The Phantom’s Gambit

The day of the Passage rites finally arrived, but Octavius woke up feeling drained and ill. The relentless nightmares that had plagued him throughout the night had taken their toll, leaving him weak and shaken.

As the morning unfolded, Void slipped into Amy's cat, using the animal as a vessel to scout out the town. He informed Octavius of his plan, and Octavius agreed, too weak to do anything else. The nightmares had taken a toll on his body, leaving him feeling drained and helpless.

As the hours dragged on, Octavius' condition only worsened. He couldn't muster the strength to get out of bed, and the thought of calling for help was daunting. He wanted to be alone, yet the silence was oppressive.

Just as he was starting to feel like he couldn't take it anymore, a knock sounded at the door. Before he could respond, the door creaked open, and Amy slipped inside. Her ginger hair was wet and neatly braided, and she looked lovely despite the concern etched on her face.

She set a tray of food on the drawer beside Octavius' bed and sat down beside him. Octavius glanced at her, his eyes feeling heavy.

"I'm not sure what to call you," Amy said softly after a moment. "Octavius, Void... or Edwin, like my father instructed."

Octavius knew exactly what Void would have said in this situation – 'Sounds like a you problem' – but he wasn't Void, not entirely. He sat up, wincing at the wave of dizziness that washed over him.

"Your father told you about my situation?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper due to the sickness.

Amy nodded, her eyes locked on his.

"Void isn't exactly a suitable name for the academy, It'll raise questions." Octavius continued, his throat dry. "And... Octavius..." He paused, swallowing hard before finishing. "Is dead. So, it's best you call me Edwin."

Amy nodded again. "I actually came here for a purpose. Have you seen my cat? I just finished bathing with him and he got out before I got the chance to wipe you clean."

'Oh, so that explains her wet hair,' Octavius thought to himself, his gaze drifting to the tiny droplets of water trickling from her hair down to her shoulders. 

But something else made his eyes bulge 'Did she just say she just had a bath with her cat? Void left here hours ago after possessing the cat, did that pervert—'

[Sure did, ] Void said through the cat as he made his entrance with a smudged look from the window.

Amy's voice drew Octavius back to the present. "My father asked that I give you this. It will help improve your stamina before tomorrow since you'll be applying for Talents." His eyes trailed down to her hands, which were pointing to the tray of food she had brought.

"Stamina, like a cure for an unexpected sickness?" Octavius asked, his voice punctuated by a series of weak coughs.

Amy stood up, already heading towards the door as she spoke. "No, it doesn't, but I can get you something for that cough." She paused her hand on the doorknob.

Octavius' voice stopped her from leaving. "Why are you being nice to me?"

Amy's response was barely audible, but Octavius caught the words before she rushed out the door. "Cause I like my head sitting pretty on my neck,"

Immediately the door closed behind her, Void leaped on the bed giving Octavius barely little time to process her words.

Octavius eyed Void warily. "I thought you wanted to scout out the vicinity."

[I did scout a specific vicinity— and boy oh boy.] Void let out, glazing over dreamily before he collapsed onto the bed. [t was purr-fect]

"Let me guess, you disappeared to get yourself dirty so she'd bathe you again," Octavius said, raising an eyebrow.

Void's response was unapologetic. [No, but I'm definitely considering that for next time.]

Octavius scoffed, muttering under his breath, "If there's a next time."

[I left because I got sick all of a sudden. Something I didn't think was possible. I figured it's because I drifted too far from you. So, I'm back. Cast me back into your body.]

But Octavius doesn't do that, instead he pondered over the possibility of both of them falling sick.

"This is the first time you've been in that form for so long," Octavius mused. "Could that be why we fell sick? What if this proves to be a barrier for tomorrow?"

He glanced at Void, expecting a response, but before the other could reply, the door swung open and Amy walked in, her arrival abruptly interrupting their conversation.

Amy dropped off a cup filled with a mysterious liquid. "You haven't eaten yet. Make sure to eat before you drink this," she muttered.

Octavius' face scrunched up in distaste as he eyed the cup. Amy quickly reassured him, "It's just a herb I usually prepare for my father and friends when they fall sick."

As Amy glanced around the room, her gaze landed on her cat, who was lounging on the bed. "Come here, let me give you another bath before I head to the ceremony."

Octavius found himself asking, despite his better judgment, "When is that happening?"

"The usual time."

Octavius pressed for more information. "And when would that be?"

"It starts when the sun sets and ends when the sun goes down."

Octavius knew this, of course, it was the usual time when his father headed the ceremony. But he had trusted Thorne's words even though his instinct had told him not to. It dawned on him that Thorne had indeed betrayed him.

"Come out of the body," Octavius whispered, noticing Amy's reach for the cat.

Void's essence swirled out of the feline form, and he stood beside Octavius as Amy scooped up her cat and headed for the exit. She opened the door, but hesitated, turning back to Octavius.

With a mix of nostalgia and caution, she said, "I know you're not him anymore... but today is his birthday. I was friends with his sister, so... Happy Birthday. I hope you win and get into the Academy, Ed."

Amy's words hung in the air, and she quickly exited the room, fearing to get rebuffed by Octavius. 

Unnoticed by her, a faint, sad smile settled on Octavius's face, a glimpse of the emotions stirring beneath his surface.