Parting Ways
"Do you really have to wear that?", A frown crept across Ae's forehead as he checked Darwin
from behind. He sat down in a wooden chair in the corner, watching Darwin busily tucking and fitting
himself some clothes.
"I need something befitting for an apex of all apex predators", Darwin gave him a smile and an
eye roll. He turned to rummage for ornaments in the table.
Ae just sighed and pat his forehead. He sat there like a husband waiting for his wife outside the
fitting room. His face shifting from impatient to annoyed. He just shrugged it off and rolled his eyes.
"Oh come on we've been doing these for like 3 hours already", Ae sighed helping him dismantle
some chains from the mannequins. They jiggled some old ornaments and then went back to looking for
another one.
"I just need…", Darwin whispered tapping his chin still focused on the set of fineries in front of
him.
"Come one bey, you already look good with those hooded leather jacket and the rest. It's not
like you can use them as weapons", Ae suggested.
"Shut the hell up…", He responded quietly.
"Alright. Imma leave you here", Ae shook his head in disbelief. He threw his hands in the air
before mouthing bye to Darwin.
"Where you going?", Darwin gave a sad look. He pouted at him.
"Shit here we go. Fine. I'll stay here", Ae just rolled his eyes and just sit in the corner playing
with his fingers.
After a few minutes, Darwin finally pulled off an outfit. Ae couldn't help but struck in awe as
Darwin stepped out of the room he just changed in. His hair brushed back. Long twin earrings fall down
on the sides of his head and his eyes, beautiful as ever. He wore an ornamented leather jacket with
chains falling side by side from his shoulder. A pair or tight jeans that subtly bulge out his delicate
privates and a pair of ankle boots just like what his usual style screams. A sense of danger and passion
seasoned the perfume he's wearing. He walked out of the doorway and into the life size mirror beside
Ae.
"What do you think?", Darwin winked at him with a smile.
"Wish I got those looks. I feel insecure somehow", Ae looked at him with a smile.
"You look good Ae", Darwin looked down on his palm then straight to Ae.
"Just you saying my name makes me feel good enough", Ae bit his lips. He felt a strong
adoration towards Darwin standing next to him.
They both shared a smile before Ae cleared his throat.
"Behold the doom of all days. Darwin Frost, the Blood Winter", He playfully threw his arms
sideward as saying "surprise!" in a very joyful manner.
"Thank you for letting me in", Darwin said gratefully. He tapped Ae's shoulders before walking
passed him.
"Where you going?", Ae curiously asked. A frown crept on his forehead.
"To war. I have some buddies to rescue and you're coming with me", He replied with pride. He
dramatically extended his hands to Ae as if he's inviting him for a date.
"Wait what? We didn't even have a plan!', Ae gasped almost yelling in disbelief.
"Alright then, what do you have in your sleeves?", Darwin questioned.
It was 4 in the afternoon. They were sitting in a stone rock under a maple tree on a cliff above
the misty mountains. The clouds behind them traveling across the land like soft waves of velvet cotton.
Birds chirping and singing melodies above the trees. Leaves falling down like earthy winter covering the
lands around them. Tranquility and calmness ruled the entire atmosphere and only the two of them
moving around in the thread of time slowly passing them by.
Darwin sat with his legs crossed above the table. He wore a simple shirt and a knee high shorts.
He have decided to drop his outfit for the mean time coz he thought he can just go on a raid without any
plans. Ae sat on a rock chair across him. From the looks of his face he's in a deep analysis of the map and
all the papers in front of them. He snapped his finger and a holographic image popped around them.
They were inside a dome made of crystals and filled with images and moving pictures.
"Where's your outfit?", Ae asked without looking at him.
"Nah. Dropped it. I though we're gonna go", Darwin just bobbed his face and rolled his eyes,
"You should have just worn it. You look good in it", Ae suggested.
