• An Obsidian Offer

Spheris knew his eyes were wide open, yet the impenetrable darkness made it feel like they were shut tight. Its depth suffocating.

For a brief moment, he thought it was the afterlife. Just a bleak, empty, never-ending darkness. Would have made for a great afterlife. But that was before he saw the visions and heard the familiar, baleful voice of the God of Darkness.

As he floated in the obscure void, two enormous orbs of darkish azure eyes pierced through the umbrage, glaring at him with an unsettling intensity.

He swallowed. Were those... Obsidian's eyes?

Then slowly and ominously, the eyes changed their shape. Now it seemed like they were taunting him, as though beneath those eyes in the darkness was a malevolent smirk.

Was what he said true? Was he about to die?

'Oh yes, you are.' Obsidian's voice boomed. It seemed he could read Spheris's thoughts inside that black expanse. And his eyes reflected the words he said with exact emotions.

"Did I drown?" he asked the Celestial, surprised that he could now speak in the darkness.

'Drown. Suffocate. Fall. Bleed. What does it matter the detail?' The eyes turned apathetic. 'You're dead. That is all.'

It was hard to accept. Abyssians, an army of Grimms, two Gorgoliths, a Trap Cave, a horde of Scorvulcans, and two Reptile Birds; none of them had managed to kill him. But somehow a rock and water did. Screw nature.

With that said, Spheris didn't feel like it was the end. Yes, he was swallowed by a void of darkness resembling the afterlife, lost in its vast expanse, but still it didn't feel like it was over. He was unsure how much sense it made, seeing that he was dead once again, but this had happened before and Obsidian's presence only meant that there was more to this supposed death.

However, he found it odd that the Dark God had chosen to remain quiet ever since Endswatch and up until his demise. Was it because that now he was dead, he could never find out what those visions were about?

"Why do you speak to me now that I am dead?" he asked Obsidian. "You disappeared."

'Well, you were quite annoying, I do not like annoying people.'

Spheris frowned. "Annoying? You fried my brain and never spoke again because I was annoying?"

'And now you are being overly emotional.'

His gaze turned into a confused gape. "Are you being serious?"

'Am I being serious?' Obsidian cackled in the darkness. 'You are the one who is dead and yet asking me why I did something to y—'

"I want to go back!" Spheris demanded. "I know I can. I know you can take me back, just as you did the last time I died. So just do it."

The First Celestial was quiet for a short moment, and then his eyes glinted with mischievous humor. 'My my, you have really become quite daring.'

"I've gone too far. I've survived everything The Abyss has thrown at me, I can not die now."

'Oh, but you have!' Obsidian reminded him. 'You are dead.'

Spheris's face fell in defeat.

'They say some jokes write themselves. A surviver who can not swim... hilarious.'

"The river's current was vigorous. It wouldn't have mattered even if I was the best swimmer in the Continent." He sighed. "At least I didn't get burnt to death by the magma."

'A fine achievement, you deserve an applause.'

"Your mockery does not affect me." Spheris uttered proudly. "Let me live again. I am your Avatar, right? Your Temple? Give me another chance and I will win this Conquest for you so that I get to leave. It's a fair bargain, I'm sure you agree."

But Spheris was not sure at all.

'If I was my brother, Atlant, then yes. It would have been a fine deal. But I am Obsidian, the Maker of Shadows, and I'm the one granting you this life so it's only fair that I set the terms.'

The grimace that stretched on Spheris's face was one of suspicion. And rightfully so. He already did not trust the Celestial, and his encounter with the Three Kobolds did more to solidify that distrust.

And right now, to Spheris, it was clear that the Dark God had a scheme. But what choice did he have? Back in the living world, Talon was all alone, his mother was still in the infirmary, bleeding to her death slowly. He needed to return. There was no other option.

So he raised his eyes apathetically to Obsidian and said, "Go on." Then he waited for the Celestial to propose the most diabolical and outlandish offer he could think of.

'I will grant you an Influence, and then you can return to the living.'

Aha! No, never! How can you propose such nonsen— Wait, what?

Did he hear right? "You will grant me an Influence?" Spheris asked with apprehension in his gaze.

