POV: Cabil
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The pyromancer felt an urgency to rendezvous in Central Garden. The location was a mere seven-minute flight from Anagi, which gave Cabil some time to clear his mind of sin and self-betrayal. Once he landed amid groove, he searched for his summoner with silence as his sidearm. The hypocrisy in all of this was wicked enough, and the last thing he wanted was a witness, being sure not to bring forth clatter. Suddenly, he heard ruffling from afar, snapped twigs and crushed leaves within the tucks of darkness. The unlit park past curfew left Cabil chasing noises, but then he spotted the shadow walker.
"You've never asked to meet up before. Are you here to show me some progress?"
"Quite the contrary, Cabil. I was actually beginning to question your ability to produce results." he replied in a raspy, gnarly grunt of a voice. Cabil watched as he lingered beyond the rows of trees, keeping his person hidden as they both paced forward in parallel.
"I met with her recently. I need to gain her trust first. We don't want to raise suspicion, weren't those your exact words?"
"And how far does this trust in you reach? I don't think you fully understand the repercussions in breaching this contract, pyro. If you don't bring her to me as agreed upon, there are more factors at stake for you than I. Must I remind you, you have an image to uphold. What do you think will happen to the moral of your people when they discover the truth behind the veil?"
"I don't need you to remind me of that, I know what I'm getting myself into. I will bring her to you as promised. But you better keep your end of the deal. You haven't given me any assurance. For all I know, you could just be fucking me around."
"Cabil, Cabil! You insult me. I am a man of my word. I keep to them in all integrity. And as a show of faith, here." He tossed a rolled up parchment to his feet, and Cabil unraveled it with haste. "Next time when I call upon you, you best be present with her, or I'll take to the streets with your payment. No more excuses, pyro." His shadow faded further into the grove, Cabil looking back at the parchment before folding it up and making his way out as well.
--
The fire warrior walked his way back to his apartment. The long journey throughout the early hours of morning kept him away from his bed and without sleep. Although he was accustomed to nights without rest, Cabil felt a need to repose, but insisted on staying up. An ominous feeling had continued with him from Central Garden, a feeling he couldn't shake off even after washing up and drinking his morning coffee.
As he watched the sunrise from the balcony, he leaned into the railing, deep in thought. Through the rising fumes of his kesh, he looked beyond the rose-orange autumn skies and envisioned a life where they had survived. How his world would have shifted for the better. Who knows, maybe his mother would have taught him a few of her talents, turned him into an air elementalist as well. On second thought, knowing her erratic unorthodox teaching methods, father probably wouldn't have approved. Cabil smirked, recollecting his first nightmarish flight lesson with his dauntless irrational mother, before a click from the front door turned Cabil's person out of the balcony.
"Sy?"
She closed the door behind her, holding a brown bag of groceries to her chest. He arched a brow, approaching her with a strong gait.
"Cabil? When did you get back?"
"I thought I told you to stay in the apartment on the weekends. There's no reason you should be heading out outside of a school day."
"I was just getting us some groceries."
"And I told you, I'd handle that." He snatched the bag from her and dropped it on the kitchen counter.
"What's the big deal anyway? The market is just two blocks down. There was nothing in the fridge for breakfast. You haven't exactly been around, you know. What did you want me to do, starve?"
"No, just stay in the house!" he elevated.
"What's with you? I'm not a kid, Cabil. Stop treating me like one!"
"You are a kid, Sy! 'Cause only a kid would pick a war with Mhal and get fucking kidnapped!"
"You're such an asshole!"
He turned away from her, deescalating his voice. "Maybe I should get you a chaperone." He threw his hands flat on the countertop, slouching his head down in contemplation.
She crossed her arms, feeding him a side glance. "Oh, like a Sushra? Someone to wipe my snot and bottle feed me?" Cabil left her with a dead answer, to which she followed with stealing the rolled piece from his lips. She stamped the fumes out with her thumb and looked up to him sincerely. "Cabil, you've been acting totally off lately. I know this Hyude thing may have gotten you all rattled, but you shouldn't stress yourself about it."
