Title: Creators of Darkness (Merging Worlds Series 3.5)
Author: Auden Johnson
Genre: Dark Fantasy
It’s a living power, made good or bad depending on who wields it. This energy lives in darkness, night and shadows. It grows in those hidden areas within you. The parts you don’t want anyone to see.It gave Darkness life. They gave Darkness life.
Anyone can use this power but Darkness allows only a select few free access. These people went by many names over the years— gods, demons, avenging spirits. One name evolved and outlived the others.
They became the Sciell.
These are their stories.
Shadows shaped like bodies hung from the sky by invisible strings. That was a memory he didn’t need resurfacing. No wonder Cassion couldn’t deal with this. Why did he think Haylan could? Haylan hadn’t spent two nights with these things as a little one. He had simply walked under the bodies for half a day before finding Cassion and leading them out. Cassion never talked about those two nights. Haylan never figured why those shadows hung from the sky or even if they were still there.
A memory screamed at Haylan. Of a forest and shadows hanging from the sky. Cassion wasn’t alone this time. Someone was talking to him, pointing at the bodies. A white light invaded the memory as Cassion suppressed it. Cassion found the forest. What he learned, apparently, added energy to his nightmare.
I will kill you if you ask me about it. Cassion said to his mind.
“I’m not interested.”
The stifling scent of decay rolled over him. The bodies rocked. Back and forth. In sync, like some twisted dance. They all spun then rocked.
Haylan sat back on his legs. It was hard to breathe. His arms wouldn’t stop shaking.
“When we get home, we need to deal with this memory,” Haylan said.
“I’ve tried.”
“Try harder.”
Cassion placed a shaking hand on his back and pushed him forward.
“Just deal with this.”
How did he break the illusion last time?
Nearly breaking my hand. Cassion said.
“But this time, we both know it’s not real.”
Cassion was not going to like this.
We are not ignoring it. Remove them.
Cassion hand was still on his back. He, once again, lost a measure of control of his power. Thin pins kept shooting into Haylan’s skin, knocking off his concentration.
“You spend a lot of time in these negative landscapes, you must’ve come across this illusion before. What did you do?”
“Nothing. I left and sent in Manyt to purify the entire area.”
Haylan wasn’t going to do that. He wasn’t experienced in cleaning negative emotions. This wasn’t the time to practice. Cassion would have to deal with this.
A body dropped about four paces in front of them. The mound of shadows rose like smoke, taking the shape of a robed figure. It moved like it was controlled by loose strings.
Haylan had dreams of this. Years ago. They never moved the day he found Cassion. He dreamed they did. Every night, they cut themselves off the strings and surrounded him. Cassion’s screams every night had saved him.
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