[IC] BlackBrick Academy [CatMint and Winds of Fate] - {Mature}

[WindsOfFate]

Caleb was truly impressed when he looked up and saw Ambrose produce a protective field around their camping area. He even smiled and looked at Ambrose with a look that if anyone saw would believe that there was still infatuation between them. When Ambrose turned around, Caleb returned to putting the final touches on the tent. When he stood up straight, he looked towards Ambrose and dusted his hands off sitting down in the grass right in front of him.

"I have to admit that I am very impressed right now," he said with a genuine smile, his dimples showing as he pulled his knees to his chest and placed his arms on top of his knees. He didn't like this feeling, it was like he wanted to hold Ambrose's hand, maybe kiss him, tell him everything was going to be okay, but he was conflicted. He had taken Ambrose for a horrible rollercoaster ride and though Ambrose forgave him, he didn't forgive himself and he maintained his distance. He looked up at Ambrose, his eyes having fallen to the ground. "Penny for your thoughts?" He asked clearly interested in knowing what Ambrose was thinking.

[catmint]

Ambrose couldn't hold back a grin at his handiwork, glancing at Caleb for approval. He probably wouldn't admit it publicly, but he did look up to Caleb in terms of magic ability. So hearing he was impressed, made him stand up straighter, taking pride in his progress. Ambrose cast another glance around them, seeing only the underbrush of the forest, Ambrose figured he could get comfortable. He settled onto the grass across from Caleb, legs tucked underneath him. He returned his gaze to Caleb, and once again felt that connection he experienced the first day they met. It was electric, almost addicting, and Ambrose despised how he couldn't get enough of it. If anyone else had put him through what Caleb at done, Ambrose wouldn't have tolerated at all. But with the circumstances, and the feelings he couldn't shake, Ambrose still found himself drawn in.

A snicker escaped his lips, eyes crinkling in amusement, "A penny? yeah alright..." He trailed off as he snapped his fingers, a small flame appearing above them. "Honestly, I feel like something is following us..." His voice dropped in volume, eyes flickering back and forth as if he was afraid the thing he spoke of would hear him. "Just can't shake the feeling, I think I might be paranoid though." He paused, and strained his ears to listen. He could have sworn he heard a soft voice while he was speaking, but once again he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination. Ambrose was always on edge these days. Other then that, the rain forest was beautiful, and the usual sounds of life echoed around the pair. "I wish you could distract me somehow, I don't really want to be stuck in my own head again, only worrying about the future instead of appreciating whats right in front of me." Ambrose admitted, his gaze drifted to the flame hovering weakly above his fingertips. He huffed a breath of air, blowing it out. "It's gonna be pitch black soon... We should probably start a fire."

He picked himself up, searching the ground for any kind of wood. Once he had gathered enough twigs that went soaked from rain, he dropped it down in the center and took his seat across from Caleb again. Leaning forward, he snapped his fingers, a small flame appearing once more as he tried to start a fire large enough to keep the both of them warm. "Well? What about you? What's on your mind?" Ambrose asked with a note of curiosity.

Lingering at the edge of the barrier, a figure loomed out of sight. It appeared to be a tall, long man. It wore handsome, sharp features. But something about him seemed otherworldly, and his eyes glowed a soft yellow in the dark, and his irises were a sharp slit. This creature was a native of the forest, and was the one who had called out softly. He had taken amusement at Ambrose's confusion, and seem to enjoy causing the paranoia. He peered from behind the coverage of the forest, looking upon the two with curiosity. It wasn't an exactly a menacing presence, perhaps more curious then anything. But still, a grin from the creature revealed a row of sharp teeth and saliva gathering at the edge of his lips. The barrier Ambrose had eradicated earlier would keep him at bay for a little while longer, but for someone who had lived as long as he had, he was fully capable breaking such a novice protection field.

