Heart of Darkness

Rayven was fighting off the shades while keeping an eye on Constantine and Skender. These shades weren’t easy to fight, as if Constantine had given them some special training. Having Blayze with them was a huge benefit. The demon turned into a large ugly beast whenever his anger got the best of him. He crushed the enemy easily. The only problem was that he could be a danger to them as well and should be avoided in his beast form. The rage made him blind.

Skender was of more use than he expected. He was losing his mind until Skender came with the plan and he was even able to enter Constantine’s home which surprised all of them.

While fighting he saw Constantine standing alone and wondered what had happened to Skender. Did they make a deal and solve the problem? Did he go to find Angelica?

He was worried until he could feel Angelica nearby. Skender took her away and relief washed over him. He couldn’t care about what he and Constantine decided, only that Angelica was safe for now.

Suddenly the shades retreated with Constantine and went back inside where they couldn’t be reached. The Lords were covered in blood and injuries and stood there panting and confused as to why they were suddenly left alone.

Acheron looked around. “Where is Skender?”

“He took Angelica,” Rayven said and then tried to mind-link with him.

It didn’t work. Skender was out of reach as if something had happened to him. Rayven panicked again. What happened to them? Where was he?

Everyone noticed that something was wrong with Skender while Blayze still in his beast form was fighting air as they moved out of his way.

“What happened to him?” Lazarus asked.

“Try sensing Angelica,” Acheron told him.

Before Rayven could, he already sensed her distress and left quickly to find her. He found himself on top of a green hill where the breeze blew softly. His gaze fell on Skender lying on the floor and Angelica on her knees beside him. She had her hand on his chest and looked worried.

“Angelica!”

Upon hearing his voice, she turned to him immediately. “Rayven!” Her eyes were quick to scan him as if to make sure he was alright. He watched her as well, searching for any injuries.

“Oh, Lord!” She said her eyes wide as she looked at his shirt torn and covered in blood.

“I am alright,” he assured her.

Skender stirred and mumbled something and she turned back to him. “Your Majesty!” She loomed over him, shaking him slightly. “I don’t know what is wrong with him. What happened?” She asked Rayven.

Rayven moved closer and looked down on Skender. Only now could he think of what he had done. He had been warned not to do it. But what was he supposed to do? Hopefully, what they feared wasn’t happening to Skender.

His lips moved again and this time Rayven heard him. “Ramona…”

His eyebrows furrowed and his face looked distraught. A tear fell from his eyes and down his temple. His body was cold and trembling slightly and his heart was beating unevenly.

Angelica wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the arm of her dress. “We should take him home and call a physician.” She said looking up at him.

Rayven swallowed whatever feeling of jealousy rose to his throat and called the other lords to help him take Skender back home. They placed him in bed in one of the empty rooms in his castle.

“What happened to him?” Acheron asked.

The other Lords didn’t know about him becoming a destroyer or even him being a defender. “He might have used too much of his powers. His demon could be retreating or…” he hesitated.

“Or what?” Lazarus wondered.

“Or trying to take over.”

“Why?”

Rayven glanced at Angelica not wanting her to know what happened or she would feel guilty. “Your brother is worried downstairs.” He told her.

Her eyes widened as if she woke up and remembered they were back home. “I will go to him.” She said and hurried away.

Once she was gone, he turned to the Lords. “He is a defender and never learned to control his power,” Rayven explained.

Acheron and Lazarus looked surprised.

“Well then, we don’t have to worry. Defenders have a natural need to protect,” Vitale said.

Except for Skender. There was something about his demon that Lucrezia wasn’t telling him that could turn him into a destroyer. Something that even his parents feared.

“He could turn into a destroyer if provoked.”

“What does that mean?” Acheron frowned.

Rayven told them what he had learned and they seemed disturbed. “The Arch will kill him?” Lazarus asked. “Why did you not tell us? We would have tried to find a way without him.”

As much as he hated to admit it, “he was the only way.”

Acheron sighed. “This is not good.”

“Not good?!” Lazarus looked annoyed. “It is very bad. If something happens to him, remember that you sacrificed him.” He told Rayven.

“He was only trying to save his mate,” Acheron said to calm him down.

Lazarus wasn’t convinced. He shook his head as if disappointed. “Clearly any other relationship means nothing to you both.” He said and then left without a word.

Rayven looked down on Skender feeling a sting of guilt.

“Don’t worry about him. He values friendship a lot.” Acheron tried to console.

“I will be leaving,” Vitale said and vanished.

Only him and Acheron were left with Skender. Blayze was probably somewhere recovering from turning into a beast.

Angelica came back to the room again with William. “Did he wake up?” She asked.

Rayven shook his head.

“Should we call a physician?”

“No. His blood should heal him, otherwise, it is nothing a physician can help him with.” Acheron explained.

William slowly walked closer to the bed and watched Skenders’ distraught face. His forehead glistened with sweat. “He is having a fever.” The boy said and then looked at his sister.

Angelica turned around and left. She came shortly back with a bowl of water and a cloth. She wet the cloth and placed it on Skender’s forehead. Then she turned to them. “You are all hurt.” She said.

