Chapter Text
...
Sword creaked the door open.
And there he saw, in the middle of the living room...
Illumina.
Illumina softly turned his head around to the noise, eyes landing on Sword.
"Hello, I've been waiting for you." Illumina welcomed, his voice booming and echoing throughout the room.
Sword's brain basically short circuited. Where was Venomshank? Where was Sisyph-
"I took care of them." He responded. Oh, right. Illumina can read his follower's minds, of course.
Illumina walked to Sword, his glowing eyes digging deap into his skull.
"Your face is a mess." He commented, hand coming down to wipe off the remains of his melted eyes of the transformation.
Sword nodded. He shook when Illumina's hand brushed under his eyes and cheeks. The instinct to recoil backwards and draw his sword out gnawed at him.
Instead, it felt like some godly force was keeping him there.
"Go get your armor." He commanded. Sword nodded again, shaky footsteps leading up to his room. Pushing the door open, he could feel dread washing over him like water spilling in after low tide.
Why, what is Illumina going to do to him? Sword loved to think, really. But in this case, it felt like lobotomy, it felt like someone dragging him to a dark corner of a city to silently murder and torture them.
He resisted the urge to call for help. Infact, it seemed to him that he subconsciously grabbed his armor, and wore it over his shoulder. The other conscious half silently panicking in his brain. Silent.
Illumina grabbed him as he walked back down. Pushing him behind himself, he shoved the door open. Sword could see the poorly hidden body of a black bird laying motionlessly behind a toaster as they left. Sword didn't mention it.
...
It felt like years before Sword thought something normal again. Most of it was just 'Follow him', 'Don't stray', or 'Keep going'.
He's never felt so obligated to do something in years. Most of the time, he was in control- HE could contribute to what could happen, if it was his team or Rocket, Sisyphus or anybody, he could always change something in a way he wanted to, and never felt so.. forced.
Yet a part of him was willing. He was doing this for Rocket, right?
Rocket. He didn't know if Rocket was safe yet. Hell, he didn't even know if Illumina followed up on the favor.
Whatever, Sword just wants Rocket. He wants the one he's worked so hard for, he wants to-
"We're here." Illumina's dead but full voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
They were in a freezing, snowy tundra.
Sword shivered once, then twice. He knew Illumina brought them here for a reason. But why?
"We're here because this ground is scared. It is where I was created." Illumina explained, his white eyes staring at a barely visible symbol in the middle.
"But why are we here, rea-" Sword was cut off as he barely managed to block a blow from Illumina.
"Good. Your instinct is alright. Something we will work on." Illumina whispered. That's why he's here. Yet every syllable the god spoke felt like... It felt nice. It felt nice to hear his lord's voice. He must've been horribly wrong about how it sounded to him earlier. Good thing he found the truth. Good thing. Amazing. Perfect whatishappeningtome"Spar." He spat out at Sword. The other obeying his command, and sending a lunge to Illumina, the other easily clashing his blade downward through Sword's attack, gaining energy through it and sending it all back to him.
"You're sluggish. Counter." Sword was promptly knocked off his feat in an instant, weapon, which now had runes starting to travel through it, was flung off to the side in the snow.
Sword weakly coughed, walking over to his gear before picking it back up and holding his stance again.
"Off-balance." Sword fell again, yet was brought back up to the shivering wind.
"Heavier. Put more weight into it." Sword tumbled into the snow, which now had a purple tint to it.
"Recover quicker." Sword hit his head against the cold ground. Strained, painful wheezes choking blood out of him.
"Less bounce." Sword had fallen even quicker this time, sleep threatening to stop him.
Again, and again, and again.
"Logic!" Illumina hissed at Sword as he fell backwards, "You're being too emotional. Use your head."
"I.. I-"
"Get up."
"I'm tryi-"
"Up."
Sword stumbled upwards, legs shaking and covered in a pale purple substance, likely blood. He couldn't even stand for a few seconds without collapsing.
"Fine. If you wanna be so weak, like Venomshank, I'd suggest we're done for today." Sword whined at the name of his dad. Illumina killed him, didn't he?
"Our relationship is already starting to thin. If you want your soul to stay inside your body, I'd suggest you make little problem tommorow. I'll be watching you for now." Illumina sighed, a hint of disappointment and annoyance in his tone.
Illumina then grabbed Sword. His claws tightening around his wrist. Sword groaned in pain at it.
"P-please.. Illum-" Sword was cut off as a wave of heat blasted onto his face, bright lights blinding him, then quickly turned cold again, and before he knew it, they were in crossroads.
"I teleported you to save us walking." The tone was still there. He could've teleported Sword there before, but he was doubting if he could even walk that far.
"The rest of your day is free. You won't have days with this much freetime, so I'd suggest you'd use it wisely." Illumina then, in a flash of light, disappeared into thin air.
So, now he's really apart of Illumina.
Sword just wants to see Rocket.