Chapter Six: What You Are In The Dark – The Soul
"Greg!" Marina screamed, pounding against the magical barrier that kept her from him. Head limp against his chest, he didn't react. Didn't move. Didn't breathe. "What have you done to him?" she yelled, terror mixing with despair. They'd killed him – they'd killed her Greg.
"Peace, little mouse," Emilia soothed, though her gentle tone was at odds with the dark glee in her red-gold eyes. "The Hour of Judgment is at hand."
His fingers twitched. Flexed. She sucked in a breath, praying. He inhaled, chest expanding with the force of the air he pulled in. Then his head came back up, but his hazel was gone. In its place was a horrid scarlet. Glowing bright as a Sith's lightsaber – she knew it was evil as soon as it fixed on her and she wept. That curse, it must've been some kind of demonic possession.
The demon cocked Greg's head, letting out a tiny whine at the sight of her. Then it cried out, screaming in Greg's voice as it doubled over, collapsing forward in Emilia's restraining spell. Wings erupted from Greg's back, arching out as if he was turning into some sort of bird. His legs blurred, turning into animal limbs. Paws and fur and knees bent backwards, all the way up to his waist. A tail lashed out from behind him, a cat-like tail topped with eagle feathers.
"Oh, my," the brunette witch purred, strolling sideways to get a better look at the demon inhabiting her poor Greg's body. "A stable partial transformation. I thought that was impossible." She tapped a nail to her lips. "I wonder if he can fly."
The demon growled at her, flexing those massive wings.
"Gryphon. Have you a name?" Emilia inquired, drawing the demon's attention.
It stiffened even further, growling louder as its tail lashed.
Emilia tisked. "Such disregard he has for you, that he will not even grant you a name."
Burning scarlet narrowed. "Must earn." Greg's voice, but not his soul, with a grating, raspy overtone that spoke of ill-use. "You. Hurt my human."
"Regrettable, but most necessary, I assure you." Emilia bowed her head. "I have Summoned you that you may Judge the actions of this woman." She flung a hand out at Marina, who shrank back as the demon's horrible gaze landed on her.
The demon examined her, frowning with Greg's mouth, fingers flexing open and closed like claws. At last it rumbled, "Speak, Morgause, Daughter of Gorlois."
For the first time, Emilia faltered. "You know who I am?"
Scarlet flicked to her, savage amusement glittering in their depths. "Obviously." In that moment, the demon was so very Greg that Marina gawked in renewed horror.
Emilia – Morgause – took a step back, then lifted her chin once more, regaining a haughty air. "Very well." She gestured towards Marina again, only a little less dramatically than the first time. "In the name of gaining your human's devotion, this one pretended friendship. Yet once she had secured your human's attention – and, indeed – his affections, she plotted against your Fledglings."
The demon growled.
"Oh, yes," Morgause emphasized. "Bit by bit, she stole your human from your Fledglings. Robbed them of his time and attention. Excluded them from family outings. Pushed them towards the edge of the nest with no regard for whether their wings were strong enough to fly unaided. And when at last she pushed them from their safe perch, they fell into most unsavory company. A slavering wolf, greedy and eager, sought to take what he wished from your hatchling, forcing the tercel to defend his dear sister with tooth and claw. Only to be savaged by the wolf and his mongrel pack."
Scarlet burned and the demon thrashed in its bonds, snarling at her.
"You saved them – so intricate was her plot that your human no longer remembered your Fledglings. But you would not let him be and so he snatched them away to safety before the wolves could maul them any further."
Marina whimpered, cringing away from the rage in the demon's eyes. The hatred, the howl for vengeance.
"Yet even then, she would not let your human and your poor, injured Fledglings be! She poisoned your human with a Love Potion, one which would've robbed him of his very humanity. When even that attempt failed, she snatched your tercel from his nest as he lay recuperating! Once she secreted him in a remote location, she stabbed him and poisoned him with a Suppression Potion."
"I didn't!" Marina screamed. "You did that!" She reached out towards her beloved, ignoring the demon's outrage. "Greg, please, you know what really happened. I took him, but after Emilia attacked him, I called you. I told you where we were! Please, I never meant to hurt them!"
The demon's wings flared wide, casting shadows on its face – all she could see was scarlet, burning into her with fury and hate and darkness. Evil incarnate, possessing the man she loved most in the world. Its muscles bunched and strained as it fought to get loose, to attack her.
"Oh, dear, we seem to have made him angry, haven't we, Marina, dear?"
Marina glared as best she could at Emilia and her wretched sister. "Greg won't hurt me. He would never hurt me."
"No, he wouldn't," the brunette agreed. "But that," she gestured to the demon, "is not the Greg Parker you know." She smiled savage delight. "That is his shadow, the darkest parts of his soul. The gryphon that sleeps within, yet guides each and every one of his actions."
Emilia waved her hand lazily and the demon dropped to the ground, stumbling as though it wasn't quite sure how to move like a human.
"That is the deepest part of his magic and it will Judge you now," Morgana le Fay finished. "And so bring Judgment upon him."
