Ercale had headed back into the coliseum, though he had no clear destination or purpose as he moved through its halls. He knew he needed to find Xain and return inside him to recuperate, to gather power, but the situation had shifted. If he tracked him down alone, it would be straightforward enough. With Annie in control, however, he could not predict what would happen. Worse still, there was a growing sense that it would not be the same as before, not Xain and him working together against her control, but only him now, as if Xain was not there at all, not awake, not aware, or something worse.
"Ugh, what the hell?" he muttered under his breath, eyes closed as he ran a hand through his hair while walking through the corridors.
That was when he heard it, the sound of someone crying.
He opened his eyes and saw Zee, walking ahead of him down the hall, sniffling and rubbing at her eyes as she tried to steady herself. She slowed when she noticed him, pausing for just a moment like she was about to say something, then shook her head quickly and walked past him without a word.
Ercale turned his head slightly, watching her go. "What the fuck happened to her?" he wondered aloud.
He continued on toward the medical room.
As he reached the door and raised a hand to open it, Mae stepped out from inside and nearly bumped into him in the narrow space. She stopped herself immediately, her posture stiff.
"What do you want?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Her eyes were red, like she'd been crying not long ago.
"I don't want anything, not from you anyway. I was just going to the medical room… to go to it," Ercale replied, stepping slightly aside to give her space.
Mae didn't respond, brushing past him without another glance. She started to turn the corner down the hall.
Then Ercale spoke again, without really thinking it through. "Are you the reason the other one is crying?"
Mae stopped.
Slowly, she turned back toward him, glaring. "What's it to you? Why do you care?"
Ercale paused for a moment, like even he wasn't sure why he asked. "Don't know. Just asked. But judging by your reaction, I can assume the answer is yes."
Mae's fists clenched so tightly her knuckles went pale as she stomped right up to him. "What's your problem!? Are you trying to start a fight you know you'll win!? Is that it!?" she yelled.
Ercale didn't even flinch. "Like I said, I don't know. I just asked," he replied with a small shrug, as if her anger didn't register at all. His gaze stayed flat as he added, "But is there a reason for you making your twin and yourself cry, or did you do it for the fun of it?"
Mae looked like she genuinely might swing at him. Her body tensed, shoulders rising slightly, jaw tight. But instead she forced a breath through her nose, holding herself back.
"I don't have to explain myself to you," she said coldly. "Who even are you? You're just the man who helped us in the fight. Besides that, you're just an unknown. What gives you the right to talk to me, about Zee, about us?"
She stood her ground, glaring up at him.
Ercale gave a small nod. "You're right. I don't have any right. And I'm not going to argue that I do or anything like that. Just go. I was just curious anyway."
Mae stared at him for a moment, caught between annoyance and disbelief, before shaking her head sharply. Without another word, she turned and walked off down the corridor.
"Whatever. Just have to go find Drack so I can leave to find Xain," she muttered as she disappeared around the corner.
Ercale heard it all.
And he didn't know what to feel about it.
He stood there for a moment, unmoving, like the words were still settling in his head.
"Why are my thoughts so mixed up suddenly?" he asked himself quietly.
He tried to think it through properly, forcing his mind to sort it out, to find an answer that made sense.
And he did.
But he didn't like it.
"Oh, for fuck's sake…" he muttered. "I actually care now, don't I?"
He lifted a hand to his head, fingers digging into his hair as he pressed his back against the wall. Then he slid down it slowly until he was sitting on the floor.
"Great. Just great," he let out a long, tired breath.
"Why were you two so right?" he muttered under his breath. "Even after all this time… I'm still human…"