Authors Note: I am posting this at 1am NZ Time but ITS WORTH IT. Buckle up for one hell of a ride. Also, you guys have no idea how long I've been waiting to use this quote for this specific Chapter. (Hint: Since Chapter 26).

THANK YOU FOR 1 MILLION READS. (I will have to post a bonus Chapter at some point to say thank you. Any ideas of what you guys would like?)

Much love,
Daisy xx

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Chapter 46 | What I Must Do

*

'Hell is e m p t y
and
all the d e v i l s
are
h e r e.'

- William Shakespeare

*

OBSIDIAN

On top of a perilous mountain peak, three figures stood with the posture of Gods readying themselves for war.
A soundless wind rushed through the landscape below them and the trees gave a collective shiver, as though anticipating the inevitable battle to come.

Staring at his Father down the length of his sword, Obsidian vaguely noticed that the black blade did not tremble as he directed it towards its previous Master and it pleased him, that now the moment had finally arrived, his hands were steady.
With Obsidian's previous declaration, Zeus had offered a distorted smile in return, the expression anything but pleasant and now he opened his mouth to speak.

"Those are heavy words, boy."

The sword fell back to Obsidian's side with a swish, the black metal ringing slightly as he sheathed the blade.
"It is the truth," he uttered dismissively. Noticing how Zeus' gaze lingered on the weapon at his hip he added with a sneer, "however, I no longer need to rely on a sword to kill you. It would be nice to be consistent though, I suppose."

"Is that so," Zeus said slowly. His gaze remained on the sword as he slowly raised an arm, his fingers curling as though beckoning, "Then, since you have made your intentions clear, I have no reason to hold back." His hand closed into a fist and he jerked his arm forward, as though tugging on a string. "Come."

Thinking that the words were directed at him, Obsidian stepped forward without hesitation, but a second later the ground underneath his feet jerked violently and he halted, glancing sideways towards Zalas instinctively.

The Air Nymph looked sour as he hovered a few inches off the ground, so as not to be disrupted by the now heavily shaking earth and upon meeting Obsidian's gaze, his scowl deepened.

Don't tell me you forgot about the other thing already.

Realising what he was implying, Obsidian looked back to his Father. Zeus was still standing in the same place, seeming unperturbed by the unstable ground. He gave Obsidian a bored look. "I thought you were coming to kill me," he said patronizingly, "you can't be having second thoughts already; we haven't even started."

Obsidian ground his teeth together. You take care of it, he told Zalas, let me focus on him.

The Air Sprite's growl of derision was only an echo in Obsidian's ear as he plunged towards his Father without hesitation.

*

CIRCE

"Ambrose."

Isn't it funny, Circe thought, as she sat calmly in Obsidian's chair, her fingers drumming a steady rhythm on the worn leather, how one name spoken can hold a thousand different emotions?

Although her outward façade appeared collected, inside her mind a million different thoughts were clamouring for attention. She wasn't getting answers just by sitting here however, so with some difficulty she opened her mouth to address the Water Nymph that stood opposite. His cerulean eyes had been quietly assessing her as he waited languidly for her to speak- now that she looked at him properly, he straightened, and his hands shifted to link lightly behind his back.

"Hobbson and Aisling returned safely then?" She asked. Ambrose could have tracked her alone, but it was more likely that their location had been passed along by the returning pair. Circe's heart thudded a little louder as she thought of the news that Hobbson would have had to convey. There would have been many points of interest in the report. She wondered which one Ambrose was here to address.

"Yes."

She could not help the slightly ironic smile she gave at his obvious omittance of information. "I heard you were injured."

It was just the two of them in the room, after Circe had asked the others to give them a moment alone. Cobalt had just barely agreed, but Circe could tell he didn't like it. Quite honestly, she didn't like it either. Ambrose's appearance did not bode well for anyone, least of all her. Which was exactly why she needed to talk to him alone.

"Yes," his expression gave nothing away as he replied, "regrettably. But it was nothing that our healers couldn't attend to, thank-you for your concern."

Circe noticed that she had not, in fact, voiced any such words of concern- but she hummed amicably by way of reply and the short conversation fell into awkward silence.

When it became apparent, he was not going to be the first to speak, she sighed, running a weary hand through her hair. "Why have you come, Ambrose?" She spoke a little more harshly than she had intended; soft corners made sharp by her increasing sense of foreboding.

She did not miss the veil of sadness that fell over his gaze at her question. "I think you know why I have come, Princess," he replied quietly.

She stared at him. "My answer is the same as last time," she said blankly, "I have no intention of returning."

"This time you do not have a choice."

"I always have a choice," she refused bluntly.

"No," he gazed sorrowfully at her, "unfortunately, you do not. Before this, your Mother gave you leniency due to the ... circumstance. But now Circe, it is time to take responsibility for what you started."

"My Mother was the sole reason for that circumstance," Circe stated coldly, "if you remember."

"No," Ambrose refuted, "she was not. She acted in accordance with the information she was given."

"She was biased," Circe hissed, unable to hold back her anger, "she knew how I felt about him. She wanted him out of the way."

"Is that how you feel, now that you have had time to look back on past events with all the pieces laid out before you?" Ambrose refuted, "Because it was not how you felt at the time Princess."

Circe stared at him. "I was wrong," she said finally, the confession souring on her tongue, "I should have never doubted him. Of course, I realise that now."

"But you did," Ambrose pointed out, "and in the absence of his love, you swore an oath," his face hardened imperceivably, "or did you forget?"

She blanched at his blunt accusation, but did not look away, even as the hot flush of shame began to creep up her neck. He was right. She knew he was right. She had sworn an oath, an oath as a Ruler. To live for and protect a Kingdom that she did not truly know or belong to. And as she stared at the Water Sprite standing calmly opposite her, only now she did feel the sickening grip of dread take hold of her stomach, as the enormity of her past actions came sprinting up to slap her in the face.

What had she been thinking?

Had she been so blinded by her broken heart that she had allowed herself to be manipulated into such an agreement? No. When she honestly thought about it, Ambrose was right. Her Mother was not to blame. Evangeline had always made her intentions clear from the beginning- Circe had always been aware of her Mothers desire for her to take over the throne.

Which was foolish in itself, Circe thought angrily now, to trust a daughter she had only just met with an entire Kingdom.

But still. That did not change the fact that Circe had agreed to it.

"If it was so easy to turn away from such a vow, anyone could become a Ruler," Ambrose said quietly, reading her thoughts as easily as though she had stated them herself.

"I know that," Circe snapped, her cheeks hot with embarrassment, "I know."

"Then you would remember also," he reminded, "that I swore loyalty to you at that time. With the intention to serve on your council upon your coronation."

She lifted her eyes to his, her fingers twisting in the fabric of Obsidians shirt that had become slightly bunched around her waistline. "I remember," her voice was barely audible in the silent room.

Ambrose held her gaze for a long moment as though there was something else he wanted to say, but at the last moment he changed his mind and there was a subtle shift in the words he spoke next, although Circe could not quiet understand what it was.

"Your Mother is aware of his Resurrection."

Feeling some of her embarrassment wane, although the sense of foreboding remained, Circe leaned back in her chair. "You'll have to be more specific than that," she replied sardonically, "people have been popping out of the ground left, right, and centre recently."

Ignoring her sarcasm, Ambrose continued. "Obsidian Bones is not an innocent man, Princess."

