Acrilis

The Hounds

The silence went on for hours, leaving the tree murmuring and the wind heaving. After what felt like an eternity, Heliot finally found his voice.

"Oh my God... Oh my God!" he breathed, staring at the apparition of an angelic figure. "What are you?"

Acrilis remained calm and silent, her wings gently rocking the winds in a sonorous rhythm.

"She’s what I’ve always told you," Salvor said with satisfaction, walking to stand beside Heliot before laying a finger on his shoulder. "Everything we’ve ever dreamt about."

Heliot gulped heavily.

“She’s—”

“Impossible,” Salvor finished. “I know. I find it so hard to believe it myself. But she’s here... staring us in the face.”

There was another long pause, while the boys kept staring at her figure—Salvor clearly savoring the moment like it was somehow his handiwork.

“I don’t know... Did she come with someone?” Heliot continued.

“What? Like an alien invasion?” Salvor chuckled.

Just then, Heliot’s phone buzzed.

“Oh s**t!” he muttered, scowling at it now with the look of someone facing certain doom.

“What’s that?” Salvor inquired, trying to glimpse at the screen.

“My girlfriend!”

“Your girlfriend?”

“What’s a girlfriend?” Acrilis’s voice cut through the air like smooth steel.

Both boys went dumb for a second. Then Salvor walked up to her slowly.

“A girlfriend is someone who’s dear to you. Someone you regard as a partner... a best friend.”

“What’s a best friend?” Her curiosity seemed ever-deepening, without bound.

“Umm... a best friend is your closest, unique friend. Like me and Heliot... but it’s different. Because you do stuff with girlfriends—”

“What kinda stuff?”

At this point, Salvor felt a lot strangled—like some really canned or barbecued chicken.

“Y’know... someone you have K.H.S.L or P.D.A with,” Heliot cleared his throat, and Salvor gave him a silencing look.

“K.H.S.L?”

Acrilis’s eyes were almost out of their sockets now. Salvor saw the urgency in the need to fill that space.

“Someone you share a different type of mutuality and intimacy with. But the point is—they need each other even when they’re distant. Like someone you can’t do without. They push each other to become better people, even when they’re personally down. Technically, they act as each other’s weaknesses and strengths. And in a way, care about each other without limits or doubts.”

Acrilis stared in wonder for a while, her magical eyes widening and glowing with interest.

“I want one of those,” she finally said softly.

“Is she kidding?”

“Umm... sure. When you get used to our way of life here,” Salvor was beaming now.

“How long are you planning to stay?”

“How long have you had a girlfriend?” Salvor countered.

“Not long enough to lose her. You see, while you were busy having adventures with fairies with large wings, I went to Magnus's party, alright? And I found one of the most beautiful—” he stopped short.

“You were saying...?”

“...one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Her name is Aera. And you’re going to like her.”

Salvor stared at Heliot unbelievably. “You’re a snitch, you know that, right? Going to get a girl behind my back.”

Heliot clicked his tongue. “Good thing it’s pretty unfolded in your front now. But now isn’t the time to argue. Magnus and Friends—”

“Oh! Magnus and Friends?” Salvor had a questioning look on his face.

“Magnus held this gathering. Appears to be more like a picnic. I’m meant to pick Aera so we could leave for the event, but I lost track of time looking for you,” Heliot was caught between frustration and panic.

“Can I go too?”

That was the second time Acrilis’s hypnotizing voice broke into their conversation.

“No!” both boys screamed.

“Why?” she questioned, looking concerned. Her big azure eyes now stared deeply at Salvor.

“Because...”

“Because I’m different?”

“No... because it’s filled with a lotta evil people.”

“Real bad evil people,” Heliot added.

“People you don’t wanna know... or see. And they’ll try to get to you...”

“Use you...”

“Manipulate you.”

“Exploit you.”

“Drain you.”

“Experiment on you.”

This made Salvor turn to Heliot with a quizzical look, and he gently raised both hands in surrender.

“They are not people you wanna meet, Acrilis. You’re a lot safer with us.”

