Awakening (Book 1, Vanquisher Serie... - Chapter 65: Chapter 65

Ever since Pheleraz and his army showed up, Draghein School had become the busiest Narvari had ever seen. Vanquishers Narvari had never seen before poured into the school like a deluge. She learned from Azmel that those senior vanquishers were temporary transfers from Rahalan School and they were here to handle cases in their jurisdiction until the case of royal demon activity was resolved.
That had given junior vanquishers in Draghein School a lot of free time. Narvari didn't have to worry about fighting demons. Honestly, all she could worry about was Pheera. Besides, Pheleraz's presence made things worse. She hardly left Pheera's side, fearing that Pheleraz would try something.
Thankfully, Pheera was steadily regaining vitality in her body. She was no longer thin and sickly and the doctors had removed all the bandages from her body. Her previously pale face had regained color. Unfortunately, however, she was still unconscious. The doctors said that Pheera was lucky to have survived a forceful order-up. The survival rate was only five percent—most vanquishers died immediately after a forceful order-up and for Pheera to still be alive was a good sign, the doctors said.
"I won't let him take you away," she said, stroking Pheera's cheek. She looked so peaceful while unconscious. "I won't let your family hurt you again, Pheera. You have my word."
Someone knocked on the door and then entered immediately. Even without turning, Narvari knew it was Yanvirrak. He slumped into the couch and lay there in silence. In the past few days, Yanvirrak had spiraled into depression. Not once had he made any of those stupid jokes Narvari had grown so fond of. Yanvirrak had already been devastated by Pheera's condition. But when he heard about Hellstorm being a wanted man and possibly a demon, Yanvirrak's condition became even worse. The young man idolized Hellstorm after all.
"Do you believe it?" Yanvirrak finally broke the silence. He hadn't spoken to him in a while. "Do you really think he's a demon?"
It was the first time Yanvirrak was opening up about this issue. Narvari sighed. "I don't know, Yanvirrak. I never knew him." Narvari paused. "But from the things I've heard about him, if he's really a demon now, then we have a huge problem."
Yanvirrak suddenly sat up. For a moment, Narvari thought he was going to storm out of the room in anger. But he only sighed and leaned back on the couch.
"I don't believe what they're saying," he said. "The Order thinks Bezvaros is controlling him."
"I thought he died."
"He did," said Yanvirrak. "But I also heard he disappeared to Bezvar when the Demon King killed him."
"Then maybe Bezvaros really turned him into a demon. Maybe he's under the control of the Demon King."
Yanvirrak shook his head. "If there's anyone who can resist the control of the Demon King, it's Hellstorm."
Narvari titled her head. "You've never met Hellstorm. How can you be so sure about this?"
"I may not have met him, but I've heard so much about him," he said. "He was officially classified as a class one vanquisher. But people said he was on Tehsaa level."
Narvari's eyes widened. "Wait really?" The Tehsaa were a special class of vanquishers who were strong enough to vanquish fifteenth-order demons. Only a handful of vanquishers in existence are at this level. If Hellstorm was considered to have reached this level, then it was no wonder people thought so highly of him. How could... Narvari paused when she felt a warm brush against her fingers. She quickly turned her gaze to Pheera--Pheera was still unconscious. Had Narvari imagined it then? She was sure she had felt Pheera touch her.
"What is it?" Yanvirrak asked.
Narvari didn't say anything. She wanted to be sure she had not imagined this.
She paused with bated breath as her eyes remained fixated on Pheera's hands. And then Pheera's fingers moved. Narvari's heart raced in excitement. "She moved."
"What?" Yanvirrak ran over to her side. "Are you sure about it?"
"I saw her fingers move." Maybe she had so badly wanted Pheera to wake up that it became real to her. Maybe this was all in her head. Maybe--
"Narvari look."
Pheera's eyes stirred slowly. Then her entire right arm moved to Narvari's lap. Narvari exchanged glances with Yanvirrak, and he chuckled. Pheera's eyes fluttered open. Narvari gulped when those deep blue eyes gazed at her. How she had missed those eyes.
"Narvari?" Pheera whispered.
"Pheera." Narvari felt like she had been whisked away into a lush field of flowers. A deep sense of calm settled over her like a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
"Are you alright?" Pheera sat up. She touched Narvari's chest, and for a moment, Narvari's shoulders tensed. Then Pheera caressed her face and electricity coursed through her body. "Narvari, have you been crying?" Pheera gazed at her with an intensity that made her forget about all her worries. Gosh, how was someone so beautiful? "Is everything okay?"
