She then frantically tried fixing her hair as quickly as possible to look presentable, eventually frowning as she made a passable hairstyle. Not good, but good enough. It’ll have to do.
Soon after Obi had left, Cherise heard a sound coming up from behind her. Looking back, she saw Ira, out of bed, and outside. She didn’t know if it was the disappointment in her expression, or the surprise after seeing him out of bed, which compelled Ira to grin nervously after making eye contact.
Ira: "I’ve been looking for you." He said it innocently enough, as if he didn’t even consider he was doing something out of place.
And although Ira was smiling, he was still clearly injured. His torso was still completely wrapped in bloodied bandaging. However, that was the smaller part of Cherise’s worries. It certainly didn’t escape her notice, that for some reason in his condition, Ira was holstering the black fangs to his side. Looking at the sheathed katana’s he held on his waist, she seemed compelled to ask in a slight distress.
Cherise: "Ira! What are you doing out of bed, and with your weapons?! Your body needs time to heal. You should be resting." Catching her worried tone, but ignoring her question for the time being, he replied back.
Ira: "I heard you and Obi talking." He said before looking down, and letting out something between a chuckle and a sigh of relief, as he continued to speak with a hint of shame.
Ira: "So he was going easy on me, huh? I can tell you at the time, it sure didn't feel like it." Still keeping his head down, finding it somewhat funny while he said it, oblivious to Cherise eyeing him suspiciously.
He’s trying to change the subject…
Giving a slight pause for Ira to look up, she asked him firmly.
Cherise: "Why are you carrying your katana's?" Uncharacteristically, Ira seemed at a loss of words to explain himself, and after a few seconds had passed with no answer, she continued her questioning.
Cherise: "Well, Ira? Just what are you intending to do?" He let out a defeated sight, before answering.
Ira: "If you’re thinking I’m intending to cause some trouble here in the Order, you’re wrong. I intend to head out towards Kings Height before the sun sets, to fight the Aelaans. And I'm sure Theo would also be interested in joining me." She wasn’t particularly surprised to hear his sudden proclamation, but expecting it wouldn't stop her from trying to appeal to his reason.
Cherise: "Ira, you need time to heal, and you already know full well, it's forbidden for anyone in the Order to get involved in outside conflicts. It’s one of the reasons the Order has been around for so long, because of this longstanding agreement across Aya.” She then said it plainly.
Cherise: “If not for that treaty, the Order wouldn’t be around today. And also because we’ve attended solely to the duty of protecting the orbs. If you act, the Aelaans might perceive everyone here as a threat. The security of the entire Order will also be at risk. Not to mention, after what just happened earlier in the courtyard, you know the consequences will be great." Letting her speak her mind fully, he responded back.
Ira: "I will have been mostly recovered by the time it’ll take for the Aelaans to get to Kings Height. On the matter regarding the Order’s statutes… To be honest with you, I’m finding it increasingly more difficult to care at all on what they think anymore.” He said, still clearly angry over the punishment he’d endured.
I was worried he’d say something like that. And honestly, I don’t blame him for being upset. But he’s letting his emotions get the better of him.
Seeing that she didn’t promptly reply, Ira felt obliged to continue. Grabbing on the hilt of one of his sheathed black fangs, he sincerely spoke what was on his mind.
Ira: "Besides! I still haven't paid the Aelaan Empire back for what they did to us all those years’ ago!-“ And after giving this proclamation a few seconds to sink in, Ira continued speaking more calmly, "-I was also trying to find Theo, but he wasn't in his quarters... I wonder where that slacker went off to now." After he said this to her with a playful expression, Ira then started walking off to continue his search.
Sighing as she was still conflicted on the whole situation, Cherise let Ira leave without putting up much resistance on the matter this time. However, although she let Ira leave without offering any rebuttal, she did so without offering him any hints as to where Theo likely was. It wasn’t forgotten, Cherise simply withheld the information with the full intention of wanting to see Theo first. Having a talk with her brother first, might give her the advantage to convince him out of the reckless idea Ira was planning. After seeing that Ira was probably heading in the wrong direction, Cherise waited before he was out of sight before leaving herself. She then started walking towards her recently discovered spot, where Theo was just yesterday.
