A Bright Day in the Night

Apollo sat in the middle training field his blade laid across his lap, “You and me have some things to talk about.” His voice was no more than a whisper as he felt the tug of his blade’s conscious, pulling him into its own world. Just like last time the moon was full in the forest of eternal night, the little silver hair girl sat among the roots of the knurled rowan tree, she seemed to be older than the last time he had been in her world.

“And what did you have in mind, another ass kicking perhaps or maybe you would like my name?” the girl smiled mischievously as she stood, only then did it become apparent to Apollo that she had grown older and the look that crossed his face must have been obvious with the spirit’s next retort, “Ah so you like this look better than my younger form, I guess you like these better?” the spirit pushed her chest out with a look of disappointment, “Men, you’re all the same…pigs…the lot of you. You see a well endowed woman walk by and all you men can do is stare at our chest.”

With a flick of her wrist the spirit had flung Apollo up against the rowan’s trunk. Apollo struggled something held his arms to the trunk. Apollo spoke with a snarl finding that was all he could do “Let me go or I’ll—

“You’ll what? I don’t believe you’re in any position to demand anything boy.” The spirit had a vengeful tone as her voice as she walked up to Apollo, “I know what you want, but I have to ask what is it you hope to gain by learning my name…Power… Prestige…A means of revenge? Oh yes I know all about you darkest thoughts, how you wish to find the families of the men who killed you.” The spirit grinned evilly, “Oh my you are a very bad boy, the things you imagined that you would do to them.” Walking up to him the spirit reached out and touched his forehead.

Images flashed before Apollo’s eyes, men and women alike dead; they had been cut down where they stood. The bodies even piled on top of each other creating a mountain of dead bodies. At the top stood a shinigami his robes stained red with the blood of those who crossed his path, turning he grinned. “Stop…” Apollo was ashamed, in a moment of weakness he had thought of revenge, thoughts of murdering whole families. “Please…just stop…I don’t want to go back to those vile thoughts.” Apollo shut his eyes trying to pull himself out of this nightmare.

The spirit chuckled at the sight, “Oh no, you aren’t going to leave till I say so, you might be the living body, but at the moment my will is stronger than yours. So why don’t you just open your eyes Apollo and then we can have a civilized conversation.” With a snap of her fingers Apollo’s arms started to twist and crack as his shoulders slid out of socket with a sickening pop.

Apollo eyes shot open as he cried out in pain, the tears streamed down his face as the memories kept replaying themselves in his mind. He tried to talk many time though most of it was incoherent dribble, he finally had to force the words out one at a time, “Please…stop…I will…do…anything…just…make it stop.” He felt his legs give way to the pain, though the same force that pinned his arms to the tree held him upright as his arms proceeded to twist.

“You only say that to escape the pain, I want the truth what will you do about it to make me stop?” the spirit pushed one finger under Apollo’s chin forcing him to meet her impossibly dark eyes. “All you have to do is show me what you will do…or is this how shadowhunters are trained to handle pain? To cry and beg for it all to end, to bargain for mercy; show me who you really are, Apollo Darknight, show me what it is to be a hunter.”

It was like something flipped inside his mind, suddenly Apollo’s voice was solid and cold “You don’t want to see that, you really don’t because I am not sure if you’ll survive you sadistic bitch and you have to survive if I want to get stronger and keep a promise.” Apollo rolled his shoulders as he brought his arms back to his side as he took inventory of his injuries. My shoulders aren’t broken they were just dislocated; my ribs feel cracked and bruised. Nothing I can’t handle. Rolling one of his shoulders he smiled as it popped back into its socket and then did the same to the other.

The spirit smiled as Apollo finally got himself free, “So you have finally realized that I will kill you if you don’t fight…good you will live longer, I just hope you’re not going to go soft again.” The spirit backed up a little unnerved by the sudden flux in Apollo’s power and resolve. “You might have escaped my hold, but don’t think you are strong enough to force my name from my lips.” The air seemed to shimmer as the spirit pulled her sword from the air, holding it level with Apollo’s heart. “I will cut out your heart, before you can even make a move against me, so why even try to fight.” Apollo’s voice still had the icy cold murderous tone as before, his demeanor was enough to make even the spirit take a few steps back; but his next words alone nearly made the spirit turn and run to escape.

Without taking his eyes from the spirit Apollo drew his blade, “If you wish to cross blades with me you better be prepared to kill me, the living vessel, because I won’t hold back any longer. I have learned my lesson from last time; I know how I fought before was foolish. I won’t make the same mistake again.” Apollo’s reiatsu swirled around him cloaking him with a golden-orange hue. The light from his reiatsu lit the clearing making it appear like he himself was the sun.

The spirit smiled as she began to change becoming more translucent and growing older, when she spoke her voice was much more compassionate than before, “I am sorry you had to see me in such a form Apollo, but it was necessary that I know how far you would be willing to go survive. You passed this test though it took you much longer than I thought it would. The next time we meet Apollo I hope that you are strong enough to earn my name. It is not often that the sun and the moon meet when they do wondrous things often follow close behind.” The spirit smiled as she took stepped closer to Apollo her own silver-blue reiatsu swirled around her and the clearing in response to Apollo growing more intense the closer she came towards to him.

“Your anger makes you strong, but it is uncontrolled if you hope to pass the final test you need to learn to control it. That you must do on your own Apollo Darknight…” Reaching out she placed her hand on Apollo’s cheek, “…goodbye for now, the sun does not belong in the night.”