Snap
Ren ran to his prince, windswept and blood chilling in his veins. He did not care to interrupt whatever Prince Ezil had been saying to Harvey, he grabbed Ezil’s hand and pulled him away, further into the gardens, all the way to the place they had sat silently together all those weeks ago. Only once they reached that spot, did Ren allow himself to stand still, panting and sweaty from the exertion and terror. He blinked down at his prince with wide, worried eyes, and Ezil softened for him. Ezil felt the fear rolling off him, and recognized that he could not allow his own uneasiness to show, in that moment. Ren needed stability, he needed something to anchor himself to. Ezil would love nothing more than to be Ren’s foundation, to tether him to this world.
“What happened, sunshine? Explain it to me slowly.” Ezil said softly, taking both of Ren’s hands in his own, guiding him to a bench, pulling him down to sit beside him. He ran his thumbs over the back of Ren’s shaking hands, trying to soothe him, to keep him grounded. Ezil had not missed the way Ren’s dark eyes would shift, the way he would drift away, if he was not somehow reminded of where he was, or who he was. Ezil did not think he was aware of how he would thumb at his own scars when he thought no one was looking, how scared he seemed if he spent too long here at the castle. His fight or flight instincts worn so sadly on his sleeve, as if he felt he had to be ready for the worst case scenario at all times. Ezil wanted to be able to allow him to relax, to give him even a moment of peace of mind, he simply hadn’t figured out how to give him that just yet, so he would continue observing, continue attempting to be Ren’s anchor.
“Vox showed me Rowdy’s cell. There’s a little boy they want me to get out of there. There’s this fucked up living doll thing, and Novus is about to let it out. It said it wanted something from me and tried to rip my throat out.” Ren stated simply, gaze fixated on their joined hands. Ezil always felt so cold, and Ren always ran so warm. “I need to go and warn the others, I don’t know why but I don’t think that doll wanted me, he wants something he saw through me. It was weird.” He paused, giving Ezil’s hands a small squeeze. Ezil squeezed back. “It felt like when Quella looks at your cards, y’know? He wasn’t looking at me, he was looking through me, at something I can’t see.”
“Do you think he’s a paidi?” Ezil asked, leaning closer and lowering his voice. “I’m not sure if there’s such a thing as a magic user who’s capable of something like that without the assistance of one of the gods…”
“I don’t think he’s a paidi.” Ren stated simply, leaning a bit closer, too. Ezil could smell the sweat and dust clinging to his skin, and he felt his cheeks flush slightly despite himself. “He’s something else, like my friend. It’s unnatural magic. Not a gift, not something someone is born with.”
“A curse?” Ezil asked, tilting his head to the side. “Could he be a…” Ezil trailed off. If he were to hypothesize that this strange doll was a cavae, immediately after Ren mentioned he seemed of a similar nature to one of his friends, it would seem as if he was calling his friend a cavae, too. He did not want to say such a thing about someone Ren cared about, to accuse this person of being so unloved by the gods that his very soul was rotting away, infecting the rest of him. He saw it in Ren’s eyes, though. He saw the bittersweet grief there.
“He’s likely a cavae, yeah. I would say he’s a starcatcher, but he seemed too… Whole, for that. His body wasn’t all withered and ghostly. He was solid.” Ren nodded, mostly to himself. “I doubt a paidi would survive something like that, anyways. I felt my own connection dim, when I was down there. That thing has been down there for so long, if a god really did love him, he’d be dead by now.”
“Hm… You said he was a doll, though, yes?” Ezil hummed, giving Ren’s hands another squeeze. “Maybe he’s nothing more than some sort of vessel, and he’s simply a magic tool. If that is the case, then you and your friends will have no trouble at all in disposing of him.”
“That’s true… And, well, if he’s a paidi after all, we could still easily handle him.” Ren hummed, now running his thumbs along the backs of Ezil’s hands.
“... And if he is a cavae?” Ezil asked carefully, tone soft and cautious. The saddest thing about the cavae, the trickiest part, was that they could only be killed by other cavae. No one truly knew why, but Ezil always assumed it was because they could only truly understand one another. A god cannot kill something it knows nothing about, and a paidi is simply using the god’s power, and those untouched (but still loved, of course) by the gods simply were not powerful enough to take on a creature capable of turning souls into weapons.
