Chapter IV

"D-Don't hurt him!" Riel's voice echoed throughout the room, Lake immediately freezing at his words.

"Please- Lake-!" He pleaded once more, forcing himself to sit up despite the immense pain he was feeling.

"Riel?" The blonde turned his head at the call of his name.

His face which was scrunched up in anger easing into concern once he saw his friend holding the ripped cloth onto his chest- desperately trying not to pass out once again.

Quest was dumbstruck, now that he's slowly recovering over the shock earlier- his comprehension of the situation was improving as well. However, the questions that kept popping up in his mind never failed to confuse him.

But right now, he had two questions at the front of his mind.

Why does the Euphony have the same name as the person he was in earlier?

What even was that? A dream? An illusion? Was it even real?

and- why is the Euphony protecting him?

Quest's expression was unfathomable, it was a mix of different emotions all piled up against one another.

Lake gave him a side glance that lasted for a second, still the blonde's sword was pointed at the thief. Lake immediately glances back at Riel when he hears him let out a muffled groan.

"Riel- Don't move, you'll-" Lake strided to his friend's side, but before he even gets the chance to kneel beside him- Riel grabs his right wrist, pushing it down to lower the sword.

"Don't hurt Quest. Please,"

Both Lake and Quest's eyes widened at the exact moment the name came out from Riel's mouth.

In Quest's head, there was only one answer as to why the Euphony knew his name-

Lake had told Riel about him.

But given how hostile Lake reacted to him- and how the blonde looked equally confused as he was, it seemed like wasn't as plausible of an answer as he thought.

"He did nothing wrong-" Riel continues with his shaking hands still firmly holding down Lake's wrists.

"Nothing wrong?" Lake clenches his fist tighter as he glances at Quest's sword on the ground, stained with Riel's blood. The deep red muting the silver.

"I-It's not his fault," Riel insisted when he saw where the the blonde was looking.

However, his grip on Lake's wrists weakened- slowly loosening up.

"Just promise m-" Before Riel could even finish his sentence, he violently coughs several times- each time a gush of warm blood runs down his mouth.

Both of his arms flailed down, like a puppet with loose strings. His whole body shaking uncontrollably comparable to somekind of seizure.

"What's- Riel? Riel!" Lake was in a panic, he quickly threw a blind eye at Quest and sheathed his sword focusing only on his bloodied friend.

The blonde quickly held both of Riel's shoulders to try and stop him from further shaking and opening up his wound.

Quest had finally gotten himself back together, he swiftly grabs his sword.

Lake had expected him to run away, but instead Quest hastily comes closer to him and Riel.

The thief pulls off the thick ebony cloth wrapping his sword's hilt, revealing different hues of blue- strikingly identical to Lake's sword.

The blonde still continued trying to control the shaking, however with Riel sitting up it wasn't as easy. Lake had no choice but to push Riel to the ground- pinning him by his arms.

Even though Riel appeared to be unconscious, he let out several moans and grunts.

With no pressure on the wound, Riel started bleeding once again. His pale face that was still shuddering sent a shiver down Quest's spine.

If the Euphony- if Riel dies, he would never be able to shake it off. It'd be his fault- no matter how much he would tell himself that he attacked for self-defense- he would've still caused the death of another seemingly innocent person.

Despite now knowing that Lake would never want him anywhere near Riel, he still decided to dash to the Euphony's side.

As Lake held Riel down, Quest wraps the thick black cloth he held around his chest. Tight enough to effectively put pressure on the wound and minimize the bleeding.

With each second that passes with Quest near Riel, Lake's blood boils a little more.

When Lake realized that even with the bleeding stopped that Riel was still shaking, he furrowed his eyebrows. Even more so when he heard that Riel sounded like he was mumbling words.

While Quest slowly stepped away after securing the black cloth, the blonde briefly let Riel go.

Lake reached for the small pouch hanging by his waist near the sheathe of his sword. Quickly untied it and reached in, pulling out his hand with two red seemingly rose petals on his palm.

Using his thumb he moved the two petals to the top of his index and middle finger, he then gently opened Riel's mouth with his other hand.

And as Quest watched, Lake put his two fingers into Riel's mouth. Making sure that the petals were at the farthest back of his tongue.

The blonde eventually pulled out his fingers, they were undeniably wet. But Lake just wiped his hand on his clothes, unfazed.

After that, Riel's moans and mumbling slowly went to a halt. He was unconscious, even without Lake holding him down he didn't shiver nor shake.

Riel looked like he was in deep sleep, his expression was finally calm- unlike earlier, troubled and in pain.

Lake was relieved, he moved to Riel's side and gently dug his arms behind his friend's back and legs. Carefully carrying Riel as the blonde stood up.

Riel didn't look heavy and he surely wasn't. With his small frame and build Lake carried him with ease out of the dim room they were in, eager to escape the wafts carrying the smell of copper.

