(Sorry about the delay in the update, but as you can see, this is the longest chapter we've had yet. It's also one of the most adorable! I think it was worth it, and I hope you do too! ~Spotofpaint)
Chapter 16
A Boat for Two
The day was perfect and beautiful as they stepped out of the inn. The sun was high and the sky was a flawless blue without a single cloud or smudge in it. The huge tree limbs above them glimmered green with their full leaves as the sunlight flittered through. And the air was cool, crisp, and carried the clean, invigorating, scent of fresh water.
Mikleo inhaled deeply, filling himself. Although he already felt so full in spirit that he doubted he could get any higher. He was so happy and so excited to be out on a date with Sorey that he thought he might burst. But of course, as cool and stoic as ever, no one would really be able to tell from his outward appearances. No one but Sorey anyway. And that was fair, since no one but Sorey could see him as it was.
The boys were still holding hands, and the butterflies in Mikleo's chest fluttered furiously as he gave Sorey's hand an extra squeeze. Looking to him, his eyes shining, he lifted his free hand and pointed.
"The brochure said it was this way," he said. "There's an exit in the back wall of Tolrin that lets us through to the lake. I can't wait to see the waterfall up close!"
Mikleo couldn't know it, but butterflies were in Sorey's chest too, especially when the water seraph looked at him like that. Sorey was just certain that Mikleo had no idea how beautiful he actually was.
The two made their way through the town. Exploring the streets, they headed toward their destination. But with it being a day off and with them being on a date, they were in no rush. They stopped at a few booths along the way to look at the goods that were being sold. They'd occasionally pick things up, or turn them over. And Mikleo had spooked a few shop owners by doing so, making it appear as if items were floating in mid air. Both Mikleo and Sorey laughed a few times as they traveled through the streets together holding hands: for to the humans around them, it appeared as if Sorey was holding onto nothing, and talking to himself.
"They probably think you're crazy," Mikleo said amused. "Unless they recognize you as the shepherd of course."
But they didn't bother to stop or explain themselves. Not today. For today, they were focused solely on each other. And during this day, they were only Sorey and Mikleo, not the shepherd and his water seraph.
Making it to the back wall, the two found the exit spoken of in the brochure. The exit was similar to the entrance: it was large and originally had two huge wooden doors covering it. But also like the entrance, it appeared as if this back entranceway was always open now, and it was just as popular as the entrance. Many people were coming and going, both tourists and natives alike. The lake and waterfall was clearly a highly desired area to be.
Sorey and Mikleo walked through. Coming out on the other side, they both let out gasps of wonder. The lake and waterfall were far more impressive up close than far away. The waterfall, and the mountain it blanketed, was so huge up close that they couldn't even see to the ends of it. It towered over them, stretching so high into the blue sky that it wouldn't be hard to imagine its peak in space. And the lake itself shimmered brilliantly in the sun. Its waters were crystal blue, the water clearly as pure as could be having come from the mountaintop. The grass along the shore was a bright spring green, and Mikleo couldn't help but to compare it to Sorey's eyes. It was nearly the same exact shade.
"Wow…" he whispered.
The pair had stopped just after coming through the door, as such, people were walking around them. Ahead of them along the path, they spotted a sign offering directions. There were arrows pointing to the lake, beach and cold springs to their right, and the boat tours and hot springs to their left. Wanting the boat tour above anything else, they headed down the path to the left. After only a short while, they found a small crowd of people gathered near a dock on the lake shore. There was a large sign above the dock that read "boat tours."
After waiting in line for a few minutes, it was their turn to reach the entranceway. There they were stopped by an attendant taking money for tickets. The young man looked to Sorey and said, "One?"
Mikleo stared straight ahead, never giving himself away. But even with one glance to his side, Sorey could see the barely noticeable differences on his boyfriends face. His amethyst eyes held a hidden amount of sudden expectance in them, and the corner of his mouth looked like it wanted to rise, even though at the moment Mikleo refused to allow a smile to surface. At least…not until Sorey said the words he was waiting for.
"Two," Sorey corrected, smiling softly. The attendant looked confused, looking around Sorey for a second person. But of course he couldn't see Mikleo. The shepherd almost explained, but didn't. This entire event was just about himself and his boyfriend.
The attendant started to ask again, raising an eyebrow in his bewilderment. But Sorey just simply smiled, before looking down at Mikleo's hand, and gave it a squeeze in his own, his green eyes sparkling.
"Two," he repeated, looking very joyful and pleased with himself. And that's when the attendant got it.
"Oh!" he started. "You're the Shepherd! Yes, my cousin told me..." and he looked to where he thought Mikleo was. "And that means your date is Sir Mikleo," and the young man looked very pleased with himself for being so in-the-know.
"We're very happy to have you both here!" he said, then did a jaunty, funny salute, clearly excited to be in the presence of such an honored guest.
"You will enjoy the cave tour, sirs! Here are your tickets," and he held one out for Sorey, who looked delighted but also bewildered. Then, he held one out to where he thought Mikleo was too. It would be rude, very rude, of him to act like the water seraph wasn't here. After all, his cousin Emily, who'd been the waitress at their inn, told him all about the Shepherd and his team. They were here to relax and enjoy their beautiful city of Tolrin, and so he would make sure they enjoyed their time in the cave tour.
