Erly waited at the Evergrave, facing the Yellowbark Rainforest in anticipation of Harlam’s arrival. It wasn’t if he would arrive, but when he would arrive. She had no doubt that Harlam would burst through the forest and demand her to get out of the way. Maybe unleashing the demon inside of him to go wild with the powers of the Everstone. She didn’t know why the Everstone wanted to reunite with the Evergrave, but it manipulated Harlam into obeying it. She was sure of it. 

Two soldiers stood on either side of her, totaling four. They wore silver-plated armor with the crest of the Teffer royal family painted on the breastplate. These were among the best soldiers sent out to guard the Evergrave, and when she told them what was heading their way, they sprung into action. Normal soldiers would be unable to see Harlam, but these ones in particular were trained to open their third eye. Every high-ranking soldier had access to their third eye, letting them gain access to minor spells to boost agility and power. They would have no issues seeing Harlam.  

The Evergrave itself was a majesty to behold. Four tusk-like protrusions stuck out of the ground, their tips pointed toward the tusk perpendicular to them. In the center of the tusks was a massive hole that seemingly went on without end. An infinite abyss that was said to be the grave where God’s five children took their last breath. In their final words, they threw out the Everstone to Karrion, the children’s guide to kingship, then said: This stone is a piece of our father. If the kingdoms cannot protect even a stone, then they will be unable to protect the kingdoms when the Reckoning arrives.  

When the children died, the resulting shockwave created the hole called the Evergrave. The five kingdoms came together and sought to not only protect their people in a unified princedom but also the stone left behind by their God’s disciples. When the stone disappeared, each country began pointing fingers at the other. Teffer received the most blame since the Evergrave resided in its borders. War struck and people lost their lives in the tens of thousands. The only thing that might be able to mend the relationship between nations was the return of the Everstone.  

Erly couldn’t let it all end here. If she let him go into the Evergrave with the Everstone in hand, she could only imagine what horrors would befall the country she grew up in. Death would be a better alternative than watching her world shatter.  

She heard it. The sound of someone stepping out of the forest. It had been over an hour by then, so that meant the noises had to be coming from Harlam.  

The soldiers raised their swords with both hands, holding the blade in between their eyes, the edge facing outward. They were prepared to swing their blades down on all that stepped toward the Evergrave. Erly even expected them to cut down a child in the state they were in. Arms tight and faces taut in a grim reminder of the war they would face in case they fail. Just like her, the soldiers would rather die than live in a world where they couldn’t prevent the downfall of their home.  

Harlam came into view. Slowly at first. The shadows from the trees hid any detail of his physicality from view. He carried something in his arms. Something large. Something resembling a person.  

Harlam stepped into view, no more shadows blocking Erly’s sight of him. He bled from several cuts and tears in his skin. It was almost a miracle that he was walking at all with the amount of blood running down his face and arms.  

In his arms was Miraca. Dead. Blood crying from her eyes. Spilling from her ears and nose. There was just so much blood. More of it than Erly would like to see coming out of her prime successor.  

Erly clenched her mouth shut and dug her nails into the palm of her hand. She couldn’t grieve at the moment. Harlam was going to dash toward the Evergrave at any moment. Miraca was also prepared to die for this mission to succeed. She knew what she was getting into when she joined the witches. Erly just had to accept that and honor her sacrifice by stopping Harlam from hurling himself into the grave.  

However, instead of dashing toward the grave, Harlam did the exact opposite. He stopped walking forward and stood in place nearly ten feet away from Erly and the soldiers. Erly couldn’t see what expression he was making cause he was busy looking down at Miraca’s lifeless body. 

The soldiers saw the weakness in the man’s defenses. They struck, each one leaping forward, raising their swords above their heads, then slamming them downward.  

Erly reached out a hand and ordered them not to attack, but it was already too late. All she could do was close her eyes as a bright light enveloped the area. She couldn’t see them die, but she could hear their bodies drop to the ground. Each time Erly expected the light to disappear, it reignited as another soldier attempted a strike, believing the barrier to be down. Of course, that’s not how the second ability worked. She could hear them dropping one by one, and she couldn’t stop it. When the lights finally stopped shining and Erly opened her eyes, she witnessed the soldiers’ bodies laying at Harlam’s feet, each one of them bleeding the same way Miraca was. 

She still couldn’t see the expression on Harlam’s face. The thing inside the Everstone had taken control of him by this point. She could tell. Harlam would never do these things. All of it was the work of some unforeseen force that nobody could comprehend.  

