Divinitas

028 - To Fight You is to Forget

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It wasn\'t too late just yet. To tell the others all that he knew. They could still escape this fate. It was still possible to remain human. Leave Genesis, and return to some semblance of normal life.

Only…

What was normal for them? He, the Child of Air who\'s soul was split into two. Phoenix, who was the Child of Fire and partly Soul Bonded to the Child of Soul. And what doubt was there really… Of Draco and Chima being the remaining two True Children? None.

They weren\'t ever meant to be human. Mortal. Never, never. They were Gods once, and that was their fate. So what use was it to run away and hide?

Gryps couldn\'t walk down any of the corridors without wondering in the back of his mind what it was like to have one\'s soul trapped in the paintings above him. Alive, alive… Because there was a soul for each and every pair of eyes that looked down upon him.

Why wander these halls at all? Better than to be still and to dwell hopelessly on these thoughts. Better to be moving, always moving, than to be found by Ari… Better than to be subconsciously drawn to Ari…

More than once he\'d found himself staring at the door with the number 717 on it. The number that matched its replica on the piece of paper Ari had given him. There was no use denying it, the heat in his soul that longed for the cold only Ari could provide. Ironic, wasn\'t it? When one considered the names he had been called. \'Ice Prince.\' Ah, but it was only frost covering the warm light…

Still lost in his thoughts, the silver eyes boy walked straight into someone who was in no br a r a state of mind than himself.

\"Grr… Can\'t people bloody watch where they\'re going?\" Phoenix growled under his breath as he sat on his backside, rubbing his throbbing forehead.

\"Take a look at yourself before commenting on others, Incendium,\" Gryps snapped back, also sprawled on his bottom and massaging his forehead.

\"Oh, it\'s you,\" Phoenix stated flatly, returning Gryps\' unpleasant glare. \"You missed an announcement made by the current Childrest nst night. Stuff about the upcoming Trials.\"

\"I know about it.\" Gryps paused, before adding stiffly, \"thanks.\"

An uncomfortable silence fell around them. Neither seemed to want to be the first to move, weary of the other. It was only the chiming of the school\'s bell signalling the start of the first classes that finally broke the stalemate.

A loud ringing resonated in both their heads as they smacked into each other in their haste to get up, sending each other sprawling backwards again.

\"You are the most ungainly person I\'ve ever met…\" Gryps muttered, carefully climbing to his feet to avoid a repetition of the process.

\"Fuck you, Gryps,\" Phoenix snarled, fingers digging into the wall as he dragged himself up.

Gryps smirked. \"Unfortunately, I already have another offer.\" He turned and walked towards their first class. Some dreary subject which really didn\'t matter. Mathematics perhaps?

Phoenix quickly fell into step beside him, glaring daggers at the silver haired boy. \"So are you happy now? That I\'ve beaten Aether? That was why you taunted me in the library, wasn\'t it? Going on and on about the Soul Bind and The Past.\"

Silver eyes assessed him for a few long moments. \"You know about my past, don\'t you. About my family. Lympha would have told you, I\'m sure.\"

\"I… know that you didn\'t kill your sister…\" Phoenix answered unsurely, put off by the sudden change of subject. And to such a delicate and personal one such as that…

Gryps threw a cold smile at Phoenix. \"Yes, I did throw my brother off the cliff. And yes, I was charged with his murder… But he\'s not dead. They never did find his body afterwards…\" Gryps\' voice fell silent for several moments before he continued, the all-knowing tone having been dropped from his voice. \"He\'s here now. That\'s who you talked to, not me… Personally I couldn\'t care less about you and Aether.\"

Crimson eyes just looked at Gryps as if he\'d gone insane. Yet… The expression on Gryps face… And the fact that this boy wasn\'t one to joke about such matters… Both these things and his own gut feeling told Phoenix that what Gryps said was the truth.

\"You… didn\'t know he was still alive until recently, did you?\"

A bitter smirk disfigured Gryps face. \"Not until Saturday.\"

Silence again. Somewhere along the way, it had been subconsciously decided on both their parts that the first class wasn\'t worth attending in their current state. Their feet had taken them along the well walked path down to the Metamorphosis training hall.

