《The Demon Lord And His Hero》


 Chapter 1 - Prologue - Sacrifice

    "The runes are all in place. Lets hurry before the portal stabilises." Syryn''s voice was calm and measured, as if he hadn''t just prepared a sacrificial array for his death.


    His companion, Rowan, closed his eyes and acknowledged the tiredness that had been dogging at his heels, "Ryn, is there no other way?"


    Syryn reached out and gently placed a hand on his friend''s shoulder. The taller man''s eyes opened to reveal brilliant blues that had long been a comfort to Syryn for the past 14 years of his life. Enemies to reluctant friends, Rowan had been the best thing to ever happen to an angry demon lord with nothing but hatred fuelling his life.


    "We don''t have time. You know this. If we don''t do it now, he will appear and I''ll die anyway. We''ll all die."


    Rowan''s chest rose and fell as the last spark of hope died in his eyes. His arms enveloped Syryn in a hug that left no air between them.


    "Will it hurt you?"


    Syryn shook his head and smiled reassuringly. Retreating to the centre of the sacrificial array, he sat down in a meditative pose. He would have to cut his wrists and let the blood flow into an enormous spiral groove that went all the way around the floor of the stone chamber. It was either that or slice his neck but even he wasn''t cruel enough to force Rowan to watch that.


    "Rowan, I just -" Syryn was interrupted.


    "No. Don''t make this harder than it already is. No goodbyes."


    Rowan was still in denial after all. He was only losing his best friend, the demon lord, that he had captured. His prisoner had been confined inside the Frozen tower for 18 years. And those 18 years was a long enough time for many things to happen. It changed them both in ways that neither had anticipated.


    Syryn hadn''t wanted Rowan to watch but the man had insisted he would stay beside him when it happened. Rowan would cut an arm off before he left his friend to pass on alone. The man was aware of the consequences that came with the decision but Syryn could not change his mind.


    "You don''t have to be here Rowan." Syryn tried one last time to dissuade his friend but it was futile. Rowan dug his heels in and sat cross-legged on the cold floor, all but a statue himself. He was bracing himself for the inevitable.


    When Syryn opened the skin of his wrist against the cutting edge of the obsidian stone blade, it was Rowan that blanched. He repeated the same with his other wrist and allowed the blood to flow freely into the spiral groove.


    "You said it wouldn''t hurt you," Rowan accused but there was no bite in his tone. Syryn snorted in response, "you knew exactly what I planned to do Ro. Or did you think this blade was ceremonial?"


    Rowan was silent. The moonlight highlighted the gold of his hair and sculpted his handsome face into sharp lines and dark shadows that accentuated his noble features. Rowan exhaled audibly and met Syryn''s eyes in despair. His friend was bleeding to death and there was nothing he could do but watch.


    Scarlet gleamed from within the spiral groove as Syryn''s blood covered the winding path at a steady pace. His heart had begun thumping faster and harder. There was so much red bleeding out but he was at peace. Syryn had taken countless lives and it was only fitting that he sacrificed his own to save as many.


    "Can I sit next to you?" Rowan''s voice was dull and lifeless.


    Head beginning to spin a little, the demon lord growled out an appropriate response for his mulish friend who was torturing himself at the altar that Syryn had chosen to die on.


    "You stubborn man, your saviour complex will one day be the death of you."


    Rowan''s answering smile was the saddest that Syryn had ever seen. "Come then, don''t get blood on your uniform." He beckoned with his chin. Rising with a desperateness that brought a lump to Syryn''s throat, Rowan reached him in one long stride. He sat with his back to Syryn who leaned against Rowan''s warm and solid body.


    "Lillith will be very upset," Syryn remarked with a light laugh.


    "I don''t care," Rowan replied.


    "You abandon a world-renowned beauty, your wife no less, for an evil, murdering-" once again, he was interrupted by Rowan.


    "You are no longer a demon lord Syryn. At this very moment, you are bleeding to your death in sacrifice for the same people that called for your execution. This is one of the highest act of heroism that I''ve ever witnessed. Just stop whipping that horse. It''s already dead," Rowan replied with a tinge of exasperation. They''d had this conversation before. "And Lillith isn''t.." a pause, "she''ll be fine."


    Syryn had lost about 5 litres of blood. Consequently, his vision was sparking in colours and lights. His head lolled weakly to the side against Rowan''s shoulder. And when he closed his eyes and fell, he barely registered the familiar embrace that caught him. Through his dying vision, Syryn saw the array light up and he knew he had done it. He had saved Rowan and the kingdom so beloved by his friend. A small smile tugged imperceptibly at the edge of his lips as his vision swam and Syryn gave into the sweet release of death.


    Putting a hand to his friend''s chest, Rowan felt the emptiness there. Bereft of a heartbeat, it mirrored the feeling in his chest. Syryn was gone. The lack of life in Syryn''s body was like ashes on Rowan''s tongue.


    "Farewell Ryn. I will meet you on the other side of the river." Rowan''s gaze lingered on Syryn''s peaceful visage before he tenderly laid his forehead on the other''s.


    Rowan held the lifeless body in his embrace one last time before gently laying him down and then marching out to finish what Syryn had started. An ocean of blood in exchange for what Syryn had spilt tonight, Rowan would demand it.

 Chapter 2 - A Strange Beginning

    Syryn had begun to think he''d gone mad. Waking up with a massive headache and a tongue that felt like it was coated in fur, he had heard the soft meowing of a kitten.


    He began to quickly sort the situation at hand. First of all, he wasn''t dead. Second, he was in a smaller body than he remembered. Third, he was covered in straw up to his chin, sleeping most likely, before Syryn rudely woke himself up. It was pitch black and rain was lashing hard against the thatched roof of the barn. Somewhere in a corner of the barn, a kitten was meowing insistently. He pushed aside the straw and looked for the kitten while mentally digesting his situation. The barn felt familiar to his confused mind but he couldn''t exactly remember how.


    Syryn conjured a blue will O the-wisp to illuminate his path. He was surprised that his magic still felt familiar and controlled.


    "There you are," he whispered to the snowy white kitten that was balled up in a lump of hay. It hissed and plaintively meowed when Syryn picked it up.


    He was then jolted by a mooing sound the owner of which was peering at him from a stall in the barn he hadn''t noticed before.


    "Buttercup. What are you doing here?" He voiced out aloud in surprise. The brown cow with a black patch under its chin mooed again and settled back into her sleeping position. That beard like marking could not be mistaken. Syryn was in old man Ringi''s barn. He smoothened the fur on the white kitten while processing the absurdness of the situation he found himself in. Syryn concluded then. He had time travelled back into his 12-year-old body instead of passing on to hell or wherever it is that demon lords were punished in. Perhaps this was all a hallucination, or maybe he was already in hell. He would find out eventually.


    Syryn''s acute hearing soon picked up on a clicking that stood out amongst the assorted sounds of the night. It was the soft ''click'' ''click'' ''click'' of a lock being picked. He silently made his way to the window and caught sight of the thief breaking into Ringi''s home. Realisation dawned on him like a lightning again. It was the night that a few families had been robbed, one of them being a group of travelling nobles. The blame had fallen square on Syryn''s shoulders and despite his youth, he was whipped till he passed out bloody and promising vengeance. The guards that whipped him had dumped Syryn into a river when he passed out. It was a pity that they didn''t realise he was half-demon. His demonic heritage had kept him alive till Traxdart''s subordinates had found and taken him in. They turned Syryn into a tyrannical demon lord who eventually made good on his promise and burned the town down. He shuddered at the thought of the person he was before fate had intervened in the form of a hero named Rowan Windwalker.


    What would he do? Syryn wondered. Kill the thief? This was the man who had inadvertently written the beginnings of Syryn''s tragedy. But he decided he would let him live.


    The thief had no idea what had struck him when Syryn shadow walked behind him and knocked him out cold. He was then deprived of the baggage he had on his person including the items he had spent all night burglarising. He would wake up in the forest, half-naked and nursing a headache. Rowan wouldn''t approve of his actions but Syryn wasn''t sorry about running off with stolen goods. A pang of guilt did catch him off guard but it was so small that Syryn ignored it easily enough.


    He snuck back into the barn and tucked the snowy kitten into the large pocket of the coat he had just acquired. It was snug and warm enough that the kitten settled down comfortably. Syryn knew that the barn would burn down in a week when a slaving caravan would pass by and attack the townsfolk. He had no qualms about purloining the kitten from its mother. He could not remember if Buttercup survived but knowing how fond Ringi''s grandchild was of the old cow, he had hopes for her rescue. Besides, there was absolutely no way he was running off with a cow in tow.


    When the sun rose and threw light over the emerald forest of Ganinova, Syryn was busy catching fish from a river that babbled happily. It was a clean, warm morning and the forest birds were chorusing a cacophony of sounds that lent the forest an air of liveliness. His heart was free and light.


    "Milky, you haven''t had roasted fish until you''ve tasted mine. To celebrate our newfound friendship, I will treat you to something amazing." He informed the kitten who was basking on a rock and watching Syryn with lazy blue eyes. The cat was extraordinarily beautiful and had the disposition of an elegant prince. Milky closed his eyes and continued to slumber on the rock.


    7 glistening fish were gutted and cleaned. Syryn had collected damp wood from the forest and laid them out in the sun but the wood had not dried yet. Given that his magic wielded ice and dark energy, fire did not come easily to his kindling. He would never be able to start a bonfire at this rate. Milky was watching him with intelligence that belied its feline brain. It was almost as if the kitten was making fun of him.


    "You disrespect me, kitten?" He raised a brow at the kitten. Milky stared back unimpressed. You are useless, his expression seemed to say.


    Out of frustration, Syryn wished and he willed desperately for fire. With a crackle, the damp wood began glowing hot and burst into tall flames. Both feline and master jumped out of their skins.


    Syryn stared at the orange-red flames in shock.


    "I did that." He said to the kitten who had padded over to stand beside him.


    Syryn had been aware that the powers in his 12-year-old body had inherited the strength and expertise that he possessed just before he had died. He was an overpowered 12-year-old human demon hybrid time traveller. He hadn''t tested out his powers and it appeared that it had been a mistake, one he would have to immediately rectify.


    "Stay back Milky, daddy is about to play with fire." He cautioned the kitten but he hadn''t expected it to obey. Syryn watched dubiously as Milky put a safe distance between them. He would puzzle out his kitten later.


    Syryn glared at another damp piece of wood and willed it to burn. Once again, flames erupted obediently.


    Syryn then watched in silence while the flames consumed the piece of wood. He hadn''t truly accepted that the world he was living in was real, and he would always have his doubts until he found an answer to why this had happened. But for now, Syryn relished in his newfound power and set to task on building a bonfire for the fish that awaited roasting.

 Chapter 3 - Market

    A soft breeze brought the scent of wildflowers blooming in the night by the river. Syryn contentedly brushed his fingers through Milky''s soft fur. The kitten was purring on his chest as they lay under the vast night sky filled with millions of bright stars. He had spent the day going through the bag of stolen goods and then foraging through the forest for herbs and fruits.


    Syryn had a sizeable fortune in gold coins and jewellery all thanks to the nobleman. He could visit all the places Rowan had told him stories about.


    "Milky, have you heard about cloud mountain? that''s where cloud fish appear and vanish within the mist when it rains. You can only see them at the edge of your vision. If you focus on them, they disperse like mist." Syryn recalled that he had been sceptical about it when Rowan had told him the story of cloud mountain. He wondered about where Rowan was and what he was doing.


    "And then there''s Siren''s cove, a kingdom of beautiful merpeople that consider humans their prey. Apparently, the scale of a merman can fetch quite the price at the black market. People think that it''s a powerful aphrodisiac which is utter nonsense. It does have restorative powers when added to a tincture of wolfsbane but I doubt you''re interested in that."


    Milky meowed softly and blinked at Syryn as if asking him to continue.


    "Milky, I''m starting to believe that you understand what I''m saying. Do you?"


    The kitten laid its head on a paw and began purring. That was all the answer that Syryn was getting. He sighed and continued to ramble about potion making and ingredients till he nodded off. When some time had passed, Milky opened his eyes and focused on an ominous spectre that had been stalking the pair since nightfall. Milky exposed his tiny fangs and hissed at the entity that rapidly retreated into the fold of darkness behind the trees. The ball of fur remained alert and awake till the sun began to rise.


    "Today, we are going to the market. Get inside my pocket Milky."


    Master and feline split their treasure into 5 parts and concealed them in different spots in the forest. The thief had hit the jackpot with the noble family when he had robbed them. Out of the total 250 gold crowns worth of currency he now possessed, Syryn carried 240 gold crowns, 30 silver coins, and a string of copper bits for his shopping trip.


    He hailed a passing horse cart carrying firewood to Maple town. It was an hour''s trip away but necessary for his desire to shop without getting recognised. The cart passed by several crop fields and a bridge, and along the way picked up another passenger. Syryn made himself appear small and inconspicuous which was easy to do as a 12-year-old. When they finally reached Maple town, Syryn paid the driver the standard fare of 20 copper bits. He alighted at the central bazaar and began perusing through the goods.


    Syryn spent his copper and some silver on a set of fine clothing and a few practical sets of clothing including a waterproof hooded cloak that was fur-lined on the inside. He cleaned himself up at a river with his fresh purchase of lemon soap and donned the most expensive set of clothing he had bought. It was the only way he would gain entrance into the finer establishments that sold some items of interest he needed to buy.


    Decked like a gentleman, Syryn entered the emporium of magical goods. The salesman immediately walked up to Syryn with a welcoming smile.


    "Young sir, how can I be of help?"


    Having spent enough time around nobles, Syryn affected a tone of dignified politeness. "I would like to purchase a dimensional bag. Does your establishment have any in stock?"


    "Oh, sir you are very lucky. We just received a dimensional bag looking for an owner. I will bring it to you immediately! Please have a seat."


    Dimensional bags were rips in the fabric of reality that created an opening into a dimensional pocket. Magical engineers created such pockets after careful measurements and study of space pockets that existed alongside their own. Dimensional bags were regulated and expensive so much so that small towns like this one at the barest received one every few months.


    Syryn had known of its existence from his past life because this bag would be awarded to the winner of the brewing competition which would be held at Maple town in 2 months.


    "Here it is." The salesman eagerly handed him a tray on which sat a dimensional shoulder satchel that was crafted from a soft hide. It was an oak bark brown, and compact enough to be carried around by someone of his size. He would have to make a few changes so it would appear inconspicuous to wandering eyes. A small eagle was embossed on the inner side of the shoulder sling to certify its authenticity as coming from the kingdom''s finest magical goods business.


    "It has a space of 5 * 5 * 5 metres, sir. Please be cautioned, you cannot place a living thing inside. It will surely die."


    This was standard for a low-grade dimensional bag, nothing more and nothing less than Syryn''s expectations.


    "I''ll take it. Add a few quills, an Inkwell and a sheaf of lambskin parchments to my purchase."


    "Very good sir. I will be right back."


    When he returned with Syryn''s package and a bill, there was an additional complementary set of perfumed envelopes. He spent a total of 220 gold crowns but it was worth every crown.


    Syryn then made his way to a cottage on a hill that overlooked a sprawling arboretum.


    Maple town was initially an acreage established to supply ingredients and raw materials to buyers across the eastern front of the kingdom. A small village then grew to support the workers at the acreage and it finally developed into a bustling town. The cottage that Syryn was headed to sold botanical ingredients and paraphernalia for brewing. Maple cottage, much like Maple town, had humble beginnings as a small side income for botanical apprentices. Years later, it had turned into a major business partner to several businesses within and beyond the borders of Maple town.


    The scent of dried medicines overwhelmed Syryn''s sensitive nose even as he closed in on the cottage. Milky, who was perched on Syryn''s shoulder like an accessory, sneezed into Syryn''s collar and drew a smile from the apprentice sorting through ingredients at a shelf next to the entrance.


    He approached the green uniformed apprentice, "I would like to buy some alchemical ingredients."

 Chapter 4 - Potion

    Syryn soon spent nearly all the money he had left on him. He acquired a mortar and pestle, a very affordable and low-quality cauldron, and a large batch of common herbs. He also purchased 30 small glass vials for storing liquid. When everything had been placed inside his new satchel, Syryn found a private area to change into commoner clothing.


    The quality of his bag though declared opulence and magic. There was only one way to solve this problem.


    He found a tailor to adhere a few brooches to the satchel without damaging the leather. "Sir, are you sure?" The old lady''s brows drew up in distress. Even she could tell how expensive and well crafted the bag was. Syryn had handed her a palm-full of golden brooches that he had ripped out of a cheap bag. The satchel would appear tacky when it was covered up in unicorn and flower-shaped brooches, exactly like the fake leather bags sold by imitators.


    "It''s something my little sister requested from me." He wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Have it done quickly."


    Syryn''s eyes almost hurt from how shiny and vulgar his bag appeared. He paid the distressed tailor and used up 5 silver coins to buy a saucepan, a waterskin, a sharp knife, one large ladle, spoons, 2 bowls, culinary spices, sauces, and salt. His final stop was at a shop that sold candles, wax, potion bases, cotton linen, an arcane compass and a box of tinder which he stuffed into his satchel once he was out.


    Syryn was finally ready to go back to Ganinova forest. He bought a heaping plate filled with meat pie, dried fruit and juice which he shared with Milky on their way back. The cart rocked back and forth lulling milky into a deep sleep.


    When he reached Ganinova, Syryn dug up his remaining treasure and put them all into his tacky looking satchel.


    "Goodnight Milky, let''s go exploring tomorrow." He murmured to the sleeping kitten and laid down on the grass to sleep the night away. As his breathing evened out, Milky''s eyes opened and surveyed the tree line. He settled down on Syryn''s chest while keeping an eye out for the spectre that hunted his master. If it dared to get close, Milky would rip it apart. The kitten''s silver claws gleamed in the moonlight before they slipped back inside.


    The first thing that Syryn did in the morning was to bind the bag to his blood. It was a relatively simple process. A single drop of blood fell into the open mouth of the bag. Now if anyone else other than Syryn tried to stick their hand inside, the bag would devour the offending body part. It was a terrible price to pay for thievery but some solutions could circumvent this inconvenience. Any robber worth his salt knew never to attempt to reach into safes and bags without precautions in place. Syryn went the extra mile by spelling the satchel with layers of curses that only the best disarmers and anti mages could contend with.


    "Milky, you sleep all day and all night. Are you sick?" Syryn lifted the kitten and peered into its sleepy eyes. "Even for a feline, you tend to sleep a lot. " He observed critically.


    The lethargic kitten batted its paw at Syryn''s cheek and purred. He was lowered back into the pocket of Syryn''s new coat. Milky and his master had both taken a scrubbing and now they smelled like lemon and coconut. Breakfast had been a warm bowl of rabbit meat stew that filled up their bellies aplenty.


    Today, Syryn decided to brew a few basic potions for his use. He found a secluded section of the forest where hunter trails and markings were not to be found. Milky lay perched on a boulder while Syryn unwrapped his ingredients and vials. He began with a simple hemostatic potion for surface level wounds.


    Syryn poured half a litre of alcohol into the cauldron. Potions with alcohol bases were normally done through the cool mix process. However, some ingredients required heat for binding with the base. Hemostatic potions were such that had to be carried out through the hot mix process. Once the alcohol started boiling, Syryn had roughly 5 minutes to add in the remaining ingredients before the potency of the alcohol was lost.


    There was a sequence to how the ingredients would have to be added and stirred without upsetting the concoction. Potions were like volatile lovers that one had to handle with care and love. Gentle arm movements and smooth adjustments to heat were essential for the transition of the mixture to a perfect potion. When Syryn was done with his, a clear pink coloured potion that smelled astringent was left in his cauldron. It was poured into 6 vials and stoppered once they cooled. Any experienced alchemist would recognise that the vials contained an extremely high grade of hemostatic potion, one that could be improved further only by using an upgraded cauldron.


    "If I can''t even do this much, I don''t deserve my rebirth." He told his kitten while holding a vial to the sunlight. Milky sniffed the air daintily and swiped a pebble off the boulder he was perched on.


    The feline slept until the sun disappeared behind the horizon. Syryn had brewed 6 hemostatic potions and planned to sell all of them. He also prepared 10 minor healing poultices with cotton strips and the herbs that he had foraged from the forest. They would last a week at most so he had to sell them off quickly.


    "Milky, let''s leave this town and travel to Nusiris port. It is 5 times bigger than Maple town." He tucked the kitten into his front pocket and set a leisurely pace. Milky was wide awake and keenly watching the sky as if he was aware of a danger that Syryn couldn''t see.


    "The port is located at the western coast of our kingdom. You''ll see all kinds of people and creatures at Nusiris. It''s the biggest port in the Sigil Kingdom so every kind of good is traded there. Arcane crystals, precious stones, medicine, textiles, beasts, armour, rare ingredients, and anything you can think of Milky, they''re all at Nusiris."


    A loud meow came from his kitten which was very cute but also menacing. Syryn looked in the direction that Milky was staring at but there was nothing that warranted the disgusted ''mrrrreow'' that he heard. He could not understand what was wrong with Milky. Syryn rubbed the back of its ear and took a deep breath of moonflower.


    "I suddenly feel tired. Let''s set up camp here." Syryn pointed to a large tree that was hollowed out at the base. It was big enough to fit in a 12-year-old. His kitten hissed and disagreed.


    "Milky!" Syryn was caught off guard by Milky leaping out of his pocket. The kitten ran ahead at a pace that kept him in the view of Syryn. Kitten and master walked on till the tree line broke into a clearing. Milky flicked his tail and sat on his haunches.


    ''This is where we camp'' was what Milky seemed to indicate. He swished his tail impatiently as Syryn walked out into the clearing.


    "You don''t like the shadows do you, Milky?" Syryn pinned his kitten with a knowing look. "I remember you had brown eyes the night that I found you. It''s surprising how the color changed to blue in the morning. Cats are such strange creatures." The smile that Syryn wore was as enigmatic as the puzzle that Milky presented.

 Chapter 5 - Alka

    Syryn was once again in Maple Town. Visitors and hawkers crowded the market in a cacophony of noises and smells. He passed by many makeshift food stalls that were selling breakfast. Stuffed dumplings, fruit pies, game meat porridge, fried dough, and an assortment of delicious-looking food. Syryn was almost broke now and had to sell his wares before he got to eat breakfast. He visited maple cottage and spoke to one of the attendants.


    "Good morning, I have some potions and herbal medicine to sell."


    The young man who he had spoken to looked down his nose and frowned at Syryn. "This brat, we sell only the best items here. Nobody has time to waste on foolish kids. Get out!"


    This time, he wore commoners clothes and thus his treatment was par for course. "You won''t even take a look?" Syryn''s reply was calmly spoken.


    "Didn''t you hear me? I said leave!" The attendant shouted.


    "Eh? Why are you shouting at the kid?" A lazy voice drawled. The owner of the voice, a young man wearing a conspicuous uniform was standing by the herb aisle. His partner was a little male beauty with black hair and cat-like eyes.


    Syryn noticed that their uniform distinguished them as students of the King Hill School for sorcerers and supernaturals. It was one of the 3 reputed Magical Institutions that held sway of power in the kingdom. These two teenagers were no ordinary mages if they were truly students of King Hill.


    The little beauty stepped forward and sniffed at him daintily. His eyes were the colour of a spring leaf, bright green and vivid.


    "You have something good on you." He was the same height as Syryn and stood close to him.


    "Oi, Alka, you can''t just go around sniffing people." His companion chided. The taller man had a dark head of luxurious hair. He gave off an air of indolence and confidence. Just like his beautiful companion, the taller man was also handsome.


    Ignoring his friend, Alka stared keenly at Syryn. He seemed to be expecting something.


    ''Ah'', Syryn thought and pulled out his wares. He held out the herbal poultice to Alka. "Is this what you were looking for?"


    Alka brought the package to his nose and took a delicate whiff. His eyes brightened up and Syryn could see a flash of pure happiness in them. "You added Purple heart weed to the medicine." His voice was soft and polite. "Such a delicate plant in the hands of a master can bring out an unparalled aroma. You are the master aren''t you?"


    Contrary to his soft voice, Alka''s eyes were bright and focused like the sun. Syryn felt himself tingle with a tinge of embarrassment at the compliment.


    "So you''re gonna buy it? I have 10." He avoided the question that Alka had asked.


    Gently nodding his head, Alka pulled out a crown from his pocket. "I only have this much left." It was more than enough and definitely more than anything Syryn had expected to gain out of selling the herbal poultices. But for the skill that demanded the handling of the herbs he had used, Syryn would have charged less. It was nice to meet a person who could recognise quality.


    "If you can add another 20 silvers to it, I can give you one of these." Syryn then pulled out his vial of hemostatic potion.


    Alka''s eyes went wide and he tentatively received the vial from Syryn. He uncorked the vial and held it before his nose. Eyes closed, Alka smelled the potion and smiled. "Hemostatic potion, grade 1, and 3 stars. How rare to find in such a place. Free of most impurities, your potion will not cause any side effects or damage to the stomach if swallowed. Yes, I''ll take everything you have." Alka''s gentle voice soothed Syryn. He had a way of talking that made the people around him feel like they were being caressed by a gentle breeze.


    "Magnus, lend me 5 crowns. I''ve already spent all of mine." He turned to his companion who had been quietly watching the shorties exchange words.


    "What? That''s too much. 1 crown is enough." Syryn held up a finger.


    Alka shook his head at that, "It is the price that I wish to pay."


    "He wants 1 crown. Why do you insist on giving him 5?" Magnus grumbled but still, he pulled out a pouch of money and threw it towards Syryn who deftly caught it in midair. It earned him a grin from Magnus.


    "There are 10 crowns in there. Keep the change." Magnus''s heavy-lidded black eyes narrowed into a feline smile.


    Syryn couldn''t understand the brains of genius kids that attended fancy schools. Magnus had complained about Alka paying him too much and yet had gone and doubled it. He was practically getting money for free.


    "Thank you for your patronage." He stuffed the goods into the hands of Magnus since Alka already had his hands filled with herb packages. Syryn happily put the money into his satchel and turned to leave.


    "Wait" Alka''s soothing voice stopped him.


    Syryn turned and Alka smiled, a small tug at the corner of his lips. "In the future, if you ever visit Elysium, find me at King Hill School. I''d like to buy whatever else you make." He held out a tiny gold disc and waited for Syryn to pull out his own.


    Syryn didn''t have a pi-cal disc.


    "I don''t have one." He shook his head at Alka. Syryn had nobody to communicate with and so a pi-cal disc was low on his list of items to buy.


    "Ah, I''m sorry." Alka put his disc away and pulled out a small piece of paper. He inserted some mana into it and gave it to Syryn who accepted the paper. Every mage had a unique mana signature and it was used to identify their pi-cal disc. Alka was taking a huge risk allowing his mana to be stored and given away to a stranger who could misuse the signature. It made Syryn feel a sense of camaraderie with the young man.


    "Thank you. I''ll reach out to you as soon as I get a pi-cal disc." He cheerfully informed the beauty who graced him with another smile.


    "By the way, are you a shapeshifter?" He asked Alka.


    "Yes, I''m a cat." Alka nodded.


    "That doesn''t explain how your sense of smell is so sharp," Syryn replied.


    "Mmm, he''s a special cat." Magnus lazily smiled.


    Alka blinked and looked down at his herbs as he replied to Syryn, "my magic is attuned to nature. I''m not special."


    Syryn nodded thoughtfully, "but not all plant mages have the capability to identify the ingredients in a mixture with just their noses. You ARE special." He replied. A faint blush appeared on Alka''s white cheeks.


    "Alright, it''s time to leave," Syryn told his customers when milky sneezed and stuck his head out of Syryn''s pocket.


    The two shapeshifters immediately turned their gazes to the white cat and Magnus gasped. It went unnoticed by Syryn who waved and left them behind watching his back with interest.


    "You think he''ll call you?" Magnus asked Alka who shrugged. "I can''t say. I hope he does."


    "Mmm"


    "I don''t think he knows about the kitten." Alka''s eyes crinkled in a mysterious smile.


    "I''m sure he will find out eventually."

 Chapter 6 - Lucien

    In 3 days the slavers would arrive. Syryn thought back to when the incident had occurred and he remembered a crucial detail. The slavers were masquerading as traders who would settle down next to their target town. While they ''traded'', they would also scope out the town''s security and then attack them once they were certain of their own strength against the villagers.


    A tiny part of Syryn wanted to watch with schadenfreude as the village burnt down to a crisp under the hands of the slavers. He didn''t care at all for the village folks that had shown not a shred of empathy for an orphan begging on the streets. Why should I care? He asked himself and proceeded to do the opposite of what he had professed.


    "They''re here milky." Syryn watched from atop a hill as a long line of trading convoys came to a stop beside the village.


    He spent the entire evening watching them set up camp and then planning for what was to be done at night. Syryn had a rough idea of what he needed to do to save the townsfolk and the other slaves that were hidden inside the circle of caravans.


    "Meow"


    Milky was sat on top of Syryn''s head. He kneaded the silky hair with his soft pink toe beans. "Meow"


    "I guess it''s time. Let''s go." Syryn stuffed milky back into his pocket and the kitten obediently waited inside.


    The moon was a globe of pale yellow in the sky when Syryn hummed a little tune and stumbled into the circle of trading caravans. Most people were asleep but the guards that were spread outstayed on alert and had noticed Syryn''s arrival.


    "Kids aren''t allowed inside here." A gruff voice warned him. Syryn naively looked up at the guard and made a show of fear.


    "I''m s-so sorry. I lost my way. My father and I were chopping wood but he fell off a cliff while plucking a rare fruit. Please help him." He choked through tears and begged the guard. The heartless man just shoved Syryn away when he tried to touch the guard.


    "Does anyone else know you''re out here?" He loomed over the fallen Syryn who appeared pathetic and scared.


    "N-no... Please don''t hurt me, sir." He cried. "Please."


    A big rough palm pulled Syryn up and he was dragged off by the guard. His little feet stumbled and tripped but the hand did not relent. When they got close to a large cage that was half-covered by a filthy cloth, Syryn was flung inside. The guard left after slamming the door shut with a bang.


    Syryn patted the dust off his clothes and stood up. He looked around him and noticed about 10 children inside the cage. Emaciated and clothed in rags, they gathered around each other and whispered in low voices. He wasn''t welcome amongst them. Just when Syryn was about to turn away, he noticed a patch of red behind one of the crouched kids. Upon closer inspection, he realised it was a red-headed kid. The child blocking the redhead moved at that moment and revealed a little boy.


    Syryn sucked in a shocked breath and hissed. It couldn''t be! There was no way that it was him. But the red hair and the strikingly beautiful face were unmistakable, especially the beauty spot under the left eye. It was Lucien, a demon halfbreed like Syryn who would single-handedly cause war to break out between the kingdoms of Sigil and Qion. It would plunge the kingdoms and their surrounding neighbours into a time of darkness marked by death and famine. Lucien would be known to the world as the demon Lord of pain and suffering, a rose full of thorns that would suck the life from anything he decided to turn his ire towards.


    But for now, here he was, an angelic little boy dressed in fine clothing that had become muddy and worn. Shut inside the cage like a beast, Lucien had drawn his knees up to his chin. His eyes were closed in rest.


    Syryn was horrified at how lovable and cute this Lucien was. In his mind, he could only remember the bloodthirsty demon with an enchanting face that caught men and women alike in his web of death. Ruby coloured hair and eyes, the little boy would grow into a delicious poisoned apple. Syryn shuddered and turned away. What to do? Should he kill him right here and now? strangle the baby in its cradle? It would save the world of a demon Lord whose kill count would exceed the number generated by decades of war.


    With his demonic heritage guiding him, little Lucien was already doomed to a life of internal strife. And if his demons won, there would be hell to pay. Syryn had no idea about Lucien''s past but it was obvious that the cards that would decide Lucien''s fate had already been tossed. How would he get caught up with Traxdart and his minions? Syryn was torn between setting Lucien on fire and letting him escape with the other children. His sins hadn''t come to pass yet and Syryn wanted to give him a chance. Perhaps his fate will change when I free him today, Syryn mused.


    Having made his decision, Syryn sat down cross-legged and watched the slave children. The oldest one looked to be about 16 years old.


    "You, the one with a ponytail. Want to escape?" Syryn looked carefree and at home inside the cage. Lounging against the bars of the cage, he ignored all the eyes that turned to him. He was hyper-aware of Lucien so he noticed it keenly when the little boy turned his eyes on Syryn.


    The ponytail haired teen looked distrustful of Syryn. He hesitated before replying. "How?"


    "I''ll set fire to everything. You just have to run." Syryn replied with a grin. "And don''t forget to release the other slaves. Strength in numbers and all that." Syryn flippantly said his piece and with a theatrical swish of his hand, every single bar on the cage caught fire one after the one. Screams rang out from within the cage and Syryn made eye contact with Lucien whose attention was completely on him.


    "..creepy," Syryn mumbled


    With a puff of his breath, the bar of ash in front of his face turned into powder and Syryn stepped out into a crowd of guards and slavers. He hadn''t tested out what it was like to set people on fire but it was worth trying. Syryn concentrated his powers on the nearest guard and succeeded partially.


    "Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!" The guard screamed and flapped his arms because his hair was on fire.


    "Catch the slaves!" An old man shouted while pointing at the children.


    Syryn immediately began setting everyone''s hair on fire and a chaotic scene ensued! The adults screamed while the kids dispersed in all directions to free the other slaves. He was a picture of calm as he walked forward one step at a time leaving behind a background of scorching flames and smoke. Each caravan that he walked past caught fire. There was no stopping the destruction. He felt drunk on the unrestrained power of his aggressively hot flames! Syryn wanted to burn the whole world down! A hellscape of sulphur and flames, ashes and the cries of-


    There was a tug at the edge of his coat. Syryn turned his head and wide ruby red eyes met his own.

 Chapter 7 - Luciens Fate

    "Let go" Syryn''s tone was frigid. If looks could kill, Lucien would have died multiple times from the daggers that Syryn shot.


    But Lucien stubbornly hung onto the tiny area of cloth on Syryn''s coat. There was fear swimming in his eyes. And when Syryn moved his arm, Lucien flinched away like he was afraid of being struck. Syryn then immediately noticed the mapwork of blue bruises on the young boy''s neck. An ice-cold wave of revulsion swept through his guts and Syryn felt himself waver. Lucien was just a little boy. Still innocent, still malleable.


    The heat from the enormous fire around them licked his bare skin. The sky was tinged red and covered by a thick veil of smoke that engulfed the air they breathed. The cacophony of screams and horror-stricken weeping provided a fitting backdrop for the moment that passed between the two demonic children. Lucien was terribly afraid of Syryn and yet he clung on like his life depended on it. Beneath the fear was a resoluteness that Syryn found himself admiring.


    "Please take me with you master." His childish voice was composed and placating. This composure was all fake and Syryn could tell by how Lucien''s tiny hands trembled.


    There was no helping it. A new life for Syryn, a new fate for Lucien. "I''ll let you come with me under two conditions." He held up his fingers just in case Lucien couldn''t count.


    "One, never call me master again. Two, make a blood contract with me." Syryn had come to a decision. He would try to do with Lucien what Rowan had done for him.


    "I agree to both conditions," Lucien spoke without even thinking about it. It was so fast that Syryn was taken by surprise.


    "Do you even know what a blood contract is?" He folded his arms and frowned at Lucien.


    The redhead shook his head and nervously looked at the fire that had come dangerously close to the duo. His cheeks had turned a rosy colour from the heat and he was breathing heavier.


    "Crap. Let''s run!" Syryn grabbed Lucien''s tiny hand and set a pace that the child could follow.


    "Are you okay?"


    Lucien was breathing hard when they arrived next to the river that Syryn had been spending his time at. In response, the kid wiped his sooty face on the sleeves of his tunic and nodded. "Yes mas-, y-yes." Syryn was starting to feel sorry for him.


    Milky poked his head out of Syryn''s pocket and eyeballed the newcomer. When Lucien saw the white furball, he let out a small sound and they stared at each other. Milky then sniffed the air around them and leapt out to make himself comfortable next to the small bonfire that Syryn had started.


    Syryn who had been rooting around the boulders found his satchel from its hidden spot and he began taking out a saucepan and raw ingredients for a meal. "Here, get some water."


    "I''m talking to you kid. Stop spacing out over there."


    Lucien tore his gaze away from Milky, ran over in a panic and snatched the pan right out of Syryn''s hand. The older boy then saw the redhead run to the edge of the river and tumble in with all the grace of a clumsy 7-year-old. Syryn then sighed as he watched the river carry away the future demon Lord of pain and suffering.


    "There, there, you''ll be alright." Syryn patted Lucien on the back. Little Lucien had received such a fright that he had begun to hiccup and sniffle. Syryn''s coat was draped over Lucien who had been divested of all his wet clothing save for his underpants. He ignored the various bruises on Lucien''s pale torso vowing to deal with them later.


    "Here, this will warm you up." A hot bowl of rice and pheasant broth was pushed into Lucien''s hand. "Eat."


    He dug in with a ferocity that spoke volumes about his hunger. Tears clung to the tips of his lashes but Syryn could finally see colour back on the kid''s cheeks. After he finished his bowl, Syryn ladled in more broth. Lucien then ate with a single-minded concentration while Syryn watched him devour the food with a fondness that came from feeding a hungry puppy on the street.


    "So, how did you end up with the slavers?"


    Red eyes flitted up and Lucien hesitantly replied.


    "My grandfather and mother sold me off...two months ago." His cherubic lips quivered after he had spoken. It didn''t take a genius to connect the dots. This was the story of a mother who had been forcefully copulated by a demon. She then gave birth to a beautiful baby boy that she proceeded to sell off when he began to receive too much attention. Judging by Lucien''s bruises, he had been abused by some sick disgusting pig of a slaver. Syryn suddenly felt very upset when it occurred to him that most of the slavers were still alive.


    "What''s your name kid?" He asked in a gentler tone.


    A shy reply, "Lucien."


    How honest, Syryn thought. "Well Lucien, call me big brother." And he smiled kindly at the child who looked on in wonder. "You know what big brothers do? They protect their little brothers from monsters."


    Lucien hung onto every word that Syryn spoke. The wonder in his eyes could have convinced anyone that Syryn had plucked the stars right out of the sky and put them in Lucien''s palms. He was as adorable as a pup and Syryn was starting to get whipped for the little brat.


    "Big brother... " He whispered reverently. Lucien tasted the words on his tongue and savoured them.


    "Yup. Tell me, Luci, can I call you Luci?" When Lucien''s eyes brightened at that, Syryn grinned and continued. "Luci, can you do magic?"


    The wilting of his shoulders was an answer that Syryn did not expect. The Lucien in his first life was a horrific sorcerer adept at curses and poison. Maybe Lucien hasn''t been taught any magic, Syryn thought.


    "Come here." Syryn gently cupped the sides of the kid''s head with his hands. Thumbs pressed lightly on each temple, Syryn explored Lucien''s mana veins. There he made a shocking discovery that had him pitying the child even more. His mana core was damaged. It was a purposeful job done to kill any future Lucien had as a mage.


    "How cruel.."


    Guileless red eyes blinked up at Syryn. The pain of having the mana core attacked was an agony that even adults could not bear. Lucien had suffered greatly and not just this one but the adult Lucien who must have endured untold suffering to gain the powers he did. It was a saga of tragedy. Syryn gently brushed away the messy red fringes on Lucien''s forehead. "Luci, your mana core is damaged. I can fix a small part of it and it will allow you to practise a little bit of magic."


    Lucien dipped his chin back down and trembled. "Why are you so nice to me?" And when Syryn looked into his eyes, he could see distrust. Lucien had never received kindness from his own family. The adults in his short life had all been abusive and disinterested in his welfare so it was no wonder that he was afraid of being used and deceived. Syryn himself had lived a similar experience before Rowan had showed him what it was like to be treasured, regarded and cared for. It was his turn now.


    "I don''t know why you decided to follow me, Lucien. I don''t mean any harm and I know my words aren''t enough to convince you so you''ll just have to accept it for what it is. You''re so weak anyway that I find no satisfaction in bullying you. Grow stronger and maybe I''ll be tempted to fight you." Syryn displayed his canines in a wicked smile. He couldn''t help it. Maybe he shouldn''t have scared the kid but damn it he was no Rowan. It would be a learning experience for both of them.

 Chapter 8 - Magnus

    "Swim lesson number one, never drown! Drowning causes death, Luci." Syryn''s eyes narrowed into a smile that spelt trouble. "Lesson number 2," he flung Lucien into a shallow pool dug out by the flow of the river.


    Tossing aside his clothing, Syryn dived in and pulled the flailing Lucien to his feet, not without some laughter at the expense of the indignant boy.


    When they were done swimming and bathing, the duo headed to Maple Town to buy clothing for Lucien. After the expenditure of 2 crowns at a clothing shop, little Luci stood before Syryn wearing clean clothes and holding a bag full of new clothing.


    "You look like a little prince."


    His hair was washed and groomed till the strands gleamed like red silk under the sun. Lucien''s dark lashes fanned across his cheek when he looked down to assess his new clothing. This had Syryn sighing for the heartbreaking beauty that the little boy''s face would grow to become.


    "Medicine boy." Syryn''s internal woes were interrupted by a familiar voice.


    Turning back, he saw who it was that had spoken to him. "Magnus, we meet again."


    The taller boy had a magnetic charm that attracted the gazes of passers-by. He grinned at Syryn and leaned against the wall with all the care of a lazy feline. "Alka was distraught after you left."


    "Regale me."


    "The airhead forgot to get your name. So, what are you called?" Magnus drawled.


    "Syryn."


    "And this little twerp next to you?" Magnus pulled out a cherry flavoured candy from the pocket of his robe and held it out to Lucien who looked up at Syryn for approval.


    "This is my brother Lucien. He is unbelievably cute and obedient, do you want to buy him?" Syryn pushed Lucien forward.


    Magnus crouched next to Lucien and appraised him from eye level and down. This resulted in the red-headed boy taking a step backwards and worriedly glancing up at his irresponsible self appointed elder brother.


    "I don''t know, he looks too scrawny to eat. We should maybe fatten him up a little."


    "Big brother!" Lucien grabbed Syryn''s sleeve and glared at Magnus. The handsome mage grinned like a Cheshire Cat and dropped the candy inside Lucien''s pocket. "Just kidding. I only eat naughty children." He patted Lucien on the head and stood back up.


    "Where did you get that kitten from?" Magnus eyed the kitten sitting inside Syryn''s coat pocket with its head out. Milky was dozing off with his tiny pink paws hanging out. Magnus was afraid for the kitty accidentally tumbling out of the pocket if Syryn jostled it too much.


    "Milky? I picked him up from a barn." Syryn replied.


    "Milky? That''s his name?" Magnus appeared stricken. "Never mind. I don''t want to know anymore."


    "Where''s Alka?" Syryn asked with a chuckle at the look on his companion''s face.


    "Upstairs packing some essentials," Magnus replied and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "We''re taking a trip into the forest since Alka is missing a few plants that we came here specifically for."


    "Which ones?" Syryn asked while mentally cataloguing what he needed as well.


    "Hmm let me see," Magnus replied, "Widow''s lace, silver lungwurt and spectrebud."


    Syryn frowned at hearing the list, "Silver lungwurt is almost always found alongside acidic soldier crabs. I hope you''re carrying enough protection."


    Magnus smirked indolently at that, "why would we need protection Syryn?"


    It took a second for Syryn to realise that there was a double entendre in Magnus'' words. He wasn''t about to be done in by a youngster this early. "Magnus, why don''t you ask me that again when I turn 16? I''ll be glad to demonstrate." He replied with a smile so innocent that it sent goosebumps down Magnus'' skin.


    Properly startled, Magnus recovered quickly and laughed. "I take back what I said about eating naughty children."


    "You''ll get eaten if you aren''t careful Magnus." Alka''s voice joined them. He had on a satchel like Syryn''s. Veiled humour danced in his eyes as he greeted them, "Syryn, it''s a pleasure to meet you again. And hey there Lucien." The little boy let down his guard a smidgen and nodded at Alka.


    "Likewise, fancy some company? I need some herbs myself. And I could use a free bodyguard as well." Syryn didn''t really need one but with Lucien around, extra pairs of eyes would keep the magicless child safer. It wasn''t like Lucien could be left to a babysitter either so Syryn''s decision was made.


    "I''d love that." Alka''s soft voice made it sound like Syryn was doing them a favour. "Magnus?" Alka turned to his friend.


    "Sure. But my protection only stands so long as you don''t stray off. Stick close to me." Magnus'' voice wavered slightly at the word that had embarrassed him. Syryn was grinning at Magnus who smothered a chuckle, and then he doubtfully asked, "You''re sure you want to bring Lucien?"


    "We''re both orphans and unattached to any adult. I don''t have a choice." Syryn replied without emotion. Magnus had the grace to appear ashen at the reply.


    The group walked at a steady pace and Syryn piggybacked Lucien despite the boy''s protests. Syryn wanted to make sure that Lucien received the full big brother experience so he wouldn''t turn into a rotten demon lord. As they walked, Alka rattled off formulae after formulae for Magnus to memorise and Syryn sometimes interjected with additional information.


    "Which school do you attend Syryn?" Alka curiously asked. "You''re younger than I am and yet your knowledge far exceeds mine."


    "I''m actually a 100-year-old demon Lord."


    "Ok" Alka replied politely, "Which school do you attend sir demon lord?"


    "I''ve never attended," Syryn replied while considering a new thought. Did Lucien want to attend school?


    "What? Never?" Alka glanced at Syryn, awe apparent in his bright green eyes. It was the highest in volume that his voice had ever gotten since Syryn had met the teenager.


    "I was mistaken then. You aren''t just smart and talented, you''re a budding genius." Alka generously complimented, and anyone could tell it was sincere. Syryn felt he was an old man pulling the wool over two naive kids. To his relief, Magnus halted their walk and closed his eyes to listen. The abnormality in the forest had caught Syryn''s attention but he had maintained his silence on it to observe the reaction time of his companions. Syryn wasn''t disappointed.


    "I don''t like it." The lackadaisical bearing of the tall mage was replaced by razor-sharp alertness. The current Magnus was like a weapon that had been pulled out of its deceptive sheath. Syryn detected a lethal edge in the aura of the mage and it was dangerous enough that it flared off Syryn''s internal defences. At this stage of his youth, the aura that Magnus radiated was already refined to such an extent. His growth would be monstrous when Magnus came into mastering his sorcery. It left Syryn wondering as to why he had never heard of the teen before his rebirth.


    "A silent forest can mean many things, none of which are conducive to our safety. Do we keep going?" Alka turned to his companion.


    Magnus turned his dark eyes to Lucien and Syryn. "I cannot guarantee your safety without knowledge of what is ahead. I suggest we turn back."


    "No, don''t turn back on account of us. We aren''t without protection." Syryn replied. He needed a special ingredient for a potion that was necessary for the process of fixing Lucien''s core. There was no room for delay in his plans. Syryn had already tossed away the idea of a blood contract. He had come to realise that Lucien did not need further shackling, no, he deserved to be nurtured with care. Syryn''s blood boiled with fervour at the thought of a well adjusted Lucien using his powers for good. He resolved to turn him into a model citizen of Sigil, temporarily forgetting about the fact that Lucien''s half-demon blood would always keep pulling him into the darkness. Ultimately, it would be up to Lucien''s strength to subdue his demonic heritage.


    Magnus and Alka exchanged a worried glance but acceded to Syryn''s words. Lucien was allowed to walk on his own but he was wedged between Syryn and Magnus. In silence, the group headed deeper into the forest.

 Chapter 9 - Magnus Fate

    WARNING: The following chapter contains descriptions of death and violence.


    The silence of the forest was loud, deafening even in its mournful loneliness. Every crack and crunch of the detritus underneath their feet sounded loud enough to rouse the monsters that seemed to sleep in the belly of the forest. What made it worse was the oppressiveness in the air that suffocated the mages. While Syryn swore he could hear his heartbeat, Lucien had gone utterly silent. The tight grip he had on Syryn''s hand felt solid enough to assure the older boy that Lucien was still with him.


    "We''re almost there," Magnus informed them in a low voice.


    "This is supposed to be a level 8 forest," Alka whispered.


    There was a general classification of danger level in the areas of the Sigil kingdom. The levels 8 - 6 were considered safe for travellers. Levels 5 - 3 were marked as dangerous for solo or unarmed travelling. At level 2, the highest amount of caution was recommended. If alternate routes were available, Level 2 was to be avoided. Level 1 areas were considered a death sentence. The final level that had never been explained had been designated level zero and nobody knew where it was.


    "Wait." Syryn stopped and got down on his knees to take a look at something that had caught his eye. At his feet grew a mushroom and it looked like a shrivelled up human finger pointing west.


    "Is that what I think it is?" Alka asked in a hushed whisper. He crouched down next to the boy whose grave attention was focused on the mushroom.


    "If you guessed at it being a Banshee''s finger... " Syryn replied with aversion thick in his tone, "then you''re right..."


    "What''s so special about it?" Magnus stood next to Syryn and asked.


    Syryn was starting to regret this trip. "It only grows under special conditions, the most important one of which is the presence of death, lots of death and resentment." Syryn paused and looked at where the finger was pointing. And for Magnus'' sake, he explained further. "Each finger points to the other till they form a boundary around the area that tastes blood frequently. The circle formed is called a Banshee''s circle."


    He paused to let it sink in and added a final piece of information. "Magnus, we are on desecrated soil, a place where many lives have been reaped. Something terrible lies ahead."


    "Syryn is right. And there''s one more thing, a curse will soon set in if the Banshee''s circle is allowed to close. We can''t go further." Alka''s grip on the straps of his satchel showed how tense he was despite his projection of calm.


    It never occurred to Syryn that he could die. It was the lives of his companions that he worried about. Alka and Magnus could take care of themselves to some degree but Lucien was defenceless, a lamb waiting to get slaughtered.


    "We have to turn back." Syryn faced the other two mages. Going further for the sake of a few rare herbs could not justify the weight of danger that awaited them.


    Alka nodded but Magnus gave Syryn an answer that made the younger boy reassess his opinion of the taller mage. "This involves the lives of innocent people that will pass by this forest. Someone has to check the parameter of the circle so a warning can be sent out. And if it''s as dangerous as you say it is, there''s no sense in risking all of our lives."


    "No! you can''t go alone, Magnus." Alka''s breath caught in his throat at the thought of leaving his friend alone in the forest.


    "Syryn and Lucien cannot be left by themselves either Alka. You have to go with them." Magnus pressed on. "Time is of the essence. If we don''t get more information today, someone else will have to enter and gauge the danger levels for the appropriate class of Cleaners to be dispatched. At the very least, that''s a week of waiting for clearance. Consider how many people might lose their lives."


    Syryn who had been quiet this entire time pulled the mushroom out of the earth and stored it away. He patted the dirt off his palms and spoke to Magnus. "Why must it be your burden? Self-sacrifice for a group of strangers that will never know what you''ve done. How annoying." Yes, Syryn was a hypocrite.


    Magnus raised his chin and looked heavenward at the canopy of trees that seemed to crowd in further and further in a claustrophobic kaleidoscope of branches. "Syryn, we''re wasting our time here. Go home with Alka." He pushed his hands into his pockets and began to walk away.


    It was then that Syryn knew with startling clarity that Magnus would never return. He would die alone in the forest, sacrificed to whatever god awful monster that was hunting in the breeding grounds of this forest. This was why he had never heard about Magnus in his first life. Syryn hoped he was wrong but his guts had never lied to him.


    "What a noble prick. Look at you handing out orders and expecting blind obedience. Who the hell do you think you are Magnus?" Syryn''s challenge was just arrogant enough that Magnus stopped moving. Alka and Lucien faded into the background as the two mages held a staring match.


    "You wish to follow me?" It was Magnus that broke the silence first. He had completely discarded any pretence of agreeability. As the oldest, Magnus felt responsible for the group. He was focused on one thing and that was keeping his companions safe. Anything getting in the way of his goal had to be dealt with quickly.


    Syryn was well aware of the danger he was putting Lucien in but it was a risk he was willing to take, one he hoped would tide the scales in favour of Magnus. "I want to see for myself what manner of creature has allowed a Banshee''s circle to grow."


    Not waiting for Magnus to respond, Syryn marched off with Lucien in tow. The stubborn set of Syryn''s jaw and his mulish behaviour convinced Magnus that there was no point in arguing with the boy. Relenting to Syryn''s wishes, he reached out to grab the boy''s wrist. "Wait, Syryn. Let''s go back together then."


    Syryn thought about it for a second and discarded the suggestion. This was the graveyard destined for Magnus and if it wasn''t cleaned up right now, the mage would be lead back here to die without Syryn around to try and save him. A strong sense of urgency had begun to grow inside his heart and he knew that if they left the forest, it would be too late to help the shapeshifter. Magnus was in grave danger.


    "No, I''m going in with or without you." Why did he care whether Magnus died or lived? He barely knew the mage. Would he have done the same for Alka? Yes.


    "Rowan you bastard." He muttered softly enough that nobody heard. He had caught Rowan''s disease and was now terminal.


    "You''re ok with risking Lucien''s life like this?" Magnus pointedly stared at Syryn. How the tables had turned. When Syryn ignored him, Magnus growled. It was a low rumbling that came from his throat and it caught them all off guard. The deep feral sound of it revealed to Syryn that Magnus was no tiny pussycat. When agitated enough, Shapeshifters sometimes lost control of their beasts and parts of it slipped through. To his credit, Magnus appeared apologetic about the slip-up.


    Magnus'' words had, however, stirred Syryn''s resolve and he internally debated the wisdom of taking Lucien along. If they left the forest, Magnus would be damned, if they didn''t, Lucien might be. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.


    "Syryn, let''s go." Magnus chose for Syryn. Setting aside his tangled thoughts, he turned his back to the forest and that was when they all heard a spine chilling cry from behind the trees.


    "H-heelp mme... Oh g-god plea puuhpuuh god hellhel"


    The moaning and sobbing raised the hairs on Syryn''s neck. There was something very wrong with the voice. It was a human voice but didn''t sound like one. Syryn''s grip on Lucien''s wrist became bruisingly tight. There was a horrifying familiarity about the voice and as much as he searched, the memory of it remained elusive.


    "Stay here," Magnus warned Syryn with anxiety tight on his face. He then began to run towards the voice. The wheels of fate had begun to move.


    "Magnus no!" Syryn shouted but the mage had disappeared into the maws of the forest.


    Syryn reacted immediately by grabbing Lucien. They ran after Magnus with Alka right behind them. The closer they came to the sobbing voice, the farther it seemed to go. After running for what felt like forever, they stumbled upon a clearing at the edge of a cliff. The sight that greeted them was a scene pulled straight out of a hellish nightmare.


    Bared before their eyes were tall mounds of bodies upon bodies, both humans and animals. These bloated and putrefying remains were all in varying stages of decomposition. Every single rotting body had been flayed off of its skin. And from the horrified and anguished expressions that were frozen on the faces of the victims, it was easy to infer that they were skinned alive. The corpses were also missing parts of their limbs and faces, most likely eaten by the thing that had killed them. Rising from the mound of bodies was the stench of death that seeped into their skin like an oily miasma.


    Shock held the group hostage in its icy grips. Syryn had seen worse in his lifetime but it was not so for Alka, Magnus and Lucien. They had never witnessed so much butchery and horror.


    "Magnus, Alka, we have to run, NOW!"


    Syryn''s memories had finally released to him a long-forgotten memory, one that was tucked away in the cages of torture that Traxdart kept. That guttural, broken voice mimicking the last words of its victims to draw in unsuspecting humans, the mound of flayed bodies, it was so obvious what they were facing. Syryn was confident he could face the creature alone, but he could not account for other hidden dangers. They had to run!


    Before they could escape, a loud crashing sound in the trees was followed by the entrance of a nightmarish monster. It stood 8 feet tall on two legs that resembled those of a deer. Over its body, the creature wore several layers of human skin that were rotting and turning grey. Patches of skin had fallen off and they revealed more rotting skin underneath. Only Syryn knew what kind of monster hid deep under the layers of rot.


    "Heelppp mmme... " It sobbed. But the cry sounded like a taunt, "hhelllpp.. ahhh." Its jaw fell open and revealed several rows of serrated teeth that faced inwards. Any creature caught in those jaws would find itself lucky to have a quick death.


    Syryn pulled Lucien off his back and pushed him towards Alka who was frozen by the sight of the thing. The creature watched them move with an eerie focus, its inhuman eyes following the sight of Lucien, their weakest member. With a disgusted feeling in his stomach, Syryn knew it was enjoying their fear. Prey, that was all they were to it.


    Just when Syryn had pushed Lucien behind him, he heard the horrified scream of the little boy.


    Syryn''s heart plunged into the pits of his stomach because Lucien was quickly being dragged off by a thick vine that had coiled around his feet. Amid their distraction, a predatory plant had snuck upon them. Lucien''s screams echoed out as the vine flung him off the cliff that it had come up from.


    Time seemed to come to a crawl and Syryn''s mind went into autopilot. He registered that the monster had moved and was bolting towards him on all fours. He faintly heard the sound of Magnus yelling for Alka to run. And from the periphery of his vision, Syryn could see Magnus rushing between him and the creature with not a thought for his own life. A hero to the very end. But Syryn had made his choice.


    He chose to follow Lucien off the cliff. Magnus was going to die after all.

 Chapter 10 - Flight

    With a final glance at Magnus, Syryn went into free fall over the cliff. The sight of Magnus summoning black flames was seared into his mind as he dropped. Lucien was at least a feet away, plunging down with his hands reaching out to the sky. He had gone into shock. Syryn had a few seconds left before Lucien would hit the ground.


    BOOM! Syryn heard an explosion and hope sprouted in his chest. Magnus was a powerful mage and he had the legendary black flames of the Night Pheonix!


    Lucien and Syryn were now separated by a few centimetres of distance. He reached out even further. Syryn''s brain then supplied another nugget of information. The mounds and the bodies, there were too many of them. Too many bodies, too many kills. It meant that there were more of those things. 3? 4? Syryn couldn''t tell.


    He enveloped Lucien in a hug and twisted his body so that Syryn''s back faced the ground. Like a miracle, he stretched an arm out and grabbed the green vine that sprouted out of the cliff face. Alka had come to their rescue. Syryn''s descent came to a halt and he crashed into the wall of rock with a force that drove the air out of his lungs. He could see Alka disappearing away from the edge of the cliff knowing they were safe.


    "Hold on Magnus, don''t die on me yet," Syryn shouted from where he was dangling. He had to get up there fast.


    "I really wish it didn''t come to this.." There was no way he was getting up there without wings. Syryn could already hear the sounds of intense fighting and explosions. The stricken cries of the monster echoed down the cliff and it stirred Syryn into action. He did what he had to do to save Magnus from the hands of fate. Like the blossoming of a flower, a pair of gorgeous black wings sprouted from his shoulder blades.


    Syryn''s leap of faith down the cliff hadn''t shocked Alka. Too many things happening at the same time had numbed him of his emotions. Still, he had immediately sprinted over to the edge of the cliff.


    The sound of the creature screaming drew his attention back to where Magnus had just sent it flying into the trees with one powerful kick of his foot which was shrouded completely in black flames. Alka turned back to the falling boys and sprouted a vine which, to his surprise, Syryn immediately grabbed onto. He had intended to wrap it around them but this was just the same. With them safe for the moment, Alka turned back to the fight at hand.


    Magnus had evaded most of the attacks of the monster but a nasty swipe with its powerful arm clipped his shoulder and sent him almost flying off the edge of the cliff. He had to end It fast.


    It would drain everything out of him but Magnus had no choice in the matter if he and Alka were to get out of the situation alive. He cast the most powerful spell that he had in his arsenal.


    A shroud of black flames appeared like a cloak on Magnus. His black flames burned many times hotter than the crimson flames the other mages produced. It expanded and enveloped the air around them, avoiding Alka, till it reached the skin collector. The creature could recognise the danger that the fire posed and it felt a sense of crisis!


    As desperately as it ran, it was futile. The flame was relentless in its pursuit and caught the monster in its shroud of agonising heat! There was no escape for it. The flames ate through the monster''s layers of skin like paper.


    With a grunt of pain, Magnus popped his dislocated shoulder joint back into place. It hurt but not as much as the pain he knew was assaulting the monster whose skins were melting off in chunks. The smell of it threatened to gag Magnus and he was grateful that his stomach was empty.


    When he thought that the worst was over, Magnus spied three more of the skin collectors. They stood at the front of the tree line. The creatures did not look happy at the sight of the one who was slowly being reduced to ash.


    Magnus was truly having a bad, bad day.


    "We can''t beat them, Al, I''ll distract them." Magnus dragged his words out in a tired voice. That last spell had taken out a chunk of his mana. There was also a deep cut on his forehead that was continuously bleeding. Magnus wiped his brow and came away with crusty blood.


    "Good friends sacrifice themselves for each other but best friends die together." Alka firmly replied. It drew a snort of laughter from Magnus. "That''s so corny!"


    Alka smiled peacefully and faced the approach of their looming deaths. The monsters were already charging towards them. "I''m going into stasis. Don''t die on me, Magnus."


    Alka closed his eyes and crossed his legs in a meditative posture. The dry and cracked stone cliff then visibly erupted into a verdant grassland powered by Alka''s magic. Thick vines the size of massive pythons grew around the first monster that was leading the pack. It was the biggest one yet with a jaw that looked like it had the strength to crush through bones like cotton. It roared and growled but the vines holding it in place squeezed tighter.


    With Alka backing him up, Magnus calmed his racing heart. Throwing his cloak off, the mage went completely motionless to allow his beast to take over. The moment that the monster''s friends had shown up, the panther inside him had been restless, and Magnus had felt it in the way his skin prickled uncomfortably. Being in his panther form severely limited his fire abilities but it enhanced his physical strength, agility and healing power.


    All in all, the shift had taken less than a second but it was still too close for comfort! With a savage growl, Magnus bit into the neck of the monster that had thrust its claws into his side. On the other side, vines appeared and tripped the second monster. He wanted to do more but Alka had already poured all of his strength into detaining their biggest. He barely had any to spare for another attack.


    From his open jaw, tongues of yellow flames heated the air around Magnus'' huge panther body. He unhinged his jaws and from behind the long canines, a fireball coalesced. The hot ball of red flames smashed into the monster that Alka had tripped. It roared in pain but the borrowed skins protected it still. Magnus couldn''t hold on much longer. The mana exhaustion had crept up on him steadily. His vision swam at the attempt to reach for more mana.


    The black Panther then shook its head and growled. It still had energy left to do some damage. With teeth bared, It fell upon its enemy and tangled with it in a vicious fight to the death.


    The other monster quickly recovered from the fireball and jumped into the fray. With a wild jerk of its head, it came away with a mouthful of blood and meat from the Panther''s back. It had turned into a one-sided beat down.


    In no time, the monster''s eyes gleamed with victory and it came in for the killing blow, an exposed neck that would be ripped out! Magnus snarled with fury but he had exhausted all his cards. He was not resigned to death but there was nothing left in him.


    When he had thought it was all over, murky grey drops of liquid spattered all over his face, and the creature that was in front of him had its head ripped clean off its torso!


    Black wings and a beautiful face obscured his vision. Magnus had never seen a more beguiling sight in his life!


    Syryn hated it when he materialised his wings, horns or other body parts that came with leaning in to his demon blood. All the dark tendencies that he kept a tight lid over, fought to reach the surface. And the more he changed physically, the greater the tide of madness that assaulted him. With the wings came a price. It battered upon his control and so he imagined Rowan standing next to him, the weight of Rowan''s hand on Syryn''s shoulder. He pictured the feeling of Rowan''s power blanketing and protecting Syryn from his demon. After all this time, he was still reliant on Rowan, even if in thoughts alone.


    His head had cleared enough for Syryn to make a move. With a powerful push of his wings, Syryn took to the air and saw a black Panther about to lose his life. His reaction was swift! Syryn dived and tore the attacker''s head off. He enjoyed it more than he should have but he also felt it was still more fun tearing the limbs off of squealing humans. He could start with the defenceless one who was in stasis.


    "Hasten to glory and supremacy! United in heart, spirit and vigour as one!" Syryn hastily began to sing the anthem of Sigil kingdom and he felt like an idiot because Magnus was in earshot. It had started as a joke with Rowan but Syryn''s human brain had accepted it as a good method to anchor him to his humanity. How embarrassing.


    With all the pent up frustration that seethed inside, he struck the other creature. Syryn''s hand went straight into the layers of skin that gave no resistance to his strength. He accurately grasped its dried-up husk of a heart and poured his power into it for a quick kill. The creature screamed in agony and it was a beautiful sound. Syryn smiled in ecstasy because it had been too long since he''d heard the sweet cries of his dying prey.


    "OUR SPIRITS ARE DEFIANT AND OUR HISTORY IS GLORIOUS!" If Syryn was being honest, he thought he had a nice singing voice. Rowan had said so.


    "March on! March on! March on!"


    From Alka''s side came the sounds of a monster in the throes of rage! "RhgggGRRR... AGHHHH" The thick vines holding the biggest one snapped and fell away as Alka''s powers ran out of juice. The grass began to recede and Magnus let out a sound of horror. Syryn would not get there in time. He entertained the thought of letting Alka die.


    "Hell''s gate!" Syryn spat out painfully.


    With a loud cracking sound, the air in front of Alka split open and turned into a portal to hell. Out came a hundred skeletal hands that reached out for the monster that had come upon Alka. When the gate had appeared, the screams of damnation, like the laments of wraiths, poured out and brought with it a high-level suppression of every creature that fed on darkness. The monster stood no chance! It was dragged inside in the blink of an eye.


    Now was the hard part, the reason Syryn hated opening a Hell''s gate. Hands reached out again looking for more food. It wasn''t satisfied with the sacrifice that Syryn had offered it. Gates were greedy things, Syryn had come to find out.


    "Hell''s gate, I am your master and this is my command! Return to where you belong!" Syryn poured in every single drop of magic left inside him and banished the gate. Thus, with a loud grinding sound, iron chains appeared in obedience to his command! The cries of the damned went up in a crescendo as the gate began to close. Skeletal hands pushed at the closing iron doors in resistance, and for a second, Syryn thought he had lost control.


    The metallic grinding sound whined but with a final shot of mana from Syryn, it slammed the iron door shut. And just like that, the gate winked out of existence. Since when had it gotten so difficult to banish a gate?


    Syryn saw black spots dancing in his vision. He was powerful but his child-sized mana core could not feed the spells that he had wielded.


    "I''m an idiot." He said to himself and swayed dangerously on his feet. He was about to keel over from mana exhaustion.


    Through the haze of fatigue, Syryn became aware of a heavy gaze that was focused completely on him. He turned and locked eyes with Magnus. "What are you thinking Magnus?"


    His secret was out.


    Syryn was fond of the two mages and he hoped that he wouldn''t have to kill them, especially not after saving their lives. It would all depend on the fire mage''s answer.

 Chapter 11 - Future Plans

    Syryn had used his powers to save Alka and Magnus. In doing so, his demonic breeding was revealed. It was no secret that demons were reviled in the world, and for good reason. They were harbingers of plague, war, violence, and nothing good ever came out of dealing with a demon. That was a fact that even the youngest of children knew.


    "What are you thinking Magnus?" Syryn''s curious eyes were on the fire mage whose expression was shuttered. He couldn''t tell what was going on inside the mage''s mind but the tension between them grew thicker by the second.


    Magnus chose his words carefully. "Syryn, would you like to attend King Hill School?"


    Of all the questions, accusations, or even insults that he could have expected, this one wasn''t it. Syryn was a little disappointed.


    "Come with us to Elysium." Magnus wasn''t teasing or joking. He was being completely serious. "Bring Lucien along too."


    "Luci!" Magnus'' words suddenly reminded Syryn he had left Lucien at a safe distance away from the fight.


    Lucien was still where Syryn had put him with a minor protection spell to ward off further attacks from the vegetation around him. The red-headed child was sat on the ground, hugging his knees to himself like how Syryn had found him in the cage. Lucien resembled a clay doll, eyes in a daze, and distant. Seeing the mound of bodies, the nightmarish monster, and then having to experience the terrifying fall from the cliff, the kid just couldn''t catch a break.


    Even their cat Milky who had disappeared from Syryn''s pocket sometime during the run-up to the fight was now rubbing its head on Lucien''s arm, attempting to coax the child.


    "Luci, you''re safe now," Syryn spoke in the gentle manner he imagined Rowan would use to comfort his niece. He didn''t have the strength to get up just yet so he spoke to Lucien from his sitting position.


    Lucien blinked and faced his guardian. Big brother Syryn had jumped after him. Big brother Syryn had killed those monsters that were looking at him like he was food. Because of Lucien, big brother had to jump off the cliff. Lucien was weak. He couldn''t do magic, useless.


    "Luci, you look like you want to cry. You''re allowed to wail and cry and be a baby sometimes. Stop holding it in, you''ll get constipated." Syryn was aware he wasn''t doing a good job of it but he was trying! He wished he had a handbook for this.


    Lucien was immediately distressed by Syryn''s words. His small pink lips wobbled despite the child''s attempt at holding in the emotions he was feeling. His soft but messy red hair flopped in his face when Lucien shook his head, denying his desire to cry.


    "Luci, I''m telling you it''s okay. Cry, cry as much as you want. Even if you cry the whole day, I won''t get mad. I promise! Big brother will be right here to wipe the snot off your nose." Syryn''s exhaustion was replaced with something else. Was this what it felt like to be a father?


    The hesitation in the child''s eyes gave way to timid hope. And when Syryn opened his arms and beckoned for Lucien, the floodgates that held back his tears burst like a dam. The child flung himself into Syryn''s arms, sobbing with intense sorrow, so much so that it hurt Syryn''s heart.


    The red head''s body was wracked with violent shudders as he cried into Syryn''s clothes. The older boy held him for many minutes while Lucien gave vent to the fears and horror he had just experienced. This was no way for a child to grow up and it became the defining moment that Syryn realised he couldn''t drag Lucien around the world with him. There was no security in that. King Hill School, perhaps the idea was a good one for both of them.


    "Alka, enough pretending. Come here and heal my wounds." Magnus demanded with a chuckle. His laid back, teasing manner of speech was back in place.


    The way Alka sat up and patted the dust off his robes made Syryn think of a necromancer raising a corpse to do his bidding. A slight flush on his cheeks, Alka explained himself. "I just didn''t want to interrupt the moment you were having."


    "You''re so socially awkward that you''d let me bleed to death. Al, what happened to the corny lines you were spouting?" Magnus had a shit-eating grin on his face as he teased his best friend.


    "You won''t bleed to death." Alka''s soothing voice had Syryn feeling like they hadn''t just experienced a life and death situation. "But I''m very stressed at the moment. Please bear with it, this might hurt a little bit."


    Syryn watched Alka pull out the herbal medicine that they''d purchased from him. Alka did not add a numbing agent to it which would counter the sting from its potent ingredients.


    "Damn it Alka! Are you trying to kill me?!" Magnus moaned in pain. No animalistic growls this time, it was just a sad whimper. Magnus could be cute too, Syryn thought.


    Having had his revenge, Alka slapped on the other poultices with a bit of numbing agent in them. The Shapeshifter had a natural healing capability that came from his panther genes so no hemostatic potion was required. A little bit of disinfection and he was good to go.


    Lucien had soon calmed down considerably in Syryn''s arms. Cheeks and eyes puffy from all the crying he had done, the child still looked as cute as a steam bun. He clung to Syryn like a sticky piece of gum but the older boy didn''t seem to mind it.


    "Syryn you''ll make a good mother," Magnus observed good-naturedly while Alka rummaged in his satchel.


    "You''re not afraid to say that to me?" Syryn countered, a bit incredulous at the guts that Magnus had to tease him, knowing of his dark inclinations.


    "I''m willing to go against the grain of my beliefs and accept that you aren''t like any demon or halfbreed I''ve ever seen, and heard about." Magnus replied, "you''re incredible, Syryn." And for a moment, Magnus looked, really looked at him. It was a whole new level of attention, one that made Syryn feel like Magnus was reading his mind and dissecting his intentions.


    "You could have left us to die but you came back." Alka inserted himself into the conversation. He faced Syryn with his brand of seriousness. "You may not be entirely human, but I''ve never sensed any hostility or malice from you. Consider the suggestion that Magnus made."


    "Hear hear, the council has voted in favour of Syryn and Luci coming with us." Magnus drawled.


    The sun was setting and it was a testament to their abilities to adapt that the boys were now so relaxed next to the corpses of monsters and a literal graveyard of murdered people. Even Lucien had a peaceful look on his face as he settled against Syryn''s chest with a piece of fruit that Alka had dug out of his satchel.


    Something stirred inside Syryn and it was sweet, heavy, and warm, like honey that had been in the sun. He wrapped an arm around Lucien and propped him up higher so Luci wouldn''t accidentally choke on his food. God forbid if that happened after all the trouble Syryn had gone through for the kid.


    "Magnus, I''ll be bothering you then," Syryn replied as he thought about how to make money so he could pay for both of their education. Making money wasn''t difficult, not with Syryn''s skills. What bothered him was the amount of time he would take to make and sell his products.


    "I can give you a loan so don''t worry too much," Magnus informed Syryn languidly as if he could read minds.


    "You shouldn''t be so nice when dealing with demons other than me." Syryn cautioned. "They might take it as a sign of weakness." He would at a later time come to find out that Magnus was a wolf disguised as a panther. It was the demons that had to be careful of Magnus, not the other way round!


    "Syryn, to be honest, I''m doing this for a selfish reason." The ever-present smirk on his face made it look like Magnus was scheming something.


    "There is an insufferable friend of mine from the neighbouring Academy for Anti-mages. Ever since he showed up 4 years ago, King Hill has had to bow in shame at losing to Winter Fortress in the annual friendship meet between the two schools." Magnus did a lazy version of an eye roll at the mention of the friendship meet.


    "You want me to beat him?" Syryn cocked his head in interest.


    "You have the potential to. Whether you beat him or not isn''t important. I just want to see Rowan go all out, for once, at least this one last time before he graduates from Winter Fortress." Magnus wasn''t aware of the momentous wave of shock that his words were and how they crashed into Syryn, knocking his breath out and leaving him at a loss for words.


    This was Rowan they were talking about. It couldn''t be anyone else. Rowan fucking Windwalker, the bane of his existence, and the panacea to all of Syryn''s problems. He was, of course, very eager to meet his old friend. What he wasn''t ready for? A younger Rowan, one who would look at Syryn with no recognition. How the thought of it hurt him.


    "Are you listening? Syryn?"


    "Yes, I heard you. I''ll fight this anti mage who thinks he''s all that." Syryn responded immediately.


    He was beginning to feel a sharp thrill of anticipation at the thought of fighting a young Rowan. Syryn was a realistic person. No way would he ever have the ability to beat a Rowan in the prime of his strength. The experience, maturity, and patience that came with age served as a foil to the immense anti mage powers that Rowan Windwalker wielded.


    But in his youth? Oh, how Syryn itched to get even for that particular fight he had lost so spectacularly that he ended up getting locked away like a princess in the dragon''s tower. For 18 years, 18 long years!! No hard feelings of course! Syryn was just a petty demon out to vent a little.


    "Nice," Magnus dragged out the word. The two mages smiled at each other, shared wicked grins that were loaded with anticipation for a fight that would rock the students of both academies.


    Alka cleared his throat politely from the side. "Is it wise to expose Syryn to Rowan? After all, he IS the future champion of Eos, goddess of light.. "

 Chapter 12 - Rowan

    "As long as I don''t use my demonic powers, he''ll never know." Syryn waved away Alka''s concerns. The boy was more interested in having front row seats to the development of Rowan''s life. Especially the part where, to the woes of all the young women of the kingdom, he would court his future wife, Lillith.


    "Aren''t you being too nonchalant about this?" Alka pressed his lips together and looked down at Syryn with his upturned eyes. This was a great feat considering how they were both almost the same height.


    "I''ll cross that bridge when I get there. If worse comes to worst, I''ll just kill everyone who finds out." Syryn carelessly replied.


    "Magnus and I can''t stop you but you''ll have to be wary of the anti mages."


    Syryn couldn''t believe what he was hearing. Was Alka for real? Apparently not, considering the small upward tug of Alka''s lips.


    "Should we burn this place down?" Magnus asked while craning his neck and looking around.


    "Let''s recover our strengths first." Syryn fell back onto the rocky ground and held Lucien close to his chest.


    With a nod, Alka shouldered his satchel and informed his friends. "Then I''ll get some food going inside the forest. This place makes my skin crawl."


    "You''re a gem Al," Magnus muttered and fell back to rest on the ground.


    _______


    It was past twilight and the boys had recovered some of their mana. Syryn sat with Lucien and watched Magnus set the bodies alight. Alka had recited a blessing for the dead before sending them off to the sky in thick plumes of smoke.


    While the mounds burned, Magnus sat next to Syryn and decided to badger him with questions.


    "So why the anthem of Sigil?"


    Syryn groaned and buried his face in his hands. He had hoped Magnus wouldn''t remember. "I can''t help it. It''s the only song that anchors me to my humanity when I''m being driven insane by demonic desires."


    "What kind of desires?" Magnus was very interested in Syryn''s biology. He couldn''t get the image of Syryn''s demon form out of his mind. Call him bewitched, but Syryn had been breathtaking. When he had first met Syryn, the boy had appeared ordinary. Somehow, between then and now, it was like Syryn had shed an outer skin, one that hid his real face.


    Magnus guessed at the use of a high-level Illusion spell that Syryn used to obfuscate his charming self. There had been no telltale signs of illusion which would have been the case with a low-level spell.


    He studied the demon child''s features in the light of the bonfire. Syryn''s dark hair fell like a curtain of night''s veil. His indigo eyes were a very dark shade that it oftentimes appeared black. And his face? Magnus would have made a comparison between Syryn and Lillith''s beauty if there wasn''t already a Lucien shining brighter than the princess herself.


    The two dazzling brothers would cause all manners of problems for him, Magnus knew that deep in his bones. Even Alka wasn''t immune to the dangerous pull that Syryn exerted. He was so beautiful that it felt blasphemous to look straight at him. Magnus idly wondered if all half-demons were so captivating.


    What he didn''t know was that even among the ranks of superior half breeds, Syryn and Lucien were top beauties. It was only when he became one of Traxdart''s favourites that Syryn had found escape from suitors. After that, there had been no room for either demons or humans to fawn over Syryn. He was above them, an existence that could not be sullied.


    That changed when Rowan had found and imprisoned him. Despite his captor''s attempts at introducing Syryn to people, he had shunned company. Only Rowan was allowed to sit by the fire without getting burnt.


    "What are you staring at me for?" Syryn frowned at Magnus.


    "You forgot to cast illusion on yourself," Magnus smirked up at him. With scarce reasons for Syryn to conceal his face after gaining power as a demon Lord, illusions were unnecessary. Since arriving into this new life, Syryn had worn a convincing illusion and had completely forgotten about it. Now that he had run out of mana, the spell had melted away slowly but surely. He hadn''t realised to cast it back on himself since he had other worries to gnaw on.


    "There''s no need to set one now. Let me look at you for a while longer while you tell me about demonic desires." Magnus rested his chin on his palm and waited for him to speak.


    "I''ll tell you about the desire to eat nosy shapeshifters that have no business asking such questions," Syryn responded with cold detachment. "Don''t get too friendly Magnus. As nice I am, I''m still a demon."


    "Ok how about this then." Magnus offered, "I''ll answer your questions, you answer mine."


    Syryn raised his chin and turned away from Magnus'' observant eyes. His inability to get a read on the fire mage was a source of consternation for Syryn. "Ok, I''ll go first then. Who is your father?" Syryn had a feeling Magnus was the son of a certain wandering monk who was also Syryn''s public enemy number two.


    "Strange that you would ask me that question." Magnus curiously replied. "My father died at war when I was but 3 years old. I know nothing about him." Then was Syryn wrong? The black fire that Magnus possessed was one of a kind. There was no way that it wasn''t the Night Phoenix flame.


    "My turn. What else can you materialise apart from wings?" Magnus prodded with an unhealthy amount of interest in his eyes. He couldn''t help it. Demons were neither friendly nor were they forthcoming. This was his chance to study a willing one.


    "Horns, Wings, claws, a third eye, and maybe even a tail if I try hard enough." Syryn supplied. "I''ve never seen black flames before. Which side of your family does it come from?"


    Magnus chuckled at that, "You already know that don''t you? You''re confirming some suspicion you have. What is it?"


    "Answer my question first Magnus."


    Alka was meditating next to a pyre. Syryn could see tiny shoots of grass growing at Alka''s feet, some even growing into thin tendrils that climbed their meditating caster. It was fascinating to watch.


    "It comes from my father''s side, or so I''ve heard. Strangely, nobody on my paternal side possesses the flame." So Magnus had no idea how monstrous his flame would become. What he had displayed so far was only the beginning. "What do you know about black flames or my father for that matter?"


    Syryn wondered just how much he should reveal. If possible, he didn''t want Magnus to gain silver flames. "I heard in passing about a man whose flames could burn through any material including souls."


    Syryn remembered just how horrifying it was. A fire that could exorcise a ghost out of existence meant that demons were just waste paper next to such a flame.


    At Syryn''s answer, Magnus slipped into his thoughts, "You think it could be related to my father?"


    "Maybe, I don''t know. I''m tired, Magnus." Lucien was falling asleep with his head on Syryn''s lap. It was time to set a hammock for the child.


    The fire mage understood the hint and nodded. "Thank you for answering my questions Syryn. Wake me up if you hear anything in the middle of the night."


    "Aren''t you afraid of falling asleep next to a haunted place?" Syryn challenged the taller mage who was stretching his body with the liquid grace of a feline. It was a characteristic that Alka shared, one that had Syryn feeling all kinds of envy.


    "It''s the ghost that should be afraid. I have a very strong demon here to protect me." And with a friendly wink, Magnus was off.


    That night, Syryn dreamt about Rowan. The longing to meet his friend had manifested as a nostalgic dream about their past. They were sitting side by side inside the warm library of Syryn''s tower. He looked down at himself and found he was still a child.


    In the dim firelight, Rowan studied Syryn with an amused smile on his handsome face.


    "Ryn, are you happy?"


    Rowan''s smile. Syryn had missed it so much.


    No, he wasn''t happy. He wanted to go back to that day when Rowan had caught him. He wanted 18 more years with Rowan.


    "I''ve missed you, Ro."


    In their time together, Syryn and Rowan had very rarely shared hugs. They never touched physically unless it was called for. But this was a dream, and so without reservations, the demon Lord threw himself into the Hero''s arms.


    Rowan''s warm embrace enveloped him tight and it reminded Syryn of what home felt like. He inhaled to find that the scent of Rowan evoked the same familiarity. It was a clean, masculine scent of amber and cypress wood. Syryn had never felt safer.


    "You''re doing great Ryn, I''m so proud of you." Rowan''s deep voice rumbled through his chest and Syryn felt it. He wanted to never leave this dream.


    Rowan then slowly let a hand brush through Syryn''s dark hair. "Never forget, you were born of a demon but you had no choice in it. What matters is which side of yourself that you choose to act on. That is who you are Syryn Nigh''hart."


    Syryn woke up to the sound of birds and the rustle of forest leaves. He missed Rowan with fierce desperation.

 Chapter 13 - Prophecy

    "I told you to grab it one at a time. It''s your own fault for getting hurt." Alka coldly lectured a contrite Magnus. The acidic soldier crabs had put up a tough fight when Magnus had attempted to pick them off in groups.


    BOOM! A group of crabs flew into the air. It was Magnus again. This time he caused a small explosion in the water.


    "Magnus! Stop! You''re going to destroy the lungwurts!" Alka was hysterical. He could never trust his friend not to ruin the harvest.


    "I''m aiming for the crabs. Stop worrying so much!"


    "If the lungwurts explode, I won''t give you your share of Snowberry pudding." It was the ultimate threat that always broke Magnus.


    "Slow crab capture it is."


    The group spent the morning collecting the ingredients they''d come hunting for. Syryn still hadn''t found the bud he needed to heal Lucien''s core but it was no matter if they were heading off to Elysium. After two hours of walking out of the forest, they neared Maple Town. Magnus then split away on his own to make a report about the incident in the forest while Alka, Syryn and Lucien made their way to an inn. It had been decided that they would move tomorrow.


    "What do you think attracted those creatures to the forest?" Alka questioned Syryn while they ate a late lunch at the inn.


    "Not sure, but It''s suspicious how nobody noticed so many people were going missing inside there," Syryn replied with a frown. "There''s either a complete lack of supervision by the officials at the surrounding towns or a matter that involves something even more malicious."


    "Maybe we shouldn''t have made a report."


    "No," Syryn replied, "Making a report was the wise thing to do. If the infestation was a result of nature taking its course, notifying the mages would have been the correct decision. And if it not, at least we''re bringing attention to the matter. It won''t stay under wraps for long."


    "It can''t be natural. Those things were put there on purpose." Alka squeezed his fork tight when he thought about how many innocent people had died. Who and why would someone do that?


    "Let it be. They''re dead. We''ve got other things to worry about now." Syryn didn''t want to involve himself in the matter anymore.


    Syryn and Lucien were the occupants of a cosy room in an expensive inn called the Sky Lantern. The older boy pushed open the door to their room to find a hot tub near a fireplace. The sight of the tub was a welcome one after their jaunt in the forest.


    "Time for a hot bath Luci!"


    Undressed, the children sat inside the hot tub and enjoyed the steam wafting off the water. Lucien was entertained by the sight of Syryn''s dark hair floating on the water.


    "You like it? You too can grow your hair long Luci." Syryn smiled at the kid. "You''re going to do that anyway when you grow up, aren''t you? I always did love your hair."


    "Brother likes my hair?" Lucien sunk deeper into the tub while peering up at Syryn. The heat of the water had reddened their cheeks.


    "Yes, what''s not to like about Luci?" Syryn teased and flicked water in Lucien''s face. With a giggle, Lucien smacked the surface of the water and splashed Syryn. A small fight ensued which resulted in a slippery floor covered in water and soap suds.


    Thereafter, the kids spent a while scrubbing themselves and then pouring in a new batch of hot water to soak in. During this peaceful interlude, Syryn leaned back against the tub and thought about their journey for tomorrow. Magnus hadn''t yet informed him of their method of travel. While Syryn was lost in his worries, Lucien blinked sleepy red eyes at him and suddenly jerked forward having fallen asleep. Syryn had to catch him before the boy sank into the water.


    Lucien was a small bundle of warmth and soft skin in Syryn''s arms. Once again, he visually traced the sight of healing welts and bruises on Lucien''s body. Under his careful ministrations, they were disappearing away. Despite everything, how the child slept all limp and trusting in Syryn''s arms had the older boy feeling a stab of pain for what they both had to endure.


    A soft knock on the door pulled Syryn out of his thoughts.


    "Come in." He had left the door unlatched and was expecting Magnus. When the fire mage entered the room and found the brothers in the tub, he froze at the door, unsure of what to do.


    "Don''t just stand there. Get inside Magnus."


    "I could come back later if you''re busy," Magnus replied but he walked in anyway. He gingerly stepped across the floor, avoiding the puddles and soap suds.


    Once seated on a corner of the bed, Magnus placed a heart-shaped confection on the bedside table. "For Luci." He explained and then got to the meat of the matter.


    "So tomorrow, we''re leaving early. I need you two to be ready before sunrise. We''ll have a rudimentary breakfast together and take a walk through the Lost path."


    "We''re taking the path? Who is navigating?" Syryn raised his brows high. The Lost path was a treacherous place that wasn''t to be traversed through unless one were to be lead by a professional and experienced navigator.


    "Alka has a map."


    Syryn would have stood up in outrage if he wasn''t butt naked under the water. "Are you serious right now??"


    "Dead serious. Alka will be our navigator." Magnus'' gaze skirted the edge of the tub and looked away.


    "You trust his abilities to lead us through unscathed then?" Syryn did not get a second chance at life so he could get lost inside the path.


    "We did lose our way once... but we made it out safe." Magnus honestly informed him.


    Syryn turned very slowly and with disbelief, stared at the unconcerned mage on his bed. "Magnus, you''re both quite insane. I should just part ways with you two right now."


    "Listen, we''ve made multiple journeys through the path since that one time. I promise Alka knows what he''s doing."


    Syryn pinched the bridge of his nose and asked himself why he wasn''t surprised. They''d accepted his demon self with open arms. This was on the same level of insane. No wonder Magnus didn''t make it to adulthood! This was natural selection taking place! And Alka? Syryn had thought him the sensible one. But no, Alka was the leader of their daredevil adventures. Even the forest expedition had been for Alka''s herbs!


    He thought about it and bitterly replied. "Okay, I hope I don''t regret it." In for a silver, in for a crown.


    "Great. I''ll see you in the morning then." And Magnus left the room before Syryn could change his mind about their special journey.


    ___________


    The next morning, Syryn was a ball of anxiety. The Lost path was a hands-off, no man''s zone, and very little literature had been available on the creatures of this dimension. If one followed the rules, the chances of death were less than 5%. It still did not assure him of safety, not with Lucien in tow. It was ridiculous how much danger the kid was being put through because of Syryn dragging him off to places he shouldn''t be at.


    "Here we are." Alka stared at the gap between two sturdy trees that looked like they were at least a few thousand years old.


    "Check your knots again," Alka advised. He also studiously examined the knots on the single length of rope that connected their wrists. When he was satisfied, Alka lifted his palm to the air and accessed the rift that existed in that gap.


    A long slit appeared in the air. It parted and sucked in the air around them, causing a strong wind to blow in the direction of the rift. Alka stepped into the widening gap, followed by Magnus, then Syryn and Lucien.


    "Syryn, Lucien, please come closer," Alka instructed politely.


    They were now inside the lost path, an expanse of endless grey fog and dark misshapen silhouettes that travellers had to stay away from. How navigators knew which direction to go towards stumped Syryn. There was no road, no marked path, no signs or even landmarks to give the most basic of directions to the travellers. It terrified him to be surrounded by so much nothingness.


    "This way," A gentle tug at his arm lead Syryn towards the direction that Alka wanted them to move. At times, through the thick fog, Syryn felt he could see the glowing white eyes of a hunchbacked creature, its deformed arms dragging on the ground behind it.


    Syryn definitely wasn''t imagining things. It was following them.


    "Don''t look," Magnus warned him when Syryn focused on it. He had almost forgotten the first rule of the path, never acknowledge their existence.


    "Why did we decide to come through the path?"


    "Because it would take us more than a month if we went by normal channels. Admissions start soon." Alka whispered to Syryn. The absurdness of it all.


    "Big brother... There''s something over there." Lucien gripped Syryn''s hand tightly and whispered. The older boy was feeling a sense of deja vu. This was the last time he would follow Alka and Magnus anywhere!


    "Shhh, Luci doesn''t look at it," Syryn whispered but his heart wept. How could they pretend it wasn''t there when the thing that Lucien had been staring at was the height of a small mountain. The eyes were like giant lamps that scanned the open field of fog. Syryn was thankful for how thick the fog was. It blanketed them in a protective covering that the creature couldn''t see through.


    "Stop. We''re here.." Alka was so close to Syryn that he could felt the mage''s breath on his cheek. "When I count to 3, jump immediately."


    "1," Alka raised his palm to the fog-laden air.


    "2," A rift appeared and the brilliant sunlight that came through it caught the attention of everything in the fog that was near their location.


    "3," The garbled high pitched call of the giant with the lamp like eyes followed their jump through the open rift.


    Syryn felt like he had shed 50 years of his lifespan inside there. As a half-demon, he ought to have more self-respect but it was the unknown that most terrified him.


    The group tumbled out into the sunshine and breathed in sweet relief.


    "Welcome to Elysium." Alka smiled at the siblings. Credit had to be given where it was due, Alka had the courage of a dragon.


    Syryn hadn''t been inside Elysium since his imprisonment but he could still recognise where they stood. They were at the outskirts of the city, near the east dock. The salty tang of the ocean brought with it the noises that accompanied a busy shipyard.


    "Is that the ocean?" Lucien''s eyes were focused on the horizon where the sky met water. A gust of strong wind blew and it lifted his soft hair, bringing a delighted smile to Lucien''s face. "S-Syryn, can we visit the dock later?"


    "Syryn? That''s what you want to call me?" The older boy asked with some surprise. Lucien nodded, his expression so earnest that Syryn wanted to pinch his cheeks. It was an interesting development and Syryn was happy about Lucien finally opening up and growing into his confidence.


    "What have we here?" A raspy voice snatched their attentions away from the excitement at hand. They turned as one and found a woman wearing the acolyte robes of Sapho, a minor goddess that was worshipped by those from Northern Sigil. Her sightless eyes were trained on Lucien whose smile had disappeared.


    "Oh... Oh..child, fated to be his bride! Rejoice... Rejoice... You are chosen... " She knelt on the ground and approached the boy.


    Syryn''s blood had run cold. He stood protectively in front of Lucien and inquired coldly.


    "Whose bride?"


    The acolyte''s white eyes looked through Syryn. "His name I know not. My eyes behold the kingdom of demons. Demons... So strong... He will claim his bride and you cannot stop him!"


    The kingdom of demons, she had said. Traxdart was the undisputed Emperor of demons, the most powerful of them. Traxdart would have to rip Lucien out of Syryn''s cold dead hands if he wanted the boy. "I reject your prophecy. I will change his fate." Syryn sneered.


    As if she had heard the funniest of jokes, the woman laughed at Syryn''s declaration. "Some fates are set in stone by the gods and cannot be changed by even those gods themselves. This child''s beloved has already found him. You should accept it for it is an honour of the highest order!"


    Syryn would have killed her if it wasn''t for the presence of the other two mages.

 Chapter 14 - Competition?

    Elysium was the grandest city of Sigil kingdom. It was where all the royals and the nobles made their home. The most important trade centres, institutions and markets had been established in the city owing to its prime location next to the Emerald Coast.


    Maple town had nothing on the size or splendour of the Elysium Mill, a market nestled right in the centre of the city. Rows upon rows of traders hawked their wares in loud voices. There were even the faint strains of the lute and it came from the bards who walked the streets of Elysium selling their music.


    Alka led them through the crowded market at a leisurely pace. They had stopped to look at a giant shining fish kite that floated by above them when Milky took off and disappeared inside a shop called ''Tonja''s warehouse.''


    "Milky come back!" Syryn shouted and ran after the fur ball. He left the others behind and rushed into the shop which was medium-sized and just crowded enough to cause the customers a mild discomfort. Syryn pushed to the front of the shop when he couldn''t find the runaway kitten. There he heard an interesting conversation between the owner and nephew.


    "You best forget about even showing up here if you dare leave Sarah on the day of your marriage just so you can compete in some sodden potion-making competition that you know you''re not even going to win! Have you taken leave of your senses, Tomas?! It''s your wedding day!"


    "Aunt Daga, I paid 5 crowns for an admission ticket. It took me a day of waiting at the booth to secure one. Please, I want to compete!" Tomas whined with his hands clasped together in a plea.


    "Tomas Oferstagor! Get out of my sight right now!"


    It was a very awkward situation, to say the least. The customers shuffled away when aunt Daga threw an account book at Tomas.


    "I''ll buy the ticket from you for 6 crowns." Syryn offered at the moment Tomas fell to the child''s feet.


    "No! Who said I''m selling??"


    "Done. Give him your ticket Tomas before I break off your wedding with that poor girl. She''ll do better than to marry a man like you who cannot even show up to his own wedding!!!"


    With a sigh, Tomas handed Syryn a rolled-up sheet of parchment. ''Clink'' Syryn dropped 6 crowns and snatched a ball of white that was attempting to get inside one of the barrels in the shop.


    "Fish flavoured whiskey?" Who the hell was buying such disgusting alcohol? "Milky! Stop struggling! You nasty piece of work. Fish whiskey, really?" The tussle between kitten and master continued till they were outside the shop.


    "Where are Magnus and Luci?" Syryn asked Alka who was in the adjacent store perusing through a stack of tomes.


    "Buying apple sauce and dried fruit candy. They''ll be back soon." No sooner had he spoken, Magnus and Lucien walked in holding identical paper bags filled to the brim with colourful sweets. Lucien''s cheek was bulging from the size of the candied apple that was buried in his mouth. Magnus didn''t look a single bit ashamed for spoiling Lucien rotten.


    "What''s that you''ve got there?" The fire mage asked.


    "A ticket to some competition it seems." Syryn unfolded the parchment and took a look at what was on it. Two prominent seals were stamped on the parchment, the Royal seal in gold, and a guild seal in red.


    "How did you get that? The admissions are always sold out in a day." Alka''s green eyes shined with interest.


    "Is it a big deal?"


    "Mmhmm, the 3 winners get contracts with King Hill, Winter Fortress and Saint''s Moon. How did you get this ticket Syryn?" Tell me your ways oh master, Alka whispered in his heart.


    "I bought it from someone who couldn''t attend. I just got lucky."


    "Well, I guess that solves your problem then," Magnus commented.


    Alka paid for a brand new tome on ''Exotic plants and a treatise on their summoning.'' The group stepped outside and made another small stop at an impressive looking place. At its doorway hung a very important signboard. ''Queen''s Solutions - J. Vendi, Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, and insurance agent.'' Alka asked his friends to wait while he stepped inside for some work.


    "This is quite authentic, no doubt about it. It''ll get you right through the gate of the competition."


    "Thank you Jarl, I''ll be stopping by when I get time." Alka thanked the man and exited the shop.


    "Syryn, I hope you''re prepared. The competition will be held tomorrow at the 9th hour of the morning. So, we''ll have to get there around the 6th."


    "What? Isn''t that too early?" Syryn protested. A whole 2 hours before the competition assigned timing.


    "This is a very important event Syryn. We cannot be late." Alka''s tone left no room for argument. "Anyway, we have to test your knowledge tonight. Given that the event attracts so many excellent alchemists, I''m certain that there will at least be 2 master potions on the crafting list. We have to hurry!"


    "Slow down Alka, you''re out of breath."


    "You''re not worried at all are you Syryn?"


    "No, I''ve got Magnus to fall back on if I lose."


    "What if I told you that there would be a beautiful princess who will hand out the awards?"


    "Which one?" Syryn''s interest was sparked.


    "Lillith"


    "Not excited." She was Rowan''s future wife anyway. Syryn had no business ogling his friend''s beloved.


    "Can we leave already? I want to take a nap." Magnus complained like a petulant son out shopping with his parents.


    ______________


    "I don''t care that you bought a ticket! You don''t have a license, kid. No admission."


    "That''s not mentioned in the rules." Alka disputed.


    "That''s the way it''s been done. How about this? I''ll refund the ticket AND give you some extra spectators tickets, for free!"


    To sell Syryn''s ticket off at a higher price to some waiting alchemist? No way! Syryn was not a patient person so he was glad to have Alka speaking on his behalf. His fingers itched to set the man on fire.


    "If that''s the case then I''m afraid I''ll have to call my lawyer. Jarl will be pleased to have a conversation with the Guild master since they''ve known each other for many years. Let''s go Syryn, we have time before it starts." Syryn was so glad that Alka had dragged him here early.


    "Wait, I''ll allow it this once. Don''t come back here without a license the next time you compete." Alka''s bluff had worked.


    "There won''t be a next time." Alka coldly informed the man. With an icy glance at the name tag on his robe, Alka swept out of the room.

 Chapter 15 - Syryns Crisis

    Thousands of spectators had gathered at the Green Valley arena to witness the triennial brewing competition. The competing alchemists had gathered from all over Sigil kingdom to secure a contract with the 3 big institutions of the kingdom that paid generously for potions. It was also a chance to get spotted by scouts looking to hire for their businesses and guilds.


    This year, people were shocked to see a young boy among the participants. Barely 13 years old by the look of him. How he had the fortune to receive the ticket instead of his older family members, who were no doubt more experienced, made them glare at him in envy. More so the ones who had tried and failed at buying a spot in the competition. 200 tickets, 200 alchemists. 100 tickets were reserved for the big wigs and the other 100 had been sold openly to the public. Syryn had no idea how lucky he was.


    Amongst the audience stood two tall teenage boys, both strikingly good looking and unmistakable in their auras. They were garbed in matching grand black uniforms that were embroidered with silver threads. It distinguished them as belonging to the elite Winter Fortress Academy. The crowd around them paid attention to their identities and gave no small amount of respect to the duo. Whispers around them were already spreading the word, Rowan and Vincent were here.


    "Rowan, I heard Lillith is doing the honours this year. Is that why we''re here?" Vincent asked his blonde companion. Out of the two, Rowan was taller only by a cm. Vincent made up for it with his unruly mass of hair that no gel so far could tame. Vincent''s gold eyes observed a kid much younger than them amongst the crowd of adult alchemists.


    "She is? That''s news to me. I''m here to find a suitable replacement for Tia." Rowan replied after a beat.


    Vincent frowned at Rowan''s words. "Is Tia retiring?"


    "Going on a journey. She was very specific that I find a replacement soon."


    Rowan hated most potions. He had no idea why but the generic formulae never suited his taste buds. Some alchemists spun their own versions of the existing potions and sometimes they were palatable to Rowan. However, he had come to find that Tia''s potions were the least repulsive to him. It wasn''t just the recipe that lent to a potion''s taste. An individual Alchemist''s magic, knowledge and timing were all essential to creating a potion that worked as it should, had no side effects and most importantly, tasted good.


    As an anti mage, Rowan heavily relied on potions for his well being. He needed to find a suitable replacement as soon as possible. But from his experience tasting potions across the city, Rowan did not have high hopes for another Tia.


    "That boy has guts." Vincent idly commented.


    Rowan''s cerulean eyes barely stopped on the young boy before moving on to the other participants.


    "Salem is here too. His potions taste like death."


    Rowan grimaced at seeing the person whose potion had nearly made him throw up. Salem was one of the youngest master alchemists. Adept at reverse engineering new potions, his knowledge of ingredients surpassed any of those in his generation. Suffice to say, his brews were potent in their purity. Salem had the best chances of winning the competition and It didn''t bode well for Rowan.


    "There''s Lillith. She''s looking at you." Vincent, the wingman, pointed it out not so subtly.


    "I''m trying to appear inconspicuous, Vincent. Stop drawing attention to us." Rowan communicated without turning in the direction that Vincent indicated. As much as Rowan despised it, his gleaming head of gorgeous gold hair was like a beacon to anyone looking for him in a crowd.


    Syryn glanced around at the grown-ups who were looking at him askance. They were all thinking the same thing.


    "Oh look at the little boy. Does he think this is a playground? Your father should have used the ticket''s fee to buy some common sense." One of them had the guts to say it out loud after all.


    "The first round is easy enough. I hope you get through."


    "Are you some sort of a genius? Or are your parents stupid?" A balding man with meaty lips was next to Syryn in the line. His ego was bruised from having to compete with a literal child. "What are they thinking by letting in children here?"


    "Hush, it''s not our place to say such things. Focus on getting past the first hurdle." Another person added.


    They were all each handed a rectangular wooden box. The instructions given by the announcer indicated at a sheet of paper inside the box which had to be pierced in the right circles. The questions were different for each participant and so cheating was out of the question. Under the paper lay a spelled grid that matched the correct answers. Piercing just one wrong circle would lead to the box harmlessly self-destructing. The random nature of distribution assured the participants of fairness in the competition.


    This was a quick elimination round that would directly get rid of 150 participants. It was also the most boring round. While the others began answering their questions, Syryn was having a mini-crisis. His hand hovered over the paper without moving for a long time. Many spectators who were curious about him were watching with undisguised glee.


    "Does Syryn not know the answer?" Lucien tugged at Magnus'' sleeve.


    "I''m sure he does kid, give him time." Magnus worriedly replied.


    Vincent had also noticed Syryn''s dilemma. "He hasn''t answered a single question."


    Rowan''s reply to that was silence. He was having his own crisis watching Salem hand his box over having already completed the trial. If Salem won the contract for Winter Fortress, Rowan would be poisoned to death.


    Syryn hadn''t studied basic plant theory. It wasn''t important given that he was already practising and absorbing the knowledge practically. But right now, he wished he had. The first question was easy but the answers were all technically incorrect.


    When you pluck off a ripe crystal fig from its branch, what is the colour of the sap that comes out of it?


    A.White B.Off white C.Greyish white D.Yellow


    It was actually a porcelain white that turned yellow after exactly 2 seconds of exposure to the air. What were the kids being taught?? what was Syryn to do??


    "Participants, please hurry. Only 8 of you remain."


    People were staring at Syryn who was frowning at his paper with the intensity of the sun. Old meaty lips slapped his thighs in laughter. It felt good to watch the boy realise that he was out of his depth among true alchemists.


    So porcelain white was closest to white, right? Because white was neutral and the rest were different shades of white which meant that it had to be white. How many shades of white were there anyway? Or was this a trick question and the correct answer was actually yellow? Who set this paper? Could he raise his hand in the air so Syryn could pulverise him into meat paste?


    "10, 9.." The countdown began. The entirety of the arena, including the other participants and the judges, were all staring at Syryn who still hadn''t made a move yet.


    During the last 3 seconds, the boy''s hand moved like lightning and punched in 12 holes. Bated breaths awaited the sight of self-destruction but it never happened. Syryn smoothly shut the lid of the box and handed it over to the mage who was impatiently waiting for him.


    This time, Rowan''s gaze lingered on Syryn. He was surprised that the kid had actually cleared the first trial and that too in such an unorthodox way.


    "Not bad. Why the hell was he waiting so long for?" Vincent grumbled.


    "Congratulations to the 46 competitors who cleared the first trial. The ones who did not make it, please remove yourselves from the grounds."


    Salem and Syryn, the youngest competitors, set their sights on each other.

 Chapter 16 - Lillith

    Syryn studied Salem and received the same amount of scrutiny from the other alchemist.


    At a single glance, anyone could tell that the older alchemist had elf blood running through his veins. The ears looked human but it was his other features that gave it away. Butter smooth skin the colour of milk that had a dewy, healthy glow. The same lean and tall build that all elves possessed. And he too was a blonde like Rowan but where Rowan was a rich gold, Salem''s hair was a pale blonde, almost white.


    Light golden brown eyes examined Syryn. "I sense an illusion on you. Are you secretly an old geezer?" The half-elf spoke with an exotic elvish accent that did wonders to the words that came out of his lips. Syryn was sure that he could have spat out the nastiest sounding words in any known language and it would still have sounded like a love poem when filtered through the mouth of the half-elf.


    "That''s none of your business."


    "I could undo the illusion right now. What are you hiding?" He pressed in closer to Syryn and demanded in a very alluring tone. Going by the frown on the blonde''s face, Syryn was quite sure that the half-elf wasn''t trying to seduce him.


    "You really want to know?"


    "Yes."


    "I''ll show you what I''m hiding if you win the competition. But if you lose, you''ll have to give me that." Syryn pointed to the black ribbon that held back Salem''s silky blonde locks. It was enchanted to never slip out of his hair. Magic like that, Syryn couldn''t perform. Humans and demons alike were masters of elemental sorcery. Elves on the other hand were experts at illusions, enchantments, psy powers, and other spells that required a different kind of fine control.


    The half-elf cocked his head confidently at Syryn. "It''s a deal."


    "Competitors, please approach the altar one by one. There are 5 potions on the altar. 4 of those are poisonous and will kill you if you don''t take an antidote as soon as the poison has entered your body. However, the 4th potion is the antidote! Can you identify the antidote hiding amongst the poisons? Drink two of the potions and stay alive to make it to the next trial. Make sure you don''t double dose yourselves with poison or there will be no turning back! You''ll each get 2 minutes to examine the potions so good luck and safe drinking!"


    From what could be seen, the liquid in each phial looked exactly the same, a beautiful rose pink colour. Syryn was number 19 in the queue and Salem was at 20. They watched the first man examine the potions.


    "Your two minutes are up. Please pick one and drink or step aside and leave."


    It seemed he valued his life more than money. The man walked away. The same happened to the second, third, fourth, fifth till the sixth alchemist who drank two potions and passed out. Fortunately for him, there were healers on standby.


    "Damn, this year is rough," Vincent complained. "I hope that kid is gonna be alright."


    With the success of two alchemists, Syryn''s turn came upon him. He walked to the potions and scarcely glanced at them before picking the first one and chugging it like water. A collective gasp ensued quite loudly from the audience. Syryn then drained the second potion completely and walked away without any harm done.


    Everyone, including Salem, watched the boy return to his position without a ripple in his eyes. Guts! He had guts! Even Salem wasn''t sure he wouldn''t check twice before drinking.


    Who was this little boy? Salem wondered as he took a sniff of the potions in his hands.


    "Did you see that?" Vincent was Unnaturally excited.


    "I have eyes, Vincent."


    "Was that luck or is he just that good?!"


    Rowan wondered too. How could he tell at one glance which was poison and antidote? He was now more interested in the boy''s identity.


    On the opposite side of the arena, Alka sat like a statue but he was internally panicking. Were demons immune to poisons? Was Syryn going to be alright?


    "Luci, your brother is going to die," Magnus informed Lucien. At the boy''s horrified expression, the mage grinned and patted Lucien on his head. "Just kidding."


    Meanwhile, Salem had successfully poisoned and cured himself. A mild stomach ache was unavoidable due to the potions in his stomach fighting hard.


    "What''s your name?" The half-elf asked.


    "Syryn. Yours?"


    "Salem."


    How Syryn had identified the antidote so quickly only he knew. The truth of the matter was that Syryn''s demonic half protected him from most poisons. The potions that could hurt him were all made of rare ingredients which would never get wasted at a competition. Syryn simply drank two random potions because it was easier that way. Was it cheating maybe? Did he care? Not at all.


    Out of the 48, only 6 of them were left now.


    "Competitors, congratulations. You''ve made it to the third trial. As you can see, there are 6 medium grade cauldrons in front of you. Each of you will be given a unique basket of ingredients. You have to identify what potion is to be made based on the ingredients given to you. Everything has been perfectly weighed and measured so good luck finding out what it is! The judges will score your potions based on their purity and grade. You have a quarter of an hour!"


    Syryn catalogued his ingredients and came to his conclusion. An ounce of tranquillity, his mind supplied. That was his potion.


    Syryn and Salem were the first to present their products to the judges. Syryn''s phial was uncorked and examined by the three judges.


    "What a beautiful colour!"


    "It smells like a valley breeze, this is an outstanding potion."


    "Purity at 87%! That''s higher than what can normally be accomplished through the use of a medium grade cauldron. Who is your teacher, child?"


    "Horace, this is a competition! Let''s save the poaching for later, shall we?" The distinguished-looking woman reminded her fellow judge. She smiled at Syryn and declared, "You have qualified for the final trial."


    Salem''s potion was a per cent higher in purity but the colour was off. Even so, the potion was judged to be of excellent quality.


    The two successful alchemists waited till a third competitor joined them, an older man in his 50s.


    The moderator then coughed awkwardly and made an announcement. "To the young boy in the competition, another competitor has made an accusation of dishonesty and cheating against you. According to the rules of the competition, he has the right to challenge you at a test decided by the judges. Do you accept? I repeat, a -"


    "I heard you," Syryn loudly replied. "Who the hell is the bastard challenging me? Get out here right now."


    "It is I." A man came forward.


    "What do you know? It''s old meaty lips." Syryn said it loud enough for the ones in front to hear.


    In the audience, Alka took a closer look at the man. "Old meaty lips? He''s right, those lips can feed a family of 5 for a week."


    "Alka, there are some things that shouldn''t be said."


    Old meaty lips sneered at the name and once again opened his mouth, "I request an impartial third party to set the test. I''m afraid that the integrity of the judges has been compromised seeing how far the cheating candidate has been allowed to progress."


    "How dare you!" Horace stood up to protest. To cast light upon their integrity was just insulting their good reputations.


    Before the situation could devolve, a voice was heard. It was like the sweet cry of a summer Oriole. "Peace, everybody, please refrain from turning this esteemed competition into a mockery."


    It was princess Lilith. She was as stunning as the last time Syryn had seen her. In fact, she was even more beautiful than when he had last set eyes on her.


    Youth was a good look on the lovely princess with the silver eyes that Eos had blessed. Future priestess of Eos that she was, Lillith had powers that were bad news for Syryn.


    "If all parties are in agreement, allow me to test the skills of the disputing competitors." Lillith raised her head and declared. Syryn wanted to refuse but everyone else had already accepted her proposition.


    "Good. I have just the right potion that I need you two to make. Brew for me the highest grade of fortifying potion that your skills allow."


    Easy, Syryn thought. As long as he didn''t do anything suspicious, there would be no reason for Lillith to pay him any attention.


    But then Lillith went a step further, "To test the efficacy of the potion, I can only request the one person whose taste buds demand only the best. Rowan Windwalker, please join us."

 Chapter 17 - Mine

    "I told you she was looking at you." Vincent snorted at the way Rowan had gone stiff beside him. His blonde friend shunned attention but it seemed that he would never escape the limelight.


    "Vincent, come with me."


    "Don''t be a coward. Look, everyone is staring at us. Don''t keep the princess waiting lover boy."


    Syryn was standing in a daze. He had tried so hard not to look - but his treacherous neck had angled his head, and his equally treacherous eyes had followed the sight of Rowan walking towards them to the sounds of cheering from the audience. And when the handsome youth in dark uniform stood next to the beauty Lillith, the loud calls of approval drowned out the sounds of Syryn''s thundering heartbeats. It had always been this way. Rowan belonged to Lillith.


    A sweet bitterness that began in his heart spread to his entire chest when Syryn and Rowan''s eyes met. Rowan, all gleaming hair and a gorgeous face that looked down at him curiously through thick lashes. Rowan with his heart of gold, big enough to even entertain the whims of his mortal enemy, a demon lord. But this wasn''t his Rowan, not yet. This Rowan also wasn''t the hero that saved Syryn and he never would be. It was a heart-aching realisation that dawned on Syryn, one that gave him the resolve to face the young man with tranquillity.


    "I''m glad you joined us." Lillith''s smile was genuine and sweet.


    "Thank you for the invitation princess, it is my honour." Rowan inclined his head in a show of respect. Lillith''s smile dimmed just a little bit then. Recovering her composure, she turned to Syryn and his challenger.


    "Two baskets of ingredients will be brought here for use as you see fit. For parity of results, you will each brew a heat fortifying potion. The one with higher grade, purity, and taste will win the test." Lillith then looked straight at the challenger. "As the challenger, all the costs of the test will be incurred by you. And as per the rules, if you lose, you will compensate the winner with a payment of 200 crowns."


    The challenger nodded his head and bowed to the princess subserviently. Syryn on the other hand looked bored and uninterested. It was as if the matter at hand had nothing to do with him.


    "Let''s begin then. Bring in the ingredients."


    Syryn carefully picked the herbs that would go into making the potion. He had been brewing for Rowan for many years and he knew with precision the exact taste of potion that Rowan''s picky mouth demanded. Good, he thought, taste my awesome potion and then go spend the rest of your life drinking subgrade trash.


    Syryn was jealous. He could admit it freely. They weren''t even married and Lillith was already monopolising Rowan''s attention. He couldn''t blame the princess for it though because Syryn would have done the same.


    Rowan watched Syryn chop up the plants with a delicate finesse that most alchemists lacked. His nimble and slender fingers, which Rowan belatedly noticed with fascination, handled the ingredients with the attentive care of a mother that treasured her baby. The alchemist''s every move was focused to the point that only the work table existed in his sight.


    Here was a crafter that loved what he did and performed with a skill that went beyond just interest. Rowan was glad that he was in a position to observe the boy''s performance in detail.


    When Syryn finally added the final ingredients with a flourish, he adjusted the heat and allowed the potion to simmer. Heat fortifying potions were a bright yellow colour but Syryn''s potion was a shade lighter than normal. He had taken extreme care to produce a liquid of high purity so much so that no residue could be seen in it.


    The cloying taste of salamander root was dealt with by a change in the sequence of ingredients, plus the addition of a pinch of powdered inari. These went unnoticed owing to the sleight of hands tactics that Syryn had used.


    Both alchemists were done with their potions and they presented them to Rowan in tiny glass cups. Syryn hid a smile when he saw how the blonde youth''s eyes looked between the two cups with something akin to panic in his bright blue eyes. If he didn''t know better, Syryn would have thought Rowan was choosing between two cups of poison.


    Rowan then settled his mood and lifted the cup with the darker liquid. Up it went into his mouth faster than Syryn could say, Ro. The reaction was immediate, a gentle furrow of Rowan''s strong brows. As potions went, heat fortifying potions were less evil than their bitter counterparts.


    Syryn''s eyes were dancing with mirth when Rowan looked at his strangely coloured potion. He couldn''t help the wicked grin that spread across his face when a hint of suspicion appeared in Rowan''s eyes. The blonde youth hardened his resolve and threw the contents of Syryn''s cup into his mouth expecting a terrible outcome.


    Syryn''s hard work had been worth it to see the shock that appeared on Rowan''s face. The young man licked his perfectly formed lips and stared into the cup with the gravity of having discovered a secret that would change his life forever. His long fingers still curled around the cup, Rowan tasted the remnants of the potion that lingered in his mouth. His world was shaken by its foundations.


    "What is your name?" Rowan met Syryn''s gaze with a growing determination. He resolved there and then that this alchemist would be his.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart."


    Rowan nodded, eyes still trained on Syryn like he was afraid the boy would disappear, taking along with him his skills.


    "Congratulations Syryn, you win this challenge."


    That was all Rowan chose to say. No flowery speeches and no technical elaborations about grade or purity. From the feeling that went through his body, Rowan already knew this potion had reached the pinnacle of what was possible from medium grade ingredients and tools. From the taste of it alone, Syryn''s potion had already toppled Tia''s place in Rowan''s heart. He was deeply moved.


    As expected by Syryn, he was the winner. Of course, there was no doubt about his victory. Syryn accepted the result with a graceful nod of his head. He was 200 crowns richer and just another step away from winning a contract with King Hill. Since that was his chosen academy of study, Syryn had decided to sign with King Hill.


    Lillith beamed at Rowan and faced the crowd. "You heard Rowan, the challenger has lost and will have to compensate the guild and the challengee. Let''s now proceed to the main competition without any delay."


    Syryn walked away from the couple to join Salem on the sidelines.


    "You were hiding your skills until now. Why?" Salem questioned with intrigue colouring his words.


    "That''s also none of your business Salem. You ask far too many questions." Syryn would find out very soon how far Salem took things in the name of academic investigation, and how deep his well of curiosity went.

 Chapter 18 - The Winner

    "Lords and ladies, here stand before you the 3 alchemists set apart from the rest. They have proven their dedication to knowledge, and mastery of the art of brewing a perfect potion! All 3 are winners but only one will receive the most coveted contract favoured for its generosity. For the final trial, I present to you a ruined experiment that should have been a potion! Come forward alchemists and take a phial each of this mysterious liquid!"


    "Rowan, what''s with the satisfied look on your face? Did princess Lillith make you feel good?" Vincent leered at his friend whose mood had been visibly bolstered.


    Rowan was positive that Syryn would beat the vile potions made by Salem. The first place always signed with Winter Fortress, the academy that paid higher and purchased more potions.


    "I''ve found Tia''s replacement."


    "That kid? Don''t tell me... Is he really that good?" Vincent was sceptical for good reason. A 13-year-old boy whose potions were better than Tia''s? An absurd notion.


    "You''ll know when you try it," Rowan replied blandly.


    "I''m not like you Rowan. It could taste like shit for all I care as long as it gives me the boost I need."


    "we''ll see."


    "Competitors! your final trial, fix the ruined potion without changing its intended use. You may use the ingredients provided to you but if necessary, special request can be made for ingredients that are rare or less precious. Anything above rare grade will not be provided. The resulting potions will be judged on the efficiency of the technique, the economy of ingredients and the grade of the potion. Time is not a factor, however, there will be a penalty on the last potion submitted. So potion maters, go ahead and prove to us which one of you alchemists deserves the contract with Winter Fortress!"


    Syryn critically examined the purple coloured liquid in his phial. It oozed from side to side ever so slowly, and when Syryn shook the potion, small bubbles escaped the surface with tiny ''pops'' that gave off a spicy vapour.


    His eyes glinted at the insight it gave him. Syryn narrowed the potion down to 200 types. He then carefully smudged together a small drop of the liquid and some water on his index finger. Syryn rubbed it against his thumb and there was an instant release of heat. Exothermic, his mind noted. It narrowed the potion''s chemical makeup down to 7 groups.


    He then poured the liquid into a small cauldron where he would ''fix'' the botched up potion. There was no method in existence that could rescue a botched potion completely but if an intervention was done at an early enough stage, the probability of cooking up a successful potion significantly increased; the term ''successful'' being a generous consideration given the abysmally low-grade potion that it would result in.


    Regardless, any alchemist that could fix a botched potion could be considered an expert in his theoretical understanding of brewing. The final trial tested not only the theory but the ingenuity of the alchemist, and only if he could identify the potion first. Syryn did not know what the potion was but he had an idea of which group it belonged to. With that in mind, he began to heat the potion, coaxing it to reveal its identity one step at a time.


    The process was tedious enough to warrant Syryn''s appreciation. Yes, Syryn loved complicated potions that demanded his complete and utter attention.


    "It has been a pleasure puzzling you out," Syryn whispered to the dark liquid. "Feather fall potion."


    Now was the part that required Syryn''s undivided focus. 32 common ingredients and half an hour were what it took for Syryn to successfully reverse the oversaturation of the Feather fall potion. Inside his phial glimmered a black sludge even more viscous than the purple ooze he had started with.


    Salem was at his work table completing the final steps to his restoration when Syryn passed by like a breeze. The half-elf returned his attention to the potion after a glance at his rival.


    "Kids are getting smarter these days aren''t they?"


    "He''s only a few years younger than we are." Rowan reminded his friend with a sigh. He just wanted the competition to get over fast so Rowan could confirm Winter Fortress'' acquisition of Syryn''s partnership.


    "It''s just potion brewing right. Look at how weak he is. That kid won''t last in a manly fight," words that would turn bitter in his stomach at the annual friendship meet.


    Rowan did not dignify Vincent''s foolishness with a response.


    Salem and Syryn had successfully fixed their potions without resorting to rare ingredients. The third competitor, on the other hand, had cooked up a feather fall potion that wasn''t even close to its real form. He was eliminated as soon as the purple ooze lost its magic and became an ordinary liquid.


    Sometimes it happened that two alchemists were worthy of taking first place. When that happened, it was up to Winter Fortress to decide which alchemist to contract with. Today wasn''t it.


    "I refuse to accept the result."


    "Set another test right now."


    "I''m sorry sirs but there will be no further testing. Any refusal to comply will have you eliminated. Did you not read the terms and conditions?" Horace asked the two stubborn youngsters.


    "You didn''t read it, did you? Well, I understand that you want the contract offered by Winter Fortress. It is unfortunate but we cannot intervene and set another test as it is entirely up to the discretion of the anti mages to pick their choice of partnership."


    Syryn protested the misunderstanding. "I don''t care about who gets what. Just declare me the winner." This was about the hair ribbon that Syryn had been coveting. He had had enough experience losing hair ties and ribbons in his past life. This enchanted ribbon was a prize more important than the contract!


    "Let Winter Fortress decide who they want. I don''t care." Salem coldly added to Syryn''s words.


    The judges were flummoxed. "Then why the hell are you fighting for first place?"


    Neither of the alchemists answered. Syryn would cut off his arm before he declared to the world that he was fighting tooth and nail for a ribbon that was already tied to another person''s hair. Salem on the other hand had enough awareness to respect another man''s secret. In silence, they glared at the judges.


    "I have a suggestion then." Salem directed his words to Syryn. "Let''s exchange the favours we owe each. Win win for the both of us."


    Syryn wasn''t sure if he wanted to reveal his real self to a stranger. What harm was it though? The only reason that he kept his face hidden was that it attracted too much attention. "Fine, let''s do it later. Meet me at the Red Fox Inn. I''ll wait for you under the signboard." The two alchemists shared satisfied smiles. One happy demon would receive a special ribbon, and a half-elf impatient to see what this young genius was hiding behind the illusion.


    "Sa,y Rowan, the kid looks too young to be dallying in night activities with Salem."


    Rowan who had heard the entire conversation and lip-read the parts he couldn''t, "Get your head out of the gutter. They''re about to make an announcement."

 Chapter 19 - Red Fox

    "This year''s winners have decided between themselves which schools they want to contract with. Salem Moonglade, Winter Fortress! Syryn Nigh''hart, King Hill! Phillip Swan, Saint''s moon!


    When all was said and done, Syryn and Salem faced each other. "Let''s meet at a quarter past 10. I have some work to attend to before that." Salem informed Syryn. Neither of the winners seemed particularly excited about winning.


    On the other side of the arena, Rowan was having none of it. As if it wasn''t already distressing enough losing Syryn Nigh''hart to King Hill, he would have to for the foreseeable future, drink the toxic sewage that Salem passed off as Potion.


    "Rowan, your public image will crash if you don''t wipe that scary frown off your face." Vincent nudged his friend''s side when he caught sight of Rowan''s dark look.


    "Why does he think that King Hill is a better contract?" Rowan asked no one in particular.


    "Doesn''t matter, you can''t force him to- OI Rowan! Where are you going?!"


    "Congratulations young Syryn, we are excited to begin a partnership with you." The Head Magister of King Hill, Lord Peltner, vigorously shook Syryn''s hand.


    "Thank you." Syryn smiled politely, "I wish to study at King Hill. Can the contract be re-negotiated to deduct the fees for my younger brother and I?"


    Lord Peltner''s eyes went wide and he beamed at Syryn. "How marvellous! King Hill would be honoured to take in an accomplished student such as yourself. However, young Syryn, I''m afraid that our institution won''t have much to add to your already high mastery of potions."


    "It''s no matter, Lord Peltner. I''d like to broaden my horizons and I believe that King Hill is where I can do just that." Syryn answered with an amiable smile.


    "Very well then, we will have you and your brother on scholarship. Do not worry about the contract." Lord Peltner informed Syryn jovially. He was a likeable and portly middle-aged man, so very unlike what one would imagine from a person running one of the most prominent schools of magic.


    "Alright then, sign here, here, and here." Syryn read through the simple contract and signed it at the appropriate places. When he added the last dot to his signature, the door of their private room was hastily flung open.


    "Young Rowan! What brings you here?" Lord Peltner''s greeting was enthusiastic and loud. Syryn put the quill in his hand aside and turned around, not quite believing that Rowan had come. He saw the blonde youth''s gaze land on the signed contract.


    Rowan froze at the door and then smiled at the Head Magister after letting out a resigned sigh.


    "Lord Peltner, I came to congratulate you on acquiring the services of such a talented alchemist as Syryn." He smoothly lied. Rowan had come running to poach Syryn but he was already too late!


    Syryn innocently watched them exchange pleasantries. He knew exactly what Rowan had come here for and it made him nostalgic. The Rowan of his past had nearly slipped into a deep coma after refusing the potions that were offered to him even though he had run out of tasty options. Rowan was like a child refusing to eat his vegetables.


    After completing his formalities, Syryn stepped out and met with Alka, Magnus and Lucien who were waiting for him under a tree that grew purple flowers. Alka had been smiling at something Magnus had said while Lucien was lost in his thoughts watching the purple petals that drifted off the tree.


    "Syryn congratulations." The plant mage was delighted for his friend.


    "Let''s go to the Drunk mermaid for a celebratory dinner tonight." Magnus flashed the both of them a lazy grin, "I''ve got a private room booked."


    "Already? When did you get time to book a room at the Drunk Mermaid''s of all places?" Syryn was surprised because this was an establishment that required more than just money to enter.


    "Doesn''t matter, we''ll get late if we don''t hurry," Magnus replied and gently pulled Lucien to his feet by the back of his collar. It reminded Syryn of how cats lifted their kittens. He covered a smile with his hand.


    "Magnus, long time no see," Vincent called out as they were passing through the stone arch at the exit of Green Valley arena.


    "Vince, where''s your boyfriend?" Magnus lifted his brows in a leer.


    "Tch! Rowan ran off like a hound chasing a bitch. I don''t know where he is."


    Syryn recognised Vincent. He had heard about Vincent from Rowan who had often told him tales about the man''s daredevil shenanigans. Syryn also knew that Vincent would be killed on a rescue mission. His death would mark a black day for Rowan to whom Vincent was a brother and his most trusted friend.


    "Chasing after the princess?" Magnus asked.


    "Na, the princess has been moon-eyed over lover boy but he feigns blindness." Vincent stared up at the sky as if imploring the heavens to do something about Rowan. He then turned to Syryn.


    "Siren, you''re really amazing at potions aren''t you? Rowan is smitten. I''m almost afraid for the princess." And Vincent laughed carelessly, not knowing how prophetic his words would be.


    "It''s Syryn, not Siren."


    "All the same Sayren. Ah, there''s lover boy."


    Rowan was power walking towards them and he was being followed by a hoard of fangirls. The thousand-yard silent stare that he was giving Vincent spoke volumes about the pain that Rowan was in.


    "Not again," Vincent swore under his breath. "See you later folks."


    The two anti mages melted and disappeared into the crowd of people leaving the arena, a skill honed from many episodes of being stalked by their fans.


    "So that''s the guy you''ll be up against," Magnus informed Syryn. "He may appear friendly and charming but don''t let that face fool you, Rowan is ruthless in battle."


    Syryn was quite aware, thank you very much. He had been on the receiving end of that ruthless beat down when Rowan had caught him terrorising some humans.


    "What about Vincent?"


    Magnus clapped a hand to Syryn''s back. "All in good time Syryn. Let''s explore Elysium tonight. I''ll take you and Luci to the pool of stars."


    At his appointed time, Syryn met Salem at the Red fox. "You''re late." Salem was leaning with his back against the red bricks of the inn.


    "I''m not late. You''re too early." Syryn countered and held out a hand. "Ribbon first."


    Salem arched a brow at Syryn. "If I didn''t know better, I''d misconstrue your eagerness for a creep''s desire for my personal item."


    "You''re the creep demanding to see behind my illusion."


    "Fair enough," Salem replied wryly.


    He pulled the crow-feather black ribbon out of his sleek blonde ponytail that shimmered in the moonlight. His hair was quite distracting to Syryn.


    Syryn then palmed the soft ribbon and put it away in his satchel. "Let''s go somewhere private." He pointed to the inside of Red fox with his thumb.


    Rowan and Vincent were walking the streets of Elysium Mill in hoods that helped them blend in with the other night attendees of the market. They had come to the Red fox hoping to catch Syryn before he left. This was the first time that Vincent had seen his friend make an effort to chase someone! And it wasn''t even a sexy woman but a scrawny twerp barely off his mother''s milk.


    "You''d think his potions could revive a dead man." He continued to grumble.


    Rowan wouldn''t find time to leave Winter Fortress for a few months so this was his only chance at convincing Syryn to make a deal with him. As much as he wanted to just turn around and pretend everything was fine, it wasn''t. Salem would be the death of him if Rowan didn''t do something about his situation.


    However, he hadn''t intended to eavesdrop on Salem''s conversation with Syryn. Now Rowan was struck with a hint of curiosity for the secret that Salem was about to find out.

 Chapter 20 - Anti Mage

    "So," Salem tilted his head to the side and waited for Syryn to drop his illusion. Would he see an old man? A cross-dressing woman? A disfigured face? Or a non-human? The possibilities running through his mind were endless.


    Syryn plugged off the power supply to his illusion spell and waited a few seconds for reality to merge. When his real self was revealed in all its glory, his companion''s unwavering gaze was fixed on Syryn.


    Salem stared at Syryn and made a small sigh of appreciation. "I understand why you wear an illusion. Such a tempting face." Salem''s hand wandered over and Syryn allowed the half-elf to press his fingertips gently beneath Syryn''s chin, lifting his face to admire it better.


    "This face..." Salem whispered with a breathy exhalation of air. "I should have never asked to see."


    Syryn had seen himself so many times that his looks meant nothing more to him than an asset he could sometimes use. But he was starting to feel like he had pandered out his face today. Embarrassed, he powered back the illusion.


    "It''s time I left, Salem. Thank you for the ribbon." He turned to leave but a cool hand caught his wrist in a firm grip.


    "Wait, let me give you something." Salem then took off his necklace and placed it in Syryn''s palm. It had a tiny bird pendant that was carved from a light blue gem. "This is a sea orb. You can cast illusion and tie it to the magic in the gem so that the spell cannot be undone by just anybody."


    Salem was underselling it. Syryn knew exactly how precious a sea orb was. This was a magnificent gift and it would aid Syryn in ways that Salem was not expecting it to. Syryn wore the necklace and tucked it inside his clothing, "Thank you Salem."


    Every good turn deserved another but Syryn had nothing to give at the moment. It felt wrong to walk away with just words of gratitude.


    "Would you like a kiss on the cheek?" Syryn asked quite seriously because he had been told by his admirers that a kiss from such a beauty was more precious than any amount of gold in this world. It was a commodity that he never gave out. Kisses weren''t currency, Syryn knew that, but it had to count for something if they wouldn''t stop going on and on about it right?


    Salem''s eyes went wide. Was Syryn messing with him? His earnest expression seemed to indicate otherwise. A kiss on the cheek from Syryn, "I guess that''ll do." Salem lowered his head and received a peck on the cheek from the boy.


    How cute, he thought.


    Syryn left the Red fox with a smile on his face. He had come away with a ribbon and a sea orb. He hadn''t expected to run into Rowan of all people on the street.


    "We meet again, Siren." Vincent greeted him first.


    "Rowan, Vincent." Syryn warily greeted them. This was too coincidental for it to be luck.


    "Syryn," Rowan began but a shrill scream interrupted their conversation.


    The sound of destruction followed and then a giant flaming shadow hound suddenly broke through the walls of the building next to them. In no time, all hell broke loose! people were screaming, shoving each other and running away from the scene.


    "Vincent check the building!" Rowan instructed his friend then sprinted off after the hound that was wreaking havoc in the streets. It had to be a summoning that had gone wrong, Syryn thought and he began running after Rowan.


    It was easy enough to just follow the screaming and broken stalls. It led Syryn straight to Rowan and the shadow hound that was already subdued. Rowan pulled his blade out from the belly of the hound and it erupted into flames. That could be me, Syryn thought. That blade of Rowan''s could turn him into ash too. But when he recalled how merciful Rowan had been to him, Syryn put aside his fears.


    From across the street, Rowan''s eyes met Syryn''s. "Are you afraid?" Seeing Rowan like this with the moonlight illuminating his perfect form was like beholding a sculpture.


    Syryn shook his head.


    "Go home Syryn. I''ll find you another time." Rowan was worried about Syryn''s safety and it showed in the way he protectively shepherded Syryn away to a safer part of the area.


    "You want my potions, don''t you?" Syryn stood and looked up at Rowan. "I''ll be at King Hill."


    Any reply Rowan gave was muffled by the sound of a loud explosion. It came from behind them where the hound had originally come from.


    Rowan sprang like a bolt of thunder. In the blink of an eye, he shot past Syryn, a blur of darkness that left the mage breathless. Rowan had released his anti mage field the moment he left Syryn behind but an echo of it still bubbled outwards wrapping the mage in a null void that depressed all of his powers. It felt amazing and familiar all at once! A rush of nostalgia swept through Syryn, kicking his heart into an electric rhythm. He walked slowly, savouring the feel of Rowan''s suppression field around him.


    When the situation had settled down, Syryn found out that Vincent had escaped the explosion by the skin of his teeth. Rowan''s cloak was draped over an old woman who held a baby to her chest. The anti mage was hunched over calming the woman with his charming smile and kind words, while Vincent tended to his wounds. Syryn walked over to the wounded man so he could examine his burns.


    "Eh, it''s nothing." Vincent shrugged when Syryn lifted his arm and frowned at the charred skin on his arm.


    "It isn''t nothing." Syryn flipped open his satchel and removed a vial of green liquid. He generously poured it all over Vincent''s burns and it elicited a moan of relief from the anti mage. "What is that amazing stuff?"


    "Something special I cooked up for someone," Syryn informed him while covering the other burnt areas. "How did this happen?"


    "A fire revenant. Some crackhead mage thought it was a good idea to raise a revenant as his bodyguard. Turns out he wasn''t strong enough to control both hound and revenant." Vincent scowled furiously as he narrated his troubles.


    "I found his corpse being devoured by the revenant. Just had enough time to bail before it exploded from the fail-safe that the mage had cast inside the summoning circle. Damn these unlicensed mages! Always starting a fire or accidentally releasing evil spirits and ghouls. What is the guild doing letting them run around unfettered?!" His spiel was cut off by Rowan who had walked up to them mid-rant.


    "Vincent, you''re very energetic. Why don''t you pour that energy into healing your wounds?"


    "It''s already done. Your little alchemist covered it up in some magical liquid. Look at it!" Vincent held out his arms where the skin had turned a healthy pink colour of healing. "This is even better than the stuff that the Lord Chancellor carries around."


    Syryn corked the vial and handed it over to Vincent. There was still half of it left. He had meant to give it to Lucien but this was fine by him. He could always make another batch. "For this you owe me. Bring me a gram of sprite ore and I''ll call it even." Syryn stood up, patted the dust off his trousers and turned to Rowan, ignoring Vincent''s splutter of outrage.


    "If Vincent does not bring me the ore, my services won''t be available for negotiation." Syryn cheerfully informed the anti mages. He was already far behind schedule. "Later."

 Chapter 21 - Memories

    "Syryn, you''re late. Did something happen?" Alka closed the door and busied himself with a kettle.


    They were staying at Alka''s treehouse apartment that was built around a magnificent old tree. The inside of it was a jungle of potted plants, wooden staircases and ramps that lead to 5 rooms and a kitchen. Glass windows were aesthetically installed to let in lots of natural light.


    The kitchen that Syryn was relaxing in opened up to a wide wooden deck that had even more foliage. And in the corner of the kitchen, a small fire crackled in the hearth where Alka''s kettle whistled.


    "So much happened today. There was an incident with an unlicensed mage but the anti mages took care of it." Syryn narrated his day while lounged on the reading couch. Alka quietly placed a steaming mug of honey tea on the table beside Syryn. His drooping eyes and messy hair were evidence of what the mage had been doing before Syryn came knocking.


    "I''m sorry I woke you up." Syryn beckoned for Alka to join him on the cosy couch. The plant mage obliged and shuffled over with a small yawn.


    "Where''s Luci?" Syryn asked the mage that was leaning against his shoulder.


    "Asleep with Magnus," Alka replied, voice soft with sleep.


    Syryn covered Alka with a thick blanket before reaching for the tea. The comfort of his warm tea, the sound of Alka''s quiet breathing, and the silver beams of moonlight pooling on the floor of the kitchen lulled Syryn into a deep sleep. He dreamt of Rowan again.


    Within his tower, Syryn stood on tiptoes and stretched his arm up but his fingertips just barely brushed the shelf where his favourite book was nestled.


    A low familiar chuckle sounded and then a presence behind him pulled the book out from its nook.


    When he heard the voice, Syryn''s breath hitched and he spun around to tackle Rowan in a hug that went around the anti mage''s waist. He then felt Rowan''s fingers card through his hair in a tender caress. It was that dream again. Syryn relaxed into the feeling of callused fingers gentle on his skin.


    "You''ve taken to acting like a spoilt child, Ryn." Rowan''s voice was deep and rich. He was also slightly bewildered by the actions of the child that clung to his waist.


    "Then push me away Rowan." Syryn''s muffled voice replied. Through the thin layer of his cotton shirt, Syryn could feel the hard planes of smooth muscle that was Rowan''s abdomen. Whether a dream or not, it felt inappropriate to be feeling him up so Syryn pulled himself away from Rowan.


    He raised his head to meet his friend''s eyes and it hit him just how tall Rowan was. In the future, he too would grow to be tall but Rowan would outstrip him in that regard. Even his shoulders were wider, broader than Syryn''s lean frame. Rowan''s physique lent him the intimidating aura of a power coiled body beneath the clothing that left its tone to one''s imagination.


    "Why is this dream so real?" Syryn whispered - taking in the details of his environment.


    Rowan''s answer was a sorrowful fleeting smile that faded with the man. Syryn was left all alone in his tower.


    A shaft of bright sunlight roused Syryn out of his nightmare. He blinked against the harsh light and squinted at the spot next to him where Alka had slept.


    "Your big brother is awake Luci." Magnus was at the breakfast table with Lucien who was pouring juice into a glass. Syryn also spotted Milky basking in the sunlight next to a potted plant. The thick heart-shaped leaves were as glossy as Milky''s white fur.


    "Syryn, good morning!" Luci beamed at Syryn from the breakfast table. "I''ll get you breakfast so wash up quickly!"


    Syryn smiled at Lucien and chased the sleep out of his system with a splash of cool water from the kitchen basin. He had a lot of shopping to do today.


    The Elysium Mill was just as vibrant, colourful and alive as he remembered. Syryn was a cog in the wheel of the constant trade that turned round and round in the market that never lacked. His pouch was heavy with the weight of the gold he had won off his challenger and there was a list of items that Syryn had come here to buy. Items for Lucien''s first phase of treatment.


    Syryn had given Lucien over to Magnus and Alka for the day as there was no sense in dragging the boy all over the market when he could be sand fishing with Magnus at the dock. Alka had volunteered to lead Syryn around but he was refused on the grounds that Syryn needed to explore on his own. Thus he found himself arguing with a hungover vendor.


    "These yellow flutes are a day old at least. I''m not paying more than 50 silvers."


    The middle-aged vendor burped - the stink of alcohol prevailing despite the shelves of aromatic herbs. "S''not fiddy. Won''t sell fer less an''80 silvers kid."


    It wasn''t worth it. Syryn decided to leave the stall for cheaper pastures.


    "Siren! Yoohoo!"


    The Elysium Mill was expansive in the entirety of its area so how the hell did he run into Vincent again? Syryn turned around knowing Rowan was also in attendance. To his surprise, Salem was right there with the two anti mages. The combined level of attractiveness in their direction blinded Syryn''s sense of beauty.


    "Vincent, where is the sprite ore?" Syryn asked the anti mage with golden eyes, but it was Rowan that answered.


    "We''re on our way to buy some right now." He wasn''t wearing his uniform today. Rowan was dressed plainly - a white shirt and soft dark brown trousers that looked subtle but expensive, the kind that spoke of class and simplicity.


    Younger Rowan hadn''t reached the pinnacle of the godly physique that his older self possessed but the broad swell of his chest, the strong arms - of smooth muscle that seemed to have been created by a master sculptor- and the power that lay in the graceful way he moved, were evidence that young Rowan was growing into the anti mage that Syryn knew.


    "Syryn, what are you looking to buy?" Salem''s velvet voice pulled him out of his thoughts. The alchemist''s glimmering blonde hair was pulled back with another ribbon that looked exactly like the one Syryn had relieved him of.


    Salem''s lips drew up in a beautiful arc when the younger alchemist''s gaze had flitted to his cheek. It turned the tips of Syryn''s ears red, unbidden and unwelcome.


    "I have to go," he abruptly answered and made to leave but Vincent''s mouth was faster.


    "Hey, why don''t you let Rowan guide you? You''re new right?"


    Syryn''s feet came to a halt and his mind blanked out for a second. What did Syryn want? Why was he unconsciously avoiding Rowan?


    "I have some time to kill," Rowan added, voice neutral and calm. He wasn''t like Syryn - head stuffed with unnecessary and complicated thoughts. The man just wanted some good potions.


    "I''d like that," Syryn answered. He could feel more than see Salem''s intent gaze on his face. Somehow it made Syryn feel like the two of them had taken part in something secretive and lurid. His cheeks coloured and Syryn grabbed Rowan''s wrist.


    "Let''s go." A surprised Rowan was tugged away, led by a flustered Syryn whose feet carried him deep into the maze of the Elysium Mill. He wasn''t paying attention to the directions that they took.


    "Syryn, slow down." Rowan''s words danced along the back of his neck and Syryn hastily dropped Rowan''s hand like it had stung him.


    "At least tell me what you''re looking to buy."


    That was right. He was here for a purpose.


    "I need some medicinal plants. Stinging kelps, poipoi seeds, yellow azmantas, Jewelled ficus... " He rattled off the list one by one while the anti mage stood still and paid attention. When Syryn had come to the end of his list, Rowan did not respond immediately.


    "Except for the Jewelled ficus and water flax, we can get the rest at Fair Maiden''s herbs." He finally spoke after a few seconds of remembering.


    "How do you know that?"


    "I ran a few errands for our resident alchemist when she was still around."


    Rowan then steered Syryn towards a narrow lane that had a high traffic of people. "It''s a tight squeeze in there but you''ve taken us very deep. This is the shortest route to the shop," he explained.


    It was Syryn''s turn to be pulled along. Small in size that he was, Syryn was bound to get carried away in the current of moving people so Rowan slipped his hand into Syryn''s. It was warm and strong.


    They walked right into the crowd and Syryn felt like a helpless swimmer being pulled through a riptide. At one point, he was dragged away in the press of bodies and Syryn began panicking from being unable to see above the heads of people. Was he going to get lost in the market like a child separated from his mother? He belatedly wondered.


    "Syryn!" He heard Rowan''s voice before he felt an iron grip on his bicep that pulled him flush against Rowan''s warm body. The shorter mage was beginning to get flashbacks of his dreams. "Hold tight." Rowan securely held the boy against him and lead them out of the narrow lane.


    Syryn was still smushed against Rowan''s chest, hands fisted into the taller boy''s shirt. "We''re out now Syryn. Are you okay?" A hint of worry in his voice.


    He just needed a few seconds to breathe and will the blush away from his cheeks. The feeling of Rowan''s clenched abs and the familiar scent of amber and cypress had sent Syryn''s mind down memory lane.


    "I''m okay," he replied after letting go of his shirt. Rowan''s searching gaze was on Syryn, a puzzle that the anti mage was figuring out.


    "Sirennnn!" and Vincent was back in Syryn''s face again. "We got the ore."

 Chapter 22 - Lucien Come Back

    "Didn''t we just separate? Why the hell are you back so soon?" Syryn side eyed Vincent.


    "The store was right next door so I got the ore you wanted. After that, Salem and I had nothing more to do so we came here to buy some herbs." Vincent explained to Syryn. "It cost me an arm and a leg but I suppose it''s worth it for the medicine you gave me." The golden eyed anti mage held out a small silk pouch to him.


    "Siren, the next time you make that stuff, I''d like to buy more of it."


    Syryn pocketed the pouch with a nod and turned to the blonde anti mage. "Rowan, I''ll send you the potions you need every week. Make transport arrangements. My charges are the same as Salem''s."


    A slight smile appeared on Rowan''s face. He nodded to Syryn. "Thank you." Rowan''s shoulders felt lighter, a cumbersome burden lifted.


    Syryn returned to Alka''s treehouse with a big bag full of medicinal plants. The others were still out so it gave him time to make a potion. The rare sprite ore stashed inside his satchel would be used for phase 2 of the treatment. For now, the medicinal potion would aid Syryn in fixing Lucien''s troubles.


    When he was done, the resulting potion was a light soupy green liquid bubbling inside the cauldron. It filled Alka''s workroom with the intense smell of Jewelled ficus extract. Syryn''s fingers were also stained a bright yellow that came from the chopping of herbs. Catching sight of how stained his nails were, Syryn wiped his hands on the apron he was wearing, courtesy of Alka.


    "Syryn we''re back." Lucien stood at the door with his arms full of berries the size of chicken eggs. A single rebellious purple berry fell out of the pile and rolled to Syryn''s feet. Picking it up, Syryn placed it back on the stack in Lucien''s arms.


    "Luci, we''re going to fix a small part of your core today." He sat on his haunches and looked into Lucien''s red eyes. "Are you ready?" The boy nodded slowly.


    "Can we do it now?"


    "Do what?" Magnus stuck his head inside the room. His head was a thick mess of windblown hair. Nevertheless, it did nothing to detract from his good looks.


    "Fix Luci''s core. It''s.. got a problem." Syryn raised his gaze to meet Magnus''. The fire mage had been nothing but gracious to Syryn, often substituting for him when Lucien needed company. Syryn could already see a budding bond being forged between the two. It was a good thing too because Lucien needed positive role models.


    Magnus folded his arms and leaned on the doorframe, face blank. "It''s not my place to question you but this has been bothering me for a while now. Pardon my rudeness but what exactly happened to Lucien to have killed his ability to use his powers?"


    Syryn stood back on his feet and glanced at the mage who was still staring at him. "I rescued Luci from a slaving caravan. The damage was already done when I met him." The rest of Lucien''s story was his to tell.


    Magnus blinked down at Lucien. It was hard to say what he was thinking. "I won''t disturb you then. Luci, give those berries to me."


    Lucien had gone stiff when Syryn mentioned their experience. Noticing the boy withdrawing, Magnus cupped Lucien''s face with a palm and smiled at the kid. He gently brushed a thumb over a soft cheek to comfort the child. "Luci, I''ll be waiting for you. Get your core back on and show me what nature of magic lies inside you. Yes?"


    Watching Magnus'' interaction with Lucien made Syryn''s heart swell with something warm.


    "How long will it take?" Alka stood by the door where Magnus had been. His green eyes were fraught with worry that he did not express.


    "Not more than half an hour, that is... If Luci can fight the discomfort." Unbearable pain, discomfort, it was the same thing if Syryn pretended hard enough.


    "Luci, we''ll be right outside." Magnus threw one last worried glance towards Syryn before he shut the door.


    Lucien''s small fingers were wrapped around the phial of green liquid. He squeezed his eyes shut and tipped the entire thing into his mouth. Syryn watched the boy''s throat bob, swallowing the potion without a drop wasted.


    "Good boy. Come here, Luci." Syryn held Lucien who was sat between the older boy''s legs. Syryn waited for the potion to take its course. He rested his chin on Lucien''s shoulder and wrapped his arms around the little boy.


    "Tell me when it starts to hurt Luci." His voice was a whisper next to Lucien''s ear. Lucien''s nod sent fine red hair tickling Syryn''s cheek. Time passed by without a single peep or sound out of Lucien. It was after the passage of many minutes that Syryn began to worry.


    "Luci"


    There was no response. Syryn turned Lucien around to face him and saw the way his eyes had glazed over. "I''m okay, Syryn." His voice was weak and strangled.


    Syryn could do nothing for the pain. Luci had to stay awake for this. "I''m going to look inside you Luci, don''t resist me. This will be over soon."


    Syryn pressed his fingers to Luci''s temples and began an exploration. The core was heating up, becoming active from the effects of the potion. Syryn''s task now included keeping the core stable while it mended itself. He poured all his powers into Luci and observed.


    The broken paths, spider web cracks and collapsed mana veins were slowly knitting together and healing. The dormant core sparked with its first flush of foreign mana and it wasn''t rejected. A sigh of relief. Syryn checked on Lucien who was beginning to exhibit signs of a fever. His skin was turning a rosy pink and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.


    No child should have been able to sit through the process without crying out in pain or thrashing about. Lucien''s lack of reaction aided Syryn''s work but it was detrimental to himself and indicated a problem that went deeper than his physical brokenness.


    His core was halfway fixed and absorbing Syryn''s mana with an overwhelming hunger. In his attempt to repair the core, a strange occurrence began to take place. Lucien''s core bled out its natural affinities and slowly took on Syryn''s colours. Never in his previous life did Syryn witness such a phenomenon.


    "Sy-syrn hurts!" Lucien stammered through breathless gasps. His skin had gone completely hot to the touch! "Uhhh.." Lucien''s high pitched cry sent a flash of panic through Syryn. Why was this happening? He had done exactly as the texts had instructed!


    Lucien''s core was partially fixed enough to let his mana circulate in small amounts. His physical body was also fine, so where was the problem?! Syryn desperately focused his attention on the seal on Lucien''s demonic channel. It was broken! Lucien''s condition was a result of demonic energy leaking out in faint amounts. But how did the seal break? Syryn had prevented his mana from straying anywhere close to Lucien''s demonic channel.


    The boy in his arms burnt hot like a furnace. His eyes were wet with unshed tears. Lucien let out a sob and gasped one last time before closing his eyes and going limp in Syryn''s arms.


    Syryn held Lucien, shock momentarily stunning him into inertness. The feeling of cold terror curdled in the pits of his stomach. Lucien was no longer breathing.


    "No, no no no! Lucien come back!" Syryn''s heart was thudding a mile per minute. He pressed a hand to the boy''s chest and felt the faintest sign of a heartbeat. It thumped slow and weak, a heartbeat nevertheless. Syryn reached out for his satchel when Lucien''s arm gripped his like a vice.


    It was a slow revelation to Syryn. He should have paid attention to the warning signs but he had been so distracted with worry. He should have noticed that something was wrong, very wrong. So wrong that it paralysed Syryn''s arms. The hair on the back of his neck stood, sent goosebumps prickling down his skin. Syryn sat still as a statue and prepared himself for whatever his senses were warning him about.


    After what felt like an eternity, Lucien finally made a move. His beautiful eyes came awake, red as blood, and Lucien smiled at Syryn.


    "Hello Syryn Nigh''hart, it''s a pleasure to see you again."

 Chapter 23 - Divide

    "Hello Syryn Nigh''hart, it''s a pleasure to see you again."


    "Who are you?" Syryn replied with venom in his tone.


    The poisoned apple in his hand tilted his head back and stared into Syryn''s eyes. "You know who I am, Syryn. You just don''t want to believe it."


    "That''s impossible."


    "Really?" Lucien smiled and it was darker, more shadowed than it had any right to be. "It happened to you so why not me?"


    He had a point. As strange as it was, Syryn had the Lord of Pain and Suffering in his arms, still weak and small. If he was allowed to grow powerful, what manner of havoc would he unleash into this world? Syryn had given Luci a chance but could he do the same for an already corrupt Lucien? More importantly, could Syryn find it in him to kill Lucien?


    Slouched back in Syryn''s arms, Lucien looked as comfortable as he would in a familiar armchair. "I suppose I owe you for jumping down a cliff for me." The red head''s lashes hung thick over his eyes like moth wings against his pale skin.


    "But it''s goodbye from here on, big brother." The way his words rolled off Lucien''s tongue was smooth and polished. Syryn hated that those words were coming out of Luci''s lips. For the sake of both of them, he decided to deal with Lucien as he would another demon. There was no room anymore for kindness and patience.


    The silence stretched between the two demons and Syryn finally spoke. "You have some real nerve, Lucien." Without so much as a flicker in his tone or expression, he continued, "You think I''ll let you run away after all the trouble I went through?"


    Syryn stared him down with the full weight of his displeasure. "Don''t fuck with me Red." A name they were both familiar with.


    A hint of anger bled through the curve of Lucien''s lips. "Don''t call me that." It was an understatement to say Lucien hated being called Red, a moniker used to mock him.


    "You have no leverage for bargaining, Red. I can snuff out your pathetic life right here and now if I choose to do so."


    "Then do it."


    They were at an impasse. Lucien knew how much his younger self meant to Syryn.


    "Fine," Syryn told him with a careless wave of his hand towards the door. "Go Red, walk out the door and get caught by Traxdart. You know of the prophecy, don''t you? Congratulations, you''re getting promoted from son-in-law to boy toy." Syryn then turned off his illusion. He needed to remind Lucien exactly who Syryn was.


    Lucien''s inhuman eyes were pinned to Syryn''s face. The boy was taking his time to think, to mull over his situation and the reality of being captured once again by Traxdart. "How annoying." He replied flatly.


    Syryn curled his lips up at the boy in a disparaging smile. His eyes, the colour of ink, smouldered with power. "Are you an idiot Lucien? Because I think you are." Syryn could only bully him like this while Lucien''s power remained weak.


    The redhead gave him an answering smile and brought his face close to Syryn''s as if he was trying to occupy the same space as the dark-haired demon. "I guess I am an idiot." Lucien''s lashes dipped and then he laughed, a sweet lilt of his childish voice. "I''ll let you have him for now then, your dear Luci."


    The child''s body abruptly tipped forward and Syryn caught him with one arm. Lucien''s fever had abated and his condition seemed stable for now.


    "Syryn," alarmed red eyes blinked up at him. "I don''t want to leave." It had been a shock for Lucien to find another presence inside him and then seeing Syryn for who he truly was. There was a desperation in the way Lucien drew his arms around Syryn''s neck. "Please don''t make me leave.."


    With a heavy sigh, Syryn rubbed the child''s back. Things had gotten infinitely more complicated with Lucien''s return. But why did Syryn awaken before him? Why did Lucien awaken now? How was it that Lucien hadn''t taken over Luci''s consciousness but shared his body like a split personality? Would the other demons wake up as well? His thoughts went round and round till he heard the sound of gentle knocking on the door.


    "Come in."


    Alka pushed open the door and stood at the doorway with some hesitation. His eyes flickered over to Lucien who was still stuck to Syryn like a snake wrapped around its prey.


    "The walls are not soundproof.." Alka spoke after clearing his throat.


    Syryn nodded woodenly. "Where''s Magnus?"


    Alka dipped his head and studied the floor pattern like it was a rope he was grasping at to avoid looking at Syryn. "We hadn''t intended to eavesdrop so we only heard snatches of the conversation."


    "He just needs some time to clear his head." Alka''s soft gaze turned back to Lucien, "Magnus truly cares about Luci. That''s why he needs to figure out how to approach this.. development."


    And Syryn was fine with that. The mages had never questioned Lucien''s humanity but he knew they were all aware of how different Lucien was. And they had accepted that like how they''d accepted Syryn. Now all that was left to do was for Magnus to decide what he felt about his beloved Luci sharing a mind with a dangerous stranger.


    Alka had made his stance clear with the silent support he was giving them. Syryn didn''t deserve such good people, he thought to himself.


    "Thank you, Alka. I''ve never said this before but I want to take this moment to let you know how grateful I am. Luci and I, we-"


    Alka''s eyes went wide and he shook his head. "Please don''t say that. Magnus and I owe our lives to you. We wouldn''t be here without you Syryn," he replied with an endearing softness.


    "I just wanted to let you know, that''s all," Syryn awkwardly replied. He wasn''t very good at the art of exchanging sentimentalities.


    "Luci has fallen asleep." Alka pointed out, effectively changing the topic. It seemed he was just as bad as Syryn when it came to such things.


    Magnus had been away the entire evening. Syryn was rightfully worried about it and he paced the kitchen floor even as the moon climbed up to hang over the velvet sky. Alka had taken up babysitting and guard duty, and he was in the spare room with a sleeping Luci.


    When a peaceful blanket of sleep had settled over the night, the door to the kitchen swung open without a sound. Magnus had returned.

 Chapter 24 - Friendship

    "You okay Magnus?"


    "No." Magnus gracefully flopped down onto a chair at the kitchen table. The lantern''s light in the room cast a soft glow on his features, creating shadows on his handsome face.


    He propped an arm on the table to support his chin. Looking up at Syryn through eyes at half-mast, Magnus smiled but it did not reach his eyes.


    "Make me a cup of tea Syryn."


    Syryn nodded and moved mechanically, finding Alka''s loose leaves in a porcelain jar. He set the kettle to boil and all the while felt Magnus'' attention on him. Syryn hated the pregnant silence that was brimming with questions and words that wanted to be said.


    Neither of the boys had spoken and the silence was beginning to show signs of strain. He poured hot water into a cup bearing tea leaves and then placed it in front of the waiting mage.


    "Magnus, how about this then? You answer my questions, I''ll answer yours." A repeat of the words that Magnus had spoken in what felt like years ago.


    The fire mage sighed, head tipping back over his chair. "This will be a long night." A weary smile made itself known on his face.


    "I''ll make it worthwhile for you, Magnus," Syryn whispered close to Magnus and smiled invitingly at the stunned mage.


    Magnus had gone quiet with shock and the smile had slipped off his face. They stared at each other in utter silence and then with a burst of laughter from Syryn and an outraged snort from Magnus, the invisible walls between them began crumbling.


    "Can you act your age Syryn?" Magnus shook his head at him but there was a smile there hiding behind the pretence of disapproval. This was the second time that he was teased into silence by the kid.


    "I turn 13 soon. But here, I''m at least 200 years old." Syryn tapped at his heart.


    Magnus rolled his eyes at Syryn. "I guess I needed that." He lifted the cup to his mouth and took a sip.


    "You probably have many secrets," Magnus began, gaze fixed on the steam coming out of the cup. "But for the sake of our friendship, I cannot ignore what has changed with Luci. Please," Magnus implored, "tell me as much as you can so I can help Luci."


    This wasn''t what Syryn had expected. He was ready for Magnus to put distance between them because who wouldn''t? Luci was a demonic powder keg ready to burst at any given moment. Staying safe and away from the demons, that''s what normal people did. But as for Alka and Magnus, were they ever normal? Syryn stared up at the ceiling and chuckled. "You''re a good human, Magnus."


    ''Rowan, I''ve found friends.'' Syryn thought to himself with a realisation that finally sunk in. He did not have many precious people. There had only been one. But now, he could tell Rowan that he had found three more.


    ___________


    Early next morning, Lucien was seated on a chair. His fingers were intertwined and his legs fidgeted, brushing against the wooden legs of the chair. Syryn stood with his arms crossed in front of Lucien and regarded the child with a frown.


    "Red, get out here. We need to talk." Syryn had ascertained through a conversation with Lucien that the two could interact in their mind but Red was silent for most of the time.


    Lucien was wearing a turquoise shirt and snow White pants that Alka had purchased for him. Coupled with the adorable hat and Lucien''s cute face, any sort of intimidation that Red had hoped for when he had shown up ceased to appear.


    As a deep scarlet bled across Lucien''s eyes in an intensity that made it look like his irises were bleeding, Syryn knew that Red had arrived.


    "Miss me already?" Lucien cocked his head to the side.


    Syryn snorted at that. "Red, I''d like to introduce you to Magnus, your keeper."


    Lucien''s eerie eyes swept across Syryn and landed on the dark-haired mage who was lounged on a chair with his chin resting lazily on one hand. However, the power that was radiating off the mage in waves was felt across the room like a furnace turned on. Magnus was making a quiet statement.


    "My keeper? What are you going to do pretty boy? Put a collar on me?" Lucien grinned, all white teeth exposed in a smile that was more threatening than happy.


    Magnus raised his brows at Lucien and smirked in a way that showed amusement but still challenged the redhead. "Do you want me to? I''m not above collaring my dear Luci if that''s what it takes to teach you some discipline."


    Syryn was surprised at how Magnus was taking this entire situation. He worried that the fire mage''s treatment of Red would be softened by the bias he had for Luci but he was wrong. Magnus was clear about the separation between the two personalities.


    Lucien watched Magnus from under the shadow of his lashes, leaning and letting his soft red hair fall forward. "Syryn, I like him." The smile on Lucien carried the threat of poison in it. "Magnus was it? You seem like the type that''s honourable and noble. I have had the best fun with your kind."


    "Ok, that''s enough Red. You''re in a 7-year-old''s body. Show some restraint for the sake of your younger self." Syryn warned him. "He''s listening isn''t he?"


    Lucien''s lashes fluttered down and he looked away, clearly affected by what Syryn had said. It was an interesting observation to Syryn. It seemed that Red wasn''t entirely unaffected by the presence of Luci.


    "What do you care Syryn? Pretend you''re human all you like but in the end, we are both results of a demon''s union with an unwilling human. We were cursed from the moment our mothers carried us."


    Lucien spoke those damning words in a level tone while wearing a pleasant smile on his face. It made his listeners feel all the more uncomfortable. Syryn bit back the words of anger that were on his lips. This Lucien, the cynical demon that he was - that had been Syryn many years ago.


    "Lucien, you''ll learn someday that the world isn''t black and white," Magnus replied in a gentler tone.


    The redhead slipped off the chair and walked up to Magnus while holding his gaze the entire time. Leaning forward, Lucien''s nose was inches away from Magnus'' calm face. Syryn on the other hand was carrying a load of stress just watching the two of them interact.


    "Magnus, I could make Luci disappear." The redhead blinked up at the fire mage.


    "Oh?" Magnus wasn''t taking his bait. He stared right back at Lucien with the full weight of his attention. Realising that Magnus wasn''t biting, Lucien pouted.


    And with a shift of his attention, Lucien spoke again. "You care about him, don''t you? All of you do. This is the most fun I''ve had in such a long time."


    The boy then tucked a few strands of red hair behind his ear and smiled up at Magnus. "Keeper Magnus, I''ll be under your care then."


    Syryn had to hand it to Magnus. The mage had a smiling poker face that was made of iron. Through the whole conversation, he could not see through the thoughts of the fire mage. He only showed what he wanted the world to see.


    "It''s my pleasure, Lucien." Magnus pleasantly replied. A flicker of interest appeared and was gone when Magnus blinked those indolent eyes like a sleepy feline. At that moment, Syryn wondered if he had just handed over a premium toy to a sly cat.


    "Syryn, I don''t want to interrupt now but I need to ask you something." Alka chimed in.


    "Sure, ask away."


    The introverted mage pulled out a piece of yellowed paper from his pocket and placed it on the table. It was some sort of information leaflet from what Syryn could see.


    "This is a task I found at the bulletin board in the adventurers guild. It has been hanging for a year with no takers. I thought maybe we could take a look." The plant mage spoke in a low voice as he leaned over the paper.


    Syryn''s demon senses began tingling. What was Alka getting them into again?

 Chapter 25 - A Copse Of Trees

    "What task is it?" Syryn asked, ready to reject it if there were any signs of danger.


    Alka held the paper up and read it out, "Task: Burn down the old orphanage home in Fena forest." The sunlight falling on the yellowed edges of the paper gave Syryn the impression he was looking at dried skin crisscrossed by black veins of paper folds.


    "But why?" Magnus asked. "It''s not like you''re low on money." No Magnus, Syryn thought, the real question is why do they want the orphanage gone?


    "To see it hanging on the board for an entire year bothers me," Alka replied. "Unfinished business.. is bothersome." Somehow Syryn felt like Alka wasn''t telling them something.


    Milky chose that moment to stretch and bump a candle off his perch. Its metallic base clanged loudly, drawing their collective attentions. The two shapeshifters turned as one and silently regarded the kitten.


    "Milky, do you want to come with us?" Alka asked the kitten. Blue eyes flickered once towards the plant mage and Milky jumped on his shoulder. It was decided, Milky was going.


    Syryn pondered upon the weirdness that his kitten displayed. Milky was intelligent and showed signs of an awareness that no cat should possess. But it wasn''t like he could interrogate Milky. Syryn decided to leave it be until the kitten revealed its secrets voluntarily.


    2 hours later, Syryn had successfully joined the young ranks of adventurers. He had a spelled document inside his satchel that stated his status as a novice adventurer. Syryn could only take grade E tasks on his own. However, being partnered with the intermediate levelled Magnus and Alka, the grade D task in Alka''s hand was open to Syryn.


    "It only pays 90 silvers. No wonder nobody wanted this task. Who in their right mind would trek 7 hours into the forest and back for 90 silvers." Magnus complained.


    Luci was walking beside Magnus, a cherry-flavoured candy in his mouth. There were more in his pocket and he couldn''t let Syryn or Alka know because they would take it away from him. He slipped his hand into Magnus'' who right away grasped it firmly while still complaining about the task. Luci could feel the other person watching them all from a corner of his mind but this newcomer never made Luci feel afraid or uncomfortable. In fact, when Luci was having a nightmare, his other person took over and woke him up. The redhead felt like he had a friend in himself, well, a friend that never talked to him.


    "Our last trek inside a forest, remember how that turned out?" Syryn was grumpy. He couldn''t understand why he had agreed to accompany Alka and Magnus knowing their track record for punishment.


    "Fun times," Magnus said with a laugh. "We nearly died." And it was cheerfully spoken. Syryn wanted to check what was inside the head of the fire mage.


    With Luci alternating between walking and getting carried by the boys, the group reached the foot of a mountain that loomed above them. The sun had begun to set and there was no way they could turn back the same day. Alka had brought them sleeping bags and all the necessary items for camping out in the open.


    "Almost there, do you see that building? That''s the orphanage." Alka pointed with one pretty finger.


    All Syryn could see was a decrepit building that had seen better days with its bright yellow paint which had faded to dark mustard. As they got closer, he saw the broken fencing, trees and climbers that had taken over everything, a dried off well and a sad-looking sign that creaked with every gust of the wind.


    Syryn looked up at the overcast sky and thought about their task which included fire. "Alka, which star were you born under?" Syryn asked the plant mage who was busy checking the room for habitability.


    "No idea," Alka called back. "I found an empty room with little to no junk. Let''s sleep here tonight and burn the place down tomorrow."


    Inside the room, Alka and Syryn shared a bedroll in one corner. Magnus and Luci''s bedroll was in the other corner. The child had gotten habituated to sleeping next to Magnus and now they were inseparable. Syryn almost felt a little jealous that his Luci was being stolen by Magnus.


    Dinner that night was a plate of fruit with roasted meat. After the meal, Syryn stretched out in his bedroll with Milky and listened to the sounds of thunder rumbling in the sky. To his right, Alka rolled over and scooted closer to Syryn.


    "Syryn," Alka whispered. "Come with me."


    The two mages silently got out of their bedroll and walked with quiet footsteps. Before leaving, Syryn turned back and saw Lucien breathing deeply next to Magnus, red hair splayed out on the pillow. They were both fast asleep.


    When Syryn and Alka had walked out, the redhead opened his eyes and it was the crimson of blood. Lucien made next to no sound while lifting the blanket with subtle movements so the guard dog in his bedroll wouldn''t rouse.


    To his chagrin, an arm snaked around his waist and pulled him right against Magnus. "Where do you think you''re going, Lucien?" Magnus pleasantly asked. His voice did not sound like that of someone who had been sleeping.


    "Toilet," Lucien answered.


    "Is that so? I feel the urge to pee as well. Why don''t we go together?" Magnus said in a conversational tone.


    "You''re a pervert Magnus. I should tell Syryn you''re creeping on me." The child threatened.


    "It seems like you''re both gutter minded." Magnus chuckled and told the boy. "Toddlers are not my type at all Lulu, I only like big sisters with curvy bodies."


    "Who the hell are you calling Lulu?!"


    Syryn and Alka stood outside the building shivering in the drizzle that had started. "Why did you call me out here?"


    Alka pulled his coat around himself tighter and motioned for Syryn to follow him. Walking close to Syryn, Alka began to explain, "This place wasn''t just an orphanage, it was a home to abandoned young pregnant women who could stay here and give birth. And most of the women gave up their babies at this place after paying the caretaker a sum of money to admit the baby into the orphanage."


    The two mages walked through a dark thicket of trees that threw tall shadows in their path.


    "The caretaker ran out of funds with the decrease in abandoned babies. She had to shut the place down." They were now walking down the other side of the mountain. Rain lashed against them but neither seemed to take notice of the wetness that clung to them.


    The sudden strike of a powerful arc of lightning caught Syryn''s eyes and he stopped in his tracks. In that single moment of brightness, Syryn saw several grave markers between the trees. Alka stopped next to Syryn and they looked at each other.


    "Alka, that''s a graveyard with tiny little graves." Syryn pointedly stared at his friend.


    A sombreness had settled between the plant mage''s brows, "That''s not the only one." He informed Syryn in a hush that the rain drowned out.


    "Alka why are we here?" Syryn asked again. He had faith in his friend''s goodness but he needed to know what his role in Alka''s plan was.


    "You''ll know soon," Alka replied. Two pairs of feet stepped into muddy waters and grass that was slick from the rain. As they walked, Syryn could feel dark energy around the area that made him uneasy. He glanced at Alka''s face and allowed the mage to pull him forward, closer to the source of whatever it was that kept repelling them both like the opposing poles of a magnet.


    "Haunted -- this place is really thick with ghostly energy." Syryn''s gaze flickered to Alka. Being a half-demon, the ghostly energy did not affect him as much as it did humans. Syryn grabbed his friend''s hand and found it was as cold as a block of ice.


    "Stop." Syryn firmly ordered the plant mage and tugged him back by the hand. "What is up ahead that you''re so eager to kill yourself for?"


    Alka shivered from the cold of the rain and the ghostly energy that was sucking away the heat from his body. "I planted a seed ahead. I want to look at it." Alka replied with small trembles.


    "A seed?" Syryn raised his brows.


    Alka shifted his gaze and looked away, "A corpse tree." His face had turned very pale from the cold. If Alka didn''t get back inside the house to warm up, he would fall sick. But even that was less important than what Alka had just confessed to.


    "I think you meant to say a copse of trees." Syryn placed his hands on Alka''s shoulders and smiled sinisterly. "Right?!"


    There was a twitch at the corner of Alka''s mouth like he was repressing a smile. "I planted a corpse tree one year ago Syryn. I need your help to kill it."


    Frankly, Syryn was impressed. He should have just left Alka to the skin collectors!

 Chapter 26 - Blood

    A corpse tree was classified as a plant type demonic entity. It fed on the nutrients and spiritual energy of the buried corpses in graveyards, battlefields and other places where dead bodies were found in large enough numbers. When fully matured, the corpse tree would produce malevolent spectres that lead innocent people to the corpse tree for its feeding. In its early stages, the tree was visually undetectable due to its ability to take on the form of its native neighbours.


    And in its final form, the tree would extend its influence over several acres of land through a network of expanding root systems. Once established through its roots, it was next to impossible to get rid of the tree. The only way to reduce its effects would be to suppress the tree every 19th day. Suffice to say, a corpse tree was a dangerous thing to play with.


    "Why?" Syryn squeezed Alka''s shoulders. "Why have you done such a thing?!"


    "Because this place was turning into something just as terrible as a corpse tree''s haunt," Alka replied.


    "I was here last year picking wild herbs with a classmate. We stumbled upon the orphanage and the graveyards. For the sake of a spindle root, he disturbed the graves. There was -- a lot of wailing that night. I came back as soon as I could and buried the seed to prevent the ghosts from rising. It seemed like more of an immediate problem than a mature corpse tree."


    "Where did you even get the seed from Alka?" The logic of using a corpse tree to temporarily suppress the ghosts was sound but it was done by trained priests whose light elements could balance and reduce the dark energy of the tree.


    "I have a friend at Saint''s Moon." Alka guiltily replied. A lunatic priest then, Syryn surmised.


    "Why then did you not just report the incident?" There were exorcists, cleaners, priests, and other specialists that could easily take care of orphan ghosts regardless of their malevolence.


    "It is a crime to disturb graves. He would have been expelled." Alka replied.


    "Who cares about him?! This wasn''t your problem Alka. Where is he now and why isn''t he helping you with this?!" Syryn gestured around them.


    "It doesn''t matter," Alka replied with a soft sigh of defeat.


    "This classmate is someone important to you isn''t he?" That was the only reason Syryn could think of for why Alka was protecting this individual.


    His silence was answer enough. "Alka, you have very shady friends," Syryn grumbled as if he wasn''t the shadiest one of them all. "We''re going to have a proper conversation about this later. Let''s take a look at the tree first."


    The rain had thankfully let up and now it was just a cold forest wind that chilled their exposed skins. Ignoring the repulsive feelings that bid Syryn turn back and leave, he reached the tree. This feeling that Syryn was getting was a defence mechanism of the Corpse tree in its growth stage. It gave off an aura that turned off creatures that tried to get close.


    "This is it." Alka stood next to an ordinary-looking tree that was no different from its neighbours. Nothing about it stood out from the group of similar-looking evergreens. In a single year, the tree had grown far faster than it should have. That had terrible implications for how many bodies were buried under the soil beneath their feet.


    Syryn wasn''t one to mourn the death of most humans but little children were innocent to the evils of the world and he found it upsetting when confronted with the awful things that had happened here.


    "What''s the plan Alka?" Syryn could not hope to contend with the root system that would attack him if he tried anything violent. There were just too many of them for him to handle alone.


    "You won''t like my plan," Alka replied.


    "I see." It wasn''t as if Syryn had liked any of the plant mage''s plans so far. He decided that he would just roll with Alka''s bullshit.


    The plant mage placed a hand on the smooth bark of the tree and closed his eyes. "Syryn, I want to possess the tree and hold it down until you are successful at killing it."


    "Bad idea." Syryn immediately replied. Alka could get reverse possessed by the sentient tree, or worse, die from trying to fight for control.


    "Not if you make a blood pact with me," Alka replied. Syryn suddenly forgot what it was that he had wanted to say.


    "Do you even know what you''re asking for?" He replied with disbelief.


    "I trust you." Alka simply replied.


    Madness. Syryn had never encountered such a situation before. It was akin to a calf bearing its tender throat at Syryn and asking him to take a bite. The thought of it sent an involuntary shiver of anticipation through him. The sleeping demon in him approved of the idea. Corrupt him, devour his humanity, take him! It whispered with need.


    "Alka, are you sure?" Syryn shook away the fog of temptation in his mind. He knew of a method that would enable Alka to amplify his magic and it didn''t require a blood pact. This method would cost Syryn a lot of mana so he could only use it sparingly.


    "I have had plenty of time to change my mind," Alka replied with quiet conviction.


    "There''s another way. This is a secret only known by some demon hybrids. You cannot let the information out, you understand?" Not even Traxdart knew about this. How could he? He was too busy with plans of world domination to care about the secrets of his minions.


    Alka nodded, "I''m ready."


    Syryn held his gaze for a few seconds of preparation. He then bit his fingertip and when it began to bleed, he pushed his finger into Alka''s mouth.


    "Just trust me and swallow." Syryn grinned at the plant mage. There was a tension in his shoulders that came from taking such a huge leap of faith. If word got out about this, his kind would be in danger from both humans and pure-blooded demons. The rarity of superior half breeds along with the fact that it took intentional transfer of power into concentrated drops of blood ensured that something like this wasn''t well known.


    Alka''s throat bobbed and it took barely a second for the mage to react. When he did, his soft lips made an ''o'' as a warmth flooded through his body. Alka''s eyes soon began to glow a ghost fire green and watching it sent a thrill of excitement through Syryn.


    "Do you feel powerful enough to subdue the corpse tree?" Syryn inclined his head and looked at Alka through indigo eyes. The clouds had evacuated and moonlight slipped in through the canopy in muted silver. Alka''s rosy lips parted and he turned to the tree that had been getting restless since the moment they''d arrived.


    "I still want to make a blood pact with you." He replied calmly and closed his eyes. "Syryn, I''m starting. Cut off the root system and find its seed if you can."


    "Right away." He replied and transformed his hands into claws. Syryn then began to hum the tune to his favourite anthem.


    "Lulu, I''m a bit hurt they didn''t call me for such a cool fight."


    Legs crossed and chin propped on his hand, Magnus was seated on a large rock uphill with Lucien. From where they sat, they could see gleaming white tentacles the thickness of a grown man''s arm span attacking a boy with dark hair. With powerful swipes of the boy''s claws, the tentacles were falling apart on the ground but it felt like more and more of them kept replacing the falling comrades.


    "Call me Lulu again and I''ll tear out your family jewels," Lucien answered calmly.


    "Lulu, I''m telling Syryn that you''re a pervert," Magnus replied with a light flick to the red head''s forehead.


    A vein popped in Lucien''s forehead. If he wasn''t so powerless, he would have ground the insufferably annoying mage to dust. Alas, he could only swallow the frustration and throw Luci out so he wouldn''t end up doing something undignified.


    "Oh? Luci, welcome back." Magnus'' smile was much gentler now.


    Lucien looked around him and shivered from how cold the air felt. "Where are we?"


    "I''m not really sure," Magnus replied. "Look, Syryn and Alka are having fun." The tall mage then took his cloak off and draped it over the child.


    The redhead gratefully snuggled into the cloak that still held the warmth from Magnus'' body. Together, they sat side by side in comfortable silence. It was a good place to watch the show from.


    Syryn had destroyed most of the primary defender roots. Thanks to Alka fighting the tree''s consciousness, the corpse tree could do little when faced with Syryn''s attacks. What should have been tens of tentacles attacking in concert was reduced to a few that tried their best but failed to protect the tree. Alka had gone above and beyond Syryn''s expectations.


    Weakened enough that it could only wait for death, Syryn made a deep cut into the trunk of the tree. Out came pouring a black sap that he collected in his glass vials.


    Alka walked up to Syryn curiously. "Where is the seed?"


    "Here. Plant it again and I''ll feed you to Lucien." Syryn threw the bone-white seed over to Alka. Catching it with a graceful movement of his arm, the plant mage replied, "Don''t worry, I''ll return it to the priest who lent it to me."


    Syryn wondered what Alka would have done if he had come alone. Would he have faced the tree by himself and gotten consumed by it?


    "Alka."


    Green eyes turned to him. "I can''t watch over you forever. Don''t do stupid things." Syryn hoped Alka understood what he meant.


    "No promises." The plant mage replied. For the sake of getting more blood from Syryn, Alka believed he might just follow the boy down a cliff if he jumped again.

 Chapter 27 - Addicted

    Early the next morning, Magnus expended much effort in bringing the house down. The heavy night rain had soaked through the wood making it impossible for a normal fire to burn. Magnus was left with no choice but to resort to his dark flames. Once it began to burn, It didn''t take long for the black fire to reduce all the wood into fine ash.


    "So who do you think assigned this task?" Syryn asked the silent Alka. "Was it you?"


    "No, it was the granddaughter of the caretaker." Alka did not elaborate further.


    "I see."


    Syryn watched Magnus walk up to them. The fire mage then effortlessly hefted a sleepy Lucien into his arms. The redhead had missed many hours of sleep during the night and his fatigue was showing.


    "We should leave." He suggested


    "We''re ready to," Syryn replied. "Let''s move."


    _____________


    School began in a week and the boys were getting ready by checking off their shopping lists and tasks that awaited completion. Lucien was slotted into a class filled with children of his age. Syryn hoped that Red wouldn''t cause too much trouble with the children. Syryn on the other hand was directly put into Alka and Magnus'' class. He would be the youngest of his classmates.


    It had been two days since their return from the forest, and Syryn was in Alka''s workroom. He had purchased an entire year''s worth of ingredients, or at least that''s what Magnus had loudly observed. Having made a deal with Rowan, Syryn was in a hurry to send him a supply that would last for 2 months at the least.


    He began grinding down the swollen stem of a pungent aquatic plant whose properties aided in the healing of wounds infected by toxins that broke down the flesh. Syryn planned to make 10 phials of it.


    "Do you need some help?" Alka had entered the workroom at some undetermined time but Syryn had been so absorbed in his work and Alka''s entrance had escaped his notice.


    "If you have nothing else to do then yes," Syryn answered. Alka had been weird around him since that day at Fena forest. The plant mage had always been introverted and observant but it seemed to Syryn that Alka was operating at a higher level of weirdness now.


    Syryn''s slender working fingers were pale, clean and fascinating to watch. The knife in his hand moved hypnotically as he chopped maroon buds on a wooden board. He could feel Alka''s burning gaze on the knife and it sent a shiver of something strange down his spine. The plant mage wanted his blood and that pleased Syryn. No, it pleased the demon in him.


    "Alka, are you alright?" Syryn placed the knife away at a safe distance and faced the problem that was Alka. Yes, Syryn noted, definitely staring at his finger.


    "I am not sure, Syryn," Alka replied, voice as soft as the petals that Syryn had crushed. "I wonder why I''m unable to forget the feeling from that night." And there it was, an honest answer.


    "Power is addictive," Syryn supplied. "Give it a few days and you''ll find that you no longer desire it."


    "What if I don''t want to stop craving it?" Alka tilted his head and asked in a way that made Syryn feel like the plant mage was talking to himself.


    "Alka, I can''t keep feeding you blood. You''ll eventually turn into a demon." Not exactly but Syryn had to lie here to protect Alka from an addiction that could potentially ruin him. If administered with control over amount and timing, his blood wasn''t all that bad for consumption, power addiction aside.


    "Oh." A delicate crease formed on Alka''s smooth forehead. "That doesn''t seem like a terrible outcome."


    Syryn''s mouth fell open in response to Alka''s reckless words. Not a terrible outcome? Was Alka out of his mind? Syryn wanted to roar at the mage but he kept it civil. "You want to turn into a demon so bad? Good. Let''s do it Alka."


    At his words, the plant mage took an involuntary step back.


    "I thought so," Syryn commented and went back to chopping plants.


    Alka then let out a deep sigh and let himself slump over the work table. "How many days?" He turned to Syryn, cheek squished adorably against the wood table.


    "How many days what?"


    Alka brushed away the dark lock of hair that fell over his tired green eyes. "How many days till I stop feeling strange?"


    "2, maybe 3 days. Power comes with a price Alka. You''ll just have to bear with the discomfort knowing that you''ll be alright soon. I''ll brew something that''ll help you." Syryn informed the pretty boy who was making a constipated expression.


    "Thank you." Alka quietly mumbled.


    "But you know what?" Syryn''s hands stopped moving. "Maybe I''ll let you have it one last time and never more after this." The indigo glow of his eyes bled through Syryn''s illusion. "What do you say?"


    Alka''s gaze which had been stuck to Syryn''s hands swept up, past the slight upward tilt of the half demon''s lips and to those eyes that were inhumanly beautiful. "Syryn?" The way he said the name was hesitant, wary.


    "Yes, Alka?" Syryn replied, the words flowing off his tongue like liquid. Deliberately, Syryn drew the knife up to his waiting finger. Alka''s eyes were immediately drawn to it like a magnet.


    With excruciatingly slow movements, Syryn brought the knife to his thumb and drew a drop of blood that welled up enticingly scarlet. Indigo eyes flared with a glow and he turned to the entranced mage.


    "Open your mouth for me, Alka."


    The plant mage who appeared dazed let his mouth fall open obediently, and he waited. That tiny bead of blood brimming with Syryn''s magic called to him. Syryn had vanished his illusion and there was nothing left between Alka and a temptation that made his blood run hot in his veins. He wanted it.


    So when Syryn drew Alka in and dragged his thumb past the boy''s lips, Alka''s pink tongue licked all the blood off Syryn''s thumb.


    "You idiot." Syryn''s eyes flashed with cold anger. "Are you this eager to get enslaved?!"


    It took a few seconds for Alka to snap back to reality but when he did, he reacted by biting down hard on Syryn''s finger.


    "Shit! Alka what is wrong with you?!" Syryn pried his finger out of the plant mage''s mouth.


    "Sorry." Alka looked away guiltily.


    Syryn narrowed his eyes at the contrite mage. Alka was the adventurous and reckless type that went all in. Syryn had to keep his eyes on this one, he told himself.


    "I''ll stay away from you till this feeling goes away," Alka informed Syryn and slipped off the stool he was seated on. Syryn watched the boy walk out of the room almost stumbling on his way.


    Some mages were more sensitive to the suggestions of demons and Alka fell square into that category. It had Syryn thinking of Red''s dangerous capabilities. And so he said a quick prayer to Eos for whomever Red would set his sights on in the future.

 Chapter 28 - Stranger Danger

    School was starting in an hour and Syryn was lost. He had ventured out to buy an insulation stone for Lucien who had come down with a cold. That was 2 hours ago! He was ashamed and completely lost. Syryn wished he had a pi-cal disc right now and regretted putting off its purchase. Decked out in his purple gold school uniform, Syryn went up and down the street sweating out the panic he was feeling.


    He had somehow reached the end of the street and was at the outskirts where the forest melded with Elysium city.


    ''Alka, Magnus, someone help!'' Syryn wanted to fall to his knees.


    Just when he was starting to wallow in self-pity, a warning prickle zipped over his skin. Syryn saw the image of a fast-moving shadow at the edge of his vision and it propelled him into motion.


    Something was barreling towards him at speeds that rivalled a charging Armored bull! Syryn''s reflexes immediately took over and he was kicking the thing hard across its face. It flew into the air and crashed into a house whose side wall collapsed under the force of the projectile that had hit it.


    When the dust had settled, Syryn saw that the projectile was a large hell hound. It stood back up on its enormous paws and shook the debris off its thick black coat. The hound''s eyes glowed a deep red and it growled at Syryn, exposing its massive canines that dripped off copious amounts of saliva.


    To Syryn''s left, a couple that had been walking by began to run away when the fight began to break out.


    Syryn was in a real mood from having gotten lost and this seemed like a good opportunity to exercise his frustration. The hell hound was twice his size but that only served to flame Syryn''s desire for a fight. With a bounding leap, the hell hound fell upon Syryn whose palm faced the hound and gathered power.


    Out of the range of his senses, Syryn was caught off guard by another hand that appeared and tapped his own. It was like a bucket of sand had been dumped over a fire. Syryn''s gathered power fizzled out.


    At that same moment, the hell hound began to back off. It rolled over and was now showing its tummy to the newcomer. Even more annoyed, Syryn turned to look at the anti mage that had decided to kill his buzz.


    He was faced with deep black eyes, the kind that looked so dark that it sucked in all the light around it. The eyes framed a face that was intensely beautiful without appearing feminine. This person''s skin had the pallor of someone who hadn''t seen sunlight in his life, a contrast of black and white. The only colour to be found on his pale face was the tired smudges of blue under the man''s eyes.


    "The hell do you think you''re doing?" Syryn''s lips were pulled down in a frown. His bad mood had spiked.


    "You attacked my hound." The man was sizing him up with those dark eyes.


    Where Syryn was thrumming with excess energy, this man''s demeanour was a counterpoint of unnatural calmness that dampened Syryn''s eagerness to fight.


    "It attacked me first," Syryn replied. When faced with such a calm opponent, it was important to remain just as unperturbed. Easier said than done.


    Syryn materialised a blade of ice and swung at the anti mage who pushed off the ground with a light kick. It was a graceful movement that barely necessitated any use of energy. Another light tap on his arm and Syryn felt like a popped balloon that had lost its air.


    "Fucking anti mages." He growled under his breath.


    He was being tested by this man. He could tell from how his opponent''s attacks were all harmless and meant to dismantle Syryn''s flow of power. Their battle dance was an exchange of attacks that switched Syryn on and off and it incensed the half-demon. Heaven had truly been partial to those born as anti mages!


    "You''re holding back." The man observed in a pleasantly generic tone.


    No shit, Syryn thought. As if he could unleash his full capacity in the open without repercussions. Syryn had a good sense of danger and his gut was telling him to be wary of this mystery individual. There was a wicked intelligence he read in the man''s cold black eyes.


    "Anti mage, your hound attacked me first. Don''t you think I deserve compensation?" Syryn asked.


    "Dani does not attack strangers unprovoked." The newcomer replied still in that neutral tone. They had stopped fighting and were now facing each other. One tense and the other exuding an aura of calm confidence. Syryn was anxious and stressed from still being lost and also getting late for the first day of school. As much as it went against his nature, he chose to back off.


    "I''m getting late for school. Leash your hound before it kills someone." Syryn coldly informed the man and turned to leave.


    "You''re going the wrong way."


    Syryn stopped in his tracks and turned to the stranger. His day couldn''t get any worse, he thought. Of course, this way lead him straight into the forest. Any reply he gave would have just sounded like an excuse.


    "King Hill? I can give you a ride." The dark-haired stranger said levelly before turning to walk off. The whining hellhound that was acting cute blinked at Syryn and lopped off after its master.


    Leaving a good distance between them, Syryn followed the man to his hound drawn coach. One massive canine was already tethered to the coach. The runaway hound wagged its big bushy tail and was tethered with a gentle pat on its back. Syryn couldn''t help but notice how the man had long pale fingers that were artistic but also strong.


    "Get in, we''re getting late." The man told Syryn.


    He said ''we'', and not ''I'', Syryn observed. He took a step inside and noticed how the interior was simple but luxuriously furnished. Like the owner, the colours were muted and dark.


    The stranger''s strength was still an unknown variable to Syryn. He had perfect control over his powers and had wrapped himself in it without any leak that would give away hints to the wary Syryn. Their fight and the way he had handled the boy left Syryn feeling unresigned. He determinedly stared out through his window when he felt the man getting seated next to him. The scent of fragrant ink hung about the anti mage. Syryn guessed that he looked at least 18 years old, if not 20.


    The good looking stranger sat in complete and unnerving silence throughout the ride. Both occupants were busy with their thoughts and neither made a move to speak to the other. When they finally got to the tall gates of King Hill, Syryn hopped out and left not even bothering to thank the man. The coach then made off without the anti mage disembarking.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart, you''re late." The homeroom teacher looked down through her glasses and frowned at the new student who had begun the first day with tardiness. When the student stared back in silence, the teacher pressed her lips together and pointed with the quill.


    "Go sit with Magnus."


    "You saved a seat for me?" Syryn whispered after taking his seat.


    "Yup. Thanks to you I finally have an excuse to avoid someone." Magnus drawled. His lazy looking eyes were droopy despite it being the first period of class.


    "Who?"


    "You''ll know later." Magnus scrawled something on a piece of paper and rolled it up. With a flick of his wrist, it landed gently on Alka''s desk. The green-eyed mage quickly shoved the paper ball under his desk where he could read it privately. The effects of Syryn''s blood had all but disappeared and Alka was back to his calm self.


    The class of Magical Ethics was a boring one for Syryn. He found his mind drifting to thoughts of the man that morning. An anti mage with such precise control over his powers rivalled future Rowan''s ability at the same. Who was he? Did Syryn know of him in the past? With his mind in a loop that came back to the same individual no matter how much his thoughts strayed, Syryn was pulled out of his reverie by the sound of the bell.


    The next teacher hadn''t arrived yet and Magnus was more awake. "Ethics class has to be the worst way to start the day." He grumbled to Syryn.


    "Magnus, it''s so wonderful to see you after such a long holiday." The cloyingly sweet voice of a female classmate disturbed their conversation. Syryn flicked his gaze up and saw a pink-haired girl that smiled at his friend with a blush dusting her fair cheeks. ''Someone'' - his mind supplied, and suddenly Magnus'' words made sense to Syryn.


    Without acknowledging her, Magnus stretched and then looked away. Now Syryn was left in a bubble of awkwardness that surrounded the ignored girl. "So you''re the person he was saving his seat for." She smiled at him. It wasn''t a friendly smile.

 Chapter 29 - Timeline

    "So you''re the person he was saving a seat for?"


    Syryn turned to look at Magnus and then back at the female classmate.


    "You want this seat? Let''s exchange." Syryn replied. Magnus still pretended deafness.


    "You know who I am after all." A smug smile graced her pretty face and Syryn didn''t care enough to ask.


    He sat up to leave when Magnus finally reacted by pulling him back down to the seat. "Syryn, you''re hurting my feelings here," Magnus drawled. The fire mage leaned back in his seat with deceptive laziness. Magnus then threw an arm around Syryn''s chair and only then did he deign to look at the girl.


    "Alamandra, leave." It was a tone that Syryn had never heard Magnus use.


    "No, Magnus please, I''m sorry! Just let me-"


    "Settle down class." The professor had arrived.


    Syryn raised a brow at his friend who merely shrugged in a way that was designed to appear casual. He had a belly full of questions but if Magnus wasn''t willing to explain then there was no sense in pushing.


    The day was spent attending classes and avoiding the insistent female classmate that Syryn was frankly considering disposal of. To his relief, the last bell rang and they were out like lightning.


    "Where are we heading?" Syryn was getting pulled along by Magnus past several corridors and an entire garden filled with black roses and purple ivy.


    The mage grinned at Syryn. "Did you forget about the annual friendship meet?"


    "It''s coming up soon, isn''t it?" Syryn smiled. His heart began to beat faster when he thought about a match against Rowan.


    "Very soon. The representatives for King Hill will be narrowed down to 7 fighters through a competition next week. Apart from me and four other seniors, there will be two free slots for newcomers like you." Magnus explained.


    "So this is just between King Hill and Winter Fortress? What about Saint''s Moon?"


    Syryn and Magnus had arrived at an open metal gate that was at least 10 feet high. Embedded into the rock face of a mountain, it looked very intimidating with how thick the gate was. Magnus led him inside while continuing to explain.


    "You already know what it can get like with mages and anti mages being on opposite poles of the magical spectrum. This friendship meet is just one of the few methods that have been employed to foster healthy competition and understanding between the two." Magnus rattled off like he was giving a speech to a junior. "Saint''s Moon and a few other schools will arrive to spectate only."


    Magnus then changed the topic and spoke with more weight in his tone, "Syryn, because of your Insistence at keeping the contract with King Hill unannounced, only a small percentage of the students know about it. The fact that you''re a scholarship student who was allowed to jump directly to 7th class will soon draw negative attention to you from the ambitious students." Magnus seriously told the boy, "do not hesitate to assert dominance. Humility is not a trait that is appreciated inside these walls."


    Syryn understood his friends meaning. King Hill was the school to the cream of Sigil kingdom''s mages. Ambitious, ruthless, and powerful, these three words could be used to describe the students of King Hill. They would eat up the weak alive.


    "I''m not asking you to let the demons out. But are you good enough without having to resort to your demonic strengths?" Magnus asked.


    Syryn almost felt insulted at that but he remembered that Magnus had yet to see him manipulate his elemental energies. Syryn had mastered the energies of ice and darkness. They would not cause him grief but he wasn''t very sure about fire. The latest attribute that had shown up for some reason was still an unbroken beast and it tended to try Syryn''s control, often calling out the slumbering demonic affinities.


    "I''ll try not to disappoint you, Magnus," Syryn replied


    When Lord Peltner, the Head Magister of King Hill, arrived at the Hall of Wisdom, Syryn let out a breath of surprise at Lord Peltner''s companion. It was that anti mage who had schooled Syryn.


    "What is Artemus doing here?" Syryn heard Magnus'' question but Lord Peltner''s words cut off anything else he wanted to say.


    "Young mages, allow me to introduce to you your new trainer for the class of Arcane Combat, professor Artemus. You might be thinking he''s too young to be teaching you but don''t let these looks fool you." Lord Peltner swept a satisfied look around the gathering.


    "Artemus is an anti mage, the best of his generation. He will only be here temporarily so strap your boots and learn all that you can during his brief stint with us."


    The rest of Lord Peltner''s words turned into background noise when pitch-black eyes found Syryn.


    "Artemus, he looks very young" Syryn mouthed loud enough for Magnus to hear.


    "Like Peltner said, don''t let it fool you," Magnus replied.


    "You know him then."


    "Yep. He''s Alka''s older brother." Magnus grinned after dropping that bomb. "This is going to be one hell of a year."


    Alka''s older brother?! Syryn looked at the young professor and stared. He was starting to see a few similarities between them.


    "How old is he?"


    "19 years old. Artemus is a member of the Sanguine by the way. Something must have happened to bring him back from his missions." Magnus observed.


    Mage Hunter, Syryn thought with a feeling of revulsion and fear that crawled up his throat. Flashes of a red cloak, like their namesake, appeared in Syryn''s mind. Rowan too would join the Mage Hunters soon.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart, I did not expect to see you here young man." Lord Peltner suddenly brought the spotlight to Syryn, drawing attention to him from every eye in the Hall. "Come meet us at my office after you''re done submitting your entry." The Head Magister beamed at him and then turned to Artemus to exchange a quiet word. The 19-year-old had a faint reaction - a subtle twitch of his dark brow - to what Lord Peltner had just told him. He then turned and looked at Syryn with interest in his eyes.


    "Is there something you haven''t told me?" Magnus raised his brow at Syryn.


    "I fought with Artemus this morning."


    "...."


    "That''s why I was late... "


    Syryn and Magnus had submitted their entries so they headed off together to Lord Peltner''s tower office. Magnus parted ways at the tower to rendezvous with Alka who was watching Lucien. The little boy had been under the care of the school''s best babysitter while his big brothers attended class.


    With a gentle knock on the office door, Syryn pushed the door open and allowed himself entry. Lord Peltner was conspicuously absent in the luxuriously upholstered office. Artemus though was seated on a comfortable long chair with his head tipped back, getting some much-needed snatches of sleep if the blue bruises under his eyes were anything to go by.


    "Professor Artemus," Syryn called softly. The man slowly opened his onyx eyes and took in the sight of Syryn.


    "You''re here." Artemus sat forward in a graceful motion that belied the tiredness he was exhibiting. "Take a seat. The Head Magister has left us to use his office for its privacy wards."


    Syryn was puzzled as to why they would need privacy wards. He took a seat on the opposite side of the professor and waited for him to speak.


    "I''ve been told that you''re a very accomplished alchemist. Is that right?" Dark eyes assessed Syryn with an intensity that made him uncomfortable.


    "I''m good enough." He replied with a dash of the humility that Magnus had warned him about. "Are you in need of a potion?"


    "Not quite. Before I explain further, I''ll need your complete secrecy and discretion."


    Artemus then leaned forward and pressed long fingers to his elegant brows. The dark circles under the hollows of his eyes stood out starkly against the high pale cheekbones that shared a resemblance with Alka''s. And despite the apparent bone-weariness, the obvious lack of energy, there was not a shred of vulnerability in the man.


    "Are you okay? Professor?" Syryn called with a frown.


    Artemus'' entirely aristocratic hands - pale, long-fingered and showing the faintest of blue veins delicately curving up his corded wrists - began unbuttoning his shirt. With fluid practised movements, he took off his snowy shirt and exposed a dark scar that ran underneath where his left ribs were.


    Like this, with everything on display, Syryn got an eyeful of strong shoulders that dipped into a delicate clavicle, a perfectly smooth chest without blemish or freckle. Even the angry scar that stood out as a dark ridge served as an aesthetic touch to the man''s pleasing body.


    To Syryn''s wandering eyes, the wound had healed but only superficially. Under his scar, an insidious poison was festering. It all began to make sense to Syryn then.


    "How?" He asked the young man.


    "A demon attack." Artemus replied with a soft sigh. "2 months ago, I was injured by a demon that carried a sword made of glacial metal. He left me with this wound and I haven''t found a cure so far." There would be none until many years later, Syryn remembered.


    "My primary healer has informed me that I have little time before paralysis sets in." The anti mage spoke in a clinically detached manner so much so that it seemed like he was reading out a report.


    "I might be able to help you," Syryn replied tentatively. His heart was in tatters at the moment because of the demon that Artemus had mentioned. Syryn knew who it was and if this demon was on the move then it meant that Traxdart had begun to make overtures to the human world.


    Shaking away those dark thoughts for later, Syryn turned back to the present situation. "This cold poison has a cure but I need blood from a demon with a fire attribute." Did Syryn count as a demon with a fire attribute? He had no idea.


    A thick silence followed his words while Artemus digested said words. "You''re the first person to tell me that there is a cure," he replied raising his head just enough to meet Syryn''s eyes. The weight of the anti mage''s heavy gaze had Syryn feeling like his existence was coming into sharp focus.


    "Can you get me the ingredients? I can guarantee your recovery." Syryn lowered his lashes and looked away from Artemus. If the anti mage asked him how he possessed such knowledge, Syryn had no sellable excuse, at least not for someone as astute as the man before him.

 Chapter 30 - Gift

    When Syryn was back in Alka''s apartment, a delivery awaited him. One heavy wooden crate that had his name on it sat at the kitchen table.


    Magnus was by the window watering one of Alka''s numerous potted plants. Lucien, who was beside Magnus, also had his own miniature watering can that was shaped like a succulent with a red flower on top. Syryn thought it suited the little boy.


    "Luci, come sleep with me tonight." Syryn absent-mindedly told the boy while his fingers moved around the wrappings of the crate. His day to day responsibilities had been keeping Syryn busy enough that he wasn''t spending as much time with the boy anymore. Syryn planned to rectify that immediately.


    Lucien nodded and wiped his wet hands against the small apron that Magnus had tied around the child''s waist. He then came running to Syryn and stood at his feet, cute red eyes solemnly looking up at his big brother. Stretching out his small arms, Lucien waited for Syryn to pick him up.


    Magnus watched the dark-haired boy smile at the redhead affectionately. With a gentle swing of his arms, Syryn had picked up Lucien. The fire mage set aside his watering can and swaggered over to the duo so he could peer into the crate that had appeared quietly at their door.


    A small paper card that was stuck to the crate displayed the crest of Winter Fortress. It was an exact copy of the Cygnus constellation stitched to the anti mage robes.


    "This has to be from Rowan," Magnus idly commented. Syryn prodded the crate with his magic and when he found no traps, the lid was swung open to reveal its contents.


    Magnus whistled at the sight of the items inside the crate. "Must be nice being Syryn," he drawled.


    Syryn licked his lips nervously when he saw the goods that Rowan had sent him. What stood out amongst the pile of precious alchemy kits was a cauldron made entirely of pyroclastic metal of the highest quality. On the inside of it, Syryn could see the engravings of magic that would protect the alchemist from harmful accidents which included explosions and corrosive fumes.


    "Magnus, did we accidentally take someone else''s delivery?"


    "Even if we did, I''m not letting you return it," Magnus replied.


    From right next to the cauldron, Syryn picked up a mortar from a set of three. Each bowl was uniquely and carefully designed with the right texture and material for suiting the requirements of the ingredients that needed grinding. The outer surfaces of the mortars were uniformly made of the same beautiful ivory-coloured Petrified snow wood that came as hard as granite. Syryn wanted to punch Rowan and at the same time fall to his knees in gratitude.


    A set of knives that looked like products of dwarven make, five phials that protected their contents through a stasis spell, a bag of extremely rare ingredients that Syryn was itching to use, a glass jar where a single wispy cloud of light floated in it - Syryn ignored it lest he burst a vessel in his heart from excitement - and the heavy bag that contained far too many crowns for what his first potion delivery had been worth! Syryn had been conquered thoroughly by Rowan''s gifts.


    "I think," Magnus said with careful mildness, "he''s trying to make a point. I don''t know what it is but I''m sure it has to do with proving his ability to be a generous patron to you."


    Syryn''s scalp had gone numb from Magnus'' words. He slammed the lid shut and drank a glass of water that Lucien kindly offered.


    "Hey, what was in the box?" Alka came striding towards them in formal robes. A single button undone at the neck managed to loosen the stiffness of the robes into something more relaxed.


    "Take a look at it yourself. Where are you off to anyway?" Syryn asked. The bell at their door rang at that moment and Alka hurried towards it letting his friends know he would be out for dinner with his family.


    Alka swung the door open to reveal Syryn''s new teacher looking a little less tired than he had appeared during their conversation. Standing side by side, Syryn could finally see the differences and similarities between the brothers. While they shared the same elegant bone structure, Alka with his bright green eyes and soft wavy hair appeared more vivid next to Artemus who reminded Syryn of cool night skies illuminated by a crescent moon.


    Alka had not informed his brother about their living arrangements, Syryn surmised. There was some surprise in the lifting of Artemus'' brows when he glanced at the alchemist.


    "Brother, you don''t look very well." Alka stood before his older brother, chin lifted, and observed his older brother''s countenance with a calmness that seemed to run in the family.


    Artemus smiled faintly at his little brother, "It''s just tiredness Alka. We can catch up later. Mother is waiting for us." With a nod towards Syryn and Magnus, Artemus lead his brother to the hound coach that was faster than any horse-pulled carriage in the kingdom.


    "Artemus is a lying liar," Magnus said under his breath. He then looked at Syryn with a thoughtful expression on his face.


    "What?"


    "Nothing. I''m not letting you have Luci tonight just so you know." Magnus smirked at Syryn. "Where Luci goes, I go."


    "You have no claim to Luci," Syryn argued knowing the futility of it.


    "Debate later, dinner preparation first," Magnus replied.


    "Syryn, I want to eat grilled squid with creamy potato soup and sticky pineapple buns." He shamelessly listed his desired menu to a disbelieving Syryn. When had he become Magnus'' personal chef?


    "Which part of me looks like I give a shit about what you want to eat?" Syryn narrowed his eyes at the fire mage.


    "Language Syryn. I''ll take Luci for a bath while you make dinner for the three of us." He aimed his bullshit grin at Syryn and gave him no chance to refuse when Lucien jumped off a chair and landed in the waiting hands of Magnus. It took considerable will on Syryn''s end not to hurl a chair at Magnus'' back.


    Syryn had capitulated to Magnus'' demands with a resignation that came from his will being gradually chipped away by the slick words of the fire mage. One of these days he would make a stand for himself but today just wasn''t it. He blew out an annoyed sigh and went to work in the kitchen. And later when dinner was served, Syryn watched Magnus finish the food with an enthusiasm that promised no leftovers. He thought that it wasn''t so bad to feed their resident animal once every few days.


    Lucien, who had managed to tuck away a big portion of dinner, sported a bulging stomach. To remedy it, Magnus and Syryn took the redhead out for a walk by the canal whose sparkling clean waters ambled through the city and past Alka''s apartment. It was still early enough that a vendor selling candied fruits sat by his stall and called out to his two loyal customers.


    "Magnus, I dare you to try my patience tonight. Go ahead." Syryn''s smile was pleasant, eyes curved into crescents.


    Magnus lifted the red-headed boy and used him as a shield to hide behind. "Luci, your brother looks scary."


    The boys spent a good amount of time walking through their sleepy neighbourhood. Spent from the walk, the sandman snuck up on them quickly. By the time Lucien began to nod off, Syryn was already asleep on one side of the boy on their makeshift bed. Magnus watched their chests rise and fall with sleep as he waited for Alka to come home.


    Alka did not come home that night.


    ___________


    "Young Syryn, the cauldrons that you requested are here. I''m quite the excited old man today! It''s the first time I''ve ever had a contracted alchemist make such a demand." Due to his extenuating circumstances, Syryn was given a day off every weekday to use for the satisfaction of his contractual obligations.


    Under normal circumstances, there would be a group of at least 20 other alchemists on their work tables, assisting the head alchemist, i.e. Syryn. But this time-consuming method had a wasteful effort to output ratio, and this low evaluation did not even include the mismatch in quality of potions. No, Syryn had a better idea.


    "I wasn''t sure you''d agree to it Head Magister. Thank you for accepting my request so readily." Syryn was grateful to Lord Peltner for accomodating his bizarre wishes.


    Three enormous cauldrons the height of a house each had been tailor-made according to Syryn''s specifications. The dangers that came with falling into the cauldron and getting cooked in the potion were circumvented by a safety harness that anchored the climber to the heat-insulated ladder. A long wooden ramp above the cauldrons allowed him to walk back and forth observing the potions. Now all that was left to do was for Syryn''s assistants to pump in and dump ingredients into the cauldrons under his instructions.


    Why this was never done before lay in the difficulty of creating big batches of potions without compromising on quality. Syryn had the confidence that was backed up by in-depth knowledge and experience of alchemy. For the more volatile potions, he had a separate smaller cauldron to work with but those weren''t needed in big amounts.


    "Syryn, this is a brilliant idea. Winter Fortress must take a tour of our facilities." Lord Peltner''s eyes were alight with a competitive spirit. "The Lord Chancellor and her alchemist Salem will receive an invitation after we''ve tested out your wonderful plan. I do not doubt that your ability to make very good quality potions but as with every new contraption, we must refine the design."


    His enthusiasm was infectious enough that Syryn felt the stirrings of excitement for this project. There was also another experiment he needed to carry out and it involved Artemus. He made a mental note to inform the stoic young man about meeting him for an in-depth medical examination.

 Chapter 31 - New Friends?

    Syryn''s third experimental round of potions began with an unfortunate accident. Neiro, the youngest of his assistants had painfully tripped on the water pipes and emptied his basket of wet ingredients onto Blaze, their resident hot-headed alchemist.


    With a sigh, Selene, the most competent and level headed one in the group, promptly stepped aside. Things were about to get hot.


    "You bastard!" Blaze hissed. "Are you fucking blind?!"


    Neiro who was still kneeled over on the ground raised his head and saw the mess on Blaze. "Oh." It wasn''t the apology that Blaze expected.


    Syryn was seated on the overhead ramp humming a tune and calculating the amount of mud-fish scale powder needed for the potion when the fight started. Blaze lunged at Neiro with his leg aimed at the younger alchemist''s face.


    Neiro reacted quickly by throwing himself to the side, avoiding the kick. Unfortunately for Blaze who had acted without thought, his momentum carried him forward and the outstretched leg hit the iron cauldron with a loud thunk! The enormous cauldron expectedly began to precariously tip from side to side over the stove. Even the temporary anchors that held the cauldron steady were showing signs of strain from how hard it was kicked.


    "Gods damn it! Blaze Neiro!! Didn''t I warn you I''d feed you your intestines?!" Syryn flung a ball of ice at his two assistants who were locked in a tussle the likes of which Syryn had only witnessed amongst stray dogs.


    Neiro and Blaze, he had come to find, were both excellent alchemists that he intended to cultivate for his personal use. But right now, Syryn considered cooking them both inside the cauldron. It was only day 1 and Syryn was already entertaining thoughts about burning his contract.


    "You look tired."


    Syryn sighed and allowed Magnus to take the stack of parchments he was carrying to Lord Peltner''s office. "I have two problem children in my team," Syryn replied wearily. ''Children'' was an apt word to describe Neiro and Blaze who were both students of King Hill. Recognised for their excellence at alchemy, they had been placed with Syryn to learn from him. Neiro and Blaze were both in class 6, just a rung shorter than the one Syryn was placed on.


    "Can''t you just throw them out?"


    "No, they''re irreplaceable," Syryn replied and there was an edge of amusement in his tone. "Never mind that, are the tryouts being held today?"


    "Mhm, you''ll get to meet the rest of the team today." There was a touch of excitement in the way Magnus grinned at Syryn.


    The two mages hurried to drop off Syryn''s reports with the Head Magister''s assistant, a middle-aged lady with curly blonde hair.


    "Thank you, boys, have a wonderful evening." She was just as friendly as Lord Peltner. Syryn was refreshed by her energy and by the time he made haste to the Hall of wisdom, the weariness had faded.


    Artemus hadn''t arrived yet but there was a small group of eye-catching mages that formed their own circle in the Hall. They were given a wide berth by the other students. Syryn could see stares of worship and envy that were being sent the way of those mages.


    "Let me tell you a little something about your future teammates." Magnus pulled Syryn down to the floor and sat with his back against the wall.


    "That pretty young girl over there with the grey hair is called Lensa. She can and will boil you alive in steam extracted from the air if you so much as call her a hag, which is exactly what Corvus over there does all the time." Magnus then drew Syryn''s gaze to a tall boy with Mossy green hair. The colouring was typical of those that were from the stone tribe of the Southern Sigil kingdom.


    The stone tribe got its name from the genetic lineage that gave its members a special ability. It allowed their mages to secrete a semi-liquid substance that leaked out through the pores of their dermis. This substance would harden in the air and create a protective covering on exposed skin. With constant use of this gift, the layer of ''stone'' was known to get harder and harder and morph from the consistency of a paste to an obsidian black rock.


    "You probably already know what his powers entail," Magnus allowed, "So let''s move on to Drake. He''s the younger brother of Lillith, 3rd prince of the Sigil kingdom. Drake, like his sister, wields the power of light, but unlike Lillith, he uses it in an offensive capacity."


    From what Syryn could see, Drake and Lillith were both winners of the genetic lottery. The teenage boy was already showing signs of an angular jawline that could potentially cut Syryn''s hopes and dreams into ribbons.


    "And our final fighter, Unri. Lightning is his friend."


    Magnus had very few introductory words for the last person. Out of all the others, Unri''s appearance was the most striking owing to his head of shocking red hair that rivalled Lucien''s. The boy also had on an eye-catching necklace of blue beads the size of marbles that rested over his chest. He was seated on the floor with his eyes closed but Syryn got the impression that he wasn''t as peaceful as his posture implied.


    Syryn then casually looked around him and saw that over a hundred mages had gathered for the tryouts. He hoped for Artemus to have a better plan than just sparring if he intended to finalise the team today.


    On cue, Artemus showed up and the blues under his eyes were more bruise-like than Syryn had ever seen. Everything else about the man was well-groomed, clean and perfectly tidy. Syryn was aware of just how much willpower it took Artemus to drag himself out of bed and fight the lethargic paralysis that the poison was spreading through his mind and body.


    The young teacher wasted no time. He turned to face the students as soon as he had arrived.


    "I''m sure you''re all here hoping for a spot with the team. Unfortunately, out of a hundred and forty six of you, there''s only one slot remaining." Crisp and straight to the point, the professor continued in a level tone despite the protest that had broken out.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart, you''re number 6 on the team. Magnus, take him there." Artemus indicated to the other senior members of the team.


    The Hall came to a hush as Syryn made his way to the corner where the four seniors waited. He could feel their eyes appraising him with cool gazes.


    "Congratulations Syryn." Magnus happily bumped Syryn on the shoulder as they made their way to the front. "Turns out your fight with Artemus was a blessing in disguise."


    "If anyone has complains about Syryn, you''re free to challenge him for his spot after the final selection," Artemus spoke after raising his hand to quiet the whispering that had begun to get louder.


    "Mages with martial ability at the foundational level and below, split to the right. Everyone else, move to the left." Artemus announced. The group of gathered mages shuffled to their groupings and Syryn could see that it was an uneven split. The foundational fighters were a majority in the ratio of roughly 80:20 to the ones that had better combat abilities.


    Artemus paused to study the groupings. "Thank you for showing up to the tryouts," he angled his head towards the group on the right, "I wish you better luck next year." And just like that, he had eliminated 117 hopefuls.


    "Professor, it''s not fair!"


    "This isn''t a martial contest! My magic is strong. How can you just eliminate us this way??"


    "I''m complaining to the Head Magister."


    "This is what we get for training under someone so young."


    "My father will hear about this nonsense."


    Artemus silently studied the 29 students that were left. Sweeping back the straight dark hair that waterfalled past his cheeks, the professor''s demeanour changed. In an instant, the Hall developed a high pressure that spread out slowly like a wave from its point of origin - Artemus. The sensation of running out of air assailed Syryn but he knew it was just his imagination - his lungs were pumping air just fine.


    "To defeat the anti mage that you know as Rowan Windwalker, do you honestly believe that your magic is enough?" Artemus began in a low voice that carried despite how spacious the Hall was. His onyx eyes swept past the paling faces of students that had started a ruckus.


    Artemus'' anti mage field was just light enough to catch the attention of the furious students but it did more than that when they realised how far his field extended. Even in his weakness, the professor was not one to be trifled with.


    "To take him down, magic is secondary. Rowan will crush you with the sheer force of his void. Do you understand this?" Without raising his voice, Artemus sent his point across to the students. But the more stubborn ones still clung to their pride and challenged him once more. Syryn was starting to think that Traxdart''s method of using violence to suppress idiots was far more efficient.


    "Syryn, come." In a cool tone, Artemus called him out.


    "Go ahead challenge him then." The professor pulled a chair out and relaxed into it with folded arms. The way he closed his eyes and waited for whatever he was expecting to happen had Syryn suspecting that Artemus was about to fall asleep right there.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart, I challenge you to arcane combat under the laws of Malocke."


    Syryn, who was starting to get restless, rejoiced in his heart. He stepped forward with plans to have some fun when he heard a reminder from Magnus, "Make it quick. The good professor looks like death warmed over."


    "Right," Syryn had forgotten about his plans to check on Artemus. It was unfortunate then for the mage that awaited him at the centre of the gathering.

 Chapter 32 - Pain

    "My name is Onen and I will defeat you Syryn."


    The barely 15-year-old faced Syryn with a straight back and eyes that flashed with self-righteous fire. Did he think this was a drama where the underdog hero faced down the big bad bully? Syryn let out a harsh bark of laughter at the play that Onen was directing. He didn''t mind playing the role of bully.


    "I wish you luck then," Syryn replied, scorn hot on his tongue. Onen''s stupid earnestness annoyed Syryn. He was one of those types - a moralising loser who blindly clamoured for justice when it was a mask for his own insecurity. It made Syryn want to teach the mage a lesson he would never forget.


    "Do you not see the logic in the professor''s words?" syryn asked. Everyone deserved a chance for redemption before they were humiliated. This was Syryn giving Onen a chance.


    The fired-up mage clenched his fists in reply and levelled a glare that was equal parts determined and confident. "My magic is strong. With all due respect to professor Artemus, I will prove him wrong!"


    At his provocative words, a current of excitement passed through the group of mages that had been rejected. Onen''s words had renewed their hopes for the tryouts.


    "So annoying." Syryn rolled his eyes. There was no helping it, Onen had chosen his poison.


    Syryn waited for the mage to make the first move and he didn''t have to wait too long. Onen dragged in a deep breath and blew out a bubble the size of a melon. The bubble floated around the air without direction at first. But the moment its caster whispered, it accelerated towards Syryn and exploded violently at the spot he had just stepped away from.


    "Interesting power you have there," Syryn observed. The explosion was deadly enough to cause damage that went beyond a flesh wound but its diameter was restricted to within a few inches of the bubble.


    Not waiting for Syryn to make his move, Onen blew out numerous transparent globules in succession. 5, 6, 9, Syryn counted them. Four bubbles floated around their caster while the remaining five zipped towards Syryn with intent.


    In an impressive show of acrobatics, Syryn flipped in the air between two bubbles, landed and rolled under the third. The fourth and fifth exploded a hair''s breadth away from Syryn''s grinning face. To the observer, the sequence of actions had taken a bare few seconds.


    "Stop jumping around!" Onen''s brows were sweating. This wasn''t going the way he had planned.


    Four globules zig-zagged towards Syryn who had closed the gap between himself and Onen. Hands moving in a flash, Syryn removed his outer jacket and swung it at the bubbles. The ensuing explosions left his uniform jacket in tatters.


    To prevent Onen from spitting out more, Syryn flung his jacket at the boy''s face effectively blinding him. It was now his turn to attack. All it took was a twisting leap that drove a hard kick into the boy''s gut and sent him smashing into the wall behind him.


    "Just a mere mage who only recently learnt to invoke an ability and you think you''re fit to challenge an anti mage of Rowan''s calibre?" Syryn mocked the boy who was hunched over holding his stomach. His inexperience and hesitance at using his abilities gave clue to Syryn that it hadn''t been too long since the boy had unlocked his secondary ability.


    "Losers." Syryn spat with venom. "Who else wants a piece of me?"


    There were no more volunteers jumping about after that display. The spectating mages had just witnessed Syryn viciously beat one of their own without the use of his magic. It was the hammer that reinforced what Artemus had just explained to them about the impact of martial ability in a fight. If they couldn''t even beat Syryn without his magic, what hope did they have against an anti mage?


    "Fetch a healer," Artemus spoke to one of the mages closest to where Onen had hit the wall. A trickle of blood dripped down his chin but the boy hadn''t given up his pride. He continued to fiercely stare at Syryn.


    "I don''t like your eyes." Syryn''s fingers twitched, a motion that Artemus didn''t miss.


    "Enough." A firm squeeze of his shoulder held Syryn down. The scent of ink from behind him filled his lungs and cooled the ember that had alighted. "I don''t want to have to regret my decision Syryn." It was a soft warning against any foolhardy behaviour on the alchemist''s end.


    "Understood," Syryn replied. He went back in position next to Magnus who had his brows raised. Syryn had a feeling that there would be an interrogation when they got back home.


    The rejected mages who had had the carpets pulled from under their feet had decided to wait and watch the 29 other mages fight it out for the final slot. Artemus had them duel for a few minutes each during which he discerned which mage to eliminate. Nearly an hour later, the final decision had been made - a young girl, their 7th fighter stood with them in front of the professor.


    "Training starts tomorrow, a half-hour after classes."


    At the blatant dismissal, the other members left with veiled glances sent Syryn''s way, some curious, some unfriendly. When the Hall had mostly emptied, Syryn approached Artemus.


    "Professor, I''d like to try something on you. Are you willing to experiment?" His voice was soft enough that only Artemus could hear. The professor who had been writing on his parchment stilled and lifted his dark gaze.


    "Wait for me by the gate." He replied after a beat.


    Many minutes later, Magnus, Syryn, and Artemus rode the hound coach to Alka''s apartment. It was as quiet as a graveyard inside the carriage.


    When the bell rang at their arrival, Alka''s soft footfalls sounded before the door was opened. The neutral expression on his face slid away and he immediately looked put off at his older brother''s appearance.


    "Why are you here?"


    Syryn was taken aback by the anger in Alka''s voice. Just what had happened between the brothers in one night?


    "Never mind. I''m going for a walk." Alka huffed and walked out leaving behind two mildly surprised mages. This behaviour was very unlike their closed-off friend. Artemus'' coffin face also gave nothing away so the curious mages could only swallow their questions and speculate in their hearts.


    "Luci, you''re watering the plants again? Such a hard-working boy!" Syryn praised the child who had gone from smiling to wary when Alka had walked out of the house.


    "I''ll watch him." Magnus volunteered with a glance at Syryn. "You.. do your thing."


    Syryn nodded at the fire mage and turned to Lucien, "I''ll get you a sweet candied apple tonight Luci, wait for big brother."


    Syryn then led his professor to Alka''s workroom which he had steadily taken over.


    "Lie down here," he indicated to the couch in the room while going about kindling a flame that would warm up the beautiful cauldron that Rowan had so generously gifted.


    "You''re Rowan''s private supplier." It wasn''t a question. It sounded like Artemus had just deduced that fact from taking in the items on Syryn''s worktable.


    "The one and only," Syryn replied with nothing to hide.


    "Take your shirt off professor." The younger boy washed his hands thoroughly in a basin at the corner of the room. His neatly clipped nails were as clean as the skin on his palms after the wash.


    Hygiene taken care of, he pulled a chair over and sat beside Artemus. The professor was shirtless and ready for Syryn''s examination.


    "I need a few drops of your blood," Syryn informed the patient who looked like a block of ice.


    "You''re a healer as well?"


    The slender fingers that were pressed to the professor''s skin, testing the temperature of it, stopped in their movements. "I''m very familiar with anatomy," he simply replied. Everyone had skeletons in their closets, especially ex-demon Lords.


    Thoughtful consideration slid down over curiosity and Artemus nodded. Syryn took that as permission to prick Artemus with a thin needle of ice. He injected mana into the needle so it would maintain its integrity while absorbing blood from Artemus.


    "Clever." The professor commented.


    "I know." Syryn was shameless like that.


    He pulled the needle away from the professor''s flesh and observed the colouring of the blood. It was a pale red that bordered on pink. Syryn''s glance lightly flickered over to Artemus whose expression remained calm.


    Taking the blood back to his worktable, Syryn thought about how much Artemus had been pushing himself. Was this the resolute willpower of a man fighting the sickness that was paralyzing his life? Or could it be the final flash of a firefly that was determined to burn out before the poison claimed it?


    "Professor, take a nap. I''ll wake you up when I''m ready," he calmly informed the man who already had his eyes closed.


    Syryn pricked his own finger and allowed the bloodied ice to absorb it. The result was underwhelming. While his hands moved, the alchemist recalled the reactions that came with his experiments with this cold poison. Feeding the patient a potion infused with blood from a demon that wasn''t entirely fire attribute resulted in two clear outcomes. One of the two was certain death.


    With the cauldron all warmed up now, Syryn began the first steps to the creation of a decoction that would determine the fate of Artemus.


    Stars were twinkling dreamily in the night sky when Syryn was finally done with his work. "Professor," he gently shook Artemus'' shoulder. Sleepy eyes opened and Artemus looked vulnerable, tired, and a tad bit grumpy at being woken up. It brought a small smile to Syryn''s face.


    He held out a finished potion that glowed orange in the light of the lantern that illuminated the space they shared. "Drink it."


    Wordlessly, Artemus received the phial and took a fortifying breath. One glance at Syryn - who hadn''t bothered to give so much as a word of explanation but simply held out a liquid that could have been poison - and he tipped the liquid into his mouth.


    Immediately, a fire burned deep inside his gut and clawed its way through his frozen veins. Artemus was burning from within and it was so much worse than being frozen alive. Was he dying? he wondered as he lost sense of himself. His very being had narrowed down to a flash of bright pain that tore at his chest.


    And as the professor felt his strength give out, the young alchemist before him did not express a flicker of emotion. With cool scientific detachment, he watched Artemus collapse onto the couch.

 Chapter 33 - Trapped

    Dark lashes fluttered with unease - like their owner was having a bad dream. Lips that had parted in a whisper of breath, the young professor slipped out of the nightmare that had crept upon him.


    His eyes blinked open and the first thing he saw was Syryn dozing off at his work table. It was either very late at night or an unholy hour of the morning, he couldn''t tell. The professor shifted on the couch and sat up very slowly. He found that the chill inhabiting his body had disappeared. It meant that Syryn''s potion was at least partially successful.


    The small sounds of Artemus moving seemed to have roused Syryn as well. The alchemist lazily stretched in his seat and aimed a smile at Artemus.


    "How do you feel professor?"


    "Energised and well-rested," And like an afterthought, Artemus dryly added, "I thought you were trying to kill me."


    With a ''clink'', Syryn placed a warm bowl of nutritious soup on the chair before the professor''s couch. "I won''t begrudge for you coming to that conclusion. I dissociate from my emotions when I''m working - it helps deal with trauma." And it wasn''t really a lie.


    To increase the efficacy of his decoction, Syryn had gone to great lengths circulating his fire magic through his blood. It had left him fending off the tendencies that came from the other half of his lineage. He had to stay completely detached to stave off the desire to cut Artemus open and check if his insides were as pretty as his outside. That would have definitely counted as trauma for both of them, right?


    Thoughtfully nodding, Artemus made eye contact with Syryn like he had something important to say. "We haven''t discussed the details of your fees-"


    Syryn wasn''t willing to take payment from Artemus. He was Alka''s big brother and by extension, Syryn''s goodwill included the young man. "Let''s discuss that after you''re healed completely professor," Syryn cut in with a tone that left no room for debate.


    "This is a temporary solution till you find your fire demon. I''m estimating that the potion''s effects will last until a week so you''ll need to drop by for a top-up every weekend," Syryn professionally instructed the professor.


    Artemus'' eyes were on the neat lines of handwriting pressed into the parchment that Syryn was waving in front of his face. "Buy these ingredients and send them to me as soon as possible. You''re going to have to drink medicine every day professor, and you cannot miss a single dose. Can you manage that?"


    "I can manage it," Artemus replied sounding a tad bit overwhelmed.


    "Good. You''ll also have to rest as much as possible. What else are you involved in apart from training us?" Syryn asked pointedly. He hadn''t expected Artemus to be forthcoming but the man was surprisingly honest.


    "There''s a case I''m helping solve, a spate of murders suspected to involve dark rituals. Aside from that, there are a few other projects that I cannot speak about."


    "I''m going with my firefly theory," Syryn muttered to himself. If Artemus keeled over and died from exhaustion, Syryn would tell him he deserved it.


    "Professor, if you want to die so bad, I could use an extra cadaver to experiment on." Syryn raked his gaze over Artemus like he was measuring out a coffin for him.


    That brought a tiny smile from Artemus, a small curve of his lips that could have gone unnoticed on anyone else. Syryn was captured by it for a second.


    "You should smile more professor." Or not. Artemus was already attractive enough without having to break hearts with his smile, Syryn mused.


    "I''ll take the advice under consideration."


    The anti mage rose from his seat and the change in him was startling even to Syryn. Just like a coat of illusion that had been discarded, Artemus looked stronger, more tangible, sharper in his outline.


    "I have work that awaits," he added by way of explanation, "thank you Syryn for what you''ve done."


    "Sure," Syryn languidly stretched for good measure and escorted Artemus to his coach. When he got close to the hounds, Dani''s ears perked up and he licked a wet stripe up Syryn''s face.


    "Gross," Syryn complained and pushed the hound''s face away from his own.


    "He likes you. I think you mistook his friendliness for aggression." Artemus informed Syryn. With a sharp stab of guilt, he realised that Artemus was right. There had been no malice or killing intent in Dani''s charge and the hound had taken a kick for no good reason. He made a note then to buy some meat for the hound.


    "Syryn," The professor''s tone was businesslike again, "I''m no alchemist but I understand that you had to substitute demon blood with something else similar in property and rarity." His dark eyes were unreadable but Syryn had a sinking feeling that Artemus would be thinking inexorably about what was being sent into his body. "You''ve made it clear that my help is unnecessary but it puts me in a very awkward position to let you supply rare materials."


    Artemus had more to say but his attention was immediately snapped away by a feeling of oppression that crowded against the place they stood.


    "Syryn, get inside the house." He spoke, low and sharp. Ignoring the order, the younger boy stayed rooted to his spot. If something or someone was targeting his patient, he wanted to help. With a firm grip on his arm, the professor pushed Syryn behind him when they heard nearly silent footfalls.


    Unexpectedly, an object bounced on the ground and came rolling to their feet. It was a spherical device that could fit snugly in Syryn''s palms. When he caught sight of the markings on it, the younger boy''s eyes went wide. He reached out to grab the professor but the gold sphere had started vibrating. In a dizzying motion that spun the world around, Syryn was sucked inside the sphere.


    He really regretted grabbing Artemus! The object was a puzzle box and it had sucked them both into its prison.


    When the world around him solidified, Syryn looked about inside the puzzle box and found that they could have done worse. Their prison was on the inside of a glass ball that was surrounded by water on all sides. And just as he wondered why Artemus was staring at him oddly, the man spoke.


    "Who are you?" The was a mixture of shock and something unreadable in Artemus'' stare.


    "What?"


    Artemus hadn''t blinked at all from the moment their eyes met. Oh, Syryn thought. Ooooh.


    Syryn had forgotten what puzzle boxes were capable of. Inside one, illusions and secrets were laid bare. The box revealed the truth of its captive''s soul. This meant that Syryn was now revealed as his true adult self, a reflection of his soul. It was a good thing that he wasn''t originally born a baby with horns and wings!


    "Who am I? I should be asking you that. How did I get stuck inside a puzzle box with you?" Syryn replied calmly. It had taken all but 2 seconds for him to decide to lie.


    The confusion on Artemus'' face would have been comical if they weren''t neck-deep in a life threatening situation. The only way they''d ever make it out was if someone released them by solving the puzzle box. There was no way to break out from the inside. Syryn knew that truth better than anyone else because he had been imprisoned in one before.


    "There was a kid with me. How did you get swapped with him?" Artemus questioned, face set in grim lines. Syryn could see the worry clear as day in the young professor''s eyes.


    "How the hell am I supposed to know? I was minding my own business when I appeared in this."


    His answer only got him a sharp glance from Artemus. Everything about the situation was confusing and wrong to the young professor who was trying to grasp at a logical explanation as to what had happened.


    "This isn''t how puzzle boxes work. I''ve never heard of one that pulled in victims who weren''t in physical contact." Artemus voiced out to himself. His gaze on Syryn was intent and burning, like he wanted to extract the answers from the man.


    "You talk as if you''re privy to the mechanisms of these cursed objects." Syryn dryly delivered.


    Artemus quieted in thought and made no reply to Syryn''s veiled jibe. He turned his back to the alchemist and stared out past the glass.


    This was going to be boring, Syryn thought. His mind floated back to their silent carriage rides and mourned the lack of landscape to look at.


    "Who imprisoned you here, pretty boy?" Syryn asked in a bored tone. He wasn''t sure who the attacker had intended to trap inside here. That was the worst part of it.


    "I''m talking to you, tall brooding man. Didn''t you hear me?"


    "Yes I did and I ignored you fine the first time," Artemus replied cool as a cucumber.


    How annoying! Syryn decided to make the professor''s life miserable while they were stuck inside here. At least it would help pass the time.


    "What''s your name by the way?" Syryn asked.


    When silence answered him, he continued, "So you''re just going to ignore me then?" And because Artemus was Syryn''s patient, one that he was nurturing carefully with his own blood, Syryn did not drop kick him from the back like he wanted to.


    "You know what? I''m really good at face reading. I can tell from your eyebrows that you''re an anti mage."


    Surprisingly, that got Artemus'' attention. Syryn could see his back go stiff. "Am I wrong?"


    Silence.


    "Is it just me or did the glass orb shrink?" Syryn wasn''t sure but it felt like the top of the orb was much closer to the professor''s head than he had originally thought.


    Artemus grimly replied, "it''s shrinking."


    This meant either of two things, someone had found the box and was trying to solve the puzzle, or it was the second possibility that Syryn did not want to think about - their captor was intending to squeeze them to death very slowly. Good news or bad news? Syryn buried his face in his hands and groaned. They were so screwed.

 Chapter 34 - Not Alone

    Syryn had flung himself to the floor because if he was going to get crushed to death, it might as well happen in a comfortable position. It was in this quiet moment of despondence that he noticed a glaring detail, one he had completely missed about himself - the outfit, the horror that he was wearing! He was dressed in a priest''s vestment, the standard fare for someone from the temple of Eos no less. Oh the irony!


    What did this say about Syryn? Was it a reflection of his desire to replace Lillith as Rowan''s source of power in the future? He was momentarily stunned at what was possibly a terrifying revelation about himself.


    "Anti mage -" Syryn was at a loss for words. He had intended to ask Artemus why the man looked just the same as he did outside the box. Did he not have secrets? Desires? Was he so boring? A sense of crisis loomed behind Syryn''s calm facade.


    Brows raised, the anti mage deigned to finally speak to the man who had a stupid look on his face. "Tell me, what were you doing before you appeared in the puzzle box?"


    "Not telling you."


    "If you left a dangerous situation behind, I need to know." Artemus'' reply was sharp and clipped. The fact that Syryn had been exchanged meant that the child was either inside another prison or out somewhere in the world where this stranger had been taken from. Neither of the possibilities were acceptable to the agitated professor.


    Clamming up wasn''t as fun as fucking with Artemus, Syryn decided. "Oh yes, I was in bed with two beauties, ready to die a small death, several times, in fact, through the night. The kid must be having fun."


    And there was a crack in the professor''s impassive mask. Syryn sought to poke at that crack. "Is he a sibling then? You must be distraught about your brother losing his virginity before you."


    Artemus'' obsidian eyes were locked onto Syryn''s face, dangerously flashing, deciding if he wanted to kill the annoying creature that was testing his already weathered patience.


    "Truly, a frigid looking man like you would know nothing about the carnal delights of flesh." Syryn himself had no experience of it. Between obeying his master, killing humans, carrying out experiments and then getting locked away by Rowan, the pitiful demon Lord was just an old virgin maid, and not by his choice.


    Syryn had belonged to Traxdart, a diamond that the Emperor himself had polished to a gleam. The Emperor of demons had taken great pleasure in watching Syryn unfold into a breath taking angel of death, a beauty that was for his eyes alone. His pure and chaste fawn, unsullied, and just perfectly sweet for when Traxdart deemed him ready to be eaten. Except Syryn had gone and gotten captured by Rowan. Years of celibacy followed his haunting of the frozen tower. Could anyone blame Syryn? He didn''t want to stay a virigin this lifetime either.


    "Fuck." The expletive left Syryn''s mouth as he watched the orb shrink further. Whichever idiot was attempting to solve the puzzle needed to get his head out of his ass and stop making mistakes. Syryn refused to entertain the thought of the alternative.


    Artemus felt the glass skim the top of his head as it shrank. To avoid it, he gracefully lowered himself to the floor and closed his eyes - ignoring the way Syryn watched him through a heavy lidded gaze. To have had to face such misfortune the very day he had been given back the lease to his life, who was more pitiful?


    "Anti mage, if we''re going to die, we might as well have some fun." Syryn suggested coyly. It wasn''t his intention for anything to happen - just a little harmless teasing that would provide him the much needed entertainment that Artemus owed him in lieu of medical fees.


    The anti mage had his eyes open now, regarding Syryn with a longsuffering patience. "Do you ever shut up?" He asked mildly.


    Taking full advantage of his gorgeous face, Syryn peered up through his long lashes. "Yes, when there''s something in my mouth keeping it busy, I do."


    The pin drop silence that followed Syryn''s innuendo barely scratched the surface of the embarassment he was feeling. Syryn was chicken shit after having reached this point. He had, however, crossed the line and decided to keep pushing just to see how far he could go with the professor''s patience. And if Artemus decided to beat him up, that would be something to keep his mind from dwelling on their impending deaths.


    "A part of me still believes that there''s a possibility you''re the kid I got pulled in with. I would appreciate it if you held your tongue."


    A thinly veiled threat. Syryn decided to work extra hard to remove that small belief still lodged in his professor''s heart. Artemus had no idea how easy he was making this for Syryn.


    "Hold my tongue against what?" And the smile he sent Artemus was positively dripping with lasciviousness. "Profes-ss your desires!" Syryn quickly covered his near slip up.


    This time, the period between the orb''s movements had shortened. The glass ate up many more inches of space in their ever narrowing prison. The ends of their feet were touching now. With no room to stand, Artemus was resigned to his inevitable fate of getting squashed against the perverted priest who was starting to get a glassy eyed look on his face.


    Panic. Claustrophobia. Observant black eyes assessed Syryn.


    "What are you looking at?" It came out in a growl. Syryn was remembering his last experience being tormented inside a puzzle box. The walls were closing in around him eating up space, air - sucking out the breath from his lungs. There was nowhere to run, no escape to be found. With trembling hands, he smacked his own face with a ferocity that left his cheeks red and stinging. Syryn wasn''t ready to go down a whimpering mess of a coward.


    "If you wish it, I can end this suffering." Artemus offered with solemn composure. How the man remained unruffled even at this point - Syryn would have given an arm for that collectedness. Artemus was offering to kill him quickly; the alchemist morbidly wondered how he would accomplish that.


    "Quick and easy?" He asked.


    "Quick." Not easy, not even for a mage hunter whose blood stained hands carried the resentments of all the rogue mages and sorcerers he had ever hunted down.


    "And leave you alone with my corpse? Who knows what you might do to my beautiful body." Syryn scoffed and even he was mortified at the words that were spilling unbidden from his lips.


    "You are a vain creature." Artemus replied with what could have been a roll of his eyes, the slowest one Syryn had ever seen.


    "Look at me anti mage, look at this," Syryn shoved his face into Artemus'' space till their noses were almost touching. "If I''m not allowed some measure of vanity, then whom?" Syryn could feel his own heart beating rabbit fast, pumping blood through his panic steeped brain. He cursed Traxdart and promised himself complete vengeance if he ever escaped the puzzle box.


    The anti mage placed a hand on Syryn''s chest and gently but firmly pushed him away.


    "You need to breathe." Artemus'' voice was reminiscent of Alka''s calm tones. "Focus on your breathing. I''m going to count to ten - breathe with me." Syryn counted internally with Artemus, taking deep breaths with each number. The scent of ink filled his lungs and Syryn found a measure of calm.


    The glass orb silently changed again. Wide eyed, Syryn braced himself when Artemus was forced to hunch over him in their rapidly decreasing space. The anti mage was positioned awkwardly kneeling between Syryn''s splayed knees, their chests just inches apart.


    "Can," Syryn swallowed, "can you count again?" The panic was surging back to the surface like molten lava, burning his airway and scrambling all coherent thoughts. But at least he wasn''t alone this time.


    Syryn was drowning in an ocean and Artemus was the only bubble of air he could reach out to. The dark eyes boring into his own indigo iris'' reflected a pale face that begged for a lifeline. He hated how desperate and pathetic he appeared.


    And like a sudden forceful tide knocking his feet off balance, Artemus lowered his head and closed the space between their lips. Syryn gasped against the anti mage''s mouth but Artemus tasted smoky and hot, and any thoughts he had of pushing him off were washed away by the fragrance of ink that centred him to the moment - to the feeling of a good kind of breathlessness, and before it could disappear, Syryn was kissing Artemus right back.


    His arms went around the anti mage''s neck, sliding through silky hair, clinging to the solid feel of a warm body pressed up against Syryn''s. The heat that came from Artemus'' mouth was as relentless as the tongue that parted his lips. Right then, a distant part of Syryn''s mind came to two conclusions - One, Artemus, not frigid Artemus, had a mouth that every responsible adult had warned their children about, and two, his potion was working if the increase in body temperature was any indication.


    The sweltering hot kiss lasted only a few seconds more when Artemus pulled away, a sheen of wetness clinging to his lips. Both breathless and affected more than they''d have liked, Artemus let his head hang down against Syryn''s chest. For what it was worth, Syryn''s panic attack had taken a hike to the woods.


    "Thank you." Syryn managed through deep breaths. It was obvious why the anti mage had kissed him. It was but a measure of kindness to comfort him in his last moments.


    Artemus lifted his head and blinked slowly at the breathless Syryn, "You really aren''t Syryn, are you?"


    Oh, the professor''s conscience had reared it''s head. If Artemus was dying, he might as well let him pass on without having to know that he had plundered his dear student''s mouth - Syryn would let him have that much. "Syryn? Is that the name of the kid you''ve been going on about?"


    The glass began to move again and Syryn watched the transparent surface press into Artemus'' back, squeezing the both of them together. Familiar faces - red hair, blonde locks, a lazy smirk and green eyes swam in Syryn''s muddled mind. With a low snarl of frustration, Syryn grabbed a startled Artemus by his collar and mashed their lips together in a painful kiss that was less passion and more desperation, a vent for his feelings. Syryn was not reconciled to this death.

 Chapter 35 - Playing God?

    Syryn''s final thoughts were images of two broken bodies compressed into a soupy red mess; of glistening bones sticking out of torn flesh, and the horror of being absorbed into the puzzle box to become a source of its power. He clung tight to Artemus hoping for it to end quickly when the glass orb began vibrating.


    Two pairs of eyes snapped to attention as their visions swirled and swam like the world was being sucked into a cyclone.


    Before Syryn could fully enjoy the complete and utter relief that went through him like a fresh breath of air, his back hit a hard wooden floor.


    "Syryn, are you hurt?" It was the professor''s voice. He sounded relieved.


    "Professor? How?" Syryn looked around wide-eyed and shocked. His mind was frantically churning out several scenarios to lie about so he could pick the most plausible one to feed Artemus.


    "When the puzzle box pulled us, where did you go?" Artemus asked, his eyes observing Syryn''s every motion and reaction.


    Making a show of trying to remember, Syryn bit his lip and frowned. "I was completely out of it professor. I have a blacked-out memory from the moment we got pulled in. I don''t remember anything but hitting the wooden floor."


    Under ordinary circumstances, tiny amounts of details peppered into lies were more believable but to fool someone like Artemus, Syryn''s best bet was a vague lie that the anti mage could not pick apart. The professor would have his doubts about such a story but it was the best cover to ensure that he wasn''t offering up any facts that could easily be double-checked, and proved wrong.


    Artemus listened, gaze intent. He blinked at the ground considering Syryn''s tale and looked back up at the boy. "If that''s the case then it discredits some of the verified information we have about puzzle boxes," Artemus replied, still watching Syryn. Then turning to Magnus who was seated on the kitchen chair with a sleeping Lucien in his arms, Artemus directed his next question.


    "Tell me everything that transpired on your end."


    It turned out that Magnus had been awakened by Lucien who wanted a glass of water. From the kitchen window, they then spotted a hooded man watching Syryn and Artemus. And when Magnus arrived at the coach, the puzzle box had done its job. The hooded stranger had then taken off at the arrival of the fire mage who was able to grab the puzzle box before the enemy.


    Syryn really doubted Lucien had woken up for water. It was too coincidental. He reckoned that Red had detected suspicious activity.


    "And you''re telling me that you solved it all by yourself?" Artemus glanced at Magnus, unimpressed.


    "Professor," Magnus faked an injured tone, "why would you think I''m not capable of solving it?"


    "You should learn to lie more convincingly," Artemus replied with a bland look at the smiling Syryn. "It takes months of learning the right codes before you can even begin cracking the first layer of this complicated snare. Puzzle boxes are rare artefacts known only to scholars that seek out such information." Once more, the professor directed his gaze to Syryn who hadn''t acted too unfamiliar about puzzle boxes. His evasive answer and lack of questions about the puzzle box stoked the professor''s doubts.


    "And your interests just don''t align with the knowledge you claim to possess," Artemus turned back to Magnus. It was a logical conclusion but both of them knew there was no way to prove it unless Magnus was asked to demonstrate in front of an expert.


    "I never bothered to learn the codes, Magnus." ''Or I''d be calling out your lies'' went unsaid. To the fire mage''s credit, the lazy smirk was pasted on like a second skin. His absolute confidence in the face of the anti mage''s accusation had Syryn applauding in his heart.


    "Shouldn''t you be thanking me for releasing you?"


    The professor nodded to the fire mage. "Whatever the case may be, you have my gratitude for the role you played in our release."


    "Don''t mention it, big bro," Magnus replied, lips twitching ever so slightly.


    "This has been an interesting night," Artemus replied, not bothering to look at either of them. "You can bullshit all you want but I trust you''ll leave Alka out of whatever is happening." And Syryn wanted to snort at that. Alka was the most dangerous of them all. He hoped that Alka would leave him out of whatever else was happening and would happen to the plant mage.


    "Professor, I''m confused about what''s going on. What are you talking about?" Syryn asked with a pure naiveness that curdled the blood in Magnus'' veins.


    Mage and anti mage stared at each other and the silence stretched like taffy. "Get yourself checked out with a healer. There''s no telling what could go wrong with your memories after such an encounter." Despite his suspicions, Artemus was willing to believe Syryn enough for worry to creep in. "I would offer to escort you but something tells me you would refuse." A point that Syryn did not deny. Artemus was unusually chatty tonight it seemed.


    "I''m confiscating this," the anti mage pocketed the puzzle box. "I''ll see you at school Syryn, Magnus." Artemus patted Syryn once on the shoulder before going to check on a sleeping Alka.


    "That sneaky bastard," Syryn laughed out loud after he was completely sure that Artemus had left.


    "When he touched me on the shoulder, there was a small pulse that hit my core. For a second, It would have interrupted any live passive spells feeding off my magic." Syryn informed the fire mage with feelings mixed between admiration and indignation.


    "I have to thank Salem once again for this." Syryn fingered the cool sea orb that he had pulled out from under his shirt.


    "Salem? Since when did the two of you get so chummy?" Magnus asked.


    "Chummy? We''re kissing buddies. Red wake the fuck up. I know you were messing with the puzzle box to torture me!"


    "That''s the thanks I get for releasing you?" One scarlet eye opened up just enough to express disdain. "You''re an idiot for getting caught in it. And lucky that Traxdart''s servants don''t have you captive right now."


    The implications in Red''s words were enough to divert Syryn''s anger. "What? How do you know it''s him?"


    Red simply closed his eyes and snuggled closer to Magnus'' chest so he could fall back asleep.


    "Magnus, I need some time alone with my cute brother." Syryn smiled up at the fire mage.


    "Don''t go starting a fight kids." Magnus dryly answered. And before leaving the room, the fire mage cautioned his friend with a wicked smile. "Artemus has that look in his eyes where something has caught his attention. Be careful Syryn."


    The alchemist grimly watched the departing Magnus, deciding to gnaw on that bone later. Matters of the present demanded his attention and so Syryn turned to the red-headed child. "Red, answer my question."


    "Use your brain Syryn. I spent all those years with him so don''t you think that I would recognise the things that belong to him?" The grumpy boy was cocooned in the light blanket that Magnus had left behind. Lucien''s body, Syryn had noticed, was getting plumper and whiter with the passing days. He was turning into a stuffed bun that needed more exercise.


    "So that crazy woman was right. He really has found us," Syryn replied.


    "And what of it? We''ll fight back. We have many powerful people on our side."


    Syryn was suddenly struck by how Red was changing. But then Red was a devious little shit so this could all be a pretence, Syryn concluded.


    "Do you miss the chaos and the killing?" The alchemist wistfully asked. It had been so much easier giving into his demon''s desires.


    Red observed his demon brother with concern and then replied. "Syryn, and here I thought they had tamed you."


    "Tamed me?!" He retorted with outrage.


    "Yes. You''re a domestic demon."


    And if truer words weren''t spoken, Syryn mused despite the ridiculousness of that phrase. Rowan had tamed him. Regardless, he still wasn''t letting Red disrespect him so.


    "Listen here you little-"


    "The world is too damn peaceful. It''s boring." Red suddenly confessed. "I am tempted to dip my hands in blood and see if it still brings me the same satisfaction."


    And here was a conversation that Syryn had been waiting for. "Maybe you can, once you grow in power." He carefully replied. "There are," a pause, "things out there that do not deserve to remain alive."


    Red smiled at Syryn and it was one of those exchanges between two friends sharing a secret. "Syryn, this is why I keep telling you that no matter how much you pretend, you''re still a demon."


    "You''re completely mistaken Red," Syryn countered. "I''m a human, just- one with dubious morals. There are people out there just as bad as demons, if not worse." He thought about the marks on Lucien when he had first found him. "I don''t care for trash even if they look human."


    Red eyes lit up with laughter that sounded innocent and happy. "You don''t even recognise the heights of your arrogance, do you? Permitting me to kill humans that you deem unfit to remain part of the herd, who made you judge, Syryn? Have you forgotten about all the blood on your own hands? You''re a hypocrite."


    No, Syryn hadn''t forgotten. He wanted to believe that his sins were paid for with the sacrifice of his own life to save the world but that did not erase the suffering he had inflicted on innocent souls. Red was partially right. Partially.


    "Does anyone need permission from another to massacre a group of bandits preying on innocent people? Or slaughtering the pigs that rape and murder children?" And Syryn looked directly into Lucien''s eyes. "Red, don''t you want to kill those people who ruined you? Their money and status have always protected them. Where is the justice for you?"


    Lucien was silent.


    "I have never claimed the seat of judge, Red. It''s a harsh world out there and I''ll do what I have to do to make sure that Luci''s would-be tormentors are dead. I don''t care if they''re demons or humans."


    Red was a bloodthirsty demon, his ways set. And Syryn was keenly aware that as Lucien grew in power, so too would Red. Without having a way to separate the two, the only path temporarily available to him - aside from straight-up imprisoning Lucien - was to contain the bloodthirst and purposefully guide it, giving it a direction away from the light.


    As long as Red was kept on a leash and fed occasionally, Syryn hoped to mitigate the worst of outcomes. It wasn''t a permanent solution or one that he liked, but until they figured out a less violent answer, Syryn''s hands were tied. He could already see the look of disappointment on Rowan''s face.


    Go away Rowan, unless you have a better solution that is, Syryn broadcasted to the dream Rowan who he believed was a spectre out to haunt him. For Luci''s innocence, Syryn desperately wished for an answer.

 Chapter 36 - Training Is Hard

    Syryn had skipped the entire day of classes in lieu of much needed rest after his harrowing night with the professor. He was, however, present early for the evening training hour with the other mages.


    "Sleeping beauty, you''re almost as late as the professor." Magnus indicated to a fresh looking Artemus who was leisurely waltzing in 10 minutes late and clutching a thick sheaf of parchments.


    The professor shone with the vitality of a moonflower that had been watered and loved. Watching the attractive man gracefully glide past him, it was by no effort on Syryn''s part that his mind replayed their very recent, very up close and personal interaction. It hadn''t embarrassed him back then but now that his life wasn''t in danger anymore and the adrenaline was no longer in his system, Syryn''s cheeks gained a dusting of rose.


    "The heck are you blushing for?" Magnus leered at him. Of course he would noticed. Magnus was annoying like that.


    "I''m not blushing. Its the allergies." He refuted righteously.


    "Riiiight," The fire mage grinned.


    Artemus carefully placed his parchments on the table and turned to his students. His eyes lingered on Magnus and Syryn who were on their best behaviour.


    "I hope you''re all well rested," Artemus'' elegant fingers worked to unfasten the twine that bound his papers. "We''ll begin with 30 laps around the Hall without break. If you cheat, I''ll know. Also, you''re not allowed to use magic." He succinctly explained to the mages.


    "Big bro, aren''t you pushing it a little too hard for first day of training?" Magnus'' pitch had skipped several octaves.


    "Yes, and you have less than 2 months until the meet. Your point?" Artemus shot back as he made himself comfortable in a chair. "When the sand runs out, if you still haven''t run 30 laps, you''ll find yourself running 30 more." And then the professor flipped a large hour glass that was already on the table. "Your time starts now."


    The frantic mages began a steady jog lead by Lensa and Corvus at the front. Drake fell into step with Magnus and Syryn while Unri ran alone. And right behind them all was the new addition to their team, Gema - a mousy little thing who seemed perpetually afraid of the world. Nobody would have believed that it was the same girl that kicked the asses of all the other mages with her earth magic.


    "Syryn, I heard that you''re the new potion supplier." Drake''s silver grey eyes regarded him curiously. Lillith''s younger brother did not share her special silvers but his eyes were just as pretty.


    "Yes, and you must be the third prince, Drake Kinstrom" Syryn replied with bland politeness.


    "Yep."


    The mages had concluded 10 laps when a thick blanket of supression settled on their shoulders like a weight had been introduced.


    "Ugh!" Lensa wrinkled her nose at the feeling of Artemus'' anti mage field. It was still light enough that it did not pose any significant challenge to the runners. The field was pure magic supression and it''s effects on the physical body were indirect but similar to mental pressure.


    At their 20th lap, Syryn''s lungs had begun burning. His legs had long turned into dead appendages that functioned solely because their owner refused to stop running.


    "Syryn, you''re not looking too hot." Magnus uselessly commented, amused and still not showing any signs of fatigue.


    Syryn having no energy to spare for words resorted to glaring at the fire mage. Why the hell was Magnus so fit when all he did was laze around all day with Lucien? It wasn''t just him. Lensa, Corvus, Drake, and Unri all appeared to be producing energy for days of running. Syryn and Gema were the only two members running on fumes.


    "I''m - I - fuck off" And it was a sad sound with no bite behind it. Syryn was woefully aware that his young body - without any previous consistent training, just couldn''t keep up with the energetic team mates who had been undergoing rigorous work out. Syryn wasn''t including Magnus in that category though because the shapeshifter had done nothing but eat and sleep.


    "So much for the show yesterday. And here I thought we had two amazing additions to the team." Corvus jogged backwards - facing his team mates who had been running behind him - and directed his light hearted words towards the two runners who looked ready to collapse.


    "You shouldn''t tease Syryn, he''s Artemus'' favourite." Magnus wagged a finger playfully.


    "Oh?" Lensa turned around grinning. "Kid, what''s your secret? Your seniors have been trying to get his attention since he showed up at the gates of school."


    "Don''t raise your hopes up old hag, the professor doesn''t look like the type that dates older women!" Corvus bounced on his feet and jumped away from the splash of hot steam that hissed out of the air.


    "I said no magic." Artemus'' calm voice drifted over from where he was paging through some reports.


    "Syryn, don''t you have some kind of potion to help with your stamina?" The third prince chimed in from behind them.


    If Syryn did have one, it would have been illegal and probably dangerous to use. He breathed deeply and managed to speak without gasping, "no I don''t."


    "How old are you anyway? You look really young. Are you sure you''re up for a fight with the anti mages?" Drake continued to ask while casting another curious look at Syryn. The alchemist was aware of how pathetic he probably appeared to his team mates. He consoled himself with the knowledge that if it came down to a fight, his mana pool and control, not even mentioning the experience he had, would be leagues ahead of all of them, especially his smug fire mage roomate.


    "This shrimp is just 12 years old. He''s also our secret weapon." Magnus grandly announced - which Syryn knew was a purposeful jibe at his exhausted appearance - while pointing at the huffing and puffing child who stumbled and nearly face planted on the floor. The arm that reached out and caught Syryn by his shirt managed to get the boy back on his feet.


    "Thank," He gasped at the amused prince, unable to get the ''s'' out.


    "At least you both have perseverance in spades," Drake chuckled.


    "5 more laps to go newbies, so keep up." Corvus loudly and gleefully declared. It made Syryn wonder why Magnus had even bothered to complain about 30 laps when he could run 50 without breaking a sweat. It probably had something to do with his lazy ass not wanting to make effort, Syryn concluded.


    The entire time that Unri had stayed completely silent, he had also forged ahead of the others. The mage was done with his runs and sat in cold silence. Syryn was beginning to understand why Magnus had nothing to say about Unri.


    After what had to be the second most tiring experience Syryn had had the misfortune of getting ground through since his rebirth, his 30 laps were done and with not a moment to spare. The sand had run out and so had Gema''s energy. The girl collapsed backwards onto the floor and heaved like a dying fish.


    "While these two get some rest, the rest of you run 10 more laps." Artemus informed the team. And without a word, he tripled the pressure on the mages.


    "Uuuugh!" Lensa threw her head back and let out a noise of frustration before pushing her legs forward.


    When the mages came to a stop next to their professor who was also apparently done with his paperwork, Artemus slipped the reports inside a thick envelope and set them aside.


    "Syryn, Gema, rest time is up."


    Artemus then began part two of their training program for the day - sparring under the supressive effects of a heavy anti mage field.


    Lensa was paired with Corvus, Unri with Syryn, Drake and Gema, and Magnus with Artemus.


    "Syryn, Unri, get inside the circle. You''ll have 5 minutes to go all out." Artemus stood with his arms crossed and indicated for the boys to begin. The idea was to see for himself how much magic output the mages were capable of under a strong field.


    "I thought you said he was the teacher''s pet." Lensa told the fire mage standing next to her.


    "He is. That''s why Artemus paired him with Unri."


    Lensa questioned her team mate''s sanity. If Syryn was Artemus'' favourite, why did the professor push him into fire? Unri''s lightning attacks had caused her endless grief and she was of the opinion that no exhausted newbie should have the misfortune of facing him.


    "Eos protect him." She answered.


    "Syryn? You should be praying for Unri." The fire mage smirked with a sense of expectation hanging over his excited eyes.


    Lensa questioned her team mate''s sanity again.


    Syryn and Unri made eye contact across the floor from each other. Not knowing who made the first move, the mages met in a clash of ice and lightning.


    The smell of ozone was the only warning Syryn was given before a fist crackling with electricity appeared in front of his face. The alchemist swiftly ducked and swung a leg across the floor to sweep Unri off his feet but the mage reacted just as fast and leaped away. It appeared that the lightning mage''s magical attacks were sluggish under the effects of the supression.


    With a slash of Syryn''s arm, a mass of pointy ice needles flew in the air towards the lightning mage. Unri let out a burst of concentrated lightning explosions that disintegrated the needles. And when Syryn closed in right behind the needles, his opponent brought his hands together in a loud clap that released multiple spears of lightning crackling through the air towards Syryn.


    Throwing his palm up, a thick shield of ice coalesced in front of the ice mage. It absorbed the attack while barely denting his shield.


    "Shit, the squirt isn''t half bad at all." Lensa had been expecting a one sided beat down but was pleasantly surprised.


    Magnus himself was in awe of Syryn''s control. This was the fire mage''s first time witnessing Syryn use his elemental magic. "I can feel the supression in the air but those two are fighting like there isn''t."


    "Not really," Drake cut in. "We''ve seen what Unri is capable of. This isn''t even half his maximum power output. Artemus'' field is almost as disgusting as Rowan''s."


    "Kind of makes you want to see what Syryn is also fully capable of, don''t you think?" Corvus smiled with a single finger stroking his chin. "We''ve reaped a good junior."


    The lightning mage looked tired from the effort of fighting under such heavy supression. Dredging up mana had become an onerous task. He let out a breath and slashed forward with a palm bearing hot lightning.


    Syryn faked a feint and as expected, Unri came for the attack. The alchemist flung himself to the ground and grappled the lightning mage in a move that had Syryn throwing Unri into the air. When the lightning mage fell back down, Syryn willed a patch of stalagmites to bloom outwards, ready to catch the falling mage in their spiky cold clutches.


    With the reaction speed of a falling cat, Unri cupped his hands and released a ball of lightning that was unlike his other creations. The brightness of the lightning ball hurt to look at. With a loud shattering sound, Syryn''s stalagmites were destroyed.


    "It''s a bit satisfying to see Unri on the defensive side for once." Corvus commented. "He isn''t relying much on his magic though."


    Syryn was aware that Unri was beginning to gather lightning around himself, a coat of sharp electricity that would hurt any attacker stupid enough to get close to the caster.


    The lightning mage was finally starting to get used to the supression. He was easily reaching for more and more of his mana. But then Syryn was also done playing.


    With a single movement of Syryn''s arm, Unri was buried in a coffin of thick ice.


    A giant ball of pure ice had suddenly confronted the stunned spectators. It spoke volumes about Syryn''s ability.


    "That.. Why didn''t he just do that from the start?" Drake blinked at the unmoving figure in the ice. Syryn was able to do this much under a supression and it was an unpleasant shock for the others. The shrimp that had been lagging behind them, gasping for air and looking pathetic - was it still that same mage? They asked themselves.


    "Who knows.." Magnus replied. His friend kept surprising him again and again. The fire mage had a feeling that Syryn hadn''t even revealed half the cards in his hands yet.


    "Well, I guess we know now why he''s the teacher''s pet." Lensa blew out a puff of air and readied herself for an underwhelming fight. A bud of hope was growing in her chest. Maybe King Hill won''t get humiliated so bad this year, maybe Syryn can beat Rowan - and that''s where she ended her wild train of thoughts. Hope was a double edged weapon after all.


    "Release Unri." Artemus raised his brows at Syryn. The lightning mage had been inside the ice for over a minute.


    "I can''t," Syryn sheepishly replied. "Once the ice is out, I can''t melt it."


    Artemus sighed and pulled back his supression. "Lensa, melt the ice."

 Chapter 37 - Bad Days

    "Here''s how you remove the thorns. Try not to get pierced by it or you might find your finger growing into a balloon." Syryn cautioned the redhead who was helping him with the preparations of a thorny Cuscuta plant. It was a holiday as well as a time of bonding with Lucien.


    "Like this?"


    "Yes but don''t hurry so much. You have enough time to get through that pile."


    "Ok, this is fun." Luci smiled up at Syryn and it was as sweet as the cherry-flavoured candies that Magnus often carried around.


    Syryn busied himself with extracting the juice out of a white fruit that gave off a rancid stench. Rotgut - it was called. It smelled like rotting garbage but if one could ignore the offensive odour, rotgut was very beneficial for the treatment of a wide range of respiratory diseases.


    The brothers had been working in harmony and silence when the sound of a door slamming and then laughter reached their ears.


    "Drake, you have no taste in women at all. Linnetia has a pretty face but have you seen how flat she is? Kestra has the most amazing body in the city and that counts more than a slightly above average face!" Syryn could hear Corvus in their hallway expounding on the virtues of womanly figures.


    "Why don''t you just go date an ogre then? Have you seen the size of their-"


    "No!" It almost sounded like a screech. "Magnus, how dare you suggest that Kestra is anything like an ogre?"


    The voices were getting closer to the workroom, disrupting the bubble of peace that surrounded Syryn and Luci.


    "Oh hey, that''s the cutest kid I''ve ever seen." Corvus was at the doorway looking at Lucien with faint surprise on his face. Lucien was adorable. Most people were not immune to his cuteness, including the babysitters and professors at King Hill. Luckily, Lucien''s classes were segregated from the main body of the institution so he remained safe from unnecessary attention.


    "Don''t even think about getting your ogre loving paws on him cause this kid is mine," Magnus hugged Lucien from the back and squeezed the boy, "isn''t that right Luci?"


    Thunk! Syryn brought a heavy knife down on the chopping board with a force that startled all the occupants of the room.


    "We''re busy working here." Syryn silkily told them, a storm brewing in his eyes.


    "Oh God! what is that smell?!" Drake hastily backed away from the work table.


    "Rotgut! Isn''t it? I had to drink that when I ended up sniffing the wrong end of a- never mind." Corvus clammed up when he realised he was giving too much information about an embarrassing situation that his friends could potentially use as ammo.


    "Why are you people here?" Syryn asked irritably.


    "We decided to come to visit you for pointers," Drake answered, silver eyes smiling at the impatient alchemist. "So far, none of us have been able to beat you in a spar. So Corvus and I figured you could teach us a thing or two."


    "Stop that." Syryn raised his knife at Corvus who was busy prodding Lucien''s soft cheek with a curious finger.


    "There''s no shortcut or secret to resisting an anti mage field," Syryn began after Corvus backed away, "but, there is a technique that makes it easier to push back the suppression. Your outward flow of magic has to be released in uniform waves. Erratic mana output only serves to strengthen the enemy''s assault."


    "That doesn''t help me at all," Corvus replied, his shoulders drooping. "I''m terrible at micro-control of my magic."


    "And that''s nothing to be ashamed about. All young mages initially suck at it. When you''re more experienced, you''ll find that you get better at it." Syryn assured the boy.


    "Except you Syryn, you''re just an inexplicable genius, aren''t you?" Drake said quietly.


    "He''s not human," Magnus added.


    A few days later, Syryn was summoned by Lord Peltner. Lucien had apparently gotten into a bullying situation that ended with a broken femur.


    "They called me a dirty orphan, and that nobody wanted me, not even my brothers." The redhead unemotionally narrated in front of the two. "If they''re allowed to break my heart, aren''t I allowed to break their leg?"


    Syryn had screamed internally at Lucien''s logic. He was aware whose words those really were and yet Syryn was more proud than cross. Even Lord Peltner had been shocked into silence by the child''s words.


    "Children are cruel." He sighed and made eye contact with Syryn. "This time, young Lucien was pushed into a corner by them. But It so happens that the child he hurt is the nephew of a prominent nobleman which makes the situation more complicated."


    Turning back to the redhead, Lord Peltner softened his tone. "Lucien, you cannot just break your classmate''s legs. Next time, restrain your strength and leave them with a black eye."


    Syryn turned his neck so fast he almost got whiplash. What was the head magister saying?!


    "Yes sir, I''ll remember that." He obediently replied.


    "That''s a good boy Lucien." A big hand ruffled his red hair.


    When they arrived back at the apartment, Alka was fussing over the ''bullied'' redhead while Syryn narrated the events.


    "He did what?" Magnus grinned as his birthday had come early. "That little shit deserved it."


    Syryn had his arms folded and lips pressed into a thin line. Wasn''t this just encouraging Luci to act with violence?


    "Luci, was it Red who did it? I know you''re not capable of beating someone let alone breaking their bone."


    The redhead refused to rat out the person who had protected him. Wearing a dejected expression, Luci hung his head down and stood in front of Syryn like a wilting sunflower.


    "Really Luci?" Syryn was disappointed. Where did the boy''s loyalty really lie?


    "Luci, I''m asking you a question. Answer me." Syryn knelt and forced the boy to look at him. This was a crisis that Syryn wanted to deal with immediately.


    It didn''t take long for Luci to break. The child''s lips wobbled and he nodded. "I didn''t mean to hide it from you Syryn." The red head''s voice shook like a leaf. Seeing his distress, Syryn pulled Lucien into a fierce hug, relief and satisfaction sweeping through him.


    "I know. I''m sorry I wasn''t there to defend you when those kids said those awful words to you. You''re allowed to break their bones again." Syryn rubbed the child''s back and assured him the only way he knew how to.


    Magnus raised his brows and tutted at Syryn. He did not desire the role of serious elder, the one to instil discipline into the kid, but if the older brother wasn''t doing his job, Magnus had to step in.


    When the day was done, Syryn tiredly slipped into bed early but the universe had conspired to slap him with another problem. The boy was woken up from sleep by a distraught Alka.


    "What? Artemus is injured?" Syryn threw his covers off and sprinted to the workroom forgetting to even wear his slippers.


    When he slammed the workroom door open, the anti mage was seated by the table - a bandage around his neck stained crimson.


    "Alka, go wait in your room please, I''ll take care of this." Syryn calmly instructed his worried friend. With a jerky nod, the green-eyed mage looked at his older brother once more and then turned away.


    Syryn was seated in front of Artemus. Carefully, he unwrapped the bandage and saw that it was just as bad as it appeared. Someone had tried to slit the professor''s throat and had partially succeeded. A terrible cut extended from one side of the neck, then curved and slashed downwards towards the clavicle. Still, Syryn was relieved to find that the carotid artery wasn''t nicked by the cut.


    "What the hell happened?" He hissed at the stoic young man. The wound had started gushing again. Syryn grabbed the nearest hemostatic potion and applied it liberally over the bleeding neck. Mouth set in a tight line, he estimated just how much potion he would need.


    Like all anti mages, Artemus was more resistant to the magic in potions because of his innate Constitution. Healing magic worked even less on his wounds. As powerful as anti mages were, their powers made them more vulnerable than mages.


    "Artemus, what happened?" Syryn glanced up at the anti mage and back down to the cut that was showing signs of decreasing haemorrhage.


    "I had a run in with some crazy mages," Artemus replied quietly.


    "Yes? Go on." Syryn prodded after waiting expectantly for the anti mage to continue.


    "The cult of Love - they were the ones behind those murders I told you about. It was supposed to be a routine infiltration but then some fool had forgotten to inform me that it was banquet night."


    Syryn almost gasped at that. The cult of love wasn''t as loving as their name suggested. An edge of humour was laced in his reply to Artemus.


    "You don''t fancy cannibalism?"


    The anti mage''s pensive gaze turned to Syryn. "I''m surprised you know about that."


    Syryn wasn''t supposed to know. The cult was fairly new and low key enough that the public wasn''t aware of their existence.


    "They started passing around a freshly cut out human heart on a silver platter. Everyone was taking a bite out of it like it was some kind of grotesque fruit." Artemus grimly narrated.


    "Unhygienic." Syryn made a face.


    "That''s your main concern?" Artemus asked, brows raised. Syryn wisely kept his mouth shut and focused on his task.


    A few seconds later, the alchemist opened his mouth again. "Why didn''t you just go to a healer?"


    Finding some sort of humour in it that Syryn did not get, Artemus answered - "I did. You''re an unofficial healer, the best one I know," and it was said so matter-of-factly that Syryn knew it wasn''t meant to come off as flattery.


    The younger boy bit the inside of his cheek and reached out for more medicine. With the health emergency under control, he couldn''t help but think about what he shouldn''t have thought about because after he thought about it, he was made painfully aware of how proximate they were. Syryn''s eyes quickly flitted over to the man''s very symmetrical and well used lips.


    And just like that, his mind began obsessing about it. Flaming cheeks followed the runaway thoughts.


    "Syryn."


    The younger boy''s hand shook and a few drops of the potion were spilt down Artemus''s shirt. Onyx eyes met Syryn''s own with a question swimming in them.


    "I''m making you uncomfortable," Artemus observed.


    "No, I just remembered something important I forgot to do," You.


    A hysterical bubble of laughter was trapped inside his chest. Syryn was his comedian.


    The anti mage was silent after their uncomfortable exchange. Syryn''s paper-thin excuse held no water but Artemus had let it pass without comment, an occurrence that seemed to happen more often than not.


    The younger boy roughly uncorked a bottle of green liquid and tipped it over a clean cotton ball, bouncing off a few drops in his attempt. Just as he was about to press it to the wound, Artemus grabbed his wrist.


    "You''re distracted." The anti mage pinned Syryn with a look, head tilted curiously.


    "What? No, I''m not!" Syryn hotly replied. It was that damn smooch haunting Syryn like a malicious spirit.


    Artemus narrowed his eyes at Syryn in silent contemplation. And without warning, he leaned into Syryn''s space. It was sudden enough that the alchemist froze like a rabbit. The anti mage just stopped short of bumping into Syryn and faintly inhaled near the boy''s neck.


    What the hell? Syryn thought, a hot flush creeping up his cheeks.


    Artemus slowly drew back and blinked down at the shocked alchemist, "I have a good memory for smells."


    Just like Alka, Syryn''s stressed out mind supplied.


    "Why are you telling me this?" Syryn asked. His mouth had gone dry.


    The anti mage then tilted his neck and motioned for Syryn to continue treating him. "Just confirming a guess." He replied lightly.


    He knew.


    Syryn did not rise to the bait as much as he wanted to. Do you think I''m a fool Artemus? You expect me to ask you what you''re confirming? You think I''ll open that door and let you walk in all over me? Syryn thundered in his heart while rubbing the green liquid on the anti mage''s skin. Only a pale silver scar was left when he was done with it.

 Chapter 38 - Friendship Meet

    The Friendship Meet had arrived bright and early in the morning. The boys were awake getting filled just enough with a heavy protein breakfast.


    "Thanks, Alka," Syryn passed his used plate to the green-eyed mage. Artemus had informed them a day ahead about their early morning meeting at King Hill after which the team would move to Green Valley arena as a unit.


    "Luci, if you don''t wear that hat, you''ll suffer burns and a heatstroke." Alka gently chided the boy who was attempting to hide his wide brimmed hat in one of the kitchen drawers.


    "We''ll see you at the arena Alka. Bye Luci," Syryn waved and disappeared through the door.


    At King Hill, Syryn and Magnus met up with their mage buddies who were exuding restless energy. An air of solemnity surrounded the mages and their professor.


    "I called you here early for a brief discussion about the tournament brackets and the anti mages whose names have been released," Artemus slid a thick parchment forward which had the names of seven anti mages listed in order beginning at Rowan Windwalker.


    "The 5 names are not unexpected given that you''ve competed against them before, but as you can see, there are two unfamiliar names." Artemus paused to look at Syryn and Gema who were also King Hill''s unknowns.


    "Abandoning the 6 versus 6 format that has been followed yearly, the organisers have decided to expand the participant slots this year. This is nothing but a cheap strategy to shoehorn an extra mage into the quarter-finals without upsetting the pride of mages everywhere," Artemus bluntly informed them. The anti mages had been getting too confident with their wins while the mages faded further into the background. The tasteless manner in which King Hill was given an unwanted advantage sat like a hot coal in their stomachs.


    Syryn''s companions hid their feelings on the matter with neutral expressions. Only Magnus showed a slight uptick of his lips like he found the situation humorous.


    "Rowan has proved time and again his ability to beat any mage from King Hill. Keeping that in mind, he gets a place in the quarter-finals without having to get through the elimination round." Artemus explained without holding back the truth of every friendship meet that had taken place the past 3 years.


    "To avoid a tediously long tournament, a bye has been given to one of our mages. Syryn, consider yourself lucky. You''re going straight to quarter-finals," Artemus said with a grimace. If Gema was given the bye, he was fairly certain that Syryn would pass the elimination round - ensuring that at least 4 mages, in his conservative estimate, would get through to the quarter-finals.


    "Any questions?" The anti mage raised his head to meet the eyes of his students. Syryn''s gaze landed on the silver scar that Artemus'' collar did a remarkable job of covering.


    Magnus raised his arm, "If I get paired against Rowan, am I allowed to forfeit?"


    The anti mage levelled Magnus with the most unimpressed look Syryn had ever seen on his face.


    "You don''t understand," Magnus complained, "it''s too damn tiring keeping up with him. I''d rather sleep in."


    "And that''s enough of our discussions." Artemus rolled up the parchment and took a long look at the mages he had trained for 2 months. "You''re the strongest batch to ever face Winter Fortress, and I know for a fact that this year will be different. The anti mages will come strong at you but they aren''t expecting the growth that you''ve made in the span of two months. Whatever happens, I''m honoured to have taught you for at least this short period," he paused and nodded at each one of them - "Good luck mages."


    The words of confidence from their reticent professor managed to stoke their fires. The mages had trained under the man long enough to understand his nature; that Artemus did not bullshit around with platitudes and false hopes.


    When they arrived at the arena, Syryn had expected a crowd, but this was frankly ridiculous! There was a never ending line of spectators at the ticket booth, not to mention the throngs of crowds already seated in large groups inside.


    On one side of the arena, Syryn spied a large collective of imposing students in smart black anti mage uniforms. They looked far too serious and stiff for the friendly competition that this was supposed to be. Rowan''s hat trick performances had resulted in the current self assured and proud stance that Winter Fortress had taken.


    Right next to the anti mage crowd was another assembly of students in white and red uniforms. The dignified and gentle way they carried themselves did not endear them to Syryn. Saint''s Moon was a bed of hypocrites as far as Syryn was concerned. Well, not all of them, he thought, but most were. It particularly riled him up that Saint''s Moon liked to cosy it up with Winter Fortress while stepping all over King Hill with sweet words that hid knives.


    "What''s with the grumpy face? You''re mad about something." Magnus looked up from the leaflet he had been reading.


    ''10% off on the first visit of every month! Exclusive offer for students that require a nutritious but delicious meal at the Golden Spoon kitchen!!''


    "Nothing a good fight won''t fix," Syryn replied while dispelling his bad mood. Soon enough, the anti mages would learn that Rowan wasn''t the only genius in town. And that brought a vicious sort of satisfaction to Syryn!


    Elsewhere, the 7 man group of anti mages that had escaped the crowd was settled inside a private room under the arena. A blonde anti mage was lost in thought, hand holding a paper that he was staring at.


    "Rowan, you''ve been too quiet. Even for you, it''s getting creepy." A girl with chocolate brown hair snatched the paper out of his hand and waved it like a fan.


    "Leave him be Rain, the brat is worried about his precious potion supplier." Vincent rolled his eyes at the blonde anti mage. "King Hill better have a good reason for sending the wimpy alchemist to a fight for men."


    The kick he received on his shin had him yelping. "What is wrong with you woman?!"


    "Exactly, this isn''t just a fight for men." Rain flipped her long hair to the side and stuck a tongue out at the golden-eyed anti mage.


    "Maybe- he''s actually a powerful mage." Rowan turned to his friends.


    Vincent guffawed at his friend''s optimism. "Rowan, the brat is barely 13. A genius alchemist who also possesses insane magical powers? Do you know what that sounds like? Wishful thinking."


    "He''s right. It''s already incredible enough that he''s surpassed all the old geezers at nerd things," Rain added with a prim smile. "Where would he get the time to cultivate his magical powers?"


    Rowan nodded slowly and acceded to their logical argument. It worried him more for the kid knowing he might get hurt in the upcoming fight.


    "Vince, tell the others to tone it down if they meet Syryn as an opponent." The blonde told his friend after reclaiming the sheet of paper from Rain.


    "Honestly Rowan, I''m not sure he''ll appreciate you babying him like this," Rain frowned down at him. "From what you''ve told me, he sounds fiercely independent."


    "He won''t have to know," Rowan glanced up at the pretty girl who was hovering near his chair.


    "He''s here for a reason Rowan. Don''t be an ass and ruin his fun." She pulled out a chair and sat on it. swinging her legs up to the only available table, Rain crossed her booted feet over it and turned to Rowan. "You''re not his mother."


    Vincent let out another bout of laughter. "Could have fooled me. You have no idea how much Rowan has been spending on the kid. Even Lillith never got anything more than a book on her birthday."


    Rain''s dark brows shot up to her hairline. "Rowan, you''re not the gifting type. What gives?" Her grin was cheeky.


    Rowan shrugged at his teasing friends, "what can I say? I''m a sucker for his potions. I don''t trust you savages enough not to injure his hands."


    Rain supported her cheek on a palm and fixed her friend with a grin. "Someday I''ll steal a phial from your hoard, mother dragon."


    "Time to leave Rowan, they''re calling us out." A slender boy with a neat appearance spoke to the blonde in a fawning tone, interrupting their closed conversation.


    The blonde nodded and stood up from his seat in a fluid movement. Folding the paper in his hand then tucking it into a pocket, Rowan led the team of anti mages out of the room. He would soon find out why King Hill had sent their genius alchemist to a tournament that valued pure strength.

 Chapter 39 - Syryns Challenge

    On their way out of the private room allocated to the mages, the group was met by the anti mages. Syryn ignored the pointed look that was sent his way, courtesy of a certain tall blonde trying to get his attention. He focused his gaze on the beautiful lady that was escorting the anti mages.


    Her high collared dress was an eye catching - body hugging piece that revealed the kind of curves known to cause fatal damage to the hearts of men. With an interested smile on her face, the lady swept her gaze over the mages and finally she addressed their professor.


    "Artemus, I look forward to seeing the results of your hard work."


    The young professor stood straighter and spoke with a deference that mirrored his body language, "Lord Chancellor, I cannot claim credit for how hard they''ve worked. I only had but to guide their already existing potentials." Syryn thought Artemus was playing down just how much he had exerted himself for the mages. Casting his anti mage field for hours daily almost every day had been no joke, especially for a sick man.


    The Lord Chancellor was Winter Fortress'' equivalent of King Hill''s Head Magister. Her severe black cloak with the anti mage crest, which was draped casually over the shoulders, was the only indication of her affiliation.


    "Is that so? I''ll be glad to see them beat my students if only to knock them down a peg. It''ll be good for both schools," She turned away and began to walk ahead with a final word, "Good luck little mages."


    After the anti mages had put distance between them, Corvus excitedly turned to Magnus. "She just gets hotter every year! Her husband is so freaking lucky right? that body is so lethal! mommy!" The energetic boy pumped his fist in the air for having received the chance to appreciate the Lord Chancellor''s exemplary example of a womanly figure. Magnus pressed a hand to his eyes and groaned from second-hand embarrassment.


    Throwing an arm around Corvus, he tugged the green-haired mage close and whispered in his ear, "By the way, that lady you just said some nice things about, she''s the professor''s mother." Magnus then silently patted the boy who was attempting to wrestle his soul back into his body.


    Stepping out into the arena to the boos from the anti mages refreshed Syryn''s spirits. King Hill''s students were putting up an impressive fight with their cheers but it seemed like the anti mages had more support from the crowd. Syryn could see that Saint''s Moon students were more restrained in their behaviour.


    Future priests, priestesses and healers, their gentle smiles and friendly overtures were reserved for the anti mages. Lillith could be seen seated with her other novice priestess friends, smiling at the words that they were filling her ears with. Their eyes would occasionally drift towards a blonde anti mage seated under the bright tent that housed the Winter Fortress fighters, support staff, and VIPs that included high ranking members from their guild.


    Syryn snorted and followed Artemus to their own tent. The seating arrangement of the crowd was distributed corresponding to the placement of the tents. If a cross was drawn dividing the circular arena into four quadrants, the tents were placed on the east and west ends of the cross where the mages and anti mages were seated facing the centre. The Northern arc was occupied by Saint''s Moon and other invited schools. On the southern arc, ticketed spectators were found.


    The event began with a performance by Saint''s Moon. It was a graceful dance that incorporated the effects of elemental magic on the sinuous dancing bodies of both men and women on the central stage. Syryn thought it too underwhelming for a stage that was about to witness violence. A few words of encouragement were then spoken by the heads of both schools before the fighting began in earnest.


    Round 1 was a matchup between Drake and Vincent. The sturdy elevated stage they fought on had colored gems embedded into the vertical walls; ten gems each on either side that flashed commensurate to the power output of the fighters. It helped the audience visualise the invisible struggle of magic versus the anti mage field.


    Drake lit up 7 gems to Vincent''s 8. Their protracted spar concluded when the bell went off indicating the end of the match. Drake was eliminated but this time, he left the arena with a satisfied smile considering how hard he had pushed Vincent. The boos were no longer loud but it still hurt the King Hill students who wanted first match victory.


    "Your highness, that was a most wonderful display of light magic," Magnus acknowledged his friend''s ability to cleverly use light''s defensive nature which he turned into offence. There weren''t a lot of mages that used it offensively owing to the lack of techniques known to men. Light mages almost always ended up joining Saint''s Moon that had a monopoly over the secrets of this type of magic.


    The other fighters took to battle one by one. At the end of the elimination round, the results were a pleasant surprise to the mages. Magnus, Lensa, and Unri had won their fights leading to an equal number of anti mages and mages in the quarter-finals. Corvus was just as strong as Lensa but he had met with one of the best anti mages only next to Rowan. The green-haired mage had lost his bout with Rain, the cool anti mage girl whose popularity rivalled Lillith''s.


    Quarterfinals came around after a half an hour break that allowed the fighters to recover from their intense battles. During the break, Syryn had gotten wind of the betting pool that overwhelmingly favoured Winter Fortress, and to the dismay of his professor, he sunk in a thousand Crowns - the entirety of the fortune that Rowan had sent him - into the betting pool.


    "You''re that confident?" Artemus curiously asked.


    "Not really. But if I''m gambling, I go all in, professor," the reckless student replied.


    "Your match comes first after the break ends. I''ll be counting on you to set the mood for the matches that follow." Artemus informed him after watching the bag of money disappear behind a desk.


    As soon as the break had ended, Syryn was thrust into the limelight. Disdaining faces wrote away the fight in favour of his opponent, a young anti mage with a clean appearance. For some reason, the boy seemed to have an intense dislike for Syryn and he made it known to the mage.


    "You''re the mage that serves Rowan," The boy began with a mocking sneer.


    Serve?! Syryn did not serve Rowan! It was the idiot anti mage''s precious Rowan that had begged Syryn!


    "You couldn''t get his attention with your potions so you''ve resorted to this. Little alchemist, show me just how pathetic your magic is!" The anti mage shot out his field, lighting up 7 gems. On Syryn''s side, his gems remained as dark as the face of the blonde who had heard the entire conversation.


    When Syryn''s gems refused to light up, boos filled the arena. Even the King Hill mages remained silent at the lack of action from their unknown fighter. Worried and angry, some of them insisted on raising their voices, calling out Syryn''s name encouragingly.


    The surprised alchemist turned to look at the few students that supported him. He couldn''t disappoint them now, could he?


    In a flash, the mage was in front of his shocked opponent. The boy couldn''t react quick enough to Syryn''s sudden attack. A sharp elbow to the chin, a knee shot to his groin and a graceful spinning round kick to the chest sent the anti mage out of the battle stage. Syryn''s unprepared opponent had taken an unexpected flight that landed at the feet of Rowan - a calculated move on the alchemist''s part.


    "Well, shit," Corvus said in a whisper.


    Magnus placed a hand on his mouth to cover the wide grin that threatened to split his face.


    "I guess that''s the shortest match on record," Drake added. "Why do I feel like he''s trying to provoke Rowan?"


    Lensa grinned delightedly at the spectacle. If there was one thing she could get behind, it was pissing off the other two schools.


    According to the rule book - If a fighter exited the stage, it was considered a win for his opponent. Consequently, this match had been all over in a matter of 3 seconds. The magic gems had remained dark and the audience had gone silent, and that lasted all but a second after which the students in purple and gold began to throw stuffed winged lion plushies in the air. This noble animal was King Hill''s crest as well as its school mascot.


    What a show of strength Syryn had displayed to the crowd! A mage beating an anti mage with nothing but his martial strength was a double injury to Wintress Fortress'' pride. Martial prowess was the anti mage''s stock in trade, and to have it used with overwhelming success against their own just added salt to their loss of an injury.


    And when the anti mage had pathetically landed at Rowan''s feet, the blonde boy''s eyes never strayed from Syryn. The alchemist stood above Rowan and stared at him, head held high and a challenge in his eyes.


    Syryn broadcasted arrogance - a declaration stamped all over his cocky attitude on the battle stage. If Winter Fortress did not have a reputation to maintain, or a Lord Chancellor to scare them into submission, the arena would have exploded into a riot - the only apt reaction to Syryn''s disrespect of their Academy.


    The space between Syryn and Rowan was thick with an electric charge that sent the blonde''s heart racing. No one had ever so blatantly disregarded the anti mages and challenged their champion. It should have angered him but he only felt a rush of excitement that pumped inside his chest like a beast.


    His alchemist was unlike any other!


    "No magic," Vincent numbly stated. "Why didn''t he use magic?"


    "It''s more fun this way," Rain replied. "Dorian deserved it for provoking him."


    "Fun? Aren''t you curious about his magic powers? He could just be a martial expert for all we know."


    "Weak alchemist my anti mage arse," another participant grumbled. "Who was it that was complaining about 13-year-old geniuses not having time to train?"


    Rain sucked on her tart iced popsicle and ignored the way Vincent winced. Life was too short to regret the words they had spoken.


    "Calm down, we''ve got Rowan. Sure, Syryn beat Dorian but the kid is new and inexperienced. That''s how he was caught off-guard." She slapped the blonde''s back with a smacking sound that let the listeners know how hard she hit. "I''ll eat plain porridge as breakfast every morning for a year if Syryn even comes close to matching our champion''s martial moves, right Rowan?"

 Chapter 40 - Kisses

    "No!" Magnus groaned in abject suffering when he saw his opponent.


    "If you forfeit the match, you''ll have to start looking for a new roommate," Artemus flatly informed the fire mage. "Don''t keep Rowan waiting."


    Magnus reached the battle stage and smiled sourly at the blonde anti mage, "couldn''t you have picked a different slot?"


    "Not my decision Magnus," Rowan shrugged lightly. "Are we still pretending that you''re not going to cut the match short like you do every other year?" Rowan said the second part low enough for Magnus alone to hear.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about blondie."


    "If you say so," Rowan replied and lit up 8 gems.


    The fire mage felt the suppression and responded with 7 gems. Sorry, Rowan, he regretfully thought to himself, I can''t go all out when they''re watching me.


    After their match, the quarterfinals ended with Unri beating Rain. It had been a very close fight as Unri had grown in leaps and bounds under the combined pressure of Artemus''s power and the threat of his teammate''s ice coffin. It had allowed the mage to break through with a new technique that led to this victory.


    The fighters that were cleared for the semi-finals were ¨C Syryn, Unri, Rowan, and Vincent. Syryn had been hoping to face Rowan as soon as possible but luck did not favour him. His opponent was Vincent.


    Facing each other on the stage, the two fighters had a short conversation amidst the raucous heckling and the cheers that erupted from the crowds when Syryn took to the stage. The alchemist''s purple gold schoolmates had been won over so thoroughly by his kick that they made it known to him in deafening volumes.


    "Syryn, if you think you can pull off another stunt like you did with Dorian, you will find yourself on the back foot. I suggest you use magic." Vincent crossed his arms and narrowed his golden eyes at the kid who looked to the world like he was just taking a stroll. Vincent hadn''t faced an opponent that hadn''t been intimated by his strength - until Syryn.


    "Really? Too bad for me then. I have very little to no magical aptitude," Syryn bravely said it out loud for the world to hear. "That''s why I spend so much time and effort into mastering potions." He added with a sunny smile aimed at the stunned Vincent.


    "I''m- sorry," Vincent''s eyes were round with surprise and sympathy. For a mage to have a low magical aptitude, it was the absolute worst fate in the world!


    "It''s fine. This is why I practise martial combat! Don''t feel sorry for me." Syryn rubbed the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.


    The mages were losing their collective minds inside the tent. No magical aptitude?? Who was it that turned them into ice blocks every day at practice?? Artemus shook his head at the tragedy he knew was about to unfold on stage.


    "Rowan, did I hear right? The mages sent a mage who can''t use magic?"


    The blond anti mage was also confused. It seemed like a good explanation though for why Syryn was so terrifyingly good at everything else.


    "I was right!" Rain crowed happily. "He''s not a powerful mage like you thought."


    "Let''s see," Rowan replied sceptically.


    The two fighters met in the middle of the stage, 5 gems reluctantly alight on the anti mage side. The bell went off and Syryn extended his hand towards Vincent with a bright smile. "Good luck Vincent! May the best fighter win!"


    "Thank you! Good luck to you too Syryn," the anti mage took the friendly hand for a shake.


    Too cold! He realised Syryn''s hand was as cold as a block of ice. His eyes went wide in horror and understanding but it was too late! Under the shocked gazes of the audience, Vincent was turned into a giant ball of ice.


    Gingerly, Syryn toed the ice ball and tipped it off the stage. The frozen anti mage came to a rolling stop in front of Rowan''s placid face. The blond anti mage had to bite the inside of his cheek to hold back any outburst of inappropriate laughter at the expression on Vincent''s face. Rowan slowly let out a controlled breath and looked to his scheming alchemist. Syryn had done it again!


    "He- I can''t believe he played us all like a fiddle!" Rain pointed to the stage, slack-jawed and a tic developing on her eyebrow.


    "8 seconds," Rowan''s eyes were shining with admiration, "that''s all the time he took." This year''s friendship meet was taking unexpectedly thrilling turns. "What devious mages," Rowan murmured as he turned to look at Magnus and Syryn who were bumping fists.


