Veritas was easy to spot from the mountains.

The city was a bright, shining beacon in the dull green fields surrounding it. Twisting white spires grew towards the sky, almost touching the clouds floating above. The sunlight filtering through the clouds shone an ethereal light on the entire city.

Below the skyscrapers, equally bright abstract shapes dotted the earth. From an educated guess, it was a combination of paved roads and creatively designed buildings. Nikorai was too far away to make out any details, but it was easy to picture the people bustling in and out of the buildings during peak hours.

If this city was any more heavenly, there’d be doves flying around with a choir singing in the background.

It looks so... ancient, yet modern. Is this what Heaven looks like?

Why are you asking me? Nikolay scoffed. I haven’t died yet. Permanently, at least.

Raine fought the urge to scoff right back at Nikolay.

Well, what do you see when you die?

I wake up in a marble shrine. There’s a guy who has the head of a goat and the body of a human... I suspect that he’s a demigod, but I never have the chance to ask him.

Uh huh, Raine said doubtfully.

Nikolay scowled. Look, why don’t you go and find out for yourself, smartass?!

Are you telling me to die? Raine laughed, clutching Rascal’s reins so that he didn’t fall off from the movement. You should’ve said that earlier, back when there were plenty of opportunities to do so.

You- Obviously, I can’t let us die. I made a divine contract to get this body; I’ll be damned if I don’t get to live a fulfilled life in it.

Oh, I wanted to thank you, actually. For helping with the temple and saving our lives. I don’t think I would’ve ever been able to escape without your help.

There was a poignant pause after Raine finished talking. It was nothign but complete radio silence for several incredibly long seconds. Raine was about to repeat it again, in case some weird interference had stopped his thoughts from being broadcasted.

Then, a quiet sound emanated from Nikolay.

Yeah.

The sheer awkwardness took him aback, in a positively hilarious way. Raine had to stifle an incoming laugh with his hand. Nikolay was inadvertently adorable, despite his insistence on being a battle-hardened stoic.

Shut up. I can feel you thinking that.

I can also feel your embarrassment, Raine shot back in mirth. For the record, a ‘Your welcome’ would be fine. I wouldn’t mind if you complimented me instead, though.

For a second, he thought Nikolay was going to comply with the latter.

Raine...

The man in question didn’t dare speak, lest he startle Nikolay from speaking.

Nikolay let out a heavy sigh. Don’t thank me again. It makes things complicated.

Aww, damn. And here he was, wishing for another compliment from Nikolay.

The natural silence that followed was sobering. Without a conversation to stave off Raine’s thoughts, they returned in full force.

Even though discovering the temple had clarified some parts of the prophecy, it only complicated the puzzle presented to Raine. Not just regarding the prophecy, but weird occurrences that happened around them.

For example, who killed him and Nikolay, and why? How did they know that the gods would use Nikolay’s vessel? The first suspect would be the Order of Truth, but the last two questions still went unanswered.

Guthasar complicated things a lot more. Why on earth wouldn’t the immortal want the prophecy to come true? Even though Guthasar appeared to play the single-faceted role of a typical supervillain, Raine knew better than to believe that somebody would oppose the gods without any reason.

The thoughts continued to churn around in his mind like a broken washing machine, repeating themselves in a cycle with no new information to go off. As a multitude of speculations echoed off each other, Raine anxiously picked at the bandages on their left arm. His fingers found a loose corner and started pulling on it.

Stop picking at the bandages. They’ll fall off.

Raine continued to fidget with the fraying strands. It’s not doing anything. The bandages will be fine.

If you’re so insistent on worsening the wound, you might as well take a knife to our arm again.

But that was you- Wait.

The throbbing pain in their arm was gone. Had it healed already?

Come to think of it, Guthasar had mentioned something about magic being involved. It must’ve hastened the healing process somehow.

Raine undid the clip pinning the bandage in place and slowly unwrapped their arm. The outer layers were more stained from outside dirt than blood, though the inner layers were completely dyed the dark brown of dried blood. Recalling the recent events at the Order of Truth, Raine wasn’t entirely sure whether all of the blood was theirs.

Regardless of where the blood came from, it looked old; changing the bandage would be a good idea. With this objective in mind, Raine hooked his fingers under the last few layers and began pulling up the bandage. The bottom few layers seemed to be stuck to their skin, most likely from the dried blood.

Raine, stop, Nikolay said with a strained voice.

Upon hearing Nikolay’s laboured tone, Raine quickly stopped peeling the bandages.

What’s wrong? Raine asked, his hands hesitantly hovering over the wound.

It’s not healed yet. Nowhere near it. I can tell because it still fucking hurts when you pull at the bandages.

Huh? Don’t tell me you-

I figured out how to reroute the pain signals by forming new connections.

Awww, Raine replied, a coy smile forming. How sweet of you.

