It was morning again.
Spheris awoke easily, sleep completely disappearing from his eyes. Weird. Had Meister Grengo conjured some kind of wake-up spell on everyone? He had never felt so energetic waking up.
He quietly scanned his room, the events of the previous night flooding back to him. Merisset's immaculate body. And the way she whispered into his ear.
"I could take this memory out of your mind so no one can know this had happened, but I want you to remember this. And I trust that you will not tell a soul." she had said.
Spheris sighed. She was right about both things, especially about the first. He was never going to forget about her—she did take his virginity after all.
Pushing aside the lingering thoughts, Spheris prepared for the day ahead. The Convergence Ceremony. Finally the day had arrived, after three days in this mansion that felt like a month.
A day fraught with anticipation and uncertainty. The day he was to begin his journey in The Abyss, his life as a Bearer. As much as today haunted him, he was at least grateful that he would never see this mansion again.
Either he was going to die, or he would be exalted as a hero for destroying The Abyss. The first was more likely, but either option was preferable to staying in this strange place.
After a quick bath that refreshed his weary body, Spheris pulled out his gear from the closet. It had been cleaned for him by hell-knows-who and kept ever since the first day.
A sense of familiarity and comfort filled him as he gazed at the dark clothing. He had felt weird putting on the gray uniforms, but he knew reuniting with his myrethian attire would once again give him that confidence he usually had.
So he began to dress quickly. The commotion outside caught his attention, making him worry that everyone was going to leave without him. Peering out the window, he saw three caravels lined up and then spotted Merisset standing by one of them.
She turned around as though she could tell, and their eyes met briefly. Then she offered him a reassuring smile before disappearing into the caravel with Akemi.
'Okay, got to hurry.' He put on the cascadean boots and tied his hair back as he hurried downstairs. Stepping out into the morning air, Cerene's figure greeted him.
She was standing with arms folded like she had been waiting for him for a while now. Spheris had a confused expression on his face.
"You?" he questioned.
"We're the only two left," she replied.
An awkward silence ensued as they both approached the last caravel. Then they got in, sitting on opposite sides.
"Did you see Ardion?" Spheris asked after the wheelman started the caravel.
"No," Cerene replied. "I didn't see Meister Grengo either."
"Strange."
The caravel slowly exited the mansion as Spheris gazed at the building for a final time. Yes, he never wanted to see this place again.
"We haven't talked... " he heard Cerene say. "Ever since... you know."
He shifted his eyes to her. Spheris was not good with people, and he was even worse with women. So the change in Cerene's demeanor ever since the day she offered a truce confused him.
"Do we have something to talk about?" he asked her.
Her face fell. She seemed insulted. "I guess not."
They kept giving each other awkward glances and silent stares. Spheris used his scarf to cover his nose and then shut his eye, hoping that then he would be able to avoid the awkwardness.
"Are you cold?" she asked.
But it seemed unavoidable. "No," he replied, avoiding her gaze.
"Hm," she cast her eyes to his clothing. "If you're a Heathian, where did you get such quality attire? It's myrethian, right?"
"It is." he answered, looking out the window.
"Did you steal it?"
This finally prompted him to look at her, his eyes dark and cold. "No." he replied sternly.
"I don't see any other possible way for you to get it," she shrugged. Spheris ignored this and returned to looking outside the window, admiring the bergvel trees. But she wasn't done with him.
"Did you steal money and then used it to buy it?" she pressed.
"No," he replied, not bothering to look at her this time.
"Well, something doesn't add up yet. You are a thief, right?" Spheris didn't reply. She cast her gaze at his feet. "What about the boots?"
Finally, he turned to her again. "I didn't know you talked this much."
"You don't know anything about me," she sighed. "You're just the guy who walked in on me naked."
Spheris shook his head in scornful disbelief. "You weren't naked."
"Mhm, I pretty much was."
"You weren't."
She sat back and folded her arms, as though she was mimicking the way he was sitting. "What do you gain by acting so mysterious?"
"You confuse me," Spheris hissed. "You weren't this way throughout our stay at Endswatch."
"We're no longer at Endswatch."
"So what?"
"I hated you then," she rolled her eyes. "Now I've started to come to the realization that you're one of us. An Avatar."
Spheris scrutinized her. He knew she was pretty, but that wasn't what he concentrated on. Her gear was a white blouse with billowing sleeves and metal shoulder pads. A sleeveless leather vest secured with straps, a high-waist blue striped trousers, an arm guard, blue gloves, leather greaves protecting her lower legs and brown sturdy boots. Her blonde long hair was tied back with a simple ribbon, practical yet somehow... elegant.
He remembered the night of the heist when he had climbed into the room. She was completely fearless even though panic was coursing through her. She was audacious and very sharp-mouthed. Spheris had almost forgotten that about her with the small time spent in the mansion.
Now, she was reminding him all over.
"Do you always stare like that?" she asked him, pulling him away from his thoughts.
"Like what?"
"Vacantly," she replied. "Like nothing at all is going through your head. Just a dead look in your scary... dark eyes."
Spheris sighed. "I really do wish you still hated me. Perhaps then this two-hour journey will not be as painful."
For the first time, he heard her giggle. "I don't know about that. The only reason Nero hasn't broken your back yet is because I don't hate you anymore."
His face etched with concern. "You told him not to?"
"Plenty of times," she replied, then eyed him intently. "I'm not asking for a thank you or anything. I just want us to work together, make our Gods and our Wings proud."
Spheris frowned at the statement. "I'm not doing this for any God, or any Wing."
"I see," she raised a skeptical brow. "Well, whoever you're doing it for then. Just try to be less antisocial, and work as a team. Okay?"
He was doing it because he had to. Because he wanted to survive. For his mother. For himself.
"Okay."