The Demon Within
by Tanya Reed
I will get this part over with right off the bat:
DEATH FIC WARNING! Yes, one of our top two dies in this one.
This is one of two companion pieces (the other isn't written yet) focusing on a common theme with two completely different outcomes. One is a story of pain and madness and the other is a story of love and hope (at least that's what I was aiming for with them anyway.) Each story is self contained...in fact, they each take place in a separate Syd and Nigel universe.
Though, I know that many people don't like death fic, I hope those brave enough to try my two pieces will like them. The Demon Within, I want to dedicate to Aryea who encouraged me to finish and assured me that at least one person would read this fic even if it was a death fic. The Relic Hunter (soon to be written, I hope), I'm dedicating to Darren Blake because when I told him I was giving it up for a lost cause he went so far as to help me think out my block even though he thinks everything I write in the Relic Hunter universe is way too shippy. (He also thinks I'm madly in love with Nigel, but that's a story for another time. ;) )
Anyway, I'll get to the story before I scare off those of you who were actually brave enough to get this far.
Disclaimer: I have never owned The Relic Hunter, and I know that I never will.
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Caves. Lately, it seemed to always come down to caves.
Sydney Fox contemplated this as she carefully made her way down the handcrafted tunnel. Behind her, she could hear her assistant, Nigel Bailey, puffing as he struggled to keep up with her. She listened to him absently, alert for signs he was in danger, even as her eyes scanned for traps.
"How much further, do you think?" Nigel asked, his voice hushed.
"It can't be far now."
They had been searching for the Demon's Heart for four days. It was a stone reported to have great powers—if one was willing to give up part of his or her soul to use them. Sydney just wanted to put it in the university museum and maybe have the chance to study it if she ever had a spare minute or two.
She knew, however, that wasn't the case for Victor Martin, the rival relic hunter that had been dogging their steps ever since they'd started the hunt. Victor and Sydney went way back, and in her mind using the stone couldn't make him any worse. Victor was a snake, worse than Dallas or Kurt or Stewie, who were adorable bumblers. To Sydney, Victor ranked right up there almost even with Fabrice DeViega.
But Victor would not get the stone.
Sydney and Nigel were so close that there was no way that Victor could reach the Demon's Heart first.
"Nigel, watch your step. Irregular floor pattern."
"See them, Syd."
She wasn't surprised. The two of them had been hunting together for almost three years. From the first, she had known he would grow into a great relic hunter, and she hadn't been disappointed. Though naïve, Nigel had learned quickly. Over time, he had become many things. Foremost among them were a great relic hunter, a dependable ally, and, most importantly of all to Sydney, dearest friend. She could no longer imagine the hunt without him.
It scared her sometimes, the thought that he might leave her for another job. Besides occasional grumblings about a quiet little teaching job, he hadn't even given any indication that he'd even considered it, but she dreaded the day when he would.
Her mind had wandered, but it snapped back into focus at Nigel's panicked, "Sydney!"
"What?"
"Duck!"
She took it on faith that he didn't literally mean a duck as he had the last time he said it to her and dropped to the ground. She heard a whooshing sound over her head, right through where she had been standing seconds before.
When she was sure the stone was done, she got gracefully to her feet saying gratefully, "Thanks, Nige."
He smiled at her. "Any time."
They hadn't gone much further when something caught Sydney's eye through the gloom.
"Nigel, look."
About thirty feet away stood a huge block of carved stone. Running her light along it, Sydney could see depictions that made her skin prickle. Someone's vision of demons leered at her as they tortured victims and performed horrible rights. Even from so far away, the images were clear and haunting.
"Syd?" Nigel asked quietly from beside her elbow.
He was now standing so close, she could touch him if she shifted slightly.
"I think we're in the right place," she told him softly.
Carefully, she moved forward, Nigel still close behind. Her senses were alert. If a trap were sprung, she would feel it and taste it as well as hear it and see it. Grimly, she waited for her intuition to tell her something was coming.
It was this sense that warned her of the arrows as they approached the dais. Nigel must have heard her sharp intake of breath because he dropped and rolled at the same time she did. Sydney was foolishly proud that she hadn't even had to warn him.
"I wonder how many surprises are left," Nigel said breathlessly, getting to his feet.
Sydney shook her head, trying to wipe the dust and grime off of her clothes. She gave it up after a moment, deciding that black was definitely as bad as white.
They were now ten feet away from the carved stone, and, if they were lucky, the relic.
