Mortis couldn’t stand the empty den anymore. The groggy sleepiness that had been hanging over him from the minute Halo had walked out the door had kept him locked away. He had tried and struggled to improve after Oleander’s conversation with him, but he just… couldn’t. His entire life had been a string of his loved ones leaving him. No reason, no answers, just simply gone.

He walked out of the Armada territory, he had no destination in mind. He knew the chances of him actually stumbling upon Halo was slim to none. If she was back this way, he would hope to hell she would have called on them. If not for his sake, then for their kids. There was no scent of her as he walked across the barren territory by the wall. The winter snow had well melted away, leaving in its place a rocky land.


"Mortis""Hika"

For a short moment Hikaru had believed himself saved, like he had found redemption and returned to the light of life. However, just as quickly as he had been saved he had fallen again. For so long he had been lost in the catacombs, barely surviving on bugs and cave water. Then after the strange occurrence with his guide and being found by that wolf. Just to be abandoned again. He was lost more than just physically. He had lost all of his family so long ago, and then suddenly Mortis was gone from him. He had hoped for so long that the winged man would come and save him like he had once so long ago. But he was still alone, still lost, and worse… Hika had lost hope.

Life didn’t feel like it was worth living anymore. He had nothing left, no goals, and no life. What good was he, just a waste of space. There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t think about Mort, so when his silvery eyes fell on that tall dark form, he thought he was seeing an illusion and trick of the mind. He stopped in his tracks, mouth open in surprise and disbelief as he softly whimpered, "Mortis?” Unable to let himself believe he had finally found him.

"Speech"

A hint of white, a voice calling out his name… Halo? But when he looked, it was even more shocking. It was Hikaru, he, like Mortis, looked a little worse for wear. He stared at his old lover, shocked into silence as he remembered the feeling of hurt and pain when he had waited for Hikaru to join him in Armada. Only, the white wolf had never come. Days had bleed into weeks. How long had it been since he had seen Hikaru now? Years?

“You never came for me…” He said, his voice losing much of its years, sounding like the lost kid he had been the first time he had lost a friend.


"Mortis""Hika"

Hikaru wasn’t certain but Mortis looked even more surprised to see him than the other way around. As the two of them stared, and the Fatalis man realized who he was looking at Hika couldn’t help but notice the way Mort’s features fell slightly. Hikaru tilted his head curiously, sadly, as Mortis spoke in return. For a moment the both of them returned to that time, years ago, when they had first met. When they were so much younger, before time was stolen from them. Mortis blamed him for never coming for him and Hika’s heart shattered more fiercely than it had already been broken. Mort had been waiting for him to turn up, while Hika had been waiting for his dark knight to save him.

He took a tentative step forward but stopped himself short. Mortis was a different man now, he could see that. Just as Hikaru was. Neither of them seemed better for that either. "I was lost.” He returned with a whisper. "I followed you, but got caught in the crypts for so long. I knew one day you would come looking for me, and save me, but…” He never had. Years had passed, and Hika was lucky to still be alive.

"Speech"