When My Heart Became Ice - Chapter 11

[[ D E J A • vu ]]

All the light has left my eyes . . .

The information that a human was in the Order’s property spread swiftly. Kyth was forced to explain the situation to the gate guard, who most likely told all the other gate guards to let them in. In turn, one of the other gate guards told a friend or someone who was driving through, and from that came a complicated twist of he tells she tells before it reached Director Yukito.

By then, Kyth had only just made it home.

There was no need to rush now; she just helped Emily out and got her settled into a room, and then brought out her old baby crib that was in the attic for Alabaster. She set it up in Emily’s room and let both of them rest.

A knock sounded on the door.

Still tense, Kyth ripped open the door and snapped, “What could you possibly want right now?!”

“Calm down,” Yukito growled. “You brought a human here!”

“Her son is my brother’s baby,” Kyth snarled, stepping outside and closing the door behind her. “Someone came into their house, held Alabaster hostage and demanded something called the key. I want to know every damn thing you have brought in that has something to do with a key, and you’re gonna tell me!”

Yukito blinked at her, cowering.

“Well go, damn it!”

Yukito scrambled away.

Frustrated, Kyth stormed back into the house. She made herself some hot chocolate and slurped at it, irritated. Sure, she had brought a human into the Order, but it wasn’t like she was going to go sneaking around taking their secret information. She was going to stay right here in this house and she wasn’t going anywhere else.

Kyth sighed.

Another knock on the door made her grumble. She moved to answer it.

Syn looked at her, almost pouting.

Kyth closed the door.

“Hey!” Syn cried. “I wanted to talk to you!”

“Well I don’t want to talk to you!” Kyth yelled through the door. “There’s a baby here you know!”

“Oh, all the more fun!” Syn cackled.

“Shut up and go away, you aren’t coming in here even if there was a tornado outside.”

“There’s a tornado out here?!”

“No, you idiot!”

“Oh, well then I’m fine, aren’t I?”

“I don’t know. Something’s wrong with you, that’s for sure.”

“Why won’t you let me in?”

“Because there’s a baby in here, you moron!”

“Oh come on, I’m good with kids!”

“No you aren’t!”

“Have you ever seen me with one?”

“Nope, and I sure as hell aren’t gonna see you with this one!”

“What if I told you Hykuma was with me?”

“Is she?”

“Yes…”

“Hykuma, are you there?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” Hykuma’s sheepish voice sounded through the door. “S-sorry, I just got curious about what had happened…”

“It’s all right,” Kyth slowly opened the door. “They’re both asleep right now, so there’s no point in…”

“Baby!” Syn flailed a hand behind her, looking amazed.

Kyth turned and saw Alabaster stumbling around on two feet.

“How’d you get out, little guy?” She sighed, and went over to pick him up. He gladly toddled into her arms and she lifted him up against her. “This is Alabaster.”

“Baby,” Syn whispered, staring at it.

“Okay Syn, that’s just creepy, so stop,” Kyth demanded.

“But it’s a baby,” Syn said in a hushed voice. “It’s so cute…!”

Kyth rolled her eyes. “Of all things,” She muttered. “A baby, Syn? Really?”

Syn nodded insistently and reached his hands out, fingers opening and closing in a demand to hold the small child.

“Nuh uh,” Kyth snapped. “You’re sitting where I can see you.”

After a couple minutes, Syn was sitting cross-legged on the couch with Alabaster carefully held in his arms. The baby seemed interested in Syn.

“So cute,” Syn said quietly, looking down at Alabaster. “Oh, oh! Kyth, he has white hair and blue eyes like me.” Syn gave a big grin, sharp teeth showing.

Alabaster looked at him with wide, curious eyes. He then giggled and squirmed.

Syn stiffened, becoming perfectly still. Alabaster seemed confused at first, and when he stopped wiggling, Syn loosened up.

Slowly, Alabaster laid his soft head against Syn’s flat chest and closed his eyes, gurgling sleepily.

“Maybe you are good with kids,” Kyth muttered.

“He’s just adorable, Kyth,” Hykuma praised.

