Daevari -II-

Chapter 6: Closer

Ari remained distant, retreating further into himself. He disregarded all of Nis' attempts at reassurance and comfort. Was this not what he desired? To remember? Ari wished to blame him for provoking his curiosity about memories he neither wanted to know nor ever recall, but he could not. He had sought them out himself, driven by a need to draw closer to Auovin and reclaim what was once his. The blame lay solely with him.

He craved no comfort. Not from Sascha. Not from Kaval or Cyrus. He only wished to be alone, so he found himself outside, perched atop some abandoned part of the villa. He could see for miles, the landscape stretching endlessly before him. Not far off, Ari spotted the spire of the temple, capturing his attention.

Ari touched his forehead, recalling what had transpired there with Xaaza. She had vanished that day, leaving him with a necklace that had sent Auovin into a fit of rage. Ari lowered his head onto his knees and sighed. No matter how much he pondered, no matter how he tried to reason with himself, Ari could not fathom the actions he had seen in Auovin's memories. It made no sense. Back then, Auovin had been the stars to him, the embodiment of everything he desired, everything he dreamed of, perfection and beauty made tangible. What could have driven him to commit such acts, to speak such words to him? It defied understanding.

A thought struck him then. Perhaps it made no sense to him because those were Auovin's memories of that time, but they were not his own. Something felt wrong, not quite right, and now Ari understood why. A piece was missing—his own memory of the event.

Ari knew better than to return to the temple from which Auovin had taken him, but he felt it deep within— the answer lay there. The reason for all this misfortune, the misunderstandings that had spanned centuries, causing hurt and pain that persisted through his lifetimes. Ari rose, overcome with angry tears. They were not for himself. He did not deserve them. It was for Auovin for the person who dared to harm him and feel those terrible emotions that nearly broke him from the taste. Ari could hardly think to carry them through the centuries looking upon the face who caused them. The same face confessing their love for you. Ari could not stomach the thought.

But Auovin. He... tears dripped down his face. It is not so wrong of him to desire a future without himself after everything, but Ari was too selfish– far too selfish to accept that. He wanted him and could not think of a life without him. To live a life without him... it would be worse than any death.

Ari shook his head, pulling himself back together. He must not be impulsive and act rashly. Before going to the temple, perhaps he should ask Nis a few questions and possibly stop by the room Auovin brought him to once before hoping to find that blue necklace left there. If he could not find it then he would ask Cyrus. Yes, that would be his plan. Going to the temple would be a last resort. Nothing good awaited him there.

Ari climbed back through the window he had exited earlier and made his way through the villa, heading toward where he had last seen Nis. Upon arriving, he found Nis wearing a pensive expression, while Kaval hovered over him, seething with anger.

"I warned you," Kaval said coldly. "Do not think to use Ari and manipulate his emotions to further your cause."

"I am doing no such thing. I kept an eye on him, found him passed out, and brought him here. That was all. Why do you always assume the worst of me?"

"Worst?" Kaval chuckled darkly. "Nis, we both know you are capable of much more than this."

"You know," Nis replied, squeezing Kaval's wrist, "I am growing weary of your duplicity. Devious devil."

Kaval's glare intensified. "You desire me, yet you are devoted to him. Your two-facedness is showing. You cannot have both when we clearly want different things."