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[creeperdoodle-blog]

Art of betrayal chapter 2. The Caves.

– Maddox –

 

“Explain it to me again.”

 

The embers of Emeriss still burned brightly against the black sky. The smell of fire and burned flesh followed the four even with as far as they were. The forests that had once surrounded the great city was flattened, charred. The smell of a rainless thunderstorm hung heavy on the air, electric, thick, magnetic.

 

If Maddox had thought Sabre set a grueling pace to the capital, Varia was even worse. The man was relentless, storming ahead towards the mountain range to the south. It was where they would be safe. Surely someone would be coming to assess the damage of Emeriss, and no matter who they fought for, they needed to be cautious. Sabre had torn a sack and fashioned a makeshift sling for Maddox, but they had no time to properly see to his arm. It was clearly broken, that much was obvious. The pain was throbbing, shooting hot needles through his shoulder and back with every step. But they were drawing near, at least.

 

As Sabre asked Varia once more for an explanation to the bomb, the commander turned his head briefly, indicating he heard him. Varia let out an annoyed sigh, though Maddox took note that he perhaps seemed too calm in such a situation. His country had just tried to murder him, twice. He was now a fugitive of Arcturus, and likely thought dead. For Maddox, this was good news. If Arcturus thought Varia and Brom dead, they would not expect them to show up to their door. The military of Arcturus was largely loyal to Varia and Varia alone. The council couldn’t stop him if he turned on them. But would he? It didn’t matter, at least not now. Maddox was far too focused on the pain in his arm to worry about whether or not Varia would be keen on stirring up a civil war.

 

“They craft explosives with specialized powders forged from the Wall of the Sun. They make hundreds of them, combining them into one large package. Mages, at least thirty of them, they combine their chants and their magics in order to launch the package great distances. Once they’ve reach the destination, they let it drop. Once it’s dropped… you see what it does.” Varia responded. It was the seventh time he had explained these… bombs to Sabre in the past two hours. Maddox had heard it enough himself, but he appreciated how eager his second was in finding out everything he could.

 

“And they have launch sites here? In Er Rai?” Sabre asked, ignoring the look he received from Brom. “Aye, they’re everywhere except Volcanra.” Varia responded, his head on a swivel as they neared the mountains. “Everywhere...” Sabre muttered, glancing to Maddox with a frown. But Maddox had nothing to contribute to the current conversation. He wanted to get under the mountains. He needed to rest. He needed to get the image of an entire city snuffed out in a matter of seconds. Tens of thousands of people, gone in the blink of an eye. So he remained quiet. It was too much of an effort just to walk straight and not fall, but he knew Sabre likely had questions that demanded answers. Answers that Maddox wasn’t sure Sabre would like. The situation, as terrible as it was, was more precarious for Brom and Maddox. Maddox felt himself safe, so long as the other two with them held off their questions and remained ignorant to the truth. It was a shaky truce they had, one that would need to be deepened and turned into a full alliance if either party were to get anywhere. But that was consideration for a later time.

 

Without the thick forest to hinder their path, the short journey to the mountains was completed before the sun rose. Emeriss could still be seen in the distance, a speck of burning orange on the horizon. The further they got, the easier it was to ignore what happened. For a moment, Maddox wondered how many of his friends were killed in the blast, but the pain from his arm quickly distracted him. If he was thankful for such a distraction, he was not yet sure.

 

Thick bushes spread up along the side of the mountain ridge, overgrown onto the small pathway up the rocky slopes. It didn’t take Sabre long to find the entrance, a circle carved into the rocks led the way for anyone who may be looking. Varia pushed aside a low hanging branch, revealing a dark crevice. The smell of fungus and earth pervaded Maddox’s senses and the lack of light did little to help him keep his bearing and balance. The soil under their boots was soft, squishy even as they proceeded into the deep darkness below. Brom didn’t start a light until they were further in from the entrance, presumably using Varia to help guide them away from walls and pitfalls. Maddox didn’t know how long they walked, but they didn’t stop until he heard the dripping of moisture and came upon a small hollow that housed a shallow pool and lent-to. There were torches on the wall, unused for years. Most of them were ruined with the moisture, but Sabre had found several that could still be lit.

 

The additional light revealed much more than Maddox had expected. Crude wooden bridges formed pathways over the pools of water. Overturned tables, cups and cutlery scattered about higher rises in the stone. Sabre had said these tunnels had been used by bandits before. He wondered now where they had gone. Maddox rested himself near one of the pools and as he did he had to bite back the wave of nausea and dizziness, willing it to pass. While he had gained back some measure of feeling in his body again, with it came the pain from his arm which threatened to cripple him again. It was not as if he had never broken a bone before, and for sure he had sustained worse injuries than this. But there was something about injuries sustained by his power, or in areas affected by it. When sensations came back they tended to do so with force. So when that sensation was pain, it hit him harder than it should. But far be it for him to show that in front of others, least of all Varia. They may have a truce now, but Maddox was not so foolish as to think that any show of excessive weakness on his part was like dangling meat before a starved wolf. He had to endure and suffer in silence if he wanted to see any of this to fruition.

 

His gaze turned towards the little demon, watching how his eyes brushed over every bit of rubble the fire revealed. He wondered briefly if his abilities allowed him to see more, or to feel more than could be seen. But his curiosity was replaced by something else. He could see it in Varia’s gaze, a hint of wanderlust. Did the little demon want to explore? He wondered what he was thinking in that moment, if he wanted to run away, to get lost in the tunnels. Surly no one would be able to find a creature of the dark down there. But as quickly as Maddox had noticed Varia’s desire to explore, it faded the moment he turned to Maddox. His expression was unpleasant, marred by that familiar weight that he always seemed to carry.

 

Maddox felt himself tense under the others sharp gaze, wondering if this was it. Was Varia going to kill him now? After hauling his ass into the tunnels? It wasn’t the worst plan, he supposed. But despite a flicker of murderous intent flashing behind that icy gaze, Varia instead dropped the sack he had been carrying, crouching to dig through it. He produced a roll of dingy bandages, dirty and worn, but able to be used still. But Maddox found that glaring at the Demon of Arcturus was far too much effort in that moment and only served to heighten his nausea and dizziness. So instead, he closed his eyes, allowing his head to rest back against the soft dirt. He could faintly hear his companions speaking, no doubt about him. He was by far the worst injured, and he only could trust that Sabre and Brom would keep Varia from killing him.

 

As it turned out, while he could perhaps count on them for that, that was about all he could count on them for. Brom came behind Maddox and Sabre on silent feet, catching Varia’s eye and doing a silent count down. “Hold him still, Nihalian, or he’ll cause more damage.” Brom told Sabre as he pounced Maddox, holding him in a lock with his arm outstretched for Varia to splint. Maddox balked at the sudden hold, even more at the influx of pain. Not that he could thrash very much, but he instinctively tried to throw them all over, wanting nothing to do with whatever they were about to attempt. While Maddox could keep mum about his pain and wounds, that lasted only until they were tended. If left to quietly sit with his pain he could filter it out, section it off in his mind for a while. But when someone was poking and prodding, jostling it and causing hills and valleys of physical pain, he couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t hold the pain at bay. At those time he was indeed childish, doing everything he could to escape his helpers turned tormentors.

 

Sabre had hold of his back, strong arms wrapping under Maddox’s own arms and limiting his movements. In any other situation Maddox could trounce Sabre, but with the added strength of Brom, and the break in his arm, he was virtually helpless against their grasps. Between Brom and Sabre, Maddox was well restrained, but as Varia grasped his arm, he was able to jerk away from him. Without thinking twice, Varia shoved himself against Maddox’s torso, his back pressed against the mans chest as he secured his arm against his own body. The struggle seemed to last for minutes, before a sickening crack echoed through the chasm. In an instant Maddox’s struggles lessened, likely due to the pain, but Varia wasted no time, wrapping the mans arm up as best he could with the limited supplies they had available.

 

There were two things that distracted Maddox from his struggling that followed in quick enough succession that he was able to forget the first with the second. The sudden sharp pain of having his arm set had done a hell of a good job chasing away his first lapse in concentration: Varia. Among the things to happen to him today he had not expected that Varia would 1. Be trying to splint his arm over irreparably destroying it and him, and 2. That the other would be reverse cowgirl in his lap. It was more the second than the first event that had startled him into momentary submission, primarily do to the fact that, for someone dragged around in a cart all day, Varia smelled kinda nice. Of course that was a relative statement, for objectively speaking they probably all smelled rather rank. But there had been a spice and forest smell about Varia that reminded Maddox of deep Arcturian wood in winter. It was a nostalgic smell and he had found himself inhaling deeply. Then came the pain and he promptly forgot any remotely pleasant feelings the man before him inspired.

 

Now, breathing heavily as he lay on the dirt floor, arm splinted and mind growing clearer, Maddox leveled a glare at his second. “You...are way...too gleeful for my taste….and your health.” Maddox growled at the others smirk. Sabre was lucky Maddox was still injured, for he surely would have caused injury to the other if that were not the case. Maddox supposed the situation was funny. It was certainly ridiculous on all counts, but Maddox didn’t have it in him to laugh about it at the moment. More than his own pain, his thoughts kept turning to the city aflame, the lives snuffed out suddenly and brutally. There was also no small bit of guilt, not just for not protecting the city, but for also being unable to protect the soldiers that had been with him. Instead he had given priority to the three with him, two of which were professed enemies, one of which likely still was.

 

“We shouldn’t linger too long. There are better safe stops further in.” Maddox said to Sabre, though he was loathed to move. But they had taken a relatively straight path to this spot, which meant it would be easy to find compared to some of the others. The Arcturians had gathered near the small pool, whispering in hushed voices, pointing every which direction. Maddox wondered if Varia was pressing Brom for more information, of their familiarity. He supposed they would have to come clean sooner rather than later. For now, he was thankful Sabre had left it be.

 

Sabre helped him to his feet. The pain was there, but dulled, only an ache now. Brom brought him several herbs he had pulled from the pool, instructing him to chew on them as they moved and they certainly helped to quell the hurt. Brom had gone ahead as they moved through the winding caverns, forging fake trails and scouting ahead. The more Maddox’s mind returned to him, the more uncomfortable he was in the darkness of the caverns. He had never cared much for such small and dark places. His own experiences inside of caves just like this, perhaps a bit colder, had seen to that. But Varia seemed perfectly at home. Of course he did. He was a little demon after all. The dark and dreary caverns would make a wonderful home for the prat.

 

One spot in the cave forked into several directions. From the left side, a whisper seemed to come with the air, that electric feeling of magic surrounding even the entrance. Varia was leading, and without hesitation he went the other way. Perhaps he sensed something Maddox hadn’t, for he didn’t think twice about moving down the center path. The walked for an hour, perhaps a bit longer before the cave opened up into a sprawling cavern. Fungus lined the pools, glowing a dim blue and illuminating the area. The ceiling was high there, too high to see before it was plunged into darkness. Water fell in a roaring fall, filling the pools with fresh water. Fish could be seen swimming calmly in their crystal depths. For a moment, that same wanderlust crossed Varia’s face, his eyes wide as he gazed around the area. Various ramps led to higher levels of the cavern and also other tunnels. Small buildings were scattered throughout, and they had their pick of where to stay.

 

“Have your fishing skills improved any?” Maddox asked Sabre as he spotted the small fish darting about in the pools of water. “Which cavern is this, anyway? I always managed to get turned around in these things.” That was a good thing. Maddox reckoned if he was so turned around, anyone who may have tracked them there would be equally lost. His eyes weren’t focused on Sabre though, instead following the movements of the small commander in his presence. Varia slowly stepped to the edge of one of the pools, a frown crossing his features briefly as he looked down to his own body, covered in blood and grime. Maddox saw the hesitation on the male’s face as he approached the pool, and thought it rather cute that the Demon of Arcturus was pining for a bath. Maddox would have thought the male at home in grime and blood, but perhaps it was because Varia had not caused it that he felt uncomfortable. His head tilted to Sabre as the man answered his question. "I can try to fish. Better asking the creepy assassins." He muttered, jerking a thumb at Brom. "Honestly, I'm a bit turned around, but.... considering how far we walked, I'd say this is red rock, south." He said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I would assume there’s a map around here somewhere." Maddox’s gaze briefly turned to Sabre as he confirmed their location, making a mental note. They were near a few villages, but they were still close to the capital. It was likely those villages were evacuated by now, or worse.

 

His gaze was drawn back to the pool as the sound of heavy leathers and chain mail being tossed about echoed in the chasm. Varia was undressing, clearly not at all concerned about being unarmored around Maddox, an idea that left him both frustrated at his lack of intimidation in that moment and… curious. Varia always wore that heavy armor, black as his shadows. Chain mail decorated his vital spots, his shoulders protected with heavier metals. A thick fur cloak was normally drawn around his shoulders, so seeing him remove all those layers certainly had him interested. He heard Sabre huff, hearing the other turn away from the sight, but Maddox continued to watch. He had the thought that Varia was much more attractive than he would have thought. Though scars were expected, Varia had less than Maddox thought. He certainly had less than Maddox which pricked the captain’s pride a bit. Perhaps it was just the dim lighting, Maddox told himself. Though that ‘dim lighting’ wasn’t so dim that he couldn’t appreciate the finer points of Varia’s body. It was at that moment that he recalled how Varia had straddled him before, how close the other had been, the smell of him. Maddox looked away as Varia entered the pool, hoping it was dark enough that Sabre couldn’t see the flush on his cheeks.

