Unseen (Ages of the Seed, Vol 3)

Chapter 1 – Darkness

Daeven wasn’t mad, but he was pretty sure one of the people living in his head was. Most of them were okay folks; some were even friends. Faena helped him find food that didn’t make him sick. Taran remembered things, sometimes things from long before Daeven was born. Adiv and Vida, the deadly twins, kept him alive in the dangerous dark confines of the Burrow. Even little Pastich did her part, lifting dark spirits with her infectious laughter. They all worked together and tried to make their communal life as pleasant as possible.

But then there was Darkness. Darkness never spoke to Daeven or the others. Darkness just lay in the back of Daeven’s mind, brooding and watching. Always watching.

Until now.

Daeven felt Darkness push forward again and held his breath as he concentrated on pushing back. “Help me” he whispered. “Please. Somebody help me.”

Darkness surged forward and Daeven’s head exploded in pain. Tears rolled down his face leaving tracks through the grit and soot as they fell across his cheeks. “Oh, please no. Please no. Please no” he cried over and over.

He had some experience resisting his passengers. When they first fell out of their shadows and became real people they were panicky and frightened. Most reflexively tried to assert control and he would gently but firmly stop them. It didn’t take much effort as they were very weak when they first arrived.

But not Darkness. Darkness had never so much as moved before and Daeven had had no idea of its power. This was no freshly delivered passenger, weak from its birthing. This was a mind with strength and purpose, easily on par with Taran and possibly even stronger. Possibly stronger than Daeven himself.

The pressure in his mind was unbearable. His vision faded to darkness and exploding lights. A rising roar assaulted his ears. He squeezed his eyes shut and pushed back desperately. “Taran. Vida. Anybody. Help me. Please!” he begged. Where were his passengers? Why wasn’t anybody helping?

“Stop it! You’re hurting him!” Pastich’s tiny little girl voice yelled at Darkness. It receded somewhat, perhaps out of surprise. Daevan gulped in a breath of air and PUSHED, taking advantage of the small respite she had given him. Darkness pushed back and Daevan felt its anger, hot and musky, a palpable thing. He clenched his hands into fists and concentrated with all of his will. Slowly, ever so slowly, Daevan pushed Darkness back into its corner at the back of his mind.

Abruptly, Darkness stopped resisting him and retreated to its normal home. Daevan still felt its anger as it sat brooding and watching, but the pain in his head began to recede. He pulled in several clearing breaths and felt the pain vanish. He opened his eyes and was again able to see.

He leaned back against the cold granite wall and slid down to the floor. “What do you want!?” he screamed. Darkness, as always, did not answer.