She didn't think she would fall asleep- really, Haru was wired, trembling against the cold lockers. Things slowly catching up to her- how many had just died upstairs for the purpose of saving them? Could the reason for saving them really be as simple as somebody wanting to help, or an old favor being cashed in? If the lot of them were so powerful, and important- was Aurelia lying? Was Cecil? Would they really be let go just as simply as that? But- if that were the case, then, why would it be true? Nothing made sense… and eventually, thinking about all of this together, Haru slipped off into sleep, shuddering, still half under Fox.
Vaguely aware that she was dreaming, Haru found herself standing in an odd hallway; one where the wooden floors were rotting, and the wallpaper to her right was filled with mold and the sounds of critters. Confused, she stepped forward, looking around- nay, this was a landing. To her left was situated a staircase downward to her right spiraling through the dim nighttime light and red wallpaper that seemed none-too inviting with its many holes and tears. Above her, windows, cracked and filthy, let in what must have been dull moonlight.
"Hello?" She called, and winced as many voices replied- hushed whispers, seemingly coming from every direction. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned- and, nothing at all.
Stepping forward and trying to swallow her trepidation, Haru began down the stairs, wincing at how heavily they creaked. She reached a landing, turned, continued down… and the staircase let her out into what might have been the entrance hall to some grand manor, once. Moth-eaten couches lined the walls, there were chandeliers shattered on the ground lying in ruin, and several doors lined the walls, including a set of double doors that may have been an exit, straight ahead of her, with frosted glass windows on either side.
Headed for the front doors, Haru laid a hand on one of the handles and froze- there was the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind her on the stairs, coming down. Turning, glancing over her shoulder, something rushed at her before she could react, and Haru's world painlessly went dark.
Opening her eyes and sitting up, shoving Fox off of her, Haru climbed to her feet before she knew what she was doing, beginning to walk- where? She was still in the morgue, and when she realized this, she veered to lean on the closest wall, breathing heavily but gritting her teeth. Her stomach heaved, but she did not allow herself to throw up, shaking her head slowly. Her hair hung lank with sweat, but now wasn't the time to worry about that- Alexander was at her side, as was Fox, the two of them talking to her. She couldn't hear, though, just a strong ringing in her ears…
Trying to focus, Haru brought herself back to reality, the ringing fading into the background as she forced a smile at the two in front of her.
"Sorry, I just had a bad nightmare. It's nothing either of you need to worry about," She added, blinking rapidly- her head was beginning to throb, painful.
"Here." Alexander pressed a water bottle gently into her hands, uncapped, and Haru raised it to her lips to sip- then, threw her head back, drinking fast. Such a relief, it was, she drank the whole bottle before coming up for air, not resisting as Alex gently took it back from her, afterward.
"Thanks. A lot. Just a stupid bad dream with a haunted house and a monster, nothing to worry about- I promise," She affirmed, sighing. "Is it almost time to go?" Looking around, she realized that only the masked person was in the room with them now; standing and leaning against a wall, yet… snoring?
"Cecil said that he's going out to scout a safe place for the bird to land," Fox replied gently, blinking up at Haru, crossing her arms. "Are you okay? Stop ignoring me."
"Sorry- when I woke up, I ah, feel like I couldn't hear for a minute," Haru shrugged, glancing away.
"Are you sure you're, okay?" Alexander asked lightly, gently resting a hand on her bicep. "Do you need to take a minute?"
"Stop, trying to worry about her," Fox huffed, but Alexander shoved her sideways, a bit, narrowing his eyes.
"Head out of your ass, idiot. When somebody's struggling, that comes before your little game of territory. Think I'm trying to romance somebody I met a day ago? Unlike you, I'm not delusional. Haru, you look like you're about to pass out."
"Nn, I'll be okay. Fox, I'm fine, don't worry. Let's just get upstairs and get ready."
