Chapter XX

"No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed often, and by someone who knows how."

-Gone with the Wind

Aristide exhaled slowly as he hugged the wall. The heat of Hell was intense. Honestly, he was surprised that Salvin, Draco, and Rayna were surviving the heat of it. Of course, they probably were just suppressing their complaints, due to the situation at hand.

Carefully, he peeled his wet back off the wall. It was wet from sweat, and he wasn't the only one. Salvin had a bit of perspiration dripping down his slightly defined jawline that was covered in the light beard he had going for him. Rayna's breath was heavier than usual, and he could see some sweat slipping down onto her chest and into her- Aristide blinked as he looked away from her.

Draco was the only one who looked like he was fine. Well, except for the layer of sweat that made his skin shine in the light from the fires that were in the torches they had set up around.

Mitchel sighed, his body free of sweat. Aristide pursed his lips. He was lucky, being an angel and all. The likelihood of him being seriously injured on this escapade was very unlikely. Sighing, Aristide looked at his friend in his angelic blue eyes. "So, ready to go?"

He nodded, his eyes shining with hope. Aristide felt the corners of his mouth tug into a smile. He really loved her.

Salvin clapped his hands together. "Okay, which way do we go?"

Suddenly, the pounding of feet came their way. Draco turned to them. "Hide!" He hissed.

They all hid behind either a column, a wall, or in Rayna's case, a torch due to her smaller size. Aristide noticed Draco standing there. "What are you doing, you-" Mitchel started.

A Demon stood there, a pout playing on his lips. "Awe, a poor little human that so happens to be able to resurrect Lucifer sitting here. We can use your blood instead of just that girl's."

Draco smirked as he crossed his arms on his chest. "Who are you? You seem very unimportant."

The Demon's face contoured into an angry glare. "My name is Ezekiel, and I am one of Lucifer's right hand men. I suggest you be nice to me, boy."

Draco shrugged. "Whatever."

Ezekiel grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him away, anger seething off of him. "The idiot!" Salvin growled under his breath as soon as they vanished.

Aristide, however, knew better. He grabbed the small device Draco had slipped him before jumping into the portal. The screen lit up upon pressing the button, and a small icon appeared. He pointed forward. "Follow me." He said.

Rayna hurried over to his side. "What is this?" She asked, staring at the device.

"Why, this is a tracking device." He answered, staring down at her.

Her eyes widened. "So Draco has a tagger on him?" Salvin asked as he came to Aristide's other side.

Aristide looked up at him. "Yes." He answered, slightly annoyed at his small size compared to the man in front of him. Even though they were roughly five inches apart, it still annoyed him.

Mitchel came up next to him, slinging an arm over his friend's shoulder. "Come on, let's hurry." He said, looking down only slightly to meet his eyes.

Rayna grumbled something under her breath. "What?" Salvin asked, looking at her.

"Why are you all so tall?"

Aristide opened his mouth. "Well, seeing as we are all of the male species, we tend to be larger in size compared to the female race. Where female's average height tends to be five foot seven or five foot six, the male's average height is five foot ten, so Salvin is roughly four inches taller then that, while Mitchel is only one inch taller then that, and I am one inch shorter than that."

Rayna sighed. "I am so short."

Salvin chuckled. "You're not that bad, Rayna."

"I'm five foot one, Salvin."

His mouth turned into an 'o' shape. Rayna huffed in annoyance as she hurried ahead. The three boys all exchanged glances before hurrying to catch up with her.

Aristide put a hand on her shoulder. "I have to lead, Rayna."

She blushed at his words. "Of course."

He looked away from her, his mind consuming him completely. Why would she blush at something as simple as that? What caused her to blush? Was it his words, or his expression? His action? His tone? Aristide shook his head. He never understood emotions. Out of all his years of living, they were the most confusing of emotions.

He'd lived through wars, and still didn't understand how human emotions caused wars to break out. Yes, they were usually caused by anger, hate, or malice, but he didn't understand why.

Aristide could easily identify emotions. That's why he was able to see the love between Mitchel and Andrea. However, how that emotion started wasn't as clear. Was it a spark? Was it a forced feeling? Was it already there, just waiting to be awakened?

He sighed before looking up at the dark sky above them. He always looked up at the sky. Why? Well, he always felt that perhaps someone was watching his every move, watching his every breath, just waiting to see how his life ended.

