Divinitas

045 - Soulist

(Edited 14th Dec 2004)

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It was cold. Everything around him felt cold. It made him feel naked and vulnerable, all his weaknesses exposed for the world to see.

\"Finally awake, Incendium?\" Weak voice, yet full of bitterness. \"I sorely hope so. I\'m getting awfully sick of looking at your mockingly peaceful sleeping face.\"

Unfocused crimson eyes struggled to open, sluggish and heavy as if weighed down by invisible chains. It took several long minutes before Phoenix\'s eyes adjusted to the dim light and digested the view in front of him.

His voice was rusty when he mustered the strength to speak. \"Why are you dangling from the wall…?\"

\"Oh, I don\'t know. Maybe I like having living stone vines wrapped around my arms and legs with its thorns sticking into my flesh,\" Gryps replied snappily, looking severely pissed off.

Phoenix didn\'t seem to notice, his body protesting violently as he attempted to move his arms. The smallest tug felt as if someone was ripping his arms to shreds. \"How come… It hurts so much…?\" Slowly the boy lifted his head despite the protests from his stiff neck, straining to see up into the darkness.

Scarlet eyes widened, trembling as they focused on the monstrous growths of stone that snaked down over his hands and arms, the tendrils and thorns crawling underneath his very skin and integrating with his flesh.

\"Don\'t-\" Gryps began, but was already too late as Phoenix thrashed mindlessly against his unforgiving bonds, trying to tear his arms and legs free with horrendous consequences.

The vines coursed downwards, growing deeper into Phoenix\'s arms and legs and electing a long howl of agony from Phoenix\'s raw throat. It was a heavy silence that followed in the wake of Phoenix\'s cry, broken only by his laboured breathing as the boy resigned himself to hang limply from his exquisite bonds.

\"Don\'t you ever think before you act, Incendium?\" Gryps asked at last, letting his voice fill the empty void.

Fierce burning red eyes glared up at the silver-eyed boy through sweat-matted locks. \"Judging from the blood down your arms, you\'re really one to talk,\" Phoenix bit out once the pain had subsided enough for him to speak.

Silver eyes flashed dangerously. \"This, Incendium, is your boyfriend\'s idea of punishing me for trying to kill you.\"

\"You know that I would be over there bashing your fucking face in right now if I wasn\'t otherwise restrained, don\'t you?\" Phoenix seethed through gritted teeth.

The other boy smirked. \"One good thing about this arrangement.\"

Phoenix\'s eyes roamed over their surroundings, taking in the dark circular room. It seemed to have been grown out of the rocks rather than carved or chiselled. It seems more organic than inorganic… Giving a small shake of his head, Phoenix returned his gaze to Gryps. Like himself, Gryps\' arms were strung up above him, wrist against wrist, with the granite vines snaking down them like grotesques bracelets. His legs were similarly encased, positioned apart from other another and appearing to become one with the dark solid ground.

\"So you like being so exposed?\" Phoenix questioned, eyeing Gryps\' lower regions that were covered only with his torn and bloodied black pants.

\"Shut up. It\'s bad enough that my brother and your boyfriend are more perverted than sadistic yaoi fangirls, I don\'t need you ogling my groin when I can\'t even cover myself with my hand!\"

\"You have hips like a girl. Did you know that?\"

\"I do not!\"

The slow realisation of their predicament suddenly made Phoenix laugh out loud. They were bickering as if nothing about the situation was anything out of the ordinary, and they had the rocks growing into them.

\"What are you laughing at…\"

Phoenix snorted as he attempted to curb his inappropriate laughter. \"This! Gryps, we\'re growing out of rocks and still hurling insults at each other like our situation is an everyday thing!\"

The silver haired boy smirked. \"You mean, why aren\'t you panicking like a chicken with its head cut off?\" Gryps didn\'t wait for an affirmation before continuing. \"We\'re use to it. Or more correctly, our past selves know from experience not to even bother because any action is useless.\" Gryps lifted his head a little, silver eyes glinting with twisted triumph as he locked them of Phoenix\'s. \"Do you understand now, Incendium, how pointless it is to try and revolt against the Child of Soul and Genesis?\"

The Child of Fire ignored the comment, eyes shifting sideways to their surroundings. Gryps was right to say they knew this, that they were use to their current predicament. Their stone prison was familiar. Each curve had been examined once upon a time and locked into memory.

