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Icaris changed back into a monkey, making it easier to jump from branch to branch. He kept a steady eye on his friend, ready to catch him if he fell. Out here, where Dad's power was weaker, Icaris was stronger. No more watching in helplessness as his friend fell and hurt himself. He found himself laughing in his mind, laughing at Dad. They were escaping him. He couldn't hold on to Nico forever. Thunder sounded in the distance and Icaris paused.
Dad had awoken to find his son missing. He could sense that he was beyond the bayou, heading towards the hills. How dare he disobey his law? He rumbled again, splitting the skies with a flash of lightning. "You get home now, or face my wrath!" was the message he was pressing upon the boy and his friend. Icaris flinched at the storm that had brewed around them. "He knows," he told Nico. The branches had become hard to navigate. It would be too dangerous to fly in this storm. Icaris struggled to think of what animal he could change to to help his friend get to the hills. |
Nico saw the lightening and gasped, crouching low beneath the leaves that were falling in a constant manner. "Icaris!" He looked toward his friend. Had he broken concentration? Lost himself and thought of something? Nico hadn't done so. He'd kept his mind clear, his intentions not even clear to himself. He looked at the hills. They weren't far. Nico's heart was racing, sending adrenaline to every fiber of his being. "I can run." He said. Icaris had that look---how could he help Nico? But Nico didn't need Icaris to help him every step of the way. While his friend knew more than him, the boy was able. He could fend off his father's influence long enough to breach the limits of his manipulation. "I can run, Icaris. I'll get there, meet you beyond the hills. I can escape, I promise. I won't leave you to get there without me." He flinched as the sky cracked with lightening again. The land there was clear. He jumped from the tree and landed lightly, his thin frame very agile and able to traverse the rest of the tree cover quickly. Then he ran. He didn't see---he ran. The hills were forms in the distance, the not-so-distant type of distant. He'd get there. |
Icaris watched him go, feeling nervous as he slid down the tree and became a large cat, something like a cheetah. He ran towards the hills as fast as he could, hoping that Nico would make it and that Dad wouldn't do anything especially bad to him. A loud bell gonged, causing Icaris to nearly lose focus. It wasn't the toll of the bell he uses to call Nico for dinner. Icaris cried and spun around. He could see the dark clouds forming fast, becoming screaming birds and dragons. They were coming for Nico. "Nico!" he roared, running back towards his friend. He would stop Dad. He had to try for his friend's sake.
The dark creatures dove for the tiny boy, sharp claws catching on his clothes. So far they couldn't seem to lift him fully. Dad's power was growing weaker. |
He was moving faster than he ever had before. Speeding beyond what he thought was possible, Nico ignored the sounds. He had to get away from them before they--- With an angry, wordless roar, Nico clutched at the claws as they grabbed his clothes, his cloak. They were simple clouds, condensed water and air, and since they were so far away, they broke easily as Nico spun around and brought his leg up, meeting knee with half-formed claws. "I won't let you keep me here!" Nico screamed. "I have to GO! I have to go! Icaris says so!" "YOU BELONG TO ME!" The overlapping voices of the dragons and birds formed into Dad's. "ME, BOY." Nico dove away as one of the huge birds dove at him, and exploded into a smoky cloud as it hit the ground. "Icaris! I hope you're okay!" His eyes were stinging from the cold wind whipping his face, but he ran, blindly. The incline was there, he could feel himself running uphill now. |
Icaris reached Nico, changing shape again. He turned into a horse and whether Nico liked it or not, he lifted the boy onto his back and ran. The clouds were starting to disappear and they reached the other side of the hills. Panting, Icaris changed back into a boy, collapsing onto the soft snow under them. "That was..." he started, but couldn't find his breath to say what it was. He could feel Dad still simmering with anger behind them, his power could extend if the man decided to chase them.
Of course Dad would chase him. Dad needed Nico to survive. But so did Icaris. |
He gasped when Icaris scooped him up to run, but couldn't say a word in retort. His lungs were burning, and the tail of his cloak was ripped. Wrapping his hands around Icaris's mane, he kept his head low. His friend could outrun him for ages, many ages, in many different forms. But he always liked trying to win a race he never could. When he was on the ground and out of Dad's immediate reach, Nico fell onto his knees to gather his breath. "C-close... close... is what... what it was." He panted. "Can't believe... we made it so far." He looked around, and saw the sky burning in a way. Dad wasn't happy at all. "Can't stay. I... got this." He reached under his cloak and pulled his bag off his back. "Clothes. For both of us. They'll keep us warm, I suppose. Not for a terribly long time. How long... do we have to go?" He looked toward where Icaris had pointed that day. He had to leave, and go somewhere. But he still didn't know where. |
The hills out here had turned pitch black, the moonlight no longer illuminating the way. Only the pure white snow that nestled on the ground and tree branches helped them define things. This must have been the reason they had to leave when it snowed. Icaris got back up, panting heavily still. He felt happy that Nico had thought of him as well, even though he could easily shape change. As he started to walk forwards, his footprints left black shapes in the snow.
