Gone

The heart argues where it loves deeply.

Gone

Dimitri continued to turn his head away in resentment and did not seem to show any inclination to budge for the next hundred years. Meanwhile, the plush figures surrounded the sofa on which the unconscious monster lay. Only one seat remained empty. Dimirti's seat — he still showed no inclination to do anything to help.

Luna placed black candles among the plush figures and lit them. From her bag, she took fine silk, smoothed to the edges. Four salt crystals and a necklace of red beads were carefully wrapped in black silk. With careful, gentle movements, Luna lifted the monster's head and put the necklace around his neck, then gently lowered him back onto the cushion.

Various patterns were carved into the crystals. The one with an eye was placed in the center of the monster's forehead. The other, which had a moon crescent carved into it, was placed on the left eye, and the salt crystal, which represented the sun, was on the right. The final crystal, with a star-shaped polygon carved into it, was placed on the left side of his chest, just above his heart.

Luna's every movement was so caring and attentive, but her hands trembled. Everything was ready for the ceremony, only one element was missing. Dimitri's help.

"Dim," Luna began, her voice barely trembling, "I need you."

The tiny rabbit took his place, grumbling to himself and squirming. As much as the rabbit's body would allow it to squirm at least.

"Thank you," whispered Luna.

That one word contained all her gratitude, and Dimitri was perhaps momentarily softened. Then the moment passed and he just grumbled on. Luna giggled a few barely audible chuckles, but her velvet voice still rang with tension.

The empaths took a deep breath at the same time, then began a mantra-like chant. To outsiders, it seemed almost hours before the last sounds died away and silence fell over the room. The crystals brightened with a faint light. Luna stood up but still did not break the circle. No one moved.

"This," Alex began, but his voice sounded strained, so he cleared his throat, "Is this really helping him?"

Dimitri laughed mockingly. The wolf gave him a piercing look, but the rabbit's black button eyes seemed to fill with satisfaction at his annoyance.

"No, we can't help him from here," Luna admitted quietly, "The fight is in his mind, and we can't just walk in there."

"Then what was that for?" asked Rolo.

His voice was even more callous than usual.

"If the Wraith takes control of his body, we'll lock him up," Dimitri declared with obvious satisfaction and anticipation in his voice, "The body will never wake up again, so they'll be locked up forever."

"What?!" Alex growled. "What were you thinking, Luna?!"

"We had no choice," Anna whispered, "That Wraith must not have this body."

"His power is not negligible in itself," Macabeus declared, "If the Wraith can take the body of a king, there will be no one left to stop it."

Alex would have spoken again, but the lion plushy was faster.

"Do not worry, members of his court," Ibrahim began, "If your leader were weak, the Wraith would have taken his body in an instant. He has a chance to win."

"But how big of a chance are we talking about?!" demanded Rolo.

The stuffed animals were silent.

"Answer!" snapped Alex.

"Twenty-five percent," Dimitri declared gloatingly, and ignoring the piercing button-glares of his companions, continued, "Less and less as time goes on."

Alex turned pale.

"Twenty-five percent?" a thin voice beside him asked.

At first, he might not have recognized it, it sounded so shattered. Slowly he guided his gaze towards the kid. The always impassive rascal he had come to know stared ahead of himself with a pale face, parted lips and broken emerald eyes.

Alex was clearly stunned, but then his eyes sparkled with determination. He understood the kid's feelings, for they were his own. He put his hand on his shoulder and Rolo looked up. His eyes glistened with held-back tears.

"Trust him," Alex smiled reassuringly, "Do you know him as someone who would let himself be beaten so easily?"

His words were perhaps a little meant for himself. Rolo clenched his fists. And then they waited. Because all they could do was to wait and trust.

(...)

Alex could not coax Mao out from under the cupboard. When the Wraith appeared, the cat crawled under it and has refused to move ever since. Even with its favourite dish, he couldn't get it out, so he left the bowl of food in front of the cupboard again and started for the living room, sighing.

Alex brought Luna water, for she refused to accept anything else. Her face was pale, further highlighting the thick, dark circles under her eyes. She sat there for the second day, motionless.

