Chapter 24
Goodbye and Hello
“I have been here many times before…”
~Sia~
Of course it was raining, how could it not? On such a glum day it was only natural. All around the Glendale Cemetery people had gathered—but not just any—they were all familiar with one individual. The passing of Margery Whyte had stirred a lot of emotions. The entire school of Fall’s Academy had attended. Not one student was absent, and it made Exsavior contemplate Margery’s altruism.
The soft droplets of water that caressed his cheeks and grass seemed almost like tears falling from the sky. Slowly, he stared up at the grey clouds as Lily clung to his arm with one hand and David’s with the other.
Surprisingly enough, she was doing ok, but when David had left her alone to walk towards the casket, she almost fell to the ground. It worried them both, but David believed it to be just fatigue.
Once again, Exsavior shifted his stare back to the coffin in front of him. It was sleek and brown, elegant in its own way, and he hoped to never reach it. Walking endlessly for an eternity and unable to reach the bin seemed to be a more pleasant idea than having to face Margery’s deathbed.
The whimpers and sobs filled his ears, but he remained unmoved by them, refusing to show his emotions in front of strangers—strangers that stared at him in an uninviting manner.
‘This is just all too familiar…’
Unfortunately, time went as it should, and the seconds ran their course, allowing the three of them to ultimately reach the coffin. David handed the flowers to his mother, who had picked them carefully for the event. Slowly, as if afraid she’d do it wrong, Lily placed them on top while sobbing a little harder when she remembered it was a closed casket. Margery’s body wasn’t apt for viewing.
“Azaleas—purple and pink—just how you like them, Marge. May heaven be filled with their petals.” With that said and done, David motioned her to continue moving, and Lily unwillingly did so. She kissed her palm and placed it on the bin in her own way of goodbye. Exsavior let her go as he remained frozen in front of the wooden coffin.
Alone to his thoughts, he pondered over everything that had happened—and he remembered his first day in the city.
“I’m sure you helped everyone else here more than you did me, but I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you did for me. No one else would have worried like you did.”
They surged like a heated flare of hopelessness; the tears searched for an escape, but he fought them back.
‘I grew attached to you, and you died. Why? Why does this always happen?’
A tap on his shoulder and the feeling of someone standing next to him was his only means of comfort, and he did not look to know that Isabel and David had approached him.
With him they stood, the three watching the bin; two of them trying to decipher what their friend was possibly feeling.
They could not begin to imagine what Exsavior was reliving.
It was a memory etched into the patterns of his brain and tainting the feelings of his heart.
‘You took care of me…like mom did…’
~~~ Flashback~~~
The pack was unified under the night of the moon to howl and revere the passing of a beloved. Each stride of every wolf and human was solemn, and their steps seemed slow in his eyes.
“Where is daddy? Can you see him Exsavior?” The voice of his sister was shaky, but Exsavior remained silent.
He stood there in his tribal white pants with his young chest bare, holding the cold nervous hand of his older sister. Her long ankle-length white hair played with the wind that brought the scent of moon flowers to his nose, along with the salty smell of tears—a fragrance that he disliked.
Not one word did he utter.
“Exsavior, I think I found—” Alexandria was about to say something in joy when a long mournful howl interrupted her midsentence. Instantly, she held her ears and scowled.
The howl made a small uproar of cries. All of the other wolves joined in, and those that were in human form sobbed and wailed.
The sounds crippled his sister as she fell to her knees in tears. The droplets of the salty liquid kissed the ground, erupting instant sprouts of moon flowers from it. She made hundreds of them just by one sob.
Exsavior, seeing his sister succumb to the pain, made his way slowly to the source of the cries. He passed them all—his kin—his fellow brethren that accompanied him in his sorrow. His stride resembled an emotionless lost child, innocently searching for his father.
Though, there was no innocence and he was not lost, he knew what had happened and where he was.
From afar he saw them, the eldest wolves grouped together with the leader in the middle. It was the first time he had ever seen the whimpers of the Alpha; it was the first time he saw the body of his mother, dangling in her own blood within the arms of his father.
