[Title] Nuestro Pasado [Author] jadedsilk (Mara D.) [Series] Castlevania: Curse of Darkness [Pairing] HectorxIssac (Not yet, but it will be.) [Rating] NC17 [Beta]yubberducky [Spoilers?] Yes. Violence warning. Yaoi warning for later chapters. Spoilers galore. [Chatter] My take on ID's, Devil Forgemasters and Hector and Isaac. I could be completely wrong, but that's okay. That's why I'm giving this an AU warning ^_^ ~*~ / For a time, everything was dark. There was strange warmth to the place he was, floating, weightlessness, so much like the way he dreamed when The Lord had soothed his hurts. The thing was, the place he was, wasn’t silent. There were voices, some female, some male, some loud and some soft. They weren’t frightening though. The longer he concentrated, the sooner his eyes seemed to adjust to the darkness, and when they did, he found tiny pinpoints of purple light streaking here and there, busy, interested. He knew but did not know that they were watching him. One of them came close…closer, and he longed to reach out and touch it, but he could not move. It hovered until it was inches from his face, and it stretched out tiny flecks of power, ropes, and tendrils. They caressed his face and he leaned into the touch because it was familiar, it was safe and welcomed. Whatever this was, it wanted to be near him, it did not think him a monster. ‘Forgive me.’ It whispered to his mind just before it floated through him. Into him. He grunted in pain, an aching screaming hurt tore through his chest and he was torn from the safety of the blackness. He was falling, away from where the warmth was and into something heavy and cold. / He awoke with a gasp, tears in the corners of his eyes. He was unable to sit up; something warm was laying on his chest, soothing the pain, something heavy was curled up in his arms, a weight pressing him down into the soft feathers of a mattress. He was shaking, and his chest still hurt. When he finally un-squinted his eyes, he realized It was probably from the older boy laying draped across his chest, his power still brushing against Hector’s and making his chest ache. That or, of course, the fact that yesterday had been so busy and he had had no time to eat. His red-headed charge was still fast asleep, dreaming, his fingers twitching in a fight with some unseen opponent as Hector slid out from under him, settling him back to the bed. Isaac stirred with a tiny moan of disapproval, and shivered. Hector sighed and slid the blankets up over the other man’s shoulders, pressing a pillow under that weary head. Apparently, that was the right thing to do because Isaac immediately clutched on to the pillow, nuzzled deeper into the blankets, and stretched out, taking over the whole bed. “Sleep well.” Hector said softly, a tiny smile turning up the corner of his mouth that made him wince and feel the bruise his new charge had given him yesterday. ~*~ He was surprised to find that his chest still hurt, even after he was dressed and washed up for the morning. Isaac still had not stirred, so Hector wandered down to the dining hall to see if there was breakfast, well, technically almost lunch if you were in a household that kept a /normal/ schedule. He was rewarded with a yawning, groggy looking Adrian and a smiling Lisa working on their brunch. “Such a bruise you have.” She said, to him by way of greeting, her smile never fading. “He is angry, M’lady.” Hector said, giving her a lopsided almost-smile. Adrian glowered at them both, a way to show his disapproval of Isaac’s actions and Hector’s good-natured acceptance of it. “Would you like breakfast?” Lisa asked him pleasantly, ignoring her son’s early morning despair. (Adrian was a creature of the night by nature, daylight hours were unnatural for him, especially hours this early. Early for the son of The Lord meant before two in the evening. It was currently eleven in the afternoon.) Lisa filled a plate for Hector, which he took with a gracious bow before having a seat next to Adrian. “You are both up early; do you plan to go into the village again today?” He asked politely. She beamed at him, probably because he was speaking now. It won him a tiny smile from Adrian too, which was a feat all things considered. Even his alchemy teacher had been ecstatic. He wasn’t really all that impressed with it himself. It wasn’t like he had never been able to talk. It was just that he /couldn’t/ up until now. That didn’t stop him from returning their silent approval with a slightly embarrassed smile. “Yes…there is a plague spreading.” She replied sadly. “If the damn fools didn’t kill all the cats, claiming they were witches familiars, then the rats wouldn’t be spreading the plague.” Adrian said angrily into his eggs. Lisa gave Adrian a sad look. “Whether they are ignorant or not,” She said quietly to