By the time Erik caught up to Aliya, she had already stopped at the cliff’s edge. Just below them they could see the entrance to the cave but the sheer cliffside in the downpour made it rather treacherous to try and climb the long way down.
“When it rains it pours,” Aliya huffed as she glanced over her shoulder at Erik. “One wrong move and we’ll be a raindrop.”
“Why did Mistral have to come to ruin our day?” Erik groaned as he scratched the back of his head. He was trying to think if there was an easier way to get down, but he could only recall Zephyr using Magic Artes to get them both up and down when they came across the cliffs.
“I’ve dropped from much taller than this and used my Geiser Rise to land safely but I don’t know if I could do it for all of us.” Aliya crossed her arms and sighed. “It burns up a lot of mana to use it to slow momentum like that. Even sharing your mana, it’d be a stretch to do it three times.”
“I don’t think there is an easy way down. Maybe we’d be better off just trying to wait it out underneath the canopy.” Erik turned to look back at the forest they came from only to see Sigmis was directly behind him and Aliya. He wasn’t expecting him to be so close so it made him jump a little.
“Unnecessary, the cavern below will do just fine.” Sigmis smirked as he quickly scooped up Erik and Aliya in his arms.
“Sigmis! What are you doing?” Aliya was growing nervous with what she suspected he was planning.
“I don’t think this is a good idea!” Erik shared Aliya's concern.
“Nonsense,” Sigmis chuckled as he took a few steps closer to the edge of the cliff. He let out enough mana to coat the ground at the base of the cliff to see the best spot to land. “You needn’t do anything more than hold tight.”
Aliya curled into Sigmis and tightly gripped his robes. Aliya could tell Sigmis was comfortably confident about this and he was a Celestial after all. Erik steeled his nerves, he couldn’t imagine that Sigmis would save them from Mistral only to have them die from a fall.
Sigmis jumped, holding Aliya and Erik tightly against him. The air that flowed past them was warm. Erik’s heart was pounding as the rain seemed as though it was reversed as they fell. Aliya squeezed her eyes shut as she saw the ground rapidly approaching. She expected some impact or for the heat of a Magic Arte from Sigmis, but neither came. She opened her eyes as he carefully set them both down.
Erik was amazed, he was also expecting some impact or something flashy but Sigmis landed gracefully and gently as though they only dropped from a few inches. He’d never been close to a Celestial before, Sigmis acted like any other Spirit so it was easy to forget how much more powerful he was compared to them. Erik knew he wasn’t even seeing a fraction of it since Sigmis never even broke a sweat.
“Come, let’s get out of this rain,” Sigmis smiled as he turned towards the cavern, motioning for them to follow.
“I’m going to see if I can find the stuff to make a fire,” Aliya paused at the entrance to the cavern after the other two stepped inside. She started to pull off the cloak Sigmis had given her. “I think between myself and Sigmis we can dry out the wood enough.”
“I’ll help you,” Erik turned back.
“No you stay put!” Aliya threw the cloak right at Erik’s head. Erik pulled it off and realized it was dry still despite having been in the rain. “I’m a Water Spirit. The rain is good for me. I don’t need you getting sick, so stay here and focus on getting dry.”
“But-,” Erik was interrupted by Sigmis placing a hand on Erik’s shoulder.
“I think Aliya has the right idea,” Sigmis could tell she wanted a moment to herself. He also wanted a moment to speak with Erik without her so it worked in their favor. “Don’t stray far.”
“I won’t,” Aliya waved as she vanished among the trees.
“Sigmis we were just attacked and she’s the main target,” Erik huffed. “What if there’s still someone out there?”
“I don’t think that is the case, even so, I’ll be watching carefully for anything out of the ordinary,” Sigmis crossed his arms. “Should anything come to my attention I’ll be able to find her swiftly.”
