Please read the Authors Note at the bottom!
Enjoy x

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Chapter 41 | The Nameless Boy

*

"If you don't love
Y o u r s e l f
you won't recognise
when someone
else
d o e s."

- Bridgett Devoue

*

NATHANIEL

He stood alone in a blue world.

The vibrant, pulsing colour surrounded him like an endless ocean, stretching out on either side as far as the eye could see. He thought he heard a sound, but when he turned his head, he realised he no longer had a head to turn. He had become an existence only, a lonely soul floating through an infinite sky.

I will not forget. He told himself resolutely. I cannot forget. They are counting on me to remember.

He wandered on, further and further, repeating the words like a mantra.

I will not forget.

I cannot forget.

I must remember.

I will not forget.

I cannot forget.

I must remember.

In the ceaseless stretch of blue, a ripple appeared, like someone had thrown a stone in a pool. Nathaniel paused to study it, watching as the ripples spread further and further until they reached his bodiless form. And with the ripple came a warm wind.

Weren't you supposed to remember something? The wind asked him.

Nathaniel frowned. That's right. He had a purpose. The mantra began again.

I will not forget.

I cannot forget.

I must remember.

The wind laughed at him. What are you remembering? It asked playfully.

Nate paused, looking towards the wind that had coiled and danced in front of him until it became a small whirlwind. The tail of the whirlwind touched the surface of the unbroken sea of blue and suddenly a hole appeared beneath it. Small at first, Nathaniel watched the hole carefully. And gradually, the blue space around the hole began to warp and bend, as though it were being sucked away like water down a plug hole.

Rapidly the hole began to expand.

Nathaniel recoiled away from it, slowly at first before breaking into a run. But no matter how fast he ran, the hole continued to grow, devouring the blue world around him, even as the wind danced laughingly at his side.

Its going to catch up.

As soon as the thought entered his mind it became truth and the black hole collapsed around the edges of his vision, dragging him under and consuming him entirely.

And as then as quickly as the hole had appeared it vanished, and the blue world became a still ocean once more.

*

When he awoke, he was nameless and bewildered. He sat up shakily, the rocks beneath his hands pressing into his skin and almost immediately became aware of the presence of someone in front of him.

Upon making eye contact, he saw a boy. The boy looked at him critically for a moment before his blue eyes cooled and he nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"I told you I was not important," the boy said cryptically, rising to his feet. "You will remember more once something you are permitted to remember is put in front of you." The boy turned as though to leave, and he noticed there was a beautiful blue stone clutched in the boy's palm. "For now, stay here. You will be safe enough. Afterwards, you will be free to leave. Do you understand?"

The nameless boy nodded his head, feeling slightly bemused. Even if he was free to leave, where was he supposed to go? As the other boy retreated, he watched him go, gradually taking in his surroundings.

He appeared to be in a cavern. It was rather large he supposed, and he could just make out the dome shaped roof, towering high above him. The space was lit by several light sources he could not understand. Two of the lights came from glistening golden cages that seemed to be holding, (he rubbed his eyes quickly), what could only be described as dragons. The other lights were fainter and glowed an ominous red. Each red light encased what his heart told him was a person, within its circle. He stared at the one closest to him, but it appeared as though the person was lying facing away and he was unable to make out any features.

Did he know any of these people? He thought, looking towards the two figures that stood in the middle of the formation. Did he know those people?

It seemed that the boy knew him. And knew what had happened to his memories.

And the nameless boy's instinct told him that those who removed other people's memories and drew weird circles with other people inside were generally up to no good. But then why, when the boy had looked at him, did he feel as though he trusted him?

Was he on the bad side too then?

There was an ache in the back of his skull that had been consistently pounding since he had opened his eyes. He raised a hand to the back of his head and grimaced when he felt the lump of dried blood, matted into his hair and pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to alleviate the pain.

This was too confusing. He opened his eyes again and resigned himself to staying put for the time being, as the other boy suggested. Whatever was happening, it didn't seem to currently involve him in any way. And his head hurt.

