It’s a mission that shouldn’t have taken him as long as it did. Then again, being on his own and having to defeat more than he was projected to doesn’t help. He’s littered with scratches, bruises, and dirt.
The slight limp in his step has him wondering if he should have asked for help. Not that he can call out for anyone mentally. He grumbles to himself as he heads for Orion’s hallway.
“Probably shouldn’t even go out on my own…So stupid.”
There’s the tiniest bit of sound that brings him to a stop. He glances over his shoulder to see a familiar person. They smile at him as they come off the stairs. Suddenly, he’s not as tired as he thinks. Zye hurries over to her without batting an eye.
“You’re Celeste, right?”
“That’s me.”
“I…was wondering if I could talk to you.”
Their hand comes off the railing, giving Zye their full attention. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure.”
Being able to tell them makes him hesitate. Should he even bother? Or is it possible that they’ll tell him more than Orion can or does?
“Please, feel free to speak your mind.”
“My blood, it’s orange. I know you and Orion are trying to look into my memories but maybe the two things are related. And it keeps happening, I don’t know…”
He trails off, eyes flicking about everywhere else aside from their face until the end. It’s then that he sees it. Even he can read the way their body language shifts into a tense nervousness.
Celeste brushes a hand over his shoulder and begins to turn. “Why don’t you come upstairs with me where we can—”
“Celeste!”
The shout has Celeste pausing. Vespera is sprinting towards them, almost unable to stop. Zye steps to the side and puts out his hand in case she plans to slam into him. She barely manages not to before grabbing Celeste’s arm.
“It’s Iris. She got hurt on her mission and I need you to check on her. I…there was a lot of blood and she’s not conscious.”
“Where is she?”
“In the water at the moment. I didn’t know what else to do.”
Celeste nods toward Zye while moving with Vespera. “I’m so sorry. Let me take care of this fire and I’ll come get you when I’m done.”
“That’s fine. I hope she’s alright.”
Celeste smiles and allows Vespera to clutch onto her tighter, tugging her away. “She will be. I’m sure she just needs to be stabilized. Come, Vespera, let’s hurry.”
Zye does hope that Iris will be okay. It’s just not what’s on his mind. He can’t help thinking about how Celeste reacted when he mentioned his blood. He knows he’s never been skilled at watching someone’s body language, but that was so terribly obvious.
Maybe Orion hasn’t told them about the blood. Are they even trying to fix anything about him? He doesn’t want to doubt— doesn’t want to be used again by feeling safe from empty promises. He doesn’t want to wait for someone else to do it, either.
Regardless, Zye makes his way back into Orion’s room. It’s a slow, well-practiced dance at this point. Strip and let the Mark clean and repair his clothes come first. Sit in the water until he gets a slight chill and then towel off.
It all ends with a pair of gray sweatpants draping over the tops of his feet. He hesitates at Orion’s door. The man isn’t back yet and he’s not sure if he should pry to see if Celeste has time for him. The back and forth in his head is evident by the way he worries the long sleeves of his light pink shirt between his fingers.
The material stretches before he finally lets it go. One deep breath later and he throws the door open. Leaving the room, he makes for the staircase. It’s worth a shot— he won’t know if he doesn’t try. Kass always used to say that the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Even so, he doesn’t want to overstep. It’s why he ends up at the bottom of the staircase with one hand on his hip. To go up or not. He doesn’t even know if there’s a door to knock on. There would be, right?
“Dammit…I can’t decide.”
Especially not when most of his spontaneous decisions before death didn’t work out entirely. He was just lucky there were good people around him at times. Or so he believes.
“Hey.”
That’s the last voice that Zye expects. The person is even more so as he glances over to see Aster standing there. Although, he does look a little different. The gaudy atmosphere isn’t quite there.
Not that he doesn’t look good. In fact, Zye can’t find where he wants to look. The man seems so much more approachable in his lavender pants and with the orange diamond shapes on the sides. They’re tucked into teal boots with studs dotting across the top and toes.
Each step closer to Zye has the open coat swaying against his legs. The teal contrasts perfectly with the light yellow shirt tucked into his pants— loose and comfortable looking. When he comes to a stop next to Zye, the star ornaments on his hair tie jingle.
