Music Choice— In Common— Alicia Keys

Said I Be Gone By Five

But It's Sunrise And I'm still In Your Bed

Goodnight Usually Means GoodBye

Me Replaying Memories In My Head

I felt betrayed, yes.

Stupid, yes.

Like I'd just been slapped around by the very person I cared about, also a yes. Out of all the things I read just by simply looking at Gareki. I wondered to myself how I hadn't caught onto how he felt about me.

Especially during my confession to him. I would've seen a clue just by looking at his face that he had lied. But I hadn't, and I felt so dumb that I hadn't succeeded in doing so.

Apparently I couldn't read him all that well. Either that or he still had some skill to keep his feelings locked away. He masked them. And I hadn't had the smallest of intuitive to realize sooner that he could still hide from me.

I had been smug in my ability to read him like a book. That I could understand him just by the use of my eyes. It came to a surprise to me that I hadn't known sooner.

And it sucked that I was only now finding out about his lie by a hologram instead of just by a look.

I guess I wasn't as percipient as I thought.

I looked up at the hologram only to see Pastel's treasured memory. He was back home with a teenage boy who had strange albino hair with purple streaks on the ends of his long bangs that were shifted to one side of his head, I guess that was Nai. Living his feline life in the castle of Kiridian.

A pang settled in my chest and I found myself envying him. Not just because he would return home to his family unlike me who still had a ways to go before I reached mine, but because he didn't have to worry about the things I had. I wanted to drop the load of everything bad that had happened in my life and walk away from it.

It was overwhelming. And some times I felt like I couldn't deal. Just like now.

I still sat crossed-legged with everyone else around the Evermore. I wish I could've stormed off right when I saw Gareki's treasured memory. But breaking the circle's balance would cost all three of us a great deal at being stuck down here. I couldn't risk that.

I grated my teeth against one another, thinking they would break by how much force I added. My hands had closed into tight fists on each of my thighs and I saw the tendons protruding themselves on each arm.

I grew hot all over. If this kept up I would snap and become my violent alter ego again. And as much as I was mad at Gareki for putting me through so much pain, and self regret. I didn't want to attack him again just like earlier that morning.

Just breathe. My conscience told me. Inhaling slowly I exhaled the same way.

Your anger doesn't control you, you control it.

I'd told myself that over and over again. I found myself abiding by it. My anger diminished. I still felt heated but it wasn't as over bearing anymore. I loosened my jaw and spread my hands flat as I stared strait ahead.

The hologram of Pastel's treasured memory was processed in the circle of the Evermore. Eva opened her eyes and so did Gareki and Pastel as if on que.

"It is done." She spoke up before moving to stand. "The Evermore has excepted all of you and is complying to your wish of going up to the surface."

Gareki and Pastel stood up just like I had and Eva raised her arm and with a hand she presented to us the large cave wall that was next to the Evermore circle.

The three of us looked up and eyed the huge length of the wall. Momentarily a rumble reverberated against the souls of my boots.

The wall cracked in specific places as rock made ledges erupted from it's surface. They spiraled their way all the way up till the line of ledges led up to one of the many holes in the cave sealing.

Sand spewed down, sparkling against the colorful neon lighting of Lim Fay.

I eyed the levitating pathway of big rocks. It looked dangerous the higher up it went. But only because of the long, long way down. We'd surely die if we fell from that height.

"This is your path to Dampis," Eva said taking a few steps toward the first levitating rock. "You'll need to climb."

Gareki scrutinized the path with the same attentive glare I had. He looked thoughtful.

Of course he wouldn't fall. His body was durable, flexible, and every action he made was taken into precautions. He strategized well.

The wary glare on his face vanished as his slit eyes caught me staring. I scowled before looking away with a cross of my arms.

Selfish liar. My brain screamed with rage. I felt him stare at me a bit longer before looking away. "We need to get a move on before morning hits." I heard him walk ahead of me along with Pastel.

I watched him go, thinking to myself that I should go ahead and confront him and demand an explanation of why he'd lied to me. But the heat of my anger was still burning strong winthin me.

I was on thin fire. I would snap if he said something out of line. I would need to ask him later, there was no other choice.

I watched him and Pastel climb the first rock before turning down to me with expectation.

