A Light in the Dark Forest

Alistair sighed. This was a difficult situation he faced. He knew he shouldn't tell Nakata anything else. How much he had told him was already a major liability. But he knew that people such as Nakata would be key to defending to this world if indeed it came under attack. Nemaera would beat him for this one - this wasn't his job. It was her's. But pressing matters... indeed.

"Master Nakata. The information I am about to reveal to you is beyond what you could consider top secret. That is, you have no idea the amount of pain you or someone else could go through for knowing it. I'm aware I have already explained this to you, but I think it is paramount that I stress it further. There are things worse than death. Things worse than any being that now walks upon this Earth could ever dream of doing to you." Alistair lifted his right hand up above him, and after a moment, his eyes began to glow gold. Within his hand would now be a golden orb of light.

"Do you believe in God, Master Nakata?"

Alistair's hand descended to be level with his own eyes. "In my hand, I encompass the power that sparks life. It is this very energy that I hold within my grasp that has the ability to create or destroy any and all things that you see with your own eyes. Living, or otherwise. Humans normally cannot possess this power, Master Nakata. The darkness of the sins they hold within their own souls rejects this energy. Indeed, if you were to hold this orb of energy such that I do, your body would be instantly obliterated."

His glowing eyes turned now, to stare at Nakata directly. "The one who manifests this energy, Master Nakata... the one who is responsible for its existence. For your existence, is the one referred to as 'God.'" He paused for only a brief moment. "However, I think it is important for you to know that the one many refer to as 'God' works quite differently than they imagine."

The orb of light, as well as the glow within his eyes, dispersed as suddenly as it had appeared. "Do what you will with my words. It is of your own choice that you believe it or not. It makes little difference in the end. But this is the very last point where I will offer you the chance to turn away. If you still choose to follow me after this point, then you will not be able to turn back. You will be bound by your word. and I am afraid that choosing to disobey that word could prove lethal to you." Was he threatening to kill Nakata? Perhaps. He purposely left that part vague. He didn't want to tell Nakata such a thing, and he certainly didn't want to do such a thing. But if he felt it necessary for Nakata's life to end, if it meant preserving the world balance, then he would do so.

He would have no choice, otherwise.

"Of course." He responded. "But I am obligated to warn you as much as possible." He took a moment to consider what Nakata had asked him. He was still careful not to give away too much information at once. "The light you saw is granted to those who serve Him. I am afraid I am confused by your question, however. You ask me how it 'works', but that light does no such thing." He gave a strange look. "The Light of Purity does not simply work. The one who invokes it does the work." He smiled.

"Come. We must not tarry, lest the day grows long and we find ourselves walking back in the dark." Did he purposefully avoid answering Nakata's question directly or was it an oversight? Regardless, he knelt down and began his descent along the steep slope. "It is recommended you allow me to reach the bottom. Then, toss me the staff-torch before climbing down yourself."

He made it to the bottom with little difficulty. There would be enough light that Nakata would likely be able to just barely make him out. Alistair's eyes scanned the room, but he did not look back up at Nakata to signal him throwing the torch.

Something was wrong.

"Master Nakata -" Was all he could make out before a fwop noise was heard from somewhere in the cavern. Whatever it was, it caused Alistair to fall backwards - barely catching himself with his hands - and grunt as if pain was inflicted upon him.

—

The prey had so easily come to them. Yes, what a delicious meal this would be! So easy it would be to incapacitate the humans - who could barely see in the dark, for sure! - and devour their brains before they could react!

Imagine the surprise on the creature when the first one hit by its very own mind blast stood up as if barely affected!

—

He knew that feel of psychic power. He had felt it before. They were Illithids. Mind Flayers.

Horrible, evil creatures!

But why were they here? How many of them were there? Did they plan on assaulting the school? Or the nearby city?

