Chereads / The Beneath. / Chapter 58 - CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN Unrequited Attention

Chapter 58 - CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN Unrequited Attention

"Ah HEY-- "

Xavier jumps, cheeks flush and ready to mouth off in embarrassment when…

"Because you see…"

Lillith says, a huge smirk on her face and loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Huh?!"

Xavier exclaims at her sudden change in demeanour.

"Everyone here."

She says suddenly raising her voice and arms!!

"And that includes me ofcourse."

She says pointing to her

"Well… let's just say…"

"We're all snakes."

Lillith says ominously, smiling bright with her eyes shut as the tense atmosphere returns once more to this secluded part of the forestry!!

And Xavier… frozen stiff once more by the aura being exuded by the larger-than-life Royals that stand before him. Is once again reminded of the challenge that lay in wait for him if he is to win these trials and chase his goals!!!

"…"

-silence-

"…"

Silence befalls the area as Lillith remaining smiling ever so ominously and Xavier's expression quickly hardens

"…"

"You're just trying to figure him out aren't ya?"

Lillith says her voice so low like she was finally able to conclude an internal investigation.

"… what?"

"What did you say??"

Xavier mutters the words low toned as well as Jimmy adds in

"Jimmy!"

Lillith suddenly shouts jumping to her feet and facing the blonde royal!

"I mean I know he's cool or interesting or something."

"But don't you think this is a bit much?"

She asks, as a confused Jimmy tries to piece together what she's trying to talk about.

"…Lillith--"

"First Yasser and now this guy."

Lillith says cutting off Jimmy before he could continue

"Haven't we suffered enough?"

She asks

"The Royals… The Senses are supposed to be the Siyah family's long historied generals."

"A loyal brigade formed through the bonds our ancestors' shared years upon years ago."

"But recently all we've done is sully those ranks with people who have the potential to hurt us, to regress the Siyah name even further than it already has been."

Lillith says, her voice getting louder as she gestures to the other royals

"And for what?"

"Some refugee who showed just a sparkle of promise?"

She says suddenly gesturing to Xavier in accusatory fashion.

"…"

"Yasser Freid is a snake."

Lillith says

"And when all's said and done all of Willow City will pay for us ever letting him in into our circle.--"

"That's enough Lillith!"

Jimmy suddenly cuts in, his voice tense and demeanour the most serious it's been so far.

"The Siyah have regressed this far because of that same stubbornness that refuses to acknowledge the change in the times."

He says

"This isn't the raiding period and while 'WE' are strong the Siyah remain seriously outnumbered."

"Instead of derailing any people who show potential we should be adding them to our ranks."

"And training them to be as strong as we are if we are to grow the strength of our main house once more."

He says as silence passes on the area….

"No that's not right…"

Jimmy mumbles under his breath as he stares to the ground uncertainly

"… the age"

"…"

"The Age of Houses is dead… Lillith."

Jimmy says, alittle uncertain, but far more stern than before as he raises his head to Lillith

"…"

-silence-

"…"

"Hmph. Whatever…"

Lillith says turning her serious gaze from Xavier to Jimmy before beginning to walk off as the dreary silence only further works to highlight the disagreement and possible reason as to why these royals don't get along in the first place.

(Tut.)

(Tut.)

(Tut.)

*sighs*

Lillith's steps echo the forestry just as Jimmy breaths a sigh of relief when…

"Now that that's over and done with why don't we finish where we--"

("FWOOOOSH!")

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suddenly the air erupts as a strong ghast wind blows the trees upward in a wild explosion!!

(SHHHHHH….)

The leaves rustle heavy before simmering down as the perpetual eerie silence that inhabits this area is broken by force

"Tch."

"Lillith."

Jimmy mutters angrily as he watches the scenes in front of him unfold.

"…"

-silence-

"…"

"Just what do you think you're doing…"

Lillith says suddenly breaking the silence

"Cloud girl."

