"Syl," Cinder called out to the red haired leader of the Ivory Guard as he saw her in the hallway. He'd become accustomed to the house already as they'd been there for a little over a week. She turned to his voice and waited for him to catch up to her. Like all the houses on the block where his parent's home was, they were mansions. A mass amount of bedrooms and long halls that seemed to go on forever. The house they were in had a Victorian style too it with old furniture and wall paper. Cinder had enjoyed looking at all of the old stuff for the first few days. 

"Need something, Cinder?" 

"Yeah. I've been thinking about this for a while now and I wanted to ask you to confirm something for me."

"What is it?" She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. 

Cinder paused, his hands nervously twitching at his sides before he finally shook them out and released the air he'd been holding. "I was just thinking about what you said back at your hideout. About there being enchanters at my parent's house. It seems I've lost quite a few memories and they just sort of pop up at random now. Not all of them are clear though and it's driving me nuts."

"You want to know who the enchanter was that altered your memory," Syl concluded.

"Yeah. If you don't mind?"

"It's not that I mind, Cinder, it's that I wouldn't even know where to start. There were several enchanters at your parent's house that night. I couldn't begin to pin who it was."

"What if you had a little lead?"

"What do you mean?"

"I convinced Kydyn and the others to take me to my parent's home a while ago. When we found it, I snooped around a little and found these patches in the basement. They were the insignia to the rebels. Or... What were supposed to be the rebels anyway. When I took one, I had another memory. I saw my dad and mom fighting in the living room. Something about the patch that he had. Then it changed to a different part of the house and Odain was there, talking to dad. And the last thing I saw was the fire, but I was upstairs watching dad fight with someone from the council. They were arguing and that was it."

"I'm sorry Cinder, but even that doesn't help me. I don't understand what you're trying to get at," Syl said with a frown. 

"Was Odain at the house when the fire started?"

Syl arched an eyebrow at him. "Yes. All of the council was there."

"Odain lied to me when he said he didn't know what Iriyn was doing with those patches. And when I first met him, it was when they undid my mom's seal. Some of my memories returned during that time too and he asked me what it was I saw. He couldn't have known I'd seen anything at all when Kydyn didn't even know and he'd been the one to restrain my power so I didn't bring the building down. Odain also showed me a memory when I came and asked him about black magic."

Syl stared for a long while before her eyes widened and she shoved off the wall. "He's the enchanter. He has to be. That's why Lyn can't find him. Odain never told anyone what kind of power he had. He never used it!"

"He did when my house was burning down," Cinder added. "And then again when I went and saw him. I was asking questions and he gave me just enough to keep me coming back for more. Lyn said it was strange that I didn't pursue the issue. That I didn't want to go see it for myself or find out more on my own. Odain was the one who kept my memories locked up tight. That's why he asked me what I saw after the seal was broken. He was afraid I'd seen too much."

"We all thought he didn't have power. He'd gotten into the Capitol under the ruse that he was bridging a gap between our kind and the people who don't have magic. That bastard." 

"Kydyn said that my memories wouldn't be a problem if the enchanter was taken care of. Which means we have to do something about Odain. Is there any way to break his magic?"

Syl shook her head. "He's been weaving it for too long. Lyn and even my enchanters would have difficulty breaking it. The easiest way is to kill him."

Cinder ground his teeth. "I don't want to do that."

"Of course not. It's not a pleasant idea for me either, but I doubt he's going to give us much of a choice in the end. He's a crafty asshole and he'll do anything to keep you just as you are. There has to be things he's keeping locked away on purpose. You must know something other than the fact that Iriyn is trying to turn you black."

"We still need to figure out why," Kydyn's voice in the hall startled Cinder. He swore under his breath and shook his head. He should have been used to the warlock randomly showing up.

"We will. And I think I might have an idea for that. I was going to look for you after I spoke with Deidra," Syl said. Deidra was a sorceress like Syl and had been the one how had freed Cinder from Iriyn's magic that had him tied to the pillar at the Capitol a while back.

