TW: Major Character Death, Blood/Injury

I sat in the old Castle, watching Parv raise from the ground. Blood spun around his body, splattering the wall behind him. He was trying to raise dead. It was draining his blood pool and it wasn't working.

He fell to his knees, the blood falling on the floor around him.

"Why can't it work!"

I sighed, walking toward him.

"It's supposed to be easy!"

"Parvis, calm down. You'll get it."

"You don't understand! It's not as easy as putting some things together and making it work!"

I sighed, stepping back.

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

He stood, pushing his hair off his face.

"What do you think you're doing wrong?"

"Nothing! I'm doing exactly what I was told to and I still can't make it work."

"The ritual is beginning, because the blood reacts. It's something you're doing midway through."

He looked at me, eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"I'm going to run out of blood soon. I need to let it charge."

"Okay, well do you need to do anything else?"

"Nah. I mean..."

"What?"

"It's been a while. I'm thirsty."

"I thought that was covered?"

"But I'm thirsty..."

"Parv, you've got plenty of blood to drink."

He was looking at my neck.

"Parv?"

"It's just nothing like yours."

I stood, moving away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm not scared."

"Oh?" He stood, chuckling.

"Parv, stay focused."

"I am focused! On you."

I stepped back. He moved toward me, licking his lips. I hit the wall, holding my disassembler toward the Blood Mage.

"Would you really hurt me?"

"I don't want to."

He didn't stop advancing.

I knew I couldn't hit him. His armour was off and it would hurt him. I allowed the weapon to drop to the floor as he stopped in front of me. His eyes were glowing, a deep red smoke across his face.

"Oh, Will. So loyal."

"Alex, please stop it."

He froze for a moment.

"Parv?"

"Parv's not here, Strifeykins."

I tried to push him back. He shook his head, pulling my arms above my head.

"Not this time."

I closed my eyes. Tears welled up.

"What's wrong, Strife? Are you scared now?"

"Yes." I whispered.

He chuckled, moving his lips closer to my neck.

"Please, Alex."

He bit down, forcing his teeth deep into my throat. I let out a small gasp, wrenching to free myself.

"Alex..." I tried, kicking at him. He jerked, his teeth ripping my skin. I could feel my strength going. I started to fall limp, sobbing silently. He pulled away from me, his eyes wide.

"Will?" His eyes were once more an innocent chocolate colour. I grabbed at my neck, shaking violently. He tried to move toward me but I batted him away, falling to the floor. "Will, let me help!"

"Fine..." I cried. He knelt by my side, holding his hand to my neck. He muttered something, the runes on his neck shining. I could feel the wound closing.

"I'm so sorry, Will. I don't know what came over me..." He pulled away.

"No..." I whispered, curling up. He stood, leaving the room. I held my head in my hands, sobbing.

It was a few hours before I heard movement. I looked up to see KirinDave enter the room, Parv stood behind him. He'd been crying.

"Strife? It's just me. Are you okay?"

"No."

"Come on, you've got to get up."

"Get away from me. You're no better than him."

"Will, you know he didn't mean to. He's still learning."

"Well he can learn away from me. I'm done."

"I'm sure you don't mean that."

I stood, lifting my things from the floor. "I'm sure I do."

Parv looked distraught. His eyes filled with tears. "Please, Will..."

I shook my head, leaving the building. I was done with him.

Kirin followed me up.

"Will..."

"No, Dave. I can't do it. I fucking begged him. I begged him to stop."

"He didn't have control over what he was doing."

"Well he's just going to have to cope, isn't he?"

"You know he can't do it without you."

"Maybe that's for the best." I muttered, flying away.

Maybe it was for the best that he caused no more trouble.

Days passed without word. I barely touched work. Hannah had dropped by to check everything was going okay, but otherwise I had no interaction with anyone.

It was getting dark. I could hear the familiar sound of groaning from somewhere beyond the base, as zombies patrolled the night sky. I could hear a banging on the door below. Surely the undead hadn't managed to get into the base? I strolled down, opening the door.

