A Fading Soul

"If I knew how, I would have ended your suffering a long time ago," he said quietly. "But I don't know how. I'm sorry." He slowly started to walk alongside Zane, holding Ser lightly so she didn't fall off. Felix was so damn exhausted. His heart ached something fierce and it only worsened with every passing moment. Eventually he couldn't keep up with Zane, so Banshee took over in keeping Serenity in place. "I wish I could turn back time," he whispered. "So that neither of us would have become immortals. I wish I could turn back time and keep Madness contained." Felix could no longer seen anything clear and for a good little moment he walked without guidance until he gave up and collapsed onto the ground. "Fuck," he coughed. "Why does the pain have to count when we've suffered enough?" If you want to end the suffering, then give her my protection. Would you not give up the remains of what is left to save her too? Felix nodded slowly.

Serenity stayed curled up on Zane's back, small cries escaping her from time-to-time as she was moved. She hadn't expected her pain to end, but it would have been nice. She hadn't expected Felix to grant her that mercy. She didn't know how Felix would have granted it to her, but even if she had, she hadn't expected him to give it to her. It was only when the pain started fading did her mind start clearing of these thoughts. Did her mind start clearing of any thoughts at all. As soon as it was at a tolerable level, Serenity fell unconscious. Or rather, she fell into an incredibly deep sleep and didn't move after that, her body relaxing slightly from the curled up position it had been in.

Felix knew it was going to be okay when Serenity finally relaxed. He slowly pulled up his shirt, revealing that the mark had spread partly across his chest. With his remaining energy he got up and started after Zane and Banshee. He was so tired that walking felt like the greatest task ever created, but he didn't stop until they were in a safe place within the woods. He scouted the perimeter then set up camp. He laid Serenity inside the tent and left Zane to watch over her while he scouted the area once more. When he came back he sat near a small burning fire, his blue eyes dull and his hand over his chest as if that would help ease the pain. Felix coughed several times, watching the blood splatter against the dirt. "In the end...it's worth it." He laid down against the soft fur of his badger and closed his eyes, occasionally coughing in his sleep.

Serenity didn't wake up for a few long hours, but when she did, the first thing she realized was that the pain was gone. The pain was almost completely gone, but that need to stop existing was still there. She was even more confused when she realized she was in a tent. Had somebody stopped Felix? She wasn't sure she should assume herself so lucky to have had someone stronger than Felix passing by at such a convenient time. She slowly made her way out of the tent, being as quiet as she could. She nearly fell backwards when she saw the giant badger from earlier. Felix had taken her. She barely remembered crumpling to the ground, and she had no recollection of anything after that. Suddenly she found herself very much afraid. Felix had destroyed the village. Tried to force her to watch. And now she was in a tent with that ferocious badger guarding the front and Felix laying against it. If she tried to run, this creature would probably alert the silver haired ninja.

Now that the pain was gone, she was fearful of having any more inflicted on her. She didn't know what to do. She didn't think she could sneak past Felix, and even if she did, she knew she wouldn't get far before he realized she was gone. Serenity paused when she heard Felix cough. Had he been hurt? If he'd somehow gotten injured, then maybe she could...no, the badger would probably still outrun her, and she knew it. She felt like a small, frightened animal, unable to run away or fight back. If she really needed to, she could pin him down using the wind, but that still wouldn't help her against the summoning.

Deciding it would be better to take her chances with getting away, Serenity quietly snuck out of the tent and made her way around it, watching out for twigs or branches that might snap under her feet. She just hoped the badger was also asleep and wouldn't notice. Once she was far enough away from the tent and the fire, she broke into a run, glad for the cover of night.

Felix and Zane were both asleep while Banshee patrolled the surrounding area in case of an emergency. Felix was too tired to be aware of his surroundings and Zane was too comfortable to care for Serenity's sneaking around. However, when he realized the blond woman was making a run for it, he lifted his head and rose to his paws, causing Felix to wake up immediately. He gave a low cough and stood up. "What's wrong?" Zane tilted his head to the tent and Felix knew exactly what was going on. "Let me up." He climbed onto Zane and then headed into the forest after Serenity. "Serenity, wait," he called. "I'm not going to hurt you." He wish he could say the same for himself. "I promise, now please stop running." Zane moved in front of her and Felix slid off, hanging on to the badger for balance. He'd paled a shade or two and he looked exhausted. Clearly he was no threat. "Just hear me out please."

