Okay. Seriously. Brandon had fainted like twenty times on this quest. Sure, some of it was my fault, but I couldn't see how we would be able to finish the quest with him unconscious every thirty seconds. As I hurriedly checked his pulse, I heard a door click open. Next thing I knew, I was behind a crate with Brandon next to me, luckily still breathing. I peeked out to see a certain short, buff, pirate clamber out.
"I'm telling you, boss," said Saul. "We've definitely got this. We have all these Cyclopes working on the weapons, those pesky kids are no where to be seen, we have Artemis and another annoying demigod, nothing can miss."
I stared, shocked. They had gotten Artemis, as in captured her? That was a feat that not many could perform. Saul must have had a pretty powerful sponsor. Then, stepping from the door stood a huge man, wrapped in a cloak of furs and carrying a scepter the size of Michael Jordan. He had covered his head, but his chin was scarred and he had many cuts and bruises, presumably from years of experienced fighting.
"Saul," he said in a booming voice, "Things never go right, you know that. There is always something, a pesky demigod or a rusty nail."
Suddenly, he looked up, and I looked deeply into his eyes, eyes as dead as a blind man. I retreated behind a box and breathed heavily.
"There appears to be four people in this room, Saul, care to explain?"
Saul's voice came shallow and scared. "Those kids, the ones I told you about, the ones in New Jersey."
The boxes exploded above us. I shrieked and turned to the two men. Saul hid behind the stranger as he lifted his scepter. He looked even bigger than he did before. His Eyes shone bright and he frowned at us.
"Petty," he said, looking at me. He then turned his attention to the unconscious Brandon. "Weak. How could you lose, Saul, to these stupid kids?"
He turned to me. "Young lady, you are an insolent brat for coming down here, now you will have to pay." He lifted his scepter and I barely had any time to block it.
I had to hand it to that man: he was good. He moved like an eagle, swooping in and out and fighting fiercely. I could barely get an opening. He slammed the butt of his scepter into my gut and I flew backwards and hit the wall. I groaned as he stood above me, grinning. "Farewell, young demigod." He twisted the top, revealing a pointed spear. He raised it high, victorious. But, his face suddenly shifted to astonishment, as he stared at the blade caught in his chest. I looked behind him to see Brandon, fire in his eyes, staring at him. He pulled it out and collapsed on the floor, panting hard.
"I see you have full mastery over the Eye. But, I also spot the mark of Linus." Brandon flinched and stepped backwards as the man stood up. He closed his eyes and began to speak.
The boy of light and darkness
Born to reap and slay
The remainder of his life
Shall serve until the end
And when he choose to come,
Then he will answer all our prayers
But, the boy of light and darkness
Not merely a godsend
Brandon looked fearfully at the man and clutched his head, falling to his knees, screaming. He started convulsing all over again as I screamed at him to stop. After five minutes, though, he stood up and stared at me, eyes blank. "Brandon?" I whispered.
He turned and trudged slowly towards Saul. That was strange, as he normally hated being slow. Saul quivered and started to run away, only to be caught in the hands of Brandon. "Please. No. Stop. Have mercy," said Saul, shivering in his grasp. Brandon just wore his smile. It wasn't the smile I was used to, not the go happy, crazy idea, sort of smile, but a cold sinister grin, that chilled the blood and killed the inside.
Watching Saul die was the least pleasant thing I had ever experienced. Saul screamed continually as Brandon slowly ripped his body apart, tearing every limb to pieces and leaving only the blood stained floor and bones, with tiny chunks of flesh left over. His face was bloodstained, yet he never stopped grinning. He smiled as he cut off the tongue, broke the spine, stabbed the heart. He didn't even take a break to wipe his face.
It was the most terrifying hour of my life. As Brandon drank up Saul's misery, I just clutched my stomach, staring, shocked at what my usually gentle friend was doing. The child of light was just secretly masking a dark, demon soul. Finally, he stopped and took a small break, staring comfortably at what he had done. He sat on the floor and bathed in the blood that he had let loose as I quietly sat there, watching him. Was this what his past had been? Was this what he was subject to every day? Was he secretly a mass murderer who let people underestimate him and lured them into a trap? Thousands of thoughts erupted from my mind as I looked at my friend slowly go insane.
At last he turned, smiling at me. I stood up quickly, frightened, as I lit up my hand.
It was my turn.
