Deshaerok

See Chapter one for Disclaimer

Chapter three

 

The pain was unbearable and a scream escaped, unbidden, from my lips.  It felt as though fire were racing through my veins and every bone was being broken and reformed.  The symbol on my chest burned into my very soul and I felt my mind merging with another. Was this what death was like?  

 

Then, all the pain stopped.  I was walking into complete black where another man stood.  He was about 6 feet tall with long black hair that ended in yellow points.  His eyes were a yellowish-orange and I felt comforted by his strange presence. 

 

“My name is Deshaerok.” He said.  “Welcome to our mind.”

 

“Our mind?” I questioned. 

 

“This is your body. You think that I would replace you completely?  Your soul remains here and I will respect your opinion.” He replied looking shocked.

 

“I really didn’t know what to expect.”

 

“Things will become easier to control after we train together.” He said waving me close. “To everyone else, we are one person… but here,” with a swoop of his arm, the black became a grand castle. “We shall discover the many secrets of our mind and powers together. Come, we’ll talk more inside.”

 

We walked slowly over the sunlit grass towards the structure.  We passed through the open gate and I saw how thin and ready to crumble the wall were. It bothered me that my…our mind, I corrected myself, seemed so worn down.

 

The interior halls seemed more like a labyrinth than passageways, dark and twisting. I was afraid of losing myself in their narrow blackness.  Desh calmly led the way to an oak doorway that seemed to slide open easily on well-oiled hinges. 

 

As we at down on the plush chairs there, I regarded my surroundings. We seemed to be in a library of sorts. The only difference was that there were many shelves but only a few books scattered around the room.  The hearth held a roaring fire that radiated a comfortable heat. I needed to ask a question that had been burning at the tip of my tongue since we set foot into the castle. “Why am I still allowed my mind? I thought I was dead and once the body dies then the soul leaves the shell.”

 

“You did die, but I share a rare symbiosis with you. I give you new life and a way of defense other that of your own magic.”

 

“And you? What do you get?”

 

“A host to survive, companionship, a chance to explore.”

 

I was going to ask about our mate, but Desh interrupted me by standing abruptly. He offered me his hand. “It’s time to make this joining complete.”

 

I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. “Will I ever be able to be in my own form again? I know we’ll look like you to the outside world but…”

 

“We’ll retain a few of your scars that mark you as you, like the cross on your hip.” He interrupted. “But we’ll discuss all of this later with my father so he can explain it all better than I can. Right now we need to finish this by going to the core.”

 

I had to sprint to keep up with his long strides. “The core?”

 

“The very center of your being- your magic if you will.” He explained. “I need to intertwine myself permanently into your mind.”

 

“Left.” I said without realizing why.

 

He looked at me with a smile. “You must spend more time here than you realize.”

 

“I guess I do let my mind wander like everyone else during History of Magic.  I have quill that jots down everything he says.” Desh chuckled and took the staircase that was to the immediate left.  I followed him down to the cellars; when I stepped around the corner at the base of the stairs I was blinded for an instant by a flash of purple light.

 

When I opened my eyes again and drank in the sight before me, we were standing before an orb of lavender light. I felt it pulling me towards it and I gave into the sensation, letting myself fall into the light. Then I was looking out, I was the magic.  I must have looked amazing standing there in the very essence of my magic, my soul. 

 

I reached out a hand a tugged Desh to me, pressing my light into him.  Then I saw myself through his eyes: I glowed with light. It raised my hair to fan out around me and shone to match my eyes.  I felt my magic bonding with his own innate power.  Suddenly my vision split and I saw two things at once.  I saw myself and him, and then nothing at all.

 ~~~~

I…no…WE awoke later lying on a bed. We could feel the sweat covering our body, making the sheets chafe painfully across our overly sensitive skin.  We tossed and turned until a soothing hand lulled us back to sleep.  We heard a deep voice ringing through the blurry darkness, “Shhhhh. Go to sleep. It is not yet time for you to wake, my child. Shhhhh. Go to sleep.”

 ~~~~

“That was weird.” I said to Desh once we were in the library once more. 

 

“Just think of yourself as Deshaerok.  Don’t you see Will? It’s your mind, our body. I’ll offer advice and I’ll share my magic, but you are in control. This is your chance to start over with a whole new identity.”

 

“I guess I’m just nervous about training and such. I felt strange when I woke up a moment ago.”

 

“Your body –having died- is still adjusting to me being here. It’ll take a week or two.  If you’re that anxious to begin though we could work on our mental defenses.”

 

“Occlumency?” I asked.

 

“Yes, to us it will seem like we’re building up the walls of this castle together, thus making it into a fortress that others have no hope of entering without our permission.”

 

“Well then.” I said clapping my hands. “Let’s get to work!”