((Sorry for the longer wait than usual. But as you can see, this chapter is also twice as long as the others, so it took some extra time. I just couldn't bear to break it in half, since it flows so well. And I certainly didn't want to interrupt Mikleo's moment! LOL! (You'll see why that's so funny after you read.) Anyway, everyone please enjoy. Our love birds took a HUGE step in this chapter and it was delicate writing! ~Spotofpaint))
Chapter 9
More of Sorey
Mikleo seemed to be back to his old self, all the stress the other's had seen eating away at him, gone. Instead, he was as eager as Sorey to move ahead. They did so as a group, and very soon the cave before them started to widen as they traveled.
"It's widening," Mikleo observed, "Maybe something more interesting's coming up."
And he was right. The pathway grew larger and larger, until his blue light and Lailah's red, revealed an open cavern before them. And when they approached the new room, all of them let out a gasp as they stepped across the entranceway.
"Whoa!" Out before them was a humungous cavern. It stretched further back than they could see. The ceiling was at least 80 or maybe 90 feet above them, and the huge stalactites they saw in the passageway on the way here now looked tiny off in the distance. But the thing that made them all so amazed was that the entire cavern was a huge underground ruin. The ruin looked as if it had once been a full fledge city. But now it was abandoned and crumbling. But the evidence of daily life was still there and it was also well preserved.
There were old buildings; roofs caving in and most with only one or two walls left, but all the same, it was unmistakable to as what they were. There was also old pottery, some shattered or cracked, but some appearing almost completely intact. The buildings grew larger in scale as they looked down the cavern, and toward the center of the cave the buildings were several stories tall and were much more intricately designed. One was dome shaped and appeared to have a golden roof: or at least what was left of the roof. And it was also huge, spreading out over perhaps an entire fourth of the entire city. It was clearly some type of palace or royal dwelling.
"Wow!" Mikleo cried, seemingly unable to come up with any other words at the moment. "The Celestial Record didn't do even an inkling of justice to this place! I had no idea it was so huge! The writer needs to work on his descriptive skills!"
Sorey couldn't even speak he was so excited. He just stared at everything in wonder.
After a second, though, he had to respond. He just had to geek out over all of this with Mikleo.
"I know, right? I mean..." And he swallowed hard, focusing on the sight of the once grand palace before them. "This place is impossibly well-preserved, and the cavern is so much more impressive than what the author had let on. And look!" He trotted over towards an ancient aqueduct, still pulling a tiny bit of water from some unknown source from deep within the cave, no doubt. "This looks like it could still function at its normal capacity, if it was given a little bit of maintenance," Sorey stated, fascinated by the conditions of the place they were surrounded in. "Whoever designed this...their architectural skills were incredible. This main aqueduct probably took care of most of the citizens of the city down here. I wonder where the water source is coming from?" And he turned to look curiously at Mikleo, wondering if he could somehow sense something nearby.
And of course he could, as he had told Sorey earlier. Feeling a bit of pride welling up from within him at being able to satiate Sorey's curiosity, he stepped up to the aqueduct. Then, standing straight and erect, his shoulder's back and his chin held proudly level to the ground, he faced the small trickle of water. Splaying one hand outward and toward it, he then let his eyelids glide closed.
"This'll only take a moment," he said in his usual stoic voice. And as he did, it was Zaveid that let out a small snort. Leaning over to Edna, he whispered,
"…showing off for Sorey…"
Edna giggled too, but only until both Zaveid and Edna received a very nasty, icy glared from the water seraph.
"Silence please. This takes concentration."
The wind and earth seraph fell quiet and Mikleo refocused his attention on the aqueduct. Closing his eyes once more, he reached outward with his seraphic artes. Starting from the small trickle before him, he felt his way upward, letting his energy travel against the flow. Following the water like a ribbon, he found a larger source of it within the bedrock. But sensing there was even more, he continued onward, following the underground trickle until he found a stream, and then, past the stream, a reservoir. And then…past the reservoir a huge lake that was fed by a waterfall.
"Wow…" he whispered more to himself than to anyone else around him.
"What? What is it?" Sorey asked eagerly.
"If I didn't just come from the sun and heat myself, I never would have guessed we're in a desert," Mikleo said, his eyes still closed as he continued to explore the huge boundaries of the water he'd just found.
"This place is filled with water, even more so than what I expected back at the air vent. There's a huge underground lake powered by a waterfall, and it spreads out in rivers throughout the bedrock. It's all around us."
"Really, that's kinda cool!" Zaveid said. But it was actually Edna who responded.
"He's right," she said. "I can feel the empty places in the earth where the water must be."
Sorey's eyebrows shot up at Mikleo's announcement. And his mouth fell a little open once Edna confirmed it.
"Really!?" he asked, excited all over again. "That's incredible...and it makes you wonder why the people who once lived here left the caves to begin with," he continued, placing a hand to his chin as he paced.
"If there was so much water...then why..." But that was a mystery. There was no real way to truly know why the people that had once clearly populated the caving system for decades had left. It could be a number of things. Maybe there had been a scarcity of food, or maybe there had been an illness that had swept through the populace at a swift and ravage pace. It was all truthfully conjecture. But that's what historians did: they analyzed the gathered information, and tried to think about what people who'd long since passed did.
"It'd be great if we had more recorded information on the place. But..." And Sorey looked back towards the golden palace. "I can't wait to do some more exploring. Shall we head on?" And he looked once again towards Mikleo for confirmation.
"Yes, but in just a moment. I'd like to bring this aqueduct back to life. Like you said, it appears fully functional. I just have to…"
And he let his voice trail off as he clearly began to concentrate again. Feeling upward just beyond the opening of the mouth they were currently looking at, he discovered a clog.
"Hmm…maybe if I can…" he mumbled to himself as he worked with the water. Taking a hold of the current around the clog, he gave it a great shove and pushed it through. With a slight 'pop' the water then came rushing outward. The face of the opening before them shuddered once and then 'whoosh!' The water came streaming out, cool, clear, and beautiful is if it had simply always belonged there. Immediately, it started to travel down the yellow brick waterway that was designed for it. And along this waterway, it began to travel all over the city where it once would have cared for all of the residence within the cavern.
Needless to say, Sorey was beyond impressed. His expression was one of awe.
"Wow!" He gushed, then ran over and jostled Mikleo in the arm, good-naturedly. "Look at you, using your powers for good," and he flashed the water seraph a bright, wide grin. "Maybe that clog in the duct was the reason the people left the caverns to begin with. They probably didn't have a super awesome water seraph that could help them fix it."
And of course, Mikleo loved getting compliments from Sorey, and he was about to respond when Edna beat him to it.
"As if an entire city of people would up and leave their city because there was a clog in one of their aqueduct pipes. Obviously, they would figure out a way to fix it rather than die or go extinct. Seriously Sorey, you either need more common sense or you need to tone down your grandiose thoughts of Mikleo."
Mikleo's feelings of flattery quickly died and a frown overtook his face. Crossing his arms over his chest, he sighed.
"She's right…" he sourly admitted. "That clog is a product of disuse over time. It's the same reason all the other pipes are clogged up too. It's simply been far too long since they've been maintenanced." Looking off to the palace, he waved a hand. "Let's keep going."
