I don't know how I got back to Lass' home. I don't know why I was sitting on the couch, and I had absolutely no idea why I felt like I was going insane. I hadn't slept last night… that might've been the cause.
The sun was rising. I haven't slept for long this night. Nightmares bothered me, I dreamt of things I thought I had forgotten… Now I got reminded that they still existed.
"Enjoy it little demon. You will be alone in the end. It's better for everyone."
A sting in my left arm… I flinched, making Lass look at me. "Look…" He started, moving closer to me. I didn't bother to look up from the carpet. "Sorry for saying those things… I just couldn't believe you. She does look like her… but that is probably just coincidence. "
I nodded, silently accepting the apology. "Lass… do you hear voices sometimes?" I muttered.
Lass sat down on the Armchair on the right. He sighed. "Sometimes… do you?"
I was fighting with myself. When I told him, he might understand it. But if not he'd think I'm insane. But there was nothing to lose, right? I was alone. I've always been…
"S-sometimes…" I whispered.
"As long as it isn't Kaze'aze speaking to you, you should be fine." Lass smiled. He seemed worried for some reason.
"It's someone I know, but can't remember… The voice seems familiar."
I looked up to see my brother shrug. I told him about the failed search for the portals. Told him that I was almost certain that I'd never see my son again. And I felt so bad for it.
"I'm no better than our father…" I muttered. Feeling awful for admitting this. I just wanted to visit… told Luca I'll be back in a few days…
'Alright daddy.' He had said. His grin was telling me that I should get going already. He wanted me to leave… but what would he do when I wouldn't come back? There was no way to get to him, no matter how much I wanted to. I felt so useless.
"This makes me think…" Lass muttered. "Isn't it possible that our father encountered the same problem? That he couldn't find a portal?"
"Forget it. There were at least two portals that always worked. I used one of them when I got here. It closed after I entered this dimension."
Lass sighed. I got the feeling that he tried to convince me that our father wasn't a bad person. But I knew better. That guy was selfish, and enjoyed solitude as much as I did. He just left without telling anyone. I wasn't like that.
"Couldn't it be that the one in Hell Bridge is still open?"
I looked up. "It could be…."
"Then let's go there."
"This takes a while…"
"Not with a car."
"What about the ocean?"
Lass laughed. "We just use a ferry."
I frowned. Now what was that again?
"It can transport cars over the ocean. It's a ship actually…"
I sighed deeply. Somehow I was afraid of the answer. What if the portal in Hell bridge ws gone too?
"Does Hell Bridge still exist?"
"I haven't been there in forever." Lass muttered. He then pulled out his phone and a second later he put it on the table. Suddenly he seemed annoyed.
"Dio's coming over…"
"Alone?"
"What do I know..."
I shook my head, then got up. "I'll borrow your clothing again." If Dio was about to show up here, I could use the time taking a shower to not talk to him. I still didn't really understand why he was friends with Lass… this seemed like a forced friendship.
While I was showering I thought about the portal again. There was hope rising. There was a possibility to go back to the underworld. And I could take them with me… They would live a happier life than here. Why was I thinking about things like that? There where the reincarnations… maybe they had memories of what happened…. Maybe they could remember…
"Little demon… You'll never find happiness."
The water suddenly got cold, making it hard to breath, but I couldn't move.
"Who are you…" I tried to ask. I wasn't used to talk to myself, much less talking to voices in my head!
"Finally. Rufus, why did I have to say all this to make you hear me?"
Alright. Now I was creeped out.
"Who are you!" I slammed my fists at the tiled wall. What kind of trick was that?!
"I don't expect you to remember me. Just listen. You are in danger."
"Tell me your freaking name!"
What kind of danger? And… who was that guy? Why did I trust him immediately?! Was that another trick?!
"Shh. I can't tell you my name. But you have to be careful."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You are an important demon to me."
"Why?!"
"Shh. I have to leave now."
I was staring at the white tiles. What was that? The voice seemed so familiar…
"Rufus are you still alive?" Lass asked outside the door.
"O-Of course." I hissed at him.
"Don't leave a mess." He laughed.
"What the hell do you think I'm doing?!" I yelled at him when I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.
"Spending an hour under the shower is enough time to get suspicious."
One hour…. But how? I haven't been talking to that person for that long? And.. what was all the fuss about… why did this person care about me? There was no one caring about me that could use telepathy… I sighed and dried myself, then put the clothing on.
