Fan Fiction ❯ The Darkest Light ❯ Lessons In Life ( Chapter 3 )

Hello, and welcome to the latest installment of the 'Darkest Light' series. The reason why it's so late is partially because I've been working [well, thinking] on several other unfinished projects {*cough* Deja Vue…*cough* GW Dracula…}, and trying to finish book four of Harry Potter. Yes, I am a Potter fan. Well, more like a Draco/Remus/Sirrus fan. Remember this, cause there may be a pun or two concerning those books…

NEway, I just want use some this intro to thank you all for being patient with my lazy butt, and for all the reviews. I just love to see them in my in-box. They make me feel loved! ^_^

Now for the warnings. Bit of shojo snuggleness, so be ready for tons of bubbles, pastel rainbow backdrops, CHEESY ROMANTIC PIANO MUSIC, and sparkly eye moments. Some violence, intense cursing, and a bit of controversial issues.

Murasaki: [Holding up a large bag with something struggling inside it.] There also gonna be DEMONS!

Murasaki… *DEATHGLARES the offending kitsune.* They aren't supposed to know that yet!

Murasaki: [Tossing the bag away.] Gomen, V-san! [Vanishes in a poof of smoke.]

AHEM! NEway, I still not ready to write up a lemon scene, but there will be citrus in the next part I promise! I hope you enjoy this part. Ja na!

Part 3: Lessons in Life

Marlin marched stiffly out of the ornate, gilded bronze doors, silently fuming over his latest orders. It was one thing to have to baby-sit Sigmund's painfully inept son, but having to be a messenger boy to the Circle of Lords was another thing entirely. It was bordering on insult…no, it was an outright disgrace to his honor. Expressionless, he pushed open a panel at the very end of the hall, mounting the ill-used stairs hidden behind it. The panel slides back in place as he climbed the narrow, worn steps with an ease of familiarity.

"How the hell does he expect me to get this stupid errand done and watch after Charles at the same time?" Marlin growled aloud to himself, fling the rather plain, ironbound oak door open. He slammed it closed with a loud 'BANG!' that shook a mirror hanging on the wall. Crossing the cold stone floor, Marlin sank down onto the small cot shoved up against the far wall opposite the door. Looking around the nearly empty room, he stewed on the orders. Up against the wall next to the door was a battered chest of drawers, and beside this was an ancient dressing table and stool, both of lavishly worked wrought iron.

To the other side of the room, near the cot, was an extremely large and abused cedar trunk. Above it hung a massive shield and an incredible heavy sword. Both bore the scraps and wear of combat. The crest on the shield was of a highly intricate contour drawing of a dragon rampant(1) in silver, red, and gold, upon a black background. He stared intensely on the crest, feeling the old pangs of shame and guilt.

There was a faint rustling of feathers from the rafters above him followed by a lazy, cawing yawn. "Have another rough day?" called a shrill, rasping voice.

"Be quiet, Gawain." Marlin muttered, not taking his eyes off the shield.

The rustling grew louder, then with a heavy flap of his wings, a massive gyrfalcon plunged from the beam and circled the room screeching loudly. Finally, he landed with a 'thud!' on the chest. The bird fixed Marlin with his golden eyes. "It's about the brat, isn't it?"

"Charles is not a 'brat'." He quickly retorted, glaring at the bird. "He's just too young and inexperienced to understand the way things work in the world. Other than that, he happens to be a very likeable young man."

"Don't tell me you're actually starting to like that kid!" Gawain cocked his head at a bizarre angle, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I'm not saying that I want to be his 'friend.' It's just that Charles naivety makes him too vulnerable." Marlin sighed, his voice taking on an odd tone of concern. "Sigmund is wrong to think Charles only needs to be watched over. What he really needs is someone to teach him about the sins of this world and how to protect himself, not another nursemaid."

"Oh…I get it." The bird threw his head back with laughter, making a noise like nails running across a blackboard. "Teach him the sins of the world, eh? Ooooh…that can be taken in so many interesting ways, Artemis."

Marlin bristled, glaring at Gawain in sheer fury. "I've told you never to call me by that name again! Artemis is dead, do you hear me? It is Marlin now. Sergeant Marlin!"

"Oh, what's in a name?" Obstinately, the bird made a face. "That which we call a soldier by any other name would still be a murderer."

Not saying a word, Marlin took a cylindrical leather case form his coat and tossed it onto the trunk.

