5th December 2019

NOAH

The minute Augustus had spoken, the Pit drew back its smoky tethers from Johannes, almost stunned that he'd had asked it to retaliate.

"There are plenty of opportunities for you to torture Johannes," Augustus continued in a loud voice, "But today, I need to speak with him and Noah."

As the Pit curled like a tamed beast, I noticed Fergus watching the whole thing in awe. I bet he'd never seen Lord Augustus do it before.

"Johannes," Augustus called out sternly. "I do not have the time or patience to see you being consumed by the Pit."

"How are you so inconsiderate?" I gasped at him, stunned at how nonchalant he was at a struggling Johannes.

"Noah Stark, have you forgotten that it was I who had inflicted this torture upon him in the first place?" Augustus narrowed his eyes at me. "Seeing him suffer is exactly what I'd demanded."

This man was unbelievable.

"You're worse than him," I shook my head.

"Do not talk to me like that," He gave me a warning look. "I'm the head Spirit."

I would've retorted, but Johannes was stirring, sitting up weakly and looking at Augustus. There was a resigned look in his gaze, and his dark eyes looked empty and hopeless.

Like he'd been through hell and back.

"There you are," Augustus sneered. "I was wondering when you'd regain consciousness."

"Sorry for the inconvenience, Augustus," Johannes spoke, his voice devoid of its usual mirth. "What is the purpose of your visit?"

Augustus gestured us to follow him outside the Pit, to the reception room right next to it. This place was clean and fresh, nothing like the slimy Pit and all its tortures. We sat upon the chairs, while Augustus stood before us, folding his fingers together.

"Are you okay?" I asked Johannes telepathically.

I didn't know why I was this worried. But something about seeing him powerless was unsettling.

"I'm fine, Noah," He answered breezily, but I could see that his expression was taut.

Augustus cleared his throat. I wondered if he could hear us communicate.

"What is it, Augustus?" Johannes asked tiredly.

"Melody Davies has been missing for over a week," Augustus announced. "And I think you two are responsible for her disappearance."

I gaped at Augustus, my mouth half-open. Ever since I'd reached the Earthly Realm, I'd forgotten about Melody's existence. It looked very suspicious in the eyes of Augustus, who'd enchanted me to fall in love with her.

According to this, I should've been the first person to notice her disappearance.

"Us?" Johannes's voice rang through the silence. "We barely know the girl. I mean, I don't know her. Noah obviously does..."

We sat there, watching Augustus. His beady eyes swivelled back and forth between me and Johannes, trying to pounce upon any clue that might lead to Melody.

"When was the last time she'd visited you in the Pit?" Augustus barked, as he glared at me.

"Um... A week ago? Two weeks ago?" I massaged my forehead, trying to look convincing. "I don't know the exact date, Lord Augustus. The Pit makes it hard to keep a track of the time."

Johannes gave a subtle nod, a sign of approval over my acting skills.

"Fergus mentioned that she'd been here five days ago," Augustus said, watching us carefully for any slip-up. "But her guardians haven't seen her for two weeks. And neither has the ISA."

Of course, Fergus had lied on the pretext of saving us, but he'd messed things up.

"Maybe she joined the Astrascends," I blurted out, weaving out the tale in my head. "Melody did mention them in our last conversation."

Augustus's eyes widened at my words.

"The Astrascends? That cursed band of reckless Spirits?" He grew red with fury. "Do not lie, Noah Stark. Melody Davies is much more civilized than what the Astrascends will ever be!"

"So, you can vouch for Melody Davies not joining them?" Johannes spoke up. "Tell me, Augustus, is the girl a mere puppet in your hands?"

Augustus looked like he'd been slapped.

"Johannes, I never said that. I simply mentioned that Melody has higher principles and stronger values towards ISA-"

"Because you bewitched her?" Johannes glared at him. "Is that how you make soulmates fall for each other now? Trapping them under love spells?"

Under usual circumstances, I hated Johannes, but right now I was fangirling as he tore Augustus to smithereens.