“Yeah,” Kyth smiled a bit, looking at Alabaster with love in her eyes. “He’s Rynu’s…”

“That’s sweet of you to bring them here,” Hykuma looked over at Alabaster. “What would have happened if you hadn’t been there…?”

“I have no idea,” Kyth admitted. “They probably would have gotten what they were looking for.”

“What were they looking for?” Hykuma glanced at her.

“Something called ‘the key’,” She sighed. “I don’t know anymore, it’s a bit confusing at the moment… I have a book that seemed out of place for Rynu, so I’ll look through that later and see if I can find a translator or something.”

“That’s good…”

Kyth looked over at Syn again, who was staring intently at the sleeping Alabaster, touching a finger to his little white fluff of hair.

“For now,” Kyth rubbed her face with her hands. “I have to protect Alabaster and Emily…”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Hykuma murmured. “They’re under the Order’s protection now.”

“Yes…” Kyth gave one more dangerous look towards Syn before resolving to take the baby back. When she approached, however, Syn jumped up and held the baby tightly against his chest, hissing.

Kyth snarled fiercely.

“Give me the baby,” Her eyes flashed. “Or I’ll tear your head off!”

Syn handed Alabaster over, slowly. Kyth took him up carefully in one arm before using the other to slap Syn across the face. She then walked into Emily’s room to put Alabaster in the crib.

“Shouldn’t have done that,” Hykuma told him as he walked up to her, pouting.

“I wanted to hold baby…”

Hykuma gently put her arms around him as he sulked right up against her, curling close. “I think you’re the baby,” She giggled at him.

“Nuh uh,” Syn pouted.

“Mm hm,” She stroked his fluffy white hair gently. “Goofy boy.”

“Hey,” Kyth said as she returned. “Emily’s still sleeping and I really don’t want any problems, so please go?”

Though most of her aggression was on Syn, Hykuma felt offended as well by Kyth’s lack of trust in her and quickly ushered Syn out of the house.

He looked at her.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Nothing…” Hykuma answered quietly.

He hugged her tightly, suddenly. “Tell me,” He insisted.

She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. “I’m fine,” She murmured.

Syn tilted his head at her, but he nodded and cuddled her closer.

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“Hey,” Nyun looked surprised to see her the next morning. “I thought you were going to be gone for a week…?”

“Emily was attacked,” Kyth muttered. “Alabaster was taken hostage. I brought them both here.”

“Ah,” Nyun sighed. “So that’s what all the fuss was about…”

“They’re making too big of a deal about it,” Kyth sighed. “It isn’t like she’s going to kill someone while she’s here.”

“Have you explained everything to her yet?”

“Yeah…”

“How’d she take it?”

“Pretty hard… Knowing that her husband had a completely different life that he wanted her to stay out of… It was for her safety, mind you, but still…”

“I should imagine,” Nyun sat beside her.

Kyth looked over at him quietly. “It’s hard,” She admitted. “Keeping her safe. She’s terrified and curious all at once, and Alabaster… Well he’s walking and throwing things… Jumping…”

“He’s going to be a Reacher,” Nyun told her.

“Yes…” Kyth sighed.

Kyth’s hand suddenly snapped up, catching Syn’s fist.

“Ow,” He complained.

“Hello,” Nyun greeted him. “Nyun, level 16.”

“Syn,” He mumbled. “Level 13…”

“You’re Kyth’s new partner?”

“Mm hm,” Syn glanced at Kyth, who still held a death grip on his fist. He struggled out of it and rubbed his hand. “We have a mission.”

“Really?” Kyth groaned.

“Yes,” Syn looked up at her. “And we have to leave now.”

“How unusual,” Nyun observed, and watched as Kyth jumped up and ran out with Syn.

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The entire area was completely quiet. It was eerie, even for the two as they stood there, completely still.

“What are we looking for?” Kyth asked.

“It’s an albino Cauldwyn,” Syn glanced around. “A big one. The assignment is to kill it, at any costs.”

“Don’t want them going around breeding, do we?” Kyth stretched, bored. “We’ve been here for a half hour and there’s nothing, Syn.”

