Unknowing (A Yogscast Fanfic)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sweat dripped down the mage's face, sliding down his scars. His mask was off, his mouth curled into a snarl. He couldn't see anything, a cloth was over his eyes, and he could feel the edge of a blade at his throat. How, in his sleep, someone managed to drag him from his bed, bind him, and take him to wherever the hell he was, he had no idea. All he knew was that he felt magic humming from the weapon at his jugular, almost familiar to him. It felt like he knew the weapon, like somehow he was a part of it, his entire being woven into the metal about to kill him, or so he thought. He tried to move his arms, the blade was adjusted deeper into his skin. His entire body ached, screaming in pain every time he tried to move. Whoever bound him was skilled at it, and mentally he applauded them, if he weren't the victim, he added sardonically. Breaking him from his thoughts, a voice sounded, very close to him.

"Don't move, sickening thing," the voice growled. It was male, and immediately Rythian recognized it, but he dare not move, unless he wanted a dagger shoved into his neck. "You're gonna hurt Zoey, aren't you? Well, I'm not having it." There was a pause, "Well? Not gonna say anything, asshole?"

Soon the cover was ripped from Rythian's eyes, and his eyes shot open, straining themselves to adjust to the bright light that was on him. He met eyes with Duncan, and spat at him. The scientist jumped back, wiping it off with disgust, as Rythian cackled, his features alight with malicious glee. His voice was gravelly from remaining mute for as long as he had, exactly how long that was he had no idea.

Duncan, having moved the hand holding Enderbane, put it back at the mage's throat, slicing just deep enough to make a small scratch. He laughed as Rythian tried to pull away, the blade singeing his flesh. "Not so fun is it? Well, that's what happens, monster." Rythian's eyes began to glow, hearing the last word ring in his ears. Monster. The word he was called since day one of the whole mess that Duncan had started. The word he heard as he passed by the people in his hometown, speaking in hushed tones as they saw his scars. He grew tired, and made himself the mask, but the sickening whispers still made their way into his ears.

Duncan was pitied. "Did he try to hurt you?" "Oh, you poor thing, you never should have seen such a horrible sight!" "Thank God he wears that mask now, it's still terrifying, but at least you don't have to see his teeth, right?" The bastard soaked in the attention like a sponge, telling the story about his horrors over and over and over. He knew too well that he was the one who caused those scars.

"Here, let's try enderman DNA, just to see," Rythian remembered Duncan saying to him, his voice reverberating in his skull. They were in a small lab, Rythian was sitting on a clean counter, whilst Duncan scrambled around, trying to find this and that. Different colored fluids were set up on the counters around. Some were smoking, others had a glow, and some didn't even look like fluids, they were almost like gas.

"Duncan, is this wise?" the mage asked cautiously. "You've never done this on a human before, correct?"

Duncan waved his question away,  turning away to pull out a syringe from his desk table drawer. "Correct, but think about this, I've done it on pigs and sheep and even other monsters, and it worked fine!" He filled the syringe with a dark liquid, glowing a faint purple in the light. Facing towards his friend once more, vial in hand, he smiled. "Rythian, just think of the magical capabilities! Endermen are known for being supernatural-like, right? So, if you let me do this, think of the new world of magic that is opened up to you!" Seeing the other man's still unsure look, he took a step closer. "I'm telling you, it'll work."

Rythian sighed. The scientist did have a point, the pros did outweigh the cons at that point. He pulled up his sleeve, "One dose, that's it. I trust you, at least this once." Duncan giddily stepped forward grinning, and stuck the needle into his arm.