This was the Bottom Heart of Genesis, the section located underneath where the five oil portraits hung, beneath the Metamorphosis training hall. There was also no doubt that the positions in which he and Gryps were intertwined with the granite vines corresponded with giant carved statues above them in the High Heart of Genesis. The stage was already set, and two of the actors already in place, only waiting for the curtains to open, the lights to be switched on.

Phoenix dropped his gaze, staring down at the strangely smooth and reflective ground. That\'s right. They weren\'t simply high school students. They were gods reborn in mortal frames. And no matter how much they wished to led a normal life, their God of Soul would never allow it. A bitter smirk tarnished Phoenix\'s lips. How far their God had gone, trying to make them hate their mortal lives enough to give it up for their divine one. Best for Aether not to give him another chance, else he may find Phoenix slaughtering him barehanded.

\"Why did you tell me?\" Phoenix asked suddenly, head snapping back up, crimson eyes locking onto Gryps. \"Why did you tell me the truth concerning my past and Aether\'s involvement in it? Wouldn\'t it have been easier to kill me if I hadn\'t the will to fight? If I had still believed I wanted to die?\"

Silver eyes narrowed, gleaming like pieces of ice set into the dark rock. The icy boy seemed to be considering Phoenix, taking in the defiant aura that radiated from Phoenix despite being locked securely into the rock. \"It was convenient for me to do so,\" Gryps answered apathetically, voice flat, mechanical almost. \"Killing you with your Divine Beast still inside of you would have been difficult. It would have protected your body even if you did not wish it. So it was necessary to give you a reason to call it out.\"

The scarlet eyed boy stared back, eyes taking on an accusing gleam. \"So it has nothing to do with your saying it\'s pointless to try and change anything, but still wanting to believe otherwise.\" Silence. \"And nothing at all to do with the fact that had you succeeded in killing me, it would have made you more like your brother than you would care to admit.\"

Gryps made some noise of disgust, breaking the gaze. \"What would you like me to say, Incendium?\" Gryps bit out finally, the words seeming to take every ounce of effort in his body. \"That yes, those things may very well be true, and when all is said and done, I hated to see you like some broken toy, your fire completely doused and defeated?\"

It was Phoenix\'s turn to fall silent in the wake of Gryps\' embittered words.

\"I hated you. I hated you from the very beginning because you were so like my brother before he killed Ophelia. Rash, always disregarding the rules and picking fights. And then, if that wasn\'t enough of a reason to despise you, you had to be the reason for all of this.

\"Of course I wanted to kill you. A very large part of me still does, because erasing you would erase Aether\'s motives. But you had your saving grace. You with your defiance, your total and complete belief that you would free yourself from Aether\'s grasp…

\"I didn\'t even realise it until now. How much I looked to you and your insolence to defeat Aether where I could not. So yes. I told you, subconsciously hoping you would somehow regain enough desire to fight, to utterly defeat Aether and change our destiny. I was a coward who had accepted my fate and you were not. So I placed my faith in you even when I had no conscious desire to do so!\"

Phoenix opened his mouth, only to close it again when no words would come out. What could he say? What could anyone possibly say?

\"You\'re falling, Little Brother,\" Ari\'s voice penetrated into the room, accompanied by his light footsteps on the descending stairs. \"But instead of opening your wings and flying to save yourself… You wanted someone to catch you. And that is why you turned to Phoenix instead of doing anything directly against Aether… Well, aren\'t you a selfish little brat. Not to mention a complete coward…\"

Gryps turned his icy silver eyes angrily on Ari, who only smiled innocently back. The older twin made his way over to Gryps, halting in front of him and letting his smile widen into something predatory. “I came to wish you both a Fulfilling Soulist. It’s Soulist day, in case you didn’t realise. I can only imagine how hard it would be for you to keep the time down here where there isn’t a ray of sunlight…”

Phoenix winced, unknowingly to Ari whose attention was focused solely on Gryps. Soulist. It was Soulist. Something made his heart ache at this time every year. It made him want to curl up in some dark corner away from everyone else until the festive season had passed… But this year, he could not even grant himself that much.

