Chapter 98
"My friends, a wall has just came down," the fourth Invisible said solemnly, shutting the door behind them.
"OH GREAT FATES I THINK I'M GONNA SCREAM!"
"THAT'S SO CUTE I'M GONNA DIIIIIIIEEEE!"
"I KNEW THIS WOULD COME EVENTUALLY!"
"HE WAS HOLDING HER HAAAAAAND!"
"SHE WAS HOLDING HIS HAAAAAAND!"
"THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!"
"WHOOOOO-HOOOO!"
"QUIIIIIEEET!"
The first Invisible bellowed.
"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!"
The second Invisible yelled in reply.
"THIS IS A GREAT OCCASION! IT'S MORE THAN GREAT, IT'S STUPENDOUS!"
"HE'S MAKING PROGRESS!"
"SHE'S MAKING PROGRESS!"
"SO DON'T YOU DARE TELL US TO BE QUIET!"
"SO DON'T YOU DARE TELL US TO BE QUIET!"
The second and third Invisibles launched into another bout of unintelligible yelling for a couple more minutes, before they finally quieted down enough for the others to be heard.
"My friends, we are indeed making progress," the fourth said joyfully.
"ISN'T IT SO COMPLETELY AMAZING!"
"Yes, it is," the fourth laughed, before saying to the first, "What's the matter, you're awful quiet."
"They can't believe it!" The third Invisible laughed.
"They just can't!"
"Helloooo?" The second Invisible said to the first.
"Anybody home?"
"I can't tell," the third added with a grin, before gasping.
"What if Nobody's at home?"
"Instead of Anybody?"
The two hm'ed together, thinking it over.
"I can't believe it," the first Invisible finally rasped out.
"It's impossible."
"Is this sounding familiar to anyone else?" The third Invisible grinned.
"It's just. . .he's a monster. A heartless monster! And he's. . .holding. . .she. . .*hope* in him!?"
The first Invisible sounded like the rug had been yanked right out from under them. Lost and stranded.
"You're right, this *does* sound familiar," the second commented.
"So very familiar. . ."
"You better believe it, Dusty Rainbow!" The third cackled, "Cause it's *Happening!*"
"She's doing it!"
"She's turning him around!"
"Prickle-Pants *cares* about her!"
"It's just. . .I mean. . ." The first stammered out.
"I didn't expect her to do. . .that! Why did she approach him? She's shown her loathing for being near him before, and this time she did it voluntarily. And she actually. . .touched him. . . .Why?"
"She felt how depressed he was and wanted to make him feel better, somehow," the fourth said.
"You know she can't bear to see anything in pain. Or anyone, for that matter."
"And he accepted it! He didn't run her off or anything!" The second exclaimed.
"Our Horny-Poo's growing up!"
"It's so beautiful!"
The duo sobbed.
"Besides, I don't think his appearance frightens her as much as it used to," the fourth commented.
"I doubt that," the first said dryly.
"She's still afraid of him."
"But she still dared to do what she just did! And she didn't back away when he didn't respond at first. And he accepted her offer. That is the biggest sign of improvement if I ever saw one."
"Yep, and it calls for a celebration! Don't you think?" The second grinned.
"Oh, yes!" The third one answered enthusiastically, deepening it's voice dramatically.
"Preparations must be made! Plans must be drawn up!"
"We've gotta have a party to beat all parties. It will be Awesome!"
"Then what are we waiting for?" The other cried enthusiastically.
"Let's get this party started, yo!"
"No, we are not!" The first Invisible said irritably.
"There will be no partying, no loud noises. . .here's an idea! How about we don't do *anything* for once? That'll be nice."
Shock abounded in the air as a short silence followed.
". . . . . . . . .Ain't nobody got time fo' dat!"
". . . . . . . . .Ain't nobody got time fo' dat!"
"No, bad idea! Come back-"
The slam of the door cut the first Invisible off.
". . .Here," it grumbled, so the soft chuckle of the fourth.