I thanked Eva one last time and she bid us farewell and forever good luck on our journey as the descendants of guardians.

The path for higher had been a quiet one.

None of us spoke except Pastel who was undeniably happy with the results of getting another step closer to home.

Again I envied him. He didn't know how lucky he was.

Thoughts on him had me distracted as I reached for higher ground against the levitating rock I was on. But I had realized too late that the part I had grabbed for leverage was a loose end and snapped once I pulled my weight against it.

My heart propelled itself inside my throat as I felt myself fall.

A cold tight grasp stopped me by the wrist and I looked up to see Gareki flat on his stomach against the rock's surface as his arm reached over the edge holding me.

A cold wind flew past me and I risked a look down.

Big mistake.

We were already thirty stories high. My heart never left my throat as I hung there. My life all in Gareki's single hand holding me.

Now that I focused on his touch I could feel his worry for my life. I tasted sparks of unsaid words he hadn't said but wanted to. I embarked on the sour anger and regret he had towards me.

The only one out of those three had to be the first one that I understood. The others, I didn't know what they meant.

It was strange and foreign how I'd felt and tasted all that just by his touch. I felt the sour taste linger before dispersing from my tongue.

With one strong lift he heaved me on the same surface he was on and let go of me before standing up.

"Close call. You could've died," he said blandly but I got the notion he was relieved that hadn't come to happen. He reached a hand down to help me stand.

I stared up at the exit as I laid on my back catching my breath.

The hole in the cave sealing was a lot bigger up close and the night sky was glowing purple with thousands apon thousands of stars. This world had the most unique scenery.

I glanced at his hand before pulling myself up without his help. Every time I looked at him all I could think about was his damn lie. I couldn't even bring myself to say thanks for saving my life as I moved passed him.

As much as I wanted an explanation I couldn't bare to look at him one more time.

I felt him stare as I walked away. Ignoring the disapproving eye Pastel was giving me as I climbed up the last rock and stood strait up right into the exit of Lim Fay.

We had done it. It was now the conclusion of all our hard work. We had made it back up to the surface, finally.

I was relieved but I couldn't express anything but contempt for reasons you already know.

A breeze flew pass me and I could smell the cold night air. It was fresh and sheer. The temperature of the desert was cold. Which was weird because I'd always assumed it would be hot at all times. Guess it was different at night. It wasn't going to be a problem with any of us though.

Hince the fact I had fire and Gareki lived in cold temperatures that any normal person would die in from hypothermia. And I could always keep Pastel warm if needed.

I reached up and for the first time in my life my hands made contact with the sand.

It was like millions of small beeds were making their way through my finger cracks and nails. The texture was soft but yet hard, like grazing you finger against a rock type of hard. Kind of cold too but it was only because of the chill in the air.

"Are you going up, or what?" Gareki asked me.

I stopped marveling and pulled my weight up for higher ground and rolled on my back once I'd pulled myself all the way to the surface. I was officially in Dampis Desert.

The sleeveless turtle neck-hoodie I was wearing allowed my arms to be bare. I felt the prickle of sand against my skin.

Surrounding us was nothing but a barren land of thick red sand floors. A few cactuses and desert plants grew from the ground. All of them having this dotted glow of purple and blue.

I heard shuffling behind me and turned to see Gareki howling himself up from one of the many holes in the ground.

I had just noticed them all. I eyed them. There had to be at least a hundred in just that one side of the desert. But the rest of the desert floor was clear of any holes.

I watched him as he positioned himself up to his feet, shrugging off the sand as Pastel leaped from his shoulder all but to stretch his paws into it. They sunk down instantly.

He laughed joyfully as he clawed at it. "In all my years of being stuck down there I never though I'd be up here again!"

Gareki shoved his hands into his pockets. "I guess this is a thank you?" He nudged his head to the left in a suggestive manner. "Go and enjoy it while you can because after tonight we're hitting the road towards Kiridian."

Pastel brightened up even more before he turned and frolicked in the sand and rolling in it. Muttering words that matched his joy.

I watched him do so. My envy turning into a slight guilt for even having that feeling towards him. It was his life not mine. Life just faired it this way and perhaps my path in life was suppose to be regretting over an Avatar and being angry at his decisions.

