Chapter 43-The Devil

A week had passed, and in the stark moonlight shining through Tasim’s window, a shadow emerged. A pitch-black being appeared, Tasim’s eyes open, his body unmoving. The shadow crept forward menacingly, approaching the man lying before him. The shadow’s glassy red eyes shone bright, creating an eerie atmosphere that would break a normal human’s heart. The shadow’s hands moved forward, reaching out, with nothing in them. Tasim watched, his heart pounding and mind racing.

‘What the hell- body move, damnit, move.’ Tasim screamed internally, unable to even mutter a word or part his lips.

The shadow moved slowly, as if a zombie-like figure. It didn’t stop. Its feet stepped, centimeter after centimeter, barely moving. Now, the shadow loomed over Tasim, gazing down at him. Slowly, its mouth opened, showing pearly white teeth, the complete opposite of the black, abyssal body that wore them.

The shadow, its eyes unmoving, continued glaring at Tasim, its mouth stayed smiling, while its right arm reached behind its back, then produced a book; the book was beyond Tasim’s perception; he couldn’t make out a single detail. The devilish fiend’s mouth then closed, propping the book on his desk.

‘Please, body, move. I can’t just lie here, watching, please.’

Tasim’s mouth eventually muttered a single, tearing whisper, the word tearing itself free from his throat.

“Help.”

The shadow’s mouth slowly creaked open once more. And its deep, dark, black hand reached out, touching Tasim’s cheek softly. The devil then brought a single finger to his lips while brushing Tasim’s cheek. Chills crept up Tasim’s spine as the thing kept brushing its freezing, cold hand against his cheek.

‘No, please. Stop.’

Tasim could feel himself trying harder and harder to move before eventually giving up. He accepted his death, despite his desire to live. Tasim just lay there, his cheek being caressed by the devil. The monster then backed away, just backing away into the darkness, blending in before vanishing before Tasim’s eyes. The creepy smile and red eyes lingered in Tasim’s mind. He could imagine the creature still standing there, watching with its eerie eyes.

The night soon passed, and Tasim awoke, his mind still racing. His heart was pounding against his chest, as if trying to escape. Tasim could feel blood rushing to every pore in his body. And he lay there, his head unmoving, he looked up at the ceiling, too scared to turn and see the black abyss staring back at him.

Eventually, he did. And he found a book, a leather-bound book with gold inlay, in the center was a clock that seemed separate from the book; it ticked, its hands moving, and each corner was also covered in gold. Tasim once again felt chills spread through him, covering every part of him.

‘That- that was real.’

***

Morning arrived for Father Hatheway and the other three, each sitting up in their own beds, unknowingly in sync, each turns to sit off the side of the bed, noticing a book on their bedside tables. The book was similar to Tasim’s, which they didn’t know. They were each brown leather books with cold inlays on the spine. Gold covered each corner of the book, and in the center was the one thing that differed from person to person. The clock, which ticked and tocked every second on one singular golden gear, read a different time for each person.

Father Hatheway was intrigued, but also knew not to trust something that didn’t belong to him. On the other hand, Anemone was intrigued; her thoughts didn’t show a care in the world; instead, she was deeply interested in what this was and how it came to be in her room. She then opened the book, and on the title page stood something that made her hair raise on end.

Anemone.

Compendium Edition: Burdens

Burden definition: A burden is an artifact worn by a creature. Each Burden has an innate ability that may be activated through the use of thoughts, along with mana flow being directed towards the Burden.

Table of Contents

Page one: Spatial Ring

Page two: Bracelet of Despair

Page three: Gold ring, red gem

Page four: Silver ring, white gem

Page five: Silver ring, white gem

Anemone continued, flipping to page one as she felt her heart pound against her chest with increasing ferocity.

Spatial Ring

Rank, Fragment, Tier, 3 of 5

Spatial Ring appearance: This spatial ring is a simple gold ring with a purple, taafeit gem embedded within.

Spatial Ring Definition: This spatial ring is capable of holding up to 30 items within and will expand with each increase in rank or tier.

Extras: None

Anemone flipped to page two within her new book.

Bracelet of Despair

Rank, Fragment, Tier, two of five.

Bracelet of Despair appearance: This Burden is a rose gold bracelet with a red streak across the face. On the inside of the ring are runes.

Rune meaning: Undiscovered.

Bracelet of Despair abilities

Judgement

Judgement: Active ability, while this bracelet is fed with mana, those who harbor any ill feelings towards the wearer will feel as though their weight has increased, forcing them towards the ground.

Extras: none

Page three

A simple gold ring with a red gem, which will increase one’s physical strength

Hidden abilities: None

Extras: none

Page four

A simple silver ring with a white gem, used to increase one’s affinity with wind magic.

Hidden abilities: None

Extras: None

Page five

A simple silver ring with a white gem, used to increase one’s affinity with wind magic

Hidden abilities: none

Extras: none

Anemone jumped with glee as she read, excited to find out more. She now wanted to know about the other bracelets adorning her wrist; were they also something called ‘Burdens’, or were they just normal bracelets? Well, for now, she wanted to share this new information with Father Hatheway and Astrape. Meanwhile, Astrape in her room…

‘What is this? Should I open it? Should I ask Anemone what she thinks first?’ Cold sweats began to pour down Astrape. She was extremely nervous and scared; she wanted to know what Anemone would think, but for now, she just decided to open it.

