By the Smell of Salt Air

[Nav]

He'd heard about deals with the devil before, but never like this. Crossroads were where they'd usually take place, or so lore told. Eric never believed the devil actually was bothered to walk the streets alone, finding deals in the shape of souls, but when Eric looked into the woman's eyes, red like the colour of anger incarnated, Eric knew he was making a bad deal.

Hell—that was a fierce word, the word to threaten children if they were too bad, the word to send shivers down their spine. The fiery demons whose barbed tails coiled and snapped, their whips sharp, their horns like mighty rocks thrusting from their heads. Suddenly, it bothered him that people felt the need to invent a hell of fire and brimstone, endless torture and suffering. It bothered him because this was a hell and there was no fire, no anguished screams. He cradled Rani closer to his chest and looked into the eyes of the demon looking back on to him and all he could see was an abyss.

"I don't know how to solve your conflict," he admitted. There was a feeling of the tightening in his chest. "Nothing I say or do will ever bring peace if you do not stop killing. You must stop." He tried to mask the shakiness in his voice, but he could not. It was impossible to mask his terror, he knew that. His face was as pale as it would ever be, and his skin tone very nearly matched Rani's. Even his hands, gripping tight her shoulders as he cradled her, were clenched and trembling. "Everyone must stop killing."

The war would rage so long as there were bodies between them. Human, demon—it didn't matter who killed, for if someone did, there would be no end. Eric didn't know what made him special, perhaps it was that he looked like both a human and a demon… two halves of the same damn coin, the ying and the yang, the black and the white. Some philosophers believed in harmony between the two; Eric believed he was becoming a prophet for the devil.

"You must save her," his arms relaxed a little, as if to hold Rani out towards the demon, "You want a deal, then this is it."

He exhaled deeply and it felt like his soul was being ripped from his chest. His lungs decompressed and his lips fell apart a ways, as if he was gasping for air. He had saved Rani, but at what cost? What power had he just given to the devil below?

"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned."

 

[Ethys]

The demon grinned and reached a hand out, but she didn't actually touch Rani. There was no need to. Even from a few inches away, a brilliant white light poured from her fingertips. It curled around Rani, flowing into her mouth and wrapping her body. In less than a minute, the process was complete. The light faded and Rani was breathing fine, color back in her cheeks. She was only in a deep sleep now, still snuggled against Eric.

"Putting your soul on the line for the sake of saving another person," the demon murmured softly. "You are indeed the one I was looking for, Eric. Allow me to tell you a secret."

The demon's appearance started to change. Away went the dark costume and horns. Instead, the person kneeling at his side was Yanna - but not quite the Yanna he had seen earlier. Her hair, previously black and in her face, was now brushed back into soft brown curls. Her eyes were focused on his, a dazzling gold that could warm a frozen heart. She still wore the white robe, but if he focused hard enough, he would soon realize that the transparent effect around the edges of her being was not because she was a ghost, but rather because you could catch glimpses of a lush paradise beyond if you stared for too long.

"The secret is this: You worry much over nothing, my darling. The people of this island honor several gods, while you worship one. They are one in the same. On this world, there are more religions than you can imagine. People worship deities that would make you laugh, make you cry, make you wonder if they were insane. Yet you must understand. It does not matter what name or face the people use. We are all one. You need not fear for your soul, and you need not drive yourself to sickness by comparing this home to the one you have lost."

She smiled at him, reaching forward to tenderly brush a stray curl back from his forehead. Even her touch was warm, like sinking into a soothing bath or a gentle hug.

"We are all one. Remember that, Eric. Demons are people just like you. A different sort of people, but that does not mean they are worth less, just as you are not worth less because you look differently than the people in the city. They need a voice before they are extinguished from this place. I know that you will do your best, and that is all that I ask. No soul required," she said, giggling quietly.

"Oh, and one more secret," she added, glancing at Rani. "This woman stood here on this beach fighting for hours waiting for you. She thought you had gone into the sea and refused to leave any danger on the sand on the slim chance you might return. I have never seen somebody fight so hard. You would do well to remember that you may have lost your old home, but you have gained something far more precious - somebody who loves you, and would willingly die just for a chance to keep you safe."

And with that, she pressed a hand to his cheek, knocking him out.

They would both wake in clean festival clothes, fully healed, against the wall by the main gate to the city. Rani woke first, looking around in confusion until she saw that Eric was sitting right next to her. She gasped and tackled him over with no hesitation, hugging him tightly.

"Eric! You're okay! Oh, I was so worried! I looked everywhere!" she exclaimed, clearly having no memory of the agonizing fight on the beach. After a moment, she pulled away, feeling awkward. In her excitement to see him alive, she had nearly forgotten the awful business of the morning. "Oh, I'm sorry, I know that you don't.. I mean, you're not.. Nevermind. I'm glad you're okay."

