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There was an ache on the left side of his abdomen. The pain was numbing, darkening his vision. He felt on the edge blacking out, but he refused to close his eyes. No. Not yet. At least, not yet.
From afar, he heard a cry.
“We need to go!”
“No! I’m not leaving him behind!”
Aether wanted to scream back.
Lumine, you have to get out. He wanted to say. It’s not safe.
But there was no strength left for him to do so. He shot Paimon a glare. She was trembling in her place. Obviously scared, but unsure of what to do. It was only him, shooting her a knowing look that made her react. Still, with tears in her eyes, the little fairy quickly nodded. She reached to grab Lumine by the waist before she could take a step towards him.
The growl from the strange beast echoed through the forest, making the fear in the three of them grow exponentially. Lumine halted her steps, Paimon held on tight to her, and Aether tried – and failed – to brace himself. He had nothing to hold on to. His sword laid shattered by the monster’s side, useless. And he couldn’t run. Not yet. The beast had its sight nailed unto him. If he moved, and it noticed Lumine…
“Let go!” Lumine snapped out and began to struggle. “I can help! I can do this-! Just let me!”
Paimon’s eyes teared up, slowly summoning her magic through the palm of her hands. The little one refused to let go, trying her hardest to concentrate through the tumultuous movements on his younger sister.
Aether wanted to joke. Laugh along and tell his sister ‘such unladylike manners, sis’. Knowing Lumine, she’d just scoff. Turn around and ignore him for a few moments, while Paimon snickered by their side.
But there was no time for that. Before he could even open up his mouth, Paimon used up all the magic she had left. Enough to teleport one other person to the nearest Waypoint in kilometres. Hopefully, said place would have a doctor. And hopefully, it’d be far, far away from their home. Far away enough that Lumine wouldn’t have to hide.
Lumine’s face was lit up by Paimon’s magic. The last thing Aether saw, was her attempts to reach out. Pure horror and betrayal, while she clawed towards empty space. Her hand, so delicate yet strong, reaching to grab him. He purposely moved away – although there was no need. The distance was so big she would never reach him.
He wished to go with them. But Paimon’s magic wouldn’t be able to teleport all three. It was hardly enough for the pair.
Still, being torn away from Lumine. From his sister. The one person he’d always had by his side…
“Aether!”
With one last cry, she disappeared.
The creature got startled by the sound. It turned around, ready to attack Lumine. With what little strength Aether had left, he got up and rushed towards the creature. He used his body weight to slam against it. It bought them enough time to get away.
The only downside was that Aether was now faced with a pissed off beast.
Aether was stricken with fear but couldn’t bring himself to do anything. Not only was he tired, injured and starving – but he was suddenly washed with relief.
Lumine was safe. At the very least, she managed to escape. By now, she’d probably be kilometres – hopefully even kingdoms – away from here. He kept his promise. That sense of accomplishment made him too vulnerable. He dropped his weight to the floor.
A defeated sigh escaped him as he clutched the side of his abdomen. It was probably bruised all over, and his head kept spinning. Even if he tried, it would be useless to fight.
The creature stepped closer. Horns big and long, and eyes that looked vacant through the mask. Aether had never encountered creatures like this in their hometown. It was his first time encountering a beast like that, and he was powerless to fight it.
He braced himself, fearing the final blow with only closed eyes and a poor attempt to cover. He was grateful that Lumine was out of danger, and that Paimon was with her. If anything happened, he could always count on them to take care of each other.
The creature let out a massive roar. It shook through the earth, sending cold goosebumps up Aether’s spine. Massive steps that made the ground rumble, and the foul smell of its breath hitting him on the face.
Aether waited.
And right before it attacked, it stopped.
It was stopped by something. Someone.
A flash of lighting silver flashed through his vision. It descended from the sky like furious thunder, gnawing at the creature. It was a flurry of teeth and claws, all mixed together until what was standing was a ball of fur covered in blood.
Aether’s breath hitched.
The thing that had almost killed him now laid lifeless on the ground. And if it could destroy the beast, then it shifting its attention to Aether was frightening. Aether unconsciously backed away, just to find the log he’d hit his abdomen against blocking his way. The wood creaked.
