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Summary: The year is 1588. Tensions are rising between England and Spain, the country has been divided by the Church.
Shiro and Keith are Apprentice Paladin’s of Her Majesty’s Kerberos Gate, their duty is to watch The Gate and keep the public safe from what is beyond. Until Shiro disappears.
written for @sheithreversebang partnered with @zenthisoror
AO3
Extract under cut
“Go home, Demon.” Shiro says, his voice even and calm, but he’s gripping the Black Grimoire so tightly that his knuckles are going a deathly white. Almost the same shade as the feathers on the demon, the ones growing out of its body, like weeds that fight their way out from the cracks between stones. The Kerberos Gate lets out another groan from behind the demon and Keith takes a step closer to Shiro.
This demon was an intruder, uninvited to their realm, crossing The Gate without its permission.
Keith usually compares the Kerberos Gate to a warm fire. Impossibly bright at times, golds, whites, and oranges threading their way across the boundary and pure potential, its strength contained in the doorway of The Gate; for now. The strength to wipe the world out twice over, and the doorway to new realms, new powers. Keith could feel the thrumming in his veins from the first step he took across the threshold of The Gate Room. He can still feel it when he leaves, the echoes continue to run through him, like the aftermath of an adrenaline rush, and every time he re-enters the room the rush, the fear, and the exhilaration returns.
But today The Gate is angry. The welcoming golds and oranges have been replaced with deep, dark reds and purples, and the energy in The Gate is bulging, barely contained by the circles drawn around it years ago by Lord Zarkon himself. He can feel the pressure in the room building, the heat radiating from The Gate. It’s going to have to break somehow.
The demon lets out, what Keith can only assume is a laugh, in response to Shiro’s demand. It’s mouth doesn’t move, but Keith still hears the sound, still hears the taunt for what it is, like it’s echoing inside his own head.
“Why are you here?” Shiro asks.
The demon keeps its gaze fixed on the two of them. Keith feels it, even if the eye sockets are just empty crevices of bone hallowed out. There’s a feather growing from where the left eye should be and hundreds more are covering the demons body. ‘High corruption’. Keith thinks to himself. This one is full of power with no outlet, no direction. Shiro remains stock still next to him, ready to pounce.
This time the demon lets out a roar, something between mockery and aggression, the sound filling the room and drowning out the groans of The Gate for a split second. It’s head begins to turn, taking in The Gate and the room built around it - the room reinforced by hundreds of Paladins and their Grimoire’s before Shiro and Keith’s time - all to protect her Majesty. It’s indestructible.
“Keith, you need to go and get help.” Shiro murmurs, low, moving the Black Grimoire slowly so as not to draw attention from the demon.
“Where?” Keith hisses back. It’s four in the morning, this is supposed to be a dead shift, the time of night The Gate is at its least active. Every other Paladin not guarding Her Majesty or on a scouting mission will be asleep.
“I don’t know, get Zarkon.” Shiro says.
“And leave you alone with that thing?” Keith asks, keeping his eyes focused on the demon.
“We need reinforcements.” Shiro repeats, the order in his voice clear, just as the demon turns its head back to them.
Keith feels like he’s being pierced. He doesn’t know if the demon can even see him or if it’s even looking at him, but he holds its gaze until Shiro’s voice rings out, loud and clear across the room.
“I’ll ask one more time.” He says, his voice firm. “Why are you here?”
The demon doesn’t move. Keith is sure he feels the temperature of the room drop by a few degrees.
“What do you want?” Shiro tries instead. But bargaining won’t work, Keith is sure. This demon is corrupt, the most corrupt he’s ever seen in person. It doesn’t want for anything.
“We can offer you gold, fame, a chance to use your powers on our side of The Kerberos Gate, a chance to become stronger. If we make a deal.” Shiro continues.
The Gate lets out what Keith can only describe as a breath, an exhale, from behind the demon before the sparks begin to increase, purples and reds flying from the source. Keith feels the energy increase. He’s not sure how. Like a magnet pulling metal closer, The Gate is exerting itself, trying to right this wrong by dragging everything back. It’s not strong enough to affect Shiro and Keith. Not yet anyway.
“Show me.” The demon finally says, it’s voice ringing out across the room, bouncing off the high stone ceiling. Keith and Shiro watch in horror as bone white teeth drop from their hiding place above the demons lips. There are black feathers sneaking their way through a few of them.
“If we show you, show you the strength of one of our own demons,” Shiro begins cautiously, “will you lend us your power?”
The demons feathers begin to ruffle, moving in a wave against each other as a shiver of excitement runs down it’s body.
“I want … to see … your … power.” It says, turning its head to take in The Gate Room. Probably noticing that Shiro and Keith are alone.
'Red.' Keith reaches out. She’s always there, like something you can see out of your peripheral vision. He feels her reassuring hum.
“If we show you the strength you can achieve here, will you let us bind you?” Shiro asks again, through gritted teeth. Keith can see the tension in his stance, feel it leaking out of his strained shoulders. The demon doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even move a muscle when it speaks again.