Mikleo had been happy enough when Sorey said the word 'two' to the attendant. And he'd been more than pleased to simply bask in the warm feeling he got when Sorey took his hand and gazed at him in such an affectionate way. But then even more took place: the attendant somehow knew about him, perhaps word got around town quickly from the keeper at the inn. He wasn't sure, but Mikleo almost didn't even know how to respond when the attendant called him by name, looked at him, and held a ticket out to him.
Mikleo blinked, flabbergasted, his purple eyes wider than usual. He was so used to being invisible and nearly non-existent to everyone except Sorey that he was almost a little embarrassed at being called out into the world with everyone else. He just wasn't accustomed to interacting with anyone other than Sorey.
"I…umm…thank you," he muttered, already feeling silly because he knew the attendant couldn't hear him. Reaching out, he took is ticket gingerly in his free hand. And of course to the young man in front of him, and everyone else around them, that ticket appeared to be floating. That caught a few more people's attention, and suddenly Mikleo found himself part of a universe he'd only ever been able to observe before. He glanced around at the other people, and seeing them looking at him, or rather the floating ticket, a quick flush came to his pale cheeks. It felt like they could see him.
"Sorey…" he said feeling suddenly overwhelmed. But even so, even while feeling a little embarrassed and overwhelmed, he couldn't remember ever being happier. This felt like…the closest he and Sorey had ever come to their dream of making the world a place where humans and seraphim could live together. With the other humans suddenly aware of his presence, he felt…real. And he'd just had so many nightmares about being invisible and disappearing that being a part of the same world as Sorey nearly threatened to make heat come up behind his eyes. Quickly he fought the tears. He couldn't cry now. Not when it felt like the other humans could see him for the first time in his life.
Mikleo didn't need to explain: Sorey understood, for he'd felt the warmth rising from his chest at such an action, too. He dreamed - they both dreamed - of a world where he and Mikleo could do things like this every day together. He dreamed of a world where his love would be addressed properly, where he could be recognized and appreciated for what he was, and all he was doing to help save the world. Mikleo was a hero, and most people didn't even know it. But maybe...maybe...some things were already starting to change, somehow.
He wordlessly slipped his arm around Mikleo's waist, then looked back to the young attendant.
"Thank you," he said. "It's...incredibly nice to have both of us recognized," he explained simply. The youth smiled, looking pleased with himself, albeit absolutely clueless as to how much his simple gesture affected the water seraph he'd just interacted with.
"You're both welcome!" he responded pleasantly, before explaining to the couple what they needed to do next. "Now, just present both of your tickets to Ari over there," and he pointed at another young attendant, who was waving customers towards their boats, "and you'll be on your way," he said. "I hope both of you enjoy your cave tour!" and he gave the couple a polite bow before turning to address the next people in line.
Sorey and Mikleo headed over towards the next attendant, his hand now back to cupping Mikleo's. "Maybe things are already changing, Mikleo," he said softly, his green eyes warm and pleased, searching the seraph's face for clues as to how he was feeling. Sorey knew how much that simple gesture had meant to him. And Sorey wanted more of that for Mikleo.
Mikleo was still reeling. But when Sorey spoke to him he answered, "yes," he agreed. "Things are already changing. I just never thought…I never imagined that…" He was still working through his emotions, so it was difficult to articulate his words. But after taking a second to breathe, he tried again. "Ridding the world of malevolence and stopping Heldalf is important, of course. And the world needs a huge change like that. But I never thought something as simple as changing our title could make such a huge difference for us personally."
Turning, he glanced Sorey's way, fixing his amethyst eyes on his emerald.
"I didn't think we could change our own world and the world around us simply by being ourselves. I thought we had to do something huge and drastic, such as taking down the Lord of Calamity."
Sorey smiled, meeting Mikleo's gaze. "I know what you mean," he replied, taking a quick breath. "Today's been...incredible," he stated. "Everyone who knows about us has been...really awesome," he admitted, swinging their arms a little as they moved. "It's hard to believe, but I'm definitely feeling it."
He looked away then, looking towards the attendant that they were slowly approaching. "I guess the world can see what we have is good," he suggested. "And they're responding to it," he said, thinking about all the times Lailah said that the shepherd did have great influence on the people. Could that extend to something like this? He wasn't sure, and he had a feeling if he asked Lailah about it, she'd suddenly find a really interesting bug to go study.
"Either way," he said, smiling again at his boyfriend. "I'm glad for it. We needed a day like this, and it's not even close to being over!" and his excitement was nearly palpable.
Mikleo smiled.
"Yes," he said simply. Moving down the dock it was hard not to notice the beauty around them. Moving further over the water, the couple could see how crisp and clear the lake truly was. And with the waterfall in front of them and all around them due to its size, the mist it kicked up was so thick it almost appeared as if the second half of the lake was covered in clouds. The cliffs, clouds, water, and clean smell reminded Mikleo of home, and as he thought of home, he thought of Gramps. Fondness filled him, and he suddenly had an urge to rush back home to Elysia and announce to Gramps the change in his and Sorey's status. He just knew in his heart how overjoyed Gramps would be for them.
