After all the teams had been escorted out of the arena and back to their dorms. Juni and her team decided to go out for the evening and enjoy a drink, she also knew her parents would find them soon enough.
"Don't look now, trouble at twelve o'clock." Eugene joked patting Juni's shoulder as she pointed out Cole, Aaron, Faye and Iris sitting in one of the open bars along the strip
Entering the small establishment, Aaron was the first to approach as he studied Taiga making Eugene join the others at the bar. Cole turned as well as he slowly walked towards Juni.
"I'm sorry about these circumstances." He apologized
"I told you. Just shut up." She joked a little as she took his hand in hers looking into his eyes as he still had that look of his own hurt, a pain he wished to explain
"Sis!!" She heard a familiar voice called out, recognizing it as Raiden's voice
Immediately spotting her younger brother by his spiky dark brown hair and blue eyes as he moved like a blur, nearly tackling her in a hug. Juni herself chuckling as she hugged him back.
"Where's mom and dad?" She asked as she couldn't help but smile a little as her brother giggled
"They told him to wait up. But he does seem to be stubborn, like someone else I know." Her father's voice said now surprising her as he and Xylia entered
Juni couldn't help but feel her heart swell with joy. She hugged them both happily, Xylia clinging to her tightly, like they hadn't seen each other's in months even if had only been a few days. But as her mother pulled back her eyes shifted slowly to Cole who was trying to remain inconspicuous. This made Juni sigh but smile as she walked to him and gently took his hand into hers.
"Mother, Father. I'd like you to properly meet Cole." She said internally regretting this to some degree
"It's an honor to meet you both formally." He said joking some but meaning well bowing head some
"Raise your head boy." Rin snapped as Cole immediately looked his way
This made Xylia feel a little uneasy, in truth she had her own judgment about Cole. But didn't want Rin to alienate this boy nor for him to be too harsh. That's when she spotted the subtle smile on the corner of his lips.
"You defended the town my wife calls home. You held off the attacker when I failed. Just as well my daughter seems to care for you greatly, so I will make no demands. Only ask you take care of her." Rin stated clearly and firmly As Xylia was more at ease with these terms
Cole smiled himself and nodded to this.
"You have my word. No harm will come to her." Cole swore to them both
Rin needed no confirmation, he trusted the young man that Cole was. Xylia on the other hand now moved closer as she looked into Cole's eyes. Cole himself nervous, not nervous of making a good impression, but nervous for what she would see. After a moment of silence between them, Xylia smiled gently as she gave an approving nod before returning to Rin's side. Raiden the most confused as to what was exactly happening only made his father chuckle as he ushered them all out to get something sweet from one of the vendors.
Taiga chuckled as she and Aaron joined Iris and Faye at the bar. Both Juni and Cole sighed together before getting drinks themselves and enjoying the night.
"So little brother, are you going to introduce us?" Iris teased smirking as Cole sat down
"Please don't." Cole said knowingly
"What? I'm just curious to meet our new friend." Iris teased more despite feeling Faye's eyes burning into her "Alright alright, I'll be nice." She added going back to her glass of amber liquor
If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
A few hours passed as they all talked and drank. Before long Aaron, Taiga and Eugene had all left for their dorms to get some rest before the next day's match. Iris and Faye had also disappeared into the shadows. Cole having taken Juni up into a bell tower that overlooked the city as they enjoyed the silence of being so high up while the crowds below bustled through.
"We shouldn't be up here." Juni said looking around a bit as they sat near the underneath the enormous hanging bell
"I've always had a knack for getting into places that I shouldn't." Cole admitted looking down at the people, her head quickly turning his way
"What do you mean by that?" She asked with a tone of curiosity as this stopped him
"...It's complicated. Like I said, there's a lot about me I can't tell you." Cole said trying to phrase it as best as he could
"Like how you're not from Eden?" Juni asked more immediately as he closed his eyes in pain "Ive noticed it about you, your speech and vocabulary are very different from what I excepted from my father's homeland. You know about things like ice cream and technology." She said moving a little closer to him now "I would know, my father fumbled with understanding things like the stove or television for a long while. But you seem to understand it like you've lived with your whole life." She further explained listing off what she had observed of him
This made him chuckle a little as he looked down.