“If he is a cavae, I’m sure we will still manage just fine.” Ren whispered, voice hoarse and tense. He hoped this creature was a simple vessel. He did not want to ask Isaac to kill him. If Isaac could truly kill that doll, it would only confirm what all of them had feared for so very long. It was far better for Isaac to not know what he was, than to end up being something so lonely and corrupt. Putting a name to it would be far too cruel a fate for the young boy.
~
Ren quickly made his way home, after his talk with Prince Ezil. He felt better, after talking to the prince. He felt like the barebones plan they had formed, their theories, had comforted him, even if just slightly. Prince Ezil had also sent him home with a strange tool, something to use in case of emergencies. It appeared to be a pearl, but he could feel Prince Ezil’s mana rolling and curling within. He was instructed to crush the pearl if he needed Prince Ezil’s assistance, that he would feel when and where the small thing was broken, and immediately head over. Ren had tucked the small thing into a small pouch, hanging at his hips, so as to not lose it, or accidentally crush it.
When he arrived at home, the house was empty. It was early evening, so it was incredibly unusual for no one to be there at this hour. He entered cautiously, silently, and made his way into the kitchen. There, he found a hastily scribbled note, in swooping script, entirely too ornate, which simply read ‘Out to dinner with Kami. Be home shortly. Isaac and Nepthys.’. Ren felt an odd chill run up his spine, tapping his fingers across the paper. He wasn’t entirely sure where Kami and Isaac usually spent their time together, he had no idea as to where he could find them. He would have to act fast, though. That doll, if it really was being set free, was nothing but a hollow shell before it saw something in Ren. He would likely be driven by that simple desire, obtaining whatever it was he wanted so badly. He could see what wasn’t in front of himself, as well, so he likely would not struggle when trying to track it down.
Ren had to reach Isaac before that doll did.
He went running once more, back towards the market.
He didn’t make it more than two blocks before he collided with someone, small and covered in frills and lace. Ren reached out, steadying the person out once more. He wasn’t surprised to see Quella standing before him. As soon as her eyes met his, her expression shifted to one of terror.
“The tavern on Mortenview Street.” Quella rasped, giving Ren a firm shove. She was stronger than she looked, and Ren stumbled a bit, before he took off. His legs and lungs burned, feet pounding against the cobblestone. He heard Quella’s voice, faint in the growing distance, call out, “I shall send you assistance! Hold out until then!”
When Ren glanced over his shoulder, she was gone.
He was glad the tavern wasn’t very far from the market square. He had a feeling he would regret all the running he’s done today, how he already felt so exhausted. He began building his mana up as he ran, as a precaution and preemptive measure. He was glad, for his sake, that Isaac had healed him to such an extent the day prior. He was worried, for Isaac’s sake, that he had taken the wounds onto himself.
What if Ren was too late? What if, when he rounded this corner, he was greeted with the sight of his best friend impaled on the claws of some giant, living, hollowed out doll? If the maw of that porcelain nightmare was opened wide, latched down on the throat of the little brother he had never had? How could he live, if Isaac was gone? If Nepthys had lunged in front of Isaac, trying to protect him? If they were both laying in the street, their blood pooling around them, indistinguishable of who’s was who’s, their lives flowing from them and painting a horrific halo around the both of them?
Ren rounded the corner.
And he felt his heart lodge itself into his throat.
~
Isaac was having an unusually pleasant day.
He had made breakfast (waffles and fresh fruit!) before sending Ren on his way, whole and well. He had never really tried to heal anyone before, but seeing the state his beloved brother was in terrified him to his core. He had done it without fully thinking it through, simply wishing his magic to do as he asked. It had, of course, come with a price. He was in quite a bit of pain, and he had to dodge Nep’s endless questions, when he saw the state Isaac was in. It was worth it, though, for Rentaro to be okay. Isaac could shoulder all their pain, all their suffering, for them. Rentaro, Nepthys, and Kaiyo. The three of them had endured up until this point, they had all been so very strong, and they had taken such good care of Isaac. He felt as if he owed them, so he would take their burdens off their shoulders, gentle and slow, and take responsibility for them.
He had tea with Quella, after he ate with Kaiyo and Nepthys. She made him a wonderful cup of hibiscus lavender milk tea, and they had discussed all the little things that didn’t matter if you were not in the presence of someone you loved enough to make them seem worthy of mentioning. It was lovely, truly lovely, and he felt so very refreshed. He wanted the fragrance of the tea to linger, to carry him through his day and lead him to the afternoon sunlight, so he made dinner arrangements with Nepthys and Kami.