CHAPTER 24 – SUPERNATURAL
Standing near the edge of the same cliff he was before, and battle ready as usual, Theo had his great sword lying just beside him on the ground. His face void of emotion, as he peered down the cliffs descent with lifeless eyes. Stewing in anger at the hand that had been dealt to him in his life, he saw no end to the constant complications, pain, and sorrow he thought were sure to come. Thinking only inwardly, he found it increasingly difficult to enjoy any pleasures life had to offer. Bitterness consumed him.
Creeping ever closer to the precipice, the daunting height was slowly becoming more welcoming to his weary soul. The edge promising all his tribulations would be over, all the pain and misery he had been carrying over the years would finally be lifted. And all he needed to do was just one small little thing, he just needed to put one- step-further.
He found himself suddenly with tears starting to run down his face, as he slowly lifted his foot over the precipice.
As Theo leaned in, nearing the point of no return, he heard a booming voice come up from behind him, proclaiming.
The Entity: "YOUR TIME HAS NOT YET COME..."
Pulling his leg back, Theo looked back, and saw to his amazement, that there was nothing there. He was alone, and he pondered where the voice had come from before speaking despairingly.
Theo: "So I'm losing my mind now too." He said with a half-hearted chuckle before looking back at the cliff’s edge, and once again, he began raising his foot slowly over the void.
As Theo was lifting his foot, a magnificent light shown from behind him, coming from the same direction as the booming voice he heard earlier.
This time, the voice spoke much louder, but it was also strangely comforting as it said.
The Entity: "YOUR TIME HAS NOT YET COME, THEO. I STILL HAVE PLANS IN STORE FOR YOU..."
He looked back frantically to see there was nothing yet again, before saying aloud to himself.
Theo: "That wasn't my imagination. There’s no way! I know I heard that. I know what I saw." After a moment’s contemplation, Theo asked himself aloud.
Theo: "What was that then?! Could it be that the stories really were true? Was that the Light?" Immediately after Theo said this in disbelief, he heard Cherise's voice in the distance, but she was still out of his sight as she yelled out.
Cherise: "Theo! Are you out here?!" Caught up in the moment, Theo looked back towards the temple grounds, but didn’t reply.
And glancing back at the cliff’s ledge, and questioning its false promises, Theo started backing away. As Theo was walking back from the edge, as if some creature was enraged by his sudden change of plans, he heard a monstrous bellowing roar. The sound was so loud and booming, that Theo immediately held firmly onto his ears to ease the deafening cry. But for some reason, holding his ears seemed to offer no help whatsoever, as it rattled inside in his head, coming from every direction.
The hairs on Theo’s body stood straight up, as he felt a cold tingling sensation come over him. Looking around frantically, even though there was no chance of overcast in this part of the world, Theo saw the very sky overhead were darkening. The seemingly unnatural events unfolded without explanation, as the deafening roar suddenly stopped, only to b
e followed by Theo noticing a large bush rustling violently before him. Grabbing his sword in hand, Theo was unnerved, but still prepared himself as much as he could for what might come next.
Without warning, and in a blink of an eye, a dark beast leapt out from amongst the leaves, slamming Theo to the ground, before running on by to the cover of another large bush. Theo gritted his teeth as he picked himself up frantically, asking himself.
Theo: "I was an easy target just then. Is it toying with me?!" He said with fear, and desperation for an answer, for which it seemed the beast actually responded.
With another deafening roar, the great sound forced Theo once again to hold his ears. It was a gut level reaction that like the time before, offered him no comfort.
Theo knew the sound was altogether unnatural, its source didn’t seem to be coming from the beast’s direction, but rather, the inescapable volume was coming from within. The creature's ferocious roar only stopped to make way for it to walk slowly out into the open, from the cover of the brush. Staring at the terrifying beast as it continued walking straight at him, Theo immediately panicked, as he exclaimed out loud.
