Vita Viridi

Parting Paths

Arya couldn't believe what she was seeing. She knew what she was told, but the fact Grimm found em, made her relieved. "FINALLY, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" She wacked Grimm on the head, yelling at him.

He sighed, "Are you three ok?"

"Oh yes, thanks to you deary," Treyala collapsed into Jack's arms, exhausted from all the mana she used.

"What she said," Jack kept his pride, but knew he needed to say thanks.

"Who's your companion?" Arya poked Puer.

"Names Puer Viridis, Puer if prefered."

"Now your frie-," Grimm was cut off when Treyala had a sudden adrenaline boost, pushing Grimm aside and gripping Puer's shoulders tightly.

"Puer?!"

"Treyala!?"

The two began to talk none stop. To the other there's view, they must've known each other from before, so they let 'em be.

Jack walked up to Grimm and sniffed him up.

"What is the meaning of th-"

"Sorry buddy, but you just had the scent of that old man on you," he pressed his right palm against Grimm and gripped his shirt tightly, "Can I trust you," he showed his teeth.

Grimm didn't respond.

"Can I!"

Grimm stayed quiet.

Jack raised up his other hand, sprouting out his claws like unsheathing a sharp blade. "If you happen to work for that old man, I want you to tell me I can trust you."

Grimm smiled, but not of innocence, but one that holds much evil, one that thirst for blood and craved chaos, one a hero wouldn't have. "You can't," he gripped onto the hair exposed from Jack's chest,popping out his shirt, "Because I'm a great mischievous liar!"

Jack felt a sensation he's never felt, in a long long time. Eyes being engulfed by darkness, fear, he looked at Grimm, as both let go of each other. Hitting the ground hard, both Puer and Treyala stared.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Treyala entered an attack stance, "What Puer said."

Jack looked like a newborn when abandoned by it's mother. Scared, sad, and alone. "You're worse than the old man!"

Grimm ignored them, walked to Arya and took her by the waist, pulling her to his side.

Arya was scared too now.

Treyala made vines slowly uproot, "Arya, I though you said he was a friend?"

Puer copied Treyala, "Hey? You're n-n-not a bad guy right?"

Grimm began to laugh.

Pushing herself away from Grimm, she felt like she didn't know him anymore. "Is this the other you, Grimm?"

He stopped...."I know my curse now," he clasped his hands over his face, "I've never had a family! That boy, Oswald, you remember!"

Arya started to take steps closer to him, "Grimm?"

"He was my brother! He bestowed me his powers, but that's forbidden magic to give another one's own magic, that Grim, he was just a mental disorder of mine!" He threw his hands to his side, "I'm immortal you see! I will watch you all die, while I comeback, over, and over, and over!" Grimm fell onto his knees, "My life, memories, what I believed in...it was all a lie," like a leaky faucet, water came out his eyes. He began to cry.

Jack got up and walked over to Puer and Treyala, "I don't trust a broken man with the smell of the devil, we should go," they began to walk, but stopped to look at Arya, "Gonna catch up kid?"

"C'mon," Puer gestured his hands, "If he is a bad guy, I don't want to have to kill him."

Treyala looked at Arya, "He may have been the man you once trusted before-"

Arya gripped the cloak she'd been wearing the whole time,Grimms, tightly from the inside.

"But how can you tru-"

Arya went behind Grimm, lowered herself to her knees, wrapped her arms around Grimm's waist, and layed her head on his back, "Go, give me a coordinate, location, and we'll be there," Arya didn't want to leave her broken ally.

Jack growled, "We'll be heading north, out on the outskirts of the Human Kingdom. We'll plan an attack to kill that bastard...and if your friend is still broken then...well," Puer pat Jack's head.

"Good doggy," it was hard for Jack to take Puer serious, he acted much like a child, but his actions held maturity to them.

"Well you know what we'll do!"

The three had disappeared into the forest.

Grimm was staring at he ground, arms limp. He felt as though he just lost all energy to do anything.

Arya started to lift him up, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Hey, I saw this house on my way here, let's spruce it up, stay for a bit?"

Grimm gave a weak nod.

Walking off the the tree outskirts, Arya turned and took a last look at all the dwarves Grimm slaughtered. Although she knew she should've been afraid, a feeling told her not to leave him.