[WindsOfFate]

Caleb was silent as Ambrose explained that he felt as if something was following them. In all honesty, he was sure Ambrose was right. The forest was home to many dangerous creatures, some were kind and accepting and some were sinister and prideful. They didn't like trespassers at all and the fact that the blade they sought was something prized, it would mean having to fight for what they wanted. Still, the idea of being followed didn't make Caleb happy, in fact, he hoped that the barrier lasted till morning. He then heard something he never thought he would hear. Ambrose wanted him to distract him from everything. Perhaps it was a sign, but Caleb wasn't sure and didn't want to open up old wounds again.

"Who me?" Caleb replied to Ambrose's question on what was on his mind. He decided to just be honest with Ambrose, he deserved that much. "Aside from this mission, my thoughts are always filled with you," he admitted looking down at the ground and moving his hand through blades of grass. "I'm sorry if that sounded cheesy. Can I ask you a question?" Caleb swallowed hard and watched the fire with impressed eyes. "I wanna know what would it take to earn your heart?" It was a straightforward question, one that he had really fought internally before asking. It wasn't the time or place to ask, but he figured if he died on this mission he wanted to know the answer.

Closing his eyes he allowed his surroundings to filter through his senses. He picked up on something, but he didn't say anything. There was a presence, one of malevolence and another but he couldn't tell it's intent. He waited patiently for Ambrose's answers.

[catmint]

Ambrose held his brown hands close to the fire, enjoying the warmth. Despite the circumstances, Ambrose wasn't having a bad time. For the first time in a long time, he felt at ease around Caleb. Black curls hung in front of his eyes, lips slightly parted as his gaze shifted from the fire to the man across from him.

He blinked in surprise when he saw how serious and genuine Caleb answered his question. "Oh... Um..." He trailed off, eyes flickering away, desperately avoiding making eye contact. He didn't expect that sort of answer. Ambrose stiffened even further as Caleb went on on to his other question. Ambrose swallowed thickly, knees brought up to his chest and arms wrapped tightly around them. He looked small, and vulnerable, face lit up a deep orange by the fire.

His first instinct was to change the subject, but because of everything that was happening, he couldn't bring himself to do that. "I..." He coughed, "I honestly don't know the answer to that... I don't even know if it's possible." He took a deep sigh, and ran a hand through his soft curls. "I can't deny... That I feel something for you though. I want... I don't know what I want, but I know it involves you." Ambrose confessed, his cheeks were burning with embarrassment. He scooted himself closer to Caleb, hesitantly.

Just when he was reaching out, he felt an alarm in the back of his mind. He froze, before registering what it meant. "Something broke the barrier." He choked out, eyes wide with fear. Ambrose leapt to his feet, scanning the undergrowth around them. He had immediately assumed the worst, that this was finally the end for them.

A figure emerged from the darkness, a sharp toothed grin glinting in the firelight. "Hello boys," It rumbled, it's voice smooth as silk. He stood tall and commanding over Ambrose, his yellow eyes looked him up and down with a barely restrained hunger.

Ambrose quivered, but gathering his courage, he started his incantation for a glyph of warding. But before he could blink, the tall man had his hand around his throat, claws digging into him. A panicked growl escaped Ambrose's throat, struggling hard against the iron grip.

"Sweet thing, I'm not here to hurt you just yet." A chuckle reverberated from his throat, sending shivers down Ambrose's spine. "I know what you seek, and I currently control the territory that it resides in. Now I can help you, but only if you agree to my trade."

[WindsOfFate]

They were sharing a moment and it made Caleb blush slightly as he listened intently to Ambrose answer his question. He didn't know he had the nerve to ask such a question to Ambrose. Ambrose was different. Whenever he was around him he found it hard to be as confident as he always was. It was a good thing, Ambrose was a mystery to him and it intrigued him. As he listened, his straight face turned into a soft smile. He wasn't expecting the answer he got. He had been playing with what looked to be energy in the palm of his hand. He manipulated it causing it to stretch and twist into various shapes and images. He felt Ambrose's position change. He was closer, his scent was stronger and Caleb closed his eyes briefly if only to inhale gently.

As he opened his mouth to speak, he could feel a sudden tensing of the atmosphere and Ambrose's next words didn't help the hairs that were standing up on his arms. Then it came into view. The creature that had broken Ambrose's barrier. It looked at them with a toothy grin and Caleb slowly stood up with a sly smirk on his face.