 

He heard Sabre sniffing near him, finally turning his gaze to his second as the man gazed down at his own body, his nose scrunched in disgust. “Go on ahead. I’ll watch and make sure he doesn’t drown you. I want to get a bit more strength back first.” Maddox said, though that was only part of the reason. Maddox very rarely undressed around others, and when he did it was usually dark. Up until now he had gotten away with it due to the nature of his work. There was always something to preoccupy himself with while everyone else was getting washed up. He had been able to largely avoid showing anyone his bare body. Even lovers never saw him completely naked, the encounters usually being rushed ones. Even when that was not the case he made sure that none saw his back. Before he had defected Maddox too had been initially put in a program in Arcturus. In that program the kids had been branded with a now antiquated Arcturus symbol. It spanned the entirety of Maddox’s back and had been branded with some kind of magic that resisted removal. At most he could cover it with magic, but never erase it. Most didn’t know what the symbol meant, and he had lied if ever someone had seen it. But Varia, Maddox was sure, would know it. With the entirety of his and Brom’s history not yet revealed, and unsure how both Sabre and Varia would take the truth, Maddox had no desire to unveil himself in such a fashion

 

So he sat on the edge of the pool, putting his feet in the cool water at least to ease their aching. “Tis a shame. You could have warmed many a bed and made quite a different living for yourself with a body like that. What demon did you bargain with to erase the hideous looks you had to have been born with?” Maddox asked Varia from the shore, trying not to stare too hard at the other’s body. He received a scathing glare from Varia as the man drifted further into the pool, small hands rubbing across surprisingly muscular shoulders. He could only imagine the murderous thoughts rushing through the little demons mind at his words, but he soon found Varia’s eyes moving to Sabre as the man stripped. Sabre’s skin was bronzed from years of living in Nihal, darker than Maddox’s tanned skin. He was well formed, dark hair and golden eyes, a pearly smile flashing from behind a well trimmed beard. Maddox saw Varia’s appraisal of Sabre and could sympathize. He too had appraised his second’s body, appreciating its tone and curves. But, alas, that was a depth be could not plumb. There had been perhaps some drunken attempts on both of their parts to become intimate, but usually it devolved into a sexually frustrating wrestle that left both of them laughing and seeking release elsewhere. So Maddox felt amusement at Varia’s assessment, though he refrained from speaking of it aloud. Sabre would probably shit himself to think the Demon of Arcturus was eyeing him. Of course such a thought had Maddox looking at Varia again, considering what kind of bed partner the other might make. Given his reputation it was assumed he would be adverse to being on the receiving end of sexual pleasure, but then again his stature lent to one automatically thinking him on the bottom. Maddox smirked at his thoughts, imagining a petulant Varia beneath him.

 

“What, are you shy?” Varia’s voice tore Maddox from his thoughts, a smirk falling over his face as he tilted his head at the naked man before him. “I can’t have you distracted by the beauty and manliness of my body, so, for your sanity, I have refrained. Though if you are that adamant I may consent to a private viewing later, let you have a close view of certain parts.” Maddox said with a wink at Varia. Not that he expected Varia to do other than cause harm to such parts, so it was more of a joke than not. But how Varia rolled his eyes nearly to the back of his skull was amusing. “In any case, I am not so foolish as to completely divest myself while in your element.” For sure the thought of being naked in the darkness with Varia so close by was not a comforting thought. While much of his power was likely useless in such a case, Maddox had no desire to be more at the other’s mercy than necessary. “Have you talked to your second yet, Varia?” Maddox asked suddenly serious, glancing back into the gloom for Brom. The other was not in sight and likely still scoping out the various compounds. “I will remind you, whatever else you may feel about the present situation, he has kept you alive when it would have greatly benefited to let you die. His loyalty to you, disgusting as it is, is genuine. Though, coming from me I suppose that means nothing to you. Not yet, anyway.”

 

"You're correct. Anything you say means nothing to me, though I am curious as to the history the two of you suddenly seem to have." Varia replied, turning in the water to move his back to face Maddox, not that Maddox was complaining by the sight. “It’s not sudden, Varia. He’s my brother. My older brother.” Brom said in Arcturian as he materialized out of the shadows a little ways from Maddox, closest to Varia. He tossed the other a small piece of wrapped soap before sitting at the edge of the pool, slowly removing his own clothing. “We grew up in the mountains northeast of the capital, near the Frozen Sea. It was a small village of no concern to the empire. As you well know, they didn’t take noble’s children for the programs. They took children from the streets, from far remote places that thought themselves safe and which no one would notice was erased in the night.” Brom spoke softly and slowly, his narrative mostly for Varia’s sake as he did not switch to the common tongue. Maddox listened to the others speak, ignoring Sabre’s look. He knew Sabre understood Arcturian, but thankfully he wasn’t being questioned just yet by his second. They had larger concerns right now, Varia. He had already suffered a betrayal, and the man wasn’t known for being stable.

 

“They came at dawn, slaughtering as many as they took. Our parents perished, as did our other siblings. Some there, some in the camps. Maddox and I were separated, determined to have different uses to the empire with his natural born skill and my lack thereof. I was to be fodder for the likes of you and him. Pawns to throw in front of your enemies, test subjects for weapons. But Maddox, as you know, can be stubborn and tenacious, and very dangerous. The short version is that he escaped his hell, found me in mine and, rather than being the good brother our parents wished, he thrust me back into another. The program that led me to you is an Er Rai sleeper cell. Some legitimately work for Arcturus, but most intend to create more sleeper agents to destroy the empire from within.” Brom paused in his story as he removed his shirt, wincing as the fabric pulled away from his wound. “I was supposed to kill you. Er Rai wanted it. Arcturus wanted it. And if you had tried to kill me in turn I probably would have succeeded. But you didn’t. I was your friend, your companion, someone you trusted. You believed in that and sought to reason with me, to save me.” Maddox cut in in the common tongue, kicking the water idly. “I told him when he was assigned to you, when you first emerged as the Demon of Arcturus, to find out if you could be saved. If anything human was left in you. A kingdom for a demon….” Maddox scoffed and shook his head, rising to his feet and walking back towards the huts and fire Brom had started.

 

Varias gaze didn’t move to Maddox as he spoke, but his gaze darkened, his nose crinkling. "Save me?" He scoffed, shooting a glare over his shoulder at Maddox, before his eyes moved to Brom. The look on Varias face as he stared at Brom... strange, especially for him. It was clearly the first time he had heard any of this, the first time it was even suspected. It left Maddox feeling a strange way as well… guilt, was it? Varia had known Maddox was Arcturian by birth, but nothing beyond that. The two didn’t even look the same, but... many things had begun to make sense to him, Maddox could see the realization dawning on him. There had been times that Varia had Maddox pinned, and he COULD have killed him, easily. But Brom never allowed it. It went both ways as well, Maddox had plenty of opportunities to kill Varia as well, yet Brom had always managed to keep him alive as well. Varia held Broms gaze for a long moment, almost as if he was considering an attack. Maddox watched from a distance, ready to jump to his brothers defense, all useless as he may be, before Varia lifted from the water, snatching his clothes from where he had bundled them and moving away from the others. Maddox let out a heavy sigh, as if he had been holding his breath. His eyes followed Varia as the commander moved towards one of the huts, leaving the others to be alone.

 

Sabre watched the events transpire, pulling himself from the waters as well, re-dressing himself. “Well… what an interesting turn of events…” He muttered, shooting a look to Maddox, though he seemed less surprised than he should be. Maddox grunted in reply, looking towards Brom as the other climbed into the water. “I expect he’ll be leaving then.” Sabre murmured as he pulled his shirt over his head. “No.” Brom corrected, glancing in the direction Varia had disappeared to. “He can’t just live quietly somewhere, his pride wont allow the slight from Arcturus to go unanswered. But he can’t strike back without us. If he were determined to ignore the empire and live quietly somewhere he would have killed us. While I can’t say for sure that his desire to disappear wont someday outweigh his hatred and anger, at least for now I wouldn’t worry about it.” Brom said, half floating in the water, looking up at the distant cavern ceiling.

 

Maddox allowed Varia to brood in one hut, busying himself near the fire, skinning and spitting the scrawny cavern hares Brom had caught on his survey of the area. It was not easy with a broken arm, but he managed, and in doing so got some measure of control over himself as well. Maddox had not thought their plan would work out so well, nor have such devastating consequences. He had thought one or all of them would be dead by now, or that the circumstances which had propelled them into this alliance would never come. So how to deal with a foe turned ally, how to navigate his brother’s emotions in regards to him and now Varia, how to accept that their little plan may have been the ruin of the capital. Maddox scowled at the roasting rabbits. This had all been to obtain Varia. If he turned tail on them now it will have all been for naught. It was for his own sanity at least that he had to make sure that the threads keeping Varia with them did not fray beyond repair.

 

So Maddox took the rabbits off the fire, taking one on a stick in his injured hand, taking a torch with the other and going in search of Varia. He found the little demon brooding in a dark hut a little ways away, and ignored the clearly oppressive air that told him to fuck all the way off. He kicked the door shut behind him, planting the torch in the dirt, it’s glow doing little to chase away the darkness likely being fed by Varia. “I brought dinner. And don’t say you’re not hungry or don’t want it. You can brood like a spoiled kid in the corner if you’d like, but you’ll need energy for that as well.” Maddox said, also staking the rabbit stick in the dirt. He plopped down across from Varia, knowing he was pressing his luck and not caring. “Before you get too deep into your brooding I want to make sure you have all the facts. So if you choose to fuck us over out of spite or even stick with us, you know everything.” Maddox said, holding eye contact with Varia over the flame. “For the record, my brother was never on board with killing you. Whatever friendship you have with him, it’s genuine. He needed it for his sanity as much as you did. So whatever dark little thoughts you are convincing yourself of, let that not be one of them.”

 

As Maddox spoke to Varia, Varia held his gaze. He was listening, but the questions and possibilities moved through his mind frantically, his gaze sharp, yet unfocused. Maddox was able to read the demon better than most, and he could see the way Varia teetered on the edge . The shadows in the small hut were pulsating, as if they were breathing, shielding Varia and now Maddox from the dim lights of the cavern. Varia finally turned his head away. "Did Arcturus betray me because of something you two did?" He asked. It was a valid question and Maddox took a moment to think through the answer, owing Varia at least an honest one. “No...and yes.” He said, looking back at the other after a moment. “The results of the breeder programs always had an expiration date. Your kind were bred to be violent, unpredictable, berserkers in uniform. That you turned out to be rather well adjusted was a fluke rather than the norm. All of your contemporaries have since done exactly as they were expected to do: die or need to be killed. If you weren’t killed in some suicide run it was expected that you would need to be put down, a rabid dog no longer able to tell master from prey. From the view of Arcturus, Brom was put by your side, at worst as a warning to them that you had lost it, at best to put you down if it seemed you were more liability than asset. But, better than they or we expected, he balanced you out, and you kept fighting war after war for them, by and large winning.” Maddox had a rueful grin, annoyed at that fact but having to acknowledge the skill regardless.

 

“But people like winners, and despite your personality, people liked you quite a bit. All on your own, whether you wanted it or not, you began to cause movements and waves among the populace, to gain supporters above and beyond what a mere grunt was suppose to. Naming you commander was suppose to curb any ambition you had, but it had the potential to work also has a way to undercut the government. You are not nobody. So the first part of the answer is, no. You set them against you from the start by outliving your life expectancy and succeeding in ways you were never meant to. What we did do, was throw a match into the powder keg you had made of yourself. A few well placed whispers that maybe you were not so innocent in your fame, that you had ambition and intention, and Arcturus found a diplomatic reason to kill you off.” Maddox sighed and stretched his legs to the edge of the light ring made by the torch. “Here or there, Varia, rulers are not different in their fears. To them you and I will always be trash, gutter-born, dirtying their halls and polluting their vision with our very presence. Eventually they will seek to kill us. It’s only a matter of when and for what benefit.”

 

Maddox watched Varia’s gaze shift from defeat to a focused, accusing glare. Maddox expected a lot of things to come out of Varia’s lips, but what came surprised him. "They were going to cast me onto the ice when I was born. I was so small, how could I ever become what they wanted me for?" Varia’s tone was normally strict, stern, angry. But now, it was soft. It was so strange, hearing Varia speak this way, but Maddox wouldn’t stop him. "I was number 22. I have brothers somewhere, probably dead by now. It doesn’t matter anyway, considering they took me the moment Vaalar Hancock decided to keep me alive. I was raised in those dark halls, beaten for not being violent enough, beaten for not being strong enough.... but that didn’t last long. I was 5 when I killed the first person. Another kid in the program. I smashed his face into the stone floor of my room until there was nothing left, and... I was rewarded. My violence was born with me, it's in the very nature of all Arcturians, but they made me what I am. They elevated me, gave me everything I needed to rise in rank. I was the youngest commander in history, there’s statues of me in Akranes. My face is carved into murals of the greats and propaganda posters. Everything I've done, I did for them. Without them, I don't have anything. I don’t know how to be anything but what they made me to be, and now all of that is gone. Because I AM nothing without Arcturus. I am gutter-born, and I was perfectly content dying for their vision. You spoke of saving me, there isn’t anything to save."

