The air eventually returned to its normal state as exhaustion took over him again. His arms sagged, and his eyes were closed shut. He didn’t want to separate from Evan, but he said it himself. They needed rest. Alister opened his eyes.
“Yeah, I hope she’s okay…” he murmured, letting Evan part from him and following him upstairs.
When they came near the room, Alister could hear a faint rustling. Whimpering, too. Almost reflexively, his pace quickened. When they went in, he saw Noel in the bed, the covers drawn down from her waist. She shifted in her sleep, whimpering and crying for her brother, for him to come back, asking why he left her. It a moment, Alister was at her side.
“Hey, hey, hey,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and holding her steady. “I’m here, I’m here. It wasn’t real.”
He wasn’t sure if she had woken up or not, it was too dark, but he felt her calming down somewhat. He could still hear her quiet whimpering. He wrapped his arms around her, looking up at Evan.
Evan seemed to be dragged through cold water. His eyes widened as he realized Noel was the one whimpering. He frowned, moving to go forward and comfort her but alister beat him to it rather speedily. While he did feel more awake he also felt like he was trapped underwater and all his actions, plus everything he heard was all muted in some way.
He shook his head gently, rubbing Jo's eyes before he moved fully into the room.
"Is she..okay..?" He whispered softly to alister, worried for her in the long run.
Alister let out a breath, gently rubbing Noel’s back and trying to comfort her. This, at least, was not like earlier, when she had inhaled the gases. This had happened many times before, and though he was tired, Alister felt he was able to handle it.
“She will be,” he murmured in reply. “Nightmares, probably.”
“Ali…” her voice startled him a little. “Ali… don’t leave me… please, please…” After a moment, he realized she was still asleep, but talking through it. Her voice was slurred, a broken by cracks and emotion.
“I’m here,” he said, “I won’t leave. I promise I won’t.”
Still riddled with insomnia, Ignis could only reflect on his life. It took years to finally be free from Ignatius, to be himself. What time he spent on using magic, training, fighting. He found the one person he set every generation on to avenge. Saying he loved her felt natural. Ignis looked to the side where Kali had embraced, seeing her made him calm.
"Look at them. So full of promise and potential. A shame your lies will only bury you deeper…"
Wait….that didn't sound right. It wasn't Ignis who thought it, yet he heard a voice in his head. Arcanis….? No, this was different. Like a memory resurfacing.
"Their blood now stained forever in your hands. Their trust burned along with their twisted corpses."
These words haunted Ignis, yet they weren't right. Reimagining the past, the message isn't anything like he had heard before. It…was a prime elemental. Words twisted into echoes and mumbles. He couldn't trace the voice, neither Ignatius nor Astra matched. This mystery left Ignis curious, for he knew it meant one thing: Astra and Ignatius weren't the only elementals released from their cages, and so their seals may be left unguarded…
Too tired for much else, he finally drifted to sleep. Was this a memory? Or a warning?
Alister let out a breath, gently rubbing Noel’s back and trying to comfort her. This, at least, was not like earlier, when she had inhaled the gases. This had happened many times before, and though he was tired, Alister felt he was able to handle it.
“She will be,” he murmured in reply. “Nightmares, probably.”
“Ali…” her voice startled him a little. “Ali… don’t leave me… please, please…” After a moment, he realized she was still asleep, but talking through it. Her voice was slurred, a broken by cracks and emotion.
“I’m here,” he said, “I won’t leave. I promise I won’t.”
He frowned as he watched to two siblings interacting, well alister helping his sister…he wished he could help his sister..if she really was his sister.
"I wish she didn't have to have nightmares after such a stressful day.." He whispered. His heart breaking for her when he heard her whispers.
He felt awkward being in this situation, like he shouldn't be here and it should just be the two fo them.
"Maybe I should just sleep in a different room.."
Alister just sighed. “Yeah, well. This has happened a lot, even after better days. But yeah, me too.”
“No… no… please,” Noel whimpered, and Alister went back to softly comfort her and rub her back.
