Phantom; Blessed by the devil, Cursed by the gods

Chapter 16 The Devil's Advocates

Sal thought he knew what fear was, after all he'd felt it everytime Lester came home hours after the sun had set, everytime Boulder so much as stared menacingly in his direction, he'd felt it on those first lonely nights at the foster home, where the sound of voices from the minds of the people around him kept him up and staring at the ceiling, missing the voices of his mother and his father, missing the touch of the family he knew.

But now seeing the arrow fly towards his half brother Sal felt a different fear creep in, it was different from the one he'd felt on those lonely nights, it was terror beyond even his imagination.

Antony's eyes widened as the arrow sailed towards him, his body went rigid with shock, and as soon as Sal saw that something kicked him in his heart.

Sal didn't even register when he'd moved, all he knew was that he had moved, and then the arrow was in his head.

He felt it penetrate his skin, sink through his skull and brain and come out the back of his head, felt blood spray out and dribble from his forehead, between his eyes, down the length of his nose and then drip to the floor.

It hurt.

Terribly.

But Sal ignored the pain.

He turned to Antony who still stood shell shocked with his arms in the air, there was a spray of golden red blood, Sal's blood, on his face and his body was shaking violently.

"Antony, are you alright?" Sal asked him.

Antony nodded and gulped, using the sleeve of his shirt to wipe away the crimson liquid.

Sal sighed in relief and then snapped the arrow before pulling it out with a sickening sound.

Then he turned to Katarina who was staring wild eyed at him, fear and surprise replaced the anger that had simmered just minutes ago.

She wasn't the only one staring though, they all were, but he didn't blame them, he'd pulled a fucking arrow from his head like it was a needle in a pin cushion, surely this was the reaction he expected.

"Kat" he started cautiously, walking forward with slow deliberate steps even as he felt the wound in his forehead closing. "I want you to listen to me, Antony's a friend.."

She was still shocked momentarily, but then something seemed to click in her head.

"Friend!" she yelled, it seemed her shock was not long lasting.

"He killed Casmir" Kat said, her voice as cold and hard as ice, "that's all they do Sal, they destroy the things you love, they take away what matters and they leave you with nothing, with no one"

"You don't have no one, you have me"

Before Sal could realize what he said she'd already reacted, her expression shifting suddenly from her initial anger, to surprise and then confusion.

"I mean", he sighed, "you have us, besides that wasn't Antony, that was Neptune, his father"

She seemed disappointed but with her constant fluctuations of emotion Sal couldn't tell.

She shook her head, clearly not convinced, and fixed a pleading look on her face. He'd only know her for a few days, but he could read her perfectly.

I know you're trying to understand him, but do you understand me?

"The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree Sal" she said finally.

She looked away from him and turned her gaze to Antony.

"I don't know why you're here or what you want.."

"I want to help" Antony said. He'd regained his composure and his face was set in a mask of determination. "I'm here to help you finish this"