#relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

It’s only been a year since I’ve finished “Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily”. It feels longer than that :’D

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 44) - Original Novel

AN: Happy New Year~! Good news, I’ll definitely finish this novel this year. Promise :’D

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

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Chapter 44:

Eishirou gritted his teeth around the gag in his mouth as the shoulder of the Rebel carrying him jutted into his stomach for the umpteenth time.

Where they were taking him, he hadn’t the faintest idea. But his instinct told him that he was still located somewhere within the academy grounds. Because of his situation; facing backwards due to being slung over the shoulder of a Rebel, he barely recognised where he was.

One thing was certain; his captors weren’t making their way out of the campus. They stayed indoors, slipping between buildings through covered passageways. And underground, previously unknown tunnels. They appear to be maintenance corridors, but he couldn’t be certain. They were long and narrowed, lined sparsely with lights and even fewer doors. Absolutely no windows.

He never knew these halls existed.

Th Rebel carrying him suddenly halted and just a few seconds afterwards, Eishirou heard the distinct sound of automatic doors sliding open. And a bright light flooded in around him, darkening the shadows of his captors. He instinctively tried to wiggle around to look forward, but only managed a quick sideways glanced. The Rebel manhandling him abruptly adjusted his hold on him, causing him to fall back over his shoulder.

With the Rebel moving forward again, he didn’t have to wait long to see more of his surroundings.

Stainless steel, sparse furniture, computer monitors lining the walls. There was no doubt about it; it was a laboratory.

A secret laboratory beneath the academy?

It couldn’t be a secret, right? There was no way no one from administration would not know about the lab’s existence. It was formally fitted with bright lines, powerful computers, and was so large that it could be easily fit several helicopters inside.

There was no way no one could have not known.

“Place him over there,” Ahriman abruptly ordered, obviously referring to Eishirou. “And be gentle with him. Passives are incredibly fragile. And we need him in full health.”

Full health? That…wasn’t at all comforting.

The Rebel continued forward for a few steps before he paused and leaned forward to place Eishirou back to his feet. But he only stood on his own for a few seconds before he received a harsh push to the chest and he fell backwards. Onto a chair, thankfully. A high-backed office chair, it seemed.

Thankful that he no longer had a hard shoulder stabbing into his stomach, Eishirou was still far from comfortable. The ropes were firm, allowing for absolutely no wiggle room, and the gag was steadily becoming disgusting, making him feel nauseous.

“Remove the gag,” Ahriman issued another order. “I’d like to hear some of Eishirou’s thoughts.”

When the thick cloth was removed, Eishirou drew in a deep breath. He was thankful for the removal of the gag, but he got a feeling that was as far as the considerations went.

As two Rebels took on guarding roles on either side of Eishirou, Ahriman paced over to him with his hands folded behind his back. “How are you feeling, my boy? Comfortable?”

“Hardly,” Eishirou retorted, unconsciously testing his bindings by shrugging his arms and shoulders. He narrowed his eyes at the professor, unable to hold back his anger and the betrayal he felt. “Why are you helping the Star Rebellion? They hate Passives.”

Unfazed by the harsh questioning, Ahriman unexpectedly nodded his head. “As do I.”

That caught Eishirou off guard and he had to take a moment to gather himself. “What? But you’re-”

“Not a true Passive,” Ahriman interrupted, his voice terse and hard, surprising Eishirou further. “I’m considered a Quasi-Passive.”

Eishirou blinked. A what? He had never heard of such a thing.

Ahriman’s expression turned dark, his eyes narrowing. He began to slowly pace in front of Eishirou. He was silent at first, simply moving back and forth. Seemingly lost in his memories. Eishirou had expected the man to simply dwell in his thoughts to himself for a while, so was surprised when he began to speak.

“I was once an Elite. A highly skilled one, if I am to be boastful. Until I encountered a fearsome ShadowDweller. It, unfortunately, defeated me without difficulty. Seemed to steal my mana. I was taken to infirmary. My life was saved, but I could no longer be considered an Elite.” His paused, the heel of his shoes clacking loudly against the floor. “I lost my identity and was forced to become a fragile, pathetic little Passive.”

Eishirou found himself drawing in a sharp intake of air at the revelation. An Elite had the potential to become a Passive? But only after they lose their mana? He knew that Elites had more active, outward mana, but could they truly lose their energy like that?

“All because I had attempted to protect a group of useless Passives,” Ahriman muttered, his voice truly bitter and filled with resentment. “All because of them I had my skills, my status taken away from me.”

Eishirou winced. It was well known knowledge that many, perhaps the majority of Elites loathed the existence of Passives. They saw them the same as Ahriman did; weak, fragile, in the way. They were even more fragile than Normies.

Passives couldn’t help the way they were. Their mana was inner-based. Supportive instead of active. Defensive, not offensive.

“Elites are the only ones who can fight against ShadowDwellers,” Eishirou said, causing the professor turned to face him once more. “If Passives could, they would. I would.”

The corner of Ahriman’s mouth twitched into a sardonic smile. “Words can be so pretty,” he said, dismissive of him.

He sharply turned on his heel and strode toward a computer control panel. He leaned forward, his hands moving rapidly against the panel.

A red light on the further wall of the large room flickered on. A section of the wall suddenly shifted and moved to the side. A loud beeping sound was heard as the wall moved, indicating to all to get out of the way. As the wall moved, it revealed a dark room. However, several bright, near blinding lights flickered on, all pointed to the centre of the room.

And in the centre was…a stone formation. A strange, completely unnatural formation.

There were three pillars of dark red stone, formed in a triangle formation; two smaller ones on the sides, with the peak being the tallest at the top. That third pillar was, seemingly, unnaturally curved toward the centre of the triangle.

At the base of the triangle formation rested a round, but broken into pieces was a stone monument. Eishirou couldn’t see what was upon the stone from where he was, but instinct told him that it was significant. Instinct and an overwhelming feeling of dread.

His feeling of fear only grew when his gaze fell upon a tall, grey runestone. The colour, the profile the same as those found within both Flutterlight Forest and Keeper’s Isle.

“That runestone…” Eishirou murmured.

It was true. They had stolen an entire runestone from Keepers Isle.

“Fascinating, isn’t it?” Ahriman stated more so than asked, pride in his voice.

Eishirou ignored him as he continued to stare at the runestone. Even the distance between them, he could see the engravings within the stone. And he could read it. He didn’t know how he could. Perhaps it was due to his aura growing in strength. But he could read those words fluently.

Wait…Spider God?

He frantically searched the rest of the runestone. It spoke something about the creature, they referred to it as a malicious god, fed on mana. All life mana. It specifically said all mana. Only a Keeper could bring the Spider God into existence. The stronger the resistance, the more power the Spider God would possess.

Eishirou felt sick. Essentially, in order to bring the Spider God into manifestation, they needed to sacrifice a Keeper!

“You’re attempting to summon this Spider God?” Eishirou demanded as he whipped his head around to look over at the traitorous professor.

Ahriman uttered a low, undoubtedly amused chuckle. “Not attempting. I will summon it.”

“Why?”

Ahriman took another moment to chuckle once more. “You’re rather nosy for a hostage. But that’s to be expected. Shortly after my…demotion, I came across a peculiar stone. It spoke of a creature that grants power to the one that defeats it.”

That…who would do such a thing? Why would they want such power at the cost of others?

“You think this Spider God is that creature?” Eishirou asked.

“This isn’t theory, Eishirou,” Ahriman replied firmly. “It’s fact. I know it will. I’ve been secretly studying this for years. Years, Eishirou. And I’m so close.”

Eishirou felt himself tremble. The look in Ahriman’s eyes, the grin on his lips; it was a look of madness. Of delirium. Of pure insanity.  

“You’re…you’re going to use me, aren’t you?”

Somehow, Ahriman’s grin became far more menacing. “Indeed. Grab him.”

Before Eishirou could even think to respond, two sets of hands were on him, hauling him to his feet. “W-wait!” he stuttered; his fear palpable as they dragged him across the room. “Let go of me!”

He tried to struggle. He really did. But they were too strong. He couldn’t do anything as they pulled him toward the stone formation. As they drew closer, he could see wires and cables attached to the round monument.

And as Eishirou was forced to step upon the stone, he immediately realised that it wasn’t a monument, it was a relic. A large relic. And it was brimming with mana.

Dangerous mana.

“This isn’t going to work the way you think it will!” Eishirou protested, a desperate attempt to get the professor to see sense. “This creature absorbs mana. All mana, including Elites!”

“Now,” Ahriman clicked his tongue in a chiding manner. “Don’t try to place doubt in the minds of others.”

The ropes tied around his arms and wrists were suddenly cut away, freeing him. But not for very long at all; the two Rebels snared his wrists once again to bring them around in front of him. They pinned them together to wound a new coil of rope around them.

“This isn’t going to work!” Eishirou continued, even though he knew his protests were a waste of time and effort. “Please! You’re putting everyone at risk!”

“Only Passives.” Ahriman seemed to take delight in his reactions. “Elites should be safe. And Normies? Meh, no loss.”

The Rebels forced Eishirou to lift his arms over his head where he heard the distinct sound of chains clinking. “Should?!”

Ahriman took a step back and made a circular motion in the air with his hand. As he did so, Eishirou felt the rope around his wrists tighten and heard the sound of a motor. Shortly after, his arms were pulled tightly up over his head and he was lifted up off the floor.

“Now, don’t look too frightened,” Ahriman stated as Eishirou came to a stop a foot beneath the peak of the angular main pillar. “I only need some of your mana. I won’t steal all of it. Just enough to summon this ShadowDweller. I can’t promise it won’t hurt, though.”

Eishirou could only look on in horror as Ahriman and the Star Rebels quickly vacated the room, shifting back toward the control panel.

Unseen engines suddenly whirled into life and the bright lights above dimmed and brightened, indicated that a lot of power and energy was being used and focused in one area. The cables leading to the circular stone tensed, small sparks flickering at the joints and along the wiring.

The electricity then flickered across the stone, emitting bright red sparks. The light grew in intensity as he flickered across the broken pieces of stone. Slowly, it formed a circle with arcane writing within the centre. He couldn’t read the words, but he could sense them.

Eishirou suddenly felt a scream lodge into his throat and his eyes widened as he threw his head back.

Pain. Sharp pain, jagged pain raced through his every fibre. It felt like he was being electrocuted.

It was…painful.

But somehow numbing. Pins and needles running the entire length of his body. His very breath was being stolen from his lungs. His mana was being taken. It felt similar to when he healed, but this…this was entirely against his will.

It hurt.

It hurt a lot.

He couldn’t stand it.

It…it was too much. It hurt. It hurts…

…Zayne…help…

He threw his head back as scream ripped from his throat and a recording slammed into him without warning. Without consent.

Darkness. A pitch-black body. Long, spindly legs, in the formation of bones. Human shaped bones. The head, the face wasn’t that of a spider. Not a conventional spider. It was a human skull. The teeth were vivid white, in the shape of razor shape fangs. The body, in the form of a rib cage.

And it was in that rib cage that held the mana that it would eventually steal.

The…the Spider God was the spider from the cave paintings. From the previous recording. A powerful, malicious creature.

A ShadowDweller.

“Eishirou!”

That voice. He immediately recognised that voice. It immediately stopped the recording. It immediately caused a feeling of relief to wash over him.

…Zayne…

The pain had subsided, but he felt so tired and weak. Eishirou struggled to lift his head and open his eyes. His mind was in disarray, but he could feel that he was still restrained, arms above his head, wrists pinned together, and high off of his feet.

He managed to peel open his eyes enough to see vague shapes and blurs. The smell of smoke and dust filled his lungs, but he was too tired to cough. Though his vision was impaired, he recognised one of the figures immediately. Remarkably, his vision cleared on him. And only him.

Zayne. He stood in the epicentre of a rubble and rising smoke and ash. His wings, his weapons manifested in a striking, vivid blue. And he looked furious.

Eishirou allowed his eyes to slip close, a breath of relief passing his lips. A mere moment later, he felt a slight tug against his wrist and then the distinct feeling of falling. No hard landing followed, however. Instead, a pair of warm and strong, and much needed arms wound around him. And held him tightly.

Instinctively, he allowed himself finally relax with relief. It was Zayne. Truly him. He knew that he would come for him.

He suddenly remembered something else the runestone stated; Only a powerful Warrior Spirit could defeat it.

Zayne…was he led here on purpose?

“Eishirou, talk to me!”

The fear and desperation in Zayne’s voice gave Eishirou the strength to open his eyes. Zayne’s worried face greeted him. Despite himself, despite circumstances, he felt a small, tired smile slip across his lips.

“I knew you would come.”

Zayne’s eyes soften from both relief and guilt. He immediately hugged him tightly, cradling him carefully but still warmly against his chest. “Of course. I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

He came as soon as he was able. Eishirou knew that and didn’t hold any resentment toward him so ever. Though, he knew that Zayne would hold onto that unreasonable guilt for some time.

“Are you all right?” Zayne asked as he pulled back ever-so slightly. “Tell me the truth.”

Eishirou drew in a deep breath and shifted in Zayne’s arms to wound his own arms around Zayne’s neck. “Y-yeah, I’m ok.” He felt nauseated and dizzy in all honesty, but he wasn’t in pain. “Just a little dazed.”

Zayne slipped an arm around the middle of Eishirou’s back, his hand resting against his side. As the other slipped beneath his knees. With little effort, he stood up, taking Eishirou with him.

Resting in Zayne’s arms, Eishirou felt some of his strength return and his mind soon began to clear. And he turned his attention to their surroundings, hoping to learn what had occurred.

The other members of Team 3 surrounded them, all of them with their own weapons fully manifested. Collectively, they were tense, shoulders hunched and postures in full defensive positions.

And it was soon made clear why.

Lights flickered on and off. Some sending off dangerous sparks. The red emergency lights illuminated the dust and smoke that bellowed in numerous places. The walls were littered in large, jagged gouges. As if someone or something had viciously, violently slashed at the walls in a frenzy. Revealing broken cables and electronics.

How did…where did all the broken walls, the rubble, the debris, the destroyed equipment come from? Was there an explosion? When did that happen?

Did it happen when he was in the midst of that recording?

Did it mean that the Spider God he had viewed manifested into existence?

A suddenly, piercing red light in the darkness around them caught Eishirou’s attention. He allowed his head to roll to the side.

And it was then that he saw it. Not in a recording. But with his physical eyes.

It worked. The Spider God, the ShadowDweller, was real. Whatever Ahriman did, how he had used him, pulled this dangerous creature into their world.

Oh god…

“What the hell is that?” Leon shouted.

Eishirou licked his lips in preparation to answer him, to explain the situation when another voice interrupted. And surprisingly, answered.

“That’s the Spider God that the Star Rebellion has been after for years!”

Leon snapped his head in the direction of the voice, obviously recognising them. A Rebel suddenly jumped into view and ripped off their mask, revealing a young man, no older than nineteen with spikey black hair and sharp brown eyes. Eishirou didn’t recognise him, but once again, Leon did.

“Takis! What the hell?”

“I’ll explain later,” the man called Takis replied as he took a moment to tug off the Star Rebellion robes. “But know this; I ain’t with these bastards.”

…Takis? He was Mikiel’s teammate, wasn’t he? Had he joined the Star Rebellion to learn their secrets? Was he working undercover?

Those questions would have to wait. A lot of things had to wait.

They had to deal with the Spider God first.

Ahriman stumbled out of the rubble and stood before the ShadowDweller.

“At last,” he breathed, almost breathless from sheer excitement. His heavy breathing soon laboured into low laughing. Which progressed into malicious cackling.

He spun around, arms wide as delirious, perhaps deranged, excitement on his face. “Have at it, Lads! Anyone who defeats this ShadowDweller shall be granted power beyond all imagination!”

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #young adult #Mystery/Suspense #gay romance #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 47 - Final) - Original Novel

AN: Wow, we’ve finally reached the last chapter! 47 chapters and over 150k words, not bad for a first attempt at an original novel. And with this, I will now go on a mini hiatus for medical reasons. I may attempt to do a few oneshots during that time, but no large projects. So no sequel for this series…yet. Again, I’d like to try some oneshots set in this universe, so let me know if you’re interested.

I’d like to thank everyone who had shown interest in this novel, it’s good to know that you’ve enjoyed what I have done. It definitely was a fun project!

Now, I hope you’ll enjoy reading the last chapter~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

~*~*~*~

Chapter 47:

The low murmuring of voices was the first thing that register to Eishirou as he waded through the confusing haze of just waking up after a deep sleep. The next thing that filtered into his consciousness was the question of when he had actually fallen asleep.

The last thing he remembered was…The Spider God.

His eyes snapped open as a rush of panic fell over him. Though his vision was blurry, he took note that he was inside a building somewhere. And was resting on a cot, surrounded by a curtain.

He was in the infirmary.

What had happened?

Eishirou ordered himself to lay still and tried to think back on what had happened. He had summoned the Red Lily and used it to connect with Zayne. And together they were able to confront the terrifying Spider God.

And defeat it.

After that was relief. Then a mild confrontation with Ahriman. And after that…?

Ah, that was right. He remembered now. Not long after Zayne had placed him back onto his feet and was confronted by a reasonably worried Jacob, Eishirou had the great timing to pass out there and then.

He really needed to work on his energy levels and stamina. Though, in his defence, it had been a very long and stressful day.

It had been a stressful day for everyone.

He instinctively raised his right hand. Instead of the Red Lily, he was greeted with the sight of a catheter. He was on IV fluids. Again. Had he mentioned that he hated being on IV fluids?

Where was the Red Lily, though? Somewhere safe, hopefully. Where it could sleep and rest.

It truly saved them today. Saved lives of those within the academy. Within the city itself. It was truly amazing how powerful it was. Eishirou was grateful that it had chosen him to gift that power to. Though, he did hope that he wouldn’t need to call upon such strength again anytime soon.

The murmuring of voices grew a tad louder, along with the sound of footsteps. Not a second later the privacy curtain was pulled back. And a familiar figure stood there.

It was Zayne.

Ignoring the catheter in his hand and his light-headedness, Eishirou sat up and raised his arms toward Zayne. Who of which immediately knelt down next to the make-shift cot and slipped his arms around him in return. His arms around his neck, Eishirou buried his face into Zayne’s shoulder, comforted by his presence.

But there was a scent of smoke and dust upon his clothing.

It promptly reminded him of the state of the academy. And how Zayne was likely working hard while he had been resting. It made him feel a sense of guilt.

“You really need to stop passing out on me,” Zayne murmured as he threaded his fingers through Eishirou’s hair.

Eishirou uttered a tired laugh, though he did feel his guilt increase. “Does seem like a nervous tic now, doesn't it? Sorry.”

After a few lingering moments, Eishirou slowly pulled back. He uncurled his arms around Zayne’s neck to rest his hands on the sides of Zayne’s face. Zayne loosened his arms ever so slightly, moving them to interlock his fingers against Eishirou’s back.

“I’ll be all right,” Eishirou said as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against Zayne’s. “I don’t need to work on the Red Lily anymore. There’s no reason to push myself again.”

Zayne said nothing in response. He simply bumped his nose against Eishirou’s. It was clear that he was relieved to see him, to know that he was alright. And he could finally keep his promise to him.

“Are you all right?” Eishirou asked, a slight frown tugging at his lips. “You’ve been working. Have you rested at all?”

“I’m used to staying up for two or three days straight,” Zayne replied, both dismissing his question but answering it all the same.

Eishirou uttered a sigh. Zayne and his fellow Elites were sure to be edgy and on high alert, not only now but for the days, possibly weeks to come. He would need to keep an eye on Zayne in return to ensure that he relaxed at some point. Maybe he could play his violin for him when they returned to their room.

…If it was still there.

How much of the academy had been damaged?

Before Eishirou could ask that question to Zayne a sound, like a forced cough, brought him abruptly back into reality. He pulled his forehead away from Zayne and they both turned to look toward the privacy curtain. Two very familiar figures stood there; Jacob and Neriah.

Eishirou flushed lightly, sheepish at being caught in a rather tender moment with Zayne. He soon felt a rush of guilt and his face creased into an apologetic look.

“Jacob, I’m really sorry,” he began to ramble as Zayne unfurled his arms around him and took to his feet. “I know you said I needed to stay out of it but I couldn’t just, I mean it was because of me and-”

As he rambled, Jacob made his way over to his cot and suddenly dropped down to his knees next to him. And wound his arms around him in a tight hug. He didn’t say anything. Just held him tightly.

Eishirou fell silent and rested his chin upon his godfather’s shoulder. He stared at the space before him, not really looking at anything. As Jacob hugged him just that little bit more, Eishirou felt tears begin to build along his lashes.

Jacob may not have said anything, but the hug told him more than words could.

He had scared the hell of him.

But he understood what had happened. What he needed to do. He had been worried. Scared. But relieved.

And by the gods, he had better not try something like that again.

Finally, Jacob pulled back and placed a hand on top of his head in a fatherly fashion. Eishirou offered him a meek smile as he idly rubbed at his eyes.

“I’m just relieved you’re all right,” he finally said. “Zayne told me what happened. The use of the Red Lily was the only way. To think that small relic held so much power.”

Eishirou nodded his head in agreement. “Fortunate for us,” he said as he dropped his hand to his lap. “I’ll explain everything later. Though, I might not be able to explain some of it. I…don’t really know how I summoned the Red Lily to me.”

“Summon it, you certainly did,” Jacob said as he pushed himself to his feet. “I was at the museum at the time. The Red Lily began to glow a bright light before it suddenly vanished. I had a feeling that it was responding to you, somehow.”

Responding to him…Just like how he had first encountered it, in that lighthouse just a few weeks ago. It responded to him back then, to his fear for Zayne’s very life.

Why it did, he didn’t know. But he was grateful for nonetheless.

“Where is the Red Lily now?”

“Back at the museum under guard.”

“Has the museum been damaged?”

Jacob shook his head. “No, luckily. The vast majority of the campus can’t say the same, unfortunately.”

Yeah, he had seen some of it himself.

“And that something you will worry about later,” Neriah interjected. “Now, let me have a look at you.”

Eishirou slipped his legs out from under the blankets and over the side of the cot. He dutifully sat still as Neriah began his inspection. Jacob chose to take a step back to allow for some room. However, Zayne stayed close, watching protectively.

“You’re still exhausted and have a rather severe case of mana depletion. Not to mention that you have bruises to your wrists once again, so I’ll get you some pain relief for those,” Neriah began to prattle. “But at least I can remove the IV.”

Thank goodness.

As Neriah began to carefully detract the catheter, a thought suddenly occurred to Eishirou. He remembered something he had learnt, though largely against his will. It was still an interesting a piece of knowledge, regardless. He was curious to know if it was true.

“Professor, is it true?” he asked just as Neriah removed the needle from his hand. “That Elites have the chance to start over as Passives should they lose their active mana?”

Neriah reeled his head back in surprise and raised his eyes to stare directly at Eishirou. His question obviously caught him by surprise. And from his reaction, it was something that was considered a secret.

He couldn’t say he was surprised that such a thing was kept hidden.

Neriah eventually uttered a sigh and moved to add pressure to the small wound on the back of Eishirou’s hand. “Yes, it’s true. I’ve been enabling Elites to change their identity and become Quasi-Passives. Only Elites can take on the roles of Elites. But not every Elite has what it takes to be an Elite.”

Eishirou had to admit that he was surprised by the admission, and by the fact that Neriah himself had been a participant.

Neriah paused to place a bandage onto Eishirou’s hand. “I haven’t aided anyone for quite a few months now, however.”

So, that meant that the missing Elites, those labelled as MIA, were either deceased or had chosen to join the ranks of the Star Rebellion.

“I see,” Eishirou murmured and rested his hand upon his lap. “I’m not mad. In fact, I’m kinda relieved. As you said, not every Elite is meant to be one. I’m glad to know that they have the chance to be, well, normal.”

“Hm.” A small, somewhat relieved smile made its way onto Neriah’s lips. However, that soon faded into a light frown. “Why do you ask? How did you learn of this?”

Eishirou trailed a finger along the bruises encircling his wrists once again. “Ahriman. He told me that he used to be an Elite until a ShadowDweller stole his mana and turned him into a Passive.”

“Really now?” Neriah was clearly surprised. “Interesting.”

It made sense that he wouldn’t know. It would have occurred long before he became the head Medic and professor.

“Professor Neriah?”

Eishirou perked up at the new voice. “Misaki?”

Neriah stood up and pulled back the privacy curtain completely, revealing Misaki as he stood in the threshold of the door. Pale and haggard. Dark rings under his eyes, his hair slightly dishevelled. He looked exhausted. It was obvious that he had been working very hard during the entirety of this chaos.

With Zayne’s help, Eishirou took to his feet. He took a step forward only to find Misaki directly in front of him. He pulled him into a hug, burying his face into his shoulder.

Eishirou sighed and hugged his friend back.

He had grown used to chaos and danger. Field researchers had to deal with that first hand. But Misaki was a Chronicler. He heard the danger, helped in delivering aid from a distance. What happened in that Communications Centre was new for all involved. Add in a ShadowDweller, a terrorist group, and a treacherous professor and it was terrifying.

“I’m sorry you had to endure that,” Eishirou murmured.

Misaki didn’t say anything. He just nodded his head against his shoulder and hugged him that little bit tighter. Finally, he pulled back. His eyes were red, though no tears were seen. They were likely hidden within the material of Eishirou’s clothing, which was fine with him.

“Is there something you need, Misaki?” Neriah asked gently.

“Oh, right. Professor Sigmund would like to hold a quick conference with everyone involved with this Red Lily,” Misaki quickly explained as he stepped back from Eishirou and took on a slightly professional stance. “Of course, if Eishirou isn’t up for it-”

“I’m fine,” Eishirou interrupted. He, of course, got several sceptical and concerned looks from the others. “The sooner the better. I can rest completely afterwards. And I promise that I will.”

Jacob uttered a sigh. “Again, you are right. That’s getting fairly annoying. I’m the one who is meant to be right about everything.”

Eishirou sent him a quick smile. “Shall we go now?”

While Neriah declined as he had much work to do around the infirmary, the others agreed. Jacob took the lead as the corridors had become cluttered with patients and weary Elites taking a few moments rest.

It was only when they passed an open window did Eishirou realise how dark it was. It was late into the night. Perhaps even in the wee hours of the morning. It was pitch black outside, only a handful of buildings were bright with electricity. There were several spotlights in the distance, however. Signifying either the search for missing and injured. Or the inspection of that underground laboratory that started it all.

Eishirou walked with Zayne and Misaki. Zayne had a hold of his hand, keeping him close while being on the lookout for danger. Eishirou wished there was some way to ease his concern, but he knew how potent an Elite’s alertness was. And it gave Zayne something to focus on. Something that made him feel useful.

So, he simply held Zayne’s hand in return and spoke with Misaki.

Misaki explained to him that Lyvia was resting as her illness had reared its ugly head due to the stress of the entire situation. And that piece of information brought a fresh wave of guilt. The poor thing. He would have to visit her later. He might drag Rinka along with him.

And Jalen was resting in recovery, though how long he would be there before he tried to sneak out was anyone’s guess. Some of the senior Chroniclers were even taking bets for how long it would be before Jalen made his grand entrance back in Communications.

After a few minutes they finally reached a room they could use for an impromptu meeting. A room that already had occupants.

Sigmund stood at the head of an oval table, a table that was littered with pieces of papers and documents. With most of the electricity out, they had to resort to the old fashion pen and paper methods to take in statistics and notes. Next to him, in his wheelchair, was Jairus. The delicate professor looked tired and washed out, though seemed intent on providing support if and when needed.

Gathered close by was the remaining members of Team 3. Rinka was asleep in a chair, however. Curled up on her side with a jacket draped over her as a blanket. Ernesta stood near her, likely offering her some comfort with her presence. Just a few feet away stood Leon and Tatsu, the two tall Elites talking quietly to each other.

They all looked tired and haggard. Their uniforms were covered in layers of dust and soot. The smell of smoke filled the conference room. Either from their clothing, or from the wind through the half open window. The only one open in the room.

While he was relieved to see the other members of Zayne’s team safe, he was somewhat surprised to see that Mikiel was there, along with Takis.

Mikiel sat in a chair, white bandages around his forehead and dressed simply in a light green shirt and pants. Clothing worn by those who had spent a long time in the medical wing. Next to him stood Takis, the other Elite speaking to him quietly.

“Eishirou,” Jairus was the first to notice their arrival. “How are you feeling?”

Several sets of eyes were abruptly turned in his direction and he felt a little subconscious. Though, he made no attempt to remove his hand from Zayne’s. “I’m fine. Just a little overwhelmed by everything.”

Perhaps a bit of an understatement, but true nonetheless.

“Hey,” Takis called out to him. “I heard you were also the one who helped Mikiel here.”

Leon was probably the one to tell him that.

“I just administered first aid. Professor Neriah is the one responsible for everything else.” Eishirou shifted his gaze toward Mikiel and offered him a small smile. “But I’m glad to see you’re doing well, Mikiel.”

“Ah, yeah,” Mikiel replied awkwardly. “I kinda remember you.”

It was fine if he didn’t. He was in extreme pain, after all. And suffering from severe trauma. Good to see that he was up and about, though.

“Where’s Professor Tyrone?” Sigmund suddenly asked.

“He sends his apologies, but he was asked to keep an eye on Jalen,” Jacob answered. “And to stop him from forcing his way out of the infirmary and back into Communications. Though, I doubt he would be successful.”

Sigmund idly nodded his head, seemingly unaware of Jalen’s dedication to his profession. He soon straightened his posture and folded his arms across his chest. “Very well. Let’s get this meeting started. I’ll start with the latest news; We’re still investigating Ahriman’s laboratory. Unfortunately, it has sustained great damaged and it seems they had anticipated the possibility that they would need to flee. Computers and records have received damage, too.”

“Unfortunately, we have no idea where Ahriman had fled to,” Ernesta added, sounding both frustrated and tired. “All Rebels have gone into hiding, too.”

They must have fled once they realised they couldn’t defeat the Spider God on their own, and were instead fuelling its power and strength.

“Do you have an estimate on the damage the academy has sustained?” Jairus asked.

Jacob uttered a sigh as he lowered himself into a chair and leaned back into it. “About fifty-percent, unfortunately. Though, the buildings that have been damaged are located mostly in the historical wing and classrooms. Infirmary and Communications received light, superficial damage.”

Eishirou mused it was lucky that only fifty-percent of the academy was damaged. And only the academy. Though, he briefly wondered if there was a death-toll…

“Now, I think we need to discuss what had occurred here today,” Sigmund interrupted his thoughts, his gaze immediately turning in Eishirou’s direction. “More specifically; how did you defeat a ShadowDweller teams of Elites failed to do?”

Ah, that was a fair question.

Eishirou nodded his head and sat down on the opposite end of the table. He began to explain what had occurred from the very beginning. From the lockdown within Communications to his desperate attempt to make his way back onto the battlefield.

He tried his best to explain how he was able to summon the Red Lily, but in all honesty he wasn’t sure. It was all pure instinct. He called upon the powerful relic because he needed it. He formed a mental connection with Zayne because it was necessary. And he accessed the power within the Red Lily because it was the only way to defeat the Spider God.

Everything happened because he needed it to.

After Eishirou explained things to the best of his ability, he learnt what had happened after he was taken captive by Ahriman and his Rebels. The controlled ShadowDweller had remained, but Zayne and his teammates had appeared soon after. Alerted by Eishirou’s communication through Zayne. With the quick removal of the ShadowDweller at the hands of Zayne, Irwin was the one who told them everything that had occurred, which prompted Zayne to take off in search of him.

Zayne explained that he simply relied on instinct to find Eishirou. He couldn’t truly explain how. Just a sudden feeling of panic and that propelled him forward in a blind rage. And to ultimately find his way to Ahriman’s secret laboratory.

Just in time to witness the Spider God manifest into existence.

Mikiel and Takis chose the speak about their own experiences. Mikiel had been attacked by his own teammates in an experimental attempt to summon a new breed of ShadowDweller. Takis was meant to be a victim, too, but managed to sweet-talk his way into the terrorist group by pretending to dispose of Mikiel. Instead, he took him somewhere he deemed would be safe and could only hope that someone else, another Elite team, would find him before it was too late.

He admitted that he hated the idea greatly, but had little choice in the matter and decided to use the opportunity to get some information on the group. He was grateful that it was Team 3 that found Mikiel first.

“So, you were able to awaken the Red Lily’s true power?” Jairus questioned, to which Eishirou answered with a quick nod. “Well, you won’t be needing my help with the Red Lily in the future, Eishirou.”

“Maybe. But I still want to tell you more about it.”

That got a small smile from Jairus. “Hm.”

Sigmund’s attention was drawn to the information regarding their treacherous professor. “So, Ahriman has found a way to create ShadowDwellers,” he muttered, clearly displeased. “And he was the one behind the increase in ShadowDweller attacks around campus?”

“Yeah, I can answer that one,” Takis muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s been using ShadowDwellers to cause trouble around the academy and the city. As experiments and as distractions. I tried to get involved and stop them, but I couldn’t do much at all.”

“Ah, were you the one that defeated the ShadowDwellers that attacked my dorm and were just outside my room?” Eishirou asked, his mind immediately recalling that brief but startling moment.

Takis, however, looked completely and utterly confused. “Eh? No?”

Eishirou deflated somewhat. “That wasn’t you?”

“That wasn’t you, Zayne?” Sigmund went on to ask.

From where he stood next to Eishirou’s chair, Zayne shook his head adamantly. “No, I was the one bitching about it. Remember?”

A frown tugged at Eishirou’s lips. If it wasn’t Takis, and if Sigmund hadn’t sent someone over, then who…?

“Well, in any case; it seems I might get my demand for Elites to be housed in the Passives dorms, after all,” Zayne unexpectedly added.

Eishirou tilted his head back to look up at him. “What do you mean?”

Zayne rested his hand against the back of his chair. “Two of the three dorms have been left unscathed. Unfortunately, the third has been badly destroyed. And it’s the dorm housing the Elites.”

That made Eishirou wince. He wasn’t entirely sure how Elites housing with Passives would be received by the two classes. Many Elites still believed Passives to be beneath them, after all.

He hoped it would work out. But…

“Zayne. Eishirou.”

Sigmund’s stern voice made Eishirou jump slightly in his seat and he immediately turned his attention back to the older man. “Ah, yes?”

“What happened here today is very important,” Sigmund began. “Never before had a relic been used in such a way. Never before had Passives and Elites worked together to defeat a ShadowDweller. Never before have a ShadowDweller of this magnitude been witnessed. I don’t know what this will mean in the future, or whether this is just a freak occurrence. But I do know this; you saved countless lives here tonight and everyone is indebted to you both.”

A-ah, well…he supposed he couldn’t outright deny that. He didn’t feel like a hero or anything. It wasn’t like they could just not try to help in some way. He was sure that Zayne felt the same.

“And it may be high time that we remove this divide between Elites and Passives.”

Eishirou snapped his head up as his mouth dropped out in surprise and disbelief. Did he really just say…? From a Veteran Elite and professor no less!

