Elias felt his palms becoming clammy and covered with sweat as he approached Lyara. He stuck to the edge of the crowd and gently brushed past the countless people. Lyara's face was practically made of stone, and her emotions were difficult for him to read.
Each step became more and more difficult, as if he were trudging his way through mud that became thicker the closer he got. His mind raced as he thought of what he would say when he finally found himself face to face with her. Nothing felt right. Nothing came to mind that sounded adequate. Time began to crawl, the tension in the air agonizing and worsening as the distance closed.
Lyara's posture was tall and firm. The muscles in her jaw were drawn tight, the cords rippling under her skin, betraying her genuine emotion.
Anger.
Her jaw was clenched as Elias approached, seething anger brewing beneath a stoic visage. Her eyes were cold, lacking warmth at being in Elias's presence. He finally stood before her, face to face.
Moments stretched as silence hung in the air. Despite the symphony of noises surrounding them, the silence was deafening. The cawing of the seagulls, crashing of the waves, and the murmuring of the people faded away for the two of them. Despite the lack of words between them, a lot was being said. The cold reception he was receiving sent a clear and concise message.
Disappointment.
Elias struggled to understand her. What did she want from him? What did she expect him to do? He was a slum rat, for Maw's sake. How on earth could she be shocked at his behavior?
Elias found himself staring at her with a strange intensity, feeling his anger beginning to swell. He killed an apparition, so what? Who was she to judge him for doing what was needed? There was no time left, and death was a guarantee, clearly favorable to the unknown possibility of the stunt she tried to pull. She was gambling with their lives, and he should be the one angry with her!
He found himself sulking on the inside over the fact that Lyara held all the cards here. He couldn't risk turning her into an enemy, at least, not more than he already had.
Elias let out a small sigh, dropped his shoulders, and bowed his head slightly, "I'm sorry." He looked back at her, his flowing silver eyes glistening in the ever-present twilight frozen in the sky.
Lyara stared back, her dark brown eyes were lined with a thin ring of emerald along the edges. Her olive skin was smooth as silk, and her wavy black hair draped over her shoulders. Her features were sharp and perfectly symmetrical. Elias hadn't spent any time genuinely looking at her before. The only time they had been close was in the darkness of his room, the night she shared a small fragment of her family's secrets. He had seen her across the table of the Sanctum and in the trial, of course, but there was too much going on for him to focus on the details of her looks.
She was… beautiful. Everything about her was perfect in every way. Elias was taller than she was by a few inches, and he was tall for a man.
She stared into his eyes, and Elias could feel her probing his soul, looking for something. The feeling was eerie. His chest felt tight, and his breath became short. His heart began racing as he felt a primal fear rise to the surface. This woman was dangerous. Far more dangerous than anyone he had ever met.
He felt as if she could see everything about him. Every insecurity and dark secret. Every fault and every fear.
It was unnerving.
Her expression softened slightly, likely responding to the unease brewing in Elias's soul. "You should have trusted me." Her voice was steady, soothing. Her tone was pleasing and lacked malice. If there was a hint of anything in her words, it was pity.
"I don't trust anyone," Elias answered quickly, voice sharp, honed by the many years spent in the slums where everyone was willing to stab you in the back for a scrap of food. He was hoping to avoid this conversation until much later.
Lyara's shoulders released some of their tension, and her posture relaxed slightly. "No, I suppose you wouldn't, I imagine that trust would get you killed in the slums."
"Without fail."
"Isn't that an incredibly sad way to live? To go through life without a single companion? To be constantly looking over your shoulder at every turn?"
"Better than being dead."
"Is it?" Pain and sadness welled in the depths of Lyara's soul, and her eyes relayed those emotions to Elias.
Her last question cut through Elias like a blade. What on earth could she mean? Of course, living like he had in the slums was better than death. Also, what was with this expression? Did she truly believe it was better to die than to live alone and paranoid?
Fool. She is a fool.
Silence hung in the air as they allowed the question to linger. Elias didn't want to answer, and Lyara didn't want to give him a way out of answering.
It's not all bad, though; fools can be used and manipulated.
Elias looked down slightly, as if deep in thought, and brought his hand to his chin. He flicked his eyes back and forth to imply an internal conflict within himself before finally returning to Lyara's gaze.
"Yes, I believe it is better to be alive and have the potential that life brings than the finality of death." His voice was firm and full of conviction, but he wanted her to believe that he had at least considered that he was wrong, which he wasn't.
"I can't even imagine." She said as her eyes gazed at him, again as if she could see through him like glass.
"Imagine what?"
"Having gone through life never experiencing any joy." Her voice cracked a little as she squeezed out the final words. And quite honestly, they hit like a truck.
Joy? What the hell is joy? How could this 'joy' be so valuable that she would rather be dead than live without it?
As he opened his mouth to press further, a voice cut through the air, disturbing his thoughts.
"You!" It was a man's voice. Firm, but wavering with emotion. Elias knew this voice.
How bad can my luck be?! I really ran into the two people I wanted to see last, first?!
He turned and saw Keldric standing a handful of steps away, not even attempting to hide or disguise his anger. A resounding thud followed each footfall as he approached Elias, his pace quickening.
"You vile vermin! I knew you were a slum rat, but how could you do something completely lacking in humanity?! Do you slum-born truly not know how to be human?" He grabbed Elias by his collar, bringing him even closer. "Or perhaps you're even worse than the average slum rat?"
Lyara placed a hand on Keldric's forearm, pulling his attention away from Elias. She looked concerned and proceeded to glance at the crowd around them. Keldric turned to follow her gaze and only then noticed that a small portion of the crowd was staring at them.
Lyara brought her voice low, her tone serious, "Do not attract too much attention."
Keldric nodded in agreement as he released Elias; however, his gaze still sent his message loud and clear: This isn't over.
The crowd staring at them began to fade away and resumed their tasks as if nothing had happened.
Elias decided to move the conversation in a different direction. "Have you guys noticed a significant change in your artifacts? Both of mine feel lifeless and dormant, unlike before."
"Both Oathkeeper and Commander's Voice feel different. The energy I could feel from them before is virtually non-existent now." Keldric's voice had a hint of disappointment in it.
"We have to spend time with them, growing to understand them better. This is how artifacts are supposed to be at the beginning of the trial. As we work our way through the city of Azimuth, our bonds with them will grow, and the artifacts will begin to transform and regain some of the power they have lost." Lyara explained.
Elias's eyebrows raised. "Lyara, you mentioned the artifacts prior to the trial. How much does your family know about them?"
"The artifacts are actually some of our most detailed knowledge. Unlike one's experience in the Maw, the Returned can talk about their artifacts freely." She took a breath, "We should find somewhere to relax and eat before continuing this conversation."
Now that she mentions it, I am pretty hungry, Elias thought.
Lyara turned to a stretch of buildings across the wharf, eyeing one in particular.
"There, we will continue our conversation over there." She pointed at one with a sign over the top of it that said Café and then turned to it, making her way through the crowd.