Quest quietly trailed behind them, not knowing what to do- he only knew that the odor of drying blood wasn't pleasant for him either.

Once he got to the hallway, Lake had just entered a different room, still carrying Riel in his arms.

Quest knew that he was expected to just leave and let them be, but he wasn't the type to let things remain unfinished without proper closure.

He wanted to have a proper conversation with Lake- with the Euphony even. The voices in his head kept his mind curious and his body unable to leave without conclusive answers.

Quest badly wanted to ease the confusion he was feeling right now.

"Why are you still here?" The blonde asks in a menacing tone once he sees that the thief was still standing near the doorway.

"Lake- I- I thought you were dead." Quest explained as his eyebrows furrowed. Lake looked at him and gave him a bitter smile.

"It's irritating that I'm not, right? You didn't get to eat the whole school of fish?"

Quest felt a sharp pang in his chest. Sticks and stones could break bones but Lake's words broke his guilty heart.

"You know I never meant to hurt anyone, Lake." Quest slowly shook his head, a hint of pain in his voice.

He knew that Lake's anger wasn't something he could even begin to abate. But he still wanted to try and explain himself, to the only past comrade and childhood friend he had left.

"Ah, just like you never meant to hurt Riel? Is that how your brain works?" Lake retorted which left Quest speechless.

Quest truly didn't mean to harm the Euphony, he really didn't have a choice. The song Riel was singing- or maybe it was his voice affected him and his core, to the point of near total deviation.

If he didn't act, it's possible that he'd be six feet underground.

Thinking about Riel's song and voice raised a question in his mind once again,

Who was Riel? Despite his expectations- the Euphony seemed like an ordinary person. If so- how could his voice reach cores?

"What does he have to do with you?" Lake derailed Quest's train of thought with his sudden question.

"Why does he know your name?" The blonde asks once again.

"I don't know." Quest truthfully answers, Lake looks at him with complete distrust.

"You liar." The blonde hissed.

"I said, I don't know." Quest repeated, enunciating each word more than before.

"If you didn't know him, why would you react to his name?" Lake brought up a good point, which left Quest speechless a second time.

"I-"

Quest couldn't tell the truth could he? Would Lake even believe even a word he would say?

Quest was reminded of his bizarre experience.

Was that a dream? Him being in someone else's body?

It was far too realistic to be a dream- could it be that it was actually real?

And that person he was in- Is it just coincidence that that person was named Riel as well?

"I've heard it before." Quest had nothing else to answer.

Lake looked away in frustration, gripping onto the hilt of his sword.

"Go." He says while gritting his teeth.

"No."

"I said go." Lake repeats, fighting the urge to unsheathe his weapon.

"Before I draw my sword."

"Fight me then!" Quest snapped, his hands now in fists.

"I won't go- I need you to talk to me."

Lake looked at him dead in the eyes and when Quest thought that Lake's smiles couldn't get more bitter- he showed him one that somehow did.

"Fight you? So what? You'd fight back and kill me, then you'd say that you had no choice?"

"Lake." Quest firmly calls, in an attempt to try and stop the blonde from continuing.

"You had no choice right? That's why August died." Lake spoke in a passive aggresive manner, desperately trying to hold back his urge to shout at the man infront of him.

"Stop."

"That's why Evo and Netsui never got the chance to reach adulthood."

Every name, every word Lake uttered evoked memories Quest tried so hard to forget.

"Stop it."

"That's why July and Decy held each other as they awaited their death."

Lake's voice gradually turned more and more aggresive and Quest's fists closed tighter and tighter to the point that his hands were shaking.

"That's why we never got to see Avi's smile again."

A myriad of memories flash in Quest's mind, smiles and laughter rings in his ears only to be drenched in blood and covered with screams.

"Because you had no choice."

Quest briefly heard a sword being drawn from its sheath, and the next thing he knew he saw the business end of a sword pointed at a throat.

"You're still the same Quest I know."

Lake coldly spoke, as his eyes travelled to the long blade Quest pointed to his neck.

"You only ever think of yourself."

When Quest had realized what he had unconsciously done in his emotional fit, he slowly pointed his sword down along with his head. His clenched fists softening in shame.

Lake then uttered in a deep and wrathful voice.

"Selfish."

-

The sound of thunder and raindrops was what Riel first heard as he slowly opened his eyes. He was met with the metallic taste of blood in his mouth and aching around his chest.

Riel's memory hasn't quite caught up yet until he hoisted himself up and felt a sudden surge of pain run through his body.

"Quest-" He unconsciously whispered to himself, being reminded of what happened before he lost consciousness for the second time.

What happened? Riel asks himself, perplexed. Was I- deviating?

Riel thought back to earlier, remembering how he entered a state where he couldn't control himself- all that shaking and his mind going blank.

