Making his rounds takes far longer than he cares for. Jace creates a complete circle by visiting Lucile, Gray, and then checking in on Vespera. Everyone seems to be holding steady. Of which, he makes sure Gray is on standby in case they need his help.
Jace would rather not have to call for him. This is for the Celestials, Infernals, and Keepers to handle. The other souls shouldn’t have to be pulled into this more than they already are. None of them deserve to be caught in the crossfire like this.
If anything, returning to the cabin does a number on lifting his spirits. Even more so to walk in and see the lantern sitting in the middle of the table. It’s still burning enough for him to see Zye cuddled up on the couch with a journal on his lap.
There are a few more on the table, left partially open or closed. Meanwhile, Zye looks rather uncomfortable with how he’s leaning against the arm of the couch. His boots are on the floor with his shirt draped over the corner of the table.
Zye doesn’t stir from his sleep even as Jace goes over to him. Fingers brush through the longer tresses before Jace bends down. He places the journal on the table before scooping Zye up into his arms.
It’s a quick walk to the room where he lies Zye in bed. Tucking him under the blanket, he makes sure Zye is still asleep before exiting. Back to the living room, he drops onto the couch. He needs to gather the clothing and turn off the lantern. Just a moment to breathe is fine.
He intends to until a portal opens up in the corner of the room. From it emerges Callua with a small wave of her hand.
“Hey there. Just get back?”
“Yes. Did you want to read any of these before I hand them over to Celeste for now?”
Callua ambles to the couch and plops down next to him. “It’s fine. I already read through a few of them.” She glances over at the pensive expression he wears as he stacks the one he’s holding onto the others. “What’s wrong?”
“Wishing I had a chance to talk to Charm about things. I know she wouldn’t have liked my choice, but maybe she would have listened.”
“I…don’t know.”
“If she had, Hax might have opened up to her. Maybe they could have stopped Kerse before she started to slide down this slope further.”
“You’re thinking in a lot of what-ifs tonight.”
“It’s hard not to when making the wrong move could kill you. This could have, maybe, been avoided.”
Callua brushes her hand over his arm. “Jay? Listen to me for a second, okay?” He glances at her and meets her eyes. “There are always going to be people like Soren out there. You can’t stop every one or save everyone.”
“I suppose so.”
“I mean it. But we can do our best. That’s what she taught us to do, right?”
He waits a moment before settling his back against the plush cushion. It feels good on his weary body. “You heard what I told him?”
Callua sheepishly pulls away.
“I knew you were there, you know that. I wanted you to hear it, too.”
“Thanks…and I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“It’s terrible though! You had it so rough.” She hesitates at that before sneaking a glance at him. “Is that why you trusted Hax so much? He saved you?”
“No…I’m not sure. It was a gut feeling to follow him at times. Same with Charm.”
“I get it. Charm saved me after I died. I didn’t know what I was or understood what it meant. She saw something in me. Eventually named me as a trainer for the newbies.”
Callua smiles and sweeps her heels up to balance against the edge of the coffee table with a smile.
“As much as we butted heads, she always took care of me when things got overwhelming. Even when I’d run off to ‘play with the mortals’, she would still have me in her room the next day for snacks.”
Jace nudges his arm against hers. “She was pretty great, wasn’t she?”
“The best mom a girl could ask for. But the type that would send you to bed without dinner.”
“Scary.”
“Haha, yeah…” She rubs her arm against his in turn. “I don’t hate Hax, by the way. I’m just frustrated with everything. Especially with her acting without us. I know she did all the time, but she didn’t even warn us about what she was going to do. And now she’s gone.”
Putting his arm over her shoulders, he pulls her close. She leans her head against him as they sit there in the near dark. The steady, low glow of the lantern is comforting. It’s been so long since they’ve been able to sit and relax.
Not since before all of this started.
They both miss the movie nights when they’d all cram together on the couch.
“How could they let us suffer for so long. Not just them but everything or one above us?”
The soft, vulnerable tone of her voice catches him off guard. He pats her shoulder. “Zye seems to have the same feeling. However, sometimes it’s up to us to make things work. Besides, we’ll do our best to prevent something like this from happening again.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I’m sure Zye would promote you to my rank if I told him to. Actually, I wouldn’t have to. He’d do it.”