Sigmund’s comment seemed to have caught the other occupants by surprise, too. Except for Jairus who, surprisingly, tilted his head to the side as he regarded him with a bemused smile. “Getting sentimental in your age, Sigmund?”

“Perhaps,” Sigmund said dismissively as he dropped his arms from his chest. He then turned to head toward he door. “Let us return to work. We have much to do.”

… … … … …

It was two days later that Eishirou found himself in the museum. Standing before the glass display pillar housing the Red Lily.

He could sense the mana inside. He could sense the familiar presence of both Killara and Mullion. But the relic, with its vivid red jewels and gold, remained silent. It saddened him, to be honest. Yet, he understood. As powerful as the relic truly was and could be, it, too, needed time to rest.

Should there ever be a time when he would need to call upon such power again, Eishirou knew that the relic would awaken once more.

Until then, he would just have to watch over it and keep it safe.

Slowly, he raised a hand to brush his fingertips against the red gemstone. “Thank you.”

Eishirou felt himself jump slightly when a pair of arms suddenly encircled his waist and pulled him back against a taut chest. However, the warmth of the body behind him was immediately recognisable and he willingly melted into the embrace.

“You startled me,” he said.

Zayne nuzzled his nose against his hair. “Is the Red Lily speaking to you again?”

“No, it’s still sleeping,” he said as he rested his hands atop of Zayne’s and turned his gaze back to the relic. “I’ll return to Flutterlight Forest and Keeper’s Isle. One day. I’d like to learn more about Killara and Mullion.”

For now, though, they’ve got a lot of work to do here in the academy.

“Until then;” Zayne pulled back suddenly and swept Eishirou off of his feet and into his arms. “I have you all to myself.”

Eishirou laughed and wrapped his arms around Zayne’s neck. He then leaned forward just as Zayne did, and kissed him. Completely unconcerned about who could walk in on them. Because Passive or Elite, it didn’t matter. Radiant Soul or Warrior Spirit, titles and statuses didn’t matter.

As long as they were together, they could face anything.

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #young adult #gay romance #Adventure #action #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 46) - Original Fiction

AN: Finally, the final battle! This was an interesting chapter to write. 

Oh, and for those who are waiting for me to finish this story before reading, feel free to start reading today. The next chapter, the last chapter, will likely be a short prologue. 

Anyway, hope you enjoy~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

-

Chapter 46:

Eishirou stood before the two imposing figures, the Red Lily secure and comforting against his wrist. The still unknown, unnamed Rebel made the motion to step toward Eishirou, his form menacing regardless. But he was stopped by Ahriman hitting his chest with the back of his hand.

“No. Let him be,” he unexpectedly said as he folded his hands behind his back once more, his gaze still focused on Eishirou. “Let’s see where this defiance shall take him. It’s rather intriguing, after all.”

Ahriman might be a traitor, but he was still a professor. And curiosity was a defining trait, after all. Still, he probably thought that by letting him go, letting him use the Red Lily, that it would grant the Spider God more power. More power they get to take for themselves.

Not going to happen.

Eishirou sent the two a sharp glare, though he doubted it was very intimidating, before he turned and ran deeper into the partly destroyed building. He needed to reach a rooftop. Preferably somewhere already damaged and evacuated.

Loud explosions continued to resonate around him. A menacing flash of red was the only forewarning before an ear-splitting, bone rattling shock wave. He tried his best to ignore it and push forward. To simply focus on the task of reaching a preferable destination to engage the Red Lily.

Dodging falling bits of building and masonry, skirting around collapsed archways and flooring. And feeling his way through darkened stairways as he made his way to the roof of the unsteady building.

It was frightening, yes. But he didn’t have the time to feel frightened. The warmth of the Red Lily gave him the courage to keep pushing forward.

Finally, he reached the maintenance door that would lead him out onto the roof. He stepped on the top step and in front of the closed door. He took a moment to catch his breath as he rested his hand on the door handle.

Slowly, he turned the handle and pushed the door open.

The sounds of battle immediately greeted him, signifying that he had successfully moved to a part of the academy that had already received damaged. And was close to the battlefield.

Quickly noting that the rooftop appeared to be in relatively good shape, Eishirou pushed aside the door and raced toward the edge of the roof, where a small stone wall acted as a barrier.

He rested his hands against the barrier and stared out into the chaos. His heart dropped into his stomach when he realised that the Spider God had grown larger in size. It now towered over the buildings. The red orb of mana was swirling tighter, faster. And far larger than anything he had ever seen before.

Its head…god, its head was purely malicious. It’s eyes, once black and soulless, now had a small pinprick of red in each socket. It looked as demonic as it felt. And the oppression from the creature was physically nauseating. There were going to be hundreds of Passives suffering from cold-like symptoms for days.

If they lived beyond this battle. The swarms of Elites attempting to battle the Spider God as it ambled about freely, randomly destroying anything and everything, appeared to be nothing more than flies. Everything that the Elites attempted were in vain. Their attacks were mana based. Conventional weaponry such as physical ammunition was utterly useless against ShadowDwellers. Always had been.

He could make out the blue mana of Zayne in the distance. He was still fighting. Still pushing himself.

As powerful as Zayne was on his own, he was still in danger.

Eishirou glanced down at the Red Lily and paused.

Could he possibly use the Red Lily to mentally connect with Zayne? Communications were likely still down, or have been badly damaged during the chaos. Besides, he didn’t even have his communicator with him, and Zayne sure wouldn’t have the time to pull it out to speak with him.

He raised his right arm toward his chest and rested the Red Lily over his heart. He closed his eyes and became still. He needed to focus once more. Visualise who he wished to reach out to and hold the intent of why he needed to make a connection.

He needed to connect with Zayne. To give him the power necessary to defeat this Spider God. To end the chaos and destruction of such a powerful and dangerous ShadowDweller. Together with Zayne, they could destroy the threat and protect everyone.

“Zayne? Zayne, can you hear me?”

He felt a spike of confusion and panic. Shortly after, he heard Zayne’s voice ring through his mind. “Shit, was that Eishirou? Where is he?”

Eishirou uttered a small sigh of relief to himself and had to smile when he realised that Zayne’s first reaction was to immediately search for him and make sure he was safe.

He quickly shook his head to refocused himself on the task at hand. “Zayne, I’m communicating to you through the Red Lily.”

“How-?” Zayne began, but quickly cut himself off, his concern returning tenfold. “Never mind, what are you doing with the Red Lily? You’re in no condition to be fiddling with that!”

“I’m fine,” Eishirou insisted. “There’s no other way.”

Zayne’s concern increased. “No other way? What are you doing?”

Eishirou opened his eyes and stared at the hulking, terrifying form of the Spider God. “It seeks mana. Powerful mana. So, I’m going to lure it over to me.”

“What?!” Zayne’s voice was high-pitched in disbelief and concerned anger. “I swear, if you plan on sacrificing yourself-!”

“No,” Eishirou interrupted, even going as far as to physically shake his head. “I’m not doing that. It would hurt too many people, wouldn’t it?”

“Of course it would!”

Eishirou watched as the Spider God unhinged his mouth once again to release another destructive ball of mana, aiming it toward the ground and at the base of a building. A bright flash of light followed by the rumbling roar of an explosion. The outer façade of the building immediately crumbled away, exposing the fragile interior inside.

No, Eishirou had no plans on dying here. Had no plans of giving up his life to the Spider God in a reckless attempt to defeat it.

It wouldn’t do any good.

“Would you guys shut up?!” Zayne suddenly shouted, both mentally and physically, it seemed, causing Eishirou to wince. “I’m trying to communicate with Eishirou! Wait, shit, that’s not directed at you.”

A fit of laughter bubbled up from his throat. The situation was dangerous. Dire, even. But he laughed anyway.

“Where are you?”

Eishirou had to take a moment to look around to find his bearings. “On the roof of the historical wing.”

“I’ll be there within two seconds, I swear.”

“Ok. I’ll be waiting.”

Eishirou lowered his arm to his side and watched as Zayne left formation and headed in his direction. There was no hesitation in his movements one would assume from someone searching for another. Instead, he seemed to already know his exact location, and was head straight for him.

After taking a step back, Eishirou opened his arms and allowed Zayne to sweep him up into his arms. He immediately held him close and moved him away from the edge of the roof, to a place he deemed more secure.

Eishirou kept his arms around Zayne’s neck as he wrapped his own arms around his waist. The noise of battle seemed to die down as they held onto each other, relishing in the pure comfort and security of each other’s company.

He could stay in Zayne’s arms forever, but he knew he couldn’t. They couldn’t ignore the situation they were in. The situation everyone was in. So slowly, regrettably, Eishirou pulled back and rested his hands on Zayne’s shoulders.

“Zayne, listen; I’m sorry to force this upon you, but I need you to defeat this god,” he began to explain. “I’ll give you the power of the Red Lily and-”

“Force this upon me?” Zayne interrupted, his voice holding a gentle chiding tone. “What are you talking about? I’m your Warrior Spirit, aren’t I?”

Eishirou immediately thought back to just a few hours ago, when they had shared that joined meditation. He had thought that very thought. And it was clear that Zayne himself came to that same conclusion.

“Yeah,” Eishirou murmured as he lifted his hands from Zayne’s shoulders to gently frame his face. “And I’m your Radiant Soul.”

While it was true that neither of them truly understood the meaning behind those statuses, what it meant for them; it honestly didn’t matter.

There was a bond between them. A strong bond. One that was difficult to place into words. However;

“Most importantly, though; you’re my Zayne.”

A smile made its way onto Zayne’s lips as he tilted his head to the side. “And you’re my Eishirou.”

“Elite, Passive, Keeper.” Eishirou pushed him up onto his toes, moving his face closer to Zayne’s. “None of that matters.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Zayne’s arms tighten around his waist, holding him as close as possible. “Just you.”

Eishirou threaded the fingers of his right hand through Zayne’s hair when he was pulled in for a deep, consuming kiss. This kiss was somewhat different to the numerous others they had shared. He couldn’t explain it. Didn’t have the capacity nor care to explain it. It was just…more. More tender. More passionate. More thrilling. Yet, more comforting.

The Red Lily pulsed gently, its warmth spreading throughout Eishirou’s entire being. And into Zayne’s presence.

The mana from the Red Lily was theirs to use.

It was time to put an end to this chaos.

They simultaneously pulled back from the kiss, though Zayne ensured that he kept his arms around Eishirou’s waist nevertheless. “Let’s beat the shit out of this thing,” he said.

“Hm.” Eishirou nodded as his gaze flickered over Zayne’s shoulder and toward the steadily growing larger and stronger Spider God. “Let’s lure it away first. Something this big is going to leave a mess.”

“Right.”

Zayne then swept him up into his arms like he had done many times before. And Eishirou readily wrapped his arms around Zayne’s neck and shoulders to allow him to use his right hand freely, when the need arose.

As Zayne took to the skies, Eishirou turned his gaze downwards. There…was so much destruction. Buildings destroyed; a couple even levelled into nothing but smouldering rubble. Power was out in numerous sectors with just the dim lighting from backup generators. Adding that with the setting sun, the entire complex was bathed in an eerie red haze.

It was going to take months for the academy to recover.

“Zayne!”

Eishirou lifted his gaze forward when he recognised the voice of Zayne’s father. He watched as the Veteran Elite shot toward them, no doubt feeling a mixture of parental worry and confusion.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

“Get out of here!” Zayne commanded in return, entirely ignoring his concern. “Focus on searching for survivors and evacuation! We’ll take care of this!”

Unsurprisingly, Cadmus, along with the Elites close to him, were highly sceptical. “What exactly are you planning to do? With a Passive, no less!”

“We’re going to defeat this thing; what do you think we’re going to do?” Zayne retorted, sarcasm heavy in his voice. “Now get going! You’re going to be in the way!”

Cadmus was still largely unconvinced.

“Cadmus, listen,” Eishirou started, unfurling an arm around Zayne’s shoulder to present the Red Lily toward the sceptical Elite. “This Spider God was created through the use of a relic. And it will take a relic to defeat it. Now, trust in your son’s trust in me and this relic, and step aside. I can guarantee Zayne’s safety, but I can’t guarantee yours.”

Cadmus openly stared at him. Were his words too harsh? Probably. But they were true. Because of his bond with Zayne, he could easily access the power within the Red Lily to protect him. To protect them both. He hadn’t learnt how to expand that power to others, yet. And now really wasn’t the time to try.

Finally, Cadmus gave a slow nod of his head. He was still sceptical, perhaps even suspicious of Eishirou himself. Elites and Passives working together was unheard of. But Zayne was still his son. And as his father, he had to place his trust in him to make his own decisions.

“Let’s go!” he ordered the other Elites within hearing range. “Vacate the area and turn your efforts to search and rescue!”

The other Elites were naturally reluctant at first. But eventually conceded, turning and darting swiftly in the directions of the Communications building.

Cadmus turned around to give Zayne one last look. “Don’t mess this up,” he said gruffly before he also turned away, following in the direction of the flying Elites.

Zayne snorted. “He has so much faith in me.”

He did, honestly. He just had a restrained way of showing it.

“Here will do,” Zayne said after he took a moment to glance around. “It’s been evacuated.”

“Right. Ready?” Eishirou asked as he raised his right up, lifting the Red Lily toward the sky.

Zayne reached down to grasp a holster. “Let’s do this.”

A single, sharp pulse of energy from the Red Lily should be enough to attract the attention of the Spider God.

As soon as Eishirou released a short burst of energy, the Spider God whirled its head painfully in their direction. And locked in on them immediately.

It was…intimidating and frightening, to say the least.

If there were such a thing as a dark, demonic abyss, then it was found within the eye sockets of this ShadowDweller. Endless, dark voids of pure maliciousness. A visual representation of the gates of hell.

It dropped its lower jaw abruptly, and amongst the jagged spikes for teeth, an orb of red mana appeared.

Zayne immediately tensed. “It’s about to fire.”

“Let it,” Eishirou replied as he lowered his hand and directed it toward the ShadowDweller. “I’ll create a shield around us.”

As the red orb of mana grew in size, the ShadowDweller unhinged its jaw further to a rather ungodly angle.

Any second now, it would unleash an attack. Eishirou had to be ready. He had to concentrate on creating a perfect, impermeable barrier around the both of them. Nothing was to get pass. No mana. No negativity. No destruction.

Nothing.

The orb of mana shot out of the Spider God’s mouth. Moving at a speed greater than that of any bullet. And far more accurate. It smashed ruthlessly into the barrier Eishirou created dead on. Engulf them easily.

However, the negative orb of mana flowed around them. The invisible barrier of mana around them was so strong that the shockwave from the blast didn’t affect them. Didn’t hear it. Didn’t feel it. Barely a strong enough breeze to tussle their hair.

It also managed to disperse the power within that attack. It still caused damage to the environment behind them, but it wasn’t as severe as it would have been had the attack gone unhindered.

The orb had struck them so fast that Eishirou didn’t have time to think. And he was honestly glad for it. He couldn’t afford even a second of doubt.

So, to say he was relieved that the barrier worked was an understatement!

“Nice,” Zayne muttered as a half smirk slipped across his lips. “It’s going to be pissed off now.”

“Perfect,” Eishirou said as he refocused his relief into determination. “Let’s destroy it.”

“Heh. Sounds good.”

The Spider God kept its lower jaw unhinged as it released a chilling, bone-rattling scream. The first sound it had made during the entirety of its existence.

It was frightening. It was intimidating. But more importantly, it was a sound of anger.

And it was all because of the Red Lily. Eishirou wasn’t sure how he knew, but he did. The mere existence of the powerful relic was something the Spider God lusted for and wanted to destroy.

It was a threat.

“The rest is up to you now, Zayne,” Eishirou said as the Spider God turned its massive body toward them, its long, spindly legs readying to trundle reckless in their direction. “One shot. That’s all its going to take.”

Zayne tightened his arms around Eishirou’s legs to keep him close to him as he raised his mana-holster. “I’ll aim it straight down its throat,” he said as his gunblade manifested into a deep sapphire blue. Almost humming in tune with Zayne’s determination.

Right, that was their best course of action. Destroy the negativity inside the belly of the beast. That way, the mana it stole would instead dissipate into the atmosphere rather than hurting anyone else.

The Spider God unleashed another terrifying, ungodly scream as its long legs began to move, to propel it forward.

Its eyes focused on them. Its mouth opened wide, ready to devour them. The buildings trembled and swayed from the constant slamming of its many legs upon the ground as it gained speed.

It was now or never.

“Zayne, think of all the reasons why this thing needs to be destroyed. Why it doesn’t have the right to remain within this plain of existence. All the damage it has done. All the people it has hurt. All the people it will hurt if it continues to exist.”

Eishirou rested his right hand on Zayne’s. The relic upon his wrist shone brightly, mixing with the electric blue of Zayne’s own mana, turning it into a vibrant purple. Unexpectedly, there was a gentle green hue glistening around the orb. His own mana had trickled through, allowing for a chance of healing. To turn the negativity within the ShadowDweller into something positive.

The orb of mana was small, but strong. Pure concentrated mana with a single intent. It was enough. It was more than enough.

The Spider God raised its head, mouth wide, a small orb of mana beginning to take form. It was so close.

“Now, destroy it.”

The ricochet from Zayne’s gunblade as he released the orb of mana was light, but its effect was not. The mana bullet pierced dead centre of the forming attack, causing it to collapse in on itself immediately. The small orb of bright blue, green, and red continued through the entirety of the ShadowDweller’s body, into the swirling mass of mana that it held in its skeletal body.

It was the following shockwave, one that removed all dust and debris that hung in the air, even parting the clouds above, that prompted the ShadowDweller to fold in on itself. Its large, skeletal face grew distorted, as if it was pulled into some kind of vacuum.

It then exploded into a black mist.

Eishirou instinctively created a barrier around him and Zayne and soon realised it wasn’t necessary.  

As the cloud of dissipating mana fully dispersed, an unexpected sight greeted them.

Flowers…the once empty, heavily damaged ground and buildings was now covered in a lush layer of green grass, moss, and wild flowers. Like those found within the Flutterlight Forest and Keeper’s Isle.

And the Spider God…

It was gone.

Eishirou uttered a deep sigh of relief before he abruptly turned and threw his arms around Zayne’s neck. It was over. It was truly over. The Spider God had been defeated; the mana it had stolen sent back into the earth around it. And Zayne was safe.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” Eishirou murmured as he rested his chin on Zayne’s shoulder. “It’s just…It’s been a long day.”

Zayne withdrew his holster to lay an arm across Eishirou’s back. “It’s over now.”

Yeah. Thank goodness.

A gentle voice suddenly rang through his head. “Until next time…Eishirou.”

Eishirou snapped his head up and leaned back slightly. He immediately raised his right wrist to look upon the Red Lily. The gentle red light that once shone so brightly had faded. The jewels were still a brilliant, vivid red. But they had become silent.

It…

“What’s wrong?” Zayne immediately asked.

Eishirou sighed, a little saddened. But grateful nonetheless. “It’s…the Red Lily has gone back to sleep.”

“Eh?”

“Sorry,” Eishirou said as he repositioned his arms around Zayne’s neck again and rested his cheek on his shoulder. “I’ll explain later.”

“Zayne! Eishirou!”

Eishirou raised his head in time to watch as Zayne’s teammates flew toward them, and immediately encircle them.

They were all asking questions, speaking frantically over the top of each other. What happened? What did they do? How did they defeat that ShadowDweller on their own? Those were the bases of their questioning.

The answers would have to come later, though. Eishirou was honestly too tired. The adrenaline of battle was gone. The Red Lily had fallen back to sleep. The danger has passed.

He was just glad that they were all unharmed. Parts of their uniforms singed and they looked drawn and weary, indicating that they were fought hard during that battle. But they were alive, their mana intact.

“That ShadowDweller is gone for good, right?” Rinka was the one to ask, hope and worry in her voice.

“Yeah,” Eishirou replied with a smile. “It’s gone. The battle is over now.”

“Well well,” a familiar voice drawled somewhere behind them. “I must admit, I am impressed. That display of defiance was indeed very entertaining.”

Zayne and his teammates immediately reacted; they spun around, weapons drawn, and took offensive stances. They were, however, surprised when they found it was Ahriman who caught their attention.

Professor Ahriman. A man who had lost his role as an Elite floated before them, grey mana wings allowing for his flight.

“The hell?” Zayne muttered, obviously taken aback.

Eishirou, however, wasn’t entirely surprised. “He used to be an Elite until he lost his active mana and became a Passive,” he explained simply. “But it seems he still has some Elite skills.”

Despite five angry Elites levelling their weapons at him, Ahriman was unphased. He simply floated there; hands folded behind his back in a far too casual manner. He was soon joined by the high-ranking rebel, his presence causing Zayne and his teammates to grow more tense and suspicious.

Surprisingly, and thankfully, neither of the two men attempted to attack them.

“We underestimated this Passive,” the robed Rebel stated.

“Indeed,” Ahriman nodded, sounding surprisingly calm. “Well, the Spider God is dead now. That certainly happened a lot quicker than anticipated.”

“You’re taking this rather well,” Zayne pointed out, his voice brimming with suspicion.

Once again, Ahriman nodded his head idly. “Oh no, we’re absolutely furious,” he unexpectedly replied. “However, there will be other opportunities. I didn’t spend the last forty years as a professor for nothing. ShadowDwellers are quite fascinating, you could say.”

While the mask covered the entirety of the Rebel’s face, Eishirou knew that he was staring at him. Directly at him. “We will meet again, Passive.”

With those parting words, the two imposing and infuriating men then turned and flew away at great speed. Surprisingly agile and swift for their size and age.

“Leave them!” Ernesta ordered suddenly as Leon and Tatsu made the motion to follow. “We’re in no condition to pursue, let alone engage in a physical confrontation.”

That was unfortunately true. And while the Spider God had been defeated, they still had a lot of work to do.

“Anyway, let’s go, guys,” Zayne ordered as he began to descend toward the ground, through the groups of Elites as they started to gather, bewildered by what had happened. “It’s going to be a long night.”

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #young adult #gay romance #Mystery/Suspense #action #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 37) - Original Fiction

AN: Another somewhat long chapter. Hope you enjoy~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 37:

A warmth and a gentle beating heart greeted Eishirou as he awoke from a deep sleep. His eyes fluttered open to the sight of white and black jacket, and the symbol of Silverleaf Military Academy.

Dazed and a little bit bleary, he raised his head to look up toward Zayne, who in turn looked down at him gently. As his vision cleared, so did his clarity. Zayne had an arm wrapped around his, cradling him comfortably against his chest, while the other toyed idly with his holster.

“Hey,” Zayne greeted.

Eishirou felt that he was blushing as he recalled what had happened between them. But it also brought a smile to his lips.

They had kissed. He had actually kissed Zayne and the other kissed him in return. That should be somewhat awkward now, right? But it wasn’t. It didn’t feel the slightest bit awkward. It felt nice. It felt like a natural progression for them.

It felt normal.

Exciting. Something he wanted to happen again. But normal.

“Hey,” he returned. “How long was I asleep?”

“Not sure,” Zayne answered honestly. “A couple of hours probably.”

After a curious glance at their surroundings, Eishirou sighed and thumped his forehead against Zayne’s chest softly. They were surrounded by glowing mushrooms. They were still in their hiding spot.

They were still on the run.

“We’re still on Keeper’s Island,” he murmured. “What should we do?”

“We might have to keep moving,” Zayne suggested. “We should be able to use our communicators, however.”

Yeah, they had better keep moving. He was safe, but far from out of danger.

He could only hope that the others were safe and unharmed. He’d never forgive himself if they got seriously hurt. Or worse…

Eishirou forcibly shoved that thought to the back of his mind and pushed himself to his feet. Zayne soon followed and they both reached for their communicators. As he turned it on and the screen flickered into life, he waited with baited breath for the reception indicator to blink on.

But it didn’t.

“There’s no reception here,” Eishirou said around a disappointed sigh. “I can’t get a message through.”

“Damn it,” Zayne cursed. “Same here.”

Eishirou could only assume that his tablet would be the same. “What should we do now?”

Zayne glanced at the clock of his communicator. “It’s still early,” he replied and turned his attention to the cave around them. And narrowed in on the darken spot on the far side of the cavern that seemed to indicate that it led further in. “Let’s…see where this cave leads.”

“Alright,” Eishirou agreed and shoved his communicator back within his bag.

Heading back out into the forest wouldn’t be a good idea. Not yet. They hadn’t a clue where they were and needed the map on his tablet. But the light of the screen may draw unwanted attention.

Inside this cavern, however, he could use the map.

And, with luck, these tunnels and caverns may lead to something useful for their research. He needed to learn more about Keepers and the Red Lily before those Star Rebellion guys did. They must have found something if they were so determined to get to him.

Though, he had no idea why they would bother.

Eishirou pulled out his tablet, activated the mapping option, and dropped his night-vision goggles over his eyes. Zayne followed his example and readied his holster in his right hand, while the other sought out Eishirou’s hand. Pulling him to his side and keeping him close.

With Zayne walking a half step in front of him, Eishirou kept the screen of the tablet flat against his chest. Just so the light of the screen wouldn’t interfere with their night-vision. The map was critical for their swift escape, if needed.

“I’m getting a feeling of déjà vu,” Zayne admitted.

Honestly, Eishirou did, too. And it wasn’t just the fact that Zayne was holding his hand tightly as he led the way through the dark, silent tunnels. Their steps echoing, the sound resonating from the walls to give the illusion that there was more than just them in these darken halls.

After all, this exact situation happened during their first ever mission together.

Odd how things come full circle.

However, returning to his feeling deep feeling of déjà vu, he studied the stone walls around them, finding them to be unnaturally linear and smooth, and believed he found the reason why.

“Zayne, I think these caves are man-made. There are tool marks on the walls.”

Zayne paused in his steps to inspect the stone walls around them. “Like the ones in Flutterlight Forest?”

Eishirou nodded. “Yeah.”

He quickly pulled the tablet from his chest and took a few photographs for later reference. For when they finally return to the academy. And they would. All of them.

Slipping his hand into Zayne’s again, they continued to push forward in silence. As they moved forward, the black void beyond the range of their night-vision goggles remained the same, indicating that the tunnels reached far and deep.

How far have they walked? He could only hope it would eventually lead to an exit.

A dark, solid wall suddenly appeared before them. Eishirou winced, fearing that they may have reached a dead-end. Thankfully, it simply signified a sharp corner. And as they turned in the new direction, he noted that the terrain beneath their feet suddenly changed. From dry, dusty soil, to soft, padded moss.

Curious, Eishirou quickly turned his attention to the walls around them. Even through the night-vision goggles, he could see the paintings and etchings of ancient cave paintings. Stretching across the walls and along the side of the tunnels.

“Zayne, look; more cave paintings,” Eishirou pointed out, pulling the other to a stop. “They look just like the ones from Flutterlight Forest.”

Scorpions, centipedes; there was even the figure of that lizard-type ShadowDweller they had dealt with yesterday. The ShadowDweller upon these isles really were taking on the forms of ancient beliefs and myths. The ancients of these lands must have been particular close to the earth, and to mana.

Eishirou quickly slipped his tablet into his bag and reached out to brush his fingertips across the stone, just to get a feel whether there was any mana stored inside.

The second his fingers touched the stone, a recording slammed into him without any prompting, or any warning.

A spider. A spider creation.

Long, spindly legs. Eyes that were somehow darker than the pitch-black void of its body. Long fangs, perpetually exposed, reared back, dripping in a noxious green liquid. Poison. A vile negative mana-based poison. Emitting a mist of pain.

It’s body…it was made from bones. They looked like bones. But black in colour. Pitch-black. Darker than he had ever seen. So unnatural. But so…limitless.

The mere sight of it was breath stealing. Life stealing in a way.

A red light glowed from the stomach of the spider. A stomach that was in the form of a ribcage and nothing more. Within that ribcage, trapped like a prison, was a swirling ball of mana.

That mana didn’t belong to it. He didn’t know how he knew that. He just knew that it didn’t belong.

It stole it.

Eishirou gave a strangled cry of fear as the recording abruptly ended. He jumped back and unconsciously clung onto Zayne as the remnants of the recording, and that feeling of pure malice, slowly dissipated.

“What?” Zayne immediately asked him as he wrapped his arms around him and pulled him protectively against his chest.

“S-sorry,” Eishirou stuttered, feeling himself shake in Zayne’s strong arms. “I just...received a sudden recording.”

Zayne glanced briefly at the cave painting. “What did you see?”

Eishirou had to take a moment to gather his thoughts enough to sound somewhat coherent. “I’m not sure. A spider. But it looked skeletal. A-and its body, that back part. God, I can’t remember what it’s called. Where the body should be was this…ribcage structure and there was this…red swirling orb thing. Like mana.”

“You’re terrified,” Zayne frowned, concern heavy in his voice.

“Ah, yeah.” Eishirou tried to muster a shaky smile, but failed when he abruptly remembered the pure malice that radiated from the creature. From the recording itself. “It felt menacing.”

Zayne kept an arm around Eishirou’s shoulders in a manner that was both protective and comforting. “Let’s keep going.”

Eishirou curled close to Zayne and allowed him to take the lead as they continued down their unknown path. A path that suddenly ascended, forming into a set of stairs carved into the stone.

He exchanged a look with Zayne before they nodded and pushed forward, hastening their steps while still remaining cautious.

A dim glow appeared in the distance. A glow that began brighten with each step. The light was similar to that of the mushrooms they had encountered previous. Yet, from the brightness, they were in a much grander scale.

Soon, they reached the top of the stairs. And what they saw was breathtaking.

A large, cavernous chamber stretched out before them. Luminescent mushrooms lined the walls in batches, acting as natural torches, bathing the large chamber in a gentle, almost otherworldly glow. Lining the dried, collapsed mud huts, sprouting between broken pathways and stone bridges. However, it was the tall, flat stones arranged into pillars and monuments that emitted an ethereal feeling.

A temple. A city. Or a village. A place where people once lived.

“It’s…the temple from the recording,” Eishirou murmured in awe as he slowly detached himself from Zayne’s embrace. However, he kept a firm hold of his hand as they stepped out cautiously into the large chamber.

While it didn’t appear exactly like he had during the recording as it had become old and weary with age. But the setting, the way the pillars and runestones were presented, it looked the same.

“Zayne, there’s something important here,” he stated as he turned to face Zayne. “Another relic, I think. If the recording I viewed was right.”

“This relic is important to the Red Lily?” Zayne asked and Eishirou nodded. “Alright. Stay close and let’s see what we can find.”

Eishirou gave Zayne a thankful smile before quickly pulling him further into the chamber.

There were numerous runestones jutting up from the ground or leaning in precarious positions scattered throughout the cavern. He couldn’t possibly draw recordings from them all. It would be far too much for him to handle. He needed to be thorough, but selective.

The ones with words etched into the stone would have to be subjects for photographs. He could use the technology back at home to enhance the words, making them easier to read.

The large murals were his first priority.

“I need to document these stones,” he said as he reached a grouping of symbol covered runestones. “I don’t know if I’ll get another chance.”

Zayne nodded his head in agreement as he survey the area with a more protective and critical gaze. “You’re right. It’s amazing that this place still exists. There’s no sign of caves in. Not recent ones. But let’s tread carefully, nonetheless.”

Eishirou hadn’t taken that into consideration and glanced nervously at the rocky ceiling above.

He soon decided that he had no more time to waste and swiftly returned to the task at hand. He pulled out his tablet, grateful that the energy source was reliable, and quickly set to the task of taking photos. He tried not to pay any attention to the subjects of his photos. He just needed to take the photo and move on. Any and all inspections would occur later.

However, as he approached a tall runestone, he found himself staring at the mosaic created from small fragments of coloured stones, forming a portrait.

“A new mural,” he murmured. “I don’t know who this is…”

Chest bare, short hair with feathers. The body paint gave the implication that they, a man by appearance, were a powerful warrior. Around his neck hung a large spiralling pendant, white in colour. Perched on his shoulders was an eagle. Wings at their full span, head turned to the side, again indicating that the one they rest upon was a worthy warrior. A being of strength and integrity.

And his eyes were a vibrant blue.

“His eyes…?”

“What about them?” Zayne asked.

Eishirou leaned forward ever so slightly to get a better view of the mural. “I think I’ve seen them somewhere before. I just can’t put my finger on where.”

Slipping his tablet back into his bag, Eishirou stepped closer to the mural. He knew that he didn’t have much time to spare, but there was something with this mosaic that draw him in.

Carefully, he raised his hand to allow his fingertips to brush against the stone. Thankfully, the sensation he received was not one of negativity like that of his last (unwelcomed) reading.

“There’s still some mana here. I might be able to view another recording.”

Taking on his usual stance, Eishirou placed both hands against the runestone and closed his eyes.

Images soon began to flicker through his mind. The images were in motion, yet fleeting. Like edited video snapshots.

A forest of greenery and shadows. A well-trod path. A person moving with agility and speed.

They were never in full view. He only caught glimpses of them. A bare shoulder. A marking covered arm. A determined footstep. A heavy amulet swinging in time of the steps. Sharp blue eyes narrowed in determination.

The purposeful strides of someone important. And powerful.

Walk with integrity.

Walk with courage.

Walk with truth.

Walk with trust.

And most importantly; never stop walking.

The voice of someone masculine resounded in his head. A voice that was firm and strong. Yet held no sense of intimidation or ego. They were the words of a teacher or a mentor. Someone with wise knowledge they wished to share.

The recording ended soon after the words made their impact on him. He kept his eyes closed for a moment longer as he dropped his arms to his sides.

“They’re…they’re the symbol of a Warrior Spirit,” he said. “I’m not entirely sure what that means. But I feel there’s more information of them. Somewhere. Maybe here.”

He opened his eyes and glanced around the mighty chamber once more. With all the runestones and paintings surrounding the entirety of the cavern, he felt out of his depth. Information could be stored on any of these stones. And he hadn’t the faintest idea where to start.

Even if he had time to probably research.

“There are a lot of runestones here. Any idea why?” Zayne asked him.

“I can only assume that this place is like an archive of sorts,” Eishirou answered back honestly.

Any of them could hold information on the Red Lily. Or information on Keepers. Or they could hold information on subjects that have absolutely no relation to his research.

The discovery of this chamber was an absolutely amazing find. Too bad he couldn’t enjoy it. And its discovery was marred by the fact that he might not get the chance to return. Not if those Star Rebellion guys had any say in it.

“Look over there,” Zayne suddenly said, pointing to something behind Eishirou.

Eishirou turned and immediately knew which of runestones had caught his attention. It was another mural.

And it held a familiar figure; white hair cascading over his shoulders, reaching beyond the edges of the mural. A face of serenity, a gentle smile with eyes softly closed was central to the painting. Yet, it was bright, flawless white orb set in the top of the figure’s head that drew his attention.

It was a spiritual symbol. Though, he wasn’t entirely sure what it was trying to convey to him.

“It’s of the Sentinel Being again,” Eishirou murmured as he moved to stand before the mural. “He was a Keeper, you know. I think he was the creator of the Red Lily.”

“This is the third mural that we know of,” Zayne added. “He must have been someone incredibly important.”

