Breaking mark

Nine sat on his knees in a cell. his arms chained to the wall.  There was no light, aside the light from a single window. However it was small and didn't let in much light, the moon shun in none the less. Foot steps could be heard, echoing off the walls. They got louder and louder, till they stopped in front of the cell door. Slowly the sound of a key being pushed in the door and turning, the locks opening as the door then was pushed. Nine looked up slowly, seeing Voltaire with guards. He held a hand up to signal the guards to stay as he walked in the room and had the door shut behind him. Moving elegantly towards Nine, till he stopped and crouched before him.

"My what an interesting situation you have gotten yourself into." Looking Nine over a moment.

Nine stared at Voltaire "Is it true?" he ask quietly at first.

"Is what true?" Voltaire raised a brow.

Nine growled "Don't play your games right now, you know damn well what I speak of. Did I try to kill my son."

Voltaire look down a moment, thinking. He then looks up to Nine "It is." Who would close his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I assume I wasn't successful?"

Voltaire half chuckle "I'd say the kid got the one up on you. He damn near killed you instead, left you alive barely."Voltaire stayed silent a moment before he spoke again. "I had Gabriel fix him."

Nine stared at Voltaire a while, the words 'I had Gabriel fix him.' it sat sour with him. "What did you do?" he ask calmly. Voltaire shrugs "What do you care, not like you were ever there for the boy." Nine growled and went to lunge forward, but was held back by the chains. "WHAT DID YOU DO?" he shouted.

Voltaire un-phased by Nines growling and movements, spoke calmly "I had Gabriel connect Star to his emotions. Unfortunately your brother..." he stop a moment and thought how to say it. "Your brother left him. I mean he told him to come to the castle, which Star did not, he's refused any summons I have sent. I tried to get Gabriel to go help him, but it seems Gabriel feels nothing for the boy. He to pissed at what Star did to you, won't even think of the fact that he did what he had to, to live."

Nine look down listening to this "Where is he now? Is he hurt?" Voltaire raised a brow "Why do you care? You cut your connection to him.If you wanted to know these things, you wouldn't have done that.You pushed him away, not the other way around, and for what? Because he reminds you of Sephi? How is that fair? Blaming him for something he can't help."

Nine grew silent and sat back, Voltaire was right. "I didn't cut the connection to push him away, in the way you might think." Voltaire shook his head "Explain that to Star, it truly hurt him. Now he is alone out there."Nine sighed and looked at Voltaire "I cut my connection cause...well Astaroth came back. I didn't want him going after Star or use him against me." Voltaire threw his hands up as he stood up "News flash, I don't know how to tell you this, but I am pretty sure he just got you to attack your own child."

Nine watching Voltaire grit his teeth "You don't think I know this?" Voltaire leans down "Why didn't you ask for help Nine? Honestly? Do you despise me that much?" Nine snarled "It wasn't about you!" Voltaire narrowed his eyes "Then what?" Nine sighed "It was....I thought.." Voltaire was growing impatient with Nine "Thought what!?"  Nine glared at him for a second and then looked down "He claimed he had Gabriel and I knew you were fed up fixing our mess, especially with what Caine had done to you." Voltaire rolled his eyes "Nine I have been with you since before Sephitia death, you should know better." he tells him.

Nine shrugs "You should know me." Voltaire rubbed his temples "I do unfortunately. So let me guess he used Gabriel against you and you fell for the trick like the bleeding heart you are." Nine nods his head. "Gabriel was safe, the deal was he didn't harm or take Gabriel." Voltaire stared at Nine "What about Star?" Nine shrugged "What about him?" Voltaire groaned "You made a deal to protect Gabriel, but not Star? Your son?" Nine stared at him "He didn't seem to interested in Star, just Gabriel." Voltaire stood back, and leaned on a pillar in the cell. "I hope for your sake, he doesn't. Cause right now, he is lost, alone, and confused with emotions. Astaroth....Astaroth could probably get him and I don't even want to think what he would do with a being like Star. His power and the fact that he is not even fully into adulthood and has that power."

Nine stared at Voltaire "Surely you have someone who could watch him, I mean come on Gabriel wouldn't turn his back. He's all about family, preaches it to me all the time."Voltaire stared back at him "Oh Nine. How little you know things these days, he has damned the boy in his eyes. He feels nothing for him, cares not what happens to him. Hell he said the only reason he hasn't tortured the little bugger was cause of us." Nine struggled at the chains "You have to let me go." Voltaire tilt his head "No I can't, you been doing things for Astaroth, I can't risk you doing his bidding again and much worse he tries to actually make you kill Star and not fail." Moves and reaches to point at Nine neck. "No not till that is removed."

Nine watched Voltaire carefully "And you can remove it?" Voltaire smiled "I can, but it will be painful." Nine struggled to get back on his knees and leaned as far as he could "Do it, pain is nothing to me. I need to get out there..you said Star is on his own.I need to make sure he is at least fine. Maybe talk sense into Gabriel, to help while I draw Astaroth away from them." Voltaire shook his head "Astaroth has bested you twice now and you think you can just draw him away?No thats not how this works. I'd have better chance of sending Azeract after this demon then you."

Voltaire was hesitant to removing the mark, he knew this would be the end of his limit. That he wouldn't be able to keep his mask on any longer to his ailment. However, he did tell Gabriel he help Nine in anyway. "This....will be my last favor....Last anything for a long time."

 Nine look confused "What? Whatever fine, just get it over with." Voltaire shook his head. He reach out and touches the mark on Nines neck, bring about the black flames of the Phoenix, letting it run over the mark, course through it and out of it. It burn with its pure flames, to purge the evil there was, to remove the mark. Nine would cry out in pain, as Voltaire does this. This eating up the last of Voltaire strength, the last of his energy.

When he was done he pulled back and stumbling some "There, just so you know. No one can know you were here. I have to figure out how to spin this, fix what Astaroth has done. Stay low when you go see Gabriel. You can't be around him for long though, you have to keep moving till this is over. Or else you will endanger Gabriel and if you look for Star you will endanger him too."

He called the guards in to undo Nines chains and gave him a cloak to stay in cover. Nine looked at Voltaire and could see his weakness "What have you done to get this way?"Voltaire smirked "Come on now, don't worry for me, I'll be fine. I just need a long rest is all, I'll be back on my feet in no time." Nine almost doubted Voltaires words, he was concern. Though he could not be concern for long, he had to go out and find his brother, since he wasn't sure how to connect with Star again. He'd use the connection to his twin and talk with him about his son.