Weekly prompts

Dawn

They'd been walking almost all night, Roxen had remained quiet most of the trip. Taess had known what he was getting himself into when he said for his older adopted brother to tell him everything but he hadn't expected the seer to bring him out here.

Out into Eternity.

“Baloc was a monster, blood hungry and ruthless. He was said to be perfect, the perfect killer, the perfect monster. Legend says he was born from hell and passion itself and he was insatiable.”

“Why do I hear a hint of admiration in your voice?” Taess asked as he followed behind the seer.

“He was considered death itself in some realms, the destroyer in others. He isn't a being you take lightly but you would have to know him to understand.”

“And you know him?” Taess scoffed.

“Yes, at least through memories that aren't my own” the earth felt soft, the scent of life so intoxicating in the dark that Taess was afraid of the sun rising at the first sign of dawn, afraid of what place this truly was. His mother's birthplace, the place of his human bloodline.

“So why drag me out here?”

“You have to be here for what I have to say.” Roxen said softly, to a normal human it would be hard to hear but Taess heard the hint of sadness and fear in his brother's voice.

“Roxen, what is it?” He asked, his voice a little shaky, his mouth dry.

“You know you're blood tied to demon don't you?” Roxen asked.

“Yes, a shifter demon gave blood to a human man, that man was Artemis Lionora, my mother's father.” Taess said slowly.

“Yes, a demon did give his blood to your grandfather. Except that he wasn't a man when it happened, he was an infant child and that demon was not a shifter it was Baloc.”

Taess laughed, a hollow humorless laugh. “You know I was joking earlier when I said I was related to him.”

“I'm not joking Taess, Baloc ripped your grandfather out of his dying mother, she begged him to do it, she begged him to let her son live. I don't know why Baloc did it, I don't know why he spared his life but after that day Artemis was his son and from that day on any of your human line would carry Baloc in their veins, the power of war.”

“No, it's not true. A shifter gave us our blood through an alliance.” Taess backed a little, unwilling to believe it.

“No Taess, you like it or not you're related to the war demon Baloc” Roxen breathed. “There is more, do you remember Tsiimas?”

“T-bone? Yeah I remember him.” Taess growled, the very mention of the bastard who'd tormented him during his childhood bringing back an anger he hadn't dared to feel in a long time.

“He found out a certain trait about anyone related to Baloc, they were able to become like he had been, driven by blood and war.” Roxen said very slowly. “T-bone, he was trying to do that to mom, he had her infected with the virus to try and remove her soul so he could control her demon.”

“HE FAILED!” Taess screamed, the air echoed his feelings as it carressed him, remembering the pain she'd endured because of the elf.

“Yes but you honestly think he's the only one who thought it was a good idea? He believed that if he controlled the demon, he could control this war and be considered a hero.”

“I'm immune.” He barked, his coloring changing in the darkness. The demon had nearly killed her. “I can't be taken over.”

“No, they want you to become Baloc. Taess, you are his heir, the only one who can handle the power the demon could offer and they want to make you his image.”

“NO, WHO? WHO WOULD WANT THAT?” He screamed, the very earth seemed to roar as his anger flooded over him. “I want a life of my own, this place, this place isn't my home!”

“It is, whether you like it or not, both sides are desperate, you know what people who are desperate in war and the price of good intentions. T-bone..”

“You call what T-bone did good intentions? He tortured her! He made our lives a living nightmare, he was supposed to be a friend to us and he nearly destroyed us. He even tried to kill his own son! Our brother! If it hadn't been for....” He broke off and took a deep breath. “Never, you hear me Roxen, NEVER!”

“You may not have a choice.” Roxen said, stepping closer to him His voice soft and soothing.

“Fuck you, fuck all of you. Just because you want to fight doesn't mean I have to! I'm sorry for the innocent, I'm sorry for all those who don't deserve it but I'll be damned if I become a killer or a slave! I want Keth, I want him in my life and I want to be left alone! So fuck you Hector, fuck you to fucking hell.”

In the darkness a normal person might not have noticed the pained look on the seers face at the sound of his birth name. A name given to him by his former slave handlers, the demons who Samantha their mother had rescued him from and she'd even given him a name to call his own.

Taess didn't have to see it though, he turned, guilt already in his heart at mentioning Roxen's given name. He was possibly the only one who understood.

“Roxen...... I'm” He mumbled.

“Don't.” the seer said and turned, his face serene again as he watched the coming dawn. “You're right and for that reason I'm sorry. I love you brother.”