"What's looking good if I'm gonna die anyway", Darwin rebutted , "You think I'm gonna die. Like,
I'm gonna be dead along the way?", he added.
"You're gonna die if you don't stop thinking about it", Ae replied still stuck on the papers in front
of him.
Darwin shrugged his shoulders and just looked away. He looked at the papers around him and to
the images. He's been there all along but he actually have no idea what they're doing.
"So what do we have here?", He popped his face in front of Ae who is looking down and deep
focusing on their plan.
"Stop being cute or I'm gonna bite you", Ae looked at him with a furious reaction. Then his
reactions faded into a lusty expression as he tried grabbing Darwin's butt.
"Hands off. Pervert", Darwin smacked his hand and gave him a weird look.
Ae just laughed at him before picking the papers up and putting it in front of his face.
"Here's the plan: First, we put out the outer surveillance with our force", Ae started.
"Just the two of us? Can we even take down the Lightkeepers from the borders of the institute?
With only just the two of us?", Darwin interrogated.
"Though it will take an army to stop us, we need distractions so we can infiltrate the backline.
And we're not gonna do it with just the two of us", A hint of excitement marked Ae's eyes as he finished
his last sentence.
"And what's that supposed to mean?", Darwin frowned at him with an unimpressed look.
"I have an army of demons and ghouls plus I have someone to introduce to you", Ae's eyes
suddenly turned pitch black and the world around them turned dark. In an instance they were already
standing in a very different world- a scorched lands, the absolute hell. Darwin moved back a little as
they dropped into a platform floating in a sea of blood, he looked down to see hands popping from the
surface trying to grab them. A giant baphomet statue rose like a skyscraper from afar. As if screaming of
pride in this odd and hellish world.
"To Princess Keili's palace please", Ae commaned and a pair of giant hands appeared out of
nowhere and cuffed the platform with them. The hands moved with ease and a portal opened before it.
In a blink of an eye, they set foot on what looks like a great city. Otherworldly buildings rise up to the
clouds with shades of red and black- designed with contrast of oddity and beauty. Most establishments
and structures were adorned with depictions of bones and death, majestically engineered with the
finest sculptures and architectural design. A world that never witnessed natural light but is shining
brightly in the dark. Like an ember in the middle of the night.
"Welcome to the Ember City, the central capital of the Myst", Ae gestured his hands to welcome
Darwin.
"Who's Princess Kaitlyn?", Darwin asked.
"Keili, I hope she hears you so she can pull your tongue and strangle you with it", Ae replied with
a snort.
"Why you so rude to me today?", Darwin rolled his eyes.
"Let's say I just like you so much", Ae winked at him.
"Wouldn't be surprised if you're gonna feed me in this wretched creatures", Darwin
commented.
A series of gasp stopped them in their tracks. From the looks of Ae's face he knew deep inside
that they messed up.
"Excuse me, mister? Who you calling ugly?", A huge rounded man eating a pair of human hands
approached them. His obnoxious breath almost reverted their stomachs as he look down at them. Sure
Ae and Darwin's height is 6 foot but this man is literally towering them like they're just a piece of
disposable midgets. Darwin covered his mouth but Ae's nudged him to keep his face up as sign of
respect. "We're so sorry sir. We must keep going", He smiled before grabbing Darwin who's sending
disgusted look around.
"Just know that if you don't keep that mouth shut you'll end up just like the owner of those
hands that he's nibbling", Ae piched his arms as he whispered in his ears.
"But it's true they're ugly", Darwin replied silently.
"It doesn't that you are beautiful in you world, you are beautiful to the rest of the worlds.
Haven't your teacher taught you about diversity in third grade?", Ae dragged him along with him down
the corridors. He grabbed a hoodie in a street store and gave it to him, "Wear this", he commanded.
"Why can't they recognize you? You are the king in this world", Darwin interrogated behind his
hoodie.
