=Iszith=

"....Plus, you feel like him, like Cor."

Feeling his turbid emotions I worried.

*Did I upset him?*

Unable to see his deeper thoughts I can only sit and worry.

*Is he upset that he's stuck with me? Did I say something else to upset him? What if he hates me? What if he leaves me? What would I be without him? What i-*

"Iszith"

"Wha-?"

"Iszith, that's your name. Happy now?" Those few words are enough to calm me.

*Oh........ * Surprised I could only sit in silence, stunned by my own sudden shift in emotions. As the it began to sink in I couldn’t stop the feeling of delight that suddenly overflowed in me, drowning out any worries I had held.

*That’s the third……* No matter how joyful receiving such a gift made me, feelings of doubt quickly crept back in, this time for a different reason..

*A life, and a purpose. Two priceless gifts, and two unpayable debts.* I was was deeply grateful for these gifts but at the same time they weighed on me.

How was I to repay someone already gone? I simply couldn’t, so they will burden me to death.

*Now a third gift, a name.* How was I to repay that? Unable to think of anything and frustrated I try to relax, sinking deeper into his mind as I do, bobbing on his mental currents. I feel a slight quivering, barely perceptible.

Knowledge springs unbidden to my mind, as if something is trying to explain the phenomenon from inside me using only vague words and feelings. Fortunately this time the information wasn’t to hard to piece together. When he had asked me to explain containing his energy a jumbled mess of mismatched information and sensations had appeared, leaving me struggling to explain.

[A sign of deep emotional instability.]

*So he’s troubled over something?*

With no other information surfacing from the recesses of my mind I stopped to ponder.

*How can I help him?*

*............ Him?* Do I even know his name? A little embarrassed I tentatively float a question towards him.

"What's your name?"

"I....... I don't have one." Guilt started to well up inside me. To let him name me when he himself has yet to be.........

It was a problem that needed to be amended.

"................."

"Would you like me to name you?"

"No tha-" I redouble my effort, pleading with him to let me do so.

"........Alright."

"Vicis." It had been the first one I'd thought but it had felt right.

"That was fast, where did you get that from?"

"It just felt right........ D-do you not like it?"

"........No, I love it. Thank you." And indeed he did, I could feel the approval radiating from him.

I waited, letting us once again drift into silence. Once his attention had drifted from me I again sunk into his mind. What I found confused me, if anything the quivering had gotten worse. How? He seems so happy so satisfied on the surface? What is it that's troubling at him?

“Vicis?” He startles a bit as if being roused from deep thought.

“What is it?”

“You seem a bit distracted, a-are you okay?” I try asking indirectly, trying to not tip him off about my intrusions.

“No, I’m fine, just deep in thought.”

The casual lie hurts more than any blade. Faced with his apparent unwillingness to discuss whatever's eating at him I drop the subject, feeling confused.

*Why won’t he discuss it with me? W-what do I do? I’m suppose to watch over him, to support him but…... what do I do if he doesn’t let me? No, I-I’m sure I’m overreacting. Surely he’ll share it with me when he’s ready.*

=Vicis=

Slowly the sky started to darken. When I’d started running the sun had been halfway across the sky, now although unable to see the setting sun in the forest I could see the orange glow of dusk in the sky.

*I’ve been running for hours at least.* Yet I hadn’t seen a single road or even path the whole time. I was undeniably lost, the map of Reld in my pocket useless without any landmarks.

*Not to mention I have no idea whether I’m still in Reld or not. Maybe it’s time for some vertical movement.*

Looking around I bound towards the largest tree nearby, one that seems to dwarf every other tree in the forest. With my light body I have no problem climbing up the branches or even shimmying up the trunk need be. Once at the top I survey my surroundings looking for something that’s well, not a tree.

Even at the very top, where the branches bent under even my light weight, I couldn’t make out anything besides the forest. Struck by a sudden idea I crouch, tensing my muscles.

“VICIS N-!”

With as much power as my little body can generate I leap straight up, giving me an even better viewpoint of the surrounding area.

*There*

To the north at the very apex of my jump I can just barely make out some roofs in the distance.

Feeling the shift that indicated the start to my descent I twisted my body to face towards the ground. Feeling the air slip past at increasingly fast speeds I started to realize my mistake.

*It seems like I’ve overestimated my body's lightening.* Trying to keep calm I shoot out my arm towards the first branch that comes in reach, hooking my arm around it.

The next moment though I feel a jerk followed by a horrific popping sound. My arm goes numb, slipping off of the branch allowing my body to start falling again.

“Shit!” Gritting my teeth in pain, only now do i truly start to panic. I fling my only usable arm out trying to find purchase, even kicking my legs out against the trunk and branches in an effort to slow down. Feeling the ground grow closer below me I curl up into a ball, my useless arm trailing besides me.

I squeeze my eyes shut, tensing up my body in expectation of impact.

=Iszith=

Sensing his intent all thoughts are immediately blasted from my mind, focusing completely on stopping him.

“VICIS N-”My words come too late to stop him, already he’s launched himself clear into the air. Almost doubling his total height. stuck as a spectator in his mind I’m only able to watch his desperate attempts to stop himself.

*No……..No, not again!*

*I can’t watch him die!*

*I can’t lose him again!*

So I reach.

=========================================

Whoo! Finally done!

Sorry it took a little bit longer for this one, had a couple busy days. Yes, I realize it's pretty short but like I said I had limited time and I wanted to get something out there.

Haven't seen any ratings lately.

OK, now that I'm done whining I just wanted to mention a friend of mine called Leon Deas. He's helping me to proofread even though he's working a novel of his own so a big huge thanks to him.

Alright guys, thanks for reading!