    "Syryn you devil!" Lensa squeezed the boy in a hug that was reminiscent of a boa constrictor''s deadly attack.


    A hard slap to his back then almost bent him in half, "Syryn teach me your ways!"


    "I''ll get killed by my own teammates before that happens," he grumbled back to the green-haired mage.


    Unri''s match against Rowan was as spectacular as Syryn''s match had been shocking. The mage had expended every drop of mana in his body before the bell ended their match. With Rowan still standing strong, it was obvious which fighter was the victor. The mage had however earned the approval of the audience. Unri would receive many invitations for employment at his graduation.


    The final fighters ¨C Syryn and Rowan were announced for their face-off after an extended break. During the said break, Syryn had a visitor in the form of a half-elf alchemist with a black ribbon holding together his shimmering blonde ponytail.


    "Salem," Syryn greeted the alchemist whose necklace had saved him from a curious anti mage''s prodding.


    The blonde alchemist offered Syryn a single yellow blossom. This flower, known as a Hermit''s cup, was notoriously difficult to cultivate owing to its finicky growing requirements that could not easily be replicated. It was the symbol of Mesetre ¨C a male deity of luck and herbal plants.


    "Thank you," Syryn said to the taller alchemist. He would not turn down a token of affection that conveyed the giver''s good wishes.


    "That won''t do Syryn," Salem replied with a tap against his cheek.


    Syryn''s jaw fell open. Salem wasn''t asking for a kiss on the cheek in public, was he?


    "Oh? Guess I won''t be receiving one today then," Salem sighed at the reluctance on Syryn''s face. "Anyway, I just came to wish you luck. Rowan is a tough nut to crack but you''ve proven yourself more than capable of cracking anti mages."


    Perhaps it was the excitement of the tournament or the prospect of facing Rowan that had scrambled his brain. Syryn pulled Salem by his lapels and kissed him right on his lips. Thanks to Artemus, Syryn had found a new fondness and craving for kisses. Why hadn''t he kissed people before? It was a wonderful experience! The tingle of excitement in his belly matched the pleasant feelings of intimacy that kissing gave him.


    "I don''t feel so embarrassed about this anymore," Syryn informed the alchemist who was owlishly staring at him.


    "First time?" Syryn proudly asked, "It''s even better when you use your tongue. I-"


    "Syryn that''s enough," Artemus came to the rescue of the half-elf alchemist who was blinking down at his irresponsible student. He had a feeling Syryn had just taken Salem''s first kiss and that too in a public setting. The rumours would churn soon enough.


    "You''ll have to leave now Salem. Bring me something nice again and I''ll reward you," Syryn roguishly grinned at the taller boy.


    "Ok," Salem slowly replied after coming back to his senses. "Win the match and I''ll get you something even better than the necklace."


    "Wow wow wow," Rain whistled. "Salem and Syryn huh? Not even shy about PDA."


    Rowan had seen the entire exchange. A sense of irritation was lodged in his chest. "He''s my ¨C" no that wasn''t right. Just because Syryn was his alchemist, it didn''t mean that Syryn belonged to him in every sense. Rowan brushed away the useless train of thoughts that followed the annoyance he had felt.


    "Hmmm? Are we jealous?" Rain peered up at the blonde.


    "Maybe," Rowan didn''t deny. "I don''t like sharing."


    Rain stopped in her tracks and yanked Rowan''s arm, "Oi, are you- you know? Interested in men?" It made sense, right? Rowan had never batted an eyelid at the more than friendly overtures extended by Lillith - who was a beauty that even Rain conceded to.


    "What?" Rowan chuckled. "No. I don''t have to be romantically interested in Syryn to want to monopolise his attention. I haven''t even progressed to friendship with him. It makes me bitter that Salem of all people has gotten so much further ahead."


    "Oh. And do you think you''d want to get to the point where you''re exchanging saliva with him?" Rain crudely asked.


    "No, not really," Rowan replied after mulling it over. He really wasn''t thinking that far ahead. Rowan didn''t care for romance and pleasures of the flesh that boys his age were exploring. His priorities were pinned to goals that demanded he grow in strength as soon as possible. Maybe someday he would want to find a partner to share his happiness with, but today wasn''t it.


    "Heh," Rain''s eyes were shining gleefully. It had been a good day to have eyes.


    The sky was losing light quickly and the air was getting nippy. Bright torches lit up the arena unbothered by the wind that blew through the battleground.


    "Syryn, this is it," Magnus gripped his friend''s shoulders. "Remember the discussion we had?"


    Syryn matched the smile that Magnus beamed down at him. There was no pretence of laziness and apathy in the fire mage''s smile.


    "Like I would forget. It''s why I came to Elysium," he huffed.


    "Good. Rowan deserves a real fight!" -one I can''t give him.


    "You know I won''t disappoint"


    He then turned to Artemus, "Professor, I need a favour from you." Syryn put his hand inside the professor''s pocket and dropped an item inside.


    "I uh- if I go a bit crazy up there or start acting weird, use it on me. Forfeit the match even." He told Artemus. The professor frowned and wrapped his fingers around the object in his pocket. "Do I want to know?" Artemus replied with brows raised.


    "Yes. But I won''t tell you!" Syryn merrily informed the anti mage. "Can I get a kiss on the cheek for luck, professor?"


    The young man had kept Syryn''s secret and had so far done nothing to threaten the boy. This made him want to tease the professor just a little bit.


    Artemus'' raised brows looked like they were attempting to just leave his forehead and ascend to the heavens. "You are going to get me fired," he replied with exasperation evident in his tone.


    The moment Syryn stepped onto the battle stage, there was a renewed surge of the current that thrummed between him and Rowan - two fighters unable to restrain their excitement to do battle.


    Cerulean blue eyes were bright with a fire that could have burned a hole through the mage. He was the recipient of Rowan''s attention, all of it like they were in empty space and Rowan was a star whose light shined only on Syryn. Even before the ringing of the bell, Rowan''s anti mage field crashed towards the mage in a wave so thick - it blanketed Syryn and buzzed against the magic that was gathering on the surface of his skin.


    The mage breathed deeply and revelled in the feeling. Just like old times, except younger Rowan''s suppression was weaker. Grown-up Rowan''s field felt like iron bands wrapped around every single inch of his body. Right now, he only felt a sensation akin to moving through molasses. This was no challenge to a Syryn that had been subjected to adult Rowan''s full-blown strength.


    The bell rang and Syryn briefly released his magic. A single gem began to glow. Compared to Rowan''s 10 bright gems that were glowing like the sun, Syryn''s output drew a hush of murmurs from the audience.

 Chapter 41 - Surprises

    Would this be another repeat of the last 3 years? They wondered grimly. Even Rowan had his head tilted in quiet anticipation.


    "Just kidding," the alchemist singsonged.


    Syryn''s gems suddenly brightened up - all 10 of them. Their intensity matched Rowan''s and it elicited a thundering of noises from the stimulated crowd.


    "He really was hiding his true strength," Unri softly vocalised.


    "I don''t know how to feel about this," Lensa added.


    "Magnus, did you know?" Drake asked the fire mage whose eyes were focused on the exchange that was taking place.


    "Maybe."


    "Che! Your replies are always so slippery," Corvus complained.


    "Rowan, I suggest you get your divine staff out," Syryn leisurely allowed his ice magic to gather in a slow circle around him. It led to snowy powder falling around his body in a slow but beautiful shower of white.


    Rowan seemed to think about what Syryn had just said. Divine weapons were used by mage hunters and qualified anti mages. It acted as a funnel through which the anti mage could gather his power and express it into a physical form of attack. Divine weapons were difficult to wield as they required intense focus and power. Unsurprisingly, amongst the students of Winter Fortress, only Rowan was known to own one.


    "Up to you then, anti mage."


    Syryn gathered a huge wave of power that dropped the temperature around the stage to a dangerous level. The chill was Rowan''s second warning after Syryn''s words.


    Hand moving rapidly, Rowan pulled out the short cylinder that was strapped to his hip. Then with a flick of his wrist, it elongated to a long staff in his hand, and not a second too late too because Syryn had released his magic.


    A glacial snake bigger than its caster arose from behind Syryn and rushed towards the anti mage in a whirl of jagged ice. The blonde leapt backwards and swung his divine staff just as the cold snake opened its mouth to swallow him. In a beautiful shower of light, the snake shattered into a thousand pieces of glassy ice.


    And when Rowan had swung his staff against the snake, the gems on his side had flickered faintly allowing the audience to see just how much of his power he had used to destroy Syryn''s attack.


    The playfulness was gone from his bearing. Rowan had realised just how much magic the alchemist was drawing out even against his suppression. No, his anti mage field was almost useless against Syryn. It seemed to Rowan that Syryn was strangely familiar with his power and knew the ways to push back against his suppression.


    Blue eyes flickered and fell shut. Rowan took two even breaths, and when he looked up again, there was no trace of emotion in his face beyond cool focus.


    Lightning fast, the anti mage was above Syryn, staff swinging down like a hammer of judgement. The alchemist only had enough time to layer his crossed arms with thick ice that shattered at Rowan''s attack. He could feel the bone under his flesh crack but Rowan did not stop there. Another swing infused with power fell upon Syryn.


    The mage leapt backwards and out of the battle stage but not without channelling a hill of icy spears from every inch of every available surface on the stage. Two pairs of feet landed below the stage at almost the same time that it was hard to tell who had landed first.


    The judges continued to remain silently watching. This was the signal for both fighters to continue.


    Rowan was like a demon hunting its prey, relentless and unforgiving. His staff swung with a ferocity that sent shockwaves travelling through the air hard enough to cut through rock. And every time Syryn dodged, a deep gouge was left in the soil where the shockwave landed. He couldn''t allow Rowan to get near him at all or he would receive more than a cracked bone!


    The earth beneath Syryn''s feet froze and he sent a thick sheet of ice across the ground that encompassed the arena, freezing everything in its path. And when the ice began to creep closer to Rowan, the blonde anti mage twirled the staff and shot out a bigger shockwave that torqued through the ice in a straight line towards Syryn, blasting everything in its path.


    The mage had long since realised that there was no hope of defeating Rowan with just his ice element. His mana was not going to last a battle of attrition with Rowan. To add to his troubles, the cracked bone was also hurting like a bitch. Syryn had to end the match like 10 minutes ago when his bone still hadn''t cracked. He had wanted to hold his power of darkness as a surprise for the future but the choice was quickly removed from his hands.


    The monstrous blonde was already heading towards him swinging his annoying weapon. Syryn took a breath and waited for Rowan to get close. And as soon as he did, the alchemist stepped back and disappeared from Rowan''s sights.


    Blue eyes went wide before the anti mage rolled away as quickly as the hand that appeared behind him. Rowan was still on the ground breathing hard. If Syryn had been allowed to touch him, he would have turned into a ball of ice like Vincent.


    "How?" he couldn''t help but ask. How had Syryn teleported? Flown?


    Syryn wasn''t about to reveal his secrets. "Look, this bone is cracked, Rowan. You''re not getting your potions anytime soon if this doesn''t heal properly." Syryn waved his injured arm at the blonde whose guilty blue eyes wavered between Syryn''s arm and his face. The anti mage was starting to feel his senses warning him of something dangerous. He grabbed his staff and whirled into a kick that threw him back up on his feet.


    True to the warnings, Rowan realised that Syryn had begun channelling a huge amount of mana. 8 glacial snakes manifested out of the exhausted mage and they came flying towards Rowan with violent fury. The anti mage barely had time to notice the mage collapsing to his feet from mana exhaustion when his icy attackers assailed him.


    Rowan had the realisation that he only had to destroy the snakes and it was enough to win the battle! He rolled, dodged, and smashed apart one snake after the other almost effortlessly. He had, however, used up a lot of stamina channelling his powers through the staff. Syryn was challenging him like no other, not even his own training mentors.


    When Rowan destroyed the last glacial snake, he also noticed that his opponent was no longer where he had last seen him. And that was also when the anti mage had a terrible realisation. It had all been a distraction.


    Syryn''s presence appeared behind him without warning and it felt bitingly cold. It was that same teleportation skill, the one Rowan couldn''t understand. A single thin blade of ice then bit into his skin, piercing the thin layer of flesh between Rowan and his jugular.


    "I really regret asking you to use the staff," the alchemist wearily spoke from behind Rowan. Syryn had the unfair advantage of knowing the anti mage''s fighting styles and moves, and it was the only reason he hadn''t just taken advantage of Rowan like he had done with Vincent.


    Knowing when to quit, Rowan closed his eyes and finally relaxed. Resorting to his staff had been unexpected given that his field had always been enough to suppress the mages. He sat down on the dusty ground to rest his body. The anti mage still had a lot more in him but this was Syryn''s victory. If the mage hadn''t held back his ice, Rowan would have died from a fatal bleeding injury.


    Syryn collapsed next to Rowan with a groan, ignoring how Green Valley exploded into a celebration that sent vibrations through the structure of the arena. The battleground was a mess of upturned soil, melting ice and gouges that left deep impressions.


    Syryn was belatedly reminded of what had happened the last time when he had run out of mana. The sea orb could only help him sustain the illusion like an amplifier as long as its wearer had mana so even that was useless. Syryn slapped his hands to his face and moaned when pain bit through his now broken arm. How was he to hide his face?


    Between exposing his face to strangers and forcing a friendly Rowan, it was an easy decision to make. When a few healers approached the duo, Syryn rolled to Rowan''s side and hid his face in the fabric of the black uniform. He needed a few minutes to gather enough mana.


    "Keep the healers away for 5 minutes!" Syryn hissed at the surprised blonde. No questions asked, Rowan raised his hand and signalled for the healers to stop. Confusion etched on their furrowed brows, they halted and waited at the edges of the ground.

 Chapter 42 - Rowans Troubles

    "Why are you hiding your face?" Rowan''s curious gaze landed on the single pale cheek that was abruptly removed from his sight by a familiar hand that got between his eyes and the prize.


    "No special reason," Syryn''s muffled voice responded.


    "I doubt that," Rowan answered with a chuckle.


    The future was a very long time for Syryn to continue concealing his face; that too from the man who he hoped would once again stay by his side as a friend. Syryn figured he might as well get it over with and let Rowan get used to seeing the real him.


    With that objective in mind, the mage very casually moved away from where his head was pressed up against black uniform. Face now exposed to the night sky whose cloak of darkness protected Syryn from the spectators, he hummed in agreement with Rowan''s words.


    The anti mage had incidentally turned to speak to Syryn when the boy moved away. Rowan''s lips were parted to form words but they failed to appear. And after what had felt like an eternity of being scrutinised, the alchemist heard Rowan nervously clear his throat and speak.


    "So that''s what you really look like," and if Rowan''s voice had a breathless quality to it, Syryn pretended he didn''t notice.


    It was a more favourable response than the one that grown-up Rowan first had at beholding Syryn. The anti mage had appeared taken aback, and then had refused to look at Syryn straight in the eye - but on the occasions he did, it always carried derision. The demon lord had taken massive damage to his ego after Rowan''s disregard of his renowned good looks. It was a disgusting plate of humble pie that was forced down his throat.


    "Am I more beautiful than Lillith?"


    Syryn himself was caught surprised at the words that had just come out of his own mouth. It was meant to stay inside his mind where everything shameful was hidden. What had possessed him to voice out his inner thoughts? Mana exhaustion wasn''t known to cause brain damage but Syryn considered the possibility of it.


    Rowan did not immediately answer him and it gave Syryn a few seconds to stew in annoyance at himself. Perplexed blue eyes then turned to him, searching Syryn''s words for a clue as to why he was asked such a question. Why was Syryn comparing himself to Lillith?


    The two brain cells in Syryn''s head warred each other for dominance. Embarrassment finally won out over bravado, the fruits of which glowed pink on his hot cheeks. Dim as the light was, the anti mage''s eyes did not miss a single detail, especially not the peculiar indigo eyes.


    "Forget I asked," Syryn raised an arm to cover his face and hopefully hide his entire self away but Rowan abruptly caught his arm, the offending arm that was separating Rowan from his alchemist.


    "I can tell you with certainty, Syryn, I''ve never laid eyes on a more beautiful creature," his lips were parted in awe at the twin smudges of pink under bashfully lowered lashes.


    Upon hearing that, Syryn''s heart did an odd lurch and it surprised him. What the hell was that? It was odd, odder than his normal reactions to the gorgeous blonde''s praises. To hear such frankly spoken words from someone like Rowan - whose entire self, from head to toe, was sculpted with perfection - it was high praise that temporarily filled the older Rowan shaped hole in Syryn''s heart.


    The alchemist then reminded himself that a good face changed nothing; Traxdart was still a threat to the world and Rowan would still marry Lillith. A third, neglected brain cell suddenly jumped in asking Syryn why he was so concerned about Rowan''s nuptials - because Lillith will receive all his attention again, Syryn snidely replied to it.


    "I almost have enough mana." On the outside, he remained impassive to Rowan''s words.


    "That''s great," the anti mage smiled as he loosened his grip on Syryn''s arm, "but why are you comparing yourself to Lillith?" And if it wasn''t like Rowan to go straight for the horns. Syryn wasn''t surprised, just mad at himself for letting his emotions get the better of him.


    "Like a wise man once said, I''m a vain creature. And now you know."


    "I don''t believe that," Rowan answered. His upper body was leaning backwards, supported on his elbows. Blue eyes fell to where Syryn''s pale hand was carelessly thrown over Rowan''s sun-kissed arm. Without understanding his motivations, the blonde flipped it gently so their palms were touching. He resisted the urge to slide his fingers between Syryn''s and entwine them with the slender appendages that had enamoured him.


    Syryn who was making a show of not noticing Rowan''s - unexplainable and confusing - sly action, stared gratefully at the silhouette of a man approaching them. He recognised the concerned professor who was treading through the destroyed patches of ground, hands inside his pockets; one of which contained a dart tipped with just a potent enough amount of Dreamless to send Syryn into a coma for a few minutes. He needed a little more mana but Artemus was already in front of him.


    "Magnus informed me you might need this." Artemus held out a snowy white handkerchief to Syryn. "They wouldn''t let him onto the grounds so I had to come in his place." If the young professor was troubled by the confirmation of his suspicions about his student, it didn''t show. Artemus behaved as he would under normal circumstances.


    "Congratulations Syryn, you''ve really upset Winter Fortress." The small smile on the professor''s face was genuine despite his words.


    Syryn received the handkerchief that Artemus was holding out. Pressing it to his nose, he took in the fresh scent that had a hint of the same expensive washing soap that Alka used. It had to belong to Artemus since neither of his housemates used white kerchiefs.


    "Thanks, professor. You''re late though," the mage met Artemus'' eyes and then pointedly glanced at Rowan whose attention was on the white cloth that veiled Syryn''s face.


    Without the need for a verbal reply, Artemus sent Syryn a look. It communicated his dissatisfaction with his student for having gotten caught with his face exposed. First, it was Magnus, then me, and now Rowan; have you not learnt a lesson yet? Where are your safeguards? Do you not have precautions in place? It was terrifying just how much Syryn was able to unpack from that one stern look he received.


    Wilting under Artemus'' stare, Syryn quietly pressed his face into the handkerchief and made himself appear small.


    "This tournament has attracted enough attention towards Syryn that we''re considering a change of residency till the fever dies down," Artemus addressed the blonde anti mage. "Needless to say, I have faith in your discretion about the matters of his- secret." Artemus'' gaze flickered over to Syryn very quickly and back. "Though I still feel the need to impress upon you the importance of keeping this strictly to yourself, Rowan."


    A nod, "I understand. I won''t breathe a word of it to anyone," Rowan replied with solemn composure.


    Syryn had gathered enough mana. He recast an illusion but still kept the handkerchief. There was no way he was returning a dust-coated cloth back to the fastidious Artemus.


    "Professor, I broke my arm," the mage cut into the serious mood that had developed between the anti mages, "but I don''t want the healers to touch me." The alchemist was aware of the astronomical amount of trouble he would find himself in if the healers snooped around his blood.


    "Do you have your kit?"


    "Yes. It''s with Magnus."


    "You trust him."


    Why did it sound like the anti mage was making another important guess? "Less thinking and more helping professor. Can you carry me?" Syryn quite shamelessly asked.


    At his words, Artemus quickly reverted back to a concerned professor, "Are your legs injured?"


    "No, but I''m tired. If I have to walk all the way there, I might faint." Syryn replied.


    The alchemist was unaware of how the blonde anti mage was scrutinising his interaction with Artemus. They did not communicate like a student and a professor.


    Rowan wasn''t quite sure what it was but he had a feeling that there was a strange intimacy in the way Syryn had his arm draped around Artemus. The younger man''s head was pressed against his professor''s strong back, eyes closed from exhaustion.


    "See ya, Rowan," Syryn mumbled. No sooner had Artemus lifted him, the alchemist had felt a blanket of safety and comfort cover him. He was ready to fall asleep on Artemus'' back.


    "I''ll see you soon Syryn," Rowan replied almost too softly for their ears.


    When the professor had carted him a good distance away, Syryn decided that it was a good time to dish out payback for what Artemus had done on the day of his neck injury.


    He took a breath against the delectable skin of Artemus'' neck - right under his ear, "You smell good Artemus, I like it." Keeping in mind Syryn''s injury, the anti mage was very slowly carrying him past the obstacles that the fight with Rowan had created.


    "Should I be concerned about the things my 12-year-old student keeps saying to me?" Artemus replied wryly.


    "Turned 13 a few days ago."


    Artemus chuckled and it was a beautiful sound, deep and rich, "It doesn''t make a difference."


    "Professor, stop pretending. You and I both know I''m old enough for the things we''ve both had thoughts about," Syryn whispered against the gentle arch of Artemus'' ear.


    The anti mage halted in his steps and breathed out audibly.


    "Syryn."


    "Yes?"


    "Another word out of that mouth and I''ll drop you."


    Syryn was discovering just how fun it was to needle Artemus. It was too bad he wouldn''t be training them anymore.


    "Rowan, cheer up. No one could have predicted his weird power," Rain tried to comfort the blonde who looked a little lost.


    "Rowan?" She had never seen the anti mage act like this before.


    "I''m fine," he lifted his head and assured his worried friend.


    Vincent had his arms crossed and was stretched out across three chairs. Nobody really knew what to say to their defeated champion. Rowan had always seemed like an unassailable wall to Winter Fortress; when it broke apart, words seemed inadequate to express their feelings.


    Disappointment, sorrow, anger, frustration and a whole lot of smarting pride reigned over them but not towards Rowan. He was still their idol.


    "I''m hungry, who the fuck stole my meat buns?!" Vincent roared at the anti mages. Rowan made eye contact with the guilty Rain who was subtly crab walking away from view.


    "It was me," Rowan sighed. His tired brain was not ready for the bickering that would erupt between the two if Vincent found out.


    "Rowan, I have it on good authority that I''m an idiot," Vincent grouched ¨C recalling how Syryn had pulled a fast one over him- "but now you''re just insulting me."


    Vincent then squinted at Rowan, "wait, wait, wait! it was Rain, wasn''t it? Only she would have the guts to fight me, and something about your expression tells me you just want to get out of here quietly."


    And there it was, the shrewdness that made Vincent a brilliant anti mage in high pressure-clutch situations. How was he simultaneously so dumb and smart? It was one of the questions that plagued Vincent''s own parents.


    "Right, I''d appreciate it very much if you didn''t start bickering like idiot children." Rowan cut in before Vincent started throwing hands. He wasn''t in a good mood tonight and it had something to do with Syryn, that much Rowan was certain of.


    "Buy me dinner," Vincent finally allowed after taking one look at Rowan''s body language. The blonde was broadcasting unease and irritation, Vincent noted with concern.


    Unusual. Very unusual.


    "Rain, you coming?" Vincent threw out a truce. For Rowan, they''d have to settle his grudges another time.

 Chapter 43 - Stranger In The Moonlight

    Artemus escorted his two students home that night, giving them express instructions not to accept any letters or invitations that weren''t vetted by him. Explaining the myriad reasons Syryn would have made enemies tonight, he warned them from meeting people unfamiliar to them. It all made sense to Syryn so he agreed with the professor.


    After thanking Artemus, Syryn found a red-headed fan latched to him.


    "Luci was worried," Alka explained, and then with a tight hug from the plant mage, "congratulations Syryn, I had no doubts but it still is amazing what you''ve accomplished."


    Syryn was still high on the victory he had won off Rowan. It was the balm that soothed the pain of how pitifully he had been crushed in the past by the anti mage. Cupping his good arm around Luci''s head to fluff his hair, Syryn shrugged at Alka, "And I think that''s the last time I''ll ever catch Rowan by surprise."


    "Sorry Luci, my arm is injured and I can''t pick you up today," Syryn informed the round red eyes that were looking into his soul with the pure admiration and love that could only come from a child.


    "I want to help Syryn," the kid replied with a seriousness that belied his age.


    The amused alchemist held Luci''s hand and lead him to the dining table. "How do you want to help?"


    The redhead bowed his head to think, adopting the same pose that Alka would often make when thinking. Head bowed and a finger curled over his chin, he replied, "I will help feed you, fold clothes, wash your back, and cut the plants ¨C if Syryn wants."


    Magnus who was stuffing his face without care dramatically clutched at his heart. "Luciiii, what about me?"


    The redhead took a good look at Magnus'' uninjured arms and ignored him. Needless to say, the fire mage received -1000 damage to his feelings.


    It was then that the tinkling sound of their doorbell interrupted the cosy conversation they were having. Alka was busy cracking eggs over a saucepan so Syryn volunteered to check who was at the door. Magnus argued against it but the alchemist waved his concerns away telling them it had to be Artemus.


    The alchemist was sure that the visitor was Artemus because he had seen the key that the anti mage had left behind on the kitchen table after a drink of water in the kitchen.


    He made his way past the hallway and reached out to click the latch of the door when Syryn felt the familiar pull in his gut that warned him of something strange afoot. Syryn had always trusted his instincts. Hand hovering over the latch, the mage flipped through a dozen scenarios in his head none of which satisfied him.


    The bell rang again and Syryn''s guts once again reminded him that this was a bad idea.


    "Syryn?" Alka was standing outside the kitchen door where it met the hallway. The alchemist shook his head and gestured for the plant mage to go inside.


    Trust me. Get inside.


    The plant mage obeyed without a word. Syryn was their smartest and strongest mage. Alka trusted that Syryn knew what he was doing.


    The bell rang again and Syryn unlatched the door, ready to defend himself or run if that''s what it came to. Body set in tense lines, he threw open the only thing that separated him from whatever it was that was sending his instincts into a tizzy.


    If anyone would have asked Syryn to guess what was behind that door, he never would have answered correctly because the answer would not appear even in his wildest dreams.


    The man whose presence could even steal the thunder of all the world''s monarchs together in a room stood at his door with a genial tilt of his lips. Pomegranate red eyes with flecks of gold in them narrowed into a smile that lit up the stranger''s heart-achingly desirable face.


    From the arched brows like the wings of a soaring raven to the locks of midnight black hair that fell over his shoulders with languid grace, not a single strand was out of place.


    "Syryn," the same low voice like silk to Syryn''s senses. "Won''t you invite me inside?"


    For a second, Syryn contemplated slamming the door shut and jumping out through the back windows to start a new life as a barmaid somewhere in the next kingdom. Fortunately, common sense prevailed over the fear that reminded him of how powerful this man was.


    Defaulting to flirt mode was the smartest thing that Syryn would do that day, "I don''t invite strangers into my home but you''re so attractive that I''m inclined to invite you into my room," he crooned at the beautiful man while leaning against the door with his arms crossed.


    The stranger angled his head elegantly and chuckled, "aren''t you a bold flirt, young one?"


    It was the story of Syryn''s life ¨C flirting with dangerous older men whose kill counts exceeded the number of hairs that were starting to grow in Syryn''s unmentionable places.


    "It got your attention didn''t it?" He smirked up at Traxdart even as a hundred butterflies went to town in his guts. No one in their right minds had ever dared flirt with the demonic emperor so openly. To hit on him without fear of deadly repercussion - it distinguished only the most brain dead of fools and those that had no idea of who Traxdart was. Syryn sought to convince the demonic emperor that he was the latter.


    The man seemed to consider it for a moment. It was eerily silent in the dark hallway and Syryn''s feet ached from wanting to bolt away.


    "You had my attention since the day you came into this world, child," Traxdart softly answered. The words sent a shiver down Syryn''s spine. This man''s tightly leashed power and cold, ethereal beauty had captivated Syryn when he had first laid eyes on his emperor. Even now, the magnetism that drew him in towards the man was still an ember alight inside Syryn.


    He feigned confusion at the demon''s words. And when Traxdart made to move through the hallway, Syryn panicked for a moment. Without thinking, he reached out and clamped a clammy hand around Traxdart''s arm.


    The demonic emperor froze in his steps. He slowly turned back to Syryn, gaze drifting to where the alchemist was holding onto his arm. A thrill of terror shot through Syryn but he didn''t let go.


    "I apologise. I have forgotten the laws of the world," the emperor quietly informed Syryn. "I saw your impressive fight with the anti mage today. And so I found myself wanting to speak with you, Syryn. Forgive my intrusion."


    Before Syryn could reply, Magnus came out to check on them. He appeared relaxed but Syryn could see the alertness in the fire mage so well disguised under the lazy demeanour.


    "What-" Magnus blurted out and aborted his words. His eyes were fixated on the beautiful stranger whose presence seemed to fill the hallway just by standing there.


    Syryn fearfully looked to the emperor but there was no killing intent coming from the man. He wondered what Traxdart must have been thinking about being stared at by a human as if he was a piece of jewellery.


    Magnus snapped out of his stupor and turned to Syryn, "a friend?"


    "A fan of mine" Syryn answered with a cocky grin. He was a hundred per cent sure that Traxdart was here to take a look at both demon half breeds.


    The emperor was being courteous enough that Syryn wondered if that was the only reason he had come to them for. If Traxdart so desired, he could just cart them both away unhindered by the combined attacks of all mages in the house. He hoped that the man would leave after satisfying his curiosity. After all, Traxdart always preferred to handle his half breed minions with care.


    "Stay for a cup of tea. You''re the first fan to approach me so I''ll sit with you for a while," Syryn told the man while leading him inside.


    The surrealness of the situation finally began to sink in when Syryn watched his housemates laugh at a funny anecdote the demonic emperor was telling them. The emperor himself was in their apartment, quite relaxed on a kitchen chair, and sipping on a cup of honey tea.


    "Oh my god.." he breathed out. And when the doorbell rang again, Syryn reconsidered the window that was closest to them.


    "I''ll get it," Magnus took a look at him and volunteered.


    A minute later, Artemus came striding in with Magnus. His onyx eyes were calm but there was a sharp appraisal in the way he looked at the stranger in their kitchen. Syryn was now certain that Artemus was immune to beauty. How could he not bat an eyelid at Traxdart? The anti mage was abnormal.


    Artemus took the seat right next to Traxdart and made himself comfortable. He was hyper wary of the stranger. Syryn knew this because of how the anti mage had parked himself right next to the man, proximity that Artemus avoided under normal circumstances.


    The demon emperor, an ex-demon lord, an anti mage and a mage seated in a line. It was like the beginning of a bad joke. Syryn contemplated what his night had come to.


    "Who are you?" Artemus opened without preamble.


    "Traxdart," the demonic emperor answered easily.


    Shit! Syryn thought with shock. He hadn''t just expected the man to spit out his real name so carelessly. Red hadn''t appeared - a smart move, really - so Syryn was the only one in the room aware of exactly who this great personage was. Well, not exactly, because Traxdart could not appear on their plane as himself. This was just a pale imitation of the demonic emperor, a puppet where a measure of his consciousness inhabited.


    "I warned my students not to let in strangers but it seems they are incapable of following the most basic of orders for self-preservation," the anti mage spat out a few inflammatory words with a straight face. Immediately, Syryn felt a rock drop in his stomach but his fears were assuaged.


    Traxdart showed no signs of having taken offence. His amber flecked eyes lingered on Syryn and then Lucien without giving away any hints as to what he was planning for them.


    And when he spoke, he seemed amused, "It sounds like I''ve overstayed my welcome."


    Traxdart''s long tapered finger was curled over the handle of his teacup with easy elegance. With a clink, he set it down on the table and swept his gaze one last time over Artemus. And when he turned his eyes to Syryn, the boy understood what Traxdart had sensed - Syryn''s essence inside the anti mage.


    The emperor made no move to spill his secrets. He quietly allowed Syryn to escort him to the door under the heavy gazes of all his housemates.


    "Syryn, you''ve entertained the foolish whims of a lost stranger," Traxdart turned those gorgeous eyes on him and they were friendly. Syryn''s words were lodged in his throat, unable to form meaning. He was overwhelmed by the events of the night.


    "I hope we meet again, soon," Traxdart told the quiet boy. And without waiting for Syryn''s reply, the emperor stepped out into the moonlight and faded like mist.


    The alchemist finally unclenched the knot in his stomach and sighed. It felt like a blade hanging over his neck had been removed. But the night was not done with him yet.


    "Syryn, let''s play a game of who fucked up," he heard the voice of Artemus behind him, "cause one of you fucked up tonight." The anti mage had never sounded more furious. Syryn could not flirt his way out of this.


    "Professor-"


    "Get inside," the words were softly spoken but it cracked like a whip.

 Chapter 44 - Syryns Troubles

    Syryn found himself alone with Artemus in the workroom. The anti mage''s negative emotions were leaking through his impassive barrier and it fascinated the mage.


    "Artemus, before you say anything, allow me to explain myself." Syryn, who was leaning with his head against the workroom door, turned his back to Artemus. With a soft ''click'', they were locked inside the room.


    Eyes on the door, Artemus went taut with a tension that was smothered immediately. Syryn wasn''t a danger to him but it couldn''t be helped that his subconscious still reacted defensively when his conscious self had its guard down.


    "So we''re now on a first-name basis," Artemus replied. All that heat Syryn had heard in his words earlier had dimmed to cool neutrality.


    The mage smiled at the professor, a mischievous grin that lifted the corners of Syryn''s eyes, letting the anti mage see a flash of what his true smile was like. "You don''t like it?"


    "I can call you whatever you want me to, professor, it''s no skin off my back," Syryn took slow measured steps towards the anti mage, backing him up against the work table.


    Artemus rolled his eyes and placed a hand against Syryn''s shoulder, forcing a good amount of distance between them. "Get to the point Syryn. I''m too tired for games tonight."


    "No you''re not," Syryn smoothly pulled a stool out and lowered himself on it. Waiting for Artemus to do the same, the mage watched the older man settle down beside him.


    "So that really good looking fellow you were provoking tonight; I couldn''t have stopped him if he wanted to take my life, let alone take a house tour. I''m not carrying the blame for something that was out of my hands Artemus." Syryn stared at the pattern of the wood grain on his table. Traxdart showing so much interest in them was as terrifying as it was annoying. Syryn had hoped for more time to groom Lucien, and for the both of them to grow in power.


    "I''m sorry, I spoke out of turn," Artemus replied after taking in Syryn''s words.


    The mage was pulled out of his thoughts by the reply. He had been waiting to ask the anti mage a question that had been prodding at him and it seemed like a good opportunity to.


    "Artemus, I know that you were wary of him, that you sensed the cavern of power that hid underneath his affable exterior," Syryn could tell that Artemus was beginning to feel uncomfortable by the line of questioning. Good.


    "So professor, where the hell did your IQ disappear to when you senselessly provoked him? With allusions towards my lack of self-preservation no less, which I think makes you a hypocrite. Enlighten me, Artemus." Syryn tapped a finger against the table and it sounded very loud in the quietness that the anti mage had retreated into.


    An interlude of silence followed Syryn''s question. Artemus finally raised his chin and looked at the ceiling like he was hoping it would fall on his head and just put him out of his misery.


    "I find myself taking leave of my senses when it comes to matters that concern you."


    Syryn wasn''t quite sure what Artemus was getting at so he allowed the man to continue. "The self-control that I pride myself over just falls apart like sand between my fingers. That''s what you do to me," and with a humourless smile, Artemus turned to him. "I''m sorry, I put us all in danger."


    Syryn was suddenly struck by how young the anti mage appeared when he said that. He was only 19 despite everything that the anti mage had achieved and experienced. Artemus was young enough that there was still room for mistakes that came from inexperience in dealing with emotional turmoil. It made him human.


    "He wouldn''t have hurt us... Traxdart wasn''t looking to attract unnecessary attention." Syryn replied, softer now.


    "Am I allowed the knowledge of his identity?" Somewhere along their conversation, Artemus'' tone had shifted. He spoke to Syryn like they stood on even ground, like friends almost.


    Syryn had to pause and think about the information he could reveal to Artemus. Could he trust this anti mage? And how far? Syryn needed more allies to his cause, people that wouldn''t be swayed by the knowledge that Syryn was half-demon. Could he put his faith in this man whose job included hunting and killing those that were considered a danger to humanity?


    Artemus sensed the gravity of Syryn''s silent ruminations and allowed the mage his moment of meditation. He was struck by the understanding that they were at a cusp of a change that would shift the balance of power between them to an even greater extent.


    "I can tell you who he is but for more information, you''ll have to sign a contract of secrecy bound by blood," Syryn replied. It had been a difficult decision to make. The alchemist was staking it on the good feelings that Artemus had towards him. If he could get the anti mage to back him up, it solved an important problem that would arise soon.


    "His identity first," Artemus replied. Then he would consider if the additional information was worth drawing up a contract for.


    "Traxdart, he is the Emperor of the demonic kingdom" Syryn paused, letting the information sink in. The neutral veil that hid the anti mage''s thoughts fluttered off his face and revealed a stunned expression.


    "And I won''t tell you anything else till you sign a contract," Syryn pressed a finger to the professor''s lips. "Nod if you agree."


    "Wise decision Artemus. I''m glad I made this when I did," Syryn dug through his satchel to find a sturdy wooden box that was as long as his arm. His nimble fingers pried the lid open and revealed a rolled-up parchment that was covered in lines and lines of spell work. There were at least a few lethal curses on it that gave the anti mage anxiety.


    "You did this by yourself?" Artemus glanced away from the parchment and towards Syryn, brows lifted in disbelief. From what he could see, this particular set of rune work for binding magic into the contract was a complex masterpiece that revealed its maker''s expertise.


    "Yes, take as much time as you want to read through it." Artemus was amazed at how nonchalant the mage was in the face of his own skills.


    "Who are you really, Syryn?"


    "I''m the guy you made out with inside the puzzle box. Don''t look at me like that, Artemus! I''m old enough to warrant being skilled at a lot of trades," Syryn replied with a burst of laughter.


    It had taken a quarter of an hour for Artemus to read through the simple but effective contract. It bound him from revealing to a third party the secrets that would be imparted to his ears while the contract absorbed their blood. The punishment for even hinting at the secret included a few painful curses that would befall him. And if he went further, a memory loss spell would trigger, rendering him unable to remember anything including the signing of said contract.


    But the most beautiful condition that Artemus appreciated was the one that protected Syryn''s secret from being leaked through the intervention of stronger spells meant to disrupt the contract''s protections. The contract would alert Syryn, giving him the power to execute Artemus with a powerful blood spell. It was a full proof arrangement and the anti mage was in awe of it. He had never had the opportunity to witness a contract of such expertise - a type of binding that was only adopted at a diplomatic level.


    "I''m ready," he placed the parchment down between them. Syryn, who had been waiting for this made a modification to his illusion.


    The anti mage responded with a guardedness that appeared just as suddenly, "why this?" his cautious but appreciative gaze took in the sight of a fully grown Syryn. This time, he was dressed in the black and silver clothing that Rowan had provided to him in the tower.


    "Because I know that there''s still an element of dichotomy surrounding my identity and it''s something you''re struggling with. I need you to see my real persona when we''re signing this contract. This is my primary identity, Artemus, imprint it in your mind." Syryn opened his arms and grandly gestured.


    Syryn allowed the anti mage to absorb his words and the sight of him, all of him. It was unfortunate that an illusion was just that, a mirage that couldn''t be touched. "This is you after a few years," Artemus spoke out loud like he was telling himself that.


    "Hmm," Syryn hummed in agreement. "Maybe longer. I''m not exactly a teenager, you know."


    "I see," the anti mage replied, mind drifting to what a teenage Syryn would look like. "Let''s carry out the contract."


    Syryn placed the parchment between them and handed his companion a blade. Two bloody thumbs pressed themselves to the bottom of the parchment where a set of runes were drawn. The threads of their blood quickly seeped into the paper and the runes drank them in, taking in small amounts. When both parties felt the tug of a connection between them, Syryn knew it was time to speak.


    "I''m a half-demon," he jumped right to it, noticing how Artemus'' eyes went alight with understanding. A missing piece of the puzzle that was Syryn had fallen neatly into place and it filled the anti mage with intense satisfaction.


    "And so is Lucien. I have no animosity towards humanity, as unbelievable as it may sound to you. I cannot reveal a lot about myself but I can tell you this much, I''m trapped in a growing body so it''s not like I''ve been deceiving anyone about my age." The contract was still taking in their blood, keeping the magic alive as Syryn talked. There was no time to waste.


    "Traxdart is plotting to take over this plane and it is my desire to stop him. He came for a visit tonight because he wanted to see Luci and I. The puzzle box we were trapped in was also his handiwork. I need your help Artemus, to hide behind your identity and set in motion the plans that can stop Traxdart before it all goes to hell."


    "If you''re a half-demon, how do I know that you aren''t part of his grand scheme?" Artemus countered.


    "What would I get out of revealing all this information? I understand the lack of trust given the violent track record of my demonic brethren- but I have never given you a reason to suspect my humanity, have I?"


    "No, but you should have seen the way you looked at Traxdart. Convince me that it wasn''t infatuation that I saw in your eyes Syryn." Artemus touched upon the sour spot that Syryn was hiding away from. As much as he hated Traxdart, years of conditioning could not so easily be washed away.


    "That monster saved me from certain death, a sentence that was cast upon me by the same people who are part of the world that I''m now trying to save. I was innocent, a stupid child at the wrong place and the wrong time, and I had to bear the punishment for the crimes of another." Syryn hadn''t intended to lose his bearings but the hurt in his heart was still fresh.


    "After all this time, despite the hatred he has inspired in me, he was the only one that protected me when I had nothing but a wish to die."


    Something in the anti mage shifted and Syryn saw it in his eyes. "I loved him with a fierceness that drove me into doing things I now regret, every day. I can''t feign complete indifference towards him. Still, I want him dead Artemus." The truth that rang in Syryn''s words were like lead weights that persuaded the anti mage.


    Artemus exhaled and held Syryn''s gaze. The revelations from the mage had been startling. When Syryn had suggested the contract, Artemus had wondered at what information could be so incriminating that the boy was forced to resort to a blood bound contract.


    A half-demon child - the missing piece in his deductions that had led him down several wrong conclusions - was what tied together all the information that he had on Syryn. It certainly wasn''t enough to explain away everything but it made the most sense.


    Artemus believed Syryn''s words, and that was the most damning thread for tonight''s revelations. How was he to face the memories of the partner who was killed by the demon that had left Artemus poisoned?

 Chapter 45 - Melancholy

    "There''s a lot more you aren''t telling me."


    Like how you came to be stuck in this body; did you age regress?


    "I am beyond tired professor. How about we continue this tomorrow?" Syryn''s eyes were heavy with sleep. The sharp edges that made him a dangerous enigma lay softened by sleep; by how utterly relaxed he was in the presence of Artemus. In his illusory silver black clothing, Syryn was very fetching and looked like he belonged amongst anti mages.


    "Professor, take me to bed," he pleaded, voice thick with lethargy. Syryn had been running on fumes since the fight against Rowan. The contract work had used up every last drop of energy he had left in his tank. He could no longer sustain even the illusion of his old self.


    "You can''t just carelessly say such things without taking responsibility for how it makes me feel," Artemus half-heartedly grumbled at the mage that was boneless in his arms, head resting on his chest.


    "I take.. responsibility," Syryn answered, much to the anti mage''s amusement.


    Artemus made a beeline to the guest room but was waylaid by a fire mage still wide awake and bushy-tailed.


    "What''s this? A flower thief skulking in my house in the middle of the night?"


    Artemus levelled the mage with a bland look, "I''ll take your flower if you''re so eager."


    "Arty, you should buy me dinner first," Magnus returned with a playful wag of his finger. The younger man''s perceptive eyes then drifted to the picture of peace that was Syryn.


    There was only so much disrespect Artemus could take from his students in one night. It was his fault for engaging in the fire mage''s teasing.


    "Goodnight Magnus," he slammed shut the door to Syryn''s room so he wouldn''t have to look at the annoying smirk that followed him.


    Artemus was in a dilemma. The drowsy mage in his arms was a few breaths away from passing out completely. His state of clothing though, with all the mud from the grounds, persuaded the anti mage against tossing the boy into bed.


    "Syryn, you can''t sleep in these dirty clothes." The thought of getting into bed without a bath and a change of clean clothing was inconceivable to Artemus. He was used to sleeping inside bedrolls with the dust and grime of the road during his missions but this - this desecration of a clean bed was unacceptable.


    "I''ll get Alka to help you change if you''re too tired," Artemus said to the mage who hadn''t responded to his words.


    "Just leave..it. S''okay. Tomorrow will clean bed." Syryn replied when he realised that Artemus was serious about changing his clothes.


    "Syryn, it won''t take much time," Artemus kneeled on the mat by the bed and murmured to his dust encased student.


    The mage blearily opened his eyes and accused the innocent professor, "You just want to take my clothes off, don''t you?"


    Artemus'' tired sigh conveyed a deep seated frustration that went beyond Syryn''s light hearted teasing. "Where are your nightclothes, Syryn? At least get these off," he responded while the Alchemist was still awake enough to respond clearly.


    "I was about to fall asleep Artemus. Couldn''t you pick another time to nag?" Syryn, now mostly awake, matched the professor''s frustrations.


    Giving in to the silent judgement that radiated off the anti mage, Syryn pulled his tunic off and threw it at Artemus. Then with a shimmy, the pants came off next only to be left pooled on the floor next to Syryn''s bed. "Anything else professor?" The sarcasm in his words cut like a knife.


    "A bath, if you''re amenable to the idea," the anti mage pushed a little more while the alchemist was being cooperative.


    Syryn glared at him and then marched off to the bathroom. "Fine. Come with me Artemus. We''ll suffer together," he all but snarled. His arm was slowly healing and the dull pain had receded, but there was a light throb that reminded him of his tender injury.


    Syryn gingerly stepped into the warm bath that Artemus had run for him. Now that he was cosily settled inside clean water, Syryn was glad for the anti mage''s insistence at taking care of the grime he was covered in after the day''s exertions.


    "Don''t fall asleep," the voice from above him chastised without heat. Artemus'' careful fingers were combing through the soapy mess that was Syryn''s hair. The mage pouted and leaned back, getting shampoo suds and water on the anti mage''s collar.


    "Your hands are putting me to sleep," he languidly blinked up at the anti mage. Syryn just couldn''t understand how the man looked this fresh and put together at the end of the day. Artemus had come a long way from the sick professor that Syryn had met, and all that rich creamy skin rivalled the glow of Salem''s elven beauty. There wasn''t even a bit of colour under his eyes anymore.


    "Art, these looks are wasted on you." Syryn lifted a wet hand and ran a finger down the smooth side of the anti mage''s throat where the flesh was softest.


    "You''re probably right."


    Saying so, Artemus gently caught Syryn''s wandering hand and directed it back into the water. It had been a terrible idea to get the mage into a bath. What was he thinking? This wasn''t the first time that his excessively clean habits had gotten him into a tight spot, but this certainly had to be one of the worst.


    Syryn was a canvas of dewy alabaster from his nape, all the way down his delicate shoulder blades where it met the water. The anti mage was filled with visions of the Syryn from the puzzle box; Inches upon inches of slick pearly skin in the same bath.


    "Artemus? Are you on drugs that I don''t know about?" The question appeared out of nowhere.


    "No, why do you ask?" Artemus wasn''t sure what this was about but it didn''t bode well for his already distracted mind.


    "Any eye injury that you haven''t told me about?"


    "Why are you asking?" Artemus responded with a touch of impatience. The questions were grating on his frazzled nerves.


    Syryn closed his eyes and relaxed deeper into the water, a smile playing on his lips, "Your pupils are unbelievably dilated."


    The industrious hands scrubbing his back paused for a beat and Artemus blinked away the annoyance he was feeling at his loss of self discipline. They were almost done but he was in a hurry to leave before Syryn -the master of escalation- pushed them into a pit of regrets. "I''ll wait outside while you finish up,"


    he informed the mage stiffly and walked out like he was being chased by a ghost.


    When Syryn appeared after a short length of time, towel secured around his clean body, the anti mage was by a window - leaning on the sill and looking out into the dark horizon.


    "Artemus, do you regret kissing me, knowing now that I''m a demon?" Syryn chose the words that would hit the anti mage hardest.


    He observed the expression on Artemus'' face but there was nothing that revealed what Syryn had expected to find. Could he be blamed? He had been proven time and again in the past that most humans could not look past his blood regardless of the attraction that existed. Syryn''s good looks were nothing but honey that trapped annoying flies.


    "I should- but I don''t," Artemus replied. It was as honest an answer as Syryn could get, but, it wasn''t the answer he had wanted to hear.


    "I see," Syryn replied in the same neutral vein that Artemus often used. "Thank you, professor. I relieve you from active duty as my attendant."


    The mage slipped out of his towel and climbed into bed, shivering when his skin came into contact with the cold sheets. Pulling the blanket over himself, he turned away from where Artemus stood puzzled - thinking, turning over his words, and wondering what had triggered Syryn.


    The younger boy closed his eyes and waited to hear the sound of his door closing but was rudely startled by a hand that pulled the blanket off him.


    "What the hell Artem-"


    He was beset by determined palms cupping his cheeks, a chaste kiss on his cool mouth, the scent of Artemus, and a heart that jumped started. Syryn melted into the butterfly light kiss that the anti mage had placed on his lips.


    "I''m not doing this again Syryn," Artemus whispered. Brushing a wet strand of hair off the mage''s cheek, he rested his forehead against Syryn''s and sighed, "I''m going to hell."


    The alchemist was still dazed from what had just taken place. There was no way he could get sleep tonight after this beautiful display of whatever it was; Syryn was confused okay.


    "You don''t play fair Artemus. That''s not enough," the alchemist breathed out against warm lips.


    Artemus responded with a soft press of his lips against the edge of Syryn''s mouth, then he murmured in a voice that was dark and tempting, "Syryn when I kiss you next time, it''ll be when your body is all grown and ready for everything else I''ll be doing to you."


    It drew a tiny gasp from the mage. Heat pooled in his gut like molten lava, and Syryn never regretted it more that he was a tiny brat. Was there a spell to make him grow?


    "Stop thinking so much. You''ll need that energy to grow up into the breathtaking man I met in the puzzle box."


    Artemus then slowly pulled away from the bed and withdrew all the ambiguous energy that surrounded them. Things had truly escalated, and even this time, it wasn''t Syryn''s doing. Artemus was an absolute failure to himself.


    The mage exhaled and appeared reluctant but he acceded to the anti mage''s words, knowing that there was a time for everything. "Thank you, Artemus."


    "For taking advantage of you?" the older boy asked with a wry twist of his mouth.


    "No," Syryn replied, warmth blooming in his chest, "for- not caring."


    Artemus'' confusion showed on his face but Syryn made it clear that the conversation had come to an end. "Good night Artemus."


    "And don''t forget your key again," Syryn reminded him.


    "Key?" Artemus tilted his head in thought. "Oh, that''s yours. I''ve asked Alka to explain that to you. Try and get some sleep Syryn, I''ll drop by tomorrow- goodnight."


    Artemus'' exit left Syryn feeling more alone than he ever had. Rowan wasn''t showing up in his dreams anymore and it felt like he had been abandoned.


    As he fell asleep, Syryn grappled with the feelings that Artemus had sowed in his shrivelled up heart. He had been open to flirting and pushing the boundaries of the anti mage to see what curiosity he could satisfy.


    Now - he was knee-deep in uncharted waters, clambering aboard a boat of feelings, and rowing towards an uncertain future. It felt bittersweet. Syryn pressed his face into the pillow and found an inexplicable feeling of betrayal that snuck in like a snake where his warm memories of Rowan lay.


    "Vincent, do you ever think about what it''s like to be in love?"


    "It''s past midnight Rowan," his friend replied, voice bleary with sleep. They were both tired but Rowan was besieged by a restlessness he couldn''t understand.


    "Is this about Lillith?" Vincent rolled over and looked at the anti mage whose bed was against the opposite wall.


    "I wish.."


    It wasn''t right - this melancholy mood that pervaded Rowan''s being. Vincent was worried, and rightly so.


    "Is this about Syryn?"


    The lack of sound from Rowan answered Vincent''s query. Rowan had mentioned something about love but Vincent had missed out on most of what his friend had said. Syryn and love, two words that didn''t belong together, coming out from his friend''s mouth. Unusual.


    "Ro, what''s bothering you?" Vincent tossed in bed unable to sleep now that Rowan had opened a can of worms.


    There was a note of uncertainty in Rowan when he began to speak, "I am to be Eos'' champion, and to join in sacred union with her chosen priestess. It is the path that has been set for me..."


    Rowan''s heart squeezed painfully at the familiar future that he had welcomed once upon a time. He had been so sure of his acceptance of this fate; written down for him when the sign of Eos appeared for Rowan. Now It seemed a grey future, lacking the dazzling starlight that was Syryn.


    Vincent stared at the ceiling wishing for Rain to switch places with him. Something had gone terribly wrong and he wasn''t equipped to handle a Rowan who sounded like a one man funeral march.


    "Ro, do you not want to be Eos'' champion?" he asked, afraid of the answer he would receive.


    "Do I have a choice?" The bitterness in Rowan''s reply choked anything else Vincent had wanted to say.


    Rowan could not explain to Vincent the chill that his heart endured when he thought about his future. There was an echo in him that told Rowan he had a promise to fulfil. He grasped at the emptiness and demanded an answer but it was the same feeling that grew like a tumour inside him. ''Remember, remember Rowan''- it insisted again, and again.


    Remember what? Rowan was losing his mind- the only explanation as to why he was being chased by a sense of fear that something was slipping away from him.

 Chapter 46 - In The Light

    Syryn slept through the loud morning noises and then the empty afternoon quiet. When his body deemed itself ready to release him to the world, the evening''s subdued light was already slipping in through the seams of his closed windows.


    Two probing knocks sounded muffled on his door.


    "Syryn?"


    "I''m awake, come in."


    Alka''s entrance was unobtrusive. As quiet as a cat, the green-eyed mage padded in and sat on the bed next to Syryn.


    "Are you feeling better?" His question was cotton soft. Nothing about the mage was jarring to Syryn''s awakened senses.


    "Much better, I''m really hungry though," Syryn replied, leaning into the feather light brush of Alka''s fingers that combed away the lock of hair across the alchemist''s eye.


    "You don''t intend to cut your hair do you?"


    "No," Syryn replied. It was harder to groom and care for the length of hair that he had been known to keep - but it did not detract Syryn from growing it out again.


    "Rowan came for a visit," Alka told him out of the blue.


    "He did? Did he give a reason for it?" Syryn reluctantly left the comfort of his pillow and asked the mage. Alka smelled heavenly, like herbs and honey, a scent that freshened Syryn''s mind.


    "No, but he''s concerned about your arm. You should go speak to him before he leaves."


    Syryn was headed to the kitchen after some time spent on his hygiene. His mind drifted to the events of the night and how they had permanently changed something inside him.


    Arriving at the door, his entrance to the kitchen went unnoticed by the pensive teenager who seemed lost in his thoughts. Syryn stood there entranced and admired the sight of Rowan bathed in the soft evening light.


    He appeared like a child of Eos - bold golden hair alight in a halo, and an unearthly grace in his posture that was regal even in his relaxed state - he was a blessing that Syryn was allowed to partake of. The mage filled himself with the presence of the boy that would someday save another wretched soul; Not Syryn, not this time.


    "Rowan," Syryn made known his presence in the kitchen.


    Bright blue eyes like a clear summer sky turned to him and threw open the doors of nostalgia that Syryn had kept locked. In the heat of competition, it had been easier to repress memories. But in a quiet place like this, it suddenly felt daunting to be alone with Rowan.


    "How is your arm?" The young man''s gaze drifted to it and back.


    "It doesn''t hurt anymore." A white lie.


    "I brought you something for it."


    Rowan slipped a hand into his pocket and retrieved a small item.


    Syryn could not accept Rowan''s gift. Concentrated lotus dew, considered to be an extremely rare medicine that boosted the health of its drinker, could not be wasted on a broken bone that was healing along nicely. The alchemist slid the tiny jar back to Rowan without a word.


    "It was my fault. This is the least I can do," Rowan pushed it back towards Syryn.


    "Injuries are a norm in combat. Don''t insult me, Rowan." Syryn crossed his arms and bluntly expressed his dissatisfaction.


    The anti mage hadn''t taken into account Syryn''s feelings towards his excessively high-quality gift. He understood that it couldn''t be pushed without risking his budding friendship with the boy.


    "Can you consider this as payment for next month''s potions?" Rowan attempted to bargain.


    Syryn rolled his eyes at the transparent way the anti mage was trying to relieve himself of it. "This is worth more than an entire year''s supply. I''ll take it under the condition that this covers all further payments till the end of the year."


    Rowan acquiesced but he still had a mind to keep adding to Syryn''s collection of gifts.


    "Let me know if I can help in any other way, Syryn," Rowan added with a nod and stood to leave like he was getting late for an appointment.


    "Already leaving?"


    The anti mage appeared surprised that Syryn wanted him to stay. "yes," he replied, "I''m going out on a hunt tonight. Lake sparrow is a long way off so I have to leave before sunset."


    "I''ll come with you." Syryn boldly announced.


    He knew of Rowan''s habits, or at least most of them. Rowan went hunting at night if something was troubling him. Something that could not be resolved and was building up inside - a mass of restless energy he needed to exorcise.


    The anti mage wasn''t expecting Syryn to invite himself to the excursion. He had been looking forward to a release for his frustrations, alone preferably, but he couldn''t deny the alchemist.


    "Are you sure? What about your arm?"


    "I''m quite sure. I''ll get some supplies just in case we run into trouble." Syryn pushed his chair back, mentally cataloguing what was inside his satchel. "Give me a few moments."


    After letting Alka know that he would be away for the night, Syryn left the apartment with an anti mage who was leaving less burdened than he''d arrived. They stopped on their way to buy some food so they wouldn''t have to cook in the forest.


    Syryn suspiciously watched the blonde receive a wrapped hunk of baked glazed pork. It was marinated in a special selection of spices that imparted a mouth-watering flavour to the sweet and spicy pork. This had been one of Syryn''s favourite foods, something nobody was supposed to know in this lifetime.


    "You like pork?" he asked Rowan.


    "Who doesn''t like glazed pork?"


    Rowan was right. Such delicious meat baked with honey and spice, which fool would turn it down? Syryn was just being paranoid.


    At twilight, the young travellers reached sparrow lake. The distinctly bird shaped lake reflected the starry sky on a surface so placid and inviting- Syryn was tempted to dive into the stars.


    "Rowan, what are we hunting?" he asked his companion. The anti mage had come awake, out of the pensiveness that had prevailed through their journey.


    "I wanted to hunt down a forest wolf that has been stealing cattle from the farmers but I''ve changed my mind," Rowan replied. Eyes curious, he turned to Syryn, "what made you decide to come with me?"


    I wanted to be a friend to you. I thought you might need an ear for your troubles. I wanted to spend some time with you. I''ve missed the older you. Syryn smiled faintly, "It sounded exciting so I followed along."


    "The hunt?" Rowan lowered himself to the grassy mat they stood on. Syryn followed the anti mage''s action and slid down next to him.


    "No, about a night trip to the forest," without Alka, his mind supplied.


    The anti mage''s shoulder brushed against Syryn''s reminding him of how close they were seated.


    "Ro-" In the distance, a faint light appeared between the trees, catching their attention. It was a soft yellow glow that pierced the darkness with its light.


    "Should we take a look?" Syryn asked his companion who was already getting up.


    "Yes, I think I know what it is." There was a curve of anticipation on Rowan''s lips. The smile he turned on to Syryn was a flashback to the happy memories they''d shared in the tower.


    Memories of when Rowan came to Syryn bearing news of his successful liberation of a neighbouring town from an army of rebels, of when Rowan had shown him an inheritance from the tombs of his forefathers, of when Syryn had begrudgingly accepted his friendship, when Rowan was finally allowed to touch Syryn''s hair, when Rowan found out Syryn''s - the alchemist stood to follow Rowan while batting away the incessant memories that shot him with despondence.


    "Are you going to tell me what it is?" Syryn chose to talk, a distraction that worked most of the time.


    "And spoil the surprise? No." The answer was cheeky. "This isn''t a biome where I''d normally see it grow but I think that makes it all the more special," Rowan explained while helping Syryn clamber down a rocky outcrop. The anti mage negotiated the climb down with the finesse of a mountain goat that had been climbing for decades. Syryn wasn''t exactly a slouch at it but he sorely lacked the grace with which his companion moved.


    As they arrived closer to the trees, Syryn could finally make out the outlines of lantern buds, hundreds of them. Rowan was right, this wasn''t the right biome for these breathtaking flowers that symbolised Eos'' light. The mage had a strange notion this event was connected to the arrival of Rowan


    They entered the field of light with cautious reverence for the sacred flowers. One by one, the buds bloomed into bright blossoms that gave off an ethereal light. Rowan stood in the midst of it, bathed in a warm glow, eyes closed to the world.


    The sight evoked a feeling so stirringly beautiful, Syryn almost felt like a voyeur - his presence profaning a moment of consecration between the goddess and her child.


    Syryn felt unworthy.


    Before he knew it, the alchemist had taken a step back to hide in the shadows. He did not belong here with Rowan. He had basked in the light, absorbed its goodness, and now it was someone else''s turn. Rowan would grow into the magnificent champion of light that he was born to be, and Syryn would stay in the shadows because that was where he belonged, where the demons hid. He had to be content with it whether he liked it or not.


    Feeling unstable and overwhelmed, the alchemist turned away from the light. What was he thinking? Rowan didn''t need him.


    "Syryn?"


    He dared not reply.


    "Syryn, what are you doing there?" Rowan who stood amongst the lantern blossoms, called out to him sounding bewildered, worried.


    "Syryn," this time more urgent. The anti mage cautiously approached the alchemist who was drowning in a darkness that was blacker than the mere absence of light.


    "What''s wrong?" His voice was gentle. "Why do you look so sad?"


    Syryn hated himself for interrupting Rowan''s time with Eos just by his being there. This was the man who would save the world from his kind. Why was he here? Right, he wanted to help.


    "I''m not sad," he wasn''t convincing at all. Rowan''s perceptive eyes searched Syryn''s carefully crafted mask for an answer.


    "I''m not sad. I was just moved by how beautiful this is," and that bit of honesty in it was enough for the anti mage.


    "It is, isn''t it?" Rowan''s eyes never left Syryn''s face. The joy that the anti mage exuded warmed Syryn just a little bit.


    "I want to see you, Syryn." A brazen request that came out of nowhere. The mage understood what Rowan was asking for.


    "Why?"


    "Because I saw you in darkness, and I''ve thought about what you might look like in the light.. too many times," Rowan replied in a low voice - so quietly like he wanted to hide the words away; a secret that Syryn wasn''t supposed to know.


    Syryn''s mouth snapped shut, swallowing the hard ''no'' he had been about to release.


    "Come into the light." Rowan''s hand was suddenly around Syryn''s wrist, pulling him towards the middle of the field. The mage wanted to resist but he found himself unable to do so. Brightness surrounded him, banishing the shadows that clung to Syryn. And there he stood in the centre of Eos'' garden, the bouquet that she had prepared for comforting her child.


    "Let me see you, Syryn" Rowan repeated with quiet determination to have his way. He didn''t have to try very hard because Syryn had gone stupid from how dazzling the anti mage appeared this close. Without putting much thought into it, he cut off the power to his illusion.


    All of a sudden, It was too quiet. Syryn could hear his heart beating like a maddened drum. He had never felt so naked and exposed before this very moment. Rowan''s luminous blues were fixed on him with a reverence that Syryn could not accept. He was unworthy to be looked upon by Rowan like he held the answer to all of the anti mage''s tribulations.


    "Syryn," Rowan called his name and it sounded like a prayer.


    His mental faculties had evacuated, leaving a chasm that was filling slowly with the sight of Rowan''s solemn expression.


    "I have known you for a lifetime. This is what my heart tells me."

 Chapter 47 - A Promise Unfulfilled

    "I have known you for a lifetime. This is what my heart tells me."


    Syryn''s eyes went wide and the words played inside his head like an echo.


    "What do you mean?" The question was squeezed out in an artificially calm tone.


    "I might sound insane, Syryn, but there''s something so achingly familiar about you and I can''t understand why."


    Rowan was solemn and unembarrassed in his admission. Syryn could say the most explicit things without reservation but this - revealing his innermost thoughts to Rowan was a hurdle that was almost insurmountable.


    "It does sound insane," Syryn replied. What was happening? Was Rowan starting to remember?


    "I am haunted by the thoughts that we were together in another life. Do you feel the same?" The anti mage asked, fearless, despite the vulnerability that was apparent in the tightness of his shoulders. Syryn could crush him with a single word. It would be horrible and cruel, underserved, but the last thing the world needed was a Rowan deviating from his set path.


    "No."


    He could sometimes be dense but he wasn''t an outright idiot. The alchemist could discern a burgeoning affection in the eyes of the anti mage; a warmth that could not be mistaken for friendship. Rowan was so transparent with his feelings that Syryn could not feign ignorance


    And if the anti mage was slowly recovering his memories, Syryn had to kill Rowan''s infatuation in the womb. It was the best decision for the good of the world and a future Rowan who would remember that he had a wife.


    So with that single word which carried the weight of his rejection, he snuffed out the tentative hope in Rowan''s heart. To the anti mage''s credit, there was a fleeting flash of pained disappointment before it was erased away.


    "I apologise," Rowan bowed his head so he wouldn''t have to face Syryn''s cold eyes, "I have burdened you with my expectations."


    The anti mage had never appeared lonelier to Syryn and it broke his heart.


    "Stop.. don''t- don''t make that face Rowan."


    An iron box that was locked away in the deepest recesses of the alchemist''s mind had begun to shake, demanding to be opened. Syryn had locked it away a long time ago for reasons that included Rowan''s marriage.


    "Can''t I be allowed to feel disappointment?" the anti mage replied, gaze briefly flickering to Syryn. Rowan turned his back to Syryn and put some distance between them. Right beside the blonde, there was a lantern bud that still hadn''t bloomed. Reaching out to it, he plucked the bud with a gentle tug.


    This had Syryn wincing at the anti mage''s careless treatment of Eos'' flower.


    Rowan caressed the closed petals of the bud and spent a few moments holding it, letting it rest on his palm while he gave himself the time to feel through Syryn''s unhesitant rejection.


    When he made peace with it, Rowan held the bud out to Syryn, who - taken aback by the offer- looked up into Rowan''s eyes, refusing to take it.


    "A gift to commemorate our first outing together," Rowan informed him. First? How optimistic, Syryn thought. Reluctant, he accepted the flower because it would have been petty not to - as much as he feared Eos'' wrath.


    Neither of the two were ready for the magnificence with which the bud bloomed suddenly in Syryn''s hand. The soft yellow petals had unfurled to reveal an inner throat that was brilliantly alight.


    "Is this normal?" Syryn asked, tone muted.


    "No," Rowan replied, staring at the flower with quiet intensity, "I''ve never seen that happen."


    Syryn felt like the stem was burning in his hand. Him, a demon, touching the sacred flower of a Goddess whose light was the antithesis to the darkness of his kind.


    "I think Eos likes you," the blonde informed him with a smile.


    Syryn was almost shocked into dropping the flower by that horrifying thought. There was no possible way that Eos could feel anything but hatred for his kind.


    "Careless words breed disappointment," Syryn shoved the flower back at Rowan, smacking it against the anti mage''s chest. In doing so, the taller boy caught his hand refused to let it go. It led to a staring match between the two.


    Syryn''s response had struck a chord of frustration in the anti mage. With a little more heat, he demanded some of the truth that Syryn was smothering to death. "What are you so afraid of?!"


    Neither of the two were paying enough attention to the blossom to notice how it''s light pulsed in the centre of their tangled fingers.


    "I''m afraid of you misunderstanding my good will for something else," Syryn snapped and it stung the anti mage. "What do you think you''re doing Rowan? Your feelings are so plain on your face even a child could see through you. Aren''t you to be Eos'' hero?" The world needs you to be the saviour again. To join in union with Lillith so that her powers will amplify yours, and you can be the dashing golden boy who cuts through demons like a hot knife through butter.


    "You''re very cruel, Syryn." Rowan softly replied, shoulders slumped in defeat.


    Yes, he was cruel, but Rowan would thank him for it later. Syryn could not allow himself to give in and pretend that he hadn''t died once already. If Traxdart was allowed to run unchecked and rampant, Syryn might have to die again. It was a fate he hoped to avoid this time. Rowan had to be in top form to face the mad emperor.


    "And what of it?" Syryn asked, colder than he had intended to sound.


    "I don''t know," Rowan ran a hand through his gold hair. "You''ve turned my world upside down and you have no idea."


    Rowan would have continued his life, content with letting fate take him wherever it wanted to. He was satisfied with drifting towards the future that was painted for him - with some unknown priestess who would have his heart and body. But Syryn had come out of nowhere like a storm and upset the threads of the events that were carefully laid out for Rowan to follow. Now he had his own selfish hopes, clear goals, desires ¨C and all of it tied to Syryn.


    "What do you really want from me Rowan? Why are you telling me these things?" The iron box was struggling mightily. Syryn swore at it and demanded it stay closed.


    The anti mage took a step forward and came to stand before Syryn. "I had hoped for an outcome that would satisfy the questions that my heart seeks, that you''d tell me the truth. I know you''re lying Syryn, but if that''s what you want then I will pretend that it''s the truth."


    In the face of Rowan''s kindness, the alchemist wavered, wishing he could close the distance between them and make it okay. Rowan was hurting, and right now, Syryn was sure that his old friend was in there somewhere.


    "I- " the chains on the iron box snapped under the force of blue eyes that had no right to look so crushed. "You are right. I lied."


    "About?" Rowan immediately replied, leaning forward into Syryn''s space - so close he could make out the individual points where Rowan''s lashes began. Why couldn''t Rowan just lick his wounds and fuck off? Syryn''s internal voice snarled.


    "Does it matter?"


    "Yes."


    Syryn couldn''t do it.


    "Do you want me to say that I''ve always known just how you liked your potions? Or that your fighting style was familiar to me? Or that I know how soft you are under that brutal anti mage strength you like to show off? That I came here with you because I saw that you were upset? Cause none of that is true!" Syryn began a rant that shut his friend''s mouth.


    "None of it! Take your stupid flower and shove it where the sun doesn''t shine. Fucking stupid anti mages who don''t know when to shut up! You''ve ruined everything!"


    Syryn looked into the iron box and he was met with a seed that had been hastily buried away before it could germinate. Rowan had been and was still off limits. Now that the impossible had happened, the alchemist was compelled to confront his buried feelings. Denial was no longer an armor he could wear.


    "Ruined what?" Rowan demanded. "Can you stop speaking in riddles??" Syryn cared about him. Rowan held that admission close to his heart but refrained from asking about it to the volatile mage.


    "No, I can''t you annoying blonde brick. If you can''t remember for yourself then I can''t tell you."


    "Why?"


    "Because.." there was no reason he couldn''t tell Rowan. "You will remember it yourself." Syryn did not have the courage to explain the sequence of events that began with his metamorphosis into a savage demon lord.


    "What if it doesn''t happen?" Rowan asked, impatience sharp in every word he spoke. The headache inducing voice he had been hearing wasn''t just him going stir crazy. Syryn''s answers alluded to something, a connection between them that Rowan could not remember. He was reminded again that he had a promise to fulfil but to whom? Was it Syryn?


    "It will." Red had remembered, and Rowan was partially recalling. What did it all mean? Would everyone remember?


    "Then answer this much, what was the nature of our relationship?"


    Syryn''s heart ached for Rowan. The world was unfair. He was only a tool and a side character in Rowan''s epic. Maybe he had recieved a second chance at life so he could prepare Rowan for the appointed time. The alchemist braced himself for the heartbreak he would endure for the sake of their future.

 Chapter 48 - Punishment

    "Enemies that turned into friendly acquaintances."


    A scenario so far apart from the expectations that the anti mage held.


    "Enemies? that''s impossible. I could never in any lifetime not want to befriend you."


    But that''s exactly what had happened, Syryn wanted to reply - you forced a reluctant demon lord to accept your friendship and now we''re stuck in a paradox.


    "But this is good. I''m not crazy after all." The anti mage turned to Syryn looking radiant. "There must be a reason why this is happening. I recall that it was only after meeting you that I began feeling and hearing things. Has there been anyone else going through the same?"


    Syryn thought about how Red appeared when he had interacted with Lucien''s core. Was he the trigger for their awakenings?


    "One, there''s one more person apart from you," Syryn replied. "I cannot tell you who it is."


    Rowan nodded in understanding. "What else can you tell me then?" In a graceful motion, the anti mage sat between the luminous blossoms. Syryn lowered himself to join Rowan when the latter looked at him expectantly. He was however more careful about crushing any part of the pretty flowers that were slowly swaying in the breeze.


    "You grew your hair out and I loved it." The anti mage smiled at the nugget of information he had grasped.


    "What?" Syryn turned to his companion with lifted brows. Out of all the important plot points in their tragic world-ending story, and this was what Rowan chose to remember?


    "Am I right?" The blonde had his head tilted, chin on his hand.


    "How- how am I supposed to know? You never mentioned it to me!" Syryn blustered. He was aware that Rowan liked his hair but the blonde had never made mention of it.


    "I never did? Why wouldn''t I?" Rowan''s gaze drifted to the brown earth beneath their folded legs. It allowed Syryn to stare at the deep features on the anti mage''s face that would open up in his adulthood. Nothing about Rowan was average, especially not his enviable bone structure.


    "Anyway, this is a repeat of our lives. You have to get strong fast Rowan. There is a danger out there; a disaster that will end humanity if it isn''t stopped."


    Rowan''s gaze snapped up to meet Syryn''s, eyes sharp and brows furrowing. "And I''m supposed to stop this disaster?" The doubt was clear on the anti mage''s face. Rowan had no idea what a powerhouse he would become in the future. It humbled Syryn to see the young Rowan so unaware of his own limitless potential.


    "Only if you want to," it wouldn''t do to pressure him with the fate of the world. At 16, no one was old enough to be told he would be battling a demonic emperor in the future.


    "What about you Syryn? What''s your role in this?" The anti mage was hovering on a fence between belief and disbelief. The alchemist was telling him a strange story but it made sense when he put it together with the craziness occupying his mind.


    "My role?" To kill myself again if we fail. Syryn was willing to die a hundred times if it meant that Rowan could live on in a world free from Traxdart''s influence. "To help in any way that I can."


    The observant anti mage did not miss the brief appearance of despondence that clouded Syryn''s face. It irked him when the alchemist kept hiding information from him. Rowan still wasn''t sure if he would regain the motes of memories that floated in and out of his consciousness and dreams like dust he could not catch. What was Syryn hiding? He needed to know. The sense of loss in his heart intensified and Rowan knew that something important to him was at stake.


    "You say I have to save the world? Promise me that you''ll stay by my side." Rowan slipped his hand into Syryn''s and held it tight.


    Panic creeping into Syryn''s wide eyes, he tried to pull away but Rowan wasn''t letting him go. "Promise me Syryn."


    "You''re being selfish," the alchemist replied after he stopped struggling. Hand clasped in Rowan''s like a dead fish, Syryn watched his future implode from the complicated tangle that his relationships were turning into.


    "Why can''t I be selfish? I want you. The world needs saving but if you aren''t in it, then it matters no more, Ryn." Rowan stated with clarity so sharp, it startled them both.


    Syryn stared at Rowan in shock. The anti mage looked non-plussed at the words that had come out of his own mouth.


    "Why did you call me Ryn?"


    Rowan''s hand moved to his own chest. Fingers gripping the black uniform, he squeezed the cloth into a creased knot. There was a realisation that Rowan had come to. Cerulean eyes pinned Syryn with a stare that bled violence.


    "I think we should leave."


    "No," Syryn replied in a tone that demanded he be answered. "Why did you call me Ryn?!" He wanted Rowan to remember everything and go back to how it used to be. He missed their easy friendship.


    "I don''t know... it felt right." Rowan was losing his sanity again. There were too many unexplained feelings that were assaulting him. "Syryn, did something happen to you?" He asked, knowing from the clues he gleaned from himself that a tragedy had befallen them both, an incident that was leaving him restless. Was this about his promise to Syryn? It always came back to the promise.


    The alchemist was unnervingly silent. His face had gone blank, emotions erased and replaced by a mask of neutrality. "Yes, I was lost to the war. It''s a mistake I won''t make again." He assured the blonde.


    "And even if it does happen again, you''ll be alright Rowan," the alchemist smiled up at his cheerless friend, "soon, you''ll find love at your doorstep. She will give you strength to fight even when I leave."


    Rowan was possessed by a desire to shake Syryn. How could he say such callous words with that smile telling him it was alright. "Ryn, do my feelings not matter to you at all?" He was hurt more by Syryn''s words than anything he had encountered tonight.


    "Feelings won''t save humanity. Accept that and prepare yourself for the worst," Syryn replied coldly. He was bothered by what Rowan had said about the world not mattering if Syryn wasn''t in it. Just what the hell had happened after his death?


    "I''m leaving." Syryn''s words were like thorns that kept telling Rowan to stay away. The alchemist stood to leave and this time, Rowan made no move to stop him. Even for the golden boy, there was only so much rejection he could take in one night.


    Syryn left the anti mage behind surrounded by dimming flowers and a chill that no fire could dispel. Rowan''s head was bowed towards the earth, a weight of emotions pulling him down stronger than gravity. If this was the medicine that would cure the anti mage, Syryn was willing to hurt with Rowan. They had to emerge as strong individuals committed to their paths.


    It was in the early hours of the morning that Syryn pulled the rope and sent the house bell chiming. Alka was in a few minutes standing at the door in his nightclothes, hugging a puffy pillow to his chest.


    "Syryn, what happened?" He immediately realised that something was wrong with his friend. The alchemist made no move to reply so Alka ushered him in and led him straight to the kitchen.


    When a mug of mint tea was placed in front of him, Syryn nearly cried. Nearly. Having friends that cared was the best thing in the world and not even kisses could compare.


    "Alka, I think I''ve lost something I was never meant to have," Syryn whispered.


    The green-eyed mage padded over to Syryn and wrapped the boy in a hug that shook the younger boy''s tight hold on his emotions.


    Alka''s night shirt was wet with Syryn''s silent tears. Smooth fingers combed through the alchemist''s dark hair, comforting and soothing the distraught boy.


    "Then the happiness that you will find from what you''re meant to have will surely be greater than the sorrow you feel now." Alka''s chin rested on Syryn''s head, hand rubbing circles on his back.


    "I don''t deserve good things," Syryn replied, he deserved only punishment. This had to be his punishment right? Having to reject a Rowan he wanted so bad - a Rowan who wanted him just as much.


    Alka disengaged from their hug and cupped Syryn''s cheeks, forcing him to look up. "Those words go into the weak wench lexicon. Don''t ever let me catch you saying something so stupid," he threatened in a silky tone.


    "Or what?" Syryn retorted.


    "Or I''ll feed you to the pet I''m hiding in the basement," Alka mischievously replied. Syryn couldn''t tell if the plant was mage was being serious. With Alka''s track record, he could very well have smuggled a troll into the basement, held captive for a forest jaunt.


    "Good riddance then," Syryn answered. He hated how much of a loser he was being. Demons had their moments of weaknesses and he was allowed this day of moping, he told himself.


    Alka glared and then rolled his eyes at Syryn. With a smack, he placed a key on the table next to the cup of tea. "Here, my lovestruck brother decided to give you an estate of your own. He says it''s payment for taking care of him so you can either accept it or throw the key out."


    Syryn was struck dumb. A gift from Artemus?


    "The property has already been transferred to your name so sell it if you don''t want it."


    Wealthy people were strange.


    "Why couldn''t he just tell it to me himself?" Syryn asked dumbly. The black key was longer than his forefinger and engraved with a wreath of silver roses.


    "You''re going to ignore the lovestruck part of what I said?" Alka glared at Syryn again.


    "You and I both know that isn''t true Alka. Artemus likes me but that''s that."


    With a sigh, the green-eyed mage replied, "Yes. Even so, Artemus has never courted anyone.. be careful how you handle his feelings. Don''t hurt my brother Syryn." It was a plea from a sibling that cared deeply for his older brother who deserved a little more than lukewarm promises of a dalliance in the future.

 Chapter 49 - Brothers

    Syryn had skipped classes yet again to bask under the sunlight with Red who was reclined next to him.


    "I knew you were pathetic Syryn, just not how much. Throw your pity party when I''m not around." Red was sipping on a glass of fruit juice that was as red as his hair. The sun was out bright enough to blind them both so the boys had retreated to a shadier part of the terrace where the boughs of the giant tree protected them from direct sunlight.


    "Go suck on Traxdart''s club if you hate being around me so much," Syryn avoided looking at Red so he could continue to imagine that he was speaking to the older Lucien.


    "I would, if only to get away from the stench of self pity that''s wafting off you like a drenched mongrel." It sounded wrong coming from the child so Syryn decided to be the bigger person.


    "As opposed to the smell of baby and milk I''m always having to wash off myself after you cling to me like a needy toddler?"


    A ghost of a smile appeared on Red''s face. "You''re wrong big brother, I smell like fire and panther musk."


    "You''re disgusting." The meaning of Red''s words hadn''t escaped Syryn. "I hope Luci doesn''t learn your pervy ways."


    The redhead reclined on his folding chair with a smugness that made Syryn''s fingers itch. "I can''t help it that Magnus thinks I''m a baby to be hugged and squeezed. He doesn''t realise he''s leaving his scent all over me." Small jade like fingers grabbed his glass for another sip. "Everybody likes Luci. It''s a side effect of being this cute."


    "You are a piece of trash that''s using Luci."


    Red snorted at that, "curb your envy big brother. You''d use every weapon in your arsenal too if you were me. You''re just not cute enough and it irks you that I can get away with things you can''t. And here''s a fact, I AM Luci."


    Red was an annoying piece of shit and Syryn wanted to throttle him. Would Magnus suspect him if Lucien went missing for a few weeks? "Red, let''s explore my new house."


    "Later. Alka''s delinquent boyfriend is arriving to drop off a pot. I''ve been asked to intercept it."


    "Excuse me?!" Syryn fumbled for words. "Who and what?!"


    Red gave Syryn a withering look and hopped off his chair. With a flick of his hair, the little boy went off to the table for a refill of his juice glass. Tiny strawberries painted to the glass evoked a cuteness that enhanced Lucien''s natural charm.


    "Red, get over here and explain."


    Lucien was barefoot - his white little toes with their neatly clipped nails padded across the wood floor softly.


    "A delightfully handsome thing that reeks of the sacred incense used by the hypocrites of Saint''s Moon," Red lifted a corner of his mouth in a scornful smile. "I don''t think I''ve ever met a priest quite like him."


    Syryn''s memory of the corpse tree was jogged. It had to be the same priest. "That sounds like a compliment."


    "It is."


    "I''m concerned."


    "Do tell."


    "Alka is a danger to himself. Can you imagine what sort of life-threatening scenarios they might get into together?"


    "Eos bless," Red replied flatly. "I''m out of juice."


    "No one cares."


    "Who asked you?"


    The passive aggressive replies were annoying Syryn more than they had any right to. When the bell rang, he jumped out of his seat to take a look at the priest that Alka was supposedly chummy with.


    "You''re not Lucien." A purple-eyed priest blinked down at Syryn, smile freezing. The shorter boy noted the ash-coloured hair that brushed his shoulders. A black jewel was embedded in the centre of the priest''s forehead. Syryn recognised that jewel and thus its owner. Red had been right about the delinquent part. This was a priest who operated under his own rules.


    "Qairu, I''m here," Red smiled cutely at the priest who mirrored it with his own wide smile. Squatting down to Lucien''s eye level, Qairu affectionately pulled the child''s cheek. "I''ve got something good for you, Luci."


    Syryn was ignored by the two boys. When did this weird priest get close to his Luci? And who gave him the right to call him Luci?!


    "Oi, that''s my brother you''re getting friendly with," Syryn warned with a sourness that came from the jealousy he was feeling.


    The priest looked up at Syryn''s face with surprise. "Adopted?"


    A vein popped on Syryn''s forehead. Was this priest calling him too ugly to be Lucien''s brother?!


    "Yes," the redhead supplied, sounding like he had received a birthday present.


    "I should just dump you back on the street I found you at," Syryn growled at the grinning boy.


    "That''s okay, big bro Qairu will take me," Red hugged the priest''s neck and acted cute. "Right?"


    "Sure," the priest cocked his head and smiled at Syryn, a trace of confusion in his eyes.


    At this point, the adulterous couple was outside the door so Syryn grabbed the pot of soil on the floor and turned to them, "I guess one mage''s trash is another priest''s treasure then," and the door was slammed shut in their faces.


    Syryn headed off to the kitchen leaving behind the sound of amused laughter that drifted from the door. Qairu had a rich laugh that made its listeners think of buttery smooth desserts.


    When the bell chimed again, Syryn vindictively ignored it in lieu of eating the cake that Lucien had been saving for later. It was a tart thing with plenty of cream and preserved fruit between its decadent layers.


    Syryn was at the last bite when the door was blasted down. He smirked at the freezing cold breeze that wafted into the kitchen through the hallway. What a day! How would Red explain away his destruction of the door to Magnus and Alka?


    "You''re dead!" Red pointed at Syryn whose pink tongue was licking the last bits of cream off the cake box.


    "Hey Kailee, control your new pet," Syryn called out to the priest who had sauntered over to the kitchen. There was a gleam of interest in his eyes. Even the quirk of his lips revealed the endless amusement he was having at the expense of the brothers.


    "It''s Qairu," he leaned on the doorway with folded arms. There was no reply in defence of Red''s new role as a pet. His eyes were opened to the hidden nature of Lucien, one so far-flung from the cute image that Red had been peddling.


    "Kyree got it." Syryn wasn''t ashamed of copying Vincent. This was fun.


    "Spit it out," Red demanded with venom. "Spit the cake out."


    "Stupid little strawberry, the cake is inside here now." Syryn rubbed his tummy with satisfaction.


    "I know exactly where it is. If I don''t get to eat it, neither do you!" The redhead had already exposed himself as a brat to the priest so there was no sense pretending otherwise. "I''m telling Magnus you ate it. And don''t call me strawberry!"


    "Go ahead. I''m not scared of your guard dog." The constipated feelings that had been suffocating Syryn were beginning to clear out. A fight was all he had needed.


    "Oh right, you''ve got not one but two sugar daddies to defend you. I forgot. What is it like being tossed about by two anti mages?"


    How the hell did everyone know what was going on? Syryn wondered. "It''s kinda fun shortcake. But I''m worried about a child-like you saying such provocative things, in front of a priest no less."


    The burst of aborted laughter that came from Qairu sobered the brothers.


    With a shot of barely controlled ice at Syryn, Lucien walked off to the terrace with as much dignity as he could afford. The child was powerful but he still hadn''t mastered the new elements that were imbibed by his core. Ice, darkness, fire - the same as Syryn - were his elements. Lucien however still had his demonic powers to rely on if he was in a pinch.


    "Syryn, tell Alka I dropped by with the pot of grave soil," Qairu informed the mage.


    "Fine."


    "I''ll see you next time then." The priest smiled disarmingly at the mage.


    "No need to threaten me. Just leave." Syryn replied testily.


    "As you wish." The priest whose mood was un-dampened by Syryn''s retort exited the home being occupied by two antsy brothers. It had been an interesting time spent with the boy who had defeated the champion of winter fortress. Qairu fiercely regretted skipping the matches - especially now after meeting Syryn.


    "I''m leaving to check on my new home. Fancy a walk?" Syryn shouted up the staircase that led to the terrace.


    "How far away is it?" Red yelled back.


    "I don''t know."


    "If you get us lost I-"


    "I won''t get us lost. Have more faith in me."


    Twilight had arrived and the lost boys were still on the streets.


    "Syryn, I want to go home." Luci sadly mumbled into Syryn''s shoulder. The little boy was tired and getting piggybacked by his brother. Red had disappeared in a huff of rage when he realised that Syryn had gotten them lost.


    "Me too." The mage replied. His stomach was growling with hunger.


    "I''m hungry, Syryn."


    The alchemist made a note to store more dry food in his satchel for future emergencies. There was none left after he had divided the last pieces of cookies between them.


    "I''m sorry," he replied. "I should have known better."


    Syryn had given up on being found so he entered the forest with Lucien to cook up some of the raw food that was stored in his satchel. The boys ate a hurried meal and set up camp in the jungle like old times.


    "Magnus and Alka are probably worried about us.." Syryn told the boy who was sleepily snuggled in his arms. "Missing boys and a broken door... I can''t imagine what they''re going to think."


    "No shit," Red snarked. He was back.


    "Trash should just stay hidden," Syryn weakly replied.


    Red had gone through all the stages of frustration at Syryn - Disbelief, anger, fury, and now resignation. "What''s the address to your new house?"


    "Behind Orange garden, next to an oxbow lake on the south side of Birdcage mine."


    The redhead stared at Syryn with something close to pain in his expression. "Even I know that Orange garden is on the other side of town. You''ve brought us to the complete opposite side! Is that head of yours filled with nothing but potion recipes?!" Red shrieked with his child-like voice. "you''re so stupid!"


    "Stop yelling," Syryn growled. "We''re lost, yelling won''t help!"


    "And not yelling won''t either so shut up and follow me you directionally challenged- how did you not get lost at Maple or Elysium market?!" Red roared at the alchemist.


    "What makes you think I didn''t get lost there a hundred times in the past?!" Syryn roared back. "I ended up confused and stuck around the market for a week before I got rescued by Yusa and her cohorts! Traxdart thought I had been kidnapped!! I am good at finding my way, just not inside unfamiliar human settlements okay?!!"


    Red was ashamed to be associated with this pathetic excuse of a demon. He aimed the highest amount of scorn that was possible at the alchemist. "Just stop talking," he begged. Syryn had humiliated himself enough for the day. "And follow me."


    "Don''t get us lost," Syryn petulantly grumbled. It was an embarrassing situation all around.


    "Choke on the irony of that statement, Nigh''hart, and drop dead while you''re at it."

 Chapter 50 - Secrets

    The rescue had arrived. A frantic Magnus jumped out of the hound drawn coach, and behind him was an equally worried Artemus.


    "Are you two okay?" The fire mage was checking on Lucien like a fussy mother hen. "Why didn''t you come home?"


    "Big brother got us lost."


    "Get inside. We can talk on the way back." Artemus instructed the boys. Then with a pop, he fired off a green flare into the sky that exploded in a shrill whistle.


    "What''s that about?" Syryn asked from inside the coach.


    The anti mage shut the door after entering last. He filled the empty seat next to Syryn and explained. "When Magnus and Alka failed to find you in the neighbourhood, they contacted a few people for help. The flare is the signal to let them know you''ve both been found safe and sound."


    "Few people? More like thirty-five students from school and about six from Winter Fortress, plus some hired mages from the guild." Magnus added. "You''ve got some explaining to do children."


    Syryn inwardly cringed at the number of people Magnus had quoted. He had caused an embarrassing situation and Red would never let him live it down.


    "I wanted to go look at the place that Artemus generously offered to me but- I seemed to have taken a wrong turn. That''s it. That''s the explanation."


    Artemus slowly turned to Syryn, an expression reminiscent of that on Red''s face when he had realised how much Syryn had messed up. "That''s on the North-East end. How did you end up South West?"


    "That''s my fault," Syryn then whipped his head up to the boy curled up in Magnus'' lap. "We''ve been going in circles. I thought you were leading us in the right direction!"


    "Big brother, what are you talking about?" Red replied innocently. He was getting really good at imitating Luci.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart, are you for real?" Magnus was aghast. "You actually followed this kid and believed that you''d reach the other end of Elysium, in a day, just walking on your tiny legs? Do you have any idea how enormous this city is?"


    Syryn chose to stare out the window and blend in with the seat. He could feel two pairs of judgemental eyes boring into him.


    "No one''s perfect Magnus, not even big brother," Red solemnly informed the fire mage. Syryn wondered if it was a compliment or just the little shit being a sarcastic piece of turd.


    "This is the second time I''ve found you lost on the streets. I won''t recommend a pi-cal disc because of its security flaws but I think you need a tracker spell or some kind of map on you," Artemus suggested. "If you are amenable to it, I can get you something."


    Syryn would take any help he could get. With an ashamed nod, the mage who was desperate to change the tracks of their conversation found a topic he could tackle. He pulled out a stack of parchment from his satchel and held it out to Artemus.


    "I''ve written down all the information I know about Traxdart and his underlings. Their weaknesses, strengths, personalities, powers and anything else relevant has been recorded in detail. You''ll also find an explanation of the three horns of Galen and how they plan to use them to open a gate from Ixu. We must sabotage their plans at the root of it all. If the horns of Galen are destroyed, he will have to find another way to bring his army to our plane."


    The anti mage received it and tucked it into the inner pocket of his coat that opened up like a dimensional pocket. Syryn was instantly jealous. If he had such a coat, he wouldn''t need to lug around his satchel.


    "Thank you Syryn. With your permission, I will share the information with my superiors."


    The alchemist waved a hand tiredly, "I leave it to you to decide what is best. Just keep me updated on the progress of whatever actions the mage hunters decide to take. How will you explain where you got the information from?"


    Artemus was confident about the plan he had come up with. He would ensure that Syryn could stay in the background and remain an anonymous informant.


    "Mage hunters have a ground network of spies and informants whose identities are only known to their handlers. I''m marking you down as a high level defected member of the Orc''s Claw. Considering their links to the demonic side, it''s a cover that won''t cause much suspicion. As long as I remain your handler, we won''t have to give away your identity."


    "Can you two discuss this when I''m not around?" Magnus edged away as far as he could within the confines of the coach. There was a high probability that Artemus would lock him down with a confidentiality spell after this ride.


    "Syryn trusts you enough to speak about it in your presence so I''ll defer to his judgement," the anti mage replied.


    "Assuming that your bosses accept the information and decide to act on it, will I be allowed to accompany the dispatched hunters?" Syryn drew the anti mage''s attention back to him.


    "Most likely not. This will officially turn into mage hunter business so it stays within the organisation. Trust me Syryn, there are competent and resourceful people working in the group. With your information, it will be so much easier to stop the demons - so you don''t have to get your hands dirty. Live your childhood like you''re meant to." Artemus added the last part as an afterthought.


    There was something to be said about caring men who just wanted the best for the people around them. Syryn fondly smiled at the anti mage who kept proving again and again just how thoughtful he was about Syryn''s well being.


    "I''ll leave it to you then. If there''s any other way that I can help, do not hesitate to ask." Syryn replied. "Especially if you find a fire demon."


    The sense of curiosity that had been buried under propriety came to the surface. Artemus rubbed circles on the silver button of his coat and hesitated to ask because of their lack of privacy. "The potion you''ve been feeding me has demon blood in it, doesn''t it?"


    Syryn''s answering smile was wicked. "There''s a little bit of demonic essence inside you Artemus. Careful when you''re visiting the temple of Eos."


    Discomfited by the revelation, the anti mage asked, "Yours?"


    "When have you ever seen me wield flames?" Syryn replied.


    It wasn''t a denial but Syryn wasn''t volunteering any more answers so the anti mage refrained from prodding for more.


    "We''re here." As soon as they came to a halt, Magnus evacuated the coach with Lucien slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He had the good sense to know that too much information got its listener into trouble.


    "You should have asked me to take you to the estate if you wanted to see it," the anti mage spoke when Magnus was out of earshot.


    "I probably should have. I''ll look at it another time with Alka though so you don''t have to worry about it." Syryn sheepishly replied. "And Artemus- thank you. Not just for the unnecessarily grand payment but also for everything else."


    "It''s the least I can do. Goodnight Syryn." The alchemist could see that Artemus was uncomfortable and looking to get out of the conversation that was veering too close to sappy.


    Syryn leaned forward and placed a light peck on the anti mage''s fair cheek as a parting gesture. It had been worth it to see the older boy''s lips turn up in a handsome smile that melted the discomfort off his face.


    "Goodnight Artemus!" Syryn then closed the door to the coach and then watched the hounds bound off into the night, carrying off an anti mage who touched the spot on his cheek where the skin was still tingling from Syryn''s kiss.


    "Welcome home Syryn, Magnus and Lucien." The green-haired mage that opened the door to the house had a piece of dried bacon sticking out of his mouth. "The others haven''t returned yet."


    "Corvus, why are you blocking the door?" Syryn asked. The young mage was blockading the door with his body so that none of them could get inside.


    "Alamandra is here," he replied, looking none too pleased about the presence of the girl. "I was told to warn you first if you arrived."


    Magnus was immediately put off by the news. "Who told her about this place?" Alamandra would stalk him now that she was privy to his address. Magnus was livid.


    "I don''t know, maybe someone from the search party," Corvus shrugged. "Why can''t you just tell her to fuck off?"


    "I can''t," Magnus let out a breath of annoyance. "Let me know when she''s gone." And the fire mage walked away, keen to leave the premises. "I''ll be in the basement catching some sleep."


    Syryn was a bottomless well of curiosity when it came to the private affairs of the fire mage. Aside from the little information he had volunteered, Magnus was hiding so much. Who was Alamandra and why was Magnus avoiding her instead of teaching her a lesson about her creepy behaviour? Syryn marched into the house to find out.


    Hair as bright as a cherry tree in blossom, Alamandra was conventionally very pretty. She was academically gifted, popular with her classmates, an active member of the charity club that frequently organised wellness drives for the orphans of the city, and even had an entire wall of honour dedicated to her at King Hill. She was also arrogant, used her status to her advantage and most likely participated in philanthropic activities only to look good in front of her peers.


    "Alamandra, who invited you into my home?" Syryn boldly asked the pink-haired girl. She had been in conversation with another classmate, pointing to something outside the window.


    "This isn''t your home, Syryn. Shouldn''t you be more grateful I came out all the way here to help you and your brother who I''ve never even met?" Her smile was saccharine and it hurt Syryn''s teeth.


    "Debatable. But this IS my home, and now that I''m here safe and sound, I''d like you to leave." If Magnus disliked her, there had to be a good reason. Syryn naturally gave her the treatment she deserved.


    Alamandra''s smile remained fixed but it wasn''t very friendly anymore. "Where is Magnus?"


    "What do I know? I''m not his mother."


    "Yes, you''re nobody to him. But I have a right to know where my fiance is, Syryn. What? He never told you?" Alamandra looked victorious at how surprised Syryn was. Magnus had a fiance that he was avoiding. It all made sense to Syryn now!


    "I feel sorry for him. No wonder he never told me." The alchemist made a face like he had stepped on a bug.


    Alamandra''s smile brightened even more. "Doesn''t matter, he''s bound to me whether he likes it or not. I''d like to see which girl would have the guts to try and entice him when he''s got me."


    Syryn decided it was an opportunity to fish for more information. If Magnus couldn''t satisfy his curiosity, he would respect that by snooping around his friend''s back.


    "Why would you think you''re good enough to marry him?" he asked the girl.


    "Really Syryn, you''re more ignorant than I thought. I''m the daughter of chief Falk, who I''m sure even you would know about. My noble blood is all that is enough to marry Magnus." She replied with the confidence of a huntress that had locked onto her dinner.


    "Your father, the man who murdered the warrior Rojan, backstabbing him like a coward, that chief Falk?" Syryn asked not holding back his naked contempt.


    Alamandra crossed her arms and held Syryn''s eyes in a stare down that was impressively dominating. "The last time someone insulted my father, a few important lessons were taught. I understand you weren''t around for it but you''ll do well to heed this warning. Do not talk about the chief in such a tone. Ever again."


    "Or what?" Syryn snorted. "How about you heed my words Alamandra, I don''t give a shit. Creep around at my home again and I''ll show you what it''s like to have your fiance stolen from you."


    "You?" Alamandra giggled. "Have you seen yourself?" She eyed him up and down. "Don''t take this personally but you''re plainer than a bowl of white rice."


    "I''m done here. Show yourself out before I remove you myself," Syryn replied. He had gleaned enough to know who Magnus was. Grandson of the late Warrior Rojan - ex-chief of the independent Augon kingdom - Magnus was practically royalty. It was a spicy piece of information that still had blanks to be filled in, in good time, of course.


    His warning finally hit home and the pink-haired girl decided to play it safe. Drake was hovering around them looking concerned and she couldn''t really make a fuss with the prince around.


    "Stay safe Syryn," she singsonged and sashayed off to where her friend was trying in vain to get Corvus'' attention.

 Chapter 51 - Steal Your Love

    Syryn found an orange tabby cat at the door to his room, politely waiting with a note attached to its collar.


    ''Hello, my name is Navicat, here to help you navigate through Elysium and numerous other locations that you''ve never been to! Don''t leave home without me.''


    "Seriously? Is this a joke?" Syryn loudly asked the empty hallway. There was a collar on the orange kitty with its name embossed on black leather. NAVI. "Cute, but what am I supposed to do with you?"


    "Just tell him where you want to go and he''ll lead you," Alka came walking out of his room with a towel wrapped around his hair. "Artemus sent him last night but you were sleeping when Navi arrived."


    "He sent me a navigation cat?! Where did he find such a marvellous animal?" Syryn lifted the orange kitty and looked into its emerald green eyes. The furball blinked and allowed the mage to manhandle it without complaints. He was quite lovable, unlike the bossy Milky who just sat on a special cushion and hissed at anyone that tried to pet him.


    "No idea," Alka replied.


    Syryn thought about Alka''s cat form, imagining a small black kitten with green eyes. Scratching behind Navi''s ear, he decided to ask the plant mage about it. "Won''t you let me see your cat form?"


    Alka postured and made a show of thinking about it. "If you want, but in exchange for something."


    "Something?"


    The plant mage still hadn''t forgotten that short rush of power Syryn had opened his eyes to. He wanted to taste it a second time. "In exchange for some blood."


    "What blood?" A newly arrived Magnus asked.


    "Mine. Alka likes the taste of it." Syryn sent Alka a look. The plant mage cooperated and nodded his head at the fire mage.


    "It tastes like copper flavoured fruit juice."


    Magnus scrunched his face at the terrible description that Alka had come up with. Looking between the two younger mages like they were diseased, he asked a question that Alka couldn''t answer, "when and why did you taste his blood?"


    "This is Navi, say hi." The orange tabby was abruptly lifted to Magnus'' eye level.


    "Navi, it''s a pleasure," Magnus shook its fat paw.


    "Ok bye, I need to feed Luci," Alka escaped a conversation that was getting awkward.


    The year had been uneventful, save for Syryn failing his ethics classes. Rowan and his class of anti mages had graduated and were celebrated by Winter Fortress through a ball that was grander than any they''d ever held. The Politically connected and high achievers of King Hill and Saint''s Moon were, of course, invited. Syryn, Magnus and Alka found their calling cards arriving through post.


    "Are we going?" Magnus asked, holding the black invitation to the sunlight.


    "Why not?" Alka replied. This was his very first invitation and he wanted to meet his family.


    "It''s a ball. Are we supposed to take partners?" Syryn asked while buttering his toast.


    "Not necessarily," Alka replied. "But you''ll need to wear something formal."


    "Let''s go shopping. I can''t remember the last time I got cleaned up," Magnus added.


    "I don''t want to attend." Such events began with a formal ceremony honouring the best students and Syryn was sure about Rowan''s spotlight, and Lillith''s presence that would accompany the blonde.


    "Let''s go shopping," Alka reiterated. "Luci also needs new clothes."


    Luci did not need new clothes. He had three whole trunks of the latest in fashion, all sponsored by Alka. But Syryn did not have the heart to dissuade the plant mage.


    Shopping turned out to be an interesting experience. Navi led them to all the best tailors and textile merchants. At the end of the day, all four of them had been measured for new clothing that cost them each a few year''s worths of school fees. The nice lady at the tailory assured them of a safe doorstep delivery in three days.


    Luci was already 9 years old and displayed a mature temperament beyond his age. He refused to be carried by the older boys, instead preferring to walk alongside them.


    "Syryn, why do you hide your face? Don''t you think it''s an asset that you can use?"


    Syryn wondered too. He was financially secure, had a nice big estate, a guardian anti mage that acted like his older sibling when Syryn wasn''t flirting with him, so what was he hiding from? He could openly show himself without fear of getting kidnapped by some wealthy pervert.


    "I like the peace it affords. When I''ve established myself as an alchemist to be feared, I''ll consider letting go of the illusion," he replied to Alka.


    "Is that a new candy store?" Lucien pointed at a gaudy shop that was decorated with large fake sugar confections.


    "Let''s find out what it''s offering," Magnus replied.


    "I need shoes. Navi, where''s the best store for shoes?" Syryn asked the orange cat. Navi''s tail went up in the air like a pole and he began a slow trot that Syryn paced. Alka was right beside him hauling a bag bursting with books. Knowing that their sweet-toothed housemates would find their way home before dinner, Syryn and Alka abandoned them at the candy store.


    ¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á


    "Syryn, we''re getting late. Why are you still not ready?"


    Alka and Magnus were dressed in their fineries, all cleaned up and looking classy in their fit formals. The fire mage had somehow managed to tame his bedhead into a slick style that changed his entire persona. For this evening, Magnus was every inch the royalty he was born into.


    "Tell Artemus you can leave without me. I''ll arrive when it''s time to eat." Syryn replied.


    "Arrive how?" Magnus asked. "Winter Fortress is a half hour''s ride up a steep mountain."


    "Big brother, I''ll go with you."


    Lucien''s white tunic was tucked into navy blue pants held up by suspenders. A silk bow tie held the ensemble together.


    "Go with them, Luci. I''m not sure I''ll make it to the ball."


    Artemus, whose patience had run dry, appeared behind the mages and he unilaterally decided for them all. "I''ll come to pick you up after I drop them off. You have an hour to get ready."


    Syryn was left all alone in the house. He had a bath in a tub filled with orange blossoms and oil that had been extracted out of Puff Sobrel, a pod that had calming properties.


    Stepping out of the bath naked, Syryn looked in the mirror and ran his fingers through wet hair that went almost halfway down his back. His indigo eyes were reflected to him, as were the pink lips moistened by the bath he had. Wiping down the droplets of water collecting on his skin, Syryn left the bathroom where the sweet scent of orange floated in the mist.


    As promised, Artemus arrived within an hour. Syryn was waiting in his room, already decked out like a fairy prince. His illusion had been dropped for the night. The alchemist''s formal suit was the colour of burgundy - rich and royal while still bringing out Syryn''s youth and elegance.


    "Who are you out to impress?" Artemus asked him.


    The demon child was long done playing by the rules and feeling sorry for himself. Some chaos was warranted in the life of a half demonic human and Syryn would do it justice. He''d arrived at self-acceptance after more than a year of his rebirth. And for much of the growth in his self-confidence, he credited Red. The redhead was unashamedly content to be a denizen of the darkness without losing himself to it. They''d had more conversations about it and Syryn had begun to find a balance and appreciate the gifts that his blood bestowed him with.


    He angled his head up and pressed a palm to the crisp white shirt over the anti mage''s chest. "Myself," he answered.


    Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath of the delicious anti mage. "I could eat you up right now Artemus."


    Syryn''s palm felt the anti mage''s heart speed up through the cloth. A tendril of satisfaction curled in the pits of Syryn''s gut at the reaction. Fear and arousal made for a heady combination that Syryn enjoyed.


    "I''ll offer myself to you after the world is saved," Artemus replied, hand clasping Syryn''s. "We are already very late to the ball, kitten."


    Syryn wondered if Artemus was also a shapeshifter.


    "Lead the way then."


    When the duo arrived, the formal ceremony was at its end. Syryn and Artemus descended the stairs at the very moment that the Lord Chancellor announced the banquet''s opening. The graduating class facing the audience was first to take notice of the brilliance that was Syryn descending down the staircase with one of the most popular anti mages amongst their peers. The Lord Chancellor herself was immediately drawn to the two.


    One by one, curious people turned and looked at the pair that quickly reached the bottom of the staircase and melted into the crowd.


    "Do you have a table reserved for yourself?" Syryn asked Artemus. The stares coming his way were appraising, appreciative, and curious. They were wondering who he was.


    Artemus held Syryn''s hand and pushed through the students to get to his spot. The crowd parted before them, making it unnecessary for much effort on the anti mage''s part. He was already a well-known figure but the presence of a mysterious stranger beside him made things easier.


    "Here we are, take a seat." Artemus pulled a chair out for Syryn and then for himself. Artemus hailed a passing anti mage student and asked the boy to bring two glasses of wine.


    "You''re letting me drink alcohol. Am I dreaming?" Syryn leaned forward and grinned. Artemus was always so stuffy about Syryn acting his age. This was a deviation from the norm and it pleased the alchemist.


    "Only one glass," the anti mage replied while taking his suit jacket off. "Or two," he allowed, "if you can handle your alcohol."


    Syryn reclined in his seat and welcomed his approaching companions with a smile. Magnus, Alka and Lucien had found them.


    "Well, well, well, if it isn''t Syryn looking pretty enough to steal the hearts of every living thing inside the walls of these halls." Magnus spent an inordinate amount of time eyeballing the alchemist.


    "No wonder you needed the extra time," Alka complained while taking the seat directly next to Syryn. "Forgive me brother but I''ll be glued to Syryn tonight." The green-eyed mage directed his words to Artemus who made no reply.


    Artemus had noticed early on how Syryn carried himself with an air of assurance that hadn''t been there before. He exuded confidence and maturity in spades, and it amped up the boy''s attractiveness. An older Syryn was a figure that sent the fear of Eos into the anti mage''s heart. How would he come out of it with his heart intact? Artemus was careful about guarding himself but he was already losing the fight.


    "Where''s the food?" Syryn demanded after taking a sip of the liquid in his glass that matched the colour of his suit. Syryn''s hair was tied back with the black ribbon he had won off Salem. A loose tendril of hair brushed his neck, drawing eyes to the creamy skin there.


    "Arriving soon," Alka replied.


    Syryn''s searching gaze then found a gorgeous blonde in the company of the said blonde''s future wife. Lillith''s arm was around his but to anybody watching, it was apparent that the anti mage was rigid, tense and wanting to be elsewhere. Rowan chose that moment to look straight at Syryn.


    The alchemist''s heart leapt to his throat but there was an undercurrent of excitement in it. Indigo eyes brightened and he smiled feline-like at Rowan. Syryn subtly lifted his glass and tipped it at an angle before taking a deep drink. Averting his eyes, the alchemist could still feel a hot gaze melting into him. Lillith be damned, Syryn was going to steal someone''s husband tonight, and maybe a few other hearts or lips if he had time.

 Chapter 52 - A Charade

    "Magnus, can I have a moment?" A pink-haired lady appeared at their table. Uneasily, she smiled at the occupants of the table whose combined attractiveness was enough to make anyone nervous. Even the youngest member with red hair was so cute he could vie with the paintings of baby angels that she had seen in Eos'' temple.


    "No." The fire mage replied. "Why don''t you come back tomorrow?"


    She wasn''t taking no for an answer. "I''ll ask father to let you meet her soon," Alamandra replied. The persistent girl knew Magnus could not resist her bait. Predictably, the fire mage reluctantly allowed her to lead him off to a dark balcony that was closed off by heavy curtains.


    "What''s that about?" Syryn asked the brothers who had gone unnervingly silent.


    Artemus had a hard look in his eyes. "Blackmail," he answered. "There''s nothing we can do yet," the anti mage told his younger brother whose mouth was pressed in a straight line.


    "They''re holding someone captive aren''t they?" Syryn asked.


    "His mother," Artemus affirmed, fingers twirling the neck of his wine glass, "the only reason he tolerates the pink-haired girl. Magnus knows they won''t hurt her, at least not while Sigil is keeping an eye on their internal affairs. It helps that he''s cooperating with the engagement - keeps the spoilt brat happy, and in turn allows his mother some freedom."


    Syryn and Red made eye contact. The younger demon child had a calculating look in his eyes. The alchemist was willing to bet that red-headed retribution was due in the future for Alamandra''s relatives.


    After a reasonable time of waiting - "Should someone go check on them?" Syryn asked. It had been far too long that Magnus was gone. "You know what? I''ll go," he stood up fluidly. "Art, can you have some more food ready for when I return? This kitten is hungry."


    Alka''s gasp punctuated the air with the right amount of incredulity that his older brother was feeling. Syryn was getting bolder about his flirting.


    Syryn stalked into the balcony and heard snatches of the heated conversation that was taking place.


    "- who is this person you''re claiming to have fallen for?? Who is the homewrecker?!" Alamandra shoved a hand at Magnus but he stood like a stone sculpture. "I will not allow you to break off this engagement Magnus!"


    "I''m sick and tired of your antics Alamandra. I drew the line when you hurt Alka but then you attempted to hurt Syryn too. You think I didn''t know?"


    "Who told you?!" Her hands had begun to shake. "Listen, he was rude to me."


    "And that warrants sending bullies after him?" Magnus'' patience was wearing thin.


    "I''m sorry Magnus, I won''t do it again!"


    "I''m sorry too that I thought you could be a better person. I might not see through your schemes next time so I''m putting an end to everything here."


    Syryn had heard enough.


    "Hey lovebirds, I''m here to interrupt." He showed himself to the quarrelling pair. Magnus was perfection in the black formals that fitted his tall body like a glove. Alamandra was beautiful in a lace creation but her nasty personality destroyed the image of a matching couple they could have been.


    "You should leave," Magnus warned but it sounded more like a plea. "You don''t have to get involved."


    Syryn wanted to get involved. He wanted to get up close and personal.


    "Miss Alamandra, take a walk," Syryn stepped right between her and Magnus.


    "He''s my fiance. Who do you think-" Alamandra gasped when the beautiful boy turned his back to her and drew her fiance into a kiss.


    Shock held her in place for a few seconds and she snapped out of it to flee from the humiliating scene. Alamandra wasn''t stupid to offend a potentially powerful unknown whose status she had yet to find out. Though her indignation screamed for her to push the couple off the balcony, she controlled her impulses. Her father would hear about this.


    Syryn heard her leave and pulled away from Magnus to end their impromptu charade, but the fire mage''s arm went around his waist and pulled him right back into the kiss that Syryn had aborted. It wasn''t going according to plan but the alchemist rolled with it.


    Magnus was scorching to the touch, and his lips were even hotter - Perks of his fire magic. Mouth ravaged by a sinuous tongue that claimed dominance, Syryn was driven into a dizzy breathlessness. When Magnus finally freed him, the alchemist let out a breath of air.


    "You went too far," he wheezed. "What''s wrong with you?"


    With a shameless shrug, Magnus licked his lips and smirked. "I''m an opportunist Syryn. Thanks for turning my night around."


    "Let''s get back before Alamandra brings an audience." Syryn adjusted his clothing and mirrored his friend''s smirk.


    "Don''t tell Artemus," Magnus told the boy, a little fearful of what the anti mage might do if he found out.


    "Sure," Syryn replied.


    "You look like you''re in a good mood Magnus," Corvus and Drake were seated next to Lucien and Artemus.


    "Cor, I got a taste of something nice," the fire mage grinned at the green-haired boy. "Rowan is heading over and he''s getting tailed by fangirls."


    Rowan unceremoniously pulled a chair away from another table and settled into it. His presence there suddenly elevated the beauty rating at the table and it blinded all the students who were paying close attention to them. Another anti mage student ran over with a glass of wine that Rowan accepted with a nod.


    "For someone who just had a hot princess hanging off him with love dripping from her eyes, you look pissed off Rowan," Corvus observed. He hadn''t forgotten that Drake, the younger brother of the said princess, was next to him - but he was beyond caring. Drake had heard worse out of his mouth.


    "Try standing an hour onstage getting stared at like a piece of meat," Rowan answered, his deep gaze settling on Syryn. Rowan had seen the look that Syryn had sent him across the hall and the message wasn''t subtle. Had the mage changed his mind about Rowan''s future wife? The blonde cared very little about a woman he wasn''t yet married to.


    "Have we met?" He asked Syryn, testing the waters with a cool tone.


    Syryn had decided to die again if he messed everything up - an ending he would work hard to avoid. The Mage hunters were already working on finding the horns before Traxdart''s minions could. Syryn had given them approximate locations since he wasn''t too sure himself where they were hidden. And if it came down to it, Rowan would still have to screw Lillith for that holy Eos union. It would be messy and ugly, and hearts would get broken but the alternative was a boring way to live. He would go out like a firework this lifetime as well.


    "Yes, I''m Syryn Nigh''hart. Hello, again Rowan, Corvus, Drake." Syryn included the two gaping boys in his introduction. "I''ve been living under an illusion. I''d like for you to keep this under wraps," he turned to Corvus and Drake.


    "You''re Syryn? Really? I''d wondered why you looked so different from your brother!" Corvus exclaimed excitedly. "I''m not calling you ugly," he then added apologetically.


    "Of course," Syryn graciously replied. He looked at the handsome Prince who was still deciding what to say. Would he want a kiss from Syryn? The alchemist had a list of people whose lips he wanted to conquer.


    "How are you two so different and yet so alike?" Drake asked, looking between the redhead and Syryn.


    "Special lineage," the alchemist replied. And like a magnet, the table attracted one more lovely occupant who squeezed in with the group of ridiculously good looking people.


    "Hey Salem," Syryn greeted the blonde alchemist who was a piece of eye candy in purple elven finery. A black pearl earring glimmered on his right ear lobe.


    "The Lord Chancellor wants to know why everyone relevant is congregated at this table," he swept a glance around after nodding to Syryn.


    "The aesthetics are pleasing here," Drake replied with a glance at Syryn. "People are too intimated to approach and bother us."


    "Apes strong together," Corvus answered.


    "This table was reserved for me," was Artemus'' simple reply.


    "We''re with Artemus," Alka gestured to himself, Magnus and Syryn.


    Eyes turned to Rowan who was swirling the yellow bubbling liquid in his glass. "What Drake said," he replied. "No offence to his sister but I''m tired of getting hounded for tonight."


    Salem accepted their replies with an amused smile. "Sounds about right."


    "Rowan, use your status and get us some more food." Magnus pointed to the empty plates that needed topping.


    Gold lashes dipped to survey the lack of edibles, then looked back up at the fire mage. "There''s a junior hovering behind you. Ask him."


    Salem took this opportunity to talk to his fellow alchemist. "Syryn, would you have room for a housemate? I''m looking for a place to shift to."


    "What happened to your current place?" Syryn asked.


    The blonde alchemist frowned at something he recalled. "I''m getting evicted for violating tenancy rules."


    "Let''s be honest about it," Drake interjected. "Salem poisoned the water supply with an experimental potion. They found out after the other tenants all mysteriously woke up with blue skin."


    "In my defence, it was a cure to the mineral in the water that was causing allergies amongst the tenants with weak immune systems. I was doing them a favour. I even reversed the skin colouring," Salem unhurriedly explained to his alarmed audience.


    "You''re welcome to join my home if you promise to tell me before experimenting on my person," Syryn informed the half-elf. Syryn had been wanting to move to Holly Manor ever since his visit there. The expansive property was as private as it could get. With the tall trees covering most of the property, it was the kind of wilderness that he craved.


    "You''re leaving the apartment?" Rowan asked.


    "You''re welcome to visit anytime," Syryn replied.


    "What about Lucien?" Magnus who hadn''t know about the impending move, asked, feeling left out.


    "He comes with me. You''re both welcome too if you think you might get lonely in that apartment."


    "Am I welcome as well?" Drake asked, eyes lifting in a friendly smile.


    "You too," Syryn replied with a laugh. "But it''s not as comfortable as the royal palace, your highness."


    The volunteering anti mages came up to the table with food that was passed around. Rowan refused a plate and instead asked for another glass of wine.


    Artemus then excused himself to visit his mother who was no doubt waiting for an answer from Salem but the alchemist was glued to his seat.


    Syryn looked around at all the people watching Artemus'' every move, wanting a piece of the elegant anti mage who was single and more than eligible. He had a childish desire to wrap Artemus in a burlap sack so he would appear less attractive.


    Tuning back to the conversation at hand, he spoke to his old friend. "Rowan, what are your plans for the future?"


    The anti mage''s sky blues were at half-mast and hazy from the three glasses of wine he had already imbibed on an empty stomach. "Mage hunter academy for a year and then I''ll be on the roads," he replied. "Four years, that''s how long I''ll be gone from Elysium."


    That was a long time he wouldn''t be seeing Rowan. "You look like you need some air," he commented while snatching away the topped up glass that appeared in Rowan''s hand. Were the anti mages plotting to get the man drunk? It was a possibility now that he could see the princess watching from her table.


    Syryn threw back the glass of wine and swallowed the entirety of it. Grabbing Rowan''s arm, he whispered into the anti mage''s ear, "You need to get sober Rowan. There''s a honey trap waiting to catch you in it."


    "Not the first time they''ve tried," the anti mage replied. Penetrating blue eyes widened at the wicked smile on Syryn''s face, and Rowan was abruptly standing up to pull the mage away with him.

 Chapter 53 - Scum Lover

    "How romantic, you brought me to the dungeon." Syryn ran a hand down the cold stone wall of the room. There was a single window that allowed moonlight into the chamber, their only source of illumination.


    "I wanted privacy," Rowan replied, fingers unbuttoning his collar to cool his skin. "Everywhere else has couples crawling around in close quarters." The anti mage was still feeling the effects of the alcohol he had copiously imbibed.


    Paying attention to the collarbones that were exposed to the air, Syryn asked, "Privacy for what?" and he let the words drag along with a load of something dark and suggestive lacing the ordinariness of his query.


    Rowan met Syryn''s eyes, matching the weight of the stare that was hot against the neutrality of his expression.


    The lingering gazes, the expectation so syrupy thick between them - it left the alchemist''s breath quickening.


    "Syryn, I''m not one of your boy toys," Rowan stepped closer to the alchemist and silkily informed him. "Not someone you can discard after a kissing game." Breath skimming over Syryn''s skin, Rowan pressed in closer, towering over the smaller mage.


    "I know," The alchemist replied, chin raised to give Rowan access to his lips. The anti mage''s face hovered over his, heat building in the blue eyes that trailed down to a waiting mouth.


    "Tell me you want this," Rowan''s lips ghosted over Syryn''s. "Ask me for it."


    A frisson of excitement skimmed down Syryn''s spine at the knowledge of Rowan taking control. The anti mage had allowed the alchemist to lead their interactions. Now, the older boy was taking back the reigns. Syryn was cornered with his back against the wall, head trapped between Rowan''s arms on each side of it.


    "Please kiss me, Rowan," Syryn murmured the words he had wanted to for so long.


    Without wasting time, the anti mage was swooping down, stealing Syryn''s breath away. Warmth blossomed between their lips and the mage breathed it in like it was the last breath he would ever take.


    Syryn opened up to let Rowan into his mouth, tongues meeting in gentle gliding motions. Rowan was trying so hard not to devour Syryn in a bruising kiss but the way those hips were pressing into his groin made it impossible for the anti mage to do anything but seek friction against his hardening member.


    The alchemist was so soft, sweet and pliant under his mouth, it drove Rowan crazy. Teenage hormones blinded the anti mage to everything but the demand of his loins. He had to put an end to their entanglement while reason prevailed.


    After a thorough exploration of the alchemist''s mouth, he pulled away from the lethal lips and peppered tiny kisses against the alchemist''s neck. "We have to go back- they''ll come looking for us."


    "Let them," Syryn recaptured Rowan''s mouth and ran his tongue over the bottom lip. With a low groan, Rowan was kissing him hard, pulling tighter against the waist that was pressed up against his groin. Wet and warm, their tongues met in a dance that mimicked the motions of what Rowan wanted to do with another part of his body.


    With a mighty burst of his willpower, Rowan put distance between them. Eyes shutting, the anti mage took deep calming breaths and fought to regulate his heartbeat. They had to leave. Rowan eyed the beautifully dishevelled boy and was tempted to ruin him further but it wasn''t the right time.


    "No one''s going to believe that you weren''t taken advantage of," he observed Syryn with lowered lashes, gold and thick, shadowing the electric blues that were hazy with desire.


    "I don''t care." The alchemist skillfully pulled his hair free of its ribbon and combed through silky strands with his slender fingers.


    A dark look passed over Rowan''s expression and his gaze turned sharper. "You don''t care for what Artemus or Salem thinks about you running off with me?"


    After tying back his hair, Syryn carefully smoothed the wrinkles on his suit jacket and replied, "Jealousy isn''t a good look on you, Rowan."


    "The audacity," Rowan let out a humourless laugh. "You''re a cold bastard, Syryn."


    The alchemist''s deep indigo eyes curved into a foxy smile. "For your information, I know who my father is - but I can agree with the sentiment."


    Clothing now sufficiently righted, Syryn reached out to button Rowan''s collar. "When you come back 4 years later, we''re going to fuck." It was said with a certainty that came from the confidence that Rowan''s opinion about it could be swayed by the force of Syryn''s will.


    "You''re really unbelievable," Rowan testily replied to the unruffled mage.


    "We''re both horny aren''t we?"


    Rowan was blown away by Syryn''s nonchalant words. "Is this all that it is to you?"


    No. This was Syryn protecting himself from heartbreak because the chance of Rowan getting with Lillith was still high. He was the champion and she would be the chosen priestess. To reject Lillith would be rejecting Eos'' will, and Syryn wasn''t quite sure if Rowan was up for such a blatant show of rebellion just yet.


    "I can hear footsteps," Syryn looked at the closed door. The footfalls were soft and had stopped right outside of their door.


    "Vincent," Syryn called out, "here for a threesome?"


    Rowan''s brows were raised at Syryn, stricken at how shameless the boy was.


    "That''s- no thanks, I''m good." Vincent opened the door and walked in appearing cautiously embarrassed. He looked to Rowan with the universal expression that communicated awkward discomfort at interrupting a good time. "You''re done?" He winced, internally cringing at the words. He''d liked to continue to believe that Rowan was asexual, like his parents. The anti mage had a difficult time wrapping his mind around Rowan doing the dirty with anyone besides his own hand.


    "Yes," Rowan tersely replied. "Syryn was just leaving."


    "No, I wasn''t. It''s you that wanted to leave."


    "Maybe I should come back later," Vincent turned around hastily. "Wait, Syryn?!" He turned back so fast, it whipped the air around him. "You''re Syryn Nigh''hart?!"


    The alchemist smiled charmingly - coy and blooming with all the allure of his ethereal beauty. Vincent was snared by the smile, staring like a doe caught in the lights of a priest''s holy blessing. Syryn''s deliberate seduction elicited an eye roll from Rowan who wondered why he had fallen for such a siren.


    "I''ll leave first then," Syryn lightly patted Vincent on the shoulders and left the room, cadence unhurried and relaxed.


    "Here''s the latest on Vincent, he''s into men."


    The terror on Vincent''s face was almost comical. "Rowan, I like boobs. I like soft and perfumed thighs."


    "I know," the blonde replied. "I doubt you''re homosexual."


    "And you?" The gold eyed anti mage asked Rowan much too curiously.


    "Only Syryn," Rowan answered honestly, certain of his feelings - and thinking himself the biggest idiot in town.


    Pressing a hand to his forehead, Vincent washed his hands off the bullshit that would no doubt find them when the princess became aware of Rowan''s predilections. "What about Lillith?"


    "I don''t owe her a damn thing. I''m not her boyfriend so don''t give me that look." Rowan tolerated Lillith''s attention that came unwanted. He had brushed her off, made it clear to her that he wasn''t interested, and even turned down all her gifts, but the princess was relentless. She believed that Rowan would one day fall in love with her if she tried hard enough to win his favour.


    "Why did you come here?" He asked Vincent.


    "Lord Chancellor sent me to find you. Some mage hunters have arrived for your paperwork."


    Vincent had forgotten all about the missive when he had found Rowan looking ravished and sporting swollen lips, that too in the presence of the stranger that was the talk of the ball - the stranger who turned out to be Syryn fucking Nigh''hart.


    Syryn appeared back at the table unperturbed, a vague smile pasted on his face for all the people watching him. "What did I miss?" He asked Alka. The mage was eating a piece of fruit from his fork.


    Alka tilted his chin to study Syryn like a suspicious mother. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Where is Rowan?"


    "No idea. Probably where I left him."


    "How many men, Syryn?" Alka asked, tone dropping to a severe octave. It took a while for the alchemist but he understood what Alka was asking about.


    "Four."


    "Only four?" Alka narrowed his eyes at Syryn.


    "So far, yes."


    "You should tell Artemus."


    Syryn nodded, "I will, but I''m sure he already knows. Your brother is more observant than you credit him for." Syryn snapped a cherry off of its stem and pushed the fruit into his mouth.


    "You''re right." Alka looked away. Worrying his lower lip with his teeth, the mage let the matter go. Artemus was an adult and could handle his affairs without Alka butting in.


    "Would you be okay with Artemus or Rowan dallying with other people?"


    Syryn shrugged at the plant mage, "It''s the price I pay for my indiscretion. Think of it this way - I''m having my fun before I decide where to park my carriage."


    Alka blinked at Syryn and shook his head. "You''re a bastard."


    "I''ve been told," Syryn replied. "If it''s any consolation to you, I''m saving the rest of my body for one person. As much as it pains me to admit it, I''m not a man-whore, Alka."


    They were joined by a presence that butted into the conversation. "I really doubt that. Saving your body for just one man, I mean, I won''t judge if you sleep with the entirety of Winter Fortress - the more the merrier right?" Magnus took the seat next to him and smirked, "it''s just, something tells me you''re going to town someday with not one but two anti mages."


    "Not likely. Neither is the type to share," Syryn objectively replied. "And why stop at Winter Fortress? I''ll even take King Hill, And then the royal family."


    "You''re a riot, Syryn," Magnus said with a chuckle. Artemus and Rowan not getting at each other''s throats was already a show of temporary peace and sharing, with a heavy emphasis on the temporary part of it. Add an unpredictable Salem to the mix and even Magnus could not foretell what the future held. He was glad to have experienced the bliss and stepped out of it too. Syryn, as gorgeous as he was - was trouble, and Magnus wasn''t about that thrill-seeking life.


    "Toxic," Alka added.


    "I''ll drink to that." Syryn downed a glass of peach wine that the fire mage had brought.


    "To Syryn''s messy future relationships," Magnus raised an empty glass, disgruntled at the alchemist for swiping his peach wine.


    "To my brother getting hooked by a bastard," Alka raised his glass of juice. And Syryn couldn''t find it in himself to get mad at Alka because it was true.

 Chapter 54 - Fake A Moan

    In a week, Salem showed up at Holly Manor where Syryn was already ensconced. He had chosen the storage room in the manor as their designated alchemy chamber. The blonde brought with him several alchemical supplies that filled half of the space in the workroom.


    Rows upon rows of bottled ingredients, leather-bound books, and jars of preserved specimens lined their new shelves. And on a rack that Salem had acquired from the market, there hung dried sprigs of herbs that were arranged neatly in order of their names.


    Syryn had come to find that Salem was very organised and liked to label his ingredients in such a manner that only a fellow alchemist could understand.


    "You still haven''t given me a copy of the house rules," Syryn heard Salem address him. The blonde alchemist was setting up his side of the workroom. Compared to Salem''s hoard of ingredients, Syryn''s corner was pitifully bare.


    "House rules?" Syryn hadn''t thought of any. "As long as you don''t damage property or injure the occupants of the manor, we''re good."


    "Can I dispose of bodies in the forest grounds?" The half-elf smiled at his new landlord.


    Syryn turned to look at Salem wondering if the boy was joking. "No, I''d rather you buried them behind the shed where I''ll be setting up an extensive garden for fresh ingredients."


    "Sounds like a project I''d like to help with," Salem replied with an interested nod.


    "That would be nice. Would you like to partner with me?" Syryn had a mind for something more ambitious and Salem was the perfect partner for his business project. Where else would he find a better alchemist?


    "Certainly. Have you prepared a chart of plant companion sets?"


    Most magical plants grew healthier when they were paired with other plant types specific to their natures. Any herb tender worth his salt was well prepared with seasonal charts.


    Syryn shook his head and thought about the enormity of the project that was gaining shape in his mind. "Not yet. We should decide together on the catalogue of plants."


    "Then we need to get started as soon as possible so we can catch the changing season."


    The next day, Syryn said goodbye to Rowan in a note that went with the last batch of potions he sent the anti mage. He received a book in return. It was a rare copy of ''Ruby Tablet'' - written by the most well-read alchemist in history. He tucked it into the brand new bookshelf that stood against his bedroom wall. In his last life, Rowan had gifted him the same book. It had been his favourite.


    Soon, Alka and Magnus too showed up with Lucien and all their collection of worldly items. Alka''s several plants adorned the entrance of Holly Manor. Lucien as per usual, stuck to Magnus'' room, while Alka moved into the big upstairs room just opposite Syryn''s master bedroom. There was a lot of work to be done in the house and so the arrival of his friends considerably lightened Syryn''s load.


    Caught up in the whirlwind of classes, brewing, gardening, and all his endless responsibilities, another year was coming to a close on Syryn and his group of friends. Salem was a disciplined housemate - helping in every way he could towards the upkeep of the manor, cooking, and shopping - and he never once tried to poison their water supply. Apart from the occasional emergencies that were caused when those pesky fumes from his experiments threatened to kill his housemates, the boy got along just fine with the others.


    Everything should have been perfect, and it was until it wasn''t. Syryn had begun to notice a change in Salem''s rigid routine. The blonde alchemist was a creature of habit, one that began with an early morning workout before sunrise. A single cup of rice tea with whatever breakfast one of them had cooked up followed his post-workout bath. Salem always smelled fresh, like his soap - a blend of orange, cloves and bamboo. His teal-coloured towel never failed to appear hanging out in the sun while Salem broke fast. It would then be put away with the same attentiveness that the alchemist put to washing his plate.


    His regime was set in stone, sealed and on an unbroken streak. It gave Syryn a sense of comfort knowing his day would always begin the same way. But Salem had changed and this infuriated the younger alchemist. Syryn chose the second week after the deviation began - to mount a confrontation against the older boy.


    "Salem, you woke up after sunrise. Care to explain?" Syryn slithered up to the blonde who was hanging up his towel. The younger boy wondered why the colour hadn''t faded in more than a year of its use. Did Salem have a set of towels that were all teal in colour?


    The half elf''s height had eaten up the year, and Syryn could see it in the difference between the tops of their heads. Elves were gifted with a physique that made every style of clothing look good on them. Salem was indifferent to his burgeoning good looks and this made him even more attractive in the eyes of the men and women in his life.


    "New house rules?" Salem raised his brows at Syryn.


    "No, I''m just curious. What''s changed?" Perfectionists like Salem didn''t just wake up one morning and decide to go back to bed for another short nap.


    "You''ve probably noticed my late night outings. That should be explanation enough," Salem replied. He was meticulously folding the teal towel into a square.


    "Yes, it''s none of my business what you do with your time but I need you to get back to form," Syryn petulantly demanded. "I''ve timed the end of my morning walk with your arrival at the kitchen."


    A quirk of Salem''s mouth showed the alchemist''s amusement at Syryn''s bratty ways. "I''ll see what I can do," he replied. Syryn''s long dark hair was loosely braided and tied with his black ribbon. Seeing how fond the younger boy was of it, Salem had given him a second one, a silky indigo affair that matched Syryn''s eyes.


    "Oh and one more thing, you reeked of alcohol and angel smoke last night. Alka thinks you''ve been visiting brothels," the glee on Syryn''s face was wicked. He wanted to ruffle the feathers on the cool alchemist but his efforts were for nought.


    Salem barely reacted to the accusation. "Alka is right. I''ll be more mindful next time," he replied calmly before leaving a dissatisfied Syryn behind him. The younger boy had failed to get any answers, failed to annoy the blonde, and had failed to secure a proper response to his demand.


    There was only one thing left to do - snoop. And here began Syryn''s involvement in Salem''s saga of tragedy, a blight upon the younger man''s claim of obedience to society''s laws.


    Syryn, under the cloak of his dark powers, stalked Salem a few weeks later. It was a moonless midnight, an hour of the night shunned by the civilised folks of Elysium - all warmly buried under their blankets and dreams. Strike one against Salem.


    The blonde alchemist made his way into a seedy alley of the docks that led to an area populated by brothels. Strike two against Salem. There were high-class brothels in other places so Syryn did not believe the older alchemist was here just to dip into a honey pot.


    The entrance to the street was clean but the thugs and sea hardened inebriated sailors that frequented the place gave it an air of disrepute. Syryn cast an illusion on himself and walked past a pair of arguing men, looking like a destitute old man.


    As they continued onward, Salem lifted his cowl and obfuscated himself with a spell at a shadowy nook of the street. They then passed by several buildings whereupon dozens and dozens of scantily clad women solicited customers. Syryn was nauseous from the assault of cheap perfume that inundated his olfactory senses.


    Salem finally stopped at the door to a brightly lit building that looked the most reputable of the lot they had walked past. A signboard declaring itself ''The velvet pearl'' hung above its eaves.


    Syryn''s quarry entered unencumbered by the guard at the door. If the blonde was really here for some cheap sex, Syryn swore he would get inside the nearest brothel and sell his chrysanthemum to the highest bidder. Curiosity itched at him but the alchemist played it safe and waited outside the building while blending into the shadows. This wasn''t Salem''s first night out so Syryn knew he had had more future escapades with the blonde. Tonight was only a scouting trip to confirm Alka''s suspicions about Salem.


    Syryn nearly fell asleep in his hiding spot considering the fact that it had been more than an hour since Salem''s journey into the velvet pearl. In a moment of doubt, he conjured a mental image of the blonde alchemist breathing hard and wrapped between the legs of a busty young prostitute. He shook his mind off that terrible thought in time for a reveal that was completely off the mark. Salem was out now in the company of another man - a wealthy-looking middle-aged man who was drunk off his rockers and had an arm around the waist of Salem.


    What in the name of Eos'' sacred thighs was going on? Syryn thought. Salem, I misjudged your taste in lovers! Syryn was content to walk away and pretend there was nothing else here for him to see but his guts - the voice of reason, his lifesaver, and lie detector - told him to follow the duo, so follow he did.


    Salem walked with an air of purpose, leading the drunk man in a dizzy route through the maze of alleyways. When they disappeared behind the corner of a building that faced the shore, Syryn waited a while before turning the corner. His ears made it known to him that the two men had stopped walking and were conversing. The voices quieted down and then Syryn heard a muffled groan. This was a little too much even for Syryn.


    It was so shocking to the boy that he nearly stumbled out of the darkness. Syryn was no paragon of virtue but this definitely was a strike against Salem, right? Diddling a middle-aged man out in the open! He had to teach his friend a lesson about careless public sex no matter what time of the day or night it was. It just wouldn''t do! Syryn stepped out into the open still under an illusion.


    He did not find Salem panting and engaged in coitus as his mind had supplied. In fact, what he saw was much worse, or better - Syryn wasn''t sure.


    The middle-aged man was dead on the ground, eyes wide open in horror at the unfeeling sky that didn''t care for his shocking end.


    "I had a feeling I was being followed but couldn''t sense anything with my magic," Salem calmly addressed the old man that Syryn was still disguised as. The younger boy was much too engrossed in noticing how the middle-aged corpse was actually a well known figure in the merchant''s guild.


    "Salem, have you been burying bodies in our garden?" Syryn asked in a measured tone, still staring at the body. Their plants had recently been flourishing much too healthily, especially the vivid crimson cardinals that Alka loved.


    Salem chuckled darkly and faced the endless ocean. "I didn''t think you''d appreciate skeletons in the garden bed," he replied, "so no, I haven''t buried anything in the compound." And from the first floor of the building, a moan that suspiciously sounded very sexual added to the tense atmosphere between the two boys.


    "Okay, push the body into the water." Syryn mildly suggested. He needed an explanation but now wasn''t the time. Other priorities took precedence.


    "The body will surface and they''ll find him eventually. We should leave him here looking like he died while-" Salem''s eyes met Syryn''s, conveying with his pointed look what he meant.


    "How did you kill him? I''m only asking because they''ll investigate his corpse." Syryn lowered his voice when he heard another loud feminine moan from upstairs.


    "I''m not so sloppy," Salem quietly replied while walking over to Syryn. "I induced a heart attack so they won''t find anything amiss."


    "You induced a heart attack??" Syryn''s whisper was scandalized. It got him an annoyed roll of Salem''s eyes. The older alchemist pulled a needle out from his sleeves to show what he had used to ''induce'' the heart attack.


    "You made me waste a good night''s sleep," Syryn accused. Rowan was not going to like his cavalier attitude towards murder, but knowing Salem, the younger boy reserved judgement for after the blonde''s explanation.


    "I never asked you to follow me," Salem softly replied.


    "And nobody asked you to wake up after sunrise but you did."


    The blonde raised his brows in disbelief. "We''re back to that again?"


    "Yes, but we should really leave before someone finds us with the body."


    "Syryn wait, now that you''re here... I.. need a favour." The alchemist''s gaze shifted uneasily. Syryn had never seen Salem look so awkward.


    "What favour?" He stepped closer to the blonde to enjoy the other''s embarrassment.


    "Can you fake a few moans?" Salem mumbled so fast Syryn thought he had gone deaf and heard wrong.


    "Can I what??" He incredulously whispered back.


    Salem pointed a finger up at the room where the couple was still going at it. Witnesses.


    "Your kill so you fake your own moans," Syryn replied with a jab at Salem''s chest. He was already complicit in murder by not raising a stink about it and now Salem wanted him to moan for the ears of a couple who were blissfully unaware of the nefarious deed that had taken place in the time that the woman had achieved an orgasm.


    "My voice is too masculine," Salem whispered, minty breath fanning across Syryn''s cheek. "Please Syryn, I''ll explain everything to you when we get back." The half elf''s plea sounded so delicious to Syryn''s ears. There was something to be said about having this kind of power - as negligible as it was- over a creature like Salem.


    "Please.."


    Fucking hell, Syryn thought, he really was going to do it wasn''t he?

 Chapter 55 - Curses And Pleasure

    "I can''t guarantee it won''t sound fake." Syryn knew what it sounded like. Imitating one wasn''t something he''d ever attempted.


    "That''s fine," Salem replied.


    With the pretty boy watching him, Syryn couldn''t do it. His cheeks turned red from just the imagination of himself making lewd sounds while Salem watched. He desperately reached into himself but the sound was caught in his throat where it died a silent death.


    "Actually, I don''t think I can," Syryn informed the waiting blonde. They were wasting time and had to leave but Salem''s gaze was calculating and pinned to him with bad intentions.


    "We''ll have to settle for a real one then," the blonde answered. Since their public kiss more than a year ago, Salem had applied his scholastic mind to reading and absorbing several racy manuscripts that taught its readers the art of giving and receiving pleasure. Erotic intelligence aside, the alchemist was eager to see the fruit of his studies.


    Syryn had attracted him enough that he wanted to try it out on the boy. He hoped that the little beauty would be a willing subject to his ministrations. If he objected to it though, Salem wouldn''t push his luck.


    "Right here?" Syryn sounded unsure as he surreptitiously eyed the corpse. The demon child had spent several years growing in the company of violence and debauchery and had long become desensitized to dead bodies or any lack of respect to such. It wasn''t a question of how wrong this was, no, that had sailed the moment Syryn had decided to help Salem.


    "The objective is to have them think he was with a woman." Salem caged Syryn between his arms and the wall. The man he had just killed deserved no consideration, at least not from Salem.


    "What if his ghost is hovering next to us?" Syryn asked. He was buying time to decide if he would later regret this final act of disrespect to the dead.


    "We don''t have to do this if it makes you uncomfortable," Salem replied with understanding for Syryn''s hesitance. It wasn''t as if it mattered too much if Salem was caught - he was a dying man anyways.


    His first kill had been easy. The deceased was a rotten excuse of a human and had been willing to prey upon Salem''s life so this was just payback. As for the other kills to follow? The older alchemist struggled to come to terms with what he would have to do.


    Salem released Syryn from having to make a decision. "Let''s go home," he told the younger boy, tired from the stress that he had endured for hours.


    The younger alchemist remained unmoving from his position against the wall. Beneath the taller boy''s calm exterior, a tension was buzzing under his skin and Syryn could sense it. "Salem, when we get home, you''ll have to come clean." It was conveyed quietly but couldn''t be mistaken for a request.


    Nodding, the blonde cast an illusion upon himself. The younger boy did the same and followed the other past a shortcut that took them across a fishing hub.


    Later, the two alchemists tiptoed into the house just an hour short of dawn''s arrival. They locked themselves in the alchemy chamber and pulled all the curtains close for as much privacy as could be afforded for Salem''s confession.


    "So, first kill?" Syryn asked.


    "How did you know?"


    "I didn''t. It was a random question to break the ice."


    Salem wasn''t sure where to start. Tonight''s cold-blooded murder was premeditated, planned after a year-long internal struggle. The ease with which he had accomplished the act disgusted even himself but there was no way to sugar coat it - he was now a criminal.


    "Salem?" Syryn questioned when the blonde had retreated to his thoughts. Exhaling to free the ball of tension that was curled inside him, Salem undid the illusion that was always on, 24/7, ever since the mark had awakened on his skin.


    Before Syryn''s surprised eyes, a malignant design appeared, spreading out like ink across the blonde''s throat in a pattern that was familiar to the younger boy. Syryn could feel the maliciousness of it radiating, cutting open his senses like an animal gutted inside out and put to dry in the scorching sun.


    "You''re fucking kidding me," he spat angrily. "Who put that on you?!"


    Syryn was suddenly shaking from the fury that hit him like lightning cleaving his soul. The mark was a dark spell that could not be undone by either of the two; not even Syryn with his vast knowledge of magic could remove this.


    "You know what this is?" Salem ruefully smiled. The antiquated piece of work on his throat could rarely be found anymore in the vast repository of knowledge that existed in their time.


    "Yes, I do. It''s a nasty curse that should have died along with its creator." Syryn replied. He had seen the mark in one of Traxdart''s old tomes - a perfect circle within which a snake spiralled inwards towards the centre where a butterfly with three wings was trapped. The number of wings indicated the years that Salem had left. It looked beautiful and it was everything but.


    Sucking in a breath of anger that was a cold clot in his system, Syryn wished he didn''t know that Salem was dying. There was a way yet, a bloody path for his friend.


    "Tell me everything."


    Salem hadn''t hoped for emancipation from his cursed life but the fact that Syryn knew about it brought a sense of relief to him.


    "What''s there to explain? I''m the fourth generation and the last living member of my great grandfather''s descendants. This curse was placed on us by the head of the Fotairn family when their luck began to dwindle. They''ve gotten fat and wealthy by parasiting off the life spans of my family members."


    Salem''s relatives had gone from seeking help from the priests to mages, and then finally to a few well-known soothsayers. A majority of their children were all dying before reaching adulthood and they couldn''t understand why. A few though escaped the curse and kept their blood from dying out. Salem''s father had even taken a bride from amongst one of the elves, hoping that the mixing of races would provide a path of escape from the tragedy that stuck to their family. It was to no avail. Everyone was dead now save for Salem.


    "As far as I know, this mark shouldn''t be visible." Syryn reached out to trace the pattern of it with a curious hand. Another reason that the curse was so vile - It sat imperceptible on its victim, eating away at their life essence and converting it into luck for the caster.


    "I was fortunate enough to be welcomed by my mother''s side of the family even though she herself was despised for breeding with a human. I suppose I owe it to inheriting my grandmother''s looks," Salem''s mouth lifted in a cynical smile. "Grandfather is a scholar and has an extensive library. It was there that I found a tome on curses hidden in plain sight, undercover as a book about alchemy."


    "Was it written in the script of neruha?" Syryn asked.


    "Yes." So they''d read the same book.


    "It was just a matter of following the instructions to reveal the curse mark. I knew what it was but not who did it so I came back here where my father''s family had set their roots. A historical investigation of the Fotairns revealed the exact year that their fortunes began to turn. Would you believe it was the year that my paternal family lost their first son to a freak accident?"


    That was how it went - unnatural deaths that could not be reconciled with. "How did it happen?"


    "A branch from the tree he was resting under seemingly broke and fell on his head, killing him instantly. 28 years old when it happened."


    "You turned 17 this year," Syryn replied bitterly. "19 years old is too early for a flame so bright as yours to be extinguished. I''m glad you killed that man."


    His death had added a year to Salem''s lifespan. That was the most tragic aspect of the curse. If the victim wanted to live, he had to become a killer. Wiping out every living member of the family that came from the original caster of the curse liberated the victim from his premature death. Either way, it was a sorrowful fate for Salem.


    "You''re right, I''m glad I killed him. The Fotairn family is quite aware of the ritual that is keeping them protected and rich. They''d have to because the curse demands a sacrifice from their family every year. Having fewer Fotairn heirs provides a measure of relief to their victims because it means there''s less magic powering the bond. That thrice-cursed son of a whore had 9 children with his first wife and 3 more with his mistress."


    Syryn was taken aback at hearing the alchemist swear.


    "Then it means you''ll just have to kill them all." It was quietly and firmly spoken. The Fotairns were still perpetuating the curse and living off the deaths of Salem''s family. It was only fitting that they all died for it.


    Salem clasped Syryn''s hands and fixed him with a look that was equal parts gratitude and adoration. He had lived with the burden, alone and miserable, hoping to find a friend who could understand his plight without judgement. To have a brilliant Syryn not only sharing in his pain but sympathising with him brought a deliverance that temporarily calmed the storm he was trapped in.


    He leaned in slowly, giving Syryn time to reject him but the younger boy parted his lips and lowered his gaze to Salem''s mouth. It was an invitation that the older boy took hungrily. Salem had never kissed anyone else. It was Syryn that stole his first and he was willing to give more.


    The younger boy parted the seam of Salem''s lips with a slippery tongue that wanted to taste the half-elf. The blonde alchemist was clearly inexperienced but he more than made up for it with an eagerness that had him sucking on the intruding tongue. Stirred by it, Syryn bit Salem''s lips and turned the kiss into something primal and depraved. It was a hell of a way for the blonde to find out that pain too could be arousing.


    Drunk on the honeyed mouth that taught him more than his books could ever, Salem dove for the skin on Syryn''s neck. His wet mouth latched onto the satiny pale skin and licked a wet trail down the pulse of the younger teen''s throat. Quick hands undid the buttons to Syryn''s tunic while his mouth laved kisses all over beautiful collarbones.


    Syryn''s breaths were heavy in the air, gasping when Salem''s hot mouth found one of his rosy nipples. A moan was ripped unbidden from Syryn''s mouth when Salem flicked at it with his warm flattened tongue. The younger male pressed his lips together, embarrassed at the sound that he made. The blood in his body had rushed down to the organ that had been growing since their kiss began.


    And when the blonde devoted his attention to Syryn''s other nipple that had pebbled from the cold temperature, it was a shock of warmth and pleasure that sent a shiver down Syryn''s spine. His hands found purchase on the blonde''s shoulders and Syryn whimpered needily.


    "Stop, Salem. I can''t - can''t bear the humiliation of coming from just this."


    In response, the blonde freed the rosy wet nipple and leaned back into his chair. He then tugged Syryn forward right onto his lap. Indigo eyes widened at the intimate way he had been positioned on Salem''s strong thighs.


    "No one has to know, not even Rowan," the blonde murmured, low and sultry, eyes bright with knowledge of the anti mage''s desire for the boy on his lap. As far as Salem was concerned, Syryn didn''t belong to Rowan. The sentiment was reflected in Syryn''s eyes.


    "You say that as if I''m promised to him," Syryn grit out. He would jump off a cliff before feeling guilty about this. Rowan was pledged to a lucky priestess, and the entirety of Elysium knew that. Channelling the rush of annoyance he felt at hearing Rowan''s name, Syryn ground his hips in a rolling motion that brought a groan to Salem''s beautiful lips. Their erections were pressed flush between the rustling cloth of pants.


    "So good," Salem gasped, "again, with a little more pressure."


    Blonde hair undone and eyes glazed over from pleasure, the half-elf was a sight for sore eyes. His hands flew to Syryn''s waist and encouraged the boy to move even as lips crashed in a messy kiss.


    Breaths mingling in hot pants, Syryn lost himself to a bright hot fulfilment that demanded immediate release. He was grateful that Salem wasn''t pushing for more even though it was what his body wanted. The blonde cupped Syryn''s butt in a strong grip and thrust upwards, edging the boy with a promise for what he could have.


    "Nnghh- Salem!" Syryn cried out and shamefully came in his pants. It had been a smooth ride up until Salem pushed him over the edge with that lethal move. He pressed a forehead to the blonde''s shoulder and hid his face from his partner in crime. So embarrassing! He thought, sated from what little had been given to him.


    Pressing a light kiss to Syryn''s temple, Salem exhaled and wrapped his arms around the limp Syryn who was draped over him like dead weight.


    "Alka will awaken soon," he reminded the dead weight.


    "Let him."


    "If Artemus finds out, I might get thrown out of the house." There was humour in Salem''s complaint.


    "How? How does everyone know?" Syryn raised his head, meeting Salem''s amber flecked eyes.


    "Gossip travels fast. A gorgeous thing like you is hard to hide away," Salem replied while a knuckle gently traced the contours of Syryn''s cheek.


    "The truth Salem," Syryn nipped at the moist lip that beckoned to him.


    The blonde then slipped his fingers through the silky hair on Syryn''s nape and tugged the boy''s head in for a deep kiss that was slow and sensuous. When they broke apart, Salem leaned back and let his eyes rove over Syryn''s chest.


    "It''s how they look at you. That''s how I found out." Had he given himself away too?


    "Lies."


    "It''s almost time for breakfast, Syryn."


    With a sigh, the younger boy lifted a leg off the captivating blonde. "Fine. I need a bath." His trousers were sticky and disgusting.


    "I can help with your next kill... if you want it." Syryn lingered, waiting for Salem to say something but the blonde''s only response was a small smile. They had two years for Syryn to change his mind so Salem refused to encumber the boy with a burden that wasn''t his to bear. If Syryn still felt the same way when it was time to reap another life, he would gladly take any help the dark-haired beauty would give.


    "I''ll see you at breakfast then." Syryn turned and walked out of the alchemy chamber, leaving Salem wrung out but feeling lighter than he ever had.

 Chapter 56 - Adultery

    By the time the year had come to its end, Artemus brought news that renewed Syryn''s hopes for this timeline. The first horn had been found and destroyed.


    Traxdart''s minions were found close to the underground relics of a long-dead Dwarven city where the first horn lay buried amongst piles of rusting Armor. The mage hunters suffered a casualty in the process but they had prevailed over the demons. Now the demonic emperor had become aware that the humans too were looking for the bizarre horns.


    Things were more or less normal at the manor. Salem never mentioned his mark again, and Syryn never asked about it. And after that one episode, the older boy never initiated another close encounter with his dark-haired friend. That is until they started spending more time working together in the alchemy chamber.


    3 drops of mercury went into the bubbling liquid in Salem''s cauldron when he heard Syryn make a strangled sound. His focus was disrupted so he decided he might as well find out what was the matter with Syryn''s potion.


    Salem turned down the flame under his cauldron. His potion was safe for another 5 minutes so long as he returned back to it without delay. The taller boy approached his alchemist friend and peered into the cauldron that contained a transparent layer of jelly splattered on every inch of the inside surface.


    "That''s no good," he remarked with a click of his tongue.


    "Very observant, how insightful. No wonder you''re an alchemist." Syryn''s irritation only served to improve Salem''s mood. It wasn''t often that the dark-haired genius made mistakes like this.


    "What failed potion was this supposed to be?" Salem stooped over the cauldron and took a cautionary sniff before swiping a long finger down the lip of the cauldron. Rubbing the jelly between the pads of his fingers, Salem turned to speak to Syryn and noticed how the younger man''s eyes were glued to his hand.


    Oh.


    This was interesting.


    "Syryn, let''s restart the potion. I''ll make sure you aren''t distracted this time around."


    The dark-haired boy nodded, mind still wrapped up in thoughts. "I''ll clean this up then," he replied.


    Syryn hefted the cauldron off his stove and carried it out for a thorough scrubbing. It was enough time for the older boy to cook up his hydrophobic dye. Salem poured the contents of his cauldron into a small wooden bucket and sealed it shut. It was almost time for Syryn to appear.


    "Done with yours?" Syryn asked. The younger boy had an apron on and it absorbed the water droplets that clung to the surface of his now cleaned cauldron. He placed it over the stove and surveyed the ingredients left on his working counter. There was enough for another round. With Salem helping him, Syryn was confident that the second time would be a sure success. His mind had been all over the place what with Red informing him of the child''s desire to hunt some prey at night.


    Salem''s casual inspection of the mess he''d made had only added to Syryn''s troubles. The older boy had a sensuality to his every move and it affected Syryn on a physical level. He was stressed out living as a hormonal teen in a house with Salem, a walking pheromone dispenser whose beautiful accent the younger male still could not get used to.


    "Done. I''ll be right over," there it was, attractive as ever.


    Salem favoured loose garments that hid much of his slender but artistically muscled body. His elven martial arts practise in the mornings were evidenced by the strong musculature that was tight but lean under the billowing clothing he wore. To the outsider, the blonde was a convincing case of a scholarly alchemist who couldn''t truss a chicken if his life depended on it. Lies. Syryn had become aware of the strength hiding beneath that calm exterior - a maelstrom whirling dangerously under a cover of layered clothes. Syryn pinched himself and turned back to the block of fat that needed to be weighed.


    A pile of de-husked nuts was then chopped into little pieces. The alchemist slid the nuts to the side when he felt the presence of his blonde friend behind him. Salem was tall enough that he could peer down from behind Syryn''s shoulder despite bending slightly to place his hands on the counter on either side of Syryn''s waist.


    "Your wrist movement isn''t gentle enough." His breath grazed the shell of Syryn''s ear. "You''ll hurt yourself if you put so much tension into your knife-hand."


    And whose fault was it? The younger boy bit his tongue and blinked down at the empty chopping board. Stiffly, he reached out to place a few stems of some plant, the nomenclature of which escaped his memory. Fire swe- he almost had it. Fire- Salem''s distinct clove and sweet orange scent snatched the thought away and stuffed it in a corner where a few dirty thoughts were beating to death his hope for a successful potion.


    "Fire Swells don''t like to be kept waiting. Once you''ve removed them from the soil, degradation is promptly triggered," Salem reminded him in a tone that was honeyed and low.


    Syryn swallowed thickly and wished his left-hand luck because there was a strong probability of amputation if Salem kept up whatever he was doing. Fire swell stems lined up like soldiers, his knife went down on the red stems with practised ease. Syryn was relieved to find that his hands knew what to do even when his brain was compromised.


    "Salem, this isn''t the sort of help I had envisioned."


    "Do you hate it?" the half replied after a pause.


    "No. But I don''t have enough ingredients for after another failed potion."


    "It won''t fail," Salem replied with easy confidence.


    One of Syryn''s brain cells immediately stepped up to tell him that Salem''s arrogance was an insult to how distracting Syryn too could be. Screw the potion! It cried. Kill it. Let it explode again! And he agreed with the idiot brain cell. Syryn would do his utmost to ruin the potion. He had earned his title as a bastard and would wear it like a badge.


    "Syryn, that''s not how you strip a rubbelum. Are we forgetting basic ingredient knowledge?" The older alchemist chided like a teacher. Seduction was fine and all but Salem could not tolerate sloppy work.


    That stung the younger alchemist. The mishandling of the rubbelum was deliberate on his part but it hurt his pride as a professional. Gritting his teeth, Syryn vowed to hijack the potion through subtler means.


    "It''s your fault for distracting me," he petulantly replied.


    When the younger boy had to place a white powder on the scale, he was forced to lean forward and reach out to grab some stones. Salem took the opportunity to slip a thumb past the shirt that was riding up the younger boy''s waistband. A small tremor shook Syryn''s hand but he valiantly carried through the task. Even without Syryn''s purposeful meddling, the potion looked to be moving further away from successful completion.


    "Wrong. Weigh it again but with the appropriate stone," Salem whispered huskily. This time, a tongue slipped out to lick the ear lobe that was turning pink from Salem''s hot breaths. Syryn bit his lip to stifle the little moan that nearly escaped. It was getting harder to pretend he wasn''t affected by the blonde''s actions. The younger boy could not understand how Salem was so unerringly catching his little ''mistakes'' as if he wasn''t already preoccupied with lighting a flame under him.


    "Careful there," Salem firmly caught Syryn''s naughty hand over the cauldron before he could release the white powder into it. "Bone chalk always goes after the wet ingredients," he then lightly bit Syryn''s ear lobe like it was a punishment for what the younger boy had almost done. Syryn gasped and leaned back into Salem''s broad chest. His skin was getting hot, bringing a rosy pink tinge to it.


    "Syryn, I''m starting to believe you''re sabotaging your own potion." He kissed the younger boy''s neck while his hand drifted higher past Syryn''s ribs. It was a gentle brush of his fingers against the skin but it left a flash of heat in its trail. The dark-haired boy shuddered under the torturous ministration of his lips and fingers.


    "Why- why would-" Syryn''s words were cut off by another hand that caressed his inner thighs through the thin cotton fabric. The touch electrified every single nerve in his body.


    "I want to stain your thighs with kisses," Salem murmured against the tender spot on the neck where a pulse throbbed.


    It was all over. Syryn was undone.


    "Salem please," he begged, breath ragged.


    "I''ll give you what you want if you finish the potion perfectly," the alchemist lazily replied, nose nuzzling against dark hair. "I won''t monitor you any longer so pay attention Syryn."


    How could he pay attention when Salem''s hand was circling so close to his erection, tantalising him with a reward that fogged Syryn''s thought process.


    "You rotten little-" Syryn began but it seemed he was to be interrupted by his torturer every single time.


    "Save the dirty talk for after you''re done. I don''t make promises I don''t intend to keep, Syryn. If that potion doesn''t turn out perfect, you get nothing. And that hurts the both of us." Salem was going to be the death of him.


    Syryn shut his eyes and took in a few deep fortifying breaths. What had it been like to work under pressure? This was a different sort of pressure altogether but the principle was the same. He had to ignore his sensory feedback and focus on the task.


    His vision zeroed in on the ingredients. The liquid base was already inside with a few other ingredients. Syryn added everything in order of their sequence, ensuring that not a single extra iota of material was accidentally slipped in.


    "Very good," Salem praised. The older boy was breathing harder and Syryn could tell it was a consequence of the actions that he had carried out with speedy expertise. "Your competency never fails to turn me on."


    "You''re one to talk," Syryn replied. He had been distracted to no end when Salem had but rubbed the jelly between his fingers.


    The rest of the process proceeded smoothly. Syryn was hyperfocused on his task and refused to allow Salem to distract him further. He nearly had a close call though when the blonde pressed up against him, making it known to Syryn that Salem was definitely hard.


    "It''s done." Syryn breathed a sigh of relief and shut the cauldron with its convex lid. He was abruptly jerked around by hands on his waist that pinned him to the flat edge of the counter. It dug painfully into his flesh but Syryn couldn''t give a shit about it because Salem was suddenly taking up all his oxygen in a kiss that was ravenous and urgent.


    The older boy skillfully manoeuvred them away from the cauldron and lifted Syryn onto the counter, lips still joined and a tiny dribble of saliva leaking from the edge of Syryn''s mouth. His legs went around Salem''s waist and they were pressed tight, heat in their loins ratcheting up with every second that passed by.


    "And what have we here?" Red''s bored voice cut into their bubble-like rain on a sunny picnic.


    "Fuck off Red," Syryn made a rude gesture at the brat who had a shit-eating grin on his face.


    "Now, now, don''t behead the messenger. I''m just here to tell you that Artemus is home."


    Syryn suddenly had a terrible headache.


    "In fact, he''s heading this way even as we speak."


    Salem''s arms were like iron bands around Syryn''s waist. Amber brown eyes were half-lidded and watching Syryn with intent. The younger boy had the crazy notion that he was a wife whose husband was about to catch him red-handed with his lover. Where in that fucked up equation would be put, Rowan?!!


    "Let go," He fearfully begged the blonde. It was obvious that Artemus would not take this well.


    "No. What are you afraid of?" Salem''s voice was low but in a menacing way. "What is Artemus to you?"


    "Shit," Syryn cursed at himself and looked to the door where Red was leaning, smugly examining his neatly trimmed fingernails.


    "Please Salem," He could use violence to get out of the vice-like arms holding him in place but that would lead to even more complications. Why the hell was Salem so strong?! Syryn bemoaned the alchemist''s stubbornness.


    The blonde''s eyes darkened but he freed Syryn from what had been the longest minute of his life. Giving thanks to Artemus for gifting him a house that was a hundredfold bigger than his own cowardly heart, Syryn sprang away to the window and jumped out of it leaving two stunned boys behind him.

 Chapter 57 - Taken

    "Where is Syryn?" Artemus pointedly asked the blonde teen who appeared put off, an expression that was rare on his face.


    Salem stuck a thumb out behind him, pointing to the garden that was sprawled out past the window. "Defenestrated himself when he heard you were coming."


    Artemus'' dark eyes stilled on Red who had snitched on him. The redhead was thick faced enough to pretend innocence when he noticed the censure in the anti mage''s eyes.


    "I''d do the same for you if Rowan was around while you sweet-talked my bro."


    Artemus had a feeling that there had been a lot more than sweet talk between Salem and Syryn. Long legs took measured steps to the window where the man stood like a dark shadow against the brightness of the light falling into the room.


    He could see the top of Syryn''s silky head bobbing between the tall stalks of crimson Cardinals, some of which grew higher than Artemus.


    "It appears that my cabbage is being eyed at by a wild hog," he remarked without warmth.


    "Mu Mu, you planted a cabbage?" Luci who had switched with Red, came running over to the window to see the cabbage that Artemus was claiming to have planted. The older man smiled fondly at the redhead, hand reaching into his pocket for the toy he had brought.


    "No, it was already there when I found it." The mask of cool distance that was a permanent fixture on his face only changed for Alka and Luci. Not even Syryn received the kind of care that Luci was showered with.


    "What''s that?" A metallic doll was placed in his small cupped palms.


    "It''s a toy you can practise your magic on. Inject a small amount of mana right here to make it dance."


    A delighted smile lit up the red head''s face when the doll began to swing its arms to music that came from its chest.


    "Go on, show it to Alka and he''ll teach you how to make it jump."


    "Thank you Mu Mu!" Luci wrapped his arms around Artemus'' legs, squeezing with might that belied his skinny arms. The anti mage had, much reluctantly, long given up on persuading the child to call him by a name more fitting with his image. But now, the nickname forced upon him was a ball of warmth that always tugged at his heartstrings when Luci''s cute voice called to him.


    Salem who had quietly watched the boy interact with the anti mage, waited for Lucien to leave before replying to Artemus.


    "The wild hog knows not who the cabbage belongs to when it stands unguarded and unclaimed. Blame the cabbage for looking so delicious."


    A smile of contempt transformed the anti mage''s face. "How true. Naughty cabbages go straight into the cooking pot. Syryn teaches me something new every day even when he isn''t present."


    Salem was silent in the face of the anti mage''s words. There was no need for a confrontation when they were both cognizant of Syryn''s own compliance in the messy relationships that were forming between them. The half-elf wasn''t expecting an emotional romantic outcome to precipitate from their amorous exchange. He had a few good years ahead of him so Salem was spurred on by a recklessness that didn''t care for future atonement.


    *******


    Syryn had graduated along with Magnus and Alka, and summer had arrived. His friends took on more tasks at the adventurer''s guild while Syryn started a business venture with Salem.


    A large building was bought jointly with their savings. There, they sold their services and products as alchemists. Unlicensed as he was, Syryn even moonlighted as a quack. His growing clientele of patients grew as fast as their alchemy business.


    One fine day, while Syryn manned the shop, a woman stepped into their establishment. The lady had arrived with a request that Syryn could not fulfil.


    "I told you I don''t sell love potions," Syryn snapped at the woman who had been pestering him for hours now. She had been demanding that he sell her a potion which was illegal in the kingdom. The lady stubbornly clung to her demands despite Syryn''s repeated and blunt refusal. A nerve throbbed on his forehead after the umpteenth time she screeched at him. Syryn was done being polite.


    "I don''t mean to be rude lady, but in your target''s vision, even a love potion cannot rescue that face. At best, you''ll upgrade from troll to goblin. Spare that poor man you''re trying to snare." A loud gasp came out of her mouth as she clutched her chest.


    "Eos no, please, don''t have a heart attack in my shop. The door is just a few steps away."


    The woman''s eyes rolled back into her head dramatically. She then passed out and slipped off her seat. Syryn wasn''t having the best of days today. He breathed in deeply through his nose and reached for his pouch of salt. He hadn''t given her permission to die here.


    The alchemist angrily set to task reviving the woman. After hauling her up onto the chair, she finally roused and attempted to slap him but his hand moved faster and caught hers in midair. Syryn fearfully eyed the bulging arm that looked like it could easily crush a watermelon. If that thing had landed on his face, he would have been slapped straight into the next life. "Your hand should be declared a threat to public safety," He mumbled shakily.


    It was the final insult that broke the woman. She sobbed into her handkerchief while Syryn ignored her from behind his desk. And this was the sight that met Salem when he arrived at the store.


    Syryn had his head down, studiously reading a book. The hysterical lady was on her chair unwilling to leave without a Love potion whilst still weeping over the harsh words that she had been subjected to. Taking one long look at the dark-haired alchemist who was refusing to even acknowledge the crying customer, Salem addressed the lady.


    "Why are you crying?"


    She dabbed her perfumed handkerchief over splotchy eyes and turned to the attractive man that was giving her attention.


    "Sir, I have never in my life been so insulted by a man before. He called me a troll!" A brightly painted fingernail was thrust in Syryn''s direction.


    Salem pressed a knuckled fist against his mouth and coughed. "Miss, how can I help you?" He replied.


    "But- he called me-"


    "My friend can be a bit blunt at times; I apologise on his behalf. We will be closing the store soon though so I need you to quickly tell me what you''re here for," he smiled tightly at the customer who discerned the noon sun calling out Salem''s bullshit.


    Grimacing at the lack of respect for her person, she replied with a sniffle, "I need a Love potion."


    "A Love potion?" Salem understood then why Syryn had lost his temper. "I have one. Wait a moment while I get it."


    Syryn side-eyed the taller alchemist. He trusted the blonde enough that he refrained from meddling with Salem''s course of action. After an unbearably long time spent in the company of a fuming customer, his partner returned from behind the door.


    "Here you go."


    A tiny heart-shaped bottle with a ribbon around the stopper appeared in the hand of Salem. It contained a light pink liquid that glittered in the light.


    The lady squinted at it and then looked up at the half-elf. "The Love potions that I encountered weren''t pink in colour."


    "That''s because they were fake," Salem smoothly replied. "This is the real deal. Our establishment doesn''t sell fake goods. We would be ruining our reputation if we did that."


    It managed to convince the woman. She received the bottle and thanked Salem effusively. "How much is this?" She asked, hand lingering on Salem''s arm.


    "For the trouble that my partner caused, it''s free."


    "Free! I''ll be sure to inform my friends about this shop. You''ll have hundreds of customers in no time."


    "You have my gratitude then miss. We''re about to close so I must beg you to leave." The teen then ushered her out hastily and banged the door shut.


    "What did you give her?" Syryn asked when Salem turned around.


    "Fruit juice with glitter in it," Salem replied.


    "Glitter.."


    "And he would be grateful for it not being a Love potion, whoever the unlucky man is. Did you really call her a troll though?"


    "She deserved it. Annoyed the hell out of me."


    Syryn shut the book and slid it into the drawer where he kept all the reading material he wanted to catch up on. Salem had smartly dealt with the impossible woman. She would eventually discover that the love potion was just another fake product; but what recourse would she have against them? The potion had been free, and her demand illegal.


    "Let''s go out for lunch. Luci and Alka will arrive soon."


    Just as the alchemists returned to the store post-lunch, Alka and Luci slid into the doorway wearing matching hats that had cat like ears on them. They were both adorable.


    "Thanks for dropping him off Al." Syryn made space for Luci behind the desk where another chair was ready for the redhead.


    "Luci has a new friend. Said friend''s mother has invited him to the child''s birthday celebration next week at their home." Alka informed Syryn.


    "Do you want to go?" Syryn asked the boy who was fiddling with the toy that his beloved Mu Mu had gotten him. Luci was seldom ever seen without it.


    "Not particularly," he replied. "Gale has other friends that I don''t like playing with. They''ll be at the celebration too."


    "Why don''t you like them?"


    Luci pressed a finger to the doll''s forehead and pushed in a stream of magic. "Too noisy." The doll''s head spun around in circles making Syryn dizzy.


    "Well, it''s up to you Luci," Syryn replied. "Either way, let me know what you decide."


    Alka and Salem soon departed from the store to go their separate ways. Syryn was left with Luci and two sleeping cats, both sprawled out on soft cushions. When the older boy vacated the room to relieve himself in the restroom behind their building, he hadn''t been prepared to come back to a missing Lucien.


    "Luci?" he called out. "Luci, if you''re hiding, I need you to come out." Not a soul answered.


    "Luci, answer me... Fuck."


    Syryn ran out and frantically searched the street and then their entire building. There was no Lucien to be found.


    "Did you see a red-headed boy come out of the store over there?" he asked the owner of a flower shop just adjacent to his building.


    The old lady who had been watering a cactus turned to the teen looking like he had lost his soul. "I did see a red-headed child walk that way with an older gentleman," she replied.


    "What?! What did he look like??" Syryn was reeling from shock and panic. Luci was so innocent and obedient. He couldn''t have run off on his own unless, "Red."


    "I''m not sure, I wasn''t paying close attention. Young man, are you alright?"


    Syryn could not hear her above the static that filled his ears. Heart dropping into a cold pit of ice, he rushed off like lightning to find his brother.

 Chapter 58 - Red Got Us Kidnapped

    Luci was calmly seated inside the carriage that was rapidly moving away from the outskirts of Elysium. The golden sun dipped below the horizon and he worried for his brothers who were surely looking for him, fearful and losing their minds. It was all Red''s fault for following the creepy old man who had lured him with the promise of an arcane book.


    It began when the man had entered the shop to find Red paging through a book of basic spells. Just a few honeyed words about an extraordinary library that he could visit anytime for more arcane tomes, and Red was out the door hand in hand with their kidnapper.


    [I know what I''m doing] Red''s sullen voice cut through their shared mental space.


    (Do you really? Syryn will have our hides when we get back home. IF we get back home!) Luci frustratedly replied.


    [Trust me, we will! Although I''m not sure how we''ll find our way back..]


    "Lucien, you''ve been so quiet," the older man spoke. He looked to be in his late 40s and had a hairline that was receding like a drying river bank. A bushy moustache sat above his lip; an overenthusiastic caterpillar that shook every time he spoke.


    "I don''t feel so good," Luci replied. Chin length red hair that was thick and luscious stood stark against his milky skin. The older man''s eyes began to shine with a strange light as he truly realised at that moment how gorgeously ethereal the child was. Alas, a prize so precious could not be eaten by him. Lucien was a tribute to a greater end that would pave his road with bricks of gold.


    "We''ll get to the library soon and you''ll feel better in no time. I even have a bowl of sweetmeats from Tew¨¹. Have you ever tasted them?" A disgusting hand brushed over his head and despite his self-control, Lucien''s brows wrinkled.


    (I can''t do this. Can you take over?)


    Wordlessly, Red took control and smiled at the older man. "No, but I like sweets."


    Buoyed by the lovely smile that had been aimed at him, the kidnapper''s spirit was further rejuvenated. He grinned widely at the fairy child whose eyes were like the scarlet of blood. "You''re a good boy Lucien. I''ll make sure to feed you well when we get there."


    Red hummed with amusement. "I''ll take a nap now mister. Wake me up when we arrive." He leaned against the man''s shoulder and closed his eyes. Red wasn''t sleepy but neither was he in the mood for conversation with his kidnapper.


    "Lucien, we''ve arrived." A hand gently shook his arm, rousing him from a dream about Magnus. The fire mage had been furious in his dreamscape, burning down Syryn''s establishment before he morphed into a black dragon and ate up the king''s knights.


    "It''s late," Luci replied, blearily eyeing the moon. Syryn was going to be so upset with them. Magnus, Alka, Mu Mu... Luci thought about the people he had left back at Elysium. (Why did you follow him when you were aware of his intentions?)


    [To kill him.]


    Luci squeezed his little fist and followed the man towards a large mansion that was deeply hidden within a mountain.


    "Come, Lucien, there''s nothing to fear. Beyond these doors lies a treasure for the both of us." The man''s smile was insidious in the weak glow that the moon cast upon them. Luci shrunk back in fear but he was pulled roughly by the hand. It gripped his fingers in a bruising squeeze. The monster was done acting now that he was a step away from his goal.


    An onslaught of terrifying flashbacks hit Luci with a vengeance for all the good years he had enjoyed, carefree under the shelter of his new family. Details that he had forgotten, scars, and reminders of what he was - came crashing like waves.


    A sob was ripped out of his lungs.


    [Luci, listen to me. Now isn''t the time to get hysterical. Gather your wits because we''re about to shed some blood. We''ll kill this man and all the other scum writhing inside this fucking mansion.]


    The child felt a blanket of calm settle over him at those words. Red, his protector, was by his side. (Yes... I''m okay.)


    [Stop lying you little shit. I''d be worried if you really were feeling okay under these circumstances.]


    Luci blinked away the tears that were welling up in his eyes. (What should I do?)


    [Just follow him for now and act appropriately afraid.] It was an easy task. Luci was scared to death! He hadn''t mastered his elements enough to fight against adult mages. He hoped that Red had a better plan than fumbling through their shared skillset of magic.


    The kidnapper dragged him up a dark staircase that led up to a library. "See," he sneered at Lucien, "just as promised."


    "You, tell your mistress I''m here." He rudely ordered a maid who was standing guard beside a door. "And I''ve got something that''ll make her very happy."


    The maid''s gaze was trained on Lucien who pitifully stood beside the kidnapper. Her eyes went wide, brows furrowed in distress but it was quickly erased. "I''ll let the madam know."


    Without acknowledging her answer, Lucien was roughly dumped onto a couch that was in the centre of the library. The man sat beside Luci and waited for the madam to appear.


    "Where is the sweetmeat?" Red asked.


    The man laughed at his question like it was the funniest joke he had heard. "You''ve got a heavy pair on you, don''t you? And here I thought you were terrified. There''s no sweetmeat boy, but you can ask madam Zelli when she comes out. For someone as pretty as you, I''m sure she has a lot more than sweetmeats." The grin on his face was positively maniacal. He may have looked human but Luci was sure that his heart was demonic. His brother was more human than this man could ever be.


    "Really? I like big tits. I hope she has really big ones," Red leered. His kidnapper''s jaw fell open wide enough to catch flies in it.


    "Oh, did I just ruin the picture of a child as pure as the driven snow you''d painted of me?" Red giggled like a naughty sprite and lounged back on the couch with easy nonchalance. "You should run as far as you can from here tonight because I''ll kill you." The sure certainty of the statement sent a chill down the man''s back.


    "How dare you!" No victim of his had ever dared to disrespect him so. If he wasn''t so invaluable, the child would be finding himself in chains, naked at the mercy of a whip.


    The tension in the air dissipated when the door was opened. A beautiful woman stepped out of what looked to be a study. With her heart-shaped face and bright red lips that split into a tender smile, madam Zelli was a genial looking woman. Red pegged her age in the mid-20s. Her blonde hair was curled into ringlets that fell past her waist in a waterfall. A loving, caring, and gentle noblewoman - that was what Red would have pinned her to be if he didn''t know better. Not even the white lace dress could purify the aura of her malevolent energy.


    "How precious," she immediately spoke when her doe-like eyes took in the sight of Lucien. A fanatical light was shining in her gaze and it gave Luci the creeps. Red was in control but he could see, smell, feel together if he chose to.


    "Madam, I knew you''d love him the moment I saw him." The man enthused while dripping deference. He was a bootlicker.


    Madam Zelli was pleased beyond words. She turned to him with a beatific smile, one she rarely ever made in his presence. "You''ve done a wonderful thing. Tell Kensi that I''m lending Lumi to you for a week."


    "Lu-Lumi?!" He hadn''t heard wrong, had he? "My lady, you mean it?"


    "Go before I change my mind. Lumi is injured from- an experiment. You can take him away tomorrow. Kensi will provide you with accommodation for tonight."


    Heart beating a mile per minute at the thought of Lumi in his grasp, the man hurried down the staircase taking 3 steps with a stride. The Lumi he had desired, his angel, the flower that caged his heart! Finally, after all the years of waiting! Lumi would be his, if temporarily.


    "Child, what is your name?" Zelli sat beside Lucien, keeping a good distance between them.


    "Lucien."


    She studied him, a gentle smile on her sweet face. "Do you know why you''re here?"


    "No."


    [I thought we''d gotten kidnapped by a garden variety paedophile but I was wrong. This woman reeks of old magic.]


    "You''ll know soon," she replied, her voice a trill of birdlike notes. "It is late though I wish to sit and speak with you longer. Let''s get you to a room then, shall we."


    "When can I go home?"


    "Home?" She paused and turned to him, "soon my dear."


    (I don''t think the home she''s got in mind is the place we''re thinking of.) Luci was himself now that Red had taken over.


    [No shit. We''ll send her home before she sends us.] Madam Zelli was walking ahead and missed the nasty grin that cut across the red head''s face.


    The noble lady locked Red inside a luxurious room that was furnished in the colours preferred by little girls. Pastel shades and laces were everywhere in complete harmony. He hated the decoration but at the least, it was done tastefully.


    [Tsk! Look at these iron bars. The windows and ventilators are escape-proof.]


    (Are we going to wait passively then?)


    [Nope. Syryn is going to find us I''m quite sure. We can''t have him interrupt your baptism so we will strike tonight.]


    (What baptism?)


    [Your first kill, Luci.]


    (...)


    [I had mine when I was younger than you. I killed my master while he slept like a pig.]


    (Why?)


    [Why? I don''t know. Maybe it was because he dislocated every possible joint in my body for daring to steal some food from his leftovers.] The boy said it with the gravitas reserved for biscuit and tea time with friends.


    (I''m sorry..) Luci could not bear to think of the pain that Red had endured. He was lucky to have met Syryn and escaped a life of slavery.


    [Yeah, me too. But that''s okay. You''re safe Luci, and that''s more important.]


    (But.. but do I really have to kill someone?)


    [Yes. You''ve had your fun. It''s time to grow up and understand that Syryn won''t always be there to protect you. He was in a toilet, dick out, and taking a piss when you were kidnapped.]


    (And whose fault was it?)


    [Regardless, you''re just a weak pathetic little boy always waiting for your big brothers to help you. I''m sick of it.]


    (Is that why you got us kidnapped?)


    [Yep. Speaking of which, I had another motive. I need your help to undo the seal that Syryn slapped on us. The damn thing is stickier than a whore after her money.]


    [No! Syryn warned me of what could happen if we did that.]


    [Well good luck with your elemental powers then.]


    (...)


    (You don''t play fair Red.)


    [Fair is for pussies. The world doesn''t care for fairness, Luci. If playing dirty is what it takes, then play dirty. Lie, cheat, deceive, kill, whatever. Nothing matters so long as you get to live another day.]


    (You''re wrong.)


    [Oh? What''s your maxim to live by then?]


    (To do right by the people who you owe and care about. The rest of the world can go to hell.)


    [I guess that makes sense. You love those brats don''t you?]


    (I want to grow strong so I can protect them instead of the other way round.)


    [You know Luci, you''re not all that innocent yourself. You act dumb and childish in front of them but it''s far from the truth.]


    (As children my age are wont to do. My act is age-appropriate.)


    [How annoying. Anyway, peel the seal off Luci.]


    (You have to promise me that we''re going straight back to Syryn after this.)


    [Yeah, yeah, it''s not like I''m eager to live like a vagabond. Besides, I still haven''t gotten a chance to tease Magnus.]


    (We''re still too young for your dirty mind!)


    [I know! Why do you think I''ve been miserably twiddling my thumbs rather than just attack him?!]


    (Thanks... I guess?)


    [Get the damn seal off, you parasite.)


    (You''re the parasite.)


    [Says the one depending on me to rescue him.]


    (Red?)


    [What?]


    (I''m afraid- to kill someone I mean.)


    [Even someone who wants your life?]


    (Yes. Can''t we forgive them?)


    [Sure we can.]


    (Really?)


    [Really.]


    (But we still have to kill..?)


    [Yeah. I''m not sure how long I''ll get to stick around with you Luci. Before I disappear, I want to teach you everything I know.]


    (What do you mean disappear?? You can''t leave me Red!)


    [Not my decision, doll. Can you just fucking do the one job I''ve been asking you to do?!]


    (Okay. Tell me how!)


    [Right, pay attention to my instructions. If you make a mistake, we might end up sealing the mana core and turning into sitting ducks.]

 Chapter 59 - Blood

    [Do you feel that, Luci?]


    (Yes.)


    [This is the power that rightfully belongs to you. Not even Syryn has the authority to keep it from you.]


    (It feels strange)


    [Are you still afraid to kill?]


    (No)


    [That''s it, Luci. Let''s have some fun now.]


    Red revelled in the power that filled them up like a vessel overflowing with boiling hot water. His hands transformed into black claws that still looked human in shape but were tapered into needle points at their tips. The onyx colour of his claws extended halfway up to his arms like it was covered in pitch.


    [Never underestimate the strength of these. You can crack right through a human skull if you choose to.]


    Red proved his point by punching through the centre of their door.


    (Was that necessary?)


    [How else did you think we were leaving?]


    There was a guard outside who was alarmed by the punch that left a hole in the door. Unlatching the door, he walked in with his weapon out. A wickedly curved blade was in his hand and it looked like the man knew how to use it.


    [Here''s your first task. Defeat the guard]


    Luci was thrown out without preamble. The abrupt action surprised the boy but he was quick enough to evade the sword that came down upon him.


    (He''s trying to kill me for real!)


    [Is that so?] Red''s reply called Luci an idiot.


    Crawling into the space under the bed, Luci was allowed a moment''s breather. (I''m precious to his mistress. Shouldn''t he just be trying to subdue me?!) Luci heard the sound of the bed splitting into two halves under the cleaving power of the guard''s sword.


    [If you talked less, maybe you would remember that you''re a mage who can actually attack.]


    (If you don''t stop being an asshole, I''ll just let him kill the both of us!) Luci froze the guard''s feet to the floor with ice and at the same time, iced the man''s arm in a layer so thick, it bore his weapon arm down with its weight.


    [Ok pretend you''re punching through a wall and- oh.. calm down Luci. Pushing his intestine back inside won''t save him. It''s too late.]


    [Luci, get your head back in the game!]


    (I can''t Red! I just killed a person..)


    [Lucien Rivenspire! I''m ashamed to be stuck in a body with a wimp like you.]


    (How do you know my last name?!)


    [Another guard is coming. Quick, act pathetic.]


    (How?)


    [Just be yourself.]


    Luci was huddled into a ball at the corner of the room. The redhead summoned tears that ran like a river down his round cheeks, making him look lovable and utterly innocent.


    The investigating guards rushed into the room and saw their dead colleague, guts ripped open and death in his pallor.


    "You, tell me who did this?!" The head guard asked. A vicious scar across his face reinforced the terrifying aura he radiated.


    Luci cried louder and wiped the snot off his nose on the sleeves of his shirt. "I don''t- I don''t know!"


    "You''ve got blood on your hands, boy." The head guard walked up to where Luci was seated. One knee on the floor, the guard came down to Luci''s eye level and tangled his fist into the red hair in a tight grip. Luci''s head was tilted back roughly by the hand in his hair. "I''m asking you again. Who killed the guard?" Each word was spat out with a threat underlying his calm tone.


    [Move over Luci. This got personal as soon as he touched the hair.]


    Red''s eyes flashed a crimson that was brighter than any fire that the guards had seen.


    "What are you doing?" The guard realised that the redhead was up to something. Immediately, his skin greyed, and fine wrinkles appeared all over his body. In the timespan of a few breaths, the man was reduced to a husk of his former self.


    (What was that?)


    [A display of what I''m truly capable of Luci. This young body confines our power. I hope we can find a way to make us grow faster.]


    "Why aren''t any of you screaming?" Red addressed the 5 guards sullenly. It wasn''t fun if they didn''t show outward signs of fear.


    (I think they''re all mute.)


    "Tsk. Fine."


    With the life essence that he had stolen from the guard, Red powered his demonic aura and released it around him. It was similar to the anti mage field but its effects were on the psych alone.


    The guards who had snapped out of their shock from seeing their leader drained like a wineskin, warily approached the redhead. Red''s aura quickly hit them and it was akin to a breath from hell filling their minds with fear and terror. Unreasonable horror gripped their hearts and they fell to their knees one by one, paralysed by the evil that came from the angelic child.


    "If you know what''s good for you, you will stay on your knees and pretend you''re deaf to the screams that we might hear."


    Red could have killed them all but he wanted to save his strength for the madam whose powers remained unknown to him. The boy wasn''t sure which way to go so he followed the scent of blood that was like perfume to him. In the process, he happened to pass by an unlucky maid who immediately fell to her knees and sobbed as she was enveloped in the terrible aura.


    "Miss maid lady, where can I find the guest that came with me tonight?" He retracted the aura so she could say something without pissing herself when Red spoke to her.


    The maid shook her head in fear. Her trembling hands were pressed to her mouth.


    (I.. think she''s mute too.)


    "Can you lead me to his room? I''ll spare you if you do. You can run away while I spend some quality time with him."


    The guest room wing was on the other side of the mansion. The maid led Lucien to the room where his kidnapper was presumably asleep.


    "Knock on his door."


    The woman who had stopped crying rapidly knocked on the hard wood. A while later, they could hear the sounds of muffled footsteps. A slit appeared between the door and its frame, revealing half the face of the kidnapper. He suspiciously eyed the maid and then spoke.


    "What do you want?"


    Red promptly kicked the door with his supernatural strength. The man was flung backwards like he weighed nothing at all.


    "I''m here to kill you." Red stood at the door, eyes filled with a terrible power, cold and dispassionate. "I''ll make sure to savour you like the meat bag you are."


    The kidnapper''s body was covered in a cold sweat as he realised he had offended someone he couldn''t afford to antagonise.


    "It was madam Zelli! She made me do it! Please, young sir, spare me!" He fell to the floor and grovelled at Lucien''s feet.


    [Not fun like this.]


    (His screaming might alert the woman.)


    [She probably already knows. Maybe she''s busy with her own killings. I can still smell fresh blood in the air.]


    Red kicked the man in his face, bloodying his mouth and nose with the force of it.


    "Say, tell me something, who exactly is madam Zelli?" He asked with one foot on the man''s cheek. Red''s dark booted leg ground the man''s other cheek into the wooden flooring with just enough force to cause some pain. After all, he still needed the man to speak.


    His cheeks were comically squished together like the face of a fish. "Will you spare me if I tell you?"


    "Sure."


    "Oath. Make a blood oath."


    "Huh? It seems you still don''t understand how fucked you are." Red snapped the man''s arm backwards at the elbow. The scream of pain that should have woken the dead was muffled by the foot that kept his jaw locked. "What makes you think you have the right to dictate terms to me?"


    (I''m gonna be sick..)


    [Get used to it.]


    "Jus kill me I wonttell you anyting" the kidnapper forced out through clenched teeth.


    [There''s some life in him after all] Luci perceived the thread of joy that Red was feeling.


    "I understand that your mother was screwed by a pig and that''s why you''re smart - smarter than a pig, but still stupid for a human. I''ll try and make this simple so even you can comprehend it."


    Red bent over to poke the man on his cheek. "See, I don''t care enough about the information to capitulate to a pig''s grunting. I asked because I was curious. Regardless, you will die."


    "Ma- madam Zelli is powerful. She will- she kill you when she finds yo-" Red''s foot pressed down hard to shut the man''s offensive mouth.


    [You might want to look away now Luci.]


    (Okay..)


    [Don''t look, don''t listen, don''t think too hard. It''ll be over in a few minutes.]


    Red walked out of the room feeling a hard curl of satisfaction settle in his gut. His demon self had fed on the pain and fear that the victim had oozed when Red began work - a sloppy mess of it too because he had lost himself to hunger - on the kidnapper. He wasn''t as affected as Syryn because Red welcomed the violence and befriended it. The bloodthirst did get annoying when the boy required clear-headed thinking. So as much as he loved his demon, Red kept the lid shut on it for the most part.


    The boy set a quick pace towards his destination while bullying down anyone he met on the way.


    (I am going to have nightmares for years.)


    [You disobeyed and took a peek. That''s your fault. I knew you''d do it and still failed to put up a wall, and that''s my fault. So, I''ll help you deal with the nightmares as an apology.]


    (Thank you... but I don''t blame you Red. Why do you care so much for me?)


    Red did not want the boy to know that he was the Lucien that Luci would have become if Syryn hadn''t rescued him. Until today, Luci had been shielded from most of the conversations that involved information about Red''s identity but it was getting harder and harder to keep him out if Luci so desired to listen in.


    [It''s because we share the same body, dumbass. If something happened to you, I''d get affected too.]


    (But you said you''re leaving me..)


    [You''re so damn sticky.]


    (Why are you leaving?)


    [Because you''re really annoying.]


    (That hurts..)


    [Do you smell blood? It''s getting stronger.]


    (Yes, I can. We''re following it aren''t we?)


    [Mhmm, I can tell that it''s from under us; maybe a dungeon that''s hidden away.]


    (Please be careful... I don''t want anything to happen to you.)


    [You''re worried about me? How cute. Did you forget we are in the same body, Luci? If I die, you die too.]


    (At least we''ll die together, Red. It''s a bit comforting to know that.)


    [Okay, first of all, no one''s dying. Second, don''t say weird shit. I only want to hear words like that from my lover.]


    Red could feel the grumpiness radiating from his counterpart. Luci was such a warm presence in their mind and it tempered the worst of Red''s negative traits. In turn, Luci shared in a maturity that was uncommon in children his age.


    (A wall.. we''ve hit a dead end.)


    [Yes but the scent of blood is so much stronger here.]


    (Break the wall down.)


    [Good idea.]


    BOOM!


    Lucien''s devastating punch created a hole big enough for his head to pass through. He could see a well-lit cubicle that had a staircase disappearing into the ground.


    (Can I punch the wall next?)


    [Sure]


    It took a few punches to create a hole that was big enough for him to climb past.


    [My turn.]


    Red looked down the dark staircase and took a deep breath. It was here that the smell of blood came in waves.


    (Let''s go.)


    [Why are you so eager?]


    (Someone could be in trouble down there.)


    [This isn''t a rescue mission.] The disapproval in his reply did not faze Luci.


    (It won''t hurt you to help if someone needs it.)


    [Didn''t I ask you to worry about yourself first?!]


    (I believe in you Red! You are powerful and I''m safe with you.)


    Red was speechless from Luci''s blatant flattery. It worked though.


    [Hmph.]

 Chapter 60 - Blood Rite

    [We''ve finally reached the bottom. Something tells me this used to be a well.]


    (I can see light.)


    Red walked slowly, taking his time to observe as he approached the stone archway through which light spilt out into their dark corridor. The scent of blood hung heavy in the air.


    [Well what do we have here?]


    (She''s naked.) There was a quiver in Luci''s voice.


    "Madam Zelli," Red declared smugly. "Your guards were weaker than chicken."


    The lovely Zelli smiled unreservedly at the intruder. Within the large stone chamber, she was soaking in a pool of blood. Her honey-coloured skin was covered in the red liquid like a macabre mask. Stains all around the floor suggested a struggle, likely those of the victims who were drained for the bloody bath pool.


    "It''s no matter. The guards are just for show." Zelli matched Red''s smug smile.


    Red sat cross-legged at the edge of the pool and surveyed the ridiculous amount of blood that had been wasted. Zelli would have had added some sort of anticoagulant to the blood, something Red had to ask Syryn about. Chemistry was Syryn''s speciality after all.


    "So, what is your purpose for me, woman?"


    Rather than answer, Zelli leisurely stood up. Rivulets of blood streamed down her smooth skin, washing her in a red glow.


    (Stop staring at her breasts.)


    [How do you even know what they''re called?]


    (...)


    Zelli waded through the viscous fluid to reach the other end of the pool where Red was seated. Her chin rested over her hands which left bloody imprints on the stonework at the edge of the pool.


    "My purpose? To absorb your youth, young one. You will add at least 10 years to my life." Zelli''s eyes flashed with anticipation. Her blonde hair was braided around her head like a crown, stained in red just as her skin was. "When you entered my domain, I sensed a river of magic coursing through you, violent and brimming with energy. Do you realise how rare it is to catch a prize like you in my net?"


    "All I''m hearing is that you''re actually an old murderous hag. How old are you, granny Zelli?"


    The lady pouted at Red''s words, looking innocent and cute despite the blood. "Little boys with sharp tongues should have their throats slit and hung upside down." She pointed a slender finger up to where a cruel-looking hook was embedded on the ceiling.


    Red tilted his head to look at the iron hook. He was sure that it must have been put there for the exact purpose that Zelli had just described. "That''s nice. You can watch your terrified victim bleed to death while it watches you bathe in their blood. Old dried up Zelli, you''re a real nasty piece of work."


    The mask of humour on Zelli''s face began to crack in response to the child''s continued taunting. She sighed dramatically and closed her eyes as if she was drawing patience from within her.


    "Lucien, I''m waiting for the right time to add your essence to my pool. Must you tempt me like this?"


    "You''re right, I shouldn''t insult the elderly. How old are you really though? Humour me before I am put to death. Consider it an exchange of sorts for my willing donation to your pool."


    At his words, Zelli''s eyes gleamed in happy surprise. If a victim willingly gave up their life essence in blood, it multiplied the effect of magic that was performed through it. This way, she would receive at least 25 years from Lucien''s death.


    "Alright, if that''s the case then I''ll tell you. Have you heard the tale of Baron Goont? The hero who died fighting a spectre that haunted the village of rats."


    Red had heard about it. The story was as old as Elysium, a good 400 plus years at the least. The village of rats was so-called owing to the poverty-stricken villagers whose crops were attacked by the pests every harvest. The rats were the size of a toddler''s head and could not be eradicated no matter what the villagers tried. Poison was used to kill the rats but they spawned in much greater numbers. Even the mages that stopped at the village could not get rid of the tenacious pests.


    Their food being almost gone, the villagers began to eat the hunted rats but found the meat unappetizing. It tasted like boiled leather even to the hungry villagers whose palates were as unrefined as they came.


    "I do know something about it. A spectre was summoned by a well-intentioned mage but it ended up turning on the villagers. Your late husband, rest in peace to his soul, fought the spectre to death. Am I right?"


    Zelli rolled her eyes at Red, "he was my father."


    "Those two aren''t mutually exclusive," Red cheekily replied. "You could be his daughter AND wife. I''ve seen a few fucked up cases in my time." Red was a murderous demon but he still had his principles about incest.


    Zelli choked on whatever she had wanted to say. Fresh anger rising at the brat who just would not stop baiting her, Zelli glared at Red. "I suppose it won''t do if I don''t teach you a lesson today, Lucien."


    With those words in the air, Red suddenly felt light-headed. His vision swam for a moment before he righted himself.


    "Know your place, human." Zelli''s tone took a higher pitch that almost sounded like a hiss.


    The redhead twitched his nose when a trickling sensation began in his nasal passages. It turned into a gush of warmth that soon ran down his lips and chin. Wiping it with the back of his hand, he examined the blood that Zelli had expelled from his body.


    "You''re an unregistered blood mage," he flatly declared.


    "Right you are. Humans have always been afraid of my kind. Blood mages have been rounded up and persecuted since the murders of Gevancy began. It would be unwise to get myself registered, don''t you think?"


    Red''s nose wouldn''t stop bleeding. He left it to gush freely when it appeared that it couldn''t be stopped.


    (Are we going to die from a nosebleed?)


    [Don''t be ridiculous.]


    (But it isn''t stopping..)


    [It won''t stop because the old hag won''t let it.]


    (How do we stop her then?)


    [Watch and learn Luci.]


    "Lucien, if you apologise like you mean it, I won''t let you pass out from blood loss," She chided him sternly like a mother would, albeit a terrible one.


    "Is this all you''re capable of?" Red asked. His easy posture and nonchalance over the matter conveyed confidence that was at odds with his plight. Zelli was puzzled by it.


    "Is that not enough to kill a weak child like you? It doesn''t matter what form of magic you possess, I can drain you to an inch of your life before you can even think of harming me."


    "You arrogant bitch, this is how a real blood mage drains his victim." Red snapped his fingers and it was like a thunderclap.


    Zelli immediately screamed in agony as tiny fissures appeared all over her skin like cracks on dried mud. Crimson liquid spilt out of the hundreds of fine fissures, adding to the pool''s contents.


    "Make it stop!" She yelled.


    "I can''t mend skin, Zelli. You''ll have better luck with a hemostatic potion."


    "Blood Mage!!" She pointed at him ecstatically, "You''re a blood mage!!"


    "Not really," Red replied. Demon magic wasn''t the same as the kind that humans accessed. It was raw and unfiltered, a primordial type of magic that was as powerful as it was destructive to its user. This was why demons limited the use of their magic according to the abilities of their bodies. Lucien was still too young for more than 3 hits of demonic powers per day. Red had performed blood magic twice now and was one spell away from hitting Lucien''s maximum tolerance. He could rely on his blood abilities only one more time.


    Zelli''s agonising cries gradually quieted down. She whimpered and groaned then began to laugh like a lunatic. "Did you think you could kill me that easily?"


    (What is happening to her?!)


    [She''s shedding her skin.]


    (Her behind is growing bigger and bigger.)


    Red chortled at Lucien''s crude description. He was right though - it did look like Zelli''s buttock was ballooning. The truth was that woman was changing into a monster, a spider to be precise.


    "Interesting," Red said to no one in particular. There were several ways that humans were blessed or cursed with beast forms. Lycanthropy was considered a blessing but spiders and other insect forms were looked down on by normal folks. Hideous and evil were the words often used to describe them. To Red, power was power, so it didn''t matter what form a shapeshifter took. Secretly though, he was glad that Magnus was a panther.


    (Run while she''s still changing!)


    [Good idea.]


    Red sprang to his feet and began a sprint back down the dark corridor on his short legs. His mana was still half full since he has used the life essence from the drained guard to attack Zelli.


    He heard the sounds of skittering feet behind him and it propelled the boy into a faster run.


    "I''ll tear you from limb to limb!" It shrieked from behind him, eating up the distance between them faster than Red could run.


    [I wish I paid more attention to exercising!]


    (I told you we needed to join Salem in the morning! Run faster!!)


    [Salem is a freak who wakes up before the birds! That''s self-punishment and I want no part in it!]


    (Ahhhh why did you turn around?!) Luci was horrified by the number of teeth in Zelli''s gaping maw, and it was snapping at them. (Do something!)


    Red grabbed a fistful of fire and flung it into the spider''s mouth. It served to slow Zelli down for a while. The redhead took the opportunity to clamber up the spiral staircase that led to the exit from the chamber.


    (Faster! I still want to eat the food cooked by Syryn one last time before I die!)


    [Can''t you make some useful remarks Luci?!]


    (Like what? Block the stairs with ice? Make it slippery??)


    [Exactly!]


    Red covered the staircase in ice, turning it into a smooth slide. [Remind me to try this at home so we can slide on it.]


    (That would be fun.)


    They watched the clumsy spider struggle to find purchase on the ice slide.


    [I don''t like that look in her eyes] Red turned tail and ran, and not a moment too soon. Zelli threw out a rope of silk that connected to the metal railing that hadn''t been iced. Popping out of the staircase, Red ran past the hole as Zelli emerged right behind him.


    Red ran from corner to corner and he was fast losing his breath. [Luci, we have one chance to face down Zelli. Are you onboard?]


    (Yes. Why are you even asking?)


    [We might die if I fail..]


    (We''ll die if you don''t try. Besides, I have faith in you.]


    Red skidded to a halt. [I won''t let us down, Luci.]


    Red wasn''t a coward. He wouldn''t have run away if Luci''s life wasn''t also on the line. He was confident in his abilities but that went out the window when his counterpart''s life was added to the stakes. Red also wasn''t a sentimental man. He couldn''t care less for another being if their existence did not align with his interests. He had, however, come to find that he wanted to give Luci a chance for normality. The withered hopes and dreams Red had had when he was a little boy, had all been crushed by the reality of life as a slave and then as Traxdart''s minion. He wanted to give it all to his younger self so the boy could live the life that Red had always wished for.


    "Giving up so fast?" The spider oozed out a sticky white liquid from the belly button at the front of her body which merged with the spider half.


    "I don''t have a lot of mana left in me so I''m gonna attack you one last time," Red solemnly replied. Zelli''s inhuman face took on a cautionary twist before she lunged at the redhead.


    Hands outstretched, Red copied Syryn''s technique and encased the spider in a coffin of ice when her jaw was a hair''s breadth away from his face. He hadn''t been sure of its success but desperation had given fruit to his hard work. Zelli was frozen inside an icy cover as thick as her abdomen.


    (Is it over?)


    "I wasn''t expecting to pull that off," Red said to himself. "It worked?"


    Red had spoken too soon. Cracks appeared on the surface of the ice. The entire thing then began to vibrate and shake, and it exploded into icy splinters that barraged Red. A jagged spider leg that was covered in spiky hair broke out of the ice first and pinned Red to the floor. The sharp appendage went right through his shoulder and held him down.


    "That was a phenomenal performance of magic but I''m afraid we''ve come to the end of your show, Lucien."


    Zelli''s mouth split her face in half as she smiled. Razor-sharp teeth dripping with saliva hovered over Red in a face that was triumphant in its ugliness.


    "I guess it''s the end then," Red moaned through the throbbing pain. "I have one last wish, Zelli."


    "What wish?" The spider tilted its head and fixed the red-headed meal with its grotesque eyes.


    "Drop dead you ugly old hag."


    "What- Aaaaaaghhhh"


    Zelli''s screams were a testament to the pain that she was suddenly feeling. Without warning, her head exploded like an overripe watermelon. Bits and pieces of her brains, skull, and skin fell onto Lucien''s exposed face.


    (Oh god!)


    "Ugh! So disgusting."


    (Red she''s falling on us! Roll away!)


    [And tear your shoulder off? I''d rather suffocate under her till Syryn finds us.]


    The enormous spider abdomen landed away from Red but Zelli''s naked upper human torso was pressed flush against Red''s face, squishing him between her ample bosom.


    Luci began to hyperventilate. (Get it off!)


    [Boobs won''t hurt you]


    (It''s gross!)


    [I just saved our lives and I''m tired, Luci. Stop bugging me.]


    Red''s final spell had forced all the blood in Zelli''s body to rush to her head. The pressure it created resulted in the explosion.


    To cast his spell, Red had to touch her for a few seconds without getting maimed terribly. For those few precious seconds, he had come up with the entire ruse of ice magic and lulled the spider into a false sense of security. His mana completely expended on the icy show, Red tapped into Zelli''s life essence for a quick second to pull off the huge blood spell that ended her life.


    But the redhead had also used up a modicum of his life essence to power the initial vampiric spell. All in all, Lucien''s fragile body had endured 4 rounds of Red''s demonic casting. They were lucky to still be alive. Lucien''s body would need all of Syryn''s potions and supplements to recover from this fight.


    (Thank you Red. You saved me again.)


    [Well, I got us into this situation in the first place.]


    (It was scary but I had fun too.) Luci wanted to cheer up the morose sounding Red.


    [Did you even learn anything?]


    (Yes. And I have a lot of questions about what I saw.)


    [Later. We''ve got company.]


    The redhead was all burnt out but he was ready for another fight. The boy ignored his fatigue and mentally prepared himself for a battle with the group that he could sense was approaching them.

 Chapter 61 - Reds Resolve

    Red listened intently to the sound of heavy footsteps that reached him through the wood floor.


    (Are we in trouble?)


    [No]


    Red flexed the muscles on his shoulder and it sent a stab of fresh pain across his nerves. He wasn''t exactly defenceless but the weight holding him down proved to be a hurdle that impeded any productive movement.


    Sensing the sharp edges of aggravation through their mental link, Luci fretted for Red. (Is there anyway that I can help us?)


    [No, don''t worry. I''ve got a plan Luci. I got us into this, and I''ll get us out of it too.] The red head planned to cut off the spider leg by transforming his claws. Red stopped what he was doing and looked up at the ceiling though his gaze was blocked by the dead woman''s chest.


    [Good timing.]


    (What?)


    The ceiling above them suddenly exploded into a scattering of debris that landed everywhere. The cavalry had arrived.


    Syryn stretched his massive black wings and jumped into the hole he had made. The smell of blood, ancient magic, and something a touch sweeter drifted in the air.


    "Syryn get this off me," the half dazed alchemist heard Lucien''s voice. It came from under the corpse of the dead shapeshifter.


    Realising that Lucien wasn''t at death''s door like his runaway imagination had suggested, he felt a rush of intense relief that released the heavy weight of worry in his chest. It had been gnawing at him from the moment he had found Lucien missing.


    Syryn hadn''t wanted to worry about Red but the other Lucien had gotten under Syryn''s skin enough for the older boy to consider him close kin. It was this disappearance that really hammered that fact in for Syryn. Red wasn''t just an inconvenient addition to their motley crew, he was also family.


    Lifting the corpse like it weighed nothing, Syryn flung the body into the wall behind him, and it landed with such great force that the stone wall collapsed.


    "Syryn, my shoulder is ripped up. I need your healing touch." The red head was supine on the floor, covered in gore.


    The dark haired half demon had flown all the way to the mansion to cut down on travel time. Making use of his wings for an hour was causing untold amount of stress to his control. Syryn, though, still had enough self restraint that he could examine Lucien''s stab wound without harming him.


    "Syryn?" The lack of admonishment from the older boy sent a wave of trepidition into Red''s heart.


    "Shut up." The older boy cast a cold gaze over Red and began to pull out medicines for the injured red head. The reply had been growled out, a response that indicated how deep his change went.


    Red obeyed without another word. Syryn in his demon form was not be trifled with. Red had heard from other demons in the past about Syryn''s savagery and he didn''t want to have that kind of ire focused on him when he was all out of fuel.


    The older boy methodically cleaned the wound and then poured an alcohol based potion that stung Red''s shoulder like nobody''s business.


    (Syryn is beyond furious. Let me talk to him, Red.) Luci wanted to leverage Syryn''s good feelings for him to bail out his partner. He understood that Syryn''s fury was like ember when it smoldered, and that it too would cool down and turn to ashes given enough time.


    [No]


    (No? Why?)


    Red didn''t want Luci to feel the physical pain that he was blocking from the boy.


    [Just because.]


    (Come on Red..)


    [Later Luci]


    The younger Lucien felt a flash of annoyance at Red''s mulish behaviour. Why couldn''t he let Luci help him this once? It was always Red protecting him, and it made Luci feel like he was completely useless.


    (You''re a selfish person. I won''t talk to you anymore!) Luci escaped to his corner of their mind on opposite corners where neither of the two could intrude. He had never wrapped himself up in silence so complete that when it happened, it was unbearably strange. Red felt like he was all alone in his head and it was terrifying. Would this be Luci''s fate when Red disappeared? He would be left feeling like an empty cavern had appeared inside him.


    [Luci! Come back]


    [Please]


    "Does it hurt?" Syryn''s voice had gone back to normal. Having his focus diverted to the wound had helped the boy''s mental faculties regain ground. Unavoidably, there was still a loud of buzz of disturbance that came from his demonic needs.


    [Luci]


    [Luci]


    [Luci]


    [Luci]


    "Are you deaf?"


    [I''ll tell Magnus that you''re secretly putting more food in his hidden stash.]


    (You won''t!)


    Red smiled when Luci came back. [Ok I won''t]


    "RED!" Syryn shouted into his ear.


    "Its me.. Luci." The boy winced at the sudden onslaught of pain and the deep weariness that came from exhausting his mana to a near completion.


    "Luci, does it hurt?" Syryn softened up to the boy. The desire to kill something was peaking even though he appeared to be in control of his mind.


    "A little bit. Thank you for coming to rescue us, Syryn." Luci knotted his fingers into the edge of Syryn''s shirt, anxiety in his body language broadcasting everything he was feeling.


    "I''ll always come for you Luci," Syryn replied, worried for the day that he might lose the boy to Traxdart. "Let''s go home."


    The weight of his inner demon''s struggle for violence spurred Syryn into arson. Heat licked across their skin. A breath of fiery wind blew inside the confined corridor, sucking oxygen towards the corpse where a spell was growing. After the span of a few breaths, the spider was set alight in a blaze so high and hot that the surrounding walls caught fire immediately.


    Red was dismayed by Syryn''s decision to burn the house down.


    "No! I wanted to loot this place first! Why did you start such a big fire?!" The tiredness vanished when he thought about all the good things that a 300 plus year old blood mage would be hiding in the house, all incinerated by Syryn''s spreading fire.


    "Loot?"


    "Yes Syryn, loot! Loot the 300 year old blood mage. That spider must have stashed precious treasures somewhere in this giant mansion."


    "Correct. I can sense something." Syryn replied as he looked towards a specific part of the house.


    He swept Lucien up in a princess carry and leaped out of the sky hole above them. Dark wings spread out like beautiful fans, Syryn readied himself to fly around the mansion in search for the scent that was elusive.


    "Where are we going?" Red curled into a ball and squinted against the dust laden wind.


    "There," his winged demon brother pointed towards a room that was far from the fire. Red couldn''t sense anything but he trusted the other''s senses.


    Syryn then dove down and smashed right through the window while protecting the excited red head inside a cocoon of his folded wings. "This place. There is something I want in here," Syryn spoke very slowly, looking around and exploring the luxurious room with his eyes.


    Red also scanned the room but he couldn''t catch ahold of lingering magic signatures that could help him identify important items. His gaze landed on a wooden chest in the room that was made of polished rowan wood. "Look, its your boyfriend''s wood!" Red pointed to the chest. He recieved a withering glare for the terrible joke.


    Rowan trees were believed to afford protection over the dwellings by which they grew beside. Wood from it was used for religious rituals and for the protection of lives or items against the attack of dark magic. Because of the protective nature of the rowan wood, Red was sure of the chest''s contents being important. The lock on it was magical in nature which meant that it had to be carried away for scrutiny. Red cradled the chest in his arms and it was surprisingly light.


    "Syryn?" He turned around to find the alchemist staring at a bookshelf that covered an entire wall of the room. Red held onto the chest and backpedaled away when he saw what Syryn was about to do.


    With a mighty punch that was backed by his demonic strength, Syryn turned the bookshelf into kindling. The stone wall though remained impenetrable.


    "What''s behind the wall Syryn?" Red asked the mage who was eerily staring at the wall. "Syryn, snap out of it!" The red head had begun to worry now that his brother''s eyes had taken on a glow that was demonic. No longer was his humanity in control. In his gaze, something crucial was missing - like a house where the stoves and taps were on but bereft of its occupants.


    Red could sense the insane amount of magic that Syryn was gathering. He dove behind the bed when his brother assaulted the wall with unfiltered magic that weighed the air down with its denseness.


    A loud boom reverberated in the room and the magic protecting the wall fizzled out in the face of a demon''s desire for the thing it protected. Red poked his head out and watched the dust settle heavily on the floor.


    "For fucks sake Syryn!" And then the smell hit him. Nothing in his life had ever smelled so good! Red let out a gasp and scented the air, taking in more of the delicious scent of a meal that promised sweetness and power. Syryn was already walking towards the food, throat bobbing from swallowing the saliva that his mouth was producing.


    Red rushed over, not wanting to miss out on the meal of his life. What was it?! He took another breath and peeked from behind Syryn.


    "What?" he was flabbergasted, mouth open in disbelief.


    Red caught Syryn''s arm in a tight grip the moment he realised what it was that he had smelled. A person, a whole human person, smelling like a luxurious buffet, half submerged in clear water. From the man''s wrist, drops of blood dripped into a glass bowl. A thin webbing of skin between his fingers alluded to his watery origins.


    The man opened his eyes to reveal a beautiful sea green color. He had no fear of the demon that wanted to eat him. Surprisingly, he looked to be at peace with his fast approaching end.


    (What''s wrong with Syryn?!)


    [He wants to eat that man]


    (You do too! If he tastes as good as he smells, I''ll only half regret eating him.)


    [Luci, that''s not helping my resolve] Red wasn''t quite as conscientious as Syryn but he could not allow themselves to eat a person. Syryn would feel so guilty if he came to his senses and found himself with the devoured remains of a selkie, likely one of the last of its kind. Red had never tasted a selkie before but he had read accounts of how the creatures were hunted to extinction by ravenous demons.


    "Syryn, I know you''re in there. Wake the fuck up!" Red stood infront of the boy and blocked his path


    "Let him end my life," the selkie''s clear voice said with cool detachment. "It''ll be a mercy killing."


    "You, shut your mouth!" Red growled out without turning back. Syryn was staring at him with murderous intent. Then with a knock of his arm, Red was flung into the water where the selkie grinned rakishly. "Welcome to my home, demon."


    Red had no choice. He had wanted to avoid what he was about to do. His entire person revolted against it but there was nothing else to be done.

 Chapter 62 - Selkie

    Red wasn''t quite sure how the song went. Regardless, Syryn''s sanity was at stake so he squeezed his fists, avoided all eye contact and began to sing.


    "Hasten to glory and supremacy! United in heart, liver and vigour as one!"


    It immediately captured Syryn''s attention.


    "With all our will and strength, let''s ummm ahh love our beloved Sigil"


    The selkie''s brows were raised at him, whether from the impromptu singing or the botched up lyrics, Red did not know. The selkie looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here listening to a cracked up version of Sigil''s anthem.


    The waterborne creature sighed in abject misery, hand pinching the furrow between his brows. Why couldn''t he meet well-adjusted demons who would politely break his neck and devour him?


    "Our spirits are defiant and our history is glorious," Syryn''s silky voice joined in stronger than Red''s, covering for the mistakes that the redhead had liberally peppered into the lyrics.


    "At least that one knows the lyrics and has a good singing voice," the Selkie spoke to the birdcage that was placed behind his left shoulder. It caged two bright yellow birds, one of which was awake and chirping out agitated notes.


    Red''s shoulders relaxed when he saw the light return to Syryn''s eyes. The occupant had come back. He snorted at the ridiculousness of how a mere song had the power to save his demonic brother. A tendril of wistfulness pierced Red''s heart but he crushed it before it could take root.


    "Selkie, where''s your seal skin?" Red asked the man. He had his eyes closed and was waiting for death.


    "Zelli hid it somewhere in this mansion."


    How unfortunate, Red thought. The mansion was on fire. If the sealskin was destroyed, the poor Selkie would die.


    "You possess the power to gather rain, don''t you? you should channel your magic right now." Red hoped for the selkie''s sake that it wasn''t just a myth.


    "Why would I do that? I''m about to turn into a buffet."


    "As much as you seem to want us to, nobody will be eating you, you perv. Gather rain if that is within the realm of your powers because the mansion is on fire and your skin is getting burnt with it." Red quickly replied. They were wasting precious time while Syryn was singing with emotion like a patriot about to go to war for Sigil.


    "I''m not a perv," the selkie replied. Nevertheless, he did as Red instructed. A current of magic swirled in the room, creating waves in the shallow pool of water.


    "Good on you selkie. That one is a pervert so stay away from him," Red indicated towards Syryn.


    The Selkie wasn''t outwardly doing anything but Red could feel his magic. The air was heavy with the scent of ozone, a sweet and pungent smell that zinged up their nostrils. From the distant sky came the sound of rolling thunder rumbling out loud like a dragon.


    "Impressive," Red remarked. He hadn''t expected the Selkie to make such quick work of the weather.


    "Would have been faster and easier if my powers weren''t dampened."


    "Do you know where your skin might be hidden away?" Syryn popped into the conversation with a clearer head. His wings had dematerialised.


    The sound of heavy rain hitting the roof washed down and drowned their voices. The clouds had split open and showered them with fat droplets of rain in response to the call of the Selkie. Out in the ocean, such weather would sink ships and drown unlucky sailors.


    "I don''t have a clue. Zelli never let me out of this chamber." He looked curiously at the dark-haired demon who was no longer eyeing him like food.


    "It can''t be in her room because that is far too proximate to where her captive was kept," Red added.


    "Don''t you seal folk have a way to find your lost skin?" Syryn asked irritably. When the Selkie shook his head, Syryn thought it was no wonder their kind was almost extinct. "Wait here then. I''ll round up the slaves that still haven''t run away."


    Red was soon left alone in the room with the Selkie. He wished to join Syryn but he knew that he would only get in the way without any magic left in him.


    "What are you called?" He asked the Selkie. The creature was leaving his pool of water. When he stood to his full height, Red was taken aback at how tall the selkie was. Dark hair like seaweed stuck to the man''s wet skin in long strands that reached his feet.


    "Riha is my name. What''s yours? Do you have a knife?" The Selkie replied as he frowned at his long hair.


    "I saw a knife in her room," Red answered. "I''m called Lucien."


    Riha was modestly attired in a loincloth that covered the important parts but left the rest of his body exposed to the elements. Years of capture in the chamber had left their mark on his body. Red could see remnants of what used to be a swimmer''s powerful body - strong and wide shoulders to cut through the water with ease, a tapered and well-defined waist that led to long legs that had webbing between the toes.


    Acknowledging Red''s reply with a nod, Riha gently lifted his birdcage and padded off to Zelli''s half-destroyed room. Red followed behind him, looking at the injured bird in the cage. It cradled a broken yellow wing to its chest and slept through the noises surrounding it.


    Riha stepped past the carnage that Syryn had left behind him. An ornamental sword hung eye-catchingly over the doorframe. It had an edge that could still cut so Riha took it down and chopped off the entire length of his hair from below his waist. The selkie then coiled the hair into a manageable ball for burning.


    "Can you make a fire?" Riha asked.


    "I''m all out of magic after killing your mistress."


    Riha looked at him anew, surprised at what the child had accomplished. "I thank you for it then, Lucien. That blood witch kept me captive for nearly two hundred years."


    "Two hundred years? Pathetic. I''d have escaped long before she hit menopause. How did you get captured anyway?"


    Riha chuckled at Red''s reply. Zelli had forced him into a blood contract as soon as he was sold to her. There had been no avenue for either escape or harming her directly, especially since she had his skin. The selkie still couldn''t believe that she was dead, and he a free man.


    "A very long time ago, I was drawn into a fierce fight with another selkie. We were both captured by opportunistic pirates who saw our weakness. To make a long story short, I was auctioned off secretly to Zelli."


    Red did the math and realised that Riha was captured around the time that a healthy Selkie population was still thriving. Did he know that he was possibly the last of his kind left alive?


    "Here, take this," Riha held out a silver mermaid wrap ring that he found on a vanity table. The jewellery was sized for a female hand.


    "I don''t want it," Red bluntly refused.


    "Well give it your friend then. It is an access pass to a highly exclusive market that you''ll never get into without this ring." Riha placed it back on the vanity table and it was snatched up by the child.


    "What market?" Red asked while turning the ring around on his palm. The mermaid''s arms were covering its breasts and its tail went around in the shape of a ring.


    The door to Zelli''s room was thrown open and Syryn marched in with a woman in tow. She was clutching a rectangular iron box that was as tall as she was. Red recognised her. It was the maid he had seen standing outside Zelli''s study when he first arrived with the kidnapper.


    "Your skin," Syryn pointed to the iron box. And then to the maid, "Give it to him."


    Riha could not believe how easily the demon had found it. The maid held out the iron box to the selkie, a quick exchange of hands that brought Riha a step closer to freedom.


    "I''ve removed the magic on it. It is safe to open," Syryn encouraged the selkie. Red then pushed a ring into his hand and told him exactly what Riha had said. Accepting it with an interested nod, Syryn stashed the ring away in his satchel.


    Riha had unlatched the iron box while Red conversed with Syryn. Wrapped in layers of silk, his mottled cream-coloured seal skin was rolled up protectively within the thick silk. He hadn''t seen it since the day he was captured. Riha felt a surge of emotions rise from his chest at finally being reunited with his skin.


    "Thank you," he raised his head to the demons, his natural predators who went against their nature and helped him. Not knowing what their intentions were, he still could not trust them though the two demon children had done nothing so far to hurt him.


    "I can offer you temporary shelter if that''s what you need," Syryn told the selkie. "And you too," he addressed the maid who had retrieved the skin.


    "I thank you sir but I have family who will be happy to welcome me back home," she replied. "You have my deepest gratitude for freeing us all. I do not have many skills but if there''s a day that you find yourself in need of my services, you can find me at the Northern sugar mill in Verdant village."


    Syryn nodded to her and turned to Riha, "what about you selkie?"


    Riha had no family, no friends, no home to return to. Zelli had taken sadistic pleasure in informing him of the demise of his kind. It was an understatement to say that the woman had been exceptionally pleased to own the last living selkie left in the world. Because of their near-immortality, he had been used by her as a fountain of youth. Riha''s magic had been drained considerably during the past two centuries of confinement.


    "I''ll take you up on that offer," Riha replied. Striking off on his own was tempting but it made him an easy target for other creatures that could smell his Selkie scent.


    "Huh, you''ve got balls," Red grinned at the selkie. "Let''s see how long Syryn can restrain himself. Maybe you can offer him some of that sweet selkie blood in exchange for his protection."


    Syryn was thinking it too but he wasn''t shameless enough to say it out loud like Red. The selkie still smelled delectable and it was through a herculean effort of self-control that he held himself back from just taking a chunk of meat out of the selkie. As a reaction to the thought he just had, Syryn''s canines grew and his mouth salivated again.


    "There''s no need for that. You''re welcome to stay till you find another home," Syryn spoke without giving away his little slip-up.


    Unbeknownst to him, Riha was thinking about it too. The Selkie wasn''t yet strong enough to fight off a demon if it wanted his life. In time, he would regain his magic and strength but that would take years. His safety lay in the self-control of the demons he would be staying with. If he offered them blood on a monthly basis, would he remain safe? Or would it make them hungrier to have more of him?


    "Lucien is right. I would be taking advantage of your kindness if I did not repay you for saving me and then letting me stay with you. I propose an exchange of my blood for safety."


    Syryn pondered on the offered exchange. What would Rowan do? Easy, refuse bodily fluids even if it tasted like ambrosia. The dark-haired demon turned to look at the new addition to their collection of housemates. Riha was the oldest and most exotic of the lot. He truly didn''t look human enough to pass muster for any snooping guests that might come by.


    "I''ll take your blood but not for consumption. I want to use it as an ingredient. If that is acceptable to you then we can sign up a contract."


    It sounded like a good offer to Riha but there was one other thing he had to tell his new companions. Riha lifted the birdcage to Syryn''s eye level and they all looked at the two birds inside, one asleep and the other one cowering in alertness.


    "Avian shapeshifters," Syryn concluded on his own. "You want to take them with you?"


    Riha''s sea-green eyes met Syryn''s Indigo gaze through the bars of the cage between them. "These are siblings, Lumi and Aya. Lumi was injured by Zelli. He''s still recovering. The other one is his sister Aya. She.. has been stuck in her bird form for many years."


    "That is unfortunate," Syryn replied. Shapeshifters that stayed in their beast forms for too long would take on more of their animalistic traits and eventually lose their ability to turn human. "She may never find her way back without external aid."


    "So how are the birds going to pay rent?" Red asked. He was getting uncomfortable at the thought of so many new additions to their stable home life.


    "Let''s discuss it when Lumi is awake." The Selkie could not make decisions for the birds since he wasn''t their guardian.


    "Alright. I informed a friend about our location before I left, and he is already on his way here. If there''s nothing else to do, let''s get out of here and wait for him on the traveller''s highway."


    "I''ve been meaning to ask," Red turned to Syryn, "How did you find me?"


    The older demon smiled maliciously at that. "I had the foresight to keep some of your blood and hair saved as beacons just in case you ran away. If there''s a repeat performance, it''ll be the final nail in your coffin. I will find a method to torture you without hurting Luci."


    Red bristled at the threat but wisely kept his mouth shut. Syryn''s anger was justified. Red had put Luci in danger and it was inexcusable. His intention to score a simple kill had become more complicated and it led him to a powerful enemy that could have done worse if she wasn''t so damn arrogant and stupid. Well, that was him too - stupid and arrogant. Lesson learnt.

 Chapter 63 - Interlude

    "How many children are you planning to have?" Red asked Riha as they walked through the forest, following a beaten path that led to the traveller''s road.


    "None," the selkie replied. He paused. " Why do you ask?"


    "You''re the last selkie left in the world. It''s pretty obvious what you''re supposed to do." Red had heard about selkie folk interbreeding with humans so it wasn''t far fetched to assume that Riha would want to procreate and make more tasty selkie babies.


    "I''ll worry about my own survival first."


    Riha had been rescued but to what end? He would be confined in a home with demons, never having the freedom to leave unless he found a way to mask his scent. The oceans weren''t safe for him either. There were other creatures including the merfolk who would be more than interested in capturing him.


    "They made it," Syryn pointed to the end of the path where a hound coach was parked. The teenagers had also taken notice of their arrival.


    Alka and Magnus shared looks of relief at the sight of the group that was approaching them. As Syryn and his companions neared the duo, Magnus closed the distance between them.


    Red froze in his steps when the fire mage came to stand before him. Magnus scrutinised him from the top of his redhead to the ground that his feet were anchored to. It felt like the fire mage''s gaze had sheared a layer of skin off of his body.


    "You''re okay," Magnus said. It somehow sounded to Red like the teen was assuring himself that Lucien was unhurt and alive. The fire mage had a haggard look about him that went beyond his lazy demeanour. Hair a messier bedhead sticking out more than usual, and eyes that looked like they were carrying weights - Magnus was just as dishevelled as Lucien.


    "What the hell happened to you, Magnus?" Red asked.


    Alka came behind Magnus and filled in the fire mage''s silence. "He hasn''t had any sleep or rest. None of us have, except we didn''t run up and down Elysium in our animal form." Magnus had run several laps around all parts of the city trying to track down the scent of Luci. It had been a tiring and disappointing exercise in futility.


    Alka too looked paler than usual but it was Magnus that looked the most wretched. Red switched with Luci and watched them interact from the safety of his mind.


    "Magnus, look, I have an interesting item here!" Luci cleverly directed the fire mage''s attention to something else so they wouldn''t be forced into a conversation about the kidnapping.


    "Where did you find it?" Magnus lifted the rowan wood chest and examined the markings on it. As tired as he was, the fire mage''s bone-deep relief at finding Luci safe renewed his energy.


    "Inside Zelli''s room! She was also hiding Riha, Lumi, and Aya in a secret place behind a wall that Syryn destroyed like it was made of cotton! You should have seen Riha''s face when Syryn-"


    "Luci, get inside the carriage. You can tell Magnus all about it after we leave this place." Syryn then looked back at Riha who had patiently waited and allowed Alka''s unabashed scrutiny. The plant mage was visibly impatient to ask questions about Riha but good manners prevailed over his curiosity.


    Luci skipped inside the carriage and he was followed by the older boys. Riha was the last to get inside, right after being sniffed at by Dani.


    Once seated, Syryn introduced the selkie to his friends. Riha was courteous with his answers and explanations for the unending questions that Alka had about selkies. A short while into the journey, Luci fell asleep, head lolling against their fire mage''s shoulder. Magnus helped the boy adjust into a more comfortable position and he too closed his eyes, ears still perked up to the conversation that was flowing between Alka and Riha.


    "Is it true that selkie tears give its drinkers the ability to breathe underwater?"


    "That''s not something I''ve ever heard before," Riha replied. "Selkie tears are just salty water but Mermen tears supposedly turn into sea orbs when collected and exposed to moonlight for years.


    Alka made an ''ah'' sound. Syryn was unable to get in a single word when Alka was firing off a new question to every answer he was given. He had no idea that Alka was such a big fan of selkies.


    "Will you be living with us on land or in water?" Alka asked.


    Syryn had wondered about that as well. If Riha chose to, he could inhabit the oxbow lake that wasn''t too far off from their land.


    "I''m fine with either," the selkie replied. "Is there a body of water near your home?"


    "Not within the land that we own. There''s a spring that passes through the edge of the land but we don''t use the water because it''s too far from the house. I figured you could swim in the lake that sits just beyond the border of Syryn''s land. But it''s not salty at all. That won''t do, will it?"


    Riha shook his head at Alka''s assumption. "For a mature selkie like me, my body can adjust to both fresh and saltwater. Egg sacs and baby selkies, on the other hand, require salty water and the right temperature to thrive in."


    "Eggs? How big?" Syryn interjected. In such close quarters, Riha''s selkie scent was like rich sweet sea nectar that still bothered him. Having come to his senses though, it wasn''t so much of a temptation as it was a distraction.


    "Why do you want to know?" The edge of Riha''s lips went up a smidgen.


    "So that I know to bake the right size of bread for the sandwich I can make out of selkie egg."


    Magnus cracked open his eyes to look at Riha even as Alka frowned at Syryn.


    Riha, the target of Syryn''s careless remark, looked to be the most at ease with it. "Selkie eggs can be as big as Lucien''s head or as small as his closed fist. It depends on the size of the female that lays them. If a male selkie mates with a human though, there will be no eggs. You''ll never get your sandwich."


    "So you''re going to mate with a human woman then. The responsibility of keeping the selkie line alive falls on your shoulders, Riha. Do you feel any stress from it?" Alka, who was seated across Riha, leaned in towards the selkie and asked. Syryn could practically see the scholastic eagerness in his friend''s animated body language.


    Riha was amused by the line of questioning that they''d reached. Red had pretty much asked him the same question. "No, I don''t. As the last selkie left in this world, I have no living elders to answer to, nobody to tell me that I''m being selfish by not immediately finding a woman to impregnate with a selkie baby."


    "But you do think you''re being selfish?"


    Syryn felt sorry for Riha. Alka''s questions were like a barrage of attacks, one after another without rest.


    "Yes. But I''m also weary of the world and I don''t have it in me to seek out a mate."


    Alka made an upset face at the words that Riha spoke. "Syryn will take care of you." The plant mage responded. "If you stay close to Syryn, he will divert attention towards himself and get into all sorts of trouble. But you''ll be alright."


    "Is that true?" Syryn asked. Was he really a trouble magnet? Alka was the one that bumped into troublesome situations. Syryn was just an innocent bystander getting dragged into it.


    Alka paused and thought back to the few years they''d had together. "Not true," he replied, having a change of heart. "It''s more like you attract troublesome people to yourself and take on their problems."


    Whether it was Luci, Alka, Magnus, Artemus or Salem - Syryn had been involved in their trials, one way or the other.


    "I see," Riha replied. His gaze drifted to the birdcage that was settled in the space between their feet. As much as needed to, the selkie was reluctant to ask for help with Lumi and Aya''s situation. Syryn owed them nothing. Until he found a way to repay the boy for freeing them, Riha decided to ask for nothing more than what was already given to them.


    "Why did Artemus not come with you?" Syryn asked the plant mage before he could give voice to get another query that lay ready at the tip of his tongue.


    Alka''s mood dampened visibly. "Big brother was called away for a mission. They know that he hasn''t healed completely but they still made him go into a dangerous situation. He won''t be back for a few months."


    "Couldn''t he refuse?"


    "Yes, but you know what Artemus is like. Work comes before his safety. Mother was furious when she found out but he had already packed up and disappeared by the time she did. I''ll wager that he will be chewed out by her when he gets back."


    "Artemus is not suicidal. He''s one of the smartest and strongest anti mage I know. I''m sure he won''t take any unnecessary risks, Al." Syryn tried to assure his friend. He meant every word of it too. And despite his belief, Syryn still worried for the anti mage because of his cold poison.


    "You''re right. I''ll plant a few Ruis for his safe return. Salem has a whole basket filled with Rui seeds." Alka pointedly looked at Syryn as he spoke. Rui seeds were a monopoly of the Gaha T''rui followers. They worshipped Gaha, a deity of protection and pregnant women. Rui seeds went through a secretive fertility process before they could be planted so if one were to collect seeds from their own Rui plant, the seeds would never germinate without the Gaha T''rui treatment. Syryn had an inkling that Salem had collected the seeds to replicate the treatment and satisfy his curiosity.


    "Remind me to ask Salem about it," Syryn told Alka. He too wanted to know what made the Rui seed germinate. It would give him easier access to Rui seeds.


    Alka nodded and then went right back to grilling Riha with more questions. Their long journey was shortened by the conversation between the two occupants. Syryn learnt a lot more about selkie physiology, habits and history. Magnus though had fallen asleep with his arms cradled around Luci. The younger boy had climbed onto the fire mage''s lap and curled himself into a ball. Syryn eyed the young boy''s behaviour and wondered how old he would get before he stopped sticking to Magnus like a baby monkey.

 Chapter 64 - Birds

    Salem had been antsy the entire time that he waited alone in the mansion with no news of what was happening with Lucien or Syryn. The alchemist spent his time wiping down every available surface in the kitchen including the counter, table, chairs, and then mopping the floor till it gleamed. The smell of a floral disinfectant permeated the entirety of the kitchen. Salem surveyed his work and judged the floor clean enough to eat off of though he would never try it.


    His ears picked up the familiar sound of a hound coach rolling in through the open gates of their compound. Moving to action, Salem vigorously scrubbed his hands in a basin of diluted disinfectant and rushed out of the kitchen.


    He first caught sight of a tall stranger exiting the coach. The man wasn''t human, that much Salem could tell upon a cursory glance. His worries about Lucien were set to rest when the boy jumped out of the coach as energetic as ever. And when Syryn came out, gaze stupidly glued to the tall stranger, Salem narrowed his eyes in contemplation. He had no idea how wrong he was about the direction of Syryn''s interests towards the man.


    "Hey, Salem. What are you looking at?" Red asked the alchemist. Red wanted to open the box right away and in his hurry, he had left the others behind.


    Salem eyed the chest that the child was holding. "I was looking at your brother. Where did you disappear to? Magnus was close to combusting from stress."


    "Eh, I was kidnapped by a loser but I killed him and a few other assholes. By the way, there''s no need to look so displeased. Syryn only wants to eat that guy, literally. He''s a selkie."


    Salem raised his brows. Only these two brothers were capable of such a feat. Finding a selkie and bringing it home, what was next? Taming a dragon?


    Red stopped with a foot inside the threshold of the kitchen then removed his footwear. "Salem, you''ll make a good wife." Red''s flowery embroidered socks were stained with blood that seeped through his shoes so those went off to.


    "That''s a clean kitchen if I''ve ever seen one." Syryn shucked his footwear off and stepped inside. "Why can''t you do the same for the alchemy chamber?"


    "I do clean it, just my side."


    "Salem, good work. Thanks for staying behind even though you wanted to come with us." Alka found his house slippers and changed into them before going inside.


    Magnus held a birdcage and walked slowly with the stranger beside him. Salem could hear snatches of their conversation. It had something to do with home security. When they were close enough to the house, the selkie raised his head and met Salem''s naked gaze. A polite nod followed introductions by a tired Magnus.


    The half-elf courteously smiled at the selkie. Riha too mildly regarded Salem''s features and he returned the smile.


    "Heniach nin?"


    Brief surprise flickered on Salem''s face and he replied, "Suilad, Riha. Henion, man sad telil?"


    "Onnen mi Hrast ?aron. Mas-"


    "Rude," Red cut in. "Use the common language when I''m around."


    "You just want attention," Syryn accused Red.


    "I already get enough of it. Anyway, open the box."


    Red slid the chest towards Syryn who was beside him. In silent accord, the boys had surrounded the kitchen table where Red had placed his mysterious rowan wood chest. Salem and Riha aborted their conversation as well and joined the group around the table.


    "I''ll be so disappointed if it contains something stupid like jewellery or fancy clothes," Syryn said while examining the chest for runes.


    "Or pornography," Red added. "Speaking of which, I found a very scandalous book in your collection Salem. What was it called again?" Red made a show of recalling the title.


    "Rimira''s well of beauties," Salem helpfully supplied, "a much hated classic and the epitome of nihilism. Which scholar does not own a copy of it? If you wish to embarrass me, you''ll have to try harder, Red."


    "Is it not embarrassing enough to display erotica amidst your collection of eclectic literature?" Red asked with a twitch of his lips.


    "No, I don''t really care what anyone thinks of it. In fact, I''ve seen the book in the hands of everyone present here, excluding Riha. What''s embarrassing is that I''ve failed to keep the book away from a child. I''ll make sure to put it on the highest shelf with the other literature that children should not be looking at." Salem arched a brow at Red.


    The other three boys who had read the book from cover to cover were doing poor jobs at pretending innocence. Syryn hadn''t enjoyed the book as much as he had expected to. But, it was the beginning of his realisation that he only preferred men. Women were soft, smelled nice, looked delicate, and probably tasted good too - but it did nothing for his libido.


    "I''ve almost got it," he announced to diffuse the awkwardness that his fellow readers were mired in. The alchemist injected several pulses of weak magic in a pattern that the lock recognised. A final feed of mana completed the circuit and released the lock with a satisfying click. "Done!"


    Syryn slid the chest back to Red because it was his find. "Go on, open it."


    Red''s fingers pulled the latch and threw the lid back with a loud creak. 6 heads crowded around the chest to look at what was inside.


    "Can I put it in the library?" Salem asked. It was a thick book with a leathery red cover. Anyone could tell that the leather was made from the skin of a fire salamander. The soft leather had been cured so perfectly that the beautiful colour of it was preserved vividly.


    "Not a chance Salem. Do you see that sign at the bottom?" Red pointed to the skull motto that was etched to the cover. "Only the person who recognises its significance is allowed to use the book."


    Syryn was aware of what it was but he didn''t want any part of it. His life was hard enough without adding the woes of necromancy to it. None of the others seemed to recognise it. Syryn looked at the selkie but the man wore a placidly neutral expression that gave nothing away.


    "It''s decided. I''m taking this!" Red held the book up to the light and caressed the soft leather with his thumb. Red was quite familiar with necromancy. He had been introduced to it by a living necromancer but this book was even better as a learning tool. His old teacher had been reluctant to teach him much owing to his secretive nature. With this book though, Red was sure he would learn advanced skills and techniques.


    (What is it about?)


    [We can raise the dead using this.]


    (!!)


    [What?]


    (That sounds creepy!)


    [Of course, it''s creepy. We''ll be dealing mostly with decomposing or dried up corpses.]


    (Can the dead bodies talk?)


    [It depends. We''ll learn together so save your questions for then.]


    "Is this really wise?" Riha asked the group. He had come to realise that the redhead had a double personality that switched easily between a young child and a brat of undetermined age. One was called Luci, and the other one was Red. But was it wise letting them (him?) have a magical book that looked malicious to an average observer?


    "In this house, we follow the rules of chaos," Red replied sagely. "You will learn that soon," he added while flashing a wicked smile at the selkie.


    Riha looked at the teenagers around him and wondered just what sort of household he had landed himself in. 2 half-demons were accounted for, plus one connoisseur of classic erotica. He looked at Alka, an innocent-looking boy with carefully combed hair and a neat air about him. Riha thought he was scholarly and careful in nature. He then set his sights on the other one with wild hair and a handsome face. Slouched on his chair like he was melting off of it, Magnus appeared to Riha like a delinquent though he knew that looks were deceptive in this case. It wasn''t any of his business if their youngest meddled in the dark arts but the selkie hoped that they wouldn''t regret it later.


    "I''m hungry," Syryn declared loudly.


    Salem had prepared a simple meal of stir-fried vegetables and baked chicken. Those two were the only dishes that Salem could cook without ruining the taste. The other boys had come to find that Salem was a dab hand at turning both food and potion into enemies of the taste buds. Thus, he was never in charge of meals unless they were in the mood for stir fry and easy baked chicken.


    Alka helped set the table while Magnus toasted and buttered some homemade bread that Syryn always kept in stock.


    "Tur cin medi firen aes?" Salem asked the selkie while he poured out rice tea into several bamboo cups.


    "Ma im tur"


    "I want a cup of juice," Red called out to Salem. He was on the floor laying on his stomach and examining the bindings that kept the book shut to its reader.


    "Fruits or vegetables?"


    "Fruits!" Red looked put out at Salem for daring to suggest he would drink vegetable juice. He had no idea that the half-elf had been secretly adding beet extract and other veges to the boy''s daily juice binges.


    "Vegetables are good for you," Salem replied as his hand moved to a jar where he kept black treacle.


    "Fine, I''ll have them in the stir fry but not in my juice glass."


    "As you wish," Salem said while pouring liquid carrot into the glass of orange and strawberry juice.


    "Luci says he wants to eat cake tonight."


    Salem placed the cups in their respective places and turned to Red who was sitting up now. "We don''t have cake but there''s sweet potato pudding in the icebox."


    "What about Lumi and Aya?" Alka asked. The birds were quiet in their cage. Lumi was still asleep while Aya hid behind Lumi, awake and alert.


    "Their feeding bowl is still filled with seeds. There''s no need to give them anything more." The selkie worriedly examined the sleeping Lumi. He hadn''t woken up in more than 48 hours. Lumi had once slept for a week after his torture in the hands of Zelli so this wasn''t new to Riha. It still troubled the selkie.


    "Lumi, wake up soon," he whispered to the sleeping bird. Riha who had been lonely and morose in his chamber was one day given the birdcage by Zelli. Lumi wasn''t a chatty individual but his presence had brought with it conversation and a bonding borne out of shared tragedy. Riha couldn''t say with confidence that Lumi was his friend, but he cared enough for the avian shapeshifter to want him to live.


    Red stood up and tucked the book into the crook of his arm. Taking a long look at the bird that hid behind Lumi, Red had a suspicion that had appeared when he was still in the coach.


    "Why did Aya get stuck in her bird form?" He asked Riha.


    "I don''t know. I asked Lumi but even he couldn''t tell."


    Red sneered at the birdcage and turned away. If the stupid bird wanted to play stupid games then Red would give them their stupid prize. He sat down in his seat and viciously stabbed the golden skinned chicken that was nestled in a leafy green salad Alka had made. It had cheese, cherry tomatoes and olives in it.


    "What''s wrong?" Salem asked the redhead quietly. The others were all engaged in conversation and paid no attention to them.


    "I don''t like the birds," Red replied just as softly.


    Salem cut into a chicken breast and smiled at the red head''s reply. "Me neither."


    Red turned to Salem and they shared a glance. Did no one else notice? Their glance communicated. Syryn was busy scarfing down food while arguing with Magnus about which form of martial arts was superior. Alka was entrenched in a deep conversation with Riha who was paying rapt attention to the plant mage''s theory about why demons found selkie meat enticing. It was a topic of conversation that was highly inappropriate for mealtime with a selkie but if he wasn''t complaining then who were they to?


    "We still don''t know what his intentions are so don''t provoke them," Salem cautioned the redhead.


    Red gloomily ate his food, wishing he could act as uncivilised as he did back when he lived with demons. It would have been a simple matter then to deal with lying shapeshifters.


    "Yeah, I get it. He''s either crazy or lying. Whatever it is, the selkie probably knows. I like him. I hope I won''t have to eat him."


    Salem drank his rice tea and wondered about that too. He also liked Riha. The selkie spoke the elven tongue like a native and it was a joy to speak the language with someone else after so long. He hoped that Riha wouldn''t have to leave.

 Chapter 65 - Disorder

    As bitter as Salem''s potions were, the weary mages swallowed several small spoonfuls of nutrients and boosters. Magnus and Luci had black treacle on standby for when their tongues were lashed with bitterness. Syryn took the potions like a champ but he nearly gagged at the calming draught that went in last.


    "Do you not know how to counter the taste of swamp nettle?!" Syryn choked on the acridness that stung his tongue. "This calming draught is taking my life!"


    Syryn swore that Salem''s smile was sadistic. The half-elf used a spatula to smack at the greedy hands that were emptying the jar of black treacle. "The difference between you and me is that I maximise the potency of my brews and you do not. You compromise on its concentration by balancing out the unpalatable taste. Do try and understand this Syryn, taste is inconsequential; what matters is its efficacy."


    "How does efficacy matter when your patients can''t even swallow the potion? Exhibit A," Syryn pointed to Magnus who was gagging at the sink. The poor fire mage had dragged himself through hell, both emotionally and physically, and now he had to drink Salem''s poisons. Rowan and his sensitive tongue had also most likely seen a flash of death at the first taste of Salem''s products.


    "God, am I dying? I''m dying aren''t I?" Magnus moaned into the sink. Luci was seated on the counter next to him rubbing circles on his back.


    Though the draught had scorched his tastebuds, Syryn had to give credit where it was due. The calming effect was already seeping into his body like a heavy but soothing blanket. His own potion would have taken longer to trigger. Salem''s deadly creations were premier medicines, unrivalled in their effects and taste. Syryn accepted that it was prudent to keep a batch of his companion''s products for emergency use.


    His own penchant for brewing tasty potions had come from Rowan''s influence in his life. He decided to take a leaf out of Salem''s book and put less emphasis on taste. Despite his alterations that favoured taste, the efficacy of his brews wasn''t too far off from Salem''s because Syryn was just that good. In a life and death situation though, Salem''s potions were superior, and that was a humbling thought for Syryn.


    Magnus did not wait for bedtime. His body felt like it had taken a pounding; like Rowan had dragged him through a long session of sparring. Salem''s draught helped with the general muscle aches but he could now feel a throb in his temple that had everything to do with an impending headache. A scalding hot bath had relieved him of the tension that lingered from his jaunt into the city in panther form. It was no surprise to Magnus that he was currently being punished by his body for neglecting his panther.


    The fire mage threw on a pair of clean cotton pyjama pants and slid into the cosy bed he shared with Lucien. When he was almost asleep, Luci quietly slipped in smelling like coconut soap. Magnus stirred awake, reached out, and cuddled the cool ball of sunshine that sneezed under the blanket.


    "G''night Luci," his sleep roughened voice murmured to the boy who was squirming in his warm embrace. Magnus always felt hot to the touch - like he was running a temperature - because of his innate magic. Red could not bear to be under a blanket with the fire mage when the weather was warm. Luci though had higher tolerance and burrowed under Magnus'' chin to get closer to the warmth.


    "Night night," Luci whispered and drifted off into dreamland.


    Months disappeared, taking with them the sands of time that slipped through their fingers faster than ever. Riha had donated several phials of blood to Syryn and Salem''s research. They''d discovered that his blood made a fantastic addition to hemostatic potions.


    On a particularly cold day, Salem dipped a finger in the blood and stuck it in his mouth, right in front of Syryn. This re-ignited the younger alchemist''s slumbering desire for a taste of the selkie blood.


    "The audacity!" Syryn loudly declared before he upended the entire phial of blood into his mouth. The tantalising nectar went down his throat, smooth and sweet like excellent wine. Salty notes of the sea rose above the scent of blood, and it lingered in his mouth like a cool wave from the ocean. It was absolutely delicious!


    Salem made a face at how gross it tasted to him. On the flip side, Syryn looked like he was having a religious experience. The demonic boy savoured every last drop of it and smiled.


    "Salem, we need more blood."


    The blonde poured the rest of his selkie blood into a glass tube containing an acidic liquid. "Not for you to drink."


    "It''s your fault. Take responsibility and get me some more."


    Salem ridiculed Syryn with a sharp smile. "You''d have tasted it one way or the other; It was just a matter of time. Don''t go blaming me for the consequences of your greedy mouth." He accepted that his actions had catalysed Syryn''s. Admitting it though? never. Syryn was the type that liked to squeeze benefits out of whatever situation he found favoured him. If Salem admitted to his fault, he would find himself at the mercy of Syryn, and that was something he had to avoid at all cost.


    A light knock on the door pulled them out of their bickering.


    "Is this a bad time?" Riha asked from the partially opened door.


    "No, come in Riha," Salem replied as he decanted the selkie''s blood.


    Syryn was still basking in the afterglow of Riha''s donation. To him, it definitely was a bad time for the selkie to show up. He observed Riha and noticed that the selkie was an objectively good looking man, and not just a person-shaped buffet. Large sea-green eyes and a luscious plum coloured mouth invited the observer for a bite. The light blue markings that appeared on his skin when he was exposed to direct sunlight, set him apart from a human but it made no difference to Syryn. An attractive man was an attractive man regardless of race or status.


    "Riha, I drank it." Syryn held out the empty phial to the selkie. The younger alchemist was tempted to nibble on Riha''s skin just to check if it was as delicious as his blood.


    Salem''s worried gaze shifted between Syryn and Riha when the selkie did not react to the provocative words.


    "What was it like?" Riha finally asked, fixing Syryn with a curious look. Salem breathed a sigh of relief at that. He decided that the selkie would fit in well with their group of misfits.


    "Like Ambrosia. It''s a pity I''ll never get to eat you." Syryn grinned at the selkie. "If you''re willing to trade for more blood, I''m all ears."


    Riha''s answering smile was mild. How long could Syryn restrain himself against the temptation of taking more selkie body parts?


    "On a scale of 1 to 10, how tempted are you to attack me?" He asked the boy.


    "7"


    "That isn''t very assuring," Salem inserted.


    Syryn walked up to Riha and breathed in the light scent that came off his body. He couldn''t get much of the flavorful selkie smell due to the lack of open wounds or cuts on him.


    "Don''t stick around when I''m hungry. And if you suffer an injury, get as far as you can from me," Syryn told the selkie. "Unless you''re feeling suicidal like you were when I found you."


    "Understood," Riha answered. Syryn was impressed by the lack of fear in the selkie''s eyes.


    "What did you come here for Riha?" Salem asked.


    The selkie turned to the half-elf and replied, "It''s about Lumi. Ever since the rescue, not once has he shifted to human form. I tried talking to him but there hasn''t been any response to my attempts at communication."


    Salem thought back to the yellow bird whose wing had long healed. It watched them suspiciously and refused to leave the cage when prompted. He figured that It was time to force the bird into compliance and Salem knew just how to do it.


    "We''ve respected your decision to leave them alone but I think it''s time we took some drastic measures, don''t you think?" Salem asked the selkie.


    "It might hurt him," Riha replied after a pause.


    Forcing a shapeshifter to shift against its will ran the risks of damaging the creature''s body. Salem had no intention to hurt Lumi but the bird was already damaging itself with its stubbornness and that was a point that the selkie understood.


    "Riha, I have a question for you," Salem had his palms resting on the counter, back stooping over slightly. He inclined his head to look at the selkie who had gone quiet.


    "Why are you feeding Lumi''s delusions about Aya?"


    "What delusions?" Syryn asked, confused at the sombre mood that had settled between the other two men.


    Salem was disappointed at Syryn''s lack of awareness. Had the boy taken more than a cursory glance at the bird called Aya, he would have noticed that the bird was just that, an ordinary yellow bird. It was no shapeshifter. So did Lumi really have a sister called Aya? If so, where was she and why was Lumi lying?


    Riha sighed, a weary sound that communicated his frustration. "When he came to me, Lumi was a grieving boy who had replaced his dead sister with a bird that reminded him of her. I did not have the heart to destroy his fantasy, at least not while we were still trapped and tortured by Zelli," his steady voice explained. "It comforted him. And we both needed that more than sanity."


    Syryn''s hand flew to his mouth. Aya was just a bird? Why did no one tell him?


    "You did what you had to do with the circumstances that were presented to you. But now? What''s your excuse, Riha?" Salem asked, arms crossed. The farce had to come to an end and Lumi had to accept that his sister was gone. It was unhealthy, not to mention creepy. Salem wasn''t the most well-adjusted person in the world and he had some sympathy for the tragedy that Lumi had endured, but he believed that the bird had been given enough time to grieve.


    A perturbed Syryn took a seat and pushed another chair towards the selkie. Who else had noticed? He wondered.


    "Lumi was secretive but never paranoid like the way he''s been acting," Riha began after taking the chair that Syryn was offering.


    "From what I''ve been able to glean from him, they were captured during the war with a neighbouring tribe. His tribe was annihilated and Aya was gravely injured while protecting him. I believe that she passed away after their capture but the slave auctioneers replaced her with a bird to make a profit out of gullible buyers. Lumi who couldn''t deal with the grief accepted the replacement for Aya. He has been through a lot, Salem. I don''t know where to begin to help him."


    "So what I''m understanding from your explanation is that Lumi''s paranoia began after we brought him to us."


    "Yes," Riha confirmed. "Until I find out what is causing his current behaviour, I cannot begin to tackle his delusional thoughts about Aya."


    "So basically, Lumi is crazy," Syryn added. "I knew we couldn''t have a single normal person in this house but it''s frankly getting ridiculous."


    People lied. Salem had found that out early in life when his mother told him he couldn''t visit his grandparents because he had none. People used lies as a shield, even going as far as lying to themselves. This he knew because it had been his way of coping with the grief of losing everyone he loved.


    "Perhaps I''ve been overly suspicious of him," Salem allowed. More than once, he had caught Lumi''s gaze resting on him and it hadn''t been dull or maniacal as the bird led Riha to believe. Lumi was either swinging between clarity and mania, or he was acting out the part of a troubled bird. Salem needed answers.


    "The longer he stays in his bird form, the riskier it gets. I''ll leave it to you to administer the transformation serum when it pleases you," Salem placed a tiny glass vial on the counter. It was filled with a transparent liquid.


    "There''s no need for it," Syryn interjected. "He sneaks out of the cage and transforms when everyone is asleep. I figured it wasn''t any of my business so I didn''t mention it to anybody."


    "You figured it wasn''t any of your business?!" Salem snapped. "This is your home and he''s a suspicious person who we know next to nothing about!" He glowered at Syryn and continued, "he''s mentally unstable and could be a danger to the occupants of the home."


    "I had no idea he was mentally ill!" Syryn threw back. "It''s just a shapeshifter. I can deal with him easily; why are you getting mad?" If only Salem could explain to Syryn how uneasy he felt around Lumi. The way he was watched by the bird creeped him out more than he would admit to.


    "This is my fault," Riha got between them and mediated. "I''ll speak to him now, and if he still continues to fight our efforts, you can kick him out of the house."


    "Well that''s a bit extreme," Syryn replied. A defenceless shapeshifter who was also mentally unstable just couldn''t be let out into the wild.


    "Salem is right about us knowing next to nothing about Lumi. For all the years I spent with him, there isn''t enough familiarity between him and I. Lumi''s thoughts are elusive."


    "That''s that then. Let''s go now before Alka calls us for lunch." Fingers curled around the serum, Salem led the way out of the alchemy chamber.


    If there was one thing that he hated, it was disorder, and that was exactly what Lumi presented. It was like waking up one day and finding the wrong labels stuck on his ingredient jars. Salem wanted, no, he needed to figure out Lumi - to restore the sense of order which had been missing in the home since the birdcage had arrived.

 Chapter 66 - Lumi

    "What''s going on?" Magnus asked from his spot by the stove. The fire mage was adding salt to the tomato soup that was bubbling in a big pot. Alka had left him in charge of the soup and he was doing his best not to burn it.


    Salem, Syryn, and Riha had wordlessly entered the kitchen, bringing with them a heavy mood that cast a gloom over the otherwise cheery kitchen.


    "Intervention," Syryn replied.


    Riha lifted the birdcage that had been left by the kitchen window. The selkie placed it on the table and looked up at Syryn and Salem who were quietly watching him.


    "We should give them some privacy," Salem told the others and was the first to leave the kitchen.


    "Five minutes Riha," Syryn followed at the heels of Salem. When Riha looked to Magnus, the fire mage sighed and lowered the heat to his tomato soup.


    "If it starts burning, turn it off," he told the selkie and got a nod in return.


    Syryn updated Magnus on the situation with Lumi.


    "A transformation serum?" Magnus looked at the tiny vial in Salem''s palm. He had been aware of the oddity with Aya and had even discussed it with the half-elf.


    "We won''t resort to it if Riha succeeds."


    "I don''t like it. We can''t just force him to shift when he clearly isn''t comfortable enough to."


    "Then what do you propose? He obviously needs all the help he can get."


    "He needs to be convinced that we can be trusted," Magnus replied firmly. "The serum might take you one step forward but you''ll find you''ve taken five backwards. The worst thing you could inflict on a scared shapeshifter is that serum." Despite the calm he tried to project, the other two noticed how Magnus wasn''t bothering with his lazy act. The hard look in his eyes told Syryn that there was history there, that Magnus or someone he cared about had been at the receiving end of a forcefully administered serum.


    "How long do you think it has been since Lumi arrived here?" Syryn asked the shapeshifter. "Who does he think has been feeding him and cleaning his cage? It sure as hell wasn''t Aya. The bird has had enough time to adjust and speak with us, Magnus. We''ve waited long enough. If Riha himself is unable to convince Lumi, then there''s nothing else we can do."


    Magnus frowned at Syryn and said, "you''re acting like he''s a burden to us. He is scared, surrounded by strangers in a strange place - have some sympathy."


    "Sympathy for what?" Syryn snapped back. "The hell has he done for us? All he does is eat, sleep, and act like we''re all out to murder him as soon as he closes his eyes."


    "So you''re just going to violate his will for that reason? We''re the ones that brought him here. Deal with it!" He bit out, anger lacing the words with a sharpness that was foreign to his listeners.


    Syryn was pissed off. How dare Magnus pick a fight with him for a person he barely even knew! It stung him with jealousy. Magnus was supposed to be on his side. Magnus was HIS friend. "That''s exactly what we''ve been doing for 4 fucking months. Don''t bring your personal feelings into this!" He hissed at the fire mage.


    Magnus was suddenly closed off, his expression frigid. "Forgive me for thinking you could empathise with the humiliation of being force shifted. I should have known better." The words were spoken coldly. "It''s your house, do what you think is best."


    Magnus walked away from them, leaving Syryn shaking and upset. There was an ember of anger smouldering in his chest but it was overshadowed by the shock of having fought with Magnus. This was Magnus, the ever smirking and cool Magnus who never lost his temper, never raised his voice at Syryn. The fact that it happened because of an outsider hurt Syryn more than the fight itself.


    "It''ll be alright," Salem quietly assured him. "Just give him time to stew."


    Syryn gloomily nodded. He hated Lumi already.


    "Five minutes is up," he told Salem. The two of them walked back into the kitchen to find Lumi sitting on a chair, deep in conversation with Riha.


    Lumi was an angelic-looking teenager. Wispy honey blonde hair curled around his lovely face. Big, guileless baby blue eyes blinked at them when he noticed their arrival. A pair of yellow wings were tucked primly behind him, giving them the illusion that an angel was seated amongst them. Lumi had on a white shirt that was too large on him, Riha''s. He was beautiful, breathtaking. Syryn hated him even more.


    Deciding to take the higher road, he tamped down on his irrational anger and allowed Salem to lead their exchange.


    "Lumi, thank you for joining us finally."


    The avian looked away, a light blush high on his cheekbones. "Riha told me I couldn''t hide any longer," his voice was soft and it grated on Syryn''s nerves. He much preferred Alka''s voice.


    Salem had been the recipient of Lumi''s feverish gaze on and off whenever he had been in the kitchen. Seeing him for what he really looked like, the blonde alchemist still couldn''t shake off the unwelcome feeling of it. "You should know it isn''t healthy to stay in your animal form for long periods of time."


    Bowing his head, Lumi nodded. "I was afraid." His slender shoulders were tight, withdrawn, and he appeared so very fragile. It evoked a feeling of protectiveness that Salem refused to act upon. Dark clouds gathered behind him where Syryn was fuming. The half-elf glanced at Riha whose gaze rested on Lumi. The selkie looked anything but happy.


    "What''s wrong with your sister?" Syryn asked. He had moved to stand next to Salem and was frowning at Lumi. The avian nervously licked his pink lips and looked to Riha for help but the selkie''s response was silence.


    "Aya is dead," Lumi let out in a breathy whisper. They almost hadn''t heard it. "This little one is a wild bird that my captors replaced her with." The avian''s eyes were misting over as he spoke about his sister. "I''m sorry I lied to you, Riha. I was grieving and couldn''t accept that Aya was longer in this world."


    Syryn almost felt sorry for Lumi. The avian had been through so much all at once, and Syryn sort of felt like an ass for directing his anger towards the boy. Well, boo hoo, they all had sob stories so Lumi was no special exception to be treated with more care.


    "How can we help you?" Syryn asked Lumi. He was going to try and attempt civility not for Lumi''s sake but for Magnus who he cared more about.


    The avian raised his head to look at Syryn. Locking gazes with him, Lumi studied Syryn''s ethereal face. "You''re very beautiful," he was informed.


    "How can we help you?" Syryn repeated after an awkward pause. He completely ignored the compliment that felt at odds with the mood that hung over them.


    "You''ve done so much for me and there''s nothing more I can ask for. Please let me help you in any way I can. I''m good at cleaning and cooking," Lumi earnestly replied. This was a total 180 from his earlier fearful behaviour. His gaze drifted to Salem who had remained quiet after their initial exchange. The half-elf noticed the attention and looked at Lumi but the avian quickly averted his eyes.


    "Alright then, Riha, I''ll leave Lumi to your care. You''re familiar with the house chores so allocate work as you see fit." Syryn then turned to Lumi, "if you fall ill or feel uncomfortable anywhere, you can come to me or Salem. We can be found in the alchemy chamber which is at the end of the corridor. I''ll get Alka to prepare a room for you when he comes back."


    "There''s no need for that. I''ll sleep in the birdcage," Lumi answered.


    Syryn turned around and left after a brief glance at Lumi. He had to find Magnus. The alchemist just couldn''t bear the thought of passing another minute knowing things weren''t okay between them.


    He found the fire mage in his room. The door was ajar, letting out the sounds of a young boy''s giggles. At least Luci was happy, Syryn bitterly thought. His knuckles rapped on the door twice, letting them know he was coming in.


    "Syryn, Magnus couldn''t find his shirt with the bird-shaped print on it. He had been wearing it the entire time!" Luci was smiling widely and pointing at the shirt that the fire mage had worn. It had an eagle motif just under the collar, not easily noticeable to the eyes that weren''t looking for it.


    "Rub it in will ya?" Magnus scowled at nobody in particular. "I''m growing old Luci. Will you still laugh at me when I forget even more?"


    Luci scrambled off the bed he was sat on. Because of the fire mage''s words, he was suddenly reminded of the task that Alka had left to him before the plant mage left to buy some fertiliser. "I forgot to water the gooey plant! Alka is going to kill me!"


    The redhead rushed out of the room, leaving Syryn and Magnus staring at each other. Magnus turned away first, choosing to sit on the neatly made bed where a shallow dent was left on the mattress in the aftermath of Luci''s bouncing.


    "We didn''t administer the serum," Syryn said to the fire mage.


    "Okay"


    Magnus flashed a weak smile at Syryn. "I''m sorry, I overreacted."


    "Yes, you did."


    The prickling inside him melted away at the very moment Magnus chuckled. A pillow hit Syryn''s face but he was grinning back at his fire mage. Lucien was Syryn''s brother and Magnus was his best friend. Right?


    "Magnus, if you ever betray me for another, I''ll kill your special person and destroy your life." Syryn had a way with words when he was feeling less than pleased.


    Magnus'' mouth parted silently and he shut it with a soft ''click''. His brain couldn''t decide whether it wanted his body to be afraid or flattered - maybe both - at Syryn''s possessiveness. In a measured tone, he asked the teen, "is that supposed to be a confession?"


    "Don''t be an idiot," Syryn replied with a scoff. Their redhead had staked his claim on Magnus, and Syryn wasn''t blind to it.


    "Thank fuck," Magnus replied and blew out a gust of air dramatically.


    "I take offence to your relief. I''m a catch."


    Magnus smiled widely at his vain friend. "Come here," and he extended his arms beckoning Syryn in for a hug.


    The younger mage walked over and allowed Magnus to squeeze the air out of him. It felt like he was being smothered by a furnace. Encircling the broad back with his arms, Syryn felt the steady heartbeats that drummed against his ear.


    "You''ll always be my special person, Syryn. Even when I get married, I''ll put an extra bed in my room for you."


    Syryn was starting to really feel the heat that came off the fire mage but he didn''t let go. "Lucien won''t like that," he murmured very softly, smiling at the image that Magnus painted.


    "What did you say?" The fire mage asked.


    "That you''ll need a bigger room because I''ll bring my boyfriend along."


    "You mean boyfriends."


    "You say that as if it''s a bad thing."


    Magnus laughed and Syryn felt the sound go through his chest. "You''re going to break a lot of hearts, aren''t you?"


    "Yes, including my own," Syryn answered. As fun as it was, Syryn was aware that it would all come back to bite him in the arse. He felt the fire mage rest his chin on top of Syryn''s head. Peaceful quietness settled between them as Magnus processed the fact that Syryn was self-aware and still headed straight towards a wall at full speed.


    "You''re smarter than this, Ryn."


    Syryn''s heart did a little jump. Only Rowan had been allowed to call him that. He supposed he could extend the honour to Magnus as well, considering how fond he was of the fire mage. He pried himself out of the warm embrace. How did Magnus tolerate his own body heat?


    "You''ll be there to pick it up when my heart breaks into little pieces, won''t you?"


    Magnus was about to say something silly but he realised that Syryn was serious. The fire mage placed a hand on the younger man''s shoulder and squeezed.


    "Always."


    Syryn''s trust in Magnus was as firm as the position of the Twin Stars. It was implicit in the way he depended on the fire mage. Magnus had been a rock-solid presence since the beginning of his new life. He had been willing to sacrifice his life for Syryn and Lucien when they were barely acquaintances. He had looked past their blood and accepted the good and the bad that came with the friendship. Magnus could not be replaced, and neither Alka.


    "I''ll hold you to that," Syryn replied, grateful, unaware of the winds gathering for a storm that would test their friendship.

 Chapter 67 - Infection

    The situation at home with Lumi was more or less stable. Syryn had taken to ignoring him as he had done in the past. The avian kept to himself but also helped out in whatever way he could. He rarely spoke to anyone, chose to work alone, slept in his cage with the wild bird, and avoided all company.


    A few days after the argument with Magnus, Salem and Syryn were working together on synthesising a cure for one of the patients that came to them with a strange crotch infection that neither alchemist had ever seen. The infected flesh had turned black and leathery but the unfortunate patient was refusing to reveal where he had shoved his private parts in. With the amount of gold that he was offering them, it was a case that they couldn''t turn down.


    "You know, we could just.. scrape some skin off and test it," Salem suggested with a look like he had eaten a lemon.


    "Fuck that. If you''re willing then go ahead," Syryn returned. "I''ve got his blood and that''s all the contact I will tolerate."


    "You''re right. No amount of gold is worth risking what he has."


    Syryn waited while Salem put a single drop of blood in each of 5 small ceramic plates. His gaze drifted to the shelf where the transformation serum sat, thoughts back to what Magnus had said.


    "Salem, do you remember what Magnus said about force shifting?" He asked.


    The half-elf paused and turned to the younger man. "Yes, why do you ask?"


    "He said we were violating Lumi''s will."


    Salem squeezed the nose of his dropper and carefully put it away. "Magnus was right about that. That doesn''t mean I wouldn''t have gone ahead with it if Lumi insisted on turning down Riha''s advice."


    "Why?"


    Salem looked up towards Syryn while his hands stayed busy, pulling out several tubes of liquids.


    "He still isn''t one of us. Violating his will is a sin I am willing to carry the weight of if it solves the other problems that are far heavier on my mind. What about you, Syryn?"


    "What about me?" The dark-haired alchemist replied. He was attempting to understand why he should give a damn about Lumi like Magnus expected him to.


    "Why ask about it? You wouldn''t normally care."


    Syryn replied with a frown. "This is my sanctuary. I did what I thought was best for all of us. If Magnus was in Lumi''s place, I would have killed anyone that tried to force-feed him the serum. But Lumi isn''t Magnus." Why was he even talking about it? It was all done with, and the serum hadn''t been used.


    "Am I expected to empathise with everyone that comes to my home? Does Magnus do that? Why can''t I just kill Lumi off if he annoys me?"


    Salem put away his tools and decided that the direction of Syryn''s thoughts was veering on dangerous territory. This demanded his utter and complete attention.


    "Does he annoy you?" Salem asked.


    "After the argument with Magnus, yes. But not enough to kill him."


    That was good, Salem thought. As much as it bothered him, Lumi shouldn''t have to die. "So long as he remains under our care, Magnus expects us to help him whilst causing as little damage as possible to his already fragile psyche. That''s all there is to it, Syryn. You don''t even have to empathise with him."


    "You aren''t making sense to me. What should I do? My patience runs deep but only for the people I consider friends."


    "Just do it for Magnus then," Salem answered. Here he was, plotting his next murder, trying to feel less guilty about the children that would be orphaned by his actions. Then Syryn had to come along and remind him that he could choose to divorce from the guilt and become a psychopath. It would be a gradual process but Salem was sure he would eventually get there. He just had to start killing the children too.


    Syryn made no reply. The blonde stared at him till the younger mage raised a single brow back at him.


    "You should have this talk, Magnus."


    "I''ll think about it."


    The next morning, Syryn was pulled out of his workroom by an excited Alka. They had a guest.


    "Hi, remember me?" Rain had grown taller and her luscious hair was tied in a ponytail. She had an infectious smile that Syryn couldn''t help but respond to.


    "Rain, good to see you''ve been well," he replied while pulling a chair out. Syryn had cast an illusion on himself when Alka informed him of a guest in their home. He was glad that Rain made no mention of it though she had seen him without the illusion.


    "I know it''s quite abrupt but Rowan sent me here asking you for a favour," she told him while receiving a cup of tea from Alka who she thanked with another wide smile.


    Syryn tried to hide the thrill he felt at hearing Rain''s words. He missed Rowan and hoped for his quick return.


    "There''s a sick person that came back from the borders. Rowan requests that you treat him if it is within the scope of your ability." Rain told him, a frown sitting on her pretty face. "I had to return to Elysium with him but I''ll be leaving as soon as we find a healer."


    She folded her hands on her lap and entreated him with her eyes, "Rowan trusts you. He says that you''re the only one that can treat my cousin without affecting his arcane abilities. Please, Syryn, say you will."


    "I can''t promise to cure him because I don''t know what he''s suffering from," Syryn replied. "Where is he?"


    Radiant at knowing Syryn would take care of her cousin, Rain made to stand up. "He''s in the carriage, reluctant to get out. I''ll be right back."


    Syryn wondered who this personage was, someone who was important enough to Rowan that the man sent him to Syryn. He didn''t have to wait for long though. Walking up the path to their house was a mage that Syryn recognised. If Rowan was the celebrated anti mage of Sigil, this man was the mage equivalent.


    "Is that who I think it is?" Alka asked in a whisper while gaping at the dashing sandy-haired man that was walking beside Rain. The mid-20s, Syryn guessed. Right hair colour height, age and face. It had to be him.


    "But what is he doing here? Shouldn''t he still be travelling and causing trouble in the neighbouring kingdoms?"


    Rain had arrived at their doorstep, her gaze flitting between a frozen Alka and her cousin brother who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there.


    "Alka, you''re all grown up," the newcomer quietly said. "The last time I saw ya, you were still a tiny little thing." He had an accent. Syryn couldn''t pinpoint its origin but it was cute on the man.


    Alka nodded at their guest, "you''ve changed too. Big brother won''t recognise you."


    At the mention of Artemus, the man''s eyes widened. "Artemus is here?"


    Snorting at his reaction, Alka replied, "No. He''s off on a mission."


    Syryn observed them with keen eyes. The man with the sandy hair and gold pupils was Sigil''s most powerful mage and also the kingdom''s prodigal son. He had left everything behind to travel extensively beyond the borders. News of his studies and exploits reached the kingdom because Sigil kept an eye on their rebellious mage who was always causing trouble everywhere he went. The biggest scandal he had created yet was the pregnancy of a princess from a small kingdom where he had sojourned at. It was later found to be a lie, a plot to marry him to their princess, but the damage had been done. Diplomatic relations were tense between Sigil and Asmor.


    "Syryn, this is my cousin, Sebastian. Seb, say hello to your new healer."


    "This is Syryn?" Sebastian asked, "the Syryn that''s supposed to be a better healer than Felix?"


    "I''m not a healer," Syryn told him. He really wasn''t though.


    "Why are we wastin'' this kid''s time?" Sebastian turned around to leave but Rain caught his arm and shoved him into an unoccupied chair.


    "Damn it, Seb! Sit your ass down and let him have a look at you. We came all the way out here so let''s make it worth the trouble."


    "Look at em, he''s barely a teenager," Sebastian then turned to Syryn and said, "no offence to you kid."


    "None taken," the alchemist replied, drumming his fingers on the table. Rowan sending Sebastian to him meant that the illness could not be treated by a regular healer. What did it say about how much of Rowan''s memories had returned to him?


    "What''s wrong?" Syryn asked. "I''m not a healer but I know a few things about treating sicknesses so let me try before you decide that I''m no good."


    "I guess that''s doable," Sebastian replied. He was still dressed in travel wear, a layer of dust encasing his entire body. Nothing about him alluded to the immensity of his reputation and power as a mage. Sebastian hid behind an act of frivolity like Syryn wore an illusion.


    "So, where does it hurt?" Syryn asked.


    "I was pricked by the nettle of a vine that grew from a demon I was fightin''. Ever since then, I''ve been leaking mana like nobody''s business. I can''t even cast a spell without it hurtin'' my body. It feels like there''s acid coursin'' through me when I attempt magic-"


    Syryn watched Sebastian''s mouth move, hearing the words without really listening to them. He already knew what was wrong with the mage after taking a glance at the man''s exposed wrist. He had light purple veins whose colour popped out stark against smooth golden sun-kissed skin.


    "-And I told Felix that there was no way I was goin'' to try all thirty-eight potions he had lined up for me. I''m not his guinea pig-"


    "Okay that''s enough," Syryn cut into his rant. Sebastian had a nice mouth. He had even nicer eyes. Syryn could appreciate the man''s pretty face all day but he had work to do. "Hand," he told Sebastian.


    "Syryn, how old are ya anyway? You look fifteen. You''re only old enough to apprentice aren''t ya?" He continued to talk while placing his hand on the table, between him and Syryn.


    "I''m old enough for most things," Syryn replied. He focused on the darker veins that climbed Sebastian''s arm, higher up towards his elbow. "When did these turn purple?"


    "Uh, must''ve been a coupla days after the fight. I don''t know, I wasn''t payin'' attention. I had bigger things to worry about."


    "Like what? Screwing around with Lena?" Rain cut in.


    "Rainy, you''re still mad about it? I swear I had no idea she was married!"


    "Tell that to Rowan. He''s the one left to clean up the mess you made." Rain had her arms crossed, still angry about Sebastian''s indiscretion.


    "Have you been feeling like you''ve lost time?" Syryn steered them back to Sebastian''s health woes.


    "How did you know?"


    "So that''s a yes. How often is it happening?"


    "It happened twice. First time, it took place when I was with Felix and I lost track of time. He shook me out of a daydream that lasted an hour though it only felt like a minute to me. The second time happened on the journey back to Elysium. S''wrong with me, Syryn?"


    "You''re pregnant, congratulations." Syryn grinned at the stunned mage.


    "Quit fuckin'' with me," Sebastian replied, fear swimming in his golden eyes.


    "The vine seeded you, Seb. Somewhere inside your body, there''s a tiny plant growing and drinking your mana like the parasite it is. It likes to latch onto the spinal cord but I can''t be sure without cutting you open."


    "Are you for real?" The horrified mage asked.


    "Lucky for you, I can kill it without cutting you open."


    "Even Felix couldn''t tell what was wrong with me, and others are showin'' the same symptoms back at Nunox. You''re not just jerkin'' my leg are ya?"


    "Rowan sent you to me for a reason Sebastian. It''s up to you to decide whether you want to believe me or not," Syryn replied. Creating the medicine that would kill the parasite without affecting its host, now that was a task that he would not enjoy. If Rowan hadn''t asked for his help, Syryn would have thrown Sebastian to Salem with the recipe for his treatment.


    "I believe you," Sebastian swept a shaky hand through his sandy hair. "What do ya need from me?"


    "Ingredients," Syryn took the sheet and quill that Rain pulled out of her bag. She had come prepared.


    "We need to start your treatment as soon as possible. The memory lapses are an indication of the parasite releasing chemicals into your brain. If this is allowed to go on unchecked, you''ll turn into a drooling mess of a living corpse." Just like the mice that Red is experimenting with, Syryn thought.


    "That''s terrible!" Rain let out, aghast and fearful for her cousin. "Damn it, Seb! Couldn''t you have waited one single minute like Rowan had asked you to!"


    "Fucks sake Rainy, like I knew there was a demon waitin'' to impregnate me! Tell my mother that she''s a grandmother. She''s been wantin'' a grandchild all this time hasn''t she?"


    "Then give birth to it first you dumbass! you went and got knocked up before me!" Rain dissolved into loud laughter even as her cousin scowled.


    "Yeah laugh all you want. You won''t be laughin'' when you hafta travel a week back to Nunox all alone."


    Rain stopped laughing and the air was punctured out of her. "Yeah, it''s gonna suck."


    Syryn had quickly written down everything he needed. He pushed the sheet towards Rain. Turning to Sebastian, he said, "drink a cup of filtered blistrewort juice every morning before you breakfast. It''ll help slow down the progress of your symptoms."


    "Blistrewort juice, okay."


    "We''re done," Syryn nodded to both of them. "I have something important to do so I''ll leave you with Alka." The plant mage had been hovering next to Syryn the entire time.


    "No, we hafta get goin'' as well," Sebastian replied. "Thanks, Syryn, I''ll return after collecting the ingredients."


    Rain turned to Alka and smiled. "It''s a pity though that Artemus isn''t around."


    "Let''s leave Rainy."


    "See ya soon Syryn, Alka."


    From his kitchen window, Syryn watched them board their carriage.


    "Artemus and Sebastian friends or something?" He asked Alka.


    The plant mage was engulfed by memories of his childhood in the forest, running behind Sebastian and Artemus. "They used to be best friends," he answered, a wistful smile on his face. "Now they pretend the other doesn''t exist."

 Chapter 68 - Rewind

    Sebastian was 7 years old. It was a cloudy day and he was out walking with Shadow, his massive four-legged guard dog bristling with black fur. They were out ''patrolling'' the forest grounds that fell within the line of their family''s property.


    The sound of a child''s cries reached the ears of the boy and his guard as they neared the border of the ''bad land'' as his father had put it when Sebastian was forbidden from foraying into the area. Sinkholes tended to randomly appear in the area as the bedrock underneath was dissolving and melting away by the action of water. Sebastian knew that much and had been faithful to the promise that he had made to his father.


    "Shadow, we can''t go there." Worry gripped his heart, and the desire to help the crying child warred with the fear that came from his father''s warning. The cries sounded so forlorn and heartbroken that Sebastian found his small feet creeping closer and closer to the bad lands.


    He knelt at the lip of a collapsed hole and looked inside to find a little boy hugging his knees to his chest and sniffling. The child looked younger than he was. Sebastian marvelled at the pale skin and dark hair that reminded him of a painting that hung in his father''s study. It was called the ''Moon nymph''.


    "Hey, who are you?" He shouted into the hole. It wasn''t very deep. Shadow could jump out of it, he thought.


    The little kid''s head snapped up and Sebastian saw the relief that passed through the boy''s body. He was adorable. The child''s eyes began watering but he remembered his manners and introduced himself.


    "My- my name is A-hic-mus. I''m six years -hic - old. I- I - live with - hic - mommy and da-hic-dy."


    "Amus?" Sebastian repeated.


    "Artemus!" The six-year-old said in a wobbly voice.


    "Ah. I''m Sebastian. I''m seven years old and I also live with mommy and daddy. How did you end up here Artemus?"


    Black shorts were caked with the white powder of the limestone rock. Artemus attempted to dust himself off but there wasn''t much that his pudgy hands could do. His hiccups had subsided so at least there was that.


    "I came through a hole in the wall and fell in here," he explained. And like a tide returning to the shore, his dark eyes began to get wet again.


    "No, don''t cry!" Sebastian reached out with a hand like he wanted to stem the flow of tears with the wall that was his palm. The edge of the hole crumbled and he tumbled in letting out a terrified scream.


    He wouldn''t cry, Sebastian told himself. He was a year older than Artemus and he took that very seriously. Loud barking rang out in the air as Shadow called for help.


    "It''ll be alright A-mu, my daddy will find us soon. Shadow will fetch someone to save us."


    "I''m Artemus, not A-mu." His little nose was red from all the crying he had accomplished. Sebastian wiped at the dirt that was smudged on Artemus'' cheek.


    "Artemus is a mouthful. I like A-mu better."


    Artemus had run out of tears and energy. It was sheer exhaustion that led to his acceptance of the nickname that would stick till the end of their friendship.


    -------------


    They were 8 and 9 years old. Sebastian''s father had indeed rescued them and reunited Artemus with his distraught parents who lived in the adjacent plot. Regular visits and dinners at each other''s houses had turned into daily visits and sleepovers spent sharing snacks while pretending they knew the names of the constellations.


    "A-mu, why did you bring Alka along? Now we can''t go catch frogs anymore," Sebastian sulked at his dark-eyed best friend. Alka, the littlest one, had a cold and wasn''t allowed to play with water.


    "Let''s dig for worms. We can go fishing tomorrow," Artemus suggested.


    "But I want to catch frogs today!" A cute pout on his rosebud mouth decorated Sebastian''s face. Artemus did not like it when Sebastian was upset. It upset him too.


    "Then let''s go catch frogs. I''ll sit with Alka by the bank while you show him how it''s done," Artemus compromised. Alka didn''t have to touch the water that way.


    "No, it''s not fun if I''m doin'' it alone," Sebastian felt deflated. "Let''s go to the playroom. Didn''t you tell me that your mom got you some new toys?"


    "Yes, but I don''t like them."


    "It doesn''t matter! You should show me them. That''s what friends do!"


    "Okay," Artemus replied. He held Alka''s hand and they walked back to the stately house that rose like a mountain above the surroundings. The river that the boys frequented was shallow, and they were allowed to play there when the days got too hot. The water mill workers kept an eye on them every time they came to fish and catch frogs.


    They arrived at the playroom in time for cool sandwiches and juice and ate as much as young boys their age could stuff.


    "Is that what they got you?" Sebastian pointed at a baby doll that looked like a real human baby.


    "Mmm, I don''t like it."


    "How do we play with it?" Sebastian asked, holding the doll in the air. He was mystified by the realism of it. It was a bit creepy too.


    "I know! Let''s pretend that we''re it''s mommy and daddy. I''ll be the daddy, you be mommy, and Alka, you''re the big brother."


    Artemus wanted to be daddy too. "Why do you get to be the daddy? I don''t wanna be the mommy."


    "Okay, you can be the uncle."


    "No."


    And Sebastian knew he was losing the argument. Artemus crossed his arms and turned his back to the sandy-haired child. He always did that when he was unhappy.


    "Then nobody gets to be daddy!" Sebastian huffed.


    "Then we''re all Big brothers," Artemus turned around and said.


    "But can''t you both be the daddy?" Alka''s cute voice pitched in.


    "Don''t be silly Alka. How many daddies do you have?" Sebastian placed his hands on his waist and asked.


    "One."


    "That''s right. So we can''t have two daddies!" An irrefutable fact was loudly proclaimed.


    The two younger children nodded at the wisdom of their oldest friend.


    ---------


    When Artemus was 9, he was already growing into a little beauty. His silken hair was always brushed back neatly and it framed his snowy cheeks that had the slightest tinge of pink. His dark eyes were like onyx gems that gleamed with intelligence. Artemus generally avoided other children because he didn''t need anyone else when he had his best friend. Needless to say, he was picked on by bigger boys who thought him too arrogant for his own good.


    Sebastian found Artemus crying at a banquet that they were attending with their parents. The children had been allowed to run around the plum orchard that rained fragrant petals on the kids playing under their colourful boughs.


    A group of older boys had cornered and pushed Artemus against a tree trunk. They wanted the long stick that he was clutching tightly to. It could be used to shake the low-hanging branches to rain more petals and leaves on the boys.


    "I found it. I won''t give it to you." His eyes were wet with fresh tears. Sebastian had often called him a cry baby and Artemus knew it was true. He could cry at the drop of a hat.


    "Then we''ll just have to take it from you!"


    One of the boys tried to snatch the stick away but Artemus held on tight. It led to a scuffle between the two while the others watched and laughed. When Artemus was pushed to the ground by another boy, the stick broke in half and his teardrops fell. With one half of the stick, the leader of the bullies poked the crying Artemus on the chest. The distressed child was suddenly more interesting than falling petals.


    "Hey! Leave him alone!" Sebastian came running and shoved the leader to the ground. The older boy was outnumbered but he stood his ground because Sebastian protected what was his.


    There were five of them and just one Sebastian but his aggression had been enough to scatter the boys. He turned to the fallen Artemus who looked back at him like a puppy that had found its mother. The younger boy''s tear ducts were already working hard but it was alright, he was safe.


    "Are you okay A-mu?" He knelt beside Artemus, not caring for the dirt that would no doubt ruin his new formals. The younger boy nodded and wiped his tear-stained cheeks. The action left a smudge of dirt that Sebastian rubbed away with his handkerchief.


    ________


    Artemus was 10 when Sebastian''s father died from a lung disease that swiftly claimed his life.


    The funeral was a gloomy affair and Sebastian imitated the stillness of a wax doll. The adults had been worried about the lack of tears shed by the young boy but they were preoccupied with the affairs that came with the funeral of a nobleman. Artemus had cried like he had lost his own father because that was how much he loved the man who had pulled him out of the hole and hugged him like his own son on that cold cloudy day.


    The overcast sky showered rain and the funeral ended. Artemus looked for Sebastian in the crowd but he was longer there.


    "Bas," Artemus called out gently. Sebastian had hidden himself away in his father''s study, the first place that the younger boy had looked in when he couldn''t find his friend.


    Sebastian was shaking, hands over his ears and his knees tucked against his chest. Artemus crawled in beside him under the big wooden desk. "Bas," Artemus hugged his friend and cried because it was the only thing he knew to do. Sebastian''s fingertips were freezing cold when they touched the younger boy''s cheeks.


    "Don''t cry," he whispered to the younger boy, "cry baby."


    Why don''t you cry? Artemus wanted to ask him. Why aren''t you crying? Instead, he cried harder and squeezed his arms around Sebastian.


    "Stupid Bas, you can''t hide here forever."


    "Why not?"


    "Because you have to eat food and use the toilet."


    "I don''t want to."


    "Then I''ll stay here with you till we both get hungry."


    The two children kept vigil in the study till the early hours of the morning. Famished and exhausted, Artemus stirred awake and found a sandy head resting on his chest. He felt his legs had gone numb from their uncomfortable position under the desk but he sat still and watched Sebastian sleep. Strands of sandy hair tickled Artemus'' chin and he brushed them away. The rain was still pouring outside the window and the air had gone nippier but Sebastian was going to be okay. Artemus would make sure of it.


    _________


    Sebastian was 13 years old when he had his first crush. She was a mage at King Hill. A year younger than him, Elfie was the prettiest thing that Sebastian had ever laid his eyes on. He proclaimed that to Artemus as they sat on the anti-mage''s bed, studying together even though their curriculums were different.


    "Are you listenin''?" Sebastian asked his friend who was focused on the notes that had been written in Artemus'' beautiful handwriting, all neat lines and cursive.


    "Yes, Elfie is the most beautiful girl you''ve ever seen," he repeated in a monotone.


    "No, no, no, A-mu, you weren''t listenin''. I said Elfie is the most beautiful creature I''ve ever seen! Humans, elves, goddesses, flowers, stars, and even you A-mu; you''re actually really gorgeous." Sebastian''s gaze swept up and down his friend''s face, "but Elfie.. she''s just somethin'' else." He was whipped and he knew it.


    "I have an essay due tomorrow, Bas. Can we do this later?" Artemus sighed and started on a new sheet of parchment.


    "Oh. Yeah, we can do that." Sebastian sat up straighter and re-arranged the books in front of him. Artemus was quiet as he wrote the conclusion to his essay. And when he furtively glanced at his lovesick best friend, the boy had a faraway look in his eyes, already daydreaming about Elfie.


    Artemus realised he liked Sebastian more than a friend had any right to. That realisation had been bittersweet and it was his first heartbreak. His best friend was ecstatic when he came running to throw himself at Artemus. Sebastian''s smile was wide as he beamed down at the younger boy who he had toppled over in his enthusiasm.


    "She said yes, A-mu!"


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about but please get off me you oaf."


    Sebastian did not release Artemus. He had to have his best friend understand how wonderful the news was. It was more important than letting Artemus breathe easier.


    "I asked Elfie out. She said yes! We''re datin'', A-mu!"


    Artemus was truly happy for Sebastian. He smiled and congratulated Sebastian because he meant it. The teen had been moon-eyed for so long, it was a relief to Artemus that he would no longer have to endure his best friend''s annoying sighs. But when Sebastian left his room, a spring in his step, Artemus felt the first stirrings of sorrow that would follow him like a shadow.


    It was a weekend, and Artemus arrived at Sebastian''s house early in the morning. They were going out to buy stationery together. The sandy-haired boy rushed out of his room and went wide-eyed at the sight of his best friend.


    "A-mu! I''m sorry I can''t come with you. I''m goin'' out to visit Elfie. You want to come along?"


    Ridiculous. Did Artemus want to third wheel on their date? Yes, but he was a sensible child who knew that best friends did not third wheel on dates.


    "You''re going on a date wearing that?" He replied instead.


    "Why not? I look good." Yes, he always looked good, Artemus agreed.


    "But you''ll look even better wearing the coat that was tailored last month."


    "Right! I was so excited I forgot about it. This is why you''re my best friend." Sebastian planted a wet smack on Artemus'' cheek and laughed at the face that the anti mage made.


    Like two peas in a pod, it had been just the two of them in their tiny, cosy enclosure. So when a third pea squeezed into their world, Artemus made space and he was pushed into the corner. They were now 13 and 14.


    "I''m sorry, Elfie has a tea party with her friends and she wants me along."


    "Tomorrow? I''m helpin'' Elfie learn to horse ride."


    "Can we put it off till next week? Elfie wants to measure out new gowns so I''m accompanyin'' her to the seamstress."


    "Sure, we can study together! But I need your advice on the gift I need to buy Elfie for her birthday."


    Artemus was annoyed, but more than that, he was exhausted. He stopped trying to get out of the corner of his pea pod. The daily visits dwindled and the sleepovers became rare. The pea had been pushed so far into the corner that it tore out of the pod.


