118 Beyond The Stars

After Desmond finished filling the hole he wasn't in the mood to study or start any kind of special training because of the numerous threats to his life that kept popping up Desmond lacked the mental energy to continue. But Desmond knew he had to keep going, so he sucked up any kind of self respect he had for himself and sought the help of the only person he could turn to at the moment.

Desmond reached into his dimensional storage pouch and pulled out the iron ball Zane gifted Desmond. The iron ball was nothing special in Desmond's eyes, but inside of it contained Zane's will which had a vast amount of Zane's knowledge. Not wanting to waste time waiting Desmond injected his magic into the iron ball to make contact with the will inside of it, but what happened wasn't what Desmond expected.

Instead of receiving knowledged Desmond received a mental attack. The attack rattled Desmond's brain, It was like being punched in the face when you weren't expecting it. Being suddenly struck with pain made Desmond drop the iron ball that released a splendid glow which manifested its self into the form of Zane.

When Desmond saw the form of Zane before him he dropped all pleasantries and said, "you asshole why did you attack me this time".

Zane's will looked straight at Desmond and said plainly, "because your an idiot. I'm a composite will left behind by Zane to instruct you. Which would have been difficult if you accidentally destroyed me when you injected your magic into the iron ball".

"I could have destroyed you?" Desmond asked with a look of suspicion and distrust on his face.

"No, you only used magic to probe the iron ball. Wills aren't affected greatly by magic they are affected most affected by mental energy or other wills".

"If I possed no threat then why did you attack me?"

Zane's will replied emotionlessly, "because your an idiot and I am not. Why would I leave any problem to chance letting the opportunity for uncertainty and doubt to take over when I can just take those problems out of the equation for good? If I didn't do that then I would be as foolish as you".

Desmond didn't like what Zane's will was saying to him, but he wasn't in a position to deny what it said either. Zane's will's words were the truth he had been played for a fool and was now on the chopping block ready to be killed when ever someone else wanted.

"Yup your definitely Zane's will, so if you're done being just like the original can you give me the advanced rune set.

"I will not"

Desmond after hearing those words took in a deep breath and tried not to curse out Zane's will as he calmly said, "may you please tell me why you will not even after I gave you're original body a piece of my soul".

"Sure, you see there are 2 reasons why. The first is because your far 2 weak you have skipped the basics of building your foundation and only relied on strengthening your soul to get were you are now. Carving advanced runes on a core as weak as yours will only cripple you making you unable to cultivate like a human. You must absorb the magic cores given to you strengthening your base allowing you to proceed further. The second reason i'm not giving you the advanced rune set is because I was told to never give you that or the required ritual to become a rank 1 illusionist".

Desmond not believing what he was hearing said, "why the fuck did Zane tell you to do that?".

"It was to teach you that nothing is easily obtained in this world. If you want those things you are gonna have to buy it, trade for it, or steal it yourself. ".

"Easily obtained, you've got to be kidding me I traded a piece of my soul for that stuff, yet I'm still denied it". Desmond said angrily. Despite how pissed he was Desmond didn't linger on the matter for long because he already knew the truth he saw it with his own eyes.

"Those bastards their trying to delay my growth, so I will be of even less of a threat to them. They are only training me to passify and strengthening me to improve the quality of my soul". Desmond's thoughts ran rampant inside his head as he shifted to a different questions.

"Can you make me strong?".

Zane's will replied, "of course how is that even a question you've seen me in person did I look weak to you?"

Desmond knew the answer to that question was an obvious no. Zane was strong and to kill Zane Desmond knew he had to be stronger.

"Then make me strong, stronger than everyone that wants to come after me". Desmond said will unwavering resolve.

"If you want that then there's many things we need to do, but first I should teach you how to walk".

"How to walk you've got to be kidding me. I've got a bunch of people after my head I should learn how to conceal myself first".

"Its because your being hunted down is the reason why I'm showing you this first. During normal circumstances I would have recommended you do physical training first before brushing up on the basics. But because of the encroaching war and all your other problems you have I have no choice, but to teach you these things first.

Since you haven't reached rank 1 you will not go past the wall to fight you will only man the weapons on the city wall. Just because you face less danger than average doesn't mean there isn none, so don't look down on what I'm about to show you. The move I'm going to teach you is called journey of a thousand miles. With it you will be able to traverse any kind of terrain as if it were flat ground".

Desmond thought that the technique sounded quite fancy and also practical. Fights don't always happen on the most favorable places, so a technique like that in his arsenal could possibly save him more times than he can count.

"Alright you have me intrigued show me the move".

