Chaos temple.
(Veronica refused to come with me. Odd, she hated Charles as well. Maybe it's because she turned over a new leaf? She's still a murderer. Maybe she would never understand.)
(That doesn't matter. What matters is that I have Charles.)
"Viir!" He said.
"Yeees Rheeen, wow you look better than when you heal yourself with blood magic!" She twirled.
"Yes, thanks to Veronica."
"Why are we back so soon? The souls are acting weird; then again we did feasted like crazy yum yum!"
(Yes, we did; I exerted my powers keeping Corvessa, Willow, and myself alive. If it was just me, it wouldn't have been an issue. )
"Grab Charles!" He waved at her.
"Oh, that's why. We're finally going to have some fun with that scum~!" She giggled, flew up and grabbed a red star. She placed in Rhenvar's hand. "I made sure to save him."
Rhenvar's hand glowed crimson, forcing Charles' human form from the red star. Charles looked up in fear. Rhenvar knew those eyes; he was trying to use his powers.
"You can't control me you dumbass, you belong to us now." Rhenvar's smile widened.
"Wait please," Charles panicked. "it was Aucteros, his plan- "
Rhenvar grabbed him off the floor. And ripped his arm off.
He screamed.
"It wasn't that bad!" Viir chuckled. Then she snapped her fingers and his arm reappeared. As if nothing happened.
"Wait, please."
Rhenvar did not listen. He did not care.
"The ballroom did a number on us, you know." He ripped out his eye and squished it with a fist.
Charles screamed.
"We were fortunate that a piece of my soul was bound to Darkness." Rhenvar ripped his arm off again.
"W- wait-"
"You have no idea what you almost did." He ripped his jaw off.
Charles couldn't talk. But he tried.
"Viir." Rhenvar gestured; she snapped her fingers. Charles was whole again.
"Physically it is fun but let's go into your memories." Rhenvar ripped into his mind with is fingers.
"Not so fun when you're on the other end huh?" Viir mocked.
Rhenvar dug into his most cherished memories.
"Oh? Your sixteenth birthday, and would you look at that, you were loved even by your stepmother." He ripped it out.
"Guess with the way you turned out, this doesn't really matter, does it?"
Rhenvar ate it. And the memory of belonging surged.
(Wow he really was loved by this woman. What a shame his heart was black from the beginning.)
"Please…" Charles pleaded.
"Please?" Rhenvar laughed. "Please what? Please stop? How many people asked you the same thing? How many minds did you warp to get what you want? Let's see shall we."
"Oh? So, you forced woman into your bed? Viir, how do we feel about this?"
Viir glared. "Oh, we're keeping him. For a long time."
"See, even us monsters, disapprove."
"You are a monster, I saw it." Charles finally spoke up. Rhenvar did not like his tone.
(Like I give a shit what a soul thinks. I'll rip his tongue out.)
"Destroyed a world over a woman." He laughed.
(What?)
"Oh, you must have forgotten or wanted to forget. No wonder these souls pity you, to have love and it's always ripped away." Charles snickered with fear.
Rhenvar slammed Charles into the black rock floor. Grabbed him by the head.
"Valyala. That was her name, wasn't it?" Charles eyes filled with fear and anger.
Rhenvar stopped.
"What did you say?"
"Wait-" Viir gasped.
"The God touched bitch who got herself killed, all because of you. Oh, I saw it all when I peaked inside your head. You are pathetic."
(Pathetic?)
"Wasn't she pregnant? With your child? What was the name you wanted it for it?"
"Rhen, hold on don't listen to him-" Viir's eyes went pitch black.
"Nosaj if a boy, Ereveniug if a girl…" Rhenvar's words left his mouth before he could even think.
The memory felt fresh, as if he had it yesterday.
"Oh, names from Htrae, your real world! And she agreed! She was just as pathetic as you-"
Rhenvar lost it.
He raised his hand and pushed his fingers onto Charles' forehead. He twisted his mind. His memories. His soul.
Charles screamed. Sobbed. Feared.
Rhenvar did not care.
"Rhen!" Viir tried calling. "Stop!"
The red stars were all fearful. All watched. All listened.
"You have no right, you piece of shit!"
Charles' soul shuttered. His soul spasmed. Rhenvar was ripping him apart.
Viir's voice was eclipsed.
Reality started bending, everything in the temple was warping, the souls all screamed at once.
Then the shockwave. It did not have any force but it was felt. Rhenvar had taken the blunt of whatever it was.