What could've caused it? Could it have been-

Riel let out a shaky breath as he recalled his past memories being brought up when he came in contact with Quest. Those bitter, almost forgotten past memories being brought up and projected as if reliving them.

Riel shook his head, he couldn't fathom how much had happened in such a short amount of time. The only thing he was really sure of as of the moment was that he had to find Quest.

The Euphony looked around the room, only to realize that he was comfortably sat on a bed. His clothes had also been changed into clean ones, along with the new white bandages that wrapped around his arms, legs and neck- and now, also his chest.

Riel catches a glimpse of golden hair, easy to see even in the dark of the night.

"Lake..." He looks at the blonde sleeping soundly in a chair next to the bed, gratitude filling his chest.

However, in contrary to what Lake would want him to do- Riel forced himself to get up from the bed despite the pain he was feeling telling him that he wasn't supposed to. The thought that Quest might still be in Duvin City fueled him.

Riel quietly left the building, fully knowing that Lake would've never let Quest stay in it. He was immediately greeted by the cold wind howling as it brushed on his skin, the freezing raindrops rolling down his face and soaked up by his clothes.

As he ran through the city streets with the rain making his long light brown hair stick to his skin. He passed several stores, most of them closed taking into account that it was near dawn.

Riel had started to lose hope that he'd find Quest until an orange light caught his eye, it was blurred by the rain, but he still knew that it was somekind of lantern.

He ran towards it, his chest rapidly going up and down as he tried to catch his breath when he finally stopped infront of the shop. His whole body was shivering from being drenched in frigid rain but all of that was put down the drain when he finally saw him.

A man wearing dark purple clothes, sitting alone at a table covered in wine jars and bowls. His dark brown hair a mess as it fell on his face flushed red.

"Quest?" Riel's voice was shaky as he called while he slowly entered the shop with small steps. The brunet dizzily turned his head to Riel's direction, squinting his eyes, seemingly trying to get his vision in focus. When Quest finally realized who called his name, he looked away.

"I'm sorry." Quest spoke in quiet voice, though Riel was still able to hear him. It was clear that the brunet was intoxicatingly drunk, Riel bit his lower lip in guilt.

It was my fault- I provoked you. Riel thought, but before he could put his thoughts into words, Quest spoke once again.

"I-I had no choice." Quest looked down, using the very sentence Lake had criticized him for, shame rised in him.

"I didn't want to hurt anyone- I don't want to hurt anyone."

"It wasn't your fault." Riel blurted out, Quest looked at him in surprise.

He had always been telling himself this, to try and cope with his neverending guilt, but he knew deep inside that even he didn't believe that. This was the first time that someone else had told it to him- and that pulled on one of his heartstrings.

"Quest-" Riel called him once again seeing that he was in somekind of daze.

The brunet looked away once again, rubbing his temples as he experienced another headache from the alcohol.

"Why- Why do you know my name?" Quest suddenly asks, after his headache started to subside. Riel stood there in silence, trying to come up with the right words to answer his question.

"How do you use your voice to affect cores?" Quest asks again, this time his voice a bit louder. Riel slowly approached him, and the closer he got the tighter Quest clenched his fist.

"You even have the same name as that person in my dream." The brunet continued, his eyebrows furrowed being flurried with his own flurry of questions.

Riel's eyes widened once Quest had mentioned the 'dream' he had.

He was reminded of that sudden surge of memories he remembered once he had touched Quest-

Could it be?

"Was that even a dream? I don't know-" Quest gnashed his teeth, the feeling of being clueless- to the point that he couldn't distinguish what was real and what wasn't, agitated him.

"I don't know anything!" Quest banged the table with his fist in annoyance. Being drunk, he couldn't think straight even more so that he had all these unanswered questions.

The loud sound it had made caused Riel to jolt back to reality after drowning in his own thoughts as well, he quickly walked closer to Quest with his eyes lit up.

"You saw it?" Riel asks, hoping to get reassurance as to what he heard. However, Quest remained quiet.

"Quest- what did you-" Riel, having gotten no answer reached out to touch Quest's arm to get his attention.

"Don't touch me!"

Riel tried to muffle his groans as he fell on the floor. He knew Quest was drunk but- he never expected to be pushed away so violently, especially by his chest.

Quest loomed over him, his shadow completely blocking the light. It was dark and Riel was squinting in pain but, he saw Quest's eyes.

They were full of regret, misery and helplessness. Those same eyes stared at him for a few seconds, as if somehow concerned.

Riel tried to push himself to stand up. But before he could, Quest had turned away and left so much quicker than Riel had found him.

Just like how the wind comes and goes, when Riel finally mustered the strength to get himself up to the doorway, all he could see was an image of an empty street with no sign of Quest- all blurred by the raindrops that seemed to fall endlessly.