W.I.T.C.H: The Dark Descendant

Illegal Affairs

"If you do big things they print your face, and if you do little things they print only your thumbs."

The Hidden Mansion, the night after Elyon's engagement

"Scream as much as you want. There is no one here to hear your pitiful cries, you treasonous animal. No one to be moved by your pain."- Phobos ordained, swinging the heavy whip he held. "I promised you that you'd pay dearly for betraying my trust! Look, Cedric, I learned to keep my vows after all!"

Cedric rose weakly from the floor but maintained his dignity. His naked torso, all covered in red-sore wounds and bruises caused by Phobos's whiplashes, turned to the cruel prince.

"Be as it may, my liege. I regret nothing, most certainly not turning against you when I had the chance."- he hissed, enraging the other man even more. "After years of imprisonment and after losing everything, nothing can affect me anymore."

Then he screamed again, as Phobos kept scourging him. It had been a good couple hour of that, but the lord would not relent, much to the former ruler's anger and outrage. Phobos had expected painful apologies, despair, and reconciliation. He had expected his right-hand man to be dying to get his weal again, but nothing. No such luck. No such words or actions had taken place so far, and that was annoying the prince greatly.

"Is that so? Think again, Cedric."- he yelled. "Look around yourself and think again! A new time has come, my time, don't you see? Can you actually afford to be my enemy during this new era?!"

This time the whip whacked the prisoner's face. Cedric roared yet again, then turned his bleeding face to Phobos. For a moment, there was a brief silence in the bronze underground, lit by hundreds of burning torches.

"A new era? It's rather amusing, Prince Phobos, that was exactly the name you gave your grandiose failure ten years ago upon taking Nerissa's seal."

"It was the best I could do with an improvised plan which I was forced to compile on the go after my empire of 13 years crumbled into pieces due to your incompetence!"- the prince gritted his teeth as he got dangerously close to the fallen man. "In point of fact, it was well worth it to kill you long ago, after all your transgressions, betrayals, and low actions against me, poor orphan. But you have a special place in my heart, what to do. I gave you hope and a chance to develop when there was no one there for you, and I have known you for so long that I am inclined to give you one last chance. But you don't seem to want it, Cedric."- Phobos said with disappointment inspecting the other man closely. The chained ex-Lord was forced to stand up and lean against the cold wall as the cold green pupils slid all over his tormented self.

"Why?"- Phobos added in the end. The annoyance caused by Cedric's silence was evident in his voice. "What gives you the incomprehensibly weak-minded notion that you can refuse me?"

"She fails to give you ultimate satisfaction, doesn't she?"- the shapeshifter spoke with an odd spark in his eye. "The blonde bimbo. That's why you wanted me here. Who is she, anyway?"

"Be silent, you insolent dolt!"- Phobos raged and scourged him yet again. "Don't you dare trample on my chances for success again!"

Phobos looked around himself as Cedric fell down to pule from the pain of his freshest wound. Then he totally abandoned the whip and used his bare hands to grab ahold of the shapeshifter.

"You ought to decide, Cedric."- he whispered seriously. 'Whether you'll stand by my side or not. Decide wisely, because this time I will not tolerate betrayal or failure. This is your last chance to show me your value and dedication. Don't disappoint your only true intimate in life, little orphan."