Chromatober 2024

Day 10 - Sink

Series: Dark Science AU

- - - Night's P.O.V. - - -

Today is the day.

I got ready in double-time, wanting to arrive as early as possible. The nerves were making me jittery, and every time I looked in the mirror, I winced. I didn't look like a leader. I didn't act like a steve who carried the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders. Not the way the previous leader did.

Yellow King, what would you have done? I sighed, grabbing the makeshift crown from my nightstand and slipping it on. Would you have made a deal like this, if you were given the chance?

I shook the doubts away. I wasn't exactly proud of the deal I was about to make, but if it would save the lives of my people, I'd bargain with the darkness. Especially since we couldn't fight it in this state. Many of the remaining steves were too young or injured to travel long distances, and we had almost no technology to help us. The battery-powered shields had been taken along with the army.

I straightened my shoulders and stepped out into the hallway, finding it empty. I had made sure to order all the steves out of the castle while the deal was made. I didn't want the darkness to hurt them if they crossed its path.

Well, almost all the steves.

Feeling a little awkward, I walked down the hall to my assistant's room. He was the only one who knew what was going on today, so if he wanted to leave, I wouldn't blame him. Privately, though, I hoped he'd stay. I didn't want to face the darkness alone.

I knocked on his door and stepped back, trying to suppress the sparks flickering along my fingertips. The door cracked open, and Assistant stared out with tired, nervous eyes. Had he slept at all?

"He's coming soon, isn't he?" he murmured, shrinking back. I nodded. "I still think this is a bad idea."

"I know you don't approve of the trade-"

"I don't like any of it." Assistant said firmly, wrapping his arms around his torso.  "You can't trust the darkness, Night, no matter what deals you try to make."  I opened my mouth, hoping I could convince him to trust me, but he was already zipping out of the room and down the hallway, leaving the palace completely empty.

I didn't know that was the last time we would meet as friends.

Lightning struck, and I jumped, startled.  Straightening my cloak, I ran toward the noise.

Oh Origin, it's here.  The darkness is here already.  

I raced into the room, only to stop short at the sight in front of me.  A figure in a dark, blood-stained lab coat stood alone, his face obscured by a hood except for a bright orange pair of goggles.  His hands were folded neatly behind his back as he examined me, eyes blown out of proportion by the orange lenses.

"You look startled."  He said, smiling.

"I- didn't think you would come in person."  I admitted, shuffling back.  Usually, He used darkness to run his errands for him, the kind I could kill if I had to.

"Well, with an offer like yours... I'd like to see that myself."  I swallowed.

"Okay... follow me, then."  I hoped He couldn't hear the fear in my voice as I led the way downstairs.  I could hear His heeled boots clicking behind me as we walked down the stairs.  Suddenly, every flickering light looked extra ominous.  I began to walk faster, eager to get to the end of the hallway where the sleeping non-steve awaited.

"You're a bit amateur at making laboratories."  the Professor noted, looking around at the cauldrons and brewing stands.  "I thought there'd be more steves down here..."

"I don't experiment on my people."  I said sharply, then winced.  I really shouldn't offend the leader of the darkness, especially since it would be easy for Him to kill me in the abandoned castle.  "Just- the specimen should be right here."

We approached the door at the end of the hallway, and I fumbled to open it.  I couldn't relax until the Professor was safely out of the kingdom, and He wouldn't leave until the odd non-steve was finally in His possession.

Only, when I looked inside, the glass cell was empty.

"Hmm, that looks quite a bit like a portal."  The Professor said pointedly, leaning uncomfortably close so that His voice echoed in my ears.  "Not exactly what you've been promising me."

I flinched away and entered the cell, looking around frantically.

"Maybe on top of the port-"  I stuck one hand on top of the redstone frame, only to find it unoccupied.  "I swear, when I left yesterday night-"

"Of course, of course."  the Professor said smoothly, stepping into the cell right behind me.  He gave a little flick of His wrist, and the glass door shut behind Him.  "How unfortunate that the specimen just vanished like that.  As if it never existed!"

"I-I swear-"

"And without a specimen, of course, there can't be a deal... you have nothing to give me."

"Please-"

"What.  A.  Shame."

And that was when His hand clamped over my arm, sending icy tendrils of darkness through my veins.  I tried to pull away, but I was already cornered inside the cell.  There was nowhere to run, even if I tried.

The cold feeling spread through me rapidly.  I could feel the darkness climbing up to my neck and around the back of my head, aiming for my eyes.  Dark spots clouded my vision as I stared up at the Professor, who watched me with cold curiosity.

I'm going to die.  And He's going to watch it happen.

No.  Something assured me.  You're not going to die.

The Professor knelt down, twisting my head this way and that as my vision glazed over with red.  He smiled softly to himself.

"Not the deal I was hoping for, but this'll do.  So many Yellow Steves around here for me to play with... and the leader under my control!  I'm afraid your kingdom is going to be quite the nightmare."

And as I felt myself sink into the darkness, I knew He was right.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Word Count: 998