I bowed my head as I whispered, "Thank you."
"You now understand why some situations don't need the interference of another," she whispered with a relieved grin. "Stern teaching always comes with valuable lessons."
She winked, then acknowledged Sebastian with a slight nod.
"Until our paths cross again. Farewell."
With her final words, she was gone with Star. The golden magic circles began to spin rapidly as they grew with magical force that surged in energy.
"Decide, Connor." Sebastian got straight to the point, and I rose up on my feet to prepare myself.
"Promise me one thing," I whispered. His questioning gaze prompted me to continue. "Whatever payment we must return when the time is right...can you promise it won't tear us apart?"
I allowed my vulnerable emotions to seep into my onyx eyes as I stared into those spheres that began to soften just slightly.
"I promise that your payment will not tear you from your loved ones," he vowed without hesitation.
It made the decision easier as I smiled and nodded my head.
"Then my decision is to accept your aid in reversing time to what the Universe wishes for me. Whatever happens...I'm grateful for the chance to retry."
He gave a solid nod. His hands blazed with power as he lifted them like he held a gun to my head.
"Let the hourglass reverse and deliver what Connor Giovani desires with the promised payment that will be made upon the end of Semester Eight."
Light flooded my vision. The sound of the pulled trigger led to a pushing force sending me off my feet and spiraling into the past.
12
Hopelessness To The Key Of Protection: Part Three
~BRIANNE~
* * *
"Red?"
I stared speechlessly at the sight before me, unsure as to whether it was an illusion or distant memory. The flood of pastel colors that made the mountains mesmerizing continued to spread along the vast land, just as tiny snowflakes began to fall upon us in anticipation.
My body was calm and yet my mind ran on overdrive as scenes and sensations began to trickle through me, leaving me trembling seconds later.
What...happened?
I struggled to turn my gaze away, a sense of fright running through me as I rotated my gaze over my shoulder. My wide eyes met Finnick's large ones, which were immersed in the same level of frightening despair as mine.
"Finnick." My voice quivered before I acknowledged the mugs in his hand.
"Brianne? Brianne, hello?" Starlight's voice was coming out of the speaker of my phone, but I debated what was happening and if what I felt occurred mere minutes ago was about to repeat itself a second time.
My instincts kicked in as I lifted the phone to my ear. "Starlight."
"What the.... Why is your voice shaking?" she questioned with seriousness.
"Send help now," I voiced sternly. "We're about to be ambushed."
"What?" Starlight seemed even more confused, but I was already hanging up the phone as I slipped it into my pocket. I turned to Finnick. He seemed to understand my shift in mood. He walked over to me and lowered the steaming hot mugs of chocolate onto the ledge.
For a brief moment, we stood there, staring into each other's eyes as though we had to ensure this was real. I couldn't fight the urge growing inside me, so I reached out to brush his cheek, seconds before I tugged him down to kiss him firmly.
He hugged me for what seemed like only a few seconds, but in this intense moment of uncertainty, all that mattered was to be able to enjoy the elation and relief his embrace delivered to my soul.
My sweet Finnick.
"All of that...wasn't a dream, was it?"
We broke the kiss at the same time, the two of us leaning back to acknowledge the truth.
"Prepare for the craziness," I whispered, before smiling like we were about to get into a conversation. "Can you get some mini marshmallows?"
He searched my eyes for a second before his voice flowed into my mind.
"I'll get the others. We won't perish like that. Never again." His vow held a sense of heaviness to it, but it was justifiable. It would be foolish to ignore what we surely wished was a dream.
"Sure." He smiled back at me before placing a kiss on my forehead. We exchanged another smile of appreciation, but we knew what was being plotted within the depths of our minds.
He began to turn away, his calculated steps only confirming we were on the same page when I was sure he wanted to run for dear life to alert the others. At this point, we were being watched, and any wrong move could destroy this second opportunity in our midst.
Reaching for one of the mugs, I looked at the chocolate brown liquid before lifting it to my lips while my eyes slowly lifted to give off the impression that I was admiring the view and not scanning the forest for the first of many culprits.
How easy it was to locate the very person who'd pulled the trigger effortlessly - the manipulated bullet that was set out for me, only to pierce Finnick before the shooter met his own fate.
I felt a tad stupid for not noticing it, but it was difficult with his aura completely shut off and the black attire that made him flawlessly blend with the shadows of his hiding spot.
The way my blood boiled was already making my magic begin to creep to my fingertips, which triggered the steamy liquid to begin to boil like it was on top of a stove on high.
A hand fell upon my shoulder, and I forced myself not to flinch as my head lifted to acknowledge Finnick. One look into his eyes told me something was off, and I allowed my slight confusion to flicker in my gaze while his grin showed his dazzling white teeth. His eyes were now a sparkling gold.
"I found the marshmallows," he announced, and his voice was even deeper than normal.
Fuwa?
His smile merely widened as his eyes twinkled at my internal acknowledgment.
"Help is on the way. The others are ready to go into full battle mode. I just need to play my part."
My brain was quickly picturing the potential plan he had molded in the mere thirty seconds it took to return with the bag of mini marshmallows in his disguise.
You'll get hurt if that bullet hits you, Fuwa.
"Trust me, sis." The confidence in his voice aided in chasing away the veins of fear that were yearning to capture me. "Nothing is getting past me. When you anger a god, there are consequences."
His words seemed to trigger more snowfall, and clouds began closing in at a swift pace. He acted as if nothing was shifting in the weather as he prepared my drink with marshmallows and did the same with his.
Lifting his mug up, he waited for a toast.
"Cheers?"
I worried about keeping my eyes away from the forest, but staring at those gold spheres told me this chance was going to be a successful one. There was no need to experience fear when you're prepared to face the obstacles being written before you.
"Cheers," I whispered as I lifted my cup to clink his.
The mere sound seemed to kindle Kaito's voice. "BRIANNE!"
I couldn't stop myself from turning my head back, but I was already being protectively wrapped as Fuwa's disguise shifted entirely and his tall god form was out, ready to shine brilliantly in this moment of evasiveness.