Unravel. 2023 (Nero x male OC)

4.

Jason looks around in panic as he slowly makes out his new surroundings. He's back in the village. Back on that faithful day.
He starts to pick up the pace in a panic and runs towards the edge of the city not wanting to be a part of the blood shed.
Suddenly he gets knocked to the ground. He groans in pain as he grabs his head.
"You can't escape me", A low voice growls.
"I'm with you, forever."
"No", Jason whimpers as tears form in his eyes.
"We are one."
"No!"

His eyes shoot open, sweat forming on his forehead causing his black hair to stick to it.

It was only a dream. He's had this dream ever since the attack. It won't leave him.

Jason lets out a sigh and sits up on the couch.
A quick look over to the watch tells him that it's about 8 AM. Still early but not too early for the orphanage. Nero and Kyrie must be awake by now.
Jason rubs his eyes and gets up from the couch.
He ruffles his black hair and decides to open the garage for some fresh air. The sound of the rustling garage must have alerted him.
"Going somewhere", Nero suddenly asks.
"Don't have anywhere to go to, remember?"
Nero furrows his brows. "Sorry. Did you have a bad dream?" Jason shoots Nero a glare as he steps closer. "I heard you screaming." Jason rolls his eyes. "It's nothing."
"You know that's bullshit." Nero steps up next to Jason and carefully places his hand on his shoulder. Jason jumps a bit at the sudden touch.
"It was a nightmare", Jason sighs.
"I was there again. The day it all went wrong."

Nero watches as Jason's eyes scan the view outside the garage.

"I have to go back", Jason suddenly says walking towards the open garage door. "Jason, wait!"
Nero grabs Jason's arm.
"You can't just leave. What if Lapis is waiting for you there, huh? What if he wants to kill you after showing you mercy once?"
"I don't care what happens to me", Jason suddenly yells. "All I want is to know why Lapis is doing all this. All the answers are back at the village, or at least what's left of it. I need to know!"

Nero's eyes widen at Jason's sudden anger. The tears in his eyes sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight. "Fine", Nero sighs. "But if anything goes wrong we are out of there. You got it?"
Jason nods. "Thank you."

Nero immediately gathers the others and they head out for a long drive to Jason's old village.
The ride takes multiple hours but at least they have each other to keep company.
While the others listen to loud music and joke around Jason looks out the window at the scenery that flashes by. Going back to that place will bring up so many bad memories. Memories he wished to leave behind the past months. It'll all be worth it when they find something.

"Jason!" He turns around at the sound of his name. "We're here", Nero says. Jason jumps up from his seat and exits the van. "Jason, wait!" Nero rushes after him but finds Jason at the edge of the village. A gasp escapes Nero's lips as his eyes take in the sight in front of him. Everything Jason has told him, it's worse than he could have ever imagined.

No house is complete, it's all ruins overgrown by ivy roots and wild flowers. "My god", Nero sighs.
"Come on, we don't have much time", Jason says ignoring the crew's shock.
This sight hasn't left his mind so he's used to it. The rubble and burned wood, the leftover corpses that were crushed by their own houses. It's a tragedy.
"Lapis' house is down here. Stay close." The crew follows close behind Jason as he navigates the ruins that were once his home.
Nero takes in the surroundings closely, it still shocks him how a civilization can be wiped out so easily.
"It's just around this corner. Be careful. We don't know if Lapis came back for something", Jason warns. "We should split up", He suddenly suggests. "Trish, Lady. Search the area. Nero and I will take care of Lapis' house." The girls share a confused look. "Now you want us to split up?"
"Now you know how to find us if you get attacked", Jason argues. "Guess you're right, new boy. Come on, Trish." Lady and Trish take their weapons and wander off into the ruins while Nero and Jason enter what's left of Lapis' home.

"You okay", Nero asks. "It's strange. I used to come here all the time", Jason sighs. "And now it's gone."
"This was your home, Jason. I'll help you fight for it."
"There's nothing left to fight for. All I want is to kill Lapis." Nero stops in his tracks. "You really want to kill him?"
Suddenly Jason turns around. Anger clouds his expression.
"He took everything from me", He yells, the bass of his voice echoing through the ruin. "Killing him is mercy."