"Well here I am. So go ahead," Kydyn said, spreading his hands and flashing his cocky grin.

"He should star gaze."

It was Cinder's turn to be confused. "Why? I mean other than seeing what's in the future.... Unless that's what you want."

"Yes and no. It's the Winter Solstice today. Magic is at its peak and star gazing on a Solstice night should give you more than the usual," Syl said.

"You know I wasn't sure if you were useful or not. But that's not half bad," Kydyn said to her.

Syl ignored him, just like I did. "What is it exactly that you want me to look for then?"

"I'm not asking you to look for anything specific. Just star gaze and then tell us what you saw. If I give you a focus, you won't see anything. You'll be too occupied in trying to find what I want."

"So you do want something."

"We'll see if it happens or not. I'm not counting on it, but I'll be hopeful," Syl answered with a shrug. Cinder stared at her. He figured that no matter what he tried, she wasn't going to tell him what it was she wanted. What she said made sense though. The last time he star gazed, focusing on a single thing had been difficult. The weightless feeling as if he had no control only added to the fact that trying to find something specific would be impossible. He would simply have to let the magic show him what it wanted. Or rather, the stars he supposed. 

"Alright. I'll star gaze for you tonight."

It was freezing outside. Thankfully the clouds were long gone from earlier in the day, showing Cinder a clear sky overhead. In order to star gaze, he needed to be able to see the sparkling white lights. The grass was still wet from the rains that had passed through and it soaked into the jacket he was wearing. Cinder shivered as he stared up at the black expanse. Next to him, Kydyn moved a little closer and his heat was a welcome relief from the freezing breeze.

"Fucking cold," Cinder muttered as he shoved his hands in the pockets of the jacket and tried to warm them.

"I could warm you up."

"That would utterly defeat the purpose of this," Cinder retorted.

Kydyn only snickered at him. As the silence stretched between them, Cinder groaned in annoyance. He wasn't used to Kydyn being so quiet. His usual banter and ruckus had somehow engrained itself into Cinder and falling into the magic was near impossible. He huffed out an angry sigh and turned to look at Kydyn. "Why are you so quiet?"

"Thought you couldn't concentrate otherwise," Kydyn replied, a smirk playing on his lips. 

Cinder narrowed his eyes. "Asshole. You're doing it on purpose."

"Maybe."

"I really want to smack that look off your face."

"I'm pretty sure you've said that before and you never go through with it. You know you should really start taking your threats seriously or people will see right through you."

"I hate you."

"You fucking enjoy me," Kydyn stated.

Cinder groaned and looked away. The irritation was the start of his being able to clear his mind and let the magic pull him in. At least until Kydyn moved again and was pressed up against Cinder's side. The warlock was cuddling with him. Cuddling! That bastard. 

"You choose now of all times to do that!"

"Why not?"

"I'm trying to do something important here and you're distracting me, you bastard!" Cinder snapped and tried to wiggle out of Kydyn's strong grip. "Get off me!"

"You just bitched about being cold. I'm helping."

"Oh my God! Will you let go? You were just fine right over there without crushing me," Cinder complained and pushed at Kydyn's chest who didn't even budge. 

"Oh shut up and star gaze, princess. Take it for what it is. I'm keeping you warm. See? I'm being nice."

Cinder grumbled under his breath as he stopped fighting. It was useless. Kydyn did what he wanted when he wanted and no one could say otherwise. Once he had his mind set on something, that was the end of it. Cinder moved a couple of times, adjusting how Kydyn was holding him so that at least he was comfortable and not being jabbed by Kydyn's elbows.

"Odain's the enchanter," Kydyn said. 

"Yeah," Cinder answered absentmindedly. 

"You know, I told you—"

"I know you told me not to trust them," Cinder snapped, cutting Kydyn off. "Look. I'm sorry, alright? I played right in their fucking hands and because of it, I've just about killed everyone a few times."

