The Thrill of Darkness

Part 100: Beginning a New Chapter

Felix's POV:

When I woke up, the first thing I did was close my eyes.

Everything was painfully blurry and bright, and I had a migraine like the world's worst tequila hangover. My ears were ringing so damn bad, I thought for a second I'd gone deaf.
Keeping my eyes shut, I groaned and rolled over onto my back, wincing as my bones creaked conspicuously.

'Fuck. Am I that old?'

I once again attempted to lift my eyelids, only to have them forced shut as I reflexively flinched away from the light. Ugh. Fuck that. Fuck seeing things. Who needed eyes anyway?

Especially considering the kind of things I'd been seeing lately.

"Felix. Felix, get up!"

'Who is that? She sounds familiar... and pissed.'

"I know you're awake, Felix. Pull yourself together!" Snapped the beautiful voice again. This time, her words were accompanied by a sharp slap to the side of my head.

"Ow..."

"I'm warning you, broccolo..." the woman threatened.

Broccolo...? Oh. Now I remembered why I needed to open my eyes; if I didn't, my girlfriend would probably threaten to gouge them out herself. Taking her not-so-subtle hint, I cracked my eyelids open.

"It's about damn time, Felix," Marzia murmured with a smirk. She was kneeling on the floor next to me in full armor, her unmasked face just inches from mine. She sat up when she saw that I was truly awake.
"Why am I dating such a lazy boy?" She wondered aloud teasingly.

I grinned. "'Cause you love me," I told her smugly, drawing a chuckle from her as she helped me up off the floor.

"More of that later. For now..." she gestured around the room. I looked around in shock, noticing the chaos for the first time.

Mikhail, Jericho, and Signe were gathered around the bed that the Witch had previously been using, partially obscuring a broken, bloody Atticus from view. Anti was pacing back and forth behind them, his face pale and stricken.

Mark, Amy, and Dark were on the other side of the cabin tending to the animals. The white raven had a broken wing that Mark was in the process of setting under Dark's careful observation. Dark had a... was that a black cat clinging to his shoulder? The black raven, who appeared to be the only animal to escape unscathed, was nuzzling Chica, who's back left leg was being bandaged by Amy.

I couldn't see Virgil anywhere.

And Sean... I don't know how I knew to assume that Sean left with Fell. I don't know how I knew that looking for him would be hopeless. I really don't.

But somehow, I just knew.

Sean and Fell were long gone.

My head reeled as I struggled to process everything around me. I closed my eyes again, this time in real pain. We'd lost him. We'd lost Sean. The betrayal made it feel even worse than if he had died. In a way, I knew he did; the Sean we knew was gone.

There was only him now.

"Hey."

Marzia stepped in front of me and gently tilted my face down towards her. I opened my eyes and felt instantly better at the sight of her perfect face. I found myself wanting to smile down at her as her usual cold steel melted out of her chocolate eyes to be replaced by something soft and warm that she never allowed anyone but me to see.

"Listen to me well, Felix: You are not alone in this. I will follow you forever. Wherever you go, whatever you do... you will have me by your side."
She leaned up to place an abbreviated kiss on my lips before cradling my cheeks in her hands to make sure she had my full attention.
"We will find him," she vowed fiercely, "we will play the hand of justice for his crimes. And then... we will bring him home."