Lucien had tried to give them a chance. A chance to join him to understand the pattern. Instead, they chose violence. Chose to try and stop him. He couldn't allow that. He would kill them all until they gave in. Until He gave in. His eyes swept over the battlefield, the eye stalks striking out as the Nein fought back. He landed on Essek who gracefully evaded an attack.
Seething, Lucien reached out, striking the drow over and over and over, forcing him to cry out in pain with each hit. The sound pulled a grin from Lucien's lips.
"Essek," Caleb shouted from his place on the nearby tower.
Essek looked up with tired eyes, giving a nod, as if to let the wizard know he was okay.
Lucien growled. He reached out with his mind to pull Caleb in. If he couldn't get him to join willingly, then he would force him and make the drow watch.
As his essence creeped out and towards Caleb, a flash of something white hot halted him. He pressed again but he couldn't get through.
Lucien hissed.
"I'm accessible to you no longer," Caleb sneered at him. A pride in his posture upon realizing what Lucien had been trying to do.
Ignoring the attacks from the others he waved a hand and the top of the tower cracked and broke away from the rest.
"You want him so bad?" Lucien turned his glare to Essek, "Then have him." He thrust the tower towards Essek, the stone slamming into him and pining Caleb beneath the rubble.
"Caleb," Essek moved forward as quickly as he could. The slow effects he'd received earlier in the fight made it difficult.
Caleb looked at Essek with a softness the drow couldn't place. So many words reached Caleb's lip, regrets and confessions, but they fell away in a heavy sigh. There would be time for that later.
He reached a hand out towards where he saw Jester struggling and willed her to heal, just a little, because they needed their healers. As he did so he called out to Lucien.
"Mollymauk, I am begging you, hunger for control is insatiable. It will never be enough. Let it go."
Lucien had grown tired of hearing these people call him by that name. Was sick of them trying to reach someone long gone.
"I've told you; he's gone. Let him go," Lucien growled.
Caleb heard Fjord shout out Molly's name, attempting to plead with their old friend but his words fell on deaf ears as well. Disappointment washed over him. Perhaps Molly was really gone at this point.
Essek reached Caleb and grabbed his arm, "Caleb, they need you," the drow urged as he groaned out, attempting to pull Caleb free.
Caleb's legs scraped the sharp stone as Essek managed to pull him free.
"Let's finish this," He panted, finally shaking the slowness from his muscles.
Caleb wrapped his hand around the back of Essek's head and pressed their foreheads together. Once again so many words formed on his tongue but instead, he turned to see the state of the rest of his friends.
Lucien was losing his patience. The rest of the Nein were not relenting. He turned his attacks to the irritating blue tiefling. Throwing all his rage into her until she fell back unmoving.
"One down," he said looking towards Caleb.
"Jester," Caleb shouted, reaching out a hand. He closed his eyes.
Lucien growled as she appeared next to Caduceus. Caleb was clever. So much potential.
Caleb's eyes flew open and in Lucien's mind he heard Caleb's desperate pleas. "You're killing her, you're killing her, you love her, you're killing her."
A sudden wash of guilt swept over Lucien. Regret, pain, worry. He twitched and a grin pulled at his face before his own hand reached up and raked across his face. He shook off the thought and licked the blood from his lip, glaring down at the wizard.
"Time to teach you a lesson," Lucien waved a hand and a nearby eye turned to Caleb.
Caleb wrenched in pain as his veins wound with dark ichor.
Essek let out a yell as he threw a spell towards Lucien.
Pain struck through him, but he shook it off with a grunt. His eyes followed Essek as he stepped away from Caleb.
So Essek was clever too. Lucien shouldn't have been surprised. He was drawing his wrath to keep Caleb from getting hurt again.
Lucien's lips curled into a smile, his eyes meeting Caleb's, "Fine, if I can't have you, I'll take him."
Caleb frowned, looking towards Essek. He watched as the drow's concerned eyes turned dark and cold as they landed on him.
"Essek," Caleb whispered, but the drow remained unaffected.
"You were infuriating when you were with us, but at least you had charm. This is beneath you," Caleb's tone was more desperate than he meant for it to be.
"You could join us," Lucien beckoned, once again giving Caleb a chance to join him.
Caleb rushed towards Essek, clasping his hands on his cheeks, "Essek, please come back to me." He released a dispel through his fingertips, praying his magic would take hold.
Essek blinked and his eyes brightened, the charm effect leaving him.
Caleb let out a punched sigh as Essek's hands came up to grab Caleb's wrists.
Lucien let out a growl. These wizards refused to let go of each other. Jealousy boiled in his stomach before turning to red hot anger.
Lucien sighed wistfully towards Caleb, "So much potential."
Caleb backed away from Essek as Lucien loomed over him
He struck out with a claw, catching Caleb in the chest once, twice...
"Molly," Caleb pleaded, blood bubbling in his mouth.
Lucien looked to Essek, "How does it feel knowing the last name on his lips won't be yours?"
Essek was moving towards Caleb, but the third strike connected with Caleb's chest.
Lucien watched as the life left the wizard's eyes. He couldn't help the hurt and disappointment that swept over him. Things could have been so different.
*AN*
The next part of the cat and mouse series...I meant to get this up way earlier but I got heavily distracted by EXU...anyway...I have a plan to do something very non Canon compliant for the next part just so you know.
