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Lighris was in the middle of running a toothbrush through the inside of his beak when his phone rang. He spat out the tartar and beak-paste and wiped his beat with a facecloth as he walked out to his kitchen to where he left the phone on the counter, checking the caller I.D. To his surprise, it was his mother calling.

With a tap of the screen to accept the call he lifted it to the side of his head and spoke. “Hello?” he asked.

“Hi, honey,” came the voice of Degra from the other end.

“Hey mom,” he said. “How are you doing?”

“I’m just fine, but… Uh… Well, have you seen your brother today?” she asked, the note of concern he could hear in her voice making it apparent that something was wrong.

“No… I haven’t seen him since we left him at your place,” he replied. “Why, what’s going on?”

“Well, over the last few days, as he started getting some of his strength back, he was becoming very… Distant,” explained Degra. “He was barely eating and he didn’t want to talk much. I tried to get him to open up, but he just kept saying he was fine. Then, when I woke up this morning, he was gone.”

“Gone?” Lighris asked.

“Yes, and he’s not answering his phone - I can’t find him anywhere.”

Lighris’ expression soured, understanding his mother’s concern for Volcan at the moment. Just days ago, Volcan had nearly died as a result of a demonic possession and exorcism… The fact that he had recovered so quickly was a testament to how powerful their Uncle Boswell was, and he suspected Degra had been giving Volcan some of her energy to speed his recovery.

But it was Boswell’s parting words to them that disturbed the Lightning Phoenix… The warning that Volcan might not be himself anymore, after barely surviving such a traumatic experience. Those words echoed in his mind as he recounted them, and he was lost in his head until he heard his mother say his name into his ear.

“Oh, sorry mom,” he said. “Was just thinking about what Uncle Boswell said.”

“Yeah, me too,” said Degra, and he could imagine her nodding her head in agreement.

“Look, I’m sure he’s fine,” Lighris began, “I bet I know where he’s gone, too. I’ll call him, and if he doesn’t answer me I’ll go up there and check on him. I’ll tell him to call you too, just so you know he’s alright.”

“Okay… Thank you, son,” said Degra, her tone carrying a note of relief. “Try to convince him to come back here, too; he’s not back to full strength yet.”

‘Yet strong enough to fly away on his own,’ Lighris thought to himself. “I will,” he promised. “I’ll text you as soon as I find him, but don’t worry too much. Like I said, I’m sure he’s fine; he’s not a dummy, after all.”

“No, he certainly isn’t. But he’s lucky to have a brother who will look out for him, living so much closer to him than I am,” then she let out a snort of laughter. “And can remember where he lives; I can never find that damn tower, whereas you never get lost even in the dark.”

Lighris had to hold back his remark; he and Volcan often teased their mother about her rather poor sense of direction, making her have trouble finding locations unless she visited them frequently. He considered himself - and by extension, Volcan - that they had not inherited that from her when they were born. She often joked that compared to her, their father had been a living compass.

At that, a thought occurred to Lighris. ‘Are we magnetized, like living compasses, because I’m a Lightning Phoenix?’ he thought.

Shaking his head, he said goodbye to Degra and held his phone in front of him, using his thumb to navigate through his contacts until he found Volcan’s phone number. He tapped it, and held the phone to his ear again, letting it ring four times before it went to voicemail. He decided to leave a message after the greeting played in his brother’s voice.

“Volc, it’s me,” he began. “Mom just called me; said you took off. I know where you probably are, so just so you know I’m coming up to check on you… And for your sake, you better be there, bro. You got her, and me, worrying about you.”

He left the message there, ending the call and pocketing his phone. He grabbed the keys to his truck and pocketed them as well as he headed for the door. He had a feeling he’d be opening the shop late today…