Sorey bit back a retort. He'd just been trying to be nice and compliment Mikleo. He felt like he'd needed to do such a thing. Honestly, her reaction felt like an insult to both his intelligence, and also...his intentions towards Mikleo. As such, his eyes had narrowed, making him frown. Edna could really be a pill.
He pouted, and quickly agreed when the fair seraph suggested they keep moving.
"Right," he said, much less enthusiastically than before, but still looking forward for what was to come nonetheless. It was a palace, in the ruins, so of course he was excited. A few seconds passed, and whatever ilk he'd felt towards Edna quickly dissipated, as he was too wound up with wonderment at the scenery before him. That was how Sorey was. It took a lot to get him angry, and when he was...well, the person probably deserved it, big time. Little things he could brush off. He was too good-natured not to.
The group continued to explore. And their journey was full of comments such as, "Sorey, take a look at this," and "Mikleo, check this out!" The two stopped approximately every five feet, especially after they got down into the area that was once the cities street. They all stopped to look at broken pots, old tablets, and once even for a tattered piece of cloth that they couldn't decide if it was an important remnant of a historical banner or…just garbage. They argued over it for a good ten minutes until Edna threatened to impale one of them with her umbrella if they didn't get moving. Eventually, they made it to the royal palace.
"Whoa!" Mikleo and Sorey said together as they walked through the huge opening where a gate as large as a ship had once been.
"This place is incredible. Look at all the surviving glyphs on the walls! What language do you think this is? Some sort of ancient Apollonian? No wait…this part looks Greek. But this character here…I'm almost certain it's Norse…ugh! It's all over the place! It's too old for me to tell!"
Sorey fell silent as he examined the marks Mikleo had pointed out.
"Hmmn...you're right. The glyphs are really difficult to distinguish..." and he reached out and traced one with a rough hand, needing to feel it beneath his palm. "It's possible that some of them are worn down, due to time, but...even so. I don't recognize some of the glyphs written on these walls," he said, even as he examined the ruins before him.
Then Sorey turned to look at Mikleo, curiosity shining in his eyes again. "How old do you think something like this would have to be, for us not to recognize it?" They both knew that, between the two of them, they were well-versed in many of the ancient languages. And while it was of course possible that Gramps hadn't given them a book on this particular language, he'd been excellent at making sure the boys had as many historical books as he could get his hands on. Gramps had encouraged their education and their fascination for ancient culture, and as such, Mikleo and Sorey both had a vast knowledge of both the ancient and recent languages that humans had created over time.
"That's hard to say," Mikleo said, unable to keep himself from being at least a little happy at the way Sorey turned to him for advice. "If I only had the writings alone, I'd say it's beyond the Asgard era and into something so ancient we have no text books on it. But because it's in a city of this magnitude with advances such as aqueducts and palaces, it doesn't quite fit."
Lifting a hand to his chin, he gazed up at the glyphs in contemplation.
"Perhaps this isn't the language they actually used in this society, but rather a more ancient language that they used as decoration. You know, in a similar fashion to as how current day humans use Latin in their churches even though it's a dead language."
"That...is a definite possibility," Sorey agreed, humming to himself as he pondered what the ancients might have thought of. "I'm sure that we'll see more of it once we head deeper inside the palace," he said while palming the glyphs once more, enjoying the rough feeling against his fingertips. "Maybe there'll even be some murals or mosaics that we can examine." And it was clear from his intonations that nothing would make him happier than that.
"Maybe, if we're lucky and they survived the ravages of time." Mikleo kept his eyes on Sorey for a second or two, but when the shepherd didn't stop tracing the glyphs with his fingers, Mikleo reached out and rapped the back of his knuckles on top of his brunette's head just hard enough to cause a sting.
"Ow!"
"Stop touching the walls," he scolded. "Do you really forget the rules of exploration so easily?"
Sorey pouted, his green eyes looking more puppy-like than ever. "I couldn't help it," he explained. "And that sort of hurt…" he stated, rubbing the place where Mikleo had struck. "I get it, though. No more touching the ruins," he said disenchanted. He truly couldn't have helped it. And Mikleo would know that. Sorey was bad about touching things and there being ill consequences. Like when they were little and he'd accidentally leaned up against a portion of the wall and set off a booby trap. That had been a bad accident. Thankfully, neither of the boys had been hurt, but Sorey had been careful with his elbows from then on out.
Mikleo let off a small smirk of a smile. Then, turning on his heel and letting his blue cloak trail behind him, he headed off deeper into the ruins. Sorey and the others followed.
They moved down the hallways of the palace, checking out anything that they came across. And of course they stopped quite frequently to check out old artifacts. Eventually, the others started to get a little bored and so every so often Edna would run ahead or Zaveid would disappear off to the side to check out a different room.
It was during one of these moments, when Sorey and Mikleo were arguing over what time period they thought a chipped bust was from, when Zaveid suddenly came running back over to them from down the hall.
"Hey! Hey! You guys!" he cried, excitement in his eyes. "You've gotta check this out!"
Leading the way, everyone else followed as the wind seraph took them down a long hallway. At the end of it there was a set of huge double wooden doors. They were clearly as old and decrepit as the rest of the palace, and no one dared move them or try to open them; but they didn't have to. They were open just enough so that a person could walk through. And what was more was that they all clearly saw light coming from the other side.
The light was natural, and looked like sunlight. It was vastly different from Mikleo's blue seraphic glow or Lailah's red. And so, everyone intrigued, they all stepped up to see what was inside.
Putting out their lights, the group stepped through the doors one by one. And once on the other side, they all let out gasps of wonder.
"Whoa!"
"Wow!"
"It's beautiful!"
On the other side of the doors, the group found themselves in a courtyard. Clearly still inside the palace, for yellowed ruin walls surrounded them on all sides, the space between them and those walls was the size of a stadium. And they were also clearly still underground, for the cave roof, complete with stalactites, remained above them. But the huge difference here was that there was a large fissure in the cave ceiling above them. And that fissure was allowing sunlight to stream through just in the center of the courtyard. In reality it wasn't much sunlight at all, but after being underground and being used to the dark, it was almost brilliantly bright.
The sunlight had clearly been used by the royalty of the palace to create a beautiful courtyard. In the very center of the yellow stones was a shallow pool of water. It was crystal clear and perfectly still. And surrounding that pool of water was the greenest, softest bed of moss any of them had ever seen. And sprouting up and outward from the edges of the moss were a variety of plants: small white and pink flowers, ferns, small shrubs, and eventually, trees.
The trees couldn't grow very large in the dark environment of the cave, but they had still survived and even thrived at their sapling like size for a long time on the bit of sunlight they were provided. The same went for the other plants. Left to their own devices after so much time untended, the garden was wild. In some patches there were no plants at all and all they could see was the yellow stone showing through, but then in other places the plants were thickly clustered. There was a rose patch on the other side of the stadium-like courtyard that seemed bound and determined to take over the entire garden by force.
As if all of this wasn't beautiful enough, the group found themselves surrounded by palace columns on all sides. And just to top it all off, there were just five stairs leading down into the courtyard, making it just a bit of decoration.
