Caius was getting anxious, his Pretty Birdie had done little but sleep. It had already been three days since the dark fairy stopped in to check on the territory. The humans had been abuzz since then.
Caius would have been pleasantly surprised with the humans isolating the Adarians if he could wake his Pretty Birdie long enough to eat. It was almost dusk yet no amount of nudging or coaxing had stirred his Pretty Birdie.
Nix buried his face in the soft warm fur. There were a myriad of anxious, concerned, apprehensive, fearful songs. All wanting answers but only a handful going out to search for them. A piercing, angry, confrontational note took center stage. Nix winced as his Ember's song rang through the clearing like lion claws against mana crystals.
Pulling another tail over his head to muffle the unpleasant songs.
Caius glared at the approaching warrioress. When she didn't take the hint, he pulled his lips back in a silent snarl. He was not in the mood for her tantrums. She'd been throwing them constantly.
Neolani glared, "It's been days. At this rate he's going to die."
Caius towered over the female, careful to keep his Pretty Birdie comfortably settled in his tails. "If he was dying, perhaps you should working on keeping your part of the covenant. From where I'm sitting, you don't look especially happy." He sneered.
Alexei closed his eyes at the low blow. Who could possibly be happy after more than two dozen were missing or dead. The Adarian's had clammed up, the empire were… looking for a light. The only one's who appeared to be happy were the small birds teaching Duke Randal's group to… dance?
Every morning and dusk for the last few days they all gathered in a circle… waving their arms in an uncoordinated mess. Well, two of them were coordinated but Alexei couldn't tell if they were doing what the little birds wanted.
Everyone else was awaiting reports. Abnormal sea activity, three earthquakes, typhoons, heavy rain. How many were still missing, who was found dead, abnormal activity from all manner of cored beasts. Whatever was coming, wasn't subtle.
Alexei wanted to call a time out before the foxes antagonized Neolani anymore. He also wanted to see Ashton. Even though it hadn't rained since, the skies remained mostly cloudy. On the bright side, there were only two remaining crystals left to fill back at the capital. Three more days… and Ashton could seal away the silver mana.
His men had also returned from the cerulean forest, alive, but without any good news to share. Only that the humanity would not survive the ascension.
"Ashton is sleeping, no longer to meet, I will not die, not until final oath is complete." Nix called out when the argument continued.
Neolani snapped to attention as the fox tails unfurled to reveal… a silver eyed youth. His features had changed… his eyes were sharper, but the rest of his features were more delicate. His glowing silver eyes unsettled her... "What do you mean, sleeping? You said he was… laid to rest earlier."
Nix tilted his head, "Ashton is dead, his soul the body does house, the body of flesh, mine until oath's accomplished."
Sebastian closed his eyes. He'd suspected as much. From what he could piece together, the real Ashton Black must have died several years ago.
Neolani stared into the youth's apathetic eyes. Not entirely apathetic, there was a bit of melancholy… "If Ashton is dead… what does that mean… weren't you… the same being?"
Nix rested his head on his knee. "You are mistaken, hardly one in the same. If Ashton was water, I was like tea. At first hard to notice, but stronger with each passing day. Now the water's all gone, now only vapor and leaves."
Neolani stared at the youth… no… he was a beast. A docile, kind, caring beast, but a beast all the same. Did that mean… Alphonse? "Then what about before? When we met?"
Nix blinked, "Water is water, though not all the same, the taste in tea will be different, but eventually only leaves remain. They all bartered their souls, they all offered their flesh. While my soul was dormant they gained the power for goals to accomplish."
Caius's tails flicked, "Why did you need their flesh?" His Pretty Birdie was a beast of mana… flesh only hindered him.
Nix glanced up at the sky, "I broke my heart, my instinct to heal, without flesh my soul would recall the most precious piece. Now she is different, now my soul will not call, now I no longer need flesh."
"Then, you no longer need a heart bearer." Caius stated as he pulled his lips back in anticipation. If there was no need for a heart bearer, he could eat her.
Nix rolled his eyes, "Do not get any ideas, your eggs are not yet hatched. She is still my ember, heart bearer she will be the last."
Caius huffed as he curled around his Pretty Birdie. "Then I will be your flame."
"Then the third to take such a name." Nix informed as his Ember's song became a jumbled mess. At least now her song did not influence his heart. It was a pity. The strong emotional fluctuations hadn't been all bad.
"Why did you break your heart?" Alexei asked, having your heart broken was usually a figure of speech. Alexei didn't think Nix meant his statement figuratively.
Nix blinked, "I made a barter, the rules were quite harsh, to give Beloved life, a piece of my heart." Nix didn't fight the smile, "A piece of my heart, a small gift from the sun, the most precious creature, though short was our fun." Loosing Beloved… Nix's heart ached. It wasn't all consuming like human emotions… but it was enough that he'd rather not wake.
If he did not have five remaining oaths to complete, he may have let himself just die. At least in death, the emotions were further dulled. Then, when he regained his true form the hole in his heart would be healed. For now, the patchwork from Ru would suffice.
"How much of… you were we seeing when you have Neolani your heart?" Alexei asked as he swallowed down his unease.
Nix tilted his head back and forth as he thought back, "It's hard to say, so hard to tell, before my shell was untouched, unlike in the empire which smashed it to dust. It was always me, but the water was still deep."
Nix gave Alexei a soft smile, "They were so young, their hearts so hurt, my influence was more to give them strength. Both were fighters, to cruel fate they did not yield, it's just a shame, so many take from the young… the weak."
Nix shrugged, "Not all were so docile, a few none dared to provoke, how my influence helped was determined by what they did seek."
Alexei closed his eyes, "Then… that was really him…" Alphonse had been the one to mouth those words to Neolani back at the capital.
Nix blinked, "I will find him a good family, one with much love, perhaps an older brother, or perhaps with none. When all is said and done, I will do my best for his happiness, hope regrets there won't be even one."
"Can we… talk to him?" Alexei asked hopefully, if they were still with Nix, they should be able to come to the forefront like Ashton.
"No. They are laid to rest, which is where they will stay." Nix may be able to endure resurrection, but human souls were delicate. Not to mention, Alphonse didn't even have a body. A golem might work, but it would damage the soul. No, Alphonse, Ashton, Falon, they were all resting.