Eishirou could only nod his head. Very important indeed. Yet, he hadn’t a name for him. He was known simply as Sentinel Being to him. It felt so…informal. Especially after Eishirou’s encounters with him.

He really wished he knew his name.

Maybe he could find out?

As he raised his hands to rest against the ancient mural, he was immediately struck with a feeling of benevolence from the stone. And yet, there was a blockage. A mental blockage preventing him from reaching the mana just beyond.

He was so close. He couldn’t become fatigued now. He knew that this recording might be able to help him. He just knew it.

He just needed to push a little bit more…

“Hng,” Eishirou murmured before he dropped his head forward and sighed. “I can’t. I don’t have the energy to.”

Zayne was suddenly behind him. One arm around his middle to press his back against his chest as he reached out his hand, and pressed his palm against the back of his hand. His fingers slipped in-between his, allowing for him to interlocked their hands together.

“Here,” he said simply as he rested his chin upon Eishirou’s shoulder.

Eishirou stilled, staring at their interlocked hands. “What?”

“Take my energy,” he whispered to him. “Let me see what you see.”

The warmth of Zayne’s hand against his was comforting. He could feel his support, his understanding, his desire to help him. It was so potent, so strong, so reassuring.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on the feel of Zayne’s hand against his, reaching out into the mural. The blockage he had encountered before seemed to have disappeared. Or they had pushed beyond it.

A figure in white, hair trailing down his back, soon appeared. The Sentinel Being sat in front of a campfire. surrounded by the shadows of a forest at night. His deep brown eyes were half-lidded. His lips curled into a serene smile.

“You’ve come a long way,” he stated, his voice filled with satisfaction and pride. “And this world of manifestation will reward you well.”

He motioned to his left, to where a tall runestone suddenly stood. Upon it, a painting. Not a portrait, not a mural. But a sacred painting of importance.

“Allow sacred knowledge and unlimited power to flow through you. Embrace your roles within this world.”

The recording ended on the Sentinel Being offering a small smile.

Eishirou opened his eyes when he heard Zayne utter a gasp against his ear and tightened his arm around him.

“That…” he murmured, seemingly speechless.

Eishirou turned his head to the side to look at him. “Did you see it, too?”

Zayne nodded. “Y-yeah. Is that what you see whenever you do a viewing.”

“More or less,” Eishirou replied before he fell into a thoughtful silence. “If the recording is still relevant, then…”

“There’s another mural around here somewhere,” Zayne finished for him.

“Right,” Eishirou smiled. “A white hand print before a spiral galaxy.”

Zayne kept an arm around Eishirou’s waist and they both turned to search the chamber for anything remotely similar to the one in their shared vision. It thankfully didn’t take Zayne long to find what they’re looking for.

“There,” he said simply as he slipped his arm from around Eishirou to clasp his hand in his.

As Zayne pulled him along, Eishirou soon located what caught Zayne’s attention and felt a flutter of excitement appear in his chest. A runestone, perched up high on a landing, and set before a steep set of stairs.

How they had not seen it the moment they stepped into the chamber; he didn’t know. But it didn’t matter.

Hand in hand, they raced up the stairs and stood before the tall runestone.

The backdrop of the painting was a unique vivid blue. Like that of the sky on a cloudless night.

The white hand print that was centre of the painting was a bright, flawless white. The painting itself had to be at least ten-thousand years old. Yet, the colours upon the stone looked so fresh, so vivid; as if it had been painted just hours ago.

But he knew that wasn’t possible. The stone was prehistoric. The mana radiating from the stone was ancient.

“We needed to find this,” Eishirou said, slightly breathless. “Now, we need to figure out why.”

With Zayne’s hand clasped in his left, he reached out with his right hand to touch the ancient mosaic. There were stores of mana concealed inside. Yet, they were the kind of residual energy he encountered with recordings. It was something else.

Something somewhat…familiar.

It was…a lock of sorts. Like the one he had encountered at the watch tower, yet different somehow.

“Careful,” Zayne couldn’t help but caution him, concern in his voice.

Eishirou nodded his head and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

He then reached up and placed his hand flat against the white palm print of the painting. Tiny streams of mana, bright white in colour, suddenly raced out from under his hand. He instinctively pulled his hand back and allowed Zayne to wrap his arms around him, pulling him back to a safe distance.

The white mana raced across the surface of the runestone, forming patterns and symbols he could vaguely make out.

Suddenly, stones at the bottom of the runestone began to crack and crumble away. Zayne tightened his arms around him further, ready to pull them both to safety should the runestone itself topple forward.

But it didn’t.

Instead, the crumbling stone revealed a small enclave hidden behind the painting. And in that small opening was a pedestal.

Which held a golden object.

A wristlet.

“This…” Eishirou breathed as he cautiously stepped forward.

“Another relic?”

Eishirou nodded his head. “Yes. And it’s connected to the Red Lily. I saw this in another recording. The Sentinel Being was using it in battle. And there was another. His Spirit Warrior, I think.”

He moved cautiously, yet held no fear as he reached out and cupped his hands around the relic. And carefully lifted it up from its altar. He felt a familiar warmth radiate from the wristlet. A feeling he had felt when he encountered the Red Lily for the very first time.

“Zayne, with this, I may be able to learn how to activate the Red Lily,” Eishirou stated as he turned around to face him, smiling excitedly up at him. “And I’ll need your help.”

“Right,” Zayne agreed, fully accepting of the idea. His expression soon turned pensive and offered him a half grin. “But first; let’s get off this island.”

Eishirou couldn’t agree more!

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #young adult #Adventure #mystery #gay romance #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 45) - Original Fiction

AN: Well, got this chapter finished sooner than expected. That’s probably because I got a nose bleed in the middle of the night and had to stay up and awake to ensure I don’t accidentally snort up my own blood :’D Good times, good times. Anyway, after this chapter, there will be two left. I’d like to reach 50 chapters, but this fic is already about 150k long, so I think it’s time to end it.

Now, please enjoy reading and let me know if I should continue it in some manner~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

-

Chapter 45:

Eishirou tightened his arms around Zayne’s neck and pulled himself closer to him to seek comfort. The air felt stale, oppressive somehow. Suffocating.

And it was entirely the fault of the Spider God.

Eight legs with four joints, the parts made in the shape of human thigh bones. Two ribcages made up the body, one in the form of a normal ribcage, but the other was cracked open violently, the fragments broken and jagged. And it housed a swirling ball of mana, a menacing red in colour.

The orb within the ribcage was small, but that was only the beginning. It would grow in size the more mana that it stole. And it was likely the body of the ShadowDweller itself would also grow in size along with its strength.

The most striking, rather disturbing feature was the human skull that acted at the creature’s head.

Jaw dislocated, a mouth filled with jagged fangs of eccentric shapes and sizes, white in colour and almost glistening. And the eye sockets were empty voids, darker than anything ever seen before.

It…it was hideous.

And completely unfazed by the attacks levelled at it by the followers of Star Rebellion.

Zayne instinctively pulled Eishirou closer as his teammates moved in, forming a protective circle around them. “What the hell is that thing?”

“It’s called a Spider God,” Eishirou wearily explained. “It absorbs mana. It steals it.”

“Can I assume fighting it will be difficult?” Ernesta asked, though from the tone if her voice she already knew the answer.

“Especially here,” Takis quipped. “We have to get out of here first.”

Zayne flared his mana wings and crouched down in preparation for take-off. “Hold tight and keep your head down.”

With a simple nod in response, Eishirou curled closer and pressed his face against the crook of Zayne’s neck. Soon afterwards, he felt the near weightlessness of flight, the wind of forward movement tussling his hair. It was reassuring, honestly.

As was the breath of fresh air when Zayne and the others made their way outside.

Lifting his face from Zayne’s neck to instead rest his chin on his shoulder, Eishirou looked at the sight behind them.

To say it wasn’t pretty would be an understatement.

The place he had been taken to appeared to have been under the historian wing of the academy. Not that there was much left of the structure. The four-story building had been levelled to one, somehow. And the debris field was quite large, effecting other nearby buildings. Shattered windows, walls partly caved in or gone completely.

And a giant blast crater in the ground.

It really was an underground laboratory.

And that ShadowDweller, the Spider God was responsible for the damage. Which it did by simply manifesting into their world.

What kind of terror was it truly capable of?

Eishirou had to look away. “Zayne, it’s-”

“I know,” Zayne interrupted, his eyes hard as he stared forward. “We’ll find a way to defat it.”

He hoped so. But…it won’t be easy.

“Takis!” Leon called out to their new Elite companion. “You’ve been undercover the entire time?”

“Not that I have much of a choice,” Takis responded. “Mikiel, he’s ok?”

“He’s alive.”

“Good.”

A high-pitched whistle cut through the air which prompted the Elites to slow their pace and look down at the ground. The noise was familiar to Eishirou. He had heard that loud, ear-splitting whistle numerous times before.

It was from Jacob.

“Over here!”

Zayne immediately began to descend toward the group, his fellow Elites doing the same. Eishirou lifted his head from Zayne’s shoulder.

Jacob stood before the infirmary wing. Where Medics and Passives were running in and out of the building, preparing for triage while simultaneously preparing for a possible attack from the ShadowDweller.

The building itself was an evacuation point. One of two. The other was, of course, the Communications Sector. The underground laboratory of Ahriman’s was a surprise, but Eishirou knew of the rooms below the infirmary wing. They were mainly used for storage, but they are also bunkers and shelters, created in preparation for a ShadowDweller attack.

Like today, for example.

Eishirou knew the building was fortified. He just hoped it was enough.

Zayne reached the ground first, positioning himself in front of Jacob. While it was clear that he didn’t want to release his hold on Eishirou, didn’t want to let him go let alone let him out of his sight, he knew he had.

So, he carefully placed Eishirou to his feet. And allowed Jacob to fuss over him.

“Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“I’m…ok,” Eishirou replied. “Just a little dizzy.”

Jacob placed his hands on Eishirou’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. “What did they do?”

Before he could reply, a loud explosion interrupted. It prompted the Elites to whip around in anticipation and Jacob to pull him into a shielding, protective hold. Eishirou, however, could only wince. He didn’t turn around to search for the source of that explosion. He already knew what it was. What was responsible.

He could feel it.

The Spider God decided to make its volatile entrance.

“Used me to summon that thing,” Eishirou mumbled as he finally turned around.

And immediately wished he hadn’t.

The Spider God had grown significantly larger since he had last laid eyes on it. About the size of two helicopters now. Its size was likely due to the attacks that the members of Star Rebellion levelled at it in an attempt to defeat it. And take the mana it held.

Its long, bony legs moved slowly as it ambled out of the ruins of Ahriman’s secret laboratory. One leg at a time. Spindly feet slamming into the ground, uncaring of what was beneath it. Buildings, trees, people; it didn’t matter.

If that thing got any bigger, it could easily destroy the entire campus.

“Fan out! Don’t let that thing near the infirmary!” Sigmund’s voice was heard over the sound of the distance rumbling.

Eishirou raised his gaze in time to witness Sigmund in flight with his Elite students behind him. He couldn’t even begin to count how many there were. Well over a hundred. A fraction of Sigmund’s students. There appear to be a few veterans, too.

Including Zayne’s father.

“Professor!” Takis called out as the large group of Elites landed several feet away, purposely placing themselves between the infirmary and the monstrous ShadowDweller.

“Hm, I was wondering where you’ve been,” Sigmund unexpectedly replied as he darted over to their group. “What’s the situation?”

Takis straightened his posture. “It absorbs mana. The Star Rebellion believes that the one who defeats it will gain all the mana that it manages to steal.”

Sigmund frowned, clearly not remotely pleased. “I see. That complicates matters significantly.”

That was bit of an understatement, honestly.

Ernesta took a step forward. “Professor, we can’t let this thing escape campus.”

“I know,” Sigmund returned sharply. “We have no other choice.”

He suddenly flared his wings and took off into the air. He flew over the top of the masses of Elites and paused in front of them. To regard them.

“Elites! Prepare for battle!” he commanded, his tone firm and powerful. “Protect all that you can!”

“Why should we?” Someone suddenly snapped back, indignation in their voice. “Why should I risk my life for a bunch of useless Passives?”

Sigmund sharply focused his stoic gaze in their direction. His expression barely changed, but the look in his eyes was fierce. “Listen closely, brat; The more Passives this thing attacks, the stronger it will be. And Passives are also medics and caretakers. Passives cook your food, make your weapons, give you purpose. You’ve all been training for this. This is what Elites are born to do.”

He reached into his jacket to pull out a mana holster. With a flick of his wrist, he manifested a broad mana blade, a dark orange in colour. The motion was emphasised by another loud explosion from the ShadowDweller behind him.

“Now, steel yourselves; this is a battle we can’t afford to lose!”

“Yes, sir!”

As Sigmund turned to lead the charge, his students took to the air to follow him. All Elites were to throw themselves into this potentially deadly and unwinnable battle. Including Team 3.

Including Zayne.

“Zayne, wait…” Eishirou murmured as he pulled himself out of Jacob’s arms and stumbled over to Zayne.

He immediately turned around and gathered Eishirou up into his arms, holding him tightly. “Stay here,” he said as he threaded his fingers through his hair. “I’ll be back, I promise.”

“Don’t…don’t take the mana,” Eishirou pleaded, grasping the back of his jacket tightly. “It’ll hurt you.”

He didn’t know why he said that, but he felt it to be true. Maybe it was the feeling he felt during the recording. Maybe he had subconsciously knew what that Spider God was capable of. It didn’t matter.

“I don’t want it. I don’t need it.” Zayne reluctantly pulled back, removing his arms from around Eishirou. He, however, only took a half step back and placed his hands on either side of Eishirou’s face. To look at him directly, deep into his eyes. “I have you, after all.”

A lump of emotion lodged itself into Eishirou’s throat and tears threatened to pool in his eyes. He stubbornly pushed both aside to instead focus his attention upon Zayne once more. “Please, be careful.”

Zayne nodded his head firmly. “I will.”

He then dropped his hands, turned on his heel, and with a flourish of his wings he took off into the air. To join his fellow Elites.

Eishirou was content to stay frozen to the spot, to watch fearfully from a distance, but Jacob wrapped a firm arm around his shoulders as the other grabbed onto his hand. A stance to help guide him into the infirmary, allowing for Eishirou to lean against him for support should he need it.

“Let’s get you somewhere safe,” he said. His voice was both firm, but gentle with a sense of understanding.

Eishirou was reluctant to tears his gaze from the menacing form of the Spider God. “…Is this my fault?”

“No.”

The firm response from Jacob allowed Eishirou to finally shift his gaze and he moved with Jacob’s assistance toward the safety of the infirmary. “The others?” he asked. “Misaki, Slyvia, Irwin and Jalen…are they ok?”

“They’re fine,” Jacob replied as he hurried him through the throngs of frantic Passives. “Jalen is going to be fine. He’s resting in infirmary. The entire campus is on lockdown.”

That was no surprise. If that thing got any bigger, the entire city would need to go into lockdown.

He did feel an intense sense of relief to know that the others who had to endure that hostage situation were safe. It was from that relief that Eishirou fell silent, perhaps even into a state of shock. So, he moved along silently, dutifully allowing Jacob to lead him further into the infirmary wing and through the paths that led to the underground rooms.

Passives continued to rush about in haste, shouting questions and answers to each other, sending commands and suggestions. But Eishirou didn’t truly register any of it.

He felt so tired all of a sudden. From relief? Stress? Or had adrenaline finally worn off?

After a few minutes, Jacob guided Eishirou into a side room. There were cots already made up with a few beds already taken.

Jacob helped Eishirou to sit down onto a cot in the corner of the room. He then crouched down in front of him, his hands gripping his arms.

“Now, stay here, ok?” he said, his voice parentally stern, as if he was speaking to a child. “I’ll be right back. Don’t get involved. Just wait.”

Eishirou instinctively nodded his head.

However, as Jacob stood to his feet and hurried out of the room in search for something, Eishirou stared at the floor in front of him.

Wait? Could he really be able to do that? Sit and wait?

There was nothing but pure maliciousness from that Spider God. It had power of its own, but it lusted for more. It steals mana from others, from other living things purely out of greed. He didn’t trust it, any of it. Should someone attempt to take that mana as their own…

…He couldn’t stay in the infirmary with so much going on. He had to go back. He had to get back out there.

He had to find Zayne.

Jumping to his feet, Eishirou tugged his hoodie closer as he slipped out of the room. He kept his head down as he pushed through the swarms of busy Passives. They ignored him for the most part as they were too caught up in their own tasks.

Eishirou wasn’t sure where he was going, where he needed to be. He just wanted to be somewhere he could see what was going on.

He soon found himself in a completely empty pedestrian bridge linking two sectors. A covered bridge with large, clear windows. And from those windows he could see into the main courtyard of the campus. Where the battle against the Spider God was taking place.

Eishirou stood before a window and idly rested his hand against the glass.

The view just beyond the window was so…devastating that it felt unreal. The once immaculate gardens and parkways were torn up and smouldering. Classrooms and study halls were damaged, striped back to the main support structures.

In the middle of it all was the Spider God.

Elites surrounded the creature, though they appeared to be nothing more than flies to it. Their attacks had no effect. None at all. In fact, it was only fuelling the power and strength of the ShadowDweller.

It…it had grown so much in such a short time.

The ShadowDweller’s jaw suddenly, and grotesquely unhinged further as a small orb of mana appeared amongst its teeth. The orb was a deep, dark red. Like that of blood.

And it was steadily growing in size.

Before Eishirou could comprehend what the ShadowDweller was trying to do, the ball of mana shot out of its mouth like a bullet or rocket, aimed toward a group of airborne Elites that were about a hundred feet away from where Eishirou stood.

They abruptly scattered, allowing the mana orb to fly pass unhindered.

It then hit the building to the right of where Eishirou stood.

And exploded.

Eishirou instinctively threw himself back, dropped down to his knees and covered his head. A flash of light followed by an invisible rush of energy and an ear-piercing noise immediately shattered the windows. And caused the walls around him to tremble, dislodging dust and fragments of mortar and stone. And he felt those small pieces of stone and glass to rain down around him.

What was he doing? He was being reckless. Irrational. So unlike himself. He was placing himself in dangerous needlessly. He was worrying others. Worrying Jacob. He was a nuisance. He knew it.

But he wanted to be with Zayne.

That was all he wanted…

“It appears that it also absorbs the mana of Elites.”

“Indeed. Interesting.”

Eishirou snapped his head up. Voices. Two of them. One normal, masculine. The other metallic and distorted. He recognised those voices.

Though smoke began to bellow from the building in front of him, Eishirou still pushed himself to his feet and moved toward the sources of the voices. He needn’t move far. Just a couple of feet and around a sharp corner. There, in front of a gaping hole in the side of the building, completely unbothered by the rubble and chaos, stood two figures.

Two unfortunately familiar figures.

“Remember our deal,” the man dressed in the robes of the Star Rebellion said to his companion.

“Yes, yes,” Ahriman replied dismissively, too busy staring at the increasingly desperate battle playing before him with interest. “We just need to wait for an Elite to destroy this ShadowDweller. When they consume the excess Mana, then we can transfer that power onto you. We might have to sacrifice an Elite or two, but in theory, it should work.”

…What?

A feeling of utter anger suddenly took hold of Eishirou and before he could reconsider, stepped out from his hiding spot and glared toward the two. “You…” he uttered lowly, almost breathless from sheer anger.

He was angry. He had the right to be angry.

Ahriman was momentarily surprised and immediately whipped around, likely expecting someone far more threatening. But once he saw it was just him, a mockingly cheerful smile appeared on his lips. “Ah, Eishirou. Enjoying the excitement?”

Eishirou ignored that question as he knew it was nothing more than bait. “That’s what you’re planning?” he accused instead. “You’re planning on someone like - no you are planning to use Zayne to defeat the Spider God and force him to endure the pain of excessive mana.”

“Very good, Eishirou!” Ahriman congratulated him; his tone sarcastically sincere. “You’re a sharp one.”

“That thing isn’t a normal ShadowDweller,” Eishirou said as he hastily pointed in the direction of the chaos.

Ahriman nodded his head far too idly and folded his hands behind his back. “Indeed, you are right. It’s more…chaotic, I suppose you can say. Not as wild as the ShadowDwellers found out within the wilderness, but far more ravenous. To be expected, since I created it. In a sense.”

No, Eishirou was unfortunately the one to create it. Entirely against his will.

“By causing suffering in others?”

“By causing suffering in others,” Ahriman repeated, his lips in a twisted smile. “That’s what ShadowDwellers are, after. Negativity. Manifested negativity.”

But…that thing was created centuries ago, right? It existed since the times of the Red Lily. Such a powerful creature…what could have happened to the earth that created such a monstrosity?

Eishirou shook his head. No, none of that mattered at the moment.

“You know, Eishirou,” Ahriman started as he slowly began to approach him. “Elanora wasn’t exactly truthful when she said that the previous civilisation knew nothing of mana or ShadowDwellers. In fact, some governments knew quite a lot about ShadowDwellers. If you think about it, having the control over such creatures would make their armies practically invincible.”

Armies…?

“They wanted to use them as weapons?”

Ahriman granted him a wide grin. A somehow excited and proud grin. Completely deranged. “Indeed! The populace at the time were unaware of such creatures. For the most part. There were some individuals who believed, who knew better. They called ShadowDwellers by many different names, however. Mothman, Big Foot, Dogman, Shadow People, Cryptids. Not exactly creative, true. But those who believed were considered outcasts and conspiracy theorists.”

He shrugged dramatically, yet carelessly. “Nutjobs, basically.”

Eishirou clenched his hands into fists when he felt himself tremble. “That’s what you want to do, isn’t it? Either grant unlimited power to an Elite. Or find a way to control ShadowDwellers.”

Ahriman pulled his arms back from behind him to give him a slow, clearly patronizing and antagonising clap. “Nothing gets past you, does it? I must admit, while I loathe Passives, you’re quite intriguing.”

That wasn’t at all even remotely flattering.

“I could care less what you think,” Eishirou snapped. “You won’t use Zayne. Or this Spider God. I won’t let you.”

Ahriman chortled loudly at the silent high-ranked Rebel behind him dismissively turned his attention to the battle for the academy, neither man remotely impressed with him.

“Oh? And what are you going to do?” Ahriman had asked that provokingly. Daring him to try something. Anything.

What was he going to do? What could he do?

…The only thing someone like he could do.

What a Keeper could do.

Eishirou uncurled his hands and closed his eyes. He needed to centre himself. Breath in. And out. Focus. Focus his intent. Picture it within his mind. Why he wanted to stop this ShadowDweller, this Spider God. Why he needed to. Picture those he wanted to protect. Remember why they were important to him.

He understood everything now. He wasn’t ready before. He didn’t need to unleash the full power of the Red Lily before. He didn’t understand the true need, the true desire to wield such power before. He had no need.

But now, he was ready.

It was time for the Red Lily to fully awaken.

“Killara, Mullion, let’s go!”

Eishirou threw his arm into the air above his head just as a brilliant flash of white light illuminated the area.

He felt it immediately. The familiar, comforting weight of the relic against his wrist. The warmth of its presence. The reassuring strength of its power. The red glow from the Red Lily was far different to the menacing red of the Spider God. It was warm, comforting. Gentle and loving. Everything that the Spider God wasn’t.

"The power is yours to use,” a familiar voice resounded within his mind. “Wield it how you see fit."

Oh, he was going to.

Eishirou slowly opened his eyes and lowered his arm. He then crossed his right arm over his chest, situating the powerful relic in front of him. All fear and doubt left him. He knew what he had do to now.

He would protect everyone. No matter what.

“That’s-!” Ahriman spluttered as he took a step back.

“That’s right,” Eishirou said as the vivid red jewels of the relic shone with a gentle warmth. “And this is how I’m going to end this.”

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #young adult #Adventure #Mystery/Suspense #gay romance #action #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 40) - Original Fiction

AN: Hope you enjoy reading~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

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Chapter 40:

It was just about twenty minutes after the end of the impromptu meeting when Eishirou finally returned to his room with Zayne. He had the catheter removed from his hand, thankfully. Other than a stern warning to get some rest and to return to the infirmary for a check-up tomorrow morning, he was free.

Walking into the familiarity of his room, with the curtains drawn, things where he had left them, and his bed waiting for him was such a relief. The tension he didn’t realise he was carrying in his shoulders abruptly lifted. And he felt exhausted.

He had never been so happy to see his bed. The pillows, the blankets. He couldn’t wait to collapse on it and get some sleep. But he couldn’t do that just yet. He needed a shower first. He was fairly certain that he was starting to stink.

However, as he dropped his bag haphazardly to the floor and heard the door slid shut, he felt Zayne suddenly take him by the elbow. The grip was firm, but not painful. Almost needy in a way.

Eishirou naturally turned toward Zayne, curious as to why he wordlessly wanted his attention. Zayne didn’t utter a word as he abruptly pulled him into his arms, turned his chin up and kissed him suddenly, but gently.

After a moment of surprise, Eishirou’s eyes slipped closed and he willingly fell against Zayne, and wrapped his arms around his neck. He pressed himself against him further, his lips parting to allow Zayne’s tongue to seek his. He felt the warmth flood his body as Zayne’s hand slid along his back to rest on the back of his head, his fingers entangling within his hair. The touch prompted Eishirou to tilt his head ever-so slightly to the side, allowing for Zayne to bring them even closer.

It was so easy to simply feel and react. The kiss was slow and tender, yet there was a subtle sense of desperation. As Zayne was holding him tightly to remind himself that he was there, unharmed and alive. And in his arms. There for him to hold. And only for him to hold.

How long they had simply indulged in each other, Eishirou wasn’t sure. But he could feel himself beginning to grow drowsy. Not from boredom; far from it. Exhaustion was beginning to win. And that was kinda annoying.

He had to turn his face away abruptly to yawn. He had tried to hold it back, but the stubborn thing wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“Sorry,” he said, his arms still around Zayne’s neck. “Exhaustion has finally caught up to me good and proper. I really need a shower.”

“Go ahead,” Zayne returned as he reluctantly loosened his hold on him. He turned to glance around the room, seemingly searching for something. “I’ll pace the room and secure the perimeter. I don’t think I’ll be getting rest anytime soon.”

Eishirou wished there was something he could say that would help ease Zayne’s unease, but he understood his need to be vigilant. “Alright,” he said instead as he slipped out of Zayne’s arms.

He gathered some clean clothes and ducked into their bathroom. He closed the door, but left it unlocked. While he hoped it never happened, there was a possibility that there would be another ShadowDweller lockdown. Being stuck, butt-naked, in the bathroom was the last place he wanted to be. The possibility of a lockdown was unlikely, but after everything he had recently been through, he was understandably skittish.

Turning on the shower, he slipped out of his dirty clothes and stepped under the stream of water. It felt beyond amazing to allow the warm, fresh water to simply flow over him. It felt so relaxing that he was in honest danger of actually falling asleep standing up.

So, he washed himself quickly, moving on autopilot. After he completed his bathing ritual, he shut off the water and stepped out. He dried himself quickly, and towel dried his hair. He should probably put his wet hair under the drier for a moment, but he honestly couldn’t be bothered. He simply left his hair damp and slipped on his clothes.

As he stepped out of the bathroom, he found Zayne sat on the end of his bed. His elbows rested on his knees, his shoulders hunched, as he stared at the curtain covered windows. He appeared deep in thought, likely running the past few day’s events over in his mind.

Eishirou tossed the wet towel into the hamper and moved to sit on the bed next to Zayne. “Are you alright?”

Zayne nodded. “Yeah. Just thinking over things.”

“Is there something else causing you concern?”

Zayne didn’t immediately reply, though he did furrow his brow ever-so slightly. “There’s something about that Ahriman guy that makes my protective instincts bristle,” he unexpectedly stated. “He’s far too interested in ShadowDwellers. Almost seems excited in them.”

Eishirou had to take a moment to consider Zayne’s protectiveness and to think back on the professor that raised said protectiveness. “I don’t have your protective instincts, but he did make me feel uncomfortable,” he confessed. “I’ve hadn’t dealt with him before, so I don’t know what he’s like. Though, some researchers can be a bit…eccentric.”

Especially to outsiders.

“Be cautious around him, anyway.” That was both a suggestion and a plea.

“For you, I’ll try,” Eishirou immediately promised. He then tapped at Zayne’s shoulder with his knuckles. “Go on, have a shower. We can talk more on this later.”

“Alright,” Zayne said. He suddenly leaned forward to plant a chaste kiss to Eishirou’s lips, leaving him surprised as he took to his feet.

Eishirou watched with a smile (probably an airy and goofy one) as Zayne picked out a set of clothes and slipped into the bathroom. The door shut and a mere moment later, the water was heard.

He sluggishly slid off Zayne’s bed and onto his feet. He wandered over to his own bed, pulled back the covers, and slipped in. His bed felt softer than he remembered. Incredibly comfortable. He scooted to rest on his side, his back pressed against the wall next to his bed.

While exhausted, he found himself thinking back to the times he and Zayne had kissed. The first time, the second time, and the third time. All tender, all needy, and all consensual. And all felt natural. Thrilling, of course. They made butterflies appear in his stomach. But the progress from friends to boyfriends was smooth and natural.

It honestly felt as if it should have happened sooner.

A thought did occur to him; should he tell anyone? Should he announce it? He honestly didn’t really see the point. He might speak with Jacob about it later, though the guy would likely take the opportunity to either act ignorant or tease the life out of him. Both, probably.

Eishirou lifted his head to readjust his pillow. As tired as he was, he couldn’t quite settle. Something was missing.

When he heard the door to the bathroom open, he realised that maybe it was rather someone who was missing?

“Hey, Zayne?”

Zayne tossed his damp towel aside. “Hm?”

“Lie with me,” Eishirou requested shyly. “I feel better when you’re close by.”

Zayne turned to look over at him. He didn’t say anything. Instead, he walked over to him and slipped onto the bed next to him. Without prompting, he wrapped his arms around Eishirou and pulled him toward him.

As Eishirou settled against Zayne’s chest and felt the warmth of this arms around him, he soon realised that this was exactly what he was missing. Something he had been missing for a long time, though he never realised it before.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Eishirou murmured sleepily. “We’ve only known each other for a few weeks.”

Zayne idly lifted a blanket and draped it over Eishirou. “Yeah.”

Eishirou eyes drooped closed, sleep finally beginning to set in. “But it feels like I’ve known you forever. I guess there are some people you just click with, regardless.”

“Hm.” Zayne’s lips brushed against his forehead, mouthing a few words that Eishirou couldn’t hear. But he felt their meaning, and as he finally drifted off to sleep, he did so with a small smile.

… … … … … …

The pace within the infirmary was slow and casual that morning as Eishirou visited Neriah’s office for his morning check-up. He honestly wasn’t exactly looking forward for his check-up. His main concern was being put on IV fluids again. The back of his hand still hurt, with a bruise all of its’ own.

After a few moments of silent inspection, Neriah leaned back into his chair. “You’re still showing signs of Mana Depletion, but your exhaustion has improved. And your previous bruises have faded. Though, your shoulder is still tense.” He glanced down at his medical chart. And a frown tugged at his lips. “And your body mass index…”

Eishirou smothered a grimace. He knew exactly where the conversation was heading.

Neriah peered at him over the rim of his glasses. “You do know that it wouldn’t hurt you to gain some weight?”

Eishirou frowned, though it likely came out as a disgruntled pout. “Don’t start skinny shaming me. I do eat.” He turned to look over his shoulder, to Zayne who, of course, accompanied him. “Don’t I?”

Zayne dutifully nodded his head. “Not as much as me, though.”

“If I ate as much as you, I’d be massive,” Eishirou swiftly retorted, earning a half smirk from Zayne.

“Elites have always been hearty eaters,” Neriah added, idly tapping his fingers against his desk. “Speaking of Elites, there’s another one here.”

Eishirou blinked. “There is?”

“He’s been here often,” Neriah continued as he swivelled his chair to the centre of his desk and toward his computer. “Just waiting by the side of the Elite in IC.”

“Oh.” Eishirou immediately knew who he was talking about.

It was Leon.

“He’s a polite one,” Neriah continued. “So, I don’t mind. Don’t get many Elite visitors here.”

Eishirou turned his head to the side to share a quick look with Zayne before he turned his attention back to the professor. Neriah made a few notes in Eishirou’s records before he proceeded to give him the usual lecture of taking it easy and making sure he got enough to eat and enough sleep.

It was something Eishirou had heard many, many times before. To the point where he could mouth along. He didn’t, of course. He simply nodded his head at the appropriate times and waited until he was done.

After a few drawn out moments, Neriah was finally done and issued Eishirou to be on his way. With a stern “take care of yourself” for good measure.

Zayne seemed relieved to be finally be on their way, practically dragging Eishirou toward the door. Understandable, really. Neriah could be such a chiding prattler at the best of times.

They didn’t leave the infirmary building, however. Instead, Eishirou wordlessly led the way to the Intensive Care Unit. It was an open unit, eight individual beds placed in one area. Before a nurses’ station and surrounded by clear, never to be obstructed unless a doctor was present, windows.

Only one bed was currently occupied. And it was by that bed that both he and Zayne saw a familiar figure. He stood by the bed, shoulders tensed and back rigid. Appearing as those he had just popped in for a quick visit and would leave soon.

Eishirou gave the nursing staff a quick wave of his hand to indicate they were just visiting and led the way into the unit.

Leon didn’t notice their approach. He just stared down at the unmoving form of the patient on the bed. On his face, his expression was stoic, but his eyes were soft. Solemn in a way. Lost in thought, perhaps.

“Hey,” Zayne called out in greeting.

Leon snapped his head up, his shoulders tensing from mild surprise as he turned to look toward them. “Hey. What are you two doing here?”

“Just a check-up for exhaustion,” Eishirou answered as he and Zayne walked to stand by the foot of the bed.

A flicker of realisation appeared in Leon’s eyes. “You doing alright?”

Eishirou offered him a small smile. “Yeah, healing nicely. How long have you been here?”

Leon turned his gaze back toward the bed, his eyes immediately softening as they fell upon the face of his fellow Elite. “Ah, a few minutes, I think. Just curious to see how he’s doing and all that.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself, you know,” Zayne interjected.

A small smile made its way onto Leon’s lips. “Right, sorry.”

Eishirou moved to the other side of the bed, where a chair was found, and took a seat. Zayne chose to stay where he was, at the foot of the bed and the closest to the door. Likely a guarding stance, should anything untoward were to occur from that opening.

Next to where Eishirou sat was Mikiel’s medical chart, so he picked it up to give it a once over. Hoping for some news that might offer Leon some comfort.

Heart monitor, nasal oxygen, IV fluids; Mikiel looked a sight. Potentially terrifying to anyone without medical knowledge. The oxygen was just a precaution, along with the heart monitor, and the IV fluid was to ensure his blood pressure remained in the normal range. Despite appearances, he was in a relatively good state. His wounds have mostly healed; stitches removed and fractured bones well on the mend.

“He looks peaceful,” Leon commented quietly.

“Hm,” Eishirou nodded as he flipped through the records. “He’s not in any pain. He’s recovering well.”