    "A-mu, want to go fishin'' tomorrow?" Sebastian slunk in with a guilty face on a windy evening. Artemus had closed off the windows to his room, letting only the light of a lamp shine in his room.


    "I have an exam next week. I''m sorry, Sebastian."


    The mage''s eyes went wide at Artemus'' use of his name. "What about after the exam?" He asked, hesitant. Artemus was like a closed door.


    "I''ll think about it."


    The mage nodded. "Good luck A-mu."


    "Thank you."


    Things did not get better. Artemus avoided speaking with Sebastian no matter how many attempts the older boy made to penetrate the shell that the anti-mage had built around himself. Excuse after excuse was given when Sebastian tried to make plans with him. They hadn''t slept over at each other''s homes in months. It clawed at Artemus'' heart but he remained shut off to a Sebastian who was getting more desperate with every denial that met him.


    Artemus came home tired. He had aced all his subjects and was quickly climbing the ranks of fighters whose names hung over the scroll at the entrance of Winter Fortress. He peeled off his dark anti-mage uniform and neatly folded it into his laundry basket. Wearing a velvet robe to cover his state of undress, Artemus brushed his hair back and contemplated taking a scissor to it. He was startled out of his thoughts by the doors that swung open with violence.


    Sebastian came striding in, a frustrated snarl snapping out from between his teeth.


    "I thought you were my best friend! But you don''t care about us anymore!" He accused Artemus.


    Shaken from the intrusion, the anti-mage narrowed his eyes at Sebastian. "That''s rich coming from you."


    The older boy flinched and then the fight went out of him. He knew that their fallout was entirely his own fault.


    "I''m sorry. A-mu. Please let me make it better. I miss you so much."


    They looked at each other and the space between them seemed to widen. Artemus turned away. He had long come to realise that he''d fallen for his best friend and this was the best outcome for them.


    "A-mu, don''t you miss me?" There was a catch in Sebastian''s voice. "A-mu.."


    Artemus felt like he had been pushed off a cliff when he heard the sound of a sob. He whirled around, breath catching in his throat because Sebastian was crying.


    "A-mu, I need you. I''m so sorry. You can yell at me, punch me, anythin'', just.. please don''t ignore me anymore." The tears fell like rain. Artemus was rooted to his spot like a petrified tree. He had never seen Sebastian cry.


    "A-mu?" Sebastian''s heart broke as he watched his best friend turn and walk away.


    "Stupid Bas. Now, who''s the cry baby?" Artemus tossed a folded snow-white handkerchief at Sebastian. The mage caught it like it was a lifeline. He held the white cloth between his shaking fingers and pressed it to his eyes.


    "Want to sleepover?" Artemus asked, a tremble in his own voice.


    "Yes, if you promise to come fishin'' with me." Sebastian smiled despite the wet cheeks.


    "Okay, let''s go fishing."


    _______


    Sebastian began to spend more time with Artemus than he did with Elfie. The boys slept over so often that Artemus'' mother began buying more groceries for the dinners that always preceded a sleepover. Sebastian was practically an adopted son at this point. When Artemus turned 14, he thought he was over Sebastian but life had its cruel way of reminding him of how wrong he was.


    "Why do you look so morose, Bas?"


    "Elfie wants to break up."


    "Why?"


    "She says I don''t pay enough attention to her. That I don''t love her as much anymore."


    Artemus thought about how Sebastian had been spending all his time with him. He felt guilty.


    "You should go visit her tomorrow."


    Sebastian pouted. He had naturally pouty lips that were devastating when he was actually upset. 15 years old and taller than he had any right to be, he was also mentally regressing to newer levels of immaturity as he grew older. "But we already have plans tomorrow," the mage whined. "Did you forget?"


    Artemus smiled at Sebastian who threw himself to the grass and placed his head on the anti-mage''s lap like it was a pillow.


    "We can reschedule with the blacksmith but your relationship can''t wait."


    Sebastian was staring at Artemus, eyes focused on his face. The anti-mage''s heart sped up when his friend raised a hand and mapped Artemus'' elegant features with his fingertips.


    "Things would be so much easier if you were a girl, A-mu. I''d marry you and nothing would have to change."


    Sebastian had no idea how his words hurt Artemus.


    "Get off my leg." He pushed away the annoying boy''s head.


    "Ow, A-mu, can''t you be gentle?"


    A few weeks later, Sebastian did not visit Artemus after classes. The anti mage had dinner alone and fell asleep waiting for the missing teen. It was midnight when there was a knock on his window.


    "A-mu, let me in." Artemus considered ignoring it but Sebastian kept calling for him till he threw open the window, nearly slamming it against the older boy''s face.


    "Do you- Bas.. what''s wrong?" Artemus asked the boy who was a picture of misery.


    "We broke up."


    Artemus stepped back and made space for Sebastian to crawl in through his window. He held Sebastian and fell asleep in the glow of the moon that lay just beyond his eyelids. In his arms, sleep eluded the mage whose mind kept replaying what Elfie had told him - ''A-mu this and A-mu that! Who are you actually in love with, Sebastian?''


    Elfie and Sebastian rekindled their relationship after a month of separation. Artemus hadn''t dared to hope so the hurt never came. And when Erasmus, a handsome mage and classmate of Sebastian, flirted with him, he allowed it to happen. He wanted to tell Sebastian about it but what was there to tell? He wasn''t even in a relationship yet.


    Artemus received his first kiss during a banquet at his house. He disappeared from the crowd with Erasmus and they kissed in the library. It should have been a sweet memory but it was tainted the moment Sebastian walked in and saw his best friend in the arms of his classmate.


    "Bas wait!" Artemus called out to the running Sebastian. He couldn''t make sense of the devastation that had appeared on Sebastian''s face when he saw them.


    Sebastian didn''t sleepover that night. Artemus was furious and made no attempt to reach out to Sebastian. The impasse continued for another month till they faced each other at the annual friendship meet. Sebastian was the reigning champion, having proved his mettle by being the youngest champion in history, and winning twice in a row.


    The mage hadn''t spent the month hating on Artemus as the anti-mage had assumed. He whiled away his time avoiding both Elfie and Artemus because he realised that the pain in his chest when Elfie broke up with him was nothing compared to the intensity of grief that consumed him when he saw Artemus with Erasmus. The colours had bled out of his world.


    What had his life come to? He was in love with his best friend and the realisation had come too late. Artemus had run off to another boy''s arms and Sebastian was left alone wondering why he had dated Elfie for so long when the real love of his life, his best friend, had been right in front of him.


    At the friendship meet, Sebastian and Artemus faced each other on the battle stage. It was Artemus'' first tournament, and the older boy had hoped they could avoid a match up between them.


    "Done sulking like a little bitch?" Artemus asked. His words were scathingly cold.


    "Fuck you Artemus. Why couldn''t you tell me that you were into men?!"


    Artemus wanted to punch him so hard. "The same reason you didn''t tell me you were into women." Sebastian couldn''t refute it although it wasn''t the same thing.


    The fight was short, brutal, galvanised by the anger that smothered all reason. When the referee called for a stop, they continued throwing punches and screaming at each other. Neither used their powers because they weren''t fighting to win. Their savage brawl was an expression of all the pent up frustrations and words that hadn''t been aired.


    "I hate you! You''re such a fucking baby with the emotional intelligence of a wooden post!" Artemus punched Sebastian.


    The mage caught him and gripped the pale fist in his bronzed hand. "Says the cry baby who was too much of a coward to tell his best friend he was gay!"


    "What''s it to you?!" Artemus spat.


    "I don''t understand why you''re so mad at me!"


    Artemus laughed at the mage''s stupidity. How did he not realise Sebastian was this dumb? The younger teen headbutted the mage on his nose. The referee came running but he couldn''t pull the boys apart. Blood spattered over Artemus'' uniform but it wasn''t his. Artemus realised that Sebastian was purposefully avoiding hits to the anti mage''s face. Was Sebastian pitying him? Artemus retaliated with blind fury. The referee was joined by the judges who were closest to the fighters. It took 5 horrified adult men to pry the boys away from each other.


    Dry-eyed and bitter, they left without looking back. It was the first time in the history of the friendship meet that two fighters were disqualified and banned from further participation. All of Sebastian''s glory as an upcoming mage of renown fell apart. He had power but no discipline, they said.


    Sebastian dropped out of King Hill and disappeared without a goodbye. Artemus never shed a single tear but he mourned for months before closing the chapter that encompassed the memories of his childhood with Sebastian.

 Chapter 69 - Bubbles

    Syryn stood before Lumi''s cage. After his conversation with Salem, he was enlightened. It was quite simple, wasn''t it? If it made Magnus happy, he would make nice with Lumi and help him integrate into their growing household.


    "Lumi, can you shift? I wanna talk," he told the avian. Lumi blinked his eyes at Syryn and flew out of the opened cage door. Syryn turned away and gave him privacy while he shifted and dressed. A white robe was hung right next to his cage for his use.


    "What did you want to speak about?" Lumi uneasily asked.


    "About you. You don''t attempt to communicate with anybody in this house. If we''re going to live together, I need you to get out of your shell."


    Lumi twisted the edge of his robe in his restless fingers and nodded quickly. "I- I''ll try."


    Syryn didn''t know what to do with the avian. He wasn''t a traditional healer but he would have tried if Lumi had physical ailments. What went inside his mind though was something out of Syryn''s scope of ability to treat. Was he even mentally ill though? Syryn wondered.


    "Right, you can join us for dinner instead of eating bird seeds all the time. What do you want to eat? Salem''s baking chicken tonight if.. is that cannibalism?" No, it wasn''t but it didn''t hurt to ask.


    Lumi shook his head and hid a shy smile. "I can have chicken. I''ll join the table tonight if you''ll have me."


    It was going well, Syryn thought. He should have done this on the day that very Lumi had arrived. " Okay then. See you at dinner."


    Early morning brought Sebastian and Rain carting along an entire trunk filled with ingredients. Stacks and stacks of high-quality herbs were laid out in front of Syryn like a display.


    "Why? Why Sebastian? Why?" Syryn estimated that the amount in the trunk was enough to make 30 phials, and that was a conservative estimate.


    "S''the least I can do for my comrades at Nunox who are also sufferin'' from pregnancy. I''ll pay ya double of whatever you''re chargin'' Syryn." The sandy-haired mage had cleaned up very nicely. Syryn could finally see what all the fuss about him was. Sebastian was built more like an anti mage fighter than a mage that didn''t see much close combat. Pretty face, dreamy eyes, a body that looked powerful enough to break a man in half, all wound up tight with power that could level a small city - Sebastian was the whole package.


    Syryn turned back to the trunk, his happy feelings evaporating all over again. He stared at the ingredients willing them to disappear. He couldn''t do this alone. Salem would have to help.


    "4 days. Until then, keep drinking blistrewort juice. And show me your arm again."


    Syryn pushed back the sleeves and studied the progress of his symptoms. The purple was spreading just as fast as he had anticipated.


    "Your insane capacity for mana has backfired against you, Sebastian. The baby is eating a lot. In a month you will turn into a vegetable."


    "Syryn! Do somethin''!" Sebastian grabbed the shorter mage''s shoulders.


    "You''ll be fine. Just wait a couple of days for the poison."


    "Yer feedin'' me poison?" It seemed like Sebastian''s accent was getting more pronounced. "I trust ya because Rowan told me to. I''ll drink whatever ya give me. Yer not tryin'' t''kill me are ya?"


    Why didn''t anybody tell Syryn that Sigil''s best mage was just a big baby? "Sebastian, go home and perform magic till you''ve exhausted ninety per cent of your mana. Do it every day, all day, till your medicine is ready."


    "That makes sense," the mage said.


    While they were conversing, Rain was blowing bubbles for Luci who caught them in the air with his ice. Magnus was a regular at the adventurer''s guild but he spent as much time as he could training the redhead. Under his strict tutelage, Luci''s precision and control had improved by leaps and bounds.


    "That''s a real cute kid," Sebastian smiled in Luci''s direction.


    "He''s Artemus'' favourite."


    "Oh." Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous tic of his. "Is he doin'' okay?"


    "Artemus? Why don''t you ask him yourself when he gets back?"


    Sebastian pushed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. Anyway, I gotta go. I''ll see ya after four days."


    "Okay. Don''t forget to discharge mana and drink your juice daily."


    "Right, I''ll do that."


    Syryn dragged Salem away from Riha''s room where he found them pouring a fragrant liquid into several large jars. It turned out they were brewing a very strong spice wine.


    "You''re telling me that we have to stay awake all night stirring the cauldron at regular intervals?"


    "Yes, are you up for it?" There was no doubt in Syryn''s mind that Salem would help. He hadn''t expected the blonde to get excited by the prospect of a sleepless night.


    "Just one night of stirring? And Isn''t it counterintuitive to disturb a mixture so often when it contains volatile ingredients? Nasrus won''t mix unless you add an emulsifier. Oh, that''s what the yolk is for. What about this? I''m not familiar with the poison but I seem to recall that Lacewings can substitute for wisp residue."


    Syryn was grateful to every deity that had lead to his meeting with Salem. The half-elf was a treasury of knowledge and an indispensable assistant in their poison making. That night, the alchemists stayed up watching the volatile mixture. And if a few drowsy kisses were shared between moments of sleepiness, neither acknowledged it in the morning. It was better that way.


    A day before the poison was ready, Syryn and Salem were in the workroom laughing at an incident that the younger mage had narrated. It started with a nudge from the blonde. Syryn elbowed him in the ribs, and like the boys they were, it turned into a tussle. They landed on the floor, Syryn on top of Salem. The half-elf put his hands on Syryn''s waist and that''s how Lumi found them.


    "Am I interrupting something?" He sounded breathy and embarrassed at having found them in such an intimate position.


    "No, we were fighting and I ended up falling over him. It''s fine. Was there something you needed?" Syryn asked while extending a hand to his partner.


    "No, I wanted to see if I could help here."


    How nice, Syryn thought. "Not really, Lumi. I''ll let you know if I do though."


    Lumi''s gaze then drifted to Salem who was now back to work like he hadn''t just indulged in a childish play fight with Syryn.


    "I''ll see if Alka needs me then," Lumi replied. Syryn and Riha were both very happy to see that the avian had come out of his shell and was interacting with the others. He got along well with Magnus who was also a shapeshifter. Lumi could be seen sometimes sitting in Magnus'' room, asking questions about shapeshifter physiology. All in all, he was adjusting to the dynamics of the housemates.


    It was the next day that Syryn''s happy domestic bubble was rudely popped. Salem was still asleep, catching up on the lack of it plaguing the both of them as they spent long hours working on Sebastian''s poison. Syryn had been awakened because he needed to check on the contents of their well-worn cauldrons. Famished but also thirsty, he went into the kitchen to find Lumi doing the dishes.


    "Lumi, can you get me a glass of water?" Syryn asked the avian while he spooned some sweet porridge into a bowl. It had several kinds of colourful berries and nuts in it, just the way Syryn liked it.


    Syryn could hear Lumi filling his water glass. The avian brought it over to him and suddenly Syryn was soaked all over the front of his shirt.


    "Oh no, I''m so sorry!" Lumi put a hand over his mouth and looked to Syryn like he had committed an unpardonable crime. The avian had somehow tripped on a perfectly plain floor without any obstacles in his way. Broken shards of glass glittered in the light of the sun and mocked Syryn. He just knew it then. Lumi''s actions had been deliberate. But why? Was it because he felt humiliated for being asked to get Syryn a glass of water?


    "It''s fine." His reply was stiff. As annoyed as he was, Syryn was going to give Lumi the benefit of doubt. Maybe he was nervous, or clumsy, or just wasn''t looking at where he was going.


    Lumi knelt on the floor and began to pick up the pieces of the glass with trembling fingers. Syryn''s stomach was a cavern demanding to be fed so he left the avian to his task and sat at the table, blowing on a spoonful of hot porridge.


    "What''s going on?" A new voice joined them. It was Magnus.


    "I-" before Syryn could complete his words, Lumi''s desperate voice half-shouted out a shaky reply to Magnus.


    "It was my fault! Please don''t blame Syryn. I''ll clean up the floor and then compensate for the broken glass." Why did it sound like Lumi was defending him? the alchemist wondered.


    He chewed on a berry, crushing the juice out of it between his teeth. It was sweet and sour. He glanced at Magnus whose eyes were on the avian crouched on the floor, picking up each tiny shard of glass with his shaking fingers. Magnus then turned to Syryn and raised his brows. The entire situation looked bad, didn''t it? He thought to himself as he watched Magnus wordlessly bend down on a knee to help the avian.


    "Magnus, I-I can do it alone." Lumi bit his lip and looked up at the fire mage through his lashes.


    "It''s fine," Magnus replied. He frowned and caught Lumi''s hand to flip his palm upwards. There was a cut on it and it was bleeding.


    "You should have that cleaned up." He informed the avian.


    "It''s just a cut. I deserve it for being such a clumsy fool." Lumi''s self-deprecating words didn''t sit well with Magnus.


    The fire mage turned to Syryn who was eating his breakfast and ignoring the other two. "Syryn, is there rubbing alcohol in the kitchen? I distinctly remember we had some in the drawer."


    "I don''t know. It should be there." His voice was flat.


    "Lumi, just go ask Salem if you can''t find it," Magnus said to the avian who was rifling through the kitchen drawers.


    "It stopped bleeding."


    "Nevertheless, get some from Salem."


    Lumi''s gaze darted to Syryn and nervously looked back at Magnus. "It''s fine. Would you like some breakfast?" He asked the fire mage. Lumi smiled but it was strained.


    Magnus couldn''t wrap his head around the information that he was getting. Syryn wasn''t like that. Maybe he was just overthinking it, he thought. His dark-haired friend on the other hand was silent, spoon clinking against the now-empty bowl. Syryn wasn''t acting like himself.


    "Syryn, you alright?" Magnus asked.


    "Yep." Syryn was not alright.


    Magnus also noticed the avian getting him a bowl. "I''ll do it myself, Lumi. Join us if you haven''t eaten yet."


    Syryn stood up and walked to the basin where he washed his bowl with the precision that Salem was known for. Tight-lipped, his mind went back to the events that had just taken place. Lumi had tripped, soaked the front of his shirt, and then proceeded to act like he had been bullied by Syryn. It was confusing. Was Syryn in the wrong? Had he done something that had scared Lumi? The alchemist was aware of his lackings as a barely qualified human being but he couldn''t be this unaware could he? Syryn had never spent time in a household with other humans in his past life.


    "I''ll be in the workroom," he informed Magnus and walked off, not even sparing a look for the avian whose head was down.


    And when he was out of earshot, Lumi sat down at the table with his food. "Magnus," he asked in a soft voice, "do you think Syryn''s going to hate me?"


    The fire mage didn''t know what to say. He felt like he was missing a chunk of context and neither had explained anything to him. "No, Syryn isn''t like that."


    "I''m glad.." Lumi answered.

 Chapter 70 - Three Is A Crowd

    "Sebastian, you''re just on time. Salem is sealing the phials at the moment so we''ll have to wait for that."


    An hour spent watching Red command dead animals had taken the worst off of the edge that Syryn was feeling after Lumi''s accident. When Sebastian arrived, the alchemist was back to his normal self.


    "Syryn? Thats you?" Sebastian''s gold eyes were round with surprise.


    "Yeah, let me see your arm."


    Syryn folded the sleeves on Sebastian''s dark green sleeves. The purple was progressing slower. The older mage was silent for a few moments but Syryn could practically see the thoughts churning in his gold eyes.


    "Ya know, there''s a bettin'' pool goin'' on at Nunox for who beds Rowan first. The money is growin'' but Windwalker ain''t bitin''." There was a lazy smirk on Sebastian''s face now as he studied Syryn.


    "And why are you telling me this?" Syryn calmly asked though he was feeling anything but that.


    "Nothin''. I just thought you should know considerin'' the fact that half the money was bet on me being Rowan''s first."


    A dangerous lift of Syryn''s lips satisfied the mage who was having fun baiting his healer.


    "But Rhiya is hell bent on getting into Rowan''s pants. She''s a real stunner Syryn."


    "So am I Sebastian. What are you getting at?"


    The mage grinned at Syryn''s vain reply, "ya sure bout that, S''ryn?"


    Such foolish questions did not dignify an answer.


    "Are you interested in Rowan?" Syryn asked instead.


    "Na, Rowan and I aren''t each other''s types."


    "Good to know."


    Salem arrived at the moment with a wooden crate. Neatly stacked inside lay the phials that were ready for delivery to Nunox where Rain would be headed to in a day. He had also painstakingly written down explicit instructions on how to brew the poison, including detailed notes on substitute ingredients and their equivalent volume. A dosage table was drawn on another parchment. The half elf had done a fantastic job of it so much so that Syryn felt sorry to let it go to Nunox.


    "One drop per day in a cup of water. Drink it for a week," Syryn informed Sebastian. "Your body will adjust to its effects by the end of the week so that''s when you increase the dose to three drops per day. Return after two weeks for another evaluation of your symptoms."


    "That''s it? Aren''t ya gonna poke me with needles?"


    Syryn gave him a flat look. "Don''t tempt me."


    "S''ryn don''t be like that. I was just askin'' because Felix never misses an opportunity to stick needles into me."


    The alchemist had a hunch that it had to do with how annoying Sebastian could be.


    "Are you leaving with Rain? As your healer, my advice is for you to stay till you''ve recovered completely."


    "How long is that gonna take? I can stay but it''ll be so borin''. There''s nothin'' to do in Elysium."


    "I heard Artemus is coming back home soon. You can catch up with your ex best friend, don''t you think?" Syryn asked. It was his turn to annoy Sebastian.


    The mage spent a few second staring at Syryn like his soul was leaving his body. "Who said he''s comin'' back?" Sebastian asked in a deceptively calm tone.


    "Alka, and he heard it from his mother. Have you paid her a visit yet? I heard you''re like her third son." Syryn was laying on the guilt. From the way Sebastian''s shoulders drooped, it was working.


    "No, I''m too ashamed to visit."


    "I don''t know what your deal is Sebastian but if you''re sorry about something, go apologise to her," Syryn said. It seemed like a cut and dried matter to him.


    A haunted look passed through the older mage''s eyes. "Not so easy S''ryn but yer right. Warn me if Artemus comes around, will ya? Ya don''t want yer patient dyin'' on you from a heart attack." Syryn realised that Sebastian''s accent got more pronounced when he was stressed.


    "Sure," he replied. "You can come here anytime if you feel unwell after taking the poison."


    "Felix ought to learn a thing or two from ya."


    Sebastian left a hefty sum of gold before he left. It was split evenly between him and Salem because their contributions had been equal.


    Syryn tried to pretend that he wasn''t bothered by what Sebastian had said about the betting pool. The incident with Lumi was also relegated to a back seat in his mind. The more he tried to push the thought away, the bigger a space it occupied in his conscious stream of thoughts. The teen was tempted to fly to Nunox and burn the entire place down including Rowan and every single person who was involved in the betting pool. Surely, Rowan had to have given away kisses right? Syryn had no right to be jealous about that.


    ''But he''s going to end up with Lillith so what''s the point of working yourself up into a jealous rage?'' his sensible brain cell asked. "Because I have to be his first! No one else is allowed to take that away from me, not even Lillith. She already had her turn."


    ''So that''s all you want from Rowan? To be his short term friend with benefits?'' Syryn let that question die a quick death in the graveyard of questions that made him uncomfortable. Rowan was destined for greatness, and so was Syryn, but their paths would diverge once Traxdart was defeated. There was no room for sappy feelings in it.


    The mage hunters had been successful in their search for the horns. It was setting back Traxdart''s plans for their world, and it in turn changed the timeline for major events that had taken place in his first life. If it all went according to plan, Syryn would have no role to play in saving the world. For a brief moment, he toyed with the idea of leaving it all behind like Sebastian did. Of running away and travelling with milky like the way it had started.


    "Syryn," he was pulled out of his thoughts by a voice that irritated him when he was already so agitated.


    "The hell do you want Lumi?" He rudely replied. The avian was doing his best impression of timidity, an act that Syryn was seeing through more easily after the stunt that Lumi had pulled infront of Magnus.


    "I- sorry, I''m sorry. I''ll go bother someone else." Lumi turned and rushed off like wind.


    "What''s up with you?"


    "I''m in a bad mood," Syryn informed the redhead that had arrived.


    "I don''t appreciate his constant presence around Magnus. Can we kick him out?"


    "They''re both shapeshifters Red. He''s just sticking to what''s familiar," Syryn grumbled.


    "I don''t think so. The yellow hussy spent some years imprisoned with the selkie. As far as familiarity goes, Riha is the safest bet for Lumi. Something tells me he''s upto no good." Red''s crimson eyes were narrowed to slits. "I''m going to keep an eye on him."


    While the brothers talked, Lumi and Magnus were having their own conversation. The avian had hidden himself behind a shrub, miserable, and wiping away tears when Magnus bumped into him. If Red was witness to the scene, he would have alleged that Lumi had placed himself along a route that Magnus often walked in the evenings. The fire mage had earned a thick purse of gold after a successful task at the guild. He had taken the week off for rest and was found home often.


    "What''s wrong?" Magnus asked the avian who was hastily wiping his cheeks like he was erasing evidence of the teary eyed moment that had taken place. The fire mage kept a cautious distance from the easily rattled avian, a point he had noted during the broken glass incident.


    "Nothing, I misunderstood Syryn. I thought he had forgiven me but I was wrong. How do I make it upto him?" Lumi''s reply was a rush of words with no break between. He seemed eager to please.


    "What makes you think Syryn hasn''t forgiven you?" The fire mage knew Syryn was the type to hold grudges but he wasn''t this petty. Syryn wouldn''t grief someone over a broken item that was so easily replaced.


    Lumi rapidly blinked and looked away from the fire mage''s intense stare. "You''re right. I keep misunderstanding things. I''m stupid so forgive me. Excuse me, I''ve wasted your time." Lumi made to leave but Magnus caught his arm.


    "Explain," he gently asked the avian. "Misunderstandings between friends cannot be allowed to fester. What''s going on between you and Syryn?"


    A look of joy suddenly replaced Lumi''s overcast face. "We''re friends?" He asked in a whisper.


    "Yes," Magnus thought about how easy it was to make him happy. Such a small matter and the avian was smiling like he had recieved a present.


    "There''s nothing to explain," Lumi''s tiny voice said, sadness back on his countenance. "Do friends snap at each other?"


    Magnus raised his brows. "Sometimes."


    "Then there isn''t a problem. I understand, he didn''t mean it." Lumi softly breathed out. "Thank you, Magnus. I''ll try to talk to Syryn again."


    Magnus nodded, a faint smile on his face. "Syryn is hot headed but he means well."


    The avian blinked and licked his lip, a blush on his cheek warming the creamy skin on his cheekbones. "I''m not doing anything right now.. so.. can I walk with you?"


    "Eh? Sure. You don''t have to ask, Lumi. I''ll be glad to have someone to talk to."


    "Great! I saw fireflies near the lake. Its getting dark and they''ll be out soon so can we go there?" Lumi looked so excited that Magnus did not have the heart to refuse. The lake was far away but he thought they had just enough time to make it back for dinner.


    "Huh? Where''s Magnus?" Red asked. Alka was away from home, Salem, Riha, and Syryn were in the kitchen but two shapeshifters were conspicuously absent.


    "No idea," came Syryn''s reply. The alchemist was still antsy about Rowan''s vulnerable virtue. He had no brain capacity to spare for anything else.


    "Riha, where''s Lumi?" Red sharply asked the selkie.


    Riha was sampling a spoonful of Salem''s concoction. He paused to answer before tasting the orange colored liquid. "I''m afraid I have no idea."


    "Aren''t you his friend or something? I never see the two of you spending time together. You''re always with Salem when you aren''t reading books like a recluse in your room."


    "What''s this about, Lucien?" Salem''s raised his brows at the red head.


    "Lumi is missing. Magnus is missing. What does that tell you?" Red crossed his arms and glared at the kitchen door like it was at fault.


    Salem and Riha made eye contact. Red had a point.


    "I''ll go out and look for them," Riha offered.


    "No, there''s no need. Where''s dinner?" Red huffed.


    "You sure?" Salem asked.


    "Of course I''m sure. Do I look like I care?"


    The others decided to let Red maintain some of his dignity. They quietly piled food onto their plates and acted like nothing was wrong.


    "Sorry we''re late," Magnus walked into the kitchen, a happy avian trailing at his heels. Syryn, done with his meal, was washing his plate at the sink.


    "Where did you guys go to?" Salem asked in a conversational tone. It was Lumi that answered.


    "We went to look at the fireflies near the lake. Magnus was so kind and helped me catch a few for my night jar. I''ll release them after making a wish tonight." The avian sounded breathless from their invigorating walk. The happy grin on his face was a counter point to the crease that marred Lucien''s forehead.


    "You really believe that? How naive." Syryn''s remark was offhanded but it came off condescending.


    Lumi''s smile slipped off of his face and Magnus noticed it. The fire mage turned back to Syryn but he refrained from voicing his objection to the alchemist''s rude words. It hadn''t escaped him how neither Salem nor Riha had said anything either. Lumi was all alone.


    "We should eat and clean up since we arrived last," Magnus softly told the avian who was visibly disquieted. Lumi''s lips were quivering and he bit down on them, drawing the fire mage''s eyes to it.


    After dinner, Magnus went back to his room but Lucien was not in bed. The red head routinely bathed after dinner and fell asleep before Magnus arrived but today was an exception. Where had the child gone to?


    Magnus knocked on Syryn''s door because it was the only other place he could think of where Red would be. When the door was opened, Syryn stood there dressed in his pyjamas.


    "Is Lucien with you?" Magnus asked the alchemist.


    "Yeah, he fell asleep already so leave him here tonight."


    "Is something wrong with Lucien?" Magnus asked with concern. For Luci to disappear to Syryn''s room without telling him, it was strange.


    "No, he''s fine. I''m his big brother so it''s natural that he comes looking for me sometimes right?"


    Magnus looked at the bed where a red colored patch of hair was all that could see of what was hidden under a blue quilt. "Alright, goodnight Syryn. Give him a goodnight kiss from me."


    "Like hell I will," Syryn snorted. Lucien and Syryn didn''t do Goodnight kisses. "Night Magnus."


    The alchemist shut the door and turned back to the bed. Red peeked out from under the quilt. "Gimme a goodnight kiss big brother," he simpered, making a kissy face.


    Syryn jumped onto the bed and smacked Red right on his lips and laughed when the red head made a gagging face. "You''re disgusting Syryn! That''s Luci''s first kiss!"


    "It doesn''t count. That was a brotherly kiss."


    "Still a kiss!"


    "Intentions matter you nitwit. Don''t be weird! ugh! gross!"


    "I''m going to sleep!"


    "Whatever."


    "I can''t believe I have to tolerate your attitude right before bed."


    "You''re the one that crawled in here pathetically. You''re such a loser."


    "That''s it. I''m leaving!!"


    "Don''t come back!"


    "I won''t!"


    The door slammed shut and Syryn settled into bed. As much as he wanted Red to give him company, he hoped that the boy would go back to Magnus. The fire mage was a balm that took the edge off Red''s more demonic impulses. Syryn had never seen Red so mellow, and he knew it was because of Magnus. But his thoughts inevitably drifted back to Rowan and the cursed betting pool.


    "I''m going to Nunox."


    ''Idiot.''


    "Fine, I''m not going to Nunox."


    It was after hours of restlessness that sleep finally claimed the tired teen. He dreamt of Rhiya but she wore the face of Lillith.

 Chapter 71 - Boiling Point

    Syryn had killed fools for less. In his time as a demon lord, Syryn had murdered people just for the reason of existing. He had revelled in butchering his enemies and acquaintances alike. Standing now before a shivering avian who had been drenched in rain for hours because ''Syryn had locked him outside,'' the alchemist wondered how he had allowed himself to fall so low. Even a scheming weak bitch like Lumi was running loose in the house when Syryn could just end it once and for all with a snap of a neck. His eyes were pinned to the avian like he was looking at a corpse.


    "You locked the door without checking if we were all inside?" The fire mage''s frustrated voice ground Syryn''s gears. Of course, it was Magnus who found Lumi passed out on the doorstep, soaked through like a drowned puppy at the crack of dawn. Salem would have been the one to discover Lumi if his circadian rhythm hadn''t been disturbed by that 4-day poison brewing marathon that he had partaken in.


    Syryn hadn''t checked each room for its occupants before he had locked the house down for the night. How could he have suspected such a low level set up against him? It was genius. "No, I didn''t check."


    Lumi had been carried into the kitchen by Magnus. After warming him up from the heat of their fireplace, Lumi had awakened to tell his tale of woe to the fire mage.


    "You can''t be so careless Syryn," the disapproval in his tone further incensed the younger mage who felt like he had was being blamed unfairly.


    "And why the hell was he out at night, not having informed anyone when he knew what time the doors were locked?"


    "I didn''t know.." Lumi shook his head and miserably answered. His cheeks were red from fever and even the blanket around him - which belonged to Magnus - could not stop his shivering.


    "You''re a liar and I should just cut your tongue out."


    "Syryn," Magnus'' tone was cool. "I don''t understand why you''re so antagonistic towards Lumi. I found him unconscious by the door and I know he wasn''t pretending. Maybe you should ease down and stop picking on him."


    Syryn wasn''t sure whether he wanted to kick Magnus in the face or laugh. The fire mage was being so cleverly manipulated by the avian and there was nothing that Syryn could say that would absolve him of the crimes that the bitch bird - Red''s nickname for Lumi - was piling on his head.


    "Maybe you should get your head out of your ass and see him for the manipulative bastard that he is."


    Luci was seated on Salem''s lap, watching them fight, with a solemness that looked wrong on the child. Riha was quiet and contemplative.


    Syryn saw Magnus'' tight shoulders loosen and droop, letting go of his anger. It was replaced by disappointment and that was much worse. Anger burnt hot and died but disappointment had a way of rooting itself in a person''s heart. "What did Lumi do for you to treat him this way?" The fire mage asked.


    Syryn should have been asking that question to Lumi. Why was the avian hell-bent upon ruining Syryn''s relationship with Magnus? The alchemist could have just banished the avian from their home and it was the easiest solution to his predicament. However, that would only lead to more friction with Magnus, an end not worth the exchange. As smart as Magnus was, Lumi''s schemes had been watertight and executed with finesse and simplicity. The alchemist needed time to think about Lumi''s motivations and how to counteract his schemes.


    "Magnus, you''ve known me for a long time, longer than this cunt you''re defending. You know what I''m like, don''t you? I go straight for the jugular. Lumi here wants to convince you that I''m playing a long game of bullying but that''s not my style. You know that don''t you, you dumb fire mage? Get your shit together. I will not tolerate slander against my person in my own house."


    If Magnus had been sinking into a fog of Lumi''s making, Syryn''s words were a strong gust of wind that whipped the fog away if for a moment. His eyes were bright and steady, holding Syryn''s, wavering like a flame in the wind.


    "I''ll leave. I understand I''m not welcome in your home." Lumi pressed his hands to his eyes for a second, blocking a stream of tears. "I thought I finally found friends, and a place to call home. But Riha won''t talk to me and everyone looks at me like I''m crazy. I just wanted... I.. sorry." Lumi flung aside the blanket that had covered him. He turned into a bird and took flight. When he reached the open window, the avian''s wings failed him. Syryn watched apathetically as the yellow bird fell to the floor with a soft thunk.


    Magnus stood rooted to the ground but he snapped out of his confusion and reached Lumi before Riha.


    "Salem, can you treat him?" The fire mage asked the blonde. The yellow bird looked frail in his large palms. Its breathing was erratic, its chest rising and falling like the skin of a war drum.


    Magnus hadn''t asked for Syryn''s help although he was their most capable healer. The fire mage had drawn a line between them. It hurt but so what? Syryn was not going to apologise or feel remorse because none of it had been his fault. He calmly turned around and left the kitchen, making his stance known to all the observers. The laughter and warmth that had permeated their home now pushed out by the hands of a stranger led Syryn to ask himself, was his friendship with Magnus so cheap?


    It was harder than he thought; ignoring Magnus, pretending he couldn''t see the peace offerings that the fire mage extended, pretending there wasn''t a sick bird nesting in the fire mage''s room - being taken care of like he was invalid - because a cold and fever were so life-threatening that Lumi was ''out'' for days. Syryn despised Lumi more and more with every passing day that informed him of the bird''s continuing existence in the world of the living.


    "Let me guess, you''re thinking about Lumi." Salem walked into the workroom wearing an apron - a clean wiping cloth in his hand and a metal bucket filled with a disinfectant in his other hand.


    "Why? Do I look homicidal?"


    Salem placed the bucket down on the floor. His hair was braided and tucked into his shirt so it wouldn''t get in the way of his cleaning. "No, you looked hungry."


    "Hungry?"


    "Like a cat staring into a pond filled with fat fish. Big fat fish teasing the cat."


    "This is why you''re my favourite," he smiled at Salem, the first genuine smile in days.


    "No, I''m your favourite because of how indispensable I am as your little alchemy slave."


    "And you still stay."


    "I said slave, not an employee."


    Their banter continued as Salem dipped the cloth in disinfectant and got to work.


    "I discussed it with Riha," the half-elf began after a lull in their conversation. "We talked about why Lumi might be acting up."


    "And?"


    Salem hesitated as he chose the right words for what he was about to say. "Riha thinks that Lumi might have some kind of obsession with me."


    Syryn''s raised brows promoted the half-elf to continue. "It''s the way he kept staring at me from the day he was brought here. Riha noticed and so did I. He looks at me like he wants to swallow me whole."


    The gears were turning in Syryn''s head, already reaching the conclusion that Salem was hinting at.


    "It all began that day he found us here, in a position that might have given him the wrong idea about what we were doing."


    Syryn snorted. The bird certainly did get the right idea about what they had been doing.


    "So he''s jealous and taking it out on the good feelings that I share with Magnus. Is that what you''re telling me?"


    "There could be other reasons for his behaviour but this is the simplest explanation we had for it."


    "What other explanations have you thought of?"


    "Maybe he''s just.. crazy? But it doesn''t explain why he chose to attack you out of any of us."


    Syryn sighed, "what kind of a monster have we brought into our home?"


    "A jealous one."


    There was no gloating in Salem about being the object of someone''s passionate obsession. He seemed rather put off by it.


    "Riha is sorry about bringing Lumi. He wants to apologise to you after he is able to do something about Lumi."


    "It''s not Riha''s fault, is it? He felt sorry for the bird and brought it here thinking he could somehow help him. Let him know that I''ll handle Lumi myself. It''s gotten real personal now."


    "What are you going to do?"


    "Observe and retaliate. Don''t you worry your pretty head, Salem."


    "I look forward to it then."


    Lumi was back to doing chores because he had no money to pay Salem for the medical treatment, and he hoped that he could work his debt off. The hardworking bird could be seen cooking in the kitchen, mopping the halls, wiping down the dust-covered furniture, watering their plants, and even aiding Salem in the alchemy chamber. When Syryn saw the blonde smiling warmly at Lumi as the bird passed him a jar of dried snake glands, he was struck by a desire to throttle them both. Common sense kept him grounded and he waited for the half-elf to give him an explanation.


    "I want to understand him."


    Syryn accepted his answer. To Salem, Lumi was just an experiment he needed to dissect and take apart, to coax an answer out of. It still annoyed him but he tolerated it. Throughout the entire drama, Alka had been absent, and Syryn desperately missed his calming presence. He wanted to be held and soothed by the plant mage whose herbal scent could wash away the impurities that afflicted Syryn''s mental faculties.


    Alka finally returned home but the situation had reached a breaking point when he arrived. Syryn and Magnus were facing off after the latter stumbled upon a scene that chilled him.


    Lumi was on the kitchen floor, crying in pain from the burns that covered his arms. A pot of hot water was upturned on the floor and it didn''t take a genius to put two and two together. Someone had splashed Lumi with boiling water and since there had been only Syryn and Lumi inside the kitchen when it happened, it had to be Syryn right?


    "Lumi!" Magnus had rushed in to aid the avian. "How did this happen??"


    Lumi was glaring at Syryn through his tears of pain. "What did I do to deserve this Syryn?!" This time, his cry was loud with the fury of a victim demanding justice. "If you want me out of this house then just say so! You didn''t have to hurt me like this!"


    Syryn was mute, impassive like a cold mountain. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He could keenly feel the burning stare of Magnus on him like the scorching sun. When Syryn opened his eyes, the apathy was replaced by a calm sea of neutrality.


    "To think that you''d even burn yourself to ruin me so thoroughly in front of Magnus. You''re a real one Lumi." Syryn put his hands together and clapped slowly. "I applaud your commitment to the play."


    Magnus looked at Syryn like the boy had lost his mind. In his arm, he cradled an avian with second-degree burns while his friend stood in front of them clapping and alleging that the burns had been self-inflicted. The fire mage wondered if he could go back to bed and redo the day.


    "Syryn, you''ve gone too far this time," he said with a weary sigh.


    Salem was already taking care of the burns with a focused gaze and it took the edge off the quiet anger that Magnus was radiating.


    "So you''re telling me that you believe I threw boiling water at Lumi?" The alchemist plainly asked.


    Magnus frowned when questioned like that. Lumi couldn''t have done it to himself, could he? "Why would he burn himself?"


    "I don''t know Lumi. Is it because you''re obsessed with Salem and couldn''t stand to see me cuddle with him?" Syryn''s grin was mocking.


    Lumi was a good actor. The bird acted confused and scared. "What are you talking about?"


    "You should join a theatre group Lumi. You''d be famous in no time and get the attention you crave so much."


    "Syryn, that''s enough. You''ve made your point," Magnus coldly told him. "I''m leaving this home and I''m taking Lumi with me before you end up killing him."


    Syryn''s heart objected to those words by letting him feel a slash of pain that went beyond losing his best friend.


    "I''m sorry.." he immediately blurted out. "Lumi, I''m sorry! Please.. don''t leave." Syryn''s face paled as he apologised in a blind panic. "Magnus, I''ll stay away from Lumi. I won''t even look in his direction so stay here with us." The fire mage had never seen Syryn so vulnerable. His best friend was bright, cocksure of himself, and acted like a princess when it suited him. It hurt Magnus to see Syryn like this.


    And it was to this scene that Alka arrived. The bags in his hands dropped to the floor and he looked at their faces.


    "What happened here?"


    The young mage turned on his heels and left the kitchen hastily. Salem, who was worried about Syryn, passed on the healing duty to Magnus and ran after the fleeing alchemist. When Syryn opened the workroom door to let him in, the boy looked nothing like the heartbroken mage that had run away desperately.


    "Syryn, are you alright?" He asked.


    Syryn wore a self-satisfied smile when he answered. "Better than alright. I got to throw a pot of boiling water at him so I''m quite satisfied."


    "What?"


    "If I''m going to get blamed for things I didn''t do, I might as well go ahead and do them right?"

 Chapter 72 - Fools

    "Is someone going to lose their life at the end?" Salem was delicately asking if Syryn intended to get rid of Lumi.


    "In an ideal situation, yes. I don''t make it a habit to spare my enemies, but this isn''t an ideal situation because Magnus is involved."


    Syryn handed over a small phial that had a green liquid in it.


    "Treat Lumi''s burns with this. His skin will heal faster than he can plan his next plot."


    "Why do you want to treat him with such a rare item?" Salem had seen it in action when Syryn had used it on him after an experiment that had gone wrong. The blonde had near singed off his eyebrows that day.


    "So he can''t rack up more sympathy points with Magnus. When he had a cold, he put on an act of a dying person. With the burns I inflicted on him, there''s no telling what he might do. The sooner he heals, the better for me."


    Salem palmed the phial. Syryn was right about Lumi acting up because the alchemist had seen how the avian had been leaning against the fire mage. Magnus was a smart person but his bleeding heart was dulling his perception.


    "I''ll see to it that he''s immediately made whole then. Next time you''re planning something, let me know ahead so I can help."


    "Its just Lumi. I don''t want to give him the satisfaction of having gotten your attention as well as mine."


    When Salem entered the fire mage''s room, Lumi was shedding tears quietly. Magnus and Alka were both hovering over the avian while Luci sat on the bed cradling Navi, their orange tabby cat.


    "Move aside," the blonde boy told his housemates. Salem then occupied the seat in front of Lumi and observed the burns. Lumi''s beautiful skin was covered in blisters and exposed tissue from the tips of his fingers to the skin above his wrist. Syryn had done a thorough job of scalding every inch of skin on the boy''s exposed hands. And as he observed Lumi, the avian observed him in turn.


    With a sigh, Salem asked the boy to extend his arm. Lumi obeyed but not without wincing in pain.


    "You''ll be fine in no time," Salem informed the avian as he applied the green liquid that was a miracle to him. His first-hand experience with the liquid had shocked him. Salem had never seen a skin healing potion that restored the dermis so perfectly and immediately. In front of their eyes, Lumi''s angry-looking skin began knitting itself over healthy red tissues. Even the avian had stopped sniffling when he was presented with deep and rapid healing.


    "All done." Salem tersely said to the quiet room. Lumi''s skin had a sheen of silver over the newly healed layer but it was hardly noticeable.


    "Salem, what did you give me?"


    Lumi''s awestruck face was glowing with happiness. His hands were pretty again, and Salem had healed it with something very rare and expensive. Salem cared about him.


    "A gift," the alchemist answered. Syryn had told him to let Lumi believe that it was Salem''s initiative to help the avian. "You''re going to get ravenously hungry now. You should go eat something to restore your lost energy."


    "I don''t know how to thank you for this... the potion must have been so expensive. How do I repay you, Salem?" Lumi''s gaze was fixated on him with an unhealthy shade of attention. It made Salem feel like Lumi was looking at him and seeing something else.


    "There''s no need for payment. We look after members of the house so consider it a perk of living in Syryn''s home."


    The words had their intended effect on Lumi. The avian shrank back at the mention of Syryn. A bitter smile appeared on his face and he remained silent. His expression was enough to convey what Lumi felt.


    "A perk of living in Syryn''s home? He''s the one that caused the injury." Despite the culpability he pinned on Syryn with his words, the fire mage''s tone lacked any bite.


    Salem''s gaze was heavy on Magnus. Without a word, the blonde left the room. He was followed by Alka who matched his pace.


    "I leave the house for a week and what do I come home to? An internal division caused by the newest tenant. Syryn better have an explanation for why he''s allowed this to happen. Magnus is a self-sacrificing idiot who allows his kindness to impair good judgement, but Syryn? I expected better from him."


    Alka''s muted rant made the blonde smile. The plant mage was on their side. He didn''t even require proof of Syryn''s innocence. Alka was a friend who did not allow things like integrity or fair-mindedness to get in the way of supporting his buddies. It reminded him of Syryn''s own nature. If it had been Magnus that had found him with the dead body, Salem wondered if the fire mage would have turned him over to the authorities. In the end, Magnus measured his actions against a set of principles that he lived by, and that was the right thing to do but it did not inspire Salem''s loyalty. So why was Syryn so taken with Magnus?


    "Syryn, you''ve been busy," Alka calmly spoke to the smiling teen.


    "And I''ve missed you, Alka."


    "Of course you have." The plant mage had grown taller and prettier over the years, and more haughty too. But Syryn liked that. Alka had grown out of his shy and timid shell. His true self had come bursting out - a savage who was untouchable and carried himself with cold grace - with arrogance. Alka had an aura of nobility that Syryn often saw in Artemus. Both brothers had a way of making people feel like unrefined peasants.


    "Didn''t you miss me?"


    "Not as much as I missed my plants. What''s going on with Lumi? He seems to have Magnus wrapped around his little finger." Narrowed feline eyes raked over Syryn with disappointment. Syryn''s mind scrambled for an answer.


    "Lumi is a scheming liar!" was all he lamely came up with.


    Alka sighed and it was a delicate sound. "You''ve grown soft."


    "I can''t attack him directly without upsetting Magnus who seems to think that Lumi is an innocent and helpless lamb," The alchemist pouted. Salem noticed that Syryn acted like a puppy around Alka. It was interesting.


    "And your solution was to dump hot water on him?" The plant mage was unimpressed. "I know for a fact that he didn''t do it to himself. Lumi is fastidious and cares about his appearance. For someone like that to give himself such unsightly burn scars; it''s a bit difficult for me to accept. You''re lucky that Magnus hasn''t come to the same conclusion."


    "Fair enough," Syryn replied. "I''ve got a few other plans so don''t look at me like that!"


    "Like what?" Alka raised a neat dark brow. His green eyes were half-lidded with annoyance.


    "Like I''m a banana peel you stepped on."


    "That''s.. oddly specific," Salem said.


    "It''s the exact expression I saw on his face when he stepped on a banana peel and nearly slipped."


    That made the plant mage smile. "You''re a rung above a banana peel, Syryn." Alka placed a hand on Syryn''s knee and squeezed it gently. "Anyway, let''s take a walk. Come with me to survey the garden so I can get some red Cardinals for my bedside vase."


    It was the next morning that Sebastian arrived. It must have been his unlucky day. When Syryn began to examine Sebastian''s now normal blood vessels, the mage regaled him with a story from his adventures.


    "Ya should''ve seen it S''ryn! She had a lower body covered in scales and was slytherin'' round the place. It took a lotta magic to cut through her armor-"


    Sebastian''s words got stuck in his throat. Syryn had been examining the colour on his wrists when his gaze flickered up to see what had happened to the talkative mage. Sebastian looked like he had seen a ghost.


    "Syryn, I''m back," a familiar voice grabbed him by the throat and his breath caught too.


    The alchemist whipped his head around and saw Artemus standing at the door of the workroom. The man was a glorious sight in his crimson and silver mage hunter robe. It elicited a feeling in Syryn that was a strange combination of fear and fascination. Artemus was a Sanguine, a ruthless hunter, and Syryn had all but forgotten about it because of how friendly the anti mage was to him.


    Sebastian and Syryn were both staring at him, frozen and wearing stupid expressions. As if Artemus wasn''t already annoyed enough at having been caught by Alka in the garden. Now that his younger brother had become aware of the gate in their compound that led to the lost path, Artemus was sure that Alka would be recklessly using it.


    "If you''re done staring, I have important business to conduct."


    Syryn flashed a smile at Artemus. "Welcome back Artemus."


    The anti mage allowed a tiny reluctant smile and Syryn swore he heard Sebastian gasp. Artemus flipped open a metallic cylinder and removed the glass tube in it that held a red liquid. Three wide strides of his long legs brought the anti mage next to Syryn. He handed the glass tube wordlessly to the teen.


    "What is it?"


    "Fire demon." Artemus'' onyx eyes were unusually expressive. Syryn could tell how happy he was.


    "Is this why you left?" He asked. Now that Artemus had found the ingredient to his cure, he would no longer depend on Syryn. The alchemist felt a sense of loss but it was a speck compared to how happy he was for Artemus.


    "Yes. I killed it myself."


    While they talked, Sebastian was a statue, pointedly ignored by Artemus. The anti mage wasn''t even pretending there was a third person in the room. Syryn internally cringed at how cold the brothers could be. The worst part was how their presence made people crave their attention. He preferred Alka''s banana expression to the complete denial of existence that the anti mage served his former best friend. He felt a pang of sympathy for Sebastian.


    "Congratulations Mu-Mu," Syryn smiled as he held the tube to the light. "I''ll let you know as soon as I make it."


    "I wait impatiently," the eagerness in his voice could not be missed. "I''ll return to speak with you after I''ve soothed my furious mother''s temper. If I go missing, tell the mage hunters that my mother did it."


    Syryn laughed at the flat delivery of his joke. Sebastian still hadn''t moved but the little joke elicited a reaction from him. The mage was staring at Artemus like he was a unicorn.


    For the sake of his patient''s health, Syryn decided to usher Artemus out of the house immediately.


    "You should go. I''ve got a sick patient here who is contagious."


    It was a revelation to Syryn how even Artemus had the capacity for immature behaviour. The anti mage threw a look at Sebastian that was dirtier than sewer water. Shit! That was Syryn''s thought. Banana expression all the way. He would have to ask Sebastian just what he had done to deserve such treatment from Artemus.


    When the anti mage left the workroom, Sebastian was still in a daze. "A-mu looked at me like he''d ingested rat poison.."


    "Uh, you okay?"


    "Need ta drink. Wanna get a drink, S''ryn?" It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Sebastian looked like he had lost his soul. Syryn vacillated because he needed to start preparations for the anti mage''s cure. One more look at the hollowed-out mage convinced Syryn that Sebastian needed his attention more.


    "Let me change into something else. Wait here for me."


    After a quick word to Salem about starting prep work, Syryn got into Sebastian''s carriage. It was just as luxurious as Artemus'' but where the anti mage had muted colours, Sebastian''s interior was a rich gold and white. How he managed to keep it clean, Syryn could not understand. The ride was quick but it felt like forever when he had all but a morose mage to talk to. They arrived at a high-end bar called ''Sev''s Brews''.


    "I''ll have a Frost Vengeance," Sebastian told the barmaid that arrived at their table. It was then that Syryn realised they were in for the long haul. Sebastian was planning to get absolutely blitzed tonight if that was his starter choice of alcohol.


    "A mug of honey mead for me," he told the barmaid. One of them had to stay sober if they were going home tonight.


    "Yer lookin'' at me like you''ve got questions." The mage had put away his funeral face and looked a bit more alive now that they were in a lively public space.


    "Are you in love with Artemus or something?" Syryn had meant it as a joke and hadn''t expected the mage''s strained smile.


    "That obvious huh?"


    Syryn blinked at the mage. Was he actually out here at a bar trying to comfort his rival? But Artemus wasn''t even his lover. Was Artemus even interested in Syryn after all these years? They barely even touched each other. Syryn was a bastard and Artemus deserved a person like Sebastian who was so unashamedly in love with the anti mage. The thoughts fell like marbles in the pits of his stomach. It wasn''t a good feeling.


    "I change my mind about the honey mead. I''ll get a Frost Vengeance too." Syryn raised his arm and summoned a barmaid.


    "I thought you guys were best friends or something."


    "Or somethin''," Sebastian mumbled. "I can''t say that A-mu didn''t have feelins fer me because I realised when it was too late that he might have felt somethin'' too. I ruined it and now he hates me."


    "He doesn''t hate you."


    "S''ryn, didn''t ya see the way he looked at me?!"


    Two mugs of Frost Vengeance arrived at their table. The first sip of the drink was an icy shock that numbed the nerves on his tongue. Syryn swallowed it down and it left a trail of ice in its path. At the same time, the alcohol burned the cold away, leaving his mouth tingling and confused.


    "What exactly happened between the two of you to garner that kind of animosity from Artemus?"


    Sebastian had taken a deep gulp from his mug and he made a face at the weird burn it left. "I let a third person get between us. Years of friendship and trust, all washed away because I was dumb enough to prioritise my girlfriend over the love of my life."


    "You''re a dumbass."


    "Nothin'' I don''t already know."


    "How long ago did it happen?" Syryn studied the mage''s beautiful eyes. In the low light of the bar, it looked like molten gold.


    "A long time ago, S''ryn. I dunno... I did all I could to forget."


    "And yet here we are."


    "If yer just here to make fun of me, we can leave right now." It would''ve sounded intimidating if Sebastian didn''t look so sad.


    "I''m being supportive," he argued. "If I wanted to insult you, I''d be calling you a loser who professes to love Artemus but can''t keep it in his pants, at least according to all the rumours I''ve heard about you, not to mention the fact that you can''t man up enough to make it right with him, and you''ve turned to drinking yourself to a stupor after your very first meeting in how many years is it?"


    Sebastian slammed his mug down on the table causing the liquid in it to slosh. With a feral grin that caught the edge of something dangerous, he stared at Syryn. "Ya.fuckin''.sonofabitch."


    "Can''t handle the truth, Sebastian?" Syryn mirrored his grin.


    Laughter spilt out of Sebastian''s lips. It was an infectious and amused sound, and it dispelled away any thoughts that Syryn had of the mage being mad at him.


    "You''re right, S''ryn, I''m a loser."


    He actually wasn''t but Syryn didn''t say it. Sebastian had a cult following among mages that worshipped his strength. He had powers from different nations vying to pull his loyalty away from Sigil. He even had hordes of noblewomen who wanted to marry him. He was anything but a loser. Sebastian was mostly a lovesick man who was afraid of Artemus'' rejection.


    "If it happened a long time ago, Sebastian, why can''t you get over him? Eos knows you''ve been with enough women to have fallen in love multiple times." And with those words, Syryn had an epiphany about Sebastian and why he slept around in spite of his feelings.


    "You can try to love the night stars but you''ll never love em like the way you love the sun though they all shine just the same. And it''s always there in the sky, burnin'' and shinin'' so brightly, and ya can''t even stop lookin'' at it though it hurts to do so. There''s no escape from the sun, S''ryn."


    The alchemist was uncomfortably reminded of Rowan. Silently, he nursed his drink, letting the mage talk.


    "I know it sounds sappy but it''s the kinda love that only comes once in a lifetime. Wretched is the fool who stumbles upon this love and it remains unrequited."


    Syryn choked on his drink. Why did it sound like Sebastian was narrating Syryn''s situation with Rowan? He was irrevocably in love with a man who was destined for a bride that wasn''t him. Two lifetimes of loving and losing Rowan had to have been a punishment for his murderous ways in the past.


    "I''ll have a double shot of Demon''s kiss," he informed the cheerful barmaid who had arrived to top up their mugs.


    "Me too," Sebastian added. "Put some cinnamon in mine. Now, where were we?"

 Chapter 73 - Ghost

    Syryn''s metabolism made it very difficult for him to reach an acceptable level of inebriation. 14 glasses of the strongest alcohol and he was finally drunk enough to feel like throwing up on himself. But what had possessed him to drink like a thirsty cow?


    Sebastian''s head was resting on their table and he lay unmoving. Was he asleep? the alchemist belatedly wondered. Syryn''s bladder was very insistently making known its discomfort to him. The teen left Sebastian to take a leak outside, hoping that the mage wouldn''t wake up thinking Syryn had abandoned him. When he wobbled back from the relatively clean toilet at the back of the building, he found Sebastian being propositioned by an attractive woman who had recognised the famous mage.


    "Nn-nno you don''t!" The drunk alchemist righteously pushed her off the mage who wasn''t making much of an effort to resist.


    Sebastian was hopelessly smashed and taken into another plane of existence by the combination of Frost Vengeance and Demon''s Kiss that he had competitively imbibed. Syryn had been impressed when the mage downed his 8th glass of Demon''s Kiss.


    "S''ryn, what are ya doin''?" He spoke to the woman in as earnest a tone as he could manage. "Yer pretty but a bit too young fer me-"


    Through the haze of alcohol, Syryn fumbled for his coin purse. It took him many tries before the alchemist successfully counted out the correct amount of money which he tossed onto their table. Never again. He was never drinking this much. Never.


    "Not sure where we''re going," Syryn told the mage who was on unsteady feet next to him.


    "Follow me," the mage slurred.


    The duo stumbled out onto the road and walked, and walked, and walked, and walked. The cold night air was a relief to their heated bodies. Syryn''s double vision had disappeared, a sign that his body was flushing out the alcohol. His sobriety was already returning to him.


    "Hmm.. where''s the carriage?"


    "Uhh... " Syryn looked around and noticed how unfamiliar the place was. Under Sebastian''s lead, they had strayed off towards an emptier part of town that was a market during the day. Elysium''s canal peacefully ambled past the place where they stood, confused and still very drunk.


    "I''m takin'' a dip here," the mage dramatically announced.


    "Nooo!" Syryn grabbed Sebastian''s arm. A sensible part of his mind warned him about the dangers of swimming in their current condition.


    "K.. I''ll just dip my feet."


    Syryn reluctantly let go of the mage''s arm. Sebastian lowered himself to the edge of the canal and sunk his boots in. It seemed funny to a drunk Syryn who began giggling.


    "Excuse me? Can you help me?" A crystal clear voice called out to them. Syryn slowly turned around and squinted at the person who called out from a dark alley. He could see a tall man-shaped figure but it was shrouded in darkness. Syryn''s drunk mind buzzed a cacophony of warnings he couldn''t decipher.


    "Can you help me?" The man was standing so still, Syryn would have sworn it was a statue.


    "Help?" The alchemist repeated when a wave of vertigo nearly swept him off his feet. It had been a mistake drinking so much alcohol.


    "Who?" He heard Sebastian ask. The mage had also turned around and was staring straight into the darkness with a keenness that no drunk should have managed.


    "Excuse me? Can you help me?" It repeated. Despite his inebriated state, Syryn''s previous experience with the skin collectors helped him realise quicker this time, how the pattern of speech was repeated word for word with the same flat vocal inflexion. Aside from that, there was something else about the sound that bothered him. What was it?


    "S''ryn," Sebastian was suddenly behind him, soberer than the alchemist himself. "I''m going over there to hunt it down. Keep your eyes on the shadow," he whispered low enough for only Syryn to hear.


    "Sebastian, what''s going on?" But the mage was already off.


    "Heeey, what help d''ya need?" Sebastian swayed from side to side as he approached the still figure. Syryn watched silently while judging the danger level of their situation. He was starting to believe that their walk to this area had been deliberately orchestrated by the mage.


    Sebastian tripped on his feet and landed on his knees. "Ugh shouldn''t''ve had so much ta drink." The sandy-haired mage heaved himself back on unsteady feet and precariously swung from side to side like a pendulum.


    Faster than Syryn''s mind could comprehend, the black figure exploded into droplets of dark liquid that left a hissing mess on the ground. It took a second for his thick as molasses mind to understand that Sebastian''s attack had caused the explosion. In an impressive show of speed and reaction, the mage had also raised a wind shield that buffered him from the mysterious liquid.


    The mage then disappeared into the alley with the nimbleness of a wild cat. Another explosion sounded out loud enough to rouse the sleeping residents of the neighbourhood. Syryn''s feet pounded on the ground as he followed the sound of controlled explosions that continued in a series of booms. Sebastian was hot on the trail of something and Syryn was determined to see it before the mage blew it to vapour.


    When Syryn caught up, he found Sebastian staring at a dead end. Syryn could feel a wave of unease radiating from the broad back that was turned to him. Aside from the mage, there was nothing else in the empty alley.


    "Sebastian, what the hell happened?"


    The mage ran a hand through sandy hair and walked to the wall of the building that blocked their path. He placed his hand on it as if feeling for something.


    "It went right through this wall like a ghost."


    Syryn couldn''t understand what Sebastian was talking about. "You killed it at the mouth of the alley. What else was there, Sebastian?" If it had been another lesser mage than the one that stood before him, Syryn would have suspected a drunk hallucination had taken place.


    "That thing that spoke to you was just a puppet. Its master is what I was chasin'', S''ryn. The creature was wrapped up in darkness so black, I couldn''t really see it. I followed the blue light that came from its eyes and chased it till it jumped right through the wall."


    Syryn had never heard of such a strange creature before.


    "Right before it jumped, its body glowed blue and I saw its shape." Sebastian turned around to face Syryn. A whole lot of confusion and what seemed like embarrassment flickered in Sebastian''s eyes. "It looked like a.. umm- I know this will sound stupid.."


    "Like what?"


    "Like a squid."


    Syryn''s expression conveyed his bafflement. "A squid? Sebastian, are you sure you''re not just drunk hallucinating?"


    "Listen, I saw what I saw okay. It was a bulbous floatin'' creature and it had a lot of long tentacles."


    "And you''re telling me that it passed through the wall? You realise how weird this whole thing sounds?" Syryn''s metabolism had worked through all the alcohol left in his system. He was now as sober as if he had never had any alcohol. What he couldn''t explain was Sebastian''s stone-cold soberness.


    "I realise I sound crazy. There''s no proof of what I saw-"


    "Let''s not forget about all the alcohol you drank tonight."


    "S''ryn, I really saw it."


    The alchemist crossed his arms and stared at the mage. "Okay, let''s say you really did see it. I''m taking a wild guess about why you brought us here. This wasn''t a coincidence, was it?"


    "I wasn''t expecting to run into something so strange if that''s what you''re asking." The mage turned back to the wall and experimentally knocked on it. "I''ve been sittin'' on my bored ass since I arrived at Elysium. I''m not used ta havin'' nothin'' ta do so I began readin'' the mage hunter reports that''s accessible by the public."


    He gave up on the fruitless endeavour and gestured for Syryn to walk back out with him. "One of the reports stood out to me. It was a fresh list of dead mages, and the circumstances of their deaths seemed very suspicious to me. Even more so than the standard magical murders."


    "So you decided to take a detour here to bait the killer instead of going straight home like a normal person?"


    "Yup. Ya see, there has been a known total of eight mages whose deaths have all been linked back to this locality. All of them were purportedly drunk before their untimely deaths."


    Sebastian increased his pace as they headed towards the mouth of the alley. "The strange thing about it is that apart from one of em, the others showed no indication of external trauma, nothin'' at all to explain how they''d died. I spoke to two witnesses of different victims and they both verified the report''s observations."


    Syryn came to a stop at the place where the black liquid had been spilt. The two mages then looked at each other with matching grim expressions. There was no black stain to be found. It was as if nothing had happened there.


    "Did we both hallucinate the same thing?"


    Sebastian''s hands were on his hips, gaze fixed to the spot where previously a large stain had darkened the ground. "Fuckin'' shit it''s gone." The situation was getting weirder by the second.


    "I can''t believe we imagined everything," Syryn dreamily said to the frowning mage. "I''m unbelievably confused."


    Sebastian''s exhale was rough with his frustration. "We met the killer and I''m sure of it. We got lucky tonight S''ryn. The anti mages have made no headway with this case but we saw somethin''."


    "Can you access the autopsy reports?" Syryn asked despite knowing the answer.


    "I''m not a mage hunter."


    The mage hunter archives were accessible exclusively to the members of their organisation and to a lucky few who were able to secure clearance on account of their expertise in fields that were crucial to solving difficult cases.


    "Lucky for us we know a mage hunter who might just help us, huh?" Syryn grinned at Sebastian.


    "Help you, ya mean."


    "We''re on the same team, Seb. I think the mage hunters might be interested in what you saw tonight."


    "I''m not tellin'' those stuck up bastards about it," the mage scowled.


    "Not all of them. Artemus is also a mage hunter."


    "And he''s the most stuck up of bastards in their group." The mage sighed and met Syryn''s serious gaze. "Yer right. I''ll go tell em what I saw. They''re not gonna believe me, S''ryn. They''d sooner kick me out than accept my drunk tale."


    "I''m not sure I believe you either. A murderous squid that glows and has the ability to pass through walls? It just sounds really made up."


    Sebastian''s smile was tight. If his self-confidence wasn''t so high, he would have doubted himself too. Drunk or not, Sebastian was sharp enough to tell reality from illusion. He had most definitely seen a glowing squid-like entity. "Well, at least I have ya to corroborate the first part of the incident."


    "You do realise that we have no proof of what we saw. How do you think they''ll react to the story of two drunk buffoons who each had 9 and 14 drinks before witnessing a crazy incident?"


    "You''re the one that wanted to take the story to the mage hunters," Sebastian retorted. "Anyway, I need a bath and a change of clothes first. They''ll never let us through the doors stinkin'' of alcohol."


    "And a nap. You look like you need a nap."


    Sebastian stared at Syryn strangely. "Y''said ya had 14 drinks. How t''fuck do ya look so fresh and sober?"


    "It''s the illusion, Seb. Under it, I look like shit too."


    Sebastian narrowed his eyes at Syryn and it called him a liar. "Yer illusion fell out a while back, S''ryn. Didja not know?"


    "What?" Syryn touched his own cheek reflexively. "When did that happen?"


    "I dunno. When ya found me, yer illusion was already undone."


    Syryn hadn''t powered off his illusion so just what the hell had happened? The tiny amount of mana consumption had become un-noticeable to Syryn but he should''ve realised it if his magic was cut off for a moment.


    "Let''s go home, S''ryn. We''ll figure it out after a rest. My head hurts like it got kicked in by a dragon."


    "Did you perhaps take something to burn out your intoxication?" Syryn asked. It was the only explanation to how the mage had recovered so suddenly.


    "No," Sebastian answered. "I brought some pills but I didn''t take any."


    "You sure?"


    "I would remember if I took one. S''ryn, no more talkin'' now, I need some quiet."


    Considering how wrecked Sebastian was feeling, the two of them headed straight to his house where Syryn received a bed in the guest room. The alchemist fell asleep as soon as his head hit the soft pillow.


    He was woken up by gentle knocking on the door. Syryn was disoriented for a few moments as his mind struggled to understand why his room looked so different. And then it hit him, he was in Sebastian''s home.


    "S''ryn? for the love of Eos, please come out. Artemus is threatenin'' arrest if I don''t produce ya immediately." The muffled voice of Sebastian cut through his sleepiness like a blade.


    Artemus was here?? It was past a decent hour of the morning and Syryn figured someone from home had reported his missing status to Artemus. Considering how many times he''d gotten lost, it was perfectly reasonable for his friends to panic. His spending the night over at Sebastian''s house after a night of drinking was something he did not want Artemus to find out about. Too late now though. Suspicions would be riding high.


    Syryn remembered to power on his illusion before throwing the door open. Sebastian looked tired but otherwise fine.


    "I''ll get you a hangover potion. Come home with me," he told the mage. Syryn wasn''t impervious to hangovers but it took a lot more than the amount he had imbibed to trigger it.


    A sharp smile lifted the corners of Sebastian''s mouth. "Yer right, I''ll ask A-mu for a ride. Let''s go, S''ryn."

 Chapter 74 - Mage Hunter Business

    The anti mage hadn''t made a fuss when Syryn informed him of the addition of a third passenger. As soon as they were on their way, the alchemist noticed how reticent Artemus was.


    "I''m sorry," Syryn said to the dark-haired man who had barely spoken a word to him. He wasn''t quite sure what the apology was for but it seemed like Artemus was unhappy and Syryn felt the need to say something.


    Bewildered onyx eyes turned to him. "What are you apologising for?"


    "I don''t know. Have I done something wrong? You seem upset."


    Artemus sighed at himself, dark eyes flickering over briefly to the uncharacteristically silent Sebastian. "I''ve been preoccupied with something that came up this morning. You haven''t done anything wrong, Syryn. It''s my fault for making you think my bad mood was directed at you."


    "What came up this mornin''?" Sebastian piped in. The two men exchanged a look that was charged with animosity.


    "Mage hunter business," came Artemus'' cold reply.


    "Are ya sure it''s nothin'' I can''t find out by askin'' your Sanguine friends?" Sebastian''s tone was challenging but a lazy smirk diluted the challenge making it sound more like the mage was teasing Artemus.


    "Go ahead and bug another Sanguine then," Artemus told Sebastian in the world''s most monotone voice.


    Syryn watched the smirk on Sebastian''s face slowly become thoughtful.


    "Artemus, how about we exchange some information? I know you stuck up bastards are lookin'' for a break in the case of Rum district''s dead mages."


    The mention of Rum district turned Artemus'' attention back onto Sebastian. The anti mage''s focus was whip-like.


    "What do you know about it?"


    "I''ll tell you if you agree to spill the mage hunter secret that''s got you so bothered."


    Artemus stared at Sebastian like he was wondering if talking to the mage was worth the knowledge he would receive. "If it''s information that we already know, I''m not telling you anything."


    Syryn closed his eyes and listened to the sound of wheels on the dirt road. He was oddly tired and had a headache that felt like a cold hand placed over his brain.


    "Fine by me. So where do I begin?"


    Syryn answered him, "from the part where we were at the bar. Artemus has a right to know how drunk we were when we met the tentacled ghost."


    The anti mage angled his head and frowned as if attempting to make sense of what Syryn had just said.


    "Okay, so last night, Syryn and I were out drinkin'' and we decided to swing by the Rum district for a quick top-up of food."


    That wasn''t the truth but Syryn let the mage say whatever he wanted.


    "And waddya know? We were waylaid by a shadowy figure askin'' for help. I could tell that it wasn''t a human because the thing wasn''t movin'' at all. And I had the strangest notion that its voice was speaking directly inside my head, which it was by the way." Sebastian tapped his temple and recalled the sensation of it. It was the first thing that had clued the mage in on the abnormality of their attacker.


    Syryn''s eyes sprung open with realisation. That was exactly what had been bothering him about the creature''s voice. It was unnaturally clear - like glass without a single imperfection. And he had been hearing it inside his head! The fact that Sebastian caught that under the influence of so much alcohol - the alchemist wondered again if Sebastian''s drunkenness had just been an act. If he hadn''t seen the mage throwback several mugs of hard liquor, Syryn would have been hard-pressed to believe that Sebastian had indeed been intoxicated.


    Artemus now appeared invested in the mage''s tale if his focused gaze was anything to go by. "Syryn, is Sebastian''s recollection so far in line with your own experience?" For a brief moment, two pairs of eyes were on him.


    "Yes, I could tell back then that something was bothering me about the voice." He looked at the sandy-haired mage with begrudging respect, "and until Sebastian clarified it for me, I was still unaware as to why the voice seemed odd."


    The anti mage nodded and turned back to Sebastian as if asking him to continue. After all the unfriendly looks that had been exchanged between them, it was refreshing to see that professionalism was prioritised by both parties when it came down to business.


    "I walked over to the dark figure and just for a moment, I saw somethin'' behind it. Sometimes, your instincts just know when yer about to get hurt real bad. I reacted immediately with aggression because predators don''t expect their prey to go on offence when they should be runnin'' right? I took down the shadowy figure and chased after the entity that had been waitin'' ta jump at me."


    "You took it down how?" Artemus had by this point taken out a quill and a blank sheet of parchment. Syryn knew that the anti mage had excellent memory that clamped down on information like steel traps. He figured that the anti mage was making a witness statement that would be handed over to those responsible for the investigation.


    "I used a minor explosion spell."


    Artemus scribbled on his parchment, "Describe the condition of the shadowy figure after it exploded."


    Sebastian continued to narrate the events that took place after that, and when he reached the part where it went through the wall, Artemus'' quill stopped scratching. The quiet that it left felt like a finger pointing accusingly at the mage.


    "It went through the wall?" Disbelief coloured his question.


    "And it looked like a squid. I saw its form right before it did the wall trick." Sebastian seemed to be in a hurry to get over that part of his story.


    The anti mage placed the writing items on his lap and studied Sebastian with an appraising gaze. The seconds crawled into a minute and Syryn was convinced that Artemus would roll his parchment into a ball then fling it out of the carriage with the mage.


    "A squid," he spoke again after a moment of silence. "Sebastian, can I at least assume that you''d had a dose of Untox before seeing the squid? Because if you''re telling me that you were still intoxicated when you saw it, I''ll have you know that your version of the events is not admissable as reliable eyewitness testimony."


    It was just as they''d expected so the mage shrugged at the unimpressed Artemus. "Had the Untox in my pocket. Didn''t take one though."


    "I believe Sebastian''s story," Syryn offered. "After he started attacking the thing, Sebastian seemed very sober. I can tell the difference between a drunk man and a clear-headed individual."


    "And did YOU take an Untox, Syryn? Or were you making these observations under the influence of alcohol? How many drinks did each of you consume last night?" Dark eyes were assessing them both with unnerving sharpness.


    "I can drink an entire barrel of Demon''s Kiss and it''ll all be gone from my system within half an hour." Syryn raised his brows at Artemus willing for the anti mage to understand what his demonic metabolism was capable of.


    The anti mage made no reply after staring at Syryn with what looked like a mother''s judgemental glare. How do you know that? Did you drink an entire barrel of liquor? Were the thoughts that Syryn figured were running in Artemus'' head.


    To the teen''s relief, the anti mage turned back to Sebastian. "I want to believe you. There are some unexplainable circumstances surrounding these deaths and the higher-ups are pressuring for an answer."


    Artemus then looked back down at the written lines that had been paused mid-sentence. "But eyewitness identification is vulnerable to distortion. Humans are naturally biased. We notice and exaggerate some experiences while we minimize or overlook others."


    "What do ya think I gain by lyin'' and makin'' shit up, Artemus?"


    "I didn''t say you were lying or making shit up," the anti mage shot back calmly. "As absurd as it sounds, I am willing to accept that something strange happened with the two of you last night. However, you were intoxicated, and that minor detail throws out any credibility you have as an eyewitness."


    "An eyewitness? As in one eyewitness? So you''re willin'' to believe S''ryn over here but not me?" Sebastian didn''t look as agitated as he sounded. Maybe it had to do with the fact that Artemus was conducting a civil conversation with him.


    "I didn''t say that either."


    "Can I just finish my story so we can get this over with? You still have to hold up your end of the bargain, Artemus."


    "Of course."


    Sebastian narrated the rest of it to the anti mage who began writing again. He listened intently and asked questions despite what he had said about their unreliability as eyewitnesses.


    "And the black liquid was gone, you say? Like it was never there? like nothing had happened?" The narrowed eyes, his flat expression, and the unimpressed tone did it for Syryn. The younger mage snorted.


    "We''ll sort this out ourselves since the mage hunters won''t accept the testimonies of drunk people. Why don''t you tell us what happened this morning then, mu-mu?" Syryn had taken to calling him by the nickname Luci had coined, just because it annoyed Artemus.


    "I told you never to call me that."


    "But you let Luci call you that!"


    "And he''s 11 years old, Syryn. Have we stooped to comparing ourselves with children?" Syryn was not winning this one.


    "Can you just get to what happened this mornin''?" Sebastian cut in with impatience. The mage had a feeling it was a juicy piece of news because Artemus wasn''t usually one to get rattled so easily. The anti mage had been a bundle of nerves and barely restrained fury when he had darkened Sebastian''s door in the morning.


    Syryn crossed his feet and reclined against the soft material of the seat, ready for some interesting developments. They were already halfway across the distance that separated Sebastian''s home from Syryn''s. He was certain that if they reached home before Artemus could begin his account, the anti mage would just dump them and leave without giving anything up.


    "There was an incident. We received reports of it early this morning but the inquester at the site believes that the disturbance took place approximately twenty to twenty three hours ago."


    He had said inquester. Both mages understood now that dead bodies were involved.


    "A few guards doing their morning rounds found a caravan that had stopped to set up camp next to the traveller''s road. When the guards entered the campsite, they saw that it was completely deserted. They checked the tents but those too were empty. The guards were spooked and it wasn''t just because they couldn''t find anyone. They saw abandoned plates and bowls of food strewn around, left untouched like the travellers had escaped in a hurry from something. We''re talking about well-armed people whose items indicated their ability to defend themselves."


    "Where did this happen again?" Sebastian asked.


    "East of Lady May''s peak. That''s just about a day''s travel from Elysium. A messenger bird was immediately dispatched with news about the missing travellers. The guards then began exploring the area looking for any signs of the people but when they found them, they got more than they had bargained for. 16 dead bodies in total were found."


    Sebastian grimaced but he knew there was more to it. Artemus was a mage hunter and had seen more dead bodies than a cemetery. "Don''t skip the details, A-mu."


    The nickname caught both of them off guard and Artemus glared at the mage. "You do not have clearance to hear about the details."


    "Fer cryin'' out loud, if those guards haven''t already blabbered about it to their friends and families then I''ll change my surname to yours. Just tell us so Syryn and I don''t have to travel to the drinkin" den closest to Lady May''s peak."


    Artemus sighed and the mage knew he had won.


    "Ten naked bodies were found hanging from the trees and they all bore evidence of unspeakable torture and mutilation." Syryn wondered just what type of curse would emerge at the site if left to its devices.


    "The other six bodies were found scattered in different parts of the forest like they had been running away only to die during the escape. No particularly telling wounds were found on the bodies but they were decomposed beyond their natural rate. It was as if they''d died a week ago." Artemus'' face was set in grim lines. The incident was as horrifying as it was puzzling.


    "Perhaps the guards had just stumbled upon different crime scenes and assumed they were all perpetrated by the same killers?" Syryn suggested.


    "Maybe. We''ll know once they identify the travellers. There''s still one thing that ties both scenes to each other. Carrion birds should have already been on a feeding frenzy but it wasn''t the case. Not a single bird nor bug was found feeding on the corpses. I''m no expert on scavenger behaviour but even I know that it''s abnormal and unnatural."


    Syryn could think of a few reasons why carrion eaters would avoid a dead body but he wanted to wait for more details on the bodies before he could voice an opinion. He pitied the inquesters who would be burdened with cutting open the bloating corpses. It was never fun working with corpses that were more than a day old.


    "Is there any way that I can assist with the investigation?" Syryn asked. If he was being honest, it wasn''t that Syryn was doing it out of goodwill or a desire to see justice. The alchemist wanted to satiate his curiosity and scratch the itch that had appeared when carrion birds were mentioned.


    "I''ll see what can be done. Don''t raise your hopes though. You''re an uncertified alchemist at best and a quack at worst." The amused smile hanging onto the anti mage''s lips lessened the blow that he had thrown at Syryn. "Don''t forget, you also have to help him find an absconding glowing squid."


    The him that Artemus spoke about was entrenched in his ruminations. Sebastian had travelled extensively, faced countless terrors, monsters, and situations that would have made a grown man cry in fear. What he hated most was the unseen monster that disappeared so neatly after killing. Sebastian needed a body to aim at, to direct his magic towards, to obliterate into blood and meat, but both the incidents were carried out by perpetrators that were slippery.


    "Thanks for the ride," Syryn told the anti mage after dis-embarking at the manor gate. "Will you be visiting the crime scene?"


    "Yes. My colleagues are already on their way there to secure the area. I''ll be leaving soon as well. Take care of yourself Syryn."


    "What about your potion? It''ll be ready in two days."


    "I''ll come for it myself. I still have the other palliative potions you gave me so I''ll be fine for now."


    "Alright. See ya mu-mu."


    The door slammed shut in Syryn''s face. A cloud of dust was kicked up as the hounds took off faster than they''d ever had. The alchemist''s smile faded and he wondered just what had happened this time around? In his previous life, Syryn had lived the life of a sheltered demon, unaware of what was happening in the world. But surely, Traxdart would have told him if there was a glowing squid-like creature found to be snatching mages off the streets? It would have made the news everywhere. Maybe it had hadn''t been caught in his old timeline, maybe the squid had been kept a secret, maybe Sebastian had just seen wrong.


    "S''ryn, let''s get inside." The mage was already heading towards the manor.


    Syryn had to go back to Rum district. He had to find the creature and kill it. It seemed the only way to calm the restlessness that stemmed from his coming face to face with an anomaly that shouldn''t have existed.

 Chapter 75 - Truth

    "Hey Lumi, what surprise have you got planned for me today?" Syryn called out as he crossed the kitchen door. The avian''s gloomy stare put a smile on the alchemist''s face. "Heat some food for us will you? And try not to poison it."


    "What''s that about?" Sebastian asked after a while.


    "Just a friendly exchange between housemates." Syryn entered the workroom expecting to find Salem but the blonde was absent.


    "Here it is," the alchemist held up a thumb-sized phial. It was one of their most popular products so there was always some in stock. Neither having any inclination towards sales, their rapidly growing shop was manned by a very capable employee who managed every aspect of the business including the inventory, accounting, and sales. Veena''s pay reflected just how much her employers valued her work.


    "Tastes good," Sebastian commented after draining the potion.


    "I don''t know about you but I''m starving. Let''s check what''s for breakfast."


    Alka had been in charge of breakfast that morning and it was obvious from the delicious spread that was on the kitchen counter. Although it was nearly noon, the food was still fresh. Flavoured boiled eggs, thick slices of warm garlic butter bread topped with cream cheese, a light vegetable soup, and a jug of creamy milk awaited the hungry mages. Lumi was gone from the kitchen but he had surprisingly done as Syryn asked.


    After filling themselves, Sebastian''s hangover had been cured completely. He was an idle mage with nothing but time on his hands. The mage gave Syryn company while the latter began work on Artemus'' cold cure. Unexpectedly, they had a delivery that day.


    "Someone''s at the door asking for you," Lumi told Syryn from the door. After the incident with the boiling water, a tremulous truce hung between them.


    "Who? I''m not expecting anyone."


    "He says it''s mage hunter business."


    Syryn wiped his hands on a towel and left Sebastian to watch the cauldron. "If you see it start to boil, throw in a cup of this," he instructed before heading out of the room.


    "Lumi, are you crushing on Salem or Magnus?" The alchemist grinned at Lumi as they were walking in the same direction.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. Please refrain from creating misunderstandings against me." His answer was as boring as Syryn had expected.


    "Fine, fine, just stop fucking with me and you can have the both of them." The alchemist didn''t stop to look at the avian''s wide-eyed expression. A mage hunter was waiting at the door and he had a packet in his hand.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart?" The man had brown hair shorn close to his scalp.


    "Yeah, how can I help you?" Syryn pleasantly asked the man.


    The mage hunter held out the packet in his hands to Syryn. "Artemus told me to deliver this to you under advice against letting anyone else see the contents of the package."


    "Oh. Thank you!"


    The man nodded, "I''ll be taking my leave then, Syryn. Have a nice day."


    Syryn tore off the top of his paper package. There was a thin stack of sheets bound together with twine. The lettering on the first sheet stood out in bold red. ''Rum district/1267-S/Leighton Rani.''


    "What''s that?" Sebastian asked. The mage was leisurely pouring in a cup of moon water inside Syryn''s bubbling cauldron.


    "Artemus did us a favour and sent in the autopsy reports of every single mage that was killed at Rum district. I think we owe him a drink, Seb."


    "More than that actually. This isn''t in his jurisdiction so Artemus must''ve thrown his weight around to get us access to it. Hunters are notorious for their secrecy."


    Syryn and Sebastian sat side by side looking through the documents while the cauldron bubbled happily. The alchemist kept one eye on his work and another on the reports.


    "All of them suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after their mana cores were brutally shredded," Sebastian read out to the alchemist who was measuring out his ingredients.


    "Shredded? Like it was in pieces?"


    "Not exactly. It looks more like someone took a knife to it."


    "Let me see."


    The artistic sketch depicted a heart surrounded by pieces of tissue that were ivory white. "The lacerations are all vertical. This looks like a physical injury. Magical attacks don''t make such cuts. What else does the report say?"


    "They suspect the same. A spell capable of damaging the mana core won''t leave it in this condition. It''s rare but there have been cases of illegal curses causing the core to explode. The heart could never stay intact like this."


    "So no entry wounds of any kind?"


    "Hold on."


    Sebastian quickly read through the summary of the first victim. He was found with defensive wounds to his hands and face.


    "None of them shows any signs of entry wounds but there''s the first victim, the only one bearin'' signs of an attack. More lacerations on his hands and face. It looks like he put up a fight and the attacker learnt somethin'' from it."


    "A killer that learns from its mistakes," Syryn said to the mage.


    "A smart squid. I wonder why it attacks only mages though. It''s obvious that the goal is the mana core." Sebastian leaned back against his seat and thumbed through more pages.


    "There''s a note about why the squid only picks drunk mages. The inquester has theorized that intoxicated victims are less likely to fight back or even put up a good fight if they decide to retaliate."


    "What other reason could there be? The simplest explanation always holds doesn''t it?"


    "Yeah, ya can''t get a simpler explanation than that. But the real question is, how did it attack the core? It''s as if the squid- okay," Sebastian grinned at Syryn and it was a smug thing that broadcasted just how confident the mage felt. On anyone else, it would have annoyed Syryn.


    "Hear me out S''ryn, this proves what I saw last night. That damn squid has the ability to go through a wall so why not a human body right?! I''m calling it. Squid stuck his sticky tentacles into the mages and ripped up their cores. Case closed."


    Sebastian''s argument seemed airtight but Syryn still had questions. "Right, let''s say the squid can phase through solid objects. Following your theory, the next natural assumption that comes up is that it is able to solidify parts of its body while the rest remains transparent to matter. That is why the squid left no damage to the flesh but still managed to tear up the core."


    The mage mulled over Syryn''s words. "What if the squid can''t phase through mana core? Magic is unpredictable and makes everything more complicated. Your explanation is more likely but we can''t discount the role that mana plays when the core is filled with it."


    Syryn grabbed a ball wrapped in twine and struck it with fire. While it burned, he set the stove to its highest flame. "Then we have to consider why the squid attacks the core. It might lead us to an explanation of its abilities." He dumped the ball inside the cauldron and slammed the lid down. After a few seconds, there was a loud boom from inside and it caused the lid to fly off. Syryn was holding down the cauldron so it wouldn''t suffer the same fate as the lid.


    "S''ryn what the hell was that?" A startled Sebastian asked.


    The younger mage inspected the mess that was at the bottom of the cauldron. Flash evaporation had taken out all the liquid inside.


    "Don''t worry, that was supposed to happen."


    Sebastian had never seen exploding potions that weren''t a product of someone''s mistake. "What are you making?"


    "Hmm?" Syryn was focused on scrapping the dry mess into a deep bowl.


    "Nevermind. I desperately need a nap right now. Got a spare bed?"


    Riha was occupying their clean guest room. It was his now. The other rooms hadn''t been dusted or renovated.


    "You can nap in my room. I''ll take you to it if you just give me a moment to put this in."


    Leaving Sebastian in his room, Syryn found he had some spare time while the blood cake in the bowl was left to oxidate. He tracked down Lumi to the garden where the avian was admiring Alka''s red Cardinals. The reason they were flourishing magnificently was because of the plant mage''s excessive love and care, and not due to corpse fertiliser.


    "Lumi, it''s time we had an honest conversation about you." The alchemist was leaning against a trellis on which pink roses were in bloom.


    Lumi shot him an unfriendly look. "What do you want, Syryn? Are you here to douse me in hot water again?"


    "Na, that got boring real fast. Why don''t we talk about why you''re so adamant to drive a wedge between me and Magnus?"


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    "Heh!" Syryn laughed. "I''m trying to understand what your problem is Lumi. Cut the crap already. My patience has evacuated and I''m this close to eviscerating you on the spot." Syryn held up his thumb and forefinger. "And that may cause a fight to break out between me and Magnus but you''ll already have died. So who''s the bigger loser?"


    Lumi seemed to have understood that his life was in danger. The avian curled his lips and finally spat out a few honest words. "I really dislike you, Syryn!"


    "Yes, we''ve established that fact. The feelings are mutual. Tell me why though? Is it because you like Salem and I''m in the way?"


    "I don''t like Salem!" Lumi''s anger lashed at Syryn. "You don''t know what you''re talking about so stop making assumptions! Why are you even here talking to me as if you care?!"


    "I don''t care about you, Lumi. I care about the problems that you''re causing in this house. Help me help you so that one of us doesn''t end up buried in the garden, and we both know it won''t be me."


    Lumi tilted between fear and bravado. Syryn could see the cogs turning in his mind. "I don''t understand why everyone likes you. You''re rude, disrespectful, and cocky. All you do is boss us all around the house and act like you''re entitled to everyone''s attention. I''m nice, I work hard, I try not to get in anybody''s way. I respect people and-"


    "Hold it right there!" Syryn interrupted. "I can''t believe it. You''re just a big old ball of jealousy. Is that what this is about??"


    "Yes," the avian admitted through gritted teeth. "You don''t deserve all of this, Syryn. What did you do to deserve it?"


    Frankly, Syryn didn''t think he deserved it. It was Magnus and Alka who had been nobler than he could ever be. They''d tried to save his life at the expense of theirs. Artemus didn''t owe him goodwill and a mansion for his medical treatment but here it was. Red could have killed Syryn in the puzzle box but he hadn''t, and he''d gone on to become the closest thing Syryn had to a brother. Salem with his talents could have become a powerful player in the alchemist''s guild but here he was, gaining infamy by rejecting their offers, and slumming it with an uncertified alchemist - who was being shunned by the snooty guild. Syryn was aware of his negative reputation amongst Elysium''s elite alchemists. His booming potion business had worked to put his name out there alongside Salem''s. And if it wasn''t for the co-ownership with the half-elf, Syryn was sure that the guild would have taken every opportunity to bad mouth his business.


    "You''re right, I don''t really deserve it," he slowly said to the avian, realising bits of truth he had never thought about. "Is that what you want? Wealth, a home and attention from people? Because you''re going about it the wrong way." The alchemist was feeling soft after he realised how fortunate he was to have met his friends.


    "It''s so easy for you to say that. You don''t know what it''s like to crave for the attention you''ll never get."


    Syryn rolled his eyes at the avian. "You don''t understand me, blah blah, self-pity blah, just shut the fuck up Lumi. If you think that scheming and driving a wedge between people will get you anywhere but on their shit list, you deserve whatever it is you''re getting."


    "Says the person who had everything handed over to him on a silver platter! You don''t even do the bare minimum to be liked. You''re so rude!" Syryn liked it better when Lumi was angry. The honesty was preferable to his crooked behaviour.


    "Boo hoo Lumi the victim! Have you not been listening to me? This isn''t about what I have. Why don''t you focus on doing you and trying to better your situation without harassing others?"


    "Will I get the love and attention I want then?? Will Salem and Magnus care about me like they do you??"


    Syryn was done talking to Lumi. The bird could not separate his happiness from Syryn. Why couldn''t he understand that comparing himself to someone else was just going to keep getting him hurt? If Syryn wasn''t there, he would just find another villain to blame, maybe Alka or Lucien. Lumi had to realise that his happiness was not contingent on what others had.


    "I feel sorry for you Lumi. I won''t come for you but if you fuck with me again, I''ll make it my personal mission to have everyone hate you. That''s what hurts you the most, doesn''t it? Despite all you''ve done, Magnus still likes me more than you. One day he''ll realise just how ugly you are in there." Syryn tapped at Lumi''s chest. "So while you''re ahead, give up and try to be the person that Magnus thinks you are."


    The avian stared murderously at Syryn, no doubt seething from the truth that he wasn''t special to Magnus after everything he had done.


    "I''ve said what I had to. Bye, Lumi. Don''t kill yourself." Syryn grinned maliciously and left the bird behind.


    "Sebastian you lazy fuck. How long are you planning to sleep?" Syryn shook the mage who was peacefully dozing on his bed.


    The mage blearily opened his eyes and yawned. Sleepy eyed, the sandy-haired man smiled. Syryn resisted the impulse to answer the come hither look that wasn''t intentional on Sebastian''s part.


    "Not all of us are war machines that can get by on two hours of sleep after a night of drinkin''. What the hell are you made of, S''ryn?"


    "Youth, Seb. It''s your age showing. Get yourself cleaned up, we''re going out for another night of alcohol."


    The mage raised his brows but laughed at what Syryn had said. "What? We''re goin'' out for more alcohol after last night''s disaster?"


    "Yeah, we''ve got a squid to catch don''t we?" The younger mage smiled conspiratorially.


    "Only if you prove it to me that you can drink a barrel of Demon''s Kiss and stay on your feet."


    "Done."


    "Yer not gonna get alcohol poisonin'' are ya? Because I''d rather ya didn''t if yer just bluffin'', S''ryn."


    "I''m a healer, Seb. I know my body''s limits."


    "Yer not a healer, ya said so yourself."


    "Damn it, Seb, you didn''t have to hurt me like that."

 Chapter 76 - Ephemeral

    When a barrel of alcohol had been rolled over to his table, the other patrons of the bar began staring. When Syryn started downing Demon''s Kiss like water, a crowd had formed around their table. Word had gotten out that a crazy teenager was attempting to empty a barrel of Demon''s Kiss and that caused a surge of patrons that came exclusively to watch Syryn drink.


    "S''ryn are ya sure yer not dyin'' from alcohol poisonin''?" Sebastian''s worried voice penetrated the wall of an alcohol-induced fog that surrounded his mind. Under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn''t have put himself in such a vulnerable position but Syryn had faith in Sebastian''s ability to defend them both should the case arise.


    "He shouldn''t be drinking this much. Take him home, son." An older gentleman shook his head at the irresponsible behaviour that was being encouraged by the crowd.


    "S''bash.. cheers!" Syryn raised his cup in the air to the boisterous calls of the other drinkers. "I''m a heeler. If I die then I''ll kill myself." It made no sense to the sandy-haired mage who watched the teenager, unease taking the fun out of what should have been a good time.


    "I''m beyond impressed," he told the younger man. "The barrel is more than half empty. You''ve made your point so let''s stop drinkin'', Syryn." The younger man''s assurances meant nothing to Sebastian. That much alcohol was just a disaster waiting to happen.


    "Shure.. in exchange for receiving a demon''s kiss..you get your wish," Syryn nodded slowly feeling like his brain was a piece of rock sloshing around inside his skull.


    More confusion for the mage. "What?" he leaned forward, "you want me to have a cup of that?"


    The younger man violently shook his head and looked annoyed. "I''ve got a list.. of people I must kiss before I die. Your name... on it, S''bastian."


    More amused than he had felt in weeks, Sebastian grabbed Syryn''s cup and drank what was left of it. Enough was enough, the mage decided. A heavy pouch of gold was dropped on the table and it sounded weighted enough to pay for more than a barrel of alcohol.


    "C''mon Syryn. Let''s get out of here and I''ll give you that kiss ya want so much." There was a wide smile on Sebastian''s face and it was because Syryn was leaning on the chair, posed like a heavily pregnant woman.


    A quiet curse slipped out when the younger man felt a stir of nausea. Syryn promised himself never to drink so much again. Never. A sense of deja vu hit him but it was gone as soon as he felt a strong arm support his swaying body.


    "This is what ya get for drinkin'' like an alcoholic fish, S''ryn. A-mu will have my hide when he hears about this, and he will hear about it too."


    "Awww he''s not gonna drink no more?"


    "Let him empty the barrel!"


    "I put a bet on the boy drinking it all up! Bring him back here!"


    Sebastian pushed through the crowd of drunk sweaty men. With some effort, Syryn was finally out of the bar and into the crisp night air. The younger mage was just dead weight in Sebastian''s arms.


    "Eos.." Syryn weakly moaned. "Please.. let me die.." He had underestimated the alcohol tolerance of his younger body.


    Sebastian shook his head at the tottering teen. He then hauled Syryn onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The younger mage moaned again when his vision swam and nausea hit him like a brick to his face.


    "Let''s take a walk to Rum district. Hopefully, you''ll be sober by then."


    "Give me.. ntox"


    "You want Untox?"


    "Nngh..tox"


    With care, Sebastian placed Syryn back onto his feet. He allowed the younger man to lean on his chest while he felt around his pockets for the cloth bag where he had a pill. Sebastian found it and was dismayed when he saw that it was empty.


    "That''s strange," he told himself.


    Syryn swung his head and looked up at the mage who was frowning.


    "Whatstrange?"


    "I remember checkin'' and findin'' a pill before we left that night, S''ryn." Sebastian held the bag upside down but nothing came out of it. "Yer outta luck. You''ll hafta ride this one out raw."


    Syryn sank to his feet and squatted with his head between his knees. If he was about to throw up, he didn''t want any of it splashing onto his shoes.


    "Yer hammered, S''ryn. Ya couldn''t have asked fer a kiss at a better time. I don''t think I could look ya in the eye fer it if you weren''t so out of it." The amused smile played on his lips again. "Say, did ya also kiss A-mu?" Because Sebastian couldn''t think of a list of kissable men that did not include Artemus.


    Syryn felt a sense of crisis hitting him. To lie or to lie? Ignore him and pretend you didn''t hear, anything, experience whispered. Eyes closed, he breathed in deeply, in and out, in and out.


    "Guess that answers it." A hand gently turned his face around and Syryn felt the lightest brush of lips on his mouth. It was just as chaste as the one Artemus had given him. The cool air was back on his lips when Sebastian freed him. "That good enough for the list?"


    He received a nod from the morose teen.


    "Guess we''ll hafta sit here till yer feelin'' better then."


    About 20 minutes later.


    "You call that a kiss? A dead fish could do better." The final vestiges of intoxication had left his system. Syryn got to his feet and was rewarded with a grin from the older mage.


    "If ya wanted a passionate kiss then ya should''ve said so," Sebastian replied. The smile on his face was not the sort that could be flaunted in polite company. "But, yer only 16, S''ryn. I have a.. sister your age, met her when I was travellin''. When I think about a guy my age hittin'' on her- well, ya get it right?"


    "You and mu-mu are made for each other." And he meant it too. Sebastian''s easy laughter and laid back nature was the perfect foil to the professor''s stiff and cool demeanour.


    "Ya think so? Artemus would disagree, but thanks for saying that." Sebastian replied with a chuckle.


    "So what did you say about the Untox pill?" Syryn asked, an air of seriousness back to his speech.


    Sebastian was silent for a moment as he struggled to voice what might have sounded stupid if it wasn''t for the squid being an equally stupid thing he''d already blabbed about.


    "I might''ve taken the pill sometime when we were in Rum district. Either that or it disappeared... somehow."


    Syryn raised his brows at the mage. "You kept telling me you didn''t take the pill. What changed your mind?"


    "I swear I had one on me when we left your home, S''ryn. It was there. And now it isn''t."


    Syryn frowned at the mage who kept telling him things that could not be proved. "Show me your pillbox?"


    Sebastian handed the small cloth bag over to Syryn and it was empty. "I made sure to check before we left. I had it in there. I swear on my magic." The strings on the tiny bag were drawn so tight it couldn''t have slipped out. Sebastian had also checked for holes but the silk was perfect in its form.


    The situation had gotten even more complicated. Syryn widened the mouth of the bag and took a sniff inside to confirm that it indeed used to hold the deep maroon pill that had a distinctly sweet smell to it.


    "Why do you not remember eating it?"


    "Maybe I was so drunk I forgot?" Even Sebastian didn''t believe the words he had just spoken.


    "If you had the presence of mind to take an Untox then you weren''t drunk enough to purge the memory of taking it."


    "Then what''s wrong with me, S''ryn? Am I still sick or am I feeling the side effects of whatever happened with the pregnancy?" The mage had on a crestfallen look that bothered Syryn. As Sebastian''s healer, it was an affront to his prided abilities.


    "We will go home right now and examine every inch of you!" Syryn suddenly declared.


    "After we visit Rum district."


    "Right, after we get the squid. But we''re not even drunk anymore, Sebastian."


    "It''s a squid, S''ryn. Ya think it can check yer blood alcohol content? Just act drunk."


    "It can go through walls, Sebastian. I won''t be surprised if it can actually gauge drunkenness."


    When the two fake drunks made a circuit of Rum district, they had been prepared to find the squid, not a dead mage.


    "Another victim of the squid?"


    Like its previous victims, the mage was unharmed on the outside. A big rat came scurrying out of the man''s wide sleeve and it startled Syryn out of his unfocused stare on the corpse.


    "We should let the mage hunters know," Sebastian said to him.


    From between his barely parted lips, Syryn could see a fading bluish glow that he would have missed if he hadn''t been paying attention to the mouth. He knelt before the corpse and pried open the already stiffening jaw. "He''s been dead at least three hours," Syryn informed Sebastian. The glow had disappeared like it was never there. He conjured a will O the wisp and it hovered just above the waxy face of the corpse.


    "What are you looking for?" Sebastian asked almost too quietly.


    "I saw something glowing in his mouth."


    The younger mage frowned and took a sniff close to the mouth. "He doesn''t smell like alcohol," Syryn''s gaze flickered to Sebastian''s gold eyes which were eerie in the light of the will ''O'' the-wisp. They held eye contact, both wondering if the theory about the squid catching drunk mages had just been shot.


    "This could be an outlier," Sebastian offered.


    "But why would it suddenly change its behavioural pattern? This place is always crawling with at least a few drunkards every night. It chose a sober mage tonight for what?"


    Sebastian blinked as he had suddenly thought of something. "What if we''re all wrong about it picking drunk mages?"


    Syryn was astute enough that he immediately understood what Sebastian was alluding to. It was like sticking a hand in a bag filled with 10 pink balls and one yellow ball. The probability of blind picking a pink ball was 10/11. Of course, the squid caught only the drunk ones! This was Rum district at an odd hour of the night. Which sober person would take a casual midnight walk in this area? 9/10 Rum district roamers were intoxicated people going home after a night spent in the company of the drink.


    Syryn sighed and exchanged another long look with Sebastian. "So what else are we wrong about?"


    "Could be everything? I don''t understand where this thing came from. We are near the centre of Elysium. How did it appear here? Why? And where does it hide during the day?"


    So many questions and they were still none the wiser about why the creature even attacked mages. Syryn forced back a feeling of revulsion and gingerly stuck his fingers in the mouth of the corpse. With his eyes closed, he ignored the nasty feeling of rooting around a dead man''s mouth and searched for what it was that had glowed.


    "Ah," he breathed out when his finger brushed past a smooth lump that felt different from everything else his skin had come into contact with. He pinched it between two fingers and pulled out what appeared to be a black coloured lump of organic matter. It was the size of a thumbnail.


    "What is that?" Sebastian crouched down beside him and stared at the lump on Syryn''s palm.


    "I have no idea.."


    "I hope ya don''t catch a disease from it."


    Syryn threw Sebastian a dirty look. As if he wasn''t already squeamish enough about handling a possibly toxic material with his bare hands, the mage had vocalised the fear that Syryn was barely keeping leashed.


    "Let''s go home, Sebastian. I need to go back and study this thing." When it came to the squid, evidence of its existence seemed ephemeral. Syryn wanted to extract information from the lump before it became as useless as everything else had proved to be.


    "We should report this to the mage hunters," Sebastian argued.


    Syryn was opposed to it because it was a waste of their time. "Like all the others, someone''s going to find the body in the morning and it''ll get reported. Take me home, Sebastian. This is more important."


    The older man silently nodded. Together, they headed off to where Sebastian''s carriage was parked.


    When Syryn was back in his workroom, his mind was heavy from the abuse it had taken. Two nights of straight-up drinking with almost three hours of sleep between them had the alchemist feeling a harsh burn in his eyes. His paranoid self was convinced that it was a symptom of some disease he had caught from fingering a dead man''s mouth.


    "S''ryn!" The younger man near jumped out of his skin.


    "What?!" He asked, eyes wide open in surprise.


    Sebastian scowled at him. "I called your name thrice, S''ryn. Are ya tired? You hafta get some sleep. I can''t wrap my mind around the fact that ya haven''t already keeled over from exhaustion."


    "You''re right. I''m ready to fall into a coffin," he mumbled. "Let me just-" Syryn blinked at the glass tube he had just taken out from his satchel.


    "It''s gone," he numbly said. He had stored the black lump inside it when they were at Rum district.


    "Of course it''s gone. Everything related to the squid just- disappears! What is this thing made out of?"


    For once in his life, the dumbstruck half-demon had not even an inkling of an answer. Nothing in the old tomes he''d read from cover to cover had ever mentioned a creature so elusive and mind-boggling.


    "I''m going to bed." Syryn began washing his hands with Salem''s highest grade of alcohol-based disinfectant.


    "Lend me a sleeping roll for tonight. I don''t want to go home at this hour."


    "My bed is big enough for three people. There''s no need to act like a gentleman, Sebastian. We''re both too tired to try anything weird anyway."


    "For all ya know, I could be a predator pretendin'' to be a gentleman so I can catch ya in a vulnerable position," the mage told the younger man as they walked to Syryn''s room.


    "Between the two of us, Seb, I''m the actual predator. You have no idea what you''re going to bed with." Syryn''s smile was positively evil. He let down the illusion and stared through indigo eyes that were especially pretty but sinister in the patch of moonlight that they stood under.


    Sebastian regarded him with some wariness. "Is there something yer tryin'' to tell me, S''ryn?"


    The teen smirked and turned away, realising he had just found an interesting avenue for entertainment. Would Sebastian guess correctly? And how would he react to it?

 Chapter 77 - Closure

    Out of the several annoying problems associated with going through puberty a second time, what Syryn hated most were the random mornings he woke up sporting tented pants.


    From the minimal amount of light getting through the curtains, he couldn''t tell how late in the morning it was. Syryn sat up on his end of the bed and remembered he had a guest sleeping with him. Turning to look at Sebastian had been a mistake.


    Stripped of the clothing that had seen a sweaty bar that night, Sebastian''s upper body was gloriously exposed to a wretched teenager. Mercifully, a blanket covered his lower body. He hadn''t guessed wrong about the beautiful musculature that the mage possessed.


    Syryn turned away with a sigh. It was hard being a teenager again. The alchemist knew his boner wouldn''t be going away without him doing something about it so he slunk off for a bath and some time alone with himself.


    "Good morning, Syryn," a cute redhead greeted him in the kitchen. Without giving it much thought, Syryn placed a quick kiss on Luci''s head. The child had come home from classes one day, asking to be given a kiss on his head like he had seen a mother do for one of his classmates. With a smidgen of awkwardness, Syryn had complied. Now, it was just business as usual.


    Rewarded with a radiant smile, the alchemist basked in the ray of sunshine that Lucien was. "I made breakfast this morning," the boy informed the alchemist. Luci was turning 12 very soon and his height was no joking matter. Syryn wasn''t short by any means but Lucien was taller than the alchemist had been at the same age. And just like Syryn, Luci grew his hair out and used a spelled ribbon that Salem had given him. Luci''s was a leaf green colour that paired prettily with his autumn flame hair. The baby fat on his cheeks was already dramatically reducing, contouring out a delicate bone structure that gave a peek into what Lucien would look like in a few years.


    "Luci, don''t you think you need an illusion? At least until you''re powerful enough to defend yourself from... unnecessary attention." With Luci''s history, Syryn was unwilling to expose the child to more negative experiences with child kidnappers.


    "No, Red and I are perfectly capable of defending me," he smiled at the alchemist and turned back to cracking an egg into a shallow oiled pan.


    Syryn believed it. The redhead had over the years absorbed lessons on magic and fighting from several teachers that included Syryn, Magnus, and Salem. And after that disastrous kidnapping episode, Luci had become more comfortable with using his skills to kill. The one person that he learnt most from was Red, and Syryn shuddered to think of exactly what was being taught. Aside from Necromancy, the alchemist knew of a few of Red''s sinister abilities that found purpose in torture. Glancing up at the cheery boy who had none of the darkness that clung to Red, Syryn felt a sense of dissonance.


    In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Lucien.


    Syryn''s teeth gleamed as he smiled down at the redhead who had a kitchen knife pressed to the alchemist''s throat. Humour danced in red eyes and the pointed end of the knife bit into Syryn''s skin, drawing out a bead of blood.


    "Syryn, what game are we playing today?" The redhead asked.


    "We''re playing surprise Luci, and you''ve won."


    Syryn turned back to his cooling breakfast, content with knowing that Luci was becoming quite formidable. He had seen all but a blur of movement when he had snuck up on the redhead.


    Still thinking about Lucien, Syryn abruptly sidestepped when his senses warned him of danger.


    The knife he had just dodged was stuck an inch deep in the wood of their table. How hard had Luci thrown?! Syryn whirled around and raised his brows at the redhead.


    "Is there something you want to tell me, Lucien?"


    Luci''s smile was mischievous. "I wasn''t trying to kill you, I swear."


    "Red, it''s you, isn''t it?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. The most terrifying development in the child so far was Red''s ability to act perfectly like Luci. Some days, Syryn couldn''t tell the difference between the two if Red chose to be Luci.


    A flash of his canines was the answer that Syryn received And like a stage actor, Lucien was all sunny smiles when he caught sight of an approaching fire mage.


    Magnus had been gone all day and night attending to a guild task. He was covered in mud, and stank to the high heavens. The fire mage stopped at the doorway to sheepishly explain what had happened to him.


    "Yeah I know, I smell like a sewer," he directed his speech to Lucien because Syryn was pretending to ignore him. "I was out killing an ogre. There were piles of ogre shit and rotting animal carcasses everywhere. I had to even wade through an infested swamp to get to its cave."


    Syryn ate his meal, not sparing a single glance for the fire mage. It was easier to ignore Magnus because the alternative was an argument.


    "I''ll get you a bucket of water," Luci volunteered sympathetically.


    "He needs more than a bucket of water," Riha blandly said to the boy just as he arrived at the kitchen. "Give him some of Salem''s disinfectant and a bar of the harshest soap you have." The smell of ozone followed the selkie''s quiet entrance.


    Magnus was made to stand outside and wait for the shower that Riha summoned. It didn''t take long for the clouds to weep upon the fire mage who promptly stripped and tossed his clothes away for later burning.


    "Ya know, it''s not the right season for rain,"


    Sebastian also made his presence known to the housemates. His eyes stopped briefly but with sharpness on the selkie before flitting away to the redhead who was back to frying more eggs.


    "You and yer brother hit the genetic lottery didn''t ya?"


    Syryn chewed on some bacon that Luci had rolled into a tube with cheese and spice. It was delicious. He could taste Alka''s influence in the child''s cooking.


    "Seems like it," Syryn replied to the mage.


    The rain had abated. In walked a Magnus with only a towel around his waist. The fire mage was turning 19 - a fact that annoyed Red. Sometimes, Magnus came home smelling like someone else and it grated on Red. Magnus was an adult and found his fun like hot-blooded men of his age were wont to do. It wasn''t anything that Red could fault him over. The redhead hoped that none of the one night stands proved good enough to become a full-time partner.


    "Where''s Lumi?" Syryn asked Riha.


    "He''s flying," the selkie answered, "exercising his wings with Aya."


    Magnus walked past the group and grabbed Luci in a bear hug because he had been gone for too long and needed to squeeze little Lucien - his source of therapy. The child was smothered by the fire mage''s towering form and Syryn was appalled at how oblivious Magnus was. The bright red cheeks on Luci''s face as he pushed the mage away should have clued him in on the red head''s little crush.


    Poor Luci, Syryn thought. Magnus still considered him a baby, which he was, of course. But he was now more teen than a baby. Luci''s first crush and it had to be the much older man whose sexuality was still a mystery to Syryn. Which side of the fence did Magnus play at? At the very least, Red and Luci were in accord about the person they liked. Syryn imagined the consequences of the two individuals falling for different people. Messy, maybe violent even, he thought.


    "I haven''t seen Salem for a while," Syryn told Riha. "Did he say anything about where he was going?"


    "Not really," Riha replied. "I was only told that he was going on a trip and wouldn''t be back for a week."


    The alchemist couldn''t help but wonder if it had anything to do with his curse. From what he had gleaned off the blonde, he knew that Salem had made two more kills. Syryn had watched him for days and ascertained that the blonde''s mental condition appeared stable and normal. Had Syryn been wrong?


    "I see," he replied.


    "I''m goin'' home S''ryn. I''ll be back in the evenin'' if you aren''t too tired for another night out."


    Sebastian hadn''t had breakfast yet but he didn''t seem to be in the mood for it.


    "I''m rested enough to venture out again," Syryn said to the mage.


    "No drinkin''."


    "Agreed."


    The mystery of the missing pill still confounded Sebastian. There was no way he had lost the pill. If untox had been used, why did he have no memory of it? The mage hadn''t given much thought before to how his mind had been sharp and clear while he was chasing the squid. He had attributed it to adrenaline but now Sebastian wasn''t so sure anymore.


    A few nights of stalking Rum district proved a futile task. No more dead mages, no squid movement, and no clues to be found. Sebastian slept in Syryn''s bed every one of those nights. It led to the younger man''s decision for a room to be cleaned out immediately. There were only so many lucky mornings Syryn could have before an inevitable encounter between his bedmate and Syryn''s morning wood. It was a natural bodily function but it didn''t mean Syryn wasn''t ashamed of it being seen. He wanted to ask Magnus just how the boy had managed to avoid awkwardness with Lucien. Sharing the bed with someone else was stressful.


    Artemus returned exactly 8 days after his departure. The inquesters had submitted their report and an investigation was opened. From the number of mage hunters sent out to look for leads, it was apparent just how seriously they viewed this incident. Artemus was appointed the lead inquisitor but the appointment was kept under wraps for reasons that included his maintaining a low profile.


    Syryn was in his workroom catching up on fulfilling the new orders that came from his hard-working employee. When Artemus arrived, his red cloak billowing behind him with the haste of someone who had a lot to do, the alchemist welcomed him enthusiastically. With the lull in the squid case, Syryn was practically vibrating from excitement to have more information about the caravan murders


    .


    "I''ve signed you up as a consultant in the investigation," Artemus breezed past Syryn and slammed a thick file of papers onto the counter.


    "When I return tomorrow, I expect you to have read and understood everything inside here. The information inside it is highly sensitive and includes the identities of the dead."


    "Why me?" Syryn tentatively asked. He was good at alchemy and had a few other talents that had nothing to do with investigative work. Although he had volunteered, Syryn hadn''t expected to get involved. Where did Artemus get the confidence to think that Syryn would contribute in any meaningful way?


    The anti mage raised his brows at Syryn, "you don''t want to be a part of the investigation?"


    "I want to. I''m not sure how I can help."


    "Don''t worry about that." Artemus occupied one of the several high stools next to the counter. When he looked at the alchemist expectantly, Syryn realised what he was waiting for.


    The alchemist injected magic into a slot in the correct drawer and pulled it open. The phial was exactly where he had stored it.


    "You can drink it now," Syryn held out the black coloured liquid to the anti mage.


    "No side effects?" Artemus asked. His wariness was not without cause. After the experience he had undergone with Syryn''s potion, the anti mage was left with minor mental trauma. At that time, he had been completely certain he was dying.


    "None," Syryn assured him. "Drink."


    Long pale fingers popped open the cork with a grace that had no place showing up in such a mundane activity. Artemus lifted the potion to his lips and with a flourish, the black liquid went pouring down his throat in a torrent of heat and something awful. The anti mage was immediately aware of a strange sensation akin to bugs crawling under his skin.


    "You said-" the anti mage wore a look like he''d never been betrayed so hard in his life. The rest of his words were choked off by a constriction in his airway.


    It took a fraction of a second for Syryn to understand what was happening. Heart in his throat, the alchemist rushed back to his drawer and pulled out an assortment of items. "Sand feather is an extremely rare ingredient, and it''s even rarer for it to cause a negative reaction when consumed. When it does-" a pause. He found what he needed. "-You''re very unlucky, Artemus."


    The anti mage resisted the urge to dig into his skin and remove the army of bugs that were crawling underneath. He could not focus on the words that the alchemist was speaking but he heard the parts that helped him understand what was happening to his body.


    "-pen your mouth-" Artemus felt cool fingers trying to push something between his lips. It was sweet and soft. The anti mage opened his mouth and licked it right off the fingers that tasted like the thing that was melting on his tongue.


    The reaction to his action was swift. Syryn''s fingers jolted away from Artemus'' mouth. The warm tongue licking at his skin had sent a bucket of ice down his spine. The alchemist hid the tingling fingers behind his back and waited for his patient to show signs of recovery.


    "Was that cave honey?"


    Syryn sighed in relief when Artemus spoke to him. The worst was over. In the history of medicine, only 9 people had ever experienced this adverse reaction to sand feather. Artemus was the unlucky number 10, and his name could be added to the books.


    "Yes. Are you feeling better?" Syryn''s heart was still racing from what had just happened. He had killed plenty of patients that were forced to undergo his experiments but this man wasn''t someone Syryn could afford to kill. Neither his heart nor his conscience - if he had one - was ready for the consequences of killing the anti mage.


    "Much better. What exactly happened?" He was calmer than Syryn had anticipated.


    "Nothing you should worry about. Next time, let your healer know that you can''t have any sand feather in your medicines. Your body doesn''t like it."


    "Why would I go to another healer when I have you?" Artemus asked with a pointed glance that suggested what he thought of Syryn''s advice.


    "I almost killed you," the alchemist blurted out.


    "But you didn''t."


    "If I didn''t have a comb of cave honey with me-"


    "Then you''d have found another way to save me."


    The alchemist was blown away by the trust Artemus had placed in his abilities. No one aside from Luci had ever placed so much faith in him. Artemus was right though, Syryn had a plan B for him if the cave honey hadn''t worked.


    "Am I cured?" The anti mage asked.


    Syryn slowly nodded. He had almost killed Artemus. He should have tested him before administering the sand feather infused concoction. "It''ll take a few days for the potion to completely eradicate what the glacial sword left inside you."


    The anti mage could see past Syryn''s facade of false composure. With a low sigh, Artemus resisted the urge to leave for the meeting he was getting late for.


    "You said I''m unlucky but I say you''re wrong, Syryn. I am a very lucky man to have met you. Without you in my life, I''d already have died by now." Artemus spoke with solemn gravity. "Put away that guilt and use it instead for the many times you broke my heart." And here he smiled.


    Syryn was rendered speechless.


    "Do you remember what I told you that night when you''d asked me to kiss you?" The anti mage looked into Syryn''s eyes and held it in a hypnotic gaze.


    The alchemist remembered it with clarity because those words had churned something hot and fierce in him that night.


    ''Syryn, when I kiss you next time, it''ll be when your body is all grown and ready for everything else I''ll be doing to you.'' How could he forget?


    The alchemist nodded. He felt his heart pull in opposing directions. "I remember."


    The anti mage slowly carded his fingers through Syryn''s hair, brushing past the back of his neck and pulling him closer. "Do you still want it?"


    The mage closed his eyes. Artemus was so beautiful and Syryn wanted him.


    His answer to the anti mage came as a question.


    "Artemus, do you think we could love each other completely and without reserve?" Syryn was sure in his heart who he loved. But could he unlove Rowan enough to give it to Artemus? No.


    The anti mage went still. Saying yes to the question was dishonesty. He couldn''t do it.


    Syryn smiled. He wasn''t the only one then.


    "Is it Sebastian?" Syryn asked him.


    "No," the answer came too quick to the anti mage''s lips. Too reflexive. Too rehearsed. Did Artemus practise in the mirror?


    "Okay," Syryn replied. Denial was comfort.


    The anti mage''s searching eyes seemed to stare into Syryn''s soul. Accepting the answer that he saw there, Artemus exhaled, letting go of something that he should have freed a long time ago.


    "For the boy who wanted a real kiss that night, forgive me Syryn," Artemus inched closer and softly murmured to him. "It''ll be our last so I''ll make it good."


    Syryn closed his eyes and filled himself with the rich scent of fragrant ink.


    Artemus'' last kiss wasn''t chaste. The anti mage poured out his devotion into the melding of their lips. It was passionate, intense, and slow - like he wanted to imprint on Syryn''s lips a phantom of what they could have had. It tasted like honey and burnt hot into the melancholy that enveloped their injured hearts.

 Chapter 78 - Blackmail

    WARNING: The following chapter contains descriptions of torture.


    When the anti mage had taken his leave, Syryn spared no time pouncing on the report that was left on the work table. Academic pursuits were the best sort of distraction for Syryn. He settled himself into a comfortable seat and began to read through the information it provided.


    Who were the victims? A caravan of merchants on their way to Shan-ri, a village that grew spices on fertile lands that were frequently flooded by river water.


    How many victims? 9 merchants and 7 hired guards. They had identification papers that were a necessity for trading at outposts.


    The 10 bodies that had been hung displayed severe and terrible marks of torture. But for what purpose? Although Syryn could see the delights that could be found in torture, sadists weren''t all cut from the same cloth. The act of inflicting violence and pain made the torturer feel powerful. And when pain was effectively used on one''s enemies, it produced results that stoked a kind of pleasure and satisfaction that no other activity could replicate. But that wasn''t always the case in every torture scenario.


    One of the victims had been flayed alive almost completely. From the descriptions of the condition his body was found in, Syryn surmised that it was done by an amateur. He hadn''t tenderised the victim before starting the flaying procedure. It was no wonder the body was left with unevenly skinned patches.


    Another one showed self-inflicted gashes and dark bruises all over his face. Syryn didn''t have to read far into the report to know that the man was missing his brain as well. The Inquisitor hadn''t come to a satisfying conclusion to what had happened to the victim.


    Syryn concluded it was the work of a puff worm. Scavengers by nature, the finger-sized furry worms loved eating brains, dead or alive. The man certainly hadn''t been dead when the puff worm was introduced to his ear canal. It was an unusual method of torture because most people hadn''t caught on yet that the cute little things didn''t just snack on dead brains.


    The further that Syryn read, the more his confidence soared. He wasn''t useless at all to the investigation. Syryn was sure that an alternative profession as an Inquisitor awaited him if he so desired. The young mage pulled out his writing paraphernalia to record his conclusions on the state of torture that each victim displayed. He also worried that the inquisitors had missed details on the corpses, small but significant details that Syryn would have noticed.


    The alchemist glossed through the reports and moved onto the 6 individuals who had escaped the torture session that their unfortunate companions had been subjected to. However, theirs was an even more wretched situation. There was no discernable cause of death to explain what their last moments had been like. Even more puzzling was the severe state of decomposition they were found in.


    The window of time between being seen alive in Elysium and being found dead was small enough that the extent of their decomposition was unnatural. In addition - without the action of insects on the corpse, Syryn was highly doubtful of the one-week decomposition status that had been accepted as fact.


    The entire scenario was puzzling. Just what were the killers trying to accomplish by their actions? Had the merchants offended someone they shouldn''t have? The horrors that they had been subjected to were unwarranted and excessive. They were dealing with some very sadistic criminals. The most logical course of action at this point would have been to look into the history of the merchants. Syryn was sure that Artemus was already on it. He, on the other hand, had to contribute with solving the darker aspects of the case, more notably, the question of why scavengers had avoided the corpses.


    -----------


    "I come bearing news," a handsome sandy-haired mage disturbed Syryn''s chain of thoughts still hooked to the caravan case. The alchemist had spent a sleepless night that mostly had to do with his inability to understand the motivations of the killers. There was a psychological aspect to it that eluded his grasp.


    "What news?" Syryn asked, a little grateful for the interruption. He was in the initial stages of an unhealthy obsession with the caravan murders.


    Sebastian seated himself and studied Syryn''s face with interest. They were outdoors and under a horizontal trellis that was covered in roses.


    "What do you feel about cross dressin''?" Sebastian asked.


    "Why? It''s none of my business what you like to do in your free time," Syryn answered.


    "Not me. I''m talkin'' about you, S''ryn."


    The alchemist looked for a smile or any indication that the man was joking but he found none. "I don''t crossdress."


    Sebastian nodded. "But are ya willin'' to consider it?"


    Syryn was a lot more confused than he had been a few seconds ago.


    "Why would I want to crossdress?"


    "Because I want you to." Now Sebastian grinned.


    "Put away your naughty hand, S''ryn. If you attack me, we might destroy the pretty plants, and ya know Alka won''t like that at all."


    It was a good threat. "I won''t crossdress, not even if you paid me to do it."


    "Why not?"


    "Dresses are highly impractical, Sebastian. Have you ever worn one and braved a windy day?"


    Syryn''s reasoning for his refusal to don a dress wasn''t what the older mage had expected. "No, I haven''t. You speak from experience, don''t ya?" Now he was curious.


    "Of course it''s from experience. I tried on a dress to find out why women haven''t already gotten rid of such impractical things." And it had been a disaster.


    He hadn''t expected to bump into Traxdart in the narrow corridor of the old castle they''d occupied as a temporary base. And he certainly hadn''t accounted for the wind that blew through the open-air corridor. Traxdart and his companion had gotten an eyeful of Syryn''s legs under the billowy dress. For someone as prideful as Syryn, it was the most shameful incident he had in memory. And if there was one thing he was grateful for about his rebirth, it was that Traxdart no longer had any memories of that incident.


    "You''re serious," Sebastian said with awe. "You''d even wear women''s clothing to satisfy your inquisitiveness, and yet you refuse my simple request. Aren''t we friends, S''ryn? We even shared a bed."


    The alchemist bristled at that. "I''m not gonna sit here and get emotionally blackmailed by a pervert. Find another pervert to play dress-up with you!"


    "It won''t do. It has to be you!"


    "Why??"


    "Your height and form are perfect for the role of Cass. It''s either you or the festival gets ruined."


    "I refuse," Syryn coldly informed him. There was no way he was playing Cassiopeia. From Sebastian''s words, he had understood what this was about.


    "Won''t you consider it? I don''t want another queen." Sebastian was not averse to begging if it meant he could avoid having to pick one of the noble ladies that the emperor had chosen.


    "You''ve been chosen as Lunar king?"


    "Can''t refuse an emperor''s decree, can ya?"


    Someone wasn''t happy about it but Syryn refused to be dragged down with him.


    "Ask Artemus," the alchemist suggested.


    "Are you insane?" Sebastian said it very slowly, almost like he was talking to a mentally challenged person.


    "I''m not doing it, Sebastian. My answer is final."


    Playing the role of Cassiopeia entailed roaming the streets of Elysium and ''slaying'' the night King''s minions while the citizens made merry drinking and dancing out on the streets. As fun as it sounded, Syryn was not getting into a dress this side of his life.


    "What a shame then," Sebastian said to Syryn. "I suppose I''ll just walk away heartbroken today and you''ll have to figure out for yourself how the squid does its disappearin'' act."


    "What?" Syryn sat up straighter. "Did you find a clue?"


    A pool of silence surrounded Sebastian. The mage was a picture of relaxed confidence as he waited for Syryn to respond positively to his request.


    "You''re playing with the lives of mages, future victims of the squid. Spit it out, Sebastian."


    "I am getting late for a date with several women who are all vying to be queen. Maybe I''ll let ya know after I''ve captured the squid myself." Sebastian was all teeth when he grinned at Syryn.


    "You''re despicable," Syryn spat out.


    "Is that a yes?"


    "I will not be bullied into such foolishness."


    Syryn''s teenage hormones reacted to the smile Sebastian levelled him with. "If I were bullyin'' you, I''d have ya on your knees."


    This prompted the teen to wonder how a fight with Sebastian would turn out. Syryn wasn''t sure of his chances at all. "Try me."


    "Yes, I will, someday. Not today," Sebastian answered as he looked around the trellis like a fidgeting and bored child. "You have two days to decide, S''ryn. The wise emperor seeks a name from me within that time frame. Don''t disappoint me. I''d hate to replace you as my queen." Syryn had never met such a shameless person before.


    Having said his piece, the mage went his way. Their little exchange left the teen on edge because it was apparent who had the upper hand. He could have said yes and then reneged on it after getting what he wanted, but Syryn knew that Sebastian was no fool to fall for such a simple trick.


    "The day I wear another dress, may Eos strike me with her right arm," he said loudly. The temptation for knowledge was so strong that Syryn had half a mind to submit. The damn squid and the answer to its mystery were like a tantalising treasure that he just had to have.


    "You sure about that?"


    Syryn ignored the person who spoke to him.


    "You are so childish." Magnus came to occupy the seat that Sebastian had evacuated. "Stop ignoring me."


    "Is that an order?"


    "Yes, it is. And you''re being dramatic."


    Syryn rolled his eyes at Magnus. "We''re fighting. That''s what people do when they fight. They cease communication."


    "And then they make up," Magnus added quickly. "How long do you intend to ignore me?"


    Syryn didn''t know. All he knew was that Magnus had annoyed him and he wanted the mage to stay away till the negative feelings went away. Syryn wasn''t being childish, he was just following his heart.


    "You hurt me when you chose to believe Lumi''s words above mine. I forgive you but I don''t forget," he haughtily told the mage. "If Lumi did to you what he did to me, I''d have believed you against what the evidence presented. I''d have tried to speak to you about it as soon as I could! But you waited till today and that''s another strike against you Magnus. Go fuck yourself." Syryn stood up to leave. His temper had come back with a vengeance.


    His attempt to exit was foiled by Magnus. Wrist clamped in a firm but gentle hold, the mage told him, "don''t walk away."


    "Let go," Syryn said, too calm for someone who just had an outburst.


    "Listen to what I have to say."


    "I did. Let go, Magnus. We''re done talking."


    "No!" Magnus growled and the suddenness of it came as a shock to the alchemist.


    The panther had been roused. Syryn found himself imprisoned between a wall and the arms of an enraged shapeshifter. If Magnus didn''t appear so furious, Syryn would have found their positions quite compromising.


    "You will listen to what I have to say." The change in his voice was startling. Human vocal cords did not produce such a sound. It showed how agitated Magnus was feeling.


    "If you don''t let go of me, you can kiss goodbye any goodwill I have left for you. And just letting you know kitty cat, there''s hardly any left." Syryn was lying through his teeth. His fondness for the fire mage hadn''t lessened despite the rocky phase they were going through.


    Magnus immediately let go but not without a frustrated sound that rumbled through his chest. The fire mage wasn''t one to lose control like that. It said a lot about how much the cold treatment was getting to him. The alchemist had had his fun and now it was time to act like an adult.


    "What''s got you all wound up like this? I know it isn''t just about me." Syryn had a suspicion that something was amiss with the fire mage and that he was already in a volatile mood when he found Syryn.


    "It''s Lucien," Magnus confessed easily. "He''s become distant. It feels like I''m losing everyone."


    Syryn winced. This was a hot cake he absolutely refused to take. Lucien was obviously avoiding Magnus because of his raging crush on the man. Syryn couldn''t out his secret like that. Neither could he lie to Magnus with a good conscience.


    "Did you talk to him about it?" It was funny how their fight had come to this.


    "And say what?" The fire mage replied with misery. "Luci, Red, why aren''t you sleeping with me anymore? Do you realise how creepy that sounds?!"


    Syryn felt a bubble of laughter begging to be released. "Where does he sleep these days?"


    "In Salem''s bed. Lucien broke the lock to Salem''s room just to avoid me."


    Syryn made a mental note to have a conversation with Red about respecting private spaces. He could have just asked to sleep with Syryn. But then again, Sebastian had been there more often than not.


    Syryn changed tactics. "Why does a grown-ass man like you still want to sleep with Lucien? You''re creepy."


    Magnus threw his hands in the air like he was giving up. "Syryn, I''m not a fucking creep. After years of sleeping next to Lucien, it''s a change that I can''t get used to, alright. But I guess I will since he doesn''t want me anymore." Magnus was sulking like an overgrown puppy. "Kids grow up so fast and reject their parents."


    Syryn said a prayer in his heart for Lucien''s feelings. The fire mage had just compared himself to a parental figure and it didn''t bode well for any future prospects of romance.


    "I guess you''ll just have to get used to it then, "Syryn told him while patting his back. "Lucien is growing up so we''ll all have to adjust to his needs."


    "And what about mine?"


    Syryn smiled at the fire mage, "we''ll find you a pillow to hug so you don''t feel so lonely without Lucien."

 Chapter 79 - Liberem

    The orange evening sun was sinking past the horizon. Syryn was almost done trimming an ornamental bush that had grown taller than its neighbours. From his spot, the alchemist could see Riha seated by the window of his room. The selkie had his nose buried in a book. One of these days, Syryn would drag Riha out by the hair so the man could get some outdoors.


    The teenager then spotted Artemus'' familiar hound coach pull up at the front of their gate. The anti mage soon stepped out and began a brisk walk towards Syryn.


    "Have you seen my brother?" Artemus asked him.


    Syryn hadn''t seen Alka in forever. Why was Artemus asking him? The plant mage was never around the manor.


    "No. Isn''t he staying with you? I haven''t seen him in nearly a week." Syryn figured it was the wrong answer. Artemus frowned before turning to focus on a spot in their garden.


    "Did he make any mention of travelling?"


    "No," Syryn replied. "The only member of the manor taking a trip is Salem. He''s been gone nearly a week."


    "I see. I should have known." Artemus was looking at the sky as he replied.


    Syryn sent his gaze heavenward and saw a black coloured bird circling overhead. The bird zeroed in on Artemus and began descending towards them. When it landed on the anti mage''s outstretched arm, Artemus carefully extracted a message that was inside a cylinder tied to the bird''s foot.


    The anti mage''s expression remained neutral as he read what was written on the note. The piece of paper then disintegrated into ash as soon as Artemus lifted his eyes off it. Syryn watched the man close the cylinder with a clicking sound. Having heard the sound, the blackbird took off back into the sky.


    "Duty calls," the anti mage informed Syryn. "We''ll discuss the case tomorrow."


    "What duty? Is it a meeting?"


    The anti mage was suddenly in a hurry to get to his coach.


    "No"


    "Let me catch a ride with you mu-mu. Drop me off at the mill, please." Syryn fell in step with the anti mage and pleaded.


    "I''m heading towards the eastern docks." Artemus pulled the door open and climbed in.


    "Then drop me off after doing whatever it is you have to do at the docks. Come on, Artemus, I have to go today!"


    "Why? What is it that''s so important that it can''t wait for tomorrow?"


    "I can''t tell you because of patient healer confidentiality."


    The anti mage stared at Syryn like he suspected the mage was bullshitting. "Get in."


    And that''s how Syryn found himself at the Eastern docks, sitting inside the coach while Artemus disappeared into another unsavoury looking alleyway for the fifth time. The alchemist had hopped in with the anti mage in expectation of a quick stopover at the docks before being dropped off at the mill. He was wrong.


    "One more stop," Artemus informed Syryn when he returned. This time, a faint scent of blood clung to the anti mage.


    Dani and Luta pulled the coach away from the docks. They were heading towards a more upscale neighbourhood that Syryn hadn''t visited before. The hounds stopped at a building tiled with blue shingles.


    Artemus turned to Syryn. "Since you''re here, I might as well make use of your talents."


    "What? You''re taking me with you?" The alchemist''s eyes suddenly were shining with excitement.


    "Do not say or do anything until I tell you to."


    "I won''t!"


    Syryn clambered out of the carriage following the anti mage who was already striding away.


    Artemus entered the blue-tiled building and waited for Syryn to get inside before he shut the door and hooked in the heavy-duty bolt. The alchemist''s first impression of the place told him it was a store that sold cosmetics. A counter at the end of the room sheltered a man who was reaching for something under it.


    The anti mage calmly strode forward and faced the man now pointing a crossbow at him.


    "Leave the premises, mage hunter." His scowl deepened the lines on his forehead. The man was either really stupid to believe that Artemus would give in to his threat, or he was smart enough to know that the situation had reached the highest level of escalation possible once Artemus had locked the door. Syryn thought it was the latter.


    "Where is Hagen?" The anti mage asked, unfazed by the threat of a bolt pointed at his heart.


    "I''m going to shoot you if you don''t leave right now Sanguine dog." Syryn was impressed by the man''s guts. He watched in interest at what Artemus might do.


    A door to the right side of the counter clicked open and another man stepped out. The split second of distraction was enough for Artemus to bury a throwing knife into the crossbow-wielding man''s neck. Eyes going wide like he couldn''t believe what had just happened, the man fell to his knees.


    The other person looked at the dead body of his companion and then back up at Artemus. A fawning smile strained tightly across his face and he began to flatter the anti mage.


    "Sir, we are honoured to have your esteemed presence in this humble shop. Please take a seat while I get you the best selection of wine we have."


    Artemus picked up the crossbow that had clattered down on the counter when its wielder fell. The anti mage made use of a white handkerchief as a barrier between his skin and the wood of the crossbow.


    "Tell me where Hagen is hiding and you won''t suffer the same fate as your friend." His tone was perfectly level, face as neutral as ever.


    The terrified man began babbling out the address a location. When he has was done, Artemus nodded, eyes on the counter in thought. "Is your information to be trusted?"


    "Yes sir, he''s hiding with three other fugitives, all under the protection of our group." He was eager to please.


    "Thank you," Artemus pulled the trigger and Syryn winced. Technically speaking, Artemus hadn''t lied. The other guy was killed with a knife, not a crossbow.


    The man looked down at his chest in disbelief and then slumped down, presumably atop the other dead body.


    "Was that necessary?" Syryn asked.


    "Yes. Come with me." Artemus led the way into the room that the man had stepped out of.


    It was filled with wooden crates that were stacked up to the ceiling. The scent of something sickly sweet reached Syryn''s nose. He recognised the smell for what it was - Liberem, a delicious but toxic cube of sugary sweetness that helped the eater ascend to Paradise for a few hours. It was as illegal as they came.


    "Can you ascertain the grade on these cubes?" The anti mage held out a testing kit to Syryn. Its accuracy was dubious but the mage hunters hadn''t found another fast method to test Liberem.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Artemus stared at Syryn in shock. The alchemist had popped a cube into his mouth like he was eating candy.


    "Checking its purity like you asked. Don''t worry, I''m a demon."


    "Syryn!" It came out in a hiss. "Spit it out right now." The anti mage''s onyx eyes were dark with worry.


    "This is good! Best I''ve ever had." Syryn''s eyes were glazing over but he shook his head and snapped out of it. "Half Liberem. Maybe five per cent more."


    Artemus glared at the alchemist for another second before dragging him out of the room by his arm. Syryn''s vision was bleeding and merging with another reality.


    "Mu-mu, I''m okay. The butterfly will leave soon."


    Artemus helped the teen into the carriage. There was no visiting the mill now that he had drugged himself stupid.


    "Syryn, look at me." Artemus leaned over the alchemist to examine his eyes. Syryn''s pupils were constricted to pinpoints. The anti mage was helpless. There was nothing to do but allow his body to completely digest the Liberem.


    The alchemist closed his eyes and waited for the effects of the drug to pass. It seemed only a second later that the coach halted.


    "Syryn, are you able to understand what I''m saying?" The anti mage hovered over the prone teen.


    "Yes."


    Artemus brushed Syryn''s hair away from his face in a gentle motion. The alchemist was squinting at him.


    "I''m locking the door from the outside. I''ll be right back so don''t leave the coach."


    "Okay," Syryn replied, conscious of his soul floating back into his body.


    As promised, the anti mage returned faster than Syryn had anticipated.


    "Done killing Hagen?" He was feeling like himself now.


    "No, I merely crippled him. More useful dead than alive."


    Syryn hadn''t pegged Artemus as the type to do such dirty work. The anti mage could have just sat behind a desk and used his brain instead of legging it around unhygienic places whilst murdering smugglers and busting drug dens.


    "How are you feeling, Syryn?"


    "Fantastic."


    "I''m having second thoughts about keeping you in the caravan case." The coach zipped past a patch of forest that Syryn hadn''t noticed when they''d arrived.


    "Why?"


    "Your little stunt today has shown me that you cannot follow basic orders. You are a liability in the field."


    "Okay, that''s not fair. You asked me to test the cubes and I did."


    "We both have eyes to see the testing kit I was holding out to you. You ignored it and acted as you saw fit. You disobeyed me, Syryn."


    Artemus wasn''t wrong. Being a member of an organisation that dealt with the most dangerous of criminals, following the rules was kept the mage hunters alive. "Sorry. Those testing kits are notoriously inaccurate. I thought I could do better by using myself to test its efficacy."


    "I don''t know what to make of that, Syryn. Do you normally test drugs on yourself?" The anti mage''s gaze was heavy with concern.


    "Can we not talk about this anymore? I promise to follow the rules next time."


    Artemus doubted that very much but he complied with Syryn''s request. He would bring it up another time. "There''s been a discovery that might be related to the caravan murders."


    The change of topic was a relief to Syryn. "What discovery?"


    "We received news about a burial ground that had been disturbed right around the time that the murders took place. Five graves were found emptied of their contents."


    There were two reasons that someone would steal a corpse. Dead bodies made good ingredients in some spells and curses. There was an entire underground market dedicated to providing corpses that satisfied the criteria set up by buyers. The younger the age of the dead, the higher it sold for. The second reason that Syryn suspected was necromancy, which was just as illegal if not more so than the former.


    "How far was it from where the murders took place?"


    "About half a mile away."


    It was close enough. "What do stolen corpses have to do with a murder scene?" Syryn asked.


    The silence that came from Artemus was telling. Neither could think of a reasonable connection between the two. However, it seemed too much of a coincidence for both incidents to occur so close in time and distance to each other.


    "I read the file you gave me. The reports were inaccurate."


    "What do you mean?"


    Syryn wondered how to put it without coming off as being too professional in the practice of torture.


    "Well, the inquisitor''s conclusions do not match my own. I disagree with some of the conjectures he''s made about the injuries."


    Artemus didn''t look too happy about Syryn''s findings. "Are you telling me that we have a bunch of incompetent inquisitors on our payroll?"


    "No, no, they aren''t incompetent," Syryn hastily replied. "Others would have come to the same conclusions. In fact, there were some important points in the report that made me re-evaluate my inferences." A lie.


    The anti mage considered Syryn''s words. He closed his eyes in thought and then looked at the alchemist. "Send me a copy of your notes. It''ll be forwarded to the team of Inquisitors that worked on the bodies."


    "You won''t leak my identity will you?"


    Artemus inclined his head at Syryn. "I won''t."


    "We''re here." The coach stopped outside the gates of their manor.


    "Syryn," Artemus called out to the descending teenager. "Don''t do drugs."


    The alchemist rolled his eyes at the anti mage. "Yes, mother."

 Chapter 80 - Night King

    Sebastian had arrived to coerce Syryn one last time and the teen had finally capitulated.


    "I have two conditions." Syryn raised his slender fingers in the air.


    "One, I wear a veil."


    "Acceptable."


    "Two, nobody finds out who I am."


    "Ohh, that''s not gonna be easy."


    Without Salem around, the workroom had been getting untidy. It was cleaning day, and Sebastian had been roped into Syryn''s quest for a room that was just as clean as if Salem had never left. Wet cloth in his hand, Sebastian was hard at work wiping down the window glass.


    "I don''t care, Sebastian. Is it a yes or no?"


    "It''s a yes. I''m just lettin'' ya know that the emperor will have questions about you."


    The emperor was invested in ferreting out a wife for Sebastian and was using the Lunar festival as a ruse to create a dating opportunity. He believed that marriage would mellow out their philandering mage. His stressed-out heart did not have the vigour to withstand another diplomatic incident born out of Sebastian''s dalliance with some royal lady.


    "Why would the emperor be interested in who plays Cassiopeia?"


    "It''s complicated, S''ryn. I''ve told the emperor that I have a fiance and she''s playing Cass."


    Syryn''s hand stilled. "Sebastian."


    "It was either that or get saddled with one of the numerous coddled noble girls who can''t even hold a sword in its proper position."


    Syryn turned and raised his brow at the mage. "You want a swordswoman wife?"


    "Course not. I said that because Cassiopeia is a warrior and my partner for the night. It''s just the two of us versus the night king and his thirty soldiers. Ya think I''d want to waste time with a delicate flower distractin'' me?"


    "Wait, go back to what you said before that. You told the emperor that I''m a girl?"


    "Eh.. not exactly. I just didn''t tell him you''re a man."


    Syryn''s jaw fell open at Sebastian''s audacity. "And when he finds out that we''ve deceived him-"


    "Ya don''t hafta worry about that, S''ryn. I''ll handle it. On my magic, it''s a promise."


    "Then tell me right now what clue you''ve discovered." Maybe, just maybe Syryn could pull a fast one over Sebastian.


    The mage folded his arms and eyed Syryn like he was thinking about it. "If I tell you about it before the festival, ya might renege on our deal and I''ll be stuck looking for a new queen."


    "Come on, Seb, don''t you trust me?"


    "I do trust you, S''ryn. I just think yer also unpredictable and sneaky."


    The look of hurt on Syryn''s face did not shake Sebastian''s decision. "I''ll tell ya as soon as they burn the effigy."


    "That''s one week! One whole week of endangering mages. You''re a selfish man who would guard his interest at the expense of another''s life." Syryn was brimming with self-righteous energy. If one did not know what he truly was like, it would have been no fault on their part falling for his dramatics.


    "Ya mean dumb mages," Sebastian scoffed. "A-mu''s colleagues have been putting out warnings since the killings began. If they can''t be arsed to care about their own lives then that''s on them."


    The mage''s reasoning made sense but Syryn wasn''t about to give up. "What about the ones that haven''t heard about the warnings, hmm? It''s only fair to them."


    "S''ryn, just say ya don''t want to help me then," Sebastian replied with a forlorn sigh. "I''ll find someone else." He dipped the cleaning cloth into his bucket and quietly got to work on another window.


    "You sly bastard," Syryn ground out when it appeared that the mage was intent on remaining silent. "I''ll do it but only because I have to know about the squid. In addition, I have a third condition."


    Sebastian turned around to grin at the alchemist. "What third condition?"


    "Ask Artemus out on a date."


    "What?"


    "Ask.Artemus.Out.On.A.Date."


    "Artemus?"


    "Did I stutter?"


    The mage groaned. "Just take my life and be done with it."


    "That''s the spirit, Seb. Now we''re both miserable."


    "If A-mu kills me, it''ll be your fault, S''ryn."


    "Good. You''d deserve it too."


    --------


    Syryn was out in the garden, re-reading the files on the caravan murders just in case he''d missed out on something. He was under an old oak tree whose thick crown protected him from the sun.


    To his surprise, the air next to him suddenly split apart like a dark mouth opening to swallow whatever was in front of it. Under his shocked gaze, Salem walked out followed by a bright-eyed Alka. He had not known there was a gate to the lost path out here in their garden.


    "Syryn, what are you reading?" The blonde alchemist asked like it was just another typical day walking out of the lost path after a week''s disappearance without prior notice.


    "Classified documents. Where have you been?" His gaze flickered to Alka who smiled in his direction. It was the smile of a junkie who had just taken a shot of adrenaline.


    "Do you want the long answer or the short answer?" Salem stood before him now and Syryn could see the lines of weariness that creased his smile.


    "Short answer for now, please."


    "I was out verifying Lumi''s story. Turns out he''s a war criminal wanted by the Iron claw tribe. There''s a very big bounty on his head."


    Salem allowed the teenager a few moments to take it all in. "A war criminal," Syryn repeated. "Tell me everything."


    Salem nodded to him. "Let''s get inside."


    ------


    A few days had passed since Syryn had found out that the avian in their home had betrayed his tribe for the sake of love. Lumi had been in love with Riaku, Prince of the Sky forge tribe, the people that his Stone Claw tribe had been at war with for many years. Riaku had feigned feelings for the avian who was fascinated by the enemy prince. It didn''t take very long for the prince to ensnare Lumi in an affair that ended with the annihilation of the Stone Claw tribe. Making good use of the intelligence that Lumi had provided to prince Riaku, the protracted war between the two tribes finally came to a bloody end.


    Lumi had narrowly escaped Riaku''s sword during the war. It was a cruel revelation to the bird. The prince was done using him and it was time to end the farce. Aya had fortunately saved him but was injured in the process. The rest of the story went as he had told it. They were captured by opportunistic slave traders only to end up in Riha''s prison chamber. In due course of time, the Iron Claw tribe - sister to the Stone claw tribe - had found out about Lumi''s treachery and escape. A truce was settled between the Iron Claw and Sky forge tribes, and now both were looking to capture Lumi for sentencing.


    When Syryn had questioned Salem about his reasons for chasing Lumi''s history, the blonde had merely implied that his curiosity had driven him to it. The older alchemist had informed Syryn that the trip had answered the question that bothered him. Further enquiries went unanswered. The younger alchemist turned to Alka to fill in the holes.


    Salem apparently bore a striking resemblance to prince Riaku. Alka had said so with a knowing look that Syryn interpreted to be his version of a sly glance. The reason why Lumi stared at Salem all the time, acted out when he saw them together in the workroom, his strange obsession - everything was answered in that tiny revelation.


    "Now what do we do?" The alchemist had asked Alka.


    "Bear the crime of sheltering a war criminal, I guess. And deliberate withholding of information about his whereabouts." In those words, Alka had succinctly encapsulated a new crisis that befell upon them.


    "Are we handing him over?" Syryn had asked. It was an important decision he could not make alone.


    "Whether or not he wanted it, Lumi''s decision caused the death of all his tribesmen. Real-life decisions come with consequences, Syryn. It''s up to you to decide what to do though."


    And that was why Syryn was writing a note to Artemus about a potential diplomatic row that could erupt out of their unintentional harbouring of a wanted man. Lumi had made his bed and it was time to lay on it.


    "Let''s do a fittin'', S''ryn. I''m here ta measure out your body for the royal tailors who are waitin'' ta sew ya a gorgeous dress fit for a queen." The mage arrived with a measuring tape that evening.


    "What lies did you feed the emperor?" That the royal tailors would not insist on meeting the person they were sewing for had Syryn wondering what excuses had been peddled at the palace.


    "Don''t worry about that S''ryn. Just do as I say and nobody will know it was you the entire time."


    "No, I need the story. Just what did you tell the emperor?"


    Sebastian expertly measured out Syryn''s chest and wrote a different number than what he had measured. The mage was giving him a bosom it seemed.


    "Ya really want ta know?" Now he measured Syryn''s waist.


    "No, I''m just asking because I''ve got nothing better to do." His sarcastic answer brought a smile out of Sebastian.


    "Told him I''m keepin'' you a secret because I wanna protect ya from my enemies." The tape went to his shoulders next. "I requested the emperor for some time. So once you''re done with this, you''ll have nothin'' ta worry about. His majesty will pester me for your Identity and I can tell him that ya dumped me after discoverin'' me in bed with another woman. That''ll give him some other reason to harass me about."


    Syryn raised his arm when Sebastian lifted it slightly. He couldn''t understand why the mage had cooked up such a convoluted plot when all he had to do was refuse the emperor. Could the ruler of Sigil really force a citizen to marry a woman of his choosing?


    "Ask," Sebastian told him. "Your silence is noisy."


    "How can silence be noisy?"


    "Just ask, S''ryn."


    The alchemist watched Sebastian measure out the length of his body with the tape. "What''s the harm in choosing a woman for this- this ruse? It would be vastly simpler to just hire a lady who can act as your lover."


    "It''s more fun when it''s you, S''ryn. I''m teasin'' someone. Let''s leave it at that."


    Who could Sebastian be teasing? The mage was done taking his measurements. Sebastian put his tape and paper away.


    "S''ryn, I might put my arm around ya or kiss you on the forehead in front of people. Would that make you uncomfortable?" He punctuated the question with a serious look on his face.


    "Trying to be respectful, are we? Didn''t you already kiss my lips you dumb mage?"


    Sebastian blanched at Syryn''s words. "Don''t say it like that! What if someone heard and misunderstood ya?"


    "What''s there to misunderstand, Sebastian? Did you or did you not put your mouth on mine?" Now the alchemist was gleefully enjoying the mage''s discomfort. "I''m only 16 and you did that to me. Pervert!"


    Sebastian slammed a palm to Syryn''s mouth. "Are you crazy? Artemus could walk in right now and-" Syryn stuck his tongue out and licked the offending palm. The mage jolted and pulled his hand away like it had been burnt.


    "S''ryn!! You have no idea where this hand has been!" Sebastian began to laugh at the disgusted look on Syryn''s face.


    "Get out! Out!"


    The mage gathered his things quickly and was escorted out of the house by the annoyed alchemist. There was just too much fun to be had when Syryn was around. Sebastian had a feeling that Syryn would make the festival a very enjoyable experience for him this time around.


    _______


    Artemus had sent him a reply to his letter and it was a single line.


    ''Don''t let him leave the house.''


    He had further been intimated that in accordance with his advice, the remains of the caravan victims were being examined by priests. They were more sensitive to the darker elements of magic and Syryn hoped that the priests would find traces of a curse or something just as malicious on the corpses.


    Setting aside his thoughts on the case, Syryn ran his gaze down the shimmering dress that had been delivered to his home by Sebastian. To say that the dress was gorgeous was an understatement. It was breathtaking and magical. The cloth seemed to be woven out of moonlight. And when Syryn touched it, the material was smooth like silk. How terrible, he had thought. To waste such a beautiful thing on a man like him, what was Sebastian thinking?


    His sights wandered over to the padded piece of female innerwear that hung next to it and Syryn sighed. His flat chest would look nice in a dress with that on. The alchemist did not enjoy the thought of wearing all of that but the spirit of experimentation buoyed his mood. He would do this for the sake of knowledge.


    "You''re really doing this." Salem''s tone was dry.


    "For knowledge and experience, I will do justice to the hard work put in by the royal tailors."


    "You''ll make a very beautiful queen." Salem''s gaze landed on the crystal crown from which a gossamer-thin veil fluttered like a butterfly''s wing.


    "You would too," Syryn told the blonde alchemist only to receive a wry smile for it.


    _________


    The festival had, as always, arrived on the night of a lunar eclipse. It was celebrated all over Sigil but no city could compete with the resplendence that Elysium had been clothed in. Every house had an illusory faux moon levitating and glowing softy above its roof. From a distance, the moons danced like a thousand fireflies out to illuminate a dark night.


    Inside a mansion that was situated in the neighbourhood where all the nobles built their homes, a tall blonde man slipped his hand into a glove that was the colour of ebony.


    "Remind me again, why are we doing this?" The blonde man''s companion was dressed in the same black clothing but also had on a black half-mask behind gold eyes.


    "You ask too many questions, Vincent. I told you not to follow me, didn''t I?" Blue eyes were soon covered up under a full face mask just as black as the rest of his clothing. Now the man was a form of darkness, cloaked entirely in black from his hooded head to the dark boots that seemed to absorb the light. He was the Night King, dressed and ready to do battle with the Lunar King.

 Chapter 81 - Casseopia

    Syryn wore Casseopia''s dress and stared at his reflection with an expression like he had eaten a lemon. The alchemist was slender enough that wearing the padded item of clothing cut him the figure of a young lady. This time around, he wore a pant inside the dress because he had learnt a lesson about indecent exposure the hard way.


    Syryn''s long tresses fell in silky lengths down his chest. The teenager was proud of his shiny hair, and there was nothing anyone could say that would make him cut it. With reluctance, he lifted the lightweight crystal crown and placed it on his head. It was a perfect fit. The white veil was draped across his face obscuring everything but his eyes and forehead. The ensemble revealed just enough of him to fool people into believing that it was a young woman under the layers of fabric.


    "Syryn?"


    He turned his neck to face the young redhead whose jaw had dropped comically.


    "Can you not stare at me like that? I''m already uncomfortable enough, Luci."


    Lucien snapped out of the ''big sister Syryn'' induced stupor with a blink of his crimson eyes. "You look like a gi- different Syryn! It took me a while to recognise you with all that covering everything." The redhead waved his hand in the air gesturing towards the veil and dress.


    "Yeah? You think I can find a husband tonight looking like this?" Syryn grimaced at the mirror.


    Lucien nodded his head as he grinned. "And you''ll get divorced too when he finds out you''ve got a big bird! Perhaps even bigger than his."


    "Definitely bigger than his."


    Hearing those crass words that contrasted with the dignified image that Syryn presented, Lucien began to laugh. It attracted the attention of Magnus and Salem who had been hovering near Syryn''s door.


    The fire mage was first to enter Syryn''s room. "Sebastian had the right idea." He looked up and down like a buyer surveying his watermelons.


    "Why do you look like a real girl? " Salem asked after Magnus.


    "I do not."


    "It''s the fake breasts," Magnus circled Syryn and studied his figure. "Are you also wearing a corset?"


    "No, I''m not."


    Syryn crossed his arms feeling the fake breasts push up higher. It was disconcerting.


    "Don''t do that," Salem advised after clearing his throat.


    "Why Salem, you wanna feel them up?" Syryn leered at the embarrassed blonde.


    "Syryn, can you please not?" Lucien made a laughing cringing face at his now big sister with a big bird.


    The alchemist''s eyes were crinkled happily when he noticed the dashing Lunar king''s arrival through his window. Syryn''s dress was flowy enough to fight in without it getting tangled. He lifted the fabric of his skirt and walked out of the room, revealing the comfortable boots that most definitely were not approved for queen attire.


    "Syryn! You are devastating in a dress, my love."


    Sebastian''s suit was also the colour of pure moonlight. His sandy hair was coiffed back neatly and a crown sat above his handsome face. The mage was accorded the aura of a gentle fairy tale prince by the ensemble.


    "It''s the burden of being born as good looking as I am," Syryn grouched. "Now open the door."


    And Sebastian did just that. The Lunar couple then headed off to the palace in their royal carriage.


    "What do I do if the emperor questions me?" Syryn asked Sebastian as the palace lights came into view.


    "Stay silent. I''ll speak on your behalf, S''ryn. As much as I adore it, we can''t let them hear your boyish voice."


    "The emperor must be a patient man for accomodating all of your strange requests."


    "He values my power, and I''m charmin'' when I want to be." Sebastian flashed a token at the palace guards who had stopped the carriage. They were waived ahead after a glance at the silver token. The process occurred three more times before the carriage was allowed to pass through to the main palace compound.


    "Are ya nervous?" The mage turned to Syryn.


    "No. Are you?"


    "I''m honestly very excited. I''ve been lookin'' forward to meetin'' the night king."


    "The Night king? Is he an acquaintance of yours?"


    Sebastian smiled at Syryn meaningfully. "A friend. Ya might know him."


    "From where?" Syryn struggled to think of anyone capable enough to run in both of their social circles. Aside from Artemus, there was one other person that was common to the both of them but it couldn''t be him, Syryn reasoned.


    "From Elysium. Didn''t ya have a lot of friends when you were still at King Hill?"


    "What''s his name?"


    The carriage stopped outside a gated structure that was manned by a few more guards. "Why don''t ya guess?"


    "Not interested."


    The respect and friendliness offered to Sebastian by the smiling guards showed how popular he was with the people that knew him. More than one pair of curious eyes observed Syryn. Just who was the lady that Sebastian had chosen as Cassiopeia? The gossip mill had churned out the existence of an alleged fianc¨¦ but most people were unwilling to believe that the kingdom''s most prolific womaniser would settle down so early.


    When Syryn stepped through the threshold of the palace, a curtain of power washed down over his body. It was the first line of defence in an arsenal of spells set up to protect the royals. It was also the reason Syryn hadn''t chosen to glamour himself in the illusion of a woman.


    "Ya okay?" Sebastian glanced at him.


    "Perfect."


    The older mage slipped his arm through Syryn''s. "Pretend yer in love with me, sweetheart."


    "Most marriages are loveless."


    Sebastian turned to Syryn and forced the younger man to look into his eyes. "What do ya love, S''ryn?"


    "Myself."


    "Anythin'' else?"


    Syryn narrowed his eyes at Sebastian. "No. You''re up to no good, aren''t you? This whole pretend love scenario, what is it about Sebastian?"


    "I''m tryin'' ta make someone jealous," the older man replied, smiling like the scheming fox that he was. "This person would hate for me to be in love with my darlin'' fianc¨¦."


    "An ex then? Someone who rejected you?"


    "That''s not important. Can ya humour me fer tonight?"


    Syryn dug his heels in. It was time for him to get what he wanted.


    "Tell me about the squid, Sebastian. We''re not going any further if you don''t spill."


    "You''re really doing this now?" The mage lifted his brows at the alchemist who was doing his best impression of a dead-pan face.


    "Don''t keep the emperor waiting," Syryn answered with the calm of someone who had all the time in the world. "Unless you have nothing to say because you were actually lying about it. If that''s the case then go ahead and let the emperor wait." It was an evil ambush on his part but in Syryn''s reasoning, it was the perfect payback for a scenario where the mage was pulling the wool over Syryn''s eyes.


    Sebastian was now stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he prematurely gave up his intel, Syryn could walk out right now and he would be left without a queen. If he didn''t spill, they''d be stuck here for however long it took for Sebastian to break. The older mage could see from Syryn''s expression that the teen was ready to butt wills right there in the corridors of the royal palace.


    "You''re evil," Sebastian whispered.


    "It''s in my nature."


    The mage pulled Syryn to a corner and bowed his head closer to the teen. Giving in wasn''t his style but Sebastian was smart enough to know when to surrender. In a low whisper, he asked the alchemist, "What glows blue and cannot be captured or confined?"


    The younger man answered, "The squid?"


    "Think of somethin'' else, S''ryn. Yer a mage and quite familiar with it."


    What made a mage? The ability to channel mana. It defined the powers of every single mage in existence. If the answer wasn''t mana, it must have been something associated with it. What else was related to magic and mana? What was blue and could not be confined? The answer hit him like a bolt of lightning and Syryn almost combusted from how satisfying it felt to have an explanation that covered most of their questions. The answers fell like dominoes after the tiny nudge by Sebastian.


    "Mana crystals!" He whispered back. "The creature could be made of magical energy or something similar and that''s why it kills mages. It probably feeds on mana to stay alive."


    "Yes," Sebastian grinned, happy that he could finally bounce ideas off someone else. "We could be wrong about it but the explanation fits doesn''t it? Only magic could make a solid creature pass through opaque objects."


    Though magical creatures existed in their world, none displayed the properties of mana crystals. The glowing blue crystals were difficult to store because they tended to sublimate through most containers. Syryn was aware that Sebastian''s theory had to be verified before they truly got excited about it, but he had a feeling that the mage was right about the squid - a living creature that was made up of and fed on magical energy.


    Their heads were nearly bumping together, eyes glued on each other, and the world forgotten. Syryn felt a hostile gaze from behind him but before he could turn, Sebastian placed an arm on his shoulder and held him in place. "Focus on me," he was told.


    And from the corner of his eyes, Syryn saw a tall dark figure sweep past them. The amount of hostility radiating off the man could have choked a timid person to death.


    "Night King," Syryn whispered to Sebastian, noticing how the man''s presence commanded attention from those whose eyes were magnetically drawn to his aura and build.


    "Yes, what do you think of him?"


    Syryn watched the black figure disappear into an archway. "Looks powerful. Can you beat him?"


    "Not likely, and it doesn''t matter. The Lunar King always wins. That''s how the story goes."


    "Okay," Syryn nodded slowly. "Well, this has been fun but I hate the dress. I''m going home, Sebastian."


    The blanket of panic that immediately enveloped the mage''s whole demeanour gave Syryn a much-needed hit of satisfaction.


    "Just kidding. Let''s go meet the emperor."


    "You evil witch!"


    Syryn''s eyes smiled happily.


    The emperor''s court was large enough to accommodate all the biggest VIPs of Elysium. Alongside him was present the empress in all of her noble glory. Syryn could also see the royal children including Lillith and Drake in attendance. The Nobles and ministers were all dressed like peacocks showing off to each other.


    As soon as he entered, the alchemist had noticed the grand Night king on a knee before the emperor who was smiling like he was looking at his grandchild.


    "Stand up Night King, you do not need to bow before me tonight. You''re also a king, the same as I." The emperor graciously told the man just as the empress noticed Sebastian and Syryn''s arrival. She turned to her husband and whispered. The emperor then promptly looked up and smiled at Sebastian first and then Syryn.


    "The Lunar king and the queen Casseopia, come before me. Let me have a look at you." Syryn was sure that the last sentence was directed at him.


    Without much effort on his part, Syryn imitated the dignified walk of someone brought up in a high-class home and used to receiving respect from people. He saw the smile of approval on the empress'' face and knew the act was working. It was all in a day''s work for Syryn, alchemist extraordinaire and aspiring actor.


    Sebastian paid his respects to the royal couple and his fianc¨¦ followed suit.


    "Sebastian, I didn''t quite believe it when you told me you had a fianc¨¦," the emperor stroked his beard and examined Syryn as he spoke. "But I''m starting to think I was wrong."


    Syryn''s Indigo eyes were like rare amethyst. And from what people could see of his milky forehead, the alchemist appeared to be a young lady of exquisite beauty hiding behind a veil. Almost every single courtier in attendance wanted to pull the veil down and take a good look at the face hidden away by Sebastian.


    "It is my luck that allowed her to accept me for all my flaws, your majesty. I have found the person I aim to spend the rest of my life with." The mage turned to the alchemist with such a tender smile on his face that it nearly even fooled Syryn. He stared back at Sebastian with mild horror and quickly remembered to lower his head, faking the embarrassment of a shy maiden.


    Syryn could have been imagining it but right then he felt the weighted gaze of the Night king peeling away his veil away with just the force of his stare alone. Sebastian''s ex was truly a jealous one. The teen appreciated the Night king''s powerful built and wondered just who it was under that mask. Just who was it that had such an amazing height and build? Was there a blank space in his list for another name? Yes.


    Sebastian''s sappy reply sent the Emperor into a bout of joyful laughter. He was ecstatic that the mage was finally settling down after all the trouble he had caused. "I''m declaring your wedding to be held next month then! No arguments Sebastian. You have made this emperor a very happy man today."


    "N-next month?" Sebastian''s smile faltered just a little bit.


    "I for one am eager to see more talented seedlings in the kingdom. You will do well to have many children, won''t you?" The empress smiled kindly at them.


    "Children?" Sebastian met Syryn''s wide eyes, a cold feeling pooling down his back. "It''s too early to say that your majesty. We have much time to enjoy our youth before thinking about having children." His mask was showing signs of cracking.


    "Nonsense, us women must bear children while youth and strength aid us." She turned to Syryn with a motherly smile. "My dear, you must let us know so I can send you some of our best nourishing ingredients for when you''re with child."


    Syryn choked on air when the empress said those words to him. An arm went around his shoulder comfortingly and he made a bow towards the royal couple. He was going to fight Sebastian later - man to man.


    While Sebastian covered for the both of them, Syryn''s sights wandered over to Drake who was also staring at him.


    ''Syryn,'' the prince mouthed with a wicked smile on his face. He had been recognised.

 Chapter 82 - Homecoming

    Drake was the youngest of the royal children, and also the best looking out of all his brothers. Silver eyes narrowing into a playful smile, the prince shook his head at Syryn like he had caught a child sneaking his hand into the forbidden biscuit jar.


    "-and it''s time we got the festival started. The citizens are all waiting for your arrival." The emperor was done socialising with his courtiers. With his dismissal, people began to soon trickle out one by one. Syryn looked at the Night king one last time after turning away from Drake. The alchemist caught sight of the tail end of his cloak as the man swept out of the court like his heels were on fire.


    "Sebastian," Syryn whispered to the mage quite urgently. "Drake recognised me. I have to go speak with him."


    "Where is he?"


    "Waiting for me," Syryn answered. He looked at the prince standing near a pillar and looking pointedly in his direction. "I think he wants an explanation."


    "Are you sure he recognised ya?" Sebastian frowned at yet another problem they had to deal with.


    "Positive. Wait here for me." Syryn was less stressed out than his partner. He had come to find that Sebastian was a reliable man, and trusted that he would take care of their unexpected marriage ceremony.


    With a parting nod, the alchemist walked out of court and followed Drake who was just a few steps ahead of him. The prince led Syryn down a set of stairs and then through a corridor that was clear of people.


    "Queen Casseopia, and fianc¨¦ to Archer Sebastian Gregorious. When did you become a woman, Syryn?" Drake asked him as soon as the teenager rounded a corner nearly bumping into the prince. The corridor here opened up to a luxurious garden where an ornamental pond lay at its centre.


    "Hello to you too, Drake," Syryn answered. "You''re not going to tell your parents about this."


    "I won''t," Drake replied. He looked happy, a sign that Syryn might not get reported. "I understand why Sebastian would resort to faking a fiance. What I can''t comprehend is how he managed to rope you into his scheme. What do you get out of this?"


    "An opportunity to meet you, and that''s enough isn''t it?" Syryn''s eyes curved up into a winsome smile. "How did you know it was me?"


    Drake involuntarily smiled back at Syryn. The younger mage''s smile was infectious and attractive though the prince could only see above the boy''s nose.


    "It''s easy to tell. I''ve never met anyone with eyes like yours, Syryn. It''s not just the colour that makes you unique," Drake angled his head while holding Syryn''s gaze. "You always have this look in your eyes like you''re hiding a particularly riveting secret. I don''t think I''ll ever mistake them for another''s."


    "A secret? Do you know what it might be?"


    Drake shook his head. "I don''t, and I never want to know. It keeps the mystery alive." With some hesitation, Drake reached out to lift Syryn''s veil for a peek. "It was a shock seeing you like this."


    "A bad or a good kind of shock?"


    "You''re one of the prettiest men I''ve ever seen, Syryn. Of course, it''s a good kind of shock. Only you could pull of feminine clothing and not look odd in it."


    His masculinity suddenly took a massive hit of damage. Syryn''s supernatural strength made the building of muscles a redundant chore but now he considered the idea of gaining some bulging biceps.


    "Anyway, we should catch up another time. You have a duty to complete, and I cannot hold you hostage any longer."


    "You''re right, I''m getting late," Syryn raised his chin and regarded the prince with narrowed eyes. "But before I go, I want you to know something."


    The prince nodded, a regal tilt of his head that he must have picked up from his noble mother. "Yes?"


    "So Drake." Syryn''s list was shaking with excitement.


    "Yes, Syryn?"


    "I''ve never kissed a prince before. It''s a shame, isn''t it? There aren''t a lot of princes to steal kisses off of."


    Drake blinked in surprise. Was he misinterpreting syryn''s words? He hoped not.


    "Then I am obliged to inform you of this fact, Syryn, I''m a prince," his silver gaze flickered to the younger mage''s lips and back up.


    "So you are," Syryn stepped closer to his intended target. Unfortunately, his plans weren''t meant to be.


    "Cassiopeia! My lovely fuckin'' Cassiopeia. Hell of a day ta pick fer commitin'' adultery, don''t ya think?" Sebastian''s annoyed voice came from behind Syryn. "Your highness, this one is off-limits."


    Syryn was yanked away by his irate ''fianc¨¦''. He had been so close to striking off another name on his list.


    "Why are you here, Sebastian? I told you to wait outside." Syryn''s glare could have cut down a lesser man.


    Sebastian glared back at Syryn with equal force."Ya see I was getting worried about my fianc¨¦ who I thought was bein'' faithful and-"


    "I''ll see you another time, Drake." The teenager cut off Sebastian''s words. No way was he getting lectured about unfaithful behaviour from a fake fianc¨¦.


    "Have fun tonight, Syryn," the prince replied, disappointment evident in the piqued lift of his brows. He was much too well mannered of a prince to mouth off at Sebastian though it seemed like he wanted to. "And my apologies for what nearly transpired with your fianc¨¦, Sebastian. I was under the impression that the engagement was fake." His words were sincere but his smile said otherwise.


    "Maybe it is. But here''s a warnin'' that I''m givin'' ya out of the goodness of my heart, your highness. This one really is off-limits. You''ll thank me in the future." The mage winked at Drake before dragging Syryn away by the crook of his arm.


    "I am not off limits!" Syryn''s disgruntled words followed their speed walk towards the carriage. "I''m a single man, Sebastian. Let me live!"


    "The Night King and his forces are already out terrorising the citizens, Cassiopeia. Let''s hasten our steps before some real damage is caused."


    The Night king''s minions were supposed to run amok amongst the citizens, causing mischief and then bleeding into the shadows when the Lunar King arrived with his queen. All of them were trained actors who knew just where to toe the line. Syryn was quite sure that Sebastian was exaggerating.


    "I would have loved to play Night king but noo-ooo, I''m queen Cassiopeia. A goddamn queen! I get to wear a dress and prance around with-"


    "S''ryn, why are ya bitchin''?" The mage asked with no small amount of amusement.


    "Where''s my sword? I demand my sword!"


    "I got ya yer sword as well as yer bow. It''s already in the carriage."


    "And my quiver."


    "Also in the carriage."


    "And the kiss that you deprived me of! Where is it?!"


    And here was the problem, the reason why Syryn was mad. Sebastian chuckled at his partner''s childish display of a tantrum.


    "Ya might get a good one tonight, S''ryn."


    "What from you?" The teenager scoffed. "Limp kiss cold fish Sebastian."


    "Wow yer desperate, huh?"


    "And you''ve probably contracted every sexually transmitted disease known to the world," Syryn shot back.


    "Oh. Oh. We''re doing this? Okay. Did I kiss ya on your lips? Yes, I did. So now ya have whatever I have. Yer welcome!"


    The alchemist cringed away from Sebastian. "You- you have a venereal disease?!"


    "Fuck no! I''m clean ya annoying brat!" The mage made a disgusted expression. "Haven''t ya heard of usin'' sheaths? That''s how ya protect yer twig and berries from the clutches of the crotch demons. Always wear em, Syryn. Never take chances if yer beddin'' a stranger."


    "But-"


    "And don''t kiss yer one night stands. That''s another way ya get caught by the-"


    "Crotch demons?" Syryn took offence to the term.


    "Yep."


    The cheers of a very large crowd of people caught Syryn''s attention.


    "I''m gettin'' out first S''ryn. Wait fer me to open yer door and help ya down." It was showtime.


    --


    A few of the Night king''s soldiers had waylaid a couple that was buying snacks from one of the numerous stalls opened up solely for the Lunar Festival. The tallest of the three figures dressed in black snatched a candied fruit from the woman''s hand while another one pushed the hat off her husband''s head. They surrounded the couple and refused to leave them alone.


    "Lunar King!" The woman screamed and immediately, there was a shattering sound.


    Every night soldier was fitted with a black painted glass plate over his heart. Syryn''s blunted arrow found its mark over the soldier''s heart and ended their short-lived career as a night soldier.


    "S''ryn, where''d ya learn to shoot like that?" Sebastian was right next to him swinging his sword like a child.


    There were shouts of "Lunar King" and "Queen Cassiopeia" as the duo moved through the parting crowd. Syryn''s arrows had found two marks. The third one smartly ran off as soon as he noticed the Lunar couple.


    "Natural talent," the alchemist replied. "Why aren''t you doing anything? Do you intend to let me do all the work?"


    The large and noisy crowd was milling around the Lunar couple, ready to follow and watch them take out the night soldiers.


    "Yer doing great, love. Let your husband save his strength for the big bad Night king."


    Happy screams from a few members of the audience alerted Sebastian to an ominous presence on the roof right above their heads. No sooner had he glanced up, the mage almost had his toes removed by an attack that dented the ground he had just stepped away from.


    "Son of a bitch!" Sebastian cursed under his breath but he was grinning. Sights fixed on the Night King, he pulled Syryn close.


    "I''ll leave the foot soldiers to you, S''ryn. Don''t get caught in the storm or you''ll lose the veil." The mage pressed a quick peck to Syryn''s forehead for the benefit of their audience, and he was off. Three clean leaps took the mage up to the roof where the cloaked figure waited for him.


    Since the attack on Sebastian, the Night King had been staring in Syryn''s direction. The teenager defiantly stared back. And when the dark figure finally turned away, it was only because he had to defend himself against Sebastian''s assault.


    A strong wind was beginning to blow and it caused Syryn''s veil to flutter. The teenager put a good distance between himself and the localised storm that was whipping the air. Sebastian''s usage of power surprised him because it was unprecedented for the kings to fight aggressively during the Lunar Festival. It wasn''t supposed to happen this way.


    Syryn methodically cut through the night soldiers who were barely putting up any resistance. They shouldn''t have given up so easily but the alchemist figured that just like himself, the night soldiers were eager to catch the rooftop battle. From how hard the storm was lashing and howling, there was no doubt that an interesting fight was about to take place. It prompted Syryn to guess the identity of the Night King. After all, there weren''t a lot of people who could force Sebastian to summon a gale.


    "Out of the way folks! I know you want to watch the show but you''ll get blown away if you don''t step back and put some distance!"


    A lone night soldier was warning some of the more excitable members of the public. Nearly all of them had evacuated to a safer distance from where they could still watch the fight.


    "Huh, Cassiopeia, about damn time," the loud night soldier turned to Syryn. It was a very familiar voice. "Smash this."


    Syryn was out of arrows so he knocked on the brittle chest plate with the tip of his wooden bow. Right then, they both felt a blanket of power settle down like a heavy fog. The familiarity of the power brought an ache to Syryn''s chest. He turned to the night soldier.


    "Vincent."


    "Yep. How have you been Syryn?" He deliberately refrained from asking the teenager about how he had come to be Cassiopeia.


    "Good. That''s Rowan isn''t it?" Syryn tilted his head towards the roof from where the anti mage field was spreading out.


    Vincent nodded to him. "None other. Let''s head up there before they call it quits."


    Elysium had never been subjected to a Lunar Festival where the revellers were forced onto the rooftops and balconies. To their credit, the festival-goers rolled with the change like ducks taking to the water. It was certainly more exciting than a rehash of fake play fighting scenes that thrilled only the children and the first-time attendees.


    From his open vantage point, Syryn watched Sebastian flip gracefully between two roofs, very narrowly avoiding the shockwaves that landed on the houses. Someone was going to have to pay for all the property damage. It was a good thing then that both combatants were filthy rich.


    "Why did Rowan come back?" Syryn asked Vincent.


    The anti mage rubbed the back of his neck. "Eh. Rowan can answer that himself."


    As he mulled over the anti mage''s surprising return, Syryn belatedly realised he had been used by Sebastian to annoy the blond anti mage.


    "What are you doing?" Vincent suspiciously asked the alchemist who had an arm raised and was channelling his magic.


    "Making things interesting," the teenager replied. Sebastian''s storm was a vicious thing that buffeted Rowan while the mage himself remained untouched by it in a bubble of safety around his body. The winds had carried off and destroyed the stalls that were within the storm.


    Above the houses, Rowan was unable to go all out because if he did, the carnage would be ten times what was already happening. Brickwork rooftops were like paper to Rowan''s shockwaves which were capable of obliterating even metal structures. The same could be said of Sebastian who was easily capable of knocking off the buildings they stood upon.


    Syryn cheerfully frosted over all the rooftops in the vicinity with a thick sheet of ice. Almost immediately, Sebastian stepped on it and was just inches away from sliding beyond the edge of the roof. His agility saved the mage from a potentially nasty fall that would have hurt his pride more than his body.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be helping him? You''re his wife."


    "But I am," Syryn guilelessly said to the anti mage. "I''m helping him off the roof."


    "I knew this festival was doomed the moment I heard you were Cassiopeia," Vincent mumbled. "It''s like feeding oil into fire."


    "You''re holding me accountable for those two going nuts? Wasn''t me who told them to measure their dicks on the rooftops. I''m not taking the blame for this." Syryn ripped off his veil and let it flutter down the side of the building.


    "Yeah, it''s not your fault, I suppose," Vincent said after a chuckle. The almost four-year separation from Syryn had Vincent expecting that Rowan''s feelings would subside, if not disappear completely. He had been completely wrong on both counts. The blond anti mage was still holding a torch for the alchemist. "And hide your face, Syryn. You''re still in the queen''s attire."


    "I''ll stick with an illusion." The veil''s gentle motion against his face had been annoying the teenager. He was glad to be rid of it after hours of tolerating the contact.


    Satisfied at the pleasantly generic face looking back at him, Vincent turned back to watch the fight.


    "Why did Sebastian decide to provoke Rowan?" He heard Syryn ask.


    "Sebastian is always looking for a good fight. He''s been going crazy doing nothing at Elysium. Is it any wonder then that he decided to pick a fight with Rowan?"


    Syryn was offended by that. Wasn''t he exciting company? Did Sebastian not want to fight him?


    "Aren''t you happy about Rowan''s return?" Vincent glanced in his direction as if gauging Syryn''s expression.


    Syryn wasn''t happy about it. For a while, he had been excited about his hero''s homecoming, but now he dreaded it. The time was getting closer to when Rowan would have to perform the ceremony The one where Lillith would be chosen as Rowan''s holy bride. The alchemist couldn''t bear to even think about it. His mood had suddenly soured like curdled milk.


    Syryn no longer wanted to be there.


    "I''m leaving," he declared coldly. And before Vincent could stop him, the mage was plunging down the side of the building.

 Chapter 83 - Integration

    Syryn undressed in an empty street not too far from where the fight was taking place. Patches of cloth were ripped away when he couldn''t get the dress off as fast as he would have liked to. After a short struggle, his upper body was finally uncovered to the air. Dully, Syryn stared at his half nakedness, his porcelain skin appearing unusually pale in the light of the fake moons that illuminated the night. He discarded the entire dress wishing that he had brought along a shirt. It was too late for regrets.


    A black hair ribbon was then produced from the pocket of his pants. Using the aforementioned item, Syryn tied his long hair back with deft and quick movements. He then took a few steps forward, unsure of where he was going. Which direction was home?


    "Sounds like they''re having fun," he voiced aloud to himself at the sound of the cheers that rose in a crescendo.


    The teen then proceeded to aimlessly amble around, taking corners and detours that he hoped would lead to a place that was familiar to him. It wasn''t long before Syryn began to regret his impulsive decision to leave Vincent. Without a ride home or any knowledge of his general direction, the teen had no hope of reaching the manor. Strangely, he felt Rowan''s anti mage field was thinning out in favour of rapidly spreading out over a greater area. The blond''s purpose for such an action escaped Syryn''s understanding.


    He looked up at the sky, the only familiar sight in a landscape of houses that crowded around him crookedly. Sighing, Syryn shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders against the tall buildings. He could only imagine the amount of ridicule that he would have to entertain when he was found by friends.


    The sound of conversation drew the mage''s attention to his left. He dared not hope for it but the voice had sounded like Sebastian''s. The teen quickened his steps in the direction of the voice. Yes, he elatedly cheered. It was Sebastian. But just who was he talking to?


    "There he is. We''ve been lookin'' fer you, S''ryn."


    The teenager was rooted to the ground when he saw who it was that Sebastian had been conversing with. The Night king''s mask was off. Too long had it been since Syryn had laid eyes on the gold hair and blue eyes that framed a perfect face only Eos could have sculpted. The blond man briefly let his gaze drop over Syryn''s exposed chest. It had the alchemist overheating from just that brief glance.


    "Syryn, why are you shirtless?" The blond anti mage asked. There was a flash of amusement in his cerulean eyes. He had been Syryn''s age when they''d last seen each other. Now 20 years old by the alchemist''s estimation, Rowan was more enchanting than he had ever been.


    "I couldn''t wear it under the dress- what are you laughing about?!" Syryn turned to glare at Sebastian.


    "Yer adorable when ya blush like that," Sebastian replied.


    "Are you blind?" Syryn hotly retorted. "I''m not blushing. It''s the make up I had to put on for the stupid role."


    "Whatever ya say, S''ryn. I''m gonna call it a night and go home to my bed so..." The mage turned to Rowan and grinned, "have a nice time you two."


    The teenager''s cheeks warmed at Sebastian''s little innuendo. His eyes then darted away from Rowan''s face. Too many things were happening much too quickly and Syryn''s taxed brain was unable to catch up. In a fit of panic, he turned around to leave but then realised how idiotic that was, and how Rowan was going to find out that Syryn was a dumbass.


    What was he doing? Syryn had already turned his back to Rowan and was standing still like a moron while his brain did the overthinking thing it liked to do when the blond was around.


    The teenager could feel the anti mage''s keen gaze between his shoulder blades. "Ryn, will you please turn around and face me? I promise not to bite."


    Embarrassment reigned in, Syryn spun on his heels to scowl at Rowan. "How did you find me?" It came out colder than he intended.


    "I can uniquely identify and follow magical signatures that come under the effect of my field. I tracked you through it."


    Syryn''s surprise grew like a balloon in his chest until it popped and he blinked. "You''re not supposed to be able to do that so soon," he blurted out. It was through the passage of several years of study and practise that his Rowan had reached the point that second life Rowan had already prematurely attained.


    In response to his words, Rowan smiled, and the curve of his lips upset Syryn because it matched so perfectly with that of the man he used to know. The teenager had two separate visions of Rowan in his mind - the Rowan that had saved him, and the Rowan of this life. To his dismay, the distance between the two had suddenly reduced.


    "You sound unhappy about it."


    "No," Syryn replied hastily. "I''m not unhappy. The sooner you gain more power, the better it is for us all."


    "I hope that''s not all I am to you, Syryn," the anti mage said. He walked closer to Syryn so there wasn''t such a large gap between them. The alchemist found that the top of his head barely skimmed the line of Rowan''s chest.


    "What do you mean?" He was forced to tilt his head much further back than he had anticipated. Fortunately, there was still time for Syryn to grow.


    "A weapon, Is that all I am to you?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous," he frowned at the anti mage. "Is it fun to look down at me and make up wild assumptions?"


    "I have never looked down on you, Ryn. You know that."


    "And stop calling me Ryn. You''re not him." In Syryn''s mind, there was only one Rowan who had saved him from a life of violence, and it wasn''t this one. This Rowan may have had some memories of the past but he wasn''t the one who had decided to imprison Syryn instead of killing him. It galled the alchemist that the lines were blurring between the two.


    The taller man took in Syryn''s harsh words without a change in his expression. He bowed his head towards his shorter companion and asked, "who do you think I am, Syryn? Am I a fake copy of the one you keep inside here?" His long forefinger tapped gently on the teen''s forehead. "Or is it here that you keep the other Rowan?" And now the anti mage splayed his fingers over Syryn''s chest where his heart was thudding. The blond had come too close to the truth about Syryn''s feelings and it scared the teen.


    "You''re not a fake copy of him. You''re your own self, unique in the way that he can''t be," Syryn answered.


    "But you think he''s better than me, don''t you?"


    It was true. "It doesn''t matter." Syryn was now more upset than ever.


    "By your logic, aren''t you just a copy of the Syryn from the past?"


    It made him stop to think about the double standard he had imposed upon the anti mage. Rowan was right but it didn''t make sense. He was that same Syryn, wasn''t he?


    "Time may have flown backwards but our consciousness kept moving forward. I am Rowan just as much as you are Syryn."


    "But you''ll never be him till you remember everything," Syryn replied. They were now making progress. Confusion had given way to clarity about what differentiated the two Rowans.


    "So what am I then?" The anti mage asked.


    Syryn''s answer was more certain than he had been many minutes ago. "You are the same Rowan but you''re missing pieces of yourself." And as he said it, the realisation sank to the bottom of his consciousness.


    His understanding changed the entire way that Syryn saw Rowan. He had expected the anti mage to remember things from their past, memories that were supposed to remind him of what had happened once upon a time ago. Now he saw them as the same person. The world had flipped on its axis. Syryn stared up at the blue eyes that belonged to the man that had imprisoned him in the Frozen Tower.


    "Ro?" He called out tentatively. The word was hot as coal on his tongue. Syryn waited for the feeling of betrayal but it never came.


    "Yes," Rowan smiled at Syryn, gaze fixed on the younger man like he was the only thing that mattered in the world. "I''m sorry, Ryn, it took me so long to remember. But now I do, I remember everything." It was a soft murmur of words that ripped the air out of Syryn''s chest.


    Warm hands cupped his face and a callused thumb wiped away something wet on Syryn''s cheek.


    "Asshole," Syryn''s fingers balled themselves into tight grips on Rowan''s tunic. His voice was shaky from the effects of the cocktail of so many overwhelming emotions that were sending him contradicting signals. "Look at how long you made me wait."


    "Forgive me, Ryn."


    "There''s nothing to forgive," he replied, unsure of why Rowan looked sad. He thought it might have had something to do with Syryn''s death, a tragedy that the anti mage had witnessed to its end.


    "How much do you remember of our past?" Rowan asked.


    "Everything, till the end."


    "The stone chamber?"


    "Yes," that was how he had died. In hindsight, Syryn thought it a wonderful way to die. It was on his own terms and for a noble reason. He couldn''t deny that Rowan''s presence during his ritual suicide had been a comforting presence. It was selfish of him to think so but Syryn wouldn''t have had it another way.


    "Alright," the anti mage answered. "We have much to discuss, Ryn. Come stay at my home tonight."


    Still a little dazed from the fact that he was talking to his old friend in the flesh and blood, Syryn remained quiet as he followed Rowan back to the anti mage''s carriage. How was Syryn supposed to pretend everything was normal when they existed in a reality where he had said to Rowan that they should fuck.


    "Oh Eos, what have I done? Spare me, goddess!" Syryn frightfully muttered under his breath. On that fateful day at Winter Fortress, he hadn''t been afraid to defile Rowan''s lips because the boy still had yet to complete the ceremony that bound him to Eos. With this new revelation, didn''t it mean that Rowan was already Eos'' champion? And what about Rowan''s feelings? He had kissed Syryn. He had felt something for Syryn. Had it changed now?


    "Rowan, if you''re the man from the past then you are also still Lillith''s husband," he coolly informed the anti mage.


    "I am not," Rowan answered without emotion. "The marriage ceremony to her wasn''t just a ritualistic display in front of an altar. It was a vow from me to love and honour her till death parted us." Rowan slipped his hand down Syryn''s and he slowly interlaced their fingers. "And death did do us part."


    The mage looked at their hands, one small, one larger, clasped together as if the temporary contact could overturn the disasters that were approaching them. Did Rowan think that the world could be saved by his power alone? Syryn could not give to the anti mage what he had received from Lillith.


    Rowan was aware of the thoughts that were fomenting in the mage''s mind. He lowered his head and cupped Syryn''s cheek with his free hand, forcing the teen to look at him.


    "Now that I''m here, I expect you to put away the little games you''ve been playing with other men, Ryn." Rowan''s smile was gentle but something dangerous lurked behind it.


    "And what makes you so confident that I care about you enough to listen?" Syryn had always been a contrary creature even against that which was for his own good.


    Rowan''s answer was cryptic. "It''s your turn to remember. Remember the promise I made to you, Ryn. Then we''ll talk about this again."

 Chapter 84 - Transformation

    "What? When did you promise me anything?"


    Try as hard as he could, Syryn could not recall any promise of significance made between them. There had been the offhanded promises to bring him food he liked, books he had wanted, and other silly pledges that one would make with a friend. What Rowan spoke of was no doubt a meaningful promise. Syryn understood that much.


    The anti mage though was not forthcoming with an answer. "Do you know what Traxdart has been up to?" He asked instead.


    Since that day he had turned up at their doorstep, the demonic emperor was silent on his end. Syryn shook his head at the anti mage''s question. "I gave the mage hunters a map of the approximate places where the horns would be found. The last I heard, there was only one horn left to be found. Barring that, I have no news of Traxdart''s movements."


    The horns had been Traxdart''s gateway into the world. With that taken care of, Syryn did not know what the emperor might do to gain entry into their world.


    "We destroyed the final horn," Rowan replied. "Mage hunter teams were given the missive to find the horns. My team received a location since we were closest to the hiding spot of the third and final horn."


    "Why wasn''t I told about it by Artemus then?"


    Rowan pulled aside the curtain to his carriage window so he could look at how far they''d come. "We placed a decoy at the spot where it was found, a replica that might fool the demons. Only the ones who put it there know about it." Through the anti mage''s side of the window, Syryn could see an empty and unrecognisable street. "It''ll take them a while before they realise that the horn is a fake."


    "Do you think he''ll find another way?" Syryn asked. Traxdart was a shrewd demon and the teen could not discount his ability to find opportunity in the most unlikely of places.


    "Even if he does, we''ll stop him."


    "We?" Syryn raised his brow at Rowan. "I plan to dump this on you and Lillith. You''re the chosen one so why the hell should I get involved again? I''d rather take a vacation and have lots of sex with as many people as I can since I missed out on that in my last life, which was all your fault by the way."


    Though his glance was friendly, Rowan''s tone was frosty. "Don''t provoke me, Syryn. I''d like for us to reach home without incident."


    "Are you threatening me?" The teenager smirked at the anti mage. He was an insufferable brat and Rowan was tempted to shut him up.


    "Yes, I am. Is it working?" Rowan leaned forward, his broad shoulders taking up the space between them. The anti mage didn''t miss the way Syryn reacted to his words. The teen had clammed up and there was a slight blush dusting his cheekbones.


    "Is that what you like, Ryn?" Rowan curiously pushed further. "I could lock you up again and educate you, thoroughly, on everything you missed out. After all, It was my fault that you were deprived of sex with numerous people, wasn''t it?"


    Syryn had never gone from zero to turned on so fast in his life. His cheeks were getting hotter with every second that passed by as Rowan silently regarded him. The blond was looking at Syryn through eyes that were at half-mast. Flustered and embarrassed, Syryn was locked in place by Rowan''s gaze - invisible chains that pressured the mage. This was a side of Rowan he hadn''t seen in their last life.


    "Syryn, I asked you a question," the anti mage said in a deceptively gentle voice. "Answer me."


    Taking a shaky breath, the teen responded.


    "Yes."


    Rowan hadn''t expected the honesty. Such a simple answer and it was loaded with hard implications. Something changed in his eyes and the anti mage smiled, a wicked lilt of his lips that had Syryn''s heart beating even faster.


    "Come here, Ryn." Rowan''s lap was parted just enough for the alchemist to sit comfortably on. "Or would you prefer that I lock you up first and pretend we''re still in the tower?"


    Syryn covered his red face but the blush was trickling to his ears. He was mortified that Rowan had caught on so fast to his fantasy. What thrilled him was the forbidden nature of such a relationship with Rowan, especially in the context of the circumstances that prevailed when they were still in the tower. The anti mage had been so painfully unavailable to him - married and marked by Eos, never showing any interest beyond their friendship. The illicit flavour of it went straight to Syryn''s nether regions and he was undone. Even without touching him, Rowan had so much power over the alchemist.


    "Shut up, Rowan." Syryn tried to play it cool but the blond wasn''t buying it.


    "Come shut me up." Rowan''s reply was a low drawl that liquified Syryn''s insides. The alchemist was convinced that an incubus had possessed Rowan''s body.


    Taking up the anti mage''s invitation, Syryn hesitantly leaned forward. "I might die if Eos-" Rowan yanked Syryn forward so the mage fell sideways into his arms.


    "Don''t mention the Goddess," Rowan told him, eyes dark and hungry, as he lowered his head to seal Syryn''s protesting mouth.


    The kiss came as a shock not because Syryn wasn''t expecting it. It was shocking in the way one expected rain but was swept up by a storm. Rowan''s kiss was devouring him whole. The anti mage slid his tongue along the roof of Syryn''s mouth, ran it along his teeth, sucking and biting at his lips - wet, hot, and depraved. The teen had unleashed something inside Rowan and he was paying for it in the bruising way that their lips moved. He found that he liked it very much.


    Rowan was soon rock hard against Syryn''s thigh. The teen squirmed against it, wanting to touch but afraid of the divine consequences he might incur. Two lifetimes of carrying his virginity with the reluctance akin to that of dragging a millstone around his neck had reduced the half-demon to a desperate mess.


    Syryn was gasping against Rowan''s lips, dizzy and hot because the anti mage was taking him apart with his tongue. Hand cupping Syryn''s cheek, Rowan taught the teen what it meant to be thoroughly ruined for anyone else by a lethal mouth.


    "Ro-mmmmph-" Syryn needed more. He just had to get the words out but the anti mage wasn''t letting it happen. A roving hand palmed the flat part of Syryn''s abdomen and slipped lower to dangerous territory. But before he could rejoice, Rowan broke the kiss. They were both breathing hard. The teen had a dazed look in his eyes, lashes wet and dark. A thumb swiped past his puffy bottom lip and Rowan made a sound of appreciation. "Do you know how beautiful you are, Ryn?"


    Syryn knew he was beautiful, thank you very much. He couldn''t say it though because the question was rhetorical. The anti mage once again claimed Syryn''s lips, driving it home just how hungry he was for the alchemist. As far as kisses went, the alchemist had never had one so intense. He closed his eyes and moaned into the delicious feeling of being ravaged by Rowan''s mouth. Syryn''s aching member was tenting his pants, begging to be released.


    "Fuck," he exhaled against Rowan''s mouth after forcing the blond to release his lips. The anti mage breathed in the scent of syryn and dragged his mouth down the side of the teen''s neck. Then he sucked, mouth closing over pale skin, nipping at it till Syryn moaned.


    "Rowan, please say you''re gonna fuck me when we get home." Syryn''s voice was hoarse with need.


    "No." The anti mage continued to tease Syryn''s neck with kisses. "Not until you remember."


    Syryn was suddenly overtaken by a spirit of depression when he heard Rowan''s reply. "What the fuck does your promise have to do with you putting your dick inside me?" He snapped at the blond who was amused by Syryn''s boldness.


    "Everything," Rowan replied. He lifted their intertwined fingers and pressed a soft kiss on each knuckle of Syryn''s hand. It had the teen''s heart aching pleasantly. "When you remember the promise, you will find the pieces of yourself that were taken away."


    All the happy feelings inside Syryn''s chest vanished like the mist dissipating in the sun. A hollowness coiled and settled itself in the space between his ribs. "What are you saying?"


    Rowan held him like he expected Syryn to bolt. "You are missing pieces of yourself." Syryn searched Rowan''s eyes for deception. There was none."You''ll remember. And until then, I''ll wait for you, Ryn."


    "No!" Syryn declared. He was panicking. "I died Rowan. There is nothing to remember when you''re dead."


    Everything that Syryn had thought he knew was torn apart by Rowan''s revelation. "I died. I came back here. That''s it." Syryn refused to believe that he was missing memories. He recalled everything from the beginnings of his childhood to the last blurry image of Rowan that had hovered before his eyes when he passed away. There were no cracks in between, no gaps to fill, nothing but vivid memories to the end. Were his memories lying to him?


    "Why has this happened to us?" Syryn asked because he couldn''t accept what the anti mage was implying. He didn''t expect Rowan to know the answer. He was wrong.


    What other nasty surprises was Rowan waiting to spring on him tonight? "Ro, you do know," the mage slowly said out loud even as his mind comprehended the confirmation in the blue eyes. "You know why it happened."


    Rowan''s complete silence, his lack of denial, the hard look in his eyes - they spoke louder than anything he could have said.


    Syryn clambered off the anti mage to better process the shock that had gripped him so abruptly. "Why aren''t you telling me?"


    "You''ll remember, Ryn." Rowan''s tone indicated to the alchemist the finality of his answer. But why? Syryn questioned. What was the reason for Rowan''s silence on the matter?


    "Then what can you tell me?" He tried again. This time, the anti mage smiled and it was sharp enough to cut glass.


    "I can tell you that Traxdart isn''t your only enemy." Rowan''s eyes were fixed on him - cool, focused - like he needed Syryn to understand how important it was to pay attention to what the anti mage was saying. "Trust your guts and keep your sights planted firmly on the objective. And above all, believe that I-" hesitation stopped his sentence. Rowan took back the words he had wanted to release. "Believe in me, Ryn."


    A chill descended upon Syryn. "And what is the objective, Rowan?"


    "To kill Traxdart. The real one."


    The alchemist sucked in a shocked breath. Traxdart''s puppet form was already so powerful. How could they possibly kill the real one? How would they even gain access to the demonic kingdom and then pass all the guards to lay assault on the Emperor? It was a suicidal undertaking.


    "We''re all going to die, aren''t we?" He felt numb from imagining what all lay ahead of them. "Oh my God. What the hell happened, Rowan?"


    The anti mage''s reply was ominous. "Ignorance is bliss. Be glad you don''t remember." Large palms reached out to grasp Syryn''s cold hands. "And when it all comes back to you, know that you have my word, Ryn, I will save us." Even if it kills me.


    Fear was a feeling that Syryn was accustomed to. It came and passed with the vicissitudes of life. Terror though, the kind that clawed and scooped into his heart with its freezing fingers, wasn''t something that he reacted to with cowardice. Terror was physiological, just as it was psychological, a response to a level of danger that no longer allowed him room to flee. There was only one way to survive and that was to fight. His body made the decision and he couldn''t stop it.


    A shudder went through Syryn and he closed his eyes. "Oh Rowan," he whispered - mouth forming a wide, mad, smile. "You''ve really done it." Glowing indigo eyes were fixed on the blond. "What am I going to do about this now?" Ivory claws scraped at the carriage seat, slicing through the leather cover like it was made of butter. Syryn was fading away but he heard the last of Rowan''s words.


    "We''ll make do, Ryn. Just like old times."


    Rowan''s anti mage field descended upon the demon with all the force of a falling star. "Try not to destroy this carriage. It''s our only way home."


    Syryn spread his wings and it was already too late for Rowan''s warning. The anti mage pulled out his divine staff, a frustrated sigh leaving his mouth as he caught the demon trying to escape the confines of the carriage. Syryn was a jerk, he decided.

 Chapter 85 - Roast Syryn

    Rowan brought Syryn to a house he was renting from an old couple. It was situated on the couple''s farm where they bred horses for a living. The anti mage had taken to staying here because it afforded him a hideaway from all the well-meaning visitors, the boot lickers, and the matchmakers who had no respect at all for his privacy.


    It was on their way to this area that Syryn had transformed. Luckily, their fight had gone down in a wooded area next to the equine farm. Syryn hadn''t been subdued easily but when had he ever been easy to deal with? The anti mage had struggled to restrain the teen without hurting him and it had cost him a few injuries in return. Rowan was left with a broken collar bone, an angry bruise on his jaw, and a long bloody gash up the side of his thigh where Syryn had gouged out a chunk of meat with his claws.


    "I''m so sorry, Rowan.."


    A contrite Syryn surveyed the injuries on the blond when they were safely inside the latter''s living quarters. The anti mage was seated on a chair with his pants off and a lump of ice wrapped in silk placed on his collarbone. Next to him, Syryn knelt on the floor to better examine the sliced up flesh on the exposed thigh.


    "Am I going to catch a demonic infection?" Rowan attempted to lighten the mood. The gloom radiating from his alchemist was thick enough to suffocate a newborn baby.


    "Crotch demon from that shitty mage and his mouth," Syryn muttered darkly.


    "What did you say?"


    "Rowan, why couldn''t you just knock me out or use more force? I can''t believe you let me do this to you." Syryn was torn between frustration towards himself for losing control and anger at Rowan for not putting his own well being first.


    "I''m not dying, Ryn. This is nothing."


    "Then let me cut off your arm. You won''t die from it either," Syryn replied while rolling his eyes. "I''m a half-blooded demon. Have you forgotten? Must I remind you of it by slaughtering a few humans tonight?"


    "Why are you so mad? I''m perfectly content with superficial injuries if the tradeoff is having to subdue your demon without hurting you." He sounded like a patient father, not that Syryn had any experience being fathered, but that''s what he imagined a long-suffering parent would sound like.


    Syryn''s reply was restrained. "This isn''t superficial. When was the last time you were hurt like this?" He looked up at the happy anti mage.


    "I don''t remember, Ryn." He looked far too happy for a man who was about to get stitched up.


    Syryn began working on cleaning the wound so he could sew up the areas that still had enough skin for it. The gouged out parts of the thigh had to be treated with special medicine that would facilitate faster growth of tissues. Syryn could not heal the wound fully and immediately lest it cause damage to Rowan''s vitality. Rapid healing was good for cuts and dermal level injuries that did not require much energy from the body. Rowan''s thigh though was missing chunks of meat and still bleeding. To force his body into growing that much tissue without the aid of time was just asking for trouble.


    "I won''t let it happen again," Syryn told Rowan. It was high time he had a conversation with Red. The younger one never lost control and Syryn needed to do what he was doing. Skirting at the edge of insanity was no longer a viable option for Syryn. He had assumed that the demon could be controlled but tonight''s experience had proved him wrong.


    "And if it does?"


    "I''ll rely on you to knock me senseless."


    Syryn had an idea. It would require extremely concentrated amounts of Liberem and the venom of at least a thousand marble spiders. The result would be potent enough to put his demon in a stupor for at least a few seconds at the very least. He liked the idea very much.


    "Why did you come back, Ro? You told me that you''d return after four years."


    Rowan''s eyes tracked the gentle movements of Syryn''s fingers on his wound. Each knuckle was gracefully arched and led to long tapering fingers that tempted the anti mage to kiss them - one cute finger pad at a time. He idly wondered about when it was that his fixation with Syryn''s hands had begun.


    "Sebastian sent me a message about an emergency that required my skills. He said it was a matter of life and death."


    Syryn snorted. "Tell me it wasn''t about you playing Night King."


    "No," Rowan chuckled. "I was conned into it by him but that''s not what my return was for. He said it was about catching an absconding magical squid."


    "Smart," Syryn admitted. "You can probably track it when it goes into walls."


    "Is that what it does?" Rowan asked while checking on the ice that had melted into water. Syryn froze it back for the anti mage.


    "Yes. Sebastian hasn''t told you about it then?"


    Rowan shook his head, long blonde hair getting into his eyes. He pushed it back realising that a haircut was due. "I was extorted into the Night King''s suit the very evening I reached Elysium. After that, you know the rest of it. He at least had the foresight to let me know ahead that you weren''t really engaged."


    Syryn smiled wryly at that. "He''s as much of a troublemaker as I am. I''m inclined to believe that Artemus has a specific type."


    "I''ll thank Sebastian for taking Artemus off your hands then," Rowan flatly replied.


    "Should I ask him to take Rhiya off of yours too?" Syryn raised his chin to face the anti mage. He wasn''t sure what gave him the right to bring it up. The betting pool was still a sore spot after all.


    "He told you about her." Rowan looked away nervously and that tiny action fired up Syryn''s temper. He reminded himself of the meaning of hypocrisy. And what was an unknown Rhiya when Rowan had been married to Lillith?


    "Ryn, there was nothing between Rhiya and I."


    "Good for you." Syryn threw away a bloody towel into the metal basin near his foot. It was a dose of his own medicine and Syryn hated it.


    "No really, it was her that climbed into my bed when I was asleep." That wasn''t something that Sebastian had told him. Syryn took deep calming breaths, counting them in his mind as Artemus had taught him to. Sebastian had also slept in his bed, see? It was fine, he told himself.


    "It''s alright, Ro. You don''t have to explain."


    "It''s not alright," Rowan replied. "I threw her out and nothing ever happened between us." The anti mage knew that the smallest grain of sand could fester a wound if left to its own devices. His petty demon lord was the pettiest of them all and it never took much to trigger them both if Syryn decided he was going to be a brat about something. That was a lesson they learnt together in his last life.


    "Are you guilty about something?" Syryn raised his brows at the man who was acting suspicious. Why couldn''t Rowan let it be when Syryn was trying so hard to be understanding?


    "Not really," Rowan carefully chose his words. "I don''t want to have you hear this from other people so- well, she was naked when she climbed my bed." The anti mage had a wary look in his eyes like he was expecting a demon lord to start throwing hands.


    The demon lord tilted his head in confusion. "Why would you feel guilty about it when you never did anything to get the said naked woman in your bed?"


    Rowan appeared confused too but for a different reason. "You aren''t mad about it?"


    Syryn stared back when he understood what the source of the blond''s confusion was. "Just how petty do you think I am, Rowan?" He was severely offended by the incorrect assumptions about his maturity.


    "A little bit," the anti mage honestly replied.


    "When have I ever been anything but understanding about your faults? You were my captor for nearly twenty years and I haven''t already poisoned you to death now, have I? I am magnanimous."


    Rowan was staring at the wood flooring, thinking hard about how to say it without hurting Syryn''s feelings. He cleared his throat and faced the self-righteous teenager.


    "Do you remember the raging tantrum you threw when the glass stylus you wanted was, for no fault of mine, broken on the way to the tower? You were so mad about it that you used the shattered stylus to write terrible poetry, with holes stabbed in the parchment, which you then proceeded to fling out of the tower window and at the guards. All in all, I counted 58 poems about how Rowan has a tiny-"


    "Stop!" Syryn exclaimed. "I get it. That was just one time."


    "Are you sure about that?" Rowan''s mirth was visible in the curve of his lips which he tried hard to hide behind the palm where he rested his chin. Syryn thought about how those beautiful lips had kissed him not too long ago.


    He silently fumed after that and so Rowan had to fill in the silence. "I didn''t sleep with her, Ryn. This lifetime, I''m only yours."


    Syryn wanted to be selfish. To believe it. What if he stole Rowan from Lillith this time around? From Eos? From the people that Rowan was destined to save? It was all moving a little too fast for Syryn. He had gotten his wish to have Rowan but at what cost?


    "And you still refuse to sleep with me," he grumbled instead, a diversion tactic to steer the conversation away from feelings.


    "You are impatient," Rowan observed good-naturedly, "Not that I''m complaining."


    Sebastian had already accused Syryn of desperation not long ago and now Rowan''s words reinforced the accusation. It hit a sensitive nerve. Out of his mouth came a rant that Syryn had been holding inside for so long.


    "Rowan Windwalker," Syryn rose to his feet, "do you know what it''s like to be celibate for two lifetimes? Do you?! It''s a big deal to me! I died a virgin! You, on the other hand, were having a lot of nice married sex with Lillith! All kinds of sex! while I was languishing in the tower with my hand so I don''t expect you to understand what it''s like to be me but you need to know that everyone has their limits and I''ve reached mine!" He let it all out in one breath. Syryn regretted it immediately but there was no taking back the shameful confession.


    How did he manage to inform Rowan of his complete lack of experience while simultaneously letting him know that he masturbated when Rowan wasn''t around?


    A deep red blush crept up Syryn''s neck and he impulsively kicked the basin at his foot with so much vigour that it smashed a hole into an unlucky wall. Rowan stared at his actions with wide eyes and Syryn hoped for a void to open right under his feet.


    "Ryn, no, don''t leave!" Rowan was desperately holding in his laughter. "You''re not done with my wound." And that brought the teen to a halt at the door. He turned right back around and began working on Rowan''s injury like nothing had happened.


    "Don''t say a word," Syryn hissed at the anti mage.


    "But-"


    "Not a word, Rowan!"


    "You told me you had many lovers," Rowan said with a straight face. "I remember asking if someone you loved was waiting beyond the walls of your prison and you said-" Syryn had gone on to tell Rowan that he had many lovers - many, too many to count- waiting for him because he was that good in bed. It had been nothing but an idle virgin demon lord''s boasting to save face.


    "If you insist on reminiscing," Syryn spat the word out viciously, "I will walk out right now and go to a whorehouse."


    Rowan was also done embarrassing Syryn. It had been a staple of their interactions in the tower. Rowan would make fun of something Syryn did and the alchemist would, in turn, taunt him back. Back and forth they''d trade insults till one of them lost their temper. It almost always was Syryn that lost.


    "There''s no need for threats, Ryn. A whorehouse can''t give you what you want."


    "Well if you won''t give it to me then I''ll have to look elsewhere, won''t I?" Syryn snapped back at the anti mage. He was kneeling between Rowan''s thighs and staring up into blue eyes that were locked onto the nervous way Syryn licked his lips. It was a wet, plump mouth just begging for something to fill it. Rowan bit down a groan at the imagery that abruptly assaulted his mind.


    "Syryn, please, don''t kneel between my legs like this," he begged.


    "Or what?" The alchemist challenged. He had an inkling as to what was getting Rowan all hot and bothered.

 Chapter 86 - AVOID THIS

    WARNING : EXTREMELY LEWD CHAPTER, REALLY NASTY, PORN, DETAILED. NOT FOR UNDERAGE READERS. AUTHOR IS GOING TO HELL. TURN BACK. Don''t FOLLOW HER. TURN BACK!


    -------------------


    "Syryn, please, don''t kneel between my legs like this," he begged.


    "Or what?" The alchemist challenged. He had an inkling as to what was getting Rowan all hot and bothered.


    The anti mage''s self-restraint was at a snapping point. He''d wanted to give Syryn the time and space to process the memories that were surely going to prove traumatic to the alchemist. He''d wanted to give Syryn the choice to reject him without regrets for anything they''d done together if he could not reconcile with the choices Rowan had made.


    "Rowan," Syryn pressed in closer till all of him was between Rowan''s spread thighs, one hand inching close to the centre of his crotch where a bulge sat under dark silk drawers. "We don''t have to go all the way tonight." Syryn couldn''t care less about Rowan''s reservations at the moment. From how the anti mage had kissed him, he knew that Rowan wanted him.


    The anti mage was as unmoving as a statue. Even when Syryn tugged at the drawstrings of his drawers, Rowan remained impassive and unresponsive. Did he not want this? Syryn looked up at Rowan. His blue eyes were arctic.


    Stung by the rejection he saw, Syryn retrieved his hands, lowering his head so Rowan wouldn''t see how upset he was. "I get it. I shouldn''t have-" A hand roughly curled around the nape of Syryn''s neck. "What-" Rowan swooped down to kiss the living daylights out of the startled alchemist. They were lip locked - their mouths moving in a depraved, primal dance that had the alchemist shuddering. Dimly, Syryn registered Rowan''s hand grabbing his. With a low groan, the anti mage pressed Syryn''s palm flat against the silk-covered bulge that had grown in size.


    "I tried, Ryn," Rowan mumbled as they kissed. "But I''m a very weak man," he pulled away first. A string of wetness connected their wet lips. "And there''s no resisting you tonight."


    Syryn could not trust himself to speak, not when Rowan''s lust-filled eyes were on him, taking pleasure from Syryn''s palm being moved against the thick appendage that had woken up completely.


    "You asked for it." Rowan''s voice had a deep, smooth purr to it. "Can you handle it, Ryn?"


    Syryn''s face burned but he nodded, eager and in a hurry, afraid that Rowan might change his mind. It was endearing how utterly innocent and unaware he appeared despite his inherent wicked personality.


    "Good," Rowan released Syryn''s hand from its prison. "Undo my drawstrings."


    Moving with steady hands that did not betray the nervousness he felt, Syryn untied the neat knot that held up Rowan''s modesty. It was all the years of brewing he had accomplished under pressure that allowed his hands to work without much shaking.


    Rowan''s erection was finally free from the confines of cloth. The alchemist swallowed as he stared at the hard, veined cock that he had been thinking about. "Now that you have it, what do you intend to do, Ryn?"


    Syryn licked his lips, a nervous gesture that drew Rowan''s eyes to his mouth. "I''m not sure," he replied. "Can I?" His hand hovered tantalisingly close to the prize. Syryn had no idea what it was doing to Rowan. Taking in the sight of those pretty fingers so close to his erection, Rowan was getting wrecked. And when Syryn wrapped all five fingers around him, the anti mage thought it was the hottest experience he''d ever had. He inhaled sharply as Syryn lowered his head for a kittenish lick at the drop of glistening pre-cum that leaked from the tip.


    The little minx then smiled up, dark indigo eyes meeting blue like he knew what he was doing to the man. "You taste so good, Ro."


    Maybe he did know what he was doing to Rowan. The anti mage was done fighting his desire for the demon lord and now he just watched with a sense of surrender that felt as powerful as the guilt that would, no doubt, come later. He threaded his fingers through Syryn''s hair as the boy engulfed his hardness in a mouth that was just as warm and moist as he had imagined. The mage didn''t know what he was doing but it felt unbelievably good all the same.


    Syryn''s lovely lips were wrapped around the girth of him, mouth stuffed with Rowan''s cock, and saliva dribbling from the edge of his lips. It had the anti mage''s heart pounding like a drum. Syryn was going to be the death of him.


    "Slow down, Ryn," he reluctantly tugged the boy''s head back with a gentle pull. Syryn was trying to take in the entire length of it and that was hot but Rowan didn''t want him to gag, at least not today. Syryn though made a sound of disagreement-which didn''t surprise Rowan- at the interruption. He determinedly explored and enjoyed the reactions he was getting out of the anti mage. One little nudge and lick at a time, Syryn managed to push in the full of it inside his mouth. The anti mage moaned and he didn''t know if it was from the sight of Syryn deep throating his cock, or from the feeling of being deep throated.


    The alchemist gagged as those without any experience did when they tried to take it in completely. "It takes practice," he said to Syryn while gently pushing away the strands of hair that fell across the younger boy''s cheek.


    Giving him a dirty look, Syryn popped the head back into his mouth and licked. The sensation went through Rowan''s spine and his grip on Syryn''s hair tightened. "You''re so perfect, Ryn," he made a sound that sent a thrill of arousal into Syryn. Needing to hear it again, The alchemist repeated what he had done. Very soon, his cock popped into the back of Syryn''s throat like he was made to suck Rowan off.


    The alchemist built up a good rhythm and it was driving Rowan insane. His orgasm was building, going higher, soaring - and he had to pull out before Syryn was left with a mess in his mouth.


    "Ryn, stop," Rowan tried to withdraw but Syryn shoved Rowan''s hands off. With a deep, shuddering groan, Rowan experienced euphoria. His abdominal muscles clenched and he spilt his seed onto Syryn''s waiting tongue.


    Mage and anti mage stared at each other, chests heaving and dizzy from what had been a fantastic first first blow job from Syryn. The alchemist''s face was a mess - slick and spit all over his mouth, chin, and cheeks - from all his hard work. But it didn''t stop Rowan from pulling Syryn in and causing him to bump against the anti mage''s wide chest.


    Rowan slid his tongue into Syryn''s mouth and kissed him with all the energy and focus that he could muster. Syryn kissed him back with just as much enthusiasm, making soft fussy sounds, and enjoying the taste of Rowan''s mouth. They lost themselves in the kiss for a good bit till the alchemist could once again feel Rowan hard against his stomach.


    Syryn broke the kiss and looked down at where the warm hardness just freshly sucked off had made another appearance. He raised his brows at Rowan and sighed. His own pant was tented but he didn''t want much from Rowan today, not while the anti mage ran the risk of tearing his stitches and ruining all of Syryn''s work. He extracted himself from Rowan''s arms. He was still shirtless and feeling a cold breeze against his skin.


    "Rowan?" he looked up at the anti mage who was also on his feet and looming in front of him. Syryn was then suddenly hauled up on a muscled broad shoulder. An arm snaked around his waist and squeezed one rounded butt cheek.


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing? Let me down!" The alchemist worried for the degree of injuries that Rowan was exacerbating with his careless action.


    "As you wish," the anti mage lowered Syryn to a table in the room. The teen now had his back to the wall and a hungry Rowan in front of him.


    None too gently, the anti mage put a hand on Syryn''s knee and parted his thighs while laving kisses down Syryn''s neck. He bit down on the smooth skin, sucking it so that Syryn would be left with a reminder of him when they were done. He unfastened Syryn''s pants and reached into it to curl his fingers around the erection that was wet and slick at the tip.


    "Ro, no-" Syryn blushed crimson when Rowan''s thumb rubbed circles over the tip, smearing the slick all over. The anti mage found it cute how the younger boy could still feel embarrassment after what had already taken place.


    "Shhh, focus on the good feeling," Rowan whispered as he licked behind the lobe of Syryn''s ears. It drew tiny gasps from the alchemist who was clutching onto Rowan''s shoulders like his life depended on it. His eyes were blown-wide, cheeks flushed and scorching-hot. It was the first time anyone had ever touched Syryn this way, and Rowan was drunk off on the knowledge of it. Syryn was his and his alone. And if the boy rejected him, well, that wasn''t a thought that Rowan was willing to entertain at the moment.


    Syryn''s quiet moans and reluctant thrusts turned into louder, bolder sounds and motions. He was falling apart beautifully in Rowan''s hand and before he knew it, he had his head thrown back, cresting into an orgasm that put a lovely ''O'' on his lips. And as he came down from the blissful feelings that curled in his stomach, his eyes met Rowan''s.


    The words that Rowan wanted to tell Syryn burned hot on his tongue. He needed the mage to understand just how much he meant to him. But it wasn''t the right time. Syryn already had a look in his eyes that informed the anti mage of the turmoil in his mind.

 Chapter 87 - Farewell

    The intensity of the silence that surrounded them was deafening. They''d had their fun and now it was time to face the unforeseen consequences of it. Syryn was still seated against the wall, pants unfastened, and a distant look in his eyes.


    Rowan placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Ryn, tell me, what''s on your mind?"


    "I''d rather not."


    Syryn had wanted this. Having had it, he was unwilling to let go. How did he ever think that it was possible to let go of Rowan after experiencing what they had?


    "Please," It was a soft sound that melted all the ice in Syryn''s gaze.


    "Your clavicle is fractured. Does it not hurt?" He asked instead.


    Rowan smiled, "a little. Will you fix me up?"


    Why did Rowan look so happy whenever Syryn was checking on his health? "Already am. You''ll need a sling for that arm."


    "I dont think it''s necessary-"


    "It is absolutely necessary. You''ll get better in a week if you do exactly as I say. I''ll also give you some draughts to reduce pain and accelerate the healing."


    "Alright, I''ll do as say but only if you promise to stay with me while my clavicle heals."


    Syryn raised his brows at the anti mage. "We''re not doing this, Ro." Living together with Rowan? Even for just the period of a week, It scared the life out of Syryn. He didn''t want to get more attached than he already was.


    The anti mage between Syryn''s thighs stood as impassive as a mountain, not letting the alchemist push him aside. "One week. Is that too much to ask for, Ryn? You''ve lived with Salem for so many years in the house Artemus gave you. What about me?"


    A tiny smile made itself known on Syryn''s face. "None of them have had their dicks sucked by me, Rowan. I think that ranks higher than the living arrangements you''re getting jealous about."


    "And it''ll stay that way, won''t it?" Rowan asked.


    "Maybe," he was teasing.


    "Maybe?"


    "Fine, I won''t blow anyone else," Syryn acceded.


    "You won''t kiss anyone else either, not Alka, not Artemus, not Magnus, and especially not Salem." All the levity was gone from his tone. Rowan was setting boundaries and he needed Syryn to understand that. He wanted to be exclusive.


    The alchemist slowly nodded. "Okay." His kiss list was fluttering out the window on a current of the anti mage''s making. Rowan was asking for relationship rights, for his whole and undivided attention, and Syryn allowed it to happen. He was carried on that same current but in another direction.


    "No priestess," Syryn said against his will. It was already out so he finished saying what was in his heart, "No Lillith, nobody, nobody but me." What was he saying? He was putting Rowan''s life in danger. Selfish. Selfish. Selfish.


    "Nobody but Syryn Nigh''hart," Rowan said as he pressed their lips together.


    This time, the kiss was heart-achingly slow. Rowan took his time making sweet love to Syryn''s lips. And through all of it, Syryn gave himself completely into taking all of Rowan without inhibition. The anti belonged to him.


    "Stay with me," Rowan asked him again when he broke the kiss with a sigh. "Come on, Ryn, it''s just a week."


    Indecision warred in Syryn''s eyes.


    "It''s only me. What are you so afraid of?" Rowan asked.


    "Three days, Ro. That''s all I can agree to."


    "I''ll take what I can," Rowan replied. He was slowly but surely inching his way into Syryn''s space. There was no more stopping it. Rowan had eclipsed everything else. He was home and would stay till Syryn decided he no longer wanted him.


    ----


    That night, Syryn slept in a separate room to avoid worsening Rowan''s injuries. The anti mage fussed and complained but the healer in him was firm in his decision.


    When dawn arrived, Rowan dropped Syryn back to his manor so the alchemist could retrieve some items that he needed. A sling was already wrapped around Rowan''s arm to immobilise the joint in his shoulder. Against Syryn''s instructions, Rowan accompanied him inside the house.


    "You''re back," Salem looked at Syryn and then at Rowan. The younger boy was wearing a shirt that was too large on him.


    "I''m back." Syryn had never felt more like scum than right now. Salem didn''t deserve this. He turned around to speak to Rowan who appeared more relaxed than his half-elf counterpart.


    "Can I have a moment to speak with Salem?" Syryn asked the blond.


    "Why?"


    "I''ve acted without thought. Now, I need to set things right."


    Gaze drifting to Salem and then back at Syryn, Rowan nodded. "I''ll wait outside."


    When Rowan left the kitchen, Syryn turned to Salem. He had no idea where to begin, what to say.


    "You dont owe me an explanation, Syryn." It was the half-elf that spoke first. "We were never-"


    "I''m still sorry," Syryn blurted out abruptly, cutting Salem off. "It was me that started it. I started this, this thing, whatever it was. And now you''re the one getting hurt. I''m so sorry, Salem." For what it was worth, Syryn meant every word he said.


    "Does he make you happy?" Salem asked, face drawn into careful neutrality that did not betray the way his heart hurt.


    Syryn nodded, eyes downcast and unable to meet Salem''s penetrating gaze. It was the guilt that did it.


    "Then there''s nothing else to be said. We''re alright, Syryn." A hand gently squeezed his shoulder. Syryn was overwhelmed by everything that had happened in so little time. He threw himself at Salem in a hug that took the air out of the blond''s lungs.


    "Syryn, please ease up. I can''t breathe."


    ---


    While the alchemists talked, Rowan solemnly faced a white cat with blue eyes.


    "I cannot thank you enough for protecting Syryn." He bowed his blond head respectfully towards the cat who deserved worship but was here among mortals, serving a trial that wasn''t theirs to bear. Its piercing blue eyes met Rowan''s and then looked away.


    It was at this moment that Syryn arrived. He stood far away watching Rowan speak to Milky.


    "What happened to your boyfriend''s arm?" Magnus asked him. They were both watching Rowan. The fire mage didn''t mention the oddity of Rowan talking to a cat.


    "He''s not my boyfriend."


    "The shirt and the bruise on your neck say otherwise."


    Syryn turned to Magnus, "did you need me for something?" He noticed that the fire mage was dressed for travelling.


    "Yeah, I had something to tell you," Magnus replied. He looked uneasy and it was setting off the alarm bells in Syryn''s mind. Just when he was about to ask, Magnus dropped the words that hit the alchemist like a boulder.


    "Syryn, I''m leaving."


    Magnus had disappeared before many times. It came with his profession in the guild. So why was he telling Syryn this?


    "You''re leaving for good," Syryn said, his heart sinking at the pained smile he was offered.

 Chapter 88 - Partition

    Syryn was upset. He wanted to give in to his sadness, to scream and plead at Magnus not to leave. The fire mage was his first real friend in his new life. It wasn''t fair for him to leave after getting so deep under Syryn''s skin.


    "I''ll come back home one day." Magnus ruffled the top of Syryn''s hair. "You dont have to look so morose, Ryn."


    Syryn had the crazy idea of confining Magnus inside their home. He could use a really thick metal chain that even a shapeshifter would have difficulty with. And then what? He asked himself.


    "I''m not sad. I won''t miss a lazy tenant like you who hardly contributes to home maintenance," Syryn replied with a snort. "Good riddance."


    "But I''ll miss you and your delicious potions." Magnus smiled and it was one of those rare honest smiles that he didn''t just wear on his face like it was pasted on.


    "Then don''t leave. Where are you going anyway?"


    "I''m heading North. That''s where I last heard about sightings of my father, or at least the person I think is my father."


    In the distance, Rowan began heading towards them.


    "You told me your father was dead."


    Magnus shrugged, "I wrote a letter to my mother and asked her for the truth. It''s thanks to you, by the way, that my suspicions were stoked." So it was Syryn''s fault then that Magnus was leaving. It was during their first real conversation about each other that the alchemist had prodded into Magnus'' parentage.


    "So what is the truth?" Syryn watched Rowan noticing Lucien. A flash of something dark sprang to life on the blond''s face but it was erased just as quickly.


    "My deadbeat father abandoned mom when she was pregnant with me. Not a single explanation nor a goodbye. He was just gone one day. I have hated him since I found out about it," Magnus looked beyond Syryn like he was remembering something ugly. "I know it''s harsh to say that about someone I''ve never met but if he hadn''t left, we could have maybe salvaged what was left after my grandfather''s death."


    Rojan''s assassination at the hands of Alamandra''s family had led to a change in the hands that held power. Magnus hadn''t just lost his near and dear ones, he had become a criminal in his own kingdom. The assassination had been justified with lies about Rojan''s corruption and misdemeanours. In one fell stroke, they''d lost everything. It had been his grandfather''s fault for trusting Falk as much as he did.


    "You want to reclaim what rightfully belongs to you." Syryn wanted to help if Magnus would accept it.


    "No," the fire mage replied. "I want to punish the people who killed my family. I will free my mother or die trying to make it happen. And for that, I need to grow stronger."


    "Your conviction is admirable. I think it''s interesting though that you nearly got yourself killed at the hands of skin collectors." It seemed strange to Syryn that Magnus would put his life at stake when he had so much to accomplish.


    The fire mage leaned his head against the wall, thinking, formulating an explanation without having to go into why he had so little self-preservation. In the end, he decided to honestly tell him about it.


    "I had an older brother, and I watched him die in front of my eyes, Syryn. I was helpless. I know I couldn''t have done anything." Black fire engulfed his hand as Magnus stared at his palm. "It was a defining moment of my childhood. I can''t have it happen again. I will never stand by and watch someone else die if I can help it. And you know, back then, I had little hope for myself or my mother. Meeting you changed that, Ryn."


    Syryn tore his worried gaze away from where Rowan was talking to Lucien. "Me? All I did was make you suspicious about your dad."


    Magnus fondly smiled at the clueless alchemist. Syryn''s gaze on him had always unwaveringly been one of affection. A sense of dependence also underlined their interactions and it gave Magnus the impression that Syryn sheltered under him. It was absurd. The half-demon was much stronger than the fire mage so why would Syryn depend on him? But if it was true, it meant that Magnus wasn''t just a lost boat afloat on waves that took him where they wanted to go. Faith in oneself, on one''s own power, were fickle things, Magnus had decided. But he could trust the faith that Syryn seemed to have in him.


    "You''re a good kid, Syryn."


    The alchemist frowned. Magnus always had a penchant for talking like he was an old man. It was a miracle that he didn''t start his sentences with ''when I was your age.''


    "You better come home in one piece, Magnus. And if you ever require the services of a friendly demon, you know where to find me." Syryn could muscle his way into Magnus'' business but this was a personal vendetta. If the fire mage wanted Syryn''s help, he would have asked already.


    "It''s a yes to both."


    "So, when are you leaving?"


    "Tonight."


    It was too soon for Syryn. "I''m assuming you haven''t yet told Lucien."


    Dark half-lidded eyes straying to Lucien, Magnus made a frustrated sound. "How do I break it to him?"


    Rowan and Lucien were wrapped up in an animated conversation. The redhead looked happy about something Rowan had said.


    "Just give it to him straight. There''s no sense in softening the blow since it doesn''t change your leaving."


    "He''s a child."


    "Of course he''s a child. Children are resilient, Magnus. He''ll forget all about you after a few months. And when he falls in love with some young mage, he will have someone else to cling to like a baby monkey."


    The fire mage glared at Syryn. "Do you hate me, Syryn? Or is this your way of making sure I dont leave?"


    The alchemist grinned at his annoyed friend. "You win some, you lose some."


    Magnus had to accept that the bond he had with Lucien was on the chopping block. It was a necessary sacrifice for what he had to do. Lucien was unfinished business, a small pebble inside his shoe that would constantly remind him of what he had to return back for. Magnus wouldn''t forgive himself if the prophecy came true during his absence and Lucien was taken away to the demonic kingdom.


    "Don''t let the prophecy come to pass, Syryn. Until I come back, protect Lucien."


    In light of the things that Rowan had told him, Syryn wasn''t sure where he stood. The ground beneath his feet was cracking just a little bit. "I have no power to resist the Emperor," he replied. "But, if he wants Lucien, he will have to go through me first. On second thoughts, I''ll throw Rowan in front of me. I think he''s good enough right now to put up a fight that might convince the emperor to retreat." Syryn had found a good bodyguard for Lucien.


    "They''re heading over." Magnus'' gaze drifted to the blond and redhead walking towards them. The hour of reckoning had come and the fire mage could no longer put off what had to be done.


    "Luci, come with me," Magnus beckoned with a hand held out to the redhead. Crimson eyes regarded it suspiciously but he took the proffered hand and looked up into dark eyes.


    Syryn waited with Rowan while Magnus broke his news to Lucien in their shared room. "Ro, I''m changing plans. I''ll need to stay here so unless you''re willing to come to live with me, we can''t spend any more time together for the next few days."


    A faint frown marred Rowan''s smooth forehead but he nodded. "For the moment, it is inconvenient for me to stay here. I''ll take you up on the offer after I''ve taken care of some things that require me to stay at the farm." Syryn was disappointed but they had no choice in the matter. After getting over his initial hesitation, the alchemist had been looking forward to seeing Rowan in a domestic setting.


    In another room, Lucien''s bottom lip trembled. Magnus was leaving. The fire mage hugged him but it only made him feel worse. Luci''s shoulders gave a small shiver and it wasn''t from the cold. Inside their mindscape, Red fumed. He wanted to let loose and throw a fit but he had to be mature about this. Magnus had his reasons for leaving and Red had to suck it up. He had to set aside the fury that was brewing in him.


    [Luci, he said he''s coming back after a few years. It''s not forever.]


    (It''s forever to me, Red. Anything more than a month is forever.)


    [You have a distorted sense of time. Look, he feels just as bad about leaving.]


    (So why won''t he stay?)


    [I''m sorry Luci. Adults have priorities and sometimes they get in the way of life.]


    "Why do you have to leave, Magnus?" Luci''s voice shook. "Can''t you take me with you?" He felt the warmth from Magnus seep through his cold skin. It would be the last time he would ever feel the fire mage hold him. The thought of it was what broke Lucien''s hold on his tears.


    "I can''t take you with me, Luci. You have to be good and wait for me." Magnus looked into damp wet eyes. "There''s someone I love, and I have to save her from some people who want to hurt her."


    [Ask him who it is.]


    Luci hung his head and watched the droplets of tears fall on the floor. Smaller trembles wracked his shoulders as the tears came faster. He couldn''t look at the fire mage, couldn''t speak. Lucien flung aside the hands that reached out to him. Turning on his heels, the redhead ran out of the room like he was being chased by hounds.


    "Lucien, wait!" Magnus was rooted to the spot, his hand stretched out in futility.


    The redhead sprinted past Syryn and Rowan. He ran to the garden and hid under tall, lanky stalks of flowers that swayed slowly in the cool breeze.


    Sitting on the dirt, Lucien hugged his knees and cried his heart out. Everyone was planning to leave him. Magnus was leaving soon, Red was leaving sometime in the future, and maybe Syryn too would leave.


    [Luci, Magnus will return. You''re crying as if he''s never coming back.]


    Luci was sobbing so hard that he couldn''t form coherent thoughts for Red. From the broken words that got through their mental link, Red understood Luci''s worries.


    [Yes I know, Luci. I know that nothing is guaranteed. But Magnus is strong and he won''t easily get hurt. Have more faith in him.]


    "Luci, where are you?" Syryn called out from somewhere close but still far enough that he couldn''t see the redhead.


    (Do you think we''ll really get caught by Traxdart?) Luci calmed down enough to ask. He was as quiet as a mouse in a field.


    [I dont know. I only know that we have to resist with all our power.]


    (Why? What''s so bad about him?) A soft sniffle alerted Syryn to Lucien''s hiding spot.


    [Trust me, Luci, he''s bad. You''ll never be happy with him.] Red had seen the absolute worst parts of Traxdart. After his many years of living every day without fear of being tortured or maimed, Red wasn''t willing to go back to that world.


    (If you say so, Red.)


    Syryn had found him. The older boy sat beside the redhead, his actions causing a few flower stalks to break and bend.


    "Lucien, do you want to leave with Magnus? I can track him if you want me to."


    The redhead turned to Syryn with wide eyes. "You- how?"


    Not even a little bit guilty about what he''d done, Syryn replied, "I''ve been treating all of you for several years now. You think I didn''t find time to steal some blood and hair samples?"


    [Why am I not surprised?]


    Lucien''s eyes were alight for a moment but it dimmed again. "I won''t leave you, Syryn. I want to follow Magnus but just as he has a duty to someone else, I have mine beside you as your brother."


    Syryn was stunned by Lucien''s declaration.


    "Thank you, Syryn. Your tracking spell won''t be necessary." Lucien wiped his tears away on a damp sleeve. "I''m done crying. Let''s go back, brother."


    The little boy whom he had rescued from the caravan had grown up. Lucien''s maturity was shining through this adversity. He could have kept crying and taken the easy way out by accepting Syryn''s offer. Instead, he had surprised Syryn with a show of loyalty that reinforced the trust that the alchemist had in Lucien.


    "Let''s go back then, Luci. Magnus is really sad and I think he needs you to tell him that it''s alright to leave."


    A fresh round of tears threatened to spill but Lucien pressed his lips together and nodded furiously.


    -----


    Magnus was standing beside Rowan when the brothers came walking back, hand in hand. Seeing them together like that, Rowan felt his mood shift. His heart hurt for the boys as they would be torn apart by the fate that had been decided for them.


    "Magnus, I''m sorry for running away like that." Lucien stood with his back straight and looked up at the fire mage with renewed determination to do the right thing. "I wish you the very best and I hope that you don''t forget the people who will be waiting here for your safe return. I won''t go anywhere till you come back."


    The fire mage swallowed past the lump in his throat. The fear of losing Lucien to the prophecy was so terrible in his mind, it even overshadowed his anxiety about never finding his father. Lucien''s crimson eyes were unblinking, waiting for him to respond.


    "I''ll come back to you, Lucien, if you''ll wait for me." Magnus had no idea that Lucien had inscribed the words in his mind and in a different light than what the fire mage had intended. Lucien was young. He didn''t know what it meant to fall in love. All he knew was that he wanted to always have Magnus by his side, forever, till the end of time. Even if he had to wait till his hair turned grey, Lucien was willing.

 Chapter 89 - Travel

    Syryn was in the eye of a storm that wasn''t of his making. Within the winds that churned beyond his centre, he was strangely calm. Magnus'' imminent departure loomed upon the household as dusk arrived. Rowan too had left after Syryn inspected his stitches one more time. And as the alchemist sat nursing a calming drink with Lucien, Artemus arrived and he wasn''t alone.


    Assassin, the first word that came to Syryn''s mind when he saw Riaku. Alka hadn''t exaggerated when he''d commented about the similarities between Salem and Riaku. Physical similarities aside, their auras were strangely alike yet opposites. Riaku had the calmness that Salem exuded but the prince made people feel like a terrible, life-threatening danger lurked underneath his cool exterior.


    Syryn noticed a thin scar cutting across Riaku''s cheek. His raven hair was braided loosely behind him. His clothing was even more interesting to the alchemist. A black fit cross collared, wide-sleeved shirt, embroidered intricately with the design of a beautiful silver Phoenix, was cinched at the waist by a long thick scarlet ribbon over loose black trousers. At his waist hung a scabbard. The sword hidden inside its covering gave off malevolent vibes that could be felt like heat radiating from a fire.


    Riaku''s cold blue eyes reminded Syryn of frosty winters. Behind him was a female bodyguard whose face was covered by a veil, the end of which slowly fluttered near her ankles. The alchemist''s gaze was drawn to the brazenly confident manner with which the bodyguard walked. Standing straight with her shoulders held back, each step that she took was done with her entire foot solidly claiming the piece of ground for herself.


    The large wings on their backs were much bigger than Lumi''s. And from the size of the wings, both individuals could be expected to reach bird sizes that rivalled their human heights.


    Artemus looked around the kitchen then addressed Syryn. "Where''s Lumi?"


    "In his room."


    The anti mage exchanged a look with Riaku and then walked past Syryn, no doubt heading off to fetch the smaller avian. The alchemist was left with the icy looking Riaku and his bodyguard.


    "Will he be executed?" Syryn asked the prince.


    Riaku lifted his gaze from Lucien and answered. "He will stand trial in the court of the Iron Claw." His voice was like silver.


    "You''re just as culpable. Why aren''t you standing trial?" Syryn''s rudeness drew a sharp gaze from the bodyguard. Riaku though appeared unaffected.


    "What crime would you pin on me?" The prince asked.


    All was fair in war. Deception and trickery were the tools of the trade for diplomatic exchanges and wars. Riaku had used Lumi to spy on his enemy. As unsavoury as his actions had been, the prince had secured a resounding victory, putting an end to decades of bloodshed. Lumi on the other hand had knowingly betrayed his people, and as long as there were survivors, the avian would never be freed from the blood debt he owed to both the Stone Claw and Iron Claw tribes.


    "I''ve got nothing." Syryn made empty palms on the table. "If I were Lumi though, I''d cut your dick off given the chance."


    Riaku''s cold look was a placid frozen lake that did not waver. It was his bodyguard who took offence.


    "Prince, may I present his head to you?" She sounded younger than Syryn had initially assumed. Her voice was low and husky. If either of them were expecting a reaction out of Syryn, they would have been disappointed by the lack of fear in him. Syryn only feared anti mages.


    "Syryn," Red began in a deceptively lazy tone, "she''s quite the gutsy one. Threatening a citizen of Sigil while standing on the Emperor''s soil. Maybe we should reward her."


    Red''s calling out of Syryn''s name had caused the prince to react with a sharp but slight jerk of his head towards the alchemist.


    "What do you have in mind?" Syryn asked as he threw caution to the wind. He was eyeing Riaku''s sword with interest.


    "I had a feeling I needed to hurry." Artemus showed up with Lumi in tow. "I leave for a minute and you two are already fomenting trouble."


    Riaku and his bodyguard silently regarded Lumi. The avian in turn turned a look of unadulterated hatred towards the prince.


    "So you came to personally catch me, Prince Riaku. Should I be flattered? Honoured? I rue the day I met you. I hope you lose your kingdom and all your loved ones. I hope you die."


    Lumi''s courage took Syryn by surprise. It was the final spiteful kick of an animal caught in a trap. Riaku''s gaze shifted to Artemus after taking in Lumi''s little outburst.


    "We''ll take over from here." Without the need for instructions, the bodyguard placed metallic manacles on Lumi''s wrists. They were magical in nature and strong enough to withstand most magic attacks on them.


    "You are Syryn, correct?" Riaku''s clinical icy gaze landed on him.


    "Who is asking?" Syryn warily replied.


    "Me. I''ve heard about your skills at healing and I have a proposal for you."


    Syryn was intrigued. "What proposal?"


    "My grandmother, the dowager queen, is terminally ill and requires the care of a highly competent healer. If you''re willing to come to Nua with us, the remunerations for your services will be worth your weight in gold."


    Syryn was tempted. He''d heard of Nua''s beauty but never had the opportunity to visit because casual visitors were discouraged. Tourism was confined to specific parts of the kingdom. Only traders were allowed entry into the heart of Nua but that too under strict supervision. It was an opportunity of a lifetime.


    "Sorry," he replied, feeling truly sorry about it. "That''s the sort of long term commitment I can''t promise to anyone."


    Riaku considered Syryn''s words and responded. "What would you say to visiting for a month? There may be benefit from getting examined by you."


    A month at Nua sounded exciting. Syryn had to help Artemus with his case but it could be done even without his physical presence at Elysium. Syryn''s contribution to the case was in an advisory capacity. He had to interpret the post mortem finds and appropriately direct them towards resources and paths that would help solve the case. Still, it rankled him to just up and leave in the middle of an important murder case.


    "You do not have to answer now. We depart for Nua just before dawn. I will send a guard to fetch you tomorrow if you do decide to come with us."


    Syryn nodded at the prince and then looked towards Lumi. The avian''s eyes met his and it was hollow. The alchemist was gripped by a sudden desire to free him but he let it pass without acting on it. It was too much trouble. Syryn didn''t care for Lumi''s crimes but he cared about the amount of bullshit that would find them if he acted.


    "What''s the worst that will happen to Lumi?" Syryn asked Riaku as he was walking away. The prince halted at the door and paused for a second to answer.


    "His wings will be taken away, never again to feel the wind under them."


    Lumi''s shoulders hunched and Syryn couldn''t say if it wasn''t a sentence that was worse than death for some avians. The desire to take to the sky was an instinct ingrained in their lithe forms. The urge to fly and glide in the wind, to soar above the clouds, and experience the freedom of not having to choose a direction - they were feelings that Syryn could commiserate the loss of.


    "The investigation will continue with or without you," Artemus informed Syryn. It was his way of telling the alchemist that he could go to Nua if that was what he wanted.


    After they''d all left, Syryn knocked on Magnus'' door. The fire mage had been catching some light sleep in preparation for his overnight journey. It was agreed that Alka would drop him off at the furthest point of Elysium''s border where a gate opened to the path. For the sake of their safety, Magnus was cutting off all contact till he was ready to return. The spies that Falk had set up in Elysium would notice his disappearance but it would be too late to find him by then. Magnus had used a lot of his hard-earned money to buy a superior cloaking amulet that would protect him from tracking spells.


    "Magnus, it''s time to move," Syryn told the fire mage at the door.


    "They took him away?" Magnus asked.


    The alchemist nodded.


    "I guess that''s it for Lumi."


    "Do you hold it against me?" Syryn asked. "He would still be here if it weren''t for my complaint to Artemus."


    "No," Magnus replied. "You did the right thing. Lumi''s crime is... grave." Magnus had lost his own family to treachery. Falk was the mastermind behind the assassination but he couldn''t have done it without the help from some of Rojan''s own disloyal family members. Magnus no longer cared about Lumi''s future or what awaited him at the trial. It had Syryn wondering just what the fire mage would think of his crimes against humanity.


    He acknowledged the fire mage''s words with a dip of his chin. "Let''s wait in the kitchen for Alka''s arrival."


    -----


    The plant mage had come home right on time. Lucien and Syryn stood near a tree and watched the two mages disappear inside the yawning rift that swallowed them up like a black mouth.


    "Luci, are you okay?" Syryn asked the boy whose silence was like a stagnant pool of water.


    "Everything at home will remind me of Magnus. I wish I didn''t have to stay here." Lucien was very subdued.


    "We''ll find ways to distract you, Luci."


    "Like what?" Big red eyes looked up at Syryn with trust. Such unfiltered belief in him pressured the alchemist for a solution. His mind ran past several ideas but none of them good enough to distract Lucien. And then out of the ashes of the terrible ideas that Syryn had torched, a silver Phoenix rose to his rescue. Rowan would not like it at all but Syryn had to do this for Lucien.


    "Would you like to go to Nua together?"


    Lucien''s eyes widened to saucers. "We can do that?"


    "Why not?"


    "School-"


    "Eh, skip for a month. It''s fine. I''ll just let them know that you''re not feeling well." Lucien had a bad case of homesickness, the home being a fire mage who had taken off on a journey.


    "What about your shop? Salem can''t make all those potions alone." Syryn thought Lucien was the most considerate little boy in the world.


    "Well, Salem is smart. He''ll figure out a way to fill in my absence." He had a plan though. Even Syryn wasn''t so unkind as to dump all the work on Salem. Two troublemaking assistants came to mind. He was sure that they''d turn up if Syryn dangled the prospects of tutelage under Salem.


    "What about the thing with Artemus?"


    "You worry too much."


    "Syryn, someone is visiting us." Lucien pointed to their gate. "It''s Sebastian!"


    The alchemist had completely forgotten about the squid. "And Rowan too!" Lucien happily informed him. For now, he was distracted and that was good enough for Syryn.


    "Wanna help catch a squid tonight?" He asked the redhead.


    "A squid?? Are we going night fishing??" Lucien''s excitement was palpable.


    "Something like that..."


    "Awesome! Should I get a fishing rod? Are we going to roast it? Magnus likes-" Lucien cut himself off mid-sentence.


    "Yeah, he does have a strange obsession for grilled squid, doesn''t he?" Syryn continued for Lucien. "It''s his loss. I''ll let you have his share." The alchemist belatedly remembered that the squid they were catching could not be eaten.


    At Syryn''s reply, Lucien recovered enough to smile. "I think I''d to travel again."


    "Me too, Luci."


    "Let''s take milky with us. It''ll be like when we first met."


    "Yeah, we could take milky. Navi too."


    "I''m so excited! When are we leaving, Syryn?"


    "Tomorrow, maybe."


    The brothers walked hand in hand, Lucien swinging their clasped hands to and fro as they walked towards the gate where a sandy-haired mage was sniggering at something that a smiling blond anti mage was saying. Syryn didn''t know what the future held but he was going to try as hard as he possibly could to make their present a happy one.

 Chapter 90 - Awkward

    "S''ryn, blondie over here says it''s you that got him into an arm sling." Sebastian was leaning against the carriage and smirking.


    The alchemist shrugged. "He could''ve avoided it."


    Lucien received a head pat from Rowan as he climbed aboard Sebastian''s carriage.


    "Avoided it? So yer tellin'' me that Rowan let ya break his bone deliberately?"


    "Syryn didn''t mean to," Rowan interjected. He looked towards the house and back at the alchemist. "Ryn, have you locked the house down or is there someone inside?"


    Syryn wondered how safe it was to leave Riha alone in the house. The selkie wasn''t exactly defenceless but if they were being watched, it was a good time for an enemy to break into the manor.


    "Has Salem not returned?" Lucien asked. Salem had left home to go on a shopping trip for their alchemy business.


    "Nope." An answer to both Rowan and Lucien.


    The beginnings of a bad idea came knocking on the door to Syryn''s mind. Risky, was his first thought about the idea. But the house needed security that would keep away the curious folks and kill the ones that trespassed. Yes, why not? He asked himself. A corpse tree, that was what his mind brilliantly settled on. They would require the services of a priest who would suppress the tree every month. Alka''s little priest could solve both problems. As for the dead people needed to feed the tree, Syryn had a few ideas for it. The plan was starting to sound better as he pitched it to himself.


    And as if the universe was telling Syryn to go ahead with his plan, a rift opened up to reveal their plant mage. It was a sign from the spirits, Syryn decided. He waved at Alka and began walking towards him and further away from the others. The alchemist was aware of how outrageous his plan was, how Rowan and Sebastian would both try to convince him out of it.


    "Alka, is Qairu still in Elysium?" He asked the plant mage who raised his brows at the mention of the priest.


    "He is. Why?"


    "Can he get us a seed of the corpse tree?" Syryn quickly asked.


    The plant mage blinked at Syryn. "Us? Corpse tree?"


    "Yes." Syryn wasn''t sure if Alka''s level of insane was high enough to accept the idea. It was one thing to plant a corpse tree out in a forest and another to plant it right in their backyard.


    The plant mage nodded warily. "I think it''s possible. Where will you plant it?"


    Syryn''s gaze surveyed their compound. He wasn''t sure yet which area was best.


    "Are you serious?" Alka asked in a monotone. "In this compound?"


    "It''s either that or a dog." Syryn had harped at Alka about the dangers of a corpse tree and here he was, attempting to pitch this idea like the hypocrite he was.


    Alka took a deep breath and stared down at the ground, thinking it through because Syryn was obviously nuts. The plant mage''s heart began to beat faster at the thought of a predatory plant in their home. He liked the idea. He liked it too much. "I''ll get it from him."


    Syryn took in the way Alka''s shining eyes betrayed his cool cover. The plant mage was delighted about a corpse tree in their compound.


    "Great." Syryn placed his hands on his hips confidently. He hadn''t had time to reflect on the plan but it was already coalescing into reality. They would deal with the ensuing problems one step at a time.


    "Okay, so have fun wherever it is you''re going." Alka looked towards the carriage and its occupants.


    "Take care of the house till I return. Don''t let demons get to Riha."


    The plant mage looked worried for a second. "Is that a possibility?"


    "I''ll come home as soon as possible, Alka. Drag Riha into the path if trouble appears."


    "Right. They''re getting impatient so off you go."


    --------


    "S''ryn, we should spar sometime." Sebastian began as soon as his carriage was on the move. "I''m impressed by how much damage ya put on Rowan. You should know that nobody has ever gotten close to puttin'' anything but a bruise on him."


    The alchemist guiltily looked at the anti mage. "Like I said, he allowed it to happen so I wouldn''t get hurt."


    "You didn''t do it on purpose, Syryn. It was my words that had triggered you. The least I could have done was minimise the damage done to you," the blond solemnly informed Syryn.


    "Rowan, are you actually blaming yourself for something that not even I was expecting to happen? Are you cosseting me? Let me take responsibility for my own faults. I''m not a goddamn child, you know."


    Sebastian was looking between the two not understanding what they were talking about. What was it that had triggered Syryn, the not child? And what did it have to do with Rowan''s injury?


    "Enough. You''re both really cringy." The redhead glared at the two of them and went back to staring out of the window.


    The anti mage smiled at Lucien''s declaration. Syryn on the other hand was offended. How dare Red suggest that he was cringy? Rowan had the tendency to sometimes behave like an elder but not Syryn, never Syryn.


    "Keep that up and we won''t be going to Nua," he retorted.


    "You''re going to Nua?" Rowan''s attention turned to him.


    Syryn winced. He hadn''t meant for the anti mage to find out this way.


    "I wanted to tell you about it but it slipped my mind." He realised that he''d said the wrong thing when Rowan frowned. Mercifully, the anti mage smoothened out his frown and jumped straight to questions.


    "When are you leaving?"


    "Eh. Well...it was a sudden plan...." Syryn hemmed and hawed as he answered. "So.. Tomorrow?"


    "Tomorrow," Rowan deadpanned.


    "Tomorrow," Syryn repeated foolishly, "-ish."


    Sebastian was quietly enjoying the show. It wasn''t often that Rowan ragged on someone, and it wasn''t often that Syryn looked so uncomfortable.


    "I have no intention to meddle in your travel decisions but I need to know, Syryn. You were intending to tell me about it, weren''t you?" Rowan asked as a tight smile made itself known on his face.


    "Yes," Syryn immediately answered. His response was unnecessarily loud.


    Rowan slowly nodded. "Why have you suddenly decided to go to Nua?"


    "Someone''s grandson asked me to examine his dearest grandmother since she''s been in low health. I couldn''t refuse the heartfelt request of a filial grandson now, could I? As a healer, I consider it my duty to go where the sick-"


    "Big brother is going to Nua because of me," Luci cut into the opening of Syryn''s monologue. "I''ve been feeling down so he thought it might cheer me up if we travelled somewhere nice."


    "Why have you been feeling that way, Lucien?" Asked the anti mage who was sat adjacent to the redhead.


    Lucien stared at his shoes wondering how safe it was to speak about Magnus'' departure. "I miss someone."


    Rowan looked at Syryn needing to know if an acquaintance of Lucien had passed away. It was too bad that messages could not be exchanged mentally between them.


    "It''s Magnus," Syryn answered. "We won''t be seeing him for a while. Lucien and I both need the distraction of a journey. I miss him too Luci. I think he misses us more than we miss him though."


    "That''s not possible," the redhead answered. "It hurts more when you''re the one that''s left behind."


    "Kid," Sebastian flicked the redhead on the forehead. "Your precious Magnus is still alive, and he will stay that way for a long time so don''t go mournin'' him like he''s passed away."


    Syryn mulled over Lucien''s words. Was the boy afraid of being left by the people he loved? He had been rejected by his blood family so the trauma of that would have left a mark on his psyche.


    Lucien was silent. The alchemist hadn''t wanted to remind him of the missing fire mage but it was too late now.


    "Rowan, are you sure you can catch the squid in the condition you''re in?" Syryn asked while eying his arm sling and injured thigh. The alchemist couldn''t help but let his gaze graze past the place where the anti mage''s manhood was hidden. His eyes lingered on it for far too long to not have had the adults notice his brazen stare. Sebastian''s sly leer and Rowan''s embarrassed little cough attested to the confirmation of that fact.


    Syryn didn''t care. He smiled proudly at the anti mage. Rowan though surreptitiously looked at Lucien and then back at Syryn. ''There''s a child in here,'' his expression seemed to indicate. The alchemist shrugged nonchalantly and wiggled his brows at Rowan, and then used his curled fingers to mimic a motion that was not suitable for the eyes of children.


    "Oh S''ryn," Sebastian chuckled at the shameless teen. Rowan had taken to ignoring Syryn. Lucien awkwardly twiddled his fingers like he was trying very hard to pretend he didn''t understand what was happening.


    "He doesn''t get it," Syryn rolled his eyes at the stiff anti mage. "He''s 12."


    "That doesn''t make it any less inappropriate, Syryn. Don''t corrupt the innocent child." The alchemist hadn''t seen Rowan around children before. It was a revelation to him that the anti mage was not very different from a clucking hen fussing over its chick.


    "I know what it means," Lucien informed them. "I''m 12, not stupid."


    "Syryn!" The anti mage''s censure was sharp.


    "What? It wasn''t me. I didn''t teach him those things!"


    Rowan''s eyes were serious with worry. "Lucien, has someone been acting inappropriately with you?"


    Red made a surprised face at the man. Syryn had already told him about Artemus and then Rowan''s recent discovery of Lucien''s status as a half breed. Did Rowan not know about how rampant abuse was among the demon halfbreeds? No, nobody had informed the anti mage about it because humans didn''t care about why children like him became monsters. Only Rowan had put in the time and the effort to get inside a demon lord''s head. But had Syryn said anything about it to the man? Judging from Rowan''s reaction, the answer was a resounding no.


    Red didn''t like it but he could understand the reasoning behind humanity''s apathy for the suffering of half breeds. Their demonic side was violent, horrifying, destructive. The prejudice against them was justified by the experience they''d had in the past with every out of control half demonic child. Red found that he couldn''t truly blame them for the fear they harboured for his kin. But how awful was it that only Rowan had tried to help one of their kind?


    "Thank you, Rowan," Red seriously told him. "I''m fine."


    The blond was not convinced but he refrained from further questioning. Syryn had a feeling that a grilling would come later.

 Chapter 91 - What Is A Kiss List?

    "Sebastian, are we really getting married next month or?" Syryn let the ''or'' dangle with an unspoken threat behind it.


    The mage that was being threatened responded by closing his eyes in abject misery. What a headache it was to deal with his upcoming nuptials. Sebastian considered faking a marriage but discarded the plan when he felt Rowan''s unfiltered stare shaving off years out of his remaining life span.


    "I have a plan. The emperor won''t like it but it is what it is."


    "What?" Syryn scoffed, "you gonna run away again?"


    Sebastian looked offended at Syryn''s suggestion that he would run away. "Fer your information, it''s called makin'' a strategic departure."


    "Luci, this is the kind of man you don''t want to become," Syryn advised the redhead who was attentively listening. "He''s the sort that would deny parentage even if the baby came out with a note bearing his father''s name on it."


    "Am I supposed ta sit here and listen to you slander me, mister I have a kiss list? Yer not far off from sowin'' wild oats yerself if you weren''t so homosexual."


    "A kiss list?" It was a quietly spoken question from the anti mage; a simple string of words that shouldn''t have sounded as menacing as they did. The cry of war horns rang out and Syryn made peace with the decision to bury Sebastian in their garden. He would be the first powerful sacrifice to their corpse tree. Looking a little wild around the eyes, Syryn pasted on a smile for Sebastian and it promised vengeance.


    "What? Ya don''t have a kiss list?" Sebastian said with a nervous laugh that sounded high pitched.


    "No, I don''t. Should I have one? Is that what the youngsters are making these days?" Rowan looked at Syryn with raised brows.


    "Everyone has a kiss list. It''s an instruction manual for the list of different kiss techniques that are currently to known to man," the sandy-haired mage began to explain. "S''ryn, where did ya get yours? I''ve been lookin'' to buy one as well."


    "I got mine from Magnus. I have no idea where he bought it from." The alchemist shook his head at the sagely nodding Sebastian. "It''s a real tragedy considering I''ve lost my kiss list." He then turned to Lucien and frowned. "Luci, I saw you wrapping your cherry flavoured candies in a piece of paper last week. Do you remember?"


    The redhead nodded. "It wasn''t your kiss list though."


    "How do you know that? You grabbed a random sheet from my drawer. It was definitely my kiss list. Now Rowan won''t get to see it anymore. You should apologise to him for losing my kiss list."


    "Yeah, Luci, S''ryn is right. Ya can''t just wrap your sweets in weird sheets of paper that ya find in his drawers. Eos knows what Syryn has been puttin'' in there. What if ya catch crotch demons?"


    "Fuck off Sebastian. If anyone''s got crotch demons, it''s you. Any suspicious bumps and lesions-"


    "I will pull my pants down right here and right now. What about you, S''ryn? Do you have the guts to prove that yer clean?"


    Rowan was quietly listening to the idiots bicker. Syryn had a kiss list and he wouldn''t have found out about it if it wasn''t for his empty-headed companion accidentally leaking it. Rowan could compel the alchemist to surrender the contents of the list but he was inclined to believe that he was trustworthy. It was a bit like walking on a tightrope with nothing but faith pushing him onward. The anti mage felt a twinge of nervousness in his guts but he ignored it. Syryn would not betray him like that.


    "Shit, Sebastian. All you had to say was that you''re curious about it. My dick is just as pretty as my face."


    "You''re both the worst kind of role models for me!" An irate Red righteously pointed a finger at Syryn and then at Sebastian. "Magnus was a real responsible adult but he left me and now I''m stuck being blamed for the indiscretions of two high functioning juveniles who have never heard of shame in their lives. Rowan, are you a babysitter? A nanny? Or their mother? Because all I see in front of me are two man-children threatening to expose themselves just to prove that they aren''t filthy diseased man whores! Shut the fuck up if you don''t want to see me jump out of a moving carriage because the prospect of being crushed bloody under the wheels of our ride is infinitely more tolerable to the sight of you two making fools out of yourselves. Do you need to suck on your mother''s tits? Should I fetch a wet nurse? Fuck you and you!"


    The anti mage was stunned by Lucien''s outburst. He could see that the redhead wasn''t done yet.


    "Now we''re all going to stay real quiet and peacefully ride the rest of the way to Rum district so that I can close my eyes and pretend my life is still going great. Do we have an understanding?"


    "I am a teenager," Syryn smugly informed them. "We''re annoying at this age. Sebastian though can speak for himself because he''s an adult man arguing with me, a teenager."


    Rowan asked himself how he had fallen for Syryn. Was he so shallow? So ensnared by a pretty face? No that wasn''t right. He had seen several beauties before Syryn.


    "No Syryn Nigh''hart, you''re worse than that," Red glared at him. "You''re like one of those stunted plants that Alka keeps trimming so they remain small and thick." The redhead tapped his temple as he spoke. "They''re beautiful when they bloom but require more attention than a spoilt pillow princess. I will never understand why Alka is fond of such useless things. At least you''re good for sucking dick since that''s what you were pantomiming for Rowan."


    An embarrassed clearing of the throat came from the anti mage''s corner of the carriage. He was desperate to leave the carriage. No 12 year old should have been saying those words to anyone. Rowan knew better than to patronise the redhead since he had made it very clear that he could defend himself.


    "Lucien, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Syryn snapped at the redhead. "You''d be dead three times over by now if you were someone else."


    "Do you ever listen to yourself talk, Syryn?" Red asked while leaning his head against the seat. The upheaval that Magnus had caused was still a deep hole that Red was trying to fill.


    "I do. And I dont care about the consequences of it. Suck it up Lucien because I''m the big brother." Syryn began counting on his fingers, "I feed you, clothe you, shelter you, make travel plans for you, heck I save your life when you''re acting like a little shit. Remember Zelli? Should''ve left you to suffocate under her enormous boobs. And let''s not forget the time I jumped down a cliff for you. What have you done for me, Lucien?" Syryn was going to milk the cliff incident for all it was worth.


    "Not killing you when I had the chance to. Can we start there?" Red bit back. "I''m your responsibility, smartass! You''re not doing me a favour. You took me in, adopted me, and you''re surprised that it comes with duties and responsibilities?"


    "Don''t you just hate it when the twelve-year-old makes more sense than the purported sixteen-year-old responsible brother?" Sebastian added his contribution to the conversation. "But stop for a minute and explain to me how you had the chance to kill Syryn. And why would you even have such a morbid thought?"


    Red sealed his lips. It was Syryn''s problem now. He wanted to play big brother so there, be the big brother and cover for him.


    "Family secrets," Syryn replied. "Are we there yet?"


    Rowan sighed because it was finally over. Rum district was already in view.


    "You guys are a really strange group. Especially you two," Sebastian eyed the brothers suspiciously. "I''ll find out one day so guard your secrets while you can."


    Sebastian''s skin erupted in goosebumps when two pairs of eyes turned to him. The mage had once come across a pond in the desert. A diamond tailed sand viper was coiled under a thick layer of sand. The creature had been waiting to ambush a prey unlucky enough to drink near the viper''s hiding spot. The way it had watched Sebastian reminded him of the feeling that the brothers gave him. And just as soon as it came, it was gone. Syryn was smirking while Lucien disinterestedly turned away.


    "Sebastian, what''s the plan?" Rowan asked the pensive mage.


    "Do your thing, Rowan. Spread your field out as thin as you can and see if anything weird turns up."


    Syryn felt the anti mage''s power blanket him like a mist. There was almost no suppression from it. Rowan''s ability to manipulate it exceeded what the alchemist had expected of him.


    "How long is it going to take?" Red asked. He was paying attention now that the discomfort of an anti mage''s suppression was washing over him. Its intensity was almost negligible but mages were conditioned to go on alert when they felt an anti mage''s field.


    "Something is resisting me," Rowan informed the others. "I think we''ve found your squid."

 Chapter 92 - Squid Tales

    "It''s moving away," Rowan told Sebastian as he stepped out of the carriage.


    "What are we waiting for then? Let''s follow," the mage replied.


    Lucien disembarked right after Rowan. The excitement on his face had erased away the cranky furrows that Red had put on there. "How are going to catch it?" He asked the anti mage.


    In response, Rowan waved his gloved hands in the air. "Let''s hope that they''re correct about their theory on its magical energy."


    "You won''t get hurt will you?" Luci asked.


    "There''s no guarantee I won''t suffer some scrapes, Lucien, but I''ll be real careful," the anti mage replied. "And If something goes wrong, you''ll have to turn around and run."


    Luci frowned as he shook his head at Rowan. "No! I can''t abandon you if you''re in trouble."


    "Luci, if Rowan says to run then you run. No questions, just run like the wind. This creature has killed plenty of mages and we know next to nothing about it. I doubt Rowan would have trouble with it but if that does happen, your best bet would be to not get in the big man''s way."


    The redhead nodded.


    "Before you get to it, I want to meet the creature on my own," Syryn informed the anti mage. "Don''t show yourself before I''m ready to let you have it."


    "I don''t like it," Rowan replied. "From what Sebastian has told me, mages are most susceptible to its attacks."


    "I''m no ordinary mage."


    "I know."


    "But," Syryn sheepishly added, "if it looks like I''m getting killed, you have my permission to intervene." There was something very comforting about knowing that the anti mage had his back.


    "You''re putting me in a difficult situation," Rowan responded after a light sigh.


    "Rowan is right, you know. Can''t go in solo like that, S''ryn."


    "But that''s what you did last time. You chased after it alone."


    "Last time was different. Now that we know what it might be capable of, how will you stop it from jabbing you with its tentacles?"


    "I''ll be okay. Right, Rowan?" Syryn turned to the blond who was suddenly being pressured unfairly.


    "Syryn, just be careful," Rowan chose to say. "There''s only so much that I can do."


    "Are we going to keep talking all evening?" Red interjected. "If Syryn gets killed, it''ll be a result of natural selection so let''s move it."


    Rowan watched the redhead walk beside Sebastian, thoughts heavy on the little information that Syryn had offered up about the boy. He hoped that Lucien would not remember what had been planned for him, at least not till Rowan could find a way to help.


    ----


    Rum district had turned into a ghost town after the mage hunters had evacuated the entire place. Disobedient and careless mages had continued to visit the area, never imagining that they''d be victimised next. People were like that. Everyone believed they wore a shield of imperviousness that would protect them from becoming the next victim. Their invincibility would shatter when confronted with the monster stalking the district but it would be too late.


    Syryn heard the flat hollow sounds of his footsteps echo down the road that Rowan had pointed him to. The smell of sewage wafted up through the metal grills of a gutter where dirty water flowed in a long course past the entire length of the rum district. He concentrated on the sounds of the night but there was no suspicious activity to be heard.


    Syryn wasn''t seeing anything that remotely looked like a glowing squid. But when he squinted into the darkness of an alleyway just opposite where he stood, the alchemist made out the silhouette of a tall stationary man. He had found the bait.


    This time, there was no calling out for him. Perhaps the creature recognised Syryn, perhaps it knew that Syryn had been looking for him - the silhouette just stood at its place like a marker for the convenience of the alchemist.


    "You''re probably very hungry aren''t you? The mage hunters have deprived you of your meals," he spoke out loud into the alleyway. There was no movement from the shadowy spaces. "Here I am mister squid. I''m a tasty, strong, fattened up mage full of mana. I''m not sure if you can understand me but surely, you have to be able to. You communicated with me that day."


    Syryn saw a quick flash of movement, a darting shadow that disappeared behind the corner of the wall. The silhouette melted away and Syryn gave chase. Casting his senses wide, the teen was alert for a potential ambush.


    {You- come me?} A crystal clear voice sounded out inside his head. It was finally talking to him. {Why? Kill?}


    "Not sure what you''re trying to tell me," he spoke at a patch of darkness that was denser than its surrounding. His actions so far were unplanned. Hunting down the squid was their objective but Syryn had wanted to speak to it first - a silly whim he hadn''t expected to be rewarded for.


    {Why? Come? You me- kill?}


    "I''m not really here to kill you. Is that what you''re asking about?" The patch of darkness moved. It was so black that Syryn speculated it was absorbing all the light that fell on it.


    {Hungry} he heard in his mind. {Give me.}


    "No. You''re not allowed to attack me. You can try and get killed for it. If you''d rather stay alive and sate your hunger though, answer a few questions I have." Syryn wondered if Rowan was hearing just what he was saying. The anti mage was probably panicking just a little bit.


    {Help me} the creature replied. {You me help.}


    "Okay, I can help you. I''ll feed you magic but you''ll have to answer my questions first."


    {Yes.}


    "Where did you come from?"


    The mass of darkness swirled just a little bit. Syryn waited patiently for the creature to say something, anything that it could with its limited vocabulary.


    {you''re no- not home.}


    "My not home?" It was going to take forever to communicate with it, he realised.


    {Hole.}


    Syryn was patient when it came to figuring out puzzles. He turned the answers over in his mind but couldn''t come to a logical connection of its words.


    "Are you saying you came through a hole?"


    {Hole yes.} They were making some progress now.


    "And where''s this hole you came from?"


    {Hole not- not hole.}


    "What? What are you saying?"


    {Hole- no hole.}


    It was frustrating. "Can you take me to the hole?"


    "No hole."


    "Oh! Are you saying the hole is gone?"


    {Gone.}


    What hole was this creature talking about? Syryn wondered. He needed to get inside the hole and see where it led to.


    "Who closed the hole?" He asked while drawing out a circle in the air with his finger.


    {Hole.}


    "The hole closed the hole?" Syryn wanted to laugh at how ridiculous they must have sounded to their listeners.


    {Yes, hole.}


    "So the hole closed itself. Interesting." The most probable explanation for the hole was the existence of a portal. The implications of its words suddenly made the squid an even more interesting subject to Syryn.


    {Close yes. Hungry.}


    "Not yet. Show me what you look like first. And then I promise to feed you."


    The dark mass shifted and curled restlessly. {Hungry}


    "Like I said, I need to see the goods first. Then you get the payment."


    {Danger}


    "What? Rowan? He won''t hurt you as long as you remain far from me."


    {Rowan}


    "Yep. And I''m Syryn."


    {Syryn}


    "Yeah so do your glowing thing, squid. Show me."


    The darkness was suddenly pierced through by rays of blue light. Syryn''s eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness and he was taken aback by how ethereal and beautiful the squid was. Sebastian had been right about its form. It had a bulbous head the size of a carriage wheel. Below it dangled multiple tentacles that varied in length. There were no visible eyes on it but through the almost transparent layer of its skin, Syryn could make out gel sacs and other strange shapes compacted inside it.


    "Are there others like you?" He asked the creature.


    {Home} it answered.


    "Where is home?"


    {Hole.}


    "I guess we''ll have to first teach you more words. You need magic right? I can give you some but you''re not allowed to attack me. Do you understand?"


    {Yes}


    "You''re being really cooperative," Syryn grinned at it. "Good thing too. Someone is waiting to suppress you." He bit into the skin of his finger and squeezed out a drop of blood. Syryn then held his finger out and waited for the squid to make a move.


    {...}


    "What?"


    {Small}


    "Tsk!" Syryn jabbed his finger out at the squid. "That''s all I can do for now. If you''d rather starve then be my guest."


    The squid tentatively reached out and tapped at Syryn''s finger with the end of his thinnest tentacle. It was a gentle tap that felt icy cold. Syryn had injected a lot of magic into that drop of blood so he could not afford to give it more.


    {Small}


    "Keep saying that and I''ll abandon you to the mage hunters." Syryn wasn''t quite sure what he wanted to do with the squid. Curiosity had led him thus far but he hadn''t really expected to speak with it.


    "I have no idea what to do with you. If you stay here, you''ll eventually get caught by the mage hunters and I won''t have a magical squid to talk to anymore."


    {Home?}


    "Your home? I dont know where it is."


    The squid visibly wilted just a little bit.


    "But you can come home with me if you want to. Actually, no. I''ve got mages at home. You can''t come with me. You''ve killed many mages. Who''s to say that you won''t attack my friends?"


    The squid floated before him silently. It had attacked the mages for its own survival. How was it any different from any other animal that killed to eat? There was no malice in its attacks. But Syryn knew that its existence was a threat to every mage he had befriended. He could not allow it to live. That was the right thing to do, wasn''t it?


    {Syryn}


    "Yeah?"


    {Syryn hungry?}


    "I dont eat magic."


    {What? Syryn- magic hungry?} It was starting to sound annoyed if that was even possible.


    "I don''t think we''ll make much progress tonight so I''ll just go home. I''ve got travel plans to make, letters to send. It''s too bad I can''t stay here much longer."


    {Home}


    "Don''t get caught by the mage hunters. I''ll return after a month with many more questions for you. If I dont find you here, I''ll assume you''re dead."

 Chapter 93 - Blue

    Syryn''s back was turned to the squid as its blue light slowly faded. Darkness swallowed the final glow that lit up the dark walls of the alleyway.


    "We have to contain it, S''ryn," Sebastian spoke as soon as the alchemist reached their hiding spot not too far from where the squid had disappeared.


    "Yeah? It''s not your job to. You''re not a mage hunter."


    "Rowan is. He needs to do his job, S''ryn. That thing is a killer. I know you feel sorry for it but we can''t let the creature kill another person."


    "There''s nobody here but us to kill," Syryn replied. "What will the mage hunters do if they catch it?"


    Sebastian looked at Rowan. The blond had been tracking the squid''s movement while his friends debated.


    "It''s a single unique specimen of a species never seen before," Rowan told them. "They''ll most likely keep it alive."


    "So you''re gonna catch it and just hand it over to your friends then," Syryn said bitterly. "You''re such an upright mage hunter."


    Rowan was put on the spot by the alchemist. He was quite aware of Syryn''s subtle manipulation tactics but it didn''t make him any more immune to it. "Ryn, would you rather I leave it to attack another mage? Can you take responsibility for that?"


    "I didnt say you couldn''t capture it, Rowan. Go ahead," Syryn answered. But to their ears, it sounded like the alchemist was daring Rowan to suffer the consequences of squid capture.


    The blond exchanged a glance with the sandy-haired mage. To please the husband or to carry out his duty in good conscience?


    "I''m willing to meet you halfway if you can suggest another course of action that won''t put the lives of innocent people at risk."


    Syryn felt he had pushed Rowan far enough on the matter. His original intention to leave the creature alone was squashed by the reality of mage hunter duty. Forget one month, Rowan was going to snuff its freedom out right now. It was time to negotiate. "What do mage hunters do when they''re met with a hostile creature of rare origins that has been displaced from its native location?"


    "Relocate it after carrying out a thorough risk assessment exercise of the dangers it would pose to the handlers," Rowan answered. It was obvious what Syryn was trying to do.


    "I''ve assessed the risk and I declare the squid relocatable." The alchemist raised his chin to meet Rowan''s amused eyes.


    "It isn''t just a creature of rare origin, it''s undocumented. Protocol dictates that I bring it in for study."


    Syryn''s mouth twitched. "You said you''d meet me halfway."


    Rowan didn''t want to waste any more time bantering with his stubborn lover. "What exactly do you want me to do then?"


    "Relocate it. I am willing to fund the purchase of ten thousand joules of mana crystals which will be rationed out to the squid while I''m away for a month."


    "S''ryn that''s a lotta money yer squandering on a dangerous pet like the squid."


    "Money is useless if I can''t spend it to buy my happiness. I can always make more anyway," Syryn declared with an easy shrug. "Besides, Rowan has enough for the both of us." Syryn was already eyeing the blond''s wealth and it didn''t bother the anti mage one bit.


    "Spoken like a true profligate," Sebastian replied.


    "You want me to babysit the squid till you''re back from Nua." The anti mage raised one gold brow at the alchemist.


    "It doesn''t have to be you but if you''re volunteering then I won''t refuse."


    Sebastian was starting to see a pattern. How Rowan allowed the alchemist to have his way repeatedly was a testament to the blond''s feelings for the teen. He worried for the man''s future.


    "I suddenly feel like I''ve been forcefully conscripted," Rowan said with an amicable smile. "I''m sorry Ryn, I''m already breaking more than a few rules by not hauling the squid in for observation. You''ll have to make me a good offer if you wish to hire me as a babysitter for your new project."


    Sebastian was wrong. Rowan could hold his own against Syryn.


    The alchemist had a calculating look in his eyes. "I offer you a favour of your choosing."


    "That''s borin''!" Sebastian interjected. "Even Luci thinks it''s borin''." The redhead was dozing off with his arms loosely draped around Sebastian''s neck. He had fallen asleep while Syryn was talking to the squid.


    "I am one of the best alchemists you''ll ever have the honour of meeting. Can you imagine the amount of gold you can save by calling in an alchemical favour? Ultra rare potions, illegal decoctions, drugs, undetectable poisons, the possibilities are endless! Rowan can have what his golden heart wants if he only dares to ask for it." Syryn''s wicked stare burned through Rowan''s skin like a brand. He was already angering Rowan''s goddess by partaking in the meal that wasn''t for him. Everything else seemed trivial in comparison.


    Sebastian rolled his eyes at the sky. He just couldn''t handle the sticky tension that was starting to brew between the two men who were supposedly here to help with a murder squid. Arresting the squid was already off the table now that Syryn had laid claim to the creature. It wasn''t his business just how much trouble Rowan would get into if Artemus found out. But if he had to stand here and watch them make eyes at each other for one more minute, Sebastian was ready to abandon it all and ride off into the night with the sleeping Lucien.


    "Okay, that''s enough. Rowan accepts the favour. Just go, S''ryn, get the squid. If it tries anythin'' around me though, all bets are off. I won''t wait around for Rowan to suppress it."


    Sebastian''s words had their intended effect. Syryn blinked away the sweetness that had been spreading across his chest. All he had wanted at that moment was to hug Rowan and be squeezed back by the man''s beautiful biceps.


    "I''ll be right back then." He looked at both of the men. "Is it still hanging around the same area?"


    Rowan nodded. "A little further off from where it was when you left it."


    Syryn speed-walked back to the alleyway. He was late! Very late. There was packing to be done for both of them, and letters to be sent out. He had question. What was the weather like at Nua? Did he need special medicine for localised diseases that could harm Lucien? Did they need special equipment to tackle the dangerous walkways of Nua? There was suddenly so much more to do.


    "Squiii-iiid, where are you?" He called out.


    {Syryn} the creature sounded surprised that he had returned.


    "So, I''ve got a proposition for you. Would you like to go somewhere else?"


    {Hungry?}


    "You''ll get fed although I''m not sure how much you need to eat. You''ll have to promise me that you won''t attack anyone unless it''s in self-defence."


    {Hungry no- kill- Syryn-home}


    "Can''t you make more sense than that? You''ve been here long enough."


    {No kill}


    "That was easy.." Syryn was starting to think that the squid had been killing out of desperation. He wanted to give it the benefit of doubt but he didn''t entirely trust the creature just yet.


    "Look, Rowan will feed you. If you take the life of another mage, you can kiss your freedom goodbye cause he''s not going to put up with that sort of behaviour. It''s a damn miracle he hasn''t already dragged you into anti mage hq for experiments."


    {Rowan}


    "Yes, Rowan." Syryn let out a deep sigh. "I don''t know why I''m doing this. I feel sorry for you. Maybe its because you remind me of myself. I was just like you, going on a murder spree because there was no easier choice to be made. I actually learnt to enjoy it though." Syryn said the last part with some regret.


    {Syryn}


    "I am giving you a chance, squid. Kill one more mage and I won''t lift a finger to help you when Rowan decides that you''re better off as a test subject. Do you understand? I need you to comprehend what I''m saying, squid. This is for your own good."


    The squid floated before him and its lights began to glow.


    "What does that mean? Come on. Answer me. Tell me you understand!"


    {Yes}


    "No, kill humans."


    {No kill hu-mans}


    "Run if humans attack."


    {Home?}


    "No, you dumbass. Just run wherever. I have no idea where Rowan will put you."


    {Dum-ass?}


    "Just follow me."


    {Dum-ass}


    "No."


    {Syryn}


    "What?" The alchemist looked back to see if the squid was following him. It was.


    {Home}


    The alchemist felt bad for the squid. He had no idea where it had come from.


    "We''ll see, squid." He looked at the creature floating next to him. "I can''t keep on calling you that. Let''s give you a name. How about Blue? Fantastic. That''s your name."


    {Bloo}


    "Blue"


    {Blue}


    Syryn reached the spot where the two men were waiting. Rowan already looked like he was regretting the entire thing. Sebastian though was staring at the squid with fascination.


    "Blue, this is Rowan. That''s Sebastian."


    {Rowan Sssbastan- Sebastan}


    "Sebastian," the sandy-haired mage enunciated his name clearly for the squid.


    {Sebastian}


    "How does it understand human language? It''s almost intuitive, isn''t it?" Sebastian said while reaching out to poke at its cool blue skin.


    "It''s unnerving," Syryn replied. "Blue told me it came through a hole that had closed up by itself. I am perplexed by the question of who or what opened up the hole and from where."


    "That''s what you''re calling it? Blue?" Rowan asked.


    "Blue likes it," Syryn shot back.


    "How are we transportin'' it?" Sebastian asked. "Blue won''t fit in the carriage."

 Chapter 94 - Bye Blue

    "Blue, get inside," Syryn pointed to the interior of the carriage.


    {Syryn}


    "What?"


    {Kill?}


    "No one is trying to kill you. Just get inside."


    The squid reluctantly floated past him and squeezed itself into the carriage. By the time it was done bundling up its tentacles, Blue was already taking up half of the space inside. Rowan went in next and he was followed by Sebastian. The sleeping redhead took little space as he was snugly wrapped in the arms of the tall mage. There wasn''t much room left for the men to even stretch their long legs so Syryn had to get creative.


    "Guess I''ll have to sit on your lap then, Rowan," the alchemist said as he clambered aboard.


    "You sure about that? You don''t look heavy but you are," Rowan replied with a smile.


    "Then I''ll sit on Sebastian. You take Luci."


    Syryn felt two hands on his waist and he was sat atop Rowan''s thighs. The alchemist jerked and pressed his weight towards Rowan''s healthy leg. "Why are you like this? Are you so eager to tear your stitches?" He complained.


    "I was joking, Ryn. You won''t tear the stitches."


    "Oh fer fucks sake, he''s just eager to have ya sit on his crotch. What stitches are you two talkin'' about?" Sebastian grouched as he slammed shut the door. He was disgusted by the two of them.


    "I tore his thigh open and stitched it up good," Syryn replied. "Rowan, where are you planning to stash blue?"


    "Somewhere in the wilderness close to the farm," the blond replied. "I can''t think of anywhere else at the moment."


    It wasn''t a bad idea but Syryn had another location in mind. "Do you think he would be safe inside the lost path?" If Blue stayed hidden in the darkness close to where a rift opened up, there was no chance of the creature getting lost in the path world.


    "Blue would know better," Rowan answered. His arms went around Syryn''s waist and he rested his chin on the teen''s head.


    It was a nice warm feeling. Syryn felt like he was being hugged but more intimately. "Hey, Blue, have you ever been to the lost path?"


    {Los path?}


    "I guess you don''t know about it. I''ll take you inside it when we get home." Syryn was starting to feel worry creep in when he thought of Alka being attacked by Blue.


    "Rowan, I am entrusting you with the lives of my mage friends. Please protect them from Blue." Syryn had complete faith in the anti mage''s ability to protect his friends. He knew he was asking for a lot from the man, and it showed how comfortable Syryn was in his hands.


    The anti mage made a low ''hmm'' sound in response. Syryn accepted that as a yes. He yawned realising just how sleepy he felt. There was time yet to catch some sleep and so he closed his eyes and dozed off in the bracket of Rowan''s arms.


    It had scarcely felt like a second later when Syryn was awakened. "Ryn," a gentle shake of his shoulders. "We''re here." Syryn couldn''t believe he had really fallen asleep so peacefully while sharing space with a mage killing squid. The carriage door was open and Sebastian was already walking off with Lucien in his arms. The redhead needed as much sleep as he could catch because they''d be travelling very soon.


    "Thanks," Syryn mumbled. "I''ll go wake Alka. Watch Blue for me."


    {Syryn home?}


    "Yes, I live here, Blue. Come on out and wait for me. I''ll be back with a friend. He''s a mage as well so you can''t attack him. Do you understand?"


    {Mage yes}


    "No-kill"


    {No-kill}


    Syryn briskly walked into the house, past the kitchen where Sebastian was bustling around with easy familiarity. The mage was making tea it seemed. Lucien was comfortably sprawled on the kitchen table with his shoes off. Sebastian had at least folded a large table cloth under the boy.


    Three knocks on Alka''s door brought the plant mage shuffling out, bleary-eyed and half asleep. Syryn wasn''t sure how to begin to explain to Alka just what he had brought home.


    "I think you''ll need a cup of tea to hear what I have to say," Syryn informed the bewildered plant mage. "Sebastian is in the kitchen making tea so let''s join him."


    "Did something happen to Artemus?" Alka asked. Syryn was struck by the strangeness of the question but then realised what time of the night it was and how suspicious he was acting.


    "No, nothing like that," he sheepishly answered. "It''s just a favour that I need from you."


    "Another dangerous favour?" Alka elegantly raised his brows.


    "You have no idea."


    A minute later, they were seated around the kitchen table that was occupied by a sleeping Lucien. Alka had stared at the boy and then at Syryn before shaking his head and judging him for Sebastian''s sin.


    "What is it that you need to tell me?"


    Where to begin?


    "Remember the squid that was haunting rum district?" Syryn went straight to the meat of the matter.


    "The one that killed a bunch of mages?"


    "Yeah.. so," Syryn looked towards Sebastian. "We brought it home."


    "No, Syryn brought it home. Rowan and I have nothing to do with his mad plan to adopt such a dangerous pet," Sebastian waved his cup of hot tea towards Syryn.


    Alka pressed a fist to his mouth and stared off into the distance. And when Syryn opened his mouth, the plant mage held out a hand that warned the teen not to say another word. "Let me enjoy the last few restful minutes of my foreseeable future, Syryn. I will finish my tea and make peace with death. Don''t speak to me till I''m done. You owe me that much at least."


    Syryn carried two mugs of tea and made a quick exit. He could see Rowan facing a glowing blob of blue that was waving its tentacles in the air. The blue glow began to dissipate into grey when the squid suddenly lost buoyancy. It landed on the ground and lay twitching, and unable move.


    "Rowan, what are you doing to Blue?" Syryn approached wide-eyed and concerned about the squid.


    The anti mage turned a friendly smile to Syryn. "Testing out my abilities on it. Blue agreed to be suppressed for a few seconds." Rowan did not mention how he had threatened Blue when it had first refused to be used as a guinea pig. The blond intended to make sure that his powers were enough to contain the squid if it attacked anyone or tried to make a break for it. Syryn''s trust in him wasn''t misplaced but Rowan did not have half the blind faith that Syryn had in him.


    "Oh, I see." The suppression revealed the squid''s true colouring. The organic part of it was a greyish transparent colour when it wasn''t pulsing with magic. "Blue, you''re quite adept at camouflage, aren''t you? Black, bright blue, grey, what other colours can you do?" Syryn crouched before the creature.


    {Rowan-no}


    "Say please and I''ll stop," the anti mage replied like he was talking to a disobedient child. His smile was polite, handsome, and it sent a shiver down Syryn''s spine. That was how Rowan had smiled at him right after he was crushed in their fight. He still remembered Rowan''s booted leg pressing into his throat just hard enough to choke him.


    {Rowan!!}


    The anti mage stood over the squid and pressured the squid harder.


    {K-killl Rowan}


    "You can''t hurt me, Blue," the anti mage replied good-naturedly. "Syryn is nice to you but we aren''t all like him. I''m not asking for much from you. If you say please then I''ll know that you''re willing to obey me."


    {Please}


    It was harsh treatment but someone had to do it; Syryn understood that. He was the carrot and Rowan was the stick. Blue was cute and friendly for now because it was in his interest to befriend the human that was willing to feed him.


    "That''s all you had to say," Rowan said before he removed the pressure over the squid. Blue was glowing and buoyant again. The anti mage turned to Syryn apologetically. "I wasn''t expecting you to return so fast. I''m sorry you had to see that."


    {Syryn Rowan kill Blue}


    And now the squid was sulking. Syryn handed a mug to Rowan and then patted the squid on its cold blue skin.


    "Rowan? No way, he would never hurt a fly. He was just playing with you," Syryn grinned at the squid as he embraced his role as the carrot. "Why would Rowan want to hurt you anyway? It''s not like you''re trying to hurt any mages."


    {...} Blue waved a tentacle weakly. {No kill mage human}


    "Alka, you''re finally here," Syryn turned to his housemate. The plant mage had his arms crossed like he was protecting himself.


    "I wouldn''t believe it if I wasn''t looking at it with my own eyes," Alka said to them.


    "Blue, this is Alka. Don''t ever hurt him. Never. No kill."


    {Alka}


    "Fuck," the plant mage cursed softly. "Did it just project sound into my mind?"


    "Yep. I''m in a hurry so let''s move it Alka. We need you to open up a rift."


    The plant mage moved without asking further questions. "You have a lot of explaining to do after this."


    Syryn and Rowan followed Alka while Blue trailed behind them silently. When they came to the garden, Alka tore open the rift to the lost path and they all stepped inside one by one.


    The endless grey fog slowly swept over them under the weak light of the path. They stood before the squid who had the good sense to power down its glow. It was now just as grey as its environment.


    Syryn stepped close to Blue and whispered to it. "I want you to hide here, Blue. Are you comfortable in this place?"


    {Syryn leave?}


    "I am not abandoning you here," the alchemist replied. "This is a place where the mage hunters cant find you, where I trust that you won''t be killing mages."


    Blue looked around the place, moving its bulbous head in a slow circle. {Syryn come?}


    "No, not me." The alchemist was disquieted by the loneliness that Blue was radiating. "Rowan will let you out every few days to feed you. I''ll be back very soon, Blue."


    {Home Blue go}


    "I told you, I dont know where your home is."


    "We''re attracting attention. We have to leave, Ryn," a low voice whispered close to his ear.


    "Blue, stay close to this place. Don''t stray. Can you do that?" Syryn urgently asked.


    {Yes Blue knows}


    "Good, I''ll see you soon."


    The squid began to change again, becoming invisible in the fog. When it moved its tentacles, there was a distortion in the air and Syryn could make out the edges of its shape.


    "Bye Blue," He said it one last time before turning away to leave through the rift.

 Chapter 95 - Advice

    Nua was an avian paradise. Nestled in a corner of the world where towering mountains rose above an undulating landscape of thick clouds, Nua''s uniqueness was carved into the sky-high homes that draped the sides of hundreds of rock pillars like beehives. Bridges made of strong sun tree roots connected the rock pillars. These aerial pathways were safe to walk on if one could brave the sight of a fall that dropped through tufts of clouds in some places. For the winged and fearless, Nua could be enjoyed best on the high pillars where endemic tree species sheltered homes from the glare of sunlight when the mist wasn''t hanging heavy over the avians.


    Aside from the unique beauty of the place, Nua was praised for its reverse waterfall, a marvellous feat of magical engineering that remained irreplicable. The avians had claimed that their ancestor deity, a Phoenix known as Amiraku, was the origin of the magical device that reversed the flow of the waterfall. It tapped into the potent energy of sunlight to power the enormous spell that changed the course of nature. The clever avians were now using the waterfall as a means to transport goods up above the trading hub where humans and other non-flying species gathered with their massive carts loaded with precious items.


    Nua had little agricultural land and it made them dependent on the traded food that came from all over the world. The avian economy was robust and rich, supported by the mines in the vast rugged mountains of bird country. Mana crystals were dug out from deep inside the heart of mountains where an intensely saturated air prevented the sublimation of crystals. With their riches came wars with other avian tribes but the sons and daughters of Nua were strong in body and spirit. And unlike the royal families of other nations, Nua''s princes and princesses were drafted to war when it reached their borders. It was a core belief system in the avian traditions that the rulers served the people just as the people served them.


    Syryn knew all this and it was the reason why he was excitedly folding clothing that would tide them over in both warm and cold weather.