her son. “Suffering is still suffering.” Adrian sighed lowly, obviously not happy with the idea of going back into the village again today. “Perhaps you should leave them to the consequences of their own actions.” He said, giving his mother a worried look. She was about to reply when Hector interrupted. “Forgive me, I do not mean to step beyond my place, as this discussion is not mine to interfere in, but M’lady, Isaac has said the villagers are wary of you, Adrian must travel with you now to protect you…I think perhaps it would be wisest to leave them. I do not like the idea of anything suffering M’lady, but were we to lose you; it would be…more than My Lord could bear. Will you not reconsider?” Lisa smiled sadly at Hector. “You are a sweet boy Hector, to worry so, but I could no longer leave them to suffer than I could you, or Adrian. I must go.” She said gently. “As you wish M’lady.” Hector said, feeling a pool of dread form in his stomach and make his chest ache even more. “Would you like me to accompany you as well?” “No, Hector, that is not necessary.” Adrian and Hector shared a worried look across the table. ~*~ He sat in a heavily stuffed chain in the library, reading a chapter in one of the more obscure texts on Devil Forgemasters that the Lord had brought him. Isaac was beside him, glancing through a book. Apparently, Isaac was one of the lucky few who could read, (it turned out that his father /had/ been Cordova Town’s priest. It almost made sense. A priest with two children who were…so far from the religion is was terrifying. It practically seemed appropriate somehow. He forced his attention back to the book he was reading with a sigh, and turned the page to find a heavy black and white block print of some strange looking animal…devil…it said. There was an odd tickling at the back of his mind, a memory, a thought from so long ago that it seemed centuries away. The pain in his chest increased tenfold, and he was out of chair and on his knees, gasping for air and trying not to cry out. It was like there was something inside of his chest, trying to tear its way out. /Blackness ate at the corners of his vision until there was nothing but the heavy, warm silence, familiar from his dreams. The darkness again. But this time if faded into something, a long forgotten memory. Into the smell of green grass, summer wind and woodlands, into vibrant greens and gold’s. There was a flash of blue light, and a broad hand covering Hector’s, showing his much tinier hand how to stroke soft scales just right. “Hector…this gift is yours as well…they are innocent, only as good or as evil as their master…it is something that you will not be able to hide forever…they will find you. They want to exist again as much as you will need to ease the pain of the power within you.” Hector glanced up into a face so much like his that it made him startle, except this man had dark hair, and it was bound back neatly in a ponytail. “It is a gift given to you by God. But use it wisely.” The beast resting in the man’s lap raised its head, eyes dark and liquid, unfathomable, to stare at Hector knowingly. It knew. The darkness faded back in, tearing the green grass and that familiar and calloused touch from him. A memory he had long forgotten in his youth. “No! Father!” Hector gasped, pleading with the darkness to rescind, to give him back that moment, to take him back to the time when only one person knew what he was, and loved him despite of it./ It of course, did not happen, and he awoke on the floor, clutching his chest and gasping. Isaac was prying his hand away from his shirt, worried hands feeling along Hector’s ribs and sternum for a wound of any sort. For a moment, there appeared to be a strange bit of understanding, but it was gone in a flash. “Hector! What is it?!” Isaac asked, gray eyes concerned. Hector could not find his voice, could not speak for the pain. “I don’t know.” Hector finally managed to choke out, and Isaac pulled him closer. That warm hand was over Hector’s where it had crept back up over his ribs unbidden. “Oh.” Isaac whispered as he stroked his hand over Hectors, and Hector winced, feeling something below the pain in his chest tighten as curious eyes studied him. “You get the pains as well?” Hector didn’t understand, but he nodded, getting the idea that this might be something unique to Forgemasters. “I would get them, and then I had no choice but use my…abilities. It was like it would build up from disuse until it was painful.” Isaac sad softly, something in those gray eyes told Hector he was only hearing part of the story. “What…did you do to make it go away?” Hector asked breathily. “I would find a dead animal and bring it back…or use the ability to kill something, whichever was easier.” Hector let his head fall back to Isaac’s lap wearily. He didn’t