Serenity kept running, even though she heard Felix calling. She knew it. She couldn't hope to get away like this. She should have called Syndryl. As far as she knew, Felix had no flying summonings. She gave a start when the badger ran in front of her, falling backwards. Her eyes were wide with fear and she tried to crawl backwards before scrambling to her feet. "L-leave me alone." Tears were starting to form in her eyes, but she did nothing but back away. 'S-Syndryl, I need you...please, I need you here...' She didn't dare call for the dragon aloud, because Felix could probably move them more quickly than Syndryl could find them. Serenity didn't care that Felix didn't look capable of harming her. She didn't care for his words or his promises. She just kept backing up, trying to put some distance between the two of them.

Felix didn't quite understand why Serenity was so scared of him. He hadn't even physically harmed her. Even Zane hadn't bit down. The silver haired shinobi wasn't sure why she suddenly feared him. "I didn't destroy that village," he said quietly. "I only wanted your attention, to know that you were still in there." Felix coughed several times before he moved towards Serenity to help her up. "Let me help you." He held out his hand. "Serenity, you've known me for years now, I have never physically hurt you. Nothing has changed."

Serenity didn't take Felix's hand when he offered it to her. Instead she backed up more, pushing herself to her feet so she could back up more easily. "Who cares about physical pain," she snapped, but then went back to being scared only a moment later. "Why did you follow me..? I-I was trying to get away, why did you follow me?" She asked, her voice cracking a bit. She wasn't talking about just now. "I was trying to forget everything," she said, trying not to tear up anymore. Why did they have to be drawn together? "I was trying to forget you, why did you come back..?" Serenity was glad when Syndryl landed between them, allowing her to put distance. Syndryl knew Felix, but he had a contract with Serenity, and the blonde human seemed genuinely scared. So Syndryl stayed between the two of them, lightly growling at Felix, the fur on the back of his neck on end, as if he would attack at any wrong move.

Felix felt a pain that wasn't the cage pierce his heart. He'd pushed her away and she'd tried to forget him. He didn't understand why though. He'd never once missed a day of thinking about her. "Because I have to right a wrong," he replied. "I-" He was cut off when he saw Syndryl land. Felix backed up immediately. When had she called the dragon? Before he could respond, Zane raced in front of him, bristling in defense of his summoner. "Zane, stand down." Felix hesistantly took a step forward. "Syndryl," he began. "I'm not going to hurt her. I just want-" he broke off into a coughing fit and it lasted a pretty good minute. Zane backed away from Syndryl and went to help Felix. "I just want to talk."

"If you want to right anything, you'll let me forget you. Weren't you the one that wanted nothing to do with me anyways?" Serenity wiped her eyes when the first few tears spilled over. Her soul wasn't causing her body pain like it had been before, but it still hurt to talk to Felix. She swallowed when the silver haired man broke into a fit of coughing. What was wrong with him?

Syndryl held his ground even as the badger growled at him. Friends or not, Zane was still loyal to Felix and the blue dragon didn't hold that against him. He turned his gaze to Felix when the human said he just wanted to talk. 'It's not my decision. She's afraid of being hurt by you again, and I have to protect her from that.' Despite his words, the blue dragon turned his head and looked towards Serenity when she spoke.

"Take me out of here," she said, her voice shaking as she went over next to the blue dragon.

'I think you should at least hear him out...'

Serenity's shoulders fell. "Syndryl..." There was a look on her face that said she felt like she'd just been betrayed. She took a step away from Syndryl and looked between him and Felix. She looked like she'd start crying at any moment. Why were they doing this to her?

