By the time the sun was beginning to set against the horizon, Genis came back, perspiring heavily and left utterly clueless and terrified. When his eyes landed on Ruby, his heart began to pound heavily in his chest, and he rushed toward the barrier like a madman. Vatic sensed his presence, dropping the shield moments before Genis was eradicated. "Are you nuts?!" Vatic scolded.
Genis didn't bother listening to Vatic, rushing toward the boulder on a mission. Ruby was still huddled close to Odeen, cuddled into his lap, wearing his cloak as a blanket. When Genis was approaching, she peeled herself away from Odeen. She stood, prepared for the verbal tongue-lashing of a lifetime.
Ruby was taken aback both mentally and physically when Genis didn't slow his pace, huffing heavily with every sprinted step he took. Ruby shuffled back nervously, but nothing could prepare her for when Genis leapt through the air, throwing his body against hers bluntly. Ruby and Genis were thrown back against Odeen, who caught them with minimal effort while Genis shuddered deeply, almost vibrating. "Thank fuck you're okay! Did he hurt you?! Why would you go with him? Ruby!"
Ruby chuckled sweetly, pushing Genis's head away. "Calm down first, then talk to me. I know that you were probably shocked, but I needed to talk with Nexus. And you'll be glad that I did. Your brother is waiting for you."
Genis's breath hitched when Ruby gestured to the field with her jaw. There, lying in the grass, unmoving and bored, was Nexus. Genis then looked between Nexus and Ruby rapidly. It was clear that he didn't understand. "Why is he here?"
Odeen smirked, leaning back against his palms. "Apparently, he felt bad for what he did. Serina ordered him to kill Ruby and Safire, and he decided to go against her. Basically, he wants us to believe that he's suddenly one of the good guys now."
Genis sighed heavily, nodding in understanding. "I know this may be difficult for you all to believe, but he is one of the good guys. He has always believed that Serina's word is law, but the truth of the matter is, her goal was always to be the most powerful. And she will do anything to ensure that she remains that way. There are things about Serina that not even Nexus knows. I'll go and speak with him."
Ruby nodded, stepping aside so Genis could cautiously slide down the boulder, approaching Nexus slowly. "Come to your senses, finally?" Nexus shifted his gaze up, glaring at Genis with an intense hatred. "Wow, that's how you greet your brother? cold-hearted Nexy."
Nexus shifted into a seated position, rolling his eyes away from Genis. "We're not brothers, and that is not my name. However, I'm glad that you're back. We need to make a plan of attack, and I was thinking we'd have the best chances for power absorption if we head toward the hemisphere."
Genis snorted, having to turn away to cackle in amusement. That did not please Nexus. Once Genis had pulled himself together and wiped the stray tear from his eye, he let out a satisfied breath before gazing down at Nexus with a wild smirk. "No, we're not doing that."
Nexus felt a cold chill run through him, scrambling to his feet to grab Genis by his cloak. "What the fuck do you mean no?! Do you not understand how powerful Serina will become during the harmonic period?! We need to give ourselves the best chance we can to fight back! That means all of us are within our full potential." Nexus's eyes darkened with his warning.
Genis scoffed, running his hand through his hair. "Yeah, that's not happening. You want them to blindly follow you, the guy that's done nothing but attack, intimidate and murder, toward where he will become the most powerful he can be? I'm good, Nex, but I'm not miracle worker good."
Nexus narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to Genis. "I'm already unfathomably more powerful than you and those mortals combined. If I wanted to take the soul fragments and merge them, I could. But that would unlock their power into one being. I've thought about this... a lot. Instead of merging the girls, during the harmonic period, you and I could absorb their magic. That way, they can return to being regular mortals."
Genis was left utterly stunned, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air while he struggled for words. "You want... wait, that would mean – so you're telling me." Nexus crossed his arms, growing increasingly impatient with Genis's fumbling. "We'd become the most powerful deities together? Don't you think that would piss Serina off?"
Nexus merely nodded his head. "While that will become a problem in the future, it secures the girls' lives. But to be able to absorb their power in the short time that the planets are aligned, and to ensure we don't shred what's left of their souls, we need to be at our most powerful."
Genis hummed, thinking over the proposal. "Well, I've been on the run from Serina for centuries now. A few more wouldn't hurt. And if that secures Ruby and Safire's lives, I really want to refute you, smack you in the head and say 'bad, bad, boy.' But your argument is sound."
Nexus massaged his temples, groaning in frustration. "Have you grown more infuriatingly immature in your banishment? I vaguely remember you being insufferable, but not to this degree. Perhaps my tolerance for your crap has shrunk in my eternal peace."
"How you wound me, brother. Think about it this way: two wayward deities, standing up to their eldest sister, protecting the lives of the humans side-by-side!" Genis wrapped his arm around Nexus's shoulder, holding his hand up to the sky in a theatrical display. The two rogues of the Inbetween, together again! Setting forth on a quest to protect mere mortals from both brothers' foul doings! One, sentenced his brother to an eternity holding the portals at a safe distance, the other, meddled in mortal lives and caused their spirits to split and stray! Gosh, we are bad boys, aren't we?"
Nexus wore a bored expression throughout the entire monologue before brushing Genus's hand from his shoulder. "Don't touch me. Either way, we need to prepare. I will separate Ruby's gift from her soul. I doubt Safire would allow me close enough to touch her. But she seems to trust you. For whatever reason. We need to make this quick, though. I haven't travelled on foot for a long time, and we have less than two weeks."
Up on the boulder, Safire sat by Ruby, watching the deities talk. "Okay, this may be dangerous, but we need to figure out our gift alone. Genis is keeping Nexus distracted, and while we still have the chance, you and I should practice, don't you think?"