As he climbed into his truck, he pulled out his phone again, searching for another number in his contacts…

~~~~~

Obsidian pulled up to the Lo’Raven household in her personal vehicle, having already finished her shift for the day. She parked the car close to the front door, pulling as close to the curb as possible in case any other vehicles arrived; ahead, she saw a familiar motorcycle parked by the sidewalk, and knew she was likely to find Korban was already there.

Getting out of her car, she approached the front door, but a shout from the back yard caught her ear. Taking a detour, she walked around to the side of the house and made her way to the gate, grasping the top of the fence and lifting herself up on her tiptoes to peer over.

There, she saw the twins currently engaged with the husky in a sparring session. Korban was facing the pair one at a time; at the moment, it was Avelyn battling him while Avory hydrated himself and caught his breath. Off to the side, she saw an African American human watching them as they sparred.

As Kyle watched, he discreetly walked over to Avory and whispered something to him. The raven smiled and nodded, and traded places with his sister again to go another round with Korban. The fight lasted only a few seconds, before - as Korban made a swing at Avory, the raven moved inside his reach, grabbing his outstretched arm, and attempting to throw him over his shoulder.

It almost worked… But Avory lacked the upper body strength to complete the maneuver, and as a result, he and Korban both fell to the grass in a tumble; Avelyn and a nearby Tsumé burst out laughing as the two struggled to untangle themselves from each other, with Kyle joining in shortly after, though he tried to cover his mouth.

“Did I come at a bad time?” Obsidian called above the cacophony of chortling.

“...No, we’ve just worn him down a little bit ready for you,” Avory joked, letting go of the husky so the two males could get themselves up.

“Hah! In yer dreams, Stark,” Korban shot back as he rose to his feet. “You’ve gotten better, but yer still a long ways away from properly pinning me down.” He added, rolling his head along his neck a few times. “A’ight, take five you two. Grab a drink or a snack or whatever ya need to do.”

Obsidian chuckled as Kyle opened the gate for her and she came into the yard to join them. “I have to admit, I wasn’t sure what I’d find,” she said to the twins as the two shared a water bottle they retrieved from the deck, “after you told me a couple of days ago that you two were training with Korban.”

At that, she glanced at Kyle. “Speaking of which, what did you whisper to Avory just before that little tumble?” she asked.

Kyle shrugged. “Just some friendly advice,” he said. “I noticed Korban leaves an open spot after he swings and pointed it out to Avory.” He had to cover his smile. “Although I didn’t expect him to try doing a judo throw to take advantage of it.”

Suddenly, Obsidian’s phone began ringing, and she excused herself from the others to produce her phone, sighing. “I really hope this isn’t work about to call me in for another shift,” she muttered. Not that she wouldn’t take it, but she wanted at least to have a chance to enjoy a second day off in the same week.

To her surprise, though, it wasn’t the precinct. “Lighris?” she asked, before accepting the call and lifting the phone to the side of her head. “Hello?”

“Hey ‘Sid. Have you by chance heard from my brother today?” the voice of the Lightning Phoenix, carrying a note of concern, asked.

“No, I haven’t… Isn’t he still at his mother’s?”

“Apparently not. She called me this morning and said he’s gone, and he won’t answer his damn phone… Since you’re the closest thing to what he’d call a best friend I wondered if he might’ve spoken to you.”

“I’m sorry, he hasn’t… Is he at his tower? No wait,” she trailed off, having an idea. “I think I know just who to ask that. One second.”

She pressed the phone to her chest to cover the microphone, looking in Avory’s direction. “Avory?” she called.

“Yes? What’s wrong, Sid?” he asked, noticing the concern on her face.

“It’s Lighris on the phone here; he said Volcan’s left his mom’s place,” she explained, “Do you have one of those monitoring devices of yours up in that old fire watch tower of his; can you see if he’s there?”

“...Firewatch tower? I’m not aware of that” Avory remarked, trailing off in thought, “Does his mum know anything?”

“Nothing concrete, I think. But I know where it is,” she said, and brought the phone back to her ear. “Sorry, guess it’ll have to be a house call after all… Do you want me to head up there too?”

“Well, like I said, Volcan does consider you one of if not definitely his best friend… If he is up there, he might need you.”

Obsidian’s face soured at that. “Okay. I’ll head up there in a few minutes,” she said. With that, she said goodbye to Lighris and hung up, pocketing her phone again as she slowly lifted her head, staring off into space.

“Hey, Copper.” Korban’s voice rang through the air, grabbing her attention. “Somethin’ on yer mind you wanna share with the rest of the class?”

Obsidian took in a deep breath and peered over her shoulder at the others. “Do you all remember what Boswell MacAingeal told us, that Volcan might not be the same after what he’s been through?”

The husky shared concerned looks with the twins, and when no one immediately spoke up, she continued. “Well… We’re about to find out,” she added. “Sorry to cut this visit a little short, but I’ll be back right after I go see him.”

“Hey! Hey! Sid! Do you want us to come with you?” Avory asked, rushing out to follow her, stopping her before she could leave.

She paused mid-step, and looked back at him. “Let me and Lighris try first,” she reasoned. “We best not all pile on Volcan at once until we know what state of mind he’s in; it might be too much for him just now. But I’ll let you know, okay?”

“Ok. We’d like to know he’s safe, but he might just need some time alone, as you said,” Avory agreed.

“I’ll come right back or call you after I’ve spoken to him.”

With that, Obsidian made her way back to her car, climbing in and driving away with the siblings, Korban and Kyle staring after her, the four of them sharing concerned looks with each other as they hoped Volcan was alright

When Obsidian pulled up to the foot of the tower, following a bumpy drive down the overgrown road - fairly certain that she would need to hire Lighris to check her suspension later, she wasn’t surprised to find the Lightning Phoenix’s pickup truck parked at the foot of the tower. She was, however, surprised to see Lighris standing down by his truck, a lit cigar clenched in his beak as she pulled up.

Parking her car, she climbed out of her seat and approached Lighris. “Were you waiting on me to go see him?” she asked.

“No,” replied Lighris. “I’ve already been up to talk to him… At least until he practically chased me out.”

“Chased you out?” Obsidian echoed, surprised. Then, she scowled, remembering Lighris’ tendency to be brusque, even brutish, at times. “What did you say to him?

“Nothing like what you’re thinking,” Lighris returned, offended by her tone. “I asked if he was okay and tried to talk to him, but he clammed up; I could barely get him to say anything. The most words he said was telling me that he didn’t want to talk and asked me to leave. Then, when I didn’t do it immediately, he stood up, glared at me, and demanded I get out.”

He took a drag off his cigar before he continued. “It didn’t look like he was going to take no for an answer, and I really didn’t want to end this in a fight, so I did as he said,” he concluded. “I’ve been waiting here since then, to let you have a go.”

Obsidian frowned. “What makes you think he’ll talk to me when he wasn’t even willing to speak to you? You’re his family.”

“You’re the only one he’s ever really opened up to aside from our mother, and he already ran out on her,” replied Lighris.

“Well, what about Ordagova?” Obsidian replied. “He’s Volcan’s boyfriend; if anyone can make him open up, I’m sure he can.”

Lighris frowned deeply at that. “I… Don’t think we should call on him, just yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m almost certain that’s why Volcan feels so downtrodden,” Lighris replied. “I know Volcan, and I know he doesn’t do well when he feels like he’s wronged or failed someone; he’s paralyzed by guilt. Volcan burned down Ordagova’s house and put him in the hospital; can you imagine the baggage that’s left him with?”

“But that wasn’t his fault!” Obsidian said, raising her voice slightly.

“I’m not the one you need to convince, ‘Sid,” replied Lighris, tapping his cigar to remove the excess ash from the tip and stomping on the spot where it landed. “Remember how long he held onto the guilt with that hooker because he wasn’t there to protect her when P.A.C.E came after her? Now, with his own hands - even if not his will, Ordagova got hurt and left homeless. We bring Orda out here to talk to him, Volcan’s not just going to break down, he’s going to bolt, and we might not find him again for days.”

Obsidian let out a long sigh, seeing the logic in Lighris’ words. She remembered well how Volcan never stopped thinking about Natalie - a prostitute who he had saved from P.A.C.E, only for them to come back later and kill her when he wasn’t there… Even knowing he couldn’t have stopped them, he never stopped blaming himself for it until they assaulted P.A.C.E’s headquarters and defeated them once and for all.

She suspected some part of him still held onto that self-blame, but defeating P.A.C.E and avenging their victims had brought a cathartic peace to the phoenix. He had stopped letting guilt plague him… But then the demon had emerged and used his body to attack several people he cared about, including the man to whom he’d given his heart.

“Okay,” she said. “I’ll go talk to him.”

Obsidian made the long climb up the tower stairs, making her way up to the cabin at the top. She paused whenever the boards below her feet creaked, fearing that the aged wood might finally be hitting its limit after so long in neglect. Though it was true that Volcan, since commandeering the tower, had reinforced or replaced some of the boards on the stairs, the tower was still very old.

