Free The Whispers of the Fallen by J. D. Netto Page A

voice.
    “Are you sure of this, Adawnas? How could my power be so temporal if the Darkness has endured this long? How temporal will it be if I am the conqueror of Death?”
    Devin struggled, but managed to raise himself up with a wound on his neck.
    “Because”—Devin could barely speak—“of people…like you…fools like you.” He tried to attack Athalas, but was much too weak.
    “The immortal Nephilin is finally damaged!” Athalas clapped his hands gleefully.
    Athalas’ eyes turned red and opened wide as he slowly turned his head to my direction. I was still bleeding from my chest, and I knew my blood was what he needed to open the book. He did not speak a word, but I sensed that he was penetrating my thoughts, speaking into my mind.
    The pain increased. My vision dimmed and I visualized myself burning in a lake of fire. My flesh was detaching from my body and slowly melting away. I could not die in the fire, nor could the pain be stopped. As I burned, I felt something crawling on my neck. I reached for it only to find maggots eating at my flesh. My heart was pounding violently in my chest, almost exploding. I felt the maggots crawling over my organs, feasting on my burning flesh.
    Seconds after it had begun, the vision faded. My sight gradually returned to me. I heard muffled screams, footsteps and the clanging of metal. My surroundings fell silent and the temperature dropped quickly. I had no control over my body. All sound faded into a deathly silence.

V
    My body returned to life. Slowly, I felt my senses return to me. My eyes opened to see that I was locked in a beautiful room. There were enormous black curtains hanging down over large glass windows, a regal bed with two lions carved on the bedside dresser. The carpet had a delicately crafted floral pattern and a sweet fragrance lingered in the air.
    I noticed my clothing was different: clean and ornate. I wore a black waistcoat over a black leather vest, a gray overcoat that fell to my knees with solid black boots. As I turned, I approached the mirror hanging on the wall to my left. Reaching for my chest, I could feel that the cut Athalas had made was still there.
    I realized I was completely alone. I ran toward the sturdy wooden door, knocking desperately.
    “Anyone there?” I yelled, hoping someone would find me here. The room was fully lit by torches.
    I turned around to open the curtains so I could see where I was and I discovered a marvelous city under the gray skies. The beautiful houses all had very similar architectural characteristics, with huge pillars and gigantic windows.
    I was alone and without the slightest idea of where I was. Eventually, I heard the door creak behind me. As I turned, I saw a man standing there. He was very tall with long blond hair, a fair complexion, and his eyes were such a brilliant blue that they seemed to shimmer.
    “Please, come with me,” he instructed, gesturing the way with his right hand.
    “Where am I?” I asked apprehensively as I studied him. His height was intimidating.
    “Please…come now .” He ignored my question completely. Without contesting, I followed. As I walked down the gigantic hall, my mind raced, trying to recognize this place. The structure of the hall was breathtaking. Red veins stretched up to the ceiling on the marble walls. An ornate fireplace was situated on my left. It was quite obvious that it hadn’t been used for quite some time.
    We came to a sudden stop. An eerie moment of silence followed.
    “This is Billyth, located in the northern part of Elysium. Now, no more questions.”
    I was silent and fearful of what was about to happen. My heart beat wildly and drops of sweat dripped down onto my shirt.
    From behind us, a door opened and a beautiful young girl sauntered in. She had blond hair with the sparkling blue eyes, and her ivory skin was flawless. She wore a red overcoat stamped with designs and patterns. I could not see anything else but the familiar red coat. Then it