 

Whatever Maddox expected of this chat with Varia, a recounting of the other’s history and divulging into what sounded suspiciously like an existential crisis, was not it. As Varia spoke Maddox found himself commiserating with the other and he had the feeling that, though no moisture clouded the other’s vision, that something inside Varia was crying out desperately. Maddox could feel what his brother had claimed to see time and time again in the other. Despite what Varia was saying, no, because of it, there was certainly something salvageable in the other.

 

“And yet, despite the violence in which you were bred, rather than responding with unbridled violence as you were taught, you have shown mercy, compassion, traits that surely would have invited such beatings in your youth. So I am told by Brom, anyway. That he is still alive when his attempt on your life should have prompted you to dispatch him immediately and without hesitation, leads me to believe his words. It is not salvation we are offering, Varia. We are not gods nor do we claim to have ties to such. This is not an invitation to appeal to some higher power for all the blood on your hands. This is an offer to give voice and purpose to that part of you that seeks to be more than a demon. It’s an offer to create a chance to make your own future.”

 

There was no salvation for their souls, that Maddox knew well. It didn’t matter which side they claimed and the reasons they had picked up the sword. He and Varia would share a cell in hell together if there was a hell. “There are other lands out there.” Maddox said quietly, looking into the fire. For a moment his eyes showed that same longing that Varia’s had every time he looked off into the caves. That want, need to explore, to become lost in a place no one would look for him. “Places where we are not enemies, where we need not even speak if we passed each other on the road, nor even pass each other at all. But these places, that are closed to us so long as the current empire stands. To be free of Er Rai, I must be free of Arcturus. If you wish to hang on to the creature Arcturus made of you and never be free, there are places we can drop you off and you will get first hand proof how much you mean to them and whether we are lying. It’s up to you, Varia.” Maddox said, rising and stretching gingerly. He looked down at the other, a sudden urge to hug Varia surging through him. But he held himself in check if for no other reason than crossing that expanse before Varia was ready would reward Maddox with a blade between the ribs without a doubt.

 

Varia’s eyes lowered from Maddox as he rose, watching as his boots dug into the soft, dry sand covering the floor of the hut. He was quiet for a while, and Maddox dared not to interrupt his thoughts. Varia didn’t believe him, he knew that. He didn’t believe there was a place for him in the world. "I will stay, only to see Arcturus destroyed." Varia spoke, his eyes continued to avert themselves from Maddox. "I suppose you've done your job then." It was almost spiteful, his words. They carried much, his sense of betrayal, the feeling that everything he had believed and trusted had all been for naught. Maddox had never been good about talking out his feelings. Since his family’s death, probably even before that, he had always had a problem using his words to convey his feelings and thoughts. Over time this had gotten better, especially as he had needed to be able to convey orders and intentions with clarity. Lives were at stake after all. But when it came down to his own frustrations, fears, wrath, love, he had always struggled to tell over show, communicate rather than vent. It was a disease of being a military man. It was the burden of those who spent those formative years with violence. Brom had somehow turned out alright. But then again his strengths had always been those that allowed him to speak even if all he spoke was lies. Maddox imagined that, rather than being able to get Varia to talk to him, Brom had simply been able to speak the things Varia felt or else weaved a cleaver tale to help the other out of the darkness in his heart. But Maddox was not Brom, and as he gazed down at Varia he felt a kinship with him that their animosity up until this point had allowed them to ignore. Varia too was a man of action over words. He felt too deeply for the languages he had been taught to convey. All but one, that is.

 

“Get up.” Maddox said, tightening the bandages on his arm to make sure they would hold. “I’m not going to spend the night holed up in a dark as pitch cave system with a broody demon of the dark. Thinking is not your strong suit, Varia. I’ll let you say all the things you need to, for I have a few things to tell you as well.” Maddox gave a crooked smile as he shifted the rabbit and the fire off to one side. “Don’t let this broken arm fool you. I’m still pretty eloquent with my fists. Or are you a sensitive bloke now, gonna write poems about your feelings instead?”

 

Varia’s gaze shifted up to Maddox, and for a moment he seemed confused. But it lasted a brief moment, before Varia slowly rose to the challenge. He was a warrior after all. This is what he knew. “You’re useless to me dead, so I’ll attempt to pull my punches.” The commander spoke. Maddox had grinned, gleeful that his invitation had been excepted. That grin turned downright feral as Varia said he would pull his punches, or at least attempt to. The demon had to know Maddox would afford no such consideration and for Varia to do so was at his own risk. That Varia was going to even attempt to treat him like a cripple angered Maddox even though it was somewhat valid. But he was never one to admit his weakness, least of all before a foe. So he said nothing to discourage the other his folly and prepared for battle.

 

A battle it was, though of a different sort than he had imagined. Varia had aimed low, as was expected considering there was hardly anywhere else he could reach. Maddox found himself having to use his non-dominant hand to compensate for his injury, so his elbow to Varia’s back, while probably painful, was not as successful at dislodging the other as he might have hoped. In such a small dark space Maddox was unable to keep his hold and bearing, grounded by Varia though that was not as much a hindrance has one might fear. Yes he was on Varia’s level, but also Varia was level with his fists and Maddox introduced him to both several times. Varia fought like a hellion and Maddox found himself enjoying the others ferocity. There was only one slight problem. The grappling and wrestling meant that Maddox was very close to the other. If Maddox thought the other smelled nice unwashed, he smelled even better with a few layers of dirt off of him. It was that same nostalgic smell, that same longing that pulled at Maddox’s gut when he smelled it. It was distracting and more than once he found himself biting Varia just to get the other to move further away or at least where Maddox couldn’t inhale him. But usually that ended up with Varia straddling him way more often than Maddox thought he would like. Perhaps he was still dazed from the blast earlier, or perhaps he had simply gone too long without release and his body was waffling between violence and sex. Whatever the reason, this scuffle between them was morphing into something he couldn’t deal with and which Varia was the wrong outlet for. As he reached up and grabbed Varia by the throat with his injured hand, squeezing as much as he could, he smirked through the busted lip Varia had given him. “You seem to like riding me, Varia. Are you sure you weren’t bred for the bedroom instead?”

 

He regretted his taunt almost immediately. As if a switch went off, Varias gaze grew dark. A hand reached up, before slamming it against Maddox’s throat, causing the mans head to smack against the ground harshly, a satisfying choke leaving him from the force. Varia drew his face closer to Maddox, his grip tightening on the others throat as well, unhindered by any form of injury, a silent, yet dangerous warning. "Watching you drown in your own blood would be the most satisfying thing to ever happen to me." He whispered, his eyes locked with Maddox’s once more, so close his breath tickled the other mans lips.

 

Apparently he had struck a nerve. The swift change in Varia was almost enough for Maddox to regret his words. Almost. But there was something...off about the way Varia was looking at him. It was more than the usual feral hunger to hurt and be hurt, to vent. At some point in their tussle Varia’s eyes had come to hold a different kind of hunger, one that Maddox knew all too well. But that Varia should hold such a hunger towards him was what threw Maddox and may have partially inspired his words as a way to back-pedal. But even afterwards, after slamming Maddox’s head into the ground hard enough to make the other see black spots in his vision, that hunger persisted. Thank heavens for Brom and Sabre bursting in when they did. Had he been left alone with Varia another few moments, Maddox was sure things would have taken a sharp turn. Varia rose up off of him as the others moved into the hut, shoving Maddox’s head into the dirt as he moved from the others. He stepped away, moving to where he had dropped his cloak, picking it up and smacking the dust from it. “When are we moving?” he asked.

 

Maddox remained on the ground, calming his pulse and trying to push silly thoughts from his head. But in the gloom of the room he could still see Varia above him, much too close, with a hunger misplaced. What was most startling for Maddox was that he found he wasn’t 100% sure how he might have responded if that hunger had voiced itself or persisted so close. Even more, he was unsure what face he had shown to Varia in return. “We stopped so that everyone could heal, not so you two could re-injure yourselves.” Brom chided softly. “But if there are no more wrestling matches? A day or so.” Brom answered, crouching near Maddox in an attempt to check his arm. Maddox brushed him off, finally standing and heading out of the hut without another word. He needed a bath, and to cool off. Maddox headed for the water, taking off only things that might cause him to sink but otherwise remaining mostly dressed before diving it. His clothes were a mess anyway, best wash it all in one go. His broken arm appreciated the cold to help with the aggravated swelling pressing against the binding.

 

Sabre and Brom joined him near the pool, but Varia took to exploring the cavern. He kept close enough to stay in their sight, though if that was so he could watch them, or the other way around, Maddox didn’t know. Maddox had initially meant to fill Sabre in on current events, but his thoughts had been distracted by Varia and continued to be so even as they parted ways. Maddox found himself idly watching the other male wander off, allowing his mind to revolve around his increasingly complex feelings regarding the other. Complex. No, it was actually rather simple. It was not as if Varia were the first of his kind that Maddox had felt this way towards, just the first that would likely prove an equal. There had been other men that had been opposed to Maddox. Men who he found attractive exactly for their opposition and whose attractiveness grew as they continued to thwart him. Perhaps once he bedded Varia he would lose interest, as he often did. Varia was already less a rival now that they were not on opposing sides, so all that was left was to sleep with him and completely sever the attraction. If only things were so simple. But the enigma that was Varia seemed determined not to cease to intrigue.

 

– Varia –

 

Varia wouldn't go too far, and no matter where he went, he knew eyes were on him. He had seen something in Maddox’s eyes, a deep longing, something foreign to him, yet also so familiar. Varia looked a particular way, and he was well aware of it. He was attractive, his striking features and small frame made him a symbol of sex for many men in his military, but combined with his celebrity status, he was all too aware of what lust looked like. He had been the object of affection for many people in the past, though he rarely allowed himself to be won over. He picked who he chose to bed, and no matter who he chose, he always maintained an aggressive control over whomever he took. Maybe that's what happened just then. Varia was always in control, no matter who was topping who, but with Maddox it would be a struggle he would certainly enjoy. The sudden realization that he was, once more, imagining his former enemy locked in a bloody and passionate embrace with himself jarred him. He snapped out of his thoughts, casting a glare around himself, as if he assumed someone would be near and would know what he was thinking of. He was disturbed by his own thoughts of Maddox. He had never felt a desire quite like what he had felt just then. With a brooding scowl, he turned around to start heading back towards the group, disgusted with himself.

 

He had walked so quickly, he hadn't realized how far he had ventured from his group. He could still see them, Brom tinkering off in the distance with some artifact, Sabre trying to catch fish from the small river, and Maddox, nearly fully clothed, sitting in the pool of water. Even from a distance, Varia could feel the captains gaze on him, and for a moment, their eyes met once more, thankfully far enough away that the strange and sudden lust couldn't be seen in each others gaze. As Varia took a step, a sudden wash of power spread through his body. It was familiar still, yet chilled him to his very bone. There it was again. He had felt it at the fork in the caves. Something stirring in the deep, something malicious, something evil. He had instinctively turned away from whatever it could have been, though anything living so deep in the ground could very well be his kin.

 

Varia turned his head around, gazing around the cavern, attempting to locate whatever kept calling to him from the darkness. There was nothing to be seen yet again, but the presence was much stronger than it had been at the cross roads. The air around Varia had grown thick, heavy, practically dripping with malicious intent. Varias breath was suddenly visible, as if the temperature in the cavern had plummeted, but it hadn't. The power swirling unseen through the air was immense, causing reaction all around it. Whatever had been watching them was drawing near.

 

A breeze had wafted into the cavern, something that should have been unlikely, but as it did, dark whispers in an ancient language arrived with it. It was an old language, a dark language, the speech that had been long forgotten at the dawn of mankind. It was demonic, evil, and though Varia couldn't understand the words, the feeling that came with it bore no good feelings. Varia had turned as the whispers began, though once he had, they changed. The darkness was screaming at him. It was as if his mind had left his body, and had begun assaulting him physically rather than mentally. His expression didn’t give away his fear, it didn’t give away the way he recognized the darkness suddenly surrounding him. His gaze was stern as usual, his scowl darkening as he listened. He had noticed the shadows around him bubbling, as if he were standing on a black, boiling swamp, but they weren’t his. He was not commanding them to surround him so. His own shadows swirled near his feet, dripping upwards like smoke, wrapping around his legs and waist, almost defensively.

 

They didn’t have a day, they had to leave now.

 

Varia constantly had to ignore the screaming of his own mind, so as he turned to the others, he seemed unaffected to the untrained, but it was clear to those who knew him he was shaken. Without a word, he left the swirling shadows that had begun to surround him, moving quickly back towards the others. "Get up. We are leaving now." He called, his voice unusually calm despite the hellish surroundings that had grasped the cavern. Though as he neared the others, the screams in his mind reached a new pitch, screeching into his ears, louder than the others would hear. Caught off guard by the sudden animosity, Varias hands clamped over his ears, stumbling, before he was down. Now on his knees, he reeled over, pressing his forehead into the ground, his teeth grit. It was a normal sight for Brom, when Varias own mind began its assault, but he had been good lately. He had thought he was doing better, and though he knew it wasn't him, he had reverted to the small, scared child he would always become during his own episodes. A choked gasp left him, and as if fueled by the sudden display, the cavern around them shook violently.

