We go down, together

Prologue - 1890

Everything was dull and... quiet. I couldn't form a coherent thought. Flashes of green and red sparked behind my eyelids. My body was numb, I found myself wishing for the adrenaline to return.

Ominis gripped my shoulder, "This is serious, can you please listen."

I hadn't realized he was talking, "I'm sorry." My voice cracked, the noise making me cringe.

He sighed and began pacing, "I can not begin to explain how angry I am with both of you. What were you thinking? I made it quite clear how against this I was from the start. I can not believe you practiced the dark arts and behind my back for Merlin's sake! You both lied to my face! And... and now someone is dead."

Silent tears poured down my cheeks. I was too afraid to look at Sebastian. My legs gave out beneath me and I sunk haphazardly to the ground. Ominis turned in my direction but did not make a move towards me.

"I wish you trusted me enough to tell me the truth about everything." One last glance at me before he pivoted towards Sebastian, "I thought I was your best friend."

"You are- please don't say that. I can't survive this without you, please I need you." His panicked pleas shook with fear. "I'm so so sorry, I never meant- wanted to drag either of you into this."

He inched closer to Ominis, "I was just so angry, with him. With...myself. I've been angry for so long since-" a violent sob shuddered through him. "I was blinded by my rage and I used you." He turned to me, tears streaming down his face. "Both of you. I am so sorry and I understand if you no longer want to associate with me. Anne doesn't."

He dropped to his knees, Ominis went with him. "I am a monster."

My heart cracked with his and I crawled to them. My hands flung out, reaching for the two broken boys in front of me. "I'm so sorry." We sat there for what felt like hours, murmured apologies bouncing off the walls.

I broke the tense silence that had settled around us, "we can be monsters together."

A sad laugh escaped Sebastian, "pardon?"

"This magic... I'm afraid of it. I feel like a monster-"

"You aren't. Don't think like that."

"We have all done things that we can not take back." Ominis' eyes seem to grow even more void of color, "our only option is to move forward. To be better."

"I'm sorry I did not respect your judgment and called you ignorant, it was me who-"

"You are already forgiven."

"I promise to never do that again and I will not withhold anything from you, Ominis." He grabbed both of our hands and squeezed tightly. "I can not lose you. Either of you."

Ominis rose slowly, "from now on, we can hold each other accountable." We stood on tired feet and dried our eyes. "No more secrets. If one of us falls, we go down together."

With our foreheads pressed against each other, we made a vow. "Together."