"I am not the King, I am the god already and they haven't seen the face of their god. They only
know me as that thing right there", Ae pointed at the giant baphomet sculpture across the street.
"What I'm confused! I though you told me about you being the king!", Darwin whispered as Ae
yanked him down another hallway.
"I'll tell you about it later, ok? Just bear with me", Ae dragged down a torch lit hallway and down
to a bridge. The guards tried to block them but he showed something in with his hands and they let
them passed through.
They hit the long concrete bridge above a very deep abyssal crack. So deep that only shades of
black could be seen. A voice called Darwin through his mind as he gaze down from his side.
"When you look at darkness, the darkness gazes back", Ae said as he continued walking ,"Don't
mind it. It's absolute evil. It's more powerful that any compulsion", he added.
"It's calling my name…", Darwin whispered as he stopped walking and turned towards the edge
of the bridge. It didn't take a second for Ae to notice that he's been lured down. He ran towards him and
embraced him in a tight hug. He covered Darwin's eyes with his chest and whispered.
"Shhh it's ok. You re with me. Focus at one point. You are on your feet, on solid ground", his
voice eased Darwin's anxiety and dragged his thoughts back to reality.
They went on to continue their strut until they reach the front gates. Ae chanted something and
the front gate cracked open then they took the long way down the torch lit hallway. Whispers crawled
like mist into Darwin's ears as they passed a series of doorways that leads to what seems like an vast
infinite darkness.
"Ignore it", Ae trailed off his voice as he dragged him along. They reached a gigantic entrance. A
laser-like beams touched Ae's face and the door opened. A smell of tickling death lingered in the air as
soon they set foot on the red carpet before them.
"Princess Keili, my dearest", Ae threw his arms sideward as he bow down and dragged Darwin to
bow down with him. "A supreme shouldn't bow down but instead be proud", A young voice broke off behind the thin
curtains held by the handmaidens beside a giant golden throne.
A young girl appeared before them, wearing a silk crimson robe. Her hair in a tight bun, adorned
with golden ornaments. A horn-like hair piece mounted on top of her head and small chains flow down
on the sides of her face. Her eyes, evidently colored green even with the smallest amount of light
touching her face. She walked down her throne stage and towards them. Her gown falling like midnight
rivers behind her, making her look like she's floating in the air.
"My dear brother", She met Ae and clung into his arms. Her overall appearance truly depicts
her personality.
"How was my baby sister doing?", Ae leaned over to kiss her in the forehead.
"I'm doing just fine. But who is this creature right here", She tilt her head checking Darwin from
head to toe. She gave him daggers as she trailed off a snort under her breath.
Darwin looked down at her, returning the same daggers she's throwing. He somehow trailing a
snort as she look at him with a hint of annoyance.
"Ugly", she stuck her tongue at him and rolled her eyes before turning her back.
"What?!", Darwin's jaw dropped down in disbelief.
"There you have a taste of your own medicine", Ae shrugged looking at him on his shoulders as
Keili dragged him with her.
"Get her back here and Imma slap that little face", Darwin whispered with his eyes wide open,
grunting and mumbling behind them.
They strut down a dark alley and into a chamber. A gigantic man crawled before them. He held a
cart on his back. Ae carried Princess Keili and into the little throne above it. He tried reaching out to
Darwin but he snapped it away and hopped his way with his vampire abilities into the cart. He sat in
front of Keili's throne, giving her a head to foot look.
"Stop it…", Ae pinched his arm and gave him a stiffed smile.
"Just one slap", Darwin returned the smile.
"You don't like cute stuff, do you vampire?", Keili asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"I do. Maybe except you", Darwin rolled his eyes turning his back against them. A soft blow of
the wind brushed back his hair before they passed through a cloud of fiery clouds. The giant man growl
and snorted before leaping like crazy, making Darwin scream like kid on top of his lungs.
"I've never scream like that my entire life! What the hell is this thing doing?", Darwin yelled at
them with his messed up hair and in a very inappropriate position.
