Chapter 10: The Saving Light

Desmond blinked and shook his head, it felt like he had been unconscious even though he knew that he had just left The Echo. When he came to, he was back in the cozy lighting of Atlas’ apartment. Daylight still came in through the window outside, indicating to him that just as before, only a few hours had passed since he entered The Echo. It was another thing he was starting to understand about this other world. Time moved faster in The Echo than it did in his own world.

Atlas wasn’t standing beside the couch as he had been when Desmond departed this time. Instead, he found the curly-haired man in the kitchen. His kitchen overlooked the living area with a small cut out just above a short counter space. Nothing really looked like it had changed since he left to The Echo, so he could only imagine that Atlas had gone on with his day as usual since. Desmond couldn’t say he blamed him, he wouldn’t have wanted to sit and wait around for hours for someone to come back either.

“Atlas,” Desmond called to him.

“Oh, you’re back already?” Atlas asked as he peeked in at Desmond over the kitchen counter. “So, what happened?”

“I found Mykel and learned a few things,” Desmond replied.

“Then why do you not sound so sure of yourself?” Atlas came around from the kitchen and stood in the doorway.

“He ended up getting hurt pretty bad and I think I figured out how to use whatever power I have. I’m just bothered by something I found out about him and others like me,” Desmond spoke slowly.

“So, what was it that he told you?” Atlas watched him curiously.

“That he’s been the Keeper for five hundred years and everyone else that has come through The Echo like me, they’ve all died.” Desmond said and paused before adding, “Do you think it has something to do with the curse? There has to be some way to break it, right?”

“I didn’t realize…” Atlas responded thoughtfully. “I’m not sure if there is or not. I’m guessing Mykel couldn’t answer that for you either?”

He shook his head. “No. He just told me the only option to stop the curse from spreading is to stay out of The Echo.”

“So, are you going to heed the warning then?” Atlas asked.

“No. No, I can’t. I have to find out what happened to all the others and Mykel… He’s hurt pretty badly right now. There’s something there that’s really dangerous.” Desmond shook his head. “I at least have to help him until he’s healed up or until that thing is dealt with. Before I go back, I need to learn to be better at my abilities. Can you help me do that?”

“I can try. Unlocking any sort of spiritual ability depends on the individual though. You must be open minded to it. Let me make us some tea and I’ll guide you through meditation, that will at least help you unlock it,” Atlas said and disappeared into his tiny kitchen once more.

The tea that Atlas brought was sweet scented and tasted just the same. It was relaxing and the more that Desmond drank of it, the more he felt the stress rolling off his shoulders. When he was to the point where he felt like he could slip into a peaceful nap, he felt the weight of the couch shift indicating that Atlas had moved closer to where he was sitting. The movement was enough to have his attention drawn from the tea and back to the medium next to him.

“Just relax, close your eyes.” Atlas instructed.

Desmond nodded and did as he was instructed. His lids fell shut without a problem and his body sunk back into Atlas’ couch. The world around him melted away after that. The calm instructions Atlas gave beside him eventually faded into the void that he found himself in. This was much like the experience he had whenever he entered The Echo. The difference was that, this time, he was aware that he was awake and not drifting into a sleep.

There was no way for Desmond to tell how long he drifted through that same void, it felt like it was lasting for hours. Soon enough, he slowed down and his feet settled on solid ground. The world around him was still completely dark though. Unlike his first descent to The Echo, there was nothing here, not even anything to indicate where the ground might be beneath his feet.

He searched the endless darkness for something that might give a hint as to what he was supposed to be doing here. Atlas’ voice had faded away to the point where he could no longer hear it. Worry started to settle in the longer he stood in the darkness. Desmond began to become concerned that he had somehow lost his way or ended up somewhere he didn’t want to be.

Just as the fear started to grip at his heart, a bright, white light suddenly appeared about ten feet from where he stood. When it first appeared, Desmond turned his head away and blocked the light with his hands. Once his eyes adjusted to its glow, he turned back to it. The burst of light was actually a glowing orb. He recognized its glow as the same type of glow both Mykel and himself had used in The Echo.