Astrape

Compendium Edition: Burdens

Burden definition: A burden is an artifact worn by a creature. Each Burden has an innate ability that may be activated through the use of thoughts, along with mana flow being directed towards the Burden.

Table of Contents

Page one: Hollow Echo

Page two: Gold ring, brown gem

Page three: Gold ring, brown gem

Page four: Gold ring, white gem

Page five: Gold ring, white gem

Astrape flipped to the first page, curious to see what it would say

Hollow Echo

Rank, Fragment, Tier, one of five.

Hollow Echo appearance: A jet black bracelet that feels as heavy as the earth, though its true weight is as light as a feather

Rune meaning: Undiscovered

Hollow Echo abilities

Past Cacophony

Past Cacophony: Active ability, while within range of a target, the bracelet will cause the target to hear echoes of their past, audible memories.

Extras: none

Page two

A simple gold ring with a brown gem, which will increase one’s mass without hindering one’s strength or speed

Hidden abilities: None

Extras: none

Page three

A simple gold ring with a brown gem, which will increase one’s mass without hindering one’s strength or speed

Hidden abilities: None

Extras: none

Page four

A simple gold ring with a white gem, which will increase one’s physical and mental speed.

Hidden abilities: None

Extras: none

Page five

A simple gold ring with a white gem, which will increase one’s physical and mental speed.

Hidden abilities: None

Extras: none

Once Astrape had finished reading through each page of the compendium, she grew relaxed and calm. Astrape thus stood up and walked over, knocking on Anemone’s door. Once Anemone let her in, Astrape sat on the bed, clutching the book in her arms.

“Anemone, did you get one too?”

“Yes, I did.” Anemone summoned the book, which she had stored in her spatial ring.

“Do you know how it appeared in our room?”

“Nope, I am going to ask Father if he got one too.”

Meanwhile…

Father stared at the book, his leg pulsing with pain. Father soon applied the medicine to his rotting leg and reached for the book. Despite his innate fear of suspicious and strange objects, he knew he would have to figure out what it was eventually.

Thomas Hatheway.

Compendium Edition: Burdens

Burden definition: A burden is an artifact worn by a creature. Each Burden has an innate ability that may be activated through the use of thoughts, along with mana flow being directed towards the Burden.

Table of Contents

Page one: Weeping Cuff

Page two: Gold ring, green gem

Page three: Gold ring, green gem

Page four: Silver ring, green gem

Weeping Cuff

Rank, Fragment, Tier, 4 of 5

Father looked below the basic description and looked at the beautiful depiction of the artifact, which he now knew to be called a burden. Below the depiction was the appearance description that everyone had.

Weeping Cuff appearance: A lapis colored bracelet that feels rough to the touch, the inside of the bracelet will grip one’s wrist tightly, making it difficult to remove.

Rune meaning: Undiscovered.

Weeping Cuff abilities

Warped Soul: Active ability, the emotions of a target are flipped on their side while this bracelet is fed with mana. Joy to sadness, trust to disgust, fear to anger, etc.

Extras: none

Page two

A simple gold ring with a green gem, which will increase one’s recovery speed and vitality.

Hidden abilities: None

Extras: none

Page three

A simple gold ring with a green gem, which will increase one’s recovery speed and vitality.

Hidden abilities: None

Extras: None

Page four

A simple silver ring with a green gem, used to increase one’s affinity with life magic, allowing better control, efficiency, and power.

Hidden abilities: none

Extras: none

Father Hatheway closed the compendium. Glancing at the clock that ticked away at the front. After looking at it for a few moments, golden runes began to fade in and out of existence, swaying right above the clock.

52 years, 10 months, 22 days.

‘What happens in one month and eight days.. one month.. one month.’ Father’s gears began to turn and eventually clicked. ‘It’s a countdown for my birthday. What is this book?’ Father began to feel creeped out and just backed up, his demeanor regressing. ‘Please, Thaysus, the goddess of light and life, the creator of all, the overseer of Solenn, the almighty land. Help me.’

***

Tasim sat in his room, looking outside as the unnerving book sat in a chair opposite him. Occasionally glancing at the book, Tasim’s thoughts cycled over what happened during the night.

A humanoid figure, as dark as the abyss, who looked like a silhouette, one who didn’t absorb light, but seemed to instead just be pitch black. A creepy monstrosity with red eyes and white teeth. A horror beyond imagination, whose cold hand caused chills to run up Tasim’s spine from a single touch. But in that hand, that tried to be comforting, was a single book, and that book was what made Tasim creeped out. Tasim turned his attention to the ghastly book, looking at the clock whos tikking echoed in the chambers of his ears.

Tik.. tok.. tik.. tok… tik… tok…

Again and again and again. His mind was slowly being driven insane.

Tik… tok… tik… tok…

The more Tasim gazed at the book, the more he felt it calling to him. He could start to hear faint whispers coming from every corner of the room, every wall, the floor, the ceiling, and from under the bed. He felt as though something would reach out and just grab him, dragging him somewhere. He felt a strange force pulling him towards the book that sat in the corner of the room, staring back at him. His mind eventually became numb with foreboding, but he then forced out two words, which caused his body to become as cold as ice.

“The devil.”