Potential for Darkness (Peter Pan)//(Robbie Kay)

24 ~ Midnight capture

<<<Day 33>>>

The full moon was high overhead, it's brilliant silver sheen casting shadows on the ground. White, lazy clouds could be seen, shielding the stars from their prying gazes, occasionally darkening the island as they hid the moon. In the heavy silence of the dead of the night, an owl could be heard hooting in the distance.

They were all waiting impatiently now, all sixty or so lost boys and Adelina, fidgeting with their weapons, each heavily armed, as they all had their eyes riveted on the jungle's edge. The air was still, making them restless. Finally, just as Adelina was sure Gabriel and Serge were going to fall asleep, the lone shadow of their leader detached itself from the darkness to make his way towards them.

Pan smirked as he planted himself in front of his lost boys, clasping his hands firmly behind his back. His eyes swept over them once more, relishing in the quiet, orderly manner they'd arranged themselves, relishing how they'd obediently, unquestioningly followed his orders. This was what he wanted from them.

Frowning, his gaze landed on Adelina. She was struggling with her quiver, sorting her arrows, not paying him any attention. Pan wanted her unquestioned and blind obedience most of all, yet she rarely, if ever, gave it to him.

Snapping his attention back onto the crowd in front of him, he cast aside the thoughts of her as he addressed them. "It is done, the pirate has been let loose in the jungle." Excited whoops and cries followed his statement. "You have until dawn to bring him back to me," his eyes narrowed, "alive. The edges of the jungle have been temporarily sealed, so that he may not escape by sea." Pan paced up and down the ranks, his voice loud and clear. "You are allowed to use whatever hunting, tracking or capture method you wish, harming him isn't a problem, as long as he comes back to me alive. Understood?" Murmured agreement answered him. "Once again, the group who brings him back to me will be given a reward." He grinned. "One you would be foolish to pass off." The lost boys' impatience and restlessness only increased with his words. "Felix and I will be patrolling the jungle, in case of an emergency," he informed them. "And now," he said quietly, knowing they were hanging on every word he said, "you may go."

Immediately, each group set off, sprinting towards the forest in different directions, each believing that they will be victorious. Their shouts and hollers disappeared with them, swallowed by the darkness. Adelina's group, on the contrary, composed of Gabriel, Serge, Aiden, and three other younger lost boys, stayed put.

"Okay... so what's the plan?" she asked, turning towards Aiden.

He shook his head. "First off, we should definitely split up in two groups. That'll help cover more ground."

She nodded at his logic. "I'll take Gabriel and Serge," she said, not wanting to let them out of her sight, for fear of them getting harmed.

"I'll go with them," Clark, the golden haired boy that was the best of his age group, said.

Aiden nodded. "Very well. That leaves me with Sam and Ben. Now," he cocked his head, "how do you intend on hunting dow the bastard?"

Clark spoke up. "Does the pirate even know that the way to the sea is blocked? Or else-"

"-that's where he'll go," Aiden finished for him.

Gabriel shrugged. "It's worth a shot."

Aiden nodded. "We'll go east. You guys go west. Try not to make yourselves spotted by the other groups," he instructed.

Wishing each other good luck, they dispersed. Their plan was relying on a lot of luck, but it was the best they had, and they dared not loose more of their precious time. Everything was silent now as their small group jogged towards the jungle, apprehension knotting their stomachs. Adelina was aware that the direction they were going was opposite of where Pan had emerged from the trees, yet if the pirate was even remotely smart, he would've headed in some other direction.

The four of them were traipsing in an unfamiliar part of the jungle, nobody ever really went there, for lack of reason to do so. It had been an hour since they'd departed, and the humid heat the day had brought still hung over them, making them itchy and irritable. They'd neither seen nor heard any sign of the pirate, and Adelina was ready to give up and return to camp, yet the horn had not sounded, meaning that he still hadn't been found.