Kydyn didn't say anything and Cinder refused to look at him. He could feel the warlock's pale blue eyes seeking his. He didn't want to see what was on Kydyn's face. It could be anger, or blame, or worse. Cinder wasn't about to find out because he knew it would screw up his chances of star gazing. His mind would be too chaotic. As if it wasn't already. 

"I'm sorry," Kydyn said.

The sudden admission startled Cinder. Kydyn wasn't one to apologize. For anything. He'd been doing a lot of things differently and each change had Cinder reeling. He looked over at Kydyn in shock. For a moment, he just stared. Cinder knew he couldn't ever figure out the enigma that was the warlock he'd fallen for. And he'd fallen pretty damn hard. 

He didn't think as he rolled onto his side. They were already close together, so it was easy to cover the distance. Cinder kissed him. It must have taken Kydyn off guard because he froze up. Cinder could feel the muscles of his arms stiffen. It didn't last long though. Kydyn returned the kiss and in seconds his tongue was dragging along Cinder's stealing his breath away with each stroke. Rolling, Kydyn put Cinder on top. Cinder moaned into Kydyn's mouth. Kydyn must have liked it because Cinder could feel his arousal through their jeans. 

He rolled his hips on Kydyn who groaned in return. Kydyn tugged on him, making Cinder grind harder. Cinder moaned again, rocking a little faster until Kydyn broke the kiss. Tilting his head back, Kydyn's eyes were shut tight as he shoved the bulge in his pants up against Cinder's. 

"Fuck," he moaned. "God. C'mon Cinder, and you bitched about me hugging you," he said, his accent thick again which made it difficult to understand the words. 

Cinder kissed at his jaw then down to his neck when Kydyn turned his head, offering him more skin to play with. He latched onto a spot and started sucking. Kydyn tensed under him as Cinder started in on creating a dark hickey while thrusting hard on him. The pressure was blissful, but his clothes were chaffing. He thought about stripping right there, but it was far too cold for that. Cinder was also enjoying the fact that he had Kydyn groaning under him. It wasn't anything close to how Cinder moaned for him, but he was planning on succeeding in that too. 

At least until Kydyn pushed on his hips and broke the connection. "Shit," he panted, and Cinder could feel the tremble in his hands. "You're supposed to be star gazing. Not dry fucking me."

"You like it," Cinder shot back, trying Kydyn's own tactics on him instead. 

"Wasn't saying I didn't like it," Kydyn responded without missing a beat and his grin was right there to back it up. Smooth as ever, Cinder thought with a frown. "I'm saying you need to hurry up and star gaze so we can take this in the house where it's warmer."

Cinder blushed. "Y-yeah." He was surprised he managed to say anything at all. Cinder got off him and lay flat on the ground again. Ice shot through his jacket and he shivered again from the loss of heat. Of course it did nothing to help his erection, but that was his own fault. Clearing his throat, he glanced over at Kydyn who hadn't moved. He looked back up at the sky and worked to calm his body, mostly his pounding heart. The stars glittered overhead and Cinder drifted. As his mind cleared of all thought, he felt as if he were being sucked into the darkness up above. It was easier that time to let it take him and without Kydyn's push too.

Light flew by, as if the stars themselves were travelling past him at insane speeds. When it stopped flowing, he was looking out into a dim hallway with fire burning in the torches. He was confused at first, but as his eyes adjusted, he could tell the walls were made of rock. It smelled dank where he was. Water dripped somewhere in the distance. Cinder shivered as he stood up from where he was sitting. Curling his hands around the metal bars in front of him, he shook them hard enough to rattle them. The noise echoed eerily. Cinder leaned against the bars and tried to look out into the hallway. 

The torches flickered, and he felt terrified for some reason. He backed away from the bars until he hit a wall. Something detached from the darkness. The figure was made up of shadows, writhing around as if it were trying to hold its form but having a difficult time of it. It approached the bars and leaned against them. Though Cinder couldn't see any facial features, the hollow voice sounded as if it was smiling at him.

"It's time."

