The Wizard and the Void - Chapter Eighteen
Author: Milady Dragon
Maria didn't like this. Not one whit.
Alright, Grand Master Stephen had given her food for thought regarding her preconceived notions of the Cardinals and the Voids. She still had Master John's book, tucked under her arm, and she really wanted a chance to sit down and read it. But this summoning a being that shouldn't exist…no, Maria just wasn't onboard with that.
Still, that didn't stop them from doing it anyway.
And then the Avatar had called her out in front of everyone. That rankled.
They'd gotten some important information, however. But Maria was glad when the Avatar vanished back to where she'd come from, because having her there was just…well, wrong.
Captain Harkness had his arm around Grand Master Ianto, supporting him. Calling up the Avatar had taken a lot of power, and there was a part of her that was glad that the immortal Cardinal Wizard wasn't as all powerful as rumors claimed. Or maybe he was, because the Avatar had been able to manifest with his help, and he'd made it plain that Mistress Pepper's own magic wouldn't be enough.
"Let's get you inside," the Deathless murmured to his husband.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Mistress Pepper asked worriedly.
"I'll be fine," Grand Master Ianto assured her. "I just need to sit and get some food in me. The Deep Ways won't let me be down for long."
Maria didn't care much for that notion, either.
With that, everyone began to troop back inside. The two Novices were bombarding Grand Master Stephen with questions about the Avatar, their teaching Master looking on fondly; the Grand Master seemed quite happy to answer them, encouraging them to ask all the questions they wanted.
This was why Maria hadn't taken on any Novices. She didn't have the patience for it, if she was irritated already and they weren't even the ones bothering her personally.
"You alright?" Nick asked her, as she stood there watching everyone go into the house.
Maria sighed. "Ask me again when I've had time to process it all."
"Fair enough." He put both hands on her shoulders, meeting her gaze with his single eye. "I'm only gonna say this once, and then we'll be done on the subject unless you wanna talk about it."
That sounded ominous, and she didn't hesitate to say so.
Nick barked a laugh. "Don't be so melodramatic."
"That's like the pot calling the kettle black."
The man shook his head, huffing a small laugh. "Yeah, but I'm the one supposed to be the overly dramatic one, not you. I rely on you being the pragmatic one."
"Look, you don't need to say anything," she told him, pretty sure she knew what it was already.
"Yeah, I think you do. Maria, I think it's time you abandoned your wrong ass assumptions and accepted that there are things you don't have a fucking clue about…and that includes Phil. You've had no problem accepting my past, and I was just as bad as Phil was, but the major difference being is that I'm not a Wizard and he is. You don't even know him, and you're already trying to come up with ways to bring up the fact that he was the Dark One without outing me as well. And don't bother denying it. I think I know you pretty damned well by now."
He did. He knew her too well. "He's a Wizard, which you've said. You aren't. You can't be held accountable by the Wizard Guild laws."
"That man has been through shit you don't even know about. You need to cut him some slack and let him live his life in peace."
"I can't, Nick!' Maria exclaimed. "He's a Void, and he's broken every law on the books!"
"And he's paid for that with his life."
Maria frowned. "I know he's your friend, Nick, but that's as melodramatic as anything you've accused me of!"
But, there was something in his face, something that had the Great Wizard not so sure she was right.
"I meant that in precisely the way I said it…" His serious expression changed, as if an important thought had just occurred to him.
Then Nick began cursing. It wasn't the usual every other word variety; it was long and ranting and Nick sounded very angry with himself.
Without ceasing, he was spinning on his heel and storming into the house. Maria had no choice but to follow, catching up when he'd re-entered the dining room, where everyone had collected once more.
"I think I know what they want Phil for," he announced to the gathering.
Grand Master Ianto, his face pale, stared up at him from the chair he was seated in, the Baroness Eirlys putting a plate of cheese and meat down in front of him, as well as a cup of what looked like tea. "What do you know, Your Grace?"
Everyone's attention was on Nick, and he wasn't eating it up like he normally did when every eye was on him.
"I'm about to reveal something I learned in confidence," he began, pacing as much as he could in the confined space of the dining room.
Maria watched everyone's reactions to that. Mistress Pepper was obviously upset, but then she was aware of who this Master Phil was…as did Grand Master Stephen, because Maria had been the one to inform him. Grand Master Ianto didn't seem surprised, and Maria was willing to bet that he'd known as well, most likely from Mistress Pepper. The others were a combination of confused and curious, waiting politely for Nick to explain.
"Damnit, Phil," he muttered under his breath, but just loud enough for everyone to hear, "you're making me do this…"
"Baron Nicholas – " Mistress Pepper gasped.
"Yeah, I don't wanna do this either," he sighed, still pacing, as if he wanted to burn off his emotions over giving away a friend's secrets. "Once was enough. Now I have to spill the story all over again."
