by P. A. Peña
Virgil chuckled. “Trust me. Love is the furthest thing from my mind.”
“Please,” Aurelia said with a roll of her eyes. “I saw the way you were looking at her when she was going to die. The way she was looking at you. You two looked like you were ripped straight out of a movie.”
“You’ve got it all wrong. Nothing is going on between us.” Aurelia remained silent, staring at Virgil with a blank, unconvinced expression. “Well,” he continued. “We did almost kiss the other night. But not really. I don’t think she meant it. Yeah. She wasn’t serious.”
“Let me ask you this. Did she look you in the eyes?”
Virgil nodded. “Right before she leaned in, whispered in my ear, and walked away.”
Aurelia grinned. “Oh yeah. She wants you. That’s flirting 101.”
“Really? How do you know?”
Aurelia waved her hand. “Some women just know these things. Trust me.”
The thought of someone actually wanting him made Virgil’s chest feel full, and he couldn’t help but smile. It was something he hadn’t felt before, and he welcomed it. However, the feeling was fleeting, as thoughts of Olivia lying on the ground, dying, flooded his mind. The look on her face. It was just like his father’s.
“You okay?” Aurelia asked.
“You’re wrong,” Virgil replied, snapping to his senses. “I wasn’t looking at her like that. She reminded me of somebody. I don’t know. Seeing Olivia like that. I couldn’t just let her die.”
“Oh,” Aurelia replied, shock washed over her face. “Was it your father?” Virgil nodded, the words too painful to let escape from his lips. “I’m so sorry to hear that,” she continued. “It’s agonizing to re-live such traumatic experiences.”
Virgil shrugged as he bit the inside of his lip. “I’m okay. You get used to it.”
Aurelia looked Virgil in his eyes. Her gaze was soft but firm. “No, you don’t. Sure, it gets easier over time. Eventually, you think about it less and less, until one day, it doesn’t cross your mind at all. Then a week goes by. Or a month. Maybe even two. But sooner or later, something happens, and in an instant, you’re right back there all over again. And somehow, it’s like you never even left.”
Virgil swallowed the lump in his throat. Truer words had never rung so clearly in his ears. He had nothing to say. Nothing he could contribute. In one fell swoop, Aurelia had encapsulated his life for the past several years. It was haunting having someone so new to him seem to know him so intimately, and yet, hearing those words from her set his heart at ease.
Aurelia stood up and made her way around the fire. She sat down next to Virgil, their legs pressed to one another. She placed her arms around him. He didn’t know which was warmer: his cheeks flushing red, or her embrace as she held him just tightly enough. Whichever it was, he didn’t care. Comfort washed over him in a barreling wave. He wasn’t in a dank and dreary cave anymore. He wasn’t battling monsters or fighting for his life. He was there with her. His friend. His first friend.
Aurelia pulled back, meeting Virgil’s gaze. “It’s okay to go back to those dark places. Just make sure you don’t stay there for too long. Okay?” Virgil smiled, his mind still unable to form a coherent response. Aurelia returned the smile, giving Virgil’s shoulder a gentle nudge. “And if you ever need someone to haul your ass out of there, you can count on me to come through.”
“Thank you,” Virgil replied. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”
Chapter 18
Virgil awoke in a peculiar mood. He couldn’t have been asleep for more than a few hours, and yet, he felt renewed. He sat up, rejuvenated, as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.
“Look who’s finally awake,” Olivia said.
Virgil perked up at the sultry sound of the elf’s voice, and his heartbeat quickened. “I could say the same thing about you,” he said, yawning. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thanks to you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I did owe you one, after all.”
Olivia chuckled. “I don’t think a pep talk equates to saving my life.”
“Maybe not, but who said it has to?”
“I guess you have a point there.”
Virgil looked around. They were alone, causing his stomach to do a series of small flips. “W-where’s Aurelia and Logan?”
“They went on ahead to do some scouting. I volunteered to stay behind and watch over you. After everything you did yesterday, we didn’t want to wake you.”