“But I wanna go!”

Her eyes widened even more and were now glistening in sparkles. “I can improvise. They’ll never even know I’m not one of you.”

“Perhaps you should let her, Salvor,” Heliot spoke in a rush while glancing at his watch. “I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? Plus, I’m already running out of time.”

Salvor went silent for a second, apparently taking it all in. Acrilis had somehow become his prior and utmost concern. She was more of his responsibility now, and he wouldn’t dare see her get hurt...

“Fine,” he said at last. “But you can’t go looking like that.”

At this, Acrilis clasped her wings, making a strong whooshing sound, then unfolded them—suddenly receding back into somewhere in her backbone, exposing a large tear at the back of the sweatshirt.

Both boys gazed at her... utterly astounded.

“I’m still gonna have to get used to that,” Salvor swallowed hard. “But you still cannot leave looking like that.”

She still looked ghostly and unreal, like she fell from a star or something.

And then it happened.

From the tip of a single strand, a golden shimmer pulsed outward — slow, curious, like dawn spilling over a quiet field. One by one, the locks of her hair faded from that midnight hue into a dusty, auburn brown. The once-flowing tresses drew inward, shortening, shifting in texture until they curled close around her ears in a tousled, boyish crown.

Her forehead smoothed, and her brows arched differently — not hardened, but sharpened, like a gentle blade. Lashes still long, but her gaze grew firmer, more focused, even as it held a lingering tenderness. Her eyes — once wide pools of starlight — deepened, their edges becoming more defined, more grounded.

Her cheekbones lifted, and her jawline edged into quiet masculinity. The curve of her lips remained, slightly fuller than expected, like a memory that refused to vanish.

Down her neck, the shimmer trailed like liquid magic. Her shoulders widened, softly. Not aggressively, but with the natural grace of something realigning. Her arms lengthened, fingers adjusting — still delicate, but with the silent strength of a boy who’d never needed to prove himself.

Her torso shifted — ribs, spine, frame — realigning with whispering pops that echoed only in the silence. Breasts flattened, not erased, but returned to a stillness beneath the skin — memory turned into form. The curve of her waist softened into straightness, and the slight lines of muscle emerged like ink drawn under moonlight.

Her hips narrowed, and her legs reshaped — longer now, steadier. A grounded energy settled through her as her stance shifted. The final glow slipped down her ankles to her toes, which flexed slightly as her nails faded from glossed lavender to a quiet earth tone — simple, unadorned.

She — now he — stood tall.

Not a violent transformation. Not a shedding. But a rewriting. A returning.

He looked up, hair tousled in the night wind, lips parted slightly as if tasting air anew. The same soul glowed behind the eyes — only now refracted through a different shape, a different story.

A boy.

Once a girl.

Still beautiful. Still strange. Still magic.

And in a way, a distilled carbon copy of both boys, forged into one.

It left them with their mouths agape and their stances terrorized.

“Did you see that?” Salvor whispered.

Heliot could only nod, and wonder what other secrets this endowing magical being had in store for them.

****************

They arrived in Heliot’s Toyota Corolla — one of the few legacies his mother had left him. The venue was already packed to the brim. It was an outdoor picnic, laid on an open field under a sun-drenched afternoon at the park.

The grassy field stretched wide, dotted with checkered blankets like fallen petals. Beneath the shade of an old oak tree, a group of friends laughed and passed around chilled drinks, the clinking of bottles harmonizing with the chirping birds. Teenagers were scattered everywhere — some talking, some playing games, most swaying and dancing to the gentle music drifting from Harry, the school’s best guitarist. His fingers etched tirelessly over the strings, clipping into a soft, melodious rhythm that filled the hearts of the crowd with joy.

A large woven basket lay open like a treasure chest, spilling out delights: crusty baguette slices, cheese wedges, and grapes. Bowls of fresh strawberries, apple slices, and watermelon chunks. Sandwiches wrapped in parchment paper. Potato chips crackling in their half-emptied bags. Lemonade and soda bottles sweating under the sun.