This was a day for celebrating self, of everything in your life that made it worth living, wasn’t it? Where people acknowledged their self worth and those around them and joined in the celebrations to be content and happy. So of course… It was just all the worse for someone no one even wanted to associate with. Soulist… Had always hurt his soul when he had lived in the orphanage. And how, here… It felt like his heart would burst from the bitterness that resided in it.

Yes. It had been stupid and foolish for him. To even contemplate the mere notion that this Soulist might have been something bordering on good. Friends at last, and someone that he… Cared about. Who had he been kidding? Nothing good ever happened to him. Nothing at all.

Off key singing floated down into the stone cage, accompanied by the blowing of shrill whistles and the occasional explosion of a party popper being pulled. Yuki appeared first, streaking down through the carved doorway and jumping up on Phoenix to lick his face and attempt to chew his flaming hair. How pathetic that he couldn’t even try and push the young wolf off himself.

Casi appeared next, like some unwelcomed ray of sunshine decked out in a colourful skimpy outfit, beaming and throwing brightly coloured confetti and glitter everywhere over the dark cell. Chima came skipping down, setting off little party crackers that sent more confetti and crape paper flying through the air. A plastic whistle was sticking out of his mouth, giving off a most hideously happy note every time the boy blew on it.

Phoenix just stared, eyes wide and almost bludging. Did no one ever teach these two the meaning of the word ‘inappropriate’? “Chima…” Phoenix growled whilst trying to avoid being given a sloppy kiss. “Get your mutt off me before I bite him!”

“Awww, but you two make such a cute couple!” Casi spoke up, halting her overly sweet and high Soulist song. She sparkled at the immobile boy and threw more glitter and confetti over his tattered and wounded form. The only positive outcome of being covered with bits of paper was that Yuki disliked it as much as Phoenix did, and jumped off to shake the offending confetti from his thick coat. “So how has my Little Phoenix been? I haven’t seen you in ages!” the violet haired girl grinned up at Phoenix who scowled in return.

“Yeah, so why couldn’t you keep it that way, especially over Soulist? Your absence would have made a nice gift,” Phoenix returned scathingly. Of course he was being a total asshole. But hell, anyone in his position would have been. It bloody hurt to have stone thorns stuck into your arms and legs!

Casi just huffed, faking a look of severe hurt at his words. “Well, fine! No photos of pretty little foal being born for you then!”

Phoenix’s eyes widened, a sudden regret stinging his heart. Venus had given birth to the foal sired by his stallion. And as much as he pretended to really, really hate that black horse, he had wanted to see his child. And for it to be born so close to Soulist… It would have been such a perfect gift for all of them, had they been together to witness it.

“Awww… I’m sorry Little Phoenix,” Casi said, softening and reaching forward to pat him on his head when she saw how devastated Phoenix looked at hearing the news. “Here ya go. It’s Soulist after all, ne?” she grinned, gesturing for Chima to come forward and show the photos.

The young boy hurried forward, digging the photos out of his pocket and holding them up one at a time in front of Phoenix’s nose.

“She was born on Soulist Eve… Isn’t she cute!” Casi gushed, pointing to the little picture of a bloody little bundle struggling to stand up on the straw strewn ground. “Oooo…! Look at this one!” she snickered, referring to a picture where Venus was snapping at Aether, who, judging by his less than pristine condition, had overseen the birth.

Deep bitterness was suddenly added to the regret. Aether cared about Venus. He cared about the palomino mare enough to be there in her hours of labour, giving her comfort and reassurance. And here he was, locked deep underground, left alone and bleeding.

“Get them away from me,” Phoenix snarled, angrily turning his head away from the photos. Chima let his hands fall, surprised perhaps by the absolute loathing in Phoenix’s voice.

“Oh, poo to you then!” Casi sulked, her fine violet eyebrows knitting together as her temper broke over her. “And to think Chima and I rushed all the way into town to get them developed just for you! Well, see if I ever do anything nice for you again, you stuck up little brat!”