“I swear I’ll kill you.”
“It’s not that much more responsibility.”
Callua lightly slaps his thigh while her feet slip from the table to hit the ground. “Is too! You jerk, I don’t want more work.”
“You’re good at it.”
Pouting, Callua sits up and snatches at one of the tails on his bandanna. It unravels and she stands, taking it away so that his hair falls down. She sticks her tongue out at him as she does. “For that, I’ll just make him demote you.”
“We both know that won’t work.”
Jace drags his hand up through his bangs and pushes them back. His hair is a tangled mess from being up all day. As his hands fall back into his lap, he lifts his chin. “And how are you really doing? I know going back to deal with Daichi isn’t what you wanted.”
“No, it’s really not. I don’t know. I’m worried, Jay. You might be about how all this ends, but I’m…it’s not that I don’t trust Zye. I just don’t want him to push himself.”
He’s better at this than she cares to admit. He can see that there’s more to this story— more behind this reasoning. Part of him wants to ask. What in the world has Daichi done or shown her that has her so worked up?
“It’ll be fine. One of us will always be there.”
“That’s not good enough!” She throws the cloth at his chest. “I left one day and came back to Zye not being there. And then the same with Shae and Xerxes. I know two of the three are back with us but Daichi…He’d do anything.”
“Cal.”
“Don’t Cal, me. Why can’t you and Ilista go in and take care of it? And afterward, you’re going to let him go up against Kerse, aren’t you? Don’t you think it’s bad enough that I have to watch you get hurt?”
At that, Jace sits up. He can’t stand to see that distraught expression twisting up her face. Jace grabs her wrist as she turns around, giving her back to him. Not that he cares. He’s already pulling her back down.
Callua huffs as she ends up sitting on his lap. His arms wrap around her waist and hug her tight. She won’t be getting away and that’s the worst part. He doesn’t think twice about personal space or the fact that by doing so, she wants to crumble.
“I know I can’t promise nothing will go wrong. Still, I want nothing more than to spend more time with the two of you. I’m not going to risk that. And I know Zye feels the same.”
“But…you’re so stupid and keep pushing yourself.”
“If I relax, you have to, too. Stop going to dangerous meet-ups alone. You never know when you’ll be followed.”
“It’s just to see Adrian.”
“Who could get outed for being so close with Aster any second. In fact, I’m sure Soren already knows.”
Callua can’t stand the way his strong arms are so terribly gentle. Even the hand that brushes against hers as she stands is too much. It has her wanting to crack like an egg and Jace can see it. He’s worried— beyond a little bit.
He takes her hand in his and keeps her from leaving. It breaks his heart to see her on the verge of tears. She’s always been such a rock for him that he knows he has to return the favor. He won’t let her drown.
“Please, stop one of us if you need a second. This isn’t easy and you’ve been doing it for so long.”
“Jay…”
“I’m serious. If he’s allowed to yell at me for not taking care of myself then I can do it to you. Now go get some rest.”
“And you?”
Jace shrugs and lets go. He points toward the table. “I have to clean up. I’ll be there in a minute.”
She plans to do just that. Her feet are killing her after all. Before she does, Callua bends down to give him a hug in return. One that ends with her patting his head. A murmur of thanks is nearly inaudible as she slips from the room and down the hall.
To the room, she tiptoes inside as quietly as she can. The curtain is slightly askew. It allows enough moonlight in for her to walk without tripping. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she watches as he rolls away from the dip in the mattress she creates.
Callua smiles at the sight. “I don’t know what I’d do without you two. I hope you’re sleeping well.”
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27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UkmZwL5xQ
Glaring across the expanse of dark water, Zye shakes the feeling back into his arm. The cut that was made there heals and vanishes as if it never happened. He glares at Hax.
The man stands some distance away. Tossing a small dagger from one hand to the other. He seemingly looks down his nose at the man glaring at him. “Come now, I know you can do it.”
“I told you I didn’t want to train. I’ve been doing that shit all day. I want to talk.”
“And I believe we can do both. Are you incapable of multitasking? If so, your job is going to be very difficult.”
