Pain. Marcus had been caught in the trap.
But it was worth it.
Marcus let his instincts guide him, and didn't realize until much later just how far he'd come since this whole adventure began. Marcus lashed out with his left hand, turning his body as he did so, to catch Alicia's whip just as it hit him. He wasn't able to entirely stop it, but he was able to stop it being fatal. At the same moment he felt the tip of Maddie's spear pierce him from behind, but the twist of his body meant it had pierced his back near the shoulder, avoiding all vital spots. The pain was almost as strong as the relief he felt at knowing he had saved Maddie from the trap Alicia had thought was sprung.
He heard Chastity's scream as she saw what was happening, though he couldn't make out the words. He called upon his new abilities from his father and lashed out with the wind, creating a blast of wind around himself and Maddie, pushing Alicia and her hellhound away. Marcus' breath left him in a gasp as Maddie pulled her spear back, spinning and readying herself for another strike. Marcus kept his gusts of wind blowing, creating the space he needed to turn with a small smile and lay his hand gently on Maddie's head.
The change wasn't instant, but he saw the berserkers hold lift from Maddie's eyes. After the briefest of moments, she was back to herself. We may need her berserker state still… but right now I need her….
"Marcus…?" Maddie's voice came softly, unsure. Still trying to shake the effects of the Mist tricks Alicia had been using.
"Finally awake huh?" Marcus said, forcing his voice to be as normal as possible, though even to him it sounded strained. "About time sleepyhead." Marcus felt his knees start to buckle but forced himself to stay standing. Can't fall. Not yet.
"Wh… What's happening?" Her eyes searched his, seeing the pain there but not registering yet what had happened.
"We're saving the day, what else?" Marcus barked a laugh, careful to keep his front to Maddie, not letting her see… "What do you say we stop playing around with these guys and show them what a real team can do?"
Maddie's grin came readily to her face, nodding. Marcus returned her smile and let the gusts of wind he created die down. At least, that's how he'd like to put it. In reality I don't have the strength to keep them up anymore… "Chastity and the rest are fighting hard. Go give them a hand would ya?"
"What about you?"
"I have some unfinished business with the Leash over there." Marcus messed Maddie's hair gently before gently pushing her towards the others. "Don't give in to that mindstate too much okay? We're here, rely on us." He watched with pride as Maddie nodded, readying her spear again before charging back into the fight around them.
"Always the survivor. Always the hero." Alicia's voice was full of venom as she stalked back to him. Marcus turned to face her, stumbling back a step as he did. Not yet.
"You know me. Stubborn as a Pegasus." Marcus smiled in the face of her glare. Forcing himself to lift his sword again, Marcus readied himself for another attack.
"Oh please." Alicia cracked her whip. Marcus tried to sidestep it but he was too slow. Too hurt. The whip cracked against his shoulder. He bit back a cry and tried to backpedal to reduce the pain. "Why." Alicia snarled. "Why. Why. Why. Why! Why!" Each word was punctuated with a crack of her whip, and it was all Marcus could do to lessen the pain of each blow. By the end of her barrage his back was to the wall, barely standing as Alicia bearer down on him still. Meeting her eyes Marcus saw genuine wrath there but also pain.
"Why did you make me do this Marcus?!" Alicia cried out. "Why do you insist on staying with the Olympians, after everything they've done! Why did you turn your back on us?! Why did you turn your back on me?!"
Marcus wearily shook his head. She's blinded by hate for the Gods… No answer he gave would be good enough. No reason strong enough. Marcus just met her eyes silently, waiting for his chance. "One final trick in the playbook." Aaron's voice rang in his memory. "When you're down and out, beaten, there's only one thing left to do. Play dead until the perfect chance to strike."
"Fine. Don't answer." Alicia's voice dropped the pleading tone that had been there, her eyes hardening once again and the venom returning. "I guess I have to finish this myself. Won't work as well to make that psycho kill the rest of your friends, but it'll have to do." Alicia smiled sweetly, her new true nature showing clearly. "I'll make her do it slowly, then let her come back and realize what she did. And once she's broken, I'll send her to Tartarus. Goodbye Marcus. I'll find you in Hades, don't worry."
Her threats against Maddie woke something in Marcus. His eyes flashed, his breath hissed through his teeth. He felt the burning pain from his wound, but that was nothing compared to the inferno that now raged on his chest. With a wordless cry he called upon the godly gifts that he had awakened in himself, drawing on them more than he ever had before. He summoned a blast of wind behind Alicia, so strong it lifted her off her feet and propelled her to him. Lurching forward, he met, his hand wrapping itself around her throat and falling, slamming her into the floor of the cabin. He saw her through a haze, only knowing one thought.
I'll kill you first!
Marcus' second hand met his first, and he started to put all his strength into ridding the world of the thing in front of him. His mind didn't register who he was doing this act to, or even what the act ultimately meant. All he knew was this thing threatened his Maddie, truly threatened her, and that couldn't be allowed to exist. He was lost in that haze, a haze that's only sound was a wicked laughter, while piercing emerald eyes followed his actions in the back of his mind.
But Alicia still had a trick of her own. Roxie appeared out of nowhere, knocking Marcus aside and propelling him back through the air, causing him to crash against the wall again. The pain of the impact cut through the red haze that had blurred his vision, and he came back to the world around him. Alicia choked and coughed, sitting up and fixing him with a stunned look.
"A… Allie I…" Marcus started. He hadn't meant… he didn't really want to…
Alicia stood, using Roxie for support. But before she could do anything else an arrow snapped into the floor next to her. Turning his head, Marcus saw that the rest of the battle had been decided, with Marcus' party being victorious.
Alicia's gaze followed his, seeing what he saw. Before the rest of the party could do anything further, she turned back to Marcus. "We'll sort this out next time, Lover." She whispered, just loud enough for him to hear, before she and Roxie both melted into the shadows. Marcus pulled himself up into a sitting position, barely having the strength to do just that.
"Next time…" he muttered, the sound barely escaping his lips as the blackness started to close in on him. "Sure…"
The last thing Marcus saw before losing consciousness was the book they had come here for lying on the floorboards not far from him, melting away into the shadows.