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Chapter Text

The cold... Zayne was accustomed to it all too well.

As his eyelids flickered open for a single moment, he couldn’t be sure how much time had passed since he was last conscious. It could’ve a few minutes; it could’ve been days, months even… or maybe years. He was never really sure…

Zayne inhaled slowly, the sharp and cold air filling his lungs as the ice surrounding him crackled at even a minor movement.

To a bystander, he might’ve appeared stuck in the clutches of merciless ice, but if he had to be honest… he could raise from his chair at any given moment.

He just didn’t want to. There was no use, as he already knew when the royal envoy will soon pay him a visit, asking about the destiny of the kingdom, and all of its individuals.

Zayne could see it all so clearly, his mind never quiet or at ease, the rest of his already long life playing before his eyes in sequence of hundred visions.

He could feel his eyebrows twitch as he adjusted his sitting position, the marble throne under him enclosed in ice, like everything in his surroundings.

This was the fate of Foreseer of Astra, who only existed to bring news and hope to the people of Philos.

From the moment he was chosen to be the Almighty Astra’s voice, Zayne knew his fate was never to live a normal life… or to live at all.

He had already seen it all, clearly, as if it was set in stone.

And thus, there was no use in remaining conscious, at least for the next year or so.

Zayne closed his eyes again, the ice enclosing its chilly grip on his entire body.

The visions of the future started playing in his mind again, showing him many lives which he could only observe and foretell, without ever getting a chance to live through these moments himself.

Such was a life… of a Foreseer…

***

Dragons were always thought to wreak havoc upon humanity wherever they lived… at least, that’s what the people of Philos believed.

With them gone for more than five hundred years, citizens of this prosperous kingdom believed there to be no threat that they have posed so many years ago. And yet, most of them were blissfully unaware of the beast that was trapped in the deepest parts of the royal dungeon.

The dragon hissed quietly through his teeth, his hearing being the only sense with which he experienced the world around him.

Every other part of his body was bound, his long tail nailed down to the stone floor, thick chains with boulders on their end holding his arms spread out and tense. The massive boulder was strapped on the beasts’ back, forcing him to remain in a perpetual kneeling posture, his massive wings nailed and chained around the same block of stone that held him down. His eyes were covered with blindfold made of coldest iron, the piece connected to a muzzle that kept his mouth shut at all times.

All the dragon could do was breathe and absorb nutrition via a thick needle someone would always stab him with, every now and then…

But people of Philos, and its royal family grew arrogant.

They’ve destroyed, slaughtered his kind so many years ago… they didn’t even remember dragon’s true nature.

The wounded and trapped dragon was the most dangerous kind… especially when it had the time to harness its own, always-growing power.

As he took another breath, the dragon listened.

The guards have changed recently… and judging by their distant footsteps, they were on one of their many patrols.

With the biggest amount of effort, the dragon moved his head to the side, a small hole in his blindfold being more than enough for him to notice a dim light of torches in the distance.

Soon enough, two guards appeared in his limited field of vision.

The dragon smiled.

As one of the guards gave him a single glance whilst holding a torch, the beast focused all of his energy into a single, hypnotic gaze.

Expectedly, the guard stopped, dead in his tracks, as if frozen solid in place.

Someone didn’t listen to his teacher, the dragon thought, his smile widening.

In a matter of moments, the torch the young guard was holding was thrown across the circular chamber, landing directly behind the dragon’s bound tail.

He could hear the other guard yelling and scolding his entranced comrade, but there was nothing he could do at that point.

Using the very tip of his tail, the dragon connected with the small flame, the fiery power immediately coursing through his body.

The energy shifted inside him, making fire’s energy even more intense as it melted away the binds on his tail, the long appendage swaying left and right before being used to cut open the very chains that held his wings in place.

The dragon continued to smile as the panicked footsteps and yells echoed above him, thankful for the fact that his guards employed enough reckless people for this to succeed.

They really became an arrogant race…

With his wings free, the dragon was easily able to get rid of the boulder that sat on top of his back, every bone and joint in his body cracking once he stood back on his feet.

He let out a loud groan, the relief so intense it made the beast laugh as loudly as his muzzle allowed him.

All of a sudden, the entire tower lit up with the power of thousand torches, the humans attempting to use every trick in the book in order to distract him and hold him in place.

But… this iron blindfold and a muzzle were the only tools he needed… and they were the ones who gave him these tools freely.

The dragon spread his large wings as much as he could, causing him to promptly ascend into the air while still being chained up to two huge boulders.

Flipping both of his wrists, the beast harnessed the fiery power he had absorbed moments ago and channeled it into his binds, the cuffs coming off in the next moment and clanking on the floor.

With his arms finally free, the dragon reached up for the muzzle and loosened it up ever so slightly, never taking it completely off as his wings carried him up the tower.

He could hear hundreds of panicked guards yelling and running in formation on every level of the tower, the sound of their weapons, arrows and explosives being so clear the dragon didn’t even need to see them to know their location.

And even though his flying skills became slightly rusty in the past five hundred years, he was still able to withstand the occasional hit or two.

But what the guards didn’t expect was him to absorb the energy of the firearms and weapons that had hit him… and shoot that same energy right back at them, but tenfold.

When left to their own devices, even when immobile, dragons are always able to increase their level of power just by channeling it from within, from their own hatred, anger, and wish for vengeance.

And this dragon had plenty of it to go around…

As he continued to ascend, the ancient beast used up all of the power he had harnessed, making the very space around him feel heavy and suffocating.

He then removed the muzzle, letting out the loudest, earth-shattering yell any of those humans have ever witnessed.

The mere vibration of his cry made the whole structure shake, floors and levels crumbling under the force of his power and pulled down by the gravity.

As the light slowly dimmed out, the dragon was finally able to remove his eye covering, revealing a pair of deeply crimson, glowing eyes.

Harnessing his power once again, the beast directed both of his hands towards the metal ceiling, not even multiple layers of glass able to contain him in this prison any longer.

Another explosion echoed through the night, horrified and pained screams of his guards and torturers becoming music to his ears.

And now, after more than five hundred years, the dragon was finally able to breathe in the fresh, night air.

As his menacing figure floated over the capital city of Philos, he knew there was no time for sentimentalities or staying around for too long.

These humans maybe relaxed with his imprisonment for the past centuries, but one thing the dragon knew about their species was that they were adaptable.

They will promptly find a way to hunt him down and bring him back to the dungeon… and that was something he wasn’t willing to experience ever again.

Thus… he needed a strategy, a way to evade all of their future capturing attempts.

The dragon landed on the top of the tower he had just fled from, observing humans beneath running around and regrouping, each house in the capital coming alive after the intense commotion.

That’s when the dragon’s eyes caught a glimpse of something.

High up on the mountain with a snowy peak, stood breathtakingly white tower, as tall as the one he stood on.

Recalling many conversations he had heard over the centuries, the dragon smirked once again, the perfect plan forming in his mind.

With his wings spread and ready for flight, the beast took off, leaving behind the panicked little ants that will do anything to keep him confided for their own benefit.

But now, he will take something they consider important…

His flight was short, cloudy skies hiding his figure from most of the onlookers. And as he approached the massive tower on the snowy mountain, he realized it had no windows… aside from a massive, glassy dome at the very top of it.

Balling his hand into a fist, the dragon channeled his power, causing the dome to promptly explode and gain him access to the inside of the ominous yet beautiful structure.

The dragon landed inside, every inch of the main chamber covered in massive structures of sharp ice. He frowned, looking around at the empty space, not believing a human was actually able to live there, at least from what he had remembered.

But then he saw him.

At the far end of the chamber, on top of a set of marble stairs, sat a throne completely enclosed in ice.

On top of the throne, merged with the ice from head to toe, sat a human figure; his hair dark and short, dressed in gray robes and with a massive staff gripped in his right hand.

The dragon made his way up the stairs, soon stopping right before the legendary figure he only heard about.

The Foreseer of Astra, the one who could accurately predict one’s destiny, even the future of an entire nation.

Royal family always turned to him for guidance and received messages from their beloved god through the Foreseer… so; it was only an appropriate punishment for them to be stripped of that luxury.

With a widening smirk, the dragon reached down, his clawed hand about to grip the human’s neck… only for his eyes to suddenly open and look up at him.

Taken aback slightly, the dragon still closed his palm around his neck, the Foreseer only closing his eyes as if accepting his fate.

“Interesting…” the dragon purred, putting a slight pressure on the man’s neck “Humans usually scream and beg for mercy when they merely lay their eyes on me. And yet… you’re willing to die by my hand, just like that…”

The human took a deep breath, his voice as calm and cold as the ice he was surrounded with:

“I have not seen you coming for me… but if that’s how it’s supposed to be… do it quickly”

Dragon’s eyebrow twitched, the man relaxing under his grip as he released the staff from his hand, allowing it to fall to the floor with a loud clank.

Interesting, he thought, deciding to retrieve his arm.

A Foreseer willing to die because he believed it was his destiny… allowing himself to be enclosed in ice, until the next time someone dares to pay him a visit?

The dragon sighed, clicking his tongue in annoyance.

“It’s not entertaining to kill someone who seems to yearn for death…” he growled, prompting the Foreseer to look up at him again with confusion.

The reaction made the dragon laugh as he lowered himself to look the human directly in the eyes.

“Instead… I’ll make you my captive”

The Foreseer gasped and frowned, but before he could utter another word, the dragon stung him in the thigh with the tip of his tail, injecting him with a small amount of poison to put him to sleep.

The ice around the throne suddenly retreated, making the Foreseer’s body slump forward, right into dragon’s arms.

Chuckling, the beast picked the human up like a ragdoll before throwing him on his back, holding both of his hands around his own neck as he got ready for flight again.

As the capital of Philos continued to fall into panic and uproar, the lone dragon flew above the clouds, the unconscious Foreseer slumbering peacefully on his back…

Chapter Text

Ever since his powers awakened, Zayne didn’t know of a dreamless, relaxing sleep.

Every time his eyes would close, visions would invade his mind, telling him of destinies of people that will visit him in the near or very far future.

No matter how long or how short his slumber was, he’d always awaken with the mind filled with new information which he struggled to contain and comprehend.

And yet, in that very moment, Zayne’s mind was completely blank…

The first thing he felt as he slowly drifted back into consciousness was an unusual stinging pain in his thigh, the type of pain that made him grimace even before his eyelids opened.

Taking deep breaths, the Foreseer slowly opened his eyes, the dimly lit surroundings making it rather hard for him to determine what time of day it was.

But as he slowly moved his body, many other questions flooded his foggy mind:

Why are his surroundings so unfamiliar?

Why does his back hurt so much?

… And why does he smell smoke all around him?....

With a groan, Zayne attempted to sit as every joint and bone in his body cracking as he tried to find a stable position. A piercing pain suddenly ran through the middle of his head, making him hiss and grab his forehead.

This pain, however, made his thoughts clearer… and in the next moment, his heart sank.

Whipping his head up and with his breath shallow in suppressed fear, Zayne looked closely at his surroundings, suddenly understanding why he couldn’t see much in front of him.

The cave he was in was massive and with a lot of open space, rocks colored in bronze and crimson standing ominously in the air from both ground and ceiling. A faint sound of dripping water echoed through the large open space as the smell of smoke and metal increased in its intensity.

The lone rock Zayne was laying on was seemingly the highest point of the cave, being wide and flat enough for him not to fall down even if he moved a lot… and yet, there was something unnerving in the air, a sensation which Zayne couldn’t see but could definitely feel.

This isn’t Skyfrost Tower…. Oh.

The happenings of previous night played before Foreseers eyes like an unstoppable flood, the pain in his thigh suddenly reignited as a pair of brutal, red eyes became the very last thing he saw in his mind’s eye.

The dragon took him.

The dragon… knocked him unconscious and brought him who knows where.

As the panic finally settled in Zayne’s entire being, he tried to look for a possible way to come down from the rock he was sitting on, hopefully without falling to his death.

His power, he thought, looking down at his grazed palms. He could make the stairs of ice that will bring him down…

Trying to put his breathing under control, Zayne slowly got back on his feet, quietly hissing as he put his weight on his right leg. Dragon poison seems to still be inside me… but it’s much fainter than before…

Without hesitation, Zayne raised his left hand and concentrated all of his energy into creating a series of icicles large and sturdy enough to hold his weight. Carefully, he made a step onto the makeshift icy platform, the surface only slightly cracking under his weight.

A sudden wave of heat blew right into Zayne’s face, causing the ice under his feet to crack and eventually break.

With a loud gasp, the Foreseer jumped back onto the rocky platform, only able to observe as his icy creation melted into nothingness.

“So, he awakens…” a deep, growling voice echoed through the cave, causing Zayne’s heart to drop in his stomach once again.

Only a moment later, a distinctive flapping of large wings filled the cave, a massive shadow flying over Zayne’s head only to disappear a second later.

Trying not to appear frightened, the Foreseer straightened his posture on top of the rock, trying to pinpoint the exact location of his captor… but as the sudden gust of wind rose inside the cave once more, a massive figure materialized before him.

The dragon was much larger than Zayne remembered from their first encounter, large black wings and hard, slithering tail being first features he noticed. The beast’s face was obscured by darkness, long black horns adorning his head whilst a pulsating crystal shone in the middle of the dragon’s chest, seemingly resembling his heartbeat.

Zayne gulped, aware that his entire body went cold… but he couldn’t just tremble before his captor like a frightened child.

“And you don’t seem to allow me much movement… unless you wish for me to fall to my death”

The dragon chuckled, the growl in his voice resonating within Zayne’s very being “You’re my precious prey, I can’t allow you to run away. However, I didn’t expect you to use magic in my domain, so I had to step in”

The beast then raised his hand, the large limb covered in sharp, black scales that Zayne could only compare to knight’s armor. He attempted not to flinch once that clawed hand reached for his cheek, but he failed miserably, causing the dragon to chuckle with that same, resonating growl.

“Here I thought you weren’t afraid of me” the dragon sounded almost disappointed “This hand was around your throat one night ago and you didn’t flinch… did you suddenly remember to play a damsel in distress?”

For whatever reason, the comment struck Zayne in the nerve, anger suddenly ignited within his chest.

Before he could even realize what his body was doing, the Foreseer raised his own hand and grabbed dragon’s wrist, not caring about sharp scales that cut into his palm.

The beast was the one to flinch this time around, his form seemingly shrinking to a size that was rather similar to a very tall human male.

Using this moment of surprise to his advantage, Zayne pulled the dragon closer, causing the beast to shrink even further until they were almost nose to nose.

The dragon’s gasp sounded almost human, similar to the tone he used when they first met. But that wasn’t the most surprising thing about this particular predicament.

Once again, Zayne’s mind was… empty. Completely void of any visions of the future…

Dragon’s deep chuckle suddenly echoed in Foreseer’s ear:

“A rather daring captive, dare I say. Behaving like this towards a dragon that could tear you into pieces…”

Zayne had to chuckle himself, his lips barely curling up in a smile “Then, why aren’t you trying to whip your arm away from me?”

Dragon’s chuckle turned into an amused, purr-like laughter “Because this is very amusing” he said as his face finally came into full view for Zayne to see.

Despite his very clear dragon features, this beast still had a rather handsome face for human standards, a pair of hypnotic, crimson eyes looking down at the Foreseer.

He was almost enchanting, his beauty almost making Zayne look away from the intensity of his presence.

But if he did look away… it could jeopardize the façade he had managed to build up until that point.

He had to allow himself to become hypnotized, enchanted by the duality of this beast, something he was aware all dragons possessed: dominance, allure, manipulation of one’s very mind.

And yet… if it meant his survival, Zayne would have to oblige. He had to allow this beast to enter his mind…

“You’re awfully quiet all of a sudden” the dragon mumbled, a cunning smile spreading across his handsome face “Kitten got your tongue?”

Zayne’s eyebrows twitched, finally releasing the dragon’s wrist “It didn’t” he retorted briefly before turning away from his captor “Would you be kind enough to get me off this platform?”

The dragon behind him chuckled “I thought you wanted to do it yourself, considering your power seems to be a rather interesting force”

“I tried… but a certain someone melted away the ice I have created” Zayne reminded, annoyance clear in his voice “It appears you’re the one who wants me dead, in spite of what you’ve been saying…”

A silence arose between the two, Zayne feeling his heart beating painfully in his chest as his body went cold all over again. He clasped his hands together, the sweat on his palms suddenly starting to sting small lacerations made by dragon’s scales.

In the next moment, the air was kicked out of him as the pair of strong arms grabbed him around the waist, the duo soon lifted in the air. All Zayne could do was squeeze his eyes shut, his heart threatening to jump out of his throat.

But instead of the worst possible outcome, his captor brought him to the cave ground without a word.

“This cave’s only entrance is on the ceiling” the beast noted, pointing towards the circular opening that revealed only a small fraction of the night sky. “If you so much as dare to use your powers again, I will rip your head off”

Zayne had to chuckle, despite his blood running cold “Understood… how long are you planning to keep me here?”

The dragon scratched his chin, seemingly out of amusement “You’re a Foreseer, aren’t you supposed to tell me that, hm?”

Zayne gulped, squeezing his own hands tightly.

In any other circumstance, that would probably be the case.

But… this capture was something Zayne didn’t foresee. The existence of a dragon himself was something Zayne didn’t foresee… and he couldn’t even guess what the dragon’s intentions were.

Everything in relation to that dragon was a mystery to Zayne… and it made him strangely relieved, as if a boulder was lifted off his shoulders.

“I can’t…” he admitted after a moment of silence.

The dragon frowned “How come? I thought you could see everything…”

“I thought so, too” Zayne admitted, his gaze finally locking with the dragon’s “But… I didn’t foresee my capture… thus, I cannot even imagine what the dragon would want with me…”

The dragon didn’t seem amused by that answer, letting out a loud sigh before pinching the bridge of his own nose “If I haven’t witnessed you using your magic, I might actually think I’ve captured and impostor…. But then again, the cold and deep sleep doesn’t seem to bother you either…”

Zayne had to chuckle “That’s true…” he admitted, a sudden sense of fear settling inside his chest “This is strange to me, as well… my mind only being filled with my own thoughts. Maybe… I cannot see the future of the likes of you…”

“Oh? The likes of me?” the dragon’s tone seemed to become amused, even though Zayne could hear a tinge of something else, a small crack in a smooth and velvety texture of his voice…

“Yes” the Foreseer confirmed “The being that wasn’t created by the Almighty Astra, like humans are…”

The dragon’s eyes widened, as if he didn’t expect that answer, all resolve and jest abandoning his face as he blankly stared at his captive.

Eventually, a quiet, breathy chuckle escaped his lips, smirk once again adorning his handsome face “Then, I suppose this is somewhat of a respite for you. Do not make yourself comfortable, though, we are departing in the early morning…”

“Departing where?”

The dragon chuckled “The place where I grew up” he said before spreading his wings and disappearing in the dark depths of the cave.

Zayne finally allowed his knees to give out, the Foreseer slumping on the cold ground whilst his robes pooled around him.

That dragon… his aura was something Zayne had never felt before.

Before becoming a Foreseer, he had met a fair share of magic users just like him, including the members of the royal family and the current prince. Many of them had dominating auras, but none of them seemed as threatening or dominant as this dragon’s...

He didn’t remember much about dragons even though he read a lot about them when he was a child, but Zayne did remember certain and very specific characteristics: dragons were vicious, intelligent beings that possess immense amounts of magical powers.

In their intelligence, they were unpredictable, capable to topple nations and civilizations of their rage went overboard.

But most surprisingly, they didn’t seem to care for any other creature other than their own kind…

Zayne had to chuckle at that last fact.

If that tidbit was true, he’d probably be torn to pieces by that point… Calling dragons intelligent yet vicious and wild predators seemed somewhat contradicting.

But Zayne will give credit where credit was due: his captor was incredibly frightening, both in his bone-crushing aura that was able to intimidate anyone he came across, and in the fact that Zayne couldn’t read his next move.

The dragon was very much aware of Zayne’s title as a Foreseer, which probably prompted him to kidnap him… but for what purpose? To have him as a bargaining chip? For what?

What did Kingdom of Philos have that this dragon so desperately wanted?...

With a shaky sigh, Zayne allowed himself to lean against one of the rocks, soon realizing it was unusually warm, soothing even.

Closing his eyes, the Foreseer once again tried to tap into his original powers… but nothing came of it. As if something blocked him from seeing the future.

But there was one other thing which surprised Zayne far more than the absence of his clairvoyance: his bond with Almighty Astra… seemed to be gone.

It felt like… Zayne was back to his old self, the self he was before he was chosen, when he was only seven years old…

With those thoughts and the exhaustion suddenly overtaking his body, Zayne closed his eyes, his breaths soon becoming deep and calm. Once again, he drifted away into a peaceful, dreamless sleep…

***

He was terrified, thought the dragon as he flew across the night sky, his eyes observing every hill and meadow in search for a suitable meal for himself and his guest.

They were far enough from the Capital for the royal troops to not reach them in a matter of day or two, but they couldn’t stay here, especially because of the amount of cattle that was about to disappear from the small villages in the area.

This was just a temporary stop… and hopefully, their final destination will be too distant and too dangerous for any human to even approach it.

At least until he decided what to do with that odd human…

The dragon continued to recall their interaction once the Foreseer had woken up from his long slumber, from the way he spoke back at him all the way to his gestures….

That human really attempted to look fearless before the beast.

And yet, despite the human creating that fragile façade of confidence, the dragon could see right through him.

The way he rubbed his hands together, how his heartbeat became louder every time the dragon came closer to him, the way his body tensed up whenever dragon would as much as growl at him.

But the most obvious sign, the one that human couldn’t control, was his smell of fear.

Discreet, metallic, almost pungent, mixed with the natural flowery smell dragon didn’t recognize.

That human was terrified of him… and yet attempted to speak to him on equal grounds, even grabbing his wrist in a rare moment of dragon’s distraction…

Looking down at his hand, the beast could still recall the strength of the Foreseer’s grip, such force unbecoming of a human, at least from what the dragon had remembered.

And he says… that he cannot see the future anymore.

Interesting… That human truly was fascinating…

Chapter Text

As it was expected, the royal army went into pursuit of the escaped dragon only three days after his prison break.

The nation of Philos was thrust into a state of general unrest and panic, the fact that a single dragon was still living and on the run prompting many citizens to spend most of their time indoors, be it in larger cities or villages.

But the biggest surprise for the royal family was the fact that their trusted Foreseer also went missing, and around the same time as the vicious beast broke out of his bondage.

It didn’t take those humans long to connect two and two together, their struggle to come up with a reliable plan rather amusing to imagine and observe from afar.

At that point, the dragon and the Foreseer have been traveling across the kingdom for almost two weeks, successfully evading the approaching royal army that could only take accounts of citizens and villagers that managed to spot the ominous figure in the sky by pure stroke of luck.

And even those accounts weren’t accurate… and mostly because none of those foolish humans even thought of the fact that this dragon could do much more than just destroy everything in his path.

Traveling in the dead of night, resting during the day, that was this duo’s main course of action.

The dragon already knew this land by heart, remembered the location of every cave or underground tunnel they could use to rest for the day, knowing that whoever remembered his previous escape was long dead and forgotten.

Finding him will be as impossible as finding a needle in stack of hay.

They would fly across the dark sky, sometimes even above the clouds if the weather wasn’t too pleasant for travel, the dragon occasionally casting illusions of his own form just to confuse or distract any possible onlookers.

But even though he had passed through this escaping routine once before, there was one factor that was very much different from back then…

His travelling companion, or rather, his captive was something the dragon had to pay extra close attention to, and not just because he was human and therefor more fragile.

In spite of that very fact, the Foreseer was more than willing to put the dragon at the unease just by acting as the most obedient captive one could imagine.

But the dragon was no fool.

That human wielded powerful ice magic, and from what the dragon saw and heard, he could very much fight if needed. But instead, he chose to follow his captor’s every order, like an obedient puppy.

He was definitely scheming, the dragon was sure of it. Waiting for me to put my guard down…

But the most disturbing thing in that human’s behavioral pattern wasn’t even his obedience or his massive unwillingness to use his magic when near the dragon. It was his attitude and calm demeanor that had put this vicious beast on edge.

Aside from the first night when they met, when the dragon could so clearly smell the fear and terror on him, the Foreseer acted as if he was on a relaxing stroll through nature, his scent of jasmine being the only thing the dragon could smell.

There was no emotion in that man, not a single one the dragon could use to his advantage… and that scared him more than anything…

“You’re awfully antsy tonight, Snowflake” the dragon mumbled, his wings carrying them high above a vast, deserted valley.

The human’s hands gripped onto his shoulders tightly, digging his fingers in the softer skin of his right shoulder “I told you not to call me that, it’s unflattering”

“You refuse to tell me your name” the dragon reminded, sultry chuckle once again leaving his lips “But maybe you like being called ‘human’. Would the Foreseer prefer that?”

A loud scoff could be heard from behind “You just called me a Foreseer. Why not use that when talking to me?”

The dragon shook his head, wildly amused by this interaction “Why would I call you that? You’re not clairvoyant anymore, remember?”

The human stayed quiet this time around, only his grip around dragon’s neck and shoulders stiffening in a silent protest.

“You didn’t answer my question” the beast prompted again.

“What question?”

The dragon signed “Why are you so antsy? You are making it difficult to fly in a straight line… unless you want me to drop you, hm?”

Even more silence ensued, only wind brushing against their ears as they continued their journey.

“I was trying to… see something” the human eventually mumbled, his voice so weak the dragon barely heard him.

“See what?”

A frustrated sigh was rather close to the dragon’s ear, so close in fact he could feel the Foreseer’s cold breath on his earlobe.

But once he finally spoke, the human hesitated, unlike any time the dragon had heard him speak before:

“This valley…” he murmured “This is the place where I grew up”

The dragon turned his head to look at the human sideways, his eyes truly trying to focus on whatever he might see below.

“This place has been abandoned for more than a century…” he explained, the Foreseer’s grip tightening once more.

“I’m aware…” he acknowledged “It was the drought… then the famine… and then the outbreak of a mysterious plague…”

The dragon shook his head in mild amusement “You know all that and yet you’re still hoping everything’s intact?” he chuckled “And besides, it’s been a century, so unless you’ve been living from scraps and lounging in these abandoned houses-”

“I’m more than four hundred years old”

The dragon frowned, turning his head once again to look at the human. When he couldn’t read him, the beast pulled his wings in before turning on his back mid-air, throwing the human a bit higher before spreading his wings again.

He could clearly see surprise and a tinge of fear in the Foreseer’s eyes, but aside from that, he didn’t even make a sound while being tossed and turned high up in the sky.

In a matter of moments, the human landed right on dragon’s chest, the beast using his scaly arms to embrace him and hold him in place.

“Excuse me?” he demanded, the Foreseer’s eyes widening as their noses almost touched, only to frown deeply once again.

“You’ve heard me” he retorted “I’m more than four hundred years old… and yes, the longevity comes with the title of a Foreseer.”

The dragon chuckled, amused smile spreading across his features “You’ve read my mind with that answer. And you say you’ve completely lost your clairvoyant powers”

The human inhaled sharply before looking away, not able to move even an inch in that position “It was a logical question one would ask, I’m not lying about not foreseeing anything in the future…”

“I know, I know” dragon’s smile widened “I just love teasing you. That’s the only way this little Snowflake will show any type of emotion at all”

The human’s frown deepened even more, those green eyes locking with the dragon’s crimson ones “I know what you’re trying to do… and it won’t work”

“Oh?” dragon sounded almost amused “And what am I doing, hm?”

The Foreseer proudly raised his chin “You’re trying to make me show emotions so you can use them to your advantage” he elaborated “I know dragons are able to make people go mad with their feelings… and just because you have a handsome face doesn’t mean it’ll work if I don’t allow you to latch onto any of my emotions”

The dragon’s eyebrows widened, his lips revealing his sharp fangs in a half-amused, half-wicked smirk “You think I’m handsome?” he laughed “I’m honored”

The human promptly looked away and closed his mouth, refusing to even look dragon’s way from that moment onward no matter how much the beast chuckled and giggled.

Doesn’t matter, the dragon thought. We’ll reach our hiding place for the night very soon, anyway. You can sulk there, little Snowflake…

***

A chill ran down the dragon’s spine, a sensation he hasn’t felt since he was a tiny hatchling.

He propped himself up on the ledge where he slept, raising his right hand where the burning sensation etched into his flesh.

There it was… mark of an escapee.

The little Snowflake was trying to run away.

His eyebrows twitching, the dragon leapt from his hiding space in the mountain cave, his wings breaking his fall before he took a flight. The cave they used as a hiding place was spacious but shallow, only hidden away by a massive waterfall at the edge of the valley.

But water wasn’t something that would bother a dragon… unlike a human on this cold, rainy night.

Once outside, the dragon soared high up in the dark sky, the first traces of dawn already illuminating the very edge of a vast horizon.

According to the mark, the human didn’t go far. How could he? He had no wings to carry him around.

Despite his immense talent for use of ice powers, the Foreseer was still just a human-

The dragon could feel his heart fastening, his face contorting in a shape he didn’t recognize. Was he angry? Why?

Because his prey managed to run away? Because he was outsmarted by a mere human-

The beast’s flight came to a sudden halt, his crimson eyes focused on a single dark dot in the vast field of sand and stones.

Found you, he thought before plummeting towards the ground.

There was no doubt he’ll manage to catch up to the human, his wings were simply too powerful for any human or animal to outrun them… except, this human didn’t seem like he was running.

In fact… he wasn’t even moving at all.

He was merely sitting there, resembling a motionless statue carved by a passionate artist, allowing the rain to completely drench him.

The dragon landed softly, all of his anger instantly turning into bewilderment.

His long robes became even darker in color as the cold rain slid down his body, his hair which was usually tied in a low ponytail coming almost completely undone.

With his head lowered, he looked rather small from the dragon’s perspective. Fragile, almost…

“You thought I had run away, didn’t you?” the human’s voice was measured as always, not even turning his head to look at his captor.

The dragon chuckled before finally approaching the human, aware that his own voice had a small tinge of tremble in it as he spoke: “You’ve ventured a bit too far, little Snowflake. You should have known I’d react”

The Foreseer let out a breathy chuckle, his face unchanging “How could I forget? Your bite was rather painful, too” he reminded, only slightly turning his left hand to showcase the bite mark left on his robes.

The dragon chuckled again, rather proud of his work as his tall figure stopped besides the sitting human.

“Why are you sitting here? In the rain, no less…”

A faint smile appeared on the Foreseer’s lips, only one of his index fingers pointing towards something the dragon didn’t notice so far.

Only a couple of feet in front of them, two stones were posted upwards, letters and numbers carved into them like scars.

“Graves?” the dragon asked, the human only humming in response.

“Whose?” the beast demanded this time, suddenly feeling the man’s green gaze on him.

“My parents” he admitted “They’ve passed away about thirty years after I left the village… and after my departure, I’ve never seen them again”

A tinge of something painful suddenly gripped at the dragon’s heart, the beast attempting to ignore it by remaining cold and resolute.

Still, the said coldness didn’t mean he couldn’t be polite…

“My condolences…” he said, barely managing to remember the words humans used to comfort someone who had lost a loved one to death.

What he didn’t expect… was a bitter, broken chuckle.

“No need for that” the Foreseer said after a moment “Why would I mourn people who have abandoned me?...”

Heaviness suddenly overtook the dragon’s chest, a sensation he was unable to ignore.

He slowly lowered himself next to the human, folding in his wings in an attempt to not push him.

“Then…” he murmured, looking intently towards the man next to him “Why do you look like you’re about to shed tears?”

Another bitter chuckle escaped the Foreseer’s lips, but this time, it really seemed like he was about to cry as he whispered:

“I’m… mourning a child I used to be before getting this forsaken power…” the human looked towards the sky, heavy rain drops falling onto his face “Since getting captured by you… it’s like I’ve found a long-lost peace… and this place had just reminded me of what I used to have… of what I could’ve been if…. If Astra hasn’t chosen me…”

The dragon frowned, completely at the loss for words. Until now, you used to call your god Almighty or Merciful…

Without even noticing he was moving, one of dragon’s wings extended, their leathery consistency acting as a perfect shield from the heavy rain.

The human gasped at the sight, giving dragon a rather puzzled look “Why would-”

“I know you’re not bothered by cold” the beast murmured, removing a stray strand of hair from the man’s cheek “But you can still get sick.”

The two looked at each other for a moment, only a sound of falling rain filling the void this moment had created.

Dragon didn’t understand why he did this… what was the benefit of doing it… but something about seeing this hurt expression on the Foreseer’s face made him feel incredibly uneasy.

Almost like… his chest was about to cave in…

“Shall we go back?” the dragon prompted, offering his scaly hand.

The human didn’t even hesitate in taking his hand this time, his gaze lowered.

“Zayne…”

The dragon frowned, tilting his head “Excuse me?”

“You may call me Zayne…” he repeated, looking dragon in the eyes “So, please drop that awful nickname…”

For a moment, the beast was completely dumbfounded… only to be overtaken by laughter a second later. It’s been a while since he’d laughed like that, from the depth of his stomach, like a joyous child…

“Alright then… Zayne” the dragon purred as he said the man’s name, the Foreseer’s jaw clenching as he heard that.

A few moments later, the duo had taken off towards their hiding spot, the rain slowly subsiding as they reached their destination. They were both drenched, but thankfully, the dragon still had some flame left for usage. They will both get dry in no time-

“How should I call you? You must have a name…” Zayne suddenly asked, the dragon turning to look at him.

