Where Winter Meets Summer (Rusame Countryhumans)

Diamond Eyes: THREE

(NOBODY POV)

UN stared down at the country as a stunned silence settled over them. His eyes were cold and devoid of any sympathy, his tall figure blocking the ebbing threads of moonlight. El Salvador averted his eyes and couldn't help but shrink under the Power's piercing gaze.

"This shouldn't be possible," NATO growled, "I retrieved your corpse with my own two hands."
For the first time that night, Five offered no comment.

The time read 4:50 in the morning with the light of dawn just below the horizon. The morning mist hovered over the ravaged landscape that once was the pristine Eastern Courtyard. Now all that remained was blackened upheaval and a country casted in iron puppet strings.

"I'm sorry," El Salvador rasped, his eyes searching the ground for he knew that there would be no forgiveness on their faces. He was subconsciously aware of how far he had gone astray and that they had every right to be upset.

Finally, UN shifted his gaze to FVEY, signaling for him to apprehend him but before Five could go anywhere, a disheveled country stood in their way, three pitch black eyes staring up at them with an air of solemnity.

"Hear him out first," he advised, though it sounded more like a command. UN narrowed his eyes but held up his hand, telling Five to back off. America turned his gaze back to El Salvador who sighed.

"I dunno how much of a help I can be though. Most of everything has been a blur for me," he admitted but Ame shook his head. It didn't matter right now.

He closed his eyes and knit his brow in concentration as he dug deep into his head, looking for the day he got into this mess. Large chunks from his mental timeline were missing, some were just too muddled to recall, though he could distinctly remember somewhat of a change in himself that started at the beginning of the school year. No- it was before that... during the summer break. And just like that, things began to fall back into place and the answer came to him.

It started with a duel and a deal.

(EL SALVADOR POV)

"Three weeks, San Salvador," I said as I handed my Conduct and a note from the Headmaster to the agent at the desk. She glanced at the note and inserted the blood-red stone into a machine which etched a couple symbols into its surface.

"Second chamber, fourth Gate," she instructed as she handed the Conduct back, now glowing with a renewed light, "An agent will be sent to your location if you do not respond to the recall order and bla bla bla..."

She gave me the usual spiel, the rundown of safety precautions and rules and whatnot. Finally I was let go and as I walked down the grand, high arching corridor, I couldn't help but read over the letter one more time. UN's distinguished, elegant handwriting sprawled across the crisp stationery, granting my request to oversee the situation on Earth that I had been worrying about for the past few months. Unsettling chills, as if I was in danger, began to race through my body at the start of the final month. Two weeks later, whispers for help began to haunt me. And then the last week of school, cuts and strange tattoos began to burn into my skin at random. It got so bad on the left side of my face that I had to bandage it up. Clearly, trouble was brewing somewhere in my territory and I had to sort it out ASAP.

"San Salvador. All aspects, normal. Gate power levels, stable. Expected return in three weeks," the voice in the speaker read out as I stepped up to the swirling vortex with a lump in my throat. The final checks were done and finally, the attendant turned to me and smiled.

"Have a safe trip."

Soon enough, the swirling cloak of energy faded into a sunset sky as I stepped onto familiar grounds. The portal had spat me out in the middle of an alleyway, somewhere in the downtown area. Sloppy graffiti smeared across the crumbling concrete walls that caged me in on all three sides and a dim lamp flickered overhead. The same shudder ran up my spine but this time, it was accompanied with a wave of irritation. Trouble had arrived.