He was on the ground.
Under the ground.
The darkness and the dirt oppressed him on every side. It was in his ears, in his eyes, in his lungs. He inhaled and couldn't get any air.
Behind him he could feel the ratworm. Coming on. Coming after him.
Trapped.
Trapped and lost with no way out.
They were all around him, throwing their massive bodies against the quaking shell of his abomination. His ground shook and his shelter shuddered, closing in around him.
Where is Hunter? Don't you know?
The tunnels turned and twisted in an endless maze. He was running with no light ahead and terror behind, gasping for breath where there was no air.
Trapped. Trapped and lost with no way out.
Where is Hunter?
He was on the ground, his body still and lifeless, a hole in his chest and shattered bones in his skull.
No, no, no, no, no!
Darius pressed down desperately on the gaping wound, blood gushing between his fingers. Below him Hunter's normally pale complexion was white. White as a corpse. His face shone like a light against the crimson splattered across his cheek, pooling behind his head, staining his flaxen hair.
"Darius."
The bone-white face split in a grin. A skeletal hand closed around his neck and pulled him down to press his ear against the pale, bloodless lips like the whispered kiss of death.
"Darius, wake up."
Darius woke up with a gasp, lurching forward into the darkness of his room so violently that he tumbled over the side of his bed and face-planted onto the cold, hard floor of his cell. For a moment he lay face down, struggling to find his way back from the terror of his nightmare. It lingered like a miasma over his soul, heart pounding in his ears and mouth dry with panicked gasps for air. He could feel his bedclothes tangled about his legs and the rough wooden floor slats pressing against his face and he clung to the sensation of their presence against his body. As awkward and uncomfortable as he was, they were solid, familiar and reassuring, a tether back to reality.
Good morning, floor. How nice to see you so early in the day. It's been a while since I got to be this close and personal with you.
Slowly, painfully, Darius calmed, and the roaring in his ears faded away to the distant lilting notes of birdsong. He groaned, rolling over on his back to gaze up at the ceiling, barely visible in the dim light.
It was morning.
The first morning of the end of his life.
Darius forced his body through the motions of getting ready for the day. He undressed, shivering in the cold of the morning and slipped into his uniform. He took his time snapping every clasp and threading every button. It would probably be the last time he'd ever wear it. Glancing in the mirror over his wash basin he was greeted by the sight of his face, drawn and haggard with dark, ominous circles under his eyes.
Back in the Library his last words to the Golden Guard had been filled with conviction, righteous anger, and absolute confidence in his abilities. Now, as he stared at the sorry state of his reflection, he felt only a sickening dread. Sleep-deprived and terrified, he was already in poor condition to meet the demands he had placed upon himself. He should have taken Hunter's other options, any of them. He had been offered clemency and forgiveness on a silver platter, if only he could be content with an acquaintanceship instead of the intimacy offered by friendship and time spent in each other's presence on missions. An acquaintance as distant colleagues should by all rights and reason have been enough for him. But no. He had to insist on making himself seem somebody special, didn't he? He just had to make sure that he was an important enough person to the Golden Guard to work with him on a daily basis.
Why? Why in Titan's name did he think it was a good idea to wage his dignity and his status as the highest achiever in the program, against the chance to risk his life again on dangerous missions with a man who thought him incapable and insubordinate? He glanced at the clock on the wall as he made his way down the quiet stairs, the air just beginning to stir with the noise of waking scouts behind the thick cell doors. He had three hours. Three hours to get his affairs in order and compose his eulogy. At least his parents were already dead and didn't have to bear the shame of watching their son make a fool of himself in his final moments.
The three hours passed vaguely, like a dream of agonizing immobility as he waited for the collapse of all of his ambition and purpose. He mulled over his life's decisions as he absently forced down what might have been a delicious breakfast if it hadn't tasted like ashes in his mouth. He pondered the certain doom which awaited him on the grounds of the arena as he mechanically followed the steps of his warm-up stretches. He smiled weakly to the distant cries of "good luck!" which left the lips of well-wishers, a sure portent of disaster if he had ever heard one. He even managed to make some sort of muttered reply when Perry saddled up to him and wished him good morning with a bright smile and a gentle hand on his shoulder, but almost everything that went on around him disappeared into the overwhelming pit of despair that swelled in his heart like a black hole.
Darius was dimly aware of the growing milieu around him as he wandered in the general direction of the benches. Meanwhile the rest of the contestants finished with their preparations and took their own places on the sidelines, the stands filling with friends and family members here to support them. They milled about, some chatting with one another amicably, others gathered around copies of the program. Darius didn't bother looking at it. He knew he'd be last. They always saved the best for last and the sight of the Golden Guard beating him to a bloody pulp was going to be prime entertainment for the masses. Darius found an empty spot on a bench furthest from the door and sat down to wait. Perry followed and took a spot next to him on the bench, chatting excitedly about the various prospects of their friends and making predictions.
The whining, pinched voice of the announcer crackled through the loudmouths and brought him back to himself with a start of panic.
"All rise to make a pledge of allegiance to our glorious Emperor Belos!" Everyone in the stands rose to their feet and followed along to the recorded musical accompaniment, some muttering under their breath while others belted the words with religious fervor. Darius couldn't even bring himself to hum along. It was mercifully short and the audience soon retook their seats with a distant rumble of bodies and voices.