He was already taking off his wet robes, the longer part of his hair falling down his pale and scarred back.

As he gulped heavily, the dragon chuckled “I don’t think you’d be able to say it out loud… it’s an ancient dragonic language, I don’t think humans could ever understand it”

“Try me” the man challenged, fully turning towards the dragon.

Amused, the beast approached him and raised one of his hands, a few ancient letters appearing as small flaming stones floating above his palm.

Zayne frowned, inching slightly closer to the letters as his eyes squinted. The dragon had to give him credit for trying, his enthusiasm rather amusing-

“You’re right, it’s impossible to read in the dragonic language” Zayne admitted with a chuckle “But… there is a way to translate it into ours, as far as I remember”

“Oh?” the dragon’s eyebrows raised “And what would my name be when said in your human language?”

The Foreseer stood there for a moment, silent and with his finger scratching his own chin.

Then, with a victorious yet faint smile, he announced: “Sylus… Your name would be Sylus”

Chapter Text

After about one more week of travel, the dragon and the foreseer have finally reached their final destination.

Zayne had heard many stories about dragon domain, way over at the west, where the mountains spewed fire and the earth shook anyone who dared to walk on land; where the sky is dark and covered in thick red fog while the sun struggled to pass through and illuminate anything in that wretched place.

Once they have arrived, everything was pretty much as described, heavy air clinging onto Zayne’s throat and lungs and causing him to cough constantly.

The dragon seemed to have noticed his sudden discomfort and thus opted for, as he called it, ‘a longer route’.

This route led them over the vast field of flowers, their petals making it seem as if they were crossing the sea of swaying, pink waves.

And at the end of that flowery vastness, stood an old, tall structure, it’s dark and sharp edges and towers covered in layers of ivy reminding the Foreseer of certain buildings he had read about in the books.

“People used to live here?” he asked once the dragon put him on the solid ground.

The beast, now going by the name of Sylus, chuckled, his massive wings dragging behind him “Many years ago, it’s been more than two millennia, apparently”

“Strange…” Zayne mumbled, putting his gloved hand on the wall and going over the unknown carvings in the dark stone “How come this became dragon domain?”

“That I do not know” Sylus shrugged, that perpetual cheeky smile still present on his lips “There was apparently time when humans and dragons could live in harmony. Why that’s not the case now, I do not know… and don’t care to know”

With that sentence, the dragon extended his step and walked past Zayne, putting his large hands against the pair of massive doors. They creaked loudly, producing strong vibrations in the ground, a single glance from Sylus’ red eyes telling the Foreseer to follow him.

The inside was mostly covered in rubble, the holes in the tall ceiling being overgrown by ivy and same type of pink flowers they have seen on their way over. There seemed to be an old altar at the very other end of the building, the stone slab large enough to fit a whole person on top of it.

“In case you need to wash yourself, there is a waterfall behind that wall” the dragon pointed at the very back, Zayne only then noticing the sound of flowing water “The water is warm, mostly because we’re very close to the volcano… so, if you’re not too bothered by that, make yourself at home, Snowflake”

Zayne had to chuckle at the nickname before regaining his composure, his own gaze locking with his captor’s as he curtsied and said: “Thank you for your hospitality, Sylus”

As expected, the dragon scrunched his nose and turned away in a hurry, his large wings expending before he took flight.

Zayne had to chuckle again.

The dragon really hated that name.

Ever since Zayne was able to decipher dragonic language in which his original name was written, the dragon seemed unusually huffy about it. The Foreseer couldn’t really guess the reason for such behavior, but it made teasing him so much more amusing.

At least now, Zayne had something to counter his persistent name-calling…

Once alone, the Foreseer sighed and walked around for a while, trying to take in every detail of a place he’ll probably spend a lot of time at from that day onwards.

The ruins of the cathedral were most definitely ancient, simple yet intriguing symbols Zayne didn’t recognize present on almost every wall. High up, on still-standing wooden beams, flock of ravens stared down at him, their cawing constant yet somehow soothing. He could hear the sound of the water become stronger as he approached the farthest wall, a veil of white smoke soon appearing behind a barely standing stone slab.

This place looked like an appropriate hiding place for any creature, especially a dragon. And if what he had read about their habits was true, his captor will most likely start collecting a lot of shiny and golden items from the nearby villages.

Zayne chuckled at the thought, but very soon realized one small yet surprising detail.

When he had first met Sylus, he’d never thought of him as being ‘silly’ or having ‘true dragon habit’. Rather, he’d still try to mask his own fear in front of the massive beast that took him so suddenly from the life he had known for centuries.

And yet… there it was; a shift in his own opinion…

The Foreseer shook his head in the next instant, not wanting to dwell on this particular matter any longer. He was maybe away from his post and was unable to foresee the future like before, but he was absolutely sure that Almighty Astra still had his eyes on him…

He couldn’t, under any circumstances, allow this shift in his behavior to grow.

To distract himself, Zayne took dragon’s advice and headed straight towards the broken wall at the back of the cathedral, the sound of running water soon becoming the only thing he was able to hear.

Once behind the massive structure, Zayne noticed a flight of shallow stairs leading underground, man having to step over three or four steps in order not to fall or trip on his robes.

A few moments later, the Foreseer found himself in the narrow but tall underground chamber, dark stones only illuminated by bright red crystals that seemed to grow from the walls and ceiling. The majority of the chamber consisted of a deep pool of water, a flowing waterfall of crystal clear yet steaming water falling from a rather large crevice in the ceiling.

Zayne frowned, lowering his stance and removing one of his white gloves. As he dipped his finger in the water, he expected it to be scorching hot, suitable for scaly body of a dragon, but no. The water was pleasant, lukewarm temperature.

Taking a deep breath and trying to contain a smile that had suddenly sprung on his face, Zayne rose back to his feet, deciding to finally take the dragon on his offer and relax.

Removing his robes was a tedious and slow process, but as each piece of it came undone and was neatly folded on one of the steps, the more relaxed the man had felt.

Once he was completely nude and with his long hair undone, Zayne slowly entered the warm, bubbling water, the temperature maybe a bit too hot for his liking. That fact, however, didn’t prevent him from lowering his entire body and head under the surface, allowing the silence and murmuring of the water to completely purge any unwelcoming thoughts.

For the longest time, the Foreseer had swam and dove under, sometimes completely relaxing and allowing the water to carry him around the makeshift pool. In one instance, he had dared to approach the waterfall, but its strength almost pulled him under.

In the end, Zayne had decided to just sit on one of the stones closer to the water’s edge, his fingers untangling his long black hair as he tried to think of nothing in particular.

Despite it being dragon’s lair, this cathedral and the valley as a whole seemed rather peaceful, a place where no one could really be bothered by requests, expectations or search for answers that plagued them. In this place, one could simply exist, without a care in the world…

I could get used to this, Zayne thought, taking a deep breath.

“Someone seems to be enjoying himself”

A familiar and sultry voice made the Foreseer snap back into reality, his head jolting backwards only to see Sylus looking at him from the middle of the stairway.

That familiar smirk was present on his lips once again, his crimson eyes focused and unwavering.

Zayne huffed “You offered, I’m just taking you up on your word”

Dragon had let out an amused chuckle as he slowly came down the stairs to join him, his wings, although pulled back, barely fitting inside the chamber.

Zayne could still feel the dragon’s gaze on him, but chose to ignore it, trying not to flinch once Sylus lowered his hand to also check the temperature of the water.

“Too cold” he mumbled with a click of his tongue, but still lowered himself to dip his feet into the pool “I hope it is still to your liking. Waters here are rather… capricious”

“Just like the dragon that lives here” Zayne commented, once again busying himself with his hair.

The moments continued to pass by, only the murmuring of water filling the intense void that had suddenly risen between them. And during all that time, Sylus hasn’t moved his gaze away from Zayne even once.

“I’ll start to think I’m growing a second head” the Foreseer finally broke the silence, mustering up the courage to meet dragon’s gaze “What is it?”

“Nothing” Sylus mumbled, still persistently staring “I’m still not used to the fact that you’re so calm around the creature that had abducted you, even after all this time”

Zayne’s eyebrows twitched, but he still decided to fully turn towards the dragon “Should I be worried? Did you plan on eating me when we reach your home or what?”

Sylus chuckled, licking his lips “Maybe…”

A shiver ran down Zayne’s spine while his heart skipped, the confusing sensation causing his blood to momentarily freeze inside his veins before the heart started pumping it more rapidly.

Eventually, the Foreseer lowered his gaze “Then better do it quickly… or while I’m not looking”

Sylus’ eyes widened for a moment only for that amused laughter to leave his throat, his sharp canines showing as he giggled from the bottom of his chest.

“All these weeks beside me and you haven’t realized I detest human flesh”

Zayne shook his head, only slightly amused by the dragon’s teasing… but there was no way he’d admit it out loud.

“And you could’ve learned that I do not appreciate these types of jokes, especially when my life is on the line…”

Sylus’ chuckles slowly subsided, prompting the Foreseer to once again look up at him. Even though he stopped laughing, a much wider, somewhat endearing smile adorned his perfect lips, making Zayne unable to stop looking at him.

“What…” Zayne tried to say, his throat suddenly becoming bone-dry “What do you intend to do with me? Why did you even take me?”

The question seemed to have caught the dragon off guard, but once his gaze moved to the side, Sylus remained silent for a moment or two.

“If I’m being candid…” he mumbled, those red orbs once again focused on the Foreseer “I haven’t thought about it just yet. But you can rest assured about one thing: You won’t die by my hand. You are too interesting and too amusing to kill”

It was Zayne’s turn to chuckle “That’s flattering… Should I entertain you with something else to solidify my safety?”

“Oh?” Sylus’ tone became curious, playful “And how would you do that, little Snowflake?”

Biting down his tongue, Zayne exhaled sharply before raising from the water, not even caring that he was completely nude in front of the terrifying beast.

With a single wave of his hand, the Foreseer splashed the water in the air only for his own breath to gain misty consistency as he blew towards the drops in the air, turning every single droplet into a small, perfect snowflake.

As he turned his gaze towards the dragon, the beast’s eyes were wide and full of surprise and wonder, his large and scaly hand instinctively rising to capture the snowflakes in his palm.

Without hesitation, Zayne had repeated the process, splashing more and more water with every new wave of his hand. He repeated this once, twice, thrice, as many times as needed… until the underground chamber became completely enveloped in tiny, fragile snowflakes.

At the end of it all, the Foreseer was exhausted, slumping onto the stony edge of the pool whilst panting heavily, momentary snow he had created already melted away.

“Are you alright?” Sylus’ voice sounded rather concerned, Zayne feeling him inching closer “This was lovely, but don’t overexert yourself for my sake-”

“No…” Zayne mumbled, his breathing slowly coming under control “I’ll be alright… it’s just been a while since I’ve used my power to this extent…”

Sylus chuckled before reaching for something behind them. Soon, Zayne’s longest robe was draped over his shoulders, slowly soaking up the water that still dripped down his body.

“I appreciate this entertainment” Sylus murmured, Zayne only then realizing they were incredibly close to one another “But I need you with me for a little while longer, so look after yourself…”

Zayne had to chuckle, trying to ignore the persistent pounding of his heart inside his ears “You almost sound concerned. For a mere human, no less”

Sylus’ smile spread out, only tips of his canines peering from under his lips “I think we’ve already established you’re not a mere human, sweetheart”

The Foreseer blinked in pure astonishment, the nickname coming like a lightning from the clear sky “Where… did you learn that nickname?”

The dragon gave him one final playful smirk before rising back on his feet “That’s a secret…”

With those words, Sylus ascended the flight of shallow stairs, leaving Zayne completely stunned at the turn of events.

He had no idea what had just happened or why he ended up using his power for something so trivial… but for the first time in his life, Zayne didn’t feel bad about it.

He did it because he wanted to… and because, for the first time since they have met, this dangerous dragon seemed almost… sweet? His curiosity was pure, like that of a small child seeing the snow for the first time, despite his size and immense power he wielded. And seeing him wide-eyed and in complete awe was worth Zayne’s current exhaustion-

The Foreseer bit his tongue, hard.

What are you thinking!?, he scolded himself.

Dragon? Sweet?

Pull yourself together, Zayne.... he is your captor… a creature that hates humans with all his being, a beast that can kill you at the blink of an eye…

Grasping his robes and pulling them closer, Zayne took a deep breath, suppressing any thoughts or feelings he had in regards to what happened a few moments ago. Nothing good could come out of this ordeal…

Zayne sat with his legs dipped in the water for a little while more before deciding to dry himself off and leave that damn chamber, but as he reached for the rest of his robes, a familiar and cold sensation enveloped both of his hands.

Frowning, the Foreseer looked down at his palms, only for his blood to run completely cold.

Ice, he thought.

Ice was enveloping every inch of skin on his palms and hands, white crystalized substance quickly spreading out towards the rest of his body.

No…. Lord Astra, please no!!!

Chapter Text

The moment Sylus flew back into the cathedral, he knew something was amiss.

Aside from the usual blowing of the hot wind and the sound of waterfall in the very depths of a massive structure he called home, his surroundings seemed eerily calm and quiet.

As if… no one was there anymore.

A slight tinge of nervousness pierced dragon’s chest, and even though his mark didn’t react like last time, he felt very uneasy when he didn’t see his interesting human anywhere in sight.

Not allowing the total panic to overtake him, Sylus flapped his wings again and soared in the air, using the vastness of the cathedral to his advantage to observe the place from a higher perspective.

Nothing.

The dragon gritted his teeth, his heart beating so fast it had almost made him dizzy. Where in the hell are you, Zayne-

The dragon’s ear flickered at a quiet, seemingly labored sound, his head immediately turning in the direction where it came from.

In that same instant, Sylus flew over to the left side of the cathedral, towards a small niche that was mostly hidden by a piece of a fallen wall covered with ivy and pink daturas.

The moment he landed, the dragon heard that sound again: labored, heavy, painful.

“Zayne?” he called out, slowly making his way behind the wall.

“Don’t…” was the only word uttered from the dim darkness, the rest of the sentence cut off by another painful moan.

Letting his eyes adjust, Sylus gulped, not sure what he was about to see, but there was one thing he became aware of as soon as he found his missing human: aside from his regular scent of jasmine, there was another, much heavier scent in the air, the one that penetrated into his very lungs and clung onto them like cold hands.

Snow.

Sniffing the air more thoroughly, Sylus frowned; the scent of this snow so different from the one Zayne had produced during their little encounter at the underground spring. But all of his thoughts evaporated the moment another, painful and loud moan escaped the Foreseer’s mouth.

The dragon flinched, his figure already hovering over the hunched figure in the dark, his wings spreading out as if they were trying to shield the human from an unknown threat.

Only then did Sylus take a better look at him.

Zayne was laying on his side, knees all the way up to his chest while large bobs of sweat rolled down his temples. His black hair, usually neatly tied in a low ponytail, was now escaping its restraints, some of his locks sticking to his wet skin. The expression on his face showcase nothing but pain, his eyes closed shut and his upper lip revealing his teeth in an intense, hurtful grimace.

“Zayne…” the dragon mumbled, only then noticing the way the human was clutching at his own wrist “What is happening? Are you running a fever?”

Was it this environment? Was it too hot or too dry for him?

He’ll have to move him as soon as possible-

“N-no…” he stuttered as another painful groan escaped his throat “Stay away…. Sylus, please, it’s dangerous…”

The dragon frowned, observing as another wave of pain gripped Foreseer’s body, his breath becoming shallower and more desperate.

“What… is dangerous?...” Sylus uttered, reaching out with his hand to stroke the back of the man’s head.

Zayne flinched at the gesture, but as his green eyes looked up at him, Sylus could feel a strong, painful grip around his malicious heart.

“Tell me, Zayne…” he demanded, voice as gentle as a whisper. He tried to keep his composure, his hand tender against the Foreseer’s head, only his tail whipping back and forth with panic.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but every word once again got stuck in his throat, Sylus suddenly noticing a familiar glow coming from under his robes, all the way up his neck.

Disregarding his captive’s desperate wishes, Sylus used his finger to hook under the collar of Zayne’s robe, the claw slowly ripping the cloth into two pieces.

“What… is this?” the dragon asked as he looked at Zayne’s state, low growl coming from the depths of his stomach.

Instead of his soft, milky skin, riddled with many miscellaneous scars, the Foreseer’s neck, shoulders and torso were covered in a thin but strong layer of ice, the crystals of the same consistency as the throne he used to sit on while trapped in his tower. They were seemingly spreading out everywhere, a sharp cluster of icy crystals forming on the left side of his chest, a faint light emitting form it.

“Don’t… touch!” Zayne sounded desperate, barely able to grab dragon’s wrist even though he didn’t have any strength to hold him for long “It will hurt you…”

In that very moment, the ice cluster on the Foreseer’s chest glowed brighter, that same, painful moan escaping him as he arched his back in pain, the hand he was using to hold Sylus’ wrist slumping beside him.

The dragon could feel something sinister boil in the depths of his stomach, a vicious, vibrating growling leaving his mouth as he reached down.

Zayne’s eyes widened at the sight of his hand reaching for him, but his body had no strength to move away, Sylus slowly putting his scaly hand on the man’s chest.

Two tears rolled down Zayne’s temples as he looked down, terror so clear on his beautiful features.

And yet, aside from slight tingling of ice on his skin, the cold crystals evaporated as soon as they tried to spread onto dragon’s hand.

“See?” Sylus mumbled, using his other hand to help Zayne raise his head “Nothing will happen to me…”

Zayne closed his eyes in an apparent relief, his usually stoic expression becoming an absolute mess of pain, fear and confusion.

Sylus growled under his breath again, reaching out with both of his hands and bringing the human closer, Zayne slumping into his arms. His body was both tense and numb, his trembling only causing the dragon to panic again.

“Why is this happening, Zayne?” the dragon asked, trying not to squeeze him too hard.

With his eyes half-open and another wave of pain rushing through him, Zayne mumbled “Astra… Because… I started… to care….”

The dragon could feel a heavy pang in his chest, both anger and confusion causing him to breathe heavily whilst trying to suppress his beastly urges.

“Your god…” the growl became louder, more sinister, Sylus aware his eyes were probably glowing, too “He’s doing this to you? Why?”

“Punishment…” Zayne mumbled, his eyes focused on the dragon that continued to hold him “For not being… a perfect puppet… he’s… done this before…”

Sylus had to suppress the urge to roar, his body trembling with sheer, unadulterated wrath.

What kind of god does this to his subjects? To the most loyal ones, even? Someone he had chosen to tell the people about his will?

I will kill that god…, was the first thought that sprung in dragon’s mind, the idea so consuming he believed he’d be able to reach the heavens and finish the job in that very moment.

But as Zayne’s body got gripped in yet another wave of immense pain, the ice enclosing his skin glowing in response, Sylus got another idea.

One of his sharp fangs promptly bit down into the flesh of his own lower lip, the dragon soon feeling the familiar, metallic taste as the blood dripped down his chin.

“Pardon my indiscretion…” he mumbled before lowering his head and planting his bloodied lips onto Zayne’s.

He could feel the Foreseer’s body jerk in his arms, but as soon as tips of their tongues brushed against one another, everything seemed to happen so quickly and naturally.

Zayne caught dragon’s lip in his mouth, a light suction prompting Sylus to lean in even more, gently sticking his tongue out to separate the other’s lips. With a weak tremble, the Foreseer’s mouth opened ever so slightly, allowing the dragon to deepen the kiss as his own, healing blood ran down Zayne’s throat.

He could feel Zayne’s arms coming up his chest, his grip desperate against Sylus’ large scales, not even the stinging of ice preventing the beast from attempting to devour the human in his arms.

This kiss was only means to an end to somewhat ease Zayne’s suffering… but now, as their lips moved in sync and human’s teeth gently dug in the same lip he himself had bitten into, Sylus wanted more.

There was no coming back from this…

Zayne was the one to break their kiss, his breath quick and shallow as he looked up at the dragon.

His lips were swollen and smeared with a dark shade of red, confusion and arousal so clear on his face.

“What… did you do!?” he demanded, completely out of breath “Did you… use some kind of spell on me?”

Sylus chuckled, using his thumb to wipe the remaining drop of blood from The Foreseer’s lip “I’ve never used any type of spell on you. But I know my blood can have healing properties for human body… so I hoped that a few drops of it would help soothe the symptoms of your punishment…”

“Oh…” Zayne gasped, his green gaze turning away from the dragon “That means… I’ve kissed you… out of my own volition…”

“It could’ve just been your feverish mind-”

“No, it wasn’t” Zayne interjected, his gaze more determined and clear than before “Despite the pain… my mind always remains clear. I… I’ve wanted…”

Sylus could feel his eyebrows jump up “You wanted… what?” he said, rather amused.

Zayne frowned, a light tint of pink suddenly appearing on the tip of his nose “You know what I mean to say. It’s because of my desires for you that… I’m being punished”

A stunned chuckle escaped dragon’s lips, the feeling in his chest blooming into something much stronger than just satisfaction.

He had known for a while, or at least had hoped.

A hidden glance there, soft expression here, all of the concealed under a mask of disinterest and coldness.

But Sylus could always see something more hidden behind those beautiful, green eyes. Something he wanted to poke at, pursue… but for whatever reason, never dared to.

Now, however, things were different…

“Oh…” Zayne’s gasp took the dragon out of his thoughts, both of them noticing something rather marvelous.

“It’s fading…” Sylus mumbled, the ice that had previously covered Zayne’s neck and shoulders very slowly retracting, the small cluster of crystals that had started to cut into his chest almost non-existent at that point.

“So your blood…” the Foreseer murmured, looking up at the dragon.

“Seems to indeed be a remedy for you… even better than I expected…” Sylus said with a chuckle, only for a sinister thought to occupy his mind again “But… will this continue happening?”

It was Zayne’s turn to remain quiet, a shaky breath escaping his mouth “Most likely… I have strayed from my path of a Foreseer. Even though I was born with this power, Lord Astra did find a way to turn it against me and my own emotions… but as long as I still have a bond with him, nothing can be done. Only He can severe my bond to him…”

Sylus gritted his teeth, that urge to fly up to the heavens and strangle a certain god rearing its head once again.

But as the Foreseer finished his explanation, another, somewhat nasty idea came to the surface of the dragon’s mind…

“There… might be a way to sever that bond without the god’s permission…”

Zayne looked up at him, eyes both confused and hopeful, but as soon as he noticed the dragon’s reluctant expression, his face hardened.

“Tell me how” he demanded, sitting up but not pushing Sylus away.

The dragon hesitated, an uneasy feeling settling deep inside his chest.

“You… can create a bond with me” he explained, voice deeper than usual “Even though gods are powerful… when done properly, dragonic bond with a human can overwrite the one placed by gods. That will mean… that you will belong to me, and only me”

Zayne’s eyes widened, but in spite himself, he didn’t seem appalled by the idea.

“Would that mean…” he mumbled “That I’d get to go everywhere with you?”

Sylus frowned, a hopeful tingle lighting up in his chest “You’d… technically have to do whatever I tell you and be near me all the time… but, I don’t want to force you into that-”

“Do it” Zayne proclaimed with no hesitation.

Sylus’ mouth fell open “Are you sure?...”

The Foreseer chuckled “Back when I was recruited to become Astra’s Foreseer… I didn’t get to choose. And now… after five centuries of being confided to that tower… I want something different. I want my life back…”

With a silent painful hiss, Zayne readjusted his position to be on the same level as the dragon he had accepted to mark him “So please, Sylus… rid me of this bond…”

The dragon sat there for a stunned moment, only to start chuckling under his breath, his hand reaching up to caress the human’s cheek.

“I hope you won’t regret this, Snowflake…” he mumbled, their faces so close their noses were practically touching “But there is one more catch…”

Zayne took a deep breath; his eyes focused on dragon’s lips “What is it?”

“In order to properly mark you…” Sylus’ voice went low, into a seductive, deep purr “I have to mate with you…”

Another gasp escaped the Foreseer’s lips, his eyes shooting up to look at the dragon.

For a moment, Sylus was afraid that he’ll be rejected after all… but as the human slowly got on his knees before him, with his gaze looking down at the hungry dragon, his hands reached behind his back, pulling the ribbon that held his hair in place.

“Then do it…”

The breath hitched in Sylus’ throat, his instincts slowly overtaking his consciousness and reason.

It he was to let loose his true nature in that very moment, he would probably hurt Zayne, in more ways than one…

There was no chance he would allow that to happen… even though his human, his captive, was literally offering himself to him, like a lamb for the slaughter.

You must resist…

Sylus reached out, his hands grabbing different ends of Zayne’s robes “Try to relax… I’ll be gentle…”

The human didn’t say anything, allowing the dragon to slowly remove the remnants of his robes, soon kneeling before him completely nude.

Sylus could feel his breath getting quicker, his dragonic heart threatening to jump through his ribcage, a mere sight of that beautiful body being enough to send him over the edge.

With swift motions yet making sure Zayne’s never in the harm’s way, the dragon laid him down on the ground made of warm, volcanic stones, human’s discarded robes being the only barrier preventing Zayne’s skin from being grazed by their harshness.

Sylus didn’t hesitate even a second, capturing the Foreseer’s lips while his hands gripped onto his waist and leg. He could feel Zayne breathe into the kiss, different, silent moans now escaping his chapped lips as their kisses grew more rabid.

The dragon couldn’t stop his hands from roaming, every inch of that human being created to perfection, his usually cold skin becoming feverishly hot under his touches.

Their kiss broke very soon, a loud gasp followed by a silent, suppressed moan escaping Zayne as the dragon trickled kisses and nibbles down his chin, jaw and silky white neck.

As his hands continued to roam and his torso rubbed against Zayne’s, Sylus could feel the man’s excitement, the place between his legs already long, hard and throbbing.

“Sy-lus…” was the only thing he managed to utter, his breath catching in his throat as he tried to keep his voice down.

Amused by his valiant efforts, the dragon used both of his hands to gently flip him over, raising his behind in the air ever so slightly.

“Relax…” he instructed with a soft purr, not even giving Zayne any time to protest.

Sylus lowered his head, his tongue penetrating the most sensitive part of his captive. He could feel him squirm in his arms, his body tensing up and relaxing as his labored breaths carried out broken moans, sweat breaking out on his pale skin.

He was tight, but so eager to accept him, the rim desperately sucking in Sylus’ prolonged tongue. With every shift, the dragon would go deeper, caressing the warm, inner walls of the Foreseer who was so longingly ready to give himself to his desires, his own beastly nature barely under control as he continued to feast.

Sylus had no idea how long this play lasted, but once his lips and tongue separated from Zayne’s hidden place, his lover was completely out of breath, his usually pale cheeks gaining a deep shade of red.

Discarding his own leather garment, the dragon hovered over his prey, his lips right against Zayne’s ear as he whispered:

“You are doing a splendid job… Now, just a little longer… and you’ll know nothing but bliss…”

The Foreseer let out a loud, shaky breath, his voice higher than usual as he whined “Please, Sylus…”

With his own shaft throbbing painfully, the dragon lowered his body down, his erection rubbing against human’s hole, slowly preparing him for the entrance. Sylus knew he was big, and even though he tried to shrink his entire body as much as possible, he had to go slowly.

And yet, every little breath, every suppressed moan became a song to his inner, dragonic beast.

Resist… Sylus, you have to resist…

With utmost control and care, the dragon slowly inserted himself inside the Foreseer, a hoarse, quiet moan finally leaving human’s throat.

Even if he was in pain, he didn’t say it, prompting Sylus to slowly but surely get even deeper inside him. He could feel the warmth slowly enveloping him, gasps and moans escaping his very own mouth.

He took it slowly, moment at the time, until finally; he was completely swallowed by Zayne’s warmth.

By that point, both of them were panting, Sylus pressing his forehead against the Foreseer’s back while Zayne gripped onto the robes under him, his breaths a mixture of gasps and silent, needy moans.

It has been a long time since the dragon had felt this kind of warmth, but the fact that it was Zayne who had accepted him so wholeheartedly made him want to growl with joy.

He slowly started to move, minding the rhythm that his hips have imposed on the human below him, Zayne only then allowing himself to silently moan with each thrust.

“Nghh… Sylus…” he mumbled, any other word drowned by his gasps for air.

He turned his own palm, Sylus immediately taking the invitation to intertwine their fingers, never once stopping his hips.

In that silent and ecstatic moment, Sylus could feel a familiar urge rise inside his gut, his mouth falling open as his lips brushed against Zayne’s soft shoulder.

“With this…” he mumbled, kissing the pale skin under his lips “You only belong to me… Zayne”

In the very next instant, all four of his sharp fangs dug deep into Zayne’s skin, making the human wince and moan in both pain and pleasure, tears rolling down his nose as he tried to hold onto his sanity.

They both could feel it, throughout their whole bodies, the severance of the bond that had Zayne trapped for centuries.

And yet, in that moment, the bond and their future didn’t matter.

They were only two bodies, moving together in sync to chase the same type of ravenous, soul-crushing pleasure…

Chapter Text

For the first time in many years, Zayne woke up and felt warm.

With his eyes still closed, the Foreseer slowly moved his sore body, making sure to feel every single sensation: a slight tingle on his shoulder, a dull yet familiar pain in his lower back and abdomen, overall tiredness and tenderness of his every muscle… and a pair of large, scaly arms wrapped around him like a comforting shield.

Zayne blinked slowly, his eyes adjusting to the dim, morning light that shone inside the cathedral. But as his eyes focused, he realized he was lying face to face with his captor… and a beast that made sweet love to him previous night.

Feeling his heart a beat, Zayne moved his arms; both of them nestled comfortably on the dragon’s chest. Sylus was still seemingly asleep, his beautiful features relaxed and dreamy as he let out deep but somewhat fast breaths.

Taking a moment to admire him a little longer, Zayne pressed against the other’s chest again, one of his hands gently gripping onto the crystal in the middle of dragon’s chest while the other one flattened out right above his heart.

His heart was beating so much faster than Zayne’s, even now when the Foreseer could feel the familiar sensations of want and desire stir inside him, threatening to melt away his organs. His body was much warmer than Zayne’s as well, but even though he had an affinity for cold, Sylus’ embrace was more than comfortable for him.

“Good morning…” the dragon suddenly said, his voice raspy and deeper than ever. He smiled, mischievous chuckle escaping his throat with a seductive purr: “And you seem rather interested in my body”

Zayne gasped silently, pulling both of his hands away in order to prop himself on his elbow. Yet, he didn’t move his legs, which were still intertwined with Sylus’, nor did he look away from the dragon’s sleepy form.

“And why are you surprised by my curiosity?” Zayne whispered, his head hovering over dragon’s face as his own amused chuckle escaped him “You made love to me so many times last night, touched every part of me… It would be fair of me to at least examine you to some degree”

Sylus’ eyes widened for a moment only for his lips to spread into an even wider smile, a guttural laughter making his chest shake.

His scaly, clawed hand then rose from beside him; it’s rough outside gently caressing the Foreseer’s face. Zayne leaned into it instinctively, noticing a rather tender gaze the dragon was giving him “Then… you may examine me for however long you want…”

Zayne let out another quiet chuckle, allowing himself to lower his head and do as he pleased, nudging at Sylus’ soft lips before the dragon completely melted into the touch.

This time, the beast allowed his captive to lead, strands of Zayne’s long hair falling over his bare shoulder as the intensity of their kisses increased with every passing moment. The Foreseer could feel his desire grow, the dragon’s hands descending from his head and upper arms to his waist and hips.

“Starved for more, sweetheart?” Sylus whispered into the kisses, prompting Zayne to shut him up instantly before straddling him.

He winced as a tinge of pain shot up his spine, something he knew Sylus would notice… but he wasn’t about to stop in the middle of this. He had tasted the sweetness of this desire, and now he wanted more…

Once on top of him, Zayne looked down at the rather amused dragon, although his prideful expression had certain sweetness to it, his eyes shining in the way Zayne had never seen before.

He leaned forward, one of his hands once again leaning against the dragon’s beating heart while his other hand inspected his backside. Still soft enough…

“Where did you learn that word?...” Zayne asked, his words slowly becoming a needy, desperate whisper.  

He could feel Sylus’ claws digging into the skin of his waist, but the light pain only amplified the sensations that were nearing their peak. His other hand, however, was nothing short of gentle as he raised it up to caress the Foreseer’s lips.

“Which word?” Sylus asked through a purr.

With his impatience getting the better of him, Zayne found his lover’s manhood rather quickly, slowly guiding it towards his most throbbing spot as he slowly lowered his body.

Unlike the first time, their bodies connected instantly, Sylus’ shaft disappearing in the warmth of Zayne’s inner walls.

The Foreseer let out a loud, desperate moan, the sensation so intense and sweet he had completely discarded his own imaginative pride, modesty and morals. The dragon had a complete grip and power over him… and Zayne didn’t want it to end. Any of this… he didn’t want it to end.

The Foreseer arched his back before looking down, Sylus’ eyes glowing with gentle red as he murmured “Sweetheart… where… did you… nghh… where did you learn that?...”

Zayne’s hips started to rock and move on their own, the human chasing a well-known pleasure whilst his hands gripped and dug into the scales and soft skin of Sylus’ chest and stomach. His breaths grew labored and deep, the sweat instantly coating every inch of his body as a familiar and tingly sensation overtook his lower abdomen.