"So you'll help us for a trade huh?" Caleb questioned as he dusted off his hands on his pants. "Tell me, what is it that something like you would want from us?" Caleb didn't seem to be scared, in fact, he seemed extremely calm and yet his mind was working on several solutions to their current problem.

[catmint]

Ambrose clawed at the fingers around his throat, desperately trying to loosen the grip even just a little. But this had little effect on the yellow-eyed man before them. In fact, he wasn't even paying attention to Ambrose now, instead his hunger had shifted to Caleb. Who was surprisingly keeping a calm exterior. The creature eyed Caleb up and down, sizing him up.

The razor sharp grin didn't falter for a second, "Of course I'll help you if you retrieve an item for me." He pulled Ambrose closer to him, hand still locked around his throat. "It's rather simple, I would do it myself if it weren't for the wards- which by the way, you have a long way to go with your warding, sweet thing." He turned his gaze back to Ambrose, letting out a crude chortle at the shivering student in his hand.

"Anyways, the locals here have it hidden away in one of their abandoned temples. It's a staff, bring it back to me and I'll get you access to what you need." The creature finally loosened his grip, letting Ambrose slump down and gasp for breaths of air. But he still held Ambrose possessively by the neck, eye-ing Caleb to make sure he didn't do anything sneaky.

Ambrose, realizing he was now a hostage for this trade, remained quiet and willed himself to cease his shivering. He held himself as still as possibly, trying to not reveal his fear when the yellow-eyed man pressed his nose into his hair, deeply inhaling his scent. It was clear he was trying to get under both his and Caleb's skin. Ambrose swallowed thickly and stared hard at Caleb, he was disgusted but this creature was probably their best bet. But he wouldn't agree to the trade if Caleb wasn't on board as well.

"What do should we do?" He asked Caleb quietly, ignoring the snicker from the creature towering over him. There were a lot of questions that were concerning, like why did this creature want the staff? And what is it capable of doing? But Ambrose wasn't sure if they had the luxury of asking such things.

[WindsOfFate]

The way the creature held Ambrose by the throat was as if it knew how much Ambrose meant to Caleb. It held him as if it had the best bargaining chip and knew that Caleb wouldn't attack as long as Caleb knew how much danger Ambrose was in. This put Caleb in a spot he didn't like to be in. He had to do what was asked of him for fear of the creature slitting Ambrose's throat with its claws. Caleb didn't move, his eyes never left the face of the creature. He exuded strength in the moment when others would probably exude fear. He wanted the creature to know that he wasn't afraid of it and if he tried anything he wouldn't hesitate. He watched Ambrose closely and realized he was silent which meant he had accepted his role as the hostage in this situation. Caleb listened to the monster as he requested their help in retrieving a staff.

"Let me get this straight," Caleb began, "you want us to waltz in there, take the staff, and return it to you and in exchange, you'll help us in our mission?" The creature began to touch Ambrose in ways that really irked Caleb to the point that Caleb just wanted this meeting to be over and if the creature looked carefully he would be able to see the anger in Caleb's eyes and the fact that Caleb had clenched his fist.

Caleb took a moment to contemplate it before nodding. "Let him go and I will help you, but first I need to know your name." He didn't know what this staff meant to this creature. He didn't know what he would be handing over willingly to this monster. Knowing the creature's name would hopefully give him some insight as to how he'd handle the situation. Perhaps he could ask questions to the locals to figure out what the creature was.

[catmint]

His yellow eyes glinted with delight at Caleb's anger, although it was well-hidden the tall man could still catch the tightening jawline. Which was what he really wanted, a reaction, to push both Caleb and Ambrose closer to the edge. To test the limits of their patience. But he didn't want them to fall over just yet, at least not until he had the staff. "Hm, yes, that sounds perfect." He hummed with satisfaction, his eyes trailed back to Ambrose. "I would recommend accepting this offer, I may just increase the price... Perhaps a nice dinner too?" He tightened his grip briefly on Ambrose.

