Pages | Chapter 11 | Heartless

[marsgemwrites]

Our heros reach Athose and a secret is finally revealed.
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Chapter 11. Heartless

The storm had lasted a good four hours, but eventually they'd got through it and continued towards Athose. It had taken a while for the ship's navigator to find out where they were, but when she did, it turned out that they had indeed been pushed towards Athose.

It was now late afternoon of their third day on the ship. Erin hadn't suffered from seasickness since the first day and she'd found her sea legs. She'd been helping in whatever way she could, but for the most part she was studying the books they'd got the from the library.

Sphinx had done some interesting research as well as universe travel. Apparently Meria had had a fascination with magic mutations; when magic went wrong or backfired. She and her wife, who was unnamed, had studied it together, apparently they still did and had released a book on it.

Magical mutations happen if a spell is cast incorrectly and hits a living being. She had encountered a man who had four arms after a spell went wrong. It was all very interesting.

Erin was sat cross legged on her bunk when a disgruntled Chad walked over and sat down her bed, "Hey Chad," Erin said, still reading the book in front of her.

"Vechs is annoying," Chad grumbled.

"You're right, but why?"

Chad made a noise that sounded like a dying bird, "He's just really attractive."

Erin placed the piece of paper that had been serving as a bookmark into the book and closed it. She turned to look at Chad who had his paws over his eyes, "Okay, what's up?"

The tabby groaned, "He was doing work that meant he was flexing his muscles and just wearing that thin over shirt of his," Chad looked at Erin through his fingers, "unrequited love sucks."

"Love?"

"Crush, infatuation, I don't know."

"You'll get over him," Erin said gently and rubbed Chad's soft arm, "Wow, your fur is really soft."

Chad batted a paw at her, "Stop stroking me" he laughed.

"Sorry, but you're really soft!"

"I don't stroke you!"

"I'm not soft!" Erin protested.

"Oh, you didn't stroke Chad did you, Erin?" Vechs said, he'd apparently appeared while they were bickering.

"He's really soft."

"I know, " Vechs ruffled the slightly longer fur on Chad's head.

"I'm not a cat, guys!" Chad stood up and crossed his arms, "I will scratch the next person who strokes me."

"Sorry, Chad. We will stop stroking you." Erin said, trying to hide her smirk.

Chad squinted then shook his head, he turned to Vechs, "How come you're down here anyway? You were helping on deck a few minutes ago."

"Oh, we're nearly there." Vechs grinned, "We need to pack up and head up onto deck."

"Awesome!" Erin said and started to pack everything up.

Once everything was in their bags, they went up onto the deck. Sure enough, land was in sight, possibly three miles away, Erin wasn't entirely sure.

"What's the plan when we get to shore?" Chad said, placing his bag down on the deck.

"We'll probably get some food then start making our way to Guude's right away, I don't want to waste any time." Vechs said, he had a map out, checking the route for the hundredth time.

"Great, that all sounds great."

---

Erin slung her bag onto her back, it was now stocked up with food. They'd decided it would be easier to just get food on Athose than carry food from Skol Prida. The first thing Erin had noticed about Athose was that it was much cooler than where they had started this journey. It was mid July, but really not too hot. Although, Erin considered the fact that this may be down to her living in a really hot country for a while.

They were just leaving the town by the Athose dock, walking into a luscious forest. Vechs was really excited to be back, telling them both about the time he'd won a jousting tournament. According to the book Erin had read and what Vechs had told her, Athose was renowned for its jousting.

The King of Athose, King Cinrad, held bi-annual jousting tournaments, one of which Vechs had once participated in and won. The prize had been to join the royal guard, but Vechs had turned that down, instead accepting a thousand grokel as his reward. Accord to Vechs, King Cinrad had given him an invitation to join the guard at any point in the future should he change his mind.

"After seeing Guude do you think we could stop by my house?" Vechs asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I don't see why not." Erin said.

"You still have a house here? But you live in SP." Chad said, confused.

Vechs shrugged, "Yeah, I've always planned to come back here sometimes, I just… hadn't until now." Vechs scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"You really need to talk about what happened to you know who." Chad said quietly.

"No I don't." Vechs replied shortly.

Erin quickly moved to stand between the boys, "Let's not fight," she said, "we're on an adventure, it's meant to be fun."

"Well if he would just admit that's he's not over his ex then everything would be fine," Chad had a hint of anger in his tone.

"Fine. I'm not over him." Vechs said, anger also creeping into his voice, "I miss Zisteau, is that a crime?!"

"No! But you need to let go, he left you months ago, you're not doing yourself any favours being hung up on it."

Erin was feeling exceedingly awkward, but Vechs and Chad clearly need to clear the air, so she didn't step in this time. Instead, she took a small step back so they were walking in front of her.

"I'm allowed to mourn my ex boyfriend for as long as I want, Chad!" Vechs shouted.

Chad stopped in his tracks so abruptly that Erin walked into him, "What..?"

Vechs turned to look at Chad, even though he was wearing his goggles down, Erin knew he was crying, "Zisteau got killed. He didn't leave me."