"This is unbelievable!" Mikleo cried as he took it all in. "That water there in the center, it's a natural underground spring! It's the only reason it's still so pure and hasn't been corrupted or turned toxic. And that little spring has nourished this entire courtyard all of this time all alone and with no human interference!"
"The celestial record didn't mention anything about this," Sorey said in a small voice. The courtyard with all of the plants, and the small pure pool of water, were just too beautiful for words. It wasn't just that someone had clearly excavated it hundreds of years ago. It was the way the water and the plant life flourished without human intervention. The place was so serene; Sorey couldn't help but feel like it was holy. As if they'd stumbled upon something so pure that walking into it would interrupt its ambiance.
Even so, he took a tentative step forward, wanting to get a closer look at the pool. "This is incredible," he said, cautiously stepping further in, as if he was going to disturb something just by being there.
"It's amazing what nature can do when left to its own devices." And the shepherd peered up at the sunlight streaming through the cavern roof, then back down towards the rose bushes farther away. "Incredible."
All of them stood in awed silence for a long moment. But after that moment was up, it was Lailah, who suddenly said,
"Well! This seems like the perfect place! Zaveid, Edna, what do you think?" And the other two seraphim, clearly knowing exactly what it was Lailah was referring too, quickly nodded, serious, yet contemplative looks on their faces.
Edna crossed her arms in front of her.
"Yup, perfect environment for mushiness," she agreed.
"I'll say," Zaveid agreed. "It has Zaveid's stamp of approval!"
"Oh good…" Edna said, already rolling her eyes. "It never would've worked out without the love master's stamp of approval."
Zaveid chuckled. But Lailah seemed determined to keep their quest on track.
"Alright then, it's decided." Lifting a hand, the fire seraph suddenly called out loudly to Sorey. "Oh yoo-hoo! Sorey!" she practically sang. "Edna, Zaveid and I are going to go explore the rest of the palace! You and Mikleo stay here and enjoy the courtyard! We'll meet you back here later!"
"Smooth…" Edna snorted.
"It doesn't matter if we're suspicious or not, all we have to do is give them plenty of time alone together. So come on! Let's hurry!"
Turning, even before Sorey could really object or ask questions, the three seraphim suddenly vanished back out of the door they'd just entered in from.
Mikleo, of course, had watched the entire thing unfold. And unlike Sorey, he knew exactly what the others were doing. He was extremely grateful, for this was precisely what he'd been waiting for all this time. But he was also immediately terrified as soon as he saw the other's leaving.
He had no excuse and no reason now to hold back. And with all three of their friends in on the secret, he knew he'd be given as much time as he needed to talk to Sorey. He'd been hoping, wishing, praying for that perfect moment, and now, it was finally here. And so now…it was all entirely up to him. And that made his hands and feet cold with sudden dread.
It's silly to be afraid, he told himself. After all, I already know how Sorey will respond. I already know he loves me too. So there's no reason to be so nervous.
All the same, he was. And his heart was already starting to beat quickly from within his chest as his hands and feet froze. He stared at the double doors where his friends had left, and suddenly, he was too scared to turn around and face the person he'd loved his entire life since before he could even remember.
Sorey had been too far away to hear any of the conversation taking place between his seraph companions. He'd gone to take a good look at the moss growing around the pool. He'd turned around to enthuse about it, but that's when Lailah had shouted out to him, stating that they were going to look around. It looked like everyone was leaving except Mikleo. After blinking a couple of times, he walked over towards the water seraph, and placed an arm on his shoulder casually, completely unaware of the inner turmoil that was brewing inside the other young man.
"They just left? But this place is so pretty," he stated, looking at the door that they'd since passed through.
"Yes, it is," Mikleo agreed, keeping his violet eyes on the door for several more seconds. But then, he knew he had to turn and address Sorey. And already, simply with the shepherd resting an arm so casually on his shoulder, Mikleo felt a bit more relaxed. It was as he'd told him earlier: Sorey put him at ease. And so, when he did finally turn to look at him, Mikleo found that all of his jitters almost immediately settled.
Sorey was as Sorey as ever. His face was smooth, his green eyes alive with light and life, and his chocolate hair was slightly messed from their ruin exploring and the wind vent they'd shared earlier. His head was cocked slightly to the side, and a curious look over came him when he saw Mikleo had something to say. He was, as always, adorable in his innocence and naivety. In simply looking at him, Mikleo wanted to smile. And just like that, his fear was gone and he knew he could start.
"The other's left purposefully so that I'd have the chance to talk to you," he confessed, keeping his face stoic as he did so. "We'll have all the time we need now."
Eyebrows raised, Sorey immediately responded. "Oh really?" he asked, seeming surprised, but pleased, as was evident by his warm smile. "That was really nice of them. I'm glad. I know you've been wanting to talk about something for a while," he said a little more seriously, his green eyes peering at his companion, trying to figure out what Mikleo could want to talk about.
"So, I'm all ears," he stated, crossing his arms up and behind his head, as he kept his gaze on the beautiful seraph in front of him. "Whenever or whatever you want to talk about. I'm here." And the warmth and caring was clear in his voice. He didn't know what his most precious person wanted to talk to him about, but he knew it was important, he knew Mikleo had been worried about something, and that he'd been having nightmares. If Sorey could do anything to help Mikleo, no matter what it was, he'd do it. That...and it was really nice to have some time alone with him. It never really happened, just as he'd thought in the tent after the seraph had passed out from heat exhaustion. And so this chance with him alone, was precious.
Mikleo stared at Sorey for just a second, then he couldn't help but to let off a small scoff as a quiet smile overcame his face.
"As guileless as always…" Silence fell between them again, but only for a second. Then Mikleo turned and gestured to the steps that led down into the courtyard. "Let's sit," he said. The stairs were only a few feet away, and Mikleo carefully settled himself in. One foot stretched out, he curled up the other so that he could fold both hands around his knee. And once he was situated, he waited until Sorey looked comfortable too. After ensuring he was, he looked outward and toward the beautiful garden before them. The ruins were silent, and with no wind or animals in the caves around them, it was almost a little spooky.
"Sorey…" he stared slowly. "Glaivend Basin changed a lot of things for me. It was such a…terrifying and extreme experience. And it forced my perspective to shift on feelings and ideas I thought were rock solid." His violet eyes grew a little sad. "Going through something like that made me realize we're not as indestructible as we used to think when we were kids. It showed me how fleeting we really are. It reminded me that you're human, and therefore mortal, and it also made me realize perhaps for the first time since I was born, that just because I'm a seraphim, it doesn't mean I can't die too. We're all…gambling with time. And time is a precious thing."
His grip on his knee increased a little, causing him to squeeze.
"Other seraphim don't realize how important and waning time actually is. They think they have forever because we don't age. But those seraphim…those seraphim don't have a human in their lives. They don't…they just don't know what it means."
Lifting his eyes away from the garden, he finally turned to look at Sorey.
"I don't want to waste what time we have. Glaivend Basin showed me what's truly important. It stirred something up in me, and I'm hoping, it stirred something up in you too."
Mikleo looked to Sorey in a magnetic sort of way, and there was a long second where the shepherd would have felt the pressure from such a stare. But before he could feel too awkward, or think of how to respond, Mikleo said one more thing,
"We never talked about what happened at the Basin," he said. "I think we both avoided it because it was so terrible. But I think…I think now is the time to discuss it, before I go any further with the things I want to tell you."