Zane's will gave Desmond a vicious look. It had a similar personality to its owner, so it was natural for it not to like others telling it what to do. But it also had its marching orders leaving it no choice, but to obediently comply with Desmond request.

Zane's will walked towards Desmond, but in an odd manner that made him sway back and forth like a drunk. It appeared as though Zane's will could have tumbled over from even a light push while in truth the strange manner in which Zane's will moved would make someone incredibly stable. As Zane's will moved forward afterimages followed closely behind which made Desmond feel as though he was watching a phantom faze in and out of reality.

Once Zane's will stopped Desmond said, "ya there's no way I'm going to be able to do that".

"Well you will learn it or you will die in the street like some poor wretched fool. I haven't forgot the deal we made when we first met. You dying, so soon would go against the promise we made. Which will sour my mood because I intend to uphold that promise don't you?".

Zane's words had brought Desmond a bit of confusion because the promise Desmond made to Zane was completely contradictory to what he knew Zane was actually trying to do. When Desmond and Zane first met Desmond promised to Zane he would add Zane to his pile in his climb to becoming a mage or find someway to entertain Zane. But Desmond knew Zane wanted to experiment with his soul and was also after whatever opportunity Desmond signified.

Desmond thoughts ran rampant as he thought to himself, "could it be that he's just trying to trick me or is everything he does actually randomly based on his mood?".

How Zane operates is complicated and in short both questions could be true, but it won't change the fact that Desmond has to kill him to survive.

Desmond gave Zane's will a wide friendlysmile that fully displayed his gums then said, "of course I fully intend to uphold our promise just like you and when the time comes I'm sure it will be truly entertaining for you.

***

Cherry Wood Street, Delmar City

Above ground it was the time night ruled once more. Darkness slipped into every nook and cranny some of it was kept at bay by the light that the street lamps cast down, but at a 5 story apartment building nearby something was different an eary quiet encompassed the surrounding area. While an even darker force crept into one of the rooms on the 4th floor.

Inside the sparsely decorated room a man was tossing and turning frequently in his sleep. His bed and chest were both heavily drenched in sweat as he crinkled his eye brows in pain as he tried to fight off a nightmare.

That man was Peter and this wasn't the first nightmare he had either. Ever since Peter laid eyes on that horrific book he only had nightmares when he slept and a strange feeling that he was never alone when he was awake.

As Peter dreamed he dreamt of boils that bubbled downward threw a crack that displayed things Peter couldn't even begin to describe. The boils wraithed and screamed a song that pounded the air. No feeling of joy or sorrow was conveyed from the song Peter heared only a dreary indifference. As the mass grew in size even larger than an entire planet Peter realized what he was gazing up at and the truth petrified him because he was staring at something that should never have been seen by someone like him or anyone for that matter.

It made Peter wonder if anything he had ever done had any meaning and briefly think that all those mages that he hated were right. While Peter's mind was having difficulty processing everything that he was seeing. The endlessly stream of boils spiraled downward and embraced Peter's petrified figure.

Peter was slowly beging surrounded in a viscous slime that felt like a million insects marching on his skin. The slim tore Peter's flesh as though he was being dragged across a paved road. As the slime climbed up Peter who was stiff in fright the slime seeped into everyone of Peter's orifices and grounded up his insides as if it were being done by gravel.

The pain broke Peter free of the nightmare. He huffed heavily as he tried to catch his breath as he darted his eyes arouned for any monsters lurking in the shadows. Not believing that he was truly alone Peter rushed towards every light switch in his home and turned them all on. Though every room was illuminated Peter was still unsure if he was safe. In a hurry Peter turned his home upside down. He checked his clawset, every cabinet, and drawer Peter even ripped apart his own bead to make sure there was no danger, but it was all useless just like Peter thought it would be.

Stressed and tired from days without proper sleep Peter said angrily, "I can't live like this, I can't do this any more I need something I need, ... HIM".

Peter Knowing that the only solution to his problem was with the person who made him as he was now. He hurried to wards a drawer in his room that had all of its contents scattered on the floor. They were all an assortment of ritual oils also known as anoint oil, herbs, metals, and crystals used for rituals.

Peter was planning on performing a ritual to contact Randell's spiritual messenger . Which was possible for anyone to do because the ritual Peter was performing did not use the strength of the user, but who or what ever their contacting instead. Which was only possible in this specific case because the spirit Peter was trying to contact already had a contract signed with Randell. It was even possible to use the power of the realm from what ever a person is trying to contact something from exists in to establish a connection with a strong spirit.