His steps became rigid, until they froze completely. He believed that if he did not approach the scene it would not be real. That maybe he could avoid it.
Reality wasn’t like that.
“Exsavior! Oh god, come here child.” No reflected emotions covered his face as he turned to the source of the voice. He was just pale with dead eyes, and it scared Rigel to see a child of his age like that.
The powerful arms of his uncle scooped him up and took him away before he could near, but his vision remained plastered to the fleeting scene. Right before it disappeared, his face was pushed against his chest as Rigel tried desperately to muffle the sounds of everything around. It was somewhat soothing, the warmth of his uncle more than anything, for he still heard.
With each passing tree, each howling werewolf relative and wailing human he passed by, there was something that tugged at him. Little by little it deteriorated his stoic demeanor, and he realized what it was when they reached his unconscious sister, asleep in a bed of moon flowers.
Everything—right down from Alexandria’s slumbering form to the smallest petal of the moon flowers—reminded him of her.
His mother…
Tears streamed down his eyes in a soundless cry, as his uncle made room for Alexandria in his arms.
One utter, short and low, “Mom…,” and Exsavior buried his eyes in Rigel’s chest until darkness claimed him.
~~~ End of Flashback~~~
The worst part is having no one to blame, but this time was different. His mother’s attacker was never caught or known, but for Margery’s sake, Exsavior swore it would be different.
Even if he did not kill the culprit himself, vengeance would be achieved.
“Exsavior, we should sit, there are other’s waiting,” Isabel whispered, lowly, making them all move.
He nodded, took a deep breath, and let it flow. “Yeah, let’s get out of their way.”
Once they sat down, the mournful students continued to pay their respects. It was an endless stream of people and immortals alike, and somehow it soothed Exsavior to know just how loved Margery was.
Instantly, his vision clashed with two women—a red-haired Covenant Templar official walking alongside a brown-reddish haired young girl.
It was Mia and Lynn.
Exsavior felt Isabel tense up from his right side, but never once did he remove his stare from the girl.
Mia’s stride seemed powerful, almost defiant, but when she made it to the casket, it eased. Her shoulders slumped slightly, and Exsavior saw her make a prayer along with Lynn. They both left a few flowers on the coffin as Mia kissed her palm and waved a goodbye in the direction of the bin.
They both scurried away as quickly as they appeared, and Exsavior followed her trail only to catch the sight of someone else.
Far back, at the end of the ocean of seated people stood a tall boy with brown tousled hair and green eyes. The one distinction that Exsavior recognized was his trademark scar that adorned his face.
“We should go and talk to her.” Isabel’s voice interrupted Exsavior’s thoughts.
“Yeah, we should…” David nodded sternly, and held his sobbing mother’s hand. He let her know that he would step out for a moment, before the three took off in Mia’s direction.
~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~******
The funeral was more bearable than what she believed it to be. Even though it was no place for her, accompanying Mia was more important than Covenant rules.
She didn’t quite understand what was happening, but after the exorcism, the wolf left in chase of the trickster to search for a shapeshifter. That much Lynn understood.
At first, she cared little for the passing of another immortal, until Isabel explained it to her. Margery Whyte was apparently the ‘Mother Theresa’ of the immortals. She did all kinds of good.
The priest finished saying his words which caused most to stand and give their final condolences before leaving. Lynn had stayed behind to give Mia some time alone, but she knew well that her friends were going to try and talk to her. Even though she was against the idea of Mia speaking to them, there was no helping it. Mia was going to have to hear both sides before coming to a conclusion.
“This Margery was one hell of a woman,” Lynn said aloud, as she traversed the sea of people.
“Indeed she was.” Casually, Lynn stopped her tracks as she turned to face the unknown voice.
Her eyes came in contact with a middle-aged woman. She had deep black violet-like hair tied in a tall bun with dark blue eyes. The creases of her face contracted slightly into a faint smile, adorning her saddened eyes.
“I apologize, didn’t mean to startle you.” She smiled wider this time, making Lynn nod. The woman moved her pace to catch up to Lynn’s side. Both females walked in the same direction as they conversed.
