The magic gathered in his arm, pulsing through his body as he brought to mind the incantation. Sweating, he started reciting as a piercing yellow orb formed in his palm. The power raced through his body, screaming to be let free. With a shout, the light shot forth into his immobilized opponent’s chest, leaving a gaping hole in its wake. Panting, he gazed at the fallen man before him. -Really did a number on him, didn’t ya?-
“Shut up.”
-So touchy-
Ignoring the shadowy Daemon beside him, the sorcerer walked over to the fallen man and crouched down. He rummaged through the dead man’s traveling pack, looking for anything that could be useful. Finding nothing, he looked at his tall companion and grunted, “Let’s go.”
The shadowy creature grinned, revealing a row of sharpened teeth. -Ya really don’t talk a lot, do ya?- His question was met with silence. -Whatever shortcake.-
“Don’t call me that.”
-Well, what am I supposed to call ya then?-
The magician looked at the Daemon incredulously. Surely this being of darkness knew the power names held? Did it really expect him to answer truthfully? No, it couldn’t be that stupid. Shaking his head, he realized that the monster was just being annoying, trying to goad him to talk. He kept his mouth shut.
They continued walking, the night’s full moon giving them light to see by in the darkened forest. They would have been an odd pair to see; a small man covered in a ragged, bloody cloak being followed by a large shadow. The man himself was nothing to look at, his ice blue eyes being the only point of interest on his face. The Daemon on the other hand, was a fearsome sight to behold; a tall and lanky body, capped by a featureless head was the essence of darkness itself. Its face housed a gruesome mouth, full of sharp, glistening, spike-like teeth. It radiated dark amusement, seemingly pleased with the current situation.
-Say, why’d ya summon me in the first place? Ya didn’t need any help killin’ that guy before, so why drag me along?-
“…”
-Come on, ya owe me that at least-
“I owe you nothing.”
-Fine. But I’m callin’ ya shortcake then-
Ignoring the thing behind him, the man thrust his mind outward, looking for their destination. He felt his way ahead of them, searching for the old energy that would save him. He sighed, even the barest thought of being free thrilled the sorcerer; he’d wanted this for so long. Suddenly, a flare of power surged up in front of him and he knew that was what he’d been searching for. A small smile graced his lips as his pace quickened, excited by the thought of release.
The Daemon noticed the smile and wondered what it meant; he couldn’t possibly like being called shortcake.
Soon the pair came upon a circular clearing. The moonlight illuminated two stones sitting next to each other in the middle of the circle. The magician almost ran to the center, eager to get his freedom while the Daemon watched from the edge. He only spared a glance at the tombstones, for that was what they were, which bore a single name on each: Jon and Adina. To him it didn’t matter who these people were, only what they were.

-So what are we doing here?-

The man paused, contemplating on not answering; but the monster would need to know so there wouldn’t be any complications. “We are going to release their power.”

-Power? It’s just two rotten dead humans-

“They were not humans.”

Ignoring the Daemon’s exclamation of surprise, the sorcerer bent down in between the graves and listened. He could hear two birds to the left, singing their happy little lives away; to his right, he heard the rustle of leaves as a rabbit scampered underneath the trees; and below him, he heard life. Specifically, the life of two who had traveled between dimensions their entire existence, never staying in one place for long.

They had been caught, like him, in this curse. Having accepted the blood of the Forlorn, they were doomed a nomad existence. If they stayed on one world, only death awaited them. To remain in one dimension was in violation of the contract made so long ago with the God Fjarrent, also known as the Forlorn, by the First traveler.


The man grimaced; thinking of Fjarrent never put him in a good mood. Why he ever agreed to that damned things terms was beyond him. He had been young and stupid, only thinking of the power that would be available to him and not of the consequences.

-Hey shortcake, ya just gonna sit there all night?-

He snapped back to the present and remembered his goal. Looking up at the Daemon, the magician smiled. “Just wait a moment longer.”

The shadowy creature was disgruntled, that smile had been anything but pleasant. It was suddenly getting a very bad feeling about the course this night would take. The monster continued to watch the man as he crouched on the ground, eyes closed with a grimace on his face. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, the birds taking flight while the hare fled. Cracks ran outward from the circle’s center, stopping at the edge of the clearing. A strong wind kicked up, pushing back the trees and scattering any remaining wildlife. The monster’s bad feeling strengthened.

