Crossfire

4

As we returned to the Crossfire Manor, Sandigo immediately bolted out of view. Too quick for me to see where he went. I sighed and admired the portraits on the walls. These walls were a silver-grey colour, and black skirtings that reached up to about my waist. There were black beams that seemed to be merged with the wall, separating each portrait from the one beside it.

There were 6 portraits on each wall. They all seemed to be one of the children. The ones on the wall to my right were the people I had seen throughout the day, most of them being relatively human-looking. However, the ones on the left side were things I had never seen in my life. The one corresponding to Kirex's portrait appeared to be him but with 4 fire-red eyes, four arms and a gigantic anaconda resting around his shoulders. The one opposite Salazar was even stranger. It had four arms with 5 claws on the end of every hand. It had hooves instead of feet and two sets of huge, rounded horns. It’s skin was also pitch black – I couldn’t even make out it’s face! It's arms and from the waist down looked to be... Made of stone and covered in moss?

I was so deep in thought trying to make out each painting that I didn’t notice Nevera coming in until the double door behind her slammed shut. I jumped about a foot in the air. She laughed and said,

“I thought you would be out here. Most people get lost and end up here, trapped by our paintings.”

She came over and stood beside me, scrutinizing her own one.

“Gods, I look horrible in this,” she sighed.

“I don’t know much about Unnatural beauty standards,” I mumbled, “But I think you look great.”

She turned to look at me in surprise and grinned. She ruffled my hair and said,

“C'mon, Mom and Dad are waiting!”

She then dragged me through the doors she emerged from and brought me the whole way to the biggest room I had ever seen. Colossal chandeliers hung along the ceiling, reflecting a light similar to the moon's. There were four 20-person dining tables laid out in a shape similar to a trapezium. At the other end of the room there was one singular table on a slightly higher platform. It looked to be more of a 10-person table. At it sat Rouge, Aime and Verdia.

I trailed after Nevera and sat down at a chair she nudged me towards. Aime smiled at me from his seat and greeted me while Rouge was talking to some sort of... shadow of a person? Nevera sat down in her chair and started to play rock, paper, scissors with Verdia from across the table. I didn’t really know what to say, so I instead watched Nevera let herself get beat every time.

After a while Sandigo appeared and sat down opposite Nevera, on the other side of the table to me. After him came Salazar and Keyser, the former quite literally dragging the latter. Kirex was right behind them with the anaconda from his portrait around his waist and shoulders.

He sat down in the seat on my right, with Keyser on my left.

"Nevera, did you ask out that Earth Guardian girl you met in town yet?” S

Salazar asked. This must have been a personal topic because Nevera whipped her head around to glare sharply at him. He stifled a laugh.

“No, Sally, I haven’t.” She hissed out. It was Salazar’s turn to glare now; he must not like the nickname. She smirked.

"Oh, what a shame! Maybe I should do it instead. I’m sure I have more to offer anyways,” he taunted.

“You don’t even date!” she countered. "What could you possibly get from asking out my crush?”

Rouge cut in and commanded, “Leave your sister alone, Salazar. She doesn’t want to deal with your pestering right now.” He feigned despair and put his hand over his forehead.