Ambrose gritted his teeth as he felt the hungry gaze, he tried his best to hide any emotional reaction, knowing it would only amuse the creature further.

The creature laughed heartily at Caleb's response, immediately dropping Ambrose from his arms. Ambrose quickly stumbled away, exhaling a breath of relief. "Fine. We have a deal. You may refer to me as Codal." He extended a clawed hand out for a handshake, "Seal the deal and I'll help you get what I know you need." He paused, "But you're on your own until you get me that staff." Ambrose hesitantly took the hand, wincing at how hard Codal clenched, shaking briefly. Codal grinned widely, "Fantastic, let me get you the map that shows the path to this temple-" He paused, pulling out the tattered map, "Do watch your step though, sweet thing." He handed it to Ambrose before taking a step back from the clearing. "I'll contact you once if you have the staff in your possession, farewell."

Codal disappeared almost immediately into the shadows, leaving no trace of his presence. Ambrose slumped forward, rubbing his forehead. "God. what have we gotten into?" He shivered before letting himself down to rest on the grass, snuggling closer to the warmth of the fire. He offered the map up to Caleb, "Here. take a look at it."

[WindsOfFate]

He had a name, though for some reason Caleb felt that this creature was simply toying with them. Codal was his name and yet Caleb had never heard of him. This troubled him. Caleb took pride in being knowledgeable about magic and magic lore, yet Codal wasn't in his inventory. That was not to say he wasn't in someone else's. When Codal released Ambrose, Caleb resisted the urge to rush to him and make sure he was alright. Codal didn't give him the chance as a map was forced into Ambrose's hand. When he disappeared, Caleb took a few steps forward and took the map in his hand. He slid it into his back pocket and knelt down looking over Ambrose.

"Are you okay?" Caleb asked wanting to examine Ambrose, making a move to touch him but retracting his hand so as not to invade Ambrose's personal space. "I'm sorry," Caleb began, "I really didn't want to drag you into this."

Sighing, Caleb looked into the night sky and closed his eyes. He needed to connect with the magical energies that coursed through the universe. He was sitting close to Ambrose but not uncomfortably close. The flicker of the light allowed him to focus. He exhaled slowly and inhaled softly opening his eyes finally and looking slowly over at Ambrose. "Do you think it's a good idea to give him the staff? Maybe we do a little research and find out what he is and if the staff is connected to him." Caleb fell silent and stretched his fingers as he muttered a spell under his breath and released another barrier around their camp. They needed some type of rest if they were going to go after something they knew nothing about.

"We should get some rest," Caleb suggested. "The tent is all yours if you want."

@Catmint

[catmint]

Despite sitting close to the fire, Ambrose was still shivering. He had to admit, he was shaken up by that last encounter. He flinched when Caleb first came close to him, before realizing who it was. He nodded vigorously, although he was not okay by any definition, he desperately wanted to be and pretending to okay was the best way for him to do that right now. "It's fine. It's not your fault." He swallowed thickly and glanced at Caleb, observing how effortlessly Caleb was able to connect with the magic, spinning another barrier for them easily. Ambrose felt a twinge of envy, wishing he had that same connection with the magic. Ambrose looked away again once Caleb reopened his eyes.

He picked up some of the dry twigs, throwing them into the fire. Fatigue weighed on his bones, everything was happening so fast and he knew nothing could prepare them for what was ahead. But right now all he wanted was sleep. "It's obviously not anything good." He grumbled, "We should definitely try and understand what it does, but I think we should stick to the deal... Getting that staff is the cleanest and easiest way to get what we need." Ambrose let a sigh of relief when Caleb mentioned getting rest, "Oh definitely," Ambrose crawled to the tent, pausing before entering. "It would be selfish of me to take the whole tent..." Ambrose waved Caleb closer, "We can share."

Ambrose didn't wait for a response, he took his place on the right side of tent, snuggling down and getting comfortable.

