Crow Child

By -
   Karo threw the book across the room so violently that Chase flinched. His glare bore a hole in the wall above where it had fallen, dark eyes flashing like chipped obsidian. He sat like he was frozen against the wall, spine straight, head leaning only slightly back, legs extended in front of him.
    Eventually he spoke. "It wasn't me. None of it was. It was just my image." His voice cracked. "I was just in love with the idea of it, I probably wouldn't have done it otherwise, I was just-" He choked off and buried his head in his knees. "I was in love with the aesthetic. And I did it. I've done something unspeakable because of aesthetic!" He screamed the last word, throwing his head back against the wall, tears streaming down his face. 
   Chase came and sat down on the bed next to him, holding the darker boy as he sobbed into his shirt, blue eyes cloudy with worry. 
   "Karo, what's going to happen now?" His voice came out hoarser than he'd expected.
   Karo raised tear-stained cheeks from his shoulder. "They'll take me away. I'll go to Ashcroft and wear an inhibitor collar and never be able to use magic again."
   "Ever?"
   "Ever." Karo's eyes filled again. "Oh God."His entire body shuddered. "Chase do you have any idea what I've just done?"
   "Karo, I know it was forbidden magic, but I'm sure it's not as big a deal-"
   "No!" Karo screamed and jumped up. "I haven't just used forbidden magic, I've doomed so many people with what I did!" He put his hands to his head and turned away. 
   Chase stared. "Doomed?"
   "Yes doomed." Karo's voice subsided a little. "Those demons can now come into our world. It's difficult but they can definitely do it. And they'll want what they've always wanted. Blood."
   Chase's face paled as the stakes were revealed, and dread crept over him like a blanket. He knew the legends of the Demon Wars, everyone did. And if those creatures were coming back, people really would be doomed. Many, many people.
   "Is there a way to stop it?" 
   Karo stared at him. "Stop the demons?"
   "Is there any way to fix it?" He insisted. 
   Karo's jaw moved silently for a second, and then he looked away again. "I-I don't know. Maybe. It would take years of studying to find out."
   "Then do it." Chase's eyes were hard as stone as he caught Karo's gaze and held it. "You had a hand in making this mess, now it's you need to fix it. Ashcroft is as much a library as a prison right? You can research there." He took a deep breath and leaned back. "I'll help you." 
   Karo stared at Chase and then looked away. "Alright," he said quietly. And then: "Thank you." 
   Urgent voices came to their ears from a little away, and Karo jerked up and pushed Chase off the bed. "Go!"
    "No!" Chase looked at him like he was crazy.
    "Go, Chase. Things will only get even more complicated if you stay, and if we're going to do anything to stop this you can't be here."
     Chase grabbed him and the two boys embraced tightly. "I'll see you soon."
     Karo knew the wishfulness of that and nodded.
     Chase ran out the door and left as quietly as he could before the soldiers came. Before the soldiers came and took away his best friend to an iron collar and a dark tower filled with old words and old power. 

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