#diacate

Chapter 8

A resounding smack echoed in the enclosed space. “Start talking, young blood. I’m tired of your pathetic attempts at deception.”

Tucker spat out a mouthful of blood. “What do you mean? I’m being honest with every question you ask. I have a name,” he rolled his eyes, “my group was going somewhere, and it was in the interest of someone in the west.” He grinned, teeth a nasty red. “I think I was answering you perfectly.”

The man growled. “You know well enough that wasn’t what I wanted to know.” He stooped down and grabbed Tucker by the front of his shirt. They were close enough that Tucker could see the thin white scar that went from the top of his eyelid to the bridge of his nose. “Who. Sent. You. To. The. North.”

Tucker shrugged. “Oh, I just thought the northern part of the city was nice this time of year. I’ve got some friends up there, there’s not a war going on, I think it’s actually warmer there too? Decided to take some friends.” Scar-face sneered. “I’m not lying, really, but you must think I am.”

The guard pulled his arm back, ready to break Tucker’s nose. His companion put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t waste your time. We can get him to open up with a little magical convincing.”

Scar-face dropped him stoically. Eying Tucker, he gave him a quick kick to in the side before stalking back. Tucker, meanwhile, tried to pretend that didn’t hurt.

“Sounds like a good time.” They both gave Tucker a long look, who struggled to keep his expression easy-going. He threw them a wink. With a huff from his interrogator, the duo left him in darkness.

Tucker let his head fall back. He hurt like a bitch. Scar-face hadn’t been the least bit gentle, and his friend wasn’t to helpful in making sure Tucker didn’t get his face broken. He ran his tounge along his teeth, grimacing at the iron-y taste that came with the action. Gross. Honestly, he wouldn’t be surprised if one of his teeth had gotten knocked loose. His mouth hurt, that was for sure.

How did he get into this mess? He ran a hand through his hair. Had he been too obvious? It was hard not to notice what had been going on. Things around the compound had gotten more and more shady over the past few months. Quite literally, too. As the people around him had gotten more suspicious, the atmosphere had darkened and grown heavy as though a presence was taking hold and trying to suffocate anyone that came nearby.

Had no one really noticed what was happening? Mianite wasn’t himself anymore. Shit, he wasn’t the ultra good guy people claimed he was- he’d seen a fair amount of the dirty work Mianite carried out to know that there was only a moral-grayness to his Lord- but he’d never been so blatantly… harsh? Cruel?

Tucker sighed. That wasn’t quite it. His Lord had been acting more rashly, more sporadically. Lie he hadn’t gotten enough sleep and all of his logical thinking just crashed out the window when he wasn’t looking.

And now, because he decided to say something about it to his friends, he was here. Wherever here was. Just his luck.

The only fortunate thing to happen to him today was that fact he wasn’t actually chained down inside his cell. Yeah, he was in a dingy, damp stone room, barricaded in by iron bars, but at least he could move around if he wanted to. Maybe if he fancied to do so, he could get a little change of scenery. He could change it up everyday, move from wall to wall, make them keep guessing where he was. Had it even been a day yet?

Tucker rolled his shoulders. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been down here. They hadn’t fed him yet, and he’d only just been captured around dusk. That must mean that morning, if they were going to feed him at all, hadn’t come. Hopefully. They could have at least given him a window.

His thoughts were broken by a scratching on the stone. He peered into the gloomy light. As he searched, a shape moved across his vision, small, with a long tail. Great. There was a rat in here with him.

There was a tap on his foot. “Hey, what should I do if the rats in here get frisky? I don’t think I’m ready to fight the locals yet.” Tucker squinted into the darkness. The shape moved and for a moment two beady eyes were reflected back at him. If only the light filtering from between the bars wasn’t messing with his night vision. Then he could at least be prepared for the inevitable rat attack.

“If you’re feeling threatened,” a guard called back, “we can remove them in return for information.”

Tucker rolled his eyes.

The rat however, gave a squeak. It moved closer and nosed at his foot.

“Hey there, little buddy.” Tucker tried not to squirm. With a quick jump, it scampered up his leg. Tucker shrieked, bringing his hands up to try to hit the rat off. It climbed over his hands easily.

The rat was on his chest now. It tilted its head and sniffed at his neck. He barely breathed. Seemingly satisfied, it crawled off onto the floor beside him.

“What,” Tucker muttered, “Are you trying to assert dominance or something? Jokes on you, we’re both stuck in a jail cell.

The rat opened its mouth in what seemed a mock smile. It shook itself, tail curling inward. Then it was a full grown human.

“Holy sh-” a hand clamped over his mouth. A brunette woman was leaning over him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

She moved closer to whisper in his ear. “Are you Mister Tucker Boner?”

He nodded.

“I’m here to break you out.”

Tucker’s eyebrows rose. This was not what he expected a rescue mission to look like. And was the whole rat thing she just did necessary? And how was she expecting to get him out, because he wasn’t about to get out the way she got in.

She caught his incredulous look. “Don’t doubt me! I’ll have you know I’m a professional here. Now hold still.” Slowly, she moved her hand away from his mouth.

He went to open his mouth and ask what the hell she thought she was going to do, but she put a finger to her lips. His mouth closed with a clack. There wasn’t much he could do, other than sit still and listen like a good boy. Maybe he was a little bitter about his situation.

Tucker’s attention was pulled to the top of her head by something moving under her hair. Peering up at her, he found two cat-like ears nestled in her dark locks. His gaze was brought back to her face as she murmured quietly to herself, hands moving in small, soft motions.

She locked eyes with him and Tucker wheezed. His chest felt too full. His became heavy head heavy. Curling in on himself, he watched his skin shift and shrink. His bones felt like they were moving, pushing into one another and melding together. His vision swam with the sensation.

“Don’t be a baby.” Her voice was slightly higher pitched this time. “I just transformed you.”

Tucker’s ears were ringing. Joints and muscles were settling into place. His stomach turned and he suddenly had the urge to puke. He pushed it down. After a moment of everlasting discomfort, he blinked.

“First time? I guess I’ll give you a little slack for that. The first time is the worst.”

He looked over to his supposed rescuer. She had turned back into a rat, but was much bigger than before. No. He was much smaller than before.

True to her word, she had transformed him.

He took a breath. Opened his mouth. And screamed.

