Chapter Text
Gavador walked back along the dirt path avoiding the mud to the best of his ability while ducking underneath branches and hanging algae. Grateful to the massive trees for their protection from the sun, although they offered little relief from the oppressive heat. He retraced his steps back towards their camp, Dante sent him to scout ahead while Koa and her practiced summoning the sword. It gave him something to do, and gave him time to clear his head away from Dante and Koa. He loved them but the constant company wore on him.
"Gavador!" The sharp yell came from up ahead. He ran at Dantes cry, the sound sent ice flooding through his veins, an unfamiliar panic in her voice.
He ran towards the noise and saw Koa lying on the ground, blood gushing through both Dante and Koa's fingers as they pressed desperately on Koa’s chest.
"What happened?" He asked sharply, pressing his larger hands over hers allowing her to pull back.
"The Khopesh, he stabbed them." Gavador felt Koa's hands against their own chest as Dante pulled away, their hands tense and shaky with pain. Wiping her hands on her black pants she scrambled for her bag. She searched frantically before emerging with a yellow petal quickly putting it to Koa's mouth.
"Eat." She commanded.
They took the plant tension leaving their body as they swallowed.
"For the pain." She clarified to Gavador.
He nodded. Dante pushed Gavadors hands away, handing him a rolled bandage. She grabbed the edges of the hole in Koa's shirt, ripping it exposing the wound completely. Wide but shallow, the wound sported nothing worse than torn skin and sliced muscle. No lung puncture and as far as wounds went they rarely appeared so neat.
Together they helped Koa sit up wrapping the bandage fully across their chest. As Gavador the bandage off Dante moved away inspecting something out of sight. She studied the ground before looking up to the trees.
Koa mumbled something unintelligible. Arms lifting weakly but falling back down immediately.
“It’s ok.” Gavador reassured.
They tried to speak again but their words slurred too badly to make out.
Dante came back to stand over them protectively, "They won't be able to walk alone."
Gavador picked Koa up in response, mentally apologizing but the thought of staying put made him nervous. He turned, studying Dante. Her hands and arms still smeared with Koa's blood. A few drops spotted her white shirt, a red handprint around her side where her sheathed knife hid. He caught a glimpse of her hands and noticed their slight shake.
Dante started forward. "There's a safe place. Come."
They walked in silence except for the quiet hum of the jungle around them. Dante walked fast ducking around trees and manuviring them along the easiest path. The sun already halfway through its descent to the horizon. The thick trees only further restricting the light. Slowly the trees became closer together, vegetation thickening.
Dante crouched down wiping away moss to show stones roughly set into the ground.
“Here.” She said.
The stone path felt slick but far sturdier than the moist ground they traveled on previously. Little statues lined the path similarly covered in greenery. They moved faster down the path until a dark stone building came into view. Gavador had trouble seeing it underneath the vines and plants that grew on it. The entrance of the building arched above them clearly imbued with magic as the plants that covered the outside stopped growing before passing the threshold into the temple. They walked up the few steps to properly enter, Dante striding in without pause to a block of stone that sat in the center. Gavador stopped inside, taking it in.
The same dark stone of the path made up the whole building, the ceiling reaching up into a point that stretched to triple his height. Two arches on either side of the main room lead deeping into the structure, other rooms only partially visible. Semi circles stuck out of the walls throughout the room, presumably to hold some kind of light. Across from the entrance the back wall stood with unreadable ornate carvings. Dante stood over the stone jutting from the floor and placed her hands over it whispering in a language foreign to him. He never previously heard her speak anything other than Common but he wasn't surprised.
A bright red glow spread under her hands and runes carved into the walls glowed the same red, deep crimson flames appearing in the semicircles lining the walls.
She smiled coyly at his confused look. "Blood cannot be spilled within these walls." She explained.
Gavador nodded. He walked past her and the stone, gently setting Koa against the back wall. Koa grabbed his arm, mouth moving words still coming out slurred.
“Isnng llkn taat.” They tried.
