Rising Hope - End

[Lyra pov]

As the sun faded, the guards yawned upon our arrival. Their duties soon to be completed, replaced by the next. Then… only then did I find myself wondering. 

When we arrived back at the dorm, I opened the door, placing the tired boy back into his bed. Finding him yawning in barely a second, tending to duties that need be done before he could truly scratch that itch.

Then and only then did I truly realize my blunder. A promise made.

A promise I had not kept.

There wasn't even some great reason. For I had rather forgotten. 

To bring him to his other classes, where he would spend most of his time. Not even that was truly a blunder though.

As I could merely guide him another day. But there was another. Haphazardly placed evidence. Given to the usual spot. Only placed with neither care nor subtly.

Only now that I laid my head against the wall of the dorm… only now did I truly realize that.

All because I was preoccupied brushing that precious boy's hair. Of the dirt and grime that it had accumulated.

Only because he was too cute to be left alone.

Because I was just too happy to come out of this mission with nary a wound. And for each to be healed with such precision, such potency, that I was left without any aches.

It truly was a wonder. One that I desperately wanted for my own. Yet when I watched him strip… licking my lips as I did so, watching him turn the shower on.

Wincing as the hot water burned his finger tip, laughing as he turned it down a notch.

I found myself cursing my thoughts. That rapid greed. Seeming to catch me in all of my moments of weakness. Cruelly tackling me into decisions I never should have acted upon.

For that reason… and many more… I turned and opened the door, absently calling out to the room that I was leaving. Receiving back an affirmation. That he had heard me and knew I was to be gone for some time.

Only then did I truly leave, walking through my anger. Back to the cite within the city. Where the sullied lived and breathed. Polluted air that I had to veil my mouth from.

Wearing cloaks and masks that prohibited me from breathing that air. Only then did I spot the sight.

Only then did I reach over the bag and correct what had been done wrong. The evidence was sloppy, the report even more.

All because I wanted to bask more in that warmth that Gabriel gave me.

Stupid… Stupid…

How could I?

But when I finished, leaving the subtle monument I had placed to indicate the completion of a job. I felt myself being trailed. By some sort of shadow.

I turned into another alley, another and another. Using the years experience navigating this maze of trash, in order to shake off the trail that had found me.

But it was of no use. Eventually I had nowhere to go but back. The only building in front of me was one that I didn't dare go to. A place where even the professors… with their mighty background and even greater power… warned us about.

It was why I turned back. Only to come face to face with another woman. Her face set with absolute rage as she spun me around and spat words to the world.

Ones that even I couldn't understand.

And when I blinked once more we were no longer in the underground alleys, in the discarded place.

No, we were in a more prestigious place. But as to why I was here, truly I didn't know. And couldn't fathom why someone so prestigious and famous as she would deem it right to take me.

Would deem it necessary.

That was why, even as I gulped in fear, why I asked what was on my mind. For I knew that she didn't tolerate cowardice.

"Why?"

…

[Abigail pov]

How long had it been? A day… two… no more than that. But as I watched that roommate of his, who had seen through a mission on the first day.

Who had used his healing for such a purpose. For the first time in such a long time I cursed my position. Unable to run towards my beloved. To hug his warm skin, to watch as his breath warmed mine. Giving me that precious warmth of his.

Only I was not allowed.

And to be this lovestruck… from the mere few days he had been gone from my life. It was truly a tragedy.

"You ask why?" I growled out.

There was another reason that I found myself interrogating his roommate. One Lyra, a girl… skilled in natural magic. Growing plants and such.

The opposite of my burning flames.

"You ask why when you have seen the state of my fiance?!" I yelled. Content in the fact that there was no one… no one strong enough to pierce through the veil I had made.

"Fiance…?" She muttered, her eyes widening as she took in my appearance. The hair that spread out in rage. Fires that could not, would not stop burning.

"He is yours?" 

"But of course. Who else would be worthy of me?"

"But… But…" She spoke, stuttering each and every word.

"Yes I know… I want to know who… WHO WAS THE BASTARD THAT DID SUCH A THING!"

She flinched her hand back, burns wracking her body, flesh burning in the air. Her hair even singed.

"I-" She stuttered once more, completely and utterly suppressed from my power, "...I don't know…" She whispered.

I narrowed my eyes, placing my hand over her head. Closing my eyes as I spread my power over her body.

And in that moment I knew… knew that she was not lying.

I could only grit my teeth, in such anger… such rage that not even the forest could withstand. Burning to nothing but ashes as I left.