Of Shadows and Swords (Chiarra)

Lucius looked away for just a few seconds, looked at the man with wide eyes. "Little -" But Melody was already being made to swing at him, and only a split second shield kept him from being run through. The force of the swing slammed him up and back into a tree, the trunk hard and unyielding at his back, and he collapsed into the grass, coughing and wheezing for breath. Little brother? That - That wasn't possible. He just - That man had only been referring to their kindred as Ravens. Yes. That was it.
 
He laughed at his reaction, finding great amusement in it. "I suppose you were too little to remember," he said. "Especially since I was a terrible brother and didn't come see his sibling when...what's his name? Anyways, when that old man took you in."


While he was speaking, he had Melody bearing down on him, Melody unable to stop herself from doing it. "I grow bored of this," he said. "Join me and I'll stop."
 
((Sorry, my room got really messy since I went through like ten outfits trying to get dressed earlier, and it started to bug me so much I got up and started cleaning. Still not finished))


Lucius shoved against the ground to roll away from Melody, so that the shadow blade hit the grass instead of him, and turned desperate eyes on the man standing far away from him. He wanted to say yes, wanted to give in to save her and everyone, but at the same time how could he go with this man? This incarnation of darkness itself? But . . . he was darkness too.


Black filtered over Lucius' eyes, across his face and covered his skin until there was nothing of him left. It expanded into a bubble that didn't bounce away Melody's next swing, but caught it instead and held the blade fast. The bubble extended in all directions, swallowing her into it and holding her still that way and then just kept going, reaching for the man even though it spread all ways so that it stayed as circular as possible. It was like he wasn't even in control anymore. Like his shadows were doing the work for him. He just wanted everything to stop.
 
((Oh it's fine ^_^ ))


Melody was relieved when the bubble Lucius was forming stopped the blade, but it made Valiant mad. When the bubble kept moving, spreading out to him, he growled and disappeared, thinking he would try again. That caused the shadow around Melody to dissipate and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath. "I'm so sorry Lucius," she said tears coming to her eyes. "I'm sorry."
 
Lucius was still reeling from the force of it and tried to speak even as he struggled to reign in the darkness he'd created around them. "Not your fault. . ." He managed, even though he was shuddering where he lay, hoping that by the time she could see again he would look like himself. "I'm sorry. . . I'm sorry I'm not strong enough. . ."
 
"What are you apologizing for?" she asked. "I...I nearly killed you twice." She was shaking, utterly terrified at what had just happened. She now completely understood why there was a barrier around the camp and she planned on staying inside of it from now on.
 
Lucius only shook his head, and when the shadows shrunk far enough he kept them around himself until he felt his skin was normal again, and finally let it go, collapsing onto his back to just breathe. "It wasn't you." Was all he said, and a few seconds later Archer came running back into the clearing, panting a little like he'd been running the whole time. He probably had.


"I couldn't find an opening."


((Good night :) ))
 
((Sorry, I didn't get notified))


Melody broke into a small sob and sat on the ground, holding her knees to her chest. He was right though, it wasn't her that tried to kill him. It was that monster, but...she couldn't stop herself from doing it. "Archer," she said, looking up at him when he joined them.
 
((Its cool. Hate when that happens))


Archer hurried over to Melody and sat next to her, putting his arms around her. "It's okay. You're okay now. Lu?"


Lucius just shook his head. "I'm all right, I guess. . ."


Archer sighed. "Good."
 
Melody leaned into Archer's embrace and said, "I now know the importance of that barrier." Now that Lucius was targeted, she wasn't going out of it. "Let's get back before they leave us behind and that monster comes back."
 
Archer nodded faintly and helped her to her feet, then helped Lucius up as well and pulled them both with him. "Lts go, lets go." He wanted to get back to the group, where it was safe for everyone. The sooner they got there, the better.
 
Melody held onto him, but not too much since she could walk on her own. "Did he really say he was your brother?" she asked Lucius, very upset about that news.
 
Lucius only shook his head and stumbled along behind them, dazed and at a loss. "He can't be." He said, firmly, and then, a little less certain. "He . . . He can't be. . ."


Archer shook his head. "You're an only child and you've always been an only child. Let's just get back."
 
Melody let go of Archer for the moment to embrace Lucius in a hug. He needed comfort and she still felt horrible for what she was made to do.
 
Lucius went still at first, surprised, but then just relaxed into her, wrapping his arms around her tight and closing his eyes. He turned his face into her hair and let out a quiet, trembling sigh, and just shook his head faintly. "Thank you, Melody," He whispered, unable to make himself any louder. "I'm all right. . . I'm okay."
 
She continued to hug him a bit after he said he was okay, knowing he wasn't, but after a few moments she let go and went back to Archer, holding both Lucius's and Archer's hand.
 
Lucius curled his fingers around Melody's as Archer did, the two boys sharing a look and then starting to walk again together. If things had been different, if so many tragedies hadn't befallen them, Lucius thought that maybe he could've loved her. But there were too many things between them, even if he cared for her wellbeing and her safety as her friend and loyal knight. She was more suited to Archer, anyway, and Lucius just hoped she could smooth over some of the taller boy's sharp edges, and perhaps strengthen herself in the process.
 
Melody walked with them back to camp, looking down feeling ashamed of herself despite knowing it wasn't her fault. She was the one who suggested going to the waterfall anyways. When they got back to camp, Natalie saw them and came up. "What happened?"
 
Lucius shared a look with Archer and debated quickly on whether or not to tell her, and finally just decided he shouldn't be lying, not about another Raven, and a dangerous one at that. "We . . . We wandered too far and went past the barrier."
 
"Are...are you okay?" she asked them. "Did...did Valiant come after you?"


((I know, that's probably a sucky name lol but it's all I can come up with))
 
((Oh, no, it's totally cool :) I meant to say that when you first did it but I forgot xD ))


Lucius' fingers tightened a bit around Melody's and he nodded, his eyes on his own feet. "He's run off again." He didn't want to explain what had happened where other people could hear. He didn't want to explain how he'd lost control at all.
 
((Lol okay then ^_^ ))


Melody looked over at Lucius briefly, before looking back down at the ground.


"Oh," she said softly. "Okay then, at least you guys are alright."
 
Lucius nodded a little and let Melody go, waving her gently away. "Go on ahead. I'll hang back a little." She could be with Archer, and he and Natalie could speak a bit about what had happened, if they could get out of earshot.
 
Melody nodded and went with Archer somewhere, holding onto him. "I almost killed him," she said, shaking a bit.


Natalie smiled softly at Lucius, trying to comfort him.
 
Archer shook his head, squeezing Melody's hand and pulling her close. "You weren't in control of yourself, Melody. It wasn't you. He knows that, and I know that. Now you need to know it."


Lucius managed a faint, somewhat shaky smile for Natalie when she smiled for him, and just fell into step beside her. "No one's hurt." He said, shaking his head so she wouldn't worry. It was fine. They were fine. He just had to stop shaking and it would be okay. He'd been a knight, had swords to his throat before and not batted an eye but this . . . this was different.
 
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