“Once the mana cleared you took care of Mistral before any of us knew what was happening. In one strike too.” Erik glanced at the obsidian blade that Sigmis had made. “I was wondering, why the obsidian? I’m sure you could have used the statue even though most of it was buried. I remember Zephyr said something about it being made of metal.”
“It did cross my mind, but it would have taken too much time,” Sigmis placed his hand on the blade. “Also I feel it would have likely upset Aliya given her passion for historical relics and architecture.”
“I could see that,” Erik laughed. “I guess it worked out anyways. Without you around we’d probably be halfway to Belfaygor Tower by now.” Erik’s cheerful expression darkened as he thought about what would have happened if Sigmis hadn’t been there. The scenario played out in his head ending with him dead and Aliya forcefully tethered to an immortal madman with no escape since Erik had the only weapon that could free her.
“Sigmis, do you know what Jack Mystic is like?” Erik couldn’t forget the face he saw from Aliya’s memory. He couldn’t help but wonder if that was him.
“I’ve never met Mystic directly. Back in my time he was known as the man that could change your fate. It rarely was for the better, the cost was quite heavy. A human I held very dear was a victim of his curses and magic experimentation. The way she described him was the grin of a shark with golden eyes that see right through you.”
“Did she say he had long hair that was half black and the other white?!” Erik asked rather quickly, realizing his hunch was correct.
“Yes, have you crossed paths with this monster?” Sigmis tilted his head towards Erik with a look of worry.
“Just like you, not directly,” Erik shook his head. He had a face to the name but it only made him feel worse. “I’ve never seen him with my own eyes but when we were talking about him with Aliya…”
“A memory of him came to you,” Sigmis finished Erik’s thought.
“Yeah,” Erik looked at Sigmis with confusion. “I don’t know how though. When we were fighting Mistral, I never broke a tether with Regulus before but I knew it was like condensing the Magic Arte Aliya used to free you. It’s not like she taught me that either.”
“Memories are bound to mana,” Sigmis explained. “It’s how Spirits even exist in the first place. You and Aliya share mana since you are tethered, therefore it’s possible for you to see her memories.”
“But I hadn’t experienced this when I tethered a Spirit before, what’s so different?” Erik placed a hand over his heart.
“It’s a rare occurrence so I’m not sure I can elaborate on that, I apologize,” Sigmis sighed.
“It’s fine, I can’t expect you to have all the answers,” Erik huffed.
“Erik, when you tethered with Aliya did you change her name?” Sigmis asked tentatively.
“What? No!” Erik got defensive. “A Spirit’s name in the Ancient Language is important. It defines and binds them and it can control them too. Just because I can do it doesn’t mean I should.”
“Even if it’s the only thing that could keep her from Mystic’s control?” Sigmis hated that he had to suggest this. He knew full well how important a Spirit’s name was to them, even if he couldn’t recall his own, following his rebirth into a Celestial, it was ingrained in him to protect it.
“What are you saying?” Erik glared at Sigmis bitterly.
“Aliya is a Siren, isn’t she?” Sigmis explained his reasoning. “Her voice not only has the power to influence one’s thoughts but it can completely control someone. What do you think a man like Mystic could do with that power?”
“You think he doesn’t know the Magic Arte to rewrite a Spirit’s true name?” Erik hissed.
“You’re correct, but he can only do it if she isn’t tethered to you and the Magic Arte to tether is swifter to cast than the one to rename.” Sigmis crossed his arms inside his billowy sleeves. “There are no shortcuts with those spells either, if it isn’t cast in full then it will not work.”
“I’m not going to do it!” Erik growled through his teeth. “Even if she asked me to, I wouldn’t want to. Not that she ever would. That would literally redefine her whole existence, she doesn’t even trust me.”
“I don’t think that’s true. She let you keep that,” Sigmis pointed at Regulus. “Isn’t that the only weapon that can break a tether instantly? Zephyr informed me that weapon is incredibly powerful. He said it was dangerous, even in the right hands, and yet she allowed you to keep it.”
“Can’t she just command me to give it back?” Erik shook his head in denial.
