Road to Ruisea

❆ ❆ LXV. JAE ❆ ❆

Jae can't believe what's happening to him.

He's been split from his friends — again. That's the first thing that's happening.

The second thing is, it's really, really hot. Which isn't so bad after all this cold, but it certainly doesn't make any sense.

Soon enough, he's stripped off his jacket and his sweater, both wrapped around his waist, in just his tank-top and vest once more. He wipes the sweat from his brow and sighs.

The walls are still made out of ice. Or crystal, or whatever... So why am I baking?!

He wanders around the dismal crystal hallways for a while, feeling like he's melting. It's getting hard to breathe, too... There's suddenly so little air, it's so hot and stuffy...

Earlier, he thought he'd die of the cold. Now Jae is certain he's going to die of this heat, this heat that could rival any Cevalonian summer.

And then, finally, after turning just one more icy corner, he sees something familiar.

Or rather... Someone.

"Chiro!" He wheezes, trying to pick up the pace but it's so hard to move, it's so hot.

And just as he's about to throw his arms around the boy for a hug, he's startled, gasping, stepping backwards away from him.

Chiro's surrounded by fire.

"Ch-Chiro," Jae gasps, as stumbles backwards, away from the flame. "Quit that. Make the fire go away so we can get going."

Chiro tips his head to the side, blinking slowly.

"And why should I do that...?"

Jae blinks slowly in turn. "Because... I'll get hurt... If you don't...?"

A slow, chilling smile spreads across Chiro's face. "Maybe that's what I want."

Jae laughs, but it's awkward and hollow. "Very funny, Chiro. Seriously, quit it. We gotta get back together with the others and go home."

"Jae," and there's something dark about Chiro's voice, something dark — but not unfamiliar. That means Jae's heard him sound this way before... But where, and when? "You don't understand. We're not going home."

Jae shakes his head, "Yeah, we are. We're going back to Cevalon to lift the curse."

"No. We're not."

"Yes. We are!"

"JAE!" Chiro roars, anger blazing in his eyes as the flames flicker brighter. "This is the end of the line. You die here. I burn you, and it's over."

Jae shakes his head, as he finally realizes what he's been denying — Chiro's betrayed him.

A million thoughts race in his head.

Of all people... I would've thought Alexei, maybe—! But, everything we've been through— How could he?! He was my—

"No," is all that comes out of Jae's mouth, as he stomps his foot on the ground firmly. "No. I'm not going to die here."

"Listen," Chiro hisses. "Either you die here by my flame, or you freeze to death. Your choice."

Jae growls, "Neither! I'm going to help Kumari, stay here forever if you want!"

"Something will get you eventually!" Chiro shouts back. "The fire! The ice! The ocean! Sho! You'll burn, or freeze, or drown, or bleed. You'll get hurt eventually — might as well give up, Jae. Even someone as paranoid as you couldn't tell I was faking it the whole time. You're pathetic — not fit to survive."