Cordis hummed in thought as his gaze panned around the room taking count and assessing the situation. Spotting the brunette at the doorway, a slight smile pulled at the corners of his mouth before he clasped his hands behind his back while he observed the red-clad woman sizing up her spouse. His eyes then wandered over to the gentle healer doing her best to square up with the aeromancer. Finally, gold eyes shifted their attention back to the anxious green pair to watch as the blonde reached for something behind his back.
“You know, Animae, it’s not quite a party without everyone in attendance,” Cordis mused, making his way over to the balcony doors as Gideon opened one. Extending a hand outside, Cordis led the faery in before pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. “So nice of you to join us, my spitfire.”
“S…Senshi?” She looked towards Jayden before turning her gaze back to the blonde that had pressed another kiss to the back of her hand. “I don’t… Senshi, why?” She glanced over at Jayden once more before looking away. “Senshi!”
“Let’s try not to make a scene now, Ani–”
“Shut up, Cordis. I’m talking to her!” Jayden snapped as he started to glare. “Senshi, why are you with him? He's the enemy remember?! What could he have told you to make you side with him?!”
Cordis gave her hand a small squeeze before smiling at her. “Allow me.” Dark yellow eyes flickered as they snapped back towards the reaper. “Since you’ve got here, you’ve been nothing but helpless. How’d you survive the warehouse?” he questioned. “If it weren’t for my friend, you’d be dead. What about the jailhouse? Oh, that was my friend too. Aren’t you lucky to have had them looking out for you?”
“You probably coordinated those attacks,” Jayden groused as he clenched a fist at his side. “I’m sure you’ve coordinated the attack on everyone else too!”
“Maybe I did and maybe I didn’t,” he replied with a shrug, “however, everyone else seems to be able to take care of themselves. Vandal can wield a battleaxe and enchant other weapons. He even picked a fight with Gideon.” He chuckled at the thought of the Five coming back pissed due to the red-clad woman’s interference. “Birdie can wield a sword properly. She’s agile too. Even got a strike on me.” He made a face before smiling at the faery again. “Spitfire could probably collapse this building maybe level a city block if she wanted.” Cordis then focused on his counterpart. “Even your healer can handle herself better than you. What good are you to any of them?” he asked as he stepped towards the other.
“Cor-”
“If anything, you’re just deadweight – a useless mess. Why don’t you take Senshi’s departure as a sign that you’re not helpful to any of them. You're incapable of making anyone feel safe.” He proceeded to close the gap. “That being said, why don’t you give up and reunite with me? It would make things so much better. There won’t be anymore working for Omega or with that Runihura. There won’t be a need to ferry the dead. It won’t be your problem anymore. You don’t have to carry on with this self-righteous bullshit of protecting others who could care less what happens to you. We can finally go home.” He settled a hand upon his counterpart’s shoulder to feel it trembling. “Let’s end this. Don’t you want to see Aidan?”
“Don’t you want to see Aidan?” Cordis questioned before I swatted his hand away. “Ani–”
“Stop talking,” I grumbled as he grabbed my shoulder again. “You’re only talking to build up your own ego when deep down you’re just a sad half that has been alone for way too long.” I glared at him by this point to see him looking surprised before I knocked his hand away once more. “The only reason you have your friend watch me is because you’re too scared to do anything yourself. The only thing you really got going for you is the fact that you have my scythe. Without it, you’re nothing. Nothing, Cordis!”
He took a step back before looking over to see his companions eye him before focusing on their intended targets. Gideon remained almost expressionless minus the eyebrow that was hiked ever so slightly. Even the Four had peeked out of its hiding place to stare. My attention then went back to see the corner of Cordis’s eye twitch before he lowered his head.
“I'm nothing you say?”
‘Did I hurt his pride?’
I mentally kicked myself for entertaining the idea that I should’ve even remotely cared. A bit of an ego check would do him some good.
“Nothing?” He repeated the word over and over before growing silent. “Nothing.” I withdrew the kitchen knife from my waistband once he looked at me. “Nothing.” He sounded amused this time around. “Is that what you think?” he asked thoughtfully as inched towards me. “Contrary to your belief, I find that it is you who is nothing.” Cordis eyed the knife before making a grab for it. “But in the end, I still need you to go home.”