An instant later, she was alone with the demon possessing her beloved. Her Greg. As the magical barrier began to flicker, it growled and started towards her.
He could see. Observe every move he made, as though standing outside himself, watching a movie or a Pensieve. He winced as his body transformed, gaining wings and tail and even lion-like legs, but everything was muted and distant. He was separate and aloof, with no real concern for what might happen. Emotion tugged, slipping past this detached version of himself.
Whatever happened, happened. The Judgment of Magic, enforced by the Goddess Herself.
He blinked. That…that was wrong. He didn't answer to the Triple Goddess…did he? A warm breeze touched his face, a whisper murmured in his ear, reassuring him. Of course he did – all with magic answered to Her.
But that was wrong, too. His Fledglings didn't answer to the Goddess. Neither had Artorius or Victoria. Who did they answer to, he wondered, even as the detachment sought to soothe his mind. To nestle him back into Her comforting embrace.
The woman was crying out, calling his name and begging for help. Begging for his Magic to stop. Pleading not to be hurt. How foolish – did she think to escape Judgment? He smiled as his Magic picked her up, slamming her into the wall. Yes, yes. Judgment for his Fledglings, at last.
Then she reached out and touched his arm – and he felt it. "I forgive you, honey. I know this isn't you – that they made you do this."
His Magic faltered – and so did he. The High Priestesses? They, they were just enforcing the Will of the Triple Goddess. That was all. Summoning his Magic to Judgment, just as he'd wanted. This was right, this was just. Wasn't it?
"I want you to know, I never stopped loving you." He saw her close her eyes – a gasp tore through his detachment, sending emotion pouring through his being. "I've missed you so much."
'Marina?' He felt tears trickle down his face even as his Magic snarled offense.
The detachment snatched at him frantically, but he shook it off. Marina. She lifted her chin, brave in spite of the fear he could smell. Her gray met his solid scarlet. "Just, please, if you ever loved me, make it quick."
His Magic roared, hurling her sideways and into the metal bars of the cage. She slid to the ground and his Magic advanced, fury a living thing inside his chest. Fully gryphon with no trace of humanity.
'No! Marina!'
Memory slammed into him with the force of ten-ton nuclear bomb and he collapsed, his spirit's palms hitting the ground of the cell. His head came up, bound to his Magic, yet separate like the half-alive ghost he'd been for a couple hours once upon a time.
'Stop! Don't hurt her!'
On the cusp of seizing the front of Marina's blouse, the gryphon froze. Turning its – his – head, it growled, revealing fangs in place of his canines. "Hurt my human. Hurt my Fledglings."
He staggered back to his feet, absently grateful that his spirit had defaulted to a fully human form, even if he could feel the weight of a ghost trap dangling off his belt. SRU Team One Ghostly Ghostbuster, round two.
'I know. I know she hurt me and my kids. But it wasn't just her.'
Another growl rumbled. "Explain."
'The Malfoys. They tricked her into thinking they were the kids' parents. And Emilia tricked her, too. She didn't even know magic was real; she had no way of knowing what those love potions would do to me or the others.'
Solid scarlet narrowed. "Morgause." A hand waved to the confused, bewildered, terrified Marina. "This one claimed that Morgause stabbed my Tercel and poisoned him."
'Yes, she did,' Greg confirmed. 'Used a Suppression Potion powerful enough to kill him. Or he could've bled out from the thigh wound.'
"She pay, they pay," the gryphon vowed. "Judgment."
'No,' Greg insisted. 'I cast Marina out of my life. That was my Judgment. She regrets what she did and she only came back because Morgause and Morgana threatened her family.'
About to turn back towards his victim, the gryphon paused. Wings hiked a touch higher in interest. "You Judge as human?"
'Yes. I broke up with her. Banished her with no chance to ever become my mate.'
Intrigued, the gryphon cocked its head to the side. "This. Judgment?"
He nodded. 'Ask her. Ask her how much it hurt when I broke up with her.'
"I ask. You. Not done."
Ghostly hazel closed in pain. 'No, I'm not.' He opened his eyes again, gazing right into the depths of his scarlet magic. 'Please, I'm begging you. Don't make me a murderer. Even if you decide she does deserve it, please don't make me do it.'
Silence hung. They both knew that if the gryphon did not strike Marina down, Morgause would not. She would taunt the gryphon endlessly, throwing Marina's actions in its face for as many times as it took, but she wouldn't risk losing the chance to force Greg into cold-blooded murder.
Then the gryphon let out a rumble and shook itself from head to wings to paws. Its tail shook itself out, too, eagle feathers flaring wide. "Hurt you. Many times. Not hurt again."
He swallowed hard, dread curdling in his gut and settling into his Adam's apple like a lump.
The gryphon turned, looming over Marina with spread wings, a wide, crouched stance, and fingers curled into claws. "My human banish you?"
"What?" Marina scooted back into the bars, staring up in abject terror. "Greg?"
"Not Greg," the gryphon snapped, wings flaring higher. "My human? He banish? Cast out?" It cocked its head to the side. "Break? Up?"
