AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

18.4 XAN

The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Gale work is getting to Goldstar. Iyler too seems to be distancing herself from him. He leaves after a disagreement with her about his secret identity. Vincent, who worked at the Research Centre, talks to him at the Dining Hall. Goldstar is flustered by him when he asks to accompany Goldstar to the South Land. Goldstar is rattled by his argument with Iyler. She doesn't visit him, though he is leaving for the South Land. On the South Land, Goldstar meets Prince Irih'va of Ierne's Hi'er Empire. The Prince offers him help if ever he needs it. He also tells him, "You are in for heartbreak. And then you will do something great. A storm will provide you respite from the scorching heat." He gets information that the Leadership is blaming the Gale for the blast at the Research center.

---- Ze is restless as he takes care of a class. He finds out that a student of his is in the hospital for an unknown sickness. The boy Xan's friend Vaughn asks him to visit Xan at the hospital as Xan would really appreciate it. Ze fights with his mother, again, about his powers. He leaves home and goes to the hospital to visit his student Xan. Ze finds something strange as he reaches the hospital and decides to check it out.

---- Xan is still in the hospital. He is still weak. 

---- Vaughn confesses to Xan that he loves him. They share their first kiss. 

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****18.4 - Xan****

Xan stayed awake for the rest of the evening, waiting for Mr. Roan. When the door slid open again, he perked up. But it wasn't Mr. Roan, it was his family.

"You're sitting up." Dae Hyun* grinned as he ran and sat next to him on the bed.

Ingrid* was silent as she sat on a chair next to his bed. She seemed to be taking this very hard. She stayed quiet, and also seemed slightly wary of all the wires connected to him.

Eun* pulled the blankets tighter around him.

"You look better tonight." Royd smiled. "There's some color in your cheeks."

"Where's Vaughn?" Hei Ran* asked.

"He came in early and left," Xan answered, trying hard not to blush.

"You do look better," Eun concluded after running her eyes over him.

"I feel good today."

"That's good," Royd* said. "I'm sure next week by this time you'll be home. You're doing well."

"Your blood test results should come in today," Leif* said, lifting a chair into the room from outside. "Hopefully, they can start you on some medication."

His family stayed till late at night, and Xan forced everyone to go home to rest. Royd insisted on staying the night. But, Xan adamantly sent him away. "Come early in the morning," he told him.

"Are you sure you don't need anyone here?" his mother asked, brushing his hair with her fingers, her touch so tender.

Xan nodded, leaning into the touch. They needed rest too; at someplace comfortable – at home.