light.
I cried as I felt the Darkness around me.
I was Light again.
I still had Light.
Undying Light.
No-Light.
Light within nothing.
I tuned my gaze to Titox.
My anger fueled.
Warrior! You resist! He says and draws his hammer.
I touch ground; my Light surging around me.
The Darkness stuck to me still. But I knew why.
I needed it.
Titox... I said standing up.
It is you who shall be the first example. I shout as I charge him.
He swings his hammer hard, pounding it on the floor, missing me.
He growls angrily and swipes at me. I dodge and leap on his arms.
I reach and take his head.
His skull and age felt like rocks; like it was a jagged crown.
He screamed, my hands burned him.
I jabbed and clawed at his eyes, shouting and cursing in anger fury.
I brought him to his knee.
I took his hammer from him and smashed his head with it.
I knocked him back, blood dripping from his mouth, now missing teeth.
I hit him with it again, then again and again, until I stabbed him in his guts with the spike on the end.
He shouted in pain, and I brought up my hands and pierced them through his armor.
His flesh.
The Darkness that covered me was now Light.
I was a being of pure, ethereal Light.
I am a Warlock! Guardian of The Traveller! I scream to him as I hoist him up and the Light courses through his body now.
By Light! And my strength by The Traveller! I banish you foul creature of Night! I scream as I hold up Titox.
His body spasms as he screams in pain.
After a moment, he explodes in Light.
The Light brushes over me and hits the Knights in the room with us.
They burn away to dust, nothing before my Light.
I pant as Light is absorbed into me; our Ghosts buzzing to us.
Priest looks at me in awe.
I don't think he would have believed what he had just seen had he not seen it.
And even then, I think he still didn't believe it.
Ghost... I say softly as it looks me over.
It's your Guardianship, Ghost quips happily.
If you truly never wish to revoke your Guardianship, then it shall never be. This is the gift of Light from the Traveller, it says healing my wounds.
Dylan... Priest says looking at me.
How... I don't... He stammers.
I smile softly.
I don't know... I start, but it is. And look, I killed Darkness. With my bare hands.
Farah limps over and looks me over.
Dylan... You were... Dark. She says softly.
I know, I say sadly. He said that's what would await all Guardians.
We all look up and see the water, hearing it drip from the ceiling.
Ghost, I want this place flooded, I say still looking up at the water.
Wash away this filth; let Neptune have itself back.