"Sometimes I wanna kiss you and throw you away", A voice whispered inside his head.
"Was that you idiot?", Darwin threw daggers at Ae who's playfully whistling and looking away. A short moment passed and they've reached a platform on top of a cliff. A rocky stair that leads
to a balcony appeared before them. They took their paces and reached the end, there they stood above
a plain that looks like a great battleground. The clanking sounds of pounded metals can be heard from
afar.
"Five Thousand", Keili spoke.
"I think that's enough. We'll only be dealing with pesky humans anyway", Ae replied.
A horde of demons and ghouls line up below them, as if waiting for them to drop a food. Their
horns sprouting like rusting bones from their heads and their fangs, stained with blood and flesh. Their
gargling voice filled the air.
"What are you gonna do with these, brother?", Keili asked as he tagged herself on Ae's side.
"It's a raid. We got to use some distraction", He brushed her hair as he looked away with a firm
look.
"Do we really have to bring these things up there? I mean, the two of us is already enough",
Darwin cocked his head.
"Stop acting like a brat kid. Right now we can actually throw you right down there to be their
first meal of the day", Ae replied nonchalantly.
"We'd like to join", a voice spoke behind them.
"Keith", Darwin whispered as he ran towards his comrade. He locked him in a tight embrace.
"Hey there kiddo, It's been a while", Keith brushed his hair. Ae looked at them with such
displeased look and then turned to look down again.
A lady wearing red silk robe adorned with metallic ornaments and a lean guy with a set of
platinum armor appeared before them.
"Katrina", Ae whispered with a hint of gladness.
"Lord Aurelious", Karina replied as he bowed down a little. The man beside her followed her
actions.
"Reiner!", Keili happily jogged her way to the guy next to Katrina and clung herself into his arms
and to his shoulders. They joyfully reconciled like they haven't seen each other for ages.
"You've summoned us, Milord", Katrina strut her way next to Ae. Her wavy amber head flowing
like waves of flames with the touch of the wind. Her insignia beaming like embers under her thin silky
robe.
"Vampire, I'd like you to meet Katrina Amberspell. Bearer of the Hell Phoenix, one of the
guardian deities of the Myst. And then Reiner Fox, Head Assassin of the Ember Castle. They're joining
us", Ae gestured his hands to introduce them.
Darwin didn't mind him and went on chatting Keith instead like they are alone. "Darwin...", Ae whispered eerily that Darwin's face turned gray in full terror. Everyone's face
around him turn pale as his voice froze the air, "You are getting into my nerves", A strong sinister vibe
trembled their nerves as Ae continued speaking coldly.
"Uhhhh….hey", Darwin slowly turned to him with a very horrified look. An irresistible sense of
fear and dread curled him to the bones. This is the power of a demon.
Ae grabbed his arms and yanked him like a kid, his eyes turned pitch black as he gritted his teeth
looking down at him.
"Ae…", Darwin's eyes almost clouded with tears. A raging sense fear is piercing right through his
core that he can't even fight it.
"Brother…you are scaring me", Keili buried her face deep into Reiner's arms.
"Aurelious…hold up", Reiner suggested with a shaky voice.
"Milord", Katrina swallowed the lump in her throat as the tension rises.
"You feed on blood? I feed on your fear, no matter what form you take", Ae dug his nails deep
into the defenseless Darwin.
"Stop…get out of my head", Darwin almost yelled as he fell down on his knees in a verge of
breaking down.
"Don't you dare do that", Keith threatened as he sent daggers to Ae.
"You should be grateful I didn't wipe you in the face of history, disgusting dog", Ae turned to
him with a frightening look.
All of sudden a cloud of black smoke engulfed them and they vanished in the scene. All in a
while they dropped themselves back to the enchanted garden that they came from. Darwin fell down on
his knees almost sobbing in sudden roller coaster of emotions.
