Armony’s gaze opened slowly, his eyes moving to wipe away the crusties at the corner of each, before slapping his lips as he awoke. His head hurt from falling unconscious on the rubble, the boy rubbing his head to ease the pain. Yet when he lifted his head to look in front of him, his blurred eyes found a figure stood before him. Humanoid in shape, the tears that had long since flooded his eyes gave him the image of a bird-woman, yet when he rubbed them to clear the fog?
Harize wasn’t there.
That’s right…
Harize died.
…
Blinking slowly, he’d shake his head to rid himself of this drowsiness, only to feel a cold hand brush against his cheek. Swiping it away with haste, Armony’s feet dug into the dirt as he reeled back away from the hand. Raising his gaze, he saw her.
A woman with long, flowing red hair, with stands of orange scattered within.
Her skin was as dark as his, if not a bit more sunkissed than his own.
Crouching down before him, she once more attempted to extend her hand to his cheek. This time? He swatted the hand away, before standing abruptly to face the woman! Her hair was just as flowy as his, if not more so… the crimson, and bronze strands flowing as if defying gravity. Yet the two colors collided like oil on water, swirling around one another without so much as attempting to interweave.
An all too told silence fell, and held like glue between the two, each of them inspecting the other in inquiry until finally… Someone spoke up.
“So-” They both said in unison, pausing just the same.
Armony cleared his throat, his breath shaky as he began to speak. “What did you do with my friend…” he paused, “The Kaka’u who was next to me?”
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The woman didn’t immediately speak, instead, she gave him a knowing look, before turning to look at where Harize once laid… lifeless. Now nothing more than a coin lay in her egress to the Sabsesc, and the only means of proof stood before Armony now.
“The bird? She gave herself over to Hereek… for you.” Her voice was calm, yet had a metallic ring to it. “You should be thankful.”
“Thankful she’s dead?” Armony replied coldly.
In return, an even colder hand slapped him across his face, the woman's jaw tightened with intensity, as her reddish hazel eyes peered into his. Which were slowly growing an intense teal… which only fully solidified when he stood up. The two were nearly the exact same height, and that? Brought about some weird questions, his head turning to the side as he moved past her eyes, toward her skin-tone.
“You’re a Sacred Vice aren’t you…” He smiled, yet again… the hurt look in his eyes turned it to something more akin to hysteria. A look that only intensified as she responded.
“Perhaps not just her’s, but also…” The woman widened her eyes as she gave him elevator eyes, before peering back up to Armony with a look of acceptance.
Despite the woman's confidence, the boy’s head tilted in confusion. ‘My Sacred Vice?’ he thought to himself. ‘But I didn’t sacrifice anything…’ his head lowered as worry washed over him, which only brought about a shaky smile to the woman.
“You may think you haven’t sacrificed anything, but-” She paused, her gaze moving to the opening to the destroyed town, her body swaying towards it as she began to walk in that direction. “Our most valued treasures are usually those best hidden.”
At first, he merely watched her walk away, his gaze set on her with an inquisitive, and frankly untrustworthy gaze. Since why would he? The way things stood, he was but a mere fly- intentionally dying to the flame.
When she fully escaped his view though?
He moved with an unknown intensity, his hands digging into the ground below like soft sand as he rushed out behind her!
What he saw? Wasn’t the fire from earlier, the destruction caused by the land of the Coyn, nor even the town itself! Instead, his eyes were met with a bright light, before opening twiceover, his body… once strong- stumbling into a weak limp as his body truly… woke up!
