Beloved nodded as she wiped at her tears, biting her lip, without a word she opened a rift into his space, "Nix did you peek? Nix did you look, I made you a gift, now's the time, for us to use it."
Ashton grinned, "What? Who me? Dare to peek? Not in a thousand years, its not forgiveness I seek." Ashton stepped through the ring of white fire were a cloth covered several items.
Caius lifted his head to look around the small birds, there were shelves more than a dozen feet tall, full of books, rows and rows of books. Most lumps were covered with cloth, the area was rich with mana… now if he were a little birdie… where would he make his home?
Neolani forced herself to look past the ring of white fire, were all those books… hundreds of books… thousands of books…
Ashton pulled the cloth off a piano made out of mana crystals. It sparkled even in the darkness. Beside it was an old guitar, he'd carved it out of a random tree trunk. He hadn't realized she'd stored it away. "It's beautiful Beloved."
Beloved nodded as Nix handed her the guitar, then lifted the piano with one hand to the clearing. Answers tomorrow, today… just grieving and letting the pain out.
Aaron wanted to laugh at the absurdity of what he was seeing… that piano had to weigh…. A thousand pounds. Ashton was lifting a thousand pounds of mana crystal, with one hand. Aaron turned to Jaxon, "Did… you leave anything else out?" He'd been catching up on all the news since he'd left for his secret mission. More than two hours and not once did anyone bring up the fact that Ashton, the boy who was bullied into coming to the capital, had the strength of a rhino. Not once. That was mildly important, at least Aaron thought so.
Jaxon stared blankly at Aaron, he felt like the longer he was outside… the calmer he became, "Oh, right. Lord Reece carried a giant potted tree through a giant rift to a hidden village of Dolquist survivors…"
Charmaine was also watching, but she was so distracted… like a fog was clearing… "Yes, and Lord Reece is vegetarian… why did that upset me…?"
Aaron had only been gone a few weeks… but the more he heard, the more he felt like several of his majesty's confidents had been brainwashed. Empress Charmaine targeting Ashton, seeing him as some great enemy, but objectively he'd only been helpful. Aaron turned to Lucian, "Your majesty, you said Lord Reece wanted… the Ruby Tear?" The more they spoke, the more it seemed like only Duke Carlos had avoided some insidious influence to turn them against Lord Reece.
Jaxon stared up at the sun, not a cloud in sight. "That's right, Amin… should be back. How did I forget about Amin, he should be back already…"
Lucian jolted, how had they all forgotten Amin. Lucian locked eyes with Leonard, "We stay in the sun, write down everything that we start to remember, and send a scout to find Amin. Have topless tents erected immediately," Lucian ordered to the guards standing off to the side.
"Also, mark everyone who is having similar reactions, even those of the delegations. See if we can find something everyone has in common." Charmaine ordered looking at Serafin's shadow… when did she start to have such an aversion to Ashton Reece… why did she want to chain him to Smyrna rather than befriend him as she had originally intended. When had her intensions change…
Charles clenched his fist, "I will list everyone I remember meeting prior to my… changes. Empress, perhaps you will join me?"
Charmaine nodded as she followed her father. The more she thought back, the more scared she became. How had they all… been so blind? How had none of them noticed how bizarre their thoughts had become, even voicing them aloud had not caused concern.
Sebastian squinted up at the sun, after the others had noticed their minds clearing, they had not even dared cover their eyes. It was blindingly bright, more than bright… it was starting to get warm. He'd had enough tea and chilled drinks to have to excuse himself four times already…
Calix squinted up at the sun too, "Grandfather, I haven't noticed any difference in us… perhaps we could just… ask? The girls are already lightly burned…" Calix reminded looking toward his cousins who were trying to find ways to stay both in, and out of the sun at the same time. Bending forward, turning, fanning themselves.
Sebastian hesitated, "Wait until after he puts down… the girl." Sebastian flushed, unsure if it was because of the heat, or the idea of calling such a young, petite girl Beloved. Hopefully she had another name like Neolani was known as Ashton's Ember.
Calix blushed looking at her, she may be small in size… but she was beautiful. He could listen to her… forever. Suddenly he was slapped upside the head, "What?" He asked startled.
"Wipe your drool boy, she's out of your league." Sebastian scolded, Beast Gods above. Had the boy gone stupid over a pretty face? Stupid enough to want to challenge Lord Reece for a girl's affection?
Calix blushed, "I would never, I just thought her voice was beautiful, that they had to both be songbirds."
Ashton set the piano down near his nest, then debated how to make a bench to sit.
Beloved blinked, then she made a bench out of earth for Nix, just big enough for two. If they sat close. As Nix sat down, he moved her to sit in his lap, so they were chest to chest. She hugged him, her chin on his shoulder letting her hair cover her face.