The announcer read off the names of the first two contestants as they took their places at opposite ends of the arena and a hush fell over the crowd.
"Begin!"
The two students threw themselves at one another. They traded spells and blows in a fierce onslaught of yells and explosions. It was fascinating, to be sure, but Darius couldn't bring himself to watch, fixing his eyes instead on the patterns his boot was making in the dirt.
Darius listened distractedly to the duels progressing with a growing sensation of nausea. Battle after battle commenced and concluded; the winner lauded with accolades and the assurance of a generous job offer while the loser slunk dejectedly away to rejoin the faceless throng in disgraceful obscurity. Perry kept trying to engage him in conversation, pointing out good moves made by the contestants and laughing at their stupid mistakes, no doubt trying to distract him from his impending doom. Normally Darius would have been laughing along with him, cracking jokes and contributing his own witty commentary, but every derisive remark about another's failures seemed to him a portent of his own future disgrace.
Perry finally seemed to notice his unresponsiveness and fell silent, looking up at him with a concerned frown on his face. "Are you okay, Darius?" Darius tried to smile, but he knew that if he let his jaw unlock for even a moment he would lose all control of his emotions. He may be about to make a fool of himself on the field, but he'd be boned if he broke down into a blubbering mess in front of his friend. All he managed was a pathetic, croaking "All good" hissed through clenched teeth and from the way Perry's eyes narrowed he knew he had failed to be even the slightest bit convincing.
"Darius."
Darius leapt to his feet at the furious sound of his name and whirled around to stare into the narrowed eyes of his coven head. The imp sat enthroned in the arms of a droopy-faced purple golem, an expression of utter disdain on his ugly mug. Darius straightened his back and tried to meet the disapproving gaze with his usual air of flattering deference.
"Yes, Blitzen, sir? Is there anything I can help you with, sir?"
"Close that impudent trap of yours this instant, you little nitwit."
Little?
The irony of the comment was completely lost on its utterer. The imp was apparently in excessively bad humor today. His face was magnificently maroon with rage and his limbs were shaking so rapidly it almost looked as though he was vibrating in his seat. Behind him he felt Perry step silently back a few paces
"It has come to my attention that your battle today is not with a fellow student, but with the Golden Guard himself! The right hand to the Emperor! Who, I might add, is injured as the result of a disastrous mission that I have no doubt was your fault somehow." Darius' anxiety quickly took a back seat to his rapidly swelling sense of irritation.
Great. Air out all my dirty laundry in public, why don't you?
"Darius, this has gone far enough! When my cousin, Professor Hermonculus, gave you a recommendation for our leadership program I was willing to consider your talents. For an orphan I can say that you've even managed to impress me occasionally with your natural abilities and a certain level of charisma. I've been willing to give you a chance, despite your regrettable lack of connections and your frequent tardiness. This, however, is one bridge too far!" Blitzen leaned in, the abomination swelling to raise him up menacingly over Darius' head. "I expect, no, I demand that you immediately forfeit the match. I'll not have any member of my coven disgrace our good name and ruin our good will with the Emperor with this blatant show of disrespect to the Golden Guard! You must resign, I say. Immediately! Post Haste!"
Darius stood frozen, stunned by the impossible choice in front of him. Forfeit? Fail on purpose? He would be stripped of any possible rewards for his months of hard work in the leadership program, and Hunter… Hunter would think him a coward. Darius felt the anger rise boiling to the surface within him, eclipsing his anxiety with indignant rage. How dare this little pipsqueak tell him to pull out? To embarrass himself and Hunter for the sake of this puny disgrace? It took every ounce of self-mastery Darius possessed to swallow back the retort burning on his tongue. He could do it. He could whip out every angry, bitter verbal weapon he had at his disposal to give Blitzen the dressing-down he so desperately deserved, damn the consequences. It would feel so, so good in the moment. But…
Darius let his shoulders slump, bringing his arms up to curl around his body, the picture of cowed dejection.
"You're right, sir. I don't deserve to stand in the same arena as the Golden Guard, let alone fight someone of his illustrious position." Blitzen nodded, his bulbous head waggling like a hideous, overgrown baby.
"When he came to me and told me that he was going to grace the training grounds with his presence I was so humbled by the magnanimous opportunity he was granting us that I accepted on impulse. It seemed like the least I could do to show my appreciation for his status and abilities. It's just…" Darius placed his fist in his mouth and softened his expression, as if carefully pondering. "The Golden Guard was absolutely insistent on this match. I can't speak for him, sir, but I fear that forfeiting could be seen as a sign of grave disrespect. He could interpret it as a sign that we think he's weak or incompetent. But, if you insist…" Darius heaved as dramatic a sigh as he could muster. "As soon as he comes to the field I'll offer him my immediate resignation and tell him just how invested you are in his well-being. I'm sure he'll be touched to know how afraid you are of his humiliation, how you'll make sure he won't be publicly beaten by a little nobody like me." A brush of his hand under his eye, a resigned little sniff, and Darius turned slowly, allowing his words to sink into the thick little skull.
