Heka's breath hitched as suspicion gnawed at him. What if there was another beast? What if a darker shadow masqueraded as Waylinn to deceive and destroy? The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
"Waylinn…is that really you?" Heka's voice trembled with a mixture of hope and dread.
"Yeah, it's me Waylinn." Waylinn came with the calm reassurance again. His tone unwavered despite the distance between them.
"No, you're not Waylinn. I don't believe you. So please, stay away from me…" Heka's words were desperate. The plea was born from deep-seated fear and confusion.
No matter how earnestly Waylinn tried to convince him, no matter how many times he repeated his name, the barrier of disbelief remained unbroken. The years of half-truths and hidden forms had built a chasm too wide to cross in a single moment.
Waylinn's mind ached at the sight of his friend's terror. But he knew patience was the only path forward.
The vibe was heavy with silence. The fragile hope flickered faintly between them. As it waited for the moment when trust might be restored.
"It's me Waylinn. I'm the real one. I'm real Waylinn." Waylinn's voice was steady but carried an edge of desperation.
His eyes flicked down to the sword hanging at his side. It was the symbol of his identity and bond with Heka. He hoped this tangible proof would pierce through the veil of doubt clouding his friend's mind. "Look at the sword! It recognizes me."
Heka hesitated for a moment, then slowly pulled the flowstone away from his face. He revealed his wary eyes. He glanced at Waylinn, then shifted his gaze toward the sword. But the blade remained motionless, cold and still in its sheath.
A flicker of memory crossed Heka's mind when Regulus had approached him before. The sword had moved on its own. A silent acknowledgment of the bond between wielder and weapon. Now, here stood a hungry beast claiming to be Waylinn, yet the sword gave no sign of movement.
His heart pounded with confusion and fear. It seemed impossible that the sword would remain inert without reason. If this creature was not Waylinn, the sword would have responded. Yet it did not.
"Waylinn…" Heka's voice was barely a whisper, laced with uncertainty and hope.
"Yeah, it's me." Relief washed over Waylinn's face as he heard the faint recognition in Heka's tone.
Heka let out a slow, shaky sigh. The tense vibe eased as his fear began to dissipate.
But his eyes narrowed. He sought Waylinn's transformed form with concern and suspicion. "What happened to you? Why did you become the beast?"
Waylinn's gaze dropped to his hands, now clawed like before. The weight of his transformation pressed heavily on him, a silent story of powerlessness and sacrifices made.
He knew the answers would be hard to explain. Thought the truth was his only hope to rebuild the trust that had been fractured.
And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, a fragile bond began to mend between them. One forged not just by friendship, but by the shared struggle against the darkness that threatened to consume them both.
Waylinn met Heka's concerned gaze with a calm, almost playful smile. He said firmly. "Nothing happened to me. I just turned into my original appearance, chimera. Have I told you before if I'm a beast? And I have a tail, a long tail."
He gestured behind him, the sinuous tail flicking slightly as if to emphasize his words. The transformation was natural to him, a part of his true self that he had long hidden beneath a half-human guise.
Heka blinked, confusion flickering across his face. He admitted. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "No. Maybe I don't remember. But, are you sure nothing happened to you?"
Waylinn shook his head with quiet confidence. "Yeah, I'm fine."
With that, he turned away from Heka and strode toward the basilisks lying on the ground. His movements were fluid and purposeful. He moved with a grace that belied his fearsome appearance.
Before he reached down to take one of the creatures, Waylinn paused near the flowstone.
He raised his hand and whispered an incantation, his voice steady and commanding. "Empodio…platto!!!"
A shimmering barrier of light erupted from the flowstone. The magical barrier glowed softly. It pulsated with energy that promised safety and containment.
Heka watched in awe. The vibe eased as he realized that despite Waylinn's fearsome form. He had control over enchantment and his surroundings remained strong.
Although Waylinn didn't linger long, a nagging thought tugged at him. Perhaps it would be wiser to create a barrier around the basilisk. The outside world felt unsettled. It was charged with an uneasy energy that prickled his senses.
There was a possibility that another uninvited passenger had slipped inside. Some restless creature or hidden threat that had gone unnoticed. Better safe.
Without hesitation, Waylinn grabbed the basilisk firmly in his mouth, careful not to harm it. He carried it over to the glowing fire circle etched into the ground. Gently, he placed the creature inside the flame. It burned and slowly turned into delicious grilled meat.
"I bring you something to eat." Waylinn said. His voice was softer now. It carried a hint of warmth.
Heka's eyes widened with curiosity. He asked cautiously. "What is it?"
"Basilisk. Literally, I don't have any idea about human food. So I just picked it randomly. I hope there is nothing happens after you eat this." Waylinn replied with a shrug.
"Thank you so much. I'm sorry I'm just your burden. Because of me, you had a lot of trouble." Heka's expression softened. His lips were touched by the gesture.
Waylinn shook his head. A gentle smile was spreading across his face. "Doesn't matter. After all, I'm glad for your presence. I don't feel alone anymore."
Those words brought a rare smile to Heka's lips. In the vast expanse of Kiervant Sky, he had found almost no one, except for Marchio, Waylinn, and Jino.