"So...what did you guys get back there?..." Avures walked alongside his friends and looked to the bag Bif now carried on him. It was a brown leather bag like the one he carried the money in, but much smaller.
"I'll explain once we're back at the Academy." Lylas grinned ear to ear.
The four of them walked along the trail back to the school. The sun was setting, and they had about another half an hour before nightfall. From what they knew and expected, most of, if not all, students and staff would be gone from the Academy. They'd be out celebrating and having a good time. Most likely, the large majority of them wouldn't even be back until the end of the week. This was especially compounded by the fact that many taverns would rent out rooms for cheap during festivals and other holidays. It made for the perfect setup for all of them. Especially Lylas, who, had plans after this.
In due time, the four of them reached the gates. Walking through and sitting themselves on the edge of the fountain, Bif finally opened the bag. Bif reached in and pulled his clenched fist out. He made sure everyone was looking before he unveiled what was in his hand.
"This is where boys become men." Bif grinned ear to ear as he slowly unclenched his hand. What was revealed in the palm of his hand looked to be an orb of some sort. It was brown with occasional red spotting. Avures and Ventrix both looked dumbfounded.
"What exactly am I looking at?" Ventrix looked between Bif and Lylas.
"Cacosol plant mixed with sap from a Ligowath tree." Lylas took the sphere from Bif's hand and held it up. "Mixed, then shaped into little circles like so."
"What exactly are you getting at?" Ventrix eyed the circle strangely. "What is it?"
"That's poison..." Avures raised an eyebrow at the boys. "That's just straight poison. I've read about those."
"Ah-ah-ah." Lylas waved his finger in Avures's face. "That's what they're written down as. When combined like this...they do some funny stuff to ya."
"So...like alcohol then?" Avures looked on as Bif pulled out a few more of the spheres.
"Kinda. Except it's nothing like being drunk." Bif reached his hand out to Avures. Avures obliged, and Bif dropped the orb in his hand. Bif then did the same for Ventrix.
"Is this really okay?" Ventrix tilted his head as he looked around. No one was anywhere around them.
"Course, long as no one says anything." Lylas shrugged. "It's just us here after all."
"I'm not sure if we should..." Avures felt the orb in his hand. It was soft, and had a smooth texture. It felt very malleable.
"Look, if you don't wanna...that's fine. I just figured you'd wanna try something new. Something fun. I bet Olicia and Rael are probably doing something fun too." Bif shrugged his arms as he popped the mixture into his mouth. He chewed it for a few seconds and swallowed with no hesitation. "It was a bit of a last second decision between me and Lylas."
Avures looked at the orb in his hand. Something fun...Rael...she probably was having fun right now. And probably with...Avures shook his head, but the thought remained. After those events...it was all over, wasn't it?...There was no going back. No taking back his words or actions. If living for himself and enjoying life meant alienating the closest person to him by expressing himself...maybe it was for the better that he didn't. Though, Avures had gotten his answer earlier, realizing that all relationships are two-ways. But it was too late. Despite what Rael said to him, he had damaged their relationship far beyond repair. It might have been a wild and over-exaggerated thought, but to Avures...it was the only thing that made sense. And it was to the fault of neither Rael, or Avura. Only himself.
"We wanted to include the both of ya. After all, the two of ya are usual pretty serious. Let this thing take the edge off..." Lylas popped his circle into his mouth as well. He chewed, and swallowed. "I figured ya would need it the most, Avures. The last couple of days have been stressful for ya, haven't they?"
"Oh damn!" Bif watched on in amazement as Avures put the orb in his mouth the instant Lylas finished talking. Avures chewed the mixture. It was a strange sensation. It was like biting into a freshly baked food with a soft consistency, but with none of the heat. The taste of it was weirdly off-putting as well. Bitter mixed with a pinch of sour. Though, it wasn't anywhere close to being bad enough to make Avures spit it out. He swallowed it after a few seconds of chewing. It sat in his stomach strangely as well. It was like having eaten a lot of food and it sitting for a while.
"Today...yesterday...they've both been awful." Avures thought as the aftertaste hit his mouth.
"Feelin okay?" Lylas looked to Avures. Avures looked around and nodded his head. He didn't feel anything new or unfamiliar. "That just leaves you, blue-blood."
"Mm..." Ventrix looked to Avures. Avures shrugged in return. "Blue-blood...you must think me as someone who considers themselves high and mighty...above this sort of thing."