“My name is Daisy; my mother was close with Margery. How did you know her?”
Lynn sighed at the question without looking at Daisy. “I didn’t know her. My sister attends Falls Academy. My name is Lynn by the way.”
Upon hearing the name, Daisy tensed up slightly. Lynn looked at her from the corners of her eyes, until they reached two large trees that separated the mournful event with the exit. At some point, Daisy stopped moving alongside Lynn, and remained standing behind her.
“Oh that makes sense.” There was a pause and Lynn turned to face her out of curiosity when the conversation turned flat.
“My full name is Daisy d’Aerie. That may or may not mean something to you, but I’m pretty sure Mia might want to speak with me.”
When Lynn heard her sister’s name, she instantly became suspicious, but it was nothing compared to her shock after seeing the woman begin to fade away. Her skin became translucent, as well as the rest of her, allowing any source of light to permeate her. On some levels, it was a beautiful and odd sight; she resembled glass but with a soft-looking feel.
Daisy’s body shimmered faintly, until it completely vanished. She simply smiled, as if all was right in the world, before she was no longer visible.
“Holy shit!” Suddenly, the voice of another onlooker captured Lynn’s attention.
Assuming the worse, she turned away from the spot where Daisy had been moments ago, only to see a small tubby child with his family staring boggled at her.
Lynn cursed under her breath and rolled her eyes, realizing she’d have to perform a reverso.
“Oh wow, this is hilarious. Did the fat kid just swear?” Another voice demanded Lynn’s attention, but this one she recognized slightly.
Locke had floated down from one of the trees with his legs crossed much like his arms; he would have made anyone believe that he was going to meditate if it weren’t for his ridiculous grin.
Lynn scoffed, “Mind doing something for me?” She despised asking others for help—especially an Immortal—but Lynn wasn’t in any mood to deal with the ignorance of humans.
Locke grinned from ear to ear. “Oh? Do you want me to erase their memories?”
Scowling now, Lynn nodded almost gritting her teeth.
“I’ll do it, but only if you do something for me in return.” There it was the reason why Lynn hated asking for help. It always came with a price—more often than not—a date.
“Name it.” She said lowly.
“Stop scowling, it makes you look an angry old woman.” He said simply, before landing on his feet. Lynn did not expect the comment, failing to come up with a retort.
Instantaneously, he moved towards the now frightened family to implant his illusions within their minds.
“Oh fuck!” The overweight boy yelled, which caused Locke to raise an eyebrow.
He stared at the nervous father, and spoke, “See what happens when you don’t hit your kids?”
Shortly after, their minds were filled with nothing but nonsense and scenes that Locke used to erase the image of the vanishing woman. The couple immediately reacted, making the father grab hold of his son’s ear really hard as he chastised him for cursing.
Walking after them, the mother passed Lynn and Locke, as she gave them a disapproving look, making Locke smile in content.
“Ok, what the hell did you make them see?” Lynn asked, as she grabbed a hold of his shoulder to pull him down to her length. Locke was a tall man, towering over her small frame in comparison.
“What does it matter? I fixed the issue didn’t I?”
Her eyes squinted in suspicion. “You made them see something dirty didn’t you?”
“Oh you’re good.” Before anything else was said, she tugged on his long silver hair roughly, forcing Locke to fall face forward onto the ground. She did not even bother to wait for him to compose himself before taking off, leaving Locke to laugh at his own amusement.
~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~******
It was not hard to find her, given both David and Exsavior's nose. However, her location was not the problem.
“Why the hell can’t we go in?” Exsavior almost yelled angrily.
They stood a good distance away from Mia, who sat on a high hilltop, allowing her view of the entire cemetery and all of those present.
“I don’t know; it’s obvious she’s learned some tricks while in her recuperation. There’s, what I can only assume, an angelic barrier blocking us.” Isabel’s tone was sad, her eyes staring dejectedly at her best friend’s form from afar.
“One can only imagine what she must be thinking,” she said quietly.
Exsavior’s anger started to fall short, as he too began to feel ostracized.