Reaching the end of the dock, Sorey and Mikleo found their attendant, Ari. She was standing before the very first boat in the line wearing a red vest. It appeared as if there would be three boats in total per tour. The boats were small and would seat about four across in each row. Each contained five rows, but the last row had a boat man in it who was in charge of rowing and steering. So the numbers came out to be about sixteen people per boat with a total of forty-eight per tour.
They were already loading up the two boats behind them, and Ari, with a kind smile, gestured to the front row for Sorey and Mikleo.
"Welcome to the boat tours," she greeted cheerfully. "Tickets please." She reached out to take Sorey's, but that was when she noticed the floating one being offered to her at the same moment. Her gray eyes widened with shock.
"Gah!" she cried, startled. "Wh-wh-what on earth!"
But they were used to such reactions. It had happened a few times already that day; as such, neither young man was particularly bothered by it.
"My boyfriend, a seraph, is handing you his ticket," Sorey said, his green eyes twinkling. The attendant known as Ari instantly flushed.
"O-oh!" And she laughed nervously for a second, flushing a deep pink. "Ahahah, my apologies! You must be the good Shepherd Sorey and Sir Mikleo," she said, taking the water seraph's ticket and giving him a bow.
"I just- I wasn't-" but then she coughed, righting herself and fixing her demeanor, standing up straight as an arrow.
"Welcome to the cave tour, esteemed guests!" Ari said in an almost comically polite way in her efforts to do right by the youths. With a wave of her hand, she directed them towards the front row on the boat. "Please take your seats," she said. "I've heard that you are both into history. As such, you'll definitely enjoy the cave tour! There are many stories, with some of them having origins dating back hundreds of years," she explained proudly.
"Thank you," Sorey said simply, a little amused by her efforts. He looked to Mikleo to see what he thought.
Clearly, the young man who'd given them their tickets wasn't the only person to have heard about them. Word did indeed get around fast.
When Sorey looked to Mikleo, he found him clearly amused. The water seraph had a hand curled by his chin, a grin on his face and a shine in his eyes as he chuckled quietly. But then it was time to get on the boat. Mikleo got on first so that he could sit near the edge. With Sorey on his other side, it was just second nature to use his human companion as a buffer between himself and the other humans who'd be seated beside them. Had Mikleo tried to sit near the center of a row…the next person to board would no doubt try to sit on top of him. Sitting near the edge helped the boys to avoid that entire uncomfortable incident.
Once seated, the other passengers got on. In only a moment, their boat was full. The two behind them were full too, and as such it was finally time to get started with the tour. The row man in the back got to his work, and all three boats took off, moving away from the dock and deeper into the blue of the vast lake.
"Good afternoon!" Ari, their guide said from the front of the boat where she sat facing them. "My name is Ari, your tour guide, and today I'll be taking you on a trip around Lake Tolrin, and also in and through our famed Infinity Falls! We'll also be headed into some of the caves that are found around the falls in the cliff side. Ponchos have been provided for you and each of you can find one underneath your seat. Please listen to my direction, for I'll tell you when you need to put them on to avoid getting soaking wet by the mist and the splash of the falls.
Before we get started, I have some safety information for you. Please remember to never stand up at any point in the boats during our tour. Do not rock the boats back and forth. And of course, never lean over the side to try and touch the water. If you have small children, keep them in your lap at all times."
Mikleo had already tuned out the tour guide as she continued on with the safety explanation. He had plenty to look at after all. The scenery was so beautiful and peaceful that it was easy to get lost in. Staring out at the surface of the lake, he found that the boats were currently passing a large area of reeds. In it, long, slender, snow-white cranes were standing. Looking for fish, one of them stretched his wings up behind him. It was as beautiful as the rest of the area.
"Now, onto the rest of our tour!" Ari was saying. Hearing that the boring part was over, Mikleo tuned back in.
"Infinity falls was first discovered thousands of years ago by the founder of our town, Ulric Heldim. Before Tolrin was ever built or even conceived, Ulric was on a hike through the mountains on a personal, spiritual journey. They say he'd been traveling for months, and this area was originally hundreds of miles away from any known civilization. And so, when Ulric discovered the falls, he had thought he stumbled into heaven itself. Seeing that there was no end or beginning to the falls and perceiving that it fell from the clouds above, he rightfully so, named it Infinity Falls.
Ulric Heldim spent several years here, living by himself as a hermit on the lakes shores, not wanting to leave such a peaceful and holy place. But as the story goes, they say that Ulric eventually met a water seraph who also lived here. The seraph was a protector of the lake and waterfalls and had seen how much Ulric cared for the nature in the area and how much he revered and respected the falls. The two became fast friends.
Now, I know what you're all thinking: Ari! How could Ulric befriend a seraph? Well the answer is simple, you see our founding father Ulric was one of the earliest shepherds in recorded history."
