17 Resignation (1)

With his Persequor spell still in effect, Michael Caelum walked towards the bookshelf Aria was leaning on while keeping the female's outline in the corner of his vision. He pretended to read the titles that were written on the countless books that were lined in front of him. The moment he noticed the little girl move, he grabbed her arm and held her firmly in place. If anyone saw him, they would assume that his was holding on to air, or talking to an imaginary friend – both were scenes quite common with Elisium's more eccentric and special researchers.

"We need to talk," Michael said quietly to the little girl who didn't offer any resistance. "Your life is in danger."

The female stayed silent. After a few seconds, her small voice escaped the confines of her lips and two syllables came out from her mouth.

"I know," she replied. Michael could only see her outline, but not the expression she was making as she spoke.

"You know…?" Michael's voice trailed off. His eyes widened. The youth stared down at the small female who was oddly still. He blinked a few times as her words echoed in his mind. Then, he shook his head in incredulity as he said, "You can't possibly know."

Silence fell on the library annex that they were in. There were no sounds of flipping pages, no sounds of footsteps echoing in the room. It was almost as if they were the only inhabitants in the world, that only the two of them existed in that point in time.

Michael moved first and brought her to his room with a single adicio spell. His persequor spell ended as soon as his foot landed in his bedroom. Her concealment spell faded and her small fragile form gradually took shape. Michael released her from his grasp.

The wound on Aria's face had healed and only a slight blemish remained. There were new scratches and new bruises on her arms and legs. An indignant gaze was on her eyes. A pout was on her lips. Her cheeks were puffed out. Her eyebrows were knit. Her expression wasn't downtrodden. If anything, she was extremely pissed at him for pulling her to an unknown place out of the blue.

"Where…?" Her black orbs surveyed the room and Michael couldn't help but feel keenly aware of how bare his bedroom was.

"My quarters," Michael replied. He glanced at the female who was standing stiffly in the middle of his room. Aria's head was turned to the side like she didn't want to look at him. He sighed. "There's something you should know."

He knelt on one knee so that they were roughly the same height. Michael tried to keep his voice even and calm as he said, "In a few days, they'll bring you to Elisium's Sanctuary. And the Sanctuary isn't what you think it is. If they do manage to take you away, you will die."

"I told you. I know," she replied as she emphasized each word that left her lips. When Michael thought the girl wouldn't say anything else, Aria turned and finally looked at him. Black eyes narrowed and became even more piercing. Her voice was slightly hoarse, her words filled with daggers, as she continued to speak.

"I know what you do. I know what you do to the children," Aria began without knowing that every word that left her mouth stabbed at Michael's conscience. "I know that you open them up, tear them apart… all because of their Talents."

Michael felt his mouth go dry. His strength seemed to leave his body. He swallowed the lump that had managed to lodge itself inside his throat. Under Aria's scrutinizing gaze, Michael couldn't find the will to talk. After a while, he managed to ask, "How did you know?"

"I heard the adults' thoughts," she said. "So, I went down to see things for myself."

The young male remembered how he had first met the little girl, how she had always been careful and wary of him, how Aria had reacted where she knew he wasn't part of Elisium – when he had revealed that he wasn't part of the Elisium Aria was supposed to know of. The reason why the child had always been cautious of him – was it because she already knew of Elisium's secrets? Did Aria avoid him because she believed that he was a threat?

"You can't go down there again, No – you don't need to go down there again." Michael Caelum corrected himself. He met her gaze and found himself staring at black clear orbs that were deep and endless like the night sky. "I'll help you escape from Elisium. Trust me."

Michael couldn't conceal the tremor in his voice or the slight shaking of his hand. But the girl looked at him with a steady gaze that attempted to see through him.

"Tell me the truth. Answer me." The words came out as a soft whisper from her lips while her stare was piercing. Prodding. "Why are you doing this? Who am I? Just what am I to you?"

"What's more important is I get you out of here, okay?" Michael replied quickly and flashed her a smile that felt so fake, even to him. "It's not a pleasant story. It's not really something you need to know. Let's leave it at that."

"Not something I need to know?" As if considering something, Aria closed her eyes and lapsed into silence. When she opened them, there were stars dancing in her black orbs.

The furrow between the female's eyebrows relaxed and disappeared as she looked at the male in front of her with renewed purpose. "That's something I need to choose for myself. I can read your mind… and decide things by myself."

The red-haired male shook his head. "I can't let you do that, Aria."

The female replied, "I don't need your permission."

Before he could react, he felt her two small hands touching his face. In a split second, the defenses he had built crumbled under he hands. The memory he had tried so hard to hide in the deepest corner of his mind was suddenly unearthed. With a breath, he was in a familiar field with the sky looming above him and the sun shining down on him from above. With a single breath, he awoke to a familiar open field that was embraced by an infinite blue sky.

Michae Caelum was no longer a bystander looking in an old memory. He was there as his nine-year-old self, his heart thumping loudly in his chest with his hand firmly holding on to a smaller, softer hand. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. He could feel a smile forming on his face as his gaze fell on a familiar mop of brown hair.