"I know what he is," she sat upright suddenly, glaring at him with full force, "don't you dare try to imply otherwise." Ambrose was silent, and in his silence, she could not help but continue. "That man is the sole reason Zeus Gold will be wiped from the face of this Earth. Despite the fact that he was not the reason for his return in the first place," she hissed. "the real traitor there is Aranel- not some boy who was doomed to pay for his Fathers crimes a million times over before he was even born."

The air in the room had suddenly become suffocating and Circe wondered how long they had been in here together, trading words back and forth and getting nowhere.

"He will never be accepted in our world," Ambrose said finally.

"He doesn't need to be," The words had left her mouth before she even had time to think them. Her breathing was slightly erratic, and she felt her emotions running rampant across her face, leaving her open and vulnerable. "The last thing he cares about is your acceptance. And by you, I mean everyone."

"And you? What do you care about?"

The implication behind his words struck her with a sudden feeling of clarity and she couldn't help but think, ah. Here it was. The ultimatum.

Because that's how it always ended, didn't it?
With an ultimatum.
With the unspoken question of, what would you do?

Circe smiled softly to herself. No, that was wrong. It would be far simpler to ask, what wouldn't you do? Because there was only one answer to give.

Nothing. There was nothing she wouldn't do.

"You know that, if I go with you, he will come for me." She felt unashamed as she spoke such blatant words of possession.

Ambrose studied her unobtrusively. "Naturally, as future Queen, you will have the power to pardon those you see fit."

Her smile was tight. "I do not intend to be your Queen," she replied resolutely. She was pleased to see the quick shock of astonishment that cracked the Water Sprite's normally unfazed expression. "I will accompany you to speak with my Mother and be held accountable for the vow that I gave, that I now intend to break. If Obsidian Bones follows me, you will grant him clemency for any actions he takes upon his arrival at my side. These are the terms upon which I agree to return."

Ambrose sent her a sharp look. "Do you realise the enormity of what you are saying? Do you understand the consequences you will have to accept if you choose to do this? And, as for the Pirate, perhaps if you explained your departure-

"He will come regardless," Circe said dismissively. Steeling herself, she rose from her chair to stand on her own two feet and stare down the man in front of her. "Perhaps my Mother expected me to respond as a Princess would, but I'm afraid I have not been a Princess for some time now." Her tone was rigid. "I am not fit to assume the Throne. I will convince my Mother of this."

"Your terms are hardly what one would call fair negotiation," Ambrose said stiffly.

Her eyes drilled into his. "I'm sorry," she said coldly, "but Pirates aren't famous for negotiating. You either accept my terms or return alone. There will be no middle ground."

*

OBSIDIAN

The moment before they first collided seemed to approach in slow motion.

Obsidian could hear the rush of blood on his ears, see the curl of his Fathers top lip as the man bared his teeth in a fierce grimace, feel the prickle of his scales emerging as the black armor coated his skin just as his forearm made contact with the long knife Zeus had pulled from nowhere.

The delicate, yet unyielding blade clashed with his dragon scales, the grating screech shrieking through the surrounding air. Obsidian's other arm swung around, swathed in black, but a second blade immediately jumped up to block his path.

He hadn't been expecting that. However, he was far from disadvantaged. Seamlessly, Obsidian whipped his tail out and around, slashing the powerful appendage to the side. Forced to dodge or be cleaved in two, Zeus leapt back nimbly, his golden eyes flashing with delight.

"Oh, you have gotten stronger, haven't you?"

Obsidian's eyes narrowed and he did not reply.

Around them, the mountain continued to tremor and shake as what-ever was concealed within it struggled to force its way out. Obsidian glanced over Zeus' shoulder to the rock face behind him where a shape was beginning to emerge.

Following Obsidian's line of vision Zeus grinned wickedly. "It had to pause for a rest," he chuckled darkly, "decimating the Elven capital was no easy feat. Even for a Nyx."

As though reacting to it's name, the beast within the stone wall suddenly blinked it's single red eye open and with a final, juddering heave, evicted itself fully from the mountain, rocks and debris clattering down from it's back.

If the thing had been terrifying from afar, it was even more monstrous up close, and Obsidian grimaced as he absorbed the sheer size of it. It was at least as big as his own dragon form and he glanced at Zalas out of the corner of his eye, unable to help himself.

Don't you dare underestimate me, the Prince snarled in his mind, immediately noticing his reaction, just focus on your own problems will you?

Suddenly another voice forced its way into Obsidian's mind and his teeth ground together as he swallowed an agonised groan.

The Nymph is right.

Obsidian felt his temples throb as his Father's mental voice pried open his skull ruthlessly, laying his thoughts bare and vulnerable. His eyes watered involuntarily as he forced his head to turn back to where his Father stood.

You're pretty cocky to take your attention off me, boy.

Obsidian had a moment to think that the angle of his Father's gaze was all wrong, before he realized that he had been brought to his knees by the unexpected mental assault.

Gritting his teeth, he sank his clawed hands into the earth below him, grounding himself as he pulled the walls of his mind closed. "Get out of my head!" The roar that escaped him was filled with fury and he used the momentum to launch himself forward without hesitation, the collision of their bodies banishing his Father from his mind, while simultaneously forcing Zeus backward. "I spent too many years with you burrowing into my skull like the cockroach you are," Obsidian snarled as he pressed the other man back further still, "this time, you are going to stay out."

Zeus chuckled darkly, "Is that so."

Zeus's back met the rock Obsidian had been forcing him toward and in an instant Zeus had used the leverage to bring his foot up and deliver a sharp kick to Obsidian's core. The blow sunk into his gut, shoving the air from his lungs as he was booted away.

Cursing, Obsidian righted himself hastily. He should have seen that coming from a mile away. Zeus stood coolly in place; his golden eyes bored as he awaited Obsidian's next move. Try as he might to keep a level head, Obsidian found that expression nothing less than infuriating.

Leaping forward, a single blade met his attack this time, the knife twirling in his Father's hands like liquid as he parried Obsidian's offense with ease. Sparks sprayed into the air like scattered moths, withering into ash before ever having the chance to truly fly. Obsidian mirrored his Fathers snarl, fangs bared in hatred as they coasted around each other, locked in a deadly dance of flashing steel and sickled claw.

He could feel his Father's power, thrumming below each strike of his blade and he recognised that Zeus's strength easily surpassed that of his memories. As he parried another blow, he had a moment to think; had the man really been so broken when Obsidian had killed him the first time?

But it's not your Father, remember? A small voice whispered in his mind, reminding. It's Kronos.

As though reading his mind, Zeus gave a manic grin, his long black hair whipped out around him as he spun in a fierce circle, his blade licking out to slice a shallow path through Obsidian's chest. "Your Uncle's body has it's uses, boy." Zeus chuckled darkly, all but confirming Obsidian's theory.

The blade appeared before him again, slicing towards his face with vicious intent, but he blocked it with his forearm and forced it askew. His Father's shoulder was compelled to follow the path his knife made as it diverted, tipping the man off balance- just for a moment. And in that moment, Obsidian's other hand swung around, claws fully extended as they sought the flesh in front of them.

Zeus let out a howl of agony, clutching his eye as he stumbled backwards. With blood dripping from his claws, Obsidian remained in place, watching as his Father pulled his hand slowly away from his eye, his body trembling with rage.

"What have you done."

"It doesn't matter what body you use," Obsidian uttered vindictively, "I will stop you either way." His lips curled upwards at the edges, "And as for that," he pointed to his own eye, "well you were the one who said we were a mirror image."

