The sky was still tinged with soft shades of orange and gold when the trio began their preparations for the journey. The city that would host Jandiana's ascension ceremony was seven days away, and every detail needed to be thought through carefully.
Yvaine organized her belongings with the precision of someone accustomed to delicate situations. Her movements were methodical, and she kept a serene countenance, though her eyes betrayed concern. Aries, on the other hand, grumbled as he adjusted the handle of his sword in the back.
"That's an idiotic idea" he muttered, more to himself than to others. "Take the boy to a place full of higher gods? It can only be a joke."
"Precisely to avoid being caught, you go along with, Aries" Yvaine sighed raising his starry eyes to the companion "Or by chance are you unable to protect him while I fulfill the mission?"
"Of course I can, but it gets in the way of my plans."
Aries cast a glance at Cale, who was in the window watching the tower of entertaining training. Then the warrior approached Yvaine and whispered:
"Guyel will be around, right? What if that crazy guy knows we're there and ends up tracking us and chasing us? The whole plan goes down the drain."
"It is what our master wants" emphasized Yvaine seriously looking at it "and we can't do anything with it but accept. If Guyel attacks, we will protect him."
Aries growled angrily, he moved away and messed his hair knowing well that he could not challenge the master's order. If Yvaine hadn't mentioned Alinys' name, they wouldn't have to go. It was safer for Cale to stay inside the Academy.
The problem was that none of them could say until when Melli would turn a blind eye to their presence.
From the window, Cale pretended not to hear the discussion. But he heard. And how he heard. He clenched and loosened his fists while watching the demigods training down there as if they were in a world he could not touch. His purple eyes shone with disdain. "Full of muscles and silly smiles. One day I will make them all look like farm squires."
Aries would be right about the gods being willing to throw him into the World of Chaos if they saw him wandering around. Just to imagine that made your blood boil, considering all the mess that turned your life because of these damned gods.
Cale knew he was too weak to face them now, but still...
"You should relax, boy" Aries said, sitting on the floor next to him, leaning his back against the wall "This funeral face of yours will not help anything."
"Funeral? Don't be dramatic. This is just my face: 'Will I kill a god today or just send him to hell tomorrow?'."
Aries raised an eyebrow, surprised. A barely noticeable smile ran down his face.
"I just wanted this meeting to be safe for all of us" he muttered, turning his eyes away.
Cale's purple eyes met those of Aries, in a silent conversation. In that silence, he felt the connection with his subordinate, a bond that went beyond companionship. Deep in his soul, Cale understood perfectly his concern and how stubborn he was being, but still his selfish desire would be met.
"Security is a luxury that I lost five hundred years ago, little dragon. If I was afraid to die, I would have already accepted the grace of the gods and disappeared from history."
The warrior breathed a sigh, almost frustrated, almost proud.
"None of them will touch you... I assure you."
"Look at him... a knight swearing to protect the cursed prince. If you keep acting like this, I'll start to think that you love me."
"Tsk. Idiot."
"And you still suck at hiding smiles."
That promise was like a world to Cale. A genuine smile appeared on his lips, feeling the weight of his shoulders being divided. Returning to see the drills outside, Cale began to imagine himself being skillful that way.
He wanted to be able to fight so that he would not become even more dependent on his subordinates.
"We need to define the best way to go" Yvaine approached them, holding a map "The journey can be dangerous depending on which way we take, but I wanted to get there as soon as possible to avoid the crowd in the days before ascension."
Before anyone could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed through the entrance to the storeroom. All turned, alert, only to find Norril, who walked with her usual impassive expression.
"I see that you haven't left yet. Are you lost? I'll be... happy to help you."
"Happy? You?" Aries smirked, not believing in the guardian "And what kind of help will you happily give us?"
Norril just raised her eyebrow and approached Yvaine, pointing to a part of the map. She looked at Yvaine over her shoulder and commented softly so that only they would hear her.
"Some students who have just returned from missions have said that creatures of chaos are roaming the land near the city. It is correct to say that this... subject, is getting more and more daring."
"Just the shortest way... and the most dangerous" Yvaine whispered, marking on the map the path "There are many ambushes around here, if creatures of chaos are here, it's a sign that they have become familiar with the region."
"Great, more deformed monsters. The fun never stops" Cale murmured.
Aries and Yvaine exchanged glances, and soon began to argue about the route and travel time. Cale watched Norril quietly leave, just as she came in. If there was any doubt about her, he said nothing.
The journey began in the early afternoon, with the trio following isolated trails between dense forests and rugged mountains. The air was fresh, but there was a tension in the environment.
Cale walked in the middle, with Aries ahead and Yvaine closing his back. He watched the environment, but his mind was far away. Memories of childhood with Alinys flooded his thoughts when he saw a plantation field.
He always liked to walk among the crops, managing to hide from his sister in games. Not even his parents could find him when Cale decided to take it seriously. His father was the one who found him, with that smile on his face, and warm touch and gentle messing up his hair.
His chest clenched to remember that.
"If you feel the presence of Guyel..." Yvaine commented with Aries, completely oblivious to the master's distraction.
Well, Cale shouldn't be rambling when he should be on alert.
