The Devil's Heir

Chapter 14 A Struggle Within-The Original Element

A week had passed and Robert has yet to wake up. Danielle and the others stay by his side as they do everything they can to help. In his sleep, he hears the voice from before, "It's time to wake up, my boy. It's time to accept your destiny." "Dad...?" Robert tries to ask the voice. His attempt is cut short by his body waking up, much to everyones delight. He opens his eyes as they are empty and emotionless. Smiles quickly fade as everyone asks if he is alright, to which he doesn't respond.

Alister and the others drive Robert home, his expression still empty and lifeless. Danielle walks him to his room as he sits down, unmoved. Everyone waits in the living room, worried for their family member. "What's wrong with him? That's not the Robert we know!" Danielle asks in concern. "I knew Robert wasn't ready to awaken yet, his mind and soul must be fried after that stunt from Raphael!" Alister declares in anger. "Who was that, anyways? And what do you mean "he wasn't ready to awaken"?" Danielle asks her father.

"Raphael is a part of Vali's gang, he was a fallen one. A member of an elemental faction who became a traitor to his people and to every faction. Robert wasn't physically or mentally prepared to have that seal on his powers broken yet, I'm certain that's why he is like that now. He is fighting against his own true self. What we all saw that day, was Roberts true strength. Those powers are dangerous if left unchecked, and if Robert loses this inner struggle, mass devastation could result." "H-How so?" Danielle asks in fear. "Let's just hope it never comes to that." "Danielle, I want you to go in there with him, you are the only one who can snap him out of this." Ariel states from the doorway. "Me?! But how?" "Because you are the one who is the closest to his heart, you are our best hope to bring him back." "I'll try." she says as she goes into his room.

Deep within his soul, Robert wakes up, chained to a wall. "Where...Where am I?" he asks as he looks around. "About time you woke up." a similar voice declares. Robert looks up to see someone who looks just like him, except with bright red eyes. "It's you, the person who has helped protect me all this time?" Robert asks. "Bingo," the duplicate agrees, "the real you. The original you. And now, if I kill you, I can reclaim my body." he declares as he draws the sword from earlier. Robert looks on, afraid for his life.

Back outside his body, Danielle is sitting beside him. "Please Robert, you've got to snap out of it. Everyone is worried about you, me especially. Please wake up!" she shouts to him as she kisses his cheek. Tears roll down his lifeless eyes as he turns to look at her. Back within his soul, Robert cowers before his duplicate until he hears her voice. "No, I can't die like this, there is someone that I need to protect. I can not, and will not, give up now!" As he shouts back to his duplicate, the mark on his arm glows again. "I refuse to give up!" he shouts in determination as his body dissapears in a shimmer.

Rapidly disappearing and reappearing around his clone, Robert looks at his mark in awe. "I remember, the destiny. The miracle. I remember the void, the element of creation and potential. I may not know the others, but I will never truly forget my own element." As the clone tries to cut Robert, he simply fades away before reappearing elsewhere. The clone tries to slash at Robert, who shapes the energy into a blade as well. The clone looks in shock, as does Robert, who simply smirks and starts to fight back. Finally, Robert knocks the clone back and off his feet. Robert picks up the blade and resonates with it. The clone smiles, "Dad was right, you did pass."

The clone stands up and grips Robert's mark with his own marked arm. "What do you mean "dad"? Was he in on this?" Robert asked his duplicate. "He knew the whole time, and he asked me to test you, and if you passed, to break what was left of the seal. Sorry for not saying anything, congratulations Armityle, now go, and restore order to Almagest." the clone responds before fading away into the mark.

The room around Robert grows bright and he wakes up in his own body, out of breath. "Robert..? Are you okay..?" Danielle asks, trying to hold back tears. "Yeah, I think so." Robert says, looking at his arms. "Thank goodness!" Danielle says as she holds him tight, sobbing. The adults walk in shortly after. "So you kicked your own ass, huh?" Alister jokes. "Yeah, but I think the time to train is now more than ever." Robert responds, as he holds a ball of energy in his hand for all to see. Everyones eyes grow wide in shock. "T-That's....Void energy..." Alister states in awe. "How did you learn to use that?!" "I remembered...everything." Robert responds.