#i think my stance was wrong and im an incredible weak person and against a 50-70 mph throwing machine

[flamestar126]

My body hurts so much

[neonb-fly]

Masked Chapter Nine

Word Count: 2302 words of pure angst

Taglist: @deadpanstar @the-incedible-sulk @punknerdmusings @risiskifi @dragonsight9 @thefallendog @im-so-infinitesimal @entpscarleharrrr

Chapters-  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10               Also on AO3!

Warnings- CHARACTER DEATH AND FIGHTING

Roman ushered on over Patton and Logan. They stood before the massive castle doors, with the knights they had knocked out sitting on the sides. The large doors were beautifully ornate, with intricate patterns climbing up the sides like vines. The doorknob was formed in shape of a head of a lion. It would be a lot more amazing if they weren’t about to engage in a dangerous battle.

Roman’s nerves were on end. “This is our only chance. We have to be quick, and careful. The Shadow Master is powerful, but we’ll have the element of surprise. They won’t be expecting us, and that’s our most valuable part of the plan.”

“No heroics, Princey,” Logan said dryly. “We’re in this together, and we have to rescue Virgil. We can’t lose anyone to this.”

Roman and Patton nodded together. Patton took a small step forward, before pausing and turning back around to face the sides. “Good luck everyone. You’re my famILY! Please be careful,” he said. He stretched out his arms in a hug and the other two embraced him. The hug was warm, filled with love and positivity.

“Patton, it’s not like we’re going away for forever!” Roman pointed out, still graciously accepting the hug.

“But it’s dangerous. If anything were to go wrong…” Patton wavered. He looked worriedly at them as they broke away.

“It won’t,” Logan promised, “as long as we follow our plan, then this should go by without any difficulties.”

“Well, good luck you two,” Patton smiled at them. Roman smiled back.

“You too, Pat!” He squeezed Patton’s hand before letting go. “Are we ready?” The other two nodded. “Battle stances,” he ordered, “and enter in three… two… one…”

Together, the group barged into the massive hall and raced toward the throne without a second thought. The Shadow Master looked pleasantly surprised. “Oh good, some excitement.” He jumped up from his throne and got into a battle stance, but Roman was quicker. He quickly drew his sword and parried him. The Shadow Master deflected almost every hit with his armor. The Shadow Master caught the sides of Roman's blade between his hands and smirked. Roman’s eyes widened as he grabbed it and threw it all the way to the entrance. Roman jumped back before the Shadow Master could strike, and raced towards his sword, never breaking his eye contact with the dangerous warlord.

Meanwhile, Patton and Logan were busy fighting off five knights side by side. The pair worked together in perfect harmony, deflecting some hits, and delivering others. Patton quickly flew up, and knocked one knight over. The knight’s armor was too heavy for him to get back up, leaving him writhing on the ground. Patton smiled at his small victory. Logan easily predicted the other knights’ movements, effortlessly blocking and attacking with the sword he picked up from the fallen knight. He warned Patton to look out for damaging blows.

The Shadow Master looked back at his failing knights. His gaze grew furious as he realized his fleet was losing against two easy opponents. Raising up his shadow staff, he summoned dark, inky tendrils. They slowly drew towards Patton and Logan. Roman noticed it, and raced towards the Shadow Master to stop him. He knocked the staff out of his hands. The Shadow Master whirled towards Roman, and took out his own sword. It was polished black, and the hilt was made of bone and ruby. It was rather beautiful. “Mesmerizing, isn’t it?” he asked before lunging at Roman.

Together, Logan and Patton were able to successfully defeat the first wave. But Patton turned around to see two Paladins run in. Logan’s attention wasn’t focused on them though. He was looking for Virgil. His ability had a block in it, like he couldn't see. Logan guessed it had to do with Virgil.

“Look out!” Patton yelled. Logan ducked out of reflex, but it was too late. The Paladin hit him with a club and severely knocked the wind out of him. Logan couldn’t move from the ground. The Paladin took his chance and prepared to strike. Patton quickly retaliated and jumped in the way of the Paladin. The other Paladin grabbed Logan and lifted him up. He had trapped him in his tight grasp, leaving Logan squirming, but to no avail.