"Not at all. I think of ya as my friend. If ya were like that, ya wouldn't be sitting here with us and holding that in your hand, now would ya?" Lylas grinned as he looked to Ventrix.
"Yeah. Blue-blood is just a nickname. All in good fun." Bif smiled and shrugged.
"I see...well, I am most definitely not above this." Ventrix put the concoction into his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it as well.
"Ha-ha, yeah!" Lylas clapped his hands together in excitement.
"So...when uh...when does it kick in?" Avures started to kick his legs back and forth.
"Give it a second." Bif looked up at the sky. The orangeness was starting to fade.
Avures kept kicking his legs back and forth as he waited. In his mind, he made that decision to let go. It was time to move on from his mistakes, and to move on from the way Rael had made him feel in the moment. Hopefully, this mixture would let it all go and allow him to come back feeling better. He wasn't giving up on Rael, but he needed clarity. Or at least, a push away from the feelings that kept clouding him. He had hardly noticed it, but Avures started to feel...odd. He was so eased into the sensation that it hardly even passed through his mind. But, his body felt loose. His mind was at ease. He felt light, like a late night breeze...or was that just the wind hitting him? Avures stopped kicking his legs. He turned his head to face his friends...his vision changed to the sight of them, but he didn't feel his neck even move. Avures brought his hand to his face. It felt like there was a...delay in his action.
"Oh...he's feelin it." Lylas pointed over to Avures.
"Uh...w-what..." Avures felt everything slow down slightly. His world was moving slowly. His breathing was heavy, but not panicked or induced by physical movements. As he slowly adjusted, all of his feelings hit him at once. His body couldn't show it, but Avures was in pain, but at the same time, he felt...embraced.
"Are you okay over there, Avures?" Bif looked over with concern in his face. Avures stared straight ahead at the gate of the Academy.
"...I-...I'm feeling so many things at once..." Avures kept his eyes on the gate ahead. The darkness slowly settled in, replacing the orange hue in the sky.
"Go ahead, let it out, friend." Lylas put his arm around Avures's shoulder.
"He's actually feeling things?...damn." Bif chuckled. Ventrix gave him a look of disapproval. "Right. I'm kidding."
"Is it really okay?..." Avures felt himself exploding at the seams with everything he felt. He wanted to let it out...but what if the same thing happened? What if it would only hurt them all in the end?
"Huh?...of course. We're your friends. If something is bothering ya...if anything is on your mind...tell us." Lylas lightly shook his friend by the shoulder.
"Can I just say it all at once?" Avures felt himself start to tremble.
"Go ahead." Ventrix stated.
"I'm all ears." Bif replied.
"Say it, pal." Lylas said.
"I...I appreciate you guys more than you could ever know...even if we've only known each other for less than a full year...I-" Avures felt himself shake as he spoke. He couldn't stop it. It felt like his body was rejecting the words he was saying, the way he was feeling was incompatible.
"What's time gotta do with it?" Lylas held his friend tight. Ventrix and Bif got closer to Avures as well. "There's nothing wrong with appreciating who ya have...no matter how long you've had em."
"I also...I-...I messed up...I'm all over the place right now...but I just need to get it off my chest...It's ironic...choosing to say how I feel now..." Avures gripped his chest with his hand. His body kept fighting him, but he persevered. "I think I ruined my relationship with Rael..."
"Whoa...what makes you say that?" Bif wrapped his arm around Avures's back.
"I said what I felt...things I had balled up inside me for years...and during that fight...it all came out in the worst way possible...I feel sick..." Avures kept staring straight ahead.
"To be fair, nobody liked the merits of that battle." Ventrix adjusted himself, sitting on the ground next to Avures's legs instead of on the fountain. "We saw what happened...we heard some of the words. We know you haven't been doing well since yesterday. But-"
"But I make it hard to approach me about how I feel...I know...I'm also terrible at dealing with the feelings of other people...so let me start fresh...I'm sorry if I haven't been that good of a friend...to the people I consider friends..." Avures looked around at the three of them. "I'm sorry if I haven't been there...if I haven't listened well...if I haven't considered how you guys feel...if I haven't been able to relate...if I haven't shown empathy...all of these things...I just don't understand why I can't...but please, allow me to try...allow me to be your friend..."
"Avures...ya are our friend..." Lylas locked eyes with the black-haired boy. "If ya want to start fresh...if ya think you haven't been a good friend...then just be our friend too."
"H-huh?..."
"Yeah...being bros is a two-way street." Bif grinned as he looked to Avures. "You can come to us and help us or let us help you all you want...but that doesn't tell me anything about who this Avures guy is."
