A wooden door shut close. Separating the couple from the rest of the world. The vast empty darkness of the room felt overwhelming. As if this was their true reality.
Until the windows creaked open. Slight slivers of light entered through the tiny cracks. In the corner of the room, a small fire burned bright. The light of a candle meant to provide light, because the family of three provided warmth for each other.
Pearl sat on the bed. The newly placed red white sheets became trapped between herself and the bed. She kept her head down, as if she was ashamed.
Her helmet came off, exposing the defeated face lying behind. Ether studied the back of her head, trying to find any possible injuries.
"You said you had a story to tell me. What was it?" His gentle voice asked.
"Talis. Your rival. He and I had a rough ride. Never been too fond of him, but he seemed to be obsessed with me," Pearl quickly replied in an equally defeated tune.
Ether placed his arms around her shoulders, trying to comfort Pearl. "What did he do?"
"Well..."
-Twenty years earlier, Light Legion-
My hands drifted across the counter like wind across a valley. They grabbed eggs, freshly chopped meat, and seasonings. Each material found its home inside a swizzling bowl over the fire.
It burned bright, preparing my meal for the day. Today was special for me and Cerus because we were going to a party that several other teams were invited to.
We agreed to go later that day, after the clouds cleared enough to make our way to Desali's outskirts. According to rumors, we were going to celebrate the memory of Qurior along the grassy areas between the city and Etek Dur.
A spicy aroma filled my lungs as I masterfully flipped the Abako meat gifted to us by Cerus' parents. In a way, I thought of them as my own parents. They were so nice to me.
The door swung open, allowing the cold, rainy air inside. Giving me a good shiver, enough to remind myself who I am. I grinned, expecting to hear Cerus comment about my food and how good mines was compared to his.
But instead, another voice took his place. Instead of the brotherly tune Cerus used with me, it was a scummy, egotistical voice. One that came from Talis' mouth.
"Hey, beauty. Smells like you been working on something real nice for yourself, hm?"
I didn't respond. I tried to keep my focus on my breakfast. The meat darkened to a delicious shade, notifying me it was time to settle it down on my plate.
My hand reached across the counter to a small basket full of our plates. I reached inside trying to grab one, but got my hand grabbed instead.
"So soft for a Thawed. I wonder if the rest of you feels this soft?" Talis commented.
"Hey, sorry, but I'm trying to make myself some food. I have a big day today and hope to get it started as quickly as I can. So, can I please have a plate?" I tried to disarm the situation.
But Talis didn't let go. I felt his other arm go around my stomach, as if he was embracing me from behind. Eventually, I felt himself get closer to me.
In no time, Talis got comfortable. He began holding me closer and drifting his hands over my body. Going from chest, to breasts, to hips.
"Talis, stop. I don't see you as someone to train my body with," I tried again.
"But I do. Do you see where the difference lies? We're reaching our final years where we could train ourselves to reproduce. And still haven't found ourselves a partner. But we have each other," Talis snapped back.
Although it felt wrong, he made a good point. Because our tight schedules, we didn't have enough free time to interact with anyone outside of our groups and finding possible partners.
It was either an on-sight connection or no training at all. But because of that same reason, some Variants became desperate and trained themselves alone.
Yet I wasn't like them. I was ready to have my reproductive abilities striped from me as my body finished making its final internal changes.
My physical frame was at full maturation, mentality too. All I needed was to have my body produce that weird substance that boosts my natural capabilities, increase in strength, and my parental instincts.
"Come on, Pearl. I heard from some friends its fun. Especially when your partner really interests you. And how you move out there in the training courses makes me wonder what you can do in here."
My eyes drifted down to a knife sitting right in front of me. It sat there, reflecting me on its side. In a way, it called for me to use it. Not on food, but on Talis.
Despite how much I wanted to drive that tool into the side of his skull, I couldn't. Talis was a natural for being able to dominate from top position.
In other words, if this became a fight. I wouldn't do too well against him, especially when he was easily able to hold me pinned and punish me.
Just as his hand came back up to reach for one of my breasts, I heard the door open. Something Talis appeared to have forgotten about: our third teammate.
He silently approached us, heart full of malice and mind set for the darkest intensions. Talis turned his entire body to face the unexpected visitor.
Cerus grabbed his hair and brought his entire head down on his knee. Allowing him to throw that creep across the room.
He stumbled inside the livingroom, stopping beside the seats next to the fireplace.
"Well, it looks like I truly can't leave you and her alone. Let me tell you a little something about me, Talis," Cerus' vile voice spat out its venom. "When you pose a threat to one of my family members, I get pissed off. You get me?"
Talis narrowed his eyes, hoping to get back at Cerus. He tried to punch him right on the nose, but was denied the opportunity when Cerus caught his arm.
"So naturally, I am very fucking upset seeing what you were trying to do. So let me tell you what's going to happen," Cerus continued.
He slammed Talis against the brick chimney. That creep slid down on one knee, seeming like a frightened rat. Like the one he truly was. The one he always was.
In response, Cerus knee'd his face. The impact was enough to slam the back of his head against the chimney, further enforcing Cerus' hate.
"While you sit here in shame, just remember to think about these two choices. One, you become our house maid for the rest of the year and we forget about this. Two, I expose you," Cerus listed.
"Beat him until he bleeds. Hopefully that teaches him how to stop being so weird!" I encouraged the violence.
Seeing Cerus stand up for me encouraged me to be more like him. His parents raised him to be a good-at-all. Even teaching him how to take care of Icicles before he was old enough to train himself.
Although mines were different. I felt distant from my parents. During my nights, I would stare out into the distance. Hoping to see that mountain, Digon, come closer.
Each time I did that, they would tell me I would have to fight during that battle whenever it was Frosticus' turn to fall. So I could be tied to a mountain of my own.
"I... I'm sorry. Listen, I had my reasons. Cerus, listen - "
"Just say them already or shut the hell up before I bust your teeth in. Don't think I won't," Cerus threatened.
Talis opened his eyes, looking up at the fitter Thawed looming over him. "That guy, Ether. Yeah, him. He found himself a partner to train with. I even caught them once."
He brought both hands up to the side of his head. "It shocked me, yeah. They were completely naked in the rooms under the arena."
Cerus spat in his face. "Just shut the hell up. You want to tell me that rivalry meant you had the right to do something like this? No. No, it doesn't. So listen to me, you fucker."
Talis silenced himself. Waiting to hear what Cerus was going to say next.
"Drop that rivalry, or I drop you. Is that clear? Stop pretending like these stupid games are worth anything," Cerus concluded.
"No! Wait!" Talis grabbed onto Cerus' forearm. "It isn't a game. Trust me, it isn't."
-Back in the bedroom, Infinus Legion-
"Cerus knocked him out after that. He got sick of it and decided to turn his attention on me. That's why we were late. Because of Talis, that guy," Pearl finished.
Ether blankly stared at her. "If I see him again, I promise you, his games will end. Never thought me and that guy would get so personal. But now we're here."
As Ether backed away to put down some armor plates. Pearl held onto his arm, trying to anchor him in place before confessing something.
"When you meet him again, can you do me a favor and not kill him with your sword? Injure him, and watch him die. But do not kill him with Tellendor."
"Gladly."