The tavern had been blissfully quiet, and the meal was served with laughter and old tales of the past. Isaac felt so very full, ready to burst with happiness. He could not recall the last time he had had such a beautiful day. He was hoping to make Kaiyo a cup of the tea Quella had served him earlier, once she returned from work tonight. Maybe they could both discuss some of the novels they had read recently, or she could tell him more stories of when her and Rentaro were younger, more wild and hot blooded, adventurous and bright eyed.
Isaac was still thinking about that when he left the tavern, Nepthys and Kami on his heels, chattering excitedly about the upcoming Mentiti Festival, when he felt an odd chill run down his spine. The evening breeze carried with it the smell of dust and decay, of old parchment and damp metal. He felt the burning of a stranger’s gaze boring into his chest, and quickly glanced around for the source.
The street was unusually empty, for one laying so close to the ever bustling square. He seemed, suddenly, a bit concerned, with how empty the tavern had been. How did he not notice the waitress’ hands had been shaking, as she had set their plates and glasses before them? How she had kept her gaze downcast? How her voice had shook and shuddered?
He froze in place, back rigid and ramrod straight, and his companions did the same, peering up at him. They knew he could sense and feel things they could not, they knew to be on guard if he was. It was unspoken, it was a trust Isaac had not experienced prior to meeting them. He felt his heart swell, in that alarmingly still moment, with affection and gratitude for those who had found him and pulled him from the darkness.
There was a sudden crackling sound, then, which seemed in tune with Isaac’s heart beating in his ears. He glanced around again, and this time he saw the source of his unease.
Across the street, standing in one of the alleyways, was something entirely unhuman. It was far too tall, too gangly, limbs too long. Isaac felt it looking back at him, from it’s blanket of shadows. He squinted, trying to better make out what it was, bringing both arms out to block his companions from taking even one more step forward. Kami looked to the alley, and Nepthys looked up, at Isaac.
“What do you see, Isaac?” Kami whispered, unable to see past the shadows. Isaac could, though, and he could see even better if he were to use any of his sewn-shut eyes. He didn’t want to have to resort to that, though, so instead, he opened his mouth.
“Who are you?” He called out, voice steady and firm. Nepthys blinked up at him, almost as if a trance. He seldom left the house, so it was rare for him to see Isaac glow, to see him as he showed himself to the outside world. He was entranced, entirely too focused on the man in front of him.
“I want…” The stranger spoke, voice honey-toned and sickeningly sweet, “What you have.”
Isaac made a confused, disgruntled face, curling his lip. What did he have for someone to even be truly envious of?
His mind immediately came to the conclusion that, oh, he must wish to take my loved ones from me.
He could not allow such a thing to happen again.
He had nearly lost Rowdy, and in many ways, he truly had lost him. It had nearly killed him, to endure such a thing, to grieve in such a way. He certainly would not survive such a thing a second time.
“Fuck off, cretin.” Kami growled, pushing Isaac’s arm down, stepping so he was by his side. Isaac felt Kami’s mana shifting, uneasily, under his skin. Coiling around itself, twisting in to nervous knots. He felt the fear buried beneath it, heard it in the unevenness of Kami’s breathing. He saw it in the way he kept glancing up at him, over at Nepthys, eyes too focused. He was too focused on everything.
“Sh! Kami!” Nepthys hissed, wrapping one of his arms around Isaac’s, sliding his free hand to intertwine their fingers. Isaac felt his heart swell again, looking down at their joined hands. “We should just leave, the last thing we need is to get into some sort of brawl in the middle of the damn street.” Nepthys sighed, giving Isaac’s hand a squeeze. He felt how solid and calm Nepthys was, how content he was still, after such a pleasant meal. He saw how nonchalant he was, entirely focused on Isaac, ignoring the danger before them as if it did not exist at all.
Isaac wanted nothing more than to quell Kami’s anxiety, and to ensure that Nepthys had nothing to fear. He heard something shifting, rearranging, sharpening, from the darkness, almost in response to his quiet resolve and emotions. He swept his gaze to the alleyway, a single drop of blood slipping past the stitches suturing the eye on his forehead closed, his magic trying to crawl it’s way to the surface and rip it’s way free from his skin, always far too keen on following his emotions.
The creature was slowly walking forwards, legs unsteady and wobbly under it’s weight. The strange noises only Isaac could hear was it’s mana, morphing it’s perfect body into whatever he wished it to be in that moment, all sharp edges, dangerous and lethal.