"And it's hard to tell you who we are when you seem to have a shell up around yourself." Ventrix stared straight ahead at the gate.
"Exactly. Ya need to let us understand how ya feel...and ya need to try and get how we feel. Cause all I know about Avures...is that he is a smart guy who lets nothing in or out, but cares a lot about this girl..." Lylas shrugged and looked towards the gate as well.
"...then...can I...can I tell you all everything?...can I have that fresh start?"
"Go ahead..."
"Then let me start with the strongest feeling I have." Avures took a deep breath...and let it out. "I...I think I'm in love with her. I used to think she was annoying...but I always found her so pretty. She always captivated me. And the way she can easily talk for herself, be strong in any showing, stand up for others, be so friendly, and live so carefree...I-I look up to her...I always have...but I've never been able to tell her that. And as I've been here...and gained new friends and learned new things...it only made me appreciate her more...it made me really appreciate everything she's done for me."
"I figured ya would start with her." Lylas patted Avures's shoulder. "So what does that all mean to ya?..."
"It means...she means...she's my hero...and I'm in love with her..."
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Within a tavern known as Gargobah's Grog...several people were gathered together. Located at a tucked in location near the back of the market district, this tavern resided. There were some small groups doing their own celebrations within. But most of the people within were staff of the Academy. Particularly, all the teachers, the headmaster, the deputy headmaster, and some accompanying alumni. George walked through the doors of the tavern and was greeted with a combination of drunken yelling and mediocre music in the back. George smiled, feeling right at home.
"Look who came!...Good old George! I'm so happy to see you-...my main...my guy!" Zen hobbled over to the entrance and wrapped his arm around George's shoulders. "L-let's get you a drink..."
"Ya look awful..." George chuckled as he, more or less, guided him to the table seat beside Grula. All the staff were sitting at a single table, made from several tables put together in the form of a square.
"Glad you could make it, George. Take a seat." Fraythorn's face looked flushed as he gestured for the man to sit. George obliged, sitting down.
"This guy!...is my favorite..." Zen pointed to George as he wobbled back and forth in his seat.
"How many has he had? Two, maybe three drinks?" George looked around at everyone else at the table.
"-He's always so...ready...prepared...-"
"Four, actually. He's still a lightweight though...where have you been?" Grula's face was slightly red as well as she looked to George.
"-I mean...and reliable too...-"
"Had lunch with my daughter and her friend...then I stocked up on some supplies for when I leave...now I'm here." George leaned back in his chair as the bartender brought him over an empty mug. "I need to play catch-up...Whaddya got for me?
"-Do you...do you get this?-he's ready to go again. Crazy...-"
"Here...I know you'll appreciate this one, George. You're a real mans-man, like us." Xilvas gestured between himself and Eks as he handed George a particular green bottle. George shrugged and poured a decent amount into his mug.
"Here!-George!...lemme hab some too. I needa...I needa drink with you..." Zen could hardly even keep himself from falling over.
"I'm cutting ya off. I'll share a drink with ya next time." George lifted the mug to his lips and drank. A particularly fiery taste hit his lips along with something sweet like honey, but with a charred-like taste accompanying it. "Not bad."
"Right? I found this about six months ago while I was out and about on some business." Eks had a sly grin on his face. "I'd been saving it for this festival...or some other thing of course."
"This guy always knows how to pick em..." Meius had his head down on the table, but peaked his head up to talk.
"This kid couldn't handle his taste of it." Xilvas chuckled as George handed the bottle back to him.
"I'm not a kid..." Meius lazily looked around at everyone else. His face was completely red and flushed.
"Dude, you're older than me, but look like you're fresh out of the Academy." Dulis took a drink from his mug.
"You're one to talk." Fraythorn took a drink as well. "But at least you can handle your alcohol."
"Hmm...no Lola?" George looked around and noticed the absence of the old lady.
"She's uh...doing the fireworks this year." Grula took another drink, as she recalled the information.
"Ah..." George took another drink and looked around.
"You know George...with recent events...we have an opening for a teacher position..." Xilvas took a sip of his drink as he eye-balled the man.
"A bit soon, don't ya think." George took another drink.
"He was a traitor. And traitors be damned." Eks took a drink and slammed his mug on the table.
"Hmm...still, I prefer being in the field." George shook his head. "There ain't a single soul fit to take my spot in my guild."
"True. Hard to fill a title like drunken gambling addict." Dulis took a sip of his drink. Fraythorn burst out laughing and took a drink of his own.