like the sound of that, and he did not like whatever was happening to him, and the dark was closing in on him again. ~*~ When he opened his eyes again, Lisa was stroking his brow with worried fingers, and Adrian was sitting at the foot of the bed, eyes watchful. Isaac was nowhere to be seen. “What?” Hector asked softly, sitting up woozily. The pain was still there, but not quite as bad. “Isaac said you passed out.” Adrian supplied helpfully. A sudden irrational fear shot through Hector…whatever was wrong with him; he didn’t want Lisa or Adrian to worry. He got the feeling that Isaac had not told them much, if anything. And he was thankful. The older boy had some strange kind of loyalty, but apparently, it wasn’t lacking. “I must have forgotten to eat.” Hector said softly. “You had breakfast with us; you have gotten by on less to eat before.” Adrian said softly. “I don’t know.” Hector replied woozily. “I am weary as well. It is nothing to worry about.” He concluded, giving them both a smile that did not meet his eyes as he stood from bed and put his boot’s back on. (Isaac had carried him up to bed and taken his boot’s off? Maybe even watched over him until Lisa returned…an odd sort of loyalty indeed. The older boy obviously cared more than he was telling.) “Maybe you should rest?” Lisa asked gently. “I have studies to attend, I will retire early tonight though.” Hector promised Lisa as he tried to show no outward signs of discomfort, heading for the door. “I will accompany you.” Adrian said, his gaze disbelieving as he stood from the bed. The younger boy looked very drawn now, probably from two days in a row in the village. In the sun. “Adrian, you are exhausted my friend. Go soak in a cool bath until you feel more comfortable.” Hector told his friend gently. “Hector, if you fainted once, you may do so again. And what if you do so on the stairs?” “I won’t…if I feel faint I will rest…Adrian, do not worry so, and take care of yourself first.” “Hector, I…” Adrian began, obviously worried. “Perhaps you should…” Lisa began. Both of them were thwarted when Hector slipped out the door into the hall, hardly lit and fast dimming with evening falling. ~*~ There was something he had to do. He made his way back to the library as quickly as he could manage, and found his plans interrupted by Isaac, who was now reading the same book Hector had been before he fainted. Gray eyes were thoughtful as he glanced up at Hector. “This is a useful book…I understand things more thoroughly now.” Isaac said. “May I borrow that back?” Hector asked, trying not to sound bossy in his frustration and hurting. “No.” Isaac said devilishly, his eyes promising mischief. “Please, Isaac, I do not feel well!” Hector said, his hands finding their way crossly to his hips. “Neither do I, but you don’t see me being a woman about it.” Isaac said, giving Hector a mocking glance from under heavy eyelids. “Isaac, give that back /please/!” Hector ground out the last word, feeling his temper fraying around the edges. “Make me.” Isaac said, standing gracefully, lifting the book over his head tauntingly; and well out of Hector’s reach. Hector’s temper snapped. He marched up to Isaac, and punched him in the gut so hard that the other boy doubled over in surprise. Hector then performed a neat sweep kick, knocking Isaac off his feet. He took the book from hands that were claws with shock and pain, and then gave Isaac a deadly look. “I made you. Are you satisfied now?” Hector asked, turning on his heel to leave. “Quite.” Isaac wheezed. “You should be careful with that you know.” Isaac called after him. Hector didn’t bother to see if the other boy was okay before he left the library with a savage slam of the giant wooden doors. “Well don’t blame /me/ if you turn yourself into a newt.” Isaac grunted to the empty library as he stood, shaking his head ruefully. ~*~ He had locked the door to the lab as darkness fell, and had begun to construct the altar as the book required him to. He had to create a few strange things with alchemy, but in the end, the altar looked like the picture in the book. He drew the sigils around the base with a practiced hand, a plumb line, and a piece of chalk. The symbol’s seemed to come to him from reflex, from memory. Like he had watched someone draw them before. Maybe his father? He kept working. ~*~ When the clock struck midnight, Hector was finished. The room was covered in Array’s, and everything was directional aligned. He had checked, double checked, triple checked. Everything was as it should be, so he set the book aside. His heart was in his throat then, as he stepped up to the altar, and rested both hands on his chest. He had memorized the words, and so he began, concentrating on the pain in his chest, and the tingle he felt there just by having his toes touch the edge of the