"Oh," Marina breathed. "Yes, he did."
"Hurt you? Inside?"
She sniffled hard, scrubbing at fresh tears in her eyes. "Yes," she whimpered. Lifting her chin, she met the gryphon's eyes. "I love him, but… He couldn't forgive me. Not after what I did."
"Hurt his Fledglings," the gryphon hissed, bristling. "My Fledglings."
Marina curled in on herself. "I wish I hadn't," she sobbed. "I wish I'd never met the Malisons! Or Emilia!"
The gryphon reared back, then leaned forward, studying her. "Make wet. Why?"
Behind it, Greg laughed a hollow sounding laugh. 'When we humans are sad, we cry.'
It craned around, gazing at him with wide scarlet. "What cry?"
"What?" Marina whispered, lifting wet, reddened eyes. "Who…who are you talking to?"
A growl reverberated and she cringed back as the gryphon's hard gaze landed on her once more. "Why sad?"
"I lost someone I loved."
"Your fault."
'Not helping!' Greg snapped. 'That's called rubbing it in!'
Eagle wings flexed and the gryphon craned back at him. "Rub what in?"
"You. You're talking to someone. Who?"
Parker crossed his arms, forcing himself to stay focused on his magical self. 'Salt. If you rub salt in the wound, it hurts. And you are pouring on the salt, big time.'
The gryphon considered this, wings flicking to and fro as fingers twitched and the lion's tail lashed. "Love. Her?"
He winced. 'Yeah,' he whispered, eyes dropping to the ground. 'I do. Even after…' He gestured helplessly. 'Everything. But my kids, they'll never trust me again if I take her back.' Another hollow laugh echoed in thin air. 'I chose them. I can never again choose the other.'
"Greg? Greg, is that you?"
"Miss? Her?"
Wild hazel shot back up. 'Oh, gee, ya think! I love her and I can't ever have her again!' He crumpled even as the gryphon reared back. 'What can I do? What can I say? She's all that I could ever hope for – she means everything to me. But she hurt my kids.'
"Greg, are you still here?"
He looked at her, seeing her hand outstretched, emotion shining in her eyes. Faith, hope, love. He couldn't help it, he reached back, ghostly fingers brushing hers, yet never grasping. How could he bear what lay ahead? Living without her with so much unsaid. But…his kids… He couldn't let them down again.
He collapsed down on his knees, a whimper of anguish escaping. Kids…or Marina… He couldn't have both, no matter how much he longed for her. How much he missed her. To remember their journey together…why was this where it had led?
Then he felt fingers curl around his wrist. Familiar, even if he wasn't used to feeling them as a third-party. Greg Parker lifted his head towards his magic side. The gryphon inhabiting his body – so out of place in a human world and unfamiliar with human customs. His magic, fully unshackled and free to do as it pleased.
The gryphon tugged, pulling his hand back to Marina's. Then it clasped Marina's wrist and turned her palm upwards. He lowered a hair, wrapping his fingers around her wrist – and hazel widened in pure awe as she focused on him and grasped back.
"Greg," she breathed, relief shining. "You're alive."
A faint smile quirked his jaw. "Yeah. Just a little…divided…at the moment."
His magical half cackled amusement. "Human. Soul." A feral smile lit his body's face. "Mine."
"And you're mine," Greg murmured, unsurprised at the instant nod. "What, not taking the chance to be free?"
A low rumbling growl, accompanied by a tail lash he felt. And the first complete sentences the gryphon had managed this time. "I am the power, but you are the soul. My power is enriched by your heart." The feral smile widened, accented by fangs. "Tolay cannot trick me into weakening myself this time."
He blinked. "You. You need me?" His gryphon half nodded somberly. Greg swallowed nervously, but… "So. Can we just…rejoin? Like last time?"
The gryphon hissed angrily, wings flexing in equal fury. "Witches. Want you to bow. Want them to bow."
Fresh dread curled. "Something you can't explain? 'Cause I got absolutely nothin' outta that."
Scarlet locked on his hazel and in an instant, he knew. He knew what Morgause's real plan was, beyond even her attempt to turn him into a murderer. He opened his mouth to tell Marina and choked when Morgause's spell wrapped around him, silencing him as razor-sharp red-gold talons wrapped around his soul and squeezed.
Dammit. How the hell do we get outta this one?
His gryphon side nodded in perfect accord.
Author note: As ever, I hope everyone enjoyed today's chapter. In Real Life news, I had a wonderful time with my parents in Chicago and now I've even (mostly) caught up on all the little things one needs to do when one has been gone for over a week. As a side note, if you didn't have a chance to hop over to Archive of Our Own to see the Art Commission I posted on my birthday, please do go check out Gaia's wonderful take on Lou's Animagus form. = )
In other news, I've gotten the September feedback on Small Beginnings and, once again, I have a lot of work still ahead of me. But I have every faith that the Lord will guide me into what He wants for Small Beginnings and it will be every bit as successful as He wants it to be. Thank you to all of you who have been praying for Small Beginnings. I appreciate it more than I can say.