Ch. 10 Child of Darkness

"I wondered how long it would take you to reach me," Tauros stated. The personality had taken Blaze's current outer form, sporting the Kane armor and a golden right arm. Tauros gestured to Alexis. "And I see you have a little help."

"You think I wouldn't help my own son?" Alexis asked. "Everyone needs help every once in a while. Blaze is my son, I'd die to protect him and I did because of my brother in law." Alexis drew her sword and a small dagger from her belt. Blaze drew his own sword, as did Tauros. The three engaged in combat. Alexis hacked at Tauros' golden arm while Blaze worked on whittling down the armor. Tauros shoved Alexis away and grabbed Blaze by the collar of his shirt. Tossing the pirate away, the personality matrix walked over to Alexis. He raised his sword, but Alexis rolled away from the slash and stabbed her dagger into Tauros' left foot. The matrix winced, but quickly brushed off the injury.

"That tickled." He swung his sword again and disarmed Alexis in the process. He turned and saw Blaze charging at him. The pirate met his clockwork armor-clad foe's attacks and locked their blades for a short period of time. Falling back momentarily, Blaze drew his pistol and opened fire. Tauros moved his sword and deflected the spark bullets away from him, with one grazing Blaze's ear. Tauros lunged and stuck his blade through the trigger area of the gun, flinging it into the air. He proceeded to kick Blaze away and held the gun in Alexis' direction. Blaze got up, but froze when he saw the gun pointed at his mother. "One more step, and I'll kill her again." Blaze didn't move.

"Blaze don't worry about me. Kill him!" Alexis begged. She couldn't bear the thought of her son being trapped forever.

"I can't do it, mom. If you died again, dad wouldn't forgive me."

"He would congratulate you." Blaze's eyes went wide with rage. "He still remembers the kill and loved it."

"My father didn't kill my mother, Flint did." Tauros chuckled at the fact. He turned his head to Alexis.

"You never told him, did you?" Alexis lowered her head. He looked back at Blaze. "Oh, this is just precious. You don't know after all of these years. I thought it would have been obvious."

"What are you talking about?" Blaze demanded an answer.

"Avery wasn't your father; you were never a child of light. Didn't you ever wonder why your powers were stronger when you were filled with hate and anger? Why you unknowingly played right into Flint and I's hands? Why everything you did caused pain and suffering for others?" Blaze started to put the pieces together in his head. "There is darkness inside of you; true evil. Your father," Tauros finished, "Is Flint." Blaze turned to his mother.

"Is this true?"

"Yes. Flint is your father," Alexis answered, "But he never deserved to be your father. He raped me before I met Avery; before I knew who he was and what he could do." Alexis crawled a few inches toward Blaze. "I never told you because I wanted to protect you." Blaze stepped back and knelt on the ground.

"I really am just another monster." A dark aura started to circle around the privateer. "I'm done, Tauros. You win."

"No, Blaze!" Alexis pulled her knife from Tauros' foot and slashed at his fleshy arm. Tauros reached over in pain, but, once again, shook it off. Alexis grabbed her sword and engaged in combat with the personality matrix. "You aren't just darkness." Alexis kicked Tauros' right leg out from under him. "Remember, I'm your mother." Alexis picked up Blaze's pistol and unloaded the whole clip into Tauros' chest, blowing a hole big enough to fit her hand. "You inherited my powers, too. There IS light in you." Blaze just sunk lower as Alexis continued to fight.

"It's too late for me."

"You told me that you'd be there for Adam when he needs you. Are you going to go back on your word now?!" Alexis fell to the ground as Tauros stuck her own knife into her left lower thigh.

"I can't help him." I spent half my life trying to kill him. "I don't deserve to help him." Blaze sunk lower and lower into himself until he couldn't see light anymore. Then he heard it. A familiar voice calling his name. He heard Adam.

"Blaze!"