Odeen and Jasher walked in the far back, while Genis and Vatic took charge, leading the group toward their new safe haven for the time being. Ruby and Safire stayed close to one another, prepared to touch if the need arose. Safire wore only one glove, carrying her other to ensure that skin contact would be effortless if Nexus showed himself.
Safire looked over her shoulder, prepared for a sneak attack at any moment. Ruby gazed over at her, furrowing her brows in concern as her hand travelled up toward Safire's shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. We have a plan if he wants to attack again. We won't merge. Genis would never allow that."
Safire sighed, shifting her gaze to the back of Vatic's head to ensure she wouldn't lose sight of him. "It's not the merging that I'm afraid of anymore. We lost Rufus in the last attack – what's stopping him from killing again?"
Genis scoffed, running his fingers through his hair. "Nexus would never kill on purpose. He may seem rough around the edges, but he's a real softie underneath. I doubt he had any concept of how gravity works on this plane, so throwing me through the wall, resulting in the hut collapsing, more than likely, shocked him. I guarantee he's probably returned to the hut to grieve in his own way. But that gives us a chance to scurry the fuck out of here."
Safire growled, glaring at the back of Genis's head. "I get that you don't really understand the finality of human life, but have some empathy for those who are actually suffering from the loss. Rufus was a good man, and now we're never going to see him again."
Jasher clenched his jaw, turning his gaze away from the conversation. Out of everyone, he was the one who suffered the most with the loss. Genis's smirk fell quickly, causing an awkward tension to fall over the group. "Yeah, that was tasteless. I'm sorry, Safire. I know that a lot of people cared about Rufus. I'll ensure that from now on, any mention of him is out of respect."
Safire rolled her eyes up until Ruby moved to her left side, sliding her hand into Safire's and locking their fingers together. Safire squeezed Ruby's hand tightly, taking a shaky, calming breath. "Thank you. Hey, Genis, I'm sorry. I know that you were just trying to lighten the mood."
Genis waved his hand dismissively. "Don't stress about it. It was probably in poor taste, and it's not like you were wrong. I don't know much about the finality of mortal souls. I know that they live on through the energies between the worlds, but when deities die, they're just gone."
Safire furrowed her brows in confusion. "Wait, you know that human souls live on through the portals? How is that possible? Have you seen a human soul become entangled?"
Genis shook his head. "You misunderstood. Everything is comprised of energy, and for the two worlds to live, they need to feed off of one another's life force. That means souls. Animals, mortals, anything with a soul. It all goes to feeding the planes and allowing them to thrive."
Ruby turned her gaze back toward Jasher, slowing their pace until Safire and Jasher were walking close by. Suddenly, Ruby stopped with no warning. She stepped aside with her hand still clasped with Safire's, smoothly transitioning the hand holding between them.
The motion was so swift and smooth that Jasher had hardly realised he was now holding hands with Safire. His gaze shifted toward their interlocked fingers before turning his head back toward Ruby, who now walked beside Odeen. Ruby grinned wildly. "It looked like you two would support one another best."
Safire squeezed Jasher's hand, stepping closer to him in silence. Jasher needed no other invitation, wrapping his arm around Safire to pull her closer to him. "You're right. Thanks, Ruby. I'll support her as best I can."
Ruby smiled delicately, nodding her head toward them. Jasher and Safire continued forward as Ruby slowed to be beside Odeen. "They're going to make a really cute couple once they admit their feelings."
Odeen grinned, looking down at Ruby with a new softness to his expression. "You're acting as their personal love goblin? I'm surprised by how smoothly you enacted that manoeuvre. I didn't realise what you were up to until it was done."
Ruby shrugged, though she wore a smug grin. "I can't help it. I'm a sucker for love. Can we circle back to that love goblin line? What the hell is that, some kind of fucked up Oceranian Cupid? I wouldn't want to be visited by that thing, no matter the outcome."
Odeen let out a bellowing laugh. Safire and Jasher shared a knowing glance, smiling to one another. Even if their conversation was heavily encrypted, there was no doubt that the attraction between them had begun.
They trekked through the beaten track for hours, soon coming out of the forest's shade to a wide open field. Vatic halted, turning back toward the group. "Alright, everyone who speaks Oceranian and Ruby. May I introduce you to the strange circle in the heart of the forest?"
Ruby smiled weakly, being the first to step into the enormous clearing. The soft outline of trees began to grey from the distance, and in the heart of the clearing, sat a buried boulder, overlooking the field. "Wow... It's beautiful."