\"My Brother… Ari. He always wears his hair out, like we both did before. He also wears the normal school uniform. You should be able to tell us apart from these differences at least… Since you\'re too thick to notice a complete change of personality,\" Gryps added as an after thought.

Phoenix\'s fist smashed into the stone wall, exactly where Gryps head been only an instant ago. The fiery boy\'s eyebrow twitched with contempt, his whole body itching for a good fight. Some annoying voice in his mind comment that this must be sexual frustration eating away at him.

Gryps gave a taunting bark of laughter. \"Too slow, Incendium. Want to try your luck against me in Metamorphosis? A prelude to the final Tournaments of sorts, shall we say.\"

\"Yes, keep on believing you\'re way fucking better than me, Gryps. I\'ll soon wipe that smirk off your pretty face,\" Phoenix growled, throwing the Gryps a dirty look before promptly stalking over to the nearest simulator on their arrival at the Metamorphosis training hall.

Phoenix let the familiar darkness enclose him, smirking at the glowing blue words that appeared, querying Phoenix\'s appearance and its clash with his classes. \"Yes, well, we decided we preferred your company to that of a monotonic maths teacher. Start the initialisation process already, will you? Let us worry about the consequences of skipping classes.\"

The boy got the distinct impression the Metamorphosis system didn\'t approve of his choice, but soon the ribbons of flame had engulfed his body, snatching him out of the confining darkness and thrusting him into windswept playing field.

The illusionary sky above was red and gold, the sun cradled on the distant horizon. For a fleeting instant, fear gripped Phoenix\'s heart, his vision splattered with blood from the sunset sky. Feeling in his memories the bursting of the fiery wings from his back. \'Not Human.\' Those were the words the wind seemed to whisper to him.

\"Don\'t think anymore, Incendium,\" Gryps\' voice called out coldly from the left of Phoenix. \"Just duel with me.\"

\"Ahhh…\" Phoenix heard himself replying, felt his lips curve up into a darkly playful grin. His body launched itself at Gryps\', weapon appearing in his hand to strike down upon Gryps\' twin blades, sending the first sparks flying. Gryps\' smirked back, throwing Phoenix off casually with the help of a blast of air.

\"I\'m not like the Child of Soul, Incendium. Air is my element, not merely copied and manipulated. Don\'t underestimate me,\" Gryps warned as spirals of wind swirled around the silver haired boy in a deadly dance. The razors of air cut up the ground around him, lashing out at Phoenix and forcing him back.

Blazing red eyes glared at Gryps\', arms and weapon up to shield himself from the swift ribbons of knife-like winds. What Gryps said was undoubtedly true. His level of skill was beyond that which Aether had shown in their last duel. Aether may have been able to command the Griffin, but his control of the air was nothing compared Gryps\'. No wonder the current Children had said Gryps would most likely become the next Child of Air.

Without warning, the twists of air spun out from Gryps, lashing towards Phoenix like two cutting whips. Nimbly Phoenix leapt out of reach, weaving in between the snaking air, searching for some opening which would allow him to attack.

As Phoenix danced out of reach again, he brought his hands up and shot a jet of flames at Gryps. Icy grey eyes remained unchanged as Gryps calmly mirrored Phoenix\'s attack with his own using air.

The two attacks met each other in a fantastic explosion, the fire blooming violently as it came into contact with the concentrated oxygen in the air. Both boys were blasted backwards, skidding roughly on the grass and grazing both their backs before they tumbled to a halt.

Phoenix grinned though his grimace, feeling the pain stab into him, setting his senses on fire. Air and Fire certainly were not a good combination. This promised to get interesting.

\"I won\'t underestimate you, Gryps,\" Phoenix said under his breath, grinning like a madman. \"Just don\'t you underestimate me!\" Phoenix growled out before charging through the now blackened and burnt landscape to meet his adversary head on.



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Icy eyes glared at flaming ones from across the hall, watched over by painted gods and unmoving statues.

