"L'appel du vide."

The Setomion blinked and titled its head to the side, glancing up at Mathias who was aiming a gun at its chest. A girlish giggle escaped its lips and the sound made his skin crawl – Setomions, giggling? He wondered if he was fighting the reject batch that was to be disposed of.

“You’re stronger today, Gletscher,” it spoke.

Sugary-sweet, voice thick like honey.

“You underestimate me,” he replied coolly. “Got anything else to say before the bullet stops your heart, Instabil?”

And it smiled at Mathias, standing firmly on the ground.

“You’re unusually stronger. It’s strange…and I like it.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Oh, I don’t mean stronger in the sense of your abilities. I meant stronger in the sense of what I’m here for.”

He was about to pull the trigger, but the Setomion’s next words made him stop.

Beady eyes fixed themselves on Mathias. “I’ll take you to the land of Truth and Lies, to the place in which a story began. Eternally cut by time and fate, a tale of two people.”

Where was it going?

“Through the Bridge that leads us to the Worlds…and the tale of two begin.” Horrible glee spread in its eyes. “Monsieur Mathieu and his beloved Monika.”

And like his element, he froze, eyes cutting into the Setomion’s.

“Do you think he regrets leaving her behind?”

Wicked. Malicious.

“One trapped in the Bridge and the other left in the Mortal Realm. And he came back only after one generation, only to find roses on her grave with the inscription of her name. ‘She was so young, a lot to live for’,” it mimicked the voice of a woman, “But alas! All things has its time, and all things die.”

Arzen could only see the redhead staring off at the distance, aiming his gun at nothing but thin air.

“It’s stronger now. I think I’ll have a feast tonight. Main course Glacier, and if Lightning sees, I’ll have her for dessert!”

“Don’t you dare touch her.”

And it blinked, eyes gleaming in the dimming of the evening sky.

“Touch her? Oh, you’ve got it wrong. I’ll only eat her. No touching involved.”

“I know what you’re thinking, Instabil. Suck up my emotions until I’m dry. Lock the door so she won’t escape because the only way of escape is death by you or by jumping.”

Death by Setomion or a broken neck from jumping off the balcony.

“You’re clever. So, so clever.”

“I get that a lot.”

Instabil heaved a deep sigh, crossing its arms with what seemed to be a frown.

“You’re no fun. And to think I almost got to you. But why have fun when I’ll eventually get it later?”

And an eerie, icy blue radiated from the Setomion.

“I’ll see you very soon in Monétolie.”

* * * * *

“The Setomion disappeared.” Arzen spoke afterwards. Mathias sat there, a glass of water in his hands. “It disappeared, and you were there. You were talking to…it.” She frowned. “Did – did you just see things or did it hide itself from me after you came?”

He glanced at her and sighed. “It did. Did you hear anything?”

She shook her head.

“Did you kill it?”

“It disappeared before I could get a bullet in.”

Arzen stayed quiet for a moment.

“I didn’t feel anything – or do anything.”

And he smiled a wry smile.

“It wasn’t you, Arzen.”

No more ‘darling’, she thought, but pushed it away.

“...then who?”

He finished the glass of water before answering.

“It was looking for me.”