Dark Light

Chapter 45 - For Them, Friends

The sun comes out and Axia wakes up early. He stands up on his bed and heads to the bathroom. There, he one by one removes all of the bandages in his body and surprisingly the wound on his chest is now fully healed unlike yesterday. He starts to touch it but he feels nothing. “What happened?” He whispers to himself. He just ignores it and gets his shirts and towel and goes to wash himself.

After a few minutes while Axia is taking a shower, Ren sneaks up on his room. He looks around the room and finds out that Axia is in the bathroom. He goes to the door and speaks up with everyone while whispering, “He’s taking a shower. Come on in.” Ren opens the door widely and Rina (Axia’s mother), Aerielle, and the parents come in. They started decorating the room quietly. 

After a while, Axia finishes taking a bath and starts to wear his shirt and pants. He hangs his towel and opens the door, only to find it pitch black. “I just left the room lit up?” He even questions himself. He steps out of the bathroom and starts to look for the light switch. The extra lightswitch for the room is located at the right side of the door of the bathroom. He finally found it and clicked it. The light shows up and everyone loudly greets him, “Happy birthday, Axia!” They go to him and start a group hug. “Everyone! Thank you so much! I will never forget this day!” Axia says and tears start flowing down on his two cheeks. Everyone let go of him and Rina goes to the table to get the birthday cake. Zane’s mother, using her Lightning magic, lights up the candles. Rina thanks her and she grabs the cake. She slowly walks to Axia while everyone is singing happy birthday. 

Rina reaches Axia and she tells him, “Happy birthday, Axia. Happy nineteenth birthday.” Axia wipes down his tears and smiles then blows the cake and everyone claps their hands. “Let’s eat!” Ren shouts and everyone starts to eat.

While everyone is eating, Aerielle looks around and still Zane and Floryn are not inside. She takes a sigh and Ren looks at her who is just sitting beside her. “What’s wrong?” Aerielle stops eating and speaks to Ren, “Zane and Floryn are not here. I haven’t seen them in a while. Did something happen between the two?” Ren starts to think and says, “Uhm… I don’t know. Since we haven’t seen Zane, maybe there’s definitely something wrong. When Zane is mad, sad, or angry, he doesn’t show up to anyone. And Floryn is not even asking us if we saw him, then maybe there is something wrong.” 

The two are cut up talking when someone knocks on the door. “I’ll go get it.” Ren said and stood up. He opens the door to see Zane holding a present. “Zane!” Ren loudly says his name and everyone looks at the door. Ren opens the door widely and Zane enters the room. He goes to Axia to give his present and says, “Happy birthday, Axia. I am so sorry that I am late.” Then smiles at him and Axia thanks him. “Have some food, Zane.” Axia says to Zane and he replies, “Maybe later. Thank you though.” Zane sits at the chair beside Ren and his mother speaks up, “Zane, it is rare to see you late. What happened? You missed the surprise!” He then replies, “Sorry, something came up earlier.” Ren and Aerielle are not convinced of his statement and look at each other.

One hour has passed and Zane stands up to say goodbye to others, “I’m going now. I have to do something.” Aerielle speaks up, “Come on! His birthday is just once in a year! Stay here longer!” Axia stops Aerielle, “Uhm… It’s okay, Aerielle. Maybe it is something really important. You know our current situation, right?” Aerielle stops and Zane thanks everyone and goes out of the room.

Little do Zane know, Floryn is waiting for him on the end side of the hallway, standing back at the wall. He reaches the end of the hallway when someone speaks up to him. “So you really came?” It is Floryn and she faces him. “I know that you are going to come since it is Axia’s birthday today. Aerielle told me that it is Axia’s birthday today.” Floryn walks away while speaking, “I know what you are planning to do. You spoke up with the two captains, Vince and Daisuke. You want to be part of the undercover mission. If you think that you can help Axia and everyone by doing this, I will not stop you. After all, your intention is clean and of course you are my friend, Axia is our friend.” After that, Floryn disappears out of his sight.