The Brothers
The Champion belt was draped over Jayne’s shoulder. River stood next to him on the main dias in front of Doctor White.
The rest of the room was dark, the crowd hushed and watching. The Clown raised his arms wide,
“Brothers and Sisters of the Dark Carnival! The ring has given us this years champions, warriors for not only True Love, but for the Carnival itself! For these two, as well as a few of their companions have salvaged the Candle Of Jekel and returned it too us!”
The crowd roared with their approval for a moment. The Doctor motioned at someone outside the light that engulved the three of them. A guard, face painted with a laughing clown stepped forward with the wooden box from the salvage job. Jayne felt River tense at his side.
He could swear he could hear her warn him again. …do not fall from the sky… Jayne glanced down at her hand clenching his arm, she was staring intently at the box.
Again the crowd exploded with applause, Mal watched from the box seats, already weary of the odd little games these people seemed to enjoy.
“One of the 6 artifacts, lost from us, and returned.” He pulled a large white candle from the box, it had waxy rivulets all down the side, the wick was large and gnarled and black.
The Crowd was on their feet, cheering and stamping, the noise was becoming physically oppressive. River curled up against Jayne. As together as she was, this was too much for even a disciplined reader to take.
There was a small puffing sound that silenced the crowd. The candle now had a small flame at the apex of the curled wick.
Doctor White looked in shock at the candle as it lifted from his hand to float between himself and the two fighters.
“Aw, Hel-“ the Flame roared and the good doctor was thrown back against the wooden walls behind him and crumpled into a heap.
The Flame Surged, causing the crowd to throw themselves to the floor, River hid her face in Jayne’s side as he wrapped his arms around her and turned his back half too the candle’s flame. Mal peeked up over the edge of the box to see two hulking forms on each side of the candle. Impossibly large muscular arms made from swirling and surging flames. Their clothing was both cloth and flame, a darker shade then their bodies, like a large sunspot on their corona like flesh.
One of them was lighter, more yellow and orange. His face was a frozen mask of silent laughter, ablaze like the rest of him. His flames crackled slowly and warmed that side of Jayne’s face, just short of his skin feeling tight with the heat.
The other was all red and smoky purple. Grey inkish smoke curled off his whirling and rushing flames. His face was one of sheer rage, the flames forming it whipped as if in the same frenzy its owner seemed to be forever immersed in.
“Jaayne Cahhhhbb” Their voices were harsh, and undulating. The sound reminded Jayne of a prarie fire that had whipped out of control back home.
The two apparitions floated farther apart, the candle always the centerpoint between them. They spoke in tandem, one nearly overlapping the last.
“You stand before..
“…And shall be Judged..”
“…by the Amazing…”
“…JEcKeL BrOthers!”