Nero Salvic~Memories of the Protector

Chapter 14

I realise who it is in an instant.

The air that he carries is a noble one, but it’s dark and deceptive. And yet… there may be more in the way of love encased in that shadow than I will ever feel.

And it isn’t towards me.

I practically growl at him, like a dog that is wary of another, larger beast than itself.

It’s feeble and appears almost like an attempt to make myself look braver than I am.

“Oh,” I spit, “You decided to greet us, did you?”

According to the look on his face, Jessie hasn’t quite cottoned on to who it is, but the look in his wide, blue-and-green eyes informs me that he’s got a reason to hate the aura.

I decide to confirm it for him.

“What now, father-dear?” I chuckle sourly, “Is it time for our execution?”

Jessie swivels his head quickly towards me, not believing it.

He looks back towards the shadow.

“The…”He begins, voice a whisper, “The Lord…”

The Lord begins to talk but I cut him off in a feigned moaning voice.

“Oh, all the times I wanted to come here and now I get here I come to die!”

I chuckle again.

“Is it because I don’t want to come? Is it because I hate you?” I hiss.

I see a flicker of a real person and smirk, but the vision quickly disperses and becomes shadow again.

“Those reasons are  absurd.” He begins, his voice is deep, and yet high notes echo from it, bouncing off the walls. The voice makes it hard to determine whether he is a human male or not. He could be anything if you only listened to his voice.

As red smoke starts to mingle with the black of the shadow, he continues to talk.

“You are here for neither of those reasons. And though you may be unable to die in your realm, the rules here are different.” Despite his lack of apparent eyes, I can feel a cruel gaze upon me. “You are here to be punished.”

“Punished?” Jessie speaks up, “What for?”

Jessie draws back suddenly, eyes wide and frightened, his body shakes.

I look at him curiously.

“Jessie?” I ask, and suddenly there’s an excruciating pain in my chest.

“I have the ability to end your life, Nathaniel.” The Lord says smoothly.

“Really?” I smirk, and choke out, “Won’t you prove it?”

“Do not test me.” The Lord sounds almost angry. Though I suspect that it is hard to make him so.

I grin at the fact that I almost did.

Suddenly I feel something tugging at my hair and grunt in pain.

My shackles are dragged behind me, miraculously no longer attached to the wall, and I am pulled agonisingly towards the door.

I keep grunting and snorting, I shake about as much as possible, trying to escape the invisible grip.

My knees scrape through the cloth as they go across the stony floor, and I feel the golden colour seep into my eyes as my body tries to heal the small wounds.

I’d tell it not to bother, but my power acts on its own.

“Nat!” Jessie calls, but then he’s dragged by his hair too.