Classy, Controlled Chaos - The STEAM Team Adventures

⚔️ Swords Dance [2/12] ⚔️

Tia's POV:

I watched over the Horizon Library as my teammates slept.

After clawing my way up the levitating pillars surrounding the top of the structure, I found a decent platform where I could rest.

Stars lit up the dark sky above me, illuminating the ground in a soft, subtle glow.

A cold breeze blew through the crisp, nighttime air, sending a chill down my spine.

Sometimes I regret wearing short shorts all the time.

I sat down the old stone platform, letting my legs dangle off the edge.

Chunky bits of rubble rolled off of the edge; This spot was ancient.

Long before I was conceived, this place was at least a century or two old.

Staring down at the glass dome of the Horizon Library below me, I let my mind wander a bit.

Blackthorne and Permafrost were hopefully dead.

I think I accidentally took Addison and Don's lives... Marshall would know if anything.

Blanco probably thinks I'm closer to that phoenix anyway.

When it comes to dealing with emotions that aren't battle-related, I screw up the second the words come out of my mouth.

What is wrong with me?

Everything, Tia.

Everything's wrong with you.

Your cold front, your two-faced demeanor, the way you think and act...

Of course there's something wrong with me.

Then again, everyone has a crazy side.

Am I going insane, or has everyone already succumbed to mental illness?

Stop being delusional, Tia.

Things only happen if you want them to happen.

You know what I want to happen?

A redemption arc.

I want to redeem myself to the world that I'm not as horrible as I seem.

I'm not antagonizing myself, I'm just being brutally honest about what I feel.

Addison would know stuff about feelings.

Feelings are her cup of tea, not mine.

How I wish I didn't mess up so badly...

Why did I have to be so violent?

The rest of my thoughts began swirling around in my head like a watery vortex, threatening to drag me under sanity's surface and into the depths of delusion.

What have I become?

"Get up, darling."

I snapped out of my trance, swiftly getting onto my feet and drawing my RipTrident. "Who's there? Show yourself."

"Puffin boy. Does that ring a bell?"

My head practically melted into my hands as I felt the sickeningly familiar cold breath of Edward's half brother against the bare skin of my neck.

"I can't cheat death if I've never gambled with it," Blackthorne smiled, turning me around by the shoulder. "What's a damsel like you doing out here all alone?"

I lashed my orca tail across the ground, slapping my flukes against the stone as a warning. "You're just as annoying before you died. Why won't you stay in your stupid grave?"

He let out a hearty laugh, and for the first time in what seemed to be forever, I saw him give me a genuine smile. "It's fate, darling. You know you and I are destined to be together... And not in the romantic sense."

Standing there with a puzzled look on my face, I felt his rough fingers intertwine with mine. "You, me. Get revenge on those who've wronged us. What do you say to that? It's an irresistible offer."

I yanked my hand away from his, vigorously wiping it against my captain's coat. "You must take me for a sheepminded fool. I'm not cattle you can easily bribe with the promise of hay."

The dark knight tilted his head to the side, and that's when I realized his obsidian helmet was off. "Oh, please forgive me, dear. I didn't mean to be so quick with you. May I start again?"

"I've learned that second chances aren't for anyone who tries to harm you," I snarled, regaining my usual cold front. "Give me three good reasons why I should even contemplate siding with you and maybe then I'll spare your life."

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Ooh, love the ones who keep the stakes high. Alrighty, allow me to convince you..."

I assumed he was going to fabricate a list right then and there, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a demonstration of his skills.

His obsidian chestplate, which had three holes in it from one of our first interactions, seemed to glow with an iridescent, wisteria-purple color.

The rest of his armor did as well, and he simply claimed that Permafrost had transferred her magic into the pieces while she was in Purgatory.

That was believable at best.

However, he quickly convinced me to ally with him while showing off his new weaponry: A scythe.

Normally such a tool would be used for farming, however, the last of his mentor's magic as well as her life force was sucked into the blade before Blackthorne had been cast out of Purgatory.

Permafrost used the last of her useable power to save her apprentice and locked whatever remained of herself into his weapon.

Technically she was dead, but she still lived on in Blackthorne's weapon.

"I call her Daybreak," He chuckled, wielding the massive curved weapon in one hand. "Permafrost always told me that if the sun shone ever again, she'd be up at the crack of dawn to see it. This was named in her honor."

It seemed wrong for me to say this, but I think he was starting to warm up to me.

Starting to. Not that he is... Yet.

"That's nice," I replied, staring down at the Horizon Library beneath us. "But those aren't really reasons why I should side with you."

He bent down to my level and ghosted his words over my ear. "I'll train you to counter Darkness."

"Fat chance," I huffed, crossing my arms. "Sheer force is enough for me. If looks could kill, I think anyone that's ever tried to make eye contact with me would be six feet under."

The dark knight gave me a smirk, handing me his Daybreak Scythe. "I can teach you how to steal someone else's magic, then. It's fairly simple... You saw how Don and Addison were too clumsy to escape from you."

I didn't question how he saw the incident unfold before I promptly took his weapon, offering my half-bandaged up hand. "Allies?"

Blackthorne nodded, reaching for my palm. "Under one condition: What's in the past stays in the past."

I smiled, taking his hand.

"Deal."