array. “I call upon the souls of those departed.” He began as blue light began to surround him. He tried to close his eyes, to concentrated, but his skin burned, and he could barely breathe, the pain in his chest becoming excruciating. “Innocent Demons, those who blameless rest in purgatory.” The light was building, flowing from his chest to his fingertips, dancing before Hector in a sphere. The pain was draining away, turning into something, forming something. It was interesting to watch, and in doing so, Hector forgot what he was supposed to say next. He realized as euphoria drained to panic, that that was probably not a good thing. ~*~ The explosion rocked the entire castle Making Lisa glance up from her knitting in shock, and made Adrian glance downwards at he floor beneath him. “What on earth was that?!” Lisa asked, her hand over her heart. “I’ll find out.” Adrian said lowly, drawing his sword. The Lord’s son was second to arrive on the scene in the basement laboratory. Smoke was thick in the air, and the chamber door had been blown off its hinges even though it had been barred. (The piece of twisted metal that had been holding it closed was off to the side.) His father was already there, staring in a bit of puzzlement into the room. “Father! What is it!?” Adrian asked, ready for danger, senses alert. “I believe there has been an accident.” The unflappable Lord of the castle stated just as Isaac at a dead run slid to a skidded to a stop behind Adrian. Hector staggered out the door then, emerging from the smoke and coughing, leaning on the wall for support. “Well.” Isaac broke the silence first. “At least you aren’t a newt.” Hector gave Isaac a deadly look just before wiping soot away from his mouth. ~*~ The pain in his chest was gone, but it was now replaced by abject terror. He was alone in his Lord’s chambers, and he was fairly certain he was going to be beaten at the least for ruining the laboratory. What he was not expecting was for the Vampire Lord to have a bucket of hot water brought to him and for the lithe and taller man to begin to wash the soot gently from his face. Hector didn’t understand. But he wasn’t complaining. He still however, could not meet his Lord’s gaze. “You were trying to summon a Devil…weren’t you?” The man asked, voice melodious in his chambers. “I…” Hector began before fear tied his tongue. “You made a mistake, obviously?” Hector nodded, leaning into the cloth stroking his cheek for reassurance. “I f…forgot…th…the rest of the words.” Hector finally managed to stammer. “I am just grateful you were not harmed. It will not be hard to fix the laboratory.” “I will do it.” Hector said softly, ashamed. “Hector…it is called learning…we all make mistakes. But what I want to know is what drove you to try; you have been so reluctant in the past.” “I…I wanted to make the pain stop.” Hector said honestly, staring at his boots like they were the most interesting things in the world. “Pain?” The Lord asked, turning Hector’s chin up with two gentle forefingers. “Isaac said it would only go away if I used my power…” The Lord smiled then with understanding. “I see…it is true of Foremasters then? While others must struggle to gain power, Forgemasters fight to be rid of it.” Hector shrugged weakly. “There are many things you must learn about yourself Hector. I will support you. You have to make mistakes to learn.” “I will repair the lab.” Hector said softly. “That will not be necessary. But I am willing to bet that you are very hungry, and most likely weary.” Hector knew by now that you couldn’t lie to vampires. They just knew things. “Yes M’lord.” He said lowly. “When we have gotten the worst of the soot from you and trimmed your hair, you should join M’lady for supper.” The Lord said gently. “Yes M’lord.” Hector repeated. “And the next time you decide to try forging, might you invite me?” Hector’s heart clenched in fear, afraid he would make another mistake, and this one directly in front of his Master. “Yes M’lord.” He said quietly. ~*~ “That was /splendid/” Adrian laughed just before he took another bite of potatoes. The young man chewed and swallowed quickly before continuing. “I’ve never seen father look so perplexed.” “Adrian!” Lisa scolded softly. “You are lucky to be alive!” Lisa said turning on Hector then, her voice choked with worry. “Yes M’lady.” Hector said, lowering his head in shame just in time for Isaac to kick him in the shin under the table. Hector glanced up and the red-head mouthed the word ‘newt’. Hector gave him a dirty look. ~*~ Hector had eaten enough for three men before staggering upstairs to sit down at his desk to do his assignments, only as he did so, he found his vision blurring. Isaac slid into the room behind Hector a few minutes later. “You should rest or you will have a terrible headache.” Isaac said