“Do you like it when I call you that?...” the dragon asked, his question barely audible from his own huffs, his perfect lips parting as he panted and as his heart threatened to pierce through his ribcage and Zayne’s open palm laid over it.

The Foreseer nodded, his hips starting to pick up the pace, completely unashamed of his following answer: “Yes… please, Sylus- ahhh!”

Once that needy moan escaped him, the dragon’s body moved swiftly and strongly. The beast had promptly sat up and captured Zayne’s lips once more, their hips starting to move in a perfect rhythm.

Every breath, every moan, every needy yelp was swallowed by Sylus’ lips, Zayne clinging onto him as if his very sanity depended on it. His thoughts, his feelings, everything started to melt away as their bodies continued to move, the Foreseer soon being unable to think or realize anything beyond the ecstasy and sinful paradise he was plunged into.

The climax came quickly and strongly for both of them, Zayne completely unaware of anything else as his body convulsed, tensed up and then relaxed, soon making the space for the merciful yet sweet exhaustion.

His legs were shaking, his breath was shallow, and his entire body had refused to do what it was supposed to, only his hands clinging around the dragon’s shoulders.

He could hear Sylus whisper sweet nothings to him, every word hazy and inaudible between the gentle kisses and licks.

And yet, only one word seemed to break through Zayne’s ecstatic fog, echoing in the very core of his being.

“Sweetheart… My sweet Zayne…”

***

Zayne had no idea when he had fallen asleep again, but when his eyes opened, he realized it was already evening.

This time, however, he was laying alone, his robes wrapped around him to provide him a needed comfort.

Zayne took his time to sit up this time around; very aware of an even more intense pain than the one he had felt this morning. But, even though his body remembered, every inch of him was cleaned and wiped down, not even a scratch left on him to remind him of last night and this early morning.

The Foreseer somehow managed to get back on his feet, using only his outer robes to cover himself before leaving the niche of the cathedral he had used for his sleeping spot.

He felt a lump in his throat as he realized he was all alone in that vast space, but the cawing of the crow family above his head did give him a sense of comfort.

As the night breeze caressed the bare skin of his chest and his loose, dark hair, Zayne’s thoughts started to run rampant.

On one hand, he had no regrets for what he had done nor did he want to blame himself for falling into the trap of his own desire, something he was taught to never succumb to.

But… for the first time in his life, or at least in a very long time, Zayne felt alive. Every painful scratch and bite, every movement of his body whilst led by Sylus, he regretted none of it, recalling them in such vivid detail he could feel his heart soar in his chest.

And yet, on the other hand… a dark pit had grown in his stomach. Be it the leftover of his clairvoyant powers or just his gut, he couldn’t shake off this awful feeling.

His bond with Astra was completely severed. He could feel it clearly. He was now Sylus’ possession to use… but not even this loss of autonomy scared Zayne the most.

He had served Astra for centuries, he knew his god well. Too well, some might say.

No one dared to harm or steal what belonged to that god without suffering immerse consequences… and even though Zayne had seemingly escaped his retaliation in a way, there was one other person Astra could turn towards for his vengeance.

Even though he was a powerful beast, a dragon that had also lived for centuries, Astra could still find a way to hurt him.

Zayne clutched onto his robes, a sudden shiver running down his spine.

Sylus…

“You’re awake”

The flap of majestic wings followed the sound of that familiar, gentle voice, Zayne unable to contain a candid smile once the dragon landed before him.

Immediately, Sylus lowered his head and closed the gap between them, planting the sweetest, most tender kiss on the Foreseer’s cheek.

“I didn’t think you’d be this affectionate” Zayne mumbled, looking up at the dragon’s glowing crimson eyes.

Sylus chuckled, the Foreseer convinced the tip of his nose and ears had turned bright shade of red for only a moment.

“Only because you are now bound to me” he admitted, gently removing a stray lock of hair from Zayne’s shoulder “We are caught in this new contract out of convenience… but I’ll at least try to make you feel comfortable, using my limited knowledge from my time in the human world”

Zayne frowned “You lived among humans?” he questioned “Or are you speaking of the time you were held in the dungeon?”

The dragon chuckled, a cheeky grin prominent on his handsome features. He moved swiftly, not giving Zayne any time to react once he used his scaly hand to prop the human onto his forearm and lifting him up.

The Foreseer’s heart dropped at the sudden loss of balance, but Sylus’ other hand was right there to hold him in place, Zayne now being the one looking down at the silver-haired dragon.

“Still very curious about me?” Sylus purred, slowly walking with Zayne in his arms.

“Yes, very” the Foreseer remained direct and resolute, allowing his body to relax in Sylus’ arms.

Their stroll was short, the dragon bringing his captive towards the middle of the cathedral, right where the old altar was positioned. Carefully, Sylus lowered the Foreseer down; making sure his robe covered most of his still very nude body. He then sat next to Zayne, his wing and tail bringing the human closer.

“What do you want to know?”

Zayne was stunned with a question for a moment, but not because of this rather direct query.

It was Sylus’ expression, his usually cheeky smile not reaching his eyes, those crimson orbs suddenly darkening with the emotion Zayne was unable to read.

Taking the initiative, Zayne reached for the dragon’s much larger hand, intertwining their hands whilst he softly demanded: “The nickname you like to use for me when we make love… you couldn’t have learned it from being locked up, correct?”

The dragon hesitated, but nodded eventually, his eyes drifting somewhere far.

“It was a word… I learned from someone I had considered my mother” he murmured, the usually seductive purr in his voice seeming rather strained.

Zayne opened his mouth to ask more questions, but the dragon was quicker with his explanation: “I don’t remember how I ended up in that human family, but apparently, some soldiers found me right here, as an infant. And because I looked so much like a human child, they thought the dragons planned to consume me… at least, that’s what my mother told me”

Zayne’s blood had ran cold, a certain paragraph from “The Book of Dragons” he used to read a lot whilst at home coming to mind: despite their appearance in their adult age, dragon babies came in variety of shapes and sizes, some of them coming out fully as lizards, some half-human, half-lizard, and some… completely human-looking.

“How did you learn… you are actually a dragon?” Zayne asked, already suspecting that the family he was with had no idea what he really was.

Sylus let out a bitter chuckle, now completely avoiding Zayne’s gaze.

“I grew large horns around my tenth birthday…” he admitted “But even that didn’t deter that foolish human family from keeping me with them. Keeping a dangerous beast among clueless sheep…”

The Foreseer’s frown had deepened, his hand squeezing around Sylus’ so much his palms ended up being stung by dragon’s scales and claws.

“Why do you call yourself a beast so frequently?” he demanded, his voice sterner, but Sylus only chuckled louder, as if someone had told him a cruel joke.

“Because I know myself…” he whispered “Dragon’s nature… with all its intelligence and grace is ultimately nothing but that of a vicious beast… and just with one teenage tantrum… I ended up burning it all. My whole life as a human… and the family that had accepted me…”

Zayne gasped at the confession, but not for the reason Sylus might think…

The Foreseer could clearly see small, shiny droplets barely clinging to the dragon’s fair lashes, his unfocused eyes glistening with sadness as he re-lived a memory he had just unraveled.

Zayne couldn’t do anything for him in that moment… except to gently take his chin between his fingers and turn his head.

The dragon’s gaze focused on him instantly, dilated pupils turning into thin slits as Zayne whispered “I know it’s hard… but, the fact that this event eats you up even five hundred years later shows that you’re not beastly at heart. You never were…”

“I killed them, Zayne” Sylus closed his eyes, a crack in his voice making his tone much shakier and more desperate “Because I couldn’t control my power… I killed them…”

“You didn’t know how…” Zayne reassured, very aware that this type of guilt will never leave Sylus’ consciousness, for as long as he lived.

It was traumatic, the Foreseer could only imagine.

Extinguishing lives of the people you considered family, running away from it for years… only to be captured and held in the dungeon like a  trophy and for your own healing blood to serve the people who had condemned you-

Zayne gasped.

Why… do I know this information?

He gulped, trying not to react too obviously, but the dragon’s focused gaze had already caught onto it, and he didn’t need to be told twice.

“Were you able to see my past just now?” he questioned, his tone curious.

Zayne could only nod, not understanding how or why.

“I thought… I’ve lost my ability of foresight…” he mumbled, rubbing his own forehead as the images of Sylus’ past played right before his eyes.

No, this is wrong… I shouldn’t be able to see this-

The dragon chuckled breathily, his features once again becoming soft as he brought their intertwined hands to his chest.

“Maybe your foresight was your power all along, and not something that bastard had given you”

“But-”

Sylus shushed him with a gentle peck on the lips “You’ve seen it… and understood it. And the fact that it was you who had seen it, makes my burden only slightly lighter…”

Zayne had no idea what to say, but the pure adoration the dragon gazed at him with made his whole body tremble with so many emotions he quickly felt overwhelmed.

But… there was one thing he still had to declare.

“Sylus…” he called out, voice determined “Don’t ever call yourself a beast in my presence. Understood?”

The dragon seemed stunned by the request, but Zayne didn’t give him the time to protest as he pulled him even closer with a strong tug.

“If my powers are back… then I’ll be able to be of use to you” he declared, a proud and relieved smile spreading on his face without him noticing “And I’ll be able to protect you…”

Sylus chuckled at the last part of the sentence, but he didn’t protest, his face closing the gap between them only for their noses to rub on one another.

“I will count on it, sweetheart…”

Chapter Text

A large explosion echoed through the volcanic valley, the tremors so strong it shook the very ground underneath the foot.

But Sylus was more than satisfied, looking down towards the ground at a huge pillar of sharpened ice directed at him.

He had barely managed to dodge that wretched thing, and if his beloved wasn’t so exhausted, he’d probably be able to deal a considerable blow to the dragon.

“You still have to work on your stamina, sweetheart” he mumbled, caressing the tip of the icy pillar “But this performance of yours was magnificent”

Zayne let out a huffy chuckle, clearly trying to hide his labored breaths, but those small bobs of sweat forming on his temples didn’t escape Sylus’ eyes.

“Don’t flatter me, I know I can still do more…” he argued, those green eyes still sharp and focused.

Amused, Sylus slowly landed on top of the icy pillar that had tried to hit him only a couple of moments ago, his wings spreading out wider like a shield.

“Then, if you still wish…” he started tauntingly, his voice growing both sultry and challenging “Give me your final try. But in addition, I’ll try to strike at you”

Zayne’s eyes narrowed, corners of his lips twitching upwards ever so slightly “A challenge, I see…”

“You said it yourself, you want to do more” Sylus challenged further, cocky smile reaching his eyes “Whoever gets scratched first, wins…”

Zayne didn’t have to respond to that proposition, a mere change in his stance counting as the challenge acceptance.

For a moment, neither of them blinked, breathed, moved, the area around them thick with tension of every variety.

The explosion that followed was even larger than the one that had preceded it, Sylus’ swift swings completely blocked by Zayne’s brutal ice attacks, deathly spikes seemingly emerging from every single corner of the valley they used for this little practice.

The dragon’s smile grew wider as he continued to dodge, the quickness and swiftness of his lover’s spells almost reaching the same level as his own magic.

But… anyone Zayne would have to face in the future would never be as strong as Sylus… so, there was no need to play this little game anymore.

As the dark and crimson mist started to emerge from his hands and wings, the dragon swung his wings even faster than before, Zayne unable to keep up with him. The Foreseer had lost the sight of him for a moment, and that was the exact opportunity Sylus was seeking.

Using his wings to enclose around his own body, Sylus turned into something similar to a missile, his speed even faster than a single blink of an eye.

And yet, when he came face to face with Zayne, in a split second, the dragon’s arms stretched forward, grabbing the human and pulling him closer.

The duo crashed into the ground with so much force the soil and large rocks flew everywhere around them, but Sylus’ large wings and hard scales were the ones to ease their landing by a significant amount.

Zayne didn’t utter a word once they collided, but the dragon could feel the man’s grip on his waist, his fingers trembling and his entire body tense.

“Are you alright?” Sylus asked once he allowed his wings to unshield them, Zayne lying on top of him with an equally worried expression.

“Were you actually trying to kill us both!?” the man’s voice cracked, something Sylus had only heard a handful of times in the period they have spent together, but it always had the same exact effect on the dragon.

His cheeky smile dropped immediately, a scaly hand reaching up to caress the Foreseer’s cheek.

“I knew I could land us safely” he reassured “I’d never do something to purposely harm you…”

Zayne’s hand flew up to the dragon’s wrist, squeezing it tightly as his lips thinned into a single line “And yet you choose to use your own body as means for my safe landing? What if you had gotten seriously injured!? Your wings-”

The dragon raised himself into a sitting position, their noses brushing against one another “I’m not that fragile, sweetheart. I had literal metal drilled into me for centuries…” he reminded, but Zayne’s expression only became more concerned as he frowned.

That was a sign convincing enough for the dragon to lower his guard a little, his lips only lightly brushing against the Foreseer’s cheek “But… I appreciate your worries…. You might end up getting me spoiled if you keep worrying about me so much”

Zayne’s expression finally softened, the man now reaching up with his other hand to caress the dragon’s cheek.

“If that will make you take better care of yourself, then so be it”

Sylus could feel his heart stir inside his ribcage, the sensation so sudden that he almost didn’t know how to properly react to it. It even made him a little concerned… but, he couldn’t deny that it was a good sensation.

Without any words, the dragon reached up and started nibbling on the Foreseer’s neck, not even the thin fabric preventing him from this idea.

Zayne gasped silently, but still exposed his neck to the dragon, his hand even undoing the first two buttons of his robes to give Sylus more access.

The dragon had no idea for how long this had lasted, but the sudden urge to take his lover was slowly rising within him as the moments passed, his form eventually rising from the ground and with Zayne nestled in only one of his hands.

“So eager already?” the Foreseer teased whilst completely leaning against the dragon’s shoulder.

“Can you blame me?” Sylus chuckled “You’ve displayed such power, almost managing to actually injure me… You’re wielding such a formidable magic”

Zayne’s lips stretched into a small, candid smile, his usually stern features softening under the dragon’s praise.

“It has been a long time since I used this power for fighting…” the Foreseer explained, but the dragon’s gaze suddenly shifted once he noticed the other’s hand reaching for one of his horns “But don’t be too intimidated by my power, dearest. I can still do this”

In an instant, Sylus could feel something cold enclosing around the bottom of his horns, the white crystals soon starting to swing from the side of his head.

The dragon chuckled, noticing the shape of familiar, white flowers.

“You did my hair with jasmines?” he questioned, using his power to raise the crystals and take a better look.

“You always say I smell like them, it seemed appropriate…” Zayne elaborated, a cheeky smile stretching his lips wider.

“Does it look good?” Sylus questioned with the same playful tone, not expecting a sudden kiss the Foreseer decided to plant on his forehead only a moment later.

“It does, dearest”

The dragon closed his eyes, leaning his head into yet another kiss “Keep calling me that…” he mumbled, his grip tightening around Zayne’s legs.

The Foreseer could only chuckle and oblige, filling the dragon’s ears with sweetest words as they slowly returned to the cathedral, a place they have now called home…

***

Zayne knew this plain from a distant memory, a place he never thought he’ll see again.

He had visited the inner parts of his mind only once: on the day when he was chosen to become a Foreseer.

He knew this vast, snowy valley so well…

And once he realized where he was, a feeling of dread entered his very soul, threatening to crush him.

“To think one of my disciples would betray me for a beast such as that vile creature….” a powerful, disembodied voice echoed through the empty valley, making the Foreseer tremble.

Lord Astra…

Zayne bit his tongue, squeezing both of his hands into fists until his nails dug deep into his palm.

You must keep it together, Zayne…, he reminded himself. For Sylus….

“Nothing to say, I presume?” the voice probed, a mocking undertone present under the regal voice.

“You must resent me, Your Grace, for the bond I have forged with this… creature, as you have called him….” Zayne spoke with the sliver of composure that had remained, the fury only building up inside his chest.

“I do not resent you, Zayne…” the voice sounded disappointed “I pity you deeply. To think my choice of a Foreseer would showcase how weak of a human you truly are… I should pity myself as well…”

Zayne felt a lump of anger in his throat.

He knew Astra couldn’t read his thoughts anymore. The dragon mark he carried on his shoulder was a proof of that.

He knew that Astra couldn’t know about the cryptic visions Zayne was having in the past weeks, those same visions always leaving him with a suffocating feeling of dread.

Astra couldn’t be sending him those visions as a warning… but Astra could very well be the true cause of them.

Resist, Zayne. You can’t allow your anger to win….

“I apologize for disappointing you…” the Foreseer tried to keep his voice measured and calm, but his hands were almost unable to stay still. “I believe that, after five hundred years, I have forgotten my true purpose…. But I don’t regret anything”

The pause that followed was deafening,  not even a breeze heard as Zayne anxiously awaited the reaction of a mighty god.

“Unacceptable…” the voice thundered, making the ground shake under Zayne’s feet “To think not even the physical toll could deter you from selling your soul to such a beast… What a vile little human you are…”

Zayne had to chuckle “It’s true, Your Grace. I am a vile human… but I have never been happier….”

“Unacceptable!” the god had repeated, almost desperately.

Calming himself even more, Zayne allowed his consciousness to slip, purposely shutting Astra out of his mind entirely.

There was nothing the god could do now. He didn’t know what Zayne was thinking anymore, didn’t know where he was.

He couldn’t touch him… but the moment he heard the following words, he knew Sylus wasn’t as lucky….

“You realize that humans will never stop hunting your precious beast, don’t you?”

Zayne froze.

“That I am still the deaty they will listen over a traitor who sold his soul for carnal pleasure?

“No….” the Foreseer mumbled, panic slowly overtaking him “You cannot, Your Grace-“

“But I will” the god threatened, his voice low and menacing “There is only one dragon left in the world… I will always be able to find him. Neither of you will ever be safe…”

Zayne’s breath hitched as he looked at the empty, white sky “Please, no!” he lamented.

Another moment of intense silence followed, Zayne only able to hear the pounding of his own, frightened heart.

“You know what to do then, Zayne”

He knew. He knew it very well.

“I….” he mumbled, his knees almost betraying him and his chest tightening “I shall return with the soldiers to the White Tower…”

He promised out loud, but deep down… he knew Astra wouldn’t be satisfied with just that bargain.

No one betrays a creator god without suffering unimaginable consequences.

He was foolish, thinking he could just walk away from the destiny that was bestowed upon him centuries ago.

But… there was one thing he could still do….

“Good” the god finally responded, sick satisfaction so clear in his tone “If you truly follow up on your vow…. Your precious dragon might live to see another day”

Zayne knew the god was lying.

He had no intention of sparing Sylus.

If anything, he would get killed as yet another type of punishment Zayne would have to endure for eternity.

But as he was finally about to wake up from this slumber, Zayne knew there is only one way to counter this.

Something not even Astra would be able to predict…

***

Zayne woke up with a gasp, his throat constricted as he tried to cough out whatever caused his chest to tighten so much.

His entire body was drenched in cold sweat, the light evening breeze feeling like a blizzard against his skin. His heart continued to pound, heavy with fear, panic and discomfort.

Astra was gone… but his words were more than real.

But, there was no end to Zayne’s worry, especially when he touched the spot beside him.

Sylus was gone.

His vision narrowing, Zayne got up from their shared bedding on the altar, grabbing his robes to promptly dress himself for a move.

Whilst frantically putting on each piece of clothing, the Foreseer closed his eyes, focusing on the mark on his shoulder that started burning as if he was being branded by hot iron.

The dragon wasn’t toi far from him… but he was surrounded. So many people had just marched into his domain…

The images from all of his visions suddenly flashed before Zayne’s eyes, the sight of thick, black smoke, dancing flames that devoured everything in their path… and a blade dug deep into dragon’s chest, blood dripping from his opened mouth.

“No, no, no, no….” Zayne mumbled, the panic being the only thing that had kept him going in that moment.

No matter what, he will save Sylus… even if he himself had to perish in the process…

Chapter Text

It has been a while since the dragon had seen so many humans descend into his domain.

An never-ending stream of bodies moving around in a formation, resembling little ants that are only good for executing their orders.

Sylus was confident the volcanic land will decimate their forces and their resolve… but he couldn’t take any chances or make compromises.

Not when Zayne’s life was on the line.

Not when a malicious god was out for them.

With a smirk, the dragon curled up into a ball whilst his wings flapped violently, keeping him in the air. Focusing all of his energy into a crystal in the middle of his chest, Sylus allowed his true power to consume him.

A loud, beastly shriek echoed the valley, shaking very mountains above the army’s head as their terrified eyes looked towards the smoky, red sky.

And there, flew a dragon, so massive it could probably swallow the entire capital of Philos. Its wings had covered the sky and the faint shine of the moon far above, the black scales glistening against the light of an erupting volcano.

In an instant, Sylus could see the terror in those soldiers’ eyes, their weapons and shields trembling alongside their small hands.

It has been over five hundred years since he had used this form… and the feeling was marvelous.

But, he couldn’t hold on for much longer, this very transformation taking up majority of his magical force.

And yet, considering the reek of fear that had enveloped the sandy valley, the dragon believed his victory shall be quick and so very sweet.

With yet another horrifying roar, the dragon dropped, opening its massive jaws as the flames ignited inside his throat. The familiar burning of his stomach and mouth was thrilling, nostalgic, and when the first beam of fire struck the largest battalion of soldiers below, the sensation became even sweeter.

As the shrieks of horror and pain spread across the valley, Sylus flapped his gigantic wings to reach the highest mountain peak, yet another beastly shrill shaking the valley where the people continued to die.

From his high perch, the dragon observed the panic and desperation this small human army instantly displayed, an urge to chuckle tickling at his throat.

But… he couldn’t leave any of them alive.

Even if Zayne started hating him… even if he wished to break their bond… it was alright.

He was a beast, only capable of killing those that stand in his way.

Whether it was for the right or wrong cause, he didn’t know.

All he knew is that, once this army was decimated, at least Philos will leave Zayne alone.

And Astra… not even his godhood will save him from the dragon’s wrath.

Observing the commotions in the valley for a moment longer, Sylus had decided on where to strike next: there, at the far distance, a small battalion of soldiers had entered the ravine that led even deeper into his territory, right towards the valley of pink daturas…

They have just signed their own death sentence.

As loud shriek resonated through the air; the dragon flapped its wings and leapt into the air, promptly reaching the spot where those sneaky soldiers have entered.

With another tingle of heat rising in his throat, Sylus demolished them all, the flames swallowing not only their bodies, but their shrieks as well.

All of this was too simple… but there was still more humans incoming.

As the mild annoyance slowly overtook him, the dragon used his massive claws to climb out of the ravine, his eyes once again overseeing the desperate regrouping of scattered soldiers, their small bodies trying to hopelessly find any kind of shelter whilst their whimsy shields offered the only small amount of protection.

Two more times… that was all it will take.

And whoever was left, he will crush them-

A sharp and agonizing pain had pierced the dragon’s torso from above, causing its shriek become higher and lamenting.

Raising his head and instinctively trying to get out of the way, Sylus only then became aware of the distant rumbling that echoed across the sky.

Royal flying ships… same ones used to capture him five centuries ago.

Sylus roared once more, this time with more anger and vigor, tugging at the massive spear that had momentarily nailed him to the ground. The pain was almost unbearable, but if he remained in the same position, he’d definitely get struck again.

Another wave of anger washed over him, giving the dragon just enough strength to pull the spear out of the ground and fly across the valley, the cold steel still stuck in his left side. The pain the metal had caused him was more than familiar, the itch being something he had to live with whilst in the dungeon for the past five hundred years…

Bastards must have melted my restraints to make these…

He could feel his blood seeping from a gaping wound, making it more difficult for his wings to move and even be used for gliding. And, alongside his blood, his magical power was slowly leaving him.

He will most certainly die that day… those ships surely had more of these massive spears.

But… those ships were coming down with him.

In a moment of pure anger overtaking his being, Sylus roared the loudest his throat would allow him and flapped upwards, his body flying through the air at unimaginable speed.

Despite the pain, the dragon reached out with both of his hands, squeezing onto the balloon that kept one of the ships in the air and popped it, casting only a small spark of fire to make the whole vehicle go up in inferno.

The spear lodged into his torso had fallen off from the strength of the explosion, the now gaping hole in his abdomen making the dragon cry out in pain.

But he couldn’t stop now… only three more ships, and it will be done-

The thought didn’t even properly manifest in his mind before yet another massive spear got shot at him, making a massive hole in one of his precious wings.

The shriek the dragon had let out was desperate, hurtful, its body promptly descending towards the ground.

No matter how much he tried to make it work, Sylus had momentarily lost a wing.

The landing was hard, ground-shaking and painful, leaving the dragon barely able to turn his head to the side.

The tiny soldiers he had observed from his high mountains and volcanoes were now closing in on him, their spears, swords and arrows tearing into him like hundreds of tiny needles.

He could feel the wound on his wing slowly closing up, but not nearly as quickly as he liked, the ropes promptly being thrown over him to prevent him from moving.

He could hear the soldiers yell orders at each other, but none of it mattered to Sylus. He already knew how this tragic story would end.

He will probably be captured… or die during the transportation.

The power in his body had finally reached its limit, the dragon already feeling his form changing as his blood continued to seep-

In a single instant, a massive wall of ice enclosed him, creating a circular roof over the dragon’s head and trapping the soldiers closest to him in the unmovable prison of ice.

Sylus gasped, his hybrid form regained and allowing him to move around more. But, even though this wall had offered him a temporary protection, the implication of the ice protecting him could only conclude in one terrifying thing.

Zayne was here… in the middle of a battlefield he had sworn to not bring close to him.

“Zayne!?” Sylus called out, the pain preventing him from moving and yelling more.

His ears were buzzing, the panic slowly settling into his very soul, and once Zayne’s voice reached his ears, Sylus believed he’d lose his mind:

“Isn’t that the Foreseer!?”

“The one who has been captured by a dragon!?”

“Sir, why are you protecting him!?”

“Has the dragon enchanted you!?” the soldiers kept questioning him, every query more hysterical than the last.

But Zayne’s voice was calm, measured, as if he was speaking to the very subject he was supposed to serve:

“I could tell you the truth… but none of you would believe me. Because, in your eyes, this dragon is a vicious beast”

“He had killed hundreds of ours-”

“After humans have kept him as a blood slave for centuries” Zayne retorted, his voice slightly higher and with more edge “And I know you are not here on the orders of your king, but the very priests in whose ranks I had studied. The king would never have sent you to such a suicidal mission”

The soldiers started talking over each other, causing a cacophony, Sylus growling inside his cold cage as his wing finally managed to completely close up the wound. The pain was still present, but at least he could now use it to fly-

“You are all being manipulated by Astra…” Zayne announced only for the screams of soldiers to follow.

Sylus froze on the spot, the sound of even more ice emerging from the ground making him realize what Zayne was actually doing.

No….

“And if you wish to take this dragon back, you will have to pass through me first”

Even more screaming followed, drawing of weapons and clinking of shields making Sylus promptly stand up and channel all remnants of his power to break the icy prison he was put in for his own protection.

Zayne, no… No!

“Get him!” someone yelled “The Foreseer has been corrupted by a dragon!”

“Nonsense!” Zayne yelled back “I’m doing this of my own volition! And none of you are strong enough to stop-”

Zayne’s speech was abruptly stopped, a gurgling sound causing Sylus’ stomach to drop.

The realization had struck him like a thunder, the vortex of rage, desperation and anger causing his throat to produce yet another scream.

The vibrations became so strong they had shattered the ice into thousand pieces, his massive dragon form manifesting once again as he had laid his eyes upon the scene in front of him.

Surrounded by a dozen soldiers, Zayne was down on a single knee, his back turned to Sylus. The bottom part of his robe that was usually snowy white was now drenched in dark red liquid, three arrow tails clearly sticking out of his chest.

With another desperate roar, the dragon stepped forward, crushing any soldier unlucky enough to be in his path.

His vision blurry and barely focused, the dragon managed to get a hold of Zayne, making sure his claws weren’t squeezing him too hard before his pained wings raised them towards the red sky.

Why would you do this, Zayne!?

***

Sylus reached the cathedral just in time, his dragon form unable to hold on any longer and making him collapse in front of the main entrance.

And yet, despite the immense pain and massive scale of his own injuries, the dragon had never let go of Zayne, the Foreseer now nestled gently in his embrace.

“Zayne!?” Sylus whisper-yelled, reaching down at his still-gaping wound in hopes to catch a few drops of his own blood.

He tried to smear it across the Foreseer’s lips, tried to force a couple of drops down his throat… but all Zayne managed to do was open his eyes and cough out immense amounts of blood.

His own blood.

“You’re… alright…” Zayne mumbled, his pale chin completely covered in blood as his lips stretched into a faint smile.

“Yes, yes, I’ll be alright…” Sylus comforted, his clawed hand gently cupping the Foreseer’s face “You need to take some of my blood now, alright? Please…”

Zayne’s smile had spread out even more, his green eyes becoming glassy “I’ll… try…”

The dragon reached up towards his own chest, producing a massive gash before bringing Zayne’s mouth closer, making sure arrows weren’t pushed deeper inside him for the time being.

But despite his best efforts, Zayne was unable to even hold down a single gulp, each and every attempt soon becoming ejected through strenuous, painful coughing fit.

“Zayne-” Sylus called out desperately, prepared to bite his own tongue off if it meant he’d manage to save him-

But the Foreseer’s strong grip on his upper arm caused the dragon to look down, his breath shaking.

“I’m sorry…” Zayne mumbled, his eyes barely open “I had… to do it… or else… Astra… he’d… he’d-”

“Don’t talk, sweetheart…” Sylus murmured, his own vision becoming blurry as he connected their foreheads “Just focus on me now, alright? I’m with you…”

Zayne nodded weakly, his breaths becoming more labored and hoarse as the moments passed.

“Why would you do this for me, Zayne?” Sylus spoke with his eyes closed, feeling two warm tears falling down his nose “Even if I was captured, I’d still-”

“Astra… would make sure… you are…” another coughing fit interrupted Zayne, his eyes squeezing and tearing up “Dead… and… I can’t just… let the one… I love… die because of… me…”

Sylus’ head shot up, all air leaving his lungs as if someone had punched him.

Zayne’s smile remained on his pale face, his eyes fluttering open one more time.

“I hope… I will get a chance… to see you… again…”

The dragon pulled him closer, both of his clawed hands gently digging into the Foreseer’s body “Whatever it takes… for however long… I’ll always find you, sweetheart… no matter how, where or when… I’ll find you”

Zayne let out a faint, hoarse chuckle, the hand that was gripping onto Sylus’ arm now barley reaching the dragon’s face. Sylus assisted him, raising one of his hands to put Zayne’s cold hand against his cheek.

“Thank…you…” the man mumbled, his words barely a whisper “For making me… so happy… and… alive…”

And with that blissful smile on his lips, Zayne had taken his final breath.

Sylus could feel the weight of his body in his hands, the panic and despair quickly setting in as he bargained with the heaven, destiny, whoever was at fault for this incredible hurt.

The dragon wept for what seemed like days, the last remnant of his once joyful heart shattered into pieces…

***

After the loss of his beloved, the dragon had decided to settle the scores with the Heavens themselves, looking to take the life of the very god that caused his demise.

As the anger consumed him and left him with no regard for his own life, the dragon had fought a grueling battle… only to be struck by a heavenly spear and dropped down onto the Earth, to his own death.

And yet, the dragon had no regrets, hopeful that he’ll soon get another chance to be with his beloved… but Astra, being ever so benevolent, wasn’t going to allow it.

Thus, he had cursed the two souls:

The dragon shall look for his beloved in every life, but will always die right before he would be able to reunite with him.

And the Foreseer, who had longed for a peaceful and ordinary life, will not remember his beloved dragon at all… that is, until he encounters his dead corpse.

The curse was to last until the end of time… and yet, the foolish god never counted on the destiny having interesting plans for him, too…

***

Linkon City, 2055…

Chapter Text

Linkon City, 2055

N109 Zone…

“Boss-man, all preparations for tonight’s meeting have been completed” the man clad in mostly black clothes and with a beaked mask on said in a serious tone, his business persona so different compared to his usual mischievous one.

Sylus hummed in response, never once raising his gaze from the floating monitor in front of him.

“Have any of the interested parties made any moves yet?” he asked nonchalantly, continuing to inspect the list of items from tonight’s oncoming auction.

“No moves at all” the other man dressed in the same fashion as the one who spoke first suddenly appeared behind Sylus, his tone a bit more playful compared to his twin, “Which doesn’t mean tonight’s event won’t end in an explosive finale”

“Glad you’ve finally learned” Sylus chuckled, his finger sliding across the screen once more.

There were many valuable items that will be presented at the auction, from unique and expensive jewelry, antique paintings, newly modified gadgets, weapons all the way to modified protocores meant to be used on high-tech electronic devices and in robotics field.

Satisfied with the quality of the stock, Sylus closed the window and whistled, shortly but sharply.

In an instant, the cawing could be heard from the open window of the high rise, a crow dawning two mechanical wings landing on Sylus’ broad shoulders.

Tapping on his watch, the animal’s eyes glowed bright red, all the data it had collected in its patrol in N109 zone very soon being transferred to Sylus’ watch.

Watching at the footage with a frown, the leader of Onychinus couldn’t help but feel this deep pit in his stomach. Something he had felt many times before… specifically, before he died in whichever life he was living.