At the corner of the picnic area, fire hissed and crackled with life. A portable grill, its metal glowing faintly red, stood like a miniature furnace in the open air. The scent of marinated steak — smoky, spiced, dripping with juices — curled into the breeze, drawing every nose toward it like a magnetic spell.

A boy crouched close to the heat, flipping steaks with a pair of long tongs. Each turn made the fire spit tiny sparks, celebrating the sizzle. The meat’s edges caramelized, searing into that perfect blend of crisp and tender. Beside him, someone fanned the flame with a folded paper plate, while another sprinkled fresh herbs — rosemary and garlic — which sizzled on contact. A container of buttered corn and peppers sat waiting to join the feast.

People gathered with paper plates, eyes shining, conversations momentarily drowned by the hypnotic ssshhhk! of steak roasting. The smell of charred meat mingled with the earthy scent of grass and charcoal, filling the entire picnic space with mouthwatering promise.

Heliot maneuvered the cranked-up vehicle between a few lines of exorbitant cars. It seemed Magnus had prepared this day exclusively for close friends and allies. Heliot couldn't imagine himself anywhere else.

It had been hard getting his little crew to the event — thanks to Salvor’s shiny new toy, who now miraculously happened to be a he. Acrilis had assumed the poor car was meant to carry itself to their destination. He had flung the Corolla over his shoulder like it weighed nothing — not even heaving a sigh. Salvor had to scream and correct the indulgence. Then, Acrilis had gone on to push it like a trolley, asking them to hop in.

The most disastrous part came when he said something — perhaps some alien spell — and shrunk the car into a toy, then casually tossed it into his pouch pocket and asked Salvor to lead the way. Eventually, after much persuasion, he was convinced to return the Corolla to its normal size and settle inside while he watched how reality magic worked.

He was mesmerized when Heliot started the ignition — like a child who had just witnessed a toy soldier speak.

They alighted and hurried into the open field to catch up with the fun. Acrilis looked energized. His eyes darted around, scanning the images before him like he was wandering a mysterious land — and perhaps he was. Salvor couldn’t help but wonder what Acrilis’s homeland — or planet — looked like. He hadn’t found time to ask. But deep inside those eyes lay a world of unimaginable things, a place only Acrilis had witnessed.

Somehow, Salvor wished he was the one on vacation in her world.

They moved closer to the crowd. Salvor’s legs felt like they were knocking against each other. His nerves reached their peak when he spotted Melisandre. She wore a teal gown that flowed around her in soft, endless ripples — a river of silk and starlight, brushing the floor with each gentle step. The fabric shimmered faintly, catching the light in delicate waves, as if woven from mist and dreams.

The gown hugged her gently at the waist, then spilled out like a petal unfolding — airy and unrestrained. Each movement she made set it fluttering like it had a breath of its own. Along the sleeves, tiny crystals winked like dewdrops at dawn, and lace trailed like smoke at her wrists.

Her back was fastened by a row of tiny buttons — almost invisible, like secrets stitched into fabric. A soft slit along the side allowed the breeze to dance against her legs, and as she turned, the gown swirled in perfect, silent choreography.

She wasn’t with her famous boyfriend, Salvor noted.

“Is she your girlfriend?”

Acrilis’s now-stilled, majestic voice broke his thoughts. It seemed he’d been spying on Salvor’s mind again.

“No! Of course not! And stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Reading my mind... it discomforts me.”

This made him giggle slightly — which was weirder now that he looked so much like a boy.

“Oh really?” he asked, eyeing Salvor gently.

Is he flirting with me? Salvor wondered.

“I could be your Aera…” he continued, and Salvor felt like he’d swallowed his tongue.

“Speaking of Aera... I want you guys to meet my precious sweetheart,” Heliot suddenly called out. “The lady that’s kept my heart throbbing for the last fifty-eight hours!”

