Alec and Yuri were hoping for enlightenment the next morning. While the sun did illuminate the sky, it was the enlightenment that they wanted. As a result, they felt rather embarrassed and decided never to speak of the moment again. There were a lot of those moments that morning. Starting when Yuri was awake, rather then just upright.
"Oh my God," Yuri blurted, pointing a shaking finger at the rock that caused them so much grief the previous day. "It's glowing purple!"
"It did that yesterday too," Alec offered mildly. "I think it's going to stay that way."
"But..it's purple! That's just not right!" Yuri continued. He gestured sharply toward the rock, almost taking Alec's head with it. However, this was one of those occasions when being short is a good thing, so Alec was spared the short lived thrill of being decapitated. However, to prevent future accidents, Alec stood up, deciding that he would rather Yuri hitting him in the knee caps instead.
"You didn't have such a problem with it yesterday," Death Emperor pointed out reasonably. Yuri wasn't in the mood for reason. After all, ranting and raving is so much more fun.
"Yeah, well yesterday. I was in shock yesterday, what with the whole crater forming thing and the fighting you and…that actually happened?" Yuri said in amazement. "I thought that it was my overactive imagination again."
"If it was your imagination, Valentina would have had a much more prominent role,"
"Shut up Death Emperor. That reminds me, Alec. What's the deal with the knives?" Alec shrugged eloquently, one eyebrow raised and a slightly bemused expression on his face.
"I have absolutely no idea. And what was that about Valentina? Don't tell me that you're still panting after her." Yuri looked up at Alec (an unusual event in itself) eyes wide and disbelieving. Alec tilted his head to one side in query.
"What?" he asked self-consciously. He moved one foot nervously in the dust and started a serious contemplation of the dust swirls.
"Alec," Yuri said very slowly. "I never said anything about her. Death Emperor did."
"Oh, okay then. Creepy," was Alec's intelligent reply as he looked up from the fascinating view of his shoes. He shrugged nonchalantly.
"You're telling me," Death Emperor commented. Yuri resisted the urge to roll his eyes. If Alec could hear what Death Emperor was saying, the rolling of eyes is not the most mature response.
"Death Emperor, two words. Guess what they are," Yuri said wearily. He folded his arms and waited for the inevitable retort. If anyone was to describe Yuri in one word, it would be masochist.
"Harmonixers. Can't live with them, can't kill them and the resale value's negligible," Death Emperor retorted cheerily. To emphasise his point, Death Emperor blew a raspberry. Yuri gritted his teeth to repress the urge to strangle Death Emperor. Even though it might relieve the stress, Yuri didn't want to kill himself in such a manner. Actually, suicide wasn't on the menu at all. So Yuri resisted his homicidal urges.
"Is he still ranting?" Alec wanted to know. It was Yuri's turn to wear a slightly quizzical look.
"Yeah, can't you hear him?" he asked, frowning.
"Nope. It must have been a one-off thing," Alec replied with all too much relief for Yuri's liking. It wasn't fair, that Alec only heard Death Emperor once. Yuri had to put up with him twenty four hours a day.
"Why do I think not?" Death Emperor commented, forboding in his tone.
"Death Emperor…." Yuri warned.
"Let me guess, my devastating wit has demolished your oh-so-fragile ego?" Death Emperor asked hopefully. Yuri did roll his eyes this time.
"Not bloody likely," he retorted, folding his arms and scowling.
"Oh well. I can try again later," Death Emperor said cheerfully. Yuri sighed. He should have known better, to set Death Emperor a challenge. Now he was doomed to weeks of demoralising comments that only a fusion soul who has taken up permanent residence in your head can provide.
"Is he ever going to shut up?" Alec demanded. Yuri shook his head and opened his mouth. "No, I can't hear him. I'm watching your face change. And the speaking aloud thing is a big giveaway too," Alec said, forestalling Yuri's question.
"So, if all that crazy stuff happened yesterday, what's the Avatar of the Night anyway?" Yuri asked in a blatent attempt to change the subject. Alec, seemingly relieved at the opportunity, shook his head.
"How about we start with the basics. Do you even know what an avatar is?" Death Emperor said condescendingly. Yuri gritted his teeth. Alec winced at the visible tension in Yuri's jaw and absently estimated how long it would be before Yuri needed false teeth. Given the sheer number of times that Yuri had gritted his teeth in the past couple of days, Yuri would probably have false teeth by the time he was thirty.
"No, Death Emperor. I don't know what an avatar is. You know why? Because I got lumbered with a fusion soul at ten. A fusion soul who insists that he oh so superior!" Yuri exploded. Alec flinched.
