Rome's P.O.V.

No seriously, it's not that great at all. Then again, I just had it in a seedy back-alley with some random guy in one of the last towns not claimed by the fires. I sometimes question my stupidity and then realise that I was just born stupid and should probably give up trying to fix it. 

Flopping down, I stare up at the dark sky. There is no way of knowing the time on Sirenae. The sun had disappeared two years ago, and had not risen since. The only light we had to guide our way now was night-vision contacts, which, to be fair, worked quite well for being cheap. Electricity was scarce, as most places had been over-run by the fire. The only way the current towns survived was channeling nature magic every day through a powerful machine. I couldn't tell you how it runs, because honestly, I'm really not fucking bothered.

Lying down on the grass, I start twisting the ring that Marcus gave me. Two years ago when the fires started, Marcus disappeared. I searched everywhere and couldn't find him. All I had left was his ring, and the tattoo that made us bondmates. Sadly, while the tattoo is permanent, it can't help me track him down. Genuinely wish it could too, as I really wish I could slap him in the face right about now. I thought he was the one person I could count on and then the asshole just goes and disappears in the middle of the night. 

"Alenaki, Rome!"

I lift my head up and spot one of the town's watchmen headed my way.

"Alenaki, Cassius."

"Are you doing alright? You've been daydreaming a lot lately."

I sighed and lay back down.

"No, Cass. The world is burning. More than fifty percent of our population is dead, and the rest have fleed to other planets hoping for refuge and finding none. We can't stop things from going bump in the night, and from waking up to massive fires starting right outside our house. My best friend has been missing for two years, and I genuinely have no shits left to give. That about sum it up?"

"...You could have just said no, you know?" 

He leaned over and smacked the back of my head and raised an eyebrow.

"Everything will be fine Rome. You'll see! Soon the fires will stop and we-.."

He starts to gurgle and blood streams out of his mouth. I sit up quickly.

"Cass? What are you-..Oh fuck."

The rebellion is here. Guards stream towards the doors of Alenia, the townspeople racing into their homes to barricade themselves inside. Children scream and cry endlessly; their cries echoing through the streets. People dressed in black stream through the doors; carrying rifles. Suddenly a loud voice can be heard.

"We mean no harm. Lianiica. Please hear us out. We come for the government people only. We do not wish to harm innocent citizens."

I turn to glare at the man in a black mask yelling the words and storm straight up, wagging my finger in his face.

"Well you fucking piece of shit, your people just shot my friend. He's not from the government, or even a guard. He volunteered to be a watchman because we ran short."

I cross my arms and tilt my chin up; waiting for some kind of response. He chuckles and waves his arm; calling someone over.

"Lilit, come heal his friend. He's as fiesty as always."

"As always, excuse me? You act like you know me. Who the absolute hell are you man? I just want some sleep and my back hurts from the fucking I just got, which I did not enjoy at all by the way. You people honestly jsut annoy me. You rant on about wanting 'lianiica' when the only thing other than the fires actually killing people and disrupting the lianiica is you. Look around you. People here are fucking terrified of you. Not the goverment. Not the guard. Not even the fires that rage outside our walls. You."

He lifts his head and mossy green eyes stare back at mine. He cracks his knuckles and gestures towards an abandoned house.

"Come. We talk in there."

"Hell no. I'm not some traditional book character that'll fall at your feet just because you called me like a little puppy. You're not my fucking daddy, even though you seem to be built like a brick. I ain't going nowhere with you. Show me who you are first, and why you're here. Then maybe, we can talk."

"Peach, please. Just come with me."

Freezing, I stare in shock. That nickname.

"Hold on. Back up just one goddamn second here. Marcus?"

"Yes Peaches, it's me. Just....we need to talk."

"No, no we do not. You do not just get to abandon me for two fucking years, leave me to grieve my Mallin's death on my own, have me search for you relentlessly and exhaust all my resources in doing so and then show up one day randomly as the leader of the rebellion that's harming my goddamn people to tell me what to do. Go fuck yourself. I hope you fucking get kicked by a donkey into the sky, drop into a rainforest with wild animals and have to survive like Tarzan for the rest of your life you-... you cabbage muncher!"

His shoulders shake with laughter.

"Cabbage muncher? That's a new one, lovely. On another note though, I really am sorry. We also really do need to talk."

Before I can stop myself, I sigh dramatically.