It was an exhausting climb for those who weren’t accustomed to it. At any other time, she would have levitated herself to the top rather than use the stairs, but she needed the time to think about what she was going to say to Volcan… She had no idea what kind of state she would find him in; to find out that he drove his brother away rather than speak to him was surprising.

She wondered if she was even the right person to be talking to him in such a state… But, as Lighris had said, Volcan considered her one of his best friends. Certainly, she thought the same about him; she felt she owed it to him, to at least try reaching out to him. This was not the time to be isolated.

Reaching the top, she followed the catwalk to the cabin door and gently knocked. She didn’t receive a response but opened the door regardless to peer inside; it occurred to her that this would be the first time she had ever entered Volcan’s ‘home’ - if it could be called that. But she knew he lived a very barebones lifestyle; she had seen so back on the ground when she saw the firepit and grill that were where he probably prepared his meals.

A bag of charcoal had sat beside the fire pit, with brambles and twigs piled haphazardly beside the pit to serve as kindling. There was also a folding chair and table, placed a short distance from the fire pit, where Obsidian imagined Volcan took his meals. Lastly was a water pump, located a short walk from the tower; she doubted Volcan used that for more than having water to cook with, as the phoenix did not rely on hydration as other life forms did.

Inside the cabin of the watchtower, the accommodations were only slightly more modernized than the arrangement that the dragoness had seen below when she arrived. The phoenix did not have much furniture; a bed, a table with two chairs, another chair in the corner - this one with a cushion, sitting next to a half-filled bookshelf with various novels, magazines, and - surprisingly, even a few comic books.

The bed itself was, to say the least, lacking. It was a single bed, barely wide enough for Volcan’s large figure, with a thick mattress and no box spring, built on a wrought iron frame with short legs, and thick rubbery bands forming the support on the bottom. The nightstand next to the bed - a black, weathered side table that she would have bet money had been picked up from a garage sale or thrift store as it clashed with the rest of the room’s decorum, was occupied only by a half-melted candle on a brass holder with a few minor black spots of corrosion.

Perhaps the most stand-out feature in the room was the one thing that did not belong. The middle of the cabin was occupied by a small, wood-burning stove with a chimney feeding out through the roof - something Obsidian knew was not standard for ranger lookouts. The floor had been covered with stone slabs, not secured by mortar or any adhesives but nearly arranged to lay together below the stove, protecting the floor from embers or sparks.

It was not the first time Obsidian had ever been inside the tower, but the spartan accommodations never failed to appall her when she saw them. ‘Why would anyone choose to live like this? Volcan, you really deserve better than you give yourself…’

“Who is it?” the phoenix’s glib voice called. He was sitting by the window, staring out at the forested hillside below.

“It’s me,” Obsidian called out, knowing Volcan would recognize her voice.

Volcan turned slowly to look at her. The look on his face suggested he was surprised to see her; she tried to peer into his mind, skimming only the surface of his thoughts - just enough to understand what he was thinking at that moment, and found that he didn’t expect that she would ever want to come see him again… That was a sobering if rather hurtful, revelation…

“‘Sid…” he said, trailing off as he couldn’t find the words to say.

Obsidian met his eyes, taking slow steps across the cabin toward him. “Good to see you on your feet again,” she said. “Is it okay if we talk for a bit?”

She could see that he was looking for a reason to refuse her; even without seeing into his thoughts, his body language conveyed as much. He was looking around the room, searching for some excuse - something he could use to make her leave without being offensive. But he - rightfully, recognized that he wouldn’t find it so easy to fool her.

“S-Sure,” he said. He seemed reluctant to even look at her, as even when he voiced his agreement, he refused to look her way again, keeping his head turned to the side and beginning to fold his arms across his body.

But Obsidian beat him to it, not wanting to give him the chance to shut himself in before she had a chance to say anything. She rushed toward him, and wrapped her arms around his midriff, hugging him tightly. He stiffened in her grasp, choking on his words as he stood ramrod straight, caught by surprise.

She didn’t fail to notice that he seemed… Colder than he should have been. She had hugged Volcan several times in the past, and always marveled at how warm his body was – just being near him a very comforting presence. But at that moment, he seemed only slightly warmer than a regular person, and she knew – due to his nature as a fire elemental, that was certainly a concern…

She decided not to dwell on it, focusing instead on the man who needed her first of all. She held him a little tighter, resting her head against his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said softly.

Slowly, she felt Volcan lowering his arms, resting his hands first on her shoulders, before he also put his wings over her; an intimate gesture by avians, both protective and warming – at least most of the time. “I’m… Not so sure I am, ‘Sid…” he said in a dark tone. “I still hear him… I still hear that monster’s voice… The things he said he was going to do, echoing in the back of my mind.”

Obsidian held him a little tighter. “I understand,” she said. “Just-”

“No, no, you don’t,” Volcan rebuked her claim, and she felt his hold lessening around her, his wings angling back to sit behind him in their resting position. “I’ve had you or Ordagova speak in my head before, but this wasn’t that… This was having another being’s will forced over my own… And I didn’t just hear his voice; he knew my thoughts, and I knew his. I saw every twisted image conjured in his mind, about what he was planning to do to everyone.”

She felt him shuddering. “The things he showed me… That he was going to do to you – to all of you… It broke me, seeing those things...”

“But he’s gone now,” Obsidian reasoned. “He can’t hurt me or anyone else, nor can he make you do it. You’re free of him… We are safe from him.”

Gently, Obsidian pulled back from Volcan, meeting his eyes and lifting her hands to rest on both sides of his face. In response, he let his arms fall back to his sides; she could see that he hadn’t been sleeping well, by the dark circles under his eyes and the tired gaze he was giving her. It was a heart-wrenching sight, seeing him like this…

“Please don’t shut yourself in for this, Volcan,” she pleaded. “Everything that… Thing, tried to do… It wasn’t your fault.”

“Then whose was it?” he asked, in a tone that told Obsidian he had already decided on the answer. “It was my body… My hands… My will against his, and I lost…”

He lifted his hands, slowly taking Obsidian’s wrists in his grasp and easing them away from his face. “I’m sorry… I need some time alone.”

His mind was closed to her then. He had guessed she was looking into his mind and had forcefully cleared his thoughts to keep her out. When he turned his back on her, that was when she knew that he wouldn’t speak any further. She had already managed to gain as much as he was going to allow for the moment; she’d have to try again another time.

She let out a sigh. “I don’t want to just leave you like this, Volcan… I want to help you,” she said.

“You… Have,” he said. “I feel a little better, having you here, but I… I just need some time.”

He was lying, she knew; she didn’t need to look into his mind to know. But she had the sense to know that pressuring him now though would only make the situation worse… She had no choice but to leave for now and give him some time to think.

“When you want to talk again… You know how to reach me,” she said, and reluctantly began to make her way to the door, respecting his wishes to be left alone with his thoughts.

When Obsidian reached the bottom of the tower, she found Lighris still waiting by his truck. He had finished his cigar, and seemed to be considering lighting another one when she appeared; he closed the tin of cigars and held them in his hand as he approached her.

“Any luck?” he asked.

“Not much,” she replied without hesitation. “I got him to speak a bit, but he shut himself in again the moment I tried to tell him he wasn’t to blame…”

Lighris sighed. “Unfortunately, that’s the way he is… He can’t blame that thing that came out of him, since it’s gone now.”

“We saw it rip out of him and run away… Is it really gone?”

Lighris scoffed. “Hell if I know. That jackal-headed Anubian-whatever-the-fuck was willing to go to some extreme lengths to kill it even before it tore its way out of my brother,” he said. “I doubt he was just going to let it walk away after going to so much trouble. I’d bet a week’s worth of these,” he showed his cigar tin, “that he’s already found and destroyed it by now.”

“I certainly hope you’re right,” said Obsidian. “For now… I don’t think there’s anything else we can do for Volcan. I promised the twins I’d fill them in on how it went, so I guess I’ll head back to their place and follow up.”

“Mind if I tag along?” asked Lighris. “Had a few things I wanted to ask those two anyway.”

Obsidian looked at him curiously, considering for a moment to look into his mind to see just what questions that Lighris had for Avory and Avelyn. But she thought better of it, and shrugged. “Sure, I guess… Let’s go.”