 

[Nav]

"Wait—what, what are you—oh god, please don't," his voice wasn't filled with fear, but somehow he knew what was going to happen long before it did. Of course, the whole scene was a little mind boggling, but in the same way dreams were. Everything that happened was so completely unreal, yet your mind just accepted it. He accepted the Yanna, her commentary, her healing… but what of the children she stole, he wondered. Where did they go, and why? "Oh—oh, okay," her hand burned against his cheek and his eyes rolled back in his head. Without thinking, he just flopped back into the sand with a 'thump'—as asleep as he had ever been.

The dreams he had going on in his head were bizarre and he was in a strange state of mind: he was awake, but unable to move. His brain was at least semi-conscious to the world around him. He could feel a breeze on his face and could hear himself snoring lightly. His mouth was ajar ever-so slightly and his breathing was deep and slow. He was asleep and as still as a brick, the only movement was the slight rise and fall of his chest. He was sprawled out, an arch in his back as he slumped against the wall, both hands open to either side of him with his palms facing upward.

Next thing he knew, he was waking up like he was hooked up to the mains. No sleepiness, no slow warming up. Within seconds of realizing he was unconscious he shook his head startled, unsure of what all had just happened… what part of his thoughts had been real, what parts had been dreams. He was dressed in clothes he didn't remember falling asleep in. Had he fallen asleep? Where was he? He blinked sleepily and looked about, trying to judge his surroundings when he felt a warmth pummel into his side with such force in nearly knocked him over. He expelled a deep 'umph' in surprise, using his other hand to support himself while his free hand came about Rani's shoulders.

"Huh? Oh god my head." He brought his free hand up from the ground and pressed his fingers into his temple. Oh, he was dizzy and disoriented. Where did he go? How did he end up here? Thoughts were slowly being pieced together, one at a time, but nothing as a linear story in his head. It was like all of his memories had been put into a jar, shaken up, and throw into whatever random order they came out in.

"I uhh… hello," he answered Rani finally, sounding excited but also confused. "Yes, of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be alive?" The demons. Of course... the demons. And the Yanna, and the argument? Had they had an argument? "Did I get really, really drunk?" he asked in all seriousness, "And did I meet the Yanna?" He looked over to her more seriously, "And where you on a beach? Why were you on a beach? I don't know what's in the wine here, but remind me not to drink it again… oooh, my head."

It would take a moment for his brain to get into gear, but it'd get there. In the meantime, he just sat there with an arm around Rani's waist.

 

[Ethys]

"The Yanna?" Rani repeated, blinking in confusion at him. He was acting so strangely. She hoped that he really was okay, but he looked fine. There wasn't a scratch on him, and he seemed freshly washed and dressed in his formal attire. "I don't think so? I don't know. I was really worried about you after Li said you went out of the city alone. I'm not sure if you got drunk or not.. but, no, I didn't go to the beach."

Although Rani's memory of the beach was wiped clean, Eric's was there. Yanna had made sure of that. It would just take some work for his mind to straighten it all out - after all, it had been a lot to take in all at once. Rani, of course, had no idea what poor Eric was going through in his head. All she knew was that she rather liked the way he was holding her, and she wished that it wasn't just an automatic reaction while he oriented himself.

"Come on. We'll go walk around the festival. Maybe if you eat something, your head will feel better," she suggested with a smile, standing up and offering him a hand to help him up as well.

Inside the city, everything had changed. It was an explosion of color, with shops displaying banners and streamers of all shapes and designs. Children laughed and ran in the streets, clinging to small dolls that represented those they had lost. In the center of the city was a vast memorial of flowers and candles, where one could take a break from the party to pray. There were also several squares set up for dancing - which was where Li was, and where Rani always avoided for lack of a partner.

Rani's Outfit

 

[Nav]

She hadn't been down to the beach? But he could have been so sure… He just found himself confused, but there wasn't any time left to ponder. He couldn't remember what was real and what was a dream, or how he ended up where he was in the clothes he did. The island had always been strange to him, but those last few hours had been more absurd than anything he had ever experienced in his life. The demon girl, the Yanna… peace between demons and islanders. His head was spinning, but Rani was probably right. He just needed to eat…

And stay away from the wine for a while.

