Chapter Text
"It's done now, right?" the mortal spoke, after she put a little bit of her own magic into the mix. They've followed the instructions perfectly, using majority of the Darkins power to make it work. "This might not work... Are you sure about this..? You might die, or become an abomination as well- I do not know what will happen to you. If you'd still be *you*" Aatrox asked her in a rather soft voice. It was even shaking a little. He really does worry about his little mortal.
"I'll be fine- Don't worry! I won't leave your side. I promised, didn't I?" She says those words so lighthearted, so much with a lack of worry of the situation, almost blind by her love for the creature that he is. It makes him not think about what would happen if she was gone- Especially now. "Come, then." He gestured her to come forward and complete the spell to make the bard immortal.
Though, nothing seemed to happen.
"Huh... Nothing changed- I feel the same! Maybe it takes a bit to take affect? Is it already working?" The redhead spoke confused. "It is not written that it should show anything happening. Have we made a mistake?" The Darkin begins reading the same pages of the old and dead language repeatedly, afraid he might've doomed his lover-
She hums, as she saw the swords heart beat much faster- Holding his hand, his shoulder and trying to calm him down "It'll be fine- Let's wait until tomorrow, ok?" But the Darkins mind is racing of all the possibilities that could happen to his little bard now. Every single one of them making his heart break, him falling even more into his madness and hunger for destruction.
His hand moved softly over hers, letting out a sigh before closing the book and resting his forehead against hers. "Perhaps you are right- Get some rest, little one. I will be here to keep you warm."
She wastes no time getting comfortable on the Darkins chest, one of his hands covering her body and acting as a blanket as she drifts away into her slumber.
The wind echoes through the ruins, its stones cold on the Darkins skin. His Human would freeze to death if it weren’t for him... He hopes it had worked; he cannot wrap his mind around all the possibilities of her passing- Leaving him to suffer with his loneliness once again.
The night was quiet most of the time. The wind hushing by sounding like footsteps, the trees outside dancing, brushing along and scratching the partly shattered windows. As they became louder though, Aatrox realized those sounds were not from the wind- Someone was coming!
He grasped his sword tight, ready to act upon a possible threat. Gently wrapping up his human into her coat, so she wouldn’t freeze when he had to lie her down on the floor for the moment. Though, the ringing sounds in the ruins are making it hard to guess the direction those footsteps are coming from.
She felt being moved, waking up from the lack of warmth of his hand "Hm? What is it..?" she spoke tiredly and in a whispery voice. Even barely able to keep her eyes open. The Darkins gaze was stern, staring off into the darkness, waiting for the possible opponent’s move. He did not answer her. It was obvious that he was waiting for whomever those footsteps belonged to- The human was hearing for them as well.
The heavy sword slashes towards the threat, even before the bard could see the danger approaching. His reflexes are truly amazing. Sounds of metal hitting cracking stone echoing through the halls. The bard tried to reach for her weapon as well, grasping the Lute tight in case she needed it- The cold strings stung at her fingers.
The Darkins blade pierced the intruder- The little light emitted by the blade showing the person to be some sort of bandit trying to look for possible look in those ruins. They came to the wrong place at the wrong time. Aatrox consumes their blood, making him grow a little bit. Turning around to face his mortal, he sighs in relieve of her being safe and sound--
Suddenly she gasps in pain- The strings of her Lute burning into her fingers, the smooth wood merging with her skin! She cannot let go, she cannot scream! Her tiny mortal body kneeling to the ground as she endured this suffering- Trying everything in her might to make it stop! Aatrox comes to her aid, attempting to pull her hands open to let go the instrument- It smelt of burning flesh, black smoke emitting off where her hands are in contact with her weapon. And just like that- the black smoke completely engulfs her. The Darkin only hears the sound of wood falling on the stone floor, the strings shrieking by the impact.
He holds his breath- What was happening?! Air stuck in his lungs before he yells aloud "No, NO! Not her!" The Darkins cries loud, desperate- In pain. Aatrox kneels before the Lute that she held in her hand. There’s not a trace of her left- Perhaps.. Maybe this...? Wait...
Instinctively he grabbed his sword, aiming it towards a second intruders throat- He hadn’t notice them approaching behind his back at first. Now, they let go of their weapon in fear of being slashed by the blade aimed at them. Pleading in a language unknown to him- He has other things to worry about than this weak mortal, his bard...
Untypical for the warrior, he lowers his sword in thoughts. A dumb mistake for him not keeping his guard up- Though, as if a weak peasant like that would try any move on him. The abomination mourning the loss of his loved one- Feelings of anger, hate, at his own fault of losing his human. If the light in the room weren’t so dark, one would see his tears fall.
The elegant Lute looks even smaller as he picked it up with a shaking hand. Only then, he felt something... Strange about it.
Perhaps it did work, after all... How it didn’t come to his mind before-- That she could be..! He turned around to face the bandit. As expected, they did not move an inch, visibly shivering and too afraid to move.
He hands the instrument towards them, in an attempt to trick them to free his lover from her own prison. “You came for loot? Take this then and leave.”
There was a slight hesitation, but the bandit took the lute in a quick, swift motion and ran for the exit. However, they did not get far, before the smoke completely covered their body. As Aatrox went after the human, he heard coughing, someone desperately grasping for air in the hallways.
He was right and there she was!
Horns now crowned her head. Corruption adorning her skin. Armor shining, sturdy for battle- She had become an abomination, just like him. The Lute, her weapon. It had worked, after all.
*"What have I done?! I've sentenced you to the same prison as mine!"* The Darkin thought to himself.
The Bards appearance had changed- So did her voice and her powers. She was much stronger now. The other Darkin rushing over to hold her up, to caress her back as she gasps for air. "I never, NEVER want to go back there again! Whatever the HELL that was! I couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe! NOTHING!" It pains him to see his lover like this, enduring the same suffering as he does. He knows exactly what she means; she does not need to explain it further.
"That instrument is your prison now... The tradeoff for being immortal, just like I am.” Aatrox gently engulfs his Darkin into a hug- not tight, to let her catch her breath, to make her feel warm and loved, but not cornered like in their prison. “But unlike me, you are not alone with your suffering- I am here.” Those endearing words- Her lover always had trouble showing affection, displaying his love for her. Now it seemed to roll off his lips with such ease.
"Everything feels so weird...? Why do I have those strange memories?... Where did they come from?! How LONG was I in there?!?!" The smaller one spoke, panic growing more and more into her words. So many new things going on inside her head, with her body- It is overwhelming. "Those are the memories of your vessel. Don't get attached, you'll get used to and forget about them in a few hours." He reassured her. Due to him using his power, they now share the same fate- A similar prison.
The next few days, weeks, months go by so very quickly. The bards feeling of time warped- Still trying to get used to all this change, to her new Powers. It feels like being thrown into the cold water. However, she is not alone. The Darkin Blade there to help her- To destroy humanity together!
"It's really funny how I am now a Lute- Can you imagine getting the shit beat out of you by some weird instrument?!” Aatrox chuckles. He is glad his Not-So-Mortal is back to her usual, funny self. "Yeah, I’m still kind of mad at you for just giving my lute away like that! How could I play music and sing while we travel together?!” He interrupts her, “I would finally have some quiet and piece, then“.
“GASP! Rude!! You LOVE my singing!” A smile appears on his face, followed by a kiss on hers- “Yes, I indeed do.” The Darkin is glad it all worked out in the end. Them, ending this world. Together.