I pushed myself to my feet again. Heaps of sand fell off of my back in thick sprays. Now I understood what Eva had meant when she had told us to dress prepared for Dampis.

"Are you glad we made it?"

I looked away from Pastel and turned to Gareki. As I looked at his face I almost felt broken all over again. Almost.

He had this sad look in which I was confused for the cause. I hadn't seen him look like that before. Usually he masked his emotions from ever reaching his face. Except for anger.

I pointed my attention else where that wasn't settled on him. I didn't care. "Course I'm glad."

In the corner of my eyes I saw him shift uncomfortably. It made me wonder. Wonder what was on his mind.

Judging by his put off stance and facial I would suspect his treasured memory was going through his mind right now.

If I remembered mine then it made perfect sense for him to remember his. My words of the confession and that kiss all running through his brain. Only thing that grabbed my attention about that was that he wasn't saying anything to me about it.

It was his intention to keep his feelings for me to himself. Once again. But he didn't know that I already knew, which was the sad thing.

And him continuing to pass this as a secret with himself only pissed me off more. I could feel the heat growing again over my skin. I clenched my hands into fists.

I was tempted to spit out everything I'd just found out. To accuse him of betraying me with his lies and for making me feel so many things I hadn't wanted to accuse myself of. It was all on the tip of my tongue.

But once I looked at him again I had to swallow it all back down. Not now. The heat on me was too over bearing. I would snap for sure if I got even angrier. And me yelling at him would definitely trigger it.

I'd just allow him to be guilty for now. Lord knows he felt that right now for his lies.

He opened his mouth to say something but stopped as if he weighed his options. I thought he was going to admit everything to me. Because that's all I wanted to know was why.

But he changed his mind. Instead he lifted his hand and within a flash of blue sparks of light appeared a map. He unfolded it and held it to me.

Disappointedly, I grabbed it and brought my eyes to scan over the imprinted black ink and illustrations of places we'd already been to as well as places we hadn't.

I noticed soon as I laid my eyes on it that it was the map Gabriel had given us back in Lumines Forest.

"What am I looking at?" I grumbled.

Gareki came over and stopped close to me as he pointed at Dampis on the paper. "You're looking at how far off we need to go in order to reach the Realm Gates. There's not much we need to go on," he said meaningfully.

He was right. Now that I looked I could see we had only Kiridian and The Salt Ocean until we reached Maharii Sylus. The island of the Realm Gates.

For the first time all day blithe placed itself inside of me. At least there was one thing that could cheer me up now. But despite it I still couldn't help but be mad.

What Gareki did wasn't something I could easily get over with the news of getting closer to home. Sure I could save and regain my kingdom and throne and slay Vileus. But a thought came to me. I had planned to give the title of leadership over the Sun Kingdom to Tukuomo and come back to the Arcial Realm so Gareki and I could fulfill our duties as guardians.

But with me being mad at him. I felt like I didn't want to go through with that idea anymore.

But then the weight of who I was now had me rethinking. I was a guardian now and there was no place to say no to what my job was. I had to protect the Arcial Realm, I couldn't be selfish and just quit all because of my own needs.

I pushed the map back into his hands. "That's great." I pushed my hands into my pockets before walking forward.

Gareki folded the map back up. I could feel him frowning at my back. "You don't sound very enthused."

"Well I am." I snapped, stopping in my tracks only to turn and glower at him.

He made the map disappear. All the while kept the frown on his face. "Are you really still mad at me that your letting that judge your happiness at being closer to home? You shouldn't let that happen."

"Either I should or shouldn't I already did," I said stubbornly.

The bright moon revealed more of his face that was now pulled into a scowl. He looked away from me, jaw tight. He pushed a hand through his hair just as a cold breeze blew pass us.

His lips part as he turned back to me. But he was weighing his words again.

I hated how good he looked standing there. His hair flowing with the wind. Eyes reflecting the light of the moon. How porcelain and smooth his skin looked as the light fell on us. I still found him alluring.

His lips moved as he stared right in my eyes. "I can't deal with this anymore." He walked away from me, not looking back. I watched him go and allowed him to.

Later that night as we set up camp to sleep. I stayed awake by myself.