It’s not the first time they’ve gotten up close to one another. It is the first time that Aster’s has had his hair pulled back. At least, the dark blue strands anyway.
Getting to really look at him, Zye has to admit to himself that Aster is pretty. It doesn’t help that those green eyes lock onto him and never glance away.
A smile quirks at Aster’s lips. “Everything okay?”
“Uh…yeah. “
He has a sinking suspicion this is going to divulge into bullshit. Still, he should try not to make a scene.
“I just wanted to, you know…we got off on the wrong foot.”
Not that Zye can stop the snappy reply. “Slightly.”
Aster chuckles in an attempt to lighten the air. “Sorry. Orion is just important. After what happened to Celeste, it’s hard not to be worried about having a repeat.”
“It’s fine. If my boyfriend was a target I’d be worried, too.”
Aster’s eyes widen and pupils dilate. Lips part ever-so-slightly before closing again, mimicking a fish. Zye’s surprised to see the faintest traces of red beneath Aster’s eyes. The man’s one facet he can’t seem to look away from— he’s got eyeliner and it looks so good on him.
Besides, it’s cute how he reacts. Teasing him will be ridiculously easy.
“N-no, he’s not. We’re not. I meant— do you mind if we could talk? Just the two of us?”
“Aren’t we doing that already? Or are you trying to lure me away so you can knock me out and dispose of the body?”
The hearty laughter does feel warm and genuine. To the point where Zye can feel his shoulders letting go of some tension. Not that he’s fully on board the Aster train yet.
“If I wanted to do that, I’d have done it already. We can relax in my room if you want. While we’re there if you need anything I can get my Mark to get it for you.”
“Lead the way,” he replies.
Zye doesn’t need to. Aster is already walking away, assuming Zye will follow. Which, he does. He simply has trepidations about it. No one else is around either. Not that he thinks anything will happen.
It won’t. Orion would have his head if he did. Right?
Aster opens the door and allows Zye to step in first. The floor is a plush white carpet that feels wonderful beneath his bare feet. A closer look at the fabric proves it to change color depending on how he looks at it, giving it a colored hue.
The room itself is small, not barren. There are a few shelves on the wall to the left that house what looks to be discs and books. Between it appears to be a tall glass hexagonal case with petite sculptures inside. From where or what they could be, Zye can’t tell.
Not to mention the furthest away appears to be a few large objects. The closest guess Zye can come up with is electronic equipment. He doesn’t focus on it too long. Doing so would mean thinking about how it works and knowing the only answer he’ll get is ‘magic’.
In the middle of this area is a circular couch that has two points of entry. It surrounds a small table in the center. Atop it sits two cups and a pitcher of amber liquid.
Zye turns away from admiring the colorful pale lavender walls and remaining two doors, to give Aster his full attention. Aster immediately gestures for Zye to move further in. When he doesn’t, Aster tries to let it slide.
Anyone would be apprehensive around someone that was previously hostile toward them.
“How are you adjusting? Any problems?”
“Seriously? I figured Orion told you everything. I have more than I can count.”
“Anything I can do?”
Zye smirks at him and takes a step to the side as if to look at what’s on the shelves further away. “Unless you can fix my head, the fact I can’t use half of what y’all can, or tell me who is in my dreams then no.”
Aster settles a hand into his pocket. Doing so has Zye realizing he’s wearing elbow-length gloves. The darker lavender material dons three orange straps leading to his wrists. The other hand reaches out, gesturing as he chuckles.
“Hard being new, huh? Bet you wish you could just go back and visit sometimes.”
Zye stills. It’s not because he has or that he’s afraid of being caught for doing so. It’s because he…doesn’t. Going back hurt more than he thought it would— painful and heartbreaking. Worse yet since he can’t even check up on everyone. If he can’t see them all, why tease himself with one or two.
Not when he can’t ask one about the other.
“Nah, can’t go back right?” he replies with a shrug of his shoulders.
“I guess so. Wouldn’t you want to know how that kid is doing now?”