“Be prepared to act at the moment’s notice” he eventually said, giving a knowing look to both Luke and Kieran, “When N109 zone is this quiet before a big event, it usually doesn’t end good”

“Yes, boss-man!” the twins said in unison only for Kieran to remind: “Please don’t forget to bring your weapons today, sir. We know you like to spar with your impromptu enemies, but today is-”

Sylus had just directed a sharp look towards him, instantly making Kieran silent.

“You know I don’t play with important matters” he mumbled, the crow on his shoulder cawing in a sign of warning, “But, you two will have a special mission tonight?”

“Yes, boss-man! Whatever it is!” the twins once again said in unison, making Sylus chuckle once he had turned away from them.

Leaning in his chair, the silver-haired man purred “Make sure kitten is well taken care of. This event wouldn’t be possible without her, and with her connections, she’d be a very sought after, especially by… certain people”

“Yes, boss-man!” the twins repeated for the third time, Sylus only waving for them to leave.

“Was someone mentioning me?”

A female voice coming from the door made the whole office lose its tense atmosphere, all three men instantly relaxing upon finally noticing a familiar figure.

“You’re getting better at sneaking around, kitten” Sylus said with a voice full of amusement, a sly smile immediately adorning his lips.

The woman at the door smiled before entering the office, “I’ve learn from the best in the sneaking game. But, what were you saying about me?”

“Oh, nothing” Sylus reassured, leaning even more in his chair, “I was just making sure your bodyguards for tonight were ready to defend you at any given moment”

The dark-haired woman tilted her head, her expression growing serious “Shouldn’t they be more concerned about protecting you?”

“I can fend for myself” Sylus reminded as his hand slid under the hem of an elegant jacket that hung from his wide shoulders, an unmistakable click of the gun’s safety lever making everyone in the room tense up.

The woman didn’t look amused in the slightest, her step becoming wider as she approached Sylus’ table.

“Focus on your safety and don’t try to show off like you sometimes do. Tonight has a potential to cause a lot of chaos in this already derailed zone” she scolded, Sylus’ smile widening even more.

“Glad we’re on the same page” Sylus purred again before directing his eyes at the twins, noticing their gawking and fidgeting behind him.

Luke and Kieran had immediately gotten a hint, leaving the two alone to check on the final details of tonight’s auction.

Once alone, the woman sighed, leaning against the table

“You should really stop calling me that while I’m at work” she scolded, Sylus tilting his head.

“You’re afraid little Tara will hear me?” he teased, crossing his legs.

“That too” the woman chuckled, “But it’s also unprofessional. I’m your personal assistant; we don’t want some outsider to think I mean something to you-”

“But you do mean something to me, Livia” Sylus mumbled, completely serious, “You are irreplaceable to me, someone I wish to protect… and same goes for your little girlfriend…. Although, you are my favorite”

Livia chuckled, amusement clear in her voice, “Again, don’t let her hear you... but you know what I mean-”

“I do, yes” Sylus confirmed, leaning forward in his chair, “And don’t worry, I know how to pretend. You will never become my leverage”

Satisfied with the answer, dark-haired woman nodded, her eyes lowering to look at her watch, “Now that this conversation is over, I have some news”

Sylus’ heart skipped for a moment, his attention completely shifting towards the notes displayed on the small screen, “What do you have for me?”

Only a moment later, all Sylus’ hopes would be crushed, again.

Livia just had to frown and shake her head in an apologetic manner.

“I’ve looked through all of the data Linkon City and N109 Zone had on their residents… and I haven’t found a single person who matches the description you gave me”

Sylus’ jaw clenched, “No one?”

“No one” Livia confirmed, “Tall male of muscular physique, black hair, striking green eyes, in his early twenties, conventionally attractive… and even with the sketch you have provided, I couldn’t find anyone who matched”

Sylus took a couple of moments to collect his thoughts, the sensation just as soul-crushing as the first time he wasn’t able to find his beloved on time…

“Alright, then…” he tried to sound nonchalant, but Livia wasn’t an idiot.

“I’m really sorry” she mumbled, reaching out to take his hand and squeeze it, “Maybe, I could start looking further out? In neighboring cities? Other countries-”

“No need, Liv” Sylus mumbled, squeezing her hand back, “I don’t think you’ll find him in time…”

“Don’t say that!” she scolded him, her voice almost breaking, “I’ll get to work right now! I’ll try!”

Sylus could only chuckle at her promise, but deep in his soul he knew her good will wouldn’t be enough, not even this time around.

Sylus has been through this countless times already.

From the time when he still had all his memories intact, the remnants of his powers still serving in his desperate search.

And yet, as the centuries went on, and his life repeated itself over and over again, his effort became all but futile.

His dragon powers have disappeared long time ago, leaving him in the useless husk of a mortal and fragile human body that could only live less than one century… but, he was never that lucky.

He still remembered every little detail of his beloved’s face; how his features changed when he smiled, when he felt pleasure, when he was in pain… everything was still so vivid in his mind.

But not even his memory could escape erosion of so many centuries….

He had completely forgotten his beloved’s voice, the way his own name sounded when crossing those beautiful lips… and of all things, Sylus had forgotten his name…

And Livia had known all of this, from the very first day they have met.

She had a very special ability to see the past lives of others just by one touch, a fact that had scared Sylus the first time they have met.

He was rough when dealing with her initially, anger consuming him upon the realization that the sacred memory of his beloved Foreseer was seen by someone else other than him.

But… Livia was patient, calm, spiteful but also, very understanding.

She understood his pain and had truly done everything in her power to help him, especially in these last few months.

And yet, even her valiant efforts didn’t bear any fruit…

Sylus could feel his heart clenching in his chest, the morose feeling in the pit of his stomach foretelling what was about to go down that very evening…

He was about to die once again, only this time, without any luck in finding his beloved Foreseer.

“We should go get ready” he finally said, raising from his chair, “Pick whichever dress or suit you’d like. They have all been paid for”

With that, Sylus headed towards the exit of his office, his throat squeezing as he tried to swallow.

“Sylus!” Livia suddenly called out for him, making him stop.

A brief moment of silence arose between them, the woman’s expression still so stubbornly determined: “Be very careful tonight… and I promise, I’ll find your Foreseer…”

Sylus chuckled, leaving the office without another word…

***

Zayne had moved his head from left to right, the stiffness that had settled in becoming more uncomfortable as the time went on.

It has only been a couple of days since he had returned to the Linkon City, but he was already buried in work, Akso Hospital almost becoming his primary home for the time-being.

He had worked in many hospitals around the world, and despite being a prodigy in his field and the youngest doctor to ever win a Starsnatcher Award for his research on heart regeneration.

But, once he had returned to his hometown, he knew his job would become more difficult, primarily because he was a returning doctor into a system that needed a lot of improvements.

He was still working as a heart surgeon primarily, but on nights such as this one, he had to be on-call for the Emergency room as well. It was a festival season in Linkon City, a time when many people get injured or feel sick due to various reasons, mostly due to alcohol consumption.

But it was something that had to be done, especially if he wanted for Akso Hospital to return its former reputation.

Zayne rubbed his eyes, glasses feeling rather uncomfortable on the bridge of his nose.

There were still so many notes he had to finish, preparing for tomorrow’s morning council where his weekly surgery schedule would be determined. There was no way he’ll head home any time soon…

With a deep sigh, Zayne had prepared to get back to work, only for his eyes to fall on the phone that was resting at the far end of the table.

He hasn’t really spoken to anyone of his old friends since he had returned, only his parents aware of his sudden return. He simply had no time to meet up with anyone with his hectic schedule… but there was one person he really wanted to hear from.

Deciding to take a short break, Zayne picked up his phone and unlocked it, going into messages and clicking on the caller ID his mother had forwarded to him a day earlier.

Slightly reluctant and aware that it was probably somewhat late, Zayne’s finger hovered over the call button… but he still decided to press it.

He hasn’t heard from his childhood friend in more than ten years, the ringing on the other line causing his heart to pound as if he was doing something he wasn’t supposed to.

How will she react? Will she be angry with him for not contacting her sooner? They have lost contact after a year or two of being separated, it was no one’s fault-

“Hello?” the deeper feminine voice picked up, Zayne recognizing her immediately.

“Livia?” he asked, trying to sound calm, “We haven’t spoken in a long time…”

A pause ensued on the other line, “…Who’s this? You sound familiar…”

The young doctor chuckled, “It’s Zayne, Livia.”

A muffled gasp and hurried footsteps came from the other line, many other voices in the background, “Oh my god, hi! Where have you been all these years!?”

“Mostly studying…” he answered earnestly, leaning in his chair in order to soothe his painful neck, “But, I’ve returned to Linkon a couple of days ago… I’m sorry for not calling you sooner”

“You know, I would’ve chewed you out for that if I wasn’t working right now…” Livia’s voice was a whisper, as if she was in the middle of some important event.

“You’re working this late?” Zayne frowned, “Where?”

“I’ll tell you about it in person, now’s not the a time-”

A loud bang, similar to a gunshot echoed on the other line, making Zayne wince and straighten in his chair.

A series of screams and shuffling ensued, the doctor completely unable to distinguish which voice belonged to his friend.

“Livia!?” he called out before putting the phone on speaker. He had opened the keyboard, ready to dial emergency services, “Livia!? What is going on!?”

“Oh my god, Zayne…” Livia’s voice finally came through, her tone shaky and barely able to speak, “My boss… he’s… he’s…”

“What, Livia!? Are you hurt!?” Zayne promptly ejected himself from his chair, picking up the land phone that was on his desk.

“N-no, I’m fine” she cried, “He was shot at point-blank range by one of attendees… he’s bleeding from his stomach!”

Zayne’s professional side had taken over instantly: “Make sure to apply pressure to the wound with any piece of cloth. Is he conscious?”

“Barely!” she exclaimed, “He’s been carried into his car, we’ll head straight to the nearest hospital-”

“Where in the city are you?” he demanded, a momentary silence overtaking the other line for a moment, “Livia?”

“We’re on the southern outskirts of Linkon, we’re driving into the city-”

“Come to Akso” he ordered before she could even interrupt him, “Me and my team will wait for you. Until you arrive, just make sure to keep him conscious and continue applying pressure to the affected area”

The pause on the other line prolonged, but Livia’s final words were full of determination “Alright… see you in a few minutes…”

Zayne promptly hung up the phone and dialed the emergency department that was on the floor underneath his office, his feet soon swiftly carrying him out of the office and towards the elevators.

He was in the ER in a matter of minutes, hands already washed as he noticed a shiny black car pulling up at one of back entrances.

“Medics!” he called out, “There is a man injured in that car! Room 4!”

Everyone worked swiftly, nurses and other practicing doctors following Zayne into the designated emergency room. He had quickly disclosed the type of injury he was told the patient had, the head nurse already preparing the kit needed to patch him up.

Only a minute later, a familiar woman appeared at the entrance of the room, followed by two men dressed in black and two medics that had pushed the gurney.

“A 29 year old male, injured by a gunshot to the stomach at a point-blank range. No exit wounds” the medic disclosed before rolling the tall man in, Zayne already fully gloved and with a mask covering his face.

But, the moment he looked at the unconscious man, Zayne’s knees felt as if they were going to give out.

In a flash, his mind was flooded by countless memories that didn’t seem to belong to him… and were yet somwhat familiar.

So familiar it made his chest ache…

As the images continued to play in his head, Zayne’s body seemed to be on autopilot, ordering nurses and medics what to do as he ripped the man’s shirt to take a look at the gushing wound.

Why… is this happening to me, why now!?, he wondered, his mind so loud he could barely hear his own voice.

But, once the calm took over his mind, Zayne’s eyes focused on a familiar, sharp features.

….Sylus?....

Chapter Text

Zayne had quietly entered the ICU unit, the beeping of monitors and wheezing of the oxygen tank filling up the tense silence.

Finding something to do, the doctor checked the patient’s vitals. Blood pressure stable, good levels of oxygen in his blood, steady breathing although with the help of a mask… but his heartbeat, even though he was laying down unconscious, was very high… 136 beats per second.

How’s that possible, Zayne thought, making sure all equipment was working properly.

He finally dared to look down at the patient, his heart pounding as if he had just run a marathon.

This man… he knew him. From somewhere, long, long ago.

The same image kept showing up before Zayne’s eyes, the swaying of a massive black tail, long horns on top of silky silver hair, and wide wings still so vivid in his mind’s eye.

And yet, even though the man before him was missing all of those appendages, Zayne knew the dragon from his memories had finally come back into his life.

The shiver ran down the doctor’s spine, another memory hijacking his mind like a dreaded shadow.

If Zayne was to remember who this man was and acknowledged their connection… the man before him would die. The curse was clear on that condition….

It had happened before, many, many times. Zayne was always too late to help him, to save him, no matter how hard he had tried. And in their later encounters, the dragon would already be deceased by the time Zayne would finally be able to remember him…

He couldn’t risk it, not now.

His mind was still a mess of memories, all of his current life almost seeming meaningless upon realization that he had been bound to this man for more than two thousand years.

And yet, they couldn’t stay together, couldn’t be near each other… they couldn’t exist in the same place at the same time.

Zayne balled both of his hands into fists, stuffing them into pockets of his black scrubs. He tried to steady his breathing, observing the patient more closely to make sure nothing was visibly wrong with him.

Sylus had lost a lot of blood from the gunshot wound… but luckily, the bullet didn’t hit anything vital. They had to sew up his intestine, but his spine remained untouched. They were mostly focusing on replenishing his blood supply, Zayne guessing he’ll be unconscious for at least one day before the anesthetic and all pain medications started to wear off.

You still look the same, the doctor thought; looking at the man’s peaceful expression as his eyes remained shut.

One of his hands relaxed, reaching for the railing of the bed.

Zayne had to immediately seize any contact with this man, even before he had woken up. He’ll request for another doctor to take care of him for the rest of his stay, he had a lot of work anyway…

A single strand of the man’s hair slipped onto his forehead after a deep and exhausted exhale, making Zayne tense up.

Without thinking, the doctor reached down, gently moving silver strands to the side.

He could feel his breath hitch in his throat, the doctor having to bite down on his lip to prevent himself from breaking the character.

In a blink of an eye, his hand retracted, Zayne stuffing it back inside the pocket. What the hell are you doing, Zayne? He can’t know you remember him… it’s the best course of action for both of us-

“Oh?”

A familiar feminine voice made Zayne wince slightly, his head turning towards the room door.

“Good evening, Livia” Zayne said, trying to remain as professional as possible, “I see you went home for a little while” he commented, gesturing towards the woman’s casual attire consisting of a denim overall skirt, a cozy sweater underneath and a pair of ankle-high sneakers.

Livia chuckled, raising a large paper bag she had brought before leaving it at the door, “I needed to take a shower and get out of the suit. It was all bloody” she explained before putting on a face mask and covers for her feet, “And I needed to bring some more things for Sylus, I assume he’ll stay here for a while?”

“Good guess” Zayne said, an amused smile slowly creeping on his lips, “I’m optimistic about his recovery. He’s responding well to treatment, and if everything goes smoothly, he’ll be out of the ICU in a matter of a day or two”

Livia sighed with relief “That’s good… also, when the time comes, we’ll pay for the best room in Akso. The money isn’t a problem for him-”

“I know, Livia” Zayne interjected, his tone becoming more serious as he completely turned towards the woman, “Be honest with me now, alright?”

The woman frowned, “Honest about what?”

“You’re working for Onychinus, aren’t you?”

Livia froze for a moment, her expression filled with panic, only to blink once or twice and clear her throat before speaking, “We’re only working on engineering projects, and I’m just Sylus’ personal assistant. Nothing shady is going on”

Zayne had to chuckle, amused by her sudden business tone, “You don’t need to worry, I’m not here to interrogate you… but I’d suggest you to lawyer up in case police comes snooping. The hospital needs to report every gunshot wound and there are many doctors and nurses who had witnessed your arrival at the hospital”

Livia’s posture relaxed slightly before she slowly approached Zayne, her eyes fixated on the man lying on the bed.

“They won’t be able to question him while unconscious… but he’ll be fine even if they decide to visit him in the hospital”

Zayne looked at her, then at Sylus, “You sure have a lot of faith in him…”

“Why, of course!” she chuckled, “He managed to get out of even worse situations. This is just a minor inconvenience for him”

Zayne noticed Livia’s face softening, his own heart dropping for a moment as an idea sprung into his mind. I’m glad… Sylus has someone like her by his side…

The doctor let out a sigh before looking up at the clock. He tried to sound urgent, “Alright, I’ll leave you to be with him for a couple of minutes. Just make sure not to touch him. A nurse will come and get you once your time is up”

“Thank you, Zayne”

A sudden movement coming from the bed made both Zayne and Livia wince, the doctor suddenly feeling a strong grip on his wrist.

He looked down… only for a shiver to run down his spine.

Sylus was looking at him, those crimson eyes barely able to stay open while still adorning the most intense gaze of recognition Zayne had ever seen.

The doctor panicked, trying to remove his hand, but Sylus wouldn’t budge.

“Sylus!” Livia exclaimed, remembering the rule to keep her hands off him, but had grabbed onto Zayne instead, “Let him go! He was here to help you!”

But the man still refused, his head slowly shaking from left to right as his eyes grew wider.

In the very next moment, every single monitor and a machine started blaring, the sound of multiple footsteps coming down the hallway.

Sylus looked towards the door, and then back at Zayne, his eyes almost pleading as his breath became shallower and quicker.

Zayne could feel the grip on his wrist getting stronger, but so did Livia try her best to make her boss release him.

For a split second, Zayne’s and Livia’s eyes locked, a certain realization dawning on the woman as Zayne finally managed to break free.

Two nurses and another resident doctor entered the ICU unit, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

“Give the patient 100 more milligrams of lorazepam, he had woken up extremely distressed and is hyperventilating” Zayne relayed as he slowly inched further away from the hospital bed, “Take him off the oxygen as soon as he calms down. Make sure to put him on a breathing trial as soon as the sedation kicks in”

With those instructions, Zayne finally managed to slip out of the room, using the commotion to walk out of the ICU.

“Zayne, wait!” a familiar voice called out, Zayne barely managing to compose himself to stop and turn around.

“I think it’s the best you leave for the night, Livia” he said, ready to continue walking.

She nodded, but something about her expression, a realization in her eyes and a clear attempt for her to put all the pieces together… it made him panic even more.

“Alright, but Zayne…” she said, trying to get closer to him, “You and Sylus-”

“I have to go” the doctor had cut her off, his legs hurriedly carrying him towards elevators, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Livia!”

The woman didn’t even manage to say anything, elevator doors closing shut as she managed to catch up with him.

With a deep sigh and his entire body aching, Zayne leaned against the elevator wall, closing his eyes.

He could still feel his wrist pulsating from the sudden pressure that was inflicted on it, the doctor absolutely sure it’ll be bruised the next day. I’ll have to wear my white coat to work…

But, no matter how much he tried to empty his head of any thoughts of Sylus, the memory of those eyes, those beautiful crimson eyes looking up at him so pleadingly… Zayne felt as if his heart was going to burst.

That’s why he couldn’t be near Sylus anymore, he couldn’t give him any hope.

With some luck, Sylus won’t even remember this encounter… and everything will be back to normal, the silver-haired man finally getting a chance to live a life he never could…

***

“He doesn’t remember me, Liv…” Sylus mumbled, leaning against the pillow in his hospital suite.

The woman sitting next to him stopped peeling the apple she was holding, looking up at him while the pause prolonged.

“You mean Zayne?” she asked, putting down the knife and the apple on the bedside table.

Sylus nodded, closing his eyes. He instinctively put a hand over his lower stomach, a place where he’d been shot only a week ago.

He knew that he’d be moved from the ICU very quickly, given the speed at which his body healed. Aside from his unusually fast heartbeat, intense healing ability was the only remnant of his long-lost dragonic power. And yet, he would’ve definitely died if he didn’t receive medical attention.

He sighed, turning his head to look at Livia, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner that you know him? It would’ve made my search much easier…”

“It had slipped my mind, I’m so sorry”, she mumbled with her eyebrows curling up, “I haven’t seen him in so long, I had no idea whether he had any intention of coming back to Linkon… who would’ve thought he is the one you’ve been looking for all this time…”

Sylus chuckled, turning his palm up before nudging Livia to intertwine her fingers with his, “Universe has a way of surprising us…” he mumbled, his vision becoming unfocused, “And don’t beat yourself over it… if I haven’t forgotten his name in the first place, all of this would be over much sooner”

Livia let out a sharp sigh, squeezing the man’s hand, “Nothing will be done if we continue with these ‘what if’ scenarios. What’s important is that he works here! At Akso! And you can probably go and see him once you’re discharged!”

Sylus chuckled again, his smirk being everything but amused and joyful, “What’s the point, Liv? I’ve only seen him that one time, after I was committed to the ICU… He doesn’t remember me. My mind was only showing me what I wanted to see in my delirium…”

“Why are you so sure of it?” Livia challenged, getting up on her feet to hover over him, “In fact, I know he remembers you”

Sylus sat up straight on the bed, ignoring the tinge of pain in his lower abdomen, “What do you mean?”

Livia just had to gesture down at their connected hands, Sylus’ breath trapped in his throat as he closed his eyes.

“What did you see?” he asked, his voice barely above the whisper.

“Jumbled memories, many of them…” Livia regaled, squeezing his hand again, “And not just of your time as a dragon, but of all other instances he had seen you, when you had already passed during your previous incarnations. But, unlike your memories, his were crystal clear, not a blur in sight”

Sylus looked to the side, feeling his forehead wrinkling as he tried to process this information.

So… Zayne remembered him after all? But… why would he not acknowledge him? Why would he just blatantly ignore him?

Sylus didn’t expect him to leap into his arms the moment they recognized each other. But… a knowing look, squeeze of his hand, anything that would relay the message of ‘I know who you are’…

Why… did his beloved brush him aside? Did Sylus do something to him? Has his beloved Foreseer started to hate him?...

“Sylus!” Livia’s voice caused the silver-head to gasp, only then realizing his thoughts started spiraling, “Are you with me now? Don’t fall into your gloomy thoughts just yet”

Sylus had to chuckle again, allowing the woman to push him back down onto the pillows.

“Can you blame me?”, he asked, his voice bitter, “Almost two millennia of searching for him, longing… yearning… and now, I find out he doesn’t want to see me…”

Livia remained silent for a moment, adjusting his pillows before sitting back down onto a stool next to the bed. Her expression seemed troubled, but somehow determined, her tone resolute as she said:

“I don’t think he doesn’t want to see you… I just think he can’t…”

Sylus had to chuckle again, turning away from her “What are you even saying? Now you can read his thoughts, too?”

“That I can’t do” she said huffily, only to clear her throat, “But… when I recalled his memories, there was one sentence that kept repeating itself over and over, louder than anything else I’ve seen or heard in his mind: ‘I can’t go near him… or else, the curse will kill him again’”

Sylus could feel his heart fall into his stomach, his jaw clenching as he turned to look at the woman.

There was no hint of false comfort or deceit, her eyes sharp and determined.

The man had no idea what to say, his own thoughts becoming a jumbled mess from all the new information… and probably pain medications he was given on the daily basis.

But… Livia’s words and the fact that Zayne also probably had a curse attached to him… it all made sense.

He was saved by Zayne once before… and now, he was trying to do the same thing.

Sylus grimaced, biting down on his lip, “Knowing that god… I know he had to curse us both…” he mumbled, closing his eyes, “Even though I was finally able to find him, the fact I’m still alive… I still can’t see him… or do anything else. He wouldn’t let me… because he’d fear of what would happen to me…”

The tone of man’s voice was defeated, shaky, his eyes becoming watery despite his lids being closed.

Livia’s voice barely reached his ears “Sylus… do you know why I didn’t come to visit in the last two days?”

The man took a deep breath, wiping tears from his eyes before mumbling, “Probably an emergency at the HQ… You could’ve let Luke and Kieran handle it-”

“I went to visit my childhood home with Tara. The apartment will soon be sold, but I still have some notes on my abilities in there, left by my mother”, she explained, Sylus only slightly turning his head to look at her, “And while we were cleaning… Tara found something interesting. I’m not telling you all this for no reason”

Sylus had to chuckle, “Get over with it then, kitten”

With swift movements, Livia reached down into her bag, pulling out a faded blue notebook with yellowish pages. There were many bookmarks attached to various pages, but she had turned the page with a red one sticking out.

“Here’s what it says: ‘This child is very special, even for a shamanistic family. Not only is she able to see all past memories of people, from this life or lives beyond, she had also proven to annul curses, at least while she is present near the cursed person. This has helped my work of exorcising evil energies.’”

Sylus frowned, opening his mouth to speak, but no words came out even as he desperately tried to piece all of his thoughts together.

At first, those notes seemed farfetched, even though he was aware of how special Livia’s powers were and how big of a help they posed for his business… but he then remembered that her biological mother was indeed a shaman, and a very powerful one. There was no doubt that there was at least a bit of truth in what she was saying.

But… if she was relaying this information to him all of a sudden, then-

Sylus chuckled, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief, “Are you suggesting that-”

“I can be close to you when you speak to Zayne” Livia finished his sentence, a smug smirk slowly springing on her lips, “You said to me multiple times this week that you should’ve died from that gunshot wound, even with your quicker healing process… but you’re still here, your gut feeling was wrong”

Sylus chuckled, the sound soon turning into a joyous laughter, causing his wound to ache once again.

“I have to be a fool for even hoping for this to work…” he said as the laughter slowly subsided, “But I’ve ran out of options… it’s worth the try”

“Make sure you recover first, alright?” Livia noted, grabbing the apple and a knife to finish peeling it, the notebook still on her lap, “I’ll go through all of my mom’s notes, extensively, Tara is already looking into the notes I left at home. And by the time you’re discharged, we’ll know how to go about this”

Sylus’ smile widened, his body relaxing for the first time in a while, “I’m counting on the two of you…”

He didn’t believe there was actually a silver lining in this situation, and just when he had thought he had truly lost a chance to speak with Zayne forever.

His hopes might’ve been naive, ridiculous even, but they were the only ones he had… and he’ll be damned if he missed the very last opportunity to hold his beloved’s hands, just once…

Chapter Text

These past three weeks have been the longest Sylus has ever had to go through, not even waiting multiple lifetimes could compare to the yearning he was feeling whilst laying in Akso Hospital.

Every day, he was tended to by the best of the best doctors and nurses he could afford, Livia and the twins bringing him anything he needed or wanted while also putting up with his moodiness.

But Zayne… he never came to check up on him, despite being the one who had patched him up in the first place.

Sylus asked, multiple times, about him, but he always got a similar answer. ‘Dr. Zayne is on shift in cardiology today’; ‘Dr. Zayne worked a night shift at the ER and is resting today’; ‘Dr. Zayne is in surgery’.

Excuse upon excuse… but no matter his frustration, Sylus couldn’t stay mad at him for long.

In the meantime, Livia had made sure to test out her theory, even managing to have a cup of coffee with her old friend. She was still uncertain if her “shielding-them-from-destiny’s-gaze” theory was correct, but she was absolutely convinced that, yes, Zayne does remember Sylus… and very well.

At least, that’s what his mind had shown her.

But now, when he was finally discharged and instructed to remain on strict bed rest, the leader of Onychinus had one final thing to do before leaving Akso Hospital.

“You’ve really outdone yourself with this bouquet Livia commented, her head barely visible behind the flowers, "Is there a reason why you chose white roses and white jasmines?"

Sylus chuckled, clicking the elevator button once they boarded, “It’s a secret between me and the good doctor”

Livia pouted and turned her head away, causing the man to chuckle.

The elevator ride continued in silence, Sylus taking a deep breath before leaning against the wall.

His heart, although usually beating very fast, was unstoppable at that moment, a strange sensation building up in his stomach.

He wasn’t feeling like this when he had reunited with his beloved Foreseer, it was a sudden and a miraculous encounter.

But now, when Sylus knew where his office was, and that he will definitely see him face to face… he couldn’t calm down.

“Are you nervous?” Livia’s voice suddenly broke the silence, her tone somewhat cheerful but mostly surprised.

Sylus looked at her, making sure to steady his bouncy leg, “What gave you that idea?” he asked, attempting to mask the trembling in his voice though his usual purr.

“I can literally cut the air with a knife, you’re about to burst” she said nonchalantly, Sylus only chuckling at her assessment.

“Maybe you’re correct” he eventually responded, his vision unfocused, “I’m just regretting not dressing into something fancier”

Livia eyed him up and down, in utter disbelief “What are you saying? You look very handsome in a biker outfit!”

Another chuckle escaped the silver-haired man, his posture finally relaxing, “When I have such a cheerleader, there is no chance I will fail in this endeavor”

“You bet!” Livia chirped, a tender smile spreading across her lips.

The elevator soon dinged, opening the door so the duo can finally get off on the 10^th floor.

Not many people were around aside doctors and designated nurses, all of them eyeing the duo with surprise and the expected interest when it came to Sylus.

But nobody stopped them; nobody even asked them where they were going, Sylus making sure to look as casual as possible. When a certain nurse or a doctor seemed a little too suspicious of them, he’d give them his signature smirk, promptly immobilizing them.

Zayne’s office was at the other side of the building, Livia leading the way with confidence.

Once there, however, Sylus suddenly became unable to take a deep breath, his hand balling in the middle of his chest, where the crystal once used to be.

“Are you okay?” Livia asked with concern, “Are you in pain?”

“I’m fine…” he reassured, taking the bouquet away from the woman’s hands, “I suppose you were correct… I am rather nervous now”

Livia smiled, reaching up to caress his cheek. Her cold palms managed to somewhat ground Sylus, the tone of her voice being nothing but gentle:

“Take as much time as you need in there. I’ll wait here, making sure you two can have a proper conversation, without the need to hide your memories”

Sylus smiled, gently clasping Livia’s hand, “Thank you, kitten”

The two then parted, Livia quietly nudging and cheering for him before sitting down in the waiting room, determined to act as a shield against the fate itself if it meant Sylus and Zayne could have a proper conversation.

Sylus took a deep, heavy breath, gently squeezing the bouquet in his hand before relaxing, knocking thrice on the plain white door.

“Who is it?” a stern voice came from the other side, Sylus’ heart immediately skipping a beat.

But, instead of announcing himself, the silver-haired man pushed the handle, opening the door quietly.

“Why knock if you’ll enter anyway-” Zayne had gone silent as he turned from his desk, a silent gasp escaping his lips as he gripped onto the files he held, “Mr. Sylus…”

Sylus had to snicker, closing the door, “No need to be alarmed doc, I just came to pay you a quick visit and…” he produced a bouquet of white roses and jasmines from behind his back, holding it with his right hand whilst trying to appear nonchalant, “Express my sincerest gratitude”

Zayne remained silent for a while, his expression as blank as he could muster. And yet, the moment he laid his eyes on the jasmines that had made up majority of the bouquet, their gentle scent filling up his office, he gulped, closing his eyes.

“This is not an appropriate behavior, Mr. Sylus” the doctor stated calmly, putting down the documents on his table before making a few steps towards him, “If anyone had seen you bring this to me, they might think I’m taking a bribe”

Sylus chuckled with amusement, “Surely a single bouquet wouldn’t spark that much suspicion?”

The doctor’s lips curled into a barely noticeable smile, “You would be surprised… this is a competitive field”

The two remained silent for a moment, Zayne observing the flowers as he adjusted the glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose.

And Sylus had to use every ounce of composure just to not close the distance between them and embrace him.

Despite all those centuries of being apart, his Foreseer was as beautiful as Sylus had remembered him, his robes now changed with black hospital scrubs while his once long, jet-black hair was now cut shorter for convenience.

But those eyes… those beautiful, green eyes that reminded the dragon of the first days of spring, still remained cautious, curious… and so lovely.

Zayne was the one to reach for the flowers first, Sylus giving them up without hesitation.

“What a waste” the doctor commented before turning around, “They’ll wither in this office; I’m not here often…”

“Don’t worry, I can always bring you a new one, doc. If the flowers are to your liking, of course” Sylus assured, his voice much quieter than before.

Zayne didn’t respond as he turned away from him, heading back towards his desk. He handled the flowers with utmost care, moving piles of paperwork and medical equipment to the side just so he could lay them on the flat surface.

“I’m glad you came to see me” the doctor sounded very professional, polite, “But I assume that you already have all instructions needed to continue your recovery at home?”

“Of course” Sylus confirmed, barely able to keep the flirty smile on his face, “The team you have assigned to my care are truly knowledgeable. But I will still need to come to Akso every week for a checkup”

Zayne nodded, still turned away from Sylus, “I suspected as much… But if you want a reassurance that I’ll be the one handling the check up, I cannot promise you that. I’m currently working on several different stations-”

“I don’t expect you to give me reassurance, doc. I know you’re very busy…” Sylus’ voice suddenly broke, the man needing to take a deep breath to continue, “All I wanted to do was see whether you’re alright… To finally have a chance to have a proper chat with you”

“Mr. Sylus-”

“Please don’t call me that…” Sylus had to close his eyes, aware his voice was trembling.

This sudden change in his voice, however, seemingly did something to Zayne, the doctor turning around as if he had just heard the most shocking news.

Sylus couldn’t let this opportunity slip away, completely ditching any sense of composure he had tried to keep up.

“I know… you remember me…” he mumbled, taking a heavy gulp as his eyes locked with Zayne’s, “Even while I was in the ICU… I saw recognition in your eyes”

The doctor started shaking his head in the very next moment, backing into a table, but Sylus didn’t have any intention of leaving that office without speaking his mind first.

