Fire crackled and made warm cozy noises, little embers gracefully floated upwards illuminating the dark cavern walls that loomed high above. Smoke came out and found various ways to escape the depths of the cave and the trio were all seated on warm blankets, gathered in a circle around the fire.
The boy laid flat on his back, looking straight at the dancing flames and soaked in the warmth they generated.
Lex observed the cave, slowly moving his eyes. He was fascinated with the roughness of the rocks, the strange shapes they made and most of all, how far the little embers would travel before they burned out, unable to reach the ceiling.
Elaris would look at the fire and occasionally glance at the boy and then back towards the flames. She desperately wanted to ask questions but she felt an insurmountable pressure - maybe she didn't want to know more.. Maybe she had made a mistake..
Lex clicked his tongue before saying. "So.. Boy.." He craned his neck towards him. "How ya feelin'?" He said in a light-hearted way.
The boy kept gazing into the light of the flames with a soulless expression - void of any and all emotion. He took a while to muster up the energy to speak.
"I'm alright.. Just need more rest.." He said without taking his eyes off the fire.
"Right.. And that you shall get!.. Provided.. You give us a little bit in return.." Lex half-jokingly said - He needed answers just as much as the princess, what they saw earlier was the last straw, they now lived in a world they did not understand and that scared them to their core.
"Don't push him.." Elaris added.
"It's alright.. It's the least I can do.." The boy replied with a very monotonous tone - there really was just no life or energy behind either his voice or his eyes.
"Yeah.. We threw you off a window after all.." Lex gestured jokingly.
…
"I've got to ask - did that hurt?"
"Lex!" Elaris did not want to push the boy.
"What?! Im curious.." Lex rested his elbows on his knees so that he can warm his hands on the fire.
"It did.." the boy replied.
"Oh.. Yeah.. I guess I still haven't apologized for that.. " He cleared his throat. "Ahem.. Sorry about that.."
"It's alright.."
"What's your name? If you don't mind me asking.." The princess' eyes sparkled like jewels in the dark, illuminated by the yellow light of the flames. She was naturally persuasive and her charm worked it's magic on any man alive.
".. Rath.."
"Rath.. What an interesting name.." The princess nodded looking at Lex.
"Yeah almost sounds like wrath.. The wrath of the gods or something.. Sounds like this boy will be our death.." He looked back at the princess.
" Lex.. Look at him.. I know you can see this boy is harmless.." She turned towards Rath.
"Well.. The pile of dead people just outside the castle would like to disagree." He turned towards the boy as well, noticing its brows had furrowed, its face was tense. "Now little devil, Do pray tell - were you responsible for that?"
"Lex!" Anyone could tell that this was a sensitive topic but her loyal friend didn't seem to care.
"Stop.." Rath shut his eyes as if trying to block out the flood of horrible memories and flashbacks.
"I will stop once I know me and my princess are safe in your presence!" Lex got serious. "See this thing?" He pointed at his long dark sheath with "Lex Talinney" carved with white on it. "Don't give me more of a reason to kill you."
"Shut up you idiot!" The princess got mad.
"What?! Do you really feel safe falling asleep with this.." he gestured at the boy in a perplexed manner. " Whatever this is!?" He leaned over closer to the fire and to the princess who sat opposite him. "It killed EVERY-" Lex hissed. "SINGLE warrior of any real value IN THE ENTIRE KINGDOM - in ONE NIGHT!"
Elaris' expression darkened into a furious scowl. "That doesn't make him dangerous!"
"Do you hear yourself right now?!"
"That's enough.. " Rath interrupted their bickering that was getting a bit too intense. "I.." He took a deep breath and stopped himself afterwards.. He did not want to speak or think of this. "I was the one who.. "
"Killed them?" Lex finished his sentence.
"Lex you're an asshole." Elaris muttered angrily.
"Yes.." The boy admitted with a pained expression of pure sadness,regret and then.. "I am.. not a killer.." Rage.. The boy finally took his eyes off the fire and with his deep dark gaze pierced Lex's soul. It felt like Lex's entire body was pulled into the abyss for a second until he snapped out of it.
"..Killing.. That makes one a killer.." Lex could see the boy was in pain.. And despite the fact that he felt a strange urge to empathize - he did not want to let his guard down.
