Afton staggered back to the clearing he'd spent the night...

Though he'd just slept, Afton fell to the forest bed of leaves and back into sleep. The run had fully exhausted him, both physically and emotionally.

Why? Why then?

Afton crumbled against the tree... the Falconers just brushed his behavior off as a human's whims...

****

There was Kaylie.... there was Afton... there were the Falconers.

Afton called to her, he smiled to her, he stretched out his hand from the shadows he'd never seen before.

Kaylie smiled and reached out a hand toward him... closer... and closer... and yet a little closer.... but she stopped right before she touched the tip of his finger. She hesitated and turned to the Falconers. A life of fighting against death, more than any others, yet... she gazed wistfully wayward... at them.

Why... he would never know, but in the end... she herself was a Falconer.

Her slim pale hand slipped back to her waist, her other hand clutched to her heart as she turned away from him.

Why? He'd told her he liked her... He'd tried to protect her.

Yes... he was shorter... yes, he wasn't half as close to gods as a Falconer was... but... but love should have conquered all! Love should have crushed all obstacles! Love... love....

“Love doesn't break through everything in Nexus, child,” a woman said, appearing by his side, “I've tried it before. Motherly love... doesn't change anything, at least. In the end, children always get into trouble or get hurt.”

Afton turned to her, a speck of dirt suddenly got into his eyes, his lips quivered and the hurt... the unbearable internal pain...

“I knew she'd hurt you soon. She's just one of my children that gets drawn from humans. I'm sorry you had to experience the pain,” the woman said, wiping a stray drop of salted water from his cheek.

“Why is it?” the woman continued, “it's just fate... nature. Instincts is the answer. A child, a moon's child, is a child of nature.”

Kaylie faded slowly away. Her face... her figure... all except the mark. That horrid mark that branded her a Falconer.

“Now, child, for every thing one of my child does to let you down, I'll compensate. It's the promise of the immortal, Lycoris.”

Afton blinked and studied her physiognomy. It was shining with a red light, from her eyes especially. Her skin was pale and flawless, her nose very slightly upturned toward the red eyes, her snow-white hair was slightly done into a small braid of her fringe down the middle and two more from the sides. The rest of the straight white hair flowed down to slightly past the waist. She was dressed in white silk robes similar to those of ancient Chinese. Yet, there was no wrinkle that defaced her beauty, no blemish... the very picture of a goddess.

It was just a flash, for he could not bear to keep his eyes on her, for the light emitted blinded him, even in his dreams.

“Afton, you've got to be strong. You have to get through this... because. I think... it's wrong of an immortal to be biased toward a child other than their own, but I believe I am drawn toward you, child.”

Afton covered his face and wiped the remains of his tears away. He took one look at the spot Kaylie'd occupied.

It was empty. It was bare... it sent shivers down Afton's spine and he turned away quickly. The dirt having suddenly sprung to life.

The immortal, Lycoris, pulled him close and wrapped her arms about him. The robes fell like curtains about him until he was immersed in darkness.

“The silence of the night will soothe you... close your eyes child. Keep everything in. You can do it.”

In her embrace, he realized... there was no warmth. His head to her bosom, he realized... there was no heartbeat.

“Why? It's because... as an immortal, a biased one, my fate is in your hands. If I've taken another child as my own, that child shall hold my heart.... Every cut you take is my own, all pain you feel is my own, because... this is the cruelty of fate.”

****

Afton awoke, his heart pounding, every nerve straining, fear and something else running through his veins... but he'd forgotten the dream. It was now another locked chest swimming somewhere in the ocean of thoughts which defied, defies, and will defy gravity forever.

When sleep slipped away, he was suddenly aware of the stench in the air... that of blood.

“Guys, what happened?” he asked, walking over to where they were.

Some were sitting, others standing, yet both looked agitated and nervous.... except for Kira of course.

Kira was leaning against the trunk of a tree, hands crossed, left knee slightly bended, exuding the most bored aura in the world. It was he who answered, nonchalantly at that, “Just another fight you slept through.” There may have been a tinge of disgust in his voice too.

Kaylie stepped toward him, “Afton...” but he recoiled at her voice.

“Afton, we had to do it. Kaylie saved you, too,” Kira cut in when he observed the happening.

Afton muttered an apology and went to inspecting the ground.

“The Isumtanian vermin followed us here. I didn't think I left that much blood for him to catch on before it vanished,” Kira muttered, “I killed most of the rest with the help of my little Wisty.”

Wisteria blushed at the commendation and fiddled with her needle studded cloak.

“Afton...” Kaylie whispered softly, “What's wrong?”

Your voice... you.. everything about you... just makes me fall deeper. So shouldn't I be putting my defenses up? How? You crumble every piece of me. Yet... you can ask what's wrong?

Afton plastered on a smile, “Nothing.”

You were and still are... my first love.... Kaylie.

“So what now? What should we do? Spend our time sitting around in the forest?” Wisteria asked, turning the conversation to a less awkward subject. “We've made it here alive and now everything is calming down. So what?”

All eyes were on Afton...

“I guess... I guess we could start on jobs. We're out of food...” he took one look at their hairs and stopped, “I mean... we should do something about the hair first.”

“Afton, you should keep some things in mind. I didn't kill everyone of those bastards so word of us will most probably spread. You're wanted from both lands so finding a job would be more challenging for you than for us... for now at least. Also... we have to stay in the middle of some nowhere so no one will actually find us, which makes...”

Kira's bored monotonous voice drifted out of Afton's ears, whatever entered his head was so faint compared to Kaylie...