"Y-yea," he agreed hesitantly, "Yea, you're probably right. I think I just need to eat." He reached up and took Rani's hand, using it to pull himself up and dust off the front of his tunic. They quickly hustled from where they had awoken out to the city streets, which took him by surprise and removed his mind from the previous confusion. The streets were a place of unrestrained joy. The costumes lit up in the summer's night, a riot of colour to rival any gardener's paradise. Music filled the air, festive beats lifted his spirits and made him want to move, jump, and swing. It was a time to celebrate being alive, celebrate the wonders of creation, and be one with the community. The air tasted so heavenly with all the food cooking, every delicious thing ready to be shared with friends.

The crowds were enormous though—thousands of men and women mingling together. It was so hard in the sea to tell one person from the next, their white hair and light complexion meshing from one individual to another. In fear of losing Rani in the hoards, he slipped his hand around hers, letting her fingers fill the space between his own.

"What is this festival for again, anyways? Does it celebrate something in particular?" he leaned over and whispered in her ear, as it was probably the only way she'd be able to hear him over all the noise and confusion. "We should try and find Li, as well. I know she was extremely worried about you the last time I saw her. I'd like her to know you're alright… but maybe we should eat first."

 

[Ethys]

Rani was overjoyed. Everything was working out. She had gone from having an awful morning to a fantastic night, and she wasn't quite sure how she got from one to the other. After Eric had left without a word, she had been convinced that he didn't care for her at all and that her feelings were misplaced. Yet now here she was, in the middle of the festival, with her fingers laced through his and his cheek against hers as he spoke to her. She wanted to just let out a girlish Li-type of squeal, but of course she didn't. This was not the time to turn into some useless teenager.

"It celebrates the memory of those who have passed, as well as the joy of the lives we still have," she murmured in his ear with a smile. "It's a time to enjoy all that we have, all that we've experienced. The festivities go on for three days. Most of the revelry happens after dark, as that is when it is easiest for the spirits of the deceased to join us."

She glanced to the side, trying to judge what would be easiest to do first. Food was definitely a priority, to try and help Eric with his odd headache. She was getting hungry as well. However, an eruption of cheers from the nearest dance floor told her that Li was nearby, and she hated the idea of her sister worrying. She smiled and gave Eric's hand a gentle squeeze, guiding him through the crowd to see what was going on. A few people glanced at him, but they all smiled as he passed, a few calling out welcomes and patting him on the back as he went by.

Sure enough, the cluster was from Li.

The dance floor was about thirty feet square, but there were only two people on it. A band was playing off to the side on a raised stage, while everybody else just laughed and cheered in a big circle. Li was in the center of it all, as usual. Her dress was identical in style to Rani's, but her colors were a brilliant orange and white. It made her look like an exotic flower as she spun on the floor. Her partner was somebody that Rani didn't recognize, but his skill was obvious. Every step was deliberate, sending Li on spins and turns that made the crowd gasp with delight. The song came to an end and he threw Li into the air, getting a shocked squeal from most who were watching, including Rani. Li flipped over once, then landed back in his arms with a laugh. The crowd cheered loudly, drowning out the sounds of the band starting the next song.

"Rani!" Li shrieked, suddenly spotting her sister. She ran over to them, glancing at how their hands were wound together. "Oh, thank the gods! Everything worked out with you two, then. I was so worried. I looked everywhere for you, Rani, I thought a demon might have.. Well! Anyway! I didn't tell Father, so now he's only angry that you two missed the opening ceremony. Much easier to deal with," she explained, her smile growing wider as her dance partner finally caught up and stood next to her, one arm wrapped snug around her lower back. "Rani, Eric, this is Maerius."

Rani raised an eyebrow. The Maerius that Li had been seeing lately? This was him? She was shocked. Not only was the man a good dancer, he was very attractive by normal island standards. Muscled but not overly so, with a short ponytail of silver hair. Oddly enough, when he turned, Rani could have sworn his hair turned blue instead. A trick of the light. His eyes also struck her as odd, a mix of blue and green. His jacket was held over his shoulder with his free hand, as it had been cumbersome while dancing. The vest he wore made it easy to see the tattoo on his upper arm, which seemed centered around some sort of animal Rani didn't recognize. Interesting.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Maerius," she said with a smile. "Do you two want to come with us? We were going to look for something to eat."

"A pleasure to meet you at last as well, Raniash'i," Maerius said, then he turned to Eric with a smile. "And you, Eric. You are the Spaniard, yes? You can call me Mar," he offered, looking amused. The two sisters glanced at the men in confusion, then looked at each other and shrugged.

Maerius' Tattoo

 

[Nav]

"Do you know what we do back home for festivals?" he asked, his head and lips still tilted towards her ear, "Back home, we release bulls into the streets—big, massive animals with horns and a mind for violence into the streets and run from them as they chase us, attempting to gore us open." Speaking of his homeland suddenly caused electricity to pip through his brain and zap him with a new memory. He fumbled for a moment, his words pausing as if his brain had just shut off entirely. You would do well to remember that you may have lost your home but you have gained something far more precious. Those words run in his head as if they were in high definition. They cancelled out every other thought entirely and he closed his eyes, a dizzying wave crashing over him.