I backpedaled, swiping at his hand. I felt a sharp pain in my hand as he took a step back to eye the damage. His eyes narrowed at the blood spilling over before licking it off with a smile. Swinging a leg soon after, he dislodged the knife before closing the distance to seize my shirt.
“Cor-”
“To be honest, I’d kill you with my own hands if I could. If you hadn’t figured it out, the only reason I didn’t let any Umbras eat you is because I need you to go home. No one here needs you like I do. Omega can always find a new reaper; Runihura can find a new partner. Your group does not need you; Senshi has made that quite clear. You’re nothing to them but useful to me. That being said, let’s go home.” I grit my teeth as I watched his smile broaden. “C’mon, all you have to do is say yes.”
“No.”
“Don’t make me force you,” he replied. "You know I have no problem doing so."
“How’s that been going for you?” I asked. “You think you can only order anyone around just because you have my scythe.”
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s mine.”
“It’s my scythe,” I clarified, “and it’s the only reason you’re getting away with any of this shit! You wouldn’t dare try an of this without it!”
He hummed in thought before flinging me towards the wall. Kicking the knife over to Gideon, Cordis made his way towards me before planting a hand on the wall at either side of my head.
“One thing I admire almost as much as I despise about you is how adamantly you choose to defy me,” he commented as he leaned in. He paused to catch my knee as I tried to hit him in the stomach. “It makes breaking you down all the more worth it.” His gaze then panned towards the faery that was watching the two of us before focusing on me. “Even if you had your scythe, you wouldn’t be able to beat me yet alone protect any of them.”
“How do you know?”
“I’m your other half. Trust me, I know,” he replied. “To prove it, I propose a challenge.”
“If you best me, I’ll let you keep your weapon.”
A lump formed in my throat at my next question. “What do you want if you win?”
His eyes narrowed making our proximity even more uncomfortable and foreboding. “You say yes. No more running from me.” I felt a knot form in my stomach. “Do we have a deal?” My voice wouldn’t come out at the idea of agreeing. “Do we have a deal, Animae?”
I glanced at the others facing off with their opponents. I wanted to be able to help them. I then looked at Senshi. I don’t know what Cordis could’ve said to make her defect to his side, but I’d find out and bring her back with us. I then looked at Cordis to see him waiting as patiently as he could for my response.
The repercussions of me losing would possibly prove to be detrimental.
I recalled the warnings from Omega but if it could at least get everyone back to where they needed to go, I’d have to risk it.
I focused on him when he demanded an answer. “I accept.”
Surprise appeared on his face before he smiled, taking a step back while snapping his fingers to call over the Four that had been lingering in the shadows. “I do believe that we will need a bit more space.”
“Oh?” the Four mused, glancing at me then back at Cordis. “Do you have a place in mind?”
“Surprise me,” he responded before looking at Gideon. “I trust you know what needs to be done if needed?”
“I’m a bit offended you must ask,” Gideon stated as his gaze panned towards the faery watching the blondes. “Everything will be handled in your absence.”
“Excellent!”
“Let’s go! Go! Go!” the Level Four cheered as its form transitioned into its gaseous state.
It surrounded us before I looked at Cordis the moment he grabbed my shirt. “Say goodbye, Animae, as it’s the last you’ll see of them.”
I looked at them all before we were whisked away.483Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBRjELJP6o
Fixing the lapels of his suit jacket, Gideon then turned his attention to the other occupants that had been left behind before making his way to stand alongside the balcony doors to observe.
“Please try to refrain from making such a mess when you’re all fighting each other,” he requested dully as he moved on to adjusting his cuffs. “I would prefer not having to clean up.”
“But isn’t that what a butler does?” Ladnavia asked, sparing a glance to see if the Umbra would bristle.
Opting in not dignifying the woman with a response, Gideon turned his attention to her counterpart to see that he was glancing at the healer every now and then. Nuallis had appeared to be focused on the last location of the blondes before her head whipped back to focus on the aeromancer that started to close the distance between the two of them.
“Van-”
“You should be more focused on yourself, Nuallis,” Caecius interrupted before charging at the healer.
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