The streets of the city were alive with their usual burst of liveliness, but Kaelor found himself detached from it all. His focus was on Joan, walking beside him, and with her effortless chatter weaving through the noise like a melody in his ears.
"…and that's why you can't just scowl at people in a coffee shop, Kaelor!" She was talking to him in a tone that was half-teasing and half-serious.
"I wasn't scowling," he replied brusquely, with his lips twitching into what could almost be a smile.
"You glared at the barista like he'd insulted your entire lineage," she said with a screeching laugh.
He shrugged while shoving his hands into his coat pockets.
"He asked too many questions."
She rolled her eyes, exasperated but amused.
"That's called being polite. You should try it sometime."
Spending time with her had become a strange, but comforting routine. Her relentless efforts to teach him about human customs and behaviors had started to shape him in ways he hadn't anticipated. He was beginning to understand modern norms… at least enough to avoid constant suspicion.
But there was something else, something deeper. She wasn't just helping him adapt, she was becoming a constant presence in his life, a beacon in his turbulent existence. And that alone terrified him.
That evening, he found himself in Joan's company once again. They were in Lyle's apartment, huddled in the living room as she explained the finer points of modern humor.
"So, memes are like… visual jokes?" He asked, and his brow furrowed as she showed him her phone.
"Exactly," Joan said, beaming. "Here, look at this one."
He studied the image on the screen. A cat with a ridiculous expression was captioned:
When you realize your magic scroll is just a grocery list.
He stared at it for a long moment before she burst into laughter, unable to contain herself.
His lips twitched, and to her surprise, he chuckled softly.
"See?" Joan said, nudging him playfully. "You're learning so fast."
He shook his head in agreement, wearing a small smile on his face.
"This world is absurd."
"And you love it," she teased in a light tone, but her eyes were watching him closely.
He met her gaze, and for a moment, the tension between them felt heavy. His smile faded, replaced by an expression she couldn't quite read.
"Joan," he called her quietly, his voice was unusually soft, "why do you help me?"
She hesitated, obviously caught off guard by the sudden vulnerability in his tone.
"Because… you need it," she said finally. "You're trying to figure out who you are, and I want to help."
He looked away, while tightening his jaw.
"You make it sound so simple!"
"Well, it doesn't have to be complicated either!" Joan said, reaching out to touch his arm.
The warmth of her hand startled him, and he pulled away as if burned.
"You don't understand," he said in a low, and strained voice.
She frowned, the pang of hurt flashing across her face.
"Then help me understand."
Kaelor stood abruptly, pacing the room like a caged animal.
"This is dangerous," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "You're dangerous."
"Me?" She said, standing as well. "I'm the one trying to help you!"
He turned to face her, his face looking tormented.
"That's the problem! You make me feel things I can't afford to feel. Not now. Not ever! You're a distraction, and a weakness!"
She stared at him, her heart aching at the conflict in his eyes.
"You're not weak, Kaelor," she said. "And neither does caring about someone make you weak."
He shook his head, clenching his hands into fists.
"You don't understand what's at stake."
She stepped closer.
"Then make me understand. Stop shutting me out."
For a moment, he looked like he might give in. But before he could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Grateful for the interruption, he pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
"It's Lyle," he said, "He needs me to pick up something from the grocery store nearby."
She crossed her arms, clearly frustrated.
"Fine. But this conversation isn't over."
***
Later that night, Kaelor and Joan found themselves walking through a quiet, dimly lit part of town. The store had been crowded, and she had insisted on coming along, much to his dismay.
"I still don't understand why Lyle needs ten cans of soup," he grumbled, the bag of groceries swinging in his hand.
Joan laughed.
"It's called stocking up. You'd know that if you ever went grocery shopping."
Kaelor sighed, his irritation melting away as he watched her laugh. She had a way of making even mundane moments feel somewhat… alive.
But the peaceful moment didn't last.
Out of nowhere, a cold wind swept through the alley, carrying with it a sense of foreboding. Kaelor stopped in his tracks, his instincts screaming that something was wrong.
"Stay behind me," he said sharply, leaving no room for argument in his tone.
Before Joan could respond, a large figure stepped out of the shadows, his presence radiating dark energy.
"Kaelor!" the man said in a mocking voice. "We meet again!"
Kaelor's blood ran cold.
"Gustos?!"
The enemy from his past stood before him, with a smirk as infuriating as ever.
"How did you find me?" He demanded in a low and dangerous tone.
Gustos chuckled.
"You have someone to thank for that."
Kaelor's heart sank as he felt Joan shift behind him. Slowly, he turned to look at her… dread pooling in his chest.
Joan's expression was conflicted, guilt fixed across her face.
"Joan?" He said.
"I'm sorry," she said, her voice shaky, "I didn't have a choice."
Kaelor's world tilted as the betrayal sank in deeply. The one person he'd begun to trust had led his enemy straight to him.
"You…" he said, his voice laced with disbelief and pain. "You betrayed me!"
Joan's eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't want to, Kaelor. He… he threatened Lyle. I had to protect my brother."
His fists clenched, his anger bubbling to the surface.
"You should have told me. We could have handled it together."
Before she could respond, Gustos raised his hand, and a blast of dark vitality shot toward Kaelor drastically.
The impact sent him flying into a wall, with pain searing through his body.
"Kaelor!" She screamed, but Gustos grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
He struggled to his feet, his vision blurry.
"This isn't over," he growled.
Gustos smirked.
"Oh, I think it is. You've grown weak, Kaelor. How pathetic!"
His gaze turned to Joan, her tear-streaked face filling him with a mix of rage and sorrow.
"You made your choice," he said coldly, his voice cutting through the air like a double-edged sword.
Her lip quivered, but she didn't respond.
As darkness began to close in around him, he made a silent vow. He would escape. He would regain his strength. And when he did, Joan would answer for her betrayal…