Emptiness called, and Dovinicus embraced it wholly.
There was neither time nor space. All concept of mind fell away like a pebble dropped into a vacuous oblivion. He was no longer who he thought he was. He was the oblivion. He was less, but he was more. He was - empty, yet fully whole for the first time. He was All.
Thoughts, images, sounds and emotions raced past him like a spinning wheel. They were not just his images, but of others - some he knew and millions who he did not know. Young, old, male, female. They all seeped into him like a clinging mist. The longer he soaked them in, the more he understood, and the stronger he believed he could be.
He floated on a sea of Rhist. No he was Rhist. He was flow.
Somewhere from within the Nothingness, an itch rose up. A nagging hint of some far off thought scratched its way to the surface.
Nemi.
Dovinicus returned, but not the shell of a boy he once knew as him.
He was flux and flow.
Craeve appeared before him like some twisted, ethereal wraith, ebony blade in hand arcing down. A lifetime passed within each moment the sharp edge dropped down towards Nemi's waiting neck. A thousand visions flowed through unseeing eyes that probed the depth of being.
Dovinicus churned as flame and fury. Venom touched him and a thirst for glory shattered pent up fears. From where he did not know, he emerged with the grace of the Eternal. As if time nearly stood still, he watched from his own eyes and through the distant eyes of an observer.
A sword of orange and one of blue emerged from the empty void, illuminating the darkness he had not known. The two blades moved effortlessly in his hands. Craeve's black strike was parried. Once, twice, a third time. Countless blows seemed to fill a lifetime before he pressed the dark Rhistmaege, sending her backpedaling on her heels. The fierceness in her black eyes died away.
His Venom blade was all snake, striking, biting, recoiling, advancing, snapping down with a ferocity Dovi never felt before. The blue deflected the blows from Craeve, until she dropped all offensive attacks.
He spun, ducked down, reached out. Venom found its mark and Dovi surged with a rage filled bloodlust.
Craeve was down. Blood pooled at her side. Dovi frothed at the mouth. Spittle dripped down his chin. He was no longer human. An animal lineage tracing back to the beginning of time coursed through him and he moved in for the killing blow.
He swung down with Venom and his world exploded once more.
Ruenwall was there, parrying his strike, and catching him across the chest with a hammering blow.
Dovi found himself on the flat of his back. His breath came in ragged, short wheezes. Ruenwall glared over him.
"Dovinicus, you must leave Meregrund," Tuck called weakly into his mind.
"I won't leave you," answered Dovi. "I can beat them. I'm strong."
"No. Come to me now or all is lost," replied Tuck.
Ruenwall reached down towards Dovi. His hand closed around his neck. Just as the pressure became too much to breathe. Ruenwall was swept away.
Hundreds, no maybe thousands of birds, whirled, dove and whipped by Dovinicus. The air was feather and beak and wing.
"Now, Dovinicus, now," called Tuck.
Dovi raced to where Tuck lay and found Nemi kneeling at his side. The old man was covered in blood. More blood than Dovi had ever seen.
"I'm sorry," was all Dovi could muster.
"When the birds come to us, you must call on your Mirror Dovi. Let his essence appear besides you. Use your Rhist. I will create a portal. Send Movi through the portal when Ruenwall comes for you." Tuck choked down a hacking cough.
Craeve's prone form groaned and kicked out weakly with one leg.
"When Ruenwall is through, I will create a second portal. Take Nemi with you." Tuck nodded once.
"We can't leave you here. We won't. Come with us," said Dovi.
"No, I must stay to close the portal behind you. Otherwise Craeve will follow you through," said Tuck.
Nemi stood and shook her head. Tears streamed down her face.
"Nemi can't leave here. You told her so," said Dovi.
"Trust me. Now both of you, be ready. Do what I said when the birds obscure. Do not look back when it is time to go." Tuck took Dovi's hand. His eyes flashed from deep red to sky blue.
Dovi was on his feet. He reached out and kept his Rhist at arms length.
The blood dripping from Tuck's belly changed from red to glowing blue. His hands stiffened and his head arced back against a rigid spine.
Dovi watched as the birds pivoted up and away from the ground, leaving a befuddled Ruenwall down on one knee. The birds swooped as one, and rushed with pinpoint precision to swirl and whirl about them.
"Now Dovi," called Tuck.
He called his Source to him. He flooded himself with Rhist. In an instant, Movi was there beside him, eager and willing. The birds continued to fly around them, creating a hollow within the spinning wall of feathers. From within the birds became translucent, as ghosts, but Dovi trusted that Tuck had kept them hidden from Ruenwall.
"Movi, seek the portal," said Dovi.
Movi leaped through into the open dale, and nearly ran headlong into Ruenwall. The large man swiped at Movi, but was a bit too slow, and Movi dashed across the slick grass.
Dovi watched as a shimmering light appeared at the edge of the dale. The air was sliced, as a blue line opened a black doorway. Ruenwall chased Movi. He closed the gap between them.
Craeve cried out, "No."
Ruenwall watched Movi leap through the gateway, and without hesitation, followed him through.
Tuck interlocked his fingers, flexed them out, and then shuddered with exhaustion.
Dovi's communication with Movi flickered away. The doorway disappeared. The birds scattered into nearby trees.
Craeve tossed about on the ground and mumbled, "No, no Ruenwall."
Before Dovi knew it had happened, a Rhist forged dagger appeared in his hand. He eyed Craeve with bitter hatred. She should pay for what she's done.
Dovi looked to Nemi. She looked at her Mother on the ground and held a shaking hand in front of her mouth. I can't. I'm no killer.
Tuck groaned deeply. "Not much time. Go, now. Leave her. I will handle Craeve."
"Tuck, I love you," said Nemi, as she reluctantly took Dovi's hand.
"Watch over him," said Tuck.
Gearda emerged from inside the cottage as Dovi and Nemi turned to leave. The spider sprayed a covering of Rhist over the massive Waelgeugan, who lay still just off to the left of the cottage. The spider continued to makes its way towards Tuck and Craeve, both still lying upon the sodden grass.
Tuck once again used his Rhist and opened another doorway with his Rhist.
"Where will it take us? Where is Ruenwall?" asked Dovi.
"What does the lake do?" asked Tuck. He smiled warmly. "We all must walk our own path."
With that, Dovi nodded, and stepped through portal, hand in hand with Nemi.
As they crossed the threshold, darkness consumed them. Breath came with much difficulty. All contact with Nemi was cutoff. He was alone. I do not know who I am right now. How could I feel alone if I cannot feel who I am?
Dovi turned his head away from the darkness and peered behind him. His breath caught in his throat.
A horizon of light tumbled against a vast black veil that surrounded him. A rolling, churning splice of light, of life, sped ever forward, and dropped away in the same instance. I should not be here, ahead of this.
There was a longing of acceptance, of wanting to be with the illuminating flow. It coursed through Dovi and gathered cozily around his heart.
Dovi wrenched his head away, closed his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest. And so he fell back into the void at a breakneck speed. Time and space blurred, then faded to darkness. He was lost, cast adrift, spinning out of control. What have I done?