It caught the creature’s attention. Slowly, it turned around. White silver gave way to fangs, claws, and finally…
Red eyes.
Bright like fire, tearing through the darkness of the forest. Gleaming as if cursed jewels amidst the black that engulfed the trees. And they were pierced on Aether. Watching. Hunting.
A cry from the distance. The garden from a castle, at the edges of the forest. A small kid shivering in fear. A wolf, with a rabbit on its mouth. The blood dripping down, dying the grass a crimson colour. The rabbit twitched in its mouth, and the fangs buried itself down unto the skin further.
The little kid took a step back, tripping before he could run away. Paralyzed, staring. The wolf didn’t attack, but it stared. Judging, seizing.
In the end, it only bowed. Lowering its head ever so slightly, to show respect. And as soon as it’d appeared, it vanished.
No one knew of that story. Not even Lumine.
The eyes were staring. Aether wanted to move but found himself stuck in place. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. However, it was not out of fear. It was something else entirely. Something he couldn’t name. Didn’t have the words to describe.
Despite the pain and how weak he felt, Aether held the gaze. Huffs of breath come ragged and loud out from his mouth. Aether’s heartbeat rose. He tried to ease the feeling by clutching his chest. It only felt like it was growing.
The creature twitched, it snarled. Taking a step forward, the creature sniffed unto the air. Aether flinched, feeling the dread creep up his body.
His body wouldn’t react. The confusion and the shock mixing in. His eyes twitched, watching the creature with sharp eyes. It walked slow towards him, heavy steps following. The fur – the hair - a silver colour. Fangs large, ready to strike and –
Blood.
Aether’s mind short-circuited in that second. Without his permission, his body moved. A hand, small contrasted to the immense forest, reached out. The tension in his body evaporated, with worry slowly overpowering rationale.
He whispered.
“You’re injured.”
It, no, he got injured.
Aether’s voice was weak against the wind. But it was enough for those red eyes to focus. Enough for Aether to suddenly see the iris contract and expand as if the person were examining him. The stranger twitched away from Aether’s hand, but Aether didn’t pull away. He let his had stand in the air. Curiosity filled the stranger’s eyes and sniffed around.
Aether pressed on, hand against the cheek. A sound similar to a growl escaped the stranger, but it took no time for him to calmed down. Aether scratched lightly, and the stranger’s eyes fluttered close.
“You got hurt-,” he said lightly. The stranger blinked. Now that the nearby threats were gone, Aether noticed how bright and pure his eyes were. “-for helping me.”
“Need help,” the stranger said. “Razor-…had to help.”
Razor, Aether mused. His name is Razor.
“You helped me,” Aether agreed. “You have my thanks.”
Before Aether had the time to say or do anything else, Razor closed his eyes. Enjoying the way Aether was moving his hand, the scary beast that destroyed the monster of the forest was gone. Aether was as intrigued as he was endeared. Just as he was about to comment on it, Razor fell forwards.
The creature that had attacked them was, apparently, stronger than he’d initially thought. It had left Razor tired. Tired to the point he’d fall asleep as soon as he let his guard down. Aether mused this as he looked down. The weight of the man fall onto his lap, and a strange surge of emotions followed through.
He looked towards the dirt path that crossed the forest. His mind wandered to Lumine. They’d never been separated. Lumine and him- being apart felt strange. Lonely even. More than anything, he wanted to leave, follow the path and reach a village. Search for his sister until they finally met again.
But his eyes then returned to Razor. The man had risked his life to save him. Leaving him alone felt all too cruel. Lumine still had Paimon to take care of her but…Seeing the desolate state of the forest, it was likely that Razor didn’t have someone.
Aether unclipped the hood from his shoulders. He’d hastily taken it when they escaped the castle, not paying it any mind. Now, however, it came in handy.
He let the hood fall unto Razor’s body, using it as a blanket to him against the freezing air of the night.