Then, he stopped, turning back to face his audience. "I've known Phil Coulson since he was a student at the Wizard School, and my Mom taught Maths there. We became friends, and even back then I knew he was an angry son of a bitch who was destined to burn the whole damned world down. It didn't hurt that I was more than pissed off at all and sundry back then as well, but for different reasons. Mainly jealousy, but that's neither here nor there, and I'm way over it now."
Maria didn't like what Nick was doing. He was about to admit to his criminal past, after all the good he'd done for his Barony and his people. He was going to wreck his entire life, for one man…a man she believed had been the worse of the two mercenaries, because he was a Void Wizard. Phil Coulson wasn't worth what Nick was about to do, but she knew she couldn't stop him.
"Phil had bought into the belief that, because he was a Void Wizard, he was just naturally evil. Thank his parents for that shit, and it didn't matter what his teaching Master tried to teach him. I'm afraid I didn't help with it either, because I was convinced we could do whatever the hells we wanted and damn the consequences. So, when Phil left school, I left with him."
"I'm sorry," Baroness Eirlys interrupted, "but I'm not sure what this has to do with what Hydra wants with Master Phil."
"I'm getting to it. You need a little background before I do, I'm afraid."
"Please, continue, Your Grace," Grand Master Ianto urged.
Nick gave him a little bow. "Phil had decided that, if he was evil, then he might as well act on it. I thought it was a pretty good idea myself. So, we went on a crusade to do as much damage as possible…as Marcus Johnson and the Dark One."
Captain Harkness was nodding. "I suspected it."
Nick snorted. "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me, Harkness."
"Are you saying that Daisy's Dad is the Dark One?" Novice Jemma squeaked.
"But he's so nice!" Novice Leo gasped.
"But I thought the Dark One had been killed by the mad Asgardian, Loki," Baron Tony said, his eyes narrowed at his wife, as if he wanted to read her mind. "And you knew about this, Pep?"
"Yes, I knew," Mistress Pepper waved a hand, as if it didn't matter that she hadn't admitted the awful truth to her own husband. "When I decided to take Daisy on as a Novice, he came to me and explained. He didn't want to ruin her chances at a good education, and wanted to make sure that his past, if discovered, wouldn't affect her. I agreed to keep it secret from everyone but Grand Master Ianto."
"And I agreed with Pepper about keeping it confidential," Grand Master Ianto asserted. "Master Phil's past was his own. And, he'd reformed. I didn't see any danger that he could cause that would preclude his daughter from getting a quality education, especially as powerful a Cardinal as she is."
"I knew there was something about you." Baron Tony waved a finger in Nick's direction. "However, you've done a lot of good for Triskelia. That place was a wretched hive of scum and villainy before you took over, and you've really cleaned the Barony up." He then smirked. "You know, the other Barons are jealous of you? Not me, of course, because I'm an awesome Baron and always try to do right by my people, but the others are absolutely green with it. It's hilarious."
Maria knew then that the Baron Ferrous would stay quiet about Nick's past. Maria let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Of them all, Tony Stark would have been the one to watch out for; him being on the Council of Barons and with the ear of the others had been worrying her. He could have easily gone to the Barons and reported Nick to them, but it looked as if he wasn't going to do any such thing.
"Thank you, Stark," Nick said, possibly the most sincere Maria had ever heard him sound.
Baron Tony waved his entire hand this time, not bothering to say a thing back. There really wasn't a need.
"But back to what Stark said…about Phil being killed by Loki." Nick took a deep breath. "He was."
Every single person in the room was silent, stunned by what he'd just admitted.
"How is that possible?" Mistress Pepper demanded, finally breaking the silence. "You must be mistaken."
"I wish I was." Nick rubbed a hand over his face, looking more despairing than Maria had ever seen him. "I was there. I was the one who made sure his body was collected and taken to the morgue that had been set up after the battle. So, you can imagine my surprise when he showed up on my doorstep, a little kid in his arms, asking me for sanctuary…"
"But, that would mean…" Captain Harkness' voice faded away, as it really wasn't needed to be said.
Because Maria had already leapt to the conclusion that Nick must have done, years ago.
Phil Coulson was Deathless.
"No," Grand Master Ianto said, his eyes squarely on Nick, "You don't think he's Deathless. You think he's like me."
"Well, it makes sense, doesn't it?" Nick questioned. "We have you, who's so connected to the Deep Ways that it won't let you die. Who's to say the Void wouldn't wanna do the same thing? Phil's a really powerful Void Wizard. I wasn't exaggerating when I said I saw him once dance on a Void Point and like it. The Hawk and the Widow saw it, too, so they'll back me up."
"But he doesn't know, does he?" the Cardinal Grand Master stated.
"No, he doesn't have a fucking clue."
"How is that possible?" Maria wanted to know. "I mean, he has to know he died, right?"
"I…don't think the Void wants him to remember."
"But, that's – "
"If you say impossible, Maria, I'm gonna have to kick you out of bed."
Maria couldn't help the faint blush, at the airing out of her affair with Nick. Although, judging from the looks they were getting, it wasn't a shock to a majority of the people in this meeting.
