Veil of Shadows

Chapter 59. Redefining Civilized

"Ranger. If we're going to go through with my idea, now is the time to do so."

The Ender Hybrid hesitated, watching Midnight with an unsure look. "I really don't think this is going to work."

"Just think of something that makes you angry. Red will take control, then I'll take care of the rest."

After a few moments of silence, Ranger sucked in a breath, her senses fading as she lost control of herself and sunk into darkness. Right on cue, as she exhaled, her eyes began to glow red. She grinned.

"You all must be in a hurry to die." Red murmured.

"If you hurt a single person in this place, you'll never get to hear the deal I'm going to offer you." Midnight replied calmly.

A slight pause, then "What deal?"

Midnight continued "You say that you've been trapped in Ranger's head for your entire life. So I offer you this deal: if you swear to help us, then I will separate you from her."

"You think I'm foolish enough to accept that?" Red huffed. "You would sooner kill me than let me fight for your side."

"My distrust of you is not undeserved. But I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. We need your help in this. I recommend you make your choice quickly, before I decide you're not worth the trouble."

Red's eyes flashed with rage, and she lunged for Midnight - then stopped halfway, and with great effort of will, slowly lowered her fist. "I hope you realize how bad of a decision you're making."

"I've made worse decisions. Trust me. So what'll it be?"

"I'll help you."

"Swear it."

"You don't trust my word?"

"Not in a million years."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me." Red smirked. "I swear that I will help you."

"Why should I believe what you say?"

"My word is my bond. It is the one thing I will honor."

"Of course...then, I suppose I'll uphold my end of the bargain." Midnight's eyes shone brighter, and she raised her hands, both of which glowed with a white aura. She whispered a spell, and then the deed was done.

A flash of light, which slowly faded to reveal two figures kneeling on the ground, facing each other. Ranger had frozen, staring at the person opposite her.

Red stared right back.

For a few long seconds, nothing happened, and the two just stared at each other in tense silence. Even Midnight held her breath, waiting to see what would happen, hoping the plan wouldn't crash and burn just yet.

As she watched the two, Midnight realized that she hadn't made Red swear that she wouldn't hurt Ranger. That might have been a major mistake.

One moment, Red was kneeling on the ground. The next, she moved, and before anybody had the chance to intervene, her hands were wrapped around Ranger's throat, slamming the Ender into the ground.

"I will kill you." She hissed, tightening her grip, cutting off Ranger's air.

Then Wolf rocketed out of nowhere, crashing into Red and knocking her away from Ranger. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

Red whirled, facing Wolf. She tilted her head to the side, and a grin played on her lips. It was an amused, 'i'm-going-to-enjoy-breaking-you-in-half' sort of smile.

Midnight stepped forward and looked at Red, meeting the mind invader's gaze with her own hard stare. "If you cause any more trouble, if you attack anyone else, I'll put you right back where you were before. Permanently."

For the first time, there was something like uncertainty in Red's eyes. She glanced at Wolf, then at Ranger, who had stood up and was now debating whether or not to draw a weapon.

"So this is how it will be." Red said quietly. "You use that threat to control me, and I do whatever you say."

Midnight pretended to ponder that for a moment. "Essentially...yes."

"Whatever." Red muttered. "I don't care anyway."

"Then you won't care if we have you locked in a tent and guarded constantly to make sure you don't burn another village down."

Red sighed. "You people are still upset about that, aren't you? It was just a town. Not very significant in my opinion."

"You killed thousands of innocent people and burnt their homes to ashes. And you tormented Ranger for years, so forgive me if I'm not very welcoming."

Red waved aside her statement, not really listening at all. "Alright, alright. I get the point. Just get on with it."

Midnight slowly walked toward her until there was a mere few inches separating them. "You are speaking to the Queen of Nightwick. I suggest you watch your tone."

Red didn't back down. "Of course. I'm terribly sorry I dared to speak in your presence, Your Majesty."

Her eyes narrowed. "You're walking on thin ice, mind invader."

"I don't respond to idle warnings."

And thus, the death glare contest of the century began.

"Alright you two, we have other things we need to do." Wolf interrupted. "Enough with the death glares of doom."

Midnight met Red's gaze for a moment longer, then turned and stalked away.

"Okay, I get that you were stuck in Ranger's head, and that revenge can be fun, but choking her to death isn't going to help your situation." Wolf said to the mind invader.

"And just as you said. Revenge can be fun." Red replied, crossing her arms.

"That's true. But Ranger's a friend of mine, so if you try to kill her again, I'll bash your skull in."

Red's eyes gleamed with challenge. "I personally think decapitation is more civilized, but it's your call."

Wolf rolled her eyes. "My life goal is to redefine civilized."

Red's grin widened. "Mine is to redefine a sin."

Turning away, Wolf said over her shoulder "Just follow me, if it's not too much of an inconvenience - and do try not to get lost."

"I'll try my best." Was Red's only response as Wolf led her to the tent that would become her new prison.