The Yanna. In his head, she went in and out of focus. First, as the woman with the long robe and unkempt hair with a child trailing behind her, next as a groomed and beautiful woman crouching below her. In the blurriness of her edges he saw happiness. He couldn't say what that happiness was, he couldn't recall, only that he saw images of it. He blinked back again as a drum sounded in his ear, causing him to snap back into reality once more. The festival, the Yanna, Rani… thousands of thoughts danced across his mind's eye though none of them seemed to make any coherent sense.

What had happened? He had yet to piece it together entirely, but thoughts came in like fuzzy patchwork.

"Wait, did you say three bloody days?" he echoed, laughing and shaking his head at her, "I fear I won't survive three whole days of partying and merriment! I'll be exhausted after one night, I'm sure." Of course, he was a bit more hardy than he was leading on. Though he knew he was going to struggle if people kept trying to talk to him. He was being greeted joyously and warmly. People pat him on the back and said hello. Sure, there were still people staring or kids who pointed him out and whispered quietly to themselves about his strangeness, but he really wished they'd all just leave him alone. The greetings were wonderful, of course, but he just wanted to enjoy the festivities from a quiet place.

Li approached them with a man in her tow and the three of them quickly exchanged greetings while Eric remained silent, smiling politely. When it was finally his turn, Eric's smile relaxed a ways, then fell. "Did you say Spaniard?" he asked rather suddenly, "I'm sorry if I'm being rude, but how did you know I was a Spaniard?" He hadn't remembered telling anyone except for Rani his heritage's title, and even then, he only really mentioned 'Spain' or 'Spanish,' so to hear him so effortlessly call him a Spaniard was a little unsettling.

He tried his best to shake it off and have his smile return. It did, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Pleasure, Mar."

 

[Ethys]

"Hm? Oh, one of the others must have mentioned it," Maerius said to Eric with a bit of a shrug. He turned to Li and gave her a smile. "I'm sure both of us are on the same page here? Dancing always makes me hungry. I'd love to go find something to eat."

"Yes, absolutely," Li agreed with a laugh, taking his hand in hers.

With that, they were off. Li and Maerius led the way, with Rani and Eric following behind. The entire time, Li was chattering about the festival, giving Eric trivial tidbits of information that she found interesting. It was mostly useless gossip, but she did make sure to mention that it was traditional to present those you cared about with a gift on the third day. She figured he'd want to know, since he hadn't stopped holding on to Rani yet and they seemed somehow closer than they had been before. Maybe it was just because the festival was crowded, but she wasn't sure.

Rani was only half paying attention to Li. Since she was at Eric's side, she could feel the change in him when he had been talking to Maerius. The way he stood was different, and he had seemed more tense. She had no idea what it was about, but she kept glancing at him, making sure he was alright.

"Oh, here it is!" Li exclaimed, guiding the group to a small restaurant that was overflowing with people. They had set up tables outside, several of which were thankfully empty. The four of them fit perfectly at one. Now they just had to wait. The festival was so busy that each place tended to just serve one meal per night instead of offering options. It was faster, and the meals were all delicious anyway. Li immediately began gushing to Maerius about how she couldn't wait to go dance more, so Rani used their distraction to turn to Eric.

"You would tell me if something was wrong, right?" she murmured softly to him, leaning in close. If her words did not make it obvious enough, her worry was written clearly in her expression as she gazed at him. She truly cared and just wanted him to be happy, no matter what that meant. Maybe he wasn't as over the events of the morning as she had hoped. Was that what was upsetting him..?

 

[Nav]

Trying not to be rude, Eric forced himself to ignore the discomfort the word brought him. He probably had mentioned it once or twice without even realizing it, he decided, brushing the whole thing off entirely. It was silly to be so worried, but after the day he had, everything felt a little uncomfortable. It was just his mind playing tricks on him, he knew. No point in letting it interfere with having a good time and trying to enjoy himself. After all, he was starving, so when Mae suggested food, he just nodded numbly.

Eric spent most of his time listening to Li as they strolled. She told him everything and more than he wanted to know, but he absorbed as much of the information as he could. There certainly was a lot that was going on. Most of the information was going in one ear and out the other, but he listened and nodded when it was appropriate. Li had ended up leading them to a little restaurant that seemed busier than it usually would be on a normal day, but they were seated quickly, which was good on the account that if they didn't eat soon, Eric feared he may start attempting to gnaw his own arm off for sustenance.