During all this, David moved towards the invisible force-field; he curiously lifted his hand and touched where he suspected it to be. Ripples of waves reacted to the touch, but instead of being rejected, his hand pervaded it.
“Guys, I think she’s letting us in!” he said, enthusiastically.
Once David was completely on the other side, Exsavior ran to meet up with him, only to be pushed back roughly. Like an electric Taser, it zapped his body to the ground.
Exsavior moaned in pain, and Isabel refrained from trying to enter. “I think she only let David pass.”
“Really? What was your first clue?” Exsavior spat angrily.
David looked at his friends unsure of himself, but Isabel motioned him to continue, and he did.
It took a few seconds before he was at a good distance from Isabel and Exsavior. He realized that the field Mia had put up did not just block out those she wanted, but also his senses. David could not hear Exsavior’s complaints, nor could he smell Isabel.
Hesitantly, he stopped as he stood behind his friend, who was sat with her knees to her chin.
“I wanted to talk to you alone.” There was a short silence, and when he said nothing, she continued to speak. “I think we can understand each other best. We’re both going through the same thing,” Mia said, quietly. Her stare never once broke from the people that were below her.
David nodded, even though she did not see him, as he sat down next to her.
“How are you, David?” Mia asked, this time looking at him with a tired smile.
Mia noticed how he was a bit surprised to hear the question. She expected him to pour his worries on her, and a part of her wanted that. Anything that could help take her mind off things was what she was really hoping for.
He laughed nervously, “I’m good. I mean I’m a werewolf and apparently that’s all the rage nowadays! Remember Twilight? I can be like Taylor Lautner!” he boasted, jokingly.
The tone of his voice told her that he was trying to deal with things, and his light jokes did little to mask his uncertainty. He was probably as confused as she.
“Yeah, I guess, but this isn’t some movie, David. We’ve been thrown into a darker side of life. I mean, what are we to do now? Which side do we belong to?”
David’s laughter died down, as he stared at Mia. Her voice was frail and low, and it was obvious that she was exhausted. Nevertheless, she could tell that he was too.
“I haven’t been thinking much about it, just trying to take it a day at a time. Though, I have been fairly quiet lately; you know just trying not to get in the way of things—of them.”
The last words he said were sadder than the rest of the statement. His true colors were starting to show.
“Isabel and Exsavior…they seem to have been born into this life. I mean, I was too, but it’s weird. They must have had people to guide them.”
David’s expression lifted in surprise. “You were born an Angel?” The question sounded a bit naïve, but Mia was relieved to hear it. It told her that he was as lost as she.
“I’ve always had these abilities, since I can remember.” She paused, putting her head back to her knees. “I just never knew what kind of being I was until now.”
“There aren’t others like you?” David asked.
“Not that I know of, my sister Lynn and the Covenant has never encountered one. That or they’re keeping it from me.” The sadness started to flow again, and she felt how her force field was being tugged at.
‘Exsavior must be feeling me; he’s getting restless.’ Her thoughts made her look in the direction of her two friends.
David followed her stare, and tried with caution. “Why don’t you let them inside?”
Mia remained silent, as if trying to see what they were doing from the distance she was in.
“Look, Mia, this entire situation is completely insane. What you and I have been thrown into is nothing any normal teenager goes through, but something that I’ve learned over the last few days…” He paused to see her face. She was looking intently at him, her eyes reflecting a want, the desire for him to assuage her.
“…is that everything that happened, the fights and battles, our true identities—they weren’t caused by that girl and boy over there.” This time, David pointed towards Isabel and Exsavior with his hand, and Mia stared at them again.
“If anything, we’re lucky to have them in our lives.”
Mia felt the tears want to fall, and this made her stand. It was true. She never had anyone to teach her what it meant to be an Immortal, and now she was pushing away those who could.
David was taken aback when she stood abruptly, but said nothing as he followed in tow. She moved at her own pace towards them, her eyes reflecting all of the uncertainty that went on in her head.
With each step she thought, ‘Are immortals evil?’
The closer she got to them, the more her mind was invaded.
‘Can they be trusted?’