"Exactly." George took another drink and smiled. "Besides...ya got plenty of other alumni to ask."
"Pf. The problem is most of them aren't reliable like you." Xilvas shook his head. "They're either too absorbed in their own ego...or incapable of teaching others. Sometimes both."
"I'd say I'm all ego...but I've earned it." George chuckled to himself as he finished out his mug.
"Mm...shit..." Meius stood up from his chair. He grabbed the mug in front of him and took a large drink before slamming it back down. "I gotta...I gotta...Bah! I'll be back."
Meius gave a half-hearted wave as he walked out the front door to the bar. Everyone at the table could hear him cackling from outside the bar as he walked away.
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"Alright. Someone has to keep an eye on the boy..." Xilvas eyed the table.
"Not it." Everyone at the table said, placing their fingers on their noses. However, Xilvas pointed to Grula who was noticeably slower than everyone else on the uptake.
"Dammit!...oh alright." Grula sighed and groaned as she stood up from her chair. Everyone else went back to talking and drinking as Grula walked through the front door of the bar.
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As she stepped outside, she caught a glimpse of Meius walking around a street corner. Sighing, she followed behind him from a distance. Using the darkness of the night and Meius's inebriation as cover, Grula was able to stealthily follow him even with some of the lit lanterns lining the streets. She was going to do as told, but she didn't want to be wrapped up in any shenanigans Meius might pull. He didn't seem to notice her either as he kept laughing and moving through. Eventually, he quickly stumbled his way into a back alley. Annoyed, but duty-bound as well, Grula followed in after him. After some walking, Meius spotted a figure some ways down the alley and walked towards him in particular. Grula pursued, but curious as to who this was and what was going on...Grula managed to find a hiding spot some place within ear and eye shot of the interaction. Particularly, in the doorway of a building's back exit which had enough space for Grula to hide behind. She peered around the edge and watched closely.
"You!...You!..." Meius drunkenly stumbled over to the man. The man was fairly short, but muscular looking. Meius was only slightly taller than the average person, and this guy only came up to his chest. His head was covered with thin, but long gray hair tied into a ponytail. He had a thick beard and mustache to match, and his nose was thick and round. His clothes consisted of a black coat with gold buttons, and a white undershirt. He wore a blue tie, and black pants and boots to match.
"Yes yes, it's me, Usime...I just came to-" The man started speaking with a low, gravely voice, but was cut short as Meius grabbed him by his arms and lifted him up.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing here?" Meius started shaking the man back and forth as he held him in the air. "And using that name...are you trying to get me killed?-are you trying to piss me off?!"
"Right...sorry, Meius...you've uh-had a lot to drink, haven't you?" The man tried to keep his composure as Meius violently shook him. Though, Meius then let go of the man, letting him fall to his feet.
"Is-is it that obvious?...ha..." Meius giggled as he stumbled against the building wall to his left. "Still...the nerve of you...I oughta gut you..."
"My apologies, master." The man bowed to Meius.
"Ah...but I won't. There's very...little people with the tact needed to accomplish things...like you and I. That's why, Korkolo, you-you are my trusty, good ol...uh-right hand man." Meius stumbled in front of the man and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Your inebriation has made you much more...open. It takes away from your greatest strength."
"Says you, moron!...my confidence in the moment is surpassing me, I will admit...but yo-you're the dumbass who decided to come find me during a festival! Idiot!...what did-ya want anyways?"
"Well...we found the artifact we were looking for. I had one of our people sketch it out so I could show you. Take a look." The old man reached into his coat and pulled out a scroll. Handing it to Meius, the deputy-headmaster inspected it for a few seconds...
"Why didn't...you just bring it?" Meius rolled the scroll back up and threw it at Korkolo's face.
"Ugh!...master, it's locked in place in a ruins. If I could have brought it to you, I would have. We're missing some elements on opening it. But...it is most certainly the tool we've wanted." Korkolo caught the scroll and put it back in his pocket.
"I don't doubt...-you...but I bet what you're here for...is to ask for resources...no? W-what in specific do you need?" Meius grinned at the man.
"Manpower...and maybe an archeologist...the artifact is locked within a magical barrier we haven't been able to dispel. And the clues to unlocking it have been supposedly lost long ago. If we could dig it up, or at least, directly discern the past...then it would be as good as ours."
"Discern the past...heh...I-ah...I have what you need...but why did you come to me instead of just taking it?"
"You're the one who needs to grant it...Flow Priest."
