The Dark Element (ABANDONED AND UP FOR ADOPTION)

Chapter Thirty-three: Confessions

Hmm... I wonder when this will end.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Thank you."

The two were at the balcony once again, and Atalanta had just finished telling Void what she had done.

"Don't thank me yet. I still don't know whether it will work or not," the newly-made cadet told the dark elemental.

"It will. Because I believe in you."

Atalanta quickly whipped her head to stare at him, and Void blushed. "I-I mean, there's a huge possibility that it would work because the appearance of Lunar would most probably negate the effects of the curse."

Atalanta nodded but still continued staring at him which made Void uncomfortable enough to look away. "You'd probably sleep, Ata."

"Ata?" the brown-haired girl asked, ignoring the request.

"A nickname. Atalanta's a mouthful."

Atalanta snorted but smiled nonetheless. "I like it."

Silence enveloped the two of them as they watched the midnight stars. She remembered a story that she had once read, about the midnight star.

"If you are very quiet and do not look away, you may see the brightest star in the constellation glow steadily brighter. It brightens until it overwhelms every other star in the sky, brightens until it seems to touch the ground, and then the glow is gone, and in its place is a girl."

Void smiles as he recognized the paragraph from Marie Lu's The Midnight Star. He continued the story from where Atalanta left it.

"Her hair and lashes are painted a shifting silver, and a scar crosses one side of her face. She is dressed in Sealand silk and a necklace of sapphire. Some say that once upon a time, she had a prince, a father, a society of friends. Others say that she was once a wicked queen, a worker of illusions, a girl who brought darkness across the lands. Still, others say that she once had a sister and that she loved her dearly. Perhaps all of these are true."

The lines of the story hit her home, but Atalanta didn't show any outward emotion. Void caught her spike of emotion but didn't comment on it, knowing that she would tell whenever she's ready.

"She walks to the boy, tilts her head up at him, and smiles. He bends down to kiss her. Then he helps her onto the horse, and she rides away with him to a faraway place, until they can no longer be seen."

At this, Void looked at Atalanta, who was looking at him as well.

"These are only rumors, of course, and make little more than a story to tell around a fire. But it is told. And thus they live on."

"I'm Adelina, aren't I?" Void asked, amusedly. "And you're Magiano, waiting for the Midnight Star to come to life."

Atalanta nodded. "I'm gonna miss this," she said.

"Why? It's not like we won't see each other again."

"If Lunar comes into the picture, you'll disappear. And even if you come out as Dark's third tier, you'll probably won't remember any of this," the voice manipulator said, tears pooling in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

Void cupped her cheeks, making her look at him. "It is possible, of course. But I won't forget you. The heart never forgets, Atalanta."

The dark elemental kissed her forehead as she closed her eyes. "Go to sleep, Ata. We'll see each other soon."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"This scene seems familiar."

Indeed it was. However, this time, they were trying to bring out Lunar instead of Dark.

"Do you have any idea as to how we can trigger him?" Solar asked Dark who shrugged in response.

"I only know as much as you do."

This scenario continued on for days, and Dark could feel his frustration rising. Not to mention that the psychotic voice in his head was getting worse and Void had started to come out at random moments. It took either Yaya or Earth to force him back to his first tier.

Solar finally got his answer two weeks after the ceremony.

"If Lunar was to dispel the madness curse on Void, then he should have a personality like Earth's or Yaya's. The urge of protectiveness and comfort. And as his name hints, the light to the darkness," he explained.

Solar also theorized that Dark has to let all of his negativities go in order to achieve Lunar easier. Dark wasn't keen on the idea. Holding on (to what I haven't got~ Lol, just kidding. I get random Linkin Park lyrics in my head. Why is everything so heavy?) to the darkness is what makes him like that. To let go of them means to let go of himself. But he has no other logical choice. He tried very hard to postpone the it, but Earth had cornered him eventually.

"Dark, please. This isn't about gatting Lunar out anymore," he said.

"Then what?" Dark asked harshly as to which he apologized later on.

"It's about your happiness," Earth said softly. "Don't even bother saying that you're really happy with what's happening. I can read you, Dark. I can read everyone's body language."

Dark went silent after that so Earth sat down beside him and waited for him to speak.

The silence gradually became uncomfortable for the earth elemental so when he was relieved when Dark spoke.

He told Earth everything, from the memories of BoBoiBoy's childhood that he had tried to supress, up until the battle with Vargoba. (The memories are for another chapter.)

By the end of Dark's story, both of them are crying silently. Surprisingly, no one was in the hallway with them even though it's in the middle of the day. (Yaya admitted later that she had seen them but decided to give them privacy, and had told everyone else not to go to that hallway.)

"I-I didn't know," Earth whispered.

Dark smiled bitterly. "BoBoiBoy himself supressed these memories so that he won't be affected by them. However, when I manifested, the memories came along."

"I'm surprised you didn't go into depression," Earth mused.

"I'm surprised that you didn't get anxiety or panic attacks."

Earth whipped his head to look at him, eyes wide. "You knew?!"

"Of course I knew. It's part of my powers, to sense others' darkness," Dark didn't seem to be particularly happy at this.

Earth sighed and Dark put a hand on his shoulder. "I won't force you to tell anything. But if you're ready to tell, I'm all ears."

The motherly elemental smiled at Dark and they both walked away, not noticing Dark's watch glowing silver softly.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I meant to publish this last night but I haven't finished the chapter.

So, Lunar's on his way. I'm sorry if the timeline of the story seemed to be... off. The events of Dark's confession was already weeks after the ceremony. But I really wanted to finished this already, as I still have ideas for another book.

Anyway, I was planning to make a second book of TDE, but I don't know where to focus. If anyone has an idea, just comment or pm me. Thanks!

Edit: Void and Atalanta are just friends. I'm not gonna do pairings in this book, as I have to focus on the events. I'll probably do it in the next book.