It's abhorrent.

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Chapter 7: What You Have to Do

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The sun had completely vanished, cloudless blue sky turning a starry black, when there was a knock on the door.

Curious and thankful for the distraction, Black Star opened the door only to see two familiar cloaked figures, the tall and short pair that had told them the story of Atlantis.

Before Black Star even had the chance to tell them to leave him alone, the figures barged in, footsteps quiet as their masks turned to where Kid was.

"They are sleeping?" the taller figure said with a hint of surprise in their voice.

"I'll check," Black Star offered before either could protest, "oi, Kid!" he yelled, causing the figures to jump in place and shush him, gestures that went completely ignored. "Hey, you sleeping?!"

The mass on the bed didn't even budge. Yup, Kid was dead to the world.

Black Star turned to the figures and shrugged. "Guess he's a heavy sleeper." Kid was definitely not a heavy sleeper, but he wasn't going to explain the intricate relationship between Death and sleep to two strangers. "You can come by later-"

"No, this is excellent," the taller figure said as it scanned the room, gaze lingering at Black Star, then Kid. "Blessed be, it is as we hoped."

Black Star blinked in confusion. "You… what?"

"Archiereus," the shorter figure tentatively said in a manner that indicated a title rather than a name, "the Champion is not aware of the aberrant nights."

Black Star frowned. What was that about the nights? Their last night on the island had gone along fine, but was there something more to it?

"Ah yes, of course," the so-called Archiereus began, giving Black Star a respectful nod. "You see Champion, though the Goddess still gives us golden days, her reign does not extend during nighttime. In tales of old, it was said the Late God ensured that each night was calm, quiet and peaceful, but nowadays…"

The Archiereus gestured to the window, where faint rays of moonlight shone through -hold on, moonlight?!

Black Star flung himself at the window, looked out, and froze.

The Moon. The old pre-Asura Moon stood above them, giving them a bloody grin.

That… That was impossible. There had been no Moon yesterday, and that had been an indication that they weren't in some wacko world, but now the Moon was back, smiling as if it'd never been engulfed by the black blood.

"And it is not just the stars that are lost without the Late God's stalwart oversight…"

Black Star slowly looked back to where Kid was unmoving. Was this affecting him too?

"Ah, it appears you have figured things out," came the Archiereus' voice. "Apologies for our intrusion. The purpose for our visit was to ensure and even help with what you had to do Champion."

"What… I have to do…?" Black Star absent-mindedly said, his mind replaying past events. Kid had been disoriented when he woke up today, but Black Star had chucked that up to the crazy day they'd had. Was there something else going on, or was Black Star being paranoid? Should he try waking Kid up right now? He may only get angrier at him and he more than deserved some rest…

"Yes, Champion," the Archiereus impatiently said with a nod. "Become one to overcome."

"Eh? The stuff you said about the Goddess and love?" Black Star and scratched the back of his neck. This was about the worst time to bring that stuff up again. "Yeah uh, it ain't gonna work."

"It has to," the Archiereus insisted, and Black Star had to take a step bac because this dude was invading his personal space. "You have to-"

"Uh, Kid doesn't like me -or people in general I guess- that way." Which was a bummer to be honest, but hey, they were still friends, despite their recent argument. Black Star could work with being friends. He liked Kid either way. "But don't worry, just leave it to your Champions and we'll sort this out in no time-!"

"It has to!" the Archiereus repeated, this time more desperate, giving Black Star pause.

"I can't force Kid to love me dude," Black Star said and rubbed his forehead. He was feeling light-headed. Maybe it was the incense; even after burning for hours its aroma stayed, and the two figures reeked of it too. Plus, having this type of conversation while Kid was literally in the room, sleeping or not, was the last thing he wanted to do.

The short figure looked between Black Star and their fellow. "Archiereus, perhaps we should-"

"Quiet," the Archiereus hissed and the figure went silent. "This is the furthest we've gotten." Their mask turned slowly from Black Star to Kid. "A Champion has returned, and they have left the Temple. Making them vulnerable."

"Eh?" Black Star let out. Calling Kid vulnerable was laughable at best, suicidal at worst.

Also, a Champion has returned? Wasn't Black Star the Champion?

The Archiereus turned back to Black Star, taking a step towards them. "Love, unyielding." They took another step, and Black Star involuntarily tensed. "Love, one way or another. They will know sorrow, one way or another," they continued in a blank voice, as if possessed.

