Baited~ Book 2

15

"Virgil?" Janus was tense. That was for sure. They were currently making their way ontop of the mountain as Janus's head filled with questions. "Virge, where are we going?"

"Home..." Virgil smiled as Janus narrowed his eyes. "Our home... or well... Mine and Lydias."

"Lydia?" Janus scrunched his nose a bit as he frowned. "Who's that?" Virgil stopped short making Janus bump into him. The look Virgil had made Jan very nervous. "What? Was it something I said?"

"You don't know who Lydia is?" Janus shook his head as Virgil frowned. "But... Roman said he met Avery and... even Patton said he spoke with Lya before he... Who... Who did you speak with then?"

"I'm confused." 

"When a druid awakens their power they go a 'journey' where they talk with a past life. I saw Aimon. My original life... But that was a long time after because of Lydia's curse..." Janus's face paled as he took a step back. 

"L-Lydia's curse?" Virgil nodded as he narrowed his eyes. "S-She's that... woman isn't she? The one who hated you." Virgil only nodded again. "Oh. I see." 

"Jan..."

"So, I'm her?" Janus's mind was reeling. "She a past life of mine? It's the only thing that makes sense. I mean... Why would you think I would see her during this so-called journey, if she wasn't?" Janus hugged himself as he felt his hands start to shake. "No wonder I'm such a monster..."

"Janus!" The snake jumped as Virgil just smiled over at him. "Lydia wasn't a monster. Neither are you. She truly felt she was doing what she thought was right to save everyone."

"Don't try to make me feel better. I'm damaged goods. Damaged..." Janus's hand went to his chest and he let out a broken sigh. "Even my soul is broken."

"Jan, surely your journey..."

"I never had a journey, Virgil." Virgil's eyes widened as Janus looked away. "When I... 'Awakened' as you said I was only 7." Virgil tensed as his heart dropped seeing the pain in Janus's eyes. "It was after my dad he..." Janus shook as the memory filled his head. "These... These men came to our house late at night. Dad was cruel... abusive toward my mother. He was mean to her and me both." Virgil took Janus's hand softly pulling him from his thoughts as he smiled. "Virgil?"

"Why don't we get to where we're going... and then we can talk more." Janus simply nodded as Virgil led him off again.

As time went on, and they near closer, Virgil was fully expecting his mind to start screaming at him. After all the last time he had been there was when Lydia cursed him. His breath hitched feeling the dirt below him change to a smooth pathway and he couldn't help but smile. It was so quiet. He took Janus's hand as he raced down the path only to freeze at the sight of that large familiar gazeebo.

"Virgil?" Virgil slowly let Janus's hand go as he made his way down the path, walked up the steps as his fingers brushed against the worn wood, and smiled as the tears slowly spilled from his eyes. 

"Luna..." Virgil laughed as he looked around seeing the place all fixed and nice. "She fixed it up." Virgil stopped seeing Janus just standing there and his smile fell. "Jan, what's wrong?"

"Why are we here?" Virgil sighed as he walked over and pulled Janus up onto the gazebo with a smile. "Virgil..."

"You said you wanted help. I'm going to help you, Jan." Janus's eyes widened as Virgil held his hands tightly beaming at him. "This is where I learned I wasn't my insanity. This is Lya saved me."

"So why bring me here?" Virgil's eyes shined as he pulled Janus into a firm but supportive hug.

"Because this is where I'm going to save you."

"Remus, what are we doing?" Roman frowned as he watched his sibling dance about the room happily. Remus just giggled as he shrugged. "Then why drag me in here."

"Do you want our help or not Roman?" The prince tensed as Remus's eyes went dark. "Controlling your thoughts aren't going to be easy. We'll never be able to kill that insanity in you. So you have to learn to use it without fuelling it."

"You lost me." Remus sighed as they summoned their mace instantly noticing how Roman's eyes went wide. They weren't surprised. They had stolen their grandfather favorite weapon he had used many times in battle. This thing saved their grandfather's life more times than any sword ever had. Remus took a deep breath letting themself slip into Demon mode. "Remus?"

"Not... entirely." Roman frowned as he watched his sibling's expression change. Their whole manner seemed to shift. Usually, the demon was wacky and hyper but still calm in a sense. Despite their quick hyperactive pace you still felt safe with them. Now... Now you felt this darkness surrounding them as their grip tightened around the mace. "You sure you want my help with this?"

"I need all the help I can get." Roman smiled sadly as he held his arms out. "Just tell me what to do." Something flashed in Remus's eyes as they smirked.

"Just don't snap..." Remus held the mace higher posed to strick as they smiled do psychotically they were dripping with madness, their fangs making them look scary... that is if you didn't notice the demon eyes. "And don't die either... Despite being a demon, I don't take pleasure in murder."

"Noted." Remus slammed their mace onto the ground causing a massive shockwave knocking Roman onto his ass. "Ok... seriously missing Remy." Remus's narrowed his eyes as Roman jumped to his feet and frowned. "At least he gave me a warning."

"If I warned you, you would never learn." Roman took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. He could feel the icy dark energy pulsing out of his sibling and he frowned. it was like it was this fog of darkness. He didn't like it. "Pay attention!" Roman threw up a shield blocking Remus's mace before it could hit him without opening his eyes.

"I am." Roman could only smirk. He sees the energy around him just as much as he could feel it. Remus's covered him entirely like smoke. Roman watched in his mind as it branched out surrounding the room before taking shape. Roman's eyes shot open to find demons of all sorts, not real ones but still, surrounding him and he frowned as Remus laughed.

"You might want to keep your eyes open for this."