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*****
"Thank you, Abdiel. I know what you want to give me and I reject it. After all, I came only to get my sword." Dion withdrew his hand from the mindseizer's needle-studded one. There was no resistance.
"Is that your final decision, my king?"
Disregarding the loss that he'd felt as the vision faded, he stood straight and tall. "It is."
"A poor one."
The young king heard the malice in those words, but saw no way that Abdiel could reach him. There were no weapons to be seen but his bloodsword, laying there on the table… Grasping it, he slid the needles into his palm and began walking toward the two onlookers. He was beginning to think that everything will be fine, the Order of the Phoenix will rise, and justice will return – and then he heard Maigrey's shout.
"Dion! Get back!"
Startled, he twisted to avoid whatever she had warned against… but not before a sharp pain lanced through his side. Following up the spin, he lunged at the man holding the crystal scythe, now dripping blood – my blood – tore it from his grip, and hurled it into the seething lava far below. Glancing back at Abdiel, he saw that the old man had retreated, and was now standing several yards away. Dion turned and made his way back to Sagan and Maigrey; but the horrified expression on Maigrey's face chilled his blood.
Without warning, Sagan began advancing on him, star-hilted dagger still gripped tightly in his hand. Suddenly afraid, he looked back at Maigrey. Reading the unspoken question in his eyes, she spoke in dispassionate tones, yet the coolness could not hide the anguish present in her voice.
"That scythe was poisoned, Dion." She at first made as if to halt, but then continued. "It… is known as the serpent's tooth. There is no cure. Once it enters your bloodstream, it will cause you to go insane and commit horrible deeds, things that you would have died before doing if possible. And the worst of it is that you are still conscious, still watching every moment, unable to flee from the horrible sights before you…" her voice trailed off. Sagan's resumed in its place.
"You understand what that means." It was not a question, but a statement of fact.
Dion's voice was bairly audible. "Yes." With the power of the Blood Royal, he could not be allowed to go insane, to do those horrible acts – and there is no cure. None. He straightened. "Yes," he answered, and there was strength in his words. "I understand. Maigrey – tell Tusk that he won't need to worry about keeping me out of trouble anymore."
"I will. Farewell, Dion."
"Farewell."
The silver dagger flashed once, and there was no more.