A pretty girl in a pleated skirt, a tucked-in shirt styled seductively, and colorful sneakers slid out from a group of girls engaged in soft-spoken conversation. She bowed gracefully, mimicking the ladylike manner of old English nobility, spreading her hands like she was holding the train of an unseen regal gown.

“Aye, my lord... that’d be me,” she said with a bright smile and a chuckle, then turned to Heliot and wrapped her long arms around his neck, hitching close enough for their bodies to melt into each other.

For once, Salvor felt a sting of betrayal.

“You kept me waiting with those peacocks, boo-boo,” she whined in a babyish voice. “And who are these you’ve brought along? You've never mentioned friends in your memos — not to talk of beautiful ones.”

She eyed Acrilis carefully.

“Oh, I was going to, mi amor,” Heliot responded, lowering his arm around her waist. “This is my best friend — Salvor. And, umm... our friend... Aaaaaa...crilic.”

“Acrilic?” Aera repeated.

“Yes!... I’m Acrilic from Aeloria. I’ve heard a lot about you and I’m so pleased to meet you in person,” Acrilis said, gently taking Aera’s hand and kissing it softly.

Salvor was stunned again. Where did she learn how to do that?

“The honour is all mine,” Aera flushed, turning back to Heliot. “Baby... let me go get you and your friends something to refresh yourselves, yeah?”

“You’re mistaken, ma. We’re... girlfriends! And I K.H.S.L and P.D.A him.”

With that, Acrilis wrapped his boyish arms around Salvor’s neck and drew close — until their lips were almost touching.

Salvor couldn’t feel his toes anymore. It was like he had lost control of his body. What was she thinking?

Aera wasn’t left speechless by the drama that continued to unfold — she looked just as perplexed as Heliot, who now had a deep, rising laughter threatening to overtake him.

“What are you doing?” Salvor screamed in a whisper.

“Being your baby…” Acrilis hushed back.

Salvor wished — desperately — that he didn’t look so boyish. But the irony had crippled him in its madness. He turned his head, and his heart broke.

A handful of youths nearby had their phones out, recording the "romantic escapade" between the two supposed lovers. It couldn’t get any worse.

But he was wrong.

Just across the field stood Melisandre, and she had the most frightening look — an air of unbelievability clinging to her presence.

Salvor’s heart drowned in self-remorse. Why did this have to happen now?

“Seems little Salvor isn’t single after all,” a scornful voice called from the crowd.

Salvor recognized it too well. Roger. This was clearly one of the best moments of Roger’s cruel life, and he was savoring every ounce of it.

“At least he’s got some real attractive gay dog there,” one of his goons added, and the air was suddenly overshadowed by jeers and explosive laughter.

Salvor tried to pull away from Acrilis’s nestled arms — but it was impossible. She wasn’t restraining him, yet he couldn’t seem to break free. No matter how hard he tried.

Seeing the struggle, Roger leaned in closer and bellowed for all to hear:

“I hope his d**k squeezing into that tiny butthole of yours doesn’t make you scream into the night — or leave you with throbbing legs!”

Salvor’s urge to disappear tripled. A wildfire of disgust and rage ignited inside him.

Without warning, Acrilis’s arm slipped from around Salvor’s shoulder — not with hesitation, but like a blade drawn with intent. His fingers found Salvor’s wrist in a heartbeat, gripping it tight.

No words passed between them — only the silent charge of urgency flashing in Acrilis’s eyes.

Then he pulled.

It wasn’t a gentle tug. It was a command written in motion.

Salvor stumbled forward, feet scraping the earth, breath catching as the world around them blurred. Acrilis didn’t look back. His pace was furious — driven — like something inside him had finally snapped.

Salvor barely had time to think. The force was magnetic. Relentless. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop. Couldn’t slow. He was caught in Acrilis’s momentum — tethered to something bigger than either of them.

And so he ran with him.

Charging toward the nearby street, the voices of strangers and friends echoed behind them like a fading storm. One in particular stood out, lodging itself in Salvor’s mind.

It was Heliot’s voice, rising above the noise — frantic and concerned

“Wait for me!”