The Aftermath

Persephone

His yellow flecked eyes stared calculatingly at me. He looked me over quickly, his eyes resting on my hand gripping my scythe tightly. He was looking at me like I was an enemy. I repeated my question, more forcefully this time.

"Why. Did. You. Do. That?" My voice was pointed. The change in Xavier was too unsettling.

At this point, Solskin barreled out of the other room. He locked eyes with Xavier, a sense of happiness creeping over his face. Then he saw the body. Blood was already pooling beneath Xavier's feet. Solskin's eyes met Xavier's once more, widened with shock.

Xavier remained silent, staring blankly at us.

"I followed her here." With a slash, he cut away the back of her uniform, revealing a large black tattoo in the shape of a skull.

I glanced at it quickly. I could see the resemblance to the crown tattoo. "Three Kings?"

Xavier didn't respond, instead turning to enter his room. When he left, the tattoo began to pulsate with blue energy and the body dissolved away, leaving nothing behind. I was unnerved, not from the body, but by Xavier.

Solskin

I stared at the retreating form of Xavier. There was so much I wanted to talk about with him. I wanted to lean on him, to depend on him. But I was hesitant. I sensed an irreversible change within him. He felt evil. He felt like the villain behind every story. I looked at Persephone. "He's still is Xavier, right?" The uncertainty was practically dripping out of my voice.

Persephone stared back, her eyes clouded with deep thought. "I don't know." She went to the door, closing it slowly. I heard the loud click of a lock. She turned around and sighed. "He has changed."

I didn't speak for a long time. I felt so conflicted. I felt like I should be fighting Xavier, but I still wanted to look up to him. "Já." That was the best reply I could manage. I headed back into my room, still trying to process what had happened. The world felt like it was collapsing under me.

Persephone

Solskin left for his room. I slipped back out in the hall after unlocking the door. Closing it with soft click, I let loose a sigh of relief. I stared at the door, watching the edges of the black rot creep towards the center, retreating until it completely disappeared, leaving behind a plain wooden door. The tips of my fingers were skeletal and my arm tingled with a hot sensation.

"Not as bad as last time," I murmured to myself. After a few unfortunate brushes with Solskin, I was growing accustomed to the pain. I began to expect the tearing sensation at every moment, feeling like my flesh was being ripped off my bones. Somehow, it made the pain more manageable. With a shake of my head, I shoved away my useless thoughts and returned to my room. I slumped against the door, my head banging against it with frustration.

I was cursed. Thanatos said there would be a price. I was tainted. Tainted by the destruction of the natural order. I felt pressure build up around me. All of my problems crashed down on me, and I felt like only then did I truly understand what a situation we were in.

"Curse Solskin, Mordred, Xavier, and those damned Demons. Why me? Why do I have to deal with all

this," I muttered to myself. All I could do was sigh and try to move on.

I stared at my hand, the last of the black skeleton hand fading away. I stood up slowly, suddenly feeling lightheaded. The room spun out of control.

"What in the Hades?" The feeling left as quickly as it came. I continued towards my bed, letting the tiredness in my body take over. I went to lie down just as there was a loud crash.

It was me. I watched myself collapse to the ground, blood trickling down out of my mouth from an outsider's perspective. My flesh was slowly turning grey and I was spasming on the floor uncontrollably. I didn't take me long before I realized I was dying. I rushed back to my body, my skeletal hand reaching out to touch it. A loud ring pierced my ears, deafening me, as my hand touched my body. My vision went dark. I woke up some time later, slumped on the ground and a small black flame dancing at my feet.

Mordred

Burn. Burn Everything. That was all I could think of. It filled me with an indescribable pleasure. I tried to shake off the thoughts, but the primal joy of arson kept returning. The thoughts were not mine. They were his. Dracoth's.

He led me towards the city, black flames coalescing into a massive sphere of doom. As we neared, the anticipation was killing me. I could sense his eagerness, his desire to burn everything. And I could feel it too. The drop in concentration and in willpower as the primitive joy consumed him. I rushed back out, using every inch of my willpower to regain control. The flames dispersed and a roar filled my brain.

"How dare you?'

"Get cockblocked." Triumph filled my voice. My celebration was cut short when I felt the force of a thousand trucks slam into my brain. I nearly lost control. Scrambling around, I wanted to warn someone of the impending apocalypse. I bit my finger, pain shooting up my arm. Blood welled.

"Perfect." I whispered to myself. Tearing away my sleeve, I began writing on it. Reading the words out loud, hoping the extra effort would allow me to concentrate enough to not lose control.

Ash demon. Mage guild. Half dem…

My body stopped responding, my finger trailing away from the cloth. I focused on the cloth, watching it disappear.

With a breathless whisper, I pleaded. "Save me."

With that, Dracoth regained control. The black flames shot out everything, like a fire tornado stretching to the sky. I watched the cloth catch on fire. A small flame slowly burning it away. And then it was gone.

"God, please let them see it before it disappears!" I cried inside. Dracoth let out a another roar and stomped back inside.

"Ash, you idiot!"