What Next

"So, where do you have her?"

Oz was eager to reunite with Reena, and he was impatiently pacing around his room.

"I hever said we had her. Just the we knew how to find her." Amar replied.

"Bro? That's literally not what you said. You said 'We have the girl you're looking for. How do you call her? Reena? The Aelia vessel.' Word for word. I remembered what you said."

"First off, I was told to get your cooperation no matter what. That just seemed to be the most convenient lie at the time. We're friends now, no? So I guess it worked."

Oz snapped his head up to look directly at Amar, sending him the nastiest glare he could muster up.

"Fuckin' liar. What the hell."

Amar grinned awkwardly.

"We needed you on our side. Sorry dude. It's all good though because now you have all of us on your side. And we're gonna help you find Reena! So don't worry."

Asmodeus spoke up.

"He does make a point. You were not very likely to align yourself with a stranger, and having a splinter group of shadow children behind you."

Oz scoffed.

"Whose side are you even on Az? Mine or fucking Amar's? And what do you mean by splinter group?"

Amar laughed.

"Always have my back Azzie. And Oz, don't think growing a couple of inches and cursing in excess suddenly makes you 'hard.' You're still a loser, bitch."

"Would you guys stop with the dumbass nickname?" Asmodeus shook his head.

"I asked about the splinter group, not for criticism on my habits, Amar."

"Ah well…" Amar sighed. "It's only master and I. The main group of shadow children, capital Shadow Children, they're a group of morally corrupt, violent, selfish, and nearsighted assholes. Master left, and my parents came with him. He raised them. They died shortly after I was born. My brother and I were raised by master. He never meant to create a splinter group, but now out methods differ so significantly from the mother group that we don't even consider ourselves one of the Shadow Children. Just people who are able to manipulate the darkness. My brother was with us too but… Anyways, we may be jerks, but we are nothing compared to the assholes that kidnapped you."

"Well I can say for sure that I like you more than I liked my kidnappers, so that's a win for you I guess."

"Don't act like your friendship is something I am being graced by. You had no friends before me, remember? I'm the one doing you the favor."

Oz chuckled.

"Watch yourself before I kick your ass Amar."

"Hm? As if you could."

"You seem to have forgotten that ass whooping I handed you earlier."

"Ok that's enough!" Asmodeus interrupted. "Stay focused Oz. We need to find Reena. So what are we going to do Amar?"

As focused as Oz was on saving Reena, he hated admitting that between training and his newfound friends, Reena was no longer the first thing in his head. He even found himself forgetting the reason he trained so hard in the first place. He just enjoyed being strong. He liked having friends. After they found Reena, Amar would no longer need to be friends with him. A part of him wanted to forget about everything and just keep his current life, his friends, no, family.

But he couldn't move on. It was his one purpose in life.

He had zoned out, not realizing that Amar and Asmodeus had already discussed the next step to find Reena.

Amar nudged Oz.

"Did you hear me? Tomorrow we get on a plane and go visit my master. I'm sure you'll like him. His father's father killed you in your last lifetime."

Amar's smile was so big, Oz didn't even acknowledge the last part of his statement until several hours later.

(GUYS im so sorry i haven't updated in a month. i broke my wrist and that took time to heal and i went away for a week. im so sorry i will try my best to keep updating at least twice a week. im so sorryy 😭 hopefully you enjoy this chapter.)