With a lull in the conversation, Li wrapped up in the idea of more dancing, Rani turned to Eric and leaned in close. "Hm?" he glanced over to her, "Yea, of course. Nothing is wrong. I'm just hungry, is all." It wasn't a lie, he was starving, and he had no reason to be uncomfortable with Mae. It was just a gut feeling, nothing more, so he did his best to quiet his intuition. "Sorry if I seem quiet. I'll break out of it, I'm sure. I just need to eat." The day had been a weird day and while the festival was nice and joyous, he was looking forward to going to bed.

It felt like he just needed some kind of mental reboot. To go to bed and wake up the next morning ready to start over, because weird couldn't even begin to describe his day.

 

[Ethys]

"Of course," Rani said with a quick nod, giving him a bit of a smile. However, as she turned her attention back to her sister and Maerius, her smile faded. It was odd, but she suddenly felt as if there was some sort of gap between herself and Eric again. His moods changed faster than even her own and it left her on uneven footing. She decided to ignore it for now. Maybe he really was just distracted by hunger.

If that was the case, it wouldn't last long. They were soon served a gigantic platter of food, which was put in the middle of the table for all of them to share. In the center was a large chunk of roasted ham, drizzled with a sweet cherry glaze and chunks of pineapple. Around that were piles of fruit slices and small spiced meat pies. Nothing terrible extravagant, but there was a lot of it. Plenty to fill four bellies. They were also each served a tall glass of frosted lemonade, which was refreshing in the heat of the crowds.

Rani ate contentedly, relaxing. Food was the best sort of bandage for the soul. Her worries about Eric faded and she started enjoying herself again. There was so much to see, so many people walking around and laughing. Days during the festival were always a bit odd, as the party tended to go from sundown to sunrise, so people tended to sleep during the day for nearly an entire week. It always made her feel a bit off, but it was fun.

"-it's not really as bad as people think," Maerius was saying when Rani finally resumed listening to him. "I mean, sure, there are demons beneath the waves, but there are demons here on land too. It's no more dangerous at sea than it is walking through the forests."

"What?" Rani interjected, startled. "You can't be serious. The sea brings nothing but death!"

"It brought Eric," Maerius pointed out, raising one eyebrow. "Just because it killed your brother, doesn't mean that it's not worth considering. He likely just didn't have the skill to handle the waves," he added, then he quickly ducked as Rani stood and threw her plate at him.

"I'm going to bed," she hissed, turning and walking from the table without another word.

"Rani, wait! I'm sure he didn't mean-.. Oh, dear.." Li attempted, but Rani didn't turn to look at her. She frowned sadly, looking at Eric in hopes of help.

 

[Nav]

The ocean talk roused Eric's interest. He lifted his gaze and listened thoughtfully as he began to eat, picking at the various items spread out before him on the table. All was pretty tasty, though he avoided the pineapple as best as he could. He didn't really find the fruit to his liking. What he did find interesting, however, was the conversation at hand. He wasn't surprised at all by Rani's view, but Maerius' comments were stirring. He was also surprised that the ocean was the topic of conversation brought up, of all things. Eric could only assume it was a result of his presence at the table—everyone must have known where he had come from by now, after all.

Quickly, a quiet dinner devolved into a terrible affair of shouting and plate throwing. Not knowing where to interject, Eric remained quiet and inconspicuously stuffed his mouth with ham. He knew there was no point in trying to argue with Rani on the topic. After what had happened to her brother, he was sure she'd never see the ocean with any joy or happiness, but Eric did. Sure, maybe there were demons but he had always loved the ocean. He grew up in and around them all his life, but he supposed that was the difference between having demons in one's waters and not.

When the plate went zinging across the table and Rani began to flee the table, Eric sighed and let his eyes follow her a moment before returning to Li who called after her sister. He wasn't even entirely sure pursuing her was worth it—knowing she was so angry and likely would want to relax in private for a while, but when Li's eyes begged him to do something, he slowly rose from the table.

"Rani, come on now," he called after her, a frown falling across his features, "It's not fair, I know that. It's not fair you lost your brother. No one should ever have to lose anyone, but you know what…? We are supposed to be enjoying ourselves right now. Why don't we come sit down, enjoy dinner, and talk about something else for a while?"

He wasn't sure how convincing he'd be as Rani seemed quite determined to go home. If she did, Eric wasn't sure what he'd do besides perhaps the same. The woman was a rollercoaster of emotions—more fickle and unpredictable than the sea, at times.