"You should know better than to try and deter them," the fourth told the other.
"You never get anywhere."
"Little impudent brats," the first grumbled.
"Hey, they're indirectly responsible for a lot of the situations where Avalina and the master interact. And whether they know it or not, they had a hand in helping those two get more comfortable around each other. Give them credit for that, at least."
"I'm not giving them credit for anything until they straighten up a little."
". . .Hate to break it to you, but we've all been around how long?"
A groan was the answer.
"And you think they're really gonna change after so many millenia of staying the same?"
"Alright, alright, I see where you're coming from," the first groaned again.
"Maybe I-"
The door crashed open on it's hinges as the other two Invisibles exploded into the room with their newest hit single.
"CAAAAAN YOU FEEEEEEEL THE LOOOOOOVE TONIGHT?!"
"THE PEACE THAT WEEEE NEVEEEEER BRINNNNNG?"
"IN CHAOS, WE REIGN!"
"AND ALL OF THE RANNNDOM THIIIIINGS!"
It is astounding how much one little action can change everything. One should never underestimate the power of a single act, good or bad. It can alter the world.
Such was the case between the Horned King and Avalina. Neither could understand it completely, but after Avalina had dared to pass the barrier she had built to protect herself from the lich, and crossed it in an attempt to comfort him instead, something had happened.
Something had changed.
Avalina felt more comfortable around him, less guarded. She had not realized it before, but despite her fear of him, she had come to view him as a friend. Someone she could talk to and laugh with, someone who would take the time to teach her so much about so many different things, perhaps even, someone she could trust.
The Horned King felt the change too. That warm feeling he would get whenever he thought of the girl or was in her presence for any length of time had not left since that day. The feeling had remained, and he had no desire for it to leave. He had not thoroughly realized just how lonely he had been until he no longer was. He knew she had been loathe to draw near him, let alone touch him, (Not that he blamed her for it, as it was perfectly natural) and her act of doing so in an attempt to pull him from his depressing thoughts had touched him in a place he was certain he did not possess anymore. But perhaps, if he still possessed it, he could say she had touched his heart.
Hearing the words out loud, that someone saw hope in him, lightened his mood tremendously. He had been warring with himself for weeks over the fact, unable to determine whether he was really hoping or simply fancying he was, but Avalina's soft words had banished all doubt from his mind.
The height of this new change occurred late one night when the Horned King had been aimlessly wandering through the castle halls, as he had been wont to do ever since his return, when he had found himself at Avalina's door.
The Invisible that had been tailing him suddenly gasped, before hissing at him to remain outside, and, cracking the door, slipped into the room.
"What is it?" The Horned King growled as softly as possible.
The answer the Invisible handed him before the door was shut in his face was like a stone being dropped on his chest.
"Arawn."
The lich trembled once at the word, and it was a good one, before he recovered.
Then his eyes flashed blood red in fury.
'How dare he?'
Only the Invisibles' need for no distractions kept him from wrenching the door open.
Standing right next to the door, he strained his considerable hearing for sound, but he couldn't hear anything.
It had been weeks, months even, since Arawn had last attacked. The Horned King had anticipated this happening, but he had not expected it to be so soon. Only last week had he given the order that the Invisibles stay exceptionally alert, as he fully expected Arawn to come when he thought he was unexpected and hit with everything he had.
But this time the lich had been ready for him.
He hoped.
Minutes ticked by, but his desire for pacing was held at bay by the need to hear anything on the opposite side of the wood.
'What's taking so long?'
The Horned King was infamous for his nigh unremitting patience, but this was an entirely different situation than what he was used to waiting on. He could sit back and wait for years to see his enemies fall, countries conquered, and his plans play through with such a patience many would call boredom, but for a door to open. . .it was something completely foreign to him.
Finally, after a very long time, unable to bear the tension anymore, he quietly grasped the handle in his skeletal fingers and slowly eased the door open, noting with approval despite his preoccupied thoughts that the hinges had been well oiled and did not squeak nor did the wood groan as he came into the room, shutting the door softly behind him.
