[Earth]
"See? I'm being obvious about it..." Dion presents to Cyrus.
It is the gleaming appearance of a knight in shining armor, wielding a blade powered by a jolt of thunder of a metal beyond this world. His presence shook Cyrus by a turn, leaving him speechless yet still understanding. He is one of them, in their power—in their glory.
"Woah. So magic do exist, huh?" Cyrus smirks.
"Yeah. Mind-blowing, isn't it?" He teases.
"Only half of it. But still...you look...enticing..." Lost in his look, Cyrus awes every second of Dion. He was handsome and enticing, as he said.
"Focus, Cyrus. You're not supposed to lose like those girls and boys! This can't happen ever!" Dion slaps his head.
"Ouch! Okay! Okay! We're heading to Eve's house now!"
"Good. Let's get out there before something bad happens! And I'm not going out like this!" He had the form concealed within reach of Eve's house.
"There's her home! Even worse than yours, too..."
"Wow, now you look shitty..." Cyrus smirks.
"But you look amazing, too." He whispers.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* The boy knocks on Eve's door, wielding his disguised sword as a radiating scalpel.
"Oh! Cyrus! Oh!! And the new student!" Stella greets the two at the door with a leap of a heart—A sight that makes one bow in honor.
"Dion Carven. Nice to meet you too, lady..." He stares displeased.
"It's hard to believe the Carven son himself being here...hehe..." She laughs awkwardly, leaving a silence between them.
"Excuse me, can I see the young lady Ainsley?" He stares indifferently and cynically yet shows a manner towards the polite mother with a hand on his chest and a bow.
"Oh, I'm sorry...wait, E-Eve? I mean, sure! Come in! Come in!" She steps aside.
It is a gracious visit from the Carven, with Cyrus on the back waiting for Stella to let them in. As the two comforted themselves with the hallway, reaching for the stairs at their left, a cup of tea on a board greeted them.
The house bears narrow space in its hallways, where every room is bordered and introduced by window panels and a doorless entrance, except for the upper rooms.
The hallways are narrow, leaving less furniture than Cyrus's home, yet retain their aesthetic through clean and transparent window panels connecting each room with thin and see-through. The living room is on their right.
"Huh. I wonder why she didn't know me. I couldn't say it's an insult if she didn't. Did I?" Dion commented with a smirk. It is even better with a picture frame of her on the antique wardrobe.
"May I know why you were looking after her?" She offers.
"Nothing big. Just want to see if she was here." Dion rejects it with a hand.
"I told her she should've stayed for me. Girl, you are mysterious! Aagh, this is bothersome..."
It shook the mother's heart, for a comforting thought blanketed the once doubted mind. "Y-you mean Eve, right?"
"Yes. I came here obviously as I told Eve yesterday. And she said she'll prepare for a visit with me, so..."
"She did??" The mother's interrupting jovial pushes the boys by surprise.
"Oh, uhm...she's not at home right now. Right after morning, I find her already heading out of the house with this note...." She has a letter written on a sheet of toilet paper in a hurry. There are too many scratches torn beyond reading.
"I couldn't tell what she was saying...but she's not at her room when I find her..."
"Wow. What happened with her lately? It sounds like she's having a bad day..." Cyrus thoughts.
"So, she's not here, then?" Dion smiles indifferently.
"Nope. I'm afraid not..." Stella breaks the news.
"Do you know where she would be, then?"
"Uhm, not really. I've never seen my daughter outside..."
"Alright. That's it. Thank you for your cooperation..." He walks off, brushing his palms as he leaves the living room with pride on his back.
"We'll find our way out. Here's some compensation for your well-being..." He offered $1000 money to Stella's hand.
She was shocked. "Oh, my! You don't have to, but I'll take it as an honor."
But the hands humbly took the reward.
Cyrus was shocked, "What? You didn't even pay me!"
"Alright! Alright! Could you wait for me...? Ugh..." The boy left the couch in an instinct.
*Creak* The door shuts.
"Huh, that's...new. The new student was looking after her..." The mother smiles admirably.
"That new student wanted to know her, too. And also, free one thousand dollars in cash? Surprise me!"
"What did I even worry about previously? Everything seems twice as better as I thought." Guilt and admiration flow in a smile. Feeling what she had thought was a lost one, she ponders herself in the mirror.
"I hope we can talk about this after she got home. Maybe some cake and celebration? Oh, what am I saying? I can buy her more with this now!"
The mother pauses with concern, "Why is she even going, anyway?"
[East Pinnacle, 10.58 AM]
"Fuck! Why didn't she stayed and waited for me??" Dion slams the porch's pillar, leaving a dented wood texture on its skin.
"Uhm, I think we should go now..." Cyrus looks left and right.
"Who said I'm staying in this cursed place? That woman thinks she could steal my honor away disrespectfully?" Dion walks off.