    Cloud and temperature conditions varied with height but they were predictable at least. He would never take Lucien to the treacherous snow-covered reaches of the sky but it didnt hurt to squeeze in at least a fur coat or two.


    "Rowan, My satchel isn''t big enough for all of this! What am I supposed to do?" Syryn''s dimensional bag had already been filled with his alchemical equipment, medicine, emergency dry rations, food, water, writing implements, a stolen scarf that he hoped Rowan wouldn''t miss, some basic cooking implements, and a whole lot of rare alchemy ingredients that he had been hoarding for years.


    The anti mage had just made it back from a quick visit to the kitchen. He had argued that Syryn and Lucien were both growing boys who had to eat something before embarking on a long journey. A tray filled with hot food was placed on the table before the blond replied to Syryn''s question.


    "You can borrow mine," Rowan responded.


    "No, I think I can fit the rest of it inside a small travelling bag." The alchemist began digging inside his closet for a bag that he had used to store his books inside.


    "Ryn, come eat something first. I''ll pack the rest of it for you."


    "But Rowan, we''re going through the path. It''s not a long journey," Syryn replied. "I''m not hungry!"


    The anti mage leisurely poured hot water into a cup that already had tea leaves in it. "Nua has closed off all known rifts within their borders except for one. Your travelling party will most likely exit at a location on the edge of avian borders. From there, it''ll be a seven to eight hour mounted journey. I suggest you eat something right now so that you don''t get too hungry later on."


    "Seven hour journey?!"


    Rowan took a bite from a wrinkled apple and then handed it to Syryn. The alchemist stared at the bitten off apple and back at the anti mage.


    "It''s not poisoned," Rowan told him.


    "Who the hell would poison me in my own house?"


    "I was just reminded of how much trouble you gave me in the past," Rowan dryly replied. Back when they were in the tower, Syryn had insisted on Rowan taking a bite of everything that was brought for his consumption. Poison testing, he had claimed. It had gone on for months before the demon lord gave up on that avenue of annoying the hero. Starving himself till Rowan appeared for a taste had served to annoy the blond at first but he caught on quickly and he was present at every meal without Syryn asking for him. The tables were turned and it was Rowan annoying Syryn by eating all of the demon lord''s favourite foods.


    "The past is the past," Syryn replied as he bit the apple right where Rowan''s teeth had marked it.


    "Who are you travelling with?" Rowan took over Syryn''s work when he was satisfied that the teen was eating everything.


    "Prince Riaku and his entourage, or maybe just him and his guard," Syryn replied.


    "Is he the filial grandson you were talking about?"


    "Yep. Oh no." Syryn scrambled to his desk and pulled out a few sheets of paper. He had forgotten to write the letters that were intended for 3 people. "Wait, is Lucien being fed by Sebastian?"


    "Yes, he was eating before I brought you your meal," Rowan replied.


    Syryn nodded and began writing on a clean sheet. He completed his letter writing in record time. The mage was shovelling in spoonfuls of food as he scrawled as elegantly as he could. Rowan too had efficiently packed away the last of Syryn''s items and was now looking over his shoulders.


    "A cypher. Who is it for?"


    "Artemus." Syryn blew air on the ink and then folded it neatly inside a perfumed envelope.


    "I just realised that you''re stuck in Elysium for a month because of me," Syryn looked up from his envelope.


    "Don''t worry your pretty head about it," Rowan replied. One arm bracing his weight on the table, the anti mage was leaning over Syryn, their faces so close together. The alchemist inclined his chin and allowed Rowan to close the gap.


    It was the soft touch of his lips that finally forced Syryn to acknowledge the elephant in the room. He would be without Rowan for a whole month. Like a plant drying in the sun without water, Syryn was already shrivelling up inside. Rowan pulled away first but the alchemist chased after his mouth and kissed him with renewed vigour.


    "Ryn," Rowan breathed out between small kisses. "Be good for me, okay. I might start a war with Nua if you so much as hold hands with another person."


    Syryn smiled into the kiss. "Are you threatening me?"


    "Yes," the anti mage took in the scent of Syryn. "Is it working?"


    "Not this time, Ro. I''d like to see you start a war for once. Let''s take over the world. We could begin with Sigil kingdom." Syryn ran his hand down Rowan''s chest, feeling the hard muscles that he wanted to lick so bad.


    "You wish to rule the world?" Rowan asked after a pause.


    "As your Emperor, yes. You will be my champion, and together, we can burn the whole world down. There will be nothing left for Traxdart to take. And the best part of it is that we won''t have to suffer alone."


    "You make a tempting offer but I must refuse it, your majesty," Rowan replied, breezily breaking one of the cardinal rules of Sigil kingdom. "I care about you far too much to see you walk down this path again. Even if it''s what you think you want, it''s not."


    "Again? But I''ve never tried to take over the world."


    "No, you''d never," Rowan placed a small peck on Syryn''s nose. "I''m just reminding you of how much bloodshed and suffering it entails. It''s not too different from what I caught you doing, is it?"


    Syryn guiltily lowered his head.


    "You''ve paid for your sins, Syryn. I didn''t mean to make you feel guilty." Rowan ran his fingers through the boy''s hair. "Will you wear an illusion to Nua?" He asked him.


    "Yes, why?"


    "Don''t," Rowan said to him. "Beauty is respected just as much as strength is. Let it be a mask to hide behind. When the world marvels at how gorgeous you are, they will be blinded to the intelligence, the skills, and the strength that you hide away. Do you understand, Ryn?"


    The alchemist nodded. Rowan wanted him to be underestimated. Could he do it though? Syryn was ostentatious, a show-off when threatened.


    "It''ll be your test, then. Use diplomacy first, diplomacy second, and when that fails, resolve conflict through more dialogue. Do not escalate to violence and force unless there is a threat to your life. I''ve come to understand that your conflict resolution curve on a bad day is a straight line that goes from zero to murder but we can''t have that in a foreign country, Ryn. Even I cannot break you out of prison if that happens."


    "Yes you can," Syryn firmly replied. "And you will. If I go to prison for killing or maiming someone, you have to get me out, Ro."


    "You''re not killing and maiming anyone, Syryn. I know you have more self-control than that."


    And it was true. Syryn was murder free so far this lifetime. Or not. But he hadn''t killed any innocent people so far.


    "I''m just visiting as a healer. I''m sure nothing troublesome will happen. You worry too much, Rowan," he replied.


    "You''re right. Nevertheless, keep your eyes peeled for hidden dangers. It could all very well start with a wrongly worded greeting."


    Syryn was suddenly and comically struck by the thought that he was being advised as though he was an abominable combination of a country bumpkin and a savage. But was Rowan wrong? Not at all. Syryn would have given himself the same advice. He was impulsive when annoyed, prone to escalating conflicts if he could get away with it. His idea of diplomacy was aggressive negotiation. War was also diplomacy, wasn''t it? Just a more violent version of it. The anti mage wanted him to behave when faced with a hostile. It wasn''t an easy task for Syryn. He also stupidly realised that it was his first trip out of Sigil as a peace-loving, law-abiding human person.


    "I hope it goes well," he told the anti mage while not trusting himself too much.

 Chapter 96 - Danger

    Syryn handed three envelopes to Rowan. The names of his intended recipients were hastily scrawled across the brown paper. One of the envelopes even had an ugly ink spatter across it.


    With that out of the way, he had another important task to complete. It was time to call in a favour from the plant mage.


    "Hey Alka, are you going shopping anytime soon?"


    "I guess I am since you''re asking. What do you need?" Alka was in Lucien and Magnus'' shared room, helping the redhead pack his favourite snacks and sweets, his necromancy tome, and a green cloak that the plant mage produced from his own dimensional bag.


    "Blue feeds on magic but I can''t just grab random mages off the street so I had this semi brilliant idea that we could feed him mana crystals. Lots and lots of crystals."


    "That sounds like a lot. At least half of your savings gone." The plant mage buttoned the collar on Lucien''s cloak. A light leather sling bag around his shoulder carried all of the redhead''s worldly possessions.


    "I''m not going to ask how you know about my account," Syryn replied. "Here''s a bill of exchange for what I hope is a sufficient number of crystals until I''m back." The paper was stamped with the crest of the merchant guild where Syryn had his money deposited safely.


    Alka slid the paper towards himself and examined it. "Some people don''t even make this much money in their lifetime and you''re throwing it all away on a serial killer."


    "Syryn, I didn''t get to see the squid. You should have woken me up," Lucien complained.


    "We''ll meet Blue when we''re back." Syryn had one last thing left to do. "I''m going to meet Salem now so take a final inventory of whatever you need, Lucien. Once we enter the rift, we are not coming back for your favourite toy."


    "I''m not a baby, Syryn," Lucien protested. "I''ve already packed whatever I need."


    "Good for you. Carry some extra ginger candies for me to suck on. I''ll be bored to death this time."


    "Don''t forget to carry some form of identification with you, Syryn," Alka reminded him.


    "Already have it."


    Sebastian came through the door then, jabbing his thumb backwards behind him. "There''s a bird man at the door, S''ryn. He''s asking for you."


    "Tell him we''re coming along and that I''ll be there in a few minutes." The alchemist raced to Salem''s door and knocked on it loud enough to wake the dead.


    Salem swung the door open after 4 heavy knocks. His eyes were growing dark circles under them. Looking more tired than a single mother of triplets, Salem blinked his heavy eyelids at the alchemist. "This better be an emergency, Syryn."


    "It is," the younger mage replied. "I''m leaving to Nua for a month and I''m taking Lucien with me. But, I''m also handing over two assistants to you, Salem. They''re good kids but they fight a lot so you can''t leave them unattended in the workroom. Please take care of business while I''m absconding. I promise to work harder and make up for it when I''m back."


    "This is all very sudden," Salem replied after a beat. "Wait here."


    The blond alchemist opened up a cabinet from which he retrieved a bottle of liquid. He brought it over to Syryn then placed it in the boy''s hand. "Your skin will burn faster at higher altitudes so apply this liberally and wear a hat when you''re walking about under sunlight. Do you have a hat?"


    Syryn shook the bottle and it made a sloshing sound. "No, I''ll pack it right now. Thanks, Salem."


    "Good omens lead you, Syryn. Come home safe." Salem placed a light kiss on the teen''s forehead. Before Syryn could slip in another word, the half-elf was already slamming the door shut in his face. His eagerness to get back to bed had trumped his good manners.


    Rowan, Sebastian, Alka, Lucien, and even Riha were all present in the kitchen when Syryn rushed back.


    "Syryn, he says we''re getting late!" Lucien piped up. The alchemist had to forego the hats. He was quite sure that they''d find places that sold hats.


    Navi was already inside Lucien''s kitty carrier bag and strapped to the front of the boy''s chest. Already used to it from their frequent use, the cat''s orange head was sleepily poking out of the bag. It yawned and closed its eyes, falling asleep right there. Milky on the other hand was waiting on the floor. He absolutely refused to get squeezed inside a carrier. And after an episode with his claws, nobody ever attempted to force him into one.


    "We must depart."


    Syryn turned to the speaker, their avian guard. On his face was a dark purple mask where a beak protruded. Contrasting with Riaku''s female guard, this one had no presence at all. It was disconcerting. The eye holes on his mask were curved like fox eyes and Syryn couldn''t see through the darkness of it.


    The alchemist wanted one last kiss from Rowan but he feared it would make their separation harder. "Take care, everyone," he said after tearing his gaze away from Rowan. Taking Lucien''s hand in his, Syryn began to follow the guard.


    The sky was still dark when they entered a simply furnished carriage that was parked outside their gate. It was the kind that people rented out for short distance travels within Elysium. And as they bumped along the road in their uncomfortable carriage, Lucien caught another small power nap. Syryn on the other hand found the ride unbearable. He was used to luxury coaches.


    To his relief, It didn''t take too long for their arrival at a clearing. A group of 8 people were already gathered at the meeting spot. Syryn could make out the figure of a mage hunter he knew all too well.


    "You''ve decided to go," Artemus said when Syryn reached them.


    "Had a letter for you. Would have brought it with me if I''d have known I would find you here."


    "What letter?"


    "Rowan will hand it over to you."


    The anti mage nodded. "Send a missive if anything comes up."


    "And bother the mage hunters?"


    Artemus looked at the overcast sky and frowned. "Sigil protects her own. Stay safe, Syryn."


    ----


    Riaku''s navigator was a distinguished-looking avian male. He split the air professionally and walked in first. The others followed at a pace that Syryn and Lucien matched. Their purple masked guard was the last to enter.


    Inside the path, Riaku was beside the navigator who was leading them. Syryn and Lucien were made to walk behind the prince. The remaining avians arranged themselves into a tight diamond formation around them. Purple mask flanked Syryn to the left. He had a feeling that the guard had been charged to protect him and Lucien.


    Eerie silence reigned over the group as they kept walking. With Alka, they''d connected their wrists with a rope before entrance into the path. The avians didn''t bother with it. The trained guards maintained almost perfect integrity of their formation as they moved.


    Milky was now perched on Syryn''s shoulder with half his body inside the alchemist''s hood. Blue eyes scanned the path lazily. Whatever he saw didn''t bother him.


    Not long into their walk, Syryn started feeling a trickle of anxiety down his spine. The path was safe enough for travel so it wasn''t the creatures in there that made him anxious. The alchemist soon spotted the same silhouette that had followed him in his first foray through the path with Alka. It stood very far away but maintained just enough proximity for Syryn to notice its shape through the fog. Even the avian guards raised their heads and turned to the creature from time to time.


    Syryn''s anxiety began peaking like a wave. Something was wrong. He squeezed Lucien''s hand in his. Feeling the unease radiating off his brother, Red looked up at him. Syryn couldn''t tell what was wrong except that their lives were in danger.


    "Riaku," he whispered but it carried to the prince.


    A slight inclination of the head told him the prince was listening.


    "Danger," he whispered again. Syryn sensed the guards stiffen. Riaku fell back and walked next to him as they kept pace.


    "My instinct is telling me there''s something ahead that wants our lives."


    Syryn knew it wasn''t much to go on. Survival instincts weren''t always trustworthy, not when their minds were on elevated levels of alertness, and every shadow or sound could be perceived by the hyperactive imagination as an enemy.


    "Gosan, exit at D6," Riaku''s instructions were crisp and just loud enough for the navigator to hear.


    For whatever reason, the prince heeded his warning. Gosan made a change in direction by sharply cutting to the left. Syryn wasn''t assured. The sense of danger continued to plague him.


    "This way is also dangerous," he told the prince after they made a good distance.


    "Are you sure?" Riaku''s reply was subdued.


    "Positive."


    "Then we''ll meet death courageously."


    Syryn would have cussed out the prince if he wasn''t feeling so jittery.


    "Wen, Soka, Rei, guard the healer and his brother," Riaku instructed. "The rest with me."


    Senses cast out in a net, Syryn was on high alert. There was no hidden enemy, no assassin in the shadows. A lone statue of a humanoid creature became discernable as they got closer to their exit point. The stone sculpture was as tall as a house.


    Riaku raised his hand and all movement came to a stop.


    "You were right, healer," he said to Syryn in his silvery voice. "Leave with Gosan as soon as he opens the rift."


    Syryn remembered Rowan''s instructions to stay low key.


    "Okay," but he couldn''t abandon the others to the statue. It felt like cowardice.

 Chapter 97 - Fog Lights

    Syryn was attracted to the sword at Riaku''s waist. Its energy was thick with malevolence and the alchemist wanted to see it in action.


    The prince who was unaware of Syryn''s fixation with his sword turned to speak to him. "Healer, do not tarry when the opportunity presents itself. Take your brother and follow Gosan out of this place."


    "What about you?" Syryn asked Riaku.


    "We will join you as soon as we can."


    He was royal patronage, a son of Nua''s ruler. Riaku could have run away with Syryn while leaving his guards behind to deal with the statue. His decision to stay behind earned him a measure of goodwill from the alchemist. Not only that, Syryn found his respect for the man going up a notch.


    "Lucien, go with the navigator," Syryn instructed the redhead. He had made his mind up to stay.


    "Syryn, are you crazy?" Red whispered back. "They may be able to deal with that thing but the ensuing chaos will attract the attention of everything around here."


    The humanoid statue was directly in their way. Retracing their steps was no longer a viable option because they were doomed the very moment the statue had become visible to them. Syryn would have left the avians if they''d cared less about him and Lucien. Knowing that Riaku was providing them with a route for escape convinced the teen that it was worth lending a helping hand if they needed it.


    He inched closer to the navigator while pulling Lucien along with him. "Red, you know what to do. Hide yourself away as soon as you step out of the rift. Someone''s out to hurt this group and I''m not sure who the target is."


    "All the more reason to leave!" Red hissed back. "Stop this foolishness, Syryn."


    Rowan''s influence on Syryn made him less selfish, and living with Magnus had made him stupid, Syryn surmised. Stupid wasn''t the appropriate explanation for his heroic decision to face a potentially life-threatening situation but no other word came close to how Syryn was feeling at that moment. He feared the unknown denizens of the path and he feared more the inability to use his powers. The Lost path was not kind to magic users. On good days, magic came to them easily. On a bad day, the path would snuff out their powers like candle flames. Syryn''s subtle testing of his magic let him know that it was a neutral day.


    A cracking sound split the silence of the air like a hammer on a glass pane. The statue was coming alive. From the glowing lettering across the featureless surface that served as its face, Syryn knew it was a stone golem. The easiest way to stop it was to remove the first word of the sentence on its face. It was the lynchpin in the complicated system of spells that gave it life.


    "Riaku, do you know what a golem is?" He asked the prince.


    "Yes."


    The golem rose to its feet, easily towering over them all with its full height. Whatever power was dousing their magic wasn''t having much of an effect on the golem. Syryn spared a moment to make a guess at the amount of magic in the source that was inside the stone creature. Whomever it''s creator was, they had taken into account the fickle nature of magic in the path.


    "Someone has to fly up there and erase the writing," Syryn told him. "Who will it be?"


    "Rei."


    At his call, the purple masked guard fell on his knee before Riaku.


    "Use any means necessary to erase the first three letterings on its face. Damaging the rest of the words will only drive it more berserk," The prince said to the kneeling guard.


    The avians were ready when the golem came charging. They were fast when it brought a stone fist down on them. They scattered on their feet because the birds knew better than to fly inside the lost path. It would only serve to attract the sights of bigger monsters. Syryn and Lucien stood behind the navigator at a safe distance and watched the fight go down between the golem and its avian enemies.


    "Come," Gosan''s polite demand was calm but urgent. "Let''s get you two out of here."


    Syryn and Lucien followed the man onwards. When a rift was torn open, Lucien left but not without a backward glance at Syryn. The redhead was worried but helpless. Luci was their priority and he had to leave whether he liked it or not.


    "Hurry!" Gosan glanced at Syryn. The alchemist shook his head and began to trudge back to where the fight was taking place. Syryn had to see with his own eyes that Lucien had exited safely. Now he had one thing less to worry about.


    "I am a healer," he said while feeling like an imposter. He was an alchemist and a quack. "I can provide emergency aid that might save their lives."


    Gosan saw sense in Syryn''s words but he was torn between obeying Riaku''s order and letting Syryn stay for the sake of his companions.


    "Tell the prince that I refused to leave. What''s the worst that could happen?"


    The avian nodded and bowed at the waist in a show of gratitude. It was a complete 90 degree. "Thank you." It wasn''t often that Gosan met people willing to act selflessly with their lives inside the lost path.


    Syryn and Gosan headed back to the battle zone only to witness a guard being thrown in the air. The fog was thicker than soup where he had been flung. None of them knew what condition the guard was left in after he disappeared. Shadows were gathering around the area like grotesque spectators from hell. The misshapen silhouettes and unnatural limbs reminded them all that time was running out.


    "Prince, leave us," one of the guards begged. The golem was powerful. They did not have enough power to take it out in time to escape from the clutches of the fog creatures.


    Riaku''s silence was his answer. He frowned at seeing Syryn still inside the path. Sword still firmly in its scabbard, the prince held a lance in his arm. Syryn could see the intent behind his weapon. If an opportunity presented itself, the lance could be used to damage the lettering. But was Riaku''s arm accurate enough to hit a moving target?


    A horrified scream immediately sounded from the fog. It was the avian guard that had been thrown. The screaming drew a distressed look on the Prince''s face. For a split second, it seemed like Riaku was about to rush into the fog. Syryn watched a wall of calm slam down on the man''s loss of composure. The avian guard in the fog was dead and there was nothing that could be done.


    Riaku''s remaining guards were like moths around a flame. Knowing what tragic fate awaited them, they still threw themselves at the golem. Such loyalty spoke volumes about their respect for the prince.


    "Why won''t you use your sword?" Syryn asked Riaku. The prince was unfurling his beautiful wings.


    "It cannot harm the golem," Riaku answered solemnly. "Stay away from the fight, healer." Black wings that had a sheen of blue on the surface were spread out allowing Syryn to see the strength in them. The prince took to the air despite how foolish the action was. They''d understood that fighting from the ground would only lead to them getting crushed to death.


    A soft meow in his ear reminded Syryn of Milky''s presence. The cat was staring at the silhouettes that were pressing closer and closer. Syryn thought he might have been imagining it but there seemed to be a wave of madness coming from the fog. It was a low buzz of static and rage that confused his senses. He saw Riaku shaking his head before narrowly avoiding a hit from the Golem. Neither fire nor wind and water could damage the stony being. One of its arms had been pried off its joint by the guards but it wasn''t enough to slow down the golem. There was no opportunity for Rei to come close to its face.


    Syryn could give the golem a good fight if he transformed partially. He was fast enough to smudge the word on its face. But exposure of his secret was a death sentence. Sitting by idly and doing nothing was also a death sentence. What was a demon hybrid to do in this situation? For the hit of inspiration that sent a trepidation through his heart, Syryn blamed the wave of madness that was getting stronger as the crowd of silhouettes grew thicker.


    Heart in his throat, he ran into the fog where a gap lay between the gathering fog things. It was madness, an idea borne out of desperation. His blood was thrumming through his veins and Syryn felt light-headed. The teen was as excited as he was afraid. A wall of grey fog obscured the path ahead and behind him. Only the sounds of battle kept Syryn anchored in the right direction. He spread his wings and took to the abyss of the sky.


    Aloft in the air, Syryn lit an enormous will-O-the-wisp. His demon was bleeding through the self-control that kept him sane but he kept climbing and climbing higher till he spotted a giant. Milky''s claws were now digging into Syryn bringing with it a fresh spurt of pain. He focused on the needle-like things that gripped his shoulders. The pain was good enough distraction for now.


    When Syryn had spotted the bulbous eyes of the giant, it noticed him at the same moment. His heart was drumming like rampaging horses when the alchemist dove back into the fog. Keeping the Will-O-the-wisp at a good distance behind him, he made a wild rush towards the battlefield.


    Syryn hadn''t had the opportunity to take a good look at the monster that was hot on his heels but he saw on its back a cluster of fleshy grape-like growths. Half of its face consisted of luminous eyes, and the other half was obscured by fog. From what little could be seen, It didnt seem to have a mouth. The creature''s body was also long like a snake, it was carried on a hundred legs whose scuttling could be heard when it tossed sand in the air.


    It was also fast, faster than Syryn had hoped it could run. The Will-O-the-wisp was buried under the legs of the monster that was enraged by the lack of substance in its fallen prey. A sandstorm was thrown in the air and Syryn chanted in his heart for a miracle. He was close enough now to see Riaku catch a Rei who had been thrown by the golem.


    The alchemist forced a burst of speed and tucked his wings back inside him. It was now or never. He ran screaming towards the avians.


    "Riaku, get everyone to fly towards the rift!"

 Chapter 98 - Amputation

    The hairs on Syryn''s neck were raised. His instincts were screaming bloody murder as his demon fought to take over. All he had to do was spring his wings open and fly away from the monstrosity that was chasing him from hell.


    Riaku and the other avians were momentarily stunned by the sight of Syryn running from a sandstorm. Turbulence in the fog behind him parted the grey smoky walls to reveal a centipede-like monster with hundreds of long spindly legs. All hell broke loose when Riaku shouted out an order for the birds to flee. The golem was a forgotten enemy as the avians wasted no time in disengaging. Every one of them flew away from the rampaging creature as fast as their wings could carry them.


    Syryn who was running for dear life almost wept in relief when he felt Riaku''s arms go around his waist. The prince was a fast flier. No sooner had he swooped down to grab Syryn, than he started gaining height, widening the gap between them and the monster.


    The golem was unfortunately not as lucky. Without the speed and wings that had aided the avians in their escape, the golem found itself fighting off a hungry fog creature. Dwarfed in both size and strength, it was easily subdued. Syryn had hoped for the two monsters to keep each other busy just a while longer but it didnt happen. He watched the remnants of its stony body being pulled under the elongated belly of the creature. The teen was astonished by the image of intestine like ropes that were firmly wrapped around the struggling golem. The ropes and their prey soon disappeared inside the gaping hole that opened in the underbelly of the monster.


    "Your highness!" The avians had opened a new rift and were standing guard, waiting for Riaku and Syryn to go through it. The alchemist heard the sound of scuttling legs behind them as he was taken through the hole in the air. One second he was inside the path, and then he was out the next. Syryn''s searching gaze found Lucien waiting just next to the exit. He was immensely relieved to see the boy safe and sound.


    One by one, the remaining avians flew through the hole. Gosan was the last to exit but he still had to close off the rift before they could relax. The navigator held out his arm to banish the hole but something else had come through with them. Barbed whips and slimy fat ropes flew through the rift to wrap themselves around Gosan''s leg.


    Horrified as they were, the avians were fast to react to this new emergency. The closest guards immediately attacked the ropes but they were immune to magic. Not even elemental attacks could hurt them. The slimy ropes pulled at him but Gosan was held in place by a quick earth spell that anchored him to the ground.


    "Close the rift!" Riaku''s frantic order roused the struggling navigator. At this moment, the prince drew his sword and began hacking at the magic immune intestines. His weapon was a cruel-looking thing with serrated edges that gleamed wickedly. It ate through the ropes but there were too many to cut through fast enough.


    Syryn watched with trepidation as a barbed tentacle drove its pointed edges deep inside Gossan''s leg. It clamped its length around the leg hard enough that cracking sounds were heard. The ropes then yanked the avian who let out a scream of pain. Both of his legs were now broken - one damaged more than the other.


    As the avians fought to free him from the bindings, Gosan was being dragged into the rift. The navigator struggled hard but one leg was already going inside the path. In the next few seconds, he would be cut in half by the closing rift.


    Riaku made a split-second decision. The prince forcefully swung his sword down on Gosan''s tibia so that it cut through the flesh and bone as cleanly as was possible. It was a sacrifice necessary to save the navigator''s life.


    Having being separated from the part of his leg that was inside the path, Gosan was saved, but he was bleeding out profusely. The remaining intestines retracted back into the rift just as the seams of it winked out of existence.


    "What the hell was that??" Lucien loudly asked.


    "A hungry boy," Syryn shakily answered.


    He focused on the crushed leg as he took stock of Gosan''s situation. Flipping open his satchel, the alchemist retrieved a hemostatic solution. It was a temporary fix to buy them some time. The bleeding was staunched when Syryn vigorously doused it in liquid.


    "Gosan, I have to amputate your left leg," Syryn solemnly informed him. The navigator''s remaining leg that went below the knee was a mess of splintered bones and minced meat. There was no saving it. If Syryn left the damaged parts attached to his body, an infection would set in and kill the avian.


    "Right here?" Riaku asked. Sunrise was just peeking and there was enough light for Syryn to work with. He nodded at the prince.


    "I can do it here but I need a raised surface to work on."


    Gosan was sweating and moaning in pain. Syryn realised he hadn''t given him anything for the pain yet. Reaching into his satchel again, the alchemist took out a piece of valerian root.


    "Chew on this. It''ll help with the pain but you might start hallucinating." Syryn told the navigator.


    "There''s a cottage about five minutes of flight time from here," Riaku told Syryn. "Will Gosan be alright if we fly him there?"


    "Five minutes is doable," Syryn replied. His main concern had been the bleeding of Gosan''s leg but the potion had done a good enough job on it for the moment.


    Wasting little time, Lucien, Syryn, and Gosan were carried by the avians. The redhead flew with Rei, Syryn with Riaku, and Gosan with two other avian guards. It took less than 3 minutes for the avians to get to their destination. The cottage that they landed on had an opening on the roof, making it easily accessible to fliers. Syryn noticed from the air that the only doors of the cottage were on the roof.


    "Wen, boil a pot of water. Fei, clear a table for Gosan. Rei, standby by for instructions and learn from the healer. The rest of you - get into defensive positions around the cottage," Riaku gave his orders and turned to Syryn. "Rei will assist you but if there''s anything else you require, call for me."


    "I might need your help to hold Gosan down while I amputate his leg," Syryn told him. "I only have valerian root on me. It won''t put him to sleep so I can''t guarantee a pain-free experience."


    The prince nodded gravely. His concern for the navigator was obvious to the alchemist.


    "Let''s begin."


    ---


    Gosan was laid out on the table - eyes glazed over, slack-jawed, and motionless. Syryn had fed him more valerian root before they''d begun. Rei was beside him listening intently to Syryn''s instructions while the prince stood on the other side of the table and observed dispassionately.


    "What''s the extent of your healing knowledge?" Syryn asked the purple masked guard after they had both disinfected themselves and their tools.


    "I received my third finger this year," Rei replied. The universal crest for a full-fledged healer was a variation of an open palm. Each unfurled finger of the palm communicated the level of training received by the healer. 3 fingers were still higher than Syryn''s zero fingers. He was a quack teaching a half certified healer.


    "Have you ever done an amputation?" Syryn asked while using boiled ink to mark out the level of amputation on Gosan''s skin.


    "Surgery begins at the fourth finger. I''m afraid all I have is theoretical knowledge," Rei said in a subdued tone.


    "Oh?" Syryn then raised his brows at Riaku. "Dont you have a fully-fledged healer? Why are you forcing a soldier to take up healing duty?"


    "This wasn''t supposed to a dangerous trip," Riaku replied. "He is with us in the capacity of a bodyguard, not a healer."


    The alchemist pulled out a brand new scalpel from a surgery set that he had been saving for such an occasion. In the past, Syryn had been deadly with a scalpel in his hand. He had, however, dropped the bad habit of carrying it around in his pocket.


    The teen began to make an incision on the marked line that went around Gosan''s leg. The man was mercifully completely out of it and did not utter a single sound when Syryn began advancing through the layers of meat and fat.


    "Do you discern what I''m doing?" He asked the silent guard.


    "Removing the patellar ligament from the tibial tuberosity."


    "Good. We''re going to separate the distal part of the leg from the knee joint while preserving the cruciate ligaments and the posterior capsule."


    Riaku watched with complete fascination as the alchemist worked and lectured a serious Rei. The guard was wholly focused on the dextrous hands that were working on Gosan''s knee.


    "What''s this?" Syryn pointed with his scalpel at an exposed blood vessel.


    "Popliteal vessel," Rei replied. "A continuation of the superficial femoral artery."


    "Do you want to ligate it?" Syryn asked with a smile. He liked this smart and attentive student of his.


    Rei shook his head. "I can''t do such delicate work."


    "Watch me closely then," Syryn told him. "I favour silk over catgut as it has better ligation qualities."


    "So silk is better than catgut?" Rei asked. Most healers used silk but he hadn''t been given a good reason other than ''silk is better.''


    "It''s a matter of preference," Syryn replied. "Catgut is prone to fraying while silk has an increased risk of suture related infections."


    Rei pondered over why he hadn''t been taught this by his teachers. "I''ve never come across a proper comparison between the two."


    Syryn had deduced by himself the risks of silk sutures after multiple surgeries on unwilling patients. It was no surprise that Rei couldn''t find information about it.


    "The sciatic nerve has to be ligated next." His fingers moved so smoothly that they awed Rei. Having had the opportunity to watch a healer suturing wounds during war, Rei understood the difference in skill level that elevated Syryn above others. He was now curious about the teen. How many people had he operated on to gain this much experience?


    "Now I''m going to shave the femur down to a box, distal to proximal. Pass me the bone chisel."


    While shaving the bone, Syryn continued to gauge Rei''s knowledge.


    Not long into his questioning, Gosan had started moaning in pain again. "Give him more valerian root," Syryn instructed.


    "How much?"


    "5 grams. We''re getting to the upper limit of valerian dosage. Any more and he''ll go into full and permanent psychosis." Syryn had to close Gosan up before he came to his senses.


    "Why aren''t you removing the patella?" Rei asked.


    "Weight-bearing," Syryn simply answered. "For reinforcing the ligaments and tendons."


    From the corner of his eyes, Syryn saw Riaku shudder. The movement was almost imperceptible. The prince''s fingers squeezed around the handle of his sword, covering up the slight tremor in them.


    "Excuse me." Riaku had scarcely said the words when he turned and left.


    "What''s wrong with him?" Syryn asked his student who was momentarily distracted by Riaku''s hasty exit.


    "His highness must perform his duty," Rei replied. "He will be back."


    Syryn pretended he didnt hear the gloom in Rei''s voice.

 Chapter 99 - Masks

    Syryn was sitting beside his patient as he watched Rei realign the broken bone on Gosan''s other leg. A makeshift splint created from bamboo and leather, courtesy of one of the other guards, was lying next to the healers.


    The purple masked Rei worked on the broken leg with professionalism. Syryn had deduced his competence and thus left him to bind it by himself.


    "Gosan, you''ll have to bear with the pain," Syryn informed the now semi-lucid navigator. The effects of valerian root were wearing off and the pain would hit him soon. Sweat beaded the man''s forehead so Syryn wiped his skin with a damp towel.


    "How far are we from Nua?" He asked Rei.


    "Two and a half days. His highness chose the nearest detour but we''re still far off from home."


    Syryn sighed. Nearly 3 days while travelling in the company of a sick man was torture of a special kind. He didnt have that kind of patience. The longsuffering alchemist placed a tinted bottle on the table where his used tools were kept.


    "There''s exactly thirty grams of Estranise in here. Administer three grams in a cup of water, four times a day. Are you familiar with the aftercare process of a knee disarticulation?"


    Rei nodded. "I''ve worked with patients like him before."


    "Great. Come to me if complications arise. I''ve got more Estranise on me so there''s no need to skimp on it if he starts showing signs of infection." Syryn had been liberal with the hemostatic potion so there hadn''t been any need to stitch up the skin. A tiny pipe was still left embedded in the flesh for drainage and that was a potential source of infection he would have to watch out for.


    "Thank you," Rei informed him. Syryn was about to tell him the medicines weren''t free and that Riaku would have to pay for them. "For saving Gosan. If it weren''t for the presence of a competent healer like you in our party, I fear to think of what would have happened to him."


    "I-" Syryn wanted to say he wasn''t a healer but what was the point of it? He was on his way to Nua for healing business. "Why are you on guard duty if you''re pursuing healer studies?" He asked instead.


    "Rei isn''t really my name," the guard told Syryn after a beat. "Rei is the mask. The person wearing the mask becomes the mask."


    "So what does that have to do with you being a healer and a guard?" Syryn asked him.


    "The previous Rei was killed but his replacement is still in training. I used to be a guard before I resigned to train as a healer. You can think of me as a temporary substitute for the new guard who will take his rightful place as Rei in two month''s time."


    Syryn surmised that this Rei must have been a highly skilled guard if he was being called in even after his resignation.


    "Aren''t you missing important healer classes if you''re spending time playing guard?"


    "Yes," Rei answered. "But I was blessed with the opportunity to watch you work. I learnt a lot from it too so it more than makes up for what I''m missing."


    Syryn had never been told that he was a good teacher. Rei''s words indicated that he had done a good enough job of lecturing during the amputation. Maybe he needed a protege, he thought. Or two. Like Neiro and Blaze. But Syryn wasn''t a healer. He wasn''t qualified to take apprentices. Who the hell was spreading the word about him being a healer anyway? He had to ask Riaku about it so he could go thank them after giving them a beating.


    "Can you check on him as well?" Rei asked quietly.


    "Who?"


    "Prince Riaku."


    The alchemist raised his brows. "Why?"


    "I cannot speak of his secrets without being permitted to. You''ll know if you see him."


    "I can check on him later if you insist," Syryn said, mildly confused about Rei''s implications. "I''d like some refreshments and a bath before doing anymore work."


    Rei dipped his head. "It is best to catch him when he''s still weak. The prince will recover and you won''t have a chance to question him if you wait too long."


    What the hell was Rei talking about? Syryn wondered. If the prince was going to recover without his help, why should Syryn help him?


    "Everyone just loves speaking in bloody riddles around me," Syryn muttered as he exited the room. The doorway opened up to the flat-topped roof where a guard in a yellow mask was watching the perimeter.


    "You, Wen? Soka? Fei?"


    "Soka was killed," he respectfully told Syryn. "I am Wen."


    The alchemist awkwardly nodded. "Okay then Wen, take me to Riaku."


    "His highness is occupied," Wen informed him. "We cannot disturb his rest at the moment."


    "It''s an emergency. I really need to speak with him, Wen. You cannot bear the guilt of a dead Gosan, can you? Because if you don''t take me to Riaku right now, your navigator might die."


    The mask impeded Syryn''s vision of the guard''s expression. "I will ask the prince for permission to bring you."


    Syryn waited on the roof. They were at the top of a cliff accessible only to the avians. From his vantage point, Syryn could make out a small part of an azure lake that was hidden behind tall trees. The avian guard had flown in the direction of the lake.


    "His highness will see you," Wen told Syryn after his return. The teen raised his arms and waited for the avian to carry him. To his surprise, he was lifted in a princess carry by Wen. He had no complaints since it was a more comfortable position to be carried in. And then to Syryn''s delight, they began heading towards the lake just as he had hoped.


    Golden sunlight sparkled across the dappled blue surface of the beautiful lake. At the edge of the waters stood Riaku, feet bare and his loose pants soaked at the cuffs. He looked like a man whose soul was crushed by the weight of something too heavy to bear.


    "Riaku, why the long face?" Syryn asked as he approached the man. As he got closer to the prince, Syryn noticed how pale he looked.


    "Wen says you need to speak to me about Gosan."


    Riaku stared into the distance and allowed the soft laps of the lake water to further soak his trousers.


    "He''s fine. Saved his life when Wen was talking to you. You on the other hand look terrible."


    Syryn was now right next to Riaku and he could see the droplets of fresh blood streaming down through his dark sleeves and falling into the water.


    "You weren''t injured when we were cutting up Gosan. What gives?" Syryn asked.


    "Just do as you are told to, healer. These other matters do not concern you." The edge in his reply was dulled by how little of an effort Riaku had put into sounding intimidating.


    "It''s not like I care about you," Syryn replied. "Treating a prince will get me more money you see. Pardon me for trying to make some gold out of your misfortune."


    "Wen, take him back."


    The yellow masked guard bowed to the prince. Syryn smacked the offending hands when they reached out to princess carry him again.


    "What''s your problem? You look like shit and you''re even injured but refuse help," Syryn snapped at Riaku. "Are you a masochist? Your guards are just wary enough that it makes me think they''re more worried about you than of a hidden enemy. Let me guess, you accidentally cut yourself up while doing something stupid and that''s the reason you don''t want me to look at it." Syryn was making a randomly wild guess based on the fact that he had not sensed a single enemy since they''d touched ground.


    "You''re abnormal in the head aren''t you?" It was spoken by the veiled guard that stuck around Riaku. "I''ve never seen anyone act so fearlessly disrespectful towards his highness. From the impressive stunt that you pulled in the path, I already knew you were insane. Now I''m thinking you''re just dumb."


    "Aren''t you speaking too freely for a guard?" Syryn shot back. "Such a white knight. It sounds like someone has a crush."


    Syryn saw a tiny smile appear on Riaku''s face. "She''s my cousin. Emi rarely lets her guard down. You''ve made quite an impression on her, Syryn." The prince had said his name this time.


    "No he hasn''t!"


    "Oooh! am I special to you Emi? I only date men but I''m willing to make an exception for you." It wasn''t cheating if he was just saying empty words meant to annoy his target.


    "You''re not my type," she replied coolly.


    "What''s your type then?"


    "Older and more manly. Like Wen."


    Oh! Syryn thought. She was bold. He recognised his kin and liked her already. Wen was right next to him and had heard everything but was presumably too embarrassed to act like he had heard Emi''s declaration.


    "I am turning 17 next year. I swear I''m manly," Syryn replied. While he bantered with Emi, the alchemist gently pulled at the sleeve on Riaku''s shirt. The prince did not resist his touch and it made Syryn bolder.


    Fingers clasped around the prince''s hand with care, he lifted it up higher then peeled back the blood soaked sleeve. Emi had gone silent and was watching Syryn''s actions attentively.


    "I''ll need my kit," Syryn solemnly told the prince. The skin on his entire arm was sheared off horrifically. Some parts were gorier than others but it was an overall shit show, the only words Syryn could think of for Riaku''s bloody arm.


    "Magic will have no effect on it," the prince told Syryn. "I appreciate your help but it won''t be necessary."


    Hemostatic potion was not going to heal it then. Syryn was up for the challenge. It was like treating an anti mage but worse.


    "A thousand crowns on a bet that I can do something about that." Syryn was itching to know how Riaku had suffered such a trauma. Why couldn''t it be healed by magic? He looked up at Emi whose worry was radiating through the veil. Syryn wondered if Emi''s concern for her cousin could be used to ferret out some information.

 Chapter 100 - Healer

    "Riaku, let''s go back. I like the lake view but it isn''t the best place for an examination."


    "I''ll be alright," the prince replied. "Nothing that won''t heal by itself."


    Syryn was scandalised by the avian''s words. "You''re relying on natural healing for this? What barbaric practices have your healers been carrying out at Nua?"


    "Barbaric?"


    "What else should I call it then? Advanced healing? Prince Riaku, you shouldn''t have such a cavalier attitude towards injury. You have no idea how fragile humans and avians are."


    "You worry too much."


    "You think so? Then I''ll tell you what I think about your attitude, your highness. Pig headed men like you put on a manly front and ignore your injuries. The alch- ah healers like me are then troubled with the task of working with life-threatening infections, gangrenous limbs, and all sorts of nasty repercussions that wouldn''t have come up if those pig-headed manly men took their medicines and got treated at the right time."


    There was a nod of approval from Emi.


    "Brother, let him have a go at it."


    Riaku was shaken by Syryn''s words but he remained stubborn. "This is the way it has always been done, Emi. It is the price paid by each successor."


    "And they''ve all died young, brother. I know you follow the ways of our ancestors but a little change won''t hurt you."


    Syryn couldn''t make sense of what they were talking about. What backward customs were they following and what did it have to do with Riaku''s injury?


    "I didn''t need a healer last time. I won''t need one today."


    "Wait, wait! you''re telling me this has happened before and you just left it to heal naturally?" Syryn interjected in a shocked tone.


    "This isn''t his first time but it''s the worst I''ve ever seen," Emi replied. "Brother Riaku never went to another healer after he was chastised for dishonouring the ways. He was then sent out without any healing."


    "That''s enough, Emi." Riaku gingerly pulled his arm out of Syryn''s grasp. "You will accompany me to Leiri after an hour''s rest. Wen, you''re in charge of security till we return."


    "Your highness, please allow me to come with you." Wen kneeled before Riaku. He was worried about the prince''s injury and of what unforeseen dangers they could meet on their way.


    "Fei will accompany me," Riaku replied. "I will fly easier knowing that your eyes are guarding these grounds."


    Wen had to swallow his protest and accept the duty that the prince had given him.


    "Riaku, how about I bind your arm so that infection doesn''t set in? I won''t take long, I promise." Syryn couldn''t let the avian off like this. He had to do something about the arm. He looked to Emi for help.


    "Brother, binding your wound isn''t a sin. Please let Syryn take care of it."


    "Your highness, guard duty will be much easier if I know that your life will no longer be in danger," Wen pitched in hurriedly. "Please allow Syryn to help you."


    Riaku stared at the three people who were teaming up to corner him. "Alright," he relented. It was a small victory for the guards.


    ---


    Syryn folded back Riaku''s sleeves and examined the sheared off skin on his arm. He hadn''t noticed it before but there was a pattern to the shearing. Parallelly sliced grooves could be seen over the parts where the skin hadn''t been torn off. The grooves were thin and evenly spaced. Fearing that he might spook the reluctant prince, Syryn did not ask about how he had received the wound.


    He pressed a thumb to Riaku''s wrist and counted his pulse rate, then he checked the temperature of his palms. The dignified prince waited patiently while Syryn did all this.


    "Rei, bring the water over here," he told his assistant.


    Cooled saline water was used to clean the arm that was covered in flakes of dried blood.


    "Does it not hurt you?" Syryn asked as he patted the arm dry very gently with a clean cotton cloth.


    "Yes, but it is bearable."


    "You dont have to punish yourself with pain. What do you gain from it?"


    Syryn uncapped a large jar filled with green jelly. Next to it was placed clean cotton sheets he would use to bind the wound.


    "This is punishment for my failure," Riaku gravely told him. "It is only right that I suffer through it."


    Syryn then used a clamp and a cotton pad to apply a pungent liquid all over the exposed layer of flesh. A small crease on his forehead let Syryn know that the prince was feeling the burning sting of it.


    "I think you''ve suffered enough by losing that much skin from your arm," Syryn told the prince. "What a disaster this journey has been."


    "Without your courageous actions, we would have lost more lives."


    Syryn shook his head. If he hadn''t warned them of danger in their path, they wouldn''t have changed directions. Maybe Soka wouldn''t have had to die. There were too many ifs and maybes in this scenario.


    "You can thank me by cooperating with my treatment," Syryn replied. "Rei bring the paste and apply a thin layer over every inch of his arm."


    The guard walked over with a tray in his hands. On the tray was a clay pot where a newly cooked batch of herbs was cooling.


    "Tch," he made a face at how slowly it cooled. Syryn conjured a thin layer of ice on the sides of the clay pot. He could feel the judgemental stare of Rei through the mask. Some medicines were highly sensitive to abrupt changes in temperature. This wasn''t one of them but it was generally inadvisable to take such shortcuts.


    "It''s fine," Syryn smiled sheepishly at the assistant. "Sit here and apply it."


    "Why do you not display your palm crest?" Riaku asked Syryn.


    "I dont have one."


    Rei''s masked face turned up to look at Syryn.


    "You don''t have one?"


    "I am not a healer."


    Riaku accepted Syryn''s declaration without reaction. "You are a self-taught healer then?"


    "I am not a healer! I''m a practising alchemist." Syryn directed his words especially to Rei who was silently staring at him.


    "But you''re one of Elysium''s best healers. I am privy to the difficult cases you''ve solved for sick people who couldn''t be cured by conventional means."


    "Who told you?" Syryn asked the prince. He had been dying to know this.


    "Regardless, you''re excellent at what you do. You are a competent healer," Riaku informed him.


    "Rei what are you looking at? Get back to work." Syryn then turned to Riaku. "We''ll talk about this later. Don''t think I won''t ask you again about your source of information."


    "Elder Toka will not be pleased," Rei said to Riaku as he spooned a dollop of red onto damaged skin.


    "He won''t have to know that Syryn doesn''t have a crest," came Riaku''s reply.


    "He might demand to see it, prince. Elder Toka is not kind towards foreigners. I worry that he might cause you trouble when he hears of a foreign healer tending to the dowager queen."


    "We''ll cross that bridge when we get there."


    "Who is this elder Toka and why does he care about who treats your grandmother?" Syryn asked the prince.


    "Elder Toka is the chief royal healer of Nua. He has been the primary healer to my grandmother for many years but his methods are outdated. Under the pretext of serving the dowager queen, the esteemed elder refuses to retire with dignity as befitting someone of his age. I have submitted a petition to have him step down but my father does not agree with my opinions about the old fool."


    "Ahan, can''t you just assassinate him and make it look like he died of some advanced geriatric condition?" Syryn innocently asked.


    "For all the years that he has served my grandmother, we cannot murder him."


    But I can, Syryn thought. And that thought died when he remembered Rowan''s advice.


    "Okay, so I''ll lie and say that I lost my palm crest in the fight with the golem."


    Rei was halfway done with applying the mixture to Riaku''s arm. "We must ensure that he does not grow suspicious of your credentials."


    "Were you suspicious?" Syryn asked Rei.


    "No," it was a light, almost playful sound.


    "That''s right," Syryn smugly told him. "I may not be a healer but I know enough to pass off as one."


    "You should take the test and earn your crest," Rei advised. "It''s a simple task for someone as knowledgeable as you are."


    "I''m doing just fine without a crest. If I get one, I''ll be forced to operate under the oppressive rules of the healer''s guild."


    "I''m surprised they haven''t given you trouble already," Rei said. He was done with applying the mixture. The assistant received a fine linen gauze from Syryn and applied on it a layer of green jelly. The plant-based jelly was included to ensure that the gauze would not stick to the healing skin.


    "There''s no rule that says I can''t practise without a crest." There were heavy disadvantages to not aligning with the guild but none of it mattered to Syryn. He had used his skills to prove his worth and it was enough for the desperate and secretive patients who sought him out. The alchemist had started out by prescribing alternative medicines to the customers that visited his potions establishment with prescriptions in hand from their healers. When his recommendations were found to work better than the others, Syryn was visited by returning patients. And thus he had become a healer with some reputation amongst those that knew about him.


    "Nevertheless, be prepared," Rei warned him. "A big tree attracts the woodman''s axe."

 Chapter 101 - Blame

    Syryn stood on the rooftop and watched three avians turn into dots in the sky.


    "Syryn," Red held out candied ginger to the teen. "Luci kept insisting that we share it with you."


    The alchemist squinted at the single slice of ginger on Lucien''s palm. "How generous," he dryly said to the redhead before popping it in his mouth.


    "Not our fault. It was wrapped in paper inside my pocket but I spilt most of it while killing the assholes who were waiting outside the rift."


    "There was an ambush waiting?" Syryn did a once over of the redhead like he expected a wound to magically appear.


    "Birds. Two of them."


    "And where are the bodies?"


    "Behind some bushes."


    "So the attempt was on Riaku''s life."


    "That would seem to be the case."


    Syryn let out a deep exhale. "What a disastrous start to a journey I had envisioned as a vacation."


    "I was looking forward to it too," Red said to Syryn. "I miss being an adult. So many things I could do on my own then."


    "I''m not depriving you of anything am I?" Syryn asked the morose looking redhead.


    "I miss doing the no pants dance."


    Syryn recognised the euphemism and he didn''t want to have this conversation.


    "It''s the best way to get my mind off things I''d rather not think about."


    "You could just get a hobby. Or go find some criminals to kill."


    "Setting aside the fact that Luci is aware of what happens to his body, where will I even find a good looking adult man willing to dance with a 12-year-old me? Even if I did find someone like that, I''d slaughter him. How the hell did you hold out, Syryn?"


    Syryn really didnt want to talk about it but Red wasn''t letting it go.


    "Self-control," he answered. "And lots of alone time."


    Red felt like weeping. "I can''t even do that. Which deity decided to punish me by sticking my consciousness with a baby Luci?"


    Syryn felt sorry for Red but neither had a solution for his frustrations. "Get a hobby."


    "You''re so useless," Red grumbled. "I dont know why I keep coming to you with my problems."


    "Because you can''t tell anyone else about it."


    The brothers lapsed into silence and watched a tuft of cloud block the sunlight that fell directly on the cottage.


    "Why do you think he hasn''t come for us already?" Red asked.


    "Who?"


    "Traxdart."


    Syryn had thought about it as well.


    "He only picks up the broken ones," Syryn answered.


    "Are we not broken?" Red asked as he leaned over the edge of the roof. A dizzying drop down the cliff face beckoned for him to jump.


    "I don''t know. Traxdart must have seen how well we''ve integrated into human society."


    "Tamed domestic demons. Look at us."


    "We could do worse. Do you want to go back to Traxdart?"


    "I don''t," Red answered. "But it''s inevitable, isn''t it? Prophecies are usually never wrong when they come from a deity."


    Syryn hated thinking about the prophecy. Red was correct about it but there was no way he would hand over Lucien to the emperor, not without a fight.


    "Traxdart can pry you from my cold dead hands then."


    "I''m touched," Red snorted. "You''re making me think you like me."


    In their past life, Red and Syryn hadn''t interacted much. It was strange how they''d become family.


    "Red, is Luci listening?" Syryn wanted to ask him some personal questions that weren''t for Luci''s ears.


    "He is. It''s no longer possible to shut him out. Luci asks a lot of questions about us you know."


    "Do you answer them?"


    "Some."


    Syryn decided to go ahead with his queries in a roundabout manner. "How did Zimzi''s lover die?" Zimzi''s lover had been Red. Syryn had escaped his mortal coils before Lucien so he wasn''t privy to the events that occurred after his death.


    The redhead stiffened next to Syryn. "I don''t remember."


    "You don''t remember or you dont want to tell?"


    "I don''t remember. There''s a lot I can''t remember."


    Syryn didnt think Red was lying. "Why did you never tell me that you were missing memories?"


    "Because there was no reason to mention it. I thought they would all eventually come to me." The redhead was dangling his feet from the edge of the roof. "Won''t they?"


    The alchemist wasn''t sure if they would. He himself was allegedly missing his memories and unable to do anything about it.


    "How did you even realise that you possess memories you haven''t unlocked?"


    "Because they end abruptly. It''s like a story that''s missing the last pages of its tale. Is it not the same for you?"


    "No," Syryn answered. "I- mine ended."


    The redhead inclined his head to turn up curious scarlet eyes at the alchemist. "Was it a good end?"


    "Yes," Syryn answered. "But I''m not so sure anymore."


    The two of them heard the sounds of footsteps behind them. It was Wen. The avian was perfectly capable of stalking without making any noise. The sounds were a courtesy to let the brothers know that he was approaching.


    "Why dont you come down and eat something?" He asked them.


    "I''m not hungry," Lucien replied.


    "Is it a freshly cooked meal or are we having dried rations?" Syryn was a little hungry after all the excitement the day had thrown at them.


    "Cured ham, stew, and some fruit bread. The stew is piping hot right now."


    Lucien perked up even though he wasn''t hungry. "That sounds delicious."


    "I thought you said you weren''t hungry," Syryn said to the redhead.


    "Doesn''t mean I can''t eat."


    The hours crawled by very slowly after their meal. Syryn kept checking on Gosan to occupy his time while Lucien indulged in a lazy nap with the cats. Just as he was about to fall asleep, Luci said something that drove away the sandman''s magic.


    (You''re hiding many things from me, Red.)


    [...]


    (I know you''re awake.)


    [Luci, can''t you pick another time to do this?]


    (Now is a good time.)


    [It''s not.]


    (What''s a no pants dance?)


    [It''s when you run out of clean clothes to wear because you''ve not done laundry.]


    (And you miss that?)


    [Of course, I do. Who doesn''t miss being lazy?]


    (You make sense.)


    [Yup.]


    (Red, who are you? Is that really your name?)


    [We''ve gone through this before Luci. I can''t talk about it.]


    (Meaning you dont want to talk about it.)


    [Both]


    (It''s not fair.)


    [Most things in life aren''t.]


    (At least tell me your name.)


    [It''s Red.]


    (No it isn''t!)


    [Fine, it isn''t. My name is also Lucien.]


    (Liar.)


    [But it is. We are alike in many ways and that''s why I ended up here with you.]


    (Are you going to tell me that story again? I''m no longer a baby who will believe any fancy tale you try to feed me.)


    [You''re twelve, Luci. Take joy in every second of the childhood that you''ve been given, because when you grow up, the demons will catch you and you''ll wish you were still twelve and ignorant.]


    (You''re contradicting yourself. Didn''t you tell me I had to stop relying on big brother? I''ve seen you kill people. I''m no longer an ignorant child.)


    [You''re right. I''m sorry for calling you ignorant, Luci, but you are. We''re all ignorant about many things.]


    (What are you talking about?)


    [I had to expose you to death because of your nature as a half-demon. But there are some things you can only understand when you''re older.]


    (Like what)


    [Like why life is unfair to some of us. Or why innocent kids are sacrificed at the altar of an adult''s sins. This world is cruel to children like you.]


    (Am I lucky then?)


    [Yes you are. You''ll understand and thank Syryn someday.]


    (I''m already grateful to Syryn though... He rescued me.)


    [You have no idea, Luci.]


    (Then tell me.)


    [Someday.]


    (Alright. But you promise to tell me before you disappear?)


    [I promise.]


    (That''s not what you''re supposed to say!!)


    [What?? What do you want me to say then?]


    (That you''ll never leave me!)


    [I won''t ever leave you. Never.]


    (You''re contradicting yourself again... If you never leave me, how will you disappear?)


    [I am capable of both. Have some faith in me, Luci.]


    (You mean it?)


    [Yes. Every word of it. I''ll be watching over you. Even when you stop hearing my voice, I''ll be right here with you.]


    Tears misted Lucien''s eyes as he thought of a lonely existence without Red.


    [Why are you crying?]


    (You''re the one that''s crying!)


    [... Fine. I''m crying.]


    (Why are you crying, Lucien?)


    [Lucien?]


    (You said that it''s your name.)


    [Yes. I''m Lucien.]


    It felt like he had just released the waters from a dam that had been building pressure over many years.


    (So why are you crying, Lucien?)


    It seemed Luci was determined to pin the tear works on Red.


    [I''m crying because dust got inside my eyes.]


    (But your eyes were closed this whole time!)


    [....]


    (Are you sad?)


    [I am not sad.]


    (You''re sad. Tell me why.)


    [I said I''m not sad you annoying brat.]


    (I felt it. These days, I can tell how you feel.)


    [Since when?]


    (It was on that day Magnus left. I could feel your sadness. I cried selfishly while you tried to comfort me even though you were hurting just as much as I was. I''m sorry, Lucien.)


    Luci had felt Red''s intense emotions on that day. Was it because of how deep he felt? Red wondered. Or could it be that they were integrating faster than he had assumed?


    [And you feel my sadness right now?]


    (Yes)


    [Okay, Luci. I''m sad because I was remembering some things.]


    (Then dont remember them. I ignore the memories that make me feel uncomfortable.)


    [But you shouldn''t. They''ll always be there, growing in strength, and waiting to ambush you when you least expect it.]


    (Then what must I do?)


    [You face your ghosts, Luci. Let them know that you''re stronger than they are and that they''ll never have any power over you.]


    (By remembering?)


    [Yes. By remembering and forgiving yourself for being a child. Nothing was ever your fault.]


    This time, the tears weren''t Luci''s.


    (Don''t cry, Lucien. It wasn''t your fault...)


    [Dont act like you know anything about me, brat.]


    (I dont. But I just thought about how you must have made mistakes when you were my age and had no one to tell you it wasn''t your fault. Did you never accidentally knock down a potion and blame it on a cat?)


    [That was clearly your fault! Poor Navi had to take the blame.]


    (Yes. I couldn''t think of a better example.)


    [That''s okay. I''d like to take a nap now, Luci.]


    (Me too.)


    [Then stop talking.]


    (Mmmm)

 Chapter 102 - Bullshit

    When Syryn checked on Gosan later that night, the man was running a slight fever.


    "Increase the dosage of estranise to five times a day," he told the purple masked guard. "Give him an antipyretic if his temperature increases any further. Until we remove the pipe, he will constantly be at risk for infection."


    "Your highness," Rei made a bow towards the door.


    "Where did you go?" Syryn asked the prince whose complexion appeared to have improved since the binding.


    "We were out getting travel mounts. How is Gosan?"


    "Feverish but not in danger. Let me look at that arm," Syryn motioned for Riaku''s bound arm.


    The prince extended his hand and allowed Syryn to look under his wide sleeves. There was no staining or leakage on the top layer of his cotton bandages. Syryn checked Riaku''s temperature again and found that he was as healthy as a man with such an injury could be.


    "It seems I worried for nothing," Syryn told the prince. "Eat something and rest well."


    ----


    A bright yellow full moon stared down at the cliffside cottage where two avians were on night watch. One of the avians transformed into a large dark brown bird with tufts of red on its wingtips. The bird was a little more than half the size of the man it was. It took to the sky and soared above the tree line that surrounded the foot of the cottage.


    Wen did a circuit of the area and returned to the rooftop where Kai, another one of the avian guards, was watching his half of the forest.


    The avians exchanged light conversation after Wen transformed back to his human form. Kai nodded at something Wen had said and the avian went back inside the cottage. Only one avian remained yawning as he put on his clothes that had come off while shapeshifting.


    Soon after, a gentle knock on Syryn''s door roused the sleeping alchemist. His mind immediately went to Gosan and Riaku''s injuries as only a medical emergency was usually known to wake a healer up at this time of the night.


    "What?" He asked the Green masked avian who had knocked on his door.


    "Suspicious movement has been spotted close to our location. The prince requests you to stay alert in case there is a change in the situation, and to stay put in your room if a fight breaks out."


    "What kind of suspicious movement?" Syryn asked. Some vacation their trip was turning out to be.


    "We aren''t sure yet. His highness is already in the forest with Wen and Emi, investigating the movements we spotted."


    "What are his guards even here for if he insists on leading a dangerous charge inside the forest that may get him killed?" Red grumbled from the bed. Navi and Milky had taken over his pillow and Lucien was left encroaching upon the edge of Syryn''s pillow.


    "His highness is aware of his limitations," Fei answered. "Please remain in the room-"


    Glass shattered in Syryn''s room. The window was destroyed by an arrow that broke through the glass pane and landed at his feet. The shocked occupants of the room turned as one to the arrow which was quickly releasing thick clouds of black smoke from a broken cartridge.


    "Grab your things!" Fei ordered. "We''re leaving now." Even as he spoke, several arrows landed all over the cottage.


    Syryn detected the note of panic in Fei''s tone and hurriedly grabbed his satchel. He had already disinfected and packed in everything earlier. "Through the window?" He asked when Fei broke open the window for an exit.


    "Yes, hurry!"


    Lucien already had his bag around his neck. He scooped up the cats and legged it over to the avian who was waiting with an arm around Syryn.


    "Can you bear the combined weight of all of us?" He asked even as Fei securely gripped him around his waist.


    "I have to!" Fei answered before he jumped.


    Syryn didn''t understand why the avians were in such a hurry to leave. What was so dangerous about the smoke? Nevertheless, they dived down together in the arms of the avian whose wings were working hard to keep them from turning into a bloody mess at the bottom of the cliff. While they fell, the alchemist saw smoke curl out of several spots in the forest.


    Fei landed far away from where the smoke could reach them. Syryn also spied Rei and another guard touch down not far from them. Gosan was being carried by them, awake but unable to fly because of the valerian root that was depressing his senses.


    "Do not let the smoke get near you. If you can, use whatever magic is at your disposal to drive the smoke away." Fei said his part and immediately flew over the smoky forest.


    "What''s with the smoke?" Red asked Syryn. "They aren''t even trying to burn anything down."


    "There''s a group of assassins that uses smoke in their operations," Syryn told the redhead as Rei noticed them from afar. "The house of shadows. Have you ever heard of them?" It was the first thing he thought of when he looked through his memories for smoke related poisons and magic.


    "Yes. Who knew I''d get to watch them in action? I feel lucky. Can''t the birds just fly out of the smoke though?"


    "Yeah, but they would have thought of something to counter it. Hiring the scarecrows shows just how committed they are to killing him off. Riaku might die today," Syryn solemnly told the redhead.


    "Rest in peace."


    Syryn threw Red a dirty look.


    "What? Do you want to play saviour again? Don''t be an idiot. As if you could fight a scarecrow without turning to your demonic powers. And even then, those things don''t die unless you''ve got a weapon that can hurt spirits."


    Syryn knew Lucien was right. The logical thing to do was to wait out the assassination attempt and see who won. If they were lucky, Riaku would survive and they''d make it to Nua or face off another attempt. If they were unlucky, Riaku would die and the assassins might decide to pursue their lives as well.


    "It''s all a waiting game now," Syryn answered. "An injured Riaku does not inspire confidence but I hope he makes it."


    "Rei, Gosan, glad you made it out," Syryn told the avians that came to them.


    "We''re in real trouble this time," Rei ominously informed them. "There''s some kind of loop around this place that prevents you from leaving."


    "A loop?" Syryn repeated.


    "If you try to get out of the boundary that''s been set up, you find yourself walking back from where you came out. It''s a prison of magic that we can''t leave."


    "Let me guess, you can''t fly up and out of the forest either," Syryn replied, finally feeling true fear for the lives of his companions and himself.


    "No."


    "Everyones fucked. We''re all going to die," Red darkly muttered.


    Rei was silent.


    "Who would want Riaku''s life so bad?" Syryn asked the masked guard.


    "I don''t know. After defeating the stone claw tribe, we''ve drawn alliances with the other warring avians. It is hard to tell which ambitious tribe wants the life of our prince."


    "But what do they gain from killing Riaku?" Red asked. "What''s so special about him that necessitates this much effort?"


    Rei hesitated to answer. It was Gosan that enlightened them. "His highness has inherited the legacy of Souma."


    "Ah," Syryn answered. "That''s why."


    "Who is this Souma?" Red asked.


    "A very powerful warrior who wore a silver armour that was known to grant him fantastical powers," Syryn explained. "Only a select few avians have been able to draw out the armour''s powers so it''s a big deal when someone inherits it. Good for Riaku."


    "Not so much if he dies here."


    "Cowards," Gosan spat out.


    "But they''re winning," Syryn grimly replied, aware that they would be hunted next. "The scarecrows cannot be killed without a blessed weapon."


    The house of shadows was a powerful group that operated independently of any nation. They had no political ties, no agendas, and were only motivated by profit. The location of their base was unknown and their powers were even more mysterious.


    From what Syryn had heard of them, the practitioners of shadow magic used smoke as a gateway through which their spirits moved. Their bodies would remain safe at a secret location close to the target, while their mobile spirits attacked their designated victims. These spirits looked like emaciated bodies covered in smoke and thus were named scarecrows. Their method of assassination could be countered in several ways but when they strategically attacked and used the element of surprise, it almost always turned into a successful assassination.


    "Does Riaku have a blessed weapon?" Syryn asked the avians. The blade that the prince carried had felt nothing like a blessed weapon. Syryn would have sworn that the thing gave him a wicked vibe.


    "No," Rei answered.


    "And is there any other way to kill the scarecrow?" Red asked.


    "We have to find the assassin''s body," Syryn answered.


    "That''s a lot of forest land to search in," Red replied.


    "Yup."


    "Riaku might not live long enough for the time it''ll take you to cover this forest."


    "Correct."


    "And we might even get killed if there''s more than one scarecrow."


    "True." Bullshit had found them good this time.


    "Or if there''s a guard hiding near the body."


    "Most definitely will be."


    "Good luck, Syryn," Red told him.

 Chapter 103 - Riakus Secret

    "Good luck? You''re coming with me, Lucien."


    Red turned towards Rei. ''Look at what he''s making me, a little boy do.'' His facial expressions beautifully communicated childish helplessness in the face of an overbearing older sibling.


    "Syryn, neither of you should be going anywhere. I get that you want to help but it''s too dangerous in there," Rei reasoned.


    "Are you saying that because Riaku asked you to guard us?"


    Syryn felt a vibration in the air that had him exchanging a glance with Red. Whatever was happening in the forest did not bode well for the avians.


    "Yes. Listen to common sense, Syryn. You''ll only get yourself killed out there if you rush in without knowledge of enemy positioning or numbers." It seemed Rei had forgotten how the alchemist had recklessly baited a giant inside the path. Common sense was well and good but Syryn''s thought process did not flow normal.


    "If Riaku goes down, we might get hit next. I won''t sit around here and wait like cornered prey." Syryn said it in a matter fact tone. There was no arguing with him on his decisions and Rei was beginning to understand that. "Lucien, come with me. I''m not fucking around anymore."


    "Don''t you think you''ll fare better without me getting in your way?" The redhead asked.


    "I won''t be doing shit if I get lost inside there. Can''t take Navi either because there are no landmarks I can point out to him. Besides, you''re safer with me."


    Rei digested those words and put them together with his conjectures about Syryn. He was starting to realise that the escapade inside the path hadn''t been a suicidal stunt by the healer. There was more to the brothers than they''d been let on. Rei wondered what they were hiding behind their pretty-faced facades.


    "I''m just a glorified navigator for you then. The great Lord Lucien reduced to this." Nevertheless, Red stood up and stretched his limbs. "Hey Rei, watch the cats. The white one can be a real bitch sometimes but he won''t scratch you if you don''t try to pet him."


    "I will come with you," Rei firmly told them. "The prince bid me to watch over the both of you so I cannot let you go off on your own."


    "No offence to you Rei but you''ll only get in our way," Syryn told him. Rei was an extra pair of eyes that Syryn could use but not at the expense of exposing his secrets. The purple masked avian had to stay here.


    "If I die then so be it but I cannot disobey the orders of his highness." Rei stood up and then glanced with worry at the tired-looking Gosan who was leaning against a boulder.


    Syryn sighed at the guard''s stubbornness. They were wasting time. "What''s more important to you? Saving your precious prince or following his orders without flexibility for changing situations?"


    "His highness will not easily die," Rei replied but he was wavering. There was something there that the guard was implying. Syryn''s curiosity about Riaku''s secrets was further stoked by what Rei had just said.


    "Syryn, at least leave him with me," Rei said while looking at the youthful Lucien. "He''s just a child."


    "Hah, you''re worried about the wrong person. This kid will survive longer than you and all your replacements. It''s the good ones that die first," Syryn told Rei.


    "Can''t argue with that one," Red replied. "Come on, let''s go." He tugged at Syryn''s sleeve. "And don''t even think about following us, Rei. It''ll be the biggest mistake of your life if you do." The redhead narrowed his eyes dangerously at the purple masked guard. "What is your common sense telling you?"


    When the guard didnt answer him, Red smiled and it was a cruel lilt of his lips. "That''s right, avian. Wait here and watch your back."


    Syryn was already walking away as Red skipped over to him. The redhead giggled after exchanging words that Rei''s ears could not catch. They appeared to be least bothered about how dangerous the situation had become. And that was what convinced the guard that the brothers were dark horses on the game board they were trapped in.


    ---


    Syryn stepped on a gleaming piece of rock that was letting out copious amounts of smoke. Lucien''s eyes began watering when the smokescreen thickened as they went deeper inside the forest.


    "If Riaku doesn''t get killed by the scarecrow, he might just croak from smoke inhalation."


    "You keep cursing him like that and he really will die," Syryn told the redhead.


    "Just pushing things along. I dont have high hopes for him seeing as how he''s facing the house of shadows."


    Sounds of breaking trees reached their ears and the boys knew where the fight was going down.


    "You think we''ll find a royal dead body?" Red asked.


    "Where is this eagerness coming from?" Syryn questioned the boy. "If this has something to do with necromancy, I''m telling you outright, you''re not raising his dead body."


    "Why not?" More sounds of destruction beckoned the brothers.


    "It''s disrespectful," Syryn answered.


    "Since when did you care about him so much? You''re just getting softer and softer." The redhead''s dissatisfied grumbling failed to move the teen.


    On their path towards the fight lay a body face down. Syryn recognised the veil that was strewn on the ground next to the avian. It was Emi. He ran over to the fallen avian, hoping she was alive.


    The alchemist kneeled and turned her over to check for a pulse. Emi''s veil was parted just enough that it revealed a slender neck and the edge of a curved jaw.


    "Alive?" Red asked Syryn.


    The older boy nodded. "A strong pulse. She''s been knocked out by something or someone."


    "There''s another avian over there," Red pointed to their right where Wen was also on the ground. "He''s bleeding."


    Syryn left Emi to check on Wen. The yellow masked guard had received a wound to his abdomen. A mass of blackened sooty skin surrounded a line of exposed muscle tissue. It wasn''t life-threatening but the nature of his injury called for an investigation. Syryn didnt have time for it so he did the minimum to disinfect and staunch the bleeding.


    "We''re just going to leave them here?" Red asked.


    "You can carry them back if you''re volunteering."


    "And you? Won''t you get lost?"


    "Not if I can hear what''s going on," Syryn answered.


    "I''m coming with you."


    The boys hauled Wen and Emi up onto the branches of a tree. They were precariously balanced on high branches just far off enough from the ground that they wouldn''t get hurt too badly even if they fell.


    "It''s the best we can do," Red told him when Syryn frowned at the avians. They hadn''t taken more than a minute to arrange the slumbering avians. Syryn''s wings were tucked back inside after his feet touched the ground.


    "What a surprise! Riaku is still alive it seems," Syryn said as he rushed towards the sound of fighting.


    Vines and roots got in their way as Syryn and Red negotiated a steep climb. The boys hacked at the branches with their claws and plodded over musty smelling soil.


    A destructive energy wave came flying at them when they neared Riaku''s fight. Both boys threw themselves onto the ground to stave off a decapitation.


    "What the shit was that?!" Red popped his head back up and whispered.


    Syryn''s eyes were wide with shock. It was a truly funny and unexpected turn of events. The teen scrambled to his feet and pulled Red along with him.


    "No way!" Red said when he realised what Syryn had grasped.


    "Ri-Aa-Ku! You beautiful demon prince, I am smitten by your wings!" Syryn loudly announced his arrival to the avian who was facing off two scarecrows.


    Riaku had twin ridged horns that were thick and wickedly curved from where they emerged on his forehead. His eyes were glowing like hot embers. There was also a pair of beautiful black wings that grew from his shoulder blades and pointed towards the sky. Another smaller set of wings unfurled towards the ground. Syryn had never seen double wings on a demon so it was the first thing that had immediately attracted his attention.


    The prince was a picture of complete calm as he defended himself against an attack by a scarecrow. His serrated sword was in hand dripping malice like it hated the world.


    "What are you doing here?" Riaku asked them. His voice had also undergone a change. It sounded wilder.


    "Rescue mission," Syryn answered with a cocky smile. "You have a lot of explaining to do prince." The scarecrows were unable to hurt the prince who was no longer playing by the rules. However, it was a stalemate where neither could hurt the other.


    "Sleep," Riaku whispered and it echoed in the air. The magical compulsion hit Syryn and Lucien but neither fell to their feet as they should have. It would have worked if Syryn and Lucien had been wholly human. It would have also worked if they were weaker demons.


    Syryn smiled cheekily at Riaku''s surprise. The prince seemed to be doing fine for now so he decided to tackle the important problems first.


    "Hey, spirits, I''ll be looking for your bodies now. I hope you''re hidden cleverly cause when I find them-" Syryn flashed a lascivious smile and licked his lips hungrily, "-I might do some truly unspeakable things tonight."

 Chapter 104 - Luciens Solution

    "How long can you hold out Riaku?" Syryn asked the prince.


    "As long as it takes," came his cold reply. "Their attacks are chipping away at my defence but it''ll take them much longer to get through."


    The scarecrows operated by a code that called for their deaths if they abandoned a mission. It was a favourable situation for the avian party since they were fighting a war of attrition.


    "A man of stamina. Good! Let''s go, Lucien."


    The redhead lingered just a bit longer, sights fixed on the prince and his outstretched wings.


    "Red, stare later."


    Crimson eyes turned away and Lucien followed the teen whose teasing eyes were crinkled in an ambiguous smile.


    "Liked what you saw?" The alchemist asked after they had put some distance between them and the prince.


    "He''s attractive," Red answered. "And I''m still a fucking child. I''m tempted to raise a freshly deceased body and put my consciousness inside it."


    "You think Riaku would be interested in necrophilia?" Syryn levelled the redhead with an expression that made him look like he''d just ingested something disgusting.


    "I didn''t say that," Red shot back. "It was just a spur of the moment declaration. I''m not dumb enough to do something so messed up."


    "It hasn''t even been three days and you''ve already forgotten Magnus." Syryn thought it was a good thing too. Dwelling on the fire mage was just poking at unhealed wounds.


    "Did you forget Rowan when you were making out with everyone else?"


    "That''s different! I wasn''t expecting anything more than a physical dalliance with him."


    "Regardless, I dont intend to not fuck around if he takes forever to come back. He''s not my anything yet."


    "Luci is still a child," Syryn reminded him. "I doubt you''d have a chance before Magnus returns. But will you still be hung over him after the passage of a few years?"


    Red made a frustrated sound at the line of questioning they''d reached. "I can''t predict how my feelings might change," he replied. "You''re turning 17 soon, aren''t you?"


    "Yeah."


    "Did you get laid?"


    "Yes. It was nice."


    Red snorted. "Good for you. Where are you taking us anyway?"


    "I''m not sure," Syryn replied. "How do we even begin searching in this enormous forest?"


    "Your dumbass self decided to do something about it so figure it out," Red replied. Tall trees surrounded their visions in a neverending line of similarly shaped silhouettes.


    "You''re right," Syryn slowly turned to Red with a gleam in his eyes. "I have to use all the resources that are available to me."


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" The redhead warily took a step back.


    "Tell me, Red, would the assassins'' bodies be considered as deceased when they''re in scarecrow form?"


    Lucien understood where Syryn''s thoughts were heading. "The bodies are in a state that is halfway between dead and alive."


    "You''re either dead or alive. What the hell do you mean halfway?"


    "I''m not privy to their secret techniques so all I can do is guess. The scarecrows are tethered to their bodies through a magical link and that is why they are unable to move too far from the body. The physical body doesn''t have a soul but it stays alive and dormant."


    "Sort of like a coma patient?"


    "Sort of."


    "But can you reanimate the body?"


    Red shook his head. "I cant. The most I can do is disturb the bodies by trying to animate them."


    "Don''t you have any other necromancy skills we could use to find them?"


    "I''m not like your precious Rowan," Red grouched. "But I may have a way to scare the spirits back into their bodies. It''s either that or just outright murder them."


    "Yes?"


    "By killing every living thing inside the forest."


    "Splendid. What''s the plan?"


    Red allowed his wings to emerge but they weren''t as developed as Syryn''s. Some demons just bloomed a little late and Lucien was one of them.


    "The plan is simple. I act as a conduit for the absorption of vitality from the forest. Anything touching the ground or the trees will lose its life to my spell. Ugh, these stupid wings. I need a lift." Red stretched his arms out to Syryn. It reminded the older boy of how Luci used to do that when he wanted to be carried by Syryn. Now that the redhead was taller, his cuteness remained but the alchemist no longer wanted to squeeze him.


    Obliging the boy, he carried him to the treetops. They hovered just above the canopy as Red surveyed the area.


    "You said you''ll act as a conduit. Where will all that life energy go to?" Syryn asked the sullen boy in his arms.


    "You."


    "Nowhere did I agree to be killed by excessive absorption of energy."


    "You''ll have to release it back out by casting spells. Dont worry, I''ll go slow enough that you''ll have time to discharge the energy. I''m done here, lets go back down."


    Syryn retreated to the forest floor and it couldn''t have been at a better time. He spotted an avian approaching them.


    "What are you two doing here?" Kai, the red masked guard asked them. Broken twigs and leaves clung to the avian as if he had been rushing through the forest without care for clearing his path.


    "Helping Riaku. He knows we''re here. What are you doing?" Syryn responded to the avian.


    "Fei and I have been combing the forest. We''re looking for scarecrow bodies."


    "Any luck?" Red asked. He had needed blood for his spell, lots of blood. There was no longer any need to worry about who would donate it.


    "No." The reply was bitter. "They''ve used spells to deflect visual and magical detection of their bodies."


    It wasn''t a problem for Red. Unless they specifically set up protection against an attack like his, the bodies would get hit by Red''s spell even if a single hair on their head was grounded or touching a tree.


    "I have a solution to your problems," Red began. "I can kill the scarecrows but I need cooperation from you and Fei. I want your blood so I can use it to draw my boundaries."


    Kai was silent.


    "Think fast. Your prince is in danger even as we speak."


    "What do you intend to do?" He asked Lucien with some amount of suspicion.


    "I''m going to pull off a big spell. Stop asking questions and decide already."


    The avian hesitated to answer. Kai had no idea what the brother''s intentions were. Could he trust them?


    "I''ll get Fei." Kai knew there was no time to waste. Grappling with indecision, the avian left in a whirlwind of leaves.


    Syryn, on the other hand, was left thinking about the risks involved with pulling off Red''s spell. Such a huge undertaking could potentially hurt the child and he was not willing to risk it.


    "What is the price you pay?" He asked Red.


    "Blood is the price. I''m merely acting as a conduit so there''s no need to worry about my well being. You should worry about yourself," he smiled at Syryn. "I could kill you easily if I wanted to. Do you trust me, brother?"


    "No," Syryn trusted Red but he had to pretend otherwise. Saying yes could potentially irritate the redhead and invite retaliation. Syryn had realised that Red liked to act hardcore but he was soft to Luci''s will.


    "How much blood are we talking about?" Syryn asked the redhead.


    "The more, the better. Think of it as bribing an official. You can pay just enough and get what you want, or, you can empty your life savings and make him happy. And when he''s happy, everything goes smoothly."


    "And who is this official you''re bribing?"


    "Your sister."


    Red received a flick on his forehead from Syryn. "So you''re going to bleed them dry."


    "If they''re willing to die for the cause then yes. It''s a big forest, Syryn. I initially planned to do a smaller section by narrowing down the circumference from a point where the scarecrows are fighting Riaku. I know for a fact that the priests of Luisha do not recommend soul separation of more than 300 hundred metres. Any more and the tethering would break, thus separating the soul from the physical body. And when that happens, the soul turns into a spectre."


    "Then we''ll do 300 metres instead of the whole forest. I would prefer not to kill off the guards."


    Red hunched down and began scratching some calculations on the ground with a stick. "Let''s do four hundred metres just to be on the safe side. I need two litres of blood."


    "What are you going to do with so much blood?"


    "Draw a big fucking circle using Riaku as the centre."


    "I only have enough anticoagulant for less than two litres of blood," Syryn told him.


    "Why so little?"


    "Little? That''s enough to last me through a year. Who knew we''d be attempting to kill off an entire forest?"


    "Tch. Fine. Thinner lines then."


    "How dangerous is this spell, Red? I''m starting to get worried."


    "I''ve done it before. Believe me, if I was at risk, I wouldn''t have suggested it."


    The avian guards had returned. They landed next to Syryn. Fei had taken off his mask and replaced it with a cloth over the nose. It felt strange seeing one of them maskless.


    "What do we have to do?" He asked the alchemist.


    "Donate blood." Syryn dug into his satchel for a saucepan and a knife.


    "How much blood?" Kai asked.


    "Not much."


    The alchemist gave Lucien a wooden ladle. "Stir the saucepan gently every ten seconds when I start pouring in their blood."


    "You-you''re going to cook our blood?" Fei asked.


    "Is that a problem?" Syryn raised his head and asked the guard. His fingers were busy uncorking a finger-sized vial of an anti coagulating agent.


    "I''m not sure how it helps his highness but I''m on board with it." Fei looked at Kai and the other guard also nodded.


    "Someone needs to tell Riaku to fly," Lucien said to the avians. "While I''m casting the spell, you two need to be outside the blood boundary or you''ll die."


    "Fei," Syryn pointed to him with a sharp knife. "It''s time to earn your pay."

 Chapter 105 - Death

    Fei waited with his sleeves pushed back while the alchemist finished preparations for the blood donation. Healing potions and cotton pads were on standby because Syryn wasn''t going for the veins. No, they had no time for tiny streams of blood.


    "I''m nicking your radial artery. Dont panic too much when it gushes," the alchemist informed the guard.


    "I''ll try not to piss myself," Fei answered.


    Syryn located the artery then cut Fei without warning. Warm red blood immediately shot out in a jet and it was collected in Syryn''s saucepan. As the blood continued to spurt, Lucien dipped his wooden ladle in the liquid.


    "Okay, I think this is enough." It was imperative that the artery be closed immediately, before Fei began to lose blood pressure. Syryn wasted no time in pressing to it a cotton pad soaked with three different potions.


    "That''s not enough," Red interjected. "We won''t get more than a litre like this. Bleed him more."


    "I''m also contributing, Red. We''re taking just enough so they can keep fighting if something goes wrong with the spell." The cotton pad was soaked bloody but the bleeding had been staunched. "How are you feeling, Fei?"


    "I feel fine."


    Syryn didnt think so. Nobody felt fine after losing so much blood.


    "Drink this," Syryn handed him a vitamin concentrate that would aid in the promotion of blood production. The alchemist was starting to feel like his inventory was emptying faster than he had anticipated. At the very least, he was expecting Riaku to rake over a bill fit for a prince. "Kai, you''re next."


    Syryn got more blood from Kai and then added his own to the saucepan.


    "Are you two good to fly?" Syryn asked the avians while closing his own cut. "Alright," he continued when they both nodded and waited for further instructions. "Red has to draw a boundary so one of you must fly him around the forest."


    "I''ll do it," Kai answered. "When do we start?"


    "Now," Lucien replied.


    "Fei, you''ll find Emi and Wen on the treetops east of this place. Take them to where Rei and Gosan are waiting. And dont come back inside."


    "What about you?" Red asked.


    "I''ll wait here. How are you going to estimate the distance?"


    Red held his thumb up and closed an eye like he was measuring distance. "Triangles," he answered. "You worry about alchemy. I''ll take care of the rest."


    -----


    While Red was hard at work, Syryn whiled away some time by taking stock of what potions and how many of each was left inside his satchel. He was done and Red still wasn''t back. The teen then paced back and forth, regretted that he couldn''t get his hands on the scarecrow''s bodies for experimentation, ate a wrinkled apple, and finally attempted to write a note to Rowan.


    Rowan,


    I should have taken you with me. You won''t believe what I found out. R?i?a?k?u? ?i?s? ?a? ?d?e?m?o?n R?i?a?k?u? ?i?s? ?n?o?t? ?h?u?m?a?n R?i?a?k?u? ?i?s? ?a? ?s?u?s?p?i?c?i?o?u?s? ?p?e?r?s?o?n? ?w?i?t?h? ?a? ?v?e?r?y? ?e?x?p?l?o?s?i?v?e? ?s?e?c?r?e?t R?i?a?k?u? ?h?a?s? ?a?n? ?i?n?t?e?r?e?s?t?i?n?g? ?s?e?c?r?e?t? ?b?u?t? ?I? ?c?a?n?t? ?t?e?l?l? ?y?o?u? ?b?e?c?a?u?s?e Riaku is a demon. But there''s something strange about him. He''s too calm for a demon. Do you understand what I''m trying to say? Red likes him. I think he''s just attracted to the double wings that Riaku has. I? ?a?l?s?o? ?t?h?i?n?k? ?i?t?s? ?r?e?a?l?l?y? ?a?t?t?r?a?c?t?i? I also find his wings to be of some interest. It may be because of avian genetics that he possesses two pairs of wings. He won''t stop attracting assassination attempts too. The future doesn''t look very peaceful for Nua. And how have they been hiding the fact that their prince is a demon?!


    The sounds of rustling alerted him to Red''s arrival. Kai deposited the redhead on the forest floor and promptly zipped away like his wings were on fire.


    "The saucepan is empty," Red waved the utensil at Syryn. "I need more blood."


    "Then take mine," Syryn told him while he hastily shoved his aborted letter into the satchel. "I dont have anymore anti-co-" Red swiped a claw down Syryn''s palm, drawing a deep gash that began to bleed.


    "Rude!"


    The redhead grabbed Syryn''s bleeding hand and began guiding the arm in a pattern that went around the both of them. When the bleeding slowed down, Red made another cut with his sharp claw.


    "You''re so high handed and rough," Syryn grumbled. "If you were a healer, you''d end up killing all your patients."


    "And I dont see a problem with that," the redhead answered. "Come here."


    Red used his forefinger to draw a rune on Syryn''s forehead using the teen''s own blood. And in a show of skill, he drew one on his own face without the need of a mirror.


    "We''re done." The younger boy relinquished Syryn''s abused palm. A hemostatic potion was immediately poured over it.


    "Sit there," Red told the alchemist. "And when you start feeling full, discharge the mana as you see fit."


    "Your instructions are too damn vague," Syryn said to the redhead. "What do you mean full?"


    "You''ll know when you feel it." Red settled down in a meditative pose. He was inside a circle that was connected to Syryn''s own circle by a trail of drying blood. "Sit down, Syryn."


    The amount of blood and the nature of the ritual had the alchemist feeling like he was being sacrificed. He trusted Red but a small part of him felt trepidation at what was about to happen.


    "Getting cold feet?" Red asked after opening one eye to look at Syryn.


    "No. But I do have a message for Rowan if I end up dying," Syryn answered.


    Red raised one brow at the teen. "What message?" And that did not bode well for Syryn. A scathing remark or an assurance would have helped calm the teen. It would have made him less nervous about the ritual.


    "Tell him that I- lo- like him?" Syryn cringed just a little bit after letting out those words.


    Red opened his other eye and gaped at Syryn like the teen was growing another head. "Are you serious right now?"


    "Only if you''re planning on killing me."


    "You are such a loser. Tell it to the old man yourself." Red closed his eyes again. "I''m starting now. Release your unfounded fears that I''m about to kill you. If I wanted to do that, you''d have died a long time ago, dumbass."


    Syryn''s mind was a chaotic place that refused to calm down. He began to take measures breaths and counted them as Lucien''s power swelled like a bubble around their bodies.


    The first phase of Lucien''s spell involved creating a link between the larger and smaller boundaries. It took a few minutes for the redhead to set up a smooth flow of magic connecting the circles and both parties involved. The moment it all fell into place, Syryn felt himself bound to Lucien''s magic. It was as if an umbilical cord was tethered between their bodies.


    The spell rushed through their link and an abnormal quietness settled upon the forest. Syryn had the impression that the forest was silently mourning the impending death of itself and all the beings that it sheltered. The magic in the air became denser as the pressure of Lucien''s spell grew. And then the destruction began. The sounds of hundreds of trees groaning at the same time sent goosebumps down Syryn''s back.


    --


    Fei, Kai, Rei, and Gosan wore matching solemn looks when they saw the outer lines of trees changing colour even as the spell was being set up.


    When the groaning of the forest started, leaves withered and turned to dust while wood cracked and splintered into dead husks. What once was green and vibrant now lay dead and brown. Decades of growth and life was reduced to nothing right in front of their eyes. It was a terrifying flash of death on a large scale.


    "A simple healer and his brother," Rei stated grimly. He was conflicted by what he was seeing. On one hand, it was fortunate that the brothers were part of their travelling party. On the flip side, they were taking two unknown and obviously very powerful mages back to Nua. If they hadn''t met the assassins, the avians would have never realised how dangerous the brothers were.


    "Background research had nothing much to say about their capabilities," Kai said to the others. "Syryn''s flawless victory in his first friendship meet was all the available information I could find about his fighting abilities. Nothing was said about the younger brother but that''s his spell wreaking so much havoc."


    "It''s not a run of the mill spell either," Fei reflected. None of them wanted to mention the dark origins of such killing magic.


    "Feel that?" Rei asked his fellow guards. The temperature was decreasing.


    "I hate the cold," a now awake and groggy Emi complained. "What''s happening?"


    "We dont know," Fei replied. The slow breeze blowing dust in the air turned into a strong wind and it changed directions rapidly like it couldn''t decide which way to go.


    "Why are we all here together?" Wen asked.


    "Just sit still and watch," Gosan told the newly awakened guards.


    "No, really, where is his highness?"


    "Inside the dying forest."


    "What are we doing here then?" Emi asked the others. The other guards wouldn''t have been sitting there so calmly if Riaku truly needed their aid. It still vexed Emi though that her brother was alone.


    "Orders," Fei told Emi. "His highness instructed us to leave."


    "And you just left him by himself?" Wen asked with some disbelief.


    "The two of you disobeyed him and received the sleeping treatment," Kai dryly replied.


    "At least Emi and I tried."


    "Fat lot of good you two did. While you were sleeping, we got work done." Fei lightly fanned the air with his wings. A layer of white dust had settled on them. Belatedly, he realised it was a dusting of snow.


    "Snow. That''s just great," Emi grumbled. She hated the cold with every fibre of her being.


    The situation abruptly went from calm to stormy in the span of a few seconds. Like a beast that had been released, a cutting cold enveloped the air and began to freeze everything. They could even see Riaku''s figure floating above the icy carnage that was spreading like a white disease. But what was most apparent to the watchers was the lack of scarecrows in their sights.

 Chapter 106 - Riakus Secret II

    A short distance beyond the crystalline forest that had escaped the deadly killing, Syryn and Lucien peacefully sat in their circles. There was still a large amount of magic gathering and circling inside the red head''s sacrificial boundary.


    Syryn could feel Lucien abruptly increasing the rate at which magic was being fed into his body; but he wasn''t surprised by the redhead''s provocative attempt at scaring him. In response to the younger boy''s push, the alchemist opened the gates of his mana core and allowed the flood of magic to batter him. He then channeled all the power into creating multiple copies of ice dragons. A hundred icy beasts disappeared through the looped boundary only to appear back inside and repeat the process.


    Syryn did this to overwhelm the magic that powered the boundary. Unless it was sustained by a large source of power, there was no way for it to indefinitely stand the onslaught. And the more movement that happened through the loop, the sooner it would use up its repository of magic. Knowing this, the mage kept assaulting the boundary with an excessive amount of ice.


    Riaku, who was tired but unharmed, remained in the air and watched the confusing sight of an uncountable number of ice sculptures flying through the loop. The prince had plenty of thoughts going through his head but none more urgent than his desire to know about what manner of magic had been used to kill off such a large swathe of land.


    After what had transpired inside the boundary, anyone would have been wary about letting such powerful unknown mages enter their territory. Riaku would have even worried about letting Syryn treat the dowager queen. He would have sent them back home to Elysium if it weren''t for the fact that Riaku himself had approached the teen first. Syryn had shown his courage by going to great lengths and saving their lives in the path. After that, they''d been snatched out of a dangerous situation yet again, and it was what convinced the prince that the boys weren''t a threat to the avians.


    "Syryn, now you''re just showing off." Lucien''s lashes fluttered down against the assault of wind and snow. He looked around and saw that an icy landscape enveloped every inch of ground that stretched from one end of the boundary to the other. Not even the wooden cabin on the cliff had escaped the clutches of Syryn''s cold breath.


    "If only I had an arcane device to store away all the excess energy you sent my way," Syryn told the boy. They were both shivering from the plummeting temperatures of their surroundings.


    "Riaku is heading our way."


    The approaching prince was no longer in his demonic form. Clothing covered in a fine layer of white powder, the avian left light footprints on the snow as he approached the brothers.


    "You have saved my life for a second time now. Gratitude is no longer adequate for this debt I owe you. Tell me, how can I repay the both of you?" Riaku asked them.


    Syryn turned to Lucien because it was the redhead who had saved Riaku this time.


    "Are you married?" Red asked Riaku.


    Brows drawn together, the prince shook his head. "I cannot marry in this lifetime."


    Red smirked at that. "How unlucky for you."


    "What bearing does my marriage have on anything?" Riaku asked the redhead.


    "Nothing for now," Red answered. "You''ll find out years later if you''re still alive."


    Syryn was slightly alarmed because he realised Red was planning something. Was he making his own list? The alchemist wondered. If Red made a list, It couldn''t be a kiss list like Syryn''s, that much the alchemist was sure of. What would he call it? Red''s list of future fuck buddies? Or would it be Red''s list of future one night stands? And what would Luci have to say about it when he was old enough to understand just what kind of sordid habits his other self was indulging in?


    "I will still be alive," Riaku solemnly told the redhead.


    "Oh? I look forward to it then, Riaku. Stay healthy and tasty."


    "That''s enough Lucien," Syryn told the younger boy. "Riaku, the discussion on payment can wait. Let''s talk about your little secret?" The smile on Syryn''s face was wide and it showed all his pearly whites.


    But before Riaku could say anything about it, the sound of crunching snow was heard from behind him. The other avians had arrived. Rei and Gosan though were still back at the bottom of the cliff. The purple masked guard could be seen tending to some mounts covered in snow.


    "Welcome avians. Your prince is unharmed," Syryn informed the group of silent guards. They were giving off mixed vibes to the brothers. It ranged from friendly to cautious wariness.


    "Big brother, are you alright?" Emi asked the prince. Her now dirty and tattered veil had seen better days.


    "I''m fine," Riaku answered.


    "But Sorrow.." Emi hesitated to finish her sentence.


    Syryn watched the prince place a hand on the hilt of his sword when Emi had spoken. "It''ll be alright."


    None of the guards appeared convinced by Riaku''s assurance but there was no room for arguing with their prince.


    "Return to the cottage and pack up whatever is left. I will have a private conversation with Syryn and Lucien."


    The guards obediently bowed and then turned to leave. Emi was the last to go. She took one long look at Riaku before being led away by Wen.


    "So, where were we?" Syryn asked the prince. "Ah yes, your secret. You have no idea how happy you''ve made me." But it was a different kind of happiness from Reds.


    "I find it very strange that you would be entertained by knowing of my demonic form. Why do you not hate and fear me?" Riaku''s searching eyes were filled with uncertainty.


    Syryn didn''t want to reveal his nature to the prince just yet. Riaku still hadn''t proved he was trustworthy. From how he had taken advantage of Lumi''s feelings, the alchemist knew that Riaku could be ruthless if given enough incentive.


    "What''s there to fear?" He asked instead. "I only fear some powerful anti mages. What about you Riaku? What do you fear?" Syryn also feared Traxdart but the prince didnt need to know that.


    "I fear a death without meaning."


    Syryn understood the words but he could not grasp the significance of it. Two people could say the same thing but the essence behind each was different.


    "Well said," Lucien replied. "And what is your greatest desire, prince?"


    Riaku was not uncomfortable with the level of attention that the brothers were giving him. He wondered though why they''d gone to such lengths and revealed just how powerful they were. Was it simply to save avian lives?


    "Freedom," he answered without putting much thought into it. It was the one thing his heart desired ever since the day he had been chosen. "You ask strange questions."


    "Not any stranger than you, prince. So what do we do now? You know just what we''re capable of. And we know about your demon. How then do we ensure that neither party spills secrets that don''t belong to them?" As he spoke, Syryn noticed the prince''s expression changing.


    Riaku raised his chin up and fixed his sights to the sky. His brows were furrowed and color was leaving his cheeks.


    "Are you okay?" Syryn asked the avian who looked to be in some pain.


    "I''m fine." Riaku was a liar.


    The trail of blood that emerged from the corner of his mouth testified to just how fine the prince wasn''t feeling.


    "You''re bleeding from the mouth," Red told him. "You call that fine? Unless you''ve bitten your tongue and that''s where the blood is coming from, you''re absolutely not fine."


    The prince sighed in pain before falling to his knees on the snow. A single drop of blood stained the fresh snow like a vivid red blossom blooming in late winter. His hand clutched at his chest and Riaku began to leak more blood from the edge of his closed lips.


    "You just said you''d stay alive," Lucien told the sick avian. "You lying about that as well?"


    "Won''t kill me." Riaku spat the words out breathlessly.


    "Another punishment?" Syryn asked.


    "Yes."


    Riaku''s body was held stiffly like he was afraid of breaking into pieces if he moved.


    "Where does it hurt, prince?" Syryn was feeling a pang of Sympathy for Riaku.


    "It''ll be fine, Syryn. I just need a moment."


    "An internal bleeding isn''t fine. Has this happened before?"


    Riaku shook his head. Pressing his lips tightly, the prince clutched his chest in agony.


    "He''ll go into his coffin claiming that he''s fine." Red''s eyes flickered up and saw Emi flying their way. "Your cousin is coming. She may yet tell us how fine you truly are."


    When Emi landed, she rushed over to Riaku and kneeled hastily beside him. "Brother, what happened?!"


    "And here I thought you''d know." The redhead then looked at Syryn. "Can''t you check on him?"


    Syryn believed Riaku when he had said it wasn''t going to kill him. The prince may not have been at risk of death for the moment but Syryn still couldn''t be sure of the long term effects of Riaku''s internal injuries. He had to get to the bottom of it all if Riaku was to survive long enough for Red to sink his claws into.

 Chapter 107 - Riakus Secret III

    "Emi, would you like for Riaku to survive to a long and ripe old age?" Syryn asked the avian who he assumed was easier to sway. He wasn''t averse to emotional manipulation if that was what it took to get him answers.


    The veiled avian turned to look at him. Her hands were still on Riaku''s shoulders, sheltering him as best as she could from a perceived danger that only she understood. The sight of his sister protecting him displayed the contradictory nature of the prince. The fragility in him was perfectly balanced by his demonic strength. It gave an illusion of weakness and strength coexisting in harmony.


    "Why are you asking such a question? Of course, I want my brother to live a long and healthy life!" Emi''s voice shook as she answered Syryn.


    "How much would you sacrifice to ensure his safety?" He asked next.


    "Emi, leave us." Riaku sounded less breathy now, no doubt trying to sound like he was feeling better. His unbelieving audience did not buy the act.


    "What do you need?" Emi said to Syryn using her guard voice. It was more confident and businesslike than her Emi voice.


    "I want to help your brother but to do that, I need information. What is this punishment he''s going through?"


    "No." Riaku raised his head to meet Syryn''s curious eyes. "I am grateful that you want to do something about this but I''ve said it before and I''m saying it again - it''s none of your business, Syryn. Nobody can help me."


    Red couldn''t believe he was planning a future tryst with someone so stubborn. Nevertheless, he wanted the prince to stay alive while his interest in the man remained. "Riaku," the redhead slowly dragged his thumb across the blood on the avian''s chin. "You''ve been marinating in Nua all your life, haven''t you? Just because your incompetent healers cannot help you, it doesn''t mean no one else can."


    Riaku watched the redhead focus on the blood that was being smudged between the child''s fingertips. There was something very disconcerting about how the young boy commanded respect and carried himself. It was almost like he was an adult. A formidable one.


    "We already know about your other secret. What''s the harm in telling us just a little bit more?" Syryn added with sincerity. "You''ve already come this far, Riaku. Help us to help you."


    Syryn''s gaze flickered to Emi. Between Riaku and Emi, she had more to lose. It was harder to watch a loved one die than to lose one''s own life. The dead slept but it was the living that mourned.


    "Brother, please," she kneeled before Riaku and kowtowed with her head touching the snowy ground. "I cannot stand by and watch you kill yourself like this."


    Riaku stiffened at his cousin''s show of obeisance. "Emi, you''re asking me to violate the ancestral laws that have been around for generations."


    "It''s not right, brother. This burden has stolen away your life. Why should you suffer for the sake of people who will never know what you''ve had to endure all your life?" Emi''s hands were balled in fists on her lap.


    "I''m not alone in this. So many before me have made the same sacrifice. Emi, it is my duty," Riaku said with the quiet dignity of a prince.


    Syryn had been rummaging in his bag while he listened to Riaku and Emi''s exchange. After much searching, he finally found the dart that he had given to Artemus during the friendship meet. The tip was coated with a very lethal dose of drugs that would have knocked him out for a few seconds. Riaku was a demon but Syryn couldn''t be sure of its effects on a man suffering from an internal injury.


    "What do you intend to do with that?" Riaku asked when he noticed Syryn absentmindedly staring at the dart in his hand.


    "I wanted to poke you with it. I''ve changed my mind though seeing how weak you are. Anyway, we''re wasting time. If you don''t want our help then we can''t force it." Syryn''s desire to aid Riaku came from seeing the interest that Red had in the man. Now all he wanted was to take a long hot bath and change into clean clothes.


    "I''ll tell you everything," Emi said to the alchemist. "Brother Riaku is stubborn but so am I."


    "Good girl, Emi." Syryn gave her a nod of approval. He had been right about his assessment of her.


    "Emi, you can''t. If the elders find out-"


    "We will worry about that when they find out," his sister cut him off. "I give up, brother. Nothing you say will change my mind."


    She then turned to Syryn. "Riaku''s sword is called Sorrow."


    "Emi, I''ll tell them myself." The prince decided to spare his cousin sister from committing an unpardonable crime. Voluntary sharing of such sensitive information with a foreigner was a crime that invited the death penalty. "It is unfortunate for us all that you had to see so much of what we hide in plain sight," the prince looked at both brothers. "We have relied on you, and in doing so, have endangered your lives. I apologise for putting you through a difficult time. With all our gratitude, I will trust you with the information you need."


    "Good decision-" Red said to the prince who was getting too formal for his liking, "-to have asked us to come with you. Someone up there must be watching out for you, Riaku. If you weren''t such a filial grandson, you''d be scarecrow meal by now."


    Riaku grimaced at Red''s words. He didnt believe that someone was watching out for him. If that was true, they would have freed him rather than prolonging a life that was not his own.


    "Sorrow," he began to speak in a stronger voice, "is a peculiar weapon. He likes to receive a sacrifice every time I unsheathe him. And it has to be a living sacrifice worthy of his power. If I fail to provide him with an adequate kill, Sorrow hurts me."


    Riaku''s explanation had finally put to death Syryn''s questions - about the malice that he sensed from the weapon, about why Riaku was seemingly injured for no reason.


    "So you''re saying that you have to kill a person whenever Sorrow comes out of his sheath?"


    "Yes. If I put him back into his scabbard without sacrificing, the result will be disastrous. You saw for yourself what happened to me when I failed my duty. I made use of him when we left the rift, and then again when defending myself from the scarecrows. In both cases, there was no sacrifice to give him."


    "I''m going to make a wild guess about why you have so many guards despite your- abilities," Lucien told him. "Are they sacrifices for Sorrow if the prince fails to kill his opponent?"


    Riaku smiled bitterly. "Yes."


    "He''s never taken the life of any of his guards so don''t let that look fool you," Emi told them. "Brother Riaku''s nature makes him unfit for wielding Sorrow. You never should have received him." Her cutting remarks were scathingly cold.


    "And why can''t you just get rid of it?" Syryn asked. "There are hundreds of weapons better than this shitty thing. What''s so special about it anyway?"


    "I''ve already said too much so I cannot reveal Sorrow''s ability. As for the question about getting rid of him, I''ve been bound to him by blood."


    Syryn couldn''t help but think of how Riaku and Salem were similar to each other in more ways than their physical resemblances. Both were tied down by curses that wanted their lives.


    "Have you tried undoing the binding?" Red asked. "There has to be a way to uncouple you from it."


    "I''ve been tasked with the duty to protect Nua. To break the bond with Sorrow would be to rebel against the will of the elders."


    "But you''re the prince," Syryn jabbed a finger at Riaku. "How can they sacrifice a prince just like that? Don''t you have a say in it? What about your parents?"


    Riaku lowered his head and it gave them the impression that he couldn''t meet their eyes. "I am the sacrificial prince."


    Red immediately scowled at Riaku''s words. "What the fuck is a sacrificial prince?"


    "Someone who absorbs the wickedness of the sword and gets punished by it," Emi replied. "He''s not even allowed to receive healing because it is considered rightful retribution for failing to carry out his duty."


    "The weapon doesn''t seem to have a problem with it so why can''t they let him be healed?"


    "We can''t be sure of that," Red replied. "Didn''t he say that internal damage had never happened before? Maybe the stupid thing hurt him harder because Riaku dared to let you treat the wound that it gave him." Red''s reasoning could not be refuted without further investigation.


    Syryn was quiet as he thought about how he could help with the prince''s internal injury. Was there a way to ask Sorrow what he did inside Riaku?


    "Even if we do find a way to undo your connection to the weapon, you''d refuse it, wouldn''t you?" Red asked the prince.


    "You have read me well," the prince replied.


    "You care too much about the people who are responsible for your enslavement."


    Riaku''s breath condensed into a mist when he exhaled it out. Syryn''s attention had been so riveted to the avian''s plight that he had nearly forgotten about how cold he was feeling. The prince''s misty breath reminded him of it and his body gave a little shiver in response.


    "This sword lends me its strength and I use it to protect the people of Nua who have nothing to do with my situation."


    "Enslavement. Say it Riaku," Red kneeled in front of the prince and held his gaze with an intensity that surprised the avian.


    "What does it change?" He asked the redhead.


    "It changes you. You''re still making excuses for your enslavement. Only when you accept that injustice has been meted out to you will you then begin to take your first step towards the freedom you seek."


    "What if I don''t deserve it?" A muted response.


    "Then do you deserve to be chained to this creature?" Red poked at the sword with his booted foot.


    "Nobody deserves it."


    "Good job, princie. Now you get it."

 Chapter 108 - A Warning

    "Does your chest still hurt?" Syryn asked the prince.


    "No. There''s a very mild burning sensation but it doesn''t hurt anymore."


    "Well, I can treat your symptoms for now. And If the pain or bleeding persists, we can either get you checked on the way to or at Nua depending on the severity of your symptoms."


    "Take your shirt off, Riaku."


    Syryn side eyed Red at hearing those abrupt words.


    "I don''t think I should," the prince replied.


    "I insist."


    Red surprised everyone by suddenly ripping Riaku''s shirt right down the centre of it. Syryn put a hand to his mouth like he was scandalised. It was when he noticed the scarring on the exposed part of his skin that the alchemist understood the motivation''s for Red''s actions.


    "That was quite unnecessary." Riaku said to the redhead when he snapped out of his surprise.


    "Then take off the rest before I rip it all to pieces."


    "Since you asked so nicely," Riaku replied while frowning just enough to get his displeasure across.


    The prince began to remove his shirt with stiff movements. The first layer of ripped cloth fell away and revealed an inner layer of white. That too was taken off and Red''s suspicions about the prince was confirmed.


    Scars - small ones, large ones, ridged scars, silvered scars, long scars, pitted scars - Riaku''s skin was marked in places that no one else could see. Syryn stood up and circled the prince, taking in the expanse of more scarring all over his back.


    "Do you enjoy getting hurt by the cursed weapon?" Red asked the silent man.


    "No. But I enjoy even less the prospect of sacrificing to it."


    "When you did you get your first scar?" Lucien asked.


    Riaku avoided Red''s gaze as his hands fiddled with the ribbon that held up his pants. "I was nine."


    "Is that how young you were when they started brainwashing you?"


    Syryn feared that Red would start a revolution in Nua by freeing their captive prince.


    Red''s inflammatory words deepened the furrows between Riaku''s brows. "I cannot answer that. Anyway, I would appreciate it if you kept to yourselves everything you''ve seen till now. You don''t have to worry about your matters being divulged to a third party either. I will have the guards take a vow of secrecy against speaking about the things you''ve done."


    "Are you really okay just simply settling this with a word of honour?" Syryn asked Riaku.


    "After all you''ve done for us, it goes without saying that I have faith in your goodwill towards us. Rest assured, the incidents that have come to pass here will not be spoken of again by any of us."


    Syryn thought about the reliability of Riaku''s words. Since the avians were privy to Red''s power, he decided to leave the decision to the redhead.


    "Lucien, it''s your call."


    "I guess I''ll take his word for it," Red replied. "Only a man with a death wish would dare to harm his benefactor, especially when the said benefactor is capable of so much more." The underlying threat in his words were conveyed succinctly. Syryn was certain that Rowan was going to be immensely disappointed and yet proud of them both. They''d killed off a forest to save Nua''s prince but the price was commensurate to what they''d gained.


    In either case, what they''d seen of each other had been almost unbelievable and just incredible enough that the events witnessed could be dismissed as an outright exaggeration by people that heard it. Nua''s prince being a demon? Lies! A child powerful enough to kill off hundreds of trees? An exaggeration made by some overly proud mother.


    "Ah, looks like your guards have found the bodies." Red had a dark look in his eyes when he saw that the scarecrows had been found. "Syryn, don''t you think that the cottage needs some decorations on it?"


    "Now that you mention it, the cottage looks bare on the outside." The alchemist began to rummage in his satchel for a scalpel. "It needs to look more welcoming to future assassins."


    A distinct lack of protest from Riaku was all the authorization that they needed to get on with their proposal. The trio walked back to the cottage after Emi took flight ahead of them. Three sets of footprints trailed behind the prince and his young escorts. When they reached the crowd of guards, Syryn noticed how desiccated the bodies had become. Wrinkled skin stuck to the skulls of the assassins who had failed to escape Red''s killing spell.


    "Where did you find them?" Red asked the guards.


    "I saw a hand sticking out from the snow while atop the cottage. I suspected it was one of the assassins so Wen and I flew to it. When we dug up the arm from inside the snow, we found both bodies like this." Kai''s eyes darted away nervously when Red grinned at him. The guard''s behaviour had Syryn recalling how the avian had flown like the wind after depositing Red on the forest floor. He was ready to eat his left foot if it turned out that Red hadn''t said or done something to terrify the poor avian guard.


    "Good job, Kai," Red continued to smile at the fidgety avian. "Let''s hang the bodies at the top of the cliff. It has to be close to the cottage and clear enough for anyone passing by to see."


    "Hang the bodies?"


    "A warning," Red replied as he looked at each avian guard in the eyes. "Let the masterminds behind the assassins know that your prince cannot be fucked with without inviting repercussions."


    Syryn was on a knee examining the unearthed bodies. He twirled the scalpel between his fingers, an unconscious habit of his when he was thinking. The avians winced at how sharp the edges were. They feared for the pretty fingers that were flipping the gleaming knife around like it was a toy.


    "Disemboweling is our best bet," Syryn told Red after an examination. "It''ll look better if the intestines are hanging out of a rotting stomach but that''s no longer an option. A dried up cadaver just doesn''t have the same impact as a decomposing body."


    "We could cut off the heads and have them hold it in their own hands," Rei suggested. He received nods of approval from the brothers.


    "Are you trying to make an enemy out of the house of shadows? They will be angered by our actions."


    "Emi," Syryn turned to the veiled avian. "They''ve made enemies out of Nua and her prince. A terrible mistake, don''t you think? That is the message we want to send out. Mark my words, they will send more assassins whether or not we hang those corpses. The house of shadows never gives up. So now isn''t the time to step back and act with caution. Let them behold the violated corpses of their brethren and know that acting against Riaku invites the same. It''ll give them something to think about."


    "You''re both insane. And you too," Emi glanced at the purple masked guard. She wasn''t convinced about the wisdom of provoking the assassins but that was for Riaku to decide.


    "Rei, let''s have a quick anatomy lesson while I cut this one open. You can have the other one."


    The healer guard was an eager learner. He brandished his own sharp knife and knelt by a corpse as he watched Syryn making a deep incision in the belly of his cadaver. The journey had been an invaluable lesson to him on many fronts. But the biggest lesson he had learnt from the brothers was that appearances could be unbelievably deceiving.


    -----


    "Riaku, if you can stave off an attempt on your life for an hour, I''d like to take a bath," Syryn told the prince when he was done carving out the corpses.


    "By all means. Are you going to the lake?"


    "Yeah." Syryn watched Wen tie a rope around one corpse. "I need a ride to it seeing as I don''t have wings like you avian folks."


    Wen flew to the cottage and began to tie the rope around one of the wooden beams that jutted out. The disemboweled and headless corpse swayed in the air like a macabre decoration. It was just how Red had envisioned it, a picture of mockery aimed at the house of shadows.


    "Riaku, avail yourself of a blessed weapon and sleep with it next to you," Red instructed the prince who was staring at the hanging corpse of his enemy.


    "Blessed weapons are very hard to come by," Riaku replied.


    "Syryn, can''t Rowan get one from the temple of Eos?" Red asked the older boy.


    "I''ll ask him about it. I must warn you though, it''ll cost Nua an arm and a leg."


    "Nua has a blessed weapon in its arsenal but if the temple of Eos is willing to sell to us, there will be no lack of funding."


    "Try not to get cut by it when you finally get one then," Red smirked at Riaku with a distinctly evil lilt of his lips. "I hear that Eos doesn''t like the children of the dark."


    "Lucien, stop teasing Riaku. It''s time for a bath," Syryn called out to the boy while he rubbed his hands in the melting snow. He then took out a bottle from his bag and poured some of its contents down the scalpel.


    "Are you truly as young as you look?" Riaku asked the redhead who was walking away.


    Lucien stopped and turned to the prince. "What if I told you that I''m older than you?"


    "Are you?"


    "You''ll never know, princie. But I''ll throw you a bone. I''m old enough to notice a good looking prince when I see one." Red''s words accompanied a wicked smile, and it had the prince freezing up.


    "See ya, Riaku. Syryn is getting impatient."


    (You''re flirting with him!)


    [Yeah so?]


    (He''s too old for you.)


    [I''m too old for him, child. And don''t get me started on how you''re crushing on Magnus who isn''t that much younger than Riaku.]


    (But that''s different. Magnus is Magnus.)


    [And Riaku is Riaku.]


    (It''s not the same thing!)


    [It is.]


    (It''s not.)


    [Oh right, Magnus can do no wrong. He''s the holy angel and Riaku is a demon.]


    (That''s right.) Luci''s sarcasm detection was lacking.


    [Go take a bath like a good boy.]

 Chapter 109 - Valley Of Flowers

    "Ah-ah-ah-chooo!!" Luci sneezed loudly after their short dip in the river. The smell of coconut and lemon wafted off his hair as he pushed through the avians to get close to the bonfire.


    Syryn''s snow had melted away into water and there were puddles everywhere, turning the entire place into a hazard for shoes. The avians flew around without a care for the inconvenience that Syryn and Lucien were facing.


    "Gosan, you''re doing well. I think we can travel without any problems." Syryn checked the man''s vitals and was satisfied with his prognosis. The pure Estranise that was administered to him was fighting away the onset of infection they''d seen earlier.


    "It''s all thanks to you and Rei," the navigator replied. "Your coming with us was a stroke of luck that saved my life."


    "Maybe it just wasn''t your time to leave Gosan. Do you have a wife and kids?" Syryn asked while mixing Estranise in a cup of water.


    "Yes, I do. I married a beautiful woman and we have a seven year old daughter just as pretty as my wife." Gosan received the cup from Syryn and drank from it. Estranise had a mild spicy taste to it that wasn''t unpalatable. Some people even liked the taste of it.


    "Syryn, is Gosan stable enough for a journey?" Riaku came to stand beside him.


    "I won''t normally recommend travelling after such a surgery but we don''t have a choice, do we? Gosan is stable for now but I''ll be keeping tabs on him while we travel."


    Riaku nodded. "We''ll move out in half an hour."


    "Syryn," Luci tugged on the teen''s sleeve. "I don''t feel so good."


    "What''s wrong, Luci?" The alchemist asked the boy.


    "My head hurts and I can''t breathe well." Luci began sniffling even as he talked.


    Riaku hadn''t met Luci yet so he was taken back by the childish way that the redhead spoke.


    "Your skin feels hot, Luci." Syryn placed a hand on the child''s forehead and tested his temperature. "I''ll give you some medicines for it. Have you eaten something yet?"


    The younger boy nodded. "Hot soup and fruit bread."


    "Should we postpone the travelling for after he gets some rest?" Riaku asked Syryn.


    "No, let''s move as planned." Syryn wasn''t feeling very safe after all that had gone down. The sooner they reached Nua, the safer they would all feel. He hoped that even if Riaku was assassinated sometime in the future, it would not happen in their company.


    ----


    Half an hour later, Syryn was seated on a massive hairy beast of burden called a Khlat. His baggage was strapped to the mount but there was still enough room for himself, Lucien, and two cats to sit on. And when it started to move, Syryn was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable it was. The mount also moved fast and without any jostling.


    Lucien''s fever had risen despite taking antipyretics. He yawned and curled into Syryn''s arms as the Khlat carried them through a wet forest. The teen looked back at the lonesome cottage where there hung two figures that swayed back and forth from their beams. He was undoubtedly sure that the avians had abandoned the place for good. No way was anyone staying there again after seeing the bodies hang on it.


    "Where are we stopping tonight?" Syryn asked the prince who rode a different animal, a smaller one that was more agile and looked like a horse.


    "We''ll make it to the valley of flowers before sundown. There''s a village nestled in the higher reaches of the valley so we can stop there to rest till early morning."


    "Is it as beautiful a place as its name suggests?"


    "It''s not the right season for blooms," Riaku answered as he looked at the child sleeping peacefully within Syryn''s arms. "There are many flowers but not as much as during spring." He couldn''t make sense of Lucien and it troubled him.


    The party travelled through more forest land and crossed a river before a break was called. Syryn was still atop the khlat with Lucien in his arms. He gently pressed a hand on Luci''s forehead to test his temperature but the child caught his wrist. Crimson eyes lazily opened and Red stared at Syryn. It was like the time that Red had first appeared in Lucien''s body.


    "I''m just checking for a fever," he assured the redhead.


    Red blinked against the sun rays that threw leaf-shaped shadows through the canopy that sheltered them. "I have a fever?" He asked in a hoarse voice. "Damn. My throat."


    "Looks like you have a sore throat as well."


    "Give me water," he rubbed his eyes and demanded.


    "Get off me first, Red. You''re fucking heavy."


    "I dare you to say that to Luci."


    "It''s your attitude that adds weight to his body. Luci, you''re not heavy at all."


    Red snorted and leapt off the mount. Stretching his sore body, he looked around at the busy avians. The sun was halfway across the sky and the heat was getting to him.


    [We''re sick.]


    (It''s just a little cold and fever. I took some medicines so we''ll be better in no time.)


    [Is that what Syryn told you?]


    (Yes!)


    [Well he''s not wrong.]


    (Eh? When is he ever wrong about healing matters?)


    [Nothing. If I stay asleep, don''t panic. Drink a lot of water and take your medicines on time.]


    (Is something wrong with you, Lucien?)


    [Just call me Red. I''m used to that now.]


    (Okay. Are you not feeling well?)


    [I''m a little tired, Luci. Nothing a deep sleep won''t solve.]


    (Is this because of the spell?)


    [Yes. Don''t tell Syryn.]


    (Why not?)


    [Because I''ll be perfectly fine after getting some sleep.]


    (Are you sure?)


    [Yes. Don''t tell him anything till I''m awake. Do you understand?]


    (I understand but I don''t like it.)


    [Snitches get the stitches, Luci. If you snitch on me, I''ll sneak off to Riaku and plant a big kiss on his mouth.]


    (I won''t tell Syryn!)


    [Good boy.]


    Lucien took more medicines and curled up against Syryn''s chest again. He was as sleepy as his counterpart. The older boy was concerned about how much Luci was sleeping but he attributed the lethargy to the child''s cold.


    The group began travelling again and went past a village located within a forest. The avians were welcomed by the villagers but they didnt stay there too long. Riaku exchanged a few words with the village headman before they continued on towards their destination for the evening.


    Despite the prince''s opinion about how lacking the flowers were, Syryn saw more blossoms in the valley of flowers than he had anywhere else. Patches of pretty wildflowers in multiple colours were lined up and down the well-weathered roads. A large number of flowering trees were also blooming in bright yellow and orange colours against the greens and browns of the forest. The blossoms dissipated their perfumes in the air, letting the guests know that they''d arrived at the valley of flowers. Syryn did not hate floral scents but he wasn''t a fan of them either. A distinctly sweet-smelling scent rose above the spicier notes of the other flowers and it irritated his nose.


    Small wooden homes dotted the grassy valley, breaking the monotony of trees that gave them vision fatigue. Syryn could see people going about their work even as the evening sun let them all know that it was time to leave the fields or gardens in this case. He saw that each house was attached to a garden that was several times larger than the space taken by the house itself.


    "There are two clans that make this place their home," Riaku told Syryn. "They cultivate the flowers thrice a year and make perfumes out of them which are then sold to merchants that pass by this place. Their most popular product is called the peach mist."


    "What''s so special about peach mist?" Syryn asked.


    "It''s a powerful aphrodisiac cultivated from a flower that blooms only on the night that marks ten years of its growth."


    "Say no more, Riaku. Procure one for me."


    "Someone as young as you are has no need for aphrodisiac," the prince replied.


    "It''s for a reluctant old man." Syryn chuckled when he thought of how fitting the moniker was for Rowan. When Red had called the anti mage an old man, Syryn hadn''t given it much thought but now, he realised that Rowan carried himself like an old man sometimes. Too responsible, too calm, too stable. And that was why they were good for each other. Syryn was too wild to have a relationship with someone similar to himself.


    "An old man? I''ve seen enough from the two of you that it puts fear into my heart to ask what you mean by that."


    "And yet you have."


    "I have." Riaku dryly answered.


    "I''m dating this really old man who refuses to fuck me because he''s guilty about something."


    "He sounds like a paedophile with a conscience."


    Syryn''s sudden laughter startled a flock of birds into the air. "Oh Riaku, I can''t wait to tell him what you just said."


    "Why are you with an old man when you can be with someone your age?" The prince asked.


    "Why not? Older men are more experienced. What about you? You said you wouldn''t get married this lifetime. Are you allowed to have sex though?"


    Riaku coloured at Syryn''s question. "Yes, but it is inadvisable for me to get attached to anyone."


    "So you can fuck around no strings attached then."


    "We''ve arrived." Riaku hastily put distance between himself and the teen.

 Chapter 110 - Rumours

    When their group turned up unannounced at the gateway that allowed entry into the village, it caused a stir amongst the guards whose days were generally spent in boredom. The guards were part of a rudimentary militia that existed to protect the village from raiders and hostile merchants who didnt play by the rules. The Valley of flowers made good money for the settled villagers so it paid to have security around in the event that greedy eyes looked their way.


    Fortunately for the travelling group of avians, the village headman had been passing by and he recognised Riaku.


    Respect was accorded and they were swiftly led inside the walls of the village. The headman had them escorted to the best inn in the village. And on their way, Syryn noticed a funeral procession carrying a dead body wrapped in a white shroud. The mourners were ringing four large bells that sounded just as gloomy as the entire affair. The bell sounds were believed to keep the deceased soul, if it hadn''t moved on, from entering the bodies of the living.


    At the front of the procession, a woman in her 30s was sobbing and being led along by her relatives. Two little children trailed behind the woman, presumably her children. Syryn stared at the white shroud that covered the figure of a dead person.


    "You seem inordinately fascinated by the corpse," Riaku remarked quietly.


    "It has been a while since I last saw a formal funeral."


    Dark grey smoke wafted out of the incense pots that the mourners carried in front of the body. Incense sticks were originally used to ward off the smell of decomposition but they had gradually become a common sight during most funerals. Some even believed that the sacred incense had the power to ward off evil spirits that were attracted to an empty vessel - the dead body. And according to many cultures, it was an accepted belief that a body continued to remain a viable vessel up to two days after death.


    "Sirs, please turn away from looking at the corpse. It is unlucky." The village headman who had noticed the two of them looking towards the body gave them a friendly warning. It wasn''t that Syryn hadn''t heard of that particular superstition - Corpses were unlucky, they were a gathering point for negative energy, a source of diseases, an instrument for evil spirits. He''d heard it all - but when a corpse was considered unlucky, it was usually because of the circumstances that the person had died of.


    The funeral procession passed by them and Syryn noticed one of the children stumble and fall. A lady walking behind the child helped her back onto her feet and they carried on, marching and crying, leaving behind the fingers of gloom that curled into the spirits of all the onlookers.


    ----


    When they reached the inn, Syryn and Lucien were put in a room together. Navi and Milky immediately claimed a pillow on the bed, and Syryn had to ask for another one from the innkeeper.


    "Luci, how are you feeling?" Syryn asked the redhead.


    "Better. But I''m still sleepy and tired."


    Syryn was getting concerned by the amount of sleep that Lucien was getting. He had slept for the duration of the entire journey and now he wanted to sleep even more.


    "Aside from the sleepiness and fatigue, what else are you feeling?" He asked the little boy.


    Luci sat cross-legged on the clean polished wooden floor of their room. He rested his chin on both palms and yawned twice before falling backwards and curling up on the floor to sleep.


    "Luci?" A very concerned Syryn walked over to the boy and checked his temperature. It was normal. He then pressed two fingers to the boy''s neck and checked his pulse. That too had a steady thrum without any abnormalities.


    "Lucien, hey," Syryn shook the sleeping boy awake. "Wake up and tell me how you feel, Luci."


    Lucien lazily blinked open his red eyes that were heavy with sleep. "S''okay Syryn. Sleepy. Tomorrow. Red says s''okay. Everything s''fine. Don''t worry."


    "Lucien, don''t go back to sleep." Syryn lifted the redhead and attempted to shake him awake again. The boy''s head swung back and he fell asleep while remaining propped up by Syryn.


    The alchemist was now extremely concerned. He couldn''t understand what was happening with Lucien. He recalled the list of conditions that caused uncontrolled sleep. He crossed out half of them just based on Lucien''s medical history. The other half of the list could not be verified till Syryn saw more symptoms aside from excessive sleeping. Luci had said that Red told him not to worry. Did it mean that Red was privy to the reasons for what was happening? Or did the child himself have something to do with it?


    "Red. RED!"


    The redhead continued to sleep peacefully, his chest rising and falling in even intervals. Syryn pulled open an eyelid but nothing about it indicated any irregularity. Unable to understand what was going on, Syryn decided to let it be and allow Lucien to sleep while keeping an eye on him. If the younger boy''s sleep persisted till the next day, Syryn was going to take drastic measures.


    A knock on his door drew his attention away from the redhead in his arms. Syryn laid him down gently on the floor and walked over to open the door.


    "Syryn, I just came to see if your accommodations are to your liking." Rei stood at his door looking fresh after a change of clothing. His purple mask had also been wiped free of travel dust that had encased them all in thick layers.


    "We''re fine," Syryn answered. "But I need a bath. Can you ask for three buckets of hot water and a sponge?"


    "Alright, but the washing room is outside. There''s a public bath area designated for guest use so you can head there through your back door."


    Syryn hadn''t noticed the other door. From the moment they''d entered the room, his worry over Lucien''s excessive sleeping had taken precedence over everything else. "So are they taking the water to the public bath?"


    "Yes," Rei replied as he finally saw the child sleeping on the floor. "Is he okay?" It wasn''t just Syryn who had noticed the boy sleeping the entire day.


    "I don''t know," Syryn replied. "He fell asleep as soon as we reached the room. I have no idea what''s going on."


    "Could he have ingested something toxic?" Rei asked with concern.


    "Not that I know of. Lucien ate the same food and drank the same water that we all partook of. There has to be another reason for why this is happening. I''ll give him time till tomorrow."


    "And what if he still keeps sleeping?"


    Syryn crossed his arms and turned to the sleeping child. "I''ll start by having his blood tested."


    -----


    All that dust on Lucien''s hair and body was going to cause more problems so Syryn chose to bathe the sleeping child. It hadn''t been an easy task sponging the sleeping Lucien. Rei''s indispensable help facilitated a quick cleaning and a change of clothes before Luci was tucked into bed.


    "There''s a garden to the left of the inn and that''s where they serve meals. Join us over there when you''ve cleaned up," Rei told Syryn before leaving him alone in the room.


    When Syryn was done bathing and changing, he checked on Lucien one more time before leaving the room. Navi and Milky were curled up on their pillow so Syryn left them food and water near the door. Navi ate like a normal cat but Milky only ate the best of everything. It resulted in both cats getting luxurious meals that not even Syryn was getting on a daily basis.


    "Milky, if something happens to Lucien, come find me where you smell the food." Syryn wasn''t sure if the cat would cooperate but Milky blinked his light blue eyes at him. "I won''t be gone for long though." It was weird talking to a cat but the alchemist believed that Milky understood him perfectly.


    He then left the room and made his way out of the inn. Just as Rei had informed him, Syryn saw a path that headed left where an enclosed section of the compound was buzzing with low sounds of human conversation.


    "Syryn, over here!" The alchemist heard Emi''s voice. She was wearing a new veil but it only covered the top half of her face. He could see a pair of pink lips parting in a pretty smile that showed teeth in straight lines. A single beauty mark on her chin added more charm to her lovely smile.


    Riaku was missing. Syryn could make out Rei, Emi, Fei, and Kai. Wen and Gosan were also absent. A few other patrons were eating at the garden and all of them were keeping to themselves. The alchemist sat down beside Fei who was drinking a green liquid from his clay cup.


    "Where is Lucien?" Kai asked when Syryn was seated.


    "Sleeping. He''s not feeling very well."


    "Anything to be concerned about?" Emi asked.


    "I''ll know tomorrow. Anyway, what were you guys talking about? You looked thick as thieves from the way your heads were bent together so close to each other."


    "Haven''t you heard the rumours?" Emi leaned over and whispered to him. The others were also listening quietly.


    "What rumours?"


    "About that dead guy. They''re all saying that he was possessed by an evil spirit." Emi''s veil was just transparent enough that Syryn could make out the outlines of beautiful round eyes.


    "A possession? What did he do to make them think that?" Syryn asked the veiled avian


    "From what I''ve heard, he fell sick and started acting strange. He stopped eating food and would stare towards the forest whenever he wasn''t complaining of a headache. And right before he slipped into a coma, he kept pointing towards the forest and talking to himself about how had to go there. The next thing the villagers knew, the comatose man was missing from his bed. He sleepwalked and died in someone''s garden while on his way to the forest."


    Syryn had a lot of questions. "How accurate are the rumours? And how did they know for sure that he was heading to the forest?"


    "I don''t know. I just heard it from the innkeeper''s daughter. You''ll have to ask around if you want to know more," Emi replied. "I think the innkeeper can give us more details if we press him a little."


    "Where''s Riaku?" Syryn asked the group in an abrupt change of topic.


    "He''ll be along," Emi waved her hand in the air. "Aren''t you curious about the possession of the dead man?"


    "Yes, but it sounds to me like someone had a severe mental condition that wasn''t treated on time. Cranial injuries and pathologies can cause debilitating mental illnesses and strange behaviours that are sometimes attributed to possession by ghosts and demons."


    "Well," Kai interjected. "I heard some people whispering about it. They were saying that he had completely stopped getting any sleep for several days before slipping into a coma without any warning."


    "You guys just want to believe that he was possessed, don''t you? I''d like more proof before believing that ghosts were involved," Syryn informed them.


    "Then how do you explain his death? Mental illness doesn''t just randomly kill a person within two weeks of going crazy."


    "From what you''ve just told me, it sounds like he died from malnutrition," Syryn answered. "Hardly a surprise since he stopped eating and sleeping."


    "But the forest, he kept wanting to go there," Emi persisted.


    "Why are you trying to make sense of the ramblings of a crazy person? That''s what they do."


    "What are you talking about?" Riaku asked as he sat down next to Syryn.

 Chapter 111 - News

    "Emi over here believes that the corpse we saw earlier today was possessed by an evil spirit before he passed away."


    "Is that true?" Riaku asked Emi.


    "Everyone in the village is talking about it," Emi replied. "Didn''t you see how the villagers were acting? People are spooked."


    "Sirs and madam, what can I get you?" A young girl appeared beside their table.


    "Whatever food you''ve got. Serve for six and take two more portions to the last room on the second floor." It was Emi that answered for them. There wasn''t a lot of variety in the kitchens of village inns like this one so it was easier to just ask for whatever had been cooked up for the evening. "Syryn, is there any restriction imposed on Gosan''s diet?"


    "If his eating pattern hasn''t changed drastically, you can feed him a normal diet. And get us a bottle of your best selection of wine," Syryn told the waiting woman. He was immediately pincushioned by jealous stares that were sharp as daggers. The avian guards were not allowed to drink alcohol during a mission and it hurt them to know that Syryn would be drinking at their table.


    The young woman bowed to her guests before leaving. The conversation once again came back to the dead man.


    "Why would he stare at the forest? What''s inside?" Emi looked around and spoke with fascination thick in her tone.


    "Maybe there''s a ghost in the forest and it''s calling out to their spirits," Rei mildly suggested. Syryn had a feeling that the guard was being sarcastic.


    "For what?" Kai asked, not catching the sarcasm.


    "Maybe the ghost is a little lonely," Syryn answered.


    "Syryn is right. Ghosts also need friends," Emi smiled at Syryn. The alchemist was tempted to pull her veil off and see her entire face without any encumbrance over it. The way her half-veiled face teased his sights vexed the teen.


    "Riaku, what do you think?" Syryn asked the silent man.


    "Ghosts dont need friends. They should be exorcised."


    "That''s right," Kai answered. "My aunt was possessed by a ghost many years ago-"


    "Kai, you''re still in denial?" Emi cut him off. "Your aunt was having an affair. What possession? She was pretending to have been possessed by the ghost of her lover''s ex-wife. Your uncle is an idiot for having fallen for the act."


    "Hey! Aunt Oshin saved my life when I was eight. She''s not like that."


    "Saving your life doesn''t equate to her being a Saint, Kai. You''re just as stupid as your uncle," Rei dryly told the other guard.


    While the guards bickered, Syryn watched an interesting person take a table furthest from theirs. The occupant, a woman wearing a deep purple dress and a forest green cloak over it raised her arm to call for a server. Syryn could make out intricate tattoos on her entire right arm. She was unusual and not just because of her tattoos. She had a presence that could not be overlooked.


    The woman immediately noticed Syryn''s staring and stared right back at him. Syryn wanted to see who would break eye contact first so he continued to maintain an unbroken stare.


    "You''re acting like a damn creep, Syryn." Emi waved a hand in front of his eyes. Alas, Syryn lost the staring game.


    "And here''s your alcohol." Rei''s comment was cold.


    Infront of a disgruntled audience, Syryn poured out the fragrant wine into his shallow cup. It had a hint of honeysuckle and soft floral tones overlaying a crisp lime-like tang. The floral scent, he noted, was not overpowering to his sensitive olfactory senses. After filling the cup, Syryn raised it in the air and toasted the guards. "May you heartily enjoy this wine with your eyes as I do savouring it on my tongue."


    "You''re asking for a beating."


    "Where''s the food anyway? It''s taking too long."


    "Your highness, if the food doesn''t satisfy you, we can prepare another meal for you."


    "That would not be necessary."


    When the young woman finally arrived with piping hot beef stew and an assortment of colourful dishes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, Fei stood up to receive the food. He randomly picked a bowl of food and tried it before the others. Kai then distributed the food on the table and they made conversation for a few more minutes before they began to eat.


    Syryn sipped on the cup of wine, enjoying the fragrance and taste of it. It wasn''t enough to get him inebriated but that wasn''t what he was drinking for.


    From where he was seated, Syryn could see towards the opposite hill. A crowd of people carrying torches were rushing to a house high up on the hill.


    "I wonder what''s going on up there," Rei said to them. All the avians turned as one and watched the torch-bearing folks head up the steep incline. From their movements, the viewers could tell that something urgent was pushing the throng of people up the hill.


    "A bad day for the valley of flowers," Syryn replied.


    "I really want to know what''s going on," Emi whispered.


    They were all curious. Syryn bit into a flat-rolled bread after dipping it in his stew. Seeing as how fast gossip travelled in the village, he was sure that they would no doubt receive news about what was happening.


    "Syryn, we''ll watch Lucien. Can you find out what''s going on?" Emi seemed intent on ferreting out what was taking place.


    "Emi, leave him be," Riaku said to her while stirring his bowl of stew.


    His cousin sister''s cheeks puffed out in a noisy exhale and she tore into her flatbread viciously. "You don''t know how to have fun, brother."


    "Someone else''s tragedy isn''t a matter for us to have fun with, Emi."


    Syryn partially disagreed. He could have plenty of fun out of seeing his enemies suffer. Maybe he would do Emi a favour and snoop around a bit.


    "Priestess! We need the priestess." A middle-aged man rushed into the garden and shouted. His eyes searched desperately and then landed on the woman at the corner of the garden. She was already standing up when he found her. "Hurry! There''s been another victim of the ghost."


    The priestess strode forward all businesslike. Rather than just walking past their table, she stopped and turned to Syryn.


    "You, come with me. You''re a healer aren''t you?"


    "I''m not."


    "He is," Rei quickly replied.


    "Go with her, Syryn. She needs your help to save a life!" Emi''s excitement was palpable to everyone.


    "Fine." Syryn put down his half-finished bottle and abandoned the rest of his food.


    "We''ll save it all for you and wait inside your room with Lucien." The female guard beamed at Syryn.


    "Rei, keep an eye on Lucien''s vitals till I return."


    When the guard nodded, Syryn walked out of the place with the woman. After exiting the inn, the alchemist kept pace with the priestess. He had noticed how pretty her amber eyes were. She had dark wavy hair and an olive coloured complexion that was smooth like butter.


    "Who told you I''m a healer?" He asked her.


    "Somebody who knows everything about you," she answered without hesitation.


    "A stalker."


    He heard a chuckle from the priestess. "You can see it that way if you want to."


    "What else does this stalker know about me?"


    The priestess turned her head very slightly so Syryn could see the way she regarded him. "Everything."


    "Wow so mysterious. Guess I should just ask them what perfect size of drawers would best fit my waistline."


    "What are you doing in this village, demon?" She said it so softly that Syryn almost didnt hear her.


    Feet suddenly feeling heavier than lead, Syryn''s smile became hard. "That''s a very weighty accusation to make, priestess." His reply was a soft menacing hiss.


    "There''s no need to be alarmed. I am not here to persecute you, and neither am I out to expose you. All I ask is that you tell me why you''re here." She was calm in the face of a demon''s anger. Syryn had to revise his estimate of her now. The priestess displayed the cool confidence that came only to those with substantial power in them.


    "Why dont you ask the stalker who knows everything about me?" Syryn answered with a calm that he wasn''t feeling. Who was this stalker of his that knew so much about him? It couldn''t have been Traxdart though the name was the first one that popped up in his mind. Syryn was feeling paranoid, like there were eyes everywhere, watching his every move.


    "So touchy," she answered. "We mean no harm to you."


    They were now getting to the bottom of the hill. Darkness wrapped the hill like a cloak, and very little could be seen from the pinpricks of light that came from the small houses. Only the house at the top of the hill was brightly lit up by the torches that were held in the hands of the villagers who had gathered there.


    "Words are cheap," Syryn replied.


    The priestess raised her hand and Syryn heard the flare of fire. He frowned at the bright yellow fire that lit their path.


    "Which temple do you serve, priestess?" He asked her.


    "Fire. You can call me Dinah."


    Syryn did not acknowledge the offering she made of her name.

 Chapter 112 - Posession

    An uphill climb that was as tiring as it was precarious took them to the house where a new victim had been possessed. Even before they got near the building, Syryn could hear the weeping of several women. The grief-stricken wails reminded him of a memory that made him uncomfortable. To feel more at ease, he cast an illusion on himself and it didnt go unnoticed by Dinah.


    "Make way! The priestess is here!" The man leading them shouted at the crowd that milled around the house.


    Several men with hard expressions on their faces turned to look at Dinah and Syryn. They parted for the three of them as the man led them towards the door of the house from where he could hear crying.


    "The priestess is here," he shouted to the people inside the house before turning back to the two who were respectfully waiting outside.


    An old woman with thin greying hair appeared at the door. The fine wrinkles on her face etched a story of long life and hardship. "Please, come inside. We''ve been waiting for you."


    When Syryn entered the house, he realised how familiar the faces were. They were the same people he had seen several hours back in the funeral procession. The very same woman who had been crying during the funeral was still shedding tears. Her puffy red-rimmed eyes were quite telling of the suffering endured by her tear glands. Syryn couldn''t believe she still had the strength to continue crying so much after the funeral.


    "Where is the possessed person?" Dinah gently asked the old woman.


    The woman turned her exhausted eyes to a little girl wrapped up in blankets. The child was placed on a chair and had a blank look on her face. She looked just like a doll. It was the same child who had tripped during the funeral.


    Syryn and Dinah got closer to the little girl. After touching the child''s forehead and looking into her eyes, the priestess appeared confused. She then knelt beside her and waved a hand in front of the child''s eyes but there was no reaction. Dinah spent a few more moments observing the child before she made eye contact with Syryn.


    "So far, I cannot sense a possession from her." Her words caused a commotion amongst the people who were gathered in the house.


    "That can''t be true!"


    "Priestess, look again!"


    "Her father behaved in the same manner just before he went crazy."


    The woman who had been crying burst into a fresh round of tears. Another lady who shared a resemblance with her hugged the woman to her chest.


    "We are still freshly grieving the untimely loss of a beloved family member who was buried today. We cannot lose Cami now. Please help her, priestess," The old woman begged them.


    Dinah was helpless.


    "If it isn''t a possession then what could have happened to our uncle? We called you here because we thought you could help us! You''re so useless!" A teenage boy shouted without restraining his anger. "If you can''t help us then leave!"


    Dinah who was subject to the teenage boy''s harsh words had silently been observing the little girl called Cami. Syryn could tell that the priestess was perplexed by the child who she claimed wasn''t a victim of ghostly possession.


    "When did she start showing these symptoms you speak of?" Syryn asked the old woman.


    "Who the hell are you?" The teenage boy rudely asked him. "If you aren''t a priest then you dont have any business asking questions about Cami."


    Syryn levelled the boy with a look that could have frozen hell over. The boy paled and stepped back like he had been bitten by a snake.


    "I understand that you''re grieving. I understand you''re afraid, but you should also comprehend that you need all the aid you can get. If you can''t help this little girl then dont get in the way of the people who are more qualified than you are." Syryn spoke with as much tact as he could muster. "I''m on healing business and I stopped by this village for a break. Seeing as to how you dont require the services of a healer, I''ll be leaving right now."


    Recognising how foolish it was to provoke a crowd of people running on heightened emotions, Syryn exchanged a glance with Dinah then he turned around and marched out of the house. He heard the sounds of footsteps behind him. It seemed he wasn''t the only one who recognised the futility of staying any further.


    "Not going to stay?" He asked her when they left the house.


    "She''s not possessed. I cannot help her," Dinah replied.


    "How sure are you?" Syryn asked. Cami''s sightless eyes hadn''t blinked once when they were inside. Syryn would have taken her temperature and checked her vitals if the family had been more welcoming of his presence. None of them had stopped him when he tried to leave and it told the alchemist enough about their lack of desire for his help.


    "Every other priest and priestess will tell you the same. There is no otherworldly presence inside her." Dinah''s hand erupted into flames again and she led their path back down the steep slope. "She''s sick and it''s not a spiritual disease."


    "Highly convenient for you to be here when people are falling ill mysteriously, don''t you think?" Syryn tried to throw some shade at her but Dinah chuckled in response.


    "They invited me to the village so that I could exorcise the possessed father but by the time I reached here, the man was already dead and buried."


    "So you''re leaving then."


    "No," Dinah replied. "I''d like to hang around a while longer and see how the situation develops."


    "There''s a mob forming up there. It would do you good to stay away from them whenever possible." Syryn had seen the tragic results that came from charged mobs that were emotionally manipulated by a few leaders. The unlucky victims were always savagely brutalised for perceived slights that were never verified before lives were reaped.


    "It won''t be the last time I got chased by a mob," Dinah answered. Syryn was finding it difficult to dislike her. "How long are you staying here?" She asked him.


    "Not too long. I''ll be gone by tomorrow."


    "Why dont you stay a while longer? Two brains work better than one."


    Syryn shook his head. "They dont want our help." The overpowering stench of a sickly sweet flower wafted to his nose and it made Syryn want to gag. He hated strong floral scents that had no business being so saccharine - another reason to leave the village as soon as he could.


    "Doesn''t mean we shouldn''t help," Dinah answered. "Cami will waste away like her father if something isn''t done about her sickness."


    "I was told he stopped eating," Syryn replied.


    "From what I was told by the headman, Cami''s father began to eat less and less and finally gave up eating and drinking. He was almost a skeleton when he eventually succumbed to his sickness."


    "How then did such a weak man evade the eyes of his caretakers? If he was as wasted as you say he was then he shouldn''t have been able to walk at all." Syryn found it highly suspicious.


    "True. He was even found all the way down there," Dinah pointed with her burning hand. "Do you see the garden just before the forest line? His body was found at the edge of the garden. A few more steps and he would have made it to the forest."


    "So there''s something in the forest that was calling to him?" Syryn asked Dinah.


    "I can''t say for sure. He did keep telling his family that he had to go to the forest."


    "Then it''s worth investigating," Syryn replied.


    "I''m going in there now. Wanna come with me?"


    "You are too damn friendly with me, priestess. Haven''t you heard of the horrors that my kind are known to inflict upon you humans?"


    Dinah merely shrugged. "For a demon, I dont feel any malice from you."


    "How dare you."


    "So, are you coming?"


    "No!" Syryn was scandalised by the notion that a priestess would try to get so chummy with him, "I have patients to attend to, and sleep to catch up on. I hope you have a good time alone in the spooky forest."


    ----


    "Syryn! You''re back." Emi hopped up from the bed. "Tell us everything."


    Rei was seated at the edge of the bed, practising stitches on the membrane of a raw egg. Wen and Kai were eating from a bowl of what looked like salted nuts.


    "You guys just left Riaku alone with Fei? How can you even call yourself guards?"


    "No, we didnt leave him with Fei. Fei is with Gosan," Emi answered as if that made it any better. "Besides, brother is right next door. If anything happens, we''ll know immediately."


    "Riaku is too damn lenient with you people!" The prince was a demon, a being that could not be harmed easily. It was no wonder they were feeling relaxed about leaving him alone. Syryn had thought that the guards hadn''t really known about Riaku''s nature but from the bits and pieces he had gleaned from the guards, he realised they probably were aware. Were the people of Nua so open-minded about demons that their brains had fallen out?


    "Just get to it already," Wen complained.


    "Fine. Do you guys remember the funeral procession that passed us by this evening?" A series of nods answered him. "Well the guy who died has a daughter and now she''s also sick from whatever illness her father has passed away from."


    "Dont you mean possessed?" Kai asked.


    "The priestess was confident that the child isn''t possessed."


    "Oh yeah," Emi replied. "How did she know you''re a healer?"


    "She overheard me talking about Lucien with Rei and concluded that I was a healer." Syryn couldn''t tell them he had a stalker.


    "Oh.." Emi sounded disappointed.


    "What?"


    "I thought she might have recognised you."


    Just how famous did the female avian think Syryn was? He dipped a hand into the bowl of nuts and looked at the guards.


    "Where''s my alcohol and food?"


    "There. Don''t give us the stink eye. We didn''t drink a single drop of it." Kai pointed to the opposite wall where a table held a tray on which was placed several covered dishes and a bottle of wine.


    "So tell us the rest of it," Emi asked Syryn. "And dont miss out on a single detail."

 Chapter 113 - Dinah

    That night, Syryn fell asleep hours after midnight. He was restless and worried about Lucien whose deep sleep could not be disturbed even when Syryn poked him on the cheek several times. After a long time spent tossing and turning, he checked the boy''s vitals one final time and then fell asleep holding him.


    The avians were up before sunrise. Syryn was woken up by Rei who informed him of breakfast being ready. The teen groggily checked Lucien''s pulse and found that it was normal. He then attempted to wake the boy but his efforts proved futile.


    "Why won''t he wake up?" asked Rei who was standing beside the bed.


    "I have no idea." Syryn was feeling a spring of panic welling up in his chest. Lucien was breathing fine, his pulse and heart rate were both normal. Then why was the child sleeping continously? "Luci, please open your eyes." There was no response.


    "Call Riaku. Tell him I need him here," Syryn instructed the guard.


    Rei left immediately. Syryn then paced the room and not even a minute later, Riaku swiftly arrived beside him.


    "Syryn, what''s wrong?" The prince asked as he looked at the sleeping redhead. "Is he not responding at all?"


    Syryn shook his head. "Lucien has been like this since last night. I don''t know what''s wrong with him. And until I can wake him up or diagnose him, I''m afraid I can''t come with you to Nua." The only reason that the alchemist hadn''t exploded into full blown panic was because of what Luci had said right before falling asleep.


    "We can wait till tomorrow," Riaku told Syryn.


    "No. Your life continues to remain in danger. Go home as soon as you can, Riaku. We will make it to Nua when Lucien is better."


    "Then I will leave Fei with you."


    "Leave Gosan here as well then," Syryn told him. "I''m aware that you bought the mounts because of us. Without us getting in the way of your flying home, you can make it to Nua faster."


    "Gosan is not your burden to shoulder."


    "If something happens to him during the journey, can you take the responsibility for it?" Syryn countered.


    "No, I cannot. Thank you, Syryn." Riaku bowed at the waist and it was an honour that Syryn didnt think he would receive from a prince.


    "You dont have to do that," he told Riaku.


    The Prince raised his head and then looked at Rei. "Stay with Syryn and perform your duty as you would if I were in his place. We will send reinforcements to aid you as soon we reach Nua."


    "Understood," Rei fell to a knee and paid his respects to the prince.


    Once Riaku left, Syryn got out his medical kit and began to prepare himself mentally for the worst.


    "Rei, do you know how to do a basic screening for toxins and infestations?" Syryn lined up glass vials and ceramics in front of the guard. "Aminata extract, Oxblood, and an aqueous solution of Piper''s copper. Can you do it?"


    Rei nodded and took over the responsibility of setting up the tests while Syryn drew Lucien''s blood.


    Half an hour later, the two healers waited for the blood drops to change consistency or color but it didn''t happen. No clumping, beading, crystallisation or change in color.


    "So, nothing then." Syryn was even more frustrated now. If any changes had shown up, he would have known what to do. The blood works were either very good or terrible news since it only detected the existence of abnormality in the blood and not the rarer conditions that required special tests.


    His mind went back to Luci''s final assurance, of how Red had said it was going to be okay. If that was true then Red had anticipated this to happen. How did Red know it was going to happen? Was it something he had done? Syryn''s thoughts meandered back to the spell that Red had cast.


    "What do we do now?" Rei asked. There were no outward symptoms of sickness and no indications of abnormality in his blood.


    Syryn''s biggest fear for Lucien was starvation and dehydration. The last time the boy had eaten something was during their stop at the first village. "I''ll think of something," Syryn told Rei. He decided to trust that Red knew what he was doing.


    "Can I have some more Estranise for Gosan? I''m almost out of it."


    Syryn blindly handed him a tinted bottle and went back to worrying about Lucien. A knock on their door pulled him out of his worries. It was Riaku and Emi.


    "We''re leaving, Syryn. I''ve paid the innkeeper for a month''s stay including meals. I hope that Lucien wakes up before then. We''ll be flying to Nua so expect a few guards to arrive by tomorrow."


    "I dont think we''ll need extra guards," Syryn told the prince. "No ones really looking to kill us."


    "Nevertheless, it will put me at ease knowing that you''re in good hands."


    Syryn thought about his supposed stalker with the skills of a fly on the wall. If he hadn''t met Dinah, he would have never known of the existence of such a thing. He had a stalker who didnt have a presence. Syryn promptly reconsidered his refusal to take Riaku''s guards.


    "Thank you," he told the prince.


    -----


    The avians departed after selling their mounts and shifting into their bird forms. Syryn would have liked to have seen Riaku''s bird form but he had been busy writing several lists for ingredients he needed. The alchemist was already running low on potions and now they were stuck in a village where he couldn''t possibly buy all the ingredients needed for his potions. If Lucien wasn''t incapacitated, he would have foraged in the lush forests that surrounded the village. Syryn was sure of finding good ingredients to work with inside the vast expanse of green he could see from his window.


    "I wonder if the priestess saw anything last night," Rei casually mentioned to Syryn. For their convenience, he had suggested booking a larger room where both patients could be accommodated along with their caretakers.


    It seemed like a good idea so Syryn had left it to Rei to negotiate the costs with the innkeeper.


    "Mister healer." A muffled voice called out from behind the door of the room. It was followed by a gentle knocking. "Mister healer!"


    Syryn gestured for Rei to check the door. The purple masked guard swung the door open and there stood the inn keeper''s young daughter. She shyly looked at Syryn and made a small bow. "There''s been an accident and your help is being requested, mister healer."


    "Don''t you have a healer in this village?" Syryn asked. It wasn''t like he didnt want to help. He was just too busy for it at the moment.


    "Ah- well, It''s the healer who is injured. His back has been torn open from an encounter with a wild animal and he can''t stitch it up himself."


    "Doesn''t have an apprentice who can do that for him?"


    "The apprentice left the village to visit his fiance who just moved to Elysium last winter."


    "How convenient," Rei commented. "I can go stitch him up. Carry on with whatever you''re busy with."


    Syryn was done writing his lists but he didnt want to leave Lucien with anyone else other than himself so he accepted Rei''s offering. "Thank you, Rei. Come back before lunchtime if you can. Oh and one more thing, take these." Syryn handed over his lists to Rei. "See if you can find them in the healer''s possession or wherever he gets his supplies from."


    The guard left the inn holding several sheets of paper in an envelope that smelled of an expensive perfume.


    ____


    "Dinah, what brings you here?" Syryn had another guest after Rei had left. The priestess had changed into her temple robes which were the color of fire. A bright red gem embedded in a gold pendant rested on her chest. As with other magical objects, the pendant seemed to give off a presence that warned people of its wearer''s strength.


    "Heard that you were still hanging around so I came to visit."


    "Oh. Aren''t you looking a little too fancy today though?" Syryn looked her up and down. "That and the low key lump of a gem surely won''t attract the eyes of the villagers." His sarcasm brought a smile to Dinah''s face.


    "Just reminding them of who I am. After last night, we can''t be too careful around the superstitious ones who are holding a grudge."


    Syryn could agree with her on that. "So did you meet a ghost in the forest?"


    "Nothing. I did meet a healer though who was on his way to some cave. He said that night time was the best time to harvest stripped shrooms." Dinah made her way inside the room and made herself comfortable on a chair. "I met Cami again this morning."


    Syryn''s thoughts about the stripped shrooms, a valuable ingredient that gave off a feeble light at night was hijacked by Dinah''s change of topic.


    "She hasn''t improved at all which isn''t surprising. But she doesn''t look any worse. I''m not a healer so I can''t make an educated guess about her condition, but as a priestess, I''ll say this again - she''s not possessed. I dont care what her family members say. There are zero signs of possession."


    "What''s the easiest way to tell that someone is possessed?" Syryn asked the priestess.


    "You really want to know?" She asked him.


    "Why do you think I asked?"


    "If a powerful entity has possessed a victim, you''ll see it in their eyes. Strange things."


    "What a vague answer," Syryn complained, but he caught sight of something dark moving at the edges of Dinah''s sclera.


    "No," he said with disbelief.


    The smiling priestess put a finger to her lips and looked away. "How long has he been out?" Dinah asked as she took in the sight of a sleeping Lucien.


    "He has been this way since last night. That too after sleeping through almost the entirety of yesterday." If she didnt want to talk about, he wasn''t going to ask.


    "Do you know what I see?" Dinah turned to the alchemist. "I see a child who must face that which he dreads the most. Love him as much as you can because he needs it more than you can imagine."


    Syryn grit his teeth when he felt a wave of helplessness overpower him. It always happened when he thought of how Traxdart was going to one day steal Lucien away.


    "How can I stop the prophecy? Can I even stop it?" Syryn asked Dinah. From her words, it was apparent that she knew about the prophecy.


    "I''m sorry, Syryn," Dinah''s answer was sympathetic.


    The alchemist felt a fresh attack of rage blossom in his chest. He had to kill the real Traxdart then, the only way to ensure that Lucien would never belong to the man. Rowan was right about having to kill the man in the other plane. The enormity of the undertaking felt like a crushing weight that stole his breath away. Could they really do it?


    "Syryn, you''re not alone." Dinah was right in front of him, her hands on his shoulders, lightly squeezing, grounding him. "Don''t carry this burden alone."

 Chapter 114 - Moving

    After Dinah had left, Syryn began to pack up everything in the room. He wanted to be prepared for a move to another room as soon as possible. Gosan was sleeping alone but Syryn found it unbearable to leave Lucien by himself even for a few minutes.


    "Syryn," a small voice called out to him and it was like being hit by a bolt of lightning. Lucien was awake. The boy was sitting up on the bed and groggily rubbing his eyes. "I''m hungry."


    "Ok, I''ll get you something." The alchemist responded softly, afraid that he might scare the child back into sleep. The relief that was flooding his body felt like a shower of refreshing rain on a hot summer''s day. "Don''t fall asleep till you''ve had something, Lucien. I''ll be right back." Syryn wasn''t sure who it was that he was talking to. It sounded like Luci but it also could have been Red.


    The redhead nodded and leaned his head on the wall. "I''ll wait."


    Syryn wasn''t ashamed to raid the kitchen. He scared the cook by showing up through the back door and demanding to use the kitchen. After finding a lunch set that was meant for the village headman, Syryn did a little more threatening and took it away from the cook. "Tell the head man that Riaku''s healer snatched his lunch. You''ll be rewarded for your work if trouble doesn''t come to find me."


    The shocked cook nodded his head like he was pounding rice with his chin. "Yes sir, I''ll tell him that a stray dog knocked his lunch over and I had to make a new one."


    Syryn hadnt seen any stray dogs in the village but that was the cook''s problem. "Very good. Come get your reward from me tomorrow when you serve me lunch again, and I want the same quality again."


    The alchemist kicked the door open to his room because his hands were holding a tray that was topped with fresh fruits and a healthy lunch. The sound startled Lucien out of a daydream that involved travelling around the world.


    "Are you still sleepy?" Syryn asked the boy while setting up a table with food.


    "A little bit." Lucien crawled down from the bed and sat down to eat his meal at the table.


    "Thank you, Syryn. This looks so good." The redhead smiled up at his brother. "And I''m sorry for worrying you."


    "You''re aware then of how much trouble you''ve given me by sleeping like Menak the cat kicker."


    "Who?" Lucien asked with some confusion.


    "Menak the cat kicker, the man who slept for a thousand years after kicking a cat." Milky sniffed the air and came to sit beside his clean food bowl. Blue eyes that were half closed stared at Syryn with meaning.


    "Nevermind. Eat up, Luci. How long did Red say that you would be sleeping?" Syryn wasn''t sure if they''d spoken of it but he took a stab in the dark and asked anyway.


    "I dont know." Luci took a bite from a warm roasted chicken thigh that was buttery and fragrant. His tiny mouth was moist with grease from the chicken leg as he chewed on the soft meat. "Red told me that everything will be fine. He just needs to sleep for a while longer."


    "And he didn''t tell me that himself, why?"


    "Maybe he didnt want to worry you," Luci answered. "I dont think I was supposed to fall asleep. Whatever is affecting him is affecting me as well but to a lesser degree."


    Syryn fed Milky and Navi while he processed what Lucien had told him. "Is it the spell that''s causing this?"


    "Yes."


    Of course, it was. Such a huge spell would have drained Red. The little liar had told him the only price was blood. It wasn''t the whole truth. Blood was the price but so was the magic needed to connect the entire setup.


    Fearing that the boy wouldn''t have enough time to eat before sleep claimed him again, Syryn did not make any more conversation with Lucien. It proved to be true when Luci began nodding off after eating a pink fruit that had little white seeds inside. It was sweet, juicy and tasted almost like apples.


    "I need to use the toilet, Syryn." Red slid off his seat and pressed a hand to his abdomen.


    "Let''s go then."


    Lucien was back in bed after a short trip out of the room. Syryn was just tucking in the blankets when his assistant returned.


    "I''m back," Rei entered the room without knocking as Syryn had left the door ajar. It was almost time for lunch. Syryn disliked eating alone but there was no helping it. Rei had to help Gosan eat, and he on the other hand, just couldn''t leave Lucien alone.


    "Welcome back. Did the stitching go well?"


    "Yes. The laceration was surprisingly long. It extended from the left sternum to his right flank. I asked him how it happened and he said it was an animal attack though it didn''t look like it at all."


    "A healer should know better than to lie to another healer," Syryn snorted.


    "He may be ashamed of something. Couldn''t hold his head up when I called him out on it."


    "Suspicious."


    "Have you already taken lunch? I asked the innkeeper''s daughter to bring three sets of meals for us."


    "This isn''t mine. Lucien woke up a while back and had a meal." Syryn began placing the bowls back on the tray so that they could be cleared away easily for his own lunch set.


    "He woke up then. That''s very good news." Rei glanced at the bed where Luci was back to sleeping like a log.


    "Yeah, he''ll be fine. It''s just a side effect of something he did." Syryn hoped this was true.


    A gentle knocking on the door revealed a shy teenage girl balancing a large tray between her hand and hip. "I''ve brought lunch." She furtively peeked at Syryn and looked away when the teen made eye contact with her.


    "Put it there," Rei pointed to the table that Syryn had cleared up, "and take away the other bowls."


    The alchemist watched the girl notice the special set of cutlery that was meant for luxury meals. "I threatened the cook to get that. Don''t worry though, I''ll cover the cost of it."


    "Oh," her eyes went wide and she blushed seeing how Syryn was smiling at her. "I- I will take it away then."


    "Thank you," the alchemist purred silkily. "Let the cook know that his roast chicken was delicious." Lucien had enjoyed the chicken and it gratified the alchemist.


    "That poor girl," Rei commented after she had left the room blushing like a ripe tomato. "Her crush is so obvious it hurts."


    "I permit you to crush on me if you''d like to. I know how taken you are by my healing abilities. This face is just a bonus, Rei."


    "You''re a man of confidence," the guard dryly replied. "But have you seen my face?"


    Now Syryn was really intrigued. "Take off the damn mask, Rei."


    "Never."


    "Don''t make me get over there and yank it off your face." Syryn approached the guard like he meant business.


    "Just kidding," the guard calmly put his hands up in surrender. "I''m not as good looking as you are."


    "But you''ve whetted my curiosity." Syryn raised his head and stared straight into the completely dark eye holes.


    "I''ll take it off but not today." Rei backed away and separated Syryn''s food from the ones meant for him and Gosan.


    "I''m am disinclined to forcing people so have it your way." Syryn allowed the man to serve him his meal. It felt nice having a guard and an assistant at his beck and call.


    "I''ll come down later, Syryn. Enjoy your lunch."


    Rei left the room with the tray bearing food for him and Gosan. When the door was closed shut with a soft thud, Syryn''s mind drifted to Cami and her inevitable death. Was there a way for him to help her without alarming her family? After seeing the child''s catatonic behaviour, he was more disturbed than he wanted to be. Now that his worries for Lucien had lessened tremendously, it made room in his mind for Cami and her family.


    Syryn made up his mind to visit the hilltop family again, to offer his help one more time. He couldn''t go alone though. The alchemist knew just who he would be disturbing for a trip up the hill. But he decided that it would be done only after moving Lucien into a new room with Rei and Gosan.


    The benefits of having both Lucien and Gosan in the same room outweighed the trouble he would go through moving them. Thankfully, Riaku had seen it fit to let Syryn the useful healer guard who kept a watchful eye on both the patients. He hadn''t thought about the amount of trouble he was going to be left with if Gosan and Lucien had both been left in his care.


    "Red, I don''t know what''s going on with you. I wish I did. You better have a good explanation when you wake up because I deserve it after being wrung through this."


    The redhead slept like a baby, unaware of how much turmoil he was causing to Syryn.

 Chapter 115 - Cabin

    "He what?" Syryn asked Rei.


    "The innkeeper said he has an outhouse built for storage purposes but it isn''t being used right now. Big enough to fit in four beds plus more. Told me we could move in immediately."


    "Why would he do that?"


    "I dunno. Maybe because he found out about how you took liberties in the kitchen?"


    "But Riaku paid him for a month''s stay."


    "And that''s why he can''t kick us out. He''s just sending us somewhere we can''t cause him any more problems. It also helps that he makes money out of renting out the rooms we vacate. I hear that it''s merchant season this week."


    "I''m not leaving," Syryn spitefully replied. "I feel taken advantage of."


    "Then how are we to get a bigger room? He says he has none left."


    And that was that. Syryn gave in and started making preparations to move.


    A little while later, the alchemist went off to meet the innkeeper.


    "Dinah, the priestess. Which room is she staying in?" Syryn asked the innkeeper.


    "Sir, we dont divulge-"


    "Hah? You won''t tell me? I''m prepared to waste my time by knocking on every door of this inn and disturbing your guests. Is that what you want?" Syryn felt the need to throw his weight around a bit.


    The innkeeper could not afford to offend a powerful priestess and neither could he offend this young master who was determined to ruin his day.


    "Sir, please..." He cried tears of frustration.


    "Dinah! Get out here!" Syryn''s voice reached across the corridor. "Dinah!"


    When a woman cleared her throat behind him, Syryn spun on his heels and greeted her. "Dinah. Glad you heard my call. I was looking for you."


    "The entire village heard your call. Why are you creating a ruckus?" She looked down at the teenage boy, unimpressed by his method of finding her.


    "I needed a favour. Help me move my things. I''m leaving the inn."


    Dinah raised her brows, speechless in the face of Syryn''s shameless demand. "Let me get this straight," Dinah slowly told him. "You were looking for me so you could score some free labour?"


    "You''re not doing anything are you?"


    "Sir, I can send for my son to help you carry your things. We dont have to impose upon the honoured priestess." He stressed on the word honoured like he was hinting to Syryn that Dinah, a priestess guest of their village, could not be used as muscle power.


    "Dinah, come. I''m ready to move." Syryn confidently walked away and the innkeeper swallowed his saliva as the priestess followed him. He was glad to have the trouble-making young master separated from his inn.


    ---


    It was twilight and the sky was the colour of Syryn''s eyes. Weary villagers tired out from working all day in their flowery orchards and gardens were heading home carrying baskets of petals. Most of them stared while others accorded friendly nods towards the odd group of people that were passing by their gardens.


    Gosan had a crutch under each arm as he hobbled next to Rei. The avian guard carried their meagre belongings while Syryn piggybacked a dozing Lucien. Next to them, a holy priestess was saddled with Lucien''s bag, Syryn''s small travelling bag, and a cat carrier where an orange tabby was snugly purring. Milky trotted on his feet next to them.


    Syryn wrinkled his nose when the valley breeze brought with it the smell of the flower that he disliked so intensely. It was too saccharine and heady for his taste. The smell of it overpowered the other lighter floral perfumes that he much preferred.


    "You don''t like the scent of flowers?" Dinah asked the teen.


    "There''s a smell that''s overpowering the other flowers. It''s giving me a headache."


    "You''re sensitive like that huh," Rei commented. "Take a turn here."


    The group moved through a bamboo forest that grew so close together it blocked out the skylight. Dinah''s fire came in handy again. As they continued to walk, they exited out on a dirt path whose side fell away in a gentle slope where short stalks of a golden coloured grain made waves with each gust of the wind.


    "Can you see that house? That''s the one." Rei pointed to a large log cabin with a single gabled, sloping timbered roof over it. A similar-sized cabin was right next to it. Both were being taken over by vegetation that pushed outward from the forest.


    "It''s nice and private," Dinah remarked. "How much are you paying for it?"


    Neither of them knew. Syryn was aware though that it cost them a month''s stay of two rooms in the inn. The innkeeper had also told them that there would be a delivery of food ingredients every day and they could cook it by themselves.


    "I hope the inside doesnt look as haunted as the outside," Syryn remarked.


    "It has a certain charm to it," Gosan replied.


    ---


    "Looks better up close."


    "Yeah. They could have cleared the vegetation," Syryn complained.


    The cabins didnt have fencing like the other homes of the valley. Thick forest expanded beyond the line of trees that hugged the backs of the cabins.


    "Rei, you have the keys dont you?" Syryn turned to the avian.


    "Give me a moment." He rummaged in his bag and withdrew an iron key. "Can I have a light near the door?" He asked Dinah.


    The lock fell away with unexpected smoothness. Rei pushed the door and entered first. He was followed by Dinah whose light illuminated the log cabin.


    "How cosy," Syryn commented. Two beds were pushed up against the left wall. The foot of the beds faced two more beds on the right wall of the cabin. Freshly laundered sheets that looked crisp and clean were neatly tucked into the springy mattresses. A pot of foliage could be seen on the floor next to a table and two chairs that were placed beside a window. Three wooden chests were also stacked in one corner of the room.


    "It looks like a storeroom," Gosan said, "that has been repurposed to look like a room."


    "I like the privacy it affords."


    "Could have been worse. I''m ready to settle down whenever you are." Rei chose a bed for himself and began helping Gosan.


    "Dinah, how about we visit Cami tomorrow?" Syryn asked the priestess. "If you''re right about her negative state of possession, I''m truly afraid of what the implications of that are for this town."


    Dinah nodded, "You think it might be a communicable disease?"


    "I can''t say yet. If she''s showing the same symptoms that her father exhibited then it means something. We have to ascertain whether her ongoing sickness continues to match what happened to her father."


    "But the villagers all believe that she''s possessed. How will you convince them that it''s not a spiritual disease?" Rei asked.


    "I don''t know. Let''s visit her tomorrow and see what happens."


    "I''ll head back," Dinah told Syryn. "What time should we meet up?"


    "I can''t leave Lucien till a few other guards have arrived. It would be highly irresponsible of me to leave Rei alone with two patients. We''re strangers here so I dont feel too safe just leaving these three by themselves."


    "It''s a good call. I''ll stop by in the evening then."


    "Good night Dinah."


    -----


    Syryn woke up to the sound of chirping birds. The sky was still dark but the wildlife was already up and about disturbing them of their peace.


    "Syryn, I''m hungry." A finger was prodding at his cheek. "Syryn.."


    "Luci? Youre awake."


    Syryn was soon cooking up a meal for Lucien using the ingredients he had in his bag. The wrought iron pot and a few other utensils that he found in one of the chests were taken out and cleaned before he used them. After the usage of his saucepan to gather blood, the alchemist no longer wanted to cook in it.


    Half an hour later, Rei had set up a bonfire and the pot was hung over it. Preserved meat and vegetables went inside the pot along with spices and some lard.


    "Where''s the toilet?" Lucien looked around as he asked Syryn.


    "They''re coming over to build one today. Until it''s done, we''ll have to walk a bit and use the washroom at the neighbouring compound." The innkeeper had been informed of their requirements only a day ago so the man hadn''t had time yet to spruce up the place for guest stay.


    "I''ll just pee on that tree," Lucien pointed to the forest.


    "Wash your hands when you''re done."


    Gosan was sitting on a chair and watching the others get busy with their work.


    "I prefer this place to the inn. It was boring all by myself inside the room when you had work to do."


    "It''s not like there''s much to see her anyway," Syryn replied.


    "Syryn," the guard abruptly called out to him, "I forgot all about what you''d asked me to do. The healer had a few ingredients from the list you gave me. He said that we could find more by foraging in the forest."


    "Who has time to go search in the forest?" Syryn replied. "As it is, we''re already so occupied with taking care of ourselves."


    The alchemist used a wooden ladle to stir the pot while he wondered how Rowan was doing. Syryn missed the anti mage''s hugs and kisses. How he wished Rowan could have come with them.


    "It''s ready, Luci."


    Breakfast was served in the bowls they took out of the chest. For this, they used the water found in a large tank that was placed next to the cabin. Luci ate heartily and spent an hour awake. Syryn watched the boy happily play with water next to the tank. He feared that the redhead would slip on the muddy ground and crack his head open.


    Thankfully, Lucien''s washing session went without an episode. The boy changed into fresh clothing and fell asleep again when the sun came out bright and happy. And along with the sun came a new avian led by a nervous innkeeper.


    "Look at that," Rei said to Gosan. "They sent Akida."


    Syryn strained to see better into the distance. The avian they had sent wore a similarly styled clothing to Riaku''s but his was loosely open at the chest and there was no inner layer. From what the alchemist could tell, the newcomer was another fine specimen of an avian male. His traditional robe was patterned in pretty floral motifs against a black background.


    "Who is Akida?" Syryn asked Rei.


    "Someone you can''t take for granted," Rei replied. "To think that Riaku would send Kida. He must like you brothers more than I suspected."

 Chapter 116 - Akida

    "Kida," Rei raised an arm in the air and waved once.


    The approaching avian made a cursory wave that was half-hearted but done out of compulsion. At first glance, the man''s hair colour appeared to be black but a closer look showed that it also had a sheen of dark blue like Riaku''s wings. Akida''s floral patterned robe did not detract from the man''s cocky walk and masculine good looks. He even had a permanent dead-eyed look on his face that made it appear like he was perpetually annoyed with life.


    "Rei, I heard you were babysitting a healer and his brother."


    "Sort of," Rei couldn''t tell Akida that he was the one being taught and babysat by the brothers. It would lead to more questions he couldn''t answer.


    "We''re staying in this shitty place? I''ve seen brothels with more class." Akida looked around the place and commented. The innkeeper was starting to sweat.


    "We dont even have a place to use as a toilet," Syryn added. He was starting to have a good feeling about Akida.


    "You hear that innkeeper? The healer doesnt have a place to piss at. You should know not to fuck with healers." Akida''s half-mast eyes rested on Syryn. "Get him a place to take care of his private matters." The way it was said didn''t need a warning. Akida was the warning.


    "Yes, yes, I will immediately have a grand bathroom constructed. The builders are arriving right now even as we speak, sir." The poor innkeeper''s clothes were soaked with sweat after the exertion he''d had on the way here following an avian whose walk was faster than anyone he''d ever met.


    True to his words, a trio of builders arrived with their tools. Akida didnt appear too happy about the dearth of workers.


    The innkeeper was a clever one. He understood fast and acted even faster. "I''ll go back to the village and hire five more workers! Please wait for their arrival."


    Frankly, Rei thought the innkeeper was just being bullied at this point. "Kida, would you like some food?" He asked the surly avian.


    "What do you have?" He then walked over to Gosan and examined his amputated leg. "Tch. Your wife is worried to death about you. Send her a letter." Without waiting for Gosan''s response, Akida went to receive the bowl of hot food that Rei was holding out for him.


    "Healer, we''re to leave as soon as your brother is better. Cure him fast." He said it as if it was a foregone conclusion that Lucien would be cured of whatever he was suffering from.


    "You''re really bossy," Syryn replied.


    Akida ate his food without giving any indication of having heard Syryn. The avian was rude but reliable, the alchemist surmised. The two scabbards hanging at his waist indicated a unique skill that Syryn could appreciate if the man had any. At last, he could finally leave Lucien and meet Dinah for their hilltop date.


    "Rei, I''ll leave Lucien to you," Syryn told the healer who was feeding Gosan his quarterly dose of antibiotics.


    "Healer, Riaku charged me with watching over you. I''m coming where you''re going."


    "I''d rather you stayed with my brother," Syryn replied. "I can take care of myself."


    "He''s right, Kida. Syryn isn''t exactly a helpless healer. Lucien needs you more than Syryn does." Gosan''s words had their intended effect though Akida still hadn''t said anything.


    "Where are you going and with whom?" The avian finally asked Syryn.


    "To the house on that hill with a priestess named Dinah. There''s a sick little girl who I need to see." Syryn pointed to the northwest while explaining.


    Akida''s eyes landed on the house that Syryn was pointing at. It was hard to miss. "Estimated time of return?"


    "Before nightfall."


    "Can you use magic?"


    "Yes?"


    "Send a signal if something untoward happens." A feasible idea since the house was so easily visible from where they stood.


    Syryn wondered if Akida was planning to sit outside the cabin and watch the hill like a lunatic. He was at least thorough about his job. A flashy signal for the bossy avian, maybe he could set the hill on fire. But Syryn wasn''t expecting anything serious to go down.


    -----


    Half an hour later, he was with Dinah, climbing the hill again. The place was more welcoming during the day. The footholds carved into the steep hill had a rustic charm about them. Syryn could see plenty of butterflies and other insects hovering over the tiny wildflowers that spread across the slope like a pretty carpet.


    "I saw another avian show up. One of yours?" Dinah asked the alchemist.


    None of the avians was his but Syryn nodded anyway. "Hes our newest guard."


    "A strange one."


    "What do you mean?" Syryn asked the priestess.


    "I overheard him asking the innkeeper if there were brothels around town. Anyone would think he was looking for a lay, right? But when the innkeeper told him that there were none, the avian seemed satisfied rather than get upset by the revelation."


    "You''re right, he''s strange."


    "Look, she''s the same." Dinah and Syryn both observed the statue like girl who was seated on a chair in a shaft of sunlight. Cami''s mother, who was next to her, was a picture of misery. Together they sat, side by side, like frozen clay dolls.


    "Why have you come here again, priestess?" It was the old woman who spoke. She was standing out in the sunlight holding a bamboo tray that held blue petals.


    "We want to help Cami. I know you don''t believe me but I come with good intentions," Dinah replied.


    The old woman turned her back to Syryn and Dinah. Placing the circular bamboo tray in the sun, she began to sift through the petals. "Cami starts crying if we dont let her see the forest. That''s why she sits there and stares, just like her father." The old woman''s voice was weighed down by resignation.


    "Can I take a look at her?" Syryn asked the old lady.


    "Do as you wish. Cami needs a real priestess."


    Dinah did not react to the old woman''s words. Nevertheless, Syryn placed a reassuring pat on her shoulder before walking over to the unmoving child.


    The first thing that Syryn noticed was the wet patch of urine under the child''s chair. Drops of it were still moving down the legs of her seat. Syryn then hunched down to her eye level but Cami did not show any indication of seeing him. Her eyes were dull and without any spark of life in them. And when Syryn touched her cheek, it was cold, like he was touching a doll. He placed a finger on her wrist and found her pulse to be sluggish. And through the paper-thin skin on her wrist, Syryn couldn''t see the colour and telltale signs that pointed at a healthy vascular system.


    His finger hovered just under the child''s nose and noticed an uneven breathing pattern. Cami was dying. Syryn knew without a doubt that her body was slowly breaking down.


    "When was the last time she ate?" Syryn asked the old woman.


    "This morning. We fed her a vegetable gruel."


    "She responded to your attempts at a feeding?" It was a surprise considering the symptoms of her dying body.


    The old lady turned around and fixed her wet eyes on Cami. "She swallowed the food if that''s what you''re asking."


    Syryn internally debated the wisdom of asking for a blood sample. When a patient was so gone to this extent, Syryn could no longer save them. It was too late to conduct a test, too late to make the drugs appropriate for her sickness. And this wasn''t even considering how lacking the place was for rare ingredients.


    "How long did Cami''s father languish from his sickness?" He asked the grandmother.


    "He was possessed for almost two weeks before the ghost carried his spirit away." This time it was Cami''s mother who answered. Her eyes were as lifeless as Cami''s but she didnt have the emptiness that her daughter exhibited. Syryn furtively glanced at her blood vessels but he couldn''t discern much. If the sickness was contagious then why hadn''t the other members of the family fallen ill as well? Or was the progression of the disease unique for different people?


    Syryn stepped aside and looked towards the forest. It appeared harmless, and nothing was beckoning to him from it. He turned back to Cami and saw a hint of a smile on her face for a second. It was eerie. A strong gust of wind blew right then and sent a thick perfume of several kinds of flora up his nose. Syryn blinked away the headache that came from smelling such sweetness. He would not get used to living in a place like the valley of flowers.


    "Are you done?" Dinah asked Syryn.


    "Yes." His muted reply brought a worried frown to Dinah''s face.


    After that, the duo walked down the slope together.


    "Can you help her?" She asked Syryn.


    "No. I dont even know what she''s suffering from. Symptomatic treatment is useless at this stage of her sickness."


    "So she''s going to die then."


    "I''m afraid her prognosis is bad. Cami- I hope she doesnt suffer for too long like her father."


    The clear cloudless sky showered the valley with sunlight. The cheery sight was at odds with the strange happenings at the top of the hill and it made Syryn feel like he was stuck in an illusion.


    He recalled the way Cami had smiled. "Dinah, how sure are you that she isn''t possessed?"


    "As sure as I am that I will live another day." A surety held by everyone unaware of when death would claim their souls. Dinah''s answer perfectly conveyed her feelings about the entire situation. She had never been wrong about possessions but there was always a first time for everything.

 Chapter 117 - Forage

    "What are you going to do now?" He asked the priestess.


    "I''ll head to the jungle again. Maybe I''ll find something that I didnt see during the night. What about you?"


    "I''ll go back and check on my patients. It makes me uneasy to be away from Lucien while he remains in his current condition. Rei is a good healer but he can''t handle this."


    The duo bid each other goodbye and headed off in their own directions. Syryn walked the whole way back to the cabin while his thoughts ran in circles around Cami''s sickness and the implications of it on the other villagers. Part of him was starting to believe that a ghostly possession could also explain what was happening but when he took into account Dinah''s confidence, it left him confused. What contagious illness was there that could explain the symptoms displayed by Cami?


    Syryn knew that the answer lay inside the dead body of the buried man. An autopsy had to be done. Gravedigging was an act of desecration and he could not risk being caught by the villagers. He preferred a freshly deceased body but there was none to be found. If Cami did pass away, her body could answer the questions of what had happened to her and her father but Syryn was willing to bet on the family not letting him perform an autopsy on the child. It felt disrespectful to already be thinking about Cami''s death but the alchemist was almost certain that the child would not last much longer before she succumbed. It was unfortunate but inevitable.


    "Back so soon," Rei remarked when Syryn stepped into the threshold of the compound. 8 builders were hard at work shaping logs, digging, and setting the foundations for the new washroom. The noisy environment wasn''t conducive for peaceful recovery but Gosan seemed to be enjoying having something to watch.


    "How is Lucien?" Syryn asked the avian.


    "Still asleep," Rei replied. The other cabin next to theirs had also been opened and Akida walked out while dusting his hands.


    "I''ve set up the cooking area. You can take the rest of it inside," the avian informed Rei. Noticing Syryn already back, Akida headed towards him.


    "Rei told me about the patient you''re seeing. If it''s contagious, we have to leave the village before shit hits the ceiling." Akida spoke soft enough that the builders wouldn''t hear them.


    "What if it''s a possession and not a disease?" Syryn looked up at the handsome avian.


    "Can''t cut a ghost down. We''re still leaving." Akida''s response was practical.


    "Then why are we forcing them to build that?" Rei asked after overhearing their topic of conversation.


    The dark-haired avian''s gaze drifted to the builders. "Riaku paid them for full amenities. I''m not running into the forest every time I need to take a leak."


    Syryn agreed with the man''s sentiments. "Akida, wanna visit a brothel?" He recklessly asked the man. Rei stiffened up behind Akida and it was a telling response.


    "I don''t fuck whores." The avian''s cold gaze slid away from Syryn and he walked off.


    The way Rei''s mask turned to face him, Syryn could tell that the healer had a few things to say to him. Rei quirked a finger and Syryn followed him inside the cabin they were using as a kitchen.


    "What was that, Syryn? Why are you provoking him?"


    "How was I supposed to know that he doesn''t fuck whores?"


    "You asked because you were testing him. Dont even think about lying. I know it was deliberate."


    "Alright, I asked him because I was curious. Why is he so uptight?"


    Rei bent his head and whispered to the alchemist.


    "His mother was a prostitute impregnated by a nobleman. Akida was born and brought up among pimps and sex workers who resented his parentage. You can imagine what life was like for the son of a nobleman."


    "That''s why he hates sex workers."


    "And nobles."


    "Then how the hell did he end up working for Riaku?"


    "Working off a debt he owes the prince."


    "Who told you about his aversion for brothels?" Rei asked Syryn.


    "Dinah overheard him asking the innkeeper about brothels."


    "That idiot."


    "Who?"


    "Kida. Who else?" Rei said it as if he expected Syryn to understand what he meant. "Anyway, tell me about the sick little girl."


    Syryn summed up what he had seen of Cami. About how he thought there was no way to save her.


    "What a pity," Rei softly said to the alchemist.


    "They dont want my help so that makes it all the more difficult to examine her."


    "I hope the sickness ends with her," Rei replied, but his wishes were not to be.


    "Milt, what''s wrong?" One of the builders asked the older man who was clutching his head and standing still.


    "Huh?" Milt shook his head and looked around himself strangely. "The heat is getting to me. Pass me some water."


    "Don''t tell me you''ve gotten yourself possessed by the ghost," another builder remarked. The chuckles that followed his words were light and humourous like they didn''t really believe Milt could be possessed.


    "I''ll see you guys in the afterlife," the older man joked along. "Let''s get this done before I croak."


    Akida who had heard the builders exchange words was staring at the man called Milt. Rei had told him that the initial symptoms of the sickness included headaches and confusion. He didn''t like the situation at all. There would be no more random visitors allowed after the construction of the building was completed.


    "Going somewhere?" He asked Syryn who had a satchel around his shoulder.


    "To the forest," Syryn replied. "I won''t go far. Just need to look around the outskirts for any medicinal plants that may be growing."


    "I''ll come with you."


    "No, really. Stay with Lucien."


    "Nobody in the village is looking to harm a child. You on the other hand," Akida''s half-closed eyes regarded him, "aren''t welcome by some, are you?"


    "Who told you?" Syryn asked Akida.


    The avian''s sights drifted over to where the builders were working. "Gossip."


    Syryn soon found himself exploring the forest with a bodyguard whose silent presence was a solid and reassuring wall. Even without knowing much about him, Akida had an aura that convinced the alchemist of trusting in the man''s abilities to handle a situation with efficiency.


    A quarter of an hour into their walk, Akida lowered his head and told Syryn in a low voice, "We''re being followed."


    "Oh? Let them follow then." The alchemist felt fearless. He could take care of himself and then some. There was also a good bodyguard with him as a backup.


    "I could flush them out," Akida said again, head bent close to Syryn.


    "Let''s waste their time," Syryn replied.


    His guard went back to quietly walking. In no time at all, Syryn found his first harvest. And out came his sharp clippers to snip at the plant.


    "They all look the fucking same," Akida commented from behind him when Syryn crouched down to snip off the leaves from an unremarkable-looking plant.


    "It''s called the Pilgrim," Syryn stroked the edge of the leaf where it was pointed. "You can tell by the way the colour of the leaf changes gradient towards the edge."


    The avian bent his head low to squint at the leaf. "You''re right. How did you catch that from so far away?"


    "When you know the plants well enough, it gets easier to notice their little characteristics. And look there, that''s a Cymbette shrub. It looks like its cousin, the yellow Cour, but one gives you mild diarrhoea and the other one kills you."


    "So they''re both shitty plants."


    "No," Syryn heaved himself up after gathering enough leaves. "They find application as ingredients that counter other diseases. You just have to ensure that the right doses are given to the patients."


    The sound of rustling bushes alerted the both of them to something or someone that was approaching. Akida stood in front of Syryn and waited as the rustling got closer to them.


    "Eh? Are you guys also looking for medicinal plants?" A man popped out from behind a tree. He was short but had a muscular body.


    "Why are you sneaking around like a thief?" Akida asked the man.


    "A - a thief? I wasn''t!" The way his voice went up a pitch indicated his nervousness. Syryn''s bodyguard wasn''t buying it.


    "The forest floor is scattered with dry foliage and twigs. Don''t give me that bullshit about not sneaking around when you made sure we wouldn''t hear a thing till you rustled the bush like a pair of rabbits fucking were inside."


    "Ah, you caught me," he finally confessed.


    Akida rested an elbow on the hilt of his sword. "The fuck were you sneaking around for?"


    "I''m not a suspicious person!" He said while clasping his hands.


    "That''s what a suspicious person would say," Syryn peeked out from behind Akida.


    "I''m just a healer looking for some medicinal plants. I didnt want to disturb the harmony between the two of you.."


    "Huh?" Akida scowled at the man. "What the hell are you talking about?"


    "You were whispering to each other... And the last time I stumbled upon another party, it was a couple looking for someplace in the forest to.."


    "How the fuck did you manage to come to such a conclusion?" Akida angrily snapped at the man. "You''re a pervert, aren''t you?"


    "I''m just a healer. Please spare me!" He fell to his knees and begged. It was a pathetic sight - such a muscular man acting like a coward.


    "Aren''t you the same guy with a laceration on his back?" Syryn asked.


    "Yes, how did you know?"


    "My assistant stitched you up."


    "You''re a healer too?" The man stood up and his expression changed to a seriousness that wasn''t there before.

 Chapter 118 - Hunter

    "Are you the one that visited the sick family?" He asked Syryn.


    "Yes. What of it?"


    The healer took a step back involuntarily. "What did you see?"


    "The same thing everyone else saw," Syryn answered. The man was acting suspicious, likely hiding something.


    "So you think that the man was possessed?" The healer asked.


    "Is it not possible?" Syryn wasn''t sure what answer the man was looking for so he gave vague replies.


    "You''re right," and he was back to smiling with insincerity. "Forgive me for disturbing you sirs. I''ll go back where I came from."


    Syryn gave Akida a one-sided smile when they were alone again. "I know you don''t fuck whores but do you fuck men?"


    "Would you like to find out?" Akida narrowed his eyes dangerously at Syryn.


    Was he actually threatening him with a good time? Syryn thought as he raised his hands peacefully. "I was just asking, not volunteering."


    "Finish up soon. I wanna go back," Akida told him. The guard recalled the scene with the builder and felt uneasy.


    "Go back if you''re antsy. I''ll spend some more time searching."


    "Half an hour," Akida told him. "Let''s go back after that."


    "The sun is still up. There''s enough time-"


    "I saw one of the builders clutching his head in pain. Call me paranoid but I have a bad feeling about it," Akida confided. "Half an hour." His dark eyes held Syryn''s, "and we go back."


    This time, Syryn didnt argue.


    -----


    When they returned, the builders had made good progress on the construction. They were fast and efficient.


    "Which one?" Syryn asked Akida.


    "Butt chin over there," Akida indicated. "He doesn''t look too hot."


    The man had a frown on his face while he worked. His face was pale and he kept wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.


    Syryn needed to know if the man had come in contact with the sick family since it wasn''t possible to confront the builder without knowing for sure that the man really was suffering from the same sickness. Such an action would only result in blind panic and suspicions.


    "Syryn," Rei called out from behind him. "You had a visitor while you were gone."


    "Who?"


    "Dinah. She said there''s been another victim and that you need to find her as soon as possible. She''s waiting at the inn."


    Syryn turned to Akida knowing that the guard would have something to say about it.


    "How contagious do you think it is?" Akida asked him.


    "The ghost? I''m not sure. We''ll know in the next few days."


    "You could catch it if you aren''t careful," Akida frowned as he looked Syryn in the eye. At least he wasn''t insisting on detaining Syryn in their compound.


    "Maybe." The probability of it being a possession was falling lower and lower as Syryn''s certainty of it being a contagious disease solidified with each incident. Even so, he had to be careful of something that was as mysterious as it was horrifying.


    "Come back before nightfall," Akida said before turning away.


    -----


    "Dinah," Syryn greeted the grim-looking priestess. "What''s going on now?"


    "A dead man," Dinah replied. "Found not too far from the spot where the first one had died."


    "No reports of his falling ill?"


    "Complained of a headache to his wife a few days ago. The man then went hunting and turned up dead at the edge of the forest. He was found by some children who were catching grasshoppers around the area."


    "So he died not too long after contracting the disease," Syryn slowly said to himself. "It doesnt make sense. The time of incubation does not match. Could it be that something else happened to him?"


    "Let''s go talk to the wife," Dinah suggested.


    "When did they find his body?"


    "In the afternoon."


    "They''ll be busy preparing for his funeral. We should probably visit tomorrow."


    "We have to hurry, Syryn. Maybe she could give us information that could prevent more deaths," Dinah urgently told him.


    Syryn wasnt as concerned as Dinah was about the people dying. As long his loved ones didn''t catch the disease that is. "You lead the questions," he told the priestess. The alchemist wasn''t in the mood for grilling a grieving widow. He''d had enough of the villagers for one day.


    "I don''t know where her home is," Dinah sheepishly told Syryn. "And I''ve already acted nosy enough for the day by asking the innkeeper too many questions. It''s your turn."


    Syryn wasnt sure how much help he could get from a man they''d bullied. "I dont think he will be forthcoming about it. Might give me an excuse about how he can''t divulge personal information to outsiders."


    "Why dont you ask his daughter," Dinah mildly suggested. "She seems fond of you."


    "Are you asking me to seduce an innocent maiden?"


    Dinah looked at Syryn like he was a scoundrel. "I just asked you to question her."


    "Suni, can I speak to you for a moment?" Syryn called out to the teenage girl who was passing by with a bucket of water. He had heard her being called that by another villager.


    Blushing, she shyly nodded at Syryn. Dinah raised her brows a fraction when Syryn turned on his charm and smiled brightly at the girl.


    "I heard about a widow whose husband just passed away today. The healer that was recently injured requested me to send her some herbs that will help calm her mind after such a terrible loss. Can you point me her way, Suni?"


    The young girl''s cheeks were red when she nodded and looked away from the violet eyes that were too beautiful for her to look at directly. "Aunt Farah lives at the house next to the village headman''s home. Just look for a hackberry tree. It''s in her garden."


    "Thank you," Syryn unfurled the ribbon that held his hair back. "A token of my gratitude." Syryn still had one more and he could ask Salem to make more.


    The young lady''s mouth dropped open and she received the ribbon with the wonder of a child who had just gotten a birthday present. "Thank you," she breathed out softly.


    This time, Syryn smiled without any artifice. "Have a good day, Suni."


    She beamed at him and skipped off happily with her bucket of water.


    "You''re actually a good kid," Dinah commented with a teasing smile. "Soft spot for the ladies?"


    "Just feeling generous," Syryn replied. If he was being honest, Suni''s clear eyes and innocence was refreshing to him. One day she too would be corrupted by the world but until then, Suni could stay sweet like the yellow buttercup flower that was tucked behind her ear.


    --


    Syryn and Dinah didnt have to look far from the headman''s house. A crowd of people was milling into a cosy little home that couldn''t possibly fit all the villagers that had arrived to console the widow.


    "How are we getting past that crowd?" Syryn asked Dinah.


    "By acting like we know what we''re doing." Dinah confidently stepped forward and Syryn followed her lead.


    "Excuse me, let us through," Dinah said to the outer line of the crowd. Her businesslike demeanour had the crowd parting even as they stared with suspicion. Many of them had heard about the ''fake'' priestess and the nosy healer. Neither were looked at kindly by the more guarded ones.


    When the duo finally got through the crowd, Syryn saw the widow sitting beside her husband''s body which was placed on a stretcher and covered up to his chin with a white shroud.


    The widow looked up and saw Dinah walking towards her. Confusion etched her features but she graciously spoke to the priestess. Even in her sorrow, the woman did not forget to pay her respects to the priestess. "Honoured one, are you here to send my husband off to the afterlife?"


    Dinah knelt beside the woman and held her hand. "Moira''s fire will guide his soul across the river of the afterlife," the priestess told the grieving widow. She then looked towards the corpse and offered a short prayer.


    "Mighty Goddess, healer of souls, relieve us all. From life''s beginning to life''s ending, in suffering, in grief and weeping, lead us to the house of your peace this night."


    Syryn recalled that Rowan never prayed for anyone despite being Eos'' champion. Was it only the priests and priestesses that prayed for the worshippers? And what if Rowan tried to bless him? Would he burst into flames?


    "When did he fall ill?" Dinah asked the woman in a low voice. The woman was being given time to grieve while the other villagers carried out funeral preparations.


    "Four days ago. He drank a cup of rook infusion for the headache he had been complaining about. After that, my husband left for a hunting trip. There was no news about him for days and then he was found dead inside the forest." The widow''s eyes watered as she recounted her husband''s final days. "We were ready to welcome the birth of my baby." Her hand protectively cupped the slightly bulging stomach.


    Dinah put an arm around the widow and held her as the woman cried on her shoulder. The priestess'' amber eyes looked straight at Syryn and there was determination there to get to the end of whatever it was that had killed two men and was about to claim the life of a little girl.

 Chapter 119 - Questions

    "Rook infusion," Syryn muttered as he left the widow''s house with Dinah. "It could be the reason for why he died faster than the other man."


    "Did you get a good look at his face? It wasn''t scrawny and malnourished."


    "It wasn''t," Syryn agreed. "And yet he died." That shot Syryn''s hypothesis about malnutrition killing the victim. If he could get his hands on the corpse of the freshly deceased man, Syryn was sure he could find a hint in there.


    "What do you feel about grave digging?" He asked Dinah.


    "No," she replied. "Not until we are left without a choice."


    "You can watch a few more people die if that''s what you''re waiting for, Dinah. It''ll happen," Syryn told the priestess.


    "Do you have any other suggestions?" She asked.


    "How about you catch the disease and die from it? I can cut you open to solve the mystery."


    "I''m surprised we haven''t caught it yet," Dinah replied. "The old woman was spared while the little girl contracted it. And now the hunter. It''s a random chain of transmission I can''t make sense of."


    "Maybe that''s where we have to start," Syryn said. "Patient zero, the man from the hilltop house. We have to find what connects him to the hunter that died today."


    "I''ll ask the innkeeper about him," Dinah replied.


    "Find out what he does, where he spends his time and who he spends that time with aside from his family members."


    "And what about you?" She asked Syryn. "What are you going to do?"


    "I''ll wait for the results of your enquiries," the alchemist replied. "Work hard, Dinah."


    -----


    "Syryn, Lucien hasn''t made a peep since this morning," Rei told him as soon as he reached their temporary base. The moon had climbed the sky and the builders were adding the finishing touches to the house.


    "It''s fine," Syryn told the worried healer, "as long as he continues to wake up once a day. Where''s the builder with the butt chin?"


    "What?" Rei turned to him. "Butt chin?"


    "There are only seven of them working outside. Where is the eighth builder?"


    "Kida sent him home."


    Syryn turned around and walked over to the other cabin where the guard was rubbing salt into some meat on the cooking table. His sleeves were folded to the shoulders, exposing the swell of his strong biceps.


    "You''re back." Akida continued to work on the raw meat as he spoke to Syryn.


    "Yep. Saw another dead body."


    "There won''t be a shortage of it in the coming days. Wash your filthy hands outside before contaminating the cooking area," Akida growled out without much heat.


    "I didn''t touch the dead body," Syryn dryly informed the guard but he went out and duly got his hands cleaned up.


    When he came back, Akida was hanging the meat over a fireplace that hadn''t been there when Syryn had last been in the kitchen. How the guard had managed to build it during a span of a few hours stumped Syryn who had no building experience to speak of.


    "You''re really handy, aren''t you?" He marvelled at the guard. "Can I poach you from Riaku?"


    Akida''s heavy-lidded eyes glanced up at Syryn. "What makes you think I want to be anybody''s guard?"


    "You''re good at it. Might as well get paid handsomely for it, dont you think?" Syryn grabbed a fruit out of the basket that was hanging on one side of the room.


    Akida''s hands were just as dextrous as Syryn''s but with chopping vegetables. Thinly sliced shallots were pushed to the side to make room for more vegetables.


    "How much?" Akida asked. Syryn hadn''t thought that far. He hadn''t expected that the guard would even think about his offer. He already had a bodyguard in Rowan but the blond just couldn''t travel with Syryn because he had his own responsibilities.


    "What''s your price?" He asked the guard.


    "Depends on how dangerously you live."


    "500 crowns per month," Syryn told Akida. "Free healthcare. I''ll even add a bonus if you get injured in the line of work."


    The guard''s hands stilled before they began moving again. "That''s a lot of money for a healer to be making or paying. What do you need a guard for anyway?"


    "Guards are useful," Syryn airily replied. After spending time in the company of the avian guards who ensured that he didnt have to lift a single finger to get food and comfort, Syryn was seriously considering the idea of hiring a butler guard for himself. And out of them all, Akida seemed the most well rounded.


    "One year," Akida replied. "I have obligations that I will be free of in a year."


    It was surreal. Syryn had just got himself a guard.


    The alchemist left Akida to his work and went to check on the construction. To his delight, it was complete. The builders had done a fantastic job in a single day. The washroom was roomy, sturdy, and had a partition that separated the bathing area from the toilet area. The alchemist decided right there and then that he was taking a bath.


    ----


    A few hours past midnight, Lucien roused Syryn. "Hungry."


    The alchemist noticed that the bed next to theirs was empty. Syryn and Lucien were sharing a bed while Akida slept in the one next to theirs.


    When they stepped out into the open, Syryn saw the guard sitting outside the cabin door.


    "Can''t sleep?" He asked the avian.


    "Came out to take a piss," Akida replied as he noticed Lucien who was watching the new avian with interest.


    "And that''s why you''re sitting here," Syryn raised his brow at the guard.


    "Yeah," the avian rubbed his neck uneasily. "Why are you awake?"


    "My brother is hungry," Syryn replied, and then "Go to sleep, Akida. I''m sure you''re inexperienced with the logistics of protecting your charges from an enemy that comes as a disease but that''s what I''m here for. I''ll plug in the holes that you miss."


    Akida snorted but he stood up and walked back into the cabin after another glance at Lucien.


    The guard had cooked up vegetable croquet, roast rabbit, and carrot soup, and there was still enough left for Luci to eat. Syryn warmed the food and brought it over to the ravenous young boy.


    "Who is Akida?" Luci asked Syryn as he reached for the roast meat first.


    "A guard Riaku sent to protect us," Syryn replied.


    "We don''t need protection, do we? You''re strong, Syryn. And so am I."


    "Yes, but it doesn''t hurt to have someone as useful as Akida around."


    "Are you just saying that because he''s good looking?" Luci innocently asked Syryn. The alchemist spluttered at the redhead''s insinuation.


    "You''re the one that noticed his looks. I just hired him for his skills!"


    "You''re not denying it. I''m gonna tell Rowan."


    "Listen here you little- It''s not like that!" Syryn whispered as if Akida could hear them. "Rowan would get pissed if you tell him any of this."


    "So you really think he''s good looking?"


    "Fucking hell Luci, this isn''t about his face."


    "What is it about then?"


    "Skills. That avian is a bodyguard, butler, chef, and a carpenter all rolled into one."


    "Makes sense," Luci smiled mischievously at Syryn. "Fine, I won''t tell Rowan."


    "What did Rowan bribe you with?" Syryn asked the redhead.


    "Nothing. I like Rowan. He''s like a dad isn''t he?"


    Oh no, Syryn thought. "Did you want a father?" Why didnt Luci think he could be a father?


    "Eh? No. I think Rowan is really dependable. Red also likes him."


    "And why are you telling me this?" Syryn asked the boy even though what he wanted to say was - how am I not as dependable as Rowan?


    "No particular reason."


    "You''re going to get a beating tonight," Syryn idly threatened the boy.


    "You love me too much for that," Luci replied. It made Syryn''s breath catch. He loved the kid. He really did. How did he only realise that now? Syryn''s mouth opened and closed like he didn''t know what to say.


    "I love you, big brother. I just wanted you to know that. Red would kill me if I said that while he was awake so I''ll probably never say it again, probably. Anyway-" Luci''s rambling was cut off when Syryn knelt beside him and hugged the boy. Such purity, Syryn thought. He never wanted Luci to grow up.


    "Can you always stay like this, Luci?"


    "Like what?"


    "Stay 12, Luci."


    "I already turned 13, big brother. Last week."

 Chapter 120 - Interrogation

    "What did you find out?" Syryn asked the priestess who was strolling over to their cabin home just as the sun began its noon arc.


    "Nothing that ties them together. The hunter and the florist have nothing in common. They''re barely acquaintances."


    "No special event like an animal bite or eating the same fruit that shouldn''t be eaten?"


    Dinah shook her head with disappointment.


    "Let''s go to the forest," Syryn suggested. "I want to see for myself what is so special about that place."


    ---


    Syryn and Dinah set a quick pace towards the forest line where the incidents had taken place. The smell of sickeningly sweet blossoms had the alchemist wrinkling his nose again. The sooner that Lucien got better, the faster he was leaving the village.


    "Here, this is where his body was found," Dinah told Syryn. She had led him to a part of the forest that wasnt too far off from where the treeline broke into human settlement.


    "If he was already inside the forest, hunting, as his widow has led us to believe, then it means he came to this area from somewhere deeper inside the forest." Syryn looked around the place wondering why the sick people were attracted to that particular area. "What''s so special about this patch of the forest, Dinah?"


    The priestess was just as flummoxed as the alchemist. She felt no spiritual fluctuations of negative energy where they were stood.


    "I wish I had an answer. I feel like I''ve failed the people who invited me here for a reason." The priestess closed her eyes and took in the sounds of the forest. It was alive with the chirps of songbirds.


    The duo headed back out after that and on their way, Syryn noticed a few dead insects near the roots of a tree. It was an unusual sight. He stopped to examine the opal shaped winged insects that had orange markings on their yellow chitin.


    "Don''t touch it," he warned the priestess.


    "You think it has something to do what''s killing people?"


    "No, but I''d err on the side of caution if I were you," Syryn answered.


    "You touched Cami''s cheek."


    "I had to."


    "And you weren''t afraid of getting infected?"


    "I''m more resistant to sickness than the ordinary person. It''s a perk I got from my father." Syryn''s eyes found more dead insects as he looked around. Easy to miss because they were hidden within the thick grass. Now that he knew what to look for, it was noticeable.


    "That''s a lot of dead bugs," Dinah exclaimed. "I came here twice but I never noticed them."


    "It''s very unusual, isn''t it?"


    "Very, unless this is a regular occurrence in the village. We have to ask someone about it."


    Syryn combed the grass and followed the trail that led everywhere. The entire place was a graveyard of dead insects. All the tiny yellow bugs had burrowed beneath the grass to die there, in touch with the brown earth that absorbed their bodies.


    "Look, these seem older than the other dead ones. There''s something growing on it," Syryn pointed to a greyish mold that grew like fuzz over the exoskeleton of the dried up insect.


    "Looks like the bread I left in my pantry for a month," Dinah contributed.


    Syryn stood up and placed his hands on his hips as he glanced at Dinah contemplatively. "We have two things to do now. Confirm with the villagers that this is a freak occurrence," he pointed to the insects. "And then confirm that it has a link to the dead people who specifically came to this place to die at."


    "And how do we accomplish the second objective?" Dinah asked though she knew the answer.


    "An autopsy. A clandestine late-night gravedigging if that''s what it takes. Or we can let the villagers know what the cause for the deaths might be and they can help us dig out the hunter."


    "Which villager should we ask about this?"


    Syryn knew just the right person. "Let''s go back to the cabin and grab someone first. I think we''re onto something Dinah."


    ---


    "Syryn, welcome back. There''s been another death," Rei cheerlessly informed the alchemist. The avian also nodded to the priestess who returned his greeting.


    "The builder?"


    "The builder."


    "The time for incubation has reduced again," Syryn said to the healer.


    "Or it could be something else that killed him," Rei replied. "I heard he died of asphyxiation. Hardly anything like the other two."


    "Who told you this?" Syryn asked.


    Rei pointed to a basket of button shrooms outside the doorway of the kitchen cabin. "Suni brought those over along with an assortment of fresh vegetables. She also told me about the builder''s death because she thought you might want to know about it."


    "What a sweet little girl," Syryn remarked. "Akida, can you make meat and mushroom skewers for dinner? I have some spices that you could use."


    The avian guard sent an annoyed look his way but it failed to dissuade Syryn. He removed a few jars of spices that he''d collected from their kitchen before leaving. Placing them at the cooking station, Syryn walked out to stand before the surly Akida.


    "What?"


    "Come with me. Guard duty."


    Akida stood up wordlessly and followed the alchemist.


    Dinah asked the villagers for directions to the healer''s house. It was situated in a grove of trees under which several types of herbs were growing. Syryn was tempted to get his clippers out and harvest some of the fully grown plants that drenched the area with the rich smell of aromatics, vegetal scents and fresh citrus perfume.


    The humble cottage that served as the healer''s home was locked up. They were out of luck.


    "Why him?" Dinah asked. "We can just ask any of the other villagers."


    "Because he''s a suspicious person. Akida and I were being followed by him just a day after he received a cut on his back that he allegedly received from an animal attack." Syryn caressed the light pink-tipped buds on a planter that was crowded with the cute flowers.


    "All the more reason not to ask him then," Dinah replied.


    "No, I want to. My intuition tells me that he knows something."


    Akida silently listened to the two exchange conversations. He could see the healer walking towards them while carrying a long basket on his back.


    "Were you waiting for me?" The healer asked with some wariness. It wasn''t a good thing when the weird strangers in the village were all gathered in front of his home. That too without an injury in sight.


    "Mister healer, tell me about the insects that are lying dead where the bodies had been found," Syryn jumped straight to the meat of the matter. For someone who spent so much time exploring the forest, he would have noticed. Syryn was sure of it.


    "What insects?" The healer''s eyes nervously darted between Syryn and Dinah.


    Syryn''s gaze flickered over to the tall guard who was looming behind the healer. An unfriendly arm went around the shorter man''s shoulder and Akida used the thumb of his other hand to smoothly flick one of his swords out with a satisfying ''shwing'' sound. Syryn had seen the avian practise with his sword that morning but his draw had been silent.


    Sweat began beading the healer''s forehead. "Please dont hurt me.."


    "The yellow insects. Tell me what you know." Syryn and Akida made eye contact and the guard put more weight into his lean against the healer. The avian was very good at reading Syryn''s intentions.


    "Okay! Okay.. but please tell him to get off me!"


    Akida withdrew just as the alchemist nodded at him. "You should have just cooperated from the beginning. Let''s stop wasting each other''s time now. Spill everything you know, healer." The alchemist understood the satisfaction of addressing someone by their title of profession.


    "Come inside then. Someone might see us all standing here and think we''re friends." The healer got his key out and snapped open the lock to his door.


    After some shuffling around, the three guests were sitting on wooden stools while the village healer boiled some tea leaves.


    "Those yellow insects are called bag borers. This Valley has never been a natural habitat for it so I was surprised when I saw some of them in the forest. They were migrating from somewhere for reasons only they know of."


    The healer placed three clay cups on the table and poured out the freshly boiled tea.


    "Haven''t the other villagers noticed them yet?" Syryn asked after taking a delicate sniff of the tea.


    "They''ve taken note of it but since the insects aren''t attacking their flowers, they''ve stopped caring. I warned the village headman about possible effects on the ecosystem that we might not be aware of but he''s not too concerned."


    "But you are. Why?" Syryn asked while watching over the rim of his raised cup. He took a sip and placed it back on the table. He was half-demon but his tongue wasn''t made out of rock. The healer had served them newt thistle tea, good for health but an acquired taste he had no intention of acquiring.


    "What the fuck is this tea?" Akida grumbled in a low voice.


    "Is it not to your liking?" The healer asked. "The tea is good for your kidneys."


    "Some of us have taste buds," Akida replied and pushed the teacup away like the mere presence of it was hurting him.


    "As I was saying, you were concerned by the insect activity. What did you do after complaining to the head man?"

 Chapter 121 - Insects

    "The insects were acting strange. They weren''t feeding at all and at first, I thought it was mating season. The females usually lay eggs and die immediately, but even that wasn''t happening. They just died all over the place within days of arriving and doing nothing."


    "So you thought it was similar to the way that the crazy man had died. He started acting strange, stopped eating, and passed away close to the insect graveyard," Syryn concluded.


    "Yes. Do- do you have something to do with all this?" The healer asked with a tremble in his voice.


    "No. We just want to find out what''s going on. It''s an interesting phenomenon. And Dinah wants to save the villagers from certain death." Syryn summed up their feelings for the healer.


    "Is that true?" The man stood up from his seat like he had received a shock.


    "What did you think we were here to do?" Syryn raised his brows at the healer.


    The man sheepishly looked at Dinah and back at Syryn. "I dont know. You''re strangers. Who knows what business you have with village folks like us. I didnt know if I could trust you."


    "And that''s why you followed us?" Akida asked.


    The healer nodded as he sat back down. "We don''t get a lot of visitors who aren''t merchants. It''s a rare sight when outsiders who aren''t our regular merchants and avians stay longer than a day at this village."


    "So how did you get the laceration on your back?" Syryn asked the man who seemed more forthcoming now.


    "Wh-what? It was an animal attack." The healer truly was a bad liar.


    "And we''re back to lying." Syryn traced the rim of his cup lightly with a forefinger.


    "Ok it wasnt an animal attack but I wasn''t doing anything illegal.."


    "Why can''t you tell us how it happened if what you were doing was perfectly legal?" The alchemist said as he noticed Dinah draining her cup. He wrinkled his nose disgustedly at her and she shrugged in response.


    "I just can''t, okay. Please dont press me like this. Im just a healer who-"


    "I noticed that you have some Salmon Iris growing in the yard. It would be a shame if someone informed the village headman about its use as an undetectable poison."


    "He knows! I''m growing it for him."


    "Oh?" Syryn smiled widely. "Do the other villagers know about it? And do they know that you''re an idiot?"


    The stupid healer was digging a deeper hole for himself. "I fell down a slope and cut my back on a sharp bamboo stump. If you dont believe me, I can take you there. I lost a lot of blood on the bamboo."


    Syryn glared at the dumb healer. "I dont understand why you couldn''t just tell me that. What were you doing on the slope? You should come clean about it because I''m not letting you off today without finding out everything." Syryn needed a drink of something that wasnt thistle tea. He handed the man some of Alka''s rice tea powder for boiling.


    "I wanted to have a look at the body.." the healer confessed. "I had to investigate it."


    Syryn suddenly felt that the man was no longer an eyesore. He had found a partner. "You wanted to dig out the body and examine it."


    "I thought I would find something on his body that would give me a hint about what was going on." The healer started heating water on a kettle. His shoulders were drooping. "In the end, I didn''t do it."


    "Because you cut yourself like an idiot. You could have bled to death by waiting till morning for help," Syryn admonished the man. He was dumb but his heart was in the right place.


    "I applied some potion on it to hasten coagulation. It''s a good thing you and your avian assistant were around. I''d have had to rely on the seamstress to stitch up the wound."


    "Let''s dig up a body," Syryn spontaneously suggested. "We''ll see if the bodies have the fuzzy fungus-like growths on them."


    "Whose body?" The healer asked.


    "Not sure. Were you there when the builder died today?" Syryn asked the man.


    "Yes, it was a strange death. He had an anaphylactic shock and it killed him within half an hour of its onset."


    "An anaphylactic shock? What was he doing?" It sounded like the builder''s death had nothing to do with the strange sickness. But then Akida had seen him holding his head and looking pained. Were they wrong? Likely. But the coincidence didn''t sit right with Syryn.


    "Going to work as usual when it happened randomly. I checked his body for allergens but nothing. I dont know what''s going on anymore."


    "Go speak to the village headman and tell him you suspect murder," Syryn suggested. "Then maybe we''ll get to carry out an autopsy."


    "A murder? Who would believe that?" The healer jumped when his kettle whistled loudly.


    "Suspicious villagers, that''s who. Can you imagine what they''d have to say about a man dying with no rhyme or reason? Add fire by saying that someone poisoned him."


    The healer stood up to pour in the tea powder in four cups. "But I''m no good at autopsy."


    "So tell that to the village headman. Mention me and request my services. All you have to do is stand beside me while I conduct the autopsy," Syryn suggested.


    "Are you sure about this?" The timid healer asked.


    "What''s the harm in trying?" Dinah told him. "The worst that happens is he denies your request."


    "But what if the builder isn''t a victim of the sickness? We''d have just cut him open for no reason!"


    "It''s too coincidental," Syryn told the healer. "For all of this to happen around the same time. I think we''ll definitely find a hint in his body."


    Akida sniffed at the cup that had been offered to him. A tiny sip of it brought relief to the guard''s eyes. He approved of this one.


    "We should hurry before they bury him," Dinah suggested.


    "I''ll speak to the headman." The healer sighed and put away his cup. He was too stressed to drink the tea.


    -------


    Syryn, Dinah, and Akida returned to the cabin home. The guard made preparations for dinner while the alchemist checked on both patients. Lucien was sleeping as usual. It had Syryn wondering how much longer the boy would remain in this condition.


    When dusk arrived, it brought with it a group of people. The village headman, the healer, and five more villagers arrived wearing grave expressions on their faces. The Valley of flowers had lost not one but three members of its population to strange deaths so it was no wonder every one of them wore grim faces.


    "Distinguished guests, I hope your stay so far has been enjoyable," the village headman smiled at Syryn.


    "It has been a comfortable stay," Syryn replied. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"


    The headman cleared his throat and stepped forward to speak in a low voice. "Forgive me for getting straight to business but it''s an urgent matter and we cannot waste time. There''s been an incident in the village. I dont know if you''ve heard about the man who passed away today."


    "Yes, I did. I heard he died of asphyxiation. Very dreadful business."


    "Well, the circumstances of his death are strange and we think that an autopsy might be in order. Our healer is a talented man but he cannot do justice to the person who was unfairly killed-"


    "Get to the point," Syryn interjected. He was impatient.


    Taken aback but recovering quickly, the head man got to the point as Syryn had demanded. "If you would aid us, we require the expertise of someone who can do an autopsy on the body. We will pay you handsomely-"


    "I''ll do it," Syryn cut him off again. "There''s no need for payment. Consider it my way of showing gratitude for how welcoming the village has been to us."


    Relief flooded the headman''s eyes. "Good! Good. Let''s go now and have it done quickly so he can be buried before dawn."


    Syryn furtively smiled at the healer who had accomplished the task set for him. The man nervously ducked his head and walked behind the head man with the timidity of a mouse.


    ----


    The body of the familiar builder was laid out on a table before Syryn. Rei stood to his left and the village healer was at his right.


    The corpse had been stripped naked and was covered in a sheet from head to toe. Next to the body was a table over which was arranged two scalpels, scissors, forceps, a ruler, a chisel, and a saw. Next to Rei was another set of tools which included several long knives, more scalpels, and scissors. Syryn even wore a pair of gloves that he coated in a hydrophobic extract. It was the only barrier between him and the sickness if the dead man had it.


    "Rei, stay at a distance and watch. You dont want to come in contact with any fluid. You too," Syryn turned to the healer. Pass me the tools when I ask for it but that''s all you have to do."


    The two assistants backed away wisely when Syryn violently threw off the sheet that covered the man.


    Rigour Mortis had set in and the corpse was stiff. His skin was a pale grey colour that purpled at the parts touching the table.


    "Let''s start with an external examination of the body," Syryn spoke through the mask that covered the lower half of his face.

 Chapter 122 - Autopsy

    An examination of the body did not yield any notable results. It was time to cut him open.


    Syryn reached out for a scalpel then lifted the man''s head. He made an incision at the back of the skull from one ear to the other ear. The scalp was separated from the skull by peeling it forward. Now was the part he liked.


    Rei handed him a saw that Syryn used to tap on the white skull. "Better avoid the bone dust today." It was an excuse. The alchemist just preferred using a hammer and chisel.


    "Won''t that cause the skull to look ugly?" The healer squeamishly asked when Syryn picked up the chisel.


    "No, and no one cares," Syryn told the healer. "Is the decedent''s family vain about the man''s skull?"


    That quieted the healer.


    "Don''t breathe in the bone dust or you might catch something if he really did die from the complications of a communicable disease." At this point, Syryn was just messing with the healer though there was minor truth to the statement.


    The man stepped further away from the table.


    The sound of Syryn indenting and opening the skull was loud against the silence of the room.


    He was good at it, Rei concluded. The cuts were neat and there were very little bone fragments falling off the skull.


    Syryn worked efficiently enough that the hammering didn''t last very long, and when the skull cap was removed, the builder''s brain was exposed to the eyes of three curious healers.


    "Ah," Syryn softly said as he eye smiled above his face mask. "Tell me Rei, what behavioural patterns would a patient exhibit when there is focal necrosis of the brain tissue?"


    The guard observed the grey tissue that was softer than its surroundings. The indentations on it were also more separated and appeared to swell slightly.


    "Symptoms of seizures, fever, paralysis, altered sleep habit and personality changes can occur," he replied. If the other deceased villagers were cut open, Rei was sure of what they''d find.


    "Correct. They present with all kinds of neurological deficits that match what we''ve heard so far about Cami''s father."


    "So it really wasn''t a possession. We were all right," the healer said with satisfaction.


    "Not confirmed yet," Syryn replied. "He died of an anaphylactic shock. Can one of you tell me why this could have happened?"


    "A reaction to whatever was causing the necrosis inside his brain?" Rei suggested. "People can react differently to the introduction of foreign bodies into their systems."


    "You''re probably right but we can''t immediately rule out other causes. Liquefactive necrosis doesn''t always happen because of an infection."


    "But it''s most likely, isn''t it?" Rei asked.


    Syryn pressed the scalpel against the edges of the inflamed tissue. "Most likely, yes. We''ll have to check his organs for infection as well."


    It was going to be a long night for the three men.


    ---


    When they were finally done, it was already midnight. The healer stumbled of the room looking green in the face while Syryn had a thoughtful expression that mirrored Rei''s.


    "Do we have to check the brains of the other dead people?" Rei asked Syryn. They''d found that the builder''s organs appeared normal.


    "Just one. It''ll confirm our suspicions and we can finally show them proof that it''s no ghostly possession."


    "But we still haven''t determined its cause," Rei replied. "If it''s an infection, how did it start? Where? How is it spreading? And why specifically those people?" The guard was full of questions after the autopsy.


    "Perhaps it isn''t contagious," Syryn slowly answered. "Assuming that it''s caused by some pathogen, it could be a vector-borne disease."


    "Then we should start looking into their history immediately."


    Dinah had already done that but to no avail. In a large enough village like this, how were they to retrace the steps of all the individuals at least a week before their passing? Syryn closed his eyes and thought back to the insects. It all started there. He had to go back and investigate.


    "Rei, I''ll leave it to you to explain everything to the head man. Let him know that the deaths may be connected by an enemy that attacks the brain. And if possible, we need to open up one more person to make a final confirmation."


    "The hunter?"


    "Maybe." Syryn didnt want to name anybody but he knew who was dying next. If they were lucky, it would be an older person and he wouldn''t have to cut open a child.


    Dinah was waiting for him outside the building, chin raised to the sky like she was counting stars.


    "Dinah, let''s go take another look at the insects."


    She stood up from the grassy flat ground and patted her robes. "What did you find?"


    "An infected brain. You were right. They weren''t possessed by a ghost."


    Dinah''s palm flared into a bright flame. "What infection?"


    "That''s what we need to find out. The builder''s brain was showing sign of necrosis-"


    "Use lay man''s language, please," the priestess interjected.


    "Okay. A small part of his brain was showing signs of death."


    "Was it rotting?"


    "Sort of."


    "Wow. How did that happen?"


    "Could be something eating his brain," Syryn casually said it not knowing how right he was.


    "Oh no.."


    "Do you think we might have?"


    "Maybe."


    Dinah''s steps faltered. "Syryn, what do we do?"


    "We quickly find out what is causing the sickness."


    "And if we don''t?"


    "Then you best make sacrifices to your goddess. I''m a demon so it''s less likely to affect me. And worry not, I''ll make sure that you look pretty after I''ve cut your brain out." It was too much fun scaring the priestess.


    She hastened her steps and Syryn had to jog along to catch up. "Dinah, wait!" He started laughing at her hurried gait.


    The rest of their walk to the forest was carried out in silence. The villagers were mostly asleep and it felt eerie being surrounded by such quiet stillness.


    "What do want to see here?" Dinah asked Syryn when they reached the graveyard of insects.


    "We have to check the extent of the boundary inside which these bugs have died." It was at this moment that a breeze wafted by loaded with the smell of perfume. Syryn pressed a hand to his nose and gagged at the sweet smell that seemed to get more pungent with every passing day that he spent in the village. This time, the alchemist had to take deep gulping breaths with his mouth so he could avoid smelling the flowers.


    "Are you okay?" Dinah asked Syryn with concern lacing her voice.


    "How are you able to withstand the absolutely rank stink of the flowers?" He complained. "I would much prefer to inhale decomposition. At least it doesn''t make me want to vomit!"


    Dinah looked at Syryn like he was strange. "I know that it smells cloying but aren''t you overreacting a tad bit?"


    "No!" He venomously replied. "Forget the insects. While the villagers are asleep, I will find that god forsaken plant and chop it down tonight even if it kills me!"


    "Calm down, Syryn!" Dinah grabbed his arm and yanked him back. "It''s their livelihood! You can''t just break into someone''s garden and attack their plants."


    "Watch me."


    "No, you stop right there!" Dinah pulled the teen back. "Why do you hate it so much?"


    "Why? Have you ever eaten so much sugar and vomited it all out because your body could not handle all that sweetness?"


    "No?"


    "And then while you were feeling nauseous and weak from the sugar binge, imagine having to go through another round of sugar. That''s what it feels like."


    Dinah stared at Syryn in mild horror. It did sound like the teen was suffering.


    "Wear a mask, Syryn."


    "It''s not enough to block out the smell," he replied. Nevertheless, Syryn pulled out Rowan''s scarf and covered his face with it.


    "Let''s begin. I''ll go this way, and you go that way." Syryn lit up his path with a bright will o the-wisp.


    "Can we not do this tomorrow?" Dinah asked the teen. It was too dark to see properly even if they had their artificial lights.


    "People are dying!" He self righteously answered. "Have some sympathy, Dinah."


    The priestess rolled her eyes and had the urge to smack Syryn at the back of his head. How did she not realise sooner that she was dealing with a thespian?


    "Right, lets get on with it," she answered before trudging off in the opposite direction that Syryn was headed.


    In hindsight, Syryn should have called for more manpower. He was already a hundred metres away and still finding tiny insect bodies hidden under the thick mat of vegetation. Dinah was right. He stretched his sore back and began retracing his steps back towards the ball of light that illuminated a priestess hunched over the ground.


    "Dinah, lets go home!" He shouted when he was near enough.


    The fire went out and Syryn could no longer see the priestess. That''s how he knew that it was time to make himself scarce.

 Chapter 123 - Trespass

    Syryn visited the village headman in the morning with Dinah. Rei had already informed the man about the probable connection between the strange sickness and the necrosis in the builder''s brain. Taking the matter seriously, the alarmed headman called for a meeting of all the adult men in the village.


    When Syryn arrived, he dubiously took in the sight of the crowd that had formed outside the courtyard of the headman''s house. He felt it was safe to assume that some of the people there were already infected. Fear apparent in their watchful eyes, the crowd of village men observed Syryn and Dinah approach them.


    "Distinguished guests-"


    Syryn did not have the patience for the man''s formal chit chat. "I need as much manpower as you can spare," he cut off the head man and looked around at the listening crowd. "Volunteers anyone?"


    "I''ll come," an older gentleman raised his hand. "What help do you require, healer?"


    Syryn''s gaze moved to Dinah. The priestess received the meaning in his eyes and stepped up to explain what they had found near the forest line.


    The villagers paid rapt attention to the priestess'' explanation about what they had to do.


    "And so we need a large number of people to determine the boundary around which the deaths have been happening."


    Murmurs spread through the crowd and people began to volunteer in larger numbers.


    "Will we get sick too if we go there?" A voice asked.


    "Maybe," Dinah answered honestly. "I''ve been there thrice and have not fallen ill yet."


    "That''s because the goddess'' strength is in you!" Another voice declared. "You''re a priestess."


    "If we find out what''s causing the disease then can you cure us?"


    "I''m not risking my life for this. My wife and children need me alive."


    "Coward! We''re doing this for the village as a collective. Do you think we dont have our own families to worry about?!"


    "Your sons are grown men while my children are still fourteen and sixteen years old! It''s not the same thing!"


    "That''s no excuse for not helping the rest of us!"


    Syryn stood up and addressed the arguing people. "Nobody is forcing you to come with us. It''s a good thing you''ve exposed your selfishness to the other villagers so that they know better than to help your family when you need aid in the future."


    "An outsider like you doesn''t have any right to participate in this meeting," the same selfish man retorted.


    "An outsider like him figured out what was happening before any of you did. While you were wasting time blaming ghosts and devils for the deaths, he was out investigating, putting his life at risk to help this village." Dinah''s speech was calm but forceful. Her words carried the weight of a priestess, an identity that they respected. "So instead of arguing amongst yourselves and looking for problems with Syryn, why don''t you put your energy to some use and help us solve the problem that plagues your village."


    "It''s fine Dinah," Syryn answered coldly. "We can leave them to their fates if they wish to reject our offer. We should have left the day we arrived. I have done the best I can so even if I leave now, I won''t have any regrets when I hear about the village that lost all its members to a brain-eating disease."


    Syryn''s words had their intended effect on the terrified villagers.


    "Brain-eating?!"


    "Cover your faces with a cloth and dont touch any of the bugs that we find. Do you all understand?" He continued to speak while he had momentum.


    Syryn then turned to look at a person standing at the front of the crowd. "You there, why aren''t you wearing sandals?"


    The young man without sandals turned red as all eyes focused on his mud-caked feet. "I like to walk barefoot," he answered meekly.


    "Wear your sandals or you might fall sick. Some creatures are known to enter the bloodstream when you walk over them barefoot," Syryn warned him. "Everyone, wear sandals and ensure that not a single part of your exposed skin comes in contact with the ground or the insects."


    ----


    A horde of village men marched to the forest line and they were led by the headman, Syryn, and Dinah.


    "Are you sure it eats the brain?" The headman asked Syryn with trepidation in his eyes.


    The alchemist merely gave him a cold glance and a nod before looking away. What did they know about necrosis? Unless they were all experts at biology and anatomy, Syryn could bullshit all he liked and they would be none the wiser.


    "Thank you, healer."


    "Thank me when we''ve found the cause of the sickness." Syryn was relieved that the villagers hadn''t continued to insist that it was a ghostly possession. They were a superstitious lot but at least they weren''t stubborn when shown the way.


    As soon as they''d arrived, the men were divided into groups and made to spread out in the area. Syryn had shown them the insects that had died under the grass and many of them were afraid.


    "We did not take Jomer''s warnings seriously and now we''ve paid for them," one of the men said to the others. Syryn assumed he was referring to the village healer.


    "Stop wasting time and start searching." The alchemist said to the crowd very loudly. "Leave no stone unturned, no patch of grass unchecked."


    "We should help them as well," Dinah said before she joined the head man who was crouched not too far from them.


    It had taken them less than an hour to draw a boundary around the insect graveyard. Stakes were hammered into the soil to mark out points on the boundary that was drawn out through ropes. And when it was all done, Syryn looked around in satisfaction. Not even the cloying sweetness of the perfume that invaded his nose could dampen the excitement that he was feeling. Syryn was close to figuring out the puzzle and he knew it deep in his bones.


    "Send them all home," the alchemist told the headman. "I will slowly comb the area and see if anything catches my eyes."


    "But won''t the search go faster with more eyes on the ground?"


    "Not if they don''t understand what they''re looking at. If I fail to find anything, I''ll let you know so we can all search together." Syryn was amicable since the headman had been so helpful.


    "Alright then young healer, let us know when you need our help." The adage of too many cooks spoiling the broth was what Syryn was afraid of. A bunch of villagers stomping around without any care was to be avoided at all cost.


    The villagers were quick to disperse. Fear tended to do that. Syryn was once again left alone with Dinah.


    "What are we looking for?" She asked the alchemist.


    "I don''t know. Just look around and call me if you spot anything that catches your eye."


    What was special about the area? The boundary extended to the inside of the jungle. Syryn could not find any common ground between the jungle and the field. Just as he was losing his patience, he had another realisation. The alchemist was inside the forest, eyes following the ropes. It appeared that the ropes formed a semblance of a circle around the insect graveyard. Didn''t it mean then that a centre existed? One which was surrounded by a locus of points where the wooden stakes had been hammered? And was there something interesting at the centre?


    Syryn''s anticipation began to rocket as he walked towards the fencing that surrounded someone''s garden. Disregarding the thought that he was trespassing upon private property, Syryn climbed over the tall wooden fence.


    The alchemist landed at the foot of the fence and looked around at the countless flowering trees. The tops of the tree trunks were connected by an expansive net that spread out below the canopy like a giant spider web. Syryn looked above his head and saw heaps of petals that had fallen onto the nets. The smell that plagued him was even stronger inside the garden.


    "Syryn," Dinah''s head popped up from behind the fence. "What are you doing there?"


    "Looking for something. Come follow me."


    "Did you get permission to trespass?" She asked him.


    "I''ll get permission later."


    When a soft breeze came his way, Syryn nearly fell to his knees from the potency of the smell that hit him. The sweetness went straight to his head and he was struck by nausea.


    "Syryn, not again." Dinah stopped beside him and rubbed his back. "You poor darling. Where''s your favourite scarf?"


    Syryn was upset. His frequent use of Rowan''s scarf was erasing away the anti mage''s scent faster than the alchemist had anticipated. He wrapped it around his nose and took a deep breath but the smell of flowers permeated the fabric.


    Eyes hardening into cold chips, Syryn whipped the violence in his heart. He was burning down the garden whether Dinah liked it or not. "Let''s go."


    The priestess smiled at the image of the teenage boy whose face was covered up with the scarf like he had on a beehive.


    "Syryn, what are we looking for?" Dinah asked him. "Just tell me already."


    "The centre of the boundary we set up around the grave. I feel like we might find something there."


    "But there are too many trees here."


    Accurately finding the centre involved having vision of the ropes which could no longer be seen.


    "It''s fine."


    "Oh wow that smells really strong," Dinah commented and blinked her eyes.


    Rowan''s scarf had done its job blocking out the potency of the smell so it didnt bother the alchemist as much. "Why does it feel like we''re getting closer to the source of the smell?" He asked the priestess.


    "That''s because we are," she pointed to a gorgeous looking plant that was blooming with all the glory of a flower at the peak of its season. Five beautiful snow-white flowers with deep red throats hung down from their stems like trumpets.


    "That''s the source of your misery," Dinah told Syryn.


    "And the centre of this entire fiasco," the alchemist answered. Had they found the culprit?

 Chapter 124 - Trumpets

    "Are you familiar with the plant?" Dinah asked the alchemist who had a hand pressed to his nose.


    "No." It was hard for him to admit it but Syryn wasnt the encyclopedia of knowledge that he wished to be. "I''ve seen similar flowers but none that stink like it."


    "It doesn''t stink," Dinah good naturally rebutted. "That''s just your picky nose talking."


    Right then, the door to the house that the garden belonged to was thrown open. A woman came out to see who had entered her garden.


    "Hey, what are you two doing there? Get away from the plant," the woman shouted from where she stood.


    "We have some questions for you," Dinah yelled back. "Can we have a moment?"


    "I''m busy right now. Why dont you come back tomorrow?"


    "It''s an emergency, lady. The village headman sent us," Syryn replied. "We just need you here for a few minutes."


    The woman looked inside the house where Syryn heard the sound of a baby crying. She went back in and came out with a toddler in her arms.


    Closing the gap between them quickly, the tired-looking woman stopped beside the plant and eyed the two trespasses with suspicion. "You''re the priestess and the healer. What business do you have with my prized trumpets?"


    She looked perfectly healthy save for her tiredness. Even her young toddler appeared as lively as a child its age could be. The alchemist was touched by a moment of doubt about the plant and its suspected nefarious abilities.


    "Are you the only one in the village who grows this plant?" He asked her.


    "Yes, why?" She looked confused at the line of questioning that came from the healer.


    "Where did you get it from?"


    "I got the seeds about half a year ago from a group of passing merchants. They told me it was an exotic plant that had been found by adventurers. The seeds were still being studied by some botanists and they weren''t sure if it would have any use for a perfume maker. What''s wrong? Is the plant bad?" An unfriendly look passed over her expression. "I spent a lot of money buying the seeds."


    "And did you let people touch the plant or give away cuttings of it?" Syryn asked as he stepped closer to the plant and carefully observed the flowers.


    "I didn''t give away anything. The other villagers know about it though. They began visiting and touching the plant when it started to bud."


    The alchemist squinted and bent his head to take a better look at the receptacle of the flower where it merged with the stem. "And did it include the hunter, the builder, and the first guy that died?"


    "What are you saying?" The woman''s reply was acidic. She frowned at the young alchemist.


    "I''m just asking you a simple question," Syryn turned to the woman. "Answer it."


    She looked to Dinah but the priestess was a silent spectator. "How should I know? Most of the villagers came to my garden to look at it. My trumpets couldn''t have killed them. I''m alive, aren''t I? If they were poisonous, I would have died first."


    It was reasoning that Syryn could not argue with. He didnt want to be wrong about the plant but the alchemist couldn''t explain the hole in his theory which the woman had pointed out.


    "Can I trouble you to let me have a sample of the plant?" He asked the woman. If Syryn was wrong, he was wrong. But right now, this was all he had and he would investigate it thoroughly.


    "What do you need?" She asked.


    "Leaves, a petal, some pollen, and sap if it has any."


    "Let me get my tools," she replied. "And don''t touch it while I''m gone."


    When she left, Dinah watched in disapproval as Syryn quickly removed a glass tube and a knife from his bag. The alchemist put the knife away as if he had second thoughts about what he was doing. But he hadn''t. Syryn broke a twig from a nearby tree and bent close to the flower.


    "What are you doing?! Syryn!" Dinah whispered.


    The alchemist was scraping something into his tube with the broken twig. A few scrapes on the receptacle of the flower and he was done. The twig was crushed under his foot and the tube put away in his bag.


    "I didn''t do anything," Syryn calmly replied after he was done stealing samples. "Stop acting suspicious, Dinah. If she comes over and sees you looking so flustered, she might think we tried to steal her precious trumpets."


    The woman came back and saw the unwanted guests standing far away from her plant. Throwing another frown their way, she clipped off a leaf. "Do you have something to put this in?" She asked Syryn.


    He handed her four glass tubes. "Put them all in separate tubes. I dont want the samples to contaminate each other."


    "There''s nothing to be contaminated," she replied sourly but did as Syryn instructed.


    When he received the test tubes from the woman, Syryn gingerly wrapped them in a piece of cloth before they were stashed away. "Thank you. We''ll come back again."


    The duo left the garden through the gate like respectable folks. They left behind a woman who gloomily stared at their departing backs.


    "What are you going to do with the samples?" Dinah asked Syryn.


    "I have to test them but I''m not sure how. I''ll maybe run parallel tests on the plant samples and the dead insects just to see if anything pops up."


    "Let''s get you the insects then," Dinah replied. "Can I stay at your cabin for tonight?"


    "Why? Have you run out of money?"


    "I''m just curious about what you might find," Dinah answered. "And it''s boring all by myself at the inn."


    "Pay rent for a night," Syryn replied.


    "I want to freeload."


    "Then you''ll be my assistant. Here-" Syryn materialised another empty tube. "Stuff it with dead insects. I want the dried ones, fresh ones, and those with the grey fungus on their bodies."


    "How many tubes do you carry with you?" Dinah asked as she crouched down and began to search the grass.


    "I have another twenty-two tubes."


    "So many!"


    "It''s not even half the number that most alchemists carry around with them. We always have plenty of tubes for samples and ingredients that we might stumble upon while going about our lives."


    Dinah shovelled dead insects into the tube with a stick she broke off a tree. "What are you planning to do with all the samples?"


    "I want to establish a connection between the dead insects and the plant. Can you not get mud inside? I said insect samples, not mud samples."


    "Why don''t you do it yourself then?"


    "I''m not the one paying off a night''s stay at the cosy Nigh''hart cabin. Look, there''s grass inside the tube-"


    "I will shove this up your asshole," Dinah held the glass tube up.


    "That would be funny. Rowan beaten by a test tube."


    "I don''t even want to know." The priestess turned her back to the chuckling alchemist. She found a few more insects before calling it day.


    ----------


    Back at the cabin, Syryn and Dinah set up a working space far away from the others. Rei and Gosan were enjoying the cool evening air while Akida sharpened a kitchen knife on a whetstone. Lucien had reportedly eaten lunch and fallen asleep again.


    "Dinah, do you have an extra robe? We might have to burn that one after we''re done with the testing."


    "I do have an extra but I can''t burn my vestments. That''s disrespectful. Give me something of yours to wear."


    Syryn handed her one of his shirts and when Dinah wore it, the material stretched too tight across the chest.


    "That''s no good," Syryn muttered. "Can you breathe?"


    "Yes. I''d rather wear something else though."


    "Who asked you to have such massive boobs? All my shirts are of similar size," Syryn dryly replied.


    "The same reason you are such a brat. You didn''t choose to be born with that attitude, did you?" Dinah was a patient woman but Syryn sometimes tested her like no one else could. She was a well-respected member of the fire temple and had never been told off by anyone for being well endowed.


    "Let''s get going before you tear the shirt while heaving in anger." Syryn turned around and left, unaware of how close he was to getting his head busted open by an irate priestess.


    "Oi, Akida, sharpen my knife." Syryn tossed his folded blade at the avian''s feet and lead Dinah towards their makeshift lab.


    The alchemist laid the test tubes out on the plank that served as their table. Three more empty tubes, watch glasses, forceps and an assortment of tools came out of his dimensional bag.


    "Bring some boiled water from the kitchen," Syryn told the priestess.


    While Dinah did as he bid, Syryn took out all his remaining test tubes and arranged them carefully on the makeshift table.


    "Here. Water was already boiling when I went in. Your avian guard wasnt too happy about me stealing his hot water." Dinah placed the pot of water on the ground next to Syryn. "Are we using all those tubes?" she asked him.


    "Yes. And they''re not going to be enough for what I want to do."


    "And what is it that you want to do?" Dinah asked him.


    "Well, to make it simple, I will test the samples with several reagents. When a patient comes to me suffering from an infection that I cannot diagnose from his symptoms alone, what I do first is perform a test for the family of microbes that it belongs to. We already see fungus-like growths on the insect so that narrows down the possibilities."


    "So you think it''s a fungus?"


    "We''ll test for the others too."


    "But there''s got to be hundreds of different kinds of fungus."


    "That''s not the objective of our test, priestess. Remember what I told you about making a connection between the insects and the plant?"


    "Now that you mention it, I do."


    "Anyway, as I was saying, we''re going to add seven different kinds of reagents to a sample each of the leaf, pollen, insect, and the powder that I scraped off. We''ll wait overnight and see what happens to the samples by morning. If the insects have been infected by something on the plant then we''ll find the same reaction from the same reagent added to both."


    "So it''s not the plant but something on the plant that did it?"


    "Just a guess," Syryn replied. "The necrosis we saw cannot be achieved by floral poisoning, either through touching the plant or inhaling its pollen. Do you know what that means?"


    "That something else caused it and it''s growing on the plant?"


    "A possibility." His suspicions originated at that moment when he saw the tiny grey nodules on the plant. The colour also matched what he had seen on the insects. The connection he was making between the creatures of interest was tenuous at best but Syryn didnt believe in coincidences lining up so nicely. And if he was wrong about it all, they would find out soon enough.

 Chapter 125 - Moira

    Dinah didn''t have a lot to do because Syryn was disinclined to have a bumbling priestess ruin his experiment. It was times like these that he wished Salem was around. Setting aside the unproductive thoughts, the alchemist added his reagents to the tubes and stuck labels on them for future identification. All of the tubes then went inside one of the empty chests that had previously contained utensils.


    When it was time for dinner, Syryn wasn''t very hungry but he had an extra serving of a savoury meat pie that Akida baked using hot coals.


    -----


    "Akida, what''s this? Porridge without fruits? There are a few dried dates and a couple of nuts floating in it. I can''t eat this!" Palate ruined by the guard''s excellent cooking, Syryn''s morning was ruined just as bad when he found out what breakfast consisted of.


    "It''s your own damn fault for eating every single piece of the fresh fruits we had," Akida answered as his knife came down swiftly on a struggling fish that had been delivered to them in a bucket.


    The chastised but unrepentant alchemist quietly ate his breakfast and wandered off to check on his samples. He hoped that a sufficient amount of time had passed for the effects of the reagents to become visible.


    One glance at the samples and Syryn was swallowing down his excitement. His efforts had not been wasted.


    All the samples showed varying degrees of small changes but what stood out the most were two glass tubes - both displaying white streaks on the glass. The streaks were thin and powdery. The alchemist giddily checked the labels on the test tubes.


    Insect - advanced


    Grey Nodules


    He had finally found the connection he was looking for. The leaf and pollen samples also exhibited white streaks but they were almost invisible to the naked eye. This meant that the entire plant was infected by the grey nodules that caused the mass death of insects and had equally devastating effects on humans. All that was left to do was to connect the nodules to the deaths of the three unlucky villagers.


    "What''s the verdict?" Dinah asked the alchemist.


    "Guilty. Execution by fire after I take cuttings of the trumpets."


    ----


    Syryn was sipping on tea at the headman''s house while Dinah explained to him why they had to exhume the hunter''s body.


    "It simply cannot be done, priestess," he wiped his sweaty forehead with a cloth. "His soul would be displeased if we desecrated his place of burial!"


    Syryn was already making plans for how to steal the body when the villagers were asleep. He would require the muscular arms of the village healer to dig up the body. Akida also had to come just in case they were caught digging by a nosy villager.


    While Syryn plotted, a villager barged into the garden and informed the headman of terrible news.


    "Cami has passed away and her mother has gone crazy! She''s refusing to let the body be taken away for cleansing."


    To dig up a grave or to cut open a child? The headman looked at Syryn with indecision in his eyes. They were both thinking the same thing.


    "There''s only one way to definitively prove that the deaths were caused by culprits of the same source. Make your decision and let me know which body I can have. I''m leaving tomorrow, headman. It is all up to you." The alchemist stood up to leave.


    Dinah did not envy the pressure that Syryn had just placed on the headman''s shoulders. He would have to convince the grieving family members to let Syryn cut their deceased child open. If not that, it meant breaking tradition and overcoming superstition to exhume a dead body.


    ----


    After coming back from the headman''s house, Syryn spent a lazy afternoon parading around shirtless. Having spent an hour doing laundry for himself and Lucien, the alchemist was feeling the heat, the reason for his shirtless state of affairs. The clean clothes he had worked hard on were wrung out and hung onto tree branches that received maximum solar insolation.


    Dinah, a spectator of the domestic situation at the Nigh''hart cabin, shook her head at the oblivious teenager. Syryn had his hair up in a ponytail but a few wayward strands of the silky tresses were stuck to his glistening skin which had a light pink tinge from sunning for too long. Beads of water rolled down between his shoulder blades after Syryn dunked an entire bucket of water on himself to cool down.


    Rei and Akida were both respectfully averting their sights away from the teenager. They made it a point to look anywhere else but at Syryn. Men going shirtless was a frequent and normal development on hot days, but when Syryn did it, everything suddenly became more scandalous. Neither could understand why it was different when Syryn was the one who went shirtless. They all had the same body parts so why was the teenager giving off such an ambiguous aura?


    The avians blessed themselves by invoking the names of whatever deities they worshipped. Eyes firmly planted on their chores, they managed to get through the afternoon without having any impure thoughts.


    "Akida, fancy some grave digging?" Syryn was now decent and the guard could look at him without feeling weird about it.


    "No," the avian replied. The fish that had been marinating for hours was ready to be cooked. Akida was looking for the sprig of mint that Syryn had been stealing out of.


    "I can pay you extra. Gold, favours, a boon, whatever you ask for." Syryn wouldn''t have insisted if he wasn''t so averse to handling the bodies of little children.


    The alchemist leaned back against the cooking station and got in the way of Akida''s endeavours to find mint. "Are you superstitious?" He asked the frustrated avian.


    "Did you eat all the mint?" Akida asked the teen.


    "Answer my question first."


    The avian guard folded his arms against his chest and faced the young healer who was determined to make his life harder than it should have been. From the day that he had arrived, Akida had been stressed out about how Syryn kept disappearing off without a chaperon, exposing himself to the god awful disease that he was investigating though it had nothing to do with him, and all of that without taking into account how Syryn used him to threaten and intimidate unsuspecting villagers.


    "Whose grave do you want to dig up, and why? Tell me that first."


    "The hunter," Syryn answered. "He''s got the devil in his brain."


    "What time?" Akida had a feeling Syryn would do it with or without him.


    "Midnight. It''s the best time to disturb a grave because that''s when the ghosts are out haunting the living. They won''t know that we''re stealing their bodies."


    It was a load of bullshit and Akida knew it. "Did you finish all the mint?"


    "Mint? I ate a few. Is there none left?" Syryn asked as if he didn''t know that the entire sprig had gone into his stomach. It was a refreshing plant to chew on when he felt hot.


    "The mint is all gone. You get plain fish for dinner."


    Syryn slunk out of the kitchen cabin knowing that Akida had seen him eating the mint. Knowing how good the avian''s skills were, Syryn was sure that even plain fish would taste good if Akida''s magic hands touched it.


    ----


    "Dinah, dont you have anything better to do than hang around men younger than you? Or are you interested in Gosan? I have to warn you though, he''s married."


    The sun wasnt going down fast enough for Syryn. Midnight seemed like years away. His boredom and impatience were reasons for annoying the long-suffering woman beside him. They were both sitting on the grass and peeling the skin off potatoes.


    "Dinah, I''m talking to you- Din-!!!"


    Syryn let out a hiss of pain and looked down at his smoking skin. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing - the priestess had branded him like cattle.


    "What have you done?" He whispered in fear. A symbol that looked like the flames of a red fire was burnt into the skin of his shoulder after Dinah had touched it.


    "Matching tats. Welcome to the fold of the fire temple, Syryn," Dinah said to him with all the enthusiasm of potato peeling.


    Syryn saw the same fire emblem on her shoulder and he was aghast. "How is this not a crime?!" He cried out. "You can''t just recruit me against my will!"


    "But I did."


    "Your goddess will burn us both to ashes for this heresy!"


    "Well, remember it the next time you decide to open your mouth and talk shit that your asshole would be so proud of."


    "Priestess, tell me, am I going to die?"


    Syryn feared anti mages. He also feared the wrath of the gods and goddesses. To have received the mark of Moira was a terrifying thing to a demon.


    "So dramatic," Dinah drawled. "You won''t die. Now that you''re part of the fire temple, you''ll be expected to perform the rituals that Moira demands."


    "I will cut out my flesh if I have to," Syryn hissed at Dinah. "I want this thing off my skin."


    "I can''t do it," Dinah replied without emotion. "If you gouge out your flesh, it will just appear somewhere else. Will you disfigure yourself so? It''s not all that bad, Syryn."


    "Why?" He asked her. "I know you didn''t just do it out of spite."


    Dinah sighed and turned away from the furious teen. "It is Moira''s will. What do I, a simple mortal, know about the whims of the immortals that rule the aether?"


    "How eye-opening!" Syryn said as he laughed without humour. "Does your goddess have no worshippers that she must force an unwilling demon to join her flock?"


    "I am but a messenger, Syryn. Moira has given you a year from now. Before the end of the year, you are to come to the temple of fire in Karnok."


    "And if I refuse?" The alchemist coldly responded.


    "Then we''ll know what happens in a year." Dinah looked away, unable to face the teen who had every right to be angry about his new situation.


    "Tell Moira that she''ll have to drag me screaming and in chains if she wants me to show up at her temple."


    Dinah smiled despite herself. She hadn''t known him for long but it was just so Syryn-like to say that.


    "Then prepare yourself, Syryn," she told him. "Moira will drag you to Karnok."


    The alchemist was saved from replying to her when he spotted company. Villagers were approaching them and at the front of the group was the headman. Syryn cursed the day because he knew it had just gotten worse.

 Chapter 126 - Stupid Villagers

    An hour after the village head arrived at his cabin, Syryn found himself in a room with the body of Cami. The tiny corpse on the table tugged at his heart strings and it took everything in Syryn to not turn away and abandon what he had come to do.


    The alchemist hadn''t wanted Rei to suffer through it with him so the guard had been sent away. Now, he was alone in a bare room with nothing but his tools and a sheet covering the small child.


    Syryn sank into the cold comfort that came with letting his demon through just a little bit. The small amount of insanity it brought took the edge off the feelings that Cami''s dead body inspired in him.


    He was careful with how he handled her. Syryn made sure not to leave obvious cuts that would show during her funeral.


    And when opened up her skull, it was with a sinking heart that Syryn observed the haemorrhage and necrosis in her brain. Her condition was so advanced that not much of her brain tissue was left intact. The alchemist had a hypothesis for this. He believed that the grey nodules were a fungal species that thrived and propagated inside the human brain. He took a tiny sample of Cami''s brain tissue and put it inside a test tube. One final test would determine the plausibility of his hypothesis. It would be the final piece of the puzzle that would connect everything together.


    ----


    "It''s done," Syryn told Cami''s family members who were standing outside the building where he worked.


    "Was it the same thing you found in the builder''s brain?" Asked the old woman who had inisisted that it was a possession.


    "It is what killed her. I''m sorry." Syryn was a little numb from having let his demon out.


    The grandmother nodded before grabbing Syryn''s hand and weeping. "We should have listened to you sooner. Maybe she wouldn''t have died then. We failed Cami. Oh Cami," her tears fell like rain.


    "None of us could have helped her," Syryn said to the old woman. "Cami was lost the moment those things entered her brain. You didnt fail her."


    The alchemist then turned to the head man. "We''ll know by tomorrow if it''s the same disease. What will you do with the plant if it''s confirmed?"


    "We''ll burn it down," the headman appeared to have aged more after Cami''s death. "How can we repay you, healer?"


    "You can let me have the plant," Syryn answered. It was a source of something so terriblee that it attracted Syryn. He could think of multiple creative ways to harness its horrors.


    The headman recoiled at Syryn''s answer. "What? Why do you want it? Aren''t you afraid of what it could do to you if you were careless with it?"


    "It''s not the plant that kills people. It''s the stuff on the plant. Imagine the consequences of a situation where the fungus finds ways to thrive on other species of plants? This village is a paradise for it."


    A wave of fear swept through the gathered crowd. "Are you saying it could spread to other plants?" The headman asked.


    "I dont know." Syryn had heard of creatures that burrowed deep into the bodies of their victims. They were known to alter brain chemistry in a way that would change the behaviour of the host to suit the needs of the parasites. It explained why all the insects and dead people gathered to die near the plant. Something about it, like its perfume, attracted the hosts to the plant. To answer the question of why, Syryn hypothesised that the fungus began a second phase of its life cycle on the trumpet plant.


    "Sir, are you certain it''s my plant that did it?" A woman pushed to the front of the crowd. It was the owner of the trumpet flower.


    "I will ascertain that for sure when I get the results of my test by tomorrow," he answered her.


    "Then why have I not fallen sick?! Why those people specifically?"


    "I can''t say for sure. Some people are just genetically more predisposed towards certain conditions. I believe that the fungi''s natural host is the species of insects that we found in large numbers. Humans are perhaps an accidental host," he was thoughtful as he answered. If the fungi and the trumpet plant were symbiotic in some way, they were both evolving in a direction that threatened humans. Syryn suspected that the evolution wasn''t an accident. The merchants who sold the seeds were suspicious even if they weren''t directly culpable for what had happened.


    "How can you say that?" She shouted. "You should be sure of it if you''re going to accuse my plant of killing people!"


    Syryn was done here. He wasnt getting paid for investigating anything, and nor was he tolerating the annoying complaints of clueless villagers.


    "I''ll come to your house in the morning when the result is ready," Syryn informed the head man before he walked away the crowd.


    ----


    When Syryn reached his cabin home, he was surprised to find Lucien awake.


    "Syryn, what''s going on?" The question caught the alchemist off guard and he realised it was Red that had spoken.


    "You, what the hell happened to you?!" He jabbed a finger at Red''s forehead.


    "I passed out for a few days. Big deal. Stop being so dramatic."


    "Dramatic? Is that the gratitude I get for taking care of your comatose ass?"


    Red pressed his lips in a line and turned away from Syryn. "Thank you." It was a small sound, so small that Syryn almost thought he was imagining it.


    "What was that? Say it louder."


    "Fuck off."


    Syryn was happy to have him back. "Are you okay now, Red?"


    The child shook his head. "Another month or so of sleeping. I''ll probably wake up multiple times in between though."


    "And what about Luci?"


    "Luci will sleep less. Why are we here, Syryn?" The redhead looked around at their surroundings and landed on Akida. "And who is the new guy?"


    "I decided to stop over in this village because I was worried about you. I''m still not sure about leaving for Nua till you''re all better."


    "Let''s get moving. I hate the smell of this place. Woke up to the stink of something so pungent, I wanted to throw up in my mouth."


    It was the trumpet flower. So Syryn wasnt the only one who couldn''t tolerate it.


    "That''s Akida by the way. He''s our new guard. Useful avian."


    Red''s gaze took in the sight of Akida chopping some firewood with the expertise of a lumberjack.


    "I''m going back to sleep," Red informed Syryn. "Let Luci have dinner when he''s ready to."


    -----


    At the crack of dawn, Syryn stared at the test tube with mixed feelings. It had the streaks of white powder now familiar to him. Here was confirmation of all his suspicions. It was hard evidence that proved beyond a shadow of doubt about the insidious nature of the fungus. But it left Syryn with more questions than answers.


    How did humans become an accidental host to the fungus? Which groups of people were more susceptible to its invasion? Who were the merchants that had brought it to this place? Maybe he was overthinking it and the fungus was just a freak of nature that had evolved in that direction because of a set of random coincidences. Well, it wasn''t his problem.


    "Akida, get ready to leave. We''re moving tomorrow, early in the morning," he told the guard. "Do we have mounts?"


    "I''ll take care of the logistics. Wrap up whatever work you''ve got left today."


    Syryn left the details to the reliable guard and made a beeline to the headman''s house where Dinah was already waiting.


    "Healer, we''ve been waiting for you." The man stood up from his chair and greeted Syryn. Dinah nodded once and waited for the alchemist to speak.


    "Look," Syryn retrieved a corked test tube from his pocket and held it out to the duo. "White streaks. The same result that I got from the builder''s sample as well as the plant samples."


    The headman blanched. "So it''s all true. They all died because of that plant."


    While they conversed, Syryn saw a crowd approaching them. People were angry. There was the trouble that he had wanted to avoid.


    "This man is lying! Headman, how can you believe him without evidence?!" It was the owner of the trumpet. Was she really such a penny pincher that the thought of losing her plant was making her crazy enough to gather a mob? Syryn wondered.


    "Didn''t I show you the test tubes?" Syryn asked the crowd. He had displayed evidence of fungal infection before the autopsy on Cami had started.


    "And how do we know that you didn''t just fabricate them?"


    "You could have made everything up!"


    "None of us know anything about the suspicious experiments you do. It doesn''t mean you can just fool us! We''re not stupid."


    Syryn hadn''t heard something so hilarious in a really long time. He began to laugh at the man who said he wasn''t stupid.


    Offended by Syryn''s unbridled laughter, the man sputtered in rage. "You- it''s you that killed them! And you''re trying to blame the plant for it!"


    The alchemist wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and smiled. "If you want to place the pot on my head, I dont mind taking the blame for everything. But that also means you''ll all have to die." Common sense and logic were commodities that the villagers had a dearth of.


    "Are you threatening us? Look, he admits it!"


    The alchemist had a vague looking smile on his face that Dinah didn''t like.


    "When did Syryn arrive at the village?" She asked the headman.


    The confused man who had almost believed the villagers recalled that one victim was already dead when Syryn''s party had arrived. It meant that he was innocent.


    "We passed by the funeral procession of Torben. It couldn''t have been the healer," he informed the crowd.


    Many faces in the crowd looked uncertain after the headman''s revelation.


    "That doesn''t mean he didn''t do it! For a healer like him, it''s just as easy to poison the water and make us believe that he''s innocent. Don''t believe his lies! He is an outsider!" It was the man that hadn''t wanted to risk his life during the boundary demarcation.


    "And what proof do you have that Syryn did what you accuse him of?" Dinah asked the crowd.


    "Why do we need proof? It''s obviously him," another stupid villager shouted.


    "Okay, and what about my motives? Why would I bother to come to this backward place of a village and murder a bunch of people who I''ve never met?" Syryn asked them since Dinah was intent on taking the peaceful route.


    "How do we know? We aren''t mind readers!" The woman replied.


    Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. The words echoed in Syryn''s mind. How were they so stupid? Could he raze this village down so that the morons could not spread their stupid genes? No, sterilise them, his conscience suggested.


    "He is innocent," Dinah stood in front of Syryn and reiterated to the crowd when she''d made the realisation that logic was absent in this court. The frightened villagers had made their minds up about the alchemist, a target they could actually attack.


    "Priestess, step aside and let us take the healer away!"


    Dinah was the only thing standing between them and a furious demon. The villagers didnt know that. Syryn was more than capable of burying the entirety of the village under rubble. She wasn''t saving Syryn from them, it was them getting saved from the man''s wrath. How she wished she could tell them.


    When a burly villager stepped forward to push her aside, Dinah decided she had had enough. Power flared in her eyes and the air surrounding Dinah became so hot that it charred the skin of the man that had tried to touch her.


    "Do not presume that you can touch me so casually," she told the man. The warning in her tone could not be mistaken for anything else. "The goddess sees that you have no gratitude for the goodness rendered unto you by an innocent man. Scatter or you will perish this day."


    Dinah in her priestess avatar was terrifying to behold. The villagers scattered like leaves on a windy day. And when the last one had run away, she turned around to the alchemist and squeezed his arm.


    "You should leave the village, Syryn."

 Chapter 127 - At The Foot Of Paradise

    "Finally!" Luci declared, "I thought we''d never leave this place."


    His happiness came as a surprise to Syryn because the teen hadn''t known that even Luci could feel Red''s stress which came from smelling the trumpet plant''s perfume.


    Syryn had returned to the cabin home and found Rei and Akida clearing up the evidence of their stay. The duo worked with so much efficiency that the alchemist didn''t have much to do.


    Syryn had also found out that Akida had procured another khlat to supplement the one they already had. Riaku had paid the innkeeper to take care of the beast for the duration of one month but it had only been a few days. Consequently, Akida had forced the man to pay back the rightful amount he owed them after subtracting from the days that the mount had been cared for.


    Having enough time on his hand, he packed his and Lucien''s luggage with care. The alchemist also did not forget to buy a bundle of products exclusive to the valley of flowers. He packed them all in with the fresh salmon iris'' that he had extorted from the village healer. And sometime during the night, a young man delivered to them a single stem of the trumpet plant, thoroughly wrapped up in several layers of cloth. They had taken great care to ensure that not a single part of the plant was left exposed to accidentally come into contact with skin.


    Packing was done and Syryn was ready to hit the bed. "Sleep early, we''ll move at dawn," Syryn told the redhead who was energetically chattering.


    "I''ve been sleeping for days, Syryn. I''m so excited I can''t fall asleep."


    "Then let me sleep, Luci. I''m tired."


    "Okay, but-"


    "Hush."


    "Syryn, I-"


    "Luci, I will kick you out of the bed if you don''t let me sleep."


    "Aww"


    --------


    The group set out in the morning after saying goodbye to Dinah and the village headman. When asked about her plans, the priestess told Syryn she was heading back to her temple after nightfall.


    Syryn even received a gift from Suni just as they were leaving the gates of the village. A jar of honey that she had harvested out of her own bee box, the young girl had told him.


    Akida was on horseback while the others rode on the backs of the khlat that he had brought back from the inn.


    It was neither a harsh nor easy journey to Nua. Unlike the first leg of the journey they''d made with Riaku, Akida did not have them stop at villages. Their first break was at a waterfall where a wide awake Luci went too close to the rocks and was sprayed by cold water. The little boy was pulled away by Syryn and made to change clothes before they continued onwards.


    And when the moon was out, and exhaustion had caught up to the travellers, Akida still pushed them on a little further till they reached a cave that the avian was familiar with. The avian guard took the first watch while the others slipped inside their bedrolls.


    "Wake me up in three hours," Syryn said to the avian whose straight back was turned against the alchemist from his seat near the entrance of the cave.


    At midnight, Akida shook Syryn awake. It was an hour later than Syryn had asked to be roused.


    "If you still need sleep, I can do another hour," he was told by the guard.


    Syryn stretched his body and emerged from the sleeping roll. After travelling all day, he was impressed at the avian''s resilience to tiredness. "No, I''m good. Take your well-deserved sleep, Akida."


    Syryn refrained from waking Rei who was supposed to take the third shift. When the sky gained some light, the healer guard came to sit beside Syryn. He was only half an hour past his shift time.


    "Why didn''t you wake me up?"


    "I can run on less sleep than the average person," Syryn told the healer guard.


    "Even so, it was my turn."


    "Bring some firewood if you''re intent on nagging me so early in the morning," Syryn told the avian. "I''ll make breakfast today."


    --------


    Nua was 3 hours away. The group found that the jungle was getting thicker and wetter as they kept going. Luxuriant green forest blocked out most of the harsh noon sunlight while the air grew heavier with a humidness that covered them in sticky discomfort. A wide path had been cut through the jungle but palm fronds and other broad-leaved bushes went out of their to encroach upon the road made for travellers.


    Even the ground that they walked upon was unpaved forest floor covered in decaying leaves and whatever fell from the upper layers of the jungle.


    Syryn had the group stop when he noticed bright orange fruits that were dangling like teardrops from the canopy of a tall tree. Both avian guards were tasked with plucking the fruits and then helping Syryn take out the seeds from them.


    "The oil from this seed is special," he told the avians. "It''s a very effective ingredient in the making of essences for patients that suffer from rheumatism and poor circulation."


    Almost an hour was spent on the task because Syryn insisted that the flesh had to be removed. His storage space could not possibly accommodate all the fruits that his greedy heart was unwilling to leave behind.


    "We''re behind schedule," Akida told the alchemist. "No more stops for picking up mushrooms, weird plants, or cutting off vines."


    "I don''t have space left anyway," Syryn replied. "By the way, why have we not encountered any wild beasts? This journey has been too peaceful."


    "You''re complaining about not being attacked?" Rei dryly commented to the alchemist.


    "This is a road often used by merchants so Nua sends people twice a month to clear a straight path through the forest and also drive away the beasts that stray too close," Akida explained. "Sometimes, an unlucky group might encounter wild creatures but it rarely happens."


    "This land is ruled by Nua, isn''t it? Why don''t your people convert it into agricultural land?" Syryn asked the avians.


    "It serves as the first line of defence from terrestrial enemies. But plans are being made to start clearing a few areas of the forest for such a purpose," Akida told Syryn, "not to mention that this forest is under the joint of custody of Nua and Eliibri, a kingdom to the east of here. Any undiscussed development on the jungle grounds would cause a row to erupt between Nua and Elii, and the rulers hadn''t wanted that in the past, not while Nua was already embroiled in wars with the other avian kingdoms."


    "And now that the stone claw tribe has been defeated, Nua is free to annex the land shared with Eliibri, is that it?" Syryn asked.


    "Yes. We cannot keep relying on merchants for food. If something cuts off our supplies then Nua will be doomed to a future of starvation. Our reliance on trading is a point of weakness that the enemy can use against us."


    It made sense. The avians needed agricultural land and there was luxuriant forest sprawling at the foot of Nua''s rocky cliffs. Why not take it by force if they were capable of doing that?


    "Can you be my guide when we get there?" He asked Akida. "I plan to visit all the individual plateau groups before I leave."


    "That might be a problem unless you can convince Riaku that you, a non-avian, should be allowed access to the forbidden areas."


    "I''m sure I''ll manage it," Syryn replied. "Riaku owes me one."


    "Do you really mean to visit all the groups?" Rei asked Syryn. "Even the ones with harsh terrain?"


    "All, without exception."


    This was his only chance to explore Nua, one of the most exotic destinations that Syryn could not afford to miss out on when given the opportunity. Why Nua was so special to him lay in the existence of flora and fauna that could not be found anywhere else.


    The flat-topped ranges of the avian kingdom were isolated from the lower forest strata by elevation and temperature. It meant that the path of evolution had taken a different course on Nua despite coming from the same initial pool of species. What Syryn found very fascinating was that Nua''s plateau groups were separated from one another by deep gorges and large stretches of distance and this allowed interspecies differentiation even within Nua itself. What magical vegetation awaited him? What creatures could he study for use as ingredients? The alchemist was just as excited about it as Luci.


    "So, how well do you know the lands of Nua?" Syryn asked the guard.


    "I''m not a tour guide."


    "So you say."


    The group travelled for two more hours before they exited the forest right at the foot of a plateau that was so high that Syryn could not see the top of it. A thick cloud cover obscured his sights from what he imagined was a paradise of rare ingredients.


    "Wipe the drool off your face, big brother," Luci joked.


    "It''s not drool. That''s the rain, Luci."


    The sparse drops of drizzle that spotted their clothing was now turning into a full-blown rainstorm. The rain washed away the heat from their skin and refreshed their tired spirits.


    "This way," Akida shouted to have his voice heard above the sound of heavy rain.


    They followed the guard''s horse past a wall of stone and reached a narrow cave opening that was just big enough for the khlat to enter.

 Chapter 128 - Nua

    The cave tunnel they had just entered was lit up by rows of magic lamps - little lightning balls trapped inside glass orbs that hung from the ceiling and gave off a bluish light.


    Syryn had seen such contraptions before but never had he witnessed them used so extensively, and that too for the mere purpose of lighting up a tunnel - which could have been served by cheaper means of lighting. Lightning orbs were luxury goods considered as rare trinkets that nobles and rich merchants liked to show off in their homes. The ostentatious display of the orbs struck in him the urge to commit vandalism. All it would take was a piece of rock.


    "Big brother, how did they put lightning inside the ball?" Luci asked in awe.


    "It''s a special skill mastered by glass smiths. Only those mages with a skill for lightning can make thunder balls. These things aren''t just pretty to look at, they cause damage when lobbed at an object," Syryn explained.


    "That''s amazing! Can we make fire balls like thunder balls?"


    "Yea, you trap all kinds of energies in those glass balls, Luci, but lightning is the most difficult to trap."


    "Let''s trap fire in glass balls, Syryn. We could use them to attack enemies."


    "I wouldn''t recommend it," Akida interjected. "Those glass balls may be magical but they''re just as brittle as your windows. The storage and transport accidents associated with energy orbs are not worth the effort of carrying them around, that is unless you''ve got special facilities for such a purpose."


    Fire balls and thunder balls were both very hot to the touch, and volatile if not perfectly sealed. They also constantly gave off energy and had a shelf life equivalent to the amount of energy that was harnessed. There wasn''t much payoff to be made by mass producing them. Hence the rarity and expensive nature of the thunder balls.


    "They''re still pretty to look at," Luci said as his eyes lit up from the light of the lightning ball. The tunnel got warmer as they went deeper inside.


    "Akida, back so soon?"


    Two avians were guarding the exit of the tunnel, both sitting on the floor and playing dice.


    "Let us through, Shimo," Akida told the guard who was blocking the exit.


    "Fine, fine."


    -----


    "We''re leaving the mounts here," Akida told the alchemist after their exit from the tunnel.


    Syryn looked around him and felt as small as an ant when he was confronted by the sheer magnitude of the hole they were in. Space expanded upwards and opened up to a grey misty sky.


    They were at the bottom of a giant well in the rock. A staircase was carved into the wall along the side of the circular hole and it curved upwards to the top. Syryn''s calves ached from the thought of climbing up the steps.


    "Do you expect us to climb that?" He asked the avian guard.


    "I can fly your lazy ass up there if that''s what you''re asking for," Akida replied.


    "Yea, yes, please. And what about Gosan?"


    "I can use my wings. They''re still functional," the amputated avian told Syryn.


    "But you''re still not strong enough to fly, Gosan. I''ll carry you," Rei dissuaded the avian. "Let''s go first. I''m sure your family is sick with worry."


    ---


    When Syryn reached the top of the plateau, his breath was taken away by the sheer size of it. A flat-topped rocky tableland stretched out before him. Because of the fog that covered the plateau, Syryn couldn''t tell how far it extended. And when he stood at the edge of the plateau, a seamless sea of clouds obscured his view of the cliff bottom. The alchemist had the feeling that he was floating on a sky island. It was the dangerous sort of place that could get you killed if you didn''t have a pair of wings on you.


    "Is this the highest part of Nua?" He asked Akida. As far as Syryn could tell, the rocky mass was mostly devoid of vegetation.


    "No, this is just a little higher than the intermediate level. Turn around Syryn, you haven''t looked about have you?" After being flown out of the well, the alchemist had immediately scampered off to look down the edge that was closest to the hole.


    Syryn turned around and what he saw in the distance made his jaw drop. A mass of rock even higher than the one he stood upon jutted upwards like the blackened limb of a monster reaching out to the heavens.


    "Who lives up there?" He asked the avian. Syryn couldn''t fathom being so high up in the sky.


    "Nobody," Akida answered. "You''ll see why," and like an afterthought, he added, "if Riaku gives you permission to get up there."


    "Lucien, you shouldn''t stand at the edge like that," Rei warned the redhead whose feet were precariously placed too close to the edge for the avian''s liking. Even their white cat was looking down at the clouds from next to the boy.


    "I won''t fall," Luci told Rei. "Unlike other people, heights don''t scare me at all."


    "Even so, something could push you down the cliff if you tempt it like that," the avian ominously warned.


    "Something like what?" Lucien heeded the warning and stepped back.


    "Something," Rei replied. "Let''s get moving. I think we''ve wasted enough time."


    "This way," Akida motioned to the brothers. Syryn couldn''t tell how the avian was able to go in the right direction when surrounded by a cold fog.


    The sudden change of temperature from the warm and sticky jungle they had just left was only starting to affect the brothers now. Syryn pulled out two coats that gave them protection from the cold.


    From the thin fog that drifted by, the outlines of a wooden bridge emerged. A short length of the bridge could be seen while the other half went down and into the clouds.


    "Where are we going?" Syryn asked Akida. The bridge was firm and didn''t sway too much when they stepped on it.


    "Helios, it has the largest concentration of avian habitation."


    A cold wet wind whipped at Syryn''s exposed skin and leeched heat from his body. Holding his coat tighter against himself, the alchemist felt a rush go through him when he stepped through the cloud cover.


    It was insane what the avians had managed to build. The bridge was connected to a table of rock at a lower elevation than where they''d just come from. Amongst the wooden homes built on it, large sun trees stuck out beautifully with their thick trunks and bright yellow leaves. They were everywhere. The avians had constructed homes like hives on the walls of the rock. He could see hundreds of bird folks flying in and out of their homes. If Nua had a residential sector then it was this.


    "It''s much warmer down there," Akida assured the brothers. "The dowager queen lives at Helios because the temperature is suitable for her ailing body."


    "Are we going to meet her first?" Syryn asked.


    "No, we''ll leave your luggage and have a meal before going straight to Riaku."


    Syryn wanted to ask why Akida was allowed to get away with calling the prince by his name but he swallowed the question. It wasn''t the right time for it.


    He took a chance to look up at the sky and saw large numbers of colourful birds flying above their heads.


    "Are those avians?" He asked.


    "Huh? No. Those are just birds."


    "I''ll fly Gosan to his home," Rei informed the others, clearly having run out of patience. "See you later, Lucien and Syryn."


    ----


    Avians gawked at the brothers because it was rare for non-avians to be allowed entry into Helios, especially so for the children of any species. Akida led them past rows upon rows of homes till they arrived at a more secluded and quiet area of Helios.


    A large cluster of sun trees stood protectively between the crowded side of Helios and its more posh area.


    Here, Syryn could see large numbers of dragon feather plants growing amongst the sun trees and other native vegetation that wasn''t so eye-catching. The bright pink dragon feathers were flowers with fuzzy petals that broke away from the stem and rode the wind currents that carried their seeds to distant parts of Nua. Syryn had heard of the resilience that the plants showed even in extreme weather conditions. It was no wonder they were the most common of flowers in all of Nua.


    Akida led them to the doors of a well-maintained home that had a small garden. A sun tree grew at the entrance, giving it an inviting and cosy ambience.


    "You''ll be living here during your stay at Nua," Akida informed the brothers as he knocked on the door.


    "Akida," The person who opened the door greeted him and turned to the brothers. "Welcome to Nua. I''m Yui, and I''ll be taking care of your domestic requirements for the duration of your stay at Helios." She was professional in conduct and pleasant to look at. "Please come inside but leave your shoes at the door." She eyed the cats that had come along. A sparkle in her eyes appeared and then was hidden. Syryn surmised she liked the cats.


    "Yui, please set the table while the guests freshen up," Akida told the young woman and turned to Syryn. "You''ll find a new set of clothing each in your sizes. Wear them so you don''t stick out too much."


    "Traditional Nuan clothing?" Luci asked happily.


    "Yes," Akida replied. "If you need any help with the layers, call for me."

 Chapter 129 - Heart Feather

    "Riaku, you look better than the last time I saw you," Syryn told the prince.


    The avian was wearing a rich navy blue robe with a silver Phoenix embroidered along the collar. The scar on his cheek had Syryn thinking about the sword that went wherever Riaku went. It was like an extension of the avian.


    "Thank you, Syryn. I was worried you''d be held up longer at the village. It''s a relief to see that you''ve arrived sooner than I''d anticipated." The prince did not mention their wearing of Nua''s beautiful robes but his appreciation could be seen in the way he looked at them both - with immense satisfaction.


    Luci fidgeted in his seat and had a slight dusty colouring of rose on his cheeks when he furtively looked at Riaku and away. His imagination had run away thanks to what Red had told him. Red would give the prince a kiss on his cheek and Luci would also be involved. Ah, did it mean that his future with Magnus was going to be ruined by Red dating other people? How many people would be involved? It gave the boy a headache. There would be a minimum of four of them right? Luci, Red, Magnus, and Red''s special person.


    "So when do I get to meet the dowager queen?" Syryn asked Riaku.


    "That might take some time," the prince answered. He appeared annoyed by something he was thinking about.


    "Why? What''s wrong?"


    "I have tried to convince elder Toka about the need for enlisting the services of foreign healers but the man remains resistant to the idea."


    "And did you try to squash his opinion with your position as the royal prince?"


    While they talked, a clever waitress quietly brought tea and then left without disrupting the flow of their conversation.


    "I did but he has the support of my brother, the crown prince. It is a delicate situation."


    Syryn mulled over Riaku''s words while taking a sip of the sweet tea. The crown prince and the sacrificial prince, who was more powerful?


    "Riaku, have you ever wanted to rule Nua?" Syryn voiced a dangerous idea that had Akida coughing loudly so the sound would cover up what the alchemist was carelessly letting out.


    "The Crown Prince, my elder brother, is the rightful heir to Nua," Riaku answered very calmly. Like he had said this many times before.


    "Yea, I know, but you''re the one fighting wars and carrying around a murderous sword. Why should he sit on his throne so cosily after you''ve done all the work?" Syryn asked.


    "Syryn," Riaku said in a low whisper. "Do you realise that you''re inciting me to begin a civil war? There is already enough unrest as it is. An internal division would create problems that might destroy this nation."


    "There won''t be a civil war if there is no crown prince to lead an opposition," Syryn delicately replied.


    They''d gone into dangerous territory. Riaku''s face was unreadable, a long practised skill he''d mastered for moments like this one. "Let''s talk about how we''re going to get past the hurdle that''s elder Toka."


    "I can kill him if you just say the word," Syryn told Riaku. "Your brother too."


    Pin drop silence reigned in their private room. Akida dramatically sipped on his tea and eyed the two people looking at each other. There was a tension in the air that grew and grew the longer they remained silent.


    "I''ll consider your offer," Riaku''s reply punctured the balloon of tension.


    The alchemist smiled. "You have a month to decide, Riaku."


    "Why do you wish for me to ascend?" The prince asked.


    The truth was that Syryn wanted to see a half-demon like himself become the ruler of Nua. Especially so since Riaku seemed more stable than any half-breed he had ever met. The prince was a fascinating case study and Syryn wanted to see if power would corrupt him into something terrible.


    "From what I''ve gleaned about Nua, it appears that a more radical ruler is required, someone who will make sweeping changes to the old ways." Syryn''s smile was benign even though his words were anything but. "Plus, I''ve always liked a bit of violence."


    "He who stirs the shit pot must lick the spoon," Luci coldly informed the teen. After successfully startling everyone, his demeanour changed back to Luci''s. "That''s what Red would tell you right now, Syryn."


    The alchemist was disturbed by the accuracy with which Luci had grasped Red''s personality.


    "Does he have a split personality or something?" Akida asked the teen.


    "Yes. Be careful of the other one. It''s rabid."


    The same waitress arrived with food for the avians.


    "There are two high profile medical cases that I want you to take on," Riaku told Syryn after the woman had left. "If you can cure them, the esteemed elder will have no excuses for denying my request. Even my elder brother will have to relent."


    "I have a request. If you can grant it then I''ll treat as many illnesses as you want," Syryn told the prince.


    "What is your request?"


    "To get an all-access pass to all parts of Nua without any exception."


    Riaku was silent for a moment. "What do you wish to gain from such a pass?"


    The expectant alchemist leaned forward and raised his brows. "Riaku, I''m an alchemist. The amount of exotic ingredients all over Nua is like a buffet being coveted by a dog. I will neither touch nor take away anything I''m not supposed to. Thats a promise!"


    "After you treat the cases," Riaku informed him. "Because it will take some time to get permission for it. Nua is very selective about the people who are allowed to study its natural environment."


    "Fair enough. Send your patients to me whenever you want." Syryn thought he would do the same if he owned a garden of rare plants. Nobody would be allowed inside, not even to study them. He would hoard and protect it like a dragon guarding its treasure.


    "I''ll send the first patient to you tomorrow. She''s a middle-aged lady who has been suffering from a sickness that has confounded the healers for a week now. Her prognosis is bad but I am hoping that you can cure her."


    "Why tomorrow? Send her today." Syryn''s curiosity was whetted by the prince. He loved puzzling out strange diseases.


    "I wish to monopolise your evening by taking you to a public lecture," Riaku informed the alchemist. "Every month, Elder Toka conducts a lecture that''s free and open to everyone interested in the healing arts. The front seats are mostly reserved ahead by students who otherwise won''t have the chance to study under his tutelage. I thought we could attend it together so you can gauge his knowledge."


    "A free public lecture?" Syryn asked. "How are the seats reserved then?"


    "By making an advance donation, the proceeds of which go towards charity. It is through this philanthropic activity that Elder Toka has established himself to the public as a generous man."


    "Very good. Let''s attend the lecture. I''m eager to learn something new if that''s even possible." His arrogance was still unbridled. Syryn was only stating the facts and it wasn''t his problem if people were turned off by the truth.


    "Will you cause trouble at the lecture?" Riaku asked as if he was hoping that Syryn would most certainly trouble the old man.


    "Does the sun rise every morning?" The teen replied. "Old man Toka thinks he''s better than everyone else so why not? I''d like him to back up his assertion that foreign healers are inferior to Nua''s cream of the crop."


    "Big brother Syryn will teach him a lesson that he won''t forget," Luci added excitedly. It had been a while since the alchemist had done something amazing in a public setting. Luci lived for moments like this when Syryn shined and was appreciated by everyone. His brother was amazing and people deserved to know it.


    "Let''s not get carried away, Luci. It may not happen during the lecture," Syryn pulled Lucien''s cheek and smiled fondly at the little brat.


    "Elder Toka arrives at five in the evening. We still have time so you should go back and get some rest," Riaku told the brothers.


    ----


    Rowan,


    Nua is breathtaking. You''ve been here before, haven''t you? I''ve noticed that the avians love bright colours. It hurts my eyes when I see some of the birds dressed in clashing multicoloured fabric. Why isn''t nobody telling them that the combination of orange and blue don''t always look good on everybody?


    I also found out something interesting while being shown around by, Akida (My newest purchase). A lot of the adult avians wear a necklace around their necks and it resembles a choker made out of a single long feather. Akida told me that those accessories are heart feathers, a type of feather that does not grow back if it''s pulled out when the avian is in its bird form. They save the feather for the person they love. And when they get married, the heart feathers are turned into necklaces that are protected from damage by a clear resin-like liquid that hardens when dried.


    If you had a heart feather, who would you give it to?


    Regards,


    Syryn

 Chapter 130 - Lecture

    Luci stayed back in their temporary residence with Akida while Riaku and Syryn left to attend the lecture.


    When they reached the amphitheatre, Riaku led the alchemist to two seats in the front row. Almost all of the seats had already been filled in when the duo arrived. The avians respectfully allowed them to pass through and made no trouble for the non-avian attending the lecture. Syryn though was the recipient of many curious stares since his presence was unexpected. His youth and ethereal good looks, coupled with his being accompanied by their prince attracted every eye in the amphitheatre.


    "They''re all staring at me. Is it a rarity for a non-avian to attend this lecture?"


    "We dont usually allow non Nuans inside Helios so, yes, you''re a rarity. It also helps that you''re very attractive."


    "You think I''m attractive?" Syryn asked Riaku.


    "Now you''re just fishing for compliments."


    The amphitheatre quieted down at the entrance of Elder Toka. He was of advanced age and had a head of greying hair. His well-groomed snowy beard reached the level of his chest. Even the clothing he wore was dignified and understated.


    Behind Elder Toka was a young man who looked as young as Syryn. The young man''s features were elegant and noble. Cold eyes made him look unfriendly, and on his brows was a seriousness that added maturity to his bearing. The young man wore simple clothing, unlike the heavily coloured choices that the other avians made.


    "Who is that?" Syryn asked Riaku.


    "Thats Utsui, Elder Toka''s grandson. He''s considered a young medical genius and has been working with his grandfather for the last few months. Utsui is already a full-fledged healer and working towards earning a master crest."


    "Is he like his grandfather?"


    "No, he''s a good kid but far too serious for his age."


    Elder Toka stood at the marble podium and looked around the audience till his eyes rested on Riaku and Syryn. The old man''s gaze slid past the alchemist like his presence was of no consequence.


    As for Utsui, the young man briefly glanced at Syryn and Riaku while heading to his spot just a few seats away from theirs.


    "Good evening, young healers and students, you who are future seeds of Nua''s glorious medical heritage."


    And without wasting any time, the elder jumped straight to the introduction of his topic.


    "Why is intestinal obstruction a medical emergency? Can someone tell me?" He asked the audience.


    "The patient can go into shock," A young avian female answered when the elder pointed to her.


    "Alright, and how does one go into shock?"


    Several hands went up in the air and Elder Toka picked a random student. This time, it was a middle-aged man.


    "It can cause a lack of blood supply and thus necrotise the affected segment of the bowel. This can further lead to a perforation in the bowel and cause peritonitis, and then sepsis which spreads and kills the patient."


    "Correct. What are the causes of intestinal blockage? This is also an easy one."


    "Hernias," one of them answered.


    "Malignant masses."


    "Inflammatory conditions in the bowel."


    "Blunt force trauma which causes a haematoma."


    "Volvulus and intussusception."


    "Paralytic Ileus caused by surgeries or opium consumption! And mesenteric ischaemia."


    "All valid answers," the elder smiled at the audience. "But you''ve missed the most obvious and common answer. Utsui, can you tell us what it is?"


    Syryn heard the clear and low voice that answered. "Adhesions in the tissues caused by previous surgeries."


    Elder Toka nodded and looked around at the audience. "I know you''re all eager to come up with the most complicated conditions but that''s not how you begin the diagnosis of a patient. You always start with the most obvious differentials. Now, let''s get onto the meat of this lecture. We''ll begin with a discussion on the symptoms of intestinal obstruction. The patient presents with the following symptoms-"


    Syryn liked the Elder''s way of engaging with the audience. So far he wasn''t learning anything new but it was fun for him to sit there and experience something he hadn''t in his first life.


    ---


    When the lecture ended after an hour, elder Toka gave the students some time to ask their questions about the topic of the lecture. And that''s when Syryn raised his arm.


    Among all the hands that were raised in the air, Syryn''s arm was the most obvious because he waved it back and forth like a stalk of cattail plant dancing in a breeze.


    "It seems we have a very eager foreigner in our lecture," the elder said to the audience. His smiling gaze rested on Syryn with an amiability that would have fooled most people. Not Syryn. He could see the thread of disdain in the old man''s smile.


    Syryn put his hand down knowing he had the man''s attention. The other students in the amphitheatre did the same realizing that the non-avian had snatched away their chance.


    "Who are you and how did you get the permission to sit in my lecture?" The old man asked, face set in serious lines now.


    "I''m the healer that Prince Riaku hired, the one you refuse to allow to see the dowager queen." Syryn hoped he hadn''t just said something that would get the prince into trouble. From the lack of reaction on Riaku''s face, it seemed he hadn''t blabbered a secret.


    Elder Toka chuckled. "A healer still green behind the ears, how old are you, foreign healer?"


    "My age has nothing to do with how much better I am than every healer present in this lecture," Syryn replied without any pride in it.


    The amphitheatre was completely silent as the old man looked down at Syryn with the weight of reproach that an elder would express towards an arrogant youngster.


    "Your highness, this is the reason I keep insisting on how inferior foreign healers are. This utter lack of propriety and humility has enlightened me as to the kind of healers the outside world churns out. He looks even younger than Utsui. What kind of joke is this?"


    Riaku glanced at Syryn and sat quietly. His nonchalance mirrored Syryn''s.


    "I may be arrogant but I''m not a pompous old fool who disregards a healer chosen by the prince, at least not without first gauging their level of expertise. You took one look at my age and decided I was no good. I could say the same for your dearest grandson." Syryn''s violet eyes languorously looked Utsui up and down like he was appraising an object. "He''s a very handsome gentleman but what about his skills? How much practical experience does he have? Can he make a patient feel comfortable despite looking gloomy enough to chase away all the weak-hearted patients? Does he know that his grandfather''s lecture did not mention a type of intestinal blockage that''s uncommon but still important enough to be included?"


    That final question drew a sharp glance from Utsui who was writing down something on a parchment.


    "Elder has not missed anything," Utsui replied with a frown. "Every single type of blockage has been included in the lecture."


    "The foreign healer speaks nonsense," Elder Toka informed his grandson. "Do not lower yourself to engage with him in the capacity of a healer."


    "But aren''t you curious?" Syryn directed his words to Utsui. The smile in his eyes compelled the young man to reply.


    "If you have nothing meaningful to contribute then you will have wasted all of our time." It was a yes. Elder Toka was very fond of his grandson. If Utsui wanted to hear the explanations of the foreign healer, he would allow it.


    "It''ll be worth your time," he smiled coyly at the young man. Syryn was out to needle Elder Toka who looked unhappy with the way his grandson was being eyed by the foreigner. "Have you ever seen a case of intestinal blockage caused by a gallstone?"


    Utsui''s brows drew together with displeasure. "The gall bladder duct is so small that all the larger stones get impacted in the tract itself while the smaller ones get defecated after pushing through the tract. It is impossible for such a blockage to happen."


    Elder Toka chuckled and the crowd of students began laughing and jeering at Syryn.


    "It''s alright students, let''s learn about this new type of blockage from the foreign healer. Why don''t you get up here and teach us then?" The old man said, expecting Syryn to cower and retreat.


    The alchemist shrugged and made his way to the podium under the surprised gazes of all the people in the amphitheatre. They had no idea he was such a gutsy fellow. Everyone was expecting the alchemist to make a fool out of himself. What did he know that elder Toka didn''t already know?


    In a confident and measured voice, Syryn began to speak. "I thank elder Toka for giving me this opportunity to enlighten Nua''s healers. I can only hope that my explanation will help your understanding to improve."


    Syryn then pointed to the large anatomical diagram that was painted on a white paper screen. It was an exquisitely detailed piece of art that even the alchemist admired.


    "Can anyone of you tell me what a fistula is? Utsui, you answer."


    "An abnormal passageway in the body."


    "So you aren''t just a good looking face after all," Syryn said to the glowering man. "Anyway, a gallbladder-duodenal fistula is an uncommon bilioenteric fistula between the gallbladder and the duodenum. It usually occurs following a chronic case of cholecystitis upon which the gallbladder adheres to the adjacent duodenum, and a stone penetrates through the wall-"


    When Syryn slipped into his lecture mode, his disdain for the elder was forgotten. The alchemist confidently walked about the stage like he had already been there a hundred times lecturing his students with clarity and crispness. If there had been any doubt about his knowledge of anatomy or medicine, it was washed away as he continued to speak and uncover his broad understanding of medicine.


    Syryn''s explanation was logical and it made sense. All the people gathered in that place were finally beginning to realise that it was possible. There was another type of blockage they hadn''t heard of.


    The atmosphere in the amphitheatre changed to one of complete silence and seriousness. Quills began to scratch on the surface of parchments as all the students began taking notes. Even Utsui was doing the same. As soon as Syryn had begun explaining the condition, the young man''s gaze had become intense and he was listening with the same focus as he would during his grandfather''s lessons.