When I opened the door Dio was already on the couch, obviously sleeping.
"Doesn't he have his own couch?"
Lass laughed. "They have some kind of a stalker problem."
I put my hand on my forehead. Stalkers? Really?
"Those two?" It was hard to believe.
Lass shrugged, put a teacup on the coffee table in the living room and looked at Dio for a moment.
"Look out little demon… Lass is about to lose control. It's dangerous."
That voice again. Control of what? His temper? Oh I was used to that.
"Where are you going?" I wanted to know.
Lass put on his shoes and took a jacket. "Getting groceries…"
"Don't follow him!"
The voice said don't. But why should I trust someone that didn't even tell me his name? And what was wrong in going shopping with my brother?
"I'm coming with you."
Lass face lit up. He seemed relieved for a second. I put on my shoes, watched him taking the keys. His hands were shaking. I frowned, but didn't say anything. The sun was shining bright, hurting my eyes. I always hated intensive light. The morning was warm, the air smelled better than the other days. Maybe I just got used to the smell. Lass was walking beside me. There weren't many people out right now. Suddenly Lass stumbled, but regained his balance right away. I frowned.
"I… don't feel well…" He muttered and stopped walking.
"Let's go back then…" I answered. He shook his head and walked into and alley. I followed him.
"Don't!"
Lass turned to look at me, then he suddenly was covered in blue flames. I took a step back. Lass yelled, begged for me to run away. But I couldn't move.
"Calm down!" I yelled back, right now the only thing I could do.
"It's okay. They can't harm me!" I wasn't too sure about that, but we were related. Although not completely.
"Run!" He yelled again.
"No." I watched as the wooden fence behind him suddenly caught fire, then the paper in the alley. Slowly the flames made their way to me, but I didn't move. I wasn't sure if I just stood there because I was shocked or because I didn't want to move. Lass stumbled backwards. Yelling at me again, it sounded like he was crying. He was scared!
I took the few steps towards him. My own flame reacted to his power, but I didn't let mine burst out. I was too exhausted to control it. My shirt caught fire, burning the skin under it.
"Calm down Lass." I said. Trying to sound as calm as I could, despite the pain. "It's alright. Nothing will happen."
The flames seemed to retreat, then I suddenly felt my whole body on fire. The pain was too sudden to prepare for it. I heard my own scream echoing in the streets, hating myself for doing so. Lass cried out, then it was quiet. The burning gone. I saw my brother slipping from my grip, but didn't feel anything. My sight grew dim and I was swallowed by darkness.
"Ignore the pain, little demon. Stay awake."
The voice in my head. I couldn't move. My body felt numb and it was probably better that it did. Who knew what kind of injuries I had gotten… I couldn't open my eyes, the light was too bright. Was there still fire? Panic struck me, was I still burning?!
"Don't move." I heard a voice. It was a male person.
Someone touched my hair. "Do you have your guns anywhere close?" The voice asked.
Why was he asking this? Why did he know about my guns? I shook my head, too weak to open my mouth.
"Good… I take you to a hospital."
I felt two hands lifting me, was surprised that this didn't' scare me. Slowly I managed to open my eyes. Everything was blurry. I saw a blurry face… but that was all I could see. Giving up I closed my eyes again.
"Rufus, don't fall asleep." Who was this person? Why did he know my name?
"I…. I-I'm not… sleeping." My voice slurred even when I tried to prevent it.
"Alright."
"L-lass…" What happened to him? I wanted to ask so much, but my voice didn't react.
"He is alright… unconscious but alright."
"D-don't leave…. him." It was so hard to speak. "I…I'm not important…"
What exactly had happened anyway? The flame attacked me… shouldn't my flame have countered it? If it did I probably hurt Lass.
"What the hell are you saying?!" The man yelled. Why was he so upset?
"Lass… where is… Lass…?" I said different things I wanted to say. I couldn't think properly.
"Don't worry about him. He'll be okay."
I nodded, was trusting this man for some reason… I had to figure out why.
The man walked back to the street, put me into a car. I was too weak to argue, could barely keep my eyes open to see what he was doing. He left and came back with Lass a moment later. After he had sat Lass into the seat he sat down and drove off. Lass seemed unharmed. The flames never hurt their owner… but they could kill them nevertheless. I reached out for Lass hand, it was warm. Moved when I touched it. He was alive. I focused on the man in front of me, but I lost consciousness before I could think about him.