“Take out the rat, did you?” One guard asked, a smirk on his face. The other laughed, and patted the first on the arm. “I bet it’s taking him out.”

Dianite was ungracefully slumped in his seat, wings pushed out in a jumble against the back. Beyond the tight flick of his tail, he was still. His gaze was full of ire, set upon the same spot it had been hours previous. The report that came in today. It told of the growing numbers in Mianite’s army, of the aggressive prodding at their shared border. Even their sister was apprehensive of his forwardness, Ianite seeing his haughty actions from a closer perspective. Being the bearer of peace and balance, she could feel when it was disturbed, when a great injustice to it was drawing nearer. And she prepared for a war.

So this, of course, irked him. Not only was he at a low point for his following, quite a number having exceeded their lifespan, he could clearly see a massive size difference between his and his brother’s people. If Mianite was in fact gearing up for battle, the god could do nothing but attempt to recruit more soldiers, and to intensify their skills. And despite her natural preference against conflict, he worked to gain the favor of his sister, to add more allies. If he could partake in any advantage against his brother, he would.

Though he wished to oversee the training of his warriors, he relinquished the responsibility to Furia, trusting both his own skills and leadership capabilities. Similar to the standard practice of his army, the fire demon worked into finding and exploiting weaknesses, when and how to fight dirty, drilling in loyalty to both him and the kingdom, as well as those fighting beside you. Of course the adults weren’t handling it well. But he was determined to have a cohesive army above anything else, to maintain flow and to cover one another. To prevent casualties.

Except, in the middle of his thoughts, stopping him from going to assess their progress, he felt… something.

It was small, a glimmer of feeling. But it was growing. With each passing second, it developed into a fuller experience. This small glimmer became… awe, almost happiness. A giggle bubbled up in his chest, baffling in its sudden appearance. His wings fluttered, releasing their cramped position, as he made an aborted, choked off sound. For the first time in hours, he sat up. With a hand over his mouth, he waited for the feeling to settle.

But almost as suddenly as it had appeared, it took a drastic turn. The urge to bawl, to just wail out into the air burst from nothing. A prickling sensation became seated behind his eyes, moisture building up in the front. Biting his lip, he took a deep breathe, trying to calm the splurge of emotion. For all the years he had lived, none had ever came upon him so spontaneously.

Surely this wasn’t what he thought it was.

~

For millennia he had been alone. He hadn't bothered with the trifles of love, of someone within this world being the one for him. But these sudden mood changes? They had to mean something.

His tail swayed lightly as he peered over the scouting reports, set to a light hearted rhythm. These reports were awful. Yet he couldn't stop the content feeling growing in his chest. The even beating of his heart. In the face of such wretched news, he never felt more relaxed. Despite the bitter acceptance he had made many lifetimes ago, he had to face the truth. He had a soulmate.

Even in such an uplifted state he couldn't resist intrusive thoughts. Why must he be bound to the fragile emotional state of a mortal? Surely, by the end of their lifespan, he'd also be subjected to the pain of their death? But he stopped himself.

Who honestly had it worse? This being, surely only a child, was bound to the God of Chaos. Not only would their life be influenced by his base instincts towards destruction, could they not be used as a sort of bargaining chip? If someone were to discover their link, what was stopping them from taking advantage of it?

But while such ideas were of serious concern, the quirk in his lips betrayed him. Even with his family, those he loved and cherished, and those he didn't, it was as though a weight had been taken off his chest. Beyond his sons, he knew that he would never feel the fabled eternal love and devotion for another. He had been certain he'd never have the chance. But as his wings smoothed out behind him, the quirk of his lips threatening to grow, it turns out he was wrong.

In the face of looming war, it should have been frustrating. He needed to focus. His people, his soldiers, his son, they were all looking to him for guidance. But here he was, carelessly lost in thought. It even showed beyond the privacy of his home. Most soldiers were too afraid to say anything, afraid they'd turn his mood for the worse. However, Furia had no qualms against pointing out the shift in demeanor.

In fact, only a few days prior, he was called out on it.

“You know Mom,” he addressed suddenly, “You’ve been a lot less upright recently. Almost distracted. Something is up.”

“I-I’ll, um, tell you at a better time.” Having been caught off guard, that was the best he could come up with. Of course, the observant child had chosen a time when his mind had trailed off, caught up in the trickle of curiosity from the bond. And his hurried response only served to heighten Furia’s curiosity.

And for the majority of the week after that, he still struggled to keep his attention on bettering his army. They, of course, were relieved by the dulled obsession with training. While they knew they needed to be the best, the edge of the devised training sessions were starting to wear on them.

Even with his small moments of distraction, they maintained continuous efforts. But they could sleep easier, rejuvenate faster now that the intensity had rounded out. Ironically, they improved faster.

Ianite, in her rare visits, noticed almost immediately. At first, she had simply assumed he had been given better news about the upcoming confrontation. But with each sudden twitch of his wings, phantom pull at his lips, bleeding of tension from his shoulders, it was clear this wasn't the case. And while she had her suspicions, she had no clear idea as to the source of his change.

Perhaps he has finally found something to live for.

She left it alone. It had been quite some time since she had seen him move between his people with such ease, one that spoke not of discipline or command, but of familiarity. This was looking to be an improvement. As long as this kept her balance set, or even strengthened it, it could stay.

Despite the Nether God’s best efforts, he couldn't help but notice a strange sort of… attachment growing for the being. He knew so little of it; what being was it, what gender, what kingdom? But, perhaps out of the nature of their bond, he grew fonder with every passing emotion.

It was almost exhilarating to experience the first time they'd feel a new one, just the knowledge that they were growing, becoming more aware. He just hoped that this wouldn't be his downfall.

But then Mianite made the first push into his territory.

The assault was sudden, giving them barely enough warning to soften the blow. They had run the risk of losing not only a string of towns along the border, but a trading hub as well. As it was, they only lost a smaller border town. And a good chunk of his army.

But as he paced the hallway outside his office, the small space unable to contain him, he couldn’t help but let his emotions slip. His tail slashed through the air, at times catching on the tiled floor, leaving small chips. Each hint of sound was met with a swift flick of his ears, straining to hear any approaching people.

His emotions bled across the bond.

At first it was met with a strange silence, eerie when contrasted with the steady stream of noise from the other end. But then a chilling, uncomfortable feeling came back to him. The effect had his wings pulling up, feathers puffing out. He could feel himself go rigid with discomfort, the base feeling of something being so undeniably wrong.

