Damaged Forever

Chapter Three: Fey Of Darkness

By: Efra

"Where am I?" Fayt asked himself out loud his voice echoing off unseen walls of his confinement. A soft whirling sound could be heard all around this depressing place. It was disturbingly empty that it would cause the sanest person to lose it a little. Fayt was cold…so cold as he stared all around his new world. Slowly he pushed himself up from the hard surface of which he lay his every moment echoing off through the chamber and growing fainter. As the sound finally died away another came to his ears it was soft footsteps walking farther away from him. Fayt turned around slowly resting his hand on the hilt of his sword, narrowing his eyes to the darkness he could see slight moment ahead but it was soon gone, swallowed by the dark like a snake to a mouse.

"Hey! Wait! Who are you?" Fayt called. For a long moment there was nothing but the lonely silence around him. Fayt's heart began to beat as if something huge and beastly had been breathing down his neck. Something suddenly told him to walk closer deep inside his mind, unwillingly Fayt stepped forward like a puppet forever tied to its strings. Fayt closed his eyes fighting with every ounce of strength he had to stop. "No! Stop it!" Fayt screamed. There was a sharp jerk in his lower back and pushed him on to his knees as if someone were angry with him. Fayt opened his eyes finding himself on the landing of a flight of stairs that looked like stained glass. He looked to his left farther down the landing was another flight of stairs leading downward and the same on his right. He looked around once more this dreary becoming familiar now.

"Welcome to the Spiral Tower child of Destruction." A voice called to him. "Of course you've been here before." Fayt jumped to his feet pulling his sword out defensively. A figure stood in front of him on the pathway to what once had lead to Luther. Suddenly the Spiral Tower looked old and worn, the stairs had collapsed long ago and laid in sharp pointed heaps below him. The crystal's that had once huge where nowhere to be found and several monsters of the tower lay as decaying corpses. Fayt stared at the tall figure in a black skintight trench coat that fell away from his body at the knees. A hood leaving a black hole covered his face. "You know where to go." He muttered softly and vanished.

Fayt looked around frantically for the mystery man his gaze finally falling to the long pathway before him. A strange eerie cloud seemed to be hovering over it in random spots. Fayt felt the compelling urge to move again and he cautiously stepped onto the pathway toward a pair of huge double doors decorated in gold lines that had long faded away. His mind raced with thoughts of what he might find in the room where Luther had perished cold sweat ran down his face and arms like someone was dribbling water on him as he walked, though he wouldn't be surprised if someone was.

Finally the Towers doors were upon him. They opened with loud ear splitting creaks just enough for Fayt to freely walk through. Fayt hesitated staring at the blinding light beyond the doors. Something wasn't right he could feel. But nonetheless he stepped through the doors into an oval shaped room with several Galaxies floating through out it. The markings that lined the floor shown just as brightly as when Fayt was last here. The pendulums were still swinging back and forth with the soft ticking echoing around the room. And the huge clock tower symbolizing Time itself. Fayt's gaze fell to the dais in front of the clock tower. The computer console was smashed in and not operable from what he could see.

Another man was leaning over the console almost as if he was sleeping. Fayt took a step forward, the pendulum stopped moving and the ticking stopped but was replaced by a soft rumbling sound that faded away in seconds. The man stood up slowly still keeping his back to him and ran a gloved hand through his strawberry blonde hair. "Luther." Fayt whispered.

Luther smiled and turned to the blue haired boy. His features had turned more insane then the last time he was seen. Fayt glared gripping the hilt of his sword tighter. "Why did you bring me here?" Fayt demanded. Luther remained silent and frowned. The hooded man stepped through Luther in that second and Luther seemed to disintegrate into air. Fayt gasped his grip suddenly loosening on his sword; it slipped from his fingers and clattered against the ground. "Welcome child to the Tomb Of Time." The man said sitting up on the console calmly.

"What do you want? And who are you?" Fayt demanded in a weak hoarse voice. The man rested his hands on his knees assumingly looking at Fayt. "You will find out why you are here soon." He said icily. Fayt shuttered at the sudden cruelness of his voice and felt something hard struck his head. Fayt fell forward his mind spinning painfully. He stared at the floor for a moment then shook his head slowly and looked up to the computer console again. The man was still sitting there as stiff as a corpse.

