The Creatures Series

Twelfth Night

Twelfth NightCreatures of the Night

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##### Twelfth Night #####

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"No! Don't go, Arsene. You're my fianceé and I love you. You can't leave me,” Valline pleads, circling his small arms into my left arm after his grandfather made him remove the ring tattoo (which feels really relieving) from my hand. Me and my friends are about to leave the Blancort Residence when he stops me and cries his eyes out exactly like a little child, which really out of character for him who usually act more mature than his age. Now that he knows I'm leaving, he acts like a kid?

I can't swat his hands away—that will be too rude in front of his family. But I don't exactly feeling want to stay either.

I look at my teammates for help, but they just look away, trying to avoid any eye contact because they just don't want to be dragged into this.

I have to think of something. I can't just let him keep crying like this.

"Valline,” I start slowly, putting my hands on his shoulders. But he just makes his cries louder. Crushing himself into me, he says with cracking tone, "Don't call my name like that.” But what am I going to call him then. Valline is the only name I know of him.

Then, he continues. "Don't say it like you're going to say goodbye. I don't want you to leave. I'll do anything. Anything so that I can stay with you. Please.”

I look at his teary eyes and feel sympathy towards him. I can't hate him. He's just a child with too much strength and made wrong choices. That's all. He's just a kid. Just like Minny. Then, flashes of her cross my eyes, the buried sadness escapes from the deepest part of my heart. Unconsciously, I cry and remember what happened.

Maybe I can redeem my mistakes if I accept him, I thought.

"Fine.” He looks up with surprise, and I can't believe what I just said. And so does my friends. "You can come with me if you want. There's extra room in Sorcier, I'm sure. You can stay with us, but you can't bring anyone else.” Sure, I can say that. But I haven't yet.

If I say it, what's the harm? He's only one wizard. There are thousands of us in Sorcier. He won't win against us even if he tries to do something. And I'll be watching him. Just not always....

"Okay,” I finally say.

"Really? You'll let me go with you?" He asks with happiness radiating from his glowing crystal blue eyes, as the same time a member of his family, which I recognize as Garret, bark, "What?! He can't go. He's one of us. How can we be sure that it's not just you Noirmelns trap to lure him away from us and become your prisoner? You dirty little—"

He can't finish that sentence because Valline's already threw dagger glares at Garret. "You do not talk to my fianceé like that,” he says viciously. The crying little child has gone, replaced by that dangerous little demon. This makes me want to reconsider my offer.

"Ex-fianceé,” I correct him. "I didn't even agree to it in the first place. And I'm not finished talking just yet.”

He stays still and waits patiently for me to continue. "But?" He asks.

"But,” I say, walking closer to him and lean down until we're face to face with my intense stare. We're so close that we might be mistaken like kissing from different angles. Valline blinks in surprise, but stands still as I lean near his face. I can see the others tensing around us as well as from the corner of my eyes. But before our lips can touch, my finger pokes on his forehead and he falls to a sleep immediately, laying on the ground softly as his blue eyes closing.

"Tell him that he has to find his own way to Sorcier by himself when he wakes up,” I shout out loud to the Blancorts as thunders start to fill the sky, striking in turns. Black clouds form under our feet and sweeps me and my friend all into the sky as we see their horrified faces.

We move back to Sorcier fast. So fast, that none of us even have the time to speak as winds blow into our bodies for the whole journey.

"Wow,” mutters Shrade, holding his head, spinning. "Next time, heads up, please.” I forgot that he can't handle too much of air travel, since he prefers land more than anything (it's his earth magic thing. Being separated for land by thousands of feet makes him kind of anxious).

"Sorry, I forgot. I just needed to get all of us out of that place fast. And even though I'm fast enough not to let you feel nauseous,” I say apologetically.

“You were fast. The feeling was just catching up to me after we arrived,” he replies.

“ How did you manage to get us back so fast? We spent two hours by Crease ’ s wind speed just to get from here to the Blancort Residence, ” I hear Banri say, which almost immediately got a pair of dagger glares from Crease. But he still stays so calm even after he meets her darkened eyes ─ the blackness just get into deeper dark holes ─ or even when he sees her flying strands of hair out of the reaction of intense air coming from her and surrounding her.

‘How dare he complain about my wind? When I already let him come with me by it’. It feels like Crease just speaks the unspoken words through her igniting stares.

“The unleashing,” I answer him, turning my gaze at Banri to avoid the dagger stares. “It increases my body power.”

I remember the portal. It was my last one ─ the seventh seal. It locked away the last remaining overwhelming power of mine into the last dimension created especially to store it. The portal has a similar symbol of a sun, with its waves of heat. But instead of radiating warmth, it radiates coldness every time I open it. Not that I use the key much.

“And now that you mention it, I think I have some locking to do,” I say, excusing myself so that I can get somewhere more private to lock my powers back. The place in this room is too close and small for the portal to open entirely. Besides, it’s cold every time I open it. My friends won’t handle the temperature well.

“Wait, Arsene,” I hear Nono call from behind me. I turn to look at all of them line up. “Welcome back,” they all say to me.