He licked his lips, suddenly noticing how dry his mouth was. He chewed the inside of his cheeks absentmindedly, to try and coax some salvia to wet his tongue. The boy had bent down in the middle of the cavern for a moment, to draw something it seemed, but now he had straightened and was stepping away to the edge of the cave, leaving the man alone at the centre.

The man bent to place two stones down on the ground before him, one red, one blue before straightening. He seemed to breath in deeply, steading himself before lifting his hands to begin forming a series of complex signs with practised ease.

The nameless boy watched in amazement as the ground beneath the man's feet began to light up in chunks, starting in the centre and moving systematically outwards towards the bodies at the edges. As more of the ground was illuminated, he could see that a diamond shape was beginning to form, unfurling from the middle point like a red rose.

At about half-way, the ground began to shake.

The nameless boy jumped in surprise, his hands reaching out to either side of his body to steady himself, but it was a fruitless attempt for it seemed that it was the very ground beneath him that was unstable. He scrambled to his feet, holding the wall for support.
In the centre of the formation, the man seemed unbothered by the movement, if anything, he continued to create hand seals with increasingly intensity.

Looking across the cavern, he could see the other boy was also unperturbed, but he found that the sense of unease inside him had been growing with increasing intensity and now raged in the fore front of his mind.

This was not right.

He watched as the light from the diamond finally reached the inner sides, stretching to touch the two bodies placed within reach. A few seconds later the light had reached the bodies at the corners as well as the dragon cages, the change seeming to rouse the beasts that had previous lay dormant within.

With fierce roar one of the dragons unleashed a column of fire at the bars of its gilded cage. The nameless boy threw up a hand to shield himself from the flame, only to stare aghast, as the fire rolled off the bars of the cage as though they formed a solid wall, trapping the inferno within.

Struggling to comprehend what was happening, the nameless boy could only look on as the bodies trapped within the smaller circles began to glow, becoming enshrouded in a tangible, red haze. The haze seemed to warp and shift around them, intensifying as the floor continued to tremor and shake beneath him, as though it were alive.

His gaze focused on the prone form closest to him. The red haze around this person was particularly thick and as he watched, a wisp of it separated from the rest and began to float towards the centre of the diamond, like a small, red, fog.
Once it reached the man standing in the middle, the fog appeared to be sucked down into the red gemstone that pulsed at the man's feet. Soon that tendril was joined by more and eventually the mist solidified further, until it was as though a thick red string connected the figure on the outside to the stone in the centre.

The boy who could not remember anything looked at the formation that surrounded the unconscious figure. His fingers twitched.

I must remember.

The purpose sprung into his mind where it took root and grew like a weed.

I must remember.

It was not just the floor beneath his feet anymore, now even the walls were sliding and shifting.

You're standing on it.

Standing on what?

I must remember.

The Nyx.

I cannot forget.

Now all of the beings surrounding the diamond were connected to the pendant at the centre by a red string of light.

Like the red string of fate, the nameless boy thought randomly to himself. This seems like the time. Wasn't there something I was supposed to do?

The man in the middle had seemed to realise something and a sinister smile spready slowly across his face, his fingers flicking through the signs faster than before. The boy stared at him, thoughts elsewhere.

Just stay here.

I must remember.

I cannot forget.

I will not forget.

Before he had realised, he was moving, the nameless boy was staggering across the rolling ground, towards the figure closest to him. As soon as he came within reach, the boy who could not remember anything other than the job he was supposed to do, was lunging for the body swathed in red, with the sole intention of pulling it from the circle.

Break the circle, he thought furiously, his fingers scrabbling against cloth, even as a furious roar echoed out around the cavern. Break the circle, break the thread.

He heaved with all his might, but the dead weight of the body was too heavy.

"Stop him!" The roar was inhumane with rage and, but he ignored it, his sense of urgency rising. The head of the body was now out of the circle, he could see the haze dissipating-

And then suddenly he was knocked to ground, the air huffing out of him in one breath, his shoulder screaming in protest as it was crushed into the rock.

