The atmosphere was somewhat dense, at least for Echsos, his stepsister Natsume showed signs that she would soon suffer the negative effects. Her technique is of a special category of resonances that go beyond the metaphysical and are applied to the body. She is able to breathe an absurd amount of air, which she then slowly expels passively —gaining a considerable increase in her speed and reflexes—; in addition to having the option of reusing that air to create gusts of wind, like the ones she used to reposition herself.
However, given the impossible nature of breathing in such immense amounts as all the air in that cave in less than two seconds, when it is finished, a period is applied to her in which she sweat cold, get dizzy and must breathe in with much force to avoid dying of suffocation. Perhaps it is a cruelty of fate that Natsume was born with that ability to last an incredible amount of time without needing to breathe and that that couple of hours that he must spend in agony is a mere payment for what she longed for so much.
Tremendous relief that Seng wasn't someone with plans to harm her, right?
It happened suddenly for Seng. Natsume paled, her breathing became heavy and strong and the atmosphere of security that emanated melted as fast as the snow near the fire.
"What happens?" he asked as he adjusted his posture towards her.
Natsume couldn't formulate even a letter, she was concentrating on drinking whatever drop of air there was in what was the greatest desert of her life.
"S-she…" Echsos stuttered. "Should I tell him?" he thought. "Yes, it's not like he's going to do something to her." Echsos came over to caress Natsume's back, an action that she had recommended several times before because she helps him. "She's exhausted from using her ability/" he trailed off mid-sentence.
>>"Wait, Seng is one of those who would never miss an opportunity to kill an enemy ... No no, why would she consider her an enemy? It's not like he's going to want to kill her… just because she knows his abilities." Echsos covered his mouth.
He remembered that what he had said a few hours ago when they met was true, yet it was ridiculous to believe he would apply that rule just because.
A flash of information from Seng's soul invaded Echsos's head: It would be easier if she didn't bother.
"Is your ability of that type?" Seng commented and took a step towards them that gave both of them a chill.
"Calm Echsos" he told himself. "Killing others is a strong theme, he should not be so serious about it, most likely ..." His chain of reason was broken upon receiving the overwhelming number of people that Seng had killed before.
He did not come up with an exact number, however, it was as clear to him as the Lake of Clouds that Seng did not hesitate to do so, much less did he care if the person was bad or one of those nonsense. The only thing that interested him was if they screwed up his plans.
Now indeed he was scared. Seng's footsteps toward them worsened that sense of danger. What did he get his stepsister into? Didn't he tell her to trust? So why was he upset like her?
For Echsos it was impossible to be at peace with his own resonance, he loved how much it let him know, he hated the randomness of the information it provided. When he met Seng most of the information he acquired was about how much he taught Airys, the number of years he spent training and that he had first-rate teachers. That person was very different from the murderer of the wicked record.
Seng crouched in front of them. His eyes gleamed a faint, deep silver. Neither Natsume nor Echsos had noticed that detail. That reminded them of certain legends and stories that old men and adults who think they are smart tell to appear to know about history.
They tend to be aggressive towards normal humans
Echsos had the urge to defend his sister and visualized himself throwing a punch at Seng's face, which was worse than a pre-mortem delusion.
"Are you okay?" Seng patted Natsume in a terrible imitation of Echsos. "If your resonance is of such poor quality you better have been politer to me from the beginning."
"H-huh? Y-yeah, its resonance is somewhat complicated" Echsos stuttered.
Natsume's expression was still pained, and well she didn't hear Seng at all due to the horrible ringing in her ears, the smug smile and the look of compassion for the poor girl made her change her mind and instead of being terrified by her vulnerability, she wanted to recover soon to say a few words to that conceited. More than anything, she wanted to tell him to stop touching his back, his touch was dreadful.
And so Echsos also stopped perceiving that oppressive aura and the general mood improved in his eyes.
"What the hell was I thinking, Seng said we were going to wait for Airys and Layd… why did I change my attitude so quickly? Although he is capable of killing like nothing, all I perceive with my ability is that he is sensible and he has never enjoyed it… what was that?" he meditated, unaware of the secrets of his resonance.
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"I am Layd."
"Airys." After what was the second longest of Layd's life, Airys decided to answer him.