Zeus's golden eyes slowly lifted from his bloody hands to lock onto Obsidian's own. The long, jagged gash was disconcertingly familiar in his Fathers face. It was a pity he hadn't been able to hook out the eye with it.

"Oh, you're asking for it now," Zeus snarled.

A sudden colossal clap of impact diverted their attention as they both took a simultaneous step back to avoid the body that came rocketing through the air between them.

Zalas smashed into the opposing rock face with enough force to split stone, rubble showering down around him. The Air Nymph pried himself out of the mountain with an ugly grimace, shaking the debris from his body as he glared in Obsidian's direction.

"Hurry up with it would you?" He snarled, before launching himself back in the direction he had come.

Obsidian's eyes followed his flight path just long enough to see him collide with the Nyx once again before his attention was dragged back to his Father.

However in the split second of diversion, Zeus had disappeared from his spot and Obsidian had a moment to feel a sick sense of foreboding before the tip of a familiar blade was driving down through the air, aiming for his upper back where his scales did not cover.

Time seemed to slow down as Obsidian dodged to the side, twisting painfully to avoid the attack, his head turning to follow the line of the blade back to the hands that held it, eyes seeking out his enemy instinctively.

He hissed as the point of the knife sunk into his upper bicep, too late to avoid completely, and Zeus jerked the weapon upwards violently, slicing a path through muscle and skin.

Following the momentum of his fall, Obsidian rolled away evasively before finding his feet beneath him and rising to push off the ground in the same breath. His arm throbbed, but he flexed his fingers and the black scales rose to encase him completely, revealing only his face and staunching the flow of blood from his arm. Although he could feel the wound still biting below, for now this would be enough.

He was already rushing back towards Zeus, planning his next attack, but inexplicably, at the moment of contact, Zeus' form flickered, and his Father vanished in front of him. Obsidian skidded to a halt, his chest heaving as he stared wildly around.

Where did he go?

He was utterly still, his senses on high alert as he scanned the surrounding area suspiciously.

It has to be the pendant you idiot!

In front of him, Zalas was entangled in a fierce battle of his own and Obsidian could see the Prince was beginning to show signs of damage. His fire did not have any impact on the Nyx's stone body, and for every limb Zalas sliced off, another simply grew back in its place, formed from the rock beneath them. Aren't you supposed to be all-knowledgeable about the workings of that blasted thing? You wore it for long enough!

Obsidian merely snarled in reply, but the frustration in his heart was suffocating. Of course, it was the pendant. It had to be. But I was never able to disappear like that.

Sure, he had been able to conceal himself, blending in his surroundings and using them to his advantage. But disappear in front of someone at point blank range? The possibility had never even entered his mind.

Figure it out, Zalas hissed, even as he connected with another sweeping blow of the Nyx's tail, I can't keep this up forever. And the giant hunk of rock is cleverer than it looks. It won't let me near the gemstone.

"Looking for me?"

Obsidian attacked on reflex alone, his body turning to block the knife before he even had a chance to think. But just as his other hand reached out, Zeus vanished once more, his laughter echoing in the empty space behind. Obsidian turned sharply to meet the next attack, predicting with disconcerting accuracy as to where his Father would appear next.

But this method was mentally as well as physically exhausting, and as Zeus paraded around him, his body shimmering in and out of view, Obsidian felt a tendril of fear take root in his gut. He needed a different plan.

"You can't guess forever," Zeus mocked, his tone gloating as he evaporated from the left to reappear a few feet away. He was right, Obsidian knew he was and it was as though Zeus had uttered some kind of curse, for in the next second his blade finally found purchase in Obsidian's side, slipping between his scales as he twisted to find his Fathers elusive figure, exposing one moment of weakness.

Recoiling with the pain, Obsidian watched as his Father's golden eyes lit with triumph, shining like jewels from out of his blood smeared face as his knife rose to attack once again. Obsidian's eyes slid from the blade in that moment to watch as Zalas was struck by the Nyx yet again, the beast's tail swinging to connect with an impact that punched the Prince out of the sky, sending him rocketing past Obsidian with colossal force.

I cannot die here.

The second of clarity cut through the fog in his mind and as the tip of his Fathers knife met the top of his shoulder Obsidian was already exploding out of his skin, his transformation consuming the space around him with rapid force.

Catch it.

The sword around his hip was flung away as the strap holding it to Obsidians body snapped in half. In a perfectly executed manoeuvre, Zalas appeared, recovering fast enough to snag the weapon from the air and drawing the sword from its sheath in one smooth motion.

The Prince leapt, blasting himself through the air towards the Nyx with ferocious intensity. His path through the sky brought him above the Nyx and it was there his momentum stopped. Zalas shifted mid-air before lunging downwards instead.
Raising the black blade high above his head, Zalas swung it down with brutal force, carrying the blade clean through the Nyx's stone neck and decapitating the beast completely.

"No!" Zeus was furious as he watched the efforts of his labour, literally crumble before his eyes.

In his Dragon form, Obsidian took advantage of his Father's split attention and lifted one massive foreleg, smashing his foot down ruthlessly onto Zeus' head. At the same time, his tail cracked through the air with earth shattering power, hammering into the Nyx's headless body, and forcing the creature onto its side.

Obsidian could feel his Father straining beneath his foot and he was merciless as he increased the pressure. Zeus may have been using the pendant to vanish, but Obsidian was certain that his body was still tangible. It would take hours of combat for anyone to become used to a vanishing opponent and subsequently eliminate the practically imperceivable second of hesitation that occurred the moment Zeus disappeared from sight.

Obsidian was sure his Father was merely using his years of honed skills to artfully side-step the following attack in that brief pause- making it seem as though his body had left the face of the Earth completely. With the experience he had now, there was simply no way for Obsidian to combat this- and so he had to cast the possibility to the side and come up with an alternative.

And currently his alternative was the element of surprise.

Obsidian could see his Fathers face from between his talons- the man's expression had contorted into an ugly grimace as Zeus struggled to gain some sort of leverage from beneath the colossal foot. One arm wiggled free and Obsidian snarled, his white teeth looming closer as he added more pressure to his hold.

"You fucking bastard," Zeus choked out from between gritted teeth, a splatter of blood coughing up out of his lungs, "how dare you step on me."

Ignoring him, Obsidian felt fire curling at the back of his throat, and he unleashed it without hesitation, the golden flames blasting a scorching path towards Zeus, trapped below. Obsidian raised his foot and had a moment to relish in the disbelief that was clear in Zeus's eyes, before the man was enshrouded in fire and obscured from sight.

Obsidian did not cease until the flames inside him were exhausted and even then, the fire burned on, licking across the top of the red-hot stone, refusing to be doused completely. Black smoke billowed thickly across the flat surface and Obsidian stared at the spot where his Father should be, his thoughts in turmoil.

Surely it couldn't be that easy.

Gradually something emerged from the soot and the ash, glimmering vindictively as though to mock Obsidian's efforts. A peal of dark laughter flew away with the last of the smoke, revealing Zeus, standing unscathed in the middle of a glossy golden cage.

"I won't lie," his Father stared at him with a mocking smile from within his shimmering fortress, his predatory eyes roaming over Obsidian's draconian form, "you surprised me." The smile slid from his face, warping into a disparaging sneer, "I hate surprises."

Before Obsidian could react, his Fathers hands had jumped up, but this time it was not his blades that he reached for. Instead, his hands twisted into a series of gestures, each one completed with impossible speed.

Stop him.

