AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

28.2 GOLDSTAR

The story so far:

----Aija, Zuri, and Ze are three friends, who were working at the Pristine School at Innermost. Aija gets involved with the Ytai first, leading Zuri and Ze to them as well. Zuri falls in love with Nala (Lalana), who is Ytai, and works with Thieron. Aija and Ze are captured by Thieron, of H'eon, when they were at the Hospital - Aija was at the Hospital with Kuna of R'ies and Zuri to stop a Harvest; Ze was there to visit his sick student Xan. Thieron has bound Aija to himself, and Nala has bound Ze to herself. Luka works for Thieron(Ah'n), along with Lalana (Nala).

----Aija and Ze go along with the three Ytai. It's a Harvest, but Thieron doesn't inform them since Aija would hinder them. When Nala and Luka go away, Thieron shows them the sea -which has swallowed the land. A sea-savage pulls Aija into the sea when she is standing too close to the water on the walkway. Aija faints after Thieron saves her from the sea-savages, just as she remembers that a sea-savage bit her.

----Goldstar had received information that Aija and Ze are kidnapped.

----Goldstar is uncomfortable with Vincent staying with him, in Pristine Four. Vincent has a way of making him feel weirded out concerning his feelings. While on the other hand, Iyler keeps distancing herself because she doesn't know who Goldstar really is.

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****28.2 - Goldstar****

The Apartment door unlocked as he walked to it. It seemed quiet; maybe Avery was still in class. 

Goldstar entered the Apartment to find Vincent at the dining table looking at something on his DigiScreen. He nodded once at Goldstar as he came and went back to his work as if he couldn't care lesser if Goldstar had arrived. Goldstar returned a nod, though the man wasn't looking at him already, and went to his room. 

He took a bath and freshened up. Avery had mailed him the notes from the classes he'd missed; Goldstar had missed a lot. He tried to go through the notes so that he could catch up for the next day's lessons. But all he could think of was about the missing kids. 

Every small sound outside the room startled him. He kept expecting Vincent to come to his room. He kept turning towards the door each time there was a sound. 

Was Vincent angry with him? He had left before Vincent had woken up. Why did it matter if Vincent was angry? If he was angry, he was. It wasn't Goldstar's problem. 

"Argh...." Goldstar mumbled, pulling at his cropped black hair. 

Did he have to flee to the South Land to be rid of Vincent's influence? He did not have that many leaves left, though. 

There was a knock on his door, and he flinched. He commanded the central system to open the door, expecting the tall, green-eyed man to walk in. But, it was the brown-eyed, black-haired Avery. He almost sighed in relief. 

"All okay?" he asked, sitting on his bed. Goldstar nodded, his eyes drifting to the open door; to the main room. 

"Thanks for the notes." 

"You're always welcome." Avery smiled. "I hope things are more settled now." 

Goldstar shrugged. 

"It's going to be alright." Avery's voice was gentle. 

"I hope so," Goldstar whispered. 

Avery nodded. "Dinner's ready." 

"Avery?" 

"Yes, Veer?" 

"Thanks, man." 

Avery looked at him, worried. "Always, man."