Zye pivots on his heel. Feet drag over the carpet as he levels a glare at Aster. “What did you say?”
Aster raises his hands defensively. A small shake of the head and he steps forward. “Relax, relax. I just heard it from Ilista.”
Passing by him, Zye makes for the door. He doesn’t want to deal with this. Not now, not ever. He keeps his eyes glued to that silver handle— his escape.
“I didn’t think you two got along from how she acts.”
“We work together, we’re going to talk.”
“Sure.”
“I mean, as long as you didn’t go back there’s no problem. Not that you could unless someone were to help you.”
“I don’t think anyone wants to get in trouble because of me.”
“Ilista loves new places, so she’d do it. Then again, I’ve been there so I could take her any time.”
“Then why don’t you so you can get off my ass?” Zye snaps at him, allowing the words to have a bite to them.
Aster shrugs. “Yue can handle that. I’m wondering why you’ve had a change of heart. Orion said you were pretty hung up on it.”
Lying is out of the question for him, even if he maybe should. Getting defensive over the remark isn’t going to help matters either. Not reacting seems to be the best bet. It leaves the ball in Aster’s court.
“Or did you just give up on seeing them?”
Zye yanks at the handle only for Aster to position himself in front of it. It barely budges and Zye is fuming inside. “Move,” he demands in a firm tone.
“Look man, I just want to keep you from hurting yourself and endangering others. That’s all.”
His hand remains on the handle. The other slaps against the wall to the side of Aster’s head. The extra inch of height helps him look down at that loose smile. Zye drops his tone to a whisper, “I’m not trying to do a damn thing.”
“Relax it’s—”
“I’m going to step back and I want you to move your ass out of my way. I don’t want to start shit with you. It’d just make it harder on everyone else.”
Zye does as he says and moves back. His hands hang limply at his sides. He’s trying to come off as non-threatening despite the situation. What he really wants is to ask what the hell is wrong with this man.
Obliging, Aster begins to step to the side. “I’m not trying to piss you off. I’m just saying word travels here.”
Zye yanks the door open and keeps his gaze ahead. He knows full damn well what Aster is doing. He gets it, to some degree. That doesn’t make the anger any less palpable in his veins.
“Threats don’t mean much to me.”
“It’s a warning. Better he hears it from you, right?”
One step out.
He’s not sure why he glances back over his shoulder. The smile is gone. A serious look maps out Aster’s face and for a moment, he gets it. It really is a warning.
“How did it feel when you ignored what he said and went back?”
Aster’s gaze sweeps down to the floor. Knitted brows tell him what he needs to know. The lack of response even more so. Zye is sure they’re all guilty of it. They’ve all had a home they had to leave. The urge to return can’t be put off forever.
His hand slips from the handle. “Yeah, it sucks, doesn’t it? So believe me when I say I’m just trying to do whatever this is now and leave me alone.”
________________________
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeY5hD32Pnb
The following day goes like clockwork despite the dreams that proceeded to haunt Zye while he slept. His performance in his missions hasn’t been impacted and he’s doing fine even after his talk with Aster.
At least, so he thinks.
All he can do is wait for Celeste to come and get him. He did go and see Ilista to find out how Iris was doing. Ilista assured him she’ll be fine. Not that he’s seen her or Vespera to ask directly.
Going on a solo run after being with Orion for most of the day seems to alleviate a lot of stress. The stress he didn’t know was there. Yet after a quick fight and an even quicker cleanse, he feels a bit better. A little more alive than he did at the start.
Of course, when he returned Orion was nowhere in sight. It means he might not have any more work to do, which is fine by him. It’s why he grabs a pair of sweats and a t-shirt from the dresser the Mark has been so gracious to make for him. It’s an outfit tied together by the towel around his neck.
Zye snatches up the jewel and heads back out of his room. It’s there that he sees Orion sitting on the side of his bed. It’s a rare moment where the gloves are next to him and not on his hands. Striding closer, Zye can see white lines that circle around the base and middle of each finger.
“Everything okay?”
Orion doesn’t look up right away. He continues to shuck off his boots, allowing them to fall to the side on the ground. “I need to get ready for another mission. Aster and I have something to do.”