"Ah Yuri, can you just calm down?" Alec said tentatively, backing away with his hands extended in front of him. "Cause, like losing your temper won't help matters any." Yuri turned his patented death stare onto Alec, who shivered and froze in his position. Yuri's eyes, usually brown, were now illuminated by a golden backlight. The last time Alec had seen that particular effect, Death Emperor had forced a fusion and pounced onto Alec. Alec's eyes went wide and he started to walk backward once again. Then Yuri blinked and the light disappeared from his eyes. He shook his head in a vain attempt to clear the cobwebs from it.
"What?" Yuri asked self-consciously, well aware of Alec's careful gaze. He raised his head slowly, taking in the tension that reverberated throughout Alec's muscles. Alec's expression was a dissettling mixture of awe and fear.
"You went all weird," Alec said finally, proud that his voice didn't shake at all. "It was kinda scary."
"Christ, don't tell me that I let Death Emperor get to me again!" Yuri said in exasperation. "So, what did I do? Head doing the whole spinny thing?" Alec shook his head solemnly. The humour melted from Yuri's face at Alec's serious expression.
"Your eyes changed. Started glowing, like they do when you're about to fuse, I think," Alec said woodenly. He sat down abruptly and looked at Yuri warily. "You weren't there behind your eyes anymore."
"My eyes change?" Yuri asked. "I mean, yeah I knew that something about them were unusual, cause everyone keeps commenting on it. But they glow?"
"Strange… a refuge and a tormenter," Death Emperor mused. "Was he right after all?"
"Was who right after all?" Yuri asked curiously.
"No-one important. Just an idle comment made unconsciously by a man unaware of his strengths," was Death Emperor's cryptic reply.
"What did he say?" Alec asked.
"That someone made some off-hand comment about a refuge and a tormentor. Personally, I think he's completely lost it. What do you think Alec?" Yuri replied. When Alec didn't reply, Yuri looked at Alec closely and noticed that he appeared to be somewhere else. "Alec?" Yuri asked sharply. Alec's head shot up and he shot Yuri a guilty look.
"You know that voice thing? It's back. Reckons that 'heaven and hell coalesce to create purgatory.' Informative, isn't it?" Alec said dryly. "I think that if I'm supposed to solve this blasted riddle, they could at least give me all the clues!"
"Who's 'they'?" Yuri wanted to know.
"You know, they. There's always a they," Alec explained. Yuri shook his head in bemusement.
"Paranoia issues aside, did the voice give you anything informative?" Yuri asked sarcastically. Alec raised his hands in the universal gesture of helplessness.
"Hey, I just listen. I don't think interrogating something that is in my head is quite the way to go. After all, I have no idea what it could do in return," Alec pointed out reasonably.
"I would have done it," Yuri said stubbornly.
"And that's why we're always in so much trouble," Death Emperor retorted. "Because to you, impulse control happens to other people."
"I have impulse control!" Yuri blurted indignantly.
"No, you have self-preservation instincts. The two are entirely different," Alec said sweetly.
"What? They're not?" Yuri replied innocently. "Personally, I've always thought that if you're concentrating on keeping yourself alive, then you tend not to do stupid things."
"Unfortunately, that's not true in your case," Death Emperor sighed. "Would make life much simpler."
"I thought you were dead…or undead. Something like that," Yuri commented.
"Try 'immortal.' It's a big word, I know, but one day, if you work really hard, you might understand it," Death Emperor said sweetly.
"You know, we really should buy some mana roots," Alec broke in. "Cause while I'm sure sleeping off magical backlash is fun for you, I don't particularly enjoy it." Yuri nodded in agreement, wincing to himself. He had slept it off, once. Never again.
Using the age-old method of packing stuff (shoving it into a bag and kicking it until either something breaks or everything fits) Yuri packed all of his belongings and waited impatiently for Alec. Alec restrung his bow, slung his quiver over his shoulder and stood up, raising one eyebrow at Yuri's impatient pose.
"We can leave now," Alec suggested. Yuri glared at him. Shrugging, Alec started to move away. Startled, Yuri paused for a moment, then ran after him.
Authors Note: Unfortunately, my computer time has been used for programming assignment, rather then important things, like writing. My parents don't quite see it this way, but they're adults and, by definition, should have no idea what I'm on about.
It sounds like nothing has happened in this chapter. Trust me, there has been some important stuff revealed. Honestly! Would I lie to you? (Aenea, stop nodding)
And yes, the bag packing method does work. After years of camping, I should know.
Also, there have been a few concerns about Valentina's future role in this story. Yuri/Valentina…a scenario I never considered, although it could have possibilities (evil laughter as Night's Mistress revises all plans to include that particular pairing). Also, just to cover all bases, there will be no Yuri/Alec shipping. I can't write decent slash if my life depended on it (although that doesn't seem to stop a lot of people) and that would ruin the dynamic relationship. Also, no Death Emperor/anyone. That's just wrong. That should cover every pairing that I could imagine, apart from the really weird ones. (Yuri/pole - actually I have a true story about that. Email me if you want details.)