“That’s enough, Casi,” Draco’s dignified reproach cut through the noise, effectively reducing it to a sniffle. The older boy made his way into the stone cell, looking up at Gryps and then Phoenix. There was the unmistakeable element of regret in his deep sapphire eyes.

“Don’t, Draco,” Phoenix’s hard voice cut the Child of Water off before he could even open his mouth. “Just don’t.” Unforgiving scarlet glared into clouded blue. “You had your own reasons for betraying me, I’m sure. Keep them to yourself. I don’t want to know about them, and I don’t want to know you.”

“Oh stop it! If he hadn’t, you would have wound up in your current situation way before now!” Casi cut in, still sounding sulky but sticking up for Draco all the same.

“That’s besides the point!” Phoenix spat back, flinching in pain as his over-enthusiasm jerked his body against his merciless restraints. “It should have been my choice. Damn it, I would have preferred to have kept you as a friend and be in this situation sooner than to have you as my enemy now, Draco!”

The older boy broke the gaze. “I regret the loss of our trust. I regret more so that I was the sole cause of that. But I do not regret my course of actions. We do things for ourselves. And I also do them because I see no point in fighting what can not be changed.”

Phoenix didn’t reply, overwhelmed with deep resentment and bitterness. Was there no one who could understand him? That lived by the same beliefs he did? There was no point to fighting if the was no chance of winning… That it was easier to simply accept and exist. How could they know if they didn’t even try? What right did they have of preventing him from fighting when they were too cowardly to fight fate themselves?!

“Get out.”

The voice froze Phoenix, eyes suddenly seeing nothing but Aether’s form filling the narrow doorway. He barely noticed as Chima hugged him around the middle, whispering a “Fulfilling Soulist, Phoenix. Don’t give up hope,” in his ear before dashing out of the chamber, following Draco’s lead. Casi stared at Aether for a long while before walking past him without a word, her long violet hair a veil of colour in the monochromic setting.

“I thought I said ‘get out’,” Aether said coldly as he walked further into the dark cell, amethyst eye glaring at Ari. Immediately Gryps gave a sharp cry of pain as Genesis responded to the pure malice in Aether’s voice, tightening its coils around the younger twin.

Ari reached up and touched his graceful fingers to the fresh trickles of blood winding down Gryps’ arms. “I heard you,” Ari responded with a smile, looking at the blood smearing his fingers before running them over his own bottom lip. “I have no intention of leaving…” He flashed a dark look at Aether, snaking a possessive arm around Gryps’ waist who flinched at the intimate contact.

Crystalline amethyst glinted dangerously in the scarce light before the corners of Aether’s lips turned upwards in an imitation of a smile. “Do as you please,” he said in a low voice, turning his back upon the twins.

Gryps stared disbelieving at his brother. Did he mean to… “You can’t, Ari!” Gryps hissed in a whisper as the older twin moved to stand in front of him, hands trailing around his thinly covered waist.

“And why can’t I? If I do this…” Ari let his words trail off as he moved his hands upwards, sliding them around Gryps’ upper arms, smearing the still wet blood. “I can be with you… And the pain will stop.” He pressed his forehead against Gryps’, their silver hair integrating seamlessly.

Silver stared into silver, identically perfect orbs, differing only in the emotions that shimmered within them. Ari’s was a constant flow of love and care, as twisted as it was. For Gryps, however, it was a raging sea of hate and confusion. One that despised without bound, yet was strangely stirred by the soothing promise spoken in intimate whispers.

Perhaps that was why Gryps never noticed as the veins loosened, allowing Ari to slip his hands into Gryps’, their fingers interlocking with one another. Nor how his fingers pressed down subconsciously on the back of Ari’s hands, almost as if they were grateful for their company.

“I’ll save you Gryps. Even if you don’t want me to,” Ari whispered, lips so close they brushed against Gryps’ as he spoke.

Gryps’ eyes narrowed just a little, his voice filled with overflowing bitterness. “And what are you saving me from…?” It sounded choked, the words, as if he didn’t really want to ask or to know.

“The loneliness you inflict upon yourself,” Ari answered, and pressed his lips against Gryps’ before he could summon a denial.