And in the end, he wasn't devoured. He was destroyed. The only thing left was scattered pieces of red marble like pieces.
"Rhen…" Viir came up with some trouble flying. "You destroyed a soul…"
"And so what if I did? Who cares!" He shouted.
Rhenvar fell to his knees. It felt like a skeletal hand crushed his brain.
(My mind… what the hell?)
He grabbed his head.
Memories of the past hit him hard. Harder than when he remembered Sylvia and Willow's adventures.
Everything hurt. His mind isn't correcting itself. He needed… to run. Do something. Focus on something else.
Flashes of old memories caught him. Valyala and him. He had just hunted game, and returned to their cabin.
"I was hoping for Unideer today. They are healthy for the baby."
Rhenvar's mind twisted.
(Fuck.)
"Rhen… souls are powerful, our life force, you know the consequence of destroying a soul… why…" Viir wasn't angry, she was sad. "You've opened yourself-"
(He deserved it!)
"Seek." Rhenvar said without thinking.
"Rhen- your eyes…" Viir came up and touched him. Rhenvar's eyes had changed. His pupils had turned crimson red.
His head hurt so badly he wanted to rip it off his neck.
(Nothing is wrong! I'm fine.)
"Consume."
"Rhen please focus, stop." She touched her forehead to his. "We're hurting."
(I'm hurting her…)
The stars are shifting. All of them in fear.
"Rhen, what you did- mother can help-" Viir was cut off.
"What about mother!" Rhenvar said in anger. "And why do you care? You can't even feel emotions!"
Viir's face dropped. "I know… I can't feel anymore but… that somehow hurt me, Rehpotsirhc- "
He pushed her tiny body away.
"I- I'm sorry. I need to go, Viir… I-."
(I need to move, run, I need to run.)
"Rehpotsirhc don't leave our home-"
And he left in a flash of crimson light.
Back to the others.
****
Back at Camp.
"Rhen!" Willow shouted, walking up, staggering. "Your ring it hurt me, it burned my- "
Willow looked at him.
"Rhen your eyes…"
"Enough!" Rhenvar screamed.
Willow flinched back. Everyone turned to him.
(Are they laughing? Are they scared?)
(My head hurts. What the hell? Why? Was it because I destroyed Charles?)
("You really are inferior son of Chaos.") A crackling voice said.
"Urithax! The next mission." Rhenvar screamed.
Urithax shifted. "I think it's best if we take a break eater of souls." He studied him. They were bound, how could he forget.
"Feed."
(No. Think.)
(Willow. Sylvia.)
"Consume."
(No. It's not working.)
(Think. Love. Control.)
"No, kill them. Eat them. Unleash me." Rhenvar's voice is hollow.
(What? Did I say-)
"Rehpotsirhc!" A voice called out.
"Huh?" He turned.
(Valyala?)
She was beautiful. Red eyes black hair just like-
"Val!" He blurted.
"Hey idiot, you have to calm down." She said.
"Sorry Val I'm so-."
Someone touched his shoulder.
"Rhen who are you talking to? Who's Val?" Willow was more concerned about him than himself.
(Willow? Wait.)
He turned. Valyala was gone.
"No!" He swatted Willow's hand away. Willow stood back, shocked.
Rhenvar's mind twisted. His eyes hurt.
Then Willow trembled, holding the hand that held Rhenvar's ring.
Rhenvar looked at him.
(Willow, am I hurting you? I never-)
(What the hell is wrong with me? My head hurts so much.)
"Urithax! You- need to get me away from here."
"Rhen…" Willow's voice was panting, holding his hand.
(Willow stop, stop it, just take that fucking ring off.)
"Devour."
Rhenvar fell to his knees. Grabbing his head in pain. Trying his best to shift through the memories. The memories of the first world he was forced into.
"Sin!" Veronica's voice rang.
Sinephilim rushed to Rhenvar. Her hands glowing. But the light was being swallowed.
"You damn monster!" Sinephilim said in pain. "Don't think I'll just give up from a little-"
Her veins started glowing. A divine white light shined. Her nose started bleeding.
"Pull yourself together!" Sinephilim roared in frustration.
Then, with a chance, when there was no pain, he looked around.
("Everyone was watching you.")
"Who cares."
Sinephilim stood back frightened.
("Everyone was judging you.")
"Who cares."
Veronica flinched.
("Everyone is afraid of you, Sirhc")
"Good!"
Willow bent forward clutching his hand in pain.
"We'll consume them, eat this one first. Just like her brothers." Rhenvar looked at Sinephilim.