That was the sole thought in Obsidian's mind as he dove towards where Zeus stood, his long neck breaching the distance in a second, powerful jaws opening with the intention of biting off Zeus' head and being done with it. He didn't know what that cage was, with its bars twisting elegantly into a point like ropes made of solid gold, but he would crush it in half.

However, the moment Obsidian's jaws closed around the gleaming bars, a mind-numbing pain burned through his mouth and he recoiled without thinking, a roar swelling in his throat. He shook his head dazedly, sheer agony clouding his vision and blood sprayed from his jaws, splattering the charred rock between his feet.

What happened? Zalas's voice was vicious in his head, Pull yourself together.

Obsidian staggered backwards as he tried to wrap his head around the blistering ache that throbbed in his gums. The Prince's internal voice seemed weak, despite his anger and Obsidian swung his heavy head around in an attempt to find the other.

The bars, he thought distractedly, I don't know what- they burned. They burned me.

"I thought I warned you not to take your eyes off me, boy. Don't say I didn't give you a fair chance."

Too late Obsidian swung back around to find his Father, only to discover that his view had been obstructed by the very bars he had tried to destroy. Zeus stood just outside of them, surveying Obsidian coldly.

No!

Twisting his head around in the small space provided, Obsidian could see that it was only his head that was trapped, but a searing pain on his neck made it apparent that the bars were only wide enough to allow his neck through.

Zeus was smirking now, assured of his win. His arms were folded across his chest, the golden pendant gleaming in his chest just above. He stepped closer, until they were practically nose to nose. It was infuriating. Obsidian wanted nothing more than to unleash a column of fire and char the person in front of him into a cinder. But an image of Zeus standing unscathed after Obsidian's last attack was fresh in his mind. There was no doubt. His attacks were useless inside this cage.

As though aware of his internal musing's, Zeus's smirk widened. "What will you do now, beastie?" he spat out with savage delight, "I could kill you now, but then it would be over too quickly. And after listening to your arrogant spiel earlier, it's become clear you need to be taught a lesson. So perhaps the first thing I'll do is take back my sword. And then afterwards, I can remind you why it belongs in my hands."

Obsidian stared at him and didn't reply. Let him gloat. He thought fiercely, his heart thundering in his chest. He's baiting you. Don't give him the satisfaction. He glanced at the golden gem, embedded in his Father's chest. If he could remove it, would his Father's soul be removed with it?

The idea of coming face to face with Kronos was not ideal. But his Uncle had also been imprisoned by Zeus- or so Zephyr had said. Perhaps there, Obsidian would find an advantage. Either way, he was willing to take his chances.

Zeus stepped closer, prowling around the edge of the cage like a tiger stalking its prey. Each step was calculated, his eyes trained on Obsidian's every move and Obsidian realised that his Father would not be letting down his guard, even now that he had Obsidian trapped and cornered.

But I did not come here, knowing that it would be easy, he thought fiercely, and she is waiting for me. The last thought came to him without warning and his heart swelled.

Strengthening his resolve, Obsidian ploughed forward. Without giving his Father any warning, he shed his draconian skin instantaneously and his human feet hit the ground, only to push off after one step, propelling himself towards the gap between the bars of the golden cage. The cage had been designed to imprison a dragon, not a man, and Obsidian flew between the bars without consequence, his entire being straining towards the person that stood just beyond.

Zeus watched him advance, his burnt golden eyes widening in disbelief. His hands rose automatically to protect himself, but by the time he fully realised what was happening Obsidian was already stretching out with one black, clawed hand, his talons seeking flesh and the jewel which lay within.

Warm. That's how his Father blood felt as it splattered, thick and hot across Obsidian's hand. He heard Zeus inhale sharply as he dug his claws in deeper, seeking the edges of the pendant with blind accuracy. The man slumped over Obsidian's shoulder unwillingly, exhaling with a pained groan that was hissed out between clenched teeth. A hand came up to grip his wrist with surprising strength, but the angle was awkward, and Zeus could not pull him away.

"Get off me, you insolent child," Zeus roared, his free hand producing his dagger, even as his other strained against Obsidian's grip. The dagger sunk into Obsidian shoulder, finding a gap between his scales and slipping through. Obsidian flinched and at the same time, Zeus found a better purchase on his wrist and in one fluid motion, snapped the bone like it was twig, pulling Obsidian's claws from his chest in the same motion and throwing the hand away.

Obsidian gritted his teeth against the white-hot pain that shot up his arm but refused to retreat. Instead he forced himself to swing back towards his Father headfirst, sinking his black horns straight into his Father's gut.

It was the same move that Zalas had used on Obsidian when they had fought, and just like Obsidian had been, Zeus was caught completely off guard by the attack. Stumbling back off the horns, blood spilled out from the twin holes and Zeus faltered for a second, his face contorting with a mixture of rage and disbelief as he stared incredulously down at the wounds in his stomach.

His golden eyes rose to seek out the horns on top of Obsidian's head, camouflaged at a glance by his black hair, as though he couldn't quite believe what had happened. He coughed and a bubble of blood formed in the corner of his lips and then burst spontaneously. His eyes narrowed.

"You-

Without giving him time to recover, Obsidian lifted a foot and drove it into his Father's chest, right over the gaping wounds he had left behind. The impact sent the man flying backwards into a rock face and the stone around him cracked with a deafening boom that echoed continuously around the mountain.

With his one useless hand throbbing painfully at his side, Obsidian stood firmly in place, his shoulders heaving with exertion and adrenaline. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly feeling incredibly dry.

Catch.

His good arm shot out in time to seize the sword that came speeding through the air towards him. His fingers curled familiarity around the hilt, and he lowered his hand.

"Thank-you."

A short distance away, Zalas grunted as he gazed down at the still struggling body of the Nyx. The Prince was perched on the creature's head, staring down at the red jewel that gleamed brilliantly amongst the grey stone. In the background, the body of the beast thrashed around recklessly, but without its head, it did not poise as much of a threat as before- its attacks missing miserably. Obsidian watched as, with a bird like motion, Zalas' hand simply darted out to pluck the red gem from the centre of the creature's eye.

Straightening, Zalas looked down at jewel in his hand, his expression unreadable. And then as though remembering something, he glanced towards the body of the beast curiously. Obsidian too, was observing the Nyx in slight disbelief. His heart rate was beginning to slow back down, his breaths a little easier to catch. With calm eyes, he observed as the Nyx seemed to grate to a halt, it's movements jarring, as though it's joints had suddenly frozen. The creature was still for only a moment before, from the bottom up, it began to collapse.

Obsidian grimaced, shifting backwards slightly to avoid the debris as the Nyx's colossal stone wings fractured and crumbled to the ground in chunks. Soon, all that was left was a mountain of rubble and Obsidian couldn't help but scoff. "Well creating the thing might have been difficult but it went down a little too easily didn't it?"

Zalas, who was still perched on the now still stone head, sent him a glare. "What are you saying," the Prince bit out, "you weren't fighting the damn thing. Whoever thought up the idea of a stone dragon was sick in the head. Not only was the blasted thing fire-proof, but the sheer size alone was ridiculous," he scowled.

Obsidian sneered, "Are you actually admitting you struggled?"

"That's not what I said," Zalas retorted, "and you're the one with a broken wrist. So why don't you just-

Zalas didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, his eyes flying wide with urgency as he reached out for Obsidian as though somehow, he could bridge the twenty-meter distance with his hands alone. Different words were forming on his lips, words that Obsidian didn't need to hear to understand as his blood ran cold and a white-hot pain drove into his skull, numbing his brain so completely that his vision blanked out.

