The Evanescent

Chapter Thirteen

Mae awoke just as the sun set over the horizon, plunging the forest into semidarkness as the moon rose. Before her she saw a veil of silver membrane dimly illuminated by the moon's light. This confused her greatly, then Deitonin stirred behind her, causing the membrane to twitch as he let out a yawn.

She looked back at him, realizing that the membrane belonged to wings.

His wings.

Deitonin's eyes soon fluttered open and he looked down at her, "Morning..."

Mae smiled, "More like evening...the sun is setting."

The wings opened and he looked up at the sky, "So it is..."

"The forest is more beautiful at night...the Precursor metal embedded in bits of the cliffs glow a brilliant color at night."

He looked about as he sat up, "I only see silver and amber at night..."

A frown formed, "Why?"

The Dæmon rubbed his eye, "Night vision..."

"Oh," she said, "Okay."

He spread his wings as he stretched, revealing that he had an impressive wingspan nearing thirty feet if she were to guess, "Aye...living things are highlighted in amber...Inorganic things are silver..."

Mae watched the little movements of his wings, "Ah..."

Deitonin soon folded his wings around him, sighing softly, "I'm cold..."

"The nights do get a bit chilly..."

He shivered, "I am completely soaked too..."

Mae chuckled, "Well, you did jump into the stream."

"Really?" Deitonin asked looking to her with a cocked eyebrow.

She nodded.

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily, "Must've been fighting the Dark blood still..."

"Yeah...almost lost yourself..." Mae said, trailing off.

"I understand...but all I felt was hatred and...hunger..."

"I know...but I was able to keep anything from going bad."

Deitonin looked to her in with true gratitude, "Thank you..."

She nodded in response. He soon got to his feet, curling his wings around his body as a cool breeze blew over them.

This caused Mae to shiver, "Geez...it's cold."

Deitonin stepped forward and scooped her off her feet and took off before she had the chance to protest, only suppressing a squeal and clinging to him with her eyes shut tightly.

The Dæmon held her tighter as he flew over the wall and through the air above Haven City to the Freedom HQ. The cold wind whipped their hair into their face, easing a bit as he landed, entering the elevator as the doors opened for him. His wings curled around him once again as he shuddered, "So c-cold..."

Mae looked up at him, "P-please...warm me next time...y-you decide to do that..."

Deitonin gently set her on her feet, grimacing as he leaned against the wall, "R-right..."

"You okay?"

He looked down at her, murmuring, "Running...out of energy..."

"Oh...we should get back to the room then."

Deitonin nodded weakly, "Aye..."

Mae's hand grasped his and she led him out of the elevator after it open, he followed, keeping his wings around him as they walked through the HQ to their bunk room.