The Dreaming Goddess

Chapter Twelve: The Collapse

At that moment, William saw everything about himself. Every slight aspect of himself irritated others. Every little selfish choice hurts others. He took Felix for granted, always expecting him to obey while pretending he was his friend. He'd wasted Raynald's valuable time with his laziness. One of the greatest warriors of Harlenor comes to train him. And William couldn't even be bothered to attend his lessons. He saw his ineptitude at various tasks when he was assigned them.

William saw every tiny slight, every half-truth and arrogant word. Every one of them came crashing down on him. How many people had died because of him since his failure on the ship? How many sentient creatures would still be alive if he had done what he ought to have done and fought?

He saw how he had robbed the chimera on Felix's urging, hardly thinking of it. It had saved them from the satyrs, and this was how he had repaid it?

He had felt good about Felix setting fire to the satyr village. Yet people had died in that fire, even children. He found tears coursing down his cheeks as he struggled to turn away. Yet he could not. All he could do was stand there, watching.

A shadow behind him was growing, and he realized he was not alone in looking into this mirror. Another was screaming in agony and horror, another who had a part in him even he had not realized.

Trying to reach out, he saw this being for what it was.

Melchious. Yet why did Melchious have a part in him?

And then William saw that it was not that Melchious had a part in him but rather that he had been a part of Melchious. Everything fell into place. When Melchious disguised Father, he had put a piece of himself into him. That piece had waited within him and entered into Mother. It had become him.

He was a creation of evil. And through him, that evil was suffering horribly. He could feel the unbridled agony coursing through Melchious. The effect of truth on him was blinding as all his sins returned to haunt him. And it hurt. It hurt more than anything else William had ever experienced. Only the truth that it was not entirely meant for him prevented it from tearing him apart.

He saw the screams of untold innocents — the tormented souls of sinners. Their anger and hatred were now consuming the being to which William was connected.

And then it was over. Melchious was silent.

William felt alone, more alone than he ever had before. He stepped back, gasping for air and hardly feeling his body. What he had seen... what he had known...

He looked up to the demoness. "This was your plan all along?"

"Precisely," said the demoness, "rather well played, if I may say so. I knew I could never use the mirror for myself; it was far too hostile to my kind. Yet then I thought. 'What if I could use it to remove my superior?' So I did."

"You knew Melchious would never fall into any trap you set," said William. "So you used me to get to him."

"Yes," said the demoness. "Melchious had some plan for you, I expect. No doubt, it is a long-term goal accomplished by subtle manipulation. Your Father never outsmarted him, but I? His student? I did.

"There were one or two other options, but you were a fine opportunity."

Then his sword was in her hand, and she tossed it to him. William caught the sword, hardly believing his eyes. "Why are you giving me a weapon?"

"Well, obviously so that you can kill yourself," said the demoness. "Inconvenient truths are tearing apart Melchious' soul. I expect he had retreated into the depths of the abyss to try and save himself. He may or may not.