Lina swallowed the lump in her throat. "...I can't, Val...teirra," she said finally.
"What?"
She shrugged but remained silent.
Val took a hesitant step toward her, but halted when he saw her cringe. "Lina," he laughed uneasily. "What's wrong...? We've been together for a while now. Why are you suddenly so cold...?"
"...I've known you longer than you think," she murmured softly under her breath, never lifting her eyes from the ground. "I've known you... MUCH longer than you think."
"I don't understand what you mean, Lina," he replied with a faltering smile. "It's almost been a year since Filia introduced us and -- "
"Before that!!" Lina broke in with a piercing tone. She was trembling. "Think before this one year!! Before all of those nights beneath the stars, before all those times your reached for my hand, before you ever looked at me without animosity in your eyes!! Before everything!!"
Valgarv's eyes felt as if they were being scorched with fire. Animosity...? Before 'this one year'? What was she talking about...? "Lina," he said helplessly, "... is there something you want to tell me...?"
She tilted her head upward to face him. "No, Val," she said slowly, "there is something I don't want to tell you. But you need to know."
"Well, I don't want to know, Lina."
She shook her head as if she'd already made her decision. She dazedly stepped forward and stared hard into his eyes.
"I killed you."
I killed you.
The bitter hatred was mutual, and I killed you.
Do you remember?
Valgarv... That's your true name. Under that name, I was forced to use my powers to take your life.
You aren't a common dragon. You are actually an abomination of the Dragons and the Devil Race. There was a time when you merged with a piece of the Darkstar; an ultimate destructive force. Because of that, you were an unstoppable creature who could liquidate the whole world with a single wave of your arm. You were dangerous.
You wanted to destroy me, do you remember that? You wanted revenge. You wanted my life because I had taken his. Gaav, the mazoku who gave you what you had lost. His words saved you from death, and you learnt to love yourself again. You worshipped him. He was your savior, but I destroyed him instead.
It has only been two years. Within that time, your growth was accelerated by the impending mix of golden and sapphire blood. You didn't realize the miraculous change because Filia was careful. She made sure that time was altered in your favor. She was formerly a priestess of the Golden Dragons, and has the ability to do such things. She saved your life.
But me...? I killed you!!
Do you remember, that only two years ago... You died by my hands...?
"No, I don't," Val muttered to the ceiling as he lay in bed, hands nestled behind his head. Yet he didn't want to admit that the name Gaav sounded strangely, yet nostalgically familiar.
Had Filia really... protected me all the while...? He wondered silently to himself. From that which I should have known, but didn't...? What kind of protection... is THAT?
He couldn't stand staring at the lifeless ceiling any longer. He sat up and reached for his shirt and pulled it on before glancing quickly at the clock. It was 2 am. He got out of bed.
I don't know whether to believe her.
Val grabbed his watch and pouch before slamming the door behind him.
"Hello," said a deep tenor voice suddenly.
He spun round to find a man smiling back at him. His hair was a striking, deep violet with eyes to match. "Shit," Val breathed, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry. But you kinda scared me."
"I've been waiting for you, Valgarv."
He almost had to keep his mouth from falling open. Valgarv!! What is it with that goddamn name!?
Val's smile dropped immediately. "That's not my name," he said coldly. "I think you probably have the wrong person."
"Oh," the man replied with an expression of mild surprise on his face, "I'm sorry. My mistake. You look like someone I know." He turned to leave. "Good bye."
"Wait!"
What am I doing?
"Yes...?"
Perhaps this guy can help me.
"... uh, W-where are you going so late at night?" Val asked lamely.
"I'm going to look for Valgarv, the person I need to find."
What is this guy's relationship to this Valgarv? This name that Lina claimed I was once known by.
"... Can I come with you? I mean," Val said frustrated, "I'm having a really bad case of insomnia. Tonight, anyway. I can't sleep. I mean, maybe I can help."
I'm so nervous.
"Sure," he said appreciatively. "That would be nice... By the way, my name is Xellos."
I feel I know this name.
"Xellos? Well, I'm Val. Short for Valteirra," he added quickly, "not for... Valgarv."
"I understand," Xellos smiled.
I've seen this empty smile before.
Part 2 | Fanfiction