"What the hell is this?" Gawain squawked, hopping over to investigate it. He pecked at it cautiously, then recoiled in disgust. "It reeks of Nevin's magic."

"That," Marlin purred, pleased by the reaction. "Is to be taken to the sage Gaileon forthright."

The bird whirled around, hissing at him angrily. "You don't honestly expect me to fly all the way out to there do you?! Neither of us is exactly welcome at Circle's holdings since the incident eight years ago." Gawain's voice darkened threateningly. "Have you forgotten what they did to us when the found out about Yogen?"

"No, I have not forgotten." Running his fingers lightly across his scared face, Marlin remembered vividly the three years of constant torture that had created them. He shivered slightly. "But Nevin personally gave me the order."

"Then why don't you do it yourself than? Or are you too scared of Gaileon?"

"I am not afraid of Gaileon! It's just that I have to watch after Charles."

"Feh!" Gawain huffed in annoyance. "I'm sure 'Masta' Charles' can go a day or so without getting himself killed!"

"You know why I'm watching him so closely." He growled. "And it isn't because I want to fuck him."

"Ah…" Gawain hummed, closing his eyes. When they snapped open again, their once golden color was replaced by a hellish glow of fiery red, like to coals of Hellfire. His beaked face twisted into a sick little grin as he started to swelling with baleful power. A pair of sleek, amber colored antlers poked their way out of the feathers on top of Gawain's head. "So now we get to the truth. That crack about sin was never about Sigmund's boy. It's Yogen you're protecting him from." The monstrosity leaned closer to him, leering. "When do you want to me to go kill him, Artemis?"

"Hold your tongue, imp!" Marlin snapped in a hoarse whisper.

"Why should I? Nevin's too much of fucking do-gooder to be listening in on us. And assure you that there is no one else in the tower."

"You know where I stand in this matter, Gawain." His hands were shaking violently now. "What's done can never be undone, now let it stay in the past!"

"Wise words, but can you follow your own advice Artemis?" Gawain jeered nastily. "I saw it in your eyes the day we went for Charles. The hatred…the rage…You want his blood even more than I do!"

"SILENCE!"

"No, you'll hear me out, Sir Artemis Marlin Wyrmstrike!" His voice boomed off the curved stonewall, echoing deafeningly. "It was never my intention on leaving either of them alive! But you…you let that bastard Janus spirit them off into the night! It was your fault that we failed! You, who could easily kill their mother right before their eyes, yet were too much the coward to end the lives of a pair of children! Did you think Gaileon wouldn't find out?! Did you truly believe that when he did, you would go unpunished?! I hope that you didn't, because you can't get much lower than the pathetic sack of shit you are now!"

With a roar, Marlin leapt for his sword, sending Gawain scrambling off the trunk and into the rafters. He unsheathed the blade, rounding on the bird threateningly. "Keep talking that shit, bird, and I'll…"

"Now what do you think you're going to do with that? Kill me?" Gawain plopped onto a beam, letting loose an ungodly cacophony of shrieks and hisses. "Be my guest then! Too bad you won't have long to enjoy it."

Clenching his teeth in fury, Marlin turned away from him and pick up the cylinder. "Take this and get the hell out of my sight." He snarled, trying hard not to hurl it at the bird.

"Very well, sir." Gawain replied with a note of satisfaction in his piercing voice. He had reverted to a normal falcon again. "And I won't forget to give Gaileon your sincerest regards!" With that, he grabbed the cylinder in his talons and flew out into the midmorning sun.

~*~*~*~*~

Breaking the silence, a bell rang out, heralding the end of third block. Lucky rushed past the throngs of students as the poured out of the classrooms. She turned quickly down the hall and stood at the bottom of a staircase. Scanning the masses as they walked down, Lucky eagerly waited. Nervously, she put on more baby-pink lipgloss.

Then, like a flash of lightning, she saw him standing alone at the top of the stairs.

Slowly taking the steps with his even, graceful stride, he descended. The soft morning sunlight pouring from the skylight above cast a gentle radiance around him, creating a sheen on his lustrous ebony braid. It caused his white shirt to shine not unlike a beacon, adding to the divine aura he had. He wore it partially open, revealing the body-hugging tank underneath that stretched over his buff, smooth skin.

