His heart was beating violently in his chest. Winston was walking up and down in his office. He’d brought Taliesin into the cave where they’d perform the ritual to free the descendant from his fleshly prison. Of course, the kid had fought back and cursed him out. Winston wanted to ignore that, he wanted to be the strong leader his members needed now but his limbs were shaking and he couldn’t stay calm. Why him? Why did it have to be the boy he’d raised as his own? It should have been anyone else, a stranger, someone he’d have no connection to. Why was it him? “Sir?” Alexei leaned against the doorframe and watched him intently through his mask. “You’re nervous.” “I haven’t noticed.” Winston joked and brought a smile to his right hand’s lips. “The kid’s still cursing everyone out, he’s got quite a sharp tongue.” “He didn’t get that from me.” He laughed and then cringed. Alexei tilted his head. “You can do it, right?”

Can I? Winston let his gaze wander through his office. He’d spent so many years here, doing research, planning Order meetings to assure that their goal will be met. Sometimes he would bring back work from his job as the Academy Director and spend days not leaving the office. The members would bring him breakfast then, check if he was doing alright. After breaking up with Paul, his Order were the only people who comforted him through the pain. He’d promised them balance. He’d promised them a world where they needn’t fear the blessed Knights and their witch hunt. It was time to tip the scales in their favour. The Knights have ruled long enough. The gods should have never left a part of their power on earth. They’ve dug their own grave and now was the time to bury them.

“Do we have the diary?” Alexei nodded and pushed himself away from the door. “We can start right away.” “Good.” “Winston?” He walked towards his right hand with a heavy chest and deep breaths. “Yes, Alexei?” “We need his blood.” “I know.” “All of it.” Winston averted his gaze. “I know,” he whispered. Alexei put a hand onto his shoulder and lifted his chin. “We all suffered,” he explained with a reassuring smile. “We all have to make sacrifices.” What a lie. Winston was the only one needing to sacrifice his whole life and now even the kid he loved. He was the only one being asked to give up everything so that the rest could benefit. He couldn’t blame them for his choices but sometimes he wished he’d never accepted the position as their Leader.

When he walked into the cave he could hear Taliesin curse from a distance. “If you touch me I’ll bite your fingers off.” He couldn’t help but smile at the childish insults thrown at his members. “Taliesin.” Winston signalled his members to let go and knelt down next to the curled up body of the descendant. He was staring up at him with such violence that Winston almost looked away. “How is your head injury?” “Why can’t I leave?” Tears gathered in his eyes but he tried to suppress them. Winston hated to see him suffer. He hated that destiny forced him to such cruelty. “Are you dizzy?” “Why,” Taliesin repeated with a snarl. “Can’t I leave?” “When you were passed out we gave you demon blood.” His eyes widened in fear. “Not enough to poison you but enough to neutralise your abilities. I’m not sure how much you know but the ability you have was given to you by the gods. Only the descendant wields this power. The only way to fight something blessed and holy is to take away its sole advantage by introducing it to its counterpart.” He took out a vial with dark liquid demon blood to demonstrate.

“That’s why the Knights use blessed weapons to fight demons and that’s why a single drop of this would be enough to blind them. I’m sure you’ve heard of their blessing.” Winston gazed at the vial and unknowingly clenched his fists. “I should have known that Nikandros was a Knight. After all, he had no medical records to prove that he needed the eye patch.” “Don’t hurt him.” Tal’s voice was hoarse and when Winston looked back at him, he saw the tears rolling down his cheeks. “Promise me that whatever happens, you won’t hurt him.” “He’s a Knight, Taliesin. A ruthless murderer using the excuse of the gods to–” “Please.” His voice was breaking and he shook his head ever so slightly. What was that expression in Taliesin’s eyes? Winston stiffened. “You like him, don’t you?” “Don’t hurt him.” “Sir, a car has just pulled up by the entrance. There are three men inside as far as we can tell. What should we do?” Winston didn’t avert his gaze. He was trying to think rationally but all his thoughts came back to one realisation. Three men. Nikandros, his Butler and, Paul. “Let them come.”