Cinder choked and closed his eyes in terror as the bars started to slid open for the dark creature. He stayed like that for a long time. When nothing happened, Cinder chanced a look and found himself somewhere else. The streets of downtown were all but abandoned. Fires burned in several buildings and it was hard to breathe through the smoke. Cinder could hear fighting behind him, but he was focused on something far more important. Kydyn was on the ground, his clothes stained with blood. Too much.... Cinder thought. 

A man stood over him, draped in black from head to foot. Cinder's first thought was Iriyn but he couldn't tell for certain. He rushed forward as the man bent down to grab Kydyn's arm. Cinder slammed face first into a solid wall and tumbled backward in the street. Gravel tore at his hands as he fell. He propped himself up and watched in horror as the man hauled Kydyn's limp body up off the ground by his upper arm. 

"Kydyn!" Cinder shouted.

The ground next to the man's feet swirled and Cinder was reminded of how Kydyn would call up his hell hound. The difference was that instead of being the color of bubbling lava, the hole that opened was pitch black. Cinder trembled as he flung himself forward on hands and knees. He banged on the wall that kept him from getting to Kydyn. He screamed the warlock's name a million times but Kydyn never moved. Cinder was terrified that Kydyn had been killed. 

From the swirling darkness next to the man, cords rose up out of it. They wiggled like snakes. Each one had a mouth that snapped like jaws looking for something to chew on. The man holding Kydyn dragged the warlock over to the pit and threw him into it. The tendrils curling up from the darkness latched onto Kydyn instantly. 

"No!" Cinder screamed so loudly that it hurt. Tears were streaming down his face as he watched Kydyn being pulled down into the void. As the man started toward him, the city blurred and disappeared. The cloaked bastard became someone else as they got closer. Cinder stared at them in shock as he tried to recover from watching his lover being taken from him. 

The filmy figure knelt down in front of him and draped their arms around his neck. Cinder struggled to comprehend what was going on and it took him even longer to realize that he was star gazing and not watching Kydyn die right in front of him. As he calmed down from the shock, the white being that clung to him took a more solid shape. Long hair billowed around her face and her smile was warm. Familiar too. 

"Don't let him turn you into a warlord, Cinder. No matter what happens. Don't let him do that to you."

Cinder stared at her in disbelief. "Mom?"

Her ghostly face tilted as she smiled at him. "No."

"But.... You look just like her."

"You identify with her. So this is what you see."

"Who are you?" Cinder narrowed his eyes feeling a slight pang of guilt and betrayal flood him. 

"A forgotten time in history. Your star gaze is ending soon. Don't let him turn you into a warlord."

"Wait! What's a warlord?" Cinder reached up and gripped the arms of the figure that had knelt in front of him. 

"It's what we turn into if pushed into black magic. He will use you. Force you to walk in the past. To change things."

Cinder's heart lurched. Iriyn wanted him to change things? How was that even possible? He felt the stranger slipping out of his hold and he struggled to keep them there. A thousand questions flooded his mind and his tongue tried to get them all out before he lost hold of the other. Cinder blinked and he was surrounded by cold air and quite a few faces. 

"What the hell did you see?" Kydyn was the first one to speak. He was straddling Cinder and staring at him with his eyebrows drawn together. 

Cinder could feel the remnants of his tears still spilling from his eyes. He recalled the vision of Kydyn being killed and his throat clenched. Hauling himself up, he snatched a hold of Kydyn's denim jacket and yanked himself the rest of the way off the ground. Wrapping his arms around the warlock, he held onto him as if he would lose him in the next second. For a moment, Kydyn didn't do anything. 

"Are you alright?" Lyn asked as Kydyn returned the embrace. 

Cinder shook his head. No, he wasn't. What a stupid question, he thought bitterly. Until he realized that Lyn hadn't a clue as to what it was he'd seen. Burying his face against Kydyn's shoulder, he didn't say anything for a long while. At least they were patient enough to wait for him to get his thoughts together. 