“A Spirit’s abilities don’t work on their tether,” Sigmis chuckled at Erik’s naivety.
Erik grabbed onto Regulus and looked it over with astonishment. He thought she was just being kind. Thinking back to when they first met, the way she first clashed with Mistral over the Aurora Rune, her adamant determination to destroy the cannon in the research lab, even the way she berated Zephyr for losing Regulus in the first place, Aliya wasn’t the kind of person to let dangerous power go unchecked in those she didn’t trust. Even if she said she didn't, there was at least a little trust.
“Your actions betray you too, Aliya,” Erik whispered quietly with a delighted smile.
“I’ll leave it for now, but if she does request it, don’t deny her,” Sigmis walked to the entrance of the cavern to stand just on the edge of the rainfall.
“Sigmis, please don’t put the idea in her head,” Erik removed his sword from his back and set it on the ground, as he sat down and wrapped the cloak Aliya tossed at him around his shoulders to stave off the creeping chill that came from the not so distant coastline. “If she comes to me with the idea herself I’ll consider it but I’d rather avoid it. Her name suits her perfectly, far better than anything I could come up with.”
“Is that really why you are so against it?” Sigmis had a hunch there was more to it than that.
“Part,” Erik placed a hand on his sword next to him. “I swore on this sword that I’d try and restore her faith in humans.”
“That sword or the Spirit in that Fossil Rune?” Sigmis glanced over his shoulder with an intuitive smirk. Erik was shocked he’d realized, but he rolled his eyes recalling he likely knew from the moment they met in a clash.
“Of course you know. You can only see mana,” Erik sighed heavily as he ran his hand across the large Fire Rune set in his sword. As it reflected the dim light that entered the cave he could almost see that very moment he made a childish promise he still wanted to keep. “It’s both, he wasn’t the only Spirit I promised.” He quickly looked back up at Sigmis, “Please don’t tell her about this either. She isn’t aware of his death yet… I’m planning on telling her when she stops thinking everything I say is a lie or a joke. I need her to take me seriously when I tell her. Zephyr too. I haven’t told him either.”
“You want my advice?” Sigmis approached him.
“Yeah, actually,” Erik hesitated, but he was willing to take what he could get.
“Be yourself more,” Sigmis sat across from him. “I’ve noticed she responds better when you don’t put up that flashy facade of yours.”
“What if I don’t want to be the real me?” Erik pulled his knees up to his chest.
“Are you afraid she’ll reject you? Because she already does that,” Sigmis laughed.
“I know!” Erik snapped. He paused and took a deep breath, “It’s just, I ran away from my old life in hopes of becoming someone better and I ended up being the scum she thinks I am.”
“Then finish finding the person you want to be,” Sigmis pointed at his heart. “For the time being, you two are on this journey together. Grow alongside her and you two will become unstoppable.”
“What do you mean by that?” Erik blinked.
“I can’t give you all the answers,” Sigmis laughed. He sensed Aliya approaching so he thought it best to try and end the conversation since Erik wanted to keep his secrets.
“Awe, come on! You’re just talking in riddles now!” Erik whined.
“Sounds like you two are having fun without me,” Aliya smirked from the cave entrance. Under one arm she was holding a bundle of wood and sticks in her other hand was a small round cage made of ice in it were a few fish. She set down the wood next to Sigmis and set the fish at her feet. “Sorry it took me a bit. I came across the river, and it turns out we weren’t that far from it.” Aliya backed away and started squeezing the water out of her clothes. “My guess is we’ll be here through the night if it keeps up like this. So I set up a trap to get some food while I searched for useable wood. Worked out better than I thought.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Erik was stunned she was going through so much effort for him. Part of him felt bad since he was just sitting around talking to Sigmis.
“I didn’t just catch them for you,” Aliya scoffed. “We Spirits may not need food to survive but it’s not living to just exist on mana. There’s enough for all of us if you want some too, Sigmis.”