And suddenly, the story was way more interesting than before, and Mikleo had already been interested due to the historical aspect. But now, suddenly, there was a human shepherd involved and another water seraph. Leaning into Sorey's side, Mikleo reached out, wrapping his arms around his elbow.
Sorey's eyebrows rose dramatically, shooting straight up towards his hairline. He leaned up against Mikleo, feeling surprised but also very, very pleased to hear about another shepherd and water seraph.
"Shepherd Ulric..." he whispered to his boyfriend. "There's no mention of him or the water seraph in the Celestial Record," Sorey stated, full of curiosity.
Not knowing if it was okay to ask questions, the Shepherd started to look like he was about to burst. He wanted know all he could about Ulric and his water seraph, but maybe if he just let Ari talk, they'd learn more about the pair.
"Shepherd Ulric and the water seraphim lived together in peace and harmony for a few more years. But something was missing, and eventually, the water seraph saw that Ulric was lonely without others of his own kind. The seraphim took it upon herself to go out to the human world and find other humans to bring back to Tolrin with her. But because the lake and waterfall were so sacred, she wanted to make certain that only good people were permitted to come back with her. As such, she only had to search for people who could see her, for if a person was able to see her, then that meant that person had enough resonance and holy power to be a good human being."
Ari smiled at everyone in the boat, stopping briefly to gaze at both Sorey and where she thought Mikleo currently sat.
"When the water seraphim returned with a small band of good hearted humans, Ulric was overjoyed! He and the other humans started to build simple houses for each other in order to set up a homestead. And as such, the town of Tolrin was born."
It was a wonderful story and Mikleo found himself taking almost every word into his heart. A small town where humans and seraphim lived together, and all the humans had resonance like Sorey, so they could all see one another. It sounded almost too good to be true. Mikleo, despite how much his heart tried to stop it, couldn't keep his brain and natural intelligence and curiosity from working. And he remembered quite easily what the guard had told them just that morning while they were walking across the draw bridge.
"Sorey," he whispered, not that anyone else in the boat could hear him anyway, "Didn't the guard at the gate tell us that Tolrin was originally a military base used for war? Do you think Ulric founded the town before it was used for battle?"
It was a beautiful story, one that pulled on all of Sorey's easily-accessible heartstrings. But Mikleo was right. The guard had told them, very clearly, that the town had been used for war.
What did that mean? At what point did Tolrin go from being a place where only 'good-hearted' people lived, to transforming into a military base? What had happened?
Was the guide just telling them a nice, tall tale or was there more to the story?
Sorey hummed, looking serious for a second as he placed a hand up to his chin in concentration.
"The guard did tell us that," he said softly to Mikleo. "So I wonder what happened..."
But Ari didn't continue the story from there as the two history buffs had been hoping. Instead, as the boats progressed, she turned everyone's attention to the cliff face that they were approaching.
"We're getting very near the base of the waterfall now," she said. "And the mist is quite thick. Everyone please put on your ponchos for we will need to row through a small gap in the waterfall. But even though technically no water will be falling on us, the splash and mist from the surrounding water can get you quite wet without your poncho!"
Everyone reached underneath their seats and unfolded the poncho's they'd been given. Mikleo however didn't bother.
"You don't need to fuss with that," he told Sorey when he saw him reaching for his. "I'll keep us dry." And he had a smug little grin on his face as he said so. But then his stoic face returned as he got back on subject, "But in regards to Ari's tale, I imagine that if the story turns traumatic for any reason, she wouldn't tell the rest of it here. This is a tourist attraction meant to make people feel good after all. So if something bad happened to Tolrin to turn it into a military base, we wouldn't hear about it. Let's leave it for our research tomorrow in the library. At least we'll know where to start," he suggested. And as he did, his grin returned to his face once more. "Besides, we don't want anything to spoil our date."
Sorey grinned brightly at that. "Nope! Not gonna spoil anything," he said, rubbing his thumb over a spot on Mikleo's hand as he agreed. He always had such soft skin. It was an anomaly to Sorey how the seraph could be so soft to the touch, and so soft on the eyes, and yet give their enemies hell when time came for it. He was a tough guy; anyone who said otherwise was a fool.
He hummed happily to himself on those thoughts, pleased with musing over how awesome his boyfriend was. And he was delighted that Mikleo was going to keep the two of them mist-free once they reached the area Ari was talking about. Sorey couldn't help but wonder what all the other passengers were going to think about him somehow not needing his poncho. How many people in the boat were aware of his and Mikleo's status?
Regardless of what anyone else would think, he was looking forward to getting to the base of the waterfall. Everything in Tolrin was proving to be more impressive up-close, and Sorey already felt like he was on the edge of his seat with excitement. How could such a beautiful place exist? He wanted to see more - and wanted more explanations.
The boat tour had indeed been a very good idea.
Mikleo gave no outward change to his appearance as Sorey caressed his hand, as was his way. But that didn't mean he didn't feel the same warmth in his chest as he always did when Sorey gave him attention or affection. And he was coming to discover, ever since his confession in the underground ruins, that he just loved physical contact with Sorey, more than he'd ever imagined he would. And so, to let his boyfriend know it was appreciated, he gave his palm an extra squeeze.