Cautiously, he stepped forward towards the orb, pressing on the invisible ground beneath his feet before he put his weight onto it. Each step was carefully placed as though the wrong one might send him tumbling through the void again. Desmond stopped once he reached the orb. Standing over it, its glow seemed to soften as though it were beckoning to him in some way. Again moving cautiously, he reached to touch the orb with his right hand. He wasn’t certain what would happen once he made contact with it.

The moment his fingers grazed over the top of the orb, it bolted up high into the void. Desmond took a step back and watched as the light grew brighter and once more burst into a blinding flash. After shielding his eyes a second time and lowering his arms, he was left standing in front of a figure cloaked in white light. It easily towered over him by ten times his height and appeared to be made from the same light he used in The Echo.

“Carrier of the Keeper’s Curse, you have been chosen as the next brave soul to protect us from The Dark Ones. With this borrowed light I shall bestow upon you, it will be your duty to bring this light to the darkest parts of our world. We ask you to save us and the other souls from The Dark, your sacrifice is our salvation.” The Cloaked Figure spoke in a booming voice.

“What…What are you?” Desmond asked, both confused and uncertain about the figure’s sudden appearance.

The figure did not answer his question. He wasn’t even sure if it could. Instead, it leaned down towards him and opened his palm to him. At the center of an abnormally large, pale hand was the orb of light that he had seen just moments before. Desmond looked up to find the tall figure’s face, but there was nothing there but a shadow from the cloak it wore. With a heavy sigh, he settled his gaze back on the orb in front of him. This had to be the source of the Keeper’s power.

Whatever this creature was, it had been the thing that lended its light power to the Keepers. The ones that had made it possible to help the souls in The Echo. Its size and appearance reminded him of the large, dark creature he had seen. The same one that had attacked Mykel. It was curious to think that they might be similar. He wondered if that had anything to do with the curse in the first place.

These ideas were ones Desmond would have to discuss at a later time; he had to accept this power and get back to help Mykel as quickly as he could. He was still injured and there was danger lurking around. A nod to himself confirmed his plan and without trying to make any more attempts to communicate with the cloaked figure, he reached for the orb of light and took it into his hands.

This time when he touched it, the orb simply absorbed into his body and disappeared with a soft glow. A glow that left his chest feeling hot and a strange tingling in his arms. Once he had taken the orb, the cloaked figure that stood before him returned to its full height and shimmered out of existence without another word.

Desmond was left feeling bewildered by the whole thing but confident that he would be able to use those light powers of his own free will now.

“Desmond! Desmond, wake up!” Atlas' voice suddenly rang loudly in his ears.

Desmond jolted awake, blinking in the light of the living room he was sitting in. He turned and looked to find Atlas still sitting next to him. The medium looked bothered by something though, his face panic stricken. His change in demeanor had Desmond just as confused as the appearance of the strange being of light he had seen. Desmond opened his mouth to ask him what was wrong, but Atlas spoke first before he could get the first word out.

“Your hands! Look! What happened in there?” Atlas exclaimed and gestured down to Desmond’s hands.

He followed where he was indicating and lifted his hands in shock soon after. The dark tattoo that had twisted its way down his upper forearm after he tried to heal Mykel, now extended down to the fingertips of one hand. It didn’t end there though, it had spread to his other hand. It started up in the reverse direction as the first marking, wrapping around his fingers and up the back of his hand. It stopped when it reached his wrist, circling around it in a solid band. The mark of the curse had spread.

“I.. I saw a being of light and it offered me the power to save the souls in The Echo,” Desmond spoke through his shock. He dropped his hands to his lap and added, “I think The Dark got to those beings of light and the last one turned itself into this power until they could be saved. I think that’s why it’s cursed. The brave soul that gave himself up to stop the spread of The Dark, this power is what is left of him.”

“Are you saying you think there could be a way to break the curse?” Atlas asked in shock.

Desmond looked to Atlas. “Maybe, but I have to find Mykel first. I have to tell him and I have to help him before The Dark Ones get a hold of him too.”