With a single step forward, the silver-haired man relayed: “I know why you wanted to avoid me… and why you’re still trying to deny it… but please, have mercy on me. Use the name you gave me properly…”

Sylus was very aware of how shaky his voice was as he took yet another deep breath, frustration and sadness that had accumulated during all of those days almost threatening to drown him.

But then… Zayne closed his eyes, his mask of professionalism cracking in half as he removed his glasses.

“Sylus, I…” he murmured, voice barely above the whisper as he intertwined his own fingers, squeezing them tight above his stomach, “I cannot… So many times before, you-”

“It won’t happen again” Sylus suddenly raised his voice, doctor looking up at him as if he had lost his mind.

“Sylus, you have no idea how many times I’ve seen you hurt-”

“I said…” the silver-head made additional few steps, the two men now only inches apart as he mumbled, “I promise… it won’t happen again. Nothing will happen to me, even if we’re in a close proximity”

Zayne frowned, his lips turning into a thin line as the anger started consuming him, “How can you be so sure? How can you know-”

“I do” Sylus’ voice was gentle, quiet, the purr in his undertone.

Despite his better judgment and without a clear permission, the former dragon gently picked up the doctor’s hand, raising it to his lips only to plant a single, gentle kiss on his knuckles.

He could hear Zayne gasp for air and then gulping, the doctor looking away from him before pulling away his hand.

Sylus could see something shift in Zayne’s eyes… but whatever it was, he doubted the doctor would acknowledge it in that moment. It was obviously too much for him…

With a sigh of defeat, the silver-haired man slipped a hand in the pocket of his leather jacket, pulling out a black business card which he gently placed on the doctor’s table.

“If you so wish, we can speak on a later date, I promise I’ll explain everything” he said reassuringly, squeezing his fists in agony of not being able to embrace the man in front of him.

Sylus then stepped back, straightening his posture. He could clearly see surprise on Zayne’s face, but he had to remain resolute in his own restraint.

This was a brand new situation for his beloved, something he doesn’t fully understand nor believe in yet… and it has been so long since they’ve last seen each other. It would’ve been foolish from Sylus to expect any sort of affection on Zayne’s end.

He just… needed to take it slowly. Not expect anything in return, now or ever.

They both have lived such different lives at the moment…

As a sharp breath escaped him, Sylus offered his hand to the doctor, Zayne automatically accepting it and shaking it.

“Thank you, doctor Zayne, for saving my life three weeks ago” the silver-head said in the gentlest tone possible, “Only fate could’ve placed me into your capable hands”

Zayne bit down on his lip, looking up at Sylus with glistening eyes, “Destiny was the one… that did this to us…”

Sylus had to chuckle, “True… but at least now, we might have a slight chance of fighting it”

They retracted their hands at the same time, the air between them heavy with all emotions they were feeling. But it was Zayne who broke the silence first:

“How are you so sure that now… it’s going to be different?”

Sylus had to snicker again, “Let’s just say… both you and I have a little divine force looking after us”

The doctor frowned, but a sudden realization in his gaze told Sylus everything he needed to know… and had allowed him to muster up the courage to say one final thing before leaving the office.

“Doc, I…. don’t expect you to reciprocate my feelings” he muttered, his jaw clenching as Zayne adorned an even deeper frown.

But even that change in expression didn’t deter Sylus from saying what’s on his heart, “It’s… been centuries, two millennia… since we last saw each other. Of course I don’t expect you to just run into my arms like nothing happened… especially due to your own circumstances”

“Sylus, I-”

The silver-haired man shook his head, pleading only with his gaze to continue, “You don’t need to say anything… because the last thing I would want to do is upset you, or make you feel like you owe me something”, Sylus took another deep breath, “But… at least allow me to check up on you every now and then, to make sure you’re alright… and live a good life”

A long pause ensued, Zayne’s expression completely empty as he observed the other man. But, eventually he nodded, his voice gentle:

“Alright…”

Sylus smiled, nodding along before turning his heel to leave, “Whenever you’re ready to talk, for an explanation, contact me. I’ll make time for you, doc”

As he turned, Sylus could hear a sharp breath escape Zayne’s mouth, his voice deeper and shakier than before.

“So… after all these years… you were still looking for me? You still yearned…”

The silver-haired man smiled to himself, feeling a familiar tingle in the corners of his eyes.

“I’ve never stopped yearning…”

Mustering up the strength to move, Sylus headed towards the door of the office, opening his mouth to say his final goodbye to the man behind him… only to hear two words that made his heart soar.

“Sylus, wait-”

Without hesitation, the man turned on his heel, Zayne only inches away from him… and in the very next moment, his strong, yearning arms wrapped around him.

Sylus reciprocated, capturing the doctor into an embrace so tight he believed they’ll melt into each other.

Zayne’s face was now buried in the other’s shoulder, only quiet sobs and his body shaking showcasing the extent of his own longing.

“Zayne…” Sylus mouthed, planting a gentle kiss on the doctor’s neck.

“Call me how you used to…” Zayne demanded, his voice shaky, “Please…”

A smile, wider than any other, sprung on Sylus’ lips as he mumbled, “Sweetheart… my beloved…”

Zayne took several deep breaths as he broke their embrace, his cheeks wet as he looked up at Sylus.

He was the one to close the gap between their faces; he was the one to cup the man’s face in need and urgency, their lips melting into each other as if they have never even been separated.

Sylus himself couldn’t believe that what was happening in that moment was their true reality… but the moment their lips connected, his body and soul remembered.

He remembered the way Zayne’s body squirmed in his embrace, how his Foreseer loved to bury his long fingers in his silver hair, the suppressed and labored breaths his beloved would let out whenever his yearning became too much.

Out of old habit, Sylus gently raised the doctor by the waist, slowly carrying him towards the table, their lips never once separating.

“Not… now…” Zayne mumbled into the other’s lips, never making a real effort to break the contact-

A knock at the door was something neither of them heard, but the subsequent words made them freeze up:

“Sylus, the twins have called; we need to- OH GOD!” Livia exclaimed before slamming the door shut, her voice high-pitched as she yelled from the hallway, “I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING! I’M SO SORRY!”

The two men remained baffled for a moment or two, only to start chuckling and wheezing at the sudden interruption.

“If she hadn’t come in…” Sylus eventually purred, looking deep into Zayne’s eyes, “I would’ve probably ravaged you right here on this table”

“Don’t say such things…” Zayne scolded him, his voice tender as a mischievous smile spread on his lips, “But… you better leave… someone we don’t want might actually walk in”

Sylus sighed, lowering his head on the doctor’s shoulder. He didn’t want to leave… but he knew he had to…

“Call me as soon as you can, alright?” he eventually said upon rising his gaze, planting a gentle peck on the doctor’s lips and cheek, “I know you’re busy saving lives, but-”

Zayne shushed him; one long finger lay across Sylus’ lips “I won’t keep you waiting for centuries this time… I promise”

Sylus couldn’t help but smile back at Zayne, planting a small kiss on the very finger that managed to silence him.

The two soon parted, barely able to keep their composure… but one thing neither of them wanted to hide was the new glint that had appeared in both of their eyes.

After centuries upon centuries of waiting… they were finally reunited.

Chapter Text

Zayne rubbed his eyes under the glasses, the monitor being pretty much the only solid source of light that late in the evening.

His eyes were stinging and probably very red, but he couldn’t head home just yet. There were reports he needed to finish before his day off, and leave instructions about certain patients’ care.

His hands returned to typing away on the keyboard, the sound of rain tapping against the window rather soothing for his ears and stressed mind.

Suddenly, light tapping against the window caused the doctor to turn his head, his lips curling up into a smile ever so slightly.

He got up, ignoring the immediate sting of pain in his lower back as he approached the window, a silhouette of a black bird moving from side to side.

“Good evening, Mephisto” Zayne mumbled, offering his hand to the mechanical crow.

The bird cawed back quietly, spreading his metallic wings. Only then did Zayne notice something tucked in-between feathers.

He slowly reached towards Mephisto, the bird allowing him to take the small flower before closing his wings again.

Despite carrying only a small blood, Zayne’s office already started smelling of jasmines, the feeling of that small flower between his fingers causing the doctor’s smile to widen.

“You’re still working, doc?”

Zayne’s heart skipped a beat as he looked back at the bird that stood on his hand.

This wasn’t the first time Sylus communicated with him through Mephisto, but the fact he’d so often send out this mechanical crow to check in on him made the warmth in his chest swell up.

Zayne snickered, “It’s my day off tomorrow. I can’t leave any work unfinished”

There was a pause, Mephisto tilting his head as if confused by his owner’s sudden lack of words.

“Are you finished soon?”

Sylus’ voice was lower now, every word prolonged and dripping with anticipation. Zayne had to gulp.

“Just one more report to finish…” he admitted, taking off his glasses, “Why are you asking? Are you in the area?”

A sly laughter could be heard from the other line, “Very observant of you, sweetheart” Sylus’s voice was laced with amusement, “Even though you’ve rejected me so many times before, I’m still here if you need a ride home. Just say a word”

Zayne’s jaw clenched, the man having to clear his throat as the thoughts started jumbling in his head.

For the past month or so, ever since their fated reunion, there hasn’t been a day where Zayne hasn’t felt Sylus’ presence in his life.

Early morning messages and sweet “good night” phone calls, bouquets of white roses and jasmines addressed for Zayne being delivered to Akso, loving cards with thoughtful messages alongside snacks and energy drinks brought to him my Mephisto… and yet, the doctor had never felt overwhelmed by any of it.

The month has been hard, both in the ER department and the operating room. Many long surgeries, losing patients to causes that could’ve been handled if him and his staff were quick enough… and so many more seminars he wanted to attend in order to broaden his knowledge even more.

There were periods where he’d barely get any hours of sleep for days, all of this causing him many issues not just with his health, but with his mood as well.

But… no matter how stressed he was, whenever Sylus would make his presence known, an instant wave of relief would wash over the doctor.

Zayne was aware that Mephisto was probably always observing him, hence why he would always appear when the doctor needed distractions the most. It was Sylus’ way of showing his affection; even when he was far from Zayne, back in N109 Zone…

The doctor sighed, a resolution forming in his mind.

“Actually…” he mumbled, “A ride home sounds like a great idea”

He could hear Sylus gasp almost silently on the other end, the prolonged pause and shuffling causing Zayne’s lips to once again stretch out in a mischievous smile.

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes” the man on the other end finally said, “If you’re not ready by then, I’ll come up and fetch you”

“Alright” Zayne said, almost giddily, “I’ll see you soon…”

As the line got cut, the doctor had let out a shaky breath, his heart already ramming against his ribcage. Mephisto cawed at him once again before taking a short flight from Zayne’s hand to his working chair, as if nudging him to complete his tasks before his master arrives.

Zayne complied with a chuckle, getting back into his chair and quickly typing away at the keyboard, all his previous tiredness disappearing in a blink of an eye.

He had lost the sense of time, doing his best to make all documents concise but to-the-point, his focus so strong that he initially didn’t notice a large figure appearing in the doorway to his office.

“You’re very quick at typing” the deep voice purred, startling Zayne.

“Sylus!?” the doctor whisper-yelled, shooting up from his chair, “Why did you come all the way here? Where is Livia?”

The silver-haired man’s smirk widened, gesturing with his head towards the hallway, “She’s waiting here, don’t worry” he reassured, closing the office door. He was dressed rather casually by his standards, black suit pants, designer shoes, a button-up shirt with crimson red details and sleeves pulled up to his elbows. The suit jacket was loosely draped over his wide shoulders, gun holsters and belts barely visible in that lighting.

He was as handsome as ever.

Zayne exhaled with relief, giving one last look to the documents before scheduling them for a send-off early in the morning. He quickly turned his computer off and started picking up his things, very aware of the other man’s silhouette slowly approaching him and rounding the table.

“You look exhausted” Sylus mumbled, only inches away from the doctor.

“I am” Zayne admitted, not moving away when Sylus leaned in to rest on his shoulder. He could feel their skin touching, the silver-head gently nuzzling at Zayne’s cheek before leaving a light peck right under doctor’s glasses.

“Then let’s get you home quickly” Sylus whispered, the sound and feeling of his voice against his skin being enough to send shivers down Zayne’s spine.

The man then moved away, gesturing with his hand towards the door like a proper gentleman.

Zayne had to snicker, re-adjusting his glasses before heading towards the door.

He greeted Livia once in the hallway, her and Sylus waiting for him until he changed out of his scrubs and into his regular outfit: black pants, black button-up and a long gray coat. Zayne would usually remove the glasses once he would get up from the computer, but that night it seemed as if them staying on was the only thing keeping him awake.

Their way down with the elevator was mostly silent, Zayne mostly chatting with Livia while Sylus followed them, his gaze scanning their surrounding with occasional long stare directed at Zayne.

The rain was pouring outside even more than before, but Zayne was still able to spot a fancy black car parked a little further away from the main entrance to the hospital. The stop lights were on, three doors suddenly opening whilst waiting on their arrival.

Livia was the first to take off, pulling out a small umbrella and running to sit in the front, Zayne only then remembering he had forgotten to take his own umbrella-

“Shall we?” Sylus’ voice snapped him out of his thoughts, a large black umbrella already covering them both.

Zayne looked up at the other, noticing the man’s elbow protruding outwards. He could feel the heat building up in his head, the doctor rather thankful that during the night, his blush probably wasn’t as visible.

Wordlessly, Zayne tucked his hand under Sylus’, the man slowly but surely leading him towards the car. The silver-head made sure to keep the umbrella completely over Zayne, not allowing a single drop of rain to fall on his coat.

Once at the car, Sylus insisted on Zayne entering first, holding the umbrella fully open until the doctor settled into his seat.

The inside of the car was spacious and dark, leather seats looking as if they belonged to a brand new car. The windows were darkened, even the night lights of Linkon City being dimmed through them. There was a barrier between the front seats and the back, like inside a limo, but was barely noticeable with all dark colors of the interior. 

“Drive, Luke” Sylus commanded once in his seat, the umbrella he had used until that point nowhere to be seen.

The car started moving immediately, driving through the empty city streets at a cruising speed.

“Don’t worry Zayne, I told Luke where you live” Livia was the one to say while locking her eyes with the doctor through a rearview mirror.

“It’s quite the distance from here, I know…” Zayne mumbled, suddenly feeling somewhat bad for making both Livia and Luke work so late into the night, all because he couldn’t drive his own car home-

“The longer the ride, the better” Sylus was the one to comment, his red eyes focused on Zayne, “And don’t think that you’re a burden because of this. We work at night”

Zayne had to chuckle again, not in the least bit surprised by that information, “And what if I said that I wanted to see you during the day? I assume that’s when you sleep?”

Sylus chuckled, amusement dripping from his every movement, “I’d make sure to come even if I didn’t sleep a wink”

“That’s not very healthy for you, Mr. Sylus” the doctor played along, his stomach fluttery at the sudden shift in the atmosphere.

“Alright, I’m closing the front” Livia suddenly mumbled as the small doors started sliding upwards, separating the car cabin into the front and the back.

Her voice then came through the speakers, “Luke and I are not interested in your flirting, so do it at your own convenience now. The cabin is soundproof”

Zayne was stunned for a moment, but started giggling the very next, realizing the possible implications of Livia’s words, but also becoming even more aware of Sylus’ presence beside him.

“She’s really getting sick of me” Sylus was the one to comment through a chuckle, his body sinking into the seat even more, “She’s always on stand-by in case you decided to call me… and on top of that she’s always listening to me talking about you”

Zayne shook his head, amused, “Give her a proper raise and a very long vacation when the circumstances allow it”

“I was planning to…” the silver-head mumbled, Zayne suddenly feeling his hand being squeezed. He looked to the side and locked eyes with Sylus, intertwining their fingers, “But until we find a way to see each other without her having to be close… she’ll have to endure it”

Sylus got slightly closer to the doctor, raising his hand to his lips to kiss the top of it.

That very brush of the other’s lips against his skin sent intense shivers down Zayne’s spine, his mind slowly getting fogged up with Sylus’ closeness and scent.

Even though the two of them managed to find a temporary solution to their curse, this way of meeting was definitely not sustainable, especially because it had wrapped another person into their messy situation.

Zayne may have been busy with work in the past month or so, but he never gave up on trying to find a different solution with Livia’s help, sometimes spending hours in talks with her while they looked over notes her mother had left her or internet forums that discussed ancient curses and forgotten gods.

So much work… but to no avail. Neither of them were nowhere near close to a perfect solution, and that angered Zayne so much he believed he would be able to kill Astra if he had suddenly materialized in front of him.

In this life, where he had finally gotten the opportunity to love Sylus again, he had to rely on a third party to be able to see him… but he also couldn’t be more thankful for her help.

And even though he tried to put off this first meeting after their reunion for as long as he could, Zayne couldn’t contain his longing anymore.

He just wanted to be with Sylus… even if only for a little while. 

As the ride continued, the atmosphere in the back of the car started turning heavy with each passing moment, Zayne being the one to close the gap between them on the seat.

Initially, Sylus was the first to lean in, hovering over the doctor’s face while their breaths intertwined, a sly smile once again appearing on his face.

“You look very handsome with glasses” he whispered, leaning in so their noses would touch, “So well put together, so poised…”

Zayne had to chuckle, “And you still insist on nuzzling me” his voice nearly broke as he reached for the man with his other hand, putting his hand on Sylus’ cheek, “Once a dragon, always a dragon”

A low growl came from somewhere deep in Sylus’ throat, his smile widening as he hovered only an inch away from Zayne’s lips.

“And you loved every part of that dragon, sweetheart”

Zayne didn’t need the words to confirm this statement, he just had to lean in and connect their lips.

Sylus didn’t pose almost any resistance to his advances, allowing Zayne’s tongue past his lips while putting one of his strong hands on the nape of doctor’s neck. Zayne was pulled on top of the other, the pair soon kissing against the darkened window.

For this moment in time, Zayne allowed his feelings and desire to completely take over his body, his hands grabbing and sliding over Sylus’ torso as his tongue slid over the other man’s warmth. He could feel Sylus’ quiet growls as he advanced, the silver-head taking a deep breath as he brought Zayne even closer to him.

Their bodies started moving in unison, Zayne very quickly splitting Sylus’ legs with his own body while also feeling his manhood slowly harden within his pants.

All of a sudden, it became harder to breathe his own resolve and need for dominance dwindling under the former dragon’s intense touch and light nibbles on Zayne’s lower lip.

The doctor was the one to briefly break the contact, his lungs unable to expend, “We’re in the car…” he noted, very aware that his glasses slid down his nose and were barely hanging on.

Sylus, lips swollen and with a blissful smile on his lips, murmured, “Yes, we are… but you can continue to do whatever you want with me…”

Zayne had to hold in a gasp, his entire body tensing up as his breaths became shallow and quick.

Suddenly, a large yet gentle hand climbed up to the doctor’s face, his vision focusing on his lover’s soft expression and purring voice:

“You can lose your cool with me, sweetheart…” he leaned in, capturing Zayne’s lower lip before whispering, “Every version of you… I want it all”

Zayne was the one to initiate another kiss again, this time far more intense and passionate.

He didn’t ask for permission to enter Sylus’ mouth with his tongue, he simply did it, grabbing the very hand that caressed him on the cheek a moment earlier only to slam it against the now steamed window.

He could hear and feel Sylus chuckling whilst being kissed so desperately, his long legs spreading out even more before one hooked around Zayne’s back. He nudged at the doctor, their bodies finally leaning on each other.

Zayne gasped, barely able to contain a yelp that escaped his throat once their erections touched, the pieces of fabric they were covered with suddenly feeling too tight to stay on…

Not now, damn it, he thought to himself, still unable to stop kissing Sylus.

This was not the place where he wanted to make love with Sylus for the first time in this life, even though he knew his beloved would have nothing against it.

They were crammed inside the car, despite the cabin being spacious, Sylus soaked in rain and his hands colder than they should be, with two people in the front seat.

Zayne wanted to be alone with Sylus, somewhere they could just forget about the curse, the past and the fact they have almost lost each other again a month ago.

But… that didn’t mean they couldn’t indulge a little in this very moment.

With a new onslaught on Sylus’ lips and his hands bringing the silver-head even closer to him, Zayne allowed his hips to start moving.

They’ve both moaned in unison, finally breaking the kiss, Sylus’ hands cupping the doctor’s face before pulling steamed glasses up into his hair. Zayne was the one to keep kissing the other, his mouth applying the pressure with each move of his hips against his lover’s erection, kisses slowly planted in the corner of Sylus’ mouth, his chin, jaw and neck.

The more Zayne moved, the more his mind became mushy, disconnected, his body only able to chase the pleasure both of them seemed to be on the verge of.

“Yes… yes, you can… you can go faster-” Sylus’ nudging got interrupted by yet another blissful moan, both of his legs now hooked around Zayne’s hips.

The delirium quickly overtook both of them, their bodies sweating up under all layers of their clothes as they chased an explosive release.

Zayne could feel his stomach tense up, the familiar and potent warmth pulsating from the bottom of his stomach down to his legs, his hips moving in a desperate, intense rhythm.

“Sy~lus…” the doctor moaned pleadingly into the other’s neck, feeling his lover’s strong hands grab a fistful of his hair as he matched the movement of Zayne’s hips.

They both climaxed at the same time, Zayne’s vision blurring for a moment as he slumped against Sylus’ body, completely shaken, breathless and soaked in sweat.

He could hear his lover’s heart beating against his ear, the beats so quick anyone else would get worried about the stability of Sylus’ heart. The hand that was grabbing him only a moment earlier was now stroking his hair, the silver-head planting a gentle kiss on Zayne’s scalp.

“We’ll both need a shower after this…” Sylus commented through a chuckle.

“I’d offer you to have one but…” Zayne mumbled, his eyelids suddenly feeling extremely heavy, “I think I’ll barely be able to reach my apartment…”

The silver-head giggled before kissing Zayne’s head again, his other hand lying flat on doctor’s back.

“It’s alright, sweetheart, I can deal with being dirty for a little while… but I can carry you up to your apartment if you want”

“No need…” the doctor mumbled, looking up at Sylus, “But I do have a request for you”

“I’m all ears”

Zayne braced himself, taking a deep breath before asking:

“Will you go on a proper date with me?”

Chapter Text

Even though the official date was Zayne's idea, he didn't expect for Sylus to go to such lengths just to make it perfect.

But then again… considering how he was all those centuries ago, Zayne shouldn’t be surprised with his dragonic urge to use all of his possessions to make his beloved happy.

“Are you comfortable, Zayne?” Livia asked from the front seat, dressed in an elegant black dress and with bold makeup on.

“Yes, but… did we really have to drive all the way to this resort just to have dinner?” he asked, his palms gradually becoming sweatier.

Livia chuckled, her tone rather relaxed: “You know Sylus very well. This won’t just be a dinner date, but a full weekend holiday. He didn’t ask you to take two days off from the hospital for nothing”

Zayne blinked. “Wait… we’re staying in the resort for two days?”

“Yep!” Livia said proudly, “I hated the idea of being the third wheel for the whole weekend, but then again… Sylus promised I could have an apartment for just Tara and myself. It had to be close to yours, but a gift is a gift”

The doctor didn’t know how to respond, his heart starting to ram against his chest.

Even if he used his monthly paycheck from Akso, Zayne still wouldn’t be able to afford the night in this resort, yet here Sylus was, paying for both him and the girls as if it was nothing.

I will have a word with him about this, it’s way too much money, Zayne thought to himself, trying to ignore the sudden heat that had invaded his face.

The rest of the ride didn’t last long, the car entering the large property filled with symmetrical gardens and fountains. Despite it being winter, trees were luscious and green, the largest fountain at the entrance seemingly glowing under artificial lights.

There were many people at that resort as it seemed, their luxurious cars and expensive clothes out on display for everyone to see and get envious. And even though he knew he had put on the most expensive suit he owned and looked his best, Zayne still felt somewhat intimidated by it all.

But, this very sensation seemed to fade once he noticed two familiar faces waiting for them by the main entrance.

Tara was the first one to notice them, waving at the car as it approached. She wore a red top and white skirt with simple high heels, an expensive-looking cardigan draped over her shoulders, making her look right at home at that place.

But what really took Zayne’s breath away was his own date.

Sylus looked as handsome as ever, his silver hair perfectly styled and his face exuding confidence. He was dressed in a black suit, the only color present being the jacket that seemed to glow crimson in the night lights. The look was completed with many silver accessories, from cuffs, chest brooch and a simple silver necklace over the black turtleneck.

Zayne gulped, for the first time in forever being at the loss for words.

The car soon stopped, Luke greeting Livia before unlocking the door for both her and Zayne. Livia was the first one to exit, immediately rushing to hug her girlfriend and compliment her outfit, Tara more than excited as she twirled around so Livia could get a better look at her.

Once outside, Zayne straightened his black coat, taking a deep breath before looking at Sylus. The man already walked up to him, an endearing smile on his face as he took Zayne’s hand into his and pulled him closer.

His movements were slow, measured, his lips planting a soft kiss high up on Zayne’s cheek, making the doctor’s heart flip inside his ribcage.

“You look handsome tonight” the silver-head murmured, his hand very discretely slipping under Zayne’s coat and around his waist.

The doctor had to chuckle, allowing the man to pull him in, “I could say the same for you… red really is your color”

Sylus was the one to giggle this time around; pressing his lips on Zayne’s other cheek.

“Oh wow…” the doctor heard Tara comment, “I get what you mean, Liv, it really feels like we’re third-wheeling”

“Well, we’ll have to be more romantic than them” Livia announced, Zayne observing as his date raised an eyebrow.

“Is that a challenge, kitten?” he asked, mischief clear in his voice.

“You bet it is!” Livia retorted, playfulness and competitiveness very clear in her expression and voice.

“Let the games begin then” Sylus challenged, taking Zayne’s hand into his, “Shall we?”

The two couples then finally entered the restaurant, the staff taking their coats and showing them to their tables. The dining room was filled with people, but the murmur of their conversations was barely audible due to the sheer size of the dining area. The smell of delicious food flew through the air whilst soft jazz played at the stage in the corner of the room, each table set to a symmetric perfection.

The girls were sat far away from the entrance, close to the private rooms for VIP guests. They still had plenty of privacy and their server started animating them right away, so Zayne wasn’t worried about them being left out of this luxurious experience.

What he didn’t expect, however, was for the head waiter to take Sylus and him right through the door, towards the private rooms.

Zayne squeezed Sylus’ hand, “We’re having a private room?”

“Why, of course” Sylus noted nonchalantly, “I want to have alone time with you, without any major interruptions. And don’t worry; we won’t be too far from Livia”

The doctor gulped, his chest suddenly feeling tight as the heat slowly started to spread across his abdomen.

This could definitely be considered a perfect date, but Zayne believed they could’ve had this experience even if they decided for a less expensive option. But… he was here, in this beautiful place, with the man he loved more than the world, and he’ll make the best out of every single second.

The pair was soon seated into the second private room to the left, the color palette of the table setup and furniture in the room being a perfect combination of velvet red and royal blue.

Sylus pulled the chair out for Zayne, the doctor accepting his gesture without hesitation. And only a few moments later, the waiter took their drinking orders as the two looked over the menu.

“I wasn’t sure what you’re in the mood for today, so I said to give us options” Sylus commented, already putting his own menu down, “I also reminded them to not use any alcohol for cooking, so I don’t think there will be an issue no matter what you order”

Zayne chuckled, looking up at his date, “That’s very considerate of you, but I think alcohol in the cooking process doesn’t pose any threat to me. It all evaporates during the food preparation, anyways”

“Better be safe than sorry” Sylus said, casually reaching out to take Zayne’s hand, “Although… I wouldn’t mind you losing a bit of your control with me, even without alcohol”

Zayne sighed, the heat once again overtaking his cheeks as the memory of their recent car ride sprung into his mind.

“Sylus, I told you already…” he mumbled, putting the menu down, “I hate not being in control of myself… even with you”

Sylus only nodded, obviously reluctant to press the issue further, and Zayne couldn’t have been more thankful.

Despite them finally being able to see each other after such a long time, Zayne still had to adjust to the fact that their circumstances were not the same as when they have met back in Philos.

Back then, Sylus was a powerful dragon, his body size much bigger compared to Zayne even when he would shrink himself to accommodate him. Physically, there was very little Zayne could do to him, no matter how much strength he put in his grip, punches or powers.

And yet, even with restraining his icy powers, the Foreseer was still terrified of hurting Sylus if he allowed himself to just let loose.

Now, however, the situation was drastically different: they were just regular humans, their heights and body sizes similar to each other. If Zayne allowed his restraint to slip, he would absolutely despise himself, even if just a scratch was left on Sylus.

And Sylus was no weak man by any means; Zayne caught a glimpse of his strength when he grabbed his arm back when they reunited in the hospital.

His train of thought was promptly interrupted by the waiter who came in to take their order and bring their drinks, Sylus opting for red wine while Zayne ordered regular sparkling water. For their appetizers, they agreed to have a cold asparagus salad, a creamy mushroom soup following right after.

“How many courses did you even order?” Zayne asked jokingly as they finished their second appetizer, his date’s lips spreading into a smile.

“I thought that a four-course meal was the most ideal… and I made sure to bring you here when they have the widest variety of cakes and pastries to try”

The doctor froze and blinked at him, the napkin hovering over his mouth.

Sylus only raised one eyebrow, his expression and voice playful and mischievous, “What? You enjoy sweet things, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do… but now I feel embarrassed for not doing more for the date…. I have just arrived, didn’t even bring you anything-”

Sylus leaned on the table, his red eyes suddenly glowing with intensity. He offered his hand to Zayne, the doctor immediately taking it.

“You arrived. That’s the best gift I could be given… and spending the weekend here with you is worth more than any money I currently possess”

Zayne closed his eyes, once again at a complete loss for words.

What had he done to deserve to be treated this kindly? Is this happiness going to be snatched away from him, like all other times? He didn’t want to think like that, but…. Sylus being in front of him, in all his glory and undying devotion was something Zayne never wanted to let go off.

Eventually, the doctor chuckled, his thumb gently rubbing against the top of Sylus’ palm.

“I’ll then call you for another date…” he mumbled, “But this time, in my apartment”

Sylus was the one to chuckle this time around, “I cannot wait for that”

The rest of their time in the restaurant was spent in an enjoyable chatter and secretive caresses under and over the table. For their main course, the pair was served beef wellington with roasted vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes, and for dessert, they decided to become a little extravagant, ordering orange, chocolate and a tiramisu to try.

Zayne could see Sylus’ face when he placed the order for tiramisu, both of them knowing that a bit of rum was added to the cream to make it… but Zayne still wanted to try it.

They ended up sharing the slice, Zayne barely able to taste the rum despite being aware of its presence in the cake, his limbs promptly getting warmer as he finished his meal.

The couple decided to leave the restaurant a little before midnight, hand in hand and with the two giggling girls walking in front of them.

Once outside, however, Zayne could smell a familiar scent in the air, the fragrance reminding him of simpler times in the cave beneath the ruined cathedral…

“Oh gosh, it snowed so much!” Tara exclaimed, practically running out of the restaurant and into a small pavilion right across the building.

“Tara, you’re in heels! Don’t run!” Livia warned her, but still decided to run after her, laughter filling out the cold, winter night.

“Would you look at that…” Sylus commented, his eyes scanning their surroundings, “Are you sure you don’t have any remnants of your power left?”

“Absolutely sure” Zayne confirmed, using his hand to scoop some snow from the railing of the staircase, the familiar cold strangely comforting, “But let’s try any enjoy it, I don’t think this snow will last until morning”

The night had soon filled with the sounds of even more laughter, Tara and Livia throwing snow all around them like children at play, and all the two men could do was to watch them with absolute amusement.

What they didn’t notice initially, though, was that they have stepped right under a large pine tree, its branches a little too weak to hold such large amount of snow.

In a matter of moments, a big lump of snow fell off one of the branches, falling right on top of Sylus and Zayne.

The men exclaimed, the snow messing up their hair and falling down their coats, the coldness of it making them jump slightly. Both Tara and Livia started laughing at the sight, even throwing two small snowballs their way to add to their sweet misery.

And yet, Zayne couldn’t stop smiling as he reached for Sylus’ hair, his lover’s eyes following his hand like a falcon.

“You’re soaked” the doctor commented, feeling his own suit and shirt getting drenched underneath his coat, “We should get to our room to get you dried up and warmed”

“Same for you” Sylus reminded, taking his hand determinately.

Finally deciding to call it a night after this little incident, the two couples were escorted by the staff only a few feet away from the pavilion where they had their little snow encounter, their “room” actually being a luxurious, one-story villa that had two separate apartments.

Livia and Sylus were handed key cards by the attending staff, the couples only giving each other very brief greetings before retiring into their quarters for the night.

The moment their entered their rented apartment, Zayne couldn’t help but gasp: the place was wide and had a lot of space, red and black being dominant colors with only small touches of silver. They had a proper lounge, dining area, a kitchen, large living room with windows reaching from floor to ceiling and overlooking the beautiful, snow-covered mountain range.

“Sylus…” he mumbled, “All this for just a weekend?”

He could hear the other chuckle, the sound of a jacket hitting the floor prompting Zayne to turn around.

“We both deserve this type of privacy” he murmured, leaning against the sofa, “So, just relax, and enjoy your stay here with me”

Zayne let out a sigh of relief, very aware of the way his heart had flipped in his chest once he noticed Sylus was unbuttoning his shirt. Help dry him and yourself first…, he scolded himself.