Theo: "What on Ehya is that?!" He cried out nervously, before positioning his trembling hands to fight.
Fear taking hold of him, Theo slowly walked backwards, away from the beast, unaware in the moment that he was inching closer towards the cliff’s edge, as the creature approached ever closer.
The animal was otherworldly, unnatural, its form was similar to that of an enormous lion, cloaked from head to toe in a thick fog of darkness that seeped out of its flesh. The entirety of all its form was covered in this dark shadow, with the exception of its glowing white eyes and mouth. With one look, there was no mistaking it, this creature was altogether not of this world. A chilling sensation came racing down Theo’s spine, as the malice emanating from the beast was almost tangible, like that of a sharp winter's breeze.
The monsters walking quickly hastened to that of a charge, before leaping directly at Theo. Recoiling back, Theo frantically swung his great sword at the creature’s face, and to his amazement, before his very eyes as his blade made contact, the unnatural beast vanished into thin air. Absorbed in the moment, Theo hadn't realized he had recoiled too far back as he made his swing, and was now falling off the cliff’s edge.
Thinking quickly, as he had started falling over the cliff’s side, Theo continued the momentum from his swords swing. As he was in the free fall, Theo used his sword to cut a few into inches into the mountain’s side. With a jerking thrust, he now found himself dangling by his sword’s hilt, a few feet down the cliffs edge. Holding on for dear life, Theo kept a firm grip on his weapon. And looking to where his sword had dug into the earth on the cliffs side, Theo noticed the ground underneath his blade was starting to give way, and that the cliffs edge was far too high for him to hope to reach. He glanced down to see if there was any safe place to land, and in a panic, he exclaimed.
Theo: "Oh, crap!" To his dismay, he was dangling over an almost entirely vertical drop below.
As the ground under his sword was about to completely give in, his efforts seemed to have all been in vain. It was in that moment he could hear Cherise's voice from the cliffs edge, as she reached out her hand down to him, crying out.
Cherise: "Give me your hand!" In this do or die moment, Theo lifted his body upward while extending a hand high, grabbing Cherise's own firmly, as the ground under his sword completely gave way.
With Cherise's help, Theo was able to use his sword like a climbing pick, digging it against the cliff’s face to propel himself up to safety.
Once on solid ground, Theo lied down on his back, frantically panting. Cherise let out an exasperated sigh of relief herself, before asking.
Cherise: "Do you mind telling me, what just happened?" His heart still racing, and needing a moment to catch his breath, completely puzzled himself, he responded.
Theo: "I honestly have no idea..."
Noticing a shadowy fiend still clung onto her brother, Cherise then blocked his sight by leaning over him as he laid down, to say more determinedly.
Cherise: "Try me!" She said as Theo gave her an inquisitive look in response, before gesturing for her to give him some space.
Pulling himself off the ground to sit upright, Theo then gave a contemplative expression as he looked outward at nothing in particular. Not knowing exactly where to start before finally he finally spoke.
Theo: "I came out here to think about all that's happened recently.-" And trying to make light of the situation, he continued in a flippant manner, "-I ended up getting a little too close to the cliff, and after hearing you call out my name, I lost my balance and fell." Cherise responded with unconvincing glare.
Does he think I’m stupid?
She then started poking his chest as she continued prodding further.
Cherise: "You just fell off, huh?!" She said with a judgmental expression that somewhat demanded a truthful answer, but shortly gave way to a sympathetic look.
Cherise: "Theo, please talk to me. How can I help, if you don’t tell me what’s going on?" Looking back at her, Theo gave a nervous laugh before truly giving the matter some thought.
Theo: "I…I don’t think…-” Finding himself unable to express it all now, he eventually said, “-With all the time we’ve been here at the Order, I had hoped things would get better… Is there no place we can call home again? Is there really no place us three belong?”