Nikolay muttered, I didn’t want the pain distracting you inside the maze. A wound this deep doesn’t feel the greatest, especially since we don’t have any painkillers on hand.

Wait, no. What the fuck? That’s unhealthy as shit. Stop taking on all the pain by yourself, idiot! We’re both in this body together. We should take equal responsibility over it.

I didn’t feel like hearing you scream in pain for 24 hours straight.

Raine crossed his arms and frowned at the road in front of him. You know, there’s no need to baby me all the time. I appreciate the gesture, but I need to grow as a person without being shielded from everything. People are fighting and dying around me, and yet I’m the only one who’s being affected by it. This life is something I need to get used to.

That doesn’t mean you’re at fault. It means that you’re the most humane. You should treasure your humanity, not throw it away.

This only made Raine frown harder. If the trees were sentient, they would have wilted under Raine’s intense stare.

Are you saying that you’re not human? You’re just as human as anyone else. You said it yourself earlier, didn’t you? Somebody’s actions are a product of their environment.

To Raine’s surprise, silence followed his words. It was strangely empty, completely devoid of any underlying emotion. He suspected that Nikolay had put up his mental barriers again, but he had no idea why that would be remotely necessary.

Nikolay?

After a lengthy pause, Nikolay responded, You only think that because you have the naivety to do so.

Naïve or not, I believe it. I truly do.

Another pause.

We should talk about something else.

Nikolay truly had a talent for seamlessly changing topics. Raine fought the urge to roll his eyes.

Such as?

I saw a sketchbook when we were packing bags on the ship. Do you draw often?

Raine jumped out of his skin, almost leaping out of Rascal’s saddle.

You still remember that!? Don’t tell me that you’ve snuck a peek when I’m asleep, he pleaded.

Of course I wouldn’t. Why would I risk it, knowing you could wake up at any moment? And there’s the matter of privacy as well. That’s why I’m asking you now. So, are you a full-time artist?

Ah, no, Raine spluttered. I graduated with a major in chemistry. I’m a full-time lab assistant, I just draw in my spare time.

A chemistry major? I didn’t expect that.

Trust me, I spent more time drawing than studying.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I noticed that you didn’t pull out your sketchbook at all when we were travelling.

Yeah, I don’t work well when there’s a constant voice in my head, Raine rolled his eyes. Especially when that same voice was putting me through a military-esque training regiment during our travels.

My apologies for the much needed preparation.

Maybe you were sent by the gods to be my muse, Raine sarcastically drawled. And you’re doing such a terrible job that it’s had the opposite effect.

Nikolay sent a pulse of distraught. Please never refer to me as your ‘muse’ ever again.

Sorry. Corny line, I know, Raine chuckled. But there are only so many situations where I can joke about my hobbies.

I recall there being several possible puns revolving around chemistry. Perhaps you could utilise them to your advantage at a later date. My only request is that you avoid using them on me.

Oh! That reminds me. You know, I had the weirdest revelation the other day. Sometimes, science — mostly chemistry and physics — is just as elusive as magic. You can’t see magic, but nobody has really seen a single atom either. But interestingly enough, both have their effects on the real world. Though, I guess that wouldn’t really work if you’re a sorcerer and you can actually see magic. And when the technology gets developed to see subatomic particles, I guess my analogy falls apart. Uh... but the idea was cool. I think it still stands in theory. Like most things in science.

Raine stopped talking after realising that Nikolay had been abnormally silent for a while.

I’ve rambled on too long, haven’t I?

Nikolay chuckled, the low sound vibrating pleasantly in their brain. You’re such a dork.

If Raine tried hard enough, he could almost make out a hint of fondness.

I think my hobbies are actually quite normal, Raine sniffed in mock offence. You probably have more embarrassing hobbies.

I... I don’t know, Nikolay said slowly, the realisation hitting him. I haven’t exactly had the time to figure out my hobbies.

Hm? I’m guessing the other lives don’t count?

Correct. They were fundamentally different from who I am now. I’ve only been this ‘me’ for only a couple of weeks.

…I see.

They lapsed back into silence.

Rascal suddenly veered to the left, away from their path down the mountain. She made a beeline straight towards a thicket of trees, hastening her pace to reach her destination quicker.

“What is it?” Raine asked aloud.

He received an incomprehensible neigh in response. Well, it was worth a try. Whatever Rascal was heading towards, Raine was certain that it would be worth the slight detour.

As usual, Rascal proved her strangely human-like intelligence when they broke past the first line of trees. The sanctum, hidden within the thick foliage of the trees, was a secluded mountain stream. Water flowed down from a waterfall higher up, trickling through the crevices of the rock face and filling the stream below. The storm from a couple of days ago provided plenty of water to fuel the stream, and it was relatively full.