"You feel him don't you? He lurks here unwilling to pass over. I hear him. He mutters your name every second. He searches for a way to return to physical form." The man whispered chillingly still not moving an inch. Fayt stood up on one knee his other hand pressed against his forehead. "You haven't answered my questions." Fayt growled sending him a dangerous glare. "Oh very well you destructive jackass." The man huffed standing on his feet again, why did that sound so familiar to him? Fayt thought. "I am the one who dwells within the sacred spot that belongs only one and one alone. I am the one who will never abandon my friend as long as he wishes me too. I will do his bidding and comfort him when needed. Thus is my duty." The man bowed low to Fayt and stood straight again.

Fayt got to his feet finally. "What kind of a sick man wants to be friends with Luther?" Fayt asked grabbing his sword up again. The man fell awkwardly silent staring at Fayt as if he was about to attack. Fayt stood at the ready his sword out in front of him and his feet planted firmly on the glass like floor. Soft laughter fell through the Tomb Of Time. Fayt looked around for any other presents but suddenly realize it was coming from the hooded man. Fayt narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny?" Fayt demanded. The hooded man fell silent again and stared at Fayt with unseen piercing eyes. "Who ever said anything about Lucifer?" He asked. Fayt gasped softly and stepped away.

"Well we've talked for quite some time. Must get back to the master before he becomes angry." The hooded man said standing up and stepping off the dais softly, and then suddenly he was gone. Fayt turned circles and swung his sword around a bit to make sure he wasn't anywhere near him in the darkness. "But not with out doing what I was sent for." Fayt heard him whispered into his ear. A bony hand with long sharp nails covered Fayt's mouth from the darkness. Fayt screamed and struggled with the man who had an insanely strong grip on him. While Fayt was kicking, scratching and screaming the hooded man took his other hand and scratched a single line down the back of Fayt's shoulder.

Fayt's screams became louder. His shoulder was seized by a burning sensation so intense that Fayt couldn't keep his balance and fell to his knees. Something gripped his shoulders and pulled him back though the darkness. Fayt was falling into nothing and everything at the same time. He opened his eyes again they were protesting against the brightness of the room he was in now.

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Cliff was staring over him with a worried face. "Hey buddy." He said remorsefully. "You ok?" He added. Fayt's heart filled with relief and he gave Cliff a warm smile. "Yeah I was just having a bad dream." Fayt said happily. Cliff looked away. "I noticed." He said. Fayt watched him closely. "Oh c'mon. Don't tell me your still upset about the monster?" Fayt said. "Naa I'm not. You just scared the life out of me that's all." He said turning back to Fayt. "Has Nel replied yet?" Fayt asked wiping his bangs out of his eyes. Cliff shook his head sadly "No she hasn't. She doesn't like me anymore." Cliff whined sinking into a chair. Fayt giggled and turned onto his side. "Well maybe you should go and see her." Fayt suggested.

"Yeah maybe I should." Cliff said thoughtfully looking at the ceiling. Fayt laughed and sat up, pain attacked his shoulder immediately. "Ow!" Fayt yelped reaching over his shoulder. Cliff stood up looking concerned again. "What the—" Fayt muttered pulling his hand away. His blood was redder then it usual and had a slight tint of green to it and stuck to his fingers like nothing he'd seen before. "Your whole shoulder is black…and you've got a huge cut on it…did you hit it when you fell last?" Cliff asked pulling Fayt's shirt half way off to examine his shoulder. Fayt's heart hammered in his chest and his eyes widened no… that was a dream…wasn't it? Fayt asked himself then looked to Cliff's profile. "Yeah actually…I think I did now that I think about it…" Fayt said pulling his shirt back on and standing into his feet.

"Well keep an eye on it. Looks like it might get infected." Cliff said resting his hand on his hip. Fayt smiled and grabbed up his sword. Mirage entered the room with a calm look and smiled at Fayt. "Well your up that's good. Your mom and Sophia are waiting for you outside." She said. Fayt's body filled with a tingling sensation. "Thanks Mirage." He said and wrapped his arms around her. Mirage looked surprised and returned the affection. "See ya Cliff." Fayt said hugging him to. Cliff let him go reluctantly and watched him walk towards the door. "Hey Fayt." He called before Fayt could disappear around the corner.

"Hm?" Fayt looked back to him.

"Be careful ok?" Cliff asked.

"You bet I will. Call me if you need anything else." Fayt replied.

"Ok I will. See ya buddy." Cliff said scratching the back of his head.

