Ari felt the cold chill of the wind brush against his face causing him to shiver. He looked to Freir and Rein who continued to mumble words to one another under their breaths. Rein gazed back at Ari for a moment before kissing Freir's lips causing Ari's eyes to narrow and a wave of heat to wash over him. He had never disliked so much of a person as he disliked Rein and the feeling was ever growing now that he was stuck with him. He clasped his hands tight against himself and walked further. One more day until they were at the temple, Ari thought. Just one more day.

"Ari." Ari looked over his shoulder to see where the voice came from and continued on ahead.

"Ari," Auovin called out again, but Ari ignored him. Ever since that day, Ari had distanced himself away from the demon. He was scolded because of him and the many temptations he presented with just his presence alone.

Auovin stood in front of him in the next moment causing Ari's eyes to go wide and take a couple of steps backward from surprise. He felt Auovin's fingers at his chin making him look at him. His honeyed eyes gazed into his which made Ari feel so small under them.

"Ignoring me will do you no good."

"Move away from me," Ari smacked his hand away and tried to walk away but Auovin grabbed his wrist and yanked him back over to him. His breath hitched in his throat as he watched Auovin's eyes narrow into tiny little slits.

"Your ignorance can only save you so much. I do not take so much insolence from anyone and now you are beginning to try me," Auovin said in an even voice. His grip grew tight around his wrist as Ari tried to move away. Soon a small cry of pain tore from his lips.

Cyrus stood in between Freir and Rein as they turned around and tried to get to him.

"When your entire world comes apart right before your eyes, all you will have left will be me, not them." Ari looked at Freir and Rein before looking at him again.

Auovin let go of his wrist and continued to walk on leaving him to his thoughts. He rubbed his wrist just as Freir grabbed it from him and inspected it for any major injury.

"Are you fine?" Freir asked as Rein looked on waiting for his answer.

"I am," Ari said not wanting to say any more than that. He could still feel the hot touch of its hands burning into his skin.

"This is a bad time to piss off that demon now, Ari," Freir said.

"Vulgar language, Freir," Rein noted causing Freir to purse his lips and move away from him.

"We are getting closer. Soon the barrier will take effect," Freir said.

Ari looked up.

"It will weaken and the Sanclii around the temple will do what they see fit with it. Do not mumble a word of it to it," Rein said as he stared dead into his eyes as if wanting to see some kind of reaction that did not agree with it.

Ari only looked on ahead at the back of the demon as Cyrus trailed silently behind him.

"See, I told you, the boy is fine." Freir looked at him and smiled.

"I do not think so. I do not think so at all. He has been alone with it. He may have already spoke its name. Already he is being lead astray."

"Lighten up on him, Rein. He would never do such a thing. I had warned him of it. He listens well."

Ari swallowed dryly.

"He is young, Freir. Young boys do stupid things all the time. He is no exception just because Nolan favors the boy."

Freir pulled Rein close and whispered something in his ear that caused Rein to scoff and fling his arms away from him.

"You know what he is. No matter how he is raised, it will not wipe clean his natural instincts."

"Rein!"

"I am tired of this, Freir!"

"This is your job. Your god-given task, Rein. Be tired when you are put to rest. You have all of eternity to sleep. Ari had saved you from an early one. You should be thankful. Instead, you are overly critical of him and everything he does!"

Ari looked from Freir to Rein, Rein to Freir with narrowed eyes as the tension grew between the two of them. Instead of waiting for them to recognize that he was listening, Ari walked passed Cyrus and grabbed onto the cuff of Auovin's shirt catching his attention.

"Tell me now."

Auovin smiled, amused.

"Tell you what?"

"What they are hiding from me."

Auovin removed Ari's hand from him and motioned his towards them.

"Go ask them."

Ari's eyes narrowed as Auovin laughed.

"You trust and revere them so much. I am sure they are willing to part with a few secrets for you. Because you 'listen so well' like a dog."

"You heard that...?"

"I hear just as well as you can."

Ari's eyes grew wide.

Auovin looked at him and smiled as his thumb went across Ari's cheek.

"At first, I thought you were playing so ignorant to anger me, but as I watched I realized you, truly, did not know a thing," Auovin whispered close to his ear.

Ari's hands clenched into fists as he looked back and saw Freir and Rein nearing.

"So continue to act all you want, Little Ari. You will always be nothing more than a dog they raised for the hunt." His thumb ran across his bottom lip as his face became closer to his.

"That is not it." Ari shook because the cold was now seeping into his skin. It caused Auovin to look at him for a moment before his eyebrows kneaded together.

"Are you cold?"

Before Ari could answer, Freir came and stood in front of him as Cyrus pressed Rein to the ground as his foot sat on his neck.

"My, now, I would not do a thing to hurt him. Even Ari knows that."

"Stay away from him, demon," Freir hissed.

