Satyrs At Dusk ✔

Chapter Twenty-Eight

After the shock, they headed home and Praek stayed back with his family. That's when they realized... Penelope was gone. She was nowhere to be found. Though Maxwell was too depressed to notice.

"Where's Penelope?" Saevel asked.

"She had someone to assassinate I guess. A contract, I think she called it. Imni summoned her not long before Praek came to me." Myra explained. Meanwhile, Maxwell retreated to his bed silently and she left the room to give them privacy.

After a while of silence, Saevel sat down and tilted his head, looking at Maxwell's back.

"Max?" he called softly.

The human turned around to meet the satyr and reached up to stroke his cheek. "Both of my parents are gone. I know I said some things about her, but I can't help but love her anyway. It's an instinct... She's my mom." he simply said, a tear rolling down his cheek as his bottom lip trembled.

"I'll soon have nobody left."

Saevel knew how short human lifespans were, compared to a satyr's. Satyrs could live for centuries. Humans only lives decades. "You have me. You have Praek, even if you don't know him well... All of Taintpine is at your side. They trust you. Myra is with you for the time being." he leaned down and gave him an innocent kiss on the lips.

"I can't believe how much you've changed since I first met you." he chuckled, "You were so naive when we met... You refused to believe anything I said. But now, you're a hero to my kind. You're brave and adventurous... I'm lucky to have you here with me." Saevel scooted in bed and cradled the man in his arms, rocking him side to side as a gentle silence fell over them.

Maxwell shuddered, huddling closer to the satyr's warmth. "I think... I think her absence is for the best." Maxwell murmured, to which Saevel nodded. "Thank you."

_

Saevel ended up falling asleep in Maxwell's bed, while the human looked blankly at the ceiling. Maxwell knew she would be gone soon, but... He never anticipated what to do afterwards. What should he do with her bedroom? Make it for Imni, Aimon, Praek? What about Penelope?

He sighed, to which the sleeping satyr next to him only snuggled closer. "What should I do?" he whispered under his breath. He hugged Saevel closer and closed his eyes... That's when Myra opened the door and stepped inside.

"Hey. You okay?" Myra asked quietly. Maxwell shrugged.

"It's just... I never expected her to leave for good. I don't know what to do with her room. She's obviously not coming back." he said.

"Yeah. I was thinking we'd make it into our... Transfer room? Y'know, Saevel could move the portal to her room once we clean it out." Myra suggested. Maxwell glanced over to the portal, open to anything... That would work. It would also prevent others from wandering in and tainting (ha) the pure land of Taintpine.

"Yeah... We could, but I was thinking we could do that and make it a bedroom for Praek, Imni and Aimon when they visit." he added, his eyes slowly animating. Myra sighed with relief.

"Good. I'll start clearing her things."

But she didn't leave the room.

_

Hours later, Saevel woke up drearily, groggy and stiff from the afternoon nap. He hated naps... But they were often unexpected, so much so that even Penelope would be jealous.

Maxwell was still awake, sitting at his desk writing something on a piece of paper. The window was open and his radio was on, playing vintage tunes that just oozed with surfer energy. "Hey baby." he called to the satyr without sparing him a glance.

Saevel flushed heavily. "H-Hi. What's with the... the pet name? Why not Sae?" he asked bashfully.

"Myra gave me a pep talk before she left to clean mom's room. Anyway, the name fits you." Maxwell stood up and tried to smile but only pulled off a smirk, eyes tired and strained from staying up. "It's 7:30."

"Oh... Well, to lift your spirits maybe we could go swimming? Or we could continue your surfing lessons from earlier." Saevel suggested, standing to stretch his limbs.

"Sure, that sounds cool..." Maxwell got up from his desk and sat down next to Saevel, leaning over and gently pushing him down to the mattress. Saevel obliged with a puzzled look, letting his pink elbows support him. Their noses brushed and the satyr let out a squeak. "But I'd rather-"

"Penelope's back!"

Myra's voice came from downstairs, so they quickly rushed up from the bed, adjusted, and came down to see an exhausted Penelope slumped on the couch.

Her bicep was adorned with a bright red scratch that ran diagonally. Little beads of blood bubbled from the opening, but that seemed to be the only wound she had.

"The guards put up quite a fight.." she said, sighing as Myra applied a wet towel to her cut. "They were so advanced... They had glowing vehicles and projectiles like no other. A tiny rock shot out of them at incredible speed!" she mimicked holding a gun, waving it around crazily.

"You mean... A police officer?" Maxwell asked. "...and police cars, and guns, and bullets. Yeah, that's what people have these days." He gave her a droll look.

"Well, I'm sorry. It's not my fault we've lived in the forests for hundreds of years." Penelope retorted sarcastically. She watched Myra closely as the human tended to her wound. "Being there is definitely a risk in itself. The police officers, as you call them, are everywhere."

"Sorry about that.." Maxwell winced.

Suddenly Penelope grinned michevieously. "No no... Not that it's a bad thing. I like a good challenge. This is what we've been waiting for our entire life... Maybe not Imni, for he's stuck in the old times, but the rest of us were ready for something new."

Saevel tilted his head.

"So... When you guys get a contract, do you stay in your regular clothes or do you get into uniform?" Maxwell inquired, making Penelope chuckle.

"Of course we don't go in our clothes... We have special armor forged by the ancients." she explained. Saevel nodded in understanding, summoning a gateway with the remaining magic in his system.

The image of an Arid elf formed within the rippling orb. Like the image he showed before, the elf wore a tight black outfit with a gleaming dagger strapped to their hip. The shoulders, knees and wrists were guarded with thick leather padding, the color of sweet beeswax.

"This is what you wear, right?" Saevel asked. Penelope nodded with a proud smirk.

"Yeah. Luckily the armor soaks up the blood and converts it into magical energy, helping us blend into the shadows, if not making us completely invisible to the human eye." Her face moved to the outfit's boots, a soft glow fanning out in a circle below each foot. "The boots are special. They're able to make you movements completely silent." she added.

Myra stood up and stretched, tucking away the cloth. "All right you're done.. Might wanna get that patched up with some Neosporin." She went to turn when Penelope pulled on her wrist, eyes downcast.

"Stay for a little while." the elf muttered lowly. Her eyes flicked up at her, then down. "I have something to tell you."

__