Felix shook his head. "I didn't mean it," he said quietly. "I was trying to protect you and keep myself out of trouble." Felix leaned heavily on Zane, sighing when Syndryl spoke to him. I'm not sure if I can get to her. So she can understand this isn't my fault, it's Kyla's. The shinobi looked to Serenity. "Kyla wants you. Something happened between her and someome you knew and now she wants revenge," Felix said as steadily as he could. "She's using me to get back at you for something you're not responsible for." He gave a sigh and then shook his head. "I'm sorry you got caught in the middle. I'm going to fix this, I promise." He slowly pushed away from Zane. "I just wanted you to hear me out. I'll leave you alone now." He felt so unsteady. "Find water so that you can ease the pain and rest," the water spirit spoke in his head.

Serenity wasn't sure what to think of what Felix said. She'd never met Kyla before she'd been to the Rock all those years ago. But...she supposed it made sense, to use Felix. After all, he looked so much like Jake...too much like Jake. It was the easiest way to hurt her, aside from bringing around someone who looked like Liora. The blonde woman caught Syndryl look at her after Felix spoke. Did he expect her to do something? Serenity looked down, wrapping her arms around herself lightly. "H-how did you do it..?" She asked quietly, trying to keep herself from shaking. She didn't want to go anywhere near Felix right now, but somehow she knew she'd regret it later if she just let him walk away. "How did you stop the pain..?"

Felix didn't want to stall anymore. He was swallowing all the blood that was coming up in order to keep Serenity from freaking out. But now he was just tired. He ran his hand through Zane's fur once before he slowly lifted his shirt, revealing the water mark. "I made a contract," he answered. He let his shirt drop and then climbed onto Zane's back. "One day I'll make things right," he said. "Until then, goodbye."

Serenity swallowed when she saw the markings on Felix's skin. She'd noticed everything Felix had been doing since he'd followed her out of the camp. She couldn't lie and pretend she didn't care. Seeing the silver haired man again after all these years was making her remember why she'd always tried so hard to stay with him. A large part of her was saying let him go so she could forget all about him, and hopefully the pain wouldn't come back. But she did still care about him, even if she'd told the God of Chaos otherwise. She wondered if he'd done this to Felix. "Y-you're sick?" she asked quickly before Felix could start away, taking a step forward. She had her hands clasped together in front of her chest to try and hide her nervousness at approaching the silver haired male. She took another step forward, pausing halfway through it. "I-I can help you..." He'd stopped that torturous pain for her, the least she could do was to repay him for it. Once Serenity had offered, Syndryl took a seat and looked towards Felix with his head tilted.

(I like how Syndryl is sitting back and putting his two cents in with looks.)

Felix shook his head when Serenity asked if he was sick. "Not exactly," he told her. "I've just had a long few years his all. It's starting to take it's toll on me." He gave a shrug. "Unless you can direct me to the nearest water source you can't help me." He didn't sound mean or sarcastic, just drained. This was really starting to wear him down. He missed Kymin and Vishnu. He didn't even know if the latter was alive. He sighed at the thought. Had anyone escaped? Felix shut his eyes as the pain hit harder. "I have to go...."

()

Water? Was that part of his contract? Water? Serenity nodded and started forward, trying not to look so nervous when she passed Felix and Zane. "This way..." She didn't like riding Syndryl most of the time, but it didn't seem like she had an option this time around, as the dragon trotted up to her and knelt down for her to get on. 'The sooner we get him to the lake the better.' Serenity glanced back at Felix before looking back to Syndryl and nodding. "You should have taken me away," she whispered to him, too low for Felix to hear. 'You would have regretted the decision.' "That wasn't your choice to make."

Syndryl shook his head and ignored her, standing back up when Serenity was on his back. He looked at Zane and nodded his head to tell the creature to follow before he started off towards the nearest source of water, which was a small lake.

