The Forgotten V

“THARON! BRING ME THE BOY!”

Zacharias sighed. Even in the darkest part of the dungeon, he could still hear the Darkness when he bellowed for an audience with his favorite captive. This was going to be another in a string of long nights.

Minutes later, his cell door swung open.

“Come, Zacky boy. The Master is asking for you.”

“What’s wrong, Tharon? Your special talent no longer pleasing to him?”

“Shut up and come on.”

It used to take four Low demons with chains to bring Zacharias to the Darkness. Now he walked with Tharon without resistance. It didn’t matter; until he was strong enough, trying to escape would only end in his final death.

“You’re lucky.” Tharon said, and wiped drool from his swollen lips. “The Master has already fed, so you’re just a distraction tonight.”

“Come sono stato cosi fortunato?”

“How did you get lucky? It’s that ass, Zacky. If you didn’t have such a fine ass, you’d be demon food by now.”

“Shut. Up.”

“It’s just jealousy, Zacky boy. Now, you behave and maybe you can go the night without chains.” Tharon pushed open the heavy iron door and called, “Master! The angel is here!” Tharon fled, scurrying along the wall like a frightened rat.

“Idiota.” Zacharias took his usual place just inside the door, his eyes down, waiting to be addressed.

“AH. THERE YOU ARE.”

Zacharias used to flinch when the Darkness touched him. Now, when the taloned hand cupped his cheek, he didn’t move. Its touch filled him with disgust, but he refused to let him see he still feared the creature holding him captive.

“OPEN YOUR EYES, FALLEN ONE. LOOK UPON YOUR MASTER.”

Zacharias opened his eyes, and raised them to meet the Darkness. Blood red pools of light stared back at him. The rest of the Darkness was difficult to see if you looked at it directly, just a shadowed blur of moving … things.

“Non sei il mio padrone.”

The Darkness laughed, a sick, wet sound. “OH, YOU ARE A WONDER TO ME, ANGEL. SO STUBBORN, EVEN AFTER THOUSANDS OF YEARS. FOOLISH, FOOLISH BOY. GIVE YOURSELF TO ME, ZACHARIAS. LET ME HELP YOU BECOME ONE WITH OUR REALM.”

“No.”

“WHY, BOY? YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT ESCAPE HERE. NO ONE WANTS YOU ON THE OUTSIDE.” Zacharias could hear the smile in its voice. “EVERYONE HAS FORGOTTEN YOU. YOUR FATHER, YOUR FAMILY … EVEN THAT PRETTY GODDESS YOU FLIRT WITH WHEN WE LET YOU SEE THE SUN.”

Zacharias tensed. He’d thought of her every night, wondering if she looked for him, and prayed the Darkness was wrong. “No. She has not forgotten me.”

“OH, BUT SHE HAS, SILLY BOY. YOU NO LONGER EXIST IN ANY REALM SAVE THIS ONE. GIVE IN. YOU COULD SIT BY MY SIDE, RULE THIS REALM WITH ME FOREVER. LET ME HAVE YOU. CHANGE YOU. MAKE YOU ONE WITH ME.”

“The way you changed the one in the castle?”

Zacharias struck the wall from a blow he never saw coming. He hit the floor hard and immediately leapt back to his feet.

“HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM?”

Zacharias smiled. “Strike a nerve, Oscurita?”

The Darkness roared with fury. “HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM?”

“Your lackey, Tharon, showed me.”

“WHAT?”

“Non posso mentirvi. Tharon showed me. He wanted me to know I’m not the only captive here. He showed me the woman … and I saw him.” He backed away several steps, knowing he’d be struck again. “His wings … I saw the scars. What was he before you changed him?” When the Darkness didn’t respond, he kept going. “His wings … does he know? Does he know who his real father is?”

“YOU INSECT!”

Zacharias closed his eyes, steeling himself for the beating he knew he’d receive. The Darkness knew how to keep him from losing consciousness, and could double the pain in every blow. But he did not fall. He wouldn’t give the Darkness the pleasure of seeing him fall.

“ENOUGH!” The shadowed beast shoved him against the wall. “I AM DONE WITH YOU.”

Zacharias spat blood at him. “Fino alla prossima, volta?”

“NO. THERE WILL BE NO NEXT TIME.”

The Darkness bellowed for his guards, who rushed in with daggers drawn.

“TAKE HIM DEEP.” The Darkness said. “LEAVE HIM AT THE TREE.”

Zacharias edged toward the door. He knew he wouldn’t get far, but he had to try. From the guards’ expressions, he didn’t want to go to “the Tree.”

“Of course, Sire.”

Then they were on him, and everything went black.

“STUPID, STUPID BOY. TAKE HIM AWAY. I WANT HIM TO KNOW WHAT BEING FORGOTTEN REALLY MEANS.” The Darkness paused, and then added:

”BRING ME THARON. HE NEEDS TO LEARN TO KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT.”