“Show me your strength…” It begins, lifting it’s arm in jerky movements, like the arm has a mind of its own, until it is pointing back through The Gate. “…in there.” It says, and its feathers begin to ruffle again.
'This isn’t working.' He feels Red’s agreement. Cutting a deal, offering something to this kind of demon isn’t going to work. It’s too corrupt, and it’s already leaking into their reality. They need to send it home.
Before the demon can make another movement, before its hollow eyes can take in another metre of The Gate Room, Keith pulls the Grimoire in front of him. He doesn’t even need to touch it, it just falls open in his hands, setting free Red’s full power.
“Keith!” Shiro hisses, but it’s too late.
Keith doesn’t even have to ask Red anymore. She just does, and within seconds orange flames are surrounding the demon, tightening until it lets out a harrowing scream.
Keith smirks. He and Red are on the same page then.
“Black!” Keith hears Shiro summon from next to him and in an instant Black’s tendrils are shooting out from Shiro’s Grimoire and into the demon, piercing through its body as it continues to shriek.
“I wasn’t done negotiating.” Shiro says between breaths as he directs Black’s power toward the demon.
“It said it wanted power.” Keith hisses back. “I’m showing it our power.”
He feels Shiro’s exhale of breath next to him, either exasperation or exertion, but Keith has other things to worry about. The demon’s feathers, what he can see of them between the orange and black, are beginning to ruffle again, flickering, back and forth, like someone tapping their fingers in irritation.
“Pull back.” Shiro hisses and both the black tendrils and the flames disappear just as purple sparks begin to flicker from the demons body, shooting high and fast.
The barrier goes up before Keith realises it, just in time for the purple and white lightning bolts to hit it, followed by a wail from the demon this time. Keith isn’t sure if it was Black or Red’s doing. He’s just thankful they reacted in time.
“We need to get it to leave,” Keith says. He can see the tension beginning to pull already, “before it rips apart our reality.”
Shiro glances at his ring, and Keith doesn’t even have to look at his own to know that it will reflect Shiro's; a faint grey band has appeared on the deep black. The demon’s power is already starting to affect them.
“Shiro, did Zarkon ever install that mirror in here?” He asks, keeping his eyes fixed on the demon in front of them. The barrier is still being hit by sparks. He’s not sure Red can keep it up much longer.
“He did. Behind us.” Shiro answers.
Of course he did. Shiro specialises in mirror magic, he’s the strongest Apprentice Paladin in years, of course Zarkon put a mirror in the summoning room. Just in case.
“Create an illusion of The Gate in the mirror.” Keith says, the plan is flowing too fast inside his head, like spilt water. It’s difficult to catch and put into words, and he’s not sure if it’s entirely his own, or if Red is giving a helping hand.
The barrier flickers and Shiro turns away, facing the mirror, Black’s Grimoire falling open in his hands. Keith keeps his gaze on the demon, the white sparks are falling on them harder, faster, and the barrier, the sheen of glistening air separating them is faltering more and more. The feathers ruffle, the demon is shaking with them in agitation.
So he lets the barrier drop.
He can feel Red’s dismay a split second before the burst of light, before he lifts his arm up to shield his eyes, his face, as the sparks rain down on him.
“Keith, are you okay?” Shiro asks, hearing the grunt of pain he lets out. His hand feels like it’s on fire, but the mark has already faded.
“I’ll show you my strength.” Keith says, projecting his voice, trying to copy the steady authority that he has heard leak from Shiro’s voice in the past.
The demon goes still, as if it’s been shocked into silence.
“I’ll show you,” he repeats, “inside.” He feels Shiro tense next to him, just as the demon’s feathers begin to flutter, distracting him, they’re moving faster than before as the demon’s mouth opens and a creek falls from it, it’s head moving in time with the feathers. It’s laughing.
“Show… me.” It croaks out, a thin arm reaching out, the demon moves impossibly fast, closing in on him in a blink. Its hand makes a tight grasp around his wrist, Red’s Grimoire falling to the floor and he feels his connection with Red falter. He feels Red call out to him, the panic in her voice growing until his own heart begins to constrict, the demon’s bone white hands grip on his wrist growing tighter and tighter. He tries to yank it away, but his strength is no match, tries to reach for Red’s Grimoire, but it’s too far, so he pulls back. Pulls back to the scabbard attached to his belt, pulling free his dagger. He pulls it up, hard and fast. It’s not strong enough to go through the demon’s hand, butit cries out in surprise anyway. Giving his wrist a harsh yank. Keith falls forward, his entire body landing within the circle, the dagger, a memento of his parents, clattering to the floor as thick black ichor from the demon's hand drips down his wrist, and the demon lets go. This time finding its grip in his hair. Keith makes a desperate attempt to reach out for Red and he can feel her reaching back, but the Grimoire is too far.
“You will join me.” It says, its voice filling the room.
“Keith.” Shiro says, his tone low, but the demon is pulling him further away, towards The Kerberos Gate, the real one, not the illusion in the mirror Shiro should have created by now. Keith can feel the pull of The Gate, he’s not sure if it’s pulling him or the demon closer, but it’s there, pulling him in. He reaches up, begins to push back at the hand, the ichor is thick, and cold, and he can feel it matting his hair. He tries to push, to pull, anything to get the demon to release him, but its hold is firm.
