Hey guys thank you for all the reviews ;) I love hearing from you guys. I feel I must put in warning for this next arc. It will be a bit…dark; I mean it is Darkness we're talking about. Anyway enjoy.
(At Gaal's Castle)
Lighting flashed across the sky as the storm raged, rain beat down hard upon the earth. Within the castle walls the occupants slept oblivious to the storm that raged outside. For one occupant however the storm that was raging outside the walls was nothing compared to the one that was now raging within his own broken mind.
Gaal checked the silver eyes that stared at the ceiling; they were glazed over and unfocused. Darkness had not moved for two weeks, his body stiff and unresponsive. The scientist carefully placed drops into those unseeing eyes and covered them again with a cloth. The scientist checked the heart monitor, sighing with relief that it was still stable. He then checked the mask that was still providing oxygen for the man whose shallow breathing concerned him deeply. Cautiously he snapped his fingers next to the man's ear, he sighed as once again he got no response. He rose quietly, leaving the room to research more on how to help his friend.
Darkness knew nothing of Gaal's attempts to help him; all that he was aware of were the memories that now ripped through his psyche like glass. His shattered mind trying desperately to piece it all together.
(Flash Back POV)
The air was cold and damp, the sound of trickling water echoed off the gray rocks. A young boy about ten carefully made his way through the cave, his only light a small lantern that was flickering as the tiny flame began to die. Auburn hair glinted in the light as the boy came to a stream of it trickling down from the cave ceiling ahead of him. "Please can I come up now?" silver eyes glanced up at the circle of light above
"Come on rat, you know the rules. Send the gems up first, then you." A cruel voice sneered from the opening.
The boy whimpered slightly as he moved his exhausted body and placed the small bag he had been carrying into a bucket, which was immediately pulled to the surface. He held his breath as time passed, he let it out as a rope was tossed down to him. Quickly he grabbed hold of the rope like it was a lifeline; he cringed as his body scraped against the rock wall as he was pulled to the surface. He had to squint as the afternoon sun hurt his eyes after being in the light deprived cave.
"Grab the bag and let's go ."
The boy glanced at the large muscled man that had pulled him up, "Aeron can I have some water?"
Aeron sneered, "Awww, are you thirsty rat?"
Silver eyes went to the ground; "A little…" he trembled as the man stalked forward and towered over him. The boy whimpered as a large pack was placed roughly onto his back, his weak knees buckled slightly from the weight.
"Too bad, now let's get going." the man sneered as he reached into his own pack
The boy cringed as Aeron snapped a metal collar around his neck, the man then attached a chain to it. He whimpered as Aeron yanked it. He meekly followed behind the man, the pack of gems weighing heavily on him. After hours of walking the boy let out a sigh as a small wooden cabin came into view, he stumbled up the stairs and into the building.
"Hey Valdus! We're back!" Aeron yelled as he roughly pulled the pack from the boy.
"About time Aeron," another man came into the room
"Sorry Valdus, the kid took longer than usual finding the gems, and he didn't find that many as it is." Aeron yanked the chain, sneering as the boy whimpered as the collar rubbed against his neck
Valdus snarled as he walked over, he grabbed the boy by the arm, "What gives brat?
"I tried my best Valdus," a pitiful whimper escaped as the boy cowered from the man's angry glare
"You tried your best?" the room echoed as Valdus slammed his fist upside the boy's head, he sneered as the boy fell to the floor. "When we found you Donovan you were nothing more than a piece of street trash that had nothing but his name! We gave you a home, and this is how you repay us!" he snarled as he loomed over the poor boy "Do you think that we feed you, and give you a roof over your head for you to 'try' 'your' 'best'!" he punctuated each word with a kick to the boy's side
"I'll do better tomorrow I promise!" streams of tears poured from silver eyes as Donovan curled in on himself trying to protect his bruising side
Valdus smirked; "You do that." he pulled the boy to his feet and shoved him toward the kitchen, "Now get us dinner."
" .. sir." Donovan stuttered as he hurried out of the room and into the kitchen. He quickly scooped out two bowls of porridge from the large pot simmering on the small stove. His mouth watered at the sight, but he knew from past experience what would happen if he so much as ate a spoon full without permission. He lowered his head as he came back into the room where the two men were sitting.
"…I'm telling you we've mined it dry Valdus."
Donovan licked his dry lips as he watched Aeron down a canteen of water, he quickly handed a bowl to each of them.
Valdus sneered at the boy, "Well, then we will need to find another cave then won't we?" he set the bowl on the table.