The running water gave Raine an idea. Do you think the water will make it easier to change the bandage on our arm?

Yes, Nikolay replied in a curt tone.

Nikolay didn’t need to say anymore. Raine was well aware of the unspoken ‘so hurry up and do it’ behind Nikolay’s gritted teeth.

They didn’t have a spare bandage, so he would have to clean the blood off and reapply it again. Not the most ideal method, but better than leaving a week-old stained bandage on.

Throughout the entire process, Nikolay didn’t make a single sound. Raine wanted to tell Nikolay to let go of his tight monopoly over the pain, but he had a feeling that no amount of begging or persuading would change Nikolay’s mind. He changed the bandage as quickly as he could to avoid torturing Nikolay any more.

Are you alright?

Yeah.

It was a standard response, and Raine was pretty sure Nikolay would’ve replied with the same answer, regardless of how he was feeling. Sometimes Raine was convinced that Nikolay thought he was annoying for asking pointless questions like this. Despite all of that, he felt compelled to check in on Nikolay — it was the least he could do to repay everything that Nikolay had done for him.

The nearby alcove in the cliff side caught their attention, creating a shaded area to view the waterfall from behind. As they wandered into the alcove, Raine noticed an unnatural blemish on the rock walls. Peering closer revealed the mark to be a painted heart enclosing the letters ‘X + F’.

Raine gently brushed his fingers against the paint. To his surprise, it didn’t flake off upon contact. The alcove must’ve protected the sentimental symbol by shielding it from the harsh elements.

Nikolay, on the other hand, had very different thoughts.

Ugh, this shit again. At least it’s not carved into a poor, defenceless tree.

Isn’t it cute though? This must’ve been their special spot. I wonder where they are now.

They probably broke up almost immediately after painting this meaningless thing.

A sigh escaped Raine’s lips, the sound echoing off the rock walls. If somebody hurt you, just say so.

I’m simply pointing out the truth, Nikolay said in a neutral tone. It’s simply a heart with two letters in it, most likely painted on a whim.

You’re being a pessimist, that’s what you’re doing.

Please don’t tell me that you’ve been in the type of relationship to engage in this nonsense.

Don’t even get me started on my past relationships.

Nikolay only seemed intrigued by Raine’s comment. I’m inclined to act otherwise.

I might’ve led you on a little, Raine hastily backtracked. My love life has been pretty uneventful. I only have one ex, while most other people probably had at least one relationship in their teens, let alone in college.

That merely means we have the time to hear about it in detail, no?

If you insist, Raine sighed. When I first met my ex, I thought that they saved me. I didn’t have the best experience at my high school, so I had never really been close to anybody before. Meeting someone who didn’t hate me was like opening a window in a stuffy room. During a tornado, that is. I felt wanted for the first time in my life, but I quickly realised that they weren’t too interested in the romantic part of relationships. They only talked to me whenever they wanted to fuck and ghosted me when they didn’t need me.

In hindsight, we were more like friends with benefits — except my ex was the only one benefitting from it. They wanted a fuck buddy; I wanted a relationship.

Never took you for a romantic.

Raine buried his face into his hands. I just want to be loved. It’s funny how something so simple-sounding can be so difficult. I can’t believe I ruined our friendship because I was chasing after that stupid concept.

What? You think you were the one who ruined it?

Uh, yes? I selfishly asked for something more. I wanted it to be something more than just a physical relationship. I was the one always feeling like I was missing something, because of my stupid greed.

Nikolay shifted in their mindscape, his presence growing restless. Have you ever told anybody else about this?

No, I haven’t spoken to my college friends since I graduated last year. The only person I’ve told is my sister, but she hated them from the beginning.

Whatever your sister said was probably right. Your ex sounds like a piece of shit who doesn’t care about upholding their end of the bargain. A relationship should be give and take, not somebody solely benefitting from it.

I should have accommodated them, Raine protested. Maybe that was how they wanted a relationship to be.

But isn’t that what you did? You let them do everything they wanted, and when you finally stood up for yourself, suddenly they weren’t willing to consider your own point of view. And on top of that, they’re making YOU feel bad for something that they did.

I was just glad that somebody showed any interest in me, even if it was just for my body. That was all. Beggars can’t be choosers.

That’s not true. You’re worth so much more than that ex. They were stupid enough to squander somebody like you.

They aren’t as bad as you’re painting them out to be. They made me feel like I had a purpose, like I was making somebody’s life better instead of dragging them down. Even if it was just for sex.

You’re strong-willed. You stand up for what you believe in. That’s an admirable trait, even if others don’t see it that way.

The edges of Raine’s mouth curled upwards. Yeah?

Nikolay composed himself, quickly plugging any leaking emotions that escaped his mental walls.

I apologise. My complimenting abilities have never been perfect.