 

[Ethys]

Rani walked through the crowd of people in the street by the restaurant, not even really seeing the smiling faces or hearing the people who shouted out cheerful greetings. The old pain in her chest was back in full force. It was like a vice around her heart and lungs, making her pulse too loud in her ears and her breaths come hard, as if it were suddenly difficult to breathe properly. Thinking of Kohaki always did this to her if she dwelled for too long. She couldn't believe that Maerius would bring him up - and, worse, speak poorly of him. Saying something against the dead during the festival was practically sacrilege.

She heard her name and paused, turning to find Eric standing next to her. He was trying to reason with her, to get her to go back to the table and ignore this whole incident. Talk about something else for a while. She had said that to Kohaki after they had locked him up, trying to keep him from the sea. He had been raving for hours about how the ocean called to him, about how he could tame it. She had broken down in desperate tears, begging him to talk about something else for a while with her. Anything else. The betrayed look on his face was something she'd never forget. He was dead the next day.

"I'm not hungry anymore," she said to Eric, realizing that she had to answer him. She looked up at him, noticing that he seemed a bit uncertain. Perhaps he was questioning himself, wondering why he bothered. She didn't know. All she knew was that if she saw Maerius again tonight, she'd probably stab him. Li wouldn't enjoy that. "You should enjoy the festival some more. I'm just going to go to bed," she added, forcing herself to give him the faintest of smiles.

Off to the side of the couple stood a young woman that looked quite similar to how the Yanna had before she transformed into her true form. Long black hair, bright red eyes. This one was dressed in a similar fashion to Rani, though the colors were more subdued. She stood between two shops, lingering in the shadows out of sight. Her focus was on Eric, and nobody else seemed to realize she was there.

 

[Nav]

Eric just wanted to rip his hair out. Mae was being anything but cordial, Li was being her usual oblivious self, and Rani was back to her sulking, tantrum-throwing ways and, truthfully, Eric was well frustrated with all of them. More than anything, he could have used alone time again, but considering how the last alone time went, he wasn't sure what he wanted. He wanted off the damn island, for one. He wanted to go back home where everything was normal, for two. For three, he just wanted to smack some sense into all three of the people around him. His eyes rolled so hard he feared his retinas would detach.

"Fine," Eric snapped back with frustration as Rani decided to throw in the whole evening over one lousy comment, "I will enjoy the festival. Good night." His words were curt, but not unpolite. Rani could do what she wanted to do, and Eric would stay and enjoy the festival… far, far away from Li and whatever her boyfriend's name was. He was too annoyed to remember it. So, at the peak of his annoyance, he could only feel a sensation of bubbling over when his eyes landed on the demon woman. He all but groaned in exasperation at the timing, dismissed himself from the table and slipped in the small alley between the shop stalls to meet her.

"What?" he asked, his tone beginning to fall into the more aggravated spectrum. "What is so impossibly important you need to bother me this very second? Hm?"

Eric reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb, though he knew anything the demon said would just continue to wedge the thorn deeper into his side. Truthfully, there was just no calming him in that moment. He needed a reprieve, just a moment to get away … again. Preferably without a hop, skip, and a jump through a magical mindfuck of a hallucination—or whatever the Yanna had done to him. "You know what would be really great right now? If your mystical demon powers could send me back to Spain."

 

[Ethys]

Rani blinked in surprise when Eric snapped at her, her eyes betraying how hurt she was. She had tried to be as kind as she could. All she wanted was for him to have a good time, to relax and mingle with people who could become his new friends. Now it seemed as though she had done wrong again. His emotions were getting difficult to keep up with. She never knew where she stood with him. There was no time to really consider that, as he turned away as soon as he was finished, leaving her to walk back home in silence.

The demon stared at Eric in much the same way that Rani had, though she had far less self-control. Instead of just continuing on as Rani had done, the demon's eyes filled with tears. She realized that she had made a mistake in coming here to approach him now, but it was too late to back out. He was already angry. Before she could stutter out an apology, he was snapping at her again, this time speaking of his home. She swallowed, desperately wanting to remedy the situation. Without thinking, she reached out and touched his arm.

And they were in Spain.

She blinked and looked around, confused. They had left the island in the middle of the night, but here the bright sunshine was streaming in through the windows. She had brought him to the last place he had really considered 'home', as it was the easiest to grab from his mind. Now she was left looking terribly out of place, her sad red eyes looking around at the strange objects and odd architecture of the room. She bit her lip anxiously, looking back at Eric.

"Maybe you can be happy here," she suggested, her voice soft and shaking. Yanna was going to be so disappointed. The thought pained her deeply, but she pushed that away for now. She could only deal with making one person angry at a time.

 

[Nav]

He remembered it all so vividly; it was where he had grown up.