Their little crew of boats entered the cloud at the base of Infinity Falls. The mist was so thick that it was just as their guide had said: it was almost like being in the sky. The world disappeared around them, and no one could see anything five feet past the boat's edge. And because the mist was so thick, beads of water started to build up on the outsides of everyone's ponchos.
It started to gather on Sorey's cloak as well, and it also started to gather on a certain invisible individual. It was in this brief moment that everyone seated in the first boat of the tour was suddenly able to see the faint outline of what looked to be a transparent person seated just beside the brunet in the white cloak.
Eyes widened, jaws dropped, and the younger humans pointed. One little girl cried, "mommy mommy! Look a ghost!"
Very quickly, everyone became aware of the shepherd's presence, and what was more was that they became aware of Mikleo's too.
"No honey, that's the shepherd," the mother quickly explained. "And he's sitting next to a seraphim!"
"Oooo!" A few whispers arose, but mostly it was just repeats of the awed phrases "that's the shepherd!" or "the shepherd is in our tour boat!" and "do you see the seraph sitting beside him? So it's true! They are real!"
Nothing bad was said, and if anything, the people seemed happier to have the shepherd in their presence alongside a seraphim.
"Wait till your brother hears about this! He'll be so sorry he said he didn't want to come!"
Sorey and Mikleo, somewhat used to such reactions from their travels, ignored the others for the most part. The only new thing was that Mikleo was once again not used to the attention from other humans. Not particularly sure if he liked being seen, he lifted a hand and whispered a word under his breath. Casting a simple protection spell, a thin barrier appeared over him and Sorey. Keeping them dry from the mist and water droplets, he once more disappeared from sight.
"Aww…the angel's gone…" the little girl pouted.
"No honey, the angel's still there, she's just invisible." The mother explained. Mikleo promptly frowned.
"Why does everyone always assume I'm a girl?" he complained.
Sorey chuckled. "Well...I don't know," he admitted. "You're very clearly a boy," he said, loudly enough so that the little girl could probably hear him. "You are really pretty though," Sorey teased, shamelessly flirting with his boyfriend, not minding the many eyes that were currently glued to the back of his head and his face. He was getting used to it...and truth be told, Sorey tried to be humble about his status as the Shepherd, but sometimes, it was nice to be recognized for all of their hard work.
He took in a deep breath of air, loving the smell of the fresh, clean mist that swirled around them. If he had to imagine what it would be like to step into a cloud, this would be it. And maybe he was just biased, but Sorey loved the smell of fresh water. It reminded him of a certain water seraph, who was adorably hiding himself away from so much attention. Sorey didn't say as much, but he liked shy Mikleo. Shy Mikleo was awfully cute.
A quick, hot, blush came over Mikleo's pale cheeks when Sorey called him pretty. And for some reason, although he hated being mistaken for a girl, he didn't mind so much when Sorey commented on his looks. In fact, he may have really like it.
"Well that's just…that's because I…a-and you're-!" But he couldn't finish for he was too flustered. And when he looked over and saw how much Sorey enjoyed how flustered he was, he only became more embarrassed. Sorey's bright green eyes were fixated on him, and he was wearing that usual silly grin: the one Mikleo particularly liked. That, and he was leaning in, bringing his face awfully close to his own.
The color in Mikleo's cheeks only grew darker, and quickly, Mikleo had to look away. Lifting his chin and trying to maintain some dignity, he briskly replied.
"You're not so bad looking yourself, if you wanted to know."
Sorey's grin only widened. Shy, flustered, and protesting Mikleo was even cuter. And it seemed like he was going to get some attention too. That was always a bonus.
He chuckled, and bumped his shoulder up against the blushing seraph. "I guess I ampretty cute too. Now that they've put lipstick on this pig, right?" and he just couldn't help but tease his boyfriend about their old joke from months ago.
Mikleo's eyes widened as he whipped his head around to look at Sorey, and if at all possible, his color grew even worse.
"That was-! Y-y-you were being an idiot that day!" he defended. "Y-you were full of yourself after having gotten that cloak and becoming the shepherd! Someone had to take you down a notch!"
Sorey just laughed, throwing his head back in his joy. His green eyes were crinkled up with delight.
Looking back to Mikleo, it was all he could do to keep himself from thoroughly embarrassing himself by reaching out and kissing his blushing boyfriend in front of all of those people. Mikleo was just so...
He chuckled a couple of more times, before reaching down and grabbing Mikleo's hand again in his own.
"It's okay," he said quietly. "I know I was. You were right. And I know what you really think anyway," he said, green eyes still alight with joy.
Dates were fun.
As usual, Mikleo felt like Sorey could see right through him. And not in the same way the other humans did. No…when the other humans saw through him he felt invisible, alone, like he didn't exist. But the way Sorey saw through him made him feel more real and more alive and more solid than ever before. When Sorey looked at him like that, with those eyes…he couldn't hide anything. Sorey knew him. And he saw every piece of him, even when he tried to hide because he was proud or embarrassed. His heart swelled, and for a second, he was afraid he'd burst. He just loved him so much.