I thought I told you not to ignore me, boy.

He grimaced, clutching his head as he fell to his knees, staring dazedly up at the figure that loomed above him. Zeus's eyes were dark as he stared down ruthlessly at his son, and the crippling mental pain intensified, forcing Obsidian's back to bend and bow, even as he snarled out a feral laugh from between elongated teeth.

"That's cheating."

The contempt in Zeus's internal voice was clear. It is not cheating to be strong. Only the strong get to choose how they die. I did you the honour of teaching you this. Many times.

"Some honour," he spat out.

Obsidian had indeed lost count of how many times he had listened to these very same words fall from his Fathers lips, accompanied by the crack of the whip as it split open the flesh of his back.

He felt Zeus bend down beside him, his breath tickling the shell of Obsidian's ear, "now, hand it over."

"Go to hell."

A rough hand dug into his hair, yanking his head back with force. The pain in his skull intensified and he tried to open his eyes to see what was in front of him, but his vision was swimming. One of Zeus' hands curved around the curl of Obsidian's horns.

"Guess I will help myself then. Maybe I'll slice off one of these as a souvenir," Zeus flicked the horn again and the impact was like a bullet to his skull, the resonation bouncing with agonising clarity around the inside of his mind.

"Just you try it," he managed to retort, hating the weakness in his voice.

Obsidians fingers were pried open, revealing the sword hilt clutched in his grasp. Desperately he held onto it but a moment later a sickening crack echoed through his ears and he couldn't help the guttural roar that escaped his throat as a searing pain encased his other arm.

"Dragon talons are still just fingers," Zeus said scornfully, ripping the hilt from Obsidian's twisted and broken hand, "you should be grateful I started with your hands and not anything else." Obsidian could hear the humour in his Father's voice as he added, "Although, we will get to everything else later." His heart screamed with frustration, as the deep ache in his skull became unbearable and Zeus chuckled, "I'm going to enjoy taking you apart piece by piece, my traitorous son."

Get up!

Zalas was suddenly in front of Obsidian and in his mind all at once. The Prince's powerful mental presence momentarily evicted Zeus from Obsidian's thoughts, but a moment later he was back with a vengeance.

You can't kick me out.

Watch me try.

"Both of you!" Obsidian roared, curling in on himself as the pain increased, "get the fuck out of my head!"

He was ignored however, as Zalas and Zeus attacked simultaneously, the sound of their collision ricocheting off the surrounding landscape.

"You got the easy end of the bargain with the Nyx, you disgusting sky rat," Zeus mocked as he parried Zalas's blows effortlessly with a single knife, the sheathed sword still held firmly in his other hand, "I'll be taking back that stone soon enough however- I have plans for it you see."

The throbbing in Obsidian's skull eased slightly with Zeus's attention drawn elsewhere and he dragged in a deep, shuddering breath. Dazedly, he looked towards where they were fighting, their violently clashing figures blurring in and out of focus.

Determination curled in his gut, hot and heavy, and he forced himself to stagger to his feet. Panting heavily, Obsidian's eyes locked onto his Fathers form. His entire body felt weighted down- sluggish, as though he was moving through sand. Although the pain in his head had eased slightly, it was still dominant and his Father's mental presence washed over him in waves, so tangible that he could taste the sting of it on the tip of his tongue.

If you want it to stop, you have to get rid of him, he thought desperately.

In front, Zeus glanced at him from under Zalas's scaled arm as he dodged an attack. Making eye contact, the man had time to smile, his expression as sinister as the thought that reverberated through Obsidians skull moments later.

You'll never get rid of me, boy.

Obsidian gritted his teeth and forced himself to ignore it, compelling his body forward and picking up the pace until he broke into a run.

Sensing his intentions, Zalas was impossibly light on his feet as he darted around behind Zeus before the man had a chance to notice he was gone. The Prince's expression was cold as he blasted a powerful jet of air into Zeus' middle back, throwing the man forward and straight into range of Obsidian's attack.

With his lips drawn back in a snarl, Obsidian drove his scaled fist deep into his Father's gut. Zalas was immediately there to catch the man as he was thrown backwards, and the Prince ruthlessly shoved Zeus forward again, straight into the line of fire. This time Obsidian angled upwards and a deep sense of satisfaction ran through him as he felt a couple of ribs give way beneath his fist.

Zalas didn't catch him this time and Zeus crumpled. Before he could hit the ground though, Zalas's arm shot up as he punched a jet of air into the other man's body, propelling him backwards into the rock face.

Zeus' head cracked back against the stone with enough force to render anyone close to death, but Obsidian could not celebrate yet.
Clenched in his Father's fist was the black sword and as Zeus dropped to his knees before falling face down onto the ground, the coveted weapon clattered to the ground also, the noise loud and exaggerated as though it was taunting Obsidian to go to it.

With Zalas's last attack, Zeus's mental presence had subsided completely, and Obsidian's head was suddenly pain free. He did not pause to think as he launched himself forward. Now. He had to finish it now while his Father was down.

"Wait!" Zalas's voice echoed out from behind him, but Obsidian was already in front of his Father's motionless form, his heart in his throat as he reached for the sword. Grasping the handle, he forced his working fingers to curl around the sheath, but a sudden hand on his wrist stopped him.

"I'm not dead yet, boy."

Looking up, Obsidian stared straight into golden eyes that burned with the flames of insanity. His Father's fingers dug into his skin with terrifying strength and a sudden sickly twist had his other wrist buckling, the bone shattered under Zeus' hands.

Seething with rage, Obsidian was forced to use his scaled forearm to defend himself, even as his hand flopped uselessly on the end. Forget changing into his dragon form now, with two broken feet, he would be nothing but a sitting duck, waiting for slaughter.
He rolled out from under Zeus as the man surged upwards, recovering from the blows Zalas and Obsidian had dealt like they had been nothing.

The black sword emerged from its sheath and Obsidian had a moment to feel betrayed by the familiarity with which his Father wielded the blade. The sword sung in his Father's grasp, dancing from hand to hand with effortless, deadly grace.

Obsidian found himself watching, with sick fascination, as the shining weapon came hurtling towards him. The scene was hauntingly grotesque in its familiarity- for how many times had he witnessed this exact moment before? How many times had his life danced on the end of this sword?

His forearm, unable to hold as strong as before due to his broken wrist, bent with the pressure from the blade, but did not yield and the sword skated harmlessly off his scales. With no time to scramble to his feet he was forced to block the next strike the same way and he grimaced as the sword edge loomed terrifyingly close to his face.

The power behind each attack was intimidatingly fierce and it was only increasing with each slash of the blade. His Father's expression, behind the sword, was twisted into a deranged grin as he watched his son dance on the ground beneath his feet.

"You can't hold up forever."

With a sudden flash of white, Zalas appeared, taking the next attack in Obsidian's place. The Dragon Prince's jaws opened wide in a fierce snarl as he bared his fangs, diverting the swords path with the palm of one hand, while at the same time lunging forward to sink his teeth into Zeus's shoulder. Zeus gave a howl as Zalas jerked his head back viciously, ripping out a hunk of tendon and muscle with him.

Staggering to his feet, Obsidian watched as his Father stumbled backwards, his expression ugly as his now useless arm dangled pointlessly at his side.