"Remove the guard dogs from the town first and stop scaring my people. After that, I'll hear you out."

I move to spin around then turn back and land a kick square on his stomach.

"That's a welcome back present asshole. Don't expect a kiss."

I then proceed to storm into the abandoned house and sit cross-legged on the ground. Fuck, I can't believe that I just did that. He definitely had it coming though. I wonder why after all this time he chose to come back now. What's so important he had to come find the best friend that he abandoned for a chat?

As I contemplate life choices, the door swings open to reveal a very alive looking Cassius.

"Cass? Galleia damn it, you're alive!" 

I rush towards him to wrap him in a bear hug. I may be average height, but I've got a strong build.

"Easy there. I just came back from the dead, don't kill me again!

My hand raises and I smack him gently on the back of the head.

"Don't joke like that, you carpet stealer. You're my only friend."

He smirked and tilted his head to look at the door.

"Hey you forgot about the love of your life. Wait, oops, you haven't told him yet."

Grimacing, I made a cut-throat motion with my hand across my throat.

"He's not the man I love. I don't know that man. Besides, he's leading the fucking rebellion people here and they just shot you. What is wrong with you?"

"I hate to say it Rome, and I hate the fact that the rebellion kills people, but hear him out. He may have something important to say, and he did disappear around the time the fires started, remember? Maybe he knows what happened."

Pausing to consider what Cassius is saying, I let my mind wander. Around me, the dark swirls like waves; feeling into my very heart and soul. Memories of the past decade sit in the dark pit of my brain, calling out to me with joy and sadness. How Marcus and I grew up. How we laughed and cried together. How every single good memory I've ever had is with him. Maybe...maybe it is important. I hate being logical, but considering how truthful he was throughout our years being best friends, and how he coincidently disappeared at the time of the fires...

"Alright. I'll hear him out."

"Well that's good to hear Peaches."

Startling, we turn to see Marcus standing in the doorway. I catch his gaze and find myself getting lost in his eyes. He hasn't aged at all, which makes sense, since it's been only two years. Yet, it feels like something has changed. He infuriates me, yet I want him to pin me down and have his way. Well, they do say the best kind of love is when you want to punch 'em but still fuck 'em.

"The government had a hand in starting the fires."

"....and why would we believe anything you say? You lead the rebellion that's been scaring all the citizens here."

Cass scratches the back of his hand while curiously glancing at Marcus.

"I have proof. Documents, their old research facility locations, you name it."

"I don't get it. Why on Sirenae would they want to kill us all?"

Pointedly, I cross my arms and wait for a response.

"They wanted to rule the world, alone. There were too many people, and too many rules being broken. They tried spreading a virus, but they made a miscalculation, and the virus turned into magic fire. Why do you think none of the major government officials died in the fire?"

"...Hate to say it Rome, but he has a point."

"Fine. Well, that's all I wanted to know. Now go back to doing what you were doing, leave this town alone, and stay the fuck out of my life. I had place for you two years ago, now I don't. I have other people in my life. I'm no longer co-dependent on you. I get the government set the fires and all that, but if I hear something about you leaving to protect me, I'll lose my shit because I'm no damsel in distress. Communication is a thing, and you could've told me before you left. Genuinely, I think you knocked your head and lost all the brain cells you had left. Have fun playing leader and being hero. I've got better things to do, like sleep."

His mouth opens to speak, then closes. Speechless huh? Figures. That's what abandoning a person does to you, apparently. No explanation, no excuses even. Just...nothing. This is exactly why I shouldn't get involved with him again.

Opening the door, and slamming it, I make my exit towards my flat. It's shitty, but it's home. My heart starts to ache on the way home but I pay no mind. The door of my flat is old mahagony oak; light and dark shades of brown swirling up and down the door. Twisting the key in the knob, I enter my living space. I'm definitely too emotionally exhausted to shower right now so maybe a nap will do it. Just 5 minutes. Curling up on the couch, I close my eyes.

Meanwhile....

A dark figure roams up the steps of the ruined International Peace Centre of Sirenae and stops to put a hand on the charred ground. Closing her eyes, she tilts her head back and lets the memories of the land flow through her mind.

"So...it's like that, is it? I guess it's time for me to interfere."

With a snap of her fingers, the ground swallows her up; leaving no evidence of her presence.

Vocabulary List 

Alenaki - Greetings/Hello

Lianiica - Peace

Mallin - Mother

Galleia - Sirenae version of God

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