Zye slides one hand into his pocket as he stands beside the bed. “You two seem to work together a lot.”
Lifting his gaze, Orion immediately looks back down to the floor. A light pink dusts his cheeks. “Can’t you wear a normal shirt?”
“Hey, I don’t see a dress code. And it is a normal shirt.”
His hand slips from the pocket and plucks at the bottom hem. It doesn’t go down very far. The light green material stops halfway down his ribcage.
Orion shakes his head at that. He turns and brings one bent leg up onto the bed in an effort to give Zye his full attention.
“No, there’s no uniform. If there was, I know Ilista and Aster would have none of it.” He leans one hand onto the bed, putting most of his weight onto it. “How are you doing?”
“Fine I guess,” he replies with a shrug.
“Are you sure? You looked a little worn out on the mission earlier.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just didn’t sleep real well.”
Orion hums at that. “Yes…you did take your time getting ready. Were they nightmares or dreams? Better yet, what was happening in them?”
Gritting his back teeth, Zye forces a smile. The last thing he wants to do is talk about it. Not when it was splotches of intimate memories with a man he can’t remember fully.
“Nothing really. So, am I done today or did you—”
“Zye, I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”
He takes a step back. “I’m serious, it was nothing. I mean I can’t remember him anyway so it’s not like it matters right?”
“That’s not what I—”
“Besides, you don’t want to hear about my sex life. Unless you’re into that.”
Orion clears his throat that. It proves to Zye that maybe he’s not comfortable discussing those things. He’s a far cry from living with Shae.
“And no, there are no more missions. Take this time to rest. Besides, you did well today.”
“I mean, I did take out more than you.”
“You’re supposed to. It’s your job as a Guardian.” He stands up and moves toward Zye. “You really should leave that in the chamber. The Mark will take care of it without having to go into your room.”
Orion gestures for Zye to take it off and doesn’t watch where he’s going. Tripping over his own boots, he stumbles forward. There’s only one thing to reach out to steady himself and that’s Zye. Thankfully, the latter is reaching a hand out just in case.
Grasping onto Zye’s wrist, he doesn’t realize he’s flush up against him until Zye is looking down. “You okay?”
Orion stares up at him. It’s not the first time he’s seemed to be in a daze when they’re together. It doesn’t necessarily concern Zye. Not yet. Zye waits for Orion to shake it off and take a cautious step back.
“Thanks…for that.”
“No problem. Is everything okay, though? You’re spacier than I am.”
“I’m fine.” Orion puts distance between them until the backs of his legs touch the bed. “I did want to ask you something.”
“Hm?”
“You didn’t happen to mention anything to Ilista about your world, did you?”
Zye can’t help but bristle at that. Aster’s words ring loud in his ears. Maybe Orion won’t care as long as he’s honest about not wanting to go back. Or at least, denying the urge deep in his heart. It’s not worth it, he’s convinced himself of that.
“It doesn’t matter, does it? I mean—”
“It does. Rules are rules and no one is special enough to break them.”
“Really? Because it looks like everyone else did. Why is me going back such a big deal?” Zye turns to the side. “I don’t want to go back again anyway. What she’s doing has nothing to do with me. You’re the one that can stop her, not me.”
Orion’s eyes narrow. “The two of you will have restrictions on where you can go if you keep this up.”
“Did you not just hear me? I went back once, sure. But I didn’t talk to anyone. I came back immediately because you were right, I shouldn’t have gone. Nothing happened.”
“Enough. Forget about your missions tomorrow. I’ll have a talk with Ilista. It might be best if you stay away from her for now.”
Zye grips at the towel and throws it to the ground. If anything, it does get Orion’s attention. To which Orion finally does actually look at him and falls silent.
“It’s because I don’t bleed the right color, isn’t it? Or how my head is all fucked up? You said you were working on it, but are you really?”
“I am. You’re still new to this and I knew you’d try to go back, I should have made sure you couldn’t.”
“You…you were just waiting for me to screw up. All so you can justify making me go sit in a corner.”
Orion steps forward. “Zye, it’s not that simple. If you need to know something, I’ll tell you.”
