Øverturning the lies (a twenty one pilots fanfiction)

~Nicø~

"You are brave," Nico admits, dismounting from his horse, which is such a contrast to the grayness of the rest of the city, a deliberate symbol on his part.

"Brave," the bishop says, "But foolish."

The figure before him is blurry and wierdly fuzzy, but Nico does not allow any fear to enter his mind.

He is the leader of Dema, the head bishop. The silly tricks of the rebels cannot affect him. 

So he strides forward, perfectly at ease. 

"I'm not foolish," the man chokes out. 

"Oh, Joshua," Nico says, smiling thinly when he looks unnerved. 

"How do you know my name?" 

"I know all those who are under the care of the nine," Nico says. "And I know that, as much as you pretend otherwise, without the help of your friends, you are nothing." 

The man just laughs, but Nico can tell he's nervous. 

Good. 

"Do you think you're some sort of hero?" Nico asks. "Saving someone who didn't want to be saved, leaving those you're supposed to be taking care of completely defenseless-" 

"Stop," the man shakes his head. "Just stop. Why do you do this? Why do you hurt so many people?" 

"Be careful what you wish for," Nico says ominously. "You wish to know the truth, yes?" 

He takes a step forward. "But are you prepared to hear it?" 

The rebel takes a step back, looking somewhat alarmed. 

Good. 

"If you must know," Nico says, "We need pain to survive." 

"What? Dude, that is so messed up!" 

Nico can tell he's trying to hide his fear. But he can sense it nonetheless. 

"If we have no fear, no pain to feed on-" 

"Like vultures," the banditø muses, "feeding on dead things."

"Yes," Nico says, "Why do you think they circle the city? They can sense the death that is about to occur." 

"You're sick," the yellow-clad figure says, shaking his head. "All of you."

"So are you," Nico says calmly, and the man doesn't even try to deny it. "Why else would we bring you here? Or Tyler for that matter?"

He uses the name he knows will provoke an emotional reaction, and he isn't let down. 

"You say you care about him, and yet you left him here, didn't you?" Nico asks, gleefully noting the balled fists of his opponent. "But try to calm that worrying little heart of yours, won't you? You will be reunited eventually, of course. Back in the city where you belong." 

The head bishop leans forward, certain he'll be able to succeed in his endeavor. 

This one has never borne his mark before, thus making it all the stronger. 

The thought of that sends a sense of excitement through Nico. Imagine. The leader of the rebels, put back in his proper place at last. 

He wasn't lying when he said that he and the rest of the nine grew stronger from the pain of their subjects.

With enough fear, he is strong enough to reflect it back at any of his victims. This one is stronger than most of the rest, stronger, no doubt because of the sheer determination that held his soul together and propelled him forward, out of the city, out of Dema.