Nerluce had been to banquets before.

This... was not a banquet.

Nerluce had wasted away too many long nights in banquet halls, sitting beside Lord Father, eating food that was both of the highest quality and utterly tasteless, and - when he was lucky - dancing with a pretty girl or two. They were formal events where every smile and word was laced with double, triple intent. Nerluce knew banquet halls - filled with their soft music - as a place of deception and deals. It was a pit of vipers.

This was very much not a banquet. Nerluce sat between Lyana and Jurine at the same table they always ate at - though a white cloth had been pulled over and some flower petals had been scattered across the center. Nerluce tried to remember if the tables had looked like this when he'd first arrived.

They ate on the same plates as always, were served food that was just above average in quality - though Nerluce swore up and down that he'd never eaten anything better in his life - and he was going to get to dance with all of his friends after he finished eating. There was no asking Lord Father for permission. He could just... do it. Everyone was cheerful and friendly but not because they wanted something from Nerluce but... because they were having fun.

This wasn't a banquet in the slightest.

"Lyana, you still don't know how to use chopsticks?" Jurine teased, leaning slightly over Nerluce. "We've been here a year already!"

"I don't want to learn," Lyana huffed.

Only Nerluce knew that Lyana had been here for much longer than a year. And he figured that not learning to use chopsticks was a point of pride for her. The High Priestess had taken her from her homeland, Lyana wasn't going to let her take anything else. "Come on, Jurine," Nerluce said, jumping to shift the attention, "it's not like Corbett knows how to use them either."

"Well I don't expect anything from Corbett," Jurine said, rolling her eyes.

"I know how to use chopsticks!" Corbett snapped, his eyes flicking up. "It's just that they're not practical."

"I think they are," Eko said, balancing two chopsticks between their fingers and using them to eat some rice. Eko had a weird way of holding their chopsticks but they'd gotten pretty good at using them. They were the only one who had actually made any effort to learn how to use their chopsticks, though.

For that, Nerluce held them in high regard.

"If you want to talk about practicality, forks make no sense," Jurine said. "Half of the time when you stab something with them it falls apart." She shook her head. "It makes way more sense to just pinch it."

"Yeah!" Nerluce agreed. "Also there are way too many types of forks."

"There are not," Corbett said.

"It is best," Hamelin said, slowly. He had such a deep and striking voice, the rest of the table couldn't help but go quiet every time he opened his mouth. That and with how rarely he spoke, it seemed like everything he said was important, "to eat with the utensils of each food's culture." He held his chopsticks perfectly.

Having said that, Nerluce didn't understand Hamelin at all.

Before their riveting discussion on utensils could continue, however, Taayir walked up. She was wearing probably some of the nicest robes in the room. They were made to look like fire and every time she moved, golden threads glinted. She grinned at Nerluce and he instantly felt a sense of foreboding come over him.

He liked Taayir but never once had she approached him with good news. "Nerluce," she said. "Finish up your food. I need to ask you a favor."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm almost done," Nerluce said.

He finished his meal as quickly as he could before leaving his friends with the promise that he'd be back before the dancing started. He hoped that he'd be back. He didn't know what Taayir wanted him to do but he really hoped that she wasn't expecting him to train today. All of Ethera's disciples had been given time off.

Even the Head Priestess was at the not-banquet. She sat in a large chair, wearing odd robes - half black and half white, just like her hair - not speaking or eating but observing the room with her white eyes. When those eyes found Nerluce, he felt a chill travel down his spine as he hurried to find Taayir.

She was with some other teachers - all of them seemed much older than her - but finished her conversation the moment she saw Nerluce. Together they walked to a more secluded portion of the dining hall or at least a slightly quieter portion.

"What do you need?" Nerluce asked.

"Little shit," Taayir said, shaking her head with a fond smile. "I need Aristide to get his ass in here. The water disciples are panicking because they can't find him and I can't leave without causing a scene."

"So I have to get him?"

"He's probably in the innermost garden and you're the only disciple who's unnoticeable enough to leave and knows how to get there." She winked at him. "Also I trust you."

"Will Aristide skewer me?" Nerluce asked. "If he sees me there?"

"Most likely not," Taayir said, clasping his shoulder. "Just tell him I sent yuh."

Nerluce rolled his eyes but muttered an agreement. Tracking down Aristide wasn't what he'd expected but it was much easier than anything his mind had come up with. And he'd definitely be back in time to dance with his friends. Without delay, he slipped out of the dining hall, unnoticed, and made his way through the twisting paths of Ethera.