~~~~~

The downtrodden expression on Obsidian’s face, as well as that of the lightning phoenix walking at her side as they entered the yard, were a telling sign to everyone who came to meet them - including Tsumé, who had joined the four since Obsidian had left.

“How was he doing?” Tsumé asked, before anyone else could speak.

“Not well…” Obsidian replied. “He’s very distraught… He says he’s still being haunted by the voice of that monster that was inside of him before, and he doesn’t look like he’s slept properly in days. I did the best I could, but… He just completely shut himself in, in every sense.”

“Could you hear any voice in his mind?” Avory asked, concerned.

“No. What he’s hearing are just memories and illusions of his own making, but that thing is well and truly gone,” she replied. “Still, the damage is done - he can’t stop hearing them, and it’s ruining his sleep.”

“Is there nothing any of us can do?” Tsumé asked, folding her arms and resting them against her chest.

“Well, I could help him suppress the phantom voices… But at this stage, doing that might come across as a violation,” the dragoness detailed. “I don’t want to do that if he doesn’t consent to it; it might just make things worse. He has to make that decision himself.”

A voice she hadn’t expected to chime in at that moment suddenly joined the conversation. “Did you even think to ask him if he wanted that?” Korban demanded, walking over to look Obsidian in the eyes, his expression showing displeasure. “Or did that skip yer mind in the heat of the moment?”

She looked at him. “It didn't seem appropriate at that time to ask him. As I said, he completely closed himself off, mentally and literally; even if I had asked, he would have said no. And, even if I didn't wait for his permission to do it, he would've sensed it… That would have just made him angry.”

Korban’s gaze lingered on her for another minute, before drifting to everyone else one after the other. “So that’s it then?” He asked, in an accusing tone. “One attempt each, and yer all just gonna call it quits? Give up on him when he needs you guys at his lowest point?”

“Hey, nobody has given up on him,” Lighris countered, regarding the husky angrily. “Don't pretend you give a shit, pal; you were ready to off him the moment you knew what was wrong! The rest of us at least were looking for an alternative solution besides cutting him in half with a compensating, giant meat cleaver!”

The two started to argue, but Tsumé hastily moved between them. “Knock it off, idiotes!” She shouted. “This doesn't do him, or us, any favours!”

“But Korban may be right,” Obsidian said in a low voice, her gaze falling to the ground. “Maybe… Maybe we should've stayed longer. Tried to do more.”

“See? Copper here gets it!” Korban exclaimed, shooting daggers at Lighris. “You tried once, and when he showed the slightest bit of pushback, you decided to leave him be. Any other brother would’ve stood his ground and pushed back harder!” He went on, scoffing. “And in regards to ending him while he was possessed? Clearly, you haven’t seen enough of ‘em to know that once a demon has you under its control, it’s gonna fight tooth and claw to hold onto its host until it expires.”

“Get what I’m saying here? No one has ever walked away from a demonic possession alive, let alone unscathed,” Korban concluded. “Flamie got fucking lucky and it’s high time he realizes that.”

He then turned to Avory. “Hey Stark. Send me the coordinates to that watch tower, Stark. It’s time he gets a little dose of actual tough love.”

Avogadro was taken aback by the demand, hesitating only for a moment before he answered. Avory had been one of the ones to agree that if Volcan wanted to be left alone, they should respect that. But something in Korban’s expression had the raven reconsidering that.

Still, he could only give the honest answer. “I… Don’t know where it is,” he answered.

Korban looked at Avory with a stunned expression for a small moment. “Yer kidding,” he remarked before rolling his eyes and turning to the others. “Well then, one of you guys tell me where he is. Just give me a general area and I’ll figure out the rest.”

“What makes you think any of us would tell you where my brother lives?” Lighris demanded.

But to his chagrin, Obsidian spoke up. “North of town, up in the hills,” she said, ignoring the infuriated stare Lighris gave her as he whirled around. “There’s a road that goes up there but it’s overgrown; you might have trouble finding it. It’s an old fire watch tower; the only one up there, and you should be able to see it from the road.”

“Obsidian!” Lighris protested.