“... You never answered my question. Who are you?” Isaac called out once more, skin prickling inr response to the energy in the air. He felt his stitches straining against his skin, pulling taunt and subsequently being torn free. He gently pat his hand against Nepthys’, before slowly prying him off of him, pushing him behind him. He pushed Kami back, as well, using himself as a shield, a barrier between the danger and his loved ones. He could smell the bloodlust in the air, now, could see it in the way the sunset painted the world red, could hear it in the absence of life around them, as if the world itself was silently watching and waiting for what was about to unfold.
“You may call me Chisuke.” The stranger hummed, sounding pleasantly amused, perhaps a bit excited, as he dragged himself out of the alleyway. Isaac felt Kami stiffen behind him, clinging to his sleeve, at the sight of the man across the street. He had to be well over seven feet tall, skin milky white and adorned in intricate gold sigils. His lilac hair was tied back, half of it in a bun, and the rest rested in a loose ponytail at his nape. He wore only a white and gold robe, and his terrifying appendages emerged from the folds of it like the limbs of a spider. His hands were bigger than they should be, metal claws shimmering in gold breaking through his fingertips. He was a doll, or had the joints of one, and the face of a puppet, as if he had been built. His eyes were dark, they seemed to devour any light that had the audacity to get too close, a deep, dangerous, purple abyss. When he spoke, his mouth opened as a puppets would, but it was as if his ventriloquist knew not of what they were doing. He opened his mouth once, words came out with his lips frozen in place, and then he closed it once more. “Chisuke. I am Chisuke.”
“Uh… Hello, Chisuke. I am Isaac…? Nice to meet you…?” Isaac tried, and Nepthys swatted at his back in scolding.
“Say it again.” The doll, Chisuke, sighed, hunching over as he took a small step towards them, hands hovering over his chest, gripping the loose fabric of his robe. His gaze was fixated on Isaac, unmoving and unblinking. “Say my name again.”
Isaac blinked a bit stupidly, taken aback, while Nepthys scoffed, peering around him. Kami looked utterly lost, but remained behind Isaac.
“Excuse me?” Isaac wheezed, gently pushing Nepthys behind him once more. Chisuke’s eyes followed the movement, his expression just as blank as it was before, but Isaac felt the energy in the air shift. “Kami. Take Nepthys home. You two need to get out of here. Now.” Isaac hissed, keeping his eyes on Chisuke.
“Do you truly expect me to leave you here, alone, with this fucking freak?” Nepthys growled, shaking Kami’s pleading hands off, grabbing Isaac’s arm once more. The air grew colder, and Isaac heard something creaking softly. Chisuke’s eyes were trained on where Nepthys touched Isaac, head slowly tilting to the side. He slowly dragged his eyes up Isaac’s arm, along the curve of his neck, before finally resting on his eyes. Cracks silently split his face, stretching from his mouth, as his lips spread into an unsettling grin.
That was the only warning Isaac had had before Chisuke was suddenly directly in front of him, towering over him, a hand wrapped around his throat. Isaac flailed, pushing Kami and Nepthys away, trying to get some distance between them and the creature that had latched itself too Isaac. Kami scrambled, before grabbing Nepthys and dragging him away, trying to escape as Isaac had instructed.
Just as a woman dressed in all white silk and gold armor stepped directly in their path, two swords strapped to her back. Her curly blonde hair was tied back in a high ponytail, her bangs falling into her face, framing her elven markings and ears. She silently pulled one of her swords free, imbuing it with mana, and set it aglow. ‘Ah,’ Isaac thought, ‘She must be a light mage skylo.’ He felt his blood run cold. Kami would survive, only another cavae could kill him, but Nepthys was another story. He wasn’t skilled with combat of this nature.
Chisuke leaned close, before following Isaac’s gaze, eyes landing on Nepthys. The smile fell from his lips, and he turned back to Isaac with a growl in his throat. His grip on Isaac’s neck tightening, and Isaac choked, clawing at the smooth surface which was Chisuke’s arm. He was forced to tear his eyes away from his beloved, to face the opponent in front of him.
The sooner he disposed of Chisuke, the sooner her could dispose of the blonde who dared to point a sword at Nepthys.
Isaac felt the eye on his forehead finally rip itself open, blood running down his face and painting Chisuke’s porcelain skin crimson. Isaac’s claws tore his fingertips apart, stretching and morphing into something far more dangerous.
This time, when he clawed at the hand wrapped around his throat, his nails managed to break the surface.