'Yes. I know, I know. I am a very charitable god.'

'Yes.' Spheris thought in sarcasm. 'Very charitable indeed.' But was he been serious? Was that all of it? Because it sounded way too good to be a true. Influences were good things right? It only meant more power, plus he got to live again. It was a fantastic deal... a little bit too fantastic in fact.

"What is the Influence you mean to grant me?" he asked.

'Well, I can't tell you that.' Obsidian rolled his eyes. 'I should at least have a little edge over this deal I just gave you. All you need to do is accept the Influence, and then it can be unlocked when you wake up.'

Spheris frowned in thought. It didn't need a genius to know that whatever this Influence was, it played a certain part in Obsidian's grand scheme — whatever that was. If only he had an idea of what the Influence could do.

'Time's ticking, Spheris.' Obsidian whispered. 'We don't want your body to start rotting. Tell me now, do you accept the Influence?'

Spheris gazed at the malevolent eyes, heart and mind racing. He knew for certain that this decision was eventually going to raise its gnarly head in the future. But if he refused the offer, then he would be gone for real — his soul would be in the nothingness perhaps or maybe in the real afterlife.

The only choice was to face the problem when it presented itself in the future. As for now, the present? He needed to return to the living and survive the Abyss, so he could go back to his mother. So he could save her life.

"I accept." He said sternly.

'Good.' The God of Darkness smiled. 'Goodbye... for now.'

Suddenly, Spheris felt a push. A strong, magical push that sent him speeding through the darkness. He could see flashes of existence wheezing past him as he flew backwards. Then in an instant, he fell into a warm figure — his body.

- ☯ -

Feeling disoriented and dazed, Spheris opened his eyes. Right above him was... Wait, what was that? A giant bubble?

It was raining, but not a single drop of the water landed on him. He was inside some sort of watery shield, a large bubble, that protected him from the rain. Spheris sat up, still looking at the intriguing phenomenon.

"Ugh!" A flutter of wings attacked his face. It was Talon, and the raven was extremely excited to see him awake once again. "Hey, Tallie." He grabbed the bird and pet it gently on its head.

"How did we get in here?" he asked it. He had drowned, hadn't he? Did someone pull his body out of the water?

Talon directed Spheris to his right, and there sitting by a fire with her arms folded was a blonde, beautiful warrior in blue and white gear — Cerene Mauldyrie.

"Cerene?" Spheris raised a brow, showing his surprise in seeing her.

"You're awake at last," she sighed. "Thank the Gods. I can't carry you, and I didn't want to leave you here."

"Awake at last?" he frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well I was going up that hill when I heard your yell and saw you fall into the river." He watched as she conjured water out of her shield and manipulated it into a flagon whilst she spoke. "I arrived just in time and pulled you out of the water."

Spheris seemed more confused. "You pulled me out?"

With a swing of her hair, Cerene sighed. "Technically, I manipulated the river and it pulled you out itself. But same thing." She wanted to turn away, but she caught his confused gaze. "You let a Scorvulcan sting you."

Spheris looked at his thigh. He had forgotten all about that.

"Their poison infects Essence, and it seemed like it had already started affecting yours." She bit her lip. "I managed to heal you though."

His gaze remained at the puncture, which certainly looked very much healed. But somehow, the news that Cerene had healing powers flew over his head as he remained puzzled with one question.

"I was dead," he uttered. "Right?"

She cocked her head at him, her bright blue eyes showing slight bemusement. "Dead?"

"Yes."

She scoffed. "Spheris, I only have healing powers, I don't bring people back to life. You've been breathing ever since I saved you from the river. You were just unconscious."

Spheris grew more affrighted by the moment. "Are you certain?" he asked her.

"What are you on about?" She turned around to face him fully. "I'm quite sure I know when someone is dead, and when they're just... sleeping."

And slowly, slowly, slowly, the realization began to dawn on Spheris. His glyph whirred him into motion, and he quickly pulled it out.

[Influence Unlocked - Celestial Possession]

Spheris's gaze transformed to dismay and despondence. He slowly turned to Cerene, his eyes full of anxiety. "I think... I think I just made a huge mistake."