"Eh?...ew...that title is so...gaudy...but you're right...I almost forgot..." Meius rubbed his chin for a second, thinking on what to do. "Sure. T-take the resources. But keep a low profile with them...I-uh...I have a plan of my own...and if either one works out...then hey...ha-ha-ha-ha!"
"Plan of your own?"
"Yes...yes!...What leader goes on without a secondary plan? Right now...everything is lining up to the path of least resistance...imagine, Korkolo...if we had actually stuck to their original plans...Ha-ha!...foolish!...we could have spent another decade sitting around and doing nothing..." Meius doubled over in laughter, laying both his arms on the shorter man and using him to keep himself standing.
"Indeed. Power is to be leveraged, not to be sat on. After all, fortune favors the brave...what is this secondary plan of yours?"
"Oh...it's a secret..." Meius balanced himself off of Korkolo as carefully as he could.
"And none of this wasn't?"
"No one is around to hear this...I-uh...oh man...I forgot to use my shade." Meius put his hand on his head in concern...but then giggled. "Not like anyone would care anyways, I'm sure...but if I say this plan aloud...you might goof this one up. I try not to leave things to chance, ya know?"
"Fair enough, master. Either way...Ozix will step foot on the land of the living once more..."
"Huh?...oh yeah...for sure...ha..." Meius rubbed his temples as he walked past the shorter man. The shorter man then followed him deeper into the alley.
Grula had watched and listened to it all. And despite the partial inebriation, it was clear what was going on. Her entire body shook with a mixture of fear and anger. This was no shenanigan or gag Meius was pulling. What he talked about was nothing less than conspiracy and collaborating with people who want to bring about the end. As soon as the two of them were out of eye and earshot, Grula ran back to the bar as fast as she could. As she approached the door, she realized something. She had no proof other than her own word. If she accused him here and now, there's no guarantee he couldn't just squirm his way out of the situation. After all, if he had been fooling them this long...even through Xilvas's shade...
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"Oh, hey Grula's back!" George lifted up his mug to greet the woman.
"Where's Meius?" Xilvas took a sip and looked to his staff member.
"He..." Grula hadn't even realized until she started speaking. But, if she had to hide her knowledge of what happened...Xilvas was the worst person to talk to. She couldn't lie to him, or else she might lose the opportunity to get to the bottom of this. She could picture it now. Xilvas deduces the truth, questions Meius, and Meius somehow bypasses his shade. So, Meius would go free. Grula looked to Zen. His head was resting on the table. He was fast asleep.
"Grula...hello?..." Fraythorn snapped his fingers in front of her face.
"Oh...uh...he walked off somewhere." Grula shrugged, staring right at Xilvas. Xilvas stared right back. It wasn't a lie...
"Eh...he'll be fine." Xilvas shrugged and tapped his fingers on the table...
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"If you love her...why don't you just like...smooch her or something?" Bif shrugged as he sat next to his friend.
"It's not that simple." Ventrix looked up at Bif. "I mean...is it? I've only ever seen courting rituals."
"Dude...it depends..." Lylas waved his hand towards the sky. "Is she like...into ya like that?..."
"I...I think so..." Avures nodded his head slowly. Any single time they've been close together...her eyes have always managed to spark something within him. They burned with a passion that always ignited something deep within Avures. With how she affected him...surely she felt the same. But, Avures had his own problem. Showing affection...it was something that he could only seem to do through second-hand actions or words. Thinking back on it, he's had a multitude of chances to do more than simply grab her hand. And he had only done with any sort of affection once. But she had embraced him multiple times before...but had he ever done it back to her on his own accord?...
"Then yeah, bro...smooch her." Bif patted Avures on the back.
"I can't..." Avures's gaze sunk to the ground below his feet.
"Huh?...why not?" Lylas looked to his friend's face.
"I don't know if I can. Words are one thing...and wanting to have friends is another...but affection?...I don't know..." Avures shook his head.
"I mean...friendship is a form of affection." Ventrix shrugged as he looked back ahead at the gate. "But I think I understand what you mean. That kind of affection..."
"Something's wrong with me...I've just never been able to show it. And anytime I receive it...I just don't seem to feel anything...I don't even know if this will work out..." Avures sighed. He really only had one exception to that usual feeling...
"Well...ya could always take a look ahead..." Lylas patted his friend on the shoulder as he stood up. "Aight, y'all behave. I got a hot date."
"Damn, dude. Leaving us for a girl...tsk-tsk." Bif jokingly shook his head in disapproval as Lylas began to walk away. "See ya later!..."