Okay, she had to say something, thought Narvari. Pheera just woke up from a coma, yet she was the one worrying about Narvari. "I'm just so happy to see you." This was real. It was no dream. Narvari gently pulled in Pheera for a hug. "You're awake. Pheera, I was so scared. I thought I lost you."
"Look at me." Pheera lifted Narvari's chin so that they were facing each other again. She pressed her forehead against Narvari's. "I'm right here. You never lost me."
Narvari lost herself in Pheera's arms. How she had missed the warmth of her embrace.
"Yanvirrak?" Pheera suddenly said as she released Narvari.
"Nice to see you too Pheera," said Yanvirrak.
"I missed you all so much." Suddenly, Pheera's stomach grumbled like an earthquake.
Narvari laughed. "It seems we're not the only ones you missed."
Pheera chuckled. "I'm starving."
"I'll go get you something to eat." Narvari stood up, but Pheera quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her closer.
"Please don't leave."
Shit. With the way Pheera was looking at her, she couldn't say no. She glanced at Yanvirrak, her eyes seeking help. Yanvirrak must have understood her because he said, "I'll bring you something to eat, Pheera." Narvari mouthed a thank you to Yanvirrak as he left the room.
Pheera stared at Narvari's chest. She was probably looking at her wound. It had completely healed by now. "Are you really okay?" asked Pheera.
Narvari nodded. She too did not understand what had happened and why her wounds had healed so quickly. But right now, all that mattered was that Pheera was awake.
Pheera rested her head on Narvari's chest. Narvari's chest swelled with so much happiness that she thought she would burst. It would definitely be worth it. "Do you feel any pain in your chest?" asked Pheera.
"I'm fine. Really." How could she tell Pheera that her wounds had regenerated like some demon? Would Pheera want to have anything to do with her again?
"Narvari," Pheera whispered. "I was afraid of waking up."
"Why?"
"I thought... I would never see you again and that scared me. So much." She sighed. "But then I kept hearing your voice over and over and felt your touch. I guess that told me that I never lost you. So I came back." Pheera wrapped her arms around Narvari's shoulder and held onto her tightly. Narvari reveled in the warmth of her body. She and Pheera had so much to talk about, but right now, she would only bask in the happiness.
A few minutes later, Yanvirrak returned with enough food for all three of them. When they were almost done with their meal, Trixan came in to see how Pheera was doing. She seemed relieved that Pheera was awake.
Narvari could not bring herself to look at Trixan. In her anger, she had said some things to the Elder and now wished she could take them back. But she did not know where to start. Trixan, on the other hand, didn't bring it up.
"So what's up with you two?" Yanvirrak asked when Trixan left.
"Huh?" Narvari asked.
"You and Trixan," said Yanvirrak.
Narvari shrugged. "Nothing."
"Are you sure? You didn't even say a word while she was here. That's unlike you."
"Did something happen?" Pheera asked.
Looking at Pheera, Narvari knew she couldn't hide anything from her. "I may have blamed Trixan for what happened to you."
"Oh," Pheera bit her lips, "Trixan has only been looking out for me all this time. What happened to me was not her fault."
"I know." Narvari nodded. "I'm sorry."
"Maybe you should tell her that."
Pheera was right. She had to apologize to Trixan. But the guilt was too strong. The creaking of the door interrupted Narvari's thoughts.
"Zee." Pheera's eyes lit up as soon as Zemeron walked in.
"Pheera," said Zemeron.
Narvari and Yanvirrak excused themselves after Zemeron asked to speak to her sister alone.
In a large empty warehouse, a young Asian woman was shackled to a chair with heavy black chains. Finally, the woman's eyes fluttered open and when she recognized the man standing before her, she glared at him.
"Hellstorm," she hissed.
"Welcome back, Reyjacc," said Hellstorm. "I was wondering when you'll wake from your beauty sleep."
Reyjacc tried to wiggle herself out of the chains but they only tightened around her. Hellstorm chuckled. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Holy chains. It will only be tighter and more painful if you resist."
"You fucking asshole," Reyjacc yelled. Her eyes turned a light shade of purple. "I should have known it was you. There were rumors you were back from the dead and only someone as crazy as you will dare to kidnap a royal demon."
Hellstorm grinned. "I'm flattered."
"So," Reyjacc said, composing herself, "how was hell? Last time I heard, you were in Bezvar being my father's bitch." She laughed heartily. "Hellstorm? Bitch, please. More like Hellsbitch. Do you have any idea what my father's going to do to you once he finds out what you've done to me?"