Felix was hardly aware of Serenity moving past him. Zane followed her without question. He could feel how weak Felix was growing and it was not good. If Felix lost consciousness he'd disappear, leaving the silver haired male unprotected. It was only when Syndryl approached did Zane feel some hope. He quickly followed until they reached the lake. Then he walked to the water and let the water spirit pull Felix in. "I have him," spoke Masamune as he pulled Felix into the deeper end. Felix immediately felt relieved. He was still in a great deal of pain, but all the same the water was soothing. "Thank you," Felix coughed. He'd been speaking to all of them. Finally he lost consciousness and Zane disappeared. The water spirit watch the remaining two. He was not in his human form, but a watery outline. "You may leave," he spoke.

Serenity slid off Syndryl once they were at the lake, watching as Felix was pulled in. Nothing really surprised her anymore. She remembered when Felix had been pulled into the lake when he'd been a little boy. "Are you the one Felix has a contract with?" she questioned, sitting down on the edge of the lake. She paused a moment. "Thank you." She wanted to thank Felix too, for letting this being help her. "I don't have anywhere to leave to," she said. She wasn't going anywhere right now. She had nowhere to go. She couldn't go back to the Note Village. Not after what had happened. She was out of a home. She looked into the water. "What's wrong with him..?"

Syndryl laid down a little ways away from Serenity, looking at the water as it moved and spoke. If he'd been in his human form, he would have smiled. He remembered the voice, even if he couldn't actually see the figure. 'It's been a long time,' he communicated.

The water spirit nodded. "I am," he told the blond. "I don't know where to tell you where you should go," he spoke. "I do not know what Felix wishes of you either. He has done what he can for now." He was silent for a moment before speaking. "Kyla has been keeping a very close eye on him. She has become impatient in her quest for revenge. Felix suffers because of his reluctance to hurt you. It has been this way for a very long time." Masamune then turned his watery head to Syndryl. A lot has changed since then, replied the water spirit.

Serenity fell silent when the water spirit told her Felix has been suffering a lot because he refused to hurt her. Maybe he'd finally gotten sick of the pain. She didn't blame him. Her gaze dropped. Who was it that Kyla was getting revenge for? Had she killed someone important to the old woman way back then? It didn't really matter though. "How can I help him..? How is she hurting him?" Whatever it was that was happening, she realized she could no longer blame Felix for it. If it had been this way for a long time, like the spirit had said...then who was Felix, really? All those times they'd fought, had it been because he'd gotten sick of Kyla hurting him? If that was true, then it meant she had no idea who Felix really was.

Syndryl glanced to Serenity, then back to the water spirit, nodding in agreement. A lot had changed outside of Serenity, but not within her. She had always seemed, at least to Syndryl, to be stuck in place. Still afraid of humans, but never harming them unless she had to protect herself. At least, never harming them since the incident with the village. He swore that she'd never stopped beating herself up over that.

Masamune shook his watery head. "There is no way for you to help him. He's her immortal. She owns both his heart and soul." A pause. "You know both the real Felix and the demon he has become." The water spirit sunk down into the water for a brief moment before resurfacing. "But you know the demon more than the true Felix. You cannot bring him back. The true Felix is dead." Slowly he pulled the siilver haired shinobi from the water and laid him partially on the shore. "You can't help him, no one can. He's too far gone to be saved. Unless you can destroy Kyla, Felix can never be free." The water spirit looked dowwn at Felix. "He has nothing left. Kyla has taken it all, starting from the very beginning."

Serenity gave a low sigh when the spirit said there was no way for her to help him. She at least wanted to be able to ease his pain, if nothing else. Healing was the only thing she was good at aside from mind reading, and she wouldn't do that to Felix. Hell, she could barely even defend herself. She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to be pitying herself. The blonde woman looked at Felix as he was moved partly onto shore. It looked like he was sleeping. Serenity moved a bit closer to Felix, looking at him a moment before hesitantly putting her hand onto his chest. Her hand slowly started glowing blue as she started 'scanning' his body for any injuries, in case someone from the village had tried to fight back against him. What she found was not what she expected. It was like barbed wire was wrapped around his heart. She glanced at the water spirit in confusion before looking back to Felix. This was the pain he'd been dealing with because he...because he cared about her. At least, she hoped that was why he'd been defying Kyla. And it was like there was a shield of water around it or something. "I...can at least help him with this much," she said quietly, her blue eyes sad. She'd never had her chakra outside of her body without some sort of contact with it, but she was sure this would work, because a chakra only faded if a person died, right? Taking a breath, Serenity let her chakra slowly wrap around Felix's heart, underneath the barbed wire, slowly pushing it away as it progressed. Not too far though. Just enough so that it was no longer piercing the silver haired male's most vital organ. When her chakra was fully wrapped around, she started healing what she could of Felix's heart. When she was finished, she pulled her hand back just as hesitantly as she'd placed it.

