The dirt bike gently bounced before coming to a stop. They were on top of a hill overlooking the Dungeon. It was an alien landscape like nothing Belaphorde had ever seen before.
It was a desert of salt under a starless sky. Ruins in marble peeked out from the dunes casting long shadows all pointing away from the moon at the center of the desert arena. Under the pale light, Belaphorde could make out the shape of a Roman coliseum.
"Look at this." The panther stood waiting just a few paces ahead on top of a lone pillar. "It's a new sensation, like the opposite of those claustrophobic Dungeons we usually get."
"Yeah. Looks like my lucky angel is working overtime for me today." Kaigo rubbed Belaphorde's cheek with a gloved hand before the Guide swatted him away.
Looking behind them Belaphorde saw a towering gate shining with a blinding white light in its frame. Several tracks, human and other crisscrossed on the salt.
"I'll scout ahead. You can hunker down in the tower a bit ahead at your two o'clock. Maybe we have a chance to not make this a suicide mission. I'd hate to lose my only pizza partner before football season is over."
"Are you showing concern for me? Now this is a special day. I'm going to cry. It's so touching. Go, Kaleido Stars!" He put his fist up in the air and Valentina responded with a paw.
"Go, Kaleido Stars."
She jumped down into the pillar's shadow and disappeared.
Kaigo jawned and shook his head awake causing the end of his helmet to bump into Belaphorde.
"Sorry, sorry. Let's get going and I can… explain… yeah. You are doing great by the way. This kidnapping has got to be top-tier!"
"You'd be surprised," Belaphorde mumbled to himself as the Esper hit the gas. The salts crushed beneath the wheels.
Belaphorde held on and took a steadying breath. The cool night breeze of the dungeon made him aware of how his clothes were clinging to his body, soaked by humidity and sweat. It felt lovely to be able to breathe. The lower gravity made the ride almost pleasant despite the awkward seating and the absurdity of the situation in general.
They arrived at the tower. It was like how Belaphorde imagined the leaning tower of Pisa but completely hollow inside. The moment they stopped Belaphorde jumped off and stretched.
"Sorry about that. If I'd known I would be picking you up I'd gotten a sexier ride."
Belaphorde could not stop himself from snorting.
"How do you live with yourself?"
"Badly."
Kaigo parked the bike and took off his helmet. Light from the tiny windows shined down on him. Ichor was running down his cheeks and the sides of his mouth. Black veins spread across his face and around his sunken eyes. Casually the Esper leaned against the marble wall and spat out a chunk of ichor into the ground.
"Kaigo was your name? Tell me, how did you find me, why am I here?"
"Right. Well, Bella, you see-"
"Belaphorde." The Guide corrected. "Thank you."
"Alright, tiger. Belaphorde, cute name." He rolled out the name over his tongue. "Everyone has an aura, though only Espers and monsters have ones that can be perceived. Unless you are really cool and have ultra senses, which we S-rankers do."
"You remembered my aura signature and found me."
"Bingo! You see, most Guides can't handle a guy like me. They go into shock or start boiling." Kaigo sauntered over to the Guide and rested his arms around the taller boy's neck.
"I'm giving you the opportunity of a lifetime. Prove you can Guide me and I'll pay you anything you want. A penthouse, a car. A tall dark guy like you would look great in gold and designer suits. So that's why you are here, on a trial period before I invest." He leaned in next to his ear and whispered "I could be the best thing to happen in your life, Bel-a-phorde."
Belaphorde was staring dagger into his muddy shoes and clenched his fists. He had a deep internalized hatred of being a Guide. Weak, helpless, and made to serve Espers. What role was suitable for him if not some sort of magic whore? He thought himself a lesser human by design. He was not smart enough to lead. Not strong enough to protect what mattered to him.
Belaphorde refused to go down that path of thinking any longer. He was not a princess to be saved. And fuck the whole thing about “designer clothes” was this rich boy so delusional. The dark nihilism in his mind was pushed out by the seething hatred. If this boy was an S-class with everything it would be fine if Belaphorde tried his little trick and tried to get something out of this horrendous day.