With a final smile Fayt disappeared around the corner. Mirage looked at Cliff with a sympathetic look. Cliff looked back at her. "What?" He asked. "Nothing." Mirage said and looked away. "Well looks like more boredom for me." Cliff muttered. Mirage giggled and flipped her braid over her shoulder. "Well you have me still." She said. Cliff sighed and sunk into a chair. "Yeah. But it's just not the same with out everyone else here…" Cliff muttered. "Oh Cliff…you really are lonely aren't you?"

Fayt stepped out into cool fresh air. Several people were exiting and boarding random ships. Fayt weaved through them towards the rows of chairs for the passengers to rest. A couple of young women sat looking around at the various people. One of them was his mother Ryoko and the other was his good friend Sophia. Fayt smiled and wandered towards them gracefully. Sophia finally looked over to him with green eyes. Fayt over exaggeratedly waved to her by jumping up and down, but his shoulder had other plans. Fayt stopped and gripped his shoulder firmly the pain spreading throughout his back. Sophia jumped up from her chair and ran towards him. Fayt quickly straightened up and opened his arms to her.

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Fayt had decided to retire early for his shoulder had suddenly begun throbbing. Fayt turned over several times in his sleep his expressions showing nightmares and demons. The window opened with a small creak and the wind blew through it gently lifting the white curtains gracefully. An unknown presence had finally grown so noticeable that Fayt finally opened his eyes. He stared around his room suspiciously then to the window. Fayt was about to move when he felt a sort of wetness against the back of his neck.

Fayt shot up from bed and looked to his pillow. The white cotton was soaked with the sticky red liquid that was now his blood. Fayt jumped out of bed his heart beating fast. Slowly he reached to the back of his shoulder. The flesh was tender to the touch. "What the hell…" Fayt cursed unbuttoning his pajamas and pulling his shirt off halfway to examine the deep cut. His shoulder was still black and the cut had formed a purplish color around it. Fayt reached for the light but something caught his eyes. He spun around backing away into the desk roughly.

The hooded figure stood in the corner just barely visible in the darkness. "What do you want!" Fayt screamed his temper overwhelming him. The man said nothing. Only the sound if his breathing could be heard in the small room. Fayt narrowed his eyes and dived over to the corner by the window where his sword was laid against the wall. The hooded mans eyes flashed a bright red and he leapt forward after the boy. Just as Fayt had reached for the hilt of his sword those bony-clawed hands gripped his shoulders pulling him firmly back and slammed him face first onto the floor.

Fayt cried out and struggled to get back up to no avail. The hooded man moved on top of Fayt pressing his knees against Fayt's sides holding him down firmly. "No! Get off!" Fayt screamed struggling with all his might. His mind raced again to various thoughts of what might happen to him making him dizzy. "Oh shut up and spare me the poisonous barbs." The hooded man hissed into Fayt's ear. He gripped the back of Fayt's neck with one hand making sure the boy could feel his claws there. Taking the other hand he scratched another line horizontally across the first one on Fayt's shoulder. The burning sensation returned ten times worse. Fayt screamed at the top of his lungs until his voice was hoarse and his throat scratchy and dry. Blood was seeping onto the wooden floor next to Fayt's cheek he could almost taste it. Fayt's eyes blurred and his world turned upside down and began spinning.

The pressure against his sides and neck were gone by the time Fayt figured out what was happening. Fayt breathed heavily and rolled onto his side. Blood was seeping onto his pants slowly. Fayt looked weakly amongst the room for the stranger. He was standing not to far from him in the corner again. Fayt tried to talk but his voice was taken from him again. His mind began racing again and his vision blurred with a nauseating feeling washing over him. The man stepped into the moonlight slowly his skin slightly illuminating and few strands of either a dark bluish or black hair could be seen on one of his cheeks. He stared down at Fayt his eyes almost visible from the gaping hole where his face should be.

Fayt stared at him helplessly his body numb and cold the pain in his shoulder growing worse by the minute. There was something else shinning in the moonlight, it was a huge scythe hanging from the mans back it's blade was stained with blood. Slowly he pointed to Fayt and unseen smirk crossing his lips.

"You've been marked."

Hey look! I got this chapter to you faster then I've ever done! Yeah I got some inspiration and I'll say it now this chapter creeps me out T.T but it was fun to write. Anyway reviews please and I'll update soon and I hope you like it Oh thanks to Shindown45 for writing Tomb Of Time in her stories so I know the appropriate name for Luther's room. And Yes I used Luther's Japanese name too

Efra