Mitchel patted his shoulder, taking him out of his thoughts. He looked at his friend sympathetically. "You okay, Aristide? You looked kind of out of it."

"Y-yeah, just thinking." Aristide said, breaking eye contact with his best friend.

Mitchel's grip tightened slightly, as if he was preparing himself to say something else, but he moved his hand away, deciding against it. Aristide exhaled. He didn't need to be asked questions right now.

All he wanted to do was decipher the world completely.

****

Draco was shoved in a chair. He licked his lips, wetting the places that were drying up from the heat.

A girl was in the chair next to him, an IV pulling blood out of her. Ezekiel looked at him. "You know, I think with your blood and hers, it might work." He murmured as he turned away, grabbing the part of the IV that was stuck in your skin.

It looked like two really small needles put together in almost a 'V' shape, except they were closer together. The man grabbed a rope and tied it around his forearm, to stop blood from rushing to it as he inserted the two small straws. Draco hissed in pain, shutting his eyes.

Ezekiel inserted the tube to the end of the small tube coming out of Draco, and then attached it to an empty blood bag. Then, he pressed a button on a machine, and the blood began to be drawn out of him.

Ezekiel arched his back as he stretched it. "I'll be back. Don't do anything stupid."

Draco sighed as soon as he left. The girl suddenly turned to him. "A-are you here to h-h-help m-me?" She asked, her voice hoarse.

"Are you Andrea?" He asked, eyeing her with worry.

A small smile formed on her face. "Y-y-you a-are." She said, her blue eyes dull.

"D-do y-y-you know M-M-Mitchel?" She asked.

Draco nodded. "He'll be here soon, Andrea. Just stay awake, alright?"

Andrea looked at the bag hanging on the pole. "They have already drawn enough blood from me, they just want more for extra insurance. I don't think I'll be able to hold out for much longer." She said, turning to look back at Draco. "Please, if I don't...tell my brother what really happened. Tell my family I love them. Tell my friends down in Texas the truth about everything. Tell my friends up here the truth if they don't already know. And tell Mitchel that I-" she was cut off by her coughing.

"No, relax, Andrea!"

"Tell Mitchel that I care deeply about him, more than a friend." She said, her eyes beginning to close.

Before Draco could say anything else, the pounding of feet were heard, and Mitchel raced over to her side.

Draco smiled. She'll be alright, now.

****

Mitchel cupped her face. She opened her eyes, though it was a struggle. When she saw him, her heart swelled. "M-Mitchel." She croaked out.

He put a finger to her lips. "Sh, don't talk, Squirt."

She chuckled slightly at the name. Then, Mitchel looked at Aristide as he pushed the buttons on the machines to turn them off. Once it was finally off, Mitchel pulled the cord out and then gently pulled the IV out.

Andrea felt tears come to her eyes at the pain, but Mitchel simply cupped the wound, and a soft, white light expanded from his hand. Her eyes widened as she looked at him. She felt the life begin to return to her body, and she sat up, though it was difficult at first.

"W-what are you?" She asked, staring up at him.

Mitchel smiled. "I'm your angel, Andrea."

****

AWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

God, I love these two so much.

I love all my characters.

Except for Ezekiel. And Lilith. And Xezal. And Lucifer.

Those guys are jerks.

That's it for the twentieth chapter! One more and then the Epilogue!

And then, I have to type up Myth War!

Yes, that is what I am calling it. Don't judge.

It is honestly a Myth War. You'll see what I mean once the stuff comes out.

After I get these chapters up, the prologue will come one week afterwards.

Anyways, what do you think of the chapter? A bit of insight on Aristide's side of life. Also, if you want to see how old he actually is, check out the Myth High Files book I posted. It has information on all the characters with people playing them thus far, and more will be added in the future!

At the moment, not a lot is written on there because I'm still thinking on what else I should add, but it is not that bad. And, if you don't know what species some characters are, than it is listed for what they are!

Also, a big plot reveal is listed on there, but you'll have to be very intuitive to figure out what it is! No hints, either!

Weird note:

If you remember me talking about going to the ER a few weeks ago, then you remember me mentioning getting an IV drip, right? Well, as I was typing the part about it getting inserted in Draco's arm (not graphic because I am a very queasy person) the place on my right arm were the IV was inserted began to hurt.

I think it's just the memory.

Anyhow, I'll see you all later!

-Paige