Lightbringer's tone softened, and there was a hint of understanding in its response. "I know, Kye. I just wish you would confide in me more, so we can face these challenges together."
Kye nodded, realizing that Lightbringer was right. He had a tendency to shoulder his burdens alone, and it wasn't always for the best.
But well, what could he do? He didn't like to burden people with his worries, and Lightbringer wasn't an exception.
"I promise, Lightbringer, I'll try to be more open with you," he said as sincerely as possible. "We're a team, after all."
The sword seemed to brighten at Kye's words, and its presence in his mind felt reassuring rather than intrusive. It was good to have Lightbringer back on his side, especially when he had so many unanswered questions and uncertainties ahead.
'Anyway, where did the woman, or rather the Phoenix, go?' Kye asked. 'Surely she didn't leave me alone, did she?'
Lightbringer responded with a hint of amusement, its mental presence becoming more conversational. 'Oh, she didn't leave, Kye. She's been keeping watch over you. After all, you two had quite the battle, and it seems she felt responsible for your well-being.'
Kye blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected the Phoenix to stick around, given their adversarial encounter. But then again, they had formed a sort of connection during their battle, and maybe there was more to her than met the eye.
'Well, I guess that's... unexpected,' Kye admitted, a touch of awkwardness in his voice. 'I suppose I should thank her for watching over me.'
As Kye stepped out of the cave and into the fading light of day, he saw the Phoenix sitting on a rock not far away. She looked up as he approached, her fiery red hair glowing in the sunlight.
"You're awake," she said simply, her expression unreadable.
Kye nodded, feeling a mixture of gratitude and curiosity. "Yeah, thanks for... you know, not leaving me behind."
Phoenix's lips curved into a small smile, and Kye found himself momentarily captivated by the contrast between her fiery appearance and the warmth in her expression.
"Well you're someone chosen by our King, it would be disrespectful of me to leave you in such a state, right?" She said before standing up and bowing down. "I would also like to apologize for my misbehavior. You were already hurt, and I just made things worse for you."
Kye was taken aback by the Phoenix's sudden display of respect and apology. He hadn't expected her to be so formal, given their earlier interactions. Her change in demeanor added another layer of complexity to her character, and he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of intrigue about her.
He was already curious about her the moment he first saw her, and he understood why as she was a Phoenix, but it seems that he still wasn't a good judge of character as he still couldn't understand her behavior.
"No need to bow," Kye said, feeling a bit awkward. "And, well, apologies accepted. We were both caught up in the heat of battle. It wasn't right for me to attack you either. It's just that... I was wary of everyone because of... you know... what happened in the church."
"Still, I should have shown you my respect earlier and not tested you while you were in danger." She said while keeping her head down.
Kye appreciated the Phoenix's willingness to take responsibility for her actions, even though she was under no obligation to do so. Her humility and the sincerity in her words were starting to chip away at his initial wariness.
"Anyway, sir...?"
"Just call me Kye."
"Understood," She nodded. "Kye, what brings you to Nebula? I know that it is not my place to ask, but shouldn't you be on planet Earth, at the moment?"
"Well things happened on Earth, you see," Kye's expression started to go sour. "I didn't know what to do nor where to go. My friends all disappeared out of thin air. I don't even know if they died or not. And... I thought that Ras could maybe help me, if he's not too busy, of course. I don't mind waiting for him."
The Phoenix listened intently to Kye's explanation, her fiery eyes showing a hint of empathy. The turmoil and uncertainty he was facing were apparent in his words, and she could sense the weight of his worries.
"I see," she said, her voice softening. "It sounds like you're going through a difficult time. The disappearance of your friends must be weighing heavily on your heart."
Kye nodded, his shoulders slumping as he recalled the events on Earth. "Yeah, it's been tough. But I can't give up on them. They mean everything to me."
The Phoenix's gaze held a flicker of understanding. "I can't promise that I know where your friends are, nor if our king would be able to help you, but I can at least offer you my assistance. If you don't mind, you could come to our territory?"
Kye's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected such a generous offer from someone he had initially considered an adversary.
"You'd do that for me?" He asked, his voice tinged with gratitude.
"Of course. It is only normal for a friend of our king to be treated as such," Kye's eyes started to shine after hearing her words. "However, there is a problem." And then, Kye's expression almost did a 360° turn. "Our king isn't on Nebula, at the moment. It will take some time for him to come back, so you will have to wait for him."
Kye nodded, his expression turning back to normal as he sighed in relief. "It's okay. I don't mind waiting. Although I need his assistance, I can't force him to abandon his work to help me. He's a busy person, I mean Phoenix, after all.
"Thank you for your understanding, Kye," She smiled. "I now understand why you posses our King's friend seal. You saved our kin, and you're so kind. It's admirable to still find humans like you."
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