matter-of-factly. “What, you still don’t have your own room yet?” Hector asked, stubbornly refusing to look up from his book. “I do actually, I just happen to like yours better.” “Just leave me alone.” Hector said lowly. “You should learn to trust your elders.” Isaac said teasingly. “And look what you did when I left you alone last time?” “You had no idea what I was going to do.” Hector snarled. His head really hurt and Isaac wasn’t helping. “Oh really, then why did I not want to give you the book?” “You were just being a jackass, because you could.” Hector snapped. “Well…that too.” Isaac said, sitting down on the edge of Hector’s desk, crossing his legs with a laugh that made something in Hector’s stomach flip, and tiny tingles run up his spine. Hector didn’t understand the emotion very well, but he did dislike it out of principal. He shoved Isaac off his desk, and the other man landed on his feet as easily as a cat. “Stay off my desk.” Hector said lowly. “You will feel much better if you rest.” Isaac said, this time much more seriously. “I don’t need rest; I need to get this assignment done before tomorrow. I don’t need my Alchemy teacher to think me irresponsible as well as The Lord.” “You are irresponsible.” Isaac said, stepping out of his boots and taking off his overshirt before sliding into Hector’s bed. “And you are selfish!” Hector snapped. “So get out of my bed.” “I sleep better beside someone, and so do you…you will feel better if you just lay down. Join me. You are being irresponsible with your health. You will become ill if you stress your body any more this night.” “Nonsense.” Hector said, lighting another candle and rubbing his eyes blearily. Isaac just snorted at Hector, and snuggling more deeply under his companion’s quilt, rolled over to face the wall with a sleepy yawn. ~*~ Hector realized somewhere around dawn that Isaac was right. This was because his head hurt so terribly, he could barely see out of his right eye, and even the tiniest groan of the bricks in the castle settling with the change in temperature, made him wince. When he finally blew the candle out and stood, he realized Isaac was /really/ right. The wave of nausea sent him running to the water basin on the nightstand to become unceremoniously sick. He heard Isaac stir before another wave of sickness overtook him. He was surprised a moment later when warm hands slid over his temples to gather his hair into a ponytail at the nape of his neck; while the other rubbed his chest soothingly as the spell ceased and Hector struggled for air. “I told you you would make yourself sick.” That voice sang in Hector’s ear. Hector threw up again just to prove Isaac right. ~*~ He was lying in bed groaning, a cold cloth over his eyes and a leaf for pain under his tongue while Lisa rubbed lavender oil on his temples. “Hector, you are not to attend lessons today, and you are to stay in bed and sleep. You are young, but you cannot go without rest forever. I will have Adrian hand in your lessons and get you your new assignments.” “I already made a mistake; I have to go so I won’t get behind.” Hector whimpered piteously. “You /will/ make mistakes when you are exhausted.” Lisa said quietly. “I will send Isaac to the lesson as well, and between he and Adrian I am sure they can explain what you missed. You will not be behind.” “But…” “No ‘buts’ young man…you will rest.” “You heard The Lady Hector.” Isaac said, earning a mock fierce look from Lisa, who a moment later gave the red-head a smile that Hector did not see because of the cloth. “Yes M’lady.” Hector said humbly. “and Isaac, I hate you. I just want you to know that.” Hector said ruefully. “Why? Because I was right?” Hector could hear Isaac preening. “Yes. Damn you. Now let me die in peace.” Hector grunted, trying to bury his face further into the cool darkness of the cloth. ~*~ /The dream was the same, but this time, the things swarming around him were more awake, more intent. They were trying to tell him something, vying for his attention. His head hurt so much, and the pain in his chest was coming back, more insistent every time the things touched him. ‘Call them Hector…you have to…it is what you are born to do.’ ‘I don’t know how.’ He replied to the ethereal voice. ‘And I hurt…let me rest.’ ‘Hector, you must stop pushing the power away. You have to embrace it, or it will kill you.’ ‘I can’t…it’s too monstrous…don’t ask this of me.’ Hector whispered. ‘You must.’ ‘It hurts!’ ‘Some things must. Growing hurts, but it is not something you can avoid.’