[WindsOfFate]

@Catmint
Caleb understood that Ambrose wanted to finish the mission and return to their lives, though things would never be the same after everything they'd been through. Even if they managed to defeat the demon and set everything straight, there would always be the scar, most of which he caused, but a scar nonetheless of the events in the minds of everyone involved. No, things would never be the same and he had come to accept this, but he only wished things could be different, he oddly wished for a start over with Ambrose, perhaps if he was more protective or more cautious he wouldn't be in the situation he was in now. He sighed as he twirled the twig between his fingers watching Ambrose closely. He had offered Ambrose the tent, he would've been fine watching over them, but when he turned his attention back to the fire, he heard Ambrose say something.

Caleb stood up and dusted off his hands as he looked out into the darkness. He closed his eyes and sighed. There was danger all around them, this mission was dangerous. He hoped Ambrose would listen if anything happened to him. He hoped Ambrose would get out of dodge and return to his father to inform him. Taking one last look at the sky, Caleb stepped into the tent and looked over at Ambrose who had snuggled down and looked comfortable.

"Sleep well," Caleb said as he sat down Indian style and smiled at Ambrose. "See you in the morning."

With those words, Caleb began to meditate and tap into the arcane energies that flowed through the universe. Though his spirit was in turmoil, he knew what he had to do and as it got closer, as he realized that possibility of death, his mind became uneased. Meditation helped ease him.

The sun rose over the horizon illuminating the entrance to the tent. A few rays managed to sneak in and hit Caleb in the face. He was still in his meditation posture, but he slowly opened his eyes and looked over at Ambrose. He was still asleep, and Caleb didn't want to disturb him but they needed to get a move on finding the staff that the creature wanted, and thereby getting them closer to retrieving the blade they needed to banish the demon that plagued their school. Caleb began packing his bag, one thing after the other, but he left a snack and a bottle of water for Ambrose. Slowly he approached Ambrose and touched his shoulder softly.

"Hey," he said softly, "hey wake up babe," he added realizing what he said and removing his hand quickly before a blush formed.

[catmint]

Ambrose wasted little time in falling asleep, exhaustion swiftly washing over him. He fell into a deep slumber, and it felt like only an instant when a voice shook him to consciousness. He didn't register the words, and only mumbled in response to Caleb, slowly rising from the blankets.

He squinted at the sky as he crawled out, groaning softly. "It's already morning?" He grumbled, scratching his bedhead. Dark curls stuck up everywhere, and it took Ambrose a moment to pat it down into a presentable state. He spotted the water and snack set out, and quickly snatched them up. "So I guess we should look over the map Codal gave us before we set out for the temple?" He said in between bites, glancing over at Caleb with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Ambrose took in his surroundings as he waited for a response, the forest seemed quiet. In fact, everything seemed strangely still. It set off alarm bells in the back of his mind, but Ambrose was still shaking off the grogginess of sleep.

[WindsOfFate]

Caleb smiled as he looked over at Ambrose. Ambrose had no idea the effect he had on Caleb. The sheer presence of the curly haired man made a smile appear on Caleb's face. His touched would send shivers down Caleb's spine, and yet Ambrose didn't know, how could he know? They were only friends if that. As far as Caleb knew they were simply partners on this mission to find the blade that would put an end to the demon plaguing their school. Caleb trusted Ambrose, but he held a secret from him and many others. Only the headmaster knew and it was something he didn't know if Ambrose could handle.

"The map would be a good place to start if we want to complete this by nightfall," Caleb said as he watched Ambrose. He feels it too. Caleb could feel that there was something off, something wasn't right. It was silent, and normally there were birds chirping or some creature making loud noises in the distance, but in that moment it was silent and only when the arrow pierced his shoulder did he realize the danger they were in. He grunted as the force of the blow sent him shooting backward, landing hard on the ground. Ignoring the pain, he ripped the arrow out of his shoulder and glared in the direction it came.

"You are NOT welcome here outsider," a strange voice called out. "Your kind feeds on chaos, destroyers of worlds, you are NOT welcome here."

Caleb ripped his shirt revealing his chest and the bleeding wound. A few quick hand gestures set his hand ablaze with magic. He thrust an open palm onto the wound and held in the urge to scream as the magic did its job.

