Chapter Six
Decisions
He groaned softly and rolled over on his side with a groan, only to be greeted by the loud rattle of chained links. The ground was hard and cold beneath his side, and with a jolt, he sat upright, opening his eyes to complete blackness. He rolled his shoulders, but his left one ached with protest, and he winced, reaching up to his shoulder only to have his hand jerked to a stop by a shackle around his wrist. He groaned and let his hand fall away so chains rattled again. His head pounded furiously and he scrambled back until his back met the wall. He leaned his head back with a soft sigh, not bothering to attempt at standing just yet.
He could smell other's in the same room, though something was cloaking his sence of smell, but with his pounding head, he didn't notice. He heard another distant moan, and the hair on the back of his neck bristled. He stared intently into the blackness, his black eyes searching, but not finding anything. Then the room exploded with light, and with a yelp, he threw up his arms as a shield, closing his eyes tightly against the seering light which managed to sting at his eyes anyways.
When he felt it dim, he opened his eyes with another groan, but all his pain faded, and he stared at the scene before him, mouth agape.
He saw two women, both hanging weakly from shackles. He tensed and threw himself forward, trying to reach them, but he was jerked back crudely by his own chains, and he landed flat on his backside with a groan. He knew those women, cared for those women, and there they were, looking like the dead. Only when one stirred did he begin to relax.
The red haired girl raised her head, and striking emerald eyes met his own beneath strands of red lochs. As soon as she saw him, she tensed quite visibly and her eyes glared hate at him. Nathan flinched and sunk back against the wall at her stare. It was Heron, and she hated him. Her young dirt smudged features only made his heart sink more, then the other girl began to move.
He looked at the other woman when she too looked up. Kagome... Her eyes widened when she saw him, and she struggled against the chains that held her. "Nathan!" She whispered with urgency, then sunk weakly, held up by the shackles, and the shackles only. He jerked his arm forward, testing the chains that just wouldn't give, watching helplessly. Then there was another scent in the room.
"Ah, Nathan. You've failed me again. Tsk tsk tsk. Good thing I took the situation into my own capable hands." Stated a figure as he stepped into the light and held up the shards that Kagome had collected. His hair was black, and flowed down past the middle of his back, the corner of his eyes pinched with age, but his face all rough planes and angles. His body wrapped in robes of black, and deep red silk as it strode forward. The partial jewel swinging back and forth upon the ivory chain entwined in his fingers. Black, merciless eyes, glazed with a hidden purpose and despise glared at Nathan. This was Moridin.
Nathan groaned and shrunk back, immediately going to his knees and pressing his forehead to the stone floor, waiting for Moridin to continue.
"I think, next time though, I won't give you such an important task. You might keep falling in love with those you should not." He said simply and moved up beside Kagome, tilting her head with forefinger and thumb firmly on her chin, not giving her a chance to pull away. "Though I must admit, you have chosen well, my son. Even if she is a human. But none the less, you are but a half breed yourself, no?"
He nodded weakly, not daring to move otherwise, even when he heard Kagome whimper. He was sure it had been Kagome. His thoughts were interupted by Moridin once more, who had somehow ended up standing before him.
"Now Nathan, you are going to recieve punishment for your disobedience." The voice said smoothly, and Nathan's head was jerked up by the hair, his gaze forced upon the two hostages. "But I'm going to be lenient this time, Nathan. You aren't going to be hurt at all... atleast, not in the way you think." The voice moved away, and Nathan stayed where he was, head risen, still kneeling, and frozen with fear.
"But I'm a nice guy, am I not?" The Moridin inquired, but didn't leave enough time for question. "So I'll give you a choice Nathan." He made a gesture towards the two girls hanging against the wall, both pairs of eyes intent on Nathan. "You are going to kill one of them. By your choice." He said smoothly, almost chortling with delight at how Nathan's face paled.
Nathan couldn't move as numbness overtook him. Kill... one of... them? No! He wouldn't! He'd never! Not in any of his lifetimes. He jerked against the chains, reaching for Moridin who was but a foot too far. "I'll bloody kill you!" He shouted vehemently. "You won't live long enough to issue another death!" He screamed, clawing at air, though it did nothing. He gasped as a wave of pain coursed through his body, and he had to jerk back, clutching at his throat, where his fingers traced along that collar. It burned like the fires of hell, and sent him writhing in pain. It felt like an eternity, though it must've only lasted a minute. All he knew, was that he couldn't move.
"My my my Nathan. Trying to attack me? No, this won't do." A wicked grin curved Moridin's features. "Don't forget, if you don't comply with my offer, then I can make you dance on strings like a little puppet to kill them both." He sneered. "Now, this is your last chance to choose." The chains seemed to lengthen so he could reach the two prisoners, but not Moridin.
"Your time is running out Nathan. Your little seven year old niece. The child of your sister. The girl you stole everything from. You can end her misery Nathan. You can kill her. Or on the other hand, you can get rid of this nag here. Let your niece live because you owe her that much, and because, if the girl makes it out of here alive, you won't have a friend left in the world. You'll only have me Nathan. Your master. Now obey!"
Nathan flinched, his gaze searching each of the girl's faces. Heron was glaring hatred at him, though he could smell her fear like a perfume, and Kagome... It was hard to tell what she felt. She seemed angered and fearful at the same time... a bit earnest too maybe, he couldn't tell, it was so jumbled up. He closed his eyes and rose to his feet, though he still ached, and stepped forward. His mind quarreling. Who to kill...
He opened his eyes at a loud bang which stung his ears. He yelped and staggered, about to fall to his knees, and then the collar seemed to tighten around his neck, and he could only think of one thing... kill. He looked up to realize he was standing infront of Kagome, his claws bared and he was ready to lash out. His eyes widened slightly, but that urge stole him away, and with a rising growl, he lashed out, only to be blinded by another searing light. He knew he had struck something, but he was also flung away in the process. He couldn't see anything, couldn't feel anything, and then he struck something, hard.
His head wrung as blackness took him, and he lay slumped against a stone wall.
What had happened?