Gavdor smiled apologetically, “I’m sorry for carrying you.”
They looked frustrated, “Hsae ddnth.” Their arm drifted up for a moment before falling back down. Their eyes got wet, still trying to form the words correctly. “Anoda rye fsll ne.”
Dante came over, staying back giving them space. Koa stared directly into Gavadors eyes. Gavador recognized the fear and sadness trying to convey something despite Gavador missing the context necessary to understand.
He squeezed their arms, “You're going to be fine.” Tears started streaming from their eyes. “Hsae ill fsll uon.” They tried desperately. Breathing rapidly, eyes filled with panic.
“You must be calm.” Dante insisted gently. “Your chest.”
They ignored her, instead keeping their gaze fixed on Gavador, eyes pleading.
“She’s right.” Gavador held their wrists gently, “You should sleep.”
They shook their head as much as their drugged state allowed. Breathing getting increasingly ragged, they leaned attempting to push themself away from the wall.
Gavador held them by the shoulders, easily keeping them in place. “I know it doesn't hurt right now, but you have to stay still.”
All three of them stayed there, Koas breathing slowly evening out as the combination of exhaustion and the medicine pulled them forcefully to sleep.
As Koa began to drift Gavador felt Dante moving around behind him. Her steps almost silent against the stone floor. He stayed until Koa’s breathing evened out in the steady pattern of sleep. He stood slowly stretching out his cramping legs. He walked across the room sitting against the wall adjacent to Koa. He watched them for a moment hoping that they’d feel better in the morning.
"They will sleep until morning," Dante said, rifling through her bag.
Gavador eyed Koa, "Because of the petal?"
"Yes.” She answered. “It's good for pain, less good for fighting."
Gavador studied the walls; tiny runes carved across them, etched in the very fabric of the building. They glowed the same red as the flames, lighting the room. "What is this place?" He asked.
She moved to sit next to him. "A temple. To my people."
He turned to her, surprised she sat next to him. "The Spirit?"
"Yes." Her fingers worked as she twisted two pieces of cord together.
Gavador paused, considering, "Why do your people need a Temple?"
She snorted, "We are powerful. There are many of our Temples to the East."
He leaned back against the wall, looked back at the ceiling. Dante was powerful but Koa casually wielded more power than her everyday. Certainly those of the Mind held more power. Perhaps she meant that the temple for the Spirit people to worship in?
"Who uses the Temples?" Gavador asked.
She shrugged, "Anyone." She continued working at the cord in her hand. Gavador noticed the outline of her dagger against her side. "They used to leave sacrifices, but my people became scarce."
He frowned slightly, sacrifices? He knew that she swapped bodies but possessed very little knowledge of her magic other than that. "What kind of magic do Spirits have?" He asked carefully. A sinking feeling told him the answer was unpleasant.
She laughed, haltingly, "When and how your questions come are so strange." He crossed his arms, hands jittery. He felt scolded, but shook the feeling off. That's just how she acted.
She continued, "I switch bodies. I can make weapons ‘listen’ to others. Like how Koa summons the sword but with any weapon. I can touch the souls of others." She paused thoughtfully, "I could kill you with a touch."
He started slightly. He turned studying her eyes. "You can kill people by touching them?"
She stared back, "Yes."
He became aware of how close she sat to him, her shoulder only a hand's length away from his. He found it impossible to tell if she answered teasingly or seriously. Reaching out with his powers, he raised an eyebrow at her. "Really?"
She gave a half shrug, "Not often. It's tiring."
Truth.
Gavador kept carefully relaxed, they sat close enough that their body language remained clear to each other. Most people in Crea killed just as easily, he reassured himself. Special powers hardley meant she planned just to kill him for fun. Assuming someone wanted to kill you just because they possessed magical killing powers felt rude.
The sky darkened completely, the runes of the wall radiating its eerie red color against everything. It cast against Dantes light skin in a way that made her glow a pastel pink. Her hair dripped with deep red energy.
