Chapter 7 - "One lonely Knight"
...(the following afternoon)...
A calculating smile formed on her lips, as he watched her eye the human children one by one. He could see her lips curl further, ever so slightly, as she be-spelled each one of their minds and picked them clean of anything she deemed noteworthy. He was casual in his approach, a guise of a teacher, a harmless educator merely checking up on a particularly truant pupil…
"Honestly, Lantus, you've absolutely no talent for spying…," she called out to him, though her gaze never left the scores of adolescents littering the gymnasium.
The gangly brown-haired instructor towered over the nubile girl as she lounged casually along the bleachers. He picked out a spot that was a respectable distance away as he whispered,
"Tis true, I've about as much talent as spying as you have for acclimatizing here without making a spectacle of yourself…," Lantus said with derision.
"Oh, come now, it wasn't that long ago, you found my pranks on humans to be quite charming," she finished with a merciless smile.
"I will not rise to your quips, Madeline. …Much has changed about you, as of late. I fail to see the point of taunting them…these innocent people have done nothing to warrant your cruelty.," he said with regret.
"Stop sniveling over them!-"
"-Come now, my Queen, you know what he's like…," said a burly gym teacher, as he rhythmically twirled a metallic whistle around his fingers, "Do not take such feeble bate. After all, was it not your cunning that swayed him to join us? Was it not your ploy that bade him to barter his name in exchange for a mercifully quick death of his precious little 'Joy-,' "
"DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME AS THOUGH SHE MEANT NOTHING, GRADREL-," Lantus yelled-
The gymnasium went silent as the students turned to stare at the odd trio. Maddy stood up, clearing her throat, as she radiated power throughout her body…and grabbed everyone's attention at once…
"For all who see us, all who stare, avert your eyes,…be unaware…," she decreed in a flourish, ending with a high spirited laugh...and every human in the room resumed their activities as though nothing had happened.
"You're improving every day, my Sweet," Gradrel praised.
"…And you reward her with the blood of children. I would cut my heart from my breast if it made you less of my kin!," Lantus seethed.
"You brought this upon yourself, my Brother. Twas it not that same foolish heart of yours that sold your true-name to our mistress? …And for what price? A mercifully quick death for your ward, your love. …Do not blame me for your foolish choices, tis not my fault she is long dead while you are forever-," Gradrel replied callously.
"-Mine," Maddy chimed, "…So, now that we've cleared that up, why don't you be a dear, and bring me the girl called Tanners. …I have some time to kill before Sorrow returns…," Maddy bade him as her eyes crackled with pure malice.
And so, Lantus Engrarian McMorrent, changed his appearance to the burly gym teacher, as he left the two on the bleachers, to claim the depressed girl in the pink-striped boy-shorts. ...Tracy was still fuming over her breakup with Chris.
"…And what just KILLS ME, is that he dumped me right before PROM!"
She jumped several inches as the gym instructor tapped her left shoulder.
"TANNERS! DENTION, TODAY, AFTER SCHOOL FOR TALKING IN MY CLASS!!," the imposter yelled at the top of his lungs. Lantus had made a dead-on impression of the real Gym teacher…who was currently out in his car in the faculty parking lot, listening to the same cd over and over again.
"Y-Yes Mr. Korbel, I'm sorry. I-I can't!! …Please, Mr. Korbel, not today! I was supposed to go to the Bridal shop with my Mother and pick out a gown for prom-"
"Oh? You needn't worry…I, somehow, doubt you'll be needing one…," the fake Mr. Korbel said sadly as he walked back toward the bleachers.
("Psst, Tracy, forget about that! Blow off detention and go anyway! I would," Angie whispered.)
(Were I you, child, I would take your friend's advice…), Lantus thought miserably…
Although it had been decades since that night, every human girl continued to remind him of his loss. …He had given everything to spare his beloved "Joy," the torment of Madeline and her minions. He was beaten and held in bondage by his Brother while the monster's pitiless servants burned away layer upon layer of her fragile mortal flesh.
…Why? …Because he had refused to join their ranks and kill the girl himself. …And, finally, when he could bear her suffering cries no more…
(Please, I pray, allow a trade. I am the one who you seek to punish! The girl has done nothing!)
(You'll find, I can be reasoned with…for a price. Give me your name.)
(Lantus…)
(-Just Lantus?!! Do not take me for a fool! You know what I want! …No? Fine then. …Gradrel, strip the flesh off that girl's other leg-)
(NO! I BEG YOU-)
(-THEN GIVE ME YOUR FULL NAME!)
…And so, Lantus gave up all that he was…in order to grant the mortal "Joy" peace…and the sweet release of death.
(…My Beautiful, Joy…I died the same day you did. We were in each other's arms, you closed your eyes, and then your breathing slowed to naught. …I pray that you have passed on and are now with your God…of whom you often spoke of. I pray that you are far removed from all the violence and wickedness I have wrought…)
And from the bleachers…two sets of eyes watched the gymnastics instructor shrewdly.
"When I become queen, I'm ridding myself of that fool, once and for all!"
"…There, there, Dearest, he serves you well, does he not?" Gradrel cooed to his future ruler.
"…He's makes me feel…useless human emotions. Lantus is pathetic! He's more human than that brat he cared for ever was!," Maddy spat with disgust.
"…Such venom from one who was once completely hum-"
"-DON'T SAY IT, GRADREL! I will soon rule and I've a long memory for those who displease me…," Maddy spewed with hatred as Tracy Tanners made her way to the girls locker room, "Now, leave me! …And take that fool with you!"
As Gradrel made his exit, with Lantus securely in tow, he smirked slightly as he watched his Mistress slip unseen into the locker area. …He didn't know or care what grudge she'd had against the defenseless human girl…it mattered not, for he knew that wherever Madeline went, mayhem was sure to follow…
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(...To be cont.)
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