Cleaning Darkness
Chapter 14: A Deep Connection

By: Major Frostwing

I sat in my workshop tinkering with my armor going over my new schematics for it. "That magic bolt really did a number on this old thing." I said as I traced a finger along the jagged edge in the chest. "I can't have another fuck up like this." I said as I pulled a chunk of Lunar steel out of a box looking it over carefully.

"Indeed." Moon said as she stood next to me doing her own examinations of the armor. "With my magic being limited to what it could do we need to take precautions to not allow this to happen again." Moon said as I nodded my head moving the chunk of lunar steel in place shaping it with my magic as I sealed the holes . I looked over the now recovered holes frowning.

"We need to strengthen the armor with the new rune schematics I got from that MK IV armor. With a few little surprises added to the armor for fun." I said as I flexed my magic dismantling the armor laying it down on the ground. I was about to get to work when a knock came to the door. "You mind getting that Moon?" I asked as I picked up the schematics looking them over carefully since I didn't want the armor to fail because of one misplaced line.

"Hey Jon it's Dash." Moon said as I looked over my shoulder seeing Moon escorting Dash over to me.

"Oh. Hey Dash what brings you to my workshop?" I asked as I went back to the schematics picturing how to engrave the runes in my head.

"Just came to see what you were working on." She said as she looked over my laid out armor. "So whatcha doing with your armor?" She asked as she knelt picking up a piece looking it over.

"I'm gonna upgrade it with a rune inlay to strengthen it's durability and to make the armor have a few new features." I said as I magicked the piece out of her hand setting it back down in it's place. "Want to help? Maybe I can put something really cool together for you." I said as I looked to Moon who nodded her head going to my workstation to gather some tools.

"So you don't want your armor to break." Dash said as she stood up brushing off her knees. Moon brought me a bag handing it off before she began setting out the tools we were going to use for the rune inlay. I magicked the schematic away before opening the bag pulling out a few gems looking them over carefully. A pristine Sapphire caught my attention as I held it out to Dash.

"Mind charging this with some of your magic?" I asked as I went to my tools.

"I'm not a unicorn I can't put magic into this." Dash said as I cocked an eyebrow looking over my shoulder at her.

"Everyone can pour magic into gems they accept it willingly to begin with. All you have to do is focus on the gem and move your magic into it. The gem will do the rest." I said as she looked down at the sapphire trying to focus on it. I turned back to my armor picking the chest piece up moving it to my desk. I went back grabbing a few cutters before setting off to work on the inlays. It was going to be a long night for me as I set to work putting a set of magnifying lens over my eyes to begin my work.

It took me eight hours just to finish the chest piece. The entire inside of the armor had runes running along it. I took off my glasses rubbing my eyes in fatigue. I picked up the chest piece running my hand along the inlay seeing it light up a dark purple . I smiled as I moved setting the piece down in it's place before going back for the back piece. I saw that Dash was sleeping on the cot on the side of the room. I saw that the gem I had given her glowed a gentle blue as I walked over picking it up tossing it in my hand as I examined it. "Not bad it's fully charged and I can feel her magic moving about." I looked back down at Dash as she slept quietly. "No wonder you are so tired." I said as I moved over to my desk bringing the gem with me.

"She was at it almost as long as you were." Moon said as I looked over to her. "I had to give her tips on how to do it." She shrugged as she followed me to the desk.

"Get my medical tools... we need to implant it while it is still fresh." I said as I removed my shirt looking over my left arm carefully.

"Of course." Moon said as she moved seizing my medical kit out of a drawer before walking over to me. "So which arm?" She asked as I set my left arm on the table.

"This is going to hurt like hell but be thorough." I said as I waved my hand putting a sound proof bubble around us. "Now get cutting." I ordered as Moon sighed pulling out a scalpel as she cut into the back of my left hand I let out a grunt of pain as Moon cut deep into my hand. Soon enough the black gem was visible glowing with dark magic. I held the wound open as Moon moved her magic seizing the gem before looking at me. I nodded my head once as the gem was ripped out of it's socket and along with it the quills were ripped out of my forearm as well. I couldn't hold back a yell of pain as my hand went limp. I saw Moon set the gem aside as she set the new gem into my hand My vision went white as I felt my chest ignite with pain I clenched my left hand tight as it began to glow a light blue before turning white. slowly the pain shifted from my heart moving down towards my left hand. The light only got brighter before it exploded out launching me backwards into the wall of my workshop. The wall didn't stop me as I kept going ripping through a storage room and another wall. I came to a stop feeling only pain coursing through my body. before slowly I tried to get to my feet. My left arm burned something fierce as I stood up stumbling a bit as I tried to clear my thoughts.

"You ok Jon?" I heard Party Popper ask as I turned my head to see her and the girls all standing there sans Dash. I looked at the hole I had made and then back at the girls.

"Yea... Yea I'm alright just... blew up a little bit." I walked back towards to hole looking over my left arm as it still glowed a bit. "I'll fix the wall just go back to whatever it was you were doing." I said as I stepped out of the hole waving my hand as the wall fixed it's self.

"Well that was something." I said as I continued to examine my hand. Slowly the glow died down and with it the pain. Moon peaked her head through the hole looking concerned. "Let's get the last part of this surgery done." I said as I sat down at my desk waving my hand as the wall repaired it's self of the damage it was put through.

"Just what the fuck was that?" Dash asked as I looked to her seeing she was shaken and wide awake.

"I'll show you when we are done here." I looked to moon nodding to her. Moon sighed as she raised a bit of metal up as she lifted her scalpel about to cut when I looked to Dash seeing her eyes locked on what was about to happen. I shook my head as I flicked my wrist at her as a band of darkness covered her eyes and ears. I looked to Moon nodding once as she began to cut the entire length of my arm with the single goal of removing a section of my Humerus I gripped the side of the table as she pulled out a saw. That's when the pain came back with a vengeance.

Soon enough I was sitting at my desk looking over the new quills that jutted out of the top of my right shoulder carefully. They arced with power I flicked my right wrist as all the quills became active letting out a loud crackling of power I aimed my magic as the crackling only got louder until I finally released the magic a bolt of magic burned through the wall of the castle before fizzling out. I looked down at my right hand shaking it out thinking carefully about the new advancements to my body. "Not even a little discomfort from using my magic... I say the test was a success." I said as I went back to work on the back piece only to be interuppted by Dash.

"Mind explaining what the hell that was all about?" Dash asked as I shrugged my shoulders.

"A theory that had been running through my head for some time now but I needed a way to pull it off. You know that pain that had been radiating from my chest for the longest time right?" I asked as she nodded her head. "Well I thought that since it was the magic from the elements that was strangling my magic I thought if I could give it a path to follow then the harmony magic would be unable to harm me when I use my dark magic. Hence the gem I had you infuse." I pointed out lifting my left hand. "Since you are an element holder your magic resonates with the harmony magic. You have helped me by giving me back my powers with no restraint." I said as I held up my left hand seeing a light blue magic emanate from it. Dash seized my hand holding it as she looked over She moved it around carefully examining it suddenly her fingers intertwined with mine and I jerked my hand away from her. I turned my chair so I was facing away from her. "I have work to do." I said as I put my glasses on getting right to work on the rune inlays. I heard Dash open the door to my workshop before closing it quietly I could swear I heard her quietly sob but I couldn't have that kind of life... Not ever again. I dived headlong into my work.

As long as I could work I wouldn't have to think about that. Never again.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long delay I have been very busy dealing with Life's terrors. Anyway enjoy the new chapter.