Piercing bright orange and purple light flooded the clearing. The Daemon’s inky black form stood in stark contrast to the blinding light around him; and while it didn’t have eyes, it still felt like squinting against the intensity. The man’s form in the center was a dark green shadow, his own energy the color of rotten moss. His power was leaving him, leaking into the two energies surrounding him. The tendrils of his energy weaved into the other two, melding the powers together. All three lights were being slowly drawn into the center, forming a large orb.

-What are you doing!?- The Daemon was afraid now, it could think of no good reason for its presence at this ritual. The man just smiled in response, his gaze locked on the power above him. His hair whipped across his face, turning the would-be pleasant smile into a terrifying grimace. The orb was lowering, contracting, until it was a small ball right above the man’s head. The three colors swirled around relentlessly, chasing each other in a never ending race. And, as suddenly as it had appeared, it slipped into the sorcerer’s skull.

The clearing was deafeningly quiet, the wind having disappeared as quickly as the orb had. A low humming sound was the only thing that dared to penetrate the stillness, a remnant of the lingering power. The sorcerer continued to smile.
He’d done it. After centuries of wandering he’d finally fixed his mistake. All of the travelers were dead, their power having been absorbed by him. There would be no more contracts, no more pain, and no more loneliness. The First traveler closed his eyes and sighed. He’d done it.

-Tell. Me. What. Is. Happening….Now.- The Daemon loomed in front of him, it’s aura a menacing one. It did not like surprises. -Why am I here?-

“…”

-ANSWER ME-

The sorcerer opened his eyes and looked up, his gaze faraway as he replied, “You are here to help me face the end.”

-...What?-

“The reason you are here, the reason I am here, is to nullify the contract of Fjarrent. Too long has this curse been put upon the worlds, it must end. Now, here with us, we shall finish it.”

-An’ how do I “help” with this?-

“You must kill me.”

-Ha-

“…”

-Wait… ya serious?-

The man only looked at him.

-And how is that gonna help anythin’?-

“For the last few decades I have been searching for the ones who can travel between dimensions, those who have made a contract with the God Fjarret, and taking their energies. Their powers. This curse of dimension travelling has been around too long, has destroyed too many lives and I will not let it continue. I have finally gathered all of them, and with me, this shall end.”

-…Didn’t know ya could talk so long, thought you were allergic to words-

He scowled, “Well, will you do this for me?”

-Ha ha, sure. ‘Sides, I’ve never been one to turn down a good killin’-

The sorcerer stood up and faced the Daemon, his eyes steely. His jaw clenched and his back stiffened. He had been preparing himself for years, readying himself to face the end. But the reality of it was something else entirely. He was going to die. Here, in this darkened forest, with only a monster for company, he would die. He closed his eyes and let out his breath.

The Daemon looked down upon the small man in front of him, a twisted smile on its face. It reached out its arm and touched the sorcerer’s forehead. The man flinched visibly, shaking a little. It only made the monster grin wider. The creature began to gather its own dark energy in its palm, a sickening red light emanating from its eyes. A low chuckle escaped its lips.

The hand dropped from the man’s forehead.

The magician’s eyes popped open, confused gaze landing upon the Daemon. “What are you doing?” The monster started laughing.

-You are an idiot Caldelesh-

“You know my name.” It was a statement, not a question.
-Did you really think you could outsmart a God of Old?-

“What?”

Its grin widened, stretching its face into a big grimace. -Come now, don’t play dumb with me. We’re old friends aren’t we? Now, now, no need to look so unhappy, didn’t you miss me?-

“No…No!” Caldelesh backed up in horror, realization finally sinking in. “No!”

-There we go. Memories, such tricky things, aren’t they?-

“Please, no!” The First traveler fell to his knees, sobs wracking his entire body. “No..no no no no no no….” His pleas ended in a groan.

-Yes-

The broken man whimpered, a scream building in his eyes.

-Goodbye traveler; rest easy knowing that your efforts were in vain-
“No!”
“God…please!!”
“No!!!”

Fjarret, the Forlorn, God of all that is Shadow, looked down upon the sobbing man before him. It grasped the frail human’s neck, squeezing it painfully. With a laugh, it began to suck the energies out of the pathetic traveler, drawing back its power, renewing the contracts.

-See ya shortcake-