The Thrill of Darkness

Part 80: Doing What We Have To

Atticus' POV:

Ignoring Anti's shouts of protest from across the room, I charged straight for Celine.

"FERA!!" I shouted. I still didn't have the earthliest idea how I could possibly know that that particular word would send a stream of concentrated fire shooting out of the tip of my dagger, but nor did I care at that point. The thin string of flame twirled about, bending to my will as it weaved through her Caduceus and struck directly at her bracelet.

She winced and clutched her wrist before glaring back at me wrathfully as we circled one another.

"And just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Hissed Celine, sending a moderately sized blast of energy my way. I promptly deflected it with a word and a wave of my hand.

"Bombarda! Isn't it obvious? If not, then it will be in a moment," I retorted.

"Cryptic little brat," Celine snarled before pointing fiercely at me. "Ari! Attack!!"

At her words, the black bird swooped down in a swift nosedive, headed straight for me. I stood stock still, not flinching as he dodged to the side at the last second, turned, and landed on my shoulder with a happy caw. I relished the satisfying look of shock and disbelief on her face. Priceless.

Celine stood agog for a moment before quickly lifting her wrist to her face to examine her bracelet, noticing its charred surface for the first time. I grinned.

"I may not be able to entirely negate the power of the raven's shackles without removing those talismans from your person, but that doesn't mean I can't weaken them," I said smugly as the other raven came to rest on my free shoulder.
"They still can't attack you directly, but neither do they have to do as you say anymore. You're through, Celine!" I shouted, charging her again as the birds left my shoulders.

Virgil's POV:

"Let's see if those sparring sessions all those years ago paid off, shall we?" I asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood as Virgo and I stared each other down. Her face remained flat, but I could feel a weak mental smile from her at my flippancy.

I quickly turned serious. "Virgo, I'm sorry about all of this. I'm gonna get you out of there, okay?"

The Vessel with my sister's face gave no outward warning before charging. I blocked her blow for blow as she struck out at me mercilessly with her axe, gracefully spinning her weapon and herself simultaneously. I'd never met anyone else in the world who handled a weapon taller as themselves half as well as my sister had; the way she ever so slightly manipulated the continuous momentum of her twirls and spins, letting the gargantuan axe use her just as much as she used it... it was a sight to behold. I'd forgotten how terrifying she could be. And now that her spirit was being used like fuel to power a body that was out of her control, it was even worse.

I found myself struggling to defend myself as my swords screamed with each harsh blow, knocking me back again and again. I was afraid that she would be forced to kill me when... She stopped.

She suddenly halted in the middle of her latest attack, missing me by centimeters as she purposely lifted her axe to slice over my head. She opened her fingers, allowing the weapon to fly across the room end over end like some ridiculously huge shuriken and lodge itself firmly into the wall over twenty five yards away. In the next second, before I could react, she threw herself at me...

And impaled herself on my sword.

I stood there, my eyes wide and mouth open in shock as she continued to push herself onto the blade until she reached me, wrapping her arms around my shaking form even as she dissolved.

"Thank you," she whispered into my shoulder. I closed my eyes tightly and returned the embrace, taking in a shaky breath.

"...No problem, sis."

I held back tears as the vessel exploded into her signature sparkly purple dust, leaving my arms empty.

"Fuck..." I cursed, swiping at my eyes harshly with hands that were still stinging from the shock of her brutal attacks.
Allowing myself no time to grieve, I turned back to Celine and Atticus just in time to see the kid go flying through the air and slam into a wall before crumpling to the floor.

"FUCK!" I shouted again. I snatched up the sword I dropped and raced to intercept a very bloodthirsty Celine.

Anti's POV:

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Why couldn't that kid just keep his stupid English nose out of trouble?!

"Don't become distracted, Demon," Hecate laughed, taking a swipe at my head with the chained whip on the end of her Caduceus. I ducked and turned my attention back on her with a dark scowl.

"Alright bitch, listen up. I got places to be, so I'm just about done fucking around."
I lowered myself back into a fighting stance and prepared to go on the offense one last time.
"Let's finish this up quick, yeah?"