    "Patients with a biliary-enteric fistula are often seen with non-specific signs and symptoms that mimic those of chronic cholecystitis-"


    Syryn hadn''t intended for it to happen but his lecture had stretched to half an hour. His sights grazed the elder who was sat next to Utsui. Elder Toka was deep in thought and did not interrupt Syryn''s lecture. When he wound up the lesson, the alchemist looked around at the hundred or so people and asked.


    "Any questions?"


    Almost every hand in the crowd went up including Utsui''s.


    "So many hands," Syryn perused the crowd with lazy eyes. A small sadistic smile lit up his face and he told the crowd of people, "It''s too bad that I''m just a foreign healer who knows nothing. Save your questions for the esteemed elder Toka who knows more than I do."


    The alchemist then added one final insult for the angered elderly man.


    "And for those of you who are interested in the knowledge that a foreign healer might have to share, I''ll be treating a patient of Nua who your glorious healers could not cure. If you have the connections, find me at that patient''s house at nine in the morning and I will answer whatever questions you have. In addition, you''ll have the opportunity to witness me at work. Come if you''re capable."


    Syryn then left the stage with an easy confidence that swayed all the hearts of the people in the amphitheatre, including the elder''s.


    "Utsui, what do you intend to do?" Elder Toka asked in a low voice.


    "I don''t know who he is but he has my respect, grandfather. I will do my utmost to find out which house is hosting his presence as a healer." Utsui had never met anyone younger than himself who not only knew more but was also qualified to be made a master healer, at least based on what little he had gleaned from the teen''s knowledge. His gaze followed the exit of Syryn and Riaku. Whoever he was, Utsui was determined to find him again.

 Chapter 131 - Guest

    The next day, Syryn stepped out of their home bright and early with Lucien and Akida. Riaku had left it to the surly avian to act as Syryn''s bodyguard and tour guide.


    "Syryn, when do we get to visit the inverse waterfall?" Lucien asked him. The little boy had been asking the same question to the avian guard when Syryn had been away lecturing.


    "We can go this evening," the alchemist answered. He didn''t think it would take too long for them to treat the patient. If the disease was one that Syryn could not deal with, he would cut his losses and move on to the next one.


    "And why are the trees called sun trees?" Luci pointed to the yellow-leaved branches that spread out like a fan above them. "Is it because the leaves are yellow in colour?"


    This time, Akida answered. "It''s because the fruits of the sun tree grow vertically. They grow on branches that face the sun at all times."


    "Can we taste some?" Luci asked.


    "It''s not the season for sweet suns, Luci," Syryn replied.


    "We can buy some preserved sweet suns. They''re available everywhere," the guard told the redhead.


    "Oh! Let''s buy lots of sweet suns. We''ll take them back to Elysium and have the others taste it." Luci had especially thought of Magnus but the fire mage was not waiting for him at home. Nevertheless, he missed the others and wanted to take back souvenirs from Nua.


    "Sure, sure."


    Luci''s chatter filled their ears as Akida led them through Helios. When they arrived at a place that was less prosperous than the neighbourhood they were staying at, Akida stopped in front of a simple home that looked just as ordinary as every other wooden construction in that area. The avian then rapped on the door three times with his knuckles and waited.


    "Who?" A woman opened the door and looked at them cautiously.


    "We''re here to take a look at your husband," the avian told her. "This man is a famous healer that the prince invited to Nua. So, are you letting us in?" His method was direct and blunt but it worked.


    "A healer? Please come in." The door was opened wider. "We''ve tried everything suggested by the healers but nothing has proved to be a cure." The woman led them to a room where sunlight was scarce. Since the house was at the edge of Helios, the open window in the room gave the occupants a wide view of the clouds drifting by.


    A man in his forties was seated at a table, smoking a pipe that gave out a strong smell of rusma leaves. Syryn noticed the discolouration on the man''s skin and guessed that he was the patient.


    "My husband-" the woman began to speak but was interrupted by another knock on the door. She looked towards the door in the other room and then apologised to Syryn before leaving them to attend to the new guest.


    "Are you sick?" Syryn asked the smoking man.


    "Are you a healer?" The man replied. He had a gravelly voice that was oddly comforting.


    "Yes, I am." Syryn pulled out a chair and sat down facing the patient. "How long have you had this discolouration?"


    A puff of smoke came out of the man''s pipe and he inhaled more rusma. "Give it up. I''ve seen all kinds of healers and shamans. Even Nua''s best hasn''t had any luck with me. You best get moving, son."


    "Nua''s best isn''t the world''s best," Syryn answered as he noticed the newcomer. It was Utsui. How the young avian had found him so quickly, Syryn couldn''t tell. Just like yesterday, Utsui was dressed simply in a refined white robe. He carried with him a bag but his quill and parchment were already out and ready in his hands. The elegant young man looked like the embodiment of a breath of clean fresh air.


    "Am I late?" He asked as soon as his eyes landed on Syryn. Neatly parted black hair was tied in a half-up braid that went down the middle of his loose black hair. Sticking out from his hair was an ebony stick pin decorated at the end with a jade leaf.


    "How did you find me so fast?" Syryn asked him.


    "I asked his highness," the honest young man answered very seriously.


    "And he just told you?" Syryn had never felt so betrayed.


    Utsui nodded while maintaining his stoic expression. "Yes."


    Syryn was now outraged. "What did you bribe him with?"


    "Why would I bribe him?" Utsui asked, frowning because he didn''t understand what was going on in the teen''s mind.


    "Nevermind. I suppose you''ve earned it, so take a seat. We''re going to figure out what''s wrong with him."


    Utsui arranged himself next to Syryn and they faced the smoking patient whose expression indicated a lack of interest in what was happening.


    "Have you ever met him?" Syryn asked the young avian.


    "No. But I have heard about this case. I had been extremely busy with my studies two years ago when he became a popular topic of discussion amongst the senior healers. I don''t remember much of it though because I had a lot going on at that time."


    "Okay, we''ll approach it as if you''ve never heard of his case. Take a good look at his skin and describe to me what you see."


    Utsui sat with his back straight and stared at the skin on the man''s face. "Cutaneous examination shows thickening and tightening of skin particularly involving the fingers, and face."


    Syryn silently listened to him speak. Utsui was methodical and accurate in his grasp of the man''s symptoms. He described the condition of the man''s hyperpigmentation, crusted lesions, and the small vesicles filled with clear fluid. And without Syryn prompting him, Utsui did a thorough job of exploring the man''s medical history. Even the alchemist was impressed by the young man''s painstaking meticulousness.


    "Two years of sensitivity to sunlight? What did the healers give you for it?" Utsui asked the man.


    "Lots of strange medicines. In the end, none of it helped my skin sensitivity, not even the pain in my legs, and the weakness I keep feeling. Your grandfather prescribed pain killers but they take the pain away only for it to come back again."


    "Muscle pain and weakness?" Syryn interrupted.


    "Yes. My bowels are also always constipated," the man replied while puffing like a chimney.


    Both healers were now confused by the multilevel symptoms that the man was complaining of. "His symptoms are all over the place," Utsui remarked.


    Syryn on the other hand was thinking. There had been a case like this in his past life. A farmer who presented with something similar.


    "Should we start symptomatic treatment and tackle them one by one?" Utsui asked the alchemist.


    "Give me a moment," Syryn replied.


    Utsui took out his ink well and began to make notes while Syryn squeezed his brain for information. What had happened to that farmer who eventually ended up dead on his operating table? The sound of scratching quill on paper and the smell of rusma triggered something in Syryn''s brain.


    "When did you start smoking rusma?" He asked the man. Rusma was a benign drug that had little to no effects on smokers save for ruining the lungs when smoked too excessively.


    "A year and a half ago," the man answered as he looked at the pipe in his hand.


    "And before you began smoking rusma, what were your symptoms?"


    Utsui was paying rapt attention now. Syryn found this habit of his very endearing.


    "I had the skin problems.." The older avian answered.


    "And what about your muscles aches and constipation?"


    "They came later."


    Syryn was losing his patience with the man''s vague answers. "Was it after or before you began smoking?"


    "Ah- I dont remember."


    Syryn wanted to flip the table. He was close to the answer and he knew it. If only the man could give him clearer answers.


    "Utsui, I''ll leave it to you to get a list of every single herb, potion or drug he has taken since the beginning of his treatment. Can you do that?"


    "Yes. I''ll speak to the healers that have seen him since the sickness began."


    "I think we''re done here for today," Syryn told the man. He had a suspicion about what was wrong but he needed proof of it first. And to find that proof, Syryn was relying on the meticulousness of Utsui.


    "I''m leaving," the alchemist stood up. He was antsy and needed some distraction.


    Utsui caught the end of Syryn''s sleeve as the teen was turning away. The young genius then immediately let go realising what he had done. "I''m sorry," he apologised, looking a little nervous. "I haven''t asked you any questions from yesterday''s lecture. You said I could ask today if I found you." He was so serious and so very eager - Syryn felt like an ass when he thought about refusing the teen.


    "Fine. I''m heading to the waterfall now so you can come with us and ask your questions."


    Utsui made a shallow bow and it had the alchemist smiling. Elder Toka was a fool but his grandson was very cute.


    -----


    "But if-"


    "Enough, Utsui!" Syryn complained loudly. "You''ve asked me more questions than the number of students that attended yesterday''s lecture."


    Akida and Luci were quietly listening to their back and forth.


    "Then can I ask a few questions about yourself?"


    "What? Make it fast," Syryn grumbled.


    "How old are you?"


    "Why do you and your grandfather need to know my age?"


    "It''s- well, I''ve never had a peer to look up to," Utsui answered. "I think you''re very special." The teen said it in a heavy tone and without sounding like he was fawning over the alchemist.


    Syryn stopped in his tracks and peered up at Utsui''s face. "Do you have a crush on me, Utsui?"


    "What?" Utsui''s eyes went wide. "I don''t have a crush on you!"


    Akida and Lucien were drinking juice from a kursa fruit. They both looked at the two healers whose gazes were locked. One was smiling like he had unearthed a big secret, and the other one was beginning to turn pink around the tips of his ears.


    "Come on, a little honesty won''t hurt you," Syryn teased the avian. This was more fun than answering medical queries.


    "I don''t have a crush on you," Utsui repeated as if it could erase the signs of embarrassment written all over his stoic self.


    "I would ask your grandfather for your hand in marriage just to fuck with him. Come on, let''s pretend you''re in love with me. It''s not very hard to cause you''re already halfway there." The alchemist casually said some very arrogant things that earned him an eye roll from Akida.


    "I am not ready to be married," Utsui answered. "My heart feather is not complete, Syryn."


    "Eh? Utsui, I was joking. We''re not getting married," Syryn told him with a bit of caution. He wasn''t intending on breaking the teen''s heart. The alchemist realised that he had to stop being so irresponsible around impressionable young men.


    "I know," Utsui replied. "But my heart feather will be ready this year."


    "Do you have someone in mind?" Akida asked.


    "No. It''s too early to decide."


    Syryn kept his mouth shut after that till they reached the reverse waterfall.

 Chapter 132 - Ichor

    Syryn and Luci were completely taken by the awesomeness that was the waterfall whose course defied the laws of nature. With a deafening roar, it rushed up towards the sky where it curved over the relief of the plateau. The alchemist was made to feel insignificant as the immense waterfall loomed over his puny presence.


    The avians had constructed an elaborate architecture of mechanical connections across the waterfall. Thick metal chains were suspended from pulleys that transported goods to the top of the plateau by using the force of the waterfall. Powerful winged avians flew back and forth checking on goods between the top and bottom of the waterfall.


    "Wouldn''t it be devastating to the nuans if someone were to destroy that?" Syryn commented to Akida."It would take a long time to build it back from scratch."


    "It''s not my problem to worry about," Akida told Syryn. "But safeguards are in place should any enterprising enemy get so far."


    Unbeknownst to Syryn, Lucien had been watching a human merchant directing his workers at the bottom of the fall. His crimson eyes were fixed on the man with interest.


    "Hey, you, beautiful human man," Syryn heard an avian calling from behind him. He turned around because it was obvious who he was referring to.


    "This is a rare medicine from Nua," the avian told Syryn. "I dont usually sell it to random people but I saw how handsome you are and I was inspired to take out my last bottle of it. Look, it''s made from Avis Ichor."


    Avis Ichor came from a plant with the same name. It was a seasonal carnivorous plant that produced a purple coloured liquid that was chock full of rich nutrients and sought after for its health-boosting properties. It was rare not only because of how fast it sold but also because the plant could not be cultivated.


    "Avis Ichor, you say?" Syryn received the bottle.


    "You probably shouldn''t buy it," Utsui suggested lightly.


    The seller of the Ichor had a bootlicking smile for Utsui. "Young sir, my business is perfectly legitimate. I dont sell fake and adulterated goods."


    "But this is adulterated if not fake," Syryn replied as he held the glass bottle up to the light after shaking it a few times.


    "Sir, are you an alchemist?" The avian asked.


    "No," Syryn answered. "But I have some knowledge of alchemy."


    "Then how can you make such an assertion? You''re slandering my reputation, sir." He sounded very upset. "If you dont want to buy it, that''s all you had to say."


    Syryn could see the pressure that the avian was putting on him to buy it. "Your ichor bubbles at the centre. The real deal bubbles at the edges and settles down. Will you still keep insisting that it''s real?"


    "Like I said, if you don''t want it, there''s no need to slander me." The avian snatched back the bottle of ichor and left them alone.


    "Do you actually know about the properties of ichor?" Ursula asked. "Have you used it on your patients before?"


    "I''ve come across Ichor before though I never used it on my patients."


    Syryn was facing Utsui so he failed to notice the return of the seller. This time, he came with another man.


    "This was the foreigner that insisted I was selling fake goods," he pointed to Syryn. The man was back to cause trouble and make a profit out of him.


    "With what authority does an outsider make such a claim?" The other avian asked.


    "Hey, move it," Akida warned them. "I''m only gonna say it once."


    "Sir, this is a matter of me losing my reputation. Can I not defend myself?" The seller self righteously asked the guard.


    "Akida, let''s see what they want," Syryn told the guard. And then he turned to the two avians. "So you want an apology?"


    "Yes, apologise to me," the seller told Syryn.


    "No, he should buy the ichor as compensation for his rudeness if he can''t prove his words," the other avian insisted. "I am an alchemist and I know that this is indeed real. The positioning of bubbles does not determine the quality of Ichor. It just means that they''ve been mixed in different bases."


    He made a good point, Syryn conceded, but he didn''t say it out loud. "You''re an alchemist?" The teen blinked at the proud avian.


    "Of course I am. You should understand that careless words like yours only being trouble when they''re held against the expert words of an alchemist like myself."


    Syryn nodded at the avian. "You''re right about that. Ignorant people shouldn''t argue with an expert."


    "Syryn," Utsui tried to intervene. "Please let me take care of this."


    "No. A gentleman can''t take back what he''s said. I''ll take care of this myself. Thanks for offering Utsui," the alchemist smiled like a fox. There was some fun to be had with the troublemakers.


    "So then, are you going to pay this man or not for slandering his good name?"


    "You say you''re an alchemist but you don''t have proof. Why don''t we test your skills and then I''ll apologise?" Syryn innocently asked. "I may not be a certified alchemist but I have some knowledge about it from reading and teaching myself of its principles. How about we decide this with alchemy?"


    "Syryn, there''s no need for that," the young man by his side worriedly told him. Utsui didn''t know much about alchemy but he was aware of how difficult it was to become a certified alchemist. And as smart as Syryn was, the avian did not believe he had it in him to beat a real expert. He didn''t want to think that the teen was being arrogant but it was starting to seem like it to Utsui. Nevertheless, he wanted to help him.


    "Utsui, please stay out of this. I can take care of myself," Syryn told the avian arrogantly and loud enough for the others to hear. The confrontation had gathered around them a crowd of curious avians. "I''ve read three books about alchemy, and I didn''t even need a teacher to show me how to make the potions. My mother recognised my genius and suggested I try for a certification."


    The looks of ridicule that the surrounding avians gave him made Akida''s gaze flicker towards the smiling alchemist. What trouble was he stirring up? The guard wondered. He had seen and had also heard enough from Rei about Syryn that he knew just good the teen was at his art.


    "Very well, young genius, let''s put our skills to test then shall we?" The avian was a certified alchemist and he had been buying avis ichor from the seller at prices lower than at market price. When the seller had come to him for help, he couldn''t refuse because it was also a direct insult to him. Fake ichor? He would have realised it if the product he had been buying was fake. There was a lot of phoney ichor being peddled on the streets but he believed that his source, the seller, was definitely original.


    "Then where do we do this? I don''t have a cauldron because I left it at home," Syryn told the man.


    "We''ll provide you with one," the alchemist replied smugly. It was a chance for him to shine. Maybe someone important would notice him when he taught the presumptuous foreigner a lesson.


    "I don''t like brewing in a cheap cauldron. Make sure that mine is expensive," Syryn haughtily told the avian alchemist.


    "We''ll both use cauldrons made of the same material so you don''t have to worry about me taking unfair advantage of you."


    "Good, all of you come as witnesses," Syryn pointed to the crowd. "I won''t stand back and be mistreated by an unscrupulous street peddler. I have connections with some important members of Nua''s nobility so don''t think that I won''t hesitate to complain to them about this."


    His words put some fear into the hearts of the seller and the alchemist. Did he actually have connections like that? They wondered. It became even more imperative then that they won in an alchemical test against him. If they''d paid closer attention to the silent guard that accompanied the prince whenever they caught sight of him from a distance, the avians would have recognised Akida and realised just how high Syryn''s purported connections actually were.


    The seller had however recognised Utsui so he assumed that this was the connection that Syryn was talking about. The young genius was well known for his fairness and level head so the seller knew he wouldn''t cause trouble for them when they beat the arrogant foreigner in a fair test.


    "Syryn, are you sure you want to humiliate yourself in front of a crowd?" Utsui asked in a low whisper. He was more concerned than upset by the teen''s arrogance. Utsui hoped that Syryn knew what he was doing. He had faith in the teen''s medical knowledge but it didn''t extend to alchemy. No one that young could be a master of both.


    "I learnt alchemy too. I practised it for a few years so stop worrying so much," Syryn said it loudly. "In fact, I''m really good, good enough to even perform better than Nua''s best alchemist," he cockily declared. "I challenge him to a brewing competition. Can Nua''s best contend with me?"


    "Has he lost his mind?" Utsui asked Akida. The young man wasn''t just disappointed, now he was angry. He respected Syryn and had considered him someone to look up to despite his age. So why was he acting so crazy?


    Somewhere in Elysium at that moment, Rowan was going about his day wondering if Syryn was making use of his advice about staying low key and using diplomacy.

 Chapter 133 - Grand Alchemist

    "Dont waste your time with this comedian!" One onlooker told the avian alchemist. "It''s quite obvious that he''s just looking to stir trouble."


    The shit-eating grin on Syryn''s face served to reinforce the man''s accusations about him.


    "But he just insulted our alchemists! How can we let him get away with it?"


    "Why are you feeding him attention?" The same sensible avian replied. "Thats what he wants."


    "He''s correct," Syryn confirmed. And this further incensed the more hot-headed avians. The ichor seller was feeling the stress of having a minor disagreement turn into a big fiasco. In the end, it wasn''t just the human getting attention, it was also him and his business being dragged into the public gaze. That was a possible reputation-damaging direction they were heading towards.


    "Thanks, I''ll let Utsui keep this till the test is over." Syryn snatched away the bottle of Ichor from the seller''s hand.


    "No! Give that back!" He cried out.


    Syryn was already stuffing it into Utsui''s hand. "Do this favour for me and I''ll tutor you privately, Utsui~" Syryn told the young man who had suddenly become speechless. The alchemist couldn''t help but tease the stoic young man. He just couldn''t help it.


    "You can''t take my ichor! That''s plain robbery!" The panicked seller stared at the bottle gripped tightly in Utsui''s hand.


    "I''ll pay you three times your price for it if I lose. And if I win, we''ll test the contents of the bottle. How about it?" Syryn''s stare was malicious. The avian had tried to take advantage of him by shaming him publicly. He would return the favour to him with interest.


    "Let''s conduct the test tomorrow," he told the avian alchemist after bullying down the ichor seller. "I will leave the logistics of it to you since this is your home turf."


    The older man nodded. "And what sort of potions are you good at making? I''m an old alchemist and it would be wrong on my part to take advantage of your youth and lack of experience. You decide the potions."


    "Learn something from him," the same sensible avian pitched in again.


    "Why are you giving him an advantage?!"


    "It''s fine everyone," the avian alchemist basked in the positive attention that was piled on him by the onlookers. "Let it not be said that Nua does not know how to be kind to its guests."


    Syryn pressed a finger to his lips in thought. To the avians watching him, he was a gorgeous creature and worthy of being admired. But his lack of brains, arrogant manners, and antagonistic attitude towards Nua ruined whatever physical appeal he had. They didn''t know that Syryn had a glamour on that dimmed his good looks. If they truly saw how beautiful he was, they''d say that a brainless beauty also had its uses.


    "Let''s brew three elementary potions," Syryn finally told the alchemist. "Butterfly potion, Bubble bath, and swan feather potion."


    A mocking expression spread across the alchemist''s face. "Those are potions that even people without any real knowledge of alchemy can make. Aren''t you ashamed to call yourself a genius and still suggest such basic concoctions?"


    "You asked me to pick, didn''t you?" Syryn replied. "Stop wasting my time. Let Utsui know where and when I am to appear. We''ll settle our differences there." Syryn addressed the words to the alchemist but his eyes were on the seller who dared to implicate Syryn falsely.


    "Hmph!" The alchemist turned away to leave. Youngsters were getting stupider by the day.


    "Are you sure you know what you''re doing?" Utsui asked Syryn. Reproach was heavy in his eyes but the avian reserved counsel for later.


    "Utsui, it''s really sweet that you worry about me so much. I''m almost convinced that you want to give me that heart feather you keep mentioning." Syryn watched with glee as the young man''s ears pinked again.


    "I''m going home," Ustui declared coldly. Ichor clutched in hand like a prize, the stoic young man left without making eye contact with Syryn.


    "You should stop teasing him like that," Akida told the alchemist. The guard''s gaze was sharp and languid at the same time. It reminded Syryn of Milky''s. "What if he really presents his heart feather to you?"


    "What''s this? horror story time? Dont be ridiculous, Akida. Utsui won''t do something so stupid. You don''t just propose to a person you''ve known for a few weeks. Thats how long I''ll be staying by the way."


    "Big brother, he admires you so much," Luci added. "Can''t you see?"


    "God damn it," Syryn muttered. He wasn''t going to have any fun at this rate. "Fine, I won''t tease him anymore."


    "Let''s go home," Akida told Syryn.


    "Carry me!" Luci piped up. "I''m tired."


    The avian guard sized up the child and called out his bullshit through eyes that conveyed doubt. Still, he hefted a delighted Luci up on his back without a word. The redhead''s hands went around Akida''s neck and he looked pleased with having a view from atop a tall avian.


    -------


    The next day, Syryn received an early morning visit from Utsui. The young healer was dressed in black from top to bottom. It made him look more imposing than usual.


    "Grandfather arranged for the test to be held at the amphitheatre. Do you realise how much trouble you are in? His friends in high places will arrive in droves today and you''ll find yourself a target of their ridicule."


    Utsui''s frowning brows were like dark swords that struck across his forehead. Syryn pressed his forefinger between the brows and smoothened out the wrinkles.


    "The more the merrier," Syryn told him. "I''m a good alchemist. Ask Akida."


    "Are you really?" The young man then turned to the avian guard. "Is he?"


    Akida shrugged. "I don''t know. Even if he gets humiliated, it''ll be his own fault."


    Syryn smiled at the guard''s words. This was why he liked Akida and wanted him around. The avian did not bullshit around or try to curry favour with him.


    Utsui let out a sigh after looking back at the alchemist. "I had the Ichor tested last night and it was as you had said. Zero-point seventy-five per cent ichor. At this level, it''s just grape wine adulterated with some ichor and not the other way round."


    "Hah! I knew it. Thank you Utsui. Now I can be at peace knowing I was right."


    "You weren''t sure about it?" The avian asked, surprised by Syryn''s admission. He had seemed so confident when he''d made the accusation.


    "Who sells Ichor on the streets when they can find a customer amongst the wealthy? It was obvious something was amiss," Syryn replied.


    "It could have been stolen Ichor," Utsui suggested. "Sometimes they sell them cheaper after stealing a cargo."


    "Okay, I concede," Syryn said while leaning out the window to appreciate the view of clouds rolling by. "So, what did you come rushing here for on this fine morning?" Syryn asked him.


    "To warn you. You''ve become fodder for gossip everywhere. And to make it worse, master Altaire is in Nua."


    "Wh-what do you mean Altaire is in Nua?" Syryn turned around and grabbed the sides of Utsui''s arms. Altaire was a being worshipped by alchemists all across the known kingdoms of the world. He was the man that stood above them all. Even Syryn only came second next to the status of grandmaster alchemist that Altaire would attain. "What is he doing in Nua?!"


    "I don''t know," Utsui answered, noting the fanatic light that shone in Syryn''s eyes.


    "Will he come to watch the test?" Did Syryn want Altaire to be part of the audience? No. It was too stressful.


    "An awe-inspiring person like master Altaire will probably not come to watch the show." Utsui was careful not to mention that his grandfather had invited the man to watch what he deemed an alchemy circus. Elder Toka wasn''t about to miss out on a show that would humiliate the foreigner who had made a fool out of him in front of all his students. They were expecting the alchemist to refuse the invitation so there was no sense in making Syryn more nervous.


    "But what if he does?" Syryn knew that Altaire hadn''t attained the heights of perfection he would in the future. But he was still Altaire, and Syryn was his biggest fan.


    "He won''t," Utsui tried to assure him.


    "He might. But. I''m Syryn." The alchemist abruptly smacked his cheeks with his hands. "I''m Syryn Nigh''hart." His self pep talk seemed to have worked because the confidence began to settle back on his shoulders. "I''m actually amazing. Utsui, you''ll fall harder in love with me this evening so for the sake of your future spouse, don''t show up."


    Utsui shook his head at the teen''s arrogance. It had left the planet and was coalescing into a star. "You''re very sure of yourself. I''m starting to believe that you''re a capable alchemist."


    "You''ll find out just how capable I am this evening. I have to thank your grandfather for turning this into a great spectacle. Tell me, does he have a favourite potion or medicine?"


    "I''ll tell you if you win," Utsui replied. He felt like a fool for really believing that Syryn had a chance.


    "When I win, not if."


    Syryn was ready to put on a grand show for the Nuans, for elder Toka and his friends. How could he not? They''d set a grand stage for him to shine on. And if Altaire showed up, the show would still go on like he planned for it to go. After all, he was Syryn - alchemist extraordinaire, and the Hero Rowan''s most precious person. He had a reputation to uphold even if they''d never heard of him before.

 Chapter 134 - Altaire

    Was it possible to reach a purity percentage of 100 per cent? Practically, it was still impossible. There was always a small unmeasurable percentage of impurity at a level where filtration could not be carried out further. That was the conclusion that alchemists had come to after years of attempting to create a pure potion.


    The purity of a potion was tested using a switch stone. The purer a concoction, the closer it came to a perfect theoretical ratio of magic to solvent. A switch stone dropped into a vial of potion would react to the presence of magic in it and change from a white to a blue colour. Through a process of trial and error, and tedious calculations, alchemists had come up with a switch scale that could identify the level of purity to a very precise degree.


    Theoretical alchemists studied the mathematical aspects of potion-making and had deduced the formulas that calculated the purity of a potion based on the weights of the ingredients used, the final weight of the potion, and the shade emitted by the switch stone. An almost perfectly pure potion was said to be 100% free of filterable solute and was highly concentrated in magic - the ratio of which differed for each branch of potion speciality. Thus, at their current level of science, alchemists were still discovering that potion purity was a bar that kept moving higher with more advanced methods of filtration.


    Altaire was one such potion maker who tapped into the precision that mathematics allowed rather than just relying on his innate and freakish talent for potion-making. Syryn''s expertise was split between medicine and alchemy while Altaire was a mathematical alchemist. It meant that his potions were always 99% and higher in purity, a feat that Syryn hadn''t achieved yet.


    The teen wasn''t interested in the creation of potions with a purity percentage that was higher than 97% because, at that point, the effort expended into the brewing of such a high-grade potion outweighed the benefits of it. Who had time to memorise that many formulae and calculate everything so precisely? Only at a 99% purity was there an enormous leap in benefits but Syryn wasn''t inclined to become a mathematical alchemist like Altaire. The man was a freak, a perfect being born with intelligence, innate understanding and passion for both alchemy and mathematics. Syryn was just as jealous an alchemist as he was a fan of Altaire.


    "Syryn, you look really different," Luci said from the bed he was sitting on.


    The alchemist had put on one of the colourful sets of Nuan wear he had found in the closet. It was a coral background ensemble with a turquoise sash around the waist. Autumnal gold chrysanthemums and pink goldfish captured the eyes of anyone that looked his way. It was bright, loud, ostentatious, and perfect for annoying some uptight Nuans. Syryn tied his hair in a loose style that gave off an air of indolence. Put together with the way he left the chest area exposed in a v that fell to his waist - as inspired by Akida''s open chested style of wearing his robes - Syryn looked like a flashy incubus out to seduce some willing victims.


    "I know what you''re doing, Syryn," the redhead smiled at his big brother. "And I think the impact will be stronger if you take off the illusion."


    "Good advice, Luci," Syryn replied. The illusion was powered down and Syryn went from looking ostentatious to breathtakingly glamorous.


    "Are you out of your mind?" Akida asked when he caught sight of Syryn.


    "What? What''s wrong?" Syryn asked.


    The avian was chewing on a piece of pickled radish. His eyes stopped at the open chest and shook his head. At Syryn''s age, marriage was already an option for the ready maidens. And Syryn wasn''t exempt from being coveted by older men and women. "I''m a simple man Syryn. I see you dressed like that and my mind will automatically think about what the rest of you looks like under that robe." He spoke in a flat tone, not as a flirtatious comment, but a statement of fact.


    "You''re not entirely wrong but aren''t you the same? You''re just as exposed as I am," the alchemist replied.


    "It''s not the same thing," Akida defended, thinking about how to keep Syryn safe from hands that strayed too close. "You''re still young enough that you look androgynous when you dress so. I will never mistake you for a girl but no man is as pretty as you are. Do you understand?" Akida told the teen while rubbing the back of his neck.


    "Yes. But-"


    "Cover your chest, Syryn. Unless you''re using it as a distraction tactic against your enemy."


    "He''s done it on purpose because Nigh''hart is an attention whore like that," Red who had finally woken up, added to the conversation. "This is his show and he''s unwilling to be upstaged by Altaire''s probable attendance."


    Red and Luci had both correctly interpreted Syryn''s actions. Altaire was a better alchemist than he was. If the man showed up to watch the test, Syryn would have his thunder stolen. The tiny amount of insecurity that had crept in had led to this. Now no one could look away from him and marvel that Altaire was amongst them. Was the mathematical alchemist a good looking man? Nobody knew. He always had on a mask.


    "I''m assuming you''re the other Lucien," Akida said to Red.


    "Correct," Red replied. "Let''s get along well Akida." The redhead''s smirk was on the sly side.


    Akida very wisely remained silent. He polished off the last remaining slice of pickled radish in a shallow white bowl. Syryn had told him to be careful of the other one. He was starting to see why.


    ----


    Along the way to their destination, the bright and attractive alchemist was an eye-catching sight for the citizens of Nua. Heads turned, fingers were pointed, whispers exchanged. He took it all in stride because Akida was a veritable wall between him and potential perverts.


    When they arrived, without incident, at the amphitheatre, it was fully crowded. Avians were standing outside the building hoping to catch a glimpse of the excitement though they couldn''t enter its doors.


    "Looks like all of Nua decided to show up," Red commented. "Wait till they see you."


    "What do you mean?" Syryn eyed the redhead.


    "Nothing. Don''t get kidnapped by a pervert, Syryn."


    A few heads turned and then many more. Akida frowned at the way the crowd was pressing closer. Why did Syryn have to cause him so much unnecessary trouble? The troublemaker in question was as carefree as a bird. Of course, he had nothing to worry about when Akida was around.


    "You''re finally here," Utsui remarked when they got through the crowd and entered the doors of the amphitheatre. The young healer had been waiting at the doors for Syryn who had turned up almost half an hour late.


    Utsui spoke more formally and his eyes were focused straight between Syryn''s brows. "You made everyone wait."


    "That''s fine. Good things are worth waiting for," Syryn answered. "Did Altaire show up?"


    "I think not," Utsui answered. He was still a little stiff around his shoulders.


    Syryn was neither very disappointed nor happy about it. His objective was to make some old men throw up blood and have fun while at it. Altaire was a non-issue as long as he didn''t steal Syryn''s thunder.


    -----


    Syryn''s entrance was solo. He walked alone towards the stage where the old alchemist was already seated next to his worktable.


    Two work tables were occupied by neatly arranged ingredients. Three small cauldrons each were lined up next to the pile of ingredients.


    Avians who had never seen the foreigner were astonished at how stunning he was.


    "Why did nobody mention to us how gorgeous he is?" An avian girl whispered to her friend.


    "He''s just as pretty as Nua''s heart feather," a man told his companion after sucking in a shocked breath. "Look at that face and tell me he isn''t as beautiful as Keira."


    Elder Toka who was sitting beside a masked man shifted uncomfortably. When did the troublesome boy get so attractive? He also didn''t like how confident Syryn was looking. The teen had pasted on a vague looking smile as he climbed the steps that lead to the stage. It was the same smile he''d seen on Syryn''s face when he had humiliated him during the lecture.


    "Master Altaire, that''s the nitwit boy I was telling you about. He makes a mockery of alchemy and the hard work that experts like yourself put in. Nua will teach him a hard lesson that he won''t be forgetting anytime soon. I hope you enjoy it."


    Beneath the mask, Altaire''s lips curved up a fraction. He had never seen someone so pretty, so eye-catching, that one couldn''t look away. It was unfortunate, he thought, that the boy had to be an idiot; if the old man''s words were to be trusted.


    Syryn was unaware of the great patronage sitting amongst the audience. Every single gaze in the crowd was focused on him alone. His opponent was ignored for the crusty middle-aged man he was. The avians had come to hate on Syryn but his looks had already won them over. Such was the privilege enjoyed by those born with unparalleled beauty. The teen smiled with satisfaction and allowed his eyes to slowly take in all the faces that were turned towards him like flowers towards the sun. And that''s when he noticed the masked man who was also obviously watching him.


    Syryn''s heart stuttered just a little before he found his bearings. He had to spread out the sudden onslaught of stress he was feeling.


    "Hey, do you see that man in the crowd? The one wearing a mask." Syryn asked him.


    The middle-aged man squinted. "Yes. Is-is that-" his eyes widened comically.


    "Altaire," Syryn grinned at seeing how panicked the man was getting. "Don''t fuck up too hard. Your idol might end up despising you."

 Chapter 135 - Fake Alchemist

    "So, are we just going to start?" Syryn drawled to the audience.


    He had noticed the absence of a master of ceremonies. They were their own anchormen it seemed.


    Syryn rolled his eyes when his foe began a loud speech. "Greetings! I pay respects to the honourable master Altaire."


    A hum of exclamations rose up from amongst the audience members who hadn''t known that Altaire was with them. The avians craned their necks and looked around trying to catch a glimpse of the famous alchemist.


    "It is my honour to have one so acclaimed as yourself to sit here and bear witness to this battle of alchemy between my young opponent and I. This humble alchemist-"


    "Enough already," a member of the audience interrupted him. "Let the pretty boy speak."


    Syryn lifted a corner of his lips at the avian who had interrupted the speech. "I''m Syryn Nigh''hart. Now, can we get started?"


    "Do tell us before you begin, what potions are you brewing?" The same avian asked.


    "Butterfly potion, Bubble bath, and swan feather potion," Syryn answered as he furtively glanced at Altaire. The man canted his head to the side when he heard Syryn''s answer.


    "Why pick such easy potions? Anyone can brew them," he was asked by another member of the audience.


    "I agree, these are simple enough that anyone can brew them but, can they compare to a potion concocted by an expert? Do not underestimate elementary potions. The simplicity of their brewing allows an alchemist to express their creativity and expertise in ways that a beginner cannot. You''ll see what I mean."


    "That''s well and good but can I take you out on a date after this is over?" A daring member of the audience asked.


    "If I lose, yes," Syryn grinned at the woman whose face was hidden behind a tasselled fan. "Only if I lose."


    "A thousand Kruns of gold to buy the date off of that lady," a man in a blue robe announced with a chuckle.


    "Ten thousand!"


    "I asked him first," the woman with the tasselled fan told the others. There was a bit of indignation in her tone though she tried to hide it.


    "Thirty thousand!"


    "Five hundred thousand," an old lecherous man called out from one of the boxes reserved for VIP.


    Syryn''s mood was complicated. He stared up at the VIP box and wondered if he could lose on purpose. It was a lot of money and he could use that to feed the tentacled child he had adopted. All he had to do was talk and look pretty for the old lecher.


    The teen shook his head and laughed, and it was a sound like the bubbling of clean water from a brook. In a frivolous tone, he spoke to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, why fight? In the event that I lose to this man, I will go out on dates with each one of you, but on different days." Syryn could afford to flirt with the audience because, in his mind, victory was assured. There would be no dates with anybody. The little bidding war going on over him may have sounded nice to a less discerning person but Syryn was quite aware of how they were cheapening his worth as a person by turning him into a commodity bought with money.


    "Then I''m also offering a hundred thousand for a date!"


    "Alright, alright, settle down folks," Syryn commanded the audience with a smile. "It''s time we began our test."


    ---


    Syryn and his opponent surveyed their ingredients, picked out what they needed and laid everything before the hourglass was turned upside down.


    The teen glanced at his opponent and saw that the man was starting with a bubble bath potion, the easiest and quickest to make. He, on the other hand, decided he was doing all three at the same time.


    Brewing was like cooking. Three dishes with three different styles of cuisine and timings could be ruined easily if one was careless with the sequence of ingredients and the delicate timings they demanded. With brewing, a small mistake didn''t just change the flavour, it ruined the potion. The stakes were much higher.


    "Why is he cutting everything up?" A member of the audience asked. They could see that Syryn''s opponent was already adding a few ingredients to his cauldron. It looked to them that Syryn was a slow worker, or worse, a fool bumbling through his potion-making.


    "He''s a pretty flower vase that everyone wants a piece of. What do you expect? An amazing show of alchemy?" Someone else answered maliciously.


    A few chuckles followed his answer. It didn''t bother Syryn. He was focused on his task because the results were going to smack them all on their jealous faces. This time, he took a page out of Altaire''s book. Syryn was going to attempt a mathematical approach to his brewing. He had tried it before for such elementary potions because they were easier to calculate.


    "Syryn, are you sure you know what you''re doing? Some ingredients lose their efficacy when you leave it unused for too long," a young know-it-all from the audience attempted to lecture him.


    "Eh? I forgot about that!" Syryn replied with an exaggerated widening of his eyes. "I''ll have to thank you for reminding me."


    The audience laughed at the airheaded beauty who had no idea what he was doing. Only the silent Altaire took notice of the sequence of ingredients that Syryn had chosen to work with. Only he understood what the teen was doing.


    "You should leave the alchemy to the experts, Syryn. Why don''t you join my household?" Now everyone wanted to call him by his name. A shiny dumb new pet that they all wanted to play with, that was what he was.


    "You''re distracting him," a bald headed avian chastised the others.


    "What''s there to distract? Our Nuan alchemist is already almost done with a potion but Syryn hasn''t started on his yet. What a farce this is. We all know who will eventually win so we might as well enjoy the time spent teasing the little beauty."


    Utsui hated how they were talking about Syryn. It was as if they didnt care that the teen was amidst them as they disrespected him. He was even madder at Syryn for acting stupid when he was clearly smart enough to become a master healer. Why was he dabbling in alchemy when he could conquer medicine?


    "Hah! Look, he stopped chopping everything. Looks like your reminder was effective." Syryn had ceased his mad run through the ingredients and a tiny pile was left untouched. Because of their perceived idiocy of his, no one bothered to take a look at the ingredients he hadn''t touched yet. After all, Syryn''s face and chest were more interesting to stare at than some plain-looking plants.


    "And now he''s turned on all three stoves. Oh Syryn, you dumb adorable boy."


    "I''m already thinking about how sweet his lips will taste when I kiss him on our date."


    The alchemist had the impulse to throw his knife into the crowd. He could pretend that his hand had slipped, couldn''t he?


    Syryn began to measure out his ingredients in a particular order that non-alchemists wouldn''t understand the significance of. It looked to the audience like he was playing the part of an alchemist - like a child playing a game of make belief. The ease of effort and the speed with which Syryn swapped the ingredients on the weighing scale made it seem like he was randomly placing items before removing them. They didn''t know the sign of an expert when it was staring at them in the face.


    "Oh, he''s finally making his potions. All three at one go, too! My, my, we have a professional alchemist amongst us. I''m sure Master Altaire is impressed!" The sarcasm in his tone could not be mistaken for anything else.


    Syryn abruptly stopped throwing the ingredients into the cauldron and bit his lips in thought. He was busy doing calculations in his head but the audience assumed that he was feeling lost. And all of a sudden, he began attacking the ingredients with renewed fervour. Suffice to say, the audience was convinced that Syryn had no clue about alchemy. But the way he kept adjusting the heat every few minutes finally clued in some of the more astute alchemists. They''d seen it before when working with finicky potions.


    "Do you see how clean his fumes are?" One alchemist whispered to another.


    "Very little smoking. He seems to know what he''s doing," the other alchemist whispered back. They were too afraid to voice out their doubts in case they were made fools of by the others.


    "Syryn, do you have a special someone? How about staying at Nua and becoming my little lover? I''ll treat you well." The lechers in the audience were getting bored, and it was obvious from their flirtatious remarks.


    "You''re too old for him. Have some shame." And when Syryn thought a decent person was defending him, the man spoke again. "A beautiful boy like him deserves a younger partner, like me."


    "In the end, aren''t you all just planning to use and discard him? Poor Syryn. You''re being treated like a toy," the speaker indirectly insulted him.


    "Please show some respect," a young but authoritative voice rang out with suppressed fury. Utsui just couldn''t keep his peace any longer. In a bitingly cold tone, he addressed the audience. "Syryn is a guest of Nua and I request that you all hold your tongues lest he think that we''re all savages like yourselves."


    The teen peeked up from the cauldron he was focused on. Utsui was an angel. Nobody could tell him otherwise.


    "Young master Utsui, we''re just having a little fun. Syryn doesn''t mind."


    "I mind," Utsui snapped back. "The next person who says anything disparaging about the two competitors will be removed immediately from the amphitheatre."


    "Thank you, Utsui," Syryn said from the stage. "My potions are complete."


    The audience members felt like they had been struck by lightning. Done? Already? All eyes turned to Syryn''s cauldrons, not believing that his potions had been successful.


    The middle-aged man not far from Syryn was adding his final ingredients to the second cauldron. How could Syryn have completed three potions while he was still working on his second one? He frowned at the teen. Failed potions, his mind supplied. It was the only possibility.

 Chapter 136 - Reverse

    "Syryn, do you take us for fools?"


    "You do know that we can verify the results of your work so why are you lying?"


    Syryn was done playing dumb. The avians had been allowed to sleep long enough and now, it was time for them to wake up to reality.


    "Does anybody want to make a bet with me?" His violet eyes scanned the audience with anticipation for what was to come.


    The curious avians wondered what Syryn was up to now. "What bet?" Someone asked.


    "If my potions are judged to be better than his," he pointed to the other alchemist who was still busy brewing, "then I get your heart feathers. At least the ones of those of you who dare to bet with me." The twist of his lips drew an unfriendly smile that ridiculed the avians. "What do you say, avians?"


    Nervous laughter echoed in the amphitheatre. The avians were feeling the anxiety begin to creep in. Heart feathers were precious things that could not be bought or traded for gold.


    "Don''t be ridiculous, Syryn. Heart feathers are serious matters and should not be involved in children''s games." It was meant to sound like he was coaxing the teen but it drew Syryn''s ire towards him.


    "Children''s games, you say? Do you mean to imply that I''m a child?" His aura had changed. Gone was the playful and friendly Syryn. It was replaced by something more insidious. Syryn''s softly asked question sent goosebumps down the backs of the avians who were in hearing distance.


    "I- "


    "Weren''t you telling me to join your household? Do you screw children?" Syryn cocked his head to the side while pinning the man with his eerie violet eyes.


    "Fine, I''ll wager my heart feather," an avian came to the rescue of the other one. "What are you staking then? If it isn''t of equal value, the bet is off."


    "I stake myself," Syryn replied without a hint of concern for what he was implying. "A veritable slave to your every desire. You can have me till my last breath leaves my body."


    The teen''s gaze took in the sharp intake of breaths and the shocked faces. This was his bait, a very tasty one. Would the lechers take it? Could they pass up something so delicious? After all, it was the richest and the noblest ones that did the worst things behind closed doors.


    "How dare you suggest something so vile? We would never participate in such degeneracy!"


    "I stake my heart feather! Just for the principle of it!" An outraged avian yelled out.


    "Me too!"


    "I don''t believe that an immoral foreigner like you would have the ability to defeat our alchemist."


    "If you lose the bet, you''ll have to scrub the floors in my mansion every day."


    "Make him bow and scrape to you."


    "Hah! The brothel will have use for such a pretty boy. You can have my heart feather for now." The man who spoke was unshakeable in his belief that Syryn was bluffing. His performance so far had been clumsy and unprofessional. There was no way that the unheard-of teenager could beat their middle-aged and experienced alchemist.


    Syryn''s wicked heart was filled with glee and it reflected in his sadistic smile. "Ah yes, let''s first collect your heart feathers then. It''s only fair, isn''t it?"


    A ripple of anxiety uniformly spread through the minds of the avians. Heart feathers were too precious to be staking on stupid bets but their pride was also at stake here.


    "Allow me to pass you the ingredient basket. Just put your feathers in there," Syryn said to the audience and carelessly tossed it into the crowd. "We don''t have time to waste so make it quick."


    While they waited, Syryn beamed at Utsui but the avian had a dark look on his face. He frowned at Syryn and looked away. So cute, Syryn thought, Utsui was mad at him again.


    It was a slow paced collection. The avians were very reluctant to part with their polished heart feathers for even a second. But the reward that dangled before them - to capture the butterfly and possess it - was too much of a temptation. Syryn had stoked the flames of their pride into a fire that torched their rationality.


    "Let the basket remain in the hands of someone impartial and uninvolved," an uneasy avian told Syryn.


    "How about handing it over to Altaire then?" The alchemist suggested. He would have nominated Utsui but Syryn did not wish to implicate the young man who would inevitably end up handing over the basket to him. Syryn hadn''t known him for a long time but it had been enough time to recognise the strength of Utsui''s integrity.


    "Accepted," a low and magnetic voice sounded from behind the mask.


    A tiny jolt of happiness struck Syryn''s heart. He wasn''t going to be delirious with joy, he told himself. "I thank you, then." He turned away coolly, as if his heart wasn''t drumming with excitement. Now that Altaire was cooperating with him, the avians would be hard-pressed to object when push came to shove.


    "Are you done? How long am I supposed to wait?" Syryn asked the middle-aged man. "You''re so slow."


    "Unlike you, I''m making a real potion. If you''re hurrying me so that I mess up my own work, you''ll find that it won''t work on me," the alchemist replied to Syryn with indignation.


    "Ah.. So boring." The teen looked into the man''s cauldron. It was a decent potion. He was at least getting to the end of his brewing.


    "How should we test our work then?" Syryn asked the crowd just to keep himself entertained.


    "Master Altaire, this unscrupulous young man might try to pull the wool over our eyes. Please help us verify the potion''s worth." It was the man who had asked Syryn to join his household.


    "Why bother him?" Syryn was now in front of his work table, leaning against it and examining his nails for deposits that often stained the nails of all practising alchemists. He always kept his fingers perfectly clean and free of stains. "Allow me to display the effects of my potion and you will be convinced of how talented I really am."


    "Shameless."


    "I dont know where he gets his confidence from. Foreigners never cease to surprise me with how bold they are."


    Syryn turned back to look at the middle-aged man. "Can''t you see? Your potion is already letting out fumes. Put the rest of it inside."


    "That''s not how it''s done-"


    "Forget it." Syryn strode over to his cauldron began to siphon half of the bubble bath potion in a shallow glass dish. "I can''t wait for you to finish so I''ll just go ahead and play with mine."


    The teen held his prize and jumped off the stage to head over to where Utsui was seated, still wearing a dark expression.


    "Do you like bubbles?" Syryn asked the young man.


    "I don''t like bubbles." The answer came out curt. Utsui was showing his cute temper.


    "Don''t be like that, Utsui," Syryn leaned over and tutted. "Help me make bubbles."


    Bubble bath potions had one effect, to burst into bubbles when they came in contact with water. From such a small amount of potion, one could expect thirty to fourty bubbles. It wasn''t anything dangerous or alarming to use in an enclosed space.


    "Fine," Utsui relented.


    Syryn held out the test tube and waited for Utsui to put in a few drops of water.


    "Really, we''re just here to watch children play," someone grumbled.


    A few of the avians who had given up their heart feathers were beginning to feel the stirrings of dread. Syryn was too confident, too sure of himself. The fact that he was willing to display the effects of his potions meant that it worked. In such a turn of events, they had to pin their hopes on the middle-aged man.


    "Ah!" Utsui exclaimed softly. A hundred bubbles fizzled into being and began floating around them like iridescent spheres of glass. Some bubbles were larger than melons, while others were the size of grapes. The potion kept fizzling on and on untill thousands of bubbles were filling the space under the ceiling.


    "Syryn," Utsui''s eyes met violet ones that were smiling at him. "You''re really an alchemist." His gaze was filled with appreciation.


    "I am best at alchemy," Syryn whispered soft enough only for the young avian to hear. "It is what I love most."


    The sweet smile that turned the shape of Syryn''s eyes into cute half-moons melted away the serious demeanour of the young avian. He smiled back at Syryn, happy that he wouldn''t have to see the teen enslaved by the lechers. And when Syryn placed the glass dish in Utsui''s hand, their fingers touched. Utsui did not hate it.


    "Do you see? Do you see how amazing my bubbles are?" Syryn loudly proclaimed. His bubbles had put the fear of Syryn into the hearts of the lechers and naysayers.


    "It''s a trick! How can such a tiny amount of potion produce so many bubbles?!"


    "Yes, it''s unheard of!"


    Unbeknownst to the avians, a thin lacework of ice began to form over the surface of the bubbles. The temperature in the room dropped and the icy balls plummeted on the heads of those avians who had been calling it a trick.


    "Eh?" Syryn raised his brows. "Who did that?"

 Chapter 137 - Court

    The startled avians screamed as icy spheres came raining down upon their heads. It had happened so suddenly and without any warning. None of the avians were prepared for it.


    The fragile hollowed balls of ice did not generate the impact necessary to hurt the avians. But it was enough to disrupt their good moods and annoy them.


    Altaire was fortunately spared from the icy barrage. While noise and chaos reigned around him, he watched the architect of the chaos revel in what he had created. Syryn''s lips were curved with smug satisfaction, and he had a glint in his half-mast eyes.


    "Well, this is terrible," Syryn said out loudly while faking concern. "I know what''s happening. You''re all going to blame me now, aren''t you? The avians of Nua have resorted to playing tricks that will have me arrested. So, Which scheming bird is trying to implicate me today?"


    The avians who had been about to about to shout their accusations changed tracks and hastily swallowed back their words.


    "Why can''t it be you?" Someone asked.


    Syryn inclined his head to the side. "What do I gain from pulling such a stupid stunt? I''m not crazy enough to attack Nuans while being surrounded by so many of its citizens. You must be an idiot if you think that''s a good idea."


    The avian could not rebut Syryn''s logic. He sounded so very sincere.


    "If you''re all done playing tricks on a foreigner, allow me to display the effects of my next potion."


    Behind Syryn, the middle-aged alchemist was shaking in his boots from the revelation of Syryn''s ability. He wasnt stupid like some of the others, at least not stupid enough to not know how difficult it was to cheat during such a test. He''d concluded that Syryn was either very good at cheating or was amazing at brewing. It was too late now for him to back out. The basket of heart feathers in Altaire''s hands terrified the man. He would get blamed for the loss of all the heart feathers. Could he run away right now? His life would even be in danger at this rate.


    The amphitheatre was quiet after what had just taken place. Some of the avians who had been pelted with ice had already walked out of the place. The rest wore gloomy faces and cursed the mage who had cast the spell on Syryn''s bubbles. Yes, they all wanted him to lose, but could the mage please jeopardise Syryn''s test without involving them? They were high-class citizens who had never been forced to endure such public indignity.


    "Utsui, I need you to volunteer again," Syryn said to the young man. His grandfather was watching, wasn''t he? The teen decided be would take the opportunity to annoy the grandfather who had probably never seen anyone touch his precious grandson so freely.


    Innocent and youthful Utsui had his guard down against Syryn when he walked up to the teen. Straight backed and as serious as always, Utsui looked like he was about to lecture the crowd again.


    "Butterfly potion," Syryn held up a glass phial to the crowd. The middle-aged man on stage was forgotten. The ignored avian was also done with his potions but too afraid to say anything after Syryn''s brilliant display of bubbles. What good was his average potion when compared to the thousand bubbles that had filled the amphitheatre?


    Turning around to Utsui, Syryn dipped a finger in the potion and asked the young man, "Can I touch your face?"


    Utsui''s gaze flitted to the dull grey potion dripping down Syryn''s thumb. He nodded slowly and looked up into Syryn''s eyes.


    Raising his hand, the teen gently pressed his thumb to Ustui''s cheek and dragged it across the avian''s high cheekbone. The friction and consequent heat caused colours to bloom across the smudge that had started out grey. Bright pinks, yellows, gold, and various shades of blue appeared in changing gradients. Utsui''s cheekbone had become a window into a colourful world. The same colours appeared on Syryn''s thumb, and at the sight of it, the young avian''s eyes shone with pleasure.


    "I''ve never seen any butterfly potion with more than three, four colours at most," he told Syryn. "How did you accomplish this?"


    "When I was still a little boy learning about potions, I had no toys, no playmates, no fun. So I had to make my own fun with my potions," Syryn answered. "I can show you many more fascinating creations if you like."


    He dipped his forefinger in the potion and pressed it upon Utsui''s soft bottom lip. "Your grandfather won''t like this," Syryn said with mischief glinting in his eyes.


    True to his prediction, elder Toka''s hawk eyes were flaming with umbrage. His grandson was getting molested in front of an audience that he himself had invited. The surprise of seeing Syryn''s bright multi colors had given away to humiliation. A second time in a row, the teen had proved the wonderful effects of his creation. The elder was simultaneously impressed and irritated by his recognition of Syryn''s skills. He wiped his brows and glanced at the basket in front of their distinguished guest. With this development, no way would those avians be getting back their heart feathers.


    Far away from the ears of the concerned grandfather, an interesting conversation was taking place. "Syryn, you''re the kind of person I''ve always longed to meet," Utsui confessed while not even having the decency to look embarrassed about saying something so stupidly heartfelt. "Can we stay in touch after you''ve left Nua?"


    His straightforward question had Syryn lifting his head in amazement. "You want to remain friends?"


    Utsui nodded, "If it is alright with you, yes."


    "Silly Utsui, of course, I''d keep in touch with someone as cute as you," Syryn replied while tipping more grey out onto his fingers. "But don''t tell your grandfather."


    "I''m not a child, Syryn. I make my own decisions."


    The teen stared at the bloom of colors across the front of Utsui''s throat. The bright impressions of four fingers were pressed into it in shades that matched the colors on Utsui''s cheekbones. Yes, Utsui was 18 wasn''t he? He glanced up and smiled.


    "Then put a kiss on my forehead." Syryn was a little shit and he knew it. This was Utsui''s moment to prove that his words were real. Would he risk the ire of his respected grandfather just to prove himself to someone he barely knew but professed to admire?


    There was no hesitation in the avian. Syryn felt a light bump of moist lips against his forehead and it amazed him. Utsui had really done it. Gasps punctuated the silence that had reigned the amphitheatre. A low hum of murmurs soon followed.


    "Ah, Utsui, you''re actually very cool," Syryn said to the young man whose expression hadn''t changed the entire time. He wasn''t affected by the consequences of his bold actions and it endeared him to Syryn.


    "Of course," Utsui replied calmly. "Do you have use of me for the last potion?"


    "After I gloat a little bit," Syryn replied and he turned around to face the audience.


    "Why is nobody saying anything to poor stupid Syryn who can''t brew a potion like that man can?" He pointed to the middle-aged alchemist who appeared to be a nervous wreck. Syryn had to stifle a gleeful chuckle when he saw the grim faces on the avians that had spoken so righteously. They were no longer in the mood to belittle him because their heart feathers were in danger.


    "Let the opponent show us the effects of his potion!" When the other avians heard their bird brother shouting, it had them wanting to strangle him. There was no way that the middle-aged man was going to beat Syryn''s performance. Their only hope lay in trapping Syryn with a charge of cheating.


    "We cannot continue this test!" Grandfather Toka announced after suddenly standing up. All those heart feathers that were gathered like eggs in a basket were giving him serious heartburn. "I have recieved an appeal to investigate Syryn Nigh''hart''s potions for cheating. He has to provide proof of innocence before we come to a conclusion to the day''s test."


    It was just an excuse for the avians to get back their heart feathers. Syryn knew that, Elder Toka knew it, every single avian in the crowd knew too.


    "Grandfather-" Utsui raised his head up to where elder Toka stood.


    "Utsui, you have nothing to do with this matter. Stand down!" His grandfather authoritatively demanded.


    "Elder Toka," the calm magnetic voice that spoke caught the attentions of everyone including Syryn''s. Altaire had spoken and even elder Toka had to put away his words to listen.


    "Yes, master Altaire?" The old man answered respectfully.


    "I believe that the onus of providing evidence for his cheating lies with the party initiating the claim."


    Altaire''s words caused a stir amongst the avians. Why was the big man siding with the teenager? Did they know each other?


    "Ah- well," Elder Toka was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "It is true but Syryn-"


    "Does the justice system of Nua lay the burden of proof on those accused of crimes against her people?" Altaire asked again. His words scythed through any bullshit that had been ready on the lips of Elder Toka.


    "No, but this isn''t a court," the old man responded weakly.


    Syryn had to make it clear to Altaire that he did not need defending. But it could come later. Right now, the teen felt drunk on happiness in having his idol side with him.


    "Then we will turn it into a court," Altaire declared. "I will now judge his potions for evidence of cheating. Are there any objections?" Altaire''s masked face surveyed the crowd of avians.


    "I object," Syryn raised his hand.

 Chapter 138 - Syryns Objection

    "I object," Syryn raised his hand.


    The avians had a collective moment of dumbfounded shock. Was the boy an idiot?


    Of all the people they''d expected an objection from, it wasn''t him. Utsui balled his fists and breathed out audibly. How much stress was Syryn going to cause him in a day?


    Altaire and Syryn faced each other. Syryn would not deny that there was an attractive majesty in the straight lines of Altaire''s open posture. He was at the top of the food chain and it showed in the way he occupied the space around him. The elegant black and gold edged robe on his wide shoulders amplified Altaire''s presence of power. The mysterious looking man didn''t appear cocky or arrogant - it was that Altaire simply didn''t care for who was in charge.


    "I object, not because I reject your offer to judge my potions. I wish to implore you to first consider my plea before you begin judgement," Syryn''s voice was clear and loud. "These unscrupulous avians have insulted me, questioned my character, my abilities, and have attempted to disrupt the test with lies that slander my integrity - all of this for the sole purpose of sabotaging my hard-earned victory. Master Altaire, should you find that I am innocent, I believe that it is within my rights to demand suitable compensation for the harm they''ve caused me. Do you agree?" His speech was injected with just enough helplessness and frustration that Syryn really became a victim in the eyes of the imposing alchemist.


    Altaire had remained silent as he listened to Syryn plead his case. Like an unshakeable monolith, the alchemist made no reaction and asked no questions. The teen was allowed to speak uninterrupted, and when he had said his final piece, the masked man finally nodded.


    Altaire''s low voice resounded in the amphitheatre, "I cannot speak for Nua''s courts. It is not within the scope of my authority to award you compensation, but, as your senior alchemist, I will give you justice only as someone of my abilities can." Like boulders filling a lake, each word settled down heavily within the tense atmosphere of the amphitheatre. Why did it sound like Altaire had already made his decision about the guilty party? The avians were unaware that the alchemist had watched Syryn closely through the entire brewing process, and had understood how talented he really was.


    And it was at that moment the avians knew that they were done for. Who was Altaire? A godly presence amongst them that had contacts all across the known kingdoms. With a single word from his mouth, Nua would find itself hard-pressed to receive business from reputable potion industries. And that was just the best-case scenario for them. The alchemist was capable of handing down far worse punishments. Yes, they were well and truly done for today.


    "There''s no need for such drastic actions, please, master Altaire, reconsider your words. We don''t have to take it that far!" Elder Toka sounded panicked as he hurriedly interjected. If the great master really placed an embargo on Nua because of the silly show, the emperor of Nua would have their freedoms and titles, if not their lives. They could not afford to offend Altaire and in turn, the thorny Syryn.


    The old man had found it inconceivable that someone so young could have claimed mastery of both medicine and alchemy but the teen had proved him wrong. Syryn had in fact pushed them into the hole they had dug out for him. And Altaire was helping the boy bury them alive. What a troublesome child! Elder Toka thought as he glanced at the beautiful boy. Syryn reminded him of the toxic flowers that were gorgeous to look at but could kill you if you so much as caressed a single petal.


    "Elder Toka," Altaire replied with gravity, "I do not take back the words I''ve already spoken." The alchemist walked past the elder and then stopped as if he had remembered something. He picked up the basket of heart feathers and began a walk down the steps of the amphitheatre. To the avians, he seemed like an undertaker arriving to execute them.


    Syryn waited for Altaire to arrive beside him. What was it like to be defended by a guardian angel who was also the man you''d idolised for years? Syryn would have said that it felt better than sex, not that he was in a position to make such a statement. The teen was feverish with excitement, and there was a hint of nerves that made him hyper-aware of Altaire''s imposing presence.


    The black and gold robe filled his vision when Altaire stopped beside him. Syryn swallowed past the dryness of his throat and arranged his features into a natural smile. "Master Altaire, thank you for saving me from the cunning machinations of these cruel avians."


    Elder Toka felt the blood rush up his throat when he heard Syryn''s fake accusations. Right from the beginning, the entire alchemy test had been an insidious trap set up by Syryn. They''d all lined up and tied themselves together with a single rope to jump into the pit. He regretted setting up a big stage for Syryn, he regretted allowing Syryn to get under his skin, and most of all - he regretted having involved Altaire.


    A basket of precious heart feathers, the goodwill of the famous alchemist, and a noose around the necks of the avians in the amphitheatre - these were the spoils of war that Syryn had reaped. Elder Toka''s old heart was strong but this time, his chest felt tighter than it had any right to.


    The old man clutched his chest in agony and the last thought that went through his mind before he passed out was of how that cursed Syryn brat was driving him into an early death.


    "Grandfather!" Syryn heard an alarmed shout and then saw the figure of Utsui rushing up the stairs where elder Toka was slumped over unconscious. Frightened avians began milling around the old man, and chaos quickly descended upon the amphitheatre.

 Chapter 139 - Judgement

    The teen ran up the stairs while tossing aside any unlucky avians that got in his way.


    "Move, you idiots!" He shoved aside a few of the bird men that were crowded around the unconscious old man.


    Utsui was knelt by Elder Toka''s side. The young medical genius was a picture of cool focus as he measured his grandfather''s pulse. He glanced up at Syryn and made eye contact for a few seconds while his fingers remained pressed to the old man''s wrist.


    "What is it telling you, Utsui?"


    "Fast and thready pulse," Utsui replied. "Grandfather''s skin feels cold and clammy."


    Syryn crouched down and observed the paleness of Elder Toka''s face. "Seems to me like he''s suffered from a vasovagal syncope." And it was Syryn''s fault too. All that stress had led to a sudden drop in the old man''s heart rate and blood pressure. The teen was very sure that it wasn''t a heart attack.


    He helped Utsui elevate the old man''s leg end so that blood flow to the brain would be established. It wasnt long before elder Toka stirred and opened his eyes.


    "Grandfather, how do you feel?" Utsui asked the old avian with obvious relief in his voice.


    "Utsui," elder Toka held his head and looked around in a daze. "I''m alive."


    The old avian then caught sight of Syryn leaning over him with a smile that grated on the old man''s nerves. Elder Toka gritted his teeth and made a ''hmph'' sound.


    "Let''s get you back home, grandpa," Syryn singsonged.


    "I''m not your grandpa!"


    "But Utsui and I are getting married soon so you''re definitely becoming my grandpa. I''m your future in-law, grandpa Toka."


    Utsui arched a brow at Syryn and shook his head from side to side very slowly. The message was clear - stop messing with my grandfather before he really suffers a heart attack because of you.


    Syryn shrugged. For Utsui''s sake, he would stop annoying the old man. When he turned around to leave, elder Toka addressed him with more humility than he had ever displayed.


    "I''ll let you see the dowager queen if you call off master Altaire."


    Syryn twirled back around and scoffed at the old man. "And what makes you think he''ll do as I say?"


    "He will," elder Toka insisted though Syryn had no idea where the old man got his confidence from. "Please, don''t let him declare a sanction against Nua. My old heart does not have the strength to bear the responsibility for bringing such shame upon this nation."


    Syryn was silent.


    He glanced at Utsui who was pretending deafness. The young avian was kneeling beside the old man, loosening the collar around his grandfather''s neck.


    "I make no promises," Syryn finally answered. "A nobody like me does not have any leverage in the final decisions made by someone like master Altaire. You should have thought twice before involving him in our petty fight." Syryn said it without malice but it caused the old man''s shoulders to tense.


    Syryn looked over his shoulder and was surprised to see Altaire already going through his leftover potions on stage. Ignoring the unrest that surrounded his presence, the alchemist was wrapped up in a bubble of indifference.


    Not far away from Altaire, the middle-aged alchemist was huddled in a corner and nervously looking around like he had no idea what was even happening anymore. The arrogance that he had displayed when he defended the adulterated ichor, the self-righteousness with which he had spoken; they were all clouds of smoke that had dissipated to reveal the truth - Syryn was the superior alchemist.


    His eyes fearfully darted to the teen approaching him. Syryn chuckled at the naked fear and the shame that showed in the man''s submissive posture. There was no fun in playing with boring prey so he was left unmolested by the half-demon.


    "Master Altaire, what''s your verdict?" Syryn''s cool eyes observed the glass tube that Altaire held up to the light. It was the last potion that hadn''t been shown off to the avians. A sheen of oil gleamed against the surface of the glass vial that looked ordinary against Altaire''s long fingers that were beautifully well proportioned. The delicate outlines of veins against his clean looking skin drew Syryn''s eyes to them. Just like his own, Altaire''s nails were clean and well maintained.


    "90, 90, and 91 per cent purity."


    Syryn wasn''t disappointed with his achievements. Using such a common cauldron, he had crossed the pinnacle of peak purity that was possible. This was a consequence of using mathematics in his brewing process, a feat he could not replicate with more complicated potions.


    "I win," Syryn simply declared.


    "Yes, you win." Altaire carefully laid the tube back on the table and faced Syryn. "Who is your teacher?"


    Syryn was unprepared for his idol to show any interest beyond helping him as a fellow alchemist. For a second, he stupidly stared at the man. "My teacher?"


    "Do you not have a mentor or a teacher?" Altaire repeated patiently.


    "No," Syryn replied.


    "I do not accept apprentices," a pause, "but I will make an exception for you," he calmly informed the teen. "If- you''d like to apprentice under my tutelage."


    Syryn''s mind came to a screeching halt.


    "What," he blurted out. "What."


    Syryn stared at the expressionless mask.


    "I said," Altaire dully informed him, "would you like to learn under my-"


    "Yes!" It tumbled out before Syryn''s brain caught up with what his mouth had just done.


    "Where is your place of residence?" Altaire asked the still shocked Syryn.


    "I have no idea," the teen answered. He had assumed that Altaire was asking about his temporary Nuan home.


    When the senior alchemist silently waited for him to start making some sense, the teen snapped out of his shock. "I come from Elysium."


    Altaire, who was taller than Syryn inclined his head and grasped the pendant that he wore against his chest. It was a simple black stone wrapped in a silver vine over which three elderberry flowers were carved. The alchemist handed the necklace over to Syryn.


    "Find me when you''re ready to accept me as your teacher."


    How did he know that Syryn had reservations about it? The teen had agreed but his heart was wavering, and Altaire had accurately grasped at the young man''s doubts. Syryn was thankful that the alchemist was giving him time to decide.

 Chapter 140 - Dream

    Elder Toka had risen to his feet and it was a sign to the avians that the old man was not dying.


    Their immediate concern being ameliorated, the avians had time now to pay attention to what Altaire had to say. The older alchemist had been waiting for the avians to settle down so when they did, he wasted no time.


    "I pronounce my judgement," the alchemist spoke without preamble. The acoustics of the amphitheatre carried his voice with impressive resonance. "My investigations reveal no evidence of foul play in Syryn Nigh''hart''s alchemy. His potions are outstanding and exceed the benchmark set for entry into the fold of kinetics." Altaire allowed the avians a few moments to absorb the shocking information. The kinetics were amongst the most elite of alchemists in the world. It was a standard that broadcasted their status as superior potion makers. Every kinetic was a master of mathematical alchemy. But Syryn had never been a member.


    As an alchemist, Syryn was an anomaly. If he tried hard enough, the teen could, without complicated formulas, produce a level of purity that mathematical alchemists could not. But on the other hand, Syryn hadn''t learnt to precisely calculate higher grade potions. He relied on his fine-tuned intuition, excellent tools, and the best of quality ingredients to achieve high grades of purity. Altaire''s declaration of his ability to become one of the kinetics served to wake up the sleeping ambition in Syryn.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart wins the test." To Altaire, it was a simple matter of informing the avians about the winner. But to the horrified birds, it was a sentence that separated them from their heart feathers. Regret was a bitter medicine to swallow. The avians had assumed that Syryn was a pretty boy without any skills to back up his claims. How could they have known that he was a master alchemist? And suddenly, the teen had risen in status in their eyes. Such a charismatic young man who had been blessed with heavenly beauty and skills, how high would he soar in the future? It was a terrifying realisation for the Nuans, especially for elder Toka.


    -----


    "Congratulations, Syryn. You sure showed him." Red''s sarcastic words were a backhanded compliment. His implications alluded to Syryn''s high abilities and how he was using them to bully small fries.


    "I did. And I got these too," Syryn showed off the basket of heart feathers cradled between his arms. One feather particularly stood out to him. It was a shimmering green colour and had bright patterns of blue and brown on it.


    Akida looked at the basket with distaste scrunching lines on his nose. "What are you going to do with it?" He asked Syryn as they walked back home.


    "Sell them back to their owners of course." Syryn''s mind drifted back to Altaire. Before the man departed with elder Toka, the teen had requested him to spare Nua from the punishment that Syryn himself had asked for. Altaire hadn''t given him an answer but elder Toka had at least appeared relieved. The old man had then invited Syryn to his home, letting him know that he would send Utsui to act as his guide the following day.


    "You''re evil," Akida said but there was a smile in his voice, and Syryn took that as an approval. The guard had been in the amphitheatre when the avians had degraded Syryn. Taking their heart feathers was the teen''s payback for the callous words they''d said to him.


    ---


    When Syryn fell asleep that night, he had a strange dream.


    Syryn found himself inside a broken-down temple that had seen better days. Half of the stone pillars that had held up the temple were broken. Green shoots were growing between the seams of stone tiles on the floor that lay cracked and split apart. And high above, where the ceiling stretched out in a dome, a large hole exposed its inner sanctum to the sky. Shafts of sunlight fell into the temple and lit up the inside, making it appear abandoned and lonely.


    Syryn took a few steps forward, looked around his surroundings, and that was when he noticed a figure kneeling by the altar that still remained intact. Within the rays of bright sunshine, Rowan was on his knees, his dark blue fur cloak spread out on the cold stone floor.


    "Ro?" Syryn could tell that something was wrong with Rowan. A forlornness surrounded the figure of the blonde anti mage whose head was bowed in defeat.


    Silence.


    Syryn''s heart sped up as he walked towards the man on the floor. Gripped by a desire to turn and walk away, he pushed himself to move forward one reluctant step at a time. The distance between him and Rowan was engulfed too soon by Syryn''s steps. He stood right behind Rowan now.


    The teen reached out tentatively to touch the anti mage''s shoulder. Retracting his hand when he was just an inch away from touching Rowan, Syryn curled his fingers and took a step back.


    Those strong shoulders that Syryn had expected to hold up the fate of the world - trembled for a second and it was like a punch to the teen''s guts.


    "Rowan?" He spoke much louder now.


    "Syryn," the familiar voice called out softly and it was a broken sound like the anti mage was falling apart inside.


    The teen suddenly realised that Rowan wasn''t talking to the him that was standing behind the anti mage.


    "It was my fault, Syryn. I wasn''t ready to say goodbye." The words that came out of Rowan were laced with pain.


    "Rowan, what are you talking about?" Syryn rushed over to stand in front of the kneeling anti mage. Words could not form between his lips when he saw the blood pooling on the ground.


    "No, no, no, no!" Syryn''s hand flew to his hip where his satchel usually hung. The comforting weight of the satchel wasn''t there. "This is a dream," Syryn reminded himself. "It''s not real. Rowan is not dying."


    "Forgive me, Ry-" a choked sob. Rowan pressed a hand to his eyes. "I miss you, Ryn."

 Chapter 141 - Deja V?

    Syryn woke up with wetness clinging to his lashes. Why was he crying?


    Right. The dream.


    It was still dark out. Syryn immediately noticed the empty spot next to him. Lucien was missing.


    The teen leapt out of bed and attempted to rationalise the situation. Lucien could have gone to the washroom.


    The teen pushed open the door that led to the washroom. It was empty. He was hit by a sense of deja vu.


    Nausea swam in his gut as Syryn''s legs carried him to Akida''s door. As he knocked on it, he hoped he was just being paranoid, that Lucien had decided to disturb Akida do late at night for some reason.


    "What''s going on?" Despite the sleep mussed hair, the avian was already sharp and awake when he opened the door.


    "I can''t find Lucien."


    Akida''s expression changed. "I''ll check the house."


    Syryn had a feeling it was futile. Lucien had run away again. And it was for such a moment that Syryn had placed a beacon on the boy. Once burnt, twice shy - he had been ready for a repeat performance. He didnt believe that Red could be kidnapped silently when Syryn was sleeping right next to him. The boy had left of his own accord. Lucien could have left for an innocuous reason like a midnight walk but it was unlikely.


    When the avian returned looking furious but also worried, it was the confirmation that Syryn was waiting for. "One of the downstairs windows is unlatched. It looks like he left of his own accord."


    "Follow me, Akida."


    Syryn had half an hour while the magical beacon burnt itself out. He had already triggered the sleeping spell and now it was time to hunt before their time ran out.


    The avian carried Syryn and took flight. Following the directions that were given to him, Akida flew towards the southern edge of Helios where there was an abundance of sun trees.


    "He''s inside there."


    Akida landed with surprising gentleness. Syryn immediately rushed into the sun tree plantation while making little noise. From the sun trees wafted out a scent that reminded Syryn of sweet fresh pears.


    A crescent moon hung over the sky and it wasn''t enough light but he was unwilling to create light.


    And through the trees, Syryn could make out the figure of a young boy sitting on a rock. Lucien''s back was turned to Syryn and he was gazing up at the sky. When the teen felt relief flood his body, he smelled blood in the air.


    "Akida, I need you to go back," Syryn said to the avian.


    The guard made a small movement of his head and stared at the teen. "Why?"


    "Because I''m telling you to. It''s okay, I can handle it from here." Syryn said in a placating tone.


    "Are you sure?" Akida asked, eyes drifting back up to the figure of Red who was balanced at the edge of a precipice that was high enough to turn the boy into meat paste if he fell off.


    "Wait close by so I can call you if something goes wrong," Syryn told him before turning away.


    When Syryn reached Lucien''s spot, it was a foregone conclusion that blood had been shed. But whose was it?


    "Red," Syryn was careful when he called him. The redhead hadn''t turned around despite hearing Syryn approach and that worried the teen.


    "Syryn, you came for me." A dark chuckle. "I knew you''d find me."


    "What''s wrong, Red?" Syryn sat beside the child.


    "I killed someone."


    Syryn held his breath. It was as he had feared. Red had committed murder at Nua. Could Rowan break him out of jail?


    Syryn laughed at the thought. He was willing to take the blame for Lucien if they were caught. When had he become so selfless?


    "Why are you laughing?" Red asked his brother.


    "No special reason," Syryn replied feeling the tension leave his shoulders. Even if he was imprisoned, Rowan would get him out. "Who did you kill then?"


    "A human merchant, someone who I fondly remember from the past." Red''s reply insinuated at something darker than what his words were telling Syryn.


    "Someone who used you?" There was no easy way to phrase it.


    "Used and sold me, yes."


    "I''m glad he''s dead, then."


    Red turned to look at Syryn. "Even if this current iteration of him never harmed me in any way?"


    "Yeah," Syryn answered easily. "Just because he hasn''t done anything to you, it does not mean he isn''t preying on other people. You''ve probably saved his future victims from the harm he could inflict if allowed to remain alive."


    "Or maybe doomed them to a worse fate." The reply was gloomy.


    "That too."


    Syryn used his sleeve to wipe at a thin line of blood that had dried on Lucien''s forehead.


    "Where is the body?" Syryn could smell the blood that was splattered all across the grass.


    "I pushed it off," Red looked past the edge of the cliff. "He''s probably mincemeat at the foot of the plateau."


    "How did you lure him out here?"


    "Doesn''t matter," Red replied. "Nobody saw me leave with him."


    "You''re really clever, Red. You could kill me in my sleep and none would be the wiser." Syryn believed in his heart that Red was capable of taking his life, not because of a difference in their strengths but because of how much the older boy had come to trust the redhead.


    Red scoffed at Syryn. "If you still have time to say such dumb shit, help me clean up the blood."


    Syryn took little time in scorching the grass. It left a bald patch that would confuse the avians that found it. At the very least, there wasn''t any blood left to indicate that something nefarious had happened.


    "They''re going to look for him," Red told Syryn as they left the scorched area.


    "Sure, but people go missing all the time."


    "Nua will have to take responsibility for it since the human merchant has gone missing inside their borders, and right under their noses too."


    "Poor crown prince," Syryn tutted. "This might cause tension between Nua and the human merchants."


    "Syryn, I''m sorry. I''ve caused you trouble again."


    The abrupt apology made the teen to falter in his steps.


    "Are you sick?" He blurted out, not believing that Red would voluntarily say such a thing.


    "I take back what I said," the redhead muttered. He was worried about the body that was lying at the bottom of the cliff. Nua was a vast region and it was unlikely that the remains would be found. Still, it bothered him.


    "Syryn, let''s go burn the body that I pushed off." And right then he saw the figure of an avian waiting not far from them. Akida. Red and Syryn exchanged a glance. When word got out about the missing merchant, would the avian put two and two together?

 Chapter 142 - Confrontation L

    Akida''s gaze slid past Syryn and landed on Lucien''s face where it stayed for a few agonising seconds. The avian''s silence and deep look sent a thread of unease through Syryn.


    Akida was an astute man. He was always paying attention, always noticing details, and then using the information to make swift decisions that had the best outcomes. The teen hoped that their avian guard hadn''t noticed anything amiss aside from the scent of blood which was already a big red flag.


    "It is dangerous for a child to sneak out in the middle of the night," Akida said. "And also a matter of grave suspicion. You are not a native of Nua so your actions will be judged in a different light. Lucien, do not let this happen again."


    Blood red eyes stared up at the avian whose arms were crossed against a wide tan chest. "I killed someone," Red confessed abruptly.


    Syryn''s head turned towards the redhead so fast it nearly caused him whiplash. His mouth was ajar as he stared between the child and the towering avian who hadn''t reacted to the shocking words.


    "Lucien!" He managed to hiss out after gathering his bearings. But he was ignored by the both of them.


    "Why tell me?" Akida asked the redhead.


    How was he so calm when a child had just confessed to him of homicide? Syryn gaped at the guard with undisguised surprise.


    "Because I need your help to clean up the scene," Red answered with a tiny shrug. In truth, he was planning to commit a double homicide tonight if Akida decided to turn them in. The guard was a liability and Red did not leave such loose ends unattended.


    "You''ve killed a person in Nua, and you expect me to help you cover up your crime?" Akida asked as he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. There was an easy deadly confidence in the way he moved. "That''s some fucked up sense of entitlement you''ve got, Lucien." A sharp grin lifted up a corner of Akida''s mouth.


    Syryn backed off and watched the confrontation between them with disquietude pooling in his gut. He shouldn''t have brought Akida with him. But how was he to know that Red was out shedding blood in Nua? The violent brat could have told him he wanted to kill someone, couldn''t he? Syryn would have helped him. But no, Red had to sneak out and worry everyone, and now look where they''d landed themselves? Facing off the guard that Syryn had scoped out. Akida was a treasure!


    "Ah," Red exclaimed with interest. "How interesting.."


    At the same moment, Akida''s eyes narrowed dangerously. In a flash, he was beside Red. The avian''s silver blade glinted in the moonlight and it was pressed against Red''s neck.


    Syryn was in shock at how fast the avian had moved. For a moment, he nearly lost control when he saw Lucien in danger of getting beheaded.


    "Akida, don''t want to kill me?" Red taunted. "I tried to kill you, you felt it, didn''t you?"


    The avian''s mouth was tugged down in a frown. He had been reminded of the other childlike Lucien, or Luci as he was called by Syryn. And he just couldn''t do it, at least not until he received a proper explanation from the brothers.


    "Who did you murder?" Akida asked Red while his sword remained in place against the pale skin that was glowing with vitality. He could see Syryn at the edges of his sight - pacing, circling him with intent.


    "A human merchant," Red replied.


    "Why?"


    "Did Syryn ever mention to you how he found me? It was in a slaving caravan." Red smiled at the way Akida''s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "Yeah, Kida, the man I killed is one of those. Investigate his activities and you''ll find the names of many cute children who have gone missing, some could even be from Nua."


    Akida''s blade slid back into its sheath soundlessly. "Murder in Nua rarely turns out well if you aren''t a member of the enforcement," the guard informed Lucien. "You should have told me before acting so foolishly."


    Red stuck his bottom lip out. Was he being called sloppy? "And then what? You''d turn him in? There''s no evidence of his wrongdoing."


    "Where is the body you need my help with?" Akida switched tracks knowing they wouldn''t get anywhere with their opinions on how to handle criminals. His eyes had been opened tonight. The brothers were much more they seemed. He had to reevaluate his assessment of their identities.


    "At the bottom of the cliff. Give me a lift, Akida." Red stood on his tiptoes and stretched his arms out to garland the avian''s neck.


    The guard swept Red off his feet and lifted to the sky. Syryn watched them go and figured it would take some time for the clean up so he began to write another letter.


    Rowan,


    Lucien did a bad thing and Akida is helping him take care of matters. So here I am, writing you another letter.


    Do you remember Altaire? I once mentioned to you how much I wanted to meet him. He''s just as impressive as I had imagined. Altaire invited me to apprentice under him and I thought it was my imagination carrying itself away. I? ?t?h?i?n?k? ?t?h?a?t? ?i?f? ?y?o?u? ?w?e?r?e?n?''?t? ?s?o? ?a?m?a?z?i?n?g?,? ?I? ?m?i?g?h?t? ?h?a?v?e? ?r?u?n? ?a?w?a?y? ?w?i?t?h? ?A?l?t?a?i?r?e?.? ?I?t?''?s? ?a? ?j?o?k?e?.? ?I? ?w?o?u?l?d? ?n?e?v?e?r I think I''d like to learn from him. There''s no one else in this world more capable than he is of teaching me more about alchemy. I know, I probably sound like a lovestruck chit but that''s all I intend to learn from him. You''re my teacher in other matters, aren''t you?


    I had a dream about you. Did you miss me very much after I passed away? I think you did. I also missed you unbearably when I began my new life. Even back then, I kept dreaming about you and it felt so real. I wish I hadn''t dreamt about you. I feel hollow.

 Chapter 143 - Confrontation Ll

    Syryn was still asleep when Utsui arrived at his residence, carrying with him a comprehensive list of information. He had dug it out through a thorough historical investigation conducted on their rusma patient. The avian had spared no details about the identities of the healers and the prescriptions they''d made for the patient.


    "You''ve gathered the information so fast.." Syryn''s eyes scanned the barely legible handwriting on the paper.


    "Can you discern what I''ve written?" The young avian peered at his own writing from behind the paper. Utsui was aware of his shortcomings, apparently.


    "Yep." If Syryn placed a quill between the claws of milky, the result wouldn''t have looked too different. "You''re lucky I''m a seasoned reader of runes. Were you trying to summon a demon?"


    The young avian snatched the paper out of Syryn''s hands. "I''ll ask someone else to transcribe it."


    "I was joking, Utsui! Give that back."


    The sheet was torn in half between the grabbing hands of the two healers.


    "Syryn!"


    "This isn''t my fault!"


    ----


    It turned out that elder Toka''s home wasn''t too far off from where Syryn had been staying. The elder''s home was a beautifully constructed house that had three floors. The architecture was stylish but traditional. An artificial stream tinkled by the entrance of the house and over it was an arched ramp made from dark wood. A mixture of sun trees and other flora native to helios provided shade for the compound.


    "Utsui, what happened to the ichor seller in the end?" Syryn asked as they walked companionably.


    "He ran away and was caught trying to sneak out of Nua with a merchant band."


    Utsui''s reply was a sharp reminder of what had taken place last night. Would it take a day, or two? How much time would pass before the man''s companions took notice that one of their own was missing? Syryn hadn''t expected Akida to side with them, but in hindsight, the avian had grown up in a hotbed of criminal activity and had been exposed to all manners of unsavoury characters. Who knew what he''d seen while growing up?


    "Eh? Is that Altaire?" Syryn whispered to Utsui. The alchemist was walking towards them with elder Toka right beside him.


    "He''s staying with grandfather," Utsui replied. "They''re looking into the properties of ichor and what makes it such a powerful supplement."


    "Syryn, you''re here." Elder Toka''s greeting was blandly neutral. "Before I take you to the dowager queen, I need to test your knowledge of neurology and its associated disorders."


    It was a fair request. Not all healers were adept at all branches of anatomy. And this was no simple patient whose time could be wasted with a healer who didn''t know what he was doing.


    "When?" Syryn asked the elder.


    The older man seemed surprised that Syryn was cooperating with him. He had expected the teen to react rebelliously. After the traumatic incident at the amphitheatre, the old man no longer wanted to antagonise the teen.


    "After I send off master Altaire," elder Toka replied.


    Unexpectedly, Altaire interjected in their civil conversation. "I''d like to observe the assessment of Syryn''s medical understanding."


    The teen felt a tiny throb in his heart. Was that excitement at the prospect of being watched by Altaire while he got to show off? Or could it be the thrill of knowing that the alchemist was interested in exploring Syryn''s other academic pursuits?


    "Why not?" Syryn replied. "If it is also acceptable to elder Toka, I don''t have any problems."


    The old man nodded. "Follow me."


    ----


    Syryn was acutely aware of Altaire''s unobtrusive but imposing presence in the room. He sat quietly with his elbow on the armchair and his chin resting in his palm.


    Elder Toka began with easy questions that soon escalated into tricky ones set up to catch him unawares. A lesser healer would have faltered and fallen into the elder''s traps but Syryn was a seasoned schemer.


    "But Toka, you asked about the axillary nerve C6, not the median nerve C6." Syryn leaned into Utsui and rested his head on the young avian''s shoulder.


    Utsui''s grandfather pressed his lips into a straight line and stared at where Syryn was resting his head. The teen couldn''t see Utsui''s reaction so he missed the way colour dusted the avian''s cheekbones.


    "Get your head off my grandson''s shoulder!"


    "Why?"


    "It''s inappropriate. An important assessment is taking place, Syryn. Please conduct yourself appropriately. At least for the sake of master Altaire who does not need to see such a display of-"


    "Let it be, Toka. It does not displease me," Altaire calmly informed the old man.


    Elder Toka puffed up like he had more to say. Syryn smiled. His hands strayed to the silky hair that lay against Utsui''s chest. Twirling it around his forefinger, Syryn tugged at it gently so Utsui was forced to look at him. The young avian jerked at Syryn''s tunic from under the table. A subtle warning to Syryn.


    This time, Syryn ignored the warning. "Eh? Utsui, why are you touching me under the table? I''m sensitive so-"


    "Grandfather, it''s not like that!" Utsui blurted out to the old man whose hand had flown to his chest in shock.


    "We''re done here," elder Toka slammed his book shut and stared at Syryn with fire in his eyes. "I will speak to you later."


    Syryn glanced at Altaire who was still leaning on a palm. What was he thinking? The teen wanted to know.


    ---


    After elder Toka left with Altair, the young men were left to their devices. Syryn was appreciating a dragon feather flower when Utsui came to stand beside him.


    "Why do you keep teasing me?" Utsui asked the teen. "Is it because you hate grandfather?"


    Syryn turned to look at the avian. Their eyes met briefly and he looked away. An odd feeling was lodged in his chest. Ah guilt, he thought, hello old friend.


    "I don''t hate your grandfather," Syryn answered. "And I tease you because its fun to. Your reactions are very- cute."


    Utsui tugged at Syryn''s collar and he was suddenly inches away from the avian''s face. A frown dipped the corner of Utsui''s soft-looking lips. "Have a care for my feelings, Syryn. You can''t seduce me and hope to get away with it unscathed."


    Syryn blinked in surprise. "I''m not trying to seduce you. Physical proximity isn''t seduction, Utsui."


    "If you were to behave with a woman in the same manner as you do with me, she would think you were interested in more than friendship. Do you understand?" Utsui''s warm breath skated past Syryn''s lips.


    "Y-yes.." Syryn was a damn fool. For once in his life, he felt sorry about teasing a good looking man.


    "The next time you say or do something provocative, I will kiss you," Utsui threatened with a narrowing of his eyes.


    "Right, understood," Syryn eased off the fingers that were holding his collar.


    "Good. Let''s have some tea while we wait for grandfather," Utsui said in a calm tone like nothing untoward had happened.

 Chapter 144 - Dowager Queen

    The dowager queen''s residence had been constructed at Helios because of the pleasant climate that prevailed at its altitude. The royal family''s palace was situated on another plateau and it was much cooler than Helios.


    It was morning. Syryn and Utsui were accompanied by elder Toka and they were heading to the dowager queen''s home.


    "Rusma shows little to no reaction when combined with most drugs, and that''s where the healers were neglectful in their investigation," Syryn explained. He had figured out what was going on with the sick rusma patient.


    "And how did you find out which drugs it reacts to?" Utsui asked.


    "I''ve seen a case like his before. There was a farmer who smoked rusma while taking a drug for some other ailment he was suffering from. The rusma interacted with the drug, and not only did it prevent healing, it also caused a chain of reactions that triggered an autoimmune disorder. I didn''t figure it out till he was dead and cut open for investigation."


    "Will his sickness abate if he''s taken off Rusma?" Utsui placed a hand on his chin in thought as he asked Syryn.


    "Rusma and all the other drugs he''s currently on. There''s a cocktail of chemicals interacting in his system so the first phase of treating him is to detox his body. No painkillers even."


    The duo discussed the case while elder Toka listened along. Syryn and the old avian conducted civil but curt conversations when they were forced to exchange words. Utsui was like a buffer in between them and it softened their interactions.


    An unassuming bridge that connected the edges of a deep and wide crevice led them to a split off section of Helios where the dowager queen took residence. Syryn was enamoured by the pink leaved trees that surrounded a simple looking home. A circular pond reflected golden sunlight off it, the water rippling from the presence of insects that skated over its surface. It was peaceful here.


    "Looks like her highness is entertaining a guest," Utsui commented.


    "It must be princess Orin."


    Though the open window of the home, Syryn could make out the figures of two women. The sound of warm and sweet laughter reached their ears.


    "Princess Orin," Utsui made a shallow bow after they were allowed entry by a guard.


    The dowager queen appeared to be in her 60s. Fine grey hair at her temples complemented the graceful lines of age at the edges of her eyes. The princess that sat next to her shared similarities that indicated their blood relation.


    There were beautiful people in the world, and then there was princess Orin - Riaku''s older sister. Syryn had heard from Akida that she was known as the heart feather of Nua. It was no exaggeration. Orin had dark wavy hair that fell to her waist like a waterfall. She had delicate and sensual facial features, full lips, and copper brown eyes. A voluptuous figure with a tiny waist sculpted her a feminine figure that was draped in light pink silk.


    "Toka, you''ve brought guests." The dowager queen smiled warmly.


    "A new healer, your highness. He might find a few insights that our avian healers have missed." It was high praise from the old man.


    The dowager queen''s gaze moved to Syryn. At the same time, princess Orin''s attention also landed on Syryn. She had heard about him from Riaku.


    Remembering his manners, Syryn executed a formal bow unique to Sigil''s people. It was done with uncharacteristic grace.


    "A young healer. Are you also a genius like Utsui?" The dowager queen asked with a smile on her face.


    "I''m afraid I''m no genius," Syryn honestly replied. "I''ve just had a lot of time to study."


    Utsui''s lips twitched like he wanted to smile. He thought Syryn was being humble.


    "Your highness, tell me what ails you," Syryn respectfully spoke to the dowager queen.


    He was attentive, gentle, and charming. The teen''s intelligence and patience won over both the dowager queen and princess Orin who observed them silently.


    At the end of their examination, the dowager queen was reluctant to part with the teen who had made her laugh with the anecdotes he recounted of his days treating all sorts of characters.


    "Come again, Syryn." Princess Orin told him when they were ready to depart. Her smile was infectious.


    Syryn nodded. Is this what it felt like when people saw him? He was unable to turn away from her captivating face. Still, Rowan was much better looking. There was nobody alive more attractive than his anti mage. And if there was one, was he as awesome as Rowan? Syryn didn''t think so.


    "What did you deduce?" Elder Toka asked when they were leaving.


    "There''s no cure," Syryn replied. "But it doesn''t mean there aren''t ways to reduce the progression of the disease. The dowager queen can live for another twenty years if she perfectly adheres to the regime I prescribe."


    Elder Toka stopped in his steps.


    "Do you speak the truth?"


    The teen halted and turned to the old man who appeared stricken.


    "Yes."


    A heaviness seemed to weigh down the old man''s shoulders. He nodded slowly while looking at Syryn like he was truly seeing him for the first time.


    "Syryn, who is your teacher?" He asked gravely. Elder was Toka was finally seeing the sour fruits of his hubris. There were better healers beyond the rim of his well; healers as young as Syryn.


    "He is of no consequence. I killed him," Syryn answered.


    "You killed your teacher?" Utsui frowned.


    "Just kidding, Utsui." Syryn hurriedly put away the hand that was reaching up to squeeze Utsui''s cheek.


    "I saw that." Utsui was staring at Syryn''s hand.


    The teen hid his hand behind his back. "What?"


    And in front of his grandfather, Utsui attacked Syryn. The teen''s cheeks were squeezed mercilessly between warm fingers.


    "Uh-tsuiiiii!"


    Elder Toka sighed and resumed walking. His grandson acted like a child under Syryn''s influence but it wasn''t such a bad outcome. Utsui had always been a serious boy. It warmed the old man''s heart to see him loosen up.

 Chapter 145 - Exploration L

    An entire day evaporated. Syryn had worked hard studying the dowager queen''s medical history and prevailing health markers, and had come up with a routine of exercises that would benefit her ailment. The prescription was written down with explicit instructions for what she had to do daily.


    After sealing off his hard work in an envelope, Syryn began working on the rusma patient''s case. When his quill began jotting down its first lines, he had an unexpected guest.


    "Riaku is here," Red informed him from the door. He wore a pleased smirk on his face. The redhead was happy to see Riaku.


    Syryn met the prince in an area that served as a living room. Riaku seemed to be in a buoyant mood as well. The prince smiled at Syryn when the teen greeted him.


    "Elder Toka informed me of how you have lengthed my grandmother''s life."


    Syryn flopped down on the comfortable chair and shrugged. "It''s thanks to your efforts in finding me, a gem of a healer amongst the glass stones."


    "You''re right," Riaku said. "Can I detain you in Nua for the foreseeable future?"


    Syryn wanted to stay. He was okay with letting Salem take complete ownership of their shared business. But he had Rowan to return to, and a lost squid to feed.


    "I can prolong my stay," Syryn replied. "If it appears that the dowager queen requires observation."


    Riaku nodded.


    "Understood. I came here for another reason, I have good news for you."


    "Good news?" Syryn''s ears perked up.


    "You have the permission and unlimited access to Nua''s plateau, barring the more sensitive areas that Akida can tell you about." Riaku tossed to Syryn a jade coin that had a hole in its centre. A golden yellow band went through the hole and was twisted in a loop that could be used to hang it on Syryn''s waist.


    The teen sat up straighter. "For real? Is Akida my guide?" He was beaming, ecstatic from the knowledge that Nua''s treasure trove was finally open to him.


    "He is. He might be grumpy but I trust him to protect you from the dangers that you might encounter."


    "But why are you letting me have him? Isn''t he your personal guard?" Syryn picked up the jade token and examined the markings on it.


    "I''m mostly safe within Nua."


    "Of course, you''re the wall that stands between Nua and her enemies. Speaking of which, you will no longer be as useful when Nua finally subdues her last crop of hostile neighbours. That''s when you have to watch out, Riaku. Kingdoms are built on the blood spilt between princes."


    Riaku was calm in the face of Syryn''s provocative words. "Yes, that would be an acceptable outcome."


    Syryn stopped and stared at the prince. Carefully, he asked him. "Do you perhaps want to," a dramatic pause, "die?"


    Riaku laughed. He looked happy. And Syryn was happy for him.


    "No, I want to be free." He had said the same thing before.


    "That''s no good, Riaku," Syryn told him. "Being free could mean many things. Fate may twist your words and free you from your mortal coil."


    "Then I''ll look forward to it." Riaku stood up. "I have to attend to my duties, Syryn. Let''s meet again soon."


    -----


    "Ok, but why am I weari-"


    "WHAT?" Akida shouted to be heard above the din of the waterfall they were crossing.


    "WHY ARE WE WEARING THESE?" Syryn flapped his arms to better show Akida what he was talking about. Syryn, Lucien, and Akida were out exploring a cave system under Helios. The guard had forced the brothers to put on long coats, masks and gloves that covered up every inch of skin on their bodies. It was night time and the flash of lightning from Akida''s thunder orb illuminated their slippery path.


    "YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO CATCH GLIMMER FROGS," Akida yelled into Syryn''s ears. "THEY OCCUPY THE SAME ECOLOGY THAT IS INHABITED BY PLAGUE SLIME."


    Red was holding on to Akida''s hand for dear life. The slippery moss-covered rocks were a death sentence to non-avians. He stepped on a particularly wet patch of rock that nearly sent him careening down the ledge they were walking across. Akida yanked him back on his feet and decided that it was better to carry the boy. Red was ashamed but he allowed Akida to piggyback him.


    "What are these plague slimes you speak of?" He asked the avian. He was bundled up in a red coat that the guard had chosen for him. Syryn was in a black coloured one.


    "The most disgusting, slimy, ugly things you''ll ever see. If you accidentally come in contact with the slime they produce, a plague starts spreading from the point of contact, and it stinks like a rotting carcass left in the water for too long." Akida''s vivid description made his listeners cringe. Suddenly they were grateful for the covering that the guard had physically forced upon them.


    "That''s N''tasia''s gate," Akida gestured to the opening in the rock that dwarfed their figures. The environment in Nua seemed so exaggerated to Syryn who had never seen such a tall opening. If they stood there and looked out to the sky, millions of stars twinkled back at them.


    "Syryn," Akida held out his hand to the teen who was looking up at the sky, the same sky that Rowan had probably looked up at that night.


    Grasping the strong fingers that were wrapped around his, Akida led them through the opening of the cave. His orb illuminated a perilous path of waterlogged rock floor and Syryn wished he was small enough to get piggybacked like Red.


    The two of them splashed through the water and reached dry rocky ground feeling wet and cold. Still, it was worth it to the teen.


    Akida hung his orb on an iron hook that was hammered into the wall. The avian then led them deeper inside the cave system where Syryn''s eyes adjusted to the darkness. He was able to discern faint glowing patches on the walls.


    "Bioluminescent algae," Syryn said to Akida. "We''re close to the glimmer frogs."


    "Why do you think they glow?" Red asked Syryn. He reached out and rubbed some of the yellowish algae between his gloved fingers.


    "Could be many reasons for it. It could be that they glow to attract predators that eat the insects that eat the algae. Or it could be a display akin to how flowers look bright to attract pollinators." Syryn scrapped off a test tube''s worth of algae and packed it away.


    "Look, there''s a glimmer frog," Akida pointed out.


    Syryn was surprised by the avian''s sharp eyes. It was a baby glimmer that could sit on his thumbnail and still take up only half the space. "Amazing! It''s just like the algae. Could it be that the frogs evolved in tandem with the algae?"


    Syryn stole a few more samples and a live mature glimmer frog that could not be stored in his satchel. They moved further into the cave and the smell of rot hit their noses.


    "Syryn, make light," Akida told the teen.


    A will-O-the wisp floated in front of the them. Akida silently pointed to the ceiling and the brothers looked up to see a large mass of writhing slime that looked like sentient snot. It covered the rock surface so completely that Syryn felt a shiver of horror go down his spine. It was as if a million tiny worms were wriggling in the mass of greyish white.


    "And that is what your coat is for," Akida said, pointing to a drop of slime that had fallen on Syryn''s cloth-covered arm.


    "Can I burn them?" Syryn asked the avian.


    "No," Akida answered with a deep chuckle which Syryn thought was a delicious sound. "They have their own purpose in the cave. Just don''t get too close to them."


    "Right, where are we going next?" Red asked. He didn''t like how his head was separated from the disgusting things by just a few metres of space.


    "We can go look for winter blossoms," Akida answered. "But not tonight."

 Chapter 146 - Exploration Ll

    Having spent the entire night exploring, when the avid adventurers had roused, it was half-past noon.


    The house was filled with the smell of a fragrant lunch. Yui, Syryn learnt, was an excellent caretaker. She was a mother to the cats while the boys were occupied. And when they woke up every morning, Yui was always prepared and ready with a hearty breakfast.


    After a satisfying lunch that Syryn had thanked Yui for, they were visited by the second patient that Riaku had wanted the teen to take a look at. Utsui had also arrived and was beside him when they began examinations. It was a complicated case that Syryn was sure he couldn''t solve. Sicknesses that dealt with the eyes were difficult to treat. Not even Syryn''s experience could mitigate the complexity of it. The unfortunate patient was sent home with a promise that Syryn would try his best to help him.


    "Utsui, wanna come with us?" Syryn asked the avian who was packing away his notes. Syryn looked at the scribbles and found them just as endearing as the cute Utsui.


    "Where? I have a case study to work on."


    "To the cradle of lightning bugs!" Luci burst into the room excitedly. "Akida said there''s a change of plans and we''ll search for winter blossoms another time."


    "I''ll come then," Utsui replied. "I''ve been looking to get myself a plasma star."


    "Utsui! But that''s only for the avians who wish to attempt a trial of courage," Luci stood before the young avian and said with gravity. "Is that what you''re planning to do?"


    The young avian nodded. "I''m turning eighteen soon. I''d like to get it done before it''s too late."


    "What is the trial of courage?" Syryn curiously asked.


    Utsui turned to Luci and smiled. "Why don''t you explain it to your big brother, Luci?"


    "Me? But I only know a little."


    "That''s alright."


    "Oh, alright then. Akida told me that a few foolish avians go through a trial of courage before they turn eighteen. The avian has to pluck a fruit of the plasma tree without getting fried by lightning."


    Syryn turned to Utsui. "Does your grandfather know what you''re planning?"


    "No."


    The teen leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms. "Why do you want to do this?"


    The young avian shrugged. "I just want to."


    Syryn didn''t believe that. "Is this a form of rebellion?"


    "Rebellion? No. It''s not that deep, Syryn. I''m just looking to do something fun. If I die while attempting it, it means I overestimated myself and am just another idiot who died trying to catch something out of reach."


    Was this self-awareness, or confidence backed up by real strength? The teen was getting flashbacks to Alka''s antics. Now he was sure that Utsui would fit well in his home of daredevils and oddballs.


    "Utsui, if you ever want to leave Nua, my home is open to you," he said. "You''ll have a lot of fun and excitement putting your life at risk every day with the others."


    "What risks?"


    Where was Syryn to begin? Could he even mention the corpse tree and his pet, Blue?


    "Er- I''ll tell you if you ever decide to join us."


    "I''ll consider it. Something tells me you lead a very colourful life, Syryn."


    "Ain''t that the truth? But you''ll fit in with the others, Utsui. You''re smart, good looking, and a little crazy." Syryn was beginning to see a list of criteria that his housemates fulfilled.


    "I''m intrigued. Tell me about your other friends."


    "I''m glad you asked, Utsui. Let''s start with Alka."


    --------


    At sunset, Akida informed Syryn that it was time to go. They met up with Utsui at a bridge where Helios'' border ended. Several hours of walking past pretty dragon feather flowers allowed Syryn to marvel at the ways the plant had adapted itself to the different environments of Nua.


    At the rockier places where soil and nutrients were scarce, dragon feathers were shorter and had longer roots to leach nutrients from deep under the rocks. Their flowers were even more flamboyant and gorgeous than the ones that grew at Helios. This was done to attract the scarce amount of pollinators that survived in such harsh environments.


    "If you''re interested, there''s a book I can lend you. It''s a traveller''s record about the different kinds of dragon feathers they''ve encountered all over Nua."


    "There are more variations of these things?" Lucien asked. In his hand was a dragon feather stem. The flower on it was so vivid in its colour, it almost looked unreal.


    "About a hundred and two variations have been listed," Utsui answered.


    Syryn was blown away by the thought of how a single type of plant had adapted in such myriad ways to survive its environment.


    "They''re like cockroaches," Red didn''t share his sentiment. "No different from weeds. Just because they''re pretty to look at, it doesn''t mean they aren''t annoying if you''re forced to tolerate them every day." Red was smiling at Syryn with intent when he said those words.


    "You''re right. It''s especially the short and bright coloured ones that survive like cockroaches in this wasteland," Syryn lifted his brows and shot back at Red. "They''ve adapted to leech off anything they can get their nutrient sucking roots into."


    "Let''s go, Syryn," Red said as he manifested a dagger made of ice.


    "I don''t bully weeds," Syryn replied but his hands were covered in flames.


    "What did I say about getting into fights near the plants?" Akida got between the brothers and stared them both down. "If you insist on fighting then I''ll kick the both of you back to Helios."


    "He started it!" Syryn pointed to Red.


    "He''s thirteen years old, Syryn," Utsui reminded him. "You''re his older brother."


    Red''s smile was as smug as they came. It made Syryn grind his teeth in irritation.


    The teen put his hands on Red''s shoulders and squeezed them very tightly. He was bending down to the redhead''s eye level and smiling. "Lucien, want me to push you off the cliff?"

 Chapter 147 - Exploration Lll

    The sky had turned black by the time they reached what Akida called the cradle of lightning bugs.


    Even before they arrived at the cradle, Syryn was witness to the bolts of lightning that constantly struck the landscape they were making a beeline towards.


    "Utsui, are you insane?" Syryn asked again. They were at a safe distance from the lightning bolts. The hard rock that stretched out before them was covered in scores of long ridges carved out by lightning over centuries of exposure.


    The hot white and blue bolts of electricity hit the tableland periodically. And closer to the centre of the electrical hotbed, Syryn could make out balls of glowing blue plasma that floated in the environment of lightning.


    "Dont worry, I came prepared," Utsui answered and he held up an ordinary looking glove.


    "You''re going to die, aren''t you?" Syryn hollowly echoed his inner voice.


    "Nope. As boring as it looks, this is a special magic-infused glove. It''ll protect me from the heat inside there but not from the lightning strikes."


    "How does that make any difference then?" Syryn asked with frustration.


    "I will meditate for an hour, Syryn. My mind has to reach a level of focus where I can discern the changing patterns of the lightning bolts."


    Every time a bolt was discharged close to them, it illuminated their faces as clear as daylight. Anxiety gnawed at Syryn even as he distanced himself from Utsui.


    "He''ll be fine," Akida assured Syryn. "Utsui has come here often to study the lightning. He knows it better than you or I."


    "Have you also done the trial?" Syryn asked the guard.


    "I have nothing to prove," Akida answered, "to nobody."


    Syryn turned back to look at the meditating Utsui. Did he have something to prove or was he just a thrill seeker?


    "Kida! Where are the lightning bugs??" Luci asked the guard.


    "They''re all hiding in their burrows. You have to lure them out."


    "How?"


    "With these," Akida retired a cloth bag from his pocket and dangled it in front of the redhead. "The lightning bugs like to eat copper pellets. If you throw some near their burrows, they''ll come pouring out."


    "Neat!" The child held out his palms to receive a few pellets from Akida.


    "Syryn, come along with us. Utsui won''t be done anytime soon." The guard said to him.


    "Coming."


    The guard led them closer to the borders of lightning activity. It was a harrowing moment when Syryn strayed too far from Akida and was almost struck by lightning.


    "I told you to stick close to me, Syryn. Can you not follow the most basic of safety instructions?" He was growled at by the irate guard. "This is why I hate playing babysitter. Lucien get back here!"


    The excited redhead had been skipping ahead of them, following a small white bug that kept emitting a tiny amount of charge ever so often. He stopped in his tracks when he heard Akida''s sharp order.


    "You damned brats," Akida picked up Luci without any effort. The redhead was safely secured in one hand. With his other arm, Akida yanked Syryn closer to him and to the side away from danger so that now he was between the teen and the lightning bolts.


    They walked till they reached an expansive area covered in mounds made of what looked like soil. Hundreds to thousands of tiny holes peppered the mounds that varied in size and height.


    "Where did the soil come from?" Luci asked the guard.


    "Lightning bugs. They turn the rocks into soil."


    "Amazing!" Luci said as he tossed some copper pellets at the mounds.


    For a few seconds, there was no movement. Then all of a sudden, a tide of little shining bugs crawled out of their holes at great speed.


    "They look like stars!" Luci said in awe. "Can I touch them?"


    Akida hastily grabbed the child so he wouldn''t do anything stupid. "Lightning bugs have killed avians bigger than yourself, Luci. They''re beautiful but dangerous."


    "How did that happen?" Syryn asked.


    "During mating season, you don''t want to get near lightning bug territory. They swarm by the thousands and discharge their energy into the unlucky victim. It''s no less than getting killed by the lightning itself." Akida eased up on his grip over Luci and watched the older brother like a hawk. Syryn was plotting and Akida could smell it from afar.


    "No," the guard to Syryn.


    "What? I didn''t do anything."


    "Whatever you''re thinking. It''s a no."


    "But-"


    "No."


    Syryn had wanted to split open a mound so he could take a closer look at how the little bugs lived. Did they lay eggs in groups? Were the eggs bright like the mature bugs? Did they have a queen? Soldiers? He had questions that needed answering. But under Akida''s watchful eyes, the brothers were obediently quiet.


    An hour flew by and Syryn saw Utsui stand up. The young avian did not spare a look their way as he headed towards the field of lightning.


    "Does he not have any last words to impart to us?" Syryn ominously asked Akida.


    The guard''s glance flickered over to Syryn for once and it returned to the avian who was calmly walking through a death trap.


    "Utsui is an avian of steel focus," Akida told Syryn. "If there''s anyone who can clear the trial, it''s him. He has memorised the pattern and as long as he remains calm, he won''t stray off his path and the bolts won''t hit him."


    "How often do the patterns change?"


    "There''s no definite answer for that. Sometimes they change in minutes, sometimes hours, days. You never really know. But according to lightning enthusiasts, they change every seven to eight hours."


    Syryn was impressed by Utsui''s ability to remain calm when surrounded by danger of such magnitude. He could see the avian reaching out to touch one of the blue plasma balls that floated just beyond his reach.


    "When was the last time someone tried this?" Syryn asked Akida.


    "Last year, and he was killed during it."


    Syryn nodded. It was par for the course. "Shouldn''t this be illegal?"


    "There aren''t a lot of idiots trying it," Akida answered. "Even if they do try and get killed for it, we just accept that they were bound to get killed anyway by doing something equally stupid."


    "And if they survive?" Syryn didn''t particularly think that Utsui was stupid. He believed that Utsui had enough faith in his abilities to carry out the task successfully.


    "Then they live to tell the tale of their bravery. But sometimes, desperate avians attempt it so that the emperor will grant them a favour."


    Syryn sat on his haunches and watched Utsui walk back out as cool as a cucumber. Was that why Utsui was doing this? What favour did he want?


    "Where are we going next?"


    "I haven''t decided yet."


    The teen was content at that moment, happy even. But happiness and sorrow were flip sides of the same coin, and they would all be reminded of that lesson one more time.

 Chapter 148 - Chaos

    It started with the distant sounds of screaming. Then the sky turned orange, reflecting the fire that had begun burning over Helios.


    Syryn mutely watched as pillars of black smoke choked the air above the burning city.


    "Akida, take us with you!"


    The avian had his wings unfurled and had been about to fly off.


    "You''ll be safer here."


    "I don''t care! Take us with you."


    -----


    Utsui carried Lucien and Syryn was Akida''s passenger. When they flew closer to the burning helios, Syryn could make out two figures in the sky, floating above the fire drenched chaos that was Helios.


    One of the figures was Riaku, Syryn could tell. Silver armour covered him from head to toe. The red colour of flames was reflected on the mirror-like surface of his armour. There were two horns coming out of the forehead of his demonic mask. Riaku''s double wings were spread out with abandon and he held out his malicious sword that seemed to have grown in length.


    It took a while for Syryn to register the other person''s identity. Another demon.


    The teen felt his heart lurch violently. It was Signus, a half-demon he used to know. If Syryn was to be considered crazy then Signus was plain insane. The half-demon was a wielder of fire magic and had arsonist tendencies that had been fun to watch in another lifetime.


    Now that it was Helios on fire, Syryn wasn''t seeing the fun in arson anymore. What was he doing setting fire to Nua? Could it be that Traxdart had ambitions on the plateau? The events of this life had deviated so far from what happened in his previous timeline.


    The duo in the sky began exchanging moves. Syryn tore his gaze away from them and surveyed the burning city. The fire was confined to the centre of Helios where avians could be seen desperately attempting to put out the flames. Blocks of buildings were extinguished with magical intervention but there was still a large block of Helios that was still burning.


    And when things appeared to have hit their lowest point, three more figures were seen approaching the fight, and Syryn recognised at least one of them.


    Zerhen, a powerful demon mage who had the ability to breathe life into inanimate objects, turning them into his puppets. The other two were inconsequential in the powerful presence of Signus and Zerhen.


    Riaku couldn''t possibly protect the city and fight them both on his own. It was going further downhill the more Syryn pondered upon the fate of Nua. All those precious vegetation, secret places, and yes, lives. Lives. Syryn reminded himself. Lives were more important than the plants.


    "Akida, we''re in deep trouble." Syryn couldn''t see how normal avians could contend with half-demons. They''d be shredded apart. Riaku had sensed the same and was taking on the burden of facing the demon alone. Considering his youth, Riaku wasn''t at the power level of Signus. Still, he was holding his own. But if Zerhen decided to join in their battle, the prince would be overpowered and crushed by the demons.


    The Prince was at risk for death, and as much as he wanted to, Syryn could not risk exposing himself and Lucien. Nua was not worth outing themselves. The teen was at a loss for words as he looked down and saw chaos amongst the avians.


    "Where are the Nuan soldiers?" Utsui asked.


    "I dont know," Akida answered. He needed information if he was to help the prince. Where did the demons come from so suddenly? How? And why were Nua''s best warriors missing?


    "Stay here," he instructed Syryn, Lucien and Utsui after dropping them off at a safer location away from the fight. "I''m going to find out what''s going on."


    "Wait! Akida, how do we access the rift that Nua hasn''t closed?" Syryn grabbed the avian''s arm and asked him. Zerhen was creating hundreds of puppets out of rocks and they were swarming Helios where the fire wasn''t already burning.


    Akida threw off Syryn''s arm. He was wasting precious time here. "I can''t help you escape right now."


    "I''m not running!" Syryn replied. "There''s someone who can help us, Akida. But we need him here before Nua gets destroyed! Those demons are powerful. Only Riaku can fight them without fearing instant death! And if they team up against him, he''s surely dead!"


    Akida stared, debating his choices. He turned back to the carnage that had already taken out a quarter of Nua despite the best efforts of the avians. The demons were too strong for ordinary nuans to fight them, not to mention how all the warriors were missing. He decided to trust Syryn. The alternative was running around lost like a headless chicken.


    "Come," Akida held out an arm.


    "No, not me. Take Lucien and get him a navigator. Get to Elysium and find Rowan Windwalker. Tell him Syryn needs him."


    ---


    Syryn and Utsui rushed through the throng of avians who were fighting the fire. There were still many young avians trapped inside buildings. Unable to lend them aid, the healers set to work on the injured birds.


    With time, it appeared that helios was slowly being abandoned. The Nuans had hoped that their city could be saved, that their homes could be salvaged. But when stone puppets began to attack them, a mass evacuation began in earnest. Flocks of shapeshifted birds were flying away in groups.


    Zerhen''s lackeys - two rogue and powerful sorcerers - descended upon the fleeing avians with a barrage of elemental attacks. They laughed as they killed the escaping civilians.


    "Utsui, I''ll be back!" Syryn turned to the healer who was helping an avian with third-degree burns all over his body.


    "Syryn! It''s too dangerous to go there!" Utsui yelled. But the teen had disappeared behind the walls of a burning building leaving Utsui alone to care for the dying.


    When Syryn was sure that he was by himself, his wings came out and they flew him to the top of a house that was on fire. As much as he feared the flames, the building was still the closest spot to where the sorcerers were torturing a group of hapless avians.


    With a powerful burst of his own fire, Syryn blasted the nearest sorcerer hovering in the sky. Syryn still wasn''t as powerful as Signus or Zehren but he was still good enough to bully the sorcerers. He had the element of surprise and was able to catch them both unawares. Still, they weren''t Zehren''s lackeys for nothing. The sorcerers survived Syryn''s initial attack.


    Having gotten their attention, the teen leapt off the burning building and began a mad dash away from Utsui''s location. The sorcerers followed while destroying everything in between them and Syryn.


    The teen was finally cornered when he came upon a sea of flames that had engulfed the entire neighbourhood.


    "You naughty fire mage!" One of the sorcerers wagged a finger at Syryn. "Did you really think-" he blinked and the boy that he had been hunting was suddenly in front of his eyes. It was like Syryn had teleported.


    The teen''s claw was buried deep inside the man''s chest. He spared no words for the sorcerer who didnt understand how this had happened - how he was dying. Syryn pulled out his gore covered claw and moved onto the other one who had come to the realisation that they had been chasing a demon all along. The sorcerer cast his levitating magic but it was too late. Syryn''s claw crushed his leg and pulled him back down to the ground.


    The teen was unaware that when he had killed the sorcerers, Zerhen had felt their deaths. And through his puppets, he was able to pinpoint the location where his lackeys had been killed.

 Chapter 149 - Zerhen

    It was an understatement to say that Syryn was taken over by the spirit of rage. The number of puppets that kept attacking him was getting ridiculous. As he kept smashing apart the puppets that threw themselves at him, he had a feeling that their numbers were growing, and they were all converging towards him.


    A tall hill of broken puppets was gathered before the energetic teen. They streamed in from all corners of the city and blocked his path of escape. Behind him, the sea of fire pushed onwards and in front of him, a wave of marching puppets inundated his path. He was trapped. Still, he refused to sprout wings and escape because Syryn felt eyes on him. Someone was watching and playing with him.


    Syryn did the only thing that could buy him more time. He cast a powerful spell that encased several of the burning houses in a thick layer of ice, thus putting out the fire. His ice began melting from the heat of fires that remained burning but it was enough to temporarily relieve him of heat.


    At the same moment that he was tackling the army of puppets, Riaku had gained an upper hand over Signus. The evil sword was lodged in the demon''s shoulder. Fire puffed out of Signus'' mouth and shrouded Riaku''s silver armour but the prince appeared unaffected.


    "Hahaha!" Signus laughed when Riaku dragged his sword through the meat and bone of the demon''s shoulder. "I underestimated you, prince!" Signus placed the palms of his hands flat against the metal of the sword and sent heat coursing through it even as he pulled it out of his shoulder. The heat cauterised his flesh and stopped the bleeding that Riaku''s sword had caused.


    "I guess it''s time for us to get serious, Prince," Signus grinned at Riaku. "Show me everything you''ve got!"


    The armour of Soma was a lie. There was no magic in it like the legends spoke of. Its purpose was to fool the avian citizens and the world into thinking that the avian inside it derived his powers from the armour when all along, it was the demonic strength from the sword that gave them the power so feared by the enemies of Nua. The armour served to cover up their extra appendages while also acting as a smokescreen for the freakish powers they displayed.


    Riaku understood the undeniable fact he wasn''t as powerful as Signus. The other demon was much older than he was, more practised with his demonic powers. He also knew that he would die defending Nua if the situation was allowed to on this way. The prince raised his sword to block against the claws that slashed at him. Signus was transforming and it wasn''t a good sign for anyone.


    Meanwhile, Syryn was amassing more puppet bodies. He wasn''t as powerful as he would have liked to be but Syryn had the strength to sustain fights that would ordinarily tire out other mages.


    "Impressive!"


    Syryn''s head snapped up and he saw a man approaching him. Zerhen was a lanky demon, taller than Rowan even. The man always had a few cute puppets weaving between his feet like excited kittens. Despite his pale skin and gaunt cheeks, Zerhen was handsome, as were most half-demons.


    "You destroyed my spawn so effortlessly. I think you have more potential than the emperor predicted, Syryn Nigh''hart," He smiled with smugness. "Surprised? Don''t be. We all know who you are. You and your little brother, Lucien."


    Syryn''s heart quickened at the mention of Lucien''s name. He was getting more paranoid with the passage of time.


    "Such powerful demons but you insist on playing human. You can''t possibly think you''re human, do you? Tsk!" Zerhen shook his head while his brows turned down sadly. "Come join us, Syryn. It''s always more fun with the demons. Rules don''t bind us. We are above it."


    While Zerhen monologued, the sounds of battle reached their ears and Syryn knew where the warriors had gone to. Nua''s border was under attack and that was where the avian army had moved. Helios was just foreplay for the demons who were looking to frolic with Riaku.


    "Are there more demons around?" Syryn asked while fearing the worst.


    "Yes," Zerhen cocked his head to the side. "Ah, Julie is also here. I guess it wasn''t fun playing with the other avians. They''re all fighting each other and I can''t even tell the difference between the avians from Nua and the other ones." His words indicated that Nua was in battle with another avian tribe. Why did they team up with demons? And what could they have possibly offered for their help?


    Zerhen''s mention of Julie brought back some memories that made the teen grimace. Julie was a half-demon who could manipulate and attack with the power of sound waves. Bleeding ears and scrambled brains normally followed her assaults.


    "We all wanted a piece of the prince but It was Signus who won the lot," Zerhen pouted at Syryn. "I''m sure that Julie will start attacking Signus now that she''s lost her patience."


    Syryn snorted. Typical Julie. She was the brattiest of them all. She also had intense bouts of jealousy that ended up badly for her victims.


    "Julie sounds like a nightmare," he replied. Riaku was in a for a brutal time having to fight both Signus and Julie.


    "You have no idea, Syryn."


    Since they knew, there was no sense in hiding himself anymore. Syryn released his transformation and allowed the demon to take over. He was left with a smidgen of control that would ensure he didn''t end up adding to the carnage.


    "Oh Syryn, I thought we were becoming friends," Zerhen said with a sigh. "I don''t want to kill you yet."


    Zerhen wasn''t exaggerating. Syryn still wasn''t strong enough to face him. He had the knowledge of spells but his body wasn''t ready. What he could do was fight and hope that Rowan would arrive in time.

 Chapter 150 - Facing Death

    "Even your demon form is exquisite," Zerhen said with a sigh. "I don''t want to destroy a work of art. Don''t make me do this, Syryn."


    The younger demon made the first move. Strained as he was controlling his demonic impulses, Syryn could not focus on the fine control of his magic. He poured out great amounts of mana that sealed Zerhen in ice. Layers and layers of ice grew around the demon till it was as tall as the surrounding buildings that hadn''t been destroyed.


    And for a moment, the demons in the sky looked down at Syryn.


    Signus'' transformation was as horrifying as Syryn''s was beautiful. The fire demon was like a wraith of black skin illuminated by glowing lava-like eyes. His mouth was a slash that went from one end of his face to the other. Blistering red magma lit up the inside of his mouth when he smiled.


    "What do we have here? Julie, take care of the prince. I''ve found something more interesting to investigate."


    The female demon hadn''t transformed yet. A dark veil covered her face but Syryn knew what she looked like. Julie carried scars that made her hate beautiful men and women.


    "Don''t come back," she told the fire demon who was already rushing away towards Syryn.


    In the middle of the wrecked avian neighbourhood, Syryn sat on the ground and waited for Signus to reach him. Zerhen wasn''t dead either. He was just being dramatic, enduring the ice, and no doubt mentally monologuing about what it felt like to be surrounded by such cold. Even his arms were stretched out to the sky like he was in supplication to the gods.


    Signus brought with him a wave of heat that had Syryn feeling like he was standing next to a furnace on a hot summer''s afternoon. It didn''t burn him but the discomfort it caused made his skin hurt. A high pitched scream came from the sky and Syryn knew that Julie had begun her assault. He hoped Riaku''s ears weren''t bleeding.


    "Syryn," Signus landed in front of him. Heat wafted off him in bursts of flames and Syryn bemoaned his fate. This wasn''t how he wanted to die.


    "Signus," the teen greeted the fire demon. Syryn had to use the power of darkness to escape when a blast of fire exploded where he was previously sat. The presence of flames in every direction threw shadows that allowed Syryn to phase through them.


    Signus laughed in delight because he realised that Syryn was strong enough to be played with. He waved his arm and caused a burst of fire wherever Syryn stood. The teen could have used his power to run away but if he did, Riaku would have to bear the attacks of Julie and an irate Signus gone berserk from having lost his prey.


    "What other tricks do you have, Syryn? Can you freeze me like that?" Signus pointed to the rapidly melting ice.


    "Please stop melting him," Syryn asked the fire demon. Without the ice around him, Zerhen would break out of his dramatic mood.


    "Why? Do you only want to play with me?" Signus leered. "We can do that, Syryn. Just you and me." The fire demon licked his claw and pointed it at Syryn.


    The teen''s eyes widened and he disappeared again through another shadow. No sooner had he disappeared, a pillar of fire roared into existence. It spun like a tornado, chasing after Syryn everywhere he appeared. He was like a mouse being played with by a fiery cat.


    Syryn wanted to return fire, he really did. But the teen was so busy evading the powerful attacks of Signus that he could no more than react.


    "You said you wanted to take down the prince, why the hell are you here messing with my quarry?" Zerhen who had been freed from the ice walked up to Signus and asked in a gloomy tone.


    Signus held his palm up facing Zerhen and released a wave of fire. The puppeteer reacted just as fast by summoning a wall of rock.


    "Such bad manners," he grumbled. Amongst the half-demons, Zerhen was the most likeable to Syryn. While the two demons were distracted, the teen began to move.


    Signus was in a good position where his shadow was behind him. Syryn fluidly stepped through the darkness and appeared behind the fire demon. He jabbed a dart into the blackened skin of the demon''s neck, flooding it with drugs that disrupted him for a few seconds. Syryn then used those few precious seconds to crush Signus'' throat.


    He had hoped that Zerhen would remain dispassionate towards his attack on Signus but it wasn''t so. Syryn was forced to abandon his deadly attempt on the fire demon and escape the puppeteer''s clutches. He regretted gambling it all on that dart because he had not only calculated wrong and failed, now he had pissed off the demons for real.


    Adrenaline coursed through Syryn''s body and every move and action came into focus. Zerhen was upon him with fire and fury. The teen''s ice armour rapidly sizzled and melted before Zerhen''s fire. He ducked and avoided the palm that came at him with fire. Then with a massive consumption of mana, Syryn channelled an attack that came from the sky. Spears of ice violently fell on the gathered demons, forcing them to back off.


    Melting ice and sizzling pools of water reminded Syryn again that he was at a heavy disadvantage. He exhaled tiredly. Half of his mana was gone.


    "I''m afraid we''re running out of time, Syryn. I hope you had fun," Zerhen informed him. "You refuse our invitation so there''s only one fate for a rogue half-demon who refuses to bow to the emperor''s rule."


    "I''d rather die than be Traxdart''s bitch," Syryn replied. "Kill me if you will."


    "Signus, finish him fast. I''ll have to remind Julie that we''ve allowed playtime to go too far." Zerhen turned around and walked through the rubble and fire in a slow gait that contradicted his complaints.


    --------------


    The teen was aware of Riaku''s form plummeting from the sky. His side hurt so much but it was nothing compared to the pain of his burning lungs. He had inhaled a lot of smoke and heated air.


    Signus held him up by a hand around his throat. Fire licked the skin on his neck but his thick demon armour protected him from the worst of burns.


    "It''s time to say goodbye," Signus grinned manically. His eyes were alight with fire.


    "You feel that?" Syryn lazily smiled at Signus. His voice was scratchy and it took massive effort to speak when he was getting choked.


    "Guess I''m not dying today," Syryn mumbled. A thin blanket of anti magic field had covered the entirety of Helios. Rowan was searching for him.

 Chapter 151 - Syryns Hero

    "Anti mage?" Signus cocked his head to the side. "Doesn''t matter. Nobody can save you."


    Syryn knew Rowan would find him soon. He just had to talk a little more, delay his death by a minute or so.


    "I have a last wish," Syryn held onto Signus'' arm to support the weight that his neck was bearing. They were floating a few metres off the ground and the added pull of gravity was stressing his neck.


    "What wish?"


    "I think we should have sex, Signus."


    Syryn''s ridiculous wish gave the demon pause. It was wild, the wildest that any of his victims behaved. Usually, they begged for mercy and that bored him. Signus would have snuffed out Syryn''s life immediately if he had done something as silly as begging for his life.


    "I can fulfil your last wish," the fire filled mouth gaped with sadistic delight. "My fire will consume you from the inside."


    And that scared Syryn''s balls into retreating back inside him. He was done for if Rowan didnt show up before Signus f*cked him to a fiery death. What a terrible way to die. Why did he have to bring up sex? If Syryn was being honest, he had been thinking about how he didn''t want to die a virgin again. And the rest of it was his mouth taking liberties.


    "No-" as soon as Syryn said the word, he felt a shift of pressure in the air. Signus suddenly turned into a mist of blood and flesh. Through the spray of gore, the teen saw a blond man heading towards him.


    God damn, Rowan - he thought with a heart full of relief. When had his anti mage gotten so hot?


    Syryn fell back towards the ground the moment Signus exploded. The demon''s hand was severed from the now aerosolised body and it was still holding onto his neck in a tight grip. The teen was braced for a hard fall but it didn''t happen.


    "Syryn," Rowan''s voice floated into his mind, a place that was feeling like it had been stuffed with cotton. The anti mage had caught him mid-fall and was cradling him to the wide chest that Syryn loved. The thread of worry in Rowan''s voice was like nectar to the teen who had taken a harsh beating. His hero had saved him.


    "I''m fine Ro. Help Riaku," Syryn told the anti mage.


    "Artemus and Sebastian are already on it," Rowan''s gentle hands eased off the torn fabric that covered Syryn. Blood and gore were soaked into his tunic but it was mostly Signus''.


    "You killed him so easily," Syryn said in a pensive tone. Rowan hadn''t been honest with him. The teen looked into Rowan''s unreadable blue eyes. The anti mage had been so transparent in their old life. When had Rowan learnt to hide his thoughts from Syryn?


    "I had no choice, Ryn. He was about to kill you."


    "And if he wasn''t, you''d have kept your strength hidden?" Syryn asked.


    The anti mage slowly nodded. "It''s for the best."


    As much as Syryn wanted to get mad at Rowan, he couldn''t argue with the blond about it. Too much power attracted too much attention. People interpreted the world according to what they wanted to see. One had to manufacture a reality to match their expectations because that was the way to control one''s enemies.


    "I dont want to know then," Syryn replied. "Keep your secrets."


    "Syryn-" Rowan appeared discomforted by the teen''s reply.


    "I almost died a virgin again, Ro. Can''t we just get this done with so that the next time I''m in a life and death situation, I won''t have any regrets?" Syryn said it to ease the heaviness that had taken over their moods.


    The anti mage smiled and it was breathtaking. Syryn''s overworked heart stuttered and he knew that Rowan would always have this effect on him. It wasn''t fair. Did Rowan''s heart also beat for him as his did for Rowan?


    "I missed you so much, Ryn. Every single day," Rowan confessed. It hadn''t been half a month but the separation had felt like forever to the anti mage.


    "I know. That''s why I asked you in the letter-" Syryn stopped himself too late. He had forgotten that the letters hadn''t been rewritten. He had been meaning to omit the messy lines that he''d crossed out.


    "What letters?" Rowan''s attention was suddenly and completely hooked to it.


    Syryn blamed his tired mind for the mistake of mentioning the letters to Rowan. Panic gripped him and his mind was now as blank as a clean slate.


    "What letters?" Rowan asked again. "You wrote to me?" The smile was suffused with pleasure and Syryn felt sweat beading his neck. His stress levels soared.


    "It hurts all over," Syryn piteously complained. "Rowan, only your kisses can heal me."


    "I''ll do more than kiss you, Ryn. But you have to show me those letters." The blond''s astute eyes drifted to the satchel that had survived the fight. The money Syryn spent had been worth the quality of his satchel. Fireproof leather wasn''t just an added bonus in Syryn''s line of work as a danger magnet. A part of him wished that the satchel was destroyed by fire.


    "Why don''t you check on Art and Seb? They could use a strong anti mage like yourself." Syryn wanted time to rewrite the letters. Even two minutes was enough.


    "They can handle themselves." Rowan''s suspicions had been stoked now. Syryn didn''t want him to see the letters for some reason. "Let''s get you patched up, Ryn. Hand me some potions."


    "I need a bath first," Syryn clutched Rowan''s chest and acted pitifully. "You sprayed Signus all over me."


    "I''m sorry. I hated that bastard," Rowan replied. "He killed Vince in the last timeline."


    Rowan placed the battered satchel on Syryn''s lap and watched the teen remove a few bottles. "I just need rest and some restorative potions," Syryn told the anti mage as he uncorked a bottle. "But it would be nice if I could get some ichor."


    "I''ll get it for you," Rowan adjusted Syryn''s weight so the boy was in a more comfortable position.


    "You''ll do everything but sleep with me."


    -----


    "A-mu, yer so rough," Sebastian complained when he was nearly hit by the waves generated from Artemus'' divine staff.


    "Get out of my way then, Sebastian." Artemus'' field was strangling the magic that powered the thousands of puppets around them.


    The duo had safely secured the prince who was still alive but in a bad shape. Riaku had injured Julie before the arrival of Zerhen who had shot him out of the sky. Now the demons were on the defensive end, fighting against the heavy suppression that reduced their firepower.


    "Yer the one that came in my direction!" Sebastian snapped back at the cool anti mage. "Are ya tryin'' ta kill me??"


    "If you die in the line of fire then it''ll be your own fault." Artemus was just making Sebastian''s life harder and they both knew it. The mage had been flirting with the disgruntled anti mage at every opportunity that presented itself. Artemus'' non-response was like a block of stone that Sebastian had been chipping away at.


    "So mean.." Sebastian countered Julie''s sound waves with his wall of compressed wind. The mage could change the density of the wind and use it in both offensive and defensive ways.


    Scores of lethal wind blades that could tear through boulders like paper materialised and sped towards the demons.


    "Clear a path for me," Artemus told the mage. "I''m gonna catch that one."


    Zerhen had cut his losses and was in the midst of abandoning Julie. He was already spreading his wings to escape.


    Sebastian conjured a tornado of wind that tossed the demon back onto the ground.


    Artemus sent an annoyed look at Sebastian. If it was anyone else, the anti mage would have commended them for the move. But with Sebastian, it was a competition, a vestige of the grudge that had grown between them over the years.


    "Don''t make that face, A-mu. Ya know it just makes you look even cuter." Sebastian had realised that his flirtatious remarks annoyed the anti mage. And it was the biggest reason he kept hitting on him. Annoy the fuck out of Artemus was his motto.


    The anti mage ignored him. There were enemies to be killed before Artemus would teach Sebastian a lesson.

 Chapter 152 - Forbidden Knowledge

    Sebastian and Artemus were a force to be reckoned with when they were able to put aside their differences. The demons stood no chance against the combined efforts of the best anti mage and mage of their generation.


    "A-mu, I''m gonna go put out some fires now."


    The anti mage made a sound of agreement. He was dumping the demons into the fire like Rowan had explicitly instructed them to do.


    "How about ya put out my fire after we''re done here?"


    "I can ask Syryn to set you on fire. I''m sure he''s still nursing a grudge for what you did."


    "Ya don''t have to be so mean, A-mu."


    -----


    Riaku was at the moment being treated for severe burns. He was covered in scores of injuries after the brutal fight with all the three demons. Syryn was just impressed that Riaku was even alive at this point. But he wouldn''t be for long if his sword wasn''t fed.


    The evil sword was on the ground, unsheathed because they were buying time. Syryn did not know how much backlash Riaku would receive if the sword remained free of its scabbard. The prince was unconscious, still in his demon form. The teen could not risk letting other avians see him in such a vulnerable state.


    "Syryn, how is Riaku?"


    Akida''s wings made a soft swish as he landed next to them. The guard had brought Lucien along with him.


    "He''s not out of danger yet. The sword hangs over his life and I don''t know what to do." The teen felt helpless. He required knowledge about the sword if he was to save the prince.


    "Elder Toka will know what to do," Akida told him. "But it will be difficult to find him."


    The civilians had all been evacuated to the nearby mining mountain. Healers were at work saving the burnt victims. It was probable that elder Toka was at the mountain if not at the border where war had begun.


    "And Utsui?" The mention of his grandfather had reminded the teen of the grandson.


    Akida shook his head. "I haven''t seen him either. He''s probably on healing duty at the mountain."


    Syryn nodded. He would apologise later for running off recklessly. Utsui didn''t know that Syryn was a cockroach capable of surviving most encounters with demons. Utsui would have surely feared for the teen''s life when he''d disappeared into the fire.


    "Give me the sword," Red said to Syryn. The redhead had been unnaturally solemn while his gaze remained locked to Riaku''s unconscious form.


    "Why?" Red''s words and actions were never without reasons. He had a purpose in asking for the weapon and Syryn wasn''t letting it happen without knowing why.


    "The spirit of the sword is calling out to me," Red answered. "Give me the weapon, Syryn."


    His honesty did not placate Syryn''s concerns.


    "Do you trust me?" Red pinned his crimson eyes on Syryn.


    Against his common sense, Syryn silently picked up the weapon and held it out to Red by its handle.


    "Are we sure that''s a smart thing to do?" Akida asked the brothers. His arms were crossed and he stood imposingly over them.


    "I trust Red," Syryn told the guard. These were precious words that he never imagined would be used for Red. Their relationship in the previous timeline had been non-existent. Syryn did not have a high opinion of the cruel redhead and he would have never placed his faith in him the way he did now. Trust like this did not come easily to Syryn. He knew that when he trusted too much, the betrayal hit the hardest. He hoped that he wasn''t making a mistake that would hurt him in the future.


    The redhead held the blade of Riaku''s sword. He tested its cutting edge by nicking the sword on his thumb. And when he did, the weapon thrummed like it had been excited.


    "You like me," Red spoke to the weapon. "Why?"


    Lucien. A voice brushed the surface of consciousness like a feather over his skin.


    Red cocked his head to the side. Was he hearing things?


    "Red?"


    His head snapped up and met Syryn''s concerned gaze.


    Riaku will live. My gift to you.


    Red wasn''t hearing things. The sword was speaking to him. Lucien. And then the sword called him by another name. A name that Red had never been called by, and it brought a shiver of dread down his spine.


    "What''s going on, Red?" Syryn asked again. There was an edge to his question that belied the calm on his face.


    "Nothing," Red replied. "Riaku won''t die. You can put this back inside the scabbard." The redhead handed it back to Syryn with an urgency that the teen took note of.


    "How do you know that?"


    "Trust me," Red replied.


    The brothers stared at each other and there was a tension that stretched and stretched till Syryn decided to snap it. "Words are cheap, Red. What are you not telling me?"


    "We''ll talk about it later, Syryn. This isn''t the time and place for it," Red answered. His sombre tone and downcast eyes kept the teen from lashing out at him.


    (You''re not going to tell Syryn)


    [No]


    (Why?)


    [I''m scared, Luci. We should have been strangled in the womb this life.]


    (Do you really mean that?)


    [Is it not a better alternative?]


    (I don''t want to hurt anyone, Red. Stop it from happening.)


    Red wanted to gut something. He was powerless. So utterly insignificant and powerless, prone to getting carried away by the currents of fate. Would his and Luci''s death make a difference to fate''s plans for their future?


    [The spirit may be lying, Luci.]


    (You''re right! We can''t trust its words.)


    Red knew deep in his bones that the sword had not lied.


    [Don''t tell Syryn. You know how much he already has on his plate. We cannot add to his burdens. This will be our trial, Luci.]


    (I understand. We will not bother Syryn.)


    [At least not until we understand what''s going on. By then it might be too late but I think this has something to do with the prophecy.]


    (It''s cool though... the name.)


    [It is.]


    (Seed of the apocalypse, Lucien Rivenspire.)


    [Don''t ever say it out loud!]

 Chapter 153 - Hubris

    Akida helped Syryn carry Riaku to a building that hadn''t been touched by destruction. The prince had reverted from his demonic form and was recuperating faster than Syryn had anticipated. It was an abnormal development and a cause of concern to any healer who knew about what dangerous side effects followed such rapid healing. Regardless, Syryn remained a mute spectator to it. He could not stop the healing.


    While Syryn remained watching over Riaku, Rowan had gone to the border to put an end to the battle that was taking place. The demons were dead. The enemy avians had lost their trump card. And Rowan was on his way to let them know.


    Syryn had initially thought it the beginnings of hubris on Rowan''s part. To think that he would casually walk in and stop a war from taking place. Who did Rowan think he was? A hero? Yes, he realised, this was Rowan being Rowan. If he had the strength to back up his hubris, was it really hubris? The anti mage was powerful. Syryn was glad that he had chosen to be a good demon this life. He could not imagine the result of going up against this Rowan.


    "Wait a minute.." Syryn mouthed as he looked at the wood floor. If Rowan was this strong, he was incapable of causing him injury. Rowan could subdue him with the snap of a finger so what the hell had he been doing getting ripped apart by Syryn that last time??


    "You look like someone spat on your food," Akida idly commented.


    "And why aren''t you helping your avian buddies in the battle?" Syryn''s head snapped up with the reply hot on his tongue. Rowan had tricked him somehow. Syryn knew that much. He was annoyed but also amused.


    "Riaku is my priority. Now that he''s half-dead, I have to stick around." The avian guard was seated on the wooden floor with his back against the wall.


    Syryn watched the burns on Riaku''s face fade away. A trail of dried blood made its way from his ear and Syryn knew that the prince had also suffered a ruptured eardrum. Julie was a bitch like that.


    "Riaku really pulled through for Nua, didn''t he?" Syryn had to give credit where it was due. The prince had gone head to head with Signus, then Julie and Zerhen, and had made it out alive. The reason why Syryn hadn''t run away was that it had broken his heart to see how Nua had abandoned its prince to the clutches of the demons. Yes, war was knocking on their door, but was it too impossible to spare a few anti mages to help Riaku?


    "He''s an idiot," Akida said without heat. "Riaku needs saving from himself. When he does die, it won''t be that sword that kills him."


    Nua will kill him.


    "Was he really born a half-demon?" Syryn asked Akida. Or did Nua turn him into one?


    "Dangerous question to ask, Syryn. You''d best get the answers from Riaku himself."


    Syryn felt sorry for the prince. When he''d first heard about how Lumi had been manipulated, Syryn''s expectations of Riaku had been a caricature of wickedness. Now he knew better. The prince was just another pathetic soul like himself. Riaku wasn''t an ''either-or'' deal. He was a complex being and would have both negative and positive effects on the world.


    "Red, you''ve been awfully quiet," Syryn said to the child who was looking out at the expanse of devastation that once used to be a sprawling avian neighborhood.


    "I''m always quiet," the redhead replied with a scowl on his cherubic lips.


    That was true. Syryn convinced himself that he was just being paranoid because of Red''s reaction to the sword.


    "Akida, we need to find Utsui. I can''t watch Riaku round the clock, you know."


    "You want me to fetch him now?"


    "If he isn''t too busy with the injured, yes."


    The guard stood up and stretched his long limbs. "I''ll be right back, then." Akida leaned out of the window he was leaving from. "Your friends are putting out the fire. I''ll let them know you''re here."


    -----


    "Syryn, how''s the prince doing?" Sebastian asked.


    Artemus arrived right behind the mage. The anti mage looked just as clean and put together as he always did. Not a single wrinkle marred the perfection of his dark clothing. Syryn suspected that he had a magical shield on himself that deflected dirt and dust.


    "Stable and recovering. Thank you, for coming here and helping."


    Sebastian flopped down on an armchair while Artemus parked himself by the window and kept an eye out on the surroundings.


    "I was bored at Elysium so don''t mention it. You''ve done me a favour by bringin'' some spice into my life." Sebastian turned and smiled languidly at Artemus. "Though I''m hopin'' that A-mu will spice it up too. Someday before I croak. Right, sweet cheeks?"


    Artemus'' glare wasn''t piercing. It was the lazy-eyed stare of a man who couldn''t be bothered to respond but promised vengeance at a later point in time.


    "Sebastian, what about us?" Syryn asked with a sly leer.


    The mage responded with a wag of his finger. "Are you coming onto me, Syryn? I''m afraid my heart belongs to A-mu."


    "I was asking about the marriage that the emperor wanted to arrange."


    "Ah- that, yeah. I told him I broke it off with you. That''s why I''m now stuck in Elysium playin'' professor to a bunch of snot-nosed brats at King Hill. What a waste of my talents."


    "As opposed to fleeing the kingdom and playing the man whore?" Artemus asked in a cool tone. "I wonder how many bastards you''ve sired to this day."


    Syryn choked on air. Artemus was never this crude.


    "If you were a woman, I''d have had made at least twenty babies with you by now." Sebastian grinned at the anti mage who had narrowed his eyes dangerously. He liked it very much when he got under the anti mage''s skin. "But you''re a man. And we can adopt twenty kids, A-mu. I much prefer you as a man. I wouldn''t change it for the world."


    Syryn had a feeling that Sebastian was placating the anti mage. There was some history in the matter that Sebastian had taken up to tease Artemus about.

 Chapter 154 - Truths

    Syryn kept vigil over Riaku. An hour went by and Akida hadn''t returned. He wondered if the mountain was far away.


    "Let''s play a game while we wait for Rowan," Sebastian suggested. They''d kept themselves entertained so far with the descriptions of Nua that Syryn had painted for their imaginations.


    "What game?" The alchemist asked as he touched the skin on Riaku''s cheeks. It was a layer of warm newly healed skin that looked baby soft and felt like it too.


    "Truth or dare," Sebastian announced with a flourish of his hand.


    "No."


    The mage turned to their stern anti mage. "What are you afraid of, A-mu?"


    Artemus was afraid of many things. That included playing a game of dares with possibly two of the most reckless people he was acquainted was. Pushing boundaries was what Sebastian and Syryn had in common. Unfortunately so.


    "Mu-mu is afraid of dares," Syryn chuckled. "Who knows what you might make him do, Seb."


    "Nothin'' he doesn''t already want to do," Sebastian''s smile was loaded with meaning.


    Artemus spared Sebastian a sharp sideways glance.


    "Think of it this way, Artemus. You can punish Sebastian for annoying you all the time," Syryn suggested.


    "Whatever punishment I set for him won''t be worse than what he might make me do." Artemus'' long legs crossed the room in three strides. He stood before the sleeping prince whose deep breathing set him at ease. "We should leave as soon as Rowan returns."


    "Come on A-mu, just three rounds. One dare, that''s it. Don''t ya want to humiliate me?" Sebastian asked.


    "We''re in a war zone," Artemus replied. "People are dying."


    "And this is how we''re coping with the losses," Syryn chimed in seriously.


    Artemus shook his head. They''d nag him about it if he didn''t give in. "One dare, two truths each. And we''re done."


    Sebastian settled his features into something less excited than what he was feeling inside.


    "Sebastian," Syryn began immediately - before Artemus changed his mind. "What and who did you fantasize about when you last jerked off?"


    The sandy-haired mage glanced at Artemus and back at Syryn. The little shit had gone straight for his jugular. He sighed and threw his head back to stare at the ceiling. Well, he had been quite sure this would happen. Syryn always made things interesting. If it was someone else in the teen''s place, they''d have spared his feelings just a little bit.


    "Who I thought about isn''t important," Sebastian answered with a grin. "What he did to me though," the sandy-haired mage thought back to early morning when he''d taken care of business. "He got me off so good with his pretty mouth."


    Syryn was having too much watching Artemus. The anti mage had his arms crossed and was leaning against the window but there was a tightness to his posture that betrayed his projection of calm.


    "A-mu, it''s my turn to ask," the sandy-haired smiled.


    The anti mage nodded once, a wary dip of his chin.


    "What''s one thing you want to do before ya leave the world?"


    Syryn and Artemus were both taken aback by the question. Sebastian was sly, Syryn thought. What a sly bastard. He really was serious about courting Artemus.


    The anti mage''s gaze had settled on the floor as he thought about it. What did he want to do?


    "Finish reading every book on my reading list," he answered. "Or at least half of it."


    "Will I ever get to see your readin'' list?" Sebastian asked.


    "Mm," the anti mage said.


    "It''s your turn, Art. Ask me anything you want." Syryn leaned forward and waited for the anti mage to speak.


    "Why didn''t you let us watch when you were taking off Riaku''s armour?"


    Syryn''s smile turned deadly. He had thought Sebastian sly but Artemus was no less. Gathering intel during a game of truth or dare. Who was this ruthless to their own friends? The game of truth or dare had suddenly escalated into espionage of the highest level. Nua''s biggest secret was at stake.


    "Nothing but the truth, Syryn."


    The teen glared at Sebastian. Elysium boys were really heavy-handed.


    "Riaku''s form was distorted by the armour of Soma. I spared you a sight that would have terrified you." Most people were terrified by demons, weren''t they?


    Artemus was smart. He would have taken one look at the horns, the wings and deduced that it had to do with demons. Syryn''s vague reply was a confirmation of his suspicions at the least. The armour came with a demonic mask so most people made the assumption that the horns were part of the decoration which was made intentionally horrifying. The absurdness of the notion that the royal family would harbour a demon spawn in their midst protected the person inside from suspicions.


    "My turn again. Sebastian, who did you think of when you-"


    "Yeah, give me two dares," the sandy-haired mage interrupted Syryn before he could complete that cursed question.


    "It''s non-negotiable," Syryn said.


    "3 dares," Artemus suggested.


    "If you say so, Mu-mu. Ask away, we''ll get to the dares later."


    Sebastian bit his lip in thought.


    "What''s your favourite memory of us?"


    The anti mage blinked up at Sebastian, his dark eyes sucking in Sebastian''s attention. "I don''t have one."


    "Liar," the words came out in a low whisper. "You can''t expect us to abide by the rules when you''re breakin'' them yourself, A-mu. Even Syryn tried his damnest though the truth wasn''t his to tell."


    Artemus glanced at Sebastian willing for another demon to attack just so he could get out of this. "I think that there were many memorable instances from our childhood. I don''t have a favourite."


    "Artemus, how boring can you get?!" Syryn whined.


    "My turn to ask you Syryn. Tell us a secret about yourself that you''re hiding."


    Artemus knew the ways to cause him stress.


    "Ah, a secret." What was he hiding that could be revealed without risking much? "I saw a citizen of Sigil getting murdered and I helped the killer."


    The words had to replay in Sebastian''s mind before they really registered. "Why are you confessing such a thing with him around?!" The sandy-haired mage incredulously asked as he pointed at Artemus. "He''s a Sanguine. Did you forget that small glarin'' fact? A-mu can have ya arrested and tortured for a confession."


    The anti mage wore a look of intense disapproval. "The murder confession is the least incriminating secret he can tell us. Makes me curious about what else he''s hiding."


    The anti mage''s dark frown was shearing a layer of skin off Syryn. "Enough about me. Let''s get to the dares!"

 Chapter 155 - Dares

    "Sebastian, I dare you to meet Artemus'' mother and have a cup of tea with her before you leave."


    The mage groaned.


    "Fine. A-mu, what about you?"


    "Tell the Emperor that you''re considering monkhood and so you require a teacher."


    "How cruel," Syryn tutted.


    Artemus was playing the long game of torture. If Sebastian really did say that to the emperor then he had to carry out the act of monkhood. Plain bread and soup for meals, religious study, abstaining from pleasure, meditation - Artemus was trying to kill Sebastian.


    "Is- is this revenge?" The mage asked.


    "Yes."


    "Can I give him his third dare?" Syryn asked Artemus. He was plotting again.


    "Go ahead."


    The mage wasn''t feeling very comfortable at the moment. Syryn had a look in his eyes that promised pain.


    "So, your last dare. Tell Rowan that I, Syryn, told you that I love the shape and build of your body, Sebastian." It wasn''t even a lie.


    The mage reared back in surprise. "S''ryn, what?"


    "You heard me."


    "Are ya tryin'' t''make him jealous?"


    "No. If I wanted to do that, all I have to do is hold hands with someone from Nua." Syryn wanted to light a fire under Rowan so that he would feel a sense of urgency.


    "I don''t understand the games that youngsters play these days. I''m sure Rowan would have a lot t''say about it," Sebastian said to the young man. "Nevertheless, I''ll do it." The sandy-haired mage could think of two ways that Rowan would react and neither was likeable. But it was also Syryn''s head on the chopping board alongside his, so Sebastian accepted his fate.


    "Anyway, A-mu," Sebastian''s smile was evil. "I wanted to go easy on ya but I change my mind. Cruelty begets cruelty, don''t ya think?"


    The anti mage shrugged. "Do your worst."


    "I dare you to go on a date with me." This had been Sebastian''s objective all along. For this, he began the game. For this, he accepted the dares that would take his life.


    "Sure," Artemus answered.


    Sebastian raised his brows in surprise. What was going on? He felt like he was walking into a trap. Where was the refusal that he had been expecting? The frown, the wrinkling of his nose in Sebastian''s direction?


    "I''ll pick you up tomorrow evenin''," he quickly answered before his expectations became a reality. He didn''t know that Artemus had other plans for him, one that involved not leaving home.


    The anti mage had been badgered and flirted with for so long that he decided it was time to just fuck the mage and put an end to the sexual tension that had begun brewing between them lately. It would also be the culmination of all those years of pining that never got closure. He didn''t think he would lose his heart to Sebastian again. The mage was no longer the boy he used to love.


    The sandy-haired mage was still a bit surprised by how easily it had happened. His easy-going nature took a backseat and the thinking part of Sebastian came to the fore to dissect the mystery of Artemus'' agreeability.


    "Syryn," the anti mage''s dark gaze rested on him and it brought a sinking feeling to the pit of his stomach.


    "Yes.."


    "I dare you to hold hands with the Prince when Rowan is watching, preferably with your fingers laced."


    This was called the technique of using the most useless of information to ruin your enemy. Artemus had woken up and chosen violence.


    "Ah, the prince?" Syryn asked with a slight tremor in his voice. The letters came to mind. He wept from the inside because Rowan had already confiscated them for future reading. He hadn''t been able to deny the handsome blond face when Rowan had made pleading eyes at him.


    "You look pale. Are you okay?" Sebastian asked.


    "Rowan will kill us, Seb."


    The mage snorted. "You realise that now?"


    "I take back your dare. Don''t say anything to Rowan!"


    "It''s too late. We''re both going down together."


    "Sebastian, please!" Syryn fell to his knees. The letters were bad enough. If Sebastian told Rowan that Syryn found his body hot, and then saw him holding hands with Riaku - forget jealousy, Rowan was going to blow his top!


    "It''s good t''see ya beg like this sometimes," the mage grinned. "Plead a little more S''ryn. Use those pretty eyes and shed a few tears. I might relent."


    "Elysium sure has strange customs," a voice interrupted their fun time. Riaku had woken up and witnessed something suspicious happening.


    "Your highness," Artemus smoothly took over the situation. "How are you feeling?"


    Riaku raised his hand and felt around the smooth skin on his face where he clearly remembered the armour searing into.


    "I am strangely well. Syryn, did you heal my burns?" Riaku turned curious eyes to the teen.


    "No," Syryn could not mention Red''s involvement at the moment. "It must have been the healing powers in the armour of Soma." Which was now lying in a heap at the corner of the room.


    Riaku''s brows drew together in confusion but he played along. "I see. How goes the war?" He was strangely calm for a prince whose nation was under attack. It seemed that the latest incident with the demons had sapped the prince of any sympathy he had left for Nua. An abandoned prince who was expected to die for the kingdom; how much could he endure before he snapped?


    "We''ll receive news soon."


    "Artemus, how did you get here so fast?" Riaku said to the anti mage.


    "Your guard, Akida, came through the path and asked for assistance. Consequently, I arrived with Sebastian and Rowan, two of Sigil''s most capable fighters."


    The prince nodded. "Nua owes Sigil. We will open a diplomatic channel through which our kingdoms may come to a satisfactory exchange of goodwill."


    Artemus cast a glance towards Syryn. His lips quirked up just enough to tease the teen. "Our emperor will be informed of it. We will probably leave tonight if Rowan can convince iron claw into retreating. Syryn, however, will remain till a delegation arrives from Elysium. I request that your highness take good care of him until then."


    "And does that include holding hands with him?" Riaku smiled at the suddenly bashful Syryn. How much had he heard?!


    "That is entirely up to you, your highness," Artemus responded after clearing his throat. "We meant no disrespect to your-"


    Riaku waved the anti mage''s concerns away. "It''s the least I can do after having my life saved by all of you."


    While Riaku and Artemus made polite conversation, Syryn''s attention was drawn to the window. He spotted Akida flying towards them. He was alone.

 Chapter 156 - Emergency

    A sense of urgency pervaded Akida''s whole being when he burst into Syryn''s view.


    "Utsui is missing."


    "What? What do you mean Utsui is missing?" Syryn understood the bad news that Akida had delivered but he had to ask again. In war-like conditions when confusion and mistakes were the norm, it wasn''t unheard of for identities to be mistaken and for families to be parted from their loved ones only to be found later. The teen refused to entertain any thoughts of a scenario where the young avian had come to harm. Utsui should have evacuated with the other civilians, he would have.


    "He''s not at the mountains, Syryn. The only other place he might be at is the border but Utsui had no reason to go there."


    Syryn could allow himself to believe that Akida was wrong about having searched everywhere. It would stave off the panic that was creeping in at the edges of his consciousness. But what good would he get out of it? If Utsui was somewhere, alive and in danger, the best decision he could make for all of them was to start looking for Utsui.


    There were two scenarios now for the teen to consider. Utsui was alive, hiding, hidden, injured, stuck, or at the war zone. The other scenario was Utsui - dead and alone, waiting to be found.


    "Riaku, your highness," Akida realised with surprise that Riaku was awake. The guard took in the sight of his fully recovered body.


    "Utsui must be found." Riaku left the bed and it was only then that Syryn really noticed the condition of his clothing. Despite the armour, Riaku''s robes had taken a burning. The left side of his midriff was exposed through a patch that had burnt through. His right sleeve was also missing half of its length.


    "We can help," Artemus said. He had noticed the tiny signs of distress in the teen''s body language. Syryn was breathing faster, blinking more rapidly.


    "I''ll fly to the borders," Akida volunteered. "It''s the only other place where healers would gather to help."


    "I''ll come with you," The prince said as he began stripping off the tattered robes on his body.


    "We''ll search Helios." It was the last place Syryn had seen Utsui at. The avian had called out to him when Syryn had turned his back and left him alone amidst danger. What ate at him was the thought that he could have escorted Utsui somewhere safer. He had been so eager to save the other avians from the sorcerers, he had abandoned his friend.


    "S''ryn, we''ll find this person yer looking for."


    The teen nodded to Sebastian. But what condition would they find Utsui in? Syryn was already preparing himself for the worst kind of news. He had saved so many people who had been sentenced to death by fate. But he knew he couldn''t save everyone.


    Syryn went back to the spot where he had last left Utsui. The building that had been standing at that point in time had fallen over. Broken burnt timber was strewn across the space that engulfed the spot where Ustui had been at - kneeling on the floor and staunching the bleeding wounds of an unconscious avian.


    "This is where I left him," Syryn numbly told Sebastian.


    It was his fault that Utsui was missing. If he hadn''t invited the avian out with him, the avian would have been safe with the other healers and not in the middle of a burning Helios. Syryn had gotten too used to being around companions who were fighters. Utsui wasn''t one. He was a scholar and a healer. How stupid of Syryn to forget.


    "Step back S''ryn," Sebastian said from behind him. "I''m goin'' ta clear the rubble."


    The teen put some distance between himself and the broken-down building. His thoughts were spiralling in a direction that was unhealthy. What was Utsui''s life like in the previous timeline where Nua hadn''t been attacked by the demons? Did he become a master healer like he wanted to? Did he find someone and fall in love? Did he give his heart feather away? It was Syryn''s fault for changing the events of this life. Nua was supposed to remain a happy place with happy avians. Utsui was supposed to be alive and well.


    "Syryn, you can''t mourn the missing like they''re already dead. I know it looks bad but we''re not giving up." Artemus said to him. The anti mage wrapped an arm and tugged Syryn close. It was a little bit of comfort for the teen. Inky fragrance and the clean scent that always clung to Artemus brought some calm to his spiralling mind.


    "I know," Syryn replied, realising that he had been shedding tears. Once upon a time, he had cried like this but it was Alka comforting him.


    "To have Syryn crying for him even though you''ve known him for such a short span of time, Utsui must be a very special person," Artemus murmured to Syryn.


    Syryn nodded. He couldn''t explain why but the avian was special to him. Maybe it was his innocence, the teen thought. Blunt, innocent, sweet Utsui who hated being teased by Syryn.


    Sebastian had now cleared a huge swathe of the neighbourhood with the force of his wind. The larger chunks of buildings, wooden supports, and debris were cleared off but there was no Utsui. What they did see was the crushed body of an unlucky avian woman. The sight put Syryn into a worse mood. His friend could be in the same condition somewhere else.


    "It''s a good sign S''ryn. Not findin'' his dead body means he left the area," Syryn heard Sebastian say.


    "Come, we''ll sweep the entirety of Helios if that is what it takes to find your friend."


    "It''ll be too late if he''s somewhere dying alone," Syryn replied.


    Behind him, a redhead who had woken up from his sleep in one of the beds downstairs came trudging through the rubble.


    "You guys left me alone in the house."


    "Red?" Syryn turned on. "Utsui is missing."


    "That''s.. no good," Red slowly replied. He observed Syryn''s puffy eyes and reddened nose. "Are you looking for him right now?"


    "Yes."

 Chapter 157 - Utsui

    "I can help.."


    "How?" Syryn looked like he was hoping for a miracle from Red.


    The redhead uneasily shook his head. "I can only do as much as you can. If only there was a way to trace Utsui." But there wasn''t.


    Syryn''s heart sank. "Let''s keep looking."


    With every minute that passed, Syryn''s hopes were being chipped away at. If Utsui was fine, he would have turned up. His absence only meant one thing, that something had gone wrong.


    The morning sun began peeking and the avian was nowhere to be found. Helios was almost a ghost city. Only a few avians were seen trickling in to find their lost family members and friends.


    When all avenues seemed hopeless, Akida arrived and he had news.


    A child was found wandering the streets of helios, dazed and lost. He had been lucky to be grabbed by an avian who spotted him from the sky. He was taken to the healers at the mountains. There, the child had been given lots of fluids and rest before he was able to speak coherently to the adults. He had told them that an avian man with a stick and leaf in his hair had saved him and a few other patients who had been abandoned in the medic house when the fire first broke out. A few more of the youngest avians had still remained trapped inside the building, forgotten in the chaos that gripped everyone. As the fire burned, the avian that had saved them had turned up like an angel. Their saviour risked his life and had sent them out before he went into the burning house alone where more children were trapped.


    "Do you think it''s really Utsui?" Syryn''s words tumbled out hot and fast.


    "We can hope it is. Let''s go find him." Akida said as he lifted them both off the ground. "Whether he''s alive or not, we owe it to him to search until we find him."


    ------


    The medic house that the little boy had mentioned was mostly rubble. Two floors of the building had collapsed upon themselves. The sight did not inspire hope in Syryn. How would Utsui have survived the crash of much weight atop his body?


    "How are going to dig through this?" Syryn asked Akida. He was already at the edge of the rubble, flinging pieces of wood away. He knew it wasn''t doing much but Syryn needed something to do so he wasn''t idle and manufacturing negative thoughts.


    "I think we need the wind mage friend of yours," Akida replied. "I''ll get him."


    Syryn had uselessly opened up a gap in the layers of debris. What good were his powers if he couldn''t even do the minimum in such situations where his friends needed him? Akida had returned with his quarry by the time Syryn''s gap had become wide enough to fit him inside.


    "S''ryn, that''s a nice hole but I''ll need you to move," Sebastian told the teen. "Let me take care of this for you."


    Wordlessly, Syryn retreated to a safer distance.


    Sebastian was a wonder to watch when he used his magic. His power swirled and sucked the wind inwards with him at the centre. And like a conductor, the mage raised his arms. Debris groaned and creaked as the power of wind lifted them off the pile. With a howl, the powerful wind flung its load to the side. Sebastian kept repeating the process with care so he wouldn''t cause more damage to the collapsed building. After what felt like the longest and most gruelling minutes of his life, Syryn saw the white robe that his eyes had been searching for desperately.


    Quick as rabbits, his feet carried him to Utsui. Syryn''s heart hurt at seeing the way the young avian was curled up, crushed under so much rubble. Had he been able to breathe?


    Syryn fell to the floor and placed his fingers on the side of Utsui''s neck. He barely registered the burns that covered Utsui''s neck and face.


    "Syryn?" Akida asked the pale-faced teen who hadn''t said a word since he touched Utsui''s neck. "Fuck, Syryn say something."


    "I- " Syryn sniffled. His hand was trembling. He couldn''t feel a pulse. Utsui''s skin felt so cold. This was it then. Syryn felt his emotions fraying like ropes stretched too far.


    He then noticed a bundle that Utsui was cradling to his chest. It was blue in colour and printed with tiny white flowers. Syryn pried Utsui''s cold hands away and lifted a corner of the cloth to look at what was inside.


    Three little birds, barely bigger than his palms were nestled together, protected from the crushing weight of the debris.


    "Take them to a healer," Syryn''s voice shook as he handed the birds over to Akida. If they were still alive, they had to be looked at quickly and Syryn wasn''t sure he was equipped to care for the lives of baby avians.


    The teen turned his attention back to Utsui. He held the limp wrist in his warm hands and felt his heart breaking. There was a starburst pattern on the healer''s palm where he had held the plasma fruit not many hours ago. It reminded Syryn that Utsui had a wish he had desired so much that he was willing to put his life at risk for it.


    "What was your wish, Utsui?" He murmured to the lifeless body. "Why did you have to be so stupid and brave?"


    Sebastian watched the teen grieve from a distance. There was nothing he could say that would make it better.


    "Utsui.." Syryn''s tears fell like rain on the avian''s face. The teen cradled his friend to his chest and silently cried. He finally felt the crushing weight of his decisions and the ripples that spread out when he changed the events of the world. Utsui wasn''t meant to die. He was supposed to visit Elysium with Syryn and meet Alka, Salem, and Riha. It wasn''t fair. Why did it have to be him?


    "Utsui.."

 Chapter 158 - Darkness

    The rest of the day crawled by while Syryn moved like an automaton, thoughtlessly going through the motions that were required of him.


    Utsui''s body was taken by the avians for funeral preparations. Like the other heroes of war, he would be cremated in the sky and his ashes buried at the temple of the Phoenix.


    Syryn was back at his Helios residence. Owing to its distance from the main city block, it had escaped the devastation that the demons wrought. The teen was curled up in bed, feeling the deep purrs of Navi who was nestled against his chest. Milky was at the window, his snowy white paws tucked under his chest. The white cat was looking out the window in what seemed like a contemplative mood if that was even possible for a feline.


    Syryn reached under his pillow and retrieved a long hairpin which he slowly twirled between his fingers, feeling the smooth grain of the ebony wood. It had a delicate jade leaf at the end. When the avains had told him they were taking Utsui''s body away, the teen had relieved his friend of his hair pin. He wouldn''t have begrudged Syryn for it, or at least that''s what Syryn believed.


    A knock on his bedroom door drew his attention out of the pit of sadness he was marinating in. Syryn ignored it. He wasn''t in the mood to speak with anyone. The door opened anyway, and the intruder stepped into his room quietly.


    Syryn''s eyes were closed when he felt the presence of someone next to him. The teen opened his eyes and turned to his side to face the man who had come to see him.


    "Rowan," he said softly.


    His immaculate gold blonde hair neatly fell over his eyes when he leaned over Syryn. Rowan smelled clean and fresh like he had just taken a bath. The teen noticed that the anti mage was wearing a different set of clothing than when he had arrived at Nua. It was obvious that Rowan had cleaned up before coming to him.


    Rowan kissed Syryn lightly on his forehead. "How are you, Ryn?"


    The teen lifted a corner of his blanket and waited for Rowan to get in. "A little better now that you''re here," he answered.


    The bed dipped imperceptibly when Rowan eased himself in next to Syryn. Propping his head on an elbow, the anti mage watched the teen watch him.


    "I heard about your friend, Utsui. I''m sorry, Ryn."


    "Yeah, me too."


    Syryn inched closer to Rowan till he could feel the warmth from the anti mage pressing against his body. Rowan was solid, firm, and something about it made Syryn feel safer. An arm went around him and the anti mage caressed the back of his neck. Syryn closed his eyes and let Rowan lull him into sleep with his gentle touches.


    -------


    When Syryn roused after a few hours of sleep, it was late in the evening. He was ensconced between the arms of an anti mage whose eyes were closed in sleep. The teen lifted his head and spied thick gold lashes curving above beautifully sculpted cheekbones. Rowan was a picture of peace when he was sleeping.


    Syryn leaned a few inches into Rowan''s space and left a soft kiss on his neck. It drew the anti mage''s gorgeous lips into an arc. He wasn''t asleep. Those gold lashes that Syryn had been admiring lifted up to reveal cerulean blue eyes.


    The anti mage touched Syryn''s cheeks and cupped them in his large palm. He leaned his weight on an elbow and lowered his mouth down to Syryn''s.


    The teen''s lips were soft and pliant. It was their first kiss after their separation.


    They kissed slowly, breathed in each other, drank from the comfort that came from such simple but profound intimacy, and Syryn wept - for how lucky he was to have been given a second lease at life so he could spend it with Rowan. The death of his friend was a reminder to Syryn that this could all be taken away from him again.


    "Ryn, are you thinking about Ustui?" Rowan asked as he wiped at a wet cheek.


    "About him but also us."


    "I won''t leave you," Rowan quietly declared.


    "What if I leave you?" Syryn replied.


    "I won''t let go."


    Syryn was reminded of the dream he had about Rowan.


    "If I die, you''ll have to let go."


    Rowan frowned. "Where''s this coming from, Ryn?"


    "Nowhere. I just thought about how fleeting life is. You and I are only mortals, Ro. Who knows when the hands of death could pluck us away from the living plane?"


    "Then I''ll have to stay by your side, day and night. If death comes for you, they''ll find an extra passenger to take along." Rowan said the ominous words with a smile.


    "Are you crazy?" Syryn asked. Rowan would die with him, for him. That was insane. Rowan was insane.


    "I am. And it was your hand that snatched away some part of my sanity in the last life." Rowan wasn''t joking.


    Syryn felt goosebumps erupt on his skin. "What did I do?"


    "Nothing. It was all my fault, Ryn." Rowan said as he kissed the pads of Syryn''s fingers, one finger at a time. "It won''t happen again this time. I''ll destroy this world and the both of us if history repeats itself."


    Rowan meant it. There was no doubt in his words.


    Syryn blinked and looked away. His anti mage was perfect on the surface but he was starting to see the tendrils of darkness that crept through little chinks in his armour - the gaps that Rowan was allowing him to see. If the mage had any doubts about this man being the Rowan of his past, they were swept away by the knowledge that Rowan hadn''t come back alone. He had brought along with him the ghosts of his past.


    Syryn chuckled darkly. When the anti mage became the Rowan of the past, he had ceased to become the Rowan that Syryn was familiar with. It was ironic.


    "You''re damaged," he told the smiling blonde.


    "Yes. More so than you could ever imagine."

 Chapter 159 - Aftermath

    Utsui''s funeral was a private affair that Toka barred Syryn from attending. It enraged him but the last thing that Syryn wanted was to create a commotion during his friend''s final rites. He accepted the denial that met him with a sinking heart. Elder Toka was cruel.


    However, they couldn''t stop the teen from sending a lantern into the sky with Utsui''s name on it. It joined the hundreds of glowing blue lanterns in the night sky that floated slowly above Helios.


    "Goodbye Utsui." Syryn released his words to the wind. "Rest in peace."


    ---------


    Syryn still hadn''t seen much of Nua but his enthusiasm was gutted by the tragedy that fell upon him. All he wanted to do was go home and fall back into the familiar routine he knew in the presence of Salem.


    He found out later that after Rowan had arrived to brutally suppress the mages of both sky forge and the iron claw tribes, a temporary armistice was drawn up between the warring tribes. Iron claw had been informed of the deaths of their allies, the demons, and that had been enough to stop their advancement into Nua. The sky forge tribe of Nua could breathe in peace for the moment. And the iron claw tribe would find themselves being alienated for their involvement with demons.


    Nua owed Sigil. It was a victory for the humans who hadn''t meant to fish in troubled waters but had still done so. The only drawback was now they knew that Sigil had a powerful anti mage whose anti magic field was enough to suppress the magic of thousands of mages at the same time.


    Syryn wished he had been present to see the scene with his own eyes. He had heard from some of the warriors of Nua about how a pin drop silence had pervaded the battlefield when Rowan''s heavy suppression choked the air and terrorised every single being capable of magic. Even the anti mages had felt its power.


    In retrospect, Syryn surmised that he shouldn''t have been surprised. This was the anti mage who had fought Traxdart. It was only natural that he was strong. He had had four years to come to power. Still, it was shocking just how much he had advanced in so little time. It meant that Rowan still had further to go, that he hadn''t come to full power yet. The teen shuddered in fear when he thought of a blackened Rowan wielding so much power. He couldn''t allow more psychological shadows to fall upon the anti mage.


    "Syryn, are we already leaving?" Red asked when he spied his brother packing their clothes.


    "Yes. I can''t stand Nua anymore."


    "Let''s kidnap Riaku," Red suggested. "Nua doesn''t deserve him."


    "Go ahead," the teen muttered. It wasn''t like Red would actually do it. "But, no. Red, we can''t kidnap Riaku. He''s Nua''s prince." The redhead was capable of worse.


    "Sacrificial prince. I can pretend to kill him and they''ll let go since he won''t be of any use to them as a corpse."


    "I get it. You''re kinky for him. But you''re thirteen years old. What''ll you do bringing him home?"


    "Replace Magnus," Red answered. "Out with the old and in with the new."


    Syryn''s glare was sharp. "You''re an asshole." The teen saw the redhead stare into nothing. He was communicating inside his mind.


    (How can you say that, Red?! Magnus cannot be replaced.)


    [He can.]


    (I won''t let you!)


    [Why do you like him anyway? He left us!]


    (Because he had a duty to perform!)


    [He still left us.]


    (You''re just bitter that you aren''t his first priority. We can''t always be the centre of his affections, Red. You sound just like Syryn.)


    The redhead''s jaw dropped open.


    "I am nothing like Syryn."


    The teen who was packing looked at Red. "Dumbass, you said it out loud."


    "It was for you to hear, princess," Red replied snidely. "Luci thinks we are similar in some ways. I disagreed with him."


    "Luci doesn''t know what he''s talking about. I''d hang myself from a bush if I were anything like you," Syryn said to the redhead.


    "A bush?"


    "I stand corrected. I''d hang myself from a doorknob."


    (He''s calling us short.)


    [Yeah I get it. But we aren''t talking about physical characteristics. Syryn would still be half tall even if he was- never mind. He''s an idiot.]


    (Half tall?)


    [Full short.]


    (You don''t want to admit that he''s not short....)


    [Well here''s some good news. When we grow older, we''ll be taller than Syryn. He knows it too.]


    (And how do you know that?)


    [It''s the knees, Luci. They predict how tall you''re gonna grow. I measured Syryn''s knees and then ours.]


    (Really?!)


    [Yep.]


    (Magnus had big knees too and he grew really tall.)


    [Exactly.]


    (That''s amazing! I''m gonna look at everyone''s knees. How is it that no one ever told me about such an awesome way to predict heights?)


    Because it''s not true, Red thought. It was a good thing that even in their shared mindscape, Luci only received the thoughts that Red actively broadcasted. The child would get ruined by all the nasty images he had conjured of Riaku, and Magnus even. Big knees? No. Big other parts of their bodies.


    [Because they don''t know. It''s a secret that only a few of us know about.]


    (I see. Are you lying?)


    [Why would I lie about such a stupid thing?]


    (That''s true.)


    Luci was still innocent and Red would milk it while he still could.


    "Done and packed. We just have to wait for Rowan to arrive."


    "What about Artemus and Sebastian?"


    "Left in the noon," Syryn replied. "Artemus is a busy anti mage."


    "Rowan isn''t busy enough, is he?" Red snickered. "He wastes a lot of time, doesn''t he?"


    "Would you like to see how I waste my time?" The blond anti mage had arrived.


    Red liked Rowan enough to tease him. "You think I want to watch the both of you act sappy? Ugh. I''d rather hang myself on a doorknob."


    The blond canted his head to the side and made a confused expression. Syryn found it lovable and cute.


    "Doorknob?"


    "Ask your wife," Red replied as he received a jar of preserved sun fruits from the anti mage. His fingers were quick to unscrew the lid of the jar. A deliciously sweet smell wafted out of it and Red nearly drooled into the jar.


    "Rowan is the wife," Syryn said as he snatched the jar away.


    "Give that back!"


    "My wife brought it. It''s mine."


    "Rowaaaaan!!!!!" Red cried out. "Tell your pillow princess to give it back!"


    "Ryn, that''s for Lucien." The anti mage grinned at the sour twist of Syryn''s lips.


    "In this household, I own everything that you buy." Syryn hugged the jar to his chest while pointing a finger at the anti mage.


    "Calm down," Rowan placated Syryn with a hug from behind the teen. "I have more for you." He placed a quick and strategic kiss against Syryn''s neck. "Give it to, Lucien."


    Syryn blushed and immediately handed the jar over to Red.


    "Disgusting." Red turned his nose up at the couple and stepped out of the room.

 Chapter 160 - Jealous

    The rift that was kept open by Nua was only for special and emergency uses. Syryn''s departure did not count as an emergency but considering what Nua owed to him, he was permitted to use it.


    Riaku had just arrived at the Helios residence to bid goodbye to the group returning to Elysium.


    "What''ll happen to you, Riaku?" Syryn asked the prince.


    "I''ll live on. You''ve ensured my survival time and time again." Riaku had a wry smile on his face. Syryn and his brother had pulled him out of the mouth of death and now he owed a life debt to them.


    "Nua is an ungrateful and selfish nation. You know that don''t you?"


    "Very much."


    "You''re a damn saint, Riaku."


    "Not really. I wouldn''t have a purpose to live for if I left Nua."


    Syryn nodded and his gaze drifted to the sword. "That little bitch is what turned you into a demon."


    Riaku lowered his head but didn''t comment. It was enough confirmation for Syryn. "Will you ever be normal again?"


    "There''s no precedence for it," Riaku answered apathetically. "Like my predecessors, I''ll die in a few years down the line."


    That he could say something so depressing without a change in his expression, Syryn felt discomfited by it.


    "Fucking hell, Riaku. You''re so morbid." Syryn was seized with the desire to kidnap the prince. Red was right. Oh god, he thought, one more point of similarity between them.


    "It is what it is," the prince answered.


    Syryn should have smuggled Riaku out immediately after the fight with the demons. He should have allowed the avians to believe that their prince was dead and consumed by fire.


    "That''s no way to live. You''re a slave to Nua."


    "Syryn, go home and worry about your problems," Riaku smiled. "I will worry about myself."


    Riaku''s gaze flickered behind Syryn and then back at the teen. "Why don''t we take a walk?" His gaze was syrupy.


    The teen was confused. "A walk?" Where? Why?


    The prince who had been facing him came to walk beside Syryn. The teen felt Riaku''s hand brush his and the realisation suddenly hit him. The dare. The prince was helping him carry out Artemus'' dare. It meant that Rowan was behind them.


    A thrill of excitement mixed with some small. amount of terror went down his spine. He was going to do it. Confidently, the teen slipped his hands in Riaku''s. The prince cooperated by intertwining their fingers. They cut a picture of young love.


    It felt illegal and wrong but oh so good. Syryn was keenly aware of a stare that was burning a hole at the back of his head.


    "Your highness," Rowan''s voice was a crack of a whip between the adulterous couple. "Let go of his hand."


    Syryn dropped Riaku''s hand like a hot cake. He had provoked the anti mage and now he wasn''t brave enough to turn around immediately. What kind of an expression would Rowan have on his face? Could he just walk out of the door and disappear for a few hours?


    "Turn around and look at me, Syryn." Rowan''s demand shot that thought out of the air.


    Syryn whirled around with a placating smile on his face and caught the pleasantly neutral canvas that was Rowan''s handsome face.


    "Why are the two of you holding hands like a pair of love birds?" He asked in a conversation tone but Syryn wasn''t fooled by it.


    "It isn''t what it looks like," Riaku answered.


    Syryn gaped at the prince. That''s exactly what an adulterous couple would say!


    "Rowan, it''s just a da-"


    "Syryn," Riaku cut him off. "There''s no need to explain ourselves."


    The teen blinked in confusion. "There isn''t?"


    What was Riaku up to? Was he having fun playing games with Rowan? Did he want to get killed?


    "We did nothing wrong. Does Elysium not allow hand-holding unless it''s between lovers?"


    Riaku was just doing as Sebastian had asked him to before the mage left Nua. Throw some fireworks between Rowan and Syryn, just enough to grease their gears. Make Syryn forget about the tragedy even if for a while.


    An unnerving silence settled between them.


    Rowan chuckled and it was a dark sound. "Syryn is mine. I would appreciate it if you refrained from touching him so casually."


    "Is that true?" Riaku turned to the teen.


    "Rowan doesn''t touch me enough," Syryn said with a wicked lift of his lips. "I''m convinced I have to look elsewhere for-"


    "That''s enough, Syryn. We''re leaving now." Rowan''s words were clipped.


    "No."


    The anti mage raised his brows. "No?" It sounded like a threat.


    Syryn was not going to tolerate Rowan''s nonsense about waiting to remember the past before they did the deed. He wanted to get laid and he would get it even if he had to push the man with a bit of jealousy.


    "You can''t tell me what to do. I''m not leaving with you." His voice almost shook from his nerves when he said it. Rowan''s expression was getting darker and darker. Bossy Rowan. Rowan who thought Syryn would obey him without question.


    "If that''s what you want, I won''t stop you."


    Syryn wasn''t surprised by Rowan''s declaration. He was the biggest vinegar pot but never a controlling partner.


    "I''ll see you in Elysium a month later, Rowan. Take Lucien with you. I don''t want him to get in the way of my merry-making."


    The anti mage had ceased all pretences of agreeability. His eyes narrowed. "Merrymaking with the prince of Nua?"


    Syryn shrugged. "I have to get my honey from somewhere since you''re not giving up any."


    "You know how it is, Ryn. I can''t."


    "I don''t care! What does sex have to do with feelings? Strangers fuck all the time and move on. I don''t care what you did. While you fret about the past, your present Syryn is going to get some from another man!" The teen ranted.


    "Fine."


    "I knew you''d- what? Really?" Syryn''s eyes went wide.


    "Step into the room with me for a minute, Syryn," Rowan''s smile was pleasant.

 Chapter 161 - Bruised

    The moment Rowan closed the door behind them, Syryn found his back against the door. His arms were non too gently pinned above his head by a dangerously smiling anti mage.


    "What was that, Syryn?" Rowan asked in a deceptively sweet voice. "Did you enjoy my jealousy? Was it fun provoking me?"


    The anti mage''s lips hovered over Syryn''s. "Or would you like me to show you how far I am willing to go to beat off competition?"


    Syryn''s heart hammered in his chest. His breathing was ragged as he felt Rowan shove his thigh between Syryn''s legs, forcing them open.


    "Is this what you want?" He whispered against the shell of Syryn''s ear.


    Fabric rustled as Rowan ground his thigh to Syryn''s crotch. The teen gasped at the feeling of sweet friction that sent jolts of hot pleasure through his cock.


    "Use your words, Ryn."


    "Not enough- ah" Syryn pressed his lips together.


    "I want to hear you moan, Syryn. Can you do that for me?" Rowan''s voice was getting hoarse as he whispered to the teen.


    He shook his head nervously. Riaku was just beyond the door. He would hear Syryn''s lust-filled moan and know exactly what was happening.


    "So disobedient," Rowan murmured. The anti mage''s bruising grip eased up on him. He was caged in against the door with one arm while the other hand rucked up Syryn''s shirt to his chest.


    The anti mage eyed the tent over his own pants. He couldn''t possibly take Syryn here. It had to be done at a leisurely pace so that Rowan could spend hours upon hours fucking him.


    "Ro," Syryn pleaded. "Do something." His pupils were blown wide, cheeks turning rosy from desire, and lips parted in a sigh. Rowan had barely touched him but Syryn was already falling apart. It was beautiful.


    The anti mage was affected by the sight of Syryn''s lust. He pressed a thumb to the teen''s lips and dragged it over the clever tongue that tried to lick it. Syryn went further and began to suck on the anti mage''s finger, sliding the wet tongue over his fingertip as he looked into Rowan''s electric eyes. It was obscene.


    The anti mage sucked in a breath.


    "Grind into my thigh," Rowan instructed. Syryn''s response was perfect. He watched with bated breath as the beautiful creature moaned and took his pleasure from Rowan''s thigh.


    "Good boy." Rowan lunged forward and their mouths met. The kiss was even more primal than all the others they''d shared. The anti mage left no room for retreat as his tongue forced Syryn into accepting its intrusion. Rowan kissed him with persistence. When he finally pulled away to let Syryn breathe, blood was pumping in the teen''s ears.


    His body felt like it was on fire. Rowan smelled so delicious, tasted even better, and Syryn needed more or he would collapse from the need.


    "Rowan, more," the teen was panting, eyes glazed over and his chest heaving. He looked like a wreck. He sounded confused, like he didnt quite know what he wanted. But that was okay, Rowan knew.


    He lifted Syryn up and made a beeline for the bed. The boy was gently lowered to the soft blanket, and despite Rowan''s raging desire to fuck him senseless, he ignored his own needs. Syryn needed to be taken care of.


    Rowan unbuttoned Syryn''s pants and slid them down his legs. The teen had long legs that were just as beautiful as the rest of him. And Rowan knew just how to worship them.


    He ducked between the teen''s legs to lave kisses on the teen''s thighs. Syryn gasped at the sensation of the smooth warm tongue licking stripes on the sensitive skin of his inner thighs. Rowan nibbled and sucked hard enough that he left bruises on the pale umarred skin.


    "Oh.. god!" Syryn moaned. Rowan was such a tease. He was licking so close to the teen''s cock while avoiding it entirely. The heat in his crotch intensified and Syryn was nearly weeping from the need for stimulation.


    His hand unconsciously tried to grasp it but Rowan''s hand caught his.


    "No touching yourself," the anti mage warned.


    Syryn''s thighs were a constellation of bruises. His pretty pink cock was wet with precum and he was desperate for release.


    "Ro, please- touch me," he whimpered. The sound went straight down Rowan''s dick. The sound of Syryn begging him was sweeter than sugar.


    "Ro- oh my god!" The anti mage had engulfed Syryn''s cock in his mouth. The teen felt his mind wipe out from the feeling of Rowan''s hot mouth sucking on his dick. Every nerve ending in his body was electrified and humming in pleasure.


    "Nngh-" Syryn was incoherent and slipping away. His dick was tingling, burning with a hot pleasure that made his toes curl. His breathing was choppy and ragged as the anti mage took him higher and higher.


    "Rowan," he breathed out and felt stars pop behind his eyelids in an orgasm so hard he was unable to make a sound.


    The teen pressed his hands to his eyes and hid his face. He was exhausted from how amazing that had felt.


    "Syryn, are you okay?" Rowan asked while leaning over him.


    He was more than okay.


    "Syryn?" The anti mage sounded worried.


    A gentle hand pried away the fingers covering his eyes. Misty violet eyes stared back into deep blues.


    "Rowan, let''s do this again.."


    The anti mage smiled. "We''ll do more than that." His pants were still tented. "We''ll have sex. Just like you asked for it."


    "For real?" Syryn still couldn''t believe that Rowan would agree so easily.


    "Better me than someone else, Ryn." Rowan was spread over Syryn''s body. He could feel Rowan''s hardness through the pants that separated their cocks.


    "Let me take care of you," Syryn said as Rowan kissed his neck.


    "We have to get home," Rowan replied. "My needs can wait."


    "But-"


    "Hush, let''s get you cleaned up."


    Rowan silenced Syryn with a languid kiss that was tempered with the heat of what had just taken place. Despite his hurry to leave, Rowan was lost in the kiss for a while.


    "If you''re done inside there, I''d like to remind you that we have places to be." They heard Red''s voice through the door.


    "Time to move," Rowan told Syryn.


    "I don''t want to."


    "No? I thought you wanted to have sex," Rowan teased.


    "When we reach home?!" Syryn was suddenly feeling energetic.


    "Yes."


    "That''s all you had to say, Ro."

 Chapter 162 - Manor

    Nua''s navigator walked them through the lost path. The lack of assassins and surprise enemies allowed the group of travellers to get to Elysium without any problems. This time, with Rowan in their company, Syryn let his guard down and traversed through the path relatively stress-free.


    The navigator took them to one of Elysium''s several well-known rifts. And from there, the group headed to Syryn''s home.


    "I''ve missed this place," Syryn said as he stood outside the gates of his manor.


    "Would you consider moving if I presented you with a better alternative?" Rowan asked as he shifted the strap of Syryn''s travel bag over his shoulder.


    To have his little lover living in a house gifted to him by another man caused Rowan''s jealousy to spark.


    "No, I like it here," Syryn replied.


    Red had left the couple at the gate. Milky and Navi were at his heels as they rushed towards the kitchen. Travelling was fun but Red found himself missing the manor and its occupants.


    "Come home with me," Rowan turned to the teen.


    Syryn felt a smidgen of embarrassment. Rowan''s invitation was for a very specific and unspeakable purpose.


    "When?"


    "After a short rest here. Greet your housemates, snack a little, and then we leave."


    Syryn nodded and looked away. Was he really going to throw off the yoke of his chastity? No one could stop him now, not even Traxdart!


    "Come on, Ryn," Rowan called to him from the gate. "Alka and Salem are waiting for you."


    ------


    Coming back home was a bittersweet feeling. The relief of returning to familiarity and safety was marred by the absence of Magnus. They''d escaped to Nua for a change of pace but the trip had been disastrous from the start. Syryn was reminded again of Utsui, his first loss of this life time. All of Syryn''s decisions had led to their culmination in the avian''s death. Somehow, it was mostly his fault.


    "You look gloomy," Alka commented. "I heard about the attack at Nua. What did the demons want with the place?"


    Syryn shook his head, gaze fixed on the liquid in his cup - buckwheat tea, piping hot and fragrant.


    "I wonder about it too," he replied. Why would Traxdart aid the iron claw tribe? Who reached out to whom? Demons never took the short end of any deal. The iron claw tribe would have given up their lifeblood to gain the aid of not one but three strong demons. It was too bad for them that Syryn had been around.


    "Syryn?" A new voice joined them.


    The teen turned around in his chair and smiled at Salem. The blonde alchemist had stress lines that hadn''t been there when Syryn had left. The always put together Salem was looking a little haggard and tired out.


    "What happened to you?" Syryn asked.


    "It''s the brats you sent," Alka chuckled. "They''re taking his life. Neiro and Blaze are both crushing on Salem." The plant mage smirked at the pretty blond alchemist. "Right, Salem?"


    The alchemist''s tired eyes regarded Alka with subdued interest alight in his gaze, subdued but still there. Syryn was shaking. What had happened in his household when he was away? He looked between the two of them but the ambiguous energy had dissipated.


    Lucien was away checking on his undead creations while Rowan remained a mute spectator in the conversation. Syryn looked to the blond anti mage but he wasn''t a member of the manor and he didn''t understand the dynamics of the relationships that prevailed at the manor. Syryn''s need to gossip was shooting up his blood pressure. Where was Qairu?!


    Alka gracefully poured a cup of tea for the tired alchemist.


    "Syryn, I thought you were leaving for a month," Salem said as he brushed back a few strands of blond hair from his face. His long blond hair was draped over his shoulders, lending him a languorous air. Tiredness be damned, Salem was still eye candy.


    "Why? Did my early return disrupt something in the works?" The teen blurted out.


    Salem''s expression remained unchanged. "Whatever gave you such an idea, Syryn?" He smiled while blowing on his tea.


    The teen looked at Alka who was just as nonchalant. "Alka, are you still seeing Qairu?" Syryn bluntly asked.


    Rowan who had been a picture of boredom cracked an eye open.


    "No," Alka clamped up after spitting out that single word.


    "Since when?" Syryn gaped.


    "Since the day he got engaged," Salem answered for Alka.


    Syryn didn''t even register the burn on his tongue as he gulped the hot tea. The tea that Alka had served was very hot.


    "To whom? I thought you two were-"


    "Qairu is a ruthless bastard," Alka spat out. "His ambitions come before his loyalty to me."


    But why aren''t you telling me the whole story? Syryn''s heart cried out.


    "Did you at least get the seed from him?"


    Alka nodded. "It''s already germinating in a pot."


    "What seed?" Rowan who had been silent this whole time finally asked. It was like he had a bullshit radar.


    "A tree I''ve been wanting to grow," the teen went for a casual and vague answer.


    "What tree?" Rowan was a bloodhound that had caught the scent of something troublesome. His piercing blue gaze was fixed on Syryn.


    "Why are you so nosy?!" And that had been the wrong thing to say. He had all but confirmed the anti mage''s suspicions that Syryn was up to no good.


    "Salem, you seem like a responsible person. What tree is Syryn planning to grow?" The blond asked his blond counterpart.


    "I wasn''t told anything about it," Salem replied. He had been helping Alka germinate the seed and knew exactly what was growing in the pot.


    It was Rowan versus Syryn''s friends. The anti mage folded his arms and looked at the three youngsters that were doing their best imitations of innocence.


    "Lucien," Rowan called out when he spotted the redhead skidding on his socked feet across the corridor outside the kitchen door.


    The child stuck his head in and beamed. "You called?"


    "Is Syryn growing a special tree in the house?" The anti mage flashed a handsome smile at the star-struck Luci.


    "Yes! A corpse tree!" He answered with all the enthusiasm of a child wanting to please his favourite adult person.


    The smile on Rowan''s face hung on despite the shock he had been given. "Thank you, Luci."


    "You''re welcome!" The child singsonged and went back to sliding on his socks over the smooth wooden corridor.

 Chapter 163 - Confiscated

    Rowan''s fingers drummed on the table. The rhythmic sound of it was loud against the silence that had taken residence in the kitchen.


    "I get it, Syryn. You like courting death," Rowan began in a calm voice. "You like breaking laws. You like defying authority. You especially love defying authority when it suits your needs. You are impulsive. You have little regard for the concerns that I have for the dangerous situations that you get into. You don''t think twice before making a decision that could possibly have magnified repercussions in the future."


    Syryn shrank back into his chair. He wished he was a turtle with a shell to withdraw into. He would continue to hear Rowan''s reprimanding but at least he would be freed from the look of disappointment in the anti mage''s eyes.


    "A corpse tree isn''t just illegal. It might kill you and your friends," Rowan looked at Salem and Alka.


    The anti mage hadn''t realised that Syryn had gathered a group of people similar to him.


    "I''m not getting through to any of you at all, am I?" Rowan asked with disbelief.


    "You''re really mature," Alka replied. "You remind me of Artemus. Syryn has a type."


    The teen buried his face in his palms. Why did Alka have to say that?


    "For the sake of your safety, I will have to confiscate the corpse seed." Rowan had thankfully ignored Alka''s little jibe.


    "Alka, couldn''t you have waited to mention it when he wasn''t around?" Syryn pointed at Rowan.


    "You mentioned it first. Not me," Alka rolled his eyes.


    Oh yeah, Syryn was the dumbass here.


    "Bring the pot over, Alka." Rowan''s tone was severe.


    The plant mage acquiesced. "Don''t let my brother know about it."


    "Bring the pot and I won''t mention it to Artemus."


    Syryn''s disappointment was immeasurable. He shook his head at the tyrannical attitude that Rowan was wielding in Syryn''s own home. Of course, he understood the blond''s reasoning. A corpse tree was a danger to the entire neighbourhood and not just Syryn''s home. But did Rowan have to ruin his fun like this? The teen was conveniently forgetting that without Qairu, they''d have to find another priest willing to suppress the tree every month while keeping their mouth shut about it from the mage hunters who regulated illegal activities in Elysium.


    The anti mage had sensed his lover''s resentment. He sighed at having fallen for someone as volatile as Syryn. The half-demon just made his life harder every day. And yet, Rowan knew he would never give up what he had. Syryn was a thorny rose that could bleed him as much as he wanted so long as Rowan was allowed to hold him.


    "Here," Alka placed a metallic pot on the floor beside Rowan. "If Artemus finds out about this, I will do everything in my power to get a new seed out of sheer spite even if it gets me arrested."


    Rowan glanced at the pot where a tiny plant was germinating. Its tender green shoot had only recently pushed through the soil.


    "Thank you," he said to the disgruntled plant mage. "There''s no need for threats. I''ll keep my end of the deal."


    "Why did you want to a corpse tree, Ryn?" Rowan asked in a softer tone.


    The teen scowled at the blond. "That is none of your business!" He was in a real mood.


    "Ryn, I''m just trying to help. Please don''t get mad." Rowan leaned over and cajoled his thorny rose. He used a knuckle to lift Syryn''s chin then placed a light kiss on his lips.


    "And on that note, I''m leaving," Alka declared. Salem too stood up. Nobody wanted to be fed dog food.


    The light kiss turned into something intense and slow.


    "Ewwww!" Luci yelled when he slid into the kitchen. "Get a room!"


    Rowan chuckled and pulled away. "That''s the plan, Luci."


    "Are you guys going to do weird things in Syryn''s room? Because I sleep there too."


    Rowan sat on his haunches and smiled at the redhead. "No, we aren''t doing anything weird, Luci. Ryn will be leaving with me to help with some work I have. Will you be lonely sleeping without your big brother?"


    The redhead shook his head like a wet dog shaking off water. "Have fun, Ro! I''ll sleep with Salem."


    "Why not Alka?" Syryn asked, curious about the thought processes that went on in the child''s mind which led to his decision on where to sleep.


    "Salem''s room is warmer."


    So simple, Syryn thought, feeling strangely enlightened. Magnus was warm too. Lucien must have gotten used to warmth.


    "Alright," Rowan stood back up. "Syryn and I will be leaving now. I''ll bring him back after a few days. So until then, be a good child, Luci."


    "Will you get me something when you come back?" The redhead blinked up at the tall anti mage.


    "Sure, what would you like?"


    "Something sweet."


    Rowan smiled fondly at the child and patted him on the head. "Tell the others that Syryn and I have taken off."


    "Okay. Bye!"


    [How revolting. They''re going to do weird things.]


    (How do you know that?)


    [I can smell the pheromones in the air.]


    (Gross!)


    [Let''s raise a few dead mice, Luci. You''re out of practice.]


    ----


    During the ride back to Rowan''s private home at the equine farm, Syryn suddenly began to feel embarrassed.


    It was one thing to ask for sex and another to actually get it. And the fact that he was on his way to Rowan''s home with that purpose in mind made it seem all the more lurid.


    "Rowan, do you really want this?" Syryn asked the anti mage. The decision had been forced by Syryn. What if Rowan did not want to sleep with him? What if he had agreed only because of Syryn''s insistence?


    "What do you mean?" Rowan asked.


    "To er- do what I asked for." The was a note of hesitance in his voice.


    "Are we having second thoughts, Ryn?" Rowan asked.


    "Maybe."


    "It''s too late." The blue gaze swirled with all the different shades of desire that Rowan had been concealing. "I crave you just as much as you crave me. There''s no turning back anymore."


    One of Rowan''s hands inched underneath Syryn''s shirt, setting the teen''s nerves on titillating edge while he thumbed over one of Syryn''s hip bones.


    The teen gasped before his lips were sealed by another.

 Chapter 164 - Mild Sexual Content

    Syryn was back inside Rowan''s love nest, a place that was hidden away from everyone else but the teen.


    "Would you like some tea?" Rowan offered.


    "Yes, please," Syryn answered with a hint of timidity.


    The blond gave him a knowing smile that teased Syryn for getting nervous. After everything he''d said and done, the teen was now showing his shy side.


    "Is there anything you''d like to eat later?" Rowan asked as he opened the pantry and checked its contents.


    "Food?" Syryn dumbly answered.


    Rowan''s hand paused in its movement. "I''ll decide for us then."


    The anti mage set a kettle to boil and pulled out two cups, white with gold rims and handles. Delicate, beautiful things that seemed out of place in Rowan''s utilitarian kitchen. Despite his height and strength, the blond moved with smooth fluidity. He spooned some tea leaves into the beautiful cups.


    "Did you buy those cups yourself?" Syryn asked the anti mage. The feminine touch of the cups made Syryn curious.


    "These? They''re from my mother," Rowan answered with a glance behind his shoulder.


    Rowan''s parents weren''t from Elysium. Syryn only knew that much.


    The anti mage turned around and leaned his back against the countertop while waiting for the kettle to boil. When he crossed his arms, his biceps strained against the fabric of his shirt. Syryn''s stomach fluttered as he thought about those arms caging him on the bed.


    In the peaceful silence of Rowan''s kitchen, Syryn could hear his heart thudding in his chest. He was keenly aware of Rowan''s gaze settling over him like a blanket of heat. The teen blushed and abruptly stood up.


    "Where''s your bathroom?" He asked sounding more steady than he felt.


    "Attached to my bedroom. You know where that is, don''t you?"


    Syryn nodded and left the kitchen in a hurry. Rowan''s room was through the right door past the living room. His hand paused on the handle of the door. He was about to enter Rowan''s room, the most private space that the blond occupied.


    Syryn wasn''t sure what he expected but the simplicity of the room wasn''t it. It made sense since this place was a temporary haven where the anti mage escaped to for some privacy.


    The room was fairly large and doubled as a working space. A work table, a bed, and a bookcase took up most of the open space in the room. A large white wool rug at the foot of his bed added a touch of cosiness to the room.


    Syryn toed off his shoes and padded across the clean floor. The bathroom door was at the opposite end of the room.


    -------


    When Rowan entered the room with two cups of tea, he could hear the splashing of water from the bathroom.


    The anti mage placed the teacups on the table and the clinking sound of ceramic against the polished wood echoed to him. Having nothing else to do, he moved to the bed and sat on the silky smooth white sheet.


    Rowan then heard the click of the bathroom door behind him and Syryn exited in a cloud of steam. The citrusy smell of the teen''s soap filled the bedroom.


    "Rowan, did you get any lubrication?" Now that he was in a calmer headspace, Syryn could say those words without stammering.


    The anti mage pulled open a small drawer of his bedside table. Dipping inside, a glass bottle filled to the brim with a transparent and viscous liquid emerged in Rowan''s hand.


    Syryn folded his arms. "Okay I asked for it but why do you have that?"


    "It is unopened and unused," the anti mage assured Syryn. "I got it after what happened between us on that day." He didn''t have to elaborate. Syryn understood. "I realised that my will to resist is weaker than your desire to have us lose all sense of decorum and control."


    Syryn only had on a bathing robe that was loosely open at his chest. Rowan''s gaze travelled to it as the younger man approached the blond.


    "You might regret this, Ryn," Rowan said as his hands moved to Syryn''s waist. The teen had lowered himself on the anti mage''s thighs, legs straddling the blond on the bed.


    "Will that stop you?" Syryn looked into Rowan''s eyes while his hand slid down to squeeze right where a bulge was growing.


    "No."


    Syryn twisted his fingers into Rowan''s hair tightly, tilting his head back as he licked into the anti mage''s mouth. He could feel hands slide up his back, kneading at the fabric of his robe.


    Rowan broke their kiss to suck on Syryn''s neck even as his hands leisurely slid the bathrobe down the teen''s shoulders, revealing creamy warm skin that smelled like citrus and a hint of Syryn. One hand cupped Syryn''s bottom and lifted him up so Rowan could manoeuvre the teen onto the bed and under his body.


    "Comfortable?" Rowan murmured as he placed a kiss on Syryn''s jaw.


    "Not comfortable," Syryn said. Comfortable was when Rowan was inside him.


    The blond smiled and lifted himself off Syryn to spread open the bathrobe that was in disarray. Presented before him was a feast, beautiful cream skin, seamless and unblemished for his gaze, his touch, a blank canvas for him to mark.


    "You know I tried to warn you, Ryn," Rowan breathed out as he ducked down and took one pert rosy nipple, sweet and young, in his mouth. One of his hands moved to grasp Syryn''s hardness, and Rowan squeezed, drawing a noise of pleasure from the teen.


    "But you didn''t listen to me." Rowan used a fingertip to circle the head of Syryn''s cock. The intense and focused touch had the teen squirming away but Rowan only pulled him closer. "So when you finally remember everything, know that it''s too late to turn back. And even if you can''t forgive me, I still won''t let go."


    Syryn let out a tiny moan and he shivered.


    Rowan was driving him insane. His precum was dripping down the anti mage''s fingers and making it so wet between their skins.


    "Ro- that''s future Syryn''s problem," he said through breathless exhales. "Fuck me... now, please."


    Rowan chuckled. "I''m getting the lube, Ryn."

 Chapter 165 - Explicit Sexual Content

    Warning: Read the chapter title AGAIN


    The anti mage splayed Syryn''s legs wide open and silently appreciated the beauty spread out for his eating. To have himself so exposed to Rowan''s passionate and hungry gaze brought forth a blush that went all the way to the roots of Syryn''s hair.


    "You were right, Ryn. Your cock is as beautiful as you are. Sebastian doesn''t know what he''s missing out on." The flash of a languid smile was all Syryn saw before Rowan turned to get the bottle of lubrication.


    Eyes closed, Syryn listened to Rowan uncork the bottle. The scent of something sweet and sticky filled the air. Hand over his eyes, Syryn''s blush only increased when he heard the clink of Rowan unbuckling his pants.


    Syryn hadn''t intended to be a pillow princess but this was his first time so he hoped Rowan would forgive him for lying on the bed like a starfish.


    "You''re so red in the face. How cute, Ryn," Rowan teased. "Who was it begging me to fuck him just a few moments ago?"


    "Oh my god, Rowan. Stop!" Syryn took a pillow and threw it at the teasing man.


    The anti mage caught it and placed the pillow back on the bed. "Be good, Ryn. I''m going to open you up."


    The teen furiously blushed again.


    The first touch of Rowan''s slick fingers forced a loud gasp from Syryn''s throat. "Shhh, I''ll make you feel good." He placed a light kiss on the teen''s thigh and stroked over Syryn''s hip bone with his other hand. Syryn tightened his grip on the sheet, trying desperately to keep the rest of his body relaxed as Rowan circled his hole slowly, getting him wet with the sweet lubrication.


    A slick finger slid inside Syryn and he jerked back. It felt strange but good. The intrusion didn''t stop there. Rowan twisted his finger on the way out and inserted one more when he went in again.


    Syryn groaned and widened his stance, his shame melting away from the heat that was electrifying his nerve endings.


    "Tell me if it hurts you," Rowan gently said to Syryn while his fingers worked the teen.


    The blond squeezed in a third finger and it made a lewd squelching sound.


    "Ro- that hurts a little," Syryn breathed out.


    "It''ll be alright in a while," Rowan murmured. His fingers alternated between spreading and curling, sending a shock of pleasure up Syryn''s spine at one point when he pressed firmly against his prostate. Rowan began thrusting his fingers in and out in a gentle rhythm that had the teen begging for more.


    "Please," he moaned.


    "Please what?"


    "Want you, Ro. I want you to fill me. Every inch of your big cock deep inside- fucking me hard. Want you to cum inside me."


    The anti mage cursed and the last tether of his restraint stretched. He had intended to finger fuck Syryn into an orgasm but the teen had made it impossible.


    The anti mage then lowered himself over Syryn, kissing him hard enough to bruise his lips. The teen wrapped his legs around Rowan''s waist and his hips surged upwards to meet Rowan''s.


    "Ryn," Rowan''s voice was hoarse with need. "I''m going in."


    "Please," it came out soft and needy.


    Syryn''s moans were like an aphrodisiac. Rowan swore, pushed his weight back onto his knees and lined himself up with a shaking hand, then he thrust deep into Syryn.


    The anti mage filled Syryn up with one powerful snap of his hips. The slight pain that came with the fullness of being completely filled swam around in the teen''s head and tasted heavy on his tongue.


    Rowan''s cock. So perfectly snug inside him.


    "Nnngh," the teen groaned, starting to rock back into Rowan''s thrusts. "R- Ro¡­ so good- ah-" he threw his head back against the pillow when the ridge of Rowan''s cock-head pressed over and against his prostate.


    "Tell me if I''m going too fast, Ryn," Rowan said as he panted. It was Syryn''s first and the anti mage was trying to take it slow.


    Rowan couldn''t believe he had waited so long to fuck Syryn. The tight heat around his cock was a delicious feeling that he was quickly getting addicted to. He drew back and thrust in again, leaning down to catch Syryn''s bottom lip in his teeth as the teen arched up and moaned into his mouth.


    Rowan moved in and out of Syryn, and he praised him for how well he could take it, of how perfection sought itself in Syryn''s body.


    "Ro, I''m gonna-" Syryn cried out when the anti mage bottomed out deep inside with a thrust that was harder than his last.


    "Can I come inside you, Syryn?" the whisper was feverish.


    "Ro, yess" the teen sobbed, and that was enough of an answer for the anti mage to start moving his hand, firm strokes of his dick matching the movements of his hips.


    "Come for me, Ryn."


    The sound of Rowan''s voice was drowned by the waves of pleasure that crashed into Syryn''s body. With a delicious moan, Syryn came hard between them. It turned into a drawn-out groan when Rowan kept going and going, intent to get every sound and cry from his lips.


    Rowan then pressed his forehead to Syryn''s and he came hard, time stopping for a moment when an intense heat washed through his body.


    It took a few moments for Syryn to get back down from the high he had reached. The anti mage''s face was pressed into the nook of Syryn''s neck, breathing, taking in the scent of his lover.


    "Rowan, that was- " Syryn couldn''t find the words to describe how amazing it was.


    "Perfect," Rowan answered, "just like you." He placed a kiss on the smooth forehead that was beading with sweat, and then he pulled out of Syryn.


    The teen accepted the lazy kiss that Rowan planted on his lips. Tongues met and tasted each other again. Syryn wrapped his arms around his anti mage''s neck and lost himself in the kiss.

 Chapter 166 - Rumination

    Syryn woke up tangled in the arms of his anti mage lover. He could scarcely believe that it had happened. After how long he had pined for the man, Syryn had finally bedded him. And he found that Rowan was insatiable. The anti mage''s excessive libido was fed by his endless reserves of energy and Syryn bore the brunt of Rowan''s night long ministrations. The mage wasn''t complaining though. He loved every moment of it.


    Hickeys trailed down his body like the path of a shooting star that left the marks of its journey on his flesh. It began from Syryn''s neck, then peppered into a constellation along his chest. His thighs were also marked by the anti mage who seemed to have taken quite the liking to the silky skin there.


    A sleepy kiss at the nape of his neck brought a smile to his face. Rowan''s arm was draped over his waist and the anti mage tugged Syryn closer so that their bodies were flush against each other.


    "Hungry?" Rowan asked. His voice was scratchy from sleep.


    "Very hungry."


    Rowan''s hand trailed down Syryn''s chest and lower till he was caressing the mage''s morning wood.


    "Ro, food first." Syryn hid his face in the pillow when he recalled how erotic the night had been. Now he could honestly say that he had gotten laid and his favourite position was from the back.


    "I''ll get us something to eat."


    Syryn felt the loss of warmth across his back when the anti mage got up and left the bed. He heard the sound of Rowan shutting the door and that''s when Syryn tossed away the blanket that covered him.


    "It looks like I got attacked by a damn animal," he said to himself while taking stock of the gifts that Rowan had left him on his skin. On a deeper level, he understood the territorial nature of what the anti mage had done. Rowan wasn''t a controlling person but the possessiveness in him was a trait that Syryn was only beginning to see the tail end of.


    -----


    Syryn had stayed in the bath till he felt his skin pruning. The mage applied a healing cream all over the parts of himself that he could reach. And when he stepped out into the kitchen, the marks on his neck were already cooling.


    "You never told me you could cook," Syryn said to the anti mage who was busy in the kitchen. Two pans sizzling with protein and an assortment of mushrooms let off delicious smells that prompted Syryn''s salivary glands to overproduce.


    "I learnt this time," Rowan answered. "I picked up some new skills that I lacked in our last life."


    Rowan filled a delicate white plate - that matched the cup he had used yesterday - with a lot of food. He laid out the plate for Syryn and poured out some fresh juice from a jug that was already on the table.


    "I need to clean up first so don''t wait for me."


    The teen nodded. His mouth was full and that was all that mattered to him at the moment. Rowan was an excellent wife. Well, except for when he ruined Syryn''s plans. He still hadn''t given up on the plan to have a corpse tree in their compound, and Syryn was certain that Alka would find a way to obtain another seed. He also had to check on Blue and find out just how much the creature ate every month.


    If all went according to plan, Blue would be fed some fattened rogue mages, Syryn would have his corpses for the tree and Sigil would be rid of a few criminals every month. But he couldn''t let Rowan find out about it.


    ------


    Breakfast had been consumed and Syryn was jobless. Rowan on the other hand had work to do. His presence was required at the home of the minister for defence. There was a meeting between a few of the higher-ups that included the general of Sigil''s defence forces, their tacticians and a few of the nation''s most powerful personas which included Rowan and Sebastian. It sounded to Syryn like Sigil was preparing for a war of some kind.


    He would''ve shrugged it off and said it was none of his business but after what had happened at Nua, he knew better than to disregard his role in what went on in the world. Rowan possibly played an even bigger role in setting off changes that affected the rest of the world.


    According to what little Syryn knew about Nuan policies, the nation had closed off its rifts to prevent exactly what had happened - a surprise assault. The patrols of Nua should have seen the avians coming before they were already upon them. But the events that had taken place led Syryn to believe that the Nuans had been caught by surprise. Just how had the iron claw tribe managed it? So many thousands of avians should have been spotted arriving long before they even touched the borders of bird country.


    And since the war involved demons, it was in Syryn''s best interest to investigate it further. He decided he would write to Riaku about it. If the avian was not amenable to leaking information about the war then Syryn could only resort to blackmail. Nua would not take it kindly to being blackmailed but they had little choice when Syryn had a backer in Rowan, the anti mage whose ability they feared.


    The teen whiled away his time reading a book and occasionally thinking upon the past and the future. Rowan returned right around noon with food from a restaurant that sold the city''s best baked goods.


    "Do they not ask you questions about where you''re staying?" Syryn asked the blond. Rowan''s home was in an affluent neighbourhood far flung from the forested farm that he was slinking off to every day.


    "Mmm," the anti mage answered. "They don''t get any answers from me."


    "What if they follow you?"


    The anti mage took off his crimson cloak and draped it over a chair. "They won''t dare to." It was a stupid question to ask.


    "I''m hungry," the anti mage turned to Syryn. Any thought that the teen might have had about Rowan referring to food was tossed out by the way the anti mage was looking at Syryn. He was the food.


    Another night was spent deprived of sleep. The anti mage ate his fill from Syryn and only then did they fall asleep. The teen wondered how long Rowan could sustain their current pace of lovemaking. Syryn would realise that it was the least of his problems because when he woke up the next morning, Rowan was at his work desk reading a letter. Specifically, one of Syryn''s ill-thought-out letters.

 Chapter 167 - Confession

    The anti mage was shirtless. A slat of sunlight fell right across the letter that was held between callused fingers that Syryn now knew very intimately.


    He couldn''t read the anti mage''s expression. So blank and neutral, a mask that didn''t betray an inkling as to the emotions that its wearer might have been feeling.


    "Rowan, which one are you reading?" He asked the anti mage.


    "I''ve read them all already," the anti mage answered. "I know now why you were so reluctant to hand them over to me."


    Syryn laid on his stomach and wondered what to say to that.


    "So you''ve met Altaire this time." Rowan set down the letter and looked at the teen who was pretending he had gone deaf. "You wouldn''t stop talking about him when I asked you if there was anyone you looked up to. I''m glad you got to meet him, Ryn."


    The teen raised his head. "You''re not upset by the things I wrote?"


    Rowan chuckled. "Why would I be upset? You chose me over them. If you didn''t think I was the best, you''d have run away with Altaire. It''s a good thing too, Ryn. I''d hate to chase you down and drag you away from your special person if that person wasn''t me."


    Syryn blinked owlishly. "Really? You''d do that?"


    "Of course not. I''m not so cruel to separate you from your happiness. If that is what you want then I will be happy for you, even if it breaks my heart."


    It was an answer that should have made Syryn happy but he wasn''t. Rowan was too accommodating.


    "Truly? What if I''d rather have you separate me from my special person?" It was a question that sounded like permission to Rowan - to kidnap Syryn if he ran away with someone else.


    The anti mage turned away from Syryn and gazed out into the scenery that stretched beyond the window only he could see out of.


    "You would push me till I end up staining my hands with the blood of an innocent man, will you?"


    Syryn hadn''t meant it to sound so morbid. "Why would you need to kill anyone?" He asked not realising how deep Rowan''s feelings ran.


    The anti mage pushed the chair back and stood up. He came to sit on the bed. The anti mage looked like he had something to say.


    "Syryn," Rowan caressed the teen''s face tenderly. "I love you."


    Time stopped. Dust motes danced in the shaft of sunlight behind Rowan. His mage had gone still and was all but a statue occupying the bed that Rowan had made love to him on. Had he made a mistake? It didn''t matter. He had to let Syryn know how much he meant to the anti mage.


    Rowan was afraid to disturb the silence that Syryn had retreated into lest the teen flee his presence like a startled doe. And if his love was not reciprocated, the anti mage had no recourse for the heartache that would follow.


    Syryn finally stirred, shaking himself out of the daze that had captured him. He licked the lips that felt as dry as his throat. Love was a concept that Syryn hadn''t grasped fully. What did it really mean? He couldn''t say it to Rowan if he did not fully comprehend it. He owed the anti mage that much. He thought he loved Rowan but was it really love? Or an obsession like what Traxdart had once harboured for Syryn.


    "Ro," Syryn''s mouth failed to fill the sudden emptiness of words. He felt like the worst of scum when Rowan placed a finger to his lips.


    "I only want to hear one thing from you. If that isn''t it then don''t give me an answer, Ryn."


    "Ro, I''ll say it one day. I just have to figure out what love really means."


    Rowan blinked. "I see."


    "What prompted you to suddenly confess?" Syryn asked, feeling like his insides were contorting from the mix of joy, confusion and guilt that ate at him.


    "You asked me who I''d give my heart feather to if I had one. That was my answer, Ryn. You''d have it right now if I was an avian."


    Syryn''s heart felt like it was going through a grinding but in a good way. Rowan loved him. He had the anti mage''s heart, body, and maybe his soul if he so desired to have that too.


    "You''d have mine too," Syryn confessed. "Maybe that''s what love is. I cannot think of a future without you by my side."


    Rowan''s answering smile lit up his beautiful blue eyes. "That satisfies me for now."


    "But why would you think I''d force you to kill an innocent man? Am I so cruel in your mind, Rowan?" Syryn gripped the bed sheet because it was all he could do to not show how upset he suddenly felt.


    The anti mage perceived Syryn''s displeasure. "That''s not what I meant, Ryn." A hand soothed the teen with gentle circles along the divots of Syryn''s spine.


    "You have no idea how much I love you. If another man, woman or deity tried to separate you from me, I''d fight tooth and nail even if it meant losing my life in the process."


    Syryn latched on to the mention of a deity. Was Rowan hinting at something?


    "And if any other man were in my place, would he not feel the same as I?"


    Syryn wanted to protest. Not everyone could love him as much as Rowan did. "Maybe."


    "And if I wanted to separate you from him, it could only mean that someone has to die. And that won''t be me, Ryn."


    Arrogant anti mage, Syryn mouthed.


    "You love me, Rowan." He looked up at the anti mage. "You love me." The words were finally sinking in and Syryn marvelled at how treasured it made him feel. He had to speak it out and savor the words on his tongue.


    "You''re the second person to tell me that though I never had anyone say it in my first life."


    "Who said it first?" Rowan curiously asked.


    "Luci."


    "Then I can accept coming second." Rowan squeezed Syryn''s butt cheek.


    "Speaking about coming..." Syryn eyed Rowan''s crotch and back up at amused blue eyes. "I have some peach mist and I think you should sample it."

 Chapter 168 - Rebel

    Syryn was leading a life of hedonism. All day long he ate and slept and then at night he was eaten. Could he live like this forever, please? Alas, Syryn knew he could not allow this soft and pampered lifestyle to go on. There was work to be done, money to be made, a home he had to return to.


    The starfish crawled out of its comfortable nook under a blanket that smelled like Rowan. He filched another item of clothing that the anti mage owned, but he also returned to the cupboard the scarf he had stolen not so long ago before leaving to Nua.


    ---


    "You''re leaving," Rowan was back as per his usual time. Syryn had a feeling the blond had been taking off from his duties earlier than he should have, just to get back home to him.


    "Yes, Luci misses his big brother." Or rather, Syryn missed Luci.


    The blond eased himself into a chair beside Syryn. "I''ll miss having you around."


    "You''re only saying that cause you''re a sex fiend. Who are you going to vent out on when I''m not around?" The mage smirked at the anti mage.


    "I know where you live. It''s just a matter of showing up to your house, Ryn. Expect my visits no less than thrice a week."


    "Can we have a threesome?"


    Rowan raised his brows and paused.


    "I must have heard wrong."


    Syryn leaned forward, lips hovering tantalisingly over Rowan''s. "Bring Vincent. I promise it''ll be fun," he murmured.


    The anti mage rolled the request around in his mind, keeping his tightly leased umbrage at bay, deciding if Syryn was jerking his leg or was he really serious about it.


    "No." He squeezed a hand over Syryn''s knee. "Don''t play games that might burn you, Ryn."


    "What are you going to do? Punish me?" The mage asked. He appeared far too happy about the prospect of Rowan ''punishing'' him.


    "Yes," the anti mage replied when he quickly realised what was going on. "You''re not leaving this house till I''ve suitably punished you for daring to suggest I let another man have you in my presence."


    Rowan noticed the way Syryn''s eyes lit up. His little lover was a big pervert. And so was he considering how turned on he was by the situation.


    He gripped Syryn''s jaw between his thumb and forefinger. His grip was on the painful side but Rowan had learnt - Syryn liked it like that. "We''ll begin by shutting up that rebellious mouth of yours."


    Rowan''s hand strayed to the buckle of his trousers. Blue eyes looking at him through a heavy-lidded gaze, the anti mage said in a low voice, "On your knees, Ryn."


    ------


    The sky had turned dark and it was too late to go home.


    Syryn was at Rowan''s work desk, stark naked, and going through the anti mage''s items. "Why do you have an invitation from Lillith?" He dangled the white envelope that he pinched between his fingers.


    "It''s an invitation to her birthday banquet. I''m not going." Rowan was lying on the bed, resting his body after the exertion they''d just undergone.


    "Why aren''t you going? You should go," Syryn slipped the invitation out of the envelope. It smelled like roses.


    "Now what, Syryn?" Rowan asked, exasperated and amused by the changing moods of his mage. He''d dealt with a few of them already when Syryn had decided midway through coitus that he wanted to be choked for pleasure, an activity mentioned in the texts he''d pored over. Syryn had read about the enhanced orgasms that one could get from having the blood supply choked along the sides of his neck.


    Rowan had disagreed because of the dangers it posed, and after that, there was an aborted attempt on the mage''s part at pushing the anti mage off him. He was just too strong for Syryn to shove at. The blond then proceeded to thoroughly chastise the mage by fucking the protests out of Syryn.


    "She''s your future wife, isn''t she?" Syryn replied as he glowered at the invitation. Rowan''s name was written prettily in black ink. He was betting that the princess herself had written the invitation for Rowan.


    "Syryn, put that down and come here."


    "What are you going to do when she gets chosen as the priestess?" The mage asked stonily. The invitation was still in his hand, a reminder of Lillith''s existence.


    "We''ll cross that bridge when we get there. She''s not a threat, Ryn," Rowan carefully replied. For all the arguments and disagreements they''d had in their last life as husband and wife, Rowan still cared about Lillith.


    Theirs had been a marriage of convenience, an arranged marriage that neither could refuse. In the end, Lillith had wanted it more than Rowan. And she was the one who ended up hurting more because Rowan hadn''t fallen in love with her like she''d planned for.


    If love wasn''t a wild thing that only went where it wanted to go, Rowan would have chosen to fall in love with Lillith, but it hadn''t been so. Love could not be forced, and Rowan was anything but a liar. Lillith was never under any delusions that her husband loved her. Still, she had his body if not his heart and that had been enough to satisfy her till Syryn died and Rowan changed.


    "Not a threat?" Syryn put the invitation down. His face got darker. "Answer me, Windwalker, Who is the champion of Eos?"


    "Rowan Windwalker," the anti mage answered in a placating tone. "Ryn-"


    "Rowan Windwalker, the champion of Eos. And Lillith, the priestess of Eos. They will join in sacred union to vanquish the powers of darkness that overrun the world." Syryn said it with a softness that came off menacing. "Am I wrong, Rowan?"


    "We failed last life. Lillith and I could not save the world. So it doesn''t matter, Syryn." Rowan was unnaturally calm about it.


    "And how exactly did you fail?" Was Rowan allowed to tell him that much?


    The anti mage smiled and it didn''t reach his eyes. "Eos and the other deities had forgotten that humans aren''t clay puppets that bend to their every whim and direction."


    Syryn didn''t believe what he was hearing.


    "Rowan did you... disobey your goddess?"

 Chapter 169 - Stalker

    "It''s not like that, Ryn. Don''t worry. Eos knows my heart now," Rowan assured his mage.


    "So you will not be compelled to marry Lillith this time, is that what you''re saying?" Syryn dared to hope.


    "It won''t be Lillith but it doesn''t mean I won''t need a priestess," his words cast a cloud of gloom over Syryn but Rowan had more to say. "Or a priest."


    The mage stared at Rowan like he was growing an extra head. "A priest?"


    "I want to have your name entered as a candidate for the ceremony," Rowan said to the shocked half-demon.


    "Are you insane?" Syryn''s heart fluttered to his throat and he felt like he had been hit by a spell that made him nauseous.


    "It will be my plea to Eos," Rowan solemnly told him. "You have to come, Ryn."


    The mage stood up from the chair. He had to run away. Anywhere but here listening to Rowan tell him that he, a half-demon, would have to stand before the altar of Eos and beg to be her priest. He felt sick in the stomach. How would a goddess ever entertain someone like him? He was stained by evil, forever lost to purity and goodness because the magic of the demons thrummed in his blood and smeared his soul for condemnation. The chance for normalcy had been snatched away from him the very moment he had been formed in his mother''s womb. It was why Syryn both despised and feared the deities.


    He hastily threw on a robe to cover his nakedness. "I''m taking a walk, Rowan. Don''t follow me. I need space," he declared before legging it out of the house.


    Syryn looked up at the sky as he walked across a grassy stretch of land. The moon was misted over by a sparse covering of clouds. He could hear the soft neighs of horses that had been locked inside their stables.


    The tiny blades of grass were sharp against the skin of his bare feet. In his hurry to leave, the mage had forgotten to put on his footwear. Syryn walked past a few trees and melted into the darkness of the forest. Surrounded by the dark, he felt more at ease. This was where he really belonged.


    Syryn leaned against a tree, finally feeling his heart beat slower. He looked around and saw that he was surrounded by forest and darkness. It was so eerily quiet that the comfort he had found in the blackness of night suddenly began to change. A tendril of fear crawled up his spine when the mage felt the presence of something sinister in the forest. Something that had come for him.


    The mage squashed the fear and stood with his back straight. Whatever it was, he wasn''t going to die cowering if he couldn''t defeat it. Fear was fuel to Syryn. He used it to feed his anger until a cold fire was burning in his chest, giving him the courage to face what it was that had arrived.


    "Who are you? Stop hiding in the shadows," he growled to the intruder.


    Syryn then heard the sound of a breath. He turned to his left but he couldn''t see much beyond the trees.


    And then a sickly feeling enveloped him. It felt like panic and tasted like blood in the mouth, metallic and pungent. But Syryn knew it was all in his head.


    "I''m walking out of here if you don''t come out," he warned the intruder. This time, Syryn had paid attention to his surroundings and he knew the way out of the forest. Irrespective of his desire to fight the thing giving him company, the wiser choice was to leave the forest on his own terms.


    And the moment that Syryn turned to leave, a tall shadow blocked his path. It was a hole in the air, an opening to the abyss but alive and stalking him.


    The mage backed away slowly, careful to not set off the thing. There were no distinguishing features on its body of darkness. Stretching out and towering over him, the shadow extended its arms towards Syryn and that''s when he realised that he had been paralysed. The mage could not move a single muscle in his body. All he could do was watch the shadowy form engulf him in its arms and take his soul to wherever its abyss led to.


    Syryn closed his eyes.


    "Meow!"


    The mage was startled by the sound of a cat''s meow. It sounded familiar. He opened his eyes and looked around but he still couldn''t move.


    "Syryn," a feminine sounding voice sang his name like a lullaby. It was a beautiful voice and the mage was mesmerised. "I stopped time to speak to you."


    That''s when he heard another meow. It sounded furious.


    "Ah Milky, it isn''t like that. Fine, I lied. I stopped time to kill you, Syryn. But the stupid feline had to ruin it again."


    "Don''t call me a feline, you conniving bitch." A man spoke this time. His voice had a smooth low timbre with the same power of mesmerising its listener. "Release him."


    "For someone banished from the heavens, you sure are arrogant," the feminine voice said with a giggle.


    "Don''t ever let me catch you wandering around him again." Syryn couldn''t believe how deep Milky''s voice was. The strange power over him was waning and he craned his neck to look at the cat.


    In the low light of the cloudy night sky, Syryn saw frost coloured hair framing a face in loose shoulder-length curls. He couldn''t see the face but from what was visible to him, Syryn could tell that it was a beautiful man. He would never be able to look at Milky the same way again.


    "Ah, the anti mage is breaking through my barrier. I guess it''s time to leave," the woman announced. "I''ll find you, Syryn. I''ll get you someday. Not even Milky will be able to save you when I decide I''ve had enough fun."


    The world spun and Syryn fell to his knees. The forest was entirely silent and harmless. He felt blood trickle from his nose and then a moment later, Syryn blacked out and fell to the ground.

 Chapter 170 - Entity

    Syryn was wrapped up in a shroud of chill. He couldn''t feel his arms and legs. Everything around him was white and cold. The mage looked around and saw nothing but white light. And It felt like he wasn''t seeing with his eyes.


    "Syryn Syryn Syryn Syryn Syryn Syryn"


    His name echoed through him; multiple echoes of the same voice that changed in volume and intonation.


    "Syryn Syryn Syryn Syryn Syryn Syryn"


    "Ugh stop!"


    "Syryn"


    "Thank fuck. What?"


    "Hi!"


    "Kill yourself."


    The voice was annoying. It sounded like a little boy one moment, and then a little girl the other moment. Somehow the voice remained unchanged and yet different.


    "Aww, Syryn, I''m here to help you!"


    "Help with what?"


    "Your long hard-"


    "..."


    "Future!!"


    "That was so disturbing. Are you a child or pretending to be one?" He still couldn''t see anything beyond white. Syryn felt like a soul drowning in an ocean of white.


    "I''m very old. Very very very old!"


    "Then why do you sound like a child?"


    "That''s because I never grew up."


    "Okay...? What do you want from me?"


    "Eh? Syryn, why would you ask that?"


    "I''m not stupid."


    "Unnn true true true."


    "What do you want?"


    "Alright, I''ll get straight to it. I have a vested interest in your future, Syryn."


    "Oh? How so?"


    "Some people don''t want you and Rowan to succeed. But you have to succeed. Otherwise... I might cease to exist."


    "Okay... It''s a nice story. I want to believe you but I find it very difficult to accept your explanation."


    "Syryn Syryn Syryn, come on!! I''m not lying!"


    "I don''t trust mysterious voices that suddenly appear after I''ve been ambushed by some bitch who wants to kill me, voices that claim to want to help me."


    "What can I do to prove myself to you, Syryn?"


    "What do I know? That''s your problem."


    "You''re so mean!"


    "Can you stick to one voice? It''s annoying."


    "Fine! Which voice do you like?"


    "Neither."


    "... Ugh. I''m leaving!"


    "Bye."


    Syryn floated around wondering if he was trapped here for eternity. Did he just piss off the one entity that could get him out of this place? Was he trapped inside his mind? This was probably how Luci and Red communicated, he thought.


    "Hmph! Syryn, if you''re so rude then I won''t help you."


    "Fine. How do you plan to help me?"


    "I can see bits of the future and the past. I can warn you when something wrong is about to happen!"


    "I see. Clairvoyance is indeed a powerful tool that I could use."


    "Right?"


    "Right. So what''s your deal?"


    "Nothing. I just want you to succeed. And that would ensure that I live on as well."


    "So you have no demands from me in exchange for your information?" Syryn found it suspicious despite what the child said about its survival being contingent on Syryn''s.


    "Well, there''s one thing. You can''t tell anyone about me and what I offer to you. If the others find out somehow, I''ll be banished. So please! Keep it a secret, Syryn."


    "You''re really really suspicious. But you know what, I''ll take your offer."


    "Great. Don''t be surprised when I sometimes pop in to pull you into this dimension." The entity sounded relieved that Syryn had agreed.


    "Can you tell me who that woman was? The one that tried to kill me."


    "Oh her? She''s Elius. Don''t get on her bad side."


    "Elius?" Syryn waited for further information. Details. Anything.


    "Yes, Elius."


    "That''s it? That''s all you''re willing to tell me?"


    "Sorry. Just don''t get on her bad side."


    Syryn thought the entity was a bit stupid. "She tried to kill me. How much worse can it get? I might as well fuck with her if she''s already out for my blood."


    "Syryn, that would be a bad idea. Very bad!"


    "Whatever," the mage sounded annoyed. "Since that''s all I''m getting out of you, warn me if she comes around again."


    "Only if you make an oath that our deal will never be revealed to a third party."


    "Ok, I, Syryn Nigh''hart, swear that I will never tell anyone about the deal I''ve made with you. Is that it?"


    A gold light flashed in his vision.


    "What the fuck was that?!"


    "A seal of oath. Now you can''t break your oath, Syryn!"


    Syryn had a lot to say. Seal of Oath was powerful magic and he wasn''t happy about it being cast on him without having been informed of it before it happened.


    "Uncast it."


    "Eh... What''s wrong?"


    "Don''t you think it''s only appropriate to let me know before you cast a contractual spell?"


    "But you said-"


    "I said I''d swear an oath, not that I''d agreed to enter into a pact with you."


    "Isn''t that the same?"


    "Tell me then, what is the difference between asking me to stay inside the house and locking me inside?"


    "Fine... But I can''t uncast it."


    "How useless are you?" Syryn didn''t feel bad about being mean to the entity that had forced the oath on him. His words would have been more scathing if the power difference between them wasn''t so vast. The child was acting cute, but from how they''d been able to cast the seal of oath one-sidedly, he understood that they were much more powerful than Syryn could ever hope to be.


    He was inclined to believe that it had been a deliberate action on their part to intimidate him.


    "I don''t believe you."


    "It''s not like you were planning to break the oath you made so what harm have I really done?" They asked, seemingly oblivious to having violated Syryn''s autonomy.


    "Forget it." He would have to find a way to undo the oath himself. "What is the consequence of breaking the oath?"


    "None. You can''t break it though."


    "Help me make sense out of what you just said."


    "Well, you just can''t. You''ll find out!"


    "Get me out of here." Syryn was annoyed now.


    "Already? Don''t you want to know what''s in store for your future?"


    "Not really." If the entity''s claim was real, they would freely aid Syryn. He wanted to wait and watch before believing their words.

 Chapter 171 - Perceptive

    When Syryn came to, he was in a room very familiar to him. It was his own room.


    Strange. How did he get here?


    Syryn sat up and clutched his head. A dull ache sat inside his mind and throbbed intermittently.


    "Syryn, you''re awake." Lucien was frozen at the door. "You''re really awake." The boy''s voice shook with emotion.


    The mage was puzzled by Luci''s reaction to his waking up.


    "Yes, I''m awake. What''s wrong, Luci?"


    "Syryn, we didn''t know what was wrong with you," Lucien rushed to him and began to fuss over his big brother. "You were out for a week and had us all so worried."


    "A week?!" Syryn said in alarm. He had gone under for just a few minutes.


    "Well, eight days."


    The redhead curled up in bed next to Syryn. Thats when the mage made out faint colouring under Lucien''s eyes. The child hadn''t slept well while Syryn had supposedly been in a coma.


    "When did Rowan bring me here?" Syryn asked.


    "A few days ago." Lucien was lying down beside Syryn, scraping his fingernail against the stitching of the blanket. "Rowan even had the royal physician examine you. He brought many healers and priests but nobody could tell what was wrong with you."


    Syryn suspected that it had to do with his consciousness being pulled into a pocket or alternate dimension by the child entity. The passage of time flowed differently between this one and the other dimension. But it was all a conjecture till he could confirm it with a repeat performance.


    "I''m okay, Luci."


    The mage wondered how Rowan had convinced the royal family to lend their healer for the examination an unknown man of unknown origin. And why wasn''t Rowan at his bedside, holding his hand?


    "Are you sure?" The redhead asked. Blood red eyes stared at him solemnly.


    "I know my own body. I''m sure, Luci. Aside from the malnutrition, I am in good shape for someone who just woke up from an eight day coma."


    Syryn was hungry and thirsty. He was certain he''d been fed thin nutrient wafers that melted on the tongue. They were expensive, but a necessity for patients that could not feed on solid food. The nutrient wafers could stave off death by malnourishment, but not beyond a month at most.


    "I''m glad, big brother," Luci answered, finally smiling. "I''ll let Salem and Riha know that you''re awake."


    "Where''s Rowan?" Syryn asked, noticing the extra items in his room. Someone had moved in with him.


    "He left for Nunox this morning. Went to get someone called Felix."


    "By road or the lost path?" Syryn asked recalling how Rain and Sebastian had been forced to take a carriage back to Elysium for some reason.


    "He went with Alka so I assume they took the path."


    From what Syryn had heard out of Sebastian, Felix was a healer at Nunox.


    Syryn''s stomach growled out a protest for not having been fed well in a week.


    The redhead smiled at the sound. "I''ll get you something to eat."


    ----


    The mage was handed a warm bowl of light vegetable broth. Sitting in front of him was Salem who had questions about what had happened before Rowan had found him passed out on the ground, bleeding from his nose.


    The blond had only told them that Syryn had gone out for a walk, and when he failed to return, Rowan had gone looking for him only to find him on the forest floor - passed out in his night robe.


    Syryn omitted Milky''s magical arrival while recalling his ordeal to Salem.


    "Sounds like a lot of trouble, Syryn. Whose toes did you step on?"


    "I haven''t the faintest idea." Maybe Rowan could tell him if the blond wasn''t so secretive about what he knew, which begged the question - Why couldn''t he tell Syryn? An oath, that was all the answer he could think of.


    "So you went out for a walk into the forest, late at night, bare feet and naked save for a robe," Salem inclined his head and waited for Syryn''s explanation.


    "It''s not what you think," Syryn sheepishly smiled. "I wasn''t fighting with Rowan."


    Blond brows went up. "You just fancied a late-night stroll then, bare feet and all."


    "Well, it wasn''t a fight," Syryn''s spoon clinked against the bowl when he scooped up more soup. "We just had a disagreement."


    The half-elf nodded. He was quiet for a while as Syryn drank his soup.


    "Rowan reacted very badly to this incident. You should let him know it wasn''t his fault."


    The mage lifted his gaze to the half-elf. "Does he blame himself?"


    "He didn''t say so but it''s easy to spot guilt if you look hard enough."


    Syryn placed his spoon back in the half-empty bowl. The blond alchemist''s care for his well being was apparent by how he paid attention to every situation and person that involved Syryn. "Thank you, Salem."


    "There''s nothing to thank me for," Salem replied. He put a hand to Syryn''s knee and patted him on it. "Get some rest. I''ll be in the workroom when you need me."


    "What about Alka?" Syryn asked. "Are you two-"


    "No," Salem replied. "It''s just a little teasing. Alka still loves Qairu. And as for me, I cannot feel for anyone, not as long as the curse remains on me. If I''m freed of my death sentence, I may find it in me to love."The blond alchemist spoke without much emotion.


    Syryn felt sorry for him. What was it like to live as Salem? Waking up every morning knowing exactly when death would claim him, then having to murder for the sake of extending his lifespan. It seemed a tiresome way to live.


    "How long do you have?" Syryn asked, gaze fixed to Salem''s neck though the curse mark was not visible.


    "I have enough time. Don''t worry," the blond alchemist smiled. His skin wasn''t as luminescent as it used to be. The mage wondered if it was a sign of his exhaustion or something else more troubling.


    "Salem, starting tomorrow, I want you to take a week''s break. Hand over Neiro and Blaze to me, and I''ll work them to the bone."


    The blond shook his head and chuckled. "You just got out of a coma. You''re the one who needs a week to rest."


    "I insist, Salem."


    "So do I."


    "Fine. We''ll both work then."


    "Rowan will haul you bodily out of the workroom."


    Syryn had forgotten about the anti mage.


    "Look, you need to rest too."


    "I told you I''m fine, Syryn," The alchemist replied and turned away letting him know their conversation had ended. "I''ll see you later."

 Chapter 172 - Selkie Dreams

    "Syryn, my blood can help you recover fast."


    The mage hadn''t expected Riha to visit, let alone offer him blood. The selkie had slipped in immediately after Salem''s departure from the room.


    "Thanks for the offer," Syryn replied, feeling out of sorts. He wasn''t very familiar with the selkie despite living in the same house. "But I''m good."


    Riha had filled out very nicely after the long peaceful stay in Syryn''s home. There was a bluish tinge to his skin that set him apart from humans. Ocean green eyes that were marked by the vicissitudes of time saw through the flimsy cover of words that hid Syryn''s longing for his blood.


    "I am offering it to you, Syryn. Why do you refuse?"


    Why did Syryn refuse? It felt like he was taking advantage of Riha. Maybe a year ago, Syryn would have promptly and without a second thought taken it. He was growing softer with the years. He compared himself to a tomato that was wrinkling. After softening sufficiently, he would finally rot and die, and no one would remember him.


    "Syryn?" The selkie appeared concerned. "Are you alright?"


    "No," Syryn sighed. He wanted to be irresponsible. Syryn wanted to forget about the dangers looming over his future. He wanted to go out and travel the world, exploring the limitless offerings that it had for him. At least he would die having visited amazing places and having experienced an adventure. A prisoner in his past life, the mage wanted to spread his wings this time. Nua had been an eye-opening experience for him.


    "Have some blood, Syryn. Worry about other matters after you''ve recovered. You can''t be sick and stressed. That''s one struggle too many."


    The mage chuckled at Riha''s simple philosophy. He was right. If Syryn could regain his strength sooner, why was he refusing the selkie?


    "I accept your offer, Riha. How are we doing this?" He looked at the selkie''s neck where warm blood thrummed - a spring of salty-sweet ocean flavoured nectar that Syryn salivated for. It was much too dangerous to take it directly from the selkie but Syryn could hope and dream about it.


    "How good is your self-control?" Riha asked.


    Syryn''s sights, still lingering on the neck, snapped up to meet Riha''s. "Terrible."


    The selkie''s next words roused something primal inside Syryn. "Would you like to test your self-restraint?"


    "What are you saying?" Syryn''s brows drew together as he stared at the selkie.


    The selkie shifted in his chair, clearly uneasy at being the centre of Syryn''s focused attention.


    "Syryn, I was trapped for too many years for it to not have warped me strangely. I am alive and yet I live my life like it''s a dream." The selkie looked like he was at loss for words after having this much. Eyes cast on a faraway spot of the bed, Riha said in a softer voice, "I wish to wake up from this dream."


    "By putting yourself through a life-threatening situation?" Syryn asked. In a twisted way, it made sense to him.


    "Yes. That is, if I don''t end up dead."


    Syryn placed a closed fist to his mouth. Riha was crazy to be courting death just to feel alive. The trial he wanted to put himself through was the exact opposite of feeling alive.


    "Did the spider not threaten your life enough?" Syryn had forgotten her name.


    Riha frowned at the motion of Zelli. "My blood was the key to her longevity. She made sure I was protected at all cost." Riha''s blood was precious but not everyone could use it as a blood mage could.


    "You''re not in a dream, Riha."


    "But it feels like it."


    "What if I refuse?" Syryn asked the selkie.


    "I won''t force you to co-operate, Syryn. It''s a request, not a demand."


    "But you''ll find other ways to court danger, won''t you?" Syryn believed that there was a disease spreading through the occupants of his home. And he truly suspected that Alka was patient zero.


    "I will leave you to rest, Syryn." The selkie stood up. There was no sense in wasting time exchanging words about what wouldn''t happen.


    The mage caught his arm and yanked it forward, tugging along the selkie''s body. Riha promptly braced his arm against the bed and caught his fall but he was now at eye level with a hungry half-demon.


    "The buffet offered itself to me so it shouldn''t have any resentment if it dies from blood loss," Syryn said in a low voice. His hunger for selkie blood was a gnawing hole in his belly.


    Riha''s held his breath. He slowly nodded while holding eye contact with Syryn. "I might have a way to prevent death."


    "You do?" He asked the selkie. Syryn''s hunger was a pain, his demon coming awake, but he was also still in control. Was it a mistake letting this happen?


    "I''m not entirely defenceless," Riha told him. "If push comes to shove, I have a way to incapacitate you."


    Syryn''s mouth was dangerously close to the selkie''s neck. He wanted to stick his tongue out and lick the delicious skin there. Then his teeth would sink in, tearing through the soft skin, and releasing the sweet blood that sang to his demon. How warm and wet the blood would feel as it trickled down his throat, surrendering its life giving essence to the demon.


    Syryn made a sound of hunger that came out like a snarl. He took a deep breath and turned to the mage.


    "Riha, I think this is a bad idea."


    "I do too." Riha was beginning to feel the stirrings of fear that lay dormant in him.


    But Syryn wanted it. If Riha had a way to incapacitate him then he didn''t have to hold back, right? Right.


    His canines grew and lengthened into wicked needle points. The mage was shaking with need for selkie blood and couldn''t wait another second. Mouth closing over the skin on Riha''s neck, Syryn licked it and then sank his fangs into the selkie.


    The first trickle of blood over his tongue sent a shudder through Syryn''s body. Drinking it out of a tube was incomparable to the exhilaration that came with acting on his predatory instincts. It was even more delicious than he had anticipated. A low moan of deep satisfaction sounded from his throat.


    Riha was motionless in his grip - a prey caught by its primary predator. The selkie had received his wish. It was a life and death situation now, with the balance hanging on the thread of Syryn''s frail control. He could hear the sick wet sounds of his own blood being sucked and swallowed, and it sent a thrill of pure terror through him.


    Riha closed his eyes, and for the longest of time, the only sound that could be heard in the room was Syryn''s tiny moans of pleasure, but not the kind that was sexual. It wasn''t too different though because the teen had popped a tent from the rush that he was receiving.


    "Syryn.." Riha breathed out. He had lost a lot of blood.


    "Mm." He was responding and that was a good sign. Syryn was still in control, maybe.


    "I think you''ve had enough."


    There was no further response.


    Riha grit his teeth and forcefully relaxed his body. It seemed he had to separate them the violent way. After regaining his strength and undoing the shackles that Zelli had bound him with, Riha had come into the power that belonged to him. An ancient language poured out of his lips and it birthed a spell that stunned Syryn into motionlessness. It was just enough for Riha to put distance between Syryn and his neck.


    The half-demon blinked like he couldn''t understand just what had happened. Before he could say a word, a calamity fell upon his head.


    "Ryn, what''s going on?"


    Rowan stood at the opened door of the room. To say that he was beyond furious was an understatement.

 Chapter 173 - Selkie Care

    Syryn was still dazed from the effects of having consumed a lot of selkie blood. He involuntarily licked his lips and turned to look at the anti mage who stood at the door


    Rowan was waiting for his answer.


    To find Syryn in a compromising position with Riha could be excused away with the explanation that he, a weak patient, was being helped by the selkie. But such a scene coupled with the sight of Syryn''s obvious hard-on was an escalation of a higher level. The mage grimly realised these facts.


    His brain came back to reality and he had a short moment of complete clarity. Whether he confessed to drinking Riha''s blood or letting Rowan think that he had been up to no good with the selkie, he was fucked. Now he had to decide which looked worse in Rowan''s eyes - coming off as a monster or a cheater?


    "Rowan, this isn''t as bad as it appears," Riha spoke as it seemed like Syryn was caught by the spirit of muteness.


    "Felix, please wait outside," Rowan said without turning back to speak to the newcomer who had just witnessed his potential patient getting frisky with a magical creature.


    Rowan closed the door behind him and dragged a chair over. The anti mage removed his coat, hung it on the chair and then sat down. Having seated himself, the expressionless anti mage eyed the two guilty parties.


    "Riha, you''re the last of your kind," Rowan said in a deceptively casual tone. "So explain this to me, why are you letting Syryn feed from you without having put any precautions in place? And how many times have you two done this?" Rowan''s gaze flickered to the half-demon whose hunger had taken off in fear of the anti mage. The calmer that Rowan appeared, the more dangerous he was. For what it was worth, Rowan''s correct understanding of the situation meant that Syryn did not have to decide between the two evils he had been deliberating over.


    "This was the first time it ever happened," Riha answered. Between Syryn and Riha, the selkie appeared less tense. "I asked Syryn to drink from me because I was hoping that it would resolve a problem I am facing. It was entirely my decision, and Syryn was just a participant on account of my request."


    "Just a participant," Rowan looked at Syryn. "A very willing participant," he corrected the selkie. "Did you get what you hoped to achieve?"


    "I did, but I lost it again," the selkie answered, eyes going dull.


    "I don''t want a repeat performance," Rowan looked between the two of them. "If I catch you drinking from his neck," he pinned a warning glare at Syryn, "I will haul Riha off to the mage hunter headquarters where he will be adequately protected from his predators and from people looking to profit from him."


    "Rowan-" the selkie protested.


    "Riha, please step out of the room. Syryn and I need to have a discussion on the appropriate behaviour that is expected from the guardian of the last living selkie in the world."


    "But I asked for it. Rowan, you disrespect me by invalidating the weight of my decision in this matter," Riha said in a calm tone. Syryn was entirely quiet and trying to fade into the background.


    The anti mage turned to the selkie. "This isn''t about you or the decision you''ve made. This is about Syryn acting irresponsibly. He has the instincts of a demon and he could have torn your throat out if the demon had taken over him. Did you not consider the possibility of it?" Rowan did not shout, but the sting in his words came from the coldness with which he delivered them.


    The half-demon was sweating in fear. He had done a bad thing. When hunger had clouded his mind, the whole thing had seemed safe. Now he knew better. Riha''s spell was only powerful enough to stun him for a few seconds, not enough time for a blood loss weakened selkie to escape from a berserk demon.


    "I did consider the possibility," Riha replied. "But I trust Syryn."


    The trusted half-demon raised his head and gaped at Riha. Where did that come from?


    "A selkie trusting its predator despite knowing just how his species was wiped out into near extinction." Rowan''s words pricked its listeners in their hearts.


    "Rowan, he was in partial transformation when we first met. Syryn was still able to resist his desire to attack me. You have to understand that my trust in him is not misplaced. Syryn has more humanity in him than I''ve seen from most."


    It was high praise from the selkie. Syryn hadn''t known that Riha held him in such high regard.


    The selkie''s glowing words gave the anti mage pause. To Rowan, it was as strange as seeing a chicken defend the fox whose mouth had previously held the chicken''s neck. He sighed and rubbed his temples. Syryn was always surprising him with new and creative problems.


    "Riha, please leave us."


    Sensing the embers of Rowan''s anger cooling, the selkie nodded. He left the room after one last look at Syryn whose head was down.


    "Ryn," Rowan''s tone was gentler now.


    The half-demon raised his head to look at the anti mage. Rowan hadn''t reprimanded him but it still felt like he had undergone a tongue lashing.


    "I''m relieved that you''re back with us."


    Syryn nodded but remained wordless. He was confused. Rowan was turning him more human, more responsible, but why did it feel like he was losing himself in the process?


    "Syryn, I''m sorry about what just happened. I shouldn''t have lost my temper." Rowan sensed that something wasn''t right with his mage.


    "No, Ro, you did nothing wrong," Syryn replied. Rowan had remained civil through the whole conversation. Not once did he raise his voice, and never did he do anything that would have made Syryn or Riha feel threatened. Whatever Rowan had said to them had made sense. It was the correct thing to do on his part.


    But Syryn felt constrained. He had been living his life treading the fine line between right and wrong though he mostly stayed on the right side. This was the only way he knew to live, and it worked for him. But Syryn also wanted to be good for Rowan, and he was confused.

 Chapter 174 - Glass

    Rowan sensed a crack developing on the glass floor that held them up and separated them from a reality that was built upon all the problems that could crop up in an unorthodox relationship like theirs. The anti mage had tried to adapt to his mage''s eccentricities, risk-taking behaviour, and impulsivity. But sometimes, there were limits that even he could not cross. He would toe the line for Syryn but beyond that, Rowan wasn''t sure how much further he could go.


    "Ro, I won''t do it again," Syryn said to him but he sounded hollow.


    Rowan was pulled in two directions. One side wanted to tell Syryn he could have everything his heart desired, including feeding off of a living selkie. The other side wanted him to praise the mage for being good. In the end, he chose to say nothing about it.


    The anti mage sighed. Now wasn''t the time to think about his relationship. Syryn had to be checked first.


    "I''ll get Felix to look at, then you can tell me what happened in the forest that night."


    ----


    Felix was on the lean side, but tall. He wore round rimless glasses and had the aura of a smart and respectable healer.


    "Syryn, it''s a pleasure to meet you," he said in a professional tone. "I''ve been wanting to thank you for the potions and the recipe you sent us. It was a life saving favor you did for a lot of the soldiers at Nunox."


    The mage woodenly nodded, not at all in the mood for conversation. Felix felt his reluctance to speak and went straight to checking Syryn''s health. The mage appreciated smart people who were able to read the atmosphere and adapt to it. It made him more receptive to the man''s treatment.


    Felix was efficient but gentle with his patient. He asked the right questions, kept it professional, and asked for Syryn''s own input as a healer. By the time they were done, neither could find any reason to be alarmed about considering the half demon''s current health condition.


    "I wish we could have met under better circumstances," Felix said to Syryn as he packed up his papers and tools of trade.


    "Me too," the half-demon dully answered.


    "Call for me again when and if you feel sick," Felix told his lethargic patient. The sight he had witnessed from the door was still burnt in his mind but Felix wasn''t one to judge people. Glass houses and all that.


    "Thank you for visiting," Syryn politely told him.


    ----


    Syryn was already feeling the effects of ingesting Riha''s blood. Strength was returning to his body. The weakness and hunger he had felt upon waking up no longer bothered him anymore. Selkie blood really was potent to a demon. It hadn''t been so long ago but Syryn was already thinking about drinking more.


    He turned his head to look at the anti mage who had just entered his room. For the first time in a very long time, Syryn saw hesitance in the blond. Was Rowan feeling the same way he was? Would he be abandoned when Rowan realised that Syryn could be good but the demon in him would never leave?


    "Felix told me that further observation is necessary, but for now, you''re in good health," Rowan said after lowering himself into the chair he had previously occupied. Syryn tried to read the anti mage was it was difficult to. Rowan was a smooth canvas.


    "I''m fine. I feel fine. Take my word as a healer that I''ll be alright."


    "What happened that night, Ryn?" Rowan leaned over and rested his elbows on his thighs.


    "I was ambushed by a woman who identified herself as Elius."


    Syryn had hoped to get a reaction from the anti mage; any hint of a recognition, but there was none. Rowan nodded, encouraging him to continue.


    "And then some other guy with white hair intervened. He saved me. I passed out. The end." The lack of enthusiasm in his explanation did not detract Rowan''s focus and interest.


    "What did they look like?"


    "I don''t know. I was paralysed and couldn''t move my head to look at them. All I know is they had voices that were hypnotising sweet." Syryn liked Milky''s voice more.


    "The White-haired man-"


    "It was Milky," Syryn interjected. Still no reaction from the anti mage.


    "I see."


    The mage wanted to shake the anti mage and demand he spill everything.


    "You''re hiding so much from me, Rowan. It doesn''t feel nice. I hate it." Syryn knew it was unfair to say this to the anti mage when he himself was being secretive because of the forced oath. But Syryn missed the uncomplicated relationship they''d had in the past when he didn''t have to worry about the world ending up under the rule of Traxdart.


    Why did he care anyway? Syryn could abandon Rowan to his task as the hero. Lillith could step in again. Rowan would know what to do. This time around, the anti mage was physically and mentally stronger.


    "Ryn, when I said I loved you, I meant it," Rowan''s reply interrupted the destructive direction his thoughts had been taking.


    "I want to open my heart to you and have you see everything - all my secrets laid bare before you. But I can''t." The anti mage reached out to hold Syryn''s hand in his broad palm. "For the sake of our future, forgive my inability to tell you what you want to know."


    Syryn curled his hand into the seams of Rowan''s fingers. Why was life so complicated? Why couldn''t he be happy when he was already with Rowan? His lack of relationship experience was becoming a glaring problem. Syryn was only now starting to realise that it wasn''t enough to just fall for each other. They still had to make an effort to steer the newly birthed relationship out of troubled waters.


    "Ro, would you still love me if I ceased to be me?" He asked the anti mage.


    "You''ll have to explain what you mean by that, Ryn."


    "Nevermind it," Syryn replied. He wanted to think more deeply upon the leash that was tightening around his neck. A domestic demon, Red had called him. So what was he now?

 Chapter 175 - Reds Counsel

    "I heard you had a lover''s spat," Red said as he sauntered over to where Syryn was checking on his healthy plants. Alka''s care was apparent in how they thrived so bountifully. The plant mage also had several rare plants that Syryn recognised. Rare and very expensive. If Alka sold them, it would only be at an auction.


    "Who told you?" Syryn inquired.


    "Nobody. I was listening through the door."


    Syryn remembered that he had to get back to the alchemy room to help Salem. The half-elf was handling their entire business by himself and still letting Syryn have half the profits. He had insisted it was alright, and that he would expect Syryn to fill in for him if there was sufficient cause for Salem''s absence.


    Syryn decided he could spare some time to chat with Red since the boy had come seeking him out.


    "Your anti mage was correct to be upset about what you did with Riha."


    If the redhead was here to lecture him about the same matter, Syryn was going to start a fire. "He''s not my anti mage."


    "Whatever."


    "You''re the last person I expected to side with Rowan on this matter."


    "I''m not siding with him," Red said as he picked up Luci''s old watering pail. "He''s right from an ethical standpoint. Still, that''s not how we operate, is it?"


    Syryn eyed the cunning redhead. "What are you implying?"


    Red poured water over one of Alka''s expensive plants. It was stressful to watch considering how much the plant was worth. If Red killed it from overwatering, Syryn was going to name and shame him. In front of Alka.


    "Riha likes getting sucked by you. You like sucking him. If Rowan doesn''t know, then where''s the harm in a little bloodletting? Well, only as long as Riha doesn''t die." Red smiled at the brief flicker of hunger that crossed Syryn''s eyes. "The consent is mutual between the both of you."


    Red made it sound so wrong.


    "As long as the danger of death persists, I cannot let it happen again," Syryn replied.


    Red dumped the old watering can and reached for a long pair of garden shears. Syryn thought it wasn''t wise for the redhead to handle it around Alka''s prized plants.


    "Then you just have to find a way to control that pesky inner demon. You''d be drinking selkie blood for a lifetime. Too bad you won''t fuck Riha. Imagine-"


    "Do you intend to do that?" Syryn asked the redhead.


    "Me?" Red looked up from the garden shears he was testing on the leaves of Syryn''s plant. "It''s enticing but I don''t really know. I just think it would be hot to- well you know," he smiled wickedly. "I won''t elaborate since Luci is listening."


    The twin pleasures of indulging in selkie blood and selkie sex, at the same time, that too. Syryn immediately blocked the image from his mind before it could take root and tempt him. He was glad that Rowan could not read minds. It wasn''t as if it hadnt crossed his mind when he was in the middle of feeding. But to Syryn, a dalliance wasn''t worth losing what he had with Rowan. No amount of good sex was worth losing what he had with Rowan.


    "You''d do it wouldn''t you? I mean, if you were old enough," Syryn asked. "And stop snipping at my plants."


    Red reluctantly lowered the garden shears whose blades were about to snip off a delicate blue bud. "Now that I really think about it, I guess I would. The fact that he''s the last selkie left makes it even sweeter, doesn''t it?"


    Syryn had to concede to that. Riha was delicious but his ultra rarity added a layer of enjoyment that could not be had if selkies were commonly found.


    "So did you just come here to air out your dirty selkie fantasy?" Syryn placed a hand on the shears that had gone back up. It was fun cutting plants but this wasn''t the place for Red to have fun with it. The redhead made a half-hearted attempt at glaring at him.


    "I came here to tell you what you wanted to hear, big brother. Rowan thinks like a human, but you aren''t fully human. Live a little, Syryn. Sometimes, it''s okay to give in to temptation, especially when you know that it''s forbidden."


    Syryn stared at the angelic-looking face of Lucien. It was a face that would ensnare and ruin good men in the future. Riaku wouldn''t stand a chance against a face like that when it came with such a sweet and wicked tongue that spoke silky tempting words. Even Syryn had succumbed to it. A poisoned apple, that was what Red still was at his core.


    "So, Syryn, what are you going to do?" Crimson eyes blinked up at him.


    "I''ll ponder upon your words, Red. Unlike you, I have more to lose from acting against Rowan''s directives." Syryn hated saying those words but he couldn''t not say them.


    "Rowan really has you eating out of the palm of his hand, Syryn. Is the dick that good?" The redhead curiously asked.


    How could Syryn make a comparison when Rowan was the only man he''d ever bedded?


    "I''d rather not talk about it."


    "Right. Have fun being Rowan''s little angel," Red sneered.


    Syryn''s eyes widened at the sudden change in Red''s demeanour. "Why the hell are you getting worked up?"


    The redhead laughed, a soft sound of derision.


    "You''re a real piece of work you know. This is why you can''t control your demon. Keep fighting and denying it what it wants. One day, you''ll erupt like a volcano and then find yourself surrounded by the corpses of all the people you care about." Red stepped up to the shocked mage, "you won''t remember having killed them but you''ll certainly regret it so much it''ll drive you insane. And you''ll know that it was your own fault that did it."


    Syryn shook his head, "it won''t happen. In my eighteen years with Rowan, I never killed anyone, and my demon never took over me."


    "That''s because it was fat with the countless lives you''d reaped before Rowan caught you, Syryn. Satisfied, happy, and willing to co-operate. Maybe it would have started to get hungry again in another ten years of isolation."


    Syryn had no rebuttal to Red''s argument. It was true that he had been suppressing the demon so thoroughly that not a single desire of it was met. In the past, there had been no need for him to fight it. This life had changed his relationship with the demon. But if Red was right, Syryn was in deep trouble.


    "Look, all I''m saying is, Riha can solve your problems. A few sips here and there and you''ll find that control will come easier to you."


    "I''ll consider it," Syryn replied. He was already thinking about whether or not to tell Rowan about what Red was predicting.

 Chapter 176 - Temper

    Syryn was working harder than he had ever done. His overworked partner had been banished out of the alchemy room for a day. And Salem had protested vehemently but Syryn was more persuasive.


    The alchemist perused through the catalogue of potions that Salem was selling.


    25 entries needed stocking immediately. Written in red ink, the numbers stood out and they were in surprising amounts. At least a thousand of each entry. Business was good. No wonder Salem was always so tired.


    With the increase in the volume of sales, the two of them wouldn''t be enough to satisfy the requirements of their customers. Not even with the help of their new assistants could they make it happen.


    Syryn had to make their lives easier. Big batches of potions would cut time and effort so it was a no brainer to the alchemist. A letter had to be written to Lord Peltner so he could enquire upon the smithy that had crafted King Hill''s giant cauldron.


    Neiro and Blaze were already experienced with the creation of potions in the big cauldrons which meant that Salem would have less trouble transitioning to it.


    Just as he thought about them, the door swung open and Syryn saw two teenage boys squeezing through the door while shoving at each other. Syryn''s eyebrow twitched. Nothing had changed it seemed. They grew up and so did their rivalry.


    ---------


    Syryn was a simple person. He needed food and Rowan, and maybe a little bit of alchemy. At least that was what he had assumed until he was proven wrong.


    He was hyper-aware of Riha. Every time he caught sight of the selkie, his mouth watered involuntarily. And whether his stomach was full or empty, it curled inwards demanding selkie parts. So like a psychopath, he stared and stared till Riha left the line of his sight.


    Red had noticed it. Alka had kicked him under the table. Riha had stared back. As for Salem, the one person in the house who remained ignorant of Syryn''s bloodline, he was confused by whatever was happening with Syryn and Riha.


    The half-demon took to skulking in the alchemy room where he poured all his energy into work. To make matters worse, Rowan had been called away on an emergency that demanded his presence at the southern border of Sigil. He had assured Syryn of an early return but it had already been four days since his departure.


    The blond''s presence had been a strong motivator for Syryn to lay low and put a lid over his selkie hunger. With Rowan gone, he was antsy and irritable, prone to losing his temper at the drop of a hat. The others walked on eggshells around him, afraid of triggering his temper and ruining everyone''s day. Syryn hated himself for it but it wasn''t like he could remove himself from his escalating emotions.


    Though Alka, Riha, and Salem had been understanding of Syryn''s sudden swings of mood, Red wasn''t so. He''d had it with Syryn being a bitch.


    "Are you a woman on the rag?!" The redhead hissed at the cranky half-demon. "Always so damn moody!"


    "The hell do you want?" Syryn growled at the child.


    Red had tolerated Syryn''s moods for three whole days. And by his count, it was a miracle, because if there was one thing that Red did not put up with, Syryn''s foul moods in his proximity surely had to be it. The worst part about it was that the offender had an idea about how he could put a rest to his troubles, but no, he had to resist.


    "Ask Riha for some blood, you idiot!" Red snarled at him.


    "I told you-"


    "Nobody is asking you to drink from him. A small amount of blood in a cup will help your restlessness abate."


    Syryn crushed the pebble he was holding in his hand. What was once a smooth piece of rock was now powder between his fingers. And that was a bad sign. Too much strength bleeding through his human biology.


    "The moment you allowed you satisfied the demands of your instincts, you were a goner," Red told him. "The demon is fighting harder than ever now."


    Like a curse upon his existence, Red''s words about losing control had manifested into a reality. Syryn was seized by the desire to destroy whatever was in front of him. Sometimes, he was even besieged by the urge to spill blood. It was happening far too quickly for him to adapt to.


    He exhaled loudly and pressed his hands to his forehead. How could he deal with this problem without resorting to selkie blood? Maybe he could kill something. An animal. Brutalise it. No. He instinctively knew it wouldn''t be enough for the demon that was specifically demanding he hunt down a selkie.


    Why oh why did he agree to Riha''s request? His greed had gotten him in the end. As much as he''d like to believe that he had done it for Riha''s sake, Syryn knew it had been his greedy mouth that decided for him in the end. He hadn''t done it for Riha; It was a selfish decision on his part, one that had seemed nobler during that unfortunate moment. Poor little Syryn, carrying the burden of resisting his demon while drinking selkie blood even though he deemed it a barbaric thing to do. Yeah right. He didnt want to think about the hard-on that had popped up. Rowan hadn''t mentioned it but Syryn would have been a fool to believe that the anti mage hadn''t noticed it.


    "I''m such a dumbass," he mumbled into his palms. He couldn''t blame Riha because the selkie likely had no idea what repercussions it was going to have on Syryn.


    "If you know what''s good for you and still resist it then you aren''t just a dumbass," Red sniggered.


    The alchemist was too afraid to ask what according to Red was worse than a dumbass. The redhead curled his lips and narrowed his eyes at Syryn.


    "I demand that you sort out your problems by tomorrow. And if I see you snapping at another person for absolutely no fault of theirs, I''ll shove my foot so far up your ass you''ll have to surgically remove it yourself." Red painted a disturbing picture for Syryn.


    The alchemist chuckled. It was a disturbing but funny thought. His chuckle turned into full-blown laughter. To Red, he appeared demented.


    "Someone tell the village that their idiot is missing," the redhead said to himself.

 Chapter 177 - Eye

    That night, Syryn was holed up in the alchemy room.


    Darkness pervaded the shut and locked room. The heavy cotton curtains were all drawn, not allowing a single slice of light inside.


    He sat in a corner of the room and meditated. Syryn looked inwards, tracing the lines of his magic through the mana pathways that were spread out in a pattern just as beautiful and intricate as the nervous system. He felt his mana core hum to the movement of magic that he circulated in a slow lazy current. Syryn was actually wasting time because he wasn''t ready to face his demon.


    Reluctance weighing down his mood, he freed the demon little by little. He grew a pair of horns, then allowed his canines to lengthen. And after much internal debate about the wisdom of what he wanted to do, Syryn opened his third eye.


    It was in the middle of his forehead but the colour was off. The black coloured pupil was horizontal; similar to that of a goat''s.


    The moment his third eye opened, Syryn felt a rush of madness engulf him. Overlapping colors of purple and black washed across his vision. The colors swirled inwards like a spiral and it began to suck his consciousness inside it. The half demon was disappointed though it was a result he had expected.


    He still wasn''t ready for the eye. Not even this lifetime.


    The half-demon covered the eye with a palm of his hand and forced it to close. The eye lid slowly dragged itself down, covering up the horizontal pupils, and then it was gone from his forehead.


    Some demons were born special. Red had his version of blood magic. Syryn had his cursed eye. Unfortunately, he hadn''t mastered it despite his best efforts to. Not even in his past life did he manage to discover its use.


    The first time he had kept the eye open for a few minutes, the half-demon had been drained of his mana. The next time he tried it, Syryn had been rendered unconscious. The final and third time he kept the eye open, insanity ripped him out of reality and Syryn had dreamt for months. Floating in and out of consciousness, the half-demon was unable to tell real-life from his dreams. Sometimes, there were harrowing moments of clarity that made him realise he was trapped in a semi-lucid state, but those moments had been rare. Unable to figure out the secret to his eye, Traxdart had asked Syryn never to open it without his supervision. And he''d obeyed.


    Syryn vowed that he would figure it out this time. But such a mystery as his eye was not so simple that he could sort it out in a few years. And he had no time to pay it any attention when there were pressing matters that demanded he look at them.


    Like right now, his demon was whispering to him.


    Selkie.


    It was a clear message pregnant with hunger and thirst. Woven in that raw need for prey was a passion that licked at his senses and promised a kind of satisfaction that nothing else could give to him. Syryn didn''t believe that at all. There were other things more satisfying than selkie meat.


    Like what? It asked him.


    Syryn hadn''t tasted everything in the world so why was it asking him that? He radiated frustration. There had to be better tasting food that wasn''t selkie.


    But that''s why every other selkie was killed. Tastiest food.


    Fine! Maybe they were delicious. But demons just hadn''t discovered the other tasty prey that existed. The world was full of exotic creatures and plants that remained out of the reach of demons. Why were they so myopic? Did they taste everything they''d laid eyes on? Had any demon tried eating a lightning bug? No. Maybe those were simply more delicious than selkie.


    But selkie smells good. Lightning bugs smell like metal.


    Fermented fruits sometimes smell like crap but they taste good too, Syryn replied. Alcohol was also delicious. And dried fish smelled bad but it was still tasty when cooked.


    The alchemist realised how strange this exercise was when he looked at it from the perspective of someone who wasn''t a half-demon. He was talking to himself because his demon was essentially him, but stripped down to a jumble of crude needs and raw power.


    Selkie blood, it whispered. Prey.


    Blood in a tube. Do you want it or not? He waited to feel the satisfaction from the demon, an answer that would indicate its approval of Syryn''s offer. It didn''t happen. All he received was more pulses of hunger.


    "Why?!" This time he snarled in frustration. "I can''t do that to Riha again!"


    A wrestle for dominance ensued. Syryn''s control had been waning but it was apparent now how bad it had deteriorated. Just one time he stupidly let himself feed on Riha and it had caused his demon to flare up. Syryn regretted his actions bitterly. But it was too late to cry over spilled milk.


    "I''ll do it once," he told himself. "Just one more time."


    A wave of satisfaction cooled the energy that was roiling inside him.


    "One last time."


    Syryn leaned his head back on the wall behind him and felt tiredness seeping into his skin. He didn''t want to kill Riha but he had to do it again. The demon was persuasive if nothing else.


    "You think you''ve won haven''t you?" Syryn said to himself. "I know you''re just waiting for a moment of weakness. Then you''ll pounce and take over our body, kill Riha and eat him."


    Syryn felt a trickle of happiness at the image he presented to the demon. Its desire to eat Riha burnt with an intensity that shocked the alchemist.


    "No. No. I won''t let it happen."


    It didnt care about what Syryn wanted. The demon would take it regardless of the alchemist''s will. And if Syryn didn''t feed it, there was hell to be had for him.

 Chapter 178 - Trust

    There was a way he could pull off his plan to drink from Riha without risking the selkie''s life. His plan included a dart and a potent mix of several paralytic agents that could be procured by one of his housemates.


    In the end, Salem volunteered to get it for him because he was familiar with the dangerous items on Syryn''s list. The blond alchemist had raised a brow at some of the names on the shopping list. With a sharp glance at Syryn, he pocketed the paper and left.


    ----


    "I''m concerned," Salem softly announced later that day. He had been watching his friend mix a batch of some of the most dangerous ingredients they''d brought into their alchemy room. Syryn had been acting strange the past few days, so unlike himself, and it had been a point of worry for the blond alchemist. When he was asked to get the items on a list that Syryn had handed to him, Salem''s worries rose. But he followed a policy so ''don''t ask don''t tell''.


    "Salem, my father is a demon," Syryn confessed. It wasn''t fair that only Salem remained unaware of this fact. The half-elf was one of the few people Syryn was willing to trust with his life so it made sense that he would trust him with this secret.


    "Oh," the blond alchemist replied.


    Oh? Where was the shock? The sharp gasp? Syryn was dissatisfied with Salem''s lack of emotional distress. It was anti-climatic and frankly very disappointing.


    "Thanks for telling me."


    "You''re welcome."


    "Then I''ll leave you to your work, Syryn. I have to survey the raw materials I purchased today."


    "Don''t you have questions?" Syryn raised his head and asked. "Like a normal person when they find out they''ve been living with a half-demon."


    Salem paused midstep. He turned back to Syryn with a thoughtful look on his face.


    "Are you going to kill Riha?" There was no accusation in his enquiry.


    "No! He''s a person and I-" Syryn burned with shame at the hypocrisy of what he was saying, "I am his guardian. I have to protect him even from myself."


    Salem nodded. "I trust you."


    If the blond alchemist had wanted to upset Syryn, he had succeeded. But the half-demon knew that Salem had meant it and wasn''t just saying that to pinch at his conscience.


    He was left alone with his poisons and even worse, a demon that was hovering and nipping at Syryn''s heels.


    ---


    It was past midnight. Syryn knocked on Riha''s door. He hoped the selkie was sleeping. Then he could postpone the inevitable for tomorrow. Anxiety fluttered in his pulse as he thought about what he was about to do.


    "Syryn," Riha didn''t invite him inside. It was too dangerous to, at least not without gauging the state of mind that he was in. The door afforded no protection if Syryn was intent on getting him, but it was a psychological solace more than anything else.


    The alchemist thought back to the words he''d revised in his mind so as not to come off as a jerk demanding blood. "Riha, my demon wants more blood. If I don''t feed it, I might lose control.."


    A few moments of silence stretched uncomfortably between them before Riha stepped aside and invited him into the room.


    It was just as how Syryn had seen it before the selkie had moved in. The only extra decor he found was an oddly endearing collection of seashells on a display shelf. The largest one was the size of Syryn''s palm.


    "Do you like seashells, Riha?" Syryn asked him. He could get more for the selkie if he wanted some.


    "I do. The seashells allow me to listen to the sounds of the ocean. Sometimes they''re the only things that seem real to me." Riha pulled out the chair where he often sat while reading books by his window. He offered it to Syryn.


    "If you go back to the ocean, how likely is it that you will be caught and killed?" The alchemist asked after seating himself. He was starting to smell the distinctive selkie scent that made his mouth water. The only way he could be scenting it was by his demon enhancing his human biology, like how he crushed the pebble into powder.


    "I will very likely remain free for a few months if I stay low. As vast as the oceans are, mermen have eyes and ears everywhere. I can''t go back, Syryn. I trade my freedom for my life." Riha sat at the edge of the bed that was closest to Syryn''s seat.


    "I''m sorry Riha. I can''t imagine what it''s like to never be able to go home." Syryn thought about what home meant to him. A picture appeared, it was a tower. And he wanted to laugh. Here was Riha, a selkie trapped in his manor and wanting to leave for home. Syryn on the other was free to roam anywhere he liked but he wanted to go home which meant his imprisonment in a tower.


    What he missed about it was the freedom of not having to worry about the future. He had his books, his experiments, and the company of a friend. It had been so peaceful and carefree after the years he''d spent killing. Syryn would not enjoy being imprisoned again but he wished he could get back the same peace it had given him back then. It was a rude splash of cold water when he was first captured, but what followed had been eye-opening and life-changing.


    "We all have our burdens to bear," Riha replied. They were both prisoners in different ways. Even Syryn had his demon to contend with.


    The mage had filled in the spaces and made small talk. He had been polite and sympathetic. So now was the time to open up the uncomfortable conversation he had come for. He took the bull by the horns because Syryn hated beating around the bush.


    "Riha, about what I said, you don''t have to agree to it if you''re afraid of me."


    The selkie smiled sadly. "I fear letting myself live on in a dream of my own making, Syryn. Liberate me if only for a few minutes so I can see the world with clarity."

 Chapter 179 - Shame

    Syryn''s heart sped up. He hated himself for getting excited at the thought of taking advantage of Riha but he could not help his nature. He could smell the ocean in the selkie and it was heavenly.


    "Riha.." he said through the difficulty of his growing canines. "Stab me in the neck with this if it looks like I''m losing control."


    The selkie accepted the dart and curled his fingers around it. "Only your neck?"


    "It works at other places too but it''ll deliver faster this way."


    Syryn refused to think about Rowan. Whether the anti mage liked it or not, Syryn had to do it. He would confess to Rowan later, and that made him anxious, but he had faith in the anti mage''s patience, and that he would hear him out before judging Syryn for his decision.


    The alchemist was glad for the hunger because the entire situation made him feel awkward. He was literally preying on his depressed housemate.


    "Can I?" He asked the selkie while leaning in.


    Riha inclined his head and it was the only answer that Syryn needed. This time, he was gentler. The half-demon scraped his teeth along Riha''s neck without breaking the skin. He had to find the perfect spot for optimal drinking.


    Syryn pierced Riha''s neck and gorged. The demon tried several times to take over but he resisted. In his head, he repeatedly sang the chorus of his anthem. In a loop, it went on till Riha told him he''d had enough.


    The alchemist was relieved by how well it had gone, too well in fact that his suspicions were stoked. Why wasn''t the demon trying harder?


    Regardless, it was done. He looked at the injury on the selkie''s neck and felt like he''d participated in something cruel. Syryn hated this feeling. It was a cocktail of shame, helplessness, and self-loathing. Right there and then he decided enough was enough.


    "Riha, I''m sorry," he apologised even as he tamped down on the self-disgust that was crawling up his throat. He was supposed to protect the selkie. Protect. Until Rowan had said it, Syryn didn''t realise his role in Riha''s life. What was he doing preying on him? "I''ll wake you up but not this way."


    Syryn could realistically keep drinking from him, but by doing this, they were adding the bricks to building a toxic relationship. The half-demon had had enough of that in his first life. He wanted happy healthy friendships that were stable, built on good thoughts and feelings for each other. Not this. Not even if his demon demanded it. Syryn would rather hunt down a rogue criminal and brutally kill him than feed off of his housemate.


    "Don''t look so upset, Syryn. I am just as culpable as you are for this." Riha accurately grasped what Syryn was wrestling with. Guilt.


    "Let''s not do it again," Syryn whispered. His fists were clenched so hard that little half-moon indents on his skin were bleeding.


    "Let''s not," Riha repeated hollowly. "I''ll wait for you to wake me up then, Syryn."


    "Soon," the mage promised as he grasped Riha''s hands in his. "I''ll do everything I can."


    The selkie smiled and it was the first real smile that he had seen from the selkie. Hopeful - Riha looked hopeful and it made Syryn happy that he was the reason for it.


    "Whether you find a way or not, you have my gratitude."


    It was a few minutes later that Syryn exited from Riha''s room. He crawled into bed, wanting to stew in his misery but it didn''t happen.


    A redhead poked his head out from the blanket and balefully stared at Syryn.


    "Are you going to cry?"


    The alchemist was startled by the question.


    "What? No!" He blinked a few times so the approaching tears would get reabsorbed into his eyes or dry out.


    "Syryn," Red sighed. "Did you drink from Riha?"


    "Yes," it was a small sound. Syryn truly had reached the bottom of the pathetic barrel.


    "Did your demon try to take over?"


    "Yes, but it failed."


    "You did what it wanted you to by making an offer it accepted. That was why it was satisfied enough to not fight you too much."


    "Oh, I guess so." The demon was satisfied for now but it was still lurking.


    "Syryn, why do you look so shattered?"


    The half-demon wondered that too. He had thought that maybe he was overreacting. But the shame and guilt he felt said otherwise. Syryn replaced Riha with Lucien and imagined another creature feeding on the redhead to satisfy its urges. The thought made him more than uncomfortable.


    If Riha was in a healthy state of mind and wanted Syryn to drink because of sexual gratification, he wouldn''t have felt bad about it. But it had to go both ways. They weren''t partners. They were a parasite and its unstable host. The context mattered.


    "I feel ashamed about what I did. I''m a demon, aren''t I? Why must I fight the two sides that pull me? I''d rather be completely at either side than struggle at the centre."


    Red was quiet as he absorbed Syryn''s words. "You aren''t at the centre," he finally said to the older demon. "We are both on a linear spectrum. The demon is at one end and the human at the other end. Syryn, you''re closer to the human end, and I towards the demonic corner."


    The alchemist silently listened to the redhead.


    "The demonic side pulls harder than the human. It''s so easy to just slide down and give in to your urges. But you don''t do that, Syryn. It is courageous, commendable, and stupid."


    Syryn wasn''t sure if he was being complimented or insulted.


    "What I''m saying is you''ll have a much harder time than I ever will. But you can be human, or as much as a half-demon can be. Talk to Rowan. He will be able to help you."


    The alchemist turned to the redhead. "Why then did you tell me to drink Riha''s blood?"


    The child''s red eyes closed sleepily. "I thought you could try leaning more towards the demon. But I was wrong. Your heart is too human, Syryn."

 Chapter 180 - Comfort

    The next day, Syryn was a picture of misery as he went about his work. He tried to keep himself busy with alchemy and by brainstorming ideas that could help Riha.


    The selkie had told him that it was as if he lived in a dream. What did it mean to live in a dream? Riha has nothing to do, nowhere to go, so he spent all his time reading books and working on small projects that Salem thought up for him.


    What could Syryn do to add to the quality of his life? He felt guilty for never having spared the thoughts for Riha''s well being.


    "Syryn, you''ve been very quiet," Salem said to him. Neiro and Blaze were both given the week off because Syryn wanted peace in the manor.


    "You''re familiar with Riha, aren''t you?" He asked Salem.


    The blond thought about it. "We are friends. I don''t quite know what you mean by familiar."


    "I meant that you know what he likes and dislikes, don''t you? You know what makes him tick."


    "I know some things about him but not a lot. Why?"


    "I feel like I''ve treated him unfairly," Syryn replied. "I didn''t care enough."


    "You sheltered him, Syryn. You of all people should know the significance of what you''ve done." Salem was referring to the nature of the relationship that bound their two species.


    "It''s hardly worth mentioning. It wasn''t like I was using his room for anything else. It costs me almost nothing to shelter him."


    The blond glanced at Syryn once then looked back at his cauldron. "Give yourself some credit. Any other demon might have attacked him."


    But he did. And Lucien hadn''t. Who had the human heart again? Syryn wanted to scoff.


    "How do I free him, Salem?"


    "I don''t know right now, but, we''ll think of something."


    That night, Syryn and Alka checked on Blue. The lump of magic was happy to see him but he kept demanding food till Syryn gave up some magic to it. Blue seemed happier than before. He didnt have to worry about food or getting hunted down by anti mages.


    "Happy?" He rubbed a hand over its smooth skin. Blue had grown a little bigger too, Syryn noticed.


    {Happy}


    "I''ll come back again with more food," Syryn told the squid.


    {Home?}


    The mage felt a pang in his heart. "Not yet, Blue. Someday." He was making so many promises but had no idea how to fulfil them.


    {Okay Syryn}


    Trust. What a horrible gift to be given. Syryn turned his back on the creature and walked out of the rift.


    ------


    Rowan returned two days later. He found Syryn staring out of the window with a vacant look in his eyes.


    "Ryn?" the blond called out lightly, worried about this development. It was unlike Syryn to look so lost. He walked up to the mage and placed a hand on his shoulder.


    Syryn promptly turned to wrap his arms around Rowan''s midsection. Surprised but receptive, the anti mage''s embrace enveloped him in turn. Rowan said nothing as Syryn breathed him in and listened to his heartbeat.


    "Rowan, I drank from Riha. Again." The confession came tumbling out of his lips.


    There was a moment of quietness as Rowan absorbed the information. Syryn was beset by anxiety.


    "Why did you do it, Ryn?" Rowan gently asked.


    Syryn was buoyed by the question. It meant that Rowan thought Syryn hadn''t just done it out of greediness or loss of control.


    "Because if I didn''t, my demon would have taken over me completely."


    "I see. Did it tell you that?"


    "I felt it, Ro. I haven''t satisfied its needs this lifetime. That is why it''s fighting me harder than ever. Or at least that''s what Red thinks."


    Rowan''s breathing was stable. His heart rate was also normal. A good sign.


    "What does it need?" Rowan asked next.


    "Selkie, but also violence, murder... You know... Everything I used to do."


    Rowan made a hmm sound in response.


    "Red said you can help me, Ro."


    "Red is a strange one," Rowan stated. "He''s come so far from the person he used to be."


    "So you remember how much worse than me he was?"


    "Yes. And that tells me that every half-demon child can be redeemed. You changed, and so did he."


    Syryn looked up at Rowan - Violet eyes, trusting eyes. "Help me, Rowan. Find a way to lock it up for good."


    The anti mage was not a miracle maker but when Syryn looked at him through such trusting eyes, he could only say yes and prepare himself to move mountains for Syryn.


    The mage raised his hands and tugged Rowan''s face lower till their lips met. It was like coming home.


    Syryn had been wrong about the tower. The peace that he found in the tower wouldn''t have come to him if Rowan was removed from the situation. It was this anti mage that brought him peace.


    Syryn recognised that his request was too much, but he also knew that Rowan would try to still make it happen. The end result wasn''t as important as knowing that the anti mage loved him enough to fight for him. And whenever he felt overwhelmed by his problems, Syryn just had to think of Rowan and somehow it all seemed okay - like the anti mage would catch him if he fell. He felt like the luckiest person alive in the world.


    "Ro," he murmured after their slow kiss. The anti mage had a look in his eyes that indicated they might be locking the door soon.


    "Yes?"


    "Please let me plant the corpse tree, Ro. Please." Syryn palmed Rowan''s growing erection through the cloth of his pants.


    The anti mage smiled wide. He was amused by Syryn''s opportunistic behaviour.


    "It''s too dangerous."


    "But-"


    "The last time someone planted a corpse tree in their backyard, it killed twelve children before the mage hunters were alerted."


    "I will ensure that it doesn''t happen."


    "How?" Rowan slipped his hands under Syryn''s shirt and caressed the warm skin of his waist.


    "Magic."


    Rowan raised his brows. "That isn''t convincing at all."


    "Please, Ro. If anyone gets killed, it''ll be Alka."


    "You''re making this harder for yourself, Ryn."


    "I''m asking you Rowan, not the Sanguine. You let me keep the squid so why are you fussing over a corpse tree?!"


    "Just because I broke a few rules in a moment of weakness, you expect me to break more?" Rowan asked. Syryn had already unbuckled him.


    "Yes. You''ve already crossed the line, Rowan. So keep going."


    The anti mage pressed him up against the glass of the window. Rowan was so hard that Syryn could feel its thick length against him.


    "Rowan says yes but the Sanguine says no. What do we do, Ryn?" He murmured against the mage''s cheek.


    "We listen to Rowan."


    The anti mage chuckled. "You make my life hard, Syryn."


    "Not just your life." The mage slipped a hand under Rowan''s waistband.


    "Ryn, I''m not your chaperone, and I won''t stop you with my identity as your lover. But I''m also a sanguine. I have a duty to perform," the anti mage said as he pushed his fingers through Syryn''s hair. "You endanger the entire neighbourhood with a corpse tree."


    "What if I get a priest, Ro? He can suppress it every month and the roots won''t spread."


    "Then it means you''ll find a priest willing to break the law," Rowan smiled as he shook his head at Syryn.


    "Please turn a blind eye again," the mage whispered as he kissed Rowan''s neck. His hand was already busy with the anti mage''s erection.


    "Syryn," Rowan groaned. "I know what you''re doing." Despite his knowledge of Syryn''s manipulative tactics, it was still effective. "I''ll think about it."


    Syryn smiled. This round was his.

 Chapter 181 - Savage

    As Rowan was getting ready to leave the next day, Syryn wrote a letter addressed to Artemus and stuffed it in the anti mage''s hands.


    "Another letter for Artemus?" Rowan glanced at his lover.


    "It''s about work," Syryn replied. "He needed my help with a murder case but when I ran off to Nua, I neglected it. And now I''m sort of curious as to how much progress they''ve made."


    "The caravan murders?"


    "How did you know?"


    "Just a lucky guess." Rowan slid the envelope into the wide pocket of his coat. Placing a hand on the door handle, the anti mage turned around.


    "Ryn, will you be okay today?"


    He wanted to know if Syryn would turn into a demon accidentally, or attack Riha again.


    "I satisfied its urges yesterday. I think we''ll be fine for a little while longer," he replied though unsure of it. Rowan hadn''t forbidden him from any further bloodletting but Syryn wasn''t taking his silence as tacit approval. It was a conundrum that neither could solve for the moment.


    "I''ll see you soon, Ryn."


    -----


    That evening, Syryn stretched his sore body and yawned. The entire day had been spent brewing a single type of potion. The repetitiveness of the activity had sucked all the fun out of potion-making.


    To keep up with the growing demands of their business, Salem had procured 6 more cauldrons and they were split between him and Syryn. The alchemy room had become just a tiny bit more cramped.


    Sounds of bubbling and hissing came out from the cauldron while the smell of peppermint and sulphur permeated the air. The alchemists had opened the windows and their door to air the smells out when it got too much for them. But then Alka had complained they were stinking up the house. The plant mage had refused to let them air out the smells through the door.


    "The house smells like rotting eggs," had been the last words heard by the alchemists before their door was shut.


    "Alka is harsh. It doesn''t smell like rotting eggs," Salem had declared after the plant mage left.


    Syryn snickered at the half-elf. "Say it to his face, Salem."


    "I''d rather not. And remind me to make a note about buying a few blocks of air fresheners. The stench of sulphur might never this room."


    "That and some fabrics for the ceiling. Look at what your experimental fumes have done to the wood," Syryn pointed up.


    The wooden ceiling directly above Salem''s cauldron had changed colour. It displayed an almost circular shaped patch of grey like the wood was sick and old.


    "Noted."


    -----


    Night fell and Rowan was yet to return home. When Syryn caught sight of the hound coach, he was pleasantly surprised though it wasn''t Rowan''s carriage. The alchemist watched Artemus step down and head towards the manor.


    "Syryn, please pour me a cup of tea," the anti mage said as he made himself comfortable on a chair in their kitchen. Salem''s tea was the special rice tea that the half-elf procured from some source only he was privy to. Every third month, he would receive a package of it. Artemus had become very fond of the fragrant tea and asked for a cup every time he came to visit.


    Syryn lifted the lid of a dark clay jar and spooned out a small amount of the infused tea leaves. He then set a kettle over the stove.