For one, I wanted to be on watch. And two, I just couldn't sleep. I was conflicted with my decisions. Trying to choose one from the other.

What Gareki had said to me earlier rang bells in my ears. Even as he slept next to me I still heard them ringing.

And no. He hadn't slept next to me willingly. I had sat next to him while he was long gone into sleep. Making sure I stayed silent because even though it seemed he was in deep slumber I knew a twig snap would jostle him awake.

I didn't know why I did it. I guess I just needed closure in being close to him. Just for now and only now.

He'd told me he couldn't deal with this anymore. Relatively speaking he hadn't been insinuating what I was thinking. He'd been talking about our arguments. But I was thinking about him specifically and what I wanted.

Could I deal with this. Could I still love him after the things I'd figured out.

Or maybe I was overreacting because I'd just caught him lying. It didn't seem right of me to judge my love for him all because of a lie.

But that lie had hurt me. Way more then needed.

I needed to know the reasoning behind it. That is if I could get my anger under control. Just thinking about all this had my temper flaring all over again.

I closed my eyes before throwing my face into my hands. "Why did things have to turn out like this!" I whispered harshly. My breath fogged past my lips from the cold atmosphere.

I sighed. Keeping my eyes closed as I pushed both hands against the curls of my hair before dropping them away in my lap.

I needed to let off steam. Lots of it.

Looking up I saw a group of cactuses a few feet away. Standing up I made my way over to them. On my way over I kicked off my boots.

My feet were burning and sooner rather than later they would've caught fire.

The night was quiet and still without many predators lurking around. If you counted the rattle snakes, lizards, and spiders. They were harmless to us though as long as we didn't bother them neither them with us.

I moved silently against the sand as it prickled my bare feet with soft stabs, working their way between my toes.

I crossed my arms at the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. Throwing it down to the ground as I felt my body heating up further. The cold air against my bare chest did nothing to cool me off.

But that was fine. I would get cooler once I let loose my pent up anger.

I was growing closer to the cactuses now. I looked behind me and not only saw the length of my shadow as the moon rose brightly in front of me but saw how far I'd walked from camp. It was a big distance but not too far.

I turned back around and stopped. My targets were right in front of me. My expression hardened as I felt my skin burning.

I ripped my leather gloves off and threw them somewhere. My brain being too preoccupied with feeling betrayed, idiotic, and blinded by my emotions to even care where I'd thrown them.

I set myself in a running stance before propelling myself forward.

The wind rushed past me. I pulled my arm back and felt flames erupt from every pore before igniting my entire limb. Once I reached one of the cactuses I jerked my arm forward and abruptly stopped running, causing the flames to fly off.

They darted through the air quickly before striking clean through the cactus.

I turned and lifted my other hand, spreading my fingers as fire closed around my hand. I pulled back and threw it. "Arrghh!" An angry growl left my throat as my second target went down in fire.

I turned to the next and did the same. Again and again. I was blind by the bright flames as I kept throwing them in every direction, not even hitting a target any more.

"Why?!"

I yelled to no one.

"Why not just tell me the truth?!" I threw another wave of fire. Hitting a plant.

"I don't deserve any of this!"

I spun with my arm stretched out and flames left my hand. I blew up another cactus.

I was mad at myself for not seeing it. I could've prevented any of this from happening. Wouldn't have felt so heartbroken and meaningless to Gareki.

Despite me missing my chance to prevent any of this. He had so much to do with this too.

Deliberately he'd lied strait to my face. What ever happened to trust between us. Clearly he didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth behind his lies.

I remembered the sad look on his face. He was guilty. But he still hadn't found decency to tell me.

I felt my throat warming. Ascending it's warmth upwards. I ignored it as I laced my fingers into my hair.

The world around me was spinning as I tried to think good thoughts of why he could've possibly lied. He had to of had his reasons other than making me feel like an idiot and everything else bad I thought about myself after he'd turned me down.

I shook my head. None had come to me. The warmth in my throat grew intense.

"How could I have been so stupid?!" Apon saying "stupid" the heat in my throat spread over my tongue and flew out of my mouth. I opened my eyes just in time to see flames shooting past my lips.

I ran out of air to breathe and then it stopped shooting altogether. I fell to my hands and knees, taking air in heavily.