Zalas spat out the flesh in his mouth and it hit the ground with a wet smack. He offered Zeus a bloody grin as the man raised his head to level the Dragon Prince with a venomous stare.

"You are disgusting, beast," Zeus hissed disparagingly as he eyed the hunk of meat Zalas had expelled. When he raised his head once more, his golden eyes were wide and crazed, "I'll do you the honour of killing you with this sword too, filthy sky rat," he mocked , "just like I killed that King of yours! Ha! Ha ha! How pathetic!"

Obsidian gritted his teeth in anger, glancing sideways at Zalas whose smile had dropped with Zeus's last words. Obsidian was accustomed to his Father's taunts, but that didn't mean he was able to remain unaffected by them. And with recent events being what they were ...

Don't be rash, he thought furiously.

Worry about yourself, Zalas's inner tone was sour, you're lucky I came, you've been fucking useless.

Without warning, Zalas shot forward, his arrogant face rigid as he met Zeus head on.

However, it seemed that Zeus was finished fighting fair. Just as Zalas's claws were poised to tear a path through his face, the man disappeared.

"Shit," Obsidian cursed, but he didn't even have time to prepare before Zeus had reappeared behind him, leering as his hands twisted into a series of familiar formations. The golden bars had formed around Obsidian in the next second, trapping him completely.

Zalas attacked with out pause, readjusting flawlessly, but Zeus clicked his tongue impatiently and suddenly Zalas was howling with pain as he fell to the ground, his scaled foot caught in a single golden cuff.

"It burns!" He snarled in shock, staring with wide eyes as the golden cord sliced through his scales with ease. In the next moment, his pain had doubled as another cord joined the first, wrapping around his ankle.

A little way away, Zeus stood, observing them with eyes full of contempt. "I wouldn't move too much if I were you," he addressed Zalas, "unless you want to lose that foot."

"Get this off me," the Dragon Prince bellowed, hissing with pain as the chord cut deeper into his flesh.

Obsidian stared at his Father as Zeus stalked forward until he was standing directly in front of him.

Zeus lifted his working arm and formed a single symbol with his hand, his eyes hard. A golden cord appeared, jumping between his thumb and forefinger. He stretched it further and silently lifted his hand to his shoulder, his lip curling in a soft hiss as he dug his fingers into the torn flesh. Obsidian was at a lost to understand what happened next, but the golden cord seemed to jump from his Fathers hands, to replace the lost flesh and in the next second, Zeus was flexing a fully working hand in front of Obsidian's face.

Behind him, Obsidian heard Zalas swear.

Unfazed, Zeus reached out to grasp a single golden bar with his previously paralyzed arm. Obsidian looked silently at his Father's unmarked palm and then met his eyes again.

"This," Zeus said slowly, each word dripping with disdain, "is the difference between you and I."

Obsidian's expression did not change. His entire body ached with fatigue, and yet in this moment as he stood eye to eye with his biggest adversary, his heart was calm. If he could not remove the bars, he would make his Father remove them himself. And the words he needed to say in order to accomplish this, floated to his lips smoothly- even though it pained him to say it.

Mother, please forgive me.

"What good, is all of your power Father, when the person you treasured most in this world, is already dead?"

Zeus reacted instantly to the taunt, his jaw clenching with fury.

Obsidian held his gaze and forced himself to continue, "What's more, she chose to die so that we could live- rather than to be with you," he said callously, "what would she say if she could see the monster you've become?"

His Father's hand was clenched around the bar so tightly that his arm was shaking. "You don't know anything about her," Zeus gritted out, golden eyes seething with turmoil as he stared down at his son, "you disgusting little pest." He shook the bars in anger and the entire cage jumped forward a few centimetres, leaving deep welts in the earth. "I was always a monster, I haven't changed. Don't try and twist a story you know nothing about!"

Zeus lost his composure completely as he exploded, the hand that was previously on the bars reaching through to grip Obsidian's neck. Obsidian grimaced as he endured it and in the next moment, the bars had fallen, leaving him exposed and in his Father's grasp.

"I was going to play with you for longer but now I think I'll finish you here and now." Zeus said maliciously. "Perhaps I'll take your filthy head with me and we can go visit that brother of yours together, hmm? He was always much more cowardly than you."

"You won't get a chance," Obsidian hissed out.

"We'll see about that."

Zeus made to stab the sword straight through Obsidian's centre, but Obsidian hooked an elbow over his Father arm and extended a foot, using his Zeus' hold on his neck as leverage so that he could swing up to shovel his foot into Zeus' chin. His Father was thrown off balance and Obsidian smacked into the ground with a huff.

Zeus snarled and vanished on the spot. Obsidian scrambled to his feet, slow because of his useless hands, swearing as Zalas yelled at him to turn around. He did just that, locking eyes with the trapped Prince and saw his Father appear at Zalas's side before vanishing once again.

Zeus suddenly seemed to be everywhere and nowhere all at once, evaporating in and out of Obsidian's vision ceaselessly, as though he was made from smoke.

"Behind! Shit, turn around you, useless piece of-

Zalas's shouting seemed distorted in Obsidian's head as he whirled around to find Zeus lunging towards him, a triumphant gleam in his cruel eyes. At that moment, his head seemed to split in two, as the pain from before returned with a vengeance, ripping through Obsidian's skull and immobilising him completely.

I will kill you now.

He could hear the roar of some beast that was muffled in his ears and wildly realised he was the one making the sound, his jaw stretched painfully wide as he struggled fruitlessly to be rid of the pain in his head. Through dazed eyes, he could see the black sword cutting a merciless path through the air towards him, and his heart jumped frantically in his chest, as though trying to avoid the inevitable. At some point, his half-healed hands had risen automatically, his rapid healing too slow for such a fast paced, brutal fight. Even if his hands had fully healed, it would have been too late. There was no room to dodge, no chance to defend. Nothing but the crippling pain, shredding through his skull.

Circe, he thought fleetingly around the agony, I'm sorry.

Don't you dare give up, you fucking bastard.

The expanse of white in front of his eyes was blinding and Obsidian stared, uncomprehendingly at the body that had suddenly materialized in front of him.

You had better make the most of this, or I swear I will kill you myself.

From directly in front of him, Zalas coughed up a mouthful of blood, sagging a little as the sword sunk further into his chest. Obsidian watched with dazed disbelief as the point of the blade appeared out the other side of the Dragon Prince's body, as though it could sense him standing on the other side and was still seeking him out. The black blade was an unwelcome blemish on Zalas's otherwise pristine scales and as Obsidian stared at it, suddenly the enormity of what had just happened came rushing up to smack him in the face.

"What have you done," he whispered in horror. He felt numb, his limbs heavy with dread as he watched Zalas convulse involuntarily, coughing up another splatter of blood that decorated the rock beneath their feet a gory shade of red.

How did he get free ...?

With a sickening sense of foreboding, Obsidian's gaze drifted down to the Prince's feet. For a moment he struggled to comprehend the bloody stump where a foot should have been, his eyes widening further.

"What have you done?" He hissed out again, a sudden flare of rage appearing to join hands with his dread, "What the fuck were you thinking?!"

From in front of them, Zeus cackled with laughter as he watched the scene unfold. His lips were pulled wide with a sickening grin as he twisted the sword in deeper, revelling in the look of pain that jerked across Zalas' face. "Look who I found on the end of my blade," he jeered, "eager for death are we? You know, Tobias died this way too, protecting that stupid brother he had just met." Zeus' lip curled at the memory, "Although I didn't expect this sort of thing from you two though, I must say," he sneered, "how repulsive."