Patton looked back, caught off guard as the other Paladin lifted him up and trapped him as well. The dynamic duo had been captured.

They looked at Roman to see him fighting the Shadow Master who was slowly backing away. He jumped backwards, and picked up his staff. He quickly summoned the tentacles once more and trapped Roman. They crawled up his arm and knocked his sword out of his grasp. Everyone had been trapped.

“Well, well, well, isn’t this a surprise,” the Shadow Master smirked. “Finally, I caught these ridiculous sides. Took long enough, huh? Though I must admit, Roman, you fought well with the others. Too bad it was short lived,” he sneered, gesturing towards Patton and Logan. Roman stopped squirming for a second, and his eyes widened. It finally clicked. Only one person acted like that…

“D-Dragon Witch? How’d you get chosen as the villain?!” Roman exclaimed. The Shadow Master’s twisted smile grew as he took off his mask. His eyes glowed a strong amber as his scaly tail swished behind him.

“Easy. You needed a villain, so you got one,” he explained. “You didn’t think I just got summoned out of thin air, did you? No, you never specified your room you needed a new villain.” the dragon witch smirked. Roman felt like his blood had turned to ice. If he had known the Dragon Witch were the villain, he would never have taken the other sides. The dragon witch was too smart for them to fight. It was unfair for all of them. Especially Virgil...

He looked back at the Paladins, and commanded them to drop Logan and Patton. The two both immediately ran towards the dragon witch. “Now, now, not so fast,” he said, winking as he flicked his staff. The tendrils trapped them as well. “This is just too easy.”

“Where’s Virgil?” Logan growled, his eyes darkening. The inky tendrils tore off his diadem, and popped off Patton’s boots, leaving them completely powerless.

“Right here,” a voice responded, materializing out of the shadows and walking up beside the dragon witch. The purple mask the covered his face looked more intimidating than ever.

“Virgil…” Patton whispered, choked up. He was about to say more, but was cut off by one of the dark tendrils covering his mouth. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes as he struggled.

“Virgil here is going to...hmmm... entertain us. Aren’t you?” the dragon witch asked. Virgil didn’t break eye contact with Patton as he nodded. The dragon witch smiled, his amber eyes glinting. “There’s a battle that needs to be finished.”

Roman’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t…” Of course. The battle at the burning city... Patton realized.

“I would. Just you and Virgil. No knights, no Patton, no me. For now,” the dragon witch hinted menacingly. Logan rolled his eyes at his lack of mention. The shadows that had trapped Roman gave way and let him go. Roman fell to the floor on his knees. “Here’s your sword,” the dragon witch threw Roman’s sword to him. Virgil took the dragon witch’s own sword and prepared to fight him.

“You don’t have to do this, Virgil… I-I’m sorry,” Roman pleaded. For Roman to show a weakness, especially in front of the dragon witch, was monumental. Patton thought he saw Virgil’s eyes flash for a second. It looked like regret.

“Yes, I do,” Virgil snarled as he leapt towards Roman. Roman was ready in an instant. He blocked Virgil’s attacks, and dodged out of the way as Virgil aimed for his throat. Virgil smirked. He was looking forward to the battle.

Roman got on the offensive, and struck out towards Virgil. He hit Virgil’s arm. Roman immediately felt guilty as Virgil winced, before he deflected another oncoming hit from Roman. The cut on his shoulder started to bleed. While Roman attacked him once more, Virgil blocked it, and kicked Roman’s hand. Roman dropped his sword, and ducked an oncoming flurry of hits aimed at where his chest was the moment before. He picked up his sword and blocked a particularly fatal blow. The fight was incredibly dangerous. Virgil clearly meant business.

The dragon witch watched from his chair, his twisted smile never faltering. Whatever game he was playing, it was too deadly to partake in. Who was next? His smile grew as he saw Virgil’s pseudo wings form and spread out behind him. He flapped them few times and rose into the air. Roman narrowed his eyes as Virgil raised his hand, and twisted it. Two walls of shadows formed around Roman and began to crush him. He let out an anguished cry as the walls tightened. Virgil squinted his eyes, trying to crush him more.