    While this happened, Artemus and Alka made conversation about the plant mage''s supply business. Alka was still an active member of the adventurer''s guild but he also spent a great deal of time and money on growing special flowers and other plants that had great value in auction houses.


    Syryn found a lull in their conversation and chose to interject. "Artemus, how was your date with Sebastian?"


    Alka''s head swivelled towards Syryn. "A date with Sebastian?" He asked the mage then turned back to elegantly ''gawk'' at his brother. "You and Sebastian? Since when?" Alka''s soft voice had risen in volume.


    "We aren''t seeing each other, Alka. There was a plan for one date but it was postponed because neither of us has much free time to spare for an evening out," the anti mage explained.


    "You clearly had time for Sasha, Connor, Dun-" Alka had raised both hands up and was bending a finger every time he called out someone''s name.


    "Alka, that''s enough," Artemus abruptly interrupted him. His calm facade betrayed a hint of alarm. "How do you even know who I''ve been with?"


    The plant mage sighed dramatically.


    "They always fall in love with you before you rudely dump their sad pathetic selves. What do you think they try to do next, big brother?" Alka acidly replied to Artemus. "Take a guess."


    "They move one."


    Alka let out a delicate sound of laughter. "No. They reach out to me and try to suck up to Arty''s little brother because they think that if I like them enough, you might do more than fuck and dump them, Mister I treat my dates like holes."


    The kettle in Syryn''s hand shook. Alka was a savage even to his elder brother. Who knew?


    "I do not treat my dates like holes," Artemus replied with indignation.


    "But that''s your mode of operation. Fuck and dump. Sure, you''re not as prolific as Sebastian but the body count is still longer than my list of people I''ve kissed!"


    "Body count?" Syryn slid into the conversation. "Is Artemus a serial dater then?"


    Alka''s brows drew together in disappointment. "No, I can''t even call it dating. It''s just the same if he has one night stands. My brother is allergic to commitment."


    Alka had had hopes and dreams for Artemus settling with one person at last when the anti mage had expressed interest for Syryn. But that connection had been severed by Syryn himself. And now he was back to square one. But if Sebastian was making a move, he was not letting Artemus sabotage it. Alka had seen how in love his brother had been with the mage back when they were younger.


    "Enough about me," Artemus declared severely. "Alka, take a hike. I have something to discuss with Syryn."


    "I''m telling mom about this," Alka replied with a grin. "She''s going to be so happy that Bas and A-mu are friends again," the plant mage singsonged. "Such dumb names. Only you losers could have come up with them."


    Syryn had flashbacks to all the times Red had bullied him. Were all younger brothers so mean to their older brothers?


    "Leave before I physically haul your ass out of the kitchen," Artemus warned the plant mage.

 Chapter 182 - Middle Ground

    "Well that was fun," Syryn grinned as he set down two cups.


    "Not you too, Syryn."


    "Why not? I too might have become a victim of Art''s fuck and dump scheme."


    The anti mage frowned at Syryn''s words. "I wasn''t planning to fuck and dump you."


    "Aww, was Art serious about a demonic old man like me?" Syryn''s eyes narrowed to slits as he smiled.


    "How old are you?" Artemus asked after a pause.


    "Older than our combined ages at the very least. I''m a crusty old man. I probably smell like mildew and-"


    "But you still looked young in the puzzle box. So you aren''t a crusty old man and don''t smell like mildew."


    "Mmm"


    "Does Rowan know?"


    Now Artemus was asking dangerous questions.


    "He does."


    "Everything?"


    "Yes."


    "I see. So you must also know that Rowan has secrets. The higher-ups aren''t saying much yet because he''s an invaluable asset. But some aren''t as happy about his growth. Don''t get him into trouble, Syryn," Artemus said as he took a sip of tea.


    "Trouble? What makes you think I''d make trouble for him?" Syryn asked. Rowan couldn''t have possibly told Artemus about Blue or the corpse tree.


    The anti mage''s dark eyes held Syryn in place. "Let me tell you a story, Syryn."


    "Okay..?"


    "It was a fine evening when I was on my way to the manor. I walked through the lost path to save time because I was running late for a meeting. So when I stumbled across a well known blonde blue-eyed anti mage talking to a big glowing squid right at the spot where I needed to open a rift, I thought I was seeing things." Artemus'' stare had become distinctively reproachful.


    "Well-"


    "Having had little sleep, I considered for a second that it was a consequence of exhaustion and the stories you and Sebastian have told me about glowing squids. Imagine my consternation when Rowan told me what had taken place."


    "I rescued a lost creature of magical origin."


    "You kidnapped a creature of magical origin."


    "He came with me willingly!" Syryn scowled at the anti mage.


    "He wasn''t yours to take, Syryn."


    "So everything just belongs to the Sanguine, does it? Why not take me in as well then?"


    The anti mage hadn''t touched his beloved tea since they''d begun arguing about Blue.


    "We''re better equipped to deal with magical creatures. It''s what mage hunters are trained for, Syryn."


    "You mage hunters act like the good guys but don''t you also conduct experiments on creatures like Blue. Why can''t you just let him be? He''s safe inside the rift." Syryn was getting worked up now. He wasn''t sure what he would do if Artemus insisted on taking Blue.


    "I don''t know what you''ve been imagining but we don''t hurt them in the process."


    "Still invasive. He''s sentient, you know. I''d say he''s like a four-year-old child."


    "Syryn, even though I think that you''re hindering the further discovery of the squid''s origins and abilities, and though I would prefer to have it examined by experts, I''m not here for the squid."


    "You aren''t?" The mage blinked in surprise. Syryn had to re-evaluate the wisdom of his decision. The mage hunters could probably send Blue home.


    "I brought it up because you have to know that your actions have consequences for Rowan. Use that clever brain of yours and think about how this reflects on his character if it were to get out that he broke the rules for his lover."


    "It''s not like it isn''t true, isn''t it? Rowan broke the rules for me. As a Sanguine, he''s failed," Syryn stated the unfiltered truth. "But it''s not like I hold the mage hunters in high regard." They were Syryn''s enemies, or at least they used to be. "The more rules he breaks, the happier I am. I think you should learn from Rowan."


    The anti mage regarded Syryn with a cool stare. "Not everyone has the leisure to be a bad boy, Syryn. If society was made up of people like you, chaos would reign."


    "And if everyone was a stickler for rules with a stick up their ass like you, the world would be a damn boring place to live in."


    Mage and anti mage regarded each other silently. Syryn was first to take a sip of his tea.


    "I came here today to speak to you about the caravan murders," Artemus continued as if they weren''t just having a staredown.


    "You can''t just change the topic like that, Artemus."


    The anti mage raised his brows. "You wish to debate then?"


    "Yes. Well, no. I think we should come to a middle ground before dropping the topic. I''d rather we not have this discussion again."


    Artemus nodded. "Alright, what are you willing to concede?"


    "People like you ensure that chaos doesn''t reign in a peaceful society."


    The anti mage smiled despite himself. "High praise, Syryn."


    "I try. I think I fall for the good guys because I''m a chaotic piece of shit. That''s got to be it."


    "It''s a sound theory. Opposites do tend to attract."


    "Is that why you like Sebastian?"


    Artemus was unwilling to engage in Syryn''s change of conversation. He steered it back to the previous topic.


    "I concede that chaotic people are the spice that flavour the lives of boring people like me."


    "But will you spice Sebastian''s life like he''s been asking you to?" Syryn was a master at this.


    "I''m the bland one, Syryn. It is Sebastian that flavours my life."


    And if that wasn''t some sort of confession about his feelings then Syryn was going to eat his own shoe.


    "Are you avoiding him, Mu-mu?"


    "If you call me by that goosebump inducing name again, you can consider this discussion at its end."


    "Artemus, nooo, I''m sorry! Please, I won''t call you that anymore."


    "I''m not avoiding him, Syryn."


    "Then?"


    "I''m busy."


    "And that''s why you''re at my house drinking tea this late at night, talking shop with me, when you could be out with Sebastian. I get it. You''re busy."


    The anti mage smiled again. "I am here to talk about the caravan murders."


    "Right, so what about it?"


    Artemus cleared his throat after downing his cup of tea. "We''ve made no headway in this case. I had a few priests examine the preserved corpses and they detected dark magic. But they were unable to say what was the purpose of the spells."


    "Did you ask a priest with a black jewel between his brows?" Syryn asked the anti mage.


    "Qairu," Artemus spoke with distaste. The brother in law did not approve of Alka''s ex.


    "Ask him," Syryn told the anti mage. "If there''s any priest out there that can detect dark magic and make sense of it, it''s him."


    "And how do you know this?" Artemus asked.


    "If you keep asking nosy questions, I won''t help you anymore, Art."


    "Fair enough."

 Chapter 183 - Tales Of Old

    Rowan arrived late at night when Syryn was already asleep. He slipped into bed only to realise that a redhead was wedged between him and Syryn.


    "Hello Rowan," Red said in a whisper. "Why are you late?"


    The surprised blond answered honestly. "Duty."


    "Is that so?" Red shuffled closer to Rowan so Syryn wouldn''t hear them speak.


    "What else would keep me busy, Lucien?" Rowan asked with some amusement.


    "A late-night orgy."


    Despite the inappropriateness of it, he couldn''t help but smile. "Of course. I had a wonderful time."


    The redhead made a hmph sound. "Take me with you next time."


    "Is that what you stayed up to ask me?" The anti mage inquired.


    "No. I wanted to ask you what you plan to do with Syryn."


    "You mean his demon half?"


    "Mmm."


    "I don''t have an answer for that yet."


    "So he continues to battle it till one day he loses to it?"


    "The ideal situation would be to satisfy the demon or suppress its urges with a balancing artefact," Rowan replied in a hush.


    "Such magic doesn''t exist. It sounds too good to be true."


    Rowan was silent. It seemed to Red that he was thinking deeply about something.


    "Do you know where demons come from? Or how the first demon was born?" Rowan asked the redhead.


    Red shook his head. He''d taken it for granted that demons existed as long as humans had.


    "Demons come from another plane of existence. Nobody knows how or why they were born."


    "Well, what if I told you then that demons once used to be humans?"


    "How can that be possible? I don''t want to be fed some cliched story about corruption turning humans to demons," Red scoffed. "There are many tales that say the same but I don''t buy them."


    "But Lucien, don''t you think that perhaps there is a grain of truth in the old tales?"


    "Maybe," the redhead conceded. "But such a theory only leaves more questions unanswered."


    "Let me tell you a tale then, one you''ve never heard of before. It begins with a human man, a sorcerer who was called Ioran."


    "Wait, how old is this tale?" Lucien interrupted.


    "Older than the oldest civilisation that has any written record of their history."


    "So is this an orally transmitted tale?"


    "No. There were no witnesses to Ioran''s tale."


    The redhead squinted at Rowan. "Are you making this up?"


    "I promise I''m not," Rowan smiled at the child.


    "But then if Ioran didn''t tell anyone about it, and no one saw what happened to him, how do you know about his tale?"


    "Shhh, you might wake up Syryn," Rowan whispered. "And you''ll just have to believe me, Lucien. Would you like to hear the tale or not?" The anti mage asked.


    "Fine, I''ll consider it a bedtime story."


    Rowan began his story and Red listened.


    "Ioran was a powerful sorcerer and the leader to a large community of tribesmen. Every man, woman, and animal feared Ioran''s powers because he could change the course of a river, summon lightning from the clouds, and he could even cut down mountains with a swing of his arm."


    "What kind of a power is that? How did the mountain get cut down?"


    "I don''t know. That''s what makes him more mysterious doesn''t it?"


    "I guess," Red replied.


    "Ioran should have been satisfied with the power he had but he wasn''t. He wanted the ability to raise the dead, to become as powerful as the denizens of the heavens."


    "So he wanted to be a necromancer?"


    "No, he wanted to raise a corpse into a living person as if it never died. Necromancy can''t do that."


    "True."


    "So Ioran decided he needed more power. He searched high and low for magical artefacts and spells that could aid him in his search for power but he found none. Then one day, he was struck by the realisation that the human soul could be a potent source of magic."


    "Of course. I knew it was heading towards this."


    Rowan smiled, "tales about demons seldom head in a positive direction. Anyway, Ioran first killed his wife and trapped her soul inside her decomposing body. He spent many days trying to refine the soul into magic but he failed to do so. Ioran knew that the soul would be freed if the body decomposed into a skeleton so he did something else that was so cruel it gave birth to a foetal form of what we now know as a demon."


    Despite himself, Red found that he was completely riveted to the tale. "What?" He whispered.


    "Ioran severed her soul into tiny little pieces."


    "But how?"


    "A spell created by the sorcerer in an ancient language that no longer exists as it did in his time. Immortals have tried to replicate such magic but until we completely understand the rules of the ancient language, we will never have powers like that which Ioran held."


    It left him with a lot to ponder about but Red saved his questions for after the end of the tale. "He divided her soul, then what?"


    "Each soul fragment fought to unite with the others. And in that desire to become one again, it birthed a hunger in the soul fragments that could only be satisfied by the unity of all the pieces."


    "So each soul," Red whispered as he figured out what Rowan was implying, "became a demon, driven by insatiable hunger and desire."


    "Not entirely a demon but we''re getting there. The wicked sorcerer absorbed the fragments but it still wasn''t enough. Saving one child, he killed every single member of the tribe that he ruled. All of their souls were fragmented and absorbed till Ioran finally felt he was powerful enough to raise the dead."


    "Let me guess, that one child left alive was his guinea pig."


    "Yes," Rowan replied, "he slew the child and then laid the body upon an altar washed in the blood of the slain boy. Ioran spoke his words of magic and forced the child to open its eyes. Alas, no matter how powerful you are, the law of the universe is greater. Not even his ill-gotten magic could compel the law. The child did wake up but he was still undead and now infected by the hunger that plagued the souls."


    Red''s eyes widened. "Is the child-" he forgot they were still whispering.


    "Shhh. It''s just a tale, right?" Rowan pressed a finger to the child''s lips. "This hunger was an infection that even the deities could not afford to touch because even they would not be spared from its effects."


    "But aren''t they all-powerful?" Lucien asked.


    "I can''t answer that," Rowan said in a wistful tone.


    "What happened next?!"


    "Ioran was struck by the wrath of the law. He perished, and then the fragmented souls gathered inside the body of the little boy who held a single fragment of soul that Ioran had put inside him."


    "An undead little boy holding the power of so many souls.. but without having to face the wrath of the law. I wonder if that made him lucky or unlucky.."

 Chapter 184 - Revelation

    "I''d say he was a very pitiful and unlucky boy. The hunger grew inside him every day. He searched and searched the world for a way to piece back the souls but he failed every single time. Eventually, he was driven mad by hunger. The child, now an adult man, released the soul fragments into the world and the hunger began to spread amongst humanity. His assault upon the world then lasted for years till the deities came together and banished him and his army into another dimension."


    Red got goosebumps. Why did Rowan have to tell him this? Now he was privy to a secret that only he and Rowan likely knew. But how did Rowan find out in the first place?


    "Rowan, do you remember everything?" Red asked. By this point, there was no use pretending that they weren''t both aware of each other''s chance at second lives.


    "Mostly, I think I do."


    Red wanted so badly to ask the anti mage how he had passed away. But he could not ask while Luci was also listening.


    "So us half-demons are infected, and we have fragments of souls inside us?"


    "Yes," Rowan answered. "But those souls aren''t just hungry. They also carry the insanity that had taken over the boy after years of his struggle."


    "But why do some of us have wings and horns, while others don''t?" Red asked.


    "Thats because the precursors of humanity had extra attachments to their bodies. They were the first souls that were slaughtered by Ioran."


    Red felt enlightened.


    "Then this nonsense about demons being inherently evil and doomed.. aren''t they lies, Rowan?"


    "I can''t answer that, Lucien. But believe me when I say this, one day, someone will find a way to free the souls by uniting the fragments. That is what I hope will come to pass."


    Red clutched the blanket at his chest. He twisted his fingers in the fabric and calmed his heart. Did Rowan know that the world had tilted and nothing was the same anymore for Red? The redhead still hadn''t grasped the ramifications of what he had been told but it would come to him soon.


    "That someone, will it be you?" He asked Rowan.


    "I don''t think so, Lucien. It doesn''t mean I won''t try though."


    "Why do you know this tale when I''ve never heard anything close to it in all my life?" He asked the blond. If the story was true, why was there no record of it at all? Did humanity collectively forget about the boy who attacked the world? If there were survivors, they''d have passed down stories about it.


    "You just have to listen to the message that''s common in all the stories, Lucien. The details vary wildly but each tale has a piece of the puzzle that makes the whole picture."


    Red tried to recall all the different stories he''d heard about the origins of his kind. "I will have to read anew."


    "Mmm," Rowan answered sleepily. "I suggest you begin with the tale of creation as believed by the Akalians."


    "Those lunatics?"


    Akalians were a community that believed in a divine creature who would come to destroy the world and take them to a paradise in another dimension. They often followed rules that appeared strange to other people. Self-flagellation and rumours of human sacrifices were common to the Akalian community.


    "Oh," Red said as he realised how the Akalian beliefs coincided with Rowan''s story. "Do they know who they worship?"


    "I don''t doubt it," Rowan answered. "I have to sleep, Lucien. Unlike you, work starts very early for me." The anti mage''s voice was soft with sleep.


    "Hey, I go to school too!" Red whispered but Rowan was already surrendering to the sandman''s powers.


    The redhead slipped lower under the blanket and stayed awake thinking about everything Rowan had told him.


    -----


    Syryn was in a foul mood in the morning when a letter arrived. It was an invitation for Rowan to a noble lady''s debut ball. Another noble family hoping that Rowan would fall in love with their daughter at her debut ball and then ask for her hand in marriage; how unoriginal, Syryn had declared. In his fit of jealousy, he refused to entertain any other possibility for why his lover had received an invitation.


    "The nerve of them to send it to MY home!" A vein throbbed on his temple. "Rowan, what the hell is this?" He flapped the perfumed envelope at the blond''s face. "How many of these do you get every week?!"


    "Not a lot."


    "I thought you said they don''t follow you?"


    "They don''t." Rowan was drinking a cup of tea while focused on a report he had received from a messenger hawk.


    "Then how did they know you''re here?"


    Blue eyes glanced at Syryn and back at the report. "Someone must have seen my carriage head inside here. This isn''t exactly an isolated neighbourhood, Ryn."


    "I will burn all the invitations!"


    "Please, go ahead with it. I won''t stop you."


    "You''re not going to move out are you?" Syryn worriedly asked.


    "Only if you want me to. But you''ll have to come along with me where I go."


    "No, this house is comfortable. I''ll just put a sign at the gate that says - invitations to balls and birthdays are not welcome."


    "Hmm. I''m visiting the silent market tonight. Would you like to come along with me, Ryn?"


    The alchemist suddenly felt rejuvenated. Rowan had mentioned the silent market in his last life and it had been a place he wanted to visit.


    "Yes! Why is that even a question, Ro? But why are you going?"


    The report in his hand turned to ashes and was carried away by the wind. "I heard about a new delivery of arcane artefacts. We might find something there that could be useful to us."


    A market so silent that not even the whisper of robes was allowed to be heard; it was a concept that Syryn didn''t understand. Why did the market have to be silent? Who enforced the rule? Was there ever an instance when someone had shouted at the top of their lungs just to see what would happen? Regardless, he could tick off another item on the list of places he wanted to visit before the world ended.

 Chapter 185 - Whistle

    "We look like suspicious characters," Syryn said to the blond next to him. They were both wearing identical grey cloaks with hoods that hid the upper halves of their faces.


    "It''s standard getup for a night at Silent," Rowan answered. "You''ll appear more out of place without a cloak."


    Rowan and Syryn were waiting at the spot in their garden where the rift would open.


    "You''d think the place is crawling with criminals the way everyone has to hide their faces," Syryn commented.


    The two of them saw the air split before them. The rift was opened from the inside. Rowan stepped in first, then Syryn. To his surprise, their companions were familiar folks - Artemus, Sebastian, and Vincent - cloaked similarly.


    "Oh hey, it''s Siran," the golden-eyed anti mage waved.


    "Rowan, why is this man talking to me with familiarity as though I know him?" Syryn asked the blond.


    "Play nice while I speak with Artemus," Rowan said before stepping up to the other mage hunter. Sebastian fell back and joined the bickering pair while the mage hunters spoke in low voices ahead of them.


    --------


    Artemus led them out to a sandy beach where a large number of turtles were sleeping. In the distance, a large castle stood on a small island that was mostly composed of rock.


    "That''s Silent," Sebastian pointed out to Syryn. "I heard it''s your first time visitin''."


    "Yes. How are we getting to the island?"


    "We''re walkin'' to it."


    Syryn thought Sebastian was joking but he saw Rowan and Artemus walking on the surface of the water.


    "Look, there''s a bridge," Vincent pointed to his feet. There was a brick path leading right from the edge of the beach to the island. "It appears only during a low tide."


    A sliver of water rested above the brick path that Syryn had missed because of the darkness. "But how do we get back when the tide rises and we''re still at the market?" Syryn asked the anti mage.


    "We exit through the rift in the castle."


    "Why don''t they allow entry then?"


    "Silent market has some strange rules and one of them is that guests are to arrive at a specified interval of time durin'' which the tide is low enough to allow entry. If ya miss it then ya miss it. Not even boats are allowed anywhere near the island," Sebastian explained to him.


    Their feet made sloshing sounds on the bridge as they crossed it. And when a large wave came crashing towards them, Sebastian''s wind swept the wave back against itself.


    They were nearing the island when Syryn heard the faint sounds of a person whistling an eerie tune. He turned around and looked behind him but the bridge was devoid of any living creature aside from themselves.


    "What''s wrong?" Vincent asked Syryn.


    "Don''t you hear that?" He said to the others.


    "Hear what?" Vincent replied. Even Sebastian looked puzzled at Syryn''s words.


    The alchemist''s first thought was that they were both in on a joke being played on Syryn. But then he looked at where Rowan and Artemus were ahead and in deep conversation. Neither appeared to have heard the whistle. And they weren''t the type to be involved in such trickery.


    "You guys, do you not hear the whistling?" He asked the other two again. It was a high pitched, mournful tune that made the hair on his neck stand.


    "I don''t hear anythin''," Sebastian replied.


    "Just the wind and the waves." Vincent looked at Syryn oddly. "Do you have.... special ears?"


    "What''s that supposed to mean?!" Syryn was getting antsier by the second. The whistling seemed to follow them.


    "Why are you getting offended, Saron? It''s just a question."


    Syryn walked closer between the mage and anti mage. He hoped it wasn''t some kind of a joke because the whistling was creeping him out.


    "I can hear whistling."


    Sebastian looked at him with concern. "The whistlin'' of the wind or someone whistlin''?"


    "A person.. the tune goes like this," Syryn said and whistled a tune for them. The act of creating the tune through his lips birthed a strange feeling within Syryn.


    "Thats weird.." Vincent said after listening to the tune. They were almost to the island, a relief for Syryn since he wouldn''t have to hear the whistling when within the silent market.


    "Whatever is goin'' on, I hope it''s nothin'' too strange," Sebastian said while looking at Syryn in interest. Fun was had when Syryn was around attracting trouble for them.


    "Nothing too strange? It''s already weird enough that only I can hear it. Are you two messing with me?"


    "No," Vincent said in all seriousness. "Why would we do that?"


    "S''ryn, the sound will stop when we get inside there. Every little sound gets eaten inside. If the whistlin'' still persists when we exit through the rift then we''ll look for wherever it is that''s makin'' ya hear the whistle."


    Syryn nodded even as a frown made itself known on his face. He was desperate for the whistling to end.


    -----


    The group climbed a stone staircase and arrived at the entrance of the castle. A guard in heavy armour held his hand out and accepted a large amount of money from Rowan before they were allowed entry.


    The moment Syryn stepped inside, it was as if he had gone deaf. Utter silence reigned, but it wasn''t just the absence of sound. Inside the walls of the castle, the existence of sound was nullified. Going from the sound of whistling and crashing waves to this oppressive silence was a jarring moment to Syryn''s senses.


    Rowan turned back to look at him. The blond gestured for Syryn to come with him. When the alchemist had been told of the existence of such a place, he had assumed that people were silent in adherence to a rule set by the owners of the market. But he had been wrong. The entire castle was a magical creation that absorbed sound. The alternative was that it harboured a magical device that nullified sound.


    Syryn snapped his fingers under the long sleeves of his cloak but he heard nothing. It was disconcerting. He would go crazy if he stayed inside here for longer than an hour.

 Chapter 186 - Shiny

    The silent market encompassed the entire castle. Every room in the castle, including the dungeons, became a shop. There were no decorations inside the stony chambers of the castle but each room held a plaque that identified itself in the common language. Beneath its bold font, several smaller writings in other scripts presumably said the same thing.


    Rowan first led Syryn to a store that sold books. Every available inch of the walls was covered by floor to ceiling bookshelves stocked with tomes of all thicknesses and colours. More books were stacked on the floor and then even more overflowing across the tables. An old woman sat on a comfortable chair near the door. Open at her table was a book that Syryn was familiar with.


    Leaving Rowan by the door, Syryn entered the book shop and browsed the titles. Each shelf was organised by theme and it didn''t take long for Syryn to find the alchemy shelf. Several titles he already owned but a book on mathematical modelling of alchemy caught his eye. He pulled the book out and held on to it even as he found rare books that tempted him to splurge.


    He had money so why was he hesitating? Syryn walked to the old woman''s table with a stack of books so high that it even covered his chin. Rowan was quick to rescue the alchemist from his tower of books that slowed him down.


    870 crowns.


    Syryn grit his teeth and signed over the money to the old woman. Before their departure, Rowan had taught him how the payment process was carried out so he didn''t require help during payment. The process was hassle-free for the customers and it also ensured that the sellers weren''t cheated by the buyers.


    Their next stop was at a shop that Rowan chose for his needs. Items imbued with magic were sold at the shop by a teenage boy who had exotic features. Oblique eyes and tanned skin stood out most if one disregarded his shocking white hair.


    While his anti mage looked at the items and their descriptions written in the pages of a book that was handed over by the seller, Syryn looked at a wall where jewellery hung from little hooks on a wooden board.


    Amongst all the pretty and shiny jewellery glimmering in the light, a silver ring caught Syryn''s attention. It was a plain band on which sat an indigo-coloured sapphire that matched the colour of his eyes. Upon a closer inspection, the inner surface of the ring showed symbols that he had never seen, and they were etched with delicate workmanship. Syryn slid the ring out of its hook and looked closer at the strange symbols.


    He felt a tap on his shoulder. It startled him out of his focus.


    Syryn turned around and made eye contact with the teenage boy who smiled at him. The boy held up a sheet of paper and pointed with his finger to an entry.


    234: Ring of Luck - Goodluck will follow the wearer, but, for a small price.


    After everything that had been happening to him, Syryn figured he could use some luck. The vagueness of its description and the mention of a small price nearly dissuaded the alchemist. Still, he decided to buy it just because he liked the colour of the gemstone.


    The next thing he looked at was a golden monkey displayed in a glass case. The monkey had a disproportionately large phallus that hung down from between its legs. Syryn was fascinated. What the hell was the monkey about? He pointed to it and the teenage boy brought him a book.


    112: Idol of fertility - Keep the idol under your bed when performing intercourse. The hand of fertility will bless a barren womb.


    Syryn was half tempted to buy it, not because he wanted a baby. The alchemist wanted to test the effects of the idol. If it really worked then couldn''t he just rent it out to infertile couples and make a lot of money from it? His gaze drifted to the price.


    100000 crowns.


    The alchemist slammed the book shut with force but there was no satisfaction in it. The sound was absorbed by the castle.


    Syryn then wandered over to where Rowan was looking at a non-descript key. The anti mage put the key in a tray of items that he was buying.


    Syryn was curious about the door that the key opened to. But something else on the tray grabbed his attention away from the key. A flute carved out of bone sat amongst the items on the tray. After the weird whistling that he''d heard, Syryn couldn''t help but wonder about the sound produced by the flute and what sort of magic came from it.


    Rowan seemed to be done with his purchases because he took Syryn''s ring out of the tray and placed it amongst his items. The anti mage then paid for the group of items without blinking at the length of numbers that appeared on the paper.


    Syryn had fooled himself into thinking he was rich. But now that Rowan had enlightened him with this purchase, the alchemist put away his pride and decided that Blue could hug Rowan''s thick thighs. Syryn could hug Rowan''s thick thighs. Why was he slaving away in the alchemy room when he could get married to the anti mage and live like a king?


    The proprietor of the shop placed the items in individual cases and then put them all inside a bag that went straight into Rowan''s pocket dimension.


    The anti mage then turned to Syryn with a question in his eyes. Where would Syryn like to go next? He seemed to ask.


    The alchemist shrugged. He actually wanted to visit every single shop in the castle but feared that all his money would get thrown to the vendors of the silent market. But then again, Rowan was around. Could he be shameless enough to have Rowan fund his shopping spree? Only after Syryn spent more of his own money.


    He walked out of the shop and saw a store that boldly declared - Alchemy Box.

 Chapter 187 - Alchemy Box

    Syryn''s feet drifted towards the enchanting shop. He could already see his savings becoming lighter with each step that brought him closer to the shop.


    The smell of alchemy in the room wafted out to him when Syryn entered its threshold. It was unmistakably pungent, earthy, and also sweet and spicy. Racks upon racks of glass jars with labels on their lids sat in uniform rows above a line of fully grown Chimera bushes in enchanted pots.


    Syryn''s alchemy loving heart wept at seeing the chimaera plant that grew several kinds of flowers and leaves from a single parent stem. The best part about it was that they weren''t ordinary flowers. Syryn could see Dragon''s tongue, Tears of Rana, Alspet, and a few more whose concentrations in low amounts were enough for several batches of potions.


    10000 crowns


    For a single plant, it was too much. But the process and effort that it took to grow a convenient source of rare flowers through a single plant warranted such a high price.


    Syryn read the information leaflet on the chimaera. He was informed that the plant had been grown using the most resistant varieties of each type of flower. Moreover, the pot was imbued with magic to protect the plant from common and rare diseases. He was guaranteed a ten-year use on the plant if it wasn''t stripped too regularly.


    It was an easy decision to make. The alchemist picked up a pot and pushed through a few other buyers to get to the seller. When Rowan tugged it out of his hands, Syryn began seeing more advantages from the anti mage whose chief purpose had become money bags in Syryn''s eyes.


    The alchemist then happily went back to the shelves and picked up the jars that had weird labels.


    Gall bladder of the werebear. Preserved tadpoles. Blood silk. Serpent''s oil.


    He looked back over his shoulders at the blond anti mage who was browsing through the selection of cauldrons the shop had to offer. Naturally, Syryn carried his expensive ingredients in their jars and arrived next to Rowan.


    Heaven''s Light Cauldron - 100000 crowns


    The cauldron was transparent and carved out of a special crystal that could absorb the energy from sun and moon''s light. It meant that the alchemist could create potions without a stove. However, Syryn considered the cauldron an ostentatious piece of equipment that was as useful as a cracked soup bowl. The cauldron had to be kept in the sun all day for the energy equivalent of creating one batch of intermediate potions. The efficiency was abysmal. It was basically a showpiece for rich alchemists. The only reason Syryn would ever buy one was if he ever felt the need to make potions that required the moon''s energy. Even then, the cauldron could be replaced by moon water. Syryn did not want it.


    He grabbed the blond and dragged him away from the cauldron.


    The alchemist spent close to an hour in the shop. Rowan had exited the Alchemy Box at some point in time but Syryn was too blissfully unaware of his surroundings to care. 20 jars, one chimaera pot, 3 enchanted candles, 30 bags of seeds, one light rod, and 6 new knives - which he really didnt need if he was being honest - later, Syryn was signing over so much money that he felt his fingers freeze. He had to manually take control of his hand and force out a magic signature that sealed his road to poverty.


    Sighing at how much money was gone, he stepped out of the shop and then did a U-turn. Syryn had decided to get something for Salem. More crowns were spent but he wasn''t too upset about it since Salem deserved a good gift from him. His bag was much heavier when he stepped out for a final time. The heaviness was only a rhetorical observation because his satchel always weighed the same. Syryn vowed never to return to the Alchemy Box. It had been the best and worst shopping trip of his life.


    Done with his purchases, Syryn looked around and saw that Rowan was back inside the shop of magical items. Despite his grey cloak, the alchemist could recognise Rowan''s silhouette immediately. A familiar gold idol went into Rowan''s bag and Syryn was dumbfounded. What on Earth did the anti mage want with a fertility idol? Common sense told him that it was probably a gift to some couple that the anti mage knew were trying to conceive. But, he still needed to confirm it.


    Syryn was quick to pull put his quill and parchment. He scratched a note and held it out to Rowan when the blond stepped out.


    Why did you buy the stupid idol?!


    Rowan blinked at the page and wrote a reply underneath.


    You were interested in the idol.


    Syryn shook his head at the anti mage and scribbled.


    No, I wasn''t. I was merely curious.


    Did you want children? Rowan wrote.


    Syryn nearly tore the paper in half.


    Yes. Can you bear my babies?!


    Rowan smiled as he wrote out a reply.


    I''m a man.


    So am I!!


    So you don''t want children?


    This was never about having children. I wanted to rent the idol out to childless couples.


    But it''s a single-use idol.


    The alchemist felt the urge to throw the idol at the teenage boy.


    Why the hell is it so expensive then?!


    It is made of solid gold. You can sell it still for a higher price.


    Syryn scribbled with quick flourishes of his quill that pressed too hard on the paper.


    Who will buy such an expensive gold idol unless they''re made of money like you?? Is this why your hair is also gold in colour?


    Let''s talk about this later. We have more shops to visit.


    Syryn snatched his quill back and stuffed it inside the satchel. He was now burdened with one useless solid gold monkey idol with a huge phallus, bigger than his even. Why did Rowan want to buy him everything useless and ostentatious? Even so, the alchemist was already considering a spot on the kitchen table at the manor. The gold idol would look beautiful next to Alka''s vase of flowers.

 Chapter 188 - Dread

    The castle balconies of Silent market served as places where guests could converse with each other without their voices getting absorbed. Rowan paid for an unoccupied balcony and they walked out of the oppressive silence. It was a relief for Syryn to finally hear something. Waves hitting the rocky island never sounded sweeter to the alchemist.


    "Did you find what you wanted to buy?" Syryn asked the anti mage. The hood over Rowan''s head had slipped back and the golden hair that Syryn loved was on full display. Moonlight''s kiss on Rowan was magical to the observant Syryn.


    "Unfortunately no," Rowan replied, unaware of Syryn''s appreciation of his form. "But I''ll keep looking."


    "You still acquired so many items, Ro. Are you sure your treasury can bear the expenses we''ve incurred today?" Syryn said as he looked out towards where the sea line touched the dark sky. A strong wind was blowing and it ruffled his clothing, swept through his hair, and left coolness in its wake.


    "I might have to rely on you for my next meal, Ryn," Rowan joked.


    Syryn''s answering smile had barely formed when it slid right off his face. The wind carried a familiar whistling to his ears. Wide-eyed, he looked at Rowan, willing the blond to say that he could hear it too.


    The anti mage was surprised by the sudden change in Syryn. "Is something wrong?"


    The lonely whistling sound evoked several feelings in Syryn the chief of which was a slowly rising dread. His gaze swept past the water looking for any sign of movement.


    "Syryn, what''s going on?" Rowan asked now more concerned by the alchemist''s sudden alertness.


    "Whistling," Syryn answered grimly. "Only I can hear it, Ro. I heard it when we were crossing the bridge, and I can hear it now."


    "Describe it to me."


    Syryn lightly puckered his lips and forced the air out, creating a high pitched sound that he matched to the whistle he alone could hear. The feeling of dread intensified and Syryn went quiet.


    "That''s how it goes.."


    "You began hearing this only when we arrived at the beach," Rowan confirmed with him.


    "Yeah. It started when I was almost halfway across the bridge."


    "And you saw absolutely nothing from where the whistle could have originated?"


    "Look around us, Ro," Syryn looked out to the water again even as the whistle continued to haunt him. "I don''t see anything. Do you?"


    Rowan cast out his net but the ocean did not respond. There was no magic at play.


    "Let''s get back inside and leave, Ryn. We won''t come back here anymore."


    The mage nodded. He was decidedly uncomfortable but felt safer with Rowan around.


    At an appointed time that was discussed before their entrance, the other members of their group arrived one by one at the exit rift. Vincent was last to arrive, but when he did, Artemus opened a rift and they all marched in.


    Syryn hadn''t yet told them about the whistling that had followed him to the balcony, but they all could sense that Rowan and Syryn were uneasy. The uneasiness infected them in turn and they began asking questions the moment they were out of the castle.


    Within the foggy environment of the lost path, the blessed absence of whistling washed the alchemist in a sense of relief that was so deep, it instantly buoyed his mood.


    "Syryn, is everything okay?" Artemus asked him first. The anti mage had been talking to Rowan at the bridge when Syryn had told the others about the whistle. He still didn''t know about what had happened.


    Syryn explained it to him.


    "That''s very strange," Artemus replied after hearing the mage recount his story. "I''ve never heard of something like that happening."


    "S''ryn, if you alone can hear it then it means somethin'' might be wrong with ya. Or yer cursed."


    The alchemist thought about it. For a curse, it was pretty tame, if it was one. Although... the whistling could potentially drive him crazy. He immediately revised his opinion about the danger it posed to him.


    "But it shouldn''t be a problem if he only hears it when he''s at the Silent beach right?" Vincent asked.


    "It''s a problem," Rowan answered. "Syryn alone shouldn''t be hearing any whistling.


    I don''t like not knowing what''s going on."


    Artemus replied, "I''ll check the archives for information on strange whistling if there are any. Until then, there''s nothing we can do that doesn''t involve going back and searching the beaches."


    He opened a rift and allowed Syryn to step through first. Rowan followed. The others would continue on to their destinations.


    "Hear anything?" The blond asked after they watched the rift close. They were back at Syryn''s manor. The garden looked peaceful. The only sounds he could hear were the sounds of the night.


    "All good," Syryn replied feeling like himself again.


    ----


    That night, Syryn fell asleep unaware that his ordeal had only just begun.


    No sooner had he closed his eyes, a vivid dream began that had him out on a boat at sea. He was all alone, drifting by himself over an ocean that looked the same no matter which direction he looked towards. The sky was without stars or a moon. It was just a deep black shroud of darkness that encumbered his sights.


    Syryn hugged himself as a sense of dread bathed his entire being. Where was Rowan? Why wasn''t he with Syryn? He didn''t want to be alone. Something in the water was coming to get him.


    Something in the water... How did he know that? The alchemist set his gaze to the bottom of the tiny boat. It was a thin layer of rotting wood that separated him from the water.


    The sound of waves lapping against the side of his boat became his only friend as it was the one recognisable sound he could hear. Syryn''s heart thudded in his chest, and the blood roared in his ears.


    And then the whistling began.

 Chapter 189 - Finding Qairu

    Ryn.....


    Ryn.....


    He could hear his name being called.


    "Syryn!"


    The mage''s eyes flew wide open and he looked around like he was struggling to understand where he was.


    "Syryn," it was Rowan calling him. "Speak to me. Did you have a nightmare?" The blond''s worried face hovered over his in the darkness.


    "Whistling. The damn whistling in my dream."


    Syryn sat up on the bed and tried to recall what he had dreamt of.


    "It followed you to your dreams?" Rowan asked.


    Did it? Or was it just a product of his sub-conscience doing its thing as a reaction to what he had experienced?


    "I''m okay. It was just a bad dream."


    "You were calling my name," Rowan told him gently. "Did someone try to hurt you in the dream?"


    Syryn furrowed his brows as he recalled the dream. "No, I was alone on a boat at sea. Lost too, I think. And I couldn''t stop the whistling. I felt surrounded and trapped by it. It''s a good thing you woke me up, Ro."


    Rowan brushed back the hair falling across Syryn''s cheek. ''It was just a dream, Ryn. You''re okay and I''m here with you."


    Neither could make sense of Syryn''s dream. In the end, Syryn fell asleep in Rowan''s embrace with his back against the anti mage''s chest. This time, he had a dreamless sleep.


    -----


    A few days passed in relative peace. Syryn wore his sapphire ring but wasn''t feeling the effects of any good luck, nor the price he was paying for it.


    "You got scammed," Red declared.


    "Rowan''s money. I don''t care." Syryn''s eyes tracked Riha across the garden. The selkie was taking a break from his reading and getting some exercising done. He still wanted to drink selkie blood but he kept tight control on the hunger. The time for a loss of control was coming again. Syryn could feel it. "And why aren''t you attending classes today?"


    Red sighed. "There''s only so much boredom I can take. Let''s go on another adventure, Syryn."


    "We just came back from one."


    "Take me with you to the fire temple."


    "I''m not going," Syryn replied while taking a peek at the skin on his arm where a mark was previously burnt. Over time, the flame tattoo had gotten absorbed into his skin and it could no longer be seen. He wondered what that was about. Lately, Syryn felt like he was attracting all kinds of attention he didn''t need.


    "Oh, by the way, this came for you." Red retrieved an envelope from his pocket. "It''s what I came to give you but forgot about."


    It had to be from Artemus. No one else communicated with him through letters. Syryn cut open the envelope and slid out a small note. It was written in the cypher he had taught the anti mage. Syryn was so familiar with the code that he deciphered the message mentally even as he read it.


    Syryn,


    Meet Qairu. I suspect he knows something but is reluctant to share the information with me, a mage hunter. Perhaps you will have better luck figuring out what he''s hiding.


    Artemus.


    The mage set fire to the letter, an instruction that Artemus had impressed upon him for every letter they exchanged. He decided he could take some time off in the evening and visit Qairu. But for that, he needed to know where the priest conducted business. What did he even do these days? Syryn wondered.


    "Red, do you know where Qairu lives?" Asking Alka was the last option he would resort to.


    "How am I supposed to know?"


    And that exhausted Syryn''s short list of people he could enquire about Qairu''s whereabouts.


    "Why don''t you ask Navi?" The redhead suggested.


    "And why would Navi know where Qairu lives?"


    "Why would I know either? You still asked me, didn''t you? Might as well question the cat."


    What did he have to lose? Syryn found the orange tabby sleeping on the roof of the manor.


    "Oye, Navi!" He yelled from below.


    A fat orange face appeared. The cat blinked down at Syryn lazily.


    "Take me to Qairu''s house."


    -----


    Navi did in fact know where Qairu lived. He had to ask Alka why the cat was privy to his ex''s location of residence.


    Syryn, Lucien, and a yawning Navi at their feet, stood at the wrought iron gates of a red brick home.


    "Call out his name," Syryn instructed Red.


    "Why me? You do it."


    "He likes you, doesn''t he?"


    "He likes Luci."


    "Then have Luci call him out."


    While they bickered about who was to summon Qairu, the priest stood behind them, having arrived from the Elysium Mill.


    "Syryn and Lucien. What brings you to my humble abode?"


    "Qairu," Syryn turned to the priest. The same ash coloured hair was now shorter than the shoulder-length style he had favoured when they first met. It was parted to the side and cut in a neat short style. From his pretty hair to the purple eyes and black jewel, everything about his unique colouring attracted attention.


    "Syryn."


    The alchemist took a step forward and leaned in to whisper in the priest''s ear.


    "I know you''re quite the expert on matters of the undead. Let''s talk about it, Qairu."


    A priest dabbling in necromancy wasn''t unheard of because it was a part of their job to familiarise themselves with the dark magic that was used to raise the dead. However, Qairu was a special priest who took his studies further and further till he became a seasoned necromancer. No priest in history had ever dared to do what he did. It was blasphemy.


    At hearing Syryn''s threat, a strange light dawned in the priest''s eyes but he remained unconcerned. "Stay for a while since you''ve come all this way to my home." The priest pushed open the iron gate and waited for his guests to enter.


    Qairu led them to the rear side of the house, bypassing the entrance, and going through the back door.


    "The front door is compromised and I''m in no mood to unbind the curse on it so we''re resorting to the back door," Qairu said to them with a wry smile.


    "Who cursed your door?" Syryn asked.


    "Now that''s a tough question to answer. It is probable that I''ve been cursed by a great number of people who may or may not include my ex-fiance''s family."

 Chapter 190 - Poisoning Qairu

    "Your ex-fiance?" Syryn spluttered. "Didn''t you get engaged just not too long ago?"


    Qairu headed to a spiral staircase in the centre of the empty room they''d entered.


    "Yes, and I disengaged, the results of which have been disastrous, to say the least. But I am now a single and disowned man, completely cut off from the family that I hate. Life couldn''t be better."


    Syryn followed closely behind Qairu, and Red led their rear with Navi.


    "What about Alka? He doesn''t know you''re disengaged," a silly term, but one that fit their context.


    "Syryn, we dont talk about that in this house."


    "So you''re going to let him continue to believe that you''re engaged. But why?"


    Qairu smiled at the mage. "Have you not considered that perhaps I don''t feel for Alka as I used to?"


    They were on a terrace now. Syryn could see a variety of plants spread across the terrace in their pretty pots. Healthy tendrils of vines climbed the iron railings and covered it in small green leaves. Alka had left his imprint at this place and Qairu had kept it as it was.


    "Then you''re fine with Alka moving on with someone else?" Syryn asked as he studied Qairu''s face.


    "I hope he''s happy." The priest turned away from Syryn to boil some water on a stove that was set on its stand against the railing.


    "So, what did you come here for, Syryn? Aside from the little threat that you shouldn''t have had to resort to. I would have welcomed you without being threatened."


    Navi and Luci were busy chasing a ladybug that dived under a pile of leaves. Syryn hoped they could make it out of there without leaving behind any broken pots.


    "To ask you about the corpses from the caravan murders."


    There was a pause as Qairu fiddled with the sealed lid of a jar that contained tea leaves and edible flowers. With a loud pop, the priest unscrewed the lid and looked inside the jar as if searching for something dangerous.


    "Another curse?" Syryn asked dryly.


    "No, but I do think these flowers aren''t edible."


    Syryn held out a hand. "Give that to me."


    The priest handed the jar over to the alchemist who took no longer than one look at the flowers to decide that they were indeed poisonous.


    "Your ex-fiance''s family?" The mage asked the amused priest.


    "I haven''t the fastest of an idea," he replied sarcastically.


    "Your would-be murderer has great taste in poisonous plants. Can I take this?" Syryn held up the jar.


    "By all means. But now we have nothing to drink, Syryn. Unless you''re inclined to drink a cup of hot water." Qairu lined up 3 mugs beside the stove.


    "You''re awfully indifferent about the murder attempts that are in progress in your own house," Syryn observed. "Is this a normal day for you?"


    Saying so, Syryn retrieved some tea powder from his satchel. It was one of his travelling packets.


    "What would you have me do? Panic?" Qairu accepted the safe tea powder with a nod of acknowledgement. "Only a calm mind can facilitate my safe passage through the traps that have been set for me."


    "Can''t you just disappear from the house for a few months? You come back here knowing that they''ve infiltrated your home, knowing you might die if you miss a single clue."


    Qairu shrugged. "All the more reason to come back home, I''d say. Imagine the looks of frustration on their faces when they realise I''ve managed to dodge yet another hit. Their subtle attempts have been escalating into more obvious traps and it delights me. It shows their desperation, Syryn, and that''s how they will fall. One careless clue is all I need."


    Syryn was beginning to understand why Qairu was risking his life in such a manner. He needed evidence to prove their crimes and have them sent to prison. "So you''ll hand over the evidence to the Sanguine?" He asked while getting excited about it for some reason.


    "The Sanguine? Of course not!" Qairu smirked. "That''s a very stupid move, Syryn."


    The alchemist was back to square one. "How is it stupid?!"


    Qairu had a slight grin on his face. "Why would I depend on the mage hunters for justice when I can blackmail them instead?" He said with satisfaction. "I know, I know, you''re thinking they''ll try to kill me anyway, aren''t you?"


    Syryn nodded.


    "It''ll be too late by then," Qairu said. "Killing me will become impossible."


    The alchemist wondered just how Qairu would manage that. But this was the death priest he was dealing with, a corrupted version of the holy priest that he should have been. Syryn wondered how much time Qairu had before he veered off completely towards the darker side.


    "I believe you," he solemnly answered the priest.


    Luci turned his nose up at the tea and sat quietly in his chair, knowing that the grown-ups were having a serious conversation. Navi was on his lap, curled up like a fat purring pillow.


    "Pray, tell me, who told you about my unpleasant side hobby?" Qairu enquired with a faint smile.


    "It was you. You told me." Syryn''s eyes invited Qairu to look in them for lies. "Do you believe me?"


    The priest was fascinated by the transparency with which Syryn said those words. They couldn''t be true because Qairu had never told Syryn about his necromancy hobby. "You''re a damn good liar, Syryn. I''m impressed."


    "But I''m not lying," Syryn insisted with a grin. "Qairu, test my words for truth." Syryn leaned forward and looked into bewitching purple eyes. "It was you, Qairu. You told me, no, you showed me what marvellous things you could do with a corpse."


    "You''re crazy, Syryn," the corrupt priest replied looking outright amused. "I''d believe you if it weren''t for the fact that I''m still incapable of doing more than resurrecting a lowly walker. What marvellous things can I do then in the future?"


    Syryn hadn''t meant for their discussion to deviate in this direction. Before sensibility could tell him otherwise, he decided to throw Qairu a bone. The mage didn''t want to disappoint the priest. All he had to say was a single word.


    "Lich."

 Chapter 191 - Threatening Qairu

    Qairu''s laughter was sharp.


    "You nearly had me there, Syryn. Do you even know how impossibly difficult it is to create a lich?"


    "I know," Syryn drawled. "The last immortal lich was killed nearly a thousand years ago and there hasn''t been another since then."


    "Yes. A lich appears once every thousand years because there can only be one lich in existence at a time."


    "And the thousand-year mark is coming up, Qairu. Are you prepared?" The eagerness in Syryn''s voice was contagious.


    The priest grinned and leaned forward to rest his chin languidly on a palm. "If I didn''t know better, I might suspect you were encouraging me."


    "And If I were being honest, I''d confess that I am most certainly encouraging you."


    A memory was pulled up out of Syryn''s mental bank. Qairu was a special priest. He would never tire of saying that. The priest hadn''t just discovered the secrets and esoteric rituals necessary to becoming a Lich, he''d found a way to make and enslave one. Where others strived to become a Lich, Qairu plotted and succeeded in turning an immortal Lich into his servant. With an army at his disposal, the priest would become the sovereign ruler of an enormous undead force to be reckoned with. And Syryn wanted to see that Lich army again.


    "How is it that you know me better than the woman who calls herself my mother?" Qairu asked. His eyes seemed to be reading Syryn''s mind. "Are you a seer? No, don''t answer that. I believe in my abilities but you''ve come to me like a sign from the universe, Syryn. I must be on the right path."


    It was here that Red saw fit to join the conversation. "Qairu, how about we exchange pointers? As a fellow necromancer in training, I see many advantages to learning from each other."


    The priest stared at the child. "This day is full of surprises. What do you know, Lucien?"


    The redhead recounted to Qairu a simplified version of the rules that were squeezed into his brain by his cheap teacher from the past. "The first rule for a necromancer, awareness of your own life essence. The second rule, knowing your own limits. The third rule-"


    "Young Lucien, you really are serious. Did your brother not try to stop you from treading down this terrible path?" The priest solemnly asked. Dark magic users who fancied themselves necromancers often found ways to obtain the spells that allowed them to perform minor necromancy. The rules that governed the workings of this dark art were only available to the lucky few that either got their hands on true and complete necromancy literature or were fortunate enough to apprentice under a master necromancer.


    "Lucien has an innate talent for using his life essence. I would never try to stop him so long as he refrains from hurting himself or other people in the process," Syryn answered.


    "The creation of a Lich comes with a heavy price, Syryn. If you know that and still encourage me then you should also realise that you''re imposing double standards on Lucien."


    "Necromancy does not always involve human sacrifice. If Lucien desires to practice the art within the limits of animal sacrifice, then I have no bone to pick with his decision."


    The priest looked between the brothers and back at Syryn. "A true necromancer must be allowed to practise unfettered by the rules of society, and in this case, his older brother."


    "So you mean to say that I should stand back and do nothing while he kills people for personal gain?" Syryn''s reply was cold.


    Qairu''s responding smile was laced with contempt. "You have a strange sense of right and wrong, Syryn. You encourage me to become a Lich on one hand, and then here you are telling me that human sacrifice cannot be tolerated. Make up your mind."


    "This has nothing to do with morality. You know what becomes the eventual fate of a necromancer who walks too far into the shadows. I cannot lose Lucien to it."


    "I see," Qairu tapped a finger to his cheek in thought. "Do you believe that I can reach my goal without turning into a demented necromancer?"


    "You know the answer to that, Qairu. Only a Lich will allow you to bypass the rules of necromancy. That is your ultimate goal."


    The priest''s smile was tight. He had one secret ambition that could not be mentioned for fear of being killed. But Syryn had already uncovered it and spoke with the confidence of a seer who could see the truth of the future. Foolishness was believing in Syryn''s explanation about how he knew of Qairu''s ability, folly was discounting the explanation without giving any thought to it.


    "Anyway, you don''t have to look so annoyed. I''m not here to meddle in your plans. Consider me an interested spectator."


    "I sense that you have more than a passing interest in my plans but I won''t prod you for details as it is most unlikely that you''d say a word. You have the upper hand, Syryn. There''s no evidence of my wrongdoing yet, but I suppose knowledge truly is power. I will forever be wary of you and what you know."


    Red was quietly listening to the two of them exchange words. Qairu was unlike any other necromancer in his generation. The redhead did not have half the ambitions harboured by the priest but his passion for knowledge was just as great. Regardless of Syryn''s good intentions and rules, Red was going to delve into the practice of necromancy like a true necromancer.


    "I am not a threat," Syryn informed the priest. "But I will require your services as and when I may find need of a competent necromancer. It is a small price to pay for not leaking your secret to the Sanguine. And in saying that, I mean no offence to you, Lucien. I''d rather not risk leaving a trail behind you for the mage hunters fo find."


    The redhead only smirked and turned to look at Qairu''s reaction to blackmail.


    "They''ll find nothing to connect me with with the accusations you make," Qairu calmly replied. "You''re wasting your breath."


    "That''s what you think," Syryn lifted his lips in a condescending sneer. "Your goal is already set in stone, Qairu. Someday, you will begin a journey that will culminate in the creation of an immortal Lich. I know the exact position of the moon, the day, and the year that it will come to pass. Is that enough of a warning? Or must I also tell you the identity of the man who isn''t yet a Lich but will become one? I can kill him and ruin your plans for good. Do you still think I''m wasting my breath now?"

 Chapter 192 - Reciprocation

    Necromancy is considered the vilest of magic by fools who do not understand the differences between soul practitioners and corpse summoners. The former would tell you that true necromancy lies in raising a man with his soul captured inside the corpse, while the latter remain content in raising an empty husk. There is no harm done in borrowing a corporeal body that has already lost its soul to the aether; for it is now nothing but a mound of maggots, destined to turn into the earth upon which even the lowest of derelicts would step over one day.


    -An excerpt from ''The Door of Decay''; Author unknown.


    ------


    The priest silently stewed in his fury. Only Syryn would have the gall to threaten him so despite possessing the knowledge that Qairu would one day have the strength to quash him. It could either mean that Syryn''s assurances were worth nothing and that the violet-eyed mage was planning to put an end to Qairu''s plans before their fruition; Or that Syryn believed he was immune to future retaliation for reasons that included the mage''s own abilities if not a guardian he could rely upon to protect him.


    "Since we''re playing a game of blackmail, you mustn''t forget that Lucien is also a necromancer, a pressure point that I can use against you," Qairu said with menacing softness in his reminder.


    Unexpectedly, it was Lucien that replied before Syryn.


    "Do not involve me in your threats if you want to continue living. And do not ever, ever again make the mistake of using my existence to threaten Syryn," Red replied with a viciousness that startled even Syryn. "Unlike my brother, I have no vested interest in your continued existence. I am neither a helpless child nor am I anybody''s pressure point, not even Syryn''s."


    The mage couldn''t be completely sure of it but it appeared that Red was upset at being used as a tool to threaten him.


    He wasn''t able to follow the thread of these thoughts because Qairu replied with equal venom. "Kill me now then. Go ahead and try it. If you think for a second that I would let you walk all over me then you''ll find out just wrong you are."


    Syryn decided it was time to end the standoff before someone really ended up dead.


    "Qairu, I apologise for trying to blackmail you," he said with earnestness. "I should not have resorted to threats for a second time when you would have complied with my requests without the need for pressure."


    The priest received whiplash from Syryn''s sudden turn in attitude. He canted his head and stared at the violet-eyed mage. "It''s too late. You''ve already exposed the power you have over my future plans. Nothing you say will convince me that you don''t intend to ruin what I have in the future."


    Syryn nodded amicably. "You''re right. To make it up to you, I offer to let you in on my own secret. I will give you information of equivalent value that will ruin me if word gets out about it."


    Shrewd purple eyes observed him with razor keen attention. "And why this sudden change of mind?"


    "I do not wish to make an enemy out of you. I''m not afraid of you, Qairu, but I think we would be better off as allies."


    "An alliance does not begin with blackmail, Syryn," the priest replied in a chilly tone.


    Syryn smiled and shrugged. "I had hoped that I could gain your services without sacrificing my own secrets, but I was wrong. Would you not have done the same as I?"


    Overwhelm the priest and force him into submission - this had been Syryn''s first plan of action. But Qairu was no herbivore that Syryn could easily bully. That realisation cemented his approval of the priest, and it brought him to plan two - establish an alliance based on mutual interest.


    "Because of how interested I am in your secret, I''ll give you a chance, Syryn. Impress me." The priest looked like he didn''t believe there was anything of value that the mage could tell him.


    The damage had already been done and Qairu no longer favoured him. It wasn''t a result beyond Syryn''s expectations so he was prepared for it with the cards that would gain back the priest''s favour.


    "I could insist on drawing up a contract that would force you and I into secrecy but I need you to see how sincere I am in my hope for this alliance," Syryn turned his palms out to the priest. "This is my offer of trust to you, Qairu."


    He then leaned forward so that their faces were merely inches away from each other. In a low whisper, Syryn dramatically informed him. "I am the spawn of a demon."


    The priest who had put on a bored face was struck by the unexpected admission. He stared at Syryn and then at Lucien, and back at Syryn.


    His expectations hadn''t been low. Qairu had anticipated something along the lines of a reputation ruining admission, a dirty secret that belonged to someone else, or even a confession of wrongdoing. But this, this was a life-ruining secret, an admission that could get Syryn hunted down by the Sanguine.


    The priest let out a burst of genuine laughter. Syryn had surprised him yet again. A half-demon, how wonderful! He thought. After his mirth winded down, he regarded the mage with a smile.


    "It will be a pleasure working with you, Syryn." There was no need to ask him for proof of his claims. No sane person lied about being a half-demon.


    "Likewise," the mage replied, mirroring the priest''s satisfaction.


    "So, what do you need from me?" Qairu said as he leaned back and relaxed into his chair. He was now in a better mood and willing to accommodate Syryn''s needs. There were many advantages to befriending a demon and he would never pass off an opportunity to exchange favours with one. As a graduate of Saint''s Moon, Qairu should have reported Syryn immediately, but he couldn''t have cared less about the vows he had taken. He was a holy priest only in name.


    "For now, I want you to tell me everything you know about the caravan murder corpse. Don''t leave out a single detail."

 Chapter 193 - Necromancers

    "I was taken by surprise when Artemus came to me about the corpse. Now I know you were behind it," Qairu said to the violet-eyed mage.


    "If you''re worried he might find out about your side hobby, I''m assuring you that he won''t."


    Qairu paused to reflect on Syryn''s confidence in secrecy. Necromancy was as illegal as they came and he wasn''t taking any chances with such a high ranking member of the Sanguine as Artemus.


    "I viewed one corpse, a male in his thirties. I wasn''t told anything about how he passed away but from the condition of his body, I instantly guessed that it had something to do with dark magic."


    "You mean to say that it leaves a mark on the body?" Syryn had never heard of such a thing before.


    "It is difficult to explain. When you''ve dabbled long enough with dead bodies and dark magic, you develop a kind of sixth sense that allows you to see beyond the normal." Qairu then turned to the redhead who was sitting with the quiet discipline of a well-mannered child. "How far along are you in your studies, Lucien?"


    Red glanced up at the older necromancer. "I can already raise a walker."


    Syryn didn''t know that. He had seen Red play with mice but that had been it.


    Qairu whistled in appreciation. "You''re on my level already. Do you have a mentor or a teacher?"


    "Yes," Red answered. He was his own mentor and teacher.


    Syryn side-eyed him. Where was this teacher that Red was talking about?


    "I don''t believe that though," Qairu said as he squinted at the redhead suspiciously. "Necromancers are rarer than obedient kids."


    Red smirked. "I am both."


    Red''s reply elicited a dirty look from Syryn, and it was thrown the redhead''s way. "Anyway, can we get back to the topic at hand?" he reminded Qairu.


    "Oh yeah, so I checked the corpse and my suspicions were confirmed. Necromancy was involved in the unfortunate man''s death."


    "How is that possible? Don''t you undead experts only work with deceased bodies?" Syryn asked.


    "Mostly yes," Qairu replied. "But necromancer sorcerers also possess other deadly abilities that are less well known."


    "Such as?" Syryn raised his brows and prompted the priest to continue.


    "I cannot speak of such secrets easily, unless you''re willing to join our esteemed club of necromancers, Syryn."


    The mage frowned at the priest. "It''s enough that Red is already one."


    "Why Syryn, you seem to have a prejudice against us," Qairu pointed out. "I wonder why."


    "That''s because walking corpses are unsightly," Syryn answered. But even he did not believe his own defence to Qairu''s accusation. For some reason, he found necromancy unpalatable. It was a negative bias he had to ponder upon.


    "Syryn doesn''t like it because he''s against sacrificing lives in the name of power and magic."


    That had to be it. Necromancy was evil. It demanded human sacrifice.


    "So a sorcerer cursed the dead man and that turned him into a corpse while he was still alive," Syryn surmised. It was a good explanation for why the corpse had been found decaying faster than the bodies of its tortured counterparts.


    "That''s probably it," Qairu agreed.


    It was also a good reason why carrion eaters were avoiding the bodies. Death magic was repugnant to living things. Most creatures felt the negative effects of its aura on a dead body.


    "But it still doesn''t explain their motive," Syryn replied.


    "That''s not our job to figure out. Give Artemus the details. He''s much smarter than we are when it comes to such matters."


    "But I want to figure it out as well," Syryn said to the bored priest. "Aren''t you interested in this?"


    "No, not really. I''d rather talk to Lucien about what he''s learning."


    Syryn ignored Qairu''s lack of enthusiasm. "What could they gain from torturing the victims brutally before finally killing them? And what''s the deal with the bodies that were found in different places? There has to be a reason, right? You don''t expend that much effort to just torture and murder people... there has to be something they hoped to gain from it."


    "Psychopaths can get off on torture and murder," Red added as he smiled innocuously at Syryn. "The thrill of the victim''s suffering... sometimes that''s all there is to it."


    Syryn stared at Red. He had forgotten how bloodthirsty he used to be. It was because of Luci that this miracle had occurred. Syryn himself had indulged in killings but it did not give him the same kind of pleasure that Red was referring to.


    Qairu''s contemplating gaze was also on Red.


    "Is there anything else you noticed about the corpse?" Syryn intended to leave soon but asked again just in case Qairu had forgotten to mention something.


    "No, that''s it. You''re lucky to even be getting that much. Other priests don''t know enough about necromancy to realise there''s more than the presence of dark magic in the body."


    "I knew I could on you," Syryn told the smiling priest. "Thank you for the services rendered, Qairu. I''ll come around again if I need your help."


    "I wish I could say the same. I''ll be avoiding your manor for a long time, Syryn."


    The mage knew he had no business in sticking his nose between Alka and Qairu. Some relationships just weren''t meant to survive, especially not when one of them was going down a path of darkness that had no room for romance and love.


    -----


    Artemus,


    Qairu did not have a lot to say. He mentioned the presence of magic that repelled his holy aura, and that reminded me of an incident I witnessed several years ago. I saw a necromancer sorcerer attack a man in such a manner that the unfortunate victim began to decay while remaining alive. He was killed by the sorcerer after much suffering. And later on, when a priest was tasked to investigate the corpse, he reported a repulsive aura on the corpse.


    It certainly explains the accelerated decomposition, the lack of carrions on its rotting body, and even the absence of external killing wounds. I could, of course, be mistaken about my theory but I leave that to your investigation.


    Syryn.

 Chapter 194 - Why Me?

    The moment Syryn arrived home, he noticed the glaringly absent form of a gold idol from their dining table.


    "Where is Goldie?" He asked Alka.


    "Goldie?" The plant mage turned around with a tong in hand.


    Syryn gestured to the empty spot where his monkey had been sitting not many hours ago.


    "Oooh that," Alka replied. "Riha is using it as a paperweight. He said it was bad luck to keep a fertility idol in the kitchen."


    "Did he need a paperweight?" Syryn asked. "Should I buy him one?" Ever since the mage had realised how much he''d neglected the selkie, Syryn had been trying to think up ideas for Riha''s entertainment.


    "Calm down, Syryn. I need help with the shallots if you aren''t too busy right now."


    The mage washed his hands and got to chopping the shallots while Alka boiled a whole chicken.


    "By the way, Rowan has returned the pot to me, with the corpse plant in it. What did you tell him to convince this change of mind?" Alka asked.


    Syryn had sweet-talked Rowan while the anti mage''s blood was directed to the lower regions of his body. It was a dirty trick but it worked. He wasn''t sure how many more times Rowan would allow it to happen so he had to use that strategy sparingly.


    "I begged him and he relented," Syryn answered. "Rowan is soft to my pleadings when I pull his strings correctly."


    Alka nodded. "Good job, Syryn. Now, where do we find a corrupt priest for hire?"


    Both were thinking about Qairu. Alas, he was unwilling to come by the manor after what had taken place between him and Alka.


    "I''ll ask around," Syryn replied. "There has to be someone willing to break a law or two if paid enough for it.


    "Hmmm, how about the location of the corpse tree?"


    "I was planning to plant it right next to Riha''s room, for maximum protection."


    "Or maximum danger," Alka reminded him.


    "The only danger we should be wary of is a spectre. No spectre will be born because the tree will only be allowed to attain a level of growth where it begins to produce a ghostly aura," Syryn explained. It was a safe plan if they ensured that the tree was blessed every month.


    "But how will Riha sleep when he''s being pressured by such an aura?"


    Syryn was the fastest in the house when it came to chopping ingredients. He pushed a small hill of shallots into a bowl and handed it to Alka. "He''ll get used to it after a few weeks of nightmares."


    At Alka''s look of disapproval, Syryn grinned. "It''s just a nightmare. A few weeks of bad dreams and spiritual discomfort in exchange for the safety provided by a corpse tree. It''s worth it, Alka. Think about it. Who in their right mind would want to approach Riha''s room when they feel that cold and repulsive aura?"


    If the corpse tree was allowed to grow further, the aura would disappear. But Syryn wasn''t going to let it happen. When push came to shove, he was willing to fight the tree like the last time he and Alka faced one.


    "Find the priest," Alka said with a serious look at the mage. "Then we''ll decide if Riha gets to sleep next to the tree. And that too only as long as he doesn''t object to it."


    ---


    Syryn was drifting on a boat. There was a cheerful whistling tune in the air and it was at odds with the gloomy grey sky.


    ''Thunk'' came the sound of something hitting the side of his boat. It rocked precariously and Syryn rushed to stabilise it.


    Don''t fall into the water. Where is Rowan?


    Syryn couldn''t feel any magic inside him. When he called for ice, it was silent. He called for fire, silence. Not even his demon answered. Syryn was all alone.


    ----


    The mage was awakened by the sound of Rowan moving about in their shared room. Why did he think that it was okay for him to put Riha through the experience of having bad dreams? Two nights on the boat and Syryn was already dreading sleep. He was wrong. Nightmares could ruin your day.


    "I had the dream again."


    "Good morning," Rowan replied. "The whistling?"


    "Yeah. I know there''s something waiting inside the water for me. It can overturn the boat but it doesn''t do that. Why won''t it just end my misery?"


    Rowan glanced at Syryn as he buttoned his shirt. "It sounds like a stalker is after you. I may have a solution but I''ll have to first confirm its feasibility."


    Syryn groaned into the pillow. "Why me? Couldn''t it have stalked any one of you? Why pick me?"


    "Good question."


    "What''s this solution you''re thinking of?"


    The anti mage slotted his divine staff against his hip. Syryn eyed the staff knowing that Rowan would obtain a powerful weapon from the temple when he married a priestess. He batted away the guilt that crept upon him. There was a time for everything including guilt.


    "Rowan, letter," Syryn reminded him. "For Art."


    The anti mage studied Syryn''s naked form on the bed. "You exchange a lot of notes with Artemus."


    "Jealous?" Syryn raised a brow.


    "Why wouldn''t I be? I don''t get letters from you."


    "We live together."


    He received a smile in return. Rowan was teasing him.


    "How long do you intend to play mage hunter, Rowan?" The blond was biding his time with the intermediate ranked mage hunters when he had the power to be commanding the kingdom''s army.


    "As long as it takes for you to remember, Syryn."


    The mage blinked in surprise. "Remember? What''s that got to do with anything?"


    "I''m not sure either," Rowan said with some helplessness.


    Syryn was even more confused now.


    "Are you under the effects of a seal of oath imposed upon you by some supernatural being?"


    The blond''s response was a tight smile. "That''s a very specific enquiry. If I was under such an oath, I could not give you the correct answer."


    And that sounded like a confirmation to Syryn. Rowan was under an oath. He wanted to say something to hint to Rowan but when he opened his mouth to speak, Syryn forgot what he had intended to say. Mouth hanging open, the alchemist narrowed his eyes at Rowan.


    "I must be getting old," he said to the anti mage.

 Chapter 195 - An Attempt To Kill

    "An eye for an eye. A soul for a soul. Summon the dead for the war of life! Rally the corpses to lay siege to your King''s enemies, for the dead outlast the living."


    - Lane Wheatfield


    -----------


    Syryn''s dreams had been getting out of hand. Three nights in a row he had been awakened by Rowan when the anti mage had noticed magical flux being emitted by the mage. Syryn would have set their room on fire had Rowan not roused him from a restless dream.


    This was now the fourth time he found himself on the boat. Syryn was used to the whistling. The mage sat on the boat staring at his bare feet. There was nothing to be afraid of, he reasoned. The whistle could haunt him all it liked but it was sound, and sound, at least this one, couldn''t hurt him.


    "Overturn the boat and drown me for all I care," he told the creature that was rocking his little boat. "Go on, do it."


    And as if summoned by Syryn''s challenge, pale fingers appeared on the upper edge of the boat. The nails were black and sharpened to points. Slowly, like it was taunting him, the hands rocked the boat.


    "What are you? What do you want from me?" He asked it.


    The boat lurched with great force and Syryn was nearly thrown into the ocean. His hands grasped at the edges of the boat, holding on till the lurching steadied. The mage stared at the spot where the fingernails had clung to the wood. The hands were no longer on the boat.


    "Where did you go?" He spoke to the air. It seemed like every time he came into the world of dreams, his presence solidified more. It was dreamlike but also real.


    Like a slithering snake, a chill descended and settled in Syryn''s spine. At least his sense of danger hadn''t abandoned him, he thought. But stuck on such a small boat without his magic, where could he run to? Where would he hide? Syryn felt the alarms in his mind blare their warnings. The mage looked around and saw nothing. Then he felt a presence behind him.


    Syryn had barely a second to take a deep breath when he was yanked out of the boat by hands that crushed his windpipe from behind him. He was bodily dragged into the salty murky waters of the ocean.


    Underwater, the mage desperately pulled at the fingers that were squeezing his throat but they felt like ropes tightened around his fragile human neck. From behind him, long black hair floated in the water surrounding them. They were slowly sinking towards the bottom of the ocean as Syryn ran out of air. Bubbles escaped his mouth and rushed towards the surface, taunting Syryn for being unable to do the same.


    The mage felt his lungs burn when he gasped and sucked in salty seawater. He was reliving death again but in a worse way. How long did one struggle before dying? Why wasn''t the bitch killing him by simply breaking his neck since she was so freakishly strong? If he survived this, Syryn vowed to do the same to her and worse.


    Syryn prayed for help from any deity that was willing to hear out a demon. And something strange happened at that moment. He felt a sensation like a cold hand entering his chest. Then he was pulled out of his body.


    Violet eyes snapped open even as Syryn gulped in air like a fish out of water. His eyes were wide open looking between a white cat on his chest and the blond anti mage hovering behind the cat.


    Milky''s blue eyes were a shade lighter than Rowan''s, a detail that his confused mind made note of.


    Milky blinked at Syryn. He had a longsuffering look on his feline face and looked like he wanted to scratch Syryn across his face. Having given him a death stare, the cat then jumped off the mage''s chest and elegantly exited the room.


    "Ryn, I almost lost you," Rowan said to the mage. On the surface, the blond appeared calm but Syryn had spent enough time around him to know that he was anything but. Rowan''s sights were fixed on Syryn with an intensity that shook the mage. It was as though the anti mage believed that if he looked away from Syryn, the mage would disappear forever.


    "It was just a dream," he said to Rowan. But When the words came out, his voice sounded hoarse. It hurt to speak. And that was when Syryn realised that he had escaped the clutches of death, that he wasn''t just having normal dreams. Dreams did not kill the dreamer.


    At hearing the hoarse voice, Rowan''s expression hardened. The blond''s hand drifted to Syryn''s neck and he caressed the purplish fingerprints on the pale skin with a delicateness that was at odds with the violence in his gaze.


    "No more," Rowan said in a low voice. His eyes were flint. "Syryn, do not fall asleep. Wait for me and I promise I''ll be back in an hour. Two at most."


    "Where are you going?" Syryn rasped.


    "To Silent."


    The mage was perplexed. "Why?"


    "To blow a hole in it. I''ve given them enough time." The anti mage stood on his feet. "I''ll have Salem watch over you but you also need to ensure there''s someone by your side at all times."


    "I won''t fall asleep," Syryn replied. "I''m not so careless."


    "I know," Rowan answered. "But a little caution never hurt anyone."


    Syryn wasn''t sure what silent market had to do with his dreams but he had an hour to think about it.


    "Are you leaving in your sleepwear?" He asked the exiting blond. Rowan was wearing dark grey comfortable cotton pyjama pants and an open night robe that ended at his calves.


    "Yes," the anti mage replied and he was gone.


    Syryn clasped his hands behind his head and rested on a pillow thinking about how convenient it was to have Rowan around. All he had to do was laze in bed while the anti mage did the leg work and solved his problems. His thoughts then meandered off to Silent market. The whistling was cancelled when he was inside the walls of the market. It was one of those links that Syryn hadn''t paid attention to because of its tenuousness. The silent market blocked every sound in existence. With such a flimsy connection between the event and the castle, Syryn hadn''t given much thought to it. But it seemed that Rowan had.


    "Syryn, how are you feeling?" Salem asked as he breezed into the room.


    The half-elf sat by his bed and stared at the hideous prints marked over the mage''s skin.


    "I''m not dead," Syryn lightly remarked. He glanced at the blond alchemist and wiggled his brows. "Do you want to play truth or dare?"


    "No."

 Chapter 196 - Rowan And Alka

    Silent market was a repurposed castle that been built on a hill before the area was flooded in a massive earthquake. The village that had existed below the castle was submerged underwater completely. An inevitable outcome of the flood was the death of the many villagers who were peacefully asleep inside their homes, not knowing that a wave of death was coming for them.


    A dive to the depths of the water would reveal houses of rotting wood, skeletons still inside the rooms and lots of aquatic creatures who had long since made the submerged village their own home.


    Silent market castle, the only survivor of the tragic flooding, loomed above the watery grave under a large yellow waxing moon.


    "The tide won''t let you enter right now," a certain plant mage told a blond anti mage whose hands were tucked into the pockets of his cotton pyjama pants. It helped that the handsome man appeared the least concerned about what anyone would say of his choice in visiting wear.


    "I don''t have time to wait on the tide," Rowan answered.


    "Time, Rowan, and tide wait for none," Alka replied reflexively. "Rowan and time don''t wait for the tide." He tested the variations he could spin with Rowan added to the age-old adage. "Rowan, time-"


    The rest of Alka''s words were consumed by the explosion that rocked the hill upon which Silent Market rested. A corner of the hill broke off and began sliding down into the water.


    "What the hell was that?!" Alka was wide-eyed as he turned to Rowan.


    "Their first warning," the anti mage answered. Rowan would have blown the market to smithereens if it weren''t for the innocent people who were shopping inside its walls.


    "You did that?" Alka asked. Anti mages weren''t capable of feats of magic and yet Rowan seemed to have accomplished it. Alka couldn''t think of anything else other than magic. He stared at the side profile of the anti mage and wondered what Rowan really was.


    "I''m just an anti mage, Alka," Rowan answered as if he could read Alka''s mind. His sights though were focused on the silent market.


    The plant mage nodded. "Right. We''re also just standing here and watching a third party attack the hill. I wonder where the evil wrongdoer is hiding."


    A second explosion sounded and it shook the hill terribly. Another slice of land sank into the watery depths below it.


    "Will their third warning be the final one?" Alka asked Rowan.


    The blond shrugged lightly. A strong sea breeze tousled his gold hair and swept up his night robe behind him.


    "WHO DARES TO ATTACK US?!" A loud voice amplified by magic asked from the top of the castle.


    Alka could see a man''s silhouette on a balcony that jutted out of the highest tower of the castle.


    "ROWAN WINDWALKER!" the voice roared. "HAVE YOU COME SEEKING DEATH?!"


    "How will he hear your answer unless you shout out just as loud as him?" Alka dully asked the anti mage. Some questions he didn''t voice out. So, you know each other? How did he recognise you from over there? Are we in trouble? Of course, we''re in trouble. We''re in big trouble.


    "Not all answers are verbal," Rowan replied.


    By now the plant mage knew better than to question the anti mage. It only took a moment for Alka to understand what Rowan meant because the tower atop the shouting man was sliced off in another show of his power. The debris crashed onto the castle roofs below, loudly startling the man on the balcony.


    "IMBECILE! YOU, THE SMALL ONE NEXT TO ROWAN! YES, YOU! STOP DESTROYING MY PROPERTY! I DEMAND YOU STOP IT RIGHT NOW!!"


    Alka stared pointedly at Rowan. Why was he taking the blame for this?


    "I want compensation," Alka told the anti mage, "for the damage of my good name and reputation."


    "Everyone just wants my money," the anti mage replied while blowing off more portions of the castle. "Except Syryn. Ryn always looks so guilty when I pay for him. It''s unfortunate because I like taking care of his needs. I find that buying him things comes so naturally to me."


    Was Rowan actually sharing his personal feelings and inner thoughts right now? At this moment? When they were laying an offence to a powerful economic entity? Alka couldn''t quite keep the shock from showing on his face.


    "STOP IT!"


    "STOP IT, FOOL!"


    "I CURSE YOUR BLOODLINE! I CURSE YOUR FAMILY! MAY YOU NEVER HAVE AN HEIR TO CARRY YOUR BLOOD FORWARD!"


    Alka was fine with that last part. His seeds would never enter the womb of a woman anyway.


    "Rowan, sometimes I think you act like Syryn''s mother." Rowan had picked a strange time to give vent to his feelings but Alka wasn''t one to judge or deny him an honest reply.


    The blond chuckled. "You''re the second person to imply such a thing."


    "Why are you so... " Alka searched for a word that wouldn''t sound too offensive. "Protective of Syryn? He''s powerful, and not as stupid as his decisions may sometimes appear to be. What I''m saying is that Syryn knows the risks associated with the decisions he makes and accounts for them before he executes an action. This, of course, does not include the strange things that have been happening to him because those events are out of his control."


    "WAIT OVER THERE! I''M COMING FOR YOU!" The man roared one last time before retreating back inside the castle.


    "You''re right," Rowan answered. "Syryn can take care of himself most of the time. Well, except when he''s being pursued by unknown enemies." The anti mage looked almost wistful. "But some things tend to stay in your mind and they make it difficult for one to adapt to reality."


    Alka couldn''t make heads or tail of Rowan''s words. He nodded along and hoped that the anti mage could get off whatever weight was sitting on his chest.


    "Ah, here he comes," Rowan said as he released an anti-magic field that suffocated the plant mage. "Stand behind me, Alka."


    The plant mage scrambled to a spot right behind Rowan''s back. From his vantage behind the anti mage, Alka was struck by how safe he felt. Rowan was like a solid wall that felt impenetrable. Was this how Syryn felt when he was with Rowan? Alka thought with a small smile. No wonder his friend was so smitten. He forgave Rowan for stealing Syryn from his brother.

 Chapter 197 - Roga

    Powerful magic met powerful anti-magic and the resulting blast created a shockwave so devastating that it levelled the landscape behind Rowan. Ahead of him, water reversed towards the castle in a wave so high that it crested the windows at the midway point of its height.


    A shield absorbed the remaining energy in the shockwave and it protected the market from a similar fate as the rocks behind the anti mage. The shield was set up to protect the castle from magical and physical damage but somehow, Rowan had penetrated the defence.


    "INSUFFERABLE BRAT!"


    Ocean water parted for the old man who could be seen walking across the bridge of bricks. Alka, who had just suffered a fright of epic proportions, peeked out from behind Rowan.


    He could make out a white beard that was braided into two tails. Bushy white brows and a bald head approached them.


    "I TOLD YOU TO WAIT AT LEAST A WEEK."


    "Why is he still shouting?" Alka asked Rowan.


    "He''s a little deaf in both ears," Rowan answered. "So you have to shout or he won''t hear you speak."


    "ROWAN, I SHOULD JUST REPORT YOUR IMBECILIC SELF TO YOUR EMPEROR."


    The old man had arrived before them. Alka was hit by an urge to throw up. Such was the power that radiated from the man. He didn''t even have the decency to pack in the power and hide it. This was clearly an act of intimidation.


    "COME OUT YOU LITTLE RAT. HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND TO HIDE BEHIND THE BLOND IMBECILE?"


    Alka was content to hide behind Rowan all day.


    "Roga, call off the sea hag," Rowan said in a louder volume than he normally used.


    The old man sniggered like he found Rowan''s words to be a joke. "YOU THINK I HAVEN''T BEEN TRYING ALL THESE MISERABLE YEARS THAT I''VE REMAINED HIDDEN INSIDE THE CASTLE?"


    Alka wondered how Rowan knew about the sea hag and the old man. If he''d asked Rowan, he would have been told that the information was available for a price if he knew the right channels to enquire through. The anti mage had only a few days ago found out and approached the old sorcerer about the sea hag haunting Syryn. He didn''t want the alchemist to know about it for fear of causing problems in his dreams. The sea hag was a very cunning creature and it was in Syryn''s best interest that Rowan solve the problem without alerting Syryn and in turn the sea hag.


    "You made her, Roga. Fix it or I''ll have my friend here destroy the castle and you won''t have a shelter to hide behind anymore." Even as he threatened the old man, Rowan ensured that Alka was not visible at all.


    "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FIX IT?! YOU TELL ME SO I CAN FINALLY GET THE CREATURE OFF MY BACK AS WELL."


    This wasn''t going the way Rowan wanted it to. He was disappointed by Roga''s pathetic excuses.


    "Kill her," he suggested with deadly intent. "I don''t care that she wears the face of your dead daughter. She almost succeeded in killing someone I love."


    Rowan had been patient with Roga because the sorcerer''s cooperation could help resolve their problem faster than if Rowan did it alone.


    "MAKE HIM STAY AWAKE THEN. THE RUBY CIRCLET ARRIVES IN A FEW DAYS AND IT WILL PROTECT HIS DREAMS."


    "I understand," Rowan replied conversationally. Alka heard the sweet sounds of castle towers exploding the very next moment.


    The old man was breathing loudly through his nose. "HOW DARE YOU!"


    "You''ve been harbouring a sea hag for decades, and you refuse to kill her even though many lives have been lost to her over the years." It was impossible for Rowan to approach this with the authority of the Sanguine. They had no powers over Silent Market which had secured diplomatic immunity by paying an enormous tax to the kingdom every year.


    "I''ll give you a quarter of an hour to convince her that my friend is off-limits. Make it happen," Rowan told the sentimental old fool who couldn''t do the needful because somewhere in his shrivelled up old heart, a sliver of care remained for the sea hag he had created by using the dead body of his daughter.


    It was unfortunate for the old man that the hag had immediately turned to attack him. When her eerie whistles allowed her entry into his dreams, he was forced to create a silent zone to hide within. The market soon came into being when he realised that his precious daughter needed feeding. How she chose her victims was random. Syryn just happened to be an unlucky man visiting an unlucky place on an unlucky day.


    "I CANNOT CALL HER OFF," the old man spat.


    "She wants to kill you. Sacrifice yourself for the greater good, Roga. You started it."


    "EVEN IF I DIE, SHE WILL CONTINUE TO KILL MORE PEOPLE."


    "Yes, but your death will save my lover''s life. And when I''m ready, I''ll hunt down your beloved sea hag and gift her to my beloved. He has a fondness for cutting things open." Rowan''s cold-blooded words were made more terrifying by the absolute serenity with which he delivered it.


    In a fit of anger, the old man let off a blast of his aura but it was nothing against the solid anti-magic shield that he covered Alka within. Nothing was getting through it. Roga was a sorcerer not to be trifled with but Rowan was an anti mage in a league that no sorcerer could think of besting.


    "I HOPE HE DIES AND-"


    Rowan had wasted enough time talking. The old man''s eyes near popped out of their sockets when he felt the anti mage suppress him with hammer-like force. Rowan grabbed the old man by his collar and dragged him out to the sea.


    Water lapped at their ankles and then their knees, thighs, as Rowan took them further in. With a single toss, Roga was thrown into the deeper end of the sea.


    "No! NOO!" He begged the anti mage. Roga''s magic was suppressed by Rowan and he could already hear the dreaded sound.


    Hearing the whistle was a death sentence unless he could get back inside the castle. The sea hag had shifted her target back to Roga. Syryn was safe but only temporarily.


    The sea hag was hiding in the vast depths of the unending ocean and it was nigh impossible for Rowan to find her.


    Alka walked up to the anti mage and stood at a distance from him. "Rowan, will you watch him drown?"


    "Yes."


    Roga had created an instrument of death and then watched her kill for years. A victim, a sacrifice every year. He deserved what was coming to him. But Alka also saw an old man helplessly swimming against a riptide.


    "Will Syryn die if he doesn''t?"


    "Whether he stays alive or not, Syryn dies as long as the sea hag lives. Roga''s refusal has rendered him useless to my needs. He may as well die."


    How cold, Alka thought.

 Chapter 198 - Sea Hag

    Rowan stood in the water and watched the old man''s struggles become weaker and weaker. And when Roga finally disappeared under the thrashing waves, Rowan dived into the water and was swallowed up by it.


    Alka sat on the sandy beach and waited with bated breath. When a blond head emerged, he was finally able to breathe. Rowan was safe. It wasn''t like his wild imagination where the sea hag had caught both the old man and Rowan.


    The anti mage was sopping wet when he dragged the old man out of the water. Roga coughed and hacked water out of his lungs while he was pulled along like luggage. Rowan dumped him on the sand and stood before the hacking man.


    Silence stretched between them while Roga was given a reprieve. When his wretched coughing subsided, the anti mage crouched next to his prone form.


    "What did it feel like to helplessly drown when someone could have saved you?" Rowan asked the old man.


    Roga stared up at him with hatred in his eyes. The old man would have struck Rowan down if the anti mage wasn''t leagues ahead of him.


    "That''s what it feels like, Roga. All the victims of your supposed daughter died terrible deaths and they''re all on you."


    "CURSE YOU ROWAN WINDWALKER."


    His deafness was getting on Alka''s nerves. Having to hear the old man shout out everything was tiring his eardrums. It had to be worse for Rowan who was more proximate to the old man.


    "Roga, we both know how afraid you really are of death. I''m going to say this only once so listen well," Rowan said as he stared down at the old man. "I will now give you three options."


    "One, you kill the sea hag."


    Alka didn''t think the old man would agree to that.


    "Two, you surrender your diplomatic immunity and confess to your wrongdoings. The Sanguine will take you in and I will get you the Ruby circlet the moment it arrives. You will survive at least half a month if you wear the circlet, and that will be enough time for me to find and kill the sea hag." And while the sea hag was focused on trying to kill the man who considered himself her father, Syryn would be free from nightmares.


    "Your third choice, the choice I will make for you in ten seconds if you don''t answer me - Death," Rowan said with elegant simplicity. "Al, do a count down, please."


    The plant mage would ordinarily refuse such an annoying request. But this was a request from Rowan, one that came with the magic word. And when Rowan requested something, even without the magic word, the only right answer was a yes.


    "10," Alka began, and Rowan flashed him an approving smile. The plant mage felt like he had won a prize.


    "9"


    "8"


    would Roga answer?


    "7"


    "6"


    Rowan calmly began to fold the wet sleeves of his night robe.


    "5"


    "4"


    "3"


    Alka sighed in his heart because he was going to witness a murder.


    "2"


    He hoped that Rowan would pay him money to keep his mouth shut about the murder.


    "1"


    Rowan''s eyes turned cold. He looked at Roga like the man was already a corpse.


    "FINE! I CHOOSE TO SURRENDER!" The old man was shaking. He was sure of it. Rowan would have really killed him without remorse. All the emotions had gone out of those blue eyes that flickered with the flames of hell. "I- DON''T kill me."


    The anti mage blinked and his killing intent disappeared behind friendly eyes. The handsome blond man smiled at the old man. "That''s all you had to say, Roga."


    Alka breathed a sigh of relief. Today wasn''t the day he was going to witness Rowan take an old man''s life.


    "YOU ARE AWFUL, ROWAN WINDWALKER. ONE DAY, ALL THAT DARKNESS INSIDE YOU WILL EAT YOU UP AND EVERYONE WILL KNOW THAT YOU''RE NOT THE CHARMING PLEASANT MAN YOU SHOW YOURSELF TO BE!"


    Alka''s heart raced at the incriminating words that the senile old man had just spat out. He had just escaped death so why was he courting it again? The plant mage looked at Rowan, not knowing what to expect.


    "I''m going deaf from all this shouting you''re subjecting us to," Rowan replied. The anti mage hauled himself to a standing position and pushed his wet gold hair back from his smooth forehead.


    Even Roga seemed at a loss for words. Rowan''s anti-climatic reaction to his provocation took the air right out of the old man''s sails. Quietly, he allowed the anti mage to pull him up.


    Rowan turned to Alka. "Take us to Sanguine HQ."


    The plant mage nodded and went ahead of the other two. He sliced a rift into the air and walked in.


    "How long has it been since you walked the Lost path?" Rowan nudged the old man forward and asked as if they were friends.


    "I DON''T KNOW."


    "I see," Rowan replied. He pushed Roga through the rift when it looked like the old man was content to drag his feet.


    "YOU CANNOT TREAT ME THIS WAY!" Roga blasted in his rough old voice. "I AM NOT YOUR PRISONER!"


    Rowan frowned at the twinge of pain in his ears from how loud Roga had yelled.


    "If you shout inside the lost path, you get taken. Did you forget that in your old age or are you going senile?" Rowan said close to the old man''s ears.


    "I-" Rowan clamped a hand to Roga''s mouth.


    "Mmff-"


    A minute later, the anti mage had successfully stuffed a handkerchief inside the old man''s mouth. Alka, quite like his brother, had made it a habit to carry a clean square piece of cloth everywhere he went.


    He was impressed by the efficiency with which the blond had squeezed the old man''s jaw and forced his mouth open. The trip had been a very exciting one, and Alka hoped that he could do this again next with the anti mage.

 Chapter 199 - Harbour

    Syryn and Salem were playing a complicated game of cards on the bed.


    "You cheated," Salem declared with narrowed eyes. "I don''t know how but you cheated."


    "That''s what all the sore losers say," Syryn replied with a smug grin on the face that Salem was tempted to squish between the pages of a thick open book.


    "Lucien is very good at this game. If he weren''t asleep, I''d call him over to trounce you," Salem said with folded arms.


    "Oh, oh, Salem the genius, threatening to hide behind the skills of a little brat? You can do better than that, you know. Learn to cheat!" Syryn tossed the cards to the side of his bed and flopped down dramatically.


    "Syryn, you might fall asleep if you get too comfortable," the alchemist warned him. "We don''t know what powers this creature holds. It might just have a way to force you into a deep sleep."


    The mage reluctantly sat up because Salem was right. He was always right. Syryn didn''t want to experience simultaneous drowning and strangulation like that again. He would rather choke to death on Rowan''s delicious- right, it wasn''t the time to be thinking about that.


    "You just had a dirty thought," Salem accused.


    Sometimes the half-elf displayed a clarity of insight that baffled the mage. "How did you know?"


    "I won''t tell you."


    "You''re really annoying."


    "Hearing that from you somehow makes me feel like I''ve accomplished good for humanity." Salem ducked when Syryn threw a pillow at him.


    "Choke on a dick, Salem."


    "I''d rather not," the blond dryly replied.


    "I would."


    "Of course you would. Your epitaph would read - here lies Syryn Nigh''hart. He died the way he lived, choking on Rowan Windwalker''s-" Salem was smart enough to know that when someone''s eyes went wide as he looked behind you, it meant that the person you were talking about was standing behind you. "Flute."


    "I don''t have a flute," he heard Rowan say with undisguised mirth. The blond alchemist graciously nodded to the anti mage and walked out of the room before Syryn could say something volatile.


    After Salem''s hasty departure, the mage rolled over on his back so that his head was half hanging off the edge of the bed. He looked up at his lover and smiled.


    "Welcome back Rowan. What news do you come bearing?"


    The anti mage kneeled and placed a light kiss on Syryn''s lips. It was soft and reverent. Rowan''s goddess was Eos but his heart worshipped Syryn.


    "The sea hag will no longer bother you. It''s a vow," he said to the mage who was curiously waiting to hear what he had to say.


    Syryn''s brows were raised, or in this case, lowered. "A sea hag? How did I get so unlucky?"


    "That''s what I ask myself every day," Rowan replied. "Why is Syryn so unlucky?"


    "I guess it evens out since I was lucky to have met you, Ro." Only Rowan could make his say such sappy words and not feel embarrassed about it. Maybe Luci did too.


    "I would argue that it was my fortune to have met you, but I''d rather you kept my mouth occupied with something else," a slow smile tugged Rowan''s lips into an arc, and it held the promise of heat


    Syryn was instantly turned on. He cupped Rowan''s cheeks and drew him in for a salty kiss. Rowan had been to the ocean, and the ocean had come with him. The anti mage''s kiss was a wave that swept away the apprehensions that Syryn hid within the confines of his heart. Rowan was the ocean and the harbour, and Syryn was content to be carried away wherever the waters took him.


    -----


    "Tell me, how did the old man create the sea hag?" Luci asked Rowan in the morning while they ate breakfast together.


    "How does one go about creating a sea hag-" Rowan bit into his toast as he considered the words to use for an explanation that wasn''t gruesome to a child''s ears.


    "It''s okay, you don''t have to sanitise it for me, Rowan," Luci told him. "I''ve heard and seen many things that would probably cause you to make the face you''re making right now," the redhead''s eyes crinkled with glee.


    Rowan felt sorry for Luci. Despite being saved by Syryn, he still wasn''t able to have a normal childhood. Setting aside these heavy thoughts, the anti mage put down his toast and faced Luci.


    "A sea hag is a creature borne out of desperation."


    Luci''s eyes were shining with interest as he listened to Rowan speak.


    "Sometimes when you care about someone more than you should, you find yourself unable to let go of them," Rowan''s heart ached as he said those words. "And when they die, you try everything in your power to keep their memories beside you, even when you know that they would have wanted you to move on."


    Rowan found it difficult to speak. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he plodded on.


    "A sea hag is borne when you offer a dead body to a malicious water spirit. They possess the corpse and gain access to the memories of the deceased."


    Luci nodded. His eyes were riveted to Rowan''s blues.


    "If you''re lucky, they''ll play pretend, and you get back a fake version of the person you lost."


    "And if you''re unlucky?" Luci asked in a hush.


    Rowan''s face was grim. "They turn on you."


    "But that''s not fair!" Luci''s voice rose. "It is a deal, and the water spirit should have to respect it!"


    "This is why you don''t make deals with malicious spirits or any spirits in general. When the living pass away, it''s only natural that they be allowed to move on."


    Rowan didn''t tell Luci about how the sea hag recieved its name. The possessed corpse always ended up morphing into an ugly form that looked the same whether it started out male or female. Long dark hair, a skinny grotesque body that looked like skin stretched over bones, black nails that could pierce through the flesh of its victims - sea hags were ugly on the inside and the outside.


    What Rowan failed to understand was why this particular sea hag did not sing.

 Chapter 200 - Sanguine

    The case of the sea hag was handed over to Rowan since he was responsible for bringing it to the attention of the Sanguine.


    The anti mage was in a room that was used for interrogating criminals. The walls were reinforced with runes that could withstand most magical attacks. With so many anti mages going about their day in the Sanguine Headquarters, there wasn''t much worry about, especially not escaping criminals.


    A white table held a few sheets of paper, an ink well and a quill. Roga was glowering at one end of the table. Rowan sat at the other end, going through the lines of writing on a sheet of paper.


    What the anti mage had in his hand was an official document that would sign away Roga''s diplomatic immunity. He had it drafted post-haste the night before. Another sheet of paper on the table contained the confessions of the old man. Roga was to be charged with a long list of crimes that would put him away till the end of his life.


    While Rowan checked through the paperwork, the door to their room opened up and Artemus walked in.


    "Roga, fancy seeing you here," Artemus said to the old sorcerer. He pulled a chair out next to Rowan and sat down. Reaching for the page of confessions, Artemus quickly glanced at the list of wrongdoings. He placed it back down on the table and faced their criminal.


    Artemus steepled his fingers in front of his face, chin resting on the pads of his thumbs. "Who holds the right of inheritance to Silent?" He asked Roga.


    Rowan glanced up at the old man. He placed the paper down on the table, deciding it was more interesting to watch Artemus work.


    "Nobody," Roga replied. Tired of his shouting, the mage hunters had fixed his hearing problems for free. A pair of amplification stones, modified for the ear, was purchased from the Elysium Mill and inserted into his ears.


    The onyx eyes of the anti mage facing him were like shards of glass, cutting into Roga with the power of his stare alone. "Elysium reserves the rights to the occupation and management of Silent since you neither have an heir nor an appointed guardian."


    The old sorceror''s grin mocked the anti mage. "Such greedy people. You won''t even let an old man keep the only possession he has in this world."


    Unbothered by the taunt, the dark-eyed anti mage continued to speak. "Elysium holds trusteeship of any such property deemed to be of significant economic importance to the kingdom. The money generated by such a property will be used in the management and repairs-" Artemus glanced at Rowan with mild censure in his eyes, "of such property. The remaining funds will be channelled towards charitable homes and other purposes deemed good for the citizens of the kingdom."


    "I refuse!" Roga slammed a palm down on the table. His nostrils were flared in anger.


    "Your permission is not required for the passage of the law," Artemus took the documents from Rowan''s hand and bundled them up together. "Now that you know what fate lies for Silent, I suggest you calm down and not make this any harder for yourself than it already is."


    "I demand the right to choose an heir!"


    "Your appeal will be heard by a council," Artemus replied. "A request will be forwarded this evening." The stack of papers in his hands was aligned neatly by decking them against the table. He stood up and nodded once to the smiling blond.


    "It''s you and me again, Roga," Rowan said when Artemus exited the room.


    "What do you want now?" The old man sneered.


    Rowan had a difficult task ahead of him. He had to ascertain a rough estimate of the number of victims that the sea hag had taken. It was unlikely that Roga would know about it but Rowan had to start somewhere.


    ---------


    Syryn had been blissfully free of the whistling and nightmares. He was floating on clouds and generally feeling very satisfied; that is when he ignored the problem with Riha and his hungry demon. For a half breed like him, this was a comfortable life. He was also an idle minded demon because the kind of alchemy he engaged in daily did not require much thinking or any thinking in fact. Syryn almost functioned like an automaton magicked to add the correct amount of ingredients every single time.


    An idle mind truly was the devil''s workshop. And Syryn was about to prove just how right that adage would play out.


    ''Goldie,'' his solid gold monkey idol was no longer with Riha. It was neither on the kitchen table like Syryn had initially intended for it. The mage''s eyes curved into crescents as he pushed the idol into the wide space under his and Rowan''s bed.


    Syryn was man, and so was Rowan. What then would the idol bless when neither had a womb? The spirit of enquiry and curiosity burned bright in his damned soul as Syryn whispered to the idol.


    "What are you going to do then? I''m inclined to believe that you''re just a gold monkey that''s only good for being a paperweight."


    He glanced at his ring and frowned. "Look, I spent so much money on this and it did nothing. You''re just the same, aren''t you? Rowan spent all that money for a useless lump of gold."


    When Red walked into the room and beheld the older brother on his knees, he had expected to find that Syryn was looking for something under the bed. But he soon came to notice that his brother was in fact talking to the garish fertility idol that gleamed from under the bed. Red felt a shiver down his spine and he turned right around to leave. Whatever happened would be on Syryn, he said to himself. And in the event that nothing happened, he would still avoid the weird brother''s eyes for a few days, just to make sure that a curse wouldn''t get transferred to him.

 Chapter 201 - Warning

    Life went on as usual. The alchemy room was a flurry of activity. The recent days found Syryn and Salem working from morning to night because of the orders that kept coming in to their business. Other potion shops were now buying their potions wholesale in order to sell them at retail. Lucien had also begun attending classes more seriously. And Rowan was busier than ever.


    The giant cauldrons that Syryn had ordered from the blacksmith were due to arrive in the afternoon, and he was arguing with his business partner because-


    "How did you even imagine we''d fit the cauldrons through the door?" Salem asked the mage. "How? Syryn, how? Tell me the logistics of it."


    "I was getting murdered in my dreams, Salem. Have some sympathy." And that was Syryn''s excuse for everything these days.


    The half-elf looked down at Syryn through unimpressed amber eyes. "I thought you were smart but it turns out I was wrong."


    That hurt Syryn more than it should have. "Well, we needed the cauldrons anyway. I would have bought them whether or not they fit through the door!"


    Alka arrived at the scene when their bickering was just peaking. "Syryn, Artemus is here and wants to question you about something."


    -----


    When Syryn arrived to meet his visitor, Artemus was at the kitchen table as per usual. With a cup of rice tea in his hand, the elegant man cut a picture of quiet beauty against a backdrop of morning sunlight that set the kitchen aglow.


    "Hey Art," Syryn cheerily greeted the man whose arrival had put an end to Salem''s nagging about the cauldrons.


    "Good morning Syryn, you look happy," the dark-eyed anti mage observed.


    What was the term for when an unfortunate man was forced into a life-threatening circumstance but was finally free of it to discover that happiness came from the mundane things in life?


    "I''m satisfied," Syryn replied with a grin.


    Artemus nodded. "That''s good to know."


    "So," Syryn leaned on a hand and angled his head. "What brings you to me, today?"


    Artemus set down the cup and arranged his thoughts in order before speaking them out to Syryn.


    "I had a few other priests examine the corpse."


    Syryn had a bad feeling about that.


    "I called in a favour from the oldest priestess from Saint''s Moon, and she was unable to come to the same conclusion as Qairu."


    Of course, Syryn thought with annoyance, Artemus would sniff out a tomato hiding in a persimmon cart.


    "It wasn''t that I doubted the conclusion you came to from Qairu''s observation of the corpse. I just think it''s strange that he alone had a unique reaction to the corpse."


    Syryn nodded to the anti mage''s words. "I did tell you that Qairu is special. His holy senses are sharper than the others." Syryn had no idea what the hell he was spouting.


    "Holy senses?" Artemus lifted his brows at the mage.


    "Rowan is an anomaly among you anti mages, isn''t he? So is Qairu - an anomaly amongst the priests. I don''t see your anti mage elders replicating the kind of powers that Rowan is able to draw out of himself. This line of questioning is unfair!" Syryn injected some outrage into his tone.


    "Nigh''hart, we''re dealing with necromancy. This isn''t a matter to be pushed under the rug. You know very well how draconian the laws are on this dark art."


    "Yes but-"


    "I appreciate Qairu''s input and aid but I find myself in a position where duty compels me to look further into this matter. Syryn, if a priest is delving deeper into such a study then he needs to be told-"


    "Where''s your proof?" Syryn interjected. "To accuse Qairu without any proof is just abusing your position and power."


    The anti mage angled his head and looked at Syryn like was dissecting him. "I have no proof, Syryn. What I have is intuition, and right now it''s telling me that you''re very defensive about Qairu."


    Sometimes, very rarely, Syryn felt the urge to kill the anti mage. "Get to the point, Artemus. What are you here for, really?" He wished he was back inside the alchemy room fighting with Salem.


    "To give you a friendly warning," the anti mage replied. "I could be wrong about Qairu but when necromancy is involved and theres a priest who can do that which no other more experienced priest can, especially when he''s refused to give information to me, it leads me to think that he''s really special. And special can mean many things, but I don''t take chances, Syryn. You knew about his abilities somehow. And maybe this might come as shock to you but I do care about you and I hope that you aren''t making your bed with someone involved in necromancy."


    Artemus had conceded that it was one giant leap to a conclusion but when Syryn was involved, things tended to get dark and messy very fast. He couldn''t in good conscience not warn Syryn about it.


    "What about Qairu?" Syryn asked the anti mage. "Are you going to investigate him?"


    "Not yet," Artemus replied. He was calmer than the stressed-out Syryn, more self-assured too. The mage was beginning to realise that the anti mage had already been clued in a little more than he would have had he not spoken to Syryn.


    "I don''t want to help you anymore," he petulantly said to the anti mage.


    "You''ve helped plenty, Syryn. I would rather you continue to counsel the case, but, if that is your decision then I will respect it," Artemus informed him in all seriousness.


    Syryn could never let Artemus find out about Lucien''s necromancy studies. He was on board with the general belief that the practice of such dark arts only led to more suffering than any good it could do. However, he was nobody''s moral police. Syryn would draw the line at human sacrifices when it came to Lucien, but everything else was fair game.

 Chapter 202 - Brotherly Affection

    Artemus resided in a rented home near the headquarters of the Sanguine. He was one of those boring hardworking folks who failed to separate work from life. Work was his life.


    So when his mother sent him a missive to visit home for dinner, the anti mage''s first reaction to it was a refusal. There was no time for family dinners when one was being pulled apart in a thousand directions by the infinite responsibilities that fell on his shoulders.


    In addition, he worried for his little brother, for Syryn, and the dangerous situations they got into. He was especially concerned about the corpse tree that they were nurturing. Of course, he had found out about it. Alka had been clever about concealing his activities, but all it had taken was a reminder stuck to the vase of flowers in the manor kitchen. That was where it had all begun.


    --------


    "3 drops in the noon, 7 drops in the evening." That was what had been written in bright red ink, bold enough to catch anyone''s eyes. It was in Alka''s handwriting. Salem and Riha were the only ones around because Syryn and Lucien were vacationing at Nua. It meant that the instructions were for the other two.


    Artemus hadn''t given much thought to it but he had filed the information away just in case he needed it later. A few days later, a bill arrived at his home. It was Alka''s shopping bill.


    It came to the anti mage because the plant mage had a habit of putting his purchases on his brother''s tab. The Elysium businesses knew this and sent a cumulative bill to him every month. It was a detailed bill that included every item Alka had purchased. The bill was after all going to a member of the Sanguine. It had to be meticulous and transparent.


    The anti mage graciously paid for it every month because that was his responsibility as Alka''s older brother. Maybe not really his responsibility, but Artemus was willing to indulge Alka.


    The total bill amount he received that day was exactly 3 crowns higher than Alka''s average expenditure. Nothing strange about it, but what caught his eye was the shop that caused the increase in expenditure. There was no mention of what Alka had bought. What was his brother buying from a blacksmith? The anti mage had wondered. All his tools were available in the botany stores. Artemus paid the bill and went about his day.


    A few days later, Artemus visited the manor and found Salem reading a book whose cover was concealed by the blond''s hand. When asked about what he was reading, the alchemist had smiled and said it was a book of botanical ingredients that were rare to find. The anti mage nodded but Salem didn''t know that Artemus had already seen the diagram on the page he had just flipped.


    He recognised the plant because he was a Sanguine with a strong memory for all the items that were banned inside Sigil''s borders. And he knew that the plant he had seen was not an ingredient that Salem needed unless he was doing something he wasn''t supposed to do. So the half-elf was either lying because he was secretive about his curiosity of illegal plants -which wasn''t a crime- or because he had something to hide. Even seasoned criminals slipped up sometimes when they were suddenly caught in the act of doing something their own conscience deemed wrong. If the blond hadn''t lied then Artemus would not have suspected him of wrongdoing.


    The anti mage couldn''t help but think about this incident whenever he was performing some mundane activity, such as having a meal. His mind drifted back to the note in the kitchen that was meant for either Salem or Riha.


    The very next day, his mother had asked Artemus to pass on a message to Alka because the plant mage hadn''t visited home in two weeks. It was a quick trip through the path so Artemus had gone to meet his brother. When he arrived there, Salem told him that Alka wasn''t home, that he had gone to buy something at the Mill. An acceptable answer. He told the alchemist to pass on their mother''s message to Alka. Artemus also noted that Salem had blinked twice rapidly just like he had done on that day when he''d lied about the book.


    When Artemus met his mother for the planned family dinner the next night, Alka was already seated in the dining room, chatting with their mother about his boyfriend''s weird behaviour.


    "What did you buy yesterday?" Artemus interrupted the plant mage.


    "What?" Alka had replied. "Yesterday? Oh, I needed some seeds."


    "What seeds?"


    "King Asters."


    Their mother smiled. The brothers were getting along well.


    "Ah, so I''ll get the bill for it next month."


    "They''re just seeds," Alka replied. "Cheap seeds. I paid for them myself."


    His brother never paid for anything if there was any possibility of pawning off the bill to the anti mage. Yes, Artemus decided, it was time to find out what was going on. With his little brother''s predilection for courting trouble, the anti mage found himself rightly concerned.


    "Are you still making your brother pay for your purchases?"


    "It''s fine, mother. Alka hardly makes a dent in my pay. I might as well fund him if no one else."


    The anti mage made a trip to the smithy mentioned in the bill. He was informed that Alka had ordered a custom made metallic pot. What kind of plant was Alka planning to grow in a metallic pot? Why metal? To protect the plant from damage? Or was it to protect the pot from damage? Either way, it was a big red flag to Artemus. He could ask Alka about it but he preferred to find out for himself. The only place that the metal pot would be at was the manor.


    Artemus was back at the manor again. He was wasting far too much time with this but it had to do with his brother and so Artemus was duty-bound to snoop. As Alka''s older brother, he needed to ensure the plant mage''s safety.


    "Salem, let''s take a walk around the greenhouse. I want to look at Alka''s plants."


    "Sure, but Alka isn''t around. Maybe you should ask him to lead you on a tour after he gets back."


    "I just want to take a look, that''s it. Come with me, Salem."


    One long tour around the greenhouse and several other areas all around the manor later, Artemus still hadn''t found the metal pot. Where was it?


    "Are we done?" Salem had been very calm during the tour.


    "Thank you, Salem. I wasted your time."


    Artemus was a high ranking member of the Sanguine. He had access to special magical tools that could sniff out specific metals. All it took was an arcane crystal, a small piece of metal of the same type he was tracing, and knowledge of how the tool worked. It took him only 15 minutes in the garden before Alka was busted.


    A corpse tree. Cold rational calmness took over when he felt his anger spiking. Alka wasn''t alone in this operation. Salem knew about it, and Syryn most probably did too. The anti mage put away his tool and headed back to the rift. He would wait and see what the troublemakers intended to do with the corpse tree.

 Chapter 203 - A Calamity

    "So, are we doing this or not?" Syryn asked the blond anti mage who was pinned under him.


    Rowan had been trying to get some work done whilst sitting on the bed and relaxing after a hard day''s work. But his mage had come to him from a bath, eyes shining with mischief.


    He was now pinned to the bed and Syryn was sitting right over his crotch, moving his butt in a tantalising rhythm that turned Rowan hard. The anti mage''s hands flew to Syryn''s hips and held him in place.


    "Clothes off, Ryn," he said in a low voice. "Someone''s getting punished for distracting me from work."


    ---------


    Another morning, another day of slogging through boring alchemy, Syryn thought in a drowsy stupor. He was still in bed and Rowan was pressed up against him like every other morning.


    Syryn had a feeling that something was wrong. He had been too sleepy to figure out exactly what was it that was bothering him but now it was getting more obvious.


    His hand moved to touch the arm that was hanging over his hips. He was not in bed with Rowan.


    HE WAS NOT IN BED WITH ROWAN!


    Syryn panicked. Who was in bed with him then?!


    The alchemist thought back to the night before. Rowan and he had done the horizontal dance before falling asleep. He was still in bed in their room so unless Rowan had replaced himself with this person in bed, it meant that - what did it mean?!


    The smooth arm snaked across his hip again, caressing him sensually, and the stranger pressed closer. That''s when Syryn felt it.


    "Breasts!" He screamed in outrage and scrambled away from the naked woman with whom he had slept. Falling to the floor, Syryn stared at the gorgeous creature in bed that wasn''t Rowan.


    Luscious gold locks lay across the two mounds of perfection that sat on her chest like globes. Syryn stared at them in horror because she looked just like Rowan, but a female version.


    "Oh my," the lady calmly said as she noticed how enormous her breasts were. She, this not Rowan, lifted the blanket covering her naked form and took a peek under it. Her beautiful brows drew together in concern even as she threw the blanket off and gave Syryn an eyeful of what was possibly the sexiest feminine body he had ever seen.


    Her lovely chest area tapered down to a slim waist, and then it swelled into a curvy hip which followed the line of supple thighs and long toned legs.


    "Syryn, is this your fault?" Rowan asked as he smiled dangerously at the shell shocked mage.


    So beautiful! Was Syryn''s only coherent thought. Rowan was a calamitous beauty. Why was he surprised? Rowan was always a calamitous beauty. Blue eyes narrowed at him.


    "Ryn, stop gaping."


    "Oh my god."


    Syryn stood up in a daze.


    "Rowan, you have a- " he looked at the spot between Rowan''s thighs and immediately felt his legs go soft. This was a disaster.


    "Syryn, it''s probably not permanent," Rowan assured the mage who looked to be one second away from a nervous breakdown. Rowan had a low husky voice. It was feminine and sexy.


    "Why are you not panicking?!" Syryn asked the blonde.


    "How will that solve the problem?" Rowan asked in return. Soft pink lips distracted Syryn from whatever outburst was ready on his tongue.


    "Syryn?"


    The mage''s gaze snapped back up to the blue eyes, the only exact feature that stuck through this change.


    "I''m sorry," Syryn said to the anti mage. "I think I know what''s caused this."


    "You do?" Rowan shifted on the bed and his breasts moved with him. Syryn was shocked. Those breasts were really attached to Rowan''s chest.


    The alchemist dropped to his knees and looked under the bed where the fertility idol mocked him with its bigger than life phallus.


    "This, this has to be why," Syryn held up the idol.


    "You put it under our bed?" Rowan raised his brows at the alchemist. "What did you think was going to happen for two men fucking?"


    "I don''t know!!" Syryn yelled as he threw the idol onto the bed. "But not this-!"


    His finger was pointed to Rowan''s chest. "This abomination!"


    "It is not an abomination," Rowan said with a chuckle. "Breasts are nice, Ryn."


    "Yeah, I''m sure." Syryn had forgotten that Rowan swung both ways. But not him. If he was the one cursed with a female body, they could have had fun but no, it had chosen Rowan.


    "What do we do?" He asked the anti mage.


    "Simple. We find a way to reverse this spell. Let''s go back to Silent and find the teenager who sold us the idol."


    "Right," Syryn''s panic steeped brain was catching up with reality. "He''ll definitely know what to do."


    Rowan swung his long legs off the bed and stood up to stretch. His silky hair fell to his waist like a shiny waterfall of gold. Rowan was a damn goddess, Syryn thought. Rowan was going to attract all the men in Elysium, was Syryn''s next thought.


    "Stop right there!" He shouted. "Rowan, you can''t leave this room."


    The anti mage had on a royal blue night robe that was secured at his waist by its velvet belt. His cleavage was still on display despite his attempt at covering it.


    "I can''t?"


    "You''re not wearing anything under that!"


    "It''s not like I intend to flash anyone, Ryn. Nobody will know I''m not wearing-"


    "Rowan, look at your chest."


    Rowan did look at his chest. "It''s just a cleavage, Syryn. I''m getting late for work so we need to hurry this along, you know."


    Rowan was planning to go to work, Syryn thought. Rowan was planning to go to work!!


    "Are you crazy? What are you going to tell your colleagues?!"


    "That a spell went wrong and I''ll be working temporarily as a woman."


    "How are you so calm about this?!"


    "I told you there''s no use in panicking, Syryn!"


    A loud knocking sounded on the door and he heard Red''s muffled voice.


    "Is there a woman in your room, Syryn? I''m gonna tell Rowan."

 Chapter 204 - A Womans Woes

    The kitchen was eerily silent despite the six people currently occupying the space.


    Syryn had a dazed look in his eyes as he chewed on breakfast.


    Rowan who was seated next to the mage appeared unconcerned by the upheaval that his change had caused in the manor. "Lucien, shouldn''t you get dressed for classes?" He asked the redhead who hadn''t touched his food.


    "Rowan, what does it feel like to have such a big chest?" Red asked in return.


    Salem put down his spoon and looked at the blonde expectantly. Alka''s ears perked up as well. The only other member of the house looking just as unconcerned as Rowan was Riha.


    "Well," Rowan began with some hesitation. "If you must know, it feels like I have two sandbags attached to my chest."


    Alka snorted.


    "That''s it?" The redhead asked as he stared unabashedly. "And what about between your legs? There''s nothing dangli-"


    "Lucien, you''re getting late for class," Rowan firmly interrupted the child before he could ruin breakfast time for the family.


    "Rowan," their resident half-elf addressed him when he saw that the redhead still had more to ask. "Your clothes won''t fit you. You need a new wardrobe immediately."


    "What I have now should be fine for today," Rowan answered. "I''ll get a new uniform set from headquarters."


    "You can''t be thinking about going to work like that," Alka stated with some surprise.


    Rowan didnt see what the problem was. So now he had breasts and other delicate bits. What did that have to do with his ability to take care of business as usual?


    "Tell him, Alka," Syryn said to the plant mage. "Rowan won''t listen to me." The castle had been damaged by Rowan so it was closed for the foreseeable future. The anti mage could only ask Roga about how to get in contact with the teenage boy who had sold them the idol. But there were other avenues available as well.


    "Have you two done anything weird after Rowan changed?" Red asked again. He was beyond curious about the consequences of Rowan''s changes on the dynamics of their relationship. Red was certain that Syryn was as homosexual as they came. If Rowan was permanently stuck as a woman, would Syryn have to adapt, improvise and overcome?


    Syryn stiffened up in his chair. Rowan outright ignored the query.


    "I think this is the end of your sex life," Red declared in a bored voice. "Luci wants to know if you''re gonna bleed every month."


    Rowan''s breakfast went down the wrong pipe and he choked. Salem passed the blonde a glass of water and sighed.


    "Poor Rowan," Alka declared, but the plant mage looked positively gleeful.


    "Rowan will be fine," Syryn said while looking at everyone, and pausing on Red. "I''ll find a way to undo this since I caused it."


    None of his housemates looked surprised at Syryn''s admission of guilt.


    "Good for him," Red said with a snigger. A wicked smile lighting up his pretty face, the redhead turned to Rowan. "Until then, stock up on some supportive innerwear. Those things look like they''re ready to pounce on some hungry babies."


    Rowan looked like he wanted to laugh. The blonde cleared his throat and abandoned his breakfast. He was disrupting everyone''s routine so the anti mage decided to leave for work.


    "Where are you going?" Syryn asked.


    "Getting ready for work, Ryn."


    "I''m coming with you, Rowan," Syryn insisted while standing up. "What if you get accosted on the road?"


    "Syryn, it''s still Rowan," Alka said to the mage. Now Syryn was the one acting like a mother hen. "He is still very much capable of defending himself."


    "I know, but I can''t help but worry."


    What if Rowan never turned back into a man? What if Rowan wanted to see what it felt like to- Syryn stopped his thoughts right there.


    "I''ll come home before noon," Rowan assured his lover.


    Syryn nodded and accepted the kiss that Rowan placed on his cheek.


    -------


    A dark-eyed anti mage was minding his own business when a strangely familiar-looking woman walked into the Sanguine Headquarters with the confident body language of having been there many times before. She was one of the most beautiful women he''d ever seen on this side of the kingdom. But why was she wearing the anti mage uniform, and that too in a size that was too large on her?


    "Artemus, I need a favour." The blonde beauty approached him. She reminded him of Rowan.


    "Do I know you?" He asked her with some caution.


    "It''s me, Rowan."


    He heard the words and understood them. But Artemus had to repeat it in his mind one more time before he truly understood what he was dealing with.


    His dark eyes strayed downwards towards dangerous territory but he stopped himself in the nick of time. Shocked onyx eyes snapped back up to meet amused blues.


    "You can look, Artemus," Rowan said with some laughter in his voice. "I don''t care if you do."


    "You''re joking, right?" The anti mage replied.


    "No, come with me. I''ll explain as we head to the logistics office."


    Sometime later, Rowan was dressed in a smart anti mage uniform that fit him like a glove. Curious heads turned to look at the blonde woman who everyone assumed was a new recruit.


    Most of the men were jealous of the dark-haired anti mage walking beside the blonde goddess.


    "A fertility idol? Why was it in Syryn''s hands in the first place?" Artemus asked Rowan.


    "He was interested in the idol so I bought it for him."


    The look he received said he deserved what had happened. "A fertility idol for Syryn. That conjures an image I would rather not think about ever again," Artemus blandly said to the blonde. "What was the favour you needed, anyway?"


    Artemus'' efficiency was legendary in the Sanguine HQ. Rowan felt guilty about imposing on the man who already had so much on his plate, but if anyone could help him, it was Artemus.


    "I need information on the whereabouts of the teenager who sold me the idol, and I need it as soon as possible. Something tells me that the longer I stay in this form, the more I''ll end up regretting it."


    "You look good this way though," Artemus wore a tiny smirk. "Maybe you should stay like this, Rowan. Give the boring hq something nice to look forward to every day."


    "Syryn would take offence to that," the blonde smiled back at the dark-eyed anti mage.


    "Eh? A-mu who is this lady yer standin'' so close to?" The voice of an unhappy mage called out from behind them.

 Chapter 205 - A Couples Woes

    The blonde woman turned around and flashed a smile that made Sebastian''s heart thud a little faster. He was hard-pressed to get mad about Artemus standing so close to her. The mage suddenly wasn''t sure who he was more jealous of.


    "Sebastian, let me introduce you to Rowan Windwalker," Artemus said in a dry tone.


    Rowan Windwalker.


    Rowan Windwalker...


    Sebastian had heard wrong. Surely Artemus just had a slip of his tongue. There were plenty of other people in the world who had blonde hair and blue eyes like Rowan Windwalker. The surname wasn''t very common but she could be a distant cousin or a twin sister to Rowan Windwalker.


    "Rowena Windwalker?"


    "No, Rowan Windwalker," the blonde goddess said to him while sighing. When she crossed her arms, her womanly assets came to the fore and confused the sandy-haired mage.


    "How?" Sebastian was bug-eyed.


    "An accident with a fertility idol. We''re going to try and reverse it," Rowan answered.


    "No! Stay this way," Sebastian said to the blonde. "I prefer Rowena to Rowan."


    "There is no Rowena."


    "A-mu, you agree with me, don''t ya?"


    Artemus neither confirmed nor denied it.


    "I promised Syryn I''d be back home early," Rowan told the other two. "I''ll be off."


    Sebastian began laughing when he thought about Syryn''s plight.


    "Wait, I''m comin'' with ya, Rowena."


    ---------


    Syryn held the fertility idol like it was a cursed object, which it was considering what it had done to Rowan. He put the idol on the table before him. While doing that he caught sight of an abnormality in his ring. A cloudiness that had never been there on its sapphire depths marred its surface.


    The half-demon took the ring off and placed it next to the fertility idol. On that fateful day, he had insulted both the ring and the idol. It couldn''t be that the two objects had colluded to curse him, could it? Magical objects were fantastic but they weren''t sentient or intelligent.


    "This is absurd," he said to himself. And then he thought better of saying something that could trigger the two items again. "What have the two of you done to Rowan?"


    Syryn stared at the fertility idol. It was just an ordinary-looking capuchin monkey with a hard rod between its legs. He lifted the idol, studied its gleaming surface, looked for something that stood out - like a symbol or an etching, then he ran his finger up the idol''s phallus.


    "Syryn, you nasty."


    The mage had known that Red was approaching him but he didn''t care.


    "I don''t get it," Syryn said to Red. "Why did it pick Rowan?"


    The redhead placed his chin on Syryn''s shoulder and leaned forward, putting his weight on the back of Syryn''s seat.


    "Did you want to turn into a woman?" He whispered against Syryn''s ear.


    "No."


    The redhead smirked. "Why do you ask then?"


    "It is likely that the choice made by the spell was random. The alternative would mean that the idol chose Rowan for some reason."


    "Hmmm," Red made a sound of agreement. "Do you think it was trying to punish you?"


    "That would be absurd," Syryn answered. "An object capable of doling out punishment for a slight against it would mean that it is sentient. I doubt that, Red. "This is simply an idol imbued with magic."


    "I hope you''re right Syryn."


    The brothers heard the sound of footsteps coming towards the room. Red turned around and smiled at the woman in mage hunter uniform.


    "I see you''re back, Rowan."


    Syryn too glanced behind his shoulder and then back at the idol. He could live without sex. Whatever.


    "S''ryn, how are we feelin'' today?" Asked the sandy-haired mage who had accompanied Rowan.


    "Sebastian," the mage replied dully.


    "Aww, why do you look so sad, S''ryn? If I were you, I''d be rejoicin'' an''givin'' thanks that I get to bang such a sexy woman. And it wouldn''t even be considered cheatin''."


    The mage felt his spirits sink even lower. Oh to be bisexual. He too wanted to desire to ''bang'' a sexy woman, but his dick couldn''t get hard for a female body. Syryn imagined himself atop a woman and the picture made him miserable.


    "Don''t talk about Rowan like that," was all he could manage.


    The blonde was lost for words at that moment. If he was still a man, he would have scooped Syryn up and kissed him. But in his current body, he couldn''t predict how badly Syryn might react to such a physical show of affection. He settled for a light squeeze of the mage''s shoulder.


    "Ryn, this won''t last forever."


    "How do you know that? You know what, it''s fine. This is fine."


    Syryn made up his mind that even if Rowan was stuck as a woman, he would never leave him. Whether he had male parts or female parts, Rowan was still Rowan. He would never abandon him, not even for the world. He just had to get used to seeing the feminine figure, and someday, Syryn would get turned on by woman Rowan. Someday.


    "Is that the monkey that caused this debacle?" Sebastian asked Syryn. The mage was very wary about the idol because he could not risk turning into a woman like Rowan.


    "Yes." Syryn''s head fell back against the top of the chair. It was unfortunate he did that. Rowan had been behind him so the mage was now looking up at the blonde''s uniformed covered underboobs.


    Could he- no, he couldn''t. He could try it though. In front of a shocked audience, Syryn lifted his hand and firmly squeezed one breast.


    Rowan stared at him in shock.


    Expressionless, Syryn held his hand up in the air in front of his face and made squeezing motions. It hadn''t felt interesting at all.


    "I don''t think we should do that again," Rowan said in a neutral tone.


    "Agreed," Syryn replied.


    Neither had liked it.


    Sebastian had a lot to say about it but he held Red''s hand and dragged him out of the room. It seemed that the couple was going to have a difficult time.

 Chapter 206 - Rowans Worries

    Rowan''s mind was heavy with worries. The most pressing problem was the elusive sea hag who still posed a danger to Syryn. Roga was wily and knew enough about the creature that he would survive a few weeks. With the Ruby circlet in his hands, the sorcerer would survive even longer. This period of reprieve would end if and when Roga was killed by his creation.


    Problem number two - Rowan had to turn into a man as soon as possible. His little lover had lost all his vitality. Syryn often roamed the house like a ghost that was filled with regrets.


    It wasn''t so much about Rowan being a woman that haunted Syryn. The mage was being haunted by his own guilt. It upset Syryn that Rowan had transformed but then he thought about how much more troublesome it was for the anti mage, and that fed the flames of his guilt.


    When they slept together at night, Syryn no longer wanted to be held by Rowan because he could not adapt to a body that didn''t feel like Rowan''s. It was endearing but also depressing for both of them.


    "Rowan," Syryn had said to him when the blond was falling asleep. "Kiss me."


    The anti mage looked into Syryn''s eyes and saw apprehension. "Are you sure?"


    The mage dipped his head. "Do it."


    "Don''t force yourself to, Ryn."


    But Syryn lowered his head and kissed the blond woman because the heart that beat inside was still Rowan. It was just a kiss, he could at least do that much.


    ______


    Problem number three - Rowan could no longer visit the whisper pond. It was his primary source of information about everything that was going on in Elysium and beyond its borders. The anti mage had begun receiving news about political turmoil in several kingdoms, and these instances were seeing off the alarms in Rowan''s mind. Trouble was fomenting beyond his expectations, and it was no coincidence.


    His contacts were spread out across several kingdoms and news wasn''t arriving as fast as he wanted them to. The changes that Syryn and he had set off in their second birth were only beginning to emerge. The ripples of their actions would turn into waves, which in turn would arrive as a flood to knock down his carefully laid plans. Rowan had to account for everything. And that was why he shunned responsibility in the Sanguine and also refused promotions. His lack of ambition, as speculated by the higher-ups, was another blessing in disguise. Rowan could keep his distance from the political infighting within the Sanguine.


    "Rowan, did you find a solution to your problem?" Artemus stopped to ask him. The dark-eyed anti mage had been on his way out of the HQ. On an impulse, he stopped by Rowan''s office and noticed that the blonde was lost in his thoughts.


    The blond anti mage put away the paperwork he had been staring at for the past hour. "Not yet."


    The older anti mage looked at the half-done paperwork. "I''m going out for lunch." It was an invitation that also sounded like a statement. It left room for Rowan to refuse without actually refusing. He could just say ''okay'' and that would be the end of it.


    "Rainy Pavilion?" Rowan asked. It was a high-end restaurant that was frequented by the more affluent members of the mage hunters.


    "Too far. Let''s go to The Cup. They serve meals faster than the other fancier places." That seemed more like Artemus. The anti mage hated wasting time.


    Rowan stood up to follow the older anti mage. Artemus was an interesting person. He hadn''t known the man well in their previous life because Artemus had presumably died before Rowan graduated. Understanding how deadly, intelligent, and efficient the man really was, Rowan knew he would make a good ally for their cause.


    And so Rowan and Artemus were seen to be sharing lunch together and appearing very friendly with each other.


    The dark-eyed anti mage ordered his favourites for the both of them. They talked about Roga, the sea hag, Syryn''s plight, and even about Rowan''s search for the maker of the gold idol. Artemus listened and suggested the ideas that were already on Rowan''s mind.


    And when they returned to the HQ, the two anti mages spent a quarter of an hour in Rowan''s office. Artemus had intended to help Rowan with the paperwork since the blond looked like he wasn''t in any mood to do much about frown at his papers. It was unfortunate that their activities were being closely monitored by a few gossiping members of the Sanguine. The rumour mill churned out some strange stories that spread beyond the walls of the Sanguine headquarters.


    Syryn heard the news from Alka who had heard it from a shopkeeper who had, in turn, heard it from his cousin''s husband who was a mage hunter. Rowan hadn''t reached home but the rumour had already arrived.


    "My brother and your boyfriend," Alka had said. "Were seen making out in Rowan''s office. They were in there for an hour before Artemus walked out of the office, looking like the cat that got the cream."


    Syryn snorted. It was going to take more than a rumour for him to ever doubt Rowan. His faith in Artemus was also strong. Neither was the type to betray him like that.


    "The mage hunters like to gossip," Alka said, smiling at his friend''s mild reaction.


    "But there''s no smoke without fire, Alka. I wonder what they''ve been up to to cause such rumours in the first place."


    "Do you trust him?"


    "Rowan? Yeah. I trust Artemus too."


    "Let''s spy on them then."


    "What? No."


    "Aren''t you curious?"


    "Yes, but I don''t want to spy on Rowan. It feels wrong."


    "Fine, fine," Alka rested his chin on the table.


    Syryn was very sorry for what had happened. He was willing to do whatever it took to change Rowan back to himself. If only he hadn''t insulted the idol, if only he hadn''t allowed his curiosity to make his decisions, if only he hadn''t been so impulsive.

 Chapter 207 - Curiosity

    As much as he wanted to keep it from spreading, the news about Rowan''s transformation had exploded. Every noble worth their salt had heard about the strange case of Rowan Windwalker. There were crowds of noblemen sauntering in and out of the HQ. Every single one of them was there to see the beauty whose face was declared to be as exquisite as a rose.


    Rowan was annoyed by the attention he was receiving but he wore a neutral expression and carried on with his day.


    "Give them a day to gawk. Denying them entry would just lead them straight to his house. We''ll restrict entry from tomorrow," had been the words to Artemus when he had appealed for Rowan.


    Rowan had no idea what Syryn had intended from the fertility idol. But somewhere out there, a monkey''s paw had lowered a finger and fulfilled the purpose of the idol. Rowan now had a woman''s reproductive organs. He was good at rolling with unexpected happenings but this was turning into a bigger problem than he had anticipated.


    "Rowan, are you stuck like this forever?" It was asked in a refined accent, like the type spoken by the royal family.


    The blond raised his head and saw it was the second prince, Eivern. Dark hair and blue eyes, like his father.


    "Your highness," Rowan said to the handsome prince who had given in to the temptation to see the kingdom''s newest beauty. "I certainly hope not. I prefer my manhood over this."


    "You were the bachelor desired by every noble daughter, and now you don''t even spare the men. Rowan, if this remains your permanent form, I''d thank Eos all day. And then I''d marry you."


    Were the men praying that Rowan stayed this way? He hoped not. The quill that he had been holding abruptly snapped. He hadn''t realised how hard he had squeezed the shaft.


    The second prince was amused by Rowan''s violent reaction to his teasing. "Calm down Rowan, it''ll get sorted out soon enough. Father sent me to enquire how this came about. You know you can rely on us, Windwalker."


    "Please send my gratitude to his majesty. I will certainly ask for help if I require it."


    Eivern was unwilling to leave. He wanted to stay a while longer and appreciate what nobody could have. Nonetheless, he was a prince and it was unbecoming of someone of his station to gawk at a friend who had just possibly turned into every man''s wet dream.


    "I''ll say a prayer for your manhood Rowan," Eivern informed the blond.


    ______


    Only two days later, Artemus wordlessly handed a note to Rowan. The dark-eyed anti mage then left without any explanations.


    The blond unfolded the paper and saw an address written in a neat script that could only belong to Artemus.


    One of these days, Rowan would have to find a way to thank the older anti mage. But only after solving his immediate problems.


    ______


    Rowan skipped work the next day. Syryn cast an illusion on himself but discovered that it didn''t work on Rowan.


    "This damn idol," he grit his teeth and stared at the monkey. Syryn had the thought that if he could cast an illusion on Rowan - a high level one because anti mages were immune to lower level spells- then he could at least visually transform Rowan into his male self. He had hoped that it could revive his wilting libido. The mage had asked Salem for a strong spell to counter the anti mage''s natural immunity but none of the spells had any effect on Rowan.


    "Dont antagonise the idol, Ryn."


    Syryn swallowed down the words that were growing in his mouth.


    "Let''s go find the boy. I don''t need an illusion when it''s no longer a secret what I''ve turned into."


    -----


    Surprisingly, the teenager lived not too far from Silent. He lived in a small town located almost an hours walk away from the beach.


    Arriving at the town caused people to gawk at the rare beauty that had come to visit.


    Syryn knocked on the door of a stone house and a familiar teenager opened the door.


    "Yes?" The teenager asked them cautiously. Syryn was under an illusion and Rowan had transformed. There was no recognition on the teen''s face.


    "We bought a fertility idol from you last week and now my boyfriend has turned into a girlfriend," Syryn said as he pointed to Rowan. "Help us fix it."


    Confusion was etched across the teen''s face, but a moment later, his eyes lit up and he turned to stare at Rowan.


    "Mister anti mage?" He asked in disbelief.


    Syryn did not like that. Why was he surprised? Did this not happen often with fertility idols?


    "Let us in," Syryn said to the man while standing protectively over his man. There were people on the streets starting at Rowan. Could Syryn chase them off? Was that acceptable behaviour?


    The teenager allowed them to enter his home. Syryn slammed the door shut as fast as he could. He had been getting goosebumps from the leers that were directed Rowan''s way.


    "How did this happen?" The teenager looked at Rowan up and down, aghast, like something terrible had happened.


    Syryn was liking his reaction less and less.


    "What do you mean what happened? You sold us the idol, shouldn''t you know about the risks it poses?" He asked with a calmness that he wasn''t feeling.


    "I''ve sold a few idols like the one you bought but this has never happened before."


    Syryn''s heart sank. He was an idiot and this was his fault. Calm down! He said to himself. Calm down. He looked to Rowan but the anti mage was silent. Syryn wanted to know what Rowan was thinking.


    "Who makes these idols?" He asked the teenager.


    "The gold monkey came from a merchant ship that I got a few of my commodities from. They''ll be here again next month so you can ask them about it."


    "So there''s nothing you can do?" Rowan finally broke his silence.


    "I''m sorry mister anti mage..."

 Chapter 208 - Idol Maker

    It was early morning when Syryn and Rowan met the teenager by the Hide harbour.


    A large merchant ship called ''The Gypsie'' arrived to dock at the harbour for a few hours before it sailed off again to its next stop. The sailors and merchants filed down to the drinking holes that served breakfast alongside the alcohol. One of the merchants clad in a yellow tunic that reached his knees waved to the teenager before picking up a bag and heading over towards them.


    "Sila, how have you been old friend?" The Merchant said to the teenager. Rowan and Syryn were both given a cursory glance before the man turned his attention back to the teenager.


    Syryn breathed a sigh of relief because Rowan wasn''t attracting unnecessary attention. The blond had taken to wearing a wide-brimmed hat that fell low over his face. A white scarf was wrapped around his mouth and neck, and all that was visible was a fraction of his patrician nose. Loose robes in a masculine style covered his body and lent him an air of mystery. The anti mage had even taken to cutting off his luscious blond hair. Choppy lengths of blonde hair fell to his chin in a messy cut that showed its owner''s lack of concern for his looks. From a cursory glance at the anti mage, it was difficult to ascertain his gender.


    "By Eos'' grace, I live to see another sunrise. Have you brought goods for sale?" The teenager replied warmly.


    "Don''t I always?" The merchant grinned. He slapped the teenager on his back hefted his bag over his shoulder. "Let''s go somewhere private so I can show you this amazing wheel I bought off a pirate ship."


    Sila was jolted forward by the forceful smack against his back. The teenager recovered with a sheepish smile at the merchant. "Langdan, allow me to first introduce my friends to you. They''ve come a long way to ask you some questions about an item that they bought off me," Sila told his merchant friend. The man was friendly but Sila''s words suddenly made him appear more cautious.


    "An item that I sold?" He turned to Syryn who seemed to appear less threatening than a mysterious Rowan.


    "Let''s talk inside there," Sila pointed to a shanty little home.


    ________


    "The idol turned a man into a woman?!" The merchant exclaimed. "That has never happened before, at least to my knowledge. Are you sure it was the idol that did it?"


    Syryn thought back to the cloudy ring. "Well, I bought a ring from you as well, a good luck ring. Look," Syryn held it out to Sila. "Look at its surface and tell me what happened to it."


    The young man frowned when he saw the cloudy surface of the ring. It looked like a small pocket of fog stuck inside the otherwise clear sapphire stone.


    "This is strange," Sila said to Syryn. "My items have never gone wrong this way. I don''t understand why you''ve had such misfortune with the items."


    Misfortune and bad luck seemed to be the current trend for Syryn. Wherever he turned, bad luck was waiting for him.


    "But the ring cannot be blamed for my partner turning into a woman," Syryn added. "It has to be the idol."


    The merchant was in deep thought while Syryn talked to Sila.


    "You''ll have to visit Coop Island."


    Three pairs of eyes turned to the merchant. Sila looked distressed by what the merchant had declared.


    "Coop Island! That''s just a death wish for anyone who doesn''t have connections with the criminal groups on the island."


    Syryn turned to the blue-eyed man hidden behind the low brimmed hat. Rowan was impossible to read.


    "That''s where the idol maker lives." The merchant glanced at Syryn. "Don''t ask me how I get the idols. Be happy I am willing to tell you where to find its maker. Not all merchants would want to be associated with Coop Island for fear of being blacklisted."


    "Why have you told us then?" Syryn asked.


    "Because your friend is a pitiful soul to be pitied. A calamitous day is when a man is cursed to lose his staff of life."


    Syryn winced. What a devious punishment it was. Not only was his sex life gone, but his love life was also hit. And then he had to struggle with the guilt of having robbed Rowan of his staff of life.


    Sila looked at Syryn with sad eyes. "Mister, there must be another way to reverse the spell without having to go to Coop Island. That''s no place for law-abiding people like yourselves."


    Syryn shook his head. "I have to go. It is the only solution we have to this problem. While we wait for another safer route to appear, my friend remains tormented by the change in his body."


    "Then I can only wish you luck and pray for your safe return," Sila said to Syryn. "If there is any other way that I can be of help to you, tell me now."


    "I only require a name or a location to trace," Syryn replied as he turned to the merchant. "I can''t possibly search the entirety of Coop Island with nothing but an idol in my hand. It''s too suspicious, and they''ll immediately know that I am not a local."


    "Look for a man called Greed," Langdan answered. "That''s all I know."


    It was better than nothing. As vague as the information was, they at least had a location and a name.


    Rowan stood up and it was a sign that the conversation was over. Syryn thanked Sila and the merchant for whatever help they were able to give them.


    The duo walked away from the home, leaving the other two to conduct business.


    "Ro, I think I should go alone," Syryn told Rowan. "You have Sanguine duty, and I fear that if anyone sees your face accidentally, we might be fighting off slavers and perverts."


    "Impossible," Rowan replied. "I''m not letting you go alone, Ryn. Give me half a month to hunt down the sea hag. After I''ve accomplished that, we will go to Coop Island, together."


    Syryn was running out of time so Rowan''s priority was the sea hag. But, Syryn wanted to take care of Rowan''s problem simultaneously because they had no knowledge of the spell''s mechanism. Rowan could be stuck in a woman''s form if they waited too long to reverse it. That was a risk that Syryn was unwilling to take.


    He took a deep breath to say the words that would cause a disagreement between them. "Ro, I don''t care what you say. I''m leaving tomorrow for coop Island."


    "Why can''t you wait half a month, Ryn?"


    "Because you probably don''t have half a month!" Syryn said forcefully. "For all we know, the idol could have pronounced a death sentence onto you!"


    "You don''t know that."


    "We don''t know anything, Rowan! I can''t bear to see you like this, in a form I don''t recognise!"


    "And that is why we''ll solve it when we leave together for Coop Island." A hint of impatience began to bleed through Rowan''s calmness. When it came to Syryn, the anti mage had little control over his emotions.


    "I refuse!" Syryn coldly informed him. "This is my final decision whether you like it or not. I''m not asking you, Rowan, I''m telling you. I''m going to Coop Island, and nothing short of locking me down will deter me."


    The blond stopped in his tracks and took a moment of silence to banish the part of him that goaded him to do just that - lock Syryn away so that the mage would never leave him. "I can''t lose you, Syryn."


    "You won''t! Trust me, Ro. I''ll come back to you safe and sound."


    "You almost died at Nua."


    "But I didn''t because I knew you''d come to save me." Syryn had no idea why Rowan treasured and held him in his palms like he was made of brittle glass.


    "This time, I can''t swoop in and save the day, Ryn. There''s no rift on Coop Island."


    "I''m aware of that. I''ll turn into a demon and fly away if that is what it takes to escape danger."


    Rowan stood rooted to his spot like a mannequin. "You won''t listen to me will you, Ryn?"


    "No," the mage softly replied. "We will part ways tomorrow, Ro. I know you''ll find and kill the hag. I sleep in peace every night knowing that it is you that I''m leaning on to save my dreams."


    "I''ll come to Coop Island as soon I can. You have to promise me that you won''t cause trouble, Ryn. The island is lawless and death is always just one bad decision, one bad luck away."


    "I''ll pretend I''m you, Ro."


    The anti mage finally nodded. He wasn''t Syryn''s mother. Alka had asked him to cut Syryn some slack, and Rowan had wanted to do just that. But did it have to be Coop Island where Rowan''s faith had to be tested?

 Chapter 209 - Coop Island

    Coop island had started out as a prison village for banished criminals who were no longer welcome in their own kingdoms. Why waste money on keeping criminals alive in prisons when they could be sent to Coop Island? If you were unlucky, you were swung off a death bridge on a tight noose. If you were lucky, you got sent to Coop Island.


    The island was a giant atoll with a lagoon in the middle of it. Sandy beach stretched out for thousands of kilometres only disturbed by patches of coconut groves and rocks that dotted the island''s monotonous line. The villagers survived on fish, crabs, and coconuts but it was a hard life. Scurvy was rampant among the prison population. Escape was impossible unless a boat arrived from beyond the waters. But no one was foolish enough to approach the island of criminals. That was until the pirates decided to recruit from Coop Island. Fast forward to the current day and it was a hotbed of activity and a haven for rogue mages and anti mages that had bounties on their heads.


    Syryn had done a thorough research of the island. Pirates, criminals, and all sorts of unsavoury characters inhabited the island. With his lack of discretion and tendency to court trouble, Syryn knew he would have a difficult time at Coop Island. Death and maiming were troublesome problems but there was one other crisis that plagued Syryn more than the possibility of meeting injury - there were no accurate maps of Coop available on the market.


    A solo trip meant he had to rely on his undeveloped sense of direction. Syryn glanced at the orange tabby sleeping on a plant. Navi''s huge orange body was pressed over the leaves of the unfortunate plant into its pot.


    "Navi, can you take me to coop island?" Syryn asked the cat.


    Navi stared at Syryn. The mage stared back at the cat.


    "I guess that''s a no..."


    The door to his room swung open forcefully. A fuming redhead was standing at the threshold of his room.


    "I''m coming with you!" Red declared.


    "You are going to attend classes with Luci."


    "It''s unfair!"


    Syryn dared not believe what he was suddenly seeing. Lucien''s eyes misted over and the redhead''s cherubic lips wobbled.


    "Big Brother.."


    "No."


    The older boy''s resolve was already weakening but he reminded himself that he was going to Coop Island. This wasn''t Nua.


    "Please.."


    "Stop that, Luci! You can''t act cute and pathetic, and expect everything to go your way."


    The tears were fake. His face went back to looking annoyed. "Well, it was worth a try."


    "I''m going to Coop island, Red. I won''t risk Luci''s life just because you want a vacation away from school."


    "Fine fine," the child replied. "Who are you going with then?"


    "Alone."


    The redhead snorted. "You''ll get lost. You know that right?"


    "I have a map."


    "Okay," Red smiled like he knew the map was not going to be of any help to Syryn. "When are you leaving?"


    "Tomorrow."


    "So soon?"


    "Hmm... I won''t risk Rowan''s condition more than we already have."


    "At least take Navi with you. You''ll have company, and once you visit a place, he will remember the directions for you."


    That had been his plan too. But if Syryn met with trouble, Navi would be risking his life as well. And for some sentimental reason, the mage wanted to keep the orange tabby safe. Milky on the other hand was fair game.


    "I think I''ll take Milky with me instead of Navi," Syryn said to the redhead. "Where is Milky?"


    "Don''t know. Navi will be lonely without Milky so you might as well take them both."


    ____


    When Rowan reached home from a quick stop at the HQ, Syryn was already done packing. He was a dead starfish on their shared bed. The blond breezed in with his choppy hair, starched shirt unbuttoned at the collar bones, and he was lethal in his beauty. That was unfair.


    "I have a contact for you at Coop Island," Rowan said to the sad starfish. "An undercover Sanguine who goes by the moniker of Robin. If you find yourself in trouble, establish contact with her."


    Syryn lifted his head and nodded before letting it fall back on the bed. He was parting from Rowan again. It was happening too soon.


    "Syryn, how are you going to get around without someone guiding you?" It was a genuine concern for anyone who knew the mage.


    "I don''t know. I''m not taking the cats with me. I''ll figure something out," he said with lethargy.


    It sounded to Rowan like Syryn was planning to throw his dice to the fates decided by luck. For such a dangerous journey, his lover''s flippant attitude towards preparations did not sit well with Rowan.


    "Syryn, if you get lost at Coop, you can''t just ask for directions."


    "I don''t intend to, Ro. I''ll just look at my map."


    "You have a map?"


    "It''s not very accurate but it''ll do. If push comes to shove, I''ll kidnap some weak looking criminal and force him to lead me around."


    A frown marred Rowan''s brows.


    "Come here, Ro. Let me squeeze your boobs."


    It was the most un-erotic thing the anti mage had ever heard.


    "Come to think of it, since we''re parting tomorrow, we should fuck." Syryn rolled to his stomach and looked up at Rowan.


    "Are you... we- wet?" The mage asked with some hesitation. A blush appeared on his cheeks and he couldn''t look straight at the blond who hadn''t said anything.


    "No," the anti mage replied. He was one breath away from laughter. The anti mage found the situation ridiculous but since Syryn was trying to be supportive, he held a straight face at the mage''s attempt at whatever he was trying to do. "Do you want me to be?"


    Rowan didn''t appear the least bit interested in exploring his new body, the mage observed.


    Syryn''s throat bobbed. "Ro, if you want, I can - I can.."


    "Go to sleep, Syryn."


    The mage sighed in relief. He had half expected Rowan to agree.


    "Yeah, I''m going to do that. Goodnight Rowan."

 Chapter 210 - Idriz

    Syryn''s plan to leave would have gone more smoothly if he had factored in the unavailability of ships headed to Coop Island.


    "Coop Island?" The sailor grinned at Syryn. He seemed to be waiting for the mage to say more.


    "Yes? Coop Island. That''s where I''d like to go."


    The sailor''s smile wilted. "I was waiting for a punchline but it seems you''re serious about going there."


    "I am serious. Why would I-"


    "Nobody here deals with the Coopers, son. You won''t find a single boat heading anywhere close to that wretched island."


    The old sailor went back to marking an inventory in a little notebook he had been looking at when Syryn had approached him.


    Syryn asked two more captains but he was laughed at and ridiculed. The mage understood that this was going nowhere. He entered one of the drinking holes and paid a large sum of money to the barkeeper for information. The mage came away with a name, Idriz.


    Syryn boarded a ship to Log Island. It was a day''s journey across a calm sea.


    When the ship docked at the island, Syryn got off and took in the sight of several cart pullers parked at the dockyard. A well-paved path led from the dockyard to a cluster of warehouses all over the sandy desert island. Idriz owned the island and the warehouses, and the several ships that traded between several islands.


    He was here. Now what? He asked himself as he looked at all the workers unloading goods and shouting above each other.


    "Hey, where can I find Idriz?" He asked one of the workers unloading a heavy sack on his shoulders. Muscular shoulders strained against the weight of the sack that looked heavier than the man himself.


    "What do you want with the big man?" The worker asked after wiping his brows free of sweat.


    "I heard he was looking to hire a new crewmate for his ship."


    There was a bit of suspicion in the worker''s eyes as he looked over Syryn. The mage was illusioned to look like an ordinary man with a forgettable face.


    "Where did you hear that?"


    "I heard it just as everyone else did."


    "Yeah? We already found our new member."


    That was a lie. Syryn nodded. He didn''t have a lot of choices now, did he? The mage did what he was best at.


    The temperature of the air dropped. The tips of the sea waves rushing up froze in the air. Cracking sounds filled the air as ice melted and reformed, engulfing the salty ocean water. The dockworkers put down their chores and watched the water surrounding the ship freeze over.


    It had happened very fast. A ring of ice now circled the harbour. Syryn had successfully taken hostage of the ships that were about to depart from the harbour.


    "Ice mage, what is the meaning of this?" The sailor had seen the amount of power that Syryn wielded. He wasn''t stupid enough to antagonise someone so powerful.


    Arms crossed, the mage surveyed his handiwork and turned to the sailor. "Tell Idriz I''m the new crewmate."


    "Why would he hire someone as indisciplined as you?"


    "I''m just making a point curly. Those ships won''t move if I don''t get hired. You Merchant folks have a schedule to maintain don''t you?"


    "It''s just you against all of us." He raised his chin and squared up against Syryn. "Do you think you can take us all on?"


    The other sailors had begun gathering around Syryn. The closest ones had heard the conversation between Syryn and the worker.


    "You''re just a bunch of sailors," Syryn said as he glanced at the thirty to forty workers whose attentions had swivelled towards him. He could feel the power of an anti mage trying to suppress him. He chuckled at the weak anti mage field that was incomparable to Rowan''s suppression.


    The mage punched his fist into his palm. "My first gang bang. Make it good boys."


    ________


    Frozen sailors stood rooted to their spots like sculptures. The one''s that still remained unfrozen breathed out misty curls of air. None of their anti mages was capable of taking down the rogue mage that had appeared from nowhere and attacked them.


    "Get Idriz," he said to a bald sailor with a vicious cut across his eye.


    "You called me?" A smooth sounding voice asked Syryn from his left.


    The mage turned to look at the rakish looking merchant who was walking over leisurely. He had a languid smile on his face and it reminded Syryn of Magnus.


    Idriz had heavy-lidded grey eyes and dark wavy hair. Dressed in a casual loose white tunic open at his neck, the merchant was a picture of ease and relaxation. A line of scar tissue went across his neck like a choker.


    "Idriz?" Syryn asked the man.


    The merchant smiled. "You have me at a disadvantage. What''s your name?"


    "Syryn. I''m your new crewmate."


    Idriz'' smile turned into a Cheshire grin.


    "Welcome, Syryn. You''re hired as a bodyguard on the Fool''s Noose."


    The mage''s gaze drifted to the scar on Idriz''s neck. The Fool''s Noose - a ship with a name that someone with bad luck would normally avoid.


    "When do I start?" Syryn asked.


    "After you thaw out the sea," the merchant replied as he canted his chin towards the ships that were stuck at the harbour.


    "It''ll melt soon," Syryn replied. The sun, the sea, and time would do their job soon enough.


    Idriz gestured for the mage to follow him. He fell into step beside the merchant and they walked in amicable silence. After walking past a few warehouses, Idriz turned to Syryn.


    "Why are you really here, Syryn?"


    "I want to get to Coop Island," he honestly told the captain of The Fool''s Noose.


    "Coop Island. You couldn''t have picked a better time to find me."


    Idriz was a good looking man but he looked as cunning as a fox. Syryn wouldn''t trust him as far as he could throw him.


    "When are you planning to leave for Coop Island?"


    "Tonight," Idriz replied. "The seas are dangerous, Syryn. What is your luck like?"


    Grey eyes smiled at him with interest.

 Chapter 211 - Greed

    The Fools Noose was a sturdy and glorious ship. Late into the night, her tall triangular sails were hoisted straight and narrow by the busy sailors atop the deck.


    Syryn was accommodated in a private cabin that was small but also cosy. Above his head jutted a lantern that hung from a beam that bisected the ceiling. To his right was a bed against the wall, and to his left was a table beneath which a low backed chair was fitted neatly. A porthole allowed the mage to see what lay beyond the walls of his little cabin.


    Outside his porthole, the sky was an upturned bowl of velvet with little pinpricks through which lights illuminated the choppy ocean waters that lapped at the ship. When Syryn had boarded, the ship was at anchor, but now he could feel a small rocking motion that had his lantern swaying ever so slightly.


    He had observed his cabin so the mage went up to the deck where the sailors were rushing about to carry out tasks that made up the small parts of the complex machinery that was a sailing ship. Creaking sounds abounded as Syryn stood at the rails of the deck and watched the ship nimbly back out of the harbour.


    "Syryn, do you get seasick?" Idriz asked. The wind caught wisps of his wavy hair that was loosely tied behind him.


    "I''m not used to the lurching of the ship but I''m sure that I''ll get my sea legs soon," the mage answered. "Do you often get attacked by pirates?"


    Idriz rested his arms on the rails and looked out to the sea upon which the moon was reflected. "Buccaneers don''t trouble us, at least not the ones who know about the reputation of the fool''s noose."


    "What reputation?"


    Idris turned to look at Syryn with amusement. "You joined my ship not knowing what kind of people I deal with."


    "It doesn''t matter. All I want is a means to get to Coop Island. What you and your ship carry, and to whomever they carry the cargo has no bearing on me."


    The captain was thoughtful. "Do you know anything about the factions of Coop Island?"


    "No."


    Idris chuckled. "You are on a foolhardy mission, Syryn."


    There wasn''t a lot of information, to begin with. Syryn tossed his inhibitions aside and glanced at the captain. "Can you tell me something about the factions on coop island?"


    "For the right price, yes," Idriz answered.


    The mage waited for the man to name his price. Instead of answering him, Idriz showed him a silver compass.


    "This is a special compass. It functions as a compass but it also detects sneaky magic. For example, illusions. Can you guess what my compass is telling me?" Idriz asked the mage with a foxy smile.


    Syryn thought it was a small price to pay for information that could make his life easier. "You''re curious about who I am," he answered.


    Idriz put away his compass. "Yes," he answered. "For the safety of my ship and crewmen, I need to at least know that the fool is not carrying a personage of an identity that would bring trouble to her."


    It was fair enough. "I am not a threat to anyone," Syryn said though he had already proved his words false with how he''d taken hostage of the ships not too long ago. "I wear an illusion because I''m a very good looking man, and I do not want to attract unnecessary attention. I draw too many admirers with my face, you see."


    To Idriz, Syryn probably sounded very vain but the truth was the truth. "Can I see what your handsome face looks like then, Syryn?" He asked with waning interest. The captain had seen all sorts of good looking men and women. Even the brothels at Coop weren''t short of enchanting and fairy-like beauties. It sounded to Syryn like the captain was just being polite.


    "Are you sure? I won''t take responsibility for you falling in love with me," Syryn wagged a finger at the captain.


    Idriz was unprepared for the instantaneous swap from a common-looking man to a bewitching beauty. His polite smile froze and the captain stared into lovely violet eyes that stole his soul.


    "See, I told you." Syryn was jesting but the captain didn''t know that.


    "Does that happen to everyone that sees you?" He asked after breaking out of his spell.


    "Sure." The mage was confused but played along. Did the captain really fall in love with him? It was a joke. One could fall in lust with Syryn and obsess over his looks. That was all there was to it. Syryn did not believe in love at first sight.


    "It is my turn to hold up my end of the bargain," Idriz said to the mage. "Coop Island has a single natural harbour that controls the flow of trade and transport on the island. Ever since the pirates began making it their home, this harbour has been controlled only by the most powerful faction of the island."


    Syryn nodded along as the captain spoke.


    "As of half a year ago, the status quo on coop changed, and the most powerful faction was usurped by a new group called the Queensmen. They''re led by Bella, a woman whose wrath you do not wish to incur."


    "She sounds lovely," Syryn replied. A woman able to claw her way to the top of the hierarchy at Coop Island had to be a very special being.


    "The other two factions are the Red Sun and the Iron Raiders. Bella controls almost half the island while the rest is split between the other two factions. I''m telling you this because you have to step and speak with caution knowing which faction''s territory you walk through."


    "I''ll keep that in mind," Syryn replied, recalling the numerous times he had thrown caution to the wind when agitated by external stimuli.


    "Are you looking for someone at Coop Island?"


    Syryn thought about the consequences of telling the man about his quest. There seemed to be none. "Yes, I''m searching for a person called Greed. He makes and sells golden fertility idols."


    "Greed?" Idriz raised his brows in surprise. "How unlucky for you."


    A wave of bad feelings swept across Syryn''s mindscape. "Why?"


    "Greed was caught dealing business secretly. He was caught and murdered by Bella''s men not too long ago."

 Chapter 212 - Bad Luck

    "Greed was caught dealing business secretly. He was grabbed and murdered by Bella''s men not too long ago."


    Syryn''s hopes and dreams cracked into little pieces. Without the maker of the idol, how was he to reverse the spell? The mage paled at the thought of his anti mage never turning back into a man.


    "Did he have an apprentice or an assistant who might know about the idols he made?" He asked the captain.


    "That I am unaware of- Syryn!" Idriz moved fast and caught the mage who abruptly fainted. Syryn had pitched forward but the captain secured him in his arms. A thin trickle of blood began to flow out of his nose as Idriz shouted for their healer.


    "Syryn, Syryn, Syryn!" The annoying child like a voice called out to him.


    "Did you pull me into your dimension again?" It wasn''t hard to guess what had happened.


    "Yep Yep Yep! I wanted to give you a warning."


    "What warning?"


    "Tell the captain if the ship keeps sailing west in a straight line, you''ll all meet a watery end at the hands of mermen."


    "If that is the case then my senses should be warning me of danger. It has never failed me."


    "Your senses are sharp but they aren''t clairvoyant, are they? My vision shows me what will happen to you no earlier than tomorrow''s noon. In your time, that is two days away from the moment I pulled you inside here."


    "Hmmm... Isn''t that convenient? My death appears not long after your appearance in my life."


    "You are so suspicious for what? Maybe I came to you knowing just how soon your death was arriving. Syryn is an ungrateful brat!" The little boy girl sulked.


    "I''ll let the captain know about it. If your vision is true then you have my gratitude for saving our lives."


    "I''m glad to help, Syryn!"


    _____


    When Syryn came to, the first sight that greeted him was a man asleep on a chair with his feet up on the table.


    The mage looked around and noticed medicines, bandages, a book, and several pill bottles in the room. He surmised that it was the healer''s cabin.


    He left the cabin quietly so as to not rouse the sleeping healer. It was as if only a few hours had elapsed since his fainting but he knew it wasn''t so. It was night and the deck was mostly uninhabited. Syryn found the captain''s cabin and knocked on it.


    ___


    "A mermen attack?" Idriz asked after he had ascertained that the mage was well enough to be wandering around.


    "I know it sounds like I''m making it up but my visions have never been wrong," Syryn replied. "Change the path of our-" Syryn was jolted forward by a lurch of the ship that was abnormal given the calm weather conditions. The next thing he heard was a grinding sound that sent him and the captain running to the deck on unsteady legs.


    There were already a few other crewmates peering over the edge of the deck railing.


    "What is happening?!" Syryn asked Idriz.


    The merchant shined a light from a short glowing yellow tube that he held over the water.


    Under the calm waves, Syryn could see an eye the size of a dinner plate staring right back at them.


    Idriz cursed softly.


    "What is that?" The mage asked.


    "A baby squall."


    "Is it dangerous?"


    "No, but its mother is."


    "What is it doing?"


    Idriz put a lid on the tube, extinguishing the magic light that shone like a small fire. "Curious baby squall''s cling to ships till boredom causes them to let go. It would be in our best interest to leave it alone and hope that nothing happens to the ship."


    That wasn''t assuring to a Syryn who was strapped for time.


    The Fool''s Noose stood stranded at sea while a baby sea monster hugged it with its several tentacles. Half the night passed as they waited, hoping for it to move on but the creature clung with persistence.


    Syryn rued this bout of bad luck that followed him like a loyal pet. He asked the ship captain, "has this happened before?"


    Idriz was at the starboard of the ship, watching the tapered end of a tentacle that was feeling across the surface of a smooth porthole. His crewmen were already aware of the situation and were waiting for the sea monster to lose interest.


    "No, the fool has never encountered a squall before. It happens as often as the moon turns blue."


    "I will attack it the moment you tell me to do so," Syryn replied as he felt responsible for what was happening to the ship.


    "No, that should be the last thing we attempt unless you can also fight off its mother hiding in the shadows. Perhaps your vision showed you mermen, when they should have shown you a squall."


    The Fool pitched to its side when the sea monster shifted a few tentacles. Syryn and Idriz held onto the rails so they didn''t slide off the ship. A sharp scream sounded out louder than the groaning of the ship. A man had slid off the deck but the others had caught him as he fell past the edge.


    "Is there no way at all to get rid of that thing?" He asked the captain.


    The mage was impatient to reach coop island. He resisted the urge to attack the baby sea monster. Syryn racked his brains but he couldn''t think of a way to dislodge the sticky monster.


    "Perhaps if we give it something to play with," Idriz answered.


    "Something like a crewmate?" Syryn asked.


    The two men exchanged a surreptitious glance. This was the way. Someone had to be sacrificed for the good of the others.


    "I can''t do it," Idriz said. "I protect my men, not throw them to sea monsters."


    The mage nodded. Such a sacrifice wasn''t warranted. Yet.


    The mood in the ship was as dark as the sky. The Sun began peeking over the horizon but their situation remained unchanged. Tensions were at their peaks but the sailors were going to meet with another problem very soon.


    "Mermen," one of the crewmates shouted to alert the others.


    It was Syryn''s turn to curse.

 Chapter 213 - Mermen

    "Mermen?" Idriz and Syryn exchanged another glance. The villains had turned up earlier than he had predicted.


    From the water on the other side of the ship came a sharp command that compelled the sailors with its almost hypnotic voice.


    "Bring out your captain."


    One by one, the crewmen turned around in a daze and stared at Idriz. Realising what was happening to them, they blinked heavily and turned back to the group of mermen in the water. As subtle as it had been, the sailors were disgruntled at being mind controlled. But they were also fearful because knowing that they were under the effects of a compulsion could not spare them from its effects.


    "Idriz, you should maybe get inside your cabin," Syryn whispered to the man. The mage had a feeling that this was somehow his fault, and that he had inadvertently tangled the Fool''s Noose in his problems.


    Ignoring Syryn''s advice, Idriz calmly walked over to the port side of the ship. Syryn on the other hand was content to stay out of sight.


    From the merchant''s vantage point, he could make out several mermen in the water. A quick headcount informed him that there were at least thirty of them.


    Above the line of their waist, they appeared to be as humans but some distinguishing features set them apart from humanity. Every single merman and mermaid displayed a scattering of glimmering scales that went up the neck and along the cheekbones. A pair of gills behind each ear served as sensitive spots that could be attacked when overwhelmed by a merman. And between their fingers grew a transparent webbing that aided them while swimming.


    In terms of power, merpeople were bigger than the average human. Whether it was their broadness or the lengths of their bodies, merpeople were superior to humans. And when it came to magic, merpeople were weaker than humans but they specialised in psychic attacks and subtle mental manipulations that proved difficult to resist if one did not have strong mental strength and preparation.


    "Greetings, Selimi, I am the captain of the ship," Idriz spoke in a manner that accorded respect without lowering himself. "What business do the Lai''ovanri have with my humble ship?"


    "Idriz," the merman said, rolling the ''r''s in their peculiar accent. "Hand over the Sage''s Pearl and we won''t have to sink your ship today."


    Syryn was a bit relieved. This didn''t sound like his fault at all.


    Idriz had a reaction that could be only be described as horrified. "The Sage''s pearl? How did your people manage to lose something so precious?"


    "It is not your place to question us, land dweller. We know that the pearl is on your ship."


    Idriz laughed like he couldn''t believe what the merman was saying. "If I had the Sage''s pearl on me, would I be crossing the ocean so close to Silisia? Pardon my rudeness but your claims are absurd, Selimi. I swear upon Eos that I do not carry the pearl on me. Search my ship from top to bottom if you will."


    It was at this point that Syryn had a strange feeling wash over him. The temperature of his body was beginning to climb and it brought a hot flush to his cheeks. He wasn''t able to maintain the illusion because something was disrupting the flow of magic inside him. The mage began to back off slowly while Idriz exchanged words with the hostile merpeople.


    As though his body wasn''t satisfied with the symptoms that were afflicting it, Syryn felt an intense headache assault him. He dragged his feet towards the nearest door he could see. Violently yanking it open, he stumbled inside like a drunkard who had imbibed a barrel of alcohol.


    An image appeared in his mind. It was fashioned out of gold and shaped like a monkey. Confused as to where the thought had come from, the mage pulled the fertility idol out of his bag and held it in front of him.


    "What?" He asked the idol in a slurred drag of his tongue. "Are you doing this?"


    The fertility idol was hot in his hand. It vibrated against his skin, getting hotter and hotter. Syryn''s heartbeat soared and he squinted as he began to see double images of everything. The world was a blurry landscape of shapes, angles and colours that replicated themselves. Syryn''s nausea peaked and then he stumbled and fell to the floor, letting go of the gold idol. It rolled away from the mage and ended up under a table.


    "Shit-" Syryn cursed softly. He tried to get on his hands and knees but his vision spun violently. The skin on his forehead split into a clean seam. And for a few seconds, his third eye appeared of it''s own volition. Syryn was blissfully out of consciousness when the eye opened to reveal double irises.


    And somewhere far away on another ship, a spell winked out of existence. Rowan was thrown off-kilter by the spell leaving his body. He was suddenly a man again. The anti mage immediately knew that something had happened with Syryn and the gold idol. He hoped it was for the better, and that his mage was safe.


    ______


    "We are taking this human," the leader of the mermen declared. The Fool''s Noose was crowded with crewmen and merpeople who had climbed aboard to inspect the ship. The mermen were wearing magical amulets that transformed their fish tails into bipedalled appendages that resembled legs. Now three of them were gathered around the unconscious Syryn who was unaware that he was being kidnapped.


    "For what reason?" Idriz asked. "He has committed no crime against your kind."


    The merman barked out an order in their native language. He then turned back to the captain.


    "Idriz, reinforcements are arriving even as we speak. If you want us to peacefully leave your ship then you will stand down and let us take the man."


    The merchant was caught between a rock and a hard place. As difficult as it was, the decision he had to make was crystal clear. Syryn''s life for the lives of his sailors, for his ship. And if Syryn was guilty of some crime involving the Sage''s pearl, Idriz could not afford to protect him.


    "Tell me at least this much. What do you intend to do with him?"


    He looked at the unconscious young man. When they''d met only a few days ago, Syryn had displayed a strength that had impressed the merchant. Now seeing him curled up on the floor in such a vulnerable manner made the man''s heart ache.


    "Our king will decide," the merman informed him. "Have you made your decision, Oh Captain of the Fool''s Noose? Will you save your men in exchange for this human?"


    The merchant was pierced by the desperate eyes of his sailors who were outnumbered by the mer-people. If they were up against a human party, this would have gone down in a different direction. But they were surrounded by water and hostile creatures that could sink their ship without so much as batting an eye. And they weren''t like the pirates who respected the laws of Coop. His choice was obvious.

 Chapter 214 - Silisia

    Idriz struggled to give his consent to the leader even though it was the only peaceful resolution to their stand off. Syryn would be carried off into the watery depths of Silisia and there was nothing they could do short of getting into a bloody fight with the merpeople. A fight they were bound to lose.


    Right then, the mage came to with a confused look on his face.


    "Syryn," Idriz said to the man who was slowly looking around like a baby animal that was just born.


    There was no recognition on Syryn''s face.


    "You are called Syryn?" The merman asked him. As imposing as he was, the merman couldn''t stop himself from staring at the half-demon.


    The confused mage looked at the merman and the other people around him. "Syryn?" He said in a low voice, furrowing his brows like he wasn''t sure about what was happening.


    "Idriz, is he mentally deficient?" The merman asked as he noted the unusual behaviour of their captive.


    Idriz was just as flummoxed as Syryn. The mage''s strange behaviour was... strange. He wondered if Syryn had heard their conversation and was feigning foolishness.


    "Yes," Idriz said as he stared at Syryn. The merchant decided it was simpler to go along with Syryn''s act just in case he was acting.


    "That is unfortunate," the merman replied. He stepped closer to the mage and hauled him to his feet.


    "Let go-! Where are you taking me?!" Syryn loudly asked as he looked around him in alarm.


    "Don''t fight me, human. You might get hurt if you struggle too hard." Saying so, the merman clamped down on Syryn''s arm and pulled him away to the deck where the other mermen were waiting.


    The mage was helplessly led along to the railing. There, the merman placed an amulet on a chain around Syryn''s neck. The mage allowed it with great reluctance and was tossed overboard into the water where another merman caught him.


    "Captain, what about the squall?" A crewman asked.


    Idriz sighed in displeasure while he watched the mermen evacuate his ship.


    "We''ll wait it out for another night. There''s nothing else to be done about it."


    _______


    The transformation magic was almost instantaneous. Syryn felt a pair of gills erupt from the skin behind his ears.


    "He''s ready," one of the mermen informed their leader after careful inspection of Syryn''s new gills.


    "Syryn," the merman called out to him.


    The mage showed no recognition of his own name. He racked his brains and squeezed his mind but all memories eluded his grasp like slippery wisps of smoke. He failed to recall anything about himself or how he had gotten into such a dicey situation in the middle of the ocean. Syryn though somehow realised he was under the effects of some form of amnesia. He wasn''t sure how he knew about that either.


    "Yes," he answered. He didn''t know if Syryn really was his name but he decided to answer to it since he needed a name anyway.


    "So that is truly your name then."


    Syryn nodded. He saw no point in struggling when he was at such a great disadvantage. Common sense told him that whether he struggled or not, he was getting taken away. He understood that cooperation was his best form of defence for the moment.


    The merman had some sympathy for the mentally deficient human whose beauty was as sweet as honey. Why their tracker reacted to him as if he was the Sage''s pearl was a mystery they were going to figure out after they entered the waters of Silisia.


    "Dive beneath the water and try breathing through your gills."


    Syryn obeyed. The ocean was warm and salty. He licked the salt off his lip and submerged himself underwater. The first stream of water inside his gills felt intrusive and unwelcome. He instinctively clamped his palms over the gills and held it there till he felt a sense of suffocation.


    The mage opened his mouth and released a few bubbles. As the spherical balls of air rose to the surface, he suffered a split second of panic but it was gone just as fast as it had arrived.


    Who was he? Why was he getting kidnapped by the merpeople?


    The mermen saw that Syryn had adapted to his gills. The leader held Syryn''s hand and pulled him deeper into the ocean. The mage followed obediently. He looked behind him one last time at the fading light of the sun. There was a sense of loss that eclipsed every other emotion he was feeling. Syryn wondered if he had a home. He hoped that he did. He hoped that he was going to be missed if the merpeople killed him.


    The deeper they swam, the darker the waters became. Sound was reduced to a muffled hum. An eerie creepy sense of being crushed in every direction by the water enveloped his consciousness. But soon, his body adjusted to the crushing feeling as they kept gaining depth. When the darkness had become everything, a glow in the distance emerged as an island of refuge for the mage''s weary eyes.


    Syryn kept his gaze fixed to the glow as they swam towards it. The outlines of what was a giant water metropolis came into their sights. Eyes alight in wonder, Syryn was led through a tall kelp forest. He spied fish of all kinds slipping past the slimy kelp leaves that brushed against his skin.


    "Syryn, can you hear me?" The merman ahead of him asked.


    "Yes," he answered. The transformation to his biology wasn''t just restricted to the gills. Syryn''s ears had also changed to perceive sound better in the water.


    Appearing satisfied with his answer, the merman turned to lead them on through the kelp forest.


    _____


    At the boundary of Silisia, colourful corals grew in a ring. It served as a protective wall around the grand mer-kingdom. Merpeople were swimming in and out of the gaps between the tall coral walls.


    The diversity of body types and colours was most obvious when surrounded by so many of their kind. He noticed that green and blue scales seemed to be more common colours amongst the merpeople. Syryn also spotted one with pearlescent white scales, the prettiest so far. When one mermaid swam past him, Syryn noticed her breasts were uncovered. Somehow he knew that he''d seen a pair that was bigger and lovelier.


    Syryn was then led through one of the holes in the coral when he almost bumped into an exiting shark. The carnivorous creature evaded him gracefully and swam out of the hole, leaving behind a surprised mage.


    Ahead of him rose a monolithic crystal tower that gave off light and illuminated the surrounding area in a soft glow. Unable to contain his natural curiosity, Syryn asked the merman about the glowing monolith.


    "That''s a lunar pillar," he said to the mage. "It absorbs celestial light for half a year before we bring it down for use into the kingdom."


    "And how long does it shine under water?"


    "Half a year."


    "Fascinating."


    No kidnapped amnesiac was this excited about their kidnapping, Syryn surmised. It would have been different if he had his memories or was aware of what fate held in store for him.

 Chapter 215 - Predator Becomes Prey

    Inside a cavernous vaulted chamber, a deep sonorous sound quieted to a hum when Syryn entered the kingdom of Silisia.


    ______


    The mermen guards formed a protective tight circle around him as he was led through narrow gaps of arching coral systems. There were fewer and fewer merpeople to be seen as they moved along, avoiding largely populated areas.


    Swimming for such an extended period hadn''t tired him out much but Syryn was feeling the burn in his muscles from having had to swim alongside the mermen. Their powerful arms and tails cut through the water like knives, and while Syryn was no slouch at swimming, he was like a weak guppy beside its parents.


    The group soon arrived at a large fort built out of solid black sea rocks. A small rectangular section of Lunar rock was jutting out from the highest central point at the top of the fort. He wondered if this was to be his prison.


    When led inside, Syryn was surprised to find a bright and pleasant ambience that contrasted the severe image that its exterior presented. The central chamber of the dark fort was a hollow cavern that was pierced through his centre by the tallest Lunar stone he had seen yet. It lit up the beautiful rose-pink marbled interior.


    "You will wait here," the leader of the mermen guards declared before taking away Syryn''s satchel and shutting the doors of his prison with a heavy booming sound.


    Disoriented by his loss of memories, the mage felt a well of loneliness spilling its waters into his chest. He looked around himself and settled down beneath the soft glow of the lunar stone.


    His head was hurting right in the middle of his forehead but it was the dull aching pain that was left behind in the aftermath of a migraine. The mage placed his hand on the glowing stone and pressed his ear to it. It was smooth but also unbearably silent and cold. Feeling a hollowness that mirrored the chamber he was imprisoned inside, the mage curled up into a ball and fell asleep at the foot of the stone.


    ___


    The opening of the prison door awoke its prisoner with a start. Syryn forgot where he was and accidentally inhaled water through his nose. His vision whited out and the teen let out a wet cough.


    "Stupid human," a soft female voice stated.


    "That''s food for you," another much lower-pitched voice joined.


    "Not all of us eat land dwellers, Enkansh," a third voice said with disgust. "You can''t eat this one till they figure out what''s wrong with him."


    The mage raised his head to look at the mermen who had come to antagonise him. They were colorful and eye catching. Silver and mother of Pearl jewellery adorned their bare bodies.


    "What a pretty thing you are," cooed the third one when they saw his face.


    The merman that spoke to him had a light smattering of beautiful silver-blue scales above his eyelids. "Enkansh, do you still feel like eating something this pretty?"


    "Never thought there would be a day when you called a land dweller pretty," the mermaid with gold scales glittering like crowns said to the silver-blue merman.


    The one at the centre though was not a merman. He was a siren, a dangerous creature that preyed on humans. He was a rich gold maroon in colour. The creature smiled at him and it displayed a row of razor-sharp teeth that didn''t look out of place on his face. Somehow he managed to look wickedly attractive despite the shark like teeth.


    "It will be a pleasure to eat a human so delicious looking as this one," he crooned to Syryn.


    The mage was oddly calm despite the horror of what was being said to him. He maintained a placid look through the conversation.


    "A brave one," silver-blue said, impressed.


    "No," gold haughtily corrected silver blue. "I heard from the guards that he is mentally deficient, a fool who forgets even his own name."


    The male siren named Enkansh glanced at gold and back at the human. "Are you really a fool?"


    The human nodded.


    Gold laughed and it sounded like a melody.


    "He would make for good entertainment," silver said to his companions.


    "What''s your name?" The siren asked.


    "Syryn."


    Silver blue chuckled. "Siren... Syryn. Whoever named you fated you to get eaten by a siren."


    "This pathetic creature is important to father for some reason," gold said while curling her lips. "You won''t get to eat him till they verify that-" she paused. "That he''s not the one foretold to liberate Silisia."


    Silver blue looked at her askance. "He can''t be the savior of Silisia. A land dweller and a fool. What is father thinking?"


    Gold maroon''s sharp gaze pierced the teen with its inhuman slitted eyes. He was sizing up the prey purported to be a saviour.


    "A saviour locked away in the Basaltic Fort." The siren could see a certain irony in it.


    Gold was affronted by the siren''s tone. "It is not our place to question the actions of the ruler."


    Enkansh turned to smile at gold. "Princess Gaia, say that to me again when you''re bitching about how your queen mother has ruined your day with another matchmaking session you don''t care for."


    The human in their presence realised in shock that they were now speaking fish tongue and he had understood it. He wondered about the implications of knowing the language. Did it mean that he was heavily involved with the merpeople? And what did they mean by him being a saviour? He didn''t believe it for a second.


    "That''s different," she snapped at the siren.


    "I see, so your queen mother isn''t a ruler."


    "Enkansh, know your place," Silver blue lightly told the siren.


    Gold maroon was unaffected by the verbal cuffing. Being much longer than Syryn, he curled his thick tail on the marbled floor and stooped so he was at eye level with the human.


    Clear violet eyes looked back into his slitted black ones. Enkansh was not a creature ruled by the carnal urges of his body. And neither was he a weak-willed siren that gave into the pangs of his stomach when faced with a soft-looking meal that he could tear into with his fingers. Syryn was a sight for his sore eyes, that much he would admit to. But he would never let any of his urges take hold of him.


    "Syryn," he blinked slowly at the foolish human. "Good luck."


    The siren drew back, already bored and ready to leave the prison fort.


    "Let''s leave," gold told the others. "Our time is up."


    Silver blue''s gaze was the last to linger. He smiled gently at Syryn and turned away to leave with his companions.

 Chapter 216 - Mer Song

    The mage inside the prison fort heard the choir-like singing of a merperson. The haunting sound comforted his lonely existence and filled a hole that eroded him steadily from the inside. Silence and solitary confinement he could deal with, but the loss of his memories was a dull ache whose yawning chasm got bigger and wider with every passing day. It was an emptiness that nothing had been able to fill. Syryn wanted to find the merperson whose singing it was that he was hearing.


    The sweet voice was androgynous. It lulled him with its hypnotic melody and gave him a semblance of peace he hadn''t found since the fateful day at the ship.


    ____


    When the door opened again for a second time, several days had elapsed since his confinement. Without sun or moon to tell him how long it had been, the human had felt the time drift by with the tiny aquatic bits that floated in the water passing through his prison.


    Food had been slipped in for him once a day but it wasn''t filling enough. He was hungry and weary but never thirsty. His gills filtered water for his body. As grateful as he was for the gills, he feared that he would never be allowed to leave the ocean and become human again. It wasn''t so bad if he had nobody waiting for him on the surface, he thought. In that case, he could stay here forever.


    "Syryn," his guard was back. It was the same man that had captured him.


    ''Syryn'' faced the stern merman. Green with an orange sheen over them, his scales were bright like summer. The guard''s tail had a few scars where the scales were chipped away but it added a certain character to him. As for the rest of the merman, he was armoured over his torso and much of his face. The human could see a serious mouth, deep-set eyes, and a nose that had been broken at least once.


    "You are free," the guard solemnly informed him.


    "I am free?" The human tilted his head and asked. There had to be a catch right?


    "His majesty has ordered for you to be accommodated in the left wing of the royal palace. You are no longer a prisoner, but a respected guest of Silisia."


    "Oh," the human said. He didn''t sound excited or happy at the prospect of living at the palace. The guard blamed it on the human''s foolishness that he could not understand how life-changing this opportunity was. Whether it was life-changing for good reasons or for the opposite was still up for debate. The guard had no illusions about what palace life could be like.


    The subdued mage knew he wasn''t really free. His prison had changed. That was all there was to it. One beautiful cage to the other. At least he wouldn''t eat seaweed anymore.


    "The King desired to know if you were a threat to Silisia. This is why you were locked up here as a measure of precaution," he said almost apologetically. Was the mer-guard feeling sorry for him because he was a fool? Syryn wondered.


    Syryn, he was starting to think himself that, was not angry for what had happened to him. More than his captivity, he wanted his memories back. That was where his anger was currently directed towards. Strangely enough, he felt completely at ease in Silisia. He was lonely but he wasn''t afraid.


    _____


    The royal family of Silisia lived well. Their imposing Palace was constructed out of basalt and gold. A deep oceanic trench separated the front half of the high rising palace from the continuous ocean floor. The visible structure of the palace melded with the enormous seamount behind it. Within and under the sharp ranges of the seamount was a vast network of chambers supported by alloyed reinforcing.


    At the corners of the palace that jutted out, there stood massive lunar crystals that gave off a blinding light incomparable to the weak glow of the others he had seen thus far.


    "Come, Syryn. This way." His guard led him to the wide walkway that connected the palace to the other end of the trench. Large stone arches were perched atop pillars on both sides of the walkway. Lunar crystals were embedded underneath the arches to light the way to the palace.


    "What do we have here?" Silver blue said when they met in the middle of the walkway. "It''s Syryn." The merman wasn''t accompanied by gold and maroon.


    He received silence from Syryn.


    "I am called Drevin," he said to the mute human. When Syryn did not acknowledge him, the merman turned to the guard. "I''ll take him to his quarters. Carry on with your other duties, Arhak."


    "His Majesty bid me to personally deliver the human to his palace quarter. Pardon my rudeness, prince, but it would be considered treason to disobey my king''s direct orders."


    The prince was unable to refute the guard''s rebuttal. His long tail swayed in the water like a pendulum. Syryn could make out silver-blue scales shimmering down the skin of his sides.


    External oblique. The thought arrived and disappeared with the suddenness of a lightning strike.


    What was that? What was an external oblique? Syryn stared at the bare torso of the prince as he tried to puzzle out what it meant.


    The guard behind him cleared his throat. "Prince Drevin, we must get going."


    Drevin wordlessly moved aside and watched the beautiful creature get led away by the guard. He wondered how long the human would last in the palace before he was eaten, figuratively and literally, by the royal pain in the tails that were his family members. His father was being secretive about why Syryn had been brought to the merkingdom. Aside from the rumours about the human liberating Silisia, which he could not believe despite his sincere attempt at suspending his disbelief, Drevin wasn''t sure what role Syryn would play in the days to come.

 Chapter 217 - Starfish

    Syryn''s accommodations were simpler than he''d expected, not that he was complaining. At the centre of the room, he saw the bottom half of a giant clamshell. Soft seagrass grew over the shallow depression within it. It was a sleeping spot for him, he surmised. The ceiling above him was decorated with a mosaic of gold and pink marble. One corner of the room was adorned with the white marble statue of a mermaid spearing what looked like an avian.


    "Do you have any queries?" The guard asked from behind him.


    Syryn shook his head. But then he remembered what he was relieved of at the fort.


    "Can I have my bag back?" He asked despite not having much hope for it being returned.


    "It will be delivered to you soon," the guard replied.


    Syryn dipped his head and bashfully asked the guard, "by the way... Is there any food? I''m hungry."


    Did he know how much power he held? The guard, Arhak, thought. He was straighter than the spear held by the statue at the corner but Syryn was creating self-doubt for the first time in his life.


    "What would you like to eat?"


    That wasn''t what he was supposed to say. It wasn''t his job to find out what Syryn wanted to eat.


    "Something that isn''t seaweed," Syryn replied. His body was craving something meaty and sweet but he was reluctant to make demands this early into release.


    "I''ll send an attendant," Arhak replied. He had been assigned as Syryn''s guard by the King. It was a reprieve from his duties as captain, but this job was going to prove more difficult and he knew it in his bones.


    Syryn found himself alone in the room. A floor to ceiling oval mirror with a gold leafing pattern faced him from its position on the wall. The mage slowly walked towards the mirror and stared at his reflection.


    Empty eyes like a violet painting stared back at him. Above it, elegant brows crowned the slopes of his pale forehead. Syryn smiled at the reflection and its beautifully formed lips curved into an arc, and then it froze. He couldn''t remember what he looked like. The reflection was a stranger.


    Syryn turned his back to the mirror and tested the bed. His fingers brushed the surface of the seagrass. The texture was extraordinary.


    "So soft!"


    He rolled onto the seagrass and spread out his arms and legs like a starfish. The soft bed sank under his weight and the mage imagined this was what it felt like to sleep on clouds. He closed his eyes to rest but was interrupted by knocking on his door.


    "Honored guest, your meal has arrived."


    Syryn leapt out of his bed and gave entry to the attendant. This time it wasn''t seaweed they brought for him.


    A bowl of pale yellow fruits, a plate of thinly sliced raw fish, a tiny bowl of clean white crab meat, and an assortment of seafood was laid out for him. The attendant carefully placed them on the table that took up a central portion of the wall on the left side of the door. Syryn thanked the young attendant and sat down to sample the food that he hoped tasted better than it looked.


    The sea fruits were sweet and dry. The raw sea protein which formed the basis of the average merman diet wasn''t as bad as he had imagined. Syryn polished off the fruits and nibbled on the raw meat, eating half of everything from each plate and bowl. The amount he had eaten filled up his stomach.


    Having nothing much to do after his meal, Syryn looked out through the half glass wall that gave him a view of the trench and beyond. Syryn pressed his face to the glass and watched a fish idly swim by. The mage dragged his chair in front of the glass wall and spent hours staring out into nothing.


    Just as he was nodding off on his chair, Syryn clutched his forehead and moaned in pain. It felt as though a finger was digging into his brain. Pressing the heel of his palm to his forehead, the mage stumbled onto the clamshell and sank into the seagrass bed. Raw pain electrified every nerve on his forehead and brought tears to his eyes but they were immediately absorbed by the ocean water.


    It hurt so much that Syryn clawed at his forehead, causing a gash that bled. Outside his room, Arhak''s superior senses caught the scent of blood in the water. He knocked on the door and when there was no reply, he called out a few times.


    Silence.


    The guard ended up barging in to find Syryn unconscious on the floor of the room.


    "Syryn!"


    The guard checked his vitals and found an erratic pulse beating against the paper-thin skin of the mage''s wrist. Arhak had to call a healer but he couldn''t leave Syryn alone either. The guard had lifted the mage off the floor when unexpected guests found them.


    "What''s going on here?" A newly arrived princess Gaia asked the guard. She was accompanied by her older brother, Grifan, who had the same gold colouring that she did.


    Arhak respectfully bowed to the siblings. "Syryn has injured himself somehow. I found him unconscious on the floor."


    "Is he dying?" Grifan asked as he stared at the wound on Syryn''s forehead.


    "No-"


    "Place him on the bed," the prince ordered the guard in a cool, arrogant tone.


    The guard did as he was told and was dismissed by the siblings. Worried as he was, Arhak had to obey. He stood outside the door and grit his teeth. Syryn was injured, unconscious, and alone with the dreaded duo.


    Gaia occupied the seat by the glass wall while Grifan stood over the clamshell bed. The gold merman gently ran a knuckle down Syryn''s cheek.


    "You were right. He''s unlike any land dweller I''ve ever seen."


    Gaia rolled her eyes and wordlessly watched her brother stare transfixed at the unconscious mage. Grifan was entranced by what he was looking at. Syryn wasn''t just eye candy to the merman who hardly ever got to meet humans so deep under the sea. He was exotic eye candy - rare and treasured.


    Syryn was an opportunity that rarely came by because civilians and royalty were barred from surfacing to interact with the dry world. The only merpeople who went out were the soldiers and diplomats.


    "Are you done staring?" Gaia asked her brother.


    The merman didn''t look up from Syryn''s face. "Gaia, leave the room for a while."

 Chapter 218 - Jellyfish

    Gaia floated out of the chair. "Grifan, you can''t be thinking of-"


    "Don''t let anyone come in." The look he sent her was a warning.


    Gaia turned to glare at the sleeping Syryn and then at her brother. Brows turning down in distaste, she exited the room, slamming the door behind her.


    Grifan frowned at the rude behaviour of his sister. Still, he was grateful to her for letting him know about the hidden treasure in the palace. Everyone knew there was a human amongst them but not all of them were aware of just what a delicacy the human was.


    He curled his tail and lowered himself so that his arms were folded over the edge of the clamshell bed. Grifan touched the healing cut on Syryn''s forehead.


    "So fragile," he murmured. "Wake up, Syryn."


    He smiled when he saw the human''s eyes flutter open.


    "Hello," he greeted the wary mage.


    "Why are you in my room?" Syryn asked the stranger.


    "I came to see you." Grifan''s hazel eyes pointedly latched onto the wound on his head. "How did that happen, Syryn?"


    The mage absent-mindedly touched his forehead. "I think I bumped my head against something." He didn''t want to tell a stranger that he had clawed his own forehead.


    The merman accepted Syryn''s white lie. A change of plans was then made. "Come with me, Syryn. I''ll take you to a healer," the merman said in a hypnotic tone.


    It seemed like a good idea. Follow Grifan to the healer. But a deeper part of Syryn''s consciousness detected a subtle dose of compulsion laced in the merman''s words. The moment he realised that, the spell was broken.


    "Okay," Syryn forced himself to say despite what he knew. He couldn''t let the merman know that he was resisting the compulsion.


    Grifan uncurled his tail and floated above Syryn. Taking the mage''s hand in his, he led the mage out of the room.


    "Ah, Revi and Enka," Grifan greeted the two figures that were heading their way.


    Silver blue, Drevin, smiled insincerely at his half brother. "Fan-ia, going somewhere?"


    Grifan was younger than Drevin by only a few months but the silver-blue mage liked to remind him who was older. He added the suffix to his name the way elder brothers were wont to do when addressing their younger siblings.


    "Lai''Revi," Grifan respectfully replied. "I am taking our honoured guest to a healer."


    Enkansh had been watching Syryn from the moment his gaze fell upon the human. He had noticed the wound faster than Drevin had despite the mage''s attempt at covering it with his hair. The siren smirked at Syryn with a wickedness that sent a rush of adrenaline coursing through his body. His fight or flight reflexes kicked in. Syryn''s chest blossomed with a warmth that spread through his body, imbibing him with a sharp self-awareness that he was powerful.


    "Syryn."


    The mage broke eye contact with Enkansh to look at the merman who had called his name.


    "Did you hurt yourself?" Drevin asked.


    "It was an accident," Syryn replied.


    "You''re more foolish than I thought," Drevin said as he got closer to the mage. He pushed back the loose strands of hair that fell sideways over Syryn''s forehead. It exposed the small crescent-shaped gouges that matched the size of his fingernails.


    "Is this a human custom that we don''t know about?" Drevin asked the siren.


    Enkansh made an annoyed chirruping sound. "I don''t know. Do you study the customs of the fish you eat?"


    "That''s not a good comparison," Syryn dryly said to the siren. "And just because humans don''t eat sirens, it doesn''t mean I''m opposed to sampling some fishman parts." The mage was being impulsive but the words were hot on his tongue, begging to be released. He just had to say them. Something inside him was unwilling to be relegated to the role of prey.


    Rather than being put out, the siren looked pleased. Drevin had a thoughtful look on his face while Grifan appeared surprised. Arhak stared at the opposite wall as though he was deaf and mute.


    "Syryn, I''ll give you some free advice," Grifan said to him. "Look at the sharp teeth he has." The gold merman used his forefinger to tug up the siren''s upper lip just a fraction. It revealed shark-like canines that were used to tear into flesh. "You see that?"


    Syryn nodded.


    "Good. He will eat you if you provoke him."


    Enkansh rolled his eyes. "No, I won''t." The siren could sense that Syryn wasn''t what he seemed to be. He had only gotten a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg.


    "That aside, a healer won''t be necessary," Drevin said to the younger brother who professed he was taking the human to a healer while heading in a direction that didn''t lead to the apothecary. Gaia had dropped him a hint about Grifan''s intentions and it had brought Drevin scurrying to Syryn''s room.


    "Lai''Revi, we can''t allow his wound to get infected."


    "Fan-ia, I''ve got a poultice that will disinfect and heal his minor scratches."


    The gold merman smiled at his half brother. "You''re right. I overreacted."


    No longer paying mind to his half brother, Drevin devoted his attention to Syryn. "Enkansh and I were heading to the jellyfish stables. Do you want to accompany us?" The silver-blue merman asked. Syryn was shorter than him so that when he looked up, he could see a thin layer of soft silvery-blue scales below Drevin''s jaw.


    "You have jellyfish stables?" Syryn knew what a jellyfish was but strangely couldn''t recall what it looked like.


    "Yes. We rear jellyfish for their poison, their meat, and the big ones as mounts to ride atop when you''re feeling lazy to swim."


    That was that. Syryn needed a jellyfish.


    "Take me with you." The interest in his eyes fed Drevin''s enthusiasm. The prince loved jellyfish farming though none of his family members could understand why. Syryn looked so excited by the prospect of seeing jellyfish that it put a smile on the silver-blue mer''s face.

 Chapter 219 - Jellyfish L

    "Syryn, you should take your shirt off."


    "Why?" The mage asked Drevin.


    "Because it looks very uncomfortable. Your clothing is just extra weight you don''t need."


    The merman''s words made sense. While Syryn took off his shirt, Drevin and Enkansh waited. Bare torsos were a copper bit a dozen down in Silisia. Nobody covered themselves the way humans did.


    "I''m keeping the trousers," Syryn said to the duo when they pointedly looked at the loose material that ballooned with water in them.


    "Fold the cuffs so they''re snug around your ankles," Drevin suggested.


    The mage did as he was told.


    "Am I ready to be presented to the jellyfish now, your fussiness?" Syryn spread his arms wide.


    "Very much."


    "Joy," Syryn deadpanned.


    Drevin liked that the human''s real personality was starting to show through the foolish and bland shield he had erected.


    "Syryn, why do humans wear clothes?" He asked while swimming in a slow circle around the mage. They were on a leisurely pace past the long central corridor of the palace. Merpeople stared but they hesitated to approach the trio.


    "To protect ourselves from the elements, and to hide the private parts that no one should be allowed to see."


    The merman''s silvery gaze dropped to Syryn''s trousers.


    "What?" The mage suspiciously asked.


    Enkansh looked heavenward. "Just ask him."


    "It''s not polite to," Drevin said to the siren. Still, he looked like he wanted to ask.


    "What''s not polite?"


    Enkansh pointed to Syryn''s crotch. "Humans have to cover themselves with trousers because they lack the necessary layer of skin that would ideally shield their external reproductive organs."


    Drevin looked thoughtful.


    Syryn blushed.


    "So it''s just all out on display," the silver-blue merman said with a light of discovery in his eyes.


    "Nothing is on display. And don''t talk about my reproductive organs like I''m not here listening to you talk about it," Syryn said as he also looked at the smooth layer of scales that seamlessly covered the merman''s tail. "Where do you hide your reproductive organs?"


    Enkansh laughed and the sound went straight to the part of Syryn''s brain where birdsong appreciation was processed. The siren had the most attractive laugh that Syryn had ever heard and it was a disturbing thought. It wasn''t just his laughter though. Enkansh could make sounds in his throat that sounded like music to Syryn, and the siren often did that in conversation.


    "Syryn, if you ever decide to take a mer lover, you will find out where he hides it."


    "I-" The human paused. Was he even attracted to men?


    "Here we are," Drevin declared. "The jellyfish stables."


    The trio was stood atop a wide trench that was covered by crisscrossing metal rods. And through the gaps, several bulbous headed jellyfish could be seen floating through the water.


    ___


    Syryn was at peace on top of the umbrella-like head of a large jellyfish. He was spread out over it on his stomach as it was a comfortable position from which he could look down upon the ocean floor.


    He thought he could get used to such a life. Soft clamshell beds, a jellyfish mount, attendants serving him food; it was comfortable living. And the merpeople weren''t bad to look at despite their fishtails.


    "Syryn, get back down here," Drevin called out.


    The mage responded by hugging the velvety soft jellyfish head. Why was Drevin not on top of one of these when he had unlimited access to them?


    "Enkansh will eat you if you don''t come down. Don''t tempt him, Syryn."


    The mage narrowed his eyes at the siren who was getting tired of the human eating jokes.


    "Will you really?"


    "If you want me to, I will," the siren replied with very little enthusiasm.


    "How many people have you killed and consumed?" Syryn asked.


    The siren shrugged. "I''ve lost count. Maybe sixteen- seventeen."


    Syryn''s eyes were round as he stared at the siren. He looked betrayed.


    "What?" Enkansh asked, curiously.


    "You really did eat humans..."


    The siren looked at Syryn like he thought the human was an idiot.


    "I''m a siren," he said slowly, and with the care reserved for talking to idiots.


    "He''s a siren," Drevin repeated.


    With a powerful push of his tail, Enkansh was floating next to Syryn''s jellyfish.


    "Did the pretty little human think I was all talk and no teeth?"


    "You think I''m pretty," Syryn said as he latched on to the wrong thread of their conversation.


    From below them, "a seafood platter is pretty when each element is arranged artistically."


    The siren grinned at the merman and back at the human. "That''s how it is, Syryn. The prettier you are, the tastier you appear."


    ".....I want to go home."


    "To the surface world?" Enkansh asked.


    Syryn didn''t know. He had to have a home and a family, just like everyone else did. Right?


    "I''m not sure..."


    Drevin swam to the top of the jellyfish and sat next to Syryn.


    "So you''re telling us that you don''t have a home."


    Keeping this conversation going would reveal information they could use against him. The mage demurred and quieted down. He had no allies he could trust enough to reveal his condition to. Syryn had only himself to rely on. But how could he help himself when he knew very little about what was wrong with his mind?


    "We should be getting back to the palace, Syryn. Enkansh has to eat his daily meal of human liver or he''ll turn into a whale."


    The siren aborted an eye roll. He figured that he would have to get used to terrible jokes about his diet so long as the human stuck around Silisia.


    Syryn flipped over onto his back. "I want to stay here."


    "Foolish wishes from the foolish human," Drevin said as he scooped the stubborn mage off the jellyfish. Syryn wasn''t opposed to being carried back to the palace in the merman''s embrace. He became boneless and relaxed into Drevin''s arms with the ease of settling into his favourite chair. And for good measure, he closed his eyes blissfully.


    "Is this a human-"


    "No," Enkansh answered without letting Drevin finish his question because he knew what the merman wanted to ask. "He''s lazy."


    "Let''s roll him up in seaweed. You can have human rolls for dinner."


    "That sounds very unappetising."


    "Syryn," Drevin said to the human in his arms who was pretending deep sleep.


    "Drop him if you''re so reluctant to carry him back to the palace."


    "That would be mean."


    "You like being mean."


    Syryn was dropped. He sank slowly to the ocean bed thinking about how Drevin was a mean merman.

 Chapter 220 - Jellyfish Ll

    Later that night, the silver-blue mer came to Syryn''s room. He had a miniature jellyfish in his hand. It was small enough to fit in Syryn''s cupped palm.


    "What do you want me to do with this?" Syryn asked him. The jellyfish was so transparent it seemed to be made up of water. Its cute tentacles tickled the palm of his hand when it rotated like it was looking around the room.


    "I just thought you might like it. Do you not like it?" Drevin''s gaze flickered to the jellyfish cupped in Syryn''s palm.


    "I like it."


    "Name her."


    "What? Right now?"


    "Yes."


    "..."


    Syryn couldn''t think of a name.


    "You can name her after yourself. How about...Ryn?"


    Syryn''s heart suddenly throbbed.


    Ryn, he heard the voice of another man call him from the graveyard of his buried memories. Echoes of happiness and warmth touched him for a second but they slipped away when Syryn tried to remember.


    "That''s me," he said, looking more lost than ever.


    "Yes, Ryn. It is your name," the merman said with some concern. The foolish human looked very foolish, but also sad, as if someone had died.


    In syryn''s palm, the little jellyfish curled its legs under its round body and became a crystal bun.


    "Call me Ryn," he said to the silver-blue merman.


    "Why?"


    "Just do it, Drevin." Syryn felt desperate and foolish but he wanted those feelings back. It was the rush of happiness that he was chasing.


    "Ryn."


    It wasn''t the same.


    "You are disappointed," Drevin observed.


    "No, I just thought-" the mage didn''t finish his sentence.


    Syryn wasn''t sure what he wanted. He realised it wasn''t the name that was significant, but the person that said it. Whose voice was it then that he was recalling?


    "May I touch you?" The merman asked, solemnly.


    Syryn would have blurted out ''where'' if he didn''t catch himself as his mouth opened.


    "Okay."


    The silver-blue merman was hesitant but he put an arm around the human. And then another. "I have heard that humans comfort each other in this manner," Drevin said with a touch of apprehension.


    Syryn was stiff inside the merman''s awkward hug.


    "Have I done it wrong?"


    "No," the mage replied as he returned the hug. His skin brushed against the baby scales that were as soft as petals over the merman''s stomach.


    "Are you feeling better, Syryn?"


    The mage looked up into silvery eyes. "I think so."


    "Very good. You can come for more hugs when you need one."


    "Thank you," Syryn said to the merman who was mean but nice. He also thought it strange that merpeople did not share hugs like humans often did. Humans hugged each other. He hadn''t remembered that till Drevin had given him one.


    After Syryn had closed his door, the silver-blue merman hurried away hoping that he hadn''t been seen hugging Syryn. Such an intimate gesture was only reserved for mates or bonded mer pairs, and sometimes between a mother and her little children. It had been a bad idea but Drevin did it anyway because the foolish human had looked even more foolish than he normally did.


    ____


    Lying on his clamshell bed, Syryn used a finger to stroke the head of his little jellyfish. The small creature was still a ball on Syryn''s palm. It extended a cute little arm and waved it in the air.


    "Hello, Ryn."


    Syryn poked the arm and it curled around his finger.


    "What do you eat? Magic?" How silly, he thought to himself. Why would a jellyfish eat magic?


    "Wait a minute.." Syryn abruptly sat up. Could he use magic?


    The mage stupidly stared at his palms. What was he supposed to do?


    "Come on magic, answer my call!"


    Magic did not answer to Syryn''s call.


    "Do something..."


    There wasn''t even a fizzle of magic in the water. His jellyfish rotated slowly, letting its arms swirl like the skirt of a tiny dancer. It brought a smile to Syryn''s face.


    "Maybe I can''t do magic.."


    He let himself fall back on the seagrass and watched the little jellyfish dance. Round and round and round and round it went. Syryn fell asleep counting the number of times that Ryn was rotating.


    ____


    "Why am I an honoured guest in Silisia?" Syryn asked Enkansh. The siren had solicited his company for eel hunting. With their ability to camouflage and hide within the cracks of rocks, stone eels were a chore to gather, but they were also Drevin''s favourite.


    "Why would I know that? Ask the king."


    The siren had already caught five stone eels and they were strung together on a line made of tough fibre.


    "You know why. Tell me."


    "Ask the mermen."


    "Aren''t you also one?"


    "I''m a siren."


    "I haven''t seen another siren in Silisia so far. Are you the only one?"


    "Yes."


    Syryn trailed behind Enkansh, watching him magically turn a stone into fish. At least that was what it looked like to the human.


    "Why?"


    "Bother someone else with your questions."


    "Why?"


    "Because you''re annoying me."


    "But you didn''t answer a single query of mine. At least tell me why-"


    "For the love of- if you do not stop asking questions, I will eat you right now, human!" The siren bared his teeth at Syryn.


    "You won''t," he deadpanned. "I''m an honoured guest. If I go missing, they''ll suspect the only siren in the kingdom."


    Enkansh smacked Syryn on the chest with a stone eel. "Eating you will be worth whatever punishment they give me."


    "Then eat me. Go ahead," Syryn arrogantly called the siren''s bluff.


    Enkansh narrowed his eyes at the human. The end of his tail flicked and twitched like an irritated appendage. A gleam of violence shone in the Siren''s slitted eyes.


    "You... Stay back," Syryn put his hands in front of his body like a shield.


    An undignified scream followed a blur of maroon as the siren pounced on Syryn and took him down. A cloud of sand exploded where the two fishermen tussled like children fighting for a favourite toy.


    Alas, the siren prevailed. His agile tail was wrapped around Syryn''s legs, holding them together. The mage found his arms pinned to his sides as a heavy siren crushed him with the weight of his body.


    Syryn stared up mutinously at the siren, convinced that he wouldn''t get eaten.


    "Eat.me.if.you.dare." He bit out at Enkansh.


    The siren bared its sharp teeth at him. And before he could process what was happening, Syryn lost a small slice of his ear lobe to the creature''s pointed teeth.


    "Fuck! You bit off my ear!" He screeched.

 Chapter 221 - Siren Attack

    "Stop struggling!"


    "Fucking fish bait! I''ll rip you a new hole!" Syryn snarled at the siren and struggled harder. His fingers dug into the armour-like scales that protected the softer flesh inside.


    Enkansh hissed and uncoiled his tail when he felt the fingers penetrate the scales, ripping a few in the process. Syryn threw himself at the shocked siren with a vicious snarl. The human displayed a strength uncharacteristic to his kind. And like a feverish nightmare, Enkansh was flailing against a human biting his ear.


    "Syr-yn," the siren gripped the mage''s hair and yanked hard. "It''s just a fucking ear lobe!"


    Syryn''s teeth grew and he chomped down with a vindictive cruelty that fed the fire in his chest. Enkansh ripped the mage''s mouth away from his ear. One hand still fisted into the mage''s hair, the siren stared at the human. His chest was heaving with anger.


    Syryn''s wild grin was triumphant. He spat the blood out of his mouth and challenged the siren with a mutinous jut of his chin.


    "Now we''re both half an ear lobe down, belly crawler." His violet eyes shone with disdain.


    Enkansh''s mouth was drawn in a tight line. He squeezed Syryn''s cheeks hard enough that the mage unhinged his jaw and revealed sharp teeth.


    "You''re no human," Enkansh growled. "No wonder your blood tastes like piss!"


    "Whose piss?" Syryn grinned.


    "Yours probably."


    The violet-eyed mage squeezed the siren''s wrist. A bone snapped.


    Two pairs of eyes looked at Enkansh''s wrist in shock.


    "You broke my wrist," the siren dispassionately observed.


    "I didn''t mean to." Was this his power? Superhuman strength?


    The siren let his wrist dangle against his side. "What are you?" He asked the man in front of him.


    Syryn stared at his hands. "A strong human?" His heart was racing.


    The siren wasn''t an expert on humans so he couldn''t refute Syryn''s claim. But did humans have such sharp teeth? "You don''t taste like a human."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Exactly what I said." If the taste of human blood was like water then Syryn''s was like alcohol. There was an electric zing in his blood that tasted funny. "Ugh! I''m gonna get food poisoning." Enkansh made a gagging face.


    "Serves you right for attacking me."


    The siren sobered up. The foolish human was hiding a secret. Did the king know what kind of creature was being harboured at Silisia?


    "Don''t let the mermen find out you''re not human," he hissed at the mage. "Hide your teeth and your monstrous strength if you know what''s good for you."


    "Why are you looking out for me?" Syryn asked with suspicion.


    The siren''s gills flared, letting in more water. When he could no longer smell blood in the water, he turned his back to the mage and swam away.


    Syryn followed discreetly because the way to the palace was confusing to him.


    _____


    The mage was back in his room. He found Ryn, the jellyfish, sleeping on his seagrass bed. The little baby had rotated all night like his life depended on it.


    The mage spent time thinking back to what had happened and to his discovery of strength. About an hour later, Syryn''s quiet bubble was popped.


    "Syryn!" His door was thrown open. A worried Drevin came barging in.


    "What''s wrong?" Syryn asked when the silver-blue mer grabbed him by the arms.


    "I heard about what happened, Syryn." Drevin replied, solemnly. "Enkansh has been punished so you don''t have to worry about him attacking you again."


    "What? I''m fine, Drevin. What do you mean punished?" Syryn knew that the siren hadn''t meant to eat him. He had given as good as he had gotten from Enkansh. Punishment wasn''t necessary. And why had the siren confessed to wrongdoing?


    "Enkansh lost control and he bit you, did he not?" Silvery eyes enquired.


    "Is that what he said?" Syryn asked.


    "A guard saw what happened and reported the incident."


    Syryn''s blood ran cold. How much had the guard seen?


    "Was it Arhak?"


    "No. Why aren''t you happy to see your attacker getting punished?" Drevin blinked down curiously at the mage.


    "We were play fighting. Enkansh did not hurt me," Syryn said to the prince. He tilted his head so that more hair came forward to cover his missing lobe.


    "Are you sure, Syryn?" The large merman curled his tail to get to the mage''s eye level. "Are you sure that the both of you aren''t hiding a secret?"


    Syryn frowned. "What secret would I be sharing with a siren?"


    Drevin looked over Syryn carefully.


    "When asked about it, Enkansh confessed to attacking you. And here you are telling me it was a play fight," Drevin''s eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don''t like being lied to, Syryn. Especially not by the hostage siren that I''ve befriended."


    Syryn felt something cold settle in his chest.


    "So, Syryn. Which one of you is the liar?"


    The mage cursed the siren for confessing. What the hell was wrong with Enkansh anyway?


    "I am the liar," he said, breaking eye contact. "I provoked him into losing his temper and that led to a fight."


    Drevin observed Syryn. The mage felt his heart drumming as the mer prince did a once over of his body, likely making sure that he had no cuts.


    "If that is true then it is unfair for Enkansh to bear the punishment alone."


    Syryn looked up into hard silvery eyes. "Syryn, it was your mistake for provoking a siren, and his bad luck being seen by the royal guard. I knew Enkansh would not lose control without provocation."


    "I will take responsibility."


    "How foolish are you to play with the temper of a siren?!" The prince thundered. "Do you not know what you are!"


    "I was asking a few questions! How was I to know he would get so angry?!" Syryn snapped back.


    The merman appeared taken back. "That''s not like him at all."


    Syryn remembered goading the siren into eating him. Guess he shouldn''t have done that.


    "Whatever. Punish me."


    Drevin sighed.


    "Don''t let it happen again. Do not provoke the siren."


    "Understood," and yet his spirit revolted at obeying the merman. Syryn wasn''t weak but Drevin didn''t know that. "Thank you for reminding me that I am a human, food for sirens, and trash to mermen."


    Drevin shook his head but he was unable to refute the teen. Merpeople and humans did not get along. Syryn was right about the treatment that his kind received from the mers. Even so, the surface world was just as cruel to his people. Maybe one day there would be less animosity between the two but he didn''t expect for it to happen in the next hundred years.


    "I''m sorry that this happened," Drevin awkwardly said to Syryn. "You are not trash."


    The mage snorted and inhaled water accidentally.


    "Foolish human."

 Chapter 222 - Enkansh

    "Arhak, I wish to meet Enkansh."


    The guard shifted uneasily. "The siren that attacked you?"


    "We were play fighting," Syryn replied. "Has everyone at the palace heard about the incident?"


    "Yes. The siren has been detained in his room. Punishment was meted out. He won''t be allowed food or freedom till the hour of repentance passes."


    Syryn felt kind of bad for Enkansh.


    "Is he allowed to have visitors?"


    "It would be unwise, honoured guest."


    "Please address me by my name. And why is it unwise to visit Enkansh?"


    The guard hesitated.


    "Speak your mind freely, Arhak."


    "There are many eyes on his door. If you are seen visiting him immediately after the fight between the two of you, some might take advantage of the situation."


    The mage digested the guard''s warning. He had the King''s protection so it could only mean that Enkansh alone would get into further trouble if his enemies spun new tales for the palace ears.


    "Nevertheless, come with me," Syryn said to the guard. "I am curious about the punishment that he has received."


    Arhak followed without question.


    "From now on, I will take you wherever I go," Syryn told him as the guard led him past the twisting corridors of the maze-like palace.


    Syryn smiled at a mermaid princess who bashfully smiled at him first. She was a lovely creature with bright pink scales.


    "Who was that?" He asked the guard after they''d put sufficient distance.


    "Princess Yennie, second daughter of concubine coral."


    "Coral? Is that really the concubine''s name? It''s so unoriginal."


    "The honoured concubine is as lovely as a coral," came the guard''s neutral reply.


    "I''m sure."


    They were passing by a merman wiping down some rust on a metal statue when Syryn began to talk loudly.


    "Arhak, it is good to see that the siren has been punished. Did they gouge out his eyes?"


    "No, honoured guest, his eyes remain in their sockets."


    "How unfortunate."


    They passed by several other merpeople.


    "We shall see if he dares to attack me again after this incident. I am an honoured guest, am I not?"


    "Yes, you are."


    "Then I need to put him in place as well. What do you say, Arhak?"


    "Put him in his place, honoured one."


    Syryn smiled, his eyes crinkling. Two shells in the sand.


    "Hurry. My patience grows thin."


    "We are here."


    They stood before a stone door.


    "My goodness, would the siren hear me if I knock on it?" Syryn frowned at the door. He kicked the door then looked at the merguard. "Why does he get a stone door? I want one too."


    Arhak wondered what the human was up to with his arrogant act. He gripped the door handle and turned it in a circle then waited.


    Syryn smiled at the few merpeople that had gathered to watch. "Why are you here?" He brazenly asked them just as Enkansh opened his door.


    Not waiting for an answer, he turned around to the siren.


    "Filthy siren," he said with contempt. "This is what you get for daring to hurt me."


    The merpeople couldn''t see Syryn''s worried eyes. A swathe of Enkansh''s beautiful scales had been stripped away to reveal raw pink flesh. His broken wrist remained unbound.


    The siren looked confused. Syryn was broadcasting worry but his mouth was cursing him.


    "Arhak, let''s take a look at the siren''s room. It can''t be better than mine, can it?"


    "You can''t," Enkansh said, scowling at the mage. But Syryn pushed him aside and went in. His guard followed him inside and Enkansh was left at the door looking foolish. The mer folks outside hid their scornful smiles as the siren slammed the door shut.


    "What''s the meaning of this?" He asked Syryn after they were within the privacy of his room.


    "I came to visit you, Enkansh." Syryn looked around the room. It was smaller than his. Less roomy, less pretty.


    "For what?" The siren hissed.


    "To check on you. Your wound, it needs medicine. And why have you not put your wrist in a cast?" The mage pointedly looked at the hand that the siren was favouring.


    "What are you? A healer?"


    "No," Syryn immediately answered. "I''m an alchemist." Then Syryn frowned. "What?"


    "What do you mean what?" Enkansh asked, annoyed.


    "I''m an alchemist," Syryn repeated, smiling like a fool. "An alchemist! Damn. I''m an alchemist."


    The siren made eye contact with the mer guard. The human was losing his mind from the prolonged stay underwater.


    "Enkansh, you''re a hostage. But why?" The alchemist abruptly asked.


    "The same reason you''re an honoured guest. We both have our uses to Silisia."


    The siren appeared worn out by the day''s events. He wasn''t standing so tall nor speaking with much vigour.


    Syryn took a chair and threw it against the door.


    "What the hell are you doing?!" Enkansh yelled.


    "I was bored," Syryn declared.


    The mer guard wasn''t sure what was happening anymore. Was the human acting crazy or was he truly crazy?


    "Get bored in your own fucking room then," the siren snapped at the mage.


    "Fine. Let''s go Arhak. Take me to Drevin."


    The mage''s hand was on the doorknob when he turned back to the siren.


    "Where are the stone eels you caught today?"


    _____


    "Syryn?" The silver-blue mer was at the jellyfish stables. They''d spent an hour searching for him at the palace before an attendant informed them of his whereabouts.


    "Are you going to just leave Enkansh with his injuries unattended?"


    "It was his punishment. I can''t be seen helping him, Syryn."


    The mage threw a string of stone eels at the prince. It struck him on his broad chest where he caught it, surprised.


    "The siren had been catching it for you when we ended up fighting."


    Drevin looked at the dead eels in his hand.


    "So what?" He asked Syryn. "Am I supposed to help him because he was catching a meal for me?" Silvery eyes hardened.


    "No. Ugh. Forget it. You''re no different," Syryn spat. "I was promised my satchel but it hasn''t come to my hands yet. Where is it?"


    Drevin frowned at the eels. His mind was elsewhere.


    "Where''s my satchel?"


    "I''ll have it sent to you."


    Syryn was an amnesiac. He couldn''t recall many things. But, he knew that his memories were returning in small trickles. All he had to do was wait it out and interact with his environment so that he would be reminded of what lay dormant in his brain.


    "Enkansh has feelings too, your highness. He''s hurt and alone." Why was Syryn feeling sorry for that asshole who had ripped his ear?


    "He shouldn''t have let his temper get the better of him then," Drevin replied, still staring at the stone eels.


    "Give me those eels!"


    Syryn snatched the tail end of an eel and tugged.


    "They''re mine!"


    "Enkansh worked so hard to catch them for an ungrateful-"


    "I''ll visit him later and pay him for the eels."


    The alchemist relinquished the stone eels.


    "And come visit me too after you meet him."


    Drevin smiled. "For a hug?"


    Why not?


    "I''d like that, your highness."


    The prince beamed. "Stay awake for me then, Syryn. I''ll sneak in when everyone is asleep."


    "Eh? Sneak?"


    "I''ll give you an amazing hug tonight." The merman appeared excited about the prospect of hugging Syryn.


    "I guess I''ll see you later then." Syryn surmised that the merman was enjoying hugs since he hadn''t experienced them before.

 Chapter 223 - Blue Eyes

    Syryn was returning to his room with the guard when he crossed paths with Yennie again. The pretty mer princess had blue eyes that he could not help but feel drawn to. She was graced with a lovely oval face and sweet dimples on her cheeks.


    "Princess Yennie," Syryn said with a smile. "Allow me to introduce myself."


    "I know who you are. Everyone does." The pretty mermaid smiled bashfully. Thick dark lashes fanned aquamarine blue eyes that sparkled with interest.


    "Oh! What''s my name then, Yennie?" Syryn said asked. He wore a charming smile that was on the flirtatious side.


    The mermaid blushed to the tips of her gills. "Syryn," she said with a cute giggle.


    "Yennie."


    Arhak rolled his eyes behind them.


    The bottom end of the mermaid''s tail curled up in a U shape. She fanned the water slowly with her bright pink fins. "Would you like to go explore some shipwrecks, Syryn?" She asked shyly.


    "Shipwrecks? That sounds like fun."


    Yennie nodded excitedly. "I find a lot of treasures hidden in the sunken ships! I''ll show them to you- ah but they''re in my room."


    "Am I not allowed in your room?" He teased.


    It was that easy to make her blush.


    "You are."


    "I can''t wait to see your treasures, Yennie."


    Arhak thought it sounded wrong saying it like that. The princess thought too since she hid her pink-cheeked face by turning away.


    "I- ''ll see you later, Syryn."


    Yennie rushed off with her attendant. They were heading towards the jellyfish stables.


    "I don''t think I''m attracted to mermaids," Syryn mumbled to himself.


    Then why were you flirting with her? Arhak shouted in his heart.


    "I got more excited by Enkansh biting my ear."


    The guard had heard enough.


    _____


    At the depth of the ocean, night and day made no sense when little to no light penetrated the layers of water. The merpeople had day and night cycles timed by their own biological rhythms. Aeons of living in the water gave rise to an evolutionary trait that synced up their circadian rhythms.


    Syryn was lying on his seagrass bed when a soft knocking drew his eyes to the door. He had left it unlocked for the guest he was expecting.


    A silver-blue mer prince floated in and shut the door behind him.


    "Hi," Drevin smiled at the violet-eyed beauty that was propped up on an elbow.


    "Hello," Syryn answered with a matching grin. "Did you visit the surly siren?"


    "Yes. I delivered a jar of the best poultice I own."


    "What a good little prince," Syryn praised Drevin.


    The mer prince sat on the clamshell bed. He saw that the mage''s gaze was slowly perusing the lines of his iridescent scales so he waited quietly. Syryn reached out and ghosted his fingers over the baby soft scales that grew over the centre of the merman''s abdomen. They resembled rose petals if roses were silver-blue in colour.


    "They''re very pretty," Syryn said to the merman. "I wonder what colour my scales would be if I was a merman."


    "Violet like your eyes?" Drevin suggested.


    The mage smiled, still tracing his fingers over the pretty scales. "Not as beautiful as silver-blue."


    Drevin was wide-eyed when Syryn''s wandering fingers stroked over a ribbed fin on his tail. He had to forgive the human for not knowing mermen biology.


    "Syryn, If you touch a mer over there, it is a signal for intimacy," he delicately told the clueless human.


    "Here?" Syryn''s hand froze.


    "Yes."


    The mage was mortified. He had just accidentally groped the prince. His hand flew off the fin as if the appendage was made of lava.


    "I''m sorry!"


    The merman hid his laughter behind the sound of his throat being cleared.


    "Would you like a hug?"


    Syryn nervously tucked his hair behind his ears then pulled them back out when he remembered his ear lobe was half gone.


    "Yea, that''s what you came here for," he replied.


    Drevin was less awkward this time. He pulled Syryn in for a full-bodied hug that enveloped the smaller human within his cool embrace. Syryn could feel the fine outlines of each scale on the merman''s back, and the divots of his spine. The mer prince was respectful with his hands and kept them safely away from a human''s no-go zones, as Enkansh had taught him.


    Syryn melted into the hug. The way Drevin held him made him feel cherished. He thought about the man whose voice had called him Ryn. Was it his father? Brother? A friend? A lover?


    "What are you thinking about?" Drevin asked as he began to put space between them.


    "Nothing important," Syryn answered. Maybe he would soon be forgotten by that man.


    "No? You look very foolish again."


    Syryn playfully kicked at the merman''s tail which curled around his leg.


    "You keep calling me foolish. I don''t like it."


    "But you wear that expression like a second skin, Syryn. What were you thinking about that made you look so foolish?"


    The mage was once again tracing his fingers over the pretty scales, but this time, he kept his hands away from fins.


    "I was thinking about someone from the surface, someone important to me."


    "A wife?" Drevin asked, curiously.


    "A wife- no. Nevermind. I don''t know if I''ll ever be able to leave Silisia. I might as well forget about the surface world."


    That wasn''t true and Syryn knew it. He would fight tooth and nail to get back home once his memories were all returned to him.


    "You might go home someday, Syryn. And when you do, I''ll come with you." Drevin''s voice was thick with longing.


    "Why?" Syryn asked. "Why do you wish to leave this place?"


    "When I was a little mer, I snuck out of the kingdom and swam to the surface where I saw the lantern in the sky that you humans call the sun. In all my life I had never beheld something so wondrous and warm."


    Syryn silently listened to the merman.


    "It was an experience worth the trouble I landed into later. I was caught by the patrols and sent to be punished. But I think I would like to see the sun again, and maybe the rest of what the surface world looks like."


    "Why aren''t you allowed on the surface? Aren''t you a prince?" Syryn asked, not understanding what the rules were for.


    "No, nobody is allowed to go to the top. It is the King''s decree. After the untimely death of his beloved at the hands of the humans, my father has... He doesn''t want to lose anymore. We obey him because the punishment is difficult to endure."


    "Your father is foolish," Syryn whispered. And when the merman raised his brows, the mage shrugged.

 Chapter 224 - Shipwreck

    The morning cycle brought with it Syryn''s beloved satchel. A merman with green scales handed the bag to him and left after receiving an effusive thank you from the delighted human.


    Syryn locked his door and gripped the mouth of the satchel. This was his treasure trove of items that were associated with his past life. Each object he had inside was a storage of memory that could help him remember his life.


    The alchemist curiously looked inside and saw a large number of bottles, vials, glass apparatus, herbal raw materials, clothing, food, and brewing tools. It was true then; he was an alchemist.


    Syryn pulled out a potion bottle labelled ''Pain Juice'' and frowned at it. What was pain juice supposed to do? The bottle was returned to the bag while the mage mulled over his amnesia. His condition appeared to have minimal effect on his intelligence, awareness, attention span, judgment, and personality. It selectively affected his autobiographical and semantic memories. He wasn''t able to recall his life nor the alchemy that he surely was an expert of.


    What can I do with this information? He asked himself. Nothing. His short term and long term memory were both working fine after the blackout that severed his memories. He believed that everything would come back to him in time but he had to be patient and allow the natural recollection process of his mind to carry its course.


    Syryn examined several more items in his bag that he could safely withdraw without the fear of water damaging them. Anything made of paper or organic matter was left untouched. The mage even dragged out his cauldron to touch it all over the surface just in case it triggered something in his mind.


    "I guess that doesn''t work.."


    The cauldron went back inside and he saw a shirt that was made of a different material. It was a silky white thing with mother of pearl buttons. From the wrinkles on it and the hastily folded condition, Syryn could tell that the ''used'' shirt had been thrown inside in a hurry. At a simple glance, the size appeared to be much too large for him. It wasn''t his shirt.


    "Interesting," he said to himself.


    The next item that caught his eye was a long glass tube sealed permanently so that the item inside could only be removed by breaking the glass. Inside it was the preserved stem of a trumpet-shaped flower. Syryn felt strangely hostile but intrigued by the flower. A few strange presumptions floated through his mind. Was this flower a token of love from an ex? Why was he clinging to it? For a while, he played with the idea of breaking the glass and dumping the items, but caution prevailed.


    The fruitless endeavour of digging into his bag for memories was set aside for his shipwreck date with a mermaid. Yennie had arrived and was knocking on the glass that looked out over the ocean trench.


    ______


    Shipwreck exploration was a dangerous sport and he was never doing it again. Syryn had gotten trapped inside the hull of the downed ship. The mage had entered the hull through a hole and was unfortunately buried by the wreck that collapsed over him. The fall was a result of the ship''s weak structure rotted theough by the water and salt; fragile enough that a light touch brought the whole thing down.


    The mage was rescued but not before he suffered a bout of panic brought on by claustrophobia. Being trapped inside tight space underwater brought out a few buried memories that showed him flashes of a dark-eyed man and hot kisses. It was disorienting, confusing, and terrifying at the same time. The mage curled up in a ball and sucked in water through his gills, counting down again and again from ten to one.


    He was finally rescued by the mer guards that Yennie had brought back. Syryn could practically feel the guilt oozing off the mermaid when she apologised for not being more mindful.


    "I''m alright, Yennie," Syryn had told her but they could all see he wasn''t. The mage was shaken up by the experience and wouldn''t recover for a few days.


    Drevin continued to come for hugs every night. It was comforting to Syryn, especially after his horrifying shipwreck experience. The merman had hugged him and whispered comforting words about how the ocean was spacious and wide, and how the shipwrecks weren''t a threat to him if he never went back to explore them.


    Syryn fell asleep listening to the silver-blue merman talk. A small jellyfish was curled up between them like a bun. Its tentacle was wrapped around the wrist of the mage. Drevin''s gaze fell upon Syryn''s half-eaten ear lobe.


    "You poor little thing," he murmured. Long pale fingers gently brushed against the crescent-shaped edge where the siren had bitten off his ear.


    _____


    Almost two days later, Enkansh was let out of his confinement. The siren''s scales were growing back slowly and there was already a covering of maroon over the previously exposed skin.


    "I heard about your accident."


    Syryn had been checking out a seaweed farm with Arhak when he met the maroon tailed siren.


    "Here to gloat over my misfortune?" Syryn loudly asked.


    A pause.


    Enkansh saw a few mermen in the periphery of his vision. They were watching the two alleged enemies interact.


    "You''re an idiot," the siren said to him. "Delicate humans like you would get crushed by the weight of the wreckage. You''re lucky that the fallen beam protected you from serious injuries."


    There was no beam protecting him. Syryn realised that Enkansh was filling in a hole he hadn''t thought about.


    "Maybe next time it''ll kill you. I hope it does."


    Shoving him aside, the siren swam off.


    Syryn watched him get further and further away from them. "Arhak, are you privy to the rumours circulating in the palace?"


    "A few... You shouldn''t pay attention to them."


    "Rumours such as?" Syryn demanded.


    The guard hadn''t wanted to say it but his charge was leaving him with no choice but to spill.


    "Rumours about you and the prince. Rumours that indicate you orchestrated the shipwreck incident to get princess Yennie into trouble. Others think Yennie led you to the wreck to kill you."


    Syryn considered the guard''s words. Rumours about him and Drevin were bound to arise since the mer prince had become a late-night visitor to his room on the daily; though all they did was share platonic hugs and then talk about their day. What Syryn couldn''t understand was why someone would want to twist what had happened at the shipwreck.


    "Who would gain from tarnishing my good name?" Syryn asked the mer guard.


    "You only have one enemy, the siren. I can''t think of anybody else," the guard confessed.

 Chapter 225 - Retaliation

    The following day, Syryn ran into Grifan in a corridor not far from his room. Arhak had been sent away on an errand and was yet to return.


    The gold mer was accompanied by two other mers of nobility. Syryn could tell their breeding by the ornaments that differentiated the commoners from the royals and nobles.


    "Syryn, how are you?" The gold mer asked, seemingly concerned about his well being. Grifan gave Syryn the chills when he recalled how the mer had tried to psychically influence him.


    "I''m great, and in a hurry," the mage replied. "My apologies but I have to be somewhere else right now." Syryn sped past the mer but he was pulled back by a hand that gripped him tight around his upper arm.


    "You must have a few minutes to spare for me, don''t you, Syryn?" Grifan''s nose was inches away from his. A cloud of fog seemed to hang over Syryn''s mind.


    "Ye-yes... I do." The mage blinked, confused.


    Grifan looked to his friends whose eyes were shining with quiet intensity.


    Like a lamb to the slaughter, Syryn was led by Grifan to a secluded area of the palace. All the while, the mage fought the heavy compulsion that bid him to stay quiet and obedient.


    "You''ve disappointed me, Syryn. Giving it away to Drevin who doesn''t know how to treasure someone as precious as you are.. " the gold merman cupped Syryn''s cheeks.


    The compulsion over his mind played a tug of war with Syryn''s willpower. It lulled him into a false sense of security and convinced him that everything was fine.


    Grifan was standing far too close to him. Obedience and rebellion warred within Syryn and he placed his hand on the mer''s chest pushing him away reluctantly.


    "Don''t fight it, Syryn," the gold mer murmured. "We''ll all have fun together."


    Syryn batted away the fog. A bright spot of awareness was growing brighter and bigger. It illuminated the gravity of what was happening to him. Understanding dawned on the mage that he was in a room with three hostile mermen taking advantage of him. The gold one was running his hand down Syryn''s back, drawing out a thick sense of revulsion from the human.


    Syryn reacted without thinking.


    Grifan''s mouth fell open and he looked down at his chest. There was a hole in it plugged by a human hand that was buried wrist deep inside.


    Disbelief.


    Syryn pulled his hand out of the merman''s chest with a squelching sound. It was holding a beating heart that pulsed in his palm. Blood poured of the merman''s chest, turning the water a deep red colour.


    The mage could taste the metallic tang of the blood in the water that filtered through his gills. His own heart was as calm as a windless day.


    "You killed him!"


    "Grifan! Oh god! Grifan..!!


    "You monster!"


    The merman fell forward but Syryn stepped aside, avoiding the mer''s dead body.


    "You," Syryn angled his head and stared at one of the merman frozen in shock by what had just happened. "You will confess to the murder of the mer prince." The now still heart was handed over to the shaking merman who took it in his trembling hands.


    The mage''s voice was deep, like boulders grinding under a torrent of water. It boomed in his chest and sent a wave rippling across the water between them. His aura was sharper though it was sheathed behind the lack of killing intent in him. Syryn''s words compelled the mermen to obey. They were chained and bound with no escape from the human''s eyes.


    The merman resisted, knowing what lay in store for him but his resistance was feeble. "No.." It came out in a horrified whisper. His eyes were wide open, gills fluttering to take in water so that the feeling of suffocation would leave him.


    "And you," the mage cast his terrible gaze on the other merman, "will corroborate with his confession. You will tell the guards that Grifan attacked me and this merman saved me by digging out the prince''s heart."


    The scared merman frantically nodded. His eyes were glued in horror to Syryn''s forehead. A thin thread of self-awareness existed under the mist of hypnosis that had captured both mermen, but they were too far gone to resist Syryn''s order.


    Having pronounced his judgement upon his attackers, Syryn''s eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted. His third eye though remained open, watching the mermen who couldn''t look away from it. No longer was there was a goat eye on his forehead. The mage had a single black eyeball that occupied the socket, giving it the appearance of a dark abyss.


    The eye too shut itself away when it sensed a group of guards arriving. The seam on his forehead melted into the skin, leaving no evidence of there having been an eye on it.


    _______


    The aftermath of the incident caused an uproar in the palace and amongst the nobles of Silisia. A mer prince had been brazenly murdered on the grounds of the royal palace by his own friends. Even more damning was their accusation of his misconduct against the human who was already embroiled in rumours with another mer prince.


    Murdered for assaulting the honoured guest. Murdered for daring to lay his hands on the alleged saviour to be of Silisia. How they''d pulled out his heart couldn''t be explained without magic being involved but the scene had sealed their fates.


    An unconscious Syryn was found on the floor beside the dead prince. The guards also saw that a merman had a heart in his hands. Both mers wore matching expressions of horror, no doubt for having killed the prince.


    There was no way out for the two mers. There was no forgiveness for the death of a prince.


    Syryn on the other hand slept through three cycles of day and night. The mer healers being unfamiliar with more than the basic knowledge of human anatomy and conditions, couldn''t explain why he slept like the dead. The human had a weak pulse and a pallid colour to his skin. They could do nothing for the mage short of sending him out to the surface for human healers to tend to his condition.

 Chapter 226 - Syryns Innocence

    Enkansh had been restless since the moment news had broken out and spread like fire within the palace. Grifan had been killed. And when he found out that this had happened while the gold mer was attempting to take advantage of Syryn, the siren knew for sure that it was Syryn himself that had killed the prince.


    He knew about the abilities of the two lackeys that followed Grifan around like his pets. They were incapable of causing such damage to the prince. To have made a hole in his chest and pulled out the heart was an act of pure violence that could not be reconciled to the nature of the mers who were claiming to have done it to save the human.


    And yet they had confessed.


    They had confessed to murdering Grifan. Even if the mers had been against the prince'' actions and intentions towards Syryn, they could have stopped him through other less violent means. No, Enkansh didn''t believe they were responsible for this. And he was the only one who knew Syryn''s secret.


    The siren sat on the edge of his bed, tail flicking the water like an irritated snake. He needed to talk to Syryn but the mage had been asleep for too long. That was another problem that had been plaguing his thoughts. Why was the human sleeping like a dead man?


    _____


    "Father, Syryn is innocent. You can''t suspect him of this crime when there''s no evidence of his involvement in the kill. He was unconscious on the ground with barely a heartbeat in his chest."


    Drevin was present at a gathering called by the King to deliberate upon the heinous incident that had taken place in the palace. Many of his half-siblings were in attendance along with the faces of the King''s advisor and a few old mermen that counselled the ruler.


    "Drevin, you would defend him," concubine Shaye, Grifan''s mother, retorted with anger. "We''ve all heard about what you''ve been up to with the human so forgive me if I cannot agree with your defence of his alleged innocence."


    "What have you heard?" Drevin asked with a smile that dripped contempt.


    The King was a silent judge on his massive throne. Larger by far than the other mermen in the room, he had deep purple scales that were jagged at their edges. A gold crown circled his forehead over unreadable hazel eyes. From the crisscrossing network of scars across his barrel-like chest, one could see that the King of Silisia had earned his right to the throne through strength.


    The concubine''s stare was a poisoned dagger aimed at the silver-blue mer. "Does the prince not have any shame? You carry out unspeakable acts behind closed doors with the human and put on a face of innocence in front of his Majesty."


    Drevin folded his arms and gave a disinterested shrug. "I think I have a little more shame than Grifan who couldn''t show any patience to court Syryn. He tried to force himself on the human, concubine. I hope you remember that."


    "False!" Concubine Shaye screamed. "My son would never stoop to such an act, and that too with a filthy land dweller! How dare you?! You should be whipped for spewing such lies about your own brother!"


    "Shaye," the silent King warned. He allowed his concubines and children to bicker it out in his presence because it was often during such arguments that hidden matters came to light when one was driven sufficiently to anger. But the King also had his limits for concubines that shrieked like mannerless commoners.


    "Forgive me, your majesty!" Her demeanour instantly changed. "My son was killed unjustly and I demand that the human be punished." Concubine Shaye hated that her son was being called a rapist by the other mers. It was the fault of that human for seducing her son. Grifan would never force himself on anyone. Her chest heaved with anger as she plotted the fall of the human that created this nightmare for her.


    "How long has he been sleeping?" The King asked the gathering.


    "It is now the fourth-day cycle, your majesty," someone answered.


    "He will be questioned when he awakens." If he awakens, the King thought. "Until then, concubine Shaye, you will not attempt to harm the human. He is a guest at Silisia, an innocent man until proven otherwise."


    Concubine Shaye dipped her head and hid the eyes that rebelled her King''s order.


    "I called all of you here to deliberate upon the punishment to be meted out to the mers who were caught red-handed. Under normal circumstances, the crime for their deaths warrants an execution." He folded his hands in front of his face and looked up at the arched ceiling decorated in blue mosaic. "But not one of us present here is a fool. There is more to the incident than meets the eye."


    Every mer in the throne room had their own thoughts about what had happened. Speculations were rife about how Grifan had been killed. That wasn''t how mermen killed. But they had confessed to the crime and sealed their fates. Regardless of what was found, they would be punished in some way if not awarded an execution.


    "Your majesty, we still haven''t heard the human''s side of the story. He might have insight that would lead to the discovery of new evidence. Perhaps we should defer on final judgement until we hear the human''s testimony." These words were solemnly said by the King''s advisor.


    "But what if the land dweller never wakes up?" Concubine Shaye asked. She hoped he would gain consciousness just so it would give her an opportunity to make him suffer.


    "If he never wakes up then a human healer will have to be brought from the surface," answered the King. As much as he hated dealing with the humans, Syryn was their sage''s pearl and the supposed liberator of Silisia. His feelings about humans be damned, the King could only swallow his hatred and move with the times.

 Chapter 227 - Interrogation

    While Syryn slept, he saw many dreams that showed him slivers of what his life had been. But the moment he woke up to reality, the memories of his dreams dispersed, leaving loneliness in their wake. Syryn had been happy in the dream. He remembered having a family.


    Waking up, the mage was incredibly hungry. He lay motionless on his bed, thinking about the final moments he spent awake before Grifan was killed. Syryn had felt another presence overlapping his conscious self. This entity had fed words into his mouth and used his body like a puppet. He had been aware of every second that the mysterious presence made use of his body.


    The mage was still trying to puzzle out though how it had convinced the mermen to take the blame for what he''d done. His thoughts segued into wondering about how much trouble he was in. He also should have been more afraid of the entity that puppeteered him, but since the mage would have gone down for the crime of having killed Grifan if the entity hadn''t interfered at the right moment, his curiosity overcame the fear.


    Hello?


    Is someone there?


    "Hello? You saved me. There''s no need to hide. I just want to thank you."


    Silence.


    Well, he tried.


    Syryn then left his bed and exited the room to find a guard who wasn''t Arhak.


    "Honoured guest."


    "Where''s Arhak?"


    The merman didn''t meet Syryn''s eyes. "He has been replaced. Arhak failed his duty of protecting you and thus was found wanting. I am your new guard."


    It hadn''t been Arhak''s fault that Syryn had wanted to eat sea fruits. He had been sent away for food when the mage was ambushed by Grifan.


    "I want Arhak back," the mage told the merman.


    "Honoured guest, I am your new guard," the merman informed him with finality.


    New guard, new spy.


    "Don''t follow me." Syryn left his room and went searching for food.


    The mage meandered through the corridors and was the focus of everyone''s attention. Being at the centre of a murder that had rocked the inhabitants of Silisia, it was natural that all the mers would stare at him.


    "Am I in some kind of trouble?" He asked the merman guard who was following him.


    "Only the ones that killed the prince are in trouble, honoured guest," the guard replied.


    That wasn''t a no, Syryn thought to himself. He then turned around with wide eyes and an open mouth. "What did you just say?"


    The guard halted. "Hon-"


    "Who was killed? Was it Grifan?" Syryn stared at the guard and broadcasted panic.


    The merguard was out of his depths. If Syryn didn''t know that Grifan had died, he wasn''t supposed to be the one telling the man about it. The human had to be taken to an interrogator who could glean inferences from Syryn''s reactions and words.


    "Guest, please follow me to meet with someone who has been waiting for your awakening. He will explain to you what happened on that day you were attacked."


    "How long have I been sleeping?" Syryn abruptly asked.


    "Five cycles, honoured guest."


    "Five cycles!" Syryn sounded even more alarmed. He wasn''t faking it because the mage hadn''t realised how long he was out of commission. "I want some food before I get questioned about this mess."


    "Would you like me to get you food?" the guard respectfully asked.


    "Oh, Grifan..." The mage lamented softly and turned away from the confused guard. "Take me to the kitchen, please."


    Syryn found the kitchen with the guard''s help. He waited for the mer to get him fruits and a bowl of raw fish meat cut into thin slices.


    "Lead me to this person you mentioned so I can understand what''s going on," Syryn said as he wiped his mouth after eating everything.


    ____


    "Tell me what happened to you, Syryn."


    The mage was asked by an older looking merman who went by the name Talaan. They were sitting in a large chamber that was filled with rows of bubbles stacked atop each other. Within each bubble was a book or a scroll protected from the water.


    "I heard that Grifan was killed. Is that true?" Syryn asked the merman.


    Talaan folded his hand on the table and nodded solemnly. "What did you see before you lost consciousness?"


    Syryn pressed his face into his palms and was silent.


    "Syryn? You appear upset by the death of Grifan."


    The mage let his hands fall to the table, revealing reddened eyes. "Those bastards killed him, didn''t they? Grifan shielded me when they said some very disturbing things about what they were planning to do to me."


    The archivist''s mind reeled from the twist that this convoluted plot had taken. The attacker had turned defender and the defenders had turned into liars. He studied Syryn''s eyes but there were no signs of deception. His job had been to psychically analyse the human''s answers for lies, to separate truth from deception. And he had found only truth.


    "You mean to tell me then that Grifan was killed for defending you? That is absurd. Those mers were his loyal followers. They wouldn''t kill him unless-"


    "Unless?"


    The archivist rubbed his face with a broad palm. The mers had been checked for signs of compulsion magic but they had found none. Nothing was making sense.


    "Syryn, what exactly did you see?"


    "I saw Grifan standing before me. I fainted. And then I woke up and was told that someone had died. I don''t know anything else that I could say to you."


    Killing a prince came with heavy consequences but the mage was not going to entertain the trials against him. If they had any evidence of his crime then he would have already been locked away or killed for it, not sitting here with an old mer and recounting what had happened. It meant that they had nothing on him. And Syryn was going to muddy the waters further till the merpeople could no longer separate fact from fiction. Grifan was dead and his cohorts were carrying the sins of the mage. He no longer cared what became of Grifan''s reputation so long as the suspicions weren''t pointed at him.


    "You did not see anyone else in the room when all of this took place?"


    Syryn frowned while he thought it over. He shook his head at the archivist. "It was just the four of us.... but I can''t speak for what happened after I fainted. Maybe more arrived... I don''t know."


    The archivist leaned back into his chair and looked at the human who was at the centre of this mess. To have conveniently fainted for some inexplicable reason when the prince was getting murdered was a point of suspicion that bothered the mer. Perhaps, he thought, if they figured out why Syryn had fainted, they would get more answers to the more puzzling parts of the incident.


    "What''s going to happen to the mers that killed Grifan?"


    "The King will decide," came the disappointing reply.


    Syryn wanted them dead. It was an extreme but unavoidable step he had to take because the only reliable way to silence a witness was to have them eliminated. They''d taken the blame for his kill so he might as well take another step and push them to their deaths.

 Chapter 228 - Bully

    News about Syryn''s revelations began to spread like a disease that mutated every time the baton was passed to another person. This unexpected twist exploded into their boring lives and gave them more fodder for gossip.


    Grifan had heroically defended the honour of the human when his loyal followers chose to act like beasts. Despite Drevin receiving Syryn''s affections, it was the younger brother with unrequited love who ended up coming to Syryn''s defence. Grifan who had been spurned as a rapist was now praised as a hero.


    "I told you, didn''t I? My son was innocent!" Concubine Shaye crowed from the top of her lungs at every opportunity that presented itself.


    "No! He wasn''t in love with a human boy. Grifan was a gentle and talented mer who planned to marry a kind, well-bred mer lady," she told another concubine. "Mixing blood is a disgusting act of betrayal of our people. I can only imagine how perverted one must be to lie with a dirty human." Drevin was denounced by the concubine without categorically being named.


    The slandered prince was at the moment spending some time with a siren who was keeping a low profile.


    "So that''s what they''re saying about me," he halfheartedly complained to Enkansh. "I haven''t even kissed him on the cheek yet they make up wild stories about how I''ve already separated his legs."


    Enkansh laughed at the prince'' sour expression. Drevin never cared much for the rumours that went about the palace but this time, many lines had been crossed. He hadn''t even tasted the honey but they all accused him of emptying the pot. It was unfair, and the reason why he was avoiding Syryn till the rumours cooled.


    "It''s your own fault for sneaking into his room every night. What do you do when you''re alone with him?" The siren asked without hiding his curiosity.


    "We hug," Drevin flippantly replied. "That''s it."


    The siren''s jaw dropped. "You hugged him?"


    "It''s just a hug! Only us mers would make such a big fuss about a casual touching of male chests."


    The siren narrowed his eyes at the prince. "Syryn has corrupted you. If it was only a hug then you wouldn''t be sneaking off to him every night."


    "That''s because he needs the hugs," Drevin refuted. "Humans are comforted by the embrace of their friends and families."


    "And I''m supposed to believe that your kind heart bore nothing but selfless intentions for hugging him. Really Drevin, I wasn''t born yesterday," the siren derisively replied. "Try again. This time, make it sound a little more selfish. Maybe then I''ll buy what you''re selling."


    Drevin turned away from the siren who never spared his feelings. That was why he had befriended Enkansh. He wasn''t one to play games or mince his words like every other ass kissing mer that crossed paths with the prince. Syryn was the same. The human spoke his mind and it was the reason why Drevin liked him.


    "Alright, you got me. I like the hugs. You have to try them, Enkansh."


    "I''ll pass."


    "No, really," the silver-blue mer attempted to grab the siren who evaded his hug. "Come here!"


    Enkansh put a wide berth between him and the hug addicted prince. It was still too personal of a touch for someone like him.


    "Someone is here," Enkansh said to the prince, grateful for the interruption.


    It was Syryn. The mage floated into the mer''s room and occupied Drevin''s bed without permission or preamble.


    "Some friends the two of you are," he grumbled. "Why have neither of you visited me during my hour of great tribulation?"


    "Syryn, I''m sorry," Drevin sat next to him and poked at a cute round toe. Human feet were just as fascinating as hugs, the merman discovered. "You attract too much attention so I wanted to stay low until it all settled down."


    "And you?" The mage asked the siren. "What''s your excuse?"


    Enkansh folded his arms and shrugged. "We''re not friends."


    That upset the mage. And an upset Syryn wanted to upset the siren that upset him.


    He nodded. "You''re right. Friends don''t know the taste of each other like we do."


    "What are you talking about?" Drevin asked while looking between the two.


    The siren glared at Syryn.


    "What have the two of you done?" The prince asked again, looking faintly scandalised.


    "We swallowed a little bit of each other. It was Enkansh that started it though."


    Drevin''s fingers froze where they were tugging at Syryn''s little toe. Enkansh leapt out of his nest of soft seagrass and cushions.


    "You-" The siren hissed at Syryn. There was no way out of this conversation without taking damage. As far as the siren was concerned, Drevin didn''t need to know that his attack on Syryn had resulted in a bitten-off ear lobe. On the other hand, Syryn was leading the merman towards an equally dreadful conclusion.


    "What?" Syryn asked the siren whose words were stuck in his throat. "There''s no shame in what we did. It was the heat of the moment that caused it. Or do you regret it now?"


    Enkansh was shocked by the man''s shameless words.


    "Is this revenge for not visiting you?"


    "Revenge? No, this is me telling you that I don''t regret what we did. When I think about the way you manhandled me and forced my lips open, I get all excited. But then again, you were also very rough."


    The hole just kept getting deeper and deeper. Drevin was a fascinated spectator whose eyes got rounder and rounder as Syryn kept talking.


    "Enough!" Enkansh could only shut him up. There was no way to refute Syryn when there were no lies to deny. He was defeated by the clever human who twisted the events of their fight into a lascivious tryst that sounded dirtier than the rumours about Syryn and Drevin. So this was the pain that the prince was going through, Enkansh thought with regret.


    Syryn''s lips made an amused arc. The siren was so easy to rile up.


    "I have been betrayed," the silver blue mer declared. "Why did you hide this from me Enkansh? Did you think I would judge you for it like the other close-minded mers?"


    It wasn''t like that, Enkansh wanted to say.


    "Enkansh, why didn''t you tell me?"


    The siren was cornered.


    "Because it''s not a big deal," he spat out angrily. "He said I taste like piss," Syryn added with dismay. "And that hurt me because I know I taste good. Enkansh just doesn''t want to admit he liked it. I''m not even sure why he would bring up the taste of piss, unless..." Syryn let his words hang in the air like a knife over the siren''s throat.


    The shock painted on Drevin''s face threw Enkansh into a fluster. "I don''t know what piss tastes like! I was just ugh... Syryn!" The angry siren turned towards the evil human. That was what he was - a spawn of pure evil.


    "Attack me if you dare," Syryn said as he propped his head up on an elbow.


    The siren was smart enough to back out of Syryn''s new trap. Anything he said or did gave the human more material to work with. So with an unresigned heart, he left Drevin''s room - fuming and choking on words he couldn''t say.


    "You''re just as mean as I am," Drevin said after the siren had departed. He didn''t believe that anything sexual had happened between the two. Enkansh would have come clean at Drevin''s questioning. He could tell Syryn was messing with the siren.


    "Eh, he''s easy to bully."


    The silver-blue mer lifted Syryn''s foot and examined his ankle.


    "So what really happened between the two of you?"


    The mage smiled enigmatically. "Wouldn''t you like to know?"

 Chapter 229 - Shaye And Shali

    Concubine Shaye was seated within a pile of soft cushions in her royal chamber. Pearl beaded curtain drapes hung down over her cosy nest. The concubine was nibbling on a slice of apple, a luxury in the mer kingdom that few could afford since trade between the two species had stopped completely.


    Whatever human items that the mers could get their hands on were sourced through shipwrecks and attacks on merchant ships that strayed too deep into mer territory. Such instances were uncommon but they still happened when bad weather and storms swept the ships off their charted course.


    "Mother, do we forgive the human? It doesn''t seem to be his fault that brother died." Grifan''s younger sister, Shali, asked her mother, the concubine Shaye. The little purple mer was sitting beside her mother on the nest of cushions.


    Although Grifan had been a troublemaker, he had been a loving brother to little Shali, and so the mer who missed her brother had been crying almost every day since his death.


    "Forgive him? No, never," the concubine said as she fed the little mer a slice of fresh fruit. "It is still his fault that your brother lost his life. If the human hadn''t attracted undue attention then would Grifan have died?"


    "No..." Shali answered. She couldn''t understand how it was the human''s fault. The murder had been committed by the mers who had lost themselves to their desires. How was it the victim''s fault? If at all, she could only blame the human for not helping her brother out when he was being attacked.


    "The human will get what he deserves. Mother will make sure of it, Shali. I will not rest till I see him punished for his role in my son''s death." The concubine had one thing in mind. He had seduced Grifan and the others with his pretty face so it was only fitting that she take away his beauty. He would still have his use as the saviour of Silisia even if she carved his face. And consequently, the King would punish her but not too harshly.


    "Mother, maybe we should just leave him alone," Shali suggested quietly. "The human is the saviour of Silisia..."


    Concubine Shaye grimaced as she peeled another apple. Her sharp fingernails pierced the skin of the fruit as she thought about the bewitching human who had snared even prince Drevin.


    "The saviour of Silisia," she slowly said as she ripped the skin off the fruit. "It couldn''t be a filthy land dweller. I don''t know where his majesty heard such a prophecy from but if it''s that hag who prophesied it then it has to be a lie. She''s senile and doesn''t know fish from mer."


    Shali was frightened by what her mother had uttered. Silisia''s oracle was a revered figure who watched over their lives. She wished that her mother wasn''t so free with her disdain for everyone.


    "Shali, I need you to do something for me, my dear." Her mother often used that tone when she wanted something from Shali, something that little mer girl would refuse if given the choice.


    "Yes, mother."


    The concubine pushed another slice of apple into the girl''s mouth and smiled. "Befriend the human."


    "What?" The little girl shook her head, her brown curls swinging in the water. "Mother, I... Why?"


    "Because I want to know what is so special about Syryn that he''s got Drevin wrapped around his little finger."


    "But why me?"


    "Because you are Grifan''s sister. If the human has a single bone of gratitude in his body then he will welcome your friendship and he will trust you. Do you understand?"


    Shali reluctantly nodded.


    "Mother''s heart is sick and tired, Shali. Grifan''s death has hit me harder than anything I have had to endure in my life. The King, your father, doesn''t seem to care much that his own son was murdered. It hurts me but this is all I can do, my child. We will avenge your brother."


    Shali looked down her at folded hands and mourned Grifan. She was still but a child, and she lacked the wisdom that her mother had. It was only right that she followed her mother''s instructions.


    "I will do as you say."


    ______


    Syryn wanted Arhak back. The new guard was perfect but he was too perfect. Whenever the mage left his room, the mer guard stuck to Syryn like they were joined at the hip. He disobeyed Syryn''s orders to get him food or an item he needed because it was a window of opportunity for an enemy if Syryn was left alone.


    He was never out of the guard''s sight unless he was hiding inside his room. There was no way for Syryn to meet with the siren if the guard kept watching every move he made.


    And as Drevin refused to visit him before the rumours cooled, the mage was left bored in his room with nobody but a jellyfish to entertain him.


    Then like a heaven-sent gift, a little mer girl appeared to relieve him of his boredom.


    "Hello, who might you be?" He asked her. The mer princess was purple and had long brown curly hair. They were standing at Syryn''s door, staring at each other.


    "I''m Shali. You knew my brother.."


    The mer girl had big brown innocent eyes that Syryn liked. Suni and Utsui had the same pure and innocent eyes that had drawn his attention. One received his ribbon while the other was divested of his hairpin. Now he wondered if Shali needed a clip for her mass of beautiful brown hair.


    "Grifan''s little sister?" He guessed. They had similar-looking faces.


    "Yes," Shali smiled. "I wanted to meet the person that my brother... saved," she weakly said. The little girl was nervous and it was written all over her face.


    Syryn looked at her, quiet, not knowing what to say because her brother had been killed by him. He was a little sorry about killing Grifan but the mer had locked him in hypnosis, confusing the mage. He had overreacted but it was too late to rectify what was done.


    "Would you like to talk about your brother?" He asked the princess who couldn''t meet his eyes.


    "Yes," she answered, eyes darting to the guard.


    "Vaiu, I''m leaving the door open," Syryn told the guard. He didn''t want to suspect the little girl''s intentions but it was safer to act with caution when Grifan''s sibling was involved.


    "Come in," he stepped to the side and made space for the mergirl to swim in. He also took that opportunity to push the door wide open so that their conversation might carry to the outside.

 Chapter 230 - Defect

    "Can you tell me about how my brother saved you?" Shali asked the mage. Syryn had her sit on the chair while he himself was perched on the table with his legs folded. A bowl of fruit lay between them though neither was inclined to eat any.


    "Well... Er," Syryn faltered. It wasn''t easy coming up with an action story about the villain while turning him into a hero.


    "Grifan and I were taking a walk with his friends," Syryn began.


    "What were you talking about?"


    ''Don''t fight it, Syryn, we''ll all have fun together.''


    The mage blinked at the ceiling. "We were talking about having fun. I think your brother was planning some kind of water activity for us."


    "Ah," Shali smiled, "maybe he wanted to take you dolphin riding."


    Syryn had one more thing to ask Drevin about. How dare the prince not introduce him to dolphin riding!


    "Maybe. Well anyway, his friends were rotten to the core. They lead us to a secluded area and into a room where they planned to attack me." Syryn was nervous about this part. He didn''t want to talk about adult matters to a young mer girl.


    "And my brother stopped them, right?" Shali''s entwined fingers tightened. She appeared desperate to be told that her brother hadn''t been the villain.


    Syryn felt sorry for her.


    "Yes, Shali, he told them it wasn''t right to force themselves on an unwilling person."


    The mer girl began to cry. She pressed the knuckles of her fingers to her eyes and held them there while her shoulders shook.


    Syryn wasn''t familiar enough with her to hug and hold her as cried. It was awkward, sad, and quiet between them.


    "I''m sorry," she said after long moments of letting the grief engulf her.


    "You shouldn''t apologise for grieving, Shali."


    Syryn didn''t say that Grifan was resting in peace, or that his spirit had moved to a merman paradise.


    "Syryn, I know that my brother wasn''t the best of mers but I loved him. I am very glad that he died helping someone," Shali said through her tears.


    The mage was feeling a strange mixture of guilt and discomfort. The mer hadn''t died a hero, he had died scum, and at the hands of the very person that Shali was looking to for comfort.


    _____


    Back on the surface, Rowan was on his return journey to Elysium after having killed the sea hag. After long days of fruitless searching, he had tracked down the creature with the help of a man who used Roga''s blood as a pointer.


    It had been exactly two weeks since Syryn''s departure and eleven days since the curse had been lifted off the anti mage. If his mage hadn''t run into problems finding the idol maker or wasn''t embroiled in unforeseen circumstances, the anti mage was expecting his return in three more weeks. Four at the most.


    Rowan knew that it took at least two and a half weeks to get to Coop island or less on a faster ship. And since the spell had been lifted, Syryn should be back home if not on the way home. But this was contingent on Syryn realising that the spell had lifted.


    Rowan surmised that if Syryn wasn''t already back, it could be that either the mage was unaware of the spell lifting and was still searching for the idol maker, or he was in trouble of some kind. And from his experience in dealing with the problems that came for his lover, Rowan was betting on the latter.


    Despite the harshness of weather that was tossing their ship, Rowan stood at the bow and was lashed by rain and wind. The lifting of the spell had planted a seed of unease in his heart. He had to know exactly what had happened to Syryn and the gold idol.


    _____


    Many metres under the ocean, Syryn absentmindedly rubbed the part of his ear that was eaten. The mage was very self-conscious about it and wanted a way to cover up what he considered to be a defect. He didn''t know how endearing it made him appear to Drevin who was watching the human''s restless fidgeting with his ear lobe.


    "How did that happen?" He asked Syryn.


    "My ear? I don''t want to talk about it..." Syryn morosely replied. "It makes my ear look ugly, doesn''t it?"


    Drevin shook his head. "You''re overthinking it."


    "I''m not. Look at my other lobe, look at how round and perfect it is."


    Drevin looked at it. It was indeed perfect.


    "You can cover it up with your hair if it bothers you so much," he suggested.


    "No, I can''t always leave my hair down."


    "Get an ear piercing and let it dangle over the lobe. A gold or silver earring would take away the attention from the missing part."


    "You genius!" Syryn grabbed Drevin and hugged him. "That''s a good plan. Where can I get my ear pierced?!"


    Drevin smiled, patting Syryn on the head gently. "I can do it for you. It''s just a hole in the ear."


    "Have you done it before?" The mage asked while taking a look at Drevin''s own pierced ear. He wore two small silver hoops in one side ear.


    "I pierced my own ear," Drevin replied. "It''s not very difficult to do. Would you like to have it done now?"


    Syryn nodded. "Let''s do it. I want earrings like yours."


    "Okay," Drevin replied but he felt Syryn would look even more fetching if he wore longer dangle earrings.


    The merman called for an attendant and had the mer bring him them a long thin fishbone.


    "You''re using that? Isn''t it too thick?" Syryn asked as he eyed the white bone in Drevin''s hand.


    "Silly Syryn, I''m not putting the entire thing through. Look, I''ll just use this tip."


    "Ok."


    Drevin dipped the bone in a dark green paste. The merman then tucked wayward strands of Syryn''s hair behind his ear.


    "Are you ready?" He asked the waiting mage.


    Not waiting for Syryn to reply, he pushed the fishbone through the ear lobe.


    "Ah!" Syryn was more surprised than hurt by it.


    One more time the fishbone pierced his ear, taking him by surprise.


    "You made two holes," Syryn accused.


    "I was about to make one more...."


    "Why do I need so many holes?!"


    If Drevin was being honest, he wanted to see a dangle earring and a smaller hoop on Syryn.


    "Ok let''s stop here then. We can visit the market for earrings if you''re looking for something fancy."


    "You''re buying since I don''t have any money."


    Drevin nodded. "You''ll work it off by massaging my shoulders. How about that?"


    It seemed like a good deal to the mage. He would just have to pick the most expensive jewellery then.

 Chapter 231 - LaiRevi

    Syryn was deeply bothered by a problem that he foolishly hadn''t thought about before that moment. He hadn''t realised how easy it was to kill him. All one had to do was remove Syryn''s transformation amulet while he slept, and the rest would be done by the water. He would drown to death before he even made it out of the palace.


    The mage stood before the tall mirror to better look at his amulet. The silver-coloured necklace was snug around his neck. If Syryn had been the maker of the amulet, he would ensure that the necklace was spelled and crafted to withstand accidental removals.


    The mage reached back and felt around the loop that secured the necklace around his neck. He was horrified by how easy it was to remove the necklace. Being completely in the dark about the mechanism of the necklace, Syryn decided to leave it alone when he felt the urge to check how fast he would transform after removing the necklace.


    Curiosity satisfied, he pushed his hair away and looked in the mirror, admiring his brand new earrings. Drevin had sweet-talked him into getting a dangle earring. It was a simple cylinder bar hanging on a thin silver chain. Right next to it was a hoop earring with a turquoise stone set in it. Seeing how his missing lobe was covered up by the shiny things draped over it, Syryn felt much better about his perceived flaw. The mage tied his hair back in a low ponytail and observed his reflection. He thought he looked acceptable.


    ___


    "Syryn!"


    "Shali, Woah! Slow down there!"


    "There''s a dolphin pod arriving soon! We have to go dolphin riding!"


    Just a few days into getting to know Syryn and the princess was already very fond of the human. She liked Syryn''s wit, the way he wasn''t fake nice to her like some others, his pretty smile, and the stories he made up about the surface world. Shali could tell he was lying through his teeth about the outrageous tales he spun for her. Nevertheless, she loved listening to his stories. The mer princess also felt guilty for being complicit in her mother''s machinations but she was helplessly useless. Her stomach curled horribly when she thought about what her mother was planning for Syryn.


    "Dolphin riding!" Syryn beamed. "Is it dangerous?"


    Shali shook her head vigorously.


    "I''m in!"


    The princess smiled happily and complimented Syryn for his new piercings.


    "All thanks to Drevin," he informed her. "Your brother gifted them to me because I have no money."


    "Oh," Shali''s smile faltered a little. "Lai''Revi is kind to those he is fond of. He is also good to me." But not to her mother. He hadn''t been nice to Grifan either when her big brother was alive.


    "Come on Shali, let''s go visit him together."


    "Visit lai''Revi?" Her eyes went wide. Shali was afraid of what her mother might say if she found out.


    "You don''t want to?" Syryn was surprised to see the fear in her eyes. Was she afraid of the Silver blue mer?


    "I''ll come," Shali replied. She could just tell her mother that it had been Syryn''s suggestion.


    After a short swim, they came to the jellyfish stables where Drevin was toxin milking the arms of a giant jellyfish. It cooperated with his efforts by laying still so Drevin wouldn''t get stung by it''s barbed harpoons.


    "Syryn," the prince said and then noticed the mer Princess beside the human. He appeared surprised but smiled politely. "And Shali-a."


    "Lai''Revi," she respectfully addressed him.


    "Can i have some of that?" Syryn pointed to the bladder that was filling up with venom.


    Drevin raised his brows. "What do you want to do with it?"


    "I might need it in the future," Syryn replied. His hoarding nature could not be defeated by a mere bout of amnesia.


    "For what? A single drop of this toxin can kill a hundred mers. Do you realise how dangerous this is?"


    "Please, Drevin," Syryn pleaded with big wet eyes. "I won''t hurt anyone with it."


    "I am not so irresponsible, Syryn. I will give it to you only if you can come up with a satisfying reason for why you need it. You have to also convince me that you can be trusted with it."


    "How about bartering for it?" Shali suggested in a whisper. "Maybe you can think of something that lai''Revi might want."


    From a distance, the prince replied. "There''s nothing I am willing to accept. If Syryn accidentally kills himself or someone else with the toxin, I will share in the blame."


    Speaking of killing, Syryn wanted to kill the imprisoned mers but he had no idea how to go about it. Jellyfish toxin was no longer an option - not that it ever was - since Drevin would become suspicious. He just had to wait a few more days for the king to pronounce his final judgement.


    "Lai''Revi, Syryn and I are going dolphin riding. Why don''t you come with us?" Shali asked the silver-blue mer.


    Being aware of the machinations of her mother schemes, little Shali invited the prince to their outing. Syryn''s guard hovered behind them, a good shield for the human, but Shali believed he wasn''t enough to defend Syryn if they were attacked by hostile mers sent by her mother.


    "Dolphin riding? I haven''t done that in forever."


    "Then you have to come, lai''Revi!"


    The older half brother smiled. "What about concubine Shaye? Won''t you get in trouble with her, Shali-a?"


    Shali nodded, suddenly looking nervous. Her mother had been the one to suggest that she take Syryn dolphin riding. Shali was actively foiling her mother''s plan to harm Syryn and she would be punished for it.


    "Lai''Revi, just pretend we bumped into you on our way to the dolphin pod."


    "Why would your mother be upset about you spending time with lai''Revi?" Syryn asked.


    The prince glanced at him and there was an uptick of his mouth.


    "Concubine Shaye and I don''t get along. I think you should go without me," Drevin told the mage and then to his half-sister.


    "No! Please, come with us lai''Revi," Shali replied quickly. Her eyes were fraught with worry though she tried to hide her feelings. Shali was still so young that she hadn''t learnt to mask her emotions yet.


    The mer prince smiled at his half sister. "Shali, did you miss big brother this much?"


    "Y-yes!"


    Drevin patted her on the head. "Lai''Revi will bump into you and then you must pretend that you don''t want me to accompany the both of you," he instructed her very quietly. "That way, concubine Shaye won''t have reason to suspect that you invited me."


    The mer princess nodded gratefully.


    Syryn found the entire thing tiresome and sad. When siblings had to lie and make up fake scenarios to spend time with each other, it meant there was something very wrong with the parents.

 Chapter 232 - The Drip

    One night cycle later, Syryn felt an annoying itch along the outer parts of his arms. It was a maddening itch that disturbed his sleep. Scratching himself with abandon, the mage got out of the room and asked his guard to take him to a healer immediately. He was hoping that all this time spent in the water hadn''t caused any irreversible changes or damage to his physiology. He especially worried about his skin because humans weren''t meant to stay wet for long periods of time like he was doing.


    "What''s wrong?"


    The healer he met with was a young mermaid. She had been among the few healers that had watched over Syryn for the first few days of his short coma.


    "My arms are itchy. Really, really fucking itchy that I can''t go back to sleep." Syryn showed her the reddened skin that had been abused by his scratching. Knowing that he shouldn''t scratch himself hadn''t stopped him from doing just that.


    The healer held his arm at the fingertips and examined the skin closely. Nothing particularly odd or noticeable stood out to her eyes.


    "Did the skin turn red before or after you scratched it?"


    "After. What''s wrong with me?"


    The healer frowned. "I don''t know much about human biology to say anything with certainty."


    Syryn''s spirits sank. How could he live his best life underwater when his skin itched like there were bugs crawling under it?


    "I''ll give you something you can apply on your skin," she told him after taking another look at it. "Come to me again after two night cycles of application."


    Syryn wished he was a healer so he would have had the knowledge to diagnose himself rather than having to go through experimental treatments.


    "Here," the healer handed him a wad of algae rolled up in a ball and tied by a string. It had a thick layer of mucus oozing over its surface, and it seemed to be dripping out of a slit in the centre of the ball. "Rub it all over the itchy parts once a day or when it gets too itchy to bear."


    The mage gingerly received the mucus laden ball and thanked the mermaid for her help.


    ______


    When Syryn got back to his room, Shali was already waiting for him.


    "Eeeh, a snot ball!" She made a face at what he was holding. The princess backed away hastily when Syryn held it up.


    "A snot ball?!" He repeated.


    "Mers who suffer from the dripping disease carry that ball around everywhere."


    "What is a dripping disease?"


    "Ask lai''Revi," she told him. "Why do you have that with you?"


    "I got it from the healer. She''s making me use it for my itchy arms."


    "Itchy arms? That doesn''t sound like the drip. You should put the ball away, Syryn. If people see you carrying it, they might think you have the drip."


    The mage wisely took her advice because she knew better than he did. Inside his room, Syryn spent a few moments lathering the creamy mucus on his skin. The relief was immediate. His skin tingled briefly before the itching subsided completely.


    "Are you done?" Shali asked. Her brown hair had been braided into a thick rope behind her.


    "Yeah, coming," Syryn called out. The mage put on his satchel because it felt natural to do so. Saying goodbye to his jellyfish pet, he left the room with the impatient mermaid princess.


    _____


    "There, I can see him," Shali whispered. They were leaving the palace through the entryway where plenty of mers moved about. Drevin had arrived before them and was lingering by a pillar with Enkansh.


    Syryn and Shali nonchalantly swam past the duo when Drevin called out a greeting to them.


    "Hello, Syryn, where are you going in such a hurry?"


    "Shali is taking me dolphin riding." Syryn was becoming aware of the mers that stopped and eavesdropped on them while pretending to talk amongst themselves.


    "Dolphin riding?" Enkansh snorted. "Humans should stick to doing human things."


    "Like what? Hunting hostile sirens?" Syryn replied, contempt thick in his tone.


    Enkansh smiled showing all his teeth. "I''m not dumb enough to rise to your bait in public again. I''ve learnt my lesson, Syryn."


    "Enkansh is right though," Drevin remarked. "It might not be safe for you."


    Shali tugged on Syryn''s pants. "We have to go soon. Let''s go, Syryn."


    "I''ll coming along," the prince told her. "Shali-a, if the human gets hurt again, you might be blamed for it. As your older brother, it is my responsibility to watch out for you and your friend."


    "We''ll be alright. Lai''Revi, it''s just dolphin riding!" She whined. "Who gets hurt during dolphin riding?"


    "The same person who was buried during a shipwreck exploration," came Syryn''s reply. "It''ll be more fun to have Drevin come along. Not Enkansh though, the ugly siren should hide his face away so he doesn''t scare the dolphins."


    "It''ll be fine! Syryn! I wanted to be the one showing you how it''s done." The mage had to admit that Shali was a good actress.


    "Thats that, Shali-a. We''re coming along," Drevin replied firmly.


    "We?!" Two voices protested. The siren and the human glared at each other immediately.


    "He''s not coming!" Syryn insisted.


    "I''m not going!" Enkansh agreed.


    Drevin gave them both a bland look.


    "It''s nice to see you two getting along like this."


    The siren''s gaze raked up Syryn''s arms, noticing the thin layer of mucus that covered the skin.


    "Who gave you the drip?" He chuckled and it was a mean sound.


    A few mermen recoiled at hearing that.


    "Why the heck is a drip? Drevin?"


    The mer prince was too polite to recoil although he widened the distance between their bodies.


    "It''s a sickness that afflicts the tender skin of some mers. Incurable and highly contagious."


    "Oh," the human said. "And why is it called the drip?"


    Enkansh began laughing. Syryn glanced at the siren whose beautiful laughter made his heart ache for some reason.


    "Because they drip," Drevin replied, looking ashen at having to answer Syryn.


    Syryn understood. He wished he didn''t.


    "Listen!" The human had an outburst of indignation. "I woke up with itchy arms and the healer couldn''t tell what was wrong with me so she gave me a ball of algae to manage my symptoms. I am NOT dripping!"


    "Ah," Drevin nodded with understanding. "It''s alright. I''m sure tha humans can''t catch the drip."


    "Then touch him, Drevin," the siren goaded with laughter in his eyes.


    "That won''t be necessary, Enkansh," came a tight reply.


    Syryn acted immediately by pouncing on the siren and rubbing his arms across Enkansh''s chest. He did so with a gleeful smile.


    The screams of rage and disgust were well worth the embarrassment he had been forced to endure.

 Chapter 233 - Dolphins

    Syryn''s group began their swim out of Silisia. They crossed the shipwreck zone and went through a deep canyon whose walls exposed the skeletal remains of underwater creatures that had died aeons ago. The mage was shocked by the size of some of the skeletons. If the wearers of those bones were still alive, he was sure that the mermen would not be living in peace the way they were.


    Up ahead of him, the mage could hear the clicks and whistles of a dolphin pod frolicking over a bed of clams. The clamshells were the same ones that the merpeople slept on. But these clams were not empty. Tightly shut shell mouths let out a few bubbles of air from between their ridged seams. It happened often enough that the water above the clamshells was filled with tiny bubbles of air rising to the surface.


    "What are the dolphins doing here?" Syryn asked the merman. They looked like ordinary dolphins with their grey skin and bottle noses, but bigger somehow. Or at least that''s what his mind told him.


    "Feeding on the bubbles," Drevin replied. "We aren''t sure why they do that but there may be some nutrients that the clams let off in the air bubbles."


    "Have you tried swallowing the bubbles?"


    "No, I don''t think we should," the prince replied. "That''s what gets you killed in the ocean, trying things that you have no- Syryn!"


    The mage swallowed a mouthful of salty water and a few bubbles. "Ugh." There was a bitter aftertaste at the back of his tongue.


    Drevin held Syryn by the shoulders and shook him. "What have you done??"


    "I was tasting the bubbles-"


    "I know that! Are you alright? Does your stomach hurt?"


    Enkansh settled down on a rock and closed his eyes. Syryn was going to be just fine. If the fake human was so easy to kill, he would have died at the shipwreck.


    "No mother," the mage deadpanned. "Let me go."


    "Come on, let''s go, let''s goooooo!" Shali tugged on Syryn''s hand. "Dolphin riding!"


    "Alright, alright, you don''t have to separate my arm from its joint, princess. What are we supposed to do?"


    Shali held out a bag to the mage. Looking inside it revealed some dead fish.


    "Feed them to the dolphins after you get a ride. They know what to do if you just approach them."


    "A ride for some dead fish? Are you sure those dolphins will accept this reward?" He was sceptical about it.


    "Believe me, they love them!" Shali said to Syryn before swimming away with the speed of a mermaid who was unencumbered by a slow human.


    "Go ahead," Drevin said to Syryn. "The dolphins are friendly."


    He didn''t need to be told twice. The mage was off, swimming to a dolphin nearest to him. The creature noticed his approach and clicked enquiringly.


    "Can I get a ride?" He asked it.


    Three high pitched squeaks answered him. The dolphin swam around Syryn and came closer so that he could grab its fin.


    "I guess that''s a yes," The mage said to the dolphin. He held onto the fin and was yanked forward by the excited dolphin. It zoomed through the water and led him around in a circle over the clamshell ground that was spread out over several metres.


    Syryn was having the time of his life but he was also hanging on for dear life. The dolphin was faster than he had anticipated. It looped, danced, cut through the water like a knife, squeaking and clicking at Syryn like it expected him to understand whatever excited dolphin conversation it was conducting.


    Round and round it sped through the clamshell bed. There were a few harrowing moments when it almost bumped into the other dolphins that were feeding on the bubbles. Syryn was beset by nausea from the circling and he wanted the ride to stop.


    "Can we stop?" He shouted. "I''m gonna throw up!"


    The dolphin came to a halt and turned its head to eye him suspiciously. Two clicks and a sharp squeak.


    The mage pressed a hand to his mouth and handed the dolphin its reward. The entire bag was emptied into the open mouth of the dolphin.


    "Thanks..." He said to the dolphin that still circled him. "I am out of fish."


    The creature squeaked a few more times at Syryn and waited.


    "What?" He asked. "Look, no more fish."


    ''Gratitude'' It squeaked.


    "What?!"


    Syryn''s head reared back on his neck and he stared at the dolphin, shocked. Did it just speak to him?


    It clicked and swam off. He was hearing things. That had to be it.


    "Syryn, is something wrong?" Shali came swimming to him.


    "No," the mage replied. "I''m just a little nauseous."


    "Oh! It happens to some mers too. Come sit for a while," she told the mage.


    They swam towards Drevin, Enkansh and the guard, Vaiu. Little did they know that something dangerous was creeping upon them.


    Syryn''s inner warnings went off but he didn''t know why. He just knew he had to get out of there quickly.


    The dolphin pod behind him scattered in alarm as a swarm of what looked like snakes came rushing through the clamshell bed. Thousands of them, each one long and red coloured with rings of blue on their tails, charged en masse towards the mer girl and the human.


    Drevin, Enkansh, and his guard were too far away to help them. The snakes were faster than even the dolphins.


    "Go!" Syryn shouted to the frozen Shali.


    He couldn''t swim fast enough to escape but at least the little girl was not going to die with him.


    The princess snapped out of her shock and tugged at Syryn to take him along but he pushed her away. Enkansh and Drevin were only a mere hand''s breadth away when the snakes arrived first.


    Shali who Syryn had pushed with all his strength, watched the snakes surround Syryn in a ball of writhing red bodies.


    She let out a scream of horror as Enkansh pulled her away from the mass of red that was sinking to the bottom of the seafloor.

 Chapter 234 - Snakes

    Syryn was dead, surely, he was dead. Wasn''t he? He couldn''t breathe. Something was pressing into his gills and cutting off the water supply to them. The mage felt the temperature of his body fluctuate even as cool scaly skin slid across every inch of skin that wasn''t covered by cloth.


    So he wasn''t dead.


    Syryn opened his eyes and could see only darkness. He figured that would be the case since he was surrounded and wrapped up like a ball of yarn.


    Sounds were muffled but he could hear harsh conversation that sounded like Drevin and Enkansh arguing.


    "Dead-"


    "-but what if-"


    "You can''t-"


    "Ryn- we can''t"


    Why wasn''t he dead anyway?


    "Can''t-"


    "-try"


    "-ave to-"


    "No-"


    "Get- help"


    Syryn wept in his heart. Life was hard.


    Hisssssss


    The mage heard it right next to his ear.


    Ssssryn


    How was this happening again? The dolphin had spoken to him first, and now it was a snake.


    "Nnnn," he tried to speak but was encumbered by a snake coiled across his mouth.


    Sssyrn we are friendsssss


    "Can''t -reathe."


    Water began to trickle to his gills when a few snakes shifted.


    Danger comesssss Ssssryn


    The mage felt his heart drop. The others too were in danger then. He had, for the moment, accepted that the snakes weren''t out to harm him. He wondered if this was their way of protecting him from something.


    "I have to tell them then. My friends are in danger too."


    Ssssssss


    Syryn heard a high pitched scream that sounded like Shali.


    "Let me out!!!" He struggled against the bindings that held him inside the group of snakes. "Shali is in danger!"


    Freindsss ssssafe


    The screaming was cut off just as abruptly as it began.


    The ball of snakes suddenly tightened around him, cutting off the water again.


    Sssssryn sssafe wait


    The mage''s heart thudded loudly. It was a war drum beating against his chest. Seconds passed without sound or oxygen. Syryn''s gills fluttered against the snake binding his gills. He had no business trusting snakes but he instinctively felt a trust towards the creatures that were suffocating him.


    Sssssssssss


    Now what? He thought.


    What Syryn couldn''t see was the large section of sand undulating ahead of their location. The moving sand appeared to be heading directly towards the snake ball. Enkansh, Drevin, and Shali were drifting in the water high above the sand. They recognised the danger that was writhing under the sand and stayed far away from it.


    "Infinity worms," Drevin spat. "How did these things get here?"


    Shali was silenced by the horrors of what had just taken place. Syryn had been killed in front of her eyes; his life snatched away even as he pushed her to safety.


    The guard was also in a state of shock. Syryn had been killed under his watch. He had failed his duty.


    "They were lured here by something," Enkansh said with disgust.


    Infinity worms were so named for the long lengths of their body. The worms could grow up to a few hundred metres. Their exoskeleton covered bodies stayed buried inside of deep holes within the sand. These worms had strong mandibles that caught prey swimming or walking past an area inhabited by the infinity worm. The poor victim would then be dragged into a sand hole and devoured alive by the infinity worm.


    The worms were disinterested in the big ball of snakes on the ocean floor. Blue-ringed tails were toxic even to the infinity worms who normally attacked everything they could possibly drag under the sand.


    The three survivors were swimming high above knowing that the worms would not leave their holes to catch them. Only desperation or extreme hunger would drive the worms to expose the full length of their body. Such a manoeuvre allowed them to reach higher swimming prey but it also exposed their bodies to danger.


    "So many of them came all the way to the clamshell grounds. It''s obvious that they were lured here." Drevin glanced at the mermaid who was still staring at the ball of snakes.


    "We have to go get help," Enkansh replied. Even the siren sounded subdued and gloomy.


    "We can''t leave Syryn!"


    "Shali, he''s gone," Drevin gently told the mermaid. "We all care about him but there''s nothing we can do. Just a single bite from a blue-ringed serpent is capable of downing a merman. Syryn- he can''t have survived so many." The silver-blue mer was engulfed by sorrow.


    It was too soon. Shali had just lost her brother and now she had to witness the death of a friend. The mermaid wept quietly.


    "We should leave... We''ll get some help and drive the worms away. Then we''ll get Syryn from the serpents," the prince told his sister. He was already dreading the thought of finding Syryn''s body riddled with snake bites. The wound received from a blue-ringed serpent was known to ooze blackened blood. He imagined the state of Syryn''s body and turned away.


    "We can''t just leave him, Revi," Shali cried. "Poor Syryn, he will be all alone when we leave."


    "We must go Shali," this time it was the siren that persuaded her. "The sooner we get him out, the better it is for all of us, including Syryn."


    The mermaid allowed them to pull her away from the scene. She took one last look at the unmoving ball of snakes and turned away.


    ______


    Hissssssssss hissssssss


    Those were the only sounds that Syryn could hear. From time to time, the snakes loosened to let in some water so that he could he could get oxygen.


    Friendsssss ssssafe gone


    He was glad for it. The mage felt his skin crawl when something wet brushed across his fingers. For a while, he thought nothing more of it but his fingers began to burn and heat up. He muttered about making a snake leather bag if one of them had accidentally bitten him.


    Sssssssafe sssssyryn


    Little by little, the tightness around his body gave way to water and freedom. Uncoiled, the snakes dispersed in all directions.


    Up sssswim sssyryn sssssswim


    The snake speaking to him was still coiled around his neck. A sense of urgency in the snake''s hissing propelled the mage towards higher waters.


    Fassssster


    "I''m trying my best!"


    Syryn felt a sharp pain slash across his feet and was jerked down violently. The mage had a second to look down and see a curved mandible clipping his leg before he was sucked into the sand.

 Chapter 235 - Miracles

    Enkansh and Drevin returned to the clamshell bed with 8 more mermen. From the sheer numbers of worms they''d seen arriving, the mers were just barely enough to drive the worms away to another place.


    The mer prince had returned with a heavy heart. He wanted to mourn the death of a new friend but it was imperative that they quickly get the human out of the snake prison he was locked inside.


    Enkansh though was more irritable than sad. The siren had a way of channelling most of his emotions through the pipes of surliness. True to his nature, he wore a dark face the entire time they travelled back and forth between the clamshell bed and Silisia.


    "The snakes are gone," the siren said as he looked down at the spot where a ball of red had previously been. "And so is the human''s body."


    A terrible speculation was arrived at by all of them. Maybe the snakes had released Syryn''s body and he was stolen away by one of the worms looking to score a quick meal, they thought. Drevin was deeply disturbed by the imagery of Syryn being pulverised into digestible bits of meat by a worm deep inside the sand.


    "Oh, Syryn...." the sorrow in his voice plucked the heartstrings of all those who heard him.


    Enkansh had his arms folded and was staring at the sand, thoughts heavy with the fate of the human who was supposed to be Silisia''s saviour. The Oracle had been wrong then. No, experience told him, the Oracle had never been wrong. Syryn couldn''t be dead. How was he going to save Silisia if he was dead?


    "Look!" A guard shouted. "I see something in the sand!"


    Drevin looked in the direction that the guard was pointing. He could see what looked like a dark-haired head jutting out of the sand. He could recognise that head after all the times he had seen it.


    "It''s Syryn," Enkansh said in a subdued tone.


    The unmoving ''dead'' Syryn suddenly raised his head and hacked out sand from his mouth. His gills were also filled with sand making them feel gritty and rough.


    "Can I get some help?" He pitifully asked the shocked audience.


    Enkansh was the first to make a sound. "You''re alive..." He hadn''t entirely dismissed the idea that Syryn could still be alive but the siren hadn''t hoped because hope was a double-edged weapon.


    "Syryn!"


    The siren swam right behind the silver-blue mer who was rushing off to pull the human out of the sand.


    "Drevin, the worms haven''t left!" Enkansh reminded him. "We have to be careful or we''re going to get dragged in."


    Drevin need not be told twice. He swam faster than he ever had. The prince held onto a hand that popped out of the sand. With a hard yank that would have destroyed anyone else'' arm sockets, Syryn''s torso was pulled out of the sand.


    "Fuck Drevin! That hurts!"


    The merman paid no attention to Syryn''s complaints. With the siren''s help, the mage was freed from his sand prison.


    And when they were at a safe distance from the sand, Drevin pulled Syryn into a crushing hug that squeezed his ribs inwards.


    The mer guards looked away from the intimate scene but it was already etched in their minds. It confirmed the rumours that they heard about them. From the way their prince had hugged the human, it appeared that they were in love with each other.


    "Syryn, I''m so happy," Drevin''s words were heavy with emotion. "I thought you''d died."


    "Me too," the mage mumbled. His cheek was pressed against warm mer skin. After the ordeal he had gone through, the hug from Drevin felt like a gift.


    "We are never going anywhere beyond the borders of Silisia," Drevin said to the mage. "Danger seems to be waiting for you everywhere."


    Syryn could agree with that. However, he also saw the events in another light. Syryn had the ability to survive harsh situations that would have killed a lesser human. He was physically strong and could understand the language of marine creatures who apparently liked him enough to come to his aid.


    "It''s fine, Drevin. I survived the shipwreck and then this. There''s nothing to worry about."


    The prince separated from the embrace to check on Syryn. His gaze looked over every inch of skin on Syryn''s face, neck, torso, arms, and legs.


    "What happened here?" The prince asked, frowning at the reddened skin on Syryn''s hand.


    The skin on his fingers and palm were inflamed. The mage hadn''t noticed the subtle stinging during his fight with the infinity worm.


    "I''m not sure," he replied, recalling the wet sensation that he felt while trapped inside the snake ball.


    Drevin rubbed his thumb over the palm of Syryn''s hand while contemplating the surreal twists that his day had taken.


    "We''ll go home as soon as the worms have been driven off," the prince told him. "I dont want you getting snatched or encountering any more trouble on the way so we''re going to leave together, Syryn."


    "And you''re going to tell us exactly how you survived the snakes and worms," Enkansh added like a warning. "Think carefully Syryn. Don''t leave out a single detail of your miraculous escape."


    The mage nodded. He would just play dumb.


    Giving him another subtle look of warning, Enkansh joined the mer guards who were taking out jellyfish toxin from the bladders on their hips.


    _____


    Drevin and Enkansh were restless the entire trip back to Silisia. Strange did not begin to cover the depth of unexplained that had happened to them in the span of a few hours. Neither could understand why the snakes had attacked Syryn, why the worms had shown up at the clamshell bed and how the frail human had survived the entire ordeal with nothing but a reddened palm for the trouble.


    Enkansh had already known that Syryn wasn''t just a simple human. The mage''s survivability wasn''t much of a riddle when he''d experienced first-hand what Syryn was capable of. What he wanted to know was who had been targeting Syryn''s life.

 Chapter 236 - Questions

    Syryn was rushed off to the healer the very moment he stepped into Silisia. Despite his protests, Drevin ensured that the mage was hauled off to the infirmary.


    "You''re back."


    The young healer gave him a dry look. She was seeing his face far too often at the infirmary. From an unexplained coma to an unexplained itch, they''d reached an unexplained rash. The healer was annoyed because not only did she not know a lot about human illnesses, she couldn''t even find Syryn''s symptoms in her book about human diseases.


    "Only because the prince threw his weight around and demanded that I come here," Syryn grumbled. His rash didn''t bother him at all, and he would rather be in bed in his room, contemplating his day.


    "How did this happen?" She asked him as she held up his hand to a glass ball that shone brightly.


    "He was tangled up with blue-ringed serpents. It might have to do with that perhaps," Drevin answered in his steed.


    "Blue-ringed serpents? Did you get bitten?" The mermaid asked.


    "I don''t think so?" Syryn hadn''t felt a bite. He would have surely noticed it if the snakes bit him.


    The healer tugged his hand up to her face so she could check for telltale pinholes. After turning his palm back and forth, she was satisfied that Syryn hadn''t received a bite.


    "I felt something wet on my hand before it started burning," he told her.


    The healer frowned in silence. Taking another look at the skin, she glanced back up at the mage.


    "Blue-ringed serpents produce mildly toxic saliva. Did you perhaps stick your hand in its mouth?" She asked feeling doubtful about it herself.


    "No. There''s no reason for me to stick my hand in the mouth of a venomous snake."


    "You''re right," she replied. "What else do you feel? Does it hurt or feel numb? Itchy?"


    "No, it only stings a little."


    The healer sighed. It was hard to treat humans. She decided to go about it like she would with a mer.


    "I''ll give you another poultice for the stinging and healing. Return to me in two night cycles if it doesn''t work. And if there''s an adverse reaction to the paste, come back to me immediately."


    "Right," Syryn declared as he stood up. "Thank you Janali."


    "You''re welcome, Syryn."


    ______


    As explanations went, Syryn''s recollections left the listeners with more questions than answers. He was back with the archivist but this time, Drevin had tagged along.


    "So you''re telling me that the snakes just left you unharmed," the archivist said in the tone that one would use when being told that fish was growing wings.


    "Well, except for this," Syryn showed him the inflamed skin of his palm.


    The archivist stared at the palm and sighed. Why were things always so complicated when it came to Syryn?


    "You can check my body for marks but there''s nothing. The snakes just wrapped me up and I thought I was about to die. Next thing I know, they''re gone."


    "Gone," Drevin repeated with a wry twist of his lips.


