Forgiving Light

Chapter 20

On the way home, Astral and Leviathan come out for a while. They discuss things in lowered tones in their native language. They trail quite far behind us so we can't eavesdrop.

"I'm not one to be nosy, but what do you think they're talking about?" Cat asks.

Probably the matter at hand. And Dark. "They're most likely talking about what's going on."

Cat nods pensively. She spots her house. "Well, I have to go now. Bye."

"Bye." I wave after her as she hurries home. Her cat Bella follows.

"...He may be involved," Astral says. "Who knows, Leviathan."

I jump in surprise. I look behind me. They're still a long way away; there's no way I'd be able to hear them. Plus, they're talking in their native tongues. I shouldn't be able to understand them.

Unless...

The words I could read. They were in the same language Astral writes in, and I could read them. The strange, curvy characters. If I can read them, I can surely understand the words spoken for some reason.

"How do you know?" Levaithan asks. He speaks in a different language than Astral, but I can still understand him.

"I see him every night," Astral explains. "It is as if he has no control over himself, like a wild animal. The others agree with that."

Silence. Could they possibly be talking about me?

"Also, Black Mist had him deliver me a message. That the darkness is spreading faster than I can stop it."

"We must act quickly, then."

They float up to me. Leviathan goes into the Key, and Astral remains out.

"You could understand us," Astral says bluntly after a while.

I glance at him. "Yeah. I have no idea why, though."

Astral sighs. "I am almost afraid to explain it..."

"Also, when I woke up early this morning, I went to the destruction site. I found words, and I could read them. They were in your language."

Astral freezes. "You...what?"

"I could read them," I repeat. "I have no idea how."

"This is severe," Astral groans, rubbing his temples.

No, not his temples exactly. His middle and index fingers are massaging the two gems closer to his temples. Why did I never notice that? Hell, why did I never ask about the damn gems!?

"What are the gems for?"

"Easing pain."

Well, such a blunt Q&A. The bluntest ever.

"I see," I sigh. "You know, I always thought they were for decoration."

"Actually, they have the most nerves in them, so they are the most sensitive pain-wise." Astral holds out his right arm, displaying the gem on the side of his elbow. "If you do not believe me, hit this gem as hard as you can. Your bare fists will do nothing, though."

I look into my school bag, and I take out a hard-cover text book.

Why do I even have this text book?

Oh, well.

I swing the book with all my might, which isn't a whole lot. The book makes contact, and the result is immediate.

"Fu-" Astral bites back the word, straining to hide his pain. Finally, he lets it out. "FUCK!!" He rubs the gem feverishly, muttering every vile curse word in his language.