85

Falling

When it was time to clamber up that dreaded mountain, Furuichi wisely bit his tongue. It was clear that the dark fire user was in no mood to hear complaints. Even after saving the Guild, the town and the royal castle, Oga had been refused reinstatement. The Guild went so far as to nearly deciding to execute Oga, fearing the power the wizard had accumulated during banishment. Truth be told, if it weren't for the ice mage, Oga really would've been executed.

The silvernette managed to convince the Guild to send Oga back home, since an execution of a now public savior would reflect poorly on the Guild's image. With a five to seven vote, Oga was allowed to return home granted that he had an escort. Furuichi agreed to the task, and was the more reliable source in the Guild because no one else in the palace knew where Oga truly resided. The guide spell only revealed the true whereabouts of the item or person of the search if the conjurer had a pure heart.

But c'mon, really? How was he going to climb up this stupid mountain to come back down again when it was all over and not complain about his aching feet?

Furuichi huffed his bangs out of his eyes when the wizards began their ascent. Reaching the top didn't seem so bad this time around, Furuichi accidentally said aloud.

"That's because there's an easier path. I've marked it with runes."

Furuichi blushed and mumbled, "Oh, I see."

Perhaps if he were paying more attention, the ice mage would've seen the markings. Now at the boulder, the ever familiar Verivette, Oga rounded on Furuichi, staff pointed at the furiously pulsing point of the silvernette's fair throat.

"Ah!"

"Why did you come? So, you can kill me yourself?"

"What? N-no-"

"So, you could run back to the Guild now knowing that I've come back to the same residence?"

"Oga! Please! I'm not here to-"

"Spit it out, Furuichi! Or I will make you!"

Furuichi had never been so scared in his life. The ice mage pressed his lips together, shaking his head while hot tears burst from his eyes. "Why would I plot such a thing when you've just saved the whole village? My village?"

The hardened look on Oga's features quickly dissolved into apologetic panic. "No, no. Shh...I'm sorry. No, you're right. I'm sorry."

Oga whisked the blubbering ice mage into his home and poured water from a nearby jug for the silvernette to drink. Furuichi refused to take the cup until Oga took a sip first. Puffy, red-rimmed eyes glared at Oga over the lip of the cup, taking sips between spasming hiccups. Oga took one last look at the silvernette then turned to unpack. A pure heart, indeed.

Upon returning, Oga was met with a sulking, petulant ice mage. "What in the name of black magic was that?"

Oga smiled, despite himself.

"That was a joke, was it? Well, it wasn't very funny. And if you even think about really killing me now, I swear I. Will. Haunt. Your. Grave."

"No, I'm sorry," Oga chuckled, "I was just glad you didn't require an...ice breaker."

"That's it, I'm leaving! This is the last kind thing I do for ungrateful bastards like you."
Furuichi stalked to the mouth of the cave, but found that the boulder would not move.

"Et tu, Verivette?"

Furuichi spun around just in time for Oga to cage the ice mage between both arms against the door. "Please forgive me, Furuichi." Oga dared to plant a kiss between furrowed brows.

Furuichi softened, if only for a moment.

Long, slender arms crossed over Furuichi's chest, "Talk."

Oga sighed and dropped his forehead to settle on Furuichi's. "Fine, fine," Oga moved to plop into by the stove, "Where do I begin?"

Oga told the ice mage everything. How the Guild called Oga a prodigy only to be set up by the very same people he trusted to cover up a major security blunder that led one of the royal children to be assassinated. As punishment, Oga was banished from the kingdom, but knew that the danger had just begun. The wizard had to perfect the art of concealment in order to survive. Just as Oga thought, he was wanted dead and there were many attempts at taking the brunet's life. Not for becoming a potentially, powerful threat, but, because he was witness to one of the biggest scandals of the castle. A loose end like that could turn the crown against the Guild.

Oga had fallen asleep, but Furuichi laid awake. Taking one final look at the handsome dark fire wizard, Furuichi went back to the castle, but first he had to make one more stop. On a hunch, the ice mage conjured up a guide spell.