"Wait!" The whole Abominable ensemble moved with truly impressive alacrity to slither its way around him. The look of startled panic on Blitzen's face made Darius bite the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting into scornful laughter. "Perhaps I was too hasty." The imp wrung his hands and muttered to himself. "Yes, yes, I was too hasty. Too hasty indeed. We mustn't insult the Golden Guard. Must avoid giving any offense." The golem deflated until the imp was at eye level, allowing Blitzen to sling a far-too familiar arm around Darius' shoulder. "Nothing for it, my boy. You'll have to fight him. Now no buts! You just go out there and do your very best to make sure the Golden Guard doesn't feel as though he's wasted his time on you. I'm counting on you to make a good impression for our coven." Darius nodded, flashing his most winsome smile and widening his eyes in innocent agreement.
"Oh yes, sir. I'll do my best to make you proud, sir." Darius kept the smile plastered to his face as the loathsome creature slithered away. Amazing. The witch was dumb as a rock, but perceptive enough of his own self-interest. He felt Perry slip back into his place beside him next to the railing.
"You know, Darius, you scare me sometimes. Seriously. It's a really good thing you didn't join the illusion coven because you are already way too good at manipulating people." Darius sniffed disdainfully.
"Some people just make it too easy."
"I also noticed that you lied. You told him that the Golden Guard asked for this duel, but you told me that you asked."
"What an idiot like that doesn't know can't hurt him. I'm not forfeiting either way." Perry nodded and nudged him gently.
"Are you feeling better?" Darius smiled weakly.
"A little bit, I guess. Running rings around idiots does feel good, but the Golden Guard is no idiot." He swallowed hard. "What am I going to do, Perry? There's no way I can win."
"Didn't the Golden Guard say you could beat him?"
"He said a lot of things." He fixed Perry with a stare. "Do you think I can beat him?" Perry's mouth dropped open with a nervous stammer. Darius barked a hysterical laugh and sank his head down to rest on the railing, shoulders curled and tense. "See? This is it. I'm going to get my ass soundly handed to me in front of everyone. Everyone is going to know how pathetic I am, not just the Golden Guard. Blitzen will strip me of my assignment. No one is going to want to give me a chance after this." His breaths were coming hard and fast. He knew he was spiraling, the thoughts and feelings crowding in on him like the dark walls of his nightmare, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He was going down and whether it was in his mind or in battle it made no difference. He was mucked. Royally mucked. Golden Guard level of mucked.
A gentle hum slipped through the mire of his thoughts, like sunlight peeking through the curtains in a darkened room. It was a simple, familiar melody; a lullaby commonly sung to quiet restless children in the soothing voice of someone he knew. The hum vibrated through him from the contact of a flat hand on his back, accompanied by a warm sense of calm which sank into his weary body. Bleary eyed he turned his head and looked up into Raine's concerned smile. He stared at them for a moment before letting out a wry chuckle. He stood back up, the hand lingering gently on his back as his breathing deepened and his heart-rate slowed.
"What are you doing here, Raine?" They smiled and let go, smacking him lightly on the arm.
"You're welcome, Darius. It's nice to see you, too."
Darius listened distractedly as Perry filled Raine in on all the gory details of his conversations with the Golden Guard and Blitzen as he stared out at the duels, lost once again in the contemplation of his imminent demise.
There were only four duels left. Darius forced himself to watch as he moved through some gentle stretches on the sidelines. He accepted a sip of water from Raine but turned down the offered energy bar. The very thought of food caused his tense stomach to clench painfully.
Three duels left. He made notes in his head of battle strategies and potential pitfalls; ways he could trick the Golden Guard into making a mistake. He ran through various offensive combinations, pondered the best defensive stances, and checked his abomination pouch compulsively to make sure there was enough to last the whole battle.
Two duels left. Darius paced back and forth along the railing, feet keeping time with his racing heart beat.
One duel left. Darius sat down and put his head between his legs, trying to get his breathing under control while Perry rubbed his shoulders and Raine hummed his medicinal melodies.
The battles were over.
"Our next contestant is Darius Deamonne. Due to unforeseen circumstances Darius' opponent is unable to participate in the duels. The Golden Guard will replace him for this last event."
A shocked murmur ran through the crowd and into Darius' heart like lightning. Raine stopped humming and Perry's hand dropped away from Darius' shoulder. Their absence left him feeling weak and alone, and wanting nothing more than to run as far away as magically possible. His racing, anxious thoughts rushed back in to fill the silence after Raine's soothing tunes, but he grit his teeth and pushed them all to the back of his mind as he forced himself to stand. He could do this.
Darius stepped onto the field, heart hammering wildly in his chest. He felt naked and exposed under the weight of a hundred staring eyes.
"All witches in attendance rise in honor of the Golden Guard!"
The audience rose all around him like a wave on the Boiling Sea, heads craning to catch a glimpse of the figure standing tall and formidable in the opposite entryway. There he was. The ivory cloak shimmered in pristine whiteness, no longer besmirched by the dirt and grime of Darius' mistakes. The gold on his staff and mask gleamed in the light of the late-morning sun and Darius looked away. Hunter was gone, subsumed once more into the impersonal, unyielding personage of the Golden Guard. Darius knew that somewhere under that mask two magenta eyes were analyzing him, preparing the best strategy to take him apart with brutal efficiency. There would be no mercy or quarter offered him this time.
"Begin!"