"It's not that, it's just—" he turned away from her, whispering, "feels like I'm being boxed in."
"What?"
He ran his fingers through his hair, a fatigued sigh escaping his lips. "You're right. I'm stressing. So how about we go out for breakfast? And then maybe, the Banziss? I heard they got a new show and a petting zoo this year."
Syreene pouted, "Cabil! You're still treating me like a kid!"
"Heh, all right. All right. Then maybe go shopping? Find you some nice clothes, maybe even a new dollhouse to play with."
"Cabil!"
He grabbed her head, ruffling her red tresses as he passed her for the door. Syreene would follow him out with a pep in her step, sure enough, delighted in their rare outing together.
Their breakfast ran long, Cabil eager to spend as much time with her as he could, as long as it took for the looming sensation to steer away. But it kept at him like a plague, a plague he tried to repress while his sister reminisced about school and books and wanting to unlock her own urja. He was half attentive, trying to plan his next move toward his contract, and struggling to figure out how to evade self-corruption from said contract. His musing left him with a quizzical expression on his face while she rambled, and he seemed completely engrossed in her concerns. Nevertheless, her voice was always a pleasant break from the rest of Khor, and it always left him feeling at peace.
After their meal, they went to a neighboring shop for ice cream, her weakness since day one. It was a nontraditional follow up to breakfast, but the elfin would have her treat after nearly every meal and would scold Cabil for indulging himself when she'd catch him sneaking some past midnight. She wolfed down the strawberry banana tub in a flash, and suggested they go for a walk to burn down the extra calories.
They walked down the bridge arching the clear park stream layered with crisp colored leaves, accompanied by many park goers this early afternoon. Cabil looked down at his visibly content sister as she hummed a tune with her hands down her jacket pockets, and her chin huddled against her burgundy scarf. He let out a satisfied sigh. "Cold?"
She looked up to him. "No, I'm fine."
Those golden eyes, like pools of honey, melted over him a weakness he quickly shook off. The flutters in his chest began to irritate and gnaw at the feelings he kept gated, beckoning him this was a better time than any. With the uncertainty of a deal with the devil, his alliance with Aeg, and his acquaintance with the King, Cabil wanted to have something he was sure of. But the possibility of rejection kept him on edge, and he battled back and forth with the idea of declaration.
Suddenly, everyone around him fell mute, their shuffling drawn to a pause. The world around him froze as the pit in his stomach grew wider with every step across the bridge. She began to speak words, words that filtered through his cluttered mind, through one ear, and out the other. Racking up enough courage to confide in her was in essence the most challenging venture Cabil would trek. And as he took in a breath, he finally addressed her, "Sy. I've had something I wanted to tell you for a while now, and—just, really haven't found the right time to say it."
"If it's an apology, well, it took you long enough. But I accept." She teased snobbishly.
"N-no, it's not that."
"Is it about finally having our very own pet turtle?" She beamed.
"No, Sy. Look." He intercepted her and drew to a complete stop, taking her shoulders with passion in his eyes. "You know I care about you. And I know sometimes I shut you out, but that's only because there are some things about me I just don't want you knowing for your own safety."
"Cabil, you're scaring me. Are you in some kind of trouble?"
"No, no, I'm not. It's everything that's been happening Sy. I was attacked, then you were taken, and you still don't want to tell me what happened, which is fine. But Mhal's been sending me away lately, and I haven't been able to keep an eye on you—I'm stuck wondering if you're all right. Day in and day out, I… I just don't know what I'd do with myself if anything were to happen it you. I know I'm like a brother to you, but to me, you're more than just family. When father brought you into my world, the purpose of my existence was set in stone. It was like an epiphany. Yeah, I know that sounds cheesy, but I never wanted that feeling to go away, and it never did. Till this day, it only grew stronger. I guess what I'm trying to say is, Sy, I—"
His com unit buzzed, Cabil letting out an audible grunt as he read the alert. "Shit. A back-up request."
"Wait, Cabil, what were you going to say?"
He looked down to her, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. He hated to admit it, but that call was a life saver. "If anything happens to me, that vigilante wannabe priest in Dovve? You go find him."
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