“The Gate, it calls to you as well.” The demon says, its voice like scratches of metal.
“No.” He responds, as the demon pulls him further. He can still feel Red. He can feel the panic rising in her as it rises inside him; it’s deafening. She can’t lose her Paladin. Not again. Not again. Not again. He can hear Shiro’s voice, somewhere in the background, but he can’t distinguish the words over Red's anguish. Not again. Not again. She can’t lose her Paladin.
And the demon stops pulling.
Everything stops.
The demon stops moving, Red stops panicking, so Keith begins to pull. He wrenches at it's arm, trying to break from the demons death grip- until he sees two Kerberos Gates. One on either side, flanking him. Shiro is still speaking, but Keith can barely hear him over the roar of the combined Gates; they look exactly the same, equally bright, equally powerful. Shiro has Black’s Grimoire open in his hands, gaze fixed steadily on the demon, and Keith doesn’t hear him properly until the last word:
“…submit!” Shiro finishes, his eyes narrowed at the demon as he holds a brand new Grimoire. The pages are still bright and new, except for the one lying open that’s covered in dark ichor, and the demon just, stops,, dropping Keith’s arm. Keith falls to the ground without the support and he can’t tear his eyes from Shiro, can’t tear himself away from the command of his voice, it’s like he has both of them under his duress.
The demon meets Shiro’s eyes, before bowing its head with an exhale.
And then it’s gone. Bound with the ichor it had so carelessly bled onto the floor.
Shiro slams the Grimoire shut, throwing it outside of the circle before he runs to Keith.
“Keith!” He says, dropping himself onto the floor next to him, hands going to Keith’s face, “Keith,” he says again, and Keith can only watch as Shiro’s hands move to his hair, matted with the same ichor Shiro used to bind the demon. Gently, Shiro puts an arm under Keith’s shoulder, pulling him up as Keith blinks at him. The room looks, feels, brighter. He has to squint to see Shiro’s face properly without his eyes hurting.
“That was maybe, the most, irresponsible thing you could have done Keith.” Shiro says. He can feel Red nodding in the back of his head in agreement.
“You could have been pulled in too.” Shiro says quietly, and Keith nods once as Shiro begins to guide him to the edge of the room. He’s not moving any faster than Keith. They both need rest.
“Did-” Keith begins, his voice sounding hoarse, like he’s forcing the words out. “Did you bind it?” He asks, looking up at Shiro, chest still heaving. They’re both panting like they’ve just been running. But The Gate behind them is no longer groaning and the illusion in the mirror has already faded back into nothing.
“We did.” Shiro answers, giving Keith a warm grin.
aaaand the last piece for the Highwayman AU with @elementkitsune!! Spoilers for the end of the story, but if you’re familiar with the source poem then you already know it’s gonna end in tragedy :p
But there’s still a flicker of hope, every night when the wind blows strong through the trees, and the ghosts of true lovers are reunited -- and no one can come between or betray them now.
another pic for the Highwayman AU with @elementkitsune!
He turned and spurred to the west,
He did not know she stood
Bowed with her head o’er the musket
Drenched with her own red blood...
Keep an eye on the story here for updates!
here’s the original draft of this piece before I realized that ofc Shiro’s horse ought to be black. The chestnut is modeled exactly off my horse, Jackson, who makes an appearance pretty much every time I need a horse in a drawing!
My first piece for @elementkitsune‘s Highwayman AU fic By the Moonlight
Keith’s fingers start to unravel his hair, combing through for the knots in them, and Shiro tells him about all the interesting things that have happened since last month’s visit. How the Galra seem to be teetering between giving up on finding their deserters or redoubling their pursuits. How Sam and Colleen and Matt and Katie Holt had welcomed Shiro into their home once again, with open arms and wide smiles.
And Shiro’s not exactly a professional storyteller, but neither is Keith. So he lets the words wash over him and pour into his ears, until the precious few that there are have all dried up. When done with his tales, Shiro looks up at him with soft, dark eyes, like looking at the night sky through mist, or the moon only half-shrouded by clouds.
“Your turn,” he murmurs, and instead of talking about the stream of travellers in and out of the inn (though more like a trickle, really; not a lot of people come around here), or the uncommon stories about Keith’s childhood, or the even rare stories about Dad and Krolia, Keith untangles his fingers from his hair and looks.
I’ve always loved the poem this story is based off of, so when I heard that someone wanted to write a fic for it, I was over the moon! Element is such a great writer and the way she writes characterization is so good! Please go check out her story, you won’t regret it (mind the tags though)!!
@sheithreversebang -- sorry I’m so late posting, but better late than never?
aaaand the last piece!! I can’t believe this is finally over! It’s something of a relief and a sadness that, like all good stories, we’ve reached the end
@novamode @spinstersgrave I love you two and I’m so happy I got to work with you through all of this! You’re both phenomenal writers and you took my little idea for this AU and built me a castle out of it. Thank you so much!! <3<3