Sorey swallowed hard, his expression morphing into one of sadness and discomfort. The battle at the Basin had been terrifying. And he'd been trying his best not to think about it. But...it looked like they needed to talk about it. There was no way Sorey would deny Mikleo that, even if he knew that the feelings that would soon stir in him would be painful.
He was silent for a minute, thinking how to start up, he gazed off into the distance as he processed everything. Then, the shepherd spoke up.
"It was terrifying," he confessed. "The sheer malevolence was so potent, so powerful, that it felt...crushing." His voice cracked the tiniest bit on that last word.
"And then you were gone. You were gone, and..." Sorey's own grip on his knees intensified, his gloved hands curling up as he remembered just how devastating that had actually been.
"You've never been gone before. You'd always been there by my side," and he looked back to Mikleo then, his green eyes full of tumult and pain. "And that feeling, of not knowing where you were or what was happening, was...probably the worst feeling I've ever experienced," he confessed again, letting off a sort of half-laugh, half choking noise as he looked back across the way.
"It was worse than the blows I took. Worse than anything physical that I endured." His voice was quiet, much quieter than it had been before. "And it made me feel...a lot of things. Scared, helpless..." And he closed his eyes, tucking his head towards his knees. He needed a second to gather control over himself before continuing. Mikleo may be considered the more stoic person, but Sorey didn't exactly want to lose himself in those prior feelings, not when they had so much to talk about.
"But it also made me realize how much I need you," he said, opening his leaf-green eyes again and looking at Mikleo in earnest. "I can't go through that again. At least, I never want to. I don't want...you to not be there. I don't even know what I would do, if you weren't..." And Sorey trailed off, taking in a deep breath, trying to gather himself again, waiting for Mikleo's response.
"I was there," was Mikleo's immediate response as he put a hand earnestly to his chest. "I was there the entire time. I never left your side." His face matched Sorey's then in the amount of anguish and intensity it held.
"I could see you. I could hear you. But when I realized you couldn't see me…I…" And he had to stop, for his emotions threatened to overtake him the same way Sorey's had threatened him.
"It was like I didn't exist. I tried talking to you, then screaming at you, but you just…didn't respond at all. I tried…tried to grab you, but my hands went through your body as if I was a ghost. And you…you were looking around all over for me, appearing so lost and hopeless. I couldn't do anything to help you. All I could do was watch. And when those hellions came at you, that entire army, I… couldn't…couldn't do anything!"
His expression tensed and for just a second he had to look away for the sheer amount of anguish the memory caused him. But after a few breaths of air, he made himself turn back around once more, the same intensity in his amethyst eyes.
"I stood in front of you, tried to protect you, but none of my artes were working. No one's were. And so I…I tried to grab a hold of you as you started going over the cliff face but…I could do nothing to stop it. So…I went over the edge with you."
Mikleo let off a heavy sigh, his face appearing pained.
"You said it was the worst feeling you ever experienced. It was mine too. And I've been having nightmares about it ever since. This…this idea that we could be separated like that…" And the concept seemed truly so horrific that Mikleo couldn't help it when he lifted his arms to hug himself as if a cold were settling in around them.
"It's horrible," Sorey said, finishing Mikleo's thought, even as he tried to absorb what the seraph had shared with him. "The thought that we could…" but he couldn't finish it again. As painful as the conversation was, at least now he knew what Mikleo had been dreaming about. And that was a relief.
"Mikleo, I'm so sorry you've been having nightmares," he said worriedly, scooting closer to the seraph. "Is that the reason you've been sleeping in later than usual?" he asked, already knowing the answer, even without the other boy's admittance.
"You were there the whole time, trying to help me," he said, looking straight ahead again, even as he pressed his shoulder into Mikleo's.
"I...I can't imagine how painful that must have been for you," he said, sounding genuinely pained for his special person. "I'm so sorry Mikleo." And he didn't know why he was apologizing. It hadn't been his fault. But all the same, he felt awful that the person he loved the most had gone through something like that. And he just had to say something to try and make it better. He didn't like Mikleo being in pain.
When Sorey moved in closer to him, when he sat beside him and let their shoulder's touch, Mikleo felt that usual wave of happiness overtake him, even though they were discussing something dismal. And that feeling let him know that he was indeed, one hundred percent, on the right track. Talking with Sorey like this about his true feelings was exactly what they needed. Even if there were a lot of monsters to chase out of closets first before they could get to the good things. Mikleo felt it was important that he tell Sorey everything. He didn't want the person he loved and was about to confess to, to not understand something he'd been going through lately. Especially since all of those things were concerning him.
"I've been afraid of the malevolence ever since," he revealed. "The smaller hellions are ok…but every time we face something big or I feel it starting to well up in the area we're traveling in, it's then that I…I've become very afraid…"
He looked out to the garden again, if only to try and focus on something other than his fear.
"I look to you to find out if you can still see me. Or I'll ask you some useless question just to see you turn at the sound of my voice. Because every time I feel the malevolence like that I…"
He didn't finish, and he didn't need to. And he took the moment to lean his shoulder just a little more snugly into Sorey's, since he had already offered.
"I don't want to disappear…"
It was almost too much for Sorey. Almost.
"So that's why..." he said, before mirroring Mikleo and looking out to the gardens again. "I'd noticed that you were looking to me, and asking me some things occasionally, and the timing sometimes seemed off, but I didn't know the reason behind your actions," he admitted, pausing for a brief moment, before starting up again.
"I don't want you to disappear either. And I don't want you to have to feel that way again, ever. Never again," he said, swallowing again, as he found it difficult to deal with his painful emotions.
"If you...if you need to keep doing those things, that's okay," Sorey said, wanting to comfort his special person. "And honestly, now that I know that's why you've been doing it, I...I want you to know you can always reach out, if you're worried," he said. "Anything I can do, I will, to make it better." And Sorey looked to Mikleo then, searching his face, to watch for his reaction.
Mikleo stared at Sorey. There were times when he just couldn't keep his eyes off of him. And when Sorey was being sweet and honest, as was his way, that was when Mikleo found himself drawn to him the most.
"You've always been so earnest," he said, keeping a hold on his bright green eyes. He'd always loved the soft spring color of them. "It's one of the many things I really like about you." And the comment was warm and full, before he let off a small smirk. "And also one of the things that makes me worry about you the most."
The soft smile still on his face, Mikleo glanced down to his hands, which were still folded over his knee. For some reason, now that he was feeling those butterflies in his chest again, he was more aware of the fact that his coat was still open in the front. But, that was ok. Being exposed was exactly what his goal was in this moment.
"There's one more thing I wanted to talk about, but it ties in with the nightmare I had last night, so…I wanted to start with that."
Looking to Sorey, he found his childhood friend open and eager, as always, ready to listen to him.
"I've been dreaming about the malevolence," he said. "But I've also been dreaming about you." Mikleo paused for a second here, just to see the look that came over Sorey's face. And as he suspected, his naïve puppy-dog face is what came over him, letting him know that Sorey still didn't quite know what this meant and that he would need more.
"As I said earlier, Glaivend Basin awakened something inside of me, and it opened my eyes to what's most important. And I've come to realize throughout this entire journey, that the most important thing to me is us, and our relationship. You're what's most important Sorey.
