The Devils Gambit

-Chapter VI-

 Clyde covered his ears and pressed into his skull. Curled up in a ball on the floor, El sat by his side trying to help calm him down. The sound of pain and anguish bounce on the walls, down the halls of the young boys home.

"I'm here Alban," the young Elena would say full of tears, "I'm here."

Clyde groaned in pain, clutching at his ears, but the voices only got louder.

He took his childhood friend by the hand, and looked up at her with pleading brown eyes, begging for help.

Luna kicked in the door to Clyde's room finding her son curled up in a ball at the lap of his best friend who shed as many tears as he did.

She ran to her son. Behind her, Daniel followed behind her to hold his only child.

"My son," He said, falling to his knees taking him into his arms, "Son what happened, what's happening?"

Luna looked up at him with tears in her eyes, holding a scared Elena in her arms, "What we feared would happen."

"No, no I refuse to believe it! Our gifts are not a burden to our son, they are his strength!"

"A strength he cannot control! The all power of light and dark surging through him, his mind and soul are caught in the space between. At this rate Daniel, he won't survive."

For the first and only time in his life, Daniel looked to his wife with a dying fear in his eyes.

"Luna, is there anything that can be done? You know what the other Archangels would do if they found out about Alban. I can't do anything, not without putting his life in more danger."

Luna looked to her son and her husband, the tears rolling down the face of the two men she loved most were all the convincing she needed. She reached into her shirt collar and pulled out a black ivory fang necklace, taking it off her neck. She held it close to her lips and whispered to it, "Save my son," before letting it hang over Clyde's forehead. Sprinkles of the black ivory fang fell onto her son. Luna smiled as her son's shaking grew less and his breathing normalized.

Seeing her friend start to feel better, Elena reached up, grabbing the fang and putting it directly to her friend.

"ELENA NO..." Luna screamed but it was too late. Elena, afraid she doomed her friend, dug herself back into Luna's embrace as the fang dissolved into flakes, absorbing into Clyde's body. To her surprise however, her son didn't react the way she thought he would.

All eyes were on Clyde as a black spot formed on his wrist. A small Dragon marking, with its wings extended and eyes burning a dark purple. Daniel and Luna watched in amazement as the tiny dragon marking came alive and slithered freely.

Clyde took in a deep breath and exhaled, opened his eyes and smiled. Elena tilted her head confused, for her friends eyes were no longer golden brown...

Clyde stared over to his mother with the brightest midnight shade of purple eyes she had ever seen.

"I promise you Lady Siv," he spoke with depth in his voice, like he was speaking all around them, "I won't let anything happen to him."

---

Standing on the outdoor balcony of the opera house, Paragor twisted his cane impatiently as he waited for his acolyte to arrive.

"Blasted woman," he scowled, feeling the skin around his mouth begin to crack revealing his true form, "Of all the times to be late."

"Excuse me for being careful Master," He turned around to see his pale apprentice, draped in a slick black dress so stunning that it no doubt would have made the Devil blush.