Purgatory Chronicles - A New Life After Death

Chapter 3 - Liam, The Caster

You are me, I am you.
Once whole, split in two.
In realms you roam, unbound and free,
While I linger here, in void's decree.

I walk in day, you're trapped in night,
Chained in shadows, cold and tight.
Echoes of us, a distant song,
Together apart, yet we belong.

Intro Stanzas 
- Lament of the Fragments 

***

Viviette hummed a chilling tune. It was beautiful, encapsulated by her voice. Yet the melody was tinged with a sorrowful, profound sadness, one that words couldn't express. It was a haunting lament. She hummed it perfectly and no expression betrayed any emotion at all.

Liam listened, taken by the melody. Eventually, the hum dissipated, replaced by a silence Liam felt the need to fill. "So... uhm—"

"I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself!" Viviette swirled around, extending a hand. "Viviette Grenadine."

"Liam Harper," replied Liam, taking the hand and shaking it. Her grip was firm, unyielding. A subtle display of power, Liam knew. She withdrew.

"You can call me Viviette, or Viviaye, or Vivi, or V. Whatever suits your fancy." Viviette chuckled.

All the alternative names rushed as Liam, giving him a sense of disorientation. Such a silly girl to have so many potential nicknames and give you all of them at one.

"Viviaye..." Liam spoke softly, it certainly flowed more than Viviette. He preferred it.

"Liam." She spoke with a smile. "What a nice name."

Viviette turned and continued to walk down the cobblestone alleyways. Here stride was confident, she didn't betray any worry in the world.

"Why'd you save me?" Liam asked, genuinely curious. Earlier it seemed like Viviette was content leaving him to die at the hands of the men.

"Such a waste to let a soul such as yourself end up consumed by mediocre casters." Viviette smiled, gazing back at Liam as they walked. "Besides, you helped me get what I wanted for free."

Viviette held up the glowing red gemstone between her thumb and index finger, then cupped it and returned it to her pocket. "As they went to chase you they just left their briefcase behind."

Viviette chuckled, "Foolish men."

"That doesn't explain why you came to save me." Liam asked once more. It seems she was ducking the question, her answer didn't seem quite straight forward.

"You were in trouble." Viviette still avoided the question directly. The trouble he was in didn't seem to bother her before.

"You seem to avoid the question." Liam decided he probably shouldn't have pushed, but he genuinely was curious and couldn't help himself.

"Damn perceptive," She muttered under her breath, but Liam made it out nonetheless. "Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Someone somewhere said that at sometime. I saved you because I felt like it." She snapped.

Liam didn't know what to make of the girl. She was a jumble of excitement, giddiness, but also coldness and unyielding strength.

"I could have left you to the devices of those men, but I didn't. Although, I'd doubt they could've absorbed your core." She added.

"What do you mean?"

Viviette stopped and gazed at Liam. "Your core is strong. You've got potential, unlike the men that lay dead back their. I doubt they could've successfully absorbed your core."