Lamentations followed the end of their conversation. The inexplicable lack of desire left the Hexmaster pondering. 'How can recently shared ambitions become so painfully obsolete?'..

In mourning, the Hexmaster slowly walked downstairs into the time-bending device again and sat next to his black-and-white friend. Hours of silence followed.

…

At one point, the wizard standing on the opposite side looked at them. 'Why?', he asked. The Hexmaster looked back curiously. 'Why do you want to endlessly contemplate this? Thinking that it would reveal anything new is only an illusion in this case. There is no reason,' he continued. The colourless one nodded in agreement.

'You are probably right... But then again, what is your reason for constantly staying in this retrospective chamber?' - the Hexmaster replied.

'Searching for reasons is not why I am here. I have done that all my life until I reached the point of no return where I cannot be content anymore. He is the same right now,' the colourful wizard pointed forward, 'with the only difference that he has never searched for a reason and now cannot find meaning in anything.' The black-and-white mage nodded.  'Our sole goal left for our existence is to guide you to the equilibrium point where you and all of your other selves are steering towards.'

'Yes, I understand perfectly... But how can you be so sure about me?' the Hexmaster asked them.

'It is you who are certain about it, not us. Can you not feel the intense pull of the Void?..' the two alternate selves looked at him, questioningly. The Hexmaster looked down towards a black hole spiralling in the distance. 'It is selfish to continue to be here. You are brave, Hexmaster. All of your parallel versions are as well. Get out now, you have a whole unique worldline to be explored.'

The sad visitor nodded and waved goodbye. On his way out, the colourful wizard spoke for one last time:

'We even envy you. Actually, it is only me who envies you as our friend is not able to feel anything anymore, right?' - he looked at the black-and-white mage who then nodded once again, approvingly.

The door of the chamber closed as the Hexmaster went outside the tower. He could barely see anything in the pitch-black night. Torrential downpour of sorrow fell upon his head until he was completely soaked in it. All this hope he had gathered for nothing, what should he do with it now? He looked up towards the sky.

The Moon set forever over Blackwood Forest.

𝔈𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔫𝔞𝔩 𝔙𝔬𝔦𝔡

𝔈𝔫𝔱𝔬𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔡 𝔟𝔢𝔱𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔲𝔫𝔠𝔢𝔯𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔶

The two mages would sometimes stop by the hidden tavern. A thick cloud of words would form around them as they enjoy the atmosphere of this enchanting place. Candles shed light on the development of their shared ambition. 

The Moonwitch began to find herself in an unfortunate and miserable position. She felt like she was delaying a tough choice that had to be made by her. A choice, upon which her future depends. A choice, which would in all cases result in the inevitable suffering of someone dear to her...

The Hexmaster was told by the witch that it would take her another full moon to come round in order for her decision to be made. The knowledge of what it would most probably be was the fuel for his vessel on which reassurance was floating across the lake of hope. The ice of his fears was slowly melting and turning that lake into a vast sea. Would he be flooded by it at the end?

ℭ𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔩𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔯𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰

The place which the two adventurers would usually visit in some nights in the town does not appear unusual or fancy on the outside, it is just an ordinary house. Inside the basement however there is a door with a bell. Once completely inspected through a little visor, the guests are invited to enter the place. A black cat shows them a vacant place to sit as they pass the bar. Light from the candles reveals the red walls full of black paintings and poems. The place gets very noisy at around midnight when different creatures begin drinking and talking loudly. Around sunset, however, it is quite a calm place.

ℑ𝔫𝔰𝔦𝔡𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔦𝔡𝔡𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔞𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔫

Occasionally, the two mages would meet in the real realm to work together on their newly found or created spells. They deemed one such day to be pleasant enough for collecting herbs and met each other by the forest. T'was a lucky day, apparently, for they could gather more than enough. A field in the forest was a nice place for the preparation of the ingredients for a few spells and they spent the rest of their day there, until the first rays reflected by the Moon started to reach them. 

On their way back, the Hexmaster was in hesitation. He could sense that the time might be appropriate to reveal the ever-growing ambition that had been burdening his thoughts. Afraid of the possibility of losing a true friendship, he proceeded to share it. Upon hearing the news the witch immediately turned her head in astonishment, for she could not believe her ears. Her response is what the Hexmaster awaited anxiously. She showed understanding and also revealed something of interest for him...

The relief was submerged by the tide of desperation that rose again. He intended to make it easy for his hope to fade away but instead he sensed that this would have the opposite effect, given what he now knew. Did he lose the will to fight against this enchanted state in which he was?

ℌ𝔢𝔵𝔪𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯'𝔰 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔣𝔢𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫

The tower of the mage was a true lighthouse for the crows that gather at night, for it emitted a yellowish glowing light from inside the Hexmaster's chaotic, yet somehow still quite ordered room. Inside it, spells were woven into the fabric of the aether, day by day, night by night A wind of arcane waves blew across the infinite continuum. Two voices were reverberating between the walls of his room although there was only one man in it. With each new moon, the amethyst could begin to transmit the two mages' voices so that they could talk from afar. The power of the crystal grew and so did their mana. In some occasions they did not even have the need to use the orb. A whole nother dimension of communication was probed and proved existing. A true new endless space of possibilities...

Coldness arose each time the crystal ceased to shine in the lone dark nights of the Hexmaster. The ever-growing attachment was like strong poison that tasted too sweet. He was trying harder and harder to disenchant himself from grasp of the invisible bond that had formed but it was only becoming stronger and stronger. He felt the need to escape from it as he sensed that no possibility existed for it to continue to be present. But did he really desire that?..

𝔅𝔢𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔡 𝔟𝔶 𝔱𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔭𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔶

The Moon rose over Blackwood Forest. 
Strong, white light paved its way between the dark birch silhouettes until it reached the Hexmaster's forehead. A glimpse ahead unveiled a figure of a woman standing amidst the trees. He could recognise the pale face underneath her pitch-black hair as he was approaching her. The wind was not brave enough to bother them both with the noise of trembling leaves, resulting in anxious silence. 

The swamp was the venue of that night's concert of toads. 'Twas too loud for the two adventurers who sat beside the other shore of the lake. They were having a pleasant chat - sharing stories of memorable encounters, exchanging ideas.

Thick clouds began to darken their vision furthermore. A sudden cracking thunder preceded the words which the Hexmaster awaited. Albeit not surprised, he was still saddened by them. The grief was eased by the relief of revealing the expected truth.

The thunderstorm was approaching so they decided to leave. Before they both said goodbye, the Moonwitch handed him a small amethyst orb which resembled one that she had. The Hexmaster followed the familiar dark trail back home. Drops of confusion began to form and fall from the leaves onto his long hair, curling it up more. He thought his hope had subsided. But was this just an illusion?..

𝔐𝔬𝔬𝔫𝔩𝔦𝔱 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔱

A world of phantasms became unveiled before the minds of the two mages as their telepathic research progressed. A whole new dimension of possible experiences unfolded. They were surprised by the power of this new realm. Their dreams could now be forged together. They were able to control them and began meeting there every night. Some regions of the place to which they were transported were ephemeral, whilst others remained there each time they revisited it. The sensations were so vivid that people could easily get lost between the two realms.

This place was the point of no return for the Hexmaster’s ambition. He could now easily see his dream on the horizon getting closer to him day by day. He was now confident and refused to believe that there is still a chance of not reaching it…

𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔡 𝔯𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰

Dungeon synth tales

https://hexmaster.bandcamp.com

𝔗𝔥𝔢 ℌ𝔢𝔵𝔪𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