It was almost surreal. One moment Darius had been staring across the field at the menacing figure. There was a flash of red and suddenly the figure was gone. It took him only a second to blink, to realize what was about to happen, but it was a second too long. He blinked and then the staff was slamming into his unprotected stomach, knocking the air from his lungs. He gasped and staggered back, consumed in the bright blossom of pain. The Golden Guard pivoted, his form perfect, and swung his staff up and over his head, gathering momentum for another strike. Darius threw up his hand to summon his Abomination between himself and the curving arc of the staff. It came roaring up out of his material pouch, arms reaching out like a deadly embrace. It was all for naught. The staff cleaved through the creature like it was scattering snow.
Bones, dirt and muck!
Darius scrambled away, pulling up another Abomination and trying to put as much distance as he could between himself and the Golden Guard.
Flash.
Darius tried to turn, feet tripping over each other. He went down and the staff just missed his flailing arms in the happy accident of his clumsiness. He tucked his head and rolled, sending more material out into the golem as he turned over so that it swelled to truly monumental proportions above him. Its arms swung out and swiped at the Golden Guard to crush him. In an instant he was out of reach, darting back in with a bright flash of red light and swiping at the massive, purple leg. It crumpled and dissolved into a wave of violet goop that rained down upon the both of them. Darius ducked his head into his arms, unable to avoid getting splashed, but at least it had the momentary advantage of compelling the Golden Guard to flash away. Darius slapped his hands down onto the edges of the purple pool and pulled. The liquid shot back up into a legion of middle-sized Abominations, smaller, but faster.
Will this be enough? The Abominations quivered. Darius felt his grip on their forms falter, a couple of the dissolving before they could finish taking form. Darius gasped at the sensation and grit his teeth, pouring his focus into the remaining golems. They rushed forward at his command in an attempt to surround and overwhelm the Golden Guard. He flashed-stepped between them, dispatching them with easy swinging strikes of his glowing staff.
Darius rose sweating and panting to his feet. He gathered each fallen Abomination and reformed it, sending it back against the Golden Guard who merely danced away.
It's no good. I'm doing this all wrong!
Darius let out a yell in frustration and switched tactics, compressing the Abominations into the figure of a great, writhing mass, tentacles flailing and grasping at the darting figure below.
Focus! Keep it together! The Golden Guard leveled his staff, drew a circle and fired. Darius threw himself out of the way with a scream as the blast disintegrated his Abomination. Before he could gather it together for another attempt there was another flash and he found himself staring into the fearsome golden mask merely inches away from his face.
"Stop holding back!" Darius yanked the Abomination back towards himself just in time to block the blow. Hunter's voice was hard and angry. "Is this supposed to make me trust you? You think you can cover my back with a lame-ass effort like this? You're not even trying to beat me!"
A flash of crimson light, and he was behind Darius, staff swinging at his head. Darius felt the heat of it against his neck as he ducked and scrambled away.
"I am trying!"
"Then make me believe it!"
THWACK
Darius felt the impact of the staff against his shoulder before the world turned upside down and he was sent flying across the arena in an undignified roll.
He sat up with a pained gasp, clutching at his throbbing shoulder. Hunter was so fast, so unbelievably fast. Never in his life had Darius felt more utterly and completely outclassed.
Flash.
Darius yelled and rolled, barely managing to escape the staff as it smashed into the sand next to him. He curled up into a ball and pulled the Abomination over him into a shield just in time to block another strike. He lay there, gasping for breath and heart pounding in his chest. The shield shuddered and wobbled unsteadily under the onslaught of Hunter's blows. They rained down without hesitation or mercy and it was all Darius could do to hold up the shaking shell around him.
In an instant he was back in the cave, the ratworms trying to force their way in. He closed his eyes and the darkness swallowed him up, oppressing him on every side. He was trapped.
Trapped and lost with no way out.
His breathing picked up, panicked and desperate.
This is it. He bit back a sob. Any second he's going to break through and I'll have to yield. It's over.
Let me in.
He felt it then, a presence at the edges of his consciousness. It was dark and shimmering against the border of his mind; a thin strip of silver sand holding back the rolling purple depths beyond. The voice in his head did not speak with words, or with pictures, but he understood the full meaning of its request.
Let me in.
It was the Abomination calling to him, wanting to be let out. It pressed lightly at the barrier between them with calm, steady pressure. If I let you in, he thought, what will you do? Will you take over me? Will I lose control of my body or mind? His answer was the same, gentle invitation.
Let me in.
His choices stretched before him, slipping fast away with the passage of time. He didn't know what would happen if he let this strange being into his mind. Worst-case scenario it could possess him, take over his body and soul without any hope of future separation. He'd be trapped forever; either a silent observer in his own skin or have his consciousness blotted out entirely. Or it could help him, like it had done in the cave. It had responded to his commands then, and only required a home on his head in recompense. What would it require now? Did he have the luxury to ponder everything that could go wrong now? How much did he have to loose that he just couldn't think of in the moment?
A crack split the side of his shield. Darius gritted his teeth and whimpered. He didn't know what would happen if he let the abomination in, but he knew what would happen if he didn't, and by Titan he was tired, so mucking tired of being helpless. Darius took in a deep breath, filling up his lungs, and then let it out, dropping all his physical and mental defenses. The silver barrier between them shivered and warped inward, the presence passing through and into him like liquid seeping into a cloth. He felt the Abomination on his head grow and morph. Purple material sprang from his skin, wrapping around his body and covering every inch of him in its warm embrace. A final blow shook his enclosure and the shield around him shuddered and fell just as the Abomination closed across his face.
