Secrets, part 14
Blythe leaned back against Kavi's chest, wrapped in his lover's arms. They had been talking for some time and though Blythe wanted so badly to help, it was clear that Kavi would never accept another sacrifice on his behalf. "But why?", sighed Blythe, staring sadly into the distance. Kavi's grip tightened around him. "You could have died giving up that much blood...You could have died from taking on so much infection...I can't let you give up your vision, not even half, for me...You need your depth perception for your knives and even if you didn't - ...It's too much to ask", explained the dragon slayer. His regained voice was soft and weak, but audible. Grasping Kavi's wrists, Blythe nuzzled into his arms deeper. He was trying so hard not to cry again. He would do anything for Kavi, but not being able to was hard to accept.
Kavi leaned his head against his lover's skull. "Don't cry. I've accepted my blindness...Besides, haven't you shed enough tears for me lately?". That was the last fracture the blood mage's heart could take. Why was Kavi so kind? He'd lost his sight and here he was, worried about Blythe's well being instead. Twisting his body to face Kavi, Blythe launched himself into a tight embrace. The dragon slayer held him gently, but firmly. "You said it yourself, remember? Once my mana recovers, I won't need my eyes", said Kavi with a faint grin. With his magic, he could navigate pure darkness easily. Sitting back, Blythe wiped his face. He knew Kavi couldn't see his tears, but he could hear them and that was enough to weigh on his mind. "But what about your books?", asked Blythe in a low tone. Kavi's supportive smile faded. He sighed deeply, "Not you, too." Before Blythe could ask, the answer was already forming in the ambient sound waves. "Everyone keeps saying that...I guess it's only logical to think I'd miss reading and I probably will, but to be honest...The thing I'll miss seeing the most is your smile." It took everything he had for Blythe not to burst into tears at that point. His chest hurt with those words. He'd gladly give his eye if Kavi would only accept it.
A knock on the door prevented further speech. Jasper slowly peered in. Observing the blushing faces inside, he shied his gaze. "I hope I'm not interrupting", he said shyly. Blythe shook his head, once more drying his eyes. Another familiar face appeared in the doorway. Peering around Jasper, Yona smirked. "Interrupting? You guys getting busy again already?", she teased. Bright red, Kavi furrowed his brow in frustration. "Did you want something?", he asked stiffly. Jasper had come for a reason, but Yona's shameless taunting had left him speechless and agape. A small form stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Blythe, Wink is upstairs waiting for you", said Ronen, giving Yona a chideful eye. Kavi's expression shifted as he thought. "What's your cousin doing here?", he asked. Blythe looked to Jasper with pleading eyes. Kavi had missed much while he slept. Shaking his red cheeks, Jasper urged Blythe to go on ahead and promised to explain everything.
Once Yona, Ronen, and Blythe had gone, Jasper sat by his brother with a deep breath. "Sorry about Yona...", he trailed. Kavi grinned lightly. "What have you gotten yourself into?", he teased. It was a rather interesting match to say the least. Jasper laughed it off before resuming a darker tone. "About Blythe's cousin...", he began. "Yes?", replied Kavi, waiting for answers. "It's no social call. Yona and Wendy brought him...I suppose you could he's given himself up", said the incubus carefully. Kavi's eyes narrowed. "What aren't you telling me?", he asked calmly. Jasper sighed. His brother was always able to read him. "He's not alone...Noctis...They're back..." Jasper watched his brother's face grimace in simmering rage. "Before you get any angrier, Wink had nothing to do with last attack on the guild...I think he actually wants to help", said the incubus, trying to smooth things over. "Go on", said Kavi stiffly. As details were hashed, Wink waited patiently upstairs for his beloved kin.
Above ground, in the main guild hall, all eyes settled firmly over Blythe as he entered the building. "Hey, cous'. Took you long enough", greeted Wink. Wendy, Charle, and the members of team three surrounded their captive. As Blythe approached, his mind was racing. What did this all mean? "What are you doing here?", he finally inquired. Making himself as home, Wink leaned back in his chair and placed his heels on the table. Annoyed, Van glared mildly. "What's wrong, Patch? Just making myself comfortable", teased the sniper. Yona knocked him over the back of the head with a playful fist. "Knock it off", she said. She didn't like having an enemy so relaxed either. "Oww! Why'd you do that, Mint? I came along quietly, didn't I?", he whined. Yona crossed her arms, upset she didn't get a decent tussle out of it all. Blythe had asked her on the way up if there had been a fight, but she assured him Wink was unharmed. Looking at him, Blythe was pretty sure where the black eye had come from anyway.