Speechless from the power of the things he was feeling, Mikleo felt lucky when the tour guide finally started speaking again.
"Here we are!" she announced.
The clouds around them started to clear. Up ahead they found themselves just in front of the huge cliff that the Infinity Falls cascaded down. It stretched up so tall that they couldn't see the top of it, not when they were this up close. It blocked out the sun, and with that in combination of the water spraying all around the, it grew considerably cooler.
The water from the huge waterfall was crashing down all around them. It didn't touch their boat, for the tour guide and the rowers knew exactly where to go to avoid it, but all the same, the water beneath their boat was churning and appeared violent from such a turbulent waterfall. The sheer size and amount of water was intimidating, and Mikleo knew from just a glance that if they made one wrong move their little boat would be crushed into splinters.
"Everyone remember your safety instructions!" Ari had to practically scream over the tremendous roar of the water. "Remain seated! Do NOT lean over the side of the boats. Do not stand up. Please remain still as we move through the waterfall and into the caves!"
No one dared disobey. Looking to the right they saw water swirling in a spiral. Mikleo knew they'd be sucked down by the current if they got too close. And to their left there was so much falling water that it was just a white sheet of roaring violence.
"Infinity Falls comes from a vast river at the top of the mountain!" Ari was yelling. "It falls hundreds of feet down to Lake Tolrin! Because of the great distance and because of the sheer magnitude of water, it creates hundreds of tons of pressure when it hits the surface! When the tours first started up, it took the creators years to figure out a safe route into the caves!"
No one asked questions. The little girl in the sat behind them looked frightened. But her mother appeared even worse off.
"The whirlpool to our left is one of the smaller ones! They're created when two powerful streams of water fall simultaneously near one another! They push the water down, but in opposite directions, creating a suction! If we got too close, our boat would be pulled down to the bottom of the lake in mere seconds!"
The little boats made their way through a break in the water. Up above them in the cliff face, there was a huge boulder jutting out, blocking the falls decent. Even so, water sprayed all around them, and the humans, even with their ponchos, were getting drenched. Mikleo, sympathetic, quickly worked on extending his barrier so that it encompassed not just their boat, but all three in their traveling party.
Right away, everyone gaped. For looking up above them, they spotted the invisible barrier that kept the water from falling on them. Staring at it in awe, they watched as the water collided with nothingness, bounced off, and fell harmlessly to the side. The waterfall still raged all around them, but it was considerably quieter without it pounding on top of their heads.
"Well!" Ari gaped, wiping some water from her forehead. "This is certainly the most peaceful trip through the falls I've ever experienced as a tour guide." Lifting a hand, she gestured to Sorey. "Sorey the shepherd everyone! Please extend your thanks!"
Everyone in the boats clapped, as usual, mistaking the seraph's deeds for the shepherd's. But there was one little girl at least, who understood what had really happened.
"No, no! That man didn't do anything! It was the angel! The angel's protecting us!"
"Yes!" Sorey cried out, delighted, as he turned to face the little girl. "Mikleo's a water seraph. He's shielding everyone," he stated, speaking loudly enough for the whole party to hear. "I can't take any credit for this. It's all him," he said, his face beaming with happiness at having just one person recognize Mikleo for what he'd been doing.
You don't have to worry...about people not knowing you're here with me,Sorey thought as he looked to his embarrassed boyfriend. People can tell. You deserve to be known. You deserve the credit. You deserve this...and so much more.
Mikleo, his blush barely having receded, came back full force. He let out a sigh, putting an exasperated hand to his forehead. But Ari, and everyone else in the boat had already heard.
"Excuse my rudeness!" Ari quickly said. "Mikleo the water seraph everyone!"
Everyone clapped a second time, this time with the little girl joining in with jubilation.
"Yay!"
Thankfully for Mikleo, they finally made it through the raging falls and toward what appeared to be a very small, cracked triangle opening in the rock face. Their boat, being in the lead, headed in first. Almost right away the roaring of the falls and the violence of the water subsided. Silence fell upon them, and the cool temperature they'd been feeling outside plummeted and it became downright cold.
Ari struck a match and lit a lantern, which she hung from the bow of their boat to light the way. Immediately everyone started to look around with excitement and wonder. The water beneath them was crystal clear and breathlessly still. As such, they could see all the way down to the bottom of the cave. A few plants decorated the bottom of the pool and a few small fish swam by.
Around them, the walls were ribbed, clearly having been worn down over time by rushing waters. Above them, the ceiling was only two or three feet above Ari's head and a few stalactites hung down.
"We're now entering what the locals call, The Vanishing Catacombs." And of course, as she said it, Ari let out an 'ooOOoo' afterward. A few of the passenger's chuckled. "But before we get to the story behind that name, let me tell you a little bit more history." And of course, at this news, both boys sat forward a little further on their seat.