Safire grinned, breaking the clasp of Jasher's hand to begin running unprompted. Ruby chuckled in amusement, taking off after Safire. Odeen stretched, throwing himself back against the plush grass. "You found a hidden gem here, Vatic. How long have you been holding onto this one?"
Vatic cleared his throat, watching the two young women run free without a care. "Many years now, sire. I was hoping to surprise you with this one day as the perfect place for a wedding. But this seems more important."
Odeen smirked, staring up at Vatic with an amused expression. "You never fail to surprise me, Vatic. What else have you got hiding up those long, velvet sleeves of yours, my most loyal second-in-command?"
Vatic rolled his eyes, heading toward the boulder. "Now, sire. Why would I give you that information before it's time? Perhaps I might be willing to tell you if you were to find a pleasant maiden to settle down with. I fear I'll meet my grave before I see you start a family."
Odeen rolled his eyes, staring up at the crystal blue sky. "Drop it. I'll get married when the time is right. After Safire, I want to ensure that the woman I marry wants me, too. Avoid all that other crap." Vatic chuckled, clambering up onto the boulder.
Genis hovered over, touching down beside Vatic to watch Safire pull Ruby down into the grass, rolling around and enjoying the childish antics. Vatic's smile fell, never taking his eyes off the girls. "He's following us, isn't he?"
Genis stiffened up, turning a curious stare down on Vatic. "Well, maybe. I've had this odd static sensation for a while now. I thought that it would have gone by now. This feeling normally means I'm near another deity. How did you know?"
Vatic sucked in a harsh breath. "Ask Odeen. I used to mess with black magic a long time ago. It was his father who saved me from a fate worse than death. After his father died, Odeen kept me by his side, promoted me, and ensured that I wanted for nothing. Now, I'll do anything to ensure that Odeen is safe. No matter the lengths. If I must fight a deity, I will."
Genis sat down beside him, watching the field silently, before a cold chill ran through him, whipping his head back to Vatic with an expression of utter shock and bewilderment. "YOU CAN SEE ME!? I haven't called for you once!"
Vatic smirked, leaning his arm against his knee. "Just don't tell Rhudy about it. I don't want her to look down on me, but black magic is far more than just summoning wild beasts. That's why Hendrics keeps his wizards so close."
Genis furrowed his brows. "Hendrics? That's... the king of Cyrus, isn't it? I read about him from Safire's books. So he has men who would be able to see me without having to be called?"
"Yes, that's how accessing the occult works. We pried our way into the Inbetween without ever having to step into the vast void. I could feel Nexus's presence the entire way here. He's close by, so I will set a protective shield around this clearing where mortals can pass through cleanly. But I won't be able to filter you out. No matter what happens, you must not set foot out of this clearing until I take the shield down. You will die."
Genis scoffed, shaking his head in amusement. "I never thought I'd be talking with a mortal that I didn't call personally. Sure, set up your little barrier. I won't go through it. If it prevents Nexus from getting his claws on the girls, how can I deny? I owe the crown my life for saving it. I owe Odeen my everything. Because he saved me."
Genis smiled warmly, lying back to stare at the sky. "It's strange. I've never felt like I belonged anywhere. Yet, in a matter of days, I found my home. You've got a good little support group around here."
Vatic smiled warmly, standing to begin casting the protective shield. Safire felt the shift in the air, sitting up swiftly. When she found Vatic, eyes closed and mumbling to himself, she smirked weakly. "I'll be damned. All this time. You little bastard."
Ruby sat up slowly, looking over at Safire with concern. "Are you alright? You just sat up suddenly like something captured your attention." Safire smiled weakly, merely shaking her head. Ruby furrowed her brows. "Hey, don't hide anything from me."
Safire sighed weakly, patting her shoulder. "It's nothing. Well, it's not up to me to tell you, at least. Come on, let's set up a fire and prepare a camp. We don't have anything to sleep on, so the boulder is going to be uncomfortable."
Ruby sat up to stretch, groaning loudly. "If that's the case, why don't we just sleep on the grass, then? It'd probably be softer than sleeping on a rock." Ruby chuckled, though her amusement fell when Safire stared at her in terror.
"If you want to get eaten by razor worms, then that's up to you. On Teralu, you do not sleep in the grass while the moon is up. It's far too dangerous, because razor worms hunt in droves."
