The Oracle

Chapter 21: Reunited

SORA

Upon hearing Akari breathe out Revernece's name and noticing the similarities between him and Carmin, I scan him over with hitched breath, my free hand at my left side wanting to curl into a fist and squeeze hard until my knuckles turn white.

"...If I couldn't do that, then what good am I at all?" Merrick's words ring in my head and I purse my lips.

"Speak!" Gambit commands, her tone full of authority and her chin held high, her hands clenched at her sides.

"I..." Reverence clears his throat, his eyes flickering across all of our faces. "I'm sorry..."

"Sorry for what, Reverence? Sorry for the grief you've left in your wake? Sorry for never coming back? Sorry for running? Saying you're sorry implies that you never intended on coming back, that you never intended on being found. Clearly, that seems to be the case, given how you just ran from us. I expect you to explain. Do you hear me?" Gambit says, each word clear, precise, and carefully placed. "How long, Reverence? How long?"

"Well...I never died--" Reverence starts.

"That's evident," Gambit purses her lips and Reverence swallows thickly before he continues.

"Whenever I fell, I went into a coma for three months..." Reverence continues. "Whenever I woke up, I was surprised that I was even alive. I found that my wings were fixed up like this and my leg also had this brace on. I was found by a woman who lived in the ravine, a woman who studied alchemy from outside of Aria. She helped keep me alive and fixed me up. After about six months of physical therapy and staying with her, I ventured out to try and find the runestones."

"And you thought it was a good idea to never come back, to never send word that you were alive, because..." Gambit trails off, her eyebrows raised expectantly.

"Because I'm not..." Reverence trails off before he purses his lips and opens and closes his mouth a few times, conflicted, "I don't...I didn't..."

Reverence trails off and winces as he grabs ahold of his shoulder before he puts more pressure on the wall and leans his head back, his teeth clenched.

"Reverence?" Gambit frowns, concern leaking into her features.

"I didn't want him, or anyone else, to lose me again," Reverence breathes out finally, his eyes meeting Gambit's.

"What do you mean?" Gambit asks softly, knowing he's talking about Merrick.

"I think I understand," Clea breathes out, her eyes wide before she asks quietly. "How long?"

"Now? About two months," Reverence laughs dryly before he coughs and slides down the wall.

"You mean..." Gambit's breath hitches and her eyes widen. "But how?"

"Whenever I said that the alchemist kept me alive, I didn't ever say how," Reverence laughs bitterly as he runs a hand through his hair. "In order to save me, she had to imbue nightmare essence into my heart. Even still, that only bought me little time. I set out in search of the runestones because she said that they could save me, but I haven't even accomplished anything. This was the furthest I've gotten and you six just...you just came right along like it was no damn problem. I spent years of my time searching only to be led here, utterly defeated with only two measly months left."

"Don't say that!" Gambit shouts, her eyes desperate, and Reverence's breath hitches. "You may have been a moron to not come back, to think that disappearing would make things easier in the end, to think even for a second that it was better to vanish altogether without another word spoken even though it's so painfully obvious that we rather would've spent all the time we could have with you, cherished every moment, but now that we know you're alive, we're not going to just let you die on us! I refuse to let that happen!"