"I'll wake the stranger, then." Alexander nodded and stepped back, letting his hand fall of Haru's arm as he made his way over to the wall. "Fox, you can help Haru upstairs."
"Nn…" Fox huffed, turning around and slowly walking away, stepping over the wreckage of the destroyed doors and into the hall, beckoning for Haru to follow. From her posture, it was clear that she was upset, and Haru wondered if she should try to ease the short girl's nerves, but… Alexander was right. It wasn't the time and place for games, and if she'd have been bleeding, she'd have thanked either one of them for bandages.
Even so… Haru stepped over the wreckage herself, back into the hall, thinking. Fox was already gone, but through the ceiling, the white-haired girl could hear helicopter rotors whirling in the air above her.
I do need to try and be a little bit mindful though… this could be deeper than Fox having some kind of stupid crush on me. What if her species imprints, and I was the first one she saw after waking up? There could be more explanation than just that she's being stupid, so I shouldn't be mean until I understand more…
Headed upstairs, Haru nervously made her way through the lobby and past the bodies scattered, cringing and shielding her eyes as she stepped outside- after hours and hours in that dark basement, the sun felt painfully bright and agitating. As her eyes adjusted, she followed the sound blindly, staggering forward, knees weak, arms heavy.
"Hey!! You okay?!" A voice from her left, and Haru jumped, completely caught off guard- it was Aerendyl, and the angel smiled devilishly at her, raising his arms once more in mock surrender.
"Hey- wasn't just trying to scare you. I was just flying around up above, keeping watch- it looks like they know not to try anything to stop us, now. The nation is in chaos, it's great. Anyway, saw you looking unsteady, and just wanted to make sure that you're doing alright."
"I'm fine, yeah. Just, all of this… it's a lot."
"It is. I'll put in a good word and make sure that they give you some time to rest, when you get to Mir, before you're pressured into making any decisions." Nodding, the blonde stretched, cracking his back with a low chuckle. "You're headed in the right direction. I'll go back to keeping watch, yeah?" Haru nodded and staggered, blinking rapidly, as he took off from the spot in a blur, sending leaves and loose debris skating away across the ground.
"Ugh…" Is he trying to show off, or is he really just that kind of person…?
Pushing through a line in the foliage, Haru found the small clearing where the helicopter had landed- here, away from the hospital itself, it couldn't be caught by any cameras or low-flying vehicles, so Haru understood the choice- but still, ugh. Thorns…
-
"Your majesty, we've received a full report that Aerendyl has arrived and will be escorting the demons to safety." A voice behind Aurum spoke, and she glanced down at her phone, and the selfie that Aerendyl had sent of himself giving her a thumbs up while flying away from a helicopter flaming and falling out of the air. Turning her phone off, Aurum slowly stood up and looked across her desk at the messenger- a young brunette man, entirely unremarkable. He was on his knees, trembling, eyes on the carpet.
"Thank you. You may go."
"Your majesty, if I may be so terribly bold, might I ask how you have a greater angel at your beck and call via nothing but a phone call? That's what the last messenger told me- that you simply, called him and asked him to go."
"Hm…" Aurum fell silent, pushing blonde hair out of her eyes, her furry tail wagging, swinging around into her lap. "Are you asking for your own curiosity, or for that of somebody else?"
"My loyalty lies with Mir, and Mir alone, if that's what you're insinuating, I would n-never," He stammered, nervous, and Aurum listened closely, drawing a slow breath- he was afraid, she could smell the fear, but there was no trace of an ulterior motive. Closing her eyes for a long moment, she sent traces of magic toward his body, probing… but there was nothing there to concern her. His nervous stemmed from her position and how attractive he found her, nothing more. He only wanted to drag the conversation out.
"Stand up, won't you- and, call me Aurum, for that's my name."
"A-Alright, your majesty Aurum-"
"Just, Aurum."
"Right, sorry, A-Aurum." The man, trembling still, stood up, rigid, arms at his sides, and she, the queen, smiled softly.