Lucky smiled, fantasizing about the bishouengami(2). She could just see him taking her in his strong arms, pulling her against his broad chest, and whispering sweetly into her ear…

"Hey Lucky!" Artemis barked, walking past her. "Get your pink butt in gear or you're going to be late for class!"

'Dammit!' Lucky grimaced. 'Why do all the gorgeous ones have to be such dense assholes?' She sighed and hurried after him. They walked along side each other in silence. Every now and then, Lucky would glance over at him as if she wanted to say something, but turn away blushing.

"Alright," Artemis asked softly when the reached the classroom doors. "What is it?"

"Oh," Lucky sighed again. "It's nothing in particular."

"Was it something I said?"

"No. It's just…" Her face grew even hotter as she looked down at the floor coyly. "Arty, would you like to come to my birthday party this Saturday?" She held her breath in a silent prayer. 'Please don't say no… Please don't say no… Please don't say no… Please don't say no…'

He smiled warmly. "Sure. I'll be there."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Y-you will?"

"Hai(3)."

"Sugoi(4)!" She glomped him, and bounded light-headedly into class. Excitedly, she sat down with a friend and they began to chatter merrily.

"Hi Arty!" Ara chimed, waving him to an empty stool beside him. "What's with Pinky? She seems perkier than normal."

"I just told her I was coming to her party this weekend."

"GAH!" Ara made a face. "Please tell me you joking!"

"No, I'm not." Artemis replied dully.

"But that's a horrible way to waste a perfectly good Saturday night!"

"So? It's not like I had anything better to do."

Ara grinned at him lecherously. "Oh…I can think of tons of fun things to do in an dorm room late at night…"

Before Artemis got a chance to ask who he planed on doing them to {as if he don't already know…}, the teacher walked into the lab. Kismet was dressed in a soft gray tweed suit with a baby blue tie and a slightly dark blue vest. His long white hair was tied back in a ponytail, and he still held his staff. Rhythmically, he tapped it on the floor as he walked causing the rings behind the blade to jiggling in time with his footsteps.

"Good morning, everyone." He spoke, his voice as smooth as velvet. "Today, we are going to start learning how to calculate measurements in Kelvin temperature. Now, everyone please take out your notebooks and copy the following equations."

Everybody pulled out his or her notebook and a pen, waiting for Kismet to pull down the screen and start the usual round of transparencies. Instead, to their amazement, he turned to the board and started writing equations in a very precise and neat hand.

"What?" Kismet turned back toward them when he noticed they weren't writing, 'looking' around in confusion.

"Er…well, sir," A bucktoothed young girl tentatively spoke up. "It's just that you never told us you were a clairvoyant, Mister Kismet, sir."

"Why that's very perspective of you, Hermoine." He chuckled softly, smiling. "But I'm afraid my little talent isn't what you'd call clairvoyance."

"Well," Sneered a guy with white blonde hair. "What would you call it then?"

"Ah, Malfory is it?"

The boy nodded curtly.

"Ah…mayhaps a little story will help me explain." Kismet sat down. "You see, when I was a young boy, I lived on a large farm with my father. One day, I was helping him fix a leak in the gas line of the tractor. Unfortunately, the line burst, spraying gasoline into my eyes and permanently blinding me. But being the stubborn kind, I tried to learn how to lead a normal life in spite of this disability. Needless to say, it was difficult at first, but soon I discover that I could force myself see if I concentrated on it long enough. I never really learned how to control this power very well, so every time I use it, the images are always blurry and in black and white. Is that satisfactory for everyone?"

There were a few murmurs of agreement.

Artemis, however, seemed the stare at him skeptically.

"Now, lets continue with the lesson." Kismet walked over to the board and started writing again.

~*~*~*~

The cafeteria of Lazarus was packed full of students chatting and eating lunch. Charlie walked over to the table and sat down beside Hoshi. He noticed that Cassandra wasn't there. "Hey, where's Cassie?"

Sara looked up from her tray. "She refuses to sit with us anymore." She grumbled, shoving another forkful of lasagna into her mouth.

"What?" He blinked in confusion. "Why would she do that?"

"I-its all m-m-m-my fault, s-s-s-sir." Donovan stammered quietly, staring at his untouched food. His lip was split open, nose bloodied, and there were several bruises and cuts across his face. The one of the lens in his glasses had be cracked slightly and they were taped up above the bridge of his nose.

"No it's not, Donnie." Hoshi purred, patting his shoulder soothingly. "It's all that mean old Vialian's fault!"

