The Never Forgiven

Chapter 6

~Aurora~

We had met in the designated location, Orpheus not seeming to have any problem finding the cave. I observed him as I arrived, trying to see if he had any recognition of the place.

"Have you been here before? Seems you found the place quite easily."
I said  a bit mysteriously and Orpheus gave me a look.

"Yes... Your directions were easy enough to follow, thank you. Shall we begin inside then? I took it upon myself to bring some wine with me and a couple glasses. I also found a fit enough spot to sit if you wish." 

Orpheus said kindly, gesturing with his arm toward the entrance of the cave. I followed his gesture with a nod and a reply. 

"How kind of you. Seems I might enjoy this 'battle of the minds' a tad more."

My face remained under the cloaks dark hood, my eyes not really as visible as yesterday. Orpheus still seemed eager to know my facial identity, though the want to truly know if it was him kept me from revealing myself. 
We both entered into the cave with an almost eerie silence as if it were the calm before a storm. We sat where he had laid out 2 mats on either side of a large and flat rock which had the glasses and the bottle of wine resting on it.  

"Make yourself comfortable. I'm sure you understand what we are going to do."

Lord Orpheus then sat down on his side, just as i did on my side.

"Let us begin."

With that he then poured the bottle of wine into his glass, only the glass began to fill from top to bottom. It was going to be like a game... Whoever couldn't handle the mind tricks and ended the battle would lose. Mind trickery made up of hallucinations and really plucking at the emotions. Though, beforehand we had made a deal. No looking into personal history, which only made my way figuring out his true identity even harder. But, it made the battle fair. Nothing personal could be used against each other for the sake of respect.

As soon as the glass was filled all the way to the top, the wine threatened to spill over as if trying to make me uncomfortable. If this is all that he had, he was sorely mistaken for my power. But that thought ran off track as the surroundings seemed to change. The cave around us began to crumble, the floors of the cave cracking and rumbling as if an earthquake was happening. I had to keep in mind that this was all in the head, and everything happening wasn't true. 
I smirked slyly at Lord Orpheus.

"It seems you do have quite a bit of skill, darling.."

I poured my own glass of wine before calmly taking a sip of it. My orange eyes then flickered a bit of orange light beneath my hood. The energy around us had pulsed and it seemed as though I wanted the cave to follow apart, quickening the pace of his own mind trick. That's when I caused a vision of black crows to fly out from the dark blackness of those cracks and broken stones, leaving us only on a tiny edge of rock. The crows then swarmed around him, threatening to pick at his flesh for food and causing a deafening echo of cawing. 
Lord Orpheus manage a bit of an uncomfortable expression to the crows picking, but remained calm.

"That one explained one thing to me, my lady." Orpheus said a bit oddly, taking a sip from his overfilled glass of wine. "You do have great ability, I must say. It's a shame we didn't meet before."

Or have we...

The battle continued with us going back and forth to changing surroundings to rain forests, deserts, the bottom of the ocean, and many other surroundings which all had their own unique threats.
Though on his final move... he changed the surroundings to somewhere I had not expected...

The underworld itself

We were standing in the familiar field of fire, root-like hands sprouting from the hot ground and reaching for us... How did he know such a place? How did he know what it was actually like?..

He had a sly smirk on his face. "I don't suppose you know where we are, Lady Aurora. How long do you think it will be until they come to grab our lives for once? Take us into their eternal pain?"

I shot an almost infuriated glare at him. "You spent your time here? How then? I believe you said you weren't pulling any personal things into this battle."

Lord Orpheus gave a shrug. "It is nothing personal to you, really. I'm just creating a surrounding for this little game."

"But all of these visions we create.. they come from our past visits, no? How do you know of this place?" My suspicion rose.

"And how is it that you seem to recognize the place so easily, Lady Aurora?" He countered with his devilish smirk. I wanted to wipe that off of his face.
I then felt as if my body was being torn and cut open, the pain really reaching into my senses....How did he know of such things? Was this all the pain that was felt in the underworld? I let out a cry of pain, falling to my knees. At that moment I found his true ability...Reflection... He was able to use any source of pain he had felt in the past and reflect it onto another. 

But he didn't know what i could do....

Lord Orpheus' smug expression fell as soon as he felt the exact pain in which I went through. As if I mirrored each and every piece of pain he used. Whatever he did to me... would fall onto him as well.

"Take us back..." I grunted out. "End the pain in which we both have right now.... End the battle. Make a draw. We both are going to feel this if you do not end it." My words were strained in my voice, the pain almost unbearable before it all stopped and we were back at the cave, in our seats. 

He had a peculiar look in his eyes.
"Well done..." He said lowly, his voice almost unsure if not, curious.

I gave an exhale. "I should be saying that to you. You really do prove yourself worthy against me. Now. What will it be then? A draw?" I asked shortly. He gave a look to me.

"A draw, yes. We become inseparable allies, you and I. We both fight for a common cause, yes? We both need each others power. Perhaps your home could be our base? My clan doesn't necessarily have the room or isolation as you."

I then gave a nod in agreement. "You have yourself a deal, my friend. I have plenty of room for your men at the manor. It's been needing some attention from soldiers for quite a long time..."
I stood up, drinking the rest of my wine, smirking below my hood. 

"Feel free to move your clan in whenever you please. I have plenty of time on my hands for now."

He stood as well, nodding at the idea. 

"And now will you reveal yourself to me?"

I gave a shake of my head to him. 

"No.... Not quite yet. At the manor I will once you are all set and ready... You've revealed yourself to me more than you might know....Orpheus."

I shifted into that orange eyed crow and with that I was off back towards my manor without another word.

It really was him... in the flesh...