The world seemed to slow down.
He saw the glowing head of the staff pierce the purple wall, arcing down towards him. He reached up, catching the staff around the midpoint of the ivory handle and stopping it mid swing. The Golden Guard's masked face was suddenly inches from his face, shocked and startled eyes staring at him through the eye slits of his mask. The sight made something rise giddy and vicious in his gut and he felt a grin break out across his face. There was a strange buzzing sensation at the tips of all Darius' nerve endings, as though he were sharing his skin with millions of fire bees. He pressed into the feeling and the abomination shot out, over the staff and reaching for the Golden Guard with plumed purple fingers.
The crimson light lit up once more and the Golden Guard yanked his staff out of Darius' morphed grasp, flashing backwards and out of reach. Darius giggled, feeling euphoric and slightly dizzy, as though he were drunk on something deliciously bad for him. He focused, zeroing in on the figure standing in stunned immobility only a few feet away.
You like to dance around, don't you, Golden Guard? Well then, let's dance.
Down he went, into the ground, feeling it swallow him up into darkness just as before. He wasn't going far this time. He came back up into the shocking brightness of the sunlight just behind the figure of his opponent.
Our turn.
His arm became a long scythe, just like that day in practice so many weeks ago, only this time was different. This time he didn't have a scythe in his arm. This time he was the scythe. There was no barrier, no delineation between himself and his weapon. And, this time, there was no one to come between them and their foe. The Golden Guard must have heard them coming. He turned just in time to block the purple scythe with the edge of his staff. The shock of the blow sent both Darius and the Golden Guard reeling back, doubling the distance between them.
Darius could distantly hear shouts and screams bursting around him from every side of the arena. He felt the Abomination ripple around and inside him, thrilling in the electric energy of the crowd. It bubbled and coiled around them, swelling them up to tower over the puny little figure which still stood in pathetic bewilderment below. Darius felt eyes open all across their body, spilling light into a vision that now stretched before, behind, and all around him. They could see the bright sky above, the gleaming sand below, the stands full of people leaping to their feet and pointing all around them, and they saw him, the object of all their fixated attention. They threw back their head and let loose a maniacal laugh.
Let's do this.
They dove, swinging the scythe at the figure. It flashed and danced away in little bursts of brilliant red across the field. Down they went again, into the earth's embrace. Darius felt themselves pass through the particles of sand and soil, brushing them aside like water molecules before bursting forth, reaching out for the Golden Guard with a violet oozing arm.
Flash
In an instant he was gone again, darting away like a frightened little snackrabbit.
Not this time!
Again they dove and emerged, pressing their opponent back, making him flee before their onslaught. When he retreated they were there to cut off his escape with a swing of the scythe. Damn that mask. They wanted to see the fear and bewilderment on his face at this sudden turning of the tide of battle. With a roar they closed the distance and into the circle of the Golden Guard's defense.
Their left arm extended to close around the staff and yanked it out of the Golden Guard's grasp, sending it spinning across the grass. This was their chance! They swung the scythe at the man's neck, but encountered only empty air as the Golden Guard jerked backward, throwing himself into a back handspring. His feet followed the arch of his body, snapping up so fast they smacked Darius's arm and scythe over their head. They over-balanced and fell back, only managing to stay upright due to their firm grip on the earth beneath their feet. They saw the Golden Guard dart across the sand for his staff.
Oh no you don't!
With a roar they slammed their hands down on the ground, sending two streams of Abomination material shooting forward to intercept the sprinting figure. The Golden Guard dodged one and leapt over the other, reaching out to the staff… And then Darius was before him, rising out of the earth in a violet whirlpool. Darius could feel the light of victory on their face as barreled into the Golden Guard, forcing him down to the ground. The man lay sprawled beneath them on his back, pinned between their legs. Darius pulled themselves up, scythe raised above their head to deliver the final blow. In the same instant there was a blinding flash of red and Darius felt the burning heat of the staff suddenly against their chest. For a moment time stood still, the heaving of their chests the only movement to break the stillness as they panting for breath. Darius tried to think, tried to calculate their next move to break the stalemate.
"Yield!"
All such thoughts fled their mind as the clear voice of the Golden Guard rang out across the field. Darius stared down into the narrow eye-slits. An angry, roiling part of them wanted to resist, wanted to refuse to yield. They were so close! Victory lay sprawled under them, only waiting for them to close the circle of their scythe.
No.
He breathed in through his nose, taking it all in. The harsh brightness of the gleaming sand, the tangy scent of sweat, the sound of Hunter's panting breaths beneath him.
This is where we stop.
He closed his eyes and leaned back with his arms raised submissively over his head, letting the Abomination separate from his skin and shrink back into itself on top of his head. As it left him it took with it all of his adrenaline, leaving him drained and defeated. He stood on his knees for a moment swaying in exhaustion, head bowed as the audience leapt to their feet screaming and clapping.
He had lost. Darius's body ached and his stomach felt like all the blood in his body had congealed into a solid, rotten mass of despair.
That's it. I lost. Goodbye graduation. Goodbye job. Goodbye Hunter.