It had been a year since Nerluce had last been this way. He hadn't wanted to chance Aristide thinking he was even more suspicious than before. However, Nerluce hadn't forgotten the path he'd taken either. He didn't have a good memory when it came to history or magic but paths... well they were something entirely different. Nerluce could remember the route to every liquor seller in Yusatsu.

He traced the familiar yet unfamiliar path, letting his body carry him. If he thought too much he'd get all mixed up and confused. Nerluce was better at everything when he didn't let his mind mess him up. Eventually, he made it to the garden that he'd only seen kissed in the moonlight before. It was just as lovely in the daylight hours. Different but every bit as beautiful.

At first, Nerluce didn't see Aristide nor did he hear Kierli crying as he had on the first night - which was a good sign he supposed. He walked into the garden, crossing the bridge before he saw Aristide's hunched-over form. Nerluce froze, wondering if he'd stumbled into something private. Damn Taayir.

However, Aristide stood up, still partially bent over with his back to Nerluce and Nerluce saw that his angel was, in fact, with the Chosen Light. He was holding her chubby baby arms and helping her balance as she took awkward steps forward.

Nerluce had invaded something private, but he couldn't bring himself to move. He couldn't do anything but stare at Aristide. Aristide wore his usual robes but he'd never needed fine clothes to enhance his beauty. The sunlight caught in his hair, dusting him in gold and making him look more divine than usual.

Aristide let go of Kierli. She stood, staring at Aristide blankly as he took several steps backward and opened his arms. He whispered something to the girl that Nerluce couldn't make out. However, Kierli smiled, and then, in slow, unsteady steps, Kierli, the Chosen Light, the one who'd rid the world of darkness, waddled forward, giggling and grasping at Aristide.

He caught her in his arms and then hoisted her into the air. "That was it, Li," he said, breathless and beautiful. "Your first steps."

Shit.

Nerluce cleared his throat. He did want to intrude any longer. Aristide only needed the one sound to snap his head in Nerluce's direction, his honey-colored eyes narrowing as he pulled Kierli closer to his chest. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"Taayir sent me," Nerluce said. "You're missing the banquet."

The look on Aristide's face told Nerluce that he hadn't forgotten nor lost track of time. "I suppose the Head Priestess wishes to see her daughter."

Nerluce shrugged, his eyes fixed on Aristide. "Are you... is the Head Priestess really a virgin?"

That got a sharp glare. "Yes."

"So why do you take care of her all the time?" Nerluce asked as Aristide came up beside him and they both started back to the dining hall. "I mean... you're a Disciple. A Head Disciple. Surely babysitting isn't one of your responsibilities?"

"It isn't," Aristide said.

"But?" Nerluce pushed.

"It isn't but I like doing it," Aristide said, catching Nerluce with a cold glare. "There's nothing more to it than that."

Nerluce didn't think that was entirely true but he decided that it was better not to ask. Aristide had set a boundary there and Nerluce wasn't in the mood to have his fingers frozen off for trying to cross it. "So..." Nerluce asked, searching his brain for a change in subject. "How old is she? She seems a little old to be taking her first steps."

"Almost fourteen months," Aristide said. "And it's not old, she's just..." He closed his eyes as if searching for the right word. "She most likely won't be like us."

"Us?" Nerluce echoed.

"Naturally gifted with physical magic." However, upon saying that, Aristide wrinkled his nose.

"I thought the Chosen Light was meant to be the master of all magic," Nerluce said, his eyes sparkling. "Is that why you're taking care of her? And why you're in the fire affinity class?" He raised a brow. "Are you going to be her master?"

Aristide looked away. "That... is for the Head Priestess to decide."

"But... you want to be?" Nerluce asked.

Slowly, Aristide let out a sigh, the muscles in his back relaxing for the first time since he'd seen Nerluce in the garden. "Yes, Nerluce, I would like to help train Kierli," he said. "But there isn't a disciple here who wouldn't like to help train the Chosen Light. That's why you're here too, is it not?"

Nerluce shrugged. "My Lord Father thinks that if I gain the Chosen Light's favor, it will bring prosperity to our clan." He smiled and wiggled his finger at the little girl.

She giggled, babbled a couple of words, and squirmed in Aristide's arms to reach for Nerluce's finger. Her entire hand wrapped around the finger. She clutched it tightly and Nerluce felt a little pop of joy and magic. He laughed and tugged his finger away so that he and Aristide wouldn't have to stand around all day, though he didn't think he'd mind it much. Nerluce... Nerluce had always had a soft spot for kids.