"What do you think you're doing," the other boy hissed, his face white with anger, "you'll be killed!"

"Let me go," he panted, struggling beneath the weight of the other.

"No!" The other boy grappled with him furiously, smacking his face to the side. "Listen to me! If you interrupt this, he will not hesitate to kill you!"

Forcefully he was dragged up and hauled away across the shifting ground. He watched in despair as the prone figure he left behind was encased in the red haze once again.

"It's almost done," the other boy said shortly, dumping him on the ground at the edge of the cavern before flopping down next to him. "Stay here," he flashed a small silver blade, making his intentions clear, "next time I will not be so kind. You're lucky Master is currently occupied, or you would already be dead."

"What you are doing is wrong," the nameless boy protested.

The other boy raised his eyebrows, "Do you even know what we are doing?"

He shook his head. "No, but I can't just sit back and watch those people die." He pointed towards the figures.

"Not all of them will die," the other boy said nonchalantly. "Master needs their energy to raise the Nyx. As long as they have enough power, they should survive." He looked out at the array and the nameless boy followed his finger as he pointed. "The Dragons have lost too much magic already, they will probably not survive," the other boy stated offhandedly before pointing to one of the smaller forms, "she probably won't either, she's too badly injured. But I think the rest of them should be alright."

The nameless boy decided he heavily disliked the others careless tone. It was as though the lives he referred to were nothing more than dirt under his shoe.

"You can't just play God with people's lives," he ground out angrily.

The boy's blue eyes roamed over him critically, "You don't even know them. Why do you care so much?"

"Because," he said, "people are not just something to use and throw away. They are important."

At the word 'important' the other boy's eyes widened, and for a moment he paused, seemingly lost for words. But then his eyes narrowed in distain. "You don't remember what's important," he scoffed, turning away. "Just sit still and watch."

Another tremor jolted the rock beneath them, and the nameless boy cried out as he fought to steady himself under the shifting surface, his retort lost on his lips.

The red light in the centre of the formation was becoming more intense now and it swelled and warped around the man in the middle, as though it were building to the point of bursting. The nameless boy realised then that the red light was actually being manipulated by the man, moulded by his hands into the signs he was creating, and each seal began to thrum with power.

The man appeared to be reaching a limit now, tension rolled off his body in waves, the slick sheen of sweat visible on his face under the red light. His black hair lifted around him like a cape, swirling suspended in the air. His animalistic eyes filled with warped fervour as he let out a primal roar of exertion, finishing the final seal and thrusting his hands skyward.

The was a moment of absolute silence before the world around them erupted into complete chaos. A thunderous burst of red light exploded inside the cave, spreading to each rocky corner before condensing back into the centre and drilling into the ground with colossal force.

The blast pressed the two boys back against the wall and near him, the nameless boy heard the sickening thud of flesh meeting stone as the smaller figures surrounding the diamond were thrown back from the impact, one figure crumpling just out of his reach.

The silhouette of the man in the middle was barely visible against the light, but the boy could tell he still stood, strong against the blast. From above the thunderous crack of shattering rock came a stream of manic laughter. The sound was unnerving, and the boy felt his skin prickle in response. A moment later the laughter was swallowed by a deafening boom from above and the boy looked up to see a fracture in the ceiling high above. As the rock split more, the sound of grinding stone became unbearable and the rubble raining down from above increased in size.

"Move back against the bars," The other boy yelled to be heard above the noise, coming to his rescue yet again and pushing him out of the way as a particularly large rock fell down from above. He shoved him until the both of them under the lip of the cell entrance, their backs pressed back against the bars as far as they could go.

"What's going on!" He yelled back, but the others reply was lost as the ground around them groaned loudly in protest.