Though, the reason for his coma was still unidentified. The likely cause was that of shock or trauma. A bit of both, even.

He set the medical records aside and took a moment to study the Elite that stood still on the other side of the bed. Leon’s eyes were downcast, his jaw pinched tightly shut. Something had brought him to the bedside of Mikiel. And Eishirou got the feeling he knew what.

“Did you learn the names of those who…?”

Leon closed his eyes and nodded his head just once. “Yeah. They were of a team who were sent to the island in search for the first missing team.”

Eishirou winced in empathy. “I’m sorry.”

“It happens,” Leon quickly returned, trying hard to sound dismissive. “Elites are trained to accept that.”

Despite his efforts, a frown appeared on Eishirou’s lips and he felt a surge of…irritation? Or maybe he was simply anger at the sheer dismissiveness that Elites were meant to hold for one another. For themselves.

“They’ll still be missed by someone,” he insisted. “As you would be.”

Leon didn’t reply at first. Simply stared down at the bed, eye half-lidded and expression unreadable. “…Would I?”

The anger Eishirou felt before faded into an empathetic sadness. “Your teammates would miss you. I would, too.”

Leon’s eyes flickered over in Eishirou’s direction for a fraction of a moment before they returned to Mikiel. But for the fleeting moment, Eishirou saw pained confusion in his eyes. Baffled by his compassion?

“I can’t help but try to keep an eye out on other Elites, you know?” Leon suddenly said. “Not that I’m supposed to and all that.”

Eishirou shook his head. “Nothing wrong with showing concern and compassion for another.”

Silence fell over them quickly after that. Zayne stayed by the foot of the bed, seemingly content to let Eishirou speak with Leon. Perhaps he knew that Leon would be in need of some comforting words?

“Hgn…”

A low, pained groan suddenly broke the silence, causing the three occupants to immediately snap their attention over toward the bed. Or more specifically, toward the occupant of said bed.

Mikiel’s brow was furrowed, his face twisted into a look of discomfort. His hands moved, tugging at the blankets draped over him.

Eishirou immediately stood up from his seat and moved closer to the bed, Leon doing the same from the other side.

“He’s waking up?” Leon murmured, hope etching its way into his voice.

“I think so,” Eishirou replied. “Keep talking to him. He might respond better to a familiar voice.”

“I’ll go get Neriah,” Zayne announced before he turned on his heel and raced out of the room.

Eishirou leaned over the bed and placed a hand on Mikiel’s chest to inspect as well as to comfort. He felt Mikiel’s heartrate increase as he fought for consciousness.

“Mikiel, can you hear me?” Leon asked as he leaned over the bed, also.

Responding to Leon’s voice, Mikiel’s head rolled to his side of the bed. The furrow of his brow deepened before eventually smoothing out. His eyes began to flutter, desperately trying to open.

It was agonising to wait for Mikiel to open his eyes, but Eishirou himself knew how difficult it could be. All he and Leon could do was to gently encourage him to keeping trying to open his eyes, and that he was safe to do so.

Eventually, Mikiel’s eyes flickered open. Blearily and dazed, he stared up at Leon for the longest moment. He shakily licked his dry lips and swallowed thickly. “Where…?”

“Easy,” Eishirou said gently. “You’re in the infirmary. You’re safe now.”

Mikiel slowly lolled his head to Eishirou’s side of the bed. He squinted deeply as he looked up at him. “You…?”

Just as Eishirou wondered if he recognised him from their brief chat while in Flutterlight Forest, Zayne returned with Neriah in tow. Eishirou dutifully stepped away from the bed to allow Neriah to take his place. He wanted Leon to stay close, however, as his presence might bring some form of comfort for Mikiel.

Wordlessly, Eishirou moved to stand with Zayne at the foot of the bed. He immediately pressed himself against Zayne’s side as Zayne wrapped an arm around his shoulders. They shared a brief look before returning their attention to what was unfolding in front of them.

Leon had a hold of Mikiel’s hand while Neriah busied himself with checking vitals and ensuring Mikiel was comfortable. He began to ask specific questions to Mikiel, hoping to engage his discomfort as well as his coherency.

Mikiel ignored Neriah’s questioning, however, and turned his head to peer up at Leon. Almost appearing desperate. “Where’s… Takis?”

“Takis?” Leon repeated in confusion. Realisation soon fell across his features and struggled momentarily with his response. “He’s…not here at the moment. What happened? Who did this?”

“Where’s the rest of the team?” Whether Mikiel understood the answer or was simply ignoring it, he seemed intent on learning the whereabouts of his teammates.

Leon shook his grimly. “We don’t know.”

“They’re not here?”

“No.”

Mikiel unexpectedly sunk into the bed, a breath of what could only be described as relief passing his lips. “Good.”

Leon was startled by Mikiel’s reaction, a sense of panicking appearing in his eyes when the Elite fell limp on the bed. His expression unexpectedly darkened as he tightened his grip on Mikiel’s hand. “Why? Was it your teammates? They attacked you?”

Eishirou felt his breath leave him and Zayne’s arm immediately tightened around his shoulders. He…wasn’t all that surprised, however. He immediately thought back to his first encounter with Mikiel, how he was under his medical care. And how he had murmured something similar.

He was right. Those wounds weren’t from a ShadowDweller. But from an Elite.

His own teammates.

Mikiel slowly nodded his head, his eyelids growing heavy. “Not Takis. I…told him…to leave.”

“Why?” Leon pressed. “Why would they attack you?”

Mikiel was steadily losing the battle to keep his eyes open. “…Star Rebellion…”

His head suddenly lolled to the side and his hand in Leon’s fell limp.

“H-hey!” Leon called out, startled.

“He’s exhausted,” Neriah quickly interjected, reaching out to clamp a hand on Leon’s arm. “Leon, he needs more rest. He’s fine. Really. I’ll take it from here.”

The stern but reassuring tone of Neriah’s voice seemed to snap Leon out of his worry. His training soon kicked in and he plastered a look of stoicism onto his features. “Sure,” he said simply as he lowered Mikiel’s hand onto the bed gently and stepped away.

Eishirou pushed aside his own nausea from what they had just learn to reach out to offer Leon some comfort. “I know you want more information, but it’s too soon.”

“I know,” Leon sighed and ran a hand roughly through his hair. “I just…”

Yeah. Mikiel wasn’t in the best coherent state, but what he said and how determined he sounded could not be ignored. His injuries were from his fellow Elites. Those injuries would have killed him if Team 3 hadn’t found him when they did.

And the mentioning of Star Rebellion…were they members of that cult? Was attacking one of their own some form of initiation? Why attack their own so brutally? Did Mikiel know more of their ties to the cult and needed to be silenced?

So many questions.

“We have to tell someone about this,” Eishirou stated quietly.

“Yeah…” Leon murmured as his gaze drifted over to Mikiel again. “Could…could you not put this in a report just yet?”

Neriah lifted his head from the form he was completing to peer over the rim of his glasses toward Leon. “Hm?”

“It’s just…this can’t get out just yet,” Leon explained. “Elite students joining Star Rebellion? Attacking their own? I’m pretty sure you can predict what would happen.”

Zayne muttered a curse under his breath before he sighed. “He’s right. And we’ve got one Elite still missing. Takis. He could be in danger for all we know.”

Neriah took a moment to consider the facts before a tight frown appeared on his lips. “Yes, this is a predicament. I’ll keep his file under private for now. If someone is using our files to their advantage, then changing it to private may raise suspicion. Altering it will cause other concerns.”

“What of other medics who will have access to his files, though?” Eishirou asked.

“I’ll keep it under a password,” Neriah quickly replied. “If anyone attempts to look into it without my permission, I will know.”

That sounded reasonable. And it was enough to sedate some of Leon’s concerns.

“I’ll speak to Sigmund about this,” he said firmly as he turned on his heel and headed toward the door.

“What of Mikiel?” Zayne suddenly asked, immediately pulling Leon to a stop. “He might need a bodyguard. If his teammates find out he’s alive, let alone awake and talking, they might do something desperate.”

The muscles in Leon’s back and shoulders immediately tensed. “…That’s true.”

The state that Mikiel was in…there was no way he would be able to fight back. If they were vile enough to brazenly attack him and leave him for dead, they’d definitely try to invade the infirmary to finish the job.

…He hoped Takis was ok and managed to get away.

“Go to Sigmund for now,” Zayne instructed. “We’ll stay here. If any of those Star Rebel bastards try to sneak in here, whether they’re ex-students or not, I will beat the living shit out of them.”

“I’ll make sure he remains comfortable,” Eishirou added.

Wordlessly, Leon turned toward the two of them to grant them with a grateful nod. He turned back around and hurried out of the Intensive Care Unit. Speaking with Sigmund face to face was their only option for news as explosive at this.

With Neriah still watching over Mikiel, Eishirou turned toward Zayne and gave him a worried look. “Zayne…those Star Rebels on Keeper’s Isle. You think…?”

“Yeah,” Zayne murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as he stared at nothing in particular. “It was definitely them.”

Eishirou couldn’t prevent a shiver from racing down his spine and he sought comfort in Zayne’s arms. The situation was far more dangerous than anyone had realized. The only Elites Eishirou could rightfully trust were Team 3. And even then, their lives were in danger. More so than his. Those Star Rebels wanted him, alive, for some reason. That piece of courtesy was unlikely to extent toward other Elites.

He needed to find a way to awaken the Red Lily.

And he needed to find it fast.

#young adult #original fiction #Mystery/Suspense #Adventure #gay romance #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 36) - Original Fiction

AN: Now this was a fun chapter to write :3c You’ll soon learn why. Enjoy!

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 36:

There was no light on inside the tent as Eishirou crouched down beside his cot. He couldn’t stop his hands from trembling from both fear and adrenaline as he fumbled with his bag. His belongs and research were secure inside, along with anything that he might need. Though, he wasn’t sure of exactly what it was that he would need.

He never had to be smuggled out of a campsite in the middle of the night before.

“Can you silence your tablet?” Zayne asked him quietly as he crouched down next to him. He suddenly shook his head, rejecting his request before proposing another one. “No, turn it off. We can’t afford to have the light from the screen expose our position.”

Eishirou grabbed his tablet and with a simple click of the button, turned off its power. “R-right.”

He moved to shove it into his bag, somewhere safe, when Zayne reached out to slip a hand behind the back of his neck. Gently, he pulled him toward him and rested his forehead against his. A gentle touch that he had done multiple times before. But something that still brought Eishirou a sense of comfort.

“It’ll be ok,” Zayne promised as he looked fearlessly into his eyes. “Just do what I say and I will protect you.”

Eishirou truly believed that, so simply nodded his head in understanding.

The soft sound of someone approaching the tent prompted Zayne to quickly raise to his feet. He didn’t reach for his weapons, however. Instead, he looked over to the nylon entrance of the tent and watched as none other than Rinka slipped silently inside.

She wore a pair of eyewear that Eishirou hadn’t seen before. He surmised that it was a pair of night vision goggles or something similar. If they were sneaking him out, they couldn’t use flashlights, after all. And they needed to see in the dark.

“Ready?” she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Zayne answered with a single firm nod of his head as Eishirou shoved his tablet into his bag and quickly zipped it up tight. He pulled out his own pair of eyewear and slipped them on before he reached out to pull Eishirou to his feet. And then proceeded to slip an arm around his waist to pull him against his side. Eishirou barely managed to lift the bag strap over his head and onto his shoulder before he was guided to the back of the tent.

Only then did Eishirou note that there was a single tear in the nylon at the back of the tent. A simple slit, from middle of the wall down to the ground. Big enough for someone to slip through.

The make-shift exit was likely done by Zayne in preparation for their escape while Eishirou was still sleeping. It was an odd feeling knowing that a detailed plan of escape had been discussed while he had been sleeping. It made him wonder what else he had missed out on.

Not that it mattered currently.

Rinka slipped out the tent first, pausing just outside for a quick surveillance before she motioned for them to follow. Zayne momentarily removed his arm from around Eishirou to raise part of the nylon and gently, but forcibly push Eishirou through.

As he stepped outside, the night illuminated ever so faintly by the campfire, Rinka grabbed him by the arm. She motioned to her lips for him to remain silent before making another motion for him to stay down. To keep low to the ground and keep his head down.

He, of course, followed instructions without any questions.

He wasn’t about to ask what their plan of escape entailed. Demanding details would be so incredibly stupid. It had been worked out between the Elites. They were the key factors. They were doing what they were supposed to. It was Eishirou’s job to do what he was told, allow them to do their duty without any hinderance on his part, and trust that they would get him through the situation without harm.

Trust was definitely a huge factor in this situation. It was pitch black out beyond the boundary of the campsite.

Zayne soon stepped out of the tent and was immediately next to him. He soon slipped his arm around his waist again and pulled him to his side. Rinka released her hold on his arm and turned to look out into the woods that surrounded their campsite. She crouched down low before she silently, but quickly headed into the shadows of the mangrove trees.

With his arm secure around Eishirou’s waist, Zayne guided him to follow.

As they moved into the trees, Eishirou subconsciously grasped at the hand rested against his side as the other grasped at the strap of his bag. The illumination from the campfire soon faded and they were out in the pitch darkness.

He could barely see what was in front of him. Just glimpses of figures and trees from the corner of his eye. He could barely see Rinka a few feet in front of them.

They moved slowly along a narrow path. Stopping every few feet with Rinka darting forward, doing a quick surveillance, before signalling for Zayne to follow.

After what felt like twenty minutes, though was likely to be no more than ten, they reached an area that was on a berm. A soft glow off in the distance indicated that it overlooked the campsite below. However, the spot was hidden amongst the trees and shadows, and was likely chosen for that exact reason. There was also a slight mound of dirt and foliage, acting as a sort of trench for them to hide in if necessary.

Rinka reached the area first and promptly dropped down to the ground on her stomach. She then used her elbows to slowly crawl toward the peak of the mound. With her chin practically on the dirt, she peered over the brim of the dirt knoll.

Zayne kept Eishirou back with him as Rinka stayed still in her new location. Eventually, she raised her hand and made a short, brief motion with her fingers.

The simple movement prompted Zayne to push forward. He then turned to Eishirou and made a hand motion of his own, pointing to the ground. Eishriou assumed he was meant to follow Rinka’s example.

He twisted his bag to rest behind him before he dropped to his hands and knees, before dropping flat to the ground entirely. His shoulder ached in protest as he crawled his way toward the mound, but he was easily able to ignore it.

As he reached the point where he could peer over the brim of the mound, he stopped. Zayne then dropped to the ground, crawled his way right next to him, before he positioned himself so that he was lying half on top of him. His arm reached over him to rest on the ground next to his shoulder, and in his hand was his holster. His chin rested against the side of Eishirou’s head, not obstructing his sight, but positioned in such a way to shield him from prying eyes.

The warmth of his body was greatly reassuring. Though, he was sure that Zayne could feel his loudly beating heart.

Zayne lowered his head toward Eishirou’s ear to whisper quietly to him. “It’ll be ok,” he promised.

Eishirou gave another small nod of his head. He was scared, he wouldn’t deny that. But he wasn’t terrified.

He did freeze when he heard the soft, almost inaudible sound of approaching footsteps. Zayne’s non-reaction, however, indicated that there was no need for alarm. And, sure enough, one by one the other members of his team, along with his father, joined them in their new hide out.

Ernesta crouched down on the ground next to Rinka, while Leon took position next to Zayne. Cadmus and Tatsu took positions behind the thick, near impenetrable roots and limbs of the mangrove trees.

They had all positioned themselves to look out over their quickly evacuated campsite.

Eishirou couldn’t see anything at first. Just their campsite off in the distance. The campfire still burning. Everything was still.

And all remained still for a few prolonged, heart-pounding moments.

Yet, it was too still. He couldn’t hear the sound of the frogs croaking. There was no distinct sound of insects. No owls or birds. But the low rustling of leaves above their heads from a cool, gentle breeze.

It…wasn’t normal for nature to be so quiet.

Then…a movement just outside the illumination of the campfire. It was subtle. Like that of a shadow, and could be dismissed as just a figment of the crackling fire. And Eishirou would have done just that if another shadow hadn’t joined the first.

They were tall and humanoid in appearance. And they moved slowly, suspiciously cautious, around the boundary of the campsite.

Zayne noticed them, too, obviously. Likely to have seen them long before Eishirou did. He shifted closer to him, shielding him further as he pressed him against the cool but thankfully dry ground beneath them.

The two shadows suddenly became still, crouching down low. A motion that caused Zayne to tighten his grip around his holster.

The two figures then sprung into camp. Rushing past the campfire at such speed, they almost appeared like a blur. They were dark in colour, no bigger than a human.

However, by their sides were the manifestation of mana-blades of a deep grey colour.

It wasn’t a pair of ShadowDwellers.

No, it was worse.

“Just as I had figured; the Star Rebellion,” Cadmus murmured darkly as the two figures rushed into the tents without a pause, slicing at the nylon material without any hesitation.

“So, they’re the true reason you’re here,” Zayne remarked.

“…Yeah.”

They quickly fell silent again as they waited to see what would occur next in their campsite.

A few minutes later, the two attacking Star Rebellion followers exited the tents in what appeared to be in a rage. Angrily throwing back the nylon netting and flaps to stalk into the centre of camp. As they did, more figures appeared from the shadows around them, joining their comrades near the campfire.

There was about…six of them in total.

Six.

They had been there the entire time?

They formed a circle as they began to talk amongst themselves, their weapons still fully manifested by their sides. Over the slight rustling of the leaves, Eishirou could hear the murmuring of voices. Though, he couldn’t hear what was being said. Only the feeling that they were angry.

“Rinka, can you hear what they are saying?” Ernesta asked.

Rinka didn’t answer immediately. And when she did, she sounded hesitant. “...Yeah.”

“And?”

“They're looking for Eishirou.”

Eishirou’s breath hitched in his throat. After him? Why?

“I see,” Cadmus murmured without a hint of surprise in his voice. He shifted slightly in his spot, doing a quick surveillance of their area. And likely constructing their next move in his head. “Well then, we have little choice; Zayne, take Eishirou and leave.”

Zayne snapped his head in his father’s direction. “What?”

Even in the pitch darkness of night, Eishirou could see Cadmus peer sharply at Zayne from the corner of his eye. “You heard me. Eishirou's safety is our main concern and objective. Take him and find a place to seek refuge. The rest of us will deal with the Rebels.”

“Yes,” Ernesta quickly agreed. “Come daylight, make your way back to the landing pad. We will meet you there.”

“But-” Eishirou wanted to protest, though…he wasn’t sure what he could say.

Next to him, Rinka suddenly reached out with her hand to gently touch his shoulder. “It'll be ok,” she said softly, but with so much determination in just three words.

“Yeah,” Leon agreed from next to Zayne. “You don't need to see what we're going to do to these assholes.”

“We are Elites,” Ernesta stated. “It is our duty to protect you. And we will.”

Eishirou felt a lump of pure emotion hitch in his throat, and tears well in his eyes at the dedication of those around them. But he pushed that side, blinking back the tears and swallowing back his fear. “...Alright. Be careful.”

Zayne’s arm slipped down his back to rest a hand against his side. As they were about to push themselves up to make their escape, something was suddenly tossed toward him. Eishirou winced and immediately looked down. There, next to his hand was a pair of eyewear. Like that Zayne wore. He raised his head in the direction the glasses were likely thrown in. And was startled to find Tatsu in his line of sight.

He didn’t look back at him, however. His gaze focused on the sight below.

“I have a spare pair,” was all he said.

With Zayne urging him to move, all Eishirou could do was grabbed the eyewear and send one hopefully not last gaze over the others. He then turned away, and hastily slipped on his new goggles and allowed Zayne to guide him away.

As they moved slowly down the berm and onto a flat area, Zayne spent a moment to orientate himself before choosing a direction. He chose left, and a narrow path that led somewhere deeper into the swap of mangrove trees.

His new eyewear granted him some night vision. Nowhere near as clearly as he would during the day, but he did feel somewhat better now that he could see more than just darkness and shadows.

The instinct to pull out his tablet and check the map was strong, but he pushed it aside. The light from the screen would be a beacon in such darkness. The light of mana-weapons would also give away their location, even within the thick foliage and roots of the forest.

They moved past a large mangrove tree when Zayne came to a sudden stop. He raised his head and pivoted it back and forth in observation. He quickly narrowed in on one direction and frowned deeply.

Without a single word, Zayne pushed Eishirou toward the large mangrove tree that had small enclave within its rooting system. Eishirou slipped inside the opening first and pressed his back against the interior wall to allow Zayne to slip in with him. He crouched down onto his knees as Zayne quickly slipped his arm around him once more.

As Eishirou repositioned himself against Zayne’s chest, a noise caused him to still. A sound that made him realise why Zayne had reacted the way he did.

There was the sound of someone running.

And they were drawing closer.

For some reason, the sound of those hurried footsteps brought home the fact that they were actually after Eishirou. That a terrorist organisation was after him specifically.

How did they know? How did they know he would be on Keeper’s Island?

It just didn’t make any sense!

The pounding footsteps suddenly fell silent. Yet, Eishirou could sense that there was someone close by. As did Zayne. He shallowed his breathing and waited.

And the footsteps returned.

Boots of heavy-duty leather crunched against the twigs and leaves covered ground. Just a mere foot away from them.

Eishirou grasped at the front of Zayne’s jacket so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Zayne’s arm remained tightly around his back, keeping him pressed tightly against his chest. The grip was tight, almost making it difficult to breathe, but he was grateful for it nonetheless.

Even if that Star Rebel managed to snare a hold on him, there was no way he would be able to break him from Zayne’s grip.

Eishirou stopped breathing as a pair of boots could be seen. Just half a foot away. So close he could reach out and touch them.

They abruptly turned in their direction. Facing directly toward them.

The fear that Eishirou felt at that moment caused his heart to skip a painful beat.

Zayne held him tighter still, his chin against his forehead as he raised his mana-holster toward the opening of their hiding spot. His grip was tight, his hand unwavering. It would only take him mere milliseconds to manifest his weapon and attack.

The owner of those boots stood there for an uncomfortable amount of time. Seemingly waiting.

Then, one boot shuffled to the side, appearing as if the person was ready to sprint off in that direction.

After a few tense seconds, they did just that.

The loud, pounding footsteps moved away from them. Back in the direction they had came.

Even though the footsteps were heard moving away from them, neither of them dared to move just yet. They had no idea whether that person had missed seeing them, or if they had and were returning to alert their companions.

Either way, they were gone for now.

Zayne eased out first, moving slowly and cautiously, the grip on his holster not lessening for even a moment. He looked back and forth a few times before he turned and offered his hand toward Eishirou.

Without any hesitation, Eishirou grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull him out of their cramp hiding place. With his hand firmly gripping his, Zayne turned in the opposite direction of the footsteps and continued forward.

They moved silently, their surroundings barely changing. The paths were made of natural hollows, not a boardwalk in sight. They appeared to be within the forest area of the swamp as they hadn’t encountered a single pool of water. Which was a good thing as the last thing they needed was to accidentally go for a swim.

Rounding a bend in the path, they suddenly found themselves faced with a fork in the road. And a dilemma as to which path to take.

“Great,” Zayne muttered under his breath as his head swivelled back and forth between their options. “Which way?”

Eishirou took a moment to catch his breath and observed the area. He soon noted a strange little stone structure in the middle of the fork in the path. It was a smoothly rounded stone with a symbol of a triangle etched into it.

It…looked like an ancient marker. Maybe…

Eishirou pulled Zayne toward it before releasing his hand and dropping down to his knees. “Maybe this can tell us,” he said as he brushed aside the leaves and twigs.

As he did so, he felt mana dwelling within.

He placed his hands flat against the marker and closed his eyes. Unlike his previous viewings, he held the intent, plea really, for the marker to show him the way. To lead him and Zayne to a place of safety.

Mana flowed through the stone and into him, presenting him with an image of the very same fork in the path. But it was daylight in the viewing. And the being who stood at the crossroads was the white-haired sentinel being he was learning to know so well.

The Sentinel being looked over his shoulder, seemingly directly at Eishirou himself, and offered a small smile. He then turned to face ahead and moved down a path.

…The left path.

The vision quickly faded, leaving Eishirou with a subtle light-headedness. He soon pushed himself to his feet, however.

“We need to go left,” he instructed as he reached out to take Zayne’s hand again, he being the one to pull him forward this time.

“Where does that lead?” Zayne asked, rightfully so.

But Eishirou shook his head and answered honestly. “I don’t know.”

With no other option, they moved down the left path.

The path was narrow, covered fully in a thick canopy of leaves and vines. The ground was soft, silencing their footsteps. Even so, they moved cautiously. Eishirou stayed close to Zayne’s side as the other continuously inspected their surroundings for even the slightest hint of danger.

There was something…sheltering about the path they were on. At least to Eishirou it was.

They walked in silence for what felt like ten to twenty minutes when they rounded a bend and found themselves at a natural dead-end.

Or so it appeared at first sight.

A mangrove tree had grown out from the side of the sheer cliff. The exposed roots spiralled down to the ground, creating a sort of natural archway to a crevasse seen within the cliff face.

Eishirou shared a look with Zayne, silently questioning whether it would be wise for them to seek shelter within that mysterious opening. Wordlessly, they agreed. It wasn’t as if they had many options.

It likely led further in. Probably into an underground grotto or cavern. Or even a hollow made from mangrove roots. Somewhere they could take shelter for a while. Hopefully until sunrise.

Zayne inched his way in first. He paused just inside, however, and as Eishirou looked around him, he noticed why. There was a sliver of light seen further in. The light never flickered, however, nor did it fade or move.

Could it be a natural source of light?

Zayne tightened his grip on Eishirou’s hand as he guided him inside the hollow with him. Just beyond the archway of mangrove roots, the path surprisingly opened up. Into what could only be described as a man-made tunnel.

The two of them shared another look before wordlessly pressing forward toward the faint glow in the distance. And it soon became clear what that source of light was.

Luminescent mushrooms.

Like the ones they had discovered in the underground tunnels of the Flutterlight Forest. The colours, hues of green, blue, and pink were quite beautiful. And comforting in a way.

“We should be safe here,” Zayne decided as they moved into the centre of the room. A patch of ground where no mushrooms grew. “For now.”

Eishirou nodded his head and breathed a shaky sigh of relief. “Ok.”

The weight of everything that had happened, not just today, not just in the last few hours, but the last few days, fell heavily on his shoulders. And he felt tears of exhaustion and frustration, and guilt, well in his eyes.

It was no time to be emotional. He knew that.

But being in an unknown cave, surrounded by only the lights of glowing fungi in the dead of night after being smuggled out of camp because of a terrorist organisation was not a place he imagined he would be.

Alone with Zayne was something he didn’t mind. But not after they were forcibly separated from the others in a desperate attempt to keep him safe.

Everything that happened was his fault, wasn’t it?

“Zayne? Is this my fault?”

Zayne immediately turned around to face him. “No.”

“I’ve caused you a lot of trouble.”

“No, you haven’t,” Zayne stated, his voice firm but his touch soft as he reached out to take Eishirou’s hand in his.

Eishirou shook his head in protest. “But-”

Zayne silenced him by suddenly grasping him by the upper arms and pulling him closer to him.

“Just listen,” he ordered gently as he looked straight into his eyes. “This isn’t just a mission. You’re not just a mission to me. It’s more than that. I’ve always held a resentment for being born an Elite. These skills are powerful, but are limited. I was born to fight. And that’s what I did. But only because I was told to. I had no reason, no purpose. Until I met you. With you, because of you, I’m grateful for these skills. I get to protect you. Keep you safe.”

Eishirou felt himself draw in a sharp intake of air as his heart fluttered in his chest. A feeling of excitement, anticipation, and pure warmth washed over him as Zayne leaned his head toward his, to gently rest his forehead against his.

Though a touch he had done many times before, there was something profoundly tender and intimate from the contact now.

“I know this isn’t the best time, but I have to tell you,” Zayne continued as he lifted a hand to push aside his goggles. “I was drawn to you the moment I met you. I didn’t know why back then. But I get it now. Eishirou; you’re beautiful. I must have done something right to bring you into my life.”

He…?

He really…?

Eishirou’s vision blurred as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He squeezed his eyes shut and frantically pushed himself against Zayne’s chest, his arms slipping around him to grasp desperately at the back of his jacket.

He understood it all now, too.

He was in love with him.

“Me, too,” he murmured as he buried his face against Zayne’s shoulder, more tears welling behind his lashes as Zayne wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders and threaded his fingers through his har. “I can’t imagine my life without you by my side. I can’t stand the thought.”

“I know,” Zayne whispered into his ear as he raked his fingers through his hair gently.

How long Zayne had wanted to tell him that, Eishirou didn’t know. And standing in his arms, it didn’t matter.

"I should have kissed you back on that beach," Zayne suddenly murmured.

Eishirou’s eyes widen at Zayne’s confession and he drew in a sharp intake of air. However, his expression soon softened and he lifted his head up from Zayne’s shoulder. To look up at the taller man.

He reached up with his hand to push aside Zayne’s goggles. Zayne’s purple eyes were more intense under the glow of the luminescent mushrooms of their surroundings.

"You can now."

The hand in Eishirou’s hair slid down to rest against the curve of his neck. Zayne gently trailed his thumb against the skin of Eishirou’s cheek, prompting him to lean into his hand.

As he did so, Zayne pulled him toward him as he lowered his face toward his. Eishirou’s eyes slid close on their own accord when he felt Zayne’s warm breath against his lips. The heated caress drew a small gasp from him and he parted his lips in anticipation.

He hadn’t realised that he had been missing something from his life. Hadn’t realised that he had been longing for something. For someone.

Not until Zayne kissed him did he realise just what he wanted, what he needed.

He had never felt this way before. No one had ever piqued his interest, his attention, his need like Zayne did. He had no idea what he was doing. But he knew what it meant. It was thrilling, exciting, scary, intimidating all at once.

The feeling of Zayne’s lips against his, moving slowly, tenderly. All he could think about was Zayne himself. Nothing else seemed to matter.

Eventually, yet too soon, Zayne drew out one last caress before he pulled back. Eishirou stayed still for a moment, his eyes shut, his lips warm and parted. He slowly opened his eyes to find Zayne gazing down at him with such warmth in his gaze.

It was…almost too good to be true.

“You should try to get some rest,” Zayne suggested as he brushed the pad of his thumb against his cheek. “I’ll watch over you.”

Eishirou could only nod his head and allow Zayne to guide him to a place where he could rest.

Finding a place within the gently glowing mushrooms, Zayne sat with his back against the side of the cave wall. He pulled Eishirou down to the ground with him, settling him between his legs and cradling him against his chest. Eishirou nestled his head under Zayne’s chin and gripped at the front of his jacket with his hand.

And with Zayne’s arms around him, he fell asleep, comforted by the fact that he was not only safe, but cared for.

#original fiction #young adult #sci-fi fantasy #gay romance #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 43) - Original Fiction

AN: Wishing a Merry Christmas to all my lovely readers~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

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Chapter 43:

Eishirou idly tested his communicator for reception as he huddled under a computer desk with Misaki and Lyvia. It was a fruitless venture, however; there was no reception. Everything went into lockdown.

He hadn’t had the, ah, “pleasure” of enduring a Lockdown in Communications before. He hadn’t realised how loud the humming of computers were until everything had been shut off. Nor did he expect it to be so…dark. Yet, the red emergency lights were on, only adding to the ominous atmosphere.

In a way, he was glad that Misaki and Lyvia were with him. It would be painful to suffering such a thing alone. But another part of him wished they weren’t, wished they were somewhere else, somewhere safe.

However, as one small consolation, he had managed to inform Zayne of the lockdown just before communications were shut off. He wasn’t sure if his warning about a ShadowDweller being detected was heard, but he knew enough. And with his teammates being with him at the time, Eishirou was sure that they would be making their way over to Communications as soon as possible.

All Eishirou and everyone else had to do was to wait.

Waiting wasn’t easy, though. It was just too silent. The kind of silence where one could hear their blood pumping in their ears. So quiet that if someone sniffed, it echoed, causing everyone to tense.

Eishirou had been through a few lockdowns in his time, but they never got any easier.

What was most troubling about this particular lockdown was Jalen’s reaction.

He stayed upright in his seat at his desk. His chin rested in the palm of his hand as he leaned against the armrest of his chair. His face creased in deep contemplativeness. He didn’t look nervous or uneasy. He didn’t even look annoyed by the disruption.

He looked…suspicious.

“Something’s not right,” he suddenly muttered.

Eishirou had to admit that something felt…off. It was a little strange how Zayne was called for an emergency ShadowDweller attack, only to encounter one of them. And then a lockdown of the communications shortly after Eishirou arrived.

He didn’t want to sound paranoid, and it was likely just the result of the stress he had been through recently, but it did feel that someone had purposely separated them.

“Shh,” Irwin suddenly hushed from where he crouched near the stairs, overlooking the far too quiet and dark communications centre. “The doors are about to be opened.”

Eishirou was mildly confused by Irwin’s observations, wondering how he would know that when the sound of the doors being forced open abruptly caused him to wince and slink back. He felt Lyvia and Misaki shuffle closer to him wordlessly, seeking comforting in their combined presences.

“Shit,” Irwin muttered under his breath as he slowly moved away from the stairs, to instead press his back against the wall located close by. “It’s a ShadowDweller alright.”

Upon hearing the word ShadowDweller, Jalen slowly slid from his chair to the floor. He then motioned for Eishirou and the others to seek refuge behind his desk with him. Naturally, Eishirou and Misaki prompted Lyvia to go first, to shuffle across the floor as quietly as possible.

She soon reached him and she turned to motion for one of them to follow. Almost begging them, too.

However, Eishirou wasn’t ready to go into hiding just yet. He…he needed to have a look. To know what they were dealing with. And because…it somehow sounded familiar.

With his hands gripping the side of the computer station, Eishirou pulled himself to his feet. He wouldn’t chance standing up straight, however, and simply moved himself enough to peer over the edge of the Command Centre to the floor below.

He squinted through the darkness and soon caught sight of something dark slinking along the perimeter of the centre. Quick footsteps were heard as it scurried past one emergency light after the other. No other sound was heard, however. Just the scurrying of feet. No breathing. No snorting. Nothing.

When the red lighting reflected against oily-sheened skin did he finally recognise the shape. And he felt his heart skip a beat.

It…it was the lizard ShadowDweller from Keepers Isle!

How-? Why were they here?

Eishirou was suddenly yanked back down to the floor and he soon found himself face to face with Irwin. “Stay down,” he ordered.

“It’s from Keepers Isle.”

Surprisingly, Irwin nodded his head grimly. “I know.”

Eishirou tensed when he heard the sound of more footsteps. But they were different. They weren’t the scurrying sounds of a ShadowDweller. They were purposeful footsteps of several people.

Zayne?

Jalen suddenly reached toward his desk and slammed his fist on it. No, on a particular button. A bright beam of light suddenly flooded the centre. It was blinding at first, especially after sitting in the dark for so long. But the light was a single spotlight that lit up the numerous computer stations below.

