Savage - Prinxiety [Sequel To "Monster"] [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty-Four

The silence Roman sat through with Thorn was torturous, but this was so much worse. Sitting alone with his thoughts was something he avoided when he could. They often shifted to dark or depressing places and he'd work himself into a panic attack; usually said panic attacks were caused by thoughts of his dead lover, or at least when he thought he was dead. Now, he was on the edge of a panic attack because of the guilt and paranoia he felt for his companions and Virgil. 

It was killing him, not knowing if Luis was safe after completing the maze. What if this dark being just killed him as soon as he unlocked the door for him and Thorn? What if the same fate awaited the princess? What if this was all for nothing and Virgil was now truly dead? 

That thought terrified him the most. The thought that they had come so far and fought so hard and risked so much all in vain because as soon as they got caught, they killed Virgil. He couldn't be dead, not when he was so close to saving him. If Roman could just get through this door, he could save him. He'd fight until his final breath to save him. 

The prince heard a click and looked over his shoulder, noticing that the door he was meant to go through was now unlocked. With a shaky breath, he stood up. 

"Through that door awaits your precious Virgil, Prince Roman," the voice spoke from around him. It made him dizzy as he stared at the door. It felt like it was getting further away with each step he took toward it. "But there's a trial for you to pass as well before I shall release him. If you win the trial of combat before you, I shall give Virgil back to you."

Roman took a deep breath and wrapped his hand around the doorknob. He had to do this. He'd come too far to give up now. He focused on the anger he felt toward this mysterious person. He focused on the rage and purposefully unchecked it, thinking of King Fuath and how they'd be in an entirely different situation if it weren't for him.

Fire was beginning to pool in his lungs and when he opened his eyes, they glowed with a dull amber light. He was ready to fight. 

He opened the door and stepped into a surprisingly well lit chamber. It widened into a round room that reminded him of a training arena. Roman swept his gaze around the room in a quick survey of his environment. There were weapons along the walls and training dummies. There were targets hanging from the ceiling by strings. The floor had scars from blades and magic blasts missing their target. It was clear what the purpose of this room was for. 

The prince closed his eyes and took another deep breath before reopening them to look around again. That's when his eyes landed on the large cage across the room. 

"V-Virgil?" he breathed upon seeing the crumpled up form of the boy he loved. 

It stirred at the sound of his voice. He ran toward the cage, his boots clacking against the old tile of the floor. Virgil looked up and clutched the bars. His eyes were full of tears and there was a look of desperation on his face. "Roman! Stay back!"

He ignored him, feeling unstoppable as he ran closer to the cage. Suddenly he was knocked off of his feet and across the room. His back hit the wall painfully and he knelt on the ground as he took deep breaths. When he recovered from the winding blow, he looked up, feeling his heart drop with horror and a slight sense of déjà vu.

Virgil was stalking toward him, eyes glowing purple, just as they had been on that horrible night a year ago. This was different though, because Virgil was just over there in the cage. This was the dark prince he'd been traveling with. Technically there were two: the astral form now physically forced to be on this plane, and the original physical Virgil. He could tell that this one was the original physical Virgil, but he had no control over himself because his soul was essentially split from his body by whatever curse their capture had cast. 

"Get out of here, Roman! It's not worth it!" the Virgil from across the room sobbed. "I'll- I'll kill you if you stay. He wants to make me watch myself kill you. There's no way to bring me back into control like last time."

The prince felt dread spreading through his stomach. He'd seen the strength of Virgil's dark magic. It was a force to be reckoned with, capable of manipulating the environment into a hurricane with just a change in emotion. The only reason he was even able to win the first time was by kissing him and bringing him back into control. In this situation, he was completely split apart and there was nothing he could do about it until he freed the caged Virgil. 

He looked back at the cursed Virgil stalking towards him. He couldn't give up on him. He would fight. He would fight the boy he loved to save the boy he loved. 

With a wince, Roman got back to his feet and drew a sword from the wall beside him. "I'm not giving up now," he said, speaking to the Virgil that he knew could hear him. "If I have to beat you to free you, I'll try my best, but I refuse to turn back now."

"No... please, Roman, my powers are stronger than yours," the dark prince pleaded. "I'll kill you and then I'll be trapped in this world without the one thing that makes this world worth living in."

"Then you know why I have to save you," he said as he looked toward him with a sad smile. "I spent a year thinking you were dead. I spent a year in this world without you in my life and it was the worst thing I've ever been through. I won't go through it again, Virgil. I won't. I'm going to save you this time."