“No!”
He shakes his head. Fingers curl into fists, one of them being around the jewel against his palm. A memory fizzles to life in the back of his mind. A woman that wanted only the best for him— encouraged him to fight for what was best.
The pain shooting through the back of his head is something he struggles to ignore as he stumbles back. “You…you don’t even want to know me. You’re just some thing that saved my life and now I owe you.” He settles his gaze onto Orion’s bright green eyes. “But I’m not something someone can control as they please.”
Orion is quick to move. He grabs at Zye’s wrist and gives a tug, urging the taller man back to his room. A glance at Zye tells of the silver rimming his purple and blue eyes and a grimace on his countenance.
“Stop acting like a child and calm down. Just because you didn’t ask for it doesn’t mean you’re not where you should be.”
“You can come with me, be like us.”
Zye yanks his hand away with a huff. It’s like listening to static in his head. But he can hear it— that voice that registers so clearly with his heart. He doesn’t know what it means, does it relate to what all this is? Or is it just a convenient memory?
Regardless, the memory wraps around his throat as if to choke him. It forces him to the precipice of wanting to know more and wanting to let it all go.
“I don’t want this anymore if you’re not going to be open about what’s going on with me. Not when you’re only nice when I’m falling in line.”
Orion cautiously advances toward Zye once more. His hands are at his sides as if to show he’s not a threat. “It’s complicated,” he begins, “but you have to understand that I’ve done what is best for everyone.”
“That’s not— I’m talking about me. Don’t you think it’s scary to go out and not be able to communicate with all of you? I can’t even come back on my own.”
“Then perhaps until we get more answers, you should stay here unless you’re with someone.”
Trapped. That’s all he can think of when he hears that. Locked back away where he can’t do anything without anyone. As if having a disease that was killing him wasn’t bad enough.
All he’s done is gone from being one type of burden to another.
Useless.
Orion’s hands are reaching out for him. The hands that want to guide him back to his room where it’s safe and sectioned away.
Like hell he’s going back in there.
The panic that surges up has him unable to think of anything other than getting away.
He can’t go back in there.
He can’t stay here.
Zye shoves Orion away once he realizes the man has closed all of the distance between them. All of his strength is behind the push, enough to have Orion staggering back. Those green eyes widen as Zye spins around.
Clutching at the jewel, he runs. Bare feet slap against the floor before he slings the door open.
He doesn’t look back.
Doesn’t see the strings that sling out to try and catch him but misses.
All he can do is think of his home, of the only one he can remember clearly enough. The one he knows for sure is alive and can reach.
Except the jewel isn’t for taking him anywhere and he knows he has to get to the mirror. Just a single touch and maybe he can replicate what Ilista helped him with the first time.
He could just go to Ilista.
But would she deny him entry? Would she let Orion in?
Fear begins to mingle with panic. Neither of which he can calm down or think through. The feelings thud through his body like a racing heartbeat.
At the end of the hall, there are specks of colors flickering. Almost like flames trying to rise up from the smoldering ashes. Reds and oranges crawl up from the floor until they form a doorway no different than what someone here can make.
Yet it’s different.
The sound of the door banging against the wall behind him has him realizing he doesn’t care.
“Zye! Come back!”
Fight or flight instincts have him sprinting into the rip in space, not caring where he ends up. Only that it closes right behind him and keeps Orion from reaching him.
He just needs a moment to breathe— a moment away from all of it.
He’ll go back when he’s ready. He has the jewel to use to return with.
But not right now. Not while his hands are trembling with adrenaline as he stumbles forward. His feet slam into the puddles that welcome him. The pant legs are the first things to get drenched with water with the rest of him following.
It’s pouring.
The ice-cold rain is comfortable— welcoming. It’s gentle despite how relentless the downpour is. A heavy sigh hangs off his lips as he tilts his head up, enjoying how the droplets hit his face.
Alone.
Silence.
It has all of the racing feelings and thoughts slowing down. They have no more stimuli to stir them up. He can breathe and calm the way his body is running on high.