Stood outside in the rain was Parv.

I closed the door again.

"Will? Please. Please listen. I've done something really bad. I don't know what to do. I'm scared."

"Makes a change." I growled.

"Please. Please help me. I really have made a mess."

I stood quietly.

"I- I understand. I'm sorry."

I listened quietly, hearing footsteps leave the door. I shook my head, opening up and stepping outside.

He was sobbing.

"Parv, wait! Come back."

He turned, his head covered by a hood.

"Come inside. It's cold out tonight."

"You sure?"

"We need to fix the mess you're in, don't we?"

He almost ran back. He was shaking. I allowed him to step inside, closing the door once more. He pulled down his hood, revealing a blood marked face.

"What did you do?"

"I was looking for something to do. There was a village. I-I..." He broke off, holding his head in his hands. Blood almost covered his hands, splattered across his hoodie.

"Come on. We need to get you cleaned up."

"The Magic Police... They know it was me. They know... They want to find me."

I shook my head. "Now isn't the time to worry about them. Come on."

He allowed me to take him upstairs.

"Give me your clothes. I'll wash them and find something for you."

He pulled off his hoodie and shirt, handing them to me. I frowned as I saw his scarred body. He was going to destroy himself with all the Magic.

"You know how to work the shower. I'll leave clothes on the sink."

"Thank you."

I left, throwing his clothes on the table.

I couldn't leave him alone. I didn't have the ability to.

I returned to my room, looking in the wardrobe for some spare clothes. He'd left a few things here in case of emergency. I pulled out a shirt and jeans, shrugging to myself as I returned to the bathroom. I opened the door slightly, slipping the clothes onto the top by the door.

I could hear faint sobs under the water.

"Parv? Are you okay?"

He didn't reply. The steam was boiling. I frowned, entering the room fully.

"Parv?"

"Will..."

I moved toward the shower, the smell of blood surrounding me. He was sat on the floor, allowing the water to fall against his back. It was red from the heat.

He was sobbing, blood painting the water red. I shut the water off, grabbing a towel. His back looked painfully red.

Kneeling by his side, the water flowed past my knee. The heat was scalding. I tried to lift the man, but he refused to move. Blood was still dripping down his arms. His fangs and lips were red.

"What did you do?"

"I killed them all. Even..." He stopped, lifting his arm and allowing his fang to rip through the skin.

"Parv!" I gasped, pulling his arms away. They were bleeding, deep gashes covering them.

"I deserve it... I deserve their pain."

"No, no..." I scrambled for the medicine cupboard, pulling out some bandages. "I shouldn't have left you like that. I'm sorry..."

"I killed them all, Will! There was no one left, even the young ones..." He scrammed at his arms.

"Please stop it, Alex. Come on, it's going to be okay."

He wouldn't stop bleeding.

I looked at him, seeing tears run down his face.

"I should be dead."

"No!" I wrapped the bandages around his arms. "Please don't go."

"I'm sorry, Will. For everything."

I held him close to me. There had to be something I could do...

"There's no solution this time, Strifeykins." He forced a smile. I shook my head, pulling him closer.

"Please don't leave me."

"I can't stay. I only hurt people."

"Stay with me..." I whispered, watching his eyelids flutter. I closed my eyes, tears falling down my cheeks. I couldn't lose him. I couldn't lose all I had.

"Why are you crying?"

"You're all I have, Alex. I can't be without you. I can't miss you that much."

His eyes widened. "I- I didn't know..."

"It's going to be okay. Just stay with me. Please."

"I really didn't mean to hurt you." He croaked. "I didn't mean to put you through all this. I'll miss you..."

"No, no... Please no."

His body fell limp. I pulled him close, wrecked with sobs. He was cold.

"Please don't leave me..." I cried, looking down at his pale face. His eyes were lifeless. I rested his body on the ground, closing my eyes.

This couldn't be the end.

It just couldn't.

Please.

Credit to The_Cat on Ao3