The Archiereus came even closer and Black Star took a step back.

What… what exactly did they want him to do?

"The duty of which falls to you, champion."

Black Star glanced at the Archiereus mask then at the rest of the room. The incense was making him feel flushed, as if he had a fever. His light-headedness had gotten worse, as if he had a light buzz.

Not quite knowing what was happening Black Star was turned around and pushed towards the bed.

"Go."

Slowly, Black Star reached the bed. Kid was there, only his head poking out of the covers. He was sleeping on his side, facing away from Black Star and the figures.

Seeing Kid's still form, everything clicked.

The village's hospitality, even when Kid was the Dark Champion, the supposed bane of their existence. The reason they'd been given a tiny house with a double bed as its epicenter. The persisting incense -which effects matched an aphrodisiac- the meaning of love unyielding

Black Star's blood ran cold. He blinked as his surroundings changed like coming down from a trip. The dimly lit room, the warm air, the sweat running down his chest, everything was so suffocating-

"Become one to overcome-"

And then there was the bed and Black Star's mind couldn't stop but shuffle through possible scenarios, of Kid splayed unconscious on the mattress, Black Star on top of him-

No!

His fingers twitched as cloth brushed past them; the Archiereus robe as they inched in closer, probably to push Black Star again.

How… how dare they!?

Black Star grasped the robe and pulled it along with the figure, turning 180 degrees and throwing it like a disk. They crashed against the doorframe with a pained gasp, the younger figure gasping in shock as they backed away from Black Star.

Even as the Archiereus painfully came to with a moan, the edges of their mask stained with blood, Black Star was not satisfied. He was used to punching people that pissed him off, but this…

This disgusted him to his very core.

Black Star took slow deliberate steps towards the Archiereus, now tended to by the short figure. Upon his approach, the two stilled, like deer caught in headlights.

"Fuck you," Black Star eventually managed to let out, each syllable dripping with disgust, "and fuck off."

"No!" the Archiereus insisted, and Black Star felt his resolve to not straying into the path of the Demon gravely tested. "You must- If you don't you will only meet the same fate-!"

Black Star grabbed Archiereus by the collar and threw him out, gaining a small satisfaction from watching them tumble down the hill, the sorter figure running after them.

He slammed the door, breaking its hinges. Adrenaline coursed through him, making his fists tremble and his knees wobble.

Muffled noise came outside the broken door. Were they running for their lives? Perhaps they would bring in reinforcements?

Black Star's fists tightened. Let them try! He'd take down this entire village-!

No, this was serious. He had to calm down and make a plan. He could not be his usual reckless self…

Responsible. He had to be responsible.

Black Star gulped and took several deep breaths, trying to slow his thrumming heartbeat.

That cloaked asshole would probably come back and probably bring a posy back. Black Star had no doubt he could kick simultaneously every single villager's ass, but he had no clue if they had set up some sort of trap of if they had fancy magic.

No, their safest option was leaving this village ASAP.

Black Star looked at the bed, his fury slowly ebbing into dread. Never in a million years would he have predicted this turn of events. Black Star just had a crush for crying out loud! He couldn't have known-

But he should have seen the signs-

But there weren't any signs of this-

He should have gone with his gut-

But it was Kid that brought them here-

But Kid hadn't been to the village before and didn't have Black Star's trusty gut, Kid probably wasn't used to this, to the signs, but Black Star was supposed to, so why the fuck hadn't he-?

Black Star shook his head. Now was not the time to fucking dilly dally, he had to be responsible -no, being a decent fucking human being- and get them, Kid especially, out of here immediately. There was still that hint that Black Star wasn't the only Champion and that meant if anyone else got to Kid while they were like this-

Black Star pulled the covers away, immensely grateful Kid had decided to sleep in his full outfit.

"Kid!" he hissed and shook the Grim Reaper's shoulder, not too concerned about a rude awakening. "Oi, wake up!"

No response.

"Kid!" he hissed, louder as his shaking intensified as well. "Come on, wake up!"

Still no movement.

Gah, why was Kid like this? Was it because of the Moon? Why wasn't Black Star affected?

What the hell was going on in this island?!

"Fine, if you wanna be this way," Black Star grumbled to himself as he heaved Kid on his shoulders in a cattle-like hold. Probably unsignifying for the both of them, but he didn't care, not now.

Cursing both at Atlantis and at himself, Black Star fled the village headed and into the woods.

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