The X Guide-Chapter 108: To Find Companions (7)

"Do you feel sorry for her?" Devion put on a new cover, and after he was done, he turned to Ayen and asked.

Ayen shook his head. He was not easily attached to others. He also realized this point. It was a little strange now that he was truly comfortable with Devion and Khal, but Ayen did not think he had changed too much.

It still took him quite a while to warm up to others. Keeran even needed a year. Lucian and Nolan were a special case; Ayen encountered them when he was finally trying to open himself up again.

That, too, still took a month for him to be fully integrated with them. And they were not too close either.

"It’s not my responsibility to guide them." Ayen was not merely speaking from Aurelle’s perspective but wholly about him.

Devion smiled and agreed. He raised a brow and patted his side. "Sit here?"

Ayen wordlessly stood up and sat beside him. Devion easily let one arm encircle Ayen’s waist and pulled him closer. He leaned forward and slowly pressed his forehead onto Ayen’s shoulder.

He inhaled Ayen’s scent. Strangely enough, although this was not Ayen’s body, Devion did not feel repulsive. His mind and heart knew it was Ayen, and so he felt settled.

Ayen noticed that something was on his mind; he reached out and stroked Devion’s hair, subtly massaging his scalp. Of course, there was a difference in the hair texture, but he brushed it off.

Like Devion, he was also settled, even if it was a different body embracing him. It was still Devion.

"Shall I start guiding you?" Ayen whispered.

Devion shook his head, burying his face further in Ayen’s neck. Ayen glanced at him, observing him. And then, suddenly, realization dawned on him.

Ayen stiffened, his fingers stopped, and his heart raced.

"Is it... here?" Ayen asked with obvious hesitation.

After what happened, Devion had also told Ayen what the usual manifestation of the curse is. So, he knew that Devion always saw something that they could not.

And it could even communicate with him.

Khal had also warned him in some instances that the shadow might have manifested, but Devion was not using signs. Devion usually let it be, and he could even joke around, looking like nothing was wrong.

What he witnessed that day was still fresh in his mind. Ayen could not see Devion like that. Feeling his anxiety, Devion sighed and nestled in his embrace.

He thought that Khal was the only one who could give this much security, but it seemed Ayen was also part of it. There was still lingering anxiety, but he could suppress it somehow.

Devion nodded.

Ayen bit his lips and looked around. His other arm wrapped around Devion, as though afraid someone would take him. He finally felt what Khal always feels.

Powerless.

Since he could not see the shadow. Ayen wanted to see it too, to know what kind of entity tormented Devion for a decade.

"It’s stronger," Devion whispered and let the words flow out of his mouth. When Ayen was not part of their world yet, he was reluctant to share anything with him.

Fearing that Ayen would think he was a freak or fear him. After all, he was crazy unpredictable; he knew it too. Khal was there to stabilize him, but who knew for how long?

Now that Devion had truly let Ayen inside their world, he was now gradually sharing the darkness about him. This was also sharing a burden, just like how Ayen bravely recalled his bad experience.

"The curse is stronger," Devion explained to Ayen.

Devion had sensed it. That the curse was somehow stronger. It was the reason why, even when he had already awakened, he lingered in the guiding room and did not wander around to find Ayen and Khal.

He was calming his mind or, more accurately speaking, trying to suppress the curse. It was also why he ignored everyone and continued to close his eyes.

Although he could hear it, the voices were drowned out by the other people inside the room. It was better not to look at it directly.

That was a blessing in disguise, as Ayen was the one who arrived instead. Otherwise, they might have missed each other.

Devion realized soon enough why it was stronger.

"This body is an A-class esper. It restricted most of my abilities."

Ayen also understood by this point. Strictly speaking, Devion should also have an SS-class mental powerthat, even with a restriction, he could still wield some of it.

However, that was exactly what the curse had been corroding for years. It was a curse mainly attacking his mental state. Devion had been suppressing it with both mental power and his natural might.

Which stemmed from being an SS-class esper.

Now that he was suddenly in the body of an A-class esper, most of his mental guard and suppression were suddenly lifted. This body could not be able to handle the curse at all.

For a curse that could influence an SS-class esper, its grade was absolutely top-tier among the curses.

"What should we do?" Ayen chewed on his lips. He tried to stay calm, but he could not do so.

Hearing that the body could not handle the curse, Ayen became even more anxious.

Devion let out a chuckle. Ayen frowned, not knowing why Devion was laughing in this situation.

He could not help but suddenly pinch him again, making Devion laugh even more. Ayen’s anxiety decreased a lot. Devion was calming him despite what he was going through.

Ayen leaned his head to Devion’s.

"We need to find Khal and get out of here."

Ayen did not know of any solution other than that. Khal was still the most dependable when it came to handling Devion’s curse or the whole situation they were in.

"Hmm," Devion hummed, agreeing.

They fell silent for a minute or two. Ayen then remembered Khal’s words to always talk with Devion when the curse manifested or let him do anything.

Unfortunately, they could not cook or do any of Devion’s hobbies here. He could only talk to him. For all people, it had to be him.

Ayen was not good with words or finding a topic to start the conversation.