He doesn’t sense it— doesn’t see it. The smallest of sounds has him curious enough to turn around and look at the mouth of the alley. It’s not what’s there that has him reacting, it’s the way his foot slips against the wet concrete.
Sitting in the puddle, he groans. “Seriously? As if seeing you here couldn’t get worse. Why are you here?”
The night is dark and casts thick shadows down the alley between the apartment buildings. There at the end of it, outlined in the soft moonlight, is Vespera.
Everything about her shimmers thanks to the rain.
Everything but the emotionless gaze she shows him.
“For you.”
“I’ll go back to Noctis when I’m ready.” He begins to stand up, suddenly hating how wet he is. “I just need to get away for a minute. He really pissed me off.”
“That’s not where you’re going. Please,” she pauses as she summons forth her weapons. “Please don’t put up a fight. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Zye stares at the two sickles she summons. The small orbs attached to the bottoms swing gently as she readies them in front. The one with a typical half-moon curve she holds behind the jagged, L-shaped one.
“What? And where are we going?”
He asks the question, however, he’s also summoning both of his blades in the same breath. They shimmer to life in his grasp with the opaque cord of energy connecting them behind his legs.
“I can’t tell you that. I don’t know where you’ll be going.”
“Then you’d better hope you can make me.”
The long, blue braid sways through the air as she dashes toward him. It’s much like how Ilista was training them in their practice matches.
Fast. Deadly.
The only difference is Vespera can get even closer than Ilista. The hand-held scythes provide her a unique ability to get close and then change tactics. The half-moon one she lets slip from her grasp to instead grab at the attached metal ball.
Zye jumps back just in time to avoid how she swings it, knocking it away with her sword. His eyes and senses struggle to follow her movements. She’s like him. They aren’t as strong as Aster or Ilista, but they’re quick.
And she’s even harder to pin down.
The small alley proves hard to move in as they dodge and parry each other. Getting impatient, Zye throws out one of his swords in a desperate attempt to distract her.
Vespera ducks low and dashes forward. A sidestep around his other swing and she’s free to slash at him. Blood beads along a cut across the side of his leg. A second burns along his stomach just above his belly button.
“D-dammit,” he mutters as he backs up.
He can’t get far enough away from her fast enough. Nor can he get his sword back with how his concentration shudders. Frustrated, he lets his other sword go as she gets in close once more.
The first slash misses as he grabs her wrist. He glares down at her. “Would you quit it? Why are you even doing this?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Dismissing his weapons didn’t catch her off guard yet he quickly falls prey to being surprised when she does the same. Vespera is quick to grab at the front of his shirt, yanking him down to her level.
Zye doesn’t notice what she’s pulled forth until the thin, soft material is around his neck. The small jewel attached to it rests against his skin as he shakes her way.
Vespera allows it and dashes backward, skidding across the slick ground. She watches as he fiddles with it. His fingers attempt in vain to reach back and search for the clasp. The metal piece he finds has nothing he can push or pull on— nothing to undo it.
Her eyes stay locked on the colorless jewel that begins to fill with color. A murky gradient of silver, green, and orange shimmers inside of it.
“What the hell is this thing? What did you do?”
“Please, stop resisting. You won’t be able to fight further.”
Zye looks up and drops fast. His knees dip through a puddle as he scurries away from a sweep of her scythes. There’s only one problem.
He hit the ground.
Trying to get back up and call his sword to his hand is harder than he’d ever imagined. Stumbling and tripping, he dodges up and down the alley.
Vespera’s attacks are relentless. Even if they don’t draw blood, they’re slicing through the material and forcing him to ignore his surroundings. His back hits the wall as Vespera spins them in her grasp. Raising his sword, he holds it in front as his last line of defense.
His mind is racing.
There has to be a way out of this.
The second he thinks that the sword vanishes.
His eyes go wide as he stares at his now empty hands. “What…what the hell?”
“Like I said, stop fighting.”
Panic is sinking in. He can fight even without his sword. He should want to regardless. It could mean the difference between life and death.
Zye shoves his hands against her shoulders. While she catches herself from falling, Zye is racing to the mouth of the alley. He can see people striding by— they hear nothing, see nothing, and can’t help him in the slightest.