“Hey, you alright?” Kaigo had been studying the Guide's placid face.
Belaphorde straightened up and gently moved the Esper's hands down. The question was laughable.
“I believe we have an agreement. If I can help destroy that monster I will do what’s in my power.” He answered in a monotone voice. The air between them turned cold. “I require skin contact if you’d please.”
Kaigo raised his eyebrows “That’s one way to put it… “ He trailed off and unzipped his suit. “I’d imagined this part to be a little more, I don’t know, fun.” Wearing nothing beneath he stood with his bare chest. Belaphorde unzipped his sleeveless hood. God, he was exhausted.
“Hey, nice abs. Mine ain’t nearly as defined.”
“Thank you,” Belaphorde replied curtly. “Please stand still. I will need full control. As you said this could be dangerous for me.”
“You got it, boss. I won’t move a muscle. Let’s hope this works or, well, I’ll be going in fighting either way. I’m a hero ready to die for the good cause.”
Kaigo’s narcissistic rambling passed right through the Guide. He reached out, pressing their chest together. One hand on Kaigo’s back and the other on his head as he nuzzled into the crook of Belaphorde’s neck.
"You are warm and nice."
Belaphorde focused his mind and began absorbing ichor. He winced in pain, breathing in and out. The extra contact spread out the pressure but the dissonance and cheer amount of ichor was overwhelming. He already felt like he had run a marathon with Hertha.
Kaigo nodded off. Water sprayed out of his back like boiling wings. Belaphorde pushed the Esper away and stumbled back into the salt. The Esper jolted awake, the wings climbing up the building and flash-freezing upon touching the tower wall, coating it in ice.
“Woaw, sorry about that. That usually only happens when I enter deep sleep or get super emotional. You okay?”
Kaigo extended a hand towards Belaphorde. “I am alright.” He answered and stood up on shivering legs.
“One tough cookie huh? You know what, let’s not.”
“Please, I would like to try again.”
“Did I find the Guides version of the Terminator? I’m beginning to feel scared. Sure, one more go.”
Once again Kaigo went still and Belaphorde took him into an embrace. This time he tried to take in the ichor in as small amounts as he could manage. It was not a skill he had trained but he had not come this far to walk away with nothing. With both men alert the ichor was not as crushing. They stood there for a few minutes. Waves of freezing cold and hellish heat overlapped with each other inside the Guide’s body. He was sweating and holding on to Kaigo as his muscles contracted in cramps.
“Damn.” Kaigo stood back and rubbed his eyes, more black running down his face and smearing over his hands. “Your Guiding just makes me so, sleepy…”
“Hold on a little longer.” Belaphorde pressed on, taking in more. Kaigo nodded off again, his body going limp. The Guide followed Kaigo down to the floor and put him on his side. His body was shaking from exertion as he searched the pockets on the inside of Kaigo’s suit. He took his phone and earpieces, put on the helmet, and scrambled to the dirt bike.
Years ago Vigo had taught him how to ride on his antique motorcycle. Belaphorde was a bit too short but he managed. They later sold the hog to fund their upstart Guild. This bike was going to keep them afloat a bit longer.
He took one last glance down at the Esper. He was out cold and still covered in slick black. He was an arrogant stranger. Perhaps they could have worked together but Belaphorde was running low on trust and the power imbalance was too high. Perhaps he was scared and in too much pain to think clearly. Perhaps he was a bad person for stealing and running away when that monster was on the loose.
His arms shook violently. He turned on the gas and rolled out of the tower when his vision went white with pain. Belaphorde could not stop himself from rolling off the bike and buckled into a fetal position. He had been going for so long and his body could not continue. Cramps. Fever. Like his blood wanted out of his body and left nothing to his functions. Through his blind thrashing, he thought he could see a diamond grin before his mind slipped into oblivion.