Virgil stretched. “Well, I appreciate the gesture, but we should head out. I’m sure we can catch up if we hurry.”
Olivia stood up and walked over to Virgil. “Or,” she said as she sat down beside him, “We can stay here. Just the two of us. They’ll be back soon enough.”
Virgil’s cheeks burned red, “I-I suppose we could do that too,” he replied, his voice cracking a bit. He cleared his throat, and leaned back onto his palms. “It’s probably a good idea for you to take it easy anyway.”
“So, how much longer do you think we’ll have to go?”
“In the exam? I don’t know.”
“We must be getting close. The applicants have been cut down quite a lot.”
“I hope so. We’re down to just seventy-five now.”
“Geez,” Olivia said, with a stunned expression. “Did you really count everyone?”
Virgil rubbed his neck. “Why is everyone so shocked by that?”
“Because not everyone walks around so defensively,” Olivia said, laughing. “What have I told you about relaxing?”
“I know,” Virgil replied. “Trust me. It’s easier said than done.”
“And why is that?”
Virgil leaned forward, placed his hands in his lap, and let out a heavy sigh. “It’s just the way things are. I am a hunter, after all. Or was a hunter, I guess.”
“There are lots of hunters here, myself included, and none of us are nearly as wound up as you. What’s really the reason?”
Virgil looked over at Olivia. Even in the dimly lit cave, her eyes still shimmered, inviting him in like a burning fireplace on a cold winter’s night. “Do you really want to know?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”
Virgil paused, letting his eyes fall upon the floor. “I’ve never really shared this with anyone.”
Olivia placed her hand over Virgil’s. Her skin was soft and warm to the touch. The hair on the back of Virgil’s neck stood on end, and his heart pounded just a little bit faster than before. “That doesn’t have to change,” she said. “We can end the conversation right here if you want.”
Virgil shook his head, returning his eyes to Olivia’s. “No. I don’t mind. This ‘relaxing’ stuff is just so new to me. I’m still getting used to it.” Olivia remained silent, patiently awaiting Virgil’s words. “Everywhere I go, everyone always talks about my father. Once people realize we’re related, they always assume he was grooming me to be this fantastical sorcerer.”
“That’s a fair assumption. Right? I mean, if my parents were even half as powerful as your father, I wouldn’t have needed to seek out a master to teach me.”
“I know. I’m not saying anyone is wrong.”
“Well, what are you saying, then?”
Virgil tensed up a bit as memories of his father coursed through his mind. “The truth is, everyone always has that envious look in their eyes. Like they’d do anything to be in my shoes—to be the son of the infamous demon slayer, Danté Truesdale.” Virgil looked down at his trembling hands. “They don’t know the pain I’ve had to endure. The training sessions that felt like they’d never end. Feeling like such a failure ’cause—”
“Failure?” Olivia said with a raised brow. “What do you mean? You’re one of the most powerful pyromancers I’ve ever seen.”
Virgil’s eyes widened. He had nearly said too much. Olivia reached over and placed her hand over Virgil’s once more. A chill ran down his spine, causing him
to retreat into himself.
“Virgil,” she said, soft-voiced.
“I-I’m sorry,” Virgil said quickly, his stomach feeling as if it had been run through a blender. “I. I just. I feel like I’ll never be as strong as my dad.” Virgil forced out a chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, he left pretty big shoes to fill.” He continued laughing, as if in doing so he might actually believe the lie himself.
“Yeah,” Olivia said slowly, “I can see what you mean. You shouldn’t worry so much about that. You’re still young. You have plenty of time to make it there.” Olivia’s gaze fell to the black fang dangling off of Virgil’s neck. “Besides. You do have that backing you up. I’m sure it helps a lot.”
Virgil looked down at the Fang of Kayveon and took it between his fingers. Not as much as you’d think, he thought.
“Ah, you’re awake,” Aurelia said as she and her brother walked back into the room.