Gah! I can't... I... know it'll never work out. I should let go. But...

“... not to mention the Tearigch soldiers who'd go through hell to eliminate us all... Afton. Afton! Are you listening?”

“Huh? Yeah. Tearigch... hell and death?”

“He wasn't listening,” Kira growled to himself.

“I'm sorry... I wasn't,” Afton mumbled.

Kaylie pulled Afton aside... but he tensed at her touch, diverted his eyes once more to the ground, and paled visibly.

“Afton, tell me already. Who's bothering you?” Kaylie asked, tilting his chin so he'd look her in the eyes.

She looked only slightly taller than him, but she certainly seemed more intimidating.

“Nothing...” he answered.

It's you... you blind me with your light.

“Afton, please, I'm worried.”

“Nothing.”

You're a million miles away.... I'll never reach you, that's what. I need you... I... I love you even though I know I never should.

“Why are you so preoccupied? You're acting strange, Afton.”

He just shook his head and dropped it to face the ground again.

Strange? Does love render one strange? Or is it not love? Does love pain one? Does love kill one? Does love torture one unbearably? Is that love or another curse of fate? I... I loathe this feeling... With it, I feel mad. My thoughts contradict. My heart beats irregularly at your smile. But... you fill my every thought. You capture my heart so that when you're not in sight, I'm restless, wondering how you are, yet when you're in sight, I can't help but by anxious or nervous in some way... Alas! Love is a perfect analogy of desolation!

“Alright, if you don't want to talk. I won't bug you anymore,” Kaylie said. She ruffled his hair and continued, “You're a big boy who can take care of himself now.”

Afton caught her hand at the wrist and slowly brought it down, “Kaylie,” he said slowly, still facing the floor, “just see me differently for this sentence. Just this one... only one.”

He looked straight at her and without blinking, his eyes locked on hers, his jaws slightly clenched as if to hold himself back.

Kaylie, stunned by the evolution in Afton's behavior, had widened her eyes and opened her lips very slightly.

“I love you,” he said.

His face was suddenly right before hers and she noticed for the first time... that he had grown taller and only looked shorter because he'd never straightened his shoulders and his head both at once.

His lips were closer than they'd ever been to hers... the warmth of his breath could be felt upon her cheeks...

His heart pulsated with passion... he closed his eyes and for a moment reason lost him... his lips almost touched... but then...

He hesitated, stopped himself. Let go of her hand and stepped back coughing awkwardly.

He turned, and afraid of her reaction, didn't look back until he was among the other Falconers.

Sure enough, she returned. Her face was tinted with a delicate pink, her eyes darting back and forth. An unusually straight face topped with recurrent coughs painted a picture of awkwardness.

“So... I've thought of something we can do. Wisteria, Agapios, Daiki, you guys search for berries, our main food source. Kira, you train the rest in mixed martial arts. That should help us with defense. That's all for now.”

The beast padded up to him slowly and lazily, twitching its tail as if to ask of himself.

“He's asking about what he should do,” Wisteria said, smiling at the panther.

“He doesn't need to do...” Afton was saying, but the beast narrowed its eyes intimidatingly and he kept quiet.

“The beast comes with me, then,” Wisteria said, scampering over to the beast and wrapping her arms around its neck.

“And Kaylie...” Afton said... he glanced her way and cleared his throat before finishing, “You can do whatever you want.”

Silence ensued and the Falconers cleared, three to find food, ten to learn the beautiful arts of a mix of aikido, jiu-jitsu, and judo with a splash of karate.... the twins? Ah... they were lying fast asleep, curled up and snuggled by the beast.

Anyways, they had left Afton and Kaylie together. Both stood, waiting for the other to move first.

They moved at the same time. First to watch the lessons, then toward the beast... but Afton stopped everything and grabbed her wrist as it swung by. He turned her, wide-eyed and blushing, and said, “Let's stop this, ok? There's no need to be awkward about anything. If... if you don't like it, say so. I'll stop....”

I'll push every urge to love you behind. It's... It's possible.

Kaylie looked at him, blushing deeply in the shadows of the trees, under the evening sun. She nodded and smiled faintly, “I need time, Afton.”

He let go, suddenly realizing that he had almost failed in refraining himself again. They both took a step back and smiled shyly at each other.

In the end, Afton went to watch the lessons and Kaylie sat by the twins and the stultified-looking beast who winked occasionally through half-closed eyes.

After a few hours and the sun had set, they gathered round a fire Wisteria had started and crunched what little berries they had for food.

Afton, alone, sat away from them. He forsook the stars for the night... his light was bright enough... the sparks of the fire bounced around her, complementing her beauty.

She seemed to be preoccupied and stared at the fire, looking slightly morose with the eerie red glow upon her face. Yet, she was beautiful, lovely, wonderful... she made his heart beat pound against his chest, and Afton experienced yet another alien feeling.

It added to the pain that love had created, yet in a way, alleviated it...

And even as all their eyes drooped and they began to doze off one by one, he stayed awake, watching her whom he loved...

The fire died a little and she shivered ever so slightly. Afton was up in a second, adding more wood and blowing softly on the little flame.

A sort of joy pervaded his body and maybe even leaked a little out, for she smiled in her sleep. This joy was the feeling that comes with doing good for someone whom one loves.

Even the night seemed to pass quickly and when he finally went to rest, away from them, sitting up, he positioned himself so that if he awoke before she did, he'd see her.

Finally, after much flickering, his eyelids shut and he fell asleep smiling...

Why? Because he had acquired a feeling known as hope.