Masked And Unmasked

The pit within Zyne's stomach deepened.

Zyne and Keanu entered the nightclub, one of Xeno, cutting through the dance floor. Masked and unmasked, the Xeno mingled, drank and dined. He and Keanu seated themselves in a booth, far from the colorful, blue lighting.

"Did you have to tell me something?" Keanu sipped his drink.

Zyne hesitated. He caught his father plaguing his thoughts.

"I do not like to lie. Something is telling me that you will hurt me if I tell you, but you need to know. I know you won't, Keanu, not you."

Hurt flashed in Keanu's eyes. "Zyne... you know that I wouldn't. I would never hurt you. Tell me what's wrong."

Zyne told Keanu of Canis' deal.

In the Veil, Canis and Zyne made a deal. He had to return to the realm of demons, the Underworld, after a certain amount of deaths had reached him.

Keanu didn't speak in the near prolonged silence.

"...How long until then? What will happen when the time comes?"

"That time is far from now," Zyne reassured him.

Keanu eyed his glass, sipping the blood-red beverage.

"I have an inkling that our time has been cut short," Ca-troll said. "Won't we stay with Keanu? On Earth? We don't have to go."

Please, Ca-troll. Canis is coming for me. I did accept the deal. I can't cheat my way out of it. Canis has done so much for me.

His intentions must be good.

It must be for the best.

I can come back for Keanu and for Earth someday, can't I?

"Do what you have to do." That was all Keanu had said. "This Canis... may not be what he seems."

Are Canis' intentions not good-hearted?

As much as I hate it to be true...

"I won't let him take you away from me." He embraced Zyne.

"You could hold me forever and I wouldn't mind," Zyne said.

Zyne's eyes watered. This was a new feeling - he was crying, but he wasn't hurting. It was the good kind of sad.