\"It\'s your fault!\"

\"You foolish rash idiot…\"

The words were spoken at the same time, both issuing from faces that were smeared with charcoal and blood. It was certainly the first time they had ever been kicked out of Metamorphosis by the program. So okay… several huge explosions and burning up most of the playing field wasn\'t exactly wise…

Both boys stalked towards each other, still glaring, one\'s hair and cloths singed, the other\'s sliced by thin blades of wind.

Phoenix threw the first punch, which Gryps easily dodged despite both their exhaustion, and returned one which glanced off Phoenix\'s cheek. Phoenix grinned, wiping away the blood with the back of his hand.

\"Not bad, for someone that looks so much like a girl,\" Phoenix teased, the fire in his eyes dancing.

\"Unfortunately I must admit we\'re evenly matched,\" Gryps answered, smiling coldly, ice glittering in his eyes.

The grin on Phoenix\'s face widened, and the boy launched himself at Gryps just as the other prepared his own attack. Both their momentum propelled them to collide with each other, their fists connecting with a sickening crack on each of their jaws.

Phoenix\'s world spun. He felt himself falling, his head ringing. Distantly, he felt his body impact heavily with the ground, felt a similar weight fall close to him. The boy\'s eye slowly opened, his vision blurred and sickening. The ceiling stared down at him, the golden eye at its center too vivid and shining like a golden sun.

\"Incendium… You are the most annoying person I know,\" Gryps\' weakened voice said from somewhere beyond Phoenix\'s feet.

A chuckle broke free of Phoenix\'s throat through his heaving breaths. \"Sorry. Can\'t say that back at you. You\'re just the most infuriating to me.\"

\"…those two words mean almost the same thing.\"

\"…\"

Silence hung around them, a heavy tangible shroud. Only their uneven breathing rippled through it, forced them to acknowledge the presence of the other in the cavernous room.

\"Casi and Chima… They don\'t know about your past,\" Phoenix spoke up finally, long after their breathing had returned to a silent regular rhythm. \"It would probably be best you just introduced Ari to them as having just been transferred here. Or make up some other believable story.\"

Gryps made some disgusted sound. \"Don\'t destroy their innocence with nightmarish tales, you mean.\" A pause. \"I\'ll stay away from her from now on.\"

\"You really like her… don\'t you.\"

\"She reminds me of my sister… and I loved my sister. Casi… She has the same qualities as Ophelia. Always happy, able to infect others with her happiness. Eyes that were always bright and laughing… Always playful…\" Gryps trailed off, and the whispered under his breath, \"I won\'t make the same mistake again.\"

Phoenix wanted to say something. Words expressing how stupid it was to let his own brother control him, that shutting up his heart was foolish. But those words were just as stupid and foolish. Especially coming from him.

Soft footsteps entering the Metamorphosis training hall caused both boys to sit up, directing their polar opposite gaze towards the entrance reserved for the House of Earth members. The familiar figure of the Child of Earth had appeared, carrying the deadly scythe and chain. A goddess of death.

Gryps pushed himself onto his feet locking eyes with Dawn for an instant before exiting the Metamorphosis training hall through the House of Air\'s exit. Phoenix still remained sitting on the floor, half torn between watching Gryps\' departing back and the Child of Earth who approached him.

Dawn extended a delicate hand to Phoenix, which the boy took subconsciously and helped himself up. Soft hazel eyes regarded Phoenix\'s beaten up state, realising the boy\'s purpose for being here.

\"Freedom can be cruel,\" Dawn said softly with an almost sad smile. \"You still haven\'t reconciled with Aether, have you?\"

Phoenix released Dawn\'s hand, glaring slightly into Dawn\'s sincere eyes. \"Should I? This isn\'t my fault! Why do you give a shit anyway? You\'re the one with a crush on him, not me!\" Phoenix snapped without thinking. Immediately the boy looked down, cheeks flushed, feeling ashamed of his own words.

Dawn considered the fiery boy for a long moment before taking his hand and leading him to the base of one of the giant statues, prompting him to sit down at its foot. Phoenix watched, somewhat surprised, as Dawn sat down beside him, laying her weapon at her feet.