He then looked up, a little sad that Evan might be leaving. “Um, if you don’t want to listen to the noise, that’s fine…” he suddenly remembered that Evan probably turned his hearing off at night. “Uhm. I want you to stay, though. Please. You can sleep there, and I can sleep with El,” he suggested, pointing to the other bed across from them.
Still riddled with insomnia, Ignis could only reflect on his life. It took years to finally be free from Ignatius, to be himself. What time he spent on using magic, training, fighting. He found the one person he set every generation on to avenge. Saying he loved her felt natural. Ignis looked to the side where Kali had embraced, seeing her made him calm.
"Look at them. So full of promise and potential. A shame your lies will only bury you deeper…"
Wait….that didn't sound right. It wasn't Ignis who thought it, yet he heard a voice in his head. Arcanis….? No, this was different. Like a memory resurfacing.
"Their blood now stained forever in your hands. Their trust burned along with their twisted corpses."
These words haunted Ignis, yet they weren't right. Reimagining the past, the message isn't anything like he had heard before. It…was a prime elemental. Words twisted into echoes and mumbles. He couldn't trace the voice, neither Ignatius nor Astra matched. This mystery left Ignis curious, for he knew it meant one thing: Astra and Ignatius weren't the only elementals released from their cages, and so their seals may be left unguarded…
Too tired for much else, he finally drifted to sleep. Was this a memory? Or a warning?
Kali eventually woke up after a little while, rubbing her eyes, she noticed ignis still awake and she moved to look at him, upset that he was still awake.
"Hey, you. You need to rest too..you have to sleep sometime." She spoke softly, moving to poke his cheek.
She wasn't as tired anymore because she fell asleep earlier and was now prepared to stay up as long as ignis needed.
"Don't tell me to go back to sleep unless you will. Alright? I just got some sleep."
Ignis smiled at her, allowing her to poke him. He looked down, deep in thought, "It feels like I slept for years. Seeing you when I wake up only makes me want to stay up longer."
A small smile forms on his face, one which doesn't fade, "It feels…different. I can form my own thoughts, without hearing criticism. Feel love again. Being free willed is…strange, but in a good way. I should've freed them a long time ago."
"Well then we can stay up together, but I'm still gonna want you to sleep at some time alright? you need sleep too." she pressed her forehead into his forehead in an affectionate way.
she smiled softly at him, glad to see him smile.
"well, good thing you did it then. I'm just happy I can finally have you all to myself," she spoke to him, with a tiny bit of a grin. she moved forward to be more cuddly, enjoying the warmth that he gave off.
Alister just sighed. “Yeah, well. This has happened a lot, even after better days. But yeah, me too.”
“No… no… please,” Noel whimpered, and Alister went back to softly comfort her and rub her back.
He then looked up, a little sad that Evan might be leaving. “Um, if you don’t want to listen to the noise, that’s fine…” he suddenly remembered that Evan probably turned his hearing off at night. “Uhm. I want you to stay, though. Please. You can sleep there, and I can sleep with El,” he suggested, pointing to the other bed across from them.
"oh really-? are- are you sure you want me to be with you guys still?" even though he really didn't need to ask, he still felt that he did. he looked over at the other bed, and then looked back at Alister and noel.
"The noise doesn't bother me…" he made a soft-spoken comment, holding don't onto his wrist.
“Yeah, of course. I…” Alister blinked. Was he going to cry? He didn’t want to, he had cried already. “I don’t want you to leave, I’ll miss you…”
Noel had seemed to calm down. Her brother kept rubbing her back and shoulders slowly and rhythmically, but for his sake and hers. When he felt that she would be okay, he let her down and went over to Evan. Taking his hand, he murmured, “I wouldn’t want you to be alone either.”
Ignis returned the favor and cuddled with her. His faint glowing eyes remaining locked on Kali. His head buzzed from their touch. His smile only grew wider. His mind finally rested, everything stood still. He wanted this moment to last. He grabbed Kali's hand gently. Palms faced upwards, he made something special.