Donovan trembled as Valdus got to his feet; he stood still as the man grabbed the chain that was attached to his collar. He followed as it was yanked as Valdus pulled him upstairs; he shuddered as he was brought to 'his' room. "Valdus, may I please have something to eat?" silver eyes begged the man as he attached the chain to the metal rung in the wall
"You think you deserve to after the piss poor gems you brought in?" the man sneered
Silver eyes went to the floor; "Please…" the door slamming caused him to jump. Donovan walked over to the window, the collar pulling on his neck as he strained to get as close as he could to the rays of sun pouring in. He watched as the sun sank, he whimpered as the moon began to rise.
"The Moon will bring you nothing but pain."
Donovan shuddered as the voice filled his mind; he scrambled to the large pile of hay that was his bed. He hated the moon, it brought the night. And night brought the darkness, how he hated the dark. Silver eyes closed tightly as he whimpered, "Please, please make the light come back." he begged the darkness that now engulfed the room
(End of Flashback)
Gaal had just placed a fresh rag on Darkness's forehead when he noticed the man move slightly.
"Please…make the light come back." Darkness's voice was low and broken
Gaal frowned at the pure anguish that had resounded in Darkness's voice "Darkness…" Gaal spoke softly trying to get him to wake up. "Darkness, can you hear me?" he sighed as Darkness once again went still.
Ratri whined from the floor, she pawed at the scientist's leg
"He will be fine," Gaal smiled down at the canine, "Come, let's go grab a bite."
The young Orthus glanced up at her master, she whined as she followed after Gaal.
"I wish I knew what happened to him girl." the scientist spoke as he walked down the castle hallway.
Ratri stopped, she watched as Gaal continued walking. She knew the two legs that would know what happened to her master. She whimpered, maybe the two leg that spared her master could help. Without another moment's hesitation she disappeared into the shadows.
Gaal was unaware of her absence as he walked into the kitchen. "Hey Frily, whose my girl?" the spirit smiled as he picked up the purple fish. "Sorry daddy can't stay long, gotta go keep an eye on Darkness." He quickly made his 'jelly' sandwiches and walked back to the infirmary, Gaal frowned as he entered.
The man who just moments earlier had been breathing rhythmically was now breathing as if he were running a marathon. The rag that covered his eyes fell to the bed as he began thrashing wildly, as if he were trying to escape from a monster.
"Darkness! Calm down!" Gaal rushed to his friend's side, he quickly set his plate down and held the man's thrashing limbs. He quickly grabbed the syringe and injected the contents into his friend
Darkness shuddered once as the serum entered his veins, then he went still
Gaal frowned as he caught sight of Darkness's eyes that were now exposed; they were full of panic and fear. "I wish I knew how to help you." The scientist sighed as he replaced the cloth over his friend's eyes.
Darkness's heart began to race as his broken mind was consumed by another memory.
(Flashback POV)
"I'm sorry!" silver eyes begged the man to stop as he curled into a ball as Valdus slammed his foot into his ribs again
"How dare you run from us rat!" Valdus slammed his foot into the boy's face
"Please…"
Valdus sneered down at him, "Just because you're sixteen Donovan you suddenly decide you can just take off?"
The boy whimpered as he was jerked to his feet, a large bruise was forming on his face. He cried out as his arms were yanked behind him. Donovan began to thrash wildly trying to get free
"Stop it brat!" Valdus yelled as he slammed his fist upside the struggling boy's head. He quickly tied rope around the boy's thin wrists, purposely pulling it as tight as he could.
Aeron came running up, his breathing ragged, "About time you caught him." he glared at the boy who was twisting against the ropes that now held him. "Boy he can run."
Valdus grabbed Donovan by the arm, "I'm about to make sure he won't 'ever' run from us again."
"You know we have to find a place to stay, the blizzard will be hitting soon and we're too far from the cabin." Aeron glanced at the snow that had begun to fall faster
Valdus growled, "Fine, I'll deal with him later. Let's go."
Donovan cringed as Aeron grabbed the broken chain that hung from the collar around his neck. Silver eyes fell as he was pulled roughly through the forest; he was on verge of collapse when the light of a cabin appeared through the tree
Valdus glanced at Aeron, "All right, I'll go scout it out."
Aeron nodded, "Just hurry up, it's getting cold out here."
Donovan started to collapse to the snow, he cried out as the collar was jerked upwards.
"Oh no, brat. You don't get to rest, you're the reason we're out here in the first place." Aeron sneered, "And Valdus will finish 'talking' to you once we find a place to ride out the blizzard."
