9 Chapter 9: Dark Magic

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Tomas and Charlotte exchanged glances apprehensive as they rose slowly. Veretta didn't once look up. She remained sitting rigidly still. Finally the door closed behind them, leaving her in the dark quiet room.

"It was for the best," came a voice.

Veretta's eyes came up slowly. She saw Errik leaning against the small door frame . His hazel eyes met hers and she felt strangely comforted.

"They might have been killed if this Silthus is as bad as you say," Errik remarked.

"Yes," Veretta answered quietly.

"You did the right thing," Errik went on.

Veretta looked up suspiciously.

"I'm surprised you're still here," She said drily. "Aren't you going to go practice?"

"Do you want me to go?" Errik stared down.

"No," Veretta whispered.

Errik gave a smile as he sat down across from her. "Then I won't,"

"You mean you can't," Veretta replied bitterly.

"Just because I can't doesn't mean that I want to," Errik tilted his head back with his usual smile. He always seemed to be on some joke Veretta couldn't understand. What was funny about this?

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Veretta scoffed.

Errik leant on one hand placing his elbow on the table. His eyes went to the fire as they always did. "What makes you say that?"

"You heard what they said didn't you?" Veretta gave a weak smile, "my grandmother. She's not really here,"

"Isn't she?" Errik replied straightforwardly.

Veretta stared at him, taken aback, "you believe me?"

"She kept greeting us with a smile every time you returned," Errik remained staring into the fire.

"So she is here?" Veretta stared up at him desperately, "You saw her too?"

"I did," Errik answered, "but that's probably because I am not someone who should be alive in the first place,"

Veretta's eyes widened, "You mean..."

"I suppose you're the same," Errik remarked, "you played with death and now..."

"I saw her spirit then?" Veretta swallowed uneasily.

"I don't know," Errik sighed, "These things are beyond my understanding,"

"But is she real?" Veretta's voice trembled. "Or am I losing my mind?"

"You messed with very dark magic, Veretta," Errik's gaze finally met hers, "Dark magic can do terrible things to people. If you want me to comfort you and tell you it will be fine, I can."

"But that would be a lie, wouldn't it?" Veretta covered her face in her hands.

Errik tapped the table lightly. " I've heard a necromancer has the power to draw spirits to them,"

"That never happened to me before," Veretta shook her head.

"No, because you never used dark magic before, did you?" Errik replied.

"No," Veretta swallowed uneasily.

"Then it is my guess that you saw your grandmother's spirit most likely because you willed it here," Errik said at length.

"I willed her here?" Veretta repeated motionless.

"You don't see her now do you?" Errik asked.

"No," Veretta shook her head.

"I thought not," Errik commented, "well, these things happen,"

"Has it ever happened to you?"

"Not that I can recall," Errik smiled

"I see," Veretta sunk back into her chair, "but what they said about the village...the truth is...I already knew that. I just kept telling myself it wasn't true because this place...it's all I have. Am I so wrong for wanting to protect it? For hoping that it can return to how it was?"

"I can't answer that," Errik said quietly, "but I do know this - I don't think you would have wanted them here for what's to come," Errik's shimmering golden eyes met Veretta soberly, "once people see your darkness, they never forget it,"

"AM I so wrong for wanting revenge?" Veretta bit her lip, " you don't understand..."

"I do," Errik interrupted.

Errik's unwavering gaze was filled with sadness but he didn't hide it. Veretta knew then that he did. Perhaps, he knew better than anyone else. And this darkness that she had been trying to bury, he made no apologies for it.

"Did you ever take revenge on someone?" Veretta asked without meaning to.

She didn't expect he would answer. Instead, his steady unflinching gaze bent back to the fire. He stared into it with a consuming intensity.

"I did," Errik said in a low voice, "I wrapped my hands around that person's throat and I choked them to death,"

Veretta looked into his dark wild eyes. She ought to have been repulsed and turned away. He was everything they had said. She had realised it in the forest as he killed those men with a smile. He was a man who did terrible deeds. Yet somehow, she couldn't look away. She wanted even more.

"What did they do?" Veretta asked quietly, "to deserve such a revenge?"

The intense look in Errik's eyes abated and he turned back to her with a smile, "I can't remember."

Veretta felt at once it must have been a lie. Still, she accepted it with a nod.

"What about you?" Errik tilted his head back with an arrogant smile, "how far will you go to get your revenge?"