Eishirou blinked at the bright light, but nevertheless turned to peer off the higher command deck once more. His hopes of Zayne’s timely arrival were abruptly dashed when figures dressed in long black and white robes and emotionless white masks stood in numerous positions around the centre.

All of them with their weapons manifested.

All of them with their attention toward the Command Deck.

And all of them ignoring the ShadowDweller that continued to pace silently behind them.

…How…?

A tall, broad-shouldered Rebel moved to stand directly beneath the spotlight. His robes and mask were different to the others. The masking had red markings on the forehead and beneath the eyes. And the robes were adorned with golden medals and badges.

They were obviously some important figure within the Star Rebellion. If not the leader themselves.

“The Passive known as Eishirou,” a loud, commanding voice boomed, undeniably masculine. “Give him to us. Now.”

Eishirou felt sick to his stomach. Almost wanting to vomit as he dropped to his knees behind a computer desk. Irwin automatically placed an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close to him.

“Don’t move. Don’t make a sound,” he whispered to him.

Eishirou covered his hand with his mouth and nodded.

Him? All of this was because they were after him?

Jalen rose from behind his desk and moved to stand at the peak of the Command Deck. He looked down at the floor below, his lips in a tight frown and his eyes narrowed fearlessly. “He’s not here.” His voice was cool and steady. Not a hint of fear or intimidation.

“Don’t lie to us,” the higher ranked Rebel retorted.

From where Eishirou hid, he couldn’t see what was happening below or around him. But he did hear the distinct sound of a mana-weapon shifting into manifestation. And he did see Jalen’s eyes narrow further and his body subtly tensed.

C-could the Rebel have aimed a weapon in the professor’s direction?

“Now now,” a new yet familiar voice suddenly chided. “No need for violence just yet. Keep that ShadowDweller under control.”

Eishirou snapped his head up, his eyes wide. That voice…

Jalen’s eyes suddenly became intense and his jaw clenched. “Professor Ahriman,” he spat out a greeting.

“Professor Jalen, good day,” Ahriman returned politely and infuriatingly causally.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m just looking for Eishirou. I require his assistance for a project.”

“You’re pretty confident that he is here.”

“I know he is here.”

Eishirou felt a wave of nausea once again. Professor Ahriman, a Passive, was working alongside the Star Rebellion?

Without warning, Misaki suddenly slid out from beneath the desk he was huddled beneath to stand tall next to Jalen. And before anyone could stop him, he blurted out; “It was you, wasn’t it? You’re the one who eavesdrop in communications, sending your little rebel minions to Keepers Isle? And you’re the one who altered the profiles of Elites, am I right?”

“And those minions are former students,” Jalen added for good measure.

Misaki’s accusation brought a tense silence before a low, quiet laugh was heard.

“…Hm. Very little gets pass you Chroniclers,” Ahriman stated far too casually. In fact, he almost sounded impressed.

So…it was him. He had been sabotaging the entire expedition. He was the one who sent those Star Rebels after him. It made sense. Only a professor of his standing would have ready access to all the private information of the project. And only he, a Passive, would be able to get his hands on such information without raising any suspicions.

Could he have been behind everything from the start?

A sharp intake of air from Jalen caused Eishirou to immediately snap his attention back to him. And he watched in abstract horror as Jalen suddenly did a half turn toward Misaki, throw his arms around him protectively before hurling them both to the floor. But not fast enough.

A spray of blood erupted from Jalen’s back as a small grey bolt of mana whizzed past, hitting the back of the Command Deck in a flurry of sparks. With Misaki still protectively clutched in his arms, Jalen hit the hard floor, blood splattering out onto anything close by.

He then fell limp, unmoving.

Lyvia barely smothered a scream as Misaki immediately pulled himself out from beneath the professor and crouched next to his side. He stuttered Jalen’s name as his hands frantically touched the professor’s back, searching for the cause for all of the blood.

Eishirou instinctively scurried forward. He had a med-kit in his bag. and he was a medic. He had to get to him. He had to help him.

“Stay down,” Irwin hissed to him, attempting to pull him back and shove him back beneath a desk to hide.

But Eishirou shook his head and managed to snare his shoulder bag. He immediately searched through the contents, feeling only a mild sense of relief when he snared the med-kit in his hands.

Just as he opened the kit, he heard Ahriman speak once more.

“Well,” he drawled. “Who’s next? Would another Passive like to experience the skills of an Elite firsthand?”

That wasn’t an idle threat. Eishirou shoved the med-kit toward Irwin and sprung to his feet. “Stop it! I’m right here!”

“Eishirou!” Irwin shouted in protest, but it was too late. Eishirou had already revealed himself. And Ahriman already had his eyes on him.

He looked just like their last meeting; dressed in a white laboratory coat, white hair slicked back into a short ponytail, beard well groomed and taken care off. And he looked comfortable as he stood next to the tall, important figure within the Star Rebellion.

“Ah, there you are, my boy,” Ahriman greeted, sounding far too casual in spite of circumstances. “Come along, Eishirou, we mustn’t waste time.”

Eishirou felt his stomach clenched from a feeling of betrayal. And fear when he realised that the Rebels were all focused in on his direction, too.

“He’s less impressive than I’ve been told,” the higher ranked Rebel said, cynicism heavy in his tone.

“Perhaps, but I assure you; he’s exactly what we need,” Ahriman went on to reassure, his tone of voice doing nothing to comfort Eishirou.

“Why are you doing this?” Eishirou asked, his throat tight. “What do you want with me?”

Ahriman, however, waved his hand dismissively. “All will be explained later. Now, I won’t ask again.” He turned and made a motion to the area behind him. “If I have to, this lovely specimen will have to get aggressive.”

Eishirou immediately shifted his gaze to the surprisingly unresponsive and placid ShadowDweller. And immediately grew suspicious. There were numerous Elites hovering around it, ensuring that should it suddenly attack, they would respond quickly.

But it didn’t look…normal.

“How are you able to control that ShadowDweller?”

Ahriman folded an arm behind his back as the other reached up to stroke his chin idly. “Control isn’t the most accurate term,” he unexpectedly began to answer his question. “I simply unleash them. It’s in their nature to hunt down sources of mana. More specifically, Passive sources of mana.”

So…it was true. ShadowDwellers were attracted to the presences of Passives.

“Now,” Ahriman suddenly chuckled and turned to face Eishirou directly. Despite the distance between them, he had caught Eishirou’s gaze and looked directly into his eyes. “If you were to ask how I manifested them, the answer is simple; most ShadowDwellers are the manifestations of suffering. Cause a little pain and fear in someone and, well, I’m sure you can imagine the rest.”

A fresh feeling of nausea settled in the pit of Eishirou’s stomach as Irwin was heard muttering a curse under his breath.

“…That’s what he’s been experimenting on?”

“As for these ShadowDwellers,” Ahriman continued unprompted. “I have to say it’s thanks to your discoveries.”

Eishirou’s breath hitched in his throat. “What-?”

He cut himself off when Ahriman reached into the pocket of his lab coat and pulled out a small specimen jar. As he rattled it, the distinct sound of small stones clinking against each other was heard.

Was…was that jar containing the small stone fragments he had discovered in the aftermath of a defeated ShadowDweller?

“These shards are quite intriguing,” Ahriman stated. “I had my newfound friends here gather some more. Reform them in the presence of some…suffering and voila! Instant ShadowDweller.”

Eishirou’s eyes widened and his legs felt weak. “You’re…you’re mad.”

He had…he had been experimenting on people? On students? And creating ShadowDwellers? Was he the one responsible for the numerous ShadowDweller sightings around Campus?

Wait…Mikiel mentioned a ShadowDweller to him during their first night in Flutterlight Forest. Had his own teammates attacked him in efforts of creating or summoning a ShadowDweller of their own?

Wh-what did Ahriman want with him? What did he want to do to him?

“We’ve wasted enough time,” the high ranked Rebel snapped impatiently. “Passive, either you come down from there willing, or we’ll unleash the ShadowDweller and come get you. Which is it?”

Those were his choices, huh? Simultaneously easy yet a difficult choice to make.

“If I agree, do you promise not to hurt anyone else?”

“Eishirou!” Several voices shouted in protest.

“Don’t.” Eishirou spun around to face those with him on the Command Deck. Misaki and Lyvia were crouched down by Jalen’s side, Misaki’s hands covered in blood and tears on Lyvia’s cheeks. Irwin had Jalen cradled in his arms, and the Communications professor was surprisingly awake. His face creased in pain, but he was conscious.

If…if he had to hand himself over to a terrorist group to ensure their safety, he would.

“Don’t do anything. Don’t try to stop me,” Eishirou continued. “They’ve wanted me from the beginning, though I don’t know why. It doesn’t matter. I won’t, I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me.”

“That bastard would never keep his promise,” Jalen hissed out through gritted teeth.

That was true. And likely. Ahriman could unleash that ShadowDweller the second he gave himself up. There was absolutely nothing keeping him from fulfilling that request. But Eishirou staying put and putting up resistance would guarantee the attack of the ShadowDweller.

“I know,” Eishirou admitted and shook his head sadly. “But, what choice do I have? I’ll…distract them for as long as I can. Tell Zayne everything.” He paused to look at everyone one by one.

Lyvia was crying softly, looking up at him with wide, fear-filled pink eyes. Misaki was pale, his hands covered in thick red blood as he tried to administer first aid to Jalen. Irwin’s jaw was clenched tightly, an expression of hopeless anger on his face. And Jalen was barely conscious now, his eyes half-lidded, and yet he, too, had an expression of frustrated uselessness.

It wasn’t fair. They shouldn’t have had to endure any of this.

“And, I’m sorry for all of this.”

Eishirou pooled together his courage and turned his back to his friends and professors. He looked down from the Command Deck and clenched his hands tightly into fists by his sides. “I’m coming down now.”

“Come down with your hands up,” the Rebel ordered.

Eishirou nodded his head as he raised his arms from his sides and took on the surrendering stance. He kept his movements slow and purposeful as to not trigger the fight instinct of the Rebels surroundings the room. As he descended the stairs and crossed the room, he felt eyes on him. From his fellow Passives. And he wondered briefly what they were thinking.

Were they scared for him? Relieved that he was handing himself over to the Rebels? Frustrated? Perhaps a mixture of many clashing emotions.

“Ah, that’s a good lad,” Ahriman said in pure satisfaction as Eishirou stopped before him, his arms still raised.

“What do you want with me?”

Ahriman scoffed. “Didn’t I answer that? I want your assistance on a project.”

He doubted that very much.

“Do you have the Red Lily, too?”

Once again, Ahriman scoffed. But this time it was dismissive and completely unexpected. “That old thing?”

Eishirou’s eyes widen. “Y-you’re not after the Red Lily?”

“No, my dear boy. It’s you.”

Then why-?!

“Restrain him,” the higher ranked Rebel ordered as Eishirou gaped openly at the traitorous professor.

Another Rebel immediately slipped behind him and roughly snared his right wrist. Eishirou winced from both the firm grip and the following twisting of his arm behind his back. With his right arm pinned, they reached for his left, giving it the same treatment, pinning the two wrists together by crossing one over the other. He swallowed back his fear when he felt something coarse wounded tightly around his wrists. Not tight enough to cut off circulation, but certainly preventing him from wiggling free.

As the Rebel began to wound tight rope around his arms and across his chest, Eishirou glared hatefully at Ahriman. “Zayne will come for me,” he stated as he idly, and fruitlessly, tugged at his bindings.

Ahriman gave him an unexpectedly amused smile and suddenly, and roughly, snared Eishirou’s chin in his hand. “He’s welcomed to try.”

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #Mystery/Suspense #action #young adult #gay romance #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 34) - Original Fiction

AN: Yup, still working on this. There should be about 47 chapters to this story, so got a few more chapters to go. Enjoy reading~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 34:

Eishirou found himself listening closely to the forest noises around them as he kept a close eye on his tablet. He could hear the sounds of frogs croaking and the buzzing of insects. He wondered briefly if there had been such noises during the time that ShadowDweller had been stalking them. In hindsight, he wished he had paid more attention.

Yet, he reasoned with himself that the usual sounds must have been present as no one other than Zayne had realised that they had been followed. And Zayne only really caught on because of what Eishirou had seen on his map.

Zayne’s own father, a veteran Elite, hadn’t noticed.

The ShadowDwellers within these mangrove trees were quite…unusual was probably the right word.

The creature Team 3 faced off against was a large lizard in appearance, and was most definitely an ambush predator. It didn’t get destructive or violent until after Zayne exposed its presence.

Before then, it had moved silently. Not a rustle of a leaf. Not a snapping of a twig.

Nothing.

There was just so much they didn’t know about ShadowDwellers. They were as individual and unique as any species of animals.

Eishirou paused in his making of notes to glance at his surroundings. The foliage of the environment hadn’t changed; mangrove trees intersected with tall swamp reeds and light brown mangrove roots spiralling into pools of algae covered waters.

The temperature had warmed significantly, despite the shading of the thick canopy above. It was well after midday now, yet the dull light had stayed the same. And Eishirou assumed that the night of these woods fell sooner than they were used to.

Night-time beneath the canopy and lush vegetation were sure to be dark and unnerving.

A sudden and sharp pain from his shoulder promptly reminded Eishirou of his injury and he gritted his teeth to prevent a pained-filled murmur.

He mustn’t have fully succeeded as Zayne placed a hand on his back to get his attention. “How’s your shoulder?”

Eishirou gave a cautious shrug of his shoulder but promptly stopped when he was greeted with more pain. “Ah, it’s aching a little, to be honest.”

Zayne frowned in concern. “Do you have your painkillers?”

“I’ll take them when we return to camp,” Eishirou insisted. “They make me a little sleepy.”

Zayne’s frown deepened for a moment before he nodded his head. “Hm.”

Eishirou could only assume that Zayne’s frown was due to the fact that he wasn’t all that happy to know that he was in pain. And that he had a way to ease said pain, but due to certain side effects, wouldn’t take it.

And he was likely still annoyed about how he received such an injury in the first place.

A loud, sharp crack suddenly resonated. A low rumbling soon followed, along with the distinct sound of trees shaking. And breaking.

“Watch out!”

Zayne reacted immediately. He simultaneously wrapped his arms around Eishirou and manifested his wings. Eishirou found himself reacting just as quickly; he clutched his tablet against his chest with one arm as the other moved instinctively to loop around Zayne’s neck. He then crouched down for a moment, slipped an arm under Eishirou’s legs and scooped him up before he launched them both into the air.

And not a moment later, rocks and boulders barrelled through the tree line, careening destructively as they destroyed everything in its path. The way those large boulders and rocks moved looked so surreal. Boulders, four-foot wide bounced and rolled like they were made from cardboard.

The noise, however, was testament to how heavy, and how brutal, those tumbling stones were.

A rockslide. Not only were the ShadowDwellers dangerous, so was the environment.

With one arm around Eishirou’s back and the other under his knees, Zayne pulled back as his teammates, all with their own wings manifested, created a protective semi-circle in front of them. Their weapons were drawn, ready to deflect any stone or boulder that could potentially jostle in their direction.

A few of the small, somewhat ‘lighter’ stones were ejected from the slide in their direction, but Leon and Rinka were quick to deflect them away.

Eishirou subconsciously tightened his arm around Zayne’s neck and pressed himself closer to him. Had he been alone when that landslide occurred, it definitely would have killed him!

There was no way he could outrun something like that!

As quickly as the rockfall had begun, the tumbling stones came to a stop at their new resting places. The smell of toiled soil and freshly cut wood permeated the air. Along with an uneasy silence.

“You all right?” Zayne asked.

Eishirou nodded his head. “Yeah. Only thanks to your quick reflexes. That was a little close.”

A crease appeared in Zayne’s brow as he, too, nodded his head. “Yeah. What started that, I wonder.”

Eishirou turned to look at the now exposed hillside. The foliage had been so thick that he hadn’t realised that just a few feet away the terrain ascended steeply. The damage trail appeared narrow, gouging a potential new path. Though, he was reluctant to inspect it so soon after a rockfall.

“Something clearly dislodged these stones,” Ernesta mused as she lowered her mana-lance to her side. “Perhaps a ShadowDweller?”

“Perhaps,” Cadmus responded as his gaze remained firm on the debris path.

He didn’t sound fully convince. And, honestly, Eishirou wasn’t exactly sold on the idea that a ShadowDweller was responsible either. Perhaps he was just jumpy or paranoid after all the troubling events that had occurred recently.

“Let’s keep moving,” Cadmus ordered before he turned sharply in Zayne’s direction and raised an eyebrow. “You can put him down now, Zayne.”

Eishirou felt his cheeks abruptly heat up when he realises that Zayne was holding him, carrying him in what others may call “bridal or princess style”. Easily and casually at that.

“Walking is taking too long,” Zayne returned coolly, making no attempt to lower himself to the ground to allow him to safely loosen his hold on Eishirou. “It’ll be easier this way.”

He had a point…

A point that Cadmus couldn’t exactly refute.

“You can hardly fight like that,” Tatsu was the one to point out, rather scathingly at that.

Zayne turned his head sharply in his direction. However, he directed his words toward Eishirou.

“Hold onto my neck.”

Wordlessly, Eishirou did as he was told and tightened his arm around Zayne’s neck. Zayne then unwound his arm from around his shoulders, deftly snatched up his holster, and presented it toward Tatsu. Showing him that he was capable of drawing his weapon if the need called for it.

“See? I can fight just fine,” he retorted. “We’re wasting daylight; let’s move.”

Ernesta made a sound that was similar to a cough, and yet it was a forced cough. Like the one would make to cover up a laugh. Or something.

“I agree,” Ernesta stated. “Flying at low altitude would indeed move things along. And we’ve suffered enough distractions. We need to continue.”

Her tone of voice left little room for debate.

Though, Cadmus did give the impression that he had wanted to say something else. But decided against it. He did give Zayne a peculiar look before he turned, still mid-air, and took the lead once more.

Zayne and others soon followed.

That look was…parental, in a way. Exasperatedly parental. Probably inwardly lamenting how much of a rebel his own son had become.

Was Zayne being rebellious? Eishirou didn’t think so. He hadn’t done anything he hadn’t done before. He may be more vocal about it, but only because other people kept questioning him.

So…maybe the way he was acting wasn’t how Elite normally would or should act?

How ever an Elite was supposed to act, Eishirou was grateful for Zayne. For his determination and dedication toward him. He saved him and protected him more times than he could count.

He…didn’t know what he would have done without him.

Eishirou must have unconsciously shifted closer to Zayne as the other tightened his arms reassuringly around him. “I won’t drop you,” he said.

“I know,” Eishirou returned immediately. “I was just thinking of something else.”

Zayne gave him a quick smile before he returned his attention to the space in front of them. And Eishirou turned his attention to his tablet. Or more specifically, the map. He made the mental note to mark the rockfall when he was able to use his other hand.

Until then, he’d keep an eye out for any unusual blips.

They were making good pace and approaching the next point of interest quickly. A few minutes later they moved from the narrow, natural tunnel created of mangrove trees, and into an open clearing where they could see the blue sky above from an opening within the canopy.

“This is the second site,” Cadmus stated as he dropped to the forest floor, his red mana wings still activated.

As Zayne’s teammates followed the veteran Elite’s example, Zayne himself chose to stay in the air a moment longer. To cast a cautious glance at their new surroundings. Only when he was satisfied, did he finally land. And place Eishirou back onto his feet, too.

Eishirou thanked him quietly before he also inspecting the clearing. His gaze soon landed on an object found north in the clearing. A tall stone covered in moss and vines, of which had only been recently brushed aside.

It was the mural that had caught his attention back at the museum.

Zayne also noticed it and was close behind him as they walked toward the runestone. “Is this what that sentinel being Professor Jairus mentioned looks like?”

Eishirou nodded as he stood before the mural. More of a portrait. Someone that those who had painted such a thing held in high regard. “That’s right. He looked similar to this. Distinct long white hair with beads and feathers and dark brown skin.”

“Is this painting as old as the Red Lily?” Rinka was the one to ask as she, too, looked at the painting in interest.

“Yeah. Amazing, right?” Eishirou replied. “Possibly ten-thousand years old. Survived the bombardment.” He trailed his fingertips over the rough stone cautiously. “And it still has mana.”

Hmm. It appeared to be in good shape. He didn’t need to restore this one.

All he needed to do was prepare himself to receive a recording.

He stepped back momentarily and slipped his tablet into his bag. He then lifted it up over his head and dropped it carefully to the grass by his feet.

With that done, and with the knowledge that Zayne was sure to protect him from anything and everything, he raised his hands and placed them flat against the stone. He lowered his head. And with his mana, reached out to the memories stored within the stone.

They rushed forth without hesitation.

An underground temple. A sacred fire burning before a tall runestone. The sound of humming, wordlessly singing of a song of revere. Rapid drumming, wooden musical instruments.

A figure dressed in white with feathers and twine in white hair. The sentinel being Eishirou had seen so many times before. He stood before the fire. He looked youthful, though his soul was ancient.

He raised his hand to his side to reveal a golden wristlet. Upon it, the Red Lily.

Dawn of a Crimson Gold,

Celebrations of the Sacred Earth.

A gentle voice resounded as the drumming increased.

Shadowy beings, no form nor structure, edged in from all sides. Toward the sentinel being and the relic he wielded on his wrist.

The figure in white, completely unafraid, raised his hand toward the shadowy entities. The Red Lily shone with a bright light. Yet, the radiant light seemed to create a sphere around the being. Encasing him, protecting him.

Elements of a Fated Connection,

Reveals the Strength of the Mirrored Souls.

Someone else suddenly appeared before the sentinel being. Crouched into a battle stance that was somehow familiar. Though, they, too, were hidden in shadows.

Bright blue eyes suddenly looked at him. Directly at Eishirou himself.

Everything came to an abrupt end and Eishirou reeled his head back from the sheer force and power of the recording had shown to him. He clutched at his head and squeezed his eyes shut as he felt an arm encircle his shoulders.

Eishirou rubbed his temples with his fingertips as he attempted to wade through the lingering images of the recording playing through his head.

A golden wristlet. With the Red Lily as the centrepiece. It also appeared that the figure in white was…using it in battle? It wasn’t used offensively, though. Not fully. He was…using it defensively, and yet it felt as though he was also using it to enhance or support…someone else?

That second figure…he couldn’t see anything from them. But…they were of a masculine energy.

That was honestly the downside to reviewing recordings – he didn’t have enough time to inspect and intersect the images. He had to go on memories after the recordings were done. And he could only view the recordings once. Only after the object he pulled the recording from restored its mana supply could he possibly see it again. But there was a high possibly that it would not be the same recording.

It was all rather complicated.

The wristlet was new, though. Previous recordings had the red jewel nestled within a crown. The Red Lily back at the academy, however, was alone. So, it may be possible that the relic could be interchanged with other relics?

And the environment those images took place. It looked like a temple of sorts. An ancient sacred place. Carved stones, man-made altars and totems. And a tall runestone with ancient etchings.

Somewhere important.

Somewhere that still existed?

“Eishirou?”

Zayne’s voice holding a subtle sense of concern pulled Eishirou from his thoughts. He opened his eyes and immediately glanced over to his left. Where Zayne stood. His arm across his back in a comforting and supportive touch.

“You all right?” he asked.

Eishirou nodded and dropped his arms to his sides. “Y-yeah, sorry. It wasn’t holding back with the energy.”

“What did this one reveal?”

It honestly took Eishirou a moment or two to gather enough coherent thoughts to answer. “A…an ancient ritual of sorts. Another relic, I think. There’s…a stone temple. Underground. I think it still exists. Somewhere on this island. That relic…might be able to help me to understand the Red Lily further.”

Of course, he had no solid facts on any of that. But he felt it to be true.

“And no idea where this other…temple is found?” Cadmus asked, poorly hiding his scepticism.

“No,” Eishirou admitted. “But I’ll know when I see it.”

That wasn’t exactly reassuring. And Cadmus’s expression stated as much.

“Your injured shoulder might be interfering with your ability to view recordings,” Zayne suddenly suggested.

A sharp pain erupted in his shoulder, seeming in response to that observation. “Ah,” Eishirou winced. “You’re probably right.”

His shoulder wasn’t the only thing aching. His head was starting to set into a low throbbing. Something that happened when he used a bit too much of his own energy. The pain of his shoulder surely wasn’t helping.

A sudden, piercing buzzing from his tablet caused Eishirou to turn his attention down to his bag. He stepped away from Zayne and knelt onto the grass to pull out his tablet. As he flicked it on, he was greeted with the sight of the map.

And a strange dot close to the area where they had encountered the rockfall.

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong?” Zayne immediately asked as he crouched down next to him, his gaze on the map, too. “Another strange blip?”

Eishirou nodded his head. The marking wasn’t like the red symbol he had seen before. The one that indicated the ShadowDweller. The new blip…blips (there were three now), were light green in nature. Similar to the indicator of the tablet’s location on the map.

That…

“Is there anyone else on the island with us?” Eishirou asked suddenly, his attention toward Cadmus.

Cadmus seemed surprised by the question before his brow quickly furrowed and his expression turned stoic. “There shouldn’t be. Why?”

“It’s just…the map indicated to another possible party. Close by,” Eishirou explained as he glanced down at the map. However, as he looked down again, the dots had moved on. Off the path. “But…it’s gone now. Maybe they’re out of range?”

Had the academy sent another team to help in the research? But that didn’t seem plausible. Jacob would have definitely told him if he even entertained the idea so not to alarm him.

Something didn’t feel right. He would contact Misaki later and ask him.

“Let’s return to camp,” Cadmus suddenly commanded. “And stay together.”

Something didn’t feel right with him either, it seemed.

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #young adult #gay romance #Mystery/Suspense #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 42) - Original Fiction

AN: Sorry for the wait! Again. Health has gone down the toilet. Again… Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

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Chapter 42:

Eishirou crouched down to spread a blanket on the floor as Zayne picked the pillows from the recliner and dropped them onto the centre of the blanket.

“We’re going to have to improvise here,” Jairus stated as he manoeuvred his wheelchair toward the spread blanket. “The floor isn’t very comfortable, but I need you two to lie down, feet pointing away from each other and heads resting next to each other’s.”

With the pillows bunched together in the centre, Eishirou scooted onto the blanket, his back initially toward Zayne as he did the same. He laid down first, resting his head on one end of the pillow. He shifted and fidgeted for a moment to get himself as comfortable as he could, with Zayne doing the same with his head resting next to his.

“Eishirou, you may need to touch Zayne in some way to allow him access to the Red Lily,” Jairus suddenly instructed.

With the Red Lily resting on his right wrist and Zayne resting his right side, Eishirou simply raised his hand and brushed his fingers against Zayne’s hair. The gentle touch may not be enough, so he pressed his hand against the side of his head. A touch that seemed to be appreciated.

“Now, close your eyes,” Jairus began, his voice low and soothing. “Empty your minds. Feel comfortable in the darkness. Concentrate on the presence of one another.”

Eishirou tried to do as he was instructed. It might be a bit difficult, however. It honestly felt somewhat awkward and hard to relax with having two professors watching them closely.

He really wanted the meditation to be a success, however. He wasn’t entirely sure what a joint meditation would result in, but if it could help him and Zayne become closer, Zayne potentially becoming stronger, then he would do whatever it took to help.

“When you are ready, open your inner eyes.”

Eishirou drew in a slow, deep breath before he opened his eyes.

Lush greenery and colourful wildflowers greeted him. He stood in small grotto surrounded by tall trees of emerald green leaves and light brown bark. The colours were so vivid. They looked so real. As though he had been transported back to Flutterlight Forest somehow.

“Zayne?” he called out soft.

“I’m right here.”

The sound of Zayne’s voice came from behind him, so Eishirou immediately turned around. Before him stood Zayne; blue hair, purple eyes…he looked just how he did back in the museum’s laboratories. But…had they managed to find a way to enter a mediative state together, within the etheric energies of the Red Lily? Or was the Zayne before him a figment of his hopeful imagination?

Slowly, Eishirou raised his hand, his palm toward Zayne. And without hesitation, Zayne raised his own hand and pressed his palm against Eishirou’s. Their fingers slipped in-between each other’s and interlocked together tightly.

His hand was warm. Familiar. The feel of Zayne’s hand was seared into his memory, but there was no way he could even imagine the true warmth of Zayne’s touch. It couldn’t be manufactured. It couldn’t be replicated.

The man before him really was Zayne.

It worked!

“I can feel you,” Zayne murmured, his brow furrowed softly in mild confusion.

Eishirou smiled. “Yeah.”

With their hands still holding each other’s tightly, Zayne glanced at their surroundings, his confusion growing more evident. “Where are we?”

“Looks like the Flutterlight Forest.”

Zayne shook his head. “No, I mean…”

Eishirou raised his other hand and gently pressed a finger to his lips to momentarily silence him.

He understood his confusion, however This was likely his first controlled meditation ever. The first time was always overwhelming and daunting. And to think his first time would involve a powerful relic Eishirou himself had only limited experience on, too.

“Think of it like a dream,” he said. “A dream you can control. The joined relics brought us here.”

And he had to figure out why.

Eishirou kept a firm grasp on Zayne’s hand as he turned to survey their surroundings. Their environment was bright, the imagery crisp. And it didn’t take him long to spot a figure in the distance. But they weren’t who he had been expecting.

Perched upon a rock was the figure of a man. One knee bend, the other foot planted firmly onto the ground. He leaned casually to one side, resting upon a tall, stone-tipped spear. His skin was a deep, dark brown. He wore loose sashes and cloths around his waist, leaving his chest bare. His physic was lean and muscular. All muscles, not an inch of fat to be found. His hair was pitch black and long with untamed curls. And styled in a surprising way; right side of his head shaved, while the rest of his hair pulled back into a rough ponytail.

What was more striking about him, however, was his bright blue eyes.

“He’s…” Zayne murmured, obviously seeing the figure, too.

Eishirou continued to inspect their visitor as a thought occurred to him. “You’re Killara’s Warrior Spirit, aren’t you?”

The man nodded his head once in response.

“Can I have your name?”

“…Mullion…”

The voice was deep. Husky in a way. Yet, it gave the impression of safety. As though his voice alone could neutralize any danger, any threat.

Mullion…amazing. He was obviously connected to the Red Lily, yet…Eishirou hadn’t truly encountered him before. Only once in a previous recording and a single mosaic. Other than that, he had only every seen Killara.

“We know so much more about Killara than you,” Eishirou went on to state. “Why?”

“How I prefer it.”

Mullion straightened his posture and rested his spear in the crook of his elbow and of his neck.

“He carries the burdens of being an important figure. Others turn to him. Rely on him. Trouble him. Though, I was once a simple warrior, it is now my goal to make his burdens lighter. I give him my strength, my skills, my protection. In return, he gives me his trust, his understanding…his love. That is all I need.”

Eishirou honestly hadn’t expected such a detailed answer. His frankness was…endearing, in a way. It kinda reminded him of Zayne. His blatant honesty, his resolve to protect him.

If…if Eishirou was a Keeper, a Radiant Soul, then Zayne was his Warrior Spirit.

His Mirrored Soul.

Zayne’s hand suddenly tightened around his, as if responding to his thoughts.

Mullion, too, seemed to respond to him; nodding his head sharply in acceptance and satisfaction. “Go now. Waste no further time here.”

As soon as those words resonated, Eishirou’s vision abruptly went black. And when he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in the museum once more. He blinked a few times in order to gather his wits, mildly musing about how he had been kicked out of that meditation.

That thought soon left him when he realised that Zayne was awake next to him. And they both had moved slightly.

Somehow, during the meditation, they had physically turned their heads toward one another. To gently press their foreheads together while Eishirou’s fingers had entangled themselves into his hair.

He was sure they looked quite…intimate.

“You’ve both returned,” Jairus stated in a bemused manner. “Can I assume that the meditation was a success?”

“Ah, yeah,” Eishirou replied with a slight flush and moved to push himself to sit up. “We were able to communicate with each other. And with Killara’s Warrior Spirit.”

Jacob wore an amused expression of his own. However, instead of launching in to tease him, he turned his attention to Zayne instead. “How was it?”

Zayne took a moment to run his hand through his hair. “It…felt like a dream.”

“In a way, it was,” Jairus said in response before he returned his gaze toward Eishirou. “Do you feel that the meditation helped?”

Eishirou nodded. “Yeah, I do. I understand the roles of Radiant Soul and Warrior Spirit better. I also have names for both now.”

And he was glad that he had been able to speak with Mullion, too. He appeared to be a humble but determined man. His connection, and devotion, to Killara was remarkably strong.

“Hmm,” Jacob murmured aloud in thought. “Maybe they’re mentioned somewhere in the archives?”

“Now would be a good time to search,” Jairus quickly agreed. “Two meditations within an hour is the limit I am comfortable with. You’ve found some answers. Best let the relic recover, too.”

Eishirou immediately glanced down at his right wrist, where the Red Lily sat upon the Golden Wristlet. He had honestly forgotten that he wore it. It didn’t feel heavy in the slightest.

Jairus was right. Eishirou wasn’t sure if he could handle another meditation and the Red Lily likely needed to recharge itself.

As he reached down to remove the wristlet, Zayne’s communicator suddenly buzzed loudly. And the Elite uttered a sigh just as loud as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the communicator.

“Yeah?”

Ernesta’s profile flickered into view. And she didn’t appear all too happy. “Zayne, a ShadowDweller has been seen located close to the dorms. We’ve been asked to eliminate it.”

Eishirou winced. Another ShadowDweller sighting near the dorms? That’s the third time in less than a week, right?

A frown immediately tugged at Zayne’s lips. “I see. I don’t suppose I can talk my way out of this?”

“Afraid not,” Ernesta answered bluntly.

Sigmund was likely to have been the one to issue the order and it had been proven that he had the most trust in Team 3. So, the situation must be serious. Or potentially dangerous.

“It’s all right,” Eishirou interjected as he carefully slipped the Red Lily from his wrist, the golden band allowing for him to unhinge it easily. “I’ll continue my research in Communications.”

Communications Centre was a large building, filled with people. While Eishirou had to leave the relics within the museum, if Zayne was worried about those Star Rebellion guys trying anything, they surely wouldn’t be able to get the both him and the relics at the same time.

Protective Zayne wasn’t entirely thrilled, but nothing short of him being close to him at all times would be truly satisfactory in his opinion. “Fine,” he reluctantly agreed, making no attempt to hide his irritation. “I’ll be there soon.”

Zayne jumped to his feet and shoved his communicator back into his pocket. He turned around abruptly and helped Eishirou to his feet. “I’ll escort you to Communications first.”

While that wasn’t exactly a suggestion, Eishirou nodded his head in acceptance nonetheless. “Sure.”

“The relics will be safe here,” Jacob reassured as he retrieved the relics from Eishirou. “You’ll have secure access to more information in Communications.”

Eishirou offered him a grateful smile before he turned to race up the stairs leading to the observation deck. He paused long enough to snatch up his bag and place it upon his shoulder before following Zayne out of the building. Once they reached outside, they broke into a jog. Though, Zayne made sure to stay in line with him. With his skills, Zayne could definitely outrun him.