"LEAVE NOW!"

"We come in peace," Caleb replied. "We just need to retrieve something and then we will leave."

"Outsiders are NOT permitted," the voice replied. "Last chance..."

A few warriors stepped out of the bushes surrounding them. The ones with the bows sat in a few trees a couple of feet away with their sights on Caleb and Ambrose. Caleb stood up fully holding the bloody arrow in his hand. He counted each of the barbaric creatures that stood around them.

"Magaldors, keepers of the forest," Caleb said softly, "They're an archaic society and a pain in the ass. Only two ways to get through to them."

[catmint]

Ambrose swallowed and nodded in agreement, "Yeah let me-" As he bent down to recovery the map, he heard the grunt of pain and Caleb toppling to the ground. He gasped as he shot up, the warriors revealing themselves from the bushes. They were completely surrounded, all weapons trained on the duo.

"Please- We're just trying to-" He was cut off by the fury of the warrior that had shot Caleb. Was he referring to humans? It was a strange remark that was shot at Caleb but Ambrose didn't really have time to ponder it. He step forward, slightly in front of Caleb. He heard the whisper, informing Ambrose the identity of the warriors.

He put his hands up, but they still bristled at the movement, taking it as a form of aggression. "Don't make us hurt you, trust me. We didn't come here for conflict." He paused, and his voice lowered slightly. "But we will do whatever we need to." There was a threatening tone in his voice. Magic crackled at his fingertips, and a flash of fear rippled through the warrior unit. But the leader did not appear too shaken.

"I have fought warlocks and wizards before, I am not afraid of children like you two." The Magaldor raised his chin pridefully, "Last warning." He readied his bow at Ambrose.

Ambrose glanced back at Caleb, letting out a frustrated sigh. What could they do? Ambrose just had to trust Caleb knew what he was talking about and follow his lead.

[WindsOfFate]

Caleb watched the exchange between Magaldors and Ambrose. He watched as he tried to scare them by showing a bit of magic, but the leader of the Magaldors didn't back down and warned them once more that if they didn't leave he would attack them again. Caleb sighed and closed his eyes. Did he really want to reveal this side of himself to Ambrose? He'd hidden this part of himself from Ambrose since he met him. He hadn't tapped into it, and he meditated daily to keep it at bay, but in order to get out of this situation, he would have to release him and let him out to play for only a short time.

"You should be afraid Magaldor. You know what I am," Caleb said his body shaking slightly, "You know what my kind can do. Last chance to leave."

"You are a trespasser, it is my duty to guard the sacred forest, even if I die."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Caleb said before the transformation took place. There was a surge of primal arcane energy that surged through the area absorbing into Caleb as his eyes opened and revealed the glowing pulsating orbs of energy. His face looked as if it were cracking as if energy was about to break free. He started levitating as he glared at the leader. The magaldor backed away slowly but fired their arrows at Caleb and Ambrose. Caleb's hand raised and all the arrows stopped, bursting into flame. Caleb vanished and appeared behind the leader. He placed his hand on the head of the leader and the magaldor screamed as if in agony. His body twitched violently and a smile crept onto Caleb's face but when he saw Ambrose, he knew he had to reign in his power.

"I will give you a chance to live, take your wounded and go," Caleb said as the rest of the magaldors rushed over to their twitching leader who was stuck in a painful nightmare. The scurried off and Caleb closed his eyes, breathing and regaining control once more. He looked at Ambrose, not wanting to address the issue at hand, but realizing that he had no choice. "I...I will explain once we reach the temple," Caleb said softly. The sheer power that he displayed would feel familiar to Ambrose, it would feel like the Headmaster had come into the area with his piercing gaze. The truth was that Caleb was not human, neither was the Headmaster. They were beings from another world. They consumed life force, draining worlds and leaving. That was what he was, he was an Incyus, a being formed of arcane energy, feeding on the life force of creatures they encountered. It wasn't until they came to earth that they started a new life. They were free here, but now that they'd come to this forest, Caleb's identity was in jeopardy. "Shall we go?" Caleb asked looking at Ambrose with apologetic eyes.