The jungle was wide and dangerous, she reminded herself. There were plenty of places where the bloody pirate could be hiding. The faint light that traversed the canopy was barely enough to stop them from tripping on unseen roots, so she wondered how the hell they were supposed to find the fugitive, when he could literally be standing five feet away and they'd be none the wiser.

"Guys!" Gabriel called out to them, somewhere further on her left. He'd been the one assigned to follow the border between the jungle and the beach. "I think I found something!"

Jogging over to where his voice had come from, the four teammates reunited on the beach.

"What is it?" Clark asked brusquely, apparently as impatient to find something as she was.

Gabriel pointed to footprints in the sand, ones that she realized, hadn't been made by them. "Nobody ever comes to these parts," he explained simply. "And look over there." He pointed and they all followed his gaze. A couple of feet before the sand met the lapping water, the footprints ended, and a large area of upturned sand shone darker under the moonlight, as if there had been a scuffle. "I'm betting that's the place where the pirate rammed into the invisible barrier Pan put up, and got thrown to the ground."

Serge nodded happily, letting out an impressed whistle. "Good job," he said, his French accent thick. It was one of the first phrases he'd learned to say.

Clark, not being able to contain his excitement after the discovery, bounded after the set of footprints that led away from the beach, and soon disappeared from view.

"No! Clark! Wait!" Adelina hissed after him, not wanting to split up now that they new that the pirate was somewhere in their general area, but it was too late, and he was out of earshot. "What an idiot." She cursed under her breath.

The three of them set after him, yet it was difficult to know where he had gone. Clark was an expert tracker, and had surely quickly spotted the path the pirate had taken, yet for them it was slow and laborious work.

"Clark?" Gabriel called out. "Clark where are you?"

A twig snapped nearby, and they all drew their weapons, ready for an attack. But the darkness stood still, and no monster or pirate materialized from it.

"Bunny?" Serge offered as an explanation, shrugging.

"Maybe," she said grimly, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Glancing up a tree when the persistant nagging got even stronger, she thought she saw a glimpse of bright green eyes staring back at her, but it was gone before she could truly be sure it hadn't been a trick of the light.

A scream tore through the silence of the night, not far away.

"Clark!" Gabriel shouted as he sprinted towards the sound, Adelina and Serge close behind him.

Halting suddenly, they found Clark on the ground, knocked unconscious, hands bound together. The pirate wasn't anywhere to be seen. Fearing an ambush, Adelina stayed behind, hiding herself in a shroud of darkness as Serge and Gabriel rushed to help Clark.

"Well, well, well..." the pirate came into view, gloating. He had a sword in hand, and was pointing it at the two lost boys on the ground, worrying about their fallen comrade. He hadn't spotted Adelina yet, as he turned his back to her. Silently, she drew her bow. "Did you really expect me not to fight back?" he asked incredulously, laughing. "Did you really think I'd run away like a coward?" He flicked his sword upwards. "Get to your feet," he ordered. Fear flashed in the two young boys' eyes as they hastily obeyed, their hands in the air. "Now," he mused as he seized them up. "What to do with you two? I'm surprised, I've got to admit. Just three of you? Not very good planning now, is it?"

"Not three," Adelina hissed, stepping out of the shadows as she trained her arrow over his heart.

Surprise etched on the pirate's face as he turned around to look at her. "Well, if it isn't the dear old lassie," he drawled.

"Drop the sword," she commanded. When he didn't immediately obey, she let a warning arrow loose, whistling an inch past his ear. "I said drop it!"

Hastily, he did as told. A strange feeling engulfed her as she saw how quickly he'd obeyed her. She was the one with the power now. She grinned. Nocking another arrow, Adelina saw fear shine in his eyes. A simple movement of her finger, and the man in front of her would be dead. His life was in her hands. The feeling of power that rushed through her veins unsettled her. It was wrong, she knew it, but having him, having a life at her mercy, was invigorating.

The pirate noticed her hesitation. "You won't do it," he spat, taking a step towards her.

"Stay back," she warned, drawing back even further the string of her bow.