Ashton decided to start since his Beloved only clung to him. Closing his eyes he started out with a song they could both resonate with. (Playlist on youtube, Ascending Pride Order.)
I have often dreamed. Of a far off place.
Beloved's hearts clenched, yes it would be worth it. One day. They would both find that place.
Neolani stared, the entire clearing as gone silent to listen. She couldn't see the girls expression, but her grip on Ashton was so tight Neolani thought his bones might break.
Till I find my hero's welcome, waiting, in your, arms. (Go the distance, cover)
Everyone paused, there was… a weight in the air they didn't know how to cope with. As if they were all searching…
Beloved held back tears, Nix's heart was so… desolate… empty would have been better. She pushed her fire into him as she started to sing. Nix didn't miss a beat as he played the piano accompaniment.
I know you don't love yourself. (I wish you knew, vaultboy cover)
Zane stepped out of his tent, really listening to the echoing voice. While Young Song, Nix's voice had left him wanting to go home, her voice… was a crushing despair.
Rommel pulled out an enchanted pearl meant to dispel hypnotic influences; he'd only ever had to use them against sirens… but the pearl shattered. Rommel's gut clenched as he looked up to meet Ashton Reece's, no… Nix's cool gaze. Not once did the songs stop. As if to drive the point home, the pearl shards caught fire. So, that was something to take into consideration for the future.
Don't like to ask for help, carry it by yourself.
Ashton closed his eyes as she choked on the words, her fire pouring through him once again.
Calix hesitated, then pulled on his grandfather's shirt, "There." He nodded to… a picture? A moving picture. It wasn't a recording… more like a child had drawn images that had found a way to leap off paper… into their world.
Sebastian had also noticed, a small person made of red flames seemed to be standing on a cliff… while another person of white flames was hugging him from behind. But the images weren't clear, becoming more visible depending on the girl's singing.
Zane watched the figures, was this… a mass hypnotic spell? He gulped down his apprehension… in most cases, it took several sirens to weave illusions with their song. His gaze flickered to the two songbirds. Just how strong… were they?
Neolani watched the figures, the white figure constantly fluttering around the red as it was… cut to pieces repeatedly. Sometimes it was barely bigger than a candle flame, then it would grow only to be cut down again.
Caius wasn't impressed, he was a master of illusions, this was just a step above smoke and mirrors. He also didn't need to be heard. Aiya, of course he could sing… but it wasn't time yet. Caius watched his Little Snack, aiya, not like this.
Eventually the first tear fell, Beloved shifted her face so the tears wouldn't fall on Nix as she kept singing.
It hurts to hear, that you're not liking it on earth anymore!
Neolani stared in horror, those weren't tears… Beast Gods above… the ground was sizzling as the grass withered. The earth darkened. The area of dying grass grew as each black tear fell. Worms broke through the earth as they attempted to wriggle to safety, most weren't fast enough, shriveling up.
Ashton felt his heart lighten with each tear Beloved shed. She was literally weeping the taint in his heart. Even as the song ended, Ashton immediately started the next.
It's the start of a new day. (After the heartbreak nightcore)
Sebastian was startled when the sun… disappeared. Everything looked washed out, as if the color was being stolen. He kept an eye on the two figures of fire. The narrative had changed greatly. This time, the red figure had abandoned the white one. Now the white figure was laying in a darkened area, tears of fire falling as the color and light followed the red flame figure as it walked away.
Sebastian continued to watch, there had to be more to the story. Sure enough, when the red figure was so small it could hardly be seen, it exploded in a burst of light. The blinding light was an explosion of color… then everything around it was just... gone. All the while the white figure clawed at herself, the ground, walls. Soon flashes of light would periodically pass over the white figure, but she just lay on the ground… tears pooling around her until there were no tears left to give. The figure shrank until a tiny white flame swayed in the wind… then went out.
My innocence has died…. After the heartbreak.
Ashton opened his eyes, where the red flame had exploded was only a tiny glowing ember no larger than a spec of sand.
Caius's eyes narrowed… aiya, so his Little Snack died to protect her… but if she was his mate from a past incarnation… his Little Snack would not have indulged his advances, subtle as they had been. Where was the rewind to see their interactions before he died?
Leonard glanced around… umm, he was still trying to soak up as much sun and purge whatever had muddled his thoughts over the last several weeks. He didn't want to disturb them… but Ashton himself said to stay in the sunlight…
Sebastian sat and listened for hours. Lord Reece silently playing the piano, the girl singing, the earth becoming more baren with each tear, yet his heart and mind finding solace. Sometimes illusions would play out, sometimes he would watch the cloudless sky.
Caius had moved twice, trying to give himself plenty of room away from the increasingly tainted earth… he was taking no chances! Even the little snake was curled up on a chair, staring at the ground with obvious hostility. Aiya, how long was this bird going to sing? Or more importantly, cry those black tears? Someone should say something! Just… not him.