Lily

63

Virgil walked through the pure chaos, cloak wrapped around him and hood up to hide who he was. Thomas walked protectively beside him as his furies flew overhead. Virgil could hear the panicked screams of people as they ran passed him. Virgil's eyes caught sight of his favorite fury and he smiled a little. Their eyes met and Virgil pointed off further into town. She nodded and flew off with a screech, a few sisters following after her. Thomas barked and Virgil forced himself to take a breath as he turned towards the castle.

"I know Thomas. I'll be ok. It's just to get things started." Thomas whined with a short nod as the two continued their path through the kingdom.

"I said DON'T!" Roman yelled out as he shoved a man's sword out of the way before he could kill a fury. "Don't kill them." Roman glanced down to see a small pink and blue one and he frowned. Virgil named her Cotton because of her colors. It reminded him of cotton candy. "Cot-..." She took off flying much to his dismay as he turned back to the knight that nearly ran her through. "Do not kill them."

"Why? There monsters. Dark beasts sent by that fucking freak of a ki-..." The man reeled back as Roman socked him right in the eyes knocking him down. "Shit!"

"You even dare to call, Virgil that I will run YOU through. Understand?" The man nodded as Roman glared at him. "We are DEFENDING. That is it. If I find so much as one creature dead I will flip my top. Do not disobey me again." Roman spun around eyes red with anger and determination. He scowered everything hoping to find anything that might give him a clue about what Virgil was planing but... all he could see was... was..."MEADOW?!" The dark purple, red, and orange fury quickly snapped her head over at the sound of his voice. Her eyes went wide as Roman nearly dropped his sword. "Meadow, where's Virgil?" Her eyes darkened as she flew over and stood right before him making the others around Roman tense but... Roman only smiled as he brushed her feathers back. He'd seen Virgil do it so many times. Meadow was his favorite after all. 

"Please, Meadow... Where is he?" She frowned as he ruffled her feathers before leaning into his touch. "I'm sorry. I know how upset you all must be but I had to. Now, please tell me. Where is your King?" Meadow nodded as she stepped back and looked towards the castle. Roman's heart dropped as she smiled slimly before flying off. A loud shrill call tore through the air and all the furies flew off. Meadow shot one last look to Roman before joining her sisters. Roman literally crashed.

"Roman?"

"Virgil's at the castle." Roman shoved his sword into Kai's hands as he took off running full speed back to the castle only to freeze up. Roman felt his heart shatter seeing all those beautiful roses now black and dead. "Virgil?" Roman's hand reached out hesitantly only to jump back as all the roses turned to dust and blew away. "Oh no..."

"VIRGIL!" Roman ran through the halls praying to whatever deity was up there that Virgil was still here, fine, and hadn't done anything bad. "Virgil!" Roman was a mess with nervous energy. He sped down the hall only to freeze at the sound of a creaking door. His bedroom door... His eyes narrowed as he slowly pushed the door open. He couldn't breathe. 

There on his bed were petals galore. Black rose petals littered about in a way that Virgil's bed had look when he left him. A bouquet of black withering roses laid nicely at the foot of a bed with a dark red ribbon to tie them all together, a small white card on top of it. Roman's eyes flashed a painful red so bad he was nearly blinded as his fingers brushed against the card. Inky black droplets littered the edge of the card as Roman held it tightly to read. He was certain his heart stopped beating.

"You've killed me." Roman gasped as he let the card fall to the ground. His voice was shaky and uneven. His eyes darted to his glass door only to free in shock seeing Virgil there. His eyes went wide as Virgil put a finger to his lips with a soft smirk before literally vanishing. "VIRGIL?!" Roman ran to the door taring it open and running out onto his balcony. His heart was racing as he frantically looked around. His eyes spotted a small figure in a cloak with a dog and his heart dropped. "VIRGIL!" The figure paused turning slightly to look up at Roman who was literally balling his eyes out. "Virgil, please..." The figure turned away and vanished in the crowd of chaos. 

Roman collapsed to the ground completely taken over by shock as his eyes met with the black petals that had fallen to the floor when the door had opened. He just sat there leaning against the railing lost to everything. Not even the frantic knocking pulled his attention away. The door burst open letting Remus and Cassidy in who both froze up the moment they saw the black petals. Cassidy's eyes went yellow as he walk over with a frown.

"Shit."

"ROMAN?!" Cassidy jumped as he watched Remus run out the balcony only to crash at the broken state Roman was in. "Roman, what happened? Brother, please. You have to talk to me."

"Black withered roses..." Roman smiled as through the tears as he pulled his knees in. "I broke him. I actually broke him. He sent me black roses... withered roses."

"I told you, Roman. I told you he would die." Roman's empty and broken gaze met with Cassidy's pain-filled expression and he scoffed sadly.

"What I am supposed to do? I can go back. Not yet. I don't know how to help him." Cassidy sighed as knelt down on the other side of Roman who was literally shattering in front of him. "I didn't have a choice. I have to but... Virgil, he's... I can't."

"Roman, did you look up what a liche is?" Roman shook his head as he curled up into himself. "You really should. Once you know what he is then... You might have a better understanding of what to do."

"Why can't you just tell me?" Cassidy deflated as he shook his head. "Cassidy, please. If you know then..."

"I'm sworn to secrecy, Roman. My queen... Virgil's mother. She didn't want anyone finding out about what Virgil's father was. All dragons are sworn to secrecy. Just telling you what he is is bad enough. Please understand. I want to but..."

"You can't tell me." Cassidy shook his head making Roman curl up even more. "I don't know how to help him, Caz. If he keeps this up... I won't be able to. They will label him a monster and kill him."

"Look it up, Roman. Please... trust me on this."