Chapter four- Dies Lucis
"Nak! What took you so long?" A young red haired boy with crescent shaped eyes shouted as soon as Nak left the forest and into their camp. The boy looked human save for his abnormally pointed ears and vibrant orange eyes that pulsated with each glow.
"Yhra has been waiting with the wood for long!"
Nak did not reply, dazed as he walked past the young boy talking to him without so much as a glance.
"Nak! Are you even listening to me?" He yelled.
He walked straight to a poorly constructed shed in the open space where he and a group of misfits had made their temporary home.
The boy, Fjammi, called Nak once more but received no response.
Nak was not listening. Nak's mind was on the picture he had seen, and the feeling he could not get off his mind that the girl he had met today, the girl the lady in the huge cloak had warned them about was Wara.
But yet, Nak knew this was not the only time he would be seeing her. Nak did not believe in fate but this was way too close to be called something of a 'per-chance' incident.
'should I tell him? ' Nak wondered to himself. 'No! I have a feeling I would be meeting Wara again tomorrow and maybe she may not want me to disclose what I have seen. '
Nak placed the deer on a table and grabbed a butcher knife only to place it back down.
There was still a doubt in Nak's mind. The doubt from the message of the cloaked lady, who brought nothing but messages of doom.
Nak's mind wandered to the lady, wondering how she used magic and had not died yet. Or if she was a diety. The Dîva his uncle had told him about during the moonlight stories.
But the stories said the Dîva was a young woman and was strange.
Speaking of strange...
His mind wandered back to Wara. She definitely was strange.
"Nak!" Someone said from behind him. "Are you going to keep staring at the deer or will you cut it for us to use?" The person said with a teasing tone.
Nak turned to give a playful glare to the speaker.
"I am thinking of throwing the meat away. Sica. "
The man had sharp features that contrasted Nak's soft features. He had dark eyes that seemed red but Nak was sure it was just dark brown.
He had a strong prominent nose that seemed to be crooked and underneath them lay thin lips. At the side of his lower lips lay a scar that ran from the lips to his diamond jawline.
He wore a brown tunic that had definitely seen better days and a black trouser, with a pouch belt that seemed new. A contrast to his worn out clothing and boots.
His hair was frazzled and unkempt, a few sides of it fringed which Nak noticed immediately.
"Have you been up to trouble again?" Nak taunted without looking up. Sica gave no response save for an eye roll.
Nak had a habit of not looking up at Sica when talking to him, mainly because of their height difference.
Sica was tall and lean with sharp features. Nak was a bit short with muscular but soft features.
And neater. Nak commented in his mind.
Sica narrowed his eyes. "Say it out."
Nak frowned. "What?" He asked, a bit dazed at Sica's sudden confrontation.
"You have just said something about me in that chaotic mind of yours. So say it out!" Sica's voice got louder as he spoke.
Nak stared at Sica without saying a thing.
He knew Sica could tell what was on someone's mind almost everytime.
Almost
And how observant he was which meant Nak had to hide the satchel before...
"What is that?" Sica asked, staring behind Nak at something on the floor. "I do not recall you ever having a satchel bag in your possession." Sica asked with an eyebrow raised.
Yes, Sica spoke weirdly too.
Now's not the time Nak!
"That is nothing! Really. I just found it!" Nak rushed out, making for the bag but Sica was faster.
" Is that so? "Sica asked, a smug smile on his face that made Nak gulp." Then I suppose you would not mind one bit if I went through it's contents would you? "
Nak had no idea how Sica would react if he saw the exact image he saw. Sica was quite unpredictable when it came to such.
Sica pulled out the picture and Nak panicked, grabbing the picture but since Sica had a strong grip, the picture ended up tearing in half.
Nak took a look at the other half he was holding and sighed in relief. It was the part that had the images of almost everyone he knew.
Sica stared at Nak in surprise.
"Why did you..." He didn't get to finish before Fjammi (the boy from before) appeared from nowhere
"Yhra's looking for you" he stated and disappeared the way he had appeared.
Sica left wordlessly but not without giving Nak a look he could not quite decipher.
"I just hope Wara is the forgiving and understanding type." Nak whispered to himself, staring at the half of the picture he had in his hand.
He quickly stuffed the piece of paper in his belt and grabbed the knife, cutting into the meat and hanging parts up for the blood to drip out.
Images flashed in his head. Blurry, spot-filled images. Whispers filled his head and a dark smog gathered itself over his head.