Despite being afraid of unintentionally mocking Nikolay, Raine couldn’t hold back a giddy laugh. Pffft, you massive softie.

God, Nikolay was so fucking cute when he tried this hard to be nice.

Wow. He did not mean to think that.

Was he so desperate that he fell for somebody the instant they were nice to him? It was hard to beat the allegations when he was practically using Nikolay like a belated rebound. Who was probably straight, nonetheless. Raine, of all people, knew how badly this situation could go. The last thing he wanted was to perpetuate the irrational fear of having their gay friend crush on them.

It was probably just the stupid British accent. Nothing else about Nikolay was remotely attractive, after all. He couldn’t think of a single thing that he liked about Nikolay. Definitely not the way Nikolay always tried — and failed — at being an unfeeling, stoic statue whenever Raine teased him for being compassionate. And not even the times when Nikolay actively tried to be supportive whenever Raine needed help.

In hindsight, denial didn’t suit him that well.

But every time his heart reacted, so did the guilt in the back of his mind. Nikolay shouldn’t be acting this nice to Raine, of all people.

The instant drop in mood quickly dampened any residual euphoria that might have escaped from Raine.

It didn’t escape Nikolay’s observation. Raine?

Sorry. It’s just... You’re trying so hard to be nice to the person who basically fucked over your last life. I’m sorry. I really am.

Not everything has to be your fault. I could tell you were blaming yourself with Eireia, too. Lysandra would have raided the Order of Truth regardless of whether we were there.

Nikolay wasn’t supposed to say that. He wasn’t supposed to be nice. Damn it, now he was falling even harder for the bastard. If the gods could peer into his mind, Raine desperately wished for them to magically whisk his feelings away.

He did not deserve Nikolay at all. Sure, Nikolay said it in a factual tone like a status report, but it was better than what most people would have done.

Eager to distract himself, Raine quickly blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

My ex, he- Oh, fuck. Sorry. You probably think I’m a liar.

I don’t recall you lying, Nikolay replied smoothly. Continue with what you were saying before.

Raine wanted to grab Nikolay by the shoulders and shake answers out of him. Did Nikolay not notice him accidentally slipping up with his ex’s pronouns? Or did he really not care that Raine was gay?

...Forget about it. Talking about my past is depressing enough as it is. What about you? Any romantic encounters? You probably have some interesting stories accumulated from your seven lives.

I’ve never been in a relationship.

Ever? Are you serious?

Nikolay’s unimpressed demeanour answered his question. I was too preoccupied with other things. Love seemed like it was for everybody else, not me.

Would you describe yourself as aromantic, then?

No, not at all. I- A slight hint of bashfulness entered Nikolay’s voice. It just felt like I didn’t have enough room to accommodate somebody else. Each life’s respective sin overruled any desire to be with somebody.

Does that mean you’re too busy up your own ass in this life? Raine joked to ease the tension. It’s Pride, isn’t it?

I don’t know, Nikolay replied truthfully. I... I’ve never been in this situation before. It’s a lot harder to be influenced by a sin when you’re actively aware of it.

Did that mean he had a chance with Nikolay? Wait, shit. He shouldn’t be thinking that.

Apparently, it was too much to ask for normal thoughts for once in his life.

--

They reached Veritas in less than a week after their departure from the temple. The large pearly gates of the city were already open, and Raine could see no visible guards at the entrance. As with most things in Kosira, he chalked it up to the use of magic.

Out of respect, Raine dismounted Rascal and walked through the gates on foot. Rascal’s lead was long gone — most likely collecting dust atop the mountain — but the mule followed close on their heels without instruction. If Raine had to guess, it was less out of obedience and more out of the treats that they possessed.

The bright sandstone streets before them heralded promises of new prospects and new information. Everything looked incredibly clean and polished, every surface shining brilliant shades of white or beige.

Raine looked around with wide eyes, attempting to take everything in. It took all of his effort not to gape at the sheer beauty of their surroundings.

We’re finally, FINALLY in Veritas. It feels like an eternity ago since we first set out to get here, and it looks just like how it did up on that mountain.

The city’s architects seem to be inspired by depictions of heaven and purity, Nikolay agreed.

I wonder-

Raine stopped abruptly, almost causing Rascal to run into him.

Holy fuck. That smells amazing.

The smell of freshly baked bread and pastries wafted from an unknown source, filling the surrounding air with an alluring, mouth-watering aroma.

A string of images crossed Raine’s mind as he identified each distinct smell: sugar, butter, honey, cinnamon, chocolate — all as warm and inviting as the memories of the home-baked goods that it evoked. The beckoning scent acted like bait on a fishing line for Raine, who immediately set out to find the source.

In the abyss of their vessel’s mind, Nikolay facepalmed himself. Finding the nearest bakery wasn’t exactly on his list of priorities, but he could hardly object if Raine wanted to go this badly.