"Darius!" Hunter's eyes twinkled behind his mask. He grasped Darius by the forearm and pulled them both up to their feet, slapping him heartily on his shoulder.
"Congratulations, Darius. You passed!"
Darius blinked and gaped at Hunter, his mouth falling open like a dumb fish.
"I what?"
"You passed. Well done! Now wave to the crowd, you gave them quite a show!"
Perhaps he had hit his head too hard. A concussion was the only explanation for the absolute nonsense that was coming out of Hunter's mouth. He clutched at Hunter's cloak and staggered slightly, feeling dazed and disoriented.
"Wait, wait, but I lost! I yielded!" Hunter gave a slight chuckle and
"Darius, you fought me to a draw. In real combat both of us would have probably ended up dead." Hunter slung his arm across Darius' shoulder and guided him back to the benches and out of sight of the crowd. He sat Darius down and looked him in the face, eyes narrowing in concern at his lack of response. He motioned to a couple attendants from the healing coven who were standing waiting anxiously nearby and stood to move out of their way.
'Wait!" Darius' arm shot out to grasp Hunter around the wrist. Hunter sank back down with a nod to the attendants and they retreated a pace. Darius looked back at him, searching beyond the mask for a sign in those eyes, hardly daring to hope. "I.. I don't understand what this means. Please Hu… sir. I need to know what this means… for us. For the missions and everything else." He dropped his eyes, not wanting Hunter to see the anxious tears brimming in their corners. His chest felt unbearably tight and he held his breath, waiting for an answer. Hunter gave a wry chuckle and rubbed his gloved hand soothingly up and down Darius' arm. Could he feel them trembling?
"Well you didn't win, but you didn't exactly lose either. You yielded but, like I said, in a real battle we would have gone down together." He sat silently for a long while, head bent over their clasped hands as though he were thinking hard about his next words. Darius shifted impatiently and tried to swallow back his growing unease. Finally Hunter raised his head, returning Darius' anxious gaze with open, resolute eyes.
"I have a compromise. How about you continue to practice with the Emperor's coven for a while. That way we can see each other as often as you like, every day if you can get yourself up out of bed early in the morning. You'll get to build your skills and show me all the friendship stuff." Hunter's eyes practically twinkled. "As for the missions, let's just take this a little at a time and see how well you can get that crazy thing on your head under control. You nearly took my head off out there!"
His tone was light and his eyes cheerful, but the rest of Hunter's face was still hidden behind the mask. Darius tried to recall what it looked like. In the dark of the cave, only illumined by the small, tremulous lantern, his face had been worn and haggard. He wondered what it would look like now, with those soft eyes looking back at him with just the hint of a smile. Would he be able to read acceptance in that face? Respect? Maybe even pride? Darius was filled with the sudden compulsion to take that mask in both hands and rip it off, tearing down the veil that concealed that face from him. Instead he took deep breaths, letting him feel for the first time, just how badly he was shaking. Now that it was all over, the last of the anxiety and fear which had carried him through the fight fled from his body, leaving him feeling empty and weak. With no defenses left the tears came, spilling over his cheeks in silent waves of relief and gratitude. He bowed his head until his forehead rested against the hard metal of Hunter's mask. It was solid and cool against his flushed face.
"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you. I promise I won't let you down again." Hunter snorted and ran his gloved hand through the wispy Abomination on Darius' head which now twined tame and docile about his fingers.
"I know you won't."
Darius' vision swam and he closed his eyes with a tired moan. He felt Hunter push gently on his shoulder until he was leaning back against the wall then stand and pull his hand gently out of Darius' grasp. Darius tried to tighten his fingers, prolonging the contact for as long as he had strength left in his body, but the leather covered hand slipped away to be replaced by the prodding hands of the attendants. They spoke gently to him, offering him water and checking his vitals. From somewhere on his right he heard Raine and Perry's voices calling his name. They sounded happy, and that was good. He was happy too, but he needed a serious nap. As he let the ache of exhaustion settle into his bones he hoped they would just let him pass out on the bench, because he doubted he could stand at this point.
His duel would go down in history, no doubt about it. It took a whole day for the judges to tabulate the results but when the scroll was finally posted no one was surprised to see Darius' name enshrined in honor at the top of the list. Darius couldn't help himself. The praise and accolades constantly lavished upon him would have proven irresistible to even the most saintly ascetic. Even Blitzen hadn't stopped bragging about the caliber of scouts in the Abomination coven and Darius was happy to take all the glory he could get. He felt like a dragon sitting atop a horde of delicious gold was graduating, with honors, with a job waiting for him, and EVERYONE knew it.
Raine and Perry caught him in the act of graciously accepting a flower from a giggling witch with orange fur. WIth a flourish he tucked the blossom into the lapel of his graduation regalia and bestowed a kiss upon the witch's hand.
"Thank you, my dear. I will treasure your kind words for as long as I live." He turned away as the poor thing melted into a red-faced puddle and slung an arm around Raine's shoulders.
"Good morning, my dear friends. How lovely to see you on this fine day!" Perry socked him in the side.
"About to lose my breakfast after that disgusting display." An apparition of Darius with grotesquely exaggerated features appeared before them, dipping the orange witch into a slobbering kiss while fans squealed in the background." Darius nodded appraisingly at it.