"Is that what you want?" Aristide asked.

Again, Nerluce shrugged. "It'd be nice, but that's not really my main goal." He shot Aristide a grin. "I just want to have fun and learn magic." He tilted his head. "What do you want?"

"To protect Kierli," Aristide said, instantly.

Nerluce laughed. "You're so noble."

"She's... small. And young." Aristide shook his head. "I know her life will be full of hardships but... I don't want her childhood to be one of them." He held her tighter to his chest. "Do you know how old she'll be when the High Priestess thinks she'll fight the Darkest Shadow?"

"Like... thirty?" Nerluce guessed. That was about how long it took an average person to master a single type of magic, though since she was the Chosen Light he supposed she'd be able to master them all by then.

"Sixteen," Aristide said.

Nerluce choked on air. "Sixteen?" he echoed. "Sixteen like... us?"

"Yeah." Aristide nodded then looked down at the toddler. She looked up at him and smiled. "Possibly sooner, though. The High Priestess estimated she'd be between fourteen and eighteen. Most likely sixteen, though. And then she'll..."

"Defeat evil once and for all," Nerluce rubbed the back of his neck. "That's good news for us, though. I wonder if she'll stop all the wars too."

"I don't think so," Aristide said.

"Do you know what - or who - Darkest Shadow is?"

"No."

"I guess, it'll get more obvious over time," Nerluce said with a small frown. "I wonder what type of person that'll be."

Aristide said nothing, just looked down at Kierli. "Well... I suppose she's the antithesis to the Chosen Light." He shook his head. "The Head Priestess says that when the prophecy has been fulfilled, the world will enter a new era of peace and balance."

"Balance?" Nerluce echoed, his nose scrunching up into a frown. "But how is it balanced if Darkest Shadow is gone? With the Chosen Light..." he trailed off, recalling the conversation he'd overheard. "Oh," was all he could manage. "The Head Priestess... the Head Priestess thinks that Kierli is going to die."

"Yes," Nerluce said, looking down. "She's going to be... a sacrificial lamb whose bones form the foundation of the new world."

"That's... awful."

Nerluce... well Nerluce had never really thought about his future in detail but he'd always figured that he'd have one. Kierli would... die. She would die when she was around his age. Someone would murder her in their quest to throw the world into shadow. Someone would murder the little girl in Aristide's arms for their own gain.

They would die as well but that didn't make the thought any better. Nerluce's eyes shot up, meeting Aristide's. Nerluce was taller than Aristide now. Not by much, but enough that both boys noticed it.

"Aristide," Nerluce said with more determination than most things in his life. "Let me help you protect Kierli."

"You know you're still under observation, yes?" Aristide asked.

"Well I want to help," Nerluce said, crossing his arms. "I'm not going to let someone kill Kierli. Not now or ever."

Aristide let out a little, breathy laugh. "Alright, Nerluce. You can help."

Nerluce grinned at him and though he knew that Aristide probably still didn't trust Nerluce as far as he could throw him, it didn't matter either. Nerluce's chest was light as he and Aristide arrived back at the dining hall to the welcoming sound of music. Nerluce's eyes widened as he realized that he was late for the dancing.

"Come on," Nerluce said, grabbing Aristide's wrist and breaking into a run.

Aristide ran after him, letting himself be tugged all the way to the dining hall. Nerluce tapped his foot impatiently as Aristide handed Kierli over to the Head Priestess before Nerluce tugged him out back to where everyone was dancing - rather poorly - to music that belonged in no banquet whatsoever.

It was perfect here.

"Why did I have to come too?" Aristide asked, looking down at his wrist.

"Because," Nerluce said. "We need to celebrate our newfound comradery." He grinned ear to ear. Calling Aristide a friend was a bit of a stretch. But they were allies, now. They would protect Kierli from anything. Together. And maybe, one day, they would become real and proper friends. Maybe even brothers. "Let's dance together!"

"H-huh?" Aristide asked, face paling as though Nerluce had asked him to do some forbidden thing.

Nerluce grinned and latched his other hand onto Aristide's, pulling them both into the spinning mass of people. Aristide didn't look comfortable in the slightest which caused Nerluce to laugh. Nerluce kept them spinning, going all around the dance floor. He didn't have a single care in the world as the music filled his ears and hearts and lungs.

And by the time the song ended, Nerluce swore Aristide even cracked a smile.