The Invisibles ignored him, and sensing they were quite strained with their job, he kept the silence.
His horned silhouette fell across Avalina as he silently approached, watching.
She slept easily, no trace of unease or fear on her face, her breathing slow and steady, and he silently willed it to stay like that.
Her aura drifted gently against him, and he lowered his head slightly, half-absently clenching and unclenching his fists, as if he could feel it beneath his fingers.
Avalina's soft whimper snapped him instantly out of his near trance-like state.
Her face had taken on a slightly fearful expression, as he gritted his fangs tightly and moved to within nearly an arm's length of her, preparing to intervene himself if the Invisibles could not stop his master.
'Fight it, child,' he thought, gritting his fangs.
'You've beaten him before.'
He felt that warm feeling in his chest balloon into something hot, something that raged inside him like a caged beast. It felt like fury, but it was not. Or perhaps it was?
'If he harms her. . .'
The lich did not see his eyes flicker bright red as the hot feeling inside him grew.
'He won't harm her. I'll wake her before that happens. He won't touch her.'
After a few moments, he watched the tension on her face ease as she settled back into a dreamless sleep, and he took a faint breath himself, unaware he'd been holding it.
His undead lungs were still growing accustomed to operating again.
It was nearly an hour later when the Invisibles finally blew breaths of relief and triumph.
"Well, we got him."
"Barely."
"He gave it everything he had this time."
"Will he return tonight?" The Horned King growled softly.
"No," one of the Invisibles replied.
"He expended all his energy before he had to return to the Cauldron. Tonight was an all-or-nothing shot for him, and he missed."
"Like an arrow bent double."
"*He* was bent double when he left."
"Maybe Cauldron-Boy got cramps?"
"Only the ones we gave him."
"Yeah, defeat doesn't settle well with him."
"Too bad. We dish out defeat for breakfast."
Muffled snickers echoed softly in the room.
"Silence!" The Horned King hissed, glaring at the empty air on the opposite side of the bed, before glancing back at Avalina.
"Do you want to wake her?"
The Invisibles fell silent then, one of them quietly stoking up the fire.
The lich watched Avalina for a moment more, before slowly backing away, remembering his aura.
He had forgotten about that.
She showed no discomfort when he withdrew, to his faint surprise.
Perhaps she was growing resilient to it?
Outside, he ordered the Invisibles to resume their posts, lingering for a moment before slowly walking away.
After he disappeared, the duo by the door promptly burst into spaz-mode.
"Oh-great-Orion-he's-feeling-protective!"
"It's-a-dream-come-true!"
"I knew Prickle-Britches had it in him! I knew it, I knew it!"
"Oh, we've gotta go be-sparkle something before I lose it and wake her up!"
"Then come on, quick!"
She saw the sky darken as some of the leaves began to curl up and die away around her, and fear struck her heart.
'It's coming!'
Desperately, she tried to flee, but there was nowhere to run. . .it seemed to be coming from all sides. . .frightened, she gave a soft cry as a shadow fell over her, and seeing who it was, she eyed him fearfully, remembering what had happened last time.
She wanted to approach him, but the memories of what he had done before held her back and made her tremble.
'He killed me, my family. . .everyone.'
But this time. . .something was different.
*He* was different.
No malice emanated from his presence. Rather, to Avalina, it seemed almost as if he were the friend she had come to know in the waking world, rather than the monster of her nightmares that plagued her.
Hesitantly, she moved closer as he beckoned her to him, noticing the leaves around him had yet to turn black and brittle.
Studying him, she could see the change.
His eyes did not hold the wicked bloodlust she had seen so often, and his stare, though still freezing, strangely seemed to ease her fright somewhat.
His aura fell over her as she went to him, slipping under his outstretched arm, his claws barely brushing her hair, and despite her fear of him, for the first time in a very long time, she finally felt safe.
He would protect her.
The Horned King had just entered his chambers when the sensations started.
