A Dance With Death

|| Chapter 48 - Possessed ||

"This was what Caius was planning," Niall says. He's leaning against the door frame, as troubled as everyone, if not more. "I always knew he had this unforgivable 'back-up' plan, but I could've never seen this coming. Breaking the Order to this extent? Killing reapers?" 

Raiden is on the bench, looking disastrous as ever. He has been silent for some time, staring at the floor and not responding to our questions. The blow of the Order break has worn off and Althea, Griffith and Ektor feel better. Griffith and Ektor sit with Raiden, trying to get him to talk, while Althea is moving back and forth, massaging her head and mumbling inaudible words occasionally.

"This is getting out of hand." She stops in her tracks. "We have to warn others. He-he'll..." 

"They don't need to be warned," Griffith says. "The break was huge. I'm sure they've all figured it out. Judging from the impact, Zeb was to live at least a couple more centuries." 

I sigh. Forget the Order, forget the break and forget Caius. Zebediah was a good reaper and a great team member. He had his issues with Althea, but he was one of the first to understand what she had gone through. And when Caius had threatened me, he'd stood up against him, not caring how powerful he was. Though he was determined to a fault, and he had his flaws, but nothing makes him worthy of dying. I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad. I didn't get to know much about him, and I didn't know him for long, but he had found a place in my heart, and now that piece has been taken away from me. 

"We need to stay alert, we need to act carefully," Ektor says. "I mean, he has killed one of us, and he may kill again. We have to fight him off somehow. This has gotten too far. Re-strategise, call other reapers––" 

"Nothing," Raiden suddenly says through gritted teeth, his voice barely a whisper, cutting off Ektor. "Nothing...can be done." 

Griffith bends down low, trying to meet his gaze. "Raiden––?" 

"I said, nothing!" Raiden shoots up, taking every one of us by surprise. "Nothing can be done!" 

"Why?" Griffith asks. 

"He's too powerful!" Raiden steps away, curling his hands into fists. "He can't be stopped!" He looks at all of us miserably. "I was so powerless in front of him. I tried so hard to save Zebediah, and he was right there, and I couldn't do anything! You won't be able to do anything either! He'll kill us all!"

His voice is shaky and feeble and he looks like he's about to faint. Whatever Caius did to him, has affected him gravely, and he's beyond scared.

Griffith walks up to him, and holds him by his shoulders, gently shaking him. "Raiden, calm down. Please."

"I can't––"

"Please."

Raiden stares at Griffith for a while, his lower lip trembling. He then swallows and nods. "O-okay. I will," he says, still sounding anxious.

"Why don't you go sit back down, and we can discuss this? Okay?"

"But, I. . ." he sighs and shakes his head.

"Please," Griffith repeats. He then nudges him towards the bench, making him sit down again. "Now, tell us what happened."

Raiden takes his time settling down, eyeing everyone. The way reapers are, stern with little emotion on their features –– he seems nothing like them. In fact, the way he's acting, and what he has become because of his fear, he seems a lot more human. I couldn't help but feel sorry for what he'd been through and what he'd seen.