Nak dropped the bloodied knife and grabbed his head, pulling at his curls and squeezing his eyes shut. He chanted a mantra in his head, praying for the whispers to leave.
An irritation began on his back and fore arm, a virus eating up his tribal mark, turning his tanned skin pale.
Nak opened his eyes to scratch his arm and seeing the irritation, let out a small shout of terror.
The sight distracting him from the battle he had been fighting in his mind.
His eyes turn glassy and lost focus. The once vibrant brown color turning grey and dull.
His body went rigid, twitching slightly to show there was still fight but gave no reaction as Fjammi popped up from nowhere and shook him.
Fjammi immediately let go and disappeared, careful to wipe his hand on his shirt before appearing in Sica's presence.
He grabbed the man wordlessly and disappeared, taking Sica with him.
He appeared at the shed and turned to Sica with a grave expression.
"Dies lucis." Fjammi gave no other explanation and disappeared immediately,not wanting to stay to witness what happened next.[1]
Sica sighed, glancing back at the already darkening sky. Muttering something under his breath that was audible to only himself, he reached into his new pouch belt.
He pulled out a pitcher with dark substance in it. Tilting it carefully, he placed a drop on his finger.
Letting out a breath he had no idea he had held in, Sica pried Nak's lips open, ignoring the increasing of the twitch in Nak's eye.
He gently placed the drop on Nak's tongue and then walked towards the butchered meat.
Dipping his fingers in the remnant blood of the animal, he drew a pattern on the ashen parts of Nak's tribal marks. The pattern was a mirror of Nak's own ones but for every pattern that curved right, Sica curved them left.
The color returned to Nak's skin slowly and Sica sighed in relief, wiping the little beads of sweat on his forehead, he left the shed with the knowledge that Nak would be alright.
A young human looking woman appeared before the shed, her eyes narrowed as Sica raised his hands in surrender.
She gave him a look that Sica very well understood, given his sudden rigid posture and immediate exit of the premises.
She walked into the shed, arms on her hips and took in the scene with mild disinterest. Nak was on the floor, the color slightly returned to his skin but the dull grey still flickering in his eyes.
The woman sighed, a conflicted look on her face before it slowly morphed into an emotionless but unreadable expression.
She knelt on the floor, staring at the helpless man in front of her and leaning close, she paused for a moment before moving quicker than before and pressing her lips on his.
Her lips were slow and sensual on it but harboured no feelings of lust or desire in them. Rather, it told the strange feeling of a sense of necessity.
The grey in Nak's eyes began to fade, leaving only a speck of them in his eyes as he gasped for air.
The woman still didn't let him go until he gently shoved her off him.
She seemed to want to protest but he shook his head firmly.
"That is enough Yhra. Save the rest for yourself. You have given me enough. " Though still feeling feint, he managed to firmly give out those words without once faltering.
Yhra did not look convinced but she gave a slight nod of affirmation.
She stood up and went for the meat, picking up the parts that would be needed for roasting.
" I will come help you la-..." Nak was stopped by a sharp glare from Yhra. He knew better than to anger the woman. After all, looks could be deceiving.
"Or not." He finished weakly.
"Come when ready." Yhra spoke quietly but her tone greatly contrasted the angered glare she was giving Nak.
Nak averting his gaze after remembering that she didn't like to be stared at, mumbled a yes.
Yhra left the shed and walked to the back of the little camp where her makeshift kitchen laid.
Nak stared into the forest where a sudden bright light engulfed a particular spot in the forest from where he knew the boy liked to go when he wanted to be alone and he winced.
I have to be reminded to not touch Fjammi for the next few days.
A phantom burn announced itself on Nak's left arm, reminding him exactly why he should not touch the said boy.
Yhra stared at the brazen pot of water, hanging atop the pit she had dug out for fire.
Her face was blank as she stared at it. The meat had been washed and skinned and the moon shining bright atop her head.
Her eyes were dull and empty, her skin a bit pale.
She seemed to regret giving her energy to Nak but suddenly steeled her resolve and stood up.
She removed the pot from the crane effortlessly, placing at the side with the other pots.
Walking out of the area, she headed for a hut, an unreadable expression on her face.
She walked in unannounced as the little latch that served as a door was unlocked and Nak stared up from his table where he was tinkering with potions.
He too looked tense as Yhra walked in.
They stared at one another, seemingly coming to an agreement. They both needed it to survive.
All creatures behind the veil knew it would be the worst week of the year. It always was. And the village that felt it the most was the village Wara resided in.
[1] Dies lucis is pronounced as Dhi-ez Lusis
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