"Not bad, but I think you should add at least a couple more admirers. I need someone to rub my feet and someone else will need to take notes while I dictate the nation's new beatitudes and commission a statue in my honor."
Raine sighed and shrugged Darius off. "This is a little much, even for you, Darius. Careful, or your head will get so big you'll topple over" Darius shot his most winning smile back at his friends. "Can you really blame me? I fought the Golden Guard to a draw, that's got to be something worth commemorating." Raine rolled their eyes.
"It's obnoxious is what it is. I can't go anywhere with you without someone stopping us to tell you just how amazing you are." Darius shrugged.
"Well, I guess I just am that amazing, then. Aren't I?" Perry snickered.
"So amazing. You're practically a legend." The illusory image of Darius morphed into what he supposed to be an approximation of what he had looked like in the final moment, the Golden Guard trapped underneath him. It was startling to see himself from the outside like this; his body enveloped in writhing purple with glowing green eye slits criss-crossing his torso, arms, and legs. The abomination made him seem larger with its additional mass coiling around his muscles and the scythe that he raised menacingly above his head curled sharply to a cruel point. His face barely looked anything like himself. His eyes were completely black and his expression contorted his features into an ugly mask of rage and bloodlust.
The thing that struck him the most, however, was the figure stretched out underneath him. Hunter looked small and helpless and completely at his mercy, despite the staff raised defensively between them. Taken all together, the image was more than a little unnerving. Raine whistled and the image dispersed in a swirl. Darius let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and grinned brightly, hoping to dispel the uneasy feeling in his gut.
"Wow. I guess I looked pretty awesome."
"Terrifying is more like it." Perry pointed to the purple plume rising from his scalp. "So what's with the Abomination on your head? Are you trying to start some kind of new Abomination coven fashion trend? You'll have to dispel it eventually." Darius coughed awkwardly into his fist as he scrambled for a plausible cover.
"Nah. I just think I'll leave it up for now. It makes me look intimidating and will be a handy reminder to everyone of the time I wiped the training grounds with the Golden Guard's pretty ass. I think I'll call it Luci." Raine looked disgusted and Perry wolf-whistled.
"I'm sorry, did you just refer to the Golden Guard as a 'pretty ass?' And why Luci?" Darius blushed at his own choice of words.
"First of all, I did not refer to him as a pretty ass. I said he has a pretty ass. And I call her Luci because I'm such a powerful witch that I can make lucid abominations. Get it?" They both groaned, shaking their heads.
"That's really not any better, Darius." Perry said, face-palming. Darius crossed his arms and cleared his throat in embarrassment.
"By the way, thanks for being there to cheer me on during the duels. I really appreciated it. I was spiraling pretty hard and having you both beside me meant a lot. especially since, you know, my parents couldn't be there."
"Sure thing man. That's what friends do for each other." Raine frowned.
"Speaking of which, do you think Alador will be here?" Darius' smile dropped from his face and he looked down, scuffing his boots in the dirt.
"No. We haven't spoken since the day I left for the mission." Perry whistled.
"You mean he didn't come to see you even while your leg was broken? Man, that's cold!" Darius scowled. What good did it do bringing this up now?
"No. He was probably off with Odalia again. He's not here right now because he flunked out for doing the same dirt when he should have been training. Maybe he'll finally get the picture that she's bad for him."
"Don't be so quick to judge." Raine's voice was soft and measured. "You're right that she's bad for him, but I wonder if she's worse than even we know. What if she coerced him into staying away from you? I really feel like she's been sabotaging his career and his relationship with you. You know he's not that hard to string along…"
"Shove it, Raine." Darius growled in frustration. "Alador is a grown-ass witch who can make his own mistakes. In any case, why worry about him right now? This is my day and I intend to live it up without any interference from goggle-eyed idiots and their puffy-faced princesses."
Raine's frown deepened but behind him Perry sighed dramatically. He shoved Darius playfully, pushing him towards the stage at the far end of the courtyard. "All right, all right. No more talk. It's time for you to get in line." Darius stumbled forward, spluttering, but did as he was told. After all, it was his day. He deserved this little slice of exultation and not even Alador could dampen his spirits.
What did dampen his spirits a little was the long and tedious wait to receive his diploma. First everyone had to settle down and either get in line or take a seat in the rows of folding chairs set out in the castle courtyard. Then an old, ugly witch with gray skin and horns made an invocation to the Titan and to Emperor Belos, loudly praising their benevolence and asking that they bless these 'dear students' who owed their success to the Titan's gracious providence. (It was a little offensive in all honesty but Darius could let it slide.) And then Blitzen had to get up on stage and give a long winded speech about the values of hard work and perseverance and something or other that passed clean through one ear and out the other. And then, finally, after all of that, the band struck up a slow, grandiose sounding march while the graduates shuffled their way up on stage to receive their diplomas. Darius ascended the steps with head held high and his most winsome smile plastered across his face. Blitzen was all kind platitudes and congratulations as they shook hands and posed for photos together. Darius tried not to be disgusted by the physical contact with the revolting, hypocritical imp as the grasping little hands clutched at his elbow and pulled him in for a pathetic facsimile of affection. The schmoozing accomplished, Darius accepted his diploma scroll and turned to descend the stage when a flash of gold caught his eye.
Hunter was there in the shadow of an alcove, standing so rigidly to attention that Darius could have easily mistaken him for a statue.