/ When he woke again, his head and chest were throbbing in unison, and Isaac was staring down at him knowingly. Hector wanted to slap that smug look right off the red-head’s face. “Good afternoon.” The red-head said jauntily. “I take it you have not had pleasant dreams?” “It hurts!” Hector moaned despite his best intentions to be stoic. Isaac frowned and then nodded, leaning further over Hector for a moment, and resting a hand on his chest, his touch making the pain worse momentarily. “Then it cannot be avoided.” Isaac said lowly. “I am sorry, this will not be easy, but I will help you.” “How do you know what I should and should not do?!” Hector asked, his voice edged with pain. “Hector, I had access to books of arcane knowledge long denied to anyone but the clergy. If I had not been able to find out what I needed to do…I would have been where you are now…” “But you did not know the name of what we are when I asked you, you cannot possibly know that much?!” Hector hissed, exhausted and wary. “There was never a name for it, but there was a book on it deep in the restricted sections. It was written obscurely to protect its author. The writer didn’t dare to call himself a ‘Forgemaster.’ You know that if you keep trying to deny your power, it will devour you, body and soul?” Isaac asked lowly. “What do you know Isaac! You did not even recognize that we were the same until I mentioned it.” Hector said dangerously. “I had been beaten in the head with rocks Hector, it does not promote clear thinking or sensation. You know things that I do not; I know things that you do not. Surely we can help each other. You don’t really have a choice at this point now unless you want to die. And you know that…I can see it in your eyes.” Hector closed his eyes then, out of defiance/ “I don’t want a thing to do with anything that hurts this much. I have no right to try and create life; that is God’s realm.” Hector gasped. “Let me die, I would rather not sell my soul to the devil.” “Hector, there is no devil! And you must! You were born with such ability for a reason, do you not think? If the power is so strongly within you now, then you have seen purgatory…you have seen where they rest. Did any of them feel evil to you?” “Feel evil?” Hector asked, slowly sitting up while trying to think. “The villagers say The Lord is evil, but I do not feel evil from him. So perhaps there is something wrong with me? Perhaps I do not feel evil from the evil simply because I myself am of the darkness.” “Nonsense…Hector…I am going to do something, and I ask that you be silent.” Isaac said lowly. That brought Hector off the bed in a fit of paranoia. “I want to show you what you can do.” Isaac said lowly. Hector was already shaking his head ‘no’ in rebellion when Isaac stood and closed his eyes in concentration. “Otto! Come forth!” The red-head murmured. There was a hot wind that swept into the room for a moment, a golden glow followed by a drop of pressure in the area that made a wide eyed Hector swallow to make his ears pop. A moment later, a crimson dragon burst, seemingly out of nothing, to land in the middle of the floor, brilliant eyes awash with interest. Isaac sat down then as though this was the most normal occurrence in the world. Hector did not move, and he knew he could not reach his sword in time. He would have been tempted to try alchemy, but the beast was too close to Isaac. He was however, certain something was off when the thing marched right up to Isaac and lay down with a sigh, nuzzling into the red-head’s lap with a contented snort. It folded its wings, and rolled its horned head on Isaac’s knee like a dog begging to have its ears scratched. Isaac rubbed around its horns, making it make a chuckle of low content. “He has had to hide because I did not want anyone to know…come closer, it is all right, he will not harm you.” The Red-head said, looking more than a bit smug again. Hector couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He wanted to hide as much as this felt strangely right to him…this creature felt familiar. “Is it a…” Hector stood unsteadily, his pain ignored as made his way closer to Isaac. “An Innocent Devil.” Isaac answered lowly. Hector knelt close, but not too close. “You may touch him, he won’t mind.” Isaac said, tickling the beast’s chin. “Tell me if he seems evil to you Hector?” Hector could not stop his trembling hand as he reached out, touching shyly, first a wing, and then stroking his way to the shoulder, feeling scales as soft as a snake’s underbelly. It did not feel evil to him. It felt warm and strangely gentle. He could tell it was a predator. That it killed things in order to eat, and yet it was not aggressive, and it actually seemed to like being stroked. “Isaac, how did you do this?” “I forged him…you could forge one yourself without much trouble.” “How do I?” “A devil’s soul waits for you to call it from purgatory. When you call, the one that longs most for you will come to your aid. Supposedly, a Forgemaster can only call one in his lifetime. But here? Where the energy is boundless? You could probably call as many as you