"Who's Vialian?"

They all stared at Charlie like he had grown three heads.

"You…you seriously don't know who Vialian is?" Sara gasped.

"I never recall having heard of him before."

"You know who the sage Gaileon is, right?"

"Yes," Charlie replied. "I saw him once when I was little."
"Well, Vialian is his nephew." Sara snorted, then added. "But he sure as hell doesn't live up to his uncle's legacy of benevolence and humanitarianism."

"What do you mean?"
"Because," Hoshi snarled. "All Vialian every was is a racist, mutha-fuking kisama!"

Quickly, Donovan clamped his hand over her mouth as his voice dropped to a terrified whisper. "D-don't say things like that! He may hear you!"

"Then let him!" Sara roared, rage flashing in her eyes. "If you won't make a stand for yourself, Donovan, then we will!"

"NOOOO!!" Donovan cried, the blood draining from his face. "If you try to do that, he'll kill me!"

Sara glared in disgust at the cowering half-elf. "Dammit Don! Grow a spine, you fucking coward! You've been letting beat the living shit out of you for years! If someone doesn't stop this, you won't last the rest of this semester!"

"Sara!" Hoshi snapped as Donovan let himself slump further down in his chair. "Don't talk like that to Donnie-kun!"

"It's the truth, Hoshi." She growled.

"Did Vialian do this?" Charlie asked softly, looking at Donovan's battered face.

He nodded weakly.

"Why?"

"Because," drawled a rather melodically arrogant voice behind them. "The bastard had forgotten his place and had to be dealt with."

Hoshi turned and bristled at the voice, spitting and hissing angrily. Sara looked as though she was going to tear whoever had spoken apart.

Donovan's body went rigid and he began to tremble uncontrollably.

Charlie turned toward him.

The speaker was a tall elven youth with short, steel colored hair. His face was devastatingly handsome, but lacked any pleasant warmth. The youth's eyes were like a pair of garnets, hard and cold. He looked down his perfectly portioned nose at them. Cassandra and another elf-girl stood behind him. The girl had the same haughty look to her as the youth did, but Cassandra seemed to be beside herself in dread.

"So," the youth spoke. "You must be Sigmund's son. Pity you'd had to fall in with these types."
"Excuse me, sir." Charlie retorted sternly. "But I don't appreciate what you done to my friend Donovan."

Vialian laughed coldly. "Oh, don't concern yourself with that piece of garbage, Charles. He isn't worthy of our notice, let alone our sympathy."

"Our sympathy?" He glared at the elf. "I'm afraid there's a vast difference between you and I, Vialian."

"Really, Charles?" He mused, smirking slightly.

"I take it personally when some attacks my friends."

"Well, that's your problem then, Charles." Vialian scoffed lightly.

"Maybe I'm not make myself very clear, Vialian." Charlie glared intensely at him. "If you don't leave Donovan alone, I'll…"

"You'll what?" The veneer of politeness vanished. "Go cry to your father about it?"

"No. I'll personally make you pay for it."

Vialian face darkened in fury. "You dare to threaten me, a kinsman of Lord Gaileon?!"

"I don't give a damn who you are! If you mess with my friends, then I won't hesitate to stop you."

"Why you filth human fuck!" Vialian reared back to hit him.

"Stop!" Cassandra ran forward and stepped in between them.

"Stand aside, woman!" Vialian smacked her to the floor.

Something in Donovan snapped. He leapt on Vialian and started to beat the living hell out of him, cursing in Elven. Soon a crowd had gather around them, mostly to cheer Donovan on.

Charlie managed fight through the masses and pull Donovan back.

"If you every touch her again, I'll kill you!" Donovan roared, as Charlie and Cassandra struggled to hold him back.

"Alright, Donnie!" Sara cheered along with Hoshi, grinning as she watched Vialian stagger to his feet.

Roaring in blind rage, Vialian lunged for Charlie's exposed back. Suddenly, a taloned hand caught hold of Vialian's arm, causing him to drop something. A dagger clattered to the floor.

The entire room fell silent when they saw the mysterious savior.

"You should know better then that attack an unarmed man, Vialian, especially when his back is turned." Marlin hissed icily, digging his claws into the boy's wrist. "Feel lucky I'm letting you off with a warning this time. But I won't be so generous next time."

As soon as he let go, Vialian ran out of the cafeteria, followed by the elf-girl and a couple of others.

