Page 20 of A Soul to Steal

He half expected Aleron to say blood and entrails were pretty, not his face. He also didn’t knowwhyhe’d suddenly uttered it.

He leant forward with his knees up – making sure his lower back stayed pressed against Aleron’s wing – then rested his elbow on his knee and covered his mouth. Like he couldn’t help himself, his eyes drifted to his skull.

You’re not too bad, yourself.

Conventionally, Aleron was... well, he was ugly. He had a skull for a face. Then there were all the other animalistic aspects about him.

However, when one looked past the veil of normality and human ideology, there was definitely much more to be seen. Sure, he looked like a deity of death, but there was beauty in dying. There was beauty in decay and rot.

Aleron radiated magnificence.

It was easy for Gideon to shine a different perspective on the way Aleron appeared. His monstrous form had been more frightening, but it wasn’t any less agreeable than the humanoid version he’d finally turned into.

He still appeared masculine, brutish, and charming, even when all his fur hid his physique and his orbs stayed pink.

I bet you don’t know this, but you’re kind of cool.

Already he could tell that Aleron’s monstrous outsides absolutely did not reflect the tenderness in his heart. Just by observing him, what he said, and how readily he was able to adjust to Gideon’s quirks, revealed he likely had a rich personality.

He’d shown great kindness and had listened to Gideon intently in the rare moments he wished to reveal information about his past. Never too much regarding what bothered him, as he didn’t want to divulge too deeply nor burden the Duskwalker, but it was nice to openly share and know he would be heard.

Aleron always asked him questions about his stories. He also asked about their environment, the strange animals they passed. He often pointed to flowers and herbs they passed with curiosity, asking for their names. Every minute together, Gideon could tell he was learning – a slow sponge, but one that was rather... cute at times because of it. Too cute, perhaps, but that was fine.

As time went on, Gideon found himself becoming more and more drawn to the menacing-looking creature beside him.

If he ignored that Aleron had eaten people, everything else about him was... calm.It’s rare to find a heart of gold within the world– there was usually an underlying goal to it. Whether it be the self-servicing pleasure of being thanked, the vain or anxious desire to be liked by all, or something more morbid, usually kindness could be false.

There was no need for that from either of them.

What they were doing here, together, this silly adventure, was fruitless – which made it all the more real. Aleron had already mentioned he could spend time with Weldir or this other Duskwalker they were venturing towards. There was absolutelyno need for Aleron to take pity on Gideon, who, without a doubt, knew he would be alone in this world.

And he was taking that task very, very seriously. Aleron constantly brushed up against him, never forgetting.

I wonder if there is a way we can quell that anxiety of his about it.Gideon had an idea, but wasn’t sure if he was willing to impose on his own personal space to do it. He’d consider it later.

I miss my guitar,he thought as he drifted his gaze around the foreboding, but always brightly lit forest around them.

What he wouldn’t give to be able to lose himself in music. It’d be therapeutic to push out all his emotions in a rambling song that made no sense since he’d come up with it on the spot.

It would have helped to pass the endless time.

A weird smile pestered his lips, as his cheeks mildly warmed.I wonder if Aleron would like it.

“Well, aren’t you just handsome?” With his hands on his hips, and a grin plastered across his face, Gideon stared down at the cat before him.

Unsure what breed it was, its bright orange-and-red striped fur reminded him of Emerie. Its eyes were such a vibrant yellow, it appeared to be looking up at him with a set of moons.

And it was definitely staring at him, just as conscious and aware as he was.

He crouched down with the intention of petting it. He’d never owned a cat, but he’d always been fond of them. He was able to get in about three neck scratches, eliciting loud purring as it rubbed against his fingertips in welcome, before Aleron stepped closer. That spooked it. With a loudmeow, it ran off between two buildings.

Gideon sighed. Feeling bad for Aleron, whose orbs had turned blue, he continued down the dirt footpath.

Still trying to figure out the Duskwalker’s orb changes, he knew what blue meant, but remained uncertain about yellow – especially since it could be two different hues. It was either curiosity or happiness. He’d already surmised pale pink to be hisnatural colouring.

They’d been white when they entered this unfamiliar village, Aleron likely hesitant. That had quickly dissolved considering the sparsity of people.

One thing Gideon knew with absolute certainty: this village had not been situated on Austrális.

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