Reflections Of Angels

Awakening

"Nyx! Nyx!"

Nyx came too to the sensation of someone slapping her face. She opened her eyes to find herself laid out on the floor with Alysha kneeling over her, looking at her in alarm. Nyx didn't even remember falling down.

"Nyx! Are you alright? I know you have the constitution of a glass butterfly, but you just keeled over!"

Slowly, Nyx sat up. "First of all, ouch, that's harsh. Second of all... ouch, my head. Third of all... What's happening now?"

Alysha put her hand on Nyx's forehead. "...You are burning up. You're not well. Wait, show me your wound."

Upon seeing the injury, Alysha took a sharp breath in. "That's not good..." A network of dark veins were spreading across Nyx's skin, slow but steady, carrying their corruption. Carefully, Alysha traced the thin black lines, before withdrawing her hand. "How... I don't understand. I thought..." Nyx pulled her top back down, adjusting her clothes. For the first time, Nyx saw there were tears welling in Alysha's eyes. "We can fix this. I'll find a way. I didn't think... it would affect you like this. I thought you would be immune!"

"I... don't think it's changing me." Nyx said slowly. "I think it's just making me sick."

"Deathly sick." Alysha muttered. "I should have noticed. Oh, I'm so sorry." She wrapped her arms around Nyx's shoulders, pulling her into a hug.

"Oh hey, hey, it's not your fault!" Nyx rubbed Alysha's shoulders as they separated. "Maybe it'll be alright. Maybe I'll be fine. We'll figure it out."

Alysha nodded but stayed silent.

"So... Where is he?" Nyx said after a moment.

Alysha got up. "Come on, I'll show you. Unless you mean Periwinkle," She added as Nyx rose to stand. "As Perry's down in the kitchen with pizza."

"Honestly, I'm shocked Perry's still here."

***

Alysha had tied him to the bed, using rope that presumably was enchanted, given the glowing threads and symbols woven through it. "I didn't know which one would be waking up, so I put him here until we could decide what to do with him."

"Then let's find out."

There was a groan as he stirred, face half pressed into the pillow. "...Did someone hit me?"

"Who are we talking to?" Nyx asked bluntly.

"Nyx..." He turned to look at her with bleary eyed. "Nyx, it's me! Wh– Why am I tied up?" He yanked on the ropes. "What happened? What's going on?"

Nyx lowered her face to look level with his eyes. "And who's 'me'?"

He looked at her for a long moment, then threw his head back against the pillows in a barking laugh. "Oh, alright. You're good."

"Get a new trick."

"But why? This one's fun– just for a moment, you believe it."

Nyx straightened up, shooting Alysha a look– This man is antagonising me.

His eyes flicked between Nyx and Alysha. "So, you two made up?"

Arms crossed, Nyx scoffed quietly, looking away. That was the least of their worries.

"Right, we need a plan." Nyx said, striding to the door.

He yanked on the ropes again as she passed, face full of venom now; tugs getting more violent and forceful as the ropes resisted. "Hey, let me out! Let me out!"