The bedroom and the large bathroom were in the other part of the apartment, separated by a sturdy marble wall. Zayne immediately discarded his own jacket and a blazer he wore, fetching a couple of towels before returning to the living room.

Once there, he realized Sylus had already discarded all garments that covered his upper abdomen, only his suit pants being still on.

“You’re drenched” Zayne stated the obvious, making the man turn his back to him so he could be wiped down properly, “Are you cold? I’m sure they have a hair dryer somewhere in the bathroom-”

“Get out of those wet clothes first, Zayne” Sylus said in an almost commanding tone, turning his head sideways to look at his lover, “I can see you shivering”

The absence of his pet name made the doctor comply immediately, sighing before getting out of the button-up shirt. He could see the amusement in Sylus’ face, the man very obviously eyeing him from head to toe, his steps slow and measured as he approached the doctor.

“You’ve been working out?” he asked, using the towel to dry his hair.

“As much as I can” the doctor mumbled, suddenly unable to look at the other man.

The silence stretched out for a while, only the sound of soft fabric being rubbed against their skin filling the void. Zayne could feel and hear his heart pounding in his temples and against his chest, the sudden feeling of dizziness and heat overtaking him.

He then winced, feeling Sylus’ cool hand on his chest.

The silver-haired man smirked, looking down “You’re absolutely stunning….”

Zayne gulped, his hand instinctively reaching up to clasp around Sylus’ palm. Without any words, the doctor pulled him towards himself, their bare chests lightly touching.

Sylus didn’t complain or try to stop him, accepting the passionate kiss as it came like a tidal wave. From that single contact, Zayne suddenly felt ravenous, his hands embracing the other as if he was about to run away.

“The bedroom…” he mumbled into the kiss before closing the gap again, Sylus allowing him to pull him towards the other side of the apartment.

Their walk was frantic, sloppy and filled with hungry moans, the door slamming shut behind them once they entered the privacy of the dimly lit room.

Sylus was the one pushed onto the bed first, Zayne caging him under his body as he went down on his jaw and neck. He could hear his lover chuckling, the sultry sound interrupted every now and then by a hungry gasp or a suppressed moan.

He could feel the other’s legs hooking around his waist, pulling him in just like that night in the car.

The mere memory of that event was enough to cause a crack in Zayne’s composure, the heat and frenzy only increased by the small amount of alcohol in his system.

The doctor grumbled, putting all of his weight on top of Sylus before continuing a barrage of kisses across the man’s neck, a guttural chuckle escaping his lover’s throat as he caressed him and nudged him to continue what he was doing.

He could feel the other’s hands on his hips, his long fingers managing to unbuckle Zayne’s pants and lower them slightly alongside his underwear, the light squeeze on his cheeks causing the doctor to gasp into the crook of Sylus’ neck.

He could feel his lover’s lips against his ear, every word warm and tender, “Get us out of these clothes… and do whatever you want with me, sweetheart….”

Zayne tensed up on top of him, raising his head to let their gazes intertwine.

Aside from his own fogginess, Zayne could see the light shimmer on the other’s skin, his chest falling and raising in a rapid fashion whilst his eyes clouded over, passion and hunger so clear in those crimson depths.

There was no coming back from that moment in time.

Swiftly, Zayne raised himself on his knees whilst still in between Sylus’ legs, discarding his own clothing until he was completely exposed before his lover’s eyes. His hands seemed strangely quick and calm as he was undressing Sylus, their two bodies completely bare and against each other.

His ears were buzzing, his eyes focused on every small detail of Sylus’ toned body, and yet even while in that frenzy, Zayne knew he wanted to give his beloved the best time of his life.

The doctor promptly lowered himself, his lips going straight for one of Sylus’ nipples whilst both of his hands hungrily grabbed onto the man’s waist. He could hear a surprised gasp which was only followed by sultry, deep moans and light squirms under his hands, the silver-head arching his back to give his lover more access.

Zayne’s tongue worked its way around the hardened bud, giving Sylus time to get used to the sensation whilst slowly inching one of his hands downward only to bury it between the man’s legs.

Yet another gasp escaped Sylus’ mouth, the doctor’s hand promptly drenched in the slick precum that continued to flow from his lover’s hardened member, the silver-head arching his back even more before burying both of his hands in Zayne’s hair.

“More, Zayne…” he demanded without a stutter, his whisper sounding desperate as his legs pulled the doctor even more in.

Zayne obliged, the blood rushing both to his head and his own manhood, his body threatening to boil over as he tried to get his beloved prepared for what was to come.

With a slow but intense motion, Zayne stroke the other’s shaft, his lips still busy with Sylus’ chest. He could feel him tense up under him, but aside from a few raspy gasps and cut-off moans, the silver-head managed to remain somewhat in control of himself.

Only a few moments later, Zayne’s hand was completely wet and slick with more precum, his head rising ever so slightly so he can look up at his lover. Beads of sweat were coming down the sides of his face, his crimson eyes barely open as he continued to pant through his mouth.

In a brief moment, both of them had the time to brace themselves for the complete loss of their sanity.  

Gently but decisively, Zayne’s hand slid lower, already feeling Sylus’ clenching entrance. Instead of hesitating, he pushed in two of his fingers at once.

“Haah~” Sylus moaned, his voice cutting off as he pushed his head into the mattress.

The grip around his fingers was immediate, Zayne convinced he’d lose both digits if he didn’t start moving… but he didn’t mind any of it.

Instead, his mouth returned to action, now planting passionate kisses on Sylus’ ribs and the top of his muscular stomach, the silver-head trembling violently under his touches.

The preparation didn’t take long, Zayne able to loosen his lover up just enough for four of his fingers to enter, but even if he wanted to ensure Sylus’ safety, he didn’t get the chance to continue.

Desperate, the silver-head grabbed him by the upper arms and pulled him upwards, Zayne hovering over him as he demanded:

“You can put it in…” his voice was barely above the whisper, raspy and breathless, “You can ruin me, sweetheart…”

The last bit of Zayne’s composure crumbled at the sight and words his lover bestowed upon him, his entire body tensing up for a brief moment.

His body moved without his command, one of his hands raising Sylus’ hips only slightly to get a better access.

Zayne entered quickly and intensely, causing both of them to moan desperately at the sudden sensations and heat exploding in both of their bodies. The doctor needed a moment or two to catch his breath, the feeling of Sylus’s walls squeezing him tightly threatening to make him go completely mad.

But he started moving, steadily, with no rush and with all ravishing thirst he had concealed for a month. Sylus had completely given up on staying quiet, every moan echoing in Zayne’s ear like the sweetest and most ecstatic melody he had ever heard.

He could feel his lover’s legs squeeze around him even more, his hands reaching under his shoulders only to pin him down against his body. Zayne was still determined to move in the steady pace, using his hands as an anchor as he slowly started picking up the pace.

They have lost the track of time, closed in the large bedroom and with their bodies moving in complete unison. Their skin, growing damper by a minute, rubbed against each other and thus creating more of that sinful fraction, neither of them coherent to even form a proper sentence at that point.

And yet, in the midst of carnal pleasure and their bodies chasing an explosive climax, Zayne was tipped over the edge by three gentle words, interrupted with each thrust of his own hips:

“Love… you… Zayne…”

Sylus’ voice was warm, quiet, exhausted from the rapture of their new union.

The doctor couldn’t take it anymore, not even able to form a coherent sentence before he released inside his lover.

He could feel the other’s body tensing up and twitching under him, digging his nails deep into Zayne’s back as they rode the wave of orgasm they have reached at the same time.

The silence that followed was tender, warm, void of any negative thoughts or fears Zayne might have harbored beforehand. It was just their bodies, connected in more ways than one and their eyes gazing upon the beauty of the other.

“Are you alright?” Zayne asked through shallow breaths, leaning his forehead to meet Sylus’.

The silver-head only chuckled; reaching up with one of his hands to caress the doctor’s flushed cheeks.

“I’ve never felt better…” he purred, blissful smile spreading on his lips.

Zayne sighed with relief, barely finding the strength to push himself up to give Sylus some proper space to breathe and move. His manhood, still partially hard, slipped out of the other, leaving a rather big mess in its wake as the white fluid spilled onto the sheets underneath them.

But Zayne still hovered above the other, unable to look away from Sylus’ dreamy eyes as their breathing slowly came under control.

For a long while, they didn’t speak, enjoying gentle caresses and occasional kisses as the desire turned into an elated exhaustion. Zayne laid against the other’s chest, listening to his quickened heartbeat like a sweet lullaby, calmness slowly overtaking him.

“I’ve told you nothing will happen if you let loose” Sylus suddenly said, caressing the doctor’s back, “Even while you were preparing me, you still restrained yourself”

Zayne shifted, looking up at his beloved, “I had to make sure you’re not in pain-”

“I can handle a little bit of pain” the silver-head reassured, “I may not be a dragon anymore, but there is nothing in the world you can do that would hurt me”

“How can you be sure?” Zayne’s voice trembled, a lump suddenly appearing in his throat, “Not being in control, I… I despise it. I know I’m physically strong, and if I’m not mindful, I-”

Sylus cupped his face and lowered his head, planting a gentle kiss on doctor’s lips.

“I understand…” he mumbled against the other’s lips before kissing him again, “But even if you do use too much force with me, I can stop you”

Zayne could feel his eyebrows curling upwards “Are you certain?”

“Absolutely” the silver-head reassured, “But… when you finally did let go of your restraints during sex… nothing you did was undesirable or uncomfortable for me. So, do not worry. You don’t have to restrain yourself when with me because I have the means and power to help you regain your composure back”

Zayne clenched his jaw, barely able to keep his eyes from watering. The sense of joy was simply too overwhelming in that moment, the doctor slowly pulled up to initiate yet another passionate kiss.

“My dearest…” he mumbled, taking Sylus’ lip between his teeth for only a moment, “Thank you… thank you…”

Sylus was the one to break the contact first, his expression tensing up in the very next moment.

Zayne frowned in confusion, but the moment he leaned onto the other’s body, he could feel a familiar hardness against his stomach.

“… You’re hard again?”

Sylus chuckled, his cheeks flushed as he looked to the side, “It’s your fault… you haven’t used that nickname in so long, I couldn’t help it…”

Zayne was now the one to giggle, raising himself from the bed only to straddle Sylus’ hips. His manhood nestled right in between Zayne’s cheeks, his own shaft twitching with a newly-found desire.

“Then I’ll take the responsibility…” he mumbled, a seductive smile gracing his lips.

He used some of the remnants of their previous orgasm, quickly preparing himself whilst giving Sylus the full view of the whole process.

The silver-head squirmed under him, both of his hands grabbing onto Zayne’s hips as the doctor rubbed himself against the other’s hardened stomach.

Only moments later, Zayne was ready, his lower stomach and body aching to be filled with familiar thickness as various images of their erotic encounters from centuries ago sprung into his mind.

He only needed to raise his hips once, Sylus’ length entering him in one smooth motion.

Zayne threw his head back, a hungry moan escaping him as the familiar fullness pulsed through his body.

He started moving immediately, initially only rubbing his own insides against his lover’s shaft, but soon starting to bounce on top of Sylus, their hips meeting half-way as the other also started thrusting upwards.

The time was lost to them once again as their bodies synchronized, Sylus sitting up at one point just to embrace his beloved doctor tightly whilst giving him hungriest kisses he could muster.

With their hips moving together in the intense motion, Zayne allowed his consciousness to slip once again, giving himself to the familiar pleasure and feeling of blessed love….

Chapter Text

Zayne held his hand up firm, ready for Sylus' punch to land on one of sparring mitts.

He didn’t have to wait long, Sylus’ movements fluid and quick Zayne was barely able to see them. His hands delivered strong punches, all increasing in force as he continued, finishing off with a final and high kick of his foot.

Both men stepped away from one another, their breaths shallow and beads of sweat rolling down the sides of their faces.

“And that is 200 punches in less than five minutes” Zayne announced as he took the mitts off, “A new record”

Sylus raised his eyebrow playfully, also removing his gloves and throwing them on the tatami mat under them, “You were counting without a timer?”

It was Zayne’s time to show a mischievous smile, “Impressed?”

The silver-head chuckled, approaching Zayne silently before embracing him around the waist and pulling him in for a kiss. The doctor complied, his heart immediately flipping inside his chest.

“I’m always impressed by you” Sylus mumbled before kissing Zayne in the corner of his mouth, a gesture that promised even more touches and embraces later on.

It was a very early morning in Linkon City, the two lovers finally finding some time to work out together while their schedules intertwined. Zayne was just about to head home after his overnight shift at Akso while Sylus had some business to attend to in the city before also going home.

And yet, these early hours of the morning, when no one was around even when they were in a public place, and they could spend as much time as they want near each other, Zayne believed he could truly work this into his regular routine.

He knew Sylus would readjust his schedule for him, but that was something he tried to avoid at any cost. They’ve been through that conversation many times in the past couple of months, and if Zayne hated anything, it was to be in the way of Sylus’ work.

Even if that work involved some shady deals and late night business meetings…

“Will you be doing your pull-ups now?” Sylus questioned, finally letting go of Zayne, “Or are you too tired?”

The doctor shook his head, already leading the way towards the pull-up bar at the other end of the gym, “That’s something I have to do. Would you count for me?”

Sylus snickered, following him closely behind, “You don’t even need to ask”

The two soon reached their destination, Zayne grabbing the bar and stretching before pulling up the whole weight of his body. Sylus started counting slowly, the doctor very aware of the other’s hands hovering on the sides of his body.

As he continued with his exercise, Zayne’s brain suddenly decided to reminisce about the past couple of months they’ve spent together.

Aside from some outlandish and ridiculously expensive trips, Sylus and he still had those quiet moments together, particularly when they’d meet up without a plan.

Having coffee after Zayne’s long shift at work, Sylus bringing him macarons or cookies whenever he had work to do close to Akso, the two of them going on a night ride… but, of course, these quiet date had one major setback.

If Zayne hated one thing, it was inconveniencing Livia.

Each and every time Sylus and he met up, be it a planned date or a spur of a moment thing, Livia was always right behind her boss, no matter the time of the day.

She never complained or interrupted their time together, but Zayne could clearly see that at times, she wanted to be anywhere else but following the two of them around.

Even now, while they were working out, she was in the lobby on the same floor, doing work even though Sylus had promised to give her two days off after this workout session.

To top that off, Sylus and Livia have constantly been researching ways for them to finally break Astra’s curse, but to no avail. All records of Astra have disappeared more than three centuries ago, and a lot of written words, rituals and spells used in his worship have been lost or disappeared without a trace, making their search that much more difficult. Not even Sylus’ connections could help them…

They did find out about one thing though: apparently, in the past decade or so, there is an occasional resurgence of so called “Star Cult” which is said to worship a powerful ancient god.

Zayne didn’t know the details, but from what he heard from both Sylus and Livia, they could be referring to Astra, at least from what Livia’s web research showed.

Livia insisted that she’ll dig even deeper to find more answers, but for whatever reason, Zayne had a bad feeling about the whole situation, especially if the said cult was as secretive as she stated…

“You’re almost at a hundred pull-ups” Sylus reminded, the doctor only then becoming aware of immense pressure and exhaustion that started coursing through his body.

With his arms heavy and breath shallow, Zayne pulled through hid final pull-ups, barely managing to hold himself up as he slowly lowered his feet to the ground.

He was sweaty all over, his heart pounding like crazy and his lungs burning, but it all seemed to evaporate as familiar arms wrapped around his waist.

“Good job” Sylus whispered in his ear from behind, kissing him on the cheek with vigor.

All Zayne could do was smile and lean into the other’s embrace, still unable to get his breathing under control.

In the corner of his eye, the doctor noticed the light coming through the side windows, announcing the arrival of a new day. It meant that people will soon start pouring in; especially those who wanted to complete their workout before heading to their 9 to 5.

It was time for the two of them to leave.

After a brief chatter and a quick kiss on the lips, the couple picked up their belongings and headed towards the changing rooms, Zayne’s workout clothes soaked in sweat and sticking to his abdomen.

He could hear Sylus chuckle beside him, “That white shirt leaves very little to imagination”

As the heat overtook his face, Zayne had the urge to cover himself, but had instead chuckled back, trying to sound as casual as possible, “It’s not like you haven’t seen my bare chest before”

“I did” Sylus purred, the two of them stopping at the changing room’s doorway as the silver-head locked their eyes together, “That doesn’t mean I’m tired of looking at them… or touching them…”

Zayne had to gulp, allowing his lover to raise his chin and plant yet another soft kiss on his yearning lips. There was no force behind that brief contact, but the doctor could still feel the tremble in Sylus’ touch, pining and desire practically radiating from him.

He had to give in…

“How about…” Zayne mumbled into his beloved’s lips, “…we take a shower together?”

Sylus’ eyes widened for only a moment, a seductive smile spreading across his lips, “I thought you’d never ask…”

It didn’t take long for the two of them to deepen their kiss, Sylus being the one to pull them inside the changing room while Zayne slammed the door behind them.

This wasn’t their first time to do this and it certainly won’t be the last.

And even though Zayne liked to think of himself as a polite and decent person, the fact that someone could walk into the changing room whilst they shared the shower elicited a strange sting of thrill in him.

Thus, he gave up on his modesty, allowing Sylus to slowly peel off his workout clothes as they slowly walked towards the showering area.

Because what was the better end of a stressful shift then being loved so intensely by a man he would give his life for?...

***

“Here you go, love” Tara mumbled as she brought two sets of plates onto the table, Livia barely able to keep her head up despite already drinking most of her latte.

She blinked and looked up at her girlfriend, not understanding how someone could look so cute and radiant that early in the morning.

After handling everything she had with Zayne and Sylus, Livia was finally able to go home for her two days off from work. Coincidentally, Tara also got two days off, Livia only imagining it was Sylus’ way of apologizing for making her stay about an hour longer than she should have.

And she knew exactly why she stayed that long.

But, at least, she’ll be able to sleep off most of the day, but not before she paid an obligatory visit to a small bakery and pastry shop in their neighborhood. It was only a couple of steps away from their apartment building, and their coffee and sweets were usually what kept both girls going, especially on mornings like this one.

Even though they both had a proper accommodation in N109 zone, especially when they were working long hours or overtime, Livia and Tara were still able to purchase a small apartment in the middle of Linkon City. Sylus was paying them good money and after only a year of working for him, they managed to afford something they themselves were able to own.

Sylus, of course, did offer them to buy an apartment for them, but it was something Livia couldn’t ask of him, not when he had already done so much for an orphan like her.

That didn’t mean, though, that she won’t put all of her effort in dealing with his and Zayne’s predicament…

“You look so tired, Liv” Tara mumbled as she sat across from her, a huge bowl of strawberry ice cream with chocolate drizzle in front of her alongside a cup of Irish coffee.

Livia could only chuckle, breaking a piece of her blueberry waffle with a fork, “I’m yearning for bed… but ice cream for breakfast?”

Tara giggled, picking up a huge spoonful, “You know I can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, right?”

Both women chuckled at that, Tara proceeding to stuff her face with one of her favorite foods in the world.

Expectedly, she somehow managed to smear some ice cream on the corner of her lips, and Livia would’ve been damned if she didn’t reach over the table to wipe it off for her.

The moment Livia licked her finger, she could see clear blush bloom over Tara’s entire face, making the other woman smirk cheekily.

Maybe I won’t need to sleep immediately when we get home…

The two women spent some time in a casual chatter, finishing their desserts and coffees, but Livia’s eyelids seemed to get heavier as the minutes passed.

Her phone vibrated suddenly, signaling that she had a new mail in her inbox… and it was just the one she was expecting.

“Is it from that shaman?” Tara asked, her face tensing up with concern.

“Yep…” Livia mumbled as she glanced at the mail. It was too short for comfort… ah, damn it, she probably didn’t find anything-

“Are you sure… this investigation is safe?”

Livia paused, hesitant tone of Tara’s voice making her look up at her, “Why that question all of a sudden?”

The other hesitated, looking to the side and biting her lower lip, “I don’t know… call me paranoid, but the fact you can’t find anything about that cult anywhere on the internet, even the dark web… it’s concerning. Like it’s something you’re not supposed to find…”

Livia wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright, but not even she was so sure about it at that point.

Usually, in shamanistic and occult circles, everybody knew each other or were acquainted with someone in connection to a certain organization.

The Star cult’s presence was eminent and talked about in mainstream media, but no one Livia or her shaman acquaintances knew anyone who was a member of that cult. The only thing she was able to find about them is that they’re secretly praying and worshipping a long-lost god, but that was about it.

No one knew their purpose, agenda or number of followers… but if they were able to hide so well, some members were clearly influential in not just one sector.

They were giving people and public what they wanted to be seen… so, Tara and Zayne being concerned about her wasn’t entirely farfetched.

But… Livia couldn’t shake off the feeling that the secret of the Star cult could also unravel the solution to the curse that is still plaguing Zayne and Sylus.

And if her powers could be used to help them or save them, she was more than willing to-

“Whoa!” Livia exclaimed s someone bumped into her shoulder even though she was seated, the woman promptly starting to apologize.

“I’m really sorry!” she bowed to Livia while picking up the belongings that spilled out of her purse, “I was deep in thought, I wasn’t looking. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, yeah…” Livia said in a half-dazed state, tiny white dots flashing before her eyes. Oh…

Tara was the one to get up and help the woman put away all of her things, the stranger finally raising her head to look at them.

In Livia’s opinion she was nothing short of beautiful and poised: petite, pale skin, blood-red lipstick adorning perfect pair of lips, dressed in a simple white shirt with puffed sleeves, black pants and high heels, dark hair falling down her shoulders and back in waves.

But… there was something about her, presence that made all hair on the back of Livia’s neck stand up.

Livia couldn’t exactly hear what she and Tara were talking about even though they were standing right in front of her, but the moment the stranger looked at her, something clicked.

“Oh… I think I know you…” the woman said, reaching down to grab Livia’s hand.

Her grip was strong, but not painful, her dark eyes widening as she mumbled: “Both of you need to leave this place. Now”

“Wha-” Livia wasn’t even able to complete a sentence before the woman released her wrist, that brief contact causing a surge of memories to course through Livia’s brain.

Before she could stop her, the stranger disappeared in the crowded bakery and out the door, leaving both women flabbergasted and paralyzed for a couple of moments.

Livia finally got up, her eyes wide as saucers as she absorbed the memories of that stranger, Tara clearly knowing what’s up.

“Who is she?” she asked, concern dripping from every word, “Do you know her?”

Livia shook her head, unable to speak due to shock, “I don’t but… she’s-”

The cacophony of screams suddenly woke Livia up completely, her eyes turning towards the source of the sound.

In a matter of moments, the entire bakery was in disarray, people ducking under tables and counters, bullets flying into the air as the people continued to panic and cry in fear and shock.

A group of three people, their faces concealed with masks and hats ran into the establishment carrying long-barreled guns, ones that are usually carried by special force policemen.

Their yelling was unintelligible, but Livia had no time to decipher their message. She needed to protect Tara.

The moment the commotion occurred, Livia pushed Tara down and deep under the table, following closely behind her. They needed to be invisible and as calm as possible, praying that the attackers won’t notice them at all.

She could hear Tara’s shaky breathing, but aside from that, she didn’t even make a single sound, making herself as small as she could get. Livia reached for her necklace, a small pendant hiding an emergency button and a small locator.

No matter what was happening, Sylus or someone from his group will be there to fetch them-

Another array of gunshots echoed the bakery, making people scream once more. That’s when Livia noticed a set of boots walking next to the table they were hiding under, the person stopping right next to her legs.

Feeling her blood run cold, Livia lowered her hand and covered Tara with her entire body, just in the moment when the person ducked to look under the table.

“We found her!” the man announced, not wasting any time in yanking Livia out of her hiding spot.

She could feel Tara reach for her, grabbing her hand, but Livia looked back at her and shook her head, a simple grimace telling the other woman to stay put.

She then mouthed two simple words.

Call Sylus.

***

“Ready to go home, boss-man?” Kieran asked as they drove down the main road that lead out of Linkon City.

“Yes” Sylus said briefly, tapping away on his phone, “Did you arrange for macarons to be delivered to Zayne’s apartment later today?”

“Sure did” the man at the wheel said cheerfully, “Even said Luke to put a small red rose on the packet”

“Good boy” Sylus mumbled, checking whether Zayne had responded to any of his recent messages.

He had to chuckle at himself and his own inability to not hear from his lover for more than a few hours, remembering Zayne was probably sleeping after a long shift and… other straining activities.

At least, he managed to finalize plans for yet another auction that will take place in about one months’ time, even more gadgets coming their way from black market.

Luckily, Livia and Tara have already taken care of all the paperwork, none of his activities or ties to black market visible to anyone he didn’t know.

His construction business was prospering, but he was too deep in his old ways to just bail out…

Besides, if he remained the most dangerous man in N109 zone and Linkon City, no one would dare to touch Zayne-

His phone suddenly started buzzing while in his hand, Sylus frowning as he looked at the caller ID.

What the-

“Little bird?” he said into the phone, voice calm.

On the other end, Tara was barely able to breathe, her voice contorted from crying, “Mr. Sylus- Sir…”

Sylus straightened up in his seat, “What happened?”

“Livia…” Tara barely uttered, “Some masked men… they took her away in a black van… we were at the bakery before going home…”

Sylus could feel his jaw clenching, silent rage simmering slowly within his gut.

“Come to the HQ as soon as possible. I’ll send Luke over to pick you up” he ordered, “Are you hurt?”

“N-no…” Tara sobbed, “Livia protected me, not a scratch on me… Mr. Sylus, she turned on her tracker, I’ll bring my laptop…”

“Do so” he retorted, trying not to sound too harsh, “I’ll see you soon”

The moment the line cut off, Sylus squeezed the phone in his hand, anger spilling out of his every pore.

Who even dared to do this? Are there still the ones who think they can fuck around with people close to him?

Kieran didn’t need to be told twice to speed up, the two of them rushing down the road as Sylus mobilized every single personnel member in N109 zone.

But little did he know that this was only the beginning of a rather wretched day…

“Uh, boss-man?” Kieran suddenly called out for him, his tone making Sylus frown.

But before he could ask him anything, he noticed familiar blue lights flashing behind and beside them.

“This is Linkon City Police Department! Pull over! It’s an order!”

Sylus chuckled bitterly, sinking into the leathery sheets. This is not a coincidence…

“What should I do, boss-man!?” Kieran sounded panicky, “Should I floor it?”

“No” Sylus said nonchalantly, “You’ll pull over when you see the opportunity. We’ve done nothing wrong, after all”

Kieran nodded and started slowing down, the more police sirens blaring behind them.

Sylus could guess that the PD probably found a new shred of evidence which they’ll try to use to put him behind bars. It wouldn’t be their first time.

But no matter how many times they tried, the outcome was and always will be the same: Sylus will walk free with nothing to prove his guilt.

Still, despite already dancing to this tune with police many times before, Sylus couldn’t shake off the gnawing feeling that this was definitely not an accidental occurrence.

Why arresting me now?...

Chapter Text

„Dr. Zayne, call for you“ the lead nurse on cardiology ward called out, the doctor frowning while still wearing his surgery scrubs.

“About a patient from the ER?” he asked, accepting the phone over the counter.

Nurse shook her head, her tone calm but cautious, “It’s private. Apparently it’s an emergency. Has any of your family been in town?”

“No…” Zayne mumbled before bringing the phone to his ear, his heart jumping to his throat, “Dr. Zayne Li speaking, how may I help you?”

“Doc! Thank fuck you picked up! Been calling for ages!” a familiar male voice responded from the other line, Zayne immediately recognizing him as one of the twins.

“Luke?” he called, turning away from the nurse’s counter, “What’s the matter? Is Sylus okay? Livia?”

A long pause on the other end didn’t give Zayne any reassurance, but before he could prompt Luke any further, the man sighed:

“Well… some shit had hit the fan about two hours ago” he explained, “Boss has been arrested under the charges of smuggling weapons and gadgets into the country, but that’s not our main concern. Livia has been kidnapped”

Zayne was rendered speechless for a moment, squeezing the phone so strongly the plastic started cracking in his hand.

“I’ll call you in a minute, I can’t speak now”

“Got it” Luke said briefly, “Got your burner phone close?”

“Yeah” Zayne mumbled before hanging up, handing the phone back to the nurse.

“Everything alright, Dr. Zayne?”

“No…” he answered honestly, his heart pounding against his ribs, “But I’ll get more information stat. If I have to leave, I’ll page you”

With the message conveyed, Zayne practically ran back to his office, going straight for his desk and fishing out another phone he got from Sylus a while back.

In it, he had numbers of all important people in Onychinus, specifically the ones Sylus trusted the most or had a long time of working together.

He found Luke’s number and dialed him immediately, his body slowly getting colder despite sweat breaking on the surface of his skin.

“What happened to Livia?” was the first thing he asked, not even allowing Luke to greet him.

“She was taken from a bakery in her block this morning, little Tara was with her. She’s fine, but from what she said, these people apparently came for Livia specifically. They were wielding shotguns and wore masks to conceal their identity”

“Damn it…” Zayne cursed, “I know it’s a stupid question, but does Sylus have enemies as of recently?”

“Many of them” Luke immediately answered, “But many thugs and groups in N109 zone already know it’s not a smart thing to abduct someone close to Sylus. We’ve been through this a few years back, and boss-man literally made it rain blood in the zone”

“Interesting…” the doctor mumbled, looking through a window of his office, “You think these are outsiders? From Linkon City or somewhere further?”

“Could be, but that’s not why I called you, doc” Luke relied, his voice getting quieter and more serious, “Since we have no idea what we’re dealing with just yet, I want you to lay low for a few days, just in case these bastards come for you as well”

Zayne gripped the phone, his voice coming out low and threatening, “Was that one of directives Sylus gave you?”

Luke hesitated with his answer for a moment, his voice stuttering, “Y-yes, but it’s the best course of action! We have no idea how dangerous these bastards are!”

“I understand…” the doctor sighed, countless scenarios coursing through his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “I’ll take your advice, but… do you have any clues on where Livia could be? She mentioned once that she has a tracker on her necklace…”

“Uh, about that…” Luke stuttered out again, “Tara started following the signal pretty much immediately after the abduction, but… she had completely lost the signal about twenty minutes ago…”

“….Damn it” Zayne muttered, trying not to resort to profanity even though he really wanted to, “Where did she lose the signal?”

“Northeast from the city, towards the-”

“Mountains…” the doctor finished Luke’s sentence, remembering the path they took whilst going to their weekend vacation three months ago.

The area was vast and filled with dense forests, only a single road paved in the middle of it. If they wanted to find Livia, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

But… they still had options.

“Luke, do you know where Mephisto is?”

“Boss-man’s crow?” the man on the other line asked as if in disbelief, “Not a clue, that thing is always flying around and only the boss has a code for its OS. No one can really make it do errands like boss can, but… ya know, boss-man is currently in police custody”

Zayne snickered in spite of anxiety, “I’ll call for Mephisto in a moment. Do you know what he’s capable of?”

Luke paused on the other line, “You’ve got the code!?”

“Sylus gave it to me in case of an emergency. He said Mephisto is very hard to get noticed when it’s on a spy mission”

“Uh… w-well” the man stuttered again, “Aside from showing the image of what it sees, I think it can also track signal, but more efficiently because it can fly around… wait, are you planning to use it to find Livia!?”

“It’s worth the try” Zayne retorted, looking out the window, “I’ll reprogram Mephisto but I’m not the type of person who knows a lot about hacking and operative systems. Someone needs to help me navigate it”

“I’ll come pick you up right away! I’ll take little Tara with me, she’s our main tech genius when boss-man is not around”

“Do so” the doctor said briefly, “I’ll see you in half an hour in front of Akso”

“Roger!”

Once he hung up, Zayne promptly changed out of his scrubs into his regular outfit, letting the head nurse know that he’ll be out for the day due to a family emergency. After arranging his future shifts, the doctor took off, only taking his laptop, burner phone and a gun Sylus gave him months ago.

Million thoughts rushed through his head as he walked the hallways of the hospital, so many things happening at once couldn’t have been a coincidence.

Zayne didn’t want to draw any conclusions just yet, but he had a sneaking suspicion of who could’ve been behind it all.

He will think about it once Livia was safe and sound and Sylus was bailed out. They have no evidence against him, after all…

The moment he stepped out of the hospital, a familiar black car with tinted windows pulled up in front of him, the door opening for him on their own.

“Get in, doc! We got a job to do!”

***

From the moment she was taken, Livia couldn’t see anything in front of her, her captors blindfolding her the second she was pulled out of the bakery at gunpoint.

She implemented every single lesson Sylus and twins had given her when she joined Onychinus, counting every turn the car made and taking in every noise and smell around her.

Still, it seemed they had guessed that she’d have some sort of tracker on her, considering who her boss was.

Thus, preemptively, they checked every piece of clothing she wore, eventually discarding the necklace she was wearing, presumably tossing it through a car window.

But not even that made Livia scared for her life. Sylus had his ways and had found people who were in an even worse predicament than her.

Additionally, she had one more glimmer of hope in the whole situation: it was most likely that these people weren’t meant to kill her.

The fact that they were protecting their identities from her, and that they didn’t speak much to her, it seemed like a paid job, something Livia had seen countless times in her line of work.