The boy maintained their locked staredown for a bit and then let go, looking back at the crackling flames.
"Well Lex is a killer too - and despite how much of an Asshole he can be.." She scolded him." - There isn't a man alive that is more good in nature than he is and that's the truth!." She was serious and honest. It's who Elaris was.
…
Lex was taken aback, almost got him to show emotions too.. Elaris was a dangerous woman.
"Princess.. I still can't tell if we can trust him.."
"Then all you have to do is trust me!" She commanded.
"I would really love to - as I always do but.." Seriousness took over Lex's face "I really can't.. Not this time.."
"I will not harm you.. It's not who I am.. I understand if you wish to kill me regardless.. I will not try to stop you.." There was an undeniable truth and honesty to what he had just said - it reached Lex and put him slightly at ease.
"Damn the gods.." Lex sighed.. "He's good.." He said as he looked at Elaris with his head tilted down in defeat. "Well princess.. Throughout my years I've learnt that women are far more perceptive than men - so give me your final order - this is your last chance." He put his hand on the dark sheath. "Do I-"
"No.. He's good.. I can tell.." The princess gave a very swift and decisive answer.
"Okay.. You have the princess to thank for your life.. " He turned to Rath. "However we still have some questions.."
"Go ahead.." the boy sighed in exasperation.
"First of all.. Who was that woman? I assume it's a woman. I couldn't really get a good look at her but she had a strangely seductive voice.." Lex looked puzzled with his hand on his chin.
"..Cara.."
"She vanished into thin air.. So I'm assuming she's also some devilish creature.." Lex continued.
"A Night.."
"What?"
"She's a Night.. That's what my people are called.."
"A.. night? As in.. Bed time- night, that same night?"
"Gods, Lex.." Elaris joined in.
"Yes.. That's the one..."
He gulped. "What is your relation to this.. Night Cara.." He was sinking deeper and deeper into this world unknown.
"Just a childhood friend.." Rath looked at Elaris. "She would like you.. If the circumstances were different.."
Elaris half-smiled.
"Yeah, yeah - you can flirt later - What powers do your people have? And how the hell did you manage to stay in the shadows.. Literally.. For so long?!" Lex liked to play with his stubble as he spoke.. And that he did..
"There was an agreement.. A deal was made long ago and my people swore an oath to never come out of the.. Shadows as you called it.. We are not allowed to use our powers for selfish reasons for all life is sacred..All life is equal.."
"..Buut?" Lex fished for a continuation of the story.
"But some of us disagree with that notion.. And after our king passed.. Well.."
"Some of you suddenly got the balls to act up and take over humanity.. That about right?" Lex leaned back and fixed his gaze on the boy, chin lifted.
"Yeah.."
"Shit.." Lex rocked forward, letting out a sigh as he placed his palm on his forehead.. "So you're saying we are all doomed?"
"Not yet.. Most of us still support the old ways.. But.. My father can be very persuasive.." Rath's gaze turned sour..
"So.. that means there's still time!" Elaris exclaimed.
"I suppose so.." Rath replied.
"Gods.. The kingdom's about to get fucked from every corner of the map, the princess escaped her arranged marriage with the prince of Borban which is certain to make them an enemy of Laraxia too and now there's Night people that want to take over the world on top of that?!" Lex gasped in utter disbelief. "Oh we are so done.."
This triggered something within the princess -She looked tortured by her thoughts, staring straight into the core of the fire- lost in her head. She was the princess and yet she had doomed everyone to certain death.. What was worse is.. She didn't feel a sense of remorse.. She felt horrible that she didn't and that.. That was what was killing her.
"I'm a very selfish person.. Aren't I.." She muttered.
"Aye, you are.. But so am I.. You're in good company.." Lex chuckled as he tried to lighten the mood - he realised that what he had said might have been a little insensitive.
"I think.. That's enough for tonight.." she laid down on her blanket and turned her back against the fire. "Goodnight.."
"..Goodnight, Princess.." Lex softly said and then laid on his warm blanket, nodding at Rath as a way of saying goodnight.
And so - The boy stared off into the fire, lost in his own head, fighting his own battle.. Until he too fell into slumber.