"You know? I still think about that form you had there. I was awed, you know? I mean, look at yourself...a breakthrough..." Cyrus mesmerizes himself in the knightly memory of Dion's presence.
"I can tell why knight fits better with you. Really well."
"Too late. I suppose you can think of that later when I'm done..."
"Only because you're busy with Eve's mother. So are you like...you do magic? What are the elements there? Is there a flame..." Cyrus looks comfortably at Dion despite his bummed face.
"No. I do sword and political duty. I'm not a law-breaker like the creature I'm about to crush into pieces. I...need to find her and that creature out..."
"Yeah, that sounds awful. But how do you know she would be involved with this "Charger" person you're talking about?"
"Why would he need Eve? What was so important of him to her?"
"Because that criminal always sticks to people way too long to get his freedom. Especially someone like HER."
"Oh, god. I never thought she would be forced to work with criminals before." Cyrus panicked.
The two left the house and wandered through the street, watching cars passing around traffic. Everything appears lively, with the sun shining bright and the wind blowing from the coast. Dion stares unamused with nature's wonder while pondering at his disguised knife with a tight grip.
The two took shelter under the bus stop, watching from the darkness when humans were not around.
It's a quiet place, perfect for people to chat with each other and do extraordinary things without being monitored by surrounding eyes.
"Do you think people believe in miracles like you?" Cyrus teases him.
"I used to think we are helpless creatures in this universe. It's as if we are left to suffer when the sun doesn't look back over our heads, and the moon only serves as its incomplete vessel."
"I don't think Eve is always right about vanishing and weakness. I think there's more to it than just looking down, right? Maybe now we can look up and wonder..."
"Uhm, what are you talking about? You sound like a cheap aristocrat..." Dion looked at him in annoyance.
"Sorry. I got too carried away." Cyrus scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Just like that girl. You two are carried way too off with me..."
Cyrus pauses, "Is that a compliment?"
*Pauses*
"Augh. Why would I had to lose her now? Right when I had first met with that girl yesterday..." Dion comments.
"Is that where the criminal should've been? Why would he need Eve out of all people? Sounds unwise, considering she was uncooperative with people..."
"Who wouldn't wish to take an unaware innocent as a hostage when you're in trouble? Let alone manipulating a girl who could be convinced with freedom of magic and outstanding life-changers."
Even Cyrus was shaken by the thought, knowing the scale of Eve's presence could make her mean and cold-mannered attitude no longer a joke.
"Fuck. I knew this would happen. Why did she...ugh...it's the creature's fault. She would've been better than this." He looks panicked.
"Are you sure you don't have a magic phone or something there? I'm sure there must be telecommunication in your polished bag!" Cyrus rummages his bag.
"Communication...communication! Yes, right!" Dion snatched the bag from Cyrus's hands, immediately reaching for the inside with his left hand.
"Aha! Got it!" He pulls out. A pristine crystal with a pink hue, still cold and emanating a moist and warmer tone than the spatial rune.
"What's that?"
*Furious Tapping* "Come on...come on..."
The crystal glows warmer as its pinkish hue shines brightly in the daylight.
*Phone* "Hello? Elysian Administration Office here. How can I help?"
"Woah, it works! Hey, do you have a spare rune for us to share?"
"Get off, peasant. It's my call..." Dion pushes him off.
"Ehem, this is A-601 speaking. I have a code grey on my location on Earth. I request manual transportation."
"Pfft! Should've gone with code red." Cyrus teases.
Dion intervenes, "Shh!"'
*Phone* "Do you have your weapon with you, sir?"
"Yes, D-001."
*Phone* "Request accepted. Please hold onto your weapon for a moment." The call ended with a chime. One that seemingly off to hear.
"So, what now? Are we waiting or..."
*Ping* *Ping* *Ping* The knife in Dion's possession glows blue— for its power lives by another essence—A spatial essence.
A blue, thin laser emanates from the knife, penetrating its way into the air and cutting the space by a white cloud. A warm wind that Cyrus had never felt burst from the vortex, revealing a path he had never seen. Then, a world appears before him.
"W-woah! Holy..." Cyrus steps closer through the vortex.
But in his curiosity, he had it short with Dion.
"What are you doing? Step back there..." Dion pushes him off by his hand. He took a first step on the vortex, preparing to look front without a blink.
The words betray Cyrus—turning his back with surprise after Dion becomes dissatisfied with him. After everything, he still laid Cyrus to waste.
"What? What do you mean I'm not coming?"
"You're not a bearer. I'm afraid you wouldn't be tolerated as one either. Go back to your home and do whatever you did there..." He gave him a sweep.
"After everything? How could you?"
"I could. In fact, I'm doing it right now...now, please leave so I can close the vortex..."
"Well, I won't let you go!"