Zye groans and finally gives in. He calls forth his sword. It’ll take some getting used to with how light it feels in his grasp. Not that he has much of a choice. If he doesn’t do something, Hax will.
Rushing forward, Zye tries to let it all go. Don’t overthink it. Don’t push it too hard. Let it flow through him like when he used to be able to summon two swords. It took the same amount of muscle memory as this.
He’s halfway to Hax when the man rips a portal into being and slips through it. More distance is created with Zye throwing his sword after the man. A feat that allows him to retrieve it shortly after.
“What’s the point if you keep running away?”
“Wouldn’t the better solution be to follow or beat me there?”
“Ugh! For someone so smart, you’re so stupid.”
Zye can keep up with him. He’s run from people his whole life. Chasing someone down is no different. It helps he doesn’t have to breathe or deal with his lungs wanting to cave in.
Still, Hax blips out of existence to reappear a short distance away each and every time. In one instance in particular, Zye almost catches him with the blade. It sails toward Hax just as a dagger appears behind Zye.
“Shit,” he mutters while he drops and rolls away. Back up on his feet, he recalls his sword to his hand. He’s realizing the longer he has it out, the longer it’s taking to get it back. The magic in his body is straining to keep at his beck and call. He simply doesn’t have the reserves for this.
Hax gestures for him to come again.
This time, Zye steps into a portal of his own making after breaking into a run. From above Hax, the other end of the portal appears. Zye slashes down at Hax who conveniently sidesteps out of the way.
Zye stands back up only for the sword to vanish and his knees to give out. Dropping to them, he pants even though it’s only from the exhaustion of using the magic. It’s still too much. It’s too strong for him to use let alone consecutively.
Hax holds the dagger loosely while clapping his hands. “Much better. It’s difficult, hm? My power isn’t pure offense like Jace’s. All Stars are taught to fight for themselves. However, most Dark Stars have more defensive capabilities. It’s why they pair so well together.”
“You say that but you could sneak around and take an enemy out.”
“Perhaps. Now get up. One more try.”
Zye groans and shoves himself to his feet. He hates every second of it. Not that he’s about to give up. It takes a moment to will the sword to appear again. Not that he thinks he can keep it up for long.
Which he finds incredibly irritating. It’s his little world, why can’t he do what he wants?
Hax continues to walk backward until he’s put enough distance between them. The dagger twirls between his fingers as he waits, a small portal hovering over his other palm.
Zye knows what he’ll try to do. Another attack from the side or behind to distract. That way he can slink away unscathed once more. This time, Zye has a plan. Not that he thinks it’ll work. Hax always seems to be ten steps ahead.
Bare feet slap against the water as he sprints forward. He holds one hand out, drawing his magic in to generate a rift between them.
Except he doesn’t go through it.
He acts like he does, yet only sends the sword through. As his fingers leave the hilt, the portal snaps closed and reopens behind Hax. The man’s smirk is all Zye needs to see.
Hax dodges out of the way only for Zye to be upon him in the next second. His fist collides with the man’s stomach, forcing him to flinch. It’s all the time Zye needs to grab Hax’s wrist and kick his feet out from under him.
Zye squats down as Hax’s back hits the ground. He grins wide at the dark-haired man. “Will you answer me now?”
“That was dirty.”
“Like I was gonna win against you any other way? So…if I said I didn’t want to kill Kerse, would you tell me it’s possible?”
“You’re welcome to try.”
“Come on, you care about her. About all of them. Don’t be a dick.”
“Don’t put words in my mouth,” he replies while letting the dagger slip from his fingers.
The very thing that Zye picks up, playing with it. “Right. Forgot all of y’all are stupid as hell.”
Hax lulls his head toward Zye. It allows the bangs to shift and both golden eyes to focus on the man next to him. “And if I said I did?”
“Sometimes you can’t fix what you fuck up, but you can at least make it better than how you were gonna leave it. People might not forgive you, but wouldn’t you feel better knowing they’d be better off if you did something?”
Zye lifts his eyes from Hax’s. He can’t read that shielded gaze anyway. Instead, he flips the dagger around to hold the tip. Throwing it, he watches it spin out into the distance until he can’t see it anymore.