like.” “That is this pain then?” “The first forge, waiting to be born, yes.” “The dreams then?” “Your ID is calling to you, waiting for you. You only have to reach out to it.” “Then the pain is?” “The pain is that you are slowly leaking your soul into purgatory, because your ID is pulling you towards itself desperately, and you are not pulling back.” “Was it like this for you?” Isaac smiled. “No Hector, it wasn’t. But I am not as powerful as you, nor was I surrounded by the power of the undead as we are now, when it was unavoidably time for my first forge.” “Am I more powerful than you?” Hector asked softly. “I do not know, but I am sure you could easily surpass my power in fierceness, even cruelty if you so desired, of that I am certain.” Hector didn’t like the way that sounded, but it also didn’t seem as though he had a choice either. “All right…so…you want to help me through this?” Hector asked weakly, his hand on his chest in exhausted pain. Isaac nodded. “Why?” Hector asked suspiciously. “You saved my life. You showed me kindness. I am indebted to you.” Isaac said, sighing as though it were the most boring and most frustrating thing to ever happen to him. “I see. So you are saving mine then?” Hector said softly. ~*~ Otto was resting on the bed now, making floor space for Hector and Isaac, bottomless dragon’s eyes searching the room thoughtfully. Hector was resting his head on Isaac’s shoulder, and Hector had both hands flat on his chest. Isaac’s hands were covering his carefully. “Will what I call look like Otto?” Hector asked worriedly. “Otto evolved from how he first came to me. Id’s grow and change, become more powerful the more time you spend with them.” Isaac said lowly. “And I have no idea what it will look like.” He amended. “Isaac…I’m trusting you.” Hector said lowly, fear coiling in his stomach remembering the last time he had tried this. “I know.” Isaac whispered as he pressed a kiss to Hector’s forehead. “I won’t let you make a mistake.” Hector didn’t have a chance to contemplate the brush of soft lips on his forehead, just Isaac’s power building against his skin. This time, he felt more confident. Isaac was here, and even when Hector closed his eyes, the words came to him like second nature. Isaac’s power washed over him, a comforting buffer against the unknown darkness he was flinging his soul out into. He could feel it then, the cool tug of something in his chest, something stirring. The pain was worsening, and this time it was the power in the room that made it difficult to breathe. He reflexively held it back, was still holding it as the last words tumbled from his mouth, the last words of summoning… “Let it go.” Isaac whispered, calm in the eye of the storm. And Hector did. Blue light surrounded him, pulling him close, and something reached out for him, crying out desperately. Hector reached back. The minute they brushed, it felt like his chest was being torn open, and power was spilling from him beyond control. He stopped trying to hold it back, and instead he rode it. Encouraged it. It was shaping, forming a blue orb of light forming from utter blackness. There was a low crackling and a heavy ‘thump’ through the floor as the power abated, as Hector found he could feel again. Could feel Isaac gasping for air right along with him. “Hell! That was a rush!” He heard Isaac exclaim, and taking stock of his body, and found that he was not dead because he both breathing and his heart was beating. He cracked one eye open a moment later out of morbid curiosity, and found himself staring at something just past Isaac’s shoulder. “Isaac?” Hector asked as the older boy turned to follow Hector’s gaze. There, on the floor, wet and pitiful was what appeared to be a tiny baby dragon. It shook its head, and staggered on wobbly legs. It tried to go to Hector, but caught a wingtip on a brick, falling flat onto its nose with a bawl of protest. “Go on.” Isaac said softly, pushing Hector away from his chest and helping him stand. There was some sort of strange attachment for him with the piteous thing on the floor, and it was fast drawing him closer. Hector could feel the beast struggling to reach out to him. He went to it instead. He approached it carefully on knees that were pathetically weak before kneeling by its side. Someone pressed a piece of rough fabric into his hands. It was a towel; Isaac was standing behind him, pressing one of Hector’s dry towels into the smaller boy’s shaking hand. Hector could resist no more. He draped the tiny thing in fabric, and wrapping it up, pulled it close to his chest. It mewled at the contact, and Hector felt something dangerously like parental need to protect ripple up and down his spine. “It is a part of you Hector. Accept it.” Isaac said softly. The thing looked up at Hector and howled miserably. Hector curled it