Marlin turned to Charlie and the rest. "Are you alright, Master Charles?"

"Yes…I'm fine, but Donovan's…"

"D-don't worry about m-m-me, s-s-sir." Donovan stammered as he leaned on Cassandra's shoulder.

"He'll be alright, Charlie. I'm going to help him to the infirmary." Cassandra said softly, hastily leaving with the wounded half-elf.

"Very well then. I must go and report this. If you need me, Charlie, I'll be in your father's office." With that, Marlin turned and started to leave. People parted, watching him walk past with mixed expressions of awe and horror.

Slowly, things returned to something like normal, though everyone seem to be talking about Marlin's sudden appearance.

"Sigmund's got him looking after Charlie."

"Boy, I wouldn't let that guy anywhere near my kids…"

"Geez," Charlie shook his head in bewilderment. "You'd think they make more of a fuss about what Donovan did then Marlin."

"Don't you know what he is?" Hoshi asked in astonishment.

"Yeah, he's kind of my guard dog."

"Dear god! You can't be serious!" Sara stared at him in shock.

Charlie sighed miserably. "I'm sorry to say that I am serious."

They both looked at him than at each other fearfully.

"Have you ever heard of the Ankoku(5) Massacre, Charlie?" Sara asked softly.

"Well, yeah, I guess. It happened eight years ago, about the same time I met Artemis."

"Do you know what happened?"

"No, not really."

Sara sat back in her chair. "Eight years ago, a man called Dr. Ankoku Tetsuo and his entire family were slaughter by a group of mages and akuma. He had been once been a member of the Circle of Lords, but left days before the Massacre. The reason was that he was pro-warlock, and many people say that his speaking out against the Circle why he and his family were killed."

"But isn't 'warlock' just another way of saying someone's a mage?"

"No, Charlie, it's not." Sara sighed. "A warlock is someone who is both a mage and an esper. Such people are rare and unimaginably powerful. The Circle and the Guilds have been known to actively seek out and imprison or destroy any warlock they find."

"Why the hell would they do such a thing! That's genocide!"

"That's exactly what Dr. Ankoku thought. He started campaigning for the warlock rights after his son, Yogen, was born. Later, it was discovered that Dr. Ankoku's wife, Hitomi, was a warlock and then both his children were rumored to be also." She paused. "Marlin was said to have once been Hitomi's bodyguard, but when he found out about her, they say he informed a group of mages and assisted them in the attack."

Charlie sat there stunned. "But…but what happened after that?"

"The Guild sent out a group of watchmen to capture the renegades, but the only person they managed to apprehend was Marlin and some random bird-akuma. They say that he confessed to the murder of Hitomi and the children's murders. He was imprisoned by Lord Gaileon and tortured for three years before he managed to escape. Around two years ago, he turned up here, working for Sigmund."

"You…you mean to say that Marlin's a…a murderer?" He gulped. "But why would dad have that kind of person protecting me? It just doesn't make sense!"

Sara shrugged. "I'm sure Old Nevin's got his reasons. Besides, all those things about Marlin are just stupid rumors I've heard form my folks. You can't go believing everything you hear."

"Well," Hoshi spoke up, looking at Charlie forlornly. "I don't care if they are rumors, I still think he's an evil devil summoner!"

The bell rang, sounding the end of lunch and the start of fourth block. As Charlie walked toward his next class, the nagging question of Marlin's past continued to plague his thoughts.

~*~*~*~

And so ends this chapter. For those of you who may not be familiar with some of the terms used in this part, I have provided a brief set of notes.

1. Rampant is a heraldic term meaning an animal, typically a lion or griffon, standing up on it's hind legs, clawing the air and with it mouth open wide so as to expose the creatures fangs.

2. Bishouengamiis supposed to mean 'God of the Pretty Boys' but I ain't sure that's a real word. In other words, I just made it up, folks.

3. Hai is Japanese for 'Yes.'

4. Sugoi means something like 'Spiffy!' or 'Fantastic!'

5. Ankoku means 'Darkness' and Yogen means 'Prophecy.' I'm not sure what 'Hitomi' stands for. It just came off the top of my head.

Well, I hope you all enjoy reading this. I promise to get to the lemon soon. Well, until next fic,

Ja na!

V-chan

THE HAPPY LURKER {Who also enjoys seeing lots and lots of reviews in her in-box…HINT-HINT!}