"Later!..." Lylas waved back as he walked towards the tree line behind the Academy.
"Look ahead...huh?" Avures held his right hand to his face. It had been a while since he used his power like this. But...if it gave him the answers he needed. However, he knew the nature of this power as well. It was a gamble...the other two boys looked at him in confusion.
"Hey...Avures, what are you doing?" Bif watched as Avures's right hand lit up.
"Doesn't hurt to try, I suppose." Avures said, fully aware that his state of mind was currently altered, but still wanting to go ahead. "Keep an eye on me real quick..."
Avures felt his vision start to be overcome by that familiar light, that familiar blurring into a different vision...
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As his new vision came in, Avures was immediately overwhelmed with how real this one felt. Unlike before, where it seemed as if his perspective was shifted from himself, Avures remained as his own self. He felt the weight of flesh on him. The only thing he could figure was that it was due to the concoction he took. Perhaps it provided a calmness or more focused sense of the future. But that aside...the first thought that crossed his mind...why did he do this? It seemed like a good idea in the moment, but as Avures's vision came to, he remembered that his power had a tendency to only show him the worst case scenarios. Not to mention, Avures had put in a decent amount of mana and flow. There were different sweet spots for his desired outcome. but...How far this vision was into the future?...
The rattling of chains were the first things to grab Avures's attention. The moment he tried to move, re realized that his wrists and ankles were bound by chains. The room around him was scarcely lit by a faint red hue coming from a candle. Metal bars lay ahead, enclosing him within a prison cell room. Try as he might, Avures had a limited range of movement. The chains extended from the wall behind him, only allowing him to move back towards it. Avures gave himself some slack to work with, and tried to force himself forward to break the chains...nothing. Another thought crossed his mind...was this cognitive? Usually his visions were void of voluntary actions on his part. But here...he felt like he was in full control...
Avures heard echoing footsteps approach. He was filled with a sense of dread. A creeping, crawling cold feeling flowed up his back. Avures tried to channel any sort of magic to break free, but it seemed as if the Ley-lines to his mana pool were blocked up and stuffed. Avures pulled the chain around his wrist closer to his face. He could feel it...Anti-Magic. He wasn't here by chance. The footsteps sounded closer and closer...
"You reap what you sow..." A cloaked figure came into view of Avures. Dimly lit by the candle, he could make out a set of black robes with purple edges being worn by the figure. His face was unrecognizable, and shrouded by the darkness of the room.
"Let me go!...Dammit!..." Avures tried to force himself free, but to no avail. His heartbeat raced higher and higher. While his mind didn't recognize what was going on, and he had no recollection of why he was here...it was as if his body knew. As if some instinct came alive in him from the previous events leading up to this.
"You had the chance to go free. But you wanted to play savior...I don't like people who think taking the altruistic action will ultimately lead to good outcomes. It's a childish thought process that lends itself to the grounds of a world that can't stand on it's own. Therefore, I decided to inflict a greater torment upon you...such are the tenants of Ozix. Punish the righteous. And let the strong decide the fates of all...a form of operation I'm sure your sister understood far too well..." The figure stood there with his hands behind his back as he spoke down upon Avures. Avures stared at the figure with an intensity he had never once felt in his life before.
"You...you piece of shit!..." Avures struggled against the chains as hard as he could. The cold metal rubbed and scraped against his skin as he ferociously tried to break free. "It was you? Wasn't it?!"
"I suppose it doesn't matter to either of us now if it was...does it? Ultimately, I got what I wanted from your friends. What you wouldn't provide. We're living on a world with a very limited amount of time now, all thanks to them. I'll never forget those screams and shouts once the deceit was revealed. The howls of the damned aren't even comparable to the pained screams we induced. I even brought a souvenir to show you." The cloaked figure reached into it's pocket and pulled out his closed hand.
Through the metal bars of the cell, he tossed something onto the ground in front of Avures. It rolled for a moment...then stopped. Avures moved his gaze down to the object...a single, crimson red eye lay at his feet. Avures choked up, his entire body shook with a mixture of fear and rage. His breaths became heavy and labored. His lips and body quivered as he breathed.
"No! No!" Avures pulled himself forward against the weight of the chains. The metal clanged together and strained as Avures mindlessly tried to charge at the man. "I'll kill you!...I'll kill you!..."
"This is only a sample of the eternal torment the coming days will hold for you." The robed man held his arms out to his side as the cacophony of shouts and metal clanging echoed throughout the chamber. "His return is close...I can hardly wait."
