Lightning

Chapter 2: Prelude to Destruction, Part 2

Celeste finished her food, giving half of the sandwich to Hinato, and the boy nibbled on the sandwich silently. She sat upright, giving a sigh after the nonsense that had occurred. Scion was trying to forget the event.

"Now-listen. The reason why I attacked was because of this boy. I've already explained, so I'll spare you the details." She rubbed the child's head. Hinato still ate his food, ignoring of the conversation they were having.

"I dislike the way humans deceive and act with each other. However, the same goes for the place where I am from. My people are slowly becoming like those here-" she sighed again as she spoke to Scion; the soldier was very attentive to what she was saying.

"You-aren't on their side, are you?" She guessed, giving a small smile. The smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Scion nodded once, slowly beginning to tell her his side.

"I've been in their forces for about a year or so. I was waiting to see another one-another Signer," he said.

"Mhm. I don't feel any ill intent from you or any conspicuous signs of suspicion from you," she said to him, her legs crossed again, and her hands held together.

Scion agreed but couldn't help being bothered by the way she spoke. Before she was speaking so freely, and now she was speaking elegantly? Scion merely sighed and brushed away the thought.

"You have a conflicting personality, you know," Scion said to her, but Celeste hadn't been listening and continued to speak.

"I could say that I have put some level of trust between us," she said.

"You're ignoring me, now? And how can you trust me so easily? We've barely known each other," he criticized.

Celeste waved her right hand, a smile on her face.

"Ah, it's fine, we've been here long enough," she said to him.

"I don't think you're thinking this through properly," he spoke, again nullified by Celeste's talking.

"On a serious note, though. I want to take this child and bring him to my world where I will care and nurture him and teach him. I want him to become strong. I think this was what she was referring to the whole time," she said, clutching the child to her chest as he began to fall asleep.

"What for, though? What's your endgame here?" Scion asked.

"Endgame? I have no such plans. I merely want this child. He's been abandoned, and I want Hinato here to be loved!" she said to him, clutching the boy to her chest tighter.

The child didn't seem to mind, oblivious to his surroundings. "But-there is a threat, however. Someone has been causing destruction. I've been searching for him for some time now. He disappeared from the world, but I can feel his presence through the other dimensions," she explained with a tense look on her face, shaking her head and looking up to Scion.

It was as though she feared whomever she was speaking of.

"Who--" he asked but was interrupted quickly.

"It doesn't matter who, Scion. What does matter are my conditions. I've killed many to prevent his bloodline from spreading. I think he's manipulating me. He's become extremely smart, and he's gathering allies. I'm not strong enough to defeat him, and he knows this," she continued explaining.

"Celeste-look. I need to know. If you want me to trust you and understand you, you need to tell me. This makes you look like the villain here. Others won't accept you," he replied.

"I don't WANT their trust. Humans are-they're animals-" she muttered to him.

"At least tell me so I know who to watch for-" he asked, trying to convince her.

"If I tell you, you may be in danger as well. He'll take these worlds with his bloodline. I don't want those I care about to--" Celeste was interrupted by him.

"Let me help, then," he requested.

She looked at him, confused.

"I'll gather information. I'll look to this bloodline of his or whatever. I just want to protect someone. Is that all alright?" he told her.

"You really seem to care about this place, don't you?" she asked him, smiling.

"Kind of. I've got people I need to protect too. Let's work together, then, alright? And Celeste-a name, please," he asked, needing the man's name to learn where to start looking.

Celeste looked at him for a short moment, placing her finger on the ground, a small violet circle forming on it. A violet crystal came from the ground, and Celeste pulled it out and handed it to Scion. He accepted it, Celeste saying something to him, and he nodded in agreement. She uttered the name and as she did so, she shattered her barrier.

The area seemed even more destroyed than before. With all the projectiles that were being fired at the two before, this wasn't unexpected. Soldiers held up weapons, machines ready to fire on command. Scion's presence was gone simultaneous to the moment the barrier opened.