"Silthus' death will be enough," Veretta replied reticently.

"I suppose we'll see," Errik smirked, "Once you taste the darkness, it's hard to let go. No matter how bitter is, it's addictive,"

"I've already seen the error of my ways today," Veretta answered firmly, "With just a bit of dark magic, to think such things can happen... Once Silthus is dead I will stop practicing magic,"

"Is that so?" Errik gave a small smile.

Veretta's shame and disgust at her own action were like a lump in her throat. This was not who she was. This wasn't how her parents had raised her. It was only temporary.

"Yes," Veretta returned with conviction, "I don't ever want to feel like this again,"

She was in the midst of solidifying this resolve when she felt a soft hand at her cheek.

She turned to Errik with wide surprised eyes, "what a shame," he whispered, "I think the darkness suits you quite well,"

Veretta's shining emerald eyes were momentarily lost in his wicked smile. She felt her cheeks begin to colour and turned her face away at once.

"That won't happen," she exhaled unsteadily.

He didn't answer but he disappeared into the backroom. A moment later he returned with his cloak.

"We're running low on fire," he said, casting an eye behind.

She glanced back at the log basket realising it was true.

"Do I have your permission to go get some?" Errik smirked.

Veretta's eyes narrowed, "You know you don't need to ask,"

"Ah, but I like the look on your face when I do," he returned with a smile and took off.

Veretta wondered if he really had to leave at that moment or whether he did it just to provoke her. She pulled the blanket around herself a little tighter. Why was her heart beating so fast? Perhaps she had come down with a cold from stress.

She felt terribly that Charlotte and Tomas had left as they did but perhaps Errik was right. Maybe it really was for the best. Still, was it okay to rely solely on Errik? Veretta had seen with her own eyes the ferociousness of his magic, but Silthus had a whole army. Would just the two of them be enough? And what about those mages in his army? Had she been too hasty?

Not long after, Erik returned with fire wood. Veretta was still sitting in the main room on his return. He glanced up with a knowing smile.

"What's on your mind?" He said setting the wood down

"Errik, will it really be okay, just the two of us, I mean?"Veretta squirmed.

"Isn't it too late to be asking that?" He set his cloak down with a grin.

"I know,"Veretta frowned.

"If you want Silthus dead, he will be dead," Errik stared down expressionless.

"How can you be so certain? "Veretta looked up apprehensively.

"You called on me for a reason,"Errik dismissed, "I will do everything in my power to grant your wish,"

"But what if Silthus' army is too strong?"

"It doesn't matter,"

"What do you mean?" Veretta blinked slowly.

"I am already dead,"Errik smiled, "What does it matter if I die again?"

"But Errik," Veretta said in a small voice, "I don't want you to die,"

For a while Errik was quiet and didn't say anything. He sat down in front of the fire with his usual air of indifference. Even so, his eyes remained steadily on Veretta as if had something to say. Veretta shifted uncomfortably under his stare. Maybe it was too selfish of a request.

"I mean," Veretta said, breaking the silence, " what do you get out of this if you die? Isn't that too unfair?"

"I've already gotten what I wanted,"Errik said in a low voice.

Veretta stared at him wide-eyed, " I don't understand, "

"I wanted to feel the wind on my face. I wanted to be covered in light just one more time, even if it has been shades of grey. I wanted to hold a sword in my hand once more, to feel alive and now I have," Errik replied with a melancholy smile. " For all those things, I am grateful to you, Veretta. I will pay my gratitude with my life if need be."

Veretta swallowed uneasily, "it's okay to ask more, Errik,"

"When I close my eyes at night, I see flashes of muddled memories and dreams. I wake up as soon as this body can bear because I start to recall a dark life where I took and took until I could take no more. This time I won't be greedy. If I do that, maybe the gods will spare me this time," Errik inhaled deeply.

"It's not greedy to want to live," Veretta's fist clenched.

"For me, it is,"Errik returned his eyes to the fire.

Veretta wanted to tell him it wasn't. She wanted to say that his life mattered, but how could she dare? They weren't friends or lovers. Their relationship was purely contractual. So instead, she quietly joined him in staring at fire. The red flames danced so free and wild.

"If you really are worried, " Errik said thoughtfully, "we can take some precautions, "

"Precautions? "Veretta's eyes came up quickly.

"Come with me tomorrow ,"Errik rose with a smile," I will show you something interesting,"