"Listen to me, young man. You're shaking- will you try and relax for me? Let me make you a mug of tea, and have yourself a short break from work," She added, gesturing to the chair across from her desk- a soft leather one. Swallowing, obviously scared, the messenger sat down across from her, rigid.
"Do you know how I got this position? How I rose to power, and became queen of Mir?" Asking this, Aurum slid off of her desk and walked over to the wall, where a small kitchenette was situated, and began to warm water for tea, smiling back at him.
"I-I don't. Were you born into power?"
"I was a real know-it-all and a narcissist in my past life," Aurum explained, her soft, blue eyes shining with a sort of Nostalgia. "I truly believed that I was a genius and that nobody could lie to me or manipulate me. So, when I dated a cute man, who I thought was sweet, a good husband, but far beneath me… well, I didn't expect him to kill me, but he did. I was stunned- after all, how dare he? Moreover, how didn't I expect this?! I know everything- I must make him pay!"
"So, did you become risen?" Forgetting his nervousness, now, and seemingly invested in the story itself- still, he reeked of honesty.
"I did. You see," Aurum continued, pouring the steam water out into two mugs and adding leaves and a small spoon to both, along with a small packet of sugar, before bringing them over on a tray and offering him the tray. "Here, take one."
"Thank you," He muttered nervously, leaning back and taking a mug. "I'll give it time to steep."
"Good. You see, as I was saying… I needed people to like me, that was the source of my narcissism. I thought that if I could know everything, I could manipulate the world into loving me- and I was so sure that I did know everything, that I came back with a type of magic I bet you can guess?"
"You know everything…?" His jaw was slack, now.
"Not quite. I can't be lied to," Aurum explained, sitting down, stirring her tea. "It will set off so many mental alarms, I'll know immediately. With that in mind, I rose through contracted arms as a strategist, and then leadership, and finally, I was assigned to the honor guard of the royals, here. I was like a daughter to the Queen- and, when she died, the throne was passed to me, honestly and without trickery, as she had no descendants. I suppose you might be wondering why I tell you all of this?"
"Because you're about to kill me, so it doesn't matter what I know. The tea is poisoned," He added, laughing- and Aurum found herself pleasantly surprised by the joke, leaning back and smiling, resting a hand on her chest.
"Because leaders do not lead with fear and control. There is no leading a healthy nation when the nation does not wish to follow you. I can manipulate you all like the Starrian leader- but why bother keeping up an act when I have your best interests at heart? I became a leader because a long time ago, I let go of my need to be liked, and realized that there's a special joy in improving the lives of those around you."
"I'm sorry, I- well, you can't be lied to, so I'll be honest, sorry." The messenger swallowed, sweating. "I don't understand, you're talking a lot and I don't really know why you're telling me these things."
"Oh. Sorry, I can be a bit wordy. The point is that I just wanted you to relax, and not feel like you're dealing with a cretin who may slice off your head if you give me bad news. I'd like for us to view each-other as equals in all but title."
"I see," The messenger leaned back, frowning. "Then have you also discerned my… other thoughts?"
"Yes. An inability to lie to me isn't my only magic. While I am flattered, I seek no romance- it would be too distracting for me, as we are approaching wartime. However, I take it as a high compliment."
"You're… weird, for a queen, you know that?"
"I do. I don't like to rule by fear, isn't that enough?"
"If you can't be loved, be feared, or something?"
"No, cutie." Aurum smiled, sitting up. "The line is, It is better to be feared than loved, if one cannot be both. Luckily, I'm very much both."
"As for why I wanted to help them- it truly is just as simple as I claim. I want to spread kindness- and I had the ability to do so, saving innocents while undermining Starria. There's no personal vendetta.
"W-What if they refuse to fight for your cause?"
"Then let them. I have Aerendyl in my corner, what do I need a bunch of nobody demons for? This is political, and it is personal- but I do not need them. They have the freedom to choose, as do I, and you."