For the first time in the young being’s life, he felt them experience fear. All the rage that had settled into his bones earlier was flushed out with shame. What good would his anger do here? Ripping through his halls like an angry drunk, getting pissy with anything that moved, what did that help?

Shaking his wings out, he let out a huff. He need to give his people the assistance they needed. So many factors played into the perils of the attack, but one stood out in particular: a notable lack of healers.  He’d need to employ the wizards to the east, with their vast magical capabilities. If his people were already determined to protect each other, those under captivity being as useless to their Mianitee enslavers as possible, then he must be as well.

As he strode off, purpose set in his gait, he tried to soothe his soulmate. He would not let them feel such wretched emotion again, especially of his doing. First, he would remove the arrogant god from his kingdom, then he’d set about keeping his a place that his people could thrive in relative peace.

After all, if he couldn’t let his people thrive, how could his soulmate thrive?

~

It took three years to drive his brother out.

Most of his kingdom suffered from the conflict. But along the border, they felt the worst of it. Towns, in fits of rage, had been pillaged and sacked, a number of residents beaten and left for dead. The roads were left in disrepair, demolished in attempt to stall relief forces from the center of the land. Families had been ripped apart, adults taken for labor and children used for tight space jobs. For a kingdom built upon justice and order, they pushed dangerously past the moral line between necessities and war crime.

For the soldiers that made it home, they carried the burden of their experience. Of seeing their brothers and sisters in arms fall around them, of the promises they made to each other. Promises that they would look after family, friends, for themselves. It was a weight they carried both with weightless determination and heavy despair. For many years to come, they would not find peace alone.

Even the wizards, so vibrant and mysterious in their power, returned home as less than what they had been. Some were eerily void of magic, their reserves depleted, the spark close to flickering out. Others were haunted by each surge of power that coursed through their veins. For them, there was no greater strength than the combined magic of your allies. But in this fashion, their very allies, each precious soul, sacrificed the last of their magic, their life force, in their final moments. These sacrifices, a blending of magic into their brethren, would lead to a generation of powerful wizards. A generation haunted by the loss of every individual.   

Ianite, naturally neutral, suffered from the conflict. Each attack pushed at her balance, clawed at her mind. She had chosen to keep her people free of the battle, but it had come to them.

In secret, she had been supplying Dianite with food and living essentials. From her perspective, Mianite was the one who had disrupted the precarious balance. But once he found out, he determined her to be a threat. With no warning, he had sent a portion of his army to devastate the border between their kingdoms, making the mistake of letting them assualt those on Ianitee land.

This was the deciding factor in their struggle. Once Ianite was pulled in, she spared no mercy to right the wrongs done against her people. Where Dianite had felt the full force of Mianite’s attacks with each conflict, Ianite had only suffered minor casualties. Despite being a goddess centered on peace and balance, her army was of lethal capabilities.

Mianite, already weakened by the attacks in his brother, stood no chance under their combined efforts.

Now, the gods focused on recovery. Though they put a number of restrictions on Mianite and his kingdom, they gave some support to his efforts, to ensure that he wouldn’t desperately return to war as a way to scrape up more money or supplies.

While Dianite’s own merchants and soldiers were reluctant to send much assistance, Ianite’s people, bound by their beliefs of peace and fairness, gave no hesitation to go to their aid. Having suffered the least amount of damage, they had labor and resources to spare.

So Dianite divided his attention between dividing resources for recovery efforts and maintaining a steady stream of advice and orders for volunteers. His biggest focus was on border towns, those ravaged the most. Not only were they key to security, but they played a role in keeping up trade. Though many didn’t boast much trading efforts, they did enjoy the profits of supplying and entertaining passing tradesmen. If he wanted to rebuild his economy, he’d need to get his trade network back into high gear.

He had assigned a group of upper class volunteers, looking to positively add to their reputation, the task of renovating the trashed roads throughout the kingdom, when he felt the familiar presence in his mind.

Over these years, he had been held together by one thing: the growing conscience of his soulmate.

When the first inkling of fear wandered across their bond, he was quick to assume the worst. War had caught up to his soulmate. But even as it grew, it was dulled by the curiosity growing around it, the awe. But in that moment, after his heart had frozen in terror, he promised to destroy whoever invokes such a feeling from his soulmate.

While he had kept his own horror away from the bond, he couldn't get rid of the nasty taste he had been given. Where most other emotions left a lingering touch, fear had invaded more of his senses, a foul, rotten taste stuck to his tongue, a cold, slimy ick on his skin, the metallic, deadly scent of battle. It was horrific.

But as the curiosity turned to glee, he felt the sensations melt off his being. The bright, warm feeling settled back into his chest. It steadied him. And while he had only sent small snippets of feeling to his tiny soul, he hoped he did the same for them.

Though that had happened almost a year prior, it had stuck with him. And though they had small, purposeful exchanges of emotion, they could hardly communicate. So as time passed, he focused on making sure they never felt his rage, his sorrow, his agony, that they never felt anything but love and acceptance.

Right now, however, he battled with those very emotions. Despite his best efforts, his kingdom was still in shambles, his people suffering and weary. Though the anger had long since dimmed down to simmering in his chest, waiting. But such trifles were unnecessary, a mere obstruction for the ongoing plans for reconstruction.

The border towns were not recovering well. Once Mianite found them to be of no service, he took it upon himself to force them into submission. The results were horrific.

Families were torn from each other, forced to slave away for the good of his brother, left to survive in hardly livable conditions.

Such brutality could not be so easily rectified. Some traumas edited long past their happenings.

Disgust strung itself into the rampant blend of emotions. What was the point of such wretched deeds? If his land had been conquered, that would have been only a reason for rebellion. His people, let alone any other human, would never take such punishments lying down. A god of justice should know better.

Even as the burning ball of raw emotion twirled in his stomach, he could feel remorse sneak in. He should be able to fix this, he should have been able to stop it. He is a god after all.

Guilt and shame worked their way in, creating a volatile mixture of feeling. It had no release. There was no outlet for it. It had nothing to destroy but himself.

As it threatened to choke him, a timid feeling pushed at his mind. It was slow, shy, but it shone bright and settled the building storm within him.