A brown haired woman with blue eyes was looking at me when I managed to open my eyes again. She didn't talk to me. The room was white, no one else here except me and that woman. Where was Lass?! I sat up, something hold me back. Panicking I looked around, noticed machinery around me, some of them making weird noises and there where all kinds of cords sticking to me. What was this?!
"Please calm down Mr. Wilde." The woman said. I froze. Why did she know my name?
"You're in a hospital, don't worry, you will be fine."
That creepy place where people never came back? Suddenly I wished for the infirmary in the castle… It wasn't a place I really liked, but at least there where people I knew. People that I could trust in their abilities. They never failed to heal, always tried everything to save someone.
"Where's my brother?!" I hissed at her. My voice was back to normal, and the pain was gone too. How long had I been sleeping?!
"Mr. Isolet is alright." I sighed deeply. Lass would've told them my name, right?
Someone knocked, and the woman ordered the person to enter. I wonder why she did that, but my thought was cut off as the man entered. Wavy brown hair, blue eyes, pointed ears… a beard… and a worried frown on his face. He was wearing a blue shirt, dark pants and shoes, one silver gun at each side. Slowly I began to realize that I knew this guy, but my mind refused to tell me his name or where I knew him from. He was obviously a bounty hunter… but what else? Was I still too tired to think, or did I really forget it?
"Who are you…?"
The man lifted his eyebrows. "You're joking… Hating me so bad, but not remembering my face? I'm disturbed." He said as he came closer and sat down on a chair.
"You're lucky I was around… Didn't expect you to be this close."
I frowned as he took my left arm, traced the blue lines on it with a finger. What was he doing?! Why was he touching me and why didn't the woman say anything?!
"That's good work." He muttered.
I ripped my arm out of his grip and glared at him. Why was he knowing about this?! I hadn't told many persons about the dragon… how did he?
"Calm down… I'm not going to hurt you." He muttered.
I wasn't too sure about that. "Tell me your name already!" I yelled.
The man sighed and put a hand on my head, ruffling my hair. Then he suddenly stood and moved his arms around me. How I hated when strangers hugged me. He smelled of smoke and gunpowder… and women. But I knew this smell. It was so familiar that it hurt.
"Legis Wilde." He whispered, hugging me tighter as if trying to prevent that I attacked him.
I wanted to… I was sure I hated this man enough to kill him with my own hands, but… in that moment all the hate was gone. I didn't know what to feel. Hate was all I ever felt for this man. Hate and disappointment. Desperation… sadness.
"I made a lot of mistakes…" He muttered.
I felt like something hit me. What was he doing here? Why was he standing there, why the hell was he hugging me?! I broke free of his grip and glared at him.
"What do you want from me?!" I yelled as I punched his face.
He didn't react to the punch. "I wanted to warn you. But you didn't listen… I had to follow you to save you."
"Then what use am I to you?"
"Is it wrong for a father to save his son?"
"You're not my father!" I barked. What the hell was this guy thinking?!
"Were where you when the dragon almost killed me?! I can manage perfectly on my own! I never needed help of anyone!"
The fact that he didn't even seem hurt by those words made me rage even more. Why was he like this?! He left me alone for centuries and now expected me to crawl back to him?!
I noticed him staring at my left arm. "After Lass was born I was determined to find you. But you were like invisible. The telepathy didn't work until yesterday… You blocked me out quite well."
"That's what I do with people I hate! You can expect me to act like nothing happened!"
All the yelling made my throat hurt. But I couldn't help it.
"Rufus! Calm down!" the man yelled, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me.
"You can't just come back like this…" I muttered, lowering my head as tears filled my eyes. How pathetic. Crying in front of the man that I hated this much.
"You can't just… ruin my life again…"
It was quiet for some time. I tried my best to blink the tears away, but they fell. The man stood, then left the room, slowly closed the door. He was gone? I was too exhausted to say anything, too tired to fight, or yell.
Even though the pain was gone, I felt incredibly tired all of sudden.
Alright. You didn't expect that, huh? :D
Surpriiiise. I'm already embarrassed. Don't say anything... lalalala.
Yes. This will be a longer story. Too many ideas, too many things… I can't help it.