"Blacklight Forests. We have to go to those trees," he pointed towards the almost pitch black shadows. "There's creatures in there... We need light." He wondered if they should wait until daytime to start the journey. In the distance, Icaris felt Dad's power increasing its range. He was on his carriage, a black and gold thing pulled by mighty horses. The bell gonged again. "Let's go," he said, taking his friend's hand and leading him towards the forest. |
They had time. Time to waste, if only a moment or two. "No." Nico pulled himself to a halt, leaving tracks in the snow behind him like skid marks. "Icaris! I don't understand any of this. I have to go? Why? Why do I have to go, and where? Where? Why during winter? Why does Dad want me to stay so badly he'll... do what he did?" He was absolutely confused. He'd follow his friend to the ends of their world, but to what extent? Without question? Without debate? Nico was sure Icaris had never lied to him before, but now, now his friend refused to tell him much of anything. What if this wasn't Icaris? He'd heard of some like his friend, able to become anything if it had life. But he'd never questioned it because Icaris was different---the boy was his friend. His only real friend. So why did Dad hate him so much? |
Icaris stopped walking and frowned. He hadn't expected Nico to ask so many questions so soon. He had all the right to, and Icaris wish he could answer. "The Winter helps us see through the Forests, I guess," he replied. "As for anything else... I don't know Nico. I just know that it is important we go." He knew a little bit more, but chose not to say anything just yet. He wanted Nico to trust him and follow him. He needed Nico to wake up.
"Our world might come to an end one day, and Dad will be the cause. We have to be gone by that happens. We have to make it to the White Cliffs," he knew that everything he said would just make Nico want to question him more. "Please, just trust me. I am your friend. I know what is best for you. If you had stayed..." He wished he could tell his friend all about his real life and his real family. |
Nico couldn't silence the voices in his head, screaming doubt and lies. The winter helped them see, that was true, but he knew Icaris well enough to be more than aware he wasn't telling Nico everything. He didn't want to move a step further, but it was more than obvious that if they didn't move, he'd never know a thing at all. Dad would never let him near Icaris again. And Icaris... he didn't want to think about what Dad would do this time. “Okay.” He went past the boy. “I'll come with you for now. Just to get away from Dad's presence, find a hiding place.” Come to an end one day... The words were colder than the air around them. He put up his hood again and pulled it down low over his eyes. |
Icaris watched his friend continue before following him. He really felt sad that he couldn't tell him everything. He knew that Nico wouldn't believe the truth, and that it could possibly be harmful for the boy. He hugged himself, wishing he could shape change. He could feel the bell ringing through him, making it hard to use his powers. If something were to happen, Icaris would have to fight hard against Dad. He glanced nervously through the trees. He could sense thousands of eyes watching them. There were weird noises all around them, some animal, some hard to place.
"Keep an eye out... Creatures here don't respect mankind..." he said quietly, coming to Nico's side. "And I am having problems with my powers. That bell did something to me..." |
Nico shivered, but not from the cold. The bell was still ringing and rattling in his head, making it difficult to think, to see where he was going or focus on the danger he knew was always nearby now. "It's... an extension of his power. Dad told me." He glanced at Icaris. "He said that's how he catches my attention even when I'm far from the house. He's probably using it to steal power from you, or... trying to shut it out." He looked around. The ground was white, the trees' branches caked with damp snow. It was the only thing that could be considered light now, and whenever they raised their feet, their shoe prints left black shapes behind them. He wanted to get away from Dad now. He'd hurt Icaris in the past, as punishment to Nico. It wasn't fair, but if Nico said that, Dad would hurt his friend more. It was as though Dad didn't want to touch Nico. That, or he couldn't. |
Icaris glanced over his shoulder, peering into the darkness. He could see red and white eyes watching them now, glinting in the moonlight. He didn't want to worry his friend any further, so he pretended he hadn't noticed them. The bell was still ringing and it was starting to wear him down. He could feel that it was becoming increasingly harder to keep his presence. "If I go, I will meet you in the deeper part of the forest," he said, noticing how see through he was becoming. It was starting to hurt him to stay near his friend.
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Nico glanced to his friend. Indeed, the bell was taking his power. If he vanished he'd be able to reappear, but Nico didn't know how long it would take. "Go, Icaris. I can make it myself. I promise. Dad can't use his carriage deeper into these trees, I know it." He didn't understand how he knew, but he did. The carriage would have to be abandoned, and Dad was rather old. He couldn't run as quickly, or as long, as Nico or Icaris. He could use his power, but only to a certain point. Even he was out of his realm now, so his power had limitations. Nico started forward---he had the feeling of being watched, and knew something was around. Probably a lot of somethings. He ran faster. He had to get away, meet Icaris. Maybe then he could ask more questions. Because Nico didn't want to admit it to himself, but he had a feeling Icaris could tell him much more. |
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