Resentment -- MCD S3 Zenix x Laurence

Chapter 5

Zenix POV:

"What do you mean 'not as unobtainable as we think'?" Lilianna says accusingly. "Last time I checked, bedrockium is impenetrable. You know what that means? Unbreakable. You can't break it."

Laurence glares at her, and Everett places a hand on her shoulder.

"Sounds like the boss has a plan, let's hear him out yeah?" He says calmly while looking towards Laurence, urging him to continue.

"I had a friend-- Nicole, who could break through bedrockium." He began. Lilianna's mouth fell agape, but quickly closed it again.

"She had these iron fists that could penetrate anything. She rescued Aphmau from the O'khasis takeover of Brightport twenty years ago. They placed her under house arrest, and placed bedrockium under her house. Nicole broke through it and they escaped through the underground caverns beneath Brightport."

While Laurence recounted the tale, I rolled my eyes. Whenever he talks about Aphmau and her tales, he gets this certain look in his eyes that never fails to irritate me. It's a certain mix of a bittersweet nostalgia and despair, and a love sickness that makes his fiery eyes turn soft for a moment.  

"So, can we ask this Nicole for help then?" Everett asks.

"Sadly no, she's the Lord of Scaleswind and a mother. She's a bit busy and I highly doubt that she'll want to help me of all people."

"You said that O'khasis guards placed bedrockium under her house?" Lilianna inquired. Laurence nodded. "Doesn't that mean O'khasis has a way of breaking bedrockium too?"

We all looked at one another, all having a sort of eureka moment.

"I'm sure somewhere in O'khasis they have records of how they did it! Most likely in Zane's old study, since he was in charge during that period of time."

"So we'll have to send someone to O'khasis?" I asked Laurence. He shook his head. "No. We'll go."

I looked at him shocked.

"Us? Why?"

"Lilianna will have to be here working on the logistics of the machine, she can't go. Everett has a horrid sense of direction in the Overworld, and I don't trust anyone outside of this room with such an important of a task as gathering materials and going into the heart of O'khasis."

He turned to me in his chair, looking at me with a new fire lit in his crimson eyes.

"I trust us the most to do this properly."

I looked away from his piercing gaze and scroffed. "Whatever..."

He turned back towards Everett and Lilianna, and began instructing them on what to expect for the next couple days.

"We will be leaving as soon possible, hopefully tomorrow. Everett, you're in charge. Make sure as little knights know of our departure as possible." He nods in understanding.

"Lilianna, I expect you to return to me as soon as you have that material list for me. You have a communication amulet to reach me. Zenix and I will head to O'khasis first, and gather materials on our way back to the Nether." Lilianna nods as well.

Laurence stands up and clasps his hands together.

"Thank you two for your time, I have high expectations of you."

They both nod and salute to the two of us before making their way out of the office. Laurence stretches his back and lets out a heavy sigh. "That went better than I thought." I nod.

I start also making my way to the office door, when Laurence stops me by talking again.

"I'm thinking of leaving tomorrow evening. make sure you have normal clothes and sleeping stuff packed before then." I nod again and make my way of of the office, closing the sturdy door behind me.

Laurence POV:

Zenix closes the door and I plop myself back into my chair. I run my hand through my hair and sigh. Thoughts kept rushing through my head, yet I still couldn't think of anything in particular. I felt a little beside myself. Whether I wanted to admit it to myself or not, I was looking forward to returning to the Overworld. I hadn't been there since I left three years ago. I cringe at the memory of answering the calling.

"Ugh I was so emo."

I shake my head, and head to my chambers that was in a connecting room to my office. I was looking forward to feeling cold again, the feeling of water splashing against my skin, of grass through my fingers, of the night sky-- oh Irene how I was looking forward to seeing the night sky again.

I let out another sigh as I plopped myself on my cot. I heard distant cries of ghasts and thought of all the sounds I missed from the Overworld. Morning doves chirping, pigeon coos, trees rustling, wolf howls... I think I could go on forever. 

I rolled to my side and closed my eyes. Images of the day flashed through my brain. Aphmau... I hadn't seen her in three long years. She was worried about me and all I did was brush her off and throw her off a bridge. She sounded concerned... I don't remember the last time someone was concerned for me. I think it was before I even left the Overworld. 

And Garroth... he's still by her side even after all she had put him through. First I lost to Aaron, and now I lost to Garroth. He deserves her more than I did. When things got tough, I just abandoned my post, but he stayed by her side through all of it.

"Who am I kidding, I'm still emo."

I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling.

"Tomorrow, Zenix and I are returning to the Overworld... Maybe... Maybe I'll see Aphmau again and I'll be able to explain everything..."

I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep. That night, I dreamt of my post in Meteli... before my life became the hell that I was currently living. The day I met my love, the day I met my weakness, and the day I met my undoing. The day I sat at the port of Meteli and met Aphmau.