Horus stepped back, a look of pure confusion on his face. The familiar feeling of lightning trapped in his veins assaulted him.
How did she find him? His natural conclusion was that this was trouble.
But he had to speak to her either way, and June looked shaken and a bit lost.
"What are you doing up here?" they both asked at the same time.
Horus raised an eyebrow, while June simply chuckled. Why was the stalker laughing at him?
"I was here first so you answer me."
June walked closer, disregarding Horus's unsheathed sword and his suspicious stare. She was either fearless or foolish.
"I saw you coming up here and heard about your… Awakening," She said carefully, staring out to the sprawling city below them.
Her dark blue hair fluttered, the little chimes she had on her glasses sang with the wind. With a somber expression, she added, "I was worried you'd…"
Horus scoffed despite the sick feeling in his belly. "I'm the Fourteenth star. A simple attack isn't enough to make me lose my composure. I simply came up here to… weigh my options."
"How long have you been standing there?" He added in a timid voice.
"Not long enough," She mused, walking closer. Her silver eyes shone with interest. "Can I ask what you mean by attack?"
He willed the system to show her the description of [Lonely Star]. It was a bad idea to show a Common what should be his trump card, but the relieved pride he had of not being a failure overshadowed his caution.
"That's… amazing," She said, stunned. Then she laughed madly. "Why am I not shocked? Of course you have enemies powerful enough to do this shit. They tried to balance you."
Horus coughed and turned away as his pride grew. "Thanks."
June's eyes widened as she realised how much he took her compliment to heart. "Are you going to tell your family?"
"Of course," he said immediately. How else would they understand?
She tucked her hair back and chose each word carefully. "I mean… your dad stormed out of the hall and returned to the Fort. And I can only guess Ulrich took the news well."
Horus swallowed, glaring at her. That was all he needed to shut a person up usually, but June met his eyes steadily and kept speaking.
"I don't mean to cross the line. But they don't care about you without that stupid class."
"That's…" Horus pursed his lips. "That's just how things are. This world doesn't need children, it needs weapons. Even the Commons all wanted me to get that stupid class, because it represents more than just me."
June clicked her tongue. "No. I'm pretty sure they've just convinced themselves into thinking you'll change things for them. More pay on their assistant jobs, better shares from the farming outposts. Wally's… friendship with you deluded them into thinking you even care what happens in this System-forsaken town."
Her words struck like an anvil. Wally had been popular down here, every time they walked through the city someone was waving at him, smiling.
"What are… what do you want?"
June raised her head suddenly, the chimes on her round glasses hummed. Her face was caught between excitement and reluctance.
"Nothing… I don't want anything anymore." She laughed like she couldn't believe her words. "What about you? What do you want? I mean what you want, not what your family has told you is right to want."
Horus dismissed her at first, scoffing and turning away. She didn't know what honor meant to him, the things he'd sacrificed, the things Twilight sacrificed for him. This was everything he ever wanted.
She couldn't understand. She was just a Mundane after all.
But something dragged the words back his throat. The words he told Wally.
I don't want anything.
"Black blood," He cursed, the proud smile on his face fell. "Even if I don't like some things here… I owe Bloodhaven who I am. I've been given far more than I'll ever deserve."
June smiled wistfully. The wind picked up and carried her hair into her face. "I guess that's where we're different. We both hate who we've become, but I'm a selfish bastard. If there is somewhere in the world I can be happy, then I'll go there."
"You're going to leave Bloodhaven?" Commons weren't allowed to leave their assigned home.
But a part of him strangely grew scared.
"Yeah." She nodded. "I wanted to ask you to go with me when I heard about your awakening."
Horus reeled back. "What the Hel? Why me?"
"Chill, you don't have to be so disgusted by the idea." June blushed and folded her hands. She sighed, "can't you feel it too? There's something… familiar about you."
He did his best to not gape, but the revelation was surprising.
"I mean I know you, everyone does," She continued. "But… your expressions aren't as cold as before. It was like I was struck by lightning this morning and suddenly the poster of you in my room looked tired and angry, and not cold and stoic. I can just understand you a bit more."
There was a lot to grapple with there, but something stuck out to him. "You have a poster of me in your room?"
"Haahhahaha," her laugh felt forced and awkward. "Again you don't have to be so disgusted. It was one of my roommates that left it behind."
He wasn't disgusted by her… mostly. His mind simply went back to his changed face.
"Do you notice any different about my face—"
"Yes," said June immediately. "Oh my fricking god, I didn't want to say anything in case it was rude. I know it's normal to do customizations, but you were already pretty perfect—"
The disgusted look on his face made her pause and look down. "Um, sorry."
"I'm not mad at you," He said hurriedly. "After my accident in that dungeon, they had to use feature construction to remake my face. But they ignored my own opinions on how I wanted to look.."
June did a double take. She wouldn't know about his accident so she'd just be so confused. "Wait, can we start from the beginning?"
Horus sighed and launched into a retelling of his visit to the dungeon with Wally and Jon, their death and his close survival.
By the end, they were both sitting by the railing of the roof quietly.
"I knew he was gone when the news of your injuries came," June mumbled absentmindedly. "I just hoped he was sleeping over at your place again."
Horus smiled wistfully. It was a nice thought. It reminded him of all the times Wally stayed in the Callisto Dojo, and the days they spent training.
June turned to him suddenly. "I'm sorry. For how much shit everyone is giving you."
"I should be the one sorry," Horus murmured. "You're brother's dead because of me."
June stared out to the darkening sky. "It wouldn't be the first person I've lost. Wally believed in you. Like for real, not like everyone else. He always said you were the best of us."
Something rose in his chest that made him so uncomfortable he could vomit. Silence lingered.
"Stay. In Sierra, I mean. The outside is dangerous," he said finally. " I think everyone would miss your music—"
June laughed aloud. "Name one of my songs."
He smiled awkwardly.
She made a sound of indignation but still smiled. "Well, if you want me to stay so badly, I will."
His smile felt strange, muscles in his face stretching farther than they ever had. But his happiness didn't last long.
[Ding!]
A system notice flashed in front of both of them and every sentient creature on Earth.
[Attention, Awakened! A Lord selection has begun! Prepare yourself, One person's will is about to shape the world].