Chapter 7 - The Denier (1)

I fail to be
So if you need me
Accept I'm blind
Let my heart run
Hide in my mind

Where did I fail
Screwing up big time
Let my heart bleed
Til it gets chilly
And feels the need

There was no detour
Path to salvation
Just tricky shortcuts
Boardwalks to hell
From "ifs" to "buts"

My heart was right
No judge will dare
Convict me wrong
My consciousness
Is gone for long

Harmon pulled back. While the unknown voice creeped him out, he felt no evil intent. He was not ready to trust it either. Why did this individual hide in the shadows, not letting his face be seen?

"Do not fear, young Harmon," the voice followed. "Come after me if you want to escape your enemies."

Harmon wasn't sure how much he had stood there unconscious and even how he got there. His entire body felt sore, but his legs were more painful than anything. He must have run for hours before he passed away. Was he out of harm's way? Were the Teardrops still following him?

"Who are you?" asked Harmon impatiently.

"I am known as the Shadow Advisor, the one that guides lost souls trapped in the darkness. I show people paths to salvation and ways to enlightenment."

Harmon did not expect to hear that. Was the guy a total weirdo?

"How long have you been here, on this planet," asked Harmon suspiciously.

"Young Illuminator, time is but a metric. My purpose is to come and guide you to the path of justice. Your actions have been tricky, and your motivations have been contradictory. There is little peace within your mind."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Harmon, surprised, his suspicion turning to indignation. "Do I look to you like one that contradicts himself?"

"Young Illuminator Harmon, hear my words," continued the voice in its monotone, emotionless echo. "Your power to summon light is a great asset. Still, you've stood at the top of a tower for months, unwilling to use the remarkable capacity of your abilities to defend your kingdom. Because of this, your enemies took no mercy on you. In reality, the one who took the least mercy on you is yourself, as your true power activated only when it was too late. Now no more energy is at your disposal; you are an ordinary human without energy. You might feel useless, but you still bear great potential."

During the speech, Harmon's eyes widened in shock, and he did not enjoy hearing these words the least. His usual calm self was barely hanging, leaving room for resentment and hatred toward every last bit of what he was hearing. But he couldn't help but agree that it was annoyingly accurate for the most part.

"Young human," the voice echoed further on. "The trial before you requires a great deal of dedication, which you definitely do not lack. Your will and perseverance might have no match among your kin. But your intelligence keeps standing as one of your most underused assets. You lack wisdom and perception; you lack resourcefulness and a pure heart. Without these traits, your mission is doomed to failure."

"Who the hell are you to tell me I'm not smart enough or good enough?" exclaimed Harmon in annoyance.

"Young Illuminator," the Shadow Advisor followed, "the abilities you lack are those you should nurture. There is nothing you cannot learn. But shall your foolishness persevere, your soul's growth shall stale, and your defeat shall be inevitable."

"Who are you… who are you to tell me such things," said Harmon, annoyed, feeling humiliated, yet intrigued at the same time.

Though he would not admit it, part of him felt he deserved to be told off like this. He has made a fair share of mistakes so far. His tower reclusion was the reason he lost his dear Nexus. He knew he had a reason why he didn't want to leave that Tower, but perhaps it wasn't the most efficient choice.

Harmon couldn't help but feel lonely, away from the place he loved most, the city he founded, the dream he brought to life. And now he was just standing in the unknown, in the darkness, with this voice humiliating him, judging him for his past mistakes.

How did it turn out like this? Maybe he deserved that in the first place. He expected the Shadow Advisor to say more, but the surroundings fell silent.

"Are you still there? Still planning to tell me who you are?" Harmon asked in annoyance.

"They are coming, Young Illuminator," said the voice. "If you wish to escape those who attacked your homeland, follow my voice. Follow my voice, young Harmon."

Harmon frowned. He didn't want to get caught by the Teardrops, but he wasn't ready to trust this stranger either.

"Young Harmon," the voice continued. "These creatures you know as Teardrops have better hearing than you, so it will be too late to escape once you hear them coming. If you wish to live, you must put your faith in my words and make a choice while it is still not too late."

Harmon hesitated. He hated every bit of this situation because he had to choose between two options whose outcomes he couldn't control.

"I'll definitely follow you," Harmon sighed. "I already know the Teardrops are up to no good, so I'd rather take the risk with the new guy."

"A wise choice, young Illuminator," said the voice. "We shall go east where the enemy cannot reach you. However, make no mistake, as the east is no less dangerous. But there is one thing I can vouch for."

"And that is?" asked Harmon suspiciously as he rose back to his feet and started following the voice.

"The darkness itself is not an enemy but an opportunity," continued the Shadow Advisor. "An opportunity to discover the things the light would hide or outshine."

Harmon reluctantly continued to follow the Advisor. Still, it felt as if the source of the voice was not getting closer. Was the person talking actually moving as well, or was the voice merely a ghost without physical presence? He even considered that voice might have been entirely inside his brain, but he would have been unable to explain such phenomena.

Harmon struggled to drag his legs but knew he was at his limit. Canceling the pain in his body was not a long-term solution. If he wouldn't rest, his body would soon collapse.

"We are almost there, young Harmon," said the voice, changing direction slightly. "A small cave just over there might cover your smell and sound. Your chasers will not find you there."

Eventually, Harmon reached the rocky area where the cave opening was. It was more like an underground tunnel, heading straight into the depths of the Earth. The air was dry yet surprisingly warm. An underground cave should have been moist and cold, right?

"You should be safe here, young Illuminator."

The warmth made Harmon feel dizzy, and despite his struggle, he ultimately collapsed on the ground.