 

The next thing he knew, he was being lifted by someone. “Oh no, pint size! You better keep your shit together!” Maddox’s voice growled as he lifted Varia onto his shoulder like a sack of flower. The others had already begun rushing into a tunnel marked by the circle, signifying that it lead to the outside. A feral growl left Varia as he was hoisted up onto Maddox’s shoulder. The screams were still shrieking in his mind, but as he lifted his head to protest, his words caught in his throat. They were moving, but behind them, the cavern had become black, a swirling void seemed to follow them. But that heavy void had begun to take shape, a tall shape. A humanoid shape. Varia stared back into the blackness as Maddox carried him, icy eyes focused now on the crimson glow peering back to him. The screams had finally stopped, but instead, the demonic creature behind them had begun to move forward. The creature shifted a hand out, long, clawed fingers extending towards Varia and Maddox. Varia lifted himself on Maddox’s shoulder, small hands gripping at the mans back tightly, before the creature suddenly made its move.

 

It surged forward, the shadows around it shrieking as it shot towards the pair. The creature was on them in a second, its massive arm lifting above the two of them, prepared to strike them both down. Varia, luckily, had a full line of sight. Maddox didn’t seem to notice, seeming more focused on escaping the dark. Varias foot pushed out, his boot slamming into the wall of the cavern, before he pushed off with force, sending him and Maddox both tumbling to the ground, and out of the way. The demon had brought its arm down swiftly, solid claws smashing into the ground where they had been only seconds before. Varia hit the ground hard, but he sat up in a second. Behind the demon, he could see Sabre and Brom, both men cut off from him and Maddox now, before he looked back towards the shadow creature before him. The creature was huge, long limbed, with horns protruding from the darkness of its head. It didn’t seem to be a solid mass, almost appear as if it were made entirely of shadows, but it was certainly solid.

 

The creature peered down at Varia as well, crimson eyes boring into him, but Varias gaze remained defiant. Crimson eyes flickered briefly to Maddox, before the demon surged forward once more, claws extended in an attempt to tear Varia in two. Varia quickly stepped to the side, the swing of the monster barely missing him. But as Varia recovered from his dodge, the creature swung its arm back again, connecting the back of its massive hand with Varias gut, slamming the small commander into the wall near them. Varia groaned, crumpling to the ground for a moment, catching his breath.

 

The demon didn’t intend to give him a chance to recover, slashing out wildly with its claws once more. But Varia was hardly ever pinned down, and when he was, it never stay that way. His eyes narrowed dangerously as the demon moved forward once more, before the shadows that had been twitching and churning beneath them suddenly sprung from the ground, solidifying, and penetrating straight through the demons arms and torso. If the demons face were able to show expression, it would have probably appeared to be surprised at the sudden vicious attack. Before the demon had a chance to recover, Varia was on his feet, another wave of spiral shadows ripping into the demons body. The demon roared, an unearthly sound, like the distant rumble of thunder, but Varia had already snatched Maddox’s arm and was moving towards the path Brom and Sabre had secured. Despite how he appeared, he truly had no intention of fighting some ancient demon, despite the obvious amplification of his own abilities. "Hurry the fuck up!" He snapped back to Maddox.

 

Varia had a vice grip on Maddox's arm and was pulling him down the tunnel at breakneck speed. Panic kept Maddox’s legs moving fast enough to keep up, his mouth shut to any snappy comebacks. He wanted, no, needed, out of the tunnels, out of the dark. Varia had never seen Maddox so very shaken. But sunlight was not to be had even as they broke free of the tunnels and into the open air. It was early dawn, the sky pale but no where near light enough to combat the dark that followed them from the deep. The light pierced through the inky, swirling darkness around them, drawing closer with every step. Varia didn’t need to turn to know the demon had escaped his attack and was closing in on him. He didn’t need to see the fear on Sabres face, or the worry on Broms. The creature of darkness was his kin, and he could feel the massive presence drawing close to him. As soon as they were clear of the confined space Maddox dove for the blade in Brom’s hand, his own sword, which was g

[creeperdoodle-blog]

Art of Betrayal

Chapter 1: Betrayal.

Early morning mist gently rose from tall, green grass. Ancient trees bowed inward as if they slept. Rolling hills were illuminated by the soft glow of fires, scattered about over miles and miles. Small villages decorated the hills, sheep and cattle resting near their young. The dark sky was dotted with stars, streaked with wisps of galaxies far beyond their own. Mountains rose to the east, a pink hue beginning to lighten the sky around them as the sun began it’s ascent. It was peaceful there, quiet. Or it was.

Swords clanged loudly in the deep canopy of trees, men screaming, shouting orders. The darkness the night cast upon the lands had risen, tendrils of shadows whipping wildly, smashing against massive trees and downing them. Streaks of molten black decorated the ground where ever the shadows smashed, leaving blood and pieces of soldier spread across the grass. There were many soldiers, their spears steady, thrusting into the darkness around them. But the blades pierced nothing, the shadows turning into smoke with each thrust. But their target was not the shadows that tore their brothers to shreds around them, but the demon who they needed to subdue had melted into the darkness and could have been anywhere.

Blades flung from the darkness, the shadows around the area the soldiers were in was darker than the rest of the forest, clearly being fed with maliciousness. Men were dropping left and right, blades from the dark, the shadows moving on their own accord. There were only two men fighting the soldiers, and those two men had already killed half of the unit.

“Come round! Don’t let them escape!”

The soldiers lit torches in an attempt to snuff out the shadows. Some shadows retreated, but others were solid, too solid to be chased away. But with light surrounding the soldiers now, the flash of icy blue could be seen, burning out from the shadows at them. More soldiers rushed forward, their torches piercing the inky darkness, encircling the demon and his pet. They had called in the mages, the men and women unused to combat. They stood back, tomes in hand, chanting and whispering their spells. Each mage produced a cloth, dipped in herbs and blessed. As they chanted, the cloth lifted into the air, strange characters burning into them. They were attempting to trap the demon and his second in their circle, surrounding him with talismans. Talismans were crafted by mages, people who could heal and defend, but didn’t have raw strength like others with abilities. Most mages kept to the towns, crafting potions and healing injured travelers, yet sometimes, the mages would find their way into the military. They’d developed talismans long ago, a piece of paper with a defensive spell cast on it, a strong spell. The talismans were strong enough to completely rid any super soldier of their abilities. And the Demon of Arcturus was not just any random super soldier, he was one of the most powerful men alive.

The mages stepped forward in unison, the soldiers closing in. The shadows ceased with every inch forward, the talismans working more than well enough. The smaller the circle of soldiers became, the more light was cast on their prize. There he stood, his second at his side. He looked like a feral beast, icy eyes reflecting the torch fire, wild and murderous. His second in command, Brom, stood behind him, his back to his commanders, his gaze calm as he assessed their predicament. Varia slashed out towards one of the spears, a wicked and curved blade in hand, smacking it to the side.

“Surrender, demon! There does not need to be anymore blood shed this day!”

Varia’s grip tightened on his sword, his eyes sweeping over the soldiers, the mages behind them, subduing his powers. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple, his feet shifting against the grass, slick with blood. He would attack. He would attack over and over again until he was killed, or he was triumphant. He would win, he had to win. Failure was not an option. The Demon of Arcturus did not lose. He would paint Er Rai with their blood. He would blanket their people in darkness. He would bring the country to heel will nothing but his sword and his will. He was Varia. He was the Demon of Arcturus.

A gentle touch to his shoulder snapped Varia from his murderous thoughts. His eyes turned back towards Brom, catching the mans soft brown eyes with his own sharp gaze. He felt all blood lust leave him then, able to read the others gaze. They wouldn’t win this. As they stood there, surrounded, more soldiers were crashing through the trees towards their position. More and more mages were joining them. The sun was rising. They would lose if he attacked. Varia lowered his gaze to his sword, allowing it to drop to his side, before he let it go. The moment Varia dropped his weapon, Brom dropped his daggers as well, the assassin lifting his hands in surrender.

And with that, the Demon of Arcturus and his Reaper were captured. Something that should have never happened, did. How had it come to this? How had the greatest warrior Arcturus had ever seen been captured? Why had he gone to Er Rai with only Brom? He was no mere foot soldier, he was the Demon of Arcturus, one of the titans of the world.

Varia had been born with a dark gift. A malevolent, odious gift, one that struck dread in all who ever opposed him. Throughout the world, there were many special people. People who could craft a potion that could heal a wound in a day. People who could spark a flame with a flick of their wrist. Others, however, could destroy countries with their abilities. Varia was one of them. He had been gifted with the powers of Yreyr, the demon god himself. He controlled darkness itself. He could blanket the world in shadows, and few could stop him. He was the best Arcturus had ever made, the best they would ever have. He was the Demon of Arcturus, the shadow lurking behind the throne. He was everything Arcturus was and more, a honed sword that they would thrust at their enemies. No one was respected more than the Arcturian commander. Varia was their hero, the reason the people of Arcturus remained.

Arcturus was a vast country, frozen and dead. A thick layer of ice coated the grounds, an endless echo of fear and death always drifted on the wind. The strongest of people inhabited the lands, a breed of humans who didn't seem phased by the constant struggle to live or the frost that would forever threaten their lives. Arcturus couldn't grow crop, and only certain trade vessels were strong enough to pierce the ice of their shores. Arcturus built their fortune on war. The land had never been kind, and those who lived there were even less so. The isolated country had one purpose, and that was conquest. They preyed on smaller, weaker countries, stealing their resources and killing their opposition. Farmers didn't exist in Arcturus, not for crops or livestock. Arcturus traded men for goods. The breeder program was their source of income. Men and women unable to fight in their military would contribute their bodies instead. Children were produced solely for war, shipped off to the towers of the Vaalar at birth. There, they were vigorously trained from the moment they could walk. Trained to fight, to kill, to accept the violence that was born with every Arcturian. Varia was the face of the Breeders. He had risen so very far, he had become so good at what they used him for. He was everything the Breeders weren't meant to be. He was the exception, he was the goal every child in the program had. Without him, Arcturus would have fallen long ago. Yet, despite all he had done for them, despite who he was and what he meant to the people, Arcturus itself feared him.

Varia should have known. The moment Arcturus sent him to Er Rai without a full regiment of men he should have known. Distrust had been beaten into him, but his loyalty was strong. Arcturus was all he ever knew, they were the family he never had. They gave him a purpose, they needed him. When they told him to go with Brom, his second in command, alone, he should have known. He shouldn't have been surprised he had stumbled upon an ambush. He shouldn't have been surprised that instead of killing the Demon of Arcturus, they took him and Brom hostage instead. He shouldn't have been, but he was. For Varia had never meant to be what he had become. Even for a place that prized military prowess over everything, there was no place for people who didn't know how to keep their head down. Varia was too much everything Arcturus was, and the Arcturian government was still too young to consider conceding its power. Steel was not suppose to have emotions, weapons had no need for hearts. There was no forgiveness in Arcturus. No failure, no compassion, only duty, war, and death.

The two were paraded through a small camp like trophies. The camp itself wasn’t impressive at all. It was built in a vast field, not anyplace Varia would have taken high profile hostages himself. The camp itself was unguarded by terrain, no mountains, no trees to shelter them. But that had it’s advantages as well, especially if this was used as a staging point. For every potential enemy that could see the post, the soldiers could see them as well. It would be impossible to take by surprise, but not impossible to surround. Varia nearly scoffed at the encampment. But the deeper into the forest of tents they moved, the reason why they had became clear to him. Elven ruins stood in the center of the camp, stone rising into the blue sky, and dipping deep into the soft earth. There the soldiers had built their cells. It was certainly better than tying him and Brom up outside.

Er Ria'an soldiers sneered at the two, spit at the men who had caused so much death the past decade. They were high profile captives, two men who should have never been caught, in theory. Yet here there they were, thrown into small, individual cells, with other prisoners of war. Their cells were completely covered in talismans. Varia was absolutely covered in them. They covered his cell, covered his shackles. This outpost was more than ready for someone such as him, they were waiting for him. It was almost insulting to someone like Varia. For someone so small, his arrogance was nearly as large as the shadow he cast. He did not need his abilities to be dangerous. They certainly helped, but he had not gotten as far as he did relying on his powers alone.

Varia had been small at birth, so small he had nearly been cast out onto the ice and destroyed. Something had stayed the Vaalars hand, and he was taken to the Tower of Nazapul, where he began training to kill before he could even speak. 'What a shame', they all said. 'You could have made more money warming the beds of soldiers.' Varia's attractiveness was something he had struggled with his entire military career. He stood no more than an inch or two higher than five feet. Deep black hair brushed his shoulders, as dark as the shadows he wielded. And his eyes. No one had ever seen eyes so piercing. The lightest shade of blue, nearly white, imitated the ice of the lands he fought for, a stark contrast to his dark hair. And the hate that gaze held could stop a man dead in his tracks. A scowl always graced his sharp features. He had to conquer his appearance to become the Demon of Arcturus. He trained harder than the rest, lashed out in violence more often, spilled blood as many times as he could. Soon his looks had left the minds of the people of Arcturus, replaced instead with awe at his conquests. It had been one of his longest battles, one that many would not understand, and more would turn their nose to. By becoming the Demon of Arcturus, he had to shed the beautiful face he possessed and replace it with something fiendish instead.