“Thank you,” Korban remarked, giving Obsidian a nod before he started for the door, stopping only to glance at Lighris out of the corner of his eye and sneer at him before continuing on his way.

Everyone watched the husky leave, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern at the idea of having him, of all people, take a chance at comforting Volcan when even Lighris and Obsidian had failed. Avory, for his part, shared a look with his sister, both of them having the same thought as they wondered if it shouldn’t have been one or both of them, but neither spoke.

As Korban left, Lighris whirled on the dragoness again. “What the fuck, lady?!” he demanded. “Why would you tell him that?”

“Because I’m out of ideas,” Obsidian returned sharply. “We don’t know what Volcan has been through; none of us can know… But more than anyone else here, Korban at least has some idea; he knew before any of us that Volcan was possessed, and we all know now he’s half-demon himself. There may be something he can do that none of us can; something he knows that we do not.”

“Wait, Korban’s half-demon?” Kyle asked.

Lighris ignored the human’s question. “Or he can put a bullet through his head when Volcan tries to chase him out too!” Lighris retorted.

“If I thought there was any danger of that, do you really think I’d have told him?” Obsidian asked, glaring at the lightning phoenix.

“What, you looked into his mind and saw a lack of hostile intent?” The lightning phoenix asked doubtfully

“That, and he’s not carrying any of his weapons!” Obsidian returned, pointing to the fence to her right, at the belt with two holstered pistols and the oversized sword that Lighris hadn’t seen before – a sword, more resembling a giant cleaver, that was unmistakenly the empathic weapon of the husky.

That set Lighris back on his heels, having not taken the time to consider that Korban was indeed unarmed when he had left… But the skeptical glare remained. “What makes you think he still won’t push Volcan too hard, even without weapons?”

“Volcan wouldn’t open up to either of us, Lighris; not you, and not even me,” stated Obsidian. “You said it yourself; his guilt paralyzes him. He’s so ashamed of what he tried to do to us, or what that thing showed him what it would do, that he can’t look us in the eye. You saw it. I saw it; I felt it. But maybe Korban can help him, in ways we can’t… Until he lets that guilt go, he’ll just keep pulling away from us.”

“And unlike anyone else here, we at least know Korban can take it,” Kyle put in.

Obsidian turned and cast a sour look in Kyle’s direction. “Sorry,” the human apologized, realizing that his words had been poorly timed.

“I’m not sure. I think you made the right call initially, Obsidian. Perhaps it would be best if we leave him alone for a bit.” Avelyn started, “How long has he been awake for? A day, maybe two? Give him some time to collect his thoughts before we go harassing him anymore.”

“I agree,” Avory supported his sister, “We all want to remind him that we’re there for him and want to support him, but we don’t want to make him feel uncomfortable. If anything, we need to get him to make the decision to come back to us, or at least make him think it was his decision.”

Obsidian nodded in thanks to the twins, smiling at them. Tsumé came over to stand beside her. “We’ll all make time to go see him when we feel he’s ready,” the Earth Phoenix stated. “Let’s just hope Korban doesn’t spoil all that with this ‘tough love’ approach he’s taking.”

“I know I’m putting a lot of faith in Korban,” Obsidian continued, her voice level as she reasoned with the overprotective brother. “But let’s give him a chance… He may yet surprise us.”