"Cyrus, let him up. He had not known any better."

"Auovin—"

"Let him up."

Ari watched as Cyrus did as was told mumbling curses under his breath as he did.

"Shall we rest for the night? It will only grow colder and you humans will become slow and lax." Auovin's eyes met Ari's before they flicked to Cyrus.

"Let us build a fire." He took Cyrus by the wrist and disappeared off into the woods.

Ari was left with a sunken feeling in his chest. He could no longer differentiate fact from fiction. It all blended and molded into some grotesque shape that he could not stand to look at it.

"That demon has grown more attached to you it seems," Freir said checking around his neck and face.

"I am fine, Freir," Ari mumbled after some silent moments. "He would not do a thing to hurt me... " That was the only thing he knew for certain was true.

"Ari, you are freezing! Why did you not say anything?" Freir rubbed his shoulders for friction.

Cyrus came back with a pile of wood and threw it in the center before scoffing and walking off somewhere. Ari looked at him, but Rein turned his head back around and sat him down.

"No need to worry about them. They will be fine," Rein said.

Ari pursed his lips and furrowed his brows. Although Ari wanted to be rid of Auovin, he did not want it to be in the way they were going to do it in. He could not keep silent about what they had planned, Ari thought. Auovin was the only one willing enough to tell him the truth.

Rein coaxed the fire to rise bringing him much warmth and light to him. However, no matter the many minutes that passed by, Ari did not warm. He was like that since he was child and Nolan would always bring him... His eyes lowered to the ground ...Tea to warm him.

He looked around for Auovin and Cyrus, but they were nowhere to be found much to Ari's distress. As the night grew colder, Ari stayed awake suppressing his shivers while Freir and Rein warmed to the fire growing closer as if he could not notice. They were shameless now that things were out in the open. Ari scoffed and looked away in disgust of them both.

After all he had been through, Ari was now coming to realize maybe the temple was not where he should have asked to go. Instead of disposing of the demon, they were trying to capture him instead, which did not sit well with him. There were secrets and many of them growing around him and he did not like it.

Ari heard the rustling of leaves and a pair of feet coming their way causing Ari to brace himself for what would appear out of the forest. Cyrus came out followed by Auovin. His shirt was untucked and uncinched at the top catching Ari's attention instantly. He looked at Cyrus but he was too far away for him to see any bite marks. Ari was certain Auovin had taken Cyrus' blood again. He continued to look at them as Auovin sat down and leaned against a tree.

They were saying some words as Cyrus touched the side of his neck with narrowed eyes. Auovin said something that caused Cyrus to glare and snuff, but Auovin took his arm and brought him down into a kiss. It made Ari's eyes go wide. His face warmed and he did not know the reason for why. He turned his head back and faced Freir and Rein. Freir was still up looking at him, but Ari ignored him.

"What is it, Ari?"

"Nothing."

"Do not lie to me, boy."

"I am not a boy," Ari growled. "I have not been for years."

Why was he angry? Ari shut his eyes in frustration before sighing out and wrapping his arms tight around himself.

"I have taught you all that you know, Ari. I had raised you into what you are now. Whether you are nine and ten or three and forty, you will always be just a boy to me."

"All that I know?" Ari scoffed. "And what is that? I know nothing," Ari hissed.

"You know all that is important enough to be known!" Freir whispered angrily back.

Ari laughed. "Is that so? You did nothing but make me into an ignorant fool then."

Freir tried to rise but Rein's sleeping form was slumped against him causing him to stay where he was and glared.

"Boy, watch your words with me."

Ari's eyes lowered to the ground and said nothing more. It was well into the dark morning and Ari had not slept. Both Freir and Rein laid fast asleep. The cold kept him well awake. He turned his head to the demon and saw Cyrus pressed against a further tree, eyes closed. As Ari stared closer, he saw Auovin's eyes blink.

Slowly, Ari rose and crept towards Auovin. He was quiet as could be, but Auovin turned his head towards him and looked at him with eyes that shined through the darkness. Ari walked closer still causing the demon's eyes to follow. Ari only stared not knowing what to say or ask first. He was torn between his loyalty and curiosity to learn more.

Auovin's voice filled with sleep took him out of his thoughts.

"Are you cold?"

Ari stared, lips parting wanting words to come out, but none ever did.

"If you are, then come here." Auovin outstretched his hand towards him causing Ari to ball his hands into fists. "Come."

Ari looked back at Freir and Rein. Before he could walk away, Auovin grabbed his wrist and brought him down onto him. He was warm, more than warm, Ari thought before sinking more into him. Hot hands could be felt on his lower back drawing his shirt up a bit before they moved to his sides. They went up and down in a slow motion causing his shivers to decrease. His eyes relaxed already growing tired. Warm lips touched his neck before he felt Auovin's smile against his skin.