"Make your friends play nice, Blythe", said Wink, rubbing his head. "It would help if you stopped with the nicknames", replied the blood mage. Wink shrugged, uninterested in his annoying habits. Yona leaned in and glared Wink in the eye. He stared back nervously. She wasn't entirely predictable. "My name isn't 'Mint', it's Yona", she stated. "Miss Yona to you", mumbled Van. "Pfft, what do you care? You her dad or something?", taunted Wink. He'd observed the guild enough to know better. He was just having fun now. Yung-Li held his furious friend back from attacking the cocky captive. Koko waved her hands and conjured the image of a heart, trying to explain things. Wink cocked an eyebrow at the shimmering illusion. "Wait, she's dating an old fart like you?", he asked. That only made Van angrier. "Old fart?! I'll show you old! Let me go! I'll rip his a new one!", he shouted, struggling. Blythe sighed heavily. It seemed his cousin had yet to grow up. "For your information, asshole, no, we're not dating, but we are good friends. It's none of your damned business, but I'm seeing - ", said Yona, her last words muffled by Blythe's hand.
Normally, she would take swift revenge for such an action, but the cold aura pouring off her team mate caught her attention. Slowly lowering his had, Blythe send her a chilling glare. Something was wrong. Blythe never acted that way...NEVER. Then in dawned on her. His look wasn't a threat. It was a plea not to mention the fey of the guild or the sanctum. It was unclear which side Wink was on and if he got loose with such information, all of Noctis would be on their doorstep in days. Ignoring the fuss, Wink was staring at the exceeds. Absently picking at his ear, he asked, "What's with the mutant cats?". An odd silence fell over the room. Yung-Li had dragged Van outside and the sniper's question caught the others off guard. "We're exceeds", stated Rani, trying to be polite. Intervening, Blythe stepped close to his kin. "Wink, why are you here?", he asked again. "Isn't it obvious? I'm here to warn you", he replied nonchalantly. Nervous glances were exchanged amongst the mages. "About what?", asked Blythe carefully. Wink smirked as he sat forward. Resting his arms over his knees, he seemed to consider how much information he was willing to share. While he thought it over, the rest of team three re-entered the room. Van was flustered, but held his tongue.
"Well, I don't want to see my favorite cousin get killed", said Wink absently. "You shot him, remember?", said Van flatly. Waving him off, Wink said, "That was just a test." "What kind of test is that?!", scoffed Yona. "I know Blythe. If he was in any real danger, he would have dodged", said the sniper. "Not if I were protecting a friend", said Blythe solemnly. Everything came back in Wink's mind. "Where's the gray guy and what hell is he? What all are you hiding here, cous'?", he asked keenly. Thinking quickly, Blythe calmly replied, "He's a celestial spirit. One of friends from Fairy Tail is a spirit mage." Wink shrugged, not really interested anyway. After all, he had no idea what an incubus looked like. To him Jasper was just a monster - flesh or spirit.
"Look, now that I'm here, you guys have to help protect me", stated Wink, drawing mixed responses from his captors. "From what?", inquired Wendy, Charle tightly held in her arms. "Likely his friends", said the exceed, hitting the nail on the head. Wink smirked. "Smart cat...You already know I'm not the only agent in town. The Order's been watching the guild for a while now. There's no doubt in my mind they know I'm here. If you kick me out, I'll be dead in the first step I take out that door", explained Wink. Blythe's heart sank. It was cold, hard fact that Noctis did NOT tolerate traitors. "It's not like I can really defend myself out there since that demon-spawn with pigtails destroyed my guns", added the sniper. Yona smirked at the term. She'd heard what happened from Jasper. It seemed Wink had Domino pegged.
"What are you trying to warn us about?", inquired Ronen, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "Akachi", stated Wink. A chill ran down Blythe's spine. He knew that title. Even though he was the black sheep of his family, he knew all about Noctis. Generations of Sandrunners had joined, his father included. "What's that mean?", asked Van. Wink smiled to himself. He didn't feel like spoiling Judd's fun by warning the mage of his stalker just yet. "The Hand of God", said Blythe, staring at the floor. "So you do remember?", grinned Wink. "It's a high ranking agent within Noctis...A hard title to earn...Bad news", said Blythe, trying not to scare his friends. Wink laughed, "Yeah, she's pretty crazy...Man, if she caught me in here, you don't even wanna know what she'd cut of first." Van sent him an odd look. "You know her?", inquired Yung-Li. Wink's demeanor shifted yet again. "I might tell you a few things...", he trailed. "If?", asked Blythe. "Guarantee me safe passage from the city and somewhere to stay until I can leave", said Wink. His terms were on the table.