The nameless boy looked down in horror to see a crack appear directly between his feet. The small tear paused before a moment, before it ruptured fully, aggressively zig zagging across the ground until it reached the diamond formation. Only then did it swerve violently, continuing on a path that seemed to follow the lines in the stone precisely. The red light was condensing back into the centre now, pulsing strongly as rubble continued to fall, piling up within the boundaries of the diamond.

It seemed as though the man in the middle was untouchable however, and he stood unscathed as the rock rained down around him. His arms were thrown out widely to either side, his head flung back as his mouth stretched wide with laughter the boy couldn't hear. He saw the man's lips press together to form shouted words, that were also deafened by the chaos around him, before his chest expanded, filling with laughter once again.

The fissure in the ground jolted urgently towards the place where it had begun and paused for a split second before joining, completing the diamond.
The nameless boy grabbed the bars of the cell just in time as the floor beneath their feet caved in, dropping a good half a meter down. A small shelf was left, where the bars dug into the rock and it was there that the two boys stood, looking down as the floor in front fell further away.

It was almost impossible to comprehend what happened next – all the nameless boy could see was the rock rising and dropping away around him, as though it were alive.
High above, the fissure in the ceiling tore through to the outside and as the rock split apart, a stream of grey light bullied its way through, dulling the red glow that saturated everything within the cavern.

That's the sky on the outside. The boy realised this fleetingly, his thoughts chaotic.

The colossal sheet of rock that used to be the ceiling seemed to shudder and tremble, giant, flat slices of stone peeling away and falling to the sides as the rock stretched and expanded, revealing more of the sky.

The ground beneath them was still shifting, the main destruction seeming to focus around the edges of the diamond, but the rest of the floor had been cracked, creating pillars of stone that retained the original floor level, while the excess surrounding them fell away.
It was on these pillars that most of the bodies lay, having been saved by the initial impact that threw them back to the cavern walls, where the rock was most stable.

The golden cages holding the dragons had dissipated, whether by chance or on purpose, the boy did not know. But the crazed man seemed unconcerned with anything other than what was happening in front of him.
Perhaps he had realised, like the boy had, that the Dragons were no longer a threat, their great black bodies were slumped lifelessly on the shaking stone, the red cord that had bound them to the centre broken long ago.

Water rushed in then, the ocean furiously racing to fill the deeper fissures, and it pounded hungrily at the boy's feet, causing his eyes to widened tremendously as he gripped the bars tighter than before, his heart pounding in his throat.

What's going on? He was afraid. And even though he could not remember anything about himself, he thought fleetingly that he had only felt fear like this once before. Am I going to die here?

The water gushed to surround the edges of the diamond formation that had remained mostly unscathed in the chaos. The water level began to rise, and the boy looked on as the ravenous ocean crept closer and closer to the man who was grinning wildly in the centre.

And then just as the water was lapping at his boots, the diamond shaped rock finally shifted.

The boys heart filled with fear as the rock seemed to pull itself upwards out of the ocean, water streaming off the sides and obscuring the shape that was forming below. Higher and higher the diamond rock soared and the man on top of it was climbing now, stepping confidently on rubble that had seemed to have become welded into the original stone. The rising stone platform seemed to slow its ascent, and then, ever so slowly, it began to tilt slideways.

It's falling! The boy assumed in alarm, the cold bars behind him offering no protection. This was it. He was going to be crushed.

The man had disappeared for a moment as the rock over-turned, but suddenly he was visible again, for a brief moment, still climbing upwards.

It took a moment before the boy realised that the massive chunk of stone was not falling down out of the sky. Instead it seemed to hover in the air, water still streaming off from the edges and creating a rippling curtain that joined with the sea. The diamond shape was still recognisable, and, in the centre, the nameless boy could still see the red pendant, wedged into the stone as though stuck there.

The sheet of rock that used to form the ceiling shuddered and rose, before lowering to settle in the surrounding ocean with a colossal splash.
And only then, did the world around them finally become still.
And only then was the full picture exposed.

When the boy realised what it was that stood before him, gargantuan body still half submerged in the water, his breath suddenly quickened and the fingers that grasped the cold iron bars trembled with unimaginable horror.