"Knew you'd seen through me. I just fooled myself into believing otherwise for your sake." He said being honest "But my life comes with a lot of sleepless nights, sometimes I have to put myself on a path from which there is no exit, no turning back. And it comes with decisions and consequences that come on their own time." Cole explained to her now as she truly became entranced by his words but only grew more frustrated when he did not answer her question "I'm from somewhere far away... and there's go going back, nothing there for me." He added finally caving and giving her some truth to where he was from
Juni looked down now as Cole looked back out at the crowd and city. Her thoughts slowly turning in her mind, something else seeming to click in her mind as she looked his way again.
"Not even your friends...?" She asked softly as he looked her way in an instant in pure disbelief "That day at the beach you seem to remember so fondly?" She asked as he still could not believe she knew of this memory "Something my father explained... two individuals drawn together by threads of fate that pull them closer to one another. Ignoring such gifts can be catastrophic, for both individuals. It nearly brought about the end of my grandfather's clan." She further explained herself
He knew of this phenomenon she spoke of, having studied it himself from what was documented by various scholars and sorcerers who try to understand the very roots of magic itself. But his own destiny conflicted with such bonds. Though he could not deny these threads, to do so was to reject destiny itself. He could feel these thread pulling him closer to Juni, something he truly desired, to be with someone who could give him a normal life.
"Is it so wrong to be selfish?" He asked drearily not able to meet her gaze
"Not to me." Juni whispered as she leaned in closer now "You overthink too much." She smiled
"Someone has to." He joked a little only for to rest a hand on his cheek now
"You're allowed to be happy. I found a life of my own. Even if I don't feel like I belong, but it's mine." She said coming to her own sense of realization as she spoke of her family
Cole rested his hand against hers now, admiring her spirit and what she had said.
"You know nothing good will come of this tournament." He warned her as her eyes were now worried
"...Then we'll get through it together. All of us. Your party, and my friends. Even if it's just the two of us left to stand against all the evils in this world." She assured him in turn
This made him sigh a little but smile nonetheless finally willing to give into these desires.
"I'm glad to be here with you..." Cole admitted
"I'm glad I have you by side too.." Juni whispered the two of them enjoying this a little while longer before they needed to head back and get some rest
——————————————————
Meanwhile...
In a foreboding and dark alley way hidden in the shadows of towering buildings, beneath the dulling moon. The teams of Castle Tsukuyomi and Manaan Legio were meeting with their true master.
"He should be here by now." Garrick said agitated by all this sneaking around in the shadows
"A Dragonborn arrives on their own time. Unless you have the desire to die by your own stupidity for making demands of him." Emberith said looking back sternly as she guided them along
"You should listen to the Lady Emberith." A deep voice came from the shadows making them all freeze up, the most terrifying thing that they could not feel his aura
All six mages immediately dropping to a knee. From a dark corner the sound of scaly feet could be heard dragging across the paved street as each step held weight. From the darkness the silhouette of a humanoid could be made out, his folded wings against his back just barely visible under the moon, the outline of his jet black scales against his clawed hands and arms just enough to see the outline. But his eyes, those glowing yellow eyes with black slits burning into all six of them.
"The master knows of your progress. The loss of the Oronia Liberation Force has set us back some. But it was well anticipated." Dorn relayed sternly
"Then what is the next step?! Do we attack or not?!" Garrick demanded immediately regretting opening his mouth and instantly averting his eyes from Dorn's gaze
"You will stick to the plan, young pup." Dorn growled before looking back at the rest "I will remain where I serve best until the time is right. In the shadows, until the tournament has reach its finale." He explained to the group
"And what of the boy? The one..." Emberith said now cautiously, avoiding using certain words
The Dragonborn now turning his attention to the woman as he seemingly smiled a little and gave a soft chuckle.
"You truly desire to kill him. Your lust for battle betrays you Lady Emberith." Dorn said now as she could turn her gaze away from him
"I seek to know if he truly is the one. I want to see this legend with my own eyes. We all have heard it since we were children. The foretelling of the great flames." Emberith clarified her own wild gaze still locked on Dorn
"You will get your chance to do battle with him yet, Salamander." The Dragonborn said moving closer towards her now "For now keep them busy, keep them distracted by their own lives and desires. The less they look at the truth the more they will be lulled into the dreamworld." He added revealing more of their master's plan for the people of this country
Emberith smiled at this news and command.
"Then we will be sure to put on a good display for the master. We wouldn't want to disappoint him." Emberith said her excitement for what was to come
With this, Dorn disappeared into the shadows as both teams of Manaan Legion and Castle Tsyukuyomi retreated as well before they were spotted...
What do you think of this chapter?