The hesitant brush along his mind was clearly his soulmate. It was a familiar presence, a comforting one. But this was different, it held a purposeful, directed force. Gently, he reached out for it. The connection seemed to sharpen, to clear up, and one though rang throughout his mind: “Don’t be sad”

And if someone, something out there, so innocently wished for him to feel better, someone who barely knew him, he wasn’t sure whether to accept the thought. But the persistence of this tiny being held strong, and he begrudgingly let himself relax. Perhaps he should be more concerned that any mortal could have this much effect on him. He wasn’t.

~

A month had passed, and there was still no definite victor. Mianite had won nothing, but Dianite had still lost many. Even Ianite had lost something, and her mental state was not… on the best track. Once he had his kingdom in a better place, helped enough people for them to stand on their own, he would see to her.

He does admit to a grim satisfaction, however, when his scouts, closer to spies, returned from surveying the condition of Mianite and his land. While Mianite was in a similar position to himself, he was left with a rather large portion of his empire encased in ice. Surprisingly, it was in a place with less people, yet holding most of the god’s army. There was no trace of the perpetrator, and few actually knew who would have such capabilities. Most assumed Dianite had done it, as Ianite had yet to be fully pulled into the war. It wasn’t, but no one needed to know who it truly was. The gods and Furia knew, and that was enough.

Beside that, he was interested to note that most of his army had returned to their original practices, with the majority remaining had only ever been apart of it. From this information, he lightly assumed the god held no intention of another attack anytime soon. Though both had guards stationed along the border towns, Dianite was more focused into rebuilding, where Mianite was looking into establishing his kingdom’s economy and reinstating many forgone practices.

His sister remained more of a mystery, though the most obvious stance she was taking was fixing the damage done by Mianite’s surprise assault. While on a smaller scale than most taken on Dianite, as it was meant more towards a diversion, many of her people were still suffering the effects of it. Beyond that, the only happenings he was aware of with her, were the basic functions of her kingdom. Trade had not faltered, their relations had not changed, and her economy remained strong.

But a gut feeling told him something was off there. He hadn’t the time to investigate, however.

~

Four years in the running and the scars of war were still slow to fade. Communications with Mianite had been reestablished, and while merchants were only a tad hesitant to restart their trading, many of their people were content to avoid the other kingdom. Border towns were beyond hesitant to reestablish contact, they mostly refused to. Few believed in the healing relationship of the gods.

Despite slow developments, all seemed to be going well, even Ianite, who came out of the years closer to herself again. (Something in the back of his head screamed that this was wrong, Ianite is not herself). But even with all this progress, nothing made him more delighted than to feel what his soulmate does. As the child seemed to grow, so did his feelings. From the more basic emotions came more complex, happiness became euphoric or lighthearted, anger became irritation or rage, hurt became humiliation or insult. Even these branched off.

It was a journey of sorts, to feel someone’s range of emotion spread over time, when he had previously been in the thick of it. He found himself encouraging the positive emotions and trying to alleviate the negative ones. In a strange twist of events, they worked with each others feelings, trying to keep the other content if nothing else.

The very nature of their bond, however, was starling. Where most soulmates only felt vague emotions until they found one another, the two of them had been experiencing some far stronger than the norm. Hell, when they directed and focused hard enough, they could even convey simple thoughts. So, to one another, they were Tom and Dia. (The god didn’t want to reveal his full name, worried about the consequences of doing so. Little Tom was confused by this, but wasn’t too keen on asking).

And now, with how everything seemed to be fixing itself, he felt peaceful. He could tell that made Tom happy, judging by the cheerfulness coming from him. The recovery efforts were working out well, and many of the families disrupted by the war have finally been stabilized. Distantly, as he was supposed to be paying attention to the weekly report in the state of the kingdom post-war, he wondered how it affected Tom’s family.

Even throughout Tom’s younger years, he’d imagine that if they’d went through any hardships, Tom would have reflected that in some sort of confusion or distress. Surely, if he’d lived in his kingdom, the family would have been at least alarmed. God forbid (hah) that he lived in Mianite’s lands. Perhaps he could live in Ianite’s? No, her kingdom, with its rather closely tied, smaller span, would all be affected by the attack. Was he outside their area of rule?

He supposed it didn't matter. One day, he was determined to find the mortal and bring him here. If it's alright with him of course. Perhaps even invite his family. As long as Tom was happy.

But one of the presenters asked him something, and his thoughts were broken off.

~

It had been a prosperous year, nearly two, when it happened. One moment, he was contently teasing Furia about something or another, the next he was doubled over, practically punched in the gut by pure panic. There, in some small hallway, he felt the worst experience of his life.

Furia was crouched beside him, and he could vaguely make out words escaping his mouth. But his head was swimming with alarm, confusion, fearfearfear. It was hard to distinguish his own thoughts in the torrent of emotion.

He was torn between focusing on Tom, trying to figure out the problem, and on Furia, the warmth of his hands set upon his shoulders, to keep himself centered. The only response he could manage was a wave of concern, trying to get it through the mass swarming between them.

Nothing new came back. Just an ongoing stream of hurt and confusion, of terror and anguish. Furia did his best to man handle him back up, trying to drag him somewhere better than the corridor. He tried to focus on the world around him, but even his vision was blurring, his mind muddled. Putting on foot before the other, he struggled to stay upright.

This was terrifying. Though he tried to fight the feeling, to keep it away from the already panicked Tom, he could feel it seep into him. On one hand, he didn't know anything in regards to what was happening to Tom. He didn’t know where he was, or how to trace the bond. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t bring Tom to him or help him from here. It was as simple as he didn’t know what he looked like or who exactly he was. The entire concept was frustrating.

On the other hand, he was not used to feeling so… useless. Well, more so powerless. It had been a long time, too short of a time to his liking really, since he had felt stripped to this extent. Memories he has long repressed were the last hint of such disastrous emotion. Yet here was this mortal, who felt so very helpless in his own right, taking the god down so far. The pure force behind his emotions was enough to make Dianite feel crippled in a way, and this horrified him.

But as Furia managed to get him to his room, settling him on his bed, he was pushed farther towards the pure worry for Tom. In the short time he had come to know him, mere years to the centuries of his existence, the child had wormed far into his heart. And to lose him without even meeting him? To lose the supposed other half of his soul? He would not stand for this.