The felin seemed to suddenly be weak at the knees and Erin had to catch him so he didn't fall, not an easy task given his height.

"Gods, Vechs. I'm so sorry."

"I thought if I didn't tell you it wouldn't be real. I thought it'd be easier to pretend he just left me. That he was alive and just not in my life anymore." Vechs fell to his knees then sat on the dirt track they'd been walking on, "It was Sicas..."

There was a fire in Chad's eyes, one Erin had never seen on the normally friendly felin's face, "Sicas did this?" Vechs nodded weakly. Chad went over to Vechs and sat next to him, Erin did the same, "What happened, Vechs?" Chad was forcing himself to be calm. Clearly this Sicas person was bad news.

"You know how he is, he will do anything to get his way. He asked me to join him, to become his apprentice." Vechs explained, "He said that we could be great if we worked together."

"Is he mad? You're not a caster! How would he be able to take you on as an apprentice?"

"Erimancy…" Vechs said slowly, he then turned to Erin to explain, "Erimancy is a form of magic, it's not legal in most countries. There is a book called the Erizul that anyone can study dark magic from. It's disgusting. When a caster studies from the Erizul they become a hexer."

"Thanks for explaining," Erin said gently.

Vechs nodded and pushed his goggles up onto his head, revealing his red and puffy eyes, "Sicas wanted me to study erimancy as his apprentice. I refused, told him I wasn't interested in his dark plans. He- he got angry. And," a fresh flood of tears started to stream down Vechs' face, Chad pulled him close and Erin put a comforting hand on his leg, "he threatened Zisteau, said that he'd kill him if I didn't join him. Zisteau begged me not to do anything, told me he didn't want to lose me.

"I said I didn't want to lose him. Sicas got even more angry and shot this horrible magic at me. Zisteau jumped in the way to save me and instantly got mutated. Sicas then vanished, leaving me with Zisteau in my arms… I tried to carry him to a caster, ask someone to heal him, but by the time I did… I was… it was…" Vechs buried his face in his knees, he was shaking violently.

"It's okay, it's not your fault, it's Sicas' fault." Chad said soothingly.

"It is my fault! Sicas asked me to meet him and I let Zisteau come with me, I should have made him stay behind. I shouldn't have gone to meet with Sicas. But I did, I was curious."

"Vechs, it's not your fault."

"If it weren't for me Zisteau would still be alive now!"

"Vechs, listen to me, Sicas is evil, he manipulates and kills to get what he wants. You're another one of his victims, so is Zisteau. I'm sure he would want you to move on and be happy again."

Whoever this Sicas was, Erin wanted to punch him in the face.

They sat in silence for ages, Vechs quietly sobbing and Chad whispering soothing words to him, telling him over and over that Zisteau’s death wasn't his fault. That Sicas was to blame.

Chad looked over the crumpled body of Vechs at Erin, "Sicas is Vechs' uncle. He used to be a lovely guy but something changed and long story short, he became less lovely. Vechs was really close to him."

"We used to have sword fights in the forest, he taught me how to fight with a sword. We'd go camping." Vechs said quietly, his voice muffled by his knees. The broken man looked up and murmured softly, "There's a reason I want to go back to my house…"

"Vechs…" Chad looked at him with concern.

Vechs audibly gulped, "I.. even though Zisteau died I was able to find someone to revive him…"

"No, Vechs, please tell me you didn't!" Chad scooted around and knelt down in front of Vechs, he looked into Vechs' blue eyes, searching them for an answer he didn't want to hear.

"I did.."

"Vechs, no, that's not the right way to go about things!"

"I was desperate, I am still desperate! I lost him, Chad! I had to get him back," Vechs' eyes were hard, but his voice betrayed his fear.

"How did you do it…?" Chad asked slowly.

"I found a hexer who specialises in necromancy," Chad made a weird sound like a whimper, "she promised she could bring Zisteau to life."

Chad was shaking with fear, "Hexers don't take money as payment, what did you give her in return?!"

Vechs looked Erin for a brief moment, his eyes filled with fear, "My heart."

Comments

[scara]

I'm still giggling at Chad being stroked XD

As I said while editing, I love this twist >:3

[marsgemwrites]

*is still in my bunker* Yes, I decided some pre-angst comic relief would be good!

[scara]

A wise move :)

[(Anonymous)]

A wise move indeed. *throws ball of paper* {@}
-Observing Anon

[coolboynbg_1]

WOOOOOO YEA GO VECHS GIVE UP YO HEART KILL MOST OF THEM AND SCAR THE REST MARSIO

[(Anonymous)]

We already have one war on our hands. Isn't that enough?
-Observing Anon

[coolboynbg_1]

Never I used to plan out wars for fun. I mean wait that fic never went anywhere because I'm a dipshit errr eh I'm good at planning stuff but a terrible executor of these plans.

[marsgemwrites]

Yeah!

[(Anonymous)]

Poor Vechs. You can almost physically feel the sadness. Good job.(::) (::)
-Observing Anon

[marsgemwrites]

I think Vechs probably needs a hug.