Peter took the ingredients that were needed then he began constructing a magic circle on the floor with a piece of chalk. Peter drew a square and triangle inside of a circle with some writing on the edges. Then he placed three lit candles on the edges of the triangle which symbolized himself, the world, and the spirit he was contacting. On the other edges of the circle was were the crystals and metalswere placed each each of which coresponded with a different element.

Seeing everything was ready Peter folded the slip of paper Randell gave him and said out loud in ancient Zedrik. "I summon to my side the creature that journeys across a ruined plane, who's steps answer the cry of those who seek justice, the creature bound to Randell Roffe".

Peter repeated that chant multiple times while he place a few drops of the ritual oil onto the candles and let there scent fill the room. While the oils burned Peter took a bundleup pile of jing a special plant that is often used in rituals because of its ability to briefly enhance a persons spiritual energy.

The oils were and every thing else used in the ritual was only meant to appease the thing he was summoning as well as calm and stregthen Peter's spirit, so there would be no problems during the ritual.

Peter repeated the incantation once more as he waved the burning jing in the air. Once the ritual finished Peter had a strong sence of danger, but a different danger then the one that plagued him. The feeling was as if someone was looming behind him. Peter had been on edge for days, so he was sensitive to such things. But when Peter turned over to look no one was there. Such a sight brought Peter no calm it only made Peter more worried.

As Peter thought he was loosing his mind again the sound of foot steps coming from behind him reached hid ears. Peter turned around again trying to find the source of the but found nothing. No matter were Peter turned he could find no one he only heared the sound of foot steps that got closer to him.

"Are you Randell's messenger?" Peter said in a high strung tone.

No words were spoken by the messenger it only made tapping sounds that somehow conveyed its intent louder then words.

Peter received the messenger's message clearly then replied, "since you are tell Randell that I lied to him when we first met all I have are nightmares. I can't live like this anymore I need to see Howard he's the only one who can help. Quickly go tell Randell right now!".

Peter couldn't really tell if the messenger was gone or not, but because he felt no danger he believed it to be. As Peter waited for Randell's reply time ticked by slowly which drove Peter to his whit's end. Minutes passed by like hours and by the time 30 minutes went by Peter was already loosing his cool.

He verbally and physically beat himself to keep his mind focused as to not slip into a dark place. All of which was witnessed threw the scope of a man in the building across the street from Peter. Ever since Peter seen the contents of the Necronomicon Randell had never let Peter out of his sight. He had people watching his every move day and night documenting everything he did waiting to strike. Once they received Randell's message they finally did what they had long awaited to do with deadly precision.

The sniper across the street fired a single tranquilizer round from his riffle into Peter Peter's neck as he paced around. The sound of the gun shot was muffled because of the silencer at the end, but the sound of glass breaking and Peter's body hitting the floor couldn't be hidden. Which was the signal for a group of 6 armed men clad in body armor to bust Peter's door down and take him captive.

Peter's body was slumped on the groud as the armed men took him in. His body felt like jelly as they used magic sealing cuffs on Peter's arms and feet. The noise the group made quickly drew the attention of the other residents inside the building. Since Peter was safely captured one of the men came out and said out loud.

"Everyone please for your safety stay inside of your homes this is official DCPD business".

None of the people watching needed much more proof than that to prove what was happening was real because who would dare walk around impersonating a DCPD officer while carrying there equipment and weapons. Even if someone did have there suspicions and did a background check they would quickly find out everyone there was an actual DCPD officer.

With Peter in hand the armed men quickly left with him in a DCPD vehicle and left a few others there to stand around and make thing look as official as possible to anyone watching.

...

After an unknown amount of time Peter found himself in a white room completely padded down both the walls and floor with some kind of cushion and a matrice was on the floor nearby.

Peter looked around and was immediately confused "A psych ward why am I here I'm not crazy". Peter said out loud 100% sure of what he said.

"You say that now, but my men have assured me otherwise".

The reply Peter heard came from a speaker in the uper left corner above him.

"Who am I speaking to?". Said peter on alert.

"It's me Randell Roffe, you said that you wanted to see me so lets chat".

Peter unsure if it was really Randell he was speaking to said, "if your really Randell then prove it".

"Sure, when we first met I was accompanied by 5 armed guards named ..., they wore ..., two of the men were carrying a specially made briefcase that had a mystic item inside called thehe Widow's Diary. What it showed us was ..., what you and Gresham wore was -".

Randell described the events of what happened that day perfectly. With magic a person could get some answers, but rarely could a person get that level of detail.

"Alright I believe you. So, why am I here I contacted you so I could speak with Howard. I need answers to the nightmares I'm having and he's the only one who can help".