With the fiery being curled against him, trying to offer any comfort his words could not convey through the haze in his mind, he tried something different. With their bond, they could share feelings and thoughts, however vague they were. Being a god, what is to say he couldn't siphon part of his power, the energy of it, to Tom, in hopes of ending his woes? REgardless of whether the child would appropriately handle them, if it solves the problem, why not?

Trying to sort out the wave of horror pushing towards him, he made the best path in the backlogged connection. His efforts rewarded him with a steady stream pushing through the torrent of emotions, finding its way to Tom. With that, he sent one thought, pushing to keep it clear. And once it reached him, the flood in his mind ebbed, a solemn determination ringing through instead.

‘Use this power to save yourself’

At first, despite the child’s resolve, the pull on his power was hesitant, as though he wasn't certain of his actions. But then, with a jerk he was convinced Furia must have felt, it was pulled on. And somewhere far away, unknown to his distressed senses, chaos was created. It was its own storm, an experience of unstable proportions through both ends, but it was centered. Somehow contained. When Tom cut the flow of energy to his creation, both minds rang silent.

Dianite could sense more than feel Furia beside him, but now he could hear connecting phrases, words forming to convey a message. As his mind focused back on his body, he could feel the light fingers brushing through his wing, the firm hand pressed against his collar, keeping him upright. Looking into his son’s eyes, genuine concern shone up at him. “Better?” Furia helped him settle further into the bed, resting against the may pillows at its head.

He wanted to say yes, but with the echoing silence from his constant companion, he wasn’t too sure.

~

The answer was no. Abso-fucking-lutely no. While the tempest was quelled within his own mind, Tom’s was quiet, brooding. For a child full of such mischief and energy, this was more of a warning than the previous experience. And for yet another time, Diantie felt helpless.

Was he in shock? He had no way to know. Asleep? Even in his slumber aborted feelings brushed against his mind. Drugged? Surely even in a drugged stupor, some feeling would shine through. The state of unknowing was killing him slowly, and this wouldn't help Tom.

So while he outwardly remained infallible, he did his best to keep his emotions and thoughts softer, trying to convey comfort and stability. He hoped it was working. So far he received only mute emotions, too muddled with others to mean much.

But it was progress nonetheless.

This continued for days, weeks. After a month and three weeks, something changed. It was a spark, small but powerful, of hope. Beyond the minute responses of happiness he could occasionally drag from Tom, there was actual joy. Whatever it was, he was glad Tom found it.

But Dianite knew it wouldn't be that easy. Even with the reluctant growth of happiness in his soulmate, he still held onto an unshakable grief. It lingered in every blip of feeling that wandered over the bond.

Though Tom had tried to mask what he felt over the past year, from before the accident, he wasn't good at it. So even in his calmest moments, grief rested on his shoulders as an armor against the world. The more he felt it, the less he experience other things. When blocking out his despair, he rage, his hopelessness, it wasn't a bad thing. But now, when love or joy tried to sneak back into his life, it was snuffed out by the ever present grief.

As time wore on, he started to notice a change. It was less heavy on Tom’s side of the bond. Albeit begrudgingly, he seemed to take comfort in this new presence. With Dianite still streaming bits of feeling and thought to him, he was given one back, for the first time in months.

‘I like Adam’

While god chose not to read too much into that, when his first assumption was rather unlikely, he poked more at Tom.

‘Who is Adam?’

His first response was a small peek of excitement, before a splotch of frustration followed.

‘Not supposed to say’

The god raised an eyebrow, casting a curious look towards the wall, in place of his companion.

‘Oh? Well, where are you then?”

The frustration flattened out to make way for irritation.

‘Can’t tell you that either’

Dianite let out a sigh. By now the god had found himself seated in his throne once more, only having gotten out of it mere moments ago. Flicking his tail back and forth, he rested his head on his fist. If Tom’s new… friend didn’t want to be described or have his location revealed, he could be a criminal. Or, perhaps, from the war. Countless Mianitees had been outraged or ashamed of the act. Some had been publicly criticized. It was only after the war that anyone outside the kingdom heard of the internal riots and insubordination over it.

But as Furia strode into the room, nodding at the guards to let in those with an appointment, he knew he didn't have the time to ask. Straightening up, evening out his expression, he gave one last thought to Tom, before focusing in.

‘Just stay safe love’

~

Over the past few years, Dianite could say many things in his life were improving.

His kingdom had risen from the destruction and re-entered the world economy with relative ease.

The wizards that had assisted him, though not apart of his kingdom, due to their own mysterious happenings, were recovering from the traumas of magic. Quite a number of them stayed connected with their army comrades, partially as a way to cope, partially to feel more connected to society. He found that the magical population within his people had risen.

In terms of former and current soldiers, a good deal were trying to keep centered in the midst of their memories. IT was evident that many were haunted by their recollections, but most found solace in the companionship and assistance of their peers. If all went well, Dianite could better establish a system to get them readily available professional help. His people were, after all, his priority.

Ianite seemed to have gotten her kingdom in well working order, almost as though no trifles had arisen among her people. Only if one were to look closely could they seek the cracks were things had been put back together, the faint scars of what had needed to heal. And though she looked strong, Ianite herself had her faltering moments.

Mianite, despite having taken the most damage, reestablished his kingdom rather well. Though his siblings had taken it upon themselves to assist in the rebuilding, so that his people didn’t suffer, they assumed he would learn from his mistake. Really, he didn’t. Instead, it took the effort of his people, who were in favor of those who had helped them, rather than the god that had instated such disaster, to get him to a better place.

Once they had settled, they were quick to press for change. First, they had focused on removing the people currently holding office. While the disgruntled aristocrats were able to keep their land and holdings, those of ‘lesser’ status had been tasked with replacing them. Many of these people were, not surprisingly, generals or commanders in the army. However, they were picked rather carefully.

It was no secret that some of the soldiers took sick pleasure in the chaos and destruction they had caused. (It was rather ironic, for they assumedly followed the god of order and justice). Most of the selection power was given to those of lower command in the army, the simpler soldiers. The throwaways, the footmen, those who were the barrier for the more elite, or for the ranged. Whether this came about from the sheer number of them, or the peculiar disappearance of a number of higher standing army men was left to speculation.

Regardless, under the supervision of his people, Mianite worked focused on supporting his kingdom.

And Dia was focused on none other than his soulmate.

