My Knight in Dragon Scales

42. He hates me... I know it.

I stood there staring at the ruins and I just frowned. Why would he want to come back? What good would come of this? He was just standing there for god knows how long. 

"Virgil..." He looked back at me with this smile on his face and I sighed. Ok then... We walked inside and I watched as he looked around. I just smiled. I could see the damage this place was in and I couldn't help but think of my grandfather. "So this is where Grandfather got the locket from."

"The what?" My eyes widened as the story played through my mind. I can't believe I never thought about this before. My grandfather... He said he was given this locket Eragon himself. Virgil... He... He knew my grandfather. He owned this locket. I pulled the locket out from behind my shirt and his eyes widened. "He passed it down to you?"

"Sorry?" I watched as he reached out towards me and I frowned. I opened my mouth to say something but I couldn't form the words. I didn't know how too.

"Nevermind..." Yeah... Nevermind. Virgil just walked on ahead and I ran a hand through my hair. Ok, let's get this over with. "This way. We need to find the Vault." I followed Virgil into this hallway-like room just filled with debris and rubble. I'm guessing this is where the story took place. 

"You know my grandfather told me this story about how he got this locket." He looked back at me with this look and I just couldn't help but smile. To think, my life was impacted by him before I was even born... I just can't get over it. "He told me it special."

"Yeah well... It's a family heirloom." I heard him whisper and I narrowed my eyes. I looked down at the locket and frowned. I love this even more now that I learned it belonged to him but... part of me hates its tie to the rest of his family. I just have a very bad feeling.

I sat down as Virgil started moving things around. I could see he was looking for something. I could also see the anxiety building in him as he couldn't find it. I'm sure it's there whatever it is. After all only assholes come here for artifacts and crap. They wouldn't bother going through the rubble and shit. However, as time went on, I could see Virgil slowly breaking. Whatever it was meant the world to him, and he wasn't finding it. I saw him twitch and his eyes started to glow red.

"Hey... Hey, it's ok. It's going to ok, Virgil." I immediately pulled him into a hug and felt him start to shake.

"It's gone. I left it here. I... I know I did." I pulled him down with me as I sat and just held him tightly. He was breaking. All this time in the dark... He's losing his fight. I just... I want him to know it's ok. "I saw it. It was burned but... it was intact. Thomas... I left it right there. It's not like I could fish it out at that moment. I had to help Samuel... I..." I squeezed him tightly as the shaking got worse. He left whatever it was that was so special behind just to help my grandfather... "I'm sorry. I was the one that wanted to come here. And now I'm just..."

"Virgil, you never have to apologize to me. You fight every day... I know it must be hard." My face paled and I sighed. I could feel his confusion grow. Well, I guess I should just... say it now then.

"What..." I held him close for one last second before pulling away. I moved out in front of him and put my hands in my pocket. How the hell... I wanted one last happy moment but... It's better now then later.

"Virgil... I know. I know about... who you are. What you did in the great forest." His eyes went wide and I cringed at how bright his eyes started glowing red. I put my hands up and smiled trying to lessen his stress. It wouldn't matter anyway though... not when he finds out what I did. "Don't... Don't be scared. I know I don't know everything. But I'm not scared of you. I love you."

"How?" I gave him this confused look and watched as he hugged himself. "How do you know? Was it Patton? Did Patton tell you?" I flinched. Patton... God, I can't get his scream out of my head. It happened so fast. I didn't even know... I am such a horrible person.

"Virgil... There's a lot that I've learned about myself... recently. And..." I screamed out as I gripped my hair in frustration, falling back into the rubble. I winced as the jagged pieces bug into me but ignored it all. "I don't know how to say this."

"Say what Roman?" I just smiled sadly at him. Just spit it out, Roman.

"Avery told me." His eyes went wide and he started to shake my head. He covered his ears and gripped his hair as he just stared at nothing. His red eyes got even redder if that was possible and I felt this wave of pain and shock. He was going to snap. "Virgil... Virgil calm down."

"Calm down?! ̸̻́͜Ą̸̲̅͋͝V̸̥̅̓Ę̸̩͋͒͐R̶̨͖̮͋Ÿ̴̥̭̓'̴̣̈́̊͠S̶̖̎̎ ̷̮̟̥́̔D̴͖̼̎̍E̵̳̿̃̓A̸͎̓͐̍D̶̤̯̽͗!" I unintentionally flinched as he slammed a hand over his mouth. His voice was glitching... That isn't a good sign. I wanted to just say forget it and go but... If I stopped now he would only get worse. I just pray this isn't enough to set him off. I don't want to be the reason he loses control. He fights so hard. "How... How do you even know that name? I don't..."

"I'm the..."I rolled his eyes and crossed my arms as the anxiety kicked in. Just say it, Roman. "I'm a druid, Virgil."

"No... No, you can't be... you don't... You don't..." I looked away as I held my arm up. I felt the energy pulse through me and I let it surround my hand. I couldn't even look him in the eyes.

"Virgil I did something. Something horrible. Something I can't take back." My voice broke as the tears began to fall. "I thought it would be best... If you heard it from me first."

"What did you do?" I took a deep breath and stood back up pushing myself up against the wall. I could see his fear. It was clear as day. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"I passed the curse to Patton." I watched as Virgil fell to his knees, broken. I wanted to run over there and pull him in. I wanted to tell him is going to be ok but it isn't. And it's all my fault..."I passed the blindness over to him and... And it didn't make him 'blind' per say."

"Wĥ̷̟̻̭͊̑ä̴̜̣t Did Ȋ̸̧̜̈́Ṱ̵̛̥͛́ do?" I looked away with a frown, running a hand through my hair. "Ṛ̸̌̅O̷͈̯̣͊̓̄M̴̩̂A̶̠͂̈N̵̨̩͖͊̀̕!̴̺̙͆̑"

"It took is eyes in general so I couldn't reverse it. Patton... Patton, he's..." I can't... I felt my body start to shake and as I just stared at the ground. I couldn't look at him. I didn't even have the right to be around him. It's my fault.

"That's why Logan said he was well. AND WHY HE PUNCHED YOU!" I could only nod. "I'm... I'm gonna go."

"Virgil?"

"Don't... Don't follow me. Please." I watched as he walked out alone and I broke. I whipped the tears from my eyes and turned towards the vault. I had to give him some space. I had to give them all some space. Right now I could only protect them from me.

"Poor Virgil." I spun around to punch whoever it was but they caught my arm and I froze. They grinned evilly as they stuck a knife into my side. "Poor, Patton." He stabbed me again and I fell to my knees, looking up to see those beady yellow eyes. "I'm going to enjoy this."

"Deceit." He tipped his hat and stabbed me again. I lost all my strength and fell back as he cracked his knuckles.

"You're coming with me." I watched his reach out as the black finally took hold. I wanted to scream. I wanted... I don't know. The lack pulled me under and all I could hear was Virgil screaming out.

"ROMAN!"