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Icarus sniffled, eyes dry from the constant stream of tears they had just 5 minutes ago. Wolf was beside Icarus, soothing them, stroking their ear feathers to calm down the messy friend of his.
"Icarus, try get some sleep. You need it, and I'll be here" He pulled Icarus over, allowing them to lean up against him, both sat on Icarus' bed comfortably.
Icarus had been bad since everything happened. They didn't fully trust Fable fully anymore, and the nightmares they constantly got terrified them enough to not sleep.
"What if I have nightmares again..?" Icarus voice was weak, cracked as they wrapped their wings around them. Wolf raised a wing, tucking Icarus closer.
"I'll be here. You can wake me if anything happens, but you need sleep." Wolf spoke calmly, although worried gazes towards Icarus' pale face. When was the last time they properly went outside?
Icarus didn't look up to Wolf, frowning. Soon enough, they nodded. "Okay, I'll try get sleep.." They said, muffled by their wings as they leaned against Wolf.
He smiled leaning back for Icarus to be more comfortable. They flashed a grateful half-smile to Wolf, before shutting their eyes, although tense and scared.
As Icarus fell into sleep, wolf ran a hand through their wings and earfeathers, making sure they were calm and safe.
Icarus was in a deep sleep now, and their dreams were empty and cold. This wasn't often now with everything that had happened recently.
Icarus was standing in the middle of a black, starless void. They looked around, trying to figure out where they were. The things were gone, everything was silent.
"Hello?" Icarus called out. Their shaky voice echoed in the empty place, drowning out whatever silence was there.
Icarus' brows furrowed. No response.
A figure appeared in the distance, covered by the shadowed darkness, only the faint glitter of white stars followed with a purple trail.
"Hello?" Icarus called out again, squinting. The person approached, tall with large wings that seemed to sit naturally on them.
Eventually Icarus saw the man in the light. It was Centross. Sure, he looked much different, but it was still Centross.
Centross approached closer, becoming clearer, large wings that looked the same as before; long bones with purple wisps of different shades filling in the sectors.
"Centross?" Icarus breathed out, a feeling of relief coming over them, although tears appearing behind their eyes.
He walked out, stopping a few feet in front of Icarus. He offered a smile, and with it the whole void seemed to become brighter, smiling along with him, purple hues pulsing ever so slightly brighter in the middle.
"Hi, Icarus" Centross spoke, voice echoing rather regally around. Icarus felt tears prick in their eyes, running over to give him a hug.
"Centross! Why'd you leave me! I *need* you! I can't handle you being gone!" Icarus broke out in a sob, Centross wrapping his arms around them, their wings folding in.
Centross fell silent, holding the trembling, sobbing friend in his arms. The two stayed like that, and as Icarus' knees decide to cave on themself and force them to collapse, Centross went with them, floating in the void with an invisible platform.
"I did it to protect you, Icarus." Centross replied at last, placing his forehead on Icarus' messy hair, who had their head in their hands, up against his chest.
"Protect me from what?" They sniffled, raising their head from their teared and bloodstained hands. Their eyeblood had mingled and intertwined with their tears, smearing over their cheek. Their eyes were bloodshot and teary, Centross' gaze flicking to each of them.
He debated whether or not to tell them, until he sighed slightly, swallowing and speaking. "From Fable."
Icarus' confused eyes grew even more confused, brows furrowing further. "Why!? He's not going to hurt me!" Icarus replied, wavering tone towards the calmer, patient Centross.
"Icarus, if I hadn't gotten there when I did, you would've died instead." Centross replied, his tone spiking in worry.
"Maybe that would've been better." Icarus muttered, although Centross heard. Icarus gazed down, hands fallen down as centross unwrapped his arms, Icarus' wings flapping out and closing back in around themself.
"Ick," Centross' voice was quiet, small towards the doubting Icarus. He noticed their earfeathers were lowered, seemingly flatter than normal.
"No, it would've. You have a family, Centross." Icarus' gaze turned back up to Centross, more tears at the ready to spill if it got too much. "I only have problems with people, and I've basically fucked everything up with Rae." He said, a tear falling slowly.
"Icarus," Centross spoke, stopping them from continuing their ramble. "You have family too, and you have everyone who cares for you. Rae still loves you as his brother, and he forgives you." Centross' gaze was determined yet gentle, compared to Icarus' whose wasn't fully convinced.
"I know I had family, but I'd rather sacrifice myself for everyone else than have Fable kill his own child." Centross stated, his wings falling calmly beside the two.
"Fable wasn't going to kill me..." Icarus responded, a shy look away from Centross. He sighed, patience was important with this.
"Icarus, he isn't good. I need you to realize this sooner rather than later, so that you can save everyone from him. He only wants the power Quixis has and the power every god has. He isn't to be trusted." Icarus blinked, their frown forming a thin line on their lips.
"I...don't believe it. He wouldn't do that." They shook their head slightly, before Centross placed a hand on their shoulder.
"Icarus, I wouldn't be telling you this if I thought the same. he isn't safe. You need to trust me on this. please" He nearly begged Icarus, who looked at him with a small look of disbelief, but soon turning into one of slight confusion, mixed with everything else, attempting to process all this.
"He will destroy the Gods, and everyone in his path. You need to stop Fable before it gets too out of hand." Centross warned, a determined look in his eyes.
Icarus was silent for a bit. They blinked, opening their mouth to speak. "Why?" They asked, a small voice, one wanting to trust Centross' words.
He frowned, staring at Icarus. "This is for your own good, and to prevent more people from dying." He explained. "So please, can you do that for me?" He asked, releasing his hand from their shoulder.
Icarus' gaze dropped to their fidgeting fingers. "But I don't want to lose you...Fable said he can help bring you back..." They replied.
Centross blinked. "He's lying. He won't be able to." He replied. Icarus' gaze turned back up through their eyebrows.
"Why?" They asked, once again.
"Because I'm not fully dead. I've been taken with Epros and became a God. I haven't died at all" Centross attempted a smile to Icarus, whose gaze snapped back up with a spark of hope.
"You're not?" They said, a breath of relief washing over them in the cold void. Centross shook their head.
"But can you please complete this? For me?" He asked. Icarus took a breath, nodding.
"Thank you." He smiled.
And with that, Centross began to fade away into the void around them, his presence growing cold and empty as Icarus watched.
"Goodbye, my friend" were the words told by Centross that echoed around the place, soon growing dark as Icarus was left alone.