Now, they'd been stuck in the cell block for nearly two days. Varia sat in his cell, head leant back against the cold wall, carved with whorls and ancient elven text. He had spent his days in captivity staring at the characters, trying to make sense of them. But elves no longer lived in Arcturus freely. Varia was learned, for a breeder, but elvish was not a language many could speak or read outside of the isolated elvish communities that now existed elsewhere. Varia spent the first full day there, tracing the patterns, committing them to memory. They meant nothing to him, no more than drawings on the wall. But despite Arcturus’ greatest efforts, they could not remove his fascination with the world outside of the ice.

But now it was day two. He had long given up trying to decipher what the writings meant, and now he sat, attempting to plot an escape. The prison had slowly begun to fill up. Petty criminals. Thieves, mostly. No one near on his level of importance. He wondered who they had contacted. He must be kept alive for some reason. Perhaps HE was on his way. The hero of Er Rai. That would be just his luck. The other prisoners bickered and whispered, raking their tin cups along the metal bars, shouting at the guards, wept. His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, his mouth turning down into an almost disgusted scowl. He would surly go mad if he had to wait any longer, sitting in here with men like these. He wanted to smash his head into the wall, to clear his head, to draw a guard into his cell. Anything, so long as he got some goddamn quiet.

So there he sat, no longer able to think of a plan to escape. Instead, he took to brooding. He sat in the corner of his cell, his legs pulled to his chest, his cheek resting against the wall, eyes focused on the markings before him. However, as his ear rested against the stone wall, he caught something. Something faint, but certain. His lips pursed, before he shifted slowly to his feet, holding his hand as if to shush someone, though nothing would truly have stopped the criminals from their incessant arguing. He recognized that sound... The sounds of death filled his ears. Screams of soldiers, the sounds of blades slicing through flesh. The base was under attack. Varia narrowed his eyes, before his relief flooded him. Of course they’d come for him. They’d never leave him behind to die. He was Varia, their greatest commander, one of the only soldiers Arcturus didn’t consider expendable. As the sounds of fighting grew closer, he moved to the cell door, leaning his cheek against it, trying to get a good view of the door. The door to the prison was kicked open moments later, two soldiers entering the prison. Two Arcturian soldiers.

A sigh of relief left Varia, his lips turning up briefly as he recognized the soldiers. He had trained them himself and recognized them from one of his former units. He stepped forward, his arms outstretched, welcoming his own rescue. Before he had a chance to greet the men, they were already in front of his cell. It took Varia only a moment to notice that they were armed, a crossbow aimed directly at his chest, as well as Brom. For a moment Varia was still, and all was quiet. His eyes turned to Brom, before back to the man before him. His brows furrowed in realization. They were not here to save him, they were here to silence him. As that sunk in, his gaze grew cold once more, all hope, all surprise fading away. He couldn’t hear anything, he couldn’t see anything except the man standing before him. The crossbow loaded, the bolt aimed to pierce his heart. The Arcturus colors of the mans armor burned his eyes, the sigil on his chest was blinding. A sigil Varia also wore.

Before Varia had a chance to react, the soldier who had aimed at him was thrown to the side with such a force, the man rag dolled, blood spilling out of a fresh wound in his side. The blood spattered across Varias cheek and nose, the wetness on his face causing him to rear back, away from the bars of his cell. The soldier was dead, the second man was apprehended by Er Rai soldiers, but Varias eyes were focused on the soldier who had drawn on him. The mans face was twisted in horror, a silent scream permanently etched on his blood soaked face. The blood from his wound was seeping under the door, soaking the bottoms of Varias boots. What had Varia possibly done? Why would his own country send someone to kill him, rather than liberate him? Varia was NOT expendable, and had he not recognized the man, he wouldn’t have believed it. His eyes drifted from the mans face, down his blood stained armor, and to his wound. It was a clean cut, straight through the soft spot of the metal armor the man wore, and into his side, and straight through his heart. Varias scowl darkened as a familiar voice boomed through the prison cells. His mouth twisted in a sneer as he realized fairly quickly who had saved his life. "You’re not as important as you thought, Varia."

An icy gaze turned to the door, the light filtering in nearly causing him to wince. Silhouetted in the door way was none other than the Hero of Er Rai. Maddox. Er Rais captain. Varias arch enemy. The only man he had never been able to kill. Heavy boots stepped over the body of Varias own soldier as the man stepped in front of Varias cell. Varia was easily dwarfed by the man, and Maddox so loved to remind him of that. As Maddox drew close to the bars, he slumped down, placing hands on his knees as he exaggerated his crouch, now face to face with the dark assassin. "Now tell me. Why would Arcturus want their own, precious commander dead?"

The captain was built like a god, and he was reminded of such often. Tall, muscular, but not overly so. Deep pools of green shone with ill intent and mystery from a bronzed face. His jaw was strong, his nose was strong, high cheekbones and a flashy smile that was certain to cause women and men alike to melt. His hair had been dark when he was young, but living for years in Er Rai and Nihal, the harsh sun had lightened it. It was unkempt, but in that attractive way that made tavern wenches swoon. He was every bit the hero Er Rai claimed him to be. His broad shoulders blocked the light from the outside as he stood before Varia, raising to his full height. It never hurt to remind the little demon how much smaller he was.

“You’ll want to watch those bodies. That one is rather proficient in pilfering bodies for useful means of escape and killing.” Maddox said absently to Sabre, his own second, pointing at Brom as he considered his wayward rival, Varia. To be honest he wasn't quite sure why he had saved the brat. It wasn't like Varia was going to be grateful for the gesture and having Varia alive definitely proved more troublesome than the male dead. Had it been pride that had spurred him? He had always been hot-headed and short-sighted compared to others. More than likely he had just reacted to seeing the enemy invading, regardless of who their target was. But while Maddox was a lug head in many ways he knew himself well. Yes, he had reacted on instinct and charged after the enemy. Yes, he had a powerful need to protect others. These things had contributed to him killing the soldier that had aimed at Brom and Varia. But that hadn’t been the reason he had saved them.

“You know, it becomes a lot harder for me to take credit for claiming your head if your own country is out for it as well. Not that I expect you to tell me the truth of why that is. Maybe they just realized it was ridiculous to have a dwarf as their star player….” Maddox said, rising to his full height and taking stock of the prison. Varia had likely been brought here because it was little known and not a likely place for spies to look, but clearly that plan had backfired. * We’re taking them back to the capital. At least if someone comes looking there it wont be a slaughter. We’ll move any other prisoners of note as well. * Maddox said to Sabre in Er Rain. * And here I thought we could finally have a visit where you weren’t dragged into battle. * Maddox shook his head at his friend as his eyes fell again on Brom, narrowing slightly for a moment.

Sabre had thought the same, that much was evident from his face. But both he and Maddox had known better. Sabre had visited for a very specific reason. Intelligence. That’s what he did. He was a senior intelligence office from Nihal. Not to mention 52nd in line for the crown, but that didn’t matter. He would never be king. The Navari family was massive, no doubt Sabre’s taste for multiple partners stemming from his blood line. He had only arrived to Emeriss several days prior with a small detachment of men. He and Maddox worked together more often than not, and he had planned to stay. His trip home had been brief, to attend a wedding for some cousin he had never met. His father was an important man, and despite trying his hardest to put an ocean between him and his father, General Navari had demanded it so. And thank the Gods he had. Maddox relied heavily on the information the spies from the great, desert country provided.

While he was there Sabre had traveled to the prisons, as he often did. Varia’s campaign focused primarily in Nihal, and lately he had been pushing south once more. It was a strange move, one he didn’t understand, but hoped to. Varia was generally quite aware of his men who were injured and he rarely left anything except corpses behind, but this movement south had been…. Sloppy. Compared to Varia’s continued aggression in the east, it was unusual. They had found several injured soldiers left behind, not killed. That was the first sign that Varia wasn’t even in Nihal. The second had been less a sign and more an absolute. Being abandoned by ones own general did nothing for loyalty, and one of the men had been eager to give away everything he knew about the situation. Varia had been pulled from his command post weeks ago, a green general taking his place. Explained the sudden retreats and loss of ground. But that wasn’t anything unusual. Varia was an important man, he would often be called back to Arcturus for a number of political endeavors. He was their hero after all, and their high commander.

The weapon. That was what had concerned Sabre, and that’s what he returned to discuss with Maddox. A great weapn, whispers of it had been passing through Arcturian ranks, and this soldier had heard them. He didn’t know what it was, how it worked, or even if the rumors were true. Arcturus kept most things close to the chest, so the fact he knew anything at all was impressive. The war had almost grown desperate. Varia and Maddox both refused to give ground. With either of them alive, the war would likely never end. It would make sense Arcturus would find a way past him, besides Varia. It had been ten years and both men were quite evenly matched. This weapon could speed up an Arcturus invasion. He had left immediately. Sabre couldn’t have known if the weapon was real, but hearing Varia was in Er Rai with only Brom at his side was enough to convince him. Varia WAS the weapon already, it only made sense if the two were tied somehow. Now, with Varia and Brom both alive and captive… everything suddenly seemed to be falling into place.

Sabres eyebrows raised as Maddox spoke to him, his immediate protest caught in his throat as he considered the possibilities. Maddox knew what he was thinking. Sabre didn’t give much indication of what went on inside his mind, but Maddox knew the man well enough to know what he thought. Bringing Varia to the capital was madness, plain and simple. The little psycho was more than capable of completely eradicating the royal family, and parading him into the great walls of Emeriss was practically gift wrapping the city for him. Sabre opened his mouth to argue with the captain, catching himself once again . He shot a glare in the direction of their prisoners, before he gently took the captains arm, stepping outside of the prison with him. “Are you mad? Taking those two to the capital is crazy. What happens if little psycho escapes? Then Emeriss burns with him leading the charge.” Sabre had never met Varia, or his second in command. If he had, it was unlikely he'd be standing there today. He was capable of combat, and fairly efficient, but he wasn’t bred for battle like Maddox and Varia were. If Varia escaped, their only chance would be Maddox. Maddox was fully capable of stopping Varia, but the impressive captain hadn’t been able to kill him. Where ever Varia went, there was carnage. Emeriss was a beacon, a shining example of what wealth and military could accomplish. The walls were high, the city was alive, and people were happy. The city had never been taken, not by anyone. Emeriss was impenetrable, but allowing that man, that killer into the walls would mean destruction. Sabre had learned long ago to trust his gut, and the unsettling feeling of dread that was swirling inside of him was too strong to ignore. Something would happen, something they wouldn’t be able to recover from.

“The only other place to take them is Lyons, but that means going through the light forest where we will surely lose them. The road to the capital is mostly flat terrain, not ideal for an assassin and fugitive to try to escape across. We may not like it but it’s the only option. Besides, I think the king and queen took the princess to the coast for her birthday.” Maddox assured his second in command as their prisoners were escorted out. To be honest, Varia slaughtering the royal family was the least of Maddox’s concerns. Varia, in Maddox’s experience, was a sword to be pointed at the enemy before you. Like Maddox, Varia was power, not subtlety. This was too elaborate a plot if it was one intended to deceive them. No, Varia’s surprised was real, which meant the betrayal was real. Varia wasn't likely to try and do Arcturus any favors. If it was just Brom, Maddox would agree, but this was something else. "Very well.... But let's hurry. I don't like the idea of traveling with him when the sun sets." Sabre said, watching the two men as they were loaded. Traveling with Varia at night, with that sneak of a second in command could turn into a blood bath.

Varia was still as several soldiers moved to his cell, the door swinging open as they moved on him. They didn’t release his bindings, nor remove the talismans that subdued his powers. They drug him from his cell, reminding him once more he was no longer in control. His eyes burned into sabre and Maddox as he was taken to them. He flinched at the light, a hiss leaving his lips as he was pushed into a mobile cell, one drawn by horses. The cell consisted of only him, Brom, and two other captives. Apparently the only ones worth anything. His gaze moved down towards the bloody body of the soldier as he was forced to step over him, his gaze darkening as his eyes focused on the sigil the man wore. His own sigil suddenly felt so heavy, burning into his flesh, reminding him of all he had done for the country he came from. Why had they done this? If they could send a man in to murder him, they could have sent a man in to free him. What had he possibly done to warrant such a betrayal? Did they think he'd defect? Did they no longer trust him to keep the horrors he'd witnessed to himself? The possibilities were endless, but despite how his mind raced, trying to find any reasonable excuse for Arcturus, the fact remained. There was no mistake, there was no misunderstanding. Arcturus had meant to kill him, after all this time.

A small hand clenched into a fist against his bindings, his gaze raising to focus on his second in command. For a moment, his gaze seemed accusing, as if he knew it had to be Broms fault. It was a brief moment, before his sharp gaze became hollow once more. He had been warned by many. Varias influence traveled far in Arcturus, and honestly, it was a wonder that they had found a soldier willing to kill the small man. Many people had warned Varia, warned him that the loyalty and respect he demanded would be seen as a threat to his tyrannical country. They warned him, and he had disregarded their words. Despite the loyalty of the troops, his loyalty was strong, unbreakable. He’d committed unspeakable acts in the name of Arcturus, they knew he was loyal. He was not competition for the country, at least he hadn’t meant to be. Realizing that he was as expendable as every other soldier made his stomach twist with anger, his deep rage burning brighter than ever as he considered just how easily it must have been for his country to turn on him. His anger was just, and the rage he had lived with his entire life had suddenly shifted towards those who had made him this way. Even if he managed to escape the clutches of his nemesis, he had no where to go anymore. He was a wanted man in every country, but his own.

