Vito's eyelids fluttered open, but there was nothing to greet him. No sky, no sun, nothing. He was lost in a white world. Then something: the sound of a beating heart...his heart, pumping steadily dun...dun, dun. His mind followed the blood flowing through his body, discovering it anew, restoring his weight upon the earth. Then air into his lungs, reviving him.

He sat up with a gasp as the air expanded his chest. He tried again, opening his eyes to the world, but there was nothing to see. He gazed towards a horizon that wasn't there.

"Vito?" he heard a distant voice calling a name, was it his name? He didn't know, he couldn't remember.

"Vito?" it was the same voice, but now closer. It came from behind, so he turned, but there was no one there.

"Can you hear me?" he sought the source of the sound once more. It had been so close, as if next to him. He felt panic close in as there was nothing but light to meet him. Was he blind?

"Vito?" the voice called again, so he tried once more; and right there, right then, he saw a shimmer of something before him. He squinted his eyes, trying to look closer, but it was gone with the blink of an eye. Had he seen it? Was it real, was the voice real?

"Say something Vito!" the voice insisted.

The air shimmered again, brighter this time. It was real, now he was sure. He followed its contours, was it a body?

He lost track of his thoughts, exhausted. He had no choice but to lie down again, fatigued. The light softened, and he fell into a deep sleep. A sleep deprived of dreams.

-----

"Say something, Vito!" Qumo urged, struggling to keep his voice steady. He couldn't show the others how worried he was, and more importantly, he couldn't let Vito know. It didn't matter that he wanted to tear at his hair and stomp around to relieve his frustration, he still couldn't.

The young man was sitting on the flat stone he had lain upon, gazing out into thin air. The problem was that he didn't seem to be there. Qumo gasped when Vito suddenly looked straight at him, but somehow not seeing. His eyes didn't focus.

Then the young man collapsed, his back lying flat on the polished stone. A weight settled on Qumo's shoulders, and a cold wind swept over his exposed skin. He stood, unable to move, unable to form a thought. He saw Vigilante stretch her hand towards Vito's hand, taking it, feeling for the young man's pulse.

"His heart is beating," she said, concern warming her eyes.

"Qumo, he's alive," she continued, putting one comforting hand on his shoulder.

"The girl is right: do not worry until we know more about his condition," the old Sigyn said in a no-nonsense manner. He met her red eyes and allowed himself to drown in their burning depths. He sought comfort, and he received it. He was not alone, yet he still was. The others wouldn't understand.

He closed his eyes, a mistake. The scene started to unfold once more before him, vivid and alive.

He saw Milo hovered over the unconscious young man, straining to understand, to feel what they wanted, and then it was as if the dam broke. He sent a massive amount of pure untamed force into the frail body.It was too much, too fast, Qumo had no time to stop it, no time to intervene, and it stopped Vito's heart.

Milo screamed out towards the sky in agony, pain evident in his eyes as he realized his failure. That's when it happened...The outburst sent forth another burst of force into the lifeless body, but this time it was diffferent. The pattern was intricately complex, a weave of all the elements, mingling in a powerful, intoxicating dance. He had never seen anything similar before, and it was simply beautiful. As soon as it was over, the roar of the elements silenced in his mind, and Vito opened his eyes. His eyelids flickering to the beat of his heart.

He had been so pleased with himself for finally seeing a way they could lure Milo into healing Vito. Now he wasn't so sure that it had been a great idea. Milo couldn't control his abilities, and he had been able to tap force from the link around him. Obviously it had been a deadly combination. If anything happened to Vito, it was his fault. His fault for allowing it to happen, for letting it out of control.

"You still worry old Nei'gaian, it will not do! Your heart wants to beat for a while longer. Come with me, we shall drink tea and discuss," the elder said, and put her arm through his. As if on cue the Sigyns around them parted, opening up a path towards one of the cottages. He stole one more look of the young man he viewed as the son he never had, then he followed the Sigyn with heavy steps.

As they left the others behind she started to talk. "This young Nyx doesn't seem to be aware of whom he is..."

"No, he has not yet accepted his fate," he replied.

"Perhaps it is time that he does," she said, arching an eyebrow.