However, that didn’t mean that she was completely out of danger…

Livia took a deep breath, the smell of mold and wet metal still very present in the air. She moved her feet slightly, the echo her tiny steps created telling her she was in a mostly empty, but small room. The edges of her blindfold were dark, leading her to the realization that she was probably in a very dark place.

Her hands were bound behind her back and against the metal chair, her feet had very little wiggle room and her mouth was sealed with a duct tape, barely leaving her any room to breathe properly.

But the worst part about it all was the fact that she didn’t know where any of her captors were. She didn’t even know how many of them were outside of that room… or inside with her.

Still, Livia refused to panic.

She didn’t stop counting minutes, allowing her brain to focus on something else aside from fear and anxiety.

Exactly two hours has elapsed.

They must’ve really hidden her well, giving even Sylus a bit of a hard time while finding her.

Don’t panic… you will be fine, like all other times. Sylus won’t leave you to rot in here-

But… why was she abducted in the first place?

Everyone in N109 Zone knew that Sylus had a particular liking for torturing anyone who even dared to touch people important to him, so…. These guys must’ve been outsiders.

And why her?

Did they mistake her for Sylus’ lover?... or was this about something else entirely…

Livia took another deep breath, slowly trying to wiggle her hands from the zip tie, the plastic cutting into the skin of her wrist.

If someone was in the room with her, they would’ve noticed. She must be completely alone-

“How long will we have to keep her here?” a voice came loud and clear from her left, the echo making it seem as if the sound was carried through the ventilation system.

Livia slowed down her breathing, making sure not to make a single sound as she tried to listen in.

Another voice soon said, “No idea. We wait for a call”

“Can’t we just kill her? It would be easier-”

“His Excellency said absolutely not” the other voice sounded stern, yet somewhat jittery, “Only two sacrifices are needed for the Great One’s awakening, we will not be killing innocent people if not necessary. And this time, we just need to keep the girl away for a while”

Livia frowned under the blindfold.

Keep her away? Who is “His Excellency”? Sacrifice!?

What in the world was-

“I’ve heard they’ve already apprehended one of the sacrifices” the first voice sounded fainter, but still somewhat intelligible, “They’re looking for the second one, it seems like he’s dropped off the face of the Earth about an hour ago”

Uh oh, Livia thought, a sense of terror dawning on her mind. 

It was about Zayne and Sylus.

She had no idea how she came to that conclusion… but it had to be that, she could feel it in her gut.

And her gut was never wrong before…

With a new sense of panic settling inside her, Livia tried to think of a way to release herself.

She had no idea to whom of the two those guards were referring to, but no matter who was captured it could end badly… especially because she wasn’t around.

A second realization hit Livia like a tidal wave.

They’ve captured her… so they could put Sylus and Zayne in the close proximity to one another, so that the curse would ensure their deaths….

But… how did they know she was the factor that prevented the curse? Was this even about the curse? Why would they be interested in “sacrifices”?...

Livia’s thoughts were running rampant, her hands pulling on the zip tie as if she could break it with the sheer strength of her will.

She needed to get to the bottom of this, because if this is what she thinks it is, there is much more at stake than her own life-

Livia stopped moving for a moment; her ears picking up on a strange sound of something small and hard hitting the metal roof.

Initially she thought she had imagined it, but the sound repeated itself, now sounding even closer to her left.

Soon then after, a familiar caw traveled through the air.

Mephisto!

“Mmmmbgh!!” she tried to say, her lips still closed shut by the tape. Another caw followed, alongside with flapping of the wings.

They found her. Onlychinus will be there any minute now-

Without even being able to finish that thought, the array of shouting and gunshots started echoing outside the room she was held in.

Livia fully leaned into her attempt to get at least some of her restraints off while also making all sorts of faces just so the blindfold or tape would finally loosen up enough for her to speak or see where she was.

The commotion was getting closer; the sounds of an automatic rifle reverberating off the walls and ceiling even though she was secure behind the closed doors.

Livia heard many screams and cries for help, but at least not a single one sounded familiar.

“Get the girl!” the first voice from before shouted, “If they want to get rid of us, she’s going down to-”

His command was promptly interrupted with a loud shot and a gurgling sound, Livia assuming someone managed to shoot him.

For a brief moment, all Livia could feel was primal, uncovered fear, her entire body trembling as she was trying to find the strength to release herself.

But the moment those doors opened with a bang, Livia believed she’ll actually pass out from panic.

“Livia!” Luke’s voice almost made her cry, her head instinctively turning towards the source of the sound.

The man quickly undid all of her restraints, Livia leaping to hug him the moment she was able to see him.

“Whoa, girl, are you okay?” he asked, returning the gesture and helping her back on her feet.

“I’m fine…” Livia barely uttered, her breath shallow and her eyes watering, relief washing all over her, “I got a little banged up, but they didn’t touch me…”

“That’s good…” Luke mumbled, still not convinced she wasn’t injured, “We don’t have time to get you to the hospital, but doc is with us so he can take a quick look at you-”

“D-doc?” Livia stuttered, her vision slowly coming back to normal, “You mean, Zayne’s with you!?”

“Yeah, him!” Luke announced, helping Livia to get stable on her feet, “Boss was arrested about two hours ago and we all suspect your kidnapping is also tied to that. We’re heading back to Linkon to bail him out now”

Livia’s blood ran cold the moment Luke said those words.

“We need to get him out now!” she exclaimed, pulling Luke towards the exit.

“I just said we’ll do that-”

“You don’t understand, Luke!” Livia yelled back, her voice shaky and hoarse, “He’s in danger! These people… they’re the Star Cult!”

***

This was getting ridiculous.

When he was taken into police custody in the past, Sylus never had to wait as long as now to get the permission to speak to his lawyer. It was always a standard procedure during his arrest, and on a good day, he’d be out of the station in two hours tops.

Today, he was alone in the interrogation room for two hours.

Sylus had to chuckle at the whole situation, police probably scrambling to build any type of case against him.

If it was any other circumstance, he’d implement one of his tactics to intimidate people who were to interrogate him, but for the sake of Onychinus, he didn’t want to give police anything to work with. Not even a parking ticket or a small misdemeanor of any kind.

Are they trying to make me crack in isolation?, Sylus thought, snickering at the mere idea of it.

He’d been through worse. Being isolated for hours is hardly something that would make him crack-

The doors to the interrogation room finally opened with a loud band, Sylus not even budging as he leaned even more back on his chair.

“You finally decided to grace me with your presence, detective?” he said in a mocking tone, the gruff-looking middle-aged man not even raising his eyes from the files he was holding.

He didn’t speak for a while, occasionally letting out a low hum before sitting across from Sylus, “This is your thirteenth visit from what I can see”

Sylus snickered, “Indeed. But I bet you can also see that all charges against me have been dropped. The same will happen this time if you allow me to call my attorney”

“Don’t count on that” the man finally looked up, throwing a stack of papers on the table, “May I ask you a few questions?”

Sylus didn’t respond, his signature smirk very obvious on his lips before he briefly stated, “Not without my attorney”

The detective stared at him for an uncomfortable amount of time, but the silver-head didn’t even acknowledge him.

Lawfully, the guy couldn’t get a single answer from him, especially after not allowing him to phone his lawyer in more than two hours. Sylus could stay quiet; it will be nice to spare his own voice-

“Do you know anything about the whereabouts of Dr. Zayne Li?”

Sylus froze for a moment, his eyes widening.

He looked at the detective, but didn’t open his mouth. What… does Zayne got to do with this?

Has… has he been taken, too!?

The detective chuckled, smirk filled with malice, “Ah, so you do know who I’m talking about”

Sylus tried to bite his tongue, knowing that saying anything in that moment could serve the police as evidence for whatever kind of case they were trying to build, but he couldn’t hold out.

“What do you know about him?” Sylus questioned, his voice low and threatening.

The detective seemed stunned for a moment, but soon started chuckling then full-on laughing to his face, getting back on his feet as he covered his eyes in his fit.

“Looks like that girl truly was the remedy for your curse, after all”

Sylus could feel his vision go blank for a moment, knowing exactly what the bastard was talking about.

How in the hell did a police officer know about him and Zayne-

…Oh shit-

Sylus jumped up from his seat, but the moment the chair he was sitting on hit the floor, an intense and stinging pain hit the back of his neck. Instinctively, Sylus reached behind himself… only to pull out a tranquilizing dart.

His vision went blurry immediately, his knees weakening so quickly he tumbled onto the table. Not even his hands were able to keep him steady, his body eventually giving up completely as he slid off the table and onto the floor.

Vision became blurry in the next few moments, the light in the room so bright it irritated him. He could see a few people new people approach him from the corner of his eyes, but his consciousness was slipping quickly.

Zayne… I hope you’re safe…

Chapter Text

Zayne was trained to remain calm in stressful situations, especially the ones where he had to anticipate a certain outcome in his field of work while everything seemed to work against him.

But this was no operation room nor was he wearing protective scrubs in order to do what he knew the best… this situation was slowly gnawing away at his sanity.

Trying to steady his bouncing foot, Zayne looked at the clock in Onychinus’ branch office in the middle of Linkon city, distant footsteps of organization’s members outside in the hallway only making his anxiety even worse.

It’s been almost three hours since Sylus had disappeared after his arrest… and not even Mephisto was able to find him.

Despite her own brush with death, Livia got down to business as soon as she pieced the situation together, and once Kieran was bailed out of jail with no particular charges attached; he could join in alongside Tara and Luke in order to find their boss.

They’ve been locked up in the main office for almost an hour by that point, Zayne feeling hopeless in his inability to help them in any way.

Minutes continued to drag along, the doctor unable to sit for any longer, his stomach practically being in his throat. His footsteps echoed the mostly empty waiting room in front of the office, his heart pounding so hard it was the only sound he could hear in his ears.

How did it come to this? Why did it come to this?

Star Cult didn’t seem like organization that would have any interest in either of them… at least, if one looked at the whole matter at the surface level.

For whatever reason, Zayne had a feeling their agenda was far more sinister than his initial idea, especially due to a fact that Livia was one of their targets.

Could Star Cult leaders… know about his and Sylus’ curse? Why would they be interested in it-

The clicking of the lock made Zayne jump and turn on his heel, Livia looking up at him with disgruntled expression and holographic notes floating above her wristwatch.

“Any luck?” he asked, his heart practically jumping out through his mouth.

Livia shook her head, eyebrows curling inwards, “We’re not even close to finding him…” a prolonged pause ensued, followed by a sigh before she walked up to Zayne, “But I think we found the reason why they want both Sylus and you…”

Zayne frowned, accepting Livia’s wrist in his hand before looking at the notes written out before him.

As he skimmed through the text, he could feel his breath catching in his throat, a familiar sense of panic settling deep within his gut and making his blood run cold.

“A resurrection… of a god?” he mumbled, gulping loudly whilst trying to keep his composure.

He could see Livia nod in the corner of his eye as he scrolled further down, the tension only increasing as he looked for one specific name.

“Looks like they wish to resurrect-”

“Astra”

The mere mention of that name caused Zayne’s entire body to erupt in chills, the images he didn’t want to see ever again playing before his eyes like a long-forgotten movie.

Was this just another case of humans not knowing what they’re truly dealing with? Why would anyone wish to resurrect an ancient god who has long since disappeared from this world?

And why did they have to get Sylus of all people…

Trying to contain his anger, Zayne turned away from Livia, sharp breath escaping him as he barely held onto the last pieces of his sanity.

“We’ll keep searching for him, Zayne…” the woman said softly, her hand on the doctor’s upper arm, “And if anything happens, Onychinus will make the whole cult pay”

“I know…” Zayne mumbled, the intense buzzing sound intense in his ears as his vision went in and out of focus, “I know…”

The silence prolonged, even the tweens poking their heads out of the office to check on the two of them.

But the moment of silence got interrupted by a familiar buzzing sound, Livia reaching down into her pocket to fetch her phone.

Her eyebrows lowered at the very next moment, Zayne noticing the caller’s ID was hidden.

A single look from Livia was all it took for Luke and Kieran to rush back to the computer stationed at the desk, Zayne presuming they’ll try to identify or locate the caller if they turn out to be Sylus’ kidnappers.

Only a few moments later, Livia picked up, giving a silent nod to the twins.

“Who’s this?” her voice was resolute and clear, with no space for misunderstandings as she put the phone on the speaker.

There was a momentary pause on the other end, only for a female voice to rely a simple question: “Am I speaking to Miss Livia of Onychinus?”

Livia’s eyes widened promptly, clearly recognizing the woman’s voice.

“You’re… from the bakery this morning-”

“No time for explanations” the woman had cut her off, her voice quiet yet determined, “Do you wish to help your boss or not?”

“Yes, yes we do!” Livia insisted, both her and Zayne exchanging looks with the same train of thought coursing through their minds. They’ll get their explanations once all of this was over…

“Where is he?” Zayne prompted the woman on the other line, a light gasp following suit.

“You’re…” the woman mumbled into the phone, but soon cleared her throat, “Head back south, away from N109 Zone. You’ll run into a massive property guarded by security. He’s been held there. Just in case, I’ll leave my phone on the open call to make your search easier”

“Thank you…” Livia mumbled, gesturing to Luke and Kieran to get ready for action, “You’re aware you’ll have to answer a couple of questions later, right?”

“I’m aware” the woman said without any hesitation, “But save those for later. I’ll come and find you when the time comes”…

***

The first thing Sylus became aware of as his consciousness started coming back was the immense headache that pounded in his head… and the fact he couldn’t move too much at all.

His eyes shot open, heart pounding against his chest as he tried to raise his head, but to no avail. Something heavy was holding onto him, the clanking echoing through his head as he attempted to make any sort of movement, all in desperate and semi-delirious efforts to release himself.

But nothing worked, his hands suspended in the air with what seemed like a thick pair of chains. He could feel each link dig deep into the skin of his arms, the coldness and stench of metal only making him angrier the more his consciousness started returning.

He could feel the cold air brush up against his torso, only then realizing he was only wearing pants whilst the rest of his clothes have been discarded who knows where.

The last thing Sylus remembered was being apprehended by the police and very long waiting hours at the station… but everything beyond that point was a complete blur. What the hell happened?...

“Aha, looks like the dragon is awake!”

Sylus stilled himself, listening carefully towards the source of the sound in the dimly-lit room.

It was a voice he didn’t recognize, but the confidence in the tone only made his blood boil more.

Also… dragon? How in the-

“Who are you?...” Sylus demanded quietly, threatening aura radiating from him despite his constrained predicament. 

A quiet giggle came from his right, prompting the man to slowly turn his head as much as he could… only to see a middle-aged man he had seen only a couple of times in the media.

He was a well-known preacher and leader of the Star Cult, their spokesperson and one of the most influential religious leaders in the current world. He was always wearing all-white suit with small golden details on usually shaped like stars, his ashy and short hair combed back in an n immaculate manner.

“I suppose my face now looks familiar to you” he said, a perpetual polite smile constantly plastered over his face, “But, do not fret. We won’t keep you in this position much longer, I promise”

Sylus had to chuckle, “You’re right… mostly because you’re now on Onychinus’ shit list”

The man chuckled at that sentence, slowly coming closer to the bound man only to bend ever so slightly in his waist. Despite his appearance, his movements were fast and snappy, grabbing onto Sylus’ chin and pulling his head up until their eyes intertwined.

“Not even your precious organization will be able to help you today” the man’s voice sounded more threatening as his smile widened, causing him to close his eyes almost completely, “You’ won’t be leaving this place alive, little dragon”

Sylus chuckled, trying to ignore a slight tinge of panic that had stabbed him in the chest whenever that man would call him by his previous title.

“I don’t have to be alive for the entire N109 Zone to be breathing on your neck” he mumbled, the grip on his chin only getting stronger, “Do you know how valuable your head will be to other organizations when they find out you’ve put out a boss of Onychinus? None of your little followers will be safe…”

The man remained speechless for a moment or two, only to start giggling in the very next moment.

The chuckle soon transformed into a deranged, loud laughter, causing the man to fall back and throw his head towards the ceiling.

“You criminals won’t even exist anymore, you fool!” the older man exclaimed, giggles still prevalent as he tried to regain his composure, “Once his Mighty Holiness Astra raises again, none of you scumbags will be allowed to live!”

A chill ran down Sylus’ spine at the mere mention of that name, his body moving quicker than he was able to process the motion.

He launched forward, the chains clanking above him as he growled, one of his old habits seemingly scaring the older man silly.

“You will not utter that name in my presence, you deranged buffoon…” Sylus threatened, for the first time in a while regretting not having his old wings and tail just to slap that man into next week.

The preacher, however, really seemed to enjoy the whole ordeal, slowly getting himself back on his feet and dusting himself off whilst still chuckling and giggling.

“Now, now, no need to be so angry” he said, getting closer to Sylus once more, “Once we find that Foreseer of yours, your days in his world will be outnumbered”

Sylus’ heart dropped deeper into his stomach, only for his body to lunge forward in yet another attempt to grab his captor. The chains continued to squeeze and hold him in place, but not even intense pain and pressure could diminish his anger.

“If you even lay a hand on him, I swear I will destroy you…” he threatened, his tone dark with a growl in his undertone.

The man scoffed in response, bending down to grab Sylus’ face by the chin once again, “You’re not in a position to make any threats, bastard…” he hissed, his grin widening once more, “But you’re in luck, he’d already left the hospital he works in. Looks like he was smart enough to flee when he had caught the wind of the situation…”

Sylus closed his eyes, a momentary wave of relief washing over him. Thank goodness… must’ve been Luke or Livia who warned him-

“How very sad for you” the preacher continued to taunt him, squeezing Sylus’ face in his hand even more, “To think your beloved would abandon you after waiting for you for so many years… looks like your love wasn’t as strong as you thought, after all…”

Sylus’ mind went blank, his instincts hijacking his consciousness for only a brief moment.

His head twitched whilst his neck moved slightly to the left, his mouth promptly slipping onto the preacher’s hand.

In the next moment, he sunk teeth into the man’s palm, hard enough to hear the tearing of flesh echo in his ear, the old man screaming in agony.

“Let go!” he demanded, trying to tear away his hand, but Sylus would rather lose his teeth than allow him to get away so easily.

He held onto the man’s hand, sinking his teeth deeper and deeper, his only regret in that moment being that he didn’t have his dragonic fangs.

The preacher continued to scream loudly enough that two of his followers soon rushed into the room, having to physically pry Sylus’ mouth open in order to release him.

It was now silver-head’s turn to grin widely, the metallic taste of blood overtaking his mouth as he spat, the preacher’s entire palm bleeding profusely.

“My love for him is none of your business, human” Sylus hissed at the man once again, clearly relishing in the asserted control of the situation, “And even if you proceed to do whatever you intended… I promise to find you in my next life. You and all of your associates…”

The preacher went pale for a moment, but promptly regained composure, the sweat breaking on the sides of his face as he tried to mask the tremendous pain he was in.

“Once your heart is taken out and offered to the Almighty Astra, your spirit will never again be reborn…” he said in one final moment before turning around and walking out of the mostly empty room Sylus was held in.

Once alone, the silver-head allowed himself to slump over and sigh deeply, million thoughts and scenarios running through his head.

How did he even allow something like this to happen? Was he too dazed by the bliss Zayne had given him? Now he had jeopardized not only Onychinus, but Zayne’s very existence in this world.

How could you be so stupid, Syl-

The sudden loud howling echoed the entire building, reminding the silver-head of alarm sirens.

He looked up, noticing the red lights flickering outside of his prison. Now what?...

***

“Do you have a gun?” Livia asked as the car pulled up to the massive driveway covered in gravel, many units of Onychinus already infiltrating the villa they have managed to find thanks to that mysterious woman’s help.

Zayne reached under his coat and felt the small gun in the holster, only giving the woman beside him a small nod in response.

Livia smiled briefly before turning her head towards tinted window.

Commotion outside was chaotic, men covered from head to toe in protective clothing and with masks and helmets on their heads wielding long barrels as they entered through every entrance imaginable, distant shouts of shock and echoes of gunshots reverberating all around them.

Zayne looked outside from behind Livia, knowing that even with this much manpower; it’ll be a grueling task to look for Sylus in such a huge property.

Considering Star Cult’s influence and the amount of money they had, he wouldn’t be surprised if they even had secret passages under the mansion. They needed to act as quickly as possible…. But until his whereabouts were at least guesstimated, Livia and Zayne were not to leave the car.

The radio in Livia’s hand suddenly made a noise, making the duo look down.

“What’s the situation?” the woman spoke into the device, Luke’s voice promptly answering from the other side:

“We’re having visual on every single room on both floors, but he’s nowhere to be found” more crinkling interrupted his report, but once the signal cleared up, he continued, “Kieran is taking the squad to the underground level. It’s most likely he’s there”

“I’ll contact him. Thanks, Luke” Livia said briefly before looking for Kieran’s channel, Zayne having to exhale slowly so his heart wouldn’t burst.

“I hate this…” he mumbled eventually, the woman raising her head to look at him.

“I know…” she mumbled, patting him on the shoulder, “But we’re so close. There’s no chance they’ll slip away that easily.”

Zayne had to snicker, bitterness impossible to conceal, “They’ve managed to snatch him in a blink of an eye… from a police station. I’m convinced they could do even worse if we miss the timing…”

A long pause ensued between the duo, Zayne biting down on his lip as a last ditch effort to keep his composure.

“You know…” Livia eventually said, a small smile dancing on her lips, “They may have snatched him right before police’s nose… but do you really think Linkon police will look past this embarrassment? The Star Cult made fools out of them by infiltrating their own ranks…”

Zayne frowned, looking down at her. He knew what she was implying… but how could she be so sure police would be of any help?

Unless…“Has Tara spoken to Captain Jenna? ” the doctor asked, the corners of his lips twitching.

Livia’s own smile widened, mischief and purpose clear in every part of her expression, “This was exactly what they needed in order to step on the cult’s tail, a breakthrough in the case…. So yes, I do believe their days are numbered… we just need to make sure Sylus comes out of this unharmed”

Zayne could feel a small tinge of relief blooming in his chest, his body now burning with anticipation and need for movement.

In that very moment the radio made a sound again, Kieran’s voice coming through loudly and frantically,

“Liv, we’ve gone through every damn nook and cranny of the basement area…. But he’s not here…”

Both Zayne and Livia froze for a moment, the woman’s voice more commanding than usual:

“Did you find any possible exit point? Any leads as to where they could’ve gone?”

“We’re searching right now… but we did find a room where he was probably held… there are chains hanging from the ceiling”

Zayne could feel his chest tighten, the man having to grit his teeth in order not to shout into the device.

“Oh, hello…” Kieran’s voice sounded triumphant all of a sudden, putting the pair in the car on edge.

“What did you find, Kieran!?” Livia demanded, her hand resting on her own gun that was strapped to her side.

“There is, in fact a secret tunnel right at the other side of this room… looks like they left in a rush and didn’t close it properly”

“What’s the direction of the hole?” Zayne was the one to ask, already undoing his seatbelt.

“I’d say…. North-east, other direction as to where we entered”

“Head down the tunnel with your boys, Kieran, I’ll have someone meet you on the other side” Livia commanded, “If the police shows up, don’t come to the surface”

“Gotcha!” Kieran answered briefly before the line went dead.

Zayne didn’t even allow Livia to react, already stepping into the driver’s seat. The keys were still in the ignition, the doctor using the moment of surprise to start the car and drive down the gravel path.

“What are you doing, Zayne!?” Livia asked in a panicky, voice, but didn’t try to stop him, Zayne’s voice shaky and tense as he said:

“I’ll be the bait for them if we find them; they’ve already looked for me at Akso so it’s obvious I’m their second sacrifice…”

The woman was silent for a moment, her voice quieter as she said, “Zayne, I can’t allow you to get hurt, this is dangerous-”

“As long as you’re near us… nothing will happen” Zayne reminded her, the two sharing a brief but knowing glances in the rear-view mirror.

Hesitantly, Livia nodded and fastened her seatbelt tighter, allowing Zayne to drive them into the forest, in the direction of north-east.

The drive was bumpy and quick, but the doctor felt as if the time went on painfully slow, every movement in the bushes or behind trees potentially being what he was looking for.

“Zayne, look!” Livia suddenly exclaimed, pointing at something up ahead.

The doctor had to focus his vision, only noticing a small black creature floating in the air amongst the trees a few moments later.

“Mephisto…” he mumbled, fishing the phone out of his coat’s pocket and tossing it to Livia in the back, “Give him the order. It says ‘Find Sylus’”

The woman didn’t waste any time, using already unlocked phone to program the mechanical bird to perform its order.

Even through closed car windows, both of them could hear loud cawing, Mephisto soon flying further into the tree line and prompting the car to follow.

Zayne could feel his heart pounding as the sweat broke onto his skin, his hands gripping the wheel so tightly he was convinced he’ll break his fingers in the process.

But after what seemed like an eternity, a massive white car came into view… and so did four tall figures standing beside it.

“Hide” Zayne commanded Livia, the woman ducking behind the seat in the very next moment.

Their car came to a stop suddenly, tossing dirt and pebbles all around and alerting the group.

Only then did Zayne finally see Sylus’ form, his blood freezing over in his veins at the sight.

He was wearing nothing but dirty black pants that were thorn in places, his body filled with scratches and bruises all over. His hair was disheveled, mouth dirtied with dried blood and his hands suspended behind his back.

Zayne’s eyebrow twitched because of one particular detail, taking everything in him not to jump out of the car and kill all of those men: there was a marker trail in the middle of his chest, similar one he’d draw before his surgeries.

That was the place they’d probably make an incision for the ritual…

His eyes, however, were still focused, looking directly into the car that had just arrived.

Even if he had recognized it, he hadn’t let it be known.

“Who goes there!?” one of the men exclaimed, aiming a shotgun at the car.

It’s now or never…

Zayne slowly unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door of the car, both of his hands high up in the air as he slowly exited the vehicle. His eyes locked with Sylus’ immediately, the doctor clearly seeing his lover’s eyes widening for only a moment.

But it was not Sylus who had spoken first; it was the middle-aged man behind him, the figure exiting the white car as he clasped his two hands in front of his chest. Zayne could see his left hand was wrapped in bandages, fresh blood still breaking through…

“For the love of Mighty Astra, I didn’t believe I’d have this much luck” he said, the name causing yet another wave of chills to run down Zayne’s spine.

The doctor then snickered, trying to remain as calm as possible. “I’ve heard you’re looking for me… so I have saved you the trouble…”

The middle-aged man started laughing, the sound resonating through the trees as his followers did the same, their long barrels still directed at Zayne’s chest.

“As much as I appreciate your generous offer…” the man eventually said, delight very clear in his voice, “I hope you don’t think we’d fall for your bluff, right?”

Zayne gulped, trying to appear nonchalant by tilting his head slightly to the right, “What bluff?”

“Don’t play with me…” the preacher growled back at him, pulling onto Sylus’ restraints and putting a knife against his neck.

The silver-head didn’t even react, but it did cause Zayne to wince and make one step forward, this small movement only making other cult members more anxious.

“I know you have someone in that car and that you’re being followed by Onychinus’ dogs…” the man mumbled, his face distorting in the deranged grin, “But I’m sure we could strike a deal that would benefit all of us…”

Zayne bit his lip, “What are you suggesting?”

The preacher chuckled, pressing the knife into the skin of Sylus’ neck just enough to let a single droplet of blood to slither down.

“Get rid of all devices you have on hand… and kill the person in the car with you” the man demanded, “You’ll then head back with us, and we’ll conduct a proper ritual for our god’s resurrection”

Zayne closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths… but he wasn’t scared.

It was finally time to end all of this… but he needed to buy just a little more time.

“Before I fulfill your request… may I ask you something?”

The older man frowned, “…Go ahead”

“Why do you want to resurrect Astra so badly?”

The preacher chuckled once again, all of his followers doing the same right after, the man’s voice even more resolute as he answered:

“Why, you ask!? Because this world has fallen into ruin and debauchery! It is the collapse of our society that is causing all environmental mishaps that have occurred in the past century, and on top of it all, humans have forgotten the power of a true faith! And if we resurrect the Mighty Astra… he’ll take care of the new world order, putting all of humanity in its’ place-”

“He won’t” Zayne blurted out, his tone loud and determined.

“What did you say!? How do you know-”

“I was a Foreseer chosen by Astra, remember?” the doctor reminded, “Or has that information escaped your little research when you were looking for the two of us?”

The preacher’ frowned, his expression growing angrier as he yanked onto Sylus’ restraints, a few more droplets of blood dripping down his neck.

“Zayne, don’t…” the silver-head pleaded, the doctor almost losing his composure in that very moment.

But he couldn’t stop now… “Astra doesn’t care about humanity or fixing it. His only concern have always been the worshipping gifts he was receiving in exchange for his favor, and humans who were born with exceptional gifts he could claim as his own property. I’ve been shackled by him for centuries, and believe me… he will not help you…”

The clicking of guns made Zayne tense up, the preacher’s eyes so wide his irises were completely surrounded by whiteness.

“This is a new era, a new world… and you will just be another discarded human needed to resurrect his Holiness-”

A loud cawing suddenly interrupted his speech, causing everyone to look up… only for Sylus to snatch himself away from his captor’s grasp and use both of his legs to wrap himself around the preacher’s neck.

Zayne gasped, his hands instantly grabbing his concealed gun, the first gunshot echoing the quiet woods.

One of the cult members fell down, half of his head gone, causing the other three to momentarily fall into disarray.

Yet another gunshot echoed, the sound coming from the direction of the black car, but Zayne’s vision was too focused on Sylus and how to keep him from getting shot in order to see anything else… including the guy that pointed a shotgun at him.

As a louder shot reverberated in the air, Zayne was thrown away by the sheer force of the impact, landing directly onto the cold ground with a thud.

His head was spinning and pulsing with immense pain, the sound of many more gunshots and yelling soon filling up his ears. He heard myriad of heavy footsteps and threatening orders as well as police sirens in the distance, clearly recognizing voices of the twins a little further away.

But that’s when the pain had hit him, his hand instinctively covering the left side of his torso, right under the ribs-

Where… was Sylus? Was he safe-

“Zayne!” finally, a familiar voice echoed in the doctor’s ear, causing him to smile faintly as he turned his head to the left. His vision blurred in that very moment, two warm tears rolling down his temples.

“Sylus…” he mumbled as the silver-head ran up to him and kneeled down, his strong hands slowly scooping him up into his embrace.

“Where were you shot!? Tell me!” Sylus demanded; panic so clear on his face and in the desperate glint of those familiar red eyes.

But all Zayne could do was chuckle, raising his other hand to caress his lover’s dirtied face.

“Left side… where my hand is…” he directed, Sylus immediately removing his coat and looking at the hole made by a bullet.

“You… where’s the blood?...” he mumbled, raising Zayne’s shirt to have a better look… only to sigh with relief at a sight of a shotgun bulletproof vest.

Zayne chuckled faintly, every little movement causing him pain.

But… he was alive… and so was Sylus…

“You really think… Livia would let me come with her… without proper protection?”

It was Sylus who started giggling this time around, his expression relaxing in relief as he lowered his head down to kiss every inch of Zayne’s face.

“Thank goodness…. Thank to whoever is above in heavens…” he mumbled, his voice breaking in a way Zayne had never heard before.

His other hand embraced Sylus tighter, even more tears rolling down his temples as they both allowed their feelings to overflow them.

Their ordeal maybe wasn’t over…. But they managed to survive.

Both of them….

Chapter Text

The trip to Akso was tense and somewhat blurry for Sylus, his own injuries not even concerning him as he held Zayne in his arms at the back of the car. Livia and Luke were the ones sitting in the front, the woman continuing to extinguish the fire caused by sudden arrests of the members of the Star Cult.

Sylus himself knew there are many logistical things that needed to be handled as well as many lawsuits against Linkon city police and other organizations… but none of those mattered until Zayne was properly examined and treated for his injuries.

Even though the young doctor insisted he probably had broken ribs, Sylus couldn’t just accept it as a matter of fact. He needed to make sure nothing else was wrong with Zayne, especially after receiving a blow from a shotgun…

Once at their destination, the resident doctors and nurses didn’t even ask questions, rolling Zayne away on a gurney into a separate room before coming back for Sylus in order to patch him up as well.

He needed many cold compresses for his arms and legs to soothe the bruising caused by the chains, a couple of stitches on his face, head and upper arms, but nothing he wasn’t used to already. He had worse injuries than these…

But even when he needed to answer doctors’ questions, Sylus couldn’t help himself but look at the direction where Zayne was taken, hoping to at least see a glimpse of him…

He was patched up rather quickly, nurses even offering to take him to the lounge area to rest, but Sylus refused, Livia taking him to the waiting area so they could wait for Zayne together.

Even more waiting ensued, Sylus clenching his jaw whilst his left leg hopped in place, his red eyes only focused on the examination room Zayne was in. The twins arrived shortly after, bringing both him and Livia some food and refreshments.

The last thing on Sylus’ mind was eating… but he also knew he’d be scolded by multiple people if he acted like a brat in that moment… so he just swallowed his pride and allowed Livia to partially feed him as he still had bandaged arms.

Finally, after who knows how long, the resident doctor exited the examination room, looking for someone to convey the information to.

Sylus and Livia got up at the same time, grabbing the doctor’s attention, “Ah, you two must be with Dr. Zayne Li, correct?”

“We are indeed” Livia said politely before bowing to the doctor, “Will he be alright?”