"Pathetic move. Don't make me laugh, Cyrus..." Dion tinkers with his knife, seemingly adjusting the vortex.
"I'll tell everyone who you are! I'll expose your people. How's that?"
"Well, I can erase your memory here..."
The boy stares at Dion in disbelief, "Try me."
"Peasant. Get off..."
"Try me."
"You sure about that?" Dion pulls out his knife.
"Yes. Once you close the vortex, I'll be sure to tell Eve's mom that you did something to her. Then she'll tell everyone in the school...then everyone would know you did something to her..."
"And you want her to believe that? Like anyone would care about a girl missing."
"Then let me prove it. What's your point?"
Seeing the smirk on Cyrus's face irritates Dion. The vortex stood only between them, yet he was powerless to prevent Cyrus from acting out where the time ran. And a criminal is on the loose.
"So, what's the deal?" He awaits.
[Elis]
Peril to all the holiness and tranquility interrupted by a blare—for I have traveled through floors, searching for a way out through the crowds of living lights in my way that leads nothing but trouble behind. My doubt grew unresolved for guidance—a bright guidance.
*Blare* *Blare* *Blare*
The station alarms with a toll, calling all the guards to reach out for the criminals running from their punishment. Eve navigates her way out with Charger in his possession—a cage possession. There are hallways and hallways from each passing, with each descent to a densely populated area.
"Come on! Come on! Come on!"
"Over there, friend!" Charger guides in his cellar—for he is confined but not silent. He helped Eve gather a distance away from the Hyperians through stairs, giving darkness as the comfort for them.
"Get back here! Don't you dare go any further!" The guard tails from behind. The hallways are roaming with spears and armor pushing through the center.
"Ugh, mind yourself! I'm not rotting in heaven!"
"Eve, I don't think we should taunt at these people! It's unwise when they are reinforced with those weapons!"
"Shut up! We're doing it my way! What do we do now? Is there any way out?"
"Get over there! Once we got there, we could arrive safely, friend!"
"You mean that hatch on the floor? Are you nuts? Where are we going with that?"
"I don't think we have time to argue about that, friend!"
"Oh, come on. Look at our distance! What else could have they done from here? Throwing me a bottle?"
Her yell comes in a surprise attack from the guards. Right before she could finish her words, a bottle of green substance was thrown nearly before her face, with its acidic content splashing mildly towards the skin—her pale, human skin.
*Slight acidic damage* "Aaah! Ouch! I said bottle!"
"Eve!!"
"You owe me a drink, mortal! That's how you serve one!" The witch yelled across the corner, holding bottles of many liquids. From upstairs, she descends with a leap—right before Eve's face.
I descend and ascend, move and stop, and then ponder before I leave. I owed myself a favor of strength and serenity, but all I got was sore muscles and more stairs. I felt like the green witch who was drunk and lost after three bottles of concoctions in her stomach—looking for another.
"Give me my drinks back!" The witch threw an orange bottle at Eve, leaving a sticky substance that hindered her arms and legs. These are not a simple glue.
And for that glue to drop Eve to the ground, letting Charger be thrown out of her hands easily and trap her for the guards to arrive untimely. They took Charger away from her, leaving the poor girl on the ground with a pile of orange slime.
"Eve! Help me!"
"Freeze! Secure the criminal, now!"
*Incapacitated* "Augh...glue trap? What? What is this?"
"Let go of my friend! She's not your enemy!" Charger yelled.
"Silence, criminal!"
"Ooh...this is so easy...makes me want to drink for this...*hick* hehe..." The witch sips. Never had she stopped drinking for once.
"No! Don't you...dare...leaving me...to...these people!" She struggles to push out.
"Eve! Help! No!!"
*Blast* The wall falls by a heavy blow, with a familiar armor polished, and stands before her in a cold reflection of the vengeful killer.
"Puny thing. Where are you going?" The mad executioner walks to her.
"Shit."
"No! No! No!"
The bearers take pleasure in Eve's short defeat—beating the will out of her humanity for the pain she had brought upon them. The driller trampled her head, slowly crushing her body with its heavy mass and leaving her struggling for air—only for nothing to come at her. In the end, all seems hopeless, and comes to a closure.
But amidst the impossible, Charger pulled another trick out of his pocket—a pebble from his floating arm thrown from the cage in a desperate measure. It detaches out of his body like a separated piece of magnet from the metal, left with no use than a rock.
"Eve! Take this!" The creature threw the pebble into her face.
"Augh! Get off—huh? What is this?" She grabs by the teeth. The moldy pebble is a dense material that slides easily into her mouth.
"Pwah! My mouth! What am I eating right now?"
"Spew it!"
"What?"
"Spew it!"
"Alright, here goes nothing!"
