Chapter Nineteen
Inanis is roaring in my head. Whatever he’s saying is lost on me. Trish stands there fear evident on her face. I sense something in her though. Without Inanis would I have been able to feel it? It is familiar. When was the last time I felt my heart beat? Lucius’ voice grabs my attention. “It may look like him, but it’s not. He is in there though. I can feel it.” She gives him a weak nod. Pain shoots through my skull. “Move! Get us out of here!” I had almost forgot about him. Our connection is almost gone. I don’t have the strength or time to break out. I need to stop the woman’s chanting. “Where did you get that book?” She shows no sign of hearing me. Instead it is Lucas who answers. “Williams father found it in The Company’s archives. We never encountered the entity described within until now.” Trish walks hesitantly toward me. With everyone focused on me Trish walks into the circle of soldiers. They try to stop her, but she’s already out of arms reach. They don’t dare come closer. Lucius rushes to get her. The soldiers hold him back. He pleads for her to come back. She is still afraid. Knuckles clenched tight she approaches until she is mere feet away from my cage.
“Are you there William?” She gives me a forced smile. As if pretending everything is normal would somehow make it so. The itch in my mind becomes sharply painful. My connection with Inanis is about to break. Words form from my lips, but they are not mine. “THIS BELONGS TO ME!” The tether connecting me to Inanis seems to grow and surge forth from the crypt. A great wind along with it. As it reaches me it nocks everyone else to the ground. The cage bends and more than half its bars snap and fall away. My hand moves as the bars start to reappear. I am not moving it.
Inanis’ mind disconnects from mine but does not leave my body. I am pushed back and locked in were that itch originated. I understand. He never stopped! His manipulation of my mind. Placing his own desires and will in place of my own. Burying everything else here. Memories, emotions, my very beliefs! All locked away in this mental space. His voice comes to me. “Finally! I wondered how long it would take your body to mutate. It’s not enough to be a vessel, but it works great as an extension of myself.” His laughter echoes through my mind. “If only I had changed your mind to match my own. This would have been much easier.” Despite calling me son. All he wanted was a host and slaves to command!
I can still sense the world through my body, but its effectively his now. Trish, Lucius, and everyone else rise to their feet. The woman begins chanting again. My body stands. It is healed and exudes confidence. It is clear to all by it’s first words that I no longer have any control over it. “It feels good to move a physical body again.” My body now Inanis smiles. Trish is backing away. Stepping forward Inanis simply moves the bars in front of him aside as one would a curtain. The woman stops chanting. Eyes wide in disbelief. “That won’t work on me anymore. Give me my book.” He is calm, but each word carries crushing weight.
One of the soldiers open fire. Thankfully none of them hit Trish. Although they don’t hit Inanis either. They stop a few inches from his body and drop to the concrete. I push against his mind trying to take back my body. The more power he uses the easier it is, but I still can’t get a foothold. The woman is franticly going through the book. A voice comes through her radio. It’s my fathers’ voice! “Page 1,250!” She doesn’t hesitate to find it. As she begins speaking I feel can feel Inanis’ face contort in anger. He does slow and I can push his mind further away. It’s not enough. At this rate he’ll reach her before I can take my body back. Thinking of a way to stop him I remember there was one time I saw him afraid. When we resurrected Luna. What was the name of the one calling to her? Ah yes Elohim. Thinking it here does nothing. Calling to Elohim does nothing. Is it because I gave myself to him as a prophet?
Maybe if someone else calls to him. I extend my consciousness outward. It is much harder without Inanis. Unlike with him however I can feel those around me. I probe each other their minds trying to get one to hear me. I don’t have the strength to speak, but perhaps I can get my message across. I focus on the name Elohim and the feeling of prayer. As I work Inanis keeps moving forward ignoring everyone, but the woman holding the book. I give up on reaching the soldiers after he halves the distance. The woman and Lucius are impenetrable. Trish’s mind initially distrustful seems to recognize me. She isn’t consciously aware I’m there, but I don’t need her to be. My message will be little more than a suggestion. Inanis is about to reach out and grab the book when Trish speaks one word. “Elohim.”
Inanis visibly shivers. Turning to face Trish he extends his hand in a grasping motion. Trish is pulled towards him until she speaks again. “Please Elohim!” She stops midway suspended a few inches off the ground. Inanis lowers his arm while backing away from her. First he’s confused then he becomes furious. “William! What have you done!”
The world grows unnervingly still. Everything is silent. Trish’s eyes close then flash open. Instead of the ocean blue I expected two stars reside in their place. The words that flow from her lips cause the world to ripple. Like each word was a stone thrown into water. “You have not changed Empty One.” Inanis falls to one knee as if a great weight has been placed on his shoulders. “Curse you. I will not give up this body!” Elohim tilts Trish’s head quizzically. “William why do you cower there?” I don’t understand. Pushing Inanis out of my mind is impossible. He has been there ever since I entered the crypt. “I see. It is not your mind but your soul he is tethered to.” Her face grows sorrowful. It is not her, but my heart pangs nonetheless. Inanis touches his chest and he pushes me back.
The world seems to move beneath Trish’s feet bringing us closer. She leans down. Feet still suspended. “I can send him back to the cage, but there is a price.” A feeling of dread overcomes me. “Simply put you will die. I will claim your soul and The Empty One will lose his hold on you.” Our proximity pushes Inanis back and my body becomes mine again. For his mere presence to do that. How powerful is this entity? It takes me a moment to find my voice again. Before I can respond memories of everything I’ve done come to me in a new light. With the parts of me that were locked away restored I can only stare in abject horror at my actions.
I’ve killed, brainwashed, and caused untold pain to so many people. Tears the color and consistency of tar fall from my eyes. “I don’t deserve heaven.” Whatever Inanis called him I know this entity is God. I can feel it in his presence. Elohim places a hand on my head. “Your soul is too corrupted for heaven. Though your corruption is more from your connection to him than your actions.” Elohim thinks for a moment before speaking. “You have two options. I can send you to hell or I can cast you into another of my creations. You will be reborn. Retaining only the most basic of memories.” To be given an opportunity like this is. If those are my only options. Its not really that hard to choose.
I look up to him. I only have one thing to ask. “Can I say goodbye to anyone?” Trish’s hand pats my head. If only she wasn’t currently a conduit for God. “No, I cannot remain here that long. If it makes this any easier Trish will not survive this. She made a choice between heaven or to be cast into another creation with you. I won’t tell you which she chose.” A heartless laugh escapes my lips. She probably chose heaven. Who wouldn’t?
Inanis is clawing his way back into my mind. I have no time left. “Cast me into another creation.” My mind goes to memories of my family. Memories of Lucius. I saver most my memories of Trish. I never confessed. I let out a sigh my tears of tar now flowing rivers. Goodbye everyone. Elohim extends Trish’s arms to each side. “Very well. Your soul shall be cleansed by the journey. Through your new life may you earn a place in my kingdom.” A hand of pure light rips my soul out of my body. I see the tendrils Inanis had grown into me wilt and break away. They spasm and as I’m pulled further I hear a defiant roar fading.
For a moment I see the entity holding me. Pure light painful to look at like a thousand suns massive beyond measure. Then I am propelled through nothingness. Everything grows dark. I do not know how long I spent there. Was it days, months, years, or was it only a few seconds. Only when a light appears in the distance does time seem to become normal. As I was told most details about my life fade the closer I get to the light. I pass into the light. My mind is muddled. I am William, but where am I? What was I doing? Why do I hear a baby crying?
The End
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