Chapter 5

Leonidas Graham was sitting in the down town coffee shop with his childhood crush, Calixte Sloan. But it wasn't a date, even though it may have looked like one, and he knew it couldn't ever be, Cal and Sorin go way back, not a chance for him to just get in between. On their way out, they had informed Sorin that they will be back in just a moment, and that if he hears anything, to call them immediately. Leon was hesitant in leaving Sorin alone, after his injury, but they came out anyway. In the store, Cal ordered her regular, hot chocolate, which he had remembered was her favorite, he had never seen her with a different drink.

Leon ordered a cold coffee, which Cal knew was his all time favorite drink, even if it was December, you would still find him with this drink and this drink alone. Cal and Leon were the best of friends, he has done a lot of things for her, and so had she. She knew that he cared for her a lot, and so did she for him. Sometimes she thought, that these people, her friends, were more of a family to her, than her actual family had been a family to her. And she loved them for that. She didn't even realise that a smile had crept on her face, which quickly vanished when Leon looked at her, in his very serious, detective face. Then Leon started speaking, and she started listening. "You know what I think about this whole Avyanna stuff, I feel like if Damian goes out there alone, it'll be a suicide thing, I know Avyanna, and I know that if she can harm Sorin, she can go to any extent, if she had to. But surely she would not hurt Damian, right. So I  am going with hi-." Listening Sorin's name made her even more attentive, than she was. She cut him off and started, "I think Damian's being a total bum in this situation, Sorin is already hurt, and really hurt for a matter of fact. Avyanna doesn't want to be found, he should let this obsession go," She was talking fast but then started talking slowly, as if the words had some serious meaning to them "but then I also know he  won't, he loves her far too much for that. And even I can't let him go to a suicide mission like that, I'll go with him too" All Leon could understand was that his thoughts and hers, were the same. He nodded along to all of her words sincerely. He was just about to say something when a waitress came and gave them their coffees. They sat inside of  a cafe, on a table. Usually, for a coffee, they would not take a table, but right now, they had talks to have, and decisions to make, so they thought that asking for a table would be the best thing at the moment. Cal and Leon both knew Damian from a few years now, while Sorin, Avyanna and Estelle, know him from birth. Even then, both of them cared for him like an actual brother. They knew what he had been through. But the thing is that Damian himself doesn't know what he went through, and he doesn't want to believe what the world tells him he went though, he can't. Cal and Leon both knew that Damian would never stop it, even if he died trying. And they also knew that they won't let him go on a suicide mission, atleast not alone. After drinking coffee and talking about some old days, they both rode home, Cal on her bike, and Leon in his car. Racing their way through. Cal won, and reached inside first, but to her absolute shock, there door had a letter with a string attached to it on the door knob. She carefully cut the string with a knife, the seal it had on it was a Bennet seal, and Sorin being the only Bennet she knew, she was sure that it was written by him, but that just made her worries grow. She opened it with shaky hands, and read it in her mind.

To whichever one of my friends who found this, I am going to go help Damian even if I said that he should drop it. I think it would be better if you two, Cal and Leon, would just stay here, as the path ahead is dangerous, Leon I'm sorry buddy, but I borrowed your research that you did on Avyanna, I'll be heading out now. Do not worry for me, I will be with Damian, and even If I do die, I'll die as a friend if not a warrior.  And if you do wish to join us, just come to the portal for Scarrow kingdom, you'll find us there.

With a lot of love, Sorin Bennet.

With a stamp not a signature below. Cal was sitting on the floor, leaning against the door, about to cry now. She believes that he is not in the right health to go out and do whatever it is that Damian wishes him to do. Worries fill her mind, what if something happens to him? What if he can't find Damian? What if Avyanna finds him again? What if-, and then she finally does cry. The possibilities were horrible. But luckily enough, before she could build up even more traumatic possibilities, Leon runs up the stairs, he wasn't panting but he definitely not breathing that good. Seeing Cal's condition, he sat next to her, and started to caress her back, when Cal does see him, she hugs him tightly, hiding her face in his chest, hoping that this was not true. Leon put his head above hers and started to ask her questions, "What happened Cal, why are you crying, what happened?" While massaging her hair slowly. With shaky breaths, she gets back and shoves the letter in his hand, and disappears herself into the corner. A lot of emotions pass on Leon's face, such as confusion, concern, sad, anger and what not. He then stands almost in a moment, and in a voice that he wanted to sound loud came out as a sqeak, started to speak, "We need to go find him. And you'll come right with me" he crouches a little and helps Cal on her feet. "Right?" She nods slightly, she was still whimpering. It was the first time that he had seen Cal cry like this, like this for a person. He had seen her cry, sure. But like that, never in his life. His heart drenched and screamed at her whimperings, and her sobbings. The marks of the tears were still there, but she had stopped crying, she snapped to him, and told him, "Don't you have to pack detective?" Her voice wasn't shaking, or weak, or wavering, rather it was the complete opposite, strong, bold, and unwavering. He nodded quickly and walked inside with her, closing the door behind him. Leon had a suitcase that he had brought thus morning, so he just took and sat on the couch, free of work, while Cal did the same thing, they both then shared an awkward look of, 'we both have nothing to pack'. But it was OK, it was saving their time, which was already very less.

Done with everything, Cal and Leon decided that going in a car would be a better option, because of the luggage and the destination. The ride through, Leon tried to lift Cal's mood by trying to small talk, in reply of which he only got a, "I am completely fine, the ride is long, put on some music, but please don't try to small talk with me, I hate it" gritting her teeth in 'I hate it'. she sat next to Leon, but had still ordered the music put. The destination wasn't near at all, they were in Nelson and had to go to Blenhiem, a 2 hour something drive. New Zealand was honestly the best, till now, Cal had loved everything about it. The journey was excruciatingly slow, the time was same, and even the car speed was fast, but she felt as if it was slow, her heart was racing, like a sports bike. Even though they were on the way. Worried kept creeping into her mind, she tried to maybe focus on the songs, or the beautiful sceneries, but she just wasn't able to.

Leon was going on full speed, even though there was no need to, he wasn't actually that worried for Sorin, he did not know to protect himself, but if he was with Damian he would be fine, but seeing Cal's condition even now, was what made him race the car there. And in just an hour and some minutes they were there. It looked like a normal town to all, but only the royal bloods could see the portals and enter them. Both of them, upon reaching there, took their bags out from the backseat, and looked at each other before locking the car and pulling themselves and their luggage into the threshold of the ancient portal of the kingdom of the Scarrows.