"I saw a cell. I was locked in it. There were stone walls, it was cold and dark with torches of fire for light. Almost like a castle dungeon or something. Then someone came for me. I couldn't see them; they were just a shadow to me. They said it was time and started to open the cell. I was terrified. It changed to downtown. There was fire all over, burning a lot of the buildings. No skyscrapers, so I think it was the market side of town. Kydyn was—" Cinder's heart skipped a beat as he thought of what happened. His voice broke and he couldn't speak. 

"Hey, what happened?" Kydyn coaxed. "Whatever it was, it's not like I'm going to die from it, okay?"

Cinder bristled. He pulled away from Kydyn's shoulder and snarled at him. "You did die! You were bloody and lying on the ground at his feet! That bastard picked you up and threw you in this pit of darkness and these things came out of it and tore you apart! Don't fucking tell me that you're not going to die from that! I saw it!"

Kydyn's eyes widened and his hands gripped Cinder's waist harder. Silence spread, tension going with it. The first to speak wasn't Kydyn, but Lyn. "That's impossible."

"I saw it," Cinder repeated, spitting the words out at them. Tears were burning at his eyes again and Kydyn's face blurred for a moment before they fell. Kydyn visibly flinched at the sight of Cinder crying. 

"This isn't good," Syl said from somewhere behind Cinder. 

"Well it isn't rainbows and sunshine! This is bullshit!"

"Cinder," Kydyn said, his voice unusually soft. "Tell us what else happened. We'll deal with the other crap unless it gets worse...."

"What's worse than you dying? Tell me that!"

Kydyn frowned at him. "I'm not gonna die! Alright? Remember what Jika said about those visions? They're not always accurate. That bastard isn't going to kill me."

Cinder swallowed thickly as he looked away. Maybe Kydyn was right. Jika had said the visions weren't always accurate and it was only his second time star gazing. It wasn't like he'd practiced. He couldn't just agree either, though. Instead he nodded and focused on calming down from the fright he'd had. 

"He started walking toward me after... after that. But halfway over he changed into this ghost thing that hugged me and started talking to me. I saw my mom, but it said it wasn't her. Whoever it was, they warned me not to let him turn me into a warlord. They said that when a magus falls into black magic they turn into a warlord and that he would control me and force me to walk through the past and change things." 

"Change what?" Syl came and sat down next to him as she spoke. 

"I don't know." Cinder shrugged as he answered her. "I tried to ask, but they disappeared and that was when I stopped star gazing. I have no idea what any of that meant. I just know that I can't let it happen."

"It won't," Kydyn said firmly.

"Did I see anything that you were looking for Syl?" Cinder turned to look at her and she pursed her lips as he gazed at him in return. She didn't answer for a while. Cinder was beginning to think that he hadn't until she finally said something. 

"Yes and no."

"That again?"

Syl shrugged at him. "I was hoping that you would have some more clues added, and you got some. I guess I was hopeful that you'd have more to give us since it's the Winter Solstice."

"Not enough? I'll do it again," Cinder said with a slight bite to his tone.

"No," Kydyn snapped. "You're not doing it again. It's taxing enough the first time. Trying it twice in such a short space of time isn't good for you. Come on, let's get out of this cold, I'm fucking freezing my ass off. And a few other things."

"We can try to figure this out in the morning," Jika offered. He'd been so quiet that Cinder had forgotten he was there. "No need to push it."

Cinder nodded in agreement. If he did try another star gaze, he was afraid of what he might see. What had been shown to him was bad enough and he couldn't shake the image of Kydyn's broken body being pulled down into that pitch black void. The horror of it had his heart squeezing so tightly he thought it would stop beating all together. 

He followed after Kydyn like a zombie. His mind was chaotic as they entered the house. Cinder didn't even realize they'd left the others to be confined in the room that Kydyn had claimed as his and shared with Cinder. Not until he was being put down on the bed. Kydyn sprawled out on the mattress. He tugged on Cinder, bringing him close and making him lay on his chest. 

"Nothing's gonna happen to me. Promise," Kydyn said softly. 

Cinder nodded, but he wished he could believe him.