"That may be possible", said a voice entering the room. Everyone turned in surprise to see Puck in his human form approaching. They only had to keep their mouths shut. Wink would never guess he was really an elf. "Who the hell are you?", snorted Wink, unimpressed by the respect being paid from the mages. "You could say I'm the acting guild master... Are those your only conditions to assisting us?", replied Puck. "They're a start", grinned the sniper. "You don't exactly have room to be making bargains", said Van, still annoyed by the earlier remarks. "Who's to say? I'm here on my own accord", said the cocky sniper. "I see...Blythe, I'll leave you two alone. I expect you to talk some sense into him", said Puck. Blythe nodded. Wendy sent him a very worried look as everyone left the room. He offered an assuring smile. Even with everyone outside, Wink had little to gain from trying anything. Besides, Puck's hearing would pick up on anything he said or did even outside.
"That kid's taken a shining to you", grinned Wink. Sitting beside him, Blythe nodded. He didn't want to give too much information. After all, their relationship was the only thing holding this precarious peace together. If Wendy was known to be important to him, she could easily become a target to make Blythe do as the Order wanted. "So, 'Baron'..what's it like betraying everything you were ever taught?", asked Wink somewhat coldly. "Being a mage?...This guild is the best family I've ever had", said Blythe. That brutal honesty caught Wink off balance. "What about me?", he asked, somewhat offended. Blythe grinned faintly. "You were nice to me, but you were still one of them...Don't act like you've never drawn my blood, Wink..." The sniper shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Their clan had deeply rooted problems that couldn't be solved in one conversation. "I'm here now, aren't I?", he said, serious for once. He sat stiffly in a surprise hug. "Still a hugger, I see", he teased. Blythe slowly let go and stared his kin squarely in the face. "Akachi...Who is she?", he asked.
Outside, the mages were getting restless. "Are you sure it's safe to show yourself?", inquired Charle. Puck grinned softy. "He only sees what I want him to", he stated with confidence. "Pointy ears aside, should we really leave them alone? I mean...Really?", said Yona. "Has he shown any physical aggression since arriving?", asked Puck. "No...", trailed Yona, irritated by his logic. "But he shot a hole in Blythe's stomach!", argued Van. Puck took a deep breath. "You have a valid point, but we won't learn anything from him if we don't first offer a little trust", said Puck. "How do we know he won't lie?", asked Yung-Li, speaking for Koko. "We don't", replied Puck calmly. Silence fell over the group as he listened to the conversation inside.
Inside the guild, Blythe stared into his clenched hands upon his lap. "Why?", he said, his voice shaking. "It wasn't my call. you know that", said Wink. "But you could have warned people! Lives were lost!", shouted Blythe, his emotions getting the best of him. Wink stared at him in thought. "Who did you lose?", he inquired. "I almost lost someone very close...but this isn't about me...Innocent people died because Noctis sent out that virus. How did you do it? Where did it come from?!", he demanded. Wink sat back in mild shock. He'd never seen his cousin act this way before. "Don't play dumb...You know the Order is just a cover...We hate magic, but we're still guilty of using it...Even our uniforms are proof of that", said Wink, smirking at the irony. "How many more until yours comes off?", asked Blythe grimly. "I'm not sure", replied Wink. He knew Blythe was disgusted by his affiliation with Noctis and that the blood mage knew all too well that spilled blood was the only way to get the uniforms off once worn.
"This is bigger than you and me, Blythe...They're after the demon Necahual and until they get her, the Order won't rest", stated Wink, dead serious. Blythe tried not let his reaction to that name say too much. Nova? But why her? Why now? "Uppers say she's been on another continent for years. The virus was just a plot to lure her out. Hell if I know why she'd come back because of it, but it worked", said Wink. "I'm actually kind of amazed the Order let you live as much as you know...Outsiders like you are pretty rare...I'd say Uncle Yavuz is the only thing that saved you back then." Blythe shuddered at his father's name. Was it really possible that a man that treated him so poorly could have actually saved his life even after trying to kill him before?
Wink sighed deeply. "Look...Once the demon's caught, this will be over. I can't promise your guild will survive everything...It shouldn't even exist...I won't fight against Noctis, but I don't want to fight you either. I told you what I know. Now it's your turn to follow through and get me out of here...I want to live, Blythe. You know as well as I do that if I'm caught, my comrades won't hesitate to end me." It was a lot to take in. Was it all even true? It would be up to Puck to decide Wink's fate. Blythe knew that. He only hoped for the best in the elf's pending decision.
To be continued...