Mourner looked between Mistress and me, the crooked smile playing on his lips never faltering. 

I didn't know what to do, shocked by the situation.

All I could do was look at my mentor and one of my closest friends as he suddenly let out a cruel cackle!

"Well, this is an awkward and inappropriate situation, wouldn't you agree Mistress?" Mourner cackled, his mocking tone sending shivers of fear running up my spine. 

"Yes, quite so Mourner. What I fail to see as appropriate is you joining him again and becoming his lackey. I thought you preferred freedom instead of a leash wrapped around your throat!" Mistress grunted, disapproval in her careful voice. 

I didn't understand who they were talking about but in the manner by which Mourner's nostrils flared in anger, it was somebody he clearly respected.

"A leash around my throat is preferable to what he has planned for you, you traitorous hag!" 

He moved to step inside the kitchen but stopped mid-stride, his angrily twisted face diminishing for a second before returning with full force, "A nullifying spell? You must be losing your senses if you think I'd fall for something as idiotic as a nullifying spell!"

I gulped as the anger in Mourner became palpable, his features contorted with a burning emotion, seeking to harm! I watched as Mourner began to mumble under his breath, the entrance to the kitchen turning a faint glow of orange before erupting in flames.

He was destroying the spell! If he continued, my Mistress was sure to be in danger. I could see her body shaking in fear, but she stood her ground. I didn't want that. I didn't like seeing one of the most stoic and poised people in my life being so afraid.  

Before I could stop myself, I threw my hand in front of myself and sent Mourner flying across from the kitchen entrance, his body disappearing as he crashed through a wall, causing the ceiling in what used to be a bathroom to tumble down on him!

"GO!", My Mistress yelled, and I ran. I stumbled a couple of times due to the rubble, but eventually made it out of the kitchen, sprinting up the stairs to my room and slamming the door shut, locking it.

I didn't know what good locking the door would do, seeing as Mourner was strong enough to rip a door off its hinges, but I hoped it would be at least an inconvenience and stall him.

I rapidly turned to see a disheveled Phobus sitting up on my bed, a questioning look on his face. 

He moved towards me, but I sprinted to the closet to locate my necklace. My cursed memories began to rise from the dead part of me I refused to embrace as I held it in my clammy hands, but I ripped myself from them. Instead, I focused on maneuvering my way out of the messy closet and stopped as a low chuckle resonated throughout the halls, the house groaning and creaking as if attempting to shake itself of the evil that was inside.

The warden hungers for the lost, the lost aiming to find peace, yet the warden tears them limb by limb until their screams of horror drop and cease...

An explosion from the direction of the door intensified my anxiety and sent my ears ringing, accompanied by a thunderous roar that shook the foundations of the entire house!

I quickly ran to a confused Phobus's side and tugged on his forearm a little harder than I intended, a sharp hiss from him alerting me of doing so, yet I dared not let go.

The light begins to fade, its shrieks falling on deaf ears, their protectors falling from pain and sorrow whilst the darkness grows near...

I pulled on his arm harder until he stumbled off the bed and into my arms, wrapping the necklace around my hand as Phobus regained his balance. 

I knew I should've been explaining myself but the fear and the magic pressure from something coming up the stairs towards my room was abnormally strong. I couldn't speak, and along with the metal scrap still on my mouth, I was not in the best situation to be doing any explaining without throwing up from the anticipation and anxiety.

Phobus, seemingly anxious and no doubt scared and confused as well held my head in his hands, screaming my name over and over again, but my eyes refused to leave the door. 

I could feel the entity crawling closer, the labored breaths and its loathing voice in my head palpable and causing a thousand shivers to run up my spine. it was as if it were breathing in my ear its dying wishes and desires, and I knew what it desired above all else at that very moment and for its whole existence to its very core.

It desired me.

A sharp tug on my mouth yanked me of my trance as I felt Phobus attempting to dislodge the metal scrap from my face, but I only winced from the pain and the sad reality. 

Mistress had once told me that a spell can only be broken by the caster or a stronger force, and I was confident the metal piece was stuck since my Mistress had been the one to place it there. 

I knew it was dumb, but I couldn't help but feel pity for Phobus. He was shoved into this whole mess because of me and was now attempting to break a spell from an incredible sorceress just to hear my explanation. If only to hear me say I appreciated him and regretted none of it before we both die-

"OUCH!", I yelped as my lips were left stinging and sore, the metal scrap in Phobus's hand and a surprised expression on both of our faces, though each for different reasons. 

Phobus dropped the scrap and tenderly placed a hand on my cheek, where I unconsciously leaned into it.

"What are you doing, Ben?", Phobus asked me, my attention farther from the door and far from where we currently were. 

I heard what Phobus had asked, and I knew I had no idea what I was doing anymore, but as I stared into the dull, fearful yet familiar eyes of Phobus and heard the door smash into pieces, I knew what I was going to do.

I placed my forehead on Phobus's, raised my arm towards me, and whispered to him and to the necklace.

"I am going to go home..."