He noticed his staring, but she stared right back studying his face like a puzzle she wanted to solve. The blue of her eyes turned almost purple in the light, a sadness peeking through her defenses.
She leaned forward slowly not looking away, sitting up on her knees making her face level with his.. "Why do you trust me?"
Genuine.
Gavador swallowed, holding her gaze. He failed to understand how she lived each day with such intensity and passion. How she acted so unbreakable under its constant strain never failed to confuse him.
“You've brought us this far." He shrugged, wishing for a more genuine answer. "Is there a reason we shouldn't trust you?"
"Yes." An air of disappointment surrounded her as she sat back against the wall.
Truth .
He expected that, everyone had reasons to lie. While Dante held more secrets than most at least she dismissed pretenses of false honor. He surprisingly enjoyed their previous talk, making him hesitant to let the conversation die. He searched for something to say, but she spoke instead.
“You love Covenson.”
He answered. “Yes.”
She studied her hands, flexing them delicately. Koas blood dried still smeared across her hands and up one of her arms. Her normally strict posture slumped and a tiredness Gavador only ever glimpsed in those rare times she lowered her guard. The feeling settled over her, she bowed over with the pressure, the feeling felt just as intensely as her characteristic anger. He reached for his pack, unclipping his water flask. He tamped down his fear, steeling himself. He extended his hand pinky brushing against her palm, offering her the chance to pull away he pulled back for a moment. She held still, allowing him to take her hand turning her palm up. Her cool skin freezing against his warmth. He poured the tiniest bit of water into her hand. He swiped his fingers against hers, wiping the blood away. A relaxed tension ran through her, he moved down her arm, smearing the blood until it disappeared. He stopped pressing his thumb into her wrist feeling her heart racing.
“Thank you for keeping them safe,” he said quietly.
She pulled away holding her arms close to herself. They sat in relative silence only the hum of the jungle filling the distance. Gavdor felt a pang of disappointment but shoved it away.
"Do you think The Kopesh will be back?" He asked instead.
"Almost certainly."
Truth.
Gavador took a deep breath, he certainly outmatched them. From what he gathered the Khopesh wielded far more power than any one of them, and their teamwork needed work to say the least.
"What kind of powers does the Khopesh hold?" He asked, batting away his fear.
She shrugged, staring forward. Her voice came out monotone and uninterested. "Shadows, he can see through eyes. Better movement, normal power things."
Truth.
He shifted, “His weapon is where his power comes from right?”
“Yes, a curved blade that allows him to cut through shadows.” She turned her head slightly glancing at him.
He remembered the man standing above them on the battlements in Arcledge. Smoke billowing around him with a curved bronze blade. He wondered how wielding a curved blade changed your strategy. What kinds of advantages came with a curved blade? Koa probably knew more.
"I've never seen a wound from a curved sword before, I'm surprised the wound was so straight." He tested the words as he said them, how did a curved sword make a wound like that?
She shook her head presumably rolling her eyes at him.
"Did you see it?" He asked.
She hummed distractedly.
He faced her again with genuine confusion, "You saw them get stabbed right? How'd he do it with a curved sword?"
"Yes." She huffed impatiently. "He stabbed them normally. Pushing up." She made a stabbing gesture.
Lie.
Lie? Koa wasn't stabbed normally? Can you really stab someone abnormally? He shifted uncomfortably. "It seems like it'd be hard to stab with a curved sword.” he paused the words clicking into place as he said them. “More the kind of weapon to slash or rip."
She turned her whole body to face him, eyes fierce. "What are you doing?"
He met her eyes, his previous fear of her bubbling up uncomfortably. Dante’s hand rested against her side where he knew her knife sat in its sheath. Her eyes burning with a quiet danger he never wanted pointed at him.
He swallowed, forcing himself to not look away. "You're lying."
Her eyes turned cold. "I do not lie about things like this." A threat clear in her tone.
Lie.