A beast had risen from the stone, as though it had formed from the very rock itself.

"He did it," the fervent exclamation came from the other boy beside him, who was shaking, not with fear, but with something else entirely. "It's the Nyx. He really did it."

The nameless boy looked slowly from the trembling boy at his side, to the monstrosity that loomed above him. No, not just above. All around. He was surrounded by the sheer size of the thing.

Its wings were great canopies that had originally formed the dome like cavern they had stood inside, but now stretched out endlessly to either side, unfurling to expose the people that had been sheltered within to the cold bite of the ocean.

The diamond shaped platform, now turned on its side became the left face of a colossal head, and now the last of the water had fallen away, the great neck that had previously been hidden, was exposed, winding down to disappear into the water the surged below his feet.

The boy thought initially that it had the same shape as the two dragons from before, but it was as though someone had created a crude drawing of the dragon's original form and then forced it into life. There was none of the dragon's gracefulness in the slant of its head and the curve of it's neck. Its wings created cragged peaks instead of elegant lines and when it shifted, it's movements were stilted instead of fluid, as though it were grinding against itself.

From within the face, the red jewel gleamed and now the boy could see it for what it was; a pulsating, pupil-less eye, that stared unblinkingly down at them.

The front of the head seemed to crack open, but the boy realised that it was actually a great jaw unhinging, exposing rows of craggy rubble teeth that lined the massive mouth unevenly. A low, grating rumble ground out from the nightmarish orifice, followed by a curl of white steam and a burst of heat that stung the exposed skin on the boy's face.

Now that the Nyx had emerged fully from the rock, it seemed unwilling to move again, sitting instead like a bloated frog, low in the water.

On top of its head, a shape emerged – the black-haired man. With the angle, it was impossible to see his face, but in the next second he had leapt from that immense height to land firmly on one of the cracked pillars of floor that had remained unscathed.

The man was unsmiling as he turned towards them, his earlier mirth now where to be found in the hard lines of his face. His unsettling gaze landed on the nameless boy and held him there.

"You, brat," the man said coldly, "almost cost me everything."

The boy had no doubt the man was talking about his earlier attempt to sabotage the sacrifice, but he did not regret his actions. Now, looking at the monster before them, he only regretted that he had failed.

"Tobias," the man said sharply. "Let's go."

"Yes Master," the other boy replied dutifully, moving as though to jump across to the man's side.

Suddenly the nameless boy found himself stretching out a hand to snag the other boy's sleeve, pulling him back at the last moment.

"Don't go." The words came automatically, but for the life of him, the nameless boy did not know why he had spoken. He only knew that he did not want this person to leave.

The boy had paused.

"Tobias," the man growled, golden eyes narrowing.

Tobias shook off his grip, unable to meet his eyes. "Let go," he muttered.

"No," the boy replied stubbornly, his eyes flickering over to glare at the man, unsure where his sudden bravery had come from "why do you need to go with him!"

"You're running a fine line boy!"

Tobias pried the boy's fingers from his shirt sleeve, his face twisting. "You don't even know me," he uttered, "why do you want me to stay."

"I don't know, but you're important," the nameless boy insisted. Even as he said it, he knew it to be true. This person was strange, and his morals might have been questionable, but he was important to him. The boys head pounded with the ache that had been in the forefront of his mind since he had woken, and he felt as though someone was trying to beat down the door that was his skull.

"That's enough."

The air suddenly heated up around him and the nameless boy froze with his fingers still clenched around Tobias's sleeve. He looked up, slowly meeting the gaze of the man looming over him.

"I already showed you mercy by not killing you when you threatened to interrupt earlier, but your greedy aren't you?" The man tilted his head to the side as though considering something. The corners of his lips suggested he was amused, but the bloodlust in his eyes said he was anything but. "Not only do you want your life, you also want my apprentice as well."