\"You\'re right. I do have a crush on him. I have since I first saw him when I came to this school six years ago,\" Dawn said softly. \"He was the reason I joined Metamorphosis, and the motivation to becoming a Child.\"

\"To get him to ne yoe you? Hn. And he didn\'t, right? Doesn\'t even know you exist?\" Phoenix said darkly, clenching and unclenching his hands.

The girl gave a wistful smile. \"Yes. He doesn\'t even know I exist. The only time he has ever looked at me and only me was last year when I became the Child of Earth. He shook my hand at the ceremony and smiled at me. But that was the only time.\"

\"Why are you telling me this?\" Phoenix demanded, feeling just a little uneasy and very annoyed and frustrated. He didn\'t want to know. It was bad enough wondering about it every waking moment, he didn\'t need to be confronted by a near stranger about it as well.

Dawn turned and captured Phoenix\'s crimson gaze. \"Aether has never been with anyone. For the six years I\'ve been here, he has never done more than flirt with a girl when they\'ve approached him,\" the girl stated, relentlessly holding Phoenix\'s unwilling gaze. \"It\'s as if he\'s always been waiting for you.\"

\"Didn\'t seem like that yesterday.\"

\"Phoenix… You rejected him. In a very undeniable and powerful way. You preferred to cause yourself a great deal of physical harm than to remain his. Put yourself in his position. You would feel hurt, don\'t you think? You would think twice before approaching that person again, wouldn\'t you?\"

Phoenix closed his eyes, sinking into himself.

\"He always watches you. He has since you came here at the beginning of this year. Even after you defeated him on Saturday. But… Since then he\'s always looked confused. Unsure. The duel changed his understanding of your relationship with him…

\"Go and talk to him,\" Dawn said finally in the absence of any reply from Phoenix. She stood up, taking up her scythe again. \"It\'s almost lunch time. You better attend your classes afterwards, or you\'ll end up at the Principal\'s office,\" she said with a smile before slipping into a simulator and disappearing from view.



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Glazed crimson eyes stared blankly at the waning moon, oblivious to the distant fire of the stars. There wasn\'t any doubt about it. Aether was definitely avoiding him. The thought of that hurt. It made him hug his knees tighter against his chest. Made him seem more like a pinning animal perched on the narrow window sill. Aether… It was too much to ask wasn\'t it. For Aether to come to him. To do as he\'d requested. Just tell him why.

Phoenix lowered his gaze and surveyed the dorm room he shared with the others. Gryps was absent, no surprise there… Chima was lying on his bed, body curled up around the wolf pup he had enthusiastically named Yuki. The boy was whispering to it, holding a seemingly delightful conversation only he and the pup were privy to. Draco… Draco was trying to study as Casi fluttered about behind him, plaiting the older boy\'s long raven hair into thin plaits. To make the matter worse, she was weaving long coloured ribbons into the hair and then tying off each plait with an elaborate bow.

Perhaps, if Phoenix\'s mind wasn\'t so preoccupied, huld uld have laughed, watching Draco try to conserve his authoritative air and calm collected posture as he was slowly transformed into his female counterpart. As it was, however, he could barely manage an amused smile. It wasn\'t good… For him to be like this. It wasn\'t in his nature to be so damned depressed!

\"Someone\'s coming?\" Chima\'s inquiring voice wondered as the younger boy sat up, looking towards the door. Yuki pricked his ears, looking innocently curiously.

The door promptly opened, causing the occupants of the room to direct their attention to it. The silence that followed was considerable, as five sets of eyes took in the stunning sight of Gryps and Ari standing side by side.

