Chapter 7: The Descent

Wess could remember now! He remembered CJ as a small child; He remembered his parents; he could even remember their deaths. Wess was there, not hiding in the closet or under the bed. He was brave back then. When Wess had woke up one night, his parents were locked in a desperate battle with four dark magic users. They had his parents pinned in a corner. Wess ran to help them, but it was too late. They struck his parents down. At four years old, he was already powerful. He fought with such ferocity that his attackers thought they had unleashed a demon. But in the end, he was no match for the three remaining dark magic users.

His mind jumped back further in time. Three weeks earlier, Wess had snuck into the attic. While he was there, he came across a book. He didn’t know it at the time, but the book was dark magic. He was enthralled by the elegance and the dichotomy of the spells. When you hurt someone, you would hurt yourself. Even at that age, Wess realized that everything in this magic had a price. The more powerful the spells, the greater the cost. But it could also have its rewards. While using this magic, you may damage your physical body, but you damage the soul of the one you use it on. In the process, you absorb some of their life force. When you recover, you become more powerful.

He memorized several spells, not knowing what they did or even how to cast them. The words in Wessier, however, were mesmerizingly beautiful. Wess was suddenly pulled back into his previous memory as he remembered the pain of his arm being blasted off by a detonation spell. At first, he wasn’t aware of an attack. There was just a green light that started with a flash. It seemed to last forever until the pain hit him. But the pain didn’t last forever. It was soon replaced by rage. As his assailants stood over him, his fear was suddenly gone. Somehow, a calm swept over him as he whispered a spell that he didn’t even remember memorizing. Fire leaped from the floor, consuming his attackers. But the hotter the fire burned, the colder Wess felt. Then, Wess felt a tingling sensation followed by a stabbing pain in his arm right where it was severed.

Wess looked down at his arm. It was growing back! The more his enemy burned, the faster his arm grew. When it was complete, there was nothing left of his attackers but ash. Wess started to cry, but he didn’t cry for himself. Wess didn’t even cry for his parents. He wept for these men who had killed his parents, attacked him, and blew his arm off because their death was worse than anyone deserved, even after what they did! Wess would have found it hard to care, considering his loss, but he felt it. Wess felt their pain and fear, but he felt his joy for their suffering most of all. Even worse than that, he knew that there was no chance of redemption for them. They would not be going to an afterlife. He had consumed their souls!

“I remember,” Wess said, snapping out of his past, “I did put a curse on myself! I hated myself for what I had done. And for performing that piece of evil magic, the curse was my payment.”

“From what you’re describing, that was a powerful spell,” CJ said. “And very complicated. Not many adults could even attempt an inferno spell of that magnitude.”

“So, it’s hopeless?” he asked, “I’m just cursed forever?”

“No, the curse can be removed,” she said, “but it’s very complicated and will take time. I have a lot of research to do.”

“Don’t bother!” Wess said, “That’s the price of dark magic and of cheating one’s fate. I will be redeemed one day, but until then, this is my cross to bear.”

He walked out the door, disappearing into the dark. This is where he belonged. He was a creature of darkness now, as His whole life had been this way. Dark, cruel, and cold. But now he knew why, and if he embraced the darkness, he could deal with his fate head-on. He used a transport spell to return home. Wess climbed the stairs to his attic workspace, his sanctuary. Now he knows why he forgot! It wasn’t the curse or the pain. It was a memory that haunted him. He read somewhere that detonation spells don’t give off any light. If that’s true, what was that light? He searched his memory. He was missing some time. He wasn’t sure how much time, but he knew that it had been more than a few minutes.

He was getting too tired to think about it. It made him dizzy, and his head hurt. I’ll just lay down for a minute, he thought. When he did, the room started to spin. What’s happening? He closed his eyes tight. He could hear something. He couldn’t tell, but he had the impression that something was calling to him. He could feel a pull but to where? His head was pounding now! He couldn’t take it anymore, so he just let go trying to clear his mind. Then there was nothing. Like when he had fallen asleep that time. There were no dreams, just darkness in his head.

“Wess, are you here?” He heard someone yell from downstairs.

It sounded like CJ. What does she want? Can’t I get a moment’s peace?

“Wess, it’s been three days. What’s happened to you?” she yelled.

Three days? How could it be three days? He thought. I just fell asleep.

“Wess, are you in the attic again?” she called from below the pulldown stairs.

He walked to the trap door and removed the lock curse without thinking. He was about to open the door when it hit him. How did I know there was a lock curse on the door, and how did I remove it? I don’t even know how to cast or release a lock curse, he thought. So, how did I do that? I’ll find out when I get back to my study. He pushed the door down and said, “I’m here. I’ll come down. You don’t have to mess with my head!”

“What do you mean, mess with your head?” she asked.

“You said it’s been three days,” he said. “I just got here and fell asleep right before you showed up. Those memories were overwhelming, so I came straight here.”

“That was three days ago,” she said. “This is Saturday. I’ve been following your trail since Wednesday.”

“Following my trail?” he asked. “I don’t remember going anywhere.”

“First, you wandered around the city like you were looking for something,” she said. “Then, you tried to attack your old group home. I lost your trail for a while, but you showed up at the mansion two hours ago, and I followed you here.”

“As I said, I don’t remember any of it,” he said impatiently.

“Let’s just go back to the mansion,” she said, “we’ll figure it out together.”

CJ started walking toward the door as Wess climbed the rest of the way down the stairs. As he followed her out, Wess noticed a green light creeping into his vision. Now, he was determined to find out what it was. He felt like he would pass out again, but he fought it and held on to consciousness. Now the green light was all around. CJ didn’t notice because she was already out the door. When the light was gone, Wess felt different. Now he could remember the last three days, but it didn’t matter. Now his transition was complete. He would only follow the dark path. He could remember the spells that he had learned and feel the power they brought. Now he had some obstacles to remove!

Upon returning to the mansion, Wess went straight up to his study. He ordered Art to find every piece of dark magic that he could find. Art didn’t like it, but this was still his creator, and Art did pledge to serve him. While Art was busy with that, Wess continued to study what he had. The more he read, the more he was lost to the beauty and power of this magic. Soon Wess would have his revenge; revenge on those who killed his parents, those who hurt him, and revenge on his entire life! It wasn’t fair, he thought, I was a good kid. He always tried to do the right thing. This is what I get? Well, no more, he thought. I would destroy the world before I let it hurt me again!

As Wess finished the book that he was reading, Art was scooting another book towards him. What’s this? he thought to himself. “Dark love spells.” Yes. This was precisely what he needed. “Thank you, Art, my closest friend,” he said. He was worried about what to do with CJ. He didn’t want to kill her, but he would lock her up forever if he had to. He saw this, however, as a better solution. He would use a love spell on her! He wouldn’t have to eliminate her if she was on his side. Plus, he would never have to be lonely again.