Abyssal (ManxMan)

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Marius stumbled backward into a high back chair that was right behind him. He fell into it and then slumped forward. His hair fell forward, a cascade of soft black tresses, completely obscuring his face from view.

Kai kept his wide-eyes on the King, his breath coming out in hot puffs through his crushed lips. He struggled to regain a control over it, the breath he inhaled suddenly cold, stabbing his lungs. The hot puffs of air suddenly turned visible. It startled him.

The temperature dropped dramatically.

A chill crept up his spine and spread across his skin.

He looked around, half expecting it to start snowing, and only just realized that he was back in Marius' chamber.

He was back in the last place on land and in the sea he wanted to be: Nostraza. It was once again black and gold everywhere.

His heart sank as shock gave way to despair.

He looked down with dread, misery and hatred at the chain around his leg, growing as bright as the jellyfish hanging from the ceiling.

Livid that it had brought him back against his wishes just like Marius said it would, he stomped his foot on it multiple times. He knew the effort was futile, but he couldn't find a better way to vent his roiling emotions. He needed to vent, to let it out. Otherwise he feared that he would explode.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck this all! An angry, panicking voice screamed shrilly in his head.

From behind him, the sound of a soft chuckle reached his ears.

Gritting his teeth, he whirled around, thinking that the cruel King of Nostraza had laughed at his misery, but the King hadn't moved from his slumped position, let alone looked at Kai through his waterfall of hair.

Kai noted the King's shaking shoulders as he continued to laugh. It echoed in the vast room, filling the silence.

Oh, that couldn't be good.

Marius didn't even smile unless he was about to do something cruel to Kai or mock him in some way. For him to laugh...

He shuddered just thinking about the terrifying consequences that awaited him for punching the King of Nostraza in the face.

"You continue to surprise me, half-breed," he said without raising his head.

"My name is Kai, you insufferable jerk. For once, say it!" Kai exploded, and then started panting again. He was so out of breath, he felt as if he'd swam across the Pacific Ocean and back around. He was at a place where he couldn't restrain his anger nor control it. He seethed.

God, how he wanted to punch him again, maybe knock out a perfect tooth or two and reveal that his perfect-looking facade was just that -a facade. A lie. So beautiful on the inside, but utterly blackhearted and corrupt on the inside. Like a poisoned apple, tempting but deadly.

"Oh, have I hit a nerve?"

"You've been hitting a nerve since the cursed moment I laid eyes on you. What the hell do you want from me? My power, is it? But does my power want you?"

Finally, that stirred Marius. He raised his head and pinned Kai with a look that could have melted the world's ice caps. It was a look of hatred... sort of. Actually, Kai wasn't sure what that simmering look in his eyes meant.

"The real question is," Marius straightened and leaned back in the chair. "Does it want you?"

Their eyes clashed.

"Fuck you, you bastard." Kai retorted in anger. "I want nothing to do with this world."

Marius laughed.

Kai's blood boiled. "What are you laughing about?"

"It's truly ironic, don't you think? It seems that the Spirit is indeed fickle and has a twisted sense of humor. It won't accept those who covet -need- it, and instead chooses a vessel who wants nothing to do with it, torturing him in the process. Is it in your head right now, laughing at us both?"

Kai stayed quiet, mostly because he didn't understand what the hell Marius was talking about. He'd heard the Spirit's panicked voice just moments ago, warning him to push Marius away, but now it was back to radio-silence again. Not that he'd admit any of that to Marius.

"Do you not realize that the Spirit remains out of your grasp because of your insistence to abandon this world and selfishly return to your other one? Do you think it doesn't sense your reluctance to accept it, embrace it?"

Kai was startled. It was what Erasmus had told him just before Marius summoned him with the Master's Chain.

Kai, the Spirit of the Sea is a very jealous, very possessive, very prideful entity. The Spirit wants to monopolize its vessel, be its morning and evening star, so to speak. If the vessel refuses to acknowledge or accept the Spirit, the Spirit rebels and distances itself from its host.

Seeing the confirmation of his deduction clearly plastered on his face, Marius said, "Ah, so you do know. How utterly disappointing that you're still foolishly adamant on returning and rejecting the power bequeathed to you, then."

"You're the last person who gets to judge me. I don't owe you anything. And what do you know about my life before you dragged me down here?"

"I know all."

Kai paused. He gulped to wet his suddenly dry throat. Then, "Bullshit."

"Oh? Do you not think it is within my power to have you investigated? To have your mother followed-"

"Stop." Kai barked, a chill gripping his spine. "Just... stop. Stay away from her." He nearly said please, but his pride kept him from uttering the word.

"Hmm." Marius rubbed his mouth with two fingers in consideration, never taking his eyes off of Kai as he languished in his throne, his legs spread apart.

Kai thought his heart would stop beating. The thought of harm coming to his mother, of Marius going after her... He couldn't bear it, so much so his chest was beginning to pain.

"You needn't fear; I have no interest in going after defenseless human women."

It was the most reassurance he could ever get from someone like the Conqueror, Kai figured. It would have to be enough. At least for now.

"I will have your word." Kai said. It merely spilled out of him, even though he doubted he could trust Marius' word. Nor did he think the King would even give it. Rather, Marius would mock him for even asking him, the mighty Conqueror, to honor a promise to a lowly half-breed.

He began to regret even asking.

"Very well. You have my word that I'll leave your mother out of this."

Kai gaped at Marius. When the shock finally registered in his brain, his jaw dropped to the floor. He quickly picked it up and hastened to say, "You'll also stop watching her."

He didn't quite understand how they'd gotten to this topic out of all the possible topics; he'd been mentally preparing himself for a beatdown for the affront he'd dealt the King of Nostraza. But now that they were here, he'd seize the chance.

Marius regarded him for a moment, and then said, "You don't really want that."

"Why not?"

"I keep others from getting to her and using her against you."

The breath hitched in Kai's throat. "O-Others?"

"Yes, others."

When Marius would not explain further, Kai impatiently demanded, "What others?" The thought of his mother becoming a target because of him made him sick to his stomach. "You're not the only one after my powers, are you?"

Marius' eyes practically glowed when he said, "No." 

*~~~~~~~~~~~*

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