It's the reason I came along after all. I couldn't let you transverse the world alone. I was worried about you, because you're so naïve, sure, but…I'd be lying if I said I didn't go for my own purposes. I…couldn't stand the idea of being apart from you.
I'd been talking to Gramps about it for years, ever since you started reading The Celestial Record and expressing interest in exploring the world of humans. I…I went home to Gramps crying after you told me you wanted nothing more than to see the great sights outside of Elysia."
Mikleo unfolded his hands from his knee, and soft smile still on his face, he looked out to the spring before them in fond memory.
"Gramps knew…even back then what I was really upset about. He knew I was afraid of being separated from you. And so, from then on, he started teaching me about humans and the human world in order to prepare me for the day I would leave Elysia with you. He gave me tons of books to read, and warned me about how no one would be able to see or hear me. He educated me to the best of his ability to ensure that not only I was safe, but that I'd be able to keep you safe too.
I packed my bag last year. I didn't know when you were going to decide to leave, but I knew you would do it suddenly one day and without warning. And I knew you'd try to leave me behind because you wouldn't want me to face so much danger. So I had to be ready to leave without so much as a moment's notice."
Leaning back, Mikleo rested his palms on the yellow stairs behind him. Turning his head, he looked to Sorey, his expression slowly changing as he spoke, confessing one thing right after another. His purple eyes were somehow becoming more compelling as he looked once again to his childhood friend.
"Now why do you think I'd do something like that? Seems pretty extreme don't you think?"
Sorey was in awe. Mikleo had prepared for his departure years ago. And he'd been so afraid of losing Sorey, he'd...
There was this odd sort of pressure starting to escalate inside of him, and it made him feel warm all the way down to his toes. His childhood companion had done all of that, for him. It made Sorey feel impossibly special. But as far as answering Mikleo's question, Sorey was left silent, his green eyes shining with anticipation and wonderment.
Something inside of him told him that Mikleo's reason behind his actions was very good. Very, very good, and Sorey was starting to feel excited, but also confused. And he didn't know why.
"You...didn't want to be without me," he said, knowing that perhaps that answer wasn't enough. No, there was something he wasn't quite grasping. The puzzle pieces were being put together, but Sorey didn't have the full picture, not just yet. Perhaps he should have; the young man could be incredibly astute when it came to archaeological information and tidbits of information, but other things eluded the gentle shepherd. Mikleo would have to spell it out for him. Sorey didn't and couldn't say anything else. He was trying as best as he could to figure out what exactly the seraph was trying to say, and Mikleo's eyes were impossible to look away from. And so Sorey waited, waited to hear what else the aquamarine-haired beauty would say.
Mikleo's smile grew just a little bit bigger. He loved Sorey's sincere nature. And even though usually it was at times like this that his inability to read emotions agitated Mikleo, at the moment he only thought of it as precious. And he knew the reason behind it now was that Sorey didn't need to get what he was saying. Mikleo planned to tell him as straight forward as a person possibly could. There was no way Sorey wouldn't understand. And so, for the moment at least, he was enjoying his quizzical expression. He was, as always, adorable with such a face on.
"Yes, I didn't want to be without you," Mikleo admitted. "And at the time, that's all I thought it was too, even though the truth was that it was so much more. We were both too young and sheltered inside of Elysia to see it, or let ourselves see it. But ever since we've been journeying in the world and experiencing so many new things together, we've been growing. I know I have. The past few months with you out here have been…so amazing."
Mikleo dared not turn away from Sorey now. And as he finally built up to the moment of truth, he felt his heart start to pick up pace in his chest. It suddenly started beating so quickly and so powerfully that it almost stole his breath away. Lifting a hand, he placed it on his chest to try and settle himself down.
"Sorry," he said after catching his breath, "I'm just a little nervous." There was no point in hiding it. Sorey could see right through him. And besides, there were no secrets between them, especially not now.
"Sorey," Mikleo started again, keeping his amethyst eyes on him. "I love what we have. We've been best friends since before I can even remember. And with the way I feel about it, I want to say even before we were born. There has never been a day when we haven't cared for each other, or haven't been together. I can't…even imagine my life without you in it. We know each other inside and out, and you've had my true name since we were little kids."
His violet eyes stared, and Mikleo didn't even blink.
"Sorey…no one's supposed to know a seraphim's true name. No one but a spouse. And I guess…the shepherd. But I gave you my name only a little after we were toddlers. I've…felt this connection with you that's so strong that I can't even explain it or truly understand what it is. All I know for certain, after Glaivend Basin and all my nightmares, is that I want more of it."
Mikleo leaned in, putting his face very near Sorey's so he couldn't look away. His eyes intense, he finally let go of the thing that'd been eating him alive inside since the battlefield.
"I love you, Sorey. I think I always have. And although what we've always had together all these years is great, it's not enough anymore. I need that connection we feel to be stronger. I want to be closer to you. And I want you closer to me too. I need… need… just…more."
He was already so close, but he dared to move in even closer still, until their noses were just an inch apart.
"Those dreams I've been having; they're not all bad. You're in a lot of them Sorey. And my subconscious made it very clear what it is I want. It shouted until I listened, until I couldn't ignore it any longer. And when I wake up from those dreams and realize that we don't have what my subconscious just told me we should…my heart aches and…I'm lonely."
And there it was. The second Mikleo had told him that he loved him, Sorey felt his own consciousness echo it. Yes, yes, that's exactly what he felt towards the seraph. It was the truest, purest word for how he felt about the impossibly beautiful being right in front of him, the one he needed more than anything or anyone else. Things started to fall into place for the shepherd, and as they did, Sorey's own heart started to pound away inside his chest. Surely Mikleo could hear it even as he spoke.
Then, the other young man continued, explaining what those other dreams of his had been. And as dense as Sorey may have been about some things, even he knew what this meant. How could he not, with Mikleo leaning in so close, and with his confession of love, and his need for more?
Sorey took a breath, his green eyes bright with understanding, and then sympathy and compassion. And also, excitement. For the words Mikleo had spoken were sweet, and sincere, and honest and passionate, qualities Sorey had always admired about the seraph to begin with. And Sorey really, really liked how close Mikleo was to him right at that moment.
"Mikleo," he said simply, his voice soft and tender, and his eyes shining, with a pink blush darkening his cheeks.
"I...I feel the same way," he admitted, leaning in a little. "I love you too. And...I want that too. We can have that. We can have what you want, what you dream about," and he leaned in even closer, until the very tip of his nose was pressing up against Mikleo's, unconsciously reaching out to grab the seraph's hands in his own. "You don't have to be lonely anymore."
And even he knew what he had to do next. He closed his eyes, tilting his head ever so slightly so he could kiss Mikleo properly. And then he did: Sorey's lips found their place on his love's, warm and reassuring and full of a tenderness that only Mikleo would ever, and could ever, know. It lasted for just a moment, before Sorey pulled back, his green eyes questioning, hoping that his kiss had been alright, and that it had been what the seraph had wanted.