"Take that pebble out of her mouth now! She's going to—"
It was too late for the assassin to interfere. Once the pebble was spewed out of Eve's mouth and onto the gluey trap, the miracle of a sky appeared through her eyes.
"AAH!!" Everyone was dazzled by the blue sparks—blinded to their cornea and fell to the ground incapacitated as Eve made her way out of the sticky substance.
"Eve, are you there? Did you get out of it?"
"Yes, I did! Yuck...I need a bath after this. Now, get over here!" Eve grabs him off to escape.
The distraction works as planned. The bearers and the guards were left vulnerable enough for the two to escape through the front door, where the sun shone at the arching frown-shaped entry.
"Hey, get over them! What are you guys, doing?? Take her!" The assassin recovers first.
"Here's your little pebble thingy. Thank you for not being too useless down there..." She retrieves it on her run.
"Whoa! Did you get their spear, too?"
"Huh? This one? I'm taking my time. Now, get ready to leave right over that tower now!"
"Got it! And there goes our way out one floor below us!" Charger pointed.
She leaps down to the door quickly, "Alright! Here we...go—aah??"
"What the...this isn't way out? Isn't it?"
"Nope. It's not supposed to...Aww, we're making a wrong turn!" Charger surveys.
I couldn't remember how far I had gone from the middle land. In my attempts to travel offbound, I was then reminded of the fate of my foot just as I was about to leap to hell. There is nothing to hold me down if I fell. And who knows how long will I fall?
"Woah! She finds the lost platform! Courtesy for her!" The witch cheers with a dazed smile. The two's findings lead to a plank board with only a void and floating pebbles to a blue sky below.
"Impressive, little one. I'll make sure the Quasarians know about this!"
"What do we do? What do we do?" The cage grew thinner in Charger's presence—still unable to escape such confinement. But now, the two of them are heading into one trap together.
"Shut up. Don't be panic! I can't think, imp!" Eve swings the spear left and right, trying to push the bearers off.
"Easy there, little one. You don't want to die on this exact hill...!" The executioner teases.
"Not when you have no ground to lay low!" The executioner slaps the spear of her hand as it falls to the sky and the void.
"Crap..."
The gust emanating from the cliff brittle Eve's skin, breathing an intense atmosphere while leaving her on alert. She stood on thin ice—with her enemies growing closer from the plank floor.
"I'm sorry, Eve! I didn't mean to do this! I'm not sure what other way we have now..." Charger sympathizes.
"We don't have a way, Charger. I don't think we can go anywhere or anyplace..."
"That's right. Now, get over here!" A hook lunges toward Eve's wrist, pulling her off from the cliff and closer to the tower.
"Aah! Ouch!"
"You're not going anywhere!"
*Hooked* "What the...hey! Get this off me!"
"Eve! Pull it away! Pull it away!"
"I'm trying!"
"Stop resisting! You're making this difficult for us! Can't you see?"
"Ugh...! Get off!" She kicks a guard down the cliff.
"This is all your fault, lady! You put this on your own! We told you to stay off and you didn't listen!"
Eve resists with ignorance. Having a hook pushing her closer to these people distracts her thoughts from focusing on the man's words. But while she was struggling with that rope on her wrist that bleeds the skin out of her, the assassin kept scoffing at her from afar.
"You're making this more problematic for us. If only you listened and let us do this easily, we wouldn't have to bring you to this..."
"Shut up! I don't want to hear your bullshit!"
"Don't you have anything else to do than help this creature? Aren't you a schoolgirl yet? Stop acting like a child."
"I..." She pauses. The thought of the assassin's words brings a shock to her reluctant submission.
"Eve? Eve, are you okay?"
*Pauses* "Well, guess what? I'm too young to be in prison!" She stared low at the void, seeing it as one tiny bullet to catch from the air. The odds are on her, and the hook is on the loose if she wishes to.
She cut the hook off her wrist and let the gravity take her.
"I mean I'm 19—but still, right? See ya!"
"No, no, no...stay there! Aargh!" The assassin loses her.
The assassin hooks a rope towards her, forming a trap to leash Eve back to him. But the hook swings untimely, leading the prisoners to fall free into the cliff and fall.
"Noo!!!!" The station witnessed the two fading into the clouds.
"Aaah!! Brace for fall!"
"Friend, hold me! Hold my hands!" Fell a star in a terrible roar.
But who am I to not try at something so dangerous yet so rewarding? I might have grappled onto a cliff, landed on an ocean, or even died and returned to this place as an apparition. What could I have lost now?
I leap from such a height like no tomorrow, leaving the upper world with few trinkets—knowing I could go for another leap. I would not stop and let my fear take the best of me while there was an assassin and a witch who could've mastered what I couldn't, people who could not see what I had done, and those who once doubted me for doubting.
Faith is a twist of a coin. No one judges what is true and what is wrong. Only the fall can tell.