Gryps walked briskly into the room, avoiding eye contact with everyone, and silently pulled out his belongings, packing them efficiently into his bag. Ari watched the on goings from the doorway, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Casi cleared her throat loudly, momentarily halting her mare ore of Draco\'s hair. \"Someone has a lot of explaining to do!\" Casi declared, fixing her accusing gaze at the back of Gryps\' head. \"And they better do it soon unless someone wants to wake up with neon pink hair!\"

\"I\'m his twin brother,\" Ari answered for Gryps, smiling almost triumphantly at Casi when she turned to face him. \"I transferred here just this weekend… You see, I was attending another school before this… But I missed Gryps too much. It was like trying to exist without the other half of my soul.\"

Large aqua eyes narrowed, unnoticed by all except Ari. Casi\'s reaction only prompted Gryps\' twin to smile more maliciously. \"Really?\" Casi commented finally, false hyper enthusiasm in her voice. \"Gryps never told us!\" She bounded up to Ari and grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him with her out the dorm room, away from the others. \"Well, come on! Tell me all about Gryps\' little secrets!\" she said loudly as an excuse and pulled the door closed behind her.

Ari just smirked, leaning back against the stone wall, watching Casi with his challenging silver eyes.

\"Aether knows?\" Casi demanded quietly, dropping her act. \"You told him on Saturday, didn\'t you, before you went to the administrations office?\"

The older twin smiled. \"Of course. And I was the one who pushed Phoenix to break the bond with Aether, since I know how much you dislike their being together. I can understand that perfectly… After all, I would hate it if anyone came between my Brother and I. Though I have to wonder… You\'ve been couped up here in this castle for thousands of years with him, and yet it seems like you\'re as distant from himyou\you\'ve ever been.\"

\"He… has other things on his mind.\"

Ari laughed softly, a silky mocking laugh. \"Give it up already, Casimir. Haven\'t you caused enough trouble already in your attempts to get him to pay a little attention to you? Short of killing Phoenix, I doubt you\'ll succeed in making him even give you a second glance.\"

\"We all agreed, Phoenix included. Don\'t place all the blame on me,\" Casi said in a near whispered, unable to look Ari in the eye any longer.

Silver eyes softened, and the feminine boy pulled the girl into an awkward embrace. \"Yes, we all agreed…\" After a moment, Ari drew away, letting Casi compose herself. \"There\'s something else. Gryps doesn\'t know about the past, and as a consequence, he doesn\'t know about you. It\'s merely coincidence you look like the mortal sister we had in this life. I killed her. Because she came between Gryps and myself.\"

A twinkled appeared in Casi\'s shinning eyes, completely unconcerned over the casually mentioned murder. \"Oh? And I suppose you\'re using me as an excuse to get your brother in bed with you? Isn\'t that incest?\"

The silver haired boy shrugged, smiling. \"Well, we were originally one person. I would simply like to become \'one\' with him again.\"

\"Hmm… You always did love yourself…\" Casi muttered flatly.

\"No. I always loved myself. But the Griffin of Light always hated the Griffin of Dark,\" Ari corrected under his breath, too softly for Casi to hear. \"Just as Good always hates Evil.\"

\"Wait a second!\" the girl suddenly exclaimed, realisation dawning on her. \"You\'re implying Gryps has a crush on me! That\'s news…\"

Ari just rolled his eyes. \"Yes. Took you long enough…\"

Casi chose to ignore the comment, leaning up against the wall beside Ari. \"How did you get your memories back?\"

\"Gryps accidentally used his powers and threw me off a cliff after he saw I had killed our sister. The death and then being pulled back into my body somehow triggered the memories to resurface. All of us remembers, deep down, but I think we choose not to acknowledge it. You have to admit, the knowledge isn\'t exactly happy happy joy joy material.\"

\"Reality rarely is… But I\'m glad you remember. It\'s lonely, existing like this.\"

Ari didn\'t reply, and the chance was quickly erased as the door opened and Gryps stepped out, carrying his belongings. He shot Ari a cold glare, avoiding Casi altogether, and stalked off without waiting for his older twin.

\"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Casimir,\" Ari said for Gryps to hear, pushing himself languidly off the wall. \"Gryps and I will be in room 717 if you ever need us…\" he said with a wink, and walked off after his brother.

Casi smiled softly, a hint of sadness staining her lips. Everything would be back the way they use to be, if Aether\'s plans were to succeed. And it would be as if nothing had changed.

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