“Come on, we can’t stay out here,” Aether said, standing up. Razor’s body twitched; eyes almost fluttering open. “There are monsters out here. We should take cover.”
Razor nodded. Although, saying he nodded was a bit too much. Maybe it was just the sudden movement of Aether propping Razor’s body up against his arm. Or maybe it was him making a gesture for Aether to leave. There was no way of saying. However, Aether took it as a nod and began to walk.
The cave he found was hidden deep within the forest. Forgotten in time, with nothing inside more than a few rocks and twigs. It was far from comfortable, but it was safe. Which, given the circumstances, was more than enough.
Aether took the opportunity to examine Razor’s injuries. They weren’t minor. And most of them weren’t new. It’s not like he had much experience with wounds in his own body. But he’d seen the knights of the castle. He’d seen their injuries when he practised the sword, and his medical knowledge for them – while limited – was adequate for situations like this.
It was quite evident that Razor wasn’t inexperience in battle. Yeah, the creature they’d encountered was strong. But from the scars and the wounds forming in Razor’s body, he could tell Razor was stronger. Were it not for his state, the battle would have hardly been an issue.
There were various cuts running through his arms, bruises all over his chest, and abdomen, while the redness in his hands indicated blisters and burns. Aether’s eyes softened, his heart aching at the sight. Razor had put himself on dire peril when he saved him.
Aether searched through his pockets, finding some medicine in them. It wasn’t much. Definitely not nearly enough to make up for all the trouble he caused. But he had little use for it. The bruises on his abdomen would eventually heal on its own, and the pain wasn’t too unbearable. He’d live. In pain. But he’d live.
After all, this was the least he could do for the person who saved him.
With deliberate care, Aether began to clean the wounds with a damp piece of clothing. It was the torn part of the clothes he was wearing. Not perfect, but it did its job, allowing for the medicine to settle on the wounds with no dirt to infect them. The cuts and the bruises took priority in Aether’s mind. The blisters were small and seemed to be mostly superficial.
He continued to apply the medicine until he reached Razor’s face. His hands stopped, hovering over for a second. Aether stared. The longer he stared, the weirder he felt. This person saved him. It was hard to imagine, someone who would get in so much trouble, just to save a random stranger by the forest.
After a few seconds, Aether moved again. With the back of his hand, he brushed away the stray strands of hair.
“What a kind heart,” he murmured to the empty of the cave.
The sensation of skin against skin roused Razor’s attention. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Aether blushed, fearing the man had heard his absent-minded words. He retreated his hand hesitantly, just to have it stopped. Razor’s hand held it in place, while his red eyes pierced through Aether.
In a moment, Aether felt seen. It was an awkward and unfamiliar feeling. Razor’s hands were warm and big, easily encompassing his wrist. Aether wanted to stop the warm feeling that continued to grow, extending all through his body. But he couldn’t bring himself to snatch back his own hand. He let it sit inside Razor’s as if it belonged there.
“You-…help…Razor,” he said. His words were slow, a bit cut.
“You helped me first,” Aether replied.
Despite the words, Razor kept staring. Those red eyes transfixed in Aether as if trying to make sense of something. Aether’s face grew warmer at the attention.
Razor moved again. His body shifted closer towards Aether.
“Careful! Your wounds are still-!”
Seemingly uncaring for the wounds, Razor got up and leaned forward. He was close, Aether could feel the heat of his body on his skin. Close, close. Razor was sitting so close! This time, he really felt trapped.
Razor was strong. Enough to go toe to toe against Aether if they were to fight. Struggling out of the hold he had on his wrist was hard. That’s it if Aether found the will to fight.
Razor was injured, and he’d helped him. The curiosity in his eyes was evident too. No matter how hard Aether tried to reason with himself, he couldn’t bring himself to actually attack Razor.
“Strange…” Razor said, narrowing his eyes. “Friend?”
“Yeah,” Aether said. “Friend.”
That seemed to please Razor more than enough. He let go of Aether’s hand. However, he continued to sit close, and his eyes continued to stare at him. Aether couldn’t say he minded terribly but –
He tried to rub the heat off his cheeks while looking away.