The boy straightened his spine and gritted his teeth. "You don't have the right to tell him what to do. Once more, the words found their way out of his mouth and even though the boy could not remember why they were true, he knew that they were.

The man's lip curled back in a mocking sneer, "And I suppose you think you do," he said nastily. His face hardened, mouth straightening into a thin line. "People like you only hold others back. He is better off without you. Fortunately, I can help with that."

Before the nameless boy could act, a silver knife had materialised in the man's hand and was cutting a brutal arc through the air towards him. He had no-where to run, the bars at his back, death looming in front of him and instinctively he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the pain.

I'm sorry, he thought desperately, but he didn't know who he was apologising to.

The sickening sound of the steel thudding into solid flesh came from in front of him, but the pain never came. Instead he was suddenly crushed against something warm and someone exhaled shakily, their warm breath washing over his face.

He opened his eyes and stared at the face in front of him in shock.

Tobias smiled slightly and a bubble of blood burst in the corner of his mouth. In unison, the two boys looked down to see the tip of the large knife protruding from Tobias's upper chest.

"No," the nameless boy gazed, wide eyed at the offending weapon, his hands fluttering around the edges of the other boy's body, unsure of what action to take. "No. No, no, no, why- what did you-

"Tobias!"

The boy looked over Tobias's shoulder to see the man behind them, trembling with rage, his face twisted in disgust. The man brutally yanked the knife out and Tobias coughed up a mouthful of blood, swaying where he stood.

Without look away from the other boys' eyes, Tobias spoke, each word careful and precise. "I am sorry Master. He is important to me."

The nameless boy reached for him, "Tobias-"

His fingers brushed the others skin briefly, but just as he was about to grab him, Tobias was yanked away, and the boy's fingers curled around nothing but thin air.

The man wrenched Tobias towards him brutally and cracked a hand across his cheek. The slap was more demeaning than if he had kicked him and the boy flinched, his face igniting with fury.

"Let him go!"

"You damn brat!" The man roared, seeming to have lost his mind completely as his hand came down yet again, snapping Tobias's head to the side, "I taught you everything I know and this is how you choose to repay me?"

Tobias seemed unable to answer, his head lolling listlessly forward as blood bloomed through his shirt, eating up the fabric rapidly.

Unable to watch any longer, the nameless boy lunged at the two with fire in his eyes. "Give him back!" He yelled furiously.

"You want him? You can have him," the man said heartlessly, shoving Tobias towards the boy. Their two bodies collided, and the boy fumbled clumsily with the dead weight that had suddenly been thrust upon him. The rocky outcrop he stood on was already narrow and with both his hands occupied with Tobias, the boy was unable to grab the bars of the cell in time to stop them from tipping over the edge into the ocean below.

The water folded over top of his head soundlessly and the shocking coldness stole the breath from his lungs. Almost instantly, the escaped air was replaced with water that choked him mercilessly as he struck out for the surface, one hand still clenched firmly around Tobias's wrist.

The boy gasped for air as he broke the surface, a hacking cough inhibiting his lungs from taking a full breath. He spluttered and floundered ineptly, trying to haul Tobias upwards, his sense of urgency inhibiting his movements.

Above them, the man stood on the outcrop, his expression void of emotion as he stared down at the two in the water. Cruel, callous eyes watched the boy struggle to save a person he had forgotten and the man's heart jumped with hatred. "What a stupid fool," he murmured, "thinking you could turn your back on me." Mercilessly, the knife in his hand rose once more as he prepared to send the two to their death together.

The boy felt a prickle on the back of his neck and looked up just as the man let go of the knife. This time, he did not close his eyes, so when a mass of water rose up out of the ocean, the boy saw each detail as clearly as if someone had slowed down time itself.

The blade sunk into the watery mass without so much as a splash and the wave twisted and churned, before it formed into a humanoid figure, looming fearlessly over the man.

The boy breathed in quick gasps, his heart beating erratically in his chest. Somehow he felt that that thing was familiar.