"Why are you acting like brat all of sudden?!", Ae yelled at him like an angry father.
"I wasn't! I'm just acting the way I am", Darwin yelled back.
"That's bullshit!", Ae snapped.
"Why are you mad now?", Darwin couldn't help but ask.
"Because you are acting different! When you are with me and when we are with everyone else",
Ae answered with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"I don't like you! Ok? I don't understand what I actually feel. Everything is contradicting.
Everything became so messed when you people came into my life", Darwin yelled at his face. Tears
started streaming down his face.
"I'm trying to understand you. You have no idea what I can actually do just to make you feel
fine. But you speak with your mind this time. Can't do anything if you don't like any of these", Ae turned
his back against him. The clouds above them started getting dark. The wind blew stronger than it already was as the
rain started pouring down to them.
"I can't even understand myself. Yes, you've been so kind to me and I don't exactly know why. I
feel like you're just using me for something that you really want in the future. I don't want to be that
kind of subject. I've been through a lot. More than two centuries of pain and despair and I can't trust
anyone", Darwin looked at him with cold eyes.
"Now that hurts a little more. True we've only met for only a few weeks, but I've been with you
for a century and decade now. I've been dying to hold and even kiss you but that's all I am, a part of
something you'll never see first", Ae replied almost breaking his voice.
"Drop the act devil. We deceive people and I'm not plating along this time", Darwin snapped at
his face.
"Fine. And until the end, it's your will that comes first. Just remember that I did all of these
because I am trying to help because I like you so much. I may not be the same as Hubert and Stephen
but I was there when no one else did. Yes I'm a demon, but the only thing that keeps me going is the
thing under my chest and this one in my head, the memories raging from joy to pain and bliss to despair.
These were all my driving force to do something meaningful", Ae replied calmly.
"And what's meaningful to you then?", Darwin cocked his head not caring for anything
anymore.
"Love, despite everything I've been through. Something you've been running from", Ae looked
away.
"You're bluffing", Darwin rolled his eyes.
"That's why you are running alone because you keep pushing people away", Ae commented.
"Now I don't like you anymore. You show your true color", Darwin replied like a brat.
"Guess I can't do anything about it. Somehow, I regret showing you everything that I am. I regret
expressing what I feel and crossing the lines just to show it to you. I regret loving you and forgetting who
I really am because I want to meet you halfway. I regret all of these because you don't deserve to know
me like that", Tears poured down Ae's eyes he turned his back against him.
"I don't need any of these. I just wanna go back to my life without any of you", Darwin coldly
replied in his back.
"Fine. At Midnight, you can blink your eyes three times and hold your breath. You'll be back
when you let it go", Ae suggested as he walked and left Darwin hanging. The rain stopped and he stood
there soaked like a flower in the middle of the storm.
Before Ae could go, he casted a time rift spell and transcended time forward just sixty seconds
before hitting midnight. He took a last look at Darwin who is looking down to his feet before vanishing
like a mist is the clouds of electric spark.
"You can go", A voice echoed around Darwin's head.
"I hope you weren't reading my mind…I'm sorry", Darwin fell down to his knees crying. He's
really aware of what he feels and everything is not contradicting. He's on the right track. The fact that he
said those things to push Ae away is just to keep him at bay for all the troubles that he may face in the
future. To him, every word he just said to make him feel bad about himself feels like a bullet piercing
deep into his heart. He said those words but didn't really plan to hurt him and make him go.
When he said that Ae's bluffing, he's actually the one lying about what he feel because he cared
for him too much. Now he's alone again.
Midnight came and it's time to go. He pulled himself up and looked above. He wiped his tears
and braced himself. He blinked two times slowly and held his breath on the third one. Ae's face flashed
in his mind before breathing out and opening his eyes.
The misty night embraced him as he stood barefoot in the middle of Stephen's backyard. He
never felt such loneliness for centuries.