The last part of his sentence didn't even register in Obsidian's mind. At the name Tobias, Obsidian felt his mind restart, the image of Circe clutching a bloody and broken corpse banging into the forefront of his memories. Her howl of anguish as she had lamented over a brother, she had never met echoed through his head along with the thunderous pounding of his heart.

His face was cold, jaw clenched with resolution as he rose to his feet in the next second. Stretching for Zalas, he forced himself to be unfeeling as he rammed his shoulder into the Prince's scaled back, forcing him further onto the sword with a snarl of determination.

I'm sorry, he thought fleetingly as he felt Zalas convulse again, I'm sorry.

Pushing Zalas forward threw his Father off guard and Zeus made to retreat, but at that moment, Zalas sank his claws into the mans back, locking them together. Zeus roared with pain and released the sword with one hand, lifting his other to push Zalas away. Zalas spat a mouthful of blood in his face.

"Fuck you," the Prince managed to cough out, his shining opal eyes rampant with hatred and agony.

For the split second that his Father was distracted, Obsidian had dodged behind him and with his hands useless, had employed the only other option available.

Twin points pierced the skin of Zeus' lower back as Obsidian's horns sank deep into his flesh, as sharp and deadly as any sword. With a cry of exertion, Obsidian tossed his head upwards, feeling the strain on his neck as he ripped a devasting path of destruction from hip to shoulder. His horns sliced through skin and muscle alike, flaying the skin wide open grating with a sickening sound, against bone. Bellowing with agony, Zeus dropped to his knees, but Obsidian wasn't finished.

Acting on sheer will power, he dived forward towards his Father's torn back, reaching out to wrap an arm around his neck as he squeezed viciously, his other elbow lifting to dig into the wound on Zeus' shoulder.

In front of them, Zalas was pulling the sword out of his own chest with a strangled groan, letting the weapon clatter to the ground at his feet. The Prince swayed dangerously where he stood, off balance on his single foot, and Obsidian felt a brief moment of panic as he watched Zalas struggle to stay conscious. How he was still alive, Obsidian did not know, but in the next moment Zalas had gathered himself, mustering up the willpower from god knows where, and had knelt rather ungracefully, in front of Zeus.

The Prince's eyes were filled with hatred as he reached out with one clawed hand to pick up the sword he had discarded, his arms trembling with exertion. The motion caused him to spew up another mouthful of blood, but he didn't seem to notice or care, his eyes fixated on the one in front of him.

Realising his intention, Zeus made one last effort to stop him, but Obsidian sank his fangs into his Father's neck and bit down ruthlessly. Torn between the two of them, Zeus roared like a caged animal as he attempted to free himself. Obsidian rammed his knee into his Father's back and bit down deeper, blood bubbling at the corners of his lips.

Zalas's strained and slightly wild gaze met his own and Obsidian realised in that moment that he didn't care if he wasn't the one to end his Father's life. His entire body ached. His bones were battered, his skin a myriad of bruises. He was tired. He wanted it to be over. Obsidian unhooked his fangs and lifted his head to utter two words.

"Do it."

Zalas nodded curtly and without further hesitation, drove the blade into Zeus's heart.

At that moment, feeling returned in the first of Obsidian's hands that had been broken, his rapid healing finally connecting the last of the bones back into place. He used that hand to push himself off his Father's suddenly motionless body with revulsion and the man hovered for a moment, held upright by the sword protruding from his chest.

With one final effort, Zalas forced the sword all the way through and Obsidian watched with his heart in his throat, as the black blade was devoured by its Master once again. Zeus buckled soon after, slumping backwards onto the ground.

Zalas had let go of the hilt of the sword when Zeus had toppled, and now the blade stuck straight up in the air, swelling out of Zeus' chest like a gruesome flag of victory. His Father's hands shook as they hovered around the edge of the weapon, almost like he couldn't quite believe it was there.
Zeus opened his mouth, and Obsidian half expected to hear sardonic words of condemnation. Instead the man coughed up a mouthful of dark blood, the liquid slithering grotesquely down his chin.

Obsidian looked away.

"Look at me."

The wet, rasping voice belonged to one who was hovering on the brink of death. Against his better judgement, Obsidian turned to look back at the man he abhorred. Zeus' heavy golden eyes were striking, even in his last moments and Obsidian was momentarily rendered immobile by the sheer volume of loathing that simmered within his Fathers gaze.

The corner of Zeus' lip twitched upwards in a bloody grin. "I knew you wouldn't be able to do it again. You coward."

Obsidian's eyes hardened, his jaw clenching. Some part of him realised he had been waiting for his Father to die before doing it, but a sudden flare of fury rose within him and he bent down to mercilessly dig out the golden gem from his Father's chest. Beneath his talons Zeus jerked and convulsed and Obsidian brought his lips close to his Father's ear, his voice thick with disgust.

"Enjoy Hell, you piece of shit."

When he pulled back with the softly glowing stone tight in his grasp, the fire had faded from his Father's eyes, his chest stilling as his last breath escaped his body in a feeble bubble of blood that swelled and then burst at the corner of his lips.

Obsidian swallowed thickly as he looked down at his Father's corpse for the second time in his life. The scene was horrifyingly similar and a monstrous sense of deja'vu swept through him without warning.
Abruptly, he lurched forward as the contents of his stomach were expelled without his permission, splattering wetly onto the stone beneath his knees. And although he should have felt nothing but relief in that moment, his nerves were still wound painfully tight, something in his heart whispering that surely, surely, it couldn't be over yet.

His fingers clenched and unclenched around the pendant as he exhaled a shuddering breath, trying to compose himself. This was why he hadn't wanted Circe to be here. It wasn't just a battle against another enemy, deep down, Obsidian knew that.

This was the man that had made his life hell. This was the person that had tormented him from the moment he had been born. This was the man he had been forced to kill ... because otherwise, he would have been killed.

And that was what it boiled down to in the end. Had he wanted to kill his Father? No. He hadn't. Had he wanted to shoulder the burden of his Father's title and reputation at such an age? No, definitely not. But he hadn't had a choice. Kill or be killed. That was what his life had been.

And yet in that one moment, Zalas had given him a choice. Even if the Prince's intentions had been entirely self-motivated, driven by his own fierce thirst for revenge, in the moment he had met Obsidian's eyes, Obsidian knew that if he had wanted to kill Zeus himself, Zalas would have let him.

But instead it had been Zalas who had driven the blade into his Father's heart, and now Zeus was dead and the expression on his face was exactly the same as when Obsidian had killed him the first time. And Obsidian couldn't help but wish- violently and desperately- that someone had appeared the first time too. To give him the choice.

This reaction was unexpected and overwhelming, and Obsidian was not prepared to deal with such a feeling of weakness.

He squashed the emotion vehemently. Such things were so deeply rooted in the past, that revisiting them now would only fuel hatred and regret. There was no point in wallowing over what could have been.

A hacking cough from behind him brought him back to his senses. Tearing his eyes away from his Father's corpse, he stared numbly at Zalas who was now lying in an almost identical position on the ground behind him.

His gaze hardened and Zalas caught the look. Somehow the Prince still had enough vitality to roll his eyes, "Well a thank-you would be nice right about now," the Prince uttered sarcastically, but Obsidian did not miss the tremor there.