“Razor,” Razor said, pointing towards his chest. He moved his head towards Aether.
“Oh, Aether,” he said, pointing nervously towards himself.
“Woods. Dangerous,” Razor said. It seemed like he struggled with words. “Back to family.”
At the words, Aether froze up. He clenched his fists and hid his face by pulling his knees towards his chin. The sudden flash of Lumine’s face and Paimon’s voice made the pang in his chest grow.
“Hurt?” Razor asked.
“My sister,” Aether said, trying and failing to hide the pain in his voice. “We got separated. I don’t know where she is.”
“Family lost?”
Aether nodded.
Razor fell silent afterwards. Aether couldn’t say anything. After all the adrenaline left his body, he now felt the void by his side. It was strange how lonely one could feel when someone you’ve known all your life was suddenly forced away from you. He missed his sister. What’s more, he was worried. Was she eating well? Was she safe? Hopefully, Paimon would help her, but-…That wasn’t much reassurance.
“Village,” Razor said suddenly. Aether looked up from his knees. Razor pointed towards a direction, far from the cave. “That way.”
“A village?” Aether repeated. A sudden thought popped into his mind. Paimon had teleported somewhere with a Waypoint. Maybe, she had taken Lumine there. “A village!”
At Aether’s sudden burst of emotion, Razor held back a small laugh. Aether wasn’t completely smiling yet, but there was undeniable happiness in his eyes. Almost as if he were bouncing in his place, similar to a curious rabbit.
Razor couldn’t stop the burning curiosity that grew in him. This human was strange. Far too different from the others he’d encountered. Not only did he not fear Razor, but he also helped him. He treated his wounds and even reached out to touch him. It’d been a while since anyone touched Razor. And this human – Aether’s touch was extremely gentle.
The way he’d held his face when they met, was strange. It made Razor feel strange. Ather’s hand was soft and small, yet it didn’t hesitate or waver when it caressed his cheek. Razor had almost melted against it. He hadn’t realized how much he missed it. Being close to someone, touching others, talking without fear.
Razor didn’t want to lose this. He felt greedy for wanting to stay more time with Aether. But even if he felt greedy, he couldn’t stop from reaching closer.
“Take you there,” he said. Aether turned his way once more. His eyes were bright. A golden colour that shimmered as if gifted by the geo archon. Razor felt his own breath hitch.
“You’d take me to the village?” Aether asked, eyes going slightly wide. Razor nodded curtly, too nervous by how pretty Aether looked to say anything else. “That’d be very helpful. I lost my sword when I fought that monster…”
“Razor protects,” Razor said. “Lupical important.”
“Lupical?” Aether asked, tilting his head to the side.
Razor nodded, “Lupical”.
Aether still couldn’t understand.
Nevertheless, he was grateful. He felt like a huge burden had been taken from his shoulders.
“We should go after your injuries are better, though,” he noted. While Razor looked better after sleeping, he hardly looked fit to start travelling. Even more, if Aether wasn’t going to be of much help during said journey.
“Oh.” Razor looked down towards his injuries. Almost as if he’d just realized he had them. Aether did all in his power to stop the smile from spreading. Razor looked like a cute puppy like this.
“Let’s wait for a bit, okay?”
Razor knew his injuries weren’t severe. His body had taken more damage before, he’d come out from worse situations. He could go out and pick wolfhooks to treat them, and he’d be up and running soon enough.
But he didn’t like the idea. Right now, Aether was taking care of him. And if he got better immediately, they’d leave faster. And once they reached the village, there was a high chance they’d go separate ways.
For once, just once, Razor wanted to be a bit greedy.
He nodded.
Aether gave the smallest of smiles his way. Razor thought he looked pretty smiling like that. He scooted a bit closer, hoping that he could smell Aether again. He liked how he smelled.
A chuckle came from Aether’s way. Razor tried to look up, but just as soon as he did, he felt something.
A hand. On his head.
Aether started moving it, gently stroking him above his hood. Razor’s eyes widened slowly.
“Let’s get along, okay?”
Razor blushed.
“Let’s…” he agreed.
