Dangerous And Cold 2: Call Of The Spirit

Guilt-ridden

It was soon night time. The group had gathered at the dining room for dinner. Jokul and Pickle were there after moving Crusher to one of the rooms inside the cottage.

"What for dinner, sir? Zeg starving!" Zeg licked his lips.

"I'm gonna guess… carrots?" Jokul teased.

"Ha ha, funny," Aster rolled his eyes. "Carrot soup, more specifically,"

"Ha! Knew it!" Jokul laughed. "Well, better than chocolate,"

"Hey! That's for breakfast," Aster chuckled.

"Sounds good to me," AJ said. "And it smells delicious!"

"At least SOMEONE appreciates it," Aster shot Jokul a look.

The Winter Spirit laughed again. "Not that I don't. Carrots just aren't my vegetables,"

"So... is he getting any better?" Blaze asked.

The question seemed to have brought back the tension in the atmosphere. Aster cleared his throat and motioned for Jokul to answer. The spirit wizard nodded.

"Yes, from what I can see. His injuries are not as bad as they once were,"

"When do ya think he'll wake up?" Starla asked.

"I… THAT I'm not so sure…" Aster admitted.

"I wish I had taken the king and the Nightmare's magic myself..." Blaze sniffled.

"No, no, things would be worse," Aster shook his head. "It's Fatal to spirits and could be worse to mortals. Plus, I don't have a cure..."

"But... who knows if he's gonna wake up...?" Blaze hissed.

Aster couldn't help but sigh. Jokul turned away to avoid gazes as he held himself.

"Don't worry, friends... he'll wake."

The awkward tension and silence soon occupied the table. After a while, Jokul pushed the plate away.

"Thanks for the soup, Aster, but I'm not quite hungry," he got up and turned. "I… I'm gonna go check on my son,"

"I understand." Aster nodded.

They watched as the Winter Spirit headed off. Pickle got up too.

"I'm sorry, everyone... I didn't mean anything..." Blaze sighed.

"It's okay, B, you didn't mean to make the tension," Darington assured him.

"I should go check on Jokul..."

"No, no, I can do that," Aster told him. "You and your friends should go rest up. It has been a long day for you all, after all,"

"I agree with Aster," Stripes nodded. "I'm pretty tired,"

"Alright, alright…" Blaze sighed and gave a nod.

After dinner, the group retired to their rooms. Even Pickle, whom Jokul sent to his room to rest.

Unfortunately, Blaze couldn't sleep, still feeling guilty for what happened.

He was suppose to be the hero, right?

So why couldn't he have taken the hit?

He SHOULD HAVE.

And he SHOULDN'T have brought it up.

He sighed and got up from his bed, still feeling guilt-ridden.

"Why couldn't I have kept my big mouth shut...?"

He headed out of his room and aimed for the kitchen to get some warm milk to help him sleep. As he did, he heard sobbing, and he glanced over at the living room to see Aster comforting a crying Jokul.

"It'll be all right..."

"How do you KNOW, Aster?" Jokul sniffled his tears. "I haven't seen my son in YEARS. And now that I have… he's DYING, and it's all my fault…"

Blaze's heart sank. It wasn't Jokul's fault...

...it was his.

"Don't you DARE blame yourself for what that bastard did." Aster hissed before sighing. "Look, Jokul, this is Pitchiner's doing, and Crusher WILL be awake. Come on, Frostbite, we just need a little fate,"

"I... I suppose..."

Blaze in tears quickly drove to his room, wrote a note on the nightstand and left through the open window.

He didn't need to be here if he was to blame.

He needed to die... not Crusher.

He needed to do something to make it up to the winter spirit and his son.

X

Darington yawned as he got up the next morning. He headed out of his room and, as prior instinct, the first thing he did was head over to his lover's room, knocking on the door with a smile.

"Morning, B-- ready for breakfast?"

No response came from the room. Darington frowned, knowing very well that Blaze always answers, even when he was half-asleep. He turned the knob and pushed open the door.

"Blaze...?"

He froze, however, when he saw the room completely empty. He headed inside, confused until he saw the note on the nightstand.

"Huh?"

He picked up the note to read what it said.

['Dear whoever is reading this, I'm so sorry I got Crusher into this. It should have been me dying from the beginning. Now... I have to find something as penance to Jokul for ruining his and Crusher's happiness and lives.

Love, Blaze.']

"B-Blaze is gone... BLAZE IS GONE!!!"