Virgil smiled, relief washing over him as he rose to his feet. “I am. So, what’s the situation?”
“We’ve made our way through a couple of corridors and found a door,” Logan said. “Apart from that, there is nothing out of the ordinary. As Olivia is still with us, it appears that she is now deemed to be part of our group. While that does add an additional day to our wait requirement, we are perfectly capable of camping out the remainder of our time here.”
“Should have known you would say that.”
“And I assume you would like to press our luck a third time?”
Virgil shook his head. “Not at all. Sure, that door could be the exit to this place, and we do have strength in numbers; however, I agree with you. Olivia should be resting, so whatever path offers the least resistance is fine by me.”
“That’s very kind of you to think of my well-being,” Olivia said. “But I’m more than capable of pulling my own weight.”
“Perhaps we should put it to a vote then?” Aurelia suggested.
“Sounds fair,” Olivia replied.
Logan groaned. “Sounds unnecessary. It’s plain to see what the outcome will be.”
“Oh, really,” Olivia said. “And what would that be?”
Logan shrugged. “Three votes for camping out here. One vote to press onward.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I—”
The cave began to glow a bright yellow around its borders, and shook violently. The floor crumbled, and the group plummeted into an unyielding abyss. Rock and debris fell all around them. The only light to be found came from the ominous yellow glow.
Virgil steadied himself in the air and searched for his friends amidst the chaos. His eyes darted around like a fly trapped in a bottle. Blue light burst through the darkness, and a pool of water appeared. No. It was more like a lake, suspended in the air. The liquid swallowed everything within reach. Virgil looked around, quickly spotting Aurelia. Her hands glowed blue like beacons in the night. Virgil scanned for Olivia’s aura, and while he couldn’t lay eyes on her, he could feel her, and that was enough. But where was Logan? Virgil continued his search, only to find stone and rock everywhere he glanced.
He has to be here.
Virgil fixed his eyes on the last object suspended in the water. It was too far away to make out clearly. He propelled himself forward as best he could, fighting against the drag of water against his body. As he made it closer, his heart sank. It was just another piece of rubble.
Virgil turned to Aurelia. They locked gazes. He pointed downward, and her eyes grew wide. She released the water around Virgil, allowing him to plummet once again. He kept his arms close to his sides and channeled everything he had into his flight. The sharp wind pulled against his face as he searched through the falling debris. A light glowed at the bottom of the abyss, the ground fast approaching.
Come on! Where are you?
Finally, he saw Logan, unmoving among a group of rocks. Virgil rushed over to him, dancing around chunks of earth, took hold of Logan, and staggered.
“Why the fuck are you this heavy?” he said, wincing as Logan’s weight pulled at his muscles.
Logan didn’t respond. Although he was breathing, his eyes remained shut. Virgil took another look down. He was running out of time. He held onto Logan as best he could, and propelled himself upward. It wasn’t a foreign endeavor to be flying with a passenger. However, Virgil struggled to keep both of them afloat.
A rock slammed into them with a thud, and Virgil lost his grip. He took in a deep breath, ignoring the pain billowing within him as he steadied himself in the air. Virgil focused on Logan once again and darted down. As he wrapped his arms around Logan, he pulled him in close and locked his fingers. This time, he made no effort to keep them floating and instead focused on dodging debris.
“Wait for it,” Virgil said. “You have to time this just right.”
The ground below was in full view, no longer just a light in the distance. In mere moments, the two men would be reduced to nothing but puddles of flesh, bone, and blood.
“Just a little bit longer. Three. Two. One. One and a half. NOW!”
Virgil poured his mana into his flight. They slowed down more and more, but it wasn’t enough. They crashed and tumbled across the ground. When they finally stopped, Logan had Virgil’s left arm pinned under him. Virgil couldn’t help but scream as he squirmed under the immense weight. Boulders fell from the air shaking the ground around him as they hit the floor. Through pain filled grunts, Virgil gathered all the strength he could muster and pushed against Logan’s body. It wasn’t much, but he managed to maneuver Logan just enough to free his mangled arm. Virgil’s eyes welled with tears as he turned over onto his stomach.