Mikleo felt something bloom inside of him. It felt almost as if he'd been carrying around a seed all this time, unaware that it could become a flower. But when Sorey kissed him, so softly and with so much tender love, it made Mikleo realize that the flower could become a garden. And that need he'd felt in all of his dreams rose to the surface, powerfully so. Sorey's lips were so much softer and felt so much better than anything he'd already imagined. And they fit so perfectly together with his own that he wondered how on earth they hadn't come together sooner.
Mikleo kept his eyes closed, simply taking in the moment and feeling all that he could as Sorey kissed him. He took in the feel of Sorey against him, took in his scent, and took in the way he gripped his hands. And even though his heart was beating so fast now that it was almost frightening, he took in that too. All of it was wonderful, all of it was perfect. And it released him from a shackle he didn't even know he wore.
Sorey eventually pulled back, and they both opened their eyes. And when they did Mikleo found Sorey's green eyes questioning, and he could nearly read his mind. He was hoping the kiss had been alright, that it had been what he'd wanted. Mikleo didn't need to answer verbally. His amethyst eyes shined in the dim light offered them in the palace courtyard. And it was clear from the softness on his face, a softness Sorey had never seen on him before, that it was indeed exactly what Mikleo had wanted.
Without a word, Mikleo let that powerful feeling inside of him take over, and he reached out. He wrapped his arms up and around Sorey's back, gripping him tightly, and then it was Mikleo who came in. Unable to hold back that need he'd described just a second ago, he came in for a second kiss, and his was far more intense than Sorey's had been. Putting some pressure into it, he pushed in, needing to really feel Sorey against him.
Sorey inhaled sharply, a feeling of sudden passion overtaking him for a moment. Mikleo was kissing him and it was a much different kind of kiss than the one he'd given the seraph. But the shepherd certainly didn't mind. And in a moment, his arms and hands flew into motion, his left arm curling around Mikleo's waist and pulling him closer, while his right hand went up and into his oh-so-silky hair that Sorey had always adored.
He kissed back, putting some pressure and heat into his response, his eyes firmly closed. And then he opened his mouth just the tiniest bit, tilting his head so that the kiss was deeper, even as he kept the seraph flush up against his chest, even as he gently ran his hands through Mikleo's aquamarine locks.
His love wasn't the only one feeling a need, now. And he instinctively knew he needed more, and he needed the seraph close.
Every second was a blessing. And every second was new and exciting; ten thousand times more than stepping into an undiscovered ruin. And there was suddenly so much to explore and learn about the person he thought he already knew everything about, that Mikleo couldn't help the electricity that suddenly felt as if it were buzzing through his watery veins.
He found himself responding to Sorey as he moved, and his body already seemed to know what to do when only a second ago he'd been worried about not knowing how to proceed. Mikleo had never kissed anyone before, and he knew Sorey hadn't either. But that didn't seem to matter. It felt so good and they fit together so well that there was never a doubt about how right it all was. And so, when Sorey's lips parted, so did Mikleo's. And the new sensation that followed almost took his breath away.
Sorey's hands were in his hair, his arm around his waist, his chest pressed against his. And Mikleo could feel Sorey's heart pounding from within him. Although Mikleo had already known he'd been longing, now that he was finally getting what he'd been yearning for, he felt as if he was starving. And this…this, what was happening right here with Sorey, the person he loved; he knew this could fill him.
"Sorey…" his voice came between their kisses, and Mikleo was almost shocked by the quality of his own tones. Was that me just then? He wondered in awe. He'd always been rather stoic by nature, not moved by much. Well…not much except for the chocolate haired youth before him. And so it was shocking to hear how much emotion could truly be packed into one solitary word. And hearing how he said his childhood friend's name made the truth of how much he really loved him all the more real: even more so than his confession only seconds ago. His heart felt like it would burst. And even then, all he could think about was how he wanted more. More of Sorey.
He lifted his hands. They went to either side of the shepherd's face. Then, with incredible tenderness, yet filled with the same passion they were currently exhibiting, he slid the fingers of his right hand down his cheek and jaw. The other hand moved back into his thick, chocolate locks. Mikleo had always thought Sorey was adorable, sometimes puppy-like, but now, in this moment, he was almost devastatingly handsome. And the seraph wanted to know all about this new Sorey in front of him.
Mikleo ran a thumb over his brow, glided his white fingertips down the other side of his jaw. And this time he didn't stop. His hand drifted down his neck, then to his collar where he explored. Then, still kissing heavily and holding onto him tightly, his lifted both hands to the bottom of his dark blue button-up. Driven by the same need he'd been feeling and suppressing for months now, he let it tell him what to do. And that was to pull out Sorey's shirt from his pants, un-tucking it and letting it hang loose. And from that point, Mikleo knew exactly what he wanted.
He lifted both hands up and underneath Sorey's shirt, running both palms up against his abs and to his chest. The skin-on-skin contact was incredible and sent another jolt of electricity through him. And as he started to explore Sorey's body, a sudden burning desire came over him to have Sorey do the same to him. In fact, he wanted to be touched so badly that a slight almost inaudible groan escaped him.
Everything felt amazing. Everything. Sorey was one hundred percent focused on how good it felt to be with Mikleo like this, and as such, anything the other boy wanted to do to him, he was up for it.
He felt himself lurch forward when the seraph pressed his searching hands up against his chest, eager to have Mikleo explore more of him. And when that moan came out of him...
Sorey responded in like, a thick heated moan escaping his own lips, and he whispered the seraph's name through half-parted lips, as if his name was the most precious thing he could possibly say.
Then his hands went into action, even as they continued their passionate kissing, for he somehow knew what it was that Mikleo was saying to him, even though they weren't speaking with words. Just movement.
Sorey's left hand ducked underneath the back of Mikleo's outer jacket, searching, seeking, until it was underneath the fabric. But that wasn't enough. He wanted more room to explore every inch of the seraph.
Having seen Mikleo change dozens of times prior through half-stolen glances at the inns, he knew how to get the outer jacket off, and luckily for him, Mikleo's jacket was already unzipped in the front due to his caution against the desert heat. He reached up and with hooded eyes, pushed it off of the seraph's shoulders, and then it slide down his arms, leaving the seraph enticingly more accessible than before.
Sorey took a second to marvel at just how beautiful that sight was: Mikleo, bare armed, more exposed than he ever was before with him, but then he lurched forward, hungry to feel more underneath his hands. One hand went up the front of the seraph's under shirt, loving the feeling of the lithe muscles right at his fingertips.
Mikleo was of a different body type than he was, but anyone who'd say he didn't have muscles clearly didn't know what Sorey knew. He could feel them, the hard muscles underneath that velvet-soft skin, and it was almost too much for the shepherd, who let out a lower moan than before, sucking at Mikleo's lower lip while he indulged himself with the seraph's body. And after only a second of this, Sorey let his left hand drift backwards, until it ducked beneath the hemline of his pants, eager to feel as much of Mikleo's perfectly-shaped body as he could.
Mikleo loved having Sorey's hands on him, perhaps more than he ever knew he could enjoy something before. And that heat and electricity was building up into a storm inside of him. It let him know that somehow, someway, this could actually get better than it currently was. He had no idea how that could be possible, but he also knew that if he just listened to his body and his impulses, he and Sorey would get there together.
But when his instincts told him what the next step was, and when he felt Sorey's hand slip beneath the band of his white pants, he forced himself to stop and pull back.
