Titan Turn; A TDS Story

Chapter 52

Grave sat up on his springy mattress, the leather covered book still pulsating warmth between his fingers, the crystal atop glistening without any light to touch it's surface. The last few days he had spent reading it almost constantly. Every time he would put it away, tell himself to never touch it again, he felt even more drawn to it. It was like a magnet attracting him, the polar opposite, to uncover it's mysteries.
A 'compliment' that had been replaying in his head ever since the fight lesson had ended in near disaster, was the driving force in his quest to seek answers in the journal.

She told him he was special.

It was not the first time she had done it either. He could recall the few occasions when she had... She wanted something with him but she had yet to even hint as to what that might be.
She observed him closely, he could feel her eyes on him at all times, even possessed him once, he could feel her iron grip on his mind, however, she had never really harmed him. Not the way she so carelessly banished Krampus, then burned his hand, not the way she turned Void into a killing machine, striking Frost Spirit and choking Fallen, or made Swordmaster raise his sword against Ducky. No, no...
He was there for quite a few of those "incidents" and yet she had never aimed her attacks on him. He was a witness to her antics but never a participant nor at the tail end of them. Which most likely meant he was worth something to her.
She needed him...

...but for what?

What was her goal? Why was he a part of it? What could he even do?

The questions kept growing louder and louder amidst his mind. The more he searched, in a way, the less it made sense. In her journal, Grave found countless legends, stories of old and spells long forgotten. All interesting for sure, but not what he needed to quell his wish for an answer. Not until-

"Grave? You there?"

The boy lifted his head, seemingly snapped out of his trance upon hearing the voice of his worried friend.

"Yes, Scout, come in."

He did as he was told. Quietly closing the door as to not raise awareness that he had left his room past lights out. Friends they may be and Commander no longer minded Scout hanging around a Titan but he was a to-be soldier, the rules still applied to him. He was not supposed to creep around the halls in the middle of the night.

"Didn't you say you won't touch that book? Mr. Fallen and Mr. Krampus deemed it dangerous.." Scout whispered, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed.

Grave sighed. "I know but I just-...I can't get my mind off of..."

"Off of...her?" He guessed.

The boy nodded, his eyes glued to the last opened page. "...Y-Yeah. She follows me everywhere...W-Whenever I think she is gone, she appears again.."

His hesitation raised an alarm within Scout's heart. A heartbeat just off rhythm. Something was amiss.
There was something Grave was not telling him. So, he pressed further.

"..She has to appear for a reason..right? Has she ever said anything?"

Grave's suddenly darkened glare was the sign Scout needed to understand he hit the nail on the head.

"...Grave?"

"I am special."

"...what?"