-{Ark II-Beldon: Chapter VIII: The Unlikely Bonds}-

Actions can be strong and lethal... but one word can start a war. – Terian, The Emperor of Augistine.

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"Two-hundred and forty-seven..." I repeat as I look down at my new blade, "I'm not sure if that was a good deal, or not..."

"Well, it was expensive, I'll give you that..." Elizabeth states as she places her hand on my shoulder, "At least it seems like you and that sword are one-in-the-same though."

"You know, I honestly never would have thought I would ever wield a blade quite like it in my life..." I smile before turning towards her, "And oddly enough I never would've if it wasn't for finding you in that alley."

Blush begins to slowly creep onto her face as she meets my gaze, "I-I don't know what to say..."

Then I let a smirk run free on my face, "I didn't expect you would."

Her face turned red for a mere second before she shoves me away from her. I only laugh in response.

"So... w-when do you leave...?" Elizabeth had more of a worried tone to her voice now more than ever.

"What... do you mean?" I question her as I try to stop my laughter.

"You just seem like your the travelling swordsman type, or I guess adventurer would be more suited..." She rabbles.

"I'm actually supposed to head back to Fort Gruntiery before sundown..." I said too much...

I look down to meet Elizabeth's questioning gaze, "Wait... but I thought that place was taken over by the Rebellion?"

"Ha... ha... right," I scratch the back of my neck, "We should probably go somewhere more... private."

"Do you have anywhere in mind?" She asks.

"Other than across the city, no..." I slouch my head slightly.

"Why not my place?"

"Uhh... okay..." I raise an eyebrow towards her as she then looks away from me making it impossible to read her face, "Show me the way, I guess..."

"It's here..." She states after a while of walking through the crowded streets.

She points to a pretty fancy looking estate, and I just stare at it in amazement. It was probably three times bigger than my old home in Karthridge, if I remember it correctly.

"Please, wait out here for a moment..." She halts me before unlocking her door, "I live with my older sister so I'm just gonna check if she's home."

"That's fine, I can wait," I nod in agreement before she slips through the door closing it behind her.

I sit on a bench not far from the door, and watch the passing crowds of individuals. I reminisce on what life would've been like if I never had been granted these powers.

– You'd probably still be in that village griping about how plain your life is... – Demoros interjects.

– Right, right... – I grin slightly, – I just wonder what it would've been like to have a peaceful life, you know? –

– Think about it this way... – He begins an explanation, – Since you're living a life of action and adventure per se, a life of peace will always be what you want deep down. But if it were reversed, your wants and goals would also be reversed. –

– Ah, I get it... – I grin at his words, – It's kind of... –

Elizabeth interrupts before I can respond fully to Demoros, "You can come in now."

I rise off the bench and follow her inside leaving mine and Demoros's conversation behind.

She motions for me to sit on a small couch with a low table in front of it, and another seat almost directly opposite of it. Yet, once I'm seated she disappears into a room just a little ways away from where I now sit.

I try to peer around the wall to see what she was doing, however, find the corner to be not as revealing as I want it to. And so I just sit back and look around the room.

There was a fireplace towards my left and the entrance was on my right. On the fireplace was pictures of not only Elizabeth but also someone a lot similar, just a bit taller than her. I turn away from it and look around, more like admire, the rest of the room. From the good hight of the ceiling making the room a bit more breathable, to the elaborate detailing of the mouldings trailing the walls.

And after a moment or two, Elizabeth came back with a silver platter holding tea and other little snacks. She places it on the low table in front of me before sitting on the seat across from me.

"You know... I don't think I've ever caught your name?" She states while looking away from me slightly.

"Ah, you got me there..." I chuckle lightly, "Well, my name is Alexandrith Reign, although most people just call me Alex."

"So, A-Alex it is then..." She tries to grin, "My full name is Elizabeth Rose if that helps."

"Then, nice to meet you, Elizabeth Rose," I grin before reaching out my hand towards her.

She hesitates for a moment before returning the handshake, "T-the greetings mutual..."

"So, what is it you want to know about me?" I question without really putting much thought behind my actions.

Silence draws upon us as time seems to slip past us at an extremely slow pace.

"I... uh... I..." She mutters, then she pours herself a cup of tea and downs the thing quicker than I can put on a light smile, "W-who are you?"

I was taken back by this question for a slight moment, before I begin to scratch the back of my neck, "Oh, umm, hmm... well, that's a hard question..."

"Y-you don't have to answer if you don't want to..."

"No, no, it's just kind of confusing that's all," I nervously chuckle, "Well, to start, you already know that I'm a Cursed... but to be honest, I'm still not even sure how..."

"What do you mean?" She questions with a tilted head, "how do you not know how you became a Cursed, I thought you chose?"