Roman lifted an arm with an enormous amount of effort, pushing the wall back. Virgil lifted both hands and made a crushing motion, but Roman had enough of a grip and put his feet against the wall, pushing as hard as he could. The walls faltered before giving way completely and fading. Roman fell to the ground, taking a moment to breath and steady himself.

Shocked, Virgil growled and cast a dark purple fire. Roman leapt up within a matter of seconds out of the way. Panting, he ran towards Virgil and lifted his sword, ready to impale him. Virgil leapt up and flipped over Roman. He landed behind him, and thrust his sword at Roman’s back. A last second reflex saved Roman’s life as he rolled out of the way with just milliseconds to spare. Unfortunately, the blade nicked his forearm, reopening the cuts from Ne’hiah and the griffon.

Roman spun around, ducking once more to dodge another dangerous blow that left Virgil reeling. As Virgil was trying to regain his balance, Roman took his chance and sliced his sword clean through Virgil’s right wing. Virgil screamed as the injured wing faded, along with its opposite. Gripping his shoulder with his free hand, he turned to face Roman. Virgil stomped his foot on the ground, and instantly vanished in a cloud of shadows.

Roman paused for a moment, on edge. He looked around suspiciously before hearing a sudden whooshing noise and spun around. Virgil was about to attack him, but Roman jumped back. The sword sliced him in the stomach, leaving a deep, clean cut in Roman’s skin. He clutched his injured belly and delivered a blow that Virgil immediately blocked. While Virgil was distracted, Roman gripped Virgil's arm and kicked his sword hand.

Virgil yelped and let go of his sword. Immediately Virgil formed ribbons of shadows that crawled up Roman’s hand. Roman yanked his hand back, causing the tendrils to dissipate. Virgil held onto his injured hand, and made a break for his sword. Roman blocked Virgil’s path to it, taking in deep breaths. Virgil didn’t seem to calm down, and the fury in his eyes didn't falter for a moment. He held out his hand behind him, and the shadows collected in his outstretched hand to form a dagger.

Roman tried to talk to Virgil once more. “Please, I don’t want to hurt you,” he begged. Virgil shook his head to clear it and lunged at Roman, hitting him in the arm. Roman clutched it for a second before Virgil went for his other arm, and he blocked it with his sword. “I know you’re still there,” he whispered. It shattered Roman’s heart to harm Virgil in any case. And to see him hurting on the inside as well as the out… well, Roman wasn’t having a good time.

Virgil’s gaze hardened as he formed the tendrils once more, crawling up Roman’s leg, momentarily trapping him. Roman ripped his leg free and jumped away, but the shadows still crawled up him. Virgil’s face screwed with the effort of continuing the shadows’ existence without being attached to the source. They crept onto Roman’s sword arm, with Roman desperately trying to claw them away. They grabbed Roman’s sword, throwing it away.

“Virgil… I’m sorry!” Roman said frantically as Virgil walked closer. Virgil formed more shadow tendrils and trapped Roman, narrowing his eyes. Without his sword, his courage had vanished. All Roman felt… was fear. And betrayal. He stopped in front of Roman as he prepared the finishing blow. “I-I,” Roman whimpered as Virgil glared at him. The determined light in his eyes was replaced by terror and sadness. Memories flashed through Roman’s mind in the blink of an eye. Their witty banter, the nicknames, and the videos they made… Roman felt guiltier than ever for always casting Virgil as the villain. That’s not who he was. Roman knew that now. Roman shivered as he remembered all the close moments they shared too.

Virgil’s purple eyes glowed with fury and hatred. He could sense Patton and Logan on the side, watching in terror. The dragon witch sat on the edge of his throne, obviously deeply interested in what was happening. Virgil was right in front of him now, holding him close. The shadows clenching his body loosened, falling away. Virgil slowly raised his arm, holding the shadow dagger tight. Roman gathered the courage to say it. It was now or never. “Virgil… I-I’m… I lo-” There was no mistaking it- as he said it, Virgil was hesitating, but it wasn’t enough. Patton shut his eyes tight in horror, and Logan’s eyes widened in terror. Roman felt time stop for a moment as Virgil plunged the dagger right into his heart, cutting him off. Then there was nothing.

Okay I stg there’s a good explanation for all of this, stick around people, but for now all I’m saying is that I’m not at all sorry.