Nigel reached the dais first. He bent to study the carvings, which were even more detailed than it had appeared.
"These are amazing," he said.
Sydney looked at them again and grimaced. "Yeah, if you like maiming and torture."
"But look at the detail."
Nigel leaned forward to touch one of the carvings.
"Nigel, stop!" Sydney said sharply. He was so used to obeying her that he went completely still.
"What is it?"
"The saying, remember? The stone is protected by stone. What if it's not just talking about the dais? What if the chamber is rigged to come down on us if we touch the stone?"
Nigel quickly snatched back his hand. "Well, what do you suggest we do?"
"There must be a way of getting it out after they got it in there. There's always a way."
"A puzzle of some sort." he got to his feet and tapped his lip. "Something that will release the Demon's Heart without releasing the ceiling."
Sydney circled the dais for a full five minutes, looking at it from every angle.
"The key to the heart is encased in stone. A heart for a heart. Stone protected by stone." She heard Nigel mumble to himself, "But what can that mean, and should there be more?"
"Say that again."
He looked at her, startled. "What?"
"What was the saying again?"
"The key to the heart is encased in stone. A heart for a..."
"Here!"
Sydney couldn't help the grin that spread over her face as her eyes locked on the carving she had been seeking. A vicious demon holding a human heart in its hand.
"But...but what about 'stone protecting stone'?"
"This is the key, Nigel. Let's see what happens."
Sydney knelt and gently pushed on the heart in the carving. There was a soft click, and Nigel jumped back in alarm. A crack appeared in the top of the stone, and it slid, in two separate pieces, aside.
Sydney stood and peered in the top, her grin growing wider as she spied a dark red jewel about the size of her fist lying on a piece of completely smooth grey stone.
"We found it!"
He hurried forward to look at their find. She could feel his excitement and knew there was a smile on his face. Nigel always smiled when they found a relic. He might bitch and complain, whine and throw his hands in the air, but when it came right down to it, he loved the hunt as much as she did, and he felt the same elation when they stumbled across a truly spectacular relic.
He reached out for it, and once more Sydney staid his hand.
"I think this is where stone protecting stone comes in.."
"What do you mean?"
"Removing the heart could be the last trap."
"Weights?"
She nodded.
"Do we have anything to replace it with?"
"We'd better, after we've come this far."
The two of them began rummaging through their packs. Sometimes, Sydney felt as if her satchel were related to Mary Poppin's carpet bag, it held so much. Even so, there didn't seem to be anything heavy enough to place on the stone.
"I've got nothing. Nigel?"
He dug through his pack with more fervor, his brow creased in concentration. After a moment, he triumphantly pulled something out and handed it to her. It was a small, round radio, a little heavier than Sydney would have expected. She weighed it in her hand and decided it would probably work.
Gently, she reached into the stone box. Nigel stood back to give her room as she placed the radio inside and carefully drew the Demon's Heart out.
Sydney listened intently for ominous creakings and was relieved when she didn't hear any.
"Okay?" Nigel asked.
"I think so."
"Great, you've found it."
The voice made Sydney whirl, clutching the relic to her chest. Behind her stood Victor Martin, a cruel, satisfied little smile on his face. He was huge, and the dust and grime from the tunnels clung to him even worse than it did Sydney. It made him look almost like a large child who'd spent an afternoon playing in the mud. There was nothing childlike in his cold blue eyes, however.
"Martin," Sydney spat out, cursing herself for leading their rival right to the relic.
"Who else? I knew you'd find it for me eventually. You are the best. Now, if you'll just give me the Heart, we can all get out of here and go get a shower and a meal."
"You can't have it," she answered him defiantly. "It belongs in a museum, and I intend to see that it gets there."
A spark of cold anger flickered in his eyes, though the smile didn't leave his face. "Oh, I think you are, Sydney. The Heart isn't going to a museum where its magic will be hidden away. It's going to be used and enjoyed."
She lifted an eyebrow at him. "By you?"
Sydney was determined not to let Victor have the stone, even if she had to bring the cave down around their ears. Victor Martin was bad enough. If the rumors about the stone were true, Victor Martin and the Heart would be madness. Her thoughts ran quickly to the box. She wondered if releasing the final trap would kill her and Nigel. Dying wasn't part of the plan.
"That's none of your concern." He held out one hand. The other reached into his belt and drew out a small hand gun.
Sydney threw a quick glance at Nigel and saw his face had paled considerably. She then eyed the gun before once more looking into Martin's face.
