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At first Amune was startled to see the boy sitting next to his bed, but he was able to relax a moment later at the second comment,
"Saekii Academy!?" He couldn't help but smile, "Yay! That means I wasn't horribly lost!"
Thank goodness! He struggled to sit up, crying out in triumph when he managed to make it,
"Thanks so much for finding me! I'm so glad-! I was afraid I was going to be eaten by a bear-! Then I would never make it to this school! And what would I do then? I need to be here!" he waved his arms slightly, but the movement sent his world spinning and his arms aching. He groaned, putting a hand to his head. His dark green hued hair was slowly turning to a darker shade, into black, and his brown eyes were becoming tinged with blue. He smiled at the other boy, widely,
"Hi, Sam. I'm..." he faltered. What name should I give him-? He was silent for almost a full minute, and then--"....Amune..."
I haven't gone by that name in a long time, but I should be safe....

When the dark winged stranger entered, Amune fell silent, watching him with wide eyes. When he touched him on the head, his lips parted as if his mouth was going to fall open but he caught it,
".....uh......"
Look at me-?
"....okay..."

Kael shook his head, pulling the boy into a hug. "Peace may come in cycles, but for us, I'm afraid those cycles are particularly short." He held the boy close, comforted by it, deeply troubled by the thought of anything happening to him. "This premonition may not be set in stone, but darker times will come, and he will try to make his mark here again. Whether he succeeds, and how things end, I couldn't say." Without thinking about it, Kael nuzzled faintly into Acelin's hair, keeping him close protectively, still shaken by his vision. "Perhaps you could call this your first lesson here... but there is one fundamental difference which divides Corruption from Virtue. Evil from good. Corruption cares nothing for people. Not even the people who aid it. Those who are forced to do Corruption's work are abused and tortured beyond what most people can imagine, which is why people like Chloe, Erebos, and Ephaelia left that place. Corruption seeks that torment, if anything. Virtue is oriented on people. Compassion, helping others. That's why those who flee Corruption tend to come to us. Because no matter what, we will take care of them. Even if they have wronged us, because sometimes, people don't have a choice, or there were more to things than you originally thought." He spoke from experience here. Ephaelia had tortured him for a good year and a half, and a couple years after that, quit the Lamente. Later, he had found out that she had been forced to it, and that what she had endured being with that group had been much, much worse."

"I can't stand to see anyone suffer," Kael said quietly, holding him close. "I've seen it too much already. I swear, I will protect you."

Ahkra nodded. "I'm glad that you found him, Sam." He appraised the two with a small grin, especially seeing how soaked Sam was. "My, my. You know, Sam, you really shouldn't stay in such wet clothes. You'll catch something. Why don't you go ahead and take those off..?" He winked, but quickly set about to looking over Amune, concerned about him. His finger's slid over the boy's throat, power sliding into the boy gently, searching for any ailments, renewing his energy, and warming him back up again. He withdrew his power after a moment. "It looks like you'll be just fine," he commented, but slyly added, "however, if you and Sam are still cold, perhaps I can fix that...."

He couldn't help it, his incubus nature tempting him.

-----A faint growl left the boy's throat, and an evident light blush over his face in response. "I am fine, thank you." He grumbled, and stood up from the side of the patient bed as his wings stretched out slightly.
-----In a burst of quick flames, like a match being lit, it consumed his entire body for but an instant. As the flames disappeared so did his seemingly soaked form from before, but his clothes were still in place and untouched by burns; however, perfectly dry. Then moved to where he was in between the two, "I think we'll be fine, Ahkra.." He mumbled.
-----He heard from his mother that Ahkra was a nice guy, and everything... but he also heard from others how much he liked to mess with helpless individuals. And he was convinced he was not one of them.

Acelin was surprised by the hug took comfort, it felt alien to him yet so familiar all the while. "A cycle is a cycle no matter how short or long. Darkness is always followed peace. But no one can fully no yhe actual out come when everything is done with." At the lessen on corruption his eyes grew darker as memories flashed of when he lived back home. "I know that all too well." he said as he automaticaaly tightened his grip on Kael.
((finish later))

((I'm so sorry about that, perryunicornboy! Thanks for pointing it out!))

Esqyn smiled, holding him close contentedly, and lightly ran his finger's through Louie's hair. He's such a sweet boy, he thought to himself, lightly kissing the other on the forehead. "I really am glad you're all right," he said softly. Louie's presence was comforting to him, as well, and he felt simply at ease with the boy close, content.

--


Kael frowned, hearing that, and hugged him more tightly. "You're safe now," he said softly, kissing the boy's forehead. "And no matter what the future brings, I'll be there to protect you." He worried for the boy, especially seeing the same dark look in his eyes that he knew reflected in his own when painful memories rose up and took hold of him. He gently stroked Acelin's hair, holding him close, hoping to comfort him.

Esqyn held him close, hugging him tightly, his snow-white wings, like those of an angel, wrapping around Louie lightly as he kept him close. "You'll always have a home here if you want it. Trust me when I say that Ahkra has more than enough rooms here, and is always happy to take people in. That's why most of us live here, after all." He gently kissed the top of Louie's head, stroking his hair lightly. "I... I really hope that you will like it here, though."

Esqyn smiled, gently wiping away Louie's tears, and rubbed lightly behind one of his ears momentarily. "Right now, if you'd prefer," he offered, kissing the tip of Louie's nose. "Why don't you follow me down to the kitchen, and I'll whip something up for you?" Giving the boy one more tight hug, he smiled brightly, and led the way out of the room. It was a bit of a walk, and the way consisted of twisting corridors, virtually hidden hallways, and hard-to-get-to stairways. It was obvious that in a place this complex and this big, it would be easy to get lost. Even after living here for quite some time, Esqyn still got lost frequently. Everyone did, all of the teachers included, with the exception of Ahkra and, usually, Arc, although the latter did occasionally stumble upon a newly discovered hallway and lose himself in it.

The keep itself seemed sentient, and Esqyn suspected that it held more rooms, secret gardens, hallways, and undiscovered, long-lost treasures than perhaps even what Ahkra knew. The Incarnation had mused that the castle could easily hold the populace of Maika Tenei's biggest city just within the first floor, and Esqyn guessed that it was no exaggeration. The black fortress stretched up to the sky and simultaneously burrowed deep into the earth. It was like a living thing, and even the black stone that served as the building's skeleton was, to the touch, warm, as if it too held body heat.

After awhile, they finally reached a kitchen -- Esqyn knew that there were multiple kitchens, although he had tried to count and failed -- and the two stepped inside. The elf smiled, glancing over. "What would you like?" he asked. "And don't be afraid to ask for something extravagent - I have some confidence in my skill." He gave a playful grin.