Ruby stared at Safire in shock, tilting her head to the side. "You want to mess around with the magic of the Inbetween, by ourselves, without a deity here to ensure that nothing goes wrong. Are you sure that's a wise idea?"
Safire nodded her head enthusiastically. "Whilst it might seem like something that's a bad idea, think about it. Genis and Nexus both don't know what this power does, but they know it's something they can't even comprehend. If we master it, Nexus will not be able to hurt us, no matter what he does."
Ruby nodded her head weakly, sliding from Odeen's secure embrace. "Alright, but let's do this safely. We drop in something small and of no consequence. If nothing happens, we wait for Genis."
"If something happens, we play with it more!" Safire cackled, ripping off her glove with unbridled excitement. She held her hand out toward Ruby, almost bouncing with excitement.
Ruby sighed hesitantly, holding her hand out for Safire to take. Vatic and Odeen stood watch, prepared for the worst. Jasher remained on the edge of the boulder, his sights set on Nexus. Once the black hole formed, Ruby tilted her head to the side in shock. "I can see it on this plane."
Odeen perked up, his eyes widening in shock at the small abnormality that flickered like beating life between the girls. "I can see your power, Ruby." Safire didn't need to understand Odeen's words to know what the implication was.
Ruby was left a little stunned, leaning closer toward the magic. "Fascinating. It must be because we got to see it in the Inbetween. What should we drop in, Safire? A rock, maybe a stick."
Safire furrowed her brows, squeezing Ruby's hand tightly. "Let's think a little smaller. Something that wouldn't kill us all if it were shattered and thrown in every direction." Safire plucked a strand of hair from her head, handing it to Ruby. "Since you can see the power, I think you should have the honour."
Ruby took Safire's hair, hovering it over the magic. "I'll get Genis to take you into the Inbetween so you can see it, too. Here goes nothing." Ruby let the strand go, watching it flutter into the black void. Nothing happened afterwards, the entire group fell silent, waiting for something, anything to happen.
Ruby soon felt a sharp sting against the back of her neck, her free hand instinctively slapping against her bare skin, squishing something beneath her palm. She pulled her hand back to find a crushed insect with large, beautiful wings, coated in her blood. "The fuck?" Her breath stuttered.
Safire giggled in amusement, brushing the squished remains from Ruby's palm. "That was a patterbug. Nasty, aren't they? Those only come out when the weather is about to shift. They thrive in the harsh cold of Teralu, and they can even swarm."
Ruby rolled her eyes, letting out an annoyed grunt. "How annoying. I wish that butterflies from Earth were around instead of violent, blood thirsty... insects! I don't know, I just hate how Teralu has vicious little creatures roaming about... freely." Ruby's eyes widened when a small blue butterfly flew from the black hole to flutter about before them.
Safire stared at the insect in fear, stepping back fearfully. Ruby turned her gaze down to find that she was still holding Safire's hand. "A wish..." She muttered before pulling Safire closely. "A wish, a wish, a wish! We need to sacrifice something and make a wish! I figured it out!"
Safire chuckled dully, backing away when the butterfly billowed closer. "Ah, shoo, shoo. It doesn't bite, right?" Jasher shook his head silently, bringing a sense of relief to Safire. "In that case, let's celebrate! You figured it out, Ruby!"
Genis turned his head toward the commotion with Nexus. Both deities seemed equally stunned and fearful when their gazes fell upon the shimmering black hole. "No... Girls, what are you doing!?" Genis took off into a sprint, leaving Nexus behind.
Once Genis made it to the girls, the butterfly had perched itself on the warm boulder, still fluttering its wings. He halted for a moment, blinking away the disbelief. "That – that's from Earth, isn't it?"
Ruby scoffed, rolling her eyes in amusement. "He knows what butterflies are, but not ants. Yes, Genis! We figured out the gift! It's been right in front of us this entire time. It requires a sacrifice and a verbal wish! Then the wish comes true!"
Safire's eyes widened at the realisation as Genis approached in stunned amazement. Safire squeezed Ruby's hand, her breath wavering. "What if we wish for something to be undone?"
Ruby furrowed her brows, shrugging weakly. "I suppose that might work. Is this for your decay?" Safire averted her gaze, though her head nodded weakly. "I see... do you have anything that might be important enough to sacrifice?"
"I think so." Safire reached her hand into the hem of her dress, digging around in her apron pocket to pull out a small diamond-encrusted brooch. "It's the last thing that I took from Cyrus before I left. I thought it might fetch a high price if I ran away, but I've always been too scared to use it." Ruby nodded toward the portal. Safire squeezed the brooch in her hand before dropping it into the black hole.
It fell directly through and clattered onto the ground. Safire felt tears well in the corner of her eyes as Ruby brushed her thumb across Safire's hand. "It's okay. Maybe it needs to be something that you actually care about. Do you have anything?"
Safire shook her head weakly, her shoulders slumped in defeat. "It's alright, Ruby. Just forget it. I guess I'm left with the decay for life. It's my own fault for practising the occult, so I have nobody else to blame."
Ruby furrowed her brows, stepping toward the black hole with a sharp inhale. "Well, I might have something." Ruby fished the small crystal duck from her pocket, stroking over the striking red hair. Odeen furrowed his brows but stayed silent. He knew that Safire needed help.
Ruby dropped the duck into the portal, watching as it disappeared. Ruby could not hide the disappointment on her face when it vanished. Safire's hand began to shake as they shared a knowing glance. Ruby nodded reassuringly. Safire soon closed her eyes tightly, taking a shuddered breath as she began. "I wish..."
-End of chapter 23-