In which a male and female find themselves to vital pawns on opposing sides of the chess-board in a battle against the light and the dark that has been waging since the start of time.
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[Previously- Odt.]
[Started: 21.05.16]
[Finished: ---]
Freya sat opposite Marcus and I, a coffee mug resting on the dining table in front of her. She seemed, tired, older even, and this was the first time I truly noticed the bags under her eyes. When she saw us, she sighed, telling us to sit down. Guilt started to brew in my lower stomach. Somehow I felt responsible for her being like this. I was responsible. I sunk into my seat, without another word.
"Mum-" Marcus started, but she cut him off.
"Eliza traced them up north." She mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
"How far?" I asked, taking that Eliza was the friend that Marcus had mentioned earlier.
"Brecon," came the reply.
"I'll leave in the morning." Marcus mumbled, standing up.
I stood up, looking at him. "I'm coming with you."
He opened his mouth to protest but I cut him off. "This is all my fault, and I'm fixing this."
He nodded, slowly sinking back into his seat, as Freya stood. "What about Eli?"
"Eli can stay here and look after you." I spoke to Freya. "If the Resplendent come back, he can inform us."
Freya nodded, mumbling her farewell as she retired to her room. I waited until she closed her room door and I turned to Marcus.
"What did Kit tell you?"
Marcus shifted himself in his seat until he was facing me. "He called me, and told me he needed to tell me something important."
I nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"He called me, a week or so after the warehouse incident. At first I was skeptical, he was a Resplendent, after all. He said it was important and that it could be the difference between life and death. I agreed to meet up, at the park. He seemed on edge, as if something could happen at any given moment and was really jumpy.
He'd heard that the Resplendent were building some sort of device, one that could strip Necromancers of their title, forcing them to live like humans, much like rogues. They'd lose their abilities. Every last one of them. The Resplendent would then have the power, taking over all of us.
He knew he was going to be ambushed, but he had no idea how or when it'd happen. I can tell you now, Nika, that he'd have never thought that they'd take him in the way that they did; if he knew, he'd have just surrendered, if it meant you weren't to be hurt and tortured."
He took out a small object, playing with it in his hands. "He told me to give this to you. Apparently it portrays some aura which prevents you from being traceable, so you'd seem normal and they won't come for you. It also doubles up as a promise ring, I suppose. A promise that'd he'll be back and no one can touch you as long as he lives."
I gasped, taking the ring from him. It was cold to my touch and I placed it on my palm, admiring it. It had two rows. One had black diamonds, and the other, white. It was perfect.
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I put it on.
"Marcus?" I asked, as he looked up at me.
"Let's go find Archie," I sniffed, "And let's go kick some Resplendent ass."
