Five Hundred Years Ago

Eighteen

"Ice mites, ice mites, they got ice bites, ice bites," Frank sang softly. He shrieked when Gerard put his hand on his shoulder. "Holy fuck! Don't scare me like that."

"Cute song. What are we going over?"

"Lux needs their weaknesses, so I'm reviewing those...fuck, we couldn't do this at home? I'm freezing."

"You're always freezing." Gerard curled his arm around Frank's waist. "It's better to observe creatures in their natural habitat, anyways. Nix said they'd try to cool it with the cold, it's like negative six degrees."

"Instead of negative twenty eight," Frank grumbled. "Lucky me!"

"Hey." Gerard turned his chin and kissed him. "Don't be like that. Now, focus. Weaknesses, and how could that be combined with griffins and the sand people?"

"I'm not sure...you know, it's not a weakness, but I did read something about them reacting to vampires...hold on..." Frank picked up another book. "Right. 'Ice mites turn feral when biting a vampire-' as if they're not feral enough-"

"Focus."

"'If the right kind of vampiric spell is done, the user of said spell can harness the power used by the ice mites and freeze anything they bite. Combined with the feathers of the griffin, and the sand people's crown jewels-"

"That must have been the spell Lux was talking about!" Gerard said excitedly. "We'll start traveling to Harem tomorrow and try to make an arrangement with the sand people."

"Alright. Now." Frank put his book down. "Take me to a nice warm bed and give me a massage."

Gerard rubbed noses with him.

Gerard's eyes snapped open, and he was on his feet immediately. Kristen was panting, trying to fend off ice mites by herself. She glanced back at him. "Awake? Good? Let's go."

Everyone else was a bit harder to rouse. Frank's lips were blue, so Gerard wrapped an arm around his waist and ran towards safety in the cave with him.

The group made it outside. Kristen looked up in wonder at the cave, which was no longer covered in purple sludge. It was glowing golden, now.

"Thank you for everything," Gerard said. "Is there anywhere warm to stay around here? The sun is rising, and I'm worried about Frank..."

"Yeah, the temple is warm for visitors. Take that road up there, it's a ten minute walk. Fly if you can, he doesn't look so good." Kristen turned to Mikey. "Talk?"

Mikey followed her away from the group.

"You bring him up to the temple," Ray said. "I'll stay here and wait for Mikey."

"Alright. See you soon." Gerard gave him a one armed hug and hiked Frank up in his arms. "Arms around my neck, Frankie."

Frank pushed away from Gerard. "So hot...let go..."

"Fuck, you're gonna get hypothermia." Gerard grabbed Frank's butt and tried to hold him up. He spread his wings and lifted off the ground, flying up over the mountains. He saw the stone temple, lit up and beautiful, and flew toward it. Frank was still squirming in his grip, but Gerard refused to let go. He touched down in front of the temple and opened the door, setting Frank down on a pew and sitting beside him.

"Lux, grant us safety in your temple," Gerard mumbled. He pressed his lips to Frank's forehead. "You're so cold, you need...here, you need..."

He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over Frank's form. "Here."

Frank shrugged it off. "Too hot."

Gerard sighed and zipped the jacket around him, like a straight jacket. He wouldn't be getting out of that.

Frank whined and bitched, but eventually he fell asleep with his head on Gerard's lap. Gerard so wished he was a fire Avem, to warm him up. Instead, he pushed love into his body, hoping it would help him heal.

Ray and Mikey came up to the temple a bit later. Mikey was holding a piece of paper.

"How's he doing?" Ray asked.

"He's asleep. Hoping love will heal him- you know, the tiny bit of magic I can do." Gerard looked up at them. "Whatcha got, Mikes?"

Mikey looked off to the side. "Kristen's post address."

Gerard wiggled his eyebrows. "I guess you don't need me to be your wingman, huh?"

Mikey smacked the back of his head. "I'm gonna go pray."

Ray sat down next to Gerard. "Why do you think she chose us?"

"Kristen?"

"No. Lux. We're a group of barely graduated from school teenagers- Frank and Mikey just got out of school."

"I don't think she chose us in particular. I think." Gerard reached into his pocket and withdrew the key. "I think it has something to do with this. I fell in the lake that first day Terra disappeared, and I found this. This could have been a long time coming, but no one ever goes in the lake, so how would we have known?"

Ray tipped his head. "But...you found the key, and Mikey started having visions. Prophets aren't born, they're chosen."

"Maybe she saw that I had the key, and she chose Mikey for a reason." Gerard stared at Mikey's back. "I know she did. He's special, Ray."

"I know. But I don't know how."

"I do." Gerard rubbed his hand over Frank's hip when he squirmed. "Shh. He's strong, and he's the bravest person I know. I look up to him. He's my fucking hero. He's impossibly smart, and he just...he's incredible. I love him so much. I'd be nowhere without him."

Ray looked at Gerard and smiled. "I'm really glad your parents found you."

"Me too," Gerard said softly. "Me too."