All he can think of is pulling the necklace from his pocket. Halfway to the throngs of people passing by, his frame is touched by the gentle light of the moon. He stops moving and clutches at the jewel. He does everything that Orion taught him.
Tips. Tricks. How to feel. What to focus on.
The jewel remains unresponsive.
“N…no…you’ve got to be kidding.”
“Zye!”
Glancing over his shoulder is the nail in the coffin. Vespera is a blur of movement and fluttering skirts as she runs past him. The curve of her scythe catches the chain while the jagged one stabs into his shoulder. All it takes is her foot knocking at the back of his leg and his knees hit the ground.
Zye scrambles to try and keep a hold of the necklace. The chain cuts against his fingers as it’s ripped away. It’s at the same time that her knee slams against his back.
Her scythe and the jewel go flying with the former vanishing the second it leaves her hand. The other is pressed deeper into him, tearing deep until blood is soaking through the material no different than the rain.
Even so, he reaches out for the jewel as it skids to the end of the alley. Doing so has Vespera grabbing his arm and bending it back behind him. Zye hisses when it only makes the blade sink in deeper.
“Get the hell off me!”
“Shut up and stay still. I don’t want to hurt you, you fool.”
Cheek to the wet ground, Zye pinches his eyes shut. He doesn’t know what this thing she put on him is, but it has to be the reason it hurts. There was no shield he could put up around his body. Feeling heavy as lead, he can only lie there and hate when she pulls the blade out.
Pain, oh how he hates it.
Zye bites back the shout. If anything, he rolls over now that it’s gone. He huffs from the effort and stares up at the rain hitting his face.
“You cheated.”
“I did what I had to do. I warned you not to fight.”
The rough texture scratches his fingertips as he drags them along the concrete. The tightness in his throat doesn’t compare to the regret of leaving in the first place.
Vespera, preparing to send a message, glances down to where the necklace has skittered to. Near the opening, she notices a young man that stops. Bright sapphire eyes peer down the alley before he bends down, picking it up.
She waits for the mop of blue hair to resume walking with the item. A sigh slips from her before mumbling to herself, “Good…now he can’t track us.”
What— or who— he can track is the young man heading into the apartment building a few steps away. Inside and safe from the rain, he takes his time getting up to his apartment and inside. All the while, he keeps the necklace in the confines of his coat lest anyone see it.
Once the door is shut, Xerxes begins the demanding task of stripping off his coat and water-logged shoes. The necklace he takes to his room and leaves on the bed with the photos he’s gotten today. He towels off and quickly changes into a white t-shirt and a pair of brown shorts before sitting beside this strange thing.
“It’s so weird…” he says to himself.
In fact, it is. The jewel attached to the necklace is truly beautiful. He’s not even sure why he took it. The only thing he does know is the only thing stranger than this object is the voice he swore he heard when he saw it.
It’s been so long and yet he just knows it sounded like Zye.
“Maybe it’s just because I met with Callua…Maybe, haaa, I’m so stupid.”
Xerxes scoops up the necklace and falls backward onto the bed. He huffs at it while turning it over in his hands.
Today has been such an emotional day for him. Suddenly, there are so many things he wants to do before he leaves this city. Now that he’s gotten the courage to leave, he almost doesn’t want to.
Misplaced courage, but some nonetheless.
He’d be leaving Callua behind. And now Ilista, too. She’s been such a fun person to be around. He also wants to meet that man Callua brought with her. If he had those pictures then surely he’s a good guy.
Xerxes shoves himself back up with the jewel clutched in his hand. “Yeah, I’ll let her know. I just need to find out when Ilista is—” Xerxes glances down at the way the jewel seems to glow and sparkle. “—what?”
The last thing he expects is for a flare of color to start on the floor by his door. It’s a bubbling fire that surges up to mimic the thing it’s in front of; purples, blues, yellows, and everything in between.
It’s something out of his games or movies. All he can do is stare, slack-jawed, as a man comes out from the portal. The calming colors of his attire do little to stave off the deep-set glare of his green eyes.
