The R Word

"Look at it!" I hear in my head forcing me to focus back on him.

"This is what you ignore what you've forgotten." Rose's voice was booming as if she fed from the emotions coming from Radney.

"Lonan who is Orora and what are you hiding?" Kairo asked his voice shakey with confusion and fear mixing on his brow.

"There is no time for this! He has Emily and we need to put him down!" Radney replied through gritted teeth and not to his surprise Kairo stared back his mind turmoiling over the possible betrayal.

"Dammit! Calling a vote for KI!" He says aloud and I hear an echo within my mind. His eyes glow a tinge of gold causing Kairo to recoil in horrified surprise.

"abstain." a voice in my head replied that sounded like Salems.

"agreed!" said two unfamiliar voices in unison.

"abstain." a disinterested voice replies. Radney looked to Kairo who hadn't said anything yet.

"denied," he says throwing gasoline onto the rage roaring in Radney but the magic he was exuding had tapered off and calmed. Polidori burst into laughter at the site.

"It would seem all families come with their fair share of issues and it looks like yours doesn't fully back you in this fight." another outburst of laughter escapes his lips. It's cut short by a volley of shots he's forced to dodge somewhat poorly with the added weight causing him to catch a magical slug in the arm.

"It's two versus one over-encumbered. That hardly feels fair." He says while looking over his wound.

"I don't know what's happening Lonan but killing him means I can't ask him what he knows so we take him alive." Kairo says side eyeing Radney.

"Yeah hope you don't regret that." an answer that upset Kairo further.

"Well it seems you two have made up and I'm still with my hands full... allow me to do something with this." Polidori's eyes begin to glow as he leans in to whisper in Emily's ear Radney was the only one who reacted to this the sigils from earlier appear and like a flash of lightning was moving towards Emily and Polidori, but he was too late.

"Shatter." Polidori whispers into Emily's ear her eyes light up like a glass pane before shattering into empty voids he tosses her now limp body into Radney's arms who instinctively catches her. He immediately begins writing symbols like a crown around her head. When he completed it the shattering glass began to reform slowly as he held the sigils in place. Polidori seeing an opportunity lunges with his sharpened nails aimed at Radney's throat. When he reached his target though he hit nothing but air. All of a sudden he was no longer over his prey, but instead somewhere closer to the entrance of the room.

He felt the warm end of a gun press softly against his temple and before he could react the trigger was pulled sending his body sprawling through the air and lifelessly landing on the other side of the room. Kairo made his way over passing through the bars and up to me. I looked over his shoulder confused by how he entered the cage he turned to see what I was looking for and noticed the bars. Kairo spun on the spot gripping the bars tightly trying to pull them off their henges. I watched as he struggled uselessly against the unwavering black bars not so much as a squeak at his effort.

"They aren't biting you?" I ask curious as to how he's resisting the gnawing at his fingers.

"What?" he asked while still pushing and pulling the bars. Before I could go on I noticed sturring from Polidori who was beginning to twitch on the grown before shooting bolt upright the hole in his head slowly closed without so much as a scar. He makes it to his feet brushing himself off and fixing his clothes. He then pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket whipping the blood from his head.

"How the hell are you standing so soon!" Kairo stammered still struggling to pry the bars free.

"It would seem I lacked the proper knowledge of your growth dear Kairo so I must apologize in advance." As the words left his lips he disappeared and reappeared in front of Kairo with a devastating swing that on impact exploded like a bomb against Kairos chest sending him crashing through the wall and out of the building the concussion of the blast slams me against a wall in the cell. As the ringing in my ears subsides I hear a snide "Stay." from Polidori as he turns and with another blink lands a bone-crunching kick to Radney's ribcage sending him rolling across the floor unconscious. Emily's eyes were still reforming only much slower now as the sigils flickered, but did not falter.

"It seems you've gotten better at that but I know of a quicker way." He lifts Emily by one arm readying his fangs to bite I watched as everything began to slow again I cursed myself as I wished someone was here to help.

"It would seem your life is as filled with strife as mine child and you hesitate to use my power." I was now swept somewhere else. Somewhere it was warm I felt my entire body begin to perspire. In front of me sat a hill of bones in the far distance plumes of flames shot from hollow stalagmites.

"where am I?" I notice my voice echoing into the foreground.

"This is my corner within you child. I was quite surprised you would harbor a land reminiscent of my home." I hear the reply come from atop the hill where Rugosa appears nestling into the top to peer down at me.

"You know my name... Why do you keep calling me child?" I asked growing a little annoyed with her tone.

"Because you still behave like one wrestling with your morals while effort is asked of you." Her pupils narrowed as if defying me to reply.

"And even still you don't call to me for aid so why would I call you by yours? My power for my plight means my woes are yours and yours mine girl." Her tone although stern held an air of concern and disappointment that stung. Rose was right I had forgotten I wasn't alone anymore.

"I apologize Rugosa will you help me?" I hear a purr come from atop the hill at my reply.

"Pointless." I hear echo within my mind as usual except Rugosa seemed to have also heard it.

"Heed her none! We have a standing bet that I'm sure I'll win. Now call my name! Roar it and remember what it was like to be my father and to be ME!" She growls at me and I feel a surge of energy similar to when I stepped off the train building in my chest.