The doctor smiled politely, “Good news is he has only three broken ribs. We made sure to check for any other injuries, especially rupture of the lungs when it comes to shotgun strike, but there was nothing wrong with his internal organs aside from some hematoma around the area of the blow”

Sylus and Livia sighed with relief, the man being the one questioning the doctor in a much deeper tone of voice, “When can we see him?”

“Soon” the doctor reassured, “Nurses are currently putting him on some IV fluids and we will soon transfer him to the second floor for recovery. We’ll give you a special permit to stay with him for the night if you so wish-”

“Do so” Sylus said immediately, aware that his tone might’ve come off as aggressive in that moment, “What do we need to sign? Can we do anything to make this process faster?”

The doctor was speechless for a moment, but eventually decided to shrug it off with yet another polite smile, “I’ll send the nurse to handle the paperwork. Since it’s Dr. Li we’re talking about, everything will go much faster”

The doctor soon left to tend to other patients, Sylus noticing a nurse coming their way in the very next moment.

“Let me handle this, Sylus” Livia suggested, taking him by the arm and towards the seats in the waiting area, “If they start rolling him out, go up without me. I’ll join you as soon as I handle all of the logistics… I think they’ll also ask me about how Zayne got shot”

Sylus opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself at the very last moment. With a defeated nod, he mumbled, “Thank you, Livia… you’ve done a lot for us in the past 24 hours…”

Livia chuckled, patting him on the shoulder, “It sounds so weird when you don’t use my nickname. This really scared you, didn’t it?”

The silver-head chuckled, seeing no use in lying to her, “It did… but not because of what happened to me…”

“I know…” Livia squeezed his shoulder, still making sure to avoid any place he might be injured, “But… both Zayne and I are fine… Zayne is fine, Sylus…”

He nodded, leaning against the wall with a deep sigh, “I know….”

They remained quiet for a couple of moments, Sylus taking a couple of deep breaths to regain his composure.

“I’ll go handle the paperwork now” Livia announced quietly, “Wait until I’m done if you want, but take following Zayne to the upper floor as your priority”

“Got it” the silver-head chuckled, amused by Livia ordering him around all of a sudden.

Even more time had passed once Sylus was left alone, impossible number of scenarios playing through his head, all of them fueled by his sense of anxiety.

They may have been out of the water with the Star Cult, but who’s to say some nutjob won’t try to resurrect Astra again? Their curse was still active as far as he knew… and now they were back at square one with their search for an alternative way to combat it.

Sylus must have dozed off in his seat, a light tap on the shoulder making him reach under his coat and onto the hilt of a gun.

But it was just a nurse, looking at him with surprised expression.

“You’re Mr. Sylus, correct?”

“Yes” he said as he stood up, towering over the woman whose eyebrows rose even more, “Is something the matter with Dr. Zayne?”

“N-no…” she stuttered, Sylus noticing a slight tint of blush on the woman’s cheeks, “He’s ready for your visit and asked if we could bring you in. He’s conscious and stable”

Sylus sighed with relief, closing his eyes to put his usual composure back in its place.

“Lead the way then” he said in a slightly more relaxed tone, not wanting to give the nurse more attention than she had already gotten. He needed to see Zayne as soon as possible…

One short elevator ride later, Sylus was on the third floor of the Akso hospital, room 303 being only a few steps away from the place where nurse and he had gotten off the elevator. The entire floor was sterile and simple, the scent of rubbing alcohol lingering in the air.

“Through this door please” the nurse said, obviously trying to keep it professional before leaving him to continue her work.

Sylus would’ve chuckled in any other occasion… but the moment those doors opened, his eyes were focused on one person only.

“Sylus?” Zayne called out to him, a faint smile spreading on his lips as soon as their eyes locked together.

The silver-head didn’t care about anything else in that moment, leaping into the room only to reach the bed in just two steps.

Zayne immediately tilted his head upwards, Sylus accepting the invitation and gently cupping his face so he could kiss him, the touch short yet filled with yearning.

“How’re you feeling, sweetheart?” he mumbled, rubbing one of his thumbs against Zayne’s cheek.

The doctor snickered, his green eyes glistening in the dim lighting of the room, “I’m just very sleepy… painkillers helped a lot with everything else”

Sylus was the one to chuckle this time, “Good…” he murmured, planting a gentle kiss on his lover’s forehead, “If you need anything, say so. I’ll fetch it for you even if I have to go outside of Linkon”

Zayne shook his head, the smile spreading on his features, “I don’t need anything right now… I’m just glad you and Livia are alright…”

The silver-head frowned as he noticed Zayne’s focus on his own bandages, instinctively covering them up with his jacket just so he wouldn’t upset him any further.

“These are nothing in comparison to some injuries I’ve gotten on the job” Sylus proclaimed, cheekily raising his shirt to display a scar from a certain bullet wound, “This one almost sent me to hell that day”

Zayne chuckled before hissing in pain, instinctively putting his hand over his ribs, “I’m glad it didn’t… Livia brought you here just in time”

“And a certain doctor with hands of gold saved me in more ways than one…” Sylus could feel his own lips spread into a tender smile, his fingers intertwining with Zayne’s other hand.

The doctor chuckled again, closing his eyes as he tried to adjust his position on the bed. Sylus sprang into action immediately, helping him to change his position, eventually dragging a chair closer to Zayne’s bed.

The time seemed to have stopped after that point, not even the words necessary as they continued to hold each other’s hand, Sylus leaning on his own hand so he’d be in the same eye level as his lover.

Zayne chuckled as he noticed the other’s gentle gaze, “You’re watching me very intently… do I have something on my face?”

“No…” the silver-head replied, not even trying to hide his smile, “I’m just… thankful for the outcome of this predicament… although, we’re back at where we began”

Zayne closed his eyes again, his jaw clenching as he uttered, “It seems so… but we’ll talk about it once we both recover…. We have plenty of time, now that… we’ve both survived…”

A loud gulp made Sylus raise his head and look at the other more intently, only then realizing Zayne had turned away from him.

“Sweetheart?” he called out quietly, but the doctor remained in the same position as if he didn’t hear him call, “Zayne?”

The man’s head turned slowly, Sylus only then noticing two tiny tears roll down his cheeks, Zayne trying so hard not to lose his cool in that moment.

But Sylus wasn’t about to let him hold it all in.

“Hey, now…” he mumbled, hovering over the doctor as he kissed both tears away, “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know…” Zayne mumbled, his breath getting hitched as he grimaced in pain, “Just the realization that… I could’ve lost you again, after all this time and after we’ve managed to find each other, I-”

The doctor closed his eyes as even more tears continued to pour out, his lips turning into a single line as he still tried his hardest not to cry.

Sylus could only kiss every inch of his face, his voice resolute yet gentle, “You’ll never lose me, sweetheart. After everything we’ve done, I have no intention of giving up on us any time soon. Once you recover, we’ll start again… and we’ll be alright…”

Zayne nodded, finally allowing barely audible sobs to escape him as he leaned in to touch Sylus’ forehead with his.

The silver-head continued to listen to his sobs in the quietness of the room, his own heart breaking as he could only soothe his lover in that moment.

He won’t be able to take away what had happened to them, neither of them will forget it…. But now, Zayne had finally let all of his guard down, his true feelings, his fears and his primal wishes bare before Sylus’ eyes.

In that moment, they were truly connected like never before, seeing a side of each other they’ve never gotten to see, in all of their previous incarnations…

Neither of them knew how much time had passed once Zayne finally managed to calm down, Sylus not leaving his side for even a moment. The painkillers started affecting him eventually, Sylus kissing the other on the cheek and lips before he closed his eyes to sleep.

Only a couple of moments later, Sylus’ head turned as he heard someone enter the room, his body promptly relaxing as he saw Livia.

“How’s he?” she asked, coming closer from the other side of the bed, “His cheeks seem puffy, is he alright?”

“Just very tired” Sylus locked his eyes with Livia, his gaze intense but pleading, “You two can talk as soon as he wakes up-”

Another knock at the door seemed to startle them both, Sylus ready to send away whoever decided to bother them.

Livia was the one to reach the door and open them gently, a quiet gasp making Sylus curious about the newcomer.

Getting up from the chair and looking from behind his assistant, he saw a short woman dressed in elegant black attire, simple high heels and with her dark hair falling down her back. She was definitely what an average person would consider gorgeous in terms of looks, but Sylus couldn’t shake off the strange feeling he had about her.

That opinion only solidified once he noticed a large bouquet in her hands, one consisting only white jasmines and pink daturas.

“Oh, it’s you!” Livia exclaimed, allowing the woman to enter.

“Who is this?” Sylus demanded, not taking his eyes off the woman for even a second.

“She’s the one who warned me about the Cult before I was abducted, and the one who helped us locate you” Livia elaborated, the woman seemingly hiding behind the bouquet.

“Hah…” the silver-head chuckled, the smile never appearing on his lips, “And what was your reason for that, young lady? There must’ve been something you’d wish to gain from involving yourself in this situation”

The woman hesitated, but once her dark eyes locked with Sylus’, all he could see was sincerity and determination.

“I simply didn’t want to see you become victims of my father’s cult, that’s all” she said as she handed him the bouquet, “I’ve brought this for both you and Dr. Li, to express my gratitude”

Sylus could feel his eyebrows rise, but he still accepted the flowers and turned away from her. There was an empty vase on the small table beside Zayne’s bed, the silver-head deciding to fill it up for the flowers.

“We’re the ones who should show you gratitude, correct?” he asked, not even looking behind him as he carefully lowered the bouquet into the water, “Name anything you want and if it’s within my capabilities, I’ll get it for you-”

“There’s really no need for that, Mr. Sylus… the fact that I’m now free to do what I want is enough. I just wanted to make sure you and… Dr. Li are fine after all this time…”

Sylus frowned at the sudden change of the woman’s tone, but didn’t fully turn to face her. He could still see Livia shift in her spot, their eyes intertwining for a moment.

“He’ll be fine” the silver-head reassured after a pause in their conversation, “And so will I… I assume we’ll see each other at the trial of your father?”

“Probably…” the woman sighed, rubbing her forehead as if she suddenly got a headache, “But considering all the evidence police had managed to find in the mansion, I don’t think the trial will last long. My own statement will also cement his sentence”

Sylus had to chuckle, finally turning to face the woman from across the room, “You seem to harbor a lot of resentment for your father…”

The woman snickered, shaking her head, “I have my reasons, ones that you needn’t concern yourselves with. I’m just happy everything is over”

With those words, the woman checked her outfit and adjusted the bag on her shoulder, one of her feet already facing the door as she turned.

“Alright, I’ll be leaving you to rest, it’s already late. Give Dr. Li my warmest regards once he wakes up-”

“May I ask you a question, miss?” Livia suddenly spoke, her voice resolute and serious.

The woman promptly frowned, nodding in approval.

“That day you’ve warned me about the abduction… how did you know it was going to happen in that very moment?”

“W-well, I was looking for you, I saw the record with your name in the house and-”

“You bumped into me, remember?” Livia reminded, Sylus feeling a sudden and tense shift in the air, “Unless you did that on purpose and only pretended to be surprised, you seemed just as surprised as I was when it happened. So… you weren’t really looking for me, were you?”

The woman opened her mouth to speak, but only frustrated moan escaped her until she closed them again. She looked to the side, her bag now in between her hands as she clutched onto it.

“And we touched hands briefly… and you probably noticed it, right?” Livia continued to probe at her, slowly closing the gap between them in somewhat of a threatening manner.

The woman could only nod, her expression going completely blank yet showcasing an obvious prideful demeanor.

“No need to beat around the bush anymore, Ms. Livia. Just say it”

Livia chuckled, tossing a brief look to Sylus before the words crossed her lips.

“You’re Astra, right?”

Sylus could feel his entire body become cold in an instant, only for the rage to explode in the middle of his chest.

He couldn’t stop his body from reacting in time, his vision narrowing towards the woman as he reached for her.

In an instant, silver-head grabbed the back of the woman’s head and pulled it hard, her yelp short but loud as she looked up at him with a terrified expression.

“Sylus!” Livia exclaimed, immediately jumping on his back in an attempt to restrain him, “Let her go!”

“You came here to relish in your own success?...” he hissed in her face, only tightening the grip on her hair, “You happy now? That we’re still affected by that curse of yours? And for what? Because your little human refused to listen to you?”

“Release me!” she demanded, earning yet another tug from Sylus.

“No” he barked, “I can make the earth swallow you this very moment, just for what you did to Zayne back then… I could make you suffer-”

“That WON’T break your curse, you stupid beast!” she exclaimed, once again attempting to release herself.

Sylus could feel his face twitch, Livia’s silent plea making him loosen the grip ever so slightly.

“Remove it yourself, then” he demanded, “That’s the least you can do-”

“I can’t-”

“I meant what I said about killing-”

“I said I cannot, damn it!” she screamed in his face, Sylus needing every ounce of composure in order to not throw her into the nearest wall, “I’m a human now, just like you and Zayne… a weak, pathetic and filthy human…”

Sylus chuckled, finally releasing her from his grip and allowing Livia to drag him back, “That is what you call retribution… it comes for the gods as well…”

Rubbing at the back of her head, Astra looked at both of them with pure resentment, her eyes eventually stopping on Livia.

“The first version of you… was the one to kill me the first time” she said, her lower lip quivering, “To think even my godly power wouldn’t be able to affect you… it’s as if the Heavens sent you as my punishment”

“Maybe they did” Livia retorted, still holding onto Sylus, “And maybe that’s why I’m a temporary antidote to the very curse you’ve set on the two lovers you didn’t approve of”

Astra huffed, fixing her outfit and hair as quickly as her shaky hands would allow her.

“So it’s true…”

Everyone in the room froze for a moment, Zayne’s voice lacking any semblance of weakness or pain it had before he fell asleep.

Sylus looked at him, but the doctor’s gaze was only focused on the very person who tortured him for centuries before he got released by Sylus’ mark.

The way his eyes widened, the way he clutched the covers on the bed, the way his complexion was even paler compared to when they came to Akso for treatment…

He was still terrified of the god he once served… even though she was now but a regular human.

“How did you guess?” Astra asked him, their eyes locking together.

“I didn’t…” Zayne mumbled, “I could recognize your energy anywhere… even though I don’t have my powers anymore… That chill down my spine… only one person can still evoke it”

The woman chuckled bitterly, looking to the side, “Then, you must be glad that I’m just a regular human now”

Zayne didn’t respond, lowering his head and clenching his jaw.

Sylus was right there beside him, kissing the top of his head in reassurance.

“I think it’s the best that you leave now…” he said, his voice low and threatening.

“I will…” Astra mumbled, putting the bag back onto her shoulder, “But… I still needed to rely one final piece of information to your little friend” she said as she looked at Livia.

“I’ll only listen if it has to do with the curse” the woman said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, making Astra snicker.

“It does, in fact… but most of this you’ve heard before if you were raised in a shamanic household”

“Out with it already” Sylus prompted, his voice raising.

He could see the woman frown and give him a dirty look, but aside from that, she finally went on her tangent:

“Have you heard of the red and silver strings of fate?”

Livia frowned, “Yes I have… red one connects two people who are destined to be together in any way, shape or form… while the silver one showcases people’s connection to their past incarnations”

Astra nodded at the explanation, like a teacher satisfied with the student’s result, “You see… because I’ve lost all of my divinity over the course of a millennia and countless incarnations I’ve been through, I cannot remove the curse anymore… but if you sever any of those strings that tie them together, they will be free of this curse”

“Wait a moment…” Zayne was the one to say as he raised his head, “What would all of that mean? What would be the consequences?”

Astra’s expression shifted ever so slightly as she looked at him, but she still responded with a heavy sigh:

“It’s hard to say… but my assumption would be something like this: in case you choose to sever the red string, you’d lose all affection for one another, which would automatically make the curse null and void…. Or, in case you choose to sever your silver strings, you’d lose all memories you’ve shared in the past and even everything you’ve been through together in the present life…”

Sylus felt his heart drop in his stomach, the choice seeming almost impossible for either of them… but, at least now, they had time to think about it for a while…

“How exactly do I sever those strings?” Livia asked, wonder very clear in her tone.

“You need to enter the trance-like state while these two are sleeping in the same room or close to one another. You’ll gain the ability to see what is not in the real world, which will also manifest their red and silver strings. Then, you use your hand to sever it…”

Livia scratched her chin, but Sylus could see the confidence oozing from her every pore.

“I’ll need more detailed notes for the ritual… but I think it can be done”

Astra snickered, partially amused by her answer, “I’ll deliver all of the notes to you as soon as I write them down… and that will be the last time you hear or see from me”

“Sounds good to me” Sylus interjected whilst straightening his posture.

He could feel Zayne’s hand squeezing his, but he didn’t waver in his next sentence, “If I ever see you near me or Zayne again, I’ll make sure you end up six feet under”

Astra chuckled and turned on her heel, “You might not remember me anymore if we see each other… but I cannot do anything to you two anymore nor do I want to… I’ve had enough of this resentment, it had brought me nothing but misery and this sorrowful life as the creatures I’ve detested. But at least now, knowing both of you will finally live in the same time together, maybe means my own existence will become a little less miserable…”

“I hope it does for your sake” Livia noted somewhat gently, only for her tone to deepen, “But even if they end up forgetting you… I will be the one to remember… and if you try anything again, I’ll be the one to stop you…”

Astra remained silent for a moment, only turning her head to the side to lock eyes with Livia.

“I’ll keep that in mind….”

With those words, Astra walked out of the hospital room, leaving the feeling of dread and tension in her wake.

But, at least, all three could take a deep breath of relief.

“Zayne, are you alright?” Sylus asked immediately, the doctor only being able to lie back down on the pillows.

“I’ll be…” he mumbled, “I don’t think I’ll fall asleep any time soon after this encounter…”

“Do you want me to call the nurse? Are you hungry?” Livia asked, concern completely overtaking her face.

The doctor chuckled silently, “I’m not… but you can go and get some hot chocolate from the cafeteria. I think they’re still open at this hour”

“I’ll go immediately!” she said before dashing to the door, “Sylus, do you want anything? You haven’t eaten a lot after your checkup…”

“Bring whatever you can find… some cup noodles are maybe the best choice…” he mumbled, not taking his eyes of Zayne.

“I’ll bring you three packs!” Livia announced before going through the door, leaving the two alone for a little while longer.

The silence that ensued was deafening, million thoughts running through Sylus’ head.

Who would’ve thought even gods could face a punishment for their mishaps? He wasn’t mourning Astra by any means, but seeing the god so miserable in a human body, it gave him a certain sense of wonder and thrill.

But the fact that same god didn’t have their powers anymore posed yet another obstacle in front of Zayne and him… the one they’ll have to make a choice on how to finally get through.

“Even with Astra still in this world… we cannot pass this trial without heartbreak…” Zayne said eventually, the hurt returning to his voice.

Sylus reached down to kiss his lips, hoping to relinquish him of at least some pain he was feeling, be it physical or mental.

“We don’t have to make a decision right away…” he reassured, “We have our cards to play… and we’ll make the best decision possible”

Zayne nodded, but Sylus didn’t miss the discreet quiver of his lower lip.

“If only… I’ve never started loving you this much…” he eventually blurted out, another warm tear running down his temple, “You would live a long life, wouldn’t suffer so many deaths over the course of a millennia… your soul would’ve been free…”

Sylus could feel his own heart ache from every single word, but he refused to crumble, especially now when Zayne needed him.

With another kiss, the silver-head whispered, “I could have lived much longer in my first life… but that life would’ve been meaningless without you… and now that we are together, I don’t regret a single thing that happened to me… So, don’t say such things anymore…”

“I’m sorry…” Zayne mumbled, his calm demeanor completely crumbling, “Everything that had happened… I hate seeing you suffer… I’m so sorry for saying that-”

Sylus shushed him and kissed his forehead, allowing his beloved to let all of those feelings out.

He was aware that Zayne probably wasn’t himself due to painkillers, but even though his words stung deeply, Sylus couldn’t bring himself to be angry with him.

Their punishment was unfair, their suffering was unjustified, all because one god couldn’t accept their defeat and loss of a devout believer they’ve had for centuries.

Their suffering wasn’t their fault… but now, they had the tools to finally overrule it, to finally be free from the grasp of their cruel destiny.

They could finally start over….

Chapter Text

The first thing Zayne felt as he opened his eyes was familiar, sweet warmth against his bare back.

With his eyes still adjusting to the early morning light, the doctor slowly moved his sore body, making sure to feel every single sensation: a slight tingle on his back left by deep scratches, a dull yet familiar pain in his lower back and abdomen, overall tiredness and tenderness of his every muscle… and a pair of large, strong arms wrapped around him like a comforting shield.

Zayne sighed in bliss, turning around to look at his lover. The dim light shone upon his large shoulders from the large windows of their shared bedroom, Zayne unable to resist the urge to kiss him on the lips.

The man beside him murmured, his eyes still closed, and yet, his arms only wrapped tighter around Zayne, forcing the doctor to lean onto his chest, right above his heart.

So fast, Zayne thought, listening to the intense beating within the other’s chest.

And his body… it was always so warm, making Zayne want to stay in his embrace forever.

“Good morning…” the other said suddenly, his voice raspy and deep.

Zayne looked up at him, mischievous chuckle escaping his throat along with a seductive purr: “And you seem to be rather comfortable”

The doctor gasped silently, propping himself on his elbow ever so slightly, now hovering over his sleepy lover.

“And why are you surprised by that?” Zayne whispered, his own amused chuckle escaping him “I feel sore from last night… and your warmth helps a lot”

A guttural chuckle escaped the other man, raising one of his hands to caress Zayne’s cheek, the doctor leaning into it instinctively.

“Then… stay in bed with me for today…” the man demanded, a tender look making it very hard for Zayne to keep his resolve.

“I can’t, Sylus…” he mumbled, planting yet another kiss on the other’s lips, “I’m on call for the entire day… and it’s the festival season, there will probably be a lot more interventions than usual…”

Sylus huffed, but didn’t move from under Zayne.

The tension in the air shifted quickly, silver-head’s intense gaze slowly softening as Zayne looked down at him, their faces slowly closing the distance once again.

The kiss was much more intense than before, desire and hunger present in every movement of the pair’s lips.

It didn’t matter that they’ve already made love so many times last night, Zayne couldn’t help it…

Sylus allowed the doctor to lead, Zayne’s free hand roaming the other’s wide chest as the intensity of their kisses increased with every passing moment.

Zayne could feel it, his lover’s manhood stiffening under his body as he caught Sylus’ lip between his teeth before continuing to kiss him, the silver-head not even trying to resist in any given moment.

“Starved for more, sweetheart?” Sylus whispered into kisses, prompting Zayne to shut him up instantly before straddling him completely.

In the corner of his mind, Zayne could feel a familiar tingle of shame, something he had carried ever since he was aware of himself. Shame that told him he had to be proper, polite and reserved, a shame that that never allowed him to have anything he desired…

But the doctor wasn’t about to allow that same shame to overtake him again, not after he had a taste of what true ecstasy, true adoration and true desire felt like.

It was all within his hands, his grasp… and Zayne would rather die than let that go…

Once on top of him, Zayne had finally broken the kiss and looked down at the rather amused mob boss. His prideful expression had certain sweetness to it, his eyes shining in the way Zayne had never seen before.

He leaned forward, one of his hands above Sylus’ quickly beating heart while his other hand inspected his backside. Still soft enough…

“You know it’s dangerous to call me that?...” Zayne mumbled in daze, his words slowly becoming a needy, desperate whisper. 

He could feel Sylus’ nails digging into the skin of his waist, but the light pain only amplified the sensations that were slowly nearing their peak. His other hand, however, was nothing short of gentle as he raised it up to caress the doctor’s lips.

“Call you what?” Sylus teased him, a familiar and daring purr causing a wave of shivers to run down Zayne’s spine.

With his impatience getting the better of him, Zayne found his lover’s manhood rather quickly, slowly guiding it towards his most throbbing spot as he slowly lowered his body onto it.

Like every single time before, their bodies connected instantly, Sylus’ shaft disappearing in the warmth of Zayne’s inner walls.

The doctor let out a loud, desperate moan, the sensation so intense and sweet he had completely discarded his own shame, modesty and morals.

This man, whom he had met by accident a whole year ago, had a complete grip and power over him… and Zayne didn’t want it to end.

Any of this… he didn’t want it to end…

The doctor arched his back before looking down, Sylus’ eyes seemingly glowing with gentle red as he murmured “Sweetheart... that word- nghh~”

Zayne’s hips started to rock and move on their own, chasing a well-known pleasure whilst his hands gripped and dug into the soft skin of Sylus’ chest and stomach. His breaths grew labored and deep, the sweat instantly coating every inch of his body as a familiar and tingly sensation overtook his lower abdomen.

“Do you like it when I call you that?...” Sylus asked, his question barely audible from his own muffled moans, his perfect lips parting slowly.

Zayne allowed his own body to lead, one of his hands reaching down to caress the other’s cheek, only for a thumb to cross over Sylus’ lower lip, the silver-head gently sucking the tip of it into his mouth as the doctor continued to move in a steady and intense rhythm.

A tinge of sweet pain jolted through Zayne’s finger and hand, Sylus now holding him in place in more ways than one.

Barely remembering the question he was asked in his delirium, Zayne nodded, his hips starting to pick up the pace, completely unashamed of his following answer: “Yes… I do! Sylus- ahhh!”

Once that needy moan escaped him, Sylus’ body moved swiftly and strongly.

The silver-head had promptly sat up and captured Zayne’s lips once more, their hips starting to move in perfect unison.

Every breath, every moan, every needy yelp was swallowed by Sylus’ lips, Zayne clinging onto him as if his very sanity depended on it.

His thoughts, his feelings, everything started to melt away as their bodies continued to move, the doctor soon being unable to think or realize anything beyond the ecstasy and sinful paradise he was plunged into in that moment in time, in that early morning….

The climax came quickly and strongly for both of them, Zayne completely unaware of anything else as his body convulsed, tensed up and then relaxed, soon making the space for the merciful yet sweet exhaustion.

His legs were shaking, his breath was shallow, and his entire body had refused to do what it was supposed to, only his hands clinging around his lover’s broad shoulders.

He could hear Sylus whisper sweet nothings to him, every word hazy and inaudible between the gentle kisses and nibbles around his earlobe.

And yet, only one word seemed to break through Zayne’s ecstatic fog, echoing in the very core of his being.

“Sweetheart… My sweet Zayne…”

The doctor blinked, but still allowed Sylus to put him back down on the bed, his large body now hovering over him, the afterglow almost making Zayne believe that they’re floating above the clouds.

As his rationality slowly returned, Zayne raised his hand and caressed his lover’s cheek again, his fingers soon burying themselves within that luscious silver hair.

“Sylus?”

“Hm?” the other murmured, kissing the inner side of Zayne’s wrist.

“Do you… ever get a feeling of déjà vu when we’re together?”

The silver-head frowned, but Zayne didn’t miss a slight glint of recognition in the other’s eyes, “Why?...”

The doctor hesitated, raising his head to kiss the corner of Sylus’ lips to gather his courage.

“I… I can’t really explain it…” he admitted, his voice almost breaking, “It’s as if… we’ve done all of this before… long, long time ago…”

Sylus chuckled, “Well, in the last year or so, we did make love a lot of times, and not just in this bed-”

A light tap on the shoulder caused the mob boss to giggle like a mischievous boy, his smile tender and endearing.

“You know I don’t mean it like that…” Zayne scolded him, but still continued to comb through the other’s hair.

For a moment, Sylus’ gaze seemed to lose itself; as if he was trying to visit some distant part of his mind he wasn’t even sure existed.

“I’ve… had that feeling ever since we’ve met…” he eventually admitted, his eyebrow twitching, “Our meeting itself seemed like it was destined to me… and to think that if I wasn’t the one to bring Livia for her heart check-up, I probably wouldn’t have met you…”

Zayne blinked slowly, biting on his lower lip.

“I… wasn’t supposed to examine her that day either, it would’ve been unethical since I know her… but Dr. Wang was out due to a sudden emergency… now that I think about it, a lot of things needed to happen for us to meet… and yet look at us…”

Sylus chuckled, planting yet another yearning kiss on the doctor’s lips.

“I’ve always been a lucky person…” he mumbled in Zayne’s lips before kissing him again, “But I think I’ve really been heaven’s favorite when they’ve allowed me to meet you and love you like this”

Zayne smiled at his words, deciding to ignore a sudden pang of pain that appeared in his chest.

Every now and then, Sylus would say something similar to this… and every single time, this sensation would hit Zayne out of nowhere, almost causing him to tear up.

But… Zayne never wanted to acknowledge that sensation out loud.

Be it a coincidence, destiny, will of the gods, or whatever else, he had met Sylus at one of the lowest points of his life, when his work was so stressful he believed he’d quit… and he hadn’t regretted a second of it.

Their magical bubble had finally burst as the sound of an alarm started ringing through the bedroom, both men groaning in disappointment.

“How are you feeling?” Sylus asked as the doctor slowly got out of bed, his backside still somewhat sore from their impromptu morning exercise… and all other activities they’ve been up to last night.

“A little sore…” he admitted, “Nothing a bit of warm water and ibuprofen won’t fix-”

Sylus gently grabbed him by the hand, still lying on his side in bed while holding Zayne firmly in place.

“Call in sick today, then” he asked again, “You’ve been working too much these past two weeks”

Zayne chuckled, but still pulled his hand away, planting another kiss on Sylus’ lips.

“I could say the same for you” he reminded, “N109 zone seems to be very active as of late”

“I’ll handle that in just a little while” Sylus reassured, his eyelids visibly getting heavier, “It’s just a couple of hard-to-crack nuts who dislike the fact a woman inherited the main position in Onychinus… well, unofficially, but still, some just can’t let it go…”

“Better handle it quickly” Zayne said through a giggle, giving Sylus a full view of his naked body as he walked towards the bathroom, “Livia doesn’t like you meddling in her work”

The silver-head chuckled in the same sultry voice the other man adored more than anything, that very sound following him as he closed the door behind him.

The rest of Zayne’s morning routine went as usual, shower and shaving taking most of his time. When he exited back into the bedroom, Sylus wasn’t in bed anymore, but a familiar sweet scent lingering in the air made the doctor chuckle.

His outfit for the day was simple, consisting of plain black pants, black turtleneck and simple leather shoes, Zayne once again checking his work bag for all things he might need for a very long shift ahead of him.

As he exited into the main living area, he saw what he had expected: Sylus, dressed only in his underwear and a cooking apron, standing next to the waffle machine, berries, whipped cream and maple syrup beside him on the counter.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Zayne asked as he approached him and kissed his shoulder, already knowing the answer.

“I can’t allow my favorite doctor to go back to work on an empty stomach and with low sugar in his blood”

Zayne couldn’t contain his own chuckle, the smell of yogurt waffles only causing his stomach to growl.

With just an amused look, Sylus pointed towards the small dining table, the plate and cutlery already waiting for Zayne.

In some things, the doctor knew there was no arguing with Sylus.

Even early on, before they were even official, this intimidating mob boss insisted on showing his adoration for Zayne with various small and grand gestures, from sending macaroons to him during long shifts at the hospital, all the way to taking care of him when he had caught a flu very early on in their relationship.

And he never, ever missed the opportunity to tell Zayne how much he adores him, making the doctor only become greedier for his attention and affection.

But there were also things Zayne was absolutely adamant about, and even though he initially tried to object, Sylus obliged to the doctor’s wishes.

Always making sure to share his location when in N109 Zone in case of a sudden medical emergency, be it for him or anyone from Onychinus Sylus trusted.

Readjusting his sleep schedule to a healthier one when he wasn’t working actively.

Teaching Zayne how to properly handle various weapons and fight in case he needed it.

Everything else in this relationship? Functioned as if they have already done this before…

Zayne gulped as that same, heavy sensation overtook his chest for only a moment, his eyes losing focus for a moment.

He couldn’t be happier with his current life… and that is precisely why he sometimes felt so guilty. As if he didn’t deserve to be treated with so much gentleness and kindness… but, he also knew Sylus shared his sentiment.

Very early on, both men had expressed this strange feeling, as if they were simply meant to be… even though there was no basis for them to feel that way aside from their own lovey-dovey phase.

But, the more time they’ve spent together, the more in tune with each other the two of them seemed.

As if they’ve already known each other for a very long time. What angers them, what worries them, how they function…. As if all of it was written deep within their very beings.

The sensation… was unnerving, but also very welcome, sometimes feeling like a test, and sometimes like a reward from heavens, at least in Zayne’s own mind.

He was sure these feelings will continue to plague him for a little while longer…. But if this truly was some kind of divine reward for something he had done before… he will gladly accept it and live the rest of his life bathing in the tenderness of Sylus’ arms while also showering him with his own love and gentleness.

“Breakfast’s ready~” Sylus chirped, bringing Zayne back to the present time.

The plate was beautifully arranged as always, a small snow-flake shaped chocolate nestled into a small mountain of whipped cream being the first thing the doctor had eaten. A fresh cup of coffee was soon placed beside him, Sylus only then sitting across from him.

“Be sure to sleep when I leave, alright?” Zayne said while slowly eating the sweet breakfast.

Sylus chuckled, “Doctor’s orders?”

Zayne smiled as he looked up at him, “Doctor’s orders”

“Alright then” his laugh once again turned sultry, causing Zayne’ heart to skip a beat, “But I’ll be sure to drop by and bring you a proper lunch today. Just state your wishes and I’ll bring it as soon as it’s ready”

The doctor snickered, his lips widening into a bigger smile.

“I’ll be counting on it, then…”