Syndryl watched Serenity curiously. He felt a little bit out of the loop here. Clearly both her and the water spirit knew something he did not. He gave a small snort to gain the attention of Serenity or the water spirit, so he could find out what was going on.

(Syndryl is hilarious.)

The water spirit watched the blond woman as he approached his host. He made no move to stop her as she rested her hand on Felix's chest. He didn't know what she was doing, but Felix seemed to relax when Serenity's hand glowed blue. When Syndryl snorted he turned his head. "This will do for a while until Kyla finds some other way to make him hurt." A pause. "She robbed him of his memories, killed his mother, brother, sister, father, and lover. Felix never stood a chance, for this was all planned before his birth. His father bought him enough time to enjoy life, but the witch is persistent." He glanced to Felix. "It's weighing on his soul now that he knows the truth...but he doesn't know the full story about what happened before his birth." He finally looked to Syndryl. "Watch her, she is Kyla's target. Felix has spread his protection to her, but there is only so much we can do."

Serenity looked at the water spirit when it started speaking. She'd thought Felix had been an only child. Looks like she'd been wrong about that too. The blue eyed girl slowly pushed a bit of hair out of Felix's face before moving just a little bit away, so that she wouldn't be so close to him when he woke up. Everything the spirit was saying just made her feel bad for the silver haired male. She wondered why he hadn't just faded yet. Kyla couldn't keep him from fading, right? Or maybe she just hadn't allowed him the peace. All the immortals Serenity had seen fade had done so in a peaceful state. Maybe that was the only way someone could fade away. She didn't know. Serenity looked at the water spirit when it said that Felix doesn't know what had happened before his birth. What had happened? She didn't want to pry, but she was curious. She wondered if she'd ever known Felix's parents. She'd left the Fallen Rain that day before she had the chance, so she at least knew that Felix had a mother. She didn't know if he'd grown up with a father, though.

Syndryl nodded in understanding when the water spirit explained. 'I've never met a human as cruel. It's amazing how low they would sink for something like revenge.' The blue dragon shook his head a bit, his spiked mane swishing just a bit, now that it was relaxed. He turned his attention back to the watery form when he was addressed. 'I understand. No harm will come to her under my watch,' he assured with a nod of his head. He then looked to Serenity. 'If you're going to stay here with him, you may as well get some rest. Three hours is hardly anything, especially when you're able to sleep peacefully now.' The blue dragon motioned her over with a nod of his head. Whenever he was around and they were outdoors, she usually slept against him, so he could keep a closer eye and make sure nothing approached. Not that they would have that problem now though, he was sure.

Serenity nodded softly. While she'd been in that village, because of her fading soul and the pain it caused her, she'd rarely gotten more than an hour or two's sleep in a night, if she managed to get sleep at all. Moving over to Syndryl, Serenity leaned against him and looked at Felix for a moment before turning her attention to the water spirit. "Would it be okay for me to sleep?" She sounded unsure. Would this spirit watch over Felix if she did? Or should she stay awake and watch Felix herself, to make sure nothing went wrong?

Masamune caught Serenity's look. "Kyla met Felix's father before Felix was born. She told him his son would bring chaos to this world and unintentionally he's done just that. Suoh, Felix's father gave both his life and soul to give Felix a chance. Kyla destroyed his soul and would have gone after Felix had Suoh not trapped her in stone." He shook his head. "Felix doesn't know what his father did for him because his mother never knew either." They are cruel, that is why I care not for them. But I promised his father I would protect him. Masamune glanced at Serenity. "He'll be safe. Go ahead and sleep."