There was no struggle. Only the closing of silver eyes as the stony vines grew up around them, those from the ceiling intertwining with those from the ground until there was no trace of visible silver hair left. Gryps didn’t seem to notice or to care, too spellbound by the almost desperate request that resonated through his heart and soul as soon as Ari’s lips had made contact with his. The request that simply said, ‘Accept me.’

Deafening silence fell in the chamber as the granite vines ceased to move, the place where Gryps and Ari had stood now a seamless part of the wall.

A shaken crimson gaze settled on Aether’s unmoved form. “Why do you do this…” Barely controlled anger, boiling and bubbling just beneath the surface. “Why couldn’t you-”

“Shut up.” The harsh words hit Phoenix like a slap to his face. “It’s good enough for you to be my doll, Phoenix. I don’t need to you judge my actions or to condemn me for them.”

The spit hit Aether squarely on his left cheek, the warm saliva slipping down his smooth skin before the older boy wiped it carelessly away. Phoenix’s eyes were blazing, the inferno raging in his soul.

“I am not your doll,” Phoenix bit out through clenched teeth. “You can’t play with me and my life like this! Why can’t you understand that!”

The single amethyst eye never wavered from Phoenix’s bound body, never changing its hard unfeeling gaze. With drawn-out feline steps, the Child of Soul advanced forward, making Phoenix start as he reached forward and laid his hands on Phoenix’s ruined shirt, slowing beginning to unbutton the tiny white buttons. “You are,” the Child of Soul said quietly, continuing his task even as Phoenix squirmed, both hating and becoming flustered by the soft brush of Aether’s fingers against his chest and stomach. “Your body and your blood are mine. You are only a doll that can talk with a free mind. Nothing more.”

If only he could lash out. Just one free limb would suffice. Oh, how he wanted to punch Aether in the face, if only to jar some common sense and reality into him. Aether… The one would could not understand another’s soul or see the obvious, even when it was hanging right in front of him.

Aether’s silky golden hair brushed against his naked chest as the older boy lent forward and rested his cheek against him, a mocking imitation of tenderness. His smooth hands had slipped under his shirt, sliding around the small of his back. An embrace. Aether was embracing him as he hung like a marionette from Genesis’ vines. Was he smiling in his twisted fashion, taking pleasure in demonstrating his cool declarations?

“Should I show you, my Phoenix…?” Aether’s voice whispered against his skin, his arms tightening around him. “How much control I have over your body? Over your blood?”

Phoenix’s pulse quickened. The boy fought the heat of his body down, forcing himself to speak despite his clearly disturbed and shaking voice. “I thought you said you would be mine.” Say anything. Anything would do. Just do not let him touch him there, do not let Aether make him loose control in a place like this on this particular day of the year!

“I said I would be yours for that moment… For as long as it would be connivent for me… For as long as you played your part…” Aether replied, nuzzling his cheek against Phoenix’s beating heart. “But I was no longer yours the moment you said you would not willingly become the Child of Fire.”

“Doesn’t it matter at all what I want?” Why did he sound so hurt?

“No.”

The first kiss was laid down on his stomach, sending a violent jolt through Phoenix’s weakened body. “Don’t!” Phoenix gasped out, flinching as Aether’s fingers trailed around his waist to rest lightly on the buckle of his belt. “Don’t do this. Not today. Not like this…” When had he lowered himself to begging…?

“Not today? Because it’s Soulist…?” Aether wondered, smiling sadistically. “You don’t remember, do you… the original purpose of Soulist.”

Red eyes flickered, uncomprehending. A thought half formed, a memory shimmered, but was drowned out by Aether’s voice cutting the silence again.

“Struggle then…” Aether suggested dangerously, pulling the belt towards him to undo the buckle. “I won’t stop you from doing that much. I want you to struggle, Phoenix. I’ve always delighted in your fire, your heat. I think that was why I wanted you in the beginning…” “I feel sorry for you!” Phoenix suddenly declared as his belt was slid free from his pants, falling to the ground with a soft thud like a dead snake. “That you must do these things to me to reassure yourself that you own me! I pity you that you can’t even trust the one person you claim to want more than any other in the world!” How well he knew these words. How intimately he understood them. How horrific they described him just as much as they did Aether.