"See, that's the thing, I never chose it..."

"But how's that possible? You can't just become a Cursed..."

"Well, I did," I grumble, then take a deep breathe, "Ever since I was a child I could communicate with the demon inside my head... I thought at first I was just hearing things, then as I got older I started talking regularly with him. Then when I become fifteen I was granted the powers of darkness..."

"Sounds... terrible?" She slightly questions.

"It wasn't necessarily great I can tell you that. I was run out of my village, then got into a fight with a Blessed... And ultimately got caught and sent to jail."

"Oh... I'm not sure what to say... Rough, just doesn't explain it good enough..."

"But, I mean, if I never gained these powers I wouldn't have ever probably left that village. Would've been a farmer or some crap," I chuckle as I come to a conclusion.

"So, you like being a Cursed?"

"For the most part, I mean I only really have been training lately so I haven't necessarily gotten to do anything 'extraordinary'..."

– Not like you could anyway, – Demoros sarcastically jabs at me.

"Training?" She raises an eyebrow at me, "Where... wait... are you with the Rebellion?"

"I'm not sure how to answer that one... or if I even am supposed to..." I shrug.

"So... how long have you been in it?"

"About two, almost three, weeks now..." I hold my chin while answering.

"Huh... what do you think they're up to?" She questions with an overwhelming interest.

"Why do you want to know so badly," I furrow my brows at her.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that... I just... I'm sorry if I put you on edge..." She bowed her head slightly.

"But, why so interested?"

"Well, h-have you seen what this Empire has done? They torture, imprison, kill, or worse... to anyone suspected of being a Cursed..."

"Yeah, kind of gotten my fair share of that business."

"O-oh, right... I didn't mean..."

"No, it's quite alright, it's more of a running gag with me and my peers now."

"I could see that..."

"So, what's your sister up to, doesn't seem like she's around a lot?"

"Oh, oh, she... she's actually... she's a B-Blessed... in the Divine Guard."

I almost shattered the teacup I had just grasped in my hand, before slowly lifting my head up in shock, and a newfound interest.

"Wait, what?"

"It's not what you think, she's..."

"A freakin Blessed! That's gotta be awesome! Is she in the Elite squads?"

– You're a bit excited for someone who hunts people like us down for a living, – Demoros jabs at me once more.

– Oh... right... I forgot... – I respond with nothing really to reply with.

I nervously laugh at myself before taking a sip of tea. I place it back on the platter only after downing the rest of the glass, "Sorry, I'm not used to the Blessed being the quote, unquote, 'bad guys' quite yet..."

"Ah... so it seems..." She kind of agrees, but more out of confusion.

"So... um, don't you think it's a little hot to be wearing long sleeves?" I try to change the subject. Although to my surprise, Elizabeth's face goes pale.

"I-I like long sleeves... I guess? I could ask you the same question..." Her voice sounds as if she were holding in a breath.

I raise an eyebrow at her, "Well, you know why I wear all of this... I'm a Cursed remember?"

– She's hiding something, I'm not entirely sure what it is... – Demoros pipes in, – But I can feel it. –

– Feel it? – I question confused.

"I-I guess I forgot... Y-you just don't seem like any kind of Cursed I've ever heard of, you know?" She looks down at her hands making a shadow cover her facial features.

I smile as I pour myself some more of the tea; refilling my glass. Then take another sip, however, this time I can't seem to keep my gaze from the woman in front of me.

Her deep brown hair was pulled behind her back, although a strand or two flowed in front of her face. Her skin had a tinge of tan to it, probably since she lives in this more arid climate. She was now wearing a light grey tunic which was tucked into her linen brown trousers.

– Quit your staring! – Demoros jokingly growled, making me slightly jump, – I have some information that might change this little conversation of yours... –

– What do you mean by that? – I try to not raise an eyebrow at the soundless conversation.

He sounds menacingly pleased, and a demonic rumble resonates under his breath, – She's a Blessed. –

I almost choke on my tea, and my gag forces Elizabeth to look up at me with a questioningly, worried gaze.

– Are you a hundred percent on this, or are you just trying for a laugh!? – I growl at him as I wipe the little tea I had spilt on myself.

– Well, let's just say... in a sense both? – He replies as if pondering on the thought, – She is, in fact, a Blessed, that much is certain... –

– But you like it when I suffer... yeah, got it... – I groan.

When I look up from the tea platter where I had just returned my cup, I'm met with Elizabeth's stare.

However, now I'm conflicted... What do I do? What should I do? Act natural...

"S-sorry about that... went down the wrong pipe..." I state after clearing my throat.

"Oh... okay, i-if you're okay, then it's okay..." She forces a smile, although worry still resides within her.

Could she really be a Blessed? And if she is, then what type is she?

