Dead Men Smiling

4.1

Sometimes the villain is someone the hero forgot to save.

_____

Six days later

"So the Stone Circle is in this town, correct?" Sora asked, looking around in awe. Despite the worsening pain in his back, he could still appreciate how much the little town had grown in the last three years.

Rowan, however, wasn't as fascinated. The divine smell of different foods hit his nostril before a scent he had never encountered hit him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he recognised it and boy did he hate how ecstatic it made him feel.

He tried to focus on the smell of food. "What's the grub?"

Maximus opened his bag, took a small peek and closed it with a sheepish smile, muttering about how they were officially running on empty while Sora walked towards a breakfast place and took a seat, resting his now aching head on the cool surface. Maximus and Rowan followed his lead and sat on either sides of the Angel.

"How are you feeling, kid?" Maximus asked, as he placed his straw hat on the table in front of them.

Sora let out a low, pain-filled groan. "I do not recommend this pain to even your worst enemies. No stars."

The other two snickered at the comment.

The brunet then slouched in his seat and ran his fingers through his hair while tapping his foot on the ground. "What's our next course of action?" "We need to find Wynter, Dolan and Leilani as well, we need food and money and a place to stay tonight," Rowan said, counting the items on their ever growing to-do list.

Maximus smiled as he started to tune his guitar. "How about a little bit of musical magic to get this party started."

Not waiting for their response, he started playing the guitar and singing to himself as if trying to find the right tune. He smiled as he increased his volume causing the onlookers t come towards them; some placing money in his straw hat.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Sora lifted his head and looked around, about to conclude that nothing out of the ordinary had happened when his gaze landed on the one person who didn't seem transfixed by Maximus' signing and was instead smiling at him. He narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

The man's warm smile didn't falter as he approached Sora. "Well, Sorin. This is more about what you want. So what do you want?" "For you to tell me who you are and what you want."

He threw his head back and let out light peals of laughter that had Sora frowning as a memory tickled the back of his mind.

"An apprentice?" A five-year-old Sora eyed the red head warily before inclining his head at his father. "Who is he?" the red head's smile didn't waver. "Why not ask me yourself?"

Sora met the warm gaze with a cold one. "And you are...?"

"Eric and you?"

Sora shook his head and nearly groaned in annoyance. "Aren't you supposed to be making mass catastrophe and pandemics with dad, Eric?"

The red head shrugged his shoulders. "I'm more or less interested in what you've been up to, Sorin-" "I go by Sora, Eric."

The Angel shrugged once more, causing a light ripple behind him that Sora immediately identified as wings.

The dark haired male opened his mouth to retaliate when Eric shushed him. "Listen, Sorin."

Sra scowled at the name but bit his tongue as he listened to Maximus' words.

"- Close your eyes and just let me in

Let me see your wildest dreams.

Take my hand, I'll show you the way

Wanna see a place where the sun never lay?"

His eyebrows furrowed as he processed the lyrics; what on earth was Maximus signing?

"Close your eyes, drink it in

Let desire claim its win

Follow death to the grave

Choose your passion here today~"

The once hazel eyes opened and Sora gasped at the purple dancing in the light. The people around them swayed, drinking in each of Maximus' words.

Eric's smile didn't falter. "You here that. Your friend has a lovely voice."

"Eric." Sora's voice was firm, making the former realise how serious the situation was. He finally let the smile drop, revealing just how tired he was. Before Sora could ask just how long Eric had been on Earth, the other spoke, "Look, Sorin. You better make it clear where your loyalties lie in all of this, OK?"

With those words, he disappeared, leaving Sora to his thoughts. "Its 'Sora' you idiot." He protested weakly.

"-Sora!"

The Angel flinched heavily before glaring at Rowan who shook his head after giving him an odd look. "We made enough money to buy an auto mobile."

"With just one song that nobody understood?"

Maximus scowled, bristling slightly at the question. Sora shook his head rapidly. "I did not say that. Heck, I wasn't even paying attention."

"Well I did."