Avures could no longer speak any words. His body, his mind could only bring forth rage. He was consumed with anger and blood-lust. He thoughtlessly tried to fight the chains, only to be completely held back. His vision blinded, Avures hadn't noticed another figure come into view. The cloaked man didn't take note of it either, his ears assaulted by the noise. The figure approached closer and closer until...
A mighty and meaty slice rang out. A blade, particularly, an double-sided ax head was stuck in the cranium of the robed man. Avures froze as he heard the sound. The robed man fell to the ground with a thud, taking the ax down with him. The figure wobbled closer to the body on the ground. They bent down and patted the body down. Eventually, they pulled something out. The ringing of keys. The figure walked to the cell door, and unlocked it. They became illuminated by the light...
"Rael..." Avures's eyesight went shaky. His arms and legs felt weak as the girl very slowly approached him. Her hair was completely a mess, and even cut or singed in some parts. Her face was bruised and cut up, and Avures could see her empty eye socket on the left side of her face. Blood had cascaded from the vacant area. Her other eye looked weary, as if she were going to pass out at any moment. Her lips were cut up and bloody, but rested partially open. She seemed to be wearing a set of armor which was heavily damaged. Some steel armor which was broken off or extremely dented. The areas of her body which were visible from the broken segments were completely bloodied by large gashes and lacerations.
Avures carefully watched as Rael bent down to his legs. Two clicks rang out, and the chains on his legs went loose. She then stood back up. Rael wobbled back and forth for a moment, but Avures grabbed onto her tightly, allowing her to continue standing. Rael weakly brought the keys to Avures's wrists...two clicks, and the chains had fallen.
"You're okay...thank goodness..." Rael's voice sounded raspy and weak. "Let's...go home..."
"Rael. What's going on?" Avures felt Rael tug away at him, guiding him forward. He shouldered Rael partially and stepped forward, supporting her as best as he could as the two moved ahead.
"We should have known...they were lying..." Rael lowered her head as her breathing became labored. "But...what other choice did we have?"
The two of them moved along a set of corridors, Rael nudging him in the right direction. As they came up a set of stairs, a door stood wide open. Several corpses lined the room past the door. All of them were robed much like the one before. The two of them slowly walked out of the building, and were greeted to a cool breeze as an orange hue hung in the sky above. However, that would be the only pleasant view Avures would have.
"Rael...what happened here?..." Avures couldn't move. His body refused. His eyes lay upon the scene ahead of him. He felt like he was going to be sick.
"There were too many of them...so...they wanted me to get you out of there..." Rael didn't look at Avures. She kept staring at the ground. Her voice was so quiet...
"No..." Avures kept trembling as he shouldered Rael. He started feeling weaker and weaker himself. "Why?...why me?..."
"You should know the answer to that...let's go home Avures..." Rael nudged him towards the right.
"We don't have a home..." Avures looked at the disheveled red-haired girl. Her stared at the back of her head for what felt like an eternity.
"I wanna go home...Avures." Rael nudged him with what little strength she could muster. Avures gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. He turned his gaze away from the sight ahead, and partially carried Rael towards the direction she pushed. The two of them walked...and walked...and walked. Through plains, hills, and eventually, to a forest. As the two trekked forward...Rael eventually started going limp.
"Rael!..." Avures got a better hold of her.
"Let's...rest..." Rael lightly pulled Avures towards a large tree behind them. Avures gulped, and obliged.
He carefully moved her close to the tree, and helped her sit down on the ground below. Avures sat himself down next to her. The light was completely fading from the sky. He felt the touch of her hair greet his body. The weight of her on his side.
"I...I can't keep going..." Rael brought her hand up and onto Avures's chest. She lightly caressed the area around his collarbone and chest with her fingers.
"What do you mean?..." Avures looked at her. Her eye was focused in on his body. "We can rest here for the night...it's okay..."
"No...as in...you go ahead without me..." Rael pulled her hand away from Avures, and was about to lay down...but Avures pulled her in close to him for an embrace.
"I-I can't..." Avures felt compelled to pull her in. What he felt...what he felt...it never showed.
"You can hug me...but can you tell me that you love me?...just once?...can you say it to me?" Rael looked into Avures's eyes. He stared back...
"I-I-I..." Avures started to breath heavily.
"I know you can feel things...I just wish you would show it..."
"I'm sorry..."