@Catmint

[catmint]

Ambrose couldn't really comprehend the scene before him at first. The warriors scurrying back in fear, and even the brave leader backing down. At first Ambrose tried to rationalize the magic Caleb used as something out of a book. But seeing the look on his face, it became clear it ran deeper then that. It sent a shiver down his spine, especially with the energy feeling so similar to the headmaster. His mind was racing to click the pieces together.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Caleb stared at him apologetically, saying he would explain later. Even though he went back to the Caleb Ambrose knew, he couldn't shake the primal fear resting in the pit of his stomach. His instincts screamed at him to put distance between himself and Caleb.

Ambrose, clearly tongue-tied, stammered out a half-hearted response and turned on his heel. They knew where the temple was located and now they just had to worry about the wildlife stopping them now. The native warriors would resign to tracking their movement instead of interfering for now. Ambrose steeled himself for the journey ahead, pushing a few curls out of his eyes as he stepped out of the clearing and towards the path that would lead to the temple.

As they walked through the brush, Ambrose kept a noticeably distance from Caleb. It was particularly warm day in the remote rain forest, and beads of sweat gathered on his furrowed brow. He was silent, trying to focus on their mission instead of what he saw merely a few hours before. The temple eventually came into view, peeking over the trees and before Ambrose knew it, he stumbled out of the foliage onto a stone path that led up stairs to the main entrance.

Wiping at his brow, he glanced behind him. "We're here!" He called out to Caleb, huffing to catch his breath.

[WindsOfFate]

Caleb couldn't shake the fact that at every turn he was pushing Ambrose further away from the possibility of any type of relationship. Ambrose probably didn't trust him, and yet Caleb hoped there was a flicker of something there. Sighing, Caleb had stood fully and followed behind Ambrose silently. He didn't speak unless a question was asked of him or his navigational skills were used, but other than that he remained silent. Ambrose's distance did not go unnoticed, and Caleb was mentally kicking himself for letting his other side out to play. It had been a very long time since he'd let that side of his being out to play and he could tell that it yearned to be free, to roam and consume life, but he had trained, he had kept up with his mantras and he had done everything in his power to keep it at bay, to understand what it meant to be at peace.

The walking continued and he stepped over the land thinking about everything that had led them to this point. When they had finally reached the temple, Caleb knew he had to keep his promise and tell Ambrose what he truly was. Ambrose signaled that they had arrived, the first words he'd spoken to Caleb since they left their camp. His voice was like sweet honey to his ears, though he doubted Ambrose knew the spell he had over him. The fact that if Ambrose wanted he could destroy Caleb's heart. Caleb stepped up to the base of the stairs that led into the temple and looked at Ambrose.

"I guess this means I have to tell you everything right?" Caleb said taking his attention from Ambrose and gazing into the distance. "Where to begin? I guess explaining what I am will give you insight. I'm an Incyus, though you probably read about my kind in the library of deadly creatures. Anyways, an Incyus is a being made of pure arcane energy. We roam the worlds and consume life, at least that is what we used to do. The Headmaster and I decided to turn a new leaf and settle here on Earth, but not without stirring up our presence to other beings."

Caleb sighed and turned his attention back to Ambrose. "I know what you must think of me. I'm a monster, but I wanted to keep you safe, it's what I've always wanted since I met you and I know you hate me, I know you would rather not be on this mission with me right now but..." Caleb went silent and looked down at his hands.

@Catmint

[catmint]

Ambrose held his back to Caleb as he listened to him approach. This whole situation was so fucked up, spiraling further and further out of control. He fixed his gaze on a chipped stone, clenching his fists as he listened carefully to the explanation Caleb provided. Once his finished Ambrose glanced at Caleb in shock. "You killed literal thousands of beings?" He choked out, an accusatory glare bearing down at Caleb. "You're no different then that creep Codal." Ambrose spat as he took a couple steps back. The information Caleb dumped on him so casually threatened to tear down his entire world view. He was another one of those crazy world ending entities just like the one they were currently trying to fight.

