“Why’d you let them go?” Artemis asked, voice uncharacteristically quiet after they watched Lavimo and Haven follow Orvana further down the corridor, his gaze stuck on the dark violet curtain that covered the staircase they’d descended.

  Was it the right decision? He’d let Haven make the call, as Kal was well aware that they were far better at navigating Lavimo’s emotions than he was. They understood that flawed boy in a way he didn’t, which was okay. True love that flourished was always nurtured on a deep understanding of each other, Kal understood that better than most. The man he’d loved, more than anyone else in the world… the man who broke his heart and abandoned him over four hundred years ago, but whom he still couldn’t bring himself to hate… the reason he couldn’t hate him was because he understood him. He understood why his old lover had done the things he did, and because of that, he couldn’t let his love go. Kallan believed Haven was the same way.

  But still, Orvana was most definitely luring the both of them into a trap, and Kal hated being powerless to help or protect them in any way they might need. They were still so young… barely even full adults. If he let them die here, he’d never be able to erase the guilt. Though the only option now was to have faith. And besides, he already had a lot of regrets, what was one more? He could just add it to his list and call it day. Haha, yeah. That should work.

  “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he responded to the woman despite his twisted thoughts, ignoring the disbelief in her gaze as he set a hand on his hip. He wasn’t about to let his thoughts show on his face, after all. “Lavimo’s been prophesied to someday rule Viscendent once it's restored, so obviously he’s not going to die.”

  “Right… obviously,” Artemis grimaced, letting out a loud sigh as she turned to the servant that was watching them. It didn’t seem like he’d received any orders from Orvana, but he would most likely attack them if they tried to pursue the young members of their group. The real question was if she and Kal could overpower him… though it was best to keep talking for now. “But what about Haven? They haven’t been prophesied to do anything. And Orvana said she hadn’t had many visions of them either, so maybe they’re gonna die.”

  “Hahh… don’t say stupid things. Haven is stronger than Lavimo as of now. If they die, he’s surely a goner as well,” Kal retorted, refusing to look at her as he kept glaring at that stupid violet curtain.

  “You say that, but Orvana seemed to want something from Lavimo,” Artemis responded begrudgingly, moving forward to stand right beside her friend, finding his mask of apathy to be quite annoying before she elbowed him in the side. “What if she needs him alive for something? That’s how it sounded to me.”

  “Wow, are you an expert on serial killers now, Artemis?”

  “Oh shut the hell up, asshole. You just don’t like it because you know I have a point.”

  “Why am I the asshole, huh? You’re the one cursing at me. So crude.”

  “Ugh, talking with you is going nowhere,” Artemis groaned, resisting the urge to kick him in the shins as she turned herself to the silver-haired butler that had been patiently standing there ever since Orvana left, and boldly called him over as Kal turned to give her a mortified stare. “Yo! Mister butler! Can you talk with us for a sec?”

  “Hey, what do you think you’re—”

  “Shut up, Kal. I’m not talking to you anymore,” Artemis stuck out her tongue with a petty look, before she turned back towards the butler as he began to smile, seemingly pleased.

  And all Kal could do was incredulously stare while he prepared for a fight, shocked by how reckless this woman was, while the butler carefully crossed his right hand over his chest and above his heart, giving a slight bow to the two of them. “I must confess, you’re rather smart for a young lady. We do indeed need Lavimo alive. It is my lady’s wish to see him prosper.”

  “Huh? You want to see him prosper?” Artemis blinked, not understanding those words as she turned to glance at Kal.

  But the man was already pushing himself forward with an angry gaze, towering over the butler with his height as his blood red eyes glared down. “What do you people want with Lavimo?” he growled out, shadows already forming underneath his feet and at the tips of his fingers, Artemis staring at him in surprise. Yet the butler only smiled, not saying a word in return as he gave a mocking little hum.

  It pissed him off. What were these dangerous people trying to do with that kid? Hadn’t he suffered enough? He’d already lost his home, lost his family, lost his status, lost his purpose… all things Kal had once lost as well. Lavimo didn’t deserve to lose any more.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Though Artemis, on the other hand, couldn’t fathom why he was getting so worked up about something like this. Kal was nice and charismatic, and people usually liked him and were drawn to him, but he never really went out of his way to do unnecessary things for people. She’d known him and had been friends with him for centuries, and she understood he didn’t have much energy to spare and would often shut down for periods at a time. He barely had the motivation to care about Kimith’s life, his best friend, and it felt like that was it. So why was he getting so invested in Lavimo?