Another kiss, lower this time. Slender fingers worked at the metal button, freeing it from the material and drawing it aside to reveal the sensitive flesh that bore his name. “You waste your breath, my Sacred Bird of Fire…” Aether breathed against his skin, lips hovering above the carved name. The zipper was pulled down slowly, almost silently. “I know very well that you and I are conflicted. That we clash and are opposite one another. We are not soul mates in any sense… And because of that, I have never trusted you or even entertained the idea. The only way to keep something that was not meant to be mine is by force.”

His lips pressed against the scared flesh, the mere touch searing Phoenix to his core. Pain spread like wildfire through his veins, forcing him to convulse and cry out in agony. The letters reddened and reopened, the blood welling forth from an endless fount, spilling onto Aether’s pale lips which then sealed itself against the wounds, drawing the heated blood into his mouth.

Phoenix’s chest heaved as he sought to draw in much needed oxygen, suddenly finding it almost impossible to breathe. He could hardly see, his vision so distorted by pain. Bloodied lips were suddenly pressed against his half open mouth, liquid heat pouring over his tongue. The metallic taste threatened to overwhelm him, leaving Phoenix no choice but to swallow his own blood.

The boy gasped for breath again as Aether lifted his lips, watching as Phoenix cough violently, revolted at the blood kiss. “You use to enjoy the taste of blood, Phoenix…” Aether whispered into his ear, his hand sliding silkily in between Phoenix’s waist and boxers. “Or perhaps just my lips that were so often stained with your life’s liquid…”

There were no breaths to be spared towards a retort. It was too much effort just to breathe. His body was spiralling out of his control, Aether’s caresses too much to bear with all the existing strain on his wounded form. As if reacting to that very thought, Aether’s fingers wrapped themselves Phoenix’s length, coaxing it to life.

A hoarse breath was expelled, the younger boy’s body torn between rejecting the pleasure that originated from Aether’s touch and simply giving in. He groaned as Aether’s forefinger and thumb formed a ring around him, sliding agonisingly slowly up and down his length.

“Should I be disappointed, my Phoenix?” Aether wondered huskily beside his ear. “That you so easily disprove your own words…?” His thumb passed over the head, applying just enough pressure over the sensitive skin to make Phoenix gasp despairingly. “Aren’t I playing you like a perfect doll?” the older boy continued, the hint of a smile in his voice too audible. Aether’s free left hand slid up the boy’s back, fingers threading through his sweat drenched hair to cradle his head and press them cheek against cheek. Phoenix was trembling almost violently, from exhaustion, from his own anger at losing self control. He was trying so hard to keep his physical passion from running wild. Fighting a losing battle. A kind he too often fought. The Child of Soul ran his finger tips up his length again, feeling the shudder pass irrepressibly through Phoenix.

“The perfect doll,” Aether repeated, lips brushing against Phoenix’s ear. “You would have been… Had I completed the Soul Bind. Had I taken your fiery will away and made you just a beautiful doll with ruby eyes and flame for hair. Mine forever to hold close and play with.” Fingers tightened just a touch more around Phoenix, pressing themselves into Phoenix’s core and electing a sharp gasp from the boy. Aether just smiled. Did his Sacred Bird of Fire even comprehend his words anymore, so lost in the world of physical sensations?

“The choice still stands, Phoenix…” the Child of Soul continued, stroking Phoenix and delighting in the way the boy was squirming in his embrace. How heavy and laboured his breaths were, how quickly his body had become drenched in sweat. Aether smiled as he spoke the next words, knowing the answer already. “I can free you of this cage if you let me clip your golden wings. Bind your soul to mine completely and I will be more than satisfied. Refuse and keep to your cage, Sacred Bird of Fire, for now until the chains of your mortality are exchanged for those which will bind you to me in your divinity.”

Nothing but Phoenix’s heavy breaths filled the air for the longest time. Just when the Child of Soul was beginning to believe Phoenix really could not hear his words in such a state, the younger boy answered. “I refuse.” How clear it sounded, how unaffected by his body so overrun with primal passion.