"So it is..." he said, resigned. He didn't know how to make the Nyx believe. Milo had already used his powers twice, but he was certain that the Nyx remained in denial.

"You should not have deceived him, you also made me lie. I do not like to lie!" the Sigyn said, interrupting his thoughts.

"I had no other choice. He would not have been able to do it himself. He does not know of his powers, and therefore he would have doubted. Your lie, our lie, was necessary."

"I've felt him approach for days and we have been singing constantly for a week. Do not let us down," she finished, glaring at him, a mild glare, but still. He understood: they needed him as badly as the rest of the world. However, their pain at his absence was more imminent. They suffered each day, and not only from hopelessness.

Io had the power to set things right, to set everything right. Yet, he knew it was naive of him to think that way. Io had never been able to heal the woulds inflicted upon this world before. Not entirely at least.

"Your emissary could have told us that we were welcome and expected instead of scaring us to death!" he said after a while, remembering the mind-numbing fear as they were taken.

She laughed softly in response, and Qumo found her sense of humor to be slightly unnerving.

-----

Vigilante felt for Vito's pulse one more time before she headed off towards the Nyx sitting with his back against a tree. As she got closer, she could see him shaking. His eyes were distant, and she wasn't surprised. She had seen so much pain in those green eyes of his, both when he had left with the Sigyns, a look that had torn something within her, something that wasn't yet mended, then finally the complete devastation when Vito's heart had failed. No, it wasn't strange that he was trapped in the confines of his own mind. However, she wouldn't let him stay there.

She sat down next to him. Minutes passed while she tried to find something to say, but the words never came. Finally, he spoke, and it came as such a surprise that she startled at the sound of his rumbling voice.

"I saw him sitting up, like he was alive, is he alive?" his voice was hollow, and it ached uncomfortably inside her chest as she didn't know how to answer. Vito seemed to be alive, but he wasn't there, he hadn't been present.

"I think so," she answered, regretting that she couldn't provide him with a better answer.

"I killed him," he breathed, and this time his words coiled around her heart.

"No, you didn't kill him. You've given him another chance. We both know that he would have died within a day or two, now something has changed, and the change might be for the better, right?"

He turned towards her, and her eyes wanted to tear when she saw what was in his. She firmly held them away to relieve him of their weight. She would have to stay strong. She couldn't cry, not now.

"Milo, his heart is beating with strength, and color has returned to his cheeks. He is still not conscious, but we will have to remain hopeful," she continued, trying her best to convince him although she felt no true conviction herself.

He didn't answer.

She changed tactics. "Oh, come on! Don't wallow in self-pity until we know more. We might have saved his life, we as in: it wasn't just you standing there you know," she said, veiling her words with the mirth she was so familiar with.

This time a sad smile twitched on his lips, and it brought some kind of strange joy to see him closer to the surface, and not just deep in thought.

"You suck at this you know," he replied.

She smiled at his words, happy to have him back, although back meant back into a reality which was hugely messed up at the moment.

"I know, but let's go check on him. Then you'll see for yourself, and I won't have to sit on the ground for a second longer than necessary."

Again, that twitch of his lips before he stood up, extending a hand for her to take. She took it, and rose as he pulled it slightly. To her surprise, he didn't let it go.

Suddenly she couldn't hold it back anymore..."I would have killed them!"

He met her eyes, so sad... his eyes were so sad, but his face loosened up gradually, letting her know how her words somehow helped a little.

"I know you would," he replied, and she let herself feel the first sliver of relief since their arrival at the Sigyn settlement, finally realizing that he hadn't been taken against his will. The danger was over for now.

"I'm glad I didn't have to..."

"Me too," he answered, but instead of answering she began to fidget with one of her vest buttons.

It seemed as if she wasn't the only one at a loss for words. The silence stretched, but the moment was saved as he pulled her towards Vito.

"Let's see if he made it through."

As they came to the young man's side they both halted in mid-step. His white eyes were open, staring blankly out into space.

"Vito?" she asked hesitantly.

The young man blinked, and she felt the pressure of Milo's hand around her own increase. Another silent moment passed before she was hit with relief and then devastation: first hearing the wonderful sound of Vito's voice, and then his words.

"I think I'm blind..."