What is this madness?

Coughing, Yvann waved his hand around. He thought the wall was strong enough to hold his weight.

Turns out that it wasn't.

He didn't mean to anyway, but upon the slightest touch, the wall turned to dust, crumbling on his feet.

When it finally stopped raining dust around him, he looked at the ruined remains of what he believed was the veranda. A few burned pots stood and made a clear display of what it used to be.

Yvann blew out an exasperated breath. What was he expecting to find in an abandoned building?

"Crazy," he muttered.

But he had to start somewhere. Who knows? Suddenly, he stopped short.

Muffled voices froze him to the spot. He could hear muffled voices coming from somewhere close.

In an effort to conceal himself from plain view, he ducked behind a spare wall adjacent to the one that has crumbled to nothingness.

He was careful not to come in contact with it. Lest, it shall disclose that he was there.

"That was cool." Yvann faintly heard the owner of the voice sounding enthusiastic.

"This is just the beginning--" a manly voice replied and came to a stop in an instant.

Yvann's eyes widened in horror. He held his breath and crossed his fingers inside his head.

"What is it?" Blinking, Yvann's heart pounded against his chest, the phenomena bringing him to hearing his heart jumping out of his rib cage.

That voice.

He couldn't be mistaken. He knew who that voice belonged to.

"Stay there." The man replied, sounding even closer.

Yvann shut his eyes and then gasped when a full force grabbed him at the back of his shirt.

He came in contact with the fiercest eyes he'd known, the colors almost dancing around the irises making it impossible for him to tell what it really was.

Yvann then raised his hands in surrender.

"I didn't mean anything by being here. I'm not a robber nor any criminal you could think of. Please spare me."

Szeina squinted her eyes, taking a moment to consider the familiar voice begging for his life to be spared. She stepped forward and looked at Queedor. 

"It's fine, Queedor. He's telling the truth."

Yvann immediately turned to the owner of the voice. Time froze quite literally for him, catching sight of the familiar eccentric blues he had missed staring at.

The moment and timeliness sent shivers crawling on his skin.

"Szeina." 

"You can… put him down now." 

Queedor didn't trust Yvann's words, but he knew Szeina would never lie and that was enough for him. However, he gestured for Yvann to stay where he was standing.

Szeina slowly approached Yvann. She had practiced so many times what she was going to say to him if ever their paths would cross. 

Yet, nothing prepared her for this moment. The heat from her chest spread through her body, tingling her and making her question what she was feeling.

"Okay, not so close, love. I trust you but I don't trust him."

Szeina gave Queedor a brief glance, stopping five feet apart from Yvann, and raised her brows for his approval.

Yvann could imagine a gust of wind blowing between them, specks of dust swept away with the gentle blow.

"Hi," Szeina managed to say at least. "What are you doing here?"

Yvann scratched the back of his head, eyeing the two men behind Szeina, seemingly ready to pounce at him at the first sign of trouble.

Szeina chuckled upon realizing this. Yvann's fleeting gaze between the three of them made it quite obvious.

"Don't worry about them. They're not bad guys."

"Well, that's a relief." Yvann replied. He suddenly didn't know what to say next.

He had wanted to find Szeina, intending to clear his name. But now that he was standing in front of her, he was tongue-tied.

Her hair was different, and it made her look a little different. She was even more beautiful.

Blowing out a sigh, Szeina turned to her companions. She caught Queedor's gaze.

"Can I have a minute with him?" Queedor glanced at Yvann, squinting his eyes. He obviously doesn't trust him.

Szeina mentally crossed her fingers and hoped that he'd say yes.

She'd been wanting to see Yvann. The questions that she has for him still haunting her and making her think of all possibilities.

But she was able to make one conclusion along that line.

"Five minutes. I want you in the car in five minutes."

"Yes, five minutes. That's all I need."

Szeina watch Queedor and Neyandro take their leave. It left her to face Yvann. The five minutes ticking by quickly.

Yvann was grateful for the piece of privacy. He was already too embarrassed about what happened. Having two other people hear him trying to explain to Szeina would be twice more mortifying.

"Listen," Yvann cleared his throat, respecting the distance which Szeina's guardian allowed him. "I felt… embarrassed the way things had gone down that day. It wasn't… I wasn't…" Yvann gave up and sighed.

Szeina allowed him to compose himself and finish what he was saying.

"It wasn't me," He blurted, looking away. "I wanted to tell you that."

"I know." Szeina replied. Yvann immediately brought his gaze back to her. His heart racing, pumping loudly, he could almost hear it.

"What?"

"At first, when I saw my necklace, I thought it could have been you. But I refused to believe that." Szeina took a deep breath before releasing it together with a shaky laugh.

"It took me a while to realize that it wasn't you. It couldn't be. You… don't seem to be capable of killing, especially a human."

For a moment, Yvann just stood there. He was uncertain what to do next.

For the past months, he has been stressing how to find her in order to clean his name. However, upon hearing what she just said, an immense burden on his shoulders vanished.

"Thank you," Yvann whispered.

Szeina managed a small smile, coming a little closer until she was only mere inches apart from him.

"This might be the last time we see each other, so, if you won't mind, I have one question I hope you could answer."

Yvann held Szeina's gaze steady. Her oceanic eyes invited him to swim deeper.

"Okay. You can ask me anything and I'll answer as best as I can. But know this: if it's about that night, my memory of it is vague. Too vague. So whatever question you have, I'll answer it in the best of my abilities."

Szeina took a deep breath. This was her chance. Finally, she can at least find some peace of mind. No matter how little.

"What were you doing there, Yvann? How did you even get there?"

Yvann had to admit. He expected this question to come from her.

"I don't know if you'll believe me, Szeina, but you and I have the same question. I honestly have no idea how I got there. It's a puzzle I couldn't seem to figure out."

Szeina opened her mouth to respond. But all of a sudden, she sensed someone approaching. An icy chill crawled on her skin.

"Yvann!" she called out, grabbing him by the hand, pulling him to run with her.

Black clouds swirled above where the two of them used to stand. It started to grow bigger until, one by one, creatures formed and landed on the ground beneath it.

Szeina muttered a curse.

"Whatever happens, don't look back, okay? And run as fast as you can!" Szeina warned.

Yvann could only follow her instructions, sensing that whatever had her to sprint all of a sudden spelled trouble.

Closing in on the view of the back gate, Szeina shook her head at Queedor, jumping out of the car. She wanted to tell him to start the car instead of trying to help them.

But the latter run towards them, anyway.

When they were only a few feet apart from the gate, Queedor shouted at them.

"Faster! Szeina! Come on!"

It was close.

It was too close, but still. Before she and Yvann could cross the gate, thick darkness surrounded them, blinding them in an instant.