“Are you scared because of what they’ll think of you?”
Hax stands and dusts himself off. He doesn’t want to deal with this. It’s the exact reason why he begins to walk away.
It leaves Zye scrambling to follow. He knew he’d hit a touchy subject sooner or later. Then again, Hax deserves to be pushed a little bit. There’s no excuse for some of the things he’s done— let happen. He could at least cooperate now.
Zye follows until Hax stops, suddenly tired of walking.
“Of course I’m scared.”
“Well, it’s pretty human to have regrets.”
“Hah! Is that so? Then prove us all wrong. Prove that you aren’t useless little souls we have to protect.”
Hax slowly turns and Zye sees it. There’s something in that gaze and the brow that furrows that shows a bit of humanity. It gives him the tiniest glimpse into the real Hax.
Not the mastermind that’s managed to help screw everything up by being stubborn, arrogant, and selfish. Not even the part of him that thought he could save everyone. It’s only a man that realizes he has nothing left.
And the one thing he does truly want? The one thing he’s finally realized would have been worth it?
He can’t have.
There’s no getting out of this for him. Hax will get what he wants whether he likes it or not now. He’ll never be with the people he held dear ever again.
It’s for this reason that his words have Zye wanting to reach out even if he resists doing so.
“Keke…save her. Please.” He clears his throat and tries to gather himself. “I can’t copy her style completely, but I can show you the gist of how she fights.”
“You didn’t even have to bother. I was going to do it anyway.”
Zye steps back. He can feel the fuzzy feeling that preludes waking up. He wishes he had more time to talk to this man— figure out how he ticks and what does it. Instead, he’s being tugged away.
Hax gives a wave of his hand. “Once this is over, remember, there’s more to this than you realize. Creatures, beings, rules, and the lack thereof. You’d better start taking notes. Now go, he’s waiting for you I’m sure.”
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27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7QYELWl3D
Waking up is never enjoyable. Except for when he can open his eyes and look down at Jace cuddled up against his chest. It has a special kind of happiness that spreads throughout his body. Better yet when those silver eyes of his are looking at Zye, waiting for him to shift.
“Good morning.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“It might have been important. Besides, there’s no rush.”
“Oh…right.”
Jace clings a little tighter, enjoying the warm skin he’s pressed up against. “He’s not causing you any trouble is he?”
“Nah. I feel well-rested either way. He said he’d help me learn how Kerse fights.”
“That’s good. He would know better than anyone. And you’re not getting hurt at all?”
Smiling wide, Zye leans his head down against Jace’s. He nuzzles into the soft tresses. “Nope. All good.”
“Then would you mind doing me a favor next time?”
“What’s that?”
“I need information on Soren.”
Zye slowly peels away and sits up. “Got it. Anything else just let me know before I head to bed.” He stretches while Jace moves to get out of bed as well. As they do, they both hear the same voice echo throughout their mind.
“If you can please return when you’re ready. I’ll leave a rift open for you both outside your home to here. It can maintain for a day in your time.”
Jace straightens his shirt and begins tugging his boots on. “I’m not surprised Celeste is already contacting us.”
“Are we going now?”
“Cal is already up, so we should be able to. Although I doubt she’s awake enough.”
Jace waits for Zye to get dressed so that they can head out together. Only to see Callua is up and sitting on the couch. Her head is tilted back against the cushion as she groans at the sound of their footsteps.
“Whaaat?”
“Didn’t sleep well?” asks Zye as he comes up to the back of the couch. At the sound of another groan, Zye pokes at the crown of her head. “I’ll take that as a no. Excited to go back to Noctis?”
“No. Why do I have to go?”
Jace comes around the side, heading for the door. “We’re a team, remember?”
“I…you suck. Zye, tell him I can stay home for this. Pick me up on your way out.”
Opening the door, Jace peers outside waiting for the portal to appear. “I’d rather get it over with, get to Daichi, and get back.”
“You just don’t want to be around Orion.”
Zye pats her head before making his way around the side of the couch.”Don’t tease him. Be a good role model and maybe Orion will take after your spectacular morals.”
“Mm-hm, yeah, you suck too.”