A dark star. A sphere of shadow with flame accents. Various colors mixed and intertwined with the darkness, with more darkness than flame. It didn't burn, or even give off heat. It was just there.
Ignis then lifted their hands up, allowing the star to float to the ceiling. The star exploded into a starry night. "We are night. Not a void of darkness, nor a world set ablaze. We are peace and prosperity. A time of rest and remembrance."
She smiled softly as they cuddled, really enjoying the moment.
She feels as he grabs hers hand in his, and she moved to watch him as he forms the dark star in the palm of there intertwined hands.
She let out a soft gasp as the star exploded into a night sigh.
"Wow…ignis, that's amazing. It really means a lot…" She didn't know what else to say, she moved to look back at him, smiling in awe at how she got so lucky to end up with someone like him.
“Yeah, of course. I…” Alister blinked. Was he going to cry? He didn’t want to, he had cried already. “I don’t want you to leave, I’ll miss you…”
Noel had seemed to calm down. Her brother kept rubbing her back and shoulders slowly and rhythmically, but for his sake and hers. When he felt that she would be okay, he let her down and went over to Evan. Taking his hand, he murmured, “I wouldn’t want you to be alone either.”
He felt …wanted? It was a strange feeling, but he smiled at alister as he felt warm on the inside.
"I'd miss you too.' He spoke softly, moving over to the other bed.
"Don't worry..I have decided to stay. I don't know why I was thinking of leaving in the first place."
He layed back on the bed.
Alister sighed, and gave him a tired smile. “Okay,” he said. Though it was a simple response, he was relieved and happy that Evan would stay.
Before he went to the bed, Alister gave him a quick hug, and then moved back over to the other bed where Noel was sleeping. While the other boy wasn’t looking, he took off his pants, just because it could get hot, especially when there was another body next to him. After climbing into bed, he snuggled beside his sister, who appeared to grow calm again.
“Goodnight,” he whispered, then closed his eyes. Almost immediately, he was out.
He hugged him back once he was hugged, though the hug had caught him off guard. He lay in bed and was on his side facing the wall, he closed his eyes and soon found himself dozing off.
Though, he woke up a good few times during the night as he slept. He couldn't slip into a deep sleep.
For what felt like hours, the two sank into calmness and serenity. The stars dancing around the room, it was nice. The stars began to fade as Ignis felt his power wither. When the stars ceased, Ignis was forced deep in sleep. His body relaxed, and his hand fell away from Kali's. He knew what came beyond the horizon, but he didn't care. He was happy at last.
Kali smiled down at him, softly playing with the hair that framed his face. She planted a soft kiss on her forehead as he slept, she snuggled up to close to him and shut her eyes so she could sleep peacefully beside him.
(Okay, do we wanna just choose who skips or just pick a time and just post on our own time?)
The sun began to rise beyond the horizon. The morning birds chirped and the forest leaves rustle with the soft wind. A peaceful morning. Ignis woke up to see Kali, it wasn't a dream… he thought. With a gentle kiss upon her head, Ignis ventured to the kitchen. He didn't know what to make for everyone, but he had plenty to offer. So the best he could do was set the coffee, and wait.
Kali woke up a little after ignis did, finding him absent in the bed. She moved to rub her eyes and slowly get out of the bed, stretching her arms out.
That was the most peaceful sleep she had had in a really long time…
She moved to walk downstairs, yawning slightly. She moved over to ignis when she saw him.
"Good morning."
Probably because she had already slept earlier, and more than the boys, Noel woke up first. Alister's arms were wrapped around her, and she snuggled in them, appreciating the warmth. But then she heard him snoring, and that's when it got annoying. She carefully slipped out of the bed and seeing Evan was still asleep, went ahead out of the room and into the kitchen.
Seeing both Ignis and Kali already there made her feel awkward. Though tempted to go back to her room, her stomach rumbled and the smell of coffee kept her from leaving. She yawned.
Before Ignis could say anything, Noel came into the room. He smiled as he approached her with a cup, "Not sure about giving you coffee, but after what we went through, just this once." He turned his attention to Kali, "and a lovely morning to you."