“Forgive me, this is my fault.” Brom said under his breath to Varia as the cart got under way. “You should have killed me before...because they hadn’t come for us until now and your influence in the south….I’m sorry I didn't anticipate this.” Varias lips had drawn into a tight line, his usual scowl dark on his features as he sat still, his small body lurching as the horses began to pull their mobile cage. He could feel the eyes of Maddox and Sabre burning into his back, knowing both men likely knew what was happening in his mind. He'd never imagined such a betrayal. He'd given everything to Arcturus, he was their sword. His rage had found a new target, wanting nothing more than to watch Arcturus burn before him. But even then, even after a blatant assassination attempt, he knew his rage wouldn’t last, not towards Arcturus. As Brom spoke to him, Varia remained quiet. The man's words hardly made him flinch, but he took them in. His influence in the south... It was true, Varia commanded thousands of men, and had their trust and loyalty. He wasn't unforgiving, but he produced results, which is what mattered to them. "How could you have convinced me of such a betrayal, even if you had foreseen It? I would have never listened." He finally replied. The things he knew, the things he'd witnessed and been a part of in Arcturus could make the country crumble before him. Arcturus had always been wise in choosing enemies, so why had they only sent two men after him? He was the Demon of Arcturus, one of the great titans of their time. He was not an enemy one would willingly choose.

It was true, Brom probably couldn't have convinced Varia of Arcturus’ betrayal. Varia, before now, had supreme confidence in his place and mutual loyalty between himself and Arcturus. Which made Brom pause in his actions a moment before continuing, speaking even softer. “Are we sure it was actually Arcturus?” Brom questioned, though his tone indicated that he didn't really have a doubt. The timing seemed random and Maddox’s arrival too well timed. Perhaps they had both jumped to conclusions they had been set up to. “Perhaps this is a ploy. A trick to make us think we’ve been betrayed and to divulge information.” It was a long shot, but they had to exhaust every possibility. Brom had little love for Arcturus itself, but neither was he keen to get into bed with their enemy. “I didn't recognize the soldiers. We only assume they are Arcturian because of the uniform...but as we’ve seen, it would not be hard for our enemies to get a few uniforms and pretend…” The only question was whether they believed Maddox would sacrifice his own soldiers for such a ploy. “Maddox may not have been informed….strengthen the ploy…” Brom murmured to his commander. “We should be cautious in what we say, wait until we have more concrete…”

“So, the mighty do fall.” Brom cut off his words as one of the other prisoners slid closer and threw an arm around Brom’s shoulders, trapping him as the man’s wrists were still shackled. “I hear ya’ll some big bad generals...but here you are with the common thieves and thugs. I ‘spose you all are killers, eh? Dunno how such pretty things like you could be so important you need such fancy jewelry.” The prisoner spoke, his bound hands reaching forward to pat the talisman on Varia’s wrist. "I would be willing to agree Arcturus wasn't behind this if I hadn't recognized the man that pulled a crossbow on me." The small man said, icy eyes shifting up and focusing on the backs of the captain and his brunette friend. "Regardless, Arcturus may believe I'm expendable, but with the situation we've found ourselves in, we have the best opportunity we could ask for. We don't want to seem too complacent. I don't want Maddox suddenly realizing he's handing the royal family over to me on a silver platter, not yet." Varias hellish gaze shifted back, now focused on the thief who had so boldly spoken to them. "I'm sure he doesn't expect me to come so quietly." In an instant Varias boot has smashed into the other prisoners chest, a sickening crunch echoing out as the man's sternum cracked. The prisoner gasped, his grip on Brom loosening immediately, his arms reaching around himself to try and defend against the tiny man, but it was too late. Varia was on him in a moment, his knees pinning the man against the floor of their caged carriage, Varia’s shackles clanging loudly as he smashed his fists into the criminals face. Blood splattered upwards, the man coughing and sputtering, before Varia’s hands found themselves around the mans neck.

Brom leaned out of the thief’s grasp as Varia attacked him, seeming completely at ease with his commanders violence. The other prisoner was squeezed into a corner, trying to avoid the melee as much as possible. Whatever designs that one had, it did not include helping his fellow thief or causing a ruckus with Brom and Varia. Sabre had turned the moment the struggle began, pulling the carriage horses to a stop. "Goddamnit!" He shouted. The envoys guards rushed forward, one man shoving a key into the door, no doubt thinking he could break up the brawl. Sabre leapt from the carriage, grasping the man's shoulders and yanking him back. "Don't open it, are you mad?!" He snapped, before turning to watch. The thief’s eyes were wide, focused on Sabre and Maddox, bulging from his face. His flesh had already begun to turn purple, his legs kicking wildly beneath Varias hips, but to no avail. Varia was strong, especially for his size. He had learned quickly that overpowering another man in hand to hand combat was near suicide, instead relying on being faster than his opponent. Even now, the man was much larger than him, thin, but taller, Varia was easily able to drop the man. With a broken sternum, and the shock of such a sudden attack, Varia had taken the man down with hardly any effort. As he squeezed the life from his victim, Varias eyes were wide, like a predator closing in on its helpless prey.

The darkness swirling behind a normally calm and attractive gaze caused a chill to run down Sabres spine. He could hear the man choking, the jerking of his legs lessening to mere twitches, his eyes blood red as his vessels popped. Sabre turned to Maddox, his eyebrows furrowed. "We can't take him out of there.... not here and especially not in the capital." Any other pair would have rushed to the cage, tried to break the two men apart, even open the cage to get them out. But though the guards did rush the cage and fumble with the keys with intent to pull the men out and apart, Sabre stayed their hands. The guards clearly were unsure about this choice, trained to believe that every prisoner was important, if only for the bounty on their heads. The thief in question seemed to have a pretty hefty one, considering how distressed everyone looked about it. Except Maddox, of course. The male seemed nonplussed that a person was being strangled right before him. They were seriously going to let the man die before they opened the cage. Well, it was probably a good plan, considering.

Maddox had been relaxed during the brawl, only looking to Sabre as the man harshly spoke to him. It was clear enough to anyone that Sabre was most uncomfortable traveling with the two. So, with a bothered sigh, Maddox strode towards the cell. “Now now, Varia, that’s enough. You’ve proved your point. He’s not worth as much dead and I’ll get reprimanded besides. Be a good boy and let him go would you?” Maddox said as he took a dagger from his belt and pointed it at Varia’s arms. But as he spoke he didn't look at Varia but at Brom. Varia wouldn’t give a shit about his words, and Maddox knew that. He also knew that getting his commander hurt and putting him at a disadvantage was not something Brom was keen on. So as a white power swirled along Maddox’s blade, Brom moved forward to grab Varia’s shoulders, pulling him back slightly, his lips near his commanders ear. “If they are too wary of us we wont find an opening.” Brom whispered so only Varia could hear, keeping an eye on the blade in Maddox’s hand. “Maddox also fully intends to shatter your arms just to make a point. We don't want to be any more at their mercy.” Brom added, for he saw the same feral glee in Maddox’s eyes as was likely in Varia’s. Even if it meant blasting apart the head of the very prisoner Maddox claimed was so valuable, he would gladly suffer the reprimand if it meant causing damage to Varia and distress to Brom. So he was disappointed when Brom coaxed Varia away, his eyebrow cocking in amusement as Varia shoved the man into the floor, flopping back to sit in his seat, his posture reeking of a teenage attitude. Maddox turned to Sabre, patting him on the back. “Don't worry so much, you’ll give yourself ulcers. We still have another little lamb for the tiger here to vent his anger on.” Maddox said, winking at Varia. “Besides, it’s not like we betrayed him. He might be ready to have a proper conversation by the time we get home.”

Sabre groaned as Maddox spoke, rubbing the back of his neck. "Gods, little psycho is going to give me an aneurysm before we get to the capital." He grumbled, glaring over his shoulder at the two men. Brom met his gaze. Sabre held it for a moment, before he looked to Maddox. "Its a shit idea still, but... the sooner we get to the capital, the better. The last thing we need is psycho one and psycho two getting the upper hand. I'll feel much better inside the walls of Emeriss, with the bulk of your military." Sabre grumbled, glancing towards Varia briefly as they began the train once more.

The caravan continued, and gave Varia plenty of time to think. That was never something he was allowed, time to think. Brom was right. He had to try to remain calm, something he had often struggled with. In Arcturus, there was no such thing as a childhood. Boys never had a chance to learn to keep their anger in check, in fact, they were encouraged to lash out with extreme violence. Varia remembered those days fondly, despite how horrific that was. But it was the only time he had ever received any form of positive attention, even borderline affection from any adult in his life growing up. Varia had been the best of them all, not just in his sector, but spanning across the country he was known for his violence. Lashing out was a way for him to gain himself small acts of kindness, like an extra ration at dinner, or an extra blanket during the especially frigid nights. But what he craved the most, was the silent looks of approval. The nods and excited whispers the adults shared whenever he was especially vicious. Even now, with a decent education and a general understanding of his abuse, even as a grown man, he still viewed those moments as some of his greatest. Arcturus had seen a great potential in him, even at an early age. He had taken the country by storm, overcoming his obstacle, smashing the assumption that because he was small, he was weak. It was part of his notoriety in Arcturus, part of the reason he was regarded so highly... or at least, used to be. He was a hero, someone other children in breeder facilities would look up to, whispers of his conquests would echo down hallways across the country, and even in other places. He had been so important, his face was plastered on propaganda posters, his techniques used to train new soldiers. Now he was here, in a country he had vowed to destroy, in a small cell with a half dead thief, treated as if he was some common criminal, and his country had made their stance on the matter perfectly clear. But what would he do, if he even escaped?

It was a long walk to the capital and Sabre set a grueling pace. He wasn't kidding about wanting to get there as quickly as possible and put those two behind sturdier bars. Maddox was less concerned, instead worrying over why Varia had come into his grasp in the first place. For how angry Varia was, it didn't seem to be a trap laid by him. Varia was good at a great many things, but acting wasn't one of them, not that Maddox had ever seen. So if this was a trap then it was one that was using Varia without his knowledge. Which meant Brom probably also didn't know anything, for Maddox couldn't see the assassin participating in such a farce without letting Varia know. Which meant Arcturus had more than likely abandoned the two, or had some plan which necessitated that appearance. Whether or not Arcturus planned to reclaim the general and assassin, a plan that discarded Varia so easily was one to be wary of. Maddox pulled one of the courier bird from its cage and whispered a message to it before sending it off. He would put the capital on guard just in case and have them gather more intel for him. If Brom was here then it was likely something big and not at all requiring much finesse or stealth. Hopefully something like that would have made waves enough that his spies would be able to pick up something. Maddox came up along side the cage, smacking it behind Varia. “Sulking still? You should be honored. All the greatest of evil countries have it turn against them. You should see this as them acknowledging your skill. But I suppose that you wont sit and die quietly for that small bit of acknowledgment?” Maddox’s eyes slid to Brom who glared back, wary of where this conversation was going. Maddox smirked and Brom tensed even more. “Besides, it’s not like you didn't know you were in bed with traitors and liars from the start. Perhaps you would like to make an honest start? Make Arcturus feel the pain as well? It’s not betraying them if they cast you out first.”

The glare Varia had cast over his shoulder at Maddox was seething with pure hate. He knew better than to give into taunts and prodding from the enemy, and even though Maddox made a point, the condescending tone the captain took any time the two men exchanged words was infuriating. "I don't plan on dying just yet., Captain." He spat out at the man, shifting his small frame away from the bars, distancing himself from Maddox. As Varia rebuffed his offer, Maddox turned his attention to his worry-wart second. “At this rate we’ll need to set camp.” Sabre spoke as he nodded to a smaller group of guards, only four of them as they moved towards the capital ahead of the caravan. Maddox frowned at the prospect of setting up camp, not wanting to be out of his warm bed another day more than necessary. But as he looked to the darkening sky he had to agree. It was getting late quickly, ominous clouds gathering in the distance in the direction of the capital. Maddox sucked his teeth in annoyance before climbing atop the cage housing Varia and Brom, looking around. Double annoyance. There were few ideal places to camp in this area with a forest to their left and rock faces to their right. “What do you think, mister Assassin? Cliffs or forest for camp?” Maddox asked the male below him, squatting down closer to the other.