“I’m aware,” He muttered. He suddenly crouched down, and then leapt up into the air, looking around.

“You look like a kangaroo,” Kyth commented as he landed, crouched, and leapt again.

“I thought I looked like one of those majestic dancing cranes,” He landed on his tip-toes, grinning.

“No, more like a kangaroo.”

“Fine,” Syn pouted unhappily. “But I think I saw something over to the right.”

“All right,” Kyth shrugged. “Let’s go.”

The two started in the direction Syn had mentioned, and in a couple minutes, Syn began trembling.

Kyth looked at him, stopping. “Are you okay?” She asked, and true concern was in her voice. She’s never seen Syn tremble before.

“It’s blood,” He shook, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Human blood. So sweet…”

Kyth started forward, Syn following, shaking with excitement. He seemed giddy. Her biggest fear was that he would have an attack and kill any humans nearby, and an attack didn’t stop until Hykuma stopped it or Syn was knocked unconscious.

The sudden smell of death hit her nose, and she leapt forward, ahead of Syn, towards the scene of the smell.

A human stood over another human, holding a knife. Blood gushed from the woman on the ground, and the man standing over her—a big, burly bald man—looked up at Kyth.

He grinned.

“Another pretty prize to cut up…?” He asked, moving towards her. “You’re so beautiful, I might have to play with you before I can kill you…”

“Hey,” Kyth sighed. “Syn, I found your cousin! He wants to make me bleed too.”

“NO! MY KYTH!” Syn’s voice shrieked, and he was suddenly on top of the human, pinning him to the ground, the man’s knife in his hands as he lifted it high. The man let out a scream.

“Don’t kill him, Syn,” Kyth told him. “He’s still a human.”

“I want to kill him,” Syn hissed, blue eyes flashing. “He said he’d make you bleed. Only I make you bleed!”

“How sweet,” Kyth rolled her eyes. “I’m glad you’re protecting me Syn, but it’s for all the wrong reasons.”

“Fine,” Syn stood, looking at the knife. He licked his tongue over the blood dripping from it, and then bit down on the blade. It shattered in between his sharp teeth. The man stared, horrified. “What an awful blade,” Syn muttered. “I bet it couldn’t even cut bone.” He stood, shoving the man back to the ground.

“Good boy,” Kyth told him, and started away.

Syn followed, sulking.

They continued away from the human’s bloody mess, Syn picking metal shards out of his teeth. He looked about as determined as a bored goldfish now.

They walked for about ten minutes before a roar shook the earth. Even the two Reachers had trouble standing. Syn stumbled against a wall.

“Shh!” Kyth hissed at him, and both became very still, looking around wildly. “Where’d that come from…?”

She saw Syn staring behind her, blue eyes wide. Slowly, she turned. In front of her stood a white-furred Cauldwyn, big as a three story building, saliva and blood dripping from its teeth. An arm fell from its panting mouth.

“Run,” Kyth decided, and both Reachers darted off.

The Cauldwyn followed at a tumbling gate behind them, screaming as it tore up stones, its claws ripping into the concrete. His huge body smashed into building after building, swiftly catching up to the two lithe creatures.

“Distract him!” Kyth screamed, and leapt upwards, disappeared.

“Uh… Uh…!” Syn looked around frantically. He spotted the man who had killed the woman. He rushed over, grabbed the man, and tossed him in the path of the Cauldwyn, screaming as he ran, “Shield me with your body!”

The defining crunch told Syn the man was most definitely dead, and the Cauldwyn would be busy for the next couple minutes gagging on splintered human bones.

“Syn, attack!”

Kyth’s voice rang through the streets, and Syn immediately shot back the direction he came, yanking his golden thread out. He tossed it at the Cauldwyn as it came in sight. It let out a shriek as the thread snapped its mouth shut, strangling its legs together. The albino came toppling down like a giant tree.

Streaking down like lightning, Kyth’s pale body shot straight as an arrow down at the Cauldwyn. It gave another screech as her markings glowed, slamming against its muscled body. It began to disintegrate.

“I wanted to cut it up,” Syn pouted.