Does that man never relax?
Darius bounded down the steps with a huge grin splitting his face, regalia fluttering behind him. He rounded the corner panting and darted into the dark archway.
"Hu…
"Mr. Deamonne!" Hunter cut him off abruptly, voice sounding shrill and slightly panicked. "Congratulations on your graduation. I would like to ask you for a moment of your time before you go celebrate with your friends and family." Darius stared at him completely dumbfounded.
My family? What the hell…
"Mr. Deamonne." The shadows around them suddenly deepened and Darius' whole body froze at the sound of that voice. He slowly forced himself to turn around, scarcely daring to believe his own ears.
Standing behind him, looming over him, was the Emperor himself. His tall, cloaked form towered over Darius, icy blue eyes glimmering behind his imposing, horned mask.
"Emperor Belos." The name escaped him in an embarrassing squeak and he hurriedly dropped to one knee. A low rumbling chuckle reverberated in the small space.
"I hear I have you to thank for saving the life of my most trusted lieutenant." The voice was silky smooth, deep and sonorous. It surrounded and consumed him like the deep darkness of the cave. Darius licked his lips, feeling his mouth turned suddenly very dry.
"Thank you, sir, but I'm the one who has the Golden Guard to thank for saving my life."
"Yes…" The Emperor hummed and the vibrations shook loose a terrified shudder up and down Darius' spine.
"Rather surprising, isn't it? Your mission together was such a disaster that when I heard about your duel I could hardly believe my ears. I was so impressed, in fact, that I had to take a little look for myself into our dear Golden Guard's memories to see exactly what happened during your battle." He leaned down, mask inches away from Darius' face. "You seem to be a young witch of many… hidden talents." The Emperor raised his gauntleted fingers and brushed them gently through the Abomination material on Darius' head. Darius felt the hackles on the back of his neck rise and Luci shrank back against his skull. The glowing blue eyes bore into him searchingly.
"Unfortunately my dear Golden Guard's memories of your time during the mission were rather vague about what happened after the vein collapsed. Such a shame that he broke his staff and lost my Titan's blood. I would greatly appreciate it if you could regale me with your account of what happened down in that cave."
This man can take me apart with merely a thought.
Darius' eyes flicked over to where Hunter still stood to attention, body, rigid, and immobile. Darius couldn't see his face beyond the mask, but he could see the gloved fingers clenched into trembling fists at his sides.
He's scared.
Hunter was scared. For himself? For both of them? Darius wasn't sure, but he knew that Hunter had already omitted the whole truth in his tale to the Emperor. He also had no way of knowing just how much of their interactions the Emperor had seen in Hunter's mind. A single wrong word now could end with a one-way trip to the Conformatorium.
"The consequences won't just be on you, do you understand?"
Darius let out a long breath which he hoped sounded like a forlorn sigh. He let his shoulders slump and dropped his chin, trying to appear the very picture of dejected innocence.
"I'm afraid that I don't remember much of what happened, your excellency. As I'm sure you recall from the Golden Guard's memories, I was knocked out when the cave collapsed and sustained a head injury. The only thing I remember after that is waking up with Leyna of the Healing Coven at my bedside. She told me at some length how lucky I was to have come out of that cave at all, and I owe it all to the Golden Guard. I would be happy to grant you access to my memories if you so desire, but I am ashamed to say that I don't have much of anything to show you. It's all such a muddled blur." He allowed his eyes to drop to the ground as if in embarrassment. It was a gamble. If the Emperor called his bluff and took a look into his memories…
"Such an obliging young witch." Darius swallowed but kept his head down. The cold metal fingers traced down his jawline and pressed gently on his chin, lifting until he was staring once more into those unblinking blue eyes. His instincts were screaming at him to look away and it took every ounce of his self mastery to keep his eyes open and soft. The Emperor held his gaze for a long agonizing moment, until Darius could feel sweat beading on his forehead with the strain. Finally he released Darius' chin and stood back up to his full imposing height.
"I thank you for your offer, young Deamonne, but that won't be necessary at this time. Take care until we meet again. I'll be watching your career with great interest."
The Emperor moved around Darius, the long robes brushing lightly against his shoulder as he passed through the archway and disappeared around the corner. Hunter immediately turned to follow him. Without thinking Darius twisted around on his knees, his hand reaching out to close around Hunter's wrist. The cloaked figure hesitated for the briefest of moments, mask tilting slightly to glance down at him.
"Thank you."
It came whispered so small and breathy Darius half thought he had imagined it. Then he was gone, hand slipping from Darius' fingers, swallowed up into the darkness and leaving Darius behind once more. He didn't know how long he knelt there on the hard stone floor staring into the shadows after the fluttering ivory cloak.
"Darius!"
Darius sprang to his feet. Raine rounded the corner with Perry and LIlith in tow. "There you are! We've been looking all over for you!" Lilith nodded regally with an air of patronizing approval.
"Congratulations, Darius. Your accomplishments on the field of battle do you credit and I would be honored to celebrate them with you if you are amenable." Perry rolled his eyes dramatically.
"What Lilith means to say is that we want to take you out and have reservations at the Skull and Crossbowls. Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah." Darius spared one more fleeting glance back into the empty shadows of the archway before turning towards the daylight and the smiling faces of his friends.
"I'm ready. Let's go."