closer to his chest, trying to comfort it reflexively. “They come into this world hungry. Shall we see what is in the kitchens?” Isaac asked, guiding a trembling Hector to the edge of his bed, urging a now quite curious Otto down onto the rug so that Hector could rest. “Could you?” “I would imagine you are feeling rather weak, I will. But you owe me.” “What will I owe you?” Hector asked suspiciously. “Tell me its name when I return.” “It has a name?” “They come into this world knowing their own names. Ask…” Isaac said just before he left Hector making small noises of protest. ~*~ For the longest time, he just stared into those very blue eyes. The tiny thing’s scales were brilliant grass green tipped with blue, and it was trying desperately to get closer to Hector, pleading for him to do…something. Hector finally reached out and stroked that tiny head, no bigger than the palm of his hand, rubbing behind button horns gently. A sea of emotions washed over him, hunger being first and foremost, making his own stomach cramp in sympathy. Cold…it was still damp and it wanted to be closer to Hector. Eagerness to please came third. /My name is Deera./ It told him quietly. He blinked. “She” had just told him that her name was “Deera.” And she had not made a single sound. “Deera.” He repeated softly before drying the tiny creature off, rubbing gently with the towel. The next thing he did was strip himself of his shirts and lay back, letting the soft and shivering little thing rest against the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the open window onto the bed, and against the silky heat of his bare chest. Otto came to rest his head on the bed next to Hector’s shoulder, eyes curious. Hector was exhausted, and so while he was waiting for Isaac, and reassuringly stroking the tiny being lying shakily on his chest, he closed his eyes. ~*~ When Isaac returned, he had both Lisa and Adrian in tow. Adrian was looking wide eyed, and even might have gone for his sword if it weren’t for Lisa’s restraining hand. “I felt the power Hector are you…what the…what is?!” Adrian spluttered. “Oh my, aren’t you both darling.” Lisa said, seemingly unperturbed by Otto and curious about Hector’s much tinier devil. She patted Otto’s shoulder as she walked by, and then knelt next to Hector, her fingers tangling in his sweat damp hair. She pushed it back out of his eyes with hands that seemed somehow very understanding. Isaac ordered Otto to go hunt mice and rat’s in the courtyard, mostly to keep a busy and hungry nose away from what Hector’s little beast needed to eat before he perched a bit lower on the bed and set a tray next to Hector. It was loaded with all sorts of tidbits. Apparently, even Isaac couldn’t be sure what this particular devil would eat. “What is its name?” Isaac asked quietly. Hector opened his sleepy eyes a bit further. “Her name is Deera.” He said wearily. “You look like a woman who has just given birth.” Lisa said with a tiny smile. “I know little about women M’lady, but if this is how they feel after giving birth, I feel very sorry for them indeed.” Hector whispered, his eyes rebelliously trying to drift shut. “It would not have been quite so taxing Hector, had you not tried that bit of nonsense last night.” Isaac said, brushing a leaf of lettuce against Deera’s nose. She showed no real interest in it, so he tried a bit of vegetable. “I had no idea…will this always be this difficult?” “Not hardly. Your power easily surpasses mine.” Isaac said distractedly as the tiny dragonling tried to nip his fingers off one by one. Hector glanced up at Adrian then, who was just now coming close enough to the bed to touch the tiny creature should he so desire. “Have I angered you?” Hector asked Adrian. The young man lost his serious look in that moment. “No Hector, I was merely concerned for you.” “I am…I am all right. Just weary.” Hector said, trying to ignore the pounding in his temples. “The lord will be thrilled that you succeeded Hector.” Lisa said, her gentle voice proud. “I had help.” Hector said honestly, giving Isaac a quick glance. The young man had obviously gone through the whole contents of the tray, and proved that Deera was a carnivore, as she was gleefully devouring bits of raw steak now instead of snapping at his fingers. “I did not help you at all Hector, I merely reassured you. You did not need my help at all.” Isaac said thoughtfully, though a bit of smug pride had found it’s way into the undercurrent of the older boy’s tone. “Will M’lord be upset with me?” Hector asked softly. “I promised him I would let him be present for this if I tried it again.” Hector said apologetically. “I think not.” Lisa said softly. “I believe he will be thrilled beyond measure. To think he now has two fully fledged Devil Forgemasters in his services.” ~*~ Next Chapter: ~*~