Ambrose put his head in his hands and crouched down, his breath catching in his throat. Everything felt like it was closing in on him, he didn't have control on anything. He was just some guy who grew up in the city, and happened to be pulled into this crazy world of magic. Ambrose was taking short, shallow breaths, obviously suffering from a mini-panic attack. It took a solid five minutes for Ambrose to his bearings. He had to ignore all of his confusing feelings, his instincts, and reasoning so he could focus on completing their mission.

He pushed himself to his full height and shot another glance at Caleb. "I- Just focus on getting this damn staff so we can get out of here." He turned around and made his way up the large stairs, stopping at the large stone door. Carefully, he started to push it open. He had to put his whole weight behind it, the insides of the temple were clearly covered in dust and spider webs. Before stepping in, he referred back to the map Codal had given to them. It gave a brief explanation of the inside, but mostly the map was for navigating to the temple itself. From now on they were on their own completely.

Ambrose snapped his fingers, a small glowing light appeared and hovered by his head. It illuminated a short distance in front of him. "Come on, down here." The long stone hallway extended forward into blackness.

[WindsOfFate]

When he had finished speaking, when he had said all he wanted to say to Ambrose, the man he had started to develop confusing feelings for glared at him. His eyes accused him of so many things. He looked at Caleb as if he were a monster as if he was responsible for things he hadn't even done. Then his words struck him in the heart and crushed him. Ambrose told him he was no different than Cobal or any of the other beings trying to end life, but Caleb was different. He had turned over a new leaf since arriving on Earth. He had seen the life here and valued it above all to protect it. He had risked his life over and over to save lives here, but Ambrose didn't know that. Perhaps he was the reason the demon had come through, it had sensed him and wanted his allegiance. Caleb had to turn away to avoid showing the hurt on his face, the complete destruction of his heart.

He grew silent once more unsure what to say to Ambrose, but when Ambrose began to experience panic symptoms, Caleb approached only to stop to give him space. Tears still in his eyes, he watched as Ambrose overcame it and looked at him telling him to focus on getting the staff for Codal. Caleb managed a weak nod pushing the emotions away and following behind Ambrose, but with a bit of distance between them. He was so distant, he was not in his right state of mind to be on any mission, especially now when the guy he really liked just destroyed him with his looks and words. They entered into the temple and Ambrose produced an orb of light but Caleb wasn't paying any attention. What he wouldn't tell Ambrose is that he had become one of the creatures on Earth, a human in order to remain here because he knew that they were worth saving. He had given up the life of an Incyus and become something close to a human.

He was actually surprised by how swiftly Ambrose was able to produce the orb of light and although Caleb wanted to show him how to produce more than one, he stopped himself from doing it and sighed. He would follow along and make sure Ambrose finished this mission, then all they had to do is collect the knives and get back to BlackBrick. He was sure Ambrose would never speak to him again. and he couldn't blame him.

[catmint]

His heart thumped loudly in his chest as they begun their journey into the temple. It was deathly quiet except for the occasional squeaks of rats scurrying about. Finally the long stone hallway split off into two different paths. He stopped and took out the map Codal had given them. But all it offered at this point was that the staff was located at the center of the temple. Ambrose sighed with frustration and glanced over at Caleb. He shrugged and gestured at the choices before them. "So? All we know is that staff is at the center of the temple." He explained coolly and returned his gaze to the two paths.

They both seemed identical at first glance, dark and a chilly atmosphere. Except to someone paying attention, a cool breeze was flowing gently from the path on the right, while the left path was completely still and cold.

Ambrose huffed another sigh, pushing a dark curl of hair from his eyes. "We could split up..." His voice trailed off, not even with how much he distrusted Caleb right now, did he want to go wondering alone in this strange temple. Ambrose met Caleb's dark gaze, momentarily distracted by how sad he looked. It almost made him want to pity his classmate. But that thought was ruined by the image of Caleb smiling as he caused that warrior agony. Ambrose quickly looked away once more, fixing his gaze ahead.