Messengers of Mankind

A Truce, or An Ally? (9)

A reflexive "Who are you?" tumbled out from Dream's lips.

The stranger's soft smile seemed ever-present. "Just call me Illumina."

"Er, I'm.." Dream started, but did not get to finish his sentence as the stranger named Illumina completed his sentence for him.

"Clay, codenamed Dream. Am I right?" Illumina's smile was met with silence, and a face that must be full of shock and incredulity under the mask. There was no need for confirmation - his reaction gave away everything.

"How did you-" Dream found himself cut off by Illumina, who spoke over him with a voice that was both excited and restrained. His violet eyes glowed an almost blinding color as he inched closer to Dream, his black pupils nearly drowning in the sea of violet-purple. "Did some research on those of my own. But that does not matter, does it? My sincerest apologies for interrupting, by the way - but before we continue our chatting further, I will need to confirm something."

Backing up even further and putting an adequate amount of distance between them in an attempt to , Dream had eventually felt his back hit the smooth surface of a pillar. His eyes warily followed every move of the man.

Abruptly, a calming presence washed over Dream - it came with no warning nor shock, as if appearing from nothing. It felt... unnerving, to say the least. His hand slackened as the raven war axe clattered to the ground. Normally he'd have tried to resist; but he felt placid, like nothing is wrong with this very dangerous situation he's got himself in. The soft outlines of Illumina's face, made harsh by his attire, seemed especially mysterious and threatening despite the kind smile in the bland lighting of the abandoned mall. Lost in the entrancing violet of his irises, Dream was oblivious of the slender fingers that gripped the edge of his white mask.

With a steady tug that was neither gentle nor harsh, his face was exposed to the man he had barely known. With his freckled cheeks suddenly exposed to the cold air, Dream snapped back from the dazed, trancelike state he was in. Through all the disorientation and confusion, Dream was somehow still able to grasp onto reality. Eventually, those emerald eyes that were rimmed with violet were wide and stared at Illumina in disbelief as realization of what just happened dawned upon him.

The same gloved hand gently caressed around his eyes as Illumina smiled apologetically, inching forward to further examine the bright green irises that were adorned by a ring of that exact shade of soft purple. "How informal and unfitting of me to do something like this upon our first meeting. However, it is necessary for me to do so."

"..What the hell did you do to me?!" Dream managed to gather some of his senses as he reached to grab at his mask, which now was held loosely in Illumina's hands. Anger and fear that stemmed from his exposed identity were bubbling up inside him. "Give back my mask!"

Surprisingly, he yielded to Dream's demand willingly. Snatching back his mask and hastily re-adjusting it over his face, Dream's anger dimmed significantly and was replaced with utter confusion. Every move this man had made was a wild card - so very different from any other people he has met. The unpredictability made him all the more alarming - it was extremely clear that he was on par with Dream in any aspects, if not surpassing him.

"Apologies once again for the uncalled action on my behalf." Illumina backed away a few steps, maintaining a safe distance with the fellow soldier. The same smile hung lopsided on his partly obscured features. "However, Clay, I am quite delighted to have met you."

Dream gave a sideways glance from his half-bent position, having been in the middle of retrieving his war axe from the floor. "Have you been expecting me?"