Ever since he found this mysterious ‘Adam’, he had gotten happier by the day. Exuberance popped up without warning, spots of pure mischief growing until pure joy burst from him. (Sometimes it was followed with alarm, as well as humor. He assumed he was finding trouble for his fun). It was so much better than the wretched period of emptiness and despair. And for a time, he had forgotten that Tom was allowed to feel such negativity.

Until he received another taste of bitter pain.  

Unlike his early encounters with it, this was more closely entwined with hurt, betrayal. To make it worse, it had been slow. It was a creeping sensation, one that happened as a slow realization. A slow burn that tore at his insides, making hard for him to quell his rage.

Before he could start any response, Tom hesitantly sent him a thought.

‘Adam says it's for the best. That he leaves me. That people were coming for him and he can't let them get to me.’

The god was startled by this. Not only had Tom said more than ever before, but the information he gave was enough for him to connect the dots. His soulmate had been taken in by none other than Seananners, well known black market dealer, pirate, and thief. He lived in infamy, keeping his allies under strict code to ensure safety. Many times, he has teased authorities with false information of his group.

Seananners was one of his favorite criminals.

But Tom was clearly distraught over this. Though he knew Seananners only let his people go when there was serious danger, he wanted Tom to have a safe group to be with. Too many times, kids were picked up by abusive people, those who chose to use their smaller size to their advantage. And Seananners was far from that.

He had to make sure his soulmate stayed safe.

‘Did he say anything else?’

Tom gave off mild confusion.

‘He, uh. He said… something about Optic people?’

Of course, Adam would suggest another criminal group. In all honestly, he was partially surprised that they had any relation. Due to the size of his land, they mainly operated on separate areas. Very rarely had he heard of either crossing into one another’s territory of sorts.

Though, he should know better with Nanners.

‘It’d be best for you to seek them out. Do you know your way about the kingdom?’

On another note, Tom was in fact in his land. As long as he kept his kingdom safe, he could keep Tom safe. His people, while not the samaritans Mianite had boasted of his own, were against the poor treatment of children. If all else, they would find great consequence in hurting his soulmate.

‘Yeah. Mostly. Adam said to keep to the main roads, so it should be fine?’

Dianite idly reached up to tug on a horn. Stroking his nails across the grooves, he let out a huff.

‘Be safe. I’ll do my best to help you.’

A pang of longing echoed in his chest as he felt Tom unfocus from their bond. He felt so far from him. The urge to have him safely wrapped in his arms, by his side, just… with him. It felt wrong to be without him, and even though he pushed the feeling aside with practiced ease, he knew it was there.

But as he felt Tom distance himself, his way of cutting off emotions, he could only let himself mope for a little longer. He had work to do. If he wanted to make sure Tom was safe, he need to make sure his kingdom was safe. Furia would be delighted.

~

Some days, Diantie wondered if letting Tom join the Optics was a mistake. As he peered down at the growing number of reports piled at his desk, he slumped in his chair. Today, the answer was a sure fire yes. Blowing a loose feather out of his face, he distantly watched it float to the ground. With a flick of his tail, it was push up towards the desk, to land precariously on the edge.

Groaning, he reluctantly pulled himself up, settling into a more rigid posture. The particular paper on top was of the most recent offense. It was “An Attack of Most Ridiculous Resentment” where the victim was at the tail end of a revenge crime, “for such a petty reason as one of the men having been allegedly ‘abused’ by me in the past. I swear I have no idea who he is-”. This was one of the more boggling cases, where the others were a mix of robin hood attempts and everyday mischief. To be honest, he had a hard time getting mad over it.

Collecting the papers and stacking them in a semi-organized pile, he stood from his seat. He stretched with a groan, his wings followed his moments, gently and carefully brushing against objects in the room before stopping at the walls. Pulling his wings back in with a grumble, he set upon himself to get some sleep. Furia wouldn’t have to gripe at him that way.

The trip to his room wasn’t long, but exhaustion seeped into him gleefully with every step he took. The perks of being a godly being came with boundless energy for long periods of time, gifts beyond mortal comprehension, and a mass of followers. However, it would appear such luxuries did him no good against the natural processes of his own body.

As he settled himself into the silken sheets, shifting to lay on his stomach so as to keep pressure off his wings, he sighed at the low hum of joy in the back of his mind. Despite the rampant chaos the group chose to cause, he didn’t regret leading Tom to them. The past five years have been so much better to his soulmate, his emotions so much lighter. Though he was initially wary, a mixture of anxiety and fear floating through their bond, Tom seemed quick to make friends.

It was a nice feeling, knowing that Tom was safe. The he had people that were there for him. People who were going to stay. The Optics were known, in the underground world, for always taking care of their own. They were a band of outcasts essentially, those who lost their family, who were turned away at every door. Together, all these people made a family for each other.

He could feel his eyes starting to droop, as he let himself relax, curling an arm under his pillow. With the pleasant buzz in the back of his mind, he let himself drift off. He knew Tom would be safe.

~

The sun was barely peeking above the horizon when Dianite was awoken by a sudden rush of panic. In his groggy stupor it was startling, and forgot for a moment that it might originate from the bond. For the few moments after his eyes shot open, he switched from immediately surveying his room for threats, and frantically trying to determine what he may have thought of to cause the panic.

When he felt a cold spike of terror, he snapped into wakefulness. This wasn’t him, this was Tom. Tom was in trouble. Pushing himself up, giving his wings a quick shuffle, he clenched his teeth. These were the times he wished to be able to be by Tom’s side. To defend him, to keep him out of trouble. As it was, the best he could do was get up and see if the trouble was something he could stop from his end. It likely wasn’t

Though he found himself an impressive stack of paperwork upon arriving to his office, not one sheet mentioned anything about the Optics. And with a generic name such as Tom, with no last name, he had little way of knowing whether he had been caught as a regular civilian.

He received no news concerning Tom until much later. The sun was finding it's way back down the sky, and his head was a mixture of unpleasant emotion, with the occasional stroke of defiance. It was during one such instance, where he could only assume Tom was digging himself a grave, that Furia entered his office with a rushed gait.

“They captured two Optic members,” he began quickly, “One under the codename of Nadeshot, one under the name of Syndicate.”

Furia let his breath settle, before continuing, “I told the men overseeing them that you would like to have a look at them, since you know,” he gestured towards his own head, “That lovely connection you have.”

