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Even just a look at this point could tell the most oblivious of fools that Thomas had lost his spirit. Barely any response was elicited from Runa's private whispers to him, his expression remaining numb and sunken, and his eyes glassy and lifeless over their usually vivid violet hue. By the time Riku had come over to diffuse the situation, the boy was already trudging away towards where Runa had gestured. As far as he saw it, he was done with the situation. And besides, as far as he was concerned, the only doors that opened up as a result of him discovering this new "power" he'd attained led only to more uncertainty as to who he truly was. But to him, the eyes he possessed were the eyes of a monster. And though he looked human, for all he knew, he could be one.

As the group followed along behind Runa through tunnels that seemed endless in scale to contradict their narrow, almost claustrophobic, width. While Riku was feeling regret for her part to play in joining along with Runa's set-up, Thomas felt an overwhelming sense of shame and guilt, stemming from fear and uncertainty of himself, after the events of the previous hours. There was no doubt that the boy had played himself, and even then, there was no excuse for the potentially lethal destruction he'd almost caused. And if it happened once, who's to say it wouldn't happen again?

Perhaps it was subconscious, perhaps purposeful, but it was with these thoughts that Thomas began to distance himself from his friend, finding himself alone instead of at her side for the first time in a while it seemed. Maybe it was for the best. And, as though the Abyss were responding to that thought in an attempt to bring certainty to the boy's choice, it swallowed him whole into pure darkness as a cavern laid stretched out before the group.

It wasn't long until that isolating darkness began to lift however, rays of light embracing and spreading across the cavern floor and walls whence they came. It was a striking enough change for Thomas to finally lift up his bowed head, though it wasn't half as alerting as what was to follow almost immediately after. A voice from behind him, raised only slightly at first, words coming out somewhat indistinctly to his ears, suddenly cried out his name, instantly revealing its familiarity to Thomas. Suddenly, all thoughts of distance were out of the window, as the boy started towards the call of his friend...

[color=violet]"Rik-!"[/color]

... only to freeze at the last second as something, or indeed, someone else caught his sight. In fact it was almost like he had no choice in the matter, his body and mind submitting to an unseen force that drew his attention to the darkened figure that called to him in silence. A look of concern washed over Thomas' face, as features became more clear to him. A vision of a large, scarred man, a mop of short black hair riding down partially over one side of his face stood metres away from him. A piercing that could kill met Thomas' mutedly shocked look, one that dared him to run away as much as it dared him to approach, a stare that sent stinging impulses up his nervous system, that rocked him to his very core. And, perhaps most importantly of all, a stare that came from a pair of glowing, violet eyes.

The boy shivered, an icy tingle running up his spine while his breath became slightly erratic. His eyes almost seemed to turn golden for a second as he held eye contact with the mysterious man, but a blink almost immediately after restored them to their usual hue. With a faint glow, his glaive appeared in his grip, the first time he'd held it since his battle with Nephy. It didn't seem like Thomas had summoned it on purpose though, more of a fight or flight response if anything.

[color=violet]"Who... who are you?"[/color] 

Thomas asked the violet-eyed figure ahead, trying his best to sound composed despite falters in his speech. The boy didn't move a step closer to him though, almost held completely in place by the mere sight of him. By that stare. That ominous stare.