    "Gone," the old archivist echoed in disbelief. "And then you were snatched by a worm that pulled you inside the sand. Am I correct?"


    "Yes but it let go of me some reason." Syryn had actually killed it by severing its head from the body.


    The archivist wanted to hurl his papers at the wall and dive for the jar of alcohol. Every word spoken by the human was truth according to his detection. But they were so outlandish that the mer felt it impossible to accept as truth. How could a man be so unlucky and yet so lucky?


    "It makes no sense. It makes absolutely no sense!" He pressed pale fingertips to his temples and massaged the headache that was blooming.


    "If Syryn came into contact with the saliva of a blue-ringed serpent then it could explain why he was let off by the worm," Drevin theorised. "Those things are very sensitive to smells."


    The archivist nodded along. "You''re right. That could be the case. The blue rings are toxic to even the infinity worms."


    "But it doesn''t explain anything else," Drevin said as he pinned Syryn with a bemused look. "You must truly be the saviour of Silisia. There''s something quite special about you, Syryn."


    The archivist leaned back and stared at Syryn like he was a puzzle. "Were you carrying anything on you that might have attracted the snakes?"


    Syryn shook his head. "I don''t even know what the snakes like." But that had him pondering the possibility of it. The snakes had arrived to protect him from the worms but they had freed him before the worms left the area. Why? And what was it that attracted an entire colony of worms to him?


    The chamber lapsed into a tired sort of silence. Syryn was a mystery that even the archivist could not work out.


    "I think we''re done today," he told them. "Syryn, you must be tired after such a harrowing incident. Go get some well-deserved rest."


    _____


    Drevin closed the door behind him and nodded to Vaiu, the guard who hadn''t been punished because of the strangeness of the incident.


    Inside the room, Syryn drifted off on the seagrass. The mage flashbacked to the events of the day and caught a detail he had almost missed. The bag that Shali had handed to him had gone missing. He wasnt exactly sure when it happened but it seemed to be after the snakes had left him. Why Syryn thought about it was because his hand had gone inside the bag and it was the same hand that the snake left its saliva on.


    From what he had heard about the worms, it was abnormal behaviour to mass migrate the way they did. Something definitely attracted them to Syryn and his only proof was the words of the snake that had saved him. The creature had been around his neck when he was caught by the infinity worm. He had hopes to meet it again in the future. Maybe it would answer his questions about what had taken place.

 Chapter 237 - Black

    Inside Concubine Shaye''s room, Shali was sitting before her mother.


    "What?! He survived??" Concubine Shaye dropped to the floor in relief. It felt like a noose around her neck had been released.


    "Yes, mother." Shaye was shaking from relief and joy at knowing Syryn was alive. Nothing else mattered. After her brother''s death, every family member and friend was a precious life she would no longer take for granted.


    Concubine Shaye hadn''t told her daughter about the plans that she had had for Syryn but Shali suspected it anyway because it was very obvious that her mother had wanted Syryn at the clamshell area. She was puzzled as to why the concubine had reacted positively to the failure of her plans at harming the human.


    "Mother, were you trying to kill him?" She raised her head and asked in a tentative voice.


    "Kill the human?" Concubine Shaye whispered sharply. "No! I am not a fool, Shali. Your father, the King, would have my head for it if I tried to kill the alleged saviour of Silisia."


    "Then why.." She curled her fingers into her palms, eyes cast on the floor.


    "Are you sympathising with the human who got your brother killed?" Her mother harshly asked.


    It wasnt usual for Shali to speak against her mother but this time, she did. She gathered her courage and defended Syryn.


    "Syryn didn''t kill Lai''Grifan. Mother please, forgive Syryn for surviving what brother did not."


    The princess had grasped at what was making her mother angry. Concubine Shaye was furious that her son had died when it should have been the human. She was not resigned to the fact that Grifan''s life was exchanged for Syryn''s. She was going to make sure that the murderers were getting executed, but, it wasn''t enough. Everyone involved in the incident had to suffer.


    "Child, I will forgive your foolish words this time. Do not presume to speak to mother as if you know better than I do."


    Shali held her tongue.


    "It seems that a bigger fish has set its sights on the human. Letting me do her dirty work! Hmph! I would have suffered the blame for it if the human had been killed," the concubine began to rant to her daughter.


    "Bigger fish?" Shali raised her head to look at her mother. "You mean it wasn''t your plan to kill Syryn?"


    Concubine Shaye came to sit beside her daughter. She swept back the hair from Shali''s face tenderly and shook her head.


    "My daughter, I would never endanger you, not even in my quest for vengeance. No, the person who planned for the human to die at the jaws of infinity worms didn''t care about putting your life at risk. I fear to think about what would have happened to you had Drevin and Enkansh not accompanied you."


    "But Syryn also saved my life," Shali argued. "He pushed me away when the snakes attacked."


    The concubine was silent for a moment.


    "Mother..."


    "It is his duty towards your brother. Do not be grateful to the human, Shali."


    The princess knew she wasn''t getting through to her grief-stricken and stubborn mother. She put away her words and acted obedient so that the concubine would not suspect Shali of betrayal when the time came for the little girl to help Syryn.


    ______


    Syryn was news again in the palace. Survivor of a snake and infinity worm attack. He was spoken of in hushed tones.


    The mage on the other hand was wracked with itchy arms that only stopped annoying him when he applied the algal mucus over it. A few days went by while he recuperated in his room alone. The truth was that the mage was in hiding.


    There were dark spots on the skin of his arm where it itched. The tiny black coloured spots were evenly spread out on his arms. Syryn didn''t believe that the mer healers could help. He was already being talked about as though he was a freak. If they saw what was happening with his arms, he couldn''t imagine the uproar it might create again.


    On the fourth day since his self imposed isolation, the mage wore his discarded shirt and went to the mer healer. The spots were spreading to his legs.


    "You again," the mermaid smiled wryly at Syryn. "What mysterious illness have you come to me with?"


    They were inside a private chamber so Syryn began to take his shirt off wordlessly. He thrust an arm at the waiting healer who took a glance and shut her eyes in frustration.


    "What in the name of Lusha is happening to you, human?"


    The healer could see that Syryn''s spots were small crescent-shaped growths under sitting just under his skin. They reminded her of parasitic larvae that sometimes hatched in fish meat.


    "Itchy?" She asked.


    "Not anymore."


    The healer then took a long fishbone like the kind that Drevin had used to pierce his ear. She prodded at his skin with the fishbone and found that the growths were soft under the skin.


    "When did you start noticing them?" She asked him, eyes still on his skin.


    "A few days ago."


    The healer glanced up reproachfully.


    "You should have come to me then."


    "What could you have done?" He replied. "My human diseases are beyond the understanding of mer healers."


    She understood that Syryn hadn''t said it with malicious intent.


    "Even so."


    The healer wanted to cut Syryn''s skin open and expose the black things. But being surrounded by water, it was unsafe to do so. Preparations had to be made to carry out the exploration of any skin disease that could spread through the medium of water.


    "I will have to consult with my teachers-"


    "No," Syryn told her. "Please just keep this to yourself. I don''t want them to know."


    "You could end up dead from this if it proves to be a fatal illness."


    "You''re the best healer for human illness aren''t you? If you can''t help me then can they?" Syryn asked her.


    "No."


    Syryn nodded. "If this sickness was transmittable between our species, some mer would have already fallen ill by now."


    "You can''t say that for sure," she replied. "Some illnesses quirk faster than others."


    "You''re right," Syryn agreed. "What do I do then?"


    "We''ll wait a few days. Stay inside your room and avoid contact with everyone. We''ll see what happens then."


    "And you won''t tell the mermen about this?"


    The healer shook her head. "Honestly, I have never heard of fatal diseases that could jump the species barrier between our kinds. There are a few human illnesses that have succeeded in infecting the mers but the effects are mostly benign. I can''t speak for humans catching diseases from mers though," she said contemplatively. "So this could be a product of something transmitted to you by your mer lover."


    "I don''t have a mer lover," he replied blandly. "The rumours about me and the prince are false. He treats me very well but friendship is all we share." And hugs. Did Drevin infect him? Syryn wondered.


    "Has the prince suffered any affliction these past two weeks?" He asked the healer.


    "No, his highness Drevin is in the pink of health. He has always been a very healthy mer. Nevertheless, I''ll call him in for an examination. Are you sure you two aren''t like that?"


    The healer''s eyes were shining with interest.


    "I don''t even know what a merman penis looks like. And I don''t think I want to know."


    "I can-"


    "No," Syryn smiled tightly. "I appreciate it though."


    Mermen were physically bigger than humans. He really didn''t want to see how big they were down there. Thinking about how he was nearly caught by Grifan, the mage got goosebumps.


    "Never again," he told himself. Suddenly he could appreciate the presence of a guard behind him.

 Chapter 238 - Polyps

    Syryn''s memories were a closed-door that sometimes opened up to let out wisps of remembrance. But it happened less and less often these days. To jog more of his dormant memories, he was longing to meet another human or at least interact with someone who could tell him what the surface world was like.


    The human''s room remained closed off to everyone including Drevin. Once a day, he allowed his guard to push in a tray of food.


    Without any explanations given, the mer prince was unwilling to stay locked out of Syryn''s room. The human did not respond to the knocks of anyone else other than his guard who informed his visitors that Syryn wanted to be left alone. No time period was specified, no reasons were given.


    Syryn was on his chair looking out over the trench when a silver-blue merman appeared floating beyond his glass wall. Enkansh pressed a hand to the glass and canted his head, making sad eyes at Syryn.


    ''Why?'' He asked the mage. And then, ''are you okay?'' Syryn read his lips more than hear him say the words.


    The mage stood up and walked to the glass. He smiled and raised his palm to press it right where Drevin''s palm was pressed to the glass.


    The merman smiled back at him, happy that Syryn wasn''t ignoring him like he had imagined.


    "I''ll meet you after a few days," he said to the mer prince.


    ''But why? Why not now? Today?''


    Syryn shook his head at Drevin. The silver-blue mer blinked the silvery eyes that were looking into Syryn''s violet ones.


    "I don''t feel well, Drevin. I think I''m coming down with something and I don''t want to infect anyone else." His isolation wasn''t effective if the sickness travelled through water, but if that was the case then everyone around him was already ill.


    Drevin frowned. ''Did you visit the healer?''


    "I did. She doesn''t know what''s happening."


    ''It''s the bubbles you ate...''


    Syryn cracked a smile at that. "Maybe."


    ''I''ll visit every day,'' Drevin told him. ''You''ll get out of this successfully like you survived the snakes and the worms.''


    Syryn smiled and pressed his forehead to the glass, leaning against it tiredly. Lately, it seemed like his body was using up more energy than it normally would. Self-isolation had also brought on a cloud of melancholy about his existence. Syryn suddenly thought he hated being alone like this.


    Drevin was floating a few inches away from the glass. He longed to hug the human and wipe that sad smile off his face. Selfishly, he thought that he wanted to keep Syryn in Silisia forever. But he knew that wasn''t possible. Syryn could not be caged. The surface world was where he belonged. The knowledge of it helped the mer prince put a wall up against unnecessary desires of the heart. Syryn was a human and he was a merman. And that was that.


    ''I''ll come by again tomorrow, Syryn,'' Drevin told the mage. When his sleek silver-blue figure went out of sight, Syryn returned to his chair and slumped over it feeling lonelier than he had since his self-isolation began.


    ___


    Three more day cycles into his isolation, Syryn'' spots had stopped itching. They were still present just under his skin, neither growing smaller nor larger.


    He took the silk shirt out of his satchel and slipped it on. It was large on him but it didn''t matter. Syryn felt the silk slide like the touch of a lover over his sensitive skin. Pairing it with his dark blue trousers, Syryn hid away the spots from prying eyes.


    "Vaiu, take me to the healer."


    ____


    "It''s still the same size," he was told by the mermaid. "And nobody seems to have contracted it."


    "What about Drevin? No complaints?"


    "None," she replied. "I had him checked. The prince is discreet with his... Interactions so I doubt this is a mer disease."


    "Wonderful," Syryn deadpanned. "I could be dying from a human sickness and we wouldn''t even know about it."


    The healer felt helpless like she always did when it came to Syryn.


    "I think we need a human healer for you, Syryn."


    "Fat chance of that happening."


    "Syryn, you know what you are to Silisia. Your health is important. Keeping that in mind, I have to let the king know what''s happening with you so that we can help you get better."


    The healer spoke in calm and soothing tones. Syryn found it difficult to get upset at her when she was being reasonable about the matter that was causing him grief.


    "Do what is best then," he informed her. "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving."


    ____


    Syryn threw caution to the wind and visited the prince. Even so, he stood far enough from the mer that Drevin had asked what was going on.


    "I''m still sick and the healer doesn''t know what''s going on I think we should just stay as far away as we can," he had told the mer.


    "But if the illness passes through water then it doesn''t matter how far you stand away from me. As long as we''re within hearing distance, I''ll still catch what you have. You might as well get closer, Syryn."


    The mage still stood at a distance from Drevin. He could see that the prince was harvesting jellyfish polyps for transfer to a feeding zone. Drevin had told him that jellyfish had a two-phase life cycle and these polyps were just immature jellyfish that fed on nutrients in the water.


    "Drevin, if I leave the ocean and go back to the surface world, would you like to come with me?"


    Drevin turned to Syryn.


    "You''re leaving?"


    "No, I''m just asking," Syryn told the prince. Unless the mers kidnapped a human healer, Syryn wasn''t expecting a human to voluntarily come down to Silisia. Tidbits of conversations with his guard had revealed to him that human mer relations were bad. Even he himself had landed here after getting kidnapped. Syryn had conveniently forgotten the kidnapping because the mers had given him the freedom to do as he wished.


    "I''d be glad to accompany you," Drevin replied after a beat.

 Chapter 239 - Prophecy

    Syryn had been summoned by the oracle and it came out of the blue. A tattoed mer had knocked on his door late at night and informed him in no uncertain terms that he was expected to show up at the Abyssal temple where their oracle lived. The mer told him that a guard would arrive in the morning to escort him to the temple doors.


    Syryn was unable to fall asleep again after the mer departed. Loaded with thoughts about what might happen at the temple, Syryn scarcely noticed the hours go by till he was disturbed again.


    ____


    A mer wearing brightly decorated armour escorted Syryn to the temple doors as had been told to him.


    The abyssal temple was surprisingly built to resemble a nautilus shell. Bright orange and turquoise colours painted geometrical patterns on the ridged surface of the temple. The entire thing was nestled in a field of coral skeletons that grew taller than the temple building.


    "Honoured guest," the guard gestured towards the door, "the oracle awaits you."


    Syryn''s first impression of the temple was positive. He had been nervous about stepping inside for some reason but the anxious beating of his heart calmed once he was within the walls of the nautilus shell. With nobody around to guide him, the mage walked through an elliptical hole in the inner shell wall. He kept walking through holes that led him in a spiral around the shell till he reached the central most chamber.


    "Welcome, Syryn," a raspy greeted him.


    An ancient-looking woman faced him from atop a pillow where her torso ended at the waist. The mage was mildly horrified by what he was seeing.


    She had wrinkles that folded and sagged as though her skin was dripping off her body. The oracle still had hair despite her age and they fell over her chest in a river of grey.


    "Why did you summon me?" He asked the ancient one when what he really wanted to ask was - granny, where is the lower part of your body?


    "I called you here to explain why you were brought to Silisia."


    The mage wanted to offer her a glass of honeyed water because her raspy voice was a sharp scrape against his eardrums.


    "You have inherited the sage''s pearl, Syryn Nigh''hart."


    Nigh''hart. A tiny gap in his memory was filled and it gave him the satisfaction of having found something he was looking for.


    "Where is this sage''s pearl then?" He asked.


    The oracle''s glassy gaze slowly travelled to his forehead.


    "Inside you."


    "Inside me?" He raised his brows. How did that happen?


    "You don''t remember anything about your life but that is alright, Syryn. It will come back to you. The sage''s pearl has consumed your third eye. The pearl has taken its rightful place inside there." She raised her arm and pointed to his forehead with a bony finger. "The pearl has been searching for you, Syryrn, for a very long time."


    The mage was silenced by the things she was saying about him. Having just found out he had a third eye, Syryn questioned his humanity. What was he if not human? And if the pearl had consumed his eye to replace it, did it mean that the pearl was also an eye?


    "It sounds like a lot of bullshit," Syryn said to the oracle. Still, it explained the pain on his forehead and the headaches he kept getting.


    "Do you not feel its presence in your mind, Syryn?"


    The mage was suddenly enlightened. The presence that had puppeteered him; it had to be something to do with the sage''s pearl.


    "But how did it get inside me?" He asked.


    The oracle shook her head. "I do not know that. Five years ago, the pearl disappeared from its altar in Silisia. And when it found you, I knew immediately that my prophecy had borne fruit."


    "What prophecy?" He sharply asked. The mage had an instinctive dislike for prophecies. They gave too much power to fate, took too much power away from self-agency. He wondered if prophesies determined the future, or if they were just a window into the future. Regardless, the very act of prophesying was an influence on the actions and decisions of the person being foretold about.


    "You, Syryn Nigh''hart, are the new sage of Amhasag and will rule it with an iron fist. Nothing in the realm of Amhasag can disobey your will. Silisia will be freed of its chains and you will be its new King."


    The oracle''s prophesy brought the sky down upon Syryn''s head. He was held in place by shock, not even taking water in through his gills. Every cell in his body stopped and froze. The power of a prophecy taking hold of his future washed down upon him from his head to his toe. Syryn felt goosebumps prickle like zaps of electricity along his skin.


    "I don''t want to be the King of Silisia," he said in a strangled whisper. "Amhasag does not need a ruler with an iron fist."


    Amhasag encompassed everything that lay underwater. All the world''s oceans, lakes, rivers and ponds belonged to Syryn.


    "Syryn, the sage was one of the most powerful of beings of his time. His consciousness remains in the pearl, eager to guide you. You can reject his powers but it will only lead to misery. Embrace it and carve out a path through the brambles that grow in your way."


    It was difficult for the mage to accept what the oracle was telling him. But this explained the strange things that had occurred to him so far - talking marine animals, the snakes coming to save him, the persuasive ability his words had had on Grifan''s friends.


    "What is a prophecy?" Syryn asked the oracle. He needed to know if there was a way to avoid becoming King.


    The oracle smiled. "There are many futures that await us, young Sage. A prophecy is a nudge towards the future desired by something with enough power to pluck a string in the fabric of time."


    Syryn thought about it. There was only one revelation that came to him. Power was everything. He needed more power to change his fate. He would receive that power only by embracing the sage''s gift.


    "Does the King of Silisia know that it is prophesied for me to usurp his rule?"


    "The King only knows that you are to be the saviour of Silisia."


    Syryn was dismayed by it. He wanted to leave Silisia as soon as he could. The mage decided he would fight this fate and run away from the mer kingdom.

 Chapter 240 - Prophecy I

    "What are the chains that bind Silisia?" He asked the ancient woman. There was no reason for him to be the chosen one. Syryn didn''t think he was special enough to be the saviour of anyone, let alone an entire kingdom.


    "Silisia sleeps upon a danger that threatens Amhasag''s denizens. You, Syryn, are the only one that can free Silisia of its burden." She was already running low on energy. He could see that this conversation was coming to an end very soon.


    "Because I inherited the sage''s pearl," he bitterly said.


    "Because you are the new Sage," she corrected him. "Don''t you want to know what the sage''s pearl looks like?"


    Syryn looked up at her. "Yes, can you show it to me?"


    The old woman raised her arm again and pointed to Syryn''s forehead. Her bony wrinkled finger had a talon-like nail that gently tapped on his skin.


    Syryn immediately felt something crawl over the flesh of his forehead.


    "Don''t touch it," she warned it when his hand flew to his forehead.


    There was something moving under his skin. He was weirded out by the squelching sounds that he could hear internally. And like a nightmare, something popped out of his forehead and landed on the oracle''s palm.


    It was a large eyeball.


    Syryn''s mouth fell open. The worst part about the eyeball was the thin thread of flesh that went up into his forehead like an umbilical cord.


    "What the hell is that?!" He yelled while cringing at the eyeball. Syryn''s voice was embarrassingly pitchy but he didn''t care. There were worse things in life than sounding like a little girl. The eyeball still clinging to his head was one.


    "This is the sage''s pearl."


    "You''re serious," the horrified mage said. It was too disgusting for Syryn to look at. It was one thing to see disgusting things happen to other people, and another for it to happen to him.


    The eyeball was staring straight at Syryn. The mage swallowed his saliva and stared back at its big black iris.


    "The Sage preserved this eye right before his passing. All of the Sage''s memories and a portion of his conscious self is in the eye."


    "Why me?" Syryn asked. He couldn''t look away from the eye.


    "Because you are like the sage. Very few are born with the third eye that sees into the spiritual world."


    Syryn nodded. He did have a third eye. Another forgotten fact about himself.


    "If the pearl has now taken up room here," he pointed to his forehead. "Where is my own eye?"


    The oracle raised her hand up so the eyeball could retract back inside Syryn. The cord connecting them was a string of flesh. It was pale and veined with small red blood vessels.


    "Cannibalised by the sage''s pearl," she answered. "It ate your third underdeveloped eye."


    Syryn grimaced. Was that why he had suffered so much? A part of him was getting eaten up so it had to hurt right?


    "That''s terrible. However you think about it, it feels like there''s a parasite in me."


    "You lose nothing, Syryn. If you want to reject the sage then that is up to you."


    The mage wanted to think it through first. He wanted power but he also had to make sure that the sage was not a malicious being out to take over his body. For the time being, he believed that he could trust it since it was the pearl''s powers that got him out of two dicey situations.


    "I am tired, Syryn. If you have any more questions, come tomorrow."


    Syryn obeyed her dismissal and left the abyssal temple in a heavier mood than he had arrived.


    ___


    Syryn was escorted back to his room by the guard who had brought him to the temple. On the way, they were seen by several mers.


    Thus he wasn''t surprised when he received a summons by the king of Silisia. Finally, Syryn thought, he would be seeing the person who was responsible for his kidnapping.


    The mage was whisked away to the throne room, an impressive chamber made more impressive by the gorgeous throne at its centre. The throne was a glass sculpture fashioned after a mer warrior''s large figure. The king''s seat was at the tail end of the sculpture. The rest of the sculpture rose up and touched the high ceiling.


    The King himself was a powerful looking merman with purple scales. Syryn could see where Shali got her colouring from.


    "Your majesty," Syryn bowed his head. This wasn''t his king and he felt no need to accord him respect.


    "What did the oracle tell you?" The king asked him without preamble.


    Syryn smiled a shallow smile. "That I would break the chains of Silisia."


    The King studied Syryn''s face. It made him feel like he was being cut open by the mer king''s eyes.


    "Is that all?" The king asked him.


    "She also told me that I have inherited the Sage''s pearl. I have no idea what it entails but it seems to me that I have an enormous responsibility towards this kingdom."


    Syryn believed that the oracle hadn''t lied about not telling the king of the full prophecy. He also knew that the king and everyone else was aware of his having the Sage''s pearl.


    "Do you resent me?" The mer king asked him.


    The mage began to think fast. To say that he resented the king was trouble but to say that he didn''t was a blatant lie. Neither was acceptable.


    "Silisia needed its King to bring the liberator from the surface world. You did what was right as King. I cannot resent that, your majesty. But I would like your promise that I will be sent home when I have successfully carried out my duty."


    The King appeared to be satisfied with his answer on the surface. Syryn did not trust that. If the oracle thought it wise to keep the prophecy from the ears of the king then he would be a fool to think that this king was gracious about sharing power.


    "You have my word," the king solemnly told him. "You may leave."

 Chapter 241 - Decision

    The first thing that Rowan did upon reaching the shores of Hide harbour was to ask around about sightings of Syryn.


    The anti mage knew that there was still time for Syryn to return but he couldn''t rest easy. Something was wrong and he knew it like the way seasoned sailors knew when a storm was arriving.


    The blond went to every ship and spoke to every captain. He came away with similar replies that, yes, there had been a man looking to travel to coop island. None of the sailors had taken Syryn to coop island. It was a dead end.


    He went through every drinking den, every place that offered food and bed at the harbour. Another dead end. None of the businesses had seen the mage or talked to someone looking to visit coop island. Another dead end.


    Rowan was frustrated because the possibility of being lied to was not out of the realm of his expectations. Nobody liked being associated in any way with the infamous island. To make matters worse, Syryn had worn a disguise and it was a plain forgettable face at that.


    The anti mage came to an easy decision. He had to get Artemus involved. If there was anyone capable of tracing Syryn''s whereabouts, it was the dark-eyed anti mage.


    ___


    Syryn brooded in his room for days. Drevin and Shali both tried to cheer him up but the mage was a lump of rock they couldn''t move.


    After their futile attempts, Enkansh surprisingly showed up to Syryn''s room.


    "I heard you''ve been a wet blanket," the siren told him. "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Nothing," came Syryn''s insipid reply. He wished he could tell someone about his predicament. "Why are you in Silisia, Enkansh? Is it something you can''t tell me?"


    The siren shrugged. "My parents did something that enraged the ruler of the siren kingdom. My whole family was executed but I ended up escaping with a maid. Long story short, the maid was caught and killed, but one of the guards chasing after us pitied me. He abandoned me far away from home where I eventually drifted and was caught by mermen. That''s how I came to be in Silisia."


    It was another tragic story of children suffering because of the decisions made by adults. Syryn''s tone softened. "How long ago did this happen?"


    "It happened eight years ago."


    "You told me that Silisia has a purpose for you. What is it?"


    "Why don''t you answer my question first, Syryn? What''s gotten into you?"


    "I miss home," Syryn told the siren. "I want to leave Silisia."


    Enkansh crossed his arms and looked at the human contemplatively.


    "What?" Syryn asked him.


    "Do you want to run away?" He asked in a low voice.


    Syryn wondered if it was a trap. He wanted to believe in Enkansh but it wasn''t easy.


    "I want to. Don''t you also want to leave?"


    The siren nodded. "If I do though, I might get captured and killed by other sirens. Silisia is my prison but it also protects me."


    Syryn figured it wasn''t a problem if Enkansh lived on land. He could use the transformation amulet and blend in with the humans.


    "What if you came with me to the surface world? Will they sense that you have left the ocean?"


    "No," the siren shook his head. "But I''m not a human. I have never walked amongst humans. It seems almost as dangerous for me to live amongst your kind."


    Syryn snorted. Sirens were the predators, not the other way round. But humans with their powerful magic and weapons were dangerous in large numbers. He conceded to that.


    "You know, I am not sure if I have a home or a family up there. But if you promise not to eat anyone I care about, you are welcome to stay with me. If it turns out that I don''t have family, I''ll at least have a friend in you."


    The siren made a face at Syryn''s sappy dialogue.


    "Ask Drevin. He''ll be more excited than I am about leaving Silisia."


    "I did. He''s ready to go. But he doesn''t know I''m planning to run away." The mer prince had unswervingly obeyed his King''s order to never stray to the surface again. Syryn doubted that Drevin would leave without permission. Nevertheless, he had to ask.


    "Do you think he''ll tell on me if he knows I''m planning to run away?" Syryn asked the siren.


    But what about saving Silisia? If the mer kingdom was in trouble of some kind, Syryn was dooming all the mers and it didn''t sit right with him. He hadn''t asked for the sage''s pearl but if he intended to take its powers then wasn''t it only fair that he help the mers in some way?


    "Drevin won''t say a word. But are you really planning to run?"


    "I''m not sure. I want to. But I think I have unfinished business here, Enkansh."


    Syryn belatedly remembered his dark spots. He had to get them treated by a human healer.


    "And does that have anything to do with the prophecy about you?" Enkansh asked.


    Syryn sighed.


    "Maybe."


    "I don''t know what to tell you, Syryn. Do what''s best for you," the siren said. "If the prophecy is true then it will come to pass. It isn''t a path that you must consciously tread. The prophecy will happen whether you make a decision A or a decision B, so go with what your heart tells you to do."


    The siren''s words comforted and yet dismayed him at the same time. Enkansh was telling him that he couldn''t avoid his prophesied fate and that nothing he did was going to change the final result. Syryn couldn''t accept it. But there was also a freedom in letting go of making kingdom saving decisions. It meant that Silisia''s good fate was not contingent on Syryn making the right decisions. It gave him the freedom to do what he wanted to.


    "Thank you," he told the siren. "That helped."

 Chapter 242 - Escape

    Not having the patience to wait for the healer, Syryn went back to her to enquire about what was to be done about his condition.


    "Ah Syryn, just the man I wanted to speak to."


    The healer was binding a merman''s arm when the mage was ushered in by an apprentice.


    "If you''re busy, I could return later," Syryn told her.


    The healer patted the merman on his shoulder. "Tell your wife I sent my regards." She looked back up at Syryn and gestured to the seat that was being vacated.


    "Syryn, I have good news and bad news."


    The mage shrugged at her. The enormity of the revelations that were made to him by the oracle made everything else pale in comparison. Good news, bad news, they were all the same to him.


    "Bad news first? The healer asked him." She was a sympathetic mermaid with a kind face and it made her suitable for her profession as a healer.


    "Sure."


    "The king doesn''t want to send you to the surface world." The mermaid gave him a look filled with pity. "I''m sorry, Syryn."


    The mage wasn''t surprised. "And what''s the good news?"


    "We''re making plans to bring down a human healer."


    Syryn snorted. "You mean to kidnap a human healer."


    "And to be released immediately after he finds out what is wrong with you."


    "And if he doesn''t know what''s wrong with me?" It wasn''t so easy to find a competent healer to kidnap unless he was sailing the ocean and his location was known to the mermen. If the mers wanted a healer soon, they would only find a mediocre one. That''s what Syryn assumed.


    "Then we''ll just find another one."


    "While I languish from my sickness," Syryn forlornly replied. "It''s ironic that I''m here to be Silisia''s saviour but I am treated like a second class citizen. Even the mers get better health care than their supposed saviour."


    The healer appeared guilty. "Syryn, it''s the King''s decision. If I could, I would send you to the surface."


    Nodding at her, Syryn decided he had to make a break for it faster than he had anticipated to.


    "Alright, I''ll wait for news of a human then."


    ______


    Syryn waited for Drevin at the door of the mer''s room. The prince was away, meeting a delegation of mermen from another smaller kingdom.


    "The prince has royal duties that may take all night, honoured guest. Consider meeting him tomorrow."


    The mage was having the same thoughts. Luckily, the mer prince arrived right then. Drevin was wearing a crown and it made him appear very princely.


    "Syryn? What are you doing here so late in the night?" He asked the mage. The mer prince looked pleased to see him if the smile on his face was any indication of his feelings.


    "I wanted to ask you something," Syryn replied. "Can we talk inside your room?" It was a stupid question. Where else would they talk if not in the room?


    Once inside, Drevin guided Syryn to his clamshell bed where they sat side by side. The mer prince looked at him expectantly.


    "You are troubled by something," he said to Syryn. "What is it?"


    Syryn hated taking advantage of the merman''s friendship and the good feelings between them. But he had to do this.


    "Drevin," he said to the mer in a subdued tone. "I''m sick and I might be dying."


    "What? Since when? Is it the illness you had to self isolate for?"


    The mer turned his silvery eyes to Syryn, gloomy from the mage''s news about his health.


    "Yeah, that one. The healer doesn''t know what''s wrong with me but I feel myself getting weaker day by day. Drevin, I don''t want to die," Syryn''s voice got quieter as he said the last part.


    "You need a human healer," the mer prince said in an equally quiet voice. "Are they not letting you go to the surface?"


    "No," the mage said. He bowed his head to look at the marbled floor that lay a few inches below his feet.


    Drevin was quiet. He hated being in the centre of a tug of war between loyalty to the kingdom and his concern for Syryn''s well being.


    "Do they plan to bring a human healer?" Drevin asked him.


    "Yes, but I doubt they''ll find a good one anytime soon." Syryn unbuttoned the silk shirt that hung loosely over his smaller frame. He pulled his arm out of a sleeve and showed it to Drevin.


    "These things under my skin won''t go away."


    Drevin''s eyes were glued to the black spots. His eyes travelled the full length of pale skin spotted by black all across the outer arm. After examining it, he looked back up at Syryn.


    "I''ll help you escape," he solemnly told the mage.


    This was what Syryn had been waiting for.


    "Will you leave with me?"


    The mer prince smiled with a resigned sort of sadness in his eyes. "I can''t."


    "You can. You just have to come with me, Drevin. Just make the decision, hold my hand, and we leave the water. Together."


    The thirst to leave the ocean shined in the mer''s eyes. Drevin wanted to leave with Syryn. But this was his home. If he left, there would be no forgiveness or returning to Silisia.


    "It''s worth it," Syryn said to him almost as if reading his mind.


    Drevin shook his head, eyes locked with Syryn''s violet ones.


    "I can''t abandon home and my mother. And what about the prophecy, Syryn? Will you turn to help Silisia?"


    "Yes," he lied. Syryn couldn''t agree with a hundred per cent surety that he would help the mers when he wasn''t even sure of how he could help.


    Syryn could not guess whether or not Drevin believed him. The mer was willing to help him. It was all that mattered for the moment.


    ___


    The very next day, the mage came to know that the king had pronounced judgement upon the mers who had ''killed'' Grifan, and they were to be executed. The mage hadn''t forgotten about them despite his own troubles.


    He didn''t feel sorry for them. Syryn was glad they were going to die because his secret would die with them.


    Had they been innocent mers, the mage wouldn''t have felt so little for their deaths.


    ___


    2 days later, Syryn was intimated by the prince that he was ready. They met up early morning before the others were awake. His guard, Vaiu, had been relieved by another who carried out night duty. Syryn wasn''t familiar with the night guard and it lessened his guilt for what they were going to do.


    Having the help of the prince made escaping an easy task for Syryn. Drevin and the guard escorted Syryn back to the clamshell bed where the mage had supposedly lost an important item.


    When they arrived at the location, the guard was put to sleep with a jab from a harpoon loaded with a drug that Drevin had procured. They picked this area because it was just far enough to evade mer patrols that watched the waters for adventurous mermen who were looking to go to the surface.


    The human and mer looked at each other, worry etched in their eyes. Drevin turned his head to look at the canyon where a group of guards had appeared. Fortunately, he saw them before they spotted him and Syryn. The mer prince and the mage swam behind a tall rock formation.


    "Where and why did they come here?" Syryn asked the prince.


    Drevin shook his head, equally surprised by their arrival. "I dont know. I didn''t tell anyone about you leaving so I can''t understand why they would suddenly show up. Maybe they''re here for some other reason."


    But the five-member group of guards found Vaiu who was still out in the open. Alarmed at finding him, the leader of the guards barked out an order and they began fanning out to search for Syryn.


    "They''ll find us eventually."


    Drevin agreed with the assessment. It was only a matter of time. If they came out from behind the rock, they would be exposed. If they swam upwards, they would be exposed.


    Syryn looked behind him to the bed of clams releasing bubbles in the water.


    "Do you have another loaded harpoon on you?" He asked the mer.


    Drevin held out a small fang. "I have one more. Why?"


    Syryn gingerly took it from the mer''s palm and struck just as fast as he had taken it. The pointed tip was introduced to Drevin''s palm where it released its contents into his bloodstream.


    "It''s better this way," he told the mer who was already going under. "Tell them I drugged the both of you."


    Syryn left Drevin by the rock and approached the nearest clam.


    "Sage, make this clam open. I need to hide somewhere," he whispered.


    Syryn''s badly thought out idea was to try and attempt to hide inside the clam. He wasn''t even half convinced that it would work.

 Chapter 243 - Capture

    Syryn knew he shouldn''t have trusted someone else to save him. The clam had its mouth shut tighter than the doors of a prison cell.


    He tried pushing his fingers through the gap of the mouth but it wouldn''t budge. He wasn''t ready to get caught at his first runaway attempt but the sinking feeling inside him told the mage that he wasn''t going to succeed today.


    Nevertheless, he once again attempted to pry open the shell.


    "Useless!" He cursed. "Why won''t you answer or help me, stupid pearl?!"


    The mage was prepared to go down fighting if they tried to take him back to Silisia. He was already taking the blame for the unconscious guard and the prince so Syryn had nothing to lose. He hadn''t fought mers before but if they were as strong as Enkansh then he was in trouble. But it didn''t matter because Syryn was going to go down fighting.


    Clams do not have the intelligence to understand your commands; A disembodied voice told Syryn. It sounded cold and monotone.


    "Is that you then, sage?" Syryn asked. "Finally decided to talk eh?"


    Prolonged communication with me causes mental fatigue. It is still too early for us to be sharing a mind.


    Syryn wasn''t surprised. There was always a price for everything.


    "Can you get me out of this situation first? We can talk about marine intelligence once I''ve escaped the water!"


    I can read your thoughts. There is no need to soak them out loud.


    [You should have said that first, then.]


    Go back to Silisia. You have unfinished business.


    [I won''t go back. I refuse to become king of the mers.]


    You will find a powerful ally in the mer kingdom. Return, Syryn. She is waiting for you.


    [She who?]


    Have faith in me for I do not wish for us to die here in the ocean. You have much to accomplish before passing on, Syryn.


    Syryn peeped around the corner and saw the mer guards closing in towards his hiding spot.


    [Those snakes... Were you the one that called them?]


    They came by their own volition when they smelled danger on you. Your hand was covered in the pheromones emitted by female infinity worms.


    The explanation was cathartic to Syryn. He had been wondering how the series of events were connected to each other.


    [But wouldn''t I have escaped by swimming away from the ocean floor?]


    No. The worms would have risked leaving the sand to chase you.


    That was why the snakes had burnt his skin with their toxic saliva, Syryn concluded. And they let him go early because the most immediate and critical danger had been evaded. Syryn guessed that the snakes couldn''t possibly know when the worms were leaving the area, and they couldn''t stay wrapped around Syryn the entire time waiting for the infinity worms to leave.


    You are right about that.


    [Okay, so if I go back to Silisia, you''ll help me avoid becoming the king, won''t you? It''s the only condition I ask for returning.]


    Most would kill to become the ruler of the biggest mer kingdom. Why do you reject what''s yours?


    [One, I am not a mer. Two, kings are just prisoners of their power and their palaces. It is a miserable existence living that way.]


    Power does not get to choose the burden that gets yoked upon them. You take what comes with it.


    [Why the hell are you insistent on me becoming king?]


    Syryn had been found. The hostile mer guard pointed a long spear at him.


    The sage is the rightful king of Silisia. Accept it and appoint a proxy if you do not wish to stay at Silisia.


    The mer guard made a whistle-like sound from his throat and it brought the others to his spot.


    [I can do that? That''s a brilliant idea.]


    The mer guards surrounded Syryn. From all around him, spears were pointed at the mage. He raised his arms in a gesture of surrender.


    [Sage, what happened to my memories anyway?]


    "Human, why did you attack your guard and the prince?"


    [Sage? Where did you go?]


    A pointed end of one of the spears jabbed him on his bicep.


    "Because I wanted to run away dumbass. Why else would I do it?" Syryn rolled his eyes at the guard. "They''re both alive by the way. I didn''t kill anyone."


    Syryn felt sorry that Drevin''s hard work had been wasted because neither of them had anticipated spies to be watching Syryn. Someone had seen them leaving and had obviously alerted the guards. Was there another explanation for the mers showing up so suddenly? He didn''t think so.


    Now he had two more worries to gnaw on. Someone had tried to kill him using infinity worms. And that someone was probably the same person spying on him. As for how the pheromone had come to be on his hand, Syryn suspected the bag that Shali had given to him. He alone had touched the fish inside it.


    "Ungrateful human! You obviously don''t understand how kind his majesty has been to you. Is this how you show your gratitude?! By attacking his subjects and trying to escape?"


    "Listen, which part of me being a victim of mer kidnapping did you miss? If I should be grateful to the king for keeping me hostage in his kingdom then Drevin too should be grateful that I attacked him."


    "Shut up!" The guard growled out. "You''re coming back with us quietly."


    Of course, he was. Syryn allowed the guards to bind his hands. He was then hauled away like a fish caught for dinner.


    As they swam towards Silisia, Syryn was thinking about the bag that Shali had given him. The little princess was innocent, or at least he hoped she was. He had to ask the mermaid about the bag without alerting her of his suspicions. If this was some sort of revenge she was taking for her older brother''s death, Syryn was going to applaud her acting skills.


    ___


    The mage was once again dumped back inside the fort-like prison he had been stuck inside for the first few days of his stay at Silisia. This time, his arms and feet were bound by the mer guards.


    "Disgusting human," one of the guards spat, knocking him to the floor.


    "Don''t hurt the saviour of Silisia," another one mocked. "Aren''t you afraid of his wrath?"


    The mage had a dull look on his face. His limbs were weak and he was very sleepy, tired, but it didn''t make sense to him. Oh, he thought, the sage had warned him of mental fatigue.


    "Look at his stupid face."


    The guards couldn''t get a rise out of Syryn. The mage didnt care for their insults and childish jabs.


    "Come on, let''s go report to the king that we caught a runaway saviour."


    The mer guards laughed as they left Syryn behind, drowsy at the foot of the glowing stone that pierced the ceiling of his prison.


    ____


    Syryn caught a few hours of sleep and was awakened by two mers. One of them was Vaiu, the guard that had replaced Arhak.


    "Syryn," Vaiu shook the mage awake. "Syryn, wake up." He was gentle with the mage. Vaiu had seen with his own eyes what the mage had endured during the dolphin ride. He thought it was no wonder that the mage had tried to escape the ocean. It had been horrifying to watch Syryn get attacked. He couldn''t imagine how much worse it had to have been for the human who had experienced it.


    "The king?" Syryn blearily replied. Sleep was a fog in his mind. Sleep pulled his eyelids down like magnets to iron. "Let''s go."


    The mage stood up and followed the guard who led him out of the prison, still chained.


    ____


    Syryn was forced to kneel before the throne by a hand that pushed him down to his knees.


    Rebellion fomenting in his heart, he stared up at the mer king who sat on his throne like a figure of judgement.


    "I believed you when you told me you''d hold up the end of your bargain," the king said to him in a cold tone. "But you are a better liar than I am at seeing through your lies. Syryn, what else have you lied about?"


    The mage smirked up at the King. It was tiresome to act obedient when he all he wanted to do was be himself.


    "Your majesty, I lied about not resenting you. Your men kidnapped me from the surface world, held me prisoner, and you couldn''t even protect me from your disgruntled subject''s scheming. Should I be grateful and thank you?"


    The King''s mouth turned down in disappointment. "I thought you understood why we had to bring you here."


    Syryn scoffed. "To be the saviour of Silisia, yes. What a burdensome task it is. You could have politely invited me before resorting to kidnapping. A request made sweeter with the bribe of money and women would have done wonders for our working relationship."


    "You were never a prisoner, Syryn."


    The mage rolled his eyes.


    "I will show you then what it is like to be a real prisoner of the mers."

 Chapter 244 - Prison

    When Artemus sent out feelers to find information on Syryn, dead ends were reached in every direction. To the anti mage, it was a sign that something had gone wrong. The busy man relegated his work to his other anti mage colleagues and took a leave of three days in order to personally search for the missing mage.


    He has to donit alone because Rowan was already embroiled in a diplomatic scenario under the orders of Sigil''s ruler. He could not outright disobey the ruler and so the anti mage had agreed to two days work with the diplomatic team. He would be responsible for protecting the kingdom''s political advisor.


    The blond''s suspicions about Syryn''s situation hadn''t been confirmed because there was still time left for the mage''s return from Coop island. Putting his faith in Artemus to track down the mage''s activity, he busied himself with the duty that was foisted upon him by his King.


    Half a day into retracing Rowan''s steps at Hide harbour, Artemus found out that there had been at least five workers at the dock who had either been replaced or resigned. Every single sailor and worker had been questioned about passengers to Coop. Some of them answered with hostility when others showed suspicion. The anti mage had arrived in civilian clothing and thus he could not use his Sanguine authority here.


    Artemus still persisted. He used bribes and threats to get the personal information of the people who were no longer working at the docks. The chances of their knowing about Syryn was slim but he had to cover every hole in the sieve if he was to gather water. Artemus made a circle around the name of the barkeep who had resigned not too long ago. He would begin there.


    ______


    Syryn''s prison was changed from the pretty basalt fort to an underground dungeon that was colder than the waters above it. Freezing cold water made the place uninhabitable to most living things. There was also virtually no light to be seen in the prison.


    His gills pulled in water that tasted stagnant and polluted. The mage was thrown into a small prison that was just one of the several hundred down under. It was at least closer to the dungeon doors. He imagined that the cells deeper inside were filled with water that barely circulated through the dungeon, and thus became more impure for use.


    [Is this what you brought me back here for?]


    [Say something.]


    [Who is my ally?]


    Syryn figured that the eyeball could hear his thoughts even when it wasn''t responding. He kept talking to it because that was better than listening to the oppressive silence that blanketed the dungeon. He felt suffocated by the blackness that wrapped away any sight in the dungeon. The only light they''d had was from the guards and that was gone too.


    A few days passed by and Syryn was losing track of time. The only way he could still tell night from day was when the meals came into his cell. Seaweed again. His satchel had been taken away again, and the mage regretted coming back. There was only so much seaweed he could eat before it made him nauseous.


    It was the fifth day into his imprisonment when Enkansh came to visit him. The siren was dressed like a guard so Syryn hadn''t recognised him at first.


    "Are you okay?" Enkansh asked in a low voice so the other prisoners would not hear him talking.


    Syryn swam to the prison door and looked through the metal bars at the gloomy siren. "Enkansh? Why are you here?"


    "Drevin sent me to see how you''re faring. He''s sorry he can''t visit you because the King has him confined."


    Syryn''s plan to make it look like the prince wasn''t involved had failed.


    "Listen Syryn, you have to be nice to the king. Word around the palace is that you were disrespectful. I know you hate him for keeping you in Silisia but if escape is what you want then it starts with staying low."


    "Look where that got me."


    "Yes, you didn''t know you were being spied upon. It isn''t your fault. The night guard left a scent trail for the patrols to find."


    It was no wonder they had been tracked down so quickly. They were likely being followed discreetly.


    "How did I not catch the scent then?"


    "Because it isn''t detectable to mers or humans. There''s a tiny fish that scents and follows the trail. Syryn," the siren hissed when he realised their conversation had gone off track, "look, you have to do as the king says. Drevin wants to use your illness to plead with the king. Try not to anger him if and when you''re brought out for an audience with the ruler."


    "I can''t make any promises," the mage replied. After everything he had been forced through, his patience for the authoritarian ruler had run out. He was the Sage and the purported saviour of Silisia. Didn''t that count for something?


    Enkansh frowned at the mage''s reply. "You''re making this harder for yourself, Syryn. Would it kill you to act obedient and show some respect even if it''s just pretend?"


    "Yes."


    The siren gripped the bars of the cage and glowered at Syryn. "Stubborn human! If you''re executed, I''ll eat your liver. Maybe I''ll become half as stupidly brave as you then."


    "If I get executed then Silisia will never be liberated. If the king believes that and cares for his kingdom, he won''t harm me."


    Syryn didn''t think it was his time to die. He felt it deep in his guts. Change was coming but not at the expense of his life.


    "Would you bet your life on that, Syryn? Because it is what you are doing, literally."


    The mage nodded.


    Enkansh''s glower turned darker.


    "What makes you so sure that you''re untouchable? For all you know, the king could be a despot who would even go so far as to kill you, his kingdom''s alleged saviour."


    "It''s a feeling," Syryn told him. "I trust my guts. They tell me I won''t die."


    The siren made a sound like a sigh.


    "I hope you''re right, Syryn."

 Chapter 245 - Betrayal

    Artemus was forced to rift halfway across the kingdom so he could find the barkeep that had resigned. Having followed two fake leads, the third time was the charm.


    He met the barkeep and paid him money to find out that Syryn had travelled to log island to search for the captain of the Fool''s Noose.


    The anti mage returned to Elysium and put out word that he was looking for information on Idriz and the whereabouts of the Fool''s Noose. Artemus knew he wouldn''t get the answers from the loyal men on log island. He had to depend on the information network of merchants and sailors that were familiar with the routes and timetables of the many ships that traversed the ocean waters.


    _____


    Three more daily meals into his prison since Enkansh''s visit, Syryn was restless for news about Drevin''s attempts to free him. The darkness was a constant presence and it made him feel like he was rotting in the unmoving water of the dungeon.


    Syryn sang to pass away his time. He hummed a random tune at first but it became a familiar song that he used to sing. He hummed and sang bits and pieces of lyrics that came to his lips without prompting.


    "Who''s singing?!" Another prisoner shouted. "Sing louder."


    "That''s a human song," another voice joined in. "I know I''ve heard it before."


    Syryn was suddenly excited. The song could be another clue to his origins.


    "Do you remember where you heard it?" He asked the voice in the darkness.


    "Eh, it has been years since I last went up top. I can''t say I remember much of my time spent on the surface."


    He sounded old to Syryn''s ears. "Why were you on the surface?"


    "Why?! Have you been to the surface? It''s beautiful. The demented king has the mers thinking it''s a war zone up there when the humans actually care little about attacking Silisia. As long as you stay far from the ships, there''s no reason to be afraid! I went up there so many times and never got caught by humans."


    Another prisoner laughed. "And that''s what got you locked in here."


    That was when a guard appeared to silence them. Talking was not allowed. Anyone caught talking, or singing, was lashed. The mage kept his mouth shut along with the others after the guard threatened them. Getting lashed meant he would be risking an infection from the stagnant and dirty dungeon water so Syryn was back to talking to himself in his head.


    ____


    Six meals since Enkansh''s visit, Syryn was let out of his prison.


    "Thank fuck I''m out of there," the mage told the guard who was behind him. "I thought Silisia had forgotten about its saviour. That''s me. You know that right?"


    He was jabbed in the back by the back end of the spear.


    "You''ll pay for that," Syryn threatened him without any bite in it.


    The dungeons were far away from the palace. Syryn was sure that the guards were deliberately taking him through the main waterways that crossed Silisia''s biggest urban zone.


    Mers stared at the weak and sickly looking human who was being paraded by the guards. Syryn was pale with gaunt cheeks and sunken eyes. The lack of food coupled with how much nutrition his body was using up since his spots had appeared made for a skinny body that looked like it could be snapped in half by a child.


    "The saviour of Silisia," a mer with bad intentions called out. "Shouldn''t you save yourself first?"


    One of his guards laughed. It permitted the other mers to laugh. Soon he was turned into the butt of a joke in the middle of the shopping district.


    Syryn closed his eyes and counted to ten. When he opened them, he saw Enkansh in the crowd of mers, gloomy as usual. The siren nodded once and turned away. It seemed he couldn''t stomach what was happening to Syryn.


    Syryn noted that not all the mers were laughing. There were some of them who looked frightened, some who appeared upset, and others that were expressionless. Why? He thought. Why weren''t they all enjoying his misery? He could then turn the kingdom into rubble without a pricking conscience leashing him.


    Another jab but this time in his ribs. Syryn folded over in pain. He grit his teeth and swallowed the words that wanted to leave his mouth. Where was the sage? Where was his ally? Resentment overflowed like a dark poison in his heart.


    Syryn bowed his head and allowed his anger to simmer beneath the surface. Why did have to go through this humiliation? What crime had he committed that prompted the king to parade him on the streets? He wasn''t stupid to believe that the guards had done this out of their own volition. This was his punishment from the ruler of the mers.


    Like a freak on show, he was slowly lead through Silisia''s busy ways for the citizens to gawk at. It seemed they all knew who he was and why he had come to be in Silisia. Syryn suspected that the louder mers had planted along the route to shout out insults for the public to hear and join in. It seemed they were all targeting his identity as saviour or liberator of Silisia. It was a smear campaign to discredit him. The mage''s heart got colder and colder with every minute that passed by.


    "No human can be the saviour of Silisia." A voice came from in front of him. Syryn''s head snapped up to look at Drevin who said it out loud for the gawking mers.


    The prince was a mask of aloofness. His royal crown glimmered in the soft light of the lunar stone that lit up the water.


    It was like a punch to Syryn''s gut. He knew that Drevin was under the control of the King but it still hurt to hear his friend join in with the enemy''s voices.


    For a brief second, the silver-blue mer''s eyes that were fixed on Syryn softened, and then he turned away, leaving the crowd and Syryn like he hated to be there. The exchange had been brief but it was enough for Syryn to hold onto for some warmth. Drevin was still his friend.

 Chapter 246 - Judgement

    The throne room was populated with mer nobility. Male and female mers in resplendent jewellery and polished scales made for a bright sight.


    Being watched by so many hostile eyes had Syryn''s skin crawling. The mage looked straight ahead, looking to the world like he wasn''t bothered by his imprisonment and humiliation.


    "Your majesty," the leading guard paid his respects as he bowed to the king.


    The purple mer nodded and his gaze turned to Syryn. Strong hands pushed the mage to his knees, forcing him to look up at the king from a position of abasement.


    "Do you understand the difference, human?" The king asked him.


    Syryn stared straight ahead without answering. He was jabbed between his shoulder blades by one of the guards. The mage grunted in pain but otherwise remained composed.


    "Your liberator, Syryn the human," the King told his subjects. The mer king spoke without much emotion. His eyes were like deep pits of darkness on a stoic face.


    Syryn suspected the king knew about the prophecy despite the oracle''s claims about not having told him. He just couldn''t fathom how anyone would be so hateful to him were they not aware that he was a contender to the coveted throne of Silisia.


    As soon as the king had spoken, a few mers began to applaud Syryn. They were joined by the other hesitant ones till the throne room echoed with the sound of watery clapping.


    "What will you liberate us from, Syryn?" The king asked after the applause died down.


    "How the fuck should I know that, your majesty?" Syryn asked. "I wasn''t the one that wanted me here in Silisia. Your men kidnapped me. Dumb shit. Some ruler you are."


    Syryn received a hard jab of the spear from its pointed end. The mage winced in pain as the spear dug into the meat of his thigh. He snarled at the guard who had stabbed him. Syryn stared at the guard, memorising his features. The mer could have chosen a less bloody way to remind Syryn of his lowly status but he had chosen to stab him with the spear. The mage was hungry to kill him but he knew it wasn''t his time.


    The mer flinched away from Syryn''s unfiltered and hungry gaze. He stared back at the mage but the bravado in him began to falter.


    "Insult his majesty again and you''ll know pain greater than a mere stab wound," the mer threatened him.


    "Enough," the king said with long-suffering patience. "Syryn, did you or did you not conspire with the disgraced oracle to spread lies about yourself?"


    The mage laughed. Full-bodied laughter bubbled out from his stomach and filled his lungs. Syryn laughed like someone had just told him the funniest joke in Silisia.


    "Oh wise King, I have been telling you again and again that my stay and subsequent imprisonment in Silisia was always against my wishes. I care not about this doomed kingdom. All that my heart desires is to leave for the surface and never come back to this wretched place where fools are born every day. Fools ruled by a foolish King."


    The spear lodged in his thigh twisted painfully. Syryn didn''t even spare a look at the guard who was no longer important to him. A black mark hung over the mer and thus he was no longer worth giving any attention to.


    "And what do you mean by disgraced? Did you fire her because her prophecy upset you, King?" Syryn grinned, baring all his teeth like a wild animal.


    "You know very well what happened to her since it was you that murdered the oracle," the king slowly said out aloud, sending a ripple of shock through the audience. The oracle was dead and they were hearing it only now.


    "The oracle is dead?! When and how?!" A female mer whispered to her husband.


    "Only found out now like everyone else. Didn''t you hear what the king said? The human murdered her."


    "But he also called her disgraced. Does it mean she really conspired with the human?"


    "So cruel that he killed her after what she did for him!"


    "So he isn''t the liberator or saviour. He''s a sham and a murderer!"


    The outrage got louder.


    "Execute him! He deserves nothing less!"


    "Your majesty, we have harboured a snake in our midst!" A furious mer cried out. "The mers were kind to him and he paid us back by killing our oracle!"


    Syryn blinked at the ground and felt sorry for the half bodied old woman who had been creepy but nice to him. He wondered if the King was lying and had hidden her away.


    "The oracle''s visions drove her crazy towards the end of her life. We will forgive her sin for the sake of the decades that she watched over Silisia," the king declared, solemnly. "Her body will be presented in public so that you may pay your respects to her."


    The crowd''s murmurs buzzed louder.


    "And this human as you have demanded will be executed for his crimes against Silisia."


    Syryn was truly in a pickle. The King had well and truly sealed his fate with the false murder charge. If a body was being presented then there was little doubt that the old woman was dead. He wondered if the King had her killed or if she had keeled over from old age. She was as pruned as a dried grape after all.


    "Have him thrown into the abyss, your majesty."


    "Hear, hear!"


    "Silisia does not need a human to save it!"


    Syryn still wasn''t sure what the hell they were talking about. What danger was the kingdom in? The King didn''t seem to care about it, or at least he seemed to prioritise his power over the safety of the kingdom.


    "Nobody deserves to be thrown into the abyss," the king gravely told the court. "We don''t even send our worst criminals into it anymore."


    "He is a but a human, your majesty. And he dared to kill the sacred oracle! It is a crime worthy of such punishment!"


    "The abyss! We beg your majesty!"


    Syryn decided he needed to have a talk with his guts.. You liar! He accused it.

 Chapter 247 - Grief

    [Sage! Wake the fuck up! I''m about to get executed in the abyss!] The mage wore a calm facade even as he screamed internally. Not that he knew what the abyss was but he didn''t want to die so young.


    "Very well. The human will be fed to the abyss tomorrow. Gather before the statue of Lusha at the hour of the sun."


    [I ran my mouth because you said you wouldn''t let me die! We''re both going to die now. Were you lying to me?!] Syryn screeched inside his mind. [How old am I anyway? I probably haven''t even done the deed with anyone! I can''t die a virgin!] He said, unaware that his precious chrysanthemum had already been plucked a dashing blond anti mage who was losing his mind on the surface world.


    Despite Syryn''s attempts at calling out the unreliable sage, his head was a chamber of echoing emptiness. Still, he felt the sage''s presence with him and it gave him a measure of comfort.


    Syryn''s bland face was a sore sight to the dissatisfied mers who wanted to see him plead, beg, and even cry for mercy.. There was no reaction to the pronounced judgement of his fate and it rubbed them the wrong way.


    How dare he not fear death? How dare he accept his impending execution with uncharacteristic grace and silence?


    Syryn''s thigh ached where it had been stabbed. He was yanked to his feet and forced to walk through the narrow gap that afforded him separation from bloodthirsty mers.


    [Fuck it then. I''ll have to rescue myself.]


    _____


    Artemus'' relentless investigations netted him two pieces of vital information. One, Syryn had boarded the Fool''s Noose. Two, the Fool''s Noose never reached its destination. The only logical inference that one would glean from combining the two instances was an unacceptable one to the anti mage. It told him that the ship had downed and sunk to a watery grave.


    The anti mage was seated in the hound coach, his white-knuckled hands gripping a parchment. His fingers trembled from a cocktail of shock and grief that flooded his system. Syryn couldn''t be dead, he told himself. It was Syryn, an unkillable force of nature.


    He bowed his head, massaging his forehead with long pale fingers. Artemus wished he had stayed ignorant, not knowing that Syryn was onboard the missing ship. At least that way he could convince himself that Syryn was out there somewhere. Now he had to break the news to Rowan who would no doubt take it worse than him.


    Artemus was distraught but Rowan would be crushed. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the seat and dreaded the meeting with Rowan. Could he put it off till he confirmed the sinking of the Fool''s Noose? No, he thought. It was unfair to Rowan. If he was in the blond''s position, he would have wanted early news of Syryn even if it was bad news.


    _____


    Rowan had spent more than a week agonising over Syryn''s missing status. He needed to tear down walls and blitz through whatever it was that separated him from his mage. But the anti mage was like a boat drifting in the ocean without direction.


    Rowan would have made a beeline straight for Coop Island but if Syryn wasn''t on the island then it meant he would lose almost a month travelling back and forth chasing a false lead. The best course of action for him was to stay put and wait for Artemus to sniff out where Syryn had disappeared to. Even knowing that, he was restless day and night. Every day that passed by without news of Syryn ratcheted up his anxiety.


    The anti mage was unaware that he was about to learn about Syryn''s fate, news that would end his current misery but put him on a path of suffering that would expose more of the darkness that he was hiding away.


    Rapid knocking on his door pulled Rowan out of his tangled thoughts. Artemus pushed the door open and walked in looking paler than he ever had.


    "You have news." Rowan was a mask of marble.


    Artemus sat down and faced the impassive anti mage who was already mentally preparing himself to hear bad news.


    "Syryn was on a ship called the Fool''s Noose," Artemus said to him in calm tones. It was for both their sakes that the dark-eyed anti mage had shut away his emotions. "The ship was headed to Coop island but it never reached its destination."


    Fluttering eyelids with thick gold lashes fell like a curtain over bright blue eyes. The silence that expanded outward and enveloped the room was loud with the sounds of their heartbeats thudding painfully against their chests. Neither anti mage was ready to accept that Syryn was gone though everything indicated at trouble and death.


    "When did the ship leave harbour?" Rowan asked. His eyes had gone cold. The blond packed away the panic that was bubbling up his throat like acid. Until Syryn''s lifeless body, or what was left of it, was in his hands, Rowan was going to hold on to the hope that his mage was alive.


    "Nearly a month has passed, Rowan."


    The blond anti mage nodded then stood up. "Thank you for all you''ve done, Artemus. I''m going to look for Syryn."


    "Where will you even begin the search?" The dark-eyed anti mage asked. A ship missing out in the ocean left no trails to follow. Sure he had found out what had happened to Syryn but they were still clueless about his location. The anti mage felt like an utter failure.


    Rowan turned away from the anti mage who stood up to follow him.


    "The mers would know," Rowan replied. "They are the eyes of the ocean."


    "You''re going to Silisia?"


    "Yes. Syryn isn''t dead, Artemus. I will find him and bring him home." The blond''s words rang true with a conviction that comforted the grief-stricken anti mage.


    "I''ll keep searching for leads from here," Artemus replied. "Take a beacon with you so that I can send news through the birds.

 Chapter 248 - Death

    Back inside his dungeon prison, Syryn wasn''t expecting any visitors.


    "Drevin, hey," he said to the merman who was standing outside the door of his cell while holding a glass light.


    "Syryn, I''m sorry. I had to say what I did because it was one of the conditions for your removal from prison. It turns out that the king never intended to free you like he said he would."


    Syryn''s mind went back to what Drevin had said about a human not being Silisia''s saviour. So the mer prince had been forced to say it by the king. It didnt surprise Syryn.


    "Do you know why your father hates me?" Syryn asked him.


    The silver-blue mer shook his head.. "He feels threatened by you but I don''t know why. It can''t be because of the prophecy can it?"


    The mage smiled. "Drevin do you believe that I killed the oracle?"


    "You have no apparent motive for doing so. You''re not dumb Syryn. What would you gain from murdering the oracle?"


    At least some of the mers were using their brains, Syryn thought.


    "I lose a lot and gain nothing. Your father gains everything."


    Drevin''s shoulders drooped as he pressed his forehead to the metal bars.


    "Prince, do you want to know why this happening? I can tell you. Maybe it will give you closure when I eventually die."


    Syryn believed in a 50 per cent chance of his survival but didn''t think it was right to give the mer any false hope. The odds were stacked against him but the mage was still at peace.


    "You can''t speak about your passing so casually, Syryn."


    "Then should I delude us both, Drevin? I am to be executed soon. To move past the paralysis brought on by a dark reality, you have to first accept it."


    Not wanting to acknowledge Syryn''s advice, he asked instead about the King''s motive. "Tell me why my father wants you dead then?"


    "Because the oracle prophesied that I am to be the king of Silisia."


    "What?" The mer prince said. "That''s.. there''s never been a human king for Silisia. Did the oracle truly say that?"


    "Yeah. Who then do you think has a motive for killing her, Drevin?"


    The silver-blue mer was shocked by what he had just learnt. His father had killed the oracle because he could lose his power if the prophecy was leaked to the public.


    "I''ll get you out, Syryn," Drevin whispered.


    "No," the mage told him. "I want to be executed."


    If the prophecy had power then Syryn would survive the execution. Right? Right.


    "Are you insane? What do you mean you want to be executed?" The prince asked irritably.


    "Do you believe in the power of your oracle''s prophecy?" Syryn asked, pressing closer to the bars so that his face was only an inch away from Drevin''s.


    The silver-blue mer was silent. The oracle had never failed in her warnings to Silisia. But this hit too close to home for Drevin to accept.


    "I do," he answered. "But it''s a risk I don''t want to take."


    "I''ll be okay, Drevin," he told the mer despite not fully believing it. "Now tell me something about the abyss. Why is it so feared?"


    "Not knowing is better," Drevin answered him.


    "Tell me. Please. If I have to escape death then I need information."


    The mer prince looked to his left where a guard was approaching. His time was almost up.


    "The abyss is a place where no mer has ever come out alive from. We dont know where it goes or how it was created. The mers that went inside the hole explore it never came back out. It''s an inescapable death sentence, Syryn."


    The mage imagined falling forever through a dark watery hole that had no end, no light, no life to guide him.


    "I guess I''m screwed then," he chuckled.


    "I''m serious, Syryn. We can try to get you out of here."


    The mage shook his head. Hands slipping through the bars of the cell, he gripped Drevin''s arm.


    "Don''t. I won''t co-operate with you if you try it."


    It wasn''t that Syryn didnt have faith in Drevin. The chances of getting caught were higher than the probability of escaping unscathed. He didn''t want to get the mer prince caught up in his problems again. If Syryn wasn''t somewhat hopeful about getting through his execution then he would have taken the help. He hated prophecies but he was banking on it to get him through the storm.


    ___


    Rowan sent in a resignation letter to the Sanguine but it was rejected and he was given three month''s leave of absence. The blond didn''t care much for the rejection because there was no power in the Sanguine that could drag him back to work if he didn''t find Syryn first.


    He was on his way to get a water breathing rune formation tattooed to his skin. Very few rune masters existed because of how difficult it was to comprehend the art. Rune masters spent years memorising thousands and thousands of symbols. They had to then learn the way each symbol interacted with the others. A single mistake meant that the rune formation would break down. In worse case scenarios, the runes effected strange and unintended magic. For many people, it was too much effort even if they managed to get a rune master to teach them by paying up sums worth their weight in gold.


    Rowan knew a rune master who lived in Sigil. Appointments were the way to meet the man but the anti mage was in too much of a hurry to worry about playing by the rules. If money and reputation didnt gain him entrance then he would resort to force.


    Mind occupied by thoughts of Syryn, Rowan bumped into a man when he stepped out of his carriage. An apology on his tongue, the blond was silenced by the man''s disconcerting smile.


    "Don''t go further, anti mage. It''s too late. Your beloved will die today," the man said still wearing an eerie smile.


    Rowan''s eyes were like chips of ice. "Who do you serve?" He asked the man.


    "Does it matter? Death has left to claim your mage. Stop fighting and surrender to the will of those that are greater than you."


    "Never," Rowan answered. "Tell them that I''ll fight till my last breath for Syryn."


    The man sneered at him. "Then die, Rowan Windwalker. Syryn is already halfway to his grave. If you don''t accept the blessings now then you''ll lose it forever."


    "I dont need it."


    The anti mage was cold inside. What the man had said about Syryn chilled his heart. Was he really too late? He regretted letting Syryn go off to Coop on his own. He shouldn''t have believed that his mage would survive a world out to kill him. He should have locked Syryn away so that nothing could hurt him. He should have never let Syryn out of his sight. Regrets pounded at his shield like cannonballs. Rowan''s heart choked on the darkness that flooded him through the chinks of his armour.


    _____


    The morning was as wan as it always had been. Syryn felt butterflies in his stomach when he was hauled out from prison.


    The guards escorted him to the edge of Silisia where barren sand and rocky landscape surrounded a tall statue of a mer goddess. She was coiled over the fallen bodies of her enemies, her long fishtail trailing behind her.


    A hundred or so mermen were also already there, bright and early, eager to witness the public execution of a human. Syryn couldn''t see Drevin and Enkansh but he spied a tearful Shali beside concubine Shaye.


    The mer princess had reddened eyes. She began crying again when she saw Syryn. The mage smiled and waved at her but Shali wasn''t impressed. She pressed a hand to her mouth and turned away from Syryn. Her mother, on the other hand, wore an overjoyed smile at finally seeing Syryn receive karmic retribution for having caused her son''s death.


    Syryn wasn''t bothered by her smile. He was more interested in the dark pond that lay at the foot of the statue. The colour of the water seemed darker because of its depth.


    He stood at its edge and peered into the dark pond. The water was as still as glass. The colour gradient gradually changed from dark blue to black as it got deeper.


    Syryn was taken by surprise when he felt a metal band wrap around each wrist. He looked down and saw that a chain was attached to the metal bracelets that weighed him down. This thick metallic chain was connected to heavy balls of iron. Another band was then clamped around his leg.


    "Sink, human," the guard taunted him. "Your kind does not belong in Silisia."


    The crowd watched in silence. The King hadn''t come to attend the execution. He was, no doubt, too important to bother with the execution of a mere human.


    The guard snapped off the transformation amulet around Syryn''s neck. His gills immediately began to change into smooth skin.


    A hard shove between his shoulder blades. The metal balls were rolled into the pond and Syryn plummeted.

 Chapter 249 - Rise

    "Halt!"


    The leader of a mermen patrol called out loudly to a blond human who was waltzing into their territory without any fear for the dangers posed by mermen. Humans were normally very afraid to even cross the waters of Silisia without arming themselves to the teeth. This one was taking a walk underwater with the self assurance of someone who was confident about his own power. To add insult to injury, he wore nothing but a cotton shirt and light working pants.


    Which insane human was daring to pull such a stunt at the borders? The merman thought.


    That was when the human held up a glass cube the size of his palm. It glowed with an intense blue colour that dazzled the mermen. Arcane crystals, they recognised. These crystals were rare down under. Thus the small amount in the anti mage''s hand was worth a large sum in Silisia''s economy.


    "I need help locating a sunken ship," he told them.. "And willing to pay more for a quick job."


    The mer guards were tempted to take his offer.


    "What ship?" The leader asked after a beat.


    ________


    One month later.


    The mers had already forgotten about the fake saviour who''s body was rotting inside the abyss. Life continued as if Syryn had never been a part of their kingdom.


    Drevin, Enkansh, and Shali were the only ones that mourned Syryn''s passing.


    "He told me the prophecy would save him," Drevin said to the siren. "I believed him, Enkansh. I should have forced a rescue from prison when I had the chance."


    The siren didn''t know what to say to the mer prince. When Syryn had been thrown into the abyss, he hadn''t been there to watch. Neither had Drevin. The siren didn''t have the same faith in Syryn''s return like Drevin did but a part of him held the hope that the human would surprise them again like he did after the snakes had attacked.


    For two weeks, Drevin stubbornly clung to the belief that the oracle''s prophesy held water, that Syryn was going to appear before him as if he had never left. But now a month had elapsed and his hopes lay crushed under the weight of a stark reality. Syryn was gone.


    "Do you think the oracle made a mistake?" Enkansh asked the mer prince.


    "I don''t know."


    "The oracle has never failed Silisia but I don''t see how a human could ever become its king. The mers would never respect him."


    "My father was convinced enough about Syryn being a threat to his throne, so maybe he believed that the oracle was right."


    "Then Syryn should be alive," Enkansh replied. "He''s either alive or the oracle made a false prophecy this time."


    "I want to believe that he''s alive."


    "Nobody ever comes back from the abyss. You know that."


    The silver mer nodded, eyes glued to the little jellyfish that was in the palm of his hand.


    "I hope he''s resting in peace."


    ____


    The mermen and the sirens were both the eyes of the ocean. Nothing in the ocean could hide away from their searching gazes. Even so, the ocean was a vast place and a missing ship was just one tiny needle lost in a haystack.


    Rowan''s patience was at its end by the time a month had passed and the Fool''s Noose had still not been found. The small band of mer guards had grown into a large group of eager mers, combing through the ocean for a ship. The anti mage had paid half the amount of arcane crystals he had promised them, and then increased the reward to triple of what he had initially wanted to pay. For greedy mers who never got a chance to trade with humans, this was a chance they jumped at.


    The anti mage often spent time searching the ocean for wrecks. And when he wasn''t in the water, he recuperated on a ship that was anchored close to the border of Silisia. The blond had brought with him a skeleton crew of highly disciplined sailors who were trained for battle in water.


    After a long day in the water, Rowan surfaced to find a bird circling the ship like it was looking for something. The bird spotted Rowan and flew down to land on his shoulder.


    Rowan removed a small canister from the bird''s foot. It had a message from Artemus.


    Got news from Robin. The captain of the ship you''re looking for has allegedly been imprisoned by Red Sun. I''m going to coop Island.


    Artemus.


    Rowan let the paper burn. If the captain was on Coop island then it meant that Syryn too could be there. Rowan decided he would also head to Coop island and rendezvous with Artemus. An entire month searching for the wrecks of the Fool''s Noose had yielded them nothing.


    The blond remembered the words of the man he had bumped into. He was running on prayers and hopes at this point but it was all that Rowan could do to stave off the inevitable breakdown that was coming for him.


    Losing Syryn in their first life had been unavoidable. The mage had wanted to give his life for a good cause before the demonic emperor claimed it. The blond had accepted Syryn''s decision because it seemed the only way to stop the end of the world. This lifetime, the anti mage was more selfish, more aware of how little he actually owed the world.


    "Sir, dinner is ready," a young crewmate informed the anti mage.


    "I''ll be there shortly." He wasn''t hungry.


    Right then, Rowan abruptly felt the ship sway dangerously. He quickly balanced himself by holding on to the railing next to him. The anti mage was now alert for an underwater enemy but it was something else coming for the ship.


    A large wave rose like a water palm over the ship. For a few moments, it towered over them all and fell, smashing into the deck with all the fury of nature in it. Wave after wave arrived, the next one bigger than the last, and they fell upon the ship that was being tossed about in the violent waters it rested over.


    "What''s going on?!" A shocked sailor shouted.


    "Some force underwater is generating the waves," Rowan replied, grimly. If the waves didn''t stop hitting them soon, the ship was doomed to sink.


    ____


    Underneath the turbulent waters of the ocean, the kingdom of Silisia was facing an unprecedented disaster.


    An earthquake had taken hold of the kingdom and the shaking was only getting stronger. Fissures erupted on the surface of the rock foundation that held up the mer kingdom. Dust and sand choked the water so that visibility was reduced.


    Panicking and terrified mers left their homes to swim up higher where the effects of the earthquake weren''t as powerful. There had been minor earthquakes before but nothing so devastating and prolonged as this. Living structures collapsed onto unlucky mers who hadn''t yet escaped. Every part of Silisia was in chaos.


    Even at the palace, an evacuation had begun the moment the mers realised that this earthquake was not natural. The pillars of the palace were already showing hairline cracks and buckling under the weight of the enormous mountain that formed part of its architecture.


    "Drevin! Hurry!" The siren screamed.


    "You leave first! I have to get Gaia!"


    "Leave her or you''ll both die!" The siren grabbed the mer prince who was adamant about finding his stepsister.


    Gaia lived deeper inside the mountain. Drevin knew she hadn''t left yet because she needed to pass by his door to get out of the palace. And Drevin hadn''t seen her leave. Shali and concubine Shaye, along with several other concubines and royal heirs had been the first to leave when the shaking began.


    "I saw her leaving!" Enkansh lied. He knew that Drevin was going to die if he went inside the mountain.


    The silver mer glanced at the siren. "Did you really?"


    A section of the palace next to him collapsed, nearly clipping his tail. Enkansh took the opportunity to grab the prince and make a hasty escape.


    ___


    Deep under the crust of rock that formed the ocean bed, an ancient creature was awakened from its sleep.


    Its size was bigger than any water monster that the mers would ever encounter. Curled up under the thick layer of ocean rock, the leviathan was a scaly creature that did not resemble any sea monster in existence.


    The entity had slept for thousands and thousands of years, waiting for the sage to return. It had remained trapped inside its prison of sleep after the Sage''s death. So much time had passed that the oceans had forgotten how terrible the collosal behemoth could be in its fury.


    It opened its chasm of a mouth to reveal long tentacles that came out like tongues to wrap around the form of a sleek black sleeping serpent with three eyes on its head.

 Chapter 250 - Leviathan

    It was a day that the mermen of Silisia would never forget. Out of an enormous crack that split the kingdom into two emerged a monster whose razor-toothed maw was large enough to fit a hundred mermen in a single bite. It had nine large eyes embedded in its head like a crown.


    Its claws came out next and clutched the edges of the fissure, revealing long forearms that could easily snatch any fleeing prey. As it revealed the rest of its gigantic body, the mermen were paralysed by a fear that was primal and tattoed in the subconscious part of their minds which recognised the creature for what it was - a hunter of their kind.


    Its hunched body was covered in overlapping scales that were a metallic grey colour. Forelegs that looked powerful enough to crush a mountain into rubble, emerged from the fissure. And the creature roared. A terrifying blast of sound and waves spread out with such force that it injured the weaker mermen whose spirits couldn''t stand its power. It was the wake-up call that snapped many of the mers out of their paralysis. Fear clouding their minds, the mers cared not for the orders of the king as they spread out in all directions, some even towards the surface.


    Instead of chasing after the escaping mermen, the monster lowered its body so its head was bent over its cupped claws.. Very gently it opened its mouth and unfurled its tongue. A black three-eyed serpent rolled out onto its careful claws. The monstrous creature then made a sound that reverberated in the water. The serpent was very small compared to how large the claws were. It was still asleep, recovering from the shocking changes that had taken place in its body.


    ___


    Rowan too had heard the sounds of the monster roaring inside the water. Judging from how loud and deep the sound had been, the anti mage was already guessing at the nature and size of a creature that could accomplish such a feat.


    The waves had abated but now they faced another danger from deep under the ocean. The crewmates were rightly alarmed.


    "We have to get out of here," the captain said to Rowan. The anti mage could smell the fear wafting off the sailor.


    He had been planning to head to Coop island anyway. Rowan nodded to the captain.


    "Chart a route straight to Coop island."


    "Coop?!" The captain spluttered. "But-"


    "We''re heading to Coop island," the blond calmly informed the captain. Steely blue eyes stared down the captain who looked like he had more to say but decided it was better to keep his mouth shut. The man had strong survival instincts and knew what was good for him. Disagreeing with the blond anti mage seemed like a good way to find himself being thrown overboard.


    "Yes," he agreed. "Coop island it is. I''ll get the navigator and chart a route as fast as we can!"


    Rowan smiled and dismissed the captain. When he turned back to the ocean, he saw a head pop out of the water.


    "Mermen! So many mermen!" A sailor shouted in alarm. "We''re getting attacked!"


    Rowan didn''t think so. The expressions of fear and confusion on the faces of the fish-men gave him pause. Putting this observations together with the sound he had heard from the water, Rowan was able to guess what was happening. To have heard the sound from the surface, he could only imagine how loud it had to have been underwater.


    Several disoriented mermen who had never been to the surface were further cast into more panic when they saw the ship. Some of them even swam to the hull of the ship and began scratching at the wood to climb aboard.


    "What''s going on with the mermen?!" The captain turned to ask Rowan whose power he recognised and sheltered under during this moment of chaos.


    The anti mage looked down at a young mermaid who was sobbing even as her nails tried to find purchase on the smooth wood.


    "Raise the sails," Rowan replied. "It is time to leave."


    Several terrified screams pierced the air like whistles before the water parted not too far away from the ship.


    Rowan''s eyes went wide when he saw the nightmarish creature that burst out of the ocean with a goosebump-inducing roar. Its emergence caused several forceful waves that pushed the ship further away from it.


    The mers were frozen in fear. Their limbs refused to move when they beheld the leviathan whose nine eyes were focused on the serpent in its claws.


    Rowan thought that the monster was seemingly protective of whatever was hidden in its cupped claws. Such a terrifying creature belonged in the stories of legends so the anti mage couldn''t fathom where it had come from. Most of all, he was curious about the thing in its claws which it was staring at with unwavering eyes.


    "S-sir," the captain whispered as if he feared that the thing would hear his voice and come for the ship. "What do we do-do now?"


    Rowan''s cool eyes assessed the monster. Could he take it on in a fight while avoiding damage to the ship? It was too high of a cost.


    "Leaving now might attract its attention," he told the captain who was shaking in his boots. With how terrified he appeared, the anti mage was surprised that the man hadn''t pissed his pants already. "Tell everyone to stay calm and avoid making loud noises."


    Rowan''s voice was low. Still, the creature heard it. Three of its eyes turned to look at the ship and at the blond man who returned the gaze without a ripple in his blue eyes. Having been noticed, the sailors were rooted like petrified trees. The captain could hear his own heartbeat bang like a drum in his ears. One of the men let out a loud sob that sounded out too audibly over the unnatural silence that had taken over their ship. He clamped his hands over his mouth immediately.


    Rowan turned his head a fraction to give the sailor an unimpressed stare. Next time, the anti mage thought to himself, he would have to find a pirate crew. Buccaneers were a crazy lot that tended to roll with surprising and dangerous situations better than most law-abiding sailors. But then again, the men had come here ready to fight mers and hostile humans, and not this product of their nightmare come alive. Not even pirates were going to stay cool under the pressure of such a terrifying monster. He felt a bit more forgiving towards his crew.


    "Sir," the sailor whispered again. "Are we all going to die?"


    "Some of us, maybe," Rowan answered truthfully. Even for him, it was impossible to protect every single one of them if the thing decided to attack. "I can kill it but not without a fight that is sure to destroy the ship."


    "You''ll fight it? You sound confident," the sailor said with awe. If it was any other person saying this to him, the captain would think him mad; for the line between bravery and stupidity was very thin. However, he was astute enough to realise that the blond man who had hired his crew was more than he seemed. Arrogant and stupid people could be brave in the face of such adversity but the anti mage had the quiet kind of self-assurance that came with strength and intelligence.


    Rowan looked away from the captain and faced the creature. Standing at the edge of the deck, the anti mage watched it carefully so that he could swiftly detect any hint of aggression or movement towards the ship. Several minutes had already passed since its emergence and it still hadn''t attacked anything or anyone.


    The anti mage wondered just what was it that the monster was cradling in its claws. The claws had small gaps that allowed some vision of what it was holding. From his vantage point, he could see something black in colour but its shape was unrecognisable from so far away.


    Below him, surf and waves calmly hit the ship. Many of the petrified mermen had realised that the thing didn''t intend harm towards them. One by one, and as quietly and unobtrusively as possible, the sleek creatures vanished under the waves and away from sight.


    ___


    A full bright moon hung above a surreal scene. It painted a ship swaying listlessly while a monster bobbed in the water, cupping its sharp claws as if it was about to scoop water into its mouth.


    "Should we leave as well?" The captain whispered to Rowan. "The big guy doesn''t seem interested in us."


    Rowan too was wondering the same thing.


    "There''s a chance that it might attack us when we unfurl the sails."


    "Then what do we do?"


    "Pray to your gods and hope that it continues to ignore us."


    There were only two choices at this moment. One, take a proactive decision and risk gettin attacked. Two, wait for the monster to leave and hope that it would do so without paying them any attention. In the end, the element of danger existed in both scenarios.

 Chapter 251 - Amnesia

    "We''ll wait for it to leave first," Rowan told the captain. The anti mage believed that maintaining the status quo was safer than attracting its attention through an overt attempt at escape. If worse came to worst, he would fight it in the water.


    "Understood!"


    The captain was feeling more like himself now because of Rowan''s calm demeanour. It even began to infect the other sailors. Their gloomy dispositions were discarded for battle-ready auras. Strong and dependable leadership was defined by its capacity to rally men to a cause and to inspire confidence. Rowan hadn''t yet proved himself to the soldiers but from what they''d seen of his abilities, there was nothing to be dissatisfied about. His cool headedness during such a heavy pressure situation further bolstered their confidence in him.


    They did as Rowan instructed and so the ship drifted for hours on end till the early morning light lit up the ocean. The monster looked even scarier now that they could clearly make out its shape and size.


    Rowan was starting to have second thoughts about waiting for the creature to leave. If it decided to stay in that pose for a week, would they also wait a week? No. Their food and water would run just waiting like sitting ducks. He had anticipated its departure before dawn but the creature was immobile.


    The anti mage turned to the captain beside him. "Prepare the ship''s defences."


    "Are we leaving?"


    "Yes," Rowan replied.


    ____


    The crew made very little sound as they set up magic-powered canons that were capable of causing devastating damage. One of the special cannonballs they''d brought along was capable of tearing holes through reinforced ship hulls. It was an expensive buy but worth every copper bit for how fast it could sink an enemy ship.


    The mainsail was hoisted smoothly and it leaned into the wind which was blowing away from the direction of their enemy. And that''s when the creature made a move. It raised its head toward the sun and held up the serpent higher.


    Under the light of the sun, the sergeant began transforming. Its long tail split into two and turned into slender pale legs. Arms appeared and separated from the flesh of the torso. And finally, the head of the serpent changed into a pretty boy''s face. His dark hair was like a sheet of ebony silk. Milky white skin with a faint dewy glow took on golden hues under the warm sunlight.


    Syryn was keenly aware of what had happened to him. The mage stood up and stretched even as he faced the nine adoring eyes that wanted to look cute for its master.


    "Levia," the mage called out to it while smiling. Small snippets of memories of seeing the creature trickled into his mind. He felt a familiarity towards it that was as strange as it was heartwarming. It felt like coming back to a well-known stall where the decoration had changed but the food tasted the same. It was the sage''s memories and feelings. Syryn felt honoured to share in such a personal connection that should have had nothing to do with him.


    The monster made a small vibrating sound in its throat. Bending its head towards the mage, she allowed Syryn to reach out and pat her on the side of her massive jaw. His body was dwarfed by the sheer size of its head next to him.


    "Long time no see, big girl," he spoke, feeling the nostalgia from the sage''s consciousness leaking through into him.


    "Hrnnnnnnnn."


    "What''s that? A human ship?" Syryn turned to look at the ship whose white sails were billowing with the wind.


    At the deck stood a blond man who was squinting in his direction. Syryn couldn''t see the man properly because the ship was already very far away. For some inexplicable reason though, the mage was drawn towards the straight and tall figure of the man on the deck.


    "Hhhhhrnnn!"


    "You want to eat fish?" Syryn replied. He imagined how much fish Levia would have to eat in one sitting. It was a mind-boggling amount of fish, he concluded. "Then let''s go eat fish!"


    Levia let out a loud cry and leapt into an arc through the air. As it dove back down, the creature landed near the ship filled with alarmed humans. And for one second, Syryn turned and made eye contact with Rowan. The blond man''s eyes went wide in shock as recognition flashed in a flare of bright blue.


    "Syryn," his lips moved. But the mage was already gone.


    An enormous splash streaked up in a fountain of salty water. Rowan''s ship was soaked from the top of its mast to the previously dry deck he stood upon. But none of this mattered to the anti mage.


    He was held in place by the knowledge that he had just seen Syryn in the hands of the monster. Syryn had befriended the creature and it was obvious from the way it cradled him to its shoulder very protectively. What bothered Rowan though was the complete absence of recognition in Syryn''s eyes when the mage had looked at him. Rowan wanted to believe that he had seen wrong, that he had mistaken the look in Syryn''s eyes, that maybe it wasn''t even Syryn but someone that looked exactly like him.


    The anti mage turned to the crew. "Plans have changed. We''re not leaving today."


    ____


    Syryn''s stomach had done a little backflip when he had seen the blond human. But the glance had been so short and so fast that he hadn''t satisfyingly oogled him. It was a pity that the ship was leaving, he thought. For some reason, he felt strange things at the thought of the man, and he wanted to go back to meet him again. Syryn suspected that it was the man''s gorgeous face that made him feel that way. Even in that tiny moment of time that was given to him, the mage had noticed how absurdly attractive the man was.


    "Levia, I think I''m in love," he said to the creature. Syryn was now perched on her shoulder, laying flat on his stomach, next to a raised bony plate on her neck. A ridge encompassing several spiky plates trailed down the spine of Levia''s back.


    The monster made a low sound. It opened its mouth wide and sucked in several thousands of litres worth of water where a large school of fish had been swimming.


    "How is he so good looking?! It''s unfair!" Syryn complained. Taking a look at his lacklustre biceps, the mage''s self-esteem plummeted. "I wonder if there''s someone special in his life," he kept talking to the feeding Levia. "Whoever it is, I will definitely find someone more- Levia that''s a whale!"


    The chase was quick and the hunt was brutal. Syryn watched in complete fascination as the whale disappeared into Levia''s mouth in one bite. But he could tell that the behemoth was still going to eat a lot more before its stomach was filled.


    "How are we going to feed you every day?" He was starting to feel the worries of a mother who had a perpetually hungry daughter. If Levia ate this much every day then the ocean was going to run of resources very quickly. The answer came to his mind from the sage.


    "I see, you can be compacted into a smaller form with reduced mass," Syryn said to Levia. He understood that Levia had to be fed a large amount of food every time she changed back into her true form. She could then stay small and eat small till the need for transformation arose again. It had been the sage''s magic that allowed the creature to change shape and form for convenience. This magic was permanent and Syryn didn''t need to do anything to it.


    Levia and Syryn hunted and swam for nearly the entire day. When Levia was finally satisfied, it was already evening. The ocean reflected a burning orange colour as the creature and its master floated, seeking respite from the dark and bleak depths of the ocean floor.


    "What now? I guess I''m the new and undisputed King of Silisia since I have you to eat up anyone that disagrees with my rule. It feels good, Levia. I could get used to being feared and worshipped by the piece of shits that plotted my death." The mage didn''t want to be king. That hadn''t changed. But he recalled with fury how the merman had treated him. Syryn''s death was on their hands.


    Yes, death. Because for him to have been reborn, he had had to die. Syryn had drowned and his heart had stopped. He knew with certainty that he had died for a second before the sage''s magic had begun phase two of transforming him into a being that could survive in the water. Even now, the mage didn''t quite understand how it worked but he knew that the air he needed for survival was being absorbed from the water through his skin. His body had been irrevocably changed but the mage harboured no complaints about it. In fact, he was overjoyed. Drowning sucked. Syryn didn''t want to ever experience drowning again.

 Chapter 252 - Mermaid Tales

    Syryn had Levia tear open the mountain which was connected to the mer palace. The King''s throne was removed from the throne room and placed out in the open for Syryn to sit on.


    He wasn''t interested in becoming the ruler of Silisia but Syryn was most certainly interested in snatching away what was dear to the previous king of Silisia. Wasn''t it what he had killed Syryn for? The mage vowed to make the mer suffer a similar fate that he had suffered through.


    Levia and Syryn soon got to work setting up the fallen lunar crystals that were responsible for lighting up Silisia. The overall damage to the mer kingdom was significant but not irreversible. There was a section of the ocean floor that had been destroyed by Levia during her violent escape from below ground. It caused the ground to collapse into a sinkhole and Syryn decided to leave it untouched. The gaping hole would be a reminder to the mers about the magnitude of power that the mage commanded by proxy.


    Several hours of work later, Syryn surveyed his ramshackle kingdom with some pride.


    "Levia, we''ve done a good job, haven''t we?"


    The leviathan was a clumsy thing whose feet did more damage than her hands were fixing. She was careful about avoiding the areas where her big legs could stomp more holes in the already broken mer homes. Still, there was no helping the little steps of destruction that followed her path. Levia''s water locomotive tail was tucked securely between her forelegs to avoid more clumsy destruction.


    "Perhaps you should scale down," Syryn told her. "We''re done moving big objects, Levia. Scale down and come here!" He patted the seat of the throne. Syryn was already sitting on it but there was still more room for Levia if she could reduce to Syryn''s size.


    ___


    "Captain, Rowan is missing," a crew member informed the worried man who hadn''t seen hide nor hair of the anti mage since the sun had begun to set.


    Daylight had faded and the ship was bereft of their leader. The captain didn''t want to alarm his crewmen. He believed that the blond was taking a swim in the ocean as was his habit since they''d arrived. Even so, Rowan hadn''t informed anyone about his impromptu swimming plans.


    "He-" the captain''s jaw fell upon.


    A blonde head had just surfaced from the water, hauling a bound and struggling mermaid. The white pearlescent tailed mermaid was a beautiful creature with long blonde hair. Like other mers, she wasn''t clothed enough to cover her assets from the human men.


    The mermaid''s wrists were bound together with rope. A hand around her bicep prevented her from swimming away. The sailors noticed that the mermaid looked tired while the human appeared as energetic as he always did.


    "Lower a net quickly," Rowan instructed the men onboard the ship. In the moon''s light, Rowan himself appeared like a mythical creature bobbing in the waves. Wet hair swept back over his head, the man could have been a merman accompanying his pretty mermaid wife if she wasn''t giving him such a hateful look.


    The men on board reacted to his words with efficiency. Catching hold of the falling net with one hand, Rowan rolled the mermaid into it like she was a fish. It took several men to pull up her thrashing body.


    "Sir, why have you kidnapped this lady?" The captain asked the blonde who was leaving wet puddles on the mopped deck. He was afraid of repercussions that could come for them if the other mers found out that a kidnapped mermaid was on their ship.


    "She attacked me while I was swimming," Rowan replied as he took off his wet shirt. The blond had a beautiful musculature that was the envy of all the men looking at him. The sailors nursed some grudges in their hearts. They were also men who worked hard so why was he more well developed than them??


    "Pull the cloth out of her mouth," Rowan instructed the captain. The mermaid was caught off-guard by the display of his upper body. Under his folded arms was a flat stomach, his abs sharply defined with the divot of a belly button underneath, and below that was a line of fine blonde hair that disappeared into the waistband of his dark cotton pants.


    The captain tugged at the edge of the cloth that was stuffed into her mouth. Mouth free from encumbrance, the mermaid hissed at the men that were standing too close to her.


    The anti mage walked to her and placed his shirt over her chest. Used to leaving her chest uncovered, she was surprised by the human''s actions.


    "Take it off!" She hissed at him.


    "I don''t think I will," Rowan answered. There were several men ogling her and it made him uncomfortable to have her body displayed so openly. "Human customs," he told her. "It''s not considered proper to have a man see your breasts if he isn''t your husband or your lover. So you''ll have to forgive me for covering your modesty."


    The mermaid stared venomously at the gorgeous human. She had intended to drown him when she had seen him swimming. Humans were disgusting, murderous, and barbaric. They caught and killed mer children for sadistic pleasure. That''s why the king had forbidden them all from interacting with humans. She had been told all of these things by her family. So when she had seen the human swimming by himself, the mermaid had allowed her hatred for humanity to take over her good senses. She had attacked the man and was overpowered and kidnapped for it.


    "Why have you kidnapped me?" She asked him. "If my people come to know about what you''ve done, they''ll tear you to pieces and feed you to the sharks."


    "I intend no harm upon you. All that I seek from you are some answers. After that, I promise to let you go," Rowan answered.


    "Liar! Unhand me right now! Do you wish to violate me?! I can see the way you''re all looking at me! You''re just as horrible as told in the stories!"


    Rowan glanced at a few of the more lecherous ones in his crew. The look he sent them had the men turning away in fear.


    "If you can''t keep your roving eyes to yourselves then you should probably stay inside your cabins till I''m done questioning her," Rowan said it lightly but the warning was unmistakable. Several of the guilty men took a walk towards the other end of the deck.


    The mermaid frowned at the anti mage. "Is this a ploy to have me to yourself?" Her heart skipped a beat when Rowan smiled.


    "I''m already in a very loving relationship," he replied. "My lovely wife is missing and I''m looking for him. I think you can help me, miss."


    The mermaid''s disappointment made her feel bitter. She had heard stories about mermaids kidnapped to be used by human men. She thought that if it was this blond man taking her, she would maybe enjoy it. Alas, he already had a partner.


    "What wife? If he''s a man then he''s your husband," she snapped at him.


    The anti mage nodded. "True. His name is Syryn, by the way. Have you heard of him?"


    The mermaid reacted with a slight widening of her eyes. Snuffing out any further reactions, she shook her head at Rowan.


    "Who?"


    Rowan would have been an idiot to miss the signs in her body language. "Syryn," he repeated. "You''ve heard of him so don''t try and bullshit me. When it comes to protecting my partner, I find that kindness and patience are trifle things that only make life more difficult for me. I am willing to inflict as much pain and suffering upon anyone that gets between me and Syryn. And there are no exceptions to this, not even a mermaid who thinks she''s being smart by hiding information from me."


    The mermaid saw the neutrality leech from his eyes. The amicable human who was concerned about her just moments ago was now a ghost fading away to be replaced by a man whose frigid gaze lacked any empathy.


    "Tell me about Syryn." The words stung her with their coldness. The mermaid shivered. Not wanting to let him know about her people had kidnapped and executed the human, she had intended to lie to him. Now she felt like a fish on the chopping block, a sharp knife hanging over her neck.


    Summoning her courage and the arrogance that so often served her well, the mermaid lifted her chin and answered coldly.


    "He was executed for daring to murder Silicia''s honoured oracle. Your partner is a murderer and a lair! He deserved what he was served!"


    "Executed?" Rowan asked. A deep-rooted fear inside him told the blond that the Syryn he had seen was a mirage; that his desperate desire to find his mage had forced his mind to make up a scenario so unbelievable and outlandish that it couldn''t be real. If the Syryn he had seen was real then why hadn''t he already come to Rowan?


    "Can your wife breathe underwater?" The mermaid smiled maliciously at the anti mage. "His transformation amulet was taken off a month ago. I didn''t see his dead body but I most certainly saw him gasping for air as he drowned in the abyss."

 Chapter 253 - Reunion

    For a second time, Rowan was being told of Syryn''s death.


    "Can a human survive a month without air?"


    The mermaid was driving a nail through Rowan''s heart.


    "Dead. Your lover is dead."


    The mermaid was a spoilt thing who was sheltered all her life by her family. She had been allowed to get away with being rude and disrespectful by the mers. When she saw how Rowan had protected her, she falsely believed that the anti mage was never going to hurt her. It emboldened the mermaid.


    Rowan was quiet. The first warning about Syryn''s death had been stressful but seeing how it came from the enemy, Rowan hadn''t allowed it to affect him too much.. Now hearing it from a witness, the anti mage had to face the facts.


    "Keep her tied up and locked inside a cabin. I''m going to Silisia," Rowan said as he stood up.


    "Will you look for Syryn in the abyss? You''ll die as well," the mermaid told him gleefully.


    Rowan didn''t understand a lot about what was going on anymore. Why Syryn ended up a captive of the mers, and why he was accused of killing the oracle. The appearance of the monster in the water and the Syryn that he had seen with it was another mystery. Unravelling it began with finding the end of the twine which lay at the bottom of the ocean.


    "Why don''t you release me? I can make you my human lover?" The mermaid told him with a coy smile. "Let the matters of the past remain in the past. Syryn is gone and you have to move on to better pastures."


    The blond had met her type before - self-absorbed and selfish to the bone, unable to see the danger she was in. He turned away and dived off the ship.


    ____


    Syryn''s dreams of punishing the mer folks ran into a snag when he realized they were not in a hurry to come back to Silisia.


    Levia had shrunk herself into a tiny monster but she was still scary to look at. She rode on Syryn''s shoulders when the mage went out looking for food. Guilt-free, Syryn raided the mer shops and ate as much food as his stomach allowed. Levia also partook of the stolen feast but she no longer needed enormous amounts of food to satisfy her hunger cravings.


    The mage was sitting on his throne, resting his bulging stomach when he saw an approaching mer.


    The mage leapt out of his seat and peered into the distance where a silver-blue coloured mer was swimming towards him. The mage smiled wide and happy because Drevin was here.


    "Syryn?" The prince came to a stop and stared at the mage like he was looking at a mythical creature.


    "Welcome home, Drevin," he said while holding his arms out.


    For a few seconds, the mer was immobile. It was difficult to force a shift in his brain which believed Syryn had already died. Syryn was alive and well before his eyes. The shock of seeing his friend back from the dead was so great that Drevin didn''t even register the little monster that was curled over the throne majestically.


    "No hug?" Syryn asked the prince.


    Drevin closed the gap and wrapped his arms around Syryn. Arms sliding into place around the mage''s back, Drevin hugged him harder than they ever had.


    After the upheaval that had taken over their lives, seeing Syryn again was one good thing he could celebrate about. The mer closed his eyes and held the human close.


    And this was the sight that met Rowan when he descended to the depths of a destroyed Silisia.


    Rowan had long memorised the silhouette of his lover. Though Syryn''s back faced him, the anti mage could still tell who it was in the arms of a merman.


    Why? Syryn had seen him. Why didn''t he come for Rowan? The sour taste of jealousy took Rowan''s control by its horns and flung it away. Not caring for the mer''s relationship with his mage, the blond feared that if he watched them any longer, there would be blood in the water. He hadn''t seen Syryn in over two months. And this wasn''t how he wanted to meet his mage.


    When the mer opened his eyes, he caught sight of Rowan in the distance. Silvery eyes met blue.


    "Syryn, we have a guest," he warned the mage.


    Syryn turned around and saw the handsome blond man he had seen on the surface. This time, a pang of something hot throbbed in his chest. And the way the man was looking at him communicated so much though Syryn couldn''t read him.


    Rowan felt his heart sink as he got closer to Syryn. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Syryn hadn''t recognised him.


    "Syryn," he called out to the mage. "I''ve been looking for you."


    The mage''s mouth parted in surprise.


    "You know me."


    The anti mage smiled. "Yes, I do. We were planning on getting married when you disappeared from the surface."


    "What?" Syryn was bug-eyed. This gorgeous man was his husband to be?


    "You don''t believe me?" Rowan asked. "We even live together. You have a younger brother and many others who care about you very much, Syryn. They''re all waiting for you to return home."


    Syryn''s eyes lit up. "What''s my brother''s name?"


    "Lucien," Rowan replied, fighting the urge to pull Syryn away from the mer. All he wanted to do was take his mage away and hide him from the world.


    That''s when Drevin realised something important. Syryn and the blond human''s conversation indicated that his friend had lost his memories of life on the surface.


    "Syryn, you''re an amnesiac? Why did you never tell me?"


    Rowan pulled his gaze away from Syryn to look at the beautiful merman with whom his mage was very friendly. Perhaps if he knew the mer, he wouldn''t have begrudged him. But right now, all he saw was a stranger whose presence overshadowed his own in Syryn''s life. But not for long. If he had to court his lover all over again then that was what Rowan was going to do.

 Chapter 254 - How We Met

    Everything that Syryn wanted was so conveniently there for his taking if he was to believe the blond human that claimed to be his future spouse. It seemed a little too good to be true.


    "Please, come home with me, Ryn," the blond told him. "You''ve been down here long enough and everyone misses you."


    The intonation of that single word that was his name sounded exactly like it was supposed to, and Syryn would have sucked in a small breath of satisfaction if he wasn''t underwater.


    "What are you called?" He asked instead.


    "Rowan."


    That seemed right. He seemed to be a very.... Rowan sort of person. Upright, handsome, strong, and reliable.


    "Well, Rowan, why don''t you tell me something about myself that only I can verify?" Syryn asked as he turned to sit on the throne quite grandly. The blond''s attention did not waver towards Levia who was curled peacefully over the seat.


    Drevin on the other hand looked over in shock when he recognised the form of the creature that had devastated his kingdom. He then faced the lounging Syryn who was caressing the creature''s head like it was a precious pet. The prophecy rang like a bell in his mind and he pondered upon how the saviour of Silisia had instead become the destroyer of it. Syryn seemed almost sinister but Drevin recalled how the human had been treated by his people. It was retribution, he supposed. If Syryn hadn''t been ''killed'' by the mers, Drevin was sure that the result would have been less destructive for Silisia. It was his father''s fault in the end.


    Syryn angled his head and watched Rowan approach him. Speculation in his eyes, the mage was on guard when the blond lowered his head. A few words were spoken so low that only Syryn heard them.


    The dark-haired man''s eyes flashed in surprise as he sharply looked up at the satisfied blond. Rowan hadn''t been sure if Syryn had discovered his other side but now he knew from the mage''s reaction. Syryn had no idea he was a half-demon. The amnesia had taken everything. Rowan still had to figure out what the hell had actually taken place with Syryn. Amnesia or not, he was taking his lover back home before investigating the circumstances that lead to this mystifying result.


    "That explains a few things," Syryn replied with a thoughtful smirk on his lips. For some reason, he wasn''t upset at finding out about his other half. Enkansh had accused him of being something more than a human and here was confirmation about it from someone from his past.


    "Did you accidentally transform?" Rowan asked in a low voice. He wasn''t going to put it past Syryn to lose control of his demon in this amnesiac state.


    "Maybe," Syryn replied evasively. It had only been his teeth and nails that had changed so he wasn''t sure if it could be considered a true transformation, not that he remembered anything much about what it was like to turn into a demon.


    "Drevin where are you going?"


    The escaping mer turned back to Syryn with indecision in his eyes.


    "Away," he replied. The mer took a look around at the destruction that used to be Silisia. It was related to Syryn somehow. He wasn''t sure how to feel about it. And Syryn understood that. He was currently petting the monster that had turned the mer''s kingdom into a mostly destroyed ghost city.


    "I''m not sorry that it happened," he truthfully told the mer. "Maybe it''s a good idea for you to leave, Drevin. I wouldn''t want you to witness what awaits your family when they return."


    The mer sharply glanced at the solemn human. "And how are you so sure they will return?"


    "Oh, they will," Syryn expressionlessly replied. It was inevitable that the mers would return back home, just like Drevin did. Once the danger had passed, it was natural that one would come back to salvage what was left of home.


    Drevin eyed Syryn''s monster and then looked back up at the human. He was quiet for a few moments before he nodded at the dark-haired mage.


    "Don''t be too cruel to them," he pleaded. They were still family to Drevin. There wasn''t a lot of love between the members of his family but for what it was worth, he had to say something for them.


    "For all that they did to me, mercy isn''t deserved," Syryn replied. Reflecting upon the request by the one mer that had first shown him kindness, Syryn added, "But I suppose that''s why they call it mercy. It isn''t deserved but granted."


    The mer took one last look at Syryn and then the creature that was a hunter of mermen. With liquid grace, his arms cut through the water and the lithe figure quickly disappeared as quickly as he had arrived.


    "What did they do to you, Ryn?" Rowan asked. Concern lacing the honest looking blue eyes, the mage could still sense a thread of malice in the blond''s gentle tone. This was a wolf wearing sheep''s clothing, he realised. He was starting to like the man more by the second.


    Syryn smiled at the blond man. "I''ll tell you after you tell me about how we met." Curiosity sparked stronger than his desire for revenge at the moment. Inflicting torture on the mers could wait. Syryn had memories to retrieve.


    "Fair enough," the blond replied as he sat on a boulder close to the throne. A small smile gathering like spring on his lips, the anti mage started from the ''beginning''.


    "We were rivals, representatives of our schools. I, an anti mage, and you an underdog mage. And you taught me a good lesson in front of a lot of people who respected my power and considered you already the loser before the match had begun. The defeat was a hard pill to swallow but I fell for you that day. And I never looked back."


    Rowan''s eyes were windows to his soul. Syryn was taken aback by the emotions that were naked in the pretty blue eyes of his companion.


    "Did I fall for you as well on that day?" He asked, masking the butterflies in his stomach with a barely interested flicker in his eyes.


    "I don''t know," Rowan replied, gaze travelling to the monster beside Syryn. "I haven''t the faintest clue about when you fell for me or if you even did fall for me. Sometimes I think that you stuck with me only because I was dogged in my chase for your love and attention."


    Syryn was surprised by the anti mage''s confession. Rowan seemed almost insecure about Syryn''s feelings. He wondered why.

 Chapter 255 - Syryns Revenge

    If Rowan was being more than honest, he would have told the mage that his greatest fear was that Syryn would never love him back. Yes, it was a stupid thing to worry about in the grand scheme of things. The universe could end and Rowan wouldn''t care. He had allowed Syryn to die for the world once upon a time. A mistake. He had married a woman he hadn''t loved because they told him he needed her power to save the world. He had shed blood and sweat for them once upon a time. And yet it only left him jaded and feeling hopeless. Rowan was a selfish, selfish, man. This time he would follow his heart. No more sacrificing Syryn or arranged marriages, no more bowing to the whims of fickle deities.


    "Why do you think I never loved you?" Syryn asked, wondering if he was humouring the fantasies of a liar.


    The answer was ready on Rowan''s lips.. "Because I don''t deserve your love."


    Was that guilt he saw in Rowan''s eyes?


    The mage raised a brow. "Did you cheat on me?"


    Rowan wouldn''t think of looking anyone else''s way much less cheating on his lover.


    He shook his head. "No. It''s a story for another time, Ryn," he replied uneasily. Some things he still did not have the freedom to discuss. He had hoped for Syryn to remember their past clearly but his lover had gone and lost even the memories of this life. What was he to do with Syryn? Surely, he had to bind the mage to him. Only then would his lover stop getting into situations that left Rowan frustrated and fearful for his well being.


    "I want to know now," Syryn insisted. He was irrevocably invested.


    The blond sighed.


    "I said now, Rowan."


    Blue eyes crinkled in a handsome smile. "Or what?" The curve of his lips made a dormant part of Syryn''s memories wake up and take notice. He was underwater but the mage was suddenly feeling hotter. His mind may have forgotten but his body was signalling at something interesting.


    "Did we fuck?" He rudely asked.


    Rowan primly folded his hands.


    "Oh come on," Syryn said as he rolled his eyes. "Don''t tell me I was dating a prude."


    "We engaged in sexual activities, multiple times a day even. So yeah, we fucked."


    "That''s what I wanted to hear," Syryn replied. His nether regions were already waking up. Even if Rowan was just a stranger he had just met, he would have probably still slept with him just because of how fuckable and delicious the man appeared.


    "How about we do it?" Syryn asked without any shame. "We''re dating aren''t we?"


    "I- yes, we are." Rowan looked like the wind had been knocked out of his lungs. He had forgotten how spontaneous Syryn could be. "But this isn''t the right time, Ryn."


    "Why not?"


    The blond wasn''t sure which was a better answer. That underwater sex just wasn''t it, or that they were too exposed right now for any friendly frolicking.


    "We have company," he pointed out with some measure of relief.


    In the distance, a few mers could be seen hesitantly approaching the area.


    "Levia, go hide yourself somewhere," Syryn told his pet. Obediently, the creature slunk off and made herself a bed under the sand.


    "That''s a very intelligent friend you have there," Rowan commented. "Where did you get him, Ryn?"


    "I didn''t get Levia. She found me when I was dying. Levia then took revenge on my behalf by reducing a once prospering kingdom to what you now see around you. Isn''t she wonderful?" The mage fondly said to the blond.


    Rowan wasn''t surprised that Syryn had managed to acquire another deadly ''pet''. Blue was under the care of a very pissed off Vincent and now the mage had reeled in a leviathan. Rowan''s only consolation was that Levia was a hell of a guard for Syryn, and she seemed to adore him for some reason. If she could leave the ocean and guard Syryn on dry land, Rowan would be a happy man.


    "You have another friend who is waiting for you. His name is Blue and he''s a big blue squid that no one knows the origin of," Rowan told the mage.


    "Great!" Syryn declared. "Levia will have a friend when she leaves the ocean."


    "But does she want to leave the ocean?"


    Syryn''s excitement fizzled down. Levia belonged to the ocean. He couldn''t force the creature to leave with him. From the time she had spent outside the water cupping a sleeping Syryn, Rowan was sure that Levia could breathe air.


    "I''ll ask her later," Syryn replied. "There might be a show for you very soon, Rowan. Would you like to watch?"


    "Yes," Rowan was eager to see Syryn avenge himself. Despite not knowing what manner of crimes the mers were guilty of, the anti mage was sure of one thing, his lover was a petty man and they were going to suffer greatly for whatever they''d done to him. Syryn would account for every lost strand of hair and then make them pay to within an inch of their lives. A good show. He looked forward to it.


    Emboldened by the presence of humans, the mers approached them knowing that there was no danger from the leviathan. It would have consumed the humans if it were still around, they reasoned.


    There were eight mers in total. Two nobles, three guards and three more commoner mers, attendants most probably. The merman wearing expensive jewellery, first spoke to spoke Syryn.


    "You, why aren''t you dead?!"


    "I didn''t like staying dead."


    The merman was aghast. "Nobody has ever returned alive from the abyss!"


    "I''m special," Syryn replied. "Ask Rowan about how special I am. He''s in love with me. Isn''t that right, sweetheart?" Syryn threw a lazy smirk at the blond heartthrob.


    "Whipped," Rowan answered flatly. "Who are these guests?"


    "Just fish food closing in on their expiry dates," Syryn answered maliciously.


    The mermen weren''t going to take the insulting threat kindly.


    The lead mer flared his gills and loomed over the humans. Outrage burning in his eyes, he faced the calm Syryn.


    "Who the hell do you think you are?!"

 Chapter 256 - Vinegar

    "Who the hell do you think you are?"


    "Your new king," Syryn answered with a cool smile.


    Rowan''s interest peaked when he heard his lover''s reply. Syryn never failed to amaze him.


    "And who the hell made you king? Do you know what the punishment is for the crime of desecrating the noble seat of our king?!"


    Unbothered by the words of the merman, Syryn placed a foot over his knee and regarded the mer who was much bigger than the human.


    "Kneel before me," he told the mer..


    Rowan saw the lack of knees on the mer''s tail and wondered how exactly his mage expected the creature to kneel. It was impossible.


    "In the name of the King, I will execute you. And this time, you will stay dead," the mer said as he held out his hand to the guard behind him.


    Syryn glanced at the blond who was spectating the drama without so much as a crease of worry between his brows. So much for being in love. Where was the protective attitude he was expecting from someone who claimed to love him?


    "Rowan," he snapped at the blond whose blue eyes were fixed on the trident that was being passed to the mer by his guard.


    "Yes, sweetheart?" Rowan replied.


    "Make the fish kneel."


    If that wasn''t typical of Syryn, the anti mage thought. "He doesn''t have knees."


    "I don''t care. Make.him.kneel."


    Stubborn to the bone, Syryn pointedly stared at the blond. The mage believed that someone who was capable of reaching Silisia and breathing underwater was no ordinary human. Rowan had some abilities and he wanted to see what they were.


    "As you wish," the blond replied. Rowan didn''t have to move from his seat. Just as the mer lunged at Syryn with his trident, an explosion of blood below his waist stopped the mer mid lunge.


    The disbelief on his face couldn''t change the fact that his upper torso was now cleanly separated from halfway down his mer tail. The mer fell to the sand, bleeding out from both ends of his separated body. It had happened too quickly for the others to react. They stared dumbfounded at their fallen comrade who still wasn''t dead. But just as Syryn had wanted, the mer was at his feet almost as if he was bowing to the human on the throne.


    "He isn''t kneeling," Syryn complained but the satisfaction on his face was unmistakable. He smiled, eyes curving into crescents.


    "I''ll kneel on his behalf," Rowan replied. "Will that satisfy you, your majesty?"


    "Dispose of the rest of the rabble and then I''ll give you the honour of kneeling before me," Syryn replied as he sent a Cheshire grin at the handsome man. He had hit the jackpot. Good looking and powerful, not to mention his doting ways, Rowan was perfect. Now he just had to find out how good the man was in bed.


    The horrified mers were staring at the half-dead fishman at Syryn''s feet. Severed into two and dying from severe bleeding, all he could do was curse at the dispassionate gazed human who had his chin propped up on an elbow.


    "Wait!" The other mer noble interrupted. "I have no quarrel with you humans. We will leave peacefully."


    "Too late," Syryn told him. He couldn''t remember every single face that watched him die that day so he had decided to punish every single noble. There were no exceptions to his wrath.


    Blood dispersed in the water. The second noble met the same ending as the first. Shaken by the show of power, the others began to swim for their lives. Syryn said nothing and Rowan made no move as the other less guilty mers made a break for life.


    "How does that power of yours work?" Syryn asked the anti mage. All he had seen was a slight wave in the water that indicated the passage of energy of some kind. Rowan hadn''t moved a single finger while making quick work of the mers.


    Eyes like gemstones looked up at Syryn. "I''ll tell you if you tell me how you''re breathing underwater."


    Syryn wasn''t sure how much he should reveal to Rowan. Giving him the benefit of doubt, the mage decided to spill his secret. He couldn''t resist the eyes. They compelled him to speak.


    "I''m not just a half-demon anymore," he told the anti mage. "Can you guess what the other non-human part of me is?"


    "Fish?" Rowan guessed. "But I didn''t notice any gills on your neck or behind the ears where it should be."


    "No gills" Syryn replied. "I checked. I''m not sure what I am either but I do know that I can breathe through my skin. I am a serpent... I guess."


    "Oh..."


    "Oh?" Syryn prompted. Was the beauty having a change of mind about their relationship?


    "Can you transform and show me then?"


    Syryn didn''t know how to. He had transformed after drowning to death. Syryn didn''t think there was some hidden serpent blood in him that had awakened. It had to have been a consequence of the sage''s inheritance.


    "Maybe later? I would prefer to do this privately." The mage smiled coyly when he said that to Rowan.


    The blond narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Syryn couldn''t remember him but he was so free with his flirting. Did his little lover flirt this way with other men while Rowan was away?


    "Ryn, you were hugging that merman called Drevin. The two of you seemed very friendly."


    "It was just a hug!"


    His fianc¨¦ was a jealous one, Syryn found. Rowan still hadn''t held up his end of the bargain but they had both forgotten about it.


    "Merpeople only hug their lovers that way. The human equivalent of it is a deep and passionate kiss. Did you not know that?" Rowan canted his head just a fraction as he smiled at the confused Syryn.


    "That can''t be true..."


    Drevin hadn''t said anything to him about hugs being so personal.


    "You can ask any mer about it and they''ll confirm it for you, Ryn."


    "We hugged many times and that too in front of other mers...!!"


    "I should have known you''d be cheating on me," the blond playfully teased. Under the light teasing though was a river of vinegar that had just flooded Rowan''s heart.


    "Syryn, I guess we should just part ways now."

 Chapter 257 - Kings

    The mage leapt off his throne. Rowan was being impulsive, Syryn decided.


    "Let''s not make any hasty decisions while under the influence of jealousy."


    "Ryn, you have no idea do you? I had been so worried about you. I even lost weeks of sleep wondering if you were dead or alive. And all this while as I searched for my lover, he was busy frolicking with a merman."


    Rowan looked far too dejected to be acting. The mage had no idea why he cared so much about a person he couldn''t remember, but he just did.


    "I promise I had no idea that hugs meant anything more than that, Rowan. I wasn''t frolicking with anyone!"


    The mage was now beside the anti mage.. He stood in front of Rowan''s sitting figure. They locked eyes and a frisson of electricity ran down Syryn''s spine. Warmth blossomed in his chest like a rose, beautiful and fragrant. It was a strange feeling that Syryn wanted to bottle up. He would cup that warmth between his palms when he was cold.


    Rowan''s gaze on him was a burning brand. Neither wanted to say anything because it would break the spell that had taken over them.


    Syryn moved and Rowan reciprocated. A gentle kiss ensued that took his breath away. The mage fell into the anti mage''s lap and was kissed with a tender fierceness that communicated Rowan''s eagerness and care. The blond hugged Syryn tight against him and revelled in the feeling of finally holding his Syryn in his arms.


    When they pulled apart, it was because Rowan sensed more mers approaching. This time, there was an army of them coming.


    ________


    Syryn was still thinking about the kiss even though he could see mer soldiers coming their way. Several hundreds of them mounted on sharks that were trained for battle.


    He still hadn''t decided whether he wanted to fully trust Rowan''s words but the chemistry between them did not lie. How it escalated into a kiss like that flummoxed the mage. And he was the one that had made the first move so Syryn had no reason to blame Rowan. Why did he kiss him? Why did it feel so damn good?


    And for good measure, Syryn turned around and grabbed the blond by the lapels. He tugged the man''s head down and stuck his tongue in, tasting the delicious mouth whose ambrosia was as heady as it was warm.


    "Rowan," he said to the blond who looked happier than he had since they''d met. "You better not be lying to me about anything because I will remember. And when I do, if I find that you''ve deceived me, I''ll feed you to Levia."


    Syryn wasn''t sure why but he had been hit by a sense of crisis. He didn''t know the man and he was already falling for him. How had his past self not fallen in love already when Rowan was this charming? It could only mean that something was wrong between them or that Rowan had a side that prevented the past Syryn from falling in love with the anti mage.


    Rowan briefly nodded at Syryn and turned to take in the sight of hundreds of mers that had surrounded them.


    "More fish food closing in on their expiry dates?" He asked the mage.


    "They killed me, pushed me down an abyss where I drowned to death." Syryn was looking at the mer king who was seated on an enormous shark. He missed the flash of darkness in Rowan''s eyes.


    "What do you mean they killed you?" His voice came out steadier than he had anticipated.


    Syryn smiled and it was poisonous. His smile was directed at the mer king.


    "I died and came back to life. Maybe someone up there pitied me."


    Rowan noticed the mage''s gaze fixed to a mer with purple scales. His crown glittered though there wasn''t much light. He had a barrel-like chest with battle scars littered all over his skin. They were trophies that he displayed to prove his prowess to the other mers. Even the shark he rode upon was larger than the others.


    "You want him dead," Rowan flatly stated. He could read Syryn like an open book. His man hated the mer who was wearing a crown.


    "Death is too easy a punishment for someone like him," the mage spat out. The mer king had murdered the oracle and framed Syryn for the crime. He had humiliated him, orchestrated a parade meant to degrade him, and then finally sent Syryn to a watery death. No, he wasn''t going to be satisfied with a simple death. The King had to suffer for his crimes against Syryn.


    With a sneer on his face, Syryn flopped down onto the throne and posed himself most disrespectfully. One leg hanging off the armrest on the throne, the mage slouched like he was seated upon a common armchair.


    The reaction was instantaneous. Mer guards unsheathed their weapons. There was a loud hue and cry of disapproval and anger.


    How dare the lowly human sit on the throne? How dare he treat it with such callousness? Without exception, every single mer wore a bloodthirsty expression. They were ready to stab Syryn and fling him off the throne. But they also had to obey their king who had his arm raised, a command that no one was to make a move.


    The mer king then boldly broke off from the formation and approached the humans. Directing his gaze at Syryn, he looked down upon him from his great height upon the shark. The mer king was larger than Syryn in every aspect. His shoulder was wider, height taller, and even his aura was sharper than Syryn''s.


    "How did you escape the hand of death?"


    Syryn languidly smiled at the crowned mer.


    "I made a deal with the reaper. I told him that in exchange for my life, I would send along the soul of the mer king."


    The King laughed. And Syryn laughed with him.

 Chapter 258 - Challenge

    "The reaper will be disappointed when he meets you for a second time. And this time, I''ll make sure that you don''t return."


    Syryn acknowledged the mer King''s words with a few shallow nods.


    "Why don''t we let the reaper decide who he wants?" Syryn asked the crowned mer. "Neither of us wants to go so we can only leave it to him to choose."


    Rowan was feeling a tendril of unease coil in his stomach.


    The mer king sneered at the human seated on the throne. Syryn appeared to suit the throne despite how large it was for him. The mage''s broadcasted confidence was no less than that of an Emperor''s.


    "Very well, invite the reaper then.."


    "He''s already here," Syryn replied. "We can''t see him but he''ll decide who gets killed."


    The large crowd of mers surrounding them could not understand what Syryn was talking about. Neither could the king.


    "Stop speaking in riddles, human."


    The mer king''s sights had never turned to Rowan but he was very aware of the anti mage and had a guard up against him. His subjects had informed him about the blond man''s strange power. He had the ability to attack and kill without moving a finger. But the mer king had numbers behind him and he knew that neither could escape death when they were surrounded by hundreds of hostile mers.


    "I will, if you agree to let the reaper choose his victim," Syryn replied.


    The mer king did not answer him.


    "Are you afraid, your majesty?" Syryn disdainfully asked the crowned mer.


    "Because you''ve taken the trouble of inviting the reaper, I agree to play whatever game you''ve prepared." The king could not lose face in front of his men. His pride as the king of Silisia compelled him to take up the challenge that was being offered to him. Besides, the mer wasn''t afraid of Syryn despite his wariness of Rowan. He was sure that whatever it was that Syryn had planned, it would be himself who would emerge victorious.


    "Wonderful!" Syryn slapped his thigh and stood up. "Your majesty, you are worthy of your title!"


    "Get to it. We have a kingdom to rebuild."


    Syryn held up his hands to placate the impatient king. "Here''s what I think we should do, your majesty. Ask your men to bring six mature jellyfish stingers. Five dry stingers and one loaded with poison."


    The mage''s eyes were bright with excitement as he instructed the mers. A game of chance. That was what he would play with the mer king. The winner would become king of Silisia, and the loser would die a painful death brought on by the toxin inside the jellyfish stinger. To everyone within hearing distance, it was quite obvious what kind of game Syryn had set up for them.


    "You desire to gamble with your life. Is this what you mean by letting the reaper choose?" The angered mer king asked him. If he had known that he was dealing with a crazy person, he wouldn''t have gone along with the human''s game. If this was a contest of strength, he had no doubts about the result. But this game of chance had a 50/50 probability of killing him. Luck was a fickle mistress and he never relied on her gifts. Even so, the crowned mer could not see a way out of the game without making himself look like a coward.


    The mage raised his chin and looked at the crowd as he declared loudly. "His majesty agreed to play the game! Everyone, did your king not agree? Did he not say that he would play whatever game I have prepared?"


    "Our wise king isn''t a crazed maniac like you!" A concubine shouted back. "There is no greatness in the outcome decided by luck!"


    "But it isn''t luck!" Syryn yelled back. "The reaper decides who goes to hell with him."


    "You''re crazy!"


    "Your majesty, you shouldn''t humour this lunatic''s ideas!"


    For once in his life, Rowan was of the opinion that Syryn''s enemies were right. It sounded to him like a senseless gamble of their lives. Even so, he kept his mouth shut and prayed that Syryn knew what he was doing. The alternative was too terrifying to imagine.


    "Look at all of you defending the king," Syryn mocked. "How about this then? The King may appoint a proxy to play the game. If he''s so afraid of death then he can pass it on to a loyal and brave subject. Does anyone volunteer to replace his majesty?"


    The mage looked at the crowd. Suddenly they were all quiet and shrinking away from Syryn''s sharp gaze.


    "Anybody?"


    The mers looked at each other hoping that someone would volunteer.


    "Your majesty," Syryn said to the king with exaggerated sorrow. "I guess you''re on your own."


    Despite their crowing earlier, no one was willing to die for the king when it came down to proving their loyalty to the crown. Not even the guards were willing to mess with a toxin that would cause so much pain that it led to the victim twisting in agony so much so that bones were broken before the sweet embrace of death claimed the unfortunate creature.


    The mer king''s steely cold eyes landed on every single guard and noble. It promised retribution when the situation with Syryn was settled. Overconfidence in his own strength had brought him this outcome. Now he knew that not a single mer was loyal enough to die for him.


    "You," the king pointed at a guard.


    The mer was gripped with fear. Was he going to die today?


    "Are you familiar with jellyfish milking?" The king asked.


    The mer nodded quickly while thanking his luck for having accompanied the prince with his jellyfish duties. He wasn''t going to die today it appeared.


    "Bring the stingers."


    Syryn was a master of playing wily and dangerous games. Under normal circumstances, Rowan would trust him without reserve. But this Syryn''s mind was compromised. The anti mage vaccilated between intervening and letting Syryn do what he wanted. In the end, he decided to trust that Syryn was still a conniving little fox and knew exactly what he was doing.

 Chapter 259 - Offer

    "While we wait, why don''t we choose a random person from the crowd to play with me?" Syryn asked the mer king. Looking askance at the purple tailed mer, Syryn added, "Since you''re so afraid to play."


    The crowned mer seethed. Why should he gamble his life away? There was no prize to be won. The kingdom was his regardless of whatever nonsense the human was spewing. Prophecy or not, only a mer was the rightful ruler to Silisia. While breath remained in him, the mer refused to entertain the idea of letting a human rule Silisia, the most prosperous of all mer kingdoms.


    To save face, the mer king''s tongue began to loosen. "You have nothing to lose by playing this game because you are dead anyway when it''s all said and done. I don''t participate in deals and take on challenges that favour my opponent."


    Syryn acknowledged the King''s response with a nod. "I see what you mean, your majesty.."


    "Offer me something that is worth risking my life for." The purple scaled mer believed that Syryn had nothing worthwhile to bet with.


    "Shouldn''t you have asked that before agreeing to play the game? Not only are you the kind that goes back on his word, but you''re also stupid," Syryn said with characteristic bluntness. "How did you manage to become king? Wait let me guess, your subjects are just as stupid as their king. I did say this before though, didn''t I? Silisia is a wretched place where fools are born every day, and are ruled by a fool king."


    "You dare?" The king pointed his long trident at the human who didn''t give them the satisfaction of seeing him cower. Without even a flinch, he faced down the gold trident whose pointed edges were at his throat.


    "I dare. I''m not a coward like you, King of Silisia."


    Syryn''s voice chilled the heart of the king. He felt the power of prophecy tremble in the water. Why was the human so confident? What did he have that made him so sure of himself? The humans were surrounded by mermen who could kill them with a single word from their king. Why were they not afraid? A seed of fear was borne in his heart despite the irrationality of it. The mer king knew he had to kill Syryn as soon as possible. The human had survived death so many times that the mer was convinced a guardian was watching over him.


    "Tell me, Syryn," the king finally addressed him by his name. "Where do you get your audacity from?" The trident remained pointed at his throat. "Do you think that your human companion can save you from death if I choose to kill you right now?"


    "My audacity comes from knowing I am superior to you. It''s as simple as that," Syryn answered. "As for Rowan, he''s just here to watch. Right, sweetheart?"


    "Right," Rowan replied, not even trying to sound convincing. The King took a better look at the blond man who was just as at ease as Syryn. He had the air of someone caught amid an inconvenient situation - a little irritable but unconcerned.


    "Your fearless stupidity is superior. In this, I bow in defeat to you," the king replied dryly. The guard was taking too long. The more he clashed in verbal sparring with the human, the more he was humiliated.


    "Stupidity? That''s your stock in trade, your majesty. I''m fearless, good looking, smart, and I have a lover who is better looking than all your concubines put together. Look at him, look!" Syryn gestured towards Rowan. "Rowan is the most gorgeous man alive, isn''t he?"


    The anti mage tried very hard not to groan in misery as hundreds of eyes turned to look at him, including the King''s. Why was Syryn like this? He hadn''t lost his memory and was just fucking with Rowan, right? Because this was just classic Syryn style of embarrassing him.


    At least he could be assured that Syryn definitely found him physically attractive, very much so by the way that the mage fawned over his looks. A new concern popped up in his mind, did his blessed physical features overshadow the other aspects of him that should have endeared Syryn to him? Would Syryn feel the same way about him if he wasn''t so... conventionally attractive? He recalled that Syryn adamantly stuck with him when he had turned into a woman. That meant something, didn''t it?


    "Rowan, why are you frowning?" Syryn asked.


    "Nothing. The guard is here."


    The mer guard arrived with a bag slung over his shoulder. The crowd''s attention, to Rowan''s relief, turned to the arriving mer guard.


    "You have arrived faster than I anticipated," Syryn told him. The King had a different opinion. Any later and Syryn would have probably mouthed off about something even more ridiculous. He admitted that Rowan was a good looking man and wondered what a female version of the blond would have looked like. Catching his stray thoughts, the purple scaled mer blamed Syryn for causing his mind to wander.


    "So how are you going to play?" He asked the mage.


    Syryn shrugged. "I''ll tell you after you tell me who is to join me in the game of death?"


    "You still haven''t made me an offer so I refuse to participate."


    Syryn had nothing. He looked at Rowan.


    The anti mage sighed.


    "I offer myself in servitude as a bodyguard," Rowan told the mer king. "Or whatever else you may need me for."


    At his words, several concubines and mermaids began to have ideas about the anti mage. Syryn was good looking but he was very pretty. They preferred the masculine good looks of the blond who was mascular without being unnecessarily bulky.


    "No!"


    Rowan turned to his lover who had objected.


    "No?"


    The King interjected, "Agreed, I will have good use for this human. I''m sure I can sell his services to the hungry mermaids that are eyeing him."

 Chapter 260 - A Gamble

    "No, Rowan is not a prize to be gambled with. I refuse."


    The mer king retracted his weapon. Syryn had a weakness after all. "You have nothing else to offer me, human. I''ll give you a few moments to consider your decision while the guards set up your game." His ego had already been hit by Syryn''s verbal attacks. In front of the gathered subjects, the mer king had to regain face. It was the only reason he hadn''t already stabbed the weak-looking human.


    Rowan lifted one brow at the mage. Syryn cared about him far too much for an amnesiac. He wasn''t complaining though.


    "You won''t lose, will you Ryn?" He asked the mage.


    Syryn shrugged.


    "Answer me."


    The anti mage had been betting on Syryn having a sneaky plan to beat the game of chance. If Syryn was a hundred per cent sure of victory then he would have no qualms about letting Rowan play the grand prize.


    "I told you, didn''t I? I promised to send the mer king to the reaper."


    It was not a confirmation of Rowan''s query. The anti mage sat with his chin on his palm, wondering if Syryn''s body could handle the toxin from the jellyfish stinger. It was no normal toxin, and while Syryn remained in his human form, he ran the risk of death by jellyfish toxin. The blond did not know enough about Syryn''s tolerance to be able to make even a random guess about how that would turn out.


    A high stool was brought over and then the stingers were arranged in two rows of three stingers each.


    "Your majesty, here''s my offer. If you play the game, I won''t have all the nobles killed. That includes all your concubines and your children."


    The mer king scoffed. It was just two humans against all the mers. Did Syryn really think he was fooling anyone with his flimsy threat?


    "I''ve had enough," the king informed him. "Since you''ve gone through all this trouble, pick a guard to play your game with. Whether you win or lose, I''ll have you dead within the hour."


    "That''s very gracious of you. We''ll see who dies within the hour, your majesty. I have a grudge I need to repay so I''ll take back my threat for now."


    Syryn then pointed to a mer guard. "I choose that one."


    The guard coloured and glared at the human he had previously stabbed with his spear. Of course, Syryn remembered him. He was the mer that had treated Syryn the worst out of all the guards whose hands he had fallen into.


    "Come. It is your king''s orders, is it not? We''re all eager to watch someone die in horrific pain."


    The mer king marvelled at Syryn''s guts. Did he not think he might be the one dying in agony? What made him so sure of himself? As far as he had noticed, the king hadn''t seen Syryn touch the stingers. They had all been handled by the guard.


    Pushed forward by the others, the unlucky mer was propelled towards the table where the stingers lay waiting.


    "You know what to don''t you?" Syryn asked the guard who was staring at the stingers in fear.


    "I''m talking to you. Are you deaf?"


    The guard sneered at Syryn. "I know." It was a gruff reply. He was being watched by everyone including his wife. He had to act tough despite feeling the opposite of it.


    "So, should I go first?" Syryn asked the guard.


    "No, I''ll pick first."


    The mer guard looked at the stingers. Each one was small and barbed at the end. All of them looked similar to him. His eyes were frantically moving from one stinger to the other.


    "Pick fast. I have places to be."


    The guard glared at Syryn like he wanted to punch the man. Finally, he reached out and picked the stinger centre of the row on his side of the table. The mer''s hand trembled slightly as he held the barbed object up. There was no antidote to save him if it was the loaded one.


    "To prevent faking, we will both draw blood with the stingers," Syryn said to the guard.


    With a quick jab on his finger, the mer dropped the stinger. There was a collective gasp from the crowd when he pricked himself with it. A small thread of blood then floated away from his skin.


    The guard sighed in relief. It had been an empty one.


    "Your turn," he growled at Syryn.


    Rowan''s heart was steady but his anxiety was heightening. He felt the need to topple over the table and tell Syryn that the game was over. His mage was conspicuously missing a life-saving satchel so Rowan knew that Syryn did not have an antidote at hand. Where was Syryn''s satchel anyway?


    "Ryn, if you die, I''ll drag you back from the afterlife and kill you myself," Rowan threatened. "I hope you know what you''re doing." After all the trials they''d gone through together, Rowan would be damned if he was going to watch Syryn kill himself stupidly.


    "Relax, Rowan. When it''s time, it''s time. And it''s not my time yet."


    "And who told you that?" The guard asked him.


    "Somebody."


    Rowan near jumped out of his skin when Syryn slammed his hand on the surface of the table, stabbing his palm through with the stinger. Bloody water indicated that he had been pierced.


    "Ryn-" Rowan stood up, heart beating fast now.


    Syryn smacked the table again. The mers were shocked by his move. Rowan''s heart was in his throat. Could Syryn stop scaring him like this?


    Swiftly, the mage slammed down on a third stinger. The thud was loud in the silence of the gathering. There was more blood in the water.


    The mer guard''s eyes were wide as he watched Syryn for a reaction. Everyone gathered stared at the crazy human who hadn''t moved after the third stinger.


    Rowan''s feet were frozen to the ground. "Syryn!" He shouted when the mage clutched his hand to his belly and doubled over.

 Chapter 261 - Challenged

    "Just kidding," Syryn raised his bloody hand and waved it at the anti mage.


    Rowan stopped mid move and put his hands on his waist, letting relief pour through him. He vowed that one of these days, he would take Syryn dry just to punish him for the heart attack he had given the blond.


    Syryn was in the clear. There were only two more stingers on the table and one of them was loaded with toxin.


    The mer guard knew that he was going to die. His gills fluttered erratically, taking in gulps of water as panic flooded his body. He didn''t want to die this way.


    "You know why I picked you, don''t you?" Syryn asked him while faintly smiling.


    The mer guard would do anything to not have to play anymore. He nodded quickly, eyes pleading at Syryn.


    Don''t let me die


    This guard had been the most malicious out of the others. He had stabbed Syryn, insulted him, and enjoyed watching the helpless mage fall into the abyss to drown. He remembered each slight against him very clearly.


    "Do you regret it?" He asked the desperate man.


    "Yes, I regret it! I''m sorry! I was only following the orders I was given."


    His orders had been to restrain Syryn. But the mer had gone above and beyond his duty.


    "Well it''s too late," Syryn replied without any pity. "Go on, do it."


    The mer guard turned around and swam to the king. He prostrated before the ruler and begged for his aid.


    "Your majesty, please help me! I have a wife and children. They need me, please!"


    The king''s eyes were frigid. He was unimpressed by the guard''s pathetic behaviour.


    "Your family will be taken of."


    The king''s cold words shocked the guard.


    "Your majesty, please...."


    "Do my guards not have a spine?" The king turned to an armoured mer who was in charge of training soldiers. "To die for the kingdom is a glorious and noble duty."


    The armoured guard prostrated by curling his tail and bowing his head down.


    "I have failed, your majesty. Allow me to kill the mer who has disgraced his position and duty towards the kingdom!"


    The mer king turned away from the armoured guard and looked at the mer guard who was shaking before his mount, still bowing.


    "As a last act of mercy for the duty you''ve rendered to the kingdom, I grant you a less painful death."


    The guard raised his head, gritting his teeth. What painless death? He didn''t want to die in the first place. Why did he have to replace the king in the mad game? Why did he torture Syryn? Why was he so unlucky? A flood of thoughts inundated his brain.


    Screaming in anger, he pulled out his weapon and charged at Syryn. The mage stood still and watched the mer rush at him. There was no emotion on the human''s face. Just as the sharp knife neared Syryn''s throat, the mer guard was split in half from head to tail.


    Several mers screamed in horror. It was too gory for the civilians and nobles who had never witnessed much violence in their cosy lives. The two parts of the deceased mer''s body fell sideways, spilling out the creature''s guts and internal organs that too had been cleanly sliced in between.


    A ghost of a smile appeared on Syryn''s face as he exchanged a look with Rowan. The anti mage was back on his boulder. He shook his head slightly in a reprimanding manner but his eyes were smiling. Syryn had trusted Rowan to protect him. Another gamble by the amnesiac.


    "Saw that, your majesty?" Syryn turned to the king whose face was wrought with cold anger. The humans just weren''t giving him any face. Whatever they did or said was over the top and left a lasting impression on the mers. But his most immediate concern was the danger that the blond human posed to him. The mer king had no protection against such an invisible and swift attack. He would be none the wiser if the blond decided to make a move against him.


    "I get to throw my weight around because my lover is powerful and handsome. Can your concubines save your life like that? Can they?"


    Syryn was all smiles as he thought about how he had lucked out with getting someone like Rowan. The man was too damn attractive when he killed for Syryn.


    "You''ve made your point," the mer king relented. He was cautious with his arrogance now because he had seen with his own eyes just how terrible the human''s powers were. When his guards had told him about how the noble mers had been split in half, he had taken the threat seriously. Then he became complacent when he saw that it was only two humans against their immense numbers. But now he knew the reality. The blond human could kill him without moving a finger.


    "What do you want?" He asked the mage.


    Syryn''s moment had come.


    "I take what I want so there''s no sense in asking me such a question. Ask me what your fate is, your majesty."


    Syryn had a way of addressing the king by his royal title while sounding entirely disrespectful. It was as if he was addressing his junior, and not the king of Silisia.


    The king''s blood ran cold. He realised that Syryn wanted his life. Taking up his trident, the king dismounted and faced Syryn.


    "If it is my kingdom that you want then face me like a warrior. This has always been the way of Silisia. Are you a challenger for the throne, Syryn?!" He bellowed loudly so that all the mers could hear him.


    The mer guards raised their weapons and shouted with the king. Their voices sounded like drums in the water.


    The mage raised his hand and made a quieting motion towards the mers. Seeing his action, they began yelling even louder. Syryn shrugged and waited for them to quiet when they decided to.. It wasn''t like he had anywhere to be despite what he had said to the previously alive guard.

 Chapter 262 - Argument

    The mer king squared his shoulders. His thick muscles rippled with strength. Easily dwarfing the mage, the mer was thrice the size of Syryn. The muscles in his arms flexed when he lifted his trident and stabbed it hard into the sand.


    The noises decreased when the king threw away his weapon. It was an insult and a challenge. He was showing them that he didn''t need a weapon to beat Syryn.


    "I''m not doing this," Syryn told the mers. "It takes brains and good subordinates to rule a kingdom. You had a brawny king for all this time so it''s no wonder that Silisia has stagnated in so many ways. You''re not even allowed to visit the surface because this brute of a king refuses to look past the actions of a few humans, so much so that he won''t even make an attempt to secure diplomatic relations with the surface kingdoms."


    Rowan applauded Syryn''s strategy. Going up against the powerful mer king was suicidal while the mage remained ignorant of his abilities.


    "For someone who speaks like he thinks he''s smarter than everyone else, you glaze past the idea that physical strength and intelligence aren''t mutually exclusive. As for Silisia and its people, my decisions have protected the people from the treachery and pollution of humanity. What does a human know about the affairs of a mer kingdom? Nothing."


    The highly anticipated fight to death had turned into a debate because Syryn had insulted the King''s abilities to rule. He had pointed out some important matters that the mers were already secretly resentful about. If he didn''t clear the matter immediately, it had the potential to cause problems in the future.


    "I''ve lived here long enough to know that if the humans decide to invade, you''re all doomed. Ah, wait," Syryn made a face like he had realised something. "We''ve already invaded Silisia. Just Rowan and I, and we already have you at a disadvantage. If my friend here decides that you''re annoying, you do realise he can kill you with a snap of his fingers, don''t you?"


    The mer king wanted to strangle the human whose every spoken word managed to infuriate him. Propping Rowan up against him, the mer king appeared weak even.


    "A king fights his own battles. That is the warrior''s way. What will you do when war comes knocking on your door? Will you hide behind your soldiers and let them die? Or will you lead the war and inspire them to greater battle fervour?!"


    The mer king''s voice rose and he looked around, rousing the spirits of the soldiers.


    "Silisia doesn''t want a cowardly ruler!" The armoured guard in charge of training shouted in support of the king.


    "Silisia cannot be ruled by a human!" Another shouted. "Die! Human!"


    The others joined in unison to create an uproar that annoyed Rowan.


    "Why are you wasting time here?" He asked Syryn, barely being heard above the din that surrounded them.


    "Revenge and fun. What better way to waste my time?" Syryn replied.


    "You can have both without wasting time arguing with the fish. Kill him or let me do it." It seemed that Rowan was getting impatient.


    "Is someone waiting for you up there?" Syryn asked the blond.


    Rowan was worried about Artemus who was on Coop island. Any extra second spent on that godforsaken place was another second spent risking his life. The anti mage was in a hurry to send a message to Artemus so that the dark-haired man could leave the island.


    "There''s someone who cares about you very much, whose life may in danger at the moment. We have to send him a message. He''s searching for you on an island that has a reputation for even killing the toughest of people. We must hurry, Syryn."


    "I see," the mage replied. He was surprised but happy to know that there were more people who cared about him. Whoever this person was, he was risking his life for Syryn so the mage was now obligated to wrap things up quickly. However, the mers were still screaming bloody murder.


    Command the waters to obey you


    The sage told Syryn.


    [How?]


    I will take over your body. Pay attention to the flow of mana when I draw magic.


    Syryn relinquished his body to the sage. He was more than eager to learn water magic.


    Rowan felt a shift in the passive waves of magic that flowed around them. His head snapped towards Syryn who had a strange look in his eyes. The mage was staring at his palm above which the water seemed to move.


    A thin independent stream of water began to circle Syryn''s hand lazily.


    The anti mage was taken aback because Syryn had never been known to possess water magic. At this point, the mer king had also noticed what Syryn was doing.


    "How pathetic," he said to himself. Such a tiny stream of water was nothing. Even the baby mers with an affinity for water could do the same. He wanted to rush at Syryn but was held back by his fear of Rowan''s power. He had to pull the mage into a willing fight as it was the only way to keep the blond guard at bay.


    You have a strong mana pool. Good. The spell I am about to pull off will drain most of it though so be prepared to face a backlash.


    [What sort of a backlash?]


    Extreme fatigue. It may not necessarily happen though.


    "Syryn, if you do not accept my challenge then my army will proceed to kill off the both of you. As powerful as your friend may be, there is nothing he can do against an entire army of mers. Either surrender or face me like a warrior!"


    He was ignored by Syryn who continued to stare at his hand like he was in a trance. Rowan was slightly worried by the aura that Syryn was giving off. It wasn''t like the mage at all.. Even without his memories, Syryn had still felt like Syryn but right now, there was something suspiciously un-Syryn like about him.

 Chapter 263 - Carnage

    [This feels so familiar.]


    The flow of mana?


    [Yes!]


    You are a mage after all. You''ve used magic all your life and know it intimately.


    [But you made me forget.]


    Yes, I had to.


    [Why?]


    Someone or something has altered your memories. I had to make you forget so that I could rearrange your memories to how they should be.


    [What? How strange. Is it an easy task to alter memories?]


    No. We can''t speak more about it. Stop asking questions and focus on the spell because we are about to have an army fall upon us right now.


    The news of their dire situation was calmly delivered by the sage.


    [Are we taking on the entire army?! I was saving Levia for this.]


    Unnecessary. These are mere trifles compared to the enemies I had to face back in my days.


    The sage started boasting even though he had told Syryn to pay attention to the spell.


    I tamed Levia with my powers. What I am about to show you is but a fraction of we are capable of, Syryn Nigh''hart. Watch and learn.


    The mer King had given his signal. The army of mers began surrounding the humans so that there was no route for their escape. There were armoured mers circling around and above them. The trident was back in the mer King''s hand. The satisfied look on his face though was turning into something less confident.


    He could see that Syryn''s little thread of water had grown into a thick rope in less than a minute since the mage had started channelling.


    On the other hand, Rowan was completely fascinated by what the mage was doing. He wanted to make a move but he could feel it inside him that Syryn was about to do something amazing. Internally, the anti mage was getting antsy, urging the mage to hurry up because Rowan would be forced to do something about the enclosing mers who were out for blood. He would rather see what damage Syryn was going to pull off.


    There we go.


    The water around Syryn started spinning violently.


    [Don''t hit Rowan!]


    I had forgotten about him.


    "You," the sage pointed to Rowan. He beckoned for the anti mage to come to him. A lull in the spinning allowed Rowan to swiftly move and join Syryn within his zone of safety.


    The mers were now very close to the duo. They could sense the danger that the humans posed to them. A spear was flung with great force and it came through the water wall, straight at Syryn.


    Rowan deftly caught the spear an inch away from Syryn''s face. The water sped up again and though more spears were thrown at them, the weapons were destroyed by the wall of now violent tornado of water.


    To the dismay of the king, Syryn didn''t just stop at creating a tornadic water spout, there were tiny shards of ice forming in the water. The danger level had suddenly spiked.


    "RUN!" He shouted to the mers, "GET AWAY FROM THE HUMANS!"


    But they couldn''t hear him.


    The King rapidly backed away and mounted his shark. As soon as he turned in the opposite direction with his mount, he heard a thundering sound and then screams of his damned soldiers.


    The King did not look behind him. He knew he would see carnage.


    The other mers ahead of him were also madly scrambling away from whatever was coming behind the fleeing mer king. There was a loud roar in his ears and then a flash of searing pain. The mer king was flung from his mount and the skin was torn off of his flesh by Syryn''s brutal attack.


    [Pull back, there might be innocent young mers mixed in with the fleeing nobles.]


    You should have told me before I released the spell. It is too late now to retract the magic.


    Syryn hoped that there were no children or young mers in the crowd. He hoped their parents were sensible enough to protect the young ones with their own bodies.


    The violent water spout with suspended bits of ice in them travelled out across a wide area, engulfing all the mers that hadn''t escaped fast enough. When it dissipated, the ocean floor was littered with the bodies of mers still alive but injured to such a degree that they lay unmoving on the ocean floor. The water had a tint of red from all the blood that was getting mixed in. Sand pulled up the water spout was very slowly falling back to the ocean floor and clouding the already murky water. Detritus from the ocean floor along with broken pieces of rocks, corals, and weapons floated through the tinted water.


    Syryn could hear the painful moans and groans being let out by the injured mers.


    [Neat trick, old man.]


    Syryn didn''t receive a reply. The sage had gone back to being a silent spectator.


    "Who taught you that, Ryn?" Rowan asked from beside the mage. He sounded fairly impressed. This was his first time seeing Syryn perform water magic and it had been quite the show.


    "An old man," the mage replied. He smiled while surveying the damage that had been wrought upon the army of mers. It was astounding just how many of them were prone and laid out like a carpet for Syryn.


    "You''ll tell me about this later. I want to know everything."


    "How bossy," Syryn replied. "Sure I''ll tell you."


    The blond had saved his skin twice. Syryn''s trust in Rowan had grown rapidly. He considered the blond a trustworthy ally. Rather than words, the blond''s actions had moved the mage.


    "What do you wish to do now, Ryn? If there''s nothing else, let''s leave."


    "I have to pass on a few words to the king. We can leave after that." The mage looked at the seemingly neverending carpet of bodies littered before them. "But how am I supposed to find him among all these bodies?"


    "I saw the direction he was thrown towards by your attack.. Come with me," Rowan said to Syryn as he held out his hand for the mage to take.

 Chapter 264 - Kill Yourself

    "Where''s your satchel, Ryn?" Rowan asked as they headed towards the injured mer king.


    "I don''t know. They took it away from me when I was imprisoned. Maybe I should ask the king."


    "You''ll have better luck questioning his attendants."


    The duo found the king being tended to by a mer who was himself in a similarly wounded state. Both had large swathes of their skin ripped off by the force of water. The attack had also inflicted deep cuts that kept bleeding out like a leaking faucet.


    "Who are you, really?" The mer king asked the mage. He sounded weary, resigned to his defeat.


    "Honestly, I don''t know myself. What I do know is that I''m now the new king of Silisia." Syryn leisurely reached out to pluck the crown right off the mer''s head. "I''ll be taking this, thank you very much."


    Syryn placed the crown on his head though its circumference exceeded the dimensions of his head. The gold crown slipped down over the mage''s forehead.


    "I appoint your son, Drevin, as the proxy king of Silisia while I am away," Syryn informed him. "And as for you, I think the sirens would appreciate my efforts when I hand you over to them."


    "No!" The mer king growled. "I would rather die here than become a servant to the-"


    "Then kill yourself."


    Syryn''s heavy-lidded eyes gazed at the mer king without warmth.


    "Execute yourself with your trident."


    The mer king''s hand was tight around his weapon. His pride had been crushed and he was forced to relinquish his crown to the monster that he himself had imprisoned in Silisia. He had thought the human weak and soft. The mer rued the day he had allowed Syryn to be brought to his kingdom.


    "The saviour of Silisia... How are you the saviour?!" The mer bellowed in rage. "My men are lying bathed in their own blood. Is that what a saviour does?!"


    Rowan was confused by the mer''s words because he hadn''t heard of the prophecy.


    Syryn removed the crown from his head and examined the turquoise coloured gems on it as he answered the deposed king.


    "This is karmic retribution for murdering the oracle. Did you think that you would face no consequences for your actions? I am the saviour of Silisia. I''ve saved this place from a foolish king. And did you know? This kingdom was scheduled for complete annihilation by the leviathan. But now that I''m here, the crisis has been averted."


    How did Syryn know? The sage had told him. His spiritual control over the leviathan had been waning after the sage''s death. With Syryn taking the reins, their bond with Levia was being mended. It would only solidify and strengthen more with time.


    "How do you know that?!" The deposed king asked.


    "I''ll tell the answer as you breathe your last breaths. Come to think of it, I don''t even know your name. But I suppose it doesn''t matter."


    Syryn crouched beside the mer. He touched the mer king''s wrist, eliciting a negative reaction from the mer. He seemed almost fearful.


    The mage wrapped his fingers around the king''s wrist and guided his hand upwards till the trident was directly pointed at the mer''s throat.


    "It''s your decision," Syryn softly told him. "Let it not be said that I forced the former king of Silisia to commit suicide."


    Rowan felt sorry for the predicament that the mer king had fallen into. He wasn''t sorry enough to rescue him but he could sympathise with having to choose between two terrible evils.


    "You''re a demon," he spat at Syryn, unaware of how right he was.


    "I know," Syryn replied. He let go of the mer''s wrist and stood back up. "Hurry up and die."


    The light dimmed in the mer''s eyes. He had decided how he was going to die. The mer closed his eyes and gathered strength for what he was about to do. Then with a great roar, he lunged at Rowan, expecting the man to kill him like he had the others when the guard had attacked Syryn.


    The anti mage evaded the mer''s attack with ease. He had understood the intentions of the mer and acted accordingly.


    "You should have attacked me," Syryn told the merman. "Maybe then Rowan would have fulfilled your wish."


    Bloodied as he was, the mer rose to his full length. "You''ll have to kill me before I allow myself to be handed over as a slave to the sirens!"


    Syryn thought about the man on the island who was looking for him. The mer was really wasting his time. Refusing to kill himself and refusing to become a slave, who did he think he was?


    "Levia, show yourself," Syryn loudly called out towards where he knew the leviathan was buried.


    A terrifying but cute head popped out of the sand and she came swimming towards Syryn like lightning.


    The mers who saw her recoiled in horror. Small as she was, it was clear as day that she was the monster that had damaged Silisia.


    "I have somewhere to be," he told Levia. "Follow this mer and make sure he doesn''t leave Silisia. I''ll inform the sirens so they can come to pick him up in a few days."


    With the threat of a Leviathan guarding the kingdom, he knew that the sirens would not have the guts to attack Silisia even if they were informed of its current defenceless state.


    "Levia, be good while I''m gone. And you," Syryn eyed the helpless king. "You''ll never escape her, you know that, don''t you?"


    The mer was filled with anger but with no way to vent it. His fury showed in his silent unfiltered glare.


    "You have a few days to take action. Have a nice time with Levia."


    Saying so, Syryn turned around and looked for an attendant when he spotted a siren watching him from a distance. Smiling, Syryn headed towards Enkansh.. The siren could help him find his missing satchel.

 Chapter 265 - Blue Skies

    Rowan and Syryn were back on the surface, taking off their wet clothing on a ship whose captain had been beset with anxiety as the crew waited for their missing leader.


    Rowan had a towel around his waist and was using another to briskly rub at his wet hair. Syryn though was content to sunbathe with only a pair of shorts on. He had been underwater for so long that the sun''s kiss on his skin left him feeling warm and tingly. He pitied the mers who had never felt the sun on their skin and the wind in their hair. But that was going to change because Drevin was the proxy king that Syryn had chosen. Enkansh had been left with instructions and a crown in his hand. The mage wondered what the siren would do since he was no longer a sub citizen of Silisia.


    "Sir, what should we do about the mermaid? She''s creating a ruckus in there."


    "What mermaid?" Syryn was first to reply.


    The sailor looked at Rowan.


    "We captured a mermaid for purposes of interrogation," Rowan replied as he handed the towel to the sailor. "She said some things that didn''t sit well with me so I had her locked up."


    "What were you intending to do to her?" Syryn curiously asked.


    "Kill her. But it''s no longer necessary." The anti mage spoke to the sailor who was still waiting for instructions. "Release her back into the water. Get the others and make sure you''re all armed while tossing her overboard. And tell the navigator that we''re heading to Coop as soon as possible."


    Rowan then peaked at the almost naked Syryn. The young man was as pale as the moon since he hadn''t properly seen the sun in two months.


    "You know, it''s considered rude to stare like that."


    The anti mage''s glance travelled up Syryn''s body and met eyes with the mage who appeared bashful.


    "I apologise for my rudeness," he took Syryn''s hand and lifted it to his lips.


    Aquamarine eyes were locked with violet. Syryn''s heart fluttered and the butterflies in his stomach suddenly exploded. Was this love? What was love? The bubble of happiness that surrounded him was burst by a creeping thought that this wasn''t real. Syryn didn''t doubt Rowan but the reality was that he was a man without his memories. If there was any chance that this relationship was a lie then Syryn would be heartbroken when he remembered.


    Even so, he was starting to like Rowan far too much to let go. The mage made up his mind that whatever happened, Rowan would be his. He would turn the lie into truth.


    "What are you thinking about?" Rowan asked Syryn.


    "You know I don''t remember anything."


    The anti maged hummed in response. Syryn''s long wet hair was plastered back against his head. He was breathtaking and Rowan loved every inch of Syryn.


    "Will you remember?"


    "Yes," Syryn''s gaze slowly lowered to Rowan''s lips. There were a few sailors curiously watching them. He couldn''t shamelessly kiss the blond right in front of them.


    "How are you so sure?"


    "It''s a long story." The naysayer in Syryn told him to shut up and stop trusting so easily just because the man turned his stomach to jelly. "Some old sage passed on his inheritance to me and I can hear his voice in my head. He is the one that caused my memories to be locked away." The mage glanced at the blond''s navel. Rowan had killer abs that tempted him to skim his hands over. "And he told me that my memories will return."


    Rowan frowned. "And can you really trust this sage?"


    "I don''t have a choice. He has my memories hostage." Syryn thought about how awful it would be to never get back what was taken from him. "I want to remember what it was like meeting you for the first time, becoming rivals, and then this."


    The blond felt a little guilty about not telling Syryn the true nature of the relationship they had when they''d first met. But if he told the mage the truth, Syryn would have probably trusted him less.


    "Ask him how much longer till you remember?"


    "He only speaks to me when he''s in the mood for it. I''ll ask him when he shows up."


    The anti mage sighed and worriedly looked at his lover. Syryn just couldn''t catch a break. It was one thing after the other. He did not doubt that Syryn would have gotten out of the Silisian mess even without his help. He had his quick wits, a sharp mind, and a Leviathan that could flatten the mer kingdom if Syryn told her to. It assuaged some of the insecurity and concerns he had for Syryn''s safety. He wasn''t Syryn''s mother, Rowan reminded himself. No one was going to like being smothered by their lover. He did not want to restrict Syryn''s freedom but it was hard for him to not feel like shutting his lover away from the world and its dangers.


    "We''re heading to Coop?" Syryn asked when Rowan remained silent.


    "We are. It''s a dangerous place-"


    "You''ve told me. I feel safe with you though."


    Rowan was immeasurably pleased to know that.


    "Is there a way to send a message to the sirens?"


    Rowan nodded. "I can arrange that."


    "I need a quill and some papers."


    "It''s in your bag," Rowan replied, reaching for the satchel that was hanging on a hook while they dried off.


    "What else is in my bag?" Syryn asked. It was a question to gauge how close they were. If Rowan knew a lot about what was in his satchel then it meant that the man was the real deal. Or something. Anyway, it was a fun game for Syryn to play.


    "Hmmm, let me see. I seem to recall that you took an item of mine before leaving home." A spark of amusement lit up the blue eyes that were bluer than the clear skies above them. "A white silk shirt with pearl buttons."


    "That was yours?" Syryn asked, surprised. If he was carrying around Rowan''s shirt then it meant...


    "Was?"


    "I wore it and then lost it. I''m sorry, Rowan." It had been a beautiful thing too. Syryn was sorry to lose it.


    "It''s alright. I can always replace it. It''s you that I can never replace, Ryn. Don''t lose yourself," Rowan softly told him.. "I''m waiting for you to remember us."

 Chapter 266 - Knowing Rowan

    "So I''m an alchemist AND a healer. Was I any good at either profession?"


    "One of the best at both. But you never got certified for either because you refused to play by the rules of society."


    "I guess that sounds like something I would do."


    Nightfall was peaceful when the ocean was peaceful. A calm wind pushed the ship along over the ocean''s rhythmic waves. Syryn and Rowan were sitting at the bow of the ship. The former was leaning back to admire the stars that dotted the sky like diamonds.


    Rowan had a glass of alcohol in his hand, provided by the ship''s captain. He wasn''t drinking much of it though because Syryn who had refused the alcohol was taking sips out of Rowan''s cup. The anti mage had assumed that Syryn was being careful about what he excepted from strangers but he couldn''t be more wrong about it. The mage just wanted to share a cup with Rowan.


    "Tell me more about my brother."


    Rowan smiled. What could he say about Lucien without alarming Syryn?


    "Red hair, ruby eyes, fiery temper, and a mouth that spits out insults that hurt your soul. Lucien is quite the character. He''s the only one who has the ability to bully you when you allow it."


    Syryn was intrigued. "Why does he sound like a troublemaker?"


    "Because he is. You adopted him after rescuing the kid from a slave caravan." Rowan took a tiny sip from the cup.


    "I can''t wait to meet him," Syryn replied. This little brother sounded like someone fun. The mage took the cup of alcohol from Rowan''s hand and put it up to his mouth. He placed his lips right where Rowan had.


    That was the third time that Syryn did it. His actions didn''t go unnoticed by the antimage. After Syryn had a sip, Rowan took the cup and placed it to his side. The anti mage''s fingertips skimmed the back of Syryn''s neck and pulled in him for a kiss.


    _____


    Syryn fell asleep on the deck, leaning against Rowan. The anti mage carried the mage into the cabin he occupied. The bed wasn''t very big but Rowan liked it that way. He could squeeze in with Syryn and hug the mage as they slept. The ship''s side to side motions lulled even the anti mage into sleep despite the discomfort in his body. It wasn''t easy to suppress the heat he was feeling since it had been a very long time that he''d held his lover that way.


    ____


    The next day, Rowan told Syryn about Artemus and how he had ended up at Coop island. He spared the details about how Syryn and Artemus had a history. It wasn''t important because everyone had already moved on from it. Syryn also learnt about Alka, Magnus, Salem, Riha, and the others he had befriended.


    "I''m rich! I have a business, a partner, a mansion, and money," Syryn looked at the blond. "I can take care of you when we get married."


    Rowan nodded. "I''ll be under your care then."


    After a good clean bath, the blond was even more stunning than the first time Syryn had seen him. He was in a clean white shirt and his hair had been brushed back. Rowan''s gold hair was thick and smooth. Syryn resented how noble the man looked. His genetics practically made it effortless.


    "You''re rich aren''t you?" Syryn accused. "You look like a rich boy."


    "What are you talking about?" Rowan replied. No one had ever said that to him. Was Syryn implying that he appeared like a spoilt rich son?


    "I don''t know. I can''t quite put my finger on it but something about you gives off a vibe of opulence and grandeur." The mage narrowed his eyes and eyed the simply dressed man.


    "It''s rude to stare, Ryn."


    "I got it!" Syryn declared. "Your clothing is simple but look at the quality of it!" He ran his fingers over the cloth covering Rowan''s abdomen. "It''s luxurious. I''ve seen what the others were wearing and nothing comes close to the stuff you wear. Your clothing is simple but it''s also expensive. Your hair is well-groomed, and your skin is-"


    "You''ve proved your point," Rowan stated with a chuckle.


    "So do you love me?" Syryn abruptly asked.


    "I do."


    Syryn nodded, smiling like a man that had won the World. "I''m going to wrestle the memories away from the sage so I remember you, Rowan. And then I can tell you that I love you too!"


    The anti mage''s heart skipped a beat. He had been longing to be told that Syryn too loved him just as much.


    "Make it happen fast, Ryn."


    _______


    Halfway through the journey, Rowan decided to sleep on the couch. Sharing a bed with Syryn had been keeping him up for long hours.


    The mage was upset about their change in sleeping arrangements. Syryn understood why Rowan had switched to the couch. The mage would be lying if he said that he was unaffected by Rowan''s proximity to his body. Even so, taking the tentative relationship into the next step was difficult for him. Rowan was too special for Syryn to be treating him like a warm body he could use to satisfy his needs. Rowan deserved to be remembered and given the same amount of love that Syryn could see in the blond''s every tender action towards him.


    That first night of separation was a difficult one for Syryn because he had gotten used to being held by Rowan as they slept. The man''s unique scent had a way of comforting Syryn. It made him nostalgic for something he couldn''t remember. Was Rowan having an equally sleepless night? The mage looked at the man on the couch whose eyes were shut. A few slats of moonlight fell across his chest which rose and fell like a person in deep sleep.


    Syryn sighed.


    [Sage, please talk to me.]


    About what?


    [Anything. I can''t sleep.]


    You aren''t even trying.

 Chapter 267 - Sage

    [When will I remember my past?]


    Even I am unable to tell. There are parts locked away so deep and protected by a power that I can''t get past without triggering its protective mechanisms. You have been touched by a deity, Syryn. Did you know that?


    Another indication to Syryn that he was no normal person. Right now though, only Rowan mattered.


    [No, but thanks for telling me. Rowan must know something about it. Give me something, sage. A small morsel. I want to remember Rowan even if it''s just an image of him eating breakfast.]


    I''m afraid I cannot. It has to be all or nothing. I can make you remember but at the cost of never having access to what is hidden. If I don''t remove the protection on it, nobody else can.


    [But the deity can, right? Since they were the one that hid it.]


    Yes. So do you want to forego the chance to have access to it? I am ready to return your memories if you wish to have them.


    [I''ll have to think about it.]


    Should he talk to Rowan about it?


    [Can you teach me how to use the other powers I have?]


    I can. You''re a mage with an affinity for ice, darkness, fire, and now water. You must know though that you were not born with fire in you. You were blessed with it by a deity. The one who put the fire brand on your arm is the person who blessed you with fire.


    [I thought that was just an interesting birthmark.]


    You have led a peculiar life, Syryn. I am now even more curious to see what is hidden in your mind.


    [Do you think the memories were hidden by the same deity who blessed me with fire?]


    We won''t know till I unravel it.


    [How complicated.]


    The mage sighed. He thought he was just a simple rich talented businessman but that was just the surface of it. He was embroiled in the machinations of some deity whose intentions were unclear.


    [How did you find me? And why did you get inside my head?]


    I''ve been searching for a successor and so I found you. I knew where you would be crossing paths with me so I hid myself in a fertility idol. That is how we met.


    [Why me?]


    You are the only second person in a very very long time to be born with a third eye. I was the first. You were destined to meet me, Syryn. We are linked by the gift of being born with an eye that sees past the veil.


    [It was shocking enough knowing I had a third eye but then I found out you ate it.] A bit of Syryn''s aversion got broadcasted to the sage. Whichever way he looked at it, it was a bit gross.


    Your third eye was underdeveloped. Imagine having a withered stump instead of a functioning hand. Useless and a burden. That eye fed on your magic but gave you nothing for it.


    [But did you really eat it?]


    I absorbed it.


    [And?]


    And nothing. What do you expect to gain from a useless eye?


    [Hey! That was still part of me.]


    Useless is useless. Sugarcoating my words won''t change the fact that your eye was useless.


    [Whatever. Are you stuck inside me forever?]


    No. There isn''t enough room here for the both of us.


    [So you''re going to disappear one day.]


    Ideally yes. But I want to stay and watch how the world changes. We will find a way to transfer my consciousness to another vessel.


    [I''m not going to help you body snatch from a living human if that''s what you''re implying.]


    We shall see. I won''t compel you to do anything you do not wish to.


    [Good. Now tell me something about yourself. You know everything about me but I don''t even know your name. Am I supposed to keep calling you sage?]


    Yes. It has been so long that my name no longer matters. I lived thousands of years as a serpent. Back then, the oceans were nothing like it is today. Levia was just one of the few of many leviathans that lived and hunted in the waters. There was one known as Yamon. He was the biggest creature to have ever lived in the water. Yamon woke up every decade to eat as much as he could before he slept again for another decade.


    [What did he eat?]


    Everything. Levia could have easily become his meal even at her size.


    [How big was this guy?!]


    Four times the size of Levia.


    [That''s insane! How did Yamon die?]


    He grew old and arrogant. And I killed him by entering his ear and scrambling his brain while he lay asleep.


    [It was that easy to kill him?]


    Every creature in the ocean feared him. Even the leviathans avoided Yamon. How could you expect the smaller creatures to approach him, much less have ideas about killing him?


    Syryn was impressed. The sage had used his size and courage to do the unthinkable.


    [Why did you decide to kill Yamon?]


    I found his presence annoying.


    [Seriously?]


    And I wanted to drink of his strength. Killing him made me more powerful.


    That - Syryn could believe.


    [Is that how you became so strong? By killing those more powerful than you?]


    Yes. I killed many and absorbed their strength.


    [Were there others like you doing the same?]


    No. Only I had the third eye. It enabled me to grow from a sea serpent into- something else.


    [Yes?]


    Go to sleep. Your partner is awake and you''re disturbing him.


    [Bullshit! I''m not making a sound. I''m not even moving.]


    The sage was silent.


    [Coming and going as you like. You''ve truly made my head your home, haven''t you?]


    The mage kept grumbling to himself as he threw away the blanket that covered him. Syryn padded over silently to the couch and got on top of Rowan. Chest to chest, the mage stretched himself out over the anti mage and waited to be acknowledged.


    The blond opened sleepy eyes and smiled at the mischievous man lying atop him.


    "Can''t sleep?"


    "No," Syryn softly replied. "I missed you. Come to bed with me."


    The anti mage was quiet as he thumbed Syryn''s cheek.


    "Okay."

 Chapter 268 - Buccaneers

    Syryn had a lot of time on his hands. He used it to think while the ship continued en route towards Coop Island. Waking up without any memories on a ship and then immediately being kidnapped by mermen had been a jarring experience. The days that followed had Syryn feeling insecure about his life and future. But after the events he''d endured in Silisia, the mage had found his confidence and was feeling more comfortable and secure in his skin.


    During the day, he found an isolated area on the ship where he meditated and reacquainted himself with his powers. The sage helped the process along like a guide showing Syryn around a neighbourhood he used to live in and had all but forgotten its roads. Rowan sometimes watched but most of his time was spent reading.


    "How many more days?" Syryn asked the anti mage.


    "Three more days."


    The crew met its first hostile pirate ship that day.


    "Sir, pirates on the horizon. Do we engage them?" A slightly worried captain asked Rowan who was sunbathing with a book in his hand.


    "Pirates? Allow them to come closer," Rowan replied as he turned a page of his book.


    Syryn, who preferred to sit in the shade, peered at the title of the book that the blond was reading. It was a guide to growing common magical plants. He was intrigued to find out that the anti mage was a gardening fan.


    The excited pirates approaching the ship were wondering why the crewmen on their targeted ship weren''t showing signs of alarm. The captain of the pirate ship was a shrewd man. He had sailed the high seas for thirty-seven years and knew a troublesome ship when he saw one. The sight of a relaxed blond man on the deck, leisurely sunbathing and reading a book caught his eye.


    Not worth the trouble, he decided.


    Syryn saw the pirate ship that was headed towards them change course and sail in the same direction but leaving a good amount of distance between them. His violet eyes turned to the anti mage and grinned. He wanted to know just powerful the man was and had hoped that the pirates would attack them. Unfortunately, the pirates had been deterred by the blond without his lifting a finger.


    "How boring," he loudly declared. Syryn leaned back in his chair, hands resting behind his head.


    Blue eyes lazily glanced up. "Go for a swim."


    "I''d rather not. The view is nice from over here," Syryn replied. His eyes were on Rowan the entire time, a small smile lifting the edges of his lips.


    The ship''s captain hurriedly left the deck when he realised that dog food was on the menu.


    ____


    The same evening, Syryn''s wish came true. Another pirate ship appeared. It was a smaller one built for speed and stealth. Its captain wasn''t as astute as the captain of the first ship that had met them.


    Syryn was sitting in the crow''s nest with a lookout beside him when the pirate ship sailed right towards them. Rowan wasn''t on deck but he was alerted by the navigator.


    Syryn saw a blond head appear through a door. Rowan leaned against the railing of the deck on his arms. The wind was warm and salty. It ruffled his hair and clean white shirt.


    The pirates were given no warning. An invisible force split the doomed ship right through its centre. An unlucky pirate standing in the course of Rowan''s attack was split with the ship. Massive amounts of panic and confusion followed the screaming as the pirate ship began to sink. The captain stared in disbelief as he went down with his ship. He was jolted to action by another pirate who led the captain to their escape boat.


    "Unlucky sons of bastards," Syryn heard his companion mutter.


    He seconded that opinion. Rowan was a force to be reckoned with. How the hell had he defeated the man during their younger days of rivalry? Was he just as powerful as Rowan? He didn''t think so. Syryn was okay with that as long as Rowan remained on good terms with him.


    ___


    By the time they reached the shores of Coop, Rowan had sunk nine more pirate ships. The crew was coming across many pirate ships because they were now closer to Coop Island. After the second sinking, the crew cheered when they caught sight of a pirate ship. The men on deck would alert their mates who would leave whatever work they were doing just to get on the deck and watch Rowan sink another ship.


    The pirates who were used to hostility and alertness from their targets were immensely confused by the sight of excited sailors cheering like a welcome party for the pirates.


    After the fifth ship, the sailors grew bold and heckled at the next pirate ship they came across. To be heckled by unarmed sailors enraged the pirates. Then they sunk like a rock.


    At meeting the tenth ship, Rowan got cheeky and stayed inside the cabin despite being alerted about an approaching pirate ship. As it got closer and closer, the sailors sweated because they were ill-prepared for defence. The men had been busy getting ready to spectate, not fight. Rowan''s inaction caused a flurry of motion amongst the crew. And right before the fight began, Rowan stepped out and took care of business but not without enjoying the looks of misery that were upon the faces of his crewmen.


    And that had been the last pirate ship to cross their path.


    The midday sun was high up on an island whose shores were dotted with crowded houses that stood upon stilts where the water was shallow. Several pirate ships were anchored at the harbour that was built like it had been broken and fixed several times by builders with different ideas about how it should look like.


    "We''re finally here," the captain informed the blond. Their fearlessness had been replaced by caution and alertness. Rowan was a juggernaut but even numbers could overwhelm him. Or that''s what the sailors thought.


    Syryn spied a boat coming towards them. A lone oarsman steered the boat while another man stood on it and stared at Syryn as they headed towards the ship.


    "Negotiate with him," Rowan informed the captain. "Tell the man we''re buying a spot at the first gate."


    There were three gates that ships could anchor at.. The first gate was the best spot as it was closest to the harbour and it came with protection from the Queensmen''s faction which controlled the harbour.

 Chapter 269 - Lamb Stew

    "It''s not often that we see a ship like yours come to our shores," the man standing on the boat said to the captain with an easy smile. He had a long face and sharp eyes.


    "We''re just here looking to buy a few items unique to Coop," the captain replied.


    "Any friends around here waiting for you?" The man was indirectly asking the captain whose protection his crew was under. Ordinary ships didn''t just get to Coop unmolested by pirates unless they were carrying a token from one of the factions.


    "Yes," the captain replied. He wasn''t obliged to tell the man which faction he was paying off. That was a rule set to protect trading ships from being attacked, not that it worked if the pirates of a faction were inclined to cause trouble for a ship. Still, it was mostly peaceful because maintaining the status quo benefitted the factions. Aside from small fights that often broke out, major wars were avoided. Those only happened when takeovers took place.


    The man on the boat smirked. "Right, how long do you intend to stay here?"


    "A day or two. We''ll get our items and leave as soon as we do."


    The man looked up and down the ship and at the few crewmen that were standing with the captain. "Gate?" He asked.


    "One."


    It was a good response. It showed that the captain knew how things were done here and that he had money. Rich traders. The man on the boat made a note of the ship''s name, Strider, and decided he would make enquiries about which faction it was dealing with.


    A very large sum of money was handed over to the man. The captain paid for two days of anchorage. He then caught a gold token that the man tossed from the boat. "Bella welcomes you to Coop. Stay safe, sailors." It was an ominous warning that came with a chilling smile. The boat slowly drifted away, its passenger standing like a statue facing the Strider.


    "What a creepy man," Syryn remarked as their ship headed towards its destination.


    Rowan lightly placed his hand on the small of Syryn''s back. "Toss him over with a wave if you feel like it, water mage."


    Syryn grinned. It sounded like a good idea. Rowan was an enabler giving him bad ideas that he very much liked.


    ____


    The docks were a bustling and noisy place filled with shouts and whistles. Syryn saw dockers carrying loads, and fat wharf rats scurrying around looking for food. Their ship had no unloading to do so the crewmen stayed aboard while Rowan and Syryn disembarked.


    Being a pair of very attractive people, the duo fascinated the people at the docks. It wasn''t often that they saw such clean and good looking folks come by their island.


    Rowan had decided to step out of the ship without any disguises because it was his objective to be seen and talked about. If word spread about him and Syryn, Artemus would no doubt heart about it and find them from wherever he was hiding at. The blond didn''t intend to stay at the island a minute longer than necessary. As soon they were found by the dark-haired anti mage, they would leave. But he would also have to do some shopping so as to not make the pirates suspicious. After claiming that they were here to trade, if they left the island without any goods, there would be trouble. As it was, they were already deliberately attracting the attention of everyone with their stunning good looks.


    "Stick close to me, Ryn," Rowan told the mage while pulling him closer.


    Syryn interpreted the words literally and walked beside Rowan like a Siamese twin.


    "Where are we going?" Syryn asked Rowan.


    "A pub where we can buy information," the blond replied.


    "What information?" Weren''t they here just acting as bait to attract Artemus?


    The blond stopped in his tracks and looked down at his feet where a trail of blood began. His eyes tracked the blood that led down the path they were walking on and turned around a corner into a dirty alley. It wasn''t his business.


    "We''re being followed," he mouthed to Syryn though it was likely that the mage had already noticed. Being followed while walking the streets of Coop was an expected and normal occurrence.


    Syryn and Rowan stuck out like sore thumbs. Every step of the way, they were stared at by the locals. Too fine, too confident, too suspicious.


    "Should we kill?" Syryn asked. He was of the opinion that they should kill in front of eyewitnesses so that people knew not to mess with them.


    Rowan shook his head. "We don''t want trouble, Ryn. If we strike first, they will consider it a provocation and we''ll have our hands full of hostile Queensmen. Attack only when attacked first."


    Syryn accepted Rowan''s reasoning. The blond was capable of ploughing down all the Queensmen but chose subtlety over a show of power. He had to learn from the man. If Rowan wasn''t around, Syryn thought about what he might have already done to the person stalking them.


    "Isn''t stalking considered a sign of provocation?" He said in a low voice.


    "We''re going in here," Rowan wisely redirected Syryn''s attention to the pub. Coop island was a violent place. But Coop was a violent place filled with rich criminals and folks whose lives revolved around stealing and spending money on alcohol, drugs, and prostitutes. It wasn''t the run down decrepit town that the mage had imagined. The island was an amalgamation of rich buildings rising above shanty looking buildings.


    The pub they entered was one of the nicer ones. Rowan and Syryn took a seat against the wall that was next to a window and afforded a clear vision of the door.


    "What can I get you, gentlemen?" The man at the bar asked as he used a brown cloth to wipe down a glass cup.


    "Honey mead, and some food. Lamb stew if you still have some," Rowan answered.


    The man continued to wipe his cup. The pub was mostly empty save for another customer who was seated in the shadows.


    Syryn thought it was oddly specific that Rowan was ordering lamb stew.


    "That was last week''s speciality," the man replied without glancing in their direction.


    "We''ve been out at sea for a month, caught by a squall. It''s unfortunate that you''ve changed the menu but I''m craving lamb stew and will pay good money for it," Rowan said as he looked straight into the bartender''s eyes.


    Silence stretched between the two till the bartender finished wiping his glass. He put it down with a thud.


    "Newcomers?" He asked Rowan.


    The blond dipped his head.


    "I hear that there''s to be a hanging tomorrow. It''s a good omen for a newcomer."


    "How so?"


    "Public executions like this are rare because Bella prefers that her men take care of business privately. There hasn''t been a public execution since the Queensmen took control. It''s a good omen, isn''t it?"


    Syryn didn''t think so.


    "What crime is this person getting hanged for?" Rowan asked. If Bella was making a spectacle of it then it meant that the criminal was special.


    "The crime of spying," the bartender replied, picking up another glass to wipe. "A sanguine spy that Bella has been sniffing out for many months."


    Syryn stared at the ugly writing gouged out on the table. Artemus was Sanguine. Rowan had told him so. But hadn''t Artemus arrived after Syryn had gone missing?


    The blond chuckled.. "A good omen it is."

 Chapter 270 - Toll

    The duo left the pub after their meal. Their stalker resumed his tailing when they exited the door and began walking aimlessly.


    "Bad omen," Syryn whispered. "You think it could be Artemus?"


    "Could be Robin. She''s been working undercover for a year now. Artemus'' arrival is too recent for Bella to have been searching for him."


    "What do we do then?"


    "We attend the execution. If the victim is Robin then I''m certain that Artemus must already be looking for a way to free her."


    Syryn and Rowan bought a room at an inn that charged an arm and a leg for a single night''s stay. After receiving the key to the room, the duo went out to further explore the island on the side of Bella''s territory.


    Dusk had arrived on the island when they headed out. The streets were getting darker as there were no torches to provide illumination.


    "I hope you know where you''re taking us," Syryn commented. Rowan had led him past three turns and the scenery still looked the same. They were in an area that smelled like urine and something very foul. The mage pinched his nostrils and made a face at the anti mage who was unfazed by the eye-watering stench that assaulted their noses. Syryn was grateful for the rapidly diminishing light because the place was a hovel. Human excrement could be found lying on the streets like it was a part of the scenery. Occasionally, they passed by a person but even the people looked dirty, unwashed and smelled ripe.


    "We''re taking a shortcut, Ryn. Sometimes you have to pay a small price to get to your destination faster."


    "Are we in a hurry for something?"


    "The market closes soon."


    Syryn had stepped on something that made a squelching sound but he feared looking down at what he had placed his foot upon. A quick glance and he regretted it. It was a rotting eyeball. He was disgusted beyond measure.


    "Couldn''t we have just visited another market or postponed it for tomorrow?" He grumbled. He was going to buy a new pair of shoes.


    "I apologise, Ryn. It''s my first time here as well. The map I bought from the barkeeper said nothing about this place being a health hazard. We''ll take the longer route on our way back. As for postponing the shopping, we might have to run interference at the execution if it''s one of ours being hanged. I cannot predict what course of action we might have to take post rescue."


    "Our ship is at the harbour, surrounded by Bella''s people. We are not getting out safely- never mind" Syryn interrupted himself because he remembered that they had a Rowan on their side. A lot of blood would be shed on the pirate''s end but they were getting out alive and unhurt. Syryn felt his shoulders lighten. Their chance for escape was a hundred per cent. And if they had Levia with them, it would have been a two hundred per cent. He followed Rowan while wondering about the mer king. Had he killed himself? Or had the sirens taken him?


    With Levia guarding him, there was absolutely no escape for the mer king. If that happened, Syryn would eat the shoe that had stepped on the rotting eyeball.


    "Ryn, up ahead," he heard Rowan tell him. His wandering mind came back to the present. They were at a beach where shops were set up on the ground. Sellers had laid out plain carpets and cloths upon which their wares were set up.


    The duo walked on but then a shadow stepped across their path.


    "Newcomers," the man before them declared. It was too dark to see his face clearly but he wore a scarf around his forehead.


    Syryn stepped closer to Rowan and put himself behind the blond''s back. He wasn''t tall enough to look past Rowan''s shoulders so he had to peek from the side.


    "Everyone pays the toll for getting inside there," the man stuck his thumb out behind him to the market. "Five hundred thousand-"


    "We''re not paying so step aside or bring your men out," Rowan informed him. "We''re in a hurry." The barkeep had told him about the tolls he could expect to come across on the island. They weren''t mandatory if Rowan and Syryn were willing to muscle it out against the pirates.


    The thug looked unsure about what to do next. The cool confidence that the blond man exuded could not be faked. So either he was a damn good actor or he wasn''t afraid of them. If it was the latter, it meant that the person they were attempting to extort had the means to fight them off.


    Rowan waited patiently for the man to make a decision. Light from the torches cast their illumination on Rowan and Syryn, letting the thug see how different they were from the others that frequented the place.


    The thug felt a deep sense of inferiority when he saw how good looking the blond man was. Another man peeked out from behind the blond and it was the most beautiful man that the thug had ever seen.


    "I- you can''t," he started to stammer.


    "Let them through, Fink," another voice was heard. Syryn saw that it was spoken by a grizzled old man sitting on a tree stump.


    "What are you two doing in a place like a Coop?" The old man asked them. "You look out of place, like a pair of penguins climbing a coconut tree."


    "We''re merchants, just here to browse the selection of goods that Coop might have to offer," Rowan replied.


    The old man struck a match and brought the flame down on a pipe that was filled with some white powder. "Never seen merchants like you two. If there''s something special you''re looking for then come here and find my men. Fink, over there will always be around and you''ll know him by the red scarf he wears."


    "I''ll keep that in mind."


    The grizzled man inhaled from the lit pipe and jerked his head towards the market letting Rowan know that they were free to go.. The blond held Syryn''s hand and they walked past the group of toll keepers whose eyes never left them as they passed through.

 Chapter 271 - Cursed

    "You''re an impressive man, Rowan," Syryn said as soon as they were out of earshot of the group they''d left behind.


    "You wouldn''t say that if you knew just how impressive you actually are, Ryn."


    The blond held Syryn''s hand in a firm grasp. Their fingers were interlaced.


    Syryn marvelled at how quickly the blond had gained his trust. It wasn''t just physical attraction anymore though it had started out that way for him. During their journey to Coop, Syryn had found himself falling hard for Rowan''s charming personality, his wit, intelligence, and the several other qualities which Syryn couldn''t list because if he did that, he would be wasting the time that could be spent savouring the tingly feelings he got from holding hands with the anti mage. Another month with Rowan and he was going to fall in love, Syryn thought to himself.


    "You look happy," Rowan remarked.


    "I am. It''s cause I have you." It was sappy and disgusting but Syryn wasn''t holding anything back. "Rowan, you make me happy."


    The anti mage stopped walking just as they reached the market. Bright torches illuminated Rowan''s intense blue eyes which were fixed to Syryn. Rowan had a look like there was so much he wanted to say but was unable to get them out. He pulled the mage in and wrapped his arms around him tight.


    "I''m very happy as well, Ryn," he said quietly. "We''ll get through this together."


    Syryn wasn''t sure what Rowan was talking about that was okay. Rowan always knew what to do. He just had to keep Rowan in his sights and follow that broad back. Everything was going to be okay. He hugged back his man and smiled in satisfaction.


    "Let''s go do some shopping, Ryn," Rowan said to his smiling mage. Syryn looked so happy it put a ball of warmth in the anti mage''s chest. He wanted the mage to always look this happy.


    They stopped at the first stall they came across. There was a variety of decorations spread out on his mat and each item was crafted out of beautiful shells of every colour. The flickering torchlight falling on multicoloured shells had attracted their eyes to the mat.


    "Anything you like?" Rowan asked Syryn. The last time they had gone shopping together, it had ended up a complete disaster on many fronts. The anti mage hoped that they didn''t come across any more items that were cursed. But given that the fertility idol had originated from this very island, Rowan feared that they''d end up buying something troublesome. With Syryn''s luck, he couldn''t discount the possibility.


    "Look, sir, this matches your pretty eyes," the hawker held up a seashell necklace that was violet coloured.


    "We can''t buy that," Rowan immediately declared. He remembered the violet ring that Syryn had bought because the colour had matched his eyes.


    "Why not?" Syryn asked. "He''s right, you know. It matches my eyes!"


    "No, it doesn''t. Your eyes are a shade darker, Ryn. Why don''t we look at some other items before we decide on what to buy?"


    Saying so, Rowan steered Syryn away to a shop that sold leather. They couldn''t go wrong with leather, he thought. There were already two other customers checking the quality of the leather.


    "Why are we looking at leather?" The confused mage asked. Long sheets of cured leather hung from wooden supports. Some were rolled up and haphazardly placed inside open boxes. "Is- is that human leather?!"


    From the interest in Syryn''s eyes, Rowan knew that he had messed up. Not even a leather shop was safe. Forget cursed items, a sheet of leather made of human skin was twice cursed.


    The macabre object of interest was unmistakable. The way it was laid out clearly displayed the nature and shape of the creature it was before the skinning took place.


    "We''re not buying that, Ryn."


    "But-"


    "We are NOT buying that."


    "It''s human leather!"


    "Exactly, Syryn. Human leather. Do you not see the problem there?" Rowan put his hands on Syryn''s shoulders and looked into his violet eyes, hoping to get some sense across.


    The mage licked his lips. He really wanted the leather. Where would he find another shop selling cured human skin? It was disgusting but rare. The hoarder in him wanted it just in case he needed it for some emergency.


    Rowan was waiting for Syryn to say something. The mage sighed after a tense pause. "Okay, we won''t buy it."


    Rowan closed his eyes and breathed out audibly. He''d dodged one tonight. If Syryn insisted on buying the leather... "Great, I see a shop selling clothing. Let''s go there," Rowan suggested. Clothing was safe, right?


    The woman who sold clothing had a welcoming smile which she used in copious amounts the moment they showed up at her stall. "Customers, I see you''re at the right place tonight. Come look at the items I have for sale!"


    Blue eyes rapidly scanned the racks of clothing. There wasn''t anything suspicious or weird looking.


    When he turned to his mage, he saw that Syryn had a silky piece of clothing in his hands. It was like water, transparent and flowy.


    Rowan approached him with a twinge of wariness. "What are you looking at, Ryn?"


    The mage turned to him with a smile. "It''s a shirt."


    Rowan stared at the completely transparent cloth. He imagined Syryn wearing it. The image was lethal.


    "Are you sure you want it?" He calmly asked. His mind though was racing. If Syryn wore that shirt in the presence of other people, it would be the same as not wearing anything. And yet it would have an added effect of sexiness that would stimulate the people looking at his lover. On the other hand, if Syryn wore that privately for Rowan, it would still be a waste because Rowan would take it off immediately to have access to Syryn''s skin.


    "It would look so good on you!" The woman told Syryn. "You are such a pretty man. Your lover would like it very much, no?" She looked at Rowan and winked. "It looks even better when it gets wet and sticks to the skin," she mock whispered.


    Rowan had to hand it to her. She was good. Really good.


    "We''re buying it."

 Chapter 272 - A Pair Of Psychos

    Rowan wasn''t keen on exploring the market because he was afraid of what other cursed item might catch Syryn''s interest. The duo stopped at a shop that sold narcotics. The blond bought copious amounts of hallucinogens and stimulants which he stuffed away in his dimension ring. Such substances were cheap on the island because it was made and sold without restrictions on their production and sale. If Rowan resold the substances back in Elysium, he would make five times the amount he was spending to buy them.


    Syryn watched the blond pack away his illicit goods with an interest that prompted the blond to explain why he was buying them.


    "Goods for the ship," he told Syryn sheepishly. The mage understood. Rowan was putting on a show for the people that were keeping an eye on them. It was a surety that Bella had already been informed of the rich merchants visiting Coop for goods unique to the island.


    "Nice doing business with you," the seller told Rowan with a grin. The anti mage had bought out nearly everything in his shop. Normally it would have taken at least a month to sell so much.


    ___


    On their way back to the inn, the duo came across a fight in the middle of a brightly lit up street. There was a huge crowd of people surrounding two burly men who were brawling it out savagely in the middle of the crowd.


    "What''s going on here?" Rowan asked a tall woman who was counting money from a bag at her hip.


    "Are you stupid or-" when she looked up, the lady swallowed her words. "Hey there, stranger," she continued after recovering from her surprise.


    The blond smiled pleasantly at her.


    "I''ve heard of you two," she said to Rowan. "Merchants looking to buy something special at Coop."


    "Word travels fast," Rowan replied. "Is this a fighting ring?"


    "Sure is. The usual place was burnt down to ashes when a fight broke out among some betters. Set the whole thing on fire. Now we''re here- oh!" A fighter fell to the ground after being kicked in his face by the opponent. "Why don''t you gentlemen stay and bet on the next fight?"


    "Sure."


    "No, we-"


    Syryn and Rowan had spoken at the same time.


    "It''s late, Ryn," Rowan meaningfully told him. "We have to wake up early for the hanging."


    A series of wet punching sounds were heard. The victorious fighter was on top of the fallen man hitting him again and again in the face which was already bloody and broken.


    "He''s gonna die. Why isn''t anyone stopping that guy?" Syryn asked the woman.


    She shrugged in response. Life and death were cheaper than a meal on Coop island. The fighters were here to fight to the death and provide entertainment to the people that paid and bet on them.


    "Let''s go," Rowan told Syryn with an air of finality. He took the mage''s hand and tugged gently. Syryn tore his gaze away from the dead man who was being dragged away to be used as feed in the rat farms of Coop. Aside from seafood, protein was hard to come by locally so rats were bred as food for the growing population of the island who couldn''t all afford to buy meat brought from across the ocean.


    "Do I know how to fight?" Syryn asked Rowan as they headed away from the noisy crowd. They were taking the longer route this time.


    "You''re almost as good as I am," Rowan replied. No pride in it; the anti mage was just stating a fact. "Which means you could very easily take on the man who won back there."


    "But I don''t remember how to fight."


    "We''ll spar sometime, Ryn. I''m sure it''ll come back to you."


    The duo reached the inn without further incident. They both took baths and fell asleep on the same bed.


    Syryn was wide awake. Rowan was shirtless, a warm body hugging the mage to his chest. Wriggling in his embrace, Syryn turned around and faced the blond whose eyes were also open.


    "Rowan, you say we''re engaged but where''s the proof?"


    Syryn pressed closer to the anti mage till their noses were almost touching.


    "We haven''t exchanged any vows yet but we both know that in this life or the next, we''ll only be with each other."


    "So you''ll never leave me."


    "No. And you''ll never leave me either. Do you want to know why?"


    "Tell me," Syryn said to the man whose fingers were caressing the skin on his hip.


    "Because I''ll never let it happen, Ryn. You permitted me to kill anyone that comes between us. And I intend to do just that."


    Syryn swallowed thickly. He was engaged to a damn psycho. But then if he had really given permission to the anti mage to do that, didn''t it mean he was also a psycho? They were a match made in hell.


    "Let''s get rings," Syryn told Rowan. "Make it official."


    Rowan''s heart suddenly began to pound. Syryn hadn''t explicitly talked about it but the anti mage had understood that the mage was afraid of officially committing. Syryn hadn''t even been sure of whether he did or didn''t love Rowan. Without all the baggage of his memories dragging him down, the mage was more forward and clear about his heart''s desires.


    "Let''s get the rings now," The anti mage suddenly declared as he tossed aside the blanket that covered them.


    "What?! Now?!" Syryn couldn''t understand the urgency that had taken over Rowan.


    "Now. Get dressed, Ryn. We''re going out."


    Rowan was already throwing on his shirt. This was an opportunity that he would not let go of. If Syryn recovered his memories tomorrow, there would be no more rings to look forward to. He understood that if his lover rejected the commitment after he regained his memories, there wasn''t much that Rowan could do about it. Regardless, he was going ahead with it.


    "Why the hurry? Let''s get it tomorrow!"


    Rowan grabbed Syryn''s hand and placed it on his chest. His heart was beating hard and fast.


    "You feel that? That''s how excited I am, Ryn."


    Syryn looked into Rowan''s eyes. What the hell was he getting himself into?


    "You crazy bastard," Syryn said with awe in his voice.. "Let''s go get the rings."

 Chapter 273 - Rings Are Mandatory

    Coop had a jeweller who bought stolen gold and silver from the pirates. He used it to fashion jewellery and decorations that were then sold to merchants at a price that was lower than what was commanded at distant markets. It was good business. He paid his taxes to Bella and lived as comfortable a life as was possible on the island. There were the occasional breaks in but that was what he kept his pets for. Five very poisonous snakes with thick armour-like skin were hidden in the shop and they did their jobs very well. Dozens of robbers had died trying to steal from the jeweller. The others had learnt their lessons after that. Now nobody dared to attempt a robbery.


    Heavy knocking on his door roused the sleeping jeweller. Late-night visits were never good news, not even on Coop Island. Especially on Coop island. He slowly pushed open his window and peeked down at the door expecting to see a rowdy gang.


    "What do you want?" Even he had heard about these two. It wasn''t often that Coop received such visitors. Bella''s side of the island was buzzing with rumours about the gorgeous merchants who were also purportedly a couple.


    Rowan looked up to the window open on the upper floor of the building. A surly looking middle-aged man was starting down at them with suspicion.


    "We''re here to buy rings," Rowan said in a friendly tone.


    "This late in the night?"


    "I told you, Ro. We should have waited for tomorrow."


    "We''re doing this now, Ryn," the anti mage replied. He turned back to the curious jeweller. "I swear upon the goddess that we''re not here to kill or steal from you. We just need two rings."


    The man leaned out the window on his elbows. "Are you getting married tomorrow?"


    "An engagement. I wanted come by tomorrow but Rowan over here insisted that we get the rings tonight." This time it was Syryn who replied. They were here anyway, and even the jeweller seemed interested in their business.


    The middle-aged man paused to think about it. Looking between Rowan and Syryn, he made up his mind. "Alright, I''ll be down in a moment."


    ____


    The jeweller presented Rowan and Syryn with a case of his best rings. There were gold and silver rings embedded with fancy looking gems that came in many colours. Rowan thought them much too gaudy for him.


    "Do you have anything simpler?" He asked the jeweller.


    The man was offended by the enquiry. His rings were beautiful. Why wouldn''t anyone want to get engaged wearing such pretty gems?


    "How about this?" He pulled out a small box from a corner drawer and lifted the lid to show the blond what lay inside.


    It was a pair of simple gold rings without any embellishment on them.


    "Yeah, I like these," Syryn piped in.


    Rowan agreed. "Size them now," he told the jeweller. "And engrave our names on them."


    "Now??" The jeweller''s voice was pitched. "It''s too late now-"


    Rowan placed a whole ingot of gold on the table. "Now."


    The jeweller''s eyes were glued to the gold ingot. Even without testing it, he was sure of its purity.


    "And if you can get it done within the hour," Rowan said to the jeweller while pulling out another ingot from his dimensional ring. "This will also be yours."


    The jeweller frantically grabbed the gold rings and ran into his workshop. He came running back out and shoved a piece of paper towards Rowan. "Write your names here!"


    Syryn was sitting on one of the three chairs that were in the jeweller''s shop. He watched Rowan''s quill swirl across the paper which he then handed over to the jeweller.


    The man then measured Syryn and Rowan''s sizes with a string that he tied around their fingers. "Please wait, sirs. I''ll do it in half an hour!"


    Greed was a hell of an incentive, Syryn thought. And why was Rowan carrying around gold ingots?


    He raised his brow at the anti mage and meaningfully looked at the gold ingots on the table.


    "It''s more convenient while crossing borders," Rowan explained. "Not everyone is willing to accept crowns."


    It made sense. "How many ingots are in there?" Syryn''s gaze drifted to the dimensional ring on Rowan''s finger.


    "Not a lot," came the evasive reply.


    Syryn didn''t believe that. "How many, Rowan?"


    The blond sank into the chair beside Syryn. He turned to the mage and shrugged. "At least ten."


    Syryn wasn''t falling for that. He narrowed his eyes at the anti mage. "And at most?"


    "A thousand, I guess."


    "What?! That''s-" Syryn looked around like he suspected they were being eavesdropped upon. "What do you do for a living?!"


    "I work for the Sanguine," Rowan replied.


    "And?"


    "I inherited a sizable fortune which I invested into a few business ventures." The anti mage appeared discomfited by the conversation about his wealth. Well, Syryn didn''t care. If Rowan was going to flaunt his gold ingots then he better man up to talk about how wealthy he actually was.


    "You''re a nobleman," Syryn accused.


    "You make it sound like a crime, Ryn."


    "What''s your title, Rowan? How many fiefs do you own? Are you secretly promised to a noblewoman?"


    Rowan cleared his throat nervously. Syryn had come close to the truth. He was promised to the priestess of Eos, not that he was letting it happen this time.


    "I am promised in marriage to whomever Eos chooses." This close to exchanging vows, Rowan felt that it was only fair for Syryn to know the truth.


    "Eos? Is that your mother?" Syryn asked, looking annoyed.


    "No. It''s complicated. I''m going to introduce you to Eos so she chooses you, Ryn. She already knows who you are."


    Syryn smiled. "Yeah? How do you know she''ll choose me?"


    "I asked her, Ryn."


    "And she agreed?"


    "I think she did."


    Syryn shook his head. "You have to be sure!"


    The blond felt a twinge in his stomach. Would Syryn still be this happy about it when he remembered?


    "She already likes you, Ryn."


    The mage settled back into his chair and pretended he wasn''t embarrassed about it.


    "Good," he replied and tangled his fingers nervously. He had just met Rowan and was already rushing into the relationship like he''d known the man forever. But that was it, he and Rowan weren''t actually strangers. They were childhood friends, right? Syryn glanced at the blond who was ruminating in his own thoughts. Syryn hoped he wasn''t going to regret this when he remembered.


    "Are you having second thoughts?" Rowan asked him softly. "If you regret it later, Ryn, you can throw away the ring. This isn''t irreversible."


    The mage snorted. "So much for what you said about killing anyone that gets between us."


    Rowan smiled. "That still stands, Ryn. I don''t need a ring to know you''re mine."


    "Then why are we getting rings?"


    "To let the other suitors know that you''re mine."


    "What other suitors?" Syryn asked curiously.


    "You attract them like bees to honey. I''ll be glad to have a ring glued to your finger."


    The mage stared at Rowan''s unearthly face. Wasn''t Syryn a bee attracted to Rowan''s honey? Rowan wasn''t saying it but he had his own suitors. Syryn was sure of that.


    "Yeah, we need rings."

 Chapter 274 - Surname

    Two gleaming golden rings were set before Syryn. He glanced at Rowan who was waiting for him to inspect the rings.


    The mage picked up a ring. The cold metal band had an engraving on its inner surface. It read Rowan & Syryn Windwalker.


    "Syryn Windwalker?" He asked while turning the ring over his palm.


    "There wasn''t enough space for two surnames," came the clever reply. "Do you not like it?"


    The mage slipped the ring around his finger and tucked his hands behind his back. "I like it. Now wear yours."


    The jeweller snickered at the embarrassed mage who was pretending to be stoic about the situation. For two ingots of gold, he would wait all day for the shy customers to get over their little ceremony.


    Rowan picked up his ring and slipped it on. Looking at the gold ring on his partner''s finger, Syryn felt the gravity of what they''d done. They were wearing promissory rings with their names engraved on them. He was halfway through to becoming Rowan Nigh''hart Windwalker.


    "No regrets," Syryn told the blond. He was assuring himself more than telling Rowan.


    "I will regret a lot of things but never this," Rowan held his hand up and smiled. "Let''s go, Ryn. It''s too late for sleep so we might as well get to the venue early."


    "Thank you, sirs. Come again!" The jeweller happily accepted the gold ingots that were left behind on the table as his customers left the shop. "It''s alright boys. Get back inside your hiding places." Soft slithering sounds were heard from the ceiling and near the door. There had been no need for snakes tonight.


    ______


    A blond man and his companion were seen taking a walk around the time that most people would be asleep. Eyes followed them as they made their way through the heart of Bella''s territory and reached the northeastern corner of the island where the hanging was scheduled to take place.


    An elaborate stage was constructed above the coastal waters where it was deep enough to drown a man. Bella wanted a spectacle to be made out of the Sanguine spy, and the stage was the final product of her aspirations. The wooden construct was high above the water and it had a trapdoor through which the body could fall and be devoured by two hungry sharks that were trapped under the stage. Feeding the spy alive to the sharks was an idea that had been pitched but an underwater struggle couldn''t be viewed by all the people who were going to arrive for the show. Her final decision was for the spy to hang high and dangle in the wind while the lowest of criminals and the vilest of pirates watched the Sanguine''s struggle.


    Now Rowan and Syryn were already at the beach, viewing the stage with mixed feelings. The blond suspected that Robin was the spy they had caught but he couldn''t be sure. Artemus was far too clever to be caught so it had to be Robin.


    "What''s the plan?" Syryn asked Rowan. This early in the morning, the wind was cold as it rushed towards the ocean. The mage stepped closer to Rowan and bundled himself up under the blond''s cape where it was warm.


    "The plan is simple," Rowan replied. "I''ll attack the guards the moment I see Robin. Then we rescue her, find Artemus, and leave the island."


    "Thats the plan?"


    Rowan nodded.


    "Fill in the blanks, Rowan. That''s not a plan, that''s called an objective!"


    "Help me fill in the blanks then, Ryn."


    A gust of cold wind hit them both but only Syryn felt it. He needed warmer clothing, clearly. The anti mage removed his cape and gave it to the mage who gratefully accepted the warm covering.


    "Ok, so what if they use Robin as a shield when you attack them?"


    "It won''t happen. They''ll all be dead before they realise I''ve hit them."


    "Oh, yes. Nevermind." Rowan was the plan. The end.


    "If something unexpected happens, I want you to head straight for the ship, Ryn. And leave."


    "Okay."


    He wasn''t going to but it was easier to agree now and renege on it later. Abandoning Rowan after exchanging rings was a shitty step forward as a couple. Syryn was a better man than that.


    Sunrise was over the horizon and a few people could be seen arriving at the beach. Two drunkards stumbled past Syryn smelling of sour sweat, alcohol and unwashed armpits. The mage wrinkled his nose and gave them a dirty look.


    "Body odour should be declared a crime," he commented. "I feel sorry for the prostitutes who get to service alcoholic slobs like those two. I bet they''ve never heard of baths."


    Rowan silently listened to Syryn go on a tirade about how the several stinky places on Coop island had ruined his lungs.


    "The executioner is here," Rowan told Syryn.


    A tall man garbed in black took a boat to the stage. He climbed the stairs that led to the scaffold. A rope was tossed over the beam where the criminal would hang. After taking care of the arrangements, he descended back into the boat and returned to the beach.


    "Here to watch the Sanguine dog hang?" A man called out to Rowan and Syryn. It was the grizzled old man that they''d met at the entrance of the night market.


    "Nothing better to do," Rowan replied sedately.


    The old man couldn''t look away from Syryn when he glanced at the mage. Seeing his beauty in broad daylight came as a shock to the old man.


    "With all due respect, you are a very beautiful man," Syryn was told. "Don''t let the one at Red Sun catch sight of you."


    "Why?" Rowan asked.


    The old man shook his head. "I''ve heard stories about he kidnaps good looking men for enslavement. Sometimes we get ships filled with young and beautiful boys, all tied up and sold to the brute for god knows what. Poor sons of bitches. Stolen from their families to be raped by a-"


    "It won''t happen," Rowan interrupted.. "But your warning is appreciated."

 Chapter 275 - Hangman

    Hundreds of people were gathered at the beach waiting for Bella to arrive with the Sanguine spy.


    Syryn was in a terrible mood because he was surrounded by more people who smelled like week-old unwashed bodies. They were pushing up against each other and taking advantage of the situation to touch the golden man and his beautiful companion.


    The mage felt a hand grab his and he nearly threw the hand off when he realised it was Rowan. Taking the lead, Rowan pushed through the crowd and led Syryn out of the crowd of milling folks. A piercing scream sounded out loud and a man fell to his knees clutching his gushing stump of a hand.


    Rowan didn''t even glance at the man whose hand he had just cut off for daring to grope Syryn. The mage hadn''t even realised he had been groped because of all the bodies that were pressing up against him.


    The deep sound of drums beating began to be heard over the sounds of the crowd. The drums were slowly getting closer and closer to the beach.


    Syryn inhaled deeply when Rowan pulled him out of the hot mess that he had been inside. Fresh air hit his lungs and he took a few grateful breaths before he noticed the procession that was arriving.


    A mysterious woman in black was seated on a beautiful throne which was carried by sixteen naked slaves. She had an eye patch on one eye and her lower face was covered by the high collar of her black dress. Syryn couldn''t see much of her face but from what little was visible, Bella was an average looking woman. She had an arrogant demeanour that was apparent in the way she sat and looked down upon the gathered crowd.


    The slaves carrying Bella came to a halt and the crowd parted before them, leaving a wide berth for the leader of the Queensmen to be carried through. At the same time, the noises quieted down and only whispering could be heard.


    "Bring the mage hunter." Bella had a husky voice. She spoke loud enough for Syryn and Rowan to hear. They were standing at the edge of the crowd, close to where the procession began.


    As soon as Bella spoke, there was movement from the side and Syryn heard the sound of a whip falling on someone.


    Out came stumbling a pale, beautiful man with long dark hair and the darkest eyes that Syryn had ever seen. He was stripped down to a torn pair of pants that hung off his waist as if they had fit him better once upon a time ago. The man had bluish bruises all over his body from being beaten and whipped. Syryn didn''t have to see the skin on the man''s back to know that there were deep and fresh whip marks on it. They hadn''t even spared his face. Artemus had a dark bruise on his cheekbone and black tired circles under his eyes.


    "That is Artemus, isn''t it?" Syryn softly asked Rowan.


    "Yes."


    Rowan couldn''t fathom what had happened. Where was Robin and how had Artemus been caught?


    "Let the slave walk ahead," Bella instructed. "Whip him if he doesn''t co-operate."


    Artemus'' dull eyes didn''t show a single ripple when the whip fell on his back. He began walking forward and that was when he saw the duo that had come to pick him up.


    Dark bottomless midnight eyes stopped on Syryn and a weight came off Artemus'' shoulders. Syryn stared back at the man who was caught because he had come to look for Syryn. But the dark eyes turned away from him and glanced at Rowan for a brief moment before he looked forward like he hadn''t recognised either of them.


    "What''s going on, Rowan?" Syryn whispered. Artemus was slowly and painfully making his way towards the water where the boat awaited him.


    "I don''t know," Rowan replied. Artemus was acting strange. He wanted to take action immediately but his intuition was telling him that the captured anti mage did not wish to be rescued. Rowan silently debated with himself on what course of action to take when he saw the hand signs that were subtly made by Artemus. His wrists were bound behind him and so Rowan caught sight of the message after the anti mage had passed them.


    "He''s asking us not to interfere," Rowan told Syryn.


    "He''s up to something then. Maybe we should leave it be and hope that his plan goes without a hitch."


    "He''s about to be hanged, Ryn," Rowan solemnly replied. "It''s difficult for me to stand here and do nothing."


    "Do you trust him?"


    "I do."


    Artemus was barefoot and bleeding from his back when the whipping guard pushed him into the water. The crowd laughed at the anti mage who struggled to stand without support since his hands were bound behind him.


    "Bella, send him to Red Sun after he gets hanged!"


    "Stupid! What use would they have of a dead body?" Someone else replied loudly.


    Bella was smiling. Syryn could see it in her eyes.


    "Eh, dead or not, a pretty man is a pretty man. Some people like that kind of thing."


    The executioner rudely yanked Artemus onto the boat. The anti mage was sopping wet and looked miserable but there was still some dignity left in him. He didn''t resist the executioner''s rough treatment.


    "Rowan, I don''t like this," Syryn said in a low voice. "The window for rescue has just shrunk. I hope he knows what he''s doing."


    The blond anti mage suppressed the urge to strike. His friend''s message had been clear and concise.


    Do not interfere.


    He reminded himself that Artemus was terrifyingly intelligent. He just had to put his faith in the man''s abilities even though it looked like there was no hope for him.


    The duo watched in trepidation as Artemus climbed the stairs to the scaffold. The noose went around his neck.


    "Rowan, I don''t like this..."


    The blond was silent.


    Do not interfere.


    "Rowan-" Syryn gasped when the trapdoor beneath Artemus fell open. "He''s going to die, Rowan!"


    Artemus'' feet were hanging in the air. He was held up by just the rope around his neck. He was going to die.


    Do not interfere.


    Rowan was done.. It was time to move.

 Chapter 276 - Bella

    Rowan was at the point of releasing his power when the rope holding up Artemus suddenly snapped. The crowd collectively reacted to it with cheering because they were under the impression that a second hanging would take place. Nobody knew about the sharks inside the water, not even Syryn and Rowan.


    "Did you do that?!" Syryn urgently whispered to the blond anti mage who was deciding on what to do. The rope hadn''t snapped by any stroke of luck. Artemus had told him not to interfere and thus it was clear that the rope used to hang him with had been sabotaged by the dark-haired anti mage.


    "It wasn''t me," Rowan whispered back. "Artemus rescued himself."


    "Shit," Syryn cursed when he saw blood and bubbles surfacing to the top of the water. "Rowan, what''s going on?"


    The blond anti mage began moving forward with Syryn right behind him. It was a difficult task pushing the throng of people that spilt out right to the edge of the beach where the water met the sand.


    "Everyone, do you see that? Those are my pet sharks feeding on the unlucky man. He should have asked his god to let him die by the rope." Bella''s loud voice drew the eyes of the crowd who promptly looked back to the water the moment she revealed what was happening.


    "Oh no," Syryn mumbled under his breath as Rowan pulled him forward with an iron grip on his wrist.


    The anti mage was furious with himself and also with Bella. His faith in Artemus had killed the man. There were only two possibilities right then. Either Artemus had made preparations for the sharks and had survived, or he was dead, being digested in the stomachs of Bella''s pets. Depending on which was the case, the anti mage would have to wait for Artemus or kill Bella and her men.


    "Rowan, what are we going to do?" They were ankle-deep in the water now. The water was no longer red because a human could only bleed so much. Rowan thought it suspicious that there wasn''t a single bit of Artemus floating to the top of the water. The shark couldn''t have swallowed the man whole, he thought.


    "My pets have eaten their fill. Look at that, nothing wasted," Bella told the crowd. "Bag," she held her hand out to one of the slaves carrying her seat. A bag was passed into her hand which she then placed on her lap.


    "Bella!"


    "Bella!"


    The crowd chanted.


    "Queen Bella!"


    The woman reached into her bag and it got the crowd even more riled up. She then threw silver and gold coins at the crowd which led to a rowdy scrabble for the money.


    Syryn was aghast at how Bella couldn''t see the risk that she was putting her people at. Burly men pushed each other like children fighting for candy. A minor stampede ensued and a few screams were heard. Still, the crowd steered clear of Bella''s entourage. Experience had taught them it was better to be killed in the stampede than to end up taken by Bella''s men for coming too close to her.


    "We''re going back to the inn," Rowan told the mage.


    "We''re just leaving like this?"


    "Ryn, we don''t want to attract attention while Bella is around. I''m hoping that Artemus is still alive. If he isn''t, we''ll deal with Bella and her cohorts. But for now, we need to hurry back."


    Rowan was certain that the dark-haired mage had faked his death today. There were too many questions bothering him at the moment. Where was Robin? How and why did Artemus get caught? Why had Bella searched for Artemus if the anti mage had been keeping a low profile and searching for Syryn?


    Thanks to the commotion that Bella''s money had caused, the duo managed to slip away mostly unnoticed. Even so, the sharp-eyed woman tracked their path through the crowd until they disappeared behind a shack and from her view.


    ____


    Back at the inn, Syryn ordered a late lunch for the two of them. They''d missed breakfast and were both ravenous. Lunch came and it was everything but appetising. The duo forced the food down their throats and washed down the bad taste with mediocre wine.


    "I hope you''re right about Artemus," Syryn said to the blond. "Knowing that he came to Coop because of me weighs heavily on my conscience, Rowan. Tell me we didn''t just watch a man die when we could have done something about it."


    "If you could remember, you''d know that Artemus is as intelligent as he is resourceful. The message was clear, Ryn. He wanted us out of his business."


    "So now we''re just going to wait for him to find us then?"


    "That''s the plan."


    _______


    The afternoon turned to evening and evening gave way to night.


    Syryn had occupied himself by taking things out of his satchel and questioning Rowan about the items in it. The blond was able to tell Syryn about most of the things he had hoarded in the bag.


    "And this ring?" Syryn asked holding up a ring with a violet gem in it.


    "It''s supposed to be a ring that brings you luck."


    I used that ring to amplify the blessing in a fertility idol since you seemed to want a baby with Rowan.


    "A baby with Rowan?!"


    "A what?" Rowan turned to Syryn in surprise.


    Rowan was turned into a woman but you didn''t take the chance to make a baby with him. You should have impregnated him. That was your only chance of having a baby with your homosexual partner.


    Syryn stared at the concerned anti mage.


    "Rowan, did we not have sex when you became a woman?"


    "No. And how do you know about what happened back then?"


    "The sage told me... Why didn''t we have sex?" The sage had basically confirmed their relationship. Syryn knew now for sure that Rowan hadn''t lied about their past.


    "Well," the blond replied. "You couldn''t get it up when you saw my curves.." And Rowan was thankful for that every single day because if Syryn had tried to warm a little bun in his temporary oven, Rowan would have ditched Sigil till he found a way to reverse the curse.

 Chapter 277 - Conspiracy

    "So does the sage know why I was cursed to become female?"


    Syryn told the blond what the sage had told him.


    "A blessing?"


    There was a knock on their door.


    "Dinner better be good," Syryn grumbled as he walked to the door.


    He opened the door and received the food from a waitress whose massive cleavage was on display. Unfortunately for her, Syryn was the gayest man alive on the island.


    Taking the food from her, the mage slammed the door shut and turned around. The food in his hand nearly slipped down when he saw a third person in their room.


    "Artemus," he said in a surprised hush. The window had been opened by Rowan to let in the dark-haired anti mage.


    "I''m glad to see you alive and well, Syryn." A small smile graced the anti mage''s lips. The bruises on his face were still colourful and painful to look at. Given the pale colour of skin, the bluish-green bruises stood out starkly. Artemus was now dressed completely in black and Syryn couldn''t see any more of his injuries.


    "How did you survive the sharks?" Syryn asked.


    "I had a knife on me," the anti mage replied. "I blinded the sharks when they came for me."


    "So it wasn''t your blood that-"


    "No."


    Dark eyes assessed Syryn''s body like he was checking for injuries. "Where were you all this time, Syryn?"


    "Swimming with the mers. They kidnapped me from the ship I had boarded for passage to Coop Island."


    Artemus nodded slowly. "The Captain of the Fool''s Noose is languishing in a prison somewhere on Coop. I had intended to find and interrogate him about what had happened on his ship."


    "Where is Robin?" Rowan asked from behind Artemus. The blond was seated on the bed; relaxed now that his friend was here alive and well.


    The dark-haired anti mage turned to the blond. "Robin is gone. She''s missing in action, presumably dead."


    "Bella''s handiwork?" Syryn asked.


    "Maybe. I had to find you first, Syryn."


    The mage was touched.


    "We must be like family," he said to the anti mage. "For you to care this much about me."


    Artemus seemed confused. "You already know how I feel about you. But yes, we are like family."


    Rowan, from behind them, dropped a bomb on Artemus. "Syryn has amnesia by the way. He doesn''t remember you or anything about your shared past."


    "What?" The dark-haired anti mage whipped his head around to Rowan and back to Syryn.


    "My memories begin on the day I was kidnapped by the mers."


    Rowan had more to say. "He''s also the new king of Silisia, Art."


    Artemus stared at Syryn with a mixture of disbelief and awe warring for dominance on his normally expressionless face.


    "Anything else?" He managed to let out after a pause.


    "I... am now a water mage?" Syryn said as he looked at Rowan like he wasn''t sure if he was allowed to say it.


    "And he has a pet Leviathan which he lovingly calls Levia."


    Artemus crossed his arms and quietly continued to stare at Syryn. He needed time to take in all the shocking things he was being told.


    "You broke him," Rowan informed Syryn.


    "Artemus?" Syryn stepped closer to the anti mage.


    "I''m never going on a rescue mission for Syryn," Artemus finally said to the duo. "Only you, Syryn. Only you." He shook his head and turned around to join Rowan on the bed.


    "Come here, Syryn," Rowan invited the mage to the bed.


    Syryn sat between the anti mages.


    "Tell us the story of how you reached Silisia and finally became their king."


    [Can I tell them about you?]


    If you trust them.


    [I trust Rowan. And if he trusts Artemus then I do too.]


    Tell them only what is necessary. Say nothing about the hidden memories or my past.


    "Syryn?"


    "Yeah. It''s a long story. Let''s serve dinner and eat while I tell you all about it."


    Beginning from the moment he was kidnapped, Syryn narrated the entirety of his ordeal to the anti mages. The two men listened without interrupting Syryn with questions.


    "Can he see and hear everything that you can?" Artemus asked about the mage.


    I can.


    "Yes, he can."


    Rowan was disturbed by knowing that. There would never be any privacy between him and Syryn so long as the sage was around.


    Artemus seemed to have the same thoughts. The smirk he sent Rowan was evil. He toasted the blond with a cup of wine.


    "Ask him which era he was born in."


    Tell your friend he asks too many questions.


    "He''s asking you to shut up," Syryn smilingly told Artemus.


    Ask him how he pulled off the rope trick.


    "Sage wants to know how you pulled off the rope trick."


    Artemus was tempted to be immature about it but he resisted. "I bribed the executioner and he hung me with a rope that was sabotaged. You could have figured that out without asking about it."


    Rowan chuckled. "Not everyone thinks like you, Artemus."


    Artemus smiled faintly. Standing up, the anti mage placed his now empty cup of wine on a tray. He briefly glanced at the both of them in turn.


    "I have to go now."


    "Where?"


    Artemus pulled a black cowl over his head.


    "Leave the island, Rowan. Take Syryn with you and leave at dawn. There''s going to be a war in Coop." Saying so, the dark-haired anti mage turned to leave through the window.


    "Artemus, wait. Explain yourself. I''m not letting you leave without an explanation."


    Hands on the window sill, Artemus looked back at Rowan.


    "I''m starting a war against the Queensmen. I have to see it through before I leave Coop."


    "Why?" Rowan asked, calmly. "Revenge?"


    "Something like that," came Artemus'' evasive reply.


    "Have you told HQ about this? You have duties in Sigil. I hope you''ve thought this through, Artemus."


    "I have."


    The anti mage didn''t elaborate.


    "It''s getting late. I have to go."


    Artemus disappeared through the window and slipped away into the night leaving two worried people behind him.

 Chapter 278 - Rats

    "Does this mean that Artemus has gone rogue?" Syryn asked.


    Rowan was writing down a message that was going straight to the Sanguine HQ.


    "I don''t know yet," he replied. "Let''s wait and see."


    ______


    The next day, Rowan paid and dismissed the crew he had hired for Syryn''s rescue. Having the ship stay around wasn''t just a drain on his funds, it was also a disaster waiting to happen. If a war was starting then the foreign looking ship would be hit first by the rioters. In any case, Rowan could hijack any one of the pirate ships that was anchored at Coop. He owed it to Artemus to stay behind and keep an eye on the activity at Coop. The blond was puzzled by his friend''s decision to seek revenge against Bella. There was something deeper to the situation that he wasn''t seeing. And if Artemus wasn''t volunteering the information then Rowan would just stay and find out for himself.


    That day, trouble came knocking on Rowan and Syryn''s door. While they were out exploring the neighborhood, because Syryn was bored, the duo found themselves surrounded by a gang of thugs.


    The man who identified himself as the leader of the group, stepped forward and grinned at Syryn.


    "Come with us without making a fuss and we won''t kill your boyfriend."


    Syryn wanted to know where this was going. It was succour to his boredom.


    "Okay," he replied while giving Rowan a look. Just play along, his look seemed to convey.


    "No, no adventures today, Ryn. Pick another time when Artemus isn''t starting a war in Coop." Saying so, the blond put his arm around Syryn''s shoulder and squeezed it ''lovingly''.


    "What war?" Until that moment, the leader had appeared calm. Not so anymore, he had heard whispers on the streets about Red Sun plotting something but no one had really believed it. Bella had more manpower and resources on her side. A war with the Queensmen wasn''t just stupid, it was suicidal.


    "Which faction are you people from?" Rowan asked instead of answering the man''s query.


    "I''m the one asking the questions, blondie! Answer me. What war?!"


    "I guess they''re Bella''s," Syryn guessed. "The other factions won''t trespass this early in the evening."


    "Bella isn''t interested in pretty boys but I know someone who is. And he isn''t from this side of the island," Rowan replied. "But who knows. They''re all the same to me."


    The ignored thug was furious. He was being disrespected by his victims who didn''t have the decency to be afraid. He wasn''t all brawns and no brains though. The man understood that the people he was harassing weren''t afraid because they were strong enough to beat him and his group.


    "Fuck," he cursed. The command had been given and he had to obey. He had to kidnap the pretty boy for the boss or it would be his head and dick on a platter. "Listen, we don''t want-"


    "AAAAAAAAhhhhh!!"


    He turned around in shock to see who was screaming.


    "What the hell is going on?!" He screamed. There were hundreds of rats pouring out from the gutters and attacking them.


    Syryn immediately put up a tall wall of ice around him and Rowan. The sage''s teachings hadn''t been wasted. He was almost back to mastering his powers.


    "Strange," the mage commented.


    Through the wall of clear ice, he saw the rats overpower the humans with their sheer numbers. The screams he could hear were of pure agony as the men were eaten alive by the hundreds of rats. It was a gory sight. One of the men was a mage and had begun setting fire to the rats but they kept coming, unafraid of the fire, as if driven by madness.


    "As entertaining as this is for you, it''s time we leave, Ryn."


    His ice wall was already melting from the blaze that burned through the bodies of the thugs and the rats. Death by fire seemed just as bad as being eaten alive by rats.


    "Afraid of a little fire, Rowan?" He asked. Yellow and red reflected and danced off Syryn''s bright eyes.


    "Neither of us are fireproof," Rowan pointed out dryly. "I''m going to leave you here and run away, Ryn."


    The mage reluctantly relented. "Let''s watch from a distance."


    _____


    That night, there were many incidents in Bella town. Several more groups of crazed rats attacked people. Their screams were heard close to the inn where Rowan and Syryn were staying.


    "I could be wrong but I''m guessing this is Artemus'' doing," Syryn told the blond. They were both in comfortable night wear and out of odds with the mood that had engulfed the town.


    "I concur. It''s too much of a coincidence."


    Syryn threw open the window and looked out over the small section of the neighborhood that he could see from their room. There weren''t a lot of people moving about but those who were could be seen running.


    In the distance, smoke rose up to a sky that was tinged orange by the fire taking over the houses one by one.


    "It looks like they still haven''t put out the fire."


    Rowan came to stand beside him.


    "It''s probably because of the rats causing chaos amongst the ones who are fighting the fire."


    "The streets are clogged with them. I''ve never seen so many of the critters congregate like this."


    Rowan was silently thinking about the implications of what was happening.


    "Ryn, I think it''s time we left this place."


    "Where to?"


    "Red Sun or the Iron Raiders. This is a bigger matter than what I originally thought." Artemus couldn''t be doing this alone. Rowan had a suspicion that the anti mage had allied himself with another faction who wanted to overthrow Bella and take over her territory. If his suspicions were right then war was coming to Bella''s town.


    "Come," Rowan told the mage who was in the process of changing out of his pyjamas.


    "What? We''re leaving through the window?"


    "Yes," Rowan replied, not showing any indication that he might be changing out of his night wear.

 Chapter 279 - Puzzle

    Syryn made a path of frozen rats. Rowan had wanted to kill the crazy little beasts but then they would have had to step over the blood and guts of the rats, and Syryn wasn''t having any of that. He could ice over the dead rats but why do things twice?


    As they moved, the duo quickly found themselves being followed by some men who saw what they were doing. The men thought they could stay safe while running behind the ice mage who was continuously freezing the rats that kept coming like a tide.


    Unfortunately for them, the saviours were crossing the borders, a place they couldn''t go to without risking their lives. None of the factions tolerated their territories being crossed into by the enemies unless they had permission to. It was easy to crossover but the hard part was staying alive.


    Gangs knew their men. Strange faces were easily noticed and caught. So when Rowan and Syryn crossed a bridge that marked neutral territory, their tailers stopped following them.


    "They''re more afraid of being killed by humans than being eaten alive by rats."


    After crossing the bridge, the duo slowed down.


    "The gangs execute their enemies in very brutal ways," Rowan told the mage.


    "Worse than getting eaten by rats?"


    "Worse."


    "So why didn''t they do that to Artemus?"


    "You can ask him yourself," Rowan replied.


    The dark-haired anti mage was ahead of them and in the company of rough-looking brutes.


    "Sightseeing?" Artemus asked the duo.


    The unnatural calmness of the blond anti mage in his night robe set the brutes on high alert. The two strangers had just arrived from a town being horrifically attacked by rats so their demeanour wasn''t just unexpected, it was downright intimidating. The lack of injuries and their unruffled appearance was especially suspicious.


    "Something like that," Rowan replied as he looked around. "Coop looks the same even on this side."


    "You should have left, Rowan. Risking Syryn''s life along with yours isn''t something I expected from a smart man like you."


    Rowan chuckled. "It''s hardly a risk, Art. You know that very well. So why don''t you tell me what this is about?"


    The anti mage signalled for the men to leave even as he walked forward to speak with Rowan. After putting a good distance between them, Artemus gave the blond a dry look.


    "Having you here complicates my plans. I know you''re good enough to level this island on your own but that''s not the point."


    Artemus'' bruises were an ugly patch on his otherwise beautiful skin.


    "Then what is the point?"


    The dark-haired anti mage stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Look-"


    "Boss! They''re here!"


    Artemus turned around and saw a large group of men heading their way.


    "I have to go," he told Rowan. "Don''t get into trouble you two. And don''t interfere with whatever happens soon."


    Without another look in their direction, the anti mage left them, taking long quick strides towards the newcomers.


    Syryn made an amused sound. "They called him boss."


    Thoughts heavy, the blond watched his friend go. "Let''s go, Syryn."


    "Eh? Where?"


    "You heard Artemus, didn''t you? We''re leaving."


    "No! I''m not going back to that rat-infested place."


    "Be good, Syryn. If the Sanguine sees us, we might have to leave Coop."


    "There''s more of them here?"


    Rowan tugged the mage back towards the bridge. "I don''t know. What I do know is that Artemus is working under the orders of HQ. He likely has a few friends with him."


    "And how did you deduce that?"


    "That''s he''s on a mission? If Artemus wanted Bella dead because of a personal grudge against her, he wouldn''t involve the entire island. An assassination job isn''t easy but it''s much easier than taking down an entire faction. There''s a much bigger meal here that we''re still not seeing, Ryn." The blond was smiling like he was enjoying the act of puzzling out the scenario.


    "Okay? Then why are we hiding from your friends?"


    "You heard Artemus. We might jeopardise his plans. We''re spectators, Ryn. Let''s find a place to roost so we can watch Coop burn from a safe distance."


    Syryn couldn''t understand what was happening. If Artemus was going to start a war, why go through the misery of being beaten and whipped then hanged and attacked by sharks? He could just waltz over to the faction he wanted to side with and pitch his idea. And then it dawned on him. They weren''t likely to believe in or trust a man coming from nowhere. It made more sense to approach them as a survivor with a vendetta against the woman who had had him tortured and almost executed.


    "Damn! You mage hunters really go all out for your missions."


    Syryn wanted in on the guessing game.


    "Where do think Robin is hiding? She can''t be dead right?"


    "Not likely. Robin must be working from the shadows. But we can''t discount the possibility that she''s dead. Remember that Bella was looking for an undercover spy long before Artemus arrived. He might have taken Robin''s place and allowed himself to be found by Bella''s men so that Robin could continue her work."


    "That''s great and everything but didn''t he come to Coop to look for me?"


    Rowan grinned, and Syryn was blinded by the handsomeness of it.


    "He did. But it seems our Art got caught up in an operation that wasn''t his. It''s either that or he came up with this whole thing to save Robin. We''ll figure it out eventually, Ryn. Let''s see what he does next."


    Since Artemus was working with Red Sun, Rowan decided they were going to wait a day in Queensmen territory and move to the Iron Raiders if the heat was too much over at Bella''s side of Coop.


    They went right back to the inn they were originally staying at. The Queensmen had now taken control of the rat situation and were cleaning up the streets. The live ones were getting treated for the bites since even the most stupid of thugs on Coop knew that getting bit by a street rat came with unpredictable infections. The ones that were hanging at the edge of life and death were killed off and burned with the dead. Corpses were breeding grounds for all kinds of diseases so they made quick work disposing of the dead.


    "Well, I guess it''s a good thing we evacuated early," Rowan stated. The night robe-clad man took a sweeping glance around the burnt ruins of the inn they had been staying at.


    "The food was shit anyway," Syryn added.

 Chapter 280 - Syryns Death

    Bella''s town quickly went into lockdown after the rat incident. Every single man and woman in her faction took to the streets, ready to torture and kill the attackers. Suspicious people were immediately apprehended and killed by the faction when they found them. The unlucky ones were sent to prison to be interrogated by Bella''s cruel wardens.


    With such measures in place, Syryn and Rowan found themselves hard-pressed to find a place to stay. The blond wanted to remain low key though Syryn wanted him to just murder every single goon that got in their way. Rowan had already dispatched a few of them who were attempting to capture the duo.


    "They''re all just a bunch of low life criminals," Syryn said as he expertly broke the neck of a man who had tried to alert his companions. "Don''t hesitate to kill them."


    Syryn too was once a low life criminal, guilty of crimes that Rowan could not mention at that moment. And he had spared the man, thus setting off a chain of events that the anti mage could never have foreseen. Maybe Syryn was right. When a patrol of seven men walked into the scene, they died before their next breath was taken.


    "Nice," Syryn commended the anti mage.


    ____


    Three days had elapsed since the attack on Bella''s town had commenced. A full-scale war was going on between Bella''s faction and the united group of the Red Sun and Iron Raider factions. Jorah, Red Sun''s leader appeared to be at the helm of the attack but the true strategist was Artemus, who remained in the shadows and advised the man. The anti mage had also been the one to broker an agreement between the two smaller factions who would divide Bella''s territory between themselves once the war was won.


    Rowan had found an abandoned home that wasn''t too shabby. It was located at the edge of the beach where activity wasn''t very hot. They had intended to lay low and keep an eye on the situation but trouble came for them in other ways.


    Syryn was snacking on a piece of seasoned dried squid when he felt the air grow thick with power. The dried squid got stuck in his throat when time suddenly stopped and he was frozen like a statue. Syryn could still hear and see what was going on around him. Rowan wasn''t affected by the spell but the anti mage didn''t come to Syryn''s rescue. It wasn''t that Rowan didn''t want to help Syryn. He was unable to.


    "Sorry, Ryn. I''ll be right back." The blond quickly left the room, heading for the roof where a woman was waiting to confront him.


    "Here to try and kill Syryn again?" He asked her as soon as he found the woman.


    "Just let me through and I promise that it''ll be a quick and painless affair. Then we can all go about our businesses saving the world and being heroes," she replied in a friendly tone, like old friends having a conversation.


    "Who sent you?" Rowan asked. His tone was the complete opposite of friendly.


    "Nobody sent me, Rowan. Syryn is an eyesore and a demon so I came to kill him as is the natural order of things. He has to die or we are doomed to repeat history."


    "The timeline has already changed considerably. History will not be repeated," Rowan replied. "I''m doing my job, Elius. Stop interfering or I''ll have to fight you. We don''t want that, do we?"


    "You''re a fool, Rowan. Falling in love with a filthy demon child. What do you expect will happen? Even if you save the world, the next step they will take will be ridding the world of demons and their spawns. And your lover will be killed as well. Stop letting your heart dictate what you must do."


    "Try again, Elius. You almost sounded sincere at the bit where you were concerned about me." Rowan began to destroy the time barrier that Elius had erected. It began crumbling from the outside, causing strange waves in the air that came through holes in the fabric of time-space.


    "Stop that!" Elius said with a note of panic in her voice.


    Not caring about the consequences, Rowan continued breaking down her barrier. The air began to dangerously vibrate. And from a tiny black pinprick that appeared suspended above them, a hole began to emerge in empty space.


    "Damn it, Rowan!" Elius cursed as she banished her spell. "There will be hell to pay for this."


    "That''s not my problem," Rowan replied. "You''re the one that came uninvited to attack my person. This is self-defence. Tell that to whoever sent you."


    Elius snorted daintily. "You''re only prolonging the inevitable, Rowan. One day, Syryn will have to die."


    "Not while I''m alive, Elius. If you want him then you''ll have to go through me."


    Elius laughed like she found Rowan''s words to be a joke.


    "Maybe that''s all I have to do then. If I leave you two alone, Syryn might have to die by your hands, again. And this time, there won''t be a redo." The delighted smile she wore was as evil as it was beautiful. "One day, Syryn will remember. He will. I hope you''re ready for it, Rowan. Because I am. The fallout will be so exciting!"


    "I had no choice," Rowan replied. "I''ll do it again if I have to." The darkness in his eyes would have terrified anyone else if they saw the anti mage at that moment. "Things aren''t the same anymore. Ryn will not have to suffer this time."


    Elius smiled coolly.


    "You could choose to let him go and there won''t be any pain, any heartache, Rowan. Why are you making this so hard for yourself?"


    "I do not expect you to have the capacity to empathise with how I feel. You''re heartless, Elius. Every one of you. You''ve all forgotten what it''s like to be human and to love."


    The beautiful woman nodded. "You''re right. And I''m glad that I don''t love. The power of love is strong, isn''t it? Drags you down and prevents you from becoming a version of yourself who can destroy worlds and control time. Look at you, Rowan. So weak and pathetic. You could be better, stronger, greater. You only have to say it."


    "Goodbye, Elius. Don''t come back."


    Rowan blew a hole in the roof and jumped through it.


    "Syryn?" He knelt before the unconscious mage. A trickle of blood was drying below Syryn''s nose. Rowan had seen this before.. He lifted the mage and put him in bed, not knowing how many days it would take for the mage to come back.

 Chapter 281 - Trust Is Earned

    "Syryn Syryn Syryn Syryn, hi, welcome back to my space! It''s been forever since we last had a chat, hasn''t it?"


    The childish voice that greeted him was androgynous and high pitched.


    "What''s going on?" Syryn replied, confused as to how he had gotten to this white space. "And who or what the hell are you?!"


    "It''s me... Don''t you remember?"


    "I''m suffering from amnesia so do me a favour and recap so I can get back to Rowan quickly."


    "Time flows differently inside here, Syryn. No matter how quick you are, you''ll be a few days late when you leave this place."


    "Start explaining, then," Syryn replied impatiently.


    "We made a pact to help each other, Syryn. You and I will work together to make sure that Traxdart is defeated and the world saved!"


    "What? Who is Traxdart? Why does the world need saving?"


    "Oh Syryn, I wish I could help you. How did you lose your memories?"


    "I don''t know. I don''t remember anything. Just waking up. That''s all I remember."


    "Oh... I sensed turmoil but couldn''t get to you because something was blocking me. The only reason I could reach you today was because of Elius and Rowan''s fight. We got lucky, Syryn. If she hadn''t attacked, I would have never had an opportunity to find a hole in the wall that prevents access to your consciousness."


    The child was bringing up names and scenarios that were going right over Syryn''s head. But if a time dilation was taking place, he had no time to waste asking unnecessary questions.


    "Get to the point," he told the child. "I understand we have a pact. Who are you? What do I get out of the pact? And who is Traxdart?"


    "So many questions," the child moaned in annoyance. "Who I am isn''t important. But Traxdart, he''s the emperor of the demons and wants to destroy this realm and others. We have to stop him."


    "What does it have to do with me? Find someone else to save the world from him."


    "But it has to be you because not everyone gets to relive their lives a second time!"


    "What are you talking about?!" Relive his life a second time? That was impossible.


    "Eh? Rowan didn''t tell you?"


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "How am I supposed to know?"


    The child tutted.


    "You''ve lived and died once already, Syryn. Rowan and you were given a second chance at life to redo it and ensure that Traxdart gets killed. Why didn''t Rowan tell you this?"


    Why didn''t Rowan tell him? Syryn had trusted the anti mage. He hoped that Rowan had a good reason for not bringing him into the loop about it.


    "He probably has good reasons for why he couldn''t tell me," Syryn replied. "What else hasn''t he told me?"


    "Unnnn... I don''t want to cause problems between the two of you, Syryn. You should ask him yourself."


    The mage scoffed. He didn''t have time for this.


    "So this Traxdart, where is he?"


    "In his own realm. He can''t come here because he''s too powerful. But his puppet is definitely in this realm, somewhere, causing trouble."


    "Did I agree to save the world or something?"


    "Eh? Well... No."


    "So you''re telling me that I was coerced to be a part of it? What about Rowan?"


    "Rowan agreed to kill Traxdart. But only if you- er- we shouldn''t talk about this, Syryn. You''ll eventually remember everything."


    "Send me back," he told the child.


    "But you just got here!"


    "I have to ask Rowan a few questions since you seem to be reluctant to give me any direct answers."


    "Syryn, tell me first, do you trust the sage?"


    "Who?"


    "Stop pretending. I know he''s in there."


    "Okay. Yes, I trust him. Why?" Syryn didn''t really completely trust the sage yet but it was better to lie.


    "Why? He''s the reason I couldn''t get to you. I don''t know what he wants from you but I don''t like that he put a wall between us!"


    The last part was said petulantly. The child sounded like he or she was throwing a small tantrum.


    "Listen, kid. I don''t understand what''s going on in my life. I thought I was beginning to but you suddenly brought me here and now I''m doubting everything I''ve been told. Even the things Rowan told me. So save your questions and send me back. When I remember the past, bring me back here for a real conversation."


    "I only wanted to help you, Syryn. That was my job..." She replied sadly. "I didn''t mean to make you doubt Rowan or cast him in a bad light. He''s a good man. Rowan loves you very much, you know."


    They''d exchanged rings. Syryn had put his faith in the anti mage and was very fond of him. A shot of unease took over his mind as he thought about what reasons Rowan would have for keeping such important information from him.


    "And Syryn, you can''t tell Rowan or anyone else about me. I''ve put a spell in place that prevents it from happening but I''m just warning you so that you don''t try."


    "That says a lot about the lack of trust between us. Thanks for letting me know." He was already in a really foul mood after the revelations. Being told about the spell ruined his mood further. Syryn had thought himself to be an ordinary person caught up in some bullshit mermen business but he had been completely wrong about everything. He was apparently a half-demon human in the centre of some world-ending scenario that involved the demonic emperor and time travel. It was either that or Syryn was crazy and his mind was making things up.


    "It''s not like that!" The child protested. "This is fail-safe just in case you accidentally mention it or sleep talk about it! I swear it''s not because I don''t trust you."


    "Save it, little boy, or girl, whatever you are.. Send me back right now."

 Chapter 282 - Explanations

    You''ve been gone three days, Syryn. Do you understand what''s happening to your body every time you get pulled into her pocket dimension?


    [What?]


    Syryn''s mindscape was distinctly gloomier than usual.


    It affects your lifespan. Jumping through dimensions isn''t without its price so you have to keep in mind just how many times you go in there.


    [You know, the child pulled me in without my permission. I am powerless to stop it from happening when they decide to call me again. They know about your existence by the way.]


    It was inevitable that I would be found out eventually.


    [Why did you put up a wall between her and us?]


    She is a powerful entity whose intentions are unknown.


    [And yours are? You might be plotting world domination for all I know.]


    If I wanted that then I would erase your consciousness and take control of your body. Believe me, you''d have no way to stop me from body snatching. I just choose not to because we can both benefit mutually by cooperating.


    [Then prove it. Show me that I have no control-]


    Syryn felt his body go lax and then he was no longer in control.


    The sleeping mage opened his eyes and sat up. It was early afternoon.


    "Ryn, you''re finally awake. How do you feel?"


    [Okay, you''ve proved it. I believe you.]


    "Ryn?"


    Syryn stood up and stretched his body like a feline. He then solemly turned to the anti mage whose brows were furrowed in concern.


    "Rowan, I''ve realised that I''m no longer into men. I''m straight now."


    [What?!]


    "Are you messing with me?" Rowan asked after a beat.


    "I''m sorry, this is it between us. I have to go conquer a thousand beauties from every kingdom in the world. My seeds are crying out to be sowed in the wild."


    [Are you kidding me?! Shut up!]


    Rowan went from concerned to shocked. "Ryn, sit down. Let''s talk about this."


    The mage began to put on his boots. "You can''t stop me, Rowan. I''m starting with your sister. Do you have one?"


    [Oh God! Fuck! Sage, Old man, I''m sorry! Please!]


    The anti mage was speechless. His confused blue eyes blinked at the mage like he wasn''t sure what to say.


    "No? Pity."


    "You''re not Syryn," Rowan finally said to the mage, a tight frown on his face.


    [Thank you! Rowan, you really are my fiance!]


    It was fun while it lasted.


    Syryn breathed a sigh of relief when he regained control of his body.


    [We''re going to talk about this after I''ve had an important conversation with Rowan.]


    I sense a domestic disagreement in the making.


    [Shut up, old man.]


    "Rowan, I''m sorry about what just happened. That was the sage. He wanted to prank you and that happened."


    "Are you sure it was just a prank?"


    Syryn thought that Rowan was too perceptive.


    "Anyway, you kept important information from me. Why did you? I believed and trusted everything you told me, Rowan."


    Syryn was getting worked up just thinking about how he had to find out everything through a third party.


    "Ryn, before you say anything else, listen to my explanation." The anti mage had his hands up in a placating gesture. Syryn had just woken up from another one of his comas so it was highly likely that he was disoriented.


    "Go on then."


    The anti mage wasn''t sure what information Syryn wanted from him. Arms crossed and leaning against the window, Syryn patiently waited for Rowan to say something.


    "There''s a lot that''s happened between us," Rowan began. "World-changing events, deaths, misunderstandings, so much, Ryn. When I found out you''d forgotten everything, I rationalised that it would have been too much for you to learn about and accept in one sitting. I wanted to gradually tell you about it and let you remember."


    It had been quiet at the beach house but a sudden influx of noise disturbed the peace that Syryn was wrapped up in as he thought about Rowan''s explanation.


    "Does that happen often?" Syryn asked the anti mage.


    "What?"


    "The screaming."


    Syryn had accepted Rowan''s explanation and there was no longer any need to dwell on it.


    "The Queensmen have made a camp not too far away from here. They bring in captured members of other factions and execute them at the beach so that their bodies can be piled and burnt away from the town."


    "Sounds like torture to me," Syryn replied as he heard more screaming.


    Rowan nodded. "There''s a sadistic mage amongst them who has a predilection for dismembering people alive." The anti mage frowned when he thought about how cruel humans could be if given enough power over others.


    "Why don''t you stop them, Rowan? Aren''t you here to save the world?" Syryn asked.


    The anti mage couldn''t understand what Syryn was trying to accomplish by asking him such a question. It almost seemed like the mage was testing him.


    "Do you want me to?"


    "No. I don''t care, Rowan. I''m a half-demon, aren''t I? What about you? Why don''t you care?"


    Rowan shrugged. "I''m just a merchant trying to stay alive amidst a war."


    The mage snorted. He suspected Rowan cared but couldn''t do anything about it because if he killed the killers and left witnesses then Bella would find out about them. In order to not leave any witnesses, the entire execution camp would have to be wiped out which would again bring Bella''s attention to it, and maybe towards them as well. It was in their best interest to stay out of sight and out of mind.


    "Do you think I''m heartless, Syryn?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Then why did you ask me those questions?"


    Because Syryn wanted to gauge Rowan''s conscience. Despite his non response to Syryn''s initial question, the blond''s body language had revealed enough about his feelings on the matter.


    Syryn sighed and splayed his fingers out to look at the ring on his finger. Did he trust Rowan? Maybe. He just wished he could remember things fast so that he wouldn''t feel so conflicted about the decisions he was making.


    "Tell me everything, Rowan. Start from the beginning, without leaving out a single detail. And this time, I don''t want you to make unilateral decisions about what I need or needn''t know. As painful or ugly as it is, that was my life and I have every right to know about it when I want to."


    A cacophony of screaming began again.. It was a fitting background to the bittersweet tale of how Rowan and Syryn''s friendship had begun.

 Chapter 283 - Robin

    That night, a great fire broke out and it couldn''t be put out with water because of its magical nature. The fire burnt blue and white, indicating the use of a chemical made from the powder of arcane crystals.


    "That''s an expensive fire," Rowan commented.


    The two beach bums were on the roof of the house, watching blue fire take over the town, far from where they had settled down.


    "The war ends tonight, doesn''t it?"


    "Yes. I expect Artemus will reveal his hand tonight and finish what he started."


    ____


    Bella''s territory was in shambles. The fire had done a hell of damage to the town. Such a fire couldn''t sustain itself without a steady supply of powder but her men couldn''t figure out who or what had been adding to the fire and making it spread. They didn''t know that Artemus had hidden sachets of the powder in a carefully mapped out network across town. He had done this before allowing himself to be found by Bella''s men.


    Mustering the abilities of her anti mages, the fire was put out but Red Sun and the Iron Raiders were already in her territory. The confusion caused by the fire had allowed the infiltrators to successfully and bloodlessly enter her territory. Now there was a standoff between Bella''s faction and the united Red Raiders, so named during their temporary partnership.


    Bella stood behind a line of bodyguards that shielded her from attack. Her black high collar dress and the distinctive eye patch identified the woman despite being behind a shield of men.


    Artemus, Jorah, and Ringo, the leader of the Iron Raiders, stood together ahead of the army of men they were leading.


    "Give it up Bella," Jorah told the woman. "It''s over. I''ll spare you if you do a year of community service for my men." A chorus of laughter ensued at his dirty comment. "See that? My boys have wanted to have a taste of a strong woman. They don''t even mind sharing."


    Syryn and Rowan weren''t missing out on what was an exciting time on Coop. Disguised in dark cloaks, they evaded the detection of Bella''s men and were atop a roof, watching the events unfold on the ground.


    "I''m tempted to fight for Bella and have her win," Syryn said in a low voice. "Artemus could have chosen better."


    "Perhaps it was his circumstances that forced him to choose the smaller factions."


    Meanwhile, Bella remained silent. It wasn''t worth the effort replying to a crass comment delivered by a crass man. It was the dark-haired one who attracted her attention.


    "You survived the hanging and you even escaped the mouths of my pets. I commend you Artemus."


    The anti mage acknowledged her words with a nod. "It has been a pleasure working with you, Bella."


    Ringo chuckled at Artemus'' words. "You mean it was a pleasure working with the bitch."


    Artemus was in a dark suit reminiscent of what he used to wear back in Elysium. Hands in his pocket, the anti mage stood next to Ringo looking far too cool and standoffish. Jorah and Ringo both resented him for overshadowing their combined presence even though he made no effort to.


    "I meant what I said," Artemus replied. "Gentleman, it was a pleasure working with the two of you."


    The attack came unexpectedly. The dark-haired anti mage moved like the wind and slit Ringo''s throat. Even as his body fell, the anti mage moved in a flash towards Jorah who snapped out of his shock and defended himself. But it was too late for him. A dagger came from behind his back and went right into his neck. Jorah made a gurgling sound as blood poured out of his mouth and he fell to his knees.


    "Oh snap..." Syryn loudly said in shock. "Artemus was a double agent?"


    Rowan was impressed by what the anti mage had accomplished. "I think I''ve figured out where Robin is."


    "Is it the one who stabbed the Red Sun guy?" Syryn asked, voice rising a pitch because of how excited he was.


    "Bella is Robin."


    "Whaaaaat?!"


    "I hadn''t recognised her because of the disguise she''s wearing. But it makes sense, doesn''t it?"


    Artemus'' smooth escape, the lack of a proper defensive move by Bella, the reason why Robin had missing - they all clicked to form a perfect answer.


    Over at Artemus'' side, it wasn''t over yet. The massive army of dumbfounded Red Raiders hadn''t yet reacted to the sudden development. Their leaders were dead. What did it mean? Several men began getting ideas about the now empty leadership spots. But Artemus and Bella were in their way.


    "Kill that traitor!!" A hoarse voice shouted from the Red Raider''s side. "Cut his heart out and feed his body to the dogs!"


    Artemus reached into his pocket and removed what appeared to be a glass ball swirling with blue liquid. He threw it to the ground and it broke into pieces. His partner, the person who had stabbed Jorah did the same. Plumes of grey smoke quickly enveloped the place he stood at, becoming a barrier between him and the Red Raiders who were fainting in great numbers wherever the smoke reached them. Artemus, a dark shadow in the smoke, walked out of the grey and joined Robin, now Bella, who welcomed him with a smile.


    "Good work, Artemus."


    "No thanks to you, Bella," he replied in a dry tone. "You''re lucky I showed up when I did."


    Behind the wall of smoke, the Red Raiders were on the ground, spasming and seizing. Seeing their comrades suffering, the others backed away from the smoke. They had no single leadership to guide them so it became a free for all. The united faction broke apart into smaller groups led by individuals who held smaller positions of power under Jorah and Ringo. They fled in different directions, hoping to regroup and carve out their own territories in the land of the Red Raiders.


    "Send the your men to clean up the scene," Artemus told Bella. "I''m done here.. The rest is up to you."

 Chapter 284 - The Door

    Rowan and Syryn left the scene and returned to their beach house. On their they, they came across the execution camp which was now empty. A few prisoners were still locked up in cages like animals and we''re subsequently freed by Rowan. Their futures uncertain, the prisoners tried to follow the two men who had rescued them.


    "What do we do?" Syryn asked Rowan. They were ignoring the group of prisoners who were trailing behind them.


    "Nothing," Rowan replied. "They can follow us all they like and it won''t get them anywhere but the shabby place we''re staying at."


    Rowan couldn''t pity them because they were hardened criminals acting pitiful.


    "So what now, Rowan?"


    The blond figured that Artemus would find them. They just had to wait for the dark-haired anti mage to show up. They would then depart from Coop together, leaving Robin, still undercover, to run the place for whatever covert reason that the Sanguine had seen to benefit from.


    "I never would have imagined that Artemus was working with Bella. I mean, you saw his injuries, didn''t you? He even allowed himself to get hanged and then thrown to the sharks. That man fears nothing, does he?" Syryn said in awe. He was very impressed by the actions of the man.


    "He''s one of the best hunters we have," Rowan replied. "I''m glad you saved his life, Ryn."


    "I did?!"


    "Mhmm. You''re one of the best healers I know. You saved Artemus from certain death when you were still in school."


    "That explains why he came to Coop searching for me. I guess he thinks he owes me his life."


    "He does owe you his life."


    It wasn''t long before the duo reached their beach house. If they weren''t on Coop, Syryn would have wanted to stay awhile and relax in the beach house for a few days. He enjoyed the sounds of the waves and the warm gritty sand under his toes in the early afternoon. Syryn wished he had a home by the beach.


    Rowan waited for Syryn to enter the house before he himself went in. The prisoners that had followed them stood outside the door looking angry and lost. Rowan slammed the door shut and bolted it without a backward glance at the criminals.


    "What''s on your mind, Ryn?" He asked the mage who was gazing out the window with a wistful look on his face.


    "I like the beach," Syryn replied. "It''s peaceful here if I don''t think too much about the people who were getting killed just a while ago."


    "You want to stay here?" Rowan asked, surprised. They''d been to beaches before. Syryn had never expressed any particular interest in wanting to live by the shore.


    "Yes. But I know we can''t."


    Rowan was thoughtful as he received a hot cup of tea from the mage who had found a small pouch of tea leaves in his bag and thought it a good time to drink some tea. The water in the kettle was already heated up from before they''d left the house so it hadn''t taken any time for the water to boil.


    "I can''t immediately build a house for you at the beach but I have something you might like."


    Syryn was sitting adjacent to the anti mage and taking small sips from his cup.


    "What would that be?" He asked, curious.


    Syryn watched Rowan fish out a key from his dimensional bag. The anti mage held it up to his eye level and glanced at the mage.


    "We once visited a place called the silent market where I spent a lot of money on this key."


    Rowan hadn''t had any concrete plans for what he had purchased but he did so because of how precious it was.


    The mage stared at the key. It didn''t look special to him at all.


    "What door does it open?" He asked Rowan.


    "A special door. I''d rather show you than explain."


    The anti mage set aside his cup and stood up.


    "What, now?" Syryn asked, placing his unfinished cup of tea on the floor because they didn''t have a table.


    Rowan held the key between his thumb and forefinger. He pushed the key into the air like he was sticking it inside an invisible keyhole. Reserving his judgement for later, the mage waited for something to happen. Rowan turned the key and there was a shimmer in the air.


    "Okay...?" Syryn let out in surprise. A blue door painted with sunflowers appeared. It was transparent at first and then solidified in front of his eyes. "Wow."


    Rowan was pleased by Syryn''s reaction. He turned the knob on the door and opened it. The room was immediately filled with warmth and light.


    "Come, let''s have a look at what the waves will wash up today," Rowan said to the stupefied mage.


    Syryn came to stand before the door. He was beside Rowan, frozen from the surprise he was feeling. He looked up at the anti mage with wonder on his face. There was a whole sunny beach just beyond the threshold of the door. From what Syryn could see, the beach was covered in sand that looked pearly. It was as if someone had taken thousands of pearls and ground them into fine powder to be scattered over the beach. The color of the water was even more wondrous. It was a beautiful clear blue ocean whose waves glimmered because of the pearly sand underneath.


    "Shall I?" Syryn asked the anti mage who had been patiently waiting for him to take in the beauty of the beach.


    "Please, go ahead," Rowan gestured to the door with a smile.


    Syryn stepped through and the first thing that he noticed was that the beach was a small sheltered bay surrounded by rocky precipitous walls.


    "Rowan, where are we?" He asked the blond. The fine pearly sand under his feet were grainy but not enough to hurt. They felt smoother than the sand from the beach on Coop.


    "Iniatra''s cove," Rowan answered. "She''s the one that found this place and created the key. Geographically, we''re no longer in human territory."


    "Whose territory?" Syryn asked.


    "The elves. But they won''t find us."


    The waves slowly washed over and brought a shell to Syryn''s feet. It was shaped like a conch and was entirely black in color.


    "A gift from the ocean to you," Rowan said with a smile on his face.. "Pick it up, Ryn."

 Chapter 285 - Gift

    Syryn stooped over and reached for the black seashell. It was the size of his palm. The color of the shell wasn''t entirely black as Syryn had assumed. There were flecks of dark purple on it near the opening.


    "What do you mean it''s a gift from the ocean?"


    The anti mage sat down on the beach and began folding the cuffs of his trousers. He didn''t like the idea of wearing soaked trousers even if they were just wet at the cuffs.


    "I meant what I said. The water sends gifts when new people appear. I don''t know why it does what it does but that''s what I''ve been told."


    "By whom?" The mage asked as he placed the seashell to his ear. He had checked and it was empty. He immediately heard whispers from the seashell but they were in a language he couldn''t understand.


    "By the person who told me about the key."


    Syryn offered the shell to Rowan. "Listen to it."


    The anti mage held the shell to his ear but he only heard the sound of waves.


    "What am I supposed to be hearing?" He asked Syryn.


    "Can''t you hear the whispers?" Syryn asked the anti mage.


    "No, Ryn, I can''t."


    "Give that here," Syryn held out his hand. He put the shell to his ear and once again heard the whispers.


    "It seems that only you can hear it," Rowan said to the mage. "The gift is for you so I suppose it''s only for your ears."


    Syryn tried to focus on individual words but he couldn''t make head or tail of what was being said.


    "If I don''t understand what they''re saying then what use is it to me?" He murmured. He hoped that the shell''s inhabitants weren''t offended by his words if they''d heard him.


    "I don''t have an answer to that, Ryn. Who knows why the ocean sends gifts and what they mean."


    Syryn looked at the shell in his hand. It had a beautiful symmetry to it. Even its curves were perfectly aligned and exact in shape. It was the most perfectly formed shell he had ever seen.


    "What was your gift, Rowan?"


    The anti mage was leaning with his hands on the sand, head thrown back like he wanted to absorb all the sunshine he could on every inch of his skin.


    "It gifted me a piece of rock," Rowan replied. "I''m hoping that it''s not the gift intended for me because who wants a rock?"


    Syryn laughed melodious and free.


    "A rock? Maybe the ocean knows how wealthy you are."


    "Money can''t buy me what I want, Ryn. If I could exchange all the gold I have for a wish, then I would give it all away in a heartbeat."


    Syryn felt the somber mood that the anti mage had gotten into. Rowan looked sad. His bright eyes were the sky and Syryn wanted to dive into the blue.


    "Show me the rock that the ocean gave you," Syryn said to Rowan. He could have asked what wish the anti mage wanted so desperately but something in him was reluctant to. He wanted his memories back. He wanted to really know Rowan. Then he would be ready to delve into the blue.


    "It''s just a piece of ordinary rock," the anti mage replied. He had stored it away in his dimensional space just in case he was wrong about its nature.


    "Look," a piece of dark brown rock appeared on his palm. "It''s just an ordinary rock, Ryn."


    Syryn made to pick up the rock from Rowan''s palm but it broke in half when he touched it.


    "Ah," he let out regretfully. "I didn''t do it on purpose."


    Rowan smiled, amused by the look of panic on Syryn''s face. "Don''t worry about it, Ryn. It''s just a rock."


    The two pieces of the broken rock sat on Rowan''s palm looking even more ordinary than it did when it was whole. Syryn picked up one half expecting it to break again but it didn''t happen. The mage put the rock to his ear and felt stupid when he saw Rowan trying to hide a smile.


    "It was worth a try," he said with some embarrassment. The mage quickly dropped it into Rowan''s palm and sat down beside him.


    "Take one," the anti mage told him while holding out the broken rock. "We can each keep one half of it to remember each other by."


    Syryn stared at the lump of brown.


    "We already have these rings," he held up his fingers. The gold band gleamed in the sunlight prettily.


    "We can never have enough tokens to remember each other by. Keep it, Ryn. Maybe I''ll have the rocks embedded in our rings."


    Syryn wasn''t sure if Rowan was joking. He hoped he was.


    "That''s not necessary," he replied while turning the rock around in his fingers. The mage was hoping to see something special in it. "How about we just keep it as it is?"


    "Whatever you like, Ryn."


    The duo sat without exchanging any more words. Rowan was lost in his own thoughts while Syryn mulled over the sadness he had seen in Rowan''s eyes.


    "Why would anyone part with the key? You can''t just buy something like this every day."


    Rowan nodded slowly. "I had been searching for the key for many years. It was a combination of luck and much effort on my part to get the key to this place. The only reason it was on sale was because the previous owner had passed away. He sold it right before his death, not letting the buyer know how special the key really was."


    "Maybe he wanted the key to be bought by someone who wanted it enough to search for it," Syryn guessed. "Why was it so expensive though if the seller didn''t know its worth?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe he heard about how much I was willing to pay for it and charged me double."


    The mage let himself fall back on the sand. Hands clasped over his stomach, he stared up at the sky, noticing a cloud that was shaped like an eye.


    "Why is this place special to you, Rowan?"


    "It isn''t the place that''s special. It''s the existence of the place that is."


    Syryn didn''t get it.


    "We should go back, Ryn."

 Chapter 286 - Dinner Sucks

    Syryn walked out of the door carrying his black shell in hand. They had a guest waiting for them.


    "Artemus, you''re here already!" Syryn happily greeted the anti mage.


    Rowan stepped out right behind him smiling at the dark-haired anti mage. He had been wanting to leave Coop island and now he finally could.


    The anti mage had a faint look of surprise on his face. He''d seen the hot cup of water and knew that the duo had just abruptly left the house. He had waited for them but hadn''t expected Syryn to walk out of thin air.


    "I''m ready to leave this place," Rowan announced to Artemus. "I hope you''ve got a ship ready for departure."


    The older anti mage nodded. "I need to rest a while before we board. I''ve had a few sleepless nights because of Robin''s little enterprise."


    The pale man had taken up the most comfortable seat in the room. Leaning back on the headrest, he pressed his fingertips to his temples and rubbed them.


    "Shouldn''t you rest on the ship? There might be some disgruntled folks looking for you."


    Syryn went back to boiling some water. Conversations and rest were always better while sharing some hot tea. He could see the tiredness on Artemus'' face and felt like he could do with some calming brew which he had none of. Plain tea had to do.


    Give him the potion in your bag labelled 12. A revitalisation potion would do him a world of good.


    [What does that do?]


    It restores his energy.


    Syryn checked in his satchel and found the potion labelled as mentioned by the sage.


    [Do I give him the whole thing?]


    Ask him. He''ll have a better idea about how much his body needs.


    "Hey, Artemus, take this," Syryn held out the potion to the man. "Do you know how much you should drink?"


    "Thank you, and yes I do. I''ll need another one if you have more."


    While Syryn dug in his bag for more potion, the anti mage uncorked and began drinking the potion that Syryn had handed him. For fear of being poisoned or given an adulterated potion, the anti mage had avoided any and all potions that had been offered to him. It was the reason he was still bruised, injured, and tired. Even the food he was given had been screened by feeding it first to a dog that was owned by Jorah.


    "The ship is waiting at the harbour but I feel safer here," Artemus said after emptying the flask. "Let me sleep for half an hour and I''ll feel better."


    Rowan''s presence was the reason that the anti mage felt he could sleep without any fear. There weren''t many people that Artemus could trust this way. Syryn was one of the few he trusted but the mage''s unpredictability meant that Artemus had to keep one eye open and couldn''t completely let himself be relaxed.


    "There''s a bed through that door. Rest as much as you need to," Rowan told the older anti mage.


    _____


    It was very early in the morning and the sun still hadn''t shown its face. Three men discreetly boarded a ship at the harbour. Not long after their arrival, the ship began to set off with its sails open to the wind.


    As per usual, the cabins were small on the ship. After some negotiations, the biggest room aboard was bought off by the blond anti mage. Syryn was invited to bunk with him and the man gratefully accepted the invitation. Artemus took the cabin right next to theirs. Syryn''s potions had revitalised his energy but he still needed more sleep. Thus, his cabin remained locked all day. Artemus slept from morning to evening without even showing up for a meal.


    Rowan and Syryn had spent the day reading in their room. They weren''t familiar with the crew and so preferred to keep to themselves. This time, Rowan didn''t even have to show his face when pirate ships appeared because the ship they were on had been marked with the Queensmen''s protection.


    It was almost dinner time when Artemus came out of his room looking neater than when he had gone in. A bath, change of clothing, and grooming his hair had done wonders to his already very attractive looks. He came across Syryn who had a fishing rod in his hand and was leaning beyond the railing of the deck.


    "What are you doing?" He asked with some confusion.


    "Fishing. Can''t you see?" Came the reply.


    "I didn''t know you could catch fish at night this way." Artemus wasn''t a fisherman. He felt no shame in admitting his ignorance about it.


    "Well, I didn''t either. Rowan said I could so here I am." Syryn''s eyes were drooping, bored from waiting for a fish to bite his lure.


    "I see. But why are you fishing?"


    The mage yawned and adjusted his posture, leaning further against the railing. He was ready to give up on the fishing.


    "The cook served a vegetarian dinner," Syryn sedately replied. "And I told him that I wanted to eat fish but they only have salted dry fish. I had a craving for some fresh seafood so here I am. I say it''s dumb not to carry a few barrels of fresh fish even if you''re going on a long journey. Or some chicken you know. They can lay eggs. Why not even take a piglet to kill later? Why does everything have to be salted?"


    Artemus didn''t particularly care about food while on a journey. As long as it wasn''t poisoned, he was willing to eat whatever they had. It was only after he was inducted into the Sanguine that the man became this way. Long months of travelling through uninhabitable biomes had taught him that sustenance and availability of it were more important than taste. Despite owning dimension spaces that could safely store food, the anti mages had been trained to make do with less just in case they found themselves without access to their resources.


    "They probably have eggs," Artemus replied after some thought.. "I''ll go ask."

 Chapter 287 - Art

    Artemus returned to Syryn with two plates of egg and bacon fried rice. It was seasoned lightly with sauce and spices that the anti mage had found in the kitchen. He offered a plate to the mage who still hadn''t caught a single fish.


    Syryn wanted to refuse the plate of food on principle since he had just griped about wanting only seafood. But the steam wafting off the plate smelled delicious and the mage''s stomach made it clear it wanted some of whatever Artemus was offering.


    Grudgingly, he accepted the plate. "Thanks. I guess this will do for tonight."


    The anti mage made no response to that. He made himself comfortable next to Syryn and began to spoon fried rice into his mouth.


    "This is actually pretty good," Syryn told the anti mage after tasting a spoon full of rice laden with scrambled egg. "The shitty cook could have offered it earlier."


    "Mmm," Artemus replied. He had taken the initiative to fry the rice himself because he saw the cook was smoking something strange in the kitchen. The anti mage was also put off by the lack of hygiene in the cooking area. Even the rice had been fried only after scrubbing down the pan three times and washing whatever utensils he planned to use.


    "Where''s Rowan?" He asked to fill the silence. Syryn was engrossed in eating his food and hadn''t said a word since his comment about the taste of the fried rice.


    "In the room," the mage replied after he swallowed a mouthful of rice. "I left him there so he might still be inside. He''s been completely immersed in the book he was reading all day."


    "What book?"


    "Some gardening book," Syryn replied. "He has many so I''ve stopped bothering to check the titles."


    Artemus was pleasantly surprised to know that Rowan liked gardening, or at least reading about it.


    "So Artemus, how did you end up starting a war in Coop when you were supposed to be looking for me?" Syryn asked. The anti mage had cared enough about him to journey to Coop. It didn''t make sense to Syryn that Artemus would stop looking for him and get caught up with Sanguine business after coming so far for him.


    "I was looking for a man called Idriz who was the only link I had to finding you. Red Sun had him imprisoned and I couldn''t gain access to him unless I befriended a high ranking member of the faction. At the same time, Robin needed my help and so I came up with a plan to serve both needs."


    It was an acceptable answer to the mage who had been a little upset believing that the person who had come to rescue him had discarded him so easily for Sanguine duty. He wasn''t blaming Artemus. Syryn was just a little dejected about it.


    "How did Idriz get caught by Red Sun?" He asked, now feeling happier.


    "His ship sank. I heard it was attacked by a squall. Anyway, he was lucky to be rescued from death by a pirate ship. Unfortunately, they sold him as a slave, not knowing who he was. Red Sun recognised him and kept the man captive for future use."


    Syryn blamed his bad luck for the predicament that Idriz had met. If he wasn''t on The Fool''s Noose, would it have attracted the baby squall?


    "Where''s Idriz then?"


    "He escaped during the clash with the Queensmen. I wouldn''t worry about him," Artemus replied. "Idriz is a slippery one. He''ll probably get to log island before we reach Hide."


    "That''s good to hear. I owe him one."


    Syryn placed the empty plate on top of Artemus'' plate. The anti mage had finished first and placed his plate between them on the floor.


    "What about you? How did you end up in Silisia?" Artemus asked.


    The mage sighed when he thought back to his journey. He had decided that they would make a stop at Silisia to check on the situation with the mer king and maybe take Levia with them.


    "They kidnapped me because of some prophecy about the kingdom. It was bullshit anyway because I ended up doing the opposite of what was prophesied."


    A smile appeared on the anti mage''s face. He expected nothing but chaos and contradiction from the mage.


    "I thought you were dead, Syryn. I am ashamed to say that I allowed myself to believe that you could be defeated so easily." A sinking ship was not how Syryn was supposed to die. It was too banal and dreary a way to go for someone so unpredictable and cunning. But then again, since Syryn was so unpredictable, a boring and predictable death would have been the opposite of what was expected from Syryn. The anti mage stopped his thoughts there. It was a futile use of his time and mind.


    "I''m glad you cared enough to still come search for me," Syryn replied. "I guess this erases the debt you owed me."


    Artemus had been looking out at the water but he turned to Syryn now. "This wasn''t about erasing a debt, Syryn. I consider you family. I would have looked for you whether or not I owed you my life."


    Hearing that, Syryn got a little emotional. Rowan and Artemus were both wonderful people and they cared about him. And even better, he apparently had a bratty brother and more people who loved him and were anxiously waiting for his return. It was times like these that Syryn desperately wanted his memories back. He wanted to feel loved and cared for by everyone.


    "Thanks, Artemus," he said in a small voice. Syryn was grateful for the people in his life even though he knew little about them. Despite it all, he saw a silver lining to his memory loss. He would get to know them all over again.. It was like getting a chance to forget the plot to a favourite book so he could read it from a fresh perspective and enjoy it once more.

 Chapter 288 - Conversation

    Rowan and Syryn slept on the same bed as couples did but the intimacy between them was lacking. The mage was awake on the third night since their departure from Coop. Rowan''s arm was around his waist and the man was fast asleep, breathing deep and even.


    I sense that you have questions.


    Syryn gently ran his fingers down each rounded knuckle on Rowan''s hand. He was restless and it soothed him when he touched the anti mage.


    [You told me that you''re just a small part of the Sage''s consciousness that was left behind after his death.]


    That is true.


    [For what purpose did the Sage leave you in the pearl?]


    To find a successor.


    [Me.]


    Yes. I will pass on what knowledge I have and then leave you to inhabit a new body.


    [What if you stay in my head till I die?]


    That would be unwise.


    [I''m not asking you to. I was just curious.]


    You are in a bad mood?


    [I''m frustrated because I don''t know who I am. I am Syryn Nigh''hart, alchemist, healer, half-demon, and I have known Rowan Windwalker my whole life. But they are mere facts to me, like knowing that the sun is warm. I don''t have an identity.]


    I''m sorry. I can imagine how terrible that feels.


    [Like missing a limb.]


    I can return your memories right now if you want them.


    [What about the hidden memories?]


    I am yet to find a way to unlock them without alerting the entity that hid them away. But I''ve come to find that this... person who locked your memories is very powerful. We do not want them to notice what I am trying to do.


    [How long until you can unlock them?]


    I don''t know. I''ll keep prodding at it till I find a hole. Until then, you''ll have to bear with the frustration.


    [It''s fine, I guess... I only feel this way when I''m alone with my thoughts. If you return the memories then do we lose the chance to get to the hidden parts?]


    Yes. Imagine a puzzle with half of the total number of pieces greyed out. To solve the puzzle, I needed the pieces of your memory that weren''t greyed out. There''s still a chance though that these memories will unlock by themselves when it''s time for them to.


    [What makes you say that?]


    Destroying memories is easier than locking them away. The person who did it wanted to keep your memories intact. It makes me think that they want you to have them back after the satisfaction of some condition they''ve set.


    [I was going to ask Rowan about it but I realised that even he can''t help me with the secret memories. They remain out of reach despite the time we had in the past to unravel them.]


    I have looked through your memories, Syryn. You are right about Rowan being unable to help you with it.


    [Can I just pretend that I''m an ordinary man without any responsibilities? I want to live a normal life and not have to deal with the crap that''s getting shoved my way despite me never asking for any of it.]


    It''s up to you.


    [Like hell it is. I''m going to grab Levia and get out of Silisia. Then I''ll forget all about it and never go back because the mers are right, I can''t rule over mermen.]


    The sage is the rightful ruler of the ocean. You are the sage now, Syryn. A part of you has joined with the magic of the ocean and that makes you worthy to rule over mermen and sirens alike.


    [I refuse.]


    Then choose a wise ruler for Silisia. You are content with the son of the mer who harmed you?


    [If you''re asking about Drevin then yes, I am sure he will make a good king. He may be a little arrogant but he''s soft inside, and smart enough to handle the unruly nobles. He doesn''t share his father''s ideals so that''s another reason he would make a better King than his father ever did.]


    Then give him a scale from your body. It will be a way for him to reach out to you when you''re needed.


    [Teach me how to turn back into a snake.]


    All you have to do is picture yourself as a black serpent and push every ounce of will into becoming it.


    [Like this? Ah-]


    Syryn began to transform into the sleek black creature he had imagined.


    [I don''t have hands! How am I supposed to pluck a scale?]


    Use your teeth to pull the scale under your belly.


    [Will it hurt?]


    No.


    A loud wheezing sound woke up Rowan. His sleep mussed hair fell over his eyes as the blond threw aside the blanket, ready to attack the cold slithering creature that was writhing under it.


    "What the hell is going on?" Rowan asked the black serpent who was belly up on the bed, clutching a scale in its mouth and writhing with vigour.


    The anti mage suspected the creature was Syryn and it was the only reason he hadn''t already kicked it out of the bed. But what was he supposed to do?


    [You said it wouldn''t hurt!!!!]


    I said that because if I told you it was going to hurt, you would''ve hesitated and made it worse for yourself. Anyway, it''s only a little pain.


    [This is just as bad as stubbing my toe.]


    Look, your lover is worried. Stop wriggling so much.


    _____


    After transforming back into his human body, Syryn immediately dived under Rowan''s chin and hugged the anti mage around his waist. The scale was still in his mouth feeling smooth and cold on his tongue.


    If you swallow it accidentally, you''ll be in much grater pain shitting it out.


    The mage fearfully clenched his teeth around the scale and stuck to the anti mage like a barnacle.


    "Ryn, what''s wrong?"


    Syryn popped out the scale that was in his mouth.


    "Just a bad dream, Ro.. Let''s go back to sleep."

 Chapter 289 - A Place To Call Home

    "We''ll be back before dusk," Rowan told Artemus. He was about to accompany Syryn to Silisia where the mage would tie up the loose ends he''d left behind.


    "Don''t get into trouble," Artemus reminded them for the fifth time.


    "No promises," Rowan replied. With Syryn in the equation, there was always a probability of something going wrong.


    "If you don''t come back by dusk, we''ll leave without you and Syryn."


    Rowan smiled at the expressionless Artemus. The dark-haired anti mage liked to act cool but his threats and cold words came from a place of concern.


    "Don''t get caught by a squall," he replied. The blond then dived into the water where Syryn was waiting for him.


    _____


    Silisia was still in the process of rebuilding itself when the duo arrived. Mer guards were still patrolling the waters but there were civilians too swimming amongst them. Under the rule of the old king, none of the mers had been allowed to travel to the surface but it seemed that it was no longer the case.


    "Syryn, your majesty! Welcome back!"


    The mage cringed when he heard the effusive greeting.


    "Arhak, glad to see you''re still alive," he replied. "And just call me Syryn. Drevin is your king, not me."


    "Yes, sir, Syryn."


    "Ugh! Just take me to Drevin."


    ____


    The mer prince was alone in the throne room when Syryn arrived.


    "You''re back," Drevin said with a faint smile. "I was expecting you much later."


    "I couldn''t stay away," Syryn replied. "I had to know what happened to your father."


    To Syryn''s relief, Drevin didn''t react negatively to his words.


    "My father has lost his mind. We''ve bound him in chains so he would stop attacking everyone around him."


    As much as he hated the mer, he was still Drevin''s father. Syryn felt bad for the mer who had to watch his father go crazy.


    "You don''t have to look so guilty," Drevin told him. "My father brought it upon himself. He''s in the dungeons. Go there and do what you must. I cannot accompany you."


    "I''m sorry," the mage told the silver-blue mer. "I wish it didn''t have to be this way."


    Drevin nodded once and turned away from Syryn, grieving silently for the man he used to call father.


    ____


    In the first cell of the partially buried dungeon, Syryn stared through the metal bars where a small monster was fast asleep next to a purple scaled mer. The old King of Silisia had a dull look in his bloodshot eyes. He hadn''t slept in days since the monster had started stalking and following him. His previously regal looks were now hidden beneath a layer of dirt and wild hair.


    "Oh how the mighty have fallen," Syryn softly said to the mer.


    Levia twitched in her sleep and yawned but remained snoozing.


    "I gave you a choice to either be enslaved or to kill yourself but neither has happened."


    The mer began to slowly recognise Syryn. Fear swam in his eyes.


    "The sirens failed to take you away. I suppose even they fear little Levia."


    "Have you come to kill me?" The mer king''s deep voice asked Syryn.


    He was supposed to be mad. That''s what Drevin has told him. But the mer appeared sane to Syryn.


    "Have you been pretending to have lost your mind?"


    The mer smiled bitterly. He wished he could kill the human that had destroyed his life and taken everything away from him.


    "You know," Syryn said with a twist of his mouth. "If you hadn''t tried to kill me, I would have never acted against you. All I had wanted back then was to leave the ocean behind me and never look back. You did this to yourself, King. You forced my hand."


    The mer laughed. Their oracle''s prophecies had never been wrong. One way or the other, he would have been dethroned by Syryn. He had gone against heaven''s will and was now paying for it.


    "Drevin asked me to show you mercy. Do you want mercy?" He pressed closer to the bars and asked the angered mer.


    "Do your worst. I have nothing left."


    A sad and defeated opponent was no longer any fun to goad. Syryn had had his fill.


    "Levia wake up, it''s time for a meal."


    The Leviathan responded to her name. She opened her clear eyes and looked up at Syryn, looking as happy as a monster could.


    "Goodbye, King," Syryn told the purple scaled mer who closed his eyes in resignation.


    _____


    The sound of a horn rang through the water. It was an instrument used for summoning the mers for a gathering.


    Heeding to the call, Silisia''s occupants swam towards the palace where Drevin, Syryn, and Rowan were waiting. As they watched the crowd of mers become bigger and bigger, the silver-blue mer made conversation with Syryn. Drevin''s father was no longer brought up between them.


    "Where are your earrings?" Syryn was asked.


    The mage touched his ears, surprised that they weren''t there. He had forgotten about them.


    "I guess they dropped off when I transformed," he replied.


    "Then you''re welcome to take some out of my collection."


    Rowan took a sideways glance at Syryn''s ears. He noticed two pinpricks on the mage''s lobe. Why had Syryn pierced his ears? He then immediately noticed Drevin''s earrings and understood why.


    "We can get them at Elysium. There''s no need to bother the King, Ryn."


    Syryn gave Rowan a knowing look. His anti mage was drinking vinegar because he got matching piercings with the mer.


    "Its fine," Drevin replied. "Syryn is a good friend. The least I can do is replace his lost earrings."


    Having accepted the mer''s assurance, Rowan went back to becoming a silent spectator.


    "Where is Enkansh?"


    "Sulking somewhere. I don''t know."


    Syryn raised his brows at Drevin.


    "I''m getting engaged."


    The mage said a prayer for the siren''s broken heart.


    "Take him with you, Syryn. Enkansh has no place to call home. Maybe you can help him find that place."


    Rowan glanced at the mage. Here we go again, he thought. Another one for the manor.

 Chapter 290 - Rot

    The mers that had laughed at him, scorned him, and watched him die were now bowing before him like the servile puppets to power that they were. Syryn should have felt something - victorious, satisfied, but all he felt was empty. Where was the joy he had expected to feel? Was his return to Silisia for nothing? Maybe he would have enjoyed it more seeing them suffer viscerally, he thought. Syryn entertained the idea of pitting the mers in a fight to the death against each other. The losers would be fed to Levia, if they survived the fight, and the winners would live another day.


    "Drevin, Why don''t we host a competition for the nobles?" Syryn said it loud enough for the mers to hear.


    The silver mer enquiringly looked at him. All the nobles lifted their curious eyes to Syryn.


    "I want each family to bring before me the chosen heir of your family. I don''t care how old or what gender they are. It''ll be a fight to the death so pick carefully. There will only be one winner."


    A sudden uproar began to spread.


    "Syryn," Drevin said to him in a concerned tone. "You cannot be serious."


    The mage looked back at him apathetically.


    "I''ll spare your family from death because your father has already paid the price."


    The looks of terror and fear on the mers faces was what Syryn had longed to see. They were afraid of him and couldn''t raise their voices directly at Syryn.


    "Please, your majesty," one of the mers, an older creature, summoned his courage and spoke deferentially to the mage. "Please have mercy. We were wrong to have taken part in what was a murder plot against you by the old king. We had to comply with his orders, your majesty. Please do not take your anger out on our children."


    Syryn quietly listened to the old mer speak. He had thin yellow hair and scales that were dulled by age. His tongue though was still clever. The old mer was trying to pin everything on Silisia''s previous king.


    "You may not have planned it but you were all accomplices," Syryn declared in a menacingly sweet tone. "You will all suffer as I did. I was an innocent man condemned to death after being kidnapped and framed. Do you think I''ll let this go without exacting vengeance from every one of you?"


    The mers began crying out for mercy. One by one they curled their tails and bowed their heads before the tyrant that held the lives of their children in his hands.


    "Syryn, please," Drevin begged him. "Take my life if you must but don''t do this."


    The mage didn''t even look at him. He wanted to let the silver-blue mer know that his mind was made up and there was no changing it.


    "The blood tournament will begin in five hours so assemble here with your chosen heirs. And if you try to deceive me by bringing a fake heir, I will have your entire family, little babes to the old and grey, fed to my pet. I am an alchemist and have ways to check the truth of kin through your blood. So I leave it you to choose between the two evils of losing one child or the entire family."


    Weeping sounds were heard from the crowd. The mothers held their children to their bosoms and the fathers thought of ways they could help their children escape the claws of death. They''d all heard about the Leviathan being Syryn''s pet. There was nothing to do but try and run away or sacrifice their children.


    "Why the children?" Drevin asked, looking at Syryn like the man was a monster. "They are innocent."


    "So was I," Syryn replied. "This is the price I have chosen to exact." The mage''s eyes were devoid of pity. Drevin only saw cold hard determination in them and it chilled him to his bones. Silisia was doomed. The Syryn he used to know had been replaced by a terrible creature who had taken on the nature of his pet.


    "Let your people know that no matter which corner of the ocean they run to, I will have Levia hunt them down and have them watch as I feed their children to her. Drevin, I know you hate me now but I honestly don''t care. Just let them know what I intend to do if they think of leaving the kingdom."


    Syryn left the silver-blue mer behind him and walked away. Rowan was waiting for him a few feet away. Syryn headed once more to the dungeon where Levia was probably already done with her meal.


    "Ryn, what are you really planning?" Rowan asked the mage quietly.


    "I''m going to make them suffer, Rowan. They were so happy to kill me. Now they''ll know what it felt like when I was at their mercy. They showed me none, and I shall do the same."


    Syryn sounded cold and detached. It was still his Syryn, and not the sage. That much Rowan could tell.


    "Are you sure you want to do this?"


    The anti mage was getting flashbacks of the demon lord he had met so many years ago. He had almost forgotten how cruel Syryn could be, almost. He had believed that Syryn wasn''t inherently evil and that his cruel actions were all a product of the upbringing that had moulded him. Rowan had believed that the mage could be rehabilitated, but now a thread of doubt was beginning to creep inside his heart. Had he been wrong? Rowan understood the reason why Syryn was bent on revenge but this was just pushing it too far. To pit children against each other in a fight to the death was too cruel.


    "Do you wish to stop me?" Syryn asked him. "You can put an end to my plans Rowan. All you have to do is overpower me and whisk me away from Silisia." The mage looked at Rowan like he wanted the man to forcefully put an end to the madness that Syryn had started.


    Blue eyes filled with worry, the anti mage silently regarded Syryn''s stubborn face. The mage was serious, he realised. Words spoken in the past came to his memory.


    "Rowan Windwalker, a fruit that is rotten inside may look pleasant on the outside but you can''t remove the rot from it.. You''ll have to cut it out from the inside and destroy it if you want the rottenness to never find its way to the surface. Do you really think that a demon can change its ways?"

 Chapter 291 - Mourning

    "So, are you going to stop me?" Syryn stared up at the anti mage.


    Rowan''s lips parted to say something but he feared what he might end up saying.


    "Don''t follow me into the dungeon, Rowan."


    Saying so, Syryn left the anti mage at the entrance to the dungeon. He stepped into the darkness and waited for his eyes to adjust to what little light came in from the open door.


    Levia was sleeping inside the cell quietly. Syryn had told her to wait for his arrival and she had. The mer king''s body could not be seen. Not a single bone was to be seen in the prison.


    "Come, Levia. It''s time to leave."


    _________


    The walk back to the temporary palace was silent. Rowan hoarded his words, thoughts, and feelings about the situation to himself. Even his face was a canvas of pleasant neutrality that didn''t betray an inkling of his feelings on the matter.


    Syryn was equally dry with his words. All that showed on his face was cold solemnity for what he had decided.


    Syryn, you''re a cruel man.


    [And you handed me the reins to the kingdom. How does that make you feel?]


    You blame me for foisting on you the responsibility of kingship. Is this too your revenge against me?


    [You''re right. You care about Silisia, don''t you? As the chosen saviour and king of Silisia, watch me destroy what you love. The prophecy will be proved wrong because I am no saviour.]


    I don''t understand what brought this on, Syryn. You''ve suddenly gone cold but I can''t see what has triggered it.


    [That''s an easy answer, old man. I saw the faces that had enjoyed watching my execution. Such good memories, right? The part where my nose and lungs were filled with water is seared into my mind and I was reminded of it.]


    You still have time to stop and evaluate your decision. You will regret it, Syryn. I know you will.


    [Yeah? That''s the future Syryn''s problem. I hope he deals with it wisely. You can be his mentor and guide, old man. That''s your job.]


    I am trying to guide the present Syryn.


    [How many families do you think will try and escape? I am guessing about a third of them will do just that.]


    This isn''t a game.


    [You''ve had no qualms about taking control of my body so it''s up to you, old man. You want to stop the blood sport, stop me.]


    Bloodsport? You consider them animals.


    [We''re all animals.]


    Then go behave like one. Kill and eat your prey raw, live in the wild, don''t wipe your ass after taking a shit.


    Syryn let out a laugh at the Sage''s dry tone. [You''re a funny one, eh, old man?]


    Stop this idiocy, Syryn!


    [Deal with! You chose me to be king and that''s what I''m doing.]


    The sage hadn''t known that he could get a phantom headache from the stress that Syryn was causing him. He was just a smidgen of consciousness. Why did he have to deal with this lunatic?


    I can stop you but I won''t. Do you know why?


    [Why do you ask me when you and I both know you''re gonna tell me regardless of my answer.]


    Syryn''s attitude was similar to that of the bratty youngsters he had to discipline back in his days.


    To have you learn a lesson, you crazy brat! You''ll regret your actions and I will tell you that I told you so!


    [Great. I can''t wait.]


    The Sage''s reasoning was understood and now it was Rowan''s turn. Syryn wondered why the anti mage was choosing to be a blind spectator to a massacre. He knew next to nothing about the internal working''s of Rowan''s mind so it was all up in the air. Syryn hoped that the anti mage cared at least a little bit because, in the end, he hoped for Rowan to be a good man. At least better than him if not a saint.


    ______


    The anti mage had barely said a word to Syryn the entire time they spent waiting for time to pass. Syryn had even unleashed a fully transformed Leviathan whose terrifying presence circled the waters above Silisia. Any mers contemplating escape were cowed by the sight of her watching the waters. Her senses were sharp enough to pick up the trail of mers even if they managed to escape the kingdom. There was just no way out of the nightmare for them.


    The noble houses mourned what was going to be the death of one child from every family. There were heirs who were less than a year old. Syryn had demanded that even the babies be brought so one could only imagine how horrified the parents were. Families wept and said goodbye to their kids. Some of them even wanted to fight back but all they had to do was look up and see the Leviathan over their kingdom. It was hopeless. They were in the clutches of an evil ruler.


    ______


    "It''s time then," Syryn said to himself. He then spoke to the guard next to him, "Go and have them blow the horn to summon the nobles."


    While Syryn had been waiting, a guard had tried to assassinate him. He was promptly frozen in ice by the mage. The guard was then taken away by Syryn who told the other guards what was to happen to the unlucky mer. He warned them that they would all turn into pet food if they tried to attack him.


    All that time, Rowan had remained quiet. Syryn had at many times felt the anti mage''s heavy gaze on him. It made his skin itch. Syryn wanted to tell Rowan to stop staring at him and just spit out what was on his mind. He wanted the anti mage to do something, anything but look at him like that; like Syryn was a stranger to him. But he was, wasn''t he?


    You still have time to change your mind, Syryn. You''ll go down in history-


    [Shut up.. Today, the waters will turn red in Silisia.]

 Chapter 292 - Can A Demon Change Its Ways?

    Syryn played the ruthless tyrant on that day. Silisia was held hostage by him. Staying meant death, eacaping also meant death. This, several of the novel families tried to slip past the eyes of the Leviathan and a few had. But there was no escape even then.


    Coercing the sage to cooperate with him, Syryn had hypnotised the guards and forced them to capture any noble mers that made it out of the kingdom. The commoners were left untouched by his ire because they hadn''t directly participated in Syryn''s execution.


    The escapees were caught, rounded up, and locked inside the dungeons.Nobody was allowed to leave or move a finger beyond the borders of the kingdom without Syryn''s permission. He was hated and cursed at by the mers but it only served to amuse him more.


    "Let''s begin," Syryn informed the guards when all the nobles, their family members, and servants were shepherded to the open area he had chosen for the tournament.


    Drevin was a gloomy presence beside Rowan. He observed the blond human who was powerful enough to stop Syryn - he hoped- but hadn''t lifted a finger or said a word against what was about to happen.


    "Is there anything I can say or do that would convince you to persuade Syryn?" He asked the blond.


    Rowan''s blue gaze turned to the silver-blue mer. He felt sorry for Drevin but there was nothing that the mer could do to convince him to make a move against Syryn at that moment. It went without saying that the anti mage wasn''t just going to sit back and allow the young mers to be forced into a tournament of death. It was horrific and barbaric even for him despite the atrocities he had seen during war. But he had to wait and watch, to confirm for himself that Syryn''s inherent nature was wicked and cruel as had been told to him a long time ago.


    "You''ll see, Rowan, one day. You''ll realise that the demon child is corrupted in his soul and he cannot be saved. When that happens, call for me, Rowan. I will still forgive you and lend you aid."