Despite it all, Eishirou was starting to grow accustomed to packing up and moving on short notice. In fact, he could say he had grown efficient in it.

Even so, he did honestly feel a little bit tired from having gone through two informative meditations within minutes of each other. But he stubbornly pushed it aside, choosing to instead focus on the task of getting to Communications.

Once there, he could take a few minutes to catch his breath.

Instead of dropping him off on the path that led into Communications, Zayne made the decision to escort him straight to the doors instead. Likely an attempt to reassure himself as well as to ensure Eishirou’s safety.

“Are you sure you’ll be all right here?” he asked.

Slightly breathless from the run, Eishirou nodded his head. “I’m fine. There’s a lot of people here. It would be stupid to try anything.”

At least, he hoped those Star Rebels wouldn’t be stupid enough to try.

He cast a quick glance at their surroundings and when satisfied no one else was around, turned back to Zayne. He reached up to slip his hand around the back of Zayne’s head to pull him down toward him. Zayne, of course, met him halfway and they shared quick kiss. While it was quite obvious that Zayne had wanted to deepen the kiss, he reluctantly pulled back. Likely bolstered with the knowledge that they could continue it later.

“Be careful, ok?” Eishirou asked softly as he pulled his hand back.

Zayne nodded his head. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised. He then turned on his heel and bolted away, heading in the direction of the dorms.

Eishirou quickly slipped inside the Communications building and hurried through the halls to reach the main centre. There were always a large number of people there with a Veteran Elite or two acting as security. So, in theory, he should be safe.

But as he walked into Communications’ Centre, he was slightly surprised (and perhaps even a little alarmed) but how…quiet it was. There wasn’t as many people milling about as there usually was.

Did…something happen? Was it still happening?

Was he just being paranoid?

“Eishie, over here!”

Lyvia’s jovial voice startled Eishirou for a moment, yet he found some comfort in it. He immediately snapped his head around in the direction of her voice.

And blinked. Huh? Communication Central Deck?

Readjusting his shoulder bag, Eishirou moved toward the stairs that led up to command centre, and ascended them. He was surprised to find that not only was Lyvia there, perched on the edge of a desk, but Misaki was there, too. Sat in front of a computer, a serious look on his features.

Though, he did look up as Eishirou approached, his gaze taking on a more…critically inspecting look.

“There you are!” Lyvia greeted as she swung her legs playfully. “We’ve been wondering about you. How are you feeling?”

Eishirou offered the two a hopefully reassuring smile. “I’m all right. Really.” He couldn’t help but allow his smile to fade as he glanced around the centre once more. “It’s pretty quiet here, though.”

“Lunch was delayed, so only skeleton staff is left at the moment,” Lyvia explained with a shrug.

Eishirou felt himself blink in surprise again. Delayed lunch? How strange. Had it happened before? He couldn’t remember.

…He was probably just overthinking things.

“What about you two? Why are you up here?”

Misaki turned back to his computer and began typing once more. “Professor Jalen knows of the situation and wanted me to use a more secure computer,” he explained quickly. “Leon has actually requested something from me. And Lyvia is helping me with it.”

A request?

“I have a feeling I know what it is,” Eishirou murmured. “Elites, right?”

Misaki nodded his head once. “There were a few names he wanted clarification on.”

“And?”

Misaki’s face unexpectedly darkened. “All the names he listed have been classified as Missing in Action.”

Eishirou felt his stomach clench. “MIA? Were they part of the initial search crews for Flutterlight Forest?”

“Not from what Leon tells me,” Misaki replied, his gaze focused on the screen in front of him.

“That’s not the worse part,” Lyvia spoke up, her usually cheerful voice holding a sense of seriousness and worry. “Someone altered the profiles three days ago.”

Three days? That…was about the same time he and Zayne began their expedition into Keeper’s Isle. Was that a coincidence?

Eishirou dropped his bag onto an empty chair and moved to stand behind Misaki. While he knew the redhead didn’t necessarily enjoy someone reading over his shoulder, he just had to see for himself.

The faces on the screen he did not recognise, which was hardly a surprise. The most troubling part was there were ten profiles on screen. Ten Elites going “missing” within three days had to be something significant.

“Who altered the files?” he asked.

Misaki continued to furiously type. “I’m trying to work that out. There is no signature. Whoever it was has covered their tracks.”

…Someone in Communications must have done it.

“There you are.” Jalen’s voice startled Eishirou for a moment and he immediately turned around to regard the professor. “Jacob told me you would be here.”

Before he could attempt to respond to the Communications Commander, Misaki spoke up in barely concealed concern.

“Professor, I think we have an issue. It’s about that request to examine profiles of certain Elites.”

Jalen moved to stand behind Misaki, his arm leaning on the back of his chair. “And?”

Misaki brought the ten profiles once more. “The profiles had been altered, labelled as MIA, though left no other notes nor signatures behind.”

Jalen’s eyes abruptly narrowed. If there was one thing he loathed more than anything it was someone altering and changing files and documents without his approval and consent.

“Elites going missing is, unfortunately, not an uncommon event. Profiles being altered without my consent, however, is.” Jalen motioned toward Misaki and Lyvia with a pointed finger. “You two, scour the profiles and take note of every Elite labelled as MIA, regardless of date. Send that info to me.”

“Yes, sir,” Misaki replied.

“Right away,” Lyvia said in response as she slipped off the desk and jumped onto the chair of the nearest computer. Within seconds, she brought up the list of Elite profiles and was scouring through them quickly.

Eishirou wondered if he should jump on a computer of his own to help the two, despite Jalen issuing the orders to just them. Though, he reasoned with himself that the best thing he could do was to continue his own research.

“Ah, there you are, Eishirou.”

Though the voice was immediately recognisable, the suddenness made Eishirou jump nevertheless. He turned around and managed a smile as Irwin made his way over to him. “Oh, you’ve been looking for me?”

Irwin gave him his supposedly “charming” smile and nodded. “Heard some interesting news from Jacob. Not to mention, I have interesting stuff of my own.” He revealed that he had been carrying a tablet under his arm and promptly presented it to him. “Here; I managed to translate more of those runestones.”

Eishirou immediately perked up. “Ah, that’s great!” he said as he eagerly retrieved the tablet from him. “Any mentioning of Keepers?”

Irwin continued to smile broadly. “You’ll have to see for yourself.”

So, yes, there was!

“I also heard of a stolen runestone. To think it was so close to a previous site. I didn’t even know of its existence.” Irwin suddenly huffed loudly and crossed his arms across his chest in a truly disgruntled manner. “Those Elites are so pushy! Do this, don’t do that, its too dark, there’s too many ShadowDwellers so hurry up. Very inconsiderate!”

Eishirou shook his head. “Now, they were just doing their job to keep you safe.”

“Still incredibly rude,” Irwin insisted.

“Them stopping you from killing yourself is very inconsiderate indeed,” Jalen muttered under his breath, yet purposely loud enough to be heard.

Irwin immediately whirled around to the other professor. “Boo, that’s incredibly rude, too!”

Sat at his desk, Jalen rolled his eyes. “Moving on; you three will be stationed here for today. If you need to do research, Eishirou, you will do it here.”

Eishirou immediately nodded his head. That wasn’t a suggestion. So, he dutifully turned and made his way to the chair he had dropped his bag on. And to the computer the chair was sat in front of. As he sat down, he realised that he was situated between Misaki and Lyvia, the two still working quickly.

As Eishirou sat down, a thought suddenly returned to him. Not sure why, but there was nothing stopping him from speaking it about aloud.

“Oh, hey, Syliva?”

The young woman barely paused in her work. “Hm?”

“I want to talk to you about Rinka later.”

Lyvia paused in her typing to turn and blink at him with obvious confusion. “What about Rinka?”

The loud buzzing of his communicator prevented Eishirou from answering. “Hang on, it’s probably Zayne,” he said with an apologetic smile as he reached into his bag. “I’ll explain later.”

Pulling out his communicator, the name on screen proved to him that he was right.

“Hey,” he immediately greeted. “Are you done already?”

“Hey,” Zayne responded, sounding both casually and a little bit irritated. “There was only one ShadowDweller to be found. Don’t know why they needed us. Anyway, you still in Communications?”

“Right,” he replied. He soon pushed himself out of his seat, however, and made his way over to Misaki. “Oh, just a sec; is Leon there?”

“Yeah. Hang on.”

There was a brief pause with Zayne handing the communicator over to Leon. “Hey?”

“I’m with Misaki,” Eishirou answered, with Misaki quickly catching on to what he wanted to do and immediately brought up the profiles he had been requested to search. “He’s inspected those profiles you requested. And every single one of them has been tagged as Missing in Action three days ago.”

“…Three days ago?” Leon repeated incredulously after a short pause. “I saw at least three of them walking around campus yesterday.”

Eishirou frowned and shifted his gaze toward Misaki, who returned the gaze with an uncertain one of his own.

“I’ll check attendance records,” Misaki abruptly exclaimed as he shifted his attention back to his computer.

“Have you seen them recently?” Eishirou asked, his attention back to his communicator.

Leon image on screen was seen shaking his head. “Not today, no.”

A sharp, loud wailing noise interrupted Eishirou’s attempt to ask further questions. He jumped at the sound and immediately turned around toward Jalen’s desk. Only to find the man on his feet, hands resting against the table as he stared at the screen.

“An alarm?” he muttered.

A step or so away from the desk, Irwin raised his hands in front of himself. “Don’t look at me, I just got here.”

His attempt at light-hearted humour fell flat as Jalen muttered a curse under his breath and began to type frantically upon his computer once more. “Damn it, we’re going into lockdown!”

He suddenly sprung to his feet and using his loudest, most commanding voice, shouted to everyone present; “Lockdown Procedures!”

Eishirou felt his heart leap into his throat. Lockdown…? That meant they were going to cut off conventional communications, too. The origin and makeup of ShadowDwellers were still unknown. They could travel through wavelengths as far as anyone knew. So, shutting everyone down was a precautionary measure. A secure line was still open, but only Jalen had access to it.

“Zayne, we’re in lockdown,” Eishirou explained as he began shut down procedures along with everyone else. “Communications is going to be cut off.”

“What?” Zayne was heard saying before he abruptly took his communicator from Leon. “What is it?”

“I don’t-”

He was cut off from his response when Jalen cursed darkly. “ShadowDwellers.” He then snapped his head up and started barking orders once more. “Everyone, move to the back and duck under the desks! Now!”

ShadowDwellers…? Here? How? Communications Centre was the most secure building on campus!

“Zayne,” Eishirou desperately spoke into his communicator, hoping to get his message through before all lines of communication were shut down. “There are ShadowDwellers here!”

Before Zayne could respond, his communicator lost reception.

They were on their own now.

#original fiction #Mystery/Suspense #Adventure #young adult #sci-fi fantasy #gay romance #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 33) - Original Novel

AN: Yes, I know; “Finally!” Trust me, I said the same thing when I finished this chapter. Now, hope you enjoy~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

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Chapter 33:

A hulking form in the shape of a lizard lumbered toward them. The extended claws at the ends of its webbed feet dug violently into the ground, leaving jagged gouges. It was a large creature. Easily fifteen feet tall. Yet, alarmingly, it barely made a sound as it moved. Only when the large, oil-slick black coloured body crashed against the mangrove trees and foliage were there sounds from it.

It possessed no eyes. Just a black void of seeming nothingness. But Eishirou felt that it was staring directly at him.

ShadowDwellers don’t need to breath. They don’t need to eat. Their only purpose seemed to hunt down humans and annihilate them. Passive or Elite. It didn’t matter.

They just…existed.

Eishirou gripped the front of Zayne’s jacket as the members of Team 3 scrambled to get themselves into their battle positions.

“Where did that thing come from?” Leon said as he engaged his mana-gauntlet.

“It's been following us the entire time,” Zayne answered as he moved backwards, his arm tight and secure around Eishirou’s waist.

Leon quickly side-glanced in Zayne’s direction, surprise clearly seen on his face. “What?”

“You didn't notice?” Zayne asked around a tight frown.

Ernesta activated her own weapon, her expression stoic, her lips pressed together into a terse, thin line. “...No,” she admitted, regret in her voice.

“Never mind that now,” Cadmus immediately instructed as he pushed to the frontline. “Get ready for battle.”

Zayne quickly guided Eishirou to the back of the group, yet in a place where he was no more than a few seconds away should anything else arise. With the possibility of other ShadowDwellers in the area, they had to be mindful and cautious.

“Stay in the centre,” Zayne instructed as he slowly, almost reluctantly, removed his arm from around Eishirou’s waist.

Eishirou nodded and stepped back. “Be careful.”

Zayne simply flashed him a confident smile as a response before he turned and launched himself into battle. With his gun-blades by his sides, he also manifested his wings to allow for greater agility on the battlefield.

As the team of Elites readied themselves, so did the ShadowDweller.

It reared back onto its back legs, using its tail to balance. It then proceeded to raise its front legs, splaying out the claws in a form of intimidation.

It then did something horrifying.

Its head split open, starting from the front and splitting in half to reveal a mouth. A mouth with sharp, surprisingly white serrated teeth inside. There was nothing else to be seen. Nothing but white teeth. Teeth that were angled inwards, designed to latch onto its prey and prevent any and all escape.

And it was from that same mouth that it released an ear-piercing scream.

A scream that initiated the beginning of battle.

Zayne and Tatsu took to the air, to fire toward the ShadowDweller from a distance. The others, the frontline fighters, took turns to move in, deliver several précised and powerful blows before darting back, out of reach.

The ShadowDweller appeared furious more than perturbed by the attacks. It flailed its large front claws, attempting to either swipe at its assailants with its harden claws. Or to literally swat them away.

Eishirou pressed his tablet against his chest. He wished there was something he could do. But other than observing, and waiting for someone to get injured, he wasn’t of much help.

…Observing might not be that bad of an idea. If nothing else, he could take notes about the behaviour of this particular ShadowDweller.

There was a strong possibility that the ShadowDwellers had taken on the appearance of the natural fauna found within these islands. But there was also a possibility that they had taken on the forms of beliefs, of myths and legends that were once held highly regarded of the ancient tribes that once lived on these lands. If the ShadowDweller they were facing was of the latter group, then there might be certain conditions that needed to be met before the creature was finally vanquished.

But they had no documents regarding myths and legends of these island. If there were conditions that needed to be met, they didn't know what they were.

He felt the urge to raise his tablet and take a photo. But that would be pointless. Ever mysterious, ShadowDwellers didn’t show up on film or videos.

Then again…ShadowDwellers didn’t show up on maps, either.

This one did.

Maybe…

Quickly, Eishirou lifted his tablet and pressed on the photo function. Despite the chaos of battle, with Zayne and his team flittering in and out of shot, Eishirou could also see the ShadowDweller’s massive form in frame.

Now, if that could only transfer over into the actual photo.

He took a couple of shots and rapid concession. He felt a wave of anticipation as he checked the photo and…

It worked! H-he had actually managed to take a photo of a ShadowDweller. That had to be the first in…existence or something!

“Leon!”

Eishirou’s excitement immediately dissipated when he heard Zayne’s voice shout out in alarm. He snapped his head up in time to watch as Leon skid across the grass and soil and hit the base of a tree with his back. His body shuddered from impact, but he soon fell still.

And his mana-gauntlet dissolved.

He didn’t immediately get back to his feet.

…He wasn’t getting up.

That attack shouldn’t have knocked him out like that. Not immediately. Something else was wrong.

Eishirou needed to get to him. Inspect him for injuries. But he couldn’t move to him. It was too close to the ShadowDweller’s location. He would just get in the way.

“Zayne, I need to see him!”

Zayne immediately darted over to his fallen teammate. And as he did, the ShadowDweller followed.

The ShadowDweller turned clockwise, turned its back to the Elites, and whipped its tail harshly against the ground. As dust and broken earth flicked up into the air, it turned sharply and raised its tail high.

That…was likely what happened to Leon.

Zayne skidded across the ground to stand over Leon. His face creased into a scowl as he raised his mana gun-blades in a purely defensive stance. Crossing them together over the top of his head.

Eishirou felt his breath leave him as the tail of the ShadowDweller slammed against the crossed blades. He felt the urge to yell his name in shock and concern, but the word hitched in his throat.

Zayne grunted and winced from the impact. The force pushed him down toward the ground. Yet, he remained standing somehow.

The ShadowDweller raised its tail abruptly, readying it to slam down against Zayne once more.

Could he withstand another attack?

Before either could move, however, someone else interfered.

It was Zayne’s father. With red mana-gloves, he punched the ShadowDweller’s tail just before it could impact against Zayne’s defensive stance.

The punch threw the tail to the side, so abruptly that it caused the ShadowDweller itself to become unbalanced. It fell haphazardly onto its side, hitting the ground so hard that it left cracks upon the soil. It immediately lashed out a leg toward Cadmus, who in turn reacted coolly, delivering a downward punch and crushed the flailing limb into the ground. Strong enough to leave a crater.

It this ShadowDweller had anything similar to bones, they were sure to have been crushed. Broken beyond repair.

He…was incredibly strong.

Even Zayne looked surprise.

“Get him out of the way!” Cadmus ordered as he straightened his posture, pulling his body into another fighting stance.

Zayne nodded his head sharply before he turned. He quickly withdrew and replaced his mana-holsters, and grabbed Leon by the arm. He hefted the arm over his shoulders as he pulled his teammate with him to his feet. With the use of his wings, he pushed forward and carried Leon out of danger.

And over toward Eishirou.

Eishirou shoved his tablet into his bag and reached out to steady Leon as Zayne reached him. “Lie him down,” he instructed. “What hit him?”

Zayne carefully, but quickly, lowered Leon to the ground. “The tail,” he replied with a worried frown as he laid him down onto his back.

Just as he had thought. He could see the tear in his uniform and flicks of blood staining the outside.

“I’ve got him now,” Eishirou said as he knelt close to Leon’s side and rested a hand on his chest. He then turned toward Zayne and rested a hand on his arm. A touch he hoped was comforting. “Head back in.”

Zayne nodded his head sharply once. “Right.”

He leapt to his feet, his gun-blades instantly manifested by his sides, and he rushed to join his teammates and father in battle.

Right. Leave the battling to the experts. Eishirou had his own job to do.

He turned back to Leon. He kept his hand against his chest and simultaneously inspected his well-being and lifted his bag up over his head.

There was an open wound on his side. A grazing wound. No muscle damage. Just a flesh wound. About three inches longs, however. Sure to be painful. He may need to suture it together out in the field. Some mild bruises on his back from hitting the tree. No fractures or muscles strains.

However, there was something else.

Something…negative. A form of negative mana. A mana-toxin?

It was the reason why Leon was unconscious and unresponsive. It happened just after he received an attack from the ShadowDweller’s tail. That meant…

“Zayne, stay away from its tail!” Eishirou shouted as he reached into his bag for his med-kit. “It’s poisonous!”

“Got it!” he heard Zayne reply immediately.

Flicking the med-kit open with one hand, he placed his other against Leon’s chest once more.

Heartrate was consistent and breathing was study. Brainwaves normal, like he had fallen asleep.

Eishirou could wake Leon up easily. Removing the negative mana would only take a few seconds. But he would wait until after he attended to the injury on his side. He wasn’t in any pain currently. No point in waking him up and giving him said pain.

He ignored the sounds of battles occurring around him to focus on attending to the wound. He slipped on a pair of gloves before reaching for the distilled water. He remembered his medical training; flush the wound of any foreign bodies, disinfect the wound to prevent infection, only closing the wound when satisfied, and then apply a sturdy and effective dressing. It didn’t need to be pretty; but it had to be effective.

The wound thankfully wasn’t that deep, so he used suture bandages to close the wound. He made sure to apply the dressing firmly to prevent further strain or injury.

Ok, time to wake him up.

Eishirou pushed up on his knees to lean over Leon. He placed his fingertips against the Elite’s temples, and with a slow pulse of healing mana, removed the negative mana clouding his mind.

The response was immediately.

Leon’s face creased in discomfort and he uttered a low groan. “Jeez,” he muttered as he reached up to place a hand against his forehead. And before Eishirou could respond, his eyes widen and he immediately launched himself into a sitting position.

“Whoa, take it easy!” Eishirou said as he grasped a hand onto Leon’s shoulder. “How do you feel?”

Appearing startled, Leon pivoted to look toward Eishirou. Instead of answering his question, he levelled him with one of his own. “That thing knocked me senseless?”

Eishirou shook his head. “Not exactly. You have a wound against your side.”

Leon continued to look dazed and confused. “Wound? When-?”

Eishirou shook his head again. “I’ll explain later. You better get back into the fray.”

That pulled Leon out of his stupor. “Right.” A mere second later he was up on his feet, his mana-gauntlet manifested, and throwing himself back onto the battlefield.

“Leon?”

“I’m fine. Just rattled a few cobwebs.”

Eishirou turned his attention to cleaning up his med-kit into a respectable state and shoved it into his bag. And he turned his attention back to the battle at hand.

He had to admit he was a little worried about how…long the battle was. It was something the Elites themselves seemed to be concerned about, too.

Their attacks seemed ineffective. They were strong, and relentless. Pushing the ShadowDweller back and down. Yet, the ShadowDweller refused to stay down. It kept moving. Kept attacking.

Was his previous musings right? Did they have to find and complete a few conditions before they could claim victory? What about a weakness? What could they be?

Eishirou abruptly squinted. It wasn’t sure but…he swore he could see a faint outline of an X in the middle of the ShadowDweller’s forehead. It could just be an apparition from the ShadowDweller’s oily exterior. Or a shadow. Or his eyes playing tricks on him.

Even so…

“Ernesta, I’ll distract it and you take out its tail.”

Although Ernesta was the leader of the team, she wasn’t perturbed by Zayne issuing out an order to her. “Very well,” she said simply as she moved in.

A moment later, with Zayne shooting toward the ShadowDweller’s head, Ernesta slipped effortlessly behind it. And with her mana-lance, she sliced through the flailing tale effortlessly. The tail fell to the ground, landing hard. It bounced for a second before it began to dissolve into a dark mist.

However, instead of dissipating from existence, the mist whirled toward the ShadowDweller. Toward its head.

Taking out its tail wasn't going to be enough. He had the feeling that it would restore its tail. They needed to take off the head. They had to find the core of the ShadowDweller and destroy it.

That X on its forehead was still there. So…

Eishirou cupped his hands around his mouth. “Zayne, aim for the middle of the forehead!”

“Got it!”

Zayne didn’t ask questions. Didn’t hesitate. He leapt into the air, his wings spread, and his gun-blades together in front of him. His teammates and father instinctively moved to distract the ShadowDweller, while Zayne waited for the clearest shot.

Then, he fired.

A bullet of blue mana struck the ShadowDweller in the middle of its forehead. Where the X symbol was located. The shot was simple and précised, indicating to Eishirou that Zayne had also seen the symbol. And used it as a target.

The ShadowDweller unexpectedly stilled. Frozen to the spot in a ridged state.

It suddenly exploded into a cloud of black mist. Of which soon dissipated, disappearing from existence. In a manner that had been witnessed numerous times before.

It…it worked!

As Zayne descended to place his feet on solid ground, Eishirou snatched his bag and jogged over to him. “Are you ok?”

Zayne cautiously surveyed the area before he turned his attention toward Eishirou. A small smile made its way to his lips. “I’m fine,” he replied.

Even so, the moment Eishirou reached him, he placed his hands against his chest to do a medical inspection. “How’s the arms? No strains or cramping?”

He wasn’t able to observe the entire battle, so he had to make sure that Zayne was as fine as he claimed. There were no tears or scrapes within his uniform and he couldn’t sense any injuries. And…

Zayne halted the inspection by taking Eishirou’s by the upper arms and holding him still. The touch prompted Eishirou to raise his head to look at him. “I’m fine,” he reiterated with a smile.

Eishirou couldn’t but smile in return as he nodded his head. He was about to ask whether or not Zayne had seen the symbol on the ShadowDweller’s head too, when a sharp glint seen from the corner of his eye caused Eishirou to still. “What’s that?”

“What’s what?” Zayne immediately asked as he turned to look where Eishirou was.

Within the debris of broken soil and grass, where the ShadowDweller had finally been defeated, was a couple of pieces of black stone. They looked somewhat out of place amongst the greenery and lush soil.

Eishirou stepped back from Zayne, the other reluctantly letting him do so, but kept in close proximity nevertheless. He crouched down and instinctively reached out to touch the strange objects, but quickly pulled his hand back. He reached into his bag and pulled out a specimen jar. It took him a few seconds to carefully scoop the strange black shards into the jar.

With the lid securely in place, he raised the jar and gave it a cautious shake.

Two pieces of stone. Together they formed a shape like an arrowhead almost. But there was a marking upon the flint. In the shape of an X.

How strange. Did it come from the ShadowDweller? It had been broken cleanly in half. Recently, too. It had a strange...feel to it. Like mana, but heavier. Darker in a way.

Negative.

“What’s that?” Zayne asked.

“I don’t know,” Eishirou replied honestly.

...He would set it aside for now. When he returned home, he would speak with Jacob and do more research on it then.

“That battle took longer than expected,” Zayne’s father was heard stating.

Shoving the specimen jar back into his bag, Eishirou ignored the inconvenient ache in his right shoulder and moved with Zayne to join the rest of their party.

Ernesta wore a grim expression on her face as she turned toward Leon. “What happened?”

Leon was unable to prevent a wince as he raised his arm to sheepishly scratch the back of his neck. “I think it just knocked the wind out of me or something.”

“No,” Eishirou interjected. “It was a form of toxin. It used its negative mana to affect you. It rendered you unconscious. While the poison itself isn’t deadly, being unconscious on the battlefield is. Especially if it managed to hit all of you.”

The group fell silent as they allowed for the information to sink in. “How long would it have lasted?” Ernesta asked.

Eishirou took a moment to consider his answer. He wasn’t entirely sure, to be honest as he had never encountered anything quite like it before. Though, the worst-case scenario was likely to be the best answer. “Depending on the dose, but an hour or two.”

“A lifetime on the battlefield,” Zayne muttered under his breath as his expression darkened protectively for a moment. That soon faded, however, replaced with a look of concern. “He’s alright now, though, right?”

Eishirou walked over to Leon and placed a hand against his chest to do a quick inspection. After a moment of silence, he nodded his head. “Leon will need to be careful with his side. He received a physical wound there, too. But I cleaned it and sutured it. But do let me know if you feel unwell or if the bandage falls off. I’ll re-examine it when we return to camp.”

Leon seemed mildly surprised before he nodded his head. “Ah, sure.”

“We were lucky this time,” Ernesta stated, her expression as serious as her voice. “We best not let it happen again.”

Y-yeah.

Cadmus suddenly stepped forward and faced his son. “Speaking of which; Zayne.”

Zayne turned to face him also. “What?”

“How did you know?” Cadmus asked simply. His tone wasn’t actually accusatory. But it wasn’t purely from interest, either.

Zayne stared silently at his father for an uncomfortable and drawn-out moment. “...It appeared on Eishirou's map.”

Cadmus arched a sceptical eyebrow. “Appeared on the map?”

Eishirou subconsciously swallowed back his unease and nodded his head. He reached into his bag to pull out the tablet. “There was a red blip,” he began to explain as he pulled up the mapping function. “Different to everything else present on the map.”

“How?” Cadmus’s voice was as sharp as his eyes.

“I don't know.”

And he honestly didn’t know.

“Why did you not tell anyone else?” Cadmus went on to ask, his tone now full of accusation.

Zayne didn’t seem to appreciate the tone of voice either. “Because we weren’t sure it was a ShadowDweller and figured that if it was, someone else would have noticed,” he snapped in response. “Look, ShadowDweller’s gone. We won. Eishirou’s safe. Leon’s injury has been taken care of. Let’s move on.”

Cadmus flickered his eyes over to his son. His expression was completely stoic and utterly unreadable. And for a long moment, he just stared at Zayne.

Suddenly, and frankly unexpectedly, the man conceded. “Very well, we’re close to the next site,” he said as he abruptly turned on his heel. “Be sure to alert us all if any more of those ‘blips’ appear on your map.”

“Of course,” Eishirou immediately replied, hoping his words covered the sigh of relief he had breathed.

Wordlessly, everyone moved to follow the veteran Elite. Eishirou, too, moved to stay with the group, Zayne once again by his side. But he was unexpectedly pulled to a stop when a hand awkwardly took a hold of his elbow.

Surprisingly, that hand belonged to Leon.

“Ah, Eishirou?”

Eishirou turned and titled his head questioningly to the side. “Hm?”

Leon idly placed his hand against his injured side. “Thanks for the help.”

The show of gratitude momentarily took Eishirou by surprise. But he soon recovered and granted the Elite a hopefully comforting smile. “No problem. Just doing what medics do. So Elites can keep doing what they do.”

He was just glad that, despite it all, he was able to help.

#original novel #scifi fantasy #Adventure #Mystery/Suspense #young adult #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 41) - Original Fiction

AN: And with this, I will move past1.5 million words (officially) written!

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 41:

After the events that had occurred in the infirmary that morning, Eishirou was more determined to get to work. Mikiel’s regaining of consciousness had revealed that his own teammates had attacked him and had joined sides with the Star Rebellion. And those rebels have made it blatantly clear that they want the Red Lily.

As well as Eishirou himself.

Why they wanted either, he didn’t know. But he did know that he wasn’t about to hand over the relic to such terrorists. And Zayne wasn’t about to let any of them get their hands on Eishirou himself.

The best, and well the only thing, Eishirou could do was to continue his work on the Red Lily once more. Learn how to access its abilities and maybe, hopefully, discover why a dangerous terrorist group like Star Rebellion wanted it.

That was why he made his way to the museum after ensuring that Mikiel was safe under Neriah’s care and Leon’s protection. Needless to say, Zayne was with him, sticking close to his side, and continuously scanning their surroundings for anything remotely suspicious or anything that could prove to be a threat.

The museum was abuzz with researchers and professors inspecting the data that Eishirou had discovered. He paid them little mind, however, as he made his way straight to the labs at the back of the museum. Where Jacob and Neriah were waiting for him.

They were currently unaware of what had happened in the infirmary, let alone the news that Mikiel had delivered. Eishirou would speak to them about it later.

“Feeling up to the task?” Jacob asked as Eishirou and Zayne stepped out into the observation deck.

“I’m fine. I’m ready,” Eishirou insisted, taking a moment to drop his bag onto a chair before he moved down the stairs to join the two professors in the examination area. “Professor Jairus, did you manage to learn anything about the wristlet?”

Situated in front of the glass case containing the recently discovered Golden Wristlet, Jairus turned his wheelchair to face Eishirou as he approached. “Hm. Its energy is similar to that of the Red Lily. And like with the Red Lily, I cannot access the information stored inside. There is information to be found, but there is a strong barrier shielding it.”

Eishirou had expected as much. “In a recording, I witnessed the Red Lily attached to the wristlet. I had also witnessed the Red Lily set upon a crown. It’s likely interchangeable between different relics.”

He turned to gaze at the Red Lily that was cased in an examination pedestal close to the wristlet. He was guided to the wristlet for a reason. It was a gift of sorts.

“Should I try?” he asked.

“Go ahead,” Jacob replied.

Eishirou turned back to the case holding the Golden Wristlet and pressed a button to lower to the security glass. Sat upon a small plastic holder, the wristlet shone beneath the bright lighting of the laboratory.

The design of the wristlet was simple, but efficient. It was made in two parts with a pin-hinge allowing for the wristlet to be opened and adjusted, if necessary. Within the centre of one half was an engraving of exotic swirls and vines around a slight oval indentation within the golden metal.

That was where Eishirou needed to place the Red Lily.

Carefully holding the Golden Wristlet in one hand, Eishirou made his way to the other display case. He felt a pulse of warmth as the glass container slowly lowered. He carefully sat the wristlet upon the pedestal as he reached for the Red Lily, removing it from its plastic seat.

With the relics before him, Eishirou picked up the wristlet and gently pressed the main jewel of the Red Lily upon the indentation. The red jewel emitted a soft pulse of light the moment it touched the Golden Wristlet.

Cautiously, Eishirou pulled his hand back. The Red Lily didn’t move. It now sat snuggly within the wristlet. Nothing but the mana stored within both relics kept them together.

Amazing.

With the combined relics settled in the palms of his hands, Eishirou turned around to face the others.

“Unsurprisingly, Eishirou is the only one that is able to work with these Relics,” Jacob commented with a grin.

Jairus nodded his head. “Indeed.”

Eishirou blinked. Had they tried to piece the two relics together before? He couldn’t help but feel that there was something else to their comments. “Is there something else?”

Jairus leaned comfortably against the back of his wheelchair. “It seems no one else is able to activate the Sound Orb. Let alone to the range you managed.”

That honestly surprised Eishirou. “Really?” he asked as he gently placed the joined relics upon the examination pedestal.

“Can I ask how you managed?” Jairus asked, his head tilted to the side ever so slightly to the side in curiosity.

Eishirou shrugged. “I just held the intention of affecting only the Rebel attacking me.”

He abruptly paused for a moment as he thought back to that event, which felt so long ago but was really only a few days ago. A week at tops. “It…sprung open on its own. It didn’t affect anyone else, like I had intended. Did you attempt to use it, too?”

Jacob leaned against a study desk and folded his arms across his chest. “Not fully. We were reluctant to press it too far.” He suddenly winced and raised a hand to scratch the inside of his right ear with his pinkie-finger. “I can still hear that shrill from my first encounter with it in Flutterlight Forest.”

Eishirou could only imagine how painful the noise from the Sound Orb truly was. He was immune to such noises, thanks to his innate ability to become and train as a medic.

Their observations were curious, though.

“Is that what the recordings meant?” he mused aloud. “That Keepers are the only ones who can use Relics to their full capacity?”

Jairus nodded his head as he picked up his personal tablet that had been resting on his lap. “We believe so. We are currently unsure of as to how or why. What makes a Keeper different to others who are able to wield Mana? Who or what would be a modern equivalent of a Keeper?”

Those were some very good questions. Were Keepers rare back in their day? Or were they common? The very existence of “Radiant Souls” and “Warrior Spirits” raised many questions. Questions they may never truly know the answer to. Not to their satisfaction, at least.

“If I remember correctly, Keepers can share mana to another, to someone called Warrior Spirit,” Jacob commented.

Eishirou’s gaze immediately wandered toward Zayne, who stood at the back of the laboratory to keep a watchful gaze over everyone. Upon the mentioning of Warrior Spirit, Zayne turned to look directly at Eishirou in return. They shared a silent conversation with their eyes for a lingering moment before Zayne nodded his head just once.

So, Eishirou turned his attention toward Jairus. He took another moment to consider his words. “There’s…something I forgot to mention during the conference.”

“Hm?”

“While on Keeper’s Isle, Zayne and I shared mana. Without the use of a relic.”

Jairus perked his head up and immediately turned his eyes in Eishirou’s direction. “Shared?” he asked, both surprised and curious. “Go on.”

Eishirou felt slightly subconscious due to Jairus’s reaction. He was the head scholar of the use of mana. He seemed surprised to learn that Eishirou, a Passive, had shared mana with Zayne, an Elite. Had it not occurred before? Or was it a rare event?