Without another word Jason wanders deeper into the ruins. The house he once loved so much, it's all gone.
"Lapis' library used to be on the first floor. Maybe we can find some of the remains."
Nero continues to follow after Jason who seems to know this ruins like the pocket of his jacket.
"There", Nero calls out as he suddenly spots a pile of books under some rubble. Jason's eyes widen.
"You found it!" He storms past Nero and digs up the books. It may tell them about the plan. Lapis' plan.
Jason grabs a book and skims through the pages. "What exactly are we looking for", Nero asks. "Something that talks about the gateway to hell and how to open it."
Together they rummage through the books that survived the attack, sorting out everything that doesn't suit their mission. "Wow, Lapis must have been very educated", Nero says as he throws another book over his shoulder. "He used to be a real scholar. A man of his word." Nero watches Jason's expression change. Worry is plastered onto his handsome features. "What happens if we can't stop him", Jason asks. "What if this time we're actually doomed?"
"Jason." Nero sits down next to him.
"Don't worry too much. You'll loose your focus. As long as we can find something about this magic we can stop it." Jason looks at Nero. "Are you sure?" Nero nods. "Back on Fortuna the town was loyal to the Order of the Sword. I wasn't too fond of it but it brought Kyrie and Credo happiness. Our whole world collapsed when we found out what the order was really doing. It almost killed me trying to save Kyrie. Credo, he didn't make it."

A sigh leaves Nero's lips. "Even though things were difficult, we still managed, and so can you."
Jason smiles softly. "You always know what to say, huh?"
"It takes practice, trust me." Both chuckle. Suddenly Jason's eyes widen. He reaches out to grab a book with a red leather cover. "This book", He starts as he opens it. "Lapis was reading it a lot before the attack. He couldn't put it down." Jason reads through the pages and his eyes widen again. "We found it!"
Nero looks at the book. "Really?" He reads a few lines.

The book talks about the Underworld, its monsters and how to access it. This book isn't normal.
"Can you feel it", Nero asks. "This book. It's demonic."
"Uhm, it talks about the Underworld, of course it's demonic."
"No, this book wasn't made by humans. It was made to trick people. It was made to trick Lapis. Don't you see?" Nero takes the book from Jason's hands and closes it. "If we read this we might become like Lapis." Jason looks down at the book and back at Nero. "He was tricked?"

Suddenly they hear screaming from outside the ruin.
"Nero? Jason!" It must be Trish and Lady. The two men crawl out the ruin and meet with the others. "What happened", Nero asks as the two seem distressed. "We saw something. Something is watching us. Did you find what you came for?"
The two men nod. "Good. Let's go."
Suddenly a blast of wind sends them to the ground. Jason rubs his head and opens his eyes. "Nero",
He stutters. "We have to go!" Nero looks up at the sky.

A flying monster looks back at them, a humanoid shape with big horns coming out of its head and large wings. "Is that-"
"Lapis. We have to go!" Jason grabs Nero and pulls him onto his feet. "Split up! Head for the van! Go!"
All four of them split up. They run through the ruins as the monster decides who to follow. There's only one obvious choice. "I told you to split up",
Jason yells at Nero. "He's after you! I won't leave you."
"You have the book. It doesn't matter what happens to me!"
Suddenly they are sent to the ground once again. The monster has landed right in front of them, the weight of his landing shaking the ground they stand on.

"You", It growls. "You", Jason yells back. "Enough of your games, Lapis! Give up. We have your book!" The monster laughs with its deep voice.
"My powers aren't bound to a book, unlike yours." Lapis points at Jason. "I may have learned my magic from a book but it's enough to fight you off."
The monster laughs again. "Then you'll die."
"Jason-"
"Run", Jason says as he turns back to Nero.
"Just take the book and run. I'll handle this."
Nero hesitates with the book in his hands.
"I can help."
"Just go", Jason yells. Nero gives up and takes off with the book. Jason turns back to face his old friend.
"You spared me that day. Why?" The monster tilts his head. "I never spared you." The monster takes a step towards Jason. "You led me right to the book. And now an innocent man will die."
"No!" Lapis blinks. "Don't tell me. The stubborn Jason has fallen in love."
"Shut up!"
"He must be very special."
"Shut up!"
"Too bad I'll have to kill him."

Suddenly a ball of magic hits Lapis' shoulder. He groans in pain. "I won't let you near him."