The bloom of the Mana abruptly cut off and Brandon was left with nothing but a vibrating sensation in his fingertips and the blue eyes of Ezekiels gaze, but even this was destined to desert him as Ezekiels entire form folded, and collapsed to the ground.

The Shifter came down hard on his hands and knees, dry heaving, wrenching, his body twitching, snarling, pale and clammy with sweat.

“Ezekiel!!?” Brandon fell to his side, grasping twitchy, jumpy muscles as Ezekiel heaved powerfully, but his barren stomach refused to give him anything to expel.

It went on for so long. Too long.

Eventually Ezekiel, accompanied by the rattle of chains, leveraged back against a wall, with Brandon’s help. The chains scraping the hard floor as he moved. Brandon fretted over him, knowing there was nothing he could do to ease the Shifters suffering. Panting from effort Ezekiel put out his hand and pulled Brandon closer, he let out a hollow sound, like a moan and a mewl of pain as he settled his shaking body against Brandon’s, seeming to need his proximity. His claws and fangs flashed, and he struggled with the pain.

Neither of them spoke after this for a long time

What bit of determination Brandon had had to think of resisting, died a swift and final end.

Ezekiel was dying. Nothing else mattered. His life couldn’t be lost over something so unworthy. He was dying because of Brandon and in the Druids eyes it was more than a waste.

Finally after biting the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood Brandon looked up into Ezekiel’s dull eyes, caressed his chin and whispered. “I think we’re just this side of fucked, blue boy.”

Forcing a grim smirk Ezekiel just hissed. “So I guess that means you can’t get the chains off me?”

“No...” Brandon admitted. Brokenly. Pathetically. He wanted to spit in his own face as bile rose in his throat at his own worthlessness and uselessness. “I don’t know how. I tried...I swear to god I tried, but I don’t know how...!”

Ezekiel slowly took his hand from his cheek, and held it tightly. Fangs flashed as he spoke. “I know...I know.” The Shifter told him, brushing Brandon’s locks back from his gaze. “We were standing for nearly an hour, you know?”

Shocked by this Brandon blinked. “What?”

To him it seemed like merely moments had passed while he had been trying to use the Mana. Hoping to stumble miraculously upon an answer that would guide him.

Squeezing Brandon’s hands Ezekiel assured him. “I sensed how hard you were trying to concentrate so I didn’t stop you.”

Brandon took a breath, closed his eyes. “So what now?”

Ezekiel paused. “Nothing. Were both still alive, so we keep fighting. We have to focus on that. Focus on just that right now.”

Brandon feeling desolate, released Ezekiel’s hand and chuckled at him. “But the silver is going to kill you! Fight for what! I’m not going to keep fighting so I can watch you die. Ezekiel I can get you out of here...I just have to let them have what they want. If I do that, then you could be saved. I’m dead anyway, blue boy!” he shouted in the Shifters face.

Now, perhaps Brandon knew just how volatile Ezekiel could be, how fast his rage could broil to the surface, but what he saw and felt from the Guardian a moment after he spoke, wasn’t Reavers rage. It was cold, boundless fury.

The Shifters eyes widened then narrowed. His jaw flexed, and the air about him seemed to radiate. Brandon quickly tried to mitigate the damage. “Ezekiel I meant to tell you...” he began.

“Stop talking!” Ezekiel snarled. His voice so cool it came across like a slap. “Don’t say another word unless it’s about what you just said to me.”

Brandon stayed silent. And Ezekiel snarled, and with more strength and speed then the Druid thought he still had the Shifter, grabbed his hand and jerked Brandon closer, glaring into his face. “Fight for what!? You’re dead anyway!? What the fuck does that mean!?” The Guardian shook his head. “Why didn’t you say anything before? Tell me what happened so I can understand!”

Too down trodden to even attempt anger, Brandon just used one of his hands to touch his chest. “I created an Aurora. When I was down in the Bowels with the Bane, it tried to kill me. It attacked me, but I was able to hold it off, when I created an Aurora. Hovel wasn’t able to get through my Aurora because I didn’t know how to control it. But when I was down in the Bowels I did it. I manifested my Will, and now....” Brandon sighed.

“Now they can take the stone if I just stop creating the Aurora to protect myself. The only way they get the Stone is if I let them do it. When they take it....I think....” Brandon scoffed as he thought of Jacobs words, then he nodded and looked up. “No, I’m sure it’s going to kill me.”

Brandon tipped his chin. “If I hadn’t got you involved in this, you wouldn’t be here Ezekiel. Suffering for me. I don’t want you to die for me. There is no reason for it. I’ll just do what they ask and they can take the stone. Then you can be free. I can save your life. You...I know Hovel wont uphold any promise to me, but I can talk to Jacob. He will send you back to your family. He won’t let them kill you. All he wants is the Stone.”

Ezekiel’s nostrils flared and he shoved Brandon back with and hiss. “No.” He simply relied.

Brandon closed his eyes and shouted. “Ezekiel are you listening to me! There is no other way now. We have to do this!”

Ezekiel shouted back at him. “I’m not! I won’t!!” he snarled slamming a fist into the ground at each word. “I’d rather die than trade your life for mine!! You have to refuse. You have to keep them from taking the stone.”

Brandon shook his head. “Ezekiel how long do you expect me to let you suffer?”

The Shifter touched his wrist and Brandon clutched at that proffered hand like a life line. Squeezing it so tightly that Ezekiel couldn’t hold back a wince. “They will hurt you more Ezekiel, in ways I’m sure we could never imagine. They are on a mission. They have been on a mission for god knows how long, decades and centuries. Jacob and my father, nothing is going to stop them. And in the end they’ll hurt me too. And we can both sit here and pretend like the torture and pain won’t affect us. And perhaps...perhaps if it was just me or just you being put through hell, individually, we both might have been able to bear it. To withstand this insanity...but...” Brandon slumped.

His voice desolate, but resolute. The sound strummed a painful sorrow in Ezekiels soul for him.

“But I cant stand the idea of you suffering, dying, for me. I wouldn’t be able to ignore whatever they would do to you...I would give anything to spare you from the cruelty I’ve experienced at their hands...I truly would. Even if it would kill me, I know that I would eventually give in for you. Not from agony, but for you, only you...”

Brandon put his head to Ezekiels collar and shuddered a wail inside as Ezekiel held him closer.