Resonance

The next morning Levi rolled himself out of bed and got ready to track down Sir Andrius. He stifled a yawn as he strolled through the crowded city streets alone.

[For the host of a fell dragon you are allowed to move around the city quite freely, Abaddon commented.]

Levi hadn't really thought about that much. It was a bit surprising that he wasn't under that much supervision. Except for Aldrich. The knight of Brilliance was around so they probably thought they didn't have much to fear.

"Maybe you're just not as big a threat as you think." He answered, poking fun at the dragon.

Abaddon just scoffed at him in response. If he had had a visible face Levi imagined he would definitely be pouting right then.

Levi's stomach grumbled. He didn't actually have any money since Aldrich wasn't around. He'd just have to get Andrius to buy him something, once he found him.

He stopped walking, realizing he wasn't completely certain where to even start looking for the knight.

Just then a hand tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to find a familiar face smiling at him.

"Why are you just standing in the middle of the street?" Psyche asked, eyebrow raised. "And how come Aldrich isn't with you."

Levi hadn't expected to run into him out in the city. He was in civilian clothes as well, maybe he was also on a break. "Aldrich's at home. Said something about a talk with his father."

Psyche placed his hands on his waist. "Ah, so that's why the commander went home so early. Guess I have Aldrich to thank for my day off."

"Sir Alastair gave you a day off?"

"Not explicitly. But he's not there so he won't notice if I'm not either." Psyche grinned. "Come with me, we can go get something to eat."

He began to walk down the street, Levi hurried after him.

×

Psyche watched in silence as Levi wolfed down the food he had just bought him. Levi paused with food still in his mouth, just noticing Psyche's unnerving stare.

"What is it." He mumbled, continuing to chew.

"The dragon, can it hear everything you do?" Psyche asked, interlacing his fingers.

Levi finished chewing and swallowed, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Well, yes. I think he does."

"So it can hear me right now?"

Levi nodded, unsure where this line of questioning was headed.

"Could I talk to it?"

"That doesn't sound like a great idea." Levi answered immediately.

Less because he thought Abaddon would bother causing trouble, and more that he had noticed it was getting harder to take back control of his body after switching. He hadn't told anyone about that though.

Psyche leaned forward in his seat. "Oh come on, please? I never got the chance to fight it. I'll do anything, really."

"Anything?" Levi repeated.

Psyche nodded. Levi thought about it for a few seconds.

"What do you know about limit releases?"

"Hmm," Psyche folded his arms, sitting back in his chair. "That's not a very open topic among the knights. Usually only commanders can pull it off."

Levi sighed. "So you don't know anything. Forget I asked then."

"Ah, ah. I didn't say that." Psyche interjected, wagging his finger. "In fact, you just so happen to be sitting in front of one of the only lower ranked knights capable of using it. It's your lucky day."

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Really? You can?"

"Yes, I can." Psyche rebutted. "Is it really that surprising. I am quite strong, and naturally talented. Sir Alastair wouldn't teach me so I learnt how to do it by myself."

Levi didn't doubt Pysche's capabilities. He hadn't been there but apparently Psyche had been able to kill the vessel of Belphegor once.

Psyche pushed his chair back and stood up. "Tell you what, I'll teach you what I can. Better yet, I'll show you."

"What's the catch?" Levi asked, he could tell one was coming.

Psyche grinned, amused he had been seen through immediately. "I'll show you while I fight the dragon. I assume you can see and hear what he does when he's in control."

"Why are you so obsessed with fighting people stronger than you?"

Psyche didn't have an answer for that. He just really loved the thrill of combat. Levi shook his head before getting up from his seat as well.

"Fine. Where to now?"

×

[Shouldn't I have been consulted before this agreement?, Abaddon asked.]

"You're the one who suggested I learn it. And I thought you liked being let out."

Abaddon couldn't argue with that. Psyche had led them to a location outside the walls of the capital. Far enough away that any fighting wouldn't affect anyone.

A few meters in front of him, Psyche jumped from side to side warming himself up. He cracked his knuckles before grinning at Levi.

"Alright, let's do this."

"Please don't hurt him." Levi told Abaddon. "Too badly, anyway."

[You worry too much. Now then-...]

Abaddon flexed his fingers. His hair turning white in the wind. "-Prepare yourself."

All around Psyche a ripping layer of wind began to blow. He shut his eyes and placed his hand over his heart, concentrating all of his energy into one place. He could only maintain it for a few minutes, releasing one's limit powered up their Virtue exponentially but keeping the gate open for too long would burn out his soul. 

Then he opened his eyes once more, he was ready now. After a brief pause he mouthed the words;

"Limit release."

×

Aldrich rolled out of bed with a groan. He hadn't slept all that well. He had been having the same recurring nightmare. They had started a few months ago, when they got back from the Shinkoku kingdom.

They had never been that bad though, not enough to ruin his sleep anyway. He wondered what was causing them to get worse.

He thought he would sleep way better with Larian and his vague ulterior motives a few thousand miles away from him. A thought suddenly occurred to him. Maybe this Larian's doing as well, he and his stupid rose toxins.

He let out a sigh as he splashed some water on his face to wake himself up. Then he left his room in search of his father.

He found him behind his desk in his study, staring wistfully at a wilting rose encased in a glass bottle. Aldrich knocked to get his attention before entering.

Alastair greeted him before stealing one more long glance at the rose. "This was the first rose I ever gave her. I've told you about it before, haven't I?"

Aldrich nodded. 'Her' referred to his mother, Luisa, back when they lived in the Galicia kingdom. From what he remembered of the story, his parents had been friends since childhood and that rose was the first his father had ever created.

He had given it to her and she had kept it all those years. After she died and they moved to Yves his father had brought it with him.

"She actually didn't care for roses much," his father smiled. "But she kept it anyway."

He shook his head, as if trying to chase away the sad memories. He looked away from the rose and back to Aldrich.

"The reason I wanted to talk to you is because I wanted to say..." He paused for a second, his voice catching in his throat. "I wanted to say that I'm really proud of you. Of how hard you're working to become a knight, even though you don't have a Virtue of your own."

Aldrich was caught off guard. His father almost never showed this much emotion. He hadn't been drinking with Sir Andrius last night either.

But the acknowledgement did feel good, he smiled warmly. He was the only knight-in-training without a Virtue. He was unique in his mundaneness, at the very least.

"And I'm sorry," Alastair continued, a sad look in his eyes. "I've tried everything but... I just can't find a way out of His deal."

That last part confused Aldrich. He didn't have a clue what his father was referring to. He tried to ask but no words came out of his mouth.

A sharp and acute pain shot through his chest. He fell to his knee clutching at his chest. Alastair rushed over from behind his desk, his sadness turning into worry.

"What's wrong Aldrich?" He asked, frantically.

Aldrich winced as he tried to speak. It felt like cold glass shards had been jammed into his chest. And then... nothing. All the sudden pain disappeared, and was replaced by a resounding emptiness. Like a dark, gaping hole where his heart should be.

"Something must have happened to Larian," Alastair realised. He carried Aldrich and sat him down in his chair, kneeling down beside it. Aldrich's hand in his.

Aldrich was still breathing. But Alastair could feel his hand growing colder. He gripped it in his tightly. It was the only thing he could do.

He was disgusted by his own helplessness. He was as powerless as he had been all those years ago. All he could do was stay by his side and wait.