He felt. . . .dizzy.
Gripping the wall for support, he snarled as the very room seemed to spin violently around him, willing himself not to fall flat on the floor.
Everything spun. . .
And then the pain started. Prickling tendrils of it raced through his body, stemming from his chest and spreading out.
It felt like a thousand tiny needles.
Snarling, he gripped the wall tighter with one hand as the pain increased, the other hand gripping his chest in a vain effort to lessen the extremely uncomfortable sensation.
It got worse and worse. . .the numbness spread down his left arm. . .he couldn't feel his fingers. . .it was like a massive hand was squeezing down around his chest. . . .he didn't notice when he sank to his knees from it.
He didn't think it would ever stop. . .but finally. . .finally. . .the feeling passed, leaving him feeling mildly disoriented and thoroughly confused.
Slowly beginning to straighten up, he heard an Invisible tap at the door.
". . .Enter," he managed out, realizing he was gasping for breath.
They knocked again, which frayed at the Horned King's suddenly short temper.
He didn't even get to answer before they tapped the door again.
And again.
"Sire, no one is at the door," a disembodied voice spoke near him.
"It is only me."
"Then what is that. . .racket?"
The Horned King snarled, before he froze motionless for a moment, feeling. . .something off.
Something was wrong.
He gripped his chest again as an entirely new sensation coursed through him, and he snarled again as the feel of something striking against his ribs made itself known.
And again. And again. It wasn't stopping.
"What is this?" He snapped at the Invisible as he all but collapsed into his chair.
"I. . .I don't know. What is it?" They asked.
After several minutes, the feeling had become to come back to his arm as the numb sensation passed, and the room had finally quit spinning, but this. . .
"Who poisoned me?" The Horned King finally demanded when he had caught his breath.
"Sire, no one's poisoned you. Great Fates, what gave you that notion? And why are you gripping yourself like that? Are you in pain?"
The lich realized he was still holding the left side of his chest in an attempt to ease the short, sharp bursts of pressure he was feeling.
"You had better have a good explanation for this," he bit out to the seemingly empty air in front of him.
"Sire, I don't know what you're implying. . ." The Invisible said, before the Horned King cut them off.
"And what is that *noise*?"
After a moment, the Invisible murmured, "Impossible."
"What is?" The lich demanded, before the door opened and another came in.
"Yes?"
"You hear that?" The first said to the other.
A silence.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
". . .Is that what I think it is?"
"I don't know. Is it?"
"Get on with it," the Horned King snarled, his patience gone.
"Sire," one of them said, shock evident in it's voice, "You. . . .your. . .your heart! It's. . .beating!"
The lich went completely stiff.
"What?"
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"Impossible!" He ground out.
"It can't be! I have no such thing!"
". . . ."
Thump. Thump. Thump.
". . .Well, sir, I think you certainly do now. It's as obvious as the Stole-On-Fire."
A brief snort followed from it's companion.
"And rainbow mushrooms. . ."
"But how? I. . .How can this be?" The Horned King demanded, shock written all over his face and in his voice.
"This is. . .impossible!"
After another few moments, he snarled again, "What caused this?"
A silence.
". . .He doesn't know?" One of them asked in shock.
"Are you kidding me or something?"
". . .Well sir," the other Invisible said slowly, (Or was it the same one?) "We are not certain. Although, one theory may be in order."
"Such as?" The lich demanded, still gripping his chest.
After a moment, the Invisible spoke up, mirth evident in its voice.
". . .You've admitted your liking for cheese toast. It's made you so happy-happy, dude! ^_^"
Well, looks like ol' Barnaby can't even see the obvious when he's smacked in the chest with it XD (See what I did there?) That last line is an inside joke from my bestie that stemmed from an inside joke that I had written previously XD. Thank you to BG24, the only reader to bother reviewing the last chapter. It means a whole lot to me :) *Hugs* (And I know you'll review later when you can, Crescent, so that'll make two! *Party-face-from-Howrse-goes-here*)