THE FORMIDABLES

#5 | SHED YOUR LIQUID HEART

Everything came to a standstill once Bianca processed his words. He looked up at her from his spot like a kid who had just done something bad and was trying to act cute to avoid punishment and she couldn't deny that he looked devastatingly beautiful in tears.

"Do you need the Elixir? I have some of the ones you gave me to keep for you."

He shook his head vigorously and squeezed her a bit tighter in his arms. "I had forgotten what it felt like to grieve or even feel guilty… Bianca, I'm sorry for deceiving you all those years ago." Another tear rolled down his ivory skin.

Bianca felt her heart melt at the apology she had waited 12 years to hear. Stroking his blonde soft locks, she sighed. It was nice to see him act more human but it also spelt doom. After hearing his story of how he ended up in the Ashen, she knew he was the type to literally 'cry his heart out' till there was nothing 'heart' left about it. Even Lance himself didn't realize this but The Commander did and he had been using the Elixir as a muzzle to tame him.

Now that the muzzle was off, she didn't believe it was a good thing... at all.

"Eugene," He flinched at the mention of that name. He went by many names, Lance in the Ashen, Spencer as Andy's brother but Eugene Martial was his real name.

"What is it?" He pressed her tighter to himself out of nervousness.

"Tell me what happened. Will you?" She softened her tone, almost lulling him and he sighed, nuzzling further into her arms before he started…

- Old World, Egypt, Friday, 5:45pm.

"Now doesn't this place bring back memories..." Raftar sighed in nostalgia.

"It does. Come, let's round up this patrol and head back." Lance pressed, not in the mood to reminisce. He just about hoped one of the alien creatures that they fought off regularly would show up because Raftar had been particularly talkative that day and he was in no mood to chat.

The creatures had human physiques except they had no genitals or nipples. They were also golden and each had star shaped crowns at the back of their heads. They didn't speak English like Harak could but they were much more skilled in combat. The government dubbed them Starrans but The Ashen referred to them lamely as “creatures” or “beings” or simply…“things”.

"Aw come on. There are no Starrans here. They'll plan their next attack in three days, it's always been that way as they're creatures of pattern, even how they fight has a pattern albeit a  dastardly complex one. We're just standing guard for nothing." Raftar rolled his eyes.

"Still, let's finish our job. Why are you awfully...noisy today?" Lance stared at Raftar suspiciously.

"What? I didn't skip a dose, okay? And even if I did, Silas has already given all of us a batch of his freshly brewed cow piss."

"Still... something is off." He replied, refusing to let it go.

"Yeah right." He groaned. “I'll handle the left wing, you take the right.” Lance didn't argue and complied, doing as Raftar suggested, deciding it was best to be quick and get it over with.

Weaving through the wasted lands of Luxor, which had nothing but broken and blackened buildings, Lance found himself slowing down and out of breath. It was very unlike him but he didn't dwell on the matter too long as his attention was caught by finding an old deck of cards lying half buried in the ruins. They were still in their pack and seemed to have survived so long. He took out a card; the Jester but watched it crumble when he tried to fold it. 

A laugh escaped his lips as he remembered how he always gushed over the notion of magic tricks when he was still a little boy.

“Huh?”