Callua huffs and finally stands up once she sees Jace step outside. He waves for them to follow. Which she does, but only after fixing her hair and her outfit. The three of them slip through the portal that’s out in the middle of the yard.
Stepping back into Noctis, they don’t dare dilly-dally. Straight up to Celeste’s room, they’re greeted by Iris setting out cups on the coffee table. Her tail sweeps happily back and forth behind her. Her ears perk up as she hears them.
“Oh! We figured it’d be some time before you got here. Aster and Ilista are still out on missions, but let me go get Orion. Celeste should be coming out any time!”
Zye and Callua head over first, straight for the couch that they sat on previously. Jace follows behind as Iris scurries past him. Just as he’s sitting between them, the doors to Celeste’s cleansing chamber open.
They seem to be dressed far more plainly than usual in dark purple slacks. They continue to fuss with the buttons of short-sleeved white shirt until they’re at the table. It’s only then that Celeste smiles at them. “Welcome back. How have things been?”
“Good,” answers Zye quickly.
“And how is Hax?”
“Uh…he’s fine, I guess?”
“I see. I do wish I could apologize to him.”
“I can pass it along. Can’t promise I’ll bring you one back.”
Before they can ask why, Orion soundlessly makes his appearance. He settles on the couch across from them and next to where Celeste stands.
“Then to the point,” they begin. “We’ve gotten word that Soren has been spotted. If he’s back in the fight then we need to move soon.”
Jace sits up. “I agree. He can’t be left alone for long. He has two companions that I don’t have much information on. I’d advise steering clear of them if possible.”
Orion drums his fingers against his thighs. “That’s fine. We’ll begin conducting investigations and see what we can find out in the meantime. How long is this errand going to take you all?”
“It shouldn’t take long. Daichi is blind when it comes to Zye. Once we figure out how many are too far gone, we can make a move.”
Celeste seems a bit worried as they perch on the edge of the chair. “And I take it you have a plan?”
Jace glances at Callua and Zye. He hadn’t discussed it with them prior. Still, he’s confident in it regardless.
“As I said, Daichi won’t pay attention once Zye is there. He needs to operate under the assumption that Zye doesn’t have his memories and that he’s still a Star. Regardless of whether it gets too dangerous or we finish scoping out the location, we’ll call for you. While he’s distracted, Cal and I can figure out who wants out.”
“Do you believe people under him will side with you?” asks Orion.
It’s an honest question. One that Jace isn’t sure about either. People are strange and unpredictable, he knows that. There’s no telling that they’ll be willing to see the errors of their ways.
“I do. There’s been plenty of cases so far to prove that.”
Celeste claps their hands. “Then we’ll proceed. Aster will be on standby to assist you.”
“Isn’t Ilista more…well, you know?” asks Zye with a raised brow.
Orion represses the petite smile that wants to show itself. “Efficient? Yes. We need her on the front lines. Aster, on the other hand, has his contact that can get you all out should something go wrong.”
Jace stands. “Then I’ll get in touch with Aster when we make it there.”
Callua hurries to do so too as to not block Jace in. She begins for the stairs with Jace behind her. Zye intends to. As he makes it around the table, Orion is scooting over to grab his wrist.
“Play quiet and in pain if you’re put in a situation to answer questions. We don’t need causalities and we can’t afford to lose you.”
Zye gazes down at Orion. The words feel nice to hear. He’s a part of this troupe now and they need him for better or worse. The firm grip on his wrist gets that across well.
“I promise I won’t fly off the handle. I don’t want to be there any more than anyone wants me there.”
His fingers slip away and allow Zye to hurry. He catches up with the two of them right as Jace is opening a portal. The shorter man raises a brow— a silent question as to if everything is okay. He shakes his head in response.
“It’s fine. I’m glad we’re working together. It’s still…all weird.”
“You’ll be one of the Infernals left. They need you if they’re going to bridge the gap that’s been created. Otherwise, there won’t be a balance to save.”
Callua places her hands on her hips with a huff. “At least we have Celeste. They seem like a good leader.”
Zye nods and glances between them. “So…back to Lucile?”
“Yes,” Jace answers with a nod. “And then to Daichi.”
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