Unwanted Presence

WRITER’S NOTE: This is a retrospective of Pepvin Mace getting his answer on his familiar, haunting voice aka an “unwanted presence”. (A continuation to the “Perturbed State of Mind” chapter!) This short story (yet another never-before-read chapter) will be added to one of my future books; one of them being the fifth book to The Rissindell Stories: “Sage & the Twins of Unity”. Please enjoy the reading.

‘No, no, no, no this can't be!’ I said this mentally in my head. There's no way that Gerlard survived all of that in the Second Great Mage War. Everyone, including myself, legitimately saw the outcome. He was devoured by shadow snakes! How is this possible?

“With dark magic anything is possible, you dimwit,” Gerlard answered my inner thoughts. Guess old inappropriate habits don't die with this one, even if he's alive or a fragment of my imagination. Just where he is? I don't see him anywhere within the cave but I feel his presence. A presence I clearly don't want. 

“Show yourself, Gerlard!” I commanded at once. At first, there was no answer. I looked around my surroundings and sure enough, I didn't see him. 

Just before I go about my day, he of course answered: “That I cannot do, foolish boy.” Gerlard even chuckled at the end of his response.

Confusion was written all over my face and I simply then asked: “What do you mean you can't?”

As if on cue, my former Master replied: “I am within soul. You can't get rid of me that easy, y'know.”

Has he been resonating with me this whole time!? How was this all even possible? Just before I could ask any further, Gerlard was quick to his old habits: monologuing as he always does…

“I know you have a lot of questions, Pepvin. But let's cut to the chase, shall we? ‘Cause I really find your questionnaire lacking and quite annoying to be frank. Since I was so-called defeated, (inferences on quotation marks) I came up with a master plan. One of which, I planned so strategically that no one, not even you or any grand mage, could figure out. A simple spell really; one that I'm quite proud of myself. So to answer how long I have been truly gone… I never left. 

“For you see, the unlimited supply I had with my magic was able to let me see another day. A day when everyone will know and fear that Gerlard will always remain, ‘cause if you didn't know it's still the Age of Gerlard after all and I'm not done yet, but by any means. I've resided in your body the moment I knew my old body was in no use, and done for. 

“So now, we are here, talking amongst ourselves. You look absolutely pathetic; I pity you. Still the little wimpy boy I found in that old blacksmith shack.”

Then, there was complete silence. I didn’t say anything afterwards. For once I feel like I can breathe and not hold my breath after Gerlard talked non-stop. I did my meditating exercise, of which Gerlard goes: “Ignoring me, I see.”

I replied reluctantly:“Yes, ‘cause I’m simply imaging things. You are not real and you are not in my mind.”

There came more silence, but after a good minute, Gerlard had to say something: “You’re so boring. Do you do anything besides mediation and mopping around?”

“How do I know you’re not in my soul and just playing tricks with my head?”

“Look at your new feature quality.”

“Huh?” I asked with a confused look.

“Look in the mirror!”

I didn’t have a mirror to begin with, instead there was a bit of water dripping from the ceiling within the cave. The next thing I did was get up from my meditation spot and look at myself through the water’s surface. Upon reflection, I saw that one of my eyes looked different. My birth eye stayed the same as green while my left eye was completely red!

Shocked, I took a step back and asked Gerlard out loud: “What is the meaning of this?”

“Just goes to show you that part of me resides in your soul. Now, was that all convincing enough?”

I stood there in utter disbelief. Can this guy take a hint? No one wants him around, surely not me after everything he has pulled. Gerlard’s used me for the last time. Maybe if I could just. The next thing I did was grab my dagger out of my manifestation right there and then.

I could hear Gerlard sounding a bit worried: “What on Uflornia do you think you are doing?”

“Going to jab my eye out! What else do you think I’m doing?”

Just before I could move the dagger, my body became really stiff and I couldn’t move an inch. 

“I won’t do that if I were you,” said Gerlard within my head.

“Get out of me! Get out now!” I was still trying to move but I couldn’t to no avail. Gerlard has gotten what he wanted. He’s using me as his pawn to his game.

The dagger was there upon my hand, and the next, it was gone thanks to the manifestation ability that I acquired. Gerlard used my own spell against me?

After such a deed, my former Master goes on by saying: “Now that we have gotten that out of the way, it’s time to talk shop.” 

“I don’t want anything to do with you, Gerlard! Like I said, get out of my body this instant!”

“No can do, buckaroo. I like having a younger body. Plus, I am not done with what I got in store for the both of us.”

“Oh, no, you don’t! I don’t want any part of your masterplan!”

“What if I told you that this includes an exploration?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m talking about a little scavenge hunt. I require the Ancient Weapons of each Uflornian country.”

I remember stories about the Ancient Creatures and their Weapons. Each one was unique to match their own. I was a big fan when it came to old history like that, especially it involving weapons.

Eventually, I asked Gerlard personally: “Why do you require such weapons?"

“So that I can be an eternal god.”

Forget I even asked…