The Rendezvous

Victor had seated himself on the floor of the basement, his legs tucked in close to his chest and his chin resting on his knees.

His breathing was fast paced, the boy breathing raggedly out of his nose. Victor had decided to keep his mouth shut out of fear of making too much noise.

He felt overwhelmed, consumed by the raw terror of everything that surrounded him. He dearly wished to shut his eyes and ignore the current events, but his frayed nerves forced him to keep a vigilant eye out for danger.

I'm such an idiot! He thought bitterly, digging his chewed-up nails into his long khaki shorts. Why did I tell Dad I'd be okay? He's gonna think I'm getting better, and then he's gonna start leaving me alone more! I can't take that. I can't. I'll die... His thoughts trailed off, now overrun by morbid fantasies of isolation.

Victor rubbed his chest deliriously, desperately trying to pacify himself. He let out the muffled sob he had been holding in for the last ten minutes, the strangled cry traveling through his quivering frame. His heart thudded so violently it made his chest ache, and a nauseous feeling stirred in his throat.

Like a flood gate being opened, all the fear he had been trying to compress suddenly poured out, and before Victor knew it, tears were running down his cheeks.

In the cell beside him, something stirred.

Victor's head shot up, sweat turning cold on his skin. He hastily scooted away in the opposite direction, trying to further himself from the disturbance.

Scratch, scratch...

He could hear it clearly. Chains were sliding across the concrete. Something was moving.

Terror shot through Victor like a bullet, hot adrenaline surging through his veins. This it is, he reasoned. I'm dead. I'm gonna die. His panic attack had been set in full motion, his vision blurred and blood roaring in his ears. His senses were muddled. He wasn't even sure what direction the noise was coming from.

Scratch...

Scratch...

Scratch...

That was when something touched his lower back.

Victor's entire body jerked in shock, his mouth gaping in fear. In high stress times like this, the boy was rendered completely mute, even when he was alone. Every fiber of his being yearned to scream, but all he could manage was a low groan in the back of his throat.

"Victor...is that you?"

Despite the dry rasp to the voice, Victor recognized the otherworldly, almost airy tone. Seraph?! He thought, stomach twisting. What's he doing here?

"Seraph, its me." Victor said hastily, propelling his thoughts out through their telepathic link. "Where are you?"

"I am behind you. Please, we need to hurry..."

Taking a shakey breath, Victor held out his hand. Blue runes illuminated around him, and a small flame ignited in the boy's palm. Umbra had advised him not to use magic, but Victor realized it was necessary. It was an emergency.

Turning around, Victor held the crackling blue-white flame towards the metal bars of the cell behind him. The spirit flames cast an ethereal light into the dark, crypt-like room made of concrete.

Victor's shoulders dropped when his eyes adjusted to the sudden visibiliy.

Under the stone bench of the cell, Seraph was curled on the floor in the fetal position, his eyes barely open. Chains bound his ankles and wrists, the skin beneath the cold iron blotchy and red.

Dirt stained his once-pristine tunic, like he had been dragged across the ground. His bottom lip was split, a trail of scarlet blood running from his mouth and onto his clothes. A dark purple bruise clung to his forehead. His breathing was labored and raspy, and something rattled in his chest every time he took in oxygen.

It's like someone beat him up, Victor thought, sickened by the scene.

He reached in through the bars, touching Seraph's outstretched hand. "Are you okay?"

Seraph's glassy eyes struggled to focus on Victor, and he shook his head. "The keys, Victor...they are hanging on that hook, next to the stairs. Please get them for me, we have to get out of here, before they come back." 

Victor stood up, the flame in his hand flickering and spluttering. "Who are you talking about? What's going on?" The panic he had felt earlier started to creep back up again, throbbing in his chest and throat.

"I will explain when we are safe! Just hurry!" Seraph whispered, breaking out into a coughing fit as soon as he finished the sentence.

Urged on by the severity in Seraph's voice, Victor stumbled to the stairwell, fingers groping for the set of keys that hung on a metal ring. He grasped the keys in his trembling hands, nearly dropping them on the ground.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm just shaking really bad, I'm really scared right now-" he rambled, his frenzied thoughts spilling over into telepathic conversation.

"It's fine." In the back of his mind, a soothing feeling started to radiate. Is that Seraph? Victor thought, enjoying the almost tickling sensation that was steadily pulsing through his head.

As Victor struggled to unlock the door of the cell, he felt the quivering in his fingers start to lessen. He cycled through at least seven keys before he heard the tell-tale click of the lock.

With a nervous glance behind him, Victor pushed open the cell, cringing at the squeal of the hinges that ensured from the motion.

Victor crawled into the cell, kneeling by Seraph and placing his head in his lap. He shuffled through the keys, inserting each one into the hole on the celestial spirit's bonds. Eventually, the cuffs separating, hitting the floor with a clink. Satisfied with his find, Victor quickly unlocked the metal around Seraph's ankles.

Seraph let out a heavy sigh the second he was freed, instantly sitting up. "Victor..." he whispered breathlessly. He suddenly hugged Victor, taking the frail boy by surprise.

With a flash, golden symbols seared around them, and Seraph's breathing became more even and his wounds were mended. He stood up, still embracing Victor.

"Come, we must get somewhere safe." Seraph murmured, pulling away from him and reaching into his pocket.

He withdrew a small object from his tunic that resembled a pen. He clicked the end of it, but instead of an ink tip popping out, a small blade protruded from the top. He sliced into the air with a fury, cutting shining runes before them. The magic script activated, and a portal opened up in front of the two children.

"They won't find us here!" Seraph said, pulling Victor into the vortex.

Author's Note- ;)