The plush figures didn't move either, but it was impossible to tell if it was because the link between their consciousness and their plushy bodies and the maintenance of the spell had simultaneously exhausted them to the point where they couldn't, or just because they didn't want to break the circle even by accident. Only that annoying stuffed rabbit was unable to sit on his cotton-stuffed arse, as he was constantly fidgeting and growling.

"I can't believe it!" he finally jumped to his feet, "The bastard should really give up! I've been sitting here for two days!"

"Dimitri, sit back down," Luna said tiredly, and the rabbit finally obeyed.

He then gently guided his gaze to her figure. He was obviously very worried about her. Anyone who knew her even slightly could see that Luna was at her limit, and that even though she was consciously dosing her magic, sooner or later all the life force would drain out of her.

"Don't even think about it," she whispered to him.

If he'd had a normal mouth, he would have pursed it. Perhaps for a moment, even he himself forgot that he was surrounded by empaths.

"Don't make me use up any more of my energy by shackling you," she pleaded, softly, yet with an unwavering determination in her voice.

"Why do you go to such lengths for him?" he asked, scowling.

"You know the answer to that," she whispered.

"Because of a stupid prophecy that your crazy mother told you?!" snapped Dimitri, "Don't make me laugh! You didn't believe in it until now!"

"I was wrong."

"I saw the imprint of him on your aura," Dimitri said, revealing what was really raging inside him until now. "Did you sleep with him?"

She didn't answer. They both knew the answer to that.

"Is he better than me?" whispered Dimitri angrily. "Is that it?!"

Luna remained silent.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd leave your little love quarrel until after the ceremony," Macabeus said casually before Dimitri could continue.

Before the rabbit could start arguing with the teddy bear, the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. For a moment, everyone was stuck in silence. Alex just stood there, glass in hand. Meanwhile, Rolo ran into the living room.

"Gironde Mehisto."

The barely audible whisper made everyone's eyes dart to the monster on the couch. His voice, though quiet, was as powerful and commanding as a magic word. And the next moment, something happened that twisted the reality of the tiny stuffed rabbit.

"The essence of the Wraith..." began Dimitri in exasperation.

"It has vanished without a trace," Ibrahim finished in a voice of disbelief.

Luna jumped to her feet, but the sudden movement made her dizzy, her legs unable to support her weight she seemed to collapse.

Stones clattered on the floor. His movement was so fast that it was untraceable. His hair glistened silver in the glowing light, dark claws grew at the ends of his fingers. The overwhelming presence of the beast, which he had always subconsciously restrained, overwhelmed the room.

Rolo and Alex had felt this presence once before. All their muscles were tense, yet they were unable to move. Perhaps the memories of that night were too vivid. They were sure that the monster would attack, and that everyone in the room would end up there.

The monster was in front of the girl in a heartbeat. It did nothing more than grab her wrist. Alex and Rolo then realized what Luna had already noticed. This presence was not hostile, not threatening. It was a simple presence, proof of existence without any malicious intent — but still so overwhelming and overpowering that it made the hair stand up on the back of the neck.

"Shay," Alex called out, but the other didn't respond.

Alex stepped closer so he could see his face. His eyes remained half-closed as if he were not quite conscious.

"He's sleeping," Luna said reassuringly, "He must be exhausted."

She reached out and ran her hand through his hair.

"I'm fine," she said, and as if the other understood, he let go.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he stepped over to the sofa and climbed back onto it. He adjusted one of the cushions comfortably under his head and closed his eyes completely. There was the soft breathing that Alex knew so well from his sleepless nights.

"What happened?" asked Rolo, "Sleepwalking?"

"Something like that," she resumed cautiously, "His conscious self is exhausted, he's let his instincts take over. His self-imposed daily limitations were gone, and since a monster's senses are far superior to a human's, he must have sensed something was wrong."

He tossed and turned in his sleep until he finally found a comfortable position. Mao then came into the room and sniffed around. With the Wraith gone, it ventured out again. It walked over to the sofa and in one graceful movement leaped up — straight onto the monster's belly.

For a moment, everyone thought that the monster would throw the bold animal against the wall in one swift motion. He gave a warning growl, and the cat meowed as if it was talking back. The monster growled in frustration as the cat curled up and purred. In the end, he didn't do anything to hurt the cheeky animal.