That Which Lies in the Dark

3

(TW~ Death, Blood, GORE, Demons)

Picking up the last of the firewood that they would need, Roman placed it in the wagon and just took a breath. He smiled as he stared up at the moon, night having fallen quite some time ago. He was definitely going to have to explain to his mother what it was that took him so long and as much as he dreaded that conversation, he was happy to be standing there under the moon. The stars shimmered happily making Roman smile more thinking of all of the blessed children the Moon accepted in her grace.

The legend goes that every once in a while a Selen blessed with a pure and light soul with be chosen by the moon herself to join her up in the sky as a star. It was an honor to be chosen as it meant you weren't just up there with the Mother moon herself, but you became a god and were able to now help guide your brothers and sisters on earth until they were in the arms of the Goddess of the veil.

Roman took a breath, gazed up at the moon with a small prayer, and hurried along to not have his mother worry too much longer for his return. He dashed through the trees, making sure the wagon was not being stressed too much in the travel before stopping clean at the sent of smoke.

It was too strong a scent. Roman could never smell their wood stove this far out into the forest. It was heavy and thick, and a horrid taste in his already burned mouth. Roman quickly rechecked his mask, making sure it was firmly on his face as his mother always instilled into him to do if he sensed danger, and slowly pushed through the trees.

The smell only got worse, but what really got him, was the scent of iron. He knew that smell. No one in his family was immune to injury. And although he and his brother healed far faster than his mother ever did, he still knew the scent of blood when he smelt it. His heart shattered as he finally broke through the tree line finding his house in complete ruin. Beast ran rampant around the yard tearing into their home as if it were nothing but hay. Imps flew about in a manic manner as the fire grew higher and higher. Roman felt that thing in the back of his head grow so intense, it was burning in him.

Danger.

"MOTHER!" Roman screamed, dropping the handle to the wagon as fast as he could, ignoring how it slid back down into the trees, as he raced as fast as he could into the burnt embers of his home. He was born in this building. He and his twin brother... they were born and raised here. To see his home completely destroyed, it pricked at him making this fire in his chest burn with rage. He never was good at controlling his temper.

"MOTHER! REMUS!" He yelled out at the top of his lungs sending blasts of sound waves in front of him. His mother always told him to control his volume... speak softly so as to not hurt people, but this was serious and he needed to be heard. "REMUS!"

"SOMEONE, PLE-... Mother?" Roman froze in his tracks, the fire dancing around him as he spotted an arm peeking out from one of the broken walls, blood trailing in a river down into the flames where it boiled into an almost noxious gas. Roman slowly walked closer to the broken wall, eyes firmly locked on the arm until he could see the scene in its entirety, making his blood go cold.

Fire burned brighter and hotter the more Roman stood there staring at the mangled corpse before him. His mother's severed arm clutching tight to her sword, runes plastered over the blade covered in her own blood. Her triple moon talisman glinting, even as covered in blood as it was, rested in the shredded remains of her body, her head covered in her blood-soaked hair, hiding her empty gaze from sight.

"Mother..." Roman whimpered as he fell to his knees, his nails digging into his legs till he hissed as he accidentally drew blood. "Mother..." Roman's eyes snapped up, as he quickly grabbed her talisman and sword, this hard look that should not have been in the eyes of a 7-year-old. He quickly ran out of the room, letting the fire burn through everything, claiming all as it devoured even the blood that soaked into the earth.

Roman ran out of the house only to crash into the dirt as this beast suddenly towered over him. A Demon beast... Demons... The beast raised its paw about to attack and Roman felt something in his chest break as he rolled out of the way. The beast's paw swiped hard, its nail catching Roman's mask making it fall off of him as he rolled. Roman whimpered as he looked up to see it broken just laying there in front of him.

He didn't have time for this. He needed to find his brother. Roman grabbed his mask putting it on again despite the crackdown it, as he gripped his mother's sword as tightly as he could. He raced into the madness, following the buzz in his skin that he knew was his brother. He had to be quick... had to rely on his speed to avoid any monsters that dove and swiped at him.

An imp shot a fireball at his feet making him tumble roll into the broken well, causing him to gasp at the sudden loss of air. There was no pain. Roman never really felt pain from physical injuries. It was one of the things that he leaned on, especially now that he had to keep moving. He darted out of the way as a beast jumped at him only to fall into the well, making a loud splash.

"Get. Out. OF MY WAY!" Roman screamed sending imps flying back just at the pressure of his voice. Roman took the chance and bolted into the gardens, already hearing the shouts in his mind. He NEEDED to save Remus. He was the older twin. He was responsible for him.

He couldn't lose Remus.