I was stunned. My lips trembled as the warmth seeped down my throat until I couldn't feel it. I dropped my head down as I breathed carefully past my lips. Testing if fire would shoot out my throat again.

I had just breathed fire from my mouth. And yet my tongue and throat were unharmed.

How had I done that. . .

Was it because I was mad.

A low growl came from behind. I paused right away. I sensed a looming presence behind me.

I didn't move. The only action I made was to slowly turn my head to look at the creature behind me.

I looked into the red eyes of a wolf. But it wasn't an ordinary wolf. It's fur was jet black with paws glowing with flames. His tail had flames cascading naturally down it's length. It's stature was bulky and taller then any ordinary wolf I'd ever seen.

I looked back up at it's face and saw him barring his fangs. He lunged at me before I could even defend myself.

"Elektrizität!"

A flash of white light blinded me momentarily as it struck the fire wolf from behind. The wolf gave a shrill yelp as it darted away from me only to growl at Gareki who stood there with his glaive. Pastel hid behind his boot. He peeked out only to quickly hide again.

The wolf looked at him and kept his sight on him with a growl before turning his red eyes back to me, only to look down at my amulet.

The next thing he did was completely odd. He turned and ran. Darted fast until he was a speck in the distance.

Gareki put away his glaive before looking at me. A slightly irked expression marring his face. "What the hell were you doing all the way out here?" He eyed my shirtless and bare foot body.

He lifted a hand and gestured my appearance. "Why?"

I got up and moved to my shirts before pulling them back on. "Throwing fire. Does it matter?" I muttered flatly.

He crossed his arms. "Yeah, it does. If you count the fact you almost died by that thing— if I hadn't of woken up to save your ass. But What if I hadn't of woken up?"

I pulled on my leather gloves. "I wouldn't be alive, obviously." I looked at him, myself still feeling miffed despite the all out rage fest I'd just had. Clearly it had been a waist of my time.

"And whose fault would that be?" He took a step towards me. "I'm trying to keep us both safe here and yet you're out here throwing fire—away from us. How hadn't you thought a threat would come for you?"

I pulled on my boots before tying them. "Look,Gareki I get it! I wasn't thinking, okay?! But I'm fine now. Can you drop it." I demanded holding no room for argument in my tone of voice.

He just stared at me with a slight dumb founded look on his face. He placed his hands on his hips. He nodded slowly as he looked down at the ground. "Fine." He looked back up and glared at me. "I'll drop it," he said darkly. "I get that you're mad at me and probably won't forgive me, but you should think twice before you argue with the person that just saved your life." He dropped his hands turning away from me and walked away.

I could feel the chill breeze pass me and I got the sense that it wasn't the night atmosphere.

Pastel and I watched after Gareki.

He turned to me and glared. "Has that confession got you this riled up that you had to go and upset him? I know things didn't go the way you wanted but don't you think you're being—"

"This doesn't concern you, Pastel." I interjected harshly." This is between me and him. Don't act like you could ever understand."

He shook his head sadly. "I don't like what you're becoming. When we first met I saw how much you cared about him. But now." He stopped to eye me up and down. "I'm looking at a stranger."

He turned and left me there.

All of us watched the sun rise over the horizon as we trekked east in Dampis.

Pastel traveling on Gareki's shoulder.

The silence between us was thick just like the blue hue of Gareki's aura protecting him from the intense heat and sunlight of the desert.

What Pastel had told me last night had me thinking to apologize to Gareki. But I couldn't bring myself to. Me still being angry with him only seemed like my apology would sound fake.

Besides, now he was even mad at me from last night. He wasn't approachable right now. Which also meant I couldn't get answers to the lingering question in my head.

We traveled in more silence until we reached the hours of noon. The sun was just between the horizon now. I didn't know how much I had missed it until it had touched my skin. It fueled me.

I stopped walking as I got an odd sense.

I didn't know what it was but it felt like it was closing in.

I frowned. "Hold on." I whispered.

Gareki stopped walking and looked at me. "You feel it too?"

"Like something is coming for us," I said, implying if that's what he felt as well.

"Exactly." He squared his shoulders as his hands sparked with static. "Who ever it is is getting closer, and it doesn't feel good."