They had definitely shared mana. Eishirou had healed Zayne several times before, but it was different. Sharing and healing were two different things.

“It was after we had to flee camp because of the Star Rebellion and found that underground temple,” he began. “The last recording I attempted, I didn’t have the energy to view it. But Zayne lent me some of his mana to help. And we both saw the recording.”

“Interesting,” Jairus simply murmured at first as he momentarily turned his gaze back to his tablet to make a few notes. “How did you share mana?”

Eishirou shook his head. “We’re not sure. It was instinct, I guess.”

Jairus continued with his note-taking. “Hmm.”

It was pure instinct. While not scientifically accurate, it was what happened. The warmth of Zayne’s hand and presence allowed him to relax and to concentrate on the task at hand. Pulling the recording came easily after that. Sharing that vision with Zayne, however, was a surprise.

And it was just pure instinct when Eishirou shared his mana with Zayne to destroy that Centipede ShadowDweller with a single shot. It was a feeling similar, but not exact, to when Eishirou offered someone healing. The flow of mana leaving his hand to enter into another. He wasn’t sure if his mana had helped give Zayne the power needed to defeat that ShadowDweller, or gave him the comfort and reassurance needed to concentrate.

Maybe it was a bit of both.

“Shall we attempt another guided meditation?” Jairus suddenly requested.

Eishirou blinked at the sudden request before he nodded his head. “Yeah, let’s give it a try.”

Jairus offered him a small smile. “Very well. We, of course, don’t have my comfortable couch with us. But Jacob did arrange for a recliner chair nevertheless.”

Did he? Eishirou glanced around the area and soon narrowed in on a familiar large leather chair. It was a piece of furniture that could be reclined back into a bed. Something that Eishirou had found Jacob snoozing in a few times.

“Zayne,” Jairus motioned for Zayne to join them. “You will act as his anchor for this.”

Zayne dutifully nodded his head and made his way into the examination room. “Right.”

“Eishirou, place the relic on your wrist. Like you had witnessed in the recording.”

With a nod of his own, Eishirou rolled up his right sleeve of his hoodie and turned back to the relics. He glanced at his right wrist, noting the light purple bruise that encircled his entire wrist. The presence of the relic against the still bruised skin might be slightly uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t be overly painful.

At least, he hoped it wasn’t.

Picking up the relic, he gently parted the two parts of the wristlet to a point where it would stay open. And carefully slipped it over his wrist. He positioned it so the jewelled petals of the Red Lily pointed toward his forearm. Just how he had seen the Sentinel Being had worn it in a recording.

As soon as the relic was in place, it clamped shut with an audible click. It made him jump slightly, but it didn’t hurt. It was secure, but not tight against his bony wrist. It felt both comfortable, yet strange. He could feel the abundance of mana stored inside. It was a both warm and cool sensation.

“How does it feel?” Jairus asked him. “It’s not irritating your bruises?”

Eishirou spent a moment fidgeting with the relic. “It feels fine. Doesn’t hurt. Doesn’t feel very heavy, either.”

“Hm.” Jairus tapped at his tablet to add more notes. “Very well. Eishirou, take a seat on the recliner chair and let us begin this mediation.”

With another nod, Eishirou turned and made his way to the recliner chair on the other side of the exanimation room. He immediately sat down and pushed the chair back so that he was more or less lying down. He adjusted his position so that he was more comfortable and when he was satisfied, he rested his right hand upon his stomach.

“Zayne, take your place next to Eishirou,” Jairus continued his instructions. “And Eishirou, close your eyes.”

Eishirou dutifully did as he was told. Comforted with Zayne’s presence, he concentrated on Jairus’s voice.

“Let us begin. I want you to open your inner vision. Imagine yourself in a room. No windows, no features. Just a plain white room.”

The darkness of Eishirou’s closed eyes soon lifted in a dim light. While his physical eyes remained closed, he opened his inner eyes to find himself in a room. A plain room. Just as Jairus described. Four walls of white. Floor plain and featureless. As with the roof.

Completely empty.

“Now, look to your right. A door appears upon the wall. Can you see it?”

Eishirou turned his head to the right. Within an otherwise featureless wall, appeared a door. A simple, wooden door. A pale beige in colour, a simple silver door handle. No light seen beneath. Just a door.

“Walk to the door. Open it. And walk through it.” 

His footsteps were silent as he crossed the short distance and stood before the door. He placed his hand, his right hand upon the door handle. He paused, however, to simply look at the red jewelled relic that sat upon his wrist.

A soft shimmer of light from the jewel urged him forward, so he tightened his hand and twisted the handle. The door moved easily as he pulled it toward him, allowing for a dim light to appear before him.

“Where are you?”

Eishirou glanced down at the ground at first to find smooth, flat stones acting as a path. They dotted along, winding through grass and mud huts. Through tall stone pillars of ancient writings and designs. And through somewhat familiar, but exceedingly vibrant mosaics.

He was…in that underground temple.

“Look at your surroundings. What else can you see?”

Runestones, mostly. Small huts and places to rest deep within the rocky terrain of the mountainside. Vines and flowers. Luminescent mushrooms, too.

Wait, there was a glow further in. A fire. A small campfire. There was…someone there.

“Head toward the fire.”

Eishirou followed the stone path through the small forest of runestones and pillars. The words written upon the stones were illegible. Yet he got the distinct feeling that they spoke of the role that Keepers held.

The light of the campfire grew brighter and as Eishirou turned a slight bend in the path, he suddenly found himself standing before a brightly burning firepit. And there was someone else sat on the other side.

They were…

“Who is it?”

The Sentinel Being.

A small smile slipped across the being’s lips and he raised his head toward him to greet him. He raised his hand toward him, motioning for him to move forward.

He…wanted him to join him. By the fire.

So, Eishirou moved forward. Stood before the fire for a moment before he lowered himself to the ground. Sat in a cross-legged position, he peered over the dancing flames to the other being.

“You have grown strong is such a short amount of time,” a warm, familiar voice resonated to him.

“Who are you?” Eishirou asked.

The Sentinel Being continued to smile peacefully. “I am residual energy. A memory from long ago.”

They were speaking to him, though their lips did not move. They seemed to speak directly into Eishirou’s mind.

“Can I have your name?”

“…Killara…”

“Killara…” Eishirou repeated with a smile. “I’m happy to have a name for you now.”

A warm chuckle was heard as the Sentinel Being, no Killara, nodded his head.

Eishirou rested his hands on his knees. “Are you the creator of the Red Lily?”

“I am.”

Before Eishirou could ask any more questions regarding the relic, the fire flared sharply and suddenly. And a tight frown appeared on Killara’s lips. He turned his brown eyes toward the fire and shook his head almost mournfully.

“You must be wary,” Killara gently warned him. “A dark force moves to work against you.”

Eishirou furrowed his brow. “You mean the Star Rebellion?”

“A dangerous runestone has been moved. The violence of a previous vision is what they seek.”

A cold wave of nausea washed over him.

…That spider ShadowDweller?

“Please, I need to know how to awakening the Red Lily,” Eishirou begged.

Killara shook his head once more. However, a gentle smile reappeared as he returned his gaze to Eishirou. “It will reveal its power when you need it most. Stay on your path. Strengthen your bond with your Warrior Spirit. Let him see what you see. Let him feel what you feel.”

Eishirou wasn’t entirely sure what he meant and had wanted to ask more questions. However, Killara shook his head slowly as the flames of the fire flared suddenly in a bright flash of light.

“Eishirou?”

Zayne’s voice caused Eishirou to snap open his eyes. The bright lights of the laboratories greeted him, along with the vision of both Zayne and Jairus looking down at him with concern.

“Good, you’re back,” Jairus breathed a sigh of relief. “We lost contact with you again.”

“Are you all right?” Zayne asked with a worried frown as he helped him to pull the recliner back into an upright position.

Eishirou looked around slightly dazed for a moment before he nodded. “Y-yeah. The Sentinel Being, his name is Killara. He…”

He trailed off when he heard footsteps from the Observation Deck and subconsciously tensed. Zayne immediately looked up as well and placed a hand on his shoulder, though he did little else. No attempt to pull himself into a protective stance. He didn’t react negatively, which in turn helped Eishirou ease his own worries.

The man who appeared, though, was somewhat surprising. Head held high, shoulders back, and with confident strides, Cadmus walked through the Observation Deck and wordlessly joined them within the examination area.

For some reason, the sight of Zayne’s father caused Eishirou to remember the tail end of his conversation with Killara.

“A runestone has been stolen, hasn’t it?” he blurted out before he had the chance to reconsider.

Cadmus immediately turned his face in his direction and arched a questioning eyebrow. He then turned toward Jacob. “You already told him?” he unexpectedly asked him with a slight accusatory tone.

Jacob, however, shook his head. “No. It wasn’t me.”

Cadmus narrowed his eyes ever-so slightly, somewhat confused and quite sceptical. He soon shook his head and turned around to face in Eishirou’s direction once more. “A runestone located close to a previous inspected dig site has removed, forcibly so.”

Eishirou winced at the information while Zayne uttered a low curse under his breath. However, Jairus didn’t appear surprised as he shook his head with disappointment.

“It was a previously unknown runestone,” Jacob went on to explain. “So, we have no idea what it could possibly contain.”

That cold feeling of dread he felt during the mediation abruptly returned.

…ShadowDwellers?

“This is, without a doubt, the work of the Star Rebellion,” Cadmus continued in his stern, no-nonsense manner. “And due to recent events, I will take on the task of security for the museum.” 

“That’s a surprise,” Zayne replied with a mild hint of sarcasm.

Cadmus glanced over in his son’s direction. “Not at all,” he said before he suddenly turned on his heel and walked the exact same path he had used to enter.

Silence quickly fell over the room as Cadmus made his exit. Eishirou watched him leave, still not sure how he should feel about the man. He was…a very brisk and strange man. But he was Zayne’s father. So, he couldn’t be that bad. Could he?

Jairus uttered a sigh, breaking the brief silence, before he returned his attention to Eishirou. “There’s another meditation I would like for you to try. This one, however, will require Zayne’s participation.”

Zayne looked at the professor with an expression that was a mixture of surprise and curiosity. “What is it?”

“I’m curious about how you two had shared mana,” Jairus began. “And how you, Zayne, had viewed a recording while aiding Eishirou. Mayhap, you two could share a meditation, and potentially a meeting with this Killara. Will you be willing to give it a try? If nothing else, it might strengthen the bond the two of you share.”

Eishirou tilted his head toward Zayne and they shared a quick glance. A silent conversation with their eyes once more.

“Sure,” Eishirou replied. “We’ll give it a try.”

Jairus gave a small smile. “Very well. Shall we begin?”

#original fiction #young adult #sci-fi fantasy #Adventure #Mystery/Suspense #gay romance #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 35) - Original Fiction

AN: Ooh, boy, this was a long chapter to write. Hope you enjoy reading!

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

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Chapter 35:

Night had fallen quickly, plunging their surroundings into pitch black not long after they had returned to camp. Eishirou was once again issued with the task of sitting down and letting the Elites prepare camp, where they would stay for the night. Although feeling somewhat guilty that he wasn’t physically useful, he had other work that needed to be done.

The campfire was the first thing to be built, so he was sat on some thick padding on the ground next to the fire.

The illumination of the campfire would prove to be less of a beacon for ShadowDwellers than an artificial lantern. Besides, there was something alluring about a campfire; the sound, the smell, the dancing, flickering light.

It reminded Eishirou of the recordings he had viewed. Which helped since he was in the middle of typing out a report for said recordings.

His writings wouldn’t be considered professional to many, but since it was to reach Jacob, it didn’t have to be perfect. He just needed to jot down what he had witnessed as frankly as possible. Even if his musings were somewhat jumbled.

Although reluctant to do so, he also explained the moments of their first ShadowDweller encounter and then near-miss with a rockslide. Those pieces of information were sure to worry anyone who read the report, especially Jacob, but Eishirou knew it wasn’t something he could just flatly deny.

But he did add the small consolation of a possible new area to explore sometime in the future.

Zayne suddenly dropping down onto the mat next to him, lounging causally on his side, pulled Eishirou from his work.

“Did you take your painkiller?” Zayne asked as he rested his chin in the palm of his hand and leaned on his elbow.

Eishirou nodded. “Yep. Needed to get this report done before the drowsiness kicks in.”

Thankfully, he was almost done with the wordy part of his report, as jumbled as that was. All he needed to do next was to attach the photos he had taken.

Speaking of photos.

“Before I send this; can you see it?” Eishirou questioned as he turned his tablet toward Zayne.

“Hm?” Zayne glanced at it idly to begin with before he perked up and reached with his hand to take hold of the tablet so that he could get a closer look. “Is that the ShadowDweller we encountered today?”

Eishirou felt a rush of relief. “Ah, so it did work.”

He had been worried that it would just disappear from existence or something.

Intrigued by Zayne’s response, Rinka wandered over to him with a wholly curious expression. “Can I see?”

As Eishirou retrieved the tablet from Zayne to present to Rinka, Leon wandered over, also.

“I’m interested, too,” he admitted and leaned over Rinka’s shoulder (more like simply tilted his head down since he was so tall) to look at the tablet, too. A flicker of surprise appeared on his face, matched in time with Rinka’s eyes widening, before he appeared intrigued. “Hmm. Looks bigger from this photo.”

Did it? From Eishirou’s point of view, the photo couldn’t properly convey how big the ShadowDweller truly was in person.

“Isn’t it virtually impossible for a photo to be taken of a ShadowDweller?”

Eishirou winced at Cadmus’s sudden but actually quite understandable question. “W-well, yeah.”

As he retrieved the tablet from Rinka, he risked a glance over in the veteran Elite’s direction. Only to find a pair of sharp eyes fearlessly and pointedly looking directly at him.

“How did you manage it?”

“I just…took the photo,” Eishirou replied as he turned his head away abruptly and busied himself attaching photos to his report. “I mean, it showed up on the map, so I figured that it had enough outward mana to take a photo of it. Of course, it could just be sheer luck.”

Cadmus didn’t verbally respond. Though, Eishirou certainly felt his eyes on him…

His question also caused a tense silence to fall over the group. Rinka shuffled away, moving to sit next to Ernesta on the other side of the campfire. Leon shoved his hands into his pockets as he turned to pace the perimeter of their camp.

“So, this means it’s the first photo of a ShadowDweller, right?” Zayne suddenly commented, breaking the silence. “It’ll be sure to make you famous.”

Zayne’s tone was light with a hint of teasing, which prompted Eishirou to relax. “I hope not. But I do hope it’ll be of use for future ShadowDweller Research.”

Just before Eishirou moved to finally send off his report, he took a moment to gaze at the ShadowDweller photo again. Was it really the only photo of a ShadowDweller in existence? More importantly, how and why was he able to take photo?

Hm…The X marking he saw didn’t show up on the photo?

Well, that was something he would have to work on later. His first priority was to learn how to activate the Red Lily. Before those Star Rebellion group got their hands on it.

“There,” Eishirou sighed. “Hopefully that went through.”

“Was that information sent to Professor Chryses?” Ernesta asked.

Eishirou set his tablet aside. “Not directly, but it should get to him. It’s easier for me to send information through to Communications. Misaki will then send it to the appropriate people.”

Leon paused in his pacing and tilted his head to the side. “Misaki?”

“Oh, Misaki is going to be our contact for this mission,” Eishirou explained, leaning back on his hands. “I feel kinda bad since he's going to be working overtime for this.”

“Ah,” Leon uttered simply in understanding. He paused for a moment before adding, “He seems like a nice guy.”

“He is,” Eishirou replied with a smile. “He has a habit of being parental at times. I keep telling him to take medical classes as I’m sure he would be a great medic.”

Leon turned back to his pacing, those his movements were more for the need to move rather than out of caution. “He definitely seems the type not liking to see anyone hurt.”

Eishirou immediately nodded his head. “Definitely.”

He soon found himself musing that possibility. “Hm, I wonder if that’s the reason why he’s reluctant to become a medic. It’s a medic’s job to deal with the injured. He might be better off staying a chronicler and communicator. He’s also the type to take an attack in someone else’s place.”

“Tch.”

A sound, like an annoyed scoff, was heard over the crackling of the fire. It was a terse sound, though soft, also. He wasn’t sure if that sound was just one of the many noises of nature around them. Or if someone had responded to his ramblings.

It was probably just a croak of a frog or something.

Though…Ernesta was side-eying Tatsu with a tight frown on her lips.

Another sound was heard, but one that was immediately recognisable. It was his tablet alerting him. He immediately picked up the tablet and tapped at the screen to activate. Thankfully, it was a message from Misaki.

Oh, good, information got through. He hoped Jacob would be thrilled with the information he found. Even though it wasn’t exactly what he was sent to find.

Another message soon came through, once again from Misaki. Though, it was on the behalf of Neriah.

“Oh hey, Leon?” Eishirou called out, immediately gaining the Elite’s attention. “I just got a message from Neriah regarding Mikiel. His status has been steadily improving. His brainwaves are becoming stable. He believes that he may awaken in a few days.”

Leon perked his head up, an expression of relief on his face. “Really?”

“Hm?” Cadmus uttered. “That is the Elite you rescued, yes?”

“Yes,” Ernesta immediately answered, turning her head in the veteran’s direction to gaze at him with a somewhat placid expression. “We found his badge and it is thanks to Eishirou that we had found him in time.”

Cadmus arched an eyebrow at the team leader. Eishirou was about to explain that it was Team 3 who had found and rescued Mikiel. Eishirou had just been the medic at the time. But another buzzing from his tablet prompted him to immediately turn his attention back to it.

It was another message from Misaki. The content of the message, however, didn’t appear pleasant. If Misaki beginning the message with “debated whether or not to give you this while on a mission” was any indication.

And after reading the message, he immediately understood why.

It was information about the missing Elites of Flutterlight Forest. And the news wasn’t good. Two bodies had been found. The document didn’t go into great detail about what…state the bodies were found it. But the information it did provide was no less disturbing.

They were…robbed of their belongings? Badges and holsters? That…meant they weren’t the victims of ShadowDwellers, did it? A ShadowDweller had no use for such items.

He tried to supress a wince as he read through the information, but clearly, he did a poor job at it as Zayne immediately nudged him with his arm.

“What’s wrong?”

“There's...news about a two of the missing Elites,” Eishirou admitted reluctantly.

“From your wince, the news isn't good?”

Eishirou shook his head and sighed. He couldn’t keep the information away from the others. It was disturbing, something that needed to be known. And that would, no doubt, increase the Elites’ caution and protection.

“No. They were found. Not alive, though.”

A tense silence immediately fell over the campsite.

“…Any names?” Leon asked softly.

Eishirou shook his head again, granting the silently distraught Elite a sympathetic look. “No. Not yet. I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Leon replied simply, his voice purposely steady. However, he turned his back toward the campfire and stared out into the pitch darkness of the forest around them.

Everyone fell into silence once more.

Eishirou looked sadly at Leon’s back before he uttered a sigh. He set his tablet aside upon his bag and pulled his legs to his chest and rested his chin atop of his knees. He was certain that Zayne and the others were worried about future encounters with ShadowDwellers, those creatures being the first to come to mind upon learning the defeat of a pair of Elites.

But the information Eishirou had read indicated that something else might be response. Something wholly more human. Of course, he had no way knowing that human interference was involved. Maybe a ShadowDweller was responsible and someone opportunistic looted the bodies for their own gain.

Whatever the reason, he was grateful that Zayne was beside him.

“You know,” Tatsu unexpectedly began, “there’s a theory doing the rounds stating that the presence of Passives may be the reason for increased ShadowDweller attacks.”

Eishirou abruptly lifted his chin from his knees and whipped his head in Tatsu’s direction.

That…he had heard something along the lines of it. High populations of Passives, with their inert mana deposits, were believed to be a draw point for ShadowDwellers. It hadn’t been confirmed. But it hadn’t been debunked, either.

Do…do Elites believe that, though?

Zayne slowly pushed himself upright. “Is that so?” he asked slowly, his tone terse. “Are you saying that it was Misaki's fault he got injured when he was a kid? By a ShadowDweller, no less? While you, an Elite, was there and should have done something about it?”

From the other side of the camp, Tatsu snapped his head sharply in Zayne’s direction. “What did you just say?” he hissed, surprising and honestly startling Eishirou greatly.

Zayne, however, scoffed and pushed himself to his feet. “Do I need to repeat myself? Misaki has a scar on his forehead because of a ShadowDweller attack. An attack you were present for. Does it bother you that a weak, fragile Passive protected your worthless ass instead? Is that it?”

Tatsu’s green eyes seemed to…flash with anger. “That isn’t what happened. Who told you that?”

“Who do you think? It may surprise you that Eishirou and Misaki are friends.”

Tatsu turned his head sharply in Eishirou’s direction. “Eishirou…”

The way he practically growled his name with barely suppressed rage caused Eishirou to wince. And feel the need to, well…hide away from him. That anger…he wouldn’t actually attempt to hurt him. Would he?

However, Zayne suddenly moved to stand in front of Eishirou. Protecting him. Again. “Eyes on me, asshole.”

“Why are you so obsessed with him?” Tatsu snapped. “He's just a Passive!”

“Eishirou is not just a Passive,” Zayne retorted just as sharply. “He's a medic, a researcher, a Chronicler. He enjoys reading up ancient myths and legends. He plays a violin, for fuck's sake. He's not just a Passive.”

Eishirou’s felt his eyes widen as he stared up at Zayne. His back straight, his shoulders tense, his legs spread apart in a power stance. He meant it. He meant everything he said. He wasn’t just standing up for him – he was protecting him. Not only because he needed it.

But because, in his mind, he deserved it.

Zayne…

“But you,” Zayne continued. “You’re nothing but an Elite. And that’s all you will ever be.”

That…

He was talking about himself, too, wasn’t he?

“That’s enough,” Cadmus interjected with a purely reprimanding tone, physically moving to stand between the two. “Zayne, an Elite is meant to remain professional at all times.”

“Since when does being professional mean you have to be a cold, heartless bastard?” Zayne retorted.

And it appeared to be a question that Cadmus couldn’t answer immediately.

“Passives don't belong on the battlefield,” Tatsu quickly spat, unable to hold himself back from doing so.

Again, Zayne snapped his attention toward his teammate. “You’re sounding like a fucking parrot, repeating the same shit over and over again. Sure, Passives shouldn’t be on the battlefield, which is why there are fucking Elites, you dumbass! Passives don't fight! They don't have to! They do literally everything else!”

“Only because of Elites. Passives wouldn’t exist without Elites!”

“Elites wouldn’t survive without Passives!

Tatsu barked out a sharp, almost disturbing laugh. “Do you actually believe that shit?”

Zayne’s expression unexpectedly darkened. “I bet you can't even cook a cup of instant noodles without fucking it up. Elites are useless outside the battlefield. And you know it. And that's why you're such an asshole; you've been told that Elites are superior. That we are all powerful and important. But we're not. We fight. We fight and protect. And that's fucking it. We can't have hobbies. We can't have interests. We can't even have friends. We're soldiers, not human beings. And that's fucking infuriating.”

Eishirou…knew those things. But it hurt to hear. It hurt because no one disputed that. No one attempted to correct him.

“Ok, that’s enough,” Cadmus once again tried to intervene.

But Zayne was having none of it. His frustrations, his anger, his…self-loathing was too much. He had been holding back for so long.

He couldn’t hold it back any more.

“No, you shut and listen for once in your god-damn life,” Zayne said, utterly scathingly toward his father, visibly startling the other man. “I'm not just an Elite. I'm not just a prodigy. I'm not just the son to an Elite. There is more to me than being an Elite. I know there is. But I don't know what. I want to find out. I want to have hobbies. I want to have interests. I want there to be more to life than god-damn ShadowDwellers. Why is that so fucking wrong to you?”

Silence. A tense silence. The kind of tension one could just about physically see fell over the campsite once more.

Zayne stood off against his father, the two just staring at each other with unreadable expressions. But Eishirou could tell what Zayne had said struck a chord with his father. His cold silence, the purposely stoic expression…the crease at the corners of his eyes.

He felt something.

And Zayne…He had…been holding that in for a long time, hadn’t he? Years’ worth of pain and resentment.

“…This is not something that should be discussed here,” Cadmus finally stated, attempting to dismiss any possible future outburst. “Now let’s-”

“I want to as well.”

Rinka’s soft voice interrupting the Veteran Elite caused everyone to turn in the young woman’s direction. Standing next to the campfire, head lowered with her chin toward her chest and hair curtaining over her eyes, Rinka stood stock still.

With her hands curled into tight fists by her sides.

“Rinka?” Ernesta questioned; her voice filled with obvious concern.

“I want...I want to learn how to draw rabbits,” Rinka began slowly. “I want to learn how to make flower crowns. And go looking for seashells on the beach. I want to play volleyball and go swimming like other girls. I want to listen to music and learn how to dance. I want to be normal.”

Oh…

They…they really weren’t allowed to be anything else but Elites?

Her shoulders began to tremble. “I don’t want to be an Elite. I want to be a Passive!”

Rinka’s raised voice full of pain startled everyone within the camp. So sharp, so sorrowful was her voice, it immediately made Eishirou’s chest ache with pure empathy.

“Rinka…”

Eishirou pushed himself to his feet and walked over to the young Elite-no, young woman. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and crouched down in front of her so that he could look before her curtain of hair to the young, pained youth beneath.

“You don’t need to be a Passive to do those things. You’re human. You’re alive. And that’s a good enough reason,” he said gently as he reached up with his hand to brush aside her hair. “Listen, when we get back to the academy, we’ll go speak with Lyvia. She’ll be happy to help you. And be your friend.”

“R-really?” Rinka murmured as she looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Eishirou nodded and presented her with the handkerchief. “So, don’t cry.”

Rinka fumbled with the handkerchief and used it to hastily rubbed at her eyes. “S-sorry,” she murmured quietly.

When Ernesta moved to stand on Rinka’s other side and, too, lowered her tall frame to crouch down beside her, Eishirou dutifully stood and took a step back. Far from perturbed by Rinka’s outburst, Ernesta appeared sympathetic and understanding. And not remotely surprised.

Of course, he couldn’t be entirely sure as Ernesta’s expressions had always been either placid or passively aggressive. But he swore that she held a sense of gratitude in her eyes when she looked over at him.

Once more, silence reigned over the campsite. Only the crackling fire and the distant sound of frogs could be heart.

They were reacting to their own mortality, weren’t they?

There were reportedly more Passives than Elites, which was why they were so highly regarded. And yet, a reason why there were so few was because it was rare for an Elite to live pass the age of thirty. They were expected to marry young and have children early, to have an Elite child and to continue their lineage. If one did live beyond the age of thirty, they graduate to the title of Veteran Elite.

To live such a short life fighting and doing nothing else…

Being an Elite wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

It made him feel guilty that he was so afraid of Elites.

Eishirou uttered a sigh and pushed himself to his feet. He fidgeted with his hands in front of him as he turned to look into the brightly burning campfire. Something within the dancing flames and the pops and crackles was calming.

Yet, reflective, too.

“To be honest I, too, saw Elites as someone different from me,” Eishirou began quietly. “Someone beyond my league. And someone who I couldn’t possibly engage in conversation with as I expect them to treat me with nothing but disdain. And there were times, in the past, that turned out to be true.”

Haughty, aggressive, arrogant. There was no excuse for their attitudes. And he would never excuse such behaviour. But what he had heard today, he now knew of their reasons. It didn’t excuse their actions, but Eishirou was no longer going to allow himself to make grand, sweeping generalisations of a whole group of people because of a few bad incidents.

“But I understand now. And I’m sorry if I treated Elites differently or shied away from them, from you, because of a perceived intimidation. You’re human. Just like me.”

He used the accompanying silence to walk around the campfire to gather up his bag and tablet. There was still an undeniable amount of tension in the air, but the brewing situation seemed to have been diffused for now.

“It is late,” Ernesta stated. “Eishirou, you should get some sleep. You’ll need your energy for tomorrow.”

Yeah. His painkillers were starting to kick in. He felt exhausted.

“Right,” Eishirou replied simply to Ernesta’s suggestion before he turned and tilted his head questioningly in Zayne’s direction. “Zayne?”

Not bothering to answer verbally, Zayne simply nodded and moved to join Eishirou as he slipped the strap of his bag onto his shoulder. He then slipped an arm around Eishirou’s upper back and proceeded to escort him toward one of the set-up tents, ignoring the stares he was no doubt getting from his father and teammate.

As the flap of the tent fell behind them, blocking the view outside, Zayne suddenly pulled Eishirou into his arms in a tight hug. Eishirou, however, was only half startled by the sudden embrace. In all honesty, after hearing Zayne bare his soul to his father, he had wanted to walk straight up to Zayne and comfort him in some way.

“You ok?” he asked as he rested his cheek against Zayne’s chest, his head nestled beneath the taller man’s chin.

“I’m sorry about that,” Zayne said quietly.

Eishirou raised his hands to slip around Zayne and rest against his back. “You’ve been holding that in for a while, haven’t you?”

“…Yeah,” Zayne admitted around a sigh. “And he just pisses me off.”

Eishirou gave a small chuckle in spite of himself. He wasn’t sure if Zayne was talking about his father, or about Tatsu. The both of them had been sniping at him all day, so it could be either one.

He was glad, however, that Zayne had gotten all of that off of his chest. To hold so much resentment for such a long time must have been incredibly painful.

Eishirou subconsciously tightened his arms around Zayne. He didn’t want him to suffer like that again.

“Zayne, listen; I’m grateful to have met you. For allowing me to do the things I do. Not many Passives get to venture beyond the walls of the city and experience new environments. Places like this. It can be dangerous, I know. But I also know that I am safe with you, no matter what. Others don’t get to see what I see. And I only get to experience these things thanks to you. So, thank you.”

Zayne didn’t respond verbally, at first. However, his arms did tighten around him. One arm wounding tightly against the small of his back, pulling his body closer to his. He then slipped his fingers of his other hand through his hair. With his fingers gentle carding through Eishirou’s hair, Zayne lowered his head to whisper something into his ear.

“Eishirou…I need to tell you something.”

The way Zayne’s warm breath hit the side of his neck caused Eishirou to unwittingly shiver. And a strange, fluttering feeling to appear in the pit of his stomach. “Hm?”

“It’s-” The sound of someone sneezing loudly outside interrupted whatever Zayne was about to say. In annoyance, he sharply turned his head to look over his shoulder toward the entrance of their tent. A motion that caused Eishirou to feel a great sense of disappointment from…something.

“Never mind,” Zayne muttered as he turned back to glance down at Eishirou, whom he still held tightly in his arms. “It can wait.”

“Are you sure?”

Zayne smiled warmly, gently down at him. “Yeah. We’ll talk when we return home. For now, get some sleep.”

“Ok,” Eishirou returned.

Zayne then loosened his arms around him. And Eishirou took a step back and over toward the cot occupying one side of the tent.

He dropped his bag to the ground next to his bed and felt a frown tug at his lips. There was that feeling of disappointment again. The warmth of Zayne’s arms was consuming yet comforting. And to be pulled from them, even by his own accord, felt wrong in some way.

He didn’t have the state of mind to ponder that, however. The painkillers had well and truly kicked in now. And the only reason he hadn’t fallen asleep was that he was standing upright. He was certain that as soon as his head hit the pillow, he would be asleep.

So, without another word, he slipped onto the cot and laid down onto his side.

Just before he fell asleep, he felt something brush against his cheek. It was a hand. Zayne’s hand. He was sure of it. And it made him smile.

… … … … …

A gentle, but urgent hand touching the side of his face awoke Eishirou from his sleep. His eyes fluttered open, though it was a difficult thing to do. All he wanted was to close his eyes and fall back to sleep.

“Eishirou, wake up.”

But the urgency in Zayne’s voice forced him to push through the need to sleep and to open his eyes. It was still night. The tent was dark, saved for the subtle glow of the campfire through the nylon shelter.

“Hm? Wha-?”

Zayne suddenly pressed the pad of his thumb against Eishirou’s lips to silence him. “Shh. Grab your bag. We need to sneak out. We’ve been followed.”

F-followed?

#original fiction #scifi fantasy #mystery #Adventure #young adult #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 39) - Original Fiction

AN: Whew, eight more chapters to go! I’m getting teary-eyed just thinking about it. Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

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Chapter 39:

Eishirou had a great dislike of needles. Especially those intravenous needles. He especially disliked being on intravenous fluids. The catheter was taped to the back of his left hand, attached to a bag of saline fluid, and a touch of pain relief. He disliked being on fluids in such a way. He understood that it was the fastest way to restore fluids and maintain blood pressure, but it made his arm turn freezing cold and brought on uncontrollable shivers.

It was especially uncomfortable because he was sat in a conference room, waiting for a meeting to start.

Eishirou shifted in his chair to find a more comfortable position, granting a hovering Zayne a reassuring smile. As soon as he had returned to the academy Neriah got a hold of him and all but dragged him to the infirmary to inspect his health. He barely had time to throw his bag toward Jacob and tell him of a new relic.

Zayne, of course, promptly followed to stay close to him. And was pulled in for a health inspection, too. Neriah was on the rampage and nothing was going to stop him.

Thankfully, Zayne was perfectly healthy. He didn’t have a scratch and no sign of mana depletion. Unlike Eishirou.

It was truly amazing how different Passives and Elites were. Zayne was capable of staying awake and alert for a couple of days without feeling stress. Eishirou skips one a meal and views several recordings, and he’s exhausted.

Though, that could be partly explained through their differing forms of training. Zayne’s training was physical. Fight, protect, and fight some more. Eishirou’s training was mental; focusing one’s intent, search for answers, pick up on clues, solve said clues.

They were so different. But worked together well.

As Eishirou fidgeted in his chair for the umpteenth time, Jacob approached him with concern. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

A meeting just after returning from an expedition, especially one so fraught with danger, wasn’t common practice. But is also wasn’t common to be evacuated from a mission while a group of rebellious terrorists attempt to stop them.

“Yeah. The sooner, the better,” Eishirou replied. “I’ll get some proper rest after this. I can’t relax when on IV fluids.” He spared a moment to cast a bitter glance toward the catheter on the back of his hand. “I wish Neriah could have waited.”

“There’s no reasoning with him sometimes,” Jacob stated with a half-smile.

The sound of shoes clacking against the tiles outside the room prompted Jacob to turn away from Eishirou and to look expectantly toward the door. Eishirou himself glanced over at the door, his mind already formulating what he was going to say when the meeting started.

However, he did a doubletake when a familiar redhead stepped into the room, though a little hesitantly.

“Ah, Misaki, come on in,” Jacob greeted.

Eishirou tilted his head to the side. “Misaki?”

“I wanted him to attend this meeting as he had been our main communicator throughout all of this,” Jacob quickly explained.

Eishirou smiled. “That makes sense.”

Misaki walked over to him. “You can’t stay out of trouble, can you?”

“Don’t look exasperated, I’m fine. Just a bit tired,” Eishirou returned quickly, and for the most part it was true. He soon noticed that Misaki himself wasn’t exactly breaming with energy and health. And he felt a prang of guilt. “Are you all right? Must have been a long night for you, too.”

