Scapegoat (SetoSolace)

Six: Anagapesis

pfffft this chapter is a mess lol i am so sorry xD

also! happy late christmas, and new year and stuff! and happy late other holidays/general holiday season if you dont celebrate christmas and yeah!

anyways xD

enjoy, my be-ay-yoo-tiful Rulers!

Scapegoat

Six: Anagapesis

"They're targeting us now," I realize as the Dark Mages surround us.

"Because of you," Brice groans, looking over at Seto, who rolls his eyes and turns to glare at the oncoming Dark Mages.

"Then they'll die because of me, too," Seto growls, and Brice's "bamf" observation from six years ago suddenly has a lot more credibility.

"Excuse you," Payten slurs, slowly sitting up. "I was sleeping."

"Good thing you stopped," Danielle laughs nervously.

"Now would be a good time to follow through!" I shout to Seto, because, okay, maybe there are a whole lot of Dark Mages slowly surrounding us, wielding magic staffs and hands full of fireballs. Maybe.

"Surrender peacefully," commands one of the Mages.

Seto snorts and crosses his arms. "Here you are, a small army of Mages, and not a one of you knows the magic word," he sighs.

One of the stupider Mages squints and says slowly, "Please surrender peacefully?"

"What a comeback! Truly inspiring, here we've come to find out that one of the Mages does, in fact, know basic manners."

"So are you... gonna surrender?" asks the Mage.

"No," says Seto, splaying out his hands and knocking every Mage within a ten foot radius unconscious.

"We may have overestimated the limits of Light magic," one of the remaining Dark Mages mutters, and Brice glares at Seto. Meanwhile, Payten and I look at Seto and internally applaud him.

"I'm not one for one liners, but," Seto begins.

"Yes you are," Payten sighs.

"Yes I am!" Seto laughs, snapping his fingers and sending the rest of the Mages to their knees. He glances over at Brice for no more than a second, likely looking to see if he's impressed him, but when he sees Brice's glare, his smile turns forced. He turns his attention back to the one last standing Mage, who has somehow dodged Seto's overpowered attack.

"Ahem," Seto coughs, and the Mage falls dead.

"That was cool," I comment passively.

"That was terrible!" Brice yells. "And cool," he mutters. Seto's eyes light up, but he doesn't say anything.

"Bloody tea crumpets," Danielle giggles.

"Rekt," Payten agrees.

"I can't believe you all!" Brice huffs, crossing his arms and jutting out his bottom lip. "I mean- Dark magic, guys! Super dangerous." He looks over at Seto and frowns. "Don't encourage him." Seto rolls his eyes.

But then, suddenly, Seto goes stock still for a moment, and then he falls to his knees with a pained groan.

"Seto!" Brice shouts, carefully pulling him back to his feet, and Seto grinds his teeth together as he leans into Brice's hold.

"Apologies," he grits out. "It'll pass."

"Why won't you stop casting?" Brice asks, almost angrily. "I- I get that it isn't easy to stop. I get that! But you won't even listen to me when I try to help you, you always just push me away, and-"