Still, there was nothing Erly could do to stop it. That second ability was just too powerful. It had its drawbacks, but she couldn’t just remain still a whole minute to wait out the miasma and instant death. After the minute was over, he’d already be inside the grave for fifty seconds. She just couldn’t let that happen, even if it meant dying fruitlessly.  

The only chance Erly had was up close. He could effortlessly dodge any projectile, and her superiors ordered her to not destroy the Evergrave. All she could do was hope to get in a strike before he set up a shield.  

Erly summoned a dagger into her hand and launched a pentagram at Harlam’s feet. Weirdly enough, he hadn’t moved from the spot he stood on. Whatever that thing inside of him was planning, it was taking up a lot of time thinking it over. She wouldn’t give it the time to think. 

Erly activated the pentagram and instantly appeared in front of Harlam in a puff of steam. She thrust the dagger forward, expecting the barrier to pop up at any moment and kill her.  

Shnk 

Metal on flesh. The dagger sunk into Harlam’s chest. Right into his heart. 

Surprised, Erly lept back. The demon didn’t summon the barrier? Why? Blood spilled out from his mouth and dripped onto Miraca’s body. Why did he not summon the barrier? Harlam looked up at her, a smile on his blood and dirt-stained face, tears trailing down his cheek. Why did Harlam not summon the barrier? 

Why why why why why! 

WHY!!! 

“You are Erly, aren’t you.”  

Erly gasped at Harlam speaking. Tears fell down her face as she realized that she had just successfully stabbed her childhood friend in the heart. And he was smiling. 

Harlam looked down at Miraca’s body, his smile never wavering.  

“You were always Erly. When I first saw you again after all these years, and a part of the witches no less, I thought the oaths the witches spoke brainwashed you. I thought they had taken away the precious Erly that I grew up alongside as a kid.” 

Harlam looked directly at Erly. She covered her mouth with cupped hands, breathing erratically as tears fell down her face. Her arms trembled like a leaf blowing through harsh storm winds, ready to break down at any moment.  

“It’s been a long time due, but I need to say it before I go into the grave.” Harlam’s smile widened, exposing his yellow and rotting teeth. It was the most beautiful smile Erly had ever seen. “It’s been a long time Erly. Nice to see you again.” 

The words slammed into Erly, crushing her harder than being trapped under a landslide. Her legs wouldn’t work anymore. She fell to her knees, shaking her head no as Harlam walked toward her. She could fix him. He’d just need to stay still so she could work up the appropriate pentagram to heal him. It might not fix up his heart completely, but he wouldn’t die.  

“You know, although I know you’re you, I understand even less now. Why would anyone want to do what you do? Risking death despite not even knowing that the life you’re losing will truly make anything flourish in the end.” Harlam stood next to her and she couldn’t even look up at him. “After all, death is terrifying, isn’t it? If you had the chance, wouldn’t you want to fight past your demise?” 

Wait. The disease he said he had; the disease that couldn’t be cured by any modern medicine. He couldn’t have been referring to… 

“Wouldn’t it be fantastic to be immortal?” Harlam walked past her, leaving her behind for whatever grand vision he saw in those eyes of his. “Never have to worry about if doing something could kill you. Never having to concern yourself over eating something that could result in getting poisoned. You never have to be afraid to take a step in your life cause you know there will never be a thorny vine waiting to poke you in the foot. Isn’t that fantastic?” 

Erly couldn’t understand. How could she understand a selfish goal such as wanting to gain immortality? Why would anyone ever want to live forever, stepping through life always knowing that no matter the outcome, they’ll be fine in the end? By living such a long life, that meant living beyond the years of their peers, seeing everyone rot under the dirt while they remained walking.  

Erly stood up and faced Harlam. He stopped in his tracks again, still some distance away from the grave. Harlam spun around and they faced off against one another. More blood spilled from Harlam’s mouth. His face was paler while also looking even more dirty and disgusting than before. He looked like he hadn’t slept in several weeks then was told to run a mile wearing nothing to protect his soles.  

But beneath it all, there was the face of someone she had once called a friend. Harlam was Harlam all along. There wasn’t some entity controlling him. Everything. Everything since the beginning. It was all a result of Harlam’s decisions. 

Erly couldn’t understand. Perhaps she never will.  

“Before you get any bright ideas…” Harlam set Miraca’s corpse down, grunting all the while. He held up his left arm causing Erly to scream inside. “Everstone, I give you my left hand in exchange for your power.” 

The fifth ability of the Everstone activated. In a spray of blood, Harlam’s left hand evaporated. All went black. All went silent. All went tasteless. All went touchless. All went scentless. All became none.