"When did you decide?" I unintentionally blurt out my questioning thought, then immediately recoil on the question I had just asked.

"Uh... oh..." She slumps her shoulders, and her head droops slightly, "S-so... you already know..."

"I didn't mean to question it like, I was just wondering the thought, then it came out of my head, although I was actually going to ask it, I just don't know what came over me, and before I knew it..."

– Shut. The. Hell. UP! – Demoros growls, – Christ, if I knew you'd break down this easily I wouldn't of told you. –

Her eyes pierce through me, and I just sit frozen by her gaze.

"Out of all these years... and you saw through it that quickly?" She shakes her head, "I wouldn't have, I couldn't have ever thought that someone like you would catch on so quickly..."

"I-I'm sorry, it wasn't, and isn't my intention to hurt you... It just slipped my tongue..."

"It's alright... it's not like I could ever keep this facade up forever," She slightly smiles at me, "My sister is a Blessed too, after all."

"So... when did you decide?"

"Almost seven months ago..." She begins to explain and I rest my arms on my knees; listening to every detail. "A boy not much older than that of eight, or appeared to be around that age, died in my arms. I-I tried all that I could, everything that I could, and yet..."

Tears began to fall from her eyes as she came to the last couple words.

"That's when you were met by an angel I presume?" I ask as politely as I could muster.

She nods in response, "That night I met, Hazel, the Angel of Life..."

"So, does that mean you can like bring things to life and such?" I raise an eyebrow as I ask, more ponder, the thought.

"Oh, no..." She shakes her head while wiping her tears, "No... I can't quite bring back the dead... but I was granted the power to heal others, and-or myself, when the need arises."

"Ah, okay, that makes complete sense now," I nod while holding my chin.

"Are you always like this?" She states with a smirk covering her face.

"You'd have to chat with the demon in my head on that one," I jokingly began to chuckle, and she let out a slight giggle.

Silence stretched between us after our laughter dies down.

"So... what was it like?" She gave me a confused gaze, "Gaining the power, I mean, did it hurt? Or was it more of a wonderful, for lack of a better word, kind of experience?"

"No, it didn't hurt, but it wasn't so wonderful either..." She moves a strand of hair from her face as she begins to answer, "It was like being struck by lightning, yet at the same time being relieved of all of my previous pain and suffering... as if being cleansed of any, and all bad emotions."

"Ah..." I nod my head as if 'agreeing' with her, "So, then why do you cover you markings if your a Blessed?"

"Well... same as you, or so it would seem..." She lowers her gaze down towards her hands, "Do you know what the Empire would do to me if they found out I was a Blessed?"

"No, but I've gotten my fair share of what happens to a Cursed, so..."

"Well, it's not what you'd imagine..." She glares at me before relaxing slightly, "My sister barely ever comes home because they have her chasing down Cursed as if she were more hound than human. And for me...

They'd force me to heal every wounded soldier, Blessed or other, until I was spent. And I'd sooner be cut apart and dissected for my very essence than ever be able to be released from their 'Divine Guard.'

The Empire doesn't just let the Cursed suffer, they make everyone suffer! That's why I wanted to keep you away from those Divine Guards; you're different..."

I look down at my pulsating, raging, marks as they glow in a faint blackish purple miasma through the gloves. A faint grin gradually grows into a smile as a thought comes into my mind.

"Hey, why don't I bring you into the Rebellion?" The thought forces a silence to erupt throughout the room.

Elizabeth just stares at me as her entire figure slowly freezes solid.

"Y-you would do that for me...?" She almost silently whispers, then raises her voice while standing up, "but what about your position!? Would they even take me in?"

"I'm sure there wouldn't be a problem," I shrug.

"But what if they find that I'm a Blessed!?"

I slowly rise to a stand and grab her shoulders, "I'm fairly certain that the Rebellion won't judge you for who, or what you are. But if they do, then send them my way and I'll deal with them."

She then wraps her arms around me without hesitation, leaving me not only speechless but stunned. And as I slowly bring in my arms I could hear her soft sobbing on my shoulder.

"No one... has ev-er... ev-er d-done... a-any-thing like th-is... for me be-fore..." She sobs, before letting a sigh free, "Thank y-you..."

I hold her in place as she cries on my shoulder, "I-I'm not sure how to respond..." I whisper in a slightly joking manner.

A soft laughter erupts from her before she pulls away from me, "We... s-should probably get go-ing now... i-it's probably going to be sundown soon."

"Ah, right..." I let a light smile free as she wipes her tears.

"Look now you've got me in a mess," She shakes her head while letting a light chuckle free.

"I can wait for you to be ready," I roll my eyes before she nods then disappears into one of the rooms.

I sit down and pick up my now cold tea... I look at it with an uncertain face. I then take a sip...

"Bitter, but not bad..."