Chapter 13: Athos the Forgotten

"I know…your…awake." A deep raspy voice spoke slowly from the darkness.

It's voice resonated throughout the cave not allowing Aaron to pinpoint the exact direction it came from. He just continued to play dead doing everything he could to prevent his body from trembling.

'It can speak!'

Each word it spoke came out slowly with a powerful essence behind it which terrified Aaron. He knew now this creature could see him in the pitch black, watching his every move.

'I'm so screwed!' He thought preparing to give a last ditch effort escape attempt.

He knew deep down though that he didn't stand a chance. His death was all but assured the moment he was in this creatures grasp.

"Don't run…boy…It is…meaningless…I mean you no harm" the voice echoed.

It wasn't very loud but it was clear even through its raspy nature.

"…now get up and speak with me…before I change my mind." It continued.

'It hasn't killed me yet I guess. Maybe it's different. Maybe I can convince it to let me go!' Aaron quickly thought.

He also figured that his performance was pretty much useless considering how he was already found out. His body still felt very weak but strength was returning to his body over time. Finding some grip he pushed himself from the ground rising to his feet.

He found it hard to keep balanced without sight and opened his eyes instinctually even without them being able to see.

"Interesting…very interesting…you are…far more intriguing than I…first believed" the voice spoke.

"W-who are y-you." Aaron stuttered out as barely a whisper afraid of angering the one who spoke.

"Looks like the chains devouring your body and soul…are even limiting your…true sight…" the voice said this time from right in front of Aaron.

"C-Chains? Those things I saw in my d-dream? Those were real?" Aaron spoke backing up slightly.

The voice didn't respond for a few seconds. Then he heard a snap. From the darkness a puff of green flames exploded brightening his surroundings and temporarily blinding him with its light. Blinking a few times to adjust many more followed as a dozen more similar explosions followed illuminating the entire room like cave he was in.

The green flames became stable resting in braziers lining the walls and hanging from stalactites above. He was standing near the center of this large cave with no visible exit. Strange pictures and writings were carved all over the uneven, ancient looking walls.

The dripping water he had heard earlier was actually a red liquid dripping into a small basin in the corner. A few other strange objects were scattered around as well as some structures chiseled from stone.

The creature or source of the voice was nowhere to be seen which just added to the eerie feeling he was getting.

"I am Athos the Forgotten…but you…you may call me…Athos." The voice whispered from behind.

Startled Aaron jumped quickly spinning around. Seeing the figure standing about seven feet tall he screamed and stumbled away falling on his butt.

The creature or whatever it was had a thin black shape shrouded in a dark smoke. The smoke gave off a green tint and it swirled around its form flickering like a flame from time to time. What rested at the top of its body was terrifying and looked to be the lifeless head of some monstrous beast.

Several horns and sharp teeth jutted out from the skeletal remains with deep eye sockets that held two dark green embers. The lack of lower jaw or any solid flesh made it even more mysterious too how it was even able to speak.

"W-what are you." Aaron said before quickly shutting his mouth with both hands.

Now not only was he scared of its form he was scared he had also just offended it. As it lacked any real or familiar facial features Aaron couldn't tell how it reacted.

"Calm down young one…and sit…there is much to speak…on" the creatures face did not move yet a voice was projected out.

The ground beneath Aaron shifted pushing Aaron back up. The creature gestured to a large stone and the next thing Aaron knew he was seated on it. He could see wisps of black smoke evaporating from his body as fast as they appeared. It had all happened in the blink of an eye.

'Magic! It's a wizard too?!' Aaron thought.

"My story is a long one…suffice it to say…I have existed down beneath the crust of this…planet before even you arrived hundreds of years ago…"

'H-hundreds of years?…' Aaron thought.

"Your existence is both a familiarity…and a curiosity to me… when you first awoke I felt it…and it flared once more right before I found you inside the structure. You are far more special than you realize." The creature called Athos continued.

"Do you know who I am?! Or what happened to me?!" Aaron questioned, the excitement from the possibility of answers before him stifling his fear.

"I have my theories and know much…but not all of your past. Though I will not say for you are not ready child…the knowledge would do you no good as you are now." The dark figure of Athos turned its back to him.

"Please wizard! I just want to know who I am." Aaron begged.

"I am no wizard!…that is merely a name given to beings who have just begun to grasp the laws of reality and intricacies of magic." A slight amount of annoyance was present in its response.

Athos moved over to the smooth stone basin filled with red liquid. The stalactite above was cracked allowing a steady drip to continue filling the pool.

The liquid was thick like the stuff he awoke floating in a while back. The likeness to blood it had brought back the memories of Dorothy falling to the floor in a pool of her own blood. His eyes became wet.

'Dorothy…'

"This used to be a mockery and imitation of pure…primal…blood but it has grown corrupted and unstable. Once your vessel arrived here and this seeped from its walls the creatures inhabiting the area became…infected."

Athos dipped a few fingers into the thick bloody liquid causing it to bubble and shift as if it was alive.

"When in contact with the blood of a life form…it grants strength and power…while eating away at the creatures mind…driving them insane. I have guided these sad creatures..keeping them from from running rampant on the lands by closing us off from the world."

"This continued for decades until a witch who heard the whispers from a powerful entity I had sealed down here broke him free. Strengthened by the corruption it broke through my barrier, destroying the mountain and escaping out into human territories causing many deaths."

"Why…why are you telling me all this?" Aaron asked when Athos paused seemingly looking him in the eyes.

"The witch had a daughter before she lost herself in the dark arts of whom you are acquainted with…"

"Emily…" Aaron spoke realizing who Athos was talking about.

"Yes…that is the name she was given…she has the same ruthless desire for power…and lack of care for others as her mother…what really matters is that she has taken your keystone."

The very thought of Emily made Aaron filled with rage.

"She killed a friend I cared about. I don't know what keystone your talking about." Aaron said angrily not at Athos but with himself.

"It is important for your future…a necessity to learn your past…and the black heart of your vessel."

The mention of black heart reminded Aaron of the stone at the center of the locket. John had taken it from Veron's corpse and given it to Emily right before they disappeared.

'That must be what he's talking about. I knew it had to be important. I have to get it back' Aaron thought.

"As for your questions I will answer them all to the best of my knowledge… but only once you have retrieved both the keystone…and broken the chains that sap at your potential. Venture out into the world and only return when you are ready for the truth…"

"What potential? At least tell me how I can even…" Aaron tried to say before the world around him blurred.

Athos snapped his fingers once more and embers sitting in his eye sockets burned bright. When Aaron opened his eyes again he was ankles deep in running water with smooth stones beneath his feet. The same dark green embers sizzled out on his skin fading away. The first thing he saw was a large waterfall crashing down before him.

There seemed to be a light coming from the other side and he noticed glowing mushrooms illuminating a path behind him. He was now standing near the path the monsters had taken him from the metallic structure. This was the origins of the deafening noise he had heard.

Aaron stood there lost in his thoughts. He had learned so much from the creature he had met but was still plagued with questions he wasn't given the time to ask.

"What now…?" he asked himself.