"I'm not giving you the relic, Victor."
"You're going to give me the Heart. If you don't, I'll shoot your assistant."
Sydney fought the urge to look at Nigel again. She still did not move to do what Martin said.
"Sydney?" Nigel asked quietly.
She tried to will him reassurance as her mind scrambled for a plan. Martin was quick for his size, and he was too far away for Sydney to disarm him. Frantically, her mind went through all the possibilities.
"Give me the relic, now." Impatience tinged her rival's voice, and the smile dropped from his face.
Admitting to herself that she had no choice, Sydney was about to pass over the stone when Martin's hand moved swiftly, taking her by surprise. She didn't have time to do more than scream. It was ripped from her throat as she tried to cross the distance between her and Nigel to protect his body with hers.
"Nigel!"
The shots reached him before Sydney could, and she watched as two bullets slammed into Nigel's chest, throwing him backwards.
And the world stopped.
Sydney's whole body went completely numb, and nerveless fingers dropped a relic that was no longer important. As if someone had pressed a slow motion button, she watched Nigel fall and heard him cry out her name. It seemed to take a lifetime for his body to reach the ground and for the sound of its fall to reach her ears.
At the sound, she found she could move again. Quickly, she crossed the remaining space and dropped to her knees beside Nigel. Part of her mind registered the sound of Martin grabbing the relic and rushing out of the cavern. She didn't care. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the fact that Nigel had been shot. Her whole universe had shrunk to contain only the two of them.
Two red stains were spreading across his chest, but he was still breathing.
Thankful for that miracle, she whispered, "Nigel?"
"Syd?" His eyes were dull, as if he couldn't see her, and droplets of sweat dappled his forehead.
Fear clenched Sydney's insides so tightly that she wanted to throw up. She forced it down, swallowing hard, before reaching a gentle hand to his face. Her fingertips traced his cheek.
"I'm here, Nigel. It's okay. You're okay."
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" she asked incredulously.
"Sorry...sorry for not being..."
"No, I'm sorry," she whispered fiercely. "This is my fault. I should never have brought you here."
He smiled slightly then, his lips too red in a bloodless face. "Proud to be your assistant...Always proud...you believe in me..."
In her mind, Sydney quickly calculated the distance to the nearest doctor. It was far. Way too far. Even so, her heart didn't want to admit defeat.
"I've got to get you to a doctor."
"No time...Sit with me...don't want to...be alone..."
His voice was getting weaker, and the stain was spreading at an alarming rate.
"I'm here, Nigel," she said again.
Letting go of her last hope, she brought Nigel up into her arms.
"Thank...you..."
His voice was so weak now that Sydney couldn't even be sure she heard it. Determined for Nigel's last experience to be of love, Sydney started to slowly rock. She felt him struggle to breathe. She heard the blood rattling in his chest. Then, she felt the last breath leave him.
Still she rocked, holding him close. She didn't dare to stop rocking him. If she stopped, if she let him go, it would all be real. Nigel would be gone.
Sydney didn't know if she could live in a world without Nigel. Just three years before, she hadn't even known the man existed. She thought her life was complete. Now, she couldn't imagine her life without him. He had come to her shy, clumsy, and a little innocent. But she had seen something in him. Underneath his self doubt, there had been a great relic hunter just waiting to be turned loose. Together, they had become an unbeatable team.
Until today.
She couldn't go back to that life, the one without him. Now that she knew what it was like to share the hunt and, for all purposes, her life, doing it alone would seem hollow.
So, she rocked and went on rocking. Nigel wasn't dead. She was holding him. He was still there.
Eventually, Sydney came back to herself and realized that she was cramped and sore, and the ground beneath her was cold and damp. She was chilled and her skin and clothes and hair were stiff from dried blood. Cradled in her arms was the lifeless body of her best friend. She had no idea how long she had been holding him, letting the soothing rocking take over her mind, but she knew it had been hours.
Carefully, she drew away from him, staring at his peaceful and gentle face. She touched it reverently, letting memories of its expressions fill her mind. She knew them all. She had loved this face. The face, and the man that went with it. She loved him as her best friend, as the person she could tell anything to, as the person she wanted by her side for the rest of her life. And she hadn't told him.
Now, she'd never be able to. It was all gone. His beautiful smile. Solving ancient puzzles together in the middle of the night. The trust and faith she never had to question. His gentle touch. Gone. Gone forever.
Because of Victor Martin.
And then the rage came.