Lighris huffed, retaining the scowl on his face as he turned to peer up toward the mountain. “For his sake, he better…” he muttered to himself, though only half-meant the implications that accompanied his words, staring longingly in the direction of the hill where he knew Volcan’s tower lay…

~~~~~

It took Korban some time to find the overgrown road that led up to the tower Volcan had commandeered as his residence. The way was so far out of town and so hidden by the trees he drove past it the first time before finding what was the only real path up the mountainside, leading up to the ridge where the tower overlooked the forests at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.

It seemed odd to Korban, that Volcan would choose to live out here… Sure, everyone needed their own space - he could understand that, but he couldn’t imagine it was a comfortable place, in a weathered old ranger lookout. That became more of a question as he approached the structure, rising high over the trees and allowing him to see it well before he arrived.

The bumpy ride slowed him somewhat, but eventually, his motorcycle saw him through to the end. He parked at the base of the tower, taking in the area and the survivalist setup that he could see around the tower, with improvised furniture, a grill over a fire pit, a stack of logs and a hatchet, and a wooden box with a lid sitting by the stairs - he took a peek inside and found it full of cut logs and newspaper.

“Sheesh… really living off the fat of the land, aren’t ya, Flamie?” The husky remarked out loud, backing away from the box and looking up at the tower itself, then to the flight of stairs leading up to the top. “If this is where you hole up whenever yer upset, then it’s no wonder you got such low self-esteem…” he added as he started to climb the stairs.

It took him some time to reach the top of the tower; Korban was quite fit, but he still found himself winded by the ordeal. By the time he reached the last flight of stairs, he had to take a moment to catch his breath before he ascended to the top. Once there, standing outside the cabin, he took a moment to admire the view around the tower; he could see as far as the city from where he stood, giving him a great view of the mountains and the forested slopes and hills below.

If nothing else, it was a spectacular view. He let out a long whistle as he took in the sight, placing his paws on his hips and nodding a few times. “Gotta admit, though… It’s a helluva view from here. Still, a little far away from civilization fer my tastes.” He added, taking his eyes off of the view and began circling around the cabin to find the door.

He could barely see anything through the cabin windows; they were dusty and the lights - if there were any, weren’t on. To his fortune though when he reached the door, he found it unlocked, but when he started to open it he was met by Volcan’s voice, sounding annoyed.

“I already said I wanted to be left alone,” he called.

Korban froze for a moment, then smirked and pushed it open all the way. “First time hearing that from you,” he remarked as he stepped inside.

If Volcan had any retort planned for whoever had visited, it died the moment he heard that voice. From where he sat on the edge of his bed, the phoenix raised his head promptly, before rising from his seat and turning to peer toward the door to confirm who he had just heard speaking, his expression carrying incredulity at who he saw.

“Korban?” he asked, stunned.

Volcan looked just as Obsidian had described. By his sagging features and the dark spots under his eyes, he definitely had not been sleeping well… Korban also could not smell anything that indicated food had been eaten recently either, which Obsidian had not mentioned - possibly, she had not realized during her visit. The sight almost made Korban cringe as he looked at Volcan and his disheveled features, but he still held his grin even as he stepped inside and kicked the door shut gently.

“If ya didn’t want any visitors, then maybe ya might wanna consider putting a lock on that door.” He said nonchalantly as he started roaming around the cabin, taking in its surroundings. “So, this is where you hole yerself up when yer feeling blue, eh? Sheesh, no wonder you have such low self-esteem sometimes.” He added with a small chuckle, then turned and looked back at Volcan directly. “...Ya look like shit, man.” He concluded, straight and to the point.

Volcan scowled at the direct jab at his appearance, turning away from the husky and moving to the window. “I’m sure I do,” he said, plainly. “But… Like I told ‘Sid and my brother… It’s just something I have to deal with… By myself.”

“Bullshit,” Korban shot back immediately. “Yer depressed, man, and being alone is the last thing you wanna do fer yerself. Ya think yer helping others by distancing yerself, but the harsh truth is yer only making them worry even harder about you.” He added, taking a few steps closer to Volcan, his smirk fading into a serious expression. “I know what’s got you down in the dumps, and lemme be absolutely frank with you… That wasn’t yer fault, and deep down you know it.”

Volcan scoffed. “You know, she said the same thing when she was here,” he said, gloomily. “But like I told ‘Sid… If it wasn’t my fault, then whose was it? It was my hands that knocked my brother across the room, my flames that burned Tsumé and Ordagova. Even if it wasn’t my mind in control… It was still all me, and I couldn’t stop it.”

Korban started to scowl the more he listened to Volcan, and when he was finished, he crossed his arms and scoffed dismissively. “Are you done with the self-pity story?” He asked, coming off as abrasive and impatient.

This time, Volcan rounded on him, and there was a faint glow in his eyes as he glared at the husky - one that might not have been visible if they were outside, but in the gloom of the cabin it was easy to see. The sudden temperature change was unmistakable as well; the interior of the cabin had grown warmer, in reflection of Volcan’s growing anger.

“What the fuck do you want?!” he demanded.

Korban then pushed Volcan back so that he was against the wall, slamming his paw next to his head and glared right back into his eyes, standing nose to beak with him. Despite Volcan being significantly larger than the husky, he failed to stand his ground at the unexpected attack, and Korban showed no signs of concern despite being faced by a desolate opponent who was larger and certainly stronger than himself.

“I want you to fucking get over yourself,” he growled, his voice slightly distorted as he spoke in that instance. “I don’t think you understand just how lucky you are to still be alive right now. You had yer fucking back torn apart after that thing was ejected out of you, and it’s only because of yer ancient ass brick shit house of an uncle that you even pulled through.”

Korban didn’t pull away even as he went on. “Maybe instead of moping about ‘oooh it’s all my fault that a demon made me do such atrocious things,’ you should stop to think that you could have fucking died man! No one walks away from a possession alive like that, let alone unscathed!”

“Unscathed?” Volcan echoed. “Maybe you didn’t see the gaping scar on my back? Nevermind, I don’t even give a fuck about that… You keep trying to insist it wasn’t my fault, but I burned down my boyfriend’s home! I was still the one in the driver’s seat when I did that! If I hadn't been knocked out, I might not have been able to stop myself from torching the whole neighbourhood!”

He briskly pushed Korban away from him, sending the husky stumbling across the room, struggling to keep his footing as the phoenix continued speaking, finally letting everything loose as he lost control. “And I can still hear him… I still hear that lunatic’s voice in my head! I know he’s gone, and yet I still hear them!” This time, he lifted his hands to grab his head, like he was trying to blot out a sound.

That was when Korban saw the tears in his eyes. “And I still see his thoughts… Everything he imagined doing to the people I care about; I could see everything he was thinking of doing, every depraved thought he had! I can’t get those images out of my head… I keep seeing myself doing those things!”

Volcan was having a complete mental breakdown. Korban watched him in silence for a few moments, then he stepped toward the Phoenix and, instead of roughly pushing him again, he placed his hand gently on Phoenix’s shoulder to get his attention again. Volcan was breathing hard, his eyes staring at the floor in panic, but he didn’t push Korban away yet, showing he was at least trying to pull himself together again.

