Void Walker

Chapter Six: The Cost of Power

Rei collided straight into Cavlon on their way downstairs, and Miklos had a vague feeling that a two-man war was about to erupt.

Cold, piercing blue eyes glowered at Rei in a condescending stare. Her shoulders were taut and rigid, and a gloved hand rested upon her the hilt of her knife. Miklos wondered if she intended to use it, or that the precautionary measure was merely instinctual. But he thought it might be better if he didn't stay to find out. Unfortunately, Cavlon had positioned himself in a manner that indicated that he wasn't about to let the group pass.

On top of that, the standoff between Cavlon and Leo's party earlier was still fresh in Miklos's memory. Pitting Cavlon and Rei against each other - he was certain that given time, and a little bit of incentive, one of the ticking time bombs would eventually detonate.

"You must really detest me, barrelling into me like that." Cavlon twisted his mouth into a sneer. His sleek, princely black hair angled towards her as if regarding her worth in serious contemplation.

A pity that good looks could be so easily ruined by a terrible personality.

"Does that come as a surprise to you? Yes, I detest you. Now move," she ordered in a voice so calm and leveled that it surprised Miklos. Rei folded her arms. On the bright side, that meant that he had at least a second to scramble out of the way if she decided to unsheathe her weapon.

With all the time in the world, Cavlon smoothened out the creases on his coat, unfazed by her brazen response. Miklos half-expected Luca to step in, make a couple of snide remarks and an insult or two - but he did not. Miklos figured Rei wasn't the sort who would appreciate others fighting her battles for her.

Meanwhile, Cavlon's cold gaze roved over each member of Rei's group, disregarding each individual until finally, it rested on Miklos. An idea seemed to spark in his head, and a flicker of excitement rippled across his features, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

"Miklos, correct?"

He could have very well been saying 'cow manure'. Miklos hadn't been very fond of him from the start. Now, he was starting to detest the boy.

"Leave him alone," Rei asserted before Miklos could answer. She tried to force her way around Cavlon, but he blocked her path. For someone much younger and shorter than Rei, the kid sure had guts.

"I suppose the old man assigned you to them," he sighed, addressing Miklos with his nose. "Such a pity. You could propose to Loric for a re-assignment. Acquire a better mentor team. These people are. . . incapable, and I do say this with good reason. Perhaps you'd like to hear about the time Rei-"

In one swift, drastic moment, Rei's mood shifted and she snapped at him: "You were a much better person."

Clearly, the boy had struck a sore spot. With Cavlon's words, the sea of calm broke into churning, angry waves of violence. Her fists were clenched so hard that her knuckles went white. She looked ready to pounce on Cavlon and strangle him to death.

A much better person? Part of Miklos wanted to laugh out loud. The other part of him wanted to retreat backwards, preferably snug in the shadow of Krea whom he now admired for her ability to go unnoticed. Except that she was taking sharp, shallow breaths, and his ears caught the shaky mutterings that came out like silent wisps of air.

"One. Two. Three. Four. . ." she counted slowly.

Beside him, Luca had tensed in response to his comrade's overt display of anger.

Ignoring Rei's remark, Cavlon made a show of casually picking at his nails. "Indeed, the truth is always hard to handle," he gloated. "A rank two mage, and yet your powers are out of cont-"