It did not help that she had just lost Sam under the previous circumstances, such that made her doubt the reality of things.
‘Who am I to judge them?’
When her presence reached the invisible field, it cried in undulations, as if wanting to flee her touch. There they stood, both individuals, which she cared for on different levels.
Her stare clashed with Exsavior’s form. His eyes were intense, almost feral, and his clothes were battered and burned, results from his attempts to break in. The posture he took let her know that he was almost out of breath, but never once did he let his defiance grow weak. Isabel was completely the opposite, she was solemn. Her eyes were stern but emotionally packed. The clothes on her back were intact, and her stance was very composed. Though, she was the closest to the field than any of them, as if not wanting to miss the opportunity to be the first inside.
‘Can I love immortals?’
It was then that Mia realized that they must love her. For they were all willing to wait for her to resolve the irresolute feelings she had of them.
David put one hand on her shoulder, “We’re all here for you, Mia.”
The camel’s back was shattered to bits by that final straw that was her friend’s comment. Her tears poured, and the field emitted strong ripples, ultimately dissipating the barrier.
“Oh, Mia!” Isabel ran to her friend as she embraced her in a hug, uncaring of her reaction. Fortunately, Mia did deliver it right back.
“I’m so sorry for never telling you!” Isabel cried with her friend. “Please don’t hate me.”
“No, I could never! I kept the same secret from you!” Mia replied, copying her friends show of emotions.
“Normally, secrets between girls involve one hooking up with the other’s boyfriend, so I think you guys are good.” David teased, and both girls glared at him playfully.
“Mia, I think there’s someone you need to talk to.” After she got herself under control, Isabel broke the embrace and reminded her of Exsavior.
Tensing up, Mia nodded.
“We’ll give you some privacy,” Isabel said, before she went to stand with David where Mia had secluded herself.
There was a nervous air that surrounded her, as she stared at him.
Him…
The boy that had been genuine in every aspect, except for one…
“You lied to me,” she said simply. There was no emotion laced to the statement; it was just a remark.
Exsavior visibly tensed up, but spoke, “I didn’t. I just never told you what I am.”
“If you’re going to use that as an excuse, might as well leave things as they are,” she said in disappointment.
Her heart started to regulate again, and her eyes were beginning to darken in glum. Mia figured that he would not even bother.
“I will not leave it as is!” Much to her surprise, Exsavior voiced his worries loudly, as he approached her. His form towered over her and his fierce eyes obliged her own to stare back.
She felt herself weak, frightened, and nervous all at once. What was he planning to do?
“I care for you too damn much. I’ve been worried sick all week, and ever since we met…” He stopped himself, unsure of how to word his feelings.
“You can feel what I feel…” Her voice was shaky and meek.
Exsavior nodded. “Yes, and it torments me.”
Mia's hands lifted, slowly but surely, in search of their objective. She touched his chest and stared at it, warmth controlling her cheeks and muscles. The breath in him froze and his body stiffened.
“The night we met, I thought you had put a spell on me, but you gave me a break from Sam…” Closer she went, as the distance between them became almost inexistent. “You showed me that there were others who had it worse than I, and you gave me…” Not wanting to wait any longer, Exsavior pulled her close.
She clung to him for dear life and relished in his warmth. Reliving the day she met him, Mia could tell that the wolf—from the legends of the Wolf’s Bane forest—was the very same person she was hugging at that moment.
“…you gave me an escape from my troubles.”
“I’m sorry, for lying,” Exsavior folded, making Mia smile into his shirt. His arms tightened around her waist as he buried his sensitive nose in her hair.
It did not take long after before Isabel and David joined them, both of them smiling, although unlike Isabel’s, David’s grin was similar to that of a fool.
When Exsavior broke the embrace, Mia noticed him step back away from her. Curiously, she stared at him, as he spoke.
“I think it’s best if we start over.” Exsavior tucked his head, bowing in a gentlemen-like fashion before her.
Mia sniffled back the tears and giggled at him.
“Hello, my name is Exsavior Sirius, and I am a werewolf. It’s a pleasure to meet you, love.”