With the breaking of the greatest Pact--the revelation of the Safe Havens' collective existence--the barrier of every haven has fallen, leaving them open and vulnerable. Xirxine, the Avatars, and the Worthy are working around the clock to maintain g...
They met at midnight the day after she arrived. He had slipped out of his house without a sound, avoided patrols, and kept himself hidden with skills a ninja would envy.
The district was quiet; the clearing she was waiting in was quieter. She was leaning against the side of a towering tree, arms crossed, blue eyes narrowed, when he showed up. "You're late," she stated, clipping her words in order to express her impatience.
He removed the cigarette from his lips and blew a puff of green smoke into her face. "Fashionably," he replied with a sharp-toothed grin.
She coughed and waved away the smoke. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't mess with my host," she snarled, glaring at him. "Secondhand smoking can be deadly, you know."
He rolled all three of his eyes and turned away. "Like you care."
She let out an annoyed huff and crossed her arms again. "Well? Are you ready?" she snapped.
He took another puff, still not facing her, and exhaled, responding, "Awaiting your orders... madam."
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"Spare me the mockery." She held out her hand, palm facing him. "Let's get this over with. The Old Ones won't wait forever."
He scoffed. "They've waited this long. Can't they wait on a brother to finish a joint?"
"Vision..." she growled.
"Alright, alright!" He dropped the cigarette and heeled it. "Happy?"
"Not until we get it done."
"Sheesh. You're a tough one to please." He pressed his hand against hers and closed his secondary eyes, allowing his third to pulsate with green light. "Nafl'fhtagn, R'luhhor," he hissed. "Nafl'fhtagn..."
A single bolt of green lightning split the clear night sky, streaking horizontally from one horizon to the other. It remained for about five seconds, crackling wildly as it circumvented the entire planet.
Then it vanished, leaving no sign of its existence in its wake.
He opened one of his secondary eyes. "Did it work?"
She lowered her hand and put both in her pockets, turning to and fro as she peered into the sky. "Not sure," she admitted grudgingly. "I don't even know if that was supposed to happen."
"What, you didn't get an instruction booklet or somethin'?" he sneered. "Chillax, Mirage. When they come, they'll come, and we'll know about it." He pulled another cigarette out of his pocket, a lighter out of the other, and lit it. "In the meantime, I'm gonna get some sleep. Gotta rest this beautiful body for tomorrow." He took a puff and grinned, letting the smoke leak out through his nose. "Take it easy, madam." He saluted and walked out of the clearing with one hand in his pocket, disappearing into the dark.
She crossed her arms and frowned, her anxiety steadily growing. "Calm, complacent, and completely maddening," she muttered. "An unfortunate combination of traits." She looked into the stars again, wondering if her kin could hear her. "It's done," she whispered. "Now come..."
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(I do not own the drawing used; credit belongs to vivziepop... I think. If it was done by someone else and you know who, please let me know)