"What evidence do you have that Master Phil doesn't know?" Captain Harkness asked.
Nick shrugged. "Whenever he tries to talk about it, his eyes go all black and he forgets the reason for the conversation. It's like the Void takes him over and won't let him. And, believe me, I've tried, because I can see how it tears him up inside, to think whatever the hells he does when he does dwell on it."
"I do suppose that makes sense," Grand Master Stephen mused. "We have Ianto, with his unique connection to the Deep Ways. There needs to be a balance to these sorts of things."
Maria remembered the Hawk's words, back at the castle in Triskelia, and how he'd wanted to know if it was a bad thing to have an equal to Ianto Jones. At the time, it had been in context to Hydra's plans. But, now, it was a reality, and Hydra had nothing to do with it.
"And you think Hydra knows about it." Captain Harkness didn't frame it as a question. Instead, he took his place at the Grand Master Ianto's side, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"I'd have to think so. And I have to think they're gonna do everything in their power to work it out…from a man who doesn't even remember it happening."
"It'll be torture, then," Baron Tony said, appalled, his hand rubbing a circle on his chest. Maria was aware of his past; of how he'd been kidnapped by a band of terrorists, all because they'd wanted him to create a technological weapon for them, one that could fool even the most powerful magical wards. His capture had led to damage to his heart, and an enchanted stone now kept his heart beating. He'd managed to escape, only to discover that a family friend, Obadiah Stane, had been the one responsible because Baron Tony had refused to do the same thing for Stane himself. It hadn't helped that Stane had been running the Barony for years and wanted to keep himself in power.
If anyone would know about torture, it would be him.
The problem was, Maria wasn't sure how to think about it, no matter how much it bothered others. No, she didn't want anyone to suffer, but the man was the Dark One…
But, he was also Nick's friend. Maria still wasn't sure how she felt about that, not really. She hadn't had enough time to process it.
"I tried to protect him," Nick sighed. "I gave him Shield Keep, knowing it would be a good, isolated place to raise Daisy. I sent him an old friend to keep watch on him. I helped him cover up the fact that the Dark One hadn't been butchered. And I'd hoped he'd never be discovered."
"He was, though," Grand Master Stephen pointed out, not unkindly.
"Yeah, well…I suppose it was only a matter of time." Nick suddenly looked so very tired, and distressed. "But I was really hoping…and when Hydra came to him, I guess I just turned a blind eye on the reason they were approaching him, not even considering the notion that they might have discovered the truth in some way. It wasn't until just now that I really put two and two together." He sounded disgusted with himself.
Grand Master Ianto rose to his feet, swaying slightly; Captain Harkness put his hand under his elbow to steady him. He walked right up to Nick; they were almost of a height, the Grand Master having to tip his head back a little, meeting Nick's single eye. "We are going to do our best to save him. From the little you've said, and from what we do know, he's a strong man. Hopefully we'll be able to get to him quickly. And, if not, we'll help him in any way we can to recover."
Captain Harkness nodded. "I know what it's like to be put through that sort of thing. Sometimes people would find out I was Deathless, and they'd do their best to test that. One Wizard even thought he'd come up with a way to end me for good, although I wasn't about to let him experiment with me to find out if it was true. And don't get me started about the time Harold Saxon set his personal cannibals on me…"
That sounded…Maria wanted to be sick at the very thought of someone who couldn't die becoming an everlasting food source for a bunch of cannibals. And it had been at Harold Saxon's behest, as well, which didn't surprise her in the least. The stories about Saxon were even worse than the ones about the Dark One, if that was possible. Cannibals shouldn't be as much of a shock as they were.
"We'll also be able to help him deal with the fact that the Void will keep him alive," the Grand Master added. "While I'm the opposite in power, it will be much the same for him; to live past those his loves. It's a cruel fate for anyone who doesn't have someone to live that fate beside."
Maria was surprised by that sentiment. She'd have thought that all that power would have been corrupting, and that to live an extremely long life was a blessing. But, from what these two were saying, it was anything but. She'd never really given it any consideration, if she was honest, content to believe that they were happy with their extended lives. That the very power of the Deep Ways and the Deathless had been something they'd wanted.
Certainly, she knew the stories, of how Jack Harkness had been resurrected by Lady Rose Tyler. He hadn't asked for it, but he'd lived with it for well over a thousand years. And, from what she'd heard in the garden, Ianto Jones was a direct descendent of the woman who'd done that very thing, used the lifeforce of the Demons to bring Harkness back to life. It had to have been exposure to so much power that had tainted Grand Master Ianto, and now he was living nearly the same extended life as his husband.
Would Eirlys have a normal lifespan? Already, she looked more like their mother than their daughter. They'd lose her someday.
Just as Master Phil would, someday, lose his own daughter.
For the very first time, Maria Hill felt badly for them…for all three, if Nick was correct about his friend.
It was yet another thing she would have to reconsider.
This day was certainly giving her a lot to think about.
"The question is," Grand Master Stephen said, "just how are we going to locate Hydra?"
That was the question indeed.