"Because Of Him" (Sky: Children of the Light Fan-made Stories)

Chapter 2: Friend Or Bait

"There's this secret area in Wasteland," Asra started.

After sliding down innumerable dunes, they had landed on a much more unswerving path. Thankfully, the crabs were too scattered about and the clouds above them appeared a brighter shade of wasteland green. Looking a bit closer to those clouds, you can see a crescent's light being spread throughout and for some of them, its top layers. In spite of that, it was colder than the last region they were in. Naturally, Keta released Asra's hand to firmly hug himself from the cursing low temperature environment, allowing Asra to continue rambling on about hidden places as he stepped multiple steps ahead.

"It includes a shipwreck. There's a krill close by it but trust me, she's not like any other krills you've encountered! Or perhaps she's one of the smart ones. And- oh! There's even a secret in the Hidden Forest too! You might have expected it since the name should've given it away already. However, we do need one more person to enter that place. Perhaps Cotton can help us! Oooor we can check if there are any other people around there. Yeah, that'll be fine too. No worries. I'll force them to help us if they refused to do so. Just kidding~! Well, maybe, but hey! Do you know the meaning of 'oob'-?"

"J-Just where-... are w-we g-g-going?" Keta cut Asra off while attempting to cover most parts of his body as much as he could, wincing every time the wind touched his bare skin. Behind his pallid mask, his eyes were barely open.

Asra is quite an informative fellow but having to stand and hear him talk this much while the coldness around them intensifies pressured the shorter speak up. Sure, Keta had lived in the wastelands for as long as he could remember but certainly not this part of the constellation. At least the area he often stayed in had fire pots lit here and there. This was like an eerie version of the arctic! Strangely, the taller caught on at last.

Nevertheless, seeing Keta that despicable made Asra laugh. He did apologize, even if he did not sound so apologetic. "Oh, sorry there! Should've brought that fuzzy cape along... but whatever. We're going to the shipwreck. It's right ahead and there are two winged lights waiting for you!"

He then went and reached out for Keta's arm. All of the sudden, a rather gentle smile grew on his face as he uttered with an unfamiliar soft tone of voice,"Come on, Keta. At least you're not doing this alone."

Silence occurred if it was not for Keta sighing, seeing his cold breath puff out as a small cloud and then disappear seconds after. He leaned vaguely towards Asra for warmth and shut his eyes fairly. They stood like so for a little while before Keta's body was warm enough to properly fly or at least move onwards again.

   It was strange indeed how the taller did not seem this affective towards the intense cold but the statement did not stick to the shorter's head for long because all Keta could think about was the other's heat, and hearing Asra's heartbeats seemed to make him feel a little more hotter.

Asra chuckled once knowing Keta was ready to carry on. He pointed ahead. "Vamonos!"

Soon, they were linking hands again. With a loud manta honk and a great surge of both light and heat energy, the two wended their ways to the so-called secret place Asra mentioned earlier. During their proceeded journey, Keta looked around for any other entities asides crawling crabs. He honestly expected to see at least one or two other veterans nearby but no, it was just the two of them in the wastelands. Bodies close to each other. Helping each other by sharing their lights and heat. This description made him feel a little embarrassed but at that moment, it felt more than right and he would not mind being even close enough to hug Asra.