The Apprentice of Thanatos

Chapter 27: Ultimate Enemy Part 7

     Dan roared as, with great difficulty, he grabbed the belt around his waist and ripped it off. He threw the belt to the ground and looked up just as Danny's gauntlet connected with his side, the force of the blow knocking Dan backwards. He only stumbled back a couple of steps, but as he regained his footing Danny dove in and landed another hit in his gut.

     That was enough to bring Dan to his knees, his arm shielding his stomach as he grunted with pain. Danny pulled his right arm back as he stepped forward, aiming for Dan's face as he struck again.

     But this time, Dan retaliated. He caught Danny's fist in his hand, and his eyes flickered with annoyance as he glared at the young halfa.

     "That's enough." Dan growled.

     Danny tried to pull his hand away, but Dan's grip tightened, the metal of the glove beginning to cave under his fingertips. Danny pulled again, and finally managed to free his arm—a jolt of pain shooting through his wrist—just as the gauntlet crumpled in Dan's hand.

     Danny stumbled back, clenching his teeth as a hot, throbbing pain shot through his wrist and hand. Sparing a quick glance at his arm, he didn't see anything obviously broken or out of place. Hopefully, it was only sprained.

     The hairs on the back of Danny's neck stood on end as a sense of danger tingled in the back of his mind, and he looked up just in time to narrowly dodge the swipe of Dan's outstretched claws. Dan immediately turned on his heel and swiped at Danny again. Danny dodged once more, but this time Dan's claws nicked his side, slicing right through the fabric of his suit and drawing a few drops of green blood.

     Danny winced, and glared at Dan once he was safely out of reach. "I thought you said you weren't gonna kill me!" Danny retorted as he stayed back and watched for an opening. "It sure seems like you're trying to!"

     Dan, who seemed to have quickly caught onto Danny's strategy, merely smirked. "I'm not. I'm just making sure that things will turn out the way they're supposed to."

     "Oh, so my family's supposed to be dead?!" Danny snapped, his voice cracking.

     "What can I say?" Dan shrugged carelessly. "Fate works in mysterious ways. And things will all go back to the way they should be once they—" Dan gestured towards the sauce vats. "—are gone."

     "But they're your family, too!" Danny argued.

     To Danny's surprise, Dan flinched at those words. But then he growled, his eyes flashing red once more. "I don't care. Once Gaea sees what I'm willing to sacrifice, she'll take me back."

     Gaea. Danny remembered what Clockwork had told him about the goddess:

     "Gaea sees mortals as mere pawns, and has no qualms with using them for her needs."

     "She doesn't care about you!" Danny shouted. "She's just using you as a means to an end."

     "Oh, and what do you know?" Dan snarled.

     "Clearly more than you!" Danny retorted. "Anyone who tells you to commit mass murder isn't a good person!"

     "Good person?" Dan repeated incredulously. "You're so childish! Good and bad are just worthless labels assigned to make people feel good about what they do. But if you wanna know who's really not a good person," Dan pointed at Danny's right arm. "I'd take a good long look at your mark right there."