The fiery demon had barely finished saying the last bit before Dianite was out of his seat. Carrying himself with purpose, he took long strides, Furia muttering irritatedly under his breath as he half jogged to keep up. The younger being would miss for very few things in the world. After all, he could get to meet his Mom’s soulmate.

The corridors seemed to stretch on forever, but in reality the god made it to the holding cells in mere minutes. The guards, who were casually talking amongst each other, hastily stood attention when he strut inside. He waved a hand at them before they could say anything, dismissing them. With flustered bows, they exited the room.

Waiting until their footsteps faded into the distance, he motioned for Furia to retrieve one of the men. Rolling his eyes, he found the gate keys inside a desk pushed into a corner, and approached the man dressed in white robes. He stepped out of the cell after exchanging a wary glance with his companion. There was an almost unsettling quiet through the bond.

Leading the human into the questioning chamber, a room much kinder than the interrogation chamber a floor below, he pondered what to say. Giving himself time to think, he motioned for the other to take a seat.

Deciding on his words, he calmly stated, “As I’m sure you’ve figured, my name is Dianite, though some know me by Dia.” He felt no change in emotion from his bond, so surely this man was not Tom. “I am here to ask only one question: Are you part of the Optic group?”

The man hesitated for a moment before answering, “I… yes, I am.”

With a small nod, he jerked his head towards the door, and the human hastily exited the room. Moving to stand by the doorframe, he nodded at Furia to release the other man once he had locked his most recent companion back up. A few clicks and clunks later, and he was making room for the next man to enter. Still, the bond was quiet.

Shutting the door, Dianite began in the same fashion, “I am Dianite, as you surely have figured out by now, though some know me as Dia.” He bit back an overjoyed smile as that brought a reaction through the bond. A thick shock and surprise.

“Is your name Tom?” he finished, holding his breath. At the wide eyed, disbelieving look on his companion’s face, he couldn’t stop a smile from overtaking his own face.

“I’ve been looking for you.”

Chapter 7

Screams. Screaming. That's all he heard. It echoed in his head, shrill and unrelenting. More screams, the same screams. It hurt, pounded at his skull, crushing it, pushing in, pushing out. It was agony.

There were hands on him, but they seemed to quake. They gripped him harder, shook harder, and he could almost feel his brain rattle in his abused skull. The held such intensity, he wondered what for.

He tried to say something, to work his jaw into movement, but it was stuck. Already open. Struggling to close it, he found the wails dull as his jaw slowly fell closed. When his lips met, it turned to a rough vibration. Was he the one screaming?

A voice could be heard now, barely over the shrieking in his mind. It was familiar, a light in the darkness of screams and pain. Why was it so dark? His eyes are open, he swears. He blinks. Nothing changes. His vision is shrouded in black, a scream pushing against his throat.

What is wrong. Why can’t he see? Why won’t the screaming stop?

A muffled cry can be heard, so close to him. Yet it seemed far. As though it were underwater. Or he was? It was strange, like he was being pulled under into something, yet he could breath fine. Feel… fine. His mind was being pulled. It must be.

A whisper scratched at his ears, “What a treat this is, to have you here.”

It grated on his nerves, wracked through his body in an unpleasant shiver. The hands on his shoulder seemed to tighten, yet they felt farther than before. Each experience was conflicting, as if he were feeling things from two separate bodies. Which one was he in?

Another cry, this time more familiar, drawing closer. But wasn’t that the same voice? Who was it? He tried to focus on it, but it went quiet once again.

“I didn’t think we’d be able to meet so fast,” the other voice came back, crawling along his skin. It made him feel sick. Like his insides were being pushed and twisted, shoved aside for this presence to get through. To get to him.

He heaved, a choked noise that was something between a scream and a retch coming from him. The voice, the good one, came back stronger this time. In some twist of irony, the more the jarring utterances came to him, the more he was pushed back into reality. Or was he pushing himself back? To escape. There must be some irony there.

A hand caught his face, gentle yet demanding. His eyes strained, trying to catch onto any piece of detail. Blackness, blackness, blackness… there must be something. Where was it?

There. He squinted harder. It seemed far away, but there… some sort of spark. He tried to reach out, but his body didn’t move. Yet, it looked as though he was getting closer.

The feeling it gave off was familiar. But it was strange to see it. Why did it feel so much like what he just left? What was the similarity? Why could he see it?

Just as he had before, he tried to get a grasp on it, his… his mind stretching out. He brushed against it, and for a moment, he felt things in double. Unlike before, when he got himself stuck in the predicament full of screaming, this happened slower. Like he was meshing into whatever was there.

‘Calm down Tom.’

His body jerked, but a strong hand-- his hand?-- kept him in place. At the same time that he could see nothing, he could see himself. What was happening?

‘Tom, I need you to relax. This won’t get better unless you relax.’

Jitters were running through him, but he could feel his shoulders slack. Or were they his? Everything was too confusing.

‘I know just about as much as you. But Tom, you are in my head. At least, I think you are. I… wasn’t exactly expecting that.’

Your head? Whose head? How?

‘Mine. Nade? The person still sitting in this room with you as you try not to scream? You look like you want to keep screaming.’

How do I get out? How do I get in my head?

‘Um, think about going back? No, wait, that could be bad. Um, stop thinking? Block everything out? I guess at some point your mind would be drawn back to you.’

You don’t sound too sure.

‘Look, I’m pulling solutions from my ass, just, just try it.’

Tom made no reply. It wouldn’t help to. He could hear himself take a shuddering breath as he worked to block things out. The room still felt painfully loud despite the growing silence. Their hearts echoed like drumbeats in the quiet, refusing to be blocked out. So he focused on the mostly steady rhythm.

It was slow, it was halfway thunderous, but it was consistent. It didn’t stop. Sounds beyond that seemed to fade. He could feel his own eyes slipping closed.  

His breathing fell in time with each thump. Slow, easy movements saw him relaxing, settling more comfortably into the floor. For a few moments, he just sat there, listening.

“Tom?” Nade’s voice rang out, this time into the stillness of the room.

He peeked his eyes open, grimacing at the brightness that came with the action. Adjusting, he opened them all the way, getting a clear view of his companion.

Blinking a few times, he muttered, “what the hell was that?”