Donovan shuddered as the snow began to swirl as the blizzard began to start; he panicked when Valdus came back after a few minutes.
Valdus sneered at the boy as he walked up, "Come on."
"So the cabin's empty?" Aeron asked as they walked towards the building
"Naw, the guy that lives here said we can stay till the blizzard lets up."
Aeron yanked on the chain pulling their unwilling captive forward as they walked, "What about the kid?"
"There's an old stable we can stash him in till we leave." Valdus laughed
"I'll freeze!" Donovan's eyes widened
Valdus snorted, "That's a risk I'm willing to take, we can always find another worthless piece of trash."
"Help! Anyone!" Donovan cried out as they came closer to the cabin
"Shut it!" Valdus scrambled over to him, he roughly grabbed the thin boy and placed a hand over his mouth. He dragged the struggling boy into the old run down stable. "Aeron any time now." Valdus growled as he struggled to keep hold of the thrashing boy and keep him quiet at the same time.
"Hold your horses." Aeron laughed as he tied a large knot in the center of a rope
"Why do I even put up with you?" Valdus rolled his eyes as he removed his hand from Donovan's mouth.
Donovan didn't have the chance to cry out before the knot was pulled between his teeth. "Mmmmph!" he tossed his head trying to keep Aeron from tying the gag.
Valdus smiled as Aeron pulled it tight around the boy's head. "There," he patted Donovan's face then shoved the boy to the ground.
Aeron smirked as he set his pack on ground, "Here you go Valdus."
Donovan kicked as his ankles were pulled together, he could feel coarse rope as it was wrapped tightly around them. He whimpered as Valdus continued wrapping the rope around his legs till he could not move.
"Can we go now Valdus?" Aeron's teeth chattered
"Yeah," he glanced down at Donovan, "We'll be back after the storm."
Silver eyes watched them leave, he cringed as the door was slammed shut causing the old building to shake. He wriggled his body across the floor to an old moldy pile of hay, ignoring the smell he buried himself the best he could into the straw as the temperature in the stable began to drop.
(End of Flashback)
Darkness suddenly began to shiver violently.
"Damn ole boy what is happening to you?" Gaal cursed as his friend's skin seemed to turn to ice as the spirit trembled. The scientist quickly grabbed blankets and began piling them on top of Darkness, "Ratri come here." Gaal glanced around, "That's odd, where did she go?"
(Ratri's pov)
The young Orthus watched from the shadows as the tall two legs chased the white haired pup through the room of books. She did not understand what 'snake in bed' meant but it was obvious to her that if the pup were caught he would be punished. She whimpered, she did not want the pup punished, he seemed so happy.
"Pitch, leave Jack alone."
Ratri watched as another two legs walked into the room, both heads cocked to the side in confusion. This two legs had wings, the young Orthus had never seen such a thing. Even her master's strange pack member did not have wings.
"When I catch him Tooth I'm going to throttle him, then I'll leave him alone." The one called Pitch growled as he threw a blast of sand at the grinning pup who had taken refuge in the rafters.
"Come on Pitch, it was a joke. The snake wasn't even venomous." The Jack pup grinned as he dodged the sand
The winged one shook her head, "Jack apologize to your brother."
The pup frowned, "Fine, I'm sorry Pitch that you can't take a joke and that you're a spoil sport."
Ratri watched as the pup jumped down, smirking at the tall one. She snorted, the tall one had the same energy as the one that had spared her master, but she knew that that the tall one would not help him. He had tried to kill her master, but perhaps this pup would help her. He had the same energy as the one who had spared her master also
"Come on Jack, you promised you'd show me Russia today." The wing one was talking as she grabbed the pup by his paw.
The pup blushed, "S..ure Tooth," he saluted at the tall one, "See you tonight Pitch."
Ratri watched as the one called Pitch sank into one of the chairs, grumbling something about winter spirits and revenge. She watched as the pup and winged one started out of the room; quietly she followed in the shadows.
"You're going to love Russia Tooth," Jack was saying as he and Tooth started down the hallway, "I always give the country a blanket of snow that will take your breath away."
Tooth smiled, "I bet it sparkles like your teeth."
Jack blushed; he started to speak but was caught off guard as something slammed into him. He yelped as he was pushed into the shadows, he was aware of Tooth's surprised cry then he realized that he still had her by the hand.
The hallway was empty within seconds as the two Guardians were swallowed by the shadows.
Cliff! Please review and let me know what you thought. I hope that the flashbacks weren't too choppy. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask ;) Till Next Time