Acheron was equally covered in blood and wounds like him. “I am alright. We will heal shortly.” He assured her. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ​ꪶ​

Angelica insisted on helping them in any way. She called Sarah to tend to Acheron’s wounds and bring him new clothes while she took care of him. William sat beside Skender on the bed, dipping the cloth into the water again and placing it on his head.

“It is my fault. I should have been more careful,” Angelica said while washing the blood from Rayven’s arms.

“It is not your fault.” He told her. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. “No. He didn’t hurt me but he found out about my blood not having any effect.”

Rayven nodded thoughtfully. Then what did Skender do for Constantine to let them go?

“Is there something you are not telling me?” she asked him. “I don’t want any of you to get hurt because of me anymore. We can find a way that doesn’t include a fight.”

“There will be no more fights,” he said his thoughts somehow absent and Angelica noticed his distress. None of them were completely happy or relieved yet.

As the day went by, Skender only seemed to get worse. His body was burning, showing signs of inner turmoil as he writhed sometimes and mumbled some unknown words. He would sometimes call Ramona’s name and other times speak a language none of them could understand.

“I don’t understand. What is happening to him? Are we only supposed to watch him?” William said at last.

“None of us know what is happening,” Rayven said.

“Should we not call Lucrezia?” The boy said in a protective voice.

Of course. He was protecting the man who saved his sister. He wasn’t the hero in this situation and envy stabbed him in the heart again, making him bitter toward himself.

Oh, Lucrezia would enjoy this but she would probably find some cruel punishment because he didn’t listen to her.

Lucrezia took her time to arrive. She could already see the fire in her eyes and the slight smirk on her face whenever she had an entertaining secret or a cruel punishment.

“Hmm…” She looked at the bed where Skender lay. “I see you didn’t listen.”

William stood up from his seat and Angelica turned around. “What is happening to him?” the boy asked.

She tilted her head to one side, “I am sure Rayven has an idea of what might be happening.”

Rayven felt his heart sink. “That can’t be happening.”

“It can and might already be happening.” She said sounding annoyed. Then she turned to Angelica and William. “Since you are already involved let me tell you what is happening.”

She was doing it to punish him.

“Skender is a born defender. His powers were concealed for the reason that if they were activated, he would become a destroyer. And if he did become one, the Arch would kill him.”

William frowned, his eyes narrowing with anger.

“To save you or you…” She pointed at them. “He got himself involved in matters that could unleash his powers.”

Both Angelica and William looked back at Skender with sad expressions. “Did he know the consequences?” William asked.

“He doesn’t know everything. He knows he shouldn’t unleash his powers before he is ready and he should learn meanwhile but he doesn’t know what he could become a destroyer. That would dishearten him or trigger him.” Lucrezia explained.

“Can you do something to save him?”

She shook her head. “I already warned Rayven. If he didn’t care to save him when he could there is nothing I can do now.”

“That is a lie.” William glared at her. The fascination that had been clear in his eyes when he first met her was gone. “You are punishing them.”

“That I can do,” she smirked.

“He was trying to do a good deed,” William said. “He doesn’t deserve this.”

Lucrezia stared at him amused. “It depends on what makes something a good deed. The intentions or the consequences. My duty is to punish according to consequences even if the intentions are pure. Saving a few with the consequences of risking many other people’s lives is punishable.”

“If you can’t even save those you care about, how are you supposed to save others?”

“Indeed.”

William frowned and Lucrezia smiled. “I never said that what he did was purely wrong.” She walked closer to him. “You seem more emotional than usual.” She pointed.

Rayven noticed that as well.

William ignored her. “There must be something we can do.”

Lucrezia walked even closer to him and he looked at her with discomfort. Angelica shifted as well and kept her eyes on Lucrezia.

Putting a finger under the boy’s chin she lifted his head and leaned down with a smirk. “If there is, I am sure you will find a way.”

Rayven could see that the boy was holding his anger as he stared back at her. He got a strange feeling. The woman was interested in the boy and that wasn’t good. Just like she had been interested in Angelica, she planned to use William for something.

He stood up. “I need to talk to you.” He said crossing the distance between them, he grabbed her by the arm and teleported them away to another room.

“What do you want from the boy?”

She raised one eyebrow. “What do you think?”

“Leave him out of this!”

“It is too late. You got Skender involved, now I have to get William involved.”

“For what purpose?”

“It won’t be fun if I tell. I like secrets you know.”

“I am tired of your games.” Rayven spat.

She took one step closer to intimidate him. “I. am. tired of you. I am glad that I can soon focus on someone else.”

She pushed him away with two fingers and then vanished. Standing there alone, he heard William and Angelica speak.

“He saved you. We must help him!” William told his sister.

“He will be alright,” Angelica assured him.

Rayven felt his heart shrink even more. The feeling of being insignificant increased. He felt like a failure. This must have been what Skender felt like all this time, yet now he couldn’t feel bad for him because envy colored his heart.

No, Rayven. Don’t be that person again, he told himself. That was Demos.. Not Rayven.