Diaries of Origins

Chapter 17

Allumo's pov

I sighed, as I saw Kaiba's mother yell at Ashara.

She had arrived a few hours ago, and it had been a week since Ashara and Kaiba got engaged.

The village had taken the news of Ashara's condition very calmly, and largely focused on the fact he and Kaiba were going to get married, and preparations had started instantly.

Kaiba's mother was a tall elegant meif'wa, who started shouting at Ashara the second she saw him.

Mostly about him not being good enough for her son, that he smelled sloppy, whatever that meant...

And it had been going for hours.

I sighed again, looking at Kaiba, who was arguing with his mother, and Lo'pho, trying to pull his sister back.

Kaiba had often said his mother was too angry, too protective, but I didn't foresee this.

I now understood why Kaiba insisted we didn't inform his mother of Ashara's lycanthropy.

I sighed, for probably the fifth time in one hour, glancing up. The sun was starting to go down, I really hoped she'd wrap this up soon.

Fortunately, she did.

"YOU'RE LUCKY TO MARRY MY SON, REMEMBER THAT! Now, Kaiba, sweetie, I called in a favor, and I got the high priest of Vigilia Runa to come officiate." Kaiba's mother declared, and finally she seemed to be done talking.

I heard a sharp inhale from next to me, and I glanced at Ronin.

Vigilia Runa.. that sounded familiar.

"How.. How does he owe you a favor?" Ronin asked. Kaiba's mother looked over, glaring.

"I don't need to explain myself." She scoffed, turning back to Kaiba. "He will be arriving soon. And I want you to tell your.." she looked over at Ashara, and sneered. "Boyfriend, to be thankful!"

Kaiba stepped in front of Ashara. "He's my fiancé. And we're both very thankful, mother. Now, as I was asking 3 HOURS AGO, do you want to see where you'll be staying?" He asked, gritting his teeth. She huffed.

"We'll wait for the high priest right here." She declared, crossing his arms. Kaiba sighed, and leaned on Ashara.

"Yes mother.."

I made eye contact with Ashara, who looked to be internally suffering, but he smiled tiredly at me, and wrapped an arm around Kaiba. As his meif'wa lover snuggled closer, I noticed the tension in Ashara's shoulders vanished. I smiled softly, before tensing, hearing several footsteps approach from behind, along with armor softly clanking together.

"I do hope you'll forgive me. I did not intend to keep anyone waiting."

I turned around, finding a white haired young man, with a singular teal streak in his hair. He was dressed in elegant white robes, and had pink eyes that glinted in the sunlight.

For some reason, every bone in my body told me to be on guard. But maybe that was because I'd never seen Ronin become so tense.

The white haired man bowed.

"I am Eden, high priest and second prince of Vigilia Runa." He said. "It's an honor to meet you, Lord Allumos." He smirked at me.

I felt my shoulder tense when I saw that smile, but I smiled back amicably.

"Likewise high priest and regal prince." I said, bowing my head back, showing exactly the correct amount of respect with his official titles, and nothing more.

I wasn't sure what exactly made me dislike him already, he hadn't seemed at all rude. It wasn't as though I've never heard of him, or even heard something bad about the high priest.

Eden just... put me on edge. And he seemed to do the same with Ronin.

Something about him however, felt familiar. As if I had seen him before. I knew for a fact I never had, and his face didn't feel all that familiar, yet a part of me recognized it.

Eden eyed me for what felt like far too long, before giving me a smile that chilled my bones. It was as though every little thing about him was designed specifically to make me weary of him.

He went over towards Kaiba and his mother, and Ashara seemed uncomfortable. That might have more been from Kaiba's mother rather than Eden however.

I decided to go and see the wedding preparations, not wanting to stay around the high priest for long.

Angel has been very excited to plan the wedding of xeir best friend, so I seeked them out.

When I couldn't find them in their home, I checked the beach, where the actual wedding would take place.

"Angel?" I called, looking around. Jericho had set up a lot of decorations on the beach, including an elegant arch.

I heard a choked sob, and my eyes locked in on Angel, who was sitting in the sand, curled in on himself, hugging themself tightly.

"Angel!" I ran over, worried. Had he injured xeirself? Or-

As I approached, Angel looked up, wiping tears out of his eyes. He tried to smile at me, but it was clearly fake.

"L-lord Allumos! H-hello." He stammered, uncurling himself.

I knelt by them. "Angel, are you okay? Why are you..." I trailed off, vaguely gesturing.

They laughed a dry laugh, still hugging their stomach,

"S-sorry to worry you, I'm not injured. I've just been.. rather emotional lately." He confessed, looking at the beach, with sorrow in their eyes.

I blinked, sitting down.

"Is.. this reminding you of your own wedding?" I asked, and they shook their head.

"No.. no that's not it. It's just..." he swallowed, clearly upset by what he was about to say. "I remembered Mario's mother today." They whispered, tears running down xeir face.

I was confused, but sensed he wasn't done talking.

"She.. she was my best friend Allumos. My best friend since I was less than a year old, and.., and I didn't remember her. I helped plan her wedding. I was Mario's godparent! And.. and I-I ...I couldn't remember her at all!" He broke down into sobs, covering his face. "I know it's not my fault. I know you found that... Amulet, thing, and it was messing with our heads... But... Allumos, she was there my whole life, and I didn't know who she was until a few hours ago! I ..." I rubbed his back gently, and he took in a sharp, shaky breath.

"I.. her name was Mia. She.. she, she loved Lilies.. and camellia flowers... And and, and.." he stammered. "And she loved the beach, and her husband, Laki, he was so sweet, and they were.." he broke down again. "S-so-sorry. I'm just. I don't know why I'm so emotional right now..." he sobbed, and I pulled him into a hug.

"Angel, it's okay to be emotional. A lot is happening, and a lot has happened." I told him. He clung to me.

"I'm just... I feel like I'm..." he sobbed, trailing off. "I'm sorry." They mumbled. I just let him cry.

"It's okay... do you., want to talk about them more?" I suggested quietly. He sniffled, and smiled, backing away.

For the next few hours, I listened to Angel talk about his friends who had passed.