“What part of ‘possession’ isn’t clicking for you?” Korban said in a softer tone this time.

Volcan clenched his eyes shut again, shivering as he suddenly lost feeling in his legs and dropped to his knees. “Why couldn’t he have taken these thoughts and memories with him?” he said aloud, seeming to talk mostly to himself. “Why do I have to still see and hear them? Everything he was going to do… To Obsidian… To Avelyn, or even Avory… To this whole city. I can still remember the way he tried to hurt you all… And that sadistic glee he spoke with while doing it, and when he told me everything he was going to do, using my body… And that he’d make me see every moment of it.”

The air was noticeably cooling as Volcan’s fury abated, replaced instead by dread as he recounted the memories, being tortured by visions of everything that the demon was going to make him do. Suddenly, Volcan toppled over, sliding away from Korban as he hit the floor, breathing harder now and clutching his chest. Korban took in the signs and knew right away that Volcan was having a panic attack.

“Shit…” Korban muttered, running his hand through his hair before he stepped around Volcan and knelt down beside him, hurriedly bringing the Phoenix back into a sitting position, or at least as close to one as he could, and gently let Volcan lay his head against his chest as Korban rubbed his shoulder a few times.

“Calm down, man. Deep breaths. Focus on me and my voice, you hear me?” he said in as soothing a tone as he could manage. “Just relax. Deep breaths,” he continued slowly, patiently.

It took a moment, and Korban had to repeat his instructions again, before Volcan’s breathing began to steady again. His body stopped shaking, and his eyes slowly regained their focus, even as more of the strange tears flowed from them - they were not water, nor could they be, but they resembled it nonetheless as they flowed down his cheeks, not even sizzling. Now was not the time to ask about them though.

Volcan let his head rest where it was, hearing Korban’s heartbeat and using it as an anchor to tether himself. He unclenched his hands as he started to relax, finally breathing normally again.

“Unfortunately, that’s the kind of beings Demons are,” Korban remarked, answering Volcan’s earlier question. “They like to leave a lasting impression on their host; make them feel truly helpless while they have you under their grasp,” he explained, “But just keep reminding yourself, he’s gone. He isn’t going to hurt you, or anyone else. Right?”

Giving the phoenix another moment to collect himself, he cupped Volcan’s face in his hands and then lifted his head so their gazes met. “Let me repeat myself. It. Wasn’t. Your. Fault. If you want someone to get angry or distressed about, focus all that shit on the demon that took control of you. He’s the one responsible, not you.”

“How do I stop thinking about them though… All the things he was going to make me do, and the things he did make me do?” he asked in a raspy voice. “They’re still there whenever I close my eyes… And when it’s quiet, I can still hear his damn voice, telling me of his depraved intentions… I just want them all to stop...” he was sobbing now, on the verge of having another emotional breakdown even as Korban tried to console him.

“Sad fact is… Ya can’t make them stop,” Korban answered solemnly; he didn’t mention Obsidian’s earlier offer, knowing that he should let the dragoness do that herself. “They’ll eventually fade away with time, but what ya can do to make it easier to deal with is think about everyone else around you, and how lucky you are to have such a tight-knit support group.”

He went on as soon as he knew he had Volcan’s attention. “Ya got a mom and a brother that’d bend over backward fer ya. You got a good group of friends ta pick you up whenever yer feeling down. Far as I’m concerned, you got it good, Flamie,” he added with a hint of envy in his tone. “Next time ya start hearing the voices or seein’ the images, think about yer pals and yer family instead. Demons thrive off of negative emotions, so if ya overshadow all that negativity with positive emotions, it’ll start the healing process.”

Volcan blinked at him and could not keep the skepticism out of his voice as he asked, “Can it really be so simple as that?” he asked. “Just… Try to think about the good parts of my life, to keep out the bad?”

“It ain’t perfect, but it’s a start,” Korban answered. “Another thing you could do is… maaaybe not coop yerself up in this shithole and go back to yer loved ones. Surrounding yerself with good peeps also does wonders for depression.” He added, then shrugged. “But hey, don’t take my word fer it.”

“I’ll have you know this old tower is the closest thing to a ‘home’ I’ve ever had,” Volcan remarked, dryly. “Sure, Lighris and my mother always invite me to stay with them… And I thought I had another one with Orda, but…” he trailed off.

Korban acted before Volcan could slip into that pit again. “Ey! Don’t you even start that shit again,” he snapped, even giving Volcan a light slap on the cheek. “Positive thoughts, remember? You slip back into that depression, and it’s just gonna make everything that much harder to get through.”

“Sorry…” the phoenix replied, sheepishly. “It’s just… Really hard not to think of it or feel guilty for it.” He shut his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath before he opened them again. “Is… He okay, do you know?”

“From what I heard, he is recovering just fine,” Korban answered. “Might take a while, but he’s alive at least.”

Volcan relaxed a little more at that. “Good… I’m glad to hear it,” he said, sighing with relief. “And… The fire I caused in the woods when I was rampaging. It didn’t go out of control?”

“Actually, Lightning Bolt had the bright idea to use those flames to stabilize ya,” Korban answered. “That blue dragon dude. He absorbed yer powers and took in all that fire before passing ‘em into you. It took care of the lethal damage at least, which gave us enough time to get ya to yer uncle’s place.”

To his delight, Volcan let out a light laugh at that. “Well, how about that… Funny how that worked out, eh?”

“No kidding,” Korban answered, chuckling a little himself and smirking at Volcan once he saw the slight smile on his face. “Look at that, yer smiling. Seems like my little pep talk’s working its charm after all.”

Volcan blushed slightly, before he kept the conversation going; he didn’t want to stop talking to the husky, as doing it let him think about something besides his guilt. “I have to confess… You’re about the last person I expected to see, while I was like this,” the phoenix remarked, arching an eyebrow as he admitted his surprise. “I didn’t think you… Well, would really care so much as to come and try to help me through this.”

“Well… think of it as me repaying you fer saving my ass after that tangle with Devilshade.” Korban answered, rubbing Volcan’s shoulder gently. “And… fer showing me that there are still people out there I can trust without worryin’ about them stabbing me in the back… That’s a debt I can never hope to repay…”

“I think earning your trust was a worthy endeavour, given what we were up against,” the phoenix said. “We couldn’t have taken down P.A.C.E if we were worried about backstabbing each other now could we?”

“Maybe… But when you’ve been in the business as long as I have, it’s always a looming thought in the back of my head every time there’s a team-up,” Korban responded with a heavy sigh. “Every time in the past, it’s always been the same. Team up to collect a bounty, and plan to split the goods, only fer the other party to try and backstab ya and take all of the loot for himself while they leave ya for dead… That’s why I worked alone fer a time, least till I ran into Kitty and employed him.”

“I guess he was the exception then, and the first sign there are others you can depend on?” asked Volcan. Then, he added. “Like… Proving you can be dependable too, as you are now?”

At that, Korban scoffed slightly, not falling for the phoenix’s trap. “I stepped up because everyone else was ready to give you yer space when what you needed was the exact opposite,” he stated. “Depression fucking sucks man. It takes you down a rabbit hole so fast that it’s almost impossible to escape out of once yer in it… On that, you can take my word for it.”

Volcan grimaced. “Given what you told me… Yeah, I suppose you have a point,” he said.