His eyes glinted dangerously, an ugly grin spreading on his face as he came even closer. "I know people like you. You wouldn't dare-"

Adelina let the arrow loose and the man let out a yowl of pain, clutching at his elbow where the arrow protruded. Gabriel took advantage of his distraction and struck his temple with the pommel of his sword, hard enough that the pirate crumbled to the ground without another word.

"Quick," he said, motioning for them to join him. "We need to tie him up before he wakes."

Clark was groaning, coming to his senses, and Adelina hastily undid his bounds, handing the rope over to Gabriel so that he could tie the man up. As she shook him slightly, the blond boy regained consciousness, blinking uncomprehendingly at his surroundings. She quickly explained to him what had happened. Once Gabriel was finished with the ropes, he stood up.

"What now?" he asked.

"Back to camp," Serge said, and Adelina agreed, nodding.

"What about him?" Clark asked, indicating the pirate.

Adelina frowned, "We'll have to carry him."

The journey back to camp was slow as they half carried, half dragged the pirate through the jungle, not bothering to be particularly gentle as his head hit roots or rocks. Clark trailed slightly behind them in silence, appearing to be lost in thought. Hadn't it been for the rest of them, he would've been dead, all because of his reckless behavior. It was a hard pill to swallow, Adelina knew, coming to terms with their own mortality.

They were embraced by the firelight's warm welcome as they stumbled over the last tree roots. Felix, who'd been waiting for the winners' return, spotted them. He smiled, and, hefting the large brass horn sitting on the ground besides him, blew into it, the loud sound echoing throughout the island. Adelina had no doubt that everyone would hear it.

"We did it!" Gabriel screeched excitedly as he ran over to her and hugged her, the two others mimicking his actions so that they were all huddled together, jumping up and down in celebration.

Although their joy subsided as the other groups were slowly trickling back into the clearing, their jealous and envious glares boring through their backs. Felix, she noticed, had already tied the unconscious pirate to a wooden post that had been erected next to the fire. Timidly, she made her way towards him. She missed him a lot, and somehow, she was sure that this time, he'd be willing to talk to her. But when she was still twenty feet away from him, his head snapped up to look at her. He immediately understood her intentions, and shook his head, his expression darkening. As explanation, his eyes flicked over to where Pan was standing, having suddenly appeared in the clearing. The demon boy's eyes narrowed as he watched the two of them interacting, a quiet fury building up in his chest. They were his, and they must obey him.

"Boys!" Pan yelled as he reached the center of the clearing, drawing everyone's attention onto him. "The traitorous pirate has been captured!" He gestured towards the fire, where the now conscious captive glared at Pan, hatred simmering in his eyes. "And now," his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, "you will see what happens to someone who displeases me."

Pan drew a dagger as he approached the pirate, and Adelina knew that she never wished to be on the other side of his glare, for it was dark and full of terrible promise. Aware or not that every pair of eyes in the clearing were trained on him, Pan crouched in front of the man they'd captured, and a sick feeling welled in her gut, regretting ever having found him.

With slow, deliberate movements, a mischievous grin on his face, Pan dragged the edge of the blade down the pirate's cheek, a trickle of blood following immediately after. He winced slightly, but otherwise showed no sign of pain.

"Did you really think that you could enter my land and leave unscathed?" Pan asked as he balanced the tip of his dagger on his chest, digging it in slowly to prolong the pain. "Did you really think you could harm what is mine, threaten it, and not pay the consequences?" His voice rose dangerously, and he plunged the dagger in his side, between two ribs.

This time the pirate let out a grunt of pain, and Pan grinned as it turned into a scream as he twisted the blade around in the wound, the firelight casting a devilish glow on his features as he relished in the pain he was inflicting.

Adelina, sensing the bloodlust building up inside of him, grabbed Serge and Gabriel by their hands, hugging them close in a way that buried their heads in her stomach, so that they didn't have to watch such a gruesome scene. Another scream tore through the air as Pan buried his dagger deep into his thigh.

"Do you understand now?" he hissed, his face leaned in close, so that they were nose to nose. "Do you regret ever thinking you could in any way challenge me?"

