Deathling - Outsiders SMP

The Visitor: Owen

 A sudden spark jolted Owen awake. He opened his eyes gasping, muscles tensing before realizing again where he was. He tried to move his arm instinctively, bu gasped at the flaring pain in his arm. It still hadn't healed from when Emmy "stabbed" him. He turned to the bar side of the cell, where Apo's familiar glowing red eyes looked down at him. The same, soft smile on his face.

"Oh. Hi, Apo. Is it morning already? It didn't seem very long," Owen said, trying to return Apo's warm smile.

Apo shook his head. "It's only been an hour. Someone wanted to see you, though." He walked to the side, revealing someone standing behind him.

Her emerald green eyes made Owens' stomach take a nervous leap.

She seemed to have a similar reaction to Owen, although it was probably his appearance, not his presence. Since she had last seen him, he didn't have his burn scars, his right eye was still intact, and was wearing his old clothes.

"Hi, Graecie," Owen said, trying to hide the dread in his voice. He had been told what Apo had gone through in the prison, the yelling and shaming for something already done. He didn't want to switch places. And yet, that's what was happening.

Apo pointed to the door to the library. "I'll be outside the door reading. Graecie, come back to the library when you're done."

Owen desperately wanted Apo to stay with them to lessen the tension. "Are you reading the new Hunting the Dark?" he asked, hoping to keep him there for a little longer.

"Man, I wish," Apo said, "But no. I'm rereading the series. Emmy says she can probably find the new one somewhere though."

To Owen's dismay, he started walking away, saying, "See you in 10."

Then it was just him and Graecie. Neither of them knew what to say. Owen didn't know how to tell her he was sorry. Or how to tell her he was fine, or how to tell her how he got here.

Or how to tell her about the coming. If she would believe him, that is.

Apo wouldn't. Owen tried to tell him. Apo insisted it was just part of being a deathling.

But the whispers in his ear warned him still.

Maybe Apo didn't have enough silence to understand.

Graecie spoke up, snapping Owen out of his head with her soft voice. "Did you- did you really kill Apo? And Guts, and Rasbi? And other demons? Why?"

Owen considered this. He finally decided on a response. "Because I was angry. I was angry at my dad, for raising me so poorly, at my trainer for treating me like crap, and partially angry at demons for burning my village down. I guess I just saw demons as something to take out my anger on. Killing demons is what I was raised to do. I guess I just didn't want to lose my purpose."

Graecie's face softened. "I have another question. Why are you here?"

Owen was slightly confused by her question. "On the ship?"

"No, no." Graecie shook her head. "In this cell."

Owen dropped his eyes, wondering how to tell her. "Nine years ago, I made a mistake. One that would one day make me pay for all the crimes I've committed."

"Wh-What happened?" Graecie asked, cautiously.

"Nine years ago, Emmy's sister Maya died. And Emmy's been hunting me down ever since," Owen said bitterly.

Graecie's expression turned to fear. "You killed her? How could you?"

"It was indirect. I instructed the burning of the building she was in, along with a lot of other demons. She was just another demon killed. But, of course, she wasn't," Owen shrugged his shoulders.

Graecie shivered. Either she didn't like the truth, or she had just seen the skeleton in the cell next to Owen's.

A sharp whisper echoed inside his ear. Then more. They were overtaking the silence, drowning out whatever Graecie was saying. They were like the voices, but almost inaudible and worse.

But he could hear what they were saying, somehow.

It's coming.

It's coming.

It's coming.

The same message was repeated over and over, until one final whisper echoed in Owen's brain.

It's here.

Owen's own thoughts swirled around his head. The whispers had told him the first message for ages. But the second one was new.

"Are you even listening to me?!"

Owen snapped out of his head, back to reality. The whispers were gone.

Graecie was staring at him with an exasperated look on her face.

Owen knew this was his only chance.

"Graecie, please listen to me," Owen pleaded, "There's something coming. Something dangerous. You have to warn Apo."

"What is it?" Graecie said, fear rising in her voice.

"I-" Owen realized the fatal flaw in his plan. "I don't know," he continued before Graecie could stop him, "I've been hearing these voices for months. Not like the ones from the maze. Like little whispers. They've been warning me about something, but I'm not sure what."

Graecie seemed to have a small internal conflict before saying, "Why haven't you told Apo this?"

Owen paused for a moment, knowing that the conversation was going downhill. "I- I did. He didn't believe me."

"Are you just trying to manipulate me again? Well, it's not going to work. Not anymore. And it won't work on Magic, either. Why can't you be the Owen I knew in the maze? Why can't you change?" Graecie's green eyes pierced Owen's heart. "No. Don't answer that question. I just-" She paused, clenching her fists and closing her eyes.

She gave Owen one last look, and then walked away towards the door.

That was it. They didn't listen. And now they had to suffer the consequences.

Owen brought his knees to his chest.

Part of Owen, the old part, wanted to just let them learn their lesson. But the other part, the part from the maze, didn't want to see anyone hurt.

His mind raced around with possible scenarios, battling itself over and over.

Something flashed out of the corner of his eye.

Owen's eyes turned to the floor of the hallway, just outside the cell. A thin needle sat within arms reach right outside the door.

Apo's key, he thought to himself as he reached to get it.

Maybe the ship was going to be saved after all.