Shadows of Atlas

10- Empty Doubts

Eto woke up from his bed sweating and panting until he realized he wasn't dreaming anymore. 'Should you fail, the behemoth shall rise.' Eto remembered what the voice from his dream said. 'What is it trying to tell me? Who is it do I have to battle? What or who is the behemoth? Argh, so many questions and so little time,' he thought as he exited from his room and made his way to the main area of the base.

"You sure that he wasn't playing a trick on you?," Brian asked Abner. "I don't know, some of the things he said made sense. For instance, when Eto is with Christian, they both act edgy together. But when he is with Zai, he acts sassy just like her," Abner explained.

"So what?! It just means that we both share the same interests!," Christian said angrily as he defended his friend. "W-wait Christian, what Abner was trying to say is that Eto is sometimes devoid of emotion...," Ernie tried to explain, but made it worse. "So you're saying that just because he doesn't react normally, he is a husk!?," Christian's temper started to get out of control as his vines were starting to flail uncontrollably. "Calmix!," Zai casted a calming spell that lowered Christian's anger levels to normal. "Thank you Zai," Ernie aknowledged Zai's intervention. "Hmph, I didn't do that for you," Zai said coldly. "Eto does fight rather ruthlessly, he kills every StriveCo. employee that dares cross his path and still walks out without feeling remorse. I think Yael was right, he is a husk," Abner concluded, but didn't notice that Eto was standing there looking hurt as he entered the room at the same exact time he said that.

"O-oh, you're awake... So how are you feeling?," Ernie asked akwardly. Eto turned around and sprinted towards the exit. "Eto! Wait! You call that being devoid of emotion? Argh! Damnit I won't waste any more time berating you two, I gotta chase after him," Christian said as he ran after Eto. "I hope you're satisfied, you better hope Eto comes back because Andrew won't be too happy," Zai said in anger.

Christian walked through the forest in hopes of finding his friend, but to no avail. "Fuck, still no trace of him!," Christian yelled until he saw a cat looking at him. "What are you looking at, huh?," He said and the cat turned around and meowed as if trying to tell him something. "Wait, Eto once told me that Nature mages can talk to animals with a certain spell... What was it again? Le-len... Oh yeah! Lengua Animalis!," Christian casted the spell and the he understood the cat. "This way nature mage, the young one who is hurt is right on top of this tree," the cat said.

Christian climbed the tree and saw Eto curled up on one of the branches staring at the moon and the stars. "Pretty night, huh?," Christian said, startling Eto. "Christian? Why are you here? Go back to the base, you don't need to be with me. I can't feel remember?," Eto said with a sad tone. "You really are stupid," Christian said. "Excuse me?," Eto said in a offended tone. "If you couldn't feel then you wouldn't be offended by my insult just now, or enjoyed that magic contest that we all went to," Christian explained. "... You heard what Abner said, Yael told him that I reflect emotions back at others. And I did attack you in the forest, I didn't know what came over me and..." Eto told Christian with his face full of guilt. "Who cares! Yael's a bitch, that what he is. He doesn't even know you that much, who cares what he says? I knew you attacked me in the forest and I wanted to escape at first, but then you made me remember my purpose in joining the Corans. Also I'm supposed to be the edgy one here, not you," Christian comforted him. Eto could only chuckle at the insult.

"There he is, the person who saved my life when I had no one to turn to," Christian said. "But even if I were to go back... no one would want me there," Eto said as he remembered what Abner said. "Look, Abner nor Ernie meant to hurt you and that's coming from me, a genetic bioweapon who is also an edgy wannabe and has uncontrollable rage issues. If they did then who cares, the only person who should matter is you. I mean if you weren't there for me that day, I'm pretty sure I would've been recaptured and experimented on even more... So what im trying to say is... um... well... yo- you're my best friend, there I said it," Christian said a bit embarassed.

"Wow Chris, that is literally the gayest thing anyone's ever said to me," Eto joked around as he regained his usual composure. "Whaaaat!?," Christian yelled as he lost his temper in a comedic fashion. "Oh my God, that was so beautiful... Is this a tear coming out of my eye? Damn," Eto made a fake tear gesture. "Shut up you dick! Ugh whatever let's just go back to the base," Christian said in semi-anger. "Okay then," Eto said as they walked back cracking jokes on the way.

As Eto entered the base, he saw a huge happy birthday banner and a birthday cake. "Happy birthday!," Abner and Ernie yelled. "Uh guys, it's not my birthday," Eto said with a slight chuckle. "We know, but you joined the Corans  this day 3 months ago. So consider it your Coran birthday kiddo!," Abner said. "Guys... I forgive you. There's no need to do this gesture for me. You had your doubt about me and I understand now, however overcoming those doubts is what strengthens our friendship," Eto said with a smile.

"Zai suggested we did this...," Ernie said as he looked at a happy Zai eating chocolate cake. "You believed Zai? Zai, who is a good manipulator?," Eto said while bursting into laughter. "What? I was in the mood for cake and I wasn't gonna let your drama deprive me of my cravings damnit," Zai said with sass while she ate a slice of cake.

"Guys...," Eto said as he returned to the thing he was going to originally say. "What?," Ernie asked. "I think I know where we can find the Prince," he said.