"I don't blame you...so don't apologize to me...apologize to yourself..." Rael's lips curled into a weak smile. The corners of her mouth then slowly lowered back down...and the faint light in her eye dimmed down until...
"Rael..." Avures felt the girl's weight be lowered onto him completely. He lightly tapped her...nothing...Avures let his head hit the tree behind him as he looked up at the leaves overhead. This was a doomed future...but even so...why didn't he feel anything?...or rather, why couldn't he just say it to her?...
----------------------------------------
Avures's vision once again shifted, though this time it was instantly. He gasped for air, but found he was submerged in water. He flailed around for a moment before two sets of hands came below the surface of the water and grabbed a hold of him. Pulling him above the water, Ventrix and Bif both steadied him and helped him sit upright on the fountain again.
"Holy shit, bro! Are you okay?" Bif held Avures steady as he looked directly at him. Avures saw the boy's face...
Bif had been laid against a tree. His left leg was completely taken off of him and thrown off the beaten path. His right hand was also detached from his body, and his clubs were thrown about. What remained of his body had been made into a pincushion for knives. Several tens...maybe even a hundred knives were jammed into him from the front to the back. Aside from his hair, he was unrecognizable...
"Ah!..." Avures freaked out, pushing himself away from Bif.
"Hey...Avures, what happened?" Ventrix kept a steady hold on his friend as he backed into him. Avures turned to face him...
Along the ground, a rope of intestines piled up at the foot of a tree. As Avures's gaze slowly rose up, he was greeted to the site of Ventrix's body. His hands, feet, and his body were pinned to the tree by several swords and knives in a crucifixion-like manner. His midsection was cut open, and his guts were left to hang...
"Agh!..." Avures shoved himself free of Ventrix, standing up on his own two feet and moving away from the fountain. He began to hyperventilate as the vision of their bodies wouldn't go away. Whatever feeling of inebriation or high he had was completely gone, the water completely sobering him. What he was looking at was cold hard reality...and they were alive...but that wouldn't make him free of that vision...would it?
Why did he do this?...at Lylas's idea...there was no malicious intent from his friend to be sure. He had no way of knowing, but Avures did. Whatever concoction he took definitely had a choice factor in it. But...maybe he needed to see these things. This night...this day had changed him a lot. And if he was going to move forward, Avures knew that this power would be needed. From the vision of Rael in that alley, to this one...he needed to be able to prevent these things from happening. Avures could only wish that he didn't have to be subjected to the harshest futures. But maybe it was necessary.
Avures slowly calmed down as he was still soaking wet from falling into the fountain. He stood there, catching his breath. The three of them all looked at each other.
"Sorry...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to freak out like that." Avures gasped for air as he tried wiping the water off of him.
"Dude, it's okay...but what was that?..." Bif tilted his head.
"I..." Avures looked to the ground. Had he forgotten so soon...Bif, Ventrix, Olicia...none of them knew he could see into the future. Was it even worth saying?...
"Just be our friend too."
"Whether by...choice or not...I haven't really been clear. So let me say something about myself." Avures gulped and took a deep breath. "My arms...or what's happened to them has allowed me to see the future and the past. And whenever I look at the future..."
Avures remembered every single vision he had gotten from willfully using this ability. From the vision of Rael, to the visions of the near future in fights, and even to the future he just saw. And if he were to believe it, every vision he had in a dream as well...they were all related, they were all the future, and they all made him suffer unequivocally in their own ways. Avures gripped his heart as he spoke, trying to use any sort of feeling or stimuli to sway his mind away from what he saw.
"I see horrible things. Futures that sit in my mind and plague me. Things that I don't want to happen." Avures dropped his hand from his heart and grabbed at his right arm. That cursed arm... "I'm sorry I haven't been fully honest up until now."
"So anytime you've been glowing like that..." Bif stood up from the fountain.
"Yes. I know it's sudden...but I want to be better, for everyone else, and myself." Avures lowered his grip.
"And you willingly put yourself through that?" Ventrix stood up from the fountain as well and walked closer to Avures.
"Yes...if it means that I can change things...I'll keep doing it too. Because I want to make sure you guys will still be around." Avures closed his eyes and took a deep breath once more. "I enjoy having you around...I did the same for Rael too...and I'll do it again because I like you guys...and I lo-"
Avures noticed both Ventrix and Bif not looking at him, but rather looking past him. Avures froze mid-sentence, and slowly turned around...Rael and Olicia both stood behind him at the gate with several large bags in their hands. Olicia lightly coughed and stepped to the side as Rael and Avures locked eyes...