The man glared darkly at the watery figure for a long moment. The creature did not move, it's featureless face unable to show expression. The boy could see through the creature in front of him, the water warping the figure of the man that stood beyond.

"Tch," the man spat on the ground, "you're all dead anyway."

He turned swiftly and leapt the impossible gap between the ledge and the head of the great beast that lurked, silent, but not forgotten, high above the boy and his companion.

A shout echoed out from above, uttering a contorted word that seemed like a command. In response, the Nyx unhinged its jaw and unleashed a roar that made the air shudder around them, deafening the boy's ears painfully.

And then the world around them began to break apart once again.

The boy panicked as the water churned wildly, agitated by the shifting rock below. Another colossal chunk of stone dislodged from the wall and landing in the water, the resulting wave submerging the boy once again.

Below the surface was no better, the body of the Nyx twisted as it rose from the dark water, the beast uncaring of the two people it battered in the process. At some point in the panic to breath, in the struggle to remember which way was up, the boy let go of Tobias's hand.

He reached out to take it back, but the churning water divided them instantly, tumbling them head over heels as they sunk deeper down into the ocean.

No! The boy thought desperately as he tried fruitlessly to reach Tobias once again. We can't die here!

His lungs were screaming in protest, but he refused to give in, pushing his body forward mindlessly, his arms failing uselessly. Air escape him without his consent and he clenched his lips shut furiously but it was no use and a second later the ocean breached his defences, claiming his throat, then his lungs and finally his body.

The boy watched listlessly as Tobias's lifeless form drifted further out his reach. I'm sorry, he thought to no-one, I wasn't able to protect him.

Vaguely, the boy was aware of a form materialising in front of him. He gazed at it through the black haze that had begun to claim his vision and recognised the being that had appeared to save them from the man's attack.

Have you come for me now? He thought soundlessly.

The humanoid figure appeared to be looking at him, but it didn't have eyes. It only paused for a second before moving closer, it's face practically touching his own. And then it reached out a hand, sinking its fingers into his chest as though grabbing for his heart.

The boy felt his chest tighten painfully and he screamed without sound as the rest of the water creature dissolved into his skin. He felt as though his skin was being stretched, his insides shifting, his bones popping and warping. His head pounded, his vision blurring as flashes of memory assaulted his brain.

I will not forget.

I cannot forget.

Behind his ears the skin split, as though someone had sliced it with a knife and in the next second water heaved out from his lungs, ripping a burning path up his throat as he spewed back out into the ocean and inhaled a choking breath of ...

I must remember.

Nathaniel breathed in a giant gulp of air, letting it fill his lungs before it became too much, and he coughed roughly a stream of bubbles flowing from his lips into the water around him.

I can breathe, he thought mindlessly, inhaling again.

I can breathe!

Without a second thought he struck out for Tobias. His twin was closer than he had thought him to be, the act of drowning had warped Nathaniel's sense of time, elongating it into hours, when in reality it had been less two minutes since they had both been submerged.

He snagged Tobias's limp hand easily, his heart thumping with adrenaline as he turned and struck out for the surface, the mysterious disappearance of the water creature all but forgotten. Gasping out into the open air, Nate dragged Tobias up with him and immediately pulled his brother to him, forcing his hands into the others stomach with gritted teeth.

"Breath Tobias!"

By some kind of miracle Tobias abruptly coughed up a fountain of sea water, his gasping breath afterwards music to Nathaniel's ears. He beelined for a nearby rock that stuck determinedly out of the water and heaved his brother onto it, pulling himself up afterwards before finally taking note of what was occurring around them.

The Nyx had fully emerged from the ocean during their struggle and the Nathaniel was finally able to see the beast in its entirety.

It really is similar to a dragon, he thought as he gasped for breath, agreeing with his earlier assessment of the creature. His eyes raked over its cragged form, looking up to the crown of its head where a lone figure stood proudly, arrogantly surveying the world that was spread out beneath him.

