Heart of Darkness

Skender froze for a moment and then his eyes narrowed with confusion. "Loved her?" He repeated with disgust. "You loved her?"

"Yes! I loved her. And she loved me too."

"Liar!" Skender drew his sword and took them both by surprise when he somehow was able to enter the gate and attack him.

Constantine was almost too late to draw his weapon and shield himself. He didn't expect Skender to be able to enter through the gate. Was he pretending the other day when he was attacked because if he could enter the gate it meant that his demon was awake and he had his defender powers? Only defenders could enter anywhere because they were protectors.

From Skender's own surprised expression, Constantine could tell he hadn't been pretending. Well, this was too easy and he was confused. He would have to keep testing him.

"Don't use the word love!" Skender said striking him with his sword.

Constantine blocked the attack. He could feel the demon's strength but it was not the strength of a defender. "There is no other word to describe what we felt for each other," Constantine said pushing back and then attacking in return.

Skender was quick to avoid his advances, but anger was getting the best of him. He was eager to strike him. Strangle him, perhaps.

"Angelica saw what you did!"

"Then she didn't see everything. Visions are tricky."

Their swords clashed again, and his eyes burned in fury.

"Ramona would have told me."

"If she could. She came to me when she left you because you couldn't protect her."

Skender faltered before his strength doubled. He struck him with such strength that their swords almost broke. He found his weakness, indeed.

"We fell in love only after that." He said.

The demon shook his head refusing to believe.

"I asked for her blood and in return, I offered protection but we fell in love."

"Stop saying that!"

This time, when their swords clashed both of them broke. Constantine reached for his daggers but Skender was quick to punch him in the face, grab him by the collar and throw him outside the gates where the other demons attacked him immediately.

The shades were quick to come to his defense and a fight broke out, but Constantine and Skender were in their own world where they only focused on each other. Skender didn't bother to find weapons.

"Alright then," Constantine thought when Skender's fist aimed at his nose. Dodging his punch he took a few steps back, to get some room to speak. He wasn't interested in fighting as much as infuriating him. His fighting skills were still lacking for a defender.

Skender reached for him again, and again Constantine was quick to move away. It became a game of cat and mouse. One chasing and the other being chased.

"Ramona told me about you. The defender without his powers. She said you were a dear friend."

Pain became visible in the demon's eyes. "She didn't love you but she cared about you. Her only friend. Who do you think brought her dead body to your doorstep?"

Skender stiffened, his eyes trembled in their sockets. "You did?" He breathed. "Why? If you loved her why did you allow anything to happen to her?"

Constantine clenched his fists to keep his emotions under control. He breathed in through his nose. He couldn't even bury the woman he loved because of fear of his father finding out about his plans to kill him. He hated his father and wanted his position but after what he did to Ramona, he became even more determined to get rid of his father. To avenge her, he couldn't bury her.

"Even I, with my strength couldn't protect her. The enemy is too powerful. But you could if you were a defender, but you aren't. Just another useless man in her life."

The demon's hand clenched into fists, his claws buried in his flesh causing blood to drip down from his hands. The air got suddenly cold as if a storm was brewing. Skender's arms trembled at the sides of his body. Constantine should have been worried. Letting the demon unleash his powers when he was furious wasn't the best option but if it was the only way then he was willing to take the risk.

Slowly, Skender lifted his gaze and his blue eyes pierced into his. "I will take Angelica with me. Don't try to stop me if you don't wish for your enemy to become my friend." He gave him a warning look before vanishing to take Angelica.

Constantine didn't try to stop him. Skender was fooling himself. His father and he would never be friends. This meant his plan was already in motion. Letting him take Angelica would be best. She would be within reach if he ever needed her again, anyway.

Poor thing was too involved with these people. He had too many weaknesses. This was why Constantine made sure to never care for anyone again. He would not give that power away.

********

"Angelica!"

Angelica's heart skipped when she heard a familiar voice. She ran to the door, which locked her inside a room with no windows. She knew something was wrong as soon as Constantine left her looking worried and two shades took her to lock her in here.

"I am here!" She called frightened to know that it was Skender's voice. What happened to Rayven? Why wasn't he the one to come find her?

She swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing the bad thoughts out of her mind. Everything would be alright.

A cold rush of air and a moment later Skender was standing in the room with her. Without a word he took her hand and teleported them away. Angelica recognized the place in which they arrived. It was from her dreams. The cliff where he met Ramona.

She turned to him and frowned at how pale he looked. His skin slowly turned from white to blue and his eyes seemed distant.

"Your Majesty?"

His eyes rolled back and then he collapsed. Frightened Angelica fell to her knees and grabbed his shoulders to shake him. "Your Majesty!"

He didn't reply. She touched his chest and checked if he was breathing. Thankfully, he was alive. "Your Majesty!" She shook him again and he stirred a little.

His eyes opened slowly and they gazed into hers. Yet it was as if he wasn't looking at her. "Are you alright?"

His lips parted slowly, "Ramo… na…" he breathed and then closed his eyes.