I stood ready as well. A glow of golden light coming from my hands.

We both stood opposite from each other. I was looking West while Gareki looked East and Pastel looked North.

We waited and waited.

"There!" Pastel yelled, jumping from Gareki's shoulder. "It's them. I just know it. They're coming to get me!"

Gareki and I focused on the fire tornado coming towards us. It was huge, mixing in with the clouds turning them this tan color.

"Whose coming for you?" Gareki asked, not bothering to look at Pastel but instead kept his eyes on the fire in front of us.

"The Fire District." He hid behind Gareki but was still easy to spot for his enemies.

Gareki glared at the fire. "We won't let them take you."

The tornado came closer until it stopped a few feet in front of us. It stopped spinning and the fire dispersed into sparks. Flying all around us until they eventually disappeared too.

Standing in front us now were two boys around my age and that same fire wolf we'd seen last night.

They were dressed in red skin tight suits with a symbol symbolizing the Fire District.

One of them had deep red hair while the other had dark blue. They weren't what I would've expected as Fire District. They didn't look as bulky and muscular and intimidating. But they were a threat. And I couldn't judge them by their appearance.

"Well, well, well." Spoke red head." Look what we've got here. The cat is back with princes'. Don't think you can get yourself out of this one."

He eyed me with the strangest eye color. Yellow with specks of orange in them.

"Who are you?" Gareki asked sternly.

His yellow eyes looked at Gareki next. "I don't think it's the right thing to tell you our names. But considering you're all going to die, I might as well. It's Kagiri and that idiot over there is Kiharu." He pointed to the blue head who glared at him. "And thanks to this wolf here, we found you so easily in this big ass desert." He caressed the head of the fire wolf.

"Well you may think you have the upper hand but we're not letting you take Pastel." Gareki lifted his hand of ice magic. "Now back off."

Kiharu laughed at him. "Do you honestly think you have the power of harming us, Avatar? I hope you know that ice can't do anything to us. Our fire is way more powerful then you might think."

Gareki smirked. "Trust me, I know." But instead of shooting ice he made his glaive appear and spun it in his hand before shooting electricity out of it.

I watched as it hit the wolf. "I got the dog and Kiharu you handle Kagiri," he instructed quickly as they both darted towards him. He guarded Pastel.

I looked up only to see a wave of fire coming towards me— fast. I shielded myself but it managed to knock me off my feet anyway. I fell on my back.

Kagiri lunged on top of me with a fire blade in both hands. He lifted one up before plunging down with it. I moved my head to the right, missing it by an inch.

He growled, yanking it from the sand only to throw the other one down. I dodged that one too.

He lifted both blades only to bring them both down but I caught his wrists before they could penetrate me. The blades of fire warmed near my face. They were so close to me as I battled against his strength to push him away.

Suddenly my throat heated up and I knew what was coming. "Get off of me!" I yelled just as a fire ball gushed out of my mouth, hitting him in the face.

He instantly pulled away from me and brushed the flames from his face away. None of his skin was burnt off which meant he was immune to getting burnt just like I was.

I glanced at Gareki. He had just punched Kiharu in the face before swiftly turning with his glaive pulled back and stabbed the fire wolf in the heart causing it's body to shrivel into floating dark specks.

But Kiharu recovered and sent spirals of fire at him. He shielded himself but I could tell he couldn't keep that up.

Pastel was rooted to the same spot as before. Not knowing what to do.

"Your opponent is right here!" Yelled Kagiri who gripped me by the neck and flung me to the ground.

He yanked out his blades again before hurling one down at me. I rolled away from it, regaining my footing before I threw another ball of fire at him.

He lifted his hand towards it only to absorb it and throw it back at me. It was faster and stronger as it hit the ground in front of me. I fell back once more.

His magic was definitely stronger. And knowing that Gareki only had his element of electricity to depend on while fighting Kiharu would only wind him up dead. If I didn't think of something quick then we would both die.

I grunted, pushing myself up on my elbows.

He advanced at me and I lifted my amulet already planning on killing him and Kiharu with it. But just when I was about to say the spell.

I heard Gareki cry out in pain. A blood curdling yell that sounded like he was in agony.