"In your nightmares do you see a crack with somekind of strange thing that you can hardly describe with words seeping threw".

Peter was shocked that Randell already knew, "yes, how did you know that?".

"Everyone who has seen the Necronomicon has recently had similar dreams. The physical appearence of what you all see is different as well as the space you describe the only thing that has remained the same threw out is the crack you all describe".

"There are others like me then does that mean you found a way to stop the dreams" Peter Said ecstatically with much hope in his eye's.

"We haven't gotten that far, yet the thing you seek may very well be with Howard. It is something that we want as well, so letting you speak with him to obtain it is not an impossibility".

Peter shed a few tears in joy because there was a chance for him to make the nightmares finally stop.

"When can I speak with him" Peter said with much enthusiasm.

"I'm sure you will not be able to rest properly even if we make you wait, so lets do it right now.

Once Randell said that he cut of the speaker and nearby Peter heard the sweet sound of jingling keys. A small flap opened up in the door by a guard standing on the other side who said, "place you hands threw, so I can cuff you then step away from the door and get on your knees or I will taze you".

The guard wasn't joking about the last part of what he said he had already been tackled, bitten, and malled by a few of the other people that he was guarding. Peter obediently complied with everything that the guard said. Once the guard saw Peter on the ground he opened the door and stepped inside along with two other guards for assistance.

Two of the guards kept there distance with there hands on there tazers ready to fire at a moments notice once anything strange happens. The other guard strapped on more jewelry for Peter to wear and made sure because he was really not taking any more chances with the people locked up in there.

With Peter locked up tight the guards brought him out into the hallway and walked him towards Howards cell. The concrete hallway had a dreary look that complemented the beauty of the rusted steel doors that lined the walls. The pounding and howls of people who had witnessed the contents of the necronomicon filled the hallway.

As Peter was escorted down the unsettling tunnel a face slammed onto the small window in one of the cells. Peter instantly recognized who the person was once he showed his face, "Emerson?"

Peter remembered Emerson from when he went to inspect Howard. He also remembered Emerson had close ties with Gresham. Emerson remembered Peter as well the moment he saw him.

"It's you if you're here then you've seen it haven't you. I told you it was real you believe me now don't you. Since you believe me you have to tell Gresham, make him see the book, make him believe. With there power we can get topple the magi and get revenge for Martha".

Emerson kept shouting other things at Peter, but Peter was dragged further down the hall by the guards till Emerson's voice was obstructed by all the others. Soon Peter was in front of a cell in a completely separate wing from the others. Once there the guards opened up the door to Howard's cell. When Peter stepped inside he was a biy upset by the stark difference in treatment Peter and Howard had.

Peter only had a cheap matrice while Howard had a high quality bed, dozens of books, a table, and leftovers from a gourmet meal. Peter hadn't even been served food yet, but he had a suspicion he wasn't going to be served that. While Howard's cell was nicer Peter cared little for it he only wanted a way to stop the nightmares.

Inside the guards chained Peter to a metal bar attached to the wall for Howard's saftey and left Peter there. Howard didn't care what the guard's did he wasn't even paying attention to them or anyone else for that matter. His attention was fully focused on what he was writing at his desk.

Peter saw Howard writing away madly not bothering to spare him a glance, so Peter shout Howard's name to get his attention.

"Howard, Howard, HOWARD!!!" Peter shouted again and again, but Howard paid Peter no attention.

Peter seeing shouting was getting him no were with Howard he changed his tactics and did something he believed Howard would most likely respond to. He spoke in a strange language that could not properly be spoken by man.

"llll mgr'luh ya ymg' bastard (look at me you bastard)".

Howard hearing such a familiar language being spoken to him turned around to look at Peter and said to him.

"You know R'lyehian?"

Peter said displeased "how couldn't I that damb language has been etched into my brain"

Howard responded by saying "I would prefer it if you spoke Aklo instead its a bit easier to pronounce the words"

"And I would prefer it if you spoke modern Zedrik"

Howard seeing what Peter was getting at changed what he was saying and spoke modern Zedrik instead.

[Note: Everything said is the small section above spoken in R'lyehian it was not writen as such because R'lyehian and Aklo are both long and difficult languages to write in]

"Fine I'll speak in your language, so what do you want?".

"What I want is for you to tell me how to stop those nightmares you cursed me with".

"You speak as though what your going through is because of some illness that can be cured with a little medicine. What your experiencing is a result of you gazing into something none are ready for. To return to the piece you once had is impossible because to do, so you would have to become as ignorant as the time before you looked into the necronomicon". Howard spoke with a lack of feeling as he plainly explained to Peter his situation. Howard had seen the same thing countless times already he had become numb to the pleas of people like Howard.