"Ulric and his water seraph companion discovered this cave system during their time together before the other humans were invited to build Tolrin. But after Tolrin was built, it was said that only Ulric could make it to these caves, since, obviously, no normal human could. It was far too dangerous for the people of the time to attempt to come out here. But Ulric, with a water seraph at his side, could come and go easily with the shepherd's power. No one knows the real purpose for Ulric retreat into these caves, but many have said he came out here to renew his spiritual energies.
The caves themselves have been formed by the rushing of water over the course of thousands of years. Geologists and other scientists have studied the caves extensively and have concluded that the huge reservoir of water at the top of the mountain tricked its way down through cracks in the limestone and carved its way throughout the mountain, heading downward with the help of gravity. Eventually, reaching the base of the mountain, it needed to find a way out. Seeking out similar cracks at the base, it eroded its way through until it formed the cave system you see today.
The reason it's called a catacomb is because there are hundreds of different tunnels throughout the mountain. Some go underwater and out to the lake. Other's still go out through the sides of the mountain. It's so huge, so vast, and so confusing, that we have yet to chart all of the different paths throughout the caves. A person could easily get lost in here and never return. Which of course, brings us to the rest of the cave systems name…"
Ari took a moment to grab up the lantern from the boat. Taking it in her hands, she held it just beneath her face, letting it cut crude shadows across her features, which were now stark and serious.
"This is the story of The Vanishing Catacombs…"
Mikleo let out a sudden "pshh" as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Don't tell me this is a ghost story."
But of course, no one but Sorey heard him and so Ari continued.
"Far later in our tale, after Tolrin had transformed from a peaceful village into a military base, and after Ulric had long passed away; these caves served a different purpose. The peaceful citizens of Tolrin, having just been occupied by the new military, were of course terrified for their safety. The men, wanting to keep their wives and children safe from their new, violent overlords, thought of the caves.
Remembering their founding father, Ulric, had once used these caves for spiritual purposes, many of the townspeople believed the women and children would be safe here. And so, all of the men loaded the women and children up in boats…not unlike the one's we're sitting in now, and sent them off on their way.
True the waters are violent, true there was a huge risk of drowning or being sucked to the bottom of the lake, but the hope of safety outweighed these factors. Many of the townspeople still believed Tolrin to be blessed by the original water seraph who resided with them once upon a time. But that seraph hadn't been seen in decades. Still, they clung to this vain hope and sent the boats into the waters in the dead of night."
Mikleo sat stiffly in his seat. Looking almost stubborn, he looked off to the side as their boats drifted further back into the caves. He didn't look at Ari as she spoke, and he stubbornly didn't look at Sorey either.
"Many of the boats didn't make it to the caves. Many crashed, sank, or got smashed against the rocks. But they say a few of the boats did make it. And the ones that did, became lost in an endless game of choice. Constantly they had to choose, right or left, right or left. And sometimes there'd be three or even four tunnels to choose from. The surviving boats drifted on and on…until their lanterns ran out of oil and all went dark."
Ari of course, chose this moment to blow out the flame from her lantern, plunging the entire tour group into pitch black darkness. A few people gasped. The little girl behind them shrieked. And Mikleo, against all of his bitter pride, reached out to Sorey and grabbed onto his arm.
While Sorey hadn't gasped, he'd expected Mikleo to react in such a way. He loved having his boyfriend grasp his arm like that. It was just a story...but then again, the water seraph had always been a sucker for ghost stories. And Sorey knew that.
It was also pitch black inside the caves...and Sorey had to admit, it was pretty creepy. They'd been in a number of caves, but had always been able to see, whether by natural or magical means. Now, without the use of his sense of sight, Sorey was all the more aware of how damp and cold the air felt, and also how loud sounds seemed. He could still hear the roaring of the waterfall behind them, if he listened.
And of course, he could hear Mikleo's quickened breath.
"There could be ghosts," he whispered not too seriously, more comically than anything, just loud enough for Mikleo and maybe a couple of people nearby. Sorey couldn't resist teasing his boyfriend just a little.
"Sorey!" Mikleo immediately chastised. "Don't be an ass! Besides…you know I don't believe in ghosts. There's no such thing." He was adamant about it. But even so…he didn't let go of Sorey's arm.
"Of course," he agreed amicably. "There's definitely no such thing." Sure, Sorey sounded like he was agreeing with his boyfriend...but in reality, he was teasing the other young man. And was having a lot of fun with it too.
"I mean, we definitelydon't have to worry about - what was that!?" he feigned, acting suddenly shocked and surprised by something. "Did you hear that Mikleo?"
"What?! Hear what?! I didn't hear anything!" And Mikleo's grip on Sorey's arm intensified as he started trying to peer through the darkness, his amethyst eyes wide. At least that was…until Ari relit the lantern with a low, almost comical laugh in the back of her throat.
"Did I frighten all of you?" she asked mischievously. But Mikleo was focused elsewhere, for now that there was light again, Mikleo was able to turn and look to Sorey and what he found was the shepherd barely suppressing a fit of laughter under a wavering grin. As soon as he saw the look on his face, Mikleo knew he'd been had. Quickly, a snarl flashed across the water seraph's face.
