NEW GODS: The Awakening

Falling Down

Damian glanced over the cliff. Below him, an endless sea of green laid. It was almost hypnotizing.

When they were children, he used to share tales with Leon of the people living in the village down the mountain, of the stones that even demons feared nestling down at the depths of the river, of the animals, predators and preys alike, prancing around the forest.

While he spoke, Leon looked at him and only him. Damian felt so immensely proud at how he had his crush enthralled. In the thrill of the moment, he promised that one day he would take him for a picnic at the very hill he was sitting on right now. Leon’s eyes shone like he had promised him the world, like he was the God.

His eyes had not shone like that in some time.

Maybe Damian should have seen it coming.

He took a few steps away from the cliff so he wouldn’t accidentally fall to his untimely and painful death.

“You know, Sunshine, if I did not know any better, I would think you are being a bit reckless over here,”

He looked back to find Xiris leaning against a tree. He must have been camping in the woods for at the very least a day or two. He did not look like someone who had stayed over in the woods for at least a night. His clothes were completely wrinkleless, hair only a bit messy, his eyes betraying no hint of tiredness.

“You wished for us to meet again. Though I suppose this doesn’t count as better circumstances, does it now, Xiris?” he tried and failed to keep the hostility in his tone contained.

Now that he had Xiris back in front of him again, the dull ache on his sides churned and black eyes stared back at him.

“So you came all these way just for me. Oh Sunshine, I am truly touched,” if Xiris was at all worried, he did a good job hiding it.

“I never said that,”

Xiris walked slowly, observing him very closely.

Damian realized he was being studied.
Not in the way a dragon studied a lamb but in the way a lion studied a wolf.
Xiris was not preparing to attack him per say but expecting to be attacked.

“You are a real heartbreaker…” Xiris placed a hand over his chest like he was deeply wounded.

Damian ignored him and not so subtly let the ring roll down his sleeve, twisting it around. Xiris’s eyes instantly narrowed down on it.

“I thought I might as well find you before you found me,” he threw the ring up in the air and then let it land back in his palm, cold silver pulsing with energy against his palm.

“And here I thought the kid took it,” Xiris huffed jokingly.

Damian looked down at the ring in his hand. It was masterfully crafted, no doubt made by a team of jewelers of high report and with more than generous salaries. On the black silver, hieroglyphics were etched in blood red.

“So, where did you get this? You don’t look like you could afford it. Did you steal it too?” Damian spit out, admittedly quite mean-spiritedly.

“Yes. From a dragon,”

“Oh how brave of you-,” he rolled his eyes.

“Let me tell you that is not what the guy thought,” he scoffed.

“But good for me. There is no shame in stealing from a thief,”

Damian turned around, prepared to throw the ring off the cliff. Or rather to pretend he was about to do that in an attempt to unsettle Xiris enough to force an answer out of him.