Nade let out a breathless laugh, “Hell if I know, it was scary at shit! You just randomly started mumbling and full on screaming man. When you opened your eyes they were all glazed over, unseeing. What the hell happened with you?”

The fledgling shook his head, “I was reaching out, like you said, and I felt something? And then I could have sworn I was in Alice’s house again, but there was some person… and everything went dark. I panicked. Did I get in her head?” His eyes widened, “I got into yours didn't I?”

“Hell if I know. That what it seemed like,” Nade sighed, before continuing, “We should stop for now. If you want to do anything with that, we’ll want Dianite here.”

He took a quick sweep over Tom, noticing the exhaustion lingering behind his eyes.

“C’mon, let's get you something to eat. There might be some good stuff to drink on hand, but you might prefer Dianite instead,” Nade finished, wiggling his eyebrows.

Pushing into his feet, Tom scoffed, “You’re just jealous.”

Rolling his eyes, Nade got up after him, taking care to make sure his friend didn't collapse.

~

Tom was happily munching on some tacos, in the strangely empty room when the first of the hungry clan members pushed through the cafeteria doors. An unexpected wave of noise hits his mind, making his head ache. He groans, rubbing his hands over his face, ignoring Nade’s concerned look.

Unlike before, he doesn’t feel the pull, doesn’t seem able to touch their minds, even as them feel as though they are brushing past his, almost as close as Nade’s. All that they convey is static.  Each brush gives a murmur of thought, but no one holds the connection long enough to even notice. He wonders if this is because he isn’t trying to get into their mind.

“Hey man, you aren’t looking too good,” Nade jumps in, disturbing his inner ramblings, “Do you want to head back up to see Dianite? It may help.”

Tight lipped Tom nods, having already given up on food. The constant wave of pointless sound, the subtle touch each mind that comes near, in whatever way they could possibly draw closer, throws off his senses. At one point, he may catch a glimmer of what someone sees, only to be caught in the snippets of someone else’s conversation, to then be forced to smell from someone else’s perspective. He could only imagine that what he was experiencing was what he had already seen and taken account of, but it seemed so… different from their view. As though the way other’s perceived things was inherently different.

Nade gently grabbed Tom’s arm, ignoring his startled jerk, and carefully guided him through the growing crowd. A few sent worried glances towards them, but the majority were either to enraptured in what they were doing, or simply assumed it was a side effect of such a recent change, to garner too much worry. The confusion and dizziness in Tom’s head didn’t lighten until they had made off into a quieter hall.

Letting the fledgling settle himself for a few moments, Nade silently led him towards the stairs. Though it was likely not the best option for a dazed being, it was a better option than going towards the elevator, where not only would they find more people, they could get stuck with a few in the elevator. Besides, it would be less weird carrying Tom up the stairs to Dianite’s room than into the elevator.

Once the duo found themselves in the stairway, Nade whispered to the younger vampire, “Are you feeling better now?”

Thinking better of simply nodding his head, Tom mumbled back, “Yeah, a bit. There was just… so many minds. That sounds weird doesn’t it?” He sighs, placing a shaking hand on the railing. “It’s like, now that I seem to have exposed myself to getting into people’s minds, I can’t stop? But, for some reason, I wasn’t pulled into their minds. I just got, I don’t know, bits of what they were feeling?”

He receives a shrug from his companion, as they climb the steps. The going was slow, the ache in his head forcing Tom to take it slow, the occasional dizziness making him grimace. It was a relief for both of them once they managed to make it to Dianite’s level, in which Tom had to sheepishly smile at Nadeshot, having not brought his key with him.

The older rolled his eyes, swiftly turning to go back down the stairs, so as to get a spare one, otherwise known as: Ask Furia for his. After what was a decently long time for a what he was tasked with, Tom could hear Nade return to the stairwell, trying to be quiet as he made his way back.

“He is rather bitchy today, I would say,” Nade said upon his return, “I wonder why.”

Tom gave him a shrug, having no answer for him. Nade just took that as a cue to unlock the door, holding it open for Tom to enter. Once both made it through, he turned to lock it once more, before following Tom, who had made a hasty retreat further into the suite. He wasn’t surprised.

When he made it into the room after Tom, he watched him curl up next to Dianite, a low purr coming from him. It was likely he didn’t realise he was purring. The Lord happily draped an arm over his lover, pressing a light kiss to his forehead.

“Did you have a nice time out, love?” Dianite asking cheerily, nosing into Tom’s hair.

The fledgling gave a quiet hum of confirmation, seeming as though his head no longer hurt. He did have a natural mental connection with Dianite, after all.

The Lord turned his head to look at Nade, “How are you today, Nade? I assume Tom didn’t because too much trouble?”

He shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips, “No Sire, we decided to help get some of that extra energy out by testing to check out his powers.”

The man perked up at that. “Oh, and how did that go? Has he displayed any pyrokinetic abilities yet? I don’t smell any smoke or burnt anything on him.”

Here, Nade paused.

“No, he hasn’t as of yet. Though, we did explore a bit into his special abilities.” He supplied his Sire, who gave him a raised eyebrow as a signal to continue. “We aren’t… too sure what it is. But something happened. After a rather, well, strange occurrence, in which I can tell you nothing about, since I have no idea what happened, Tom somehow managed to… get into my mind? It was strange, but we could share thoughts, and I felt as though I was sharing my senses with him. I don’t really know to what extent this goes, and have no idea what the power is.”

Dianite settles his back further into his seat, considering this. Closing his eyes, he sighs.

What a peculiar development.

“Thank you Nadeshot. Is there anything you need today, or are you good?” Dianite inquired, turning his focus back onto his older fledgling. It was his job, after all, to make sure his clan was in a good standing.

Nade blinked for a moment, before assuring, “No, I’m good My Lord. Thank you for asking though.” He smiled, admittedly happy that Dianite cared enough to ask. “I should go return Furia’s key. Tom seemed to have a bad reaction to being near a lot of people. He said something about how he could feel their minds brush against his, and it seemed to really take a lot out of him. All dizzy and dazed.”

He eyed the couple, before giving them a small smile, “Well, I leave you two for now. I bet you would like to have some nice alone time.” Sending them a wink, he strolled out, presumably to give Furia the key.

Dianite just mumbled against Tom’s hair, “Oh what am I going to do with you.”

Oh what indeed.