Peter didn't except what Howard he shouted at him angrily, "you made me like this, so fix me?"

"I didn't make you anything I warned you clearly about what would happen if you learned what the book contained. You can not unsee what has been seen, now that you have cracked open the door into a forbidden realm there is no going back its contents will slip out without stop".

"I can't stay like this forever these nightmares there horrifying. I don't even under stand what most of them are. An ancient spiraling city submerged under unfathomable depths and a dreary land colder then outer space filled grey and spiders. There were so many spiders, but nothing kept its form everything kept twisting and changing.

Howard listened to Peter's words and said, "the city you saw is called R'lyeh its a prison for something you don't want to imagine. As for the othe thing you described you weren't dreaming you were a place called the Plateau of Leng".

"I was physical at that place called leng thats impossible I never left my room". To many things were going wrong for Peter, so he at least wanted physics to still make sence.

Howard said to Peter "the Plateau of Leng has no fixed location it connects all realities, so its entirely possible for you to stumble in threw a dream".

"But that's crazy, it should simply be impossible".

"I know how it all seems, but you will soon realize you aren't who you are, you aren't were you are, you aren't even what you are. The things that you know to be truth, will soon reveal themselves to be lies by beings, so incomprehensible they are ignorent to our existence. In the Necronomicon there are old stories about the battles these beings waged against each other, there life, but never there death, were they have and will be".

Peter heared what Howard said and was becoming more perplexed by the moment. "What does that even mean?".

"it means that the old gods aren't old, but new. Many of them may not have even been born yet".

Peter was stupified by Howard's words because what Howard said meant many things. "If what you say is true than what I saw and what I'm experiencing its- ".

"Its there power seeping out through space and time".

Peter found it hard to come to terms with what he was told because if it was true than the power the gods written in the Necronomicon were beyond imagination. The more Peter thought about it the more he fealt fear grasping his heart.

As Peter was beginning to break down from what he was told Howard said, "there may not be much you can do against such beings, but you can defend yourself against them".

Howard then took out a blank piece of paper and drew two symbols on it. One looked like a brach with 5 patruding ends while the other looked like a bent star. Howard gave the paper with the symbols on it to Peter then said, "they're called the elder sign's they will protect you with it you should be able to sleep at night".

Peter looked at the two symbols on the paper and clasped them firmly in his hand. As Peter healed those symbols close he fealt safer already.

As Peter and Howard finished there conversation the same 3 guards quickly came and took Peter back to his cell. Once there the guards took the paper from Peter and began uncuffing him to lock him back in his cell.

When Peter was inside he turned back to get his slip of paper, but the guards had already left with it.

"Ha come back I need that I won't be able to sleep without those" Peter banged and shouted, but his words fell on deaf ears because the guards were long gone.

...

Inside the monitoring room Randell was sitting down thinking about the conversation Peter and Howard had when the three guards who locked petter back up came into the room.

"Here's the piece of paper that you requested sir". One of the guards said.

Randell didn't say anything in return he only unfold the paper to look at the symbols inside.

"There's so much we don't know about these gods as well as Howard, but if we can understand those things than nothing will be impossible anymore. Its a shame that I have to send the book of to the leader along with Howard".

Randell crincled his brow at the thought of such a thing, "this is the dawn of a new era and I should be at the center of it. If I was at a higher position of power then I wouldn't be on the side line like this. But at least I can make a copy of the Necronomicon and keep the ones who were affected by it. So if I play my cards wright with enough time and research I will be able to make progress on my own earn some merits and move up that way.

As Randell thought about it the more feasible it sounded. With Randell's future goals set the biggest problem he had at the moment was Secret Visage. But just when Randell was about to tackle that problem an alarm sounded.

Startled Randell looked around then said whats going on. The 3 guards in front of Randell didn't know as for the guards that usually accompanied Randell they were all killed when Eliot row paid him a visit. Randell had, yet to find suitable replacements.

The confusion in the room was dispersed when the guards received an announcement threw their radio. The news of which made Randell quickly check the video feed in Peter's cell.

The screen displayed Peter's once pure white cell covered in the symbol of the elder sign written in Peter's blood. Peter on the screen was being pinned to the floor by a group of other guards who discovered what he had done. As they held him down they tried to bandage his right hand because Peter bit off his index and middle finger to get enough material to wright with.

"What are you guys doing were safe here there's no need for violence I made it safe". Was the last thing Peter said before he happily slipped into a deep sleep.

As Randell watched what happened the only thing he said was, "I need more guards".