Homes with their shingled red roofs dotted the grassy hills as trees stood up like spikes, zigzagging the border of brick roads and unpolished homes. Rivers streamed through the deep valleys while the sun was a radiant, all-watching eye. Its light crept into every corner, bathing the whole world in a warm glow. Horses and carriages cruised down the twisting central road, grassy, forest green hills looming over the mountainous drive. An endless expanse of turquoise wonder, shimmering in liquid gold, stretch towards the distant horizon: the ocean. There was a smell of saltiness on the air, but when he inhaled, he could feel the taste of baking breads, too.

For a moment, Eric just stood and did nothing. He tilted his head towards the sky, eyes closed, as he enjoyed all the senses except sight that were washing over him.

"This is where I belong," he concluded after a long moment. He glanced to his side, cracking his eyes open just a smidge to take in the demon still at his side. She looked distressed, to say the least. Eric couldn't say he didn't feel a little bad, but the island had been too much. Whatever Yanna had thought him, she was wrong. He was a simple Spanish boy caught up in the wrong situation at the wrong time. He had no powers to change anything, or anyone, and almost every part of him yearned to stay in Spain. He felt whole there in the countryside; life made sense again, and he liked that.

"I'm not what those islanders need. They don't need some kind of foreign savior. They need themselves to come together and figure it out," his hands fell back down to his hips, sighing out deeply, "I'm sorry, but this is what makes me happy. This place. You may punish me for that, if you wish, but at least I am not telling you a lie."

He cared deeply for Rani, and for Li; he knew they would be angry and disappointed in his decision, but they also didn't understand. They didn't understand what it was like to lose everything they had ever known for a foreign land, strange and cold and different. "The islanders have been too kind to me. They are strong enough and smart enough to figure things out with the demons without me. What difference would I make anyways?"

He wanted his fee to move. He wanted to walk into the village, but he chose to stay, eyeing the demon carefully.

 

[Ethys]

The demon girl winced as Eric started speaking about how they did not need him. He was giving up on them. Like so many others before him, he would rather turn away and run back to what he knew. Perhaps the Yanna really had been wrong this time. Eric wasn't the one they had longed for, the one who would set things right. He was just a man who wanted to forget that the island even existed. She frowned sadly, looking down at her hands as he continued enjoying himself. When he questioned her, she finally looked up, trying to hide tears in her eyes.

"I do not know," she said honestly, her voice small. "I do not know what things will come to pass. Yanna knows. She says that you are the one we needed, the one who will stop the fires and chains. I.. I don't know what that means. All I know is that she believes in you more than she's ever believed in a human before."

She fell silent again, struggling to get her thoughts in order. Maybe if she said the right things, he would want to go back. It could all be a matter of words. But she was not great with words. All she had were feelings - like the feeling that Lady Rani would never be the same when she realized he was gone again so soon after nearly dying for him on the beach, not that she remembered that. There was the feeling that Maerius was holding something back, something that all of the demons feared, though they weren't sure why. Then, of course, was the feeling that the Yanna was right and Eric needed to embrace it.

She could do nothing about any of these feelings.

"I'm not going to punish you for being happy. Everybody deserves to be happy at least once. Most just usually don't get to," she said, responding to something he had said earlier. She rubbed her arms uncomfortably. What did being happy even mean? She didn't know. But she did know that Eric was happy here and thought he belonged here instead. Who was she to pull him from that, to make him miserable once again? She took a small step back away from him, looking away. It was time to leave him be.

 

[Nav]

"I honestly wish people would stop believing in me."

He crossed his arms over his chest, but it wasn't a defensive stance so much as a thoughtful one. "Eric is dead in Spain because of people believing in me. Well, I'm not truly dead, as I'm sure you can tell from my flesh and bone, but most think I am. Going back to Spain, I'd have to be someone who wasn't Eric… Robert, perhaps. That is a nice name. My real name isn't even Eric to begin with, can you believe that?" a small smile stole his expression as he gazed back on the familiar countryside. There were no beaches, no palm trees, no strange fruits. Everyone looked just like him, though they were too far away to make out the details clearly.

Their skin and hair were dark, just like his own, and that meant something. It meant he wasn't an outsider; he wasn't unusual or a freak. He wasn't the one people would look and point at, whispering quietly among themselves. "I don't know what she means by fire and chains, but if she's looking for someone named Eric, she has gotten the wrong person. It's an alias. Over the years I've gone by many names." He noted the distress in the demon's face. It caused his eyebrows to knit together carefully, scrunched together towards the middle of his brow. His lips turned downward ever so slightly, but returned to neutral when he looked back on the nearby Spanish village.