“You’re not finished yet,” Virgil said, grimacing as he forced himself off of the ground with his good arm.
He looked up at the cavalcade of rocks coming his way as his broken arm dangled in the air. Virgil planted his feet into the ground and raised his right hand. It ignited in blue flame, and a vortex of fire shot out above him. The fire extended outward, blooming out like a flower. The rocks burned away into nothing more than dust the instant they came in contact with the sapphire blaze. He kept his inferno roaring until the crashes of stone stopped, and all he could hear was his body’s desperate gasps for air and the violent beating of his own heart.
Virgil fell onto his back, and whimpered as sharp pain echoed throughout his body. His arm throbbed as if it had its own heartbeat. Despite this, he lay on the ground, smiling, relishing the fact that he was still alive and a competitor in the exam. Two large orbs of water came into sight above Virgil. He opened his mouth to call out, but it was too painful.
“Are you two all right?” Aurelia asked as their feet touched the ground, and the water dispelled from around them. Again, Virgil attempted to speak, only to cough up blood the second his lips parted. Aurelia rushed over to Virgil’s side, and he nudged his head as he tried to point at Logan. “I know my brother,” Aurelia said. “He’ll be all right. You, on the other hand, are several different kinds of fucked up.”
“She’s right,” Olivia said as she joined them. “You’re cute and all, but right now, you look like you’ve been run through a meat grinder.”
Virgil smiled, overjoyed by the fact that his earlier awkwardness hadn’t seemed to dissuade her. Of course, smiling was all he could manage to do. The more he tried to move, the more it felt as if his chest would rupture.
“Just keep still.” Aurelia’s hands glowed blue as she began to rub them across Virgil’s body. “I have to keep you from choking on your own blood.”
“I’ll take a look around,” Olivia said. “See what this room has to offer.”
Virgil glanced over to watch Olivia leave. The room looked nothing like the cave that came before it. It was massive and adorned with marble floors and giant pillars. The ceiling had reformed leaving the boulders scattered around the only evidence of the previous quake. A multitude of doors was spread around the room, and everything was polished and pri
stine.
Aurelia’s touch felt invigorating. As she worked, Virgil could feel his strength returning to him. With each passing minute, his breaths became more manageable, and his aching body relaxed just a little bit more.
“It’s going to take some time to mend your broken bones,” Aurelia said, “but I’ll fix you up as good as new.”
“Thank you,” Virgil said as he looked up at Aurelia.
“You don’t have to thank me.”
“I do. This is twice now you’ve saved me.”
“Friends don’t keep track of these things.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
“Besides,” Aurelia said, frowning. “It’s my fault you two are in this mess.”
A wave of confusion washed over Virgil. “How do you figure that?”
“If I had caught my brother, you wouldn’t have had to dive in after him.” Tears began to well in the corners of her eyes. “You’re both hurt because of me.”
“You can’t take the blame for this.”
“Yes, I can.”
“I won’t let you.”
“Why not? I could have—”
“Because, well, because friends don’t keep track of these things. Are you trying to tell me we aren’t friends?”
Aurelia’s face began to fluster. “N-no. I just—”
“Then it’s settled,” Virgil said with a smile. “I’ll stop counting all the times you bail me out, and you’re not to blame for this. Honestly, you’re getting the better end of the deal.”
Aurelia returned Virgil’s smile, the tears in her eyes subsiding.
“What happened?” Logan said, his words groggy as he sat up. “Did we get hit with an earthquake or something?”
“Sort of,” Olivia said, making her way back over to the group. “I imagine that tremor was Clayton’s doing.”
Virgil rolled his eyes with irritation. “Of course it was.”
“Is everyone okay?” Logan asked.
Aurelia chuckled. “It’s funny you’d be the one asking that. You were knocked unconscious. Virgil had to fly in and rescue you. He pretty much broke himself to do it.”