"Sir."

The man sat up, his fingers tapping against his cheek and his lips pursed, stern eyes looking back at the smaller figure sitting ahead of him.

He pushed himself upward with his hands, his wooden chair being pushed back so harshly by the swift movement.

"What do you mean, Acubduis," He spoke with a condescending tone, his vocal cords corse and made the smaller man's body tense with every letter that danced off his tongue.

"I mean, you wouldn't dare lie to me, correct, my most trusted, loyal head, hm?" He said as he adjusted himself, removing his hands of the table and walking over to male, his long fingers glazing his back.

"I w-woul-"

"Fix your words with me. I deserve respect, not this excuse for speech."

Acubduis drew a silent breathe and looked back up at sir Cadmus, his black pupils dilating alongside his iris' growing a deep orange glow.

"Your son-"

"Zalfire is no son of mine. Do not refer to him as such."

"But Athen-"

"Nevermind her terms! Just tell me what he told you, swine boy!"

The half-breed cringed at the slur. His body was now shaking and his chest rose and fell rapidly. He dug his meaty hand into his vest and pulled out a scroll tied with blue ribbion.

Cadmus quickly snatched the fragile paper, tearing off the ribbion as he unraveled the fraile ash-grey paper in his hands.

"Dear Acubduis,
I wanted to speak to you privately about this, but with the recent events upcoming with the birth of my future brother has had mother held in an abrupt uproar sort-of-speak.
Just please keep Sara safe and sound, please? You are the only servant I trust with her, and I cannot bare to have Father know of her existence.
She is a half-breed, just like you. I know you know how to treat your own, while the others may not.

Your kind is shunned, and I am sorry. May your sun shine and your moon fall gracefully and may Father feed you plentiful tonight.

-Zalfire."

He remained silent. His eyes glanced over and over and the paper, and every word made his eyes burn even brighter and his skin tinge with a hue that grained different shades of the orange and yellow.

"Sir?" The boy spoke softly, rubbing his hands together in circual motions, his knuckles rubbing agaisnt one another freely with sweat drenching.

"Why does he trust you."

Cadmus glared at Acubduis with a sharp look, his lips as straight as a stone and his face expressionless.

"We..." He started to speak, drawing in a deep breathe before he continued. "We speak, sir."

"You speak to that vile creature?" His voice spat, his skin now flaring up, small crackles of warmth upbringing on his pale, ginger skin.

Acubduis replied. "Yes. Yes I do sir."

Cadmus crumbled the paper with his hand, the fragile material turning to ash in mere seconds of connecting with his skin, the particles flying upwards and his wrists booming with more and more power and enegery with every movement he took.

He than turned his body around, his feet slaming against the marble floor as an aurora around his fingertips, wind hollaring as a light blue glow swirled around his palm, having a red particals being molded with golden glits, the broken pieces merging together as fast as it could.

The man gripped his seat and held his head down as the flickers of the ablaze stinged his grey skin, his claws digging into the wood like a knife in butter, his teeth bitting down on his lips until it bled. The blue aurora than crept over to around his body, the sapphire astomsphere raising him off his chair as he attempted poorly to keep restraint.

The auroa launched him into the air violently and quickly, grasping his thick body to immobility as it coiled around him, crushing his organs with every-snake tight grip it gave.

"Sir, sir I-"

"SILENCE!"

His voice boomed as vases imploded and his palm glowed with red, the auroa slowling leaking from a pastel blue to a deep, ruby red with the Nicus' movements, his grip on the object finally being let go as he released the object in the mist.

Acubduis' eyes immediately caught the object and his eyes widen, his lungs collapsing in eachother as his eyes started to trash with tears.

"Sir Cadmus, please, plea-"

"On this fateful evening," He boomed, his voice once more entangling Acubduis further in the vines. "May Acubduis Javin's lips sewn like fine tapestry and may his throat be clogged forevermore!"

The sparkling gem then slipped through Acubduis' lips, his cheeks puffed as he heard the snap of fingers. He closed his eyes as he felt a needle ram into the edges of his mouth, string folding in itself as it weeved through his plump lips like it was fabric. The string than was tightened beyond belief and every tug felt like the skin was going to tear off completly.

Blood leaked from the fraile opening as the gem shoved itself further down his throat, soon resting painfully. He tried to swallow, he tried to get rid of it, but every attempt was in vain.

"CEASE."

Everything than fell with a clutter and crash, the auroa being forgotten and one with the air in seconds, dissolving as Acubduis fell onto the marble ground. His heas bounced upwards as his entire body throbbed.

"This will last only for four days, mister Javin. Be blessed that I did not something more severe."

Acubduis than stood up, gently caressing his sore throat and his body quievered. He gave a quick nod at him.

"Now, be gone. Do not speak of this. If you decide to, rest assure you you will starve to death with those lips tied."

----------

Zalfire sat at his desk, his bright green eyes boucning around the desk, his tiny fingers tapping on the dark surface. He drew in a breathe to relax his nerves.

Did Acubduis get the note? Is he alright? Is Sara safe? Did...

He did not want to contemplate that option.

He than heard a knock at the door. "Come in! It is unlocked."

He got up from his chair and turned around, nearly fainting at the sight.

His friend was shaking, his entire body bruised and sevreal places seeping scarlet red. His lips were pursed and stiched together so grotesque, the string closed so firm the outer skin became bruised and the lips were drained of color

"Acubduis, what happened? Who did this to you? Was it?"

Acubduis' eyes formed tears as welted. He nodded in reply. The six year old boy's expression's twisted from concern to somber, swallowing the lump in his throat as he hugged the taller man.

"I cannot believe Father did this to you. I promise, I will help the best I can. Sit down by my desk."

The older man carefully sat down on Zalfire's bed, it creaking underneath newly added weight much more than Zalfire's skinny frame.

The Guardian than went over to Acubduis with a pair of scissors, sliding the cold metal underneath the mess as he snipped it off, taking his small hands and carefully pulling away the stitching. Acubduis cringed at the awkward feeling it caused and the slight pain, but it was much tamer than he just endured. He than went over to the other end and repeated, letting his lips free and blood to run back into it.

"Can you speak?" Zalfire asked quietly in a hushed down, eyes darting almost in fear.

"Master, I am sorry," Acubduis stated and hung his head. "I have failed you. Your father obtained the scroll and I do not think Sara is going to come out alive."

Zalfire's body shook as the tears finally poured out of his eyes, his heart pumping fast and his lungs trying to gather as much oxygen as it could. He looked up at Acubduis with such a pained look; eyesbrows raised, a frown spreading down to his chin and his eyes flowing with tears.

"Is there anyway to get Sara?"

"I do not believe so."

Zalfire sighed as he placed the scissors on his desk, bitting his lip and sobbing softly.

Acubduis stood up and hugged him, his body still ice cold. Zalfire didn't mind. He did not care at this point. He just wanted some kind of contact.

"It will be okay, Master."

"I hope so."