11 • Resurrection and Punishment

In the nothingness, Spheris heard his voice. Not the voice he had now, but his voice twelve years ago, echoing in the graveness.

"Father, I'll be a great thief. Just like you! He-he! What's the biggest treasure I can steal, Father? The most expensive thing in the whole Continent?"

And then he heard his father's voice, warm and deep, just how he remembered it. "Well, some say it's hidden underneath the ground, Spheris. But I don't think so. I think sometimes the thing we want the most is staring at us right in the face."

Suddenly the voices vanished, as though being interrupted by an angry powerful force. Now, Spheris could no longer see the nothingness, but a dark forest, a black moon. No, it disappeared again. A dancing shadow, a dystopian era of umbrage and destruction. That also disappeared. A fallen kingdom, dead men, skulls, bones, monsters of the dark roaming. And that disappeared as well.

Then all Spheris could see was darkness. Pure solid darkness. Then he heard someone speak. 'How dare you, Spheris Arnadel?' The voice was like a velvet whisper dancing between shadows. It was the voice of an angel, yet very sinister, echoing with a cunning cadence and undeniable viciousness.

'You have stolen from me, my Essence is flowing in your being,' the voice spoke. 'Perhaps I should let you die, as punishment for stealing from me. Yet... hmm, I am intrigued by what you have to offer. You are my Avatar anyway.'

Spheris's mind was blank in the darkness, he could think, not to talk of speak. All he could do was listen to voice that echoed. 'I will let you live. But never forget that I was the one who granted you this second life. Now let me deal with the fool who tampered with my Temple.'

Swoosh!

Spheris's eyes tore open and a black mist poured out of his iris into the corridors of the bastion. The marshals gasped and Mage Anduris took frightened steps backwards, realizing what had just happened.

Involuntarily, Spheris's right hand outstretched at the Senior Marshal, and a powerful wave of dark shadowy mist poured out, seeping through the marshal and grabbing his shadow which laid on the ground. The mist then dragged the marshal's shadow from the ground and pulled it into him. The Senior Marshal screamed in agony, his entire eyes turned black and the blood in his veins dried up. His skin turned purple.

Everyone watched in horror as the body of the Senior Marshal fell to the ground, lifeless, his pistolet falling as well. And when the deed was done, the black mist diminished, Spheris's eyes cleared, his wound was instantly healed, the mini-arrow that had killed him fell to the ground, and Spheris fainted.

- ☯ -

Puhhhhhh!

A blaring sound tore into his eardrums, pulling him awake. Spheris raised his head up but was suddenly blinded by a burning yellow light blazing on his face.

He scorned and squinted his eyes, still in a daze as he tried to make out where he was. His hands were cuffed in chains to the cold steel table, and so were his legs. There was a person in front of him, he could tell. But because of the bright light, he couldn't make out who it was.

"Is this hell?" he murmured. 'I thought it would be... warmer.' he said in his mind.

"No Spheris, this isn't hell." the person said, their voice was manly and carried authority. "That is your name, right? Spheris Arnadel?"

Spheris tried his best to adjust his eyes to the bright, blinding light, but the fogginess refused to go away. "I can't... I can't see anything."

And smack! The person landed him a brutal slap on the face, literally knocking sense right into him. Spheris shook his head, unable to soothe the burning pain with his palm. But his sight slowly became less dizzy and he started to make out the clothing of the person standing before him.

The regal clothing, the bright blue, the gold. When the person sat, Spheris's presumption was assured. It was Duke Bellunder and there was genuine lividness and anger in his big blue eyes. His mustache accentuated his grimace, the wrinkles on his forehead frowning as well.

"Do you know what you have done, boy?" the Duke demanded.

Spheris narrowed his eyes, the realization just settling in. "The Duke? Wait... I'm not dead?"

"Do I need to slap you for the second time?" Bellunder boomed, slamming his clenched fists on the table.

Spheris slowly shook his head in reply, but his mind was still roaming in thought. 'How am I not dead? I was shot. The mini-arrow struck my heart.'

Duke Bellunder rubbed on his forehead. The poor man was completely stressed. "In one night, you have managed to release a Level Two Hellbender into the town, destroy the underground caves, almost decimate the foundation this bastion was build, and you've stolen the Essence of our Celestial."