The pirate's glare seemed to hold a fire of its own. "Fuck you," he spat.

Pan's wild grin widened. "Now, now," he chided, "you really should be more polite when you speak to your superiors. Someone should teach you a lesson." He cocked his head. "I think a finger would do just fine." Grabbing his wrist, Pan held it down firmly on the ground, madness dancing around in his eyes. "Now, this might hurt just a bit." As he rested the edge of the blade against the pirate's index, Adelina shut her eyes tight, the screams tearing through his throat enough for her to imagine the rest.

"Stop," she pleaded, covering the boys' ears, not being able to bear it anymore. "Stop! Please!"

Pan's head snapped towards her, his features twisted into an animalistic snarl. His eyes fixed on her, and she felt as a rabbit did under the menacing gaze of the wolf. Shivers ran down her spine. "Come here, Adelina," he said in a deceptively soft voice, hiding the danger lying underneath.

She shook her head, terrified. Pan had never shown such monstrosity before. "No."

His lips curled, and a loose snarl exited his throat. "Come. Here."

Mutely, she let go of Gabriel and Serge, making her way towards the demon inhabiting a human body, trembling in fear. Under his gaze, she crouched down next to him, so that she could see up close the wounds he'd inflicted upon the pirate.

"Good," he seemed satisfied. "Now look closely," he ordered, his blood splattered hand grabbing her chin roughly to make her look. "Don't look away," he warned, "or you'll be next."

Swallowing down nausea, she nodded. Satisfied, Pan's dark glare fixed itself on the pirate. Screams of agony once more filled the air as Pan's dagger tore through flesh and bone, carving up the pirate with sadistic viciousness as his bloodlust only escalated. Adelina dared not tear her eyes away from the carnage, yet she felt more than ever the insanity of Pan's broken mind, the extreme pleasure he extracted from inflicting agony, the raging madness that drove him.

"Do you understand now?" he repeated, slashing an enormous gash across his chest, eliciting yet another scream. Pan tossed his dagger in the fire, watching it intently as the blade slowly turned red, then yellow. The pirate could only breathe heavily, fearing what was to come. "This is what happens when you displease me," he growled. A shiver of terror ran down her spine as she recalled how Pan had looked at her and Felix, his lips pursed in displeasure.

Reaching into the fire as if it couldn't burn him, Pan brandished it in front of the tortured man's face. His skin sizzled as the dagger was pressed against his cheek, then his throat, then his forearms. The acrid smell of burning skin reached her and she gagged. She wanted it to stop, wanted it all to stop. Wanted Pan to control his animalistic urges once more, wanted it to disappear, yet her reaction only seemed to fuel him.

The night wore on, and Adelina watched numbly. The fire's heat seared her face, minutes seemed to drag by as hours, and still, Pan found new ways to inflict his wrath, the fire of madness burning ever brighter in his eyes. Feral snarls left his lips, and Adelina wasn't sure if the person besides her was human anymore. Fresh blood continuously poured out of the pirate's body, and, hollowly, she wondered how he could still be alive. Just die, she pleaded silently. Just kill him and end his misery. As if he were answering her plea, Pan drew back his dagger, eyes glittering malevolently, and drove the blade straight through his heart.

The pirate's eyes widened. Blood gurgled in his throat, stealing his last breath, and he went limp. No final cry or shout, no words, only thick, dark blood poured out of his mouth. Adelina recoiled from the sight.

Wordlessly, the animal having disappeared back inside of himself, Pan wiped his hands on his pants as he took back his dagger, standing up. He looked around him, it had been a long time since he'd displayed such madness and ferocity. No one dared meet his gaze. With a grunt, Pan left, leaving them all feeling terrified and faintly sick.

Watching his receding form, she wondered, numbly, what kind of twisted madness had taken root inside his mind.

Soooooo I bet you were all surprised I updated so early, seeing as you must be used to waiting long stretches of time between updates. But I updated a week later, so yay me!!
Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed
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