"I think that if this Guyel appears, I'll give an autograph myself" whispered bored.
"You would only attract trouble" Aries replied, looking around.
"Of course, I must have a fourth curse then. Should I queue up with all the supposed problems?"
The silence that followed was interrupted by Aries, who raised his hand in a gesture of warning.
"Something is wrong."
Almost at the same moment, the trees in front and behind them exploded in motion. Grotesque and deformed creatures, with skins of a sick gray tone and bright red eyes, burst out of the forest.
"Sons of Guyel" murmured Yvaine "Little demons created by the prince of chaos."
Their distorted shapes and elongated limbs moved with an unnatural speed. They did not seek a widespread struggle; their eyes fixed, almost hungry, were only on Cale.
"Get ready!" Aries shouted, pulling his sword and throwing a dagger at Cale.
Aries moved with the speed of a lightning bolt, his battered armor flickering as he positioned himself between Cale and the first wave of demons. The sound of metal against flesh echoed as he delivered precise blows with his sword, knocking down the creatures with brutal force. Yvaine, in turn, raised her hands, and strands of starlight woven shimmering barrier around Cale, driving away the demons who tried to flank Aries.
'Stay here, my lord. We'll take care of it."
"Yes, yes, 'my lord,' be quiet, do not breathe, be useless. Understood." Cale crossed his arms, sarcasm mixed with boredom and frustration.
Cale watched, helpless as his companions faced the creatures. Although the enemy was repulsive, they were too easy for Aries, who threw them like dolls. But the barrier of Yvaine kept him at bay, and the feeling of impotence burned in his chest. He was the cursed, the protected, the burden.
Until one of the abominations threw itself against the barrier. The structure trembled, the air cracked.
"Tsk" Cale uncrossed his arms, the dagger that Aries had still attached to his waist. A slight tone of disdain emerged in your voice "Seriously that's what comes after me?"
He could still feel the fear running in his veins, the curse that made him fear pathetic creatures like that. It was shameful and hurt his pride, considering he could easily get rid of them too.
The battle continued, the creatures were weak but numerous. They seemed to want to win by fatigue. Yvaine's barrier began to weaken as her energy split between attack and defense. But it was enough to prevent Cale from being completely taken over by the very curse of cowardice.
"A new horde is coming!!" cried Aries gasping.
Yvaine prepared again, but before she could strengthen the barrier, a creature from the other horde rushed against the barrier until it cracked. Their energy passed through cracks and made Cale tremble. The demigod clenched his fists angry to see himself weak before another weak.
It was humiliating.
And fed his fury against the damned who put him in such a position.
When the barrier broke with the sudden attack of the new hour, Cale did not move. Even hearing the cry of Yvaine and Aries — who were still trying to deal with twice as many enemies — he did not leave the place. His purple eyes stuck into the creatures, eyes that did not carry the same tremor as the rest of his body. They only reflected an annoying, irritated coldness.
"Die" murmured Cale staring at that horde.
The creatures stopped attacking him. They all paralyzed, causing weirdness in Aries and Yvaine. The theiodesmos looked in the direction of their master, ready to seize the chance and protect him, but the sudden movement of a single creature stopped them.
The creature's body trembled, a thick mist emerging around it that seemed to flow towards Cale. Gradually the creature staggered, his legs failing as if every fiber of his being was being emptied. And then, Cale unconsciously reached out his hand, touching the creature's forehead.
Immediately that dark mist flowed again, aggressive and intense causing the creature to widen his eyes in panic. Gradually his body lost color, the muscles weakened. It was as if the vigor was being extracted, thread by thread, from inside him.
"That's..." Aries widened his eyes.
Cale stood still, touching the creature's forehead and watching it wither. All the vitality had been sucked up like a transparent fog to the curse, and the hungry pulsed inside Cale.
Without any cry, much less chance to defend itself, that one creature fell to the ground lifeless.
"Hm..." Cale frowned, watching the carcass slowly disintegrate into a dark dust. The curiosity in his look was almost scientific. "Interesting."
Extending both hands to touch two creatures close to him, Cale watched it happen again. The mist coming out of the creatures, flowing through their arms and filling them from within. The weakness and decomposition of the creatures made them tremble with fear before their presence, which pleased their humiliated ego.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Well... I guess I'm not that useless."
The other creatures of the horde were furious. It was as if that counter-attack was enough to mock them. Naturally Cale was again the target of his attacks, causing the theiodesmos to move again.
"Beware, they seem more incisive!" cried Yvaine, trying to erect a new barrier while throwing large numbers away.
Disorder and chaos simply became vivid on that battlefield.
One of them was torn in the air, a blade piercing his chest with precise brutality. The other was thrown aside by a swift kick, hitting a log with a nauseating sound of bones breaking.
Cale turned in the act. His arm still raised, ready to cut — but stopped. The man in front of him was tall, wearing a coat worn by the road and had a crooked smile that mixed relief and unbelief. His colorful eyes carried more emotion than words could bear.
"Hah... I still recognize this face of someone who hates to be saved."
Cale stared at him for a few seconds. His chest was tingling with the adrenaline of the moment. The dagger still in fist.
"Mikhal?"