This time Hellstorm laughed so hard that his insides ached. This was indeed the best joke he had heard in a long time. Even after calming down, he broke down into hysterical laughter again. "Do you really think Bezvaros gives a shit about you, or any of you fucking lowbloods?" Hellstorm asked. "He doesn't give a shit about any of you weaklings."
"What the hell do you want?" Reyjacc asked. "Are you here to kill me? I didn't do shit."
"I'm only here for one thing, and as long as you give it to me, I'll spare your life."
"What if I don't have what you're here for? It doesn't sound fair that you'll kill me for that."
"You kill people for far less." The audacity of this one. He had already hunted down five lowbloods, and all of them were involved in something shady. The last one was trafficking children for food. Vanquishers must have been hunting that particular demon down because Hellstorm had run into a few senior vanquishers when he went after that child-eating demon. He was sure if he looked deeper, he would find something terrible Reyjacc was doing. But that wasn't why he was here. "I'm not here for the Order," said Hellstorm.
Reyjacc narrowed her eyes. "You haven't gone back to them, have you?" A cunning smile widened on her face. "I sense demon energy around you. I wonder what the Order is going to do when they find out their favorite son is tainted."
"Keep wasting my time and soon you won't be able to wonder about anything."
"Fine." She clenched her jaws. "What do you want?"
"Izenros. Where is he?"
The smugness on Reyjacc's face evaporated and her purple eyes darkened. "Why are you looking for Prince Izenros?"
Hellstorm shrugged. "Personal reasons. None of your business."
Reyjacc glared at him. "If you think for a second that I will betray the last prince of the Septos, then you must be out of your fucking mind."
"Betray?" Hellstorm scoffed. "What is it with you demons? How are you betraying him if you tell me where he is?" He shook his head. "Do you even know why I'm looking for him?"
"I don't care why," Reyjacc snapped. "You think ratting out the location of Prince Izenros to a fucking vanquisher is not betrayal? What the hell did they do to you in Bezvar? It's like you've grown stupid or something."
"So it's true then," Hellstorm said. "Izenros is here on earth."
"I never said that," Reyjacc said quickly. "Look I'm not telling you anything."
"Hmm." Hellstorm sighed. It was the same story all over again. He knew Reyjacc had made up her mind and there was nothing Hellstorm could do about it. None of the other royal demons he had captured and tortured had given him anything either. Every single one of them was dead now. "I guess this is goodbye then," he said as he released his lightning elema.
He gathered his elema in his hand, transforming it into a long golden whip. He cracked the whip on the ground tearing a long narrow rift in its wake. Reyjacc's lips quivered as she stared at the golden lightning whip in horror. As Hellstorm was ready to slash the demon into nonexistence, she shouted, "Wait, wait, wait."
Hellstorm tilted his head. "Did I jog your memory?"
"You don't have to kill me."
"That's your argument?"
"No, I'm serious," said Reyjacc. "I heard about the others you captured and killed. We've been on high alert these days because of that. I'm guessing, you asked all of them about Prince Izenros and none of them said anything. If you kill me, I know you'll hunt down more lowbloods. But trust me, they won't tell you anything."
"If you have a point, Reyjacc, make it now. I'm losing my patience."
"Okay," she said. "I'm just saying that you're wasting your time. It's not that I don't want to tell you where Izenros is. I just can't."
"What do you mean you can't?"
"We can't be disloyal to the royals," she said. "It's innately impossible."
"I know demons can't be disloyal to the royals. Why the hell do you think I'm targeting royals instead?"
"I'm just a lowblood, Hellstorm. It's against my nature to incur the wrath of a pureblood. Izenros is a fucking prince of the Septos for fuck's sake."
"So?"
"So?" Reyjacc looked as if she could not believe she was talking to a bloody idiot. "If you want answers you'll have to get it some other way. No lowblood or highblood royal will help you. Not ever. You could kill all of us and still not get answers. Why waste your time like that?"
Hellstorm paused thoughtfully. Reyjacc might be on to something. Still... "That doesn't solve my problem, Reyjacc."
"There's another way I can help you without betraying Izenros."
"I'm listening."
"You could get help from your old friend. Ludwig Ziegler."
Hellstorm balled his fist at the sound of that name. Fucking Ziegler. If he knew where Ziegler was, the motherfucker would have already been dead. "Where is he?"
"Why don't you release me and I'll tell you." The lightning around Hellstorm's body crackled fervently. "On second thought, I don't mind talking in these chains," she said with a wide smile.