“I’m home. And it’s good to be back,” I tell them. “Thanks for coming for me.”

*

The portal open with its moving black symbols. They’re like tentacles from a sea creature. It sucks my proportion of power that’s supposed to be locked in there like black hole swallowing everything that gets near it (the difference is just that this cold sun portal is only able to contain my power), then leaving me alone in my room once it has closed. I pull the key away from the empty air and put it back to its box, then sneak in into Banri’s room so that he can keep it again.

Once I get out of his room, my mother calls me. Using the blood connection that we have and our similar powers.

“Yes?” I answer.

“Are you back, yet?” My mother answers with a little bit mixture of concerns in her tone that she can’t help but to let out.

“Yes,” I answer, smiling faintly. “I’m home, Mother. Do tell Father about my arrival as well. I was just about to head to the direction of your office. I’ll be there soon,” I say.

“I will tell him. Oh, and me and your father are not in our office. Come meet us at the rooftop. We have a surprise for you,” she says in the other line before logging out from our connection. Using this kind of connection has its own benefit.

Some of it includes no cell phone or tracker, even if we’re calling when we’re in the enemy territory because of a mission.

I arrive at the rooftop in a flash, literally. I spot my parents standing at the side of the concrete hedge, their backs facing me.

Apparently they’re looking at something for outside. I thought they’re just enjoying the evening view (the sun is setting and the sky colors are beautiful pink and orange), as I approach them. They already know that I’m here, though.

I look to the direction where they’re observing, and spot Link surfing through the high buildings around Sorcier Tower with a certain figure.

They’re both using their dark magic to create a black surfing board, which allows them to surf the air as if they’re in the ocean. I can hear joyful laughter coming from the two of them as they slide through their invisible waves.

“Look at those two, having fun just like the old times,” my mother comments from my side, smiling.

“It’s been awhile since we saw the two having fun together, hasn’t it?” My father adds.

“It sure is,” I mutter.

When the sun finally disappears from the sky, the two boys end their short sport and approach us. Link surfs towards the rooftop direction and finally jumps off from it when he’s only a couple of meters away from the floor. The other wizard follows him and copies his move, only not taking too much distance on jumping from his surfing board in attempt to avoid pricking his leg.

“Uncle Kev, Aunt Lara,” Link acknowledges my parents and give them a low bow full of respect, sliding into his acting mode. “Arsene,” he greets me when his eyes fall into mine with a certain glow that I always spot most of the time. He approaches me and takes my hand up to his lips. “I’m glad that you’re back,” he says flatly, without any concern his in tone.

The reason why he isn’t worried about my safety, even though I just got away from my kidnapper, is simply because I know that I’m too strong to get killed. The same goes for my parents. They have always believe that I will be back safe and sound because of my power. And I appreciate them for always being positive about that.

“Arsene, is that you?” A male voice asks from behind Link. He step aside and revealing my other cousin.

Artro, just like all of us, have black hair and eyes. His hair is short and he wears eyeglasses. But it’s just for style, though. His eyes are perfectly fine without the pair of glasses.

I walk closer to me as he says, “I’m so glad that you’re okay. I heard that you were kidnapped when I just arrived. I offered them my hand to help you, but your parents insisted that everything is taken care of. I was still worried, though. But I’m happy to see that you’re fine now.” He pulls me into his arms and hugs me.

Artro, not like the rest of the family, can be very full of concern to others, even though we all know that a Noirmelns is not easy to die.

“It’s nice to see you again, too, Artro,” I say when I pull back. “How was the studying abroad going? Are you going to graduate yet? Or you’re planning to enroll in another school for wizards?”

He likes to study very much and experience many different things as he learns. So moving from one school to another is just his hobby. He already graduated from the standard a long time ago, actually. But he can’t get rid of his hobby easily.

“Actually, I just decided one day that I’m over with the school thing and just stay here,” he answer. And before I can continue asking, he adds, “Just plainly stay here. No other plans. Except for going to missions, of course.” We laugh.

“And what makes you decide that so suddenly? Had a fight with your friend? Wait, can’t be that far. What is it? Girlfriend trouble? Heart break? Trying to get away from her?” I ask teasingly.

“No,” he answers, pressing the words a little bit longer. “Why would you think that I have reasons like that?” he asks teasingly back, holding a smile in his lips.

“What is it, then?” I ask curiously, his hands still on me.

“Well, I was just thinking that moving from one school to another over and over again has been tiring. So I decided to stop. And what place to go to other than here? The place where wizards from all over the world can join. Besides, everyone is here. You’re here,” he says. “Don’t you miss me?”

“Of course I do,” I answer. “How long has been it since we met? Four, five years ago? And what’s with your and Link anyway? The two of you didn’t look like you two do now. You used to be more like Link. And you use to be more like Artro,” I say pointing at Link.

In less than a second, Artro’s smile disappears, replaced by a grief look. The change concerns me.

“Why? What did I say wrong?” I ask leaning closer.

Before Artro can answer, my parents break in. “Okay, kids. It’s dark outside. Why don’t we come inside and have our dinner together, shall we?”