"Wait," he said, his voice still thick and brimming with lust. And of course, Sorey immediately stopped, pulling back just an inch or two so he could gaze at his love and see what was wrong. Mikleo saw the concern and care in his green eyes, and it only made him love him more.
"We're out in the open, in a ruin," he stated blatantly. "And the other's will be back to check on us eventually."
Always the voice of reason in the pairing, Mikleo almost hated himself at the moment. But even so, he knew it would be absolutely crazy and indecent to continue. And he didn't want his first time with Sorey to be like that. He wanted privacy and he didn't want any chance of interruption.
Even in the haze his brain was in because of his heightened state of lust, Sorey understood and agreed with his love. He wanted every moment with Mikleo to be perfect, and this just wasn't the time or the place for that.
"You're right," he said nearly breathlessly, pulling his hand away from Mikleo's perfectly-shaped backside and placing it on his waist instead. "We should wait."
They needed to calm down, yes, but Sorey wasn't ready to completely let go of Mikleo just yet, not after they'd taken such a huge step in their relationship. And as such, he wanted to just let his breathing calm down back to normal, and his heartbeat slowly stop pounding inside his chest, while still close to Mikleo. So he pulled the seraph close and buried his face into Mikleo's hair, inhaling deeply, loving the scent the seraph emanated. Just because they needed to cool down, didn't mean they couldn't still be sweet to each other and enjoy a few more moments of closeness.
And Mikleo loved that Sorey pulled him in close to embrace him as they tried to settle back down. He still wanted to be near him, and being wrapped up in his arms like this was incredibly comforting and fulfilling.
"Sorey, I-!" But as soon as he went to say something, a loud CRASH was heard from across the courtyard, as if heavy stones had fallen. Both boys looked up to see dust rising into the air from the opposite wall. "What…" But before Mikleo could even ask his question a huge hellion appeared. It was jet back in color and shaped similarly to a scorpion. It had two shield sized pincers in the front, and three tails; each with a curved barb as big as a sword on the end of it. Its six eyes glowed red with seeming rage, and when it turned, spotting the shepherd and seraphim, it reared up and let out a God-awful hiss.
Anyone in their right mind would have been afraid. But Mikleo wasn't. Instead, a look of absolute fury crossed over the water seraph's face. His violet eyes flashed, and in a heartbeat he'd stood up to his feet, his cloak hanging from his elbows, his shoulder's still sporting only his black undershirt.
"Are you kidding me!?" he practically shrieked at the beast as it started to move toward them across the garden. "This was my moment! You hear me? MY moment!"
The hellion clearly didn't care about Mikleo's moment. And instead it's spindly, pointy legs rattled it forward. It was reaching the spring now and would be upon them in only another thirty seconds or so.
Mikleo, still appearing almost crazed with anger, held out a hand and called his staff to him. It appeared in a flash of blue light. Then, gripping the staff and entering an offensive position, he ran down the few steps before them and to flat, level ground. Then, glancing over his shoulder, he shouted to his partner.
"Sorey! I've got a new spell I've been working on that will take care of this! I didn't think I could pull it off before, but now I know I can! It takes a while to cast, so I need you to cover me!"
"Of course!" Sorey shouted in response, quick on his feet and following right behind his love. As dangerous as the hellion might be, the shepherd had a funny feeling that Mikleo, in just a few moments, may prove to be more than the hellion had bargained for when he'd ruined their special moment.
He pulled the ceremonial sword out of its sheath, twirling it expertly with a deft movement of his wrist, and then charged in, blocking an attack from the monstrous scorpion-like creature just a second before it'd attacked him with those giant pincers of his. He kept an eye out for the wicked-looking tails, knowing they could jut out and impale him any second. All the same, Sorey was determined to subdue the creature. As Mikleo prepared to cast, Sorey thrust out with his sword with wicked attacks, using the force of his strong back and shoulders as he maneuvered the blade and dealt some heavy blows to its armored exoskeleton. If the hellion thought they were going to go down easy, it had another thing coming.
Blue light appeared in a circle around Mikleo's feet as he called forth his holy power. Then, spreading upward, it swirled around him as he prepared. Starting his spell, he kept a careful eye on Sorey. If the shepherd ever fell into trouble while he was casting, he always had the option of abandoning his spell midway through and leaping to his aid. And then of course, there was always the option of armatizing. And so, he wasn't worried for his love's safety as he began.
Concentrating, his half worn cloak fluttering behind him from his elbows, and his white hair billowing in the magic pulsing around him, he recited the words he'd been constructing for the past few months,
"Oh water that runs deep as an abyss,
On the surface calm and clear as glass,
Let thy true depths be known.
Open up to the skies above,
And beget lightning to strike thee,
Bringing life and light to a once hidden sea.
Swirling together, act as one
And release thine powers combined!
Smite thine enemies with flashes of light
And bury them in the sea!"
There was a huge release of power that came from Mikleo's very core as if he'd unlocked a door. And feeling it well up within him as quickly as a flood, he knew all he had to do was release it. Opening his amethyst eyes wide, he focused on the monster before him and then shouted out his new spells name,
"ELECTRIC WHIRLPOOL!"
There was a huge boom that sounded like thunder that shook the entire courtyard. And directly after it, water sprouted up to life, circling around the huge scorpion hellion before them. And it grew and grew and stretched for the caverns ceiling. Within only a second there was a humungous whirlpool before them, looking very much like a tornado. And as it finally finished being cast, it started to spark with purple bolts of electricity as it spun furiously around its victim. Lightning burst forth from within it, causing the whirlpool to glow from within. They heard the hellion inside shriek an otherworldly shriek, its cries echoing off the cave walls. But even so, Mikleo's electric whirlpool was still both terrifying and beautiful all at once. A sight to behold, even the whirlpool's caster stared, his purple eyes wide with wonder.
I created that, he thought to himself in awe. I've had this much power inside of me all along.
It was like nothing he'd ever seen before. This new seraphic arte of Mikleo's was stunning, and tumultuously powerful, beautiful and deadly all at the same time. And Sorey couldn't help but feel like...it somehow combined the essence of both him and Mikleo. Even the words he'd spoke while casting hinted as such.
How did he create this? Sorey wondered, awestruck by his love's intelligence and natural magical prowess.
The scorpion-like hellion stood no chance against the power of the whirlpool, and after a few more seconds, it let out a tremendous scream, and began to dissipate in front of their eyes. Sorey waited until he was sure the evil thing was definitely down and purified for good, before he trotted over towards Mikleo.
Eyes wide, and with an awestruck look plastered all over his face, Sorey couldn't help but praise the other young man,
"That was incredible," he stated, wrapping his arms around the seraph's waist as he chuckled good-naturedly. "You really were mad he interrupted us. I would not want to be on your bad side," he teased, his cheeks rosy and eyes full of warmth and delight for Mikleo.
Mikleo grinned, his usual self-confidence rising back up.
"No, you wouldn't want to be on my bad side," he teased, lifting a finger to poke Sorey in his chest. "And there's more where that came from, so don't do anything stupid Sorey."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Sorey cried indignantly. But Mikleo was of course just teasing, and so he immediately started to laugh. But his laughter didn't last long when there was a whistle heard from the entrance to the courtyard. And when both Sorey and Mikleo turned, they found their traveling companions standing in the open doorway. And judging from their stunned faces, they had seen Mikleo's newest spell.