She says as the scene which Jimmy watches is unveiled! In the midst of his sentence. In the midst of him trying to do away with the old traditions that plague the Beneath Lillith, launched an attack on Xavier.

The speed at which she moved so fast that not only could Jimmy not react to her, but Xavier didn't even realise what was happening before the loud explosion and revelation that Sierra Cloud, heir to the Cloud name had stepped in just in time and blocked Lillith's high angled kick!

"…"

-silence-

"…"

"Well?"

Lillith reiterates as a silent Sierra holds onto her leg at the side of her face

"wh-what just happened?!?!"

Xavier thinks in a daze when he is confronted with scene directly ahead of him. His apparent unpreparedness to deal with it and confusion written all over his face.

"Why are you helping him?"

"Answer me!"

Lillith snaps at Sierra, as a tense Jimmy watches on, seemingly ready to step in at a moment's notice.

"…"

*sighs*

"No particular reason, if you believe it or not…"

Sierra says, suddenly breaking her silence as she shuts her eyes before meeting Lillith's gaze

"No particular--"

"Well, if you must know then I guess it'll have to be because I agree with Blondie over there."

She adds cutting off what was sure to be an irate response from an angry Lillith.

"…when did they…"

A dazed Xavier continues to marvel at the scenes infront of him

"…"

"At the moment Willow City needs more help than we can get."

Sierra says softly, her calm voice an indication of how the current situation doesn't faze her in the slightest.

"And like it or not we're going to have to take in as many promising people as we can get to help make up for all the bullshit our houses caused in the past."

She says sternly focussed on Lillith

"That is… whether they betray us in the end or not…"

Sierra says staring intensely back at Xavier causing him to subconsciously flinch

"So…"

"I'd really appreciate it if you didn't harm my future subordinates."

Sierra says drably staring at Lillith…

(TUT!)

(DUN!!)

Just as Cassey is about to step in and Jimmy blocks his way!!

"So?"

"What's it going to be?"

Sierra asks ominously, sending shivers down Lillith's spine

"Heh… What are you—"

"Cane."

*CRACK!*

"AH!"

Lillith exclaims in pain as Sierra tightens her grip on her ankle instantly sending surges of pain throughout her body and indicating to her just how perilous her situation may be.

"OK… Okay I get so let go!"

"…"

"Good."

Lillith moans as Sierra lets go, only after holding on just a few seconds longer however.

"Sheeeeshh!!! You almost broke it yknow! You almost broke it!!!"

She shouts to Sierra as she grips her ankle!

"…"

"I-is it over?"

Xavier thinks warily watching the conclusion of the situation.

"…"

"…"

"Hm."

Cassey reclines to his cross-legged sitting position after he and Jimmy share a short stare.

"AAAAHHHH!!! MY ANKLE!!! MY ANKLE!!!!"

"It still hurts yknow!!!!--"

"AHAHA!"

"Well that's what you get for trying to go against truuee justice!!--"

"…"

*sighs*

Lillith shouts gripping her ankle as Jimmy laughs haughtily and Sierra sighs…

"…"

"It's over…"

Xavier thinks, recalling what just happened, his expression turning from a relieved soft to strenuous hard as he grits his teeth facing the ground, and bemoaning his own powerlessness.

"…"

-silence-

"…"

"… I haven't--"

"If that's all you've got you should stop here."

Xavier's rage and self-pity is about to boil over when Sierra's voice suddenly peels through

"Huh?"

Xavier looks ahead and upward and is met by the sight of Sierra staring down at him.

"…"

-silence-

"…"

"what are you--"

"Though from the look in your eyes I can tell this isn't were you get off."

Sierra says staring deep into his eyes and cutting him off once more.

"…"

"See you around."

"Xavi."

She says turning around and heading back to where Jimmy and Lillith stand.

"…"

"What?"

Xavier quietly mutters as the tension and encounter with the next-in-line's draws to close. An encounter he knows, he won't soon forget.

"…"

"…"

-To Be Continued-