Follow || Sanders Sides

37. Puppet

We're so close to the end:)

Oh, and I'm totally going to leave you clueless about what happened while Roman was unconscious because that's more fun for me

TW: swearing, angst, slight derealization, crying,

________________________

"Shh, you're okay Roman," Janus murmured, instantly at his side. "Just take some deep breaths."

"Is this real?" Roman asked. His voice was hoarse from screaming while he was passed out. "Am I going to die again?"

"This is real," Janus said gently.

Roman could see the concern in his eyes, but that didn't convince him. This could all be another reality somewhere. Everything felt real, but it had all felt real before as well. His thoughts were racing. What if he was trapped in an endless loop of dying, only to be brought back to life to try again? He couldn't stay like this-

"Breathe, Roman." Janus' voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"How can I know this is real? How do I know that this isn't just another death? How do I know I won't lose him again?" Roman's head was swimming from trying to make sense of everything. He didn't even know what was going on anymore, only that here he was.

"Roman, look at how many fingers I'm holding up," Janus told him. He held up three fingers. "How many fingers do you see?"

"Three," Roman choked out. When had he started crying? The tears were hot on his face, but he realized they didn't burn anymore.

"Good," Janus murmured. "You can see how many fingers I'm holding up. This is reality. You're here. The small details are clear here. You're back in reality."

"It doesn't hurt anymore," Roman whispered. "Everything burned, by it doesn't hurt here. Is this really real?"

"Yes, Roman. It's real." A sob wrenched it's way out of Roman's throat, relief flooding through him. He was finally out of the endless loop. He was finally back.

"What- what about Virgil?" Roman asked. "What happened? How long have I been out of it?"

"It's sunrise, Roman," Janus said with a bitter laugh. "You've been out for hours. Your body absorbed the magic from Virgil until it sent you into a practically comatose state of constant visions. The battle was over hours ago. We won. Madrina is dead."

"Then where's Virgil?"

"About that...." Janus trailed off, not meeting Roman's eyes.

"Where is he?" Roman felt the fluttering panic seep back into his mind.

"You know how I told you about what can happen if the magic takes over someone?" Roman nodded. "Virgil got taken over. His body is just a puppet now."

"What?!" Roman yelled. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" He quickly stood up, ignoring his body's protests.

"I had to calm you down first," Janus protested.

"Where is he?" Roman asked.

"I don't think it's a good idea-"

"Where. Is. He?" Janus sighed, muttering something under his breath.

"Same place as where we left him."

Roman took off running, ignoring the protests of Janus behind him. He didn't care if it wasn't a good idea. He had to see for himself. He had to see it, even if it hurt.

Like Janus has said, Virgil was in the place where they had left him. Madrina was gone, supposedly dead, though there was no body due to her being made of magic. There were, however, scorch marks everywhere. And Virgil was standing in the center of it all.

Roman could tell something was wrong before he even met his eyes. Virgil was too tense, his movements too jerky to be completely his own. His eyes were dull and hazed when they met Roman's, and even his voice didn't found like his own.

"Hello." His voice echoed, almost like a thousand voices joining together to speak. It was unnerving, to say the least. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Virgil?" Roman's voice was unsure, hesitant.

"Oh, he's not here right now." The voice laughed, and Roman couldn't believe how such a sound could come out of Virgil's body. It was so unbelievably wrong. It wasn't the soft laugh that belonged to Virgil. It was sharp and grating and so unfamiliar. "Now that he let us in he can't push us back out."

"I want to speak to Virgil," Roman stated, pushing all the fear he felt to the back of his mind. He couldn't focus on that right now. He just needed to get Virgil back.

"No can do."

"Let me speak to Virgil."

"I don't think you understand." The voice turned cold. "Virgil isn't here right now, and he's never coming back."

766 words.