Chisuke growled, withdrawing and clutching his shattered hand to his chest, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. He looked surprised, he looked elated. The smile slowly crept back onto his face, as his hand mended itself. He was giddy, vibrating with energy and excitement. He looked down at Isaac with awe and admiration.
“Yes! Thank you! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you…” Chisuke sobbed, knees wobbling. He sounded pained, and he was shaking like a leaf in the wind. “Do it again. Do it again, Isaac.” He outstretched his freshly mended hand, leaning down to be eye level with Isaac. Isaac felt bile rising in the back of his throat, reaching out and digging his claws into Chisuke’s elbow joint and twisting violently, tearing his entire forearm off in one swift motion.
Chisuke doubled over, sobbing, but Isaac did not stop there. One hand shot out, gripping Chisuke by the throat, while the other grabbed his jaw, his thumb hooked in Chisuke’s mouth. He gave one, short, solid tug, and tore that free, too, before tossing it aside. Chisuke was looking at him with wide, shimmering eyes. Light was slowly slipping in, the more pain Isaac inflicted on him, as if he was waking up.
Chisuke’s remaining hand shot out, wrapping itself entirely around Isaac’s slim waist, claws digging in, before he slammed him against the stone front of the tavern. Isaac’s head bounced off the wall, and one of Chisuke’s claws was digging into one of the wounds he had taken from Rentaro the night prior, and he let out a soft, quiet, pained noise, biting down on his lip to try and hold it in. He felt the sutures containing the eyes resting below his normal ones snap, and his face was a horrific mess of blood. He blinked his five eyes open, glaring up at Chisuke, who still looked elated. Isaac had not thought one could smile when missing the bottom half of their face before, but he saw it, now.
There was a sickening popping sound, as Chisuke’s arm regenerated, before his face did the same. The cracks formed from smiling had become proper joints, of sorts, now, and he grinned down at Isaac, digging his claws in a little further.
“I was made… I was made without these.” Chisuke purred, leaning close to Isaac again, until his nose was mere inches from Isaac’s. “I was made without these feelings, but I knew you would be able to make me feel them. It hurts, it hurts terribly, but this is far better than being hollow.” He lowered his head, brushing his nose against Isaac’s throat. Isaac realized, now, that Chisuke was not breathing. That did not stop him from inhaling deeply, face buried against Isaac’s collarbone. “You’re doing so wonderfully, Isaac. So very good. Just a little more.” Chisuke tightened his grip on Isaac, before his newly regenerated hand reached up, fingers grazing the side of Isaac’s neck that Chisuke did not have his face pressed against. Isaac writhed around in his grip, whimpering, as his shirt soaked with blood. It was beginning to pool at their feet, running down Chisuke’s arm. “Make me feel a little bit more.”
Then, a rock connected with Chisuke’s back. He turned his head, glancing over his shoulder. Nepthys was stood across the street, crouched behind a small stairwell, arm still outstretched. Kami, as well as the blonde, were nowhere to be seen. Isaac shook his head weakly at Nepthys, eyes pleading. He could handle this much. He could grit his teeth and bare it, if it meant his companions were spared. Nepthys stared back, mismatched eyes ablaze with rage. The shadows at his feet danced, swirling around his feet dangerously. He slowly placed his hands against the stone, cocking his head to the side, gaze flickering to Chisuke.
Chisuke stood upright once more, his hand that had been trailing the shape of Isaac’s throat falling to his side limply. He looked annoyed, utterly unamused, and Isaac felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
“What an insect.” Chisuke growled, pushing Isaac against the wall with more force, keeping him pinned there with his talons buried in his flesh. Isaac grimaced, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. Chisuke glanced at him momentarily, taking it all in, eyes scanning each and every detail of Isaac’s face, before he turned back to Nepthys. He raised his free hand, aiming it at Nepthys, palm facing the sky, before he fixed his gaze back to Isaac, wanting to see his reaction.
Chisuke twisted his hand, and Nepthys’ neck twisted with it. A sickening snap echoed through the empty street, and Isaac watched as Nepthys crumpled to the ground, shadows stilling around him. Isaac watched as golden blood spilled from Nepthys’ mouth, his nose, his eyes. The light was fading from them, Isaac could see that, too. He could hear the blood hitting the stone, replacing the rhythmic beat of Nepthys’ heart. He could smell the blood, smell the energy in the air going still. He couldn’t make himself look away.
Even as Ren rounded the corner.