("She will join us!")
"As you wish."
"Eater of souls!" Urithax's voice wasn't calm but commanding. "Our bond, it works both ways."
Urithax stepped forward without fear, exhaled white flame, engulfing Rhenvar. The cursed knight was on fire.
"I refuse to see you drown yourself in your past!"
The white flames blinded Rhenvar, but oddly they didn't hurt him. Not like before. The flames were… like a breeze of wind, gentle and calm.
****
Dragon's cave.
Rhenvar fell into the cave. As if a child who was in time out.
Another white flame blinding Rhenvar appeared. Urithax, the golden dragon stepped through.
"You were about to kill everyone." He snarled.
"You should listen to him." Val appeared next to Urithax. "I'm not sure wants to use you. Not like the other Gods. It seems like he cares for you."
"Val! Wait, don't leave!" Rhenvar screamed.
Urithax stared. Knowing what was happening. Their bond was strong. But Rhenvar was breaking from his suppressed guilt and torn memories.
"Eater of souls, you are dying, the mortal memories are catching up to you, the magic that let you live for thousands of years is decaying." Urithax stood next to him. "The soul you destroyed started it."
Urithax loomed over Rhenvar.
"Are you really going to be broken by memories? When you yourself said you'd give your soul for… another?"
(I did; I did say that…. Viir… I'd give you my soul so she can live. But why does my head hurt? It's not my fault. Shit why was I so cruel to you Viir-)
Urithax looked uneasy. Rhenvar was breaking. His memories, all his memories, were killing him.
"It's kill or be killed, remember?" Val said, voice low. "But not everyone dies. Heroes live on."
"I feel the same, Val, I think, I want to die again." Rhenvar agreed.
"Rehpotsirhc, no! Focus you asshole! The Skeleton-!"
Rhenvar ignored her, looking at Urithax.
"Kill me please!" He cried. "You said my trial was death, right? So please! Kill me! End this! I died! Why am I still alive? Why am I still breathing? This isn't natural, it's wrong- "
("You know why, son of chaos. Just let go.")
Urithax stared, but only smoke from his nostrils was an answer.
"I don't understand, why me?" Rhenvar fell to his knees. "Why am I like this-"
"Feed." Rhenvar said twitching.
(No!)
Rhenvar looked at Urithax with hungry eyes.
"Focus you beast!" Urithax commanded. The bond between them forced his compliance.
"You never let your powers control you like this, that's why I did not kill you, and that's why you still live."
(But I'm not supposed to be here, this isn't where my soul belongs, I should be on Htrae)
"This is a joke! I had a life, a career, friends, and family! I had it all!"
"Yet you drove a blade in your left wrist, to end it all, then in another world, you finally found love and in its funeral, you decided to use your powers to devour everything…"
"But I didn't kill-" tears ran down his face. "I didn't use it- I- I destroyed the world!"
"You did it for me." Val frowned, looking down. "And I watched it. It hurt watching you go so far- "
"Yes, because I loved you, I'd burn the world for you!"
"Thirst."
(Yes!!!)
Urithax shifted, knowing Rhenvar was losing his mind. All Rhenvar's past emotions were devouring him. The old memories were killing him. And he was letting it happen. He wanted it to happen.
"Eater of souls… there's a world I know, a friend who can help you…" Urithax did not relent. "Do not give up, you are like me."
("Don't listen God of Chaos, it's a trick.")
Rhenvar's delusions broke for a moment.
"You hate me…"
"No, I envy you. Three times God touched soul, who still fights for good, a mind warped so bad it would make even Gods fall... you are what I sought to be, what I gave up divinity for!"
"Hunger- "
Rhenvar ignored his own words.
(What does that even mean? Why does this asshole have to be cryptic all the time?)
"Rehpotsirhc, you are the very definition of being mortal!"
(Mortal?)
"I'm a fucking loser! Who used a Goddess's powers to survive these fucking worlds! You said it yourself! I did nothing with my second life, I ate the fucking memories of living, breathing, people! I'm- "
"Sirhc just fucking listen!" Val shouted.
"Val, I- " Rhenvar cut her off.
Urithax crushed Rhenvar into the ground like a monster.
"We share blood! We are brothers! You, who has hope, friends, loved ones… would stick to a memory? Was I wrong? I could eat you now and not care."
"Then do it."
Urithax flinched back.
"Kill me and let this thousand year nightmare finally end!"
"And Willow? Sylvia? Were they nightmares? Willow will die if he keeps holding that ring because of your foolishness."