Ruby scrambled to her feet, bolting toward the boulder. Safire chuckled, getting up to follow her. "Ruby! It's alright, they only come out at night! They're allergic to the sun, so there's nothing to worry about during the day! Aside from carnivorous patterbugs! Jasher said they look like butterflies, but they eat like piranhas!"
"I hate this place!" Ruby screeched, causing Safire to chuckle, continuing her graphic assault of the vile creatures that lurked on Teralu. By the time the moon had risen, Safire, Jasher, and Vatic had passed out, exhausted from the journey.
Odeen, Ruby and Genis sat awake, Ruby's phone playing music softly behind them. Odeen sighed weakly, fighting away the exhaustion as he stifled a yawn. "Life on Teralu isn't as bad as Safire makes it sound. This place is incredibly beautiful at times. The amount of bioluminescent plants we have would take your breath away."
Ruby scoffed, pulling her knees to her chest. "Earth is fun, too. We have incredible music and acting programs, and some places found in nature look as though they were handcrafted for the perfect, peaceful escapes. What about the Inbetween, Genis?"
Genis smiled at the memories, hanging his head weakly. "It was something truly beautiful. Spanning darkness with glimmering lights that flickered every now and again. Galaxies spanning forever, with platforms that ensured falling was only a momentary thing. The gravity was weak, so we flew. Far more than we can here. And everyone was happy."
Ruby's smile fell slowly as her hand slid across, rubbing against Genis's knuckles. "That's beautiful. Do you miss the Inbetween? I heard that you haven't been back there for years. Aside from the time you came back for me."
Genis sighed, ruffling up Ruby's hair. "Let's not sour the mood with regrets and wants that can never come true. Come on, you two. Sleep is important for mortals. I'm going to check around the perimeter."
Genis slid from the boulder, causing Ruby to break out in a cold sweat, scrambling to her hands and knees. "Genis, no! Did you forget about the razor worms?! Stop touching the ground!"
Odeen chuckled, lying back before he called out. "Ruby, lie down. Genis will be fine. You can walk on the grass without the razor worms attacking. They only embed in sleeping victims who don't move. He'll be fine. Here." Odeen stretched his arm out, gesturing for Ruby to rest there. When she raised a quizzical brow, Odeen merely smirked. "Or, you can rest on the hard boulder. It wouldn't be the first time that you slept on me."
Ruby sighed, shuffling closer to Odeen after turning her phone off. She laid her head against his arm, pressing flush against his body. Odeen wrapped his arm around her, letting his eyes close. Ruby burrowed close, drifting into a peaceful sleep, protected in Odeen's arms.
By the time the morning came around, Ruby was the first to stir. She struggled to get up with the weight of Odeen's limp arm, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She gazed around the open field with a mild smile, feeling the serenity of the area overtake her worries and doubts. "This place truly is beautiful."
Ruby's gaze shifted toward the tree line, squinting at a figure that was barely visible. Her head whipped around to find that Genis was on the far side, patrolling the clearing. Something took hold of Ruby. Any fear she once felt was replaced with a determination to protect those she'd come to care for.
Ruby slid from the boulder, racing over to the figure. There was no surprise in Ruby's expression when Nexus came into focus. She crossed her arms, slowing her pace as she came up to the shield. "You're pretty smart, huh? Odeen said there was something set up around here to keep you out. What do you want now? Can't you just leave us the fuck alone?"
Nexus shook his head, shifting his gaze to behind Ruby. Genis stood at the far side of the clearing, his sights locked onto them like a hawk, with wide eyes and a tightened jaw. "Looks like this conversation won't remain private for long. Ruby, I need to talk with you. Privately. Step out from the shield."
Ruby scoffed, hearing the booming footsteps of Genis approaching swiftly. "Do you really think that I'm that dumb? You'll take me back to the Inbetween if I step out of this safe area. I'm not some idiot-"
"If you stay, Serina will send another to kill you." Nexus cut off. Ruby jerked, staring at Nexus with wide eyes as he sighed deeply. "I won't. I swear to you that I won't. Please, I need to talk with you before your time is up. I didn't mean to kill the other mortal! Ruby! There's something you have to know! Please, Genis won't allow you to be gone for long."
Ruby turned back to find Genis closing the gap swiftly, wearing a terrified expression. Ruby bit down on her bottom lip as she turned back to Nexus, desperate to know. "NO!" Genis shrieked as Ruby pushed her hand through the shield. Nexus grabbed her hand without a second thought, jumping backward to disappear with Ruby suddenly. Genis stopped mere inches from the shield, screaming loud enough to wake the group. "RUBY!!!"
-end of chapter 21-