Chapter 7: The Void Within
The training hall stood silent, its vast marble floors reflecting the dim light of the chandeliers above. Argus had always found a certain stillness in this place, as if it mirrored the quiet strength that his mother embodied. Today, though, the silence felt heavier. The void inside him simmered, a dark, untamed force that he was just beginning to grasp.
Across from him, Evangeline stood with her arms crossed, her eyes never leaving him. Her gaze was as sharp as ever, though it held something else—pride. Argus could feel the weight of her expectations, and as always, he didn't shy away from them.
"The void," Evangeline began, her voice cutting through the stillness, "isn't something you command like fire or wind. It is a force that exists beyond the physical. It's infinite, vast, and impossible for most to control." She paused, her eyes locking onto his. "But for you, Argus, it's different. It's a part of you."
Argus nodded, his mind already focused. He had felt the void inside him ever since his awakening—a presence that was both exhilarating and terrifying. It was vast, stretching far beyond anything he could fully understand. But it wasn't something he feared. It was a part of him, a part he needed to control.
"I can feel it," Argus said, his voice calm but thoughtful. "But it's hard to reach. Like it's there, but always just beyond my grasp."
Evangeline stepped closer, her footsteps echoing slightly against the marble floor. "That's because you're still thinking of it as something outside of yourself," she explained, her tone firm but gentle. "The void isn't something you wield like a tool. It's an extension of your will. You don't force it—you let it come to you."
She placed a hand on his shoulder, the touch grounding him. "Close your eyes," she instructed. "Feel it inside you. Don't reach for it—let it flow through you."
Argus obeyed, closing his eyes and focusing inward. The void stirred beneath the surface of his consciousness, a dark sea of potential. It was a force unlike anything he had ever felt, deeper and more powerful than anything he had imagined. But it wasn't something he could simply command. It had its own will, its own presence.
"Relax," Evangeline's voice came soft and close. "Breathe. Let the void find you."
He took a slow breath, releasing the tension in his body. And then, slowly, he felt it—the void began to stir, not as something distant, but as something deeply connected to him. It wasn't a force he had to chase; it was already there, waiting for him to acknowledge it.
The shadows around the room began to shift, coiling and twisting as if drawn to him. Argus opened his eyes and saw the darkness responding to his presence, swirling in the air like tendrils of mist. He could feel the power now, more clearly than before. It wasn't just inside him—it was part of the world around him, bending to his will.
Evangeline smiled, a rare expression of approval softening her features. "Good," she said, her voice filled with quiet pride. "You're beginning to understand."
Argus didn't speak, his focus still on the shadows dancing around him. The void felt both exhilarating and dangerous—like a wild animal that he had only just begun to tame. He could feel its power, but he also knew that it was something he could easily lose control of.
"How do I keep it from overwhelming me?" Argus asked, his voice steady but curious.
Evangeline stepped closer, her hand brushing against his cheek. "You don't," she replied softly. "You guide it. The void is a part of you, Argus, but it's also alive in its own way. It won't be something you fully control—not now, not ever. But it will always be yours. Trust it, and it will trust you."
Her hand lingered on his cheek, the touch soft but firm, a reminder of both her power and her affection. Argus didn't pull away, but he held her gaze, absorbing her words. His mother's love was intense, but he had begun to learn how to navigate it—just as he was learning to navigate the void.
With a deep breath, Argus closed his eyes again, letting the void settle within him. He didn't try to control it; instead, he let it be a part of him, a force that flowed through him rather than something he commanded. Slowly, the shadows began to calm, retreating back into the corners of the room.
When Argus opened his eyes, the void was still there, but it no longer felt overwhelming. It was a part of him now, something he could guide rather than force. He felt a sense of quiet satisfaction settle over him.
Evangeline watched him closely, her eyes sharp but warm. "You've done well," she said, her voice soft but firm. "But this is only the beginning. You have much to learn."
Her hand rested lightly on his shoulder before she withdrew, a quiet acknowledgment of the progress he had made.
That evening, as Argus lay beside his mother in her chambers, the events of the day played in his mind. The void training had gone better than expected, and though Argus had grasped more of his power, there was something more that pressed on his thoughts.
Evangeline's arm was draped over him, her body close to his as they lay together in the large bed. It was a routine they had followed for as long as Argus could remember—sleeping beside each other, his mother always insisting that it was for his protection, for his safety. But as Argus grew older, he had begun to sense that it was more than that.
Her need to have him close wasn't just about safety—it was about something deeper. It was about need, about desire. She wanted him near, not only to shield him from the dangers of the world but because she couldn't bear the thought of him being distant from her. Her love, her need, was all-consuming, a force as powerful as the void itself. The control she exerted was part of it, but a smaller part. It was the desire to possess him, to have him within her grasp, always.
Argus could feel the weight of it, not in a suffocating way, but in a way that made him realize just how deep her emotions ran. He had always known his mother's love was intense, but now he understood that it went far beyond the typical bond between a mother and son. It was a love that consumed her, and he could feel it pressing down on him every night, in the way she held him close.
"You did well today," Evangeline's voice broke the silence, her breath warm against his ear. "You're starting to understand the power you hold."
Argus turned his head slightly, meeting her gaze. "It's... more than I expected," he admitted, his voice calm but thoughtful. "The void—it feels like it could consume everything."
Evangeline smiled, a small, knowing smile. "It won't," she assured him, her voice soft but firm. "Not as long as I'm here."
She leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead, her lips lingering longer than usual. When she pulled back, her face remained close to his, her breath warm against his skin. "You're mine, Argus," she whispered, her voice low but possessive. "And I will always protect you."
Argus held her gaze, something stirring inside him that he couldn't quite name. He had always known his mother's love was intense, but lately, it had started to feel different—more consuming, more... possessive. And yet, he didn't flinch. He trusted her, even as he sensed the boundaries between them shifting.
"I know," Argus replied, his voice steady. There was no fear in his tone, only quiet understanding. His mother had always been his guide, his protector. And though her love sometimes felt overwhelming, he trusted her. He always had.
Evangeline's hand rested on his chest, a simple gesture but one filled with warmth. "Good," she murmured. "Because you are everything to me."
There was a weight in her words, something deeper than the usual possessiveness he had grown accustomed to. Argus could feel the change—the way her touch lingered just a little longer than necessary, the way her gaze softened but also sharpened, as if she were marking him as hers in more ways than one.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was heavy but not uncomfortable, charged with an unspoken tension that neither of them fully acknowledged.
Finally, Evangeline pulled back, though not far. Her hand remained on his shoulder, a gentle but firm reminder of her presence. "Rest now, Argus," she whispered, her voice soft but commanding. "You'll need your strength."
Argus nodded, though his mind was still racing. He closed his eyes, focusing on the steady rhythm of his breathing, trying to quiet the thoughts that swirled like the void inside him. But even as sleep began to take hold, he couldn't shake the warmth of his mother's hand on his shoulder, or the weight of her words, which lingered long after the room fell silent.