"You jerk!" Immediately letting go of Sorey's arm, he instead treated his boyfriend to a rather stinging punch in his bicep.
"Oow!"
"Hmph!" Crossing his arms over his chest and lifting his nose in the air, Mikleo turned away from Sorey, looking quite pouty indeed. "I'm not making you popsicles for a week!"
"Whaaat?" Sorey pouted, immediately contrite. "But...but I love your ice pops!" the brunet protested, green eyes full of dismay. "It...there wasn't anything there. And besides, I thought you said you didn't believe in ghosts?" he continued, incapable of not teasing Mikleo just a little more. He knew the seraph would still make him ice pops...he couldn't resist Sorey's pouty puppy face.
"I…I don't!" Mikleo continued to insist even though they both knew better. And he would have continued to defend himself, but people in the boat were starting to stare. Even if they couldn't hear half of the conversation, judging from Sorey's half, it was still clear what was going on.
"Sir Shepherd?" Came Ari's voice. "Are you done teasing your boyfriend? May I continue the tale?"
Several people in the boat chuckled, and Mikleo seeing Sorey's face turn a brilliant crimson with embarrassment, very quickly loosened back up. A sly smirk crossed over his features, and with arms still crossed, he sat with his back straight and tall.
"Yes, sir Shepherd, pray tell: are you done?"
Sorey was impossibly embarrassed. He'd never been much for social etiquette, as Mikleo was prone to pointing out, but this was pretty bad.
"Y-yes," he said, flushing red all the way to the tips of his feathered ears. "I'm done. Sorry about that." Even if he was embarrassed, he was still smiling. It was nice to have someone tease him about teasing his boyfriend. He could get used to that. Although, maybe it'd be better if he didn't do things like interrupt their tour guide. He chastised himself, and sat up straight in his seat, just like if Gramps had scolded him for doing something ridiculous. He'd pay attention! Mostly.
A few people chuckled, including Mikleo.
"Ooo! You got yourself in trouble." And suddenly the shoe was on the other foot as Mikleo was the one who now couldn't resist teasing his boyfriend. After all, anything he said or did couldn't be heard or seen by the other passengers. So really, he could tease to his heart's content and Sorey couldn't do a single thing about it.
And so, even as Ari started up the tale once more, Mikleo couldn't help but to look at Sorey. And in seeing his adorably red face, he really couldn't have been expected to deny himself some fun. As Sorey faced forward, listening strictly to their tour guide speak, Mikleo got an idea. Scooting in closer, just until their thighs touched, he then leaned in. Pursing his lips, he blew ever so gently in the shepherd's ear.
Sorey jumped a mile. Well, not really, but he did let out a far from distinguished yelp of surprise, his buttocks nearly lifting off of the seat underneath him.
He had not been expecting that.
Beet red all over again, the shepherd turned to chastise his boyfriend, who had burst out laughing. "Mikleooooo!" he whined, trying to whisper so as not to disturb the group but of course that had already happened the second he'd yelped.
A few people chuckled, and Sorey was at least glad they found it funny. He honestly found it mostly embarrassing, even if he was also having fun with his boyfriend at the same time.
Mikleo's laughter lasted for several long seconds. His purple eyes squinted shut with delight as he held his gut with both hands. It had been quite a long time since he'd laughed so hard, and even longer still since he'd felt so carefree. His quest with Sorey had become so serious and so full of dire consequences that he'd almost forgotten that he was really little more than an eighteen year old. And today, having this day with Sorey, being able to go on a date with him and remember what and who they truly were, was such a relief and a blessing.
Finally, after a while, Mikleo's laughter died down. But when it did, his smile remained. He gazed at Sorey fondly, then wordlessly scooted in closer to him once more. This time he didn't tease or play, and instead cuddled up beside him. Their thighs touching once more, he leaned into his side, just wanting to be close. He didn't say anything, and didn't need to. And as the pair settled back in, they turned to listen to the remainder of the tale Ari was telling them.
"Still, it was insisted by our ancestors that some of the people made it through the caves and out through the mountainside alive. But even if it's true that some survived, it is fact that many more have died. And those people died right here in these very caves. From that point forward, locals have believed the Vanishing Catacombs to be haunted.
Now, I have never seen or heard anything myself, but every so often, I will have a guest stop me in the middle of my tour to tell me they hear a woman crying, her voice echoing through the catacombs. And sometimes still, they say they can see a transparent apparition of a young woman, her dress and hair, long and flowing like water…as if she drowned here in these very waters."
Mikleo reached out, taking Sorey's hand in his own. And although the story was indeed creepy, he wasn't nearly as spooked as before. For now that he and Sorey had flirted and teased one another, everything was great fun. Even being scared a little.
Nestling up against Mikleo was probably the best thing ever. At least, that's how Sorey felt the moment the seraph leaned into him, relaxing as Ari continued her tale.
He reached out and grabbed Mikleo's hand in his own. "Well, I definitely don't hear any ghosts right now," he whispered softly to his love. "I think we're okay."
It was a sad story, for sure. And he wondered how long ago all of this took place. Maybe they'd find some more information about the whole story the next day when they went to the library to do some research.