The Elements

Chapter 18 - Xavier's Story

"I think we're there," I muttered through the earpiece to Aura. "It's just up a staircase - though I don't think you need to know where it is since you're not coming."

At that moment, Xavier walked towards me, refusing to meet my eyes as he said, quietly, "I really don't know how you got me to show this to you, and I don't think you need to know, but... you've gotta promise me. Don't tell anyone about this. Please?"

Aura's name started bouncing about in my mind. How could I break Xavier's promise just like that, especially since, I had just realised, I was forcing him to tell me what was rightfully his? But again, I needed to tell Aura about whatever it was, since it would definitely help us work through the net of tricks and lies in this company and... find our friends. Those three words echoed in my mind, and I closed out all emotions. This was the logical thing to do. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I whispered hoarsely, "I promise."

Xavier's face lit up with relief, his eyes silently thanking me. My heart throbbed in the tiny enclosure I had placed it in, but I was determined not to let it out. "I guess... nothing much to tell you about. You just watch." He walked towards the contraption and spun its upper ring like a spinning top. Slowly, a screen - a hologram, I realised - poured out from the device and filled the air in front of me.

I watched intently as images flickered across the hologram. A crackle reverberated through the room, just as the images on the hologram formed a picture. The words of a book. The flipping of a page. All of a sudden, someone screamed, "Xavier!" I was viewing the world... through Xavier's eyes? Was this... Xavier's memory? The world shifted upwards, from the book, and showed a blonde, slim woman entering the room. But her eyes were the ones that caught me. The caramel brown. It was the exact same colour as... Xavier's.

"Mum?" the voice came from the hologram itself, a younger, brighter voice. The real Xavier turned away.

"Xavier, dear," the woman - Xavier's mum - said, coming to sit with Xavier on the sofa, "The Winter Festival is in an hour. Time to dress up!" Xavier groaned, and I couldn't help laughing as I pictured him, younger and happier.

"Don't make him look like a monster again!" Xavier's father peeked in. I saw who Xavier got his smile from. Impishness danced across his father's face as his smile illuminated it to a glow.

"No promises!" Xavier's mother squealed back, to which both father and son gave a sigh. Xavier's father sat on the sofa next to Xavier, softly caressing his hair. As I looked closer at his father, though, I thought I found... something familiar, but I just couldn't quite place a finger on it. A sigh echoed, and I tried to find the source of it - but then I realised the real life Xavier was the one who had sighed.

"Dude, you okay?" I tapped him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, completely and totally wonderful," he replied back, refusing to turn around. I sure detected a lot of sarcasm, but what could I do? I turned back to the memory.

During that cute, happy and carefree moment, though, something had to break it. I heard something very, very familiar. A howl that came from no wolf. Instinctively, the world shifted to show a window - and I covered my eyes. My heart sank to the pits of my stomach as something started brewing inside. This time, Xavier was the one to shake my shoulders.

"Hey, you okay?"

"No - I mean, yes. I'm fine." I drew a few shaky breaths before I forced my eyes open - and looked anywhere but the hologram. Finally, though, I pushed my eyes back to the hologram as I watched the tornado brewing. The windows were swept open easily by the wind and it blew at them. A shiver ran down my spine, although the hologram didn't show any feelings. I could feel echoes from my very own memories drift back, haunting me like a ghost as I seemed to relive the experience. I seemed to feel the terror that ripped through my body, the ice-coldness of the wind, the sharp bite as it swept over. At that moment, though, the part of my mind that was still functioning was heavily burdened by a question that had spawned: Did Xavier somehow... go through the same thing I had went through?