(Fuck. No, I forgot. The ring is hurting him!)
("No Urithax is using him! Just like you! He's just another pawn in the God's entertainment, just like I was!")
"Feed!"
(I won't let him share our fate! I'll kill you all!)
Rhenvar used his bond with Urithax to immobilize him.
"What the…" Urithax did not understand.
"You threaten Willow-!" Rhenvar erupted in black flames. His flesh pealed off half his face revealing his black skull.
"You truly, are above the Gods… yet you restrict yourself… why?"
"Because Sylvia and Willow would hate me." He pointed at his face. "Look at what I am you fucking idiot dragon. They would hate what I am. Everyone hates what I am-"
"I don't." Urithax said.
"What?"
"You heard."
("Eat him!")
"Yes, eater of souls." Urithax closed in. Ignoring the black flames. "You need help, and I won't give up on you."
"Why?"
"Isn't it obvious? We are bonded, yes, but I want to be your friend."
("Don't GAH!")
(Damn lizard…)
"I'll eat you like the Gods before you." Rhenvar's face twisted.
"I welcome your challenge, eater of souls. But remember 'where' you are. Human from Htrae, do you think it's that easy?"
In an instant, Rhenvar's connection to his magic disappeared. Just like his trial. Rhenvar was powerless; his magic sealed. Yet he held no fear. He pushed forward.
"Maybe the severed connection will benefit that weak mind."
But Rhenvar did not listen to Urithax's words.
"Then let's finish this, I'm sick of pretending. I'm sick of everything. Just eat me and everything will be right." Rhenvar said his voice was in pain but eyes hungry.
"And your death will help who? Viir will die, Sinephilim will lose her brothers, Veronica will lose her friend, and your best friend Willow will lose himself, and turn into you."
(What? Willow will become me-)
"You started this, when you drowned in blood and formed into a false dragon. When you ripped Gods apart and ate their souls. When you killed the one that could not be killed."
Urithax stood as a king near Rhenvar. No fear. His voice was annoyed but also conflicted.
"Yet you don't understand your true importance, you were the first one. The first Worldeater to take up that cursed sword against other Worldeaters."
Smoke exhaled from Urithax's nostrils. "The first to agree to stopping them! You caused the ripple, every Worldeater before you sought more power, yet you did not. You lived by your word, for hundreds of years…"
Rhenvar flinched at his words.
"I watched you," Urithax continued. "I feared you'd come to my world. But you did not. The one who dwells in shadow gave you a mission, you drove away Worldeaters from her world. You even saved worlds."
"Yet I ate Val's world because of my temporary insanity!" Rhenvar yelled. "I'm nothing but madness. A ticking time bomb because of Chaos's bullshit magic!"
"No, it was just you, and you, alone. The magic, the voice, it's you and only you. And you know it."
"I…"
"Yes, that voice, the one that tells you to unleash your power, is you. All of you."
(Devour.)
(Thirst. Feed.)
(Wait! No!)
(Kill!)
(Destroy!)
"Rehpotsirhc, just remember what I told you." Val appeared. "Just remember the warmth. The love."
"What? No don't leave." Rhenvar shouted. "Val!"
The memories of the Shadowfort hit Rhenvar hard. How the twins react to him being a simple human. Him adventuring with them, the elves loved him. They even allowed their princess to bind herself to him in marriage. He was a hero. He was at home. He was loved.
"Willow… Sylvia…"
Rhenvar shook off his issues. And turned to Urithax.
"I… I- I need help Urithax… that friend you said that could help me… send me there."
Urithax smiled, and finally Rhenvar did not run. "I trust you will get along. Try not to eat him, or he will destroy you."
"I- I will try."
(I hope I can keep myself in check.)
"Best of luck, eater of souls. I'll extend your sealing. First yourself fix, then fight the other later."
"Other?"
White fire engulfed him.
****
Toon World.
There he stood, bright colors. A world of cartoons.
"Well, Urithax said your world was dark but this…" the voice that was talking approached Rhenvar. A familiar small green cartoon t-rex with a black suit, sunglasses and top hat sat at a desk.
"This is dinotsatic!" The voice cheered. "I'll help you; you definitely need it.
Rhenvar was forcefully seated in a cartoon chair.
"My name is Downtown Dinosaur but you can call me DD!" DD said pulling a squeaky pen and journal out of thin air. "So where do we begin?"
(Downtown Dinosaur? Here? What the fuck, this is ridiculous…)
(But… I need help…)