"A love spell?" Augustus laughed out loud. "Johannes, you are sadly mistaken."

"I saw what you'd done to Noah Stark," Johannes pointed to me. "I knew that you often stoop low, but resorting to cheap tactics is entirely on another level."

"Fine, I admit to using a love spell!" Augustus said, his cheeks tinged red with guilt. "But what Noah had done was hardly inappropriate. How could a Spirit fall for a human girl?"

"Just like how two normal Spirits fall in love, Augustus," Johannes lectured. "Just like how I'd fallen in love all those years ago."

He gave Augustus a stare so intense and painful and unbelievably raw, with his pupils constricted in hurt and his liquorice irises nearly glowing in the light. For a moment he looked absolutely serious, and so demanding, that Augustus shrunk at the sight of him.

"What you had wasn't love," Augustus snapped. "It was infatuation, you know it as well as I do."

"Then why was I punished for mere infatuation?" Johannes stood up. "Why would you be so cruel to a young, innocent boy in love?"

"Because it was wrong!" Augustus stood up too. "It wasn't acceptable! People would've mauled me for allowing it-"

"You're a coward, Augustus," Johannes spat out. "A true Enlightened wouldn't act this way."

Augustus didn't reply, now staring at the blank wall behind us. I could see the dark circles under his eyes, his weary look more obvious at the moment.

"I have been generous," Johannes blurted out after a while. "I haven't destroyed your reputation, even when I could have."

"You miserably failed at it," Augustus sneered. "I don't think that's called being generous."

"I didn't fail at it," Johannes reminded. "I merely took back my words."

During my trial back in August, I remembered Johannes claiming that Augustus wasn't a part of the Enlightened. It had sparked a great discussion back then, making Spirits believe that they were dealing with a powerless leader. Which naturally made most of them head over to the Astrascends.

After two months of dealing with rumours, Augustus had released a press reply confirming that he was indeed a part of the Enlightened. Around the same time, Johannes had taken back his claims, saying that he'd lied about the whole thing.

But seeing Johannes now, his eyes sharp and alert and cold, I wondered if Johannes had actually been lying.

Or if Augustus had forced him to keep quiet.

"You're a coward for taking back your words," Augustus guffawed in a foul manner.

"No, I did it, because I don't hold grudges like you." Johannes retorted.

Augustus squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. I'd never seen him act like this, he was usually a calm and collected man.

"I want Melody Davies back," He managed to order after a while. "I'm giving you two a week, and if she isn't back... I'm going to frame you for her disappearance," Augustus stood up.

"That's unfair!" Johannes stood up too, annoyed. "How do you expect us to find her if we're chained to the Pit of Darkness?"

Augustus pressed his mouth into a thin line.

"You will be exempted from the Pit for a week," He grunted. "But, if you use this opportunity to unite with humans on earth, I will make you rot here for an additional ten years."

He turned towards me, his eyes hardened as I thought about Ren. Would Augustus know if I was talking to her?

"No Renee," He clarified, his dark eyes boring into mine.

I turned away, furious. I hated the fact that he had so much power over me.

"I mean it, Noah Stark," He said, using all his strength to bully me. "One week is all I'm giving you. And if Melody is back, I may reconsider your state-" He pointed towards the Pit. "So, choose wisely."

With one last glare towards Johannes, Lord Augustus left the room, his white robes flowing behind him like a bridal train. Johannes stared unblinkingly, his stiff posture a contrast to Augustus gliding out in a weirdly angelic manner.

"Let's go, Noah," Johannes whispered, finally meeting my eyes. "I don't want to stay in this miserable place anymore."

*****

6th December 2019

School had been cancelled the very next day, owing to heavy snowfall in our neighbourhood. Even then, Ren had managed to pop up, her cheeks red from the biting cold, and her locks spilling out of her fuzzy woollen hat.

"Breakfast?" Johannes asked from the counter, holding out a pan of scrambled eggs. Renee refused politely, now removing her coat, and giving me an expectant look.