Zeus Gold did not look back at the bodies he left behind as he opened his mouth, coldly uttering the command that would mark the beginning of his revenge. In response, the beast spread its crude wings, its huge weight shifting the ocean around them as it bunched its powerful hindquarters before launching them into the sky.

Nathaniel was battered by the winds it left in its wake and he hunched over his brother protectively, shielding him from the waves that pounded against the stone.

The beast and its rider disappeared quickly into the low cloud, but Nathaniel was too busy to watch them go. He was working furiously over his brothers' body, muttering profanities as he went. There was so much blood. It streamed through Nathaniel's fingers and pooled around his knees as he worked to staunch the flow, his hands shaking uselessly.

"Damnit, damnit!" He swore, shaking his hands furiously to try and rid them of their tremors. "Tobias, can you hear me? Don't die. DON'T die. Circe will be here soon; she can fix this. She can fix you, you just need to hold on a little longer-"

"Nathaniel." Tobias's voice was weak, his skin even paler in contrast to the wet rock beneath him. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't apologise," Nathaniel said furiously. A some point he had begun to cry, the frustrated tears adding to the taste of salt in his mouth. "Don't apologise, you're not going to die. You hear me? Not after saving my life so many times." He gritted his teeth, cursing his own inadequacy.

Because Tobias had saved him, again and again. First it was by erasing his memories. Then it was the knife. And then it was the knife a second time. And finally, to save him from drowning.

Because now and only now did Nathaniel remember why that water creature had seemed familiar.

"Why did you give your magic to me?" He whispered brokenly, leaning over his brother to push his wet curls back from his forehead.

He remembered the way the water creature had thrown Tobias from the ocean and followed them back to the room with that hauntingly blood-thirsty stare. Even now the thought of such a creature residing inside his body made him shudder.

Tobias's eyelashes fluttered open and he stared with disconcerting clarity into Nathaniel's equally blue eyes. A trickle of blood escaped his mouth, leaving a red trail on his pale skin.

"Because I don't think that magic was ever meant for me," he whispered.

"That's not a good enough reason," Nathaniel choked out painfully. He could feel Tobias's blood under his hand, thick and hot.

Tobias sighed, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again to stare unblinkingly at the other. His eyes creased a little at the corners and his lips curled upwards slightly in the first and last smile Nate would ever see his brother give, his next words wrenching Nathaniel's heart straight from his chest.

"Well I guess it's because your important to me then," Tobias said softly, repeating Nathaniel's own words back to him. At some point, Nathaniel had gripped Tobias's hand in his own and now he squeezed it fiercely, watching as the other boy's eyes drooped closed.

"You don't hate me for bringing you here?" Tobias asked, staring at his twin from under half closed eyes, "I only wanted to meet you."

Nathaniel ran trembling hand through his brother's hair, as though reassuring a child. "No," he said, "I could never hate you."

"I'm only sad that I didn't get to meet our Sister," Tobias murmured.

"You still can," Nathaniel insisted vehemently, "She can heal you. You just need to hold on for a little longer."

Tobias didn't seem to hear him, his voice growing weaker. "Do you think she would like me?"

Nathaniel furiously blinked away the tears that were clouding his vision, "She will love you," he promised, his voice overcome with emotion, "she has loved you the moment she knew you existed."

Tobias hummed in reply, the small smile still lingering on his lips. "I think," he said falteringly, "that it must be a nice thing to be loved."

Nathaniel bowed over his Tobias's still form, his spine curling from the crippling pain in his heart. He squeezed his brothers limp hand, tears falling freely from his eyes as his throat clogged with emotion.

"Yes," he choked out thickly, replying to ears that could no longer hear, "it is a wonderful thing to be loved."

*

Authors Note: Before you guys get too upset, just know how EXTREMELY close Nathaniel came to being killed off in this Chapter. I was on the fence about it right up until I wrote this ending instead (haha sorry not sorry)

I hope you guys enjoyed the Chapter,
The Rescue Team is on their way in the next one!
Love Daisy xx