[i]“Et ad inferos”[/i] Silence. Blindness. Deafness. Quite. Peace, [i]“Tueri maleficus”[/i] Like floating in water, he remained suspended, [i]“Ostende mihi veritate”[/i] The darkness enveloped him, he felt nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing. [i]“Aperite portas”[/i] Warmth. There was warmth! Spreading through out, lights flashed, music sang, the body grew rested and- “Omph” Coal came crashing back down to his own circle, and a velvet voice chuckled at his misfortune as the Witch struggled to get up on his shaky legs. “My, my, that didn’t go too well, did it?” “Shut up, Cerberus” The golden eyes of the three-headed cat flashed with glee as it let out another purred laugh, “Not my fault you can’t get a hang on traversing planes.” He hopped down from his spot on top of Coal’s bookshelf, landing gracefully onto to dark-oak flooring. “Maybe you should just quit while you’re ahead.” Coal slumped onto his rickety chair, splinters flew off the old thing as Coal let out a groan, holding his throbbing head in his hands, “You know, you give crap encouragement.” The Witch gazed over at the squatting cat, eyes heavy and tired, and very annoyed right about now. “I’m just trying to help,” the cat mewled as he stalked over to Coal, taking his seat at the Witch’s side, “What’s so special about that place anyway that you’re risking your health to get into?” “It’s going to guarantee me an honest living!”, getting out of his chair, he stalked back to his failed circle, “I’m tired of just living in a dank forest, and stealing bagels from fat men. I want to actually earn something.” “Hah! Years of hiding in the shadows, stealing and scheming, and now you want an honest living?”, Cerberus let out a hiss of laughter, though he may be able to speak English, he can’t always get the cat part of his transformation out of his speech. “Dumb cat,” Coal huffed as he kicked the chalk drawings, breaking the circle. Just looking at it gave him a headache. “Hedge witch,” The cat hissed back before promptly trotting over back to Coal, “What’s wrong with this place anyway? Out in the mortal world, everything is effectively the same, but here. Everything speaks [i]you[/i]. Do you really want to give up all you worked for just so you don’t have to get your hands dirty once in awhile?” “I mean-”, Coal bit the inside of his cheek, letting out an involuntary groan. Cerberus was kinda right. This little cabin, while shabby, was all he ever truly called home. Though skyscrapers, and huge apartments may seem grand, can any of them compare to a home you built yourself? He remembers his first days living out here, cold and fighting to survive, sleeping in hungry, constantly working to try to better himself and his situation, and finally managing to achieve that goal. It seems crazy now to want to go back to the “real world”. Coal’s eyes swept the little room one last time. His little cabin was only one room big. His eyes glazing over the enchanted wood he worked so hard on warding, now it was covered in chalk and spell-ingredients. A small Persian rug laid down messily with a cauldron magically bubbling on it with no need of fire. That thick orange substance which he called “Lunch” was giving the whole room an irresistible aroma of freshly made meals, and when he wasn’t cooking, all the various herbs used in spells was enough to make the whole house smell of rich perfume. A bookcase was hastily shoved on the far right of the wall, stacked to the brim with (stolen) books, scrolls, and tomes. Sigils and runes were scrawled on his wall, magically levitating and frozen meat hovered about, it all was so him. From the walls, to the floor, and everything in between, it all seemed to speak Coal. He felt his eyes water and moisten, as the soft pitch-black pelt of Cerberus was rubbing against his thin arm with his three heads. “See? You love this place! Why leave?” “No, Cerberus.” “What?” Coal took in a long relaxing breath, “No Cerberus,” he repeated and continued, “I’m leaving, there is so much of the world to explore. I’m not staying locked up here like a kidnapped princess,” Straightening up, he got ready to simply poof out off the room, he had no time for arguments. “See you later, Cer-” “Wait,” Cerberus narrowed all eleven of his eyes, “If you’re going, at least don’t show up in [i]that[/i]” Coal looked down at himself. True, he wasn’t dressed very professional. A black jacket too big for him that hid his frame, two black-jean clad stilt like legs poking out from underneath, with black hi-tops. Normal. What normal people wear. That’s what Coal was outside of his shack, Normal. “Magic is growing rare these days, they’ll take me in no matter what I wear,” Cerberus let out an audible sigh, “I foresee great danger, y’know.” “Guess that’s how life is, [i]GoodBye Cerberus[/i]” A twinkle, and a wave of his hand. With his chocolate-brown eyes turning amethyst purple, he vanished.