    Syryn was proving that person right and it infuriated the anti mage. He had seen good in the mage, and Syryn had proved it with his actions so far in this second life. The blond was very afraid that his mage had been good only because of Rowan''s influence. With his memories of their time together gone, Syryn was like a blank slate. It was now his inherent nature and inner goodness, or the lack thereof, that was calling the shots. Unexpectedly, Rowan was coming face to face with the answer to the question that had been posed to him by that person.


    "Do you really think that a demon can change its ways?"


    ___


    Red and Salem had been waiting for news about Syryn for many weeks. Rowan has disappeared without a word and it was Artemus that had filled them in on the details about Syryn''s status.


    At first, the redhead had refused to accept that his ''big brother'' could be dead. Syryn was a cockroach and it took more than a lousy sunken ship to kill him. That''s what he had said to the blond alchemist. Alka and Riha weren''t told about it because there was nothing that either of them could do for Syryn. Except for worrying, of course, which Salem and Red didn''t want them to go through.


    And as the weeks turned into a month with no word, the redhead had begun to get antsy. Syryn couldn''t be dead, right? For Luci''s sake, Red had played it cool and convinced the child that his big brother wasn''t going to die anytime soon because Syryn was an aquatic demon. Luci was old enough now to know when he was being lied to by his partner but he accepted the lie because the alternative meant that Syryn had drowned.


    When Luci slept, Red stayed awake constantly worrying about Syryn. He regretted not binding their blood with a spell so that Red would immediately feel it if and when Syryn was killed. It was an intrusive spell whose effects went both ways. He hadn''t wanted to use the spell so soon. The redhead had wanted to continue believing that for a few more years they were still safe from serious danger.


    "A fucking drowning," he had told Salem while shaking his head. "Not a way for Syryn to go. I refuse to believe that this is how he dies. It would have been better for him to die by my hand."


    "You would never kill him," Salem had replied, looking just as tired as Red. Sleepless nights and stressful days had them both in their clutches.


    "He''s annoying enough that I''ve contemplated it many times."


    "Don''t worry," Salem had said after a while, his words sounding hollow even to his own ears. "Syryn always finds a way."


    That''s what the redhead had believed. He still did. But it was getting harder every day to convince himself that everything was fine with Syryn.


    _______


    "Your majesty, should we bring the ones in the dungeon?" A guard asked Syryn. He had forgotten about the mers who were locked away.


    "Good guard, you''re getting a raise. Yes, get them. We''ll have their kids become the first participants in the blood sport."


    The guard paid his respects to Syryn and left to get the prisoners.


    Neither Drevin nor Rowan could understand how the previously disgruntled and cooperative guards had become so pliant in Syryn''s hands. They were all acting strange and completely subservient to the villainous mage.


    The silver-blue mer had begun to despise the human he had called a friend. Enkansh was still nowhere to be seen. And at a time like this, Drevin wished that the siren was with him. Imagining the deaths that would soon be on full display, he felt bile rise up in his throat.. He didn''t have it in him to bear the sight of such cruelty.

 Chapter 293 - Demons Are Always Plotting

    The first two mer kids were dragged forward by the guards. One of them looked young enough to be about six years old in human age. The mer child was in extreme distress as he made crying sounds and asked for his mother.


    Syryn, whose hand was curled over the armrest of his throne, tightened his fist till he began to feel pain from his nails digging into the hard stone of the throne. He mentally gave himself a pep talk because the mage was so close to stopping everything.


    [You can fucking do it Syryn don''t give up when you''re so close to your goal.]


    I see you torturing yourself worse than what some of those mers are feeling.


    [Did I ask for an opinion?]


    I''m entitled to it, brat. Just get it over with quickly.


    [Why don''t you take over and finish it?]


    You started it, you finish it. Besides, no one''s getting killed. Why are you so upset?


    Syryn was an asshole demon lord who had tortured and killed people but he had one weakness, children. He could never lay his hands on the young and innocent ones who were untainted by the world''s corruption. There were exceptions to the rule, like everything else. Some children were wicked, already corrupted at a very young age, but the mage still spared even those children. Lucien was an example of it. There was absolutely no way that he could force them into a violent game of death. This was just an elaborate scheme of his to mentally torture the adult mers who believed that they were going to lose their children.


    [I shouldn''t have told you.]


    What? That it''s all a big play? Who asked you to beg for my help with the guards then?


    [Keep gloating. One day I''ll stick you inside the body of an old woman with sagging boobs and dried-]


    Still better than sharing a mind with you. If I''d known that you were such a handful, I''d have waited the next thousand millennia for another disciple.


    [Then leave, get out of my head.]


    Syryn frowned when one of the guards threw the older of the mer children to the ground. The six-year old''s opponent was a young female mer who looked to be eleven or twelve years old. She was just as distressed as the six-year-old.


    [Have I pushed it too far by involving the children?]


    You''ve scarred those two at the very least.


    The mage sighed. He didn''t want to call it off just yet.


    Crossing his legs, he declared in a haughty voice. "Bring those two before me."


    What are you planning now?


    [Calm them down. I''ll owe you one.]


    One what?


    The kids were brought to him, trembling and shaking like leaves in a storm.


    [Just do it, old man. Look at how scared they are.]


    And whose fault is it?


    Nevertheless, Syryn leaned forward and placed his elbows on his thighs. His hair fell forward and covered parts of his forehead where a third eye was slowly opening.


    One child at a time, the cruel human whispered words in their ears that alarmed the little ones. The mers couldn''t see Syryn''s third eye because he used the children to shield his face from the audience.


    The parents of the mers were in chains and held down by the guards. They gnashed their teeth, cried out against the villainous ruler, prayed to their gods, and cursed the human world. The mothers were especially loud in their distress. How could they be silent when they were about to witness the death of their babies? The other mers who hadn''t tried to escape knew that their turns would come soon. It was a special sort of torture to remain helpless while their young were sent for execution. Never in their cushy lives had the nobles felt so hopeless and distraught.


    [Look at their faces.] Syryn smiled as he looked from one anguished face to another. This was the satisfaction he had been craving. When the nobles had bowed before him, it had felt as if they were mocking him. Syryn hadn''t planned for any of this but now that it had happened, he took every delight in their agony.


    Look at your fiancee''s face.


    Syryn glimpsed a look at Rowan''s face and it was as dark as storm clouds. The anti mage wasn''t even bothering with his neutral expression anymore.


    [That''s quite troublesome....]


    Syryn''s smile froze like winter had suddenly enveloped his heart.


    End this before your relationship ends.


    [Good idea.]


    Rowan''s eyes were looking very scary to Syryn. The worst part was that the anti mage wasn''t even giving him a look of intimidation. The disappointment and cool anger in his blues doused Syryn''s fire of happiness faster than he could say Ro.


    Syryn cleared his throat and stood up. Thousands of eyes like knives were pinning him where he stood. If looks could kill, Syryn would have been murdered several times by the dangerous looks he was receiving from the mers. They hadn''t revolted till now because of fear. But seeing the two young mers about to shed blood was igniting their fighting spirits. Things were going to get out of hand very soon.


    [I''ve had my fun. I don''t regret a thing.]


    Save your monologue for after you''ve had a conversation with your fiancee.


    Syryn smiled like a mannequin. Rowan''s stare was the hottest. His skin itched between his shoulders where he imagined the anti mage was burning a hole through with his freaky eyes; freaky beautiful eyes.


    "I''m hungry," he announced suddenly. "You''re all free to go. Guards, release the prisoners," Syryn said in the most bored tone he was capable of producing.


    "What?!" Drevin''s shocked exclamation was loud behind him.


    The mage glanced at Drevin like the mer was annoying him. "You heard it, didn''t you? Are you deaf, Drevin?"


    Syryn''s gaze slid over to Rowan who was smiling. The edges of the mage''s lips twitched, wanting to smile back at Rowan but feeling a smidgen of awkwardness.


    The guards freed the mers who hugged their children and wept. Was the nightmare really over? They were too afraid to believe that it could be true. Even so, the nobles began to leave as fast as they could.. They were escaping before the human ruler could change his mind or get some new ideas for torturing them.

 Chapter 294 - The Truth

    "Syryn, I should apologise. I was hatching a murder plan with you on the dying end," Drevin confessed to the mage who eating from a bowl of sea fruit.


    "How would you have killed me?" He curiously asked the silver-blue mer. "Your jellyfish toxins? They won''t work on me. I''m immune to the toxins found in oceanic creatures."


    Drevin had a moment of understanding. Now he knew how Syryn had been so cocksure during the jellyfish stinger game he had played with the guard.


    "So you were never in any danger."


    Knowing what Drevin was talking about, Syryn shrugged. Why would he gamble his life away like that?


    "You know," he said as he lifted the corner of his lips in a smile of disdain. "If that mer guard had had the balls to face his death in the game, he would have survived. I may have pretended that I was acting but the third sting was loaded with poison. It hurt like a bitch in the first few seconds that I was stung."


    Drevin silently took in the revelations. How unfortunate, he thought. That mer guard was going down in history as a coward when he could have become a hero. Then again, he surmised, it was a natural conclusion for one who was a spineless cruel coward from the start. The guard''s cruelty towards Syryn had not gone unnoticed by the silver-blue mer when he was still a prince.


    "What would you have done if you were in his place?" Drevin asked the mage. "Would you have played the game to its end knowing what waited for you?"


    Syryn shook his head. "Contrary to how I portrayed myself that day, I wasn''t just playing a game for my amusement. It was a sentencing for the king who at the end was swapped out for the unlucky guard. Of course, being the kind-hearted man I am, I also made a way out for them if they were lucky enough. So there''s nothing that the guard could have done to avoid his death unless he followed the rules obediently. As for me, there''s no way I would have fallen into such a dire situation if I was in that guard''s place. I''d have never messed with me, Drevin."


    "That sounds very arrogant." The silver-blue mer softened his words with a smile.


    "But it isn''t false, is it? I had a history that everyone had gossiped about. I was present during the murder of a prince which involved mysterious circumstances. I survived being attacked by blue-ringed snakes and then by infinity worms. It''s not arrogance to think that a smart person would see the flags and avoid unnecessarily provoking Syryn. The asshole deserved what he got."


    "I suppose you''re right," the prince tactfully replied. "But tell me about those mysterious circumstances. Did you kill Grifan?"


    "It wasn''t me," Syryn replied. That had been the Sage''s handiwork. "But it also wasn''t his friends who had murdered him. They just took the fall for the third party who killed him."


    "But why?" Drevin asked with a frown. "Why kill him? And why would those two take the fall for this murderer?"


    "Listen, I know he was your stepbrother but he was trying to force himself on me. I don''t feel sorry about his death at all. As for why they took the fall, they were compelled to."


    Drevin could see that Syryn was unwilling to give him any straight answers about that day. He wanted more time for conversation with the mage but it appeared that their time was up. The mer could see a blond head appear at the door. Syryn''s lover was here.


    "Rowan, where did you go?" Syryn asked the blond. The man had slipped away unnoticed after the ''blood tournament''.


    "Just took a look at the wares that Silisia was selling," Rowan replied. "The mers were more than willing to open up their stalls when I showed gold."


    Syryn wasn''t surprised. His fiancee, he had come to learn, liked reading and spending money.


    "Did you get anything?"


    Rowan''s dimensional bag was deep, deeper than Syryn''s. If the anti mage had wanted to, he could have bought out half of Silisia and Syryn wouldn''t have been the wiser.


    "A few trinkets. Nothing that''ll interest you," Rowan replied as he took a seat beside the mage. "Now what''s this about a prince trying to force himself on you?"


    Drevin felt goosebumps on his skin when Rowan suddenly began to talk about Grifan. It was the way the blond''s whole aura flipped from friendly to malicious in the span of a second. The silver-blue mer had known that Rowan was dangerous but now he knew better. Syryn''s fiancee was just as sinister as the man himself. They were a pair of friendly and nice-looking humans hiding the depths of their powers.


    "He died, Rowan. There''s no need to slander a dead man," Syryn hypocritically - as noted by Drevin- said to the blond. He had just been slandering the deceased guard just a few moments ago.


    "Who killed him?" Rowan asked.


    "Someone," Syryn gave Rowan a look that asked the blond to stop questioning him.


    Rowan in turn raised a single brow but did as the wife bid him to. He had unintentionally eavesdropped on the duo and what he had heard made his blood boil.


    "Anyway, it''s time we time. Where is Enkansh?" Syryn turned to the silver-blue mer.


    "In his room, packing his worldly possessions."


    Drevin had talked to the siren and they''d shared a hug despite Enkansh''s reservations about it. The silver-blue mer had always known that the siren had a soft spot for him but they weren''t meant to be, just as his budding feelings for Syryn wasn''t meant to be. Drevin had nipped those feelings in the bud when they appeared.


    "Farewell then, Syryn. Come back when you want your crown," he told the human, knowing very well that Syryn intended to permanently dump the duties of ruler on his shoulders. Drevin neither liked nor hated being king. It was just something he had to do because if he didn''t, one of his other siblings would have to take up the crown. His father''s disastrous decisions had cost them all heavily and it led to the silver blue mer wanting to change the kingdom''s policies.. And such changes would come only if he was in power.

 Chapter 295 - Butterflies

    A hundred guards had been tasked with catching fish for Levia. The Leviathan was fed till its stomach was filled and the kitchens of Silisia emptied of all their food. After the meal, she turned back into a little monster and followed Syryn to the ship. The crew members were surprised to see her. They''d never laid eyes on a creature like Levia and they never were going to in the future.


    A glowering Enkansh who was wearing an amulet that gave him legs joined them reluctantly. The siren did not want to leave the ocean but Drevin had told him to explore and have an adventure for the both of them since the silver mer couldn''t leave Silisia and his kingly duties. Besides, what was Enkansh going to gain from staying at Silisia? He had already spent years doing nothing in the mer kingdom.


    "What do you think?" Syryn gestured to the evening sky dotted with stars. The air was crisp and cool against their skin.


    Enkansh raised his head to gaze at the stars. The ocean had made him feel small but the sky made him feel insignificant.


    "I''m kind of glad I came with you," he replied softly. The wonder in his eyes made Syryn smile. And when he thought about getting back to his old life and discovering everything with Enkansh, he felt a thrill of excitement go through him.


    "Syryn, come with me for a moment," Rowan told him.


    Leaving Levia to snuffle around the deck of the ship, the mage followed the anti mage to their shared room. Rowan closed the door behind him and turned to Syryn who was taking off his wet clothing.


    "Remember I told you about a housemate you have called Riha," Rowan told the mage who was completely and unashamedly naked. Syryn had his back turned to Rowan, searching for a towel in the small closet of their room.


    "Yeah, what about him?"


    Rowan felt his blood go south. They hadn''t had sex in months and it was taking a toll on the anti mage every time he slept with Syryn or saw him undressed. He swallowed and averted his gaze away from the mage''s behind. It was still so plumpy, soft, and round. And Rowan was tempted like hell.


    "Rowan?" Syryn looked at him when there was no response from the blond.


    The anti mage was still standing against the door, looking anywhere but at Syryn. Rowan tried to distract his mind by thinking about how much bullshit was waiting for him back at the HQ. His superiors were probably losing their minds after being served notices around the same time from both Rowan and Artemus.


    "Yes, well, I wanted to let you know that Riha is a selkie," Rowan said as he made strong eye contact with Syryn so he wouldn''t have to see other parts of the beautiful mage.


    "A selkie?" Syryn frowned, trying to recall what he knew about the creature.


    You attacked him and drank his blood. Just letting you know.


    "He is the last of his kind. I''m telling you this because I don''t exactly know how Enkansh might react to Riha and vice versa."


    [Damn. Did I enjoy it?]


    Very much.


    "I guess we''ll see how it goes then," Syryn replied. "Let''s introduce them first. We''ll decide what to do based on their interaction."


    The mage was starting to notice Rowan''s discomfort. The anti mage was seated stiffly and avoided looking directly at Syryn when he wasn''t speaking. It wasn''t some sort of mystery that the mage couldn''t understand. Blushing a little, Syryn wrapped the towel around his waist and cleared his throat. All of a sudden he was thinking about physical intimacy.


    All these weeks he had known Rowan, the blond had only kissed him. He had been nothing but a gentleman towards the mage who saw him as a stranger. Syryn had been given plenty of space though he never asked for it. The mage was grateful and also a little dejected by it. He had thought that Rowan didn''t physically desire him much and that''s why the anti mage hadn''t made any moves.


    "Syryn," Rowan began when he saw the mage lost in his thoughts.


    "Yeah, sorry-" Syryn replied, throat going dry from the nervousness he was feeling. His overworked heart was thudding against his chest in tandem with the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach. Why was he acting like some loser about to confess to his crush?!


    "I''ll uh wait outside," Rowan informed him. There was no way his boner was leaving while Syryn was before him, a delicious half-naked sprite tempting him to take what he wanted by force.


    "No, wait," he heard Syryn abruptly speak. "You don''t have to leave."


    Rowan glanced at the mage who looked just as ruffled as he was feeling. A high blush sat on the mage''s cheekbones like a dusting of rouge. His eyes were bright and nervous. A quick tongue darted out to lick soft lips and it drew Rowan''s eyes to it.


    For a few seconds, they just looked at each other, unsure and wanting to touch but unable to ask. The anti mage wanted to respect Syryn''s condition and that was why he never asked the mage for anything more than a few kisses and light touches when they slept in bed together.


    Syryn''s lips parted to say something but Rowan made the first move. The anti mage swiftly closed the space between them in two large strides and pulled Syryn in for a kiss that had his knees going weak.


    Rowan smelled so good and tasted even better. Syryn enjoyed the feel of the anti mage''s tongue delving into his mouth and tasting all of Syryn.


    ''Knock Knock'' came a sound against their door. It was ignored by the lovebirds who couldn''t get enough of each other.


    "Syryn, your pet is harassing the cook!" Enkansh shouted from outside the room.. "Hurry up before Levia gets into a fight with the man."

 Chapter 296 - Chimaera

    The trip back home to Elysium was uneventful save for one unprovoked attack by a heavily armed merchant ship. The proactive ship tried to sink them as soon as they spotted the mark on its hull which declared it part of Bella''s faction. After that attack, Rowan had the mark painted over with pitch.


    As the days went by, Syryn got better and better at fishing. He caught himself many dinners and lunches which were shared with Levia. The bottomless Levia though was a big fan of salted fish. She cleverly used the fresh catches from Syryn''s basket to trade for the salted fish in the kitchen. It was a good trade for both herself and the cook. The only one annoyed by it was the fisherman.


    Levia had become somewhat of a mascot on the ship, doted on by the crew who fed her the scraps from their plates. Whether it was vegetables or non-vegetarian food, the little monster ate everything she received with the same enthusiasm. Suffice to say, her stomach always remained full. And when it was time to sleep, she snoozed in a nest of clothing that Syryn made for her inside the crow''s nest.


    Enkansh too was a daily fixture in the crow''s nest. It was high up over the ship and afforded him a wonderful view of the sky and the ocean. The siren sometimes dove into the water and swam behind the ship, following its slow course towards Hide harbour.


    Artemus on the other hand spent a lot of time in his room, only coming out to meddle in the kitchen when he felt it was time for a hygiene check. The cook tried to pick a fight with the dark-haired anti mage but after having gotten verbally rinsed and directed towards all the food stains in his apparently dirty kitchen, he learnt that it just wasn''t worth it to argue with the man. All he had to do was shut up and let the anti mage disinfect his kitchen every night when cooking was done.


    The most problematic person on the ship though was the one called Syryn. Artemus may have been a clean freak but they benefitted from his habit of cleaning the kitchen. Syryn, on the other hand, had developed an intense love-hate relationship with fishing and it caused problems for everyone. To his consternation, the mage often reeled in the weirdest looking ocean creatures that the crew had never seen before. And Syryn always forced the cook to make meals out of the ugly fish. The good and normal catches were either given to Levia, Enkansh or kept for himself. The cook had a theory that Syryn kept catching strange fish because he was using bait soaked in a potion that he always took out of his dimensional bag right before fishing time.


    The least problematic person was Rowan, a much-beloved man to whom the crew owed their lives. He was the only thing standing between Syryn''s inedible catches and the cooking pot. The scariest episode had been on a day that Syryn ended up catching a bright orange fish whose scales were covered in a greenish snot-like mucus. It had taken a good amount of sweet-talking from Rowan to persuade Syryn out of tossing the fish into the dinner pot. In the end, even Levia had taken a sniff at it and rejected the fish. A collective sigh of relief had been breathed out when Rowan threw the thing back into the ocean.


    And then there was the man with maroon gold scales on his skin. The crew members guessed he was a merman but nobody dared to ask him. Enkansh was gloomy on a good day, and downright murderous looking on days when he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Rainy days though were his favourite. That''s when he dived into the water and swam like a ribbon of silk flitting through the water.


    By the time the ship reach reached its destination at Hide harbour, Syryn had already given up his fishing hobby because he had poisoned everyone including himself. It had been a normal looking silver fish that had done it. Rowan and Artemus had conveniently skipped dinner because the latter had made a rice stew out of salted fish. Throwing up for the fifth time on the final leg of their journey, Syryn had a nagging suspicion that the anti mages knew and had allowed it to happen.


    When he asked Rowan about it, the blond told him that Artemus hadn''t liked something about the fish and had casually mentioned it to Rowan. Syryn thus asked Artemus about it and the dark-haired anti mage replied that the fish had smelled too pungent. He had a very good sense of smell and so his nose was overpowered by its fishy scent.


    Later on, Rowan again mentioned that Syryn shouldn''t have succumbed to the toxin in the fish because demons were more resistant than humans.


    His confusion was cleared by the Sage after Syryn began rinsing his mouth with the strongest alcoholic wash he could find in his bag.


    Your body is still going through changes so you''re more sensitive to the environment.


    [How does that work?]


    You''re being rearranged at the tiniest level of your body.


    Syryn was equally intrigued and horrified. [What am I being rearranged into?]


    A chimaera. You''re part human, part demon, and now part something else that you''ll understand after you''ve adjusted to the change completely.


    [So what you''re saying is that I''m more vulnerable right now but later I''ll become stronger than I ever was. Is that it?]


    Yes. You won''t just become stronger physically, you''ll also gain magical strength.


    [All for free?] Syryn''s scepticism was apparent. Why would anyone bestow power on another for free?


    You''re suspicious of my motives and that''s understandable. I too would be suspicious.


    [So.]


    So nothing. Nothing I say will convince you that I am here just to pass on my legacy to a successor.


    [The only reason I''m not looking for a way to throw you out is that I want all the benefits you''re offering. If you take over my body, Rowan will kill us together. You know that right?]


    How many times will I tell you I don''t have such intentions?!


    [As many times as it takes to convince me.]


    And how do you know that your lover will kill us? I don''t recall you having such a conversation with him.


    [I just have a feeling.]


    I believe that. Your anti mage is not normal.


    [What do you mean?]


    Forget I said anything.


    [No. Tell me.]


    No.


    [I''m telling Rowan you called him abnormal.]


    Go ahead. See if I care.


    Syryn had gone ahead and told Rowan about it.


    "Oh? He said that?" The anti mage had replied in an unconcerned tone.


    "Yeah."


    "He''s right," Rowan had said before ending the conversation without so much as an explanation.


    Hahahahaha!


    The laughter was gleeful.


    Syryn fumed at the old man''s immaturity, forgetting that he had acted the same by tattling on the Sage out of spite. And as an act of revenge, he did exactly what the Sage hated - Syryn found Rowan and kissed the blond passionately. His mindscape was suddenly blessedly empty.. The Sage had gone into hiding.

 Chapter 297 - Home Sweet Home

    The sky was clear and the weather was pleasant when they reached Hide. The harbour was crowded with people and goods moving on and off the ships.


    A hooded Enkansh carried Levia in a bag and disembarked from their ship. Not wanting the little monster to be seen by anyone, Syryn had wrestled her into a large cloth bag. Levia pouted in the bag but obeyed Syryn after she was warned by the mage.


    "Welcome sailors! Bed and food for everyone at only twenty-five silvers per head! No bed bugs, no lice, and a free bath, only available for the first three people to buy a room!"


    "Hands for hire!"


    "Come stay at Hide Inn!"


    "Pork buns! Pork buns!"


    The cacophony of noises stopped the siren in his steps. He took a breath of the myriad smells in the air at Hide. Some smells were delicious and others made him want to retch.


    "Are you okay?" Rowan asked Enkansh after stopping beside him. Aquamaring blue eyes under thick gold lashes regarded the siren with some concern.


    The siren nodded. "Just a bit overwhelmed. My senses are confused by the smells."


    "You''ll get used to it," Artemus said as he hauled a nauseous Syryn off the gangplank. The mage still hadn''t recovered completely from the food poisoning he had given himself.


    "Syryn, did you take the medicine I got you from the healer?" Artemus frowned as he asked the mage who was squatting with his head between his knees.


    He hadn''t. The smell of it had made him more nauseous and he''d poured it into the ocean. Even the sage couldn''t help him with his sickness because Syryn''s bag didn''t have anything for food poisoning. He vowed to buy himself a lot of different kinds of medicines that didn''t smell like old feet and basel.


    Rowan silently patted Syryn over his head. He had witnessed the mage dumping his medicine but said nothing about it to Artemus. Bending down, he observed the mage''s pale face.


    "Ryn, think about this moment the next time you decide to throw away the cure for your illness," he said in a low voice.


    Syryn gave Rowan a look that was dirtier than the bottom of the shoe he had discarded at Coop island. "Screw you, Rowan," he said in a hoarse voice. "Kick me when I''m down, will you?"


    The blond chuckled, the deep sound of which Syryn loved. "I''m just reminding you that you chose to remain sick, Ryn. Now be a good little mage and drink this."


    Rowan was holding another small vial of the medicine the mage had previously dumped. Syryn''s face darkened when he saw it.


    "I like it when you''re obedient," Rowan said in a buttery smooth tone. "Are you going to disappoint me, Ryn?"


    Syryn''s eyes were glued to the anti mage''s perfect lips, an instrument of disaster that played Syryn with its words. The mage knew he was being manipulated by Rowan but was helpless against it. Was he going to disappoint Rowan? Only when hell froze over.


    The mage snatched the vial out of Rowan''s hands. Screwing his eyes shut, he poured the contents of it down his throat. The reaction was immediate. Syryn almost threw up. Soothing back rubs from a comforting warm hand helped him get himself together.


    Artemus had witnessed the exchange and it nearly made him roll his eyes. Syryn was a big baby and Rowan was an enabler.


    "I''m getting late," he declared to his companions. Artemus just wanted to get home and take a nice long bath. The visit to Coop had him feeling like he was carrying layers of grime on his body despite the daily baths he had taken.


    "Right, let''s go home," Syryn replied, already recovering from his nausea.


    ________


    "Here we are," Rowan said to Syryn and Enkansh. "Home sweet home."


    A tall iron gate painted black and gold stood before them, allowing the group to see through its bars to the large manor in the distance.


    "I own this place?" Syryn said to the anti mage, eyes wide with surprise. He hadn''t expected it to be so big.


    "Yes, Artemus gifted it to you," Rowan replied. He wasn''t feeling very salty about it anymore but the vinegar jar wasn''t empty yet.


    "Why?" Syryn asked. Rowan was his boyfriend but it seemed like Artemus was his benefactor.


    "I don''t know," came the reply. It sounded a little forced to Syryn. "If you don''t like it, I can get you another place where you want. You just have to say it."


    Enkansh blinked up at the sky pretending he was deaf and dumb. Levia was squirming in the bag and making sounds that conveyed she wanted to be let out.


    "I do like it," Syryn replied. "You don''t have to get us a new home yet. Maybe we can move out after we..." he trailed off as he looked at the gold ring on his finger.


    ''Syryn and Rowan Windwalker'' he pictured the writing inside the ring.


    "After we?" Rowan prompted Syryn to finish what he had been about to say.


    Enkansh sighed and began to loosen the strings that tied the bag Levia was trapped inside. Her violent squirming had already mostly undone the strings.


    "After we make everything final," Syryn replied. He was too embarrassed to say anything more.


    Rowan nodded. There was a conversation waiting for Syryn and he needed to have it soon.


    "Can we go in?" Enkansh asked with impatience. "Or are you two going to make a baby right now?"


    Syryn scoffed. "Babies and kids are too noisy."


    Nevertheless, he pushed open the gate. Syryn could see a red-headed child running out of a garden with a tall blond man. The child''s laughter sounded like bells to his ears. He was holding a small basket overflowing with flowers.


    Lucien, Syryn recalled the name that Rowan had told him. What a beautiful boy, he thought.


    Lucien spotted them just as soon as Syryn saw him.. The boy dropped his basket and began running towards Syryn.

 Chapter 298 - Adjusting To Home

    Syryn wasn''t sure how he should act around the little boy who was his brother. As the redhead got closer to him, a sliver of panic quickly appeared in his eyes.


    "You''ll be fine, Ryn," Rowan assured him but Syryn wasn''t so sure.


    Lucien slammed into Syryn and hugged him so tight that the mage felt the air whoosh out of his lungs. He hugged back the redhead who smelled like apples and something floral.


    "Syryn," Luci''s voice was muffled as his face was pressed against the mage''s shirt. "I knew you''d come back."


    Another moment of panic gripped him. What should he say?


    Act like a brother.


    [I don''t know how to be a brother!]


    Think about how Drevin would talk to his little mermaid sisters.


    "Syryn?" Big misty red eyes turned up to look at him.


    Rowan came to the rescue of the floundering Syryn. "Luci, your big brother is a bit exhausted. How about we go inside and talk?"


    Luci could tell that something was wrong. He worriedly looked between Syryn and Rowan then slowly nodded. And just as he was turning to the house, Luci caught sight of Levia and his eyes went wide.


    "What is that?!" He pointed to the miniature leviathan who was bumping her head against Enkansh''s leg.


    "That''s Levia," Syryn replied, smiling. "She will be our new housemate along with Enkansh. Greet them, Luci."


    Rowan gave him a nod of approval. Syryn wasn''t panicking so much anymore.


    "Levia! Enkansh! Big brother! Rowan! Welcome home!" Luci happily said to them. "I''m so glad to have you back," saying so, he looked towards Rowan and Syryn.


    "Thanks, kid," Enkansh replied, mutedly. It was hard to ignore the cute kid''s greetings. Despite the differences in their colouring, he could believe that the redhead was Syryn''s brother. They both had the same external beauty that was ethereal.


    By now, Salem had reached them as well. The blond half-elf curiously regarded the siren who looked back at him, mirroring the same curiosity. Enkansh wondered if good looks were a criterion of being a member of Syryn''s home.


    "Syryn, Rowan, it''s good to see you back home safe and sound," Salem said to them with a smile. "You don''t know how relieved I am."


    "Red said big brother would be back, didn''t he? Syryn won''t get killed by a drowning!" Luci told the half-elf.


    Syryn''s smile was a little stiff. He did get killed by a drowning incident. But Luci didn''t have to know that.


    "Salem, this is Enkansh, a siren," Rowan introduced the two strangers. "And that''s Levia, Syryn''s new bodyguard and pet."


    Levia walked up to Lucien and sniffed at the boy''s open palm. She then went up to Salem and sniffed the blond''s hair, all the while making a low rumbling sound in her throat. Her tail was also swishing back and forth like a lazy pendulum.


    "What species does Levia belong to?" Salem asked Syryn. "I''ve never seen anything quite like her."


    "I don''t know either," the mage replied. "I think she''s the only one of her species left in the world. I got her from the mer kingdom."


    "The mer kingdom?" Luci replied excitedly. "You had an adventure without me, Syryn! Was it fun?"


    "Why don''t we go in and talk?" Rowan interjected. "I''d like some of your rice tea, Salem, if you have any left."


    ___


    Syryn, Rowan, and Enkansh were seated at the kitchen table. Salem began boiling a pot of hot water and Luci had gone off to fetch Riha. Alka though was away at his mother''s home but was returning later that night.


    The mage was a little nervous about the meeting between his selkie tenant and the newly arrived siren. He was glad to have Rowan around to diffuse the tension because Syryn sure as hell wasn''t capable of it when he was grappling with the feeling that he was an imposter playing family with some strangers. The only reason he remained calm was because of the hints of familiarity that floated through his mind like smoke.


    "Levia, would you like to eat something?" Salem gently asked the Leviathan whose feet carried her all around the kitchen, sniffing at drawers and utensils.


    As if understanding Salem''s question, the little monster ran to him and made a sound that came out like a growl.


    "She''ll eat the pantry clean if you let her," Enkansh said with a frown. All his sea fruits had been sacrificed to Levia''s stomach during the journey.


    Salem smiled. Taking a few round grapes from a wooden bowl, he held the fruits out to Levia who lapped them straight from his palm.


    "Syryn-" Riha stopped mid-sentence when he caught sight of the siren that had taken up a seat at their kitchen table. The selkie was like a pillar of stone frozen with his mouth open.


    Enkansh''s shocked eyes were in turn glued to the staring selkie. The siren had thought that every single selkie had been killed by demons. He stood up abruptly and the chair fell back to the floor with a loud thud.


    Riha stepped back as soon as the siren stood. He looked at Syryn, then Enkansh.


    It was Rowan that broke the tension between the two men. He clasped his hands over the table and looked first towards Enkansh.


    "Enkansh, meet Riha, a selkie. I''m sure it''s quite a shock for you but I need you to sit down and tell us if there''s going to be a problem."


    "A bloody siren," Red, who had been behind Riha, said with a snigger. He had a shark-like smile on his adorable face. "Hey, Syryn."


    The mage looked sharply at Red. Rowan had warned him about Red, Luci''s other self.


    "Hello, Red, did you miss me?" Syryn said with a matching grin. Luci he couldn''t handle but Red? The anti mage had told him enough about Red that Syryn felt the redhead could handle whatever was thrown at him.


    "It''s only been a few months," Red scoffed. "The only thing I missed was the peace that Luci stole from me when he decided to act like a four-year-old missing his mother."


    (You take that back!)


    Enkansh was already shocked from seeing a selkie but now he was confused. What the hell was going on with the people living in this house?

 Chapter 299 - Shake Hands

    "Tea," Salem calmly informed the electrified group of people. He placed a few cups on the table and began pouring out hot water gracefully.


    "Thank you, Salem," Rowan told the half-elf with a smile.


    Enkansh and Riha were still facing off while Red looked on with a glint in his eyes. His life had been too boring without Syryn. Not even a quarter of an hour had passed since Syryn''s arrival but the house was already so lively. Red admitted to himself that he did miss Syryn. His big brother was always followed by excitement and drama, and had delivered as soon as he''d arrived home.


    "Gentlemen, what''s the disagreement?" Salem asked the two denizens of the ocean.


    "I have none," Riha answered in a low voice. His body language showed defensiveness, Syryn noted.


    "And you?" Salem asked Enkansh.


    The siren was silent. He had no enmity with the selkie but sirens and mers weren''t known to peacefully cohabit with each other nor with other sentient species that lived in the ocean. He was more shocked than antagonistic about coming face to face with a selkie, a creature that was supposed to be extinct.


    "None," he replied, still keeping his eyes on Riha.


    "Then sit down and drink some tea," Salem told them both.


    Riha warily looked at Enkansh. He wasn''t convinced that the siren wasn''t going to hurt him. After everything his species had gone through, the selkie was wary about everyone wanting a piece of him.


    "Riha, please. Take a seat," Rowan said with calm authority. Whatever was going on between the selkie and the siren had to be settled now before Enkansh got settled in.


    Salem placed the kettle on the table and pulled a chair out for the selkie. When he looked expectantly at Riha, the selkie sighed. He took the seat that Salem offered him.


    Enkansh too righted his chair and sat down. He was face to face with Riha.


    Enjoying the drama, Red went behind the seated Syryn and wrapped his arms around his big brother''s shoulder. They made for a happy picture together as loving brothers, and it amused Salem.


    "Let''s try this again," Rowan began. "Enkansh, meet Riha. He is a selkie who Syryn rescued out of a blood mage''s prison. Riha likes seashells and reading books." Then he turned to Riha. "This is Enkansh, a siren from Silisia who came with us to see the world and broaden his horizons. I don''t know what he likes but I''m sure we''ll find out eventually since he''ll be living with us for the indefinite future."


    The two marine creatures looked at each other without warmth. Neither hated the other but it felt disconcerting for the both of them. Salem had never seen the apathetic Riha look so animated.


    "Shake hands," Salem suggested.


    Twin looks of revulsion were exchanged. Enkansh did not want to touch the seal man, and Riha wasn''t very keen on shaking hands with the folks who ate humans on a daily. Living so long amongst humans had made the selkie gradually identify with them. It felt like cannibalism to him.


    "Great idea," Red said from behind Syryn. "Come on, stop acting like children, you two."


    It was rich coming from a child himself. Enkansh stood up again and stuck his hand out, a human custom he knew about. All eyes then turned to the selkie who had his arms crossed.


    "Riha, any problem?" Salem asked. He was eager to facilitate a peaceful transition for the siren because he hoped that Enkansh would bring changes to Riha''s reserved nature. A siren wasn''t exactly the kind of house guest that most humans would welcome but since Syryn had brought him home, Salem had faith in Enkansh getting along with everyone.


    "Sirens eat humans," Riha coolly said to Salem.


    Rowan found it funny since Riha was living with two half-demons and having reservations about a siren.


    "And selkie are supposed to be extinct," Enkansh shot back. "What''s your deal, selkie? Afraid of me?"


    Riha''s nose flared in anger. He narrowed his eyes at the siren and stood up. "I had a run-in with your kind before. Saw him tearing a human baby out of her mother''s womb. Forgive me if I can''t help but be wary of sirens when they''ve never given me a reason to act otherwise."


    Syryn sucked in a breath. It was getting heated between the two.


    Enkansh fixed his jaw and glared at Riha. "You''re a small-minded selkie if you''re going to judge me based on the actions of some other siren."


    It seemed to hit a chord with Riha. Syryn and Lucien had proved themselves different from the other demons that had hunted his people to extinction. So why couldn''t he give Enkansh the benefit of doubt?


    "Riha, give him a chance," Rowan told the selkie. "You trust Syryn, don''t you? He would never bring home a siren who can''t control his appetite." The words were said not just as an assurance to Riha but also as a reminder to Enkansh himself.


    "I suppose you''re right," Riha relented. "I apologise." The selkie stuck his hand out and offered it to the siren.


    Enkansh took the proffered hand and they shook. Red''s amused laughter rang out in the kitchen. He had never seen Riha look so constipated.


    "Now that that''s out of the way, why don''t you show Enkansh to his room, Salem?" Rowan told the half-elf. "Riha, go on along with Salem."


    They all understood that they were being dismissed from the kitchen. Riha wanted to protest but Rowan''s tone had sounded very final. He reluctantly looked at Salem whose gaze rested on Syryn and then Red, the only one who hadn''t been asked to leave.


    "We''ll return after helping Enkansh settle down," the blond alchemist graciously informed the others.


    "Thank you, Salem," Rowan said as the half-elf led the other two out of the kitchen.


    Once they were left alone, the blond anti mage turned to the redhead who had gleaned that something was wrong.


    "Take a seat, Lucien.. We need to talk about your brother," Rowan told the child.

 Chapter 300 - Uncle Rowan

    "Take a seat, Lucien. We need to talk about your brother," Rowan told the child.


    The redhead glanced at Syryn then sat on the chair vacated by Enkansh.


    (I don''t like the look on Rowan''s face. He''s about to give us bad news, I can tell.)


    [It''s obvious.]


    "Lucien, what I''m about to tell you shouldn''t alarm you because it''s not permanent," Rowan said to the boy.


    Red nodded once. His arms were crossed.


    "Syryn has lost his memories."


    "What? Which memories?"


    (Oh no! He doesn''t remember us! I knew something was strange about Syryn.)


    [Calm the fuck down, Luci.]


    "Mostly everything," Syryn replied. "I only remember events from the point I was kidnapped by mermen. That was just after I left home, I guess."


    (How can I calm down when Syryn doesn''t know who we are?!)


    [Rowan said it''s not permanent. Were you not listening?!]


    "First of all, you''re gonna tell me all about the kidnapping story. But later," Red replied. "Now about your memory loss, how do you know it''s not permanent?"


    "Good question," Rowan said as he looked at Syryn. "Syryn says that the person who took his memories has promised to give them back."


    The way Rowan said that made it sound like Syryn was being naive. He couldn''t blame the blond though because the Sage hadn''t given them any reason to believe that he would return the memories. It was just blind faith on Syryn''s part.


    Red''s piercing stare at Syryn made him feel like the redhead was cutting him open. "Who is this person?" He asked the mage.


    "Well, it''s a long story."


    "Then make it short, Syryn. We don''t have much time before the others return."


    The older brother was taken back by the younger brother''s sassy tone. Rowan had warned him about it but experiencing Red was different from knowing what he was like.


    "I''ve got a being inside here," Syryn pointed to his forehead. "He calls himself the Sage. He took my memories because of reasons. Anyway, he kind of saved my life."


    "Tell me more about his reason for giving you memory loss," Red said as he raised his brows.


    "My memories are incomplete. He will complete them. That''s the reason."


    Rowan, who had been looking out the door while listening to Syryn, turned back to look at the mage. He hadn''t been given explicit reasons for the memories being taken. Now that he knew what was going on, the blond was even more curious about the identity of this Sage. Syryn''s memories had been tampered with by someone whose powers were beyond the realm of their understanding. This said a lot about the Sage. The blond reassessed his opinion about the being and increased the level of threat it could present to them if his intentions weren''t conducive to Syryn''s well being.


    Red was abnormally solemn. His eyes were narrowed in thought as he went over the facts presented before him.


    (How do we know that the guy inside Syryn isn''t lying?)


    [We don''t. We find out when it''s too late.]


    (Let''s not be so pessimistic about it. Look at how you turned out! Maybe the Sage guy is Syryn''s Red.)


    [Nope. He isn''t. Anyway, it''s better to be pessimistic and right than optimistic and disappointed.]


    (Or pessimistic and wrong. Optimistic and... What is the antonym for disappointed?)


    "Syryn, I hope he''s not pulling a fast one over you," Red said to the mage instead of replying to Luci''s question.


    Syryn shrugged.


    "Okay, so why aren''t you telling the others?" Red asked looking between Syryn and Rowan.


    "We''ll let them know," Rowan replied. "I just wanted to tell you two privately because of Luci''s age and sensitivity."


    Red smirked at the blond. "Oh, Rowan, aren''t you such a caring brother-in-law?"


    His sweet tone set the blond''s teeth on edge but Rowan smiled kindly at the boy. He wasn''t going to let Red know that the needling had affected him.


    "Anything else you wanna tell us?" Red asked, disappointed by Rowan''s lukewarm response.


    "No. That''s it," Syryn replied. But at the same time, Rowan said - "Yes, there''s one other thing."


    The anti mage took Syryn''s hand in his and held it up to the redhead so they could properly look at the gold band on his finger.


    "Engaged," Rowan informed the little boy in a doting manner. "From now on, you may continue to call me brother in law. Or uncle Rowan if that''s what you prefer. Honestly, I like being called uncle because-"


    "No!" Red replied, looking disgusted. And then he saw the smile in Rowan''s eyes and knew that he had been played. It was the anti mage''s rebuttal to Red''s attempt at disturbing him.


    [Well, well, well, Rowan wants to play a game of chicken.]


    (What''s that?)


    [Watch and understand, Luci. We''re going to act out and say cringey things so play along when you''re in control.]


    (Okay!)


    "But I think you''re right, uncle Rowan," Red said shyly. He jumped off his chair and approached the blond. "I think I can get used to calling you my uncle since we''re family now. Do you know what that means?"


    "No, tell me."


    Red stood before Rowan like an obedient child.


    "It means we should have bonding time together, uncle Rowan."


    Syryn wasn''t sure what was going on but he was feeling very uncomfortable. Rowan, with his pasted-on smile, patted the redhead on his shoulder.


    "What a lovely idea, Lucien. What do you have in mind?"


    "Hmmm, let''s prepare dinner together for the whole family. What do you say?"


    (Yaaay! That''s a great idea, Red!)


    "I say yes. Uncle Rowan isn''t a great cook so I look forward to learning from my little brother in law."


    It was a terrible thing to say. How could he be uncle and brother-in-law at the same time?! It was ridiculous.


    [Ugh! Shut up, Luci. You''re cringey.]


    (But it''s your idea.)


    [We''re pretending to be cringey, remember?]


    (We''ve already started?!)


    [...]


    "Did you hear that, big brother? Uncle Rowan and I will cook dinner tonight! I''m so excited!" Red''s eyes were starry but he was dead inside. The cringe was real and he was taking just as much damage as he was dishing.


    Syryn was a confused man. He wasn''t sure if this was par for course in his family or if Rowan and Lucien were playing a joke on him. He looked between the two. Rowan''s smile seemed a bit forced but the anti mage''s reactions to most things included a smile so Syryn couldn''t tell if Rowan was acting because he wanted to indulge Lucien or if he was acting because they were messing with him. Red on the other hand appeared sincere.


    "I''m leaving," a confused Syryn finally said to the boy. "Have fun cooking you two." It wasn''t even remotely close to dinner time yet and Syryn didn''t know where his room was. All he knew was that he needed to leave the kitchen and the two people playing house.


    Rowan and Lucien were left alone once Syryn had escaped the kitchen. The blond''s hair stood on end when Red turned away from the door and smiled innocently at him. He should have exited with Syryn - was his first thought when he realised he was trapped with the little demonic princeling.


    "Uncle Rowan, it''s just the two of us now," Red said in a soft voice.. It sounded like a threat to Rowan''s ears. "Should we go over the menu for tonight''s dinner prep?"

 Chapter 301 - Bonding Activity

    When Alka arrived at the manor, he was pleasantly surprised to find that Rowan was back home. His first stop was the kitchen where he saw Lucien adding vegetables to an aromatic broth that was bubbling merrily on the stove. Rowan was beside the redhead, looking into the pot and measuring out a spoon of salt from a colourful clay container. Dinner was still a long way off so they were making lunch.


    "How domestic," the plant mage remarked with a small smile.


    "Yep, uncle Rowan and I are having a bonding activity since he is my brother in law," Luci happily replied.


    Alka blinked in surprise. "Uncle... Rowan?"


    "Yep!"


    Rowan was expressionless. When the redhead smiled up at him, Rowan cracked a smile for the happy child.


    "Oh," Alka replied. "Um, carry on. I''ll go look for Syryn."


    [Poor Alka.] Red was laughing in their shared mindscape. [He looked like someone had just force-fed him a spoon of warm oil.]


    (He didn''t.)


    [What do you know? You were busy cultivating a brother-in-law relationship with the uncle. And the worst part of it is that you''re actually doing this unironically.]


    (Is that bad?)


    [Haha! No. Rowan is so discomfited by it. You aren''t acting so you''re doing a better job than I am!]


    Luci was a little sad. Red was basically saying that Rowan didn''t like being part of a bonding activity with them.


    [You, what''s wrong?]


    (Nothing. It''s fine.)


    Luci''s happy smile had wilted. He felt as if he was forcing Rowan to participate in something unpleasant.


    [Come on, tell me.]


    (It''s okay, Red. Don''t worry!)


    Rowan was worrying about the amount of meat that was going into the pot. According to his estimates, there wasn''t enough meat for a robust tasting stew. The anti mage was about to ask Luci to get more meat from the pantry when he saw the boy''s downcast face.


    "Hey, What''s wrong, Luci?" Rowan asked.


    The boy glanced up and away, smiling, but the anti mage could tell it was fake.


    "Nothing, Rowan. Why do you ask?"


    Blue eyes regarded Luci. Rowan turned down the heat and bent low so he was eye level with the redhead.


    "Do you know what I like most about you, Luci?" He told the child.


    Red eyes went wide and he shook his head quickly.


    "Your honesty," Rowan told him quietly. "Your eyes are like a spring of clean water. And when something bad falls into it, it''s impossible not to see the ripples. So, Luci, what''s causing the ripple?"


    [For fuck''s sake.]


    The redhead bowed his head, hiding his face from the anti mage.


    "Luci, I need you to know that you can tell me anything. But if it makes you uncomfortable, we can get back to cooking and I''ll tell you a story about the time I put a frog under my aunt''s pillow."


    Luci immediately brightened at hearing that. "Did she yell at you?"


    Rowan nodded his head as he smiled at the boy. "Aunt Lisanne chased me around a tree while screaming and threatening to feed me to her piglets."


    The redhead laughed at the image of Rowan getting chased by an older woman. Seeing Luci laugh, the anti mage responded with a handsome smile, his bright blue eyes crinkling at the corners.


    [He''s a charming bastard, isn''t he?] Red sounded annoyed but also resigned to their fate of being charmed by Rowan.


    (It''s why Syryn fell for him.)


    [Of course, it definitely had nothing to do with that blessed face and tight body.]


    (It doesn''t?)


    Red had a feeling that Luci was acting dumb to annoy him.


    "Rowan, lunch is getting late," the redhead said to the blond after his laughter died down.


    "No more uncle Rowan?"


    Luci shook his head, still smiling. "Something tells me you don''t like being called that."


    [You''ve ruined it.]


    "Not entirely, no," Rowan said after a beat. "When Red calls me uncle, he says it to annoy me. But if you, Luci, want to call me uncle, I''ll be happy to have you call me that because I know it makes you happy."


    [Fuck....]


    (Red, I''m in love!)


    [That''s your brother in law, Luci.]


    (I know!)


    "How about we stick to just Rowan?" Luci replied, feeling like he was floating on air. If Syryn dared to leave Rowan, Luci decided he would chain his brother to this brother-in-law.


    "Just Rowan it is," Rowan responded. "Now let''s get back to lunch preps since Syryn will get hungry soon."


    _____


    While Rowan and Luci had been having a heartfelt conversation, Alka had been looking for Syryn. He hadn''t seen the need to ask Rowan about whether Syryn was back or not because the relaxed atmosphere in the kitchen indicated that Syryn was safe and back. This also meant his older brother, Artemus, had returned.


    "Syryn?" Alka asked when he saw the mage wandering around aimlessly. Syryn still hadn''t found his room because he didn''t know which one it was.


    Syryn whipped around when he heard his name being called. A young man with dark hair and features reminiscent of Artemus'' was standing at the end of the corridor. Alka, he guessed.


    "Alka, you''re here?" Syryn replied. He hadn''t meant for it to sound like a question.


    "Yes, I don''t sleepover at my mother''s these days. I''m glad to see you back safe and sound, Syryn."


    The plant mage walked over to Syryn who was starting to feel anxious. This young man had known him for a long time but Syryn couldn''t remember anything about him or their interactions of the past. It felt like he was playing a game whose rules were known to everyone but him.


    "Alka," Syryn said to the plant mage. "I have to tell you something."


    "Yes?" The plant mage responded.


    "Can you take me to my room first? I don''t remember where it is."


    Syryn sounded strangely subdued to the green-eyed mage.


    "Oh, okay. Come with me," Alka replied after getting over his surprise.. He already knew that whatever Syryn was about to tell him was not going to be pleasant news.

 Chapter 302 - Ring

    All the occupants of the manor had been informed about Syryn''s amnesia. They were concerned about it but the mage had assured them It was temporary and that he was working on resolving the problem. With that said, Syryn had told them he no longer wanted to discuss the matter, a wish that his friends respected.


    Salem had chosen a room for Enkansh that was far away and on the opposite end from Riha''s room. The siren skipped dinner and remained in his room to rest while the others listened to Syryn tell his tale of his adventure at Silisia. The night ended late and Syryn fell asleep even later.


    ____


    The very next day, a messenger arrived early in the morning from the palace. He was intercepted by Rowan who spotted the carriage arriving through the gates of the manor.


    "Sir Rowan Windwalker, his majesty, the king, summons you to the palace today at noon. You are invited for lunch at the palace which will be followed by an audience with the royal family."


    Rowan accepted the elegant mauve envelope that bore his name in large cursive writing. Thanking the man, he returned to the kitchen where he had been breakfasting before the interruption.


    "What''s that?" Luci asked. They were the only ones in the kitchen at the moment. Enkansh had eaten his fill and was exploring the manor grounds. Syryn was still fast asleep and Salem was taking a morning walk. Alka had prepared breakfast, eaten his fill, and was out in the garden tending to his expensive plants.


    "An invitation to the palace," Rowan replied. His mood was heavy after he had received the invitation.


    "Are you going to meet the silver-eyed princess?" Luci asked.


    Rowan put the invitation down on the table and glanced up in surprise at the redhead who was quietly watching him.


    "Yes, I am. Why do you ask, Luci?"


    "I saw the princess a few years back. She was... I mean she still is very beautiful. Princess Li..." The redhead struggled to remember her name.


    "Lillith," Rowan supplied.


    "Yea, princess Lillith and prince Drake are the only royal members I''ve seen. I was just curious, Rowan."


    The blond had lost his appetite. There was only one reason why Lillith''s father had invited him to the palace. Rowan had been putting off his duties because he wanted to wait for Syryn but the royals weren''t taking no for an answer. Lillith was impatient to have the ceremony conducted since she wasn''t getting any younger. That pressure came upon Rowan who had been refusing to do anything about it.


    "You look worried, Rowan." The words were said quietly by Luci. A half-eaten slice of bread sat on his plate being slathered upon with layers upon layers of jam.


    "Yes I''m worried," the blond admitted to the child. "There''s always someone or something getting in the way of what I want, Luci."


    "You''re Rowan," Luci replied. "I know you''ll figure out something."


    The blond was warmed by the child''s faith in his abilities. "Don''t tell Syryn about it."


    "Why?"


    "Because I will tell him myself."


    Rowan took the half-eaten slice of bread that Luci handed to him. It was a gift of affection but the amount of jam on it mildly horrified the anti mage. Still, he thanked the boy and ate it because that was the right thing to do. The smile on Luci''s face was his reward.


    [Wow Luci, jam with bread on it. What''s it called?]


    (The Luci special!)


    ____


    When Syryn woke up, it was almost noon. He hadn''t slept the entire night because of insomnia that came from feeling restless. The mage had gotten only a few hours of sleep but he was unable to go back to sleep.


    "I''m going to the palace, Ryn," Rowan told the mage who sat listlessly on the bed.


    "Okay," Syryn replied. His stomach informed him it wanted a meal. Rubbing his tummy, Syryn stood up and stretched. "What are you going to the palace for?"


    Rowan looked amazing in a navy blue dress suit. His gleaming blond hair had been washed and brushed back, making him look stylish and handsome. "I''ve been invited to the palace for lunch with the royal family. I''ll be back before dinner but if I get late, don''t wait for me."


    Syryn blinked and noticed that the anti mage was looking different today. His gaze moved up and down his man''s body. Rowan looked absolutely delicious when he was scruffy but now, now he looked every inch the nobleman that Syryn suspected Rowan was. The fact that he had been invited for lunch with the royals only confirmed his suspicions.


    "You look nice," he told the anti mage.


    "Thank you."


    Rowan seemed oddly solemn and distracted. He adjusted his collar in the mirror and turned to the mage who was watching him quietly.


    "Ryn, do you trust me?" Rowan abruptly asked the mage.


    "I guess I do," Syryn replied. "Why?"


    Rowan began to slip the gold band off his finger. He held it in his hand and looked up at the mage who was watching him with unblinking eyes.


    "I''ll explain when I return."


    Syryn felt a coldness seep inside his heart. He was already feeling anxious because of his amnesia. Now he felt anxious, insecure, and angry. But he did not allow any of the feelings to surface.


    "Alright. I''ll be waiting," Syryn replied without emotion.


    Rowan placed a light kiss on Syryn''s cheek and left the room.


    "Bye..." Syryn said to the air after Rowan exited. He fell back to the bed and stared at the ceiling thinking about what reason Rowan could have for keeping his relationship a secret. Did he trust Rowan? He had said yes but he hadn''t known the blond for enough time to truly decide that. Syryn didn''t have enough information about Rowan to say he trusted him completely.. At the very least, Rowan had been transparent about what he was doing, and he was willing to give Syryn an explanation for it.

 Chapter 303 - The Talk About Rowan

    Syryn was anxious all evening. Taking a cue from Enkansh, he channelled the restless energy into exploring his home with Levia.


    He first came across an enormous garden where they grew several kinds of plants. The longer Syryn stared at the plants, the more familiar they began to seem to him. He was overjoyed to find that he was able to identify two of them.


    "Little blue beak," he whispered, caressing a delicate looking flower.


    "Meow."


    Syryn sharply turned to the right where a snow-white cat with blue eyes was staring at him. The cat was majestic to behold. It had luxurious thick white fur that appeared silky and clean. Its eyes were a shade of blue that Syryn hadn''t seen on anyone else.


    Levia made a growling sound and sniffed the air. She canted her head at the cat who merely rolled its eyes.


    "Milky," he whispered. Syryn''s eyes went wide. He had remembered the cat''s name. "Milky!"


    Milky''s tail swished from side to side and lazily blinked. The kitty then turned away from the human and looked behind him where an orange cat was daintily trotting towards them.


    [How does my memory work? Sometimes I remember things without even trying to.]


    Thats just how it is. Wisps of memory can escape my hold and I have no control over it.


    [Will that cause problems?]


    No.


    "mrrreeoow!"


    The orange tabby greeted Syryn and he began to wind his fat body between the human''s legs.


    "What are you called?" He asked the cat.


    "Meow," the cat replied as he rubbed his head against Syryn''s pants.


    Crouching down, he petted the cat and observed it sniffing Levia''s flank. The monster backed away from the cat and hid behind Syryn.


    "He won''t hurt you!" Syryn said to Levia as he began to laugh at her timidity.


    Levia made a sound of disagreement and ran into the thick vegetation of the garden.


    "Levia!" Syryn called out but she was gone.


    ____


    Riha had been learning to cook. He made a simple dinner for everyone and retreated back into his room. The siren and the selkie were very similar in nature if they looked past the prejudice they had against each other. There was no enmity between them but it was going to take a while before they got comfortable being around each other.


    "Syryn, why are you covered in mud?" Alka asked the mage who was walking back to the house with Levia behind him.


    "Her fault," he pointed to the little monster who was also caked in mud.


    "Take a bath before you come for dinner. I can''t have you track mud inside the kitchen, Syryn." The plant mage turned to the house and shouted, "Riha, we need rain."


    "Coming," Riha''s voice floated out of an open window.


    "And where''s Rowan?" Alka asked when he turned back to the mage.


    Syryn had been distracted by Levia but now he was back to worrying about Rowan again.


    "Lunch with the royals. He told us we don''t have to wait for him if he gets late."


    A tiny wrinkle appeared between Alka''s brows. "Did he say why they invited him?"


    "No," Syryn replied, feeling a pit form in his stomach. "Should I be worried?"


    The plant mage shook his head. "Rowan is a powerful anti mage respected by everyone. I''m sure the king wanted to meet Rowan for something related to the country''s security."


    "Right," Syryn replied. Rowan wasn''t dressed like he was out having a meeting about the security of anyone. The blond had gone out looking like he was on his way to a ball.


    Levia jumped in surprise when the sound of thunder broke through the air. Within seconds, a downpour of rain fell upon them soaking not only Syryn and Levia but also Alka.


    The plant mage''s hair was plastered to his face as he put his hands on his hips and sighed.


    "Scrub yourselves," he told the duo then walked off to stand under the eaves of the kitchen where he proceeded to wring cold water out of his clothing.


    ___


    Dinner was tasteless on Syryn''s tongue. He wasn''t even paying attention to what was going inside his mouth.


    "Syryn, what''s wrong with you?" Red asked him.


    The mage tried to play it off as tiredness but the redhead wasn''t buying what Syryn was selling.


    "Is this about Rowan meeting the royal family?" He bluntly asked.


    Salem and Alka pretended they weren''t listening in. Enkansh though looked at Syryn expecting something interesting to be said.


    "Mmm," Syryn responded.


    "Rowan would never cheat on you," Red said to the mage. "Your boyfriend would kill himself before he betrays you."


    They were the words of a child but Syryn was oddly comforted by them.


    "He''s obsessed with you, unhealthily so," Red continued. "And everyone can attest to that fact. Right Alka? Salem?"


    The two called out by Red nodded their heads.


    "Rowan had been in love with you long before he realised what his feelings for you meant," Alka said to the mage.


    "He secretly burned many love letters that were delivered every morning when he started living here. You never caught a whiff of it but I counted close 205 letters that went up in smoke," the half-elf confessed. "Rowan asked me not to tell you because he worried that you might get jealous."


    Syryn was grateful that his friends was trying to comfort him but the things they were saying made him pause.


    "Rowan isn''t obsessed with me," he told the redhead. "Was I a very jealous boyfriend?" He then asked Salem and Alka.


    "Not really," Salem replied. "In Rowan''s defence, anyone would go crazy if they saw their significant other receive so many letters from his admirers."


    Red snorted at that.


    Salem raised his blond brows at the boy. "Do you have something to say, Lucien?"


    "Nothing. I just think it''s funny that you''re now defending Rowan when you guys were rivals competing for Syryn''s affections."


    The table went quiet and someone cleared their throat.


    "Pass me the salt, please," Alka politely told Enkansh.


    Syryn was feeling more awkward than Salem. He could tell from the smirk on the half elf''s face.


    "No, what''s funny is that the parties involved have all moved on and you haven''t. Why is that so, Red?"


    "Can''t we talk about the past without accusing each other of not moving on? It''s called reminiscing, Salem." Red was just looking to stir up drama in the house, everyone could tell. Normally, Salem would ignore the brat but he was in the mood for a friendly quarrel tonight.


    "Alright, then let''s reminisce about what you did when Rowan and Syryn weren''t home."


    Now Red appeared annoyed. He lowered his lashes to the plate of food and shrugged. There was nothing he could do to stop Salem from airing his dirty laundry in public.


    "Maybe we should have this conversation another time," Alka suggested.


    "No, no, let''s listen to what Salem has to say." Syryn was curious to know what the naughty redhead had been up to.


    The blond alchemist poured himself a cup of water and then took a drink. Placing it on the table, he looked directly at Red. "Should I tell them about the dead person you buried in the forest?"


    All eyes were already on Red. The child frowned at Salem. "What are you talking about?"


    "You know, the bearded man. Tall, burly, brown pants and a black shirt stained with his blood."


    "Oh Lucien," Alka exclaimed softly. "I told you to do it when everyone was asleep."


    Enkansh and Syryn were both shocked at the implications of the conversation.


    "You killed a man?!" Syryn asked the child.


    "Of course I killed him," Lucien replied in a tone that made it known to them that he didn''t regret it at all. "That guy tried to burgle the house and was caught by Riha. Anyone that sees the selkie has to be silenced."


    "Isn''t that a bit extreme though?" Syryn asked, still unable to believe that a literal child had murdered a grown man.


    "No. What do you suggest I should have done then? Cut his tongue out and crippled his fingers? Because that''s the only way we could have prevented him from non-magically communicating Riha''s existence to another party."


    "I know I brought this up to get him into trouble but I want you to know that I support Red''s decision," Salem interjected. "That man was unlucky to have broken into our home."


    Enkansh wondered about the sort of people he was living with. If murder came so easily to a child then what about the adults who were supporting the child''s actions?


    "Look, Syryn," Red said to his brother. "This is exactly the scenario you were trying to avoid. That''s why we''re growing a corpse tree in the garden. We''re hoping that its aura scares off interlopers."


    "What is a corpse tree and why can''t we hire or buy normal security?" Syryn asked the child.


    "Weren''t you listening, Syryn? We can''t let outsiders see Riha. Forget normal security, our best bet is the corpse tree."


    "I meant hounds, not people. We can hire trained animals as security."


    "They''re not good enough to thwart the crazy fuckers that you''ve antagonised. We''ve made enemies out of the house of shadows, Syryn. We need corpse trees, dead people, runes, and magical traps to keep this house secure!"


    It was all a little too much for the mage to suddenly process. "Dead people?"


    "Yes, hi, I''m Lucien Rivenspire, a necromancer in training. I raise dead bodies. I''m going to raise the dead burglar and have him become a guard."


    Syryn''s spoon clattered onto the plate.


    "Someone give my brother some smelling salts. He looks like he''s about to faint."


    "Enough, Red. Syryn, why don''t you go to bed?" Alka suggested kindly.


    It was Enkansh''s first dinner with Syryn''s family but the conversation was already so wild.


    "I''m sorry, Syryn. I shouldn''t have brought it up," Salem said to the tongue tied mage.


    "It''s fine," he replied. "We''re all a group of misfits living together so I guess I shouldn''t really be surprised about anything anymore."


    "I''ll drink to that," Alka raised his glass of wine.

 Chapter 304 - A Night For An Exchange

    Syryn was unable to sleep as he waited for Rowan to come home. Giving up on falling asleep, he got up out of bed and left the house to walk in the garden.


    The night sky over Elysium was just the same as it had been over Coop. It was lonely out here in the dark surrounded by trees and flowers. But it could have also just been him feeling that way because of his missing memories. Syryn brushed his hands over the swaying stalks of yellow buds that grew straight and tall.


    Syryn did a circuit of the garden, fretting about Rowan when he heard soft footfalls coming towards him. He turned around to see a redhead heading towards him.


    "Couldn''t sleep," Red said to Syryn by way of explanation. The truth was that he had heard Syryn leaving the house. Not one to speak out about his feelings towards the older boy, the child came up with that excuse.


    "Me too," Syryn replied. Red hair, red eyes, pale unmarked skin - Lucien looked like a fairy under the moonlight.


    "Big brother, would you like to come with me to the forest?" The child asked him.


    "Now?"


    "Yes. Since I can''t sleep, I might as well use the time to get some work done."


    Red didn''t wait for Syryn''s answer. He looked towards the tall line of trees in the distance and began walking towards it.


    Syryn silently followed in his footsteps. He had a feeling that Red''s work had something to do with the alleged corpse buried in the forest.


    "Did I know you were a necromancer?" Syryn asked.


    "Yes. You knew all about it. I could tell you weren''t very happy about what I was doing. You were supportive about it though because you knew it was my calling."


    It sounded to Syryn like he had been a good older brother to Lucien. But if necromancy was bad and he was letting his brother practice it, did it make him a bad person?


    "Syryn, was there another reason you couldn''t sleep? Aside from Rowan being late."


    It felt dumb to voice out that he was feeling lonely.


    "Just Rowan," Syryn answered.


    "You aren''t like the Syryn of before," Red commented. "I''m not blaming you. It''s just an observation."


    "What do you mean?"


    Red stopped walking at a spot where the Earth had a mound over it. It was a low mound but stood out higher than the surrounding flat ground. Red took out a shovel from behind some trees and handed it to Syryn.


    "Don''t worry. If Rowan breaks your heart, we''ll destroy him. Start digging, brother."


    The sound of Red''s shovel hitting the hard earth sounded loud in the quiet forest. It startled a few birds that were roosting on the braches above them.


    "I doubt we could destroy someone as powerful as Rowan," the mage replied as he got to work with his shovel.


    "Is Rowan that powerful?" Red asked.


    "We can''t beat him."


    It was strange to even think about a fight with Rowan. The blond-haired man had managed to get under Syryn''s skin in such a short amount of time.


    "That''s okay. There are other ways to hurt people. We just have to hurt the ones they love."


    The shallow grave soon revealed a corpse that was in the middle stages of decomposition. Maggots wriggled in the body''s eye sockets and open mouth. It was hard to even tell what gender the corpse had been when alive.


    Syryn gagged from the smell of rotting meat and the various odours that were ubiquitous to a dead body that had been decomposing for a while.


    "What are you going to do with this?" Syryn asked the redhead who was rooting in his pocket for something.


    "Ah, here it is," Lucien removed a folded blade from his deep pocket which he had filled with an assortment of items. "I''m going to perform a ritual," he told the older boy who had backed away from the body. Red had gotten used to the smell of rot so that even in this life, he wasn''t bothered so much by it.


    (Thats so disgusting...)


    [Then don''t look, dummy.]


    (You told me to watch and learn, dummy.)


    [Yeah but you don''t always do as I tell you to, dummy.]


    (Whatever. Are you going to cut yourself?)


    [Yup.]


    Syryn had his back up against a tree trunk and was watching the redhead work.


    Lucien unfolded the small blade, revealing a sharp edge that glinted in the sparse moonlight. Using the blade, he made a small cut over his palm. Holding his hand out above the grave where the dead body lay, he squeezed his hand into a tight fist. A small stream of blood dribbled down his hand and over the forehead of the corpse.


    "Does it have to be your own blood?" Syryn asked the redhead.


    "No," the child replied. "But it''s more effective to use my own. Later when I''m stronger, I won''t have to keep cutting myself." Lucien then took out a bandage from his pocket.


    "Need help with that?" Syryn asked.


    "No, it''s fine. Shovel the earth back on. I''ll help after I''ve wrapped up my hand."


    "That''s it?" Syryn asked in surprise.


    The redhead nodded. "For now."


    The blood that Red had dribbled couldn''t be seen over the writhing mass of maggots and the juices of decomposition that covered the body. Syryn took a breath of air far from the corpse and started shovelling the ground.


    "How does this work?" He asked the child who was focused on his task.


    "Hmm? The ritual?" Red glanced up.


    "Yes. Why did you give it blood?"


    Wrapping done, Red took his smaller shovel and got to work with Syryn.


    "Necromantic rituals can be conducted in several different ways depending on the type of servant you want to raise, or the resources you are willing to sacrifice for the ritual. For example, I''m trying to raise the simplest kind of corpse whilst giving it very little magic and blood. This way, it''ll take longer for me to raise a stupid servant but it won''t require much effort on my part. I''m not in a hurry for it."


    "Why blood and magic?" Syryn asked. "Are they compulsory for the ritual?"


    "Yes. Sacrifice is part of the ritual, Syryn. Necromancy is an exchange. The stronger the corpse you wish to raise, the more you have to sacrifice. Sometimes, you end up exchanging your sanity and that''s how a lot of necromancers end up retiring."


    Red''s gaze focused into the distance when they both heard the sound of a carriage pull back.. Rowan had returned home.

 Chapter 305 - Interrogation

    "Your fiancee is back," Red told Syryn. "Go on, I''ll finish up here."


    "No," Syryn replied. "I don''t want to leave you alone in the forest with a corpse. I know you don''t care but I do."


    "But-" Red wanted to remind Syryn that he had been alone when he was burying the corpse and that it was fine.


    "Just let me have this, Lucien."


    Syryn began shovelling like he had a grudge against the corpse.


    "Don''t fight with Rowan," Red replied as he began to match Syryn''s pace.


    "What makes you think I''m going to pick a fight with him?"


    "Calm down, Syryn."


    "No!" The mage forcefully said as he huffed out a puff of breath. "Don''t ask me to calm down. It makes me angrier."


    "Fine. Why are you mad at Rowan?"


    "He took off our ring before leaving to meet the king or whoever."


    "I''m sure he had a good reason for it," Red replied calmly. The shallow grave was now nearly filled.


    "Yeah, I bet he does. I''m just mad that he didn''t tell me about it till the last moment."


    "Eh, you were asleep the entire day."


    Syryn sighed. "You''re right. Think I''m just insecure because I don''t know him as well as you do."


    "The man left everything behind to search for you, Syryn. Have some faith."


    "Yeah," the mage replied, feeling stupid. He hit the freshly turned earth with the flat part of his shovel a few times.


    "Let''s go back and meet Rowan before he starts panicking when he finds you missing."


    ____


    Rowan had changed out of his fancy clothes and was turning on the lamp in the kitchen.


    "Ryn, where did you go?" He asked noticing the dirt on Syryn''s sleepwear.


    "We were out digging a spot in the garden where I buried an animal," Lucien replied before Syryn could say a word.


    "What animal?" Blue eyes turned to the redhead.


    "A bird that Lucien shot out of the tree. He wanted to see if the feathers could be salvaged for something he''s working on."


    The lie tumbled out of his lips easily when he realised that Lucien didn''t want Rowan to know about the corpse.


    "Oh," Rowan replied. Even if he thought it strange, the blond didn''t comment further on it.


    "Why are you late, Rowan?" Red asked the man.


    The anti mage pulled a chair out and took a seat, gesturing for the brothers to join him.


    "I was held up by the King. I''m sorry, Ryn. I wanted to come home soon but it was difficult to extricate myself from the palace."


    Syryn sat opposite Rowan. Red took a chair next to Syryn. It was like an interrogation led by Lucien.


    "Okay. But where''s your ring, brother-in-law?" Red said with a sharp emphasis on the ''brother-in-law.''


    "It''s not what you think, Lucien."


    "That''s what they always say," the redhead replied without missing a beat.


    Syryn was warmed by the way Lucien came to his aid despite the redhead defending Rowan when they were in the forest.


    "Red, hear me out," Rowan calmly told the boy. "And Ryn too." The light of the lamp flickered in Rowan''s serious eyes and it looked incredibly blue. "I have been burdened with the responsibility of being Eos'' champion. It means that I have to marry a priestess or priest chosen by the goddess."


    Syryn had suspected that Rowan was promised to a noblewoman. He wasn''t entirely wrong since Rowan was promised to someone else.


    "You mean Lillith," Red replied with a snort. "We all know she''ll get chosen. Don''t we, Rowan?"


    "We don''t," the blond replied. "As far as I''m concerned, Syryn is the only one I''m willing to accept."


    "But that''s not for you to decide," Syryn calmly replied. He was disturbed by what he was hearing but his heartbeat remained steady.


    "I don''t care," came Rowan''s surprising reply. "I''ll abandon my duties if it comes to that. I''ve decided that you''re the only one I want, Ryn."


    "Then why did you take the ring off?" Red asked.


    "To protect Syryn. If they find out about this," Rowan''s gaze turned to Syryn. "Lets just say that it''s going to piss off a lot of people."


    Syryn accepted his reasoning but Red wasn''t convinced yet.


    "But people already know about you and Syryn. It''s not far fetched to think that Lillith and her parents would have heard about it."


    "They think I''m just having fun before I settle down with the chosen one," Rowan replied. "I want them to continue thinking that for a while longer. Unless-" the anti mage paused as he exchanged a look with Syryn. "-you want me to tell them the truth. If that''s what you want, just say the word, Ryn."


    Did he want that? Syryn silently thought about it. No, he wanted some peace while he figured out his life. It was too soon after the mess he had been embroiled in back at Silisia.


    "Let''s keep it quiet for now," he told the anti mage.


    "How long?" Red asked.


    "Not too long. The King is pressuring me to get the ceremony done with and I can''t hold them off for much longer. One year at the most," Rowan told the brothers. "And then if Syryn is willing, I will have the ceremony performed. Will you come, Ryn?"


    Rowan''s gaze was focused on Syryn''s face. He had been rejected once by the mage when he''d posed the question.


    "I don''t know," the mage honestly replied. "What does the ceremony entail?"


    Rowan realised then that he couldn''t move forward with it while Syryn remained an amnesiac. It wasn''t fair to the mage because he needed all his memories to make an informed decision about it.


    "Let''s talk about this tomorrow," Rowan deflected. "It''s very late, Ryn."


    "Sounds like you''re avoiding the question," Red, the meddlesome child, gave his opinion.


    Rowan appreciated the redhead''s concern for Syryn but wished that the child wouldn''t say such inflammatory things. It was true that he was avoiding the question but not because he had something to hide from them.


    "Until Syryn gets back his memories, we aren''t making decisions that cannot be reversed," Rowan told both of his listeners while looking from one to the other. "Anything else you need to clarify?"


    "No, that''ll be all," Syryn said as he stood up. Rowan''s explanations had satisfied him. There was no need to further dwell on the matter.


    The anti mage breathed a sigh of relief.. He hadn''t done anything wrong but being questioned like that by Red could make a grown man feel like he was a criminal.

 Chapter 306 - An Eventful Day

    The next morning, Salem showed Syryn around the alchemy workroom. The half-elf pointed out Syryn''s side of the room where his alchemy base was kept clean and dust-free, waiting for Syryn''s return. It was too bad that he couldn''t remember anything about alchemy or medicine.


    "Syryn, why don''t you assist me today? It might help jog your memory a little. And if it doesn''t, at least you''ll have learnt something."


    "I probably won''t remember anything but I''ll be happy to assist," the mage replied.


    A heavy-duty cauldron was already on the stove. Long slender fingers turned on the fire and closed the lid of the cauldron.


    "Today, we''ll brew a very special potion so pay close attention to my instructions," Salem said to Syryn as he began to set ingredients on the work table.


    "Do you see the weighing scale there?"


    "Mmm."


    "Balance out for five grams of ginger root powder which I''ve kept on that shelf. It''s inside the second last jar with a black lid." Saying so, Salem indicated with his chin towards the shelf where many jars were lined up and colour-coordinated.


    "What''s the potion for?" Syryn asked as he removed the appropriate jar and began to unscrew the lid.


    "A medicine that suppresses the uncontrolled effects of lycanthropy. Some shapeshifters lose control of their beasts during the full moon so they take the potion to remain human on such nights."


    Syryn poured out a brown coloured powder on the scale and balanced it with an equivalent weight of stone.


    "Do they attack people when the beast forcefully takes over?" He asked Salem who was picking out fresh wolf''s-bane from a bag. The flower was deep purple and shaped like a helmet.


    "It has happened," Salem replied. He held up the flower to Syryn, "wolf''s-bane, a beautiful plant that kills indiscriminately. All you have to do is add about five to ten milligrams of the plant to your intended victim''s tea or wine. You''ll find that the turnip shaped root is where the poison is most concentrated."


    Standing next to Salem, Syryn looked at the flower and found it familiar to him. "What are the symptoms of poisoning?"


    The blond alchemist placed the flower inside a pan of water. He began taking out more wolfsbane, all the while handling them with gloved hands.


    "Nausea, vomiting, tingling and numbness in the face and extremities are all common early signs of poisoning by wolfsbane. You knew more about it than I ever will, Syryn. I hope you do get your memories back because it would be such a pity to have all that knowledge and expertise lost."


    "Was I really so good at alchemy and medicine?" Syryn asked.


    "Of course, you were invited by Altaire to study under his tutelage. He''s the best alchemist ever to be born, and you were good enough to impress even him." Salem smiled like he was proud of Syryn. There wasn''t any jealousy in his eyes.


    "Ahem," someone cleared their throat from the door. "Can I borrow Syryn for a while?"


    "Why? He''s assisting me right now," Salem told the redhead.


    "My work is more important. Come with me, brother. We''re going back to the forest."


    It was about the corpse again. Syryn wondered what Red was up to now.


    "Fine, but don''t get into any trouble. It''s daylight and there might be unexpected visitors or people just walking around the area."


    "Yeah, yeah," Red said in a hurry. "Come on, Syryn! We can only do this when Rowan isn''t around."


    The anti mage had left for the Sanguine HQ. He has been absent from work for a very long time and was expected at the office by Artemus. They both had responsibilities that were waiting their attentions.


    As they walked towards the forest, Syryn looked at where Red had his hand clamped around the older''s wrist.


    "What''s the hurry?" He asked the redhead.


    "What''s the hurry? The corpse is buried too close to the house!"


    Syryn didn''t see why that was a problem.


    "Is this a necromancy thing?" He asked.


    "What? No. It''s that boyfriend of yours. Rowan is a damn bloodhound who''ll sniff the body out before the week is done. Mark my words, if we don''t change locations, he''ll bust my operation and I''ll be hauled off to the mage hunter''s headquarters for an interrogation."


    "I see," Syryn replied. They had reached the mound.


    "Dig fast," Red said as he threw the shovel at Syryn. Deftly catching it, the duo made short work of the mound. The rotting body was soon revealed again but now in daylight, it looked more hideous than it had in the dark. The stench of it seeped into Syryn''s skin and had him feeling like he smelled of the corpse.


    "Here," Red threw a pair of thick gloves at Syryn. "You take the feet, and I''ll haul him by the arms."


    Syryn wanted to refuse. He stared at the bloated stomach that he hadn''t noticed in the night.


    "Syryn, stop daydreaming. Rowan might arrive home anytime!"


    Red then sat on his haunches and reached out towards the hole to grab an arm. Syryn followed suit with the right foot. As soon as he lifted the leg, he regretted the action immediately.


    "Oh fu-!!" Syryn screamed like a little girl when an entire community of soft fat maggots covered in corpse juice came tumbling out of the man''s shoes. A few of them fell over his own shoe which he proceeded to shake desperately.


    "Really, Syryn. You act like you haven''t dealt with dead bodies before," Red chided the older demon.


    (Why are you so mean to Syryn? He can''t remember anything so be nice.)


    [I''m not gonna treat him like an invalid who needs to be dealt with sensitively. Syryn will have to get used to the weird things that happen in this house.]


    "I didn''t sign up to have dirty maggots fall all over me, Red."


    "Fine, you take the arms then." The redhead dropped the corpse''s arm and walked over to Syryn.


    Footsteps sounded behind them. Turning around, Syryn saw that it was Alka. The plant mage looked tense.


    "Don''t tell me Rowan is back," Red said with fear written on his face.


    Alka shook his head. "Worse. Lillith came to visit.. She''s asking for Syryn."

 Chapter 307 - A Sunny Day For A Gloomy Affair

    Syryn walked back to the house with Alka. His thoughts were full and flighty. The mage''s imaginations took him through several scenarios that included Lillith telling him that she was already married to Rowan and she had come to say goodbye in the blond''s stead.


    "You look stressed. Loosen up, Syryn."


    "Am I the mistress?" Syryn woodenly asked his friend.


    Alka frowned at him. "Banish the thought. You''re the only one in Rowan''s heart."


    Syryn had believed that but the doubts wouldn''t leave him alone. He had no prior memories to rely on for information.


    "Did she say why she came to visit?"


    Syryn had no clue what Lillith was like.


    "She just said she wanted to meet you. The good princess asked for Syryn Nigh''hart so here we are. I''m gonna leave you two alone so introduce yourself to her I guess."


    The mage was feeling a little anxious. What if everything Rowan had told him was a lie. He berated himself mentally.


    ''You can do this Syryn Nigh''hart it''s just a bloody meeting with the princess who wants your man.''


    Syryn saw Lillith in the distance. She was standing outside the manor in an elegant rose pink dress. Her long dark hair was beautifully braided down her back. And when she turned towards the arriving Syryn, he saw how beautiful she was. Silver eyes like pools of mercury were lit up by the sunlight. High cheekbones were naturally pink and lighter than her deeper coloured lips that were full and supple. She wasn''t just beautiful, princess Lillith was breathtaking.


    "You are Syryn?" She asked when he stood before her.


    "I am."


    Lillith''s gaze swept over him like she was noticing every feature and flaw of the man before her. Syryn felt dirty from the sweat and mud that caked his clothing after he had taken part in the corpse retrieval activity. He suspected he smelled nasty too. It wasn''t a good look to wear while meeting a guest.


    Contrary to what he believed he looked like, Syryn looked like an exotic beauty in Lillith''s eyes. Despite the mud and dishevelled look, Syryn''s skin appeared to glow like a lamp that shone from within. His hair tied back in a high ponytail looked youthful and elegant. But the most striking of his features were his expressive violet eyes, a bit feline like, that cautiously regarded her. Lillith felt sick inside with jealousy because Rowan''s lover was just as electrifying as Rowan himself.


    "I''m Lillith," she introduced herself in a steady voice. Her speech was refined and sweet.


    "You already know who I am," Syryn replied. "Why have you come to visit me, princess?"


    Lillith had a small smile on her face that came off as bitter. "I wanted to see you," she responded after a few seconds of silence. "I didn''t believe it when I heard that Rowan had fallen in love. But seeing you now, I suppose it must have some truth to it."


    Syryn was at a loss for words. What could he say to that?


    "I also came to tell you that Rowan is destined to marry Eos'' chosen. If he deviates from his path, there will be hell to pay for everyone."


    "Eos'' chosen, you?"


    Lillith looked away from Syryn and up at the sky. It was a sunny cheery day for a gloomy affair.


    "That''s what we all believe," she said softly. Then looking back at Syryn, Lillith''s silver eyes met his violet-hued irises. "I love Rowan," she said to the mage. "I''ve loved him since we were children. Rowan and I are better suited to each other than you are to him. Why I say that is because our families are nobility, and because our faith in Eos will make Rowan stronger than he could be if he was his own, or with someone who isn''t blessed by the goddess."


    Syryn was numb. He felt like the third wheel in this relationship because Rowan and Lillith truly were good together. She could give him children too which was impossible for Syryn.


    "Do you love him like I do, Syryn?" She asked him in a soft tone but it sounded sharp and loud in his ears. "Can you give him what I can?"


    Syryn, don''t let that woman walk all over you. A voice reminded him. It was the sage.


    "Do I love him?" Syryn repeated Lillith''s question. "I don''t know yet. But I know that Rowan loves me."


    "And so what?" Lillith answered looking a little agitated. "I can also make him fall in love with me. I only need a chance which he won''t give me."


    Syryn felt sorry for her. To be in love with a man who was in love with someone else, that kind of heartache had to be just as bad as losing a loved one.


    "You should talk to Rowan, not me," Syryn told her.


    "I''ve tried, but he told me that he''s set on you. What does he see in you, Syryn?" She asked as she looked closer at him. "You have a face that can topple all the beauties in the kingdom but that can''t be it, right? Rowan must see something in you that I cannot."


    Did she just come here to insult you by calling you an empty flower vase?


    [I don''t think so...I''m not sure exactly what she wants.]


    Just ask her.


    Syryn sighed. "What did you hope to achieve by coming here and telling me all this, princess?"


    She had dimples on her cheeks which deepened when Lillith smiled or frowned. And right now as she frowned, her dimples appeared on velvety smooth cheeks.


    "I came here to let you know that I''ll fight for a place in Rowan''s heart. You have had a head start but I have more ammunition. Rowan is a good man and he wants what is good for the kingdom and for the world, so prepare yourself, Syryn. He will not remain yours for long."


    Well, that escalated. Princess Lillith is determined, Syryn. What are you going to do?


    [I''m going to poison her with wolfsbane.]


    Really?


    [No. This is Rowan''s mess so I''m not gonna touch it. He already has me so I''ll leave it to him to deal with the royal family.]


    Wise.


    "Thanks for visiting, princess. The gate is that way. Now excuse me, I have business to take care of."


    Saying this, Syryn left Lillith watching his treating back.. When he disappeared into the house and closed the door, she began to slowly walk out of the gate where a royal carriage was parked.

 Chapter 308 - Syryns Determination

    When Rowan came home, he saw that Syryn was standing at the window, looking out into the forest with a distant look in his eyes like he alone could see something entrancing that held all his attention. Ever since the mage had lost his memories, he hadn''t been quite the same. Knowing this, Rowan had been patient with the sometimes cold Syryn. Even now, the mage hadn''t registered Rowan''s arrival.


    "Ryn, are you okay?" He asked the mage.


    Syryn turned around.


    "Am I okay?" He echoed. Syryn had been feeling lost after Lillith''s visit. "Yes, I''m fine. Welcome home, Rowan."


    The anti mage shrugged off his coat and observed the listlessness of his lover. The once full of life Syryn seemed to have become a husk of himself.


    "Lillith paid me a visit," the mage told Rowan who froze while taking his shirt off.


    "What did she say to you?" Rowan came over to Syryn looking concerned.


    "That she loves you. Lillith wants to fight me for a place in your heart, Rowan." Syryn said the words with a wry twist of his mouth. "You don''t have to look so alarmed. I have put my faith in you, Rowan. Her words don''t mean anything to me."


    "Syryn, there''s something you have to know. In our first timeline, I was married to Lillith," Rowan confessed.


    "As a part of your duty, right?"


    "Yes. I have never loved anyone as I love you. I need you to know that."


    Syryn smiled. Some of the light was coming back to his eyes. The mage had tried to feel excited about rediscovering his past but he felt disconnected from it. Rowan was like a piece of hot ember in the darkness that kept his spirits up.


    "When did you fall in love with me?" He asked Rowan.


    The anti mage thought back to the moment that Syryn bled to death because he had wanted what was best for Rowan. That had been the beginning of Rowan''s spiral down a road that culminated in losing his heart to the demon lord.


    "I''m not sure myself. One day I just realised how much you meant to me, Ryn. It was a gradual process. Maybe when I think about it, I might be able to pinpoint the time around which I realised you were special to me." But Rowan hadn''t visited those memories because of how they hurt him. They were still too painful for him to look back on.


    The mage nodded thoughtfully. "Did I ever tell you when I started falling for you?"


    Rowan shook his head. "No, but I hope to hear about it."


    Syryn reached out and wrapped his arms around Rowan''s midsection, listening to the man''s heartbeats strong against his chest.


    "Hey Rowan, I know you said something about not making decisions that cannot be reversed but I think I want to go ahead with the ceremony."


    He couldn''t see the anti mage''s face but Syryn imagined Rowan with a serious look in his eyes.


    "Ryn, I won''t deny you but I want to warn you that this might not be the best decision. Please wait for your memories to return."


    "Why?" Syryn asked, pulling back. "Will I regret it when I remember?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe," the anti mage replied. "You never liked being around temples and holy places. It''s an understatement to say that you have a revulsion towards the beings that are worshipped by us humans."


    "Is that why you think I will regret it?"


    Rowan paused to think. He was fairly confident that this was the reason Syryn had rejected the idea of becoming Eos'' priest. "I believe so," he answered.


    Syryn had thought long and hard about it after Lillith''s visit. After knowing the full details about Rowan''s duties, he understood that he couldn''t let anyone else get chosen during the ceremony, especially not the determined Lillith. And for the recent months of happiness he had shared with Rowan, the mage was willing to make this permanent for the current him. It was selfish but he wanted this.


    "Are you completely certain that it is I who will get chosen?" Syryn asked him.


    "If it isn''t you then the ceremony ends and nobody gets chosen. I have made my will known to the goddess," Rowan replied. "Either way, nothing changes in the way I feel for you."


    Rowan still had reservations about going through with it. Somehow, it felt like he was taking advantage of Syryn''s situation.


    "Ryn, you don''t have to make the decision now," he reminded him. "I can hold them off till you''re ready."


    Syryn shook his head. He had made up his mind. If it was the only way he could Rowan then he was going to do it. As it was, there was nothing else in his life right now that made him happy.


    "Let''s do it, Rowan. The future Syryn will look back to now and know it was I, Syryn, who made this decision. This is all on me."


    "You are sure?" Rowan replied, grasping Syryn by the sides of his arms.


    "Yes."


    Rowan had wanted this so much. Indecision and worry thrummed in his veins but Syryn had the look on his face that showed his stubbornness.


    "Then I will speak to the elders of the temple. I will give you a month to think about your decision, Syryn. If you change your mind, we can call it off."


    "I won''t change my mind," Syryn mulishly declared. "Does it have to be next month? Why not next week? Heck, we can have it done tomorrow."


    Rowan breathed out audibly. He was beginning to fear that Syryn had made an impulsive decision.


    "Next month," he told the mage. "Think it over properly, Syryn. We''ll have a sit down soon and I''ll explain what it means to be bound to me, a permanent state of togetherness that nothing but death can break."


    He had meant for his words to scare the mage but Syryn looked even more determined than ever.


    "You say that as if it''s a bad thing," Syryn replied, surprising Rowan with his eagerness.


    "Can you at least tell me why?" The anti mage asked. "Because I can''t see why you''d want it when I''m just someone you''ve known for a few months."


    "Because the old me had deep feelings for you, Rowan. He had your shirt in his bag, and despite forgetting everything else, my mind remembered how you called me Ryn. And seeing the way my brother and the people in the house trust you... It paints a picture that no one can deny.. Maybe Syryn might throw a fit in the future about it but he can bitch to himself because it''s me, Syryn, making this decision."

 Chapter 309 - Little Lies

    Syryn, I have good news and bad news.


    [Give me the good news first.]


    I''ve found a way to get into the sealed memories.


    [Glad to hear that. What''s the bad news?]


    You''ll have to sleep for a very long time while the process happens.


    [How long?]


    It''s impossible to predict. Imagine boiling a pot of bones when you''ve never done it before. You only know that it might take days.


    [But it won''t take more than a week. So what''s the sleep equivalent of that?]


    I''ll give it a year or two.


    [A year?!]


    Minimum.


    [And what if I don''t want to sleep?]


    Then the memories stay locked. It''s your choice.


    [Let me first talk to Rowan about it.]


    _____


    Red had been feeling uneasy about Syryn. The older brother had never been the most normal of people but he was even weirder these days. Syryn was polite, well behaved, and spent long hours just staring at the sky or the forest. He seemed more like Riha than Riha himself. Since Enkansh''s arrival, the selkie had been more active in the house, exchanging barbed words with the siren whenever an opportunity presented itself.


    Rowan hadn''t been home in days since he was dispatched to the opposite end of the kingdom for a retrieval. Syryn was left alone looking lost and empty.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Red asked the mage after noticing that Syryn had made a cup of tea and hadn''t touched it in the last hour that the child had been watching him.


    "I''ve been thinking," Syryn replied. "Every day I become more and more like a ghost."


    Even the man himself had noticed it.


    "Why is this happening to you?"


    Syryn shrugged. "Perhaps a lack of attachment and motivation. I thought that maybe if I came back home, it would revive my spirits. And it did, but I''ve fallen into the pit again. It has been happening more often these days."


    The redhead took the cup of cold tea from Syryn''s hand. He poured the tea out of the window, onto a patch of flowers.


    "Syryn, I''m sorry that this happened to you," the child said to him in a softer tone.


    (Oh no, there''s going to be a disaster tonight! Red is being nice! What''s going to happen to this world?!)


    [Shut up, Luci! You''re insufferable.]


    (Suck on a-)


    [No! Who taught you to say that?!]


    "-going to be okay because it''s not permanent."


    (Peyton''s older brother.)


    "Peyton-" Red was confused by the dual conversations that were taking place. "I mean yeah, it''s not permanent."


    (Luci, if Rowan heard you saying that, it''ll break his heart.)


    [It''s fine. Kids my age say worse when their parents aren''t listening. Anyway, focus on Syryn.]


    "-sleep for a year it seems."


    "What? Who?" Red caught the tail end of what Syryn had said but it was the important bit.


    "Me," Syryn replied.


    "What do you mean you''re going to sleep for a year? Seeing you passed out for a week was enough to stress out everyone in the house. Rowan had been losing his mind. Does he know?" Red said it all in a single breath.


    "I''ll tell him when he comes back."


    (Ask him why he''s going into another coma!)


    "Syryn, this is crazy. You can''t-" Red began pacing back and forth. "A year. For your memories? Thats bullshit."


    The mage looked back at him apathetically. "It might go on longer than a year."


    "No," Red said violently. "This sounds dangerous and I will not have you go through it."


    Syryn smiled at the child''s bossy attitude. He was going to be like Rowan one day.


    "Heat up a teapot for me," Syryn replied, no longer wanting to talk about it.


    "No, heat it yourself."


    (I''ll do it, Red.)


    [Stay out of this for a while, Luci. Your big brother is making a stupid decision. Again. At least that hasn''t changed.]


    "Okay," Syryn replied peacefully.


    "Syryn stop, I''ll do it. I don''t like it alright."


    "If you don''t like it then I''ll heat it myself," Syryn said as he stood up.


    "May the gods have mercy on your dumb self, Syryn Nigh''hart," Red angrily told the mage before storming off to the kitchen. Not a moment later, Red stomped back inside and snatched the teapot out of Syryn''s hand.


    "I was talking about you sleeping for a year, not the tea," he informed the older mage with a frown. "Tell Rowan as soon as he reaches home."


    Red was hoping that Rowan would stop Syryn from acting foolishly. He still didn''t trust the strange being living inside the mage''s mind.


    "I will."


    _________


    When Rowan returned, he had a cut on his lip. Artemus had been shocked to see him injured. When he enquired about it, Rowan had told him not to worry about it. It had been an accident caused by his own carelessness.


    Syryn noticed it as soon as the blond reached home. "How did that happen, Rowan?" He asked the anti mage. After having seen him easily cut down enemies from a distance, it was troubling to see the blond injured.


    "Just a careless mistake I made," Rowan told the worried mage.


    "You don''t seem the type to make careless mistakes," Syryn replied softly. "What really happened?"


    Rowan had easily completed his objective. Having a week''s deadline left, he went on to another kingdom where trouble was brewing. High-level demons were running around pretending to be humans. They had even infiltrated the ranks of the nobility. Growing concerned by the movements of the demons, Rowan had tracked down a slippery one whose power enabled it to reflect damage back to the attacker. In the process of killing the demon, Rowan had received a cut lip. But he wasn''t going to tell Syryn about that.


    "I was exploring a dark tunnel when a gust of wind blew through and put out my torch. I ended up bumping into the wall and sustained a tiny cut." It wasn''t really a lie because this had happened to Rowan before, except he received a bump on the head.


    "Oh, alright."


    Rowan felt terrible about lying to Syryn but it was necessary.


    "Anyway, there is something I need to discuss with you," Syryn told the anti mage.

 Chapter 310 - Great Expectations

    "It''s not worth it," Rowan immediately told Syryn after hearing what he had to say. "It''s just a matter of time before you remember the past so there''s no sense in putting yourself at risk for it."


    "You are sure about that?"


    "Believe me, Ryn, it''s not worth it. If the Sage says that he doesn''t really know how long you''ll sleep then you shouldn''t do this."


    "I guess you''re right."


    The anti mage was even more worried about the future now. There was no method he knew of to eject the Sage from Syryn''s mind. But he wouldn''t have to worry about the matter for a long time because the winds of change were shifting.


    ___


    A month slowly rolled by and word on the street was that Rowan was getting married to the princess very soon. The ceremony had been approved by the delighted elders who had been waiting for a very long time. It was no secret that they all believed without a doubt it would be Lillith winning the big trophy that was Rowan. After all, she, like Rowan, was born with the blessings of Eos. Her special silver eyes were a testament to that. Ever since she was a little girl, the priests treated her with extra care and were expecting her to become the priestess. Even so, many staunchly hopeful young women sent in their entries to be a part of the choosing ceremony.


    A celebratory atmosphere had settled over Elysium one week before the important day. The temple of Eos was blooming with a thousand lantern flowers that were sold for a crown each. The money that the flowers brought in was used to buy food and clothing for the poor and homeless all around the city. Every lantern flower was considered a blessing from Eos sure to bring good luck to families that kept the flower at home. Women who couldn''t bear children also bought the flower because Eos was also a goddess of fertility.


    All while this was happening, Rowan stopped going to work. There wasn''t a minute of the day that he didn''t find himself overwhelmed by the number of people trying to talk to him for one reason or the other. Complete strangers would bless him in the name of Eos, or ask for him to say a prayer for their sick loved one. Rowan had the grace to be kind to these strangers but he was no priest. He doubted Eos would bless anyone if he asked for it. Rowan was after all a prodigal son of the goddess.


    In the palace, the king and queen were entertaining more guests and well-wishers. Lillith was the centre of activity and she was always present, a wonderful host to the nobles who paid her their respects. The princess had been patiently waiting for years, pining, her heart aching for the man who kept a formal distance between them. It upset her that Rowan acted with respectful restraint when in her presence. Why couldn''t he simply call her Lillith? It was always princess Lillith. Why wouldn''t Rowan write back to her when she sent him letters and invitations? The anti mage had always given his replies to the messenger who was delivering the invitation. Lillith just couldn''t understand why he wouldn''t love her back. Was she not beautiful enough? Smart enough? A part of her suspected that Rowan''s sexual orientation tended towards men. But what of it? He had his duty and she had hers. Rowan was Lillith''s because Eos had decided it so. Knowing this, the princess fearlessly pursued the blond who she believed had only one path set for him to tread - towards her.


    "Lillith, you look happy," Drake observed when he met his older sister at the royal gardens. The princess had just held court with a group of young noblewomen who had come to meet her.


    Spirits high, the princess smiled at her handsome younger brother who was heading off to the stables. "I feel blessed," she replied. "And the weather is beautiful today. What''s not to be happy about?


    Drake smiled back. "It is, isn''t it? I''m going horseriding. Would you like to come along?"


    "No," Lillith said, twirling the stem of a lantern flower she had been holding behind her back. One of the noblewomen had gifted it to her.


    Noticing the flower, Drake''s smile faded. He of all people knew just how much Rowan cared about Syryn. After the almost kiss with Syryn, Drake had done a little snooping around and found out about Rowan and Syryn''s relationship. Nothing about it boded well for his sister. She looked so radiant, so happy, but the man she was hoping to marry had given his heart to another.


    "Lillith, what if you don''t get chosen?" He asked his sister.


    Lillith''s smile dimmed a little bit. "Drake, don''t be ridiculous. Has there been anyone in this kingdom born with eyes like mine?"


    "No, you''re Eos'' daughter," Drake replied. Lillith was right. Syryn had nothing to do with the temple of light or with the goddess. Lillith was the chosen bride and priestess.


    "And the goddess'' will is revealed in my eyes and Rowan''s birth sign. There is no doubt that I will be chosen."


    Eos hadn''t said that, Drake thought. Just because Lillith had special eyes, what did it have to do with marrying Rowan? Even so, he kept his mouth shut. It was best to stay out of his sister''s affairs so that when worse came to worst, nobody could blame him for cursing his own sister and causing her to miss out on marrying Rowan.


    "I just want what''s best for you," he said to the blissfully happy Lillith. The lantern flower had lost its light after being plucked. She held it up to her nose and smelled it all the while smiling.


    "I know, Drake. Don''t worry about it."


    As Drake opened his mouth to say he was leaving, Lillith asked him an unexpected question.


    "Hey, I''ve been meaning to ask you something."


    "Yes?" Drake replied.


    "I didn''t know who else to ask about this. It''s... been a while now that I''ve wondered if Rowan only prefers men."


    Drake blinked, taken by surprise at his sister''s line of questioning. If Lillith suspected that Rowan preferred men, why was she so happy to marry him?


    "I don''t know," he answered truthfully. "Before Syryn, Rowan had never showed any interest in men nor women. It''s hard to tell where his interests lie.. All I know is that I''m straight and I would still say yes if Syryn made a move on me."

 Chapter 311 - How Many Inches Is Your-

    "What?" Lillith blurted out. The flower stopped twirling and she looked affronted.


    Drake regretted his words immediately. He had spoken without thinking.


    "Did you really mean that?" Lillith asked. His sister looked white in the face.


    The cup of milk had been spilt and there was no way to take it back. "Yes. He''s very attractive, sister. I''m not blind."


    "Then you''re not straight," Lillith replied. Maybe she just didn''t want to accept the fact that Syryn was just so beguiling that he could even pull the ones who had never been interested in men. Maybe Drake really wasn''t straight.


    "I''ve never fallen for another man. I don''t think I ever will. Syryn is special," he told her.


    Lillith had a faraway look in her eyes as she thought about Rowan. Was it like that with him too?


    "Anyway, I have to go now. I''ll meet you later at lunch," Drake informed her. He wanted to get away from Lillith because deep inside, Drake felt a sense of doom about the choosing ceremony. Rowan was a good man. If he was truly in love with Syryn, Rowan wasn''t going to ditch him so easily. Drake feared for his sister''s happiness and he felt stifled by the negative thoughts he had about the choosing. Unable to say more because of how happy Lillith looked, he pushed it all in and left her behind, thinking about the conversation they just had.


    ____


    Lillith spent an entire night praying at the temple. She was in the midst of a group of priestesses who had been fasting the entire day. The goddess had been silent and it troubled them but they continued to pray.


    Lillith prayed asking Eos to give her a sign. After the conversation with Drake, she had been feeling out of sorts. A seed of doubt was planted in her heart and she came to the temple to ask Eos to soothe her heart. After praying all night, Lillith left the temple without a sign. The goddess hadn''t said anything and she was left with more restlessness within.


    When her best found her looking despondent, she asked the princess why she was so glum when her dreams were finally coming true.


    "Guinevere, what if I don''t get chosen?" She softly asked the tall girl with a willow figure and white-blonde hair.


    Guinevere was the daughter of a minister. She had joined Saint''s Moon in the same year as Lillith and they had been inseparable.


    "That''s rubbish! Lili, what makes you think you won''t get chosen?"


    Lillith shook her head. "I don''t know. The goddess didn''t show me a sign when I prayed to her all night. It makes me worry, Guin."


    The pretty noble girl huffed at the princess. "Lillith! If there''s anyone who deserves to be chosen, it''s you! There is nobody in the world more blessed than you. Nobody is more beautiful. Put those thoughts away, beauty. Rowan will fall in love with you when you get married. It''s impossible not to."


    The princess shyly smiled. She hadn''t given her first kiss to anyone because Lillith wanted it to be Rowan who she gave it all to.


    "You''re right. I''ll stop worrying so much. Thank you, Guin. You''ve set my mind at ease even if a little bit." Lillith hugged her friend and banished her troubles to the back of her mind. What was the use of worrying anyway?


    _____


    Syryn was doing his own worrying at home. What if Rowan was wrong about Eos accepting him? What if he was struck to death by holy light at the altar? He hadn''t thought about all these things because Syryn had forgotten he was part demon.


    Your Rowan seems to think everything is going to be just fine. I would have some faith in that since he clearly cares about you very much.


    [Yeah, yeah. It''s me who will get struck if things go south. Let me fret about it and later purge it from my mind when I''ve worried sufficiently enough.]


    Just ask him about it. Why are you like this?!


    [And when did you become my mother?]


    Fine. This old man wanted to give you some advice but since you don''t want it then do as you wish.


    Syryn did ask Rowan about it and the anti mage assured him that Eos would not strike him dead.


    "Are you sure?"


    "I''m positive."


    The choosing ceremony was 6 days away and Rowan still hadn''t put in Syryn''s name. He was waiting to do it at the very last moment because it would give little time to those people who would no doubt make a fuss about it.


    Not having to go to work, Rowan still found his time being monopolised by the nobles and royals who thronged the gates of Syryn''s manor in their fancy carriages.


    The visitors streamed in endlessly, forcing the anti mage to meet them whether he liked it or not. Aside from Rowan, the others were also inconvenienced and annoyed by the people who had no regard for their privacy. Red especially cursed the person who had let slip the address to where Rowan had been hiding.


    "Congratulations!" A tall burly man came walking into the compound. "Rowan, you rascal! What does it feel like to be the man who will marry the exquisite flower of Sigil?"


    "It feels like a dream," Rowan answered with a bland smile. He was thinking about a different flower, one who had become a little stupid since his memory loss.


    "You lucky man," Lord Huvez clapped Rowan on his back. "I heard that Lillith''s wedding dress is being made entirely of water silk."


    "What a waste," Rowan replied, wishing that Huvez would leave quickly.


    "I know, I know. Lillith is so gorgeous she''ll look good in anything, even a potato sack." The man laughed at his own joke but Rowan barely even looked at him. The impatience in the anti mage''s eyes was evident to everyone but Huvez himself.


    "My Lord, we must get going," his manservant told him respectfully. "Lady Rose is waiting in line."


    "No," Rowan interrupted. Rose was an ardent admirer of Rowan and she had made it known to him by sending ostentatious gifts and letters, which were all subsequently returned back to her. He absolutely refused to meet the woman. "Stay for a while longer, Huvez. I was told you recently got engaged. Which family is your fiance from?"


    Rowan led the beaming man inside the kitchen where Red was messing around with a few dry bones.


    "My goodness! Child is that a femur?" Lord Huvez exclaimed. "It looks like a human femur."


    "Oh, this?" Red held up the bleached bone. "My brother is a healer. He brought home some bones to teach me about human anatomy."


    Rowan stared at the bone in Red''s hand. Syryn had most definitely not brought that thing home.


    "Luci, why don''t you take the bone and study it with Syryn?" He told the child. Having Red around guests was a powder keg waiting to explode. Especially so when the redhead had that look on his face. Rowan prayed to Eos that Red wouldn''t say something-


    "Hey, mister, how many inches is your femur?"

 Chapter 312 - The News About Rowans Partner

    "My- femur?" Lord Huvez asked looking askance at the redhead. Why did the question sound like it had a double meaning?


    "He likes bones," Rowan awkwardly replied.


    Red burst out into laughter at Rowan''s expression and left the place with an arm full of bones clattering as he walked away.


    "What just happened?" The confused guest asked his host.


    Red happened.


    "Tea or wine?" Rowan replied as he opened the kitchen cabinet.


    "What? Tea. Yes, I''d like some, thank you very much."


    ____


    Another day passed but the stream of visitors was unending. It was difficult enough as it was to hide Riha away while the traffic grew outside their gate. But then a few tongues also began wagging. Some of the more shrewd guests snooped and dug out records of the land that showed that the property that Rowan was staying in had once belonged to Artemus. The new owner''s name wasn''t publicly available because Artemus had gone to great lengths to ensure that Syryn''s identity as the owner was not leaked.


    Now some of the folks were asking who the house belonged to and why Rowan was staying there when he had his own property. Some more investigation led to a revelation that Syryn was also staying at the manor. This meant that Rowan was already in a live-in relationship with a rumoured boyfriend who was no longer a rumour.


    The news had been simmering under gossip in some exclusive ladies parlours but now it exploded and took Elysium by surprise. Rowan had a boyfriend. Rowan was dating a man. How was the champion going to marry the priestess of Eos if he was already with someone else?


    It wasn''t the nature of their relationship that scandalised the folks of Elysium. Same-sex relationships had flourished for a long time and nobody batted an eye when it happened. What they were angry about was the fact that their champion had gone against the grain of tradition to choose his own partner. People were divided into two groups, one that believed Rowan was going to leave Syryn when the time came for him to marry a priestess. The other group believed that Rowan was going to remain with his partner while marrying a priestess to fulfil his destiny.


    A parlour for noblewomen where a large group of them were sharing tea and biscuits while chattering excitedly, began to talk about Rowan''s life.


    "Have you seen his partner?" A young lady with long wavy hair said out loud to her friends.


    "No, why? I heard he''s a prince that was banished from his kingdom for cavorting with his stepfather," another lady replied.


    "Rubbish!" A third one interjected. "I heard from my cousin who knows Rowan that Syryn used to be a student at King''s Hill. He defeated Rowan at the Friendship meet when he was still thirteen years old. Nobody knows where Syryn really is from but he isn''t a man to be trifled with. Why! he even co-owns that very popular establishment that I know all you girls have been to. You know, that one with the good looking elf man." As she said the last part, the lady in purple hid a smile behind the rim of her cup. Salem was a very good looking man and most of his repeat customers didn''t just go back because they needed refills.


    "Autumn speaks the truth," a woman wearing a lace choker necklace with a gold rose pendant on it said to the others.


    "And how do you know that, Rose?" The lady with long wavy hair asked. "Is it because you''ve been stalking Rowan?"


    A few giggles. Rose smirked. She didn''t care about the opinions they held of her.


    "Yes, I stalked him. I was there at the match where Syryn beat Rowan." Rose said Syryn''s name like it was something distasteful. "Do any of you remember that good looking young fellow who came to the ball at winter Fortress with Artemus?"


    Many heads nodded, eyes shining with excitement. They remembered how beautiful that young boy had been.


    "That''s Syryn."


    A few gasps punctuated the air with shock.


    "Oh my!"


    "No wonder!"


    "How old is he now?"


    "Rose, where did you hear this news?"


    "I have to see Syryn! He must be older and better looking now. How exciting!"


    Rose frowned. None of them knew what it felt like to know that the person you loved was already with someone else. Someone else more beautiful than she could ever hope to be. The excited titters of the gossiping birds ruined her already bitter mood. She had come here to smear Syryn''s name but the others were more eager to gush over his good looks.


    "He is a slut!" Rose said under her breath but sharp ears caught her words.


    "What did you say, Rose, dear?"


    "A slut? Sounds like jealousy to me."


    "If you have gossip about his whoring ways then do share it with us, Rose."


    "What gossip do you need?" Rose shot back, "Use your brains, ladies. They aren''t just there for gossip are they?"


    The wavy-haired girl pouted. "Don''t be mean, Rosie."


    "Did Syryn not arrive with Artemus to the ball? And then we saw Rowan sneak off with Syryn in tow. Then he went back home with Artemus. In hindsight, I should have realised that Rowan was already fooling around with that-" Rose fumed.


    "Slut?" Autumn supplied with a smile.


    Rose glared at her. "Yes."


    "Artemus trained Syryn and his friends at King Hill. It could just be a teacher looking out for his student you know," Autumn said to the others.


    "I suspect that the manor Rowan is living in is currently owned by Syryn," Rose spat back. "The property was listed under the Artemus'' name before that so take what you will of it."


    "Maybe Syryn bought it from Artemus. He is a rich man since he co-owns a very successful business." Autumn wasn''t defending Syryn because she was a righteous person.. The young lady just didn''t like Rose and her creepy ways.

 Chapter 313 - Rowan And Lillith

    Back at the manor, Rowan wasn''t too concerned about being the topic of everyone''s discussion. Now that Syryn''s name had been outed as his partner, Rowan took it in stride. It was bound to happen when he put in Syryn''s name as a candidate for priesthood and marriage partner to the champion. Still, he had heard some of the wild rumours and was shocked by how outrageous they were.


    A few malicious folks painted Syryn as a brothel born child who used his good looks to climb up in life. They slandered the mage with stories about he seduced so and so into his bed and stole their virtues and money. A bard went on to compose a dirty limerick about Syryn''s beautiful body. If Rowan was being honest, the limerick was delightful. It was just the part where random strangers recited it that he had a problem with.


    Syryn too had heard it and it made him laugh. The line that described his full buttocks was the truest.


    "I''m glad you''re not upset by the bullshit that''s going around," Rowan said to the smiling beauty who was chuckling over a new piece of gossip that Rowan relayed to him.


    "Why would I be?" Syryn replied. "They''re all lies and I get you in the end. Seems like I''ve angered many jealous people who wanted to see you with Lillith."


    Rowan was quiet. He had been thinking about talking to the princess. The blond had been avoiding her so she would not have false hopes about them. It had been the same in the first timeline. Rowan had kept his distance till she was chosen and he accepted the marriage. Now, as a person who used to be her husband, Rowan still cared about the headstrong woman who would one day realise that love could not be forced no matter how hard she tried.


    "Ryn, I''m going to the palace this evening. I have to meet Lillith," Rowan said to the mage.


    "Sure, don''t do something you wouldn''t want me to do," Syryn replied, smiling. It was rare these days but he wasn''t feeling lost and depressed.


    Rowan kissed him on the forehead, not knowing that it might be the last few days of peace before their lives changed dramatically.


    "Lillith isn''t a malicious person, Ryn. I think I owe it to her to say a few words before the ceremony takes place."


    The mage nodded. He trusted Rowan in this because if the blond wanted Lillith, all he had to do was let nature take its course. To see Rowan fighting for a future with him was eye-opening. It was through Rowan''s actions that even the amnesiac Syryn began to have great faith in the man.


    ____


    "What? Rowan is here to meet me?" Lillith said with wide eyes. A female attendant had just rushed into her room to announce that Rowan was requesting an audience with none other than the princess herself.


    "Yes, your highness!" The attendant beamed. Everyone in the palace knew just how much Lillith loved the anti mage. "Rowan Windwalker is asking for you."


    Lillith could not contain the excitement in her heart. Did Rowan finally realise they were meant for each other? "Oh, Eos! Is this the sign?" She breathlessly whispered.


    "Lili! Why are you spacing out? Change into a different dress!" Her best friend Guinevere exclaimed from the fainting couch where she was sprawled.


    "What''s wrong with this one?" Lillith asked.


    "Nothing. But if you''re meeting your future husband, you have to look like a dream!" Guinevere then pointed to a newly made dress that was hanging in the open closet. It was a white lace dress with baby pink flowers on it. It was elegant, chaste, and gave out a pure aura to its wearer. "Put this on quickly!"


    Lillith nodded. "You''re right!"


    ___


    Rowan was sitting on a bench in the garden by the fountain when Lillith arrived looking radiant in a white dress. She smiled at him and it took him back to the past when they were married. The marriage was based on a foundation of respect for each other but not love. Rowan did not pursue relationships outside their marriage but he could not love her as she had wanted him to. He had tried his best to give her the happiness that she had deserved but Rowan failed. Lillith only wanted his heart and that was the only thing he couldn''t give to her, not because he didn''t want to but because his heart had a will of its own. It remained cold and unwilling to be given away to anyone.


    "Princess, good evening," he stood up and greeted her with a smile. "I apologise for taking your time-"


    "No," Lillith interjected. "Rowan, you don''t have to be so formal with me."


    It felt like history was repeating itself. Lillith had said the same thing to him in their first timeline. Rowan swallowed the nostalgia and sorrow that rose up like a wave. He hoped that this time, Lillith would meet a good man or woman who could love her like she deserved to be loved.


    "Princess, please take a walk with me," Rowan told her.


    Lillith nodded, looking shy but also happy. What was Rowan going to tell her? Could it be that he wanted to say something about their future together?


    The Royal Palace had turned many acres of forest into a gorgeous garden that didn''t just grow shrubs but also tree flowers. It was like Elysium''s mini version of the village of flowers. To their left bloomed buds of big yellow and orange blossoms grew while to their right climbed purple-flowered vines on white trellises.


    Rowan set a slow pace so that Lillith wouldn''t have trouble keeping up with him. The blond had been told by her before that he often walked far too quick and left her behind when they were taking walks.


    "Princess-"


    "Please, call me Lillith. Dispense with the formality, Rowan. It''s high time you realised we are equals."


    "Alright, Lillith," Rowan replied, drawing a sweet smile from the princess. She was delighted to hear Rowan say her name like that.


    But Rowan, he felt like the scum of the earth. Lillith looked so happy and here he was about to crush her hopes into little pieces. He wished it didn''t have to be like this but there was no recourse for it. The truth was that he loved Syryn and he had to break Lillith''s heart now by telling her that there was no future between them. If he could make a wish right now, it would be that Lillith would have never fallen for him. Rowan wasn''t blind to the feelings that many other women had for him but this was a woman he had shared one lifetime with in marriage.. It was more personal.

 Chapter 314 - Fodder For Gossip

    "Lillith, you''re a very special woman," Rowan said to the princess who began blushing from the compliment. "And maybe in another lifetime, I would be a lucky man to have you as my partner for life."


    The lips that were arcing into a smile froze on Lillith''s face.


    "But in this lifetime, I cannot reciprocate the affection you have for me. I''m sorry, Lillith, I cannot love anyone else but Syryn."


    Lillith tangled her fingers against the cloth of her dress. The sweetness in her heart was being replaced by a pain that felt like a fist was squeezing it.


    "Rowan, you are making a mistake," she replied, voice shaky. "Have you forgotten your duty to Eos?"


    "I haven''t."


    "Then why?" Lillith couldn''t believe that Rowan was going to throw away everything for Syryn.


    "I wish you the very best, Lillith," he replied. Rowan knew that she wouldn''t understand even if he explained it.


    "Rowan stop! You can''t turn your back on Eos!" She shouted. Tears clung to Lillith''s lashes as she ran after Rowan like a lost child.


    The anti mage stopped in his steps when he felt her arms go around him, hugging him from the back.


    "Please," she said in a wobbly voice. "Rowan, it''s okay if you can''t love me. Ours will be a marriage of convenience. I will be devoted to you even if you say that your heart belongs to someone else."


    Her slender fingers were entwined below his chest and she was pressed flush against his back. If someone saw them like this, there would be rumours.


    "Please let go of me, princess," he gently told her. "I will not change my mind."


    "I love you, Rowan."


    The anti mage stiffened. He knew Lillith would make a fuss but this was beyond his wildest expectations.


    "Princess, let go. People are coming and if they see us like this, they will talk."


    "I don''t care," her voice was soft. "Why won''t you give me a chance, Rowan?"


    "I love Syryn. That is all, princess."


    Rowan gently but firmly pried her fingers apart and put an arm''s length of distance between them. He could see her eyes wet with unshed tears.


    "Lillith, I believe that there''s someone out there for everyone. I hope you meet a man who will bring you happiness."


    When Rowan turned to leave this time, Lillith stood rooted to her spot, a lonely silhouette outlined against the setting sun.


    ______


    Before Rowan had reached home, gossip had already begun to spread. He was seen hugging princess Lillith in the Royal garden. They looked cosy and in love with each other.


    The news inevitably made its way to the ladies parlour where a few women were exchanging information about the latest in Elysium.


    "Autumn, didn''t you tell us that Rowan and Syryn were in love? Because he was seen cosying up with Lillith today."


    "And who witnessed this?" Someone else asked.


    "A palace maid who was picking flowers for the queen''s vanity table."


    "Cozying you say?"


    "They were pressed up against each other."


    A lady sighed in envy.


    "Lillith sure has it good, doesn''t she? Born a princess blessed by Eos. Now she gets Rowan. Oh to be Lillith."


    "I wouldn''t be so sure of that," Rose interjected sharply. "Rowan has never paid her any attention so why now? If he''s waited this long then he can wait till after the ceremony when Lillith gets chosen. It sounds like a story made up by a maid with a fanciful imagination. I wouldn''t give much stock to it till Rowan himself confirms it."


    A few of them nodded their heads.


    "Nevertheless, the choosing ceremony will be absolutely dramatic won''t it?" Autumn replied. "I don''t know if Syryn will just sit back and watch his lover get stolen away."


    A lady in a black veil scornfully replied to her. "What can Syryn do? He''s a nobody up against the royal family. Sure he has money but money can''t buy class and nobility. He will remain a commoner with filthy common blood. He doesn''t deserve Rowan Windwalker."


    The woman who had just spoken was, Naina, the daughter of Sigil''s finance minister. Haughty and full of arrogance, she was a purist who believed that nobility should stick with nobility while the commoners and the rabble bred with each other like pigs in the mud. Her mother was a kind and soft-spoken woman so nobody could understand how the daughter turned out so thorny.


    "Naina, are you still hung up about the rejection you received?" The lady with long wavy hair prodded. "You sound bitter."


    She had invited Rowan to her coming of age ball only to receive a bouquet and a polite note declining the invitation because of his ''busy'' schedule. Nobody had ever rejected Naina''s invitations, that is, until Rowan did.


    "Bitter?" Naina scoffed. "Have you seen the number of men lining up to ask for my hand in marriage? Rowan isn''t special enough for me to be hung up about."


    Everyone could tell it was a case of sour grapes. Naina scorned what she couldn''t have.


    The ensuing silence was broken by Autumn''s calmly spoken declaration. "I will be visiting Rowan now with my older brother. I''ll take this opportunity to gauge Syryn''s merits and regale you gossiping birdies with news tomorrow."


    "This late at night?" Someone interested with surprise. "It''s past dinner time."


    "Good night darlings," Autumn told the girls as she stood up gracefully.


    Her older brother was a Sanguine and had worked with Rowan on an important case. So it wasn''t very strange for co-workers turned friends to be visiting each other past dinner time.


    Autumn''s family wasn''t as powerful as Naina''s or even Rose''s, but her intelligence and calm demeanour made her a good companion to the other girls who had initially begrudgingly accepted her into their fold.. As she headed out to board the dark wood carriage waiting for her, she made a mental note to buy a gift for Syryn on their way to the manor.

 Chapter 315 - A Sincere Warning

    Syryn was in the garden with Levia when a golden carriage pulled up to the gate. The duo hid behind some bushes and spied on the pretty carriage that rolled in with two glossy black stallions at its front.


    A man stepped out and then a woman. He couldn''t see their features but could tell that they weren''t ordinary people.


    "Hush, girl. If they see you, they might try to take you away," he told the little monster who was making sounds from deep inside her throat. Levia''s smooth scaled body twitched in response to Syryn putting his hand around her neck.


    He saw Rowan walk out of the kitchen and speak with the newly arrived guests. From their body language, Syryn could tell that Rowan wasn''t unhappy with the impromptu late-night visit.


    Together with Levia, he waited in the garden for Alka who was going to reunite Syryn with Blue. After waiting for a while longer, he saw Alka coming towards them. The plant mage was yawning and looked tired from how hard he had worked all day to potting soil and transferring saplings.


    "Syryn, come inside. Rowan wants you to meet the guests," Alka told him with a smile that was on the teasing side.


    "Why?" Syryn looked confused. His hand was still around Levia''s neck, scratching her under her chin.


    "Why not? It''s only natural to introduce you to his friends since you''re his significant other," Alka replied.


    Syryn nodded, feeling a little nervous. He didn''t want to disappoint Rowan in front of his friends.


    ---


    The manor''s spacious kitchen had a roaring fire going in it''s hearth. Over the fire was a large pot where Enkansh had tossed in a basket of bitter leaves like he had been asked to by Salem. The smell was astringent but it freshened up the senses of all those who inhaled its mist.


    Over at the table, Rowan was sitting comfortably on a chair with his arms crossed and legs stretched out before him. Autumn and her brother, River, were seated across Rowan carrying on a conversation about the upcoming festivities.


    The lady glanced at the door where a young man could be seen entering the kitchen.


    "Ah, Syryn, come here," Rowan patted the chair next to his. The smile on his face was fond. Autumn didn''t miss the doting way Rowan spoke to the young man who she couldn''t quite look away from.


    Autumn had thought Lillith beautiful but Syryn rivalled her with his androgynous and ethereal beauty. He was like one of the rare and exotic breeds of cats she had seen in Naina''s home. In the bright kitchen light, she could see that he had peculiar violet eyes. This was the boy she had seen on that fateful day in Winter Fortress. He had grown taller but his bearing remained the same. Syryn was a graceful and icy beauty.


    "This must be the Syryn that everyone is talking about," her older brother remarked. River had been very curious about Syryn ever since he had heard of the lover that Rowan had been hiding. And he could see why. One look at him and River had decided this was the most beautiful man he would see in his life.


    "Syryn, River, and Autumn," Rowan introduced. "River is a co-worker and a good friend of mine."


    The mage smiled at the lady and gentlemen who weren''t being subtle about their curiosity. He sat beside Rowan and greeted the brother-sister duo.


    "Syryn, It''s a pleasure to finally meet you," Autumn told him, pleased that she had decided to come along with her brother. She could imagine the expressions on the other girl''s faces when she told them about how Rowan and Syryn had held hands under the table.


    "The pleasure is mine," Syryn replied, cool but friendly. He was starting to realise that social conversations were not his forte. What the hell was he supposed to talk about now?


    Fortunately for Syryn, Autumn was full of questions for him.


    When had he met Rowan? Who asked whom out first? Where was their first date? What did he think about Rowan''s posse of female fans? Where was he from? Did they have any mutual friends?


    Syryn tried to answer her as best as he could with what little he knew about his past with Rowan. The anti mage filled in the gaps when Syryn had trouble answering her. And as the questions began to get more personal, he smiled and gave vague answers.


    "Why have I never seen you before?" River asked curiously. "You are a very memorable man, Syryn. I would remember you if I only saw you once."


    Autumn cleared her throat. Her brother swung both ways and she could tell he was already charmed by Syryn.


    "Syryn likes to wear an illusion," Rowan answered. "He gets too much attention if he goes out looking like himself. It''s the difficult part about dating an attractive person."


    Syryn scoffed. "Speak for yourself, Rowan. I''ve lost count of the number of women who have shown up at our doorstep because of you." Syryn squeezed Rowan''s hand as they teased each other. If Red had witnessed the scene, he would have been sickened by it.


    River and Autumn were being fed dog food. The brother hid a smile seeing Rowan look so happy. The choosing ceremony was coming up and Elysium was rife with chatter about Syryn, Rowan, and Lillith. He was surprised by the ease he saw in Rowan. How could the man look so relaxed when he would soon have to make a life-changing decision about his future?


    "Syryn, the odds are stacked against you but I hope you find happiness," Autumn said in a sober tone. She didn''t have to extrapolate because they all knew what she was talking about.


    "Thank you, Autumn. I think I''ll be just fine. I have Rowan on my side and that tips the scale heavily in my favour," he tactfully replied. "I''m not worried."


    "Then you''re a stronger person than I have given you credit for. Watch out for the ones from Saint''s Moon. They have the most to lose if Rowan doesn''t go through with the ceremony."


    The anti mage looked up at the young woman who seemed sincere. She was right about Saint''s Moon. Rowan had already received a curt summons from them.. If they were going to make trouble for Syryn then it was going to start soon.

 Chapter 316 - Dark Water

    Sometime in the afternoon, a rumour began to spread about Syryn. Proof had been found that he was allegedly the child of a spy from the kingdom of Qion. Groomed from a very young age, he was sent to Elysium to spy on the royals and create trouble for Sigil.


    Rowan hadn''t been concerned by the numerous false allegations that had come up about Syryn but this one was different. It involved espionage and security so there was a high probability that the Sanguines would be tasked with investigating Syryn''s past and subsequent journey to Sigil. It was a malicious smear campaign and he knew it was just the beginning. There wasn''t much time left before the ceremony so the ones trying to take down Syryn would be hard at work at the moment fabricating evidence and letting the word spread.


    "Who do you suppose is behind this?" Red asked Rowan. Luci, Syryn, and Rowan had come to the lake near their home for a fishing trip. Having heard of Syryn''s fishing exploits, the redhead had convinced the older brother that a fishing trip was due. Now they all sat at the edge of the lake, brandishing long fishing poles with colourful lures on the ends. The surface of the lake was placid and its colour was an unsettling murky black that didn''t allow vision past a few inches in.


    Taking a look at the dark colour of the water, Rowan prohibited Lucien from ever coming to the lake by himself. Even swimming was out of the question.


    "I suspect it''s the powers on top," Rowan replied. "Could be members of the nobility and the clergy colluding."


    Syryn hummed in response. After Lillith''s declaration, he wasn''t surprised to hear that Saint''s Moon and the priests of Eos were involved.


    "Bunch of rotten-" Red''s lure was abruptly snatched by a fish. The line went taut and whatever was at the end of it began to pull hard at the fishing rod. Red dug his heels in and resisted the hard pull of the lure. It was too strong. He was slowly dragged towards the edge of the water.


    Rowan was quick to react. He caught the child with one arm and grabbed the fishing pole with his other hand. Even he was surprised by how strong the fish was.


    (Red, have we caught a monstrous fish?!)


    [All I know is that it''s strong enough to drown a child.]


    (Scary.)


    Rowan pulled one end and the fish pulled at the other end. He was winning the fight but then the fishing line couldn''t withstand the tension and it snapped at the centre. The creature in the lake got away as three humans stood at the edge of the lake and stared into the dark water.


    "What do you think that was?" Syryn asked Rowan. It couldn''t have been an ordinary fish. He was sure of it.


    "No idea." Rowan still had an arm around Lucien.


    The two of them made eye contact above Lucien''s head. This was supposed to be an ordinary lake. How was it that it harboured a creature strong enough to pull in a kid?


    "I''ll take a look inside," Rowan told Syryn.


    "No, let me," the mage responded, hand catching Rowan who was moving forward. "I can breathe underwater."


    "Or we could just let Levia take a look," Red suggested. "There''s no need for either of you to get wet."


    Rowan had thought of it as well but Levia was at the house, sleeping in Enkansh''s room. The walk back would take a little more than half an hour.


    "It''s fine-" just as Syryn spoke, his lure also dipped into the water and disappeared beneath the surface.


    "Quick, catch it!" Red shouted.


    Syryn was closer to it and caught it before Rowan.


    [Can you do something?!] He yelled inside his head at the mage. He didn''t want the line breaking again.


    What do I look like? A fisherman?


    The old fart was no help to him.


    "I can see it!" Red excitedly pointed at the water. There was a long black shape in the water. "Syryn pull!"


    "I''m trying!"


    This time, the fishing line didn''t break. Syryn gave a mighty tug and out came the largest inland fish they had ever seen. With a loud splash, it broke the water''s surface and came flying through the air towards them, propelled by Syryn''s pull at the other end of the line.


    When the fish came flying at him, the mage reacted subconsciously and punched the fish in its gasping mouth. The force of Syryn''s blow sent it back into the water but he had knocked it out cold.


    "Good work," Red said with laughter. Having fainted from the hit, the fish was floating on top of the water.


    They reeled the catch in and crowded around the abnormal-looking fish.


    "You did it again, Syryn," Rowan said with admiration. Even in an inland lake that was supposed to be safe, Syryn had caught an ugly fish.


    Luci laughed at Rowan''s words. He looked up at his older brother who had a frown on his face.


    [Am I cursed?]


    Probably. That thing looks like a penis.


    Syryn could not unsee it. [Why did you have to say that? It cost you nothing to not say it!]


    The fish was snake-like and long. It resembled an eel but it had little fins at its sides. The rest of it was dark grey and wrinkly. Its head was a little mushroom-shaped and it didn''t seem to have eyes. All in all, it looked like a penis had escaped from its owner and decided to start a new life as a fish.


    "Do you see what I see?" Red said with wonder.


    "Throw it back inside," Rowan quickly told Syryn.


    "No, no! We have to show it to th others! Salem will love it!" Red''s eyes were shining with excitement. "Look at its mouth!"


    The fish eel thing had a seam that ran from one side of its smooth head to the other side. There were no teeth to be seen.


    "I think we should cut it open," Syryn said as he kicked at the creature. "I wonder if it''s native to the lake or..."


    "Riha has come here before. He can probably tell us something about it," Rowan supplied.


    "Yeah, let''s take it back."


    Syryn''s troubles with the priests were forgotten about for now.. The ugliness of the phallus fish had taken up all their attention.

 Chapter 317 - To Eat It Or Not To Eat It

    "Riha! We caught a penis fish!" Red shouted as they got closer to the manor.


    The phallus fish was wound around a long tree branch and tied to it with the broken fishing line. Rowan supported one end of the branch over his shoulder and Syryn the other end.


    Salem frowned at hearing Red shout out the word penis. Yes, they weren''t exactly the most responsible of adults but he had to act like one sometimes when it came to Red.


    "I hope you don''t use such words in front of other people," Salem chided the child.


    "Oh, so it''s okay to say penis in front of you guys?"


    "No, but-" and Salem caught sight of the marvellous ''penis fish'' carried over the shoulders of his friends. There was no other way to describe the abomination.


    "My God..." Salem declared. "Where did you get that thing?"


    "You won''t believe it!" Red said to the half-elf. "Syryn caught it at the lake. We have to ask Riha if he has seen this before and if he has, why hasn''t he told us about it?!"


    "Maybe because it should have stayed at the bottom of the lake where it belongs," Rowan replied. He regretted the fishing trip.


    "Oh, I do believe it. But can we cook it?" Salem asked, intrigued. "Sometimes, it''s the ugly and smelly ingredients that have secret properties."


    "What''s that? A dildo?" Alka''s voice floated out of the house.


    "Anything is a dildo if you''re brave enough," Red proudly replied.


    The others collectively groaned. Rowan even gave Alka a look.


    "What?" The plant mage mildly replied. "I didn''t see the redheaded pipsqueak with you in the way."


    Rowan was already disturbed by Salem suggesting they cook it but Alka had come in and made it worse. He was going to put the thing away before it really went into a cooking pot.


    "Someone call Riha," he instructed the others. "And Salem, can you test it for poisons? We won''t be cooking it till we''re sure that it won''t kill us."


    "What if eating it makes our dicks bigger?!" Red asked our aloud like he had discovered a shocking hidden secret.


    "No," Salem firmly denied him. "That''s how all the fake enlargement goods get sold. Someone sees that it looks phallus-shaped and decides that it''s a magical cure for small reproductive organs. It''s unscientific. You eat mushrooms all the time but your thing hasn''t grown bigger, has it?" Salem asked the child like he was a strict teacher.


    Red smirked. Seeing that, Rowan put the brakes on whatever the child was about to say.


    "Lucien, call Riha."


    "Why me?" He turned to the anti mage.


    "Just go," Rowan told him. "Fast, before Levia eats this thing."


    The redhead obeyed for once because he was very interested in the fish. He brought a sleepy-looking Riha out of his room. The selkie had been napping when Red had barged in and physically pulled him out of bed.


    "What''s that?" The selkie asked, staring at the thing on the ground that everyone was crowded around.


    "We wanted to ask you about it," Rowan replied. "Syryn caught this at the lake."


    The selkie looked at the mage who was upset that it kept coming up. So what if he was the one who had caught it? Hadn''t Red caught it first? Bottom lip jutting out in a petulant pout, the mage had his arms crossed.


    "Syryn, you have a penchant for attracting strange creatures to you," Riha dryly told him. "As for the... fish, I''ve never seen it before. I''ve taken many swims in the lake and would have probably noticed it since it''s so strange."


    "So it means this creature is good at hiding," Alka supplied.


    "Or new to the lake," Red tacked on.


    "I say we cut it open," Salem added.


    Rowan nodded. "I''ll leave it to you people," he looked at Salem, Alka, and Riha in turn. He then glanced at the redhead who was poking the fish''s grey eyes with his forefinger. "As for you, Lucien, one with me."


    The redhead was crouched on his heels over the fish. Twisting around, he looked up at the anti mage. "Where to?"


    "The temple of Eos. I don''t want to go alone."


    Rowan liked it when Red acted like a brat around people he didn''t like.


    "If you want someone to hold your hand while you get yelled at by the priests, then take an adult with you," the redhead seriously told the anti mage like Rowan should have been ashamed to ask something like that from a child.


    "Please? It has to be you."


    Red sighed. When Rowan asked like that, it was difficult to refuse the man.


    [Luci, when did I become one of his fans?]


    (It was inevitable. Rowan is too handsome to refuse.)


    A loud ''tsk'' sound came out of the redhead''s mouth. "Let''s go. You owe me, Rowan."


    "I''ll buy you a large box of the best chocolates from Fable''s Sugar bites," Rowan responded. It had been the correct thing to say. The redhead''s eyes lit up though he acted unaffected by it. It was Magnus'' fault that Lucien, both of them, had become addicted to eating candies and chocolates.


    "Fine, I''ll do it this one time."


    ___


    A while later, five people were standing around a table where the phallus fish was stretched out.


    "Not again, Syryn," Enkansh had said when he first caught sight of the fish. Now he was just as intrigued as the others.


    "Where do we start?" Syryn said to the others.


    "First, we do a proper physical examination of its body. Here," Salem pushed a set of writing implements towards Alka. "Note down everything I say."


    The plant mage mutely took the quill and parchment. Screwing open the lid of an inkwell, he dipped the quill inside and was poised to begin writing.


    Salem lifted the head of the fish and opened its mouth. His brows went up when he saw what was inside.


    "Look at that," he held up the fish to the others.

 Chapter 318 - Temple Of Eos

    The temple of Eos was a structure that Sigil could call one of its most breathtaking constructions. The full temple was carved out of an enormous and single piece of rock formation. Inside its main chamber where prayers were offered, a perfectly circular glass in the ceiling let in celestial light that illuminated a bed of singing crystals. These crystals came in a range of colours and they let out a beautiful hum when illuminated. The pitch of the hum varied according to the colour of the crystal while its loudness varied with the brightness of sunlight or moonlight.


    This inner sanctum was only open to the priests and priestesses of the temple. Rowan being the special existence that he was to Eos was given the same privileges as the high priests though he wasn''t one. Right now, he sauntered into the temple with Red beside him. Rowan was accorded respect from all the junior priests and priestesses while the seniors greeted him like an old friend.


    The anti mage had never brought a friend with him before so they were surprised by the redheaded child that accompanied him.


    Red looked angelic in his semi-formal wear which Rowan had forced him to wear. The priestesses especially found him adorable when he acted sweet and smiled innocently at them with big red eyes. He was a picture of a perfectly obedient and naive little child. His anti mage guardian found amusement in Red''s game of pretence.


    "Rowan, who is this beautiful little angel?" A young priestess asked him. She had an oval face and pretty brown eyes that looked amber when the sunlight hit it.


    "Hello, I''m Lucien, Rowan''s son," Red replied cutely.


    The anti mage just smiled and indulged the redhead. He didn''t care what the child said as long as it wasn''t too shocking.


    "Haha," the priestess laughed. "Rowan, he''s joking isn''t he?"


    "No."


    She couldn''t tell if Rowan was being serious or not.


    "Then where''s his mother?" She asked, looking up at Rowan through uncertain eyes. First, it was a male lover and now an illegitimate child. What was the world coming to?


    "Syryn is the mother," Rowan replied. "We adopted Lucien."


    Both the redhead and the priestess reacted similarly. Their mouths fell open.


    Serenely, Rowan held Red''s hand pulled him along while telling the priestess that they were in a hurry.


    "What was that?!" Red asked the blond.


    "You started it, Red."


    "I''m telling Syryn about this."


    "Mhmm."


    An arched entrance was before them. A shimmering curtain covered the entrance and a guard stood right in front of it. He stepped aside respectfully for Rowan.


    "Thank you, Keith," Rowan said to the guard. When Red entered the inner sanctum, the low hum of the crystals bathed him in peace. He saw before him many worshippers meditating and kneeling in several corners of the sanctum. It was a quiet and holy place where everyone focused inwards as they communed with the goddess.


    "Rowan, I didn''t think you''d honour our invitation," a weak voice said to the blond. Smoky grey eyes regarded Rowan and then at the child who had eyes like blood. The old priest stared at Lucien with a gaze that sent goosebumps down the boy''s arms.


    "I wouldn''t think of it, Eyoni," Rowan replied. "Have the elders gathered?"


    The old priest was holding a cane which he leaned his weight on. Back stooped low, he had to look up to talk to the tall blond. "They''re waiting for you in the hall of blessing." The priest''s gaze kept wandering back to Lucien though he was talking to Rowan.


    "This is Lucien," Rowan introduced when the priest kept looking at the child. "I''ve been tasked with babysitting him so you''ll have to forgive his presence wherever I go."


    Red wanted to step on Rowan''s foot for saying he was being babysat when it was the other way round. But he resisted.


    "Papa Rowan, I''m hungry," he pouted. "You said you''d buy me cake."


    The priest sharply looked at Rowan thinking his old ears had heard wrong. How could Rowan be a father already?!


    The anti mage blinked in surprise. He hadn''t expected Red to call him that but somehow it didn''t upset him.


    "I''m sorry Lucien, I''ll get you the cake after my meeting. If you''re really hungry though we can get some food from the kitchen." He spoke as a gentle father would to his son. They were both good actors trying to get an upper hand over the other while screwing with the priests.


    "Rowan, explain yourself!" The priest demanded in a heavy-handed tone. Under his bushy white brows, the priest''s eyes were blazing with anger.


    "Eyoni, we are getting late for the meeting, are we not?"


    Rowan''s reply made the priest bristle. The anti mage had become more and more disobedient over the years. Disciplinary actions were long overdue but he had remained untouched because of his status. Now they had a good reason to bring Rowan under their control.


    "Very good," the priest replied. "We shall see what your elders have to say about this."


    "Father, this place smells like old people," a child''s voice interrupted the adults. Red had his nose wrinkling and sniffing the air towards the old man.


    "Get your illegitimate son out of this sacred temple!" The old man''s grip on the cane was tight. His anger was palpable to everyone within hearing distance of them.


    "Illegitimate son?" Red innocently asked. "Is he calling me a bastard, father?"


    Rowan squeezed Red''s hand signalling him to not annoy the priest. It wasn''t the right time for it. But the child was disobedient if anything. The waterworks began as his eyes dripped. Now all the others felt sorry for the innocent child whom the priest had targeted.


    "I don''t like this place," Red said through sniffles. "Old grandfathers are supposed to be kind and warm but he''s so mean to me."


    Even the ones who had ignored their conversation paid attention now. A child was crying in the inner sanctum after having been called a bastard by one of the most respected priests of the temple.. This wasn''t something that could be pushed under the rug since rumours tended to travel fast.

 Chapter 319 - Bribe

    Salem and co were all gathered around the work table.


    "This is..."


    "Disgusting" Salem finished for Syryn.


    The fish''s open mouth showed rot from the inside.


    "It smells really bad," Riha wrinkled his nose at the fish. "When did it die?"


    "Not even an hour ago."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Of course I''m sure," Syryn said to Salem. However, even he was perplexed by the condition of the fish''s mouth.


    "Nobody is to go swimming in that lake till we figure out what''s going on with this creature," Salem said to the two swimmers of the group. He worried that something was amiss with the lake. The half-elf glanced at Syryn wishing he could have the old Syryn back. His intelligence and knowledge could have aided them right now. Salem knew he was smart, but, he was no Syryn.


    "How about I go and take a look at the lake?" Riha asked. "I am sensitive to changes in water so I might be able to tell you something about it."


    Salem seemed to think about Riha''s suggestion. He didn''t want to put the selkie in any unnecessary danger.


    "Not yet. I think we should first see what information we might be able to extract from the fish itself." But Salem had another thought. "Riha, Enkansh, can you guys go fishing tomorrow? Catch as many fish as you can and bring to back here but do it without going into the water."


    Riha and Enkansh looked at each other. Neither was willing and neither wanted to be the first to raise an objection to Salem''s request.


    "I can go alone," Riha finally said to the half-elf. "Enkansh should rest at home."


    "How about I go?" Came Enkansh''s rebuttal. "It''s time for me to contribute to my stay here so let me do it."


    They were like children who didn''t get along. Salem didn''t know what to do with the pair.


    "I said both of you. So you can co-operate or let me do it."


    They relented to the glare that came their way. Salem was uncompromising about his aim to foster friendship between the duo and he was going to make it happen whether they liked it or not.


    "I''ll see you at the lake tomorrow," Enkansh said to Riha then walked off before Salem could get anymore ideas.


    "Five points for Enkansh," Salem declared with a smile. "The first one to reach a thousand points gets something special from me."


    Now both of the ocean dwellers turned to look at Salem.


    "What''s this special something?" Enkansh first asked. If this something was special to land dwellers then it meant that it had to be extra special to him since everything was a novelty at this point. Enkansh was very addicted to the sugary confections that only humans were capable of making. Even the fruits of the land were much sweeter and textured than ocean fruits.


    The blond alchemist had a businesslike look on his face when he responded. "I''ve got one thousand crowns at the disposal of the winner. Riha, if you win, can you imagine the number of rare books that a thousand crowns could buy?" Salem then turned to the siren. "Enkansh, all the delicious sweet fruits and desserts that you''ve missed out on. A thousand crowns can fulfil all your hearts desires. Does that entice you?"


    _____


    Underneath the inner sanctum of the temple lay the Blessing Hall. It had a large statue of goddess Eos looking down upon her children. The walls of the Blessing hall were also decorated with frescoes of scenes depicting Eos'' trials before she was worshipped by humans. There was also an altar made of Rowan wood and it stood below the statue of Eos.


    5 high priests and 5 high priestesses were gathered in the Blessing Hall. They sat in chairs around a round table at the centre of the hall. Seated with them were Rowan and Lucien.


    After what had taken place between the old priest and Red inside the inner sanctum, Rowan had ushered them both to the Blessing Hall. Now here they were, facing a collective of old and young faces who were judging Rowan''s decision to bring Red inside the Hall. It was as if the anti mage was pushing as far as he could to see how much they were willing to tolerate for his sake.


    "You should know why we have summoned you today, Rowan," a young lady began. She had blonde hair braided down her side.


    "I do, and you all should know what I''ve come to say," Rowan replied. There wasn''t a lot of respect to be found in the way he spoke to the blonde woman. This, in turn, irked her but she was well versed in hiding her thoughts.


    "There''s no need to raise your voice, Rowan," an old woman with greying hair interjected in a slow drawl.


    "I didn''t raise my voice, high priestess."


    Red''s foot tapped against the floor like he was tapping along to a silent tune that he alone could hear. His eyes roamed the hall, avidly looking at the frescoes of Eos. Her story was laid out in the form of art and Red was fascinated by it. He couldn''t believe Rowan had brought him inside here. He couldn''t believe Eos hadn''t already struck him dead for daring to walk into the innermost chambers of her temple.


    "You shouldn''t talk back to the revered high priestess," the old priest with the cane attempted to admonish the anti mage but it went into deaf ears. Rowan didn''t give a rat''s ass about what the priest had to say.


    "Monick, did you know that Rowan Windwalker has an illegitimate son?" The old priest turned to speak loudly to another priest. "Because there he is, the redheaded child has been sired by Rowan."


    A chorus of voices spoke out in dissent. They were trying to be heard above each other because the news was too shocking to them.


    "Is this why you brought me here?" Red whispered in Rowan''s ears after beckoning for him to bend down to Red''s sitting height.


    "Yes."


    Rowan flashed a smile that only Red could see.


    "SILENCE!"


    Hearing the loud male voice, they all stopped speaking and turned to him. This high priest was another fossil with greying hair and a snowy white beard. His name was Obed.


    "Rowan, explain yourself!"

 Chapter 320 - Eos Clerics

    "Rowan, explain yourself!"


    Obed''s green eyes were sharp despite his age. He was a no-nonsense sort of person whose orthodox ways were well known to the members of Eos'' congregation.


    The anti mage stood up and faced the eyes of judgement that were pinned to him. Despite having angered the priests that served his goddess, Rowan''s heartbeat was steady and he felt free of guilt. If it was a sin to love Syryn then Rowan was willing to die a sinner.


    "This is Lucien. If I had a son, I would love him as much as I love this child. He is Syryn''s, and he is also mine." Rowan exchanged a short glance with Red and what he saw surprised him. The redhead''s eyes were uncharacteristically wide. The child''s breath seemed to have gotten caught in his lungs.


    "So you''re saying that he''s adopted," a priestess said in relief.


    "That doesn''t change anything. The champion of Eos isn''t allowed to unanimously decide who he will marry and have a child with," Monick reminded the others. Rowan''s continued disobedience had become a problem that could no longer be ignored.


    Rowan remained silent because he had made up his mind about what he was going to do. Nothing they said would change his mind or the path he had chosen to walk.


    "Rowan, I am disappointed," the oldest priestess told him in unhappy tones. She looked at him with eyes full of compassion but also of disappointment. It was supposed to make him feel guilty. Unfortunately, Rowan didn''t care.


    "Then I shall carry the sorrow of knowing that I let you down, grand priestess."


    "Then repent!" The old priest shouted at him. "Say you''re sorry and throw away that seductress of a man. Carry the yoke that you have been chosen to bear as the champion!"


    "Seductress?" Rowan incredulously repeated. "If any seduction were involved, I can assure you that it was I who did it and not the other way round. Now If you insult Syryn again, I will walk out of here and none of you will see me again until the day of the choosing ceremony."


    Rowan''s threat had the priest bristling.


    "He dares to threaten us," a middle-aged priestess with dark brown hair dryly commented. "Is this really the champion chosen by Eos? Or have we amongst us an imposter determined to upturn the traditions that have followed the children of Eos through all these years?"


    Rowan chuckled at her words. He was standing up now with his hands in his pocket. The anti mage looked at one face then another as he replied to his attackers.


    "The choosing ceremony hasn''t even begun and you''ve already decided that Syryn can''t be Eos'' chosen?" He asked knowing how it would stir up a storm in the room.


    And he was right. The priests and priestesses began to speak in unison again. The spirit of meekness, humility, and peace was nowhere to be seen amongst the group of horrified clerics.


    "What are you talking about?! You cannot be serious, Rowan!" Obed''s voice could be heard the loudest.


    "He''s gone insane!"


    "To think that someone who doesn''t even worship Eos would-"


    "SILENCE EVERYONE!"


    Rowan had zoned out when they all began shouting. He was thinking about Syryn''s amnesia and when they might be able to do more than kiss.


    Obed''s shout silenced everyone but himself. "Rowan Windwalker! Are you suggesting that we let Syryn become a candidate to priesthood and union with you?" It was so ridiculous that Obed had to confirm it with the blond who looked far too relaxed for the situation he was in.


    "You are right. I will be informing the relevant priests about this development," Rowan replied. He wasn''t afraid of what they could do to him so he spoke without reservation.


    "I refuse to let it happen!" The oldest priestess stood up abruptly and challenged the anti mage. "If you insist on going ahead with this foolishness then you be banished from the temple. You and your children and your servants will never be blessed by Eos so long as the sun shines upon Sigil!"


    "Sit down, grand priestess," Rowan politely told her. "Your back must be tired from carrying all that outrage and anger."


    "Insolence!"


    The clerics stewed in their thoughts while Rowan and the grand priestess stared at each other in the eyes, both refusing to back down. Ultimately, it was youth that prevailed. The old woman collapsed into her seat and began to weep silently. She was horrified at how Rowan was destroying tradition.


    "Look what you''ve done, Rowan," Obed softly told him. Sighing, he asked the youngest priestess to escort out the weeping priestess who could barely stand on her own.


    Rowan''s expression didn''t change when the old woman began to weep. He appeared apathetic to the sadness that she was displaying. He knew it was just emotional blackmail. Rowan had fallen for it before but not this time.


    "If there''s nothing else, I''ve already said my piece and I''m ready to go home," Rowan announced.


    "You will not go home till you''ve knelt before the goddess and asked for her forgiveness!" The weeping old lady suddenly shouted while pointing a shaking finger at him. "Kneel before mother Eos!"


    And that was that. Rowan had had enough.


    "I''ll be leaving then. I shall see you all on the day of the choosing ceremony," he told them solemnly.


    The anti mage turned around and held a hand up to Red. "Come, it''s time to leave."


    The clerics attempted to stop Rowan and Red from leaving but they were unsuccessful. If the anti mage had even a shred of respect for the ones in the Blessing Hall, he wouldn''t have left them behind with unresolved tensions between them. But he had no respect left for anyone.


    "Rowan, I''m worried for Syryn," Red told the anti mage as they left the Blessing Hall together.


    "Afraid of them hurting your brother? Don''t worry, I''m here, aren''t I?"


    "You''re right.. Take good care of Syryn, Rowan."

 Chapter 321 - Trouble Comes

    The clerics at the temple of Eos tried to keep it within their circle but the news began to spread like wildfire. Rowan had entered Syryn''s name as a candidate in the choosing ceremony. It was the most absurd piece of news they''d heard in years.


    "Have they gone mad?!" A concerned nobleman said to his wife around the dinner table.


    "The goddess Eos will be most displeased," their daughter of marriageable age declared as she took a sip of hot lemon water. Her friend had told her it would clear up the acne on her face. Her younger brother was equally endowed with the dreaded skin blemishes and he also began to drink hot lemon water with his sister.


    "A curse will fall upon Elysium if they don''t stop this nonsense," the noblewoman said to her family with a sour frown on her face. "Rowan has certainly gone mad. Such a handsome young man with a lovely personality. It''s such a shame that he isn''t thinking about passing on the Windwalker name with a wife of equal status and power."


    In another part of the neighbourhood, a few girls were delighted by Rowan''s decision. They were the jealous few who were happy that Lillith wasn''t getting the man she wanted.


    "Oh to be Lillith," one of them sarcastically said to the others and it caused giggles to erupt in the room.


    "Oh to be Syryn."


    A dreamy sigh. "I''ve seen them together. They look good."


    "Can you imagine the scene of them, ahem, naked!"


    The others made shocked gasps but they were all thinking the same thing. They wanted to see the exchange of affection between Rowan and Syryn.


    Aside from the disgruntled folks and the ones who welcomed the interesting twist in the story of Rowan, there were a select few who absolutely loathed the idea of a union between the champion and a male priest. It was a breach of tradition, a change that was not welcome. The worshippers of Eos were vehemently against it as were the supporters of Lillith. A cult-like following had developed around the couple but now Rowan had smashed all their hopes and dreams. There was no more Rowan and Lillith Windwalker if Syryn was allowed to have his way.


    And thus began their sinister plans to harm the mage. A possibility feared by Rowan was coming to life.


    ____


    When Rowan had left for the temple with Red, a spy had been lingering, watching for just this to happen. He quickly sent a bird to the Sanguine HQ and they acted in haste before the anti mage arrived home.


    Syryn had been helping cook dinner when the anti mages arrived. A confrontation broke out between them and occupants of the manor but under duress of law, Syryn was compelled to go to the HQ with them. He sat there, imprisoned in a room, and a little anxious about his situation. They''d told him that he was being investigated for allegations of spying on Sigil. The anti mages told him they even had eyewitness testimony of his crimes. The mage rolled his eyes at the blatant fabrication of lies against him.


    "Whatever. Call Rowan and tell him I''m here," he had replied.


    "Rowan can''t save you, Syryn Nigh''hart. Such a grave crime cannot be overlooked."


    Syryn laughed to himself because it hadn''t been so long ago that this had happened to him. How many times in a month was he going to be imprisoned with false allegations made against him? If Rowan really couldn''t save him then he would just have to exercise his rights and kill all the anti mages like he had killed the idiots in Silisia. Having come to that decision, he was mostly at peace with his detention.


    It was to this situation that Rowan and Red returned home to after their trip to the temple. The blond was furious the moment he was told that the Sanguines had taken away his fiance. He had been expecting them to make a move but this was playing too dirty.


    "What do we do?" Red asked the blond who looked to be on the warpath.


    "They probably expect me to negotiate with them," Rowan replied as he started coming up with a counter plan. This was a civilised society and he couldn''t just start killing people and destroying the HQ. He had to play by their rules and beat them at it. He knew just what he was going to do. Nothing.


    ____


    It was morning. The citizens of Elysium who had been waiting for the latest in the curious case of Rowan and Syryn weren''t disappointed by the new development that had taken overnight.


    "Imprisoned by the Sanguine?! Good! Good!"


    "He had it coming to him."


    "Regardless, he would never be chosen as the champion''s partner. They should just have left him alone and watched him embarrass himself at the choosing ceremony."


    This was Lillith''s belief as well. She didn''t think that Eos would ever choose Syryn of all people. The world would end before that happened.


    "Lillith darling, don''t worry. That seductress of a man would never become Rowan''s partner. Eos only picks the pure and holy ones. You know that right?" Guinevere told the young woman who had been absolutely morose since the day that Rowan had coldly repeatedly her.


    "Why can''t he see that then, Guin?" Lillith sadly asked. "It seems that everyone but Rowan understands that."


    "That''s because men think with their lower parts," Guinevere counselled. "They''re already living together so Syryn is giving it to him. Just you wait. Rowan will get sick of that seductress after he''s had his fill. Then he''ll realise that it was just a phase. That''s when you have to be tough, Lili! Let Rowan know that he has to grovel and please you if he wants you."


    Lillith listened to the honeyed words that normally cheered her up. But this time, she was uncertain.. Rowan seemed so in love with Syryn. Why else would he take such a controversial step?

 Chapter 322 - Detention

    Syryn spent the night at one of the detention prisons in HQ. After one of them had put him inside the prison, an anti mage came to speak with him. The man was accompanied by two others who were either his lackeys or his guards.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart," he said to the mage in a pleasant manner. "Are you comfortable?"


    Syryn was seated on his prison bed. It was anything but comfortable. The anti mage before him was a handsome man with wavy chocolate brown hair and silver eyes. The mage could tell right away that the man was related to the royal family somehow. His eyes and the accent gave him away.


    "Yes but I''ll be more comfortable if you invite this certain blond anti mage to my warm my bed," Syryn replied with the same courteous tone.


    "And would that anti mage happen to be called Rowan?" The man responded with an arch of his lips.


    "Oh, you know him then."


    The silver-eyed man held eye contact with Syryn for a while. There was a bit of scorn in his gaze.


    "What?" Syryn asked when the man wordlessly looked at him.


    "I wonder what Rowan sees in you," came his reply.


    "He probably sees in me... something that Lillith doesn''t have." This reply by Syryn came with a brazen glance down at the man''s crotch like he was indicating that Rowan didn''t like Lillith because she didn''t have the preferred male parts.


    The man was rendered speechless by Syryn''s response. The information he had on Syryn included mentions about his barbed and colourful personality. They hadn''t been wrong about him.


    "Interesting that you mention her. She''s my cousin," he replied. The anti mage was intrigued by and yet loathed Syryn for the same reason - Rowan being besotted by Syryn.


    "I couldn''t tell." It came out sarcastically.


    The anti mage smiled like he was amused by Syryn''s replies.


    "What''s your name, cousin of Lillith?"


    "Dionys."


    Syryn smiled with eyes at half-mast. At that moment, he looked every bit like the seductress that the rumours painted him to be.


    "Then I''ll call you Dio."


    Before Dionys could reply, another anti mage arrived.


    "Dionys, on what charges is Syryn in detention for?"


    The mage smiled up at the dark-haired anti mage who had come to his aid again.


    "Artemus, are you lost?" Dionys asked without turning around. His head was turned only slightly to the side. Artemus wasn''t in charge of interrogation anymore. This wasn''t his jurisdiction so he had no reason to be interfering in the business with Syryn.


    "Just as lost as you are, Dionys. The T and I department doesn''t have the clearance to keep Syryn. So why is he here?"


    Dionys finally deigned to turn around and face the dark-haired anti mage who glanced at Syryn and back at the silver-eyed man. Dionys wasn''t the hound that Artemus was but the man was just as dangerous when he was in pursuit of his prey.


    "Thorne, send Artemus a copy of the Sanguine handbook when we''re done here. It seems like he doesn''t know that the crime of spying warrants handover to T and I without clearance from higher authority."


    Artemus calmly met the man''s silver eyes.


    "Maybe it''s you who needs the handbook. Without a shred of proof, you can''t keep a citizen of Sigil in detention."


    "Do you have proof then that Syryn is a citizen of Sigil?" Dionys asked. "Those violet eyes aren''t common in Sigil. I''ve never met anyone from Sigil with the kind of looks that Syryn has."


    "A flimsy excuse meant to keep Syryn in detention because your cousin sister covets Rowan. Dionys, I expected better from you. If we go to court now, you better believe that your excuses won''t hold water." Artemus stepped closer to the man, his dark eyes like black holes sucking the light out of Dionys'' silver stars. "If you think that you can keep Syryn, then you need to re-evaluate your ability to twist the law. I''m better than you, Dionys. Do yourself a favour and save us both the effort of fighting. Because whatever you come up with, I''ll win in the end, and that''s a promise."


    Dionys turned away with a scoffing sort of chuckle. Artemus was a damn good anti mage with confidence like a wall of diamonds. The Silver eyed anti mage could already see the headache that was coming his way since the dark-haired anti mage seemed to be hell-bent on acting as Syryn''s knight. Of all the people to come up against, Artemus was the worst. He knew the codes of law like the back of his hand and there was no one else with the same terrifying abilities. Except maybe Dionys.


    "Tell me, Artemus. What is Syryn to you?"


    "It has no bearing on the matter."


    "Yes, it does. It does, a lot. I''ve never seen you act so aggressively defensive about someone who isn''t Alka. Now I''m curious about the relationship between you and Syryn." Dionys raised his brows a fraction. "You were his teacher. Is that why you''re so concerned about him?"


    Artemus didn''t like where the conversation was heading. If even a hint of the truth about him and Syryn became known to Dionys, the silver-eyed man would ruin them both with it.


    "Yes," he replied. "Are you satisfied? Because I have no time to answer personal questions that you have no business looking into. Release Syryn. If Rowan finds out, he''ll turn the T and I department upside down. You don''t want Rowan involved, Dionys. You know that right?" Artemus hadn''t wanted to mention the blond because it was wiser to stick with arguing about penal codes.


    "Then let him. Justice will be served," Dionys replied with calm. "Now leave, Artemus. And come back when you have permission to meddle with this case."


    For now, the dark-haired anti mage was in the wrong. But it didn''t mean that he was giving up.


    "Then prepare yourself, Dionys. I''ll come to see you tomorrow.. And if I see a single bruise or a scratch on Syryn, lets just say that T and I will have to search for a new commanding officer."

 Chapter 323 - Interrogation

    Morning arrived and Syryn was ready to be interrogated by the Torture and Interrogation officer. With a clinking sound, metal cuffs went around his wrist. He was led out of his prison and taken into a sterile-looking room.


    "Good morning Dio," he wished the man sitting inside the interrogation room.


    "Morning, Syryn. Take a seat." Dio was in his crisp red Sanguine uniform. He had some papers in his hands that contained information about Syryn.


    Syryn took a seat opposite Dionys and placed his cuffed hands on the table. He looked around the room while Dionys arranged the papers on the table. Syryn also took this time to observe the anti mage. The royal family had very good genes and it was obvious in all the members of their family.


    Dionys'' eyes were on the page as he slowly perused the contents on it. Some time passed and he glanced up at Syryn who was examining his nails with interest. The anti mage noticed the mage''s dark lashes lowered like moth wings against his pale cheeks. Syryn was truly exquisite and he could see why Rowan was so in love with him. When he compared the man to Lillith, his cousin sister still fell a little short in terms of beauty.


    "I should charge you for enjoying my face," Syryn said in a low voice to the anti mage as he looked up through the lashes that had attracted Dionys.


    Dionys smiled, paper still in hand. "How much do I owe you?"


    Syryn thought about it. "Some good food. Breakfast was shit."


    Dionys looked behind him where his guard was standing. "Get Syryn some good quality breakfast."


    After the guard left the room, Dionys faced Syryn. "It says here that you won a brewing competition. So you''re an alchemist."


    Syryn shrugged.


    "And you co-own a popular establishment that sells medicinal products along with potions."


    "I suppose I do."


    "It''s a good way to entrench yourself in Elysium''s society, something a spy would do."


    Syryn snorted. "If that''s the case then you should go accuse Salem and all the other business owners."


    "You defeated Rowan when you were thirteen years old. That''s really impressive."


    "Get to the point, Dionys."


    The anti mage leaned forward with his hands on the table. The man''s silver eyes were like stars, so beautiful that Syryn felt hypnotised by them.


    "Syryn, how does a thirteen-year-old child get so good at alchemy? How does a thirteen-year-old alchemy genius have time to become an expert at both martial and magical skills?"


    Syryn knew that Dionys would never find anything no matter how hard he looked into his history. The Sage who had access to his memories helped Syryn put a story together that was part lies and part truth.


    "I was discovered very young and trained by a man who was a teacher of alchemy. And while I studied under his teachings, I also picked up some basic magical abilities. As for my fighting skills, it''s something you end up getting good at in order to survive the streets as an orphan."


    Dionys narrowed his eyes in thought. His gaze was fixed on a point over the table as he mulled over what Syryn had told him.


    "Where were you born?" He asked the mage.


    "I don''t know. All I remember is that my village was burnt down and my mother died in it. I was lucky enough to escape with a few survivors who left me in maple town."


    "Where was your father and how old were you when this happened?"


    "I don''t know where my father was. All I remember is being raised by my mother till I was six years old. That''s when she died."


    "How did she die?"


    If Syryn didn''t have amnesia, he would have remembered the smell of acrid smoke and burning flesh. He had been gathering water at the river when the village was attacked. He came running back to the house where he lived with his mother, only to find her still warm dead body. She had been violated by bandits and then her throat cut. It was a gruesome scene that no six year old should have been exposed to. Syryn was still too young to properly process what the emotions that overcame him. Numb and shocked, he had lowered himself down next to his mother''s dead body and closed his eyes. The next thing he would have remembered was his tiny body being grabbed by an adult man who carried him away from the burning house where his mother''s body lay naked and cold.


    "Like I said, murdered by bandits."


    Dionys looked ashen. "I''m sorry."


    "Then release me."


    "That''s-"


    The door to the room swung open and Artemus came striding in without so much as an excuse me.


    "Move over, Dionys." The dark-haired anti mage dragged a chair over beside the other mage hunter and sat down. "I appealed to a few people who realised that you''ve overstepped your authority. The case still stands but I am now a part of the investigation. This means that every time you decide to interrogate Syryn, you have to do it with me around."


    Dionys smiled with some exasperation. Artemus was going to great lengths for Syryn and he wanted to know why.


    "Hey Art, glad to see a friendly face," Syryn told the anti mage.


    He received a nod in return. Artemus then addressed Dionys. "Carry on. Pretend I''m not here listening in."


    ________


    Rowan had asked Artemus to take care of the business with Syryn because he wasn''t willing to engage directly with the people who were behind the plot.


    Dionys and Lillith weren''t all that close so there had to be another reason thsilver-eyeder eyed anti mage was getting himself involved. Four and a half days to go till the choosing ceremony came around, and Syryn was already in the clutches of the enemies. Rowan wasn''t afraid of the mage hunters hurting Syryn because he knew they wouldn''t dare to harm the mage while he was still favoured by the blond. What they were doing was stalling for time as Syryn remained in their custody.. This way, the choosing ceremony would pass on without Syryn''s participation.

 Chapter 324 - Thickening Plot

    Lillith was in her father''s library with Guinevere. For all her life, she had believed that her position as Rowan''s future wife could not be usurped by anyone. Now with a heart full of doubt, she began to read up on the history of Eos'' champions and the partners that had been chosen for them. "


    "Champion Karl, at thirteen years of age, he saved his village from demons. At twenty, he married a silver-eyed priestess of a neighbouring kingdom," Lillith read out to Guinevere.


    "Champion Ash, he rid his kingdom of bandits after starting a crusade against them when he was eighteen. He married a silver-eyed priestess who arrived from another town to enter the choosing ceremony."


    They both looked at each other. "Guin, it''s the same story for every single champion chosen by Eos." Lillith had dark bags under her eyes. They came about after two nights of insomnia. Rowan''s rejection of her love had hit her so hard that she was unable to rest. Hair rolled up in a loose bun, she looked tired but still elegant.


    "This should be proof to you that Eos has chosen you whether Rowan likes it or not," her friend replied. "I say it''s a good idea to let Syryn participate. He will be humiliated when you get chosen."


    Lillith slammed the book shut and closed her eyes as her head reclined against the top of her seat. She felt like she was living in a nightmare. Her life had been so perfect. She had everything anyone wanted in life - loving and healthy parents, a luxurious lifestyle, power, beauty, intelligence. And she thought she also had the perfect future husband.


    "If Syryn gets chosen, I will be humiliated."


    Guinevere tutted in disapproval. "Why will he get chosen? Does he have silver eyes?"


    No, Lillith thought. Syryn had exotic violet eyes.


    "Rowan might reject me even if Eos chooses me."


    "He won''t dare to. The choosing ceremony is a directive from the goddess. So unless Rowan is in a hurry to a meeting in the afterlife, he won''t dare to anger the goddess." Guinevere couldn''t imagine a scenario where Rowan refused the goddess. It just wasn''t possible.


    "You''re right," Lillith answered. Guinevere was making a lot of sense. "Rowan cannot refuse Eos."


    ____


    Syryn had been locked up for a night and a day. And now for one more night, he was inside his prison eating a delicious meal that Dionys'' guard had brought to him.


    You''re going to get fat if you keep eating and sleeping.


    [Mind your own business.]


    "Already started eating?" A voice asked him through the bars of his prison. It was Dionys, and he was carrying a dinner box of his own.


    "Why? You wanna have dinner with me?" Syryn asked after noticing the box wrapped in a black cloth. It had the same symbol that was stamped over his own meal box.


    Dionys placed his dinner on the table where Syryn was eating. "Do you look like your mother or your father?" He asked as he sat and down opposite Syryn.


    "I thought you weren''t supposed to interrogate me only in the presence of Artemus."


    Dionys opened his box and revealed five beautiful white buns that were still steaming. "This isn''t an interrogation, Syryn. I''m curious because of how attractive you are."


    You look like your father.


    [And how do you know that?]


    Your mother has an ordinary face though I can''t tell much from your memories as a toddler.


    "My mother looked like an ordinary village woman. So I suppose I got everything nice from my father."


    Dionys nodded. He still hadn''t touched his food.


    "Do you have siblings? Aside from Lucien."


    [Well?]


    None from your mother. The demon that sired you probably raped a lot more women. You could have a lot of stepbrothers and stepsisters.


    "None."


    "Tell me more about your childhood and the time you spent with your teacher. Do you remember his name?"


    "He called himself the Sage."


    As it should be.


    "The sage?" Dionys lifted his brows.


    [You have such a pretentious moniker and even Dio realises that.]


    "Yep. He taught me everything I know."


    Syryn glanced at the buns that smelled delicious.


    "And where is he now?"


    "I don''t know. Your buns are getting cold."


    Dionys looked down at the fragrant meat buns. They were indeed getting cold but he wasn''t feeling very hungry. In his mind, he was forming a picture of Syryn. And the task was a lot more interesting than food.


    "You can have it if you''re still hungry," Dionys offered to Syryn.


    "Don''t mind if I do!"


    Dionys watched as Syryn shoved a full bun into his mouth. Syryn had a soft-looking mouth that curved sensually when he smiled. And right now, he was smiling at the anti mage who thought it was a tragedy that Syryn and he had to meet this way, on opposing sides.


    "How did you meet Lucien?" Dionys asked. Syryn''s cheeks were full and round as he pushed in more meat buns.


    "Fu-ffu-" Syryn tried to speak but his mouth was stuffed. He swallowed it all down and reached for a glass of water.


    "Saved him from a slaving caravan that came to Maple."


    Through the bars of the prison, another mage hunter could be seen approaching them.


    "Sir, a priest is here to meet prisoner number two two nine five seven eight."


    "Tell the priest to go back to where he came from," Dionys replied. Saint''s moon had sent someone; he was sure of it. The anti mage was returning a favour he owed them. It was why he got involved with Rowan and Syryn''s mess.


    "Yes sir!"


    Dionys faced Syryn once again.


    "Why aren''t you letting the priest meet me?"


    "It will serve no purpose to their plan," Dionys replied.


    "What plan?" Syryn canted his head.


    Dionys tapped his fingers on the table in a rhythm. He did that when he was thinking.


    "The plan to keep you away from the choosing ceremony."

 Chapter 325 - Love

    Syryn heard a rumbling sound and reacted at the same time that Dionys got to his feet.


    "Sir-"


    "Move out of the way!" Dionys yelled at the guard. But his warning wasn''t quick enough to save the anti mage. He fell and was buried under a pile of rubble that used to be the wall of Syryn''s prison.


    "Levia!" Syryn gasped out loud when he saw who had arrived to rescue his sorry self from the mage hunters.


    Behind Levia, a group of anti mages followed. None of them knew what was going on because Levia had appeared at the HQ without warning and had begun charging through walls like hot butter through a knife. The members of the Sanguine could only follow the little monster and try to contain her. But their attempts were met with futility because Levia was a special creature who couldn''t be controlled with simple anti-magic tactics.


    "Sir! There''s a possible zoo-" the anti mage outside was cut off by Levia''s loud cry of excitement.


    "Stand down," Dionys ordered the anti mages when he saw that the creature belonged to Syryn.


    Levia ran up to Syryn and rubbed her cheeks against his open palm. He could feel her happiness and joy at being reunited.


    "Good girl. Did you come to rescue me?" He asked the little monster.


    Levia swung her tail from side to side. Syryn knew instinctively that it was a yes.


    He then turned smiling eyes to the silver-eyed anti mage. "Dionys, you''ve been a great host but it''s time I left."


    "Stay a while longer," came the anti mage''s reply. Syryn was witty, funny, and an overall interesting person to talk to.


    "Rowan misses me," the mage responded. "So I''ll have to say no to that."


    "Sir, we''re just letting him go?" An anti mage asked.


    Dionys made an elegant shrug. He could see that Levia was no ordinary pet. If it was possible to contain her, the anti mages would have already succeeded in doing so. He had paid his dues to the priests by kidnapping Syryn so he longer felt obligated to keep the violet-eyed mage locked up. Perhaps if Syryn hadn''t won him over just a little bit he might have tried harder to keep him locked up.


    "If Rowan missed you, he would have come to get you."


    Rowan had done plenty for Syryn already. The mage thought this was fine.


    "Come visit sometime," he told Dionys before calmly walking away and out of the HQ.


    That night, Syryn left behind anti mages who would remember this day later on when they would get to see Levia in her true form. Their impressions of Syryn would soar to even greater heights.


    ___


    When Syryn cleared the boundary of the HQ, he saw a blond man standing by himself at a corner of the street. Rowan had his back turned to Syryn and was leaning against the wall as he looked up at the luminous moon.


    Rowan hadn''t abandoned him.


    Syryn''s faith in Rowan hadn''t wavered but knowing that he had come for Syryn made the mage''s heart skip a beat. He walked faster, almost at a jog towards the anti mage.


    And when Rowan turned around, Syryn threw himself at the blue-eyed man. Rowan''s hugs were the warmest. They gave him a sense of security that was inexplicable.


    Wrapped in his lover''s embrace, Syryn breathed in the scent of Rowan. He was getting to the woodsy smell that clung to the blond.


    "Did you miss me?" Rowan asked Syryn. His tone was warm and fond.


    "Very much. I think I love you, Rowan."


    Syryn still didn''t know what love was but if this feeling wasn''t love then what was?


    "I love you more," Rowan replied. His own heart was bursting with emotion. How long he had been waiting to hear it from Syryn''s mouth; even if it was a Syryn with no memories of their past.


    ____


    Word spread quickly. Syryn had broken out of confinement and the mage hunters weren''t even trying to recapture him.


    Within the temple of Eos, a priestess came out of the hall of Blessing. A meeting had been held and the clerics had come to a unanimous decision. Syryn would be allowed to participate in the choosing ceremony but he would have to be exiled from Sigil if he wasn''t chosen by Eos. Every single one of the clerics believed that Syryn was just a disruption to their sacred ceremony. They were willing to bet everything on the outcome of Lillith being the chosen. Why did they have to expend so much effort on hindering Syryn when they could turn him into a laughing stock and have him exiled from Sigil?


    "Lillith, my dear, it is time for your consecration," the priestess told the princess who had been praying in the crystal chamber.


    The priestess was a little concerned because Eos hadn''t spoken to any of them for years. Normally, the goddess had sent her will to them through dreams and visions. Her silence was interpreted as the goddess'' desire to communicate with only the chosen. They weren''t alarmed yet.


    "I haven''t been chosen yet...." Lillith replied, unsure of the decision that the clerics had made. There had been instances in the past when the consecration came before the choosing ceremony. It was done during extenuating circumstances. Lillith couldn''t see how this was an emergency but she went along with the priestess. Only the chosen one was to be consecrated, and the clerics had complete faith that it would be her. This erased the tiny bit of doubt in her heart. Everything was going according to the will of the goddess.


    _____


    In another part of the kingdom, a portal opened in a forested plain. Out of the portal came a man with raven coloured hair and pomegranate hued eyes. He was as gorgeous as the star dotted galaxy. His presence was a weight that no ordinary human could bear without suffering from the pressure he gave out.


    "Emperor, why have we come here?" A young boy asked the painfully good looking man.. Despite the many years that he had spent in his presence, the young boy still found himself staring at Traxdart in awe.

 Chapter 326 - The Past L

    A glass coffin encased in a thick layer of magic infused ice had vapor wafting off its surface. This coffin containing a demon lord''s deceased body was stored hundreds of metres underground and protected by multiple spells, each one deadly and precise in its killing function.


    Rowan held a lamp as he stood looking down at the icy coffin that held his best friend and soul mate.


    Syryn''s peaceful expression had remained undisturbed for the year long rest he had been taking inside the cursed coffin. If he opened his eyes, the demon lord would see a spark of insanity in the blue eyes that watched over his dead form.


    "Rowan," a male voice called down in panic from somewhere far away. "North Citadel has fallen! We need to leave now!"


    The blond man laid his palm above the ice through which he could see Syryn''s face. Even he couldn''t understand why he kept coming back here again and again. All he knew was that it was a magnet that pulled him no matter how far he went.


    "Rowan!"


    A tinge of annoyance disturbed the blond''s calm. He''d looked at his dead friend so many times that the soul sucking panic he initially used to feel had all but disappeared. A whole year later, the pain of losing Syryn was still as fresh as it had been on that terrible day, and Rowan was dealing with it just as disastrously he was dealing with the invasion. He wasn''t an immortal. Rowan had only so much he could give before even he started falling apart at his seams.


    ___


    2 months later, Rowan had returned from a battle that had lasted longer than he''d anticipated. Traxdart''s forces had overrun nearly half the human populated kingdoms across the world and it was only getting worse. His demons were infecting the injured soldiers and turning them into one of theirs.


    "Rowan, get some sleep first," Qairu told the blond who hadn''t had a wink of sleep in three days.


    "After," Rowan replied listlessly. Qairu knew what the after meant. The blond wanted to spend some time with Syryn.


    "Fine. Don''t take too long. Its not like it can run away you know. The coffin doesn''t have legs." The priest sometimes wondered what Rowan did as he sat for hours in that cold, dark, and depressing tomb. Was it just meditation?


    As a necromancer, he had heard several stories about unhinged necromancers who had lost their marbles and done the unspeakable with the dead. Qairu was sure that Eos would have killed Rowan if the blond did something so.. flavourful, not that he suspected Rowan to be so depraved. The blond had an unhealthy obsession but he was respectful in how he honored the bodies of his fallen comrades.


    "I know," Rowan''s tired attempt at a smile was appreciated by the corrupt priest. The only reasons humanity still hadn''t crumbled completely was because of Rowan and Qairu. The blond was a force equal to ten thousand soldiers on a good day, and a hundred thousand when he was having a bad day. Rowan in a bad mood was an absolute force of devastation in the battle grounds, and Qairu liked it that way. The only downside he could think of to the blond''s rampage was how he indiscriminately killed. It was difficult to avoid friendly fire when Rowan was raining holy judgement on the demonic soldiers. Even so, Qairu wished the champion of Eos had a way to avoid destroying his own undead soldiers.


    The priest walked with his lich King as they surveyed the number of undead that were left after the battle at North Citadel. Their numbers had been reduced by more than half but Qairu could make plenty more of where they came from. Aside from the dying soldiers who wished to avoid becoming demons and enemies, there were also living and healthy folks who requested to be turned into undead soldiers. Qairu wasn''t complaining but even he was disturbed by the state of affairs that prevailed the war torn world.


    "Where are their gods and goddesses when you need them?" He asked the lich King. "They prayed and sacrificed when times were good. Now they hide in their homes, dying, and praying to the same gods who are blind and deaf. If they prayed to me, I would at least end their suffering."


    "Q, something''s gone wrong," a young girl, one of Qairu''s best necromancers rushed out and called to him.


    Bad news? These days he was having it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the daily. Qairu wasn''t afraid to hear more bad news. "What?" He replied.


    "Its Rowan.. I think he''s-" she hesitated.


    "He''s what?!" Now this could be the only bad news that affected him anymore. Their golden boy had been pushing and pushing himself so hard everyone was expecting him to just keel over and die from a sudden heart attack one of these days.


    "He''s not well. Rowan came out of the tomb looking like one of our dead ones. I mean he looks really sick, Q."


    "Damn it, Windwalker!" The corrupt priest cursed. He should have strapped the man down- not like it was possible. "Take me to him."


    ____


    "What the hell has happened to you, Goldie?" Qairu asked the anti mage. Rowan was seated on a chair appearing as though his soul had left his body. The man''s blue eyes were half closed and he looked awake but not present. His apprentice had been right about Rowan looking like the undead. The lamp was on but the home was empty.


    Qairu felt goosebumps spread across his skin as the blond''s gaze turned to him. "Syryn is gone."


    A pin drop silence prevailed as the priest tried to understand the magnitude of bullshit that he was hearing.


    "What?!"


    Syryn couldn''t be gone. Syryn couldn''t be gone!!


    "Who stole him??"


    "I don''t know," Rowan replied. He had done everything he could under the circumstances he had. To think that there was someone capable of sneaking in through the defences and making off with Syryn''s body disturbed him greatly. An even greater question was why?


    "We''ll find him, Rowan," Qairu blurted out without thinking. "The culprit couldn''t have gone far." It was a diaster unlike any other because Syryn, as dead as he was, was an anchor that bound Rowan to his duty. He had promised Syryn that he would rid the world of Traxdart and his demons. Now that Syryn''s corpse was missing, Qairu could not predict what Rowan might do.


    "Its time I let go," Rowan tiredly said to the priest. "I''ll be alright."


    Qairu would have believed it, and he wanted so much to believe it. But Rowan''s eyes told him a whole different story.


    "Don''t you want to find out who took his body and for what purpose?"


    The blond leaned his forehead on his steepled fingers. His blond hair had grown long during the war and he had accrued a number of scars including one right across his heart.


    "I fear what I might find."


    Qairu tried very hard to pretend he couldn''t hear the slight shake in Rowan''s voice.


    "Rowan, what are you afraid of?" The priest asked. Syryn''s body had been blessed so that it couldn''t be raised to become an undead. Qairu had been part of the night long ceremony that involved a holy priestess who hated his guts. "Tell me you stupid blond-"


    "The cursed coffin came from the demons themselves."

 Chapter 327 - The Past Ll

    "It''s only mid morning, Rowan," Qairu said to the anti mage, projecting a calm he wasn''t feeling. "Too early for this crap."


    Rowan remained mute.


    "Demons, right? Whose idea was it to seal them in another dimension? Why couldn''t they just erase them off- poof." The corrupted priest poured himself a shot of clear moonshine and offered another, larger glass to Rowan. "Here. Drink."


    Rowan had avoided alcohol since the war began. He had to stay alert and ready for battle at a moment''s notice. But today, he accepted the glass of liquid fire.


    "Can''t your mommy do something about this?" Qairu waved his glass in the air. "She''s a goddess right?"


    "It doesn''t work that way," Rowan replied. He was holding the liquor glass but hadn''t taken a sip yet.


    "Then how does it work, Windwalker? Tell me so I have some words of comfort for the people praying and hoping for a miracle."


    "The law of the universe is set in stone." Rowan tentatively pressed the cold rim of his glass to his bottom lip and took a deep gulp.


    Qairu nodded while staring into the moonshine. The law of the universe was a mysterious thing. It held together the fabric of the universe. Written records and religious texts mentioned it sporadically but there wasn''t much to learn about it.


    "These.. powerful beings cannot meddle directly in the lives of the humans that worship them." Rowan knew more than the others but not enough to explain how it worked.


    The priest sighed softly. What use was it worshipping them then? It was better to worship Rowan who was dying a little bit every day. He was the only miracle that humanity had. And a damned good one at that.


    "What does Eos think about what is happening?" He asked the blond. They were both avoiding the topic that had led to their spontaneous bout of day drinking.


    Rowan let out a gust of air that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.


    "I don''t know."


    Qairu pressed the glass to his mouth and held it there pretending he was drinking. One of them had to stay sober if shit went down. He envied Rowan and wished it was him getting wrecked on moonshine, but the anti mage deserved a good hard drink today.


    "So," his stomach curled as he began poking at the ugly mess that Rowan had been keeping from them. "What''s the deal with the coffin?"


    ____


    "Moonshine, moonshine, give me some moonshine," Qairu sang drunkenly as he counted the stars in the sky. Rowan had unloaded his secret burden onto the priest and now he had another piece of bullshit to fuel his paranoia.


    After Syryn''s passing, Rowan had been attacked by a large force of demons. Their leader was a powerful ice wielder but he couldn''t defeat the blond fortress. At death''s doorstep, the demon had begged for his life and offered Rowan a gift that he hoped would be enough to exchange for his life.


    He said he could build a magical coffin that would preserve Syryn as he was, perfect and whole, forever. Since he was part demon, Syryn couldn''t be preserved by the normal methods of magic. He was corruption itself and would eventually erode away. If Rowan accepted it, he would of course have to periodically feed the magic in the coffin but that wasn''t a problem for the anti mage.


    Rowan was a desperate man who wanted to keep Syryn by his side. His feelings had started out as deep grief that hollowed out his chest, but those feelings had quickly transformed into something else. He didn''t recognise the budding signs of an obsession that would impact the fate of the world and shake the balance of power that existed in the universe.


    "Q, you''re being irresponsible."


    Qairu turned his head to see the blurring outline of Wendy standing next to him.


    "We''re fucked," Qairu told her. "Fucked. Don''t tell the others I said that."


    "We were fucked a long time ago," she sadly replied. Syryn had saved them but it hadn''t completely stopped the invasion. The Emperor and his generals could not cross into this world but they were using puppets and strange wild magic to assimilate humans into their growing army.


    "Never take an offer from a demon, not even when it''s begging for its life," Qairu told her. Rowan had already been ruined by one demon lord, and now the same demon lord was dead tag mating his demon friends who were continuing to ruin Rowan.


    "I''m not stupid," she replied. "Which fool would accept a demon''s offer?"


    Qairu burst out into laughter. "Right? Only a fool in love I suppose."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Nothing," he replied, throwing his empty bottle of moonshine from the terrace. "He''s a bigger fool than we thought. Doesn''t even understand why he can''t keep away from the demon lord who shall not be named anymore."


    "Is this about Rowan?" Wendy asked the drunk master who was rambling.


    "What? Nooooo! Who said it was about Rowan?"


    _____


    For the next two months, life went on as it normally did. Humanity took massive casualties and Rowan continued to function like an automaton. Lillith and Rowan were still partners but they saw less and less of each other as the days turned into more bloody months.


    Qairu had hoped that she would comfort Rowan but Lillith herself was breaking down alongside her husband in name. Their relationship was at its worst and Lillith had been spending more time with a healer who she often saw for her mental troubles. The priest couldn''t blame her. Rowan had clocked out a long time ago. None of them had been the same since the war had begun. And neither could be fully blamed for the breakdown of their marriage of convenience. They were the most unfortunate couple he had ever seen.


    "Q, the mayor of Green Isle has arrived with the refugees."


    "Hmm. Where''s Rowan?"


    "He left to defend the southern encampment. We received news about a large force of demons heading that way."


    "What? Why didn''t nobody tell me?!"


    Wendy felt sorry for Qairu who had dark purple bags under his eyes. "Rowan said you already have enough on your plate."


    "I''m leaving," Qairu declared as he stood up and tossed away the quill he was holding.


    ____


    "Rowan," Qairu greeted the blond who was armoured and ready for battle. The anti mage''s sacred Claymore was strapped to his back, its hilt glowing like a stolen piece of starlight.


    He received a brief glance of acknowledgement from Rowan.


    "You left me behind. Friends don''t do that, Goldie."


    The ominous sound of several battle horns resounded in the camp. The demonic force had arrived.


    "Well," Qairu commented without emotion. "They''re here. Every demon and his grandmother it seems."


    The army that had come to assault the camp was larger than any they had faced. The number of demons stretched out so far that Qairu could not see the end of their lines.


    "Prepare for battle," Rowan told the leaders of their small army. There weren''t nearly enough of them to face the huge group that was swarming towards them. They would all die today, Qairu was sure of it.


    "Has anyone sent a- Rowan? Rowan, what''s wrong?"


    "Syryn."


    Qairu''s head whipped in the direction that Rowan was looking at.


    "Syryn," he echoed in shock. For the first time in a very long time, Qairu felt a deep sense of inescapable and all-encompassing doom.. Traxdart had played them all beautifully.

 Chapter 328 - The Present L

    Rowan and Syryn were sitting side by side in their garden, watching Levia chase Lucien for a piece of chicken.


    "Ryn, do you ever wonder if people are born in pairs, like soul mates decided by the universe?"


    Syryn tipped his head back and thought about it. "If that was true then it is unfortunate. Imagine missing out on having a soul mate because one of them got drunk and fell off a cliff."


    "You two are intolerable," Alka told the couple. He had on a pair of rough leather gloves that protected his skin from the toxic sap of the plants he was handling.


    "What are you talking about?" Syryn protested.


    "Sitting there and discussing sappy feelings like old women. You disgust me."


    Rowan smiled because Alka had no idea how old they really were.


    "I like it," Syryn replied. "It''s nice."


    "Senile amnesiac," Alka responded without heat. "It''s your big day tomorrow, Syryn. You''re getting married and I can''t believe it."


    "No one''s getting married," Lucien shouted loudly. "If Rowan wants to marry Syryn then he''ll have to ask for my permission!"


    "No one cares, Luci," Alka shouted back. He was suddenly reminded of Magnus. What would the fire mage think of the Lucien that little Luci had grown into? And where was Magnus anyway? Dead?


    "Oh, by the way, Salem wants more succulents for the shop. They''re very popular with the young women," Syryn told Alka.


    "Tell him to grow them himself," Alka grumbled. The cheap plants were annoying to take care of and didn''t bring in enough money to warrant his wastage of time. Nonetheless, he made a mental note to buy more seeds. He would grow enough that Salem would have his hands full for a year.


    ____


    "Wake up, Ryn."


    The sun wasn''t up yet but Rowan was. The choosing ceremony began at noon when the sun would be directly above them.


    "Rowan, too early," Syryn mumbled through a haze of sleep. His violet eyes were half-open as he looked up at the gorgeous man leaning on an arm and smiling at him. "You''re really hot, Ro," he added. Rowan was hot both figuratively and literally. His warm body was flush against Syryn.


    The anti mage savoured these moments of quiet that made him forget it all. Everything he had done, was for Syryn. In hindsight, something was very wrong with Rowan and he was cognizant of it. The blond knew it was crazy for anyone to mean so much to another. His feelings went beyond the definition of simple love.


    "Syryn," he softly called to the sleeping beauty.


    The demon lord cracked one eye open. "Yes?"


    "Do you wanna take a walk with me?"


    Syryn craned his neck to look out the window. "Now?" He asked in disbelief.


    Restless energy had taken over the anti mage''s body. He was looking forward to the ceremony but somewhere inside, a kernel of fear grew its roots in his heart. Whenever good things happened to him and Ryn, it was always followed by a shadow of ill luck. Rowan wasn''t a superstitious man but experience was a painful mistress who had taught him well about being too happy when it came to Syryn.


    "Yes, now. Come with me?" Rowan responded.


    The alchemist felt the change in Rowan''s mood. "Yeah, let''s go for a walk."


    _____


    Sunrise brought with it the chirping of birds and a bounty of food from their well-stocked kitchen.


    Syryn was a picture of calm but Rowan felt like his insides were tossing about.


    "It''s time," Salem reminded them. "Are you two ready?"


    They weren''t.


    "Whatever, let''s get it done with," Syryn said to the table.


    Rowan was gripped with uncertainty. It wasn''t supposed to happen this way. Syryn didn''t understand what he was getting himself into.


    "Ryn-"


    "I want to do this," Syryn cut him off like he had read Rowan''s mind. "Maybe I''ll regret, maybe I won''t. But, I''m not making a big mistake, am I?"


    Rowan opened his mouth but words failed him. Whether Syryn wanted him or not, Rowan would have to fight the war that was coming for them, for Syryn''s soul.


    "We''ll be alright, Ryn," he answered. "Just promise you''ll never leave me." It was selfish of him to ask this of Syryn but Rowan needed the assurance even if he received a lie for it.


    Syryn wordlessly took Rowan''s hand in his. "Promises are paper-thin, but I''ll give you my word, Rowan. I will never betray the goodwill you''ve shown me. Without my memories, I cannot make promises because I am unable to even trust my own self."


    It was more than he could ask for. Rowan placed a light kiss on Syryn''s lips. Today, his world was going to change forever.


    ____


    Eos'' temple had opened its doors for the ceremony. Lantern flowers hung from every door and window. In the centre of the expansive hall where the worshippers gathered, a circular glass skylight allowed sunlight to concentrate on a raised pedestal where an ancient lantern plant with a single large bud sat. The bud was pure white in colour and furled tightly into a perfect oval. It would bloom only for Eos'' chosen.


    worshippers poured in like ants and filled up the temple from one end to the other. The royal family was separated from the commoners. They sat in front and were flanked by other VIPs.


    "What''s going to happen?" Drake whispered to Dionys.


    "No idea. I pray that Lillith is prepared for heartbreak."


    "There''s never been.." Drake thought better than to finish that sentence. Syryn wasn''t known for being conventional.


    Soft music began to play when the sun''s rays aligned with the lantern plant.


    "Is Rowan late?" Someone whispered.


    "Maybe. The priestess'' are already here."


    Three women had been narrowed down for Rowan. Among them, Lillith stood in between, overshadowing her rivals with her beauty. Her silver hair was loose, perfumed, and wreathed in gold buds. She wore a heavy gold dress that was designed to mimic the dress that would be worn by Eos'' chosen. She had all but declared herself the chosen. This was her quiet statement to the public, given the scandal ridden circumstances that had come up.


    "Look, that shameless Syryn really came," one novice priest pointed out to another.


    "And Rowan too. Are they crazy? I can imagine Syryn would pull such a stunt, but Rowan? He should know better than to let his boy toy manipulate him to this extent."


    "So shameful.."


    Syryn hadn''t made any extra effort for this special day. It was enough to arrive as himself. He made eye contact with the princess who defiantly raised her chin at him.


    "Rowan, hold my hand," Syryn asked his boyfriend.. "That woman is getting on my nerves."

 Chapter 329 - The Present Ll

    Lillith''s stomach fluttered with butterflies when she saw Rowan under the tall entrance of the temple.


    He was wearing a decorative lightweight armour that every champion before him had worn on their special day. His hair was neatly brushed back and over it, he wore a circlet that matched the one inside a box held by the grand priestess.


    "Rowan," she sighed softly with happiness. There was no doubt in her mind that she was the one for him. The clerics of Eos had said so.


    "Rowan Windwalker," the grand priestess slowly stood up and called out his name. "Must you continue to profane this sacred place by bringing with you your sinful lover?"


    Hundreds of worshippers turned to look at Syryn who felt a rush of ice down his spine. Rowan squeezed his hand gently and reminded him that there was nothing to fear.


    "Let Eos decide what is sinful and what isn''t," Syryn said to the grand priestess.


    Her old grey eyes turned their stare to him and she frowned. "Speak only when you are being spoken to, heathen."


    "Die when you''re supposed to, you old fossil. Stop holding on to life like some whore clutching onto a fleeing customer."


    The congregation gasped loudly at the redheaded child who had uttered those terrible words.


    Rowan wasn''t sweating but he sure felt like it when he heard Lucien''s outburst. The blond hadn''t wanted to start a drama but it was inevitable when Lucien was around.


    "What insolence!" The priestess pointed to the redhead and screeched. "Someone throw him out! Now!"


    "He''s with me," Rowan told the approaching guards. "No one is getting kicked out without my permission."


    "Rowan you can''t-"


    "Please sit down, grand priestess," Rowan told the old woman. There was power in his command that even she was affected by. "You will remain silent and conduct yourself with dignity as befitting of Eos'' senior-most servant." The blond was firm but careful with his words.


    The grand priestess as well as several other clerics looked like they had much to say but Rowan''s cold glower kept them in their places.


    "Shall we begin then?" The blond asked the priests who promptly scurried to their places at the altar.


    ____


    "Lillith, child, go ahead," the old woman smiled encouragingly at her.


    The other two priestesses had failed to make the bud bloom so it was now her turn. The grand priestess suppressed her temper and ignored Syryn because Lillith would be chosen and he would be kicked out. There was time later for humiliating him and also Rowan who dared to speak to her in such a rude manner.


    Lillith walked slowly towards the pedestal that was surrounded by singing crystals, which were at the moment silenced by magic.


    This was it, the moment she had been waiting for her whole life. She shyly glanced in Rowan''s direction but he wasn''t looking at her. She felt a pang of hurt that even at this moment, Rowan would not gaze her way. Why didn''t he want her? If Syryn wasn''t alive then he would be hers, right?


    "Rowan will be mine," she whispered to the flower and then said a short prayer with her head bowed.


    All was quiet when the lovely princess reached out to the flower. The moment her fingers brushed it, there was a bright glow that sprang from the heart of the bud.


    Delighted gasps were heard from the congregation. The grand priestess wore a victorious smile as she watched the bud glow brighter and brighter.


    "Rowan, mind explaining that?" Syryn murmured to the blond.


    In response, Rowan slipped his fingers through Syryn''s.


    "It''s not like I''m planning to run away, Ro," Syryn told him. "Regardless of what happens, you''re with me, right?"


    "Always," Rowan told him with a smile. "Only you, my Ryn."


    Lillith''s heart was pounding and she was breathless. "Open," she coaxed the bud whose petals were moving. "Come on."


    "How long will that take?" Syryn asked the blond who looked unconcerned by what was happening.


    "Let''s give it a few minutes," Rowan replied.


    When the glowing bud did just that and nothing else, the butterflies in Lillith''s stomach turned into moths. Why wasn''t it opening?! The grand priestess had assured her that it would.


    "Open," she cried to it but the bud would not obey.


    Rowan''s solemn gaze was on the woman who once was his wife. They had both failed each other and the world. He was sorry for her pain, for the love he couldn''t reciprocate. He was sorry that Lillith had to be a pawn just like him. If Eos truly cared for her children then this time would be different, and maybe, just maybe, Lillith would fall in love with the healer who had been there for her when Rowan hadn''t.


    "Lillith," he gently called to her. "I''m sorry."


    The beautiful princess turned around to look at the love of her life, the man she was sure she would marry. "For what?" She said through a film of unshed tears. "For not loving me?"


    Rowan squeezed Syryn''s hand to let him know not to worry when he let go of it. Walking towards Lillith, Rowan recalled in his mind the sacrifices they had made, the fights they''d had, all the horrible things that had happened to the both of them. Neither had deserved any of it.


    "There''s a lot I''m sorry for." Rowan faced Lillith whose cheeks were wet with tears. She was so young and naive, untouched by the horrors that had carved their scars into the Lillith he had been married to. "Why do you wish to be with me?"


    The princess wiped away a teardrop from the side of her eye. Such a question was absurd.


    "Because it''s you," she answered. "I''ve loved you since the day- never mind. Everybody loves you, Rowan. You''re the champion, the handsome Knight in shining armour who will sweep some lucky wom- lucky man off his feet."


    The blond smiled at her correction.


    "Princess, I''m not the perfect man you seem to think I am."


    "But-"


    Lillith quieted when Rowan offered her his handkerchief.


    "There are many perfect men," Rowan bowed his head and spoke as gently as he did with Lucien. "Each one perfect for the one that was made for him. Someday you too will meet a man who will love you unconditionally. You will know then, princess, the true meaning of a perfect man."


    Lillith''s eyes watered all over again.


    "Please don''t cry, Lillith," Rowan said to the sniffling princess.


    "How can I not fall for you when you''re like this, Rowan Windwalker!"


    The blond was lost for words for a second time that day.


    Lillith used his handkerchief to wipe her tears and she turned to look at Syryn who was drinking a few cups of vinegar.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart, if you don''t love this man with all your heart, if you don''t treat him right, I will do whatever it takes to come between the two of you."


    Syryn awkwardly nodded. This wasn''t how he had expected his interaction with Lillith to turn out.


    "Goodbye, Rowan," Lillith smiled at him. It was sad, and brave, and filled with a determination that gave Rowan hope for her.


    ___


    "Syryn, come here," Rowan told the alchemist who was feeling out of sorts after the big drama that had unfolded. Rowan was a good man, that much he had gleaned from it.


    "Yeah," Syryn replied. He felt eyes as sharp as daggers piercing into him from every direction. He was unwelcome and unwanted among the worshipers of Eos. Did the Goddess even want him?


    A twinge of unease reared its ugly head as he arrived closer to the bud. He didn''t know why but he felt a sense of discomfort being inside the temple.


    "Just do it, Ryn," Rowan told him. The blond was hiding his anxiety well but his eyes betrayed him.


    "Here goes nothing," Syryn told Rowan as he placed his hand on the bud. At that very moment, Syryn''s vision went dark.. The last thing he saw was Rowan reaching out to catch him as he fell.

 Chapter 330 - An Ugly Confession

    "Syryn, Syryn, Syryn, do you know? You have been deceived."


    "It''s you again," he answered the child-like being that had pulled him into its dimension.


    "I''m here to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life!"


    "And what would that be?"


    "look, I know you don''t trust me, but hear me out. Do you know the real truth of your death, Syryn?"


    "I killed myself."


    "NO! It was Rowan that killed you. He drove a sword into your heart and had your body incinerated with the flame of the Pheonix."


    Syryn refused to believe it. "Why would Rowan do such a thing?"


    "It''s simple. Someone asked him, no, begged him, to kill you."


    "Someone who?"


    "Someone who hated you and everything you ever did."


    Syryn wasn''t wavering yet but he also wasn''t feeling so calm anymore.


    "you''re lying," he accused it. "I don''t believe you."


    "Then why don''t you ask Rowan? You''ll only believe him, won''t you?"


    Now Syryn was wavering. He felt sick in the stomach because he had trusted Rowan''s every word. Why would Rowan tell him the truth if he had killed Syryn?


    "I want to leave."


    "Ask Rowan, Syryn. And decide for yourself if you wish to yoke your fate with the man who is responsible for the suffering you endured. When you''re ready for it, run away, run as far as you can from him." Syryn''s mind was whirling. Had everything been a lie? "Find the necklace in your satchel and ask Salem about it. It will lead you to the man who can stand up to Rowan. And when you''ve found him, I will help unravel the memories that the sage could not."


    "Let me out, now!"


    ____


    Rowan had been beside himself with worry for Syryn. At the latter''s touch, the lantern bud had bloomed so big and bright that it had blinded all the naysayers who had been waiting to see Syryn fail. What should have been a joyous moment had turned sour when Syryn fainted in Rowan''s arms. The lantern bud was forgotten as Rowan carried Syryn back home and waited for him to return from wherever he was taken to.


    "Ryn!" He grasped his lover''s hand when violet eyes opened.


    Syryn looked up at him and Rowan knew something was very wrong.


    The alchemist sat up and glanced at the band that was wrapped around his finger. What was a lie? What wasn''t? Even the sage had gone quiet and was no longer speaking to him.


    "Ryn, are you okay?" Rowan asked the pale-faced man who hadn''t said a word to him.


    "Ro," Syryn finally spoke. His voice was low and dull. "Did you kill me in the first timeline?"


    What he did want Rowan to say? No. He wanted the blond to deny it, and for them to continue acting like a pair of old lovers.


    "Who told you that?" Rowan answered after a few seconds which had felt like hours to Syryn.


    "Did you kill me?" Syryn asked again, already knowing the answer. It was easy to tell since Rowan hadn''t answered straight the first time.


    "Yes."


    The confirmation was a stone falling into a pond. The waters splashed and Syryn began to drown in air.


    "Yes? Is that all you''re going to say, Ro?"


    Their hearts were breaking and Rowan couldn''t say anything that could make it better. He was bound by the power of his vow to a deity who had wanted this from the very start.


    "I-" he couldn''t think straight anymore. "I have nothing to tell you, Ryn." Rowan hated how powerless he was to stop what was happening.


    Trust me. I love you. Don''t leave me. Don''t leave me.


    "Rowan," Syryn said to the anti mage whose blue eyes held untold pain and suffering. "I have to go away for a while." Syryn''s voice shook from emotion.


    "Where?" Rowan unconsciously reached out to grasp Syryn''s hand.


    "I don''t know," Syryn replied. He was a lost man out at sea with nothing to cling to. Syryn wanted to scream and lash out at something. He wanted to cry and crawl into a hole where nobody would find him.


    Rowan held Syryn''s hand and held it close to his heart. An emptiness he hadn''t felt since the day Syryn had died; it was coming back. "Is there anything I can say to make you stay?"


    Syryn wanted to be heartless but somewhere deep inside, a voice cried out for Rowan.


    "Listen, Ro," he told the anti mage as he leaned his forehead against Rowan''s chest. "I have to go and figure out what the truth is. You understand this, don''t you?"


    Rowan breathed in the scent of the mage and nodded. He couldn''t trust himself to speak lest he beg Syryn to stay.


    "Don''t follow me, Ro. Don''t let me see your face till I''ve found the truth about us. And when I return, it''ll be because-" Syryn lifted his face to look into Rowan''s eyes. "I''ll come back and I hope that it won''t be to avenge myself for what you did in the past."


    Rowan had made many mistakes along the way. He wasn''t perfect by any means but he had tried so hard to close the gap between Syryn and himself. And the harder he tried, the wider the rift tore. He wasn''t sure if he had the strength to let go of Syryn anymore than he had in the past. This would be the final test that could break him.


    "Don''t be too long, Ryn," his palms cupped Syryn''s face. "I''ll miss you."


    This wonderful, amazing man had killed him, Syryn reminded himself. He had even admitted to it. But the heart wanted what it wanted.


    The alchemist angled his lips over Rowan''s. He kissed and was kissed back with a fervour that set them both aflame. The passion between them was undeniable.


    "Rowan, I''m not saying goodbye to anyone."


    "I understand."


    "You won''t follow me, will you?"


    "I couldn''t."


    Syryn nodded.


    "Don''t get lost on the road, Ryn."


    "I won''t."


    He wouldnt.. Rowan would make sure of it.

 Chapter 331 - Altaire

    Several months into his journey, Syryn was on a cart headed for a city built out of marble. He felt a scorching hot burn over his arm where the mark of a goddess was singed into his skin. The burning sensation then died down as quickly as it had started.


    "Here we are, Marvel, a city of marble."


    The cart was parked outside a gate where a guard was checking the contents of the goods that were being allowed inside.


    "Just potatoes for the evening market," the old owner of the cart informed the guard.


    "That one doesn''t look like a potato."


    Syryn retrieved his papers from his satchel and held them out to the guard. "I''m a potato from Sigil."


    After examining the paper, the guard looked back up at his face. "Seems you are what you say." He returned the papers to Syryn and waved the cart into the gate.


    ___


    It had taken a very long time for Syryn to find the man who had given him the pretty necklace. Salem had told him that it was a gift from Altaire, a very famous alchemist who he had met while journeying to Nua.


    As he walked through the city carved out of white and pink marble, Syryn wished he could enjoy the sights without all the stress he was carrying.


    "Excuse me, can you point me towards Bing''s armoury?"


    "You''re standing under it, fool!" A short bearded man shouted from the inside of the armoury. "What do you want?"


    Syryn crumpled up the crudely drawn map he was holding. "I''m looking for Altaire."


    "So is everyone else. What business do you have with him?"


    Syryn reached under his shirt and removed the necklace that he was wearing. "He asked me to look for him when I needed to." The alchemist held up the necklace to the man whose tune changed when he saw it.


    "Are you Syryn?"


    The alchemist nodded. "How did you know?"


    "Master Altaire has been waiting for you. He heard rumours about a young fella called Syryn who was looking for him."


    "How?" Syryn was shocked. "Does he have spies everywhere?"


    "Not answering that. Head inside and take the stairs." The man jabbed his thumb behind him. "Master Altaire will be preparing his evening draught right now. You''ll find him easily."


    "Thank you," he told the man.


    Syryn then gingerly stepped through the mess of weapons that littered the floor. He reached the stairs and was dumbfounded by what he was seeing. The building was hollow save for the circular staircase that went up all the way to the top of the building. From the outside, it looked normal but from the inside it was abnormal.


    The alchemist made his way to the top of the staircase where he was met by a thick black metal door. A lion-headed door knocker stared at him till he reached out and knocked twice.


    "Syryn, you''ve arrived later than I anticipated."


    A tall man stood at the opened doorway. He wore a mask and had silky dark hair that reached his waist.


    "Altaire?" He asked the masked man. Salem had neglected to tell him that Altaire often wore a mask when in the company of others.


    "Do you not recognize me?" Altaire sounded more curious than disappointed.


    "No. It''s a long story."


    ______


    Altaire''s lodging was nearly as empty as the building he was staying in. Syryn could only see the barest of furnishings in what he guessed was the kitchen.


    "Amnesia. How interesting," Altaire said in his deep voice. "What do you know of your condition?"


    Syryn feared that Altaire would think him senile if he told him everything.


    "Do you believe in rebirth?" He asked the mysterious man. Why did he want to tell him his life''s story? Because Syryn was grabbing at connections that kept disappointing him. What was another person betraying or lying to him? He was tired of it all.


    "Rebirth? I don''t."


    "Okay. It happened to me. Now, do you still want to hear my story?"


    The masked man nodded. "You''ve whetted my curiosity."


    "Right. So it all begins on a ship that was attacked by mermen."


    ____


    Evening light dazzled Syryn''s eyes from behind the man who had remained mostly silent as he listened to the mage''s strange tale.


    "So I asked my housemate about the necklace and he told me it was a gift from you. And that''s how I came to be here."


    Altaire''s cup of liquid had grown cold. He had been so rivetted by Syryn''s fantastic tale that he''d forgotten to drink his evening draught.


    "You don''t believe me, do you?"


    "As absurd as it is, I almost believe you," Altaire responded. "I take it that you are withholding parts of the story from me."


    "For good reason," Syryn replied. "Trust me, you''re better off not knowing those parts."


    Altaire was thoughtful as he looked at the young alchemist through languidly blinking eyes.


    "If you want my protection then you have it, but, we can''t stay here. I''ll take your word for how powerful Rowan is. It''s surprising though that not much is known about him by the people of the Pond." At Syryn''s confused look, Altaire explained it to him. "It''s a place where secrets gather."


    "Like an organisation?"


    "Yes, but no. Think of it as a network of people exchanging information for the right price."


    "I see. Are you part of it?"


    Altaire emptied the cold draught into a tall bin. "I sometimes listen in to the chatter."


    Syryn watched as the senior alchemist began to collect the ingredients for a new draught.


    "Why are you helping me?" Syryn asked Altaire.


    "Why shouldn''t I? You asked for it."


    "And if I ask you to take off your mask, would you?"


    The senior alchemist crushed a few dried seeds in a pristine mortar. Syryn could immediately smell the spicy scent that it released.


    "You have but to ask."


    "You''re a strange man, Altaire," Syryn told him. "Has anyone ever told you that?"


    "No. Nobody ever talks to me with the carefreeness that comes so easily to you, Syryn.. You are just as strange as I am."

 Chapter 332 - Altaire L

    Night time arrived and Altaire made dinner for the both of them. He was, as Syryn discovered, an excellent cook.


    The mage had never known that a bowl of seasoned rice could taste so good. Altaire had also served a bowl of clear soup boiled with leafy greens, and a savoury venison dish that had an exotic spicy taste to it.


    "I''ve had a lot of time to mull over your story," Altaire said to him. "In the end, did the bud bloom for you?"


    Syryn didn''t know. He hadn''t been in the mood to find out.


    "You don''t know?"


    "No. It doesn''t matter." Rowan had made his decision early on. Whether it bloomed or not, the blond had wanted only Syryn.


    "I can ask around," Altaire offered.


    "Sounds like you''re more curious about it than I am."


    "I can''t deny it. The fate of the world rests on Eos'' answer."


    Syryn felt his insides squeeze. Rowan had told him they would have to work together to defend themselves from an apocalypse that could end humanity.


    "Why do you even believe me?" Syryn asked the man. "I wouldn''t believe me if I were you. It all sounds so far fetched."


    Rebirth, meddling deities, a voice in his head, the boyfriend who killed him, what else was Syryn missing? A white cat that had saved his life.


    "It may sound farfetched, but it begins to make some sense if you''ve been paying attention to what''s been going on in the world, Syryn. The demonic attack on Nua is just one of the many incidents that have caused a disturbance amongst the watchers. Your story is the thread that connects what has been a very confusing few years of chaos in the politics of the world."


    He wasn''t smart enough for this. Beyond the sphere of his own influence, Syryn didn''t know much about anything.


    "So you''re saying that it makes sense to you?"


    "Yes, and you have my gratitude for it. You''ve given me much to think about."


    "So what conclusion have you come to from hearing my story?"


    Altaire leaned forward and Syryn followed suit. "Syryn, you are the answer."


    "Okay?" Syryn waited for his companion to say more. He didn''t. "But what''s the question?"


    "We won''t know that till you get back your memories."


    Syryn made a sound much like that of a frustrated animal.


    "If you don''t know the question then how do you know that I am the answer?"


    Altaire placed his hand on the table and motioned for Syryn''s right hand. He held up the up mage''s palm and pointed to the line in the centre.


    "It''s like this. Several branched out lines but they all converge at a single point."


    Syryn nodded along. He was starting to get what Altaire meant.


    "Tomorrow, we ride at dawn, Syryn." Altaire released his hand and told him.


    "Where are we going?"


    The alchemist began to slowly drum his fingers on the table as he thought about Syryn''s question.


    "Back to Elysium."


    Syryn spluttered in outrage. "Why?! I came all the way here to put distance between me and Rowan."


    "I know," Altaire replied. "But for someone like Rowan, distance is a mere inconvenience. He will not be deterred by it. Moreover, I think you shouldn''t run away from him."


    "I refuse to follow you back to Elysium!"


    "Then you can stay here and wait for Rowan to find you. I''ll be at Elysium."


    "Rowan won''t come looking for me. He told me so." Syryn was now clutching at straws.


    "Do you realise how foolish you sound?" Altaire asked him. "A man who supposedly murdered you in your past life together, who confessed to it, who you''re running from, and you tell me that you take his word, his assurance, at face value. Make up your mind, Syryn. Do you or do you not trust your Rowan?"


    Syryn was silenced by Altaire''s logical rebuttal.


    "We ride at dawn, Syryn," the man repeated. "Now go to sleep."


    ____


    Syryn spent the night tossing and turning. He wasn''t able to get Altaire''s question out of his mind. Did he or did he not trust Rowan?


    He didn''t not trust Rowan but he didn''t trust him either.


    "Why?" He asked the moon. "Why can''t I hate Rowan for killing me?"


    The mage wallowed in his misery till morning light began to peer through his window. A gentle rapping on his door sounded and he heard Altaire''s light footsteps walk away from the door.


    ____


    The duo took the scenic route rather than travelling through rifts. Altaire had accurately guessed that as much as Syryn wanted his lost memories, he wasn''t yet ready to have it. He couldn''t blame the mage for it because no one would ever be ready to see a different version of himself get killed by the man he had put his faith in.


    "Here," Altaire handed him a flower as they were passing through a forest. It was a pretty blue flower with three petals curling out to reveal a fragrant throat.


    "What''s this?"


    "A flower."


    Syryn sniffed it and wondered why the senior alchemist had given it to him. Half an hour later, the mage was sleeping soundly on a sleeping mat that Altaire had rolled out for him.


    The masked man started a bonfire and read a book while Syryn enjoyed the deepest sleep he''d had in many weeks.


    ____


    "You drugged me," Syryn accused after waking up and finding himself energised.


    "You drugged yourself. I merely handed you a flower to look at."


    Syryn couldn''t refute his argument.


    "I think," he hesitated to say it.


    Altaire''s masked face turned up from the pages of his half-finished book.


    "I think I''m starting to understand you just a little bit."


    "Bravo," the senior alchemist dryly replied.


    ____


    "That''s too expensive! I''ll buy it for thirty silvers."


    Syryn and Altaire were passing by a village when a little shop had caught the mage''s attention. The shop was selling animal figurines and he wanted the snow-white cat with blue eyes.


    "Thirsty silvers won''t do. Forty silvers, sir. I have to feed my family so please stop bargaining."


    Altaire dropped a crown and picked out two figurines including the cat.


    "I didn''t ask you to buy it for me," Syryn told the man when he held it out to him.


    "Did you forget that we''re travelling through a bandit infested mountain and it''s almost nightfall?"


    Syryn snatched the cat out of Altaire''s hand.. There was no winning against the man.

 Chapter 333 - A Guest

    Syryn''s troubles kept him busy thinking about his future but he wasn''t so distracted that he would fail to notice Altaire''s routine. The senior alchemist made and drank a cup of his draught every day without fail. Come rain or sunshine, Syryn would find him brewing a cup.


    "Why do you drink that?" He asked the man when they had taken a break to brew the liquid. Altaire never offered him a cup though he was offered everything else that the man consumed.


    "Do you want some?"


    "Sure."


    The senior alchemist held out a cup of the deep red liquid. The smell was odd, like burnt rice and rust. The mage was about to taste it when he saw Altaire watching him like he was waiting for something to happen. Syryn''s courage fled and he placed the cup back into Altaire''s hand.


    "Wise decision," the man informed Syryn.


    "Why?"


    "Drink and you''ll find out."


    ___


    The duo reached the outskirts of Elysium one week later.


    "What''s this for?" Syryn asked the senior alchemist who handed him a mask just like the one he was wearing.


    "You are no longer Syryn," Altaire answered. "You''re Ben, my apprentice. Introduce yourself as such to anybody who asks you. And cut your hair or style it differently."


    The mage accepted the mask and Altaire''s suggestion for his hair. His long hair was shorn to the length of his chin.


    "Stay under your cowl and do not let anyone see your eyes," the senior alchemist further instructed. "This may be causing you discomfort but I assure you, Syryn, it won''t last for long."


    The mage rode his horse into Elysium with the senior alchemist. They traversed through various shortcuts and small residential areas till Syryn was able to see the outlines of a grand palace in the distance.


    Altaire couldn''t possibly be taking him to the royal palace, Syryn told himself. But they got closer and closer, and they were still heading straight for the palace.


    "Hey, are you serious?" Syryn asked the silent man.


    "Quite."


    "But why? Lillith and her family live here."


    "They won''t recognise you, Syryn. And Rowan won''t dare to storm the royal palace even if he suspects you''re inside it. It is in his best interest to remain civil and wait patiently while you attempt to retrieve your lost memories."


    "I guess that makes sense. I''ll be hiding in plain sight."


    "Hiding? No. I''ve sent a message to Rowan that you''ll be at the palace with me, and that he is to quietly wait it out till you''ve remembered everything."


    A jumble of words all fought for dominance in Syryn''s mouth and he couldn''t fit them all together.


    "Are you afraid of Rowan?" A sudden question came out of nowhere.


    "I''m not."


    "Do you trust him less than the person who asked you to find me?"


    Syryn had been grappling with this question after running away and having a few days to cool his head. Why did the entity wait so long to tell him about it? What did it gain from warning Syryn?


    "I don''t know whose words to trust anymore. I''m even having second thoughts about letting that person help me find my memories. They''re very powerful, maybe powerful enough to feed me fake memories."


    "But you said that Rowan confirmed he killed you."


    "He did." Syryn wilted like a dying stalk of grass. "And I have to find out why because he refuses to say anything more."


    "Damned if you, damned if you don''t."


    What was Syryn to do now? "If you were I, what would you do?" He asked Altaire.


    "I would find the cat that apparently saved your life. Maybe the feline can shed some clue that might solve your conundrum."


    ____


    "Master Altaire! Welcome! We-"


    "Yes, very good," the senior alchemist responded. "Please show us to our chamber, castellan."


    "This way, master Altaire." The castellan was used to the senior alchemist''s distaste for small talk and chit chat. Every time he visited, he would send a message ahead so his room would be proper and ready upon his arrival. The royal family had learnt early on that Altaire did not entertain anyone, without exception, unless they had something important to say. Inspite of it, he was granted a permanent room to himself at the palace.


    At the west wing of the palace, Altaire''s room had been swept, dusted, scrubbed, and cleaned till the shiny floors were reflecting light that illuminated the large room through seven tall windows.


    "Two beds as requested," the castellan gestured into the room.


    ___


    Dinner was left on a table outside the door. The soft tinkle of a bell in the room informed its occupants of the food waiting for them.


    Altaire had already taken a bath and was sitting at a table next to an open window. Wearing a blue night robe, he had his hair loosely tied back so that the droplets of water dripping from it would not fall on the scroll he was reading under lamp light.


    "There''s a tray of dinner outside our door," he told Syryn when the mage came out of the bathroom feeling like his soul had been cleansed of travel dust. "Cover your face before venturing out."


    Syryn did as he was told. He placed the large tray on the table where Altaire was seated.


    "Meow." They heard from under their window. A few seconds later, a white cat jumped onto the window sill then leapt inside the room.


    "Milky?"


    "Meow."


    Right before their eyes, the feline shapeshifted into a very beautiful, stunning, naked man.


    Altaire blinked in surprise and looked away from the gently curving naked backside of their intruder. Suspecting the heroic cat to be a shapeshifter, he had sent it an invitation via a paper crane but the arrival of his guest was too abrupt even for him.


    "Syryn Nigh''hart," Milky spoke and the power in his voice stunned both alchemists. "Do not ever call me Milky."


    Just like his fur, the man had feathery white hair on his head and lashes. But did the carpet match the drapes? Syryn tried very hard to keep his eyes fixed on the unearthly face of the naked man.


    "What should I call you then?"


    Milky was frustrated. His name had been forgotten by humans and he wasn''t allowed to speak it.


    "Seth."

 Chapter 334 - Seth

    Syryn''s clothing was too small for Seth, and Altaire''s was too large. In the end, he settled for wearing the senior alchemist''s night robe.


    Now comfortably seated, he turned to Syryn and regarded him till the silence became suffocating.


    "You bear the mark of Eos and Moira. Let them help you, Syryn. You''ll need power from every deity that''s willing to come to your aid."


    The mage recalled the burning sensation he had felt on his arm. Was that Moira?


    "None of this is going to make any sense till I remember everything," Syryn replied. "Do you know who it is that''s been talking to me?"


    "Yeah, I know that bitch and a few others who have been sent to muddle your senses and kill you. She''s the reason the voice in your head is gone."


    "Who-" Syryn felt a warm drop of blood flow down his nose. A bout of dizziness hit him but when Seth snapped his fingers, the world righted itself.


    "You can thank me later," Seth told him. "Here''s what I need you to know, Syryn. Your enemies are growing desperate because Rowan is winning. They''re breaking the rules, hurting themselves to hurt you."


    Syryn wiped his bloody nose with the back of his hand, more confused than ever. Why couldn''t Seth tell him these things after he remembered? It was very hard to connect the dots though he had all this new information.


    "Syryn, focus on me." Seth was leaning into his space and staring right into his eyes. "I will send you into a deep sleep that will last for many years. And when you wake up, I might no longer be here. So-"


    "Why? Where will you go?" Syryn abruptly asked.


    "That isn''t important, Syryn. Worry about yourself," Seth firmly told him. "You''re at the centre of a war, the scale of which you do not comprehend."


    Altaire was an unobtrusive presence who was listening in with fascination. It was like watching a dramatic play between two mentally ill people, him being no better because he was lapping up every word and revelation like it was the golden truth.


    "Why are all of you suddenly telling me these things now?! Am I going crazy?! Cause I think I am."


    Altaire felt the same. The food was getting cold and he was hungry but what was the temptation of food when he had bigger things to worry about.


    "I told you, Syryn. They''re breaking the rules! So am I!"


    "And Rowan?" The mage asked. "Is he playing by the rules?"


    Seth nodded. "He has to. He''s a mortal. Rowan can''t break the rules. If he does then this all ends prematurely and the both of you lose."


    It wasn''t fair that Rowan had to play by the rules while everyone else got to break them. "Can you at least tell me this then, Seth, did Rowan kill me like that entity told me he did?"


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    The way Seth looked at him made Syryn uncomfortable. "It was the merciful thing to do. That''s why Rowan killed you."


    Seth''s words were as heavy as boulders that crushed Syryn''s spirit. He didn''t want the truth anymore.


    "You have a long and difficult war ahead of you," Seth told him. "Until now, the players have all been waiting for you to remember the truth, Syryn. And when you do, your enemies will no longer stay their hand."


    The mage was stricken by a sense of helpless anger. He was better off being lied to than having the truth.


    "I''ve lost my godhood and I am not long for this world or even the next," Seth dropped a shocking revelation on his listeners. "I won''t be there to protect you when you wake up."


    "Are you dying?" Altaire interrupted for the first time since Seth began talking. How could a god die? Weren''t they immortal?


    "No," Seth replied with a glance his way. "But I will die. Kindness will kill me."


    Seth was speaking in riddles again. Syryn stood up and began pacing the room because he was being driven insane.


    "I have one blessing I can bestow on you. Will you accept it?"


    The mage stood and faced Seth. "Why must you die?" He didn''t know the man but was still upset by the thought of knowing he would be gone.


    "My death will not be in vain, Syryn," a small smile warmed Seth''s cold face. "It will be my final gift to you." The shapeshifter raised a hand and cupped Syryn on the cheek. "Will you accept my blessing, Syryn?"


    "Yes.."


    Seth gently laid his palm over Syryn''s face and a mark burned where he was touched.


    "There," Seth softly declared. A silver crescent appeared between Syryn''s brows but he couldn''t see it. "Now you will sleep, young one."


    The mage swayed on his feet like he was drugged. When he fell forward, Seth caught him in his arms and carried him to bed.


    "Altaire," Seth called to the silent brooding man who tilted his head upwards to face the breathtaking demigod.


    "Yes."


    "You have paid the dues for the arrogance of your youth. Do you wish to be freed from your affliction?"


    Altaire was struck dumb by Seth''s words. He had told not a single soul about it so it wasn''t possible for the shapeshifter to know about it unless he really was what he claimed to be.


    "No," he replied after finding his bearings. "I''m resigned to what I''ve done to myself. It reminds me every day of my immortality and foolishness."


    When the love of his life was poisoned by an enemy, the alchemist had made a vow that he would find the antidote to her suffering. In his supreme self-confidence, Altaire had deliberately polluted himself with her blood. He had been arrogant enough to believe that anything was possible if he applied his genius to it.


    Now she was long dead and he remained alive, carrying the poison whose cure remained elusive. His lesson in humility would be reinforced everytime he drank the draught that kept him alive to see another day. No, Altaire didn''t need any healing.


    The shapeshifter dipped his head and touched the white mask that covered Altaire''s face. "This thing is just another tool you use to keep everyone at a distance."


    "It suits my nature."


    Seth retracted his hand. He couldn''t force his power on a man who didn''t want it. "You have made up your mind and I cannot change it."


    "Thank you for offering to help me, Seth. I wish to remain this way till I die."


    The shapeshifter found himself surprised again by the resilience and depth of emotions he saw from such fragile humans. His stint in the mortal world had been an eye opening experience that he was grateful for.


    "Only death should be permanent, not the mistakes of your youth.. I hope you''re able to find the peace you''re looking for, Altaire."

 Chapter 335 - The Past (Syryn)

    Warning : Disturbing chapter/Torture


    __________________________________________________


    "Rowan, steady yourself," Qairu told the man who had gone still. The air around Rowan seemed to stagnate and freeze with him. "Windwalker!" Qairu shouted as the blond took a step forward like he was ready to embrace Syryn in the centre of the battlefield.


    The demon lord they thought dead was well and alive and leading the force of demons as its general. He had transformed completely into a monster with horns and a wingspan that stretched out longer than his own body. A shimmering violet scaled armour covered every inch of his exposed skin.


    "Snap out of it, Rowan!"


    "Qairu, hand me your sword." The anti mage''s blue eyes were focused on the lonely figure that was leisurely walking towards them.


    "Are you kidding me?!" Qairu all but screeched. "Cut him down with your sacred weapon, Windwalker! I know what you''re thinking and I refuse to allow it!"


    "He wants to fight me," Qairu. "He''s waiting."


    The cloudy sky above them was blood red and ominous. Underneath it, the army of demons remained eerily still and quiet. This was a stage set for Rowan and Syryn. It demanded that one of them die after a fierce struggle. This would determine which side won the battle of morale.


    Qairu grabbed Rowan''s arm and he forced the blond to look at his face as he screamed at him. "They know you won''t hurt Syryn! Do you not see what they''re planning, Rowan??"


    "I''ll be alright, Qairu." Rowan sounded calm and indifferent.


    "No, you won''t! No!" The priest could not overpower Rowan. Anger, hot like molten lava pooled in his guts as he watched Rowan walk further and further away from them.


    "Q," Wendy placed an arm on his shoulder. "If Rowan falls..."


    "He won''t fall," Qairu snapped at her. "Rowan won''t fall. He can''t. He''s the only hope we have."


    "Eos watch over Rowan," Wendy softly prayed.


    Thousands of soldiers watched quietly as two figures stood underneath the hellish sky.


    Syryn''s wings were open in their full glory, each feather as sharp as an assassin''s blade. His eyes were just as expressive as Rowan remembered them.


    "Ryn.." Rowan''s words were painfully lodged in his throat when he saw the recognition and sorrow in Syryn''s eyes. This wasn''t an undead body he was facing. It was his best friend come to life.


    Syryn moved his lips without words, forming the shape of Rowan''s name. His voice box had been removed, the scar on his throat evident, and only his eyes could tell Rowan how sorry he was.


    Rowan had a hundred questions to ask but where could he even begin?


    Syryn''s expression changed when a high pitched melodic flute began to play. Anger, panic, helplessness, Rowan saw it all in his eyes.


    The demon in Syryn heard the command and it began to take charge of his body. The demon lord''s aura slowly became sinister and bloodthirsty. Expecting the inevitable fight, the anti mage pulled out the sword he had taken from Qairu.


    Not a second too soon, Rowan blocked an attack that came straight for his neck. His anti-magic field burst out and cocooned Syryn and himself, preventing the demon from using its magic to attack Rowan. Each strike that Syryn''s claw made left a scratch on the sword which was also divinely blessed. This was a testament to the terrible strength that Syryn now possessed.


    Blow after blow, Rowan defended himself without striking at Syryn. He could see the war going on within the demonic body as his friend struggled for dominance against the demon.


    "Syryn, when this is over-" Rowan twisted the sword as a claw scraped against it forcefully. "We should get some counselling together."


    The demon lord suddenly froze like a puppet.


    "Lillith left me by the way. You predicted it correctly." The anti mage smiled sadly as he pointed the sword at Syryn''s neck. "You said you would laugh at me when it happened."


    Syryn fell to his knees, his claws clutching at his neck like he was choking.


    "Ryn-"


    Syryn''s lips moved but the ugly sound of the flute began to play more erratically. The fight for control of his body ensued.


    "How can I help you?" Rowan asked, not expecting an answer. Pain lanced through his heart and it worse than when he had seen Syryn die. He let his sword arm hang loosely by his side as he helplessly watched the pitiful creature struggle with itself in the dust. It was all Rowan''s fault. He should have known to let go. He should have known to refuse the demon''s offer.


    The tune of the flute changed again and Syryn stopped fighting. This time, he stood up mechanically and began walking back towards the demons.


    All Rowan could do was clench his sword in a death grip as Syryn walked away. Attempting to capture him was only a waste of his energy and it had the potential to cause him injury, two scenarios that could cost them the war.


    The army of demons melted into the distance when Syryn was absorbed into their fold.


    _____


    "Syryn, are you happy? You got to meet Rowan and you even played with him."


    Syryn''s arms were tied to massive chains that hung from a ceiling where letters of power were carved into them. His body was marked with signs of torture that had gone on for an entire night. His handler''s rough claws gripped Syryn''s chin to raise his face up for inspection.


    "Beautiful," the handler cooed as his claw brushed past the healing stitches that kept Syryn''s mouth sewn shut. "I could use your mouth for many things pleasurable but you just couldn''t help it, could you?"


    Syryn''s eyes were cold, fearless. They couldn''t break him so they took away his voice and sewed his lips together. A hard slap left a sting on his cheek but Syryn didn''t react to it.


    "You were the emperor''s favourite, Syryn. Now look at you. A whore to the human who had you imprisoned. Did he fuck you?" The handler whispered in his captive''s ear. "Kill him and I''ll let you-"


    Syryn painfully butted his head against the handler''s nose.


    "Filthy-" the handler slapped Syryn again. "Disgusting-" his claws drew blood when he hooked a sharp digit into the stitches and tore them out. "Human lover!"


    The handler couldn''t stand the way Syryn stared at him. Couldn''t stand the way he defied his orders again and again.


    "You asked for it, Syryn," the handler furiously told him, hand gripping Syryn''s hair tightly. "I hope you enjoy what I''m going to do to you.. It''s a special kind of torture reserved only for you."

 Chapter 336 - Hope (warning : Torture)

    Syryn was dragged away by two other half-demons who acted as his guards when they weren''t torturing him. His handler, the skinny demonic creature with grey leathery skin walked briskly ahead of the guards, taking them through several turns of the dungeon that housed their prisoner.


    "You will know the dire consequences of disobeying me, Syryn," the handler snarled at the mute half-demon. "When you killed yourself, our emperor had you brought back to life by sacrificing another one just as powerful as you are. A pity, I say, because Lucien was more loyal to his blood than you could ever be."


    Syryn recalled the poisonous red-headed demon and felt sorry for him even if he was a sadistic demon lord who didn''t deserve any pity.


    "Make no mistake, Nigh''hart," the handler''s voice echoed through the wide passageway that led to a smaller chamber. "You are useful to us only as long as Rowan considers your life precious. Your disobedience, notwithstanding, we are willing to let you test our patience."


    Syryn heard the sound of a match striking and then the smell of sulphur before a lamp was turned on. He could see now, in front of him, a narrow rectangular hole filled with murky water.


    "Syryn," the handler raised his lamp and smiled at the mage whose heartbeat raced when he realised what manner of cruelty they were going to inflict upon him. "I am in awe of our emperor''s creativity and power. For your unforgivable act of betrayal, he has bestowed upon you a body that cannot be killed by any normal means that would take out a living breathing creature."


    Syryn was loathe to beg for mercy though he knew what waited for him in that narrow dark hole filled with water. He was terrified, praying he would die.


    "Perhaps you''ll be motivated to show more respect and obedience after you''ve experienced the joy of drowning without relief. How does an hour sound? Excellent, doesn''t it?"


    _______


    "I''ve sent hawks to the fortress closest to ours. If they get the message on time, we might survive a real attack from the demonic army that Syryn is leading."


    Rowan listened to Qairu speak but his mind wandered as it was prone to do these days. There was a great deal he worried about but the subject that occupied his thoughts most heavily was Syryn, or rather what was being done to him for his disobedience. He recalled how Syryn had made it his goal to defy Rowan at every step of the way when he was doing his best to tame the demon lord. As sure as the sun would rise, Rowan knew that Syryn would struggle till he was broken.


    "Are you even listening?"


    "No." The faraway look in Rowan''s eyes was replaced by something empty and jaded.


    "Can''t you at least lie and pretend that you care?" Qairu said wearily.


    "I do care," Rowan answered. "I''m sorry, what were you saying?"


    The priest sighed. The anti mage was humanity''s bulwark but he wasn''t made of stone and mortar. Rowan had his needs and feelings but they weren''t being met. He wanted the blond to vent, lose his temper sometimes, maybe even bed his absent wife if she could be found.


    "When was the last time you did something enjoyable?" He asked the blond.


    Rowan''s answer died on his lips at the cry of a horn that alerted them of enemies.


    ____


    Syryn was back. And just like the last time he had appeared, the army of demons waited silently in the background. Qairu had surmised that they were afraid of Rowan''s powers and wanted him dead before launching their biggest attack yet. The anti mage had the ability to crush hundreds of them in mere seconds when he wielded his sacred Claymore. It was a devastating combination that they had become very afraid of.


    "Here," Qairu gave Rowan his sword without being asked.


    The anti mage smiled, a barely noticeable arc of his lips. "Thank you."


    "Get out there and satisfy yourself you repressed blond menace," Qairu told him.


    "Repressed?" Rowan murmured as made his way to Syryn. It was an unfortunate situation he was stuck in but the blond couldn''t deny how much satisfaction it gave him to meet Syryn again.


    The tiny bit of happiness he felt was burned away by the sick pit in his stomach that churned at seeing what had been done to Syryn. The stitches on his lips and the bloody injuries on his body could be healed but his old friend bore an even greater injury that dismayed and alarmed Rowan. He could see it through the demon lord''s eyes.


    Syryn''s gait was hurried. He appeared manic, shattered, his eyes showing whites all around as if he had been consumed with absolute terror. Rowan realised that something was very wrong with Syryn.


    The fully transformed demon lord threw himself at Rowan with a ferocity that surprised the blond. There was no finesse and thought to his attack. He was a cornered wild animal lashing out in fear.


    "Syryn!"


    A hint of recognition flared and fizzled out like a spark of fire in the rain. Rowan leapt back when sharp claws swiped at his midsection. Without giving him time to breathe, Syryn''s next attack came at him and his wings slammed into Rowan''s armour.


    Syryn''s attacks became more and more desperate when the anti mage evaded them effortlessly.


    He had to kill Rowan. Rowan had to die so that Syryn wouldn''t be trapped inside the nightmarish pitch-black water for hours. Why couldn''t he stay dead? Why? His lungs still burned from the memory of being drowned - blacking out and waking up only to choke on water and pass out again. An unending cycle of drowning that he saw no escape from. They had threatened to throw him inside and keep him in it forever if he failed to end Rowan''s life.


    The anti mage sensed the tang of fear rolling off Syryn in waves. His own agitation trapped him like a caged animal fighting to be let out. Rowan knew then that if he didn''t stop Syryn''s blind rampage, he would either have to kill him or be killed.


    When Syryn leapt at him again, Rowan did not evade the attack. He embraced the force of nature that was the fully transformed demon lord - claws, brutal strength, and madness slamming into him so hard he felt his rib crack.


    It had been a bad idea but Rowan was just as much of a fool as Syryn was obstinate and contrary. The latter pinned Rowan to the ground with the edge of the man''s own sword pressed near his throat.


    "Syryn," Rowan called softly when he noticed how the demon lord had stopped when he could have slashed into the anti mage''s throat.


    "Sy-"


    A single drop of liquid streaked down Syryn''s cheek, landing delicately on Rowan''s skin like a raindrop. His hands shook as he fought the human part of himself that had been traumatised by what had happened in the water.


    "Ryn," Rowan called to him again. "What have they done to you.."


    It could all end with one death. Syryn understood this fact with clarity. If he killed Rowan while the anti mage was letting him do it, his suffering would end and so would the war. Humanity would lose. Rowan would be no more.


    Bright blue eyes engulfed by dark sorrow met Syryn''s beautiful violets. "I''m sorry, Ryn. I''m sorry...so sorry." The words tumbled out of his lips like pebbles carried by a river. Rowan was sorry for many things. Above all, he was sorry he had failed Syryn in every way.


    When a short burst of flute notes rang out clearly, Syryn knew his time was running out. He clenched the blade of the sword so hard that it dented in his claws. He had to kill Rowan to end all the suffering.


    "I''m so very tired, Ryn," Rowan told him. "I wish we could turn back time and return to better days."


    The flute stopped playing. It was now or never. The demon lord commanded his hands to work, to kill the man before him, but they disobeyed.


    "A part of me died with you. I don''t have it in me to watch you die again."


    The demon lord would have snarled if he had the capacity for it. He threw the blade aside with unbridled ferocity and looked skywards, praying that the gods would have mercy and grant him death. He closed his eyes and he was back inside the narrow water tank, pitch black and silent, drowning him for eternity. Hopelessness wrapped its cold tendrils around Syryn''s heart.


    For Rowan. Only for Rowan.


    The demon lord searched within himself and found love for the man who had taught him what it was to be human. A kernel of warmth. He would hold onto its precious light and endure his nightmare. And someday, Rowan would win the war and release him from that terrible inescapable abyss made for his punishment.

 Chapter 337 - The Present (Lucien)

    Four years passed and Syryn remained asleep; four years since Milky''s unexplained disappearance. Altaire, now a permanent fixture at the palace was engaged in discussion with Rowan who visited the palace as often as was possible.


    Their first exchange had been filled with animosity, especially on the anti mage''s end since he believed that Altaire was a hindrance to his plans, but the years had mellowed down their sharp words to blunted and friendly conversations about worldly affairs.


    Today, Lucien had come with Rowan. The teen was a ravishing sight to behold, a seductive red siren that turned heads every time he stepped out of his house. Over the years, Red had become a part of Luci and he longer made an appearance on his own. Luci had thus become just as barbed, crafty, and wicked as his counterpart had been, though he retained a charming kindness which could be attributed to Rowan''s influence in his life.


    "Syryn, I''m back," Lucien announced to his sleeping brother. His voice had gotten as deep as he had gotten taller. Rowan was still the tallest in their home but Lucien was gaining on him very fast. "I have a lot to tell you. You''ll be shocked to know that Magnus has returned."


    The fire mage had avenged his family, installed his mother on the throne as queen, and had abandoned the kingdom so he could return to Elysium where his happiness lay. News about his arrival had reached Alka from his older brother.


    Over the years, Artemus remained busy under a load of stress trying to catch the still active perpetrators of a case that had begun with the dead travellers whose bodies were rejected by carrion eaters.


    "I heard he''s been spending time at some guest house. He''s got a lady with him," Lucien scoffed when he said that. The one-sided crush he had been nursing on Magnus wasn''t dead yet after all these years. An ember remained and it didn''t hurt him too much when he came to hear of Magnus with a woman. He recalled what the fire mage had told him so many years ago.


    Toddlers are not my type at all, Lulu. I only like big sisters with curvy bodies.


    It was too bad for Magnus then. Lucien was a hot unsold commodity in Elysium. When the redhead stepped out, it wasn''t uncommon to see his admirers get trashed for stalking and annoying him. The girls he didn''t lay a hand on because chivalry wasn''t dead yet. But once he announced his gayness to the world, it was over for the ladies. Truth be told, Lucien thought men and women were both delectable, and he had sampled a few. None though could hold his attention for long.


    "Anyway, we miss you, Syryn. I don''t know when you''re coming back but I hope you do before I succeed at stealing Rowan from you."


    Lucien let out a soft sigh and turned from the face of his brother. He didn''t know what Altaire was feeding his brother, and how, but Syryn was growing and he looked healthier than he had any right to be.


    "I''ll see you in two days, Syryn," Lucien told his brother before he stood up to leave. Rowan and Altaire were still conversing about the wars that were being waged by Sigil''s neighbours and how Sigil itself was getting dragged into the chaos.


    "Rowan, Altaire, I''m leaving," he told the duo.


    "Where to?" The blond enquired. Rowan wasn''t yet ready to leave. Altaire and he were in the middle of an important conversation about the uneasiness that permeated the atmosphere in the pond. He had grown to trust the alchemist whom Syryn had admired deeply. Altaire''s presence beside Syryn allowed the blond to travel more and investigate the shadows whose reach included all the kingdoms that were at war.


    "Off to hit on Mu-Mu," Lucien cheekily replied.


    "Artemus?" Rowan raised a brow. "Or the other anti mage you''ve been sneaking around with?"


    His blond guardian did not approve of the older gentleman that Lucien had been seeing for a week now, and he had made it abundantly clear to the teen. Rowan wanted Lucien to stay away from the casanova who was going to break Lucien''s heart. Alka had dissolved into laughter when Rowan had made his feelings about it known. He was taken aback by the plant mage''s estimation of Lucien''s wickedness but he couldn''t be blamed. In Rowan''s eyes, Luci could do no wrong. Luci was an angel.


    "I swear I''m meeting Artemus. Why won''t you believe me, Ro?" Lucien, almost an 18-year-old adult Lucien, made a pouting face that melted the frown off Rowan''s face. Altaire had been seeing this play between the blond and the redhead for about three years now. He rolled his eyes and decided to keep his counsel to himself.


    ____


    Lucien hadn''t been lying when he told Rowan that he was meeting Artemus. The older anti mage tended to forget food these days. Alka, Sebastian, and Lucien often visited him with hot food from the anti mage''s favourite restaurants whenever they had the time to.


    When he arrived at the Sanguine HQ, Artemus was in his office, poring over a report from the team that was investigating the latest spate of magical murders in Sigil.


    "Mu-Mu," Lucien greeted the anti mage. "I brought you food."


    "Just a minute, Luci."


    The teen folded his arms and leaned on Artemus'' chair. He could smell strawberry scented shampoo on the anti mage''s well-groomed hair.


    "Been spending the night at Sebastian''s, have you?" Lucien said with a light chuckle.


    "Maybe."


    "I''m telling you, Mu-Mu, Sebbie won''t mind a threesome. Just let me know a date and time and I''ll-"


    "Tomorrow, seven o clock," Artemus replied. He wouldn''t be home and neither would Sebastian so Artemus was happy to have Lucien over to accompany and feed his five big dogs.


    "Eh?" Lucien flirted with everything that was attractive and looked human. That included his housemates, Artemus, and Sebastian. What he didn''t expect was for them to positively respond to his advances. It left him bewildered because they weren''t supposed to agree with him.


    "Cat got your tongue?" Artemus asked, amused by the red head''s silence.


    "Artem-" the door to the office opened up and a newcomer arrived.


    Lucien recognised that voice and turned around so fast he almost had whiplash. His blood-red eyes took in the tall figure of a man he hadn''t seen in many years. Smirking at the shapeshifter who was struck dumb at seeing him, Lucien folded his arms and leaned back against Artemus'' chair. He was going to have so much fun.


    "Magnus.. What a surprise."

 Chapter 338 - Old Friend

    "Magnus, what a surprise."


    Lucien couldn''t say what Magnus was thinking at that moment. The fire mage had always been a very difficult person to read.


    "Luci."


    "A whole week has passed since your arrival to Elysium. Why didn''t you come home?" Lucien''s cold gaze pinned Magnus in place as though as he was a criminal being interrogated.


    "I doubted I would be welcomed back."


    "Bullshit." How could they not welcome him? His place in their hearts and their home had always remained a Magnus shaped hole waiting for him to fill someday. "What''s the truth, Magnus? And who is the woman you''ve been seen around with?"


    "Mina? She''s a friend," Magnus responded, his confusion evident on his face. He hadn''t made any mental preparations for meeting a grown-up Luci and it was obvious in the way he gaped at the teen.


    "Is that what they call their girlfriends these days, Mu-Mu?" Lucien smirked as he asked the anti mage who was silently working.


    "I wouldn''t know, Luci. Never had one." Artemus didn''t do relationships but he was making an exception for Sebastian.


    "Girlfriend? No. But-" Magnus raised his brows at the redhead, "why are you asking about her?"


    "No particular reason, Magnus. Come visit us when it suits you. It''s not like we weren''t waiting all these years for you." Lucien''s words were bitter to the fire mage.


    "Luci, listen."


    Lucien placed the cooling lunch box on Artemus'' desk. He could practically feel the waves of guilt coming off the silent fire mage. The redhead then turned and waltzed past him without sparing a glance for the contrite fire mage.


    When he felt a hand grasp around his bicep, Lucien smiled with satisfaction, and it was gone the moment he faced the shapeshifter.


    "Wait, Luci. Please listen to me. I''m sorry. I should have come straight home but I was afraid." Lucien, Syryn, and Alka meant the world to Magnus. After so many years of separation, they would have forgotten his very existence. He wouldn''t be welcome anymore. These thoughts had plagued him and kept the fire mage away from the manor.


    "Afraid of what?"


    When a pink tongue licked cherry-like lips nervously, Magnus'' gaze darted to it for a second.


    "Of rejection."


    Lucien exhaled, casting his eyes down so that Magnus could see the fan of beautiful red lashes like butterfly wings on pale unblemished skin.


    "I would never reject you, Magnus. I''ve missed that warm body in bed-"


    Artemus slammed a stack of papers on his desk so loudly that Lucien near jumped out of his skin.


    "I apologise," the anti mage stated with a warning in his tone. "I thought I saw a cockroach scurrying across my table."


    "Well?" Lucien asked, grinning at Artemus'' irritation. "Did you kill it?"


    "No."


    Magnus wasn''t sure what was going on. He was only starting to realise that Lucien was no longer a child. He could no longer cuddle and squeeze him like the little bun he used to sleep with.


    "Right, I''ll be leaving. Good luck with your cockroach, Mu-mu."


    Lucien''s gaze lingered on Magnus'' handsome face for a few moments. Only now was he coming to terms with how much he had missed the fire mage. Being left behind by this person had made him feel abandoned all over again but Syryn, Alka, and Salem had soothed that wound. Lucien was aware that Magnus had had good reasons for leaving but it didn''t change the fact that he had been left behind. And Magnus'' failure to come home after returning to Elysium really rankled at him. Did the fire mage even remember the promise he had made to Luci?


    "I don''t accept your apology but I can be civil to you. See ya, Magnus."


    _____


    After Lucien exited the office, Magnus collapsed into another chair, groaning in frustration at what had been a disastrous first meeting with his Luci.


    "How bad was it?" He asked Artemus.


    "Disappointing," came the anti mage''s reply. "You could have handled it better." This was their second meeting, the first being a random off-chance encounter on the road wherein Artemus had asked Magnus to meet him in the office when the fire mage had time for it.


    "Luci won''t forgive me. I fucked up."


    Artemus opened his lunch box to find sweet rice cakes and a chicken salad.


    "Go home, Magnus. They miss you."


    He held out his lunch to the fire mage who declined with a shake of his head.


    "It''s just- I feel guilty," Magnus confided. "I don''t have a right to suddenly appear in their lives and disrupt whatever normalcy they''ve had going on. I''ve been gone for far too long."


    "Lucien did say he misses your warm body."


    Magnus fidgeted uncomfortably when the anti mage''s intense stare was fixed on him. Now why was Artemus staring at him that way?


    "How old are you, Magnus?" He casually asked.


    "What does that have to do with anything?"


    "Answer my question."


    "Twenty three."


    Artemus raised his chin to contemplate the pattern on his ceiling. Lucien liked them older and he had said so under no uncertain terms. But would Magnus be amenable to the match? The anti mage disregarded the existence of the woman in Magnus'' life because if Lucien wanted to have his way with Magnus then there was no stopping it unless the fire mage was engaged or married to her. Even Lucien drew a line in the sand when it came to promised couples. The anti mage was under no assumptions about Lucien''s goodness of heart when it came to stealing other people''s partners, but he was family. And Mina wasn''t.


    "What?" Magnus prompted Artemus. "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing. What is the nature of the relationship between you and Mina?"


    "I told you. We''re friends." Magnus would have preferred another topic of discussion.


    "Friends with benefits?" Artemus raised a neat brow.


    Magnus pointedly stared at the anti mage.


    "I''m not judging you, Magnus. If you don''t mind me asking, do you have feelings for each other?"


    Artemus ate a rice cake as Magnus visibly broadcasted his discomfort. Well, too bad for him, Artemus wasn''t stopping now. He needed the answers because it was obvious that Lucien was interested in Magnus.


    "I don''t have feelings for Mina. I wanted to return to Elysium alone. When we started.. you already know what we started, we both agreed there would be no feelings involved." Death had been chasing them back then. Falling in love or catching feelings was just asking to be hurt. "But I guess Mina wants more now. She insisted on following me back to Elysium." Magnus felt like an asshole because he should have seen it coming.


    "Are you going to callously dump her now?" Artemus had done the same, several times that he had lost count, to many of his partners. He''d felt guilty every time he did it but his partners had been fully cognizant adults who knew his reputation and still came for a bite.


    "Dump her?" Magnus echoed. Wasn''t dumping an act reserved for individuals in relationships?


    "Yes. Friends with benefits dump each other all the time, Magnus. You were an unconventional couple, a couple nonetheless." Artemus self reflected on his own sins as he helped Magnus make sense of his responsibility to his partner. "It''s a platonic relationship where you use each other for sex without commitment. You don''t owe Mina a relationship, but you do owe her a clean break. You''d have to be a real bastard to ghost or push her away without telling her it''s over."


    While he talked, Artemus methodically began to separate the crushed peanuts from his salad. Lucien knew he hated peanuts but never asked for them to be removed because it made his day better knowing he had inconvenienced the anti mage into wasting time even if it was only for a few minutes a day.


    "You speak from rich experience so I''ll take your advice," Magnus wryly smiled as he replied.


    "This will be the last time though that we speak about it."


    "Understood. But why does my relationship with Mina matter? It has nothing to do with returning home."


    "It does," Artemus responded. "And I am very concerned with the matters that are conducive to Lucien''s happiness."


    "You''re telling me that-" Magnus couldn''t believe he was saying this.. "That Luci has an interest in me?" It was the only inference he could deduce from Artemus'' strange questions.

 Chapter 339 - Coming Home

    When Magnus reached the gates of the manor, he was still recovering from the shock of knowing that Syryn had been in a coma for four years, almost five. He was assured by Artemus that Syryn had allowed himself to be induced into a state of coma and that he had good reasons for it. Good reasons, bad reasons, whatever had compelled Syryn to do this worried him.


    "Magnus!" Alka dropped a box he was holding and came running to the fire mage.


    "Hey."


    Magnus wasn''t prepared for the fist that landed square on his cheek. He could have dodged it but it was a well-deserved punch and he took it like a champ.


    "Hello, Magnus," Alka pleasantly said to the fire mage. "Do you know why I hit you?"


    "Maybe."


    "One week, Magnus," Alka''s demeanour changed as he stepped closer to the fire mage. "We were waiting for you. You couldn''t even send a message. Why? When you were out there risking your life, we worried about you but respected your decision to remain uncontacted. A message letting us know that you''re safe is the least you could have done for us once you were in clear. You got here one week ago and we had to find out through Artemus. If he hadn''t bumped into you-"


    "I''m sorry, okay. I messed up and I''m here now." Magnus ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I''ve been gone for so long I assumed everyone would have moved on and forgotten about me."


    "Well, we didn''t!" Alka shoved at Magnus'' chest. "We missed you. Wanted you home. Wanted to know you were alive."


    Magnus caught Alka''s smaller hands and pulled him in for a hug. The plant mage became quiet in his arms.


    "I had no idea, Alka. Sorry, I worried everyone."


    Alka squeezed back the fire mage. Pulling away from the hug, he smiled at the fire mage. "Get in the kitchen and apply some salve on your cheek. It''s in the top drawer. And while you''re at it, make some tea for us. I''ll be there in five minutes."


    "Yeah, okay. Rice tea?" The bruise on his cheek was already throbbing. Magnus worked his jaw and wondered where the plant mage had learnt to wallop like that.


    "Of course, Salem hasn''t left. We have a new housemate called Enkansh. He''s a siren."


    "Excuse me?"


    "Let''s talk in the kitchen, Magnus. I have a delivery to send off."


    The fire mage trotted off to the familiar kitchen which hadn''t changed since he had left. A strong sense of nostalgia washed away the lingering feelings of unease that had followed him to the house.


    "You''re finally here," Luci said to him when Magnus entered the kitchen.


    "I''ll leave if you want me to," Magnus told the redhead. Artemus'' words came back to haunt Magnus again and he wasn''t sure how he felt about Luci''s little crush.


    "Leave?" The redhead shook his head. "Not on my account, Magnus. This is your home just as much as it is mine. Anyway, welcome home."


    Magnus folded his arms and watched the redhead move around the kitchen, pulling out a knife, some vegetables, plates, and a whole lot of vermicelli. The young man had a cat-like grace that resembled Alka''s. He had been cherubic as a child and those features had matured beautifully. Lucien was a gorgeous, sinewy creature of demonic and human allures. And he had a crush on Magnus. It was enough to send a jolt of something strange and unbidden through the fire mage''s gut.


    Magnus was quick to erase away all his treacherous thoughts because this was Luci, the little boy who he helped raise for a few years.


    "Magnus?" Lucien was holding a knife and leaning against the countertop.


    The fire mage broke out of his reverie and cleared his throat nervously because what the hell was he thinking? Luci was a child. He didn''t like the way red eyes were knowingly watching him. A smile played about Lucien''s lips like he had seen through Magnus'' unwanted thoughts. He blamed it all on Artemus.


    "Did you miss me when you were gone?" Lucien asked him.


    "I missed you every day Luci. How could I not?"


    The redhead blinked indolently. Silence stretched between the two of them and then he turned his back to Magnus. "Don''t call me Luci. Red and I are the same now." Others were allowed to call him that because it was different when Magnus called him Luci. To Magnus, Luci was an identity separate from Red, and calling him by that name brought out the distinction between the two. And that was no longer true, a fact that Lucien wanted the fire mage to understand.


    Magnus opened his mouth and closed it. Luci had absorbed Red? Too much had changed. "What should I call you then?"


    "Anything but Luci."


    Magnus felt the bruise on his cheek begging for some salve. "Explain. Are you more Luci or Red?"


    "Neither. I''m the result of Red and Luci becoming one. I am both young and old," the redhead said with some melancholy. "Neither found nor lost. An abomination."


    The fire mage was startled by what he was hearing. "You''re no abomination," Magnus blurted out. "Lucien, how can you say that about yourself?"


    "It''s true."


    "Not it''s not."


    The redhead''s mouth curved. "Then you shouldn''t have a problem sleeping with me, just like old times, right?"


    Magnus narrowed his eyes at Lucien. It was a crush, just a small crush. The teen would get over it once he was satisfied. Magnus was certain it wouldn''t take long for Lucien to realise that there were better younger fish to be caught.


    "I guess I don''t," the fire mage replied, nervous about the thought of sharing a bed with this Lucien.


    Alka entered the kitchen right then. He carried a bundle of vegetables that he was growing in the garden. Bunches of celery, carrots, aubergine, and lettuce were tied together under his arm.


    "So, let''s talk," he turned to Magnus. "I''m eager to hear about how you defeated the baddies. Start from the beginning and don''t leave anything out!"


    "Oh, you''re here," Salem had also arrived in the kitchen to help with the cooking. Business was good, so good that he no longer kept the store open everyday. It left him more time for alchemy. "Welcome back Magnus. One week too late but I suppose it''s better late than never."


    "Yep," Magnus replied. "Good to see you too, Salem."


    "Enkansh, come here," Lucien called out to the siren who was just returning from a swim at the lake.. "I wanna introduce you to someone."

 Chapter 340 - Reminisce

    Magnus stayed in the kitchen well into the night, telling his housemates the most interesting of stories he had from his years fighting the people who had killed his grandfather.


    It wasn''t till nearly three in the morning that he stumbled into his room, tired and sleepy. Magnus stopped at the threshold of the door and stared at the teenager in his bed. Lucien''s red colouring was a shock of vivid colour on a white pillow. Half of his face was hidden under a thin blanket and the other half was a peaceful mask of sleep.


    The fire mage tiptoed quietly into the room and lifted the blanket. He paused when he saw Lucien''s state of undress. The teen was wearing only a pair of pyjama trousers and was shirtless. Magnus was mildly annoyed at himself because he was now overthinking every scenario that had anything to do with the redhead. He climbed into bed and closed his eyes, conscious of Lucien''s deep breathing beside him.


    ____


    When the fire mage opened his eyes, Lucien''s side of the bed of empty. All the years he''d been gone, his room had been kept untouched and waiting for him to come back and integrate as if he had never left.


    Rousing himself from bed, Magnus found a pitcher of cool water on the nightstand. A crisp white paper note peeked out from under the jar.


    You had a visitor. Mina was asking for you. I told her you had a late night.


    Lucien''s note was written hastily but he had a strong cursive reminiscent of Alka''s. The fire mage crumpled the note and burned it out of habit. Mina had been sleeping over at her relative''s home in Elysium and Magnus hadn''t had time to break it off cleanly with her as Artemus as suggested.


    The fire mage languidly stretched his body and undressed for a cold bath. Thinking back to the night, he remembered being half awake and grabbing something cool in bed.


    "Knock knock," Alka called out from outside the door.


    "Come in," Magnus wrapped a towel around his waist and called out.


    "Have you- oh, should I come back later?" Alka asked the half-naked fire mage.


    "It''s fine. Did you need something?"


    "Yea, I need your help with some weeding." A twinkle of mischief shined in the plant mage''s eyes even as he smiled innocently.


    "Weeding?" Magnus folded his arms and regarded the plant mage. What was Alka up to?


    "Hurry, I''ve got lemonade."


    Magnus decided his shower would have to wait for after labouring in the sun and sweating with Alka.


    ____


    "Look at that," Alka stood beside Magnus and surveyed his kingdom of plants like a proud monarch. "Do you see what I see, Magnus?"


    "Vegetables," Magnus blandly replied. "Lots of vegetables."


    "Not just any vegetables. These are-" Alka crouched and gripped the leaves of a carrot plant that was growing at his feet. "-unique hybrids." When he yanked and pulled out a carrot root, it wasn''t the normal orange coloured carrot that they were used to seeing. The monstrosity in Alka''s hand, a pink coloured carrot covered in long transparent hair-like roots, began to squirm as if trying to escape.


    "What the hell is that?" Magnus said with disgust. The carrot was trembling and the hairs on it were moving like they were alive.


    "This," Alka proudly presented it to the fire mage, "is the result of many years of my hard work."


    Magnus wasn''t surprised. This was standard fare for the plant mage. "And what does it do?" He curiously Alka.


    "It makes Salem''s creations taste more palatable!"


    The fire mage made a sound of understanding. The endeavour was a worthy one.


    "Anyway, the weeds are ruining my plot."


    From the corner of his sight, Magnus spied a redhead heading towards the house. Lucien had arrived home from wherever he had been.


    "Magnus, do you know that Luci is interested in you?" Alka asked in a sudden shift of topic.


    "Yes, why does everyone know about it?" Magnus bent down beside Alka and began working.


    "Red had made it obvious. Only you couldn''t tell because of how blind you were to Luci''s adoration for you."


    Magnus sighed because the idea of it confused him. "He''s seventeen," he reminded Alka.


    "I know. He''s dated men and women older than you, Magnus."


    "Doesn''t make it right."


    "All I''m saying is that you shouldn''t treat Lucien like he''s actually seventeen."


    The fire mage stared at Alka with reproach. Why shouldn''t he treat the teenager like one?


    "Nevermind," Alka said to Magnus. "Forget I said anything." The noon sun shone on them harshly and they both already sweating. The plant mage wiped a few beads of sweat from his forehead. Nights were cool but the days were turning hotter.


    "Why does everyone think it''s okay for a grown-ass man like me to be seeing Lulu?" Magnus questioned his friend. "It''s just a crush. He''ll get over it."


    Alka held his tongue. It was a crush but did crushes sustain for so many years despite the absence of the man being crushed on? Magnus was a special existence to Lucien and everyone could see it. When they were all sharing dinner last night, the redhead had been unable to look away from Magnus. If the fire mage missed such obvious signs of Lucien''s feelings then the missed connection was all on him.


    "What should I do, Alka?" Magnus asked. "I dont know how to tackle this- whatever this is."


    "Don''t ask me," Alka told him. "I''m the worst person you could go for relationship advice. Ask Rowan maybe. He has a sensible head on his shoulders. But considering he''s like Luci''s father, it might be weird asking him."


    Magnus smiled at that. Rowan had always been more sensible than all of them put together. He made a good pairing with Syryn, the craziest of their circle.


    "Anyway, Luci is coming. Try not to act weird, Magnus."


    The fire mage turned his head and saw the redhead walking towards them. Lucien was wearing a rough sleeveless shirt and cotton pants, the perfect clothing for weeding in the hot sun.


    "Alka and Magnus," he called out when he neared the duo. "This scene makes me recall the day we met at Maple."


    Magnus was reminded of the small princely looking child with big apprehensive eyes and quiet maturity. Now Lulu was tall and lovely, wicked and quiet, hiding secrets in his eyes that had the fire mage wondering with curiosity.


    "Doesn''t it?" Alka grinned at the redhead.. "I''ll be right back with some water. Why don''t you guys reminisce about the past until I''m back?"

 Chapter 341 - Desire

    The moment Alka left them, Magnus felt the atmosphere shift.


    "Weed," Lucien conversationally told the fire mage. "It''s the bane of my life. Alka makes me labour at every opportunity that he gets."


    Magnus chuckled. Lulu felt like a stranger to him. He couldn''t reach out and tousle his red hair like he used to. He was dealing with a man, not a child.


    "Lulu, do you have someone special in your life?" He asked the redhead.


    "Syryn is special to me," Lucien replied. "But if you''re asking about the people I''ve dated, the answer is no."


    Magnus thought right then that Lucien was the same as he was. His relationships had been built upon the foundation of sex and the desperation for happiness in times of hardship.


    "What about you, Magnus? Is Mina your special someone?" Lucien asked as he made eye contact with the fire mage.


    "I don''t know," Magnus honestly answered. "Mina is great."


    Lucien''s hands paused between pulling out stubborn weeds. Maybe he had been wrong about Magnus'' feelings for Mina.


    "I see."


    Alka came back carrying lemonade and water. After pouring two tall glasses of sweet and sour lemonade for Magnus and Lucien, the plant mage squatted next to the redhead and began pulling out the deep-rooted weeds that choked his special plants.


    ____


    Around an hour and a half later, the group took a break next to a tank of water. Lucien was emptying a bucket of water over his overheated body.


    Alka and Magnus sat under the shade drinking more juice and conversing about what had been happening with Syryn and Rowan. The fire mage was listening to Alka speak but he was distracted by Lucien.


    It started out with a sly smirk sent his way. Magnus shifted uncomfortably when Lucien began peeling off his wet shirt. Two nubs of pink were exposed to the air like secret blossoms.


    "Magnus?" Alka''s voice cut through his wandering mind.


    "Sorry," the fire mage replied. "The heat is uh-"


    Alka nodded sagely. "Sure."


    ___


    Later in the evening, the housemates had gathered for dinner. It was a rare day and Rowan had found time to join them.


    The redhead was seated next to Rowan and opposite Magnus.


    "Congratulations on usurping the fake king, Magnus. Their punishment was a long time coming."


    The fire mage smiled at Rowan but it wavered when he felt a naughty foot nudging his leg. His eyes met Lucien who gave him an innocent look.


    The surprised mage cleared his throat and drank a glass of water to buy himself some time.


    "Yeah, my mother isn''t too happy about being left alone but I have no ambition to rule." His reply had Rowan nodding. The blond was seemingly unaware of Lucien playing footsie under the table. As he spoke, Lucien''s leg reached the fire mage''s knee and parted it with a gentle push.


    The mage who was being played with made eye contact with Lucien. What do you think you''re doing? his eyes asked him.


    "Is something wrong, Magnus?" The redhead asked as if he wasn''t the reason the shapeshifter was feeling out of sorts.


    Rowan subtly turned and looked at the teenager like he was wondering what he was up to. It was unfortunate for the blond that he couldn''t see under the table.


    "Nothing at all," Magnus replied. He wasn''t going to let a teenager pull a fast one over him.


    Lucien''s red eyes widened a fraction when he felt Magnus caress his bare ankle. His thumb circled the graceful arch of the ankle bone before slowly slipping under his trousers and skimming past the smooth skin above his ankle. "Lulu," Magnus said to the redhead, "Why are you red in the face?"


    The individual conversations at the table tapered off as they glanced at Lucien. Magnus was still caressing his leg. Just one thumb doing wonders on his bare skin. Lucien keenly felt the fire mage''s branding gaze on his face but he was looking down at his food, mind racing for an excuse for the hot blush on his cheeks.


    "Summer," Lucien casually told the table. "Is hot."


    "No shit," Enkansh replied. "My skin is drying like a potato in the sun."


    "I told you to ask Salem for the special cream," Riha told him. "It moisturises and protects your skin from drying out. How many times will I tell you this?"


    The sea creatures began to bicker and it relieved Lucien of the unwanted attention that had been directed at him.


    "Lulu," Magnus sang his name. When Lucien looked up at him the smiling fire mage mouthed a silent warning. Don''t play with fire.


    Lucien''s mouth curved. He was going to do just that - play with fire, poke at it, feed it, and get consumed by it until he was nothing but ashes. He kept his leg on the mage''s thigh and peacefully ate his dinner, not paying heed to the blue eyes that were watching him with amusement.


    Despite pretending otherwise, Rowan knew exactly what the redhead was doing and he wasn''t going to stop it. If Lucien was going to mess around with older men, messing around with the wily Magnus was their best case scenario. He only hoped that neither would emerge from it with a broken heart.


    ____


    After dinner had ended, Lucien took a bath with cold water. When he stepped inside the room, Magnus was settling into bed with the grace of a lazy cat. The fire mage''s sleepy eyes smiled at the skittish redhead at the door. Lucien was feeling like prey and it was an unsettling feeling.


    "Come in, Lulu," Magnus told him in a low voice. "What are you waiting for?"


    Lucien found his bearings and closed the door behind him. Leaning with his back against it, the redhead smiled at the shapeshifter who was watching him with a lazy stillness that captured the aura of a resting panther.


    "Magnus, you really enjoyed touching my leg, didn''t you?"


    "I''ve touched many legs, Lulu. And I''ve enjoyed them all."


    The redhead''s smile didn''t falter. Whatever number of gorgeous beauties Magnus had encountered, Lucien was confident that no one could beat him for superficial beauty at least. How many men or women the fire mage had bedded was of no concern to Lucien. Beauty alone could not sway the fire mage. He only worried about the ones that managed to affect Magnus'' heartstrings.


    "But touching yours thrilled me more. Do you know why?"


    Lucien''s heart skipped a beat. "Why?"


    "Because I shouldn''t be touching you at all this way, Lulu.. Not now, not ever."

 Chapter 342 - Trespass

    "Another one for your growing stack."


    Artemus accepted the proffered black file which had a large red symbol painted over its cover, and placed it atop a stack of similar looking files. The caravan case had come a long way with seven more gruesome scenes discovered in various locations across Sigil. Several teams had been formed to investigate the case but they''d had no luck yet because the perpetrators frustratingly never left any clues.


    "This time is different, Art," the other anti mage in his office informed him. "You might want to look at the details of the case right now."


    "What''s different about it?" He asked. Artemus preferred to read at night when he was in a relaxed state of mind which wasn''t it right now.


    "Bandits this time. The bunch of them were known to operate on the roads connecting Eurice and Dahlia. When their bodies were found, get this, the leader of the bandits himself came to ask the Sanguine for justice."


    "Unbelievable," Artemus murmured. Criminals demanding justice, what was the world coming to?


    "He says six people went out to rob travellers but only one dead body was found in terrible condition. Cuts all over his body and an abdomen emptied of it''s contents. The others are missing and he wants them found cause one of em is his own brother."


    The Sanguine, and especially Artemus was under great pressure. Not a single killer had been caught but the kills were evolving. The dead and tortured bodies were all found decomposing but some of them showed changes that disturbed the dark-haired anti mage. He had a suspicion as to what was happening and could only hope that his fears were untrue.


    "Where is the bandit leader?"


    "Eh? You wanna question em? He''s been imprisoned at Eurice."


    Artemus tapped on the table thoughtfully. He''d been considering a radical decision but had been unable to push it through. Who could he offload his responsibilities to? The answer was standing in front of him.


    "Renne," he faced the middle-aged anti mage who was his best candidate for such an abrupt replacement.


    "Yeah?"


    "I want you to write a resignation letter under my name. Also, congratulations, you''re promoted."


    "What?" The befuddled man stared open-mouthed at Artemus. "Why?"


    "Just do it. I''ll be recommending you to my position," Artemus said as he began collecting his personal effects into a black leather bag. "They won''t refuse me."


    "But why are you resigning?!" Artemus was the sharpest mind they had. Every bit of his brain juice was required for them to solve this case which had been dragging on for years.


    "Too many responsibilities," the dark-haired anti mage replied. He wanted complete freedom from the duties that bound him to Elysium. The caravan killers were no random opportunistic serial killers. They had a goal in mind and they were getting closer to it. The anti mage had a bad feeling about it and this created a sense of urgency he couldn''t ignore.


    "You can''t just quit, Art! What''ll the department do without you?!"


    "Worry less about the department and more for yourself, Renne. Should I remind you of how much work you''re suddenly going to find yourself shouldering?" Artemus pitied the man he was foisting his duties upon but this had to be done.


    "Can''t you stay for another month?" Renne sounded like he wanted anything but Artemus'' position.


    "One week," the dark-haired anti mage replied. "I''ll be here one week and you can disturb me whenever you want."


    _________


    It had been an uneventful day at the manor. Lucien spent the morning checking on his undead spies who were perched on trees all across the forest that lay adjacent to their compound. The redhead had been perfecting a technique that allowed his minions to communicate with him, and it was working as far as he could tell. A weak magical pulse had been sent to him by one of his precious undead birds. The bird had seen an intruder and alerted him to the presence of it.


    "Hey, didn''t I tell you not to come back here or I''d bash your face in?" Lucien told the hunter who had trespassed into their property.


    "I have to feed my family-"


    "Bullshit."


    Lucien had told the man to come to their gate and ask for food since Alka had been growing more than the amount they could eat. He had even been willing to throw in essential kitchen ingredients including meat if they needed them. But the man had refused, this proving that he wasn''t here to get food for his family.


    "You seem to have an uncanny ability to find me when I come through this forest," he told the redhead as his eyes scanned the trees.


    "You''re trespassing," Lucien reminded him one more time. "If you go missing inside the forest, you''ll have no one to blame but yourself."


    "I hear you," the hunter replied with a mocking smile. "Neither of us will have to meet each other under these circumstances again."


    Something about those words caught Lucien''s attention. He hadn''t wanted to hurt the man but there was much at stake. The redhead held his hands behind his back and casually approached the hunter.


    His plans to grill and dispose of the man was interrupted by a new arrival, the last person whose presence Lucien wanted during such a moment.


    "What have we here?" Magnus spoke to the duo, looking between the hunter and the redhead.


    Lucien was annoyed but he didn''t show it. "We have a trespasser," he informed th fire mage. "I''ve warned him several times but he disobeys me and keeps coming back to spy on our family."


    "I''m just a poor hunter looking to feed my family. If I don''t hunt then my children will go hungry. How cruel can you be?"


    Lucien had his arms crossed because the temptation to strangle the man was overcoming his reluctance to appear as a barbaric killer in front of Magnus.


    "Is that so?" Magnus replied as he eyed the hunter. "For a poor hunter, you sure have some very expensive hunting gear."


    The man was a natural at acting. He looked sheepish one moment and then embarrassed next. "We had better days before our fortunes changed, sir. I take care of my gear because, without it, I can''t hunt for my family."


    "I''ve told him he can take as much food as he wants from our pantry. So why does he keep sneaking around the forest when there''s an offer for free food?"


    The hunter and the redhead glared at each other while Magnus thought about what to do. He could see murder in Lucien''s eyes. Not wanting to have the man''s blood on their hands if he was an innocent, the fire mage decided on doing some questioning.


    "Lulu, go back home and wait for me," he told the redhead.


    "Why?" Lucien wanted to be around to see what Magnus was up to.


    "I''ll escort our friend out of the forest and be right back."


    ___


    Magnus walked beside the hunter who took the lead. The man seemed very familiar with the forest grounds. Too familiar.


    "Why are you really here?" The fire mage asked him in a conversational tone.


    "I told you-"


    "A lie," Magnus finished for him. "Unlike that sweet redhead who gave you several chances, I will end your life right here if you insist on talking shit. So let me ask you again, what are you doing here?"


    The hunter''s nose flared when he scented the smell of another shapeshifter even more powerful than himself. It didn''t take more than a few seconds for him to realise who that shapeshifter was.. His hand subtly patted at his weapon, assuring himself that he was armed and could defend himself from the man threatening him.

 Chapter 343 - Safe Word

    Lucien hadn''t really left the forest as he was asked to. The redhead was meditating under a tree and spying on the other two through his network of undead critters spread all across the forest.


    ___


    "Don''t come one step closer or I''ll shoot you," the hunter threatened Magnus with his magic crossbow. "Don''t think I won''t."


    The fire mage stood his ground and silently watched the hunter back away one step at a time.


    "You''re all crazy," the hunter spat on the ground and growled at him. "You''ll get what''s coming for you."


    Magnus placed one foot forward and a flame of fire licked the grass where his shoe touched it. In a matter of seconds, the flame began to chase the hunter who couldn''t run fast enough to escape it.


    The fire mage then followed the trail of flames that led him through the woods which remained untouched by fire. When he got to the escaping hunter, he found the terrified man surrounded by black flames.


    "Hello," the smiling Magnus waved at the man like they were friends. "Why''d you run away like that? We were just getting to know each other."


    The hunter was sure he was dealing with a psychopath. "If you kill me, they''ll swarm this house and arrest each one of you!" He shouted at the crazy shapeshifter. He would have shot him with the crossbow if he believed that the shapeshifter wasn''t capable of avoiding it.


    "They whom?"


    Magnus could sustain the fire for many hours so wasn''t in a hurry to hurt the hunter. He had patience like a cat and was willing to wait till the man confessed to why he was spying on them.


    "You''ll know soon. If you let me go, I''ll ask them to go easy on you. Do the right thing, Magnus. You aren''t a sinner like the rest of them."


    "Oh?" Magnus slowly inclined his head. "Tell me about the sins my friends have committed."


    The hunter was sweating from the waves of heat that baked him inside the circle of hell. He took off his shirt to relieve himself from the heat but it only served to turn his skin red like a roasting chicken.


    "There''s a necromancer in the house!" He hissed at the fire mage. "Dead bodies all around this cursed place. We know that because the energy in this forest is not quite right. A priest detected the aura of death around here when he was passing through to get to the lake."


    Magnus wasn''t very surprised to hear that a necromancer was living amongst them. "And what was a priest doing, trespassing through our property?"


    "His horse needed a drink."


    The lake wasn''t on manor property so they could not impose rules on travellers who wanted access to lake water. Still, the priest could have gone through a different path rather than take the route through their land. It was bad luck for them that the priest had decided on crossing their fence.


    "So what''s your role in this? Did they send you to sniff out evidence of necromancy?"


    "Yes. You know how evil such magic can be. Who knows how many murders the necromancer has committed! The dead souls are crying out for justice and we have to give it to them."


    "Well, this is annoying," Magnus declared. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. The fire mage was guessing that their necromancer was Lucien. It was easy enough to guess since he remembered the book that Luci had found from the blood mage''s home.


    "Do the right thing, Magnus," the hunter told him.


    The fire mage knew what he had to do. He had taken many bad decisions so what was another one? He was an asshole who had abandoned his mother queen and his duties as the prince of the kingdom. It couldn''t get much worse than that for his conscience.


    "I''m sorry," he told the hunter. "I''ll ensure a quick death if not a painless one."


    _____


    Artemus was collecting paperwork he had left at home when Sebastian came out of the kitchen bearing a tray with two warm pies he had bought from their favourite stall.


    "A-mu, why do you hafta leave?" The sandy-haired mage grumbled. "If yer not a Sanguine then you don''t gotta solve any murders. Just stay here with me and take a vacation fer a year or somethin'', Ya know."


    "I resigned because I wanted more time for this case, Sebastian. I''m a free anti mage, and that means I can go to whatever lengths necessary to catch the killers. I''m sorry I can''t stay."


    Sebastian was annoyed because Artemus had become consumed by the wretched case. The anti mage''s late nights at the headquarters were followed by mornings Sebastian would wake up and find the bed empty. He was feeling deprived of Artemus and it put him in a foul mood.


    "Fine. I''ll just stay here and wait like a good pet while you-"


    Artemus placed his hands on the table, caging Sebastian in. The anti mage then closed in and pressed soft kisses on the mage''s neck.


    "Bastian," he murmured to the quiet mage. Their gazes met and he could see the turmoil in his lover''s eyes. "I''ll take a long vacation with you when this is done. I promise you."


    Sebastian placed his hands on the anti mage''s sides, feeling the man''s muscles shift under his crisp white shirt. "Ya mean it?"


    Artemus dipped his head in a nod. He hadn''t expected his feelings to run so deep when the thing with Sebastian had started, but here was, promising away work and time for the man who had broken his heart so many years ago.


    "Well, colour me surprised, A-mu. I''ve been convinced that yer married to work and I''m just the side piece you fuck because ya can''t orgasm from crime solvin'', or can ya?" Sebastian''s smile grew when Artemus made a face at what he was implying.


    "Your mouth is a crime, Sebastian." The anti mage''s dark eyes were eager on his lips. He could already feel his erection pressing tight against the confines of his pants.


    He sighed in pleasure when Sebastian pulled his hips in and ground against it with his own.


    "Don''t tease me, Bastian."


    The mage grinned. "What are you gonna do? Fuck me?"


    The edges of Artemus'' lips curved and suddenly Sebastian''s heart began beating faster.


    "Yes." He hadn''t indulged the animal inside him for a while. "Do you remember the safe word?" Artemus could smell the desire spiking sugary sweet between them.


    "Don''t need one." He wasn''t a masochist but Sebastian was willing to see how far Artemus could be pushed.


    "That''s dangerous and you know it."


    Sebastian smirked at the way Artemus'' eyes were dilating. The big feline was getting so turned on just from the thought of a scenario where he was allowed free reign over his desires on Sebastian.


    "That''s how I like it, A-mu."

 Chapter 344 - Pornhub Music Starts

    "I see ya bought some new ropes." Sebastian eyed the long length of rope that his lover was holding.


    Artemus hummed in response. As much as he loved seeing the marks of his ministrations on Sebastian''s deliciously bronzed skin, the anti mage was keen on avoiding rope burns that weren''t just painful but also tended to attract unwanted attention and the curiosity of folks who knew they were banging.


    "These are softer and made of cotton. I had them specially made for you," he said while glancing at the sandy haired mage. Artemus had often favoured more feminine looking men to play as his bunny but that had only lasted till an episode he''d had with Sebastian. Breaking a gorgeous masculine specimen so fine as his mage had given him a rush of adrenaline like he hadn''t had since the first time he had done this. There was no returning to soft and mewling bunnies who were all too pliant and prone to tears.


    Sebastian blushed just a little bit when he imagined Artemus, at his office, thinking dirty thoughts about him and going so far as to have a special rope made only for the purpose of sex.


    "Mmhmm," he nervously replied while taking a bite from the warm pie. Sure, he liked pushing Art into exploring his depravity to new and uncharted depths. He enjoyed it as much as the anti mage did. But it was like leisure boating down a waterfall. His trust in Artemus'' ability to assess the situation and make the right decisions for both of them was the safety net that the mage was relying on.


    ___


    "A-mu-" Sebastian let out a throaty groan.


    "Shh, all you have to do is tell me when you feel you''re about to orgasm."


    Sebastian was restrained to a chair with the special cotton rope binding his arms and feet to the seat. His breaths were getting shallower as the anti mage''s fingers did delicious things to his cock.


    "Shit- A-mu, why?" Sebastian opened his eyes and asked the anti mage who had taken his hand off the mage''s erection just when he was about to orgasm.


    "Why? Because you''re not allowed to orgasm till I tell you to."


    Sebastian breathed out through his nose, knowing that this was going to be the most challenging day of his life. How could he not orgasm when he was being touched so intimately by the gorgeous, sexy, brooding childhood friend he was in love with. Even the indifferent dark gaze that was mocking his control made him feel some kind of way. He was well and truly whipped for the man.


    "What-" the torturous hand was back on his cock, rubbing gentle circles on the tip where Artemus'' thumb was wet with pre cum. "What do I get for holding out till the end?"


    The anti mage enjoyed the sight of a flushed Sebastian, panting and completely under his control. "I''ll kiss you, Bastian. And then I''ll fuck you just the way I like it. That''ll be your reward."


    Artemus was an asshole. The mage tipped his head back and let out a moan. Artemus was an asshole and a mean lover. But that was what Sebastian was attracted to. The next time he topped the anti mage, the mage vowed to give him a taste of his own medicine.


    "Fuck you, A-mu."


    The anti mage chuckled. "Not today, Sebastian."


    Since it was the mage''s first time being edged like this, Artemus went easy on him and decided to push it for just another ten more minutes.


    "Stop! Stop!" Sebastian warned, his voice cracking. He was so close to release.


    Once again, Artemus released him, giving him a few seconds to cool down before the torture began anew.


    "Look at you," the anti mage purred as he trailed down fingers over the broad flushed chest. "So much power in this body and yet you let me tease you till you''re begging for release. Do you enjoy feeling powerless, Sebastian?" Long pale fingers lifted his chin so the mage was staring into Artemus'' hungry eyes.


    "Only with you," he admitted without shame. Artemus was the only person in this world that Sebastian was willing to surrender to.


    The anti mage felt his stomach curl with something akin to happiness. He was starting to think he was in love with Sebastian. Again.


    "A-mu, I don''t know how I''ll ever move on if ya dump me for someone else."


    "I won''t," Artemus realised that his inner thoughts had slipped out and coalesced into words.


    Even Sebastian was surprised by his admission. "Does that mean-?" The mage didn''t know what he was asking from Artemus. The anti mage wasn''t exactly known for doing permanent relationships. Well, neither was he. But this was different.


    "I won''t dump you, Sebastian." There, some honesty, Artemus told himself. "I''m happy the way we are and I don''t see myself leaving you anytime in the foreseeable future. I mean as long as you don''t do something stupid like run off with someone else and cheat on me."


    "Oh my god," Sebastian gasped, his eyes wide and round. "Are you okay, baby? Did ya hit your head or somethin''?"


    "Or somethin''," Artemus replied, mimicking Sebastian''s accent perfectly.


    "Are- are we a permanent and lifelong thing? Cause I''ve wanted this for so long and just couldn''t tell you." Sebastian knew it was still too early for the big L word. "A-mu, you''re like my dream come true."


    Artemus had the breath stolen from him by Sebastian''s confession. He let out a sigh of regret because he couldn''t possibly continue this any longer today. Sebastian had done it and now he just wanted to kiss the man senseless while making love to him.


    "We''re stopping?" The mage asked when Artemus began undoing the knots on the ropes that restrained his very pleasing physique, which the anti mage deemed was both proportionate and powerful.


    Artemus couldn''t possibly explain the feelings he was going through at the moment. He wasn''t good with emotions and words. His white-knuckled fingers worked fast to release the final knot that bound the mage''s right hand.


    "Why are we stoppin''?" An edge of worry crept into Sebastian''s tone. Had he said something wrong? "Have I upset you, A-mu?"


    Artemus raised his head to look into the mage''s worried eyes. "Bastian, you are just absolutely perfect. You did nothing wrong." All he wanted to do was kiss the frown away from those pretty lips.


    "Then why are we stoppin''?"


    "We''re skipping straight to your reward, that''s why. Blame it on my impatience."


    The mage smiled, a corner of his lips lifting from the thrill of knowing that Artemus, one of the most disciplined and strong-willed men he knew, had lost control. It was the first time such a thing had ever happened during their romps together. And Sebastian was going to sear this into his memory.


    "To the bed then?"


    "The table is sturdy enough," Artemus replied. He had checked.


    The very second that the ropes fell off, the anti mage was upon Sebastian with a savage grace that came from his feline blood. His lips were kissed with a violence that was demanding and fierce. Somehow between letting Artemus control the situation and keeping up with his fervour, the duo ended up against the table that the anti mage had wanted to fuck over.


    Sebastian reached down and grabbed two fistfuls of beautiful tight ass so he could tilt his hips and meet the hardness that was straining through black pants.


    Artemus made a sound then that was both beastial and lustful. And Sebastian was very pleased to know that the shapeshifter''s inner animal had decided to come out and play.. There was nothing hotter than an intensely turned-on shapeshifter whose entire focus was zeroed into pleasure and mating.

 Chapter 345 - Pornhub Music Stops

    "Magnus, where is the hunter?" Lucien asked the fire mage who had been gone for a while. The redhead couldn''t see through the eyes of his minions so the information he had was fairly vague.


    "Gone," Magnus replied. All that was left of him was a pile of ashes. Even his bones and teeth had been consumed by the mage''s intense black fire.


    Lucien knew better than to ask more questions when Magnus was being deliberately ambiguous in his answer. "Okay. Should we go back and help Alka?" He was careful about sounding just casual enough.


    "No, I would prefer we took a walk, Lulu. There are some things we need to discuss."


    Lucien tried to read the fire mage''s mood and failed, just like always. "Alka needs our help," he replied, not desiring to have this discussion at all.


    They both stared at each other, neither flinching away from the tension that was brewing between them.


    "You''re a practising necromancer," Magnus finally said.


    "And you just murdered the hunter," Lucien replied. "So what now, Magnus? Are you going to lecture me about my hobby?" The redhead''s brows were stubbornly set together like he was waiting to be berated for it. Necromancy was a dark art and everyone either hated or feared it. He knew this and yet Lucien had hoped that the fire mage would tolerate it for his sake.


    Magnus was surprised by the wariness in Lucien''s tone. "No," he replied. "I''ve done bad things Lulu, and I am in no position to judge you or anyone else for that matter. I just hope that whatever you end up doing, you''ll remember that you will lie on the bed you make."


    Lucien nodded. "I won''t forget." His tone softened when he understood that Magnus wasn''t going to take the moral high ground.


    The fire mage smiled, diffusing the tension between them. "So how about the walk to the lake?"


    ___


    Birds twittered and quarrelled loudly in the trees while Lucien and Magnus walked under them in a slow stroll.


    "Magnus, why''d you kill the hunter?" Lucien asked because curiosity was killing him.


    "He was spying on you and had sensitive information about your activities. I had to kill him." He had done it to protect Lucien. The fire mage had always been fiercely protective of the redhead, and despite the years, his feelings about it hadn''t changed at all. No matter how strong Lucien grew, Magnus would continue to feel the same way because he considered himself a guardian to the teen.


    "You killed for me?"


    The fire mage turned and faced the redhead who had stopped walking. Lucien''s eyes were wide with some unnamed emotion and it was starting to affect him as well.


    "For your safety," Magnus clarified. He didn''t want Lucien getting the wrong idea about why he had done it.


    "Of course." Lucien understood that the fire mage wasn''t comfortable with the implication that he had committed murder for Lucien''s sake. He respected that but it didn''t change the fact that Magnus had taken a life when he sensed a threat to Lucien. It was a twisted thought to feel happy about but the redhead was unrepentant. "Is that what you wanted to discuss?"


    "Yes."


    A breeze blew between them and Magnus got a whiff of Lucien''s sweet smell. A thought came unbidden to his mind. The teen was like a piece of delicious scarlet cherry candy. Did he taste as sweet as he appeared? And how the fuck did his thoughts go there? The fire mage quickly dissolved away the inappropriate thoughts that came at him. Lucien was still a child, Red''s influence notwithstanding. And even if he grew older, Magnus still wasn''t going to lay a hand on him.


    "Magnus?" Lucien canted his head to the side and observed the fire mage''s annoyed expression.


    "Yeah, I''m sorry. Spaced out," Magnus replied. Lucien was a distraction and he needed to get away from the teen. Like yesterday. He would go find some interested party and they would have a lot of mind-numbing sex till he got out whatever messed up bug was affecting his mind.


    "You space out a lot these days," the redhead said with a strange look in his eyes. Magnus suddenly felt nervous, like he thought Lucien could see the wayward thoughts that were creeping around the edges of his mind.


    "Maybe we should head back and have this discussion after dinner," the fire mage suggested. They were all alone in a forest, just the two of them. He with his weird thoughts and a dangerous Lucien who looked like he was going to be up to no good.


    So Magnus was a colossal idiot. He should have thought twice about this.


    "Why?" The redhead pressed closer. "Do I make you uncomfortable, Magnus?"


    Lucien was nervous as hell because Magnus had that effect on him. Outwardly though, he appeared confident and in control of his wits.


    "Lulu, you don''t want to do this," Magnus warned him softly.


    The redhead scoffed. "Do what? Throw myself in your arms and kiss you till neither of us can breathe anymore?"


    The fire mage would have cursed if he wasn''t trying to maintain control over the situation.


    "Lucien," Magnus took a step backwards to put distance between them. "This is inappropriate considering our ages. You''re a child."


    "A child," Lucien echoed. "I left my childhood behind a long time ago, Magnus. And don''t feel sorry for me. Syryn rescued me from slavers who would have sold me to perverts with not even a sliver of the conscience you''re clinging so hard onto. I''m not some innocent virginal child being taken advantage of by you."


    Magnus didn''t know how to respond to that. "It still doesn''t make it right. I can''t give you what you want. I''m sorry, Lulu."


    The redhead wanted to snap at magnus because his patience was being heavily tested. He had seen the fire in his eyes, knew that the mage was affected by him. Why couldn''t he just toss away his tattered morals and have his way with Lucien?


    "One kiss, Magnus. I''ll stop bothering you if you give me that much." Lucien had too much self esteem to worry about his pride being affected by begging the delicious shapeshifter.


    The fire mage swallowed. Lucien could sense the man''s moral compass spinning and spinning into itself.


    "Please, Magnus."


    Lucien is 17 years old, the fire mage firmly reminded himself. Such crushes were transient, a passing fantasy that the redhead would grow out of. He could under no circumstances touch a single hair on the teen. Magnus wished he was a man with a weaker conscience because he was so tempted to give in and take what was being offered. Lucien, as beautiful and tempting as he was, was a child, and he would get over his heartbreak easily. The fire mage did what he deemed was the correct thing to do.


    "I''m sorry, Lulu. I can''t do this."


    The irritated teen closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down. Since the stubborn mage was hell-bent on refusing him, Lucien would have to rethink his strategy. When he opened his eyes, the dissonance in it was replaced by calm.


    "Okay," he replied.. "Let''s head back then."