With a sympathetic outlook on the matter the entire time, Cherise paid adamant attention to every word he spoke. But the last few words he said seemed to frustrate her.
Cherise: "What do you mean is there no place you can call home?! I told you before already, haven’t I? Not only me, but Obi, and Ira will always be there for you." She said sincerely, hurt by Theo's remarks, and trying to hold back tears before continuing.
Cherise: "As long as you have us, you'll always have some place you belong, some place to return to. Isn't that what a home’s supposed to be?!" Surprised by her reaction, he looked back at his sister before saying defensively.
Theo: "That's not exactly what I meant." Cherise gave him a pouting look in return.
He’s always so stubborn! How long does he intend to keep me at arm’s reach?
The more she looked at Theo, the sorrier she felt for him. And making up her mind on the matter, Cherise scooched closer besides him before giving him a slight hug, and saying wholeheartedly.
Cherise: "Theo, I want you to remember that we'll always be there for you. If you think you haven't found your home yet. We'll be there to help you find it. No matter how long it takes! You’ll always have us at your back." And upon hearing her words, Theo was speechless.
Cherise saw Theo's shadowy companion slowly disperse into the air, until there was nothing left. His expression said it all, after being sincerely surprised by his sister’s words, Theo finally appeared hopeful again.
Grinning mischievously, Theo then put his hand on his little sisters head before ruffling her hair even further, and saying lightheartedly.
Theo: "I bet Obi did this!” He said with a suddenly brightened attitude, laughing at Cherise's pouting face before standing up to speak further.
Theo: "Thanks Cherise, but I’m going to need time to consider all this for myself. In the meantime, why don’t we head on back?" To which Cherise nodded gleefully in agreement, appreciating his rather drastic change in mood.
Finally. Mission accomplished!
Ignoring the silly expression Cherise had on her face, Theo offered a hand to help her up.
CHAPTER 25 – DESTINY
Trying her best to fix her hair, both Cherise and Theo had made their way back into the temple grounds. It wasn’t long after their return when they noticed Ira besides the courtyard. Seeing them in return, Ira seemed slightly annoyed as he scratched the back of his head before heading over to greet them. As he was walking over, he said playfully to Cherise.
Ira: "You knew where
Theo was all along, didn't you?" He said before stopping in front of the two, crossing his arms, expecting an answer.
Caught red handed…
She averted her eyes. And with a nervous smile, accompanied with the twiddling of her fingers, she admittedly answer him.
Cherise: "I may have had a good idea where he was..." She said truthfully, but Ira still felt the need to scold her.
Ira: "I'll have you know I was walking around for hours. What took you so long?" After still being reprimanded after she came clean, Cherise had resorted to making a puppy dog face back at Ira.
After seeing her expression, he let out an exasperated, but annoyed sigh before asking her further.
Ira: "You at least told Theo my plans, right?"
Mu-ha-ha! You’re about to find out!
With a mischievous smile, Cherise quickly got behind Theo before pushing him forward, and exclaiming.
Cherise: "Ask him yourself!" She said with eager delight, and after being nudged forward, Theo let out a slight laugh before speaking his own mind.
Theo: "Yeah, she told me everything." And after saying this, Theo looked at Ira with both a serious and contemplative stare for a few seconds, before grinning and saying.
Theo: "It's time for some pay back." He said as Cherise gave a nervous twitch.
What’d he say?!?!
As Theo said this, he outstretched his hand towards Ira, which he happily returned with his own and a grin. Both proudly grinning as they shook each other’s hands, it seemed as though the matter had already been settled. Looking on in complete shock, Cherise finally stepped in to complain aloud to Theo.
Cherise: "That's not what you told me you were going to do, Theo! You were supposed to help me convince Ira out of his plan!" Scratching the side of his head nervously, Theo pointed to Ira's face as he said jokingly.
Theo: "Oh, come on Cherise. Who could really say no to this face?" On cue, Ira put on the most innocent smile he could muster to tease her, before the two started laughing.
By the Light, why are they both so stupid?...
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