Varia turned his gaze from the never-ending fields to Brom instead, trying to figure out if the general was going to do something concerning. He considered for a moment lashing out. He could almost reach Maddox, but that wouldn’t work. The prat was standing atop the bars precisely because he knew there was nothing productive to be had in attacking him there now. Brom turned his gaze to Varia briefly. Varia caught the look, before he turned his head away once more, deciding instead to resume his brooding, but he had an idea or two. The forest was clearly ideal in that the shadows would be deeper and thus easier for Varia to control. When they got loose as well it would be easier to muffle Broms own footsteps and for them to hide than on the cliffs. On the cliffs as well Maddox’s power could have more devastating effect if used on the rocks themselves. By the same token Brom could make easier use of rocks himself to make a weapon. Well, he could use a tree branch too but it would take more time. “I vote the cliffs if I were you. Wouldn’t want to be caught in a dark forest with a demon after all.” Brom said with a smirk, wondering if Maddox would take his suggestion as genuine or not. Maddox stroked his stubble in contemplation. “Mmmm, I agree. The forest would be best.” Maddox said, straightening despite Brom’s look of bafflement. “Sabre, let’s set camp around the next bend a little ways in.” Maddox called to the other, jumping down from the cage and heading over to the other. He knew it sounded nuts considering the cons of the forest, but it wasn’t a random choice nor one to be contrary. Between the cliffs and the forest, the forest was still the safer of the two. The cliffs, apart from being crumbly, was incredibly windy this time of year and would make it hard to start a fire and speak to one another. Besides, it wasn't like the forest didn't have its share of creatures not common to the colder Arcturian wilds. They could try escaping if they wanted, but they might find it safe to stick with Maddox and his troops than traipsing through a foreign wilderness.

Sabre had listened to Maddox, despite his protest swelling in his chest. Brom was absolutely right, he did not want to be caught in the forest with Varia, especially at night. But Maddox knew Varia better than he ever would. Despite the fact every encounter they had ever being murderous, Maddox had known the little demon for years. They had exchanged many words, and could read one another like a book. If Maddox felt safer in the forest, even with the demon of Arcturus in their party, Sabre would comply. Just beyond the path was a small clearing. Not small enough to park the rolling cell, but large enough to start a fire and even sleep. Once they had finished setting up, Sabre allowed himself to finally sit. He sat across the fire from the cell, making sure his eyes remained on the pair lurking just beyond the orange glow. A heavy sigh left his lips, as if the greatest stress had just been removed from his shoulders. As the two guards they had left moved off in search for food, Sabre craned his neck around to eyeball Maddox. "Think little psycho will talk?" He mused, though he already knew the answer to that. Maddox met his question with a smirk and a cock of the eyebrow. “Go on. Try.” Sabre’s golden eyes met ice from across the fire, his attention leaving Maddox as the other moved towards the cage.

Sabre tilted his head as he watched that hateful gaze follow the captain, a hand reaching up to rub against his short beard briefly. "I'd always thought you'd be taller." He called out suddenly, causing Varias eyes to shift from Maddox to him. Varia felt a ball of anger well in his chest, something not uncommon to him. A crooked grin spread across Sabres lips as Varia reacted to him. It wasn't much, but being able to tear his concentration away from trying to murder Maddox with his eyes was enough for Sabre. "Why would Arcturus try and have you killed, Varia?" Varias scowl darkened, a huff leaving his nose. He had a million answers to that question, but none he was certain on. One stood out above the rest, though. That same warning Brom had given him so long ago. But he wasn't dumb, and he knew the Nihalian wasn't either. He knew Sabre could piece it together, if he hadn't already. Instead of providing an answer for the man, he turned his gaze away once more, watching the flickering shadows dancing across the ground. "Perhaps you aren't as effective as you used to be. Becoming soft in your old age." It was a blatant jab, not even half true. Varias cruelty knew no bounds, and only seemed to worsen every year. But he was old... at least for a commander working for Arcturus. They usually were dead by now, and usually by Maddox’s hand. Yet here he was, a living, breathing devil.

Maddox, for his part, perched atop the cage once more, throwing a soft pack under his butt for cushion. He polished his sword as the others searched for provisions and Sabre harassed the prisoners. Maddox seriously could not understand how someone as easily rattled as Varia had managed to stay alive so long and get as high a rank as he had. Then again, Maddox wasn’t very much different when put around the right set of people, so maybe he understood all too well. It was that short temper that gave Varia his violence, after all. A similar temper fueled Maddox’s power most of the time, though it was harder to intentionally make it flare. Maddox wasn’t sure if that made him more or less dangerous to others. As the sun crept further down the horizon and the shadows grew around them, Maddox finished cleaning his sword and plunged it between the bars until the hilt caught on the top. It was long enough to almost go through to the bottom. Maddox leaned down on it gently, smiling as it vibrated very slightly. “More than likely they got tired of him losing to me all the time.” Maddox suggested, smirking down at the angry Arcturians. “In case it wasn’t clear, any funny business on your parts will result in an unpleasantly messy death and thus an end to our little game of cat and mouse.” Maddox informed the two below him.

Varia couldn't help himself this time. Being Maddox’s prisoner was bad enough, but the mans constant taunts had begun to wear on his already short temper. "Losing to you?" Varia hissed, craning his neck upwards to scowl up at Maddox. "I have never lost to you. I'm a living, breathing example of your own weakness, Maddox." Sabre chuckled to himself, prodding at the fire as Varia finally spoke. Maddox had an infuriating way about him, especially if he targeted someone individually, like he seemed to do with Varia. It maybe appeared to be all in fun, but Sabre knew better. Varia was right, Maddox hadn’t been able to kill Varia. Yet, Varia had never been able to kill Maddox. The two men were constantly at a stand still, something that not only seemed to frustrate Varia, but most likely frustrated Maddox as well.

"Look Varia. Maddox mentioned it before, but we're willing to give you a chance to help bring Arcturus down. We wouldn't offer that to just an--"

"Shut up." Varia snapped over his shoulder, cutting Sabre off, before he glared up at Maddox once more. "If you're going to kill us, get on with it. I'd much rather be buried than to have to listen to you and your little friend any longer."

Maddox grinned a crooked grin down at Varia, his eyes darkening. “Well that’s not incentive for me to kill you is it? I’d much rather inconvenience and annoy you with taunts. If you want to be killed you’re going to have to work a little harder for it. Perhaps I haven’t killed you yet because you’re still too weak for me to bother with.” Maddox suggested, knowing it was a lie. But he couldn’t tell Varia the real reason he hadn’t killed him, even when he had the opportunity. True that Varia was strong as the devil and much of the time they were evenly matched. But there had been very key times where Varia could have dealt the killing blow or else Maddox could have. The reason they were still alive to taunt and haunt each other’s careers, had little to do with the ability of one or the other. But unless Varia defected, the truth could not be revealed. Maddox too had things he needed to protect and as long as Varia professed to be his sworn enemy, Maddox had to keep hoping the other died in other suspicious circumstances. “While you’re taunting then could you also provide food and water? This climate is not exactly cool for being carted around in a metal cage.” Brom said, kicking the underside of where Maddox sat. Maddox, who had been tense with the desire to do as Varia wanted, released some of his power into the ground beneath them, creating a perfectly round indentation under the cage. Maddox glanced at the assassin who raised an eyebrow at him. Maddox whistled to one of the other soldiers to fetch some water. Some wild boars were turning over a few fires, so those would be ready when they were ready. “I suggest you talk some sense into your master. This offer only lasts until we get to the capital. After that you’ll die right along with him.” Maddox said as he was tossed a few water skins. One he guzzled down himself, the other he poured over the two prisoners below. “Let me know if you want more water.” Maddox smirked.

Varia growled, an unnatural sound, especially coming from someone so small. He had pressed his back against the bars of the cell as Maddox poured the water down over them. A loud cackle erupted from behind them, coming from Sabre. He'd always admired the sheer boldness of Maddox, and it was especially present now. Watching how easily the captain dismissed the Demon of Arcturus and his second in command was impressive. "You truly think either of us will give you any information? Or are you just wasting all your time and all of these resources JUST so you can parade me through Emeriss?" Varia spat, wiping water from his face, flicking it upwards towards Maddox. It was funny, watching the two titans bicker and take jabs at one another, though Sabre was more than aware that the only reason blood hadn’t been split was because Varia was restrained. "Come on, Varia. What do you even owe Arcturus? They've done nothing but abuse and use you your entire life." Sabre called out, not intending to drop his attempt at gathering information from the small man. "Who even are you? I said to shut up." Varia snapped back towards Sabre. "Tell me about the weapon." Sabre called back, not affected by Varias harsh words this time. Though the glare Varia had focused on Maddox was harsh, the sudden twitch in his eyebrow was apparent to anyone who was looking. Slowly, Varias gaze turned back towards Sabre, eyeing the man fully. "Ah, I see. That's why you've kept us alive."

Maddox sucked his teeth in mock annoyance. “Damn, I suppose you do know something about that then. Shame. Now I owe that fool there a gold coin, and you’ve earned yourself an extended stay in Emeriss with the lovely master torturers. I had planned to kill you flat out, myself.” Maddox said, studying Varia. Maddox couldn’t tell just yet whether Varia actually knew anything about the weapon or only the rumors Maddox himself had heard. Maddox knew very well how people such as himself, while considered invaluable and essential, could easily be left out of the loop on important military matters. If that was the case here, Maddox could only imagine how much more so it was in Arcturus. Which left an even more disturbing possibility. “That’s the crown’s interest, yes. There have been a few rumors of some new fancy weapon, out of pace with what we’ve seen. Something so big we thought you might know a thing or two.” Maddox looked away from the two below him and to Sabre, his brow furrowing in mild concern. “But he might be a grunt….” Maddox thought aloud, resting his chin on his hands atop the pommel of his sword.

“Reaper, you know their treachery better than anyone. Tell me...between the two options which is more likely? One: you and the demon here are actually the trigger for the weapon, allowed to come into our custody in order to get you into the city and set it off with the royal family there….or two: sacrifice you to ensure all of your enemies, Arcturus’ enemies, would gather in one place to see your demise, so that they could launch the weapon and kill everyone, including you two with them?” Maddox looked down at Brom who quickly looked away, his mind having not thought of the second option and didn’t want to show the concern of its truth on his face. “They wouldn’t need to kill everyone, only you. Once you fall, so does much of the resistance and worry of Arcturus. I’d say we’re a trap for you more than the crown. So it might be a good idea to abandon us here, now, while you have the chance.” Brom suggested in a calm reasonable voice, but Varia could sense his stress. He knew why. It was because the truth was, in both of those cases, whether they were a trap for Maddox or a lure for a bigger haul, neither option left them alive. If their country had been trying to kill them off for awhile, this would just be a more useful way of doing so. Brom looked over at Varia, tapping his foot for his attention. * I think they are right, Arcturus plans to kill us * Brom signed to Varia. It was common in Arcturus. Often the blizzards and frightening ice storms made it impossible to hear another speak. The Arcturian military had taught every one of it’s soldiers hand signs, a way to communicate without speaking. * Think about recent promotions, military movements….we’ve been isolated. *

Varias gaze dropped as Brom signed to him, confirming what he had already gathered. Arcturus wanted them both dead, and the sudden reality of it hit him like a ton of bricks. A defeated sigh left him, lowering himself back onto the seat, small hands rubbing at his face. Varia knew everything, or at least he thought he had. Up until recent events, he had never once thought of the possibility, or at least given it any real thought. He was too important, too valuable to Arcturus' cause. Without him, they had no one able to stand up to Maddox, and no one willing to commit the atrocities needed to secure their conquest. As if by magic, everything he had been given in secrecy over the years bubbled in his throat. He had never even humored the idea of sharing such important information before, but there it was, resting on the tip of his tongue, ready to be spilled. And what if he did? Could it even be stopped at this point? Who knew how long ago they had stopped feeding him proper information, he hadn't been to see the bomb sites in nearly six months, and as far as he knew, they weren't even prepared to launch. But those weren’t the only secrets he knew. There were many, MANY more. If Arcturus was so adamant to see him dead, perhaps the information he held frightened them... or perhaps just his very existence, his vengeful, powerful existence frightened them.

The tension in the air had suddenly shifted, causing Sabre to squint over the fire towards their prisoners. Maddox’s head turned downward, able to sense the change in Varia’s mood better than most. 15 years of knowing one another, though their encounters had been violent and bloody, had the unwanted affect of knowing one another better than most. He could feel the turmoil brewing in Varia, stronger than it had before. A deep silence had fallen over the camp, the faint murmur of their guards and the soft licking of flames being the only noise for a long, long moment, before the small commander let out another deep sigh.

"If this has been their intention all along, then I'm afraid my information may no longer be of any relevance to you. If the bombs are ready to launch, then I had been cut from the inner circle months ago." Varia suddenly uttered, his voice soft and small, no longer stern and confident as it normally was. Sabre immediately stood as Varia spoke, recognizing the opportunity and knowing just how quickly it could turn sour once more. Maddox’s face didn’t shift, but his eyes flickered to Sabre briefly, giving his second in command a short nod. He quickly moved closer to the cell, still maintaining a safe distance. He crouched, golden eyes focused on the back of the Demon of Arcturus. "Anything you could tell us could potentially bring Arcturus to heel. After all they've done to you, after all you've done for them, casting you aside like they're doing is the stupidest thing they could have ever done. I know you want to see them burn. Help us make that happen." The new silence around them was uncomfortable, the inward battle Varia was waging with his own thoughts and morals was evident by the vicious scowl on his face. He knew Maddox was right, he knew Sabre was right, and he knew Brom had been right so many times before. He had just been so blinded by his own forced loyalty he hadn’t seen it before. But now it was clear to him. His eyes finally lifted from their spot on the floor, raising up to lock with Maddox. "If you've been hearing whispers of the weapons, then nothing will save Emeriss. If I were you, I would send word to evacuate the city, though I doubt there will be enough time to save them all."