I'd told her everything over the phone last night, from visiting the Pit to being assigned to search for Melody. There was no need for her to come, but here she was, with a steely look in her eyes.

"I'll help you find her," Renee offered, now settling down on the couch.

"What? No!" I watched her in disbelief. "Ren, you're supposed to be visiting the Arbor Vitae-"

"That can wait," She huffed. "This can't. You've got what, six days left?"

"But Ren, you're not supposed to be here!" I sighed. "Augustus told me very clearly that I can't be meeting up with you, or he'd make me stay in the Pit for another ten years!"

"It's only for this week," Johannes called out from the kitchen, trying to be helpful.

"Besides, you can't help me search for her if you're severed," I pointed out. "There's going to be no Spirit form for you to travel through the Realms."

Her face fell, and she stared at the fireplace with the nearly dying embers. I settled down next to her, taking her into my arms in an embrace. Her head was against my heart, her curls in my fingers, still cold from the snow outside.

"I just... I don't trust Augustus," Renee muttered. "What if you find Melody, and he casts the love spell on you again? What if you leave me?"

"No love spell is stronger than my feelings, Ren," I lifted her chin gently. "I love you too much to even look at her."

"The spell was so powerful that you had to leave the Pit," She reminded. "I know that you're only trying to make me feel better, but when it comes to Augustus, I can't trust anything."

Johannes walked into the living room, carrying a tray. He gave Ren and me a mug of hot chocolate each, before settling into his armchair with his breakfast.

"Thanks," Renee looked up at him.

He waved it away like it was nothing, but I did see a small smile at the corners of his mouth. Something that made evil Johannes look almost docile and innocent, like a living paradox.

"So, where could Melody be?" Renee asked, after taking a sip of the hot chocolate and closing her eyes, revelling in the taste. As nasty as Johannes was, his hot chocolate wasn't, something that I'd grudgingly admitted to him.

"We've ruled out a few places," I told Ren, exchanging a glance with Johannes. "Shay confirmed that Melody wasn't in the Astrascends. She also used up her Enlightened powers to locate Melody, but for some reason, she couldn't find her."

Renee nodded thoughtfully.

"She's not in the After Realm either," Johannes added. "I've been in touch with Lord Claudius, who is now heading the place."

Yes, the same Claudius, my former boss at the ISA who used to bully me.

"And she's not a part of the Enlightened too," I told Ren. "If she was, Lord Augustus would've known... All the Enlightened know each other quite well."

Johannes choked on his toast at the exact moment, coughing all the way through until he drowned it with hot chocolate.

"You okay?" I asked him, apprehensively. The last thing I needed today was him dying on a piece of toast.

"I'm good, Noah," He was still breathless, avoiding my gaze as he beamed a falsely bright smile. "I just had the most marvellous idea."

"What is it?" Renee's grey eyes lit up hopefully.

"You could accompany Renee on her visit to the Arbor Vitae," Johannes proposed. "Melody might be hiding there."

"Why would she be hiding there?" I raised an eyebrow at Johannes. Most Spirits I knew hadn't heard about the Arbor Vitae. I didn't think it would be possible that an ISA-abiding Spirit like Melody would be hiding in a fantastical tree.

"I don't know... But we cannot rule out the possibility without exploring!" Johannes countered.

I threw Johannes a suspicious look. He was casually twirling his goatee, but his gaze was fixed on the carpet, his brain whizzing with who knew what.

"Okay," Renee smiled at him yet again. "It would be amazing if Noah would come with me."

"Exactly!" He chimed. "It's a perfect date!"

I snorted. Renee turned around, looking affronted, which in turn made me fake a sneeze.

There was no way that I'd trust Johannes with this. Not when he had that shifty look about him.

But I couldn't act alone this time. Someone had to keep an eye on Johannes, while I was at the Arbor Vitae. Someone he trusted and would give up the whole world for.

Someone like Phyllis.

*****

(A/N: Hey guys, I hope you're all okay! I'm taking a short break, so I'm really sorry if I don't catch up with your books. I'll read them all once I'm back!)