  “Hey, what’s up with you?” she asked loudly, taking his arm and jerking him backwards as she forced him away from the butler, dragging him behind her as she felt that piercing blood red stare hit her face. But Artemis didn’t flinch, and merely pushed herself closer as she pressed a hand against his shoulder. “Why are you getting so worked up about this? You know it’s better to stay calm in situations like these. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you. You should know this, what’s wrong with you today?”

  Wow. Kal couldn’t help but think that as he glared at her, brows twitching. And he truly was distraught facing her words. It made him look down, frustrated at both the situation and himself, as he snatched his arm away and backed up while taking in a deep breath. It took him a moment, but he eventually managed to snap, “I don’t need you to tell me that,” his voice harsh and jaded, irritated out of his mind, all while his gaze traveled back to the violet curtain hanging above the steps.

  Why did he care so much about Lavimo? Well, probably because he reminded Kallan so much of what he was like when he was younger. He’d been kicked out of his estate, his parents had disowned him, his twin sister had faked her death and left him, and his lover had abandoned him… he’d fallen into an endless loop of despair that felt like he would never get out of it. Kimith deserved all of life’s blessings, because if it weren’t for him, Kal knew he would’ve already ended himself by now. Kimith was the one who got him to go outside, who made him focus on something else other than work, drinking, or sex. He’d also had Adona and Seffi, who always had his back and who taught him how to wield his concept after it manifested later in his life, and who encouraged him to come back to the military instead of drowning in his own misery in a far off, isolated estate funded by people who pitied him.

  Lavimo felt similar to the way he used to be, like he was walking a tightrope between hope and despair and was about to fall off the edge. Kal had fallen off his tightrope long ago, and it no longer felt like an option for him to hope things would ever get better again. He’d already accepted he may never feel happy, fulfilled, or satisfied ever again. That just wasn’t what his life had in store. But Lavimo was different. He hadn’t fully given up on hope yet, and Kallan prayed he never would. He didn’t want Lavimo to fall down as far as he had. He didn’t want to see someone repeat his cycle. So he would do what he could, anything within his power, to make sure Lavimo stayed upright and hopeful, just as one should. Because a life without hope was misery. Kal knew that better than anyone else, as well. Because he knew his life would never get better, and had no hope that it would. He would bury himself in work until the day he died, drinking and sex his only escapes as he drove himself insane. But that was just how things were for him. It was just that, more than anything, he didn’t want the same for Lavimo.

  “Hey, Artemis,” he called suddenly, looking up from the curtain that hid Lavimo and Haven somewhere behind it, red eyes narrowed and serious as the woman stiffened.

  “Uh, what?”

  “How likely do you think it is that Lavimo only survives in the prophecy because I go down there to save him?”

  “Um… I didn’t think about that,” Artemis’ eyes widened, and the two of them slowly gazed towards the butler as the silver-haired man smiled, freckled pale cheeks revealing smooth dimples. And suddenly, the two of them were thinking the same thing.

  No words had to be said between them as the room began to flip upside down, Artemis’ concept of gravity making it to where everything became off center except for herself and Kal. And the butler flipped in mid air, tactfully landing on the roof of the underground basement as he extended a hand, the nails on his fingers stretching out and turning into sharp claws, stretching forward as they tried to reach any flesh they could grab.

  Though that was merely child’s play for Kallan. How many wars had he been in now? Surely he could handle one man. And of course, it was easy to redirect the attack, opening portals of shadows for the nails to go through before they were shot directly back at the man. And Artemis opened her spellbook to summon a small moon in between the claws, with her spell that summoned a miniature moon that pulled everything else towards it. The butler’s five long claws ended up running into the small rock before shattering, although for whatever odd reason, that only led the butler to laugh.

  “Two against one isn’t very fair, is it?” he spoke, Kal’s face going blank as he felt his heart run numb where he stood on the ceiling. But wait, actually. That was kind of correct. Anywho, he’d had enough.

  “You know what, you’re right. Bye.”

  “Wait… I didn’t mean…” the butler gawked, only for Kal to take off in the direction Orvana had taken his companions. Because Artemis could surely handle him on her own, as she was very capable. The master of two concepts, gravity and spellcasting, was no easy feat, after all. Artemis was as wild as one could be, and so he trusted her to tame that mangy butler while he went down and got Lavimo and Haven out of trouble if they were in any. They’d been down there for long enough anyways, and he wasn’t about to have either of them die on his watch. Because no matter how he valued his own, the lives of others were important. That was simply how Kal’s mind worked. No matter how much faith others had in him, he never had been able to treat himself kindly, not ever since he was young… and that’s part of why he’d let his life fall apart.