Bombs? Maddox heard the word but it didn’t quite register what the other meant. In a world of magic and power, something as archaic as ‘bomb’ didn’t really have a lot of meaning. People had tried in the past of course, to harness immense powers into a compact form. But those experiments had always proven too unstable, unreliable. In an age where your opponent could be born with a gift that could easily render all your efforts meaningless, such research into things like ‘bombs’ had become obsolete. Or so Maddox had thought. He was sure that he didn’t understand the magnitude and implication of what Varia was calling a ‘bomb’, but he didn’t really need to. Even if the Arcturians hadn’t found a way to harness a particular power into a portable and detonatable form, even if they used the archaic versions, it would still be devastating. The world had moved on to much more terrible and yet civilized ways of killing people, that they had little protection against such crude forms of mass destruction. Maddox hardly heard the rest of what Varia and Sabre were talking about. He had spent all of his life fighting against the atrocities of Arcturus. He had risked and sacrificed much to stand against that great monster that had betrayed and destroyed his family. Aside from Varia, Maddox had thought himself doing a pretty damn good job paying them back with interest for all they had done. But now he saw how futile his efforts had been. How each of his victories had been hurling them ever faster towards this great defeat. ‘Nothing will save Emeriss.’ Words that did not need to be said but which voiced a truth that Maddox already knew. “It was all for nothing then?” Maddox asked softly in Arcturian to no one in particular. Despair and rage built inside of him, pressing against the walls of his skull, unable to be released in a way that would make him feel better, would stop this.

“Is this as far as your resolve goes?” Brom asked, kicking up at Maddox again, though there was more anger in his action now. “I will not die in a cage beneath your stinking feet because you can’t accept a small outmaneuver!” Brom shouted at Maddox, not caring or noting that he was slipping into the dialectic of their small village. “Have you forgotten? Your purpose was never to save or serve Er Rai, but to defeat Arcturus and the council. If you were going to fold so easily I should have let Varia kill you.”

Varia and Sabre both turned their heads as Brom and Maddox began their exchange, Sabres eyes on his friends, concerned for the man, and Varias focused on his second, stern and suddenly full of questions. Before he could snap at the pair, Sabre had already called the remaining guards to them, standing to urgently whisper to them. If Varia recommended evacuations, then he would fucking do just that. They perhaps didn’t have the time, but Emeriss wasn't leveled just yet. As the men moved to prepare their mounts, Sabre moved back to the cell, peering up at Maddox, though he spoke to Varia. "Anything you know can help us. Even if these.... bombs have already been used."

Varia glanced over his shoulder to Sabre, before turning his head back to eye Brom and Maddox. He didn't quite understand the dialect those two were speaking. It was Arcturian, of some sort, but many places in Arcturus had their own dialect. The country spent many years not in contact with small villages, so it was natural that several languages formed. With a scowl, Varia turned his head back to Sabre. "I toured several facilities in Nihal and Arcturus with the inner circle, but... I'm afraid I hardly paid any attention." Varia said, before leaning back against the bars once more. "Though, I do know where the sites are located. Even the ones here." Sabre sighed heavily, not necessarily surprised Arcturus had bases in other countries, but especially surprised they seemed to be building bombs in these places. "If they have these... facilities here already, could they launch an attack from them?" Sabre asked. Varias nod made Sabres stomach clench, turning his gaze back to Maddox.

Maddox stood, thinking. Brom was right of course, Maddox knew. Even so, it didn’t ease the guilt and feeling of failure in his chest. It was just his pride, but that had been all he had for a long time. Even if Er Rai was second or third in his heart, it had still given him the opportunity to strike back at his enemies. That he had failed to protect them seem like poor gratitude indeed. He was dimly aware of the riders preparing to leave. He registered that Varia was confirming more bases, more bombs yet to be dispatched to carry out their dangerous purpose. But the question was what to do about it. His immediate thought was to hunt down these places and destroy them, but finding them would be difficult. Even if they did, then what? Most of his troops were in the capital, probably soon to be destroyed. What army did he have to storm such places, to hunt down the masterminds and slaughter them? Not to mention that if there were bases even in Er Rai, then that meant that there were traitors in places Maddox had barely set eyes on. People that he had protected had been working all this time to undermine him.

Maddox worked it out, the riders off and away in the direction of the capital. Brom looked to Varia, trying hard not to shrink under the other’s probing gaze. There were a lot of answers those eyes demanded be produced, and with due haste. “Why are you hesitating when you have an ace up your sleeve?” Brom asked Maddox in the same dialect. Maddox turned his head from his hand and looked down at Brom with a raised eyebrow. “Me and Varia. We’re all suppose to be dead now. The dead can move around a lot easier than the living.” Brom reminded him. As if Brom had hit upon something profound, Maddox’s eyes grew wide and he looked towards the direction of the capital. “Sabre, what time would we have arrived in the Capital if we kept going through the night?” Maddox asked, even while doing the calculations in his head. At the standard speed, even with the wariness of the new prisoners making them slow a bit to watch them….about….

One moment it was night, the next it was as if the sun had forgotten something and shot out of bed. The entire landscape lit up before them, blinding them for a moment as darkness chased the sun back to bed. But even temporarily blinded Maddox felt it in the wind. Like how a tsunami pulls the water out to sea before engulfing the land, so too the air seemed to rush towards the capital as if sucking in a big breath. Maddox blindly reached for his sword and pulled it free of the cage, yelling at those nearest, meaning only Sabre and the cage’s inhabitants, to get down and brace themselves. It timed it as well as he could based on feel, but even then knew that beyond their little group, most would not survive.

The blast from his sword hit the shockwave like a wall and split it, but not before tossing Maddox and company, cage and all, backwards across the fire which had guttered out. The forest around them flattened, a few young trees half-springing back while older ones cracked in half. Maddox hit the ground hard, the pain from one of his arms indicating a possible break. Brom had leapt to cover Varia, the cage providing protection as well as its own dangers. A branch had slid through and cut Brom on the side. Deep enough to need attention, though not enough to bleed out quickly.

The combination of Brom selflessly shielding Varia, Maddox’s shield, and the cage had saved Varia from any sort of serious wound. He had smacked his head against the bars of his cell fairly hard, resulting in a slow trickle of blood beginning to drip down his forehead, but he was fine save that. Sabre had been blown back by the force of the shockwave, smashing his back against a tree, which, surprisingly, withstood the blast. A shaky breath left him as the dust finally began to settle. The cell had tipped onto its side, the small crater Maddox had made causing that, and it had slid quite a ways before being stopped when its wheels caught on upturned roots from a tree that had been ripped from the ground. Laying in the dirt where it had slid, were the talismans used to prevent Varia from being able to access his abilities.

Varia slowly shifted to his feet, his eyes glowing through the red staining his face, his gaze turning towards the north. In the distance, now visible from the shattered trees, was Emeriss. Or at least where she had once stood. It was too far to properly judge the extent of the damage, but the glow of the city assured the group that Emeriss was burning. It stood stark against the blackened sky, glowing a deep, blood red, and though the forest had grown eerily silent, it was almost as if they could hear the screams. Varia wiped at the blood on his face, turning his back towards the glow in the north. That bomb was meant for him and Brom. He knew that, and so did his current companions. He could feel his anger bubbling in his gut once more, but the sudden surge of power he felt rush through his frame snapped him from his homicidal thoughts. His eyes moved downwards towards his own shadow, watching as the dark began to twitch and twist, as if it were stretching. He was no longer weakened, and now, coupled with his own anger towards his country, the shadows in the immediate area grew darker, as if answering a silent call from their master. Without a word, a tendril of shadows lifted from the ground, now solid, swirling angrily as it lifted, wrapping around the bars on the door. With a sudden jerk, the door was ripped from its hinges, the damaged steel groaning as it smashed into the ground several yards away, effectively releasing Varia into the dark forest. A quick glance towards Brom was given, eyes taking in the blood blossoming on the mans side, before Varia was on the move, stepping out of the cage, and turning a harsh glare towards a wounded Maddox.

Sabre had moved towards his friend, still disoriented from the blast itself, his hands shaking as he gently touched him, assuring himself Maddox hadn't died in the sudden explosion. He had hardly noticed Varia, his ears ringing so loudly, he wouldn't have heard if someone shouted directly into them. But as he peered down at the mans mangled arm, the shadow he cast on his partners body suddenly darkened, twisting, before pulling away from him, and towards their left. Sabres eyes quickly shot up, widening as they fell on the form of Varia, the demon of Arcturus, looking exactly as that. Varia had begun to move towards them, not pausing as Sabre suddenly held his hands forward. "Varia... what are you doing?" He managed to get out, as the tiny man stopped next to them, staring down at his foe. "That bomb was meant for you, Varia. We can help you, you know we can help you. If you're going to take the fight to Arcturus, you'll need all the help you can get. Maddox is just as powerful as you, and you can--"

"Shut up." Varia cut him off, before slowly lowering to a crouch next to Maddox, his eyes moving over his body, before resting on his arm. "Get up. We need to move. Arcturus will be sending in troops to assess the damage done, and we need to be far from here when they arrive." He suddenly said, causing Sabres eyebrows to punch together in confusion. Was he.... not going to murder them? His mind was suddenly filled with questions, but a sharp look from Varia quieted him. He glanced down to Maddox once more, before slowly shifting to his feet. By the time Varia came over to him, Maddox had at least managed to lift himself into a sitting position. There were still significant black spots in his vision and the world spun besides. That was not including the pain radiating from his arm and head from the recoil and being thrown. But all of this was less problematic than the drawback from his power which had left him feeling incredibly weak. Even if he wanted to leap to his feet he couldn’t. Usually he didn’t expend so much power and so the consequences were usually limited to a small area of his body. But that shockwave had been strong and to counter it even as much as he had required almost all of his strength to push back. So even as Varia came closer, radiating danger and malice, Maddox could do nothing to stop him from whatever he planned to do. Luckily, perhaps, Varia had awareness of the situation enough not to kill his strongest ally at the moment. Even so, Maddox glared up at him as the other suggested they get a move on. “Having the demon of Arcturus shown concern….I’m regretting saving your ass already.” Maddox spat. Varia stared down his nose at Maddox, and for a long moment Sabre truly thought he would kill the both of them, which would be the end of both of them. Maddox was in no position to defend himself if Varia suddenly turned on him, and the fact that Varia hadn't already attacked him made the situation even more obscure to Sabre. But soon his attention turned towards Brom as his second hauled himself from the cage, allowing Sabre to take a deep breath.

Besides the four of them there wasn’t a living soul about. If any animals had survived the blast they were long gone, and all of the soldiers were unaccounted for. At least, in total. Bits and pieces of some were strewn about, most had probably been blasted pretty far. Brom slowly got to his feet, shuffling over to the others, still gingerly holding his side. “Can you move?” Brom asked Maddox on the ground, taking in the other’s injuries. “Are you offering to carry me?” Maddox returned. “Not while you’re conscious.” Brom bit back, glancing around again. Brom turned to Sabre. “We need a cave, someplace safe and little known. Is there such a place around here?”

"The old smugglers underground trail passes through this area. I haven't been since it was raided, and that was a long time ago." Sabre said, squinting into the trees. "I'm certain it's been overgrown by now, but it shouldn't be to difficult to find." Sabre watched the pair of Arcturians closely, before a heavy sigh left him. "We could travel most of Er Rai underground in the passages. There's structures and water... and its difficult to find an entrance, and even if someone did, it'd be difficult to find us." Sabre offered, causing Varia to finally turn his head away from Maddox to scowl at him. "I intend to take you two as far as your next town, no further." He said, before turning away from the group, snatching a bag from the remains of their camp. "I can't be too sure, but the passage was should he near. It’ll be marked with a boulder, and a symbol..." Sabre said, reaching down to draw the piece in the dirt below his feet, though his eyes continued to follow Varia as the commander busied himself. "We need to keep our eyes open. It's safe there, and we need to look over wounds, and not in the open."

Brom studied the marking Sabre made in the dirt closely before rubbing it out with his foot. “We’re moving in two minutes.” Brom said to the pair before going to help Varia scour the remains of the camp. Varia, barely looked at him. He felt if he did he would begin asking questions Brom didn’t want to answer just yet. He wasn’t sure what that language was, or when Maddox and Brom became so friendly. He was half convinced he didn’t want to know. After all, two betrayals in one day could very well tip the scale in his already fragile mind. He ignored the other, not speaking as he packed what he could, before turning back towards Maddox and Sabre. Maddox was leaning on Sabre heavily, but was at least on his feet. It would have to be good enough, for they couldn’t linger much longer.

Varia turned from the burning city once Brom joined them, the two of them slowly picking their way over downed trees. Maddox and Sabre lingered for a moment, both men turned towards where the great golden city once stood. Shadows flickered across the remains of the forest floor, drawing emerald eyes to them. Maddox drew a deep breath, before he turned, leaning on his partner for support as the two began to move after the Arcturians who hadn’t turned back, away from Emeriss. Away from Maddox’s home. Away from the city that was meant to never fall. He didn’t look back a second time.