Defying the Curse: Part 1

Time for another piece of fiction. What I've got here is the first in a series of journal entries from my Warshade.

Entry One: Immediately following the Event

I wonder if that sounds too formal. All I know is that I'm not starting with "Dear journal" in something intended to be public. Whatever. I just need to get this done. I don't have the patience to worry about details. Point is, I've got a lot on my mind and I need to start putting these thoughts to paper while it's all fresh and I can still hear myself think. Maybe once it's all written out I can look back on this and start putting the pieces together. Lotos said there are a few people here at The Citadel who might know some things about my ... problems.

Yeah, "problems" is probably the best word for it. Every other event in my life has just been a concern at worst, but after what happened today, I've got problems. Biggest of which is the new voice in my head, and before you ask, no, I'm not crazy. Though I may have looked crazy when Lotos found me. He was unfortunate enough to see me in a rather sad state. I was out of control, rampaging all across Perez Park causing untold harm to ... well, just about anything I could sling energy at.

I should back up and start from the beginning. I'm sorry about all this rambling.


So ... the beginning. I was born and a lot of boring, average stuff happened to me. Twenty six years later and I'm just one short, fat, and already balding drone in an army of accountants for a firm downtown. I'd been stuck at that place for four years until earlier today when it all went to hell. I used to have a group of friends I would hang out with every Thursday after work. I say "used to" because as it turns out, those friends moonlighted as demonic cultists. At the poker table tonight, they informed me of their involvement with the Circle of Thorns and invited me to join. I turned it down and joked, "At least this explains your frequent 'I have to be at church that night' excuses."

That probably was not the wisest move on my part. Then again, perhaps the invitation was only a formality. Or, maybe still, they should have mentioned that "Now that you know about us, we can't let you live if you're not going to join." I heard one of them babbling something just before my head started to hurt like I had a train running through it. I slipped in and out of consciousness for a while. I recall partial conversations in languages I didn't understand. I was in a van, then in a park, and then finally tied down to a stone altar in a cave.

Whatever spell was cast at the poker table was wearing off by this point. I could see faceless robed cultists gathered around me. I could hear ominous and monotone chanting echoing through the cave. I could feel the presence of something deeply malevolent. One cultist stood out, dressed differently and speaking loudly. In one hand he held an old leather bound book, and a glowing purple crystal in the other. His chanting grew incessantly louder and as it did, the feeling slowly drained from my body. My sight became blurry for a moment before going completely black.

Everything came back to me in what seemed to be an instant later as I heard the mage command "Arise, my minion." I stood up, but not by choice. I could see, but I couldn't even turn my eyes. I could not move at all; something else was in control. The mage continued.

"Your power will rival that of the greatest of our Circle. The elders will be so pleased to see this worked. Now, bow before your master."

 At this, I simply thought to myself "No." My gaze had lowered slightly as my body began to bow, but stopped short. I wondered if I was regaining control. 

"Bow!" he bellowed.

This time I spoke. "No!" I stood upright again, but I had to fight my way up like I was moving through water.

"How dare you! Obey my command, servant!"

I lurched forward awkwardly, like I couldn't remember how to walk. I wanted to punch him, so I tried. Well, what was I supposed to do? This was the first I was able to move, and clearly he wasn't going to just let me walk out the door. With this movement, though, I heard a wailing voice inside my head. It was a language I could not understand, but it's meaning was very clear.

"Kill."

Before my punch landed, something happened to my hand. I felt energy well up inside me, and then a burst of dark power left my hand, striking the wall of the cave. The mage had an uneasy look on his face, but retaliated harshly. I was thrown backwards by some magical force but then stopped in mid air. The mage fell to the ground, horrified at what was now floating before him. I turned to face an ornate mirror and saw that I had transformed into ... something. I can't describe what I looked like. I hardly even remember it. I didn't have time to think, the cabal of cultists were all taking action and moving to attack me. I had to react. I had to escape. I had to--
 
"KILL!"

The same dark energy flowed out of me, only more rapid and forceful than the first time. The closest cultist had been killed by a single blast. I fired at another, but I didn't really want to do it. I wanted to find a way around, not kill them. I told myself I had to stop, but the voice... the voice was so loud! Though I was free from the mage's command, I had become slave to another.

Within seconds I was the only living thing in the room; within minutes, the entire cave. I burst through the door and into the woods. There were cultists gathered here, but not part of the group that had captured me. The voice was indiscriminate, however, and I attacked them as well. I tore out of the forest and towards the streets, blindly attacking anything in my path. I kept trying to stop myself, but to no avail. I recognized where I was, Perez Park, and realized that I was flying straight for the Steel Canyon. Killing the criminals that overran this park is one thing, but to unleash this energy on the innocent citizens of Paragon... I could never forgive myself.
 
I felt a sudden surge of pain as I willed myself to turn around. It worked, and through the pain I was able to circle back through the park instead of entering the city. The voice seemed content enough to rip the gang members apart. A few minutes passed and I collapsed, exhausted. I looked down to see my feet and hands. I was human again, and more than that, I was in control. The voice had gone quiet, probably just as exhausted as I was. I can still feel it, though. There's something in here with me. There aren't words for how unsettling that is.

This is where Lotos discovered me. He had seen the last few minutes of my rampage, so I told him how it all started. He offered to take me in to The Citadel, a place where many of the city's heroes lived. I explained that I was afraid of losing control, but he assured me that he and those within The Citadel would watch over me. He claimed that if there was a way to help me, that they would find it.

To this, of course, I accepted. Then I came back here and started writing this journal in the hopes that somebody here can help. Actually, just writing this out has already calmed me down a bit. Anyway, now we're all up to current events, so it's time to put the pen down. To anyone who has taken the time to read this, thank you. With any luck, we find a way to remove whatever is hitching a ride in my head. Until then, I will do my best to remain in control.

Until then, I shall defy this curse.
-Tevan