“You could say that,” Misaki replied dismissively.

He would say nothing else on the matter. Not that he had much time to when a chorus of footsteps moving in their direction was heard. A few moments later, Sigmund appeared on the threshold. Behind him was Team 3, and Cadmus surprisingly.

Misaki’s face creased into a purposely stoic expression when Tatsu ambled into the room with his teammates. Tatsu spent a moment to side-eye Misaki before snapping his gaze forward and moving to the back of the room. Neither said anything, though the tension between them was palpable.

Eishirou would need to speak with Misaki about what he had learnt about Elites at some point. He wasn’t going to excuse Tatsu’s actions, but it might help if Misaki knew of the reasons. If for no one else than for Misaki’s peace of mind.

He was pulled from his musings when Rinka appeared in his line of sight. She paused in her steps to look directly at him with wide eyes. No doubt startled by the long, thin tubing attached to his wrist.

“Just a precaution,” Eishirou immediately reassured. “Passives are a lot more fragile than Elites.”

A frown tugged at her lips, obviously still worried. But she soon nodded her head in acceptance and moved to join her teammates, choosing to linger near Ernesta.

Zayne choose to stay close to Eishirou, lingering behind him and leaning casually against the windowsill situated behind him. Misaki decided that he, too, would stand back and choose to stand near where Zayne was.

“Before the meeting begins, I would like to speak casually about the behaviour of the Star Rebels,” Cadmus suddenly announced, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“That’s why you took so long?” Zayne stated, more so than asked.

Cadmus nodded his head once, sharply. “Hm. Their skills are similar to those taught within the academy.”

“I kinda noticed that, too,” Leon added, his face creased in subtle confusion and concern. “They felt familiar this time.”

Ernesta uttered a low sigh and folded her arms loosely under her bust. “Hm. They avoided me, largely. I do wonder if that’s because I may recognise their…techniques.”

Familiar? Could Elite students of the academy really be part of the extremist group, Star Rebellion? If so, did they seek out the organisation on their own, or were they recruited? And if that was the case, who was doing the ‘grooming’, so to speak?

Sigmund leaned back into his chair, rested his elbow on the arm of the chair, and planted his cheek on his hand. “Is that so?” he muttered, clearly displeased.

“A few students have gone missing, haven’t they?” Ernesta pointed out, her cool voice just barely unable to prevent the rise of her suspicions.

“I’ll look into it,” Sigmund abruptly stated, shutting down the conversation. “Don’t mention it to anyone outside of this room.”

Ernesta cast a cool glance in the professor’s direction. “…Understood.”

“Can I raise a concern?” Eishirou asked.

However, before he could verbally mention said concern, Sigmund interrupted him gruffly. “You’re wondering how the Star Rebellion could have known about your mission.”

Eishirou was only half surprised. “Yeah. They were there before us, I’m sure of it.”

“I’ll get Professor Jalen to look into it,” Jacob suddenly interjected, his full attention upon Eishirou. “Concentrate on the Red Lily. We’ll take care of everything else.”

Eishirou nodded his head slowly. “Alright.” Though, it would be difficult to not be worried and think about whether students of the academy were involved.

Cadmus made an abrupt movement toward the door. “I’ll take my leave.”

A frown tugged at Jacob’s lips. “You’re welcome to stay.”

Cadmus didn’t pause in his steps. “No. I would be of better use learning more about these Star Rebels.”

With that said, he walked out the door and disappeared out of sight. His footsteps were sharp and firm, indicative of a man on a mission. In a way, it was reassuring that he was so serious about finding the truth to this matter.

It was still concerning, though.

Eishirou smothered a sigh and shifted in his seat again. He needed to push that concern aside, just like Jacob said. There was little he could do to help with such matters. His main concerns should be centred on the Red Lily. Do his job so that others could do theirs.

“Ah, Jairus,” Jacob greeted. “Good. Sorry for such short notice.”

Jairus wheeled into the room and stopped by the oval table in the centre of the room. “Not at all. Can’t be helped.” His gaze flickered toward Eishirou, and a small frown tugged at his lips. “Eishirou, your career as a researcher seems very exciting.”

Eishirou gave a tired laugh and tugged his hoodie tighter around his shoulders. “Certainly seems that way.”

“How are you feeling?” Jairus asked. “I see you’re on fluids.”

“Just a mild case of stress and mana depletion,” Eishirou replied. “I’m in a much better state than my last expedition.”

His lame attempt at humour fell flat as Jairus’s frown only deepened. “Indeed.”

Any further conversation on the matter were silenced when two more figures stepped into the room. Eishirou didn’t recognise either of them, honestly. One was an elderly woman, her white hair pulled back into a bun at the very top of her head. She looked like the stereotypical grandmother figure.

The other was a man, on the sixties side of middle age, probably. He also had white hair, short at the front with a ponytail starting midway of the back of his head and reaching down to his shoulders. His white beard was trimmed and neat.

“Ah, good,” Jacob stated as he greeted their two guests. “Eishirou, this is Honourable Professor Elanora, head Historian.” The elderly woman nodded her head in response, her expression light and placid. “And Professor Ahriman, head researcher on the subject of ShadowDwellers.”

“Greeting,” the man greeted.

“This is my apprentice, Eishirou.”

Eishirou made the motion to push himself out of his chair to greet to two professors respectfully, but Elanora waved her hand dismissively at him as she wandered over to take a seat at the table.

“Now now, no need to get up,” she chided lightly. “You’ve been through quite the ordeal, I hear.”

“A-ah, well…” Eishirou trailed off, idly tugging his jacket closer around him once more. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Ah, so you are the one who managed to get a photo of the ever-elusive ShadowDweller,” Ahriman stated as he folded his hands behind him. “Caused quite a stir amongst researchers, I can tell you.”

Eishirou nodded his head. “Ah, I imagine so. I hope it was useful?”

Ahriman uttered a hearty laugh as he moved to take a seat at the table, also. “It’s the first of its kind, so of course it was.”

“You’ve taken many interesting photos, it seems,” Elanora commented as she laid her tablet upon the table before her. “You’ve made quite the discovery on Keeper’s Isle.”

“There’s a lot more to discovery there.”

Unfortunately, Eishirou didn’t know when he, or anyone else, would be allowed to return. Too dangerous with those Star Rebels loitering about.

“Oh, did you get the samples of stones that were found after a ShadowDweller was defeated?” Eishirou asked, his question directed toward Ahriman.

The grin on the man’s lips widened, successfully answering his question. “Indeed we did! Quite an interesting specimen. We’re still doing research on it.”

Jacob closed the door to their room and moved to stand at the head of the conference table. “Shall we get down to business?”

“Of course,” Elanora was the one to response. She, however, paused when she took a moment to glance at the other occupants of the room. “Hm? A team of Elites are sitting in on this meeting?”

She sounded genuinely surprised. Even Ahriman turned to give the Elites a quick, curious glance of his own.

“Yes, I was the one who requested it,” Eishirou stated. “They’ve helped me greatly through multiple missions and I believe that it would be beneficial if they learn more about the situation.”

Elanora was silence for a moment, though her expression barely changed, she seemed contemplating his response. “Very well,” she finally returned. “Perhaps you should start from the beginning.”

Eishirou nodded his head. “Sure.”

He started from the point where he encountered the first runestone, even though he had already sent in a report for that day. Rehashing those events may help in the further understanding of the later recordings he had viewed.

He chose not to mention the moments where he and Zayne either shared or exchanged mana. That was something he wished to speak with Jairus at a later date. It was something he hadn’t encountered before, and he wasn’t sure if it was something that was disproved of (the academy hierarchy probably did, but they disproved of any interaction between Passives and Elites). Or if it was actually something that could be dangerous, though he couldn’t really see how.

Instead, he kept to the facts. Facts connected to the runestones, leaving out the events involving battles or the Star Rebels. His answers were brief and to the point.

“Hm?” Jairus murmured. “You witnessed this Sentinel Being use a second relic in battle?”

Eishirou nodded his head. “With the Golden Wristlet and the Red Lily. Yeah.”

Jairus rested his elbows on the arms of his wheelchair. “I see. We’re moving closer to discovering a way to awaken this Red Lily. I would like to inspect this relic personally.”

“It’s locked within the museum for now,” Jacob explained. “I’m hesitant about removing it from there.”

“That’s understandable. I will just have to go to it, then.”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

“I have a team of Veteran Elites acting as security,” Sigmund interjected. “It will be safe there.”

Jacob immediately noted the determination in Sigmund’s voice and the corner of his mouth twitched into a half smile. “Good. In any case, I have inspected the photos that Eishirou had sent earlier.”

Eishirou perked up. “Oh, you’ve managed to translate some of the runestones?”

“Right,” Jacob nodded as he picked up his tablet and tapped at the screen. “The information they give is quite intriguing. It appears that a Keeper is someone born with the innate ability to draw mana from an object. We call them relics, although mana can be found and drawn in many different places. A Keeper draws the mana and gives it to another to use for a limited time. The role of a Keeper is usually someone who is a Radiant Soul. Their life-partner, Warrior Spirit, is the one whom the Keeper can easily grant mana to.”

Elanora smiled and folded her hands on top of the table before her. “The word Keepers have been mentioned in passing only a handful of times, yet never in such detail. It’s been quite exciting, as I’m sure you can empathise.”

Jacob lowered his tablet and frowned. “Personally, I’ve never encountered Keepers before now, so this is all new to me.”

“Hm,” Elanora continued to smile as she nodded her head. “The information we have discovered of the past is linked to our most recent of ancestors. It appears that the civilisation just before ours had no knowledge of the existence of mana. Certainly not of the important roles of Keepers. Almost as if the previous civilisations feared that such skills would be misused. Perhaps for good reason.”

Their most recent ancestors having no documented information on the use of mana had also been a point of contention between researchers. For many, it was hard to believe that a civilisation could exist without the power of mana. Especially when there were numerous pieces of evidence that earlier civilisations had some form of mana at their disposal, though they called it by many different names.

What happened during the last civilisation?

“The civilisation in a world just before the Bombardment reached a moment in their evolution that they believed themselves to be vastly superior,” Elanora continued, unwittingly beginning to answer Eishirou’s internal musings. “Even though information and facts were readily available to them, many ignored it in favour of “Their truths”.”

Their truths? What did that mean? Was someone or some organisation controlling the pieces of information that were available to the public?

Elanora carried on with her reflections. “Stubbornness, greed…stupidity. They started battles that didn’t need to be fought. Arguments that had no place in common reality. Used violence as a method to show how peaceful and tolerant they were. Marginalized, segregated themselves into the impossible. Humans…are such stupid creatures.”

“…We haven’t evolved much, have we?” Jacob commented after a moment of silence.

Elanora simply nodded her head. “Not at all.”

“Hmm. How many times has this planet witness humanity destroy itself, do you suppose?” Jairus unexpectedly asked.

“The earth is estimated to be over six billion years old,” Elanora replied without pause. “Humanity can destroy themselves in just a few years.”

Jairus nodded his head grimly as he interlocked his fingers together in front of him. “So, countless times. That is sure to leave quite heavy scars upon the earth.”

“Indeed. Some in the historic community believes that the Bombardment that whittled humanity down to thousands, was the Universe’s punishment to mankind. And the mana deposits were the Earth giving us another chance. Lucky for us, I do suppose.”

“And the ShadowDwellers?” Ahriman asked, leaning back in his seat.

“A reminder, to prevent us from believing we are vastly superior to even nature herself.”

The room fell into a deep, contemplative silence. To those outside of the research community, what they just heard may be hard to comprehend.

“Of course, that is just one theory,” Elanora finished.

However, to Eishirou, it brought up a few interesting questions. Could…could the ShadowDwellers, or at least some of them, be the result of the most recent civilisation?

“The ShadowDwellers we’ve encountered within the Flutterlight Forest have taken on the appearance of figures found in cave paintings,” Eishirou said. “It’s possible that the ShadowDwellers are the negative residual energy or memories left upon the lands.”

Ahriman idly tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair. “Hm, that is a possibility. Eishirou, you said in a recording you witnessed a spider ShadowDweller, correct? But the form of it was different?”

Eishirou immediately shivered, and it wasn’t because of the IV. “Y-yeah. It was completely malicious. It was unlike anything I’ve witnessed before. I think…it steals mana. Though, I can’t be sure.”

“Interesting,” Ahriman murmured. “How are your sketching skills? Possible for you to draw us an example?”

Eishirou paused. “I could try. I don’t think I’ll be forgetting it any time soon.”

“Ah, good,” Ahriman grinned before he leaned forward in his seat and rested an elbow on the tablet as he gave Eishirou his full attention. “And the ShadowDweller appeared on your map before you took a picture. Anything else you can think of that allowed for the photo to be taken?”

Again, Eishirou had to take a moment to consider the answer carefully. “No, I don’t. I just figured I’d give it a try.”

“Hm.” There was a hint of disappointment in Ahriman’s voice. “Do you suppose you could manage it again?”

“Well…”

“I’m afraid that will need to be something for later,” Jacob suddenly interrupted, his voice surprisingly terse.

Ahriman flickered his gaze in Jacob’s direction, his eyes holding a sense of agitation at the interruption. But he soon sighed and relented. “Yes, yes; one thing at a time.” He planted his hands onto the table and pushed himself to his feet. “I suppose I best return to my study of that photo. I’m sure there’s more data to discovery.”

Elanora made the motion to do the same. “Then, I shall return to my research as well. Shall I send to you the previously known information of Keepers?” she asked, her question directed toward Jacob.

“That would be most appreciated,” Jacob immediately returned.

Jacob took to his feet to see the two other professors out of the conference. A few moments later, he closed the door and uttered a sigh as he made his way back to his seat.

“We went off topic there for a bit.”

Sigmund nodded his head idly, no doubt feeling completely out of depth from everything he had learned. “What’s your next goal?”

“Our main concern now is to learn more about the Red Lily,” Jacob quickly answered. “And, ultimately, how to activate it. It seems that Eishirou needs to take on the role of Keeper to achieve this.”

Yeah, he had figured that, too. It was what the Sentinel Being of the Red Lily wanted him to do, having advised him during his mediative walkthrough.

“I guess that means I’ll be working with Professor Jairus?” Eishirou asked, his gaze shifting toward the mana expert.

Jairus nodded in response. “That is correct. But first, you need to rest and recover your energy.”

Y-yeah, he had figured that he would, too.

“And no more expeditions,” Jacob interjected firmly and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve got enough grey hairs as it is!”

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #young adult #Adventure #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily

[theshatteredrose]

Relic Keepers: Awakening of the Red Lily (Chapter 38) - Original Fiction

AN: Another long chapter. We’ve got about 9 or so chapters left of this book. By far the longest thing I’ve ever written. Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FictionPress

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Chapter 38:

The early morning light had only started to filter in through the canopy of leaves as Eishirou and Zayne made their way back through the tunnels to which they so desperately hid in last night. The light wasn’t ideal, but it did render their night-vision glasses useless. And it did signal that it was morning.

The time they needed to make their quick evacuation of the island.

Eishirou’s tablet pinged loudly and did so multiple times in a row, signalling that he had multiple messages. That didn’t surprise him one little bit. He was sure that Misaki had tried desperately to reach him during the night to ask for a status check, only to receive silence in return. He would have thought the worst. Who wouldn’t in his position?

“I got a ton of messages,” Eishirou explained to Zayne as the other was busy inspecting their surroundings.

“I can imagine,” he said idly in response before he turned to face him. “Ignore them for now. Try for contact.”

Eishirou nodded his head once in reply and pulled out his communicator. Thankfully, there appeared to be reception where they were. Not very strong, but it was hopefully enough to get a voice message through.

He pressed the number that would lead him directly to Misaki’s desk within communications and waited. He didn’t wait very long when Misaki quickly answered the call, worry in abundance in his voice.

“Eishirou!”

“Sorry, I was in a location without any reception,” Eishirou immediately explained, feeling a sense of guilt when he noted how haggard Misaki appeared. It must have been a long, stressful night for him.

Jacob must have been worried sick, too.

“I’m fine. I’m safe with Zayne,” he continued. “What’s the situation?”

The short words of his response offered Misaki the reassurance he needed to return to the task at hand. He may be safe now, but that could quickly change.

“I’ve been in contact with Ernesta,” Misaki explained, typing rapidly at his station. “She’s explained that she and her teammates have engaged in battle with a group of followers from the Star Rebellion. Said followers, however, weren’t interested in battle. Seems they were sent to the island for a reason and they were set on completing their personal mission.”

That was definitely worrying. How desperate were they becoming?

“I take it you know what some of that mission is?” Eishirou asked, though he was fairly certain he knew what the answer was.

“I’ve been informed that they’ve searching for you.”

Eishirou couldn’t prevent a wince. That was sure to have added to the stress of a long night of radio silence. Fearing the worst and hoping for the best was not something everyone could deal with. That was why only certain individuals could become Communication Contacts like Misaki.

“Are you still in contact with the others?” Eishirou asked.

“Yes.”

Good.

“Then tell them to make their way to the Heli-pad,” Eishirou instructed. “Mission has been completed. I have what I need. There’s no reason to stay here any longer. I’ll explain everything later. Just get us off this island.”

More rapid typing could be heard as Misaki set about getting the information down and contacting the relevant stations. “Understood. Keep in contact with me.”

“Will do.”

It felt wrong to end the call after being silent for so long, but it had to be done. Keeping the lines open for Misaki to contact the others was essential.

“Catch all that?” Eishirou asked as he shoved his communicator into his bag.

“Every word,” Zayne replied.

Eishirou took a moment to double checked to see if the Wristlet was still safe and secure in his bag. And it was. In the same crush-proof container and set in the very middle of his bag.

He didn’t mention it in his communications with Misaki for two reasons; it wasn’t vital information. And the second reason was simply out of protectiveness. The Star Rebellion knew he was on an expedition on Keeper’s Island. How they knew, he could only speculate. And one speculation involved hacking into their communications channels.

There was a strong possibility that Jalen and Misaki would have realised something was wrong with their channels if they were hacked. But he wanted to be careful. If for nothing more than to prevent a follower from eavesdropping on them, regardless of method.

With everything safely stashed away in his bag, Zayne took his hand in his and they broke out in a brisk walk. There was no need for the map just yet, though it was still functioning in his bag. They knew that the path they were on would lead them to a divergence. Once they reached that fork, they had to go straight. Which would lead them back toward their campsite.

A low rumbling was suddenly felt from the ground. It was subtle at first. Easy to dismiss as nothing more than a figment of imagination. It had been a long night, after all. But the trembling soon began to increase in strength. And with it, the all-too familiar to cracking of trees and limbs.

Zayne was the first to react, as usual. He spun around and all but lunged toward Eishirou and wrapped his arms around him. One arm around his back, the other behind his legs, effortlessly sweeping him up off the ground and jumped backwards. Just as a pair of mangrove trees fell onto the path in front of them. No, they didn’t just fall; they were thrown by a powerful force. By a black force that travelled at inhuman speed.

It was soon made clear what that force was.

And it was the last thing they needed.

“Damn it,” Zayne cursed as the sound of thousands of insect feet thundered against the ground, mowing down anything and everything in its path. “It’s that Centipede ShadowDweller from Flutterlight Forest. Bastards are stubborn.”

“Could these two islands be connected underground?” Eishirou mused aloud over the rumbling.

More importantly, why did it choose to turn up now?

M-maybe what Tatsu said was true. Maybe ShadowDwellers were drawn to Passives for their mana. The ShadowDweller came out of nowhere. It came from a distance. And headed straight in their direction.

If it wasn’t drawn to him, then what?

…The relic?

No, it didn’t matter. He didn’t have time to think about it. The ShadowDweller was looping back around, heading straight for them. They didn’t have much room to move. They needed to find a way to escape.

Or defeat it.

…Maybe…

“Zayne, let’s try that theory of yours.”

Zayne shot him a puzzled look. “What theory?”

Eishirou motioned for him to set him back down on his feet. When he did, he then twisted in Zayne’s arms to press his back against his chest. Once he was settled there, he placed his right hand on Zayne’s hand, the one that gripped his mana-holster tightly.

“Here.”

“What-?”

“Take my mana,” Eishirou explained simply, quickly as the ShadowDweller was steadily turning in their direction once more. “Focus your intention and use it to defeat this ShadowDweller with a single strike.”

“I don’t think now’s the time,” Zayne began to protest, his protective instincts on high alert.

But Eishirou shook his head resolutely. Now was the perfect time. They were exhausted and drowsy. They’re route of escape was limited, the ShadowDweller directly in their way. They didn’t have time to deal with it.

“We need get rid of it as quickly as possible,” Eishirou explained. He pressed his back further against Zayne’s chest and tightened his hold on his hand. “Besides, you’ve done nothing but support me through all my endeavours. I want to support you for a change.”

Zayne uttered a sigh and slipped an arm around Eishirou’s stomach, resting his hand against his side. “…Alright,” he said as he pulled his body into a battle stance in preparation. “Talk me through it. I’ll take care of everything else.”

Eishirou nodded. “Right.”

It was hard to concentrate with the sound of shattering trees and roots, and the way the ground trembled beneath their feet. But he steeled himself and placed all his trust and faith in Zayne’s ability to fight and to protect. If anyone would find a way to defeat a ShadowDweller with a single, solidary attack, it would be him.

“When the ShadowDweller appears, focus entirely on stopping it. Aim directly at its head. Focus your intent on stopping it dead in its tracks. Believe firmly in the fact that you will stop it. Defeat it. Focus on what you want you to do. Why you want to do it. When it presents itself; do it.”

Zayne remained silent. He simply raised his arm and pointed his mana-holster in the direction of the ShadowDweller. The blade of his gun-blade soon manifested, taking on a dark blue colour.

Completely unfazed, the ShadowDweller continued to speed toward them. Trundling loudly. Causing chaos around it.

As much as he trusted Zayne, it was definitely beyond terrifying to be standing directly in the path of a rampaging ShadowDweller!

Zayne then took a shot.

The ricochet was violent, a testament of the power behind the attack. Zayne took the brunt of the recoil, though seemed largely unfazed by it. Eishirou did wince, though, from both the noise and violent motion.

The mana-shot hit dead centre of the ShadowDweller’s head and pierced right through, as far as the eye could see.

Then the strangest thing happened.

The ShadowDweller began to disintegrate. Starting from the tip of its pincer, rippling down the rest of its body.

And then it disappeared. The mist dissipating rapidly.

Eishirou’s breath left him. It…was gone?

“Ah, it worked!” Eishirou turned around in Zayne’s arms and threw his arms around his neck in celebration. “That was amazing.”

Zayne pulled back his gun-blade and quickly wrapped his arms around Eishirou. And pulled him close. Seemingly just…relishing in the feel of him in his arms and against him. Eishirou himself enjoyed the warm and was grateful for the strong arms around him. He felt a little lightheaded, to be honest.

After a few moments, he pushed back and placed his hands on Zayne’s chest. And conducted a quick inspection. “There were no repercussions?”

Zayne nodded. “I’m fine. Are you all right?”

“Yeah, just a little light-headed,” Eishirou answered. “I need to work on my stamina, I guess.”

“We really do make a great pair, huh?” Zayne pulled him closer, prompting Eishirou to grasp onto his shoulders.

Eishirou uttered a small laugh as Zayne leaned forward to press his forehead against his. “Hah, we do.”

Zayne’s hand slid along his back to the nape of his head. He tilted his chin toward him and gazed intently down at him. Then, he lowered his head and pressed his lips against his. Eishirou’s eyes slid close, all rational thought immediately leaving his mind. His lips parted easily under Zayne’s gentle coaxing and it wasn’t long before he forgot all sense of self.

Not good. No, it was too good. That wasn’t what he meant. He was getting swept up in the kiss. And not in the best location. He couldn’t…

“W-wait,” he stuttered, breathlessly, as he leaned his head back and pressed his fingertips against Zayne’s lips. “Let’s continue this when we return to the academy.”

He had to smile when Zayne looked childishly disappointed. It was both adorable and endearing.

“We don’t need to stay here any longer,” Eishirou continued. “I’ve learnt all that I need. Let’s find the others and get off this island.”

“Right,” Zayne finally relented, loosening his arms around him ever-so slightly. He soon raised his head and looked down the path, toward the carnage of broken trees and shrubbery. “That attack was sure to have caught someone’s attention. Let’s hope it’s the others and not the Rebellion.”

Eishirou winced. “Yeah. Maybe they’ll show on the map, though.”

“Well, no point in being subtle.” Just as Eishirou pulled out his tablet, Zayne swept him into his arms once more, an arm around his shoulder and another under his knees. “Let’s get going.”

Manifesting his mana-wings, Zayne jogged forward a couple of steps before he launched into the air. The sudden feeling of near-weightlessness and the wind rushing past his ears caused Eishirou’s stomach to do a sort of flip. But he soon settled himself in Zayne’s arms and turned his attention to the map.

“Keep an arm constantly around my neck in case I have to start fighting again,” Zayne reminded him.

Eishirou did just that, draping one arm over Zayne’s shoulders and gripped at the material of his jacket tightly. “Right.”

“How far are we?”

“We’re actually surprisingly close to the Heli-pad,” Eishirou answered with relief in his voice. “We need to keep heading in this direction. It’s up ahead.”

Zayne kept close to the ground, close enough for him to immediately use his legs to pull himself to an abrupt stop, should the need arise. The proximity to the ground allowed for them to move quickly and easily through the natural paths and tunnels.

Eishirou kept one eye on the map and another on their surroundings. Though the latter was a fruitless venture as the scenery moved past them at speed, preventing him from getting a visual on anything worthwhile.

Instead, he turned his full attention on his tablet and upon the map.

And soon noticed a suspicious blip on the screen. A yellow dot that appeared to be moving at a speed that matched their own. Coming in from a slight an angle. An angle that, if it stayed on protectory, would eventually cross into their path.

Something that was no doubt on purpose.

“Zayne.”

“Got it.”

Without warning, Zayne dropped his legs to the ground beneath and came to a sudden stop. So sudden, if his arms around Eishirou weren’t as strong as ever, he may have fallen out of them completely. He had to clutch his tablet against his chest to prevent it from crashing to the ground.

Just as he came to a stop, a figure dressed in robes of white and black burst from the foliage in a flurry of leaves and twigs, and barrelled directly into their path. Right in front of them.

However, their speed indicated that they were relying on their sudden appearance to catch Zayne off guard. They didn’t have time to stop. Couldn’t overcome their forward momentum to perform an attack.

Thankfully, they hadn’t managed to catch Zayne off guard. And Zayne was more than willing turn this situation in his favour. He did a swift half-turn to deliver a brutal kick into the ribs of the Star Rebel. The angle of the attack was so powerful that it immediately altered the Rebel’s protectory, sending them crashing back first into the trunk of an ancient mangrove tree.

A distorted grunt of pain was heard from the Rebel as they fell from the tree and into the thick shrubbery below. Leaves rained down around them as they instinctively rolled out from the bushes and rested on their knees to catch their breathe.

Zayne took that brief moment to move further up the path. He stopped a few feet away, however, unwilling to turn his back on their assailant. With his mana-wings still manifested to act as a shield of sorts, Zayne momentarily placed Eishirou back onto his feet.

“Hang onto my neck.”

Eishirou quickly slipped his tablet back into his bag and all but flung his arms around Zayne’s neck like he was told. Zayne then reached down to wrap an arm around the back of Eishirou’s legs, just above the knees. With one fluid movement, lifted Eishirou up off his feet and held him against his side. Eishirou draped his arms around Zayne’s shoulder and rested his cheek against the top of his head.

“You’re getting pretty annoying,” Zayne said toward the Star Rebel, levelling his holster towards them.

The unknown Rebel pushed themselves to their feet. “The same could be said for you,” they spat in response, their voice distorted through their blank white mask. “Hand over the Passive.”

Zayne snorted. “Yeah, no,” he said as he manifested his blade and pointed it directly at their would-be attacker. “I don’t think so.”

“What do you want with me?” Eishirou asked, though doubted he would get an adequate answer.

Although they were wearing a mask, he could tell that they were looking at him with disdain. “Unfortunately, you are critical for our mission.”

The cool, callous response caused Eishirou to shiver and subconsciously find comfort and warmth by moving closer to Zayne.

Zayne gave a low, protective growl. “Mission, huh?”

“I have no interest in your mission,” Eishirou stated. “And neither does the Red Lily.”

“What you want is irrelevant,” they snarled. “You, Elite; why are you fighting so valiantly for this Passive?”

“I’m not fighting for a Passive.”

Zayne’s response was cool and firm, and Eishirou knew exactly what he meant. It wasn’t at all surprising that this Rebel found it difficult to comprehend someone fighting for the sake of another. Especially an Elite with a Passive. But Zayne wasn’t protecting him because he was an Elite and Eishirou was a Passive. It went beyond that.

It was something a violent, selfish terrorist would never understand.

Zayne suddenly uttered another low growl and swiftly darted to the side, raising his left wing to act as a shield for Eishirou. It soon became clear why as another robed Star Rebel abruptly burst from the foliage. With their weapon in the form of a single-handed sickle, they aimed their attack directly at Zayne’s right arm.

Thankfully, he managed to avoid such a violent attack. If that attack had landed, Zayne was in serious trouble of losing his arm!

They were…vicious.

“Stay away from him!”

Before their second assailant had the chance to pull themselves from their offensive stance, another figure appeared. They moved so quickly, that it was startling.

With mana-wings of light pink, a lithe, slender figure delivered an absolutely brutal heel drop to the head of the second Star Rebel. The force of the kick was so powerful that the Rebel immediately buckled at the waist and their face smashed into the ground.

As the lithe figure darted backwards with an impressive backflip, Eishirou smiled with relief when he recognised who they were. “Rinka!”

No sooner as Rinka landed on the ground close to them, standing protectively between them at the fallen Rebel, then yet another figure appeared from the foliage. This one, however, was immediately recognisable with their over six-foot stance and broad shoulders.

His mana-gauntlet of an orange hue was fully manifested as he slammed it into the chest of the first Rebel before they, in turn, had the chance to make their own offensive move.

“Hey, Leon!” Zayne greeted as the Rebel was sent back several feet, slamming their back against a tree once more.

“Are you two all right?” Eishirou asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Rinka immediately answered, her voice firm and steady.

“Never been better,” was Leon’s response as he pulled himself into a battle stance. “Ernesta and Tatsu are securing the Heli-pad. Ernesta is pretty angry, as you can imagine.”

Zayne snorted lightly and took a moment to readjust his arms around Eishiou, though ensuring to keep him as close as possible. “Where’s the old man?”

Leon shook his head. “Don’t know.”

While Zayne didn’t say anything and his expression was largely unchanged, Eishirou knew that he was greatly worried. And rightfully so.

“Enough, let’s get out of here,” Zayne ordered. “All of us.”

“Right!”

Not wasting another moment, Zayne quickly dropped Eishirou back to his feet only so he could sweep him back into his arms in a more comfortable position. With Rinka and Leon flanking him, he launched into the air and sped down the path that would take them to the Heli-pad.

They had to pass through their campsite, finding the place trashed. Tents shredded. Equipment thrown about. Scuff marks in the soil. Either from the Rebels revealing their frustrations at their failed ambush. Or a battle between Rebels and members of Team 3 had taken place.

It was disheartening. So much chaos just because of him. He knew it wasn’t his fault. He just couldn’t stop a prickle of guilt from settling in the back of his mind.

He shook his head. The Heli-pad was close. Just a little bit further.

The sharp sound of helicopter blades was suddenly heard. Indicating that their means of escape had arrived. And just in time.

Zayne barely faltered as he sped into the natural clearing that was their Heli-pad. And they were greeted by the site of a helicopter hovering to get itself into position. And a battle between two Elites and three Rebels in full swing.

Ernesta was battling against a single Rebel, and her anger was clear to see; though her opponent was tall and bulky in stature, she was kicking their ass all over the clearing. On the other side, Tatsu was expertly keeping two more at bay with his long-ranged weapons. Seemingly having fun while doing so.

The helicopter had barely touched the soil of the make-shift Heli-pad when the boarding plank extended and the doors slid open. The blades cut through the air rhythmically.

“Eishirou!”

An all too familiar figure appeared at the top of the ramp. Jacob?

Zayne darted toward the helicopter and stopped just before the boarding ramp. He quickly set Eishirou back to his feet and gave him a gentle nudge. “Get inside. We’ll clear the area,” he directed over the whirling of the helicopter blades.

Eishirou didn’t have much choice in the matter as Jacob rushed down the ramp, grabbed him by the elbow and all but dragged him into the passenger compartment. He kept his gaze behind him, however, looking out through the opening of the boarding bay. He could still see Zayne as he stood at the bottom of the ramp, back toward him, and mana-blades manifested by his sides.

He felt a spike of fear when he heard the engine of the helicopter rev loudly, indicating that it was preparing to take off.

Thankfully, before panic could really set in, Zayne abruptly discarded his mana wings, turned on his heel and hurried into the helicopter. And directly behind him were his teammates…and his father!

“Took your time, old man,” Zayne was heard complaining in a half light-hearted way, while his father simply shrugged.

“I have my reasons,” Cadmus replied simply, his expression as unreadable as ever.

Eishirou counted everyone in his head, reassuring himself that they were all accounted for. Everything single one of them.

They were…all safe.

What a relief.

He felt so faint with relief that he almost did faint. His head throbbed with a sudden and painful headache and his vision momentarily greyed out. If Jacob hadn’t caught him and helped him to sit down, he would have no doubt collapsed to the floor. Scaring everyone further.

Zayne was immediately by his side, perched on the edge of the seat as he wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“No, I’m just relieved that everyone is safe,” Eishirou managed to reply, clutching his forehead in an attempt to prevent his vision from blurring on his further. “If anyone was hurt or worst, I would never have forgiven myself.”

Jacob crouched down in front of him, a tight frown on his lips. “I think it’s more than that. You’ve been running on adrenaline the entire time. You’re suffering from exhaustion and mana depletion.”

Was he? Wow, he hadn’t noticed. His shoulder ached a bit before, but he had to ignore it due to circumstances.

“I…honestly didn’t feel that bad before,” Eishirou muttered in response.

“You’re out of danger now,” Jacob stated. “Just relax now. We’ll be back within the safety of the academy, soon.”

Eishirou had so much to tell him, but knew he was right. So, he nodded his head in acceptance, not having the energy to argue, and leaned back into his seat. With exhaustion well and truly setting in, he leaned against Zayne, finding comfort in his presence, and looked out the window. At Keeper’s Isle.

As the helicopter moved past a cropping of sharp, jagged rocks, Eishirou caught sight of a figure in white and black. He squinted his eyes as he tried to look closer. It was clearly a Star Rebel.

But…what were they doing? They were just…watching them leave. They had a good shot at the helicopter from their high advantage point. But they didn’t take it. Didn’t even make an attempt.

Why?

Not that he was complaining. Just…

…Never mind that for now. He was too tired to think. Sooner they returned to the academy, the better.

He had a lot of work to do.

#original fiction #sci-fi fantasy #young adult #Adventure #Mystery/Suspense #relic keepers: awakening of the red lily