“As long as it’s not burnt, I will gladly accept,” Sigmis smiled as he grabbed a log. As he ran his hand across its surface the moisture started turning into steam.
“Wow a Fire Spirit that doesn’t like their food blackened?” Aliya laughed as she started to try and extract the water from a smaller piece of wood. “I guess Celestials have more refined tastes after all.”
“Does Kindle like her food like that?” Erik snickered.
“I believe her thing is ‘charbroiled,’” Aliya tilted her head trying to think of a time they ate together on the way to the capital. “It needs very dark grill marks.”
“I think that still counts,” Erik leaned back and all three of them laughed.
“My brother, Ash, likes his food burnt, but it was out of sheer stubbornness,” Aliya grinned just thinking about it. “The first human he was tethered to always burned whatever she cooked, but he would eat it anyways. I guess he developed a taste for it.”
Erik looked down at his sword with a wistful smile. Hearing her say his name and talk about his poor taste in food weighed heavy on Erik, heavier than Mistral trying to crush him. He wanted to share and laugh about those memories with her. Erik had experienced this bitter feeling of guilt when he was traveling around with Zephyr, with his tendency to reminisce, but for some reason, with Aliya, it affected him so much more. He pulled his knees up to his chest again and buried his head in his arms to hide his pained expression from her.
“Shall we see if we can light this?” Sigmis had arranged the few pieces of wood he and Aliya had dried while they were talking. His hand hovered over the pile. A small flame sparked beneath the pile. He maintained the little flame waiting for the wood to catch.
“Erik?” Aliya grew concerned when she noticed him curled up in a ball. “Are you feeling alright?”
“I’ll be fine,” Erik didn’t look up. “I guess I needed this little break more than I thought.”
“We’ll get some food in you so you can sleep,” Aliya smiled, looking at the fire as the wood popped. She was relieved it was taking.
“You aren’t normally this nice to me,” Erik peeked up at her with suspicion in his eyes. “Are you feeling alright?”
“What? Would you rather me treat you the way I have been?” Aliya raised an eyebrow at him. “What are you a glutton for punishment?”
“No, I’m just not used to it,” Erik raised his head, but he couldn’t maintain eye contact with her.
“It is a noticeable shift,” Sigmis couldn’t hide the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“You said earlier that I was being rather harsh on Erik,” Aliya shifted nervously. “It’s kind of been on my mind since then. I took the time to myself to reflect on it a bit more and do a mental reset.” Aliya took a deep breath and looked at Erik. “I got stuck in a state of frustration with the events that happened since I met you and I think I’ve been taking it out on you even though none of it is your fault. I’ve also only known fear when I think of tethering with a human. That curse I mentioned doesn’t erase the emotions I felt with them, so when I try to recall those memories from when I was tethered to a human I always feel terrified. However, all you’ve done is help me. So I want to apologize. I don’t know how long it’ll be until we can find a suitable tether for me so I’m willing to take a chance on you. So, I’m going to try and not make this arrangement harder than it needs to be.”
Erik didn’t know what to say. This was what he wanted, at least that chance. He thought he would have been happy to hear her say it. The guilt of not telling her about Ash and himself was eating him up. He was as equally afraid she’d reject him if she knew who he really was and what he’d done or if she’d be upset at him for not telling her sooner. He felt so conflicted.
“Erik?” Aliya shifted nervously and glanced away. “Say something please?”
“It’s not everyday a woman pours her heart out to you, son,” Sigmis teased to try and lighten the mood.
“It’s not like that!” Aliya huffed, shooting a glare at Sigmis.
“I’m sorry!” Erik shook his head to get out of the thoughts he was trapped in. “I just don’t know what to say. I guess I can start with thank you...” After quieting the self doubt and guilt in his mind and focusing on the fact she was even willing to give him a chance, he smiled warmly at her. It was a genuine smile that made her feel like she was looking at a kid. “Thank you for giving me a chance!”