Aether simply laughed. Softly and seductively, even as his hand clenched around Phoenix’s sweat matted hair and jerked it backwards almost violently, baring his pale throat. “Of course…” the older boy smiled savagely, watching as a thorned tendril snaked down around Phoenix’s neck, slicing open the flesh over his jugular before retreating to allow Aether to close his lips over the fount.

Phoenix couldn’t contain the whimper that escaped his lips. Blood and blood and blood. It was always the blood Aether wanted. His blood that contained traces of Aether’s, bound up and mixed together forever. The fiend was swallowing every mouthful his body could give, pumped so willingly with each heartbeat. And with each swallow, there came the exquisite pleasure of Aether’s hand, stroking him, playing him. So hot, both his hand and his lips pressed against him. The pressure was harder, faster, demanding him to give. How long had he been resisting now. How long had he been fighting this losing battle.

‘Submit to me.’ This was what Aether was saying through the blood. ‘Give in and be mine.’

With a strangled cry Phoenix surrendered, feeling the pressure break and spread over him. His essence emptied from him, covering Aether’s fingers with the slick substance. The boy slumped, exhausted, humiliated. He was shivering, feeling the cold that touched his sweat covered skin.

Aether withdrew both hand and lips, and immediately the heated blood began to flow down Phoenix’s front, seeking to meet with the other wound perhaps, and make their way down to the very ground. But the stone vine that had made the neck wound had already re-curled itself around Phoenix’s neck, tightening and pressing itself into the wound, halting the blood flow and causing Phoenix to give forth a meek sound of pain. The Child of Soul let his left hand loosen its grip on Phoenix’s hair and slid down his bare chest until his fingertips rested above his heart.

“This… This is the one thing that remains yours,” Aether said softly, his voice thick with blood. “Your heart that gives me your blood so freely. You heart where your soul resides. It is still yours.” He lifted his right hand and breathed in Phoenix’s scent, closing his eye for a moment as if to better savour the experience. “Everything else is mine. Your body. Your blood. The phoenix that resides within you and is linked to your immortal soul… But I will not take your heart and soul. As much as I want them, I will not take them by force.”

His violet eye opened, staring into Phoenix’s smouldering crimson ones. Blood red eyes that were hurt and accusing. Ah, but their words simply weren’t reaching. So true, that they would never really understand one another. Never really connect. The unfortunate destiny of those whose fate was not naturally bound to one another, but were forced together in an ungraceful dance by one of the two.

“What’s the point of saying such things now, Aether,” Phoenix breathed out, softly yet unnecessarily harsh. Hard to speak now, with the pain and pressure around his throat. Hard to see, hard to think. The blood loss and pain were eroding what little stamina he had left to his abused and defiled body. “You and your offering me a choice…” He was bitter. So very bitter and resentful. “What of your choice, oh Master?” he mocked, a glint of fire sparking in his dull eyes. “It wasn’t enough for you that I came back to you on my own free will after you had tortured and raped me. It wasn’t enough that I accepted you and cared for you. Loved you even. No, a mortal with a mortal lifetime wasn’t enough for you. You had to have your victory, you had to have your divinity no matter what the cost.

“What are you so afraid of, Aether?! Why are you so afraid of losing me! Why are you so afraid of dying!” Phoenix cried, his raw and bleeding throat long forgotten. “Why am I so important to you that you must own me… Am I even that important?” the boy whispered with his last breath, tears welling in the imploring scarlet eyes.

What is it you really want of me. Do you even know?

The right hand stained with semen dropped to Aether’s side. The left moved to cup Phoenix’s cheek, thumb easily brushing away the tear that was on the verge of falling. “You can ask these questions because you do not remember everything that has gone before this mortal life. So let me give you The Past as your Soulist gift, my Phoenix…” A phantom breeze whirled through the chamber, playing with their hair, becoming stronger until it finally lifted the heavy locks that laid over the right side of Aether’s face.

The gold and silver eye shone, a solitary beacon in the dark. “Remember, Sacred Bird of Fire. The Past that has directed our Present.”

And as Aether’s touched slipped from his face, and the harsh cold granite vines moved to encase him in a dark cocoon, Phoenix had no choice but to heed the command.

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