These thoughts coursed through Alistair's head as he stood. This was bad. He could handle an Illithid's attack, but he doubted Nakata could. The Illithids attacked by assaulting one's mind through psychic energy. His own mind was strong enough to resist most of the effect, but a human like Nakata? It was unlikely, even with his surprising willpower. He managed to stand but another fwop coming from a different direction smacked him right dead-center. He expected this, however, and managed to stay on his feet. He managed to make out his attackers now, there were two of them. Only two? Usually their raiding parties were bigger than that. Outcasts? They appeared typical. Tall, humanoid, but with an octopus-like head with tentacles and large black oval eyes. They wore robes with strangle symbols and the fingers of their hands were long and thin.

Another blast came his way but he performed a dodge roll to his right side to avoid it. "Nakata!" He called out. "You must retreat! These creatures can incapacitate you with a single blast! Your mind likely will - " Fwop! He managed to avoid it but another came right at him and knocked him into the wall. Even if his mind could handle it, his body would eventually be busted to pieces at this rate!

—

Why was he still awake!? No human could manage to stay conscious through two mind blasts so easily! What was different about him?

—

If Nakata could manage to avoid the mind blasts, and get into melee, he could easily take down these creatures! Physically, they were even weaker than humans. If only he could ascend Nakata's mind. He couldn't invoke his Eclipse in his human form - which would temporarily bless Nakata to have a mind equal to his own for a brief period of time - and saw no other way around it. His human form was not agile enough to avoid so many mind blasts at once. They could just keep throwing them out and eventually, he would just become tired.

This was not good.

Even he had trouble understanding what had happened. Nakata had somehow tapped into a well of incredible power. He could tell from Nakata's movements that he was able to comprehend things at an accelerated rate. But he hadn't invoked Eclipse, so how did he manage to do it? The effect on him was largely similar! The Illithids now perceived Nakata as the greater threat - rightly so. Combined with another ability that he apparently had, Nakata would truly be a forced to be reckoned with. Alistair wondered if Nakata realized that the Mind Blasts the Illithids were using were only at a fraction of their real power. Had he not tapped into this new found power, it was likely that a single blast would have rendered him unconscious. He likely could feel the tingling in his brain from their effect, but his mind was now too powerful to succumb to it. At least, not unless he were hit by dozens at the same time.

Alistair moved to catch the staff but a fwop came from the side and knocked it away, causing it to land on the ground and roll farther away towards the other side of the cavern. The flame would suddenly snuff out, perhaps it had landed in a pool of water. Alistair was fairly certain this cave went below the sea level farther down, so it seemed the most logical of explanations.

Considering Nakata was dealing with the two accounted-for Illithids, clearly this attack came from a new one. When he had stood and turned to the creature, he felt a tinge of aggravation hit him when he noticed just what it was.

It was an Ulitharid.

Ulitharids were extremely rare. They were just like Illithids, but with two extra tentacles hanging from their mouths, these tentacles being twice as long as the others. They were also considerably better at what they did. Alistair prepared himself for mental combat, as he knew that was what this would come to. A fwop came at him from the Ulitharid and he managed to perform a diagonal dodge roll, moving away from the Mind Blast but also gaining some ground towards the creature. But the creature continued its assault, launching several more Mind Blasts that Alistair could only barely dodge in time.

He managed to get into melee range, his eyes and fist both glowing golden. The creature seemed to have great dislike for this new found effect, making strange gurgling noises as if in aggravation. Alistair let lose a right hook with his golden hand but to his annoyance the creature floated upwards and performed an aerial flip which ended with him at Alistair's backside. A following mind blast knocked him to the ground and the creature forced itself on top of him, its tentacles protruding into his brain.

—

It had done it! it would take control of this one's mind! It had the ability to invoke Divinity! How so? It must know! It must use it for itself!

It found itself face to face with the visage of an angel.

—

The Ulitharid was sent flying backwards, slamming into the wall of the cavern and falling to the floor, apparently dead. Alistair stood groggily, rubbing his head.