"Woooow!" Zaveid whistled a second time. "That was some display of power!"
Lailah, appearing worried, took a hesitant step forward.
"We came as soon as we sensed the presence of a hellion. But by the time we got here, you two were already dispatching it. Are you both alright?"
The three hurried over to group back up with the other two. And as they neared, Mikleo smiled and nodded.
"Yes, we're fine," he responded. But Lailah didn't appear so sure as she came over to them.
"Are you certain?" she asked, her turquoise eyes shifting to their hair and clothes. "You look like you've been roughed up!"
"I…oh…" Mikleo's sentence trailed off as he suddenly realized just how it was he and Sorey looked. And as he looked from Sorey to himself, a rosy color came to his cheeks.
"Oh?" Lailah questioned. But Zaveid was quick to catch on. His eyes grew wide and a spark of delighted excitement quickly came over his face.
"Oh!" he exclaimed in contrast to Lailah. "What's this? What's this!" he cried. And like some sort of overzealous fan, he ran over to the two, buzzing around them as he inspected their appearance. "Messed up hair? Untucked shirt? Revealed shoulders? Cloak halfway off?" Standing back up straight and tall, he looked at everyone in the group.
"This can only mean one thing!"
"Don't…" Mikleo groaned.
"Sorey and Mikleo have finally hooked up!"
Mikleo groaned, putting a hand to his face. But even as he tried to hide his embarrassment, Lailah's face lit up with delight.
"Oh, is this true?" she cried, looking quite pleased indeed. "Mikleo, have you finally confessed?"
"Yes…" Mikleo groaned. "But if I hadn't Sorey would know now."
Lailah giggled, clasping her hands together in glee. It was clear to everyone there that he had already confessed, or Lailah wouldn't have asked.
Feeling a little embarrassed thanks to Zaveid's inspection, Sorey couldn't help but blush. But he was happy that his friends supported them, and was sure to say as much.
"Your support is wonderful," Sorey said, running a gloved hand through his hair, messing it up even more than it already was. "Thanks, you guys," he said appreciatively, meaning every word. He didn't miss how Lailah seemed to have been waiting for them to finally get together, as if she'd known about it for some time...which made sense. Anyone should've been able to see it coming, and she'd been with them the longest out of everyone. Even Zaveid had caught on to their feelings for each other at some point, and he wasn't always the most observant of people. Not that Sorey could say anything about that, since he was just as bad, if not worse, in that aspect as the wind seraph.
"And also for giving us some time for this," he stated. "I didn't understand at first why you'd left us alone in here, but I get it now. Thanks." And Sorey was all smiles. And not once did he deny what they'd very clearly been doing while the other three members of their group had been exploring.
I did some exploring too, he thought, feeling pretty proud of himself. It had been perfect, up until the hellion anyway. But even that had been sort of great, because he'd gotten to see Mikleo's powerful new spell. Had he been unable to unleash it until they'd...confessed how they felt about each other? Maybe that was an overly romantic thought to have, but Sorey was sweet like that. And that's what he wanted to believe: that their coming together had created something beautiful and powerful in Mikleo. And he couldn't wait to see it be used again.
"He finally get's it," Mikleo parroted. "I had to spell it out for him in black and white though."
Lailah giggled, "That's our Sorey!"
Mikleo pulled his blue coat back up and onto his shoulders. Briskly, he straightened his collar. Then he quickly and efficiently zipped himself back up. Lifting his hands, he fixed his hair. And unlike Sorey, he now looked impeccable; as pristine as ever.
Edna stuck out her lower lip as she watched him fix himself.
"Boo…don't bottle yourself back up Stiffleo. It was the release of all those buried emotions of yours that made you so powerful just now. And really…we need that on our side." Mikleo was a little surprised by it. It was perhaps one of the nicest things she'd ever said to him.
"Don't worry, I'm not planning to," he responded. "I don't want to be bottled up anymore. Things are going to be a little different from here on out."
And almost as if to prove a point, he stepped forward and over to Sorey. Seeing his messed hair, he unhesitantly reached out his hands and started to straighten it for him.
"You've made a mess of it," he almost scolded. Lailah giggled, but Edna let out a long heavy sigh.
"God. Is this mushy-pukey-ness the trade off for a more powerful team member? Because if it is, I might vote for the old weakleo back."
"I wasn't weak before," Mikleo replied calmly. "And yes, this is the trade off. I never would have figured out that spell without Sorey's influence."
"Ahhh! So that spell was born of looove!" Zaveid sang.
"Don't be a toddler," Mikleo said coolly. But he didn't deny it, and after fixing up Sorey's hair, he turned and faced the others unperturbed. "But if you'd said it in a more mature way, then yes. It's a combination of Sorey's power with my own. And before today…I didn't know how to unleash it."
Sorey knew well enough to stay perfectly still while Mikleo was fixing his hair. He was the one that always fixed Sorey's hair. Mikleo gave his chocolate locks the best trims, and he always styled it just right. As such, there was no way he'd ruin the moment by fidgeting, even if he sort of wanted to. The seraph's hands in his hair felt good, as always, but Sorey couldn't help but think about how different his touch had been less than five minutes ago, back when it was just them in the gardens. And suddenly, Sorey wondered what exactly would change? And when could he be alone with the seraph again?
He was pulled out of those thoughts when Mikleo confirmed that the spell had been born out of love, just like he'd thought previously. As such, he smiled sweetly, even as he listened to everyone's comments about their newfound togetherness with each other.
"When you'd said you were going to try a new spell, I didn't know it would be something so powerful," he said, cherishing every second of contact with his shorter companion. "And it used my influence...I guess that would be the lightning part," he said, stating the obvious. He thought it was funny, the way his more powerful moves used the element he associated with Gramps. He wondered if their guardian would be proud of them...but as soon as he thought it, he knew he would be. Gramps had always supported them. This new level of their relationship would be supported by him too, Sorey was sure of that.
"Duh," Mikleo smirked. "And honestly, I didn't know it was going to be that powerful either."
"No one's prepared for the power of looo-!"
Edna promptly hit Zaveid with her umbrella.
"Ow!"
"Ok, knock it off love master."
"So…anyway," Mikleo stressed. "We should finish exploring what we're able to and then head back to Lowgrin before the sun sets. Then tomorrow we should find the source of the malevolence in this area. I think we all are already betting on that powerful monster we heard about from the locals that's supposedly roaming around the abandoned village of Horsa out in the desert." Turning, Mikleo fixed his purple eyes on Sorey. "Does that sound like a good plan to you?"
Sorey nodded, humming in agreement. "Yes. That sounds like a good plan. As exciting and as wonderful as the ruins are, I am eager to find the hellion and quell it. The people in this area have enough to worry about as it is; they don't need the extra pressure of whatever it is that's out there," he said, a spark of seriousness more prevalent in his eyes now that they were talking about future plans.
"So!" And he flashed everyone a bright grin. "Let's go!" And with a laugh, the shepherd started to exit the garden area, pausing just ever so briefly to look back at the place where he and Mikleo had been on the steps, then continued out the large double doors.
