Dark Requiem [malexmale]

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Michael nor I spoke on the way back to the house.

We'd spend several hours trying to track down Zarius, but he'd left no travel trail behind him. Just as John had said, Zarius had abandoned his attempt to pack and had left everything behind, including personal items. One such item was a photo of Zarius embracing John while they stood just outside the restaurant where they worked, smiling with flushed cheeks from the winter. The Zarius in the photo looked nothing like the creature I'd seen in John's memories, and I meant that literally as well. Zarius in John's memories had black eyes. The one in the photo had green eyes.

We'd also put John under a protection detail to avoid anyone getting after him. I'd also purchased him a brand new apartment, fully furnished, with a massive kitchen. He had no idea who had paid for it or how they'd known it was the one he'd seen in a magazine and dreamed of having one day. The only person who knew was Michael because he'd had to sign some paperwork.

Now, we walked in silence to his small quaint home at the end of the street, the lamps glowing and the stars overhead like a blanket of glittering silver lights. Michael led the way into the house and I followed, closing the door and watching him set the alarm. He slipped his blazer off and tossed it over the back of one of his sofas. He rubbed at his face and looked at me.

"I'm going to shower. I'm not particularly in the mood to eat out, so I'll see what I can make. Is that alright?" He asked. I nodded. He went upstairs and I took a seat at the dining table. I propped my elbows up on the heavy oak and put my face in my hands, then ran my hands through my hair and rested them on my shoulders as I stared at the table.

This is a whole fucking mess.

Zarius was clearly infected, but whatever it was that had infected Yggdrasil and Marceline and Divaros, did not kill Zarius. He'd survived whatever transition they were making. He'd abandoned his former self and taken off to join whatever army Malphas appeared to be gathering. But if Malphas was the one gathering this army, surely he wouldn't be launching attacks at Heaven already? Perhaps the army was already amassed and he was just slowly taking more soldiers?

Or perhaps there was something larger behind all this. Taking souls? Possibly wiping them out? How was such a thing possible?

And John...

I shut my eyes and drew my hands together in front of me, lowering my forehead down against them. I hadn't prayed to the Source in a very long time. I'd called out to Geara, spoke to her, apologized, wished she'd come to Joxeia to ease his pain. But never had I called out to the Source.

I listened to the faint hum of its power around me. I felt the vibrations course through my veins, warming my blood, caressing my soul. I listened to the faint sound of the shower running overhead, the insects outside chirping, the electronics in the room humming. I soaked in the sensations, meditating until everything became one sound, one feeling, one powerful charge in the room that lift the hairs on my arms, tingled my insides.

I don't know what's going on. And I am not asking for you to tell me. Just that you keep people like John as safe as possible. Don't let them suffer what I have suffered. Send them help. Send them your guidance. I may not have trusted you, and perhaps even now my heart is challenged by your authority, but please. Spare them. Don't let anyone become me.

"Xiphrus?" I blinked and looked up to see Michael standing in the archway to the dining room, looking positively resplendent. He wore his wavy blonde hair in a ponytail, a few loose locks hanging around his face, brushing his shoulders. He'd changed into something significantly more casual, a loose fitting sweater that fell off his creamy shoulders and a pair of gray lounge pants. My eyes were immediately drawn to the exposed space between his shoulders and neck, the smooth tendon that begged for a nibble.