Spheris gazed at the Duke. He couldn't lie to himself, he never expected to one day be in front of someone so important. At least not this early in his life. The Duke of the entire First Wing! But when he remembered how much trouble he was in, he understood that this was in no way a good thing.

"Are you not going to say anything, you delinquent!" The Duke roared. "Argh!!!" He jumped to his feet and flung his chair to the wall. "What even annoys me the most is I can not even harm you! I can not behead you like the rotten thief you are. You are Obsidian's Avatar now, killing you will be disrespect. And it could doom us all."

Hearing this, a wave relief rushed through Spheris. Not only had he managed to survive death, but he was evading it totally. He gets to keep his head. A smile of relief tingled at the end of his lips, and the Duke glanced at him just in time to see it.

"Oh, you think this is funny?" his voice reduced to a sinister whisper. Spheris looked up at him and but didn't reply. "How old are you, boy?"

His face fell slowly before he replied, "Eighteen."

Bellunder's brows perked at the answer. "You actually are just a kid." He sighed and picked up his chair, then sat. Spheris couldn't tell whether the change in the Duke's demeanor was good or bad. "You look pale, and thin. When last did you eat, boy?"

Spheris eyed the Duke. "I don't know what day it is."

"Hah!" Bellunder grunted a laugh. "I guess that's what happened when you wake up from the dead."

They both shared a glance and an awkward moment of silence occured between them. Then the Duke leaned in, studying Spheris strictly. "Why did you do it? Why would you steal the Essence of our God? Were you sent by another Duke to sabotage us?"

"What?"

"Do you wish to see our Wing fail? Or did you just want the powers of a God to yourself?"

"I had no idea what that box was or what it could do!" Spheris retorted. "And what do you mean the powers of a God?"

Bellunder sat back and sighed. "Just as I suspected. It's the same with you Heathians, you all know nothing of what's happening in the Continent. We saw the camikenyan cup and ancient lockwatch you stole, which brought me to the conclusion that your only plan was to steal for money. You thought the Essence Box was a relic that you could sell."

He shook his head. "I don't know if I should call you stupid or impressive. Because what you pulled tonight takes guts, and skill... Two things the First Wing is going to need if we are to win The Convergence Ceremony. I guess we're lucky to have you as our Representative."

Hearing this, Spheris eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"The Convergence Ceremony is in three days' time. You stole the Essence that was meant for my son which means you are now the Avatar of Obsidian. You will represent our Wing and you will join the rest of the Avatars into The Abyss. That is an Avatar's duty."

Fear seeped into Spheris the moment he heard the word, The Abyss. It was a demonic, perilous realm that had appeared in the holes in the atmosphere thousands of years ago after the Celestial War. It was from that realm that the Hellbenders came from, causing damage to the Continent. Why would Spheris ever want to go there?

"And what if I say no?" he asked the Duke.

Bellunder scowled. "What makes you think you have a choice?"

"The fact that you can't kill me?" Spheris shrugged, praying he wasn't stretching his luck. "Killing me angers your god, does it not?"

The Duke laughed and rose up to his feet. "You are right, we can not kill you. But we met your uhm... Spellbreaker friend down in the cavern, and she offered us some valuable information in exchange for her life."

Spheris eyes darkened.

"Didn't you ask yourself how I knew your name?" It was chilling how quickly the Duke's tone could switch from tender to downright sinister. "We also know about your sick mother in the infirmary."

'No!' Spheris screamed in his mind. 'No! Not mother!' He should have killed Nephta. Why didn't he when he had the chance? His only few acts of compassion has come to stab him in the back. "Don't hurt my mother... please." he begged.

"Oh I would never." Bellunder replied. "So don't force my hand, Spheris." He gave him a warning gaze and then pounded on the metal door. "Anduris! Get in here!"

The door opened and Spheris recognised the bald, bearded man that walked in. It was the same Mage that had tried to take the box from him... right before he was killed.

"Get him ready and take him to Endswatch," Bellunder said to the Mage. "He is to join the rest of the Avatars in their training. We have no other choice. He may be Heathian, but he is Obsidian's embodiment now."

Bellunder then left the cold room, leaving Spheris with the bald Mage whose gaze bore into him with such malevolence that Spheris thought he was going to die for the second time.