Even more so when he directs his gaze to Xerxes. The man swallows hard and moves further up onto the bed. The fact that he reacts has Orion walking toward him.
“How did you get that?”
“I…I found it…”
His heart is racing in his ears and it feels as though he can barely talk past the lump in his throat. Xerxes tries to find a weapon on the man before him, yet sees none. There’s only a pair of pants into brown boots and a green zipped-up jacket.
Orion goes to reach forward, intending on taking the necklace back, when Xerxes flinches away from him.
“I don’t have time for this,” he mutters to himself.
Instead, he grabs Xerxes’s wrist and yanks him off the bed. Xerxes is surprised by the strength he can’t tug back against. He’s forced toward the portal by the taller man. Anything Zye taught him about self-defense immediately goes out the window.
Throat dry and tongue heavy as lead, he can’t even scream. The fear that races through him is nothing compared to being thrust into the swirling mass of energy.
Orion doesn’t let go even once they’re in Noctis. Xerxes, despite wanting to look, keeps his eyes on the ground. He’s trying so hard to think— to think about what to do. At least, until he hears a very familiar voice.
“What did you do? You brought a mortal here? Now I know you’ve lost it.”
“He’s a witness. We need what he knows while I wait for Aster to track them down.”
Ilista strides up to them, ponytail bouncing behind her. She eyes the way Orion hasn’t let go of Xerxes’s wrist. “And dragging him here is the way to do it?”
“We can take care of that afterward.”
Orion ignores her and turns back to Xerxes. He takes the opportunity to yank the necklace away from him. Xerxes tries not to fight back— to just let it happen. In fact, he remains as quiet as possible.
Finally letting him go, Orion stares down at him. “What did you see?” he asks firmly.
“Orion, please, I’ll handle this. Go and find out if Aster has gotten any leads. There’s no way we can track their energy signatures with her suppressing it.”
“Fine. I’ll be back in a moment.”
Ilista lets out a sigh of relief the second Orion is rushing through another portal. She’s careful with how she places her hand on Xerxes’s shoulder.
“Follow me,” she says before letting her hand slide from his shoulder down to his hand. Palm to palm, she’s grateful when his fingers curl against hers.
She’s quick to urge him to her hall and into her room. There she guides him to the couch where he takes a seat. It’s something he’s grateful for considering how his legs feel like jelly.
“I want to thank you, so much, for not saying anything in front of him. And I’m so, so, sorry for having lied to you about what I am.”
“What…are you?”
“Sometimes when someone dies, they’re allowed to keep going. In return, we make sure to keep all the ones who are safe. That’s what I do.”
“Oh, okay.”
Ilista kneels before him. She tilts her head up and he’s given the sight of furrowed brows and worried eyes. “I’ll tell you as much as I can when I get back. I promise.”
“You’re leaving?”
“I am. But only for a moment.”
“I…Um…am I going to die? Or did I? I…I don’t want to die. Please…?”
She shakes her head before giving smiling softly at him. “No, you’ll be fine. I made a promise to keep you safe. I’ll make sure you get home.”
“A promise?”
“Oh, well, uh, you know that’s my duty now as a Keeper of Light! We protect souls.”
“Before I go can you tell me what you saw?”
Xerxes shakes his head. “I didn’t see anything. I just…I thought I heard someone and when I looked down it was there.”
“I see.” Ilista summons forth her Mark. She’s not surprised when Xerxes sinks back against the cushion at its appearance. “This Mark will give you whatever you need or even contact me. You just touch its head.”
She demonstrates. The Mark nods and creates a blanket that it hands to her. Ilista takes it and drapes it over Xerxes’s shoulders. Her hands settle there, not wanting to leave him alone.
“I’m sorry about this. I really will be back and we can talk more before I take you home, okay?”
A petite nod.
It’s all she needs to encourage her to move and do it quickly. She knows he’s shell-shocked and struggling to comprehend what is happening. She doesn’t even know what would happen to him if he stays too long without being dead.
There are so many questions she has and she’ll only get some of those out of Orion. Otherwise, she needs to get her hands on Aster. All they found in that alley were energy traces of a fight and that doesn’t spell good news.
ns 15.158.61.7da2
