Resentment -- MCD S3 Zenix x Laurence

Chapter 7

Laurence POV:

After a moment of nausea, I opened my eyes again to be greeted by the bright sky. A swift breeze rushed by me and I took in a deep breath. The air was cold, and I felt it circulate through my lungs to cool my body down. I shivered for the first time in three years, my skin becoming bumpy under my armour.

I heard the drone of the portal get louder, followed by Zenix's gags. I turn around and watch him shudder and wipe the gunk off of him. I chuckled lowly to myself watching him get his bearings again.

I grab his arm and pull him away from the portal as the tendrils collect themselves again and pull the sides of the portal together, sealing away the hot hellscape. We emerged from the side of a giant boulder, and where the portal once stood was a long scar that tarnished the once smooth surface of the rock.

I felt Zenix shudder again and gently pull his arm away.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

I looked up towards the sky. The sun was setting, and the sky was filled with vibrant hues of oranges and purples. I sighed contently. How many sunsets have I seen with Aph? I wonder if she's looking at the same sunset as me right now. I wonder if she's thinking of me...

"Stop thinking about her." Zenix's voice pulls me out of my thoughts. "What do you mean? Who?"

He rolls his eyes.

"You're thinking about Aphmau again. Stop it."

He turns away from me, and begins walking further inland.

"Where are you going?" I call after him.

"We should get as far away from Phoenix Drop as we can before we set up camp. With how loud that portal was, I'm sure guards are already heading this way to investigate."

He continues walking deeper into the forest, leaving me alone by the gates of Phoenix Drop. I can't help but wonder if Aph is here, if there are still villagers living here. Does Dante still reside within these walls? What about Donna and Logan? I wish I could see them all again, tell everyone that I'm okay... but they didn't even care about me when I was here. Why would they care that I was gone? Why do I owe them the time and effort to come and visit them when they never had the energy to see if I was okay when I was here.

I scoff and follow Zenix into the forest.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Hours had passed since Zenix and I had emerged from the portal into the Overworld. The journey was silent, and the sun had set a while ago. The faint light of the sun below the horizon could still be seen as the sky began to be dusted with stars. The moon was rising in the east, it was waning.

I let out another sigh.

We had set up camp a while ago, any further and we'd draw attention to ourselves. We still hadn't changed from our armour, and the distinct red glow would've been a dead giveaway if anyone had encountered us. Zenix was off somewhere collecting wood for a fire. Though Shadow Knights don't rely on food or sleep to regain energy, if left without some connection to the Nether for an extended period of time they can get... a little antsy. Fire is a good way to handle the side effects until we're able to return to the Nether.

I had set up the tent for the night and the sleeping bags. I'd switched out of the armour for clothes more suited for a wanderer, a scrappy tunic, a cloak and of course my green scarf. I know if someone saw me it would be a dead giveaway, but walking around the Overworld without something tying me back to my life as a human would've driven me mad. I sighed again. Running the rebellion had taken a lot out of me, leaving me no time for my thoughts and now all of a sudden I had all the time to think in the world. Zenix was not much of a talker I was figuring out, which wasn't a problem, but that meant more time for me to think. And I did not want to think.