Volcan stayed there a moment longer, staring up at Korban. There was something else he seemed to be thinking about at that moment, and his gaze lingered on the husky for longer than, perhaps, it should have… He quickly realized he was staring and averted his gaze, leaning his head forward to lift it from Korban’s chest.

Korban caught onto that lingering gaze and chuckled a bit, letting the phoenix back away from him. “Yeah, I know I’m handsome and charming. Go on, get yer looks in.” He joked, smirking confidently.

Volcan cleared his throat. “Sorry,” he said, scooting away from the husky slightly, but turning himself around to face him. “Still… I have to thank you, for going to all this trouble for me, even when I wanted to chase you out… Thinking back on it, I feel bad for doing that to my brother and ‘Sid… They just wanted to help me.”

He leaned his head forward, resting it in a raised hand as he let out a sigh. “Looks like I need to apologize to them, on top of trying to come to terms with all this… Chaos, in my head already.”

“Just remember this,” Korban firmly reiterated, pointing a finger at Volcan as he spoke. “You felt and saw everything he wanted to do, but you weren’t at the helm when he was out attacking everyone. Everything that happened? Orda’s home getting burnt down, him and Tsumé getting burnt? That was on the Demon inside of you, not you. Hell, at one point you even took back control of yerself and flew away from Stark’s house before it took over again. I don’t think yer giving yerself enough credit in how strong you really are, man.”

He then turned and looked out the window toward the wilderness outside. “Besides… there are worse things that could happen to ya other than surviving a demonic possession…”

Volcan lifted his head at that. “...Can I ask you something, that might be a bit personal?” he inquired, seeking permission.

“Fire away,” Korban answered with a shrug, not even hesitating. “If it helps ya feel all the better, I don’t see why not.”

Of course, Korban hadn’t actually expected what Volcan’s question was going to be, nor did he even guess as he saw Volcan’s gaze drift aside, seeking the courage that would allow him to ask. Finally, he just let it come out, meeting Korban’s eyes again.

“...What are you, really?” he asked. “You’re not just an Anthropian Husky. And you said it yourself, you’re not a metagene either. So why… Was that demon that was possessing me so agitated by you when he saw you?”

The way Volcan spoke… He already knew the answer to the question or thought he did. But he wanted to hear it directly from the source. Korban stared silently at Volcan for a long, awkward moment until his ears flattened, and he let out a heavy sigh.

“Well, it was bound to come out eventually… Of course, yer crusty old uncle already exposed me to the others, so no harm telling you now…” He began, then sucked in a deep breath and looked square at Volcan. “The thing is… I’m a Demon myself…” He answered. “Specifically, I’m the half-demon son of the former Demon King of the Underworld…”

He expected Volcan to be taken aback by what he said; indeed Volcan’s eyes widened ever-so-slightly at the confession of who Korban’s father was. But to Korban’s surprise, that was all he saw in Volcan’s eyes… Affirmation.

“Now it makes sense,” he said, in a glib tone.

Korban’s expression went flat for a moment, blinking a few times before he spoke up. “Hold on… You knew?” he asked, almost incredulously.

“Not at first, no,” Volcan admitted. “The first sign was when that psychotic P.A.C.E trooper attacked me, which now we know was the one hosting that demon before me. You knew immediately that he was possessed, but I saw no physical signs that would point to anything other than madness that could be explained by isolation just sending him over the edge. At first, I thought maybe you just… Smelled something, like how a lot of canines can smell illness in people before symptoms start showing.”

He lifted his gaze again, looking at Korban more firmly as he went on. “But while that demon and I were… Merged, when he saw you, there was something else, and it was only you he felt that way toward. It was like he saw you as a… Rival, I think is the best word to describe it, and only you - no one else, not even that… The thing that abducted me, the one that looked like Anubis.”

“Either way… I started to suspect there was more to you than I knew, and I just needed confirmation. I pride myself on being good with one other thing besides playing an acoustic, and that’s spotting patterns,” he concluded.

“...Huh,” Korban answered flatly, taken aback by how Volcan reacted to his most closely guarded secret. “Gonna be honest, I was expecting more of a violent reaction to that revelation. I mean… When yer uncle exposed me to the others, Copper and yer Ma looked mortified, while yer Uncle and yer bro looked like they were ready to lay on the pain.”

“They haven’t taken the time I have to try to understand you, I suppose,” said Volcan. “You’ve shown me that you’re no monster - you just have the blood of one. But from a certain point of view, so do I, especially if you’re an Ice Phoenix. Not a jab at Vinge, mind you, but technically our two races are natural enemies.”

“Story fer another time, I guess,” Korban remarked, scooting up closer to Volcan and placing his hand on his shoulder again. “So, ya feeling any better yet, or am I gonna have to get physical with you again?” he asked with a grin.

Volcan chuckled. “No… I think I’m okay for now. I’m not… Better, but I’m starting to feel a little more centered… I can think clearly again about something besides my regret.”

“Well, how about this?” Korban offered. “How about I come to visit ya every night until you feel well enough to go back to the others; that help at all?”

Volcan shrugged. “I suppose I can’t really stop you if that’s what you want to do… And, it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

“Damn right you can’t stop me, 'cause I’ll just bust down that poor excuse of a door if you even do try,” Korban added, his grin turning into a genuine smile before he started laughing a little.

At that, Volcan allowed himself a small chuckle. The two sat laughing for a moment before the phoenix slowly began to stand up, lifting himself off the floor and rising back to his feet, turning to regard Korban. “Thank you, for coming to see me,” he said.

“It’s no problem man.” Korban said as he stood up again. “Figured a little ‘tough love’ oughta steer you in the right direction.”

“Well, like you said, wallowing in self-pity, blaming myself for things beyond my control, certainly weren’t helping,” he admitted, lifting a hand to rub the back of his head. “One thing’s for sure though… I really should make a few phone calls, before the day’s out.”

“You do that,” Korban answered, then stepped forward and suddenly had Volcan in a hearty embrace, patting his back a few times - careful to avoid the scar when he did. “Same time tomorrow then.”

Volcan needed a moment to get over the surprise from Korban embracing him. But eventually, he put his arms around the husky and returned the hug, enjoying it for the moment. “Same time,” he echoed. Then, he chuckled. “Never took you for a hugger,” he added in an amused tone.

“I’m just full of surprises, big guy,” Korban responded, pulling back to look up at him. “‘Sides, figured you could use one given everything you’ve been through.” He added with a wink.

“Word,” Volcan agreed, pulling back from Korban but keeping a hand on his shoulder as he led him over to the door to see him out.

Saying their goodbyes, Volcan held the door open for Korban and watched him until he descended the stairs. When he was gone from sight, the phoenix moved to the window, retrieving his phone as he went, and watched the husky mount his motorcycle and ride away into the woods. Once more the phoenix was alone…

He looked at his phone, pressing the power button to switch it on and opening his contacts. He went to his recent calls first, seeing multiple unanswered calls from his mother, from Lighris… And from Ordagova. His heart stung at the sight, realizing - perhaps for the first time, just how much he had made the snake worry about him.

But… He couldn’t bring himself to call him. Not just yet… He felt his guilt returning, just thinking about the naga and what he’d done – despite Korban’s earlier warnings. He diverted his thoughts to happier memories, and decided who he should contact first, until he was ready to talk to Ordagova again…

He tapped his mother’s phone number and held the phone to his ear as it dialed….