Hearing her footsteps, Eric glanced back to her once more, watching her as she began to back away. "You're really leaving me here, then?" He hadn't expected it, truthfully. He had already been mentally preparing himself to enjoy the last of the Spanish hillsides that he could before he'd be ripped back to the island… the cursed island, the island that he wasn't sure how to feel about. The island felt like it was ringing him dry, like it wanted more than he could possibly give. Rani wanted more, Li wanted more, the demons, the Yanna, the Kyn… they all wanted pieces of him he wasn't sure he could even offer. Truth was, he couldn't even believe any of them really, truly knew him at all.

The Yanna perhaps, but certainly not Rani or Li.

"I'm surprised you're willing to let me stay."

 

[Ethys]

"I'm surprised you're so eager to walk away."

The demon went quiet again after she spoke to him. Though she knew it was difficult for him to be away from his people, she could not understand why he wanted to leave so badly. The people in the city accepted him, welcomed him as one of their own. Lady Rani loved him, not as a brother, but as a potential partner in love. Lady Li looked up to him as she would have to her true brother, had he survived the sea. They all wanted him there - even the demons wanted him there, and the Yanna. Nobody wanted him to just up and leave, yet that was what he was choosing to do.

What might that be like? To have the choice? She knew that she would never be welcomed in the city like that. No person would ever love her enough to fight until they died - or nearly died, in Rani's case. She would never know how it felt to eat with the Kyn, or sit atop the palace with a glass of wine. It was all so far out of reach. The idea of having that choice available.. Well, she knew which one she would be clinging to.

"If this is what you want.. what you truly want.. Then I will leave you here," she murmured, heartbroken. She turned away from him, unable to face somebody who was turning his back on her people without a single regret.

 

[Nav]

"I am too, honestly."

Eric rested his hands up on his hips. He felt some confliction, naturally. He felt guilt. Perhaps he would have felt differently had all the stress of the island not been tossed onto his shoulders by the Yanna. In truth, he was just running from the responsibility; he was running from the possibility of failure. The Yanna had spoken to him like he couldn't fail in his task, like he could bring peace to all of the island, yet he could only see all the ways he could fail. The demons would keep killing the humans and the humans would keep killing the demons. He had never asked for any of it; he had never asked to survive falling off that ship in the first place. Squinting, he kept his eyes locked on the village tucked just off in the horizon. It was within walking distance, perhaps a half hour or so, but they were far enough away not to be disturbed or overheard.

"I can't say I know what I want." Which was the truth. No answer he could give felt like the right one. It was an overwhelming sense that he belonged no where—not in Spain and not on the island—that overwhelmed him. Rani had taken to him quickly, certainly, but even in that he felt reservation—was it just for his novelty? She had only known him a few days and while he cared for her deeply, he couldn't be sure the pattering in his chest when she was around was attraction or something deeper. He didn't know, he had never felt anything akin to it before. In all, It felt as though there were no absolute certainties in his little universe and that was something he struggled to grapple with.

"I fear I will fail the island, truthfully. I fear deeply that I am not the hero it needs, or the Yanna believes me to be. I'm just a man who washed up on a shore because I have lied and cheated my way through life. What about that makes me worthy of everything they say about me?"

The battle was plainly evident in him, two sides of the same man were ripping each other apart until Eric felt like he just needed to crumble into pieces and lie on the grassy knoll until death took pity on him. He had done everything he could, but it just wasn't feeling like enough. It never felt like enough.

 

[Ethys]

The demon was getting more and more uncomfortable the longer they lingered. Eric was obviously not ready to make a choice, but that wasn't an option. A choice had to be made, and the sooner it was done, the better it would be. She didn't want to rush him along and have him snap at her again, but she was starting to worry that she would become stuck here for an eternity. He was so uncertain, so hesitant. Why did he not just choose? It made little sense to her. She frowned slightly, shaking her head as he addressed her once more.

"I have no answers that you seek," she reminded him. If he had questions, those were for the Yanna, not for her. She wasn't nearly on the same level. The Yanna didn't even know she was here. If she did, well.. It wouldn't be good. Eric wasn't supposed to just up and leave. She frowned sadly, looking down at her hands. Another failure. Perhaps she should just throw herself into the sunlight and wait for death. No. That was cowardly. Perhaps that was how Eric felt too. He had said he worried he wasn't good enough. She had no idea how to convince him otherwise.

"I am not the Yanna, and I don't know very much," she said after a long minute. "I do not know about this place where you are from, or why we all live on the island, or really much of anything. But.. But I do know how it feels to be scared, and I know how it feels when the Yanna tells you things you don't feel that you're ready to hear," she murmured. "I also know that the Yanna has never been wrong before. If she believes in you, she has a reason."