My eyes darted over only to see he had been burnt on his arm and he was lying on his back on the ground. Hesitating to touch it as he glowered up at Kiharu who was standing over him with his hand stretched out.

"Don't get in my way again." He warned menacingly as he turned and went over to Pastel who looked like he wanted to pass out.

But Gareki pushed himself forward and grabbed his leg only to be kicked in the face. But he didn't let go. He looked at me with a bloody nose and saw my amulet.

"What the fuck are you waiting for?! Do it! Kill them!" He got kicked again, harder. He let go of Kiharu's leg only to be grasped by his injured arm and burnt again.

I quickly turned back to my amulet, determined to cast the spell as I heard him screaming. But then Kagiri grasped it with a smirk.

"Vileus will be proud once we come to him with this." He sneered.

I stopped with shock. "What?" I muttered.

He said the words that I dreaded. "You should know now that we didn't just track down that Kiridian gem but also the royal amulet of the Sun Kingdom. It's about time you gave it up."

I couldn't move even as Gareki yelled at me to just kill them already. His arm still burning as he struggled to get free from Kiharu's grip.

My thoughts were moving fast and I didn't know why I was reacting this way. I couldn't think properly so I said the first spell that came to mind.

I gripped my amulet tighter. "Voltare intuitom es venom!" My words echoed around me and my amulet glowed right after I said them. I realized too late that the spell had only been to teleport them some where else in Dampis. I couldn't redo a spell after it had already been casted.

Both Kagiri and Kiharu were swept away into the the flashing portal and as soon as they passed it's opening it closed up.

Everything went silent after that. I moved up to my feet and briskly moved over to Gareki agonized on the ground. He held his hand over his red arm that had burnt marks. I felt panic weaving through me. But when I went to touch him he slapped my hand away and yelled at me.

"Don't fucking touch me!" He spat. Crawling away from me before getting to his feet. He breathed heavily, still holding his arm that was limp and looked broken.

"You teleported them didn't you?" He scowled at me.

I hesitated a little. "Yes, I did. But—"

"I told you to kill them! Now they're going to track us again." He snapped. Anger pulled his eyebrows together. "This is all your fault! I could've fucking died because of you!"

I walked over to him. I felt guilty. He was bleeding from his nose and had burns on his arm. He was way more injured then I was. And at the time for action I could only sit there and stare at the enemy just because of his affiliations with Vileus. I felt sick because I had put him through this.

I reached for him but he pulled away from me as if my touch would burn him. "Don't." His voice was low and shaky with warning. "I hope you're satisfied with being angry at me now because this." He pointed at his burnt arm."This is going to take a long while to heal."

I shook my head again. "You think I did this on purpose? Just because I was mad at you?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Why else?" He asked bitterly through tight fangs. "Consider your little selfish deed done. I didn't think you would go this far."

"This wasn't intentional!" I defended but he was already moving away from me. Pastel stared sadly between us before following after Gareki and as they left me standing there I smelt rain in the air.

Looking up I saw that the sun was setting and dark clouds were settling in.

I stared at Gareki who sat away from me and Pastel. He had his glaive situated on his lap as he used a rock to sharpen it's thick, long blade.

His injured arm was functional considering the spell he had casted over himself to protect him from the Sun's heat had redirected some of Kiharu's fire.

It had saved him a broken arm. Pastel had taken a look at it earlier and reported back to me saying it was definitely going to take some time to heal unless we made it to Kiridian where they had healing properties for special fire burns.

And the Fire District's fire was very special. I could tell when I fought Kagiri that he had different fire than me.

I wondered where I'd teleported them. But right now that was the least of my worries. Gareki needed me and Pastel wanted me to try and apologize to him even if he did reject me.

I deserved it and this was the only chance I got at getting answers. I got up and slowly moved over to him. He didn't look up even though my presence was obvious.

The slightly clouded moonlight shined down on us as night came. I stepped near him. Leaving enough space to call personal.

I pocketed my hands already knowing what I should say.

"I need to have a word with you."

He still didn't look up from sharpening his glaive. "What do you want?" He asked firmly, not wanting me to be near him at all right now.

"I need to apologize to you. You know what happened earlier wasn't because I was mad at you. I wouldn't even think of hurting you even if I am mad at you. Believe me when I say this. That isn't how I would treat you. That's not me at all."