The implications of her words hit him square as a punch. She lied about what happened to Koa. She lied about seeing The Khopesh stab them, she threatened him after asking a simple question. There was no way for her to know he sensed when she lied. Dante pulling away he thanked her, Koa’s desperate tries to tell him something. No, no he was just paranoid. A leftover fear from his past, he considered Dante his friend.
He shifted away from her imperceptibly, “Of course. I’m sorry for asking questions.”
She softened, moving her hand back to rest in her lap. “It’s fine.”
Truth.
Gavadors mouth felt dry and sticky, she was lying on purpose. His thoughts continued to spin pieces falling into place despite his denial. She asked him to leave to scout ahead, she fed Koa the flower leaving them unable to speak, her staying close while Koa tried to tell him. Close enough to strike if needed. It fit together too neatly to be a coincidence. But what motivated her to attack them? Why not kill Koa and ambush him as he comes back?
Their silence built into a tension. She appeared to be waiting for him to make the first move. He took a shallow breath in.
"What really happened to Koa?"
"They were attacked." She said, voice hard.
Truth.
His breathing came harsher, he tamped down the panicked feeling rising. "Who attacked them?"
Her silence filled the air for an agonizing moment. "The Khopesh."
Lie.
His hand twitched towards a weapon hidden in his sleeve. In a split second she grabbed his forearm, yanking his arm up uncomfortably. A green cloak with glowing runes settling on her shoulders. It's dim green mixed with the harsher glow of the red from the walls. Her skin cold against his, she squeezed with an unnatural strength. He froze, unsure of his next move.
Her eyes bore into him, unfeeling. “How are you doing that?”
“I don’t know what you're talking about.” he swallowed.
She drew her knife.
“How do you know?” Apathy permeated the words.
Very slowly he moved his other hand towards a weapon hidden in his shirt. He gave her a confused smile as if this all was just some misunderstanding, “Know what?”
She shoved his arm up against the wall and drove her knife through his wrist. Pure surprise filled Gavador before the pain sent his vision swimming. He felt as the bones in his wrist shattered and moved out of place. Instinctively he tried to pull away shooting pain along his arm at the action. Her knife was lodged in the wall. He grabbed at the handle vision flashing white as he pulled at it, the blade stayed barley wiggling. Blood traced its way down his arm warm against the chill of shock.
Dante walked over to Koa, she shook their shoulders slightly before checking their pulse.
"Don't touch them." Gavador gasped out.
She came back standing over him, "Covenson will be fine."
Truth
"Why?" He asked, praying for more time. "Why now?"
"So many questions." she mumbled to herself, sighing as she continued, "Covenson holds the most powerful weapon in this land. And I can wield the one person they care about far easier than any weapon."
Truth.
He pulled against the dagger. His vision went white before fading back to normal. "Was this always the plan?"
She stood over him, eyes calculating. "Yes."
Partial.
He grasped desperately for anything. "Is this about Cassian?"
She ripped her knife out of the wall. Nausea washed over him. He held his wrist with the other hand trying to keep pressure on it. She pressed the edge of the dagger to his throat.
"No." She hissed
Lie.
The confirmation from his powers was unnecessary. He gasped through the pain struggling to stay conscious.
"Whatever he wants we can figure this out."
"No." She snarled. "You don't know him. You don't know his feelings." Pure rage radiated from her.
Truth.
He slumped heavily against the wall. "We can think of something."
Anger still simmered in her eyes but now it shone through tears. The pressure on his neck retreated slightly.
"He wants Covenson. I can promise you he won't have them."
She grabbed his shoulders, preventing him from falling over. The world blurred and his vision filled with spots. His wrist turned icy, a pleasant coolness spearing through his body. Dante held his shoulders dagger still in one hand. Her face shined with tears, a hatred showing he knew was meant for someone else.
The room faded in and out, almost done then.
"Tell Koa I love them." He mumbled.
He distantly felt his body fall to the side, cheek against the ground. He saw where Koa sat propped against the wall.
Their hair glowed in the light, and they looked peaceful. Gavador smiled as the world faded to black.