"What the fuck were you thinking," he spat, moving closer to survey the damage to the Air Nymph, "I never asked you to save me." His eyes found the location of the wound; the blade had pierced Zalas clean through, narrowly missing his heart. Externally, there was not much bleeding, but as the Prince drew in a rattling breath, followed by another bloody cough, Obsidian knew that the damage below the surface was irreplaceable. And then there was the foot, or lack of. Even at a glance, he could tell it was useless.

"Fuck," he swore, running a blood-stained hand through his hair, his other hand still unusable at his side. His eyes darted over Zalas' body as he desperately tried to think of a solution. But his brain was blank. He had nothing. Abruptly, a wave of anger swelled within him and his one good hand curled into a fist as he cursed up a storm.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do?" He ranted furiously, "Let you die? What the fuck was going through your head you stupid, fucking, idiot! Last time we were here, you watched me die with a smile on your face! Why the fuck would you save me now? So that I can take the fall for your death? Because you had better believe they will come after me when they find out about this, and there is no way in hell they won't hold me responsible. I know the hate between us is mutual, but I didn't realise you were that goddamn vindictive."

Zalas gave a harsh laugh that was cut short by another fit of coughing. "I'm pleased you think so poorly of me," he said, his sarcasm ruined by his pitiful appearance, "at least I can die knowing that my reputation is rock solid."

"You're not going to die," Obsidian said brusquely, rising to his feet. "Let me fly you back to Circe, she can heal you."

Zalas shook his head feebly, his white eyes piercing into Obsidian's golden ones. "It's too late for that." The familiar sneer Obsidian had grown accustomed to seeing had vanished and was replaced with an expression of calm acceptance. It was unsettling and Obsidian hated it.

"Don't tell me you're giving up," he taunted, trying fervently to elicit some sort of reaction from the other. But Zalas saw through the act easily.

"Don't tell me you suddenly care," the Prince retorted.

Obsidian gritted his teeth furiously, staring unwaveringly down at the other.

Silence fell across the mountain, punctured only by Zalas' laboured breathing.

"Tell me why then." Obsidian demanded.

Zalas gazed up at him, his white eyes drifting in and out of focus. He was struggling now, Obsidian could tell. Blood was filling his lungs with every breath, drowning him from the inside out. For a long moment, Obsidian thought he wouldn't answer, and then, as Zalas' eyelids began to droop, he spoke.

"It's not like I wanted ... to die in your place, you useless ... fool." The Prince coughed, his eyes flaring wide again for a moment before sliding back down as he continued, speaking between heavy, choking breaths, "But ... I guess, in that moment, all I could imagine ... was the look on her face ... when she watched you die the first time," he peered at Obsidian studiously from beneath his lashes and Obsidian felt his heart freeze, "I don't want to ... imagine her expression ... if she lost you a second time."

Zalas broke his gaze, looking up instead to the sky high above with an incomparable sense of longing. He gave a weak, mocking laugh, "She would probably have killed me anyway, for letting you die," he mused, unaware of Obsidian's currently tormented frame of mind. "And any way," the Prince continued weakly, "don't forget ... this is all your fucking ... fault, you useless ... ... piece of-

His voice cut off without warning and Obsidian stared numbly at him, waiting for him to finish. Instead the Prince's opalescent eyes continued to stare at the clouds racing across the sky above, unseeing. The hand at his side slackened slightly, his finger trembling as a rattling breath escaped his body, and in that moment, Obsidian saw a glint of red peeking out from between his clawed fingers.

Suddenly he was an uproar of furious motion, swooping down pry open Zalas's hand, revealing the blood red gem nestled safely in the Prince's white scaled palm. He dropped to the ground at Zalas's side, his face cold and unfeeling as he gouged into Zalas's chest with one long talon, creating a deep wound directly over his heart.

He could still feel it, the faint pulse of life, fluttering within. And he would be damned if he took the fall for this. Or at least that was what he told himself as he jammed the red stone into the Prince's skin with force.

For a heart stopping moment, nothing happened.

Obsidian pulled away, panting heavily, and stared down at the fat red gem nestled like a bloated beetle in the hole in Zalas's chest.

No light emitted from the stone and Obsidian felt desperation move his arms for him as he slammed both of his hands down over top of the gem, roaring with pain as he felt his wrist snap again on the half-healed hand.

"Goddamn you," he snarled venomously, "don't you dare die a fucking hero." Summoning the rest of his energy, he blasted it outwards through his palms, shocking the stone further into Zalas's chest.

There was a pause and then a sudden shock had him withdrawing his hands with a hiss of pain. Cradling his broken wrist, he stared down at Zalas, searching for any movement, any sign of life.

There was none.

But the hole over the Prince's heart had healed and the red stone lay within his skin, pulsating with a faint light. Obsidian reached out to touch it cautiously, his expression grim.

As his fingers skimmed over the uneven surface, he felt a presence probe his mind lightly. It was the faintest sensation, noticeable only to Obsidian who had become accustomed to the presence of his Father's soul as it had lingered behind in the golden stone that lay, momentarily forgotten, to one side.

Obsidian grimaced. It was faint, but it was still better than nothing. He did not fully understand the power of the Air Kingdom pendant. All he knew was what Zephyr had told him- that the red stone held the key to immortal life. But Obsidian was certain such a thing could only come at a price.

He looked down at Zalas's bloodstained, lifeless body and the Air nymph's words echoed infuriatingly through his skull. I don't want to imagine her expression if she lost you a second time.

Obsidian scowled; his expression ugly as he bent down to heave the Prince over his shoulder with one arm. Who gave him the right to say such a thing, he thought bitterly to himself as he furiously berated the part of his heart that had weakened the moment Zalas spoke those words.

As though she isn't going to be heartbroken by this anyway, he thought sourly, his lips tightening into a hard line. "For fucks sake," he swore. Loudly. It didn't help in the slightest.

Walking past his Father's corpse, he reached over to seize the black sword, but something stopped him, and he withdrew the action, leaving the blade lodged in his Fathers chest.

Zeus's dark golden eyes stared unseeingly upwards; the lines of his face harsh with hatred. Obsidian realised fleetingly that he was in fact, looking down at the body of Kronos- but he banished the thought as quickly as it came. It did uncomfortable things to his heart.

Without looking back again, he left Zeus behind him as he readied himself grimly. "This is going to fucking hurt," he said aloud, cursing again when he realised, he was literally speaking to the dead.

With massive effort, Obsidian forced his transformation, each size increase causing his bones to scream in protest. His broken wrist twisted and snapped further, and he roared, flames licking at his teeth as he thrashed his draconian head side to side, trying to distract himself from the throbbing in his foreleg.

It was fortunate he didn't have to walk, but he did have to carry Zalas and the only way to do that was by wrapping one clawed back foot carefully around the Prince's limp body. It took all of Obsidian's effort not the crush him accidently.

Wings straining, he lifted up, straight off the mountain, wincing as he was forced to put pressure on his splintered foreleg. With one last task in mind, he soared upwards before swooping back down and around, fire building hot in the back of his throat.

If there was anything he had learnt from his Father, it was that loose ends were a pain in the neck.

The torrent of fire that he unleashed on his Father's body incinerated the corpse within seconds.
Watching as the body burnt away into nothing beneath his flames, finally Obsidian felt the moment of relief that he had been waiting for. And soon, all that was left was a shapeless lump of red hot metal that marked the place where his Father once lay, now nothing more than a black scorch on the stone of the mountain.

I will leave your sword to mark your grave, Obsidian thought, as he hefted his wings and turned his gaze to the ocean. It's far more than you deserve.

*