I continued. "And. . .I also owe you another apology for the way I was acting towards you when you came to save me last night. I was actually made at you because I found out about something that was linked to you." I looked at him and noticed he had suddenly stopped sharpening his glaive.

He looked at me slowly and his face shown in the moonlight. "What was linked to me?" He demanded.

I sighed, deciding to come out with it without hesitation. "You know what I'm talking about. Don't play dumb," I said softly.

"If I knew what you were talking about then I wouldn't be fucking asking. Now, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the lie you told me yesterday morning."

He stood strait up in one quick motion and walked away from me but I followed. "I just need to know." I told him. He stopped and gripped tightly to his glaive before turning to me with misery on his face.

"You want to know what?!" He yelled deeply. "There isn't anything to know."

I stopped walking as well and stared at him surprised. I didn't know why he bothered to act like he didn't know what I was implying.

He made his glaive disappear before running a hand in his hair. "For Christ's sake,Yogi. You're still talking about your confession even though it happened yesterday. It's in the past!"

"Either it's in the past or not, I'm still going to have it in my head."

He looked at me angry all over again. "What the hell do you want from me?! I allowed you to be mad at me and I said sorry to you more than once. Why do you keep bringing it up?"

I crossed my arms. "Because it made me upset. But now I want to know why you lied about not loving me?" I tried to keep my voice even but a bit of force came out anyway. I was beginning to feel my own temper growing despite my restraints.

As soon as the words left my lips he froze. The sky above us grew darker as storm clouds closed in.

He didn't say anything for a long time and once he spoke I knew he wasn't denying it was true. "How did you know?"

I stepped closer to him. "I found out by seeing your treasured memory. We were kissing. It made more sense for you to love me than to care with a memory like that. That's how I knew."

The sky rumbled as a single drop of rain fell between us. It then started down pouring. But neither of us moved for shelter. We eyed each other and I took another step towards him.

The vulnerable look on his face drawing me closer until I stood right in front of him. I watched his face as the rain drizzled down his hair and face and lips. Washing the blood away.

Our clothing was soaked within seconds but we didn't seem to care.

"I knew something like that would show." He said quietly.

I lifted a hand and boldly touched his face. Placed my fingers under his jaw as I caressed my thumb over his cheek. "You need to explain why you lied to me." I whispered.

Gareki let out a breath past his lips as he closed his eyes. Rain drops cascading down his cheeks making it look like he was crying but I knew he wasn't.

"Truth is. . ." he began. "I do. I do love you." His voice shook and I found myself caressing his cheek again.

When I first found out about his lie. I couldn't wait to yell and accuse him of betrayal but now. . .seeing him like this had me rethinking everything. I wondered why he was so hesitant to say the truth to me.

"So why did you lie when I confessed to you?"

He opened his eyes and looked up at me, seriously. "Because I'm not strong like you think. You have no idea how weak I feel inside because of you. And it's all because I'm afraid of becoming something more that we can't handle. We're different. Fire and ice. How are we going to make something like a relationship work between us? Answer me that?"

I smiled at him feeling relieved. He loved me back. It was way more overwhelming just hearing him say that. "You have to have faith that things will go the way you want them to."

His lips trembled and he closed his eyes again as a pained expression pulled at his face. "I'm sorry. . .but I can't. I can't accept my love for you."

I leaned down. "Look at me."

He shook his head.

"Gareki, you need to look at me. Open your eyes."

He obliged and looked me strait in the eyes. "I'm still going to love you no matter what because that's just the person I am. I'll wait until you decide what you really want."

His eyes searched my face before reaching up and gripped the collar of my shirt before pulling me down until our lips met.

In the rain I felt the sparks flying between us as I kissed him back with just as much force he was giving me. His hands tangled in my hair as I hugged him closed to my chest.

Neither of us being bothered with the constant rain drops falling on us as we felt against each other like we were the only two people in the entire Arcial Realm.

He pulled his lips from mine. "This doesn't count as my decision. . .I just. . .really wanted to do that."

"I'm about to do it again," I said breathlessly before pulling him back to my lips.

Other than the first three kisses I had with him, I'd have to say this one was my favorite.