Broken Symmetry (NTB Book 2) (A Socksfor1 AU)

Infection

(DUSK POV)

It had been a day or two after Dawn had decided to let us out of the prison (or whatever the Xeronian word for that is). After letting Luci out, as well as finding out where the zait Moon was locked up, Dawn let us leave so long as we stayed around the main building that was over the prison area - what the demons called Whonj-Hame (which meant "start of empowerment" or something), and what humans would call some kind of small castle.

I didn't know where everyone else was, only that Akik, Blaza, and Meme were up in where we were staying while we were here, and that Nadwe was with Woolf and Joocie (again). No idea where TB, Moon, or Luci were, but I'm sure they're fine.

I was walking down the hallway when I saw a large room of to the left. I heard someone inside, and I peeking in to see Dawn throwing daggers at a target. They all hit dead center, and I shivered. Hopefully this is just a hobby, and that she's not doing it for actual use against other people.

She turned, saw me in the doorway, and smiled.

"Hey, Dusk, how are you?" She said sweetly.

"Fine," I said. I looked at the daggers on the target. "So I see you like... knives?"

"They're the best weapon in my opinion," Dawn said, "Lethal both at close and far range, if you know how to use them."

I blinked. Why am I not surprised.

"I have a weapon," I said. I summoned my scythe to my hand.

"A scythe," she said, "Just like your father."

I sighed. "Yeah... Just like Vizor."

"By the way, is that crindni still back on Earth or something?" Dawn questioned, "I haven't seen him since he left, and I'm a bit worried."

"Uhh... It's complicated," I said.

"Oh," she said, "Alright, then. I understand."

That's new.

Dawn walked over to the target and started to pull the knives out of the silverwood slab. I watched, keeping a good distance away from the blades. When she finished, she walked back over to me and handed a knife to me.

"Wanna try?" She asked.

I shifted uncomfortably. "I... Don't really like to use weapons..."

Dawn blinked in surprise. "Hm. Interesting. Well, it's not like you're killing anybody, unless you're worried about the target."

I sighed. "Alright, fine."

I took the knife reluctantly. Just one, to make her happy. I walked up to the line she was at and set myself up the way I remembered Vizor telling me to, back when he was training my brother and I. When I threw, I felt it quickly slip from my fingers and sail across the room, hitting the target dead center.

"Impressive," Dawn said, "Someone's been practicing."

"No, I haven't..." I said.

"That's still a central hit! Zait, that would've killed the target if it was alive!" Dawn assured.

I looked away, and I felt small tears in the corners of my eyes. Dawn's smile faded.

"You okay?" She asked lightly.

"I have to go," I replied, and without another word I speed-walked out of the room.

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(AKIK POV)

I sat outside Whonj-Hame on a rock, looking over a clear lake. Blaza was next to me, leaning into me as I had my wing wrapped around him. It's been years since I've been on this side of the border between the Demons and the Angels, and I remembered the first few years in my life, when I had been training for the demons with Dayan. Hard to believe he was with them, even after what happened in Hamesin all those years ago.

I heard footsteps behind us, and I turned to see Meme walking up behind us.

"Mind if I... Hang out with you guys?" He asked, obviously uncomfortable.

"Sure," I said. He sat down next to us on the soft, blue-green grass.

Meme sighed. "Everyone else is out doing their own thing. Don't know where the heck they are, so nothing better to doing right now."

I nodded. "Sometimes it feels that way."

We remained silent for a moment, the only sound being Blaza's slow breathing, as he fell asleep next to me. Maybe a side effect of being possessed is being really tired? I had no idea.

"So... what's the status on you-know-who?" Meme questioned.

I sighed. "He's no better, and he's getting a bit worse. His eyes were literally glowing earlier when he got mad at me. I'm afraid Vizor's getting stronger in him." I motioned to the sleeping Blaza next to me. "If he takes full control... I don't know what we'll do."

I looked at Meme, who was looking up at me worryingly.

That's when I noticed his eye.

Meme must have seen my fearful expression. "Akik? You good?"

"Has your eye... Always been blue?" I asked.

"Of course, that's just my eye color," Meme said.

"No, not the iris," I corrected, "Like, the veins."

"What?" He said. He rubbed his eye, and flinched as he touched it.

"It hurts?" I questioned.

"Yeah... It has been for a bit, just never thought about it. Maybe I'm allergic to something," Meme stated.

"Meme, at some point, have you seen a crystallized tree?" I said, concerned.

"Yeah... A few days ago, actually," Meme explained, "I saw it when I was exploring the woods, but I got something in my eye-"

"Did it feel like a speck of dust?" I stated.

"Yes... How do you know?" Meme asked.

"Oh, bint..." I muttered to myself.

"What is it?"

"Meme... I think that was a crystalcone seed," I explained, "And if we don't do something about it...

"You're probably gonna die."

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OoOoH cliffhanger

YEAH THATS RIGHT MEME YOU DIDNT BELIEVE IT WHEN WE SAID IT WAS DANGEROUS

WHAT ABOUT NOW, HUH?!?!!

915 words