"Where?" he asked, glancing around him.
"How can I know/"
"Oh please!" Layd stretched out his arms in the most powerful annoyance Airys had ever seen, even he dropped the sword. "It's obvious that the other boy is the one who takes care of you!" He ducked for the sword. "He let you fall into the trap that he avoided because he doesn't want conflict."
Airys stared in a clear display of his inability to grasp. Layd wiped his face with his hands to relax, maybe Airys was a very good actress and she was going to get information from him or she really wasn't astute.
"Out of the two Natsume is the strongest, Echsos told you that for sure. So, if she doesn't manage to beat your friend by a wide margin," he separated his right palm from the sword for a graphic example. "We will be with you until we have a chance to run away with him. Why else would he yell that he was going to wait for you there? Shouldn't you know that that's the plan in these situations?"
"A-ah, yeah right" she lied so badly that Layd was about to believe she was acting like an idiot on purpose. "I-I was just making sure you think the same as me. T-this way" Airys pointed diagonally at her with an embarrassed smile. "The road is a bit long ..."
"Don't worry, I have your sword and I don't think you can make me fall into some trap" he gently kicked the floor.
Airys sighed in defeat. She knew that his power —resonance— was going to manipulate the earth or something like that and for that reason she herself didn't see the point in trying to get rid of him; especially with that explanation of the subtext that sounded true. She was grateful that Layd seemed like a good boy and didn't really scare her, although sometimes she believed the ground would disappear.
"And what were you doing on this mountain?"
"Train."
"How long have you been training Airys?"
"Hm, I think like ten months tomorrow."
Layd nodded patiently as they drove down a muddy path.
"Is your boyfriend?"
"Not!"
"Brother?"
"Neither!"
"Why are you mad?" They came out full of mud up to the waist.
"Because Seng is an idiot! He keeps calling me Brat all the time and he uses every opportunity he has to hurt me with his shadow and excuses himself saying it's for making me learn how to use my soul!" Airys clenched her fists to the point that his bones thundered loud and clear. "I hate it!"
"And why haven't you gone? Does he have you as a prey?!" Layd asked the first questions that came to mind without much thought. "Did she just tell me one of Seng's powers? Does she not realize it or does not care? " he thought. " It must be true that about the shadow, maybe it's like that ability of Maryon and that's why he was able to avoid falling"
"It's… it's complicated."
"And do you have plans?"
"When I started training with him, I thought I would have adventures" she replied.
"But you haven't done anything," Layd added.
"Exactly! I wish... I even missed talking to someone else" she admitted after realizing how stressful was to be with only the rudest person in her life all day. "Sometimes I wish I could get away from him, but I can't."
" You just need someone who taught you to use your soul and discover your powers, right?" he guessed as they went down a slight drop of sand. "And use the sword" He held it up in front of him.
"Well yes..." she replied. "Now we have to go up here" indicated a path that consisted of climbing some trees and walking through their branches.
"So..." Layd adjusted the belt of the sword to his back, went ahead to climb those trees praying that there was no trap above and offered his hand to help her up "Why don't you come with us? Natsume and I could help you and Echsos has that super useful ability.
It was a wonderful landscape. The light of the sunset sun created that atmosphere of tranquility that she loved so much and the lighting fell gracefully through the leaves of the trees making her forget how dirty Layd's pants were.
Maybe it was from being alone too long with that scruffy-haired idiot, but that smile and kindness from Layd made her blush a little. She slowly reached out his hand delicately to take the young man's. It was strange, in her town she always had several suitors and even so it was the first time that someone seemed like a gentleman to her.
"I-I'll think about it" she murmured and she cursed herself for having lowered her standards because of that unfortunate self-centered pig.
Layd helped him up and they followed her path.
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"It's here," Airys warned on the ridge just above the cave. "I'll call/"
"No need, play along with me."
"Huh?"
Before Airys could do anything, Layd drew the sword, pulled her by the arm, and she screamed in fright at having the sword brush against her.
Layd ignored Airys' shocking scream and kicked powerfully the floor to open a hole through which they both fell, right in the middle of Echos, Natsume and Seng.
"Seriously…?" Seng muttered angrily as he observed how she was at the mercy of that boy.