Two of the three faced the direction of the voice while Sora clutched his head at the sudden pain. Once the pain had reduced, he looked up and took in the mayor of the town who smiled brightly. "Welcome to Greenland, the town of prosperity and new beginnings. I'm Mayor Caroline Smith, how may I help three lively travellers such as yourself?"

Rowan felt the creature he tried so hard to supress fight for control at the sight of Caroline who gave him a concerned look. "the big one looks constipated. Do you three need a place to stay the night?"

Sora hates the rain. It reminds him of sadness and bad memories he'd rather not have. The thunder clapped in a distance making him let out another sigh as he watched rain drops race down the window.

He shifted in his seat then winced when his back touched the sofa and nearly groaned out loud. "This pain is beginning to get annoying."

"So is that disgustingly delightful scent this whole town emits," Rowan said with an angry tone as he sat next to Sora with a clothes pi on his nose. At Sora's curious stare he rolled his eyes. "For the fact that this place awakens Beast, people must really lust here."

Sora could somewhat understand what Rowan was talking about considering how the place triggered his battle senses to the maximum which he ignored and instead opted for nursing his aching head or back.

The silence between the two was broken by the sound of flippers heading in their direction. The pair exchanged glances and communicated silently. Prepare to attack.

The door opened and Sora froze while Rowan let out a disbelieving gasp.

"You're blue." Rowan stated. "Literally."

Sora's shock dissipated at Rowan's stupidly obvious words. "Thank you Captain state the obvious. Is that really you, Maxi?"

"I look hideous, don't I?"

Sora gave him a once over and shook his head. He then opened his mouth, closed it then glanced at Rowan who took in the purple eyes, black hair with purple highlights and the blue skin.

An extra limb caught the Vessel's attention. He eyed the limb, which he soon identified as a tail as it swished nervously, indicating that Maximus still waited for his opinion.

"You're a creature of the dark," Rowan said in realisation, "Specific species; Siren. I don't understand why I'm so surprised." Sora then let his mind wonder as he tried to figure out why now of all times was when Maximus form was revealed.

"Damn, my pills are almost done." Maximus had furrowed his brow as he took one. "How desperately do you need them?" Rowan asked.

"Very."

"Those pills were a disguising type, weren't they?" Sora's tone suggested pure curiosity. He then looked at the rain with a look of pre concentration.

He faced Maximus with an analytical look. "But why?"

Sora had often wondered why some Unwanted- or as Leilani preferred to refer to them, Humanoid Creatures- hid what species they were. He often wanted to ask but never really voiced his concern.

At lease, he never used to voice his concern.

Maximus shook his head with a small smile. "Creatures of the Dark. That's why I hid."

"Don't move a muscle or I'll shoot."

Rowan looked past Maximus and rose brow at Caroline whose usual smile was gone and in its place, a scowl.

Sora's head spun from the overwhelming pain as he felt something force it way past muscles and skin, biting his bottom lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain.

Then the smell of smoke hit him, making him frown in confusion as realisation dawned: the sofa he was seated on was burning.

He let out a yelp and reached for his sword which melted in his grasp and burnt his skin.

"Run!" Maximus yelled as he left the room, barely dodging a bullet from Caroline's gun. Rowan shook his head and followed after Maximus leaving Caroline and Sora in the room.

Fear flickered across Caroline's face as the fire spread, slowly inched towards her. She took a step back and risked a look at the bright orange flames that roared around him.

Sora reached for the fire with an entranced expression when a scream broke his entrancement. He pulled his hand away and quickly scanned the room.

He then spotted Caroline under a burning piece of wood and debated on leaving her there.

"Where's Sora?" Maximus looked around, purple eyes wide with adrenaline. Rowan shook his head and stared into the fire, as if seeing something moving within the flames.

He squinted as he pointed into the fire. "He's coming."

His shirt was tattered, his jeans destroyed but somehow, Sora survived that, as Maximus would poetically put it, hell sent fire.

"You carried her out of there?" Rowan frowned as he and Maximus watched Sora carefully set Caroline's body on the ground as he examined he face for any severe injuries.

Caroline struggled to speak. "Why did you save me? I tried to kill you in there and yet you still saved me."