Fighting Fate (Sylus x Mephisto)

6. Desire

Previously

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"Did you take out the trash?" Sylus asks and we three kneel.

"Yes, Sir." We say in unison.

"Good," He says before he begins to walk towards me. I stand up confused how he's holding the Heroine like she's some Raggedy Ann Doll. This was supposed to be the woman he always fell in love with, the woman he would kill for, the woman he would die for. He pats my head once before walking past me and I watch as the Heroine sways dangling on his back. Watching them resonate is going to be fun. I look at my hand fighting back a distant memory full of blood, betrayal, and horror.

"Hey, you okay?" Kieran asks lifting up his mask exposing his concern.

"The sooner she resonates with him, the better." I say, looking up to the cloudy night sky.

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I watched the night sky as a heavy weight settled in my chest, each twinkling star a reminder of moments lost and dreams unfulfilled. The cold breeze whispers through the city. It's as if the universe is holding its breath, and I'm left to ponder the fragility of existence, the silent stories woven into the fabric of the cosmos above compared to the bustling world below.

I feel a slight twinge of jealousy of the ignorant people who have no idea the horrors that lie past the Deepspace Tunnel and can live a simple life below with more mundane problems. In this stillness, the beauty of it all feels bittersweet, a stark contrast to the ache in my heart, as I search for solace in the shimmering darkness that stretches infinitely above me, far from the noise and chaos of life.

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" A voice says behind me, pulling my gaze from the night sky. My eyes darted up to see the clouds gently parting, moving out of the way of the moon's path. The moonlight bathes the rooftop in soft light, illuminating the contours of familiar buildings and casting long shadows that mingle with the darkness. I can feel Sylus standing next to me and I lean my head against his side.

"I can die happy," I responded, not taking my eyes off of the moon. He laughs gently stroking my head as his fingers linger at the end of my short hair.

"You're gonna live for a long time in this life," he says under his breath. I look up with curious eyes but he doesn't say anymore.

"Any update?" I ask, meeting his gaze and there is an emotion there I can't seem to put my finger on.

"No, it's been three days and nothing. I plan on taking her to the shopkeeper to see if we can try another way to get the resonance going." He says and I can see his eyes darken a little.

"She doesn't remember us; she doesn't remember you. She's probably disgusted by you thinking you're part of the reason her family is dead or scared of you," I say gently, wanting to soften the blow.

"Ha! Her scared of me? Disgusted by me? That's laughable, Meph!" he replies, ruffling my hair with a grin, but I swat at his hand, annoyance creeping in.

"Hey! It was just an idea! I mean, I resonated with her before, back then-" I stop speaking and stand up, wrapping my arms around myself as I fight the wave of dread that envelops me, tugging at the threads of a pleasant memory I wish to keep buried. I struggle to hold onto the warmth while confronting the haunting shadows of what once was.

"Meph," Sylus begins, his weary, concerned expression causing me to instinctively take a step back.

"I'm fine!" I retort, raising my hands defensively, my voice sharper than I intended. A flicker of hurt flashes across his face, but it's gone almost instantly, replaced by a hardened expression that makes my stomach twist. I wish I could take back my sharpness, but the weight of my feelings feels too heavy to unload right now. My eyes drift to his chest and I can see a bullet hole in his chest and my eyes widen.