“Too bad,” Kyth sighed, jumping down, patting her hands together to wipe the dust away. “Now tell me Syn, what level was this mission again?”

“Eleven,” He answered.

“We need more elevens,” Kyth decided, nodding. “That was fun.”

“Yes,” Syn cackled. “I killed the human…”

“What?”

“I threw him in front of the Cauldwyn and it ate him…”

“Oh. Well then, it can’t be helped.”

Syn looked up at her, bright blue eyes watching curiously. Kyth seemed calmer than normal, almost… pleased. It was frightening him. Any moment she would lash out and punch him or throw him against a wall or…

His thoughts were interrupted at Kyth’s hand, hard as marble, crashed down on his head. He let out a cry and toppled over, holding his head, gripping his fingers into his fluffy white hair.

“That hurt!” He whimpered.

“It was supposed to,” Kyth’s voice was sweet with grim satisfaction. “Now let’s go. This thing will be done by the time we get to the end of the street.”

The two turned and started walking away, Syn keeping the golden thread around the monster’s throat until the last second. Once he was out of firing range, he recalled the thread to his pouch.

A loud groaning sound made both of them stop.

Without warning, both of them were moving, swiftly dodging a giant ball of fire. Syn managed to jump over it, but Kyth ducked under, and she let out a scream as he back seared, turning black.

She collapsed, gasping in heavy gulps of air. Syn landed beside her.

“Last act of defiance,” He noted on the Cauldwyn’s fireball. He then carefully lifted Kyth into his arms, putting her over his shoulder so he didn’t touch her back, and he darted back towards the Order.

“You idiot,” Kyth mumbled as they ran. She sounded weak. “You should have kept the thread on longer…”

“We should have stayed there to make sure it died,” Syn told her. His voice was serious, no longer in a sweet, playful mood. Cauldwyn fire burns could get really bad if not treated very soon, which is why he was running with Kyth instead of letting her walk.

Kyth trembled in his arms, gripping his shirt tightly, gasping.

“Does it hurt?” Syn asked quietly.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She snapped.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes, very much Syn. Thank you for your concern.’”

Even through her pain, Kyth managed to roll her eyes.

“You’re so stupid…” She whispered.

“If insulting me makes you feel better, then yes, I’m stupid.”

Kyth gave a weak laugh and then groaned, gripping his shirt tighter.

“Don’t pass out,” Syn insisted. “You never know what I might do to your unconscious body…”

“You’d keep running and get me to the infirmary…” Kyth said quietly, not in the mood for games.

“We have a while before we get there,” Syn told her. “Distract yourself.”

“With what?”

“I don’t know.”

Kyth sighed and trembled as her back seared. For anyone else, they would have been on the ground, writhing and shrieking in agony, but this was Kyth. She wouldn’t be weak.

After about 30 minutes, Syn spoke again.

“How are you holding up?”

“My back feels like a burnt marshmallow.”

“Good, we’re making progress!” Though Syn’s voice was bright, Kyth felt miserable.

“How much longer…” Kyth asked quietly, shaking.

“Not much,” Syn said, and with that, he leapt over the fence and into Order territory. One of the guards got a look at him and nodded, seeing that he was allowed there.

Syn was in the Order building in 10 minutes, and from there it was only a minute before they reached the infirmary.

Hykuma rushed up, looking startled. “Kyth…?” She asked, obviously shocked. Two of the nurses had gotten a bed and Syn laid Kyth on it carefully, making sure she was on her belly.

As another doctor took Kyth away—Hykuma wasn’t Kyth’s doctor—Hykuma took hold of Syn’s arm and watched Kyth leave.

She looked up at Syn. “You have blood on your arms…”

“Oh…” Syn looked at them, and for once, he didn’t seem pleased. “I don’t want this on me…”

“Come on…” Hykuma led him to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Kyth was